bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transmission of Moroccan watermelon mosaic virus (MWMV) by Aphids in Greece
Authors: Chatzivassiliou Elisavet K. , Papapanagiotou Aristeidis P. , Mpenardis Panagiotis D. , Perdikis Dionyssios Ch. , Menexes George
Published: January 2016

The aphid-transmitted Moroccan watermelon mosaic virus (MWMV; Potyvirus, Potyviridae) is an emerging pathogen in cucurbit crops in the Mediterranean basin but information on its transmitting vector species is limited. This study aimed to record the competence of 22 species of the Greek aphid fauna to vector MWMV. Timed-probe transmission experiments and arena tests were performed using laboratory colonies of aphid species abundant in field surveys; less common species were tested as apterous individuals collected directly from field plants in mass-inoculation (nonpersistent) tests. Depending on the test, aphids were tested in cohorts of 10 or 20 individuals on zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) plants and the frequency of transmission was calculated for a single aphid. Among 12 species tested in timed-probe transmission tests, Myzus persicae nicotianae (74.0%) appeared to be the most efficient vector, followed by M. persicae (48.0%), Aphis gossypii (11.8%), an unidentified Aphis sp. (11.8%), and A. spiraecola (11.0%). Alatae of nine species tested in arena tests transmitted the virus in rates varying from 0.7 to 53.6%; M. persicae was the most efficient species in virus spread. In mass-inoculation tests, the probability that apterae of 12 aphid species collected from field plants transmitted MWMV fluctuated from 0.3 to 5.3%. No transmission was obtained by Brevicoryne brassicae. The following species are reported as new vectors of MWMV: A. fabae, A. nerii, A. spiraephaga, A. umbrella, Capitophorus eleaegni, Dysