bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic hepatitis B is associated with an increased risk of B‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma
Authors: Su Tung‐Hung , Liu Chun‐Jen , Tseng Tai‐Chung , Chou Shih‐Wan , Liu Chen‐Hua , Yang Hung‐Chih , Wu Shang‐Ju , Chen Pei‐Jer , Chen Ding‐Shinn , Chen Chi‐Ling , Kao Jia‐Horng
Published: January 2019

Background

Chronic hepatitis B has been linked to lymphoma with contradictory results.

Aim

To investigate the association between chronic hepatitis B and lymphoma by using a nationwide population‐based cohort.

Methods

Records of patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B (hepatitis B virus [HBV] cohort) or without (non‐HBV cohort) during 2004‐2007 were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Age, sex, comorbidities, and medical visits were matched using propensity scores between both cohorts, and they were followed up longitudinally until 2012 to determine any new lymphoma development.

Results

A total of 203 031 patients were included in each cohort with a mean follow‐up of 7‐9 years. The lymphoma incidence rate was significantly higher in the HBV cohort than in the non‐HBV cohort (29.4 vs 15.9 per 100 000 person‐years, P < 0.0001). After adjustment for comorbidities and medical visits, HBV infection was found to be an independent risk factor associated with the development of lymphoma (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.76‐2.43, P < 0.0001) and non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (HR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.80‐2.65, P < 0.0001); specifically with an increased risk of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (HR: 2.69, 95% CI: 2.05‐3.52, P < 0.0001), other B‐cell lymphoma (HR: 3.11, 95% CI: 1.89‐5.11, P < 0.0001), and also for multiple myeloma (HR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.10‐2.42, P = 0.016). The association was significant even after excluding lymphoma development within the first year (HR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.75‐2.47, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Chronic hepatitis B is temporally associated with a 2‐fold increased risk of lymphoma, particularly with B‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma, and also an increased risk for multiple myeloma.
Endoscopic surgery in Japan: The 13th national survey (2014‐2015) by the Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery
Authors: Shiroshita Hidefumi , Inomata Masafumi , Bandoh Toshio , Uchida Hiroki , Akira Shigeo , Hashizume Makoto , Yamaguchi Shigeki , Eguchi Susumu , Wada Norihito , Takiguchi Shuji , Ieiri Satoshi , Endo Shunsuke , Iwazaki Masayuki , Tamaki Yasuhiro , Tabata Minoru , Kanayama Hiroomi , Mimata Hiromitsu , Hasegawa Toru , Onishi Kiyoshi , Yanaga Katsuhiko , Morikawa Toshiaki , Terachi Toshiro , Matsumoto Sumio , Yamashita Yuichi , Kitano Seigo , Watanabe Masahiko
Published: January 2019

In Japan, the first endoscopic surgery, a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, was performed in 1990. Since then, the operative procedure has been standardized, and the safety and usefulness of endoscopic surgery have been evaluated. In accordance with the social acceptance of endoscopic surgery as a less‐invasive surgery, the number of endoscopic procedures has been increasing in all surgical domains. The Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery (JSES) has played an important role in the development of endoscopic surgery in Japan. For example, JSES established a technical skills certification system for surgeons to train instructors how to teach safe endoscopic surgery, and the organization performs a national survey every 2 years. In 2015, a total of 211 953 patients underwent endoscopic surgery in all surgical domains, including abdominal, thoracic, mammary and thyroid gland, cardiovascular, obstetrics and gynecology, urologic, orthopedic, and plastic surgery. The course of laparoscopic surgery's development and its current status are reported here based on the results of the most recent questionnaire survey conducted by JSES.
Rethinking the scale and formulation of indices assessing organism vulnerability to warmer habitats
Authors: Garcia Raquel A. , Allen Jessica L. , Clusella‐Trullas Susana
Published: January 2019

Ecologists often use indices or proxies to communicate complex ecological entities. Indices commonly known as thermal safety margin, habitat thermal quality and hours of restriction describe species’ vulnerability to climate change by comparing organisms’ thermal limits or preferences to available habitat temperatures. Ready access to temperature data, from global gridded datasets or limited in situ measurements, has made these indices popular for vulnerability assessments across taxonomic groups and regions. However, such coarse descriptions of thermal landscape mask the spatio‐temporal heterogeneity that organisms experience, compromising the value of these indices. Full understanding of how scale affects index estimates is lacking, leaving ecologists and conservation managers with little guidance for applying or interpreting indices. Here, we show that incomplete temperature sampling, in space or time, provides erroneous assessments of vulnerability. Gradually sub‐sampling a long‐term, fine‐scale dataset of operative environmental temperature altered the index estimates for a lizard. Uncertainty associated with the selection of data increased with coarser scales, often leading to contrasting interpretations about the species’ vulnerability to climate change when different data subsets were used. Compressing the environmental temperature data into central or extreme tendencies, as traditionally done to compute these indices, further masked the thermal variation that animals exploit to buffer warming. We suggest the use of improved index formulations that better describe temperature availability at scales that are appropriate to the study organism.
Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) response to Barley yellow dwarf virus at various nitrogen application rates in the presence and absence of its aphid vector, Rhopalosiphum padi
Authors: Liang Xi , Rashidi Mahnaz , Rogers Christopher W. , Marshall Juliet M. , Price William J. , Rashed Arash
Published: January 2019

Barley yellow dwarf (BYD) is one of the most common diseases of cereal crops, caused by the phloem‐limited, cereal aphid‐borne Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) (Luteoviridae). Delayed planting and controlling aphid vector numbers with insecticides have been the primary approaches to manage BYD. There is limited research on nitrogen (N) application effects on plant growth, N status, and water use in the BYDV pathosystem in the absence of aphid control. Such information will be essential in developing a post‐infection management plan for BYDV‐infected cereals. Through a greenhouse study, we assessed whether manipulation of N supply to BYDV‐infected winter wheat, Triticum aestivum L. (Poaceae), in the presence or absence of the aphid vector Rhopalosiphum padi L. (Hemiptera: Aphididae), could improve N and/or water uptake, and subsequently promote plant growth. Similar responses of shoot biomass and of water and N use efficiencies to various N application rates were observed in both BYDV‐infected and non‐infected plants, suggesting that winter wheat plants with only BYDV infection may be capable of outgrowing infection by the virus. Plants, which simultaneously hosted aphids and BYDV, suffered more severe symptoms and possessed higher virus loads than those infected with BYDV only. Moreover, in plants hosting both BYDV and aphids, aphid pressure was positively associated with N concentration within plant tissue, suggesting that N application and N concentration within foliar tissue may alter BYDV replication indirectly through their influence on aphid reproduction. Even though shoot biomass, tissue N concentration, and water use efficiency increased in response to increased N application, decision‐making on N fertilization to plants hosting both BYDV and aphids should take into consideration the potential of aphid outbreak and/or the possibility of reduced plant resilience to environmental stresses due to decreased root growth.
Reliably Assessing Growth with Longitudinal Diagnostic Classification Models
Authors: Madison Matthew J.
Published: January 2019

Recent advances have enabled diagnostic classification models (DCMs) to accommodate longitudinal data. These longitudinal DCMs were developed to study how examinees change, or transition, between different attribute mastery statuses over time. This study examines using longitudinal DCMs as an approach to assessing growth and serves three purposes: (1) to define and evaluate two reliability measures to be used in the application of longitudinal DCMs; (2) through simulation, demonstrate that longitudinal DCM growth estimates have increased reliability compared to longitudinal item response theory models; and (3) through an empirical analysis, illustrate the practical and interpretive benefits of longitudinal DCMs. A discussion describes how longitudinal DCMs can be used as practical and reliable psychometric models when categorical and criterion‐referenced interpretations of growth are desired.
First field evidence for alloparental egg care in cooperatively breeding fish
Authors: Josi Dario , Taborsky Michael , Frommen Joachim G.
Published: January 2019

Helping behaviour in cooperative breeders has been intensively studied in many animal taxa, including arthropods, birds and mammals. In these highly social systems, helpers typically engage in brood care and the protection of dependent young. Such helping systems also exist in cooperatively breeding cichlid species of Lake Tanganyika. However, breeding in these species happens in clefts, narrow holes or shelters underneath stones. Therefore, direct brood care by breeders and helpers has thus far only been observed under artificial laboratory conditions. Under natural conditions, brood care behaviour has been estimated indirectly by determining the time spent in the breeding chamber, or by the number of visits to the breeding chamber. The reliability of such substitutes needs to be validated, for instance, by demonstrating alloparental egg care of helpers through direct observations in nature. Here, we describe direct egg care by a male helper of the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus savoryi in the field. The helper inspected and cleaned the eggs and defended them against predators. By reconstructing the genetic relatedness using microsatellite markers, we show that the helper was the son of the breeding male, but unrelated to the breeding female. The genetic mother of the helper was defending a different territory next to the one where the helper showed alloparental egg care. This indicates that the helper had dispersed inside the male territory to assist another female to care for his half‐siblings. These results demonstrate alloparental egg care without reproductive share in a fish species under natural conditions, underlining that helping behaviour in cooperatively breeding fish has a strong non‐self‐serving component.
Colopexy dehiscence preceding an episode of large colon volvulus, followed by repeat colopexy, in three Thoroughbred broodmares
Authors: Hall M. D. , Rodgerson D. H.
Published: January 2019

Three Thoroughbred mares that had undergone previous colopexy following surgical correction of a large colon volvulus presented for colic signs unresponsive to medical management. Exploratory laparotomy was elected and a midline celiotomy was performed in the caudal aspect of the ventral abdomen in each mare. Examination of the cranial abdomen revealed the large colon was not adhered to the ventral body wall, indicating dehiscence of the previous colopexy. Further examination of the abdomen in each mare revealed a 360‐degree large colon volvulus. The previous colopexy site appeared as a linear haemorrhagic area of fibrosis in one mare and a pale area of fibrosis in two mares. The large colon volvulus was corrected and a second colopexy was then performed using the same technique as the first colopexy – by incorporating 10–12 cm of the lateral free band of the left ventral colon into the midline linea alba closure using number 3 polyglactin 910 (Vicryl®). The mares each recovered uneventfully from anaesthesia and were discharged 2–10 days later. Two of the mares are still alive at the time of manuscript submission, 475 and 789 days post‐operatively. The third mare survived 4 years post‐operatively, following which she was lost to follow‐up. Data available from our clinic indicate an incidence rate of 0.79% for colopexy dehiscence followed by a repeat episode of large colon volvulus. This phenomenon should be considered as a differential diagnosis when a mare that previously underwent a colopexy presents with severe signs of colic.
Comparing abundance‐based and tag‐based estimates of coho salmon marine survival
Authors: Cochran Sean M. , Ricker Seth , Anderson Colin , Gallagher Sean P. , Ward Darren M.
Published: January 2019

Obtaining reliable estimates of marine survival is essential for understanding anadromous salmon population dynamics. Two common approaches to estimating marine survival are (a) dividing abundance of returning adult salmon abundance by abundance of smolts from the same cohort, or (b) tagging a portion of the migrating smolts and estimating the return rate of tagged adults. This study compared these two approaches to estimating marine survival for coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum), across multiple years in three California streams. Abundance‐based survival estimates were higher than tag‐based estimates; average estimates for the two techniques differed from 1.5‐fold to 7.4‐fold across streams. One likely cause for these divergent estimates is migration of juveniles from natal habitat before smolt trapping begins, resulting in an underestimate of smolt abundance and an overestimate of marine survival rate for the abundance‐based method. Estimates of marine survival obtained from abundance estimates and tag returns are not directly comparable.
Coral chimerism as an evolutionary rescue mechanism to mitigate global climate change impacts
Authors: Rinkevich Baruch
Published: January 2019

Climate change and anthropogenic pressures inflict a wide range of profound damages on coral reef ecosystems, reshaping coral reef communities due to their physiological and ecological intolerance to the newly developing environmental conditions. Here, I present coral chimerism as an evolutionary rescue tool for accelerating adaptive responses to global climate change impacts. The “evolutionary rescue” power is contingent on the premise that coral chimerism counters the erosion of genetic and phenotypic diversity. Further benefits are gained when flexible chimeric entities alter their somatic constituents following changes in environmental conditions, synergistically presenting the best‐fitting combination of their genetic components to endure in a capricious environment, exhibiting always their environmentally matched physiological characteristics. Chimerism should be considered as an integral part of the ecological engineering toolbox being developed for active reef restoration.
Determinants of the ratio of actual to potential evapotranspiration
Authors: Peng Liqing , Zeng Zhenzhong , Wei Zhongwang , Chen Anping , Wood Eric F. , Sheffield Justin
Published: January 2019

A widely used approach for estimating actual evapotranspiration (AET) in hydrological and earth system models is to constrain potential evapotranspiration (PET) with a single empirical stress factor (Ω = AET/PET). Ω represents the water availability and is fundamentally linked to canopy–atmosphere coupling. However, the mean and seasonal variability of Ω in the models have rarely been evaluated against observations, and the model performances for different climates and biomes remain unclear. In this study, we first derived the observed Ω from 28 FLUXNET sites over North America during 2000–2007, which was then used to evaluate Ω in six large‐scale model‐based datasets. Our results confirm the importance of incorporating canopy height in the formulation of aerodynamic conductance in the case of forests. Furthermore, leaf area index (LAI) is central to the prediction of Ω and can be quantitatively linked to the partitioning between transpiration and soil evaporation (R2 = 0.43). The substantial differences between observed and model‐based Ω in forests (range: 0.2~0.9) are highly related to the way these models estimated PET and the way they represented the responses of Ω to the environmental drivers, especially wind speed and LAI. This is the first assessment of Ω in models based on in situ observations. Our findings demonstrate that the observed Ω is useful for evaluating, validating, and optimizing the modeling of AET and thus of water and energy balances.
A description and evaluation of the physical and financial characteristics of dairy farms operating on soil types classified as poorly drained and associated with high rainfall
Authors: Hanrahan Liam , Tuohy Pat , McHugh Noirin , O'Loughlin James , Moran Brian , Dillon Pat , Breen James , Wallace Michael , Shalloo Laurence
Published: January 2019

The physical and financial performance data used for analysis were obtained over a 6‐year period (2010–2015), from two different databases including a nationally representative data set of dairy farmers and a detailed data set of seven individual farms. Initial analysis indicated significant variations across soil type and region, across a wide range of physical and financial parameters. Further detailed analysis was completed using a group of seven farms participating in a Heavy Soils Programme (HSP), which were compared to different cohorts of the nationally representative database (National Farm Survey [NFS]), ranked on net profit per ha. TheHSPfarms utilized larger quantities of grassDMper ha per year than the median of theNFSfarms, at similar grazing season lengths, but were using lower levels of purchased feed. Economic analysis indicated theHSPfarmers achieved significantly lower net profits per hectare to theNFSmedian group but significantly higher net profits per kg of fat and protein. TheHSPfarms also achieved significantly greater overall net farm income per year (€83,788), when compared to the median nationally (€67,898), over the 6‐year period (excluding owned land and labour). The mean return on assets ascertained by theHSPfarmers was also significantly greater, at 5.75% per year compared to 3.49% achieved by the median ofNFSfarms. In conclusion, this study has indicated that efficient dairy businesses operating on poorly drained soils can be as profitable as those across all ranges of soil types.
Who Wants to Work for Japanese Companies? A Case in Malaysia
Authors: Mori Izumi , Kim Soyeon , Rahim Abd R.A.
Published: January 2019

This study examined the factors associated with job‐pursuit intentions for Japanese companies among young, college‐educated Malaysian respondents. Building on the frameworks of Japanese‐style management and the organizational image theory, the study examined the perceived images of Japanese companies and their relations to the actual job‐pursuit intentions among potential job seekers in Malaysia. Using two types of surveys—one based on students (prospective new graduates), and the other based on mid‐career workers—we found that a positive image of Japanese companies’ human resource management was attractive to both types of potential job applicants. Images related to skill training and monetary compensation were more appealing to students, whereas the image of career development was more appealing to mid‐career workers. We also found that Japanese companies tend to attract members of the workforce who are talented in job‐specific skills and professional knowledge in the Malaysian context.
Eicosanoids in tissue repair
Authors: Esser‐von Bieren Julia
Published: January 2019

Trauma or infection can result in tissue damage, which needs to be repaired in a well‐orchestrated manner to restore tissue function and homeostasis. Lipid mediators derived from arachidonic acid (termed eicosanoids) play central and versatile roles in the regulation of tissue repair. Here, I summarize the current state‐of the‐art regarding the functional activities of eicosanoids in tissue repair responses during homeostasis and disease. I also describe how eicosanoids are produced during tissue damage and repair in a time‐, cell‐ and tissue‐dependent fashion. In particular, recent insights into the roles of eicosanoids in epithelial barrier repair are reviewed. Furthermore, the distinct roles of different eicosanoids in settings of pathological tissue repair such as chronic wounds, scarring or fibrosis are discussed. Finally, an outlook is provided on how eicosanoids may be targeted by future therapeutic strategies to achieve physiological tissue repair and prevent scarring and loss of tissue function in various disease contexts.
Interleukin‐35 in immune‐related diseases: protection or destruction
Authors: Zhang Junfeng , Zhang Yunsheng , Wang Qingpeng , Li Chunlei , Deng Hongxin , Si Chuanping , Xiong Huabao
Published: January 2019

Interleukin‐35 (IL‐35) is a recently identified heterodimeric cytokine in the IL‐12 family. It consists of an IL‐12 subunit α chain (P35) and IL‐27 subunit Epstein–Barr virus‐induced gene 3 (EBI3) β chain. Unlike the other IL‐12 family members, it signals through four unconventional receptors: IL‐12Rβ2–IL‐27Rα, IL‐12Rβ2–IL‐12Rβ2, IL‐12Rβ2–GP130, and GP130–GP130. Interleukin‐35 signaling is mainly carried out through the signal transducer and activator of transcription family of proteins. It is secreted not only by regulatory T (Treg) cells, but also by CD8+ Treg cells, activated dendritic cells and regulatory B cells. It exhibits immunosuppressive functions distinct from those of other members of the IL‐12 family; these are mediated primarily by the inhibition of T helper type 17 cell differentiation and promotion of Treg cell proliferation. Interleukin‐35 plays a critical role in several immune‐associated diseases, such as autoimmune diseases and viral and bacterial infections, as well as in tumors. In this review, we summarize the structure and function of IL‐35, describe its role in immune‐related disorders, and discuss the mechanisms by which it regulates the development and progression of diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, collagen‐induced arthritis, allergic airway disease, hepatitis, and tumors. The recent research on IL‐35, combined with improved techniques of studying receptors and signal transduction pathways, allows for consideration of IL‐35 as a novel immunotherapy target.
The effects on intra‐generational inequality of introducing a funded pension scheme: A microsimulation analysis for Estonia
Authors: Piirits Magnus , Võrk Andres
Published: January 2019

This article uses a single male cohort microsimulation model to analyse the intra‐generational and distributional effects of a shift in Estonia from a defined benefit pay‐as‐you‐go (PAYG) pension system to a multi‐pillared system with a PAYG scheme with contribution‐based insurance components and a funded pension scheme. We contribute to the literature on microsimulation by showing how introducing contribution‐based insurance components and compulsory defined contribution (DC) schemes can increase pension inequality. Our results show that in the case of a high level of inequality in labour earnings and high long‐term unemployment rates, such as in Estonia, the introduction of a very strong link between contributions and future benefits leads to considerably higher inequality in pension incomes as measured by the Gini coefficient. Simulation results for Estonia suggest that inequality in old‐age pension incomes more than doubles when the reforms mature. In contrast, the inequality in replacement rates decreases.
Electroporation of epicardial autonomic ganglia: Safety and efficacy in medium‐term canine models
Authors: Padmanabhan Deepak , Naksuk Niyada , Killu Ammar K. , Kapa Suraj , Witt Chance , Sugrue Alan , DeSimone Christopher V. , Madhavan Malini , de Groot J. R. , O'Brien Barry , Rabbette Tadhg , Coffey Kenneth , Asirvatham Samuel J.
Published: January 2019

Background

Endocardial radiofrequency ablation of epicardial ganglionic plexus (GP) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is complicated by myocardial damage.

Objectives

We hypothesized that an epicardial approach with a novel nitinol catheter system capable of causing irreversible electroporation (IRE) with direct current (DC) could selectively and permanently destroy GP without collateral myocardial injury.

Methods

Acute studies and medium‐term terminal studies (mean survival, 1137 days) were performed with seven dogs. In the acute studies, DC was used to target epicardial GP within the transverse sinus, oblique sinus, vein of Marshall, and right periaortic space. Successful electroporation was defined as the presence of ablative lesions in the GP without collateral myocardial damage. A four‐point integer system was used to classify histologic changes in tissue harvested from the ablation sites. Atrial effective refractory period (AERP) was measured during the acute and medium‐term studies.

Results

For six dogs in the medium‐term studies, the postablation period was uneventful without complications. Lesions were successfully created at 20 of 21 sites (95.2%) with more than minimal myocardial damage in one dog. An increase in AERP occurred in both atria during the acute studies but was maintained only in the right atrium at medium‐term follow‐up (5032 milliseconds). No dog had damage to the esophagus, adjacent great arteries, or pulmonary veins.

Conclusions

This proof‐of‐concept study suggests that safe, effective, and selective epicardial ablation of GP can be performed with DC by IRE with minimal collateral myocardial damage.
DO INSIDERS CLUSTER TRADES WITH COLLEAGUES? EVIDENCE FROM DAILY INSIDER TRADING
Authors: Alldredge Dallin M. , Blank Brian
Published: January 2019

We explore similarities in insider trading as a proxy for information flows. We observe that corporate insiders cluster trades around those of other insiders at their firm, especially around trades of insiders with whom they work closely. Clustering is greater when informational advantages are larger: during periods of low investor attention, high uncertainty, and high information asymmetry. We also document that clustered insider purchases are followed by abnormal returns in excess of 2% during the subsequent month. Our results are consistent with informed trading, which could result from information sharing among corporate insiders.
Risk factors for tooth loss in adult Japanese dental patients: 8020 Promotion Foundation Study
Authors: Saito Mizuki , Shimazaki Yoshihiro , Fukai Kakuhiro , Furuta Michiko , Aida Jun , Ando Yuichi , Miyazaki Hideo , Kambara Masaki
Published: January 2019

Aim

The assessment of the risk of tooth loss in patients visiting a dental clinic is important for managing their oral health. In the present study, we examined the risk factors for tooth loss among dental patients.

Methods

Data from the 8020 Promotion Foundation Study on the Health Promotion Effects of Dental Care were used in the present study. The study involved 2743 patients who visited a dental clinic in Japan and completed a questionnaire and oral health examination at baseline and at the 2‐year follow up. Tooth‐ and person‐level risk factors for tooth loss during 2 years were subjected to a multilevel multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

In both the person‐ and tooth‐level analyses, age, smoking habit, reason for dental visit, economic status, number of remaining teeth, and periodontal status were significantly associated with tooth loss. In the tooth‐level analysis, tooth type, tooth status, and periodontal status were significantly related to tooth loss. Persons who visited a dental clinic for periodic maintenance had a significantly lower risk of tooth loss than those who visited only to receive dental treatment.

Conclusions

Various tooth‐level factors and modifiable factors, such as smoking cessation and periodic maintenance, are important for the suppression of tooth loss in dental patients.
Illumination conditions in microsphere‐assisted microscopy
Authors: PERRIN STEPHANE , LI HONGYU , LEONG‐HOI AUDREY , LECLER SYLVAIN , MONTGOMERY PAUL
Published: January 2019

White‐light microsphere‐assisted microscopy is a full‐field and label‐free imaging promising technique making it possible to achieve a subdiffraction lateral resolution. However, performance of this technique depends not only on the geometrical parameters but also on the illumination conditions of the optical system. In the present work, experimental measurements and computer simulations have been performed in air in order to determine the influence of the two diaphragm apertures of the Köhler arrangement and the spectral width of the light source on both the depth‐of‐focus of the microsphere and the optimization of the imaging contrast. Furthermore, the super‐resolution phenomenon is demonstrated and the cumulated optical aberrations are shown through the measurement of the optical transfer function for the different arrangements of the illumination part.
Anti‐allodynic and anti‐inflammatory effects of 17α‐hydroxyprogesterone caproate in oxaliplatin‐induced peripheral neuropathy
Authors: Miguel Constanza A. , Raggio María C. , Villar Marcelo J. , Gonzalez Susana L. , Coronel María F.
Published: January 2019

Chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neuropathy is a disabling condition induced by several frequently used chemotherapeutic drugs including the front‐line agent oxaliplatin (OXA). Symptoms are predominantly sensory with the development of neuropathic pain. Alternative dosing protocols and treatment discontinuation are the only available therapeutic strategies. The aim of our work was to evaluate the potential of a synthetic derivative of progesterone, 17α‐hydroxyprogesterone caproate (HPGC), in the prevention and treatment of OXA‐evoked painful neuropathy. We also evaluated glial activation at the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord levels as a possible target mechanism underlying HPGC actions. Male rats were injected with OXA and HPGC following a prophylactic (HPGCp) or therapeutic (HPGCt) scheme (starting either before or after chemotherapy). The development of hypersensitivity and allodynic pain and the expression of neuronal and glial activation markers were evaluated. When compared to control animals, those receiving OXA showed a significant decrease in paw mechanical and thermal thresholds, with the development of allodynia. Animals treated with HPGCp showed patterns of response similar to those detected in control animals, while those treated with HPGCt showed a suppression of both hypersensitivities after HPGC administration. We also observed a significant increase in the mRNA levels of activating transcription factor 3, the transcription factor (c‐fos), glial fibrillary acidic protein, ionized calcium binding adaptor protein 1, interleukin 1 beta (IL‐1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) in DRG and spinal cord of OXA‐injected animals, and significantly lower levels in rats receiving OXA and HPGC. These results show that HPGC administration reduces neuronal and glial activation markers and is able to both prevent and suppress OXA‐induced allodynia, suggesting a promising therapeutic strategy.
Feature Acquisition in Second Language Phonetic Development: Evidence From Phonetic Training
Authors: Olson Daniel J.
Published: January 2019

This study employed a targeted phonetic instruction to explore the mechanisms that underpin second language (L2) phonetic acquisition. Broadly, two general approaches to phonetic acquisition have been previously proposed. A segmental approach suggests that learners acquire a series of individual, discrete phonemes (e.g., Flege, 1995), while a featural approach posits that L2 phonetic development occurs at the subsegmental level of the feature, which may be shared across multiple phonemes (e.g., de Jong, Hao, & Park, 2009). This study extended this line of research, using a visual feedback paradigm to train English speakers on one of the three voiceless stop consonants in Spanish. Analysis focused on the change in voice onset time across three testing sessions (pretest, posttest, delayed posttest). Results demonstrated a significant change in voice onset time for trained and nontrained phonemes, suggesting that featural changes generalize to related phonemes. Theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed.
Airway colonisation by Candida and Aspergillus species in Iranian cystic fibrosis patients
Authors: Nasri Elahe , Fakhim Hamed , Vaezi Afsane , Khalilzadeh Soheila , Ahangarkani Fatemeh , Laal kargar Melika , Abtahian Zahra , Badali Hamid
Published: January 2019

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with increased rates of morbidity and mortality due to fungal and bacterial colonisation of the airways or respiratory infections. The prevalence of fungi in Iranian CF population has been underestimated. Therefore, the current study was conducted to define the frequency of fungi in respiratory specimens obtained from Iranian CF patients based on conventional and molecular assays. Furthermore, in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing was performed on the obtained isolates according to the guidelines from the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. A cohort of 42 CF patients, including 29 males and 13 females, were categorised according to the referenced diagnostic criteria. Candida albicans (n = 24, 80%), C. dubliniensis (n = 2, 6.6%), C. parapsilosis (n = 2, 6.6%), C. tropicalis (n = 1, 3.3%), C. glabrata (n = 1, 3.3%) and Meyerozyma caribbica (n = 1, 3.3%) were isolated from 73.8% of the CF patients. Aspergillus terreus (n = 3, 42.8%) was identified as the most common Aspergillus species, followed by A. fumigatus (n = 2, 28.5%), A. oryzae (n = 1, 14.2%) and A. flavus (n = 1, 14.2%). Bacterial and fungal co‐colonisation was detected in 7 (16.6%) and 22 (52.3%) samples that were positive for Aspergillus and Candida species, respectively. However, Scedosporium species and Exophiala dermatitidis never were detected. In terms of geometric mean (GM) minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), posaconazole (0.018 μg/mL) and caspofungin (0.083 μg/mL) exhibited the highest antifungal activities against all Candida species. In addition, posaconazole exhibited the lowest MIC range (0.008‐0.063 μg/mL) against all Aspergillus species, followed by caspofungin (0.016‐0.125 μg/mL) and voriconazole (0.125‐0.25 μg/mL). To conclude, it is essential to adopt a consistent method for the implementation of primary diagnosis and determination of treatment regimen for the CF patients. However, further studies are still needed to better define the epidemiology of fungal organisms in CF patients from the Middle East and the clinical significance of their isolation.
Altered stomatal dynamics induced by changes in irradiance and vapour‐pressure deficit under drought: impacts on the whole‐plant transpiration efficiency of poplar genotypes
Authors: Durand Maxime , Brendel Oliver , Buré Cyril , Le Thiec Didier
Published: January 2019

Recent findings were able to show significant variability of stomatal dynamics between species, but not much is known about factors influencing stomatal dynamics and its consequences on biomass production, transpiration and water‐use efficiency (WUE).

We assessed the dynamics of stomatal conductance (gs) to a change of irradiance or vapour‐pressure deficit (VPD) in two Populus euramericana and two Populus nigra genotypes grown under control and drought conditions. Our objectives were to determine the diversity of stomatal dynamics among poplar genotypes, and if soil water deficit can alter it. Physiological and morphological factors were investigated to find their potential links with stomatal morphology, WUE and its components at the whole‐plant level.

We found significant genotypic variability of gs dynamics to both irradiance and VPD. Genotypes with faster stomatal dynamics were correlated with higher stomatal density and smaller stomata, and the implications of these correlations are discussed.

Drought slowed gs dynamics, depending on genotype and especially during stomatal closing. This finding is contrary to previous research on more drought‐tolerant species. Independently of the treatment, faster stomatal dynamics were negatively correlated with daily whole‐plant transpiration, presenting new evidence of a previously hypothesized contribution of stomatal dynamics to whole‐plant water use.
Logging damage and injured tree mortality in tropical forest management
Authors: van der Werf Edwin , Indrajaya Yonky , Mohren Frits , van Ierland Ekko C.
Published: January 2019

Using insights from the forest ecology literature, we analyze the effect of injured trees on stand composition and carbon stored in above‐ground biomass and the implications for forest management decisions. Results from a Faustmann model with data for a tropical forest on Kalimantan show that up to 50% of the basal area of the stand before harvest can consist of injured trees. Considering injured trees leads to an increase in the amount of carbon in above‐ground biomass of up to 165%. These effects are larger under reduced impact logging than under conventional logging. The effects on land expectation value and cutting cycle are relatively small. The results suggest that considering injured trees in models for tropical forest management is important for the correct assessment of the potential of financial programs to store carbon and conserve forest ecosystem services in managed tropical forests, such as reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and payment for ecosystem services.

Recommendations for Resource Managers

Considering the role of injured trees is important for managing tropical forests

These trees can cover up to 50% of basal area and contain more than 50% of the carbon stored in above‐ground biomass

Reduced impact logging leads to a larger basal area of injured trees and more carbon stored in injured trees than conventional logging

Injured trees play an important role when assessing the potential for carbon storage in the context of payment for forest ecosystem services.
Development and validation of the COugh Assessment Test (COAT)
Authors: Koo Hyeon‐Kyoung , Jeong Ina , Kim Joo‐Hee , Kim Sung‐Kyoung , Shin Jong‐Wook , Park So Young , Rhee Chin Kook , Choi Eun Young , Moon Ji‐Yong , Kim Yee Hyung , Lee Hyun , Kang Hye Seon , Min Kyung Hoon , Kim Jin Woo , Kim Je Hyeong , Lee Sang Haak , Yoo Kwang Ha , Kim Deog Kyeom , Yoon Hyoung Kyu , Kim Dong‐Gyu , Kim Hui Jung , Jung Ki‐Suck , Jang Seung Hun ,   on behalf of the Cough Study Group of the Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
Published: January 2019

Background and objective

A cough‐specific quality‐of‐life questionnaire is recommended to assess the impact of cough; however, a simple instrument to quantify cough is required for everyday clinical practice. This study was aimed to develop a short patient‐completed questionnaire (COugh Assessment Test, COAT).

Methods

The COAT was developed and validated by comparison with the Korean version of Leicester Cough Questionnaire (K‐LCQ) and cough numeric rating scale (NRS, 0–10, 11‐point scale) for chronic cough patients.

Results

Item selection identified five items regarding cough frequency, daily activity, sleep disturbance, fatigue and cough hypersensitivity (0–4 scaling of items, 0–20 score range) through reliability test cohort (n= 78). Test–retest reliability was strong (intra‐class correlation coefficient = 0.88). The final COAT was compared with K‐LCQ and cough NRS in a validation cohort (n= 323). In Rasch analysis, COAT fitted well to a unidimensional model. Pearson correlations of COAT versus K‐LCQ (i) before treatment, (ii) after treatment; COAT versus cough NRS (iii) before treatment, (iv) after treatment; (v) delta‐COAT versus delta‐cough NRS, (vi) delta‐COAT versus delta‐K‐LCQ were (i) −0.71, (ii) −0.81, (iii) 0.69, (iv) 0.82, (v) −0.66 and (vi) 0.72, respectively.

Conclusion

The COAT is a useful, simple questionnaire for assessing and monitoring cough.
Integration of Critical Infrastructure and Societal Consequence Models: Impact on Swedish Power System Mitigation Decisions
Authors: Svegrup Linn , Johansson Jonas , Hassel Henrik
Published: January 2019

Critical infrastructures provide society with services essential to its functioning, and extensive disruptions give rise to large societal consequences. Risk and vulnerability analyses of critical infrastructures generally focus narrowly on the infrastructure of interest and describe the consequences as nonsupplied commodities or the cost of unsupplied commodities; they rarely holistically consider the larger impact with respect to higher‐order consequences for the society. From a societal perspective, this narrow focus may lead to severe underestimation of the negative effects of infrastructure disruptions. To explore this theory, an integrated modeling approach, combining models of critical infrastructures and economic input–output models, is proposed and applied in a case study. In the case study, a representative model of the Swedish power transmission system and a regionalized economic input–output model are utilized. This enables exploration of how a narrow infrastructure or a more holistic societal consequence perspective affects vulnerability‐related mitigation decisions regarding critical infrastructures. Two decision contexts related to prioritization of different vulnerability‐reducing measures are considered—identifying critical components and adding system components to increase robustness. It is concluded that higher‐order societal consequences due to power supply disruptions can be up to twice as large as first‐order consequences, which in turn has a significant effect on the identification of which critical components are to be protected or strengthened and a smaller effect on the ranking of improvement measures in terms of adding system components to increase system redundancy.
The Plunder
Authors: Unowsky Daniel
Published: January 2019

This book examines the 1898 anti-Jewish riots in western and central Galicia, the Habsburg province acquired in the eighteenth century partitions of Poland and now divided between Poland and Ukraine. This volume explores how Jewish-Catholic relations functioned; how antisemitic tropes and writings gained traction at local levels even in regions with high rates of illiteracy; how the Habsburg state provided or attempted to provide stability and law and order to its far-flung provinces in the decades before World War I. At the center of interest are the choices made and actions taken on the ground by peasants, townspeople, Jews, local officials, as well as the interpretations imposed on these actions by interested parties farther removed from the scene. This book considers the new forms of political organization and virulent Catholic antisemitism that facilitated the transformation of confrontations between Catholics and Jews into a series of attacks moving from town square to village tavern while drawing ever greater numbers of people as participants in or objects of communal violence. The 1898 anti-Jewish riots and their aftermath—mass arrests, trials, political mobilization, and government and military intervention—did not simply arise from Galician backwardness. This examination of the experience of anti-Jewish violence in this rural corner of the Habsburg Monarchy is a local study of European-wide political, economic, social, and cultural transformation.
Globalization Under and After Socialism
Authors: Pula Besnik
Published: January 2019

Today, by a number of measures, the ex-socialist economies of Central and Eastern Europe are among the most globalized in the world. This book argues that the origins of Central and Eastern Europe’s heavily transnationalized economies should be sought in their socialist past and the efforts of reformers in the 1970s and 1980s to expand ties between domestic industry and transnational corporations (TNCs). The book’s comparative-historical analysis examines the trajectories of six socialist and postsocialist economies, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The second part of the book focuses on the region’s deepening specialization in the 2000s as a TNC-dominated transnational manufacturing hub. It identifies three international market roles that the region’s state came to occupy in the transformation: assembly platform, intermediate producer, and combined. It explains divergence within the region through the comparative analysis of the politics of institutional adjustment after socialism.
Fault Evolution Characteristic Analysis of Planetary Gear Based on Multidimensional Nonlinear Frequency Response
Authors: Wang Haitao , Tao Zhimao , Shi Lichen , Kang Zhenya
Published: January 2019

This study presented a method for modeling the nonlinear system of a planetary gearbox and the fault diagnosis of a crack in a planetary gear based on the Volterra series theory. First, the exponential Hilbert reproducing kernel and its fast optimization algorithm was proposed and deduced in theory, and the fast solution of the fourth-order kernel of the Volterra series was successfully solved. Second, the Volterra series model estimation was compared with the least squares estimation of the actual collected signals from the planetary gearbox and the time-domain output signal was estimated using a neural network. The accuracy and the superiority of the Volterra series model of the planetary gearbox were then verified. At the same time, the convergence and the memory length of the Volterra series were discussed. In order to further mine and extract fault feature information, coupling relationship between the generalized frequency response of higher order spectrum of the Volterra series model and fault frequency was also studied. This study attempted to reflect the fault state and fault degree of a crack in a planetary gear from different observation angles and dimensions. Finally, the real condition loading test of a gearbox's comprehensive fault test platform was carried out. The validity of the method of nonlinear system modeling and fault diagnosis of the planetary gearbox, based on the Volterra series theory, was verified, and a new solution has been provided for related research in this field.
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Aerodynamics: Summary and Review of Momentum Models
Authors: Mohammed Amin A. , Ouakad Hassen M. , Sahin Ahmet Z. , Bahaidarah Haitham M. S.
Published: January 2019

Momentum models or streamtube models represent one of the fundamental approaches in modeling the aerodynamics of straight bladed vertical axis wind turbine (SB-VAWT) of Darrieus type. They are based on momentum (actuator disk) theory and widely used in performance evaluation of VAWTs. In this short review, the authors have strived to compile the basic momentum models that have been widely assumed in the literature for design and performance estimation of SB-VAWTs of Darrieus type. A comprehensive demonstration of the formulation needed for the implantation of these models is also proposed. Three streamtube models are investigated in this paper, namely, the single streamtube (SST), the multiple streamtube (MST), and the double multiple streamtube (DMST) models. Each of these models has it merits and demerits which are also thoroughly discussed in this review.
AAAS Kavli winner tackles conservation in era of upheaval
Authors: Lane Earl
Published: January 2019

Rising palm oil demand tells part of the story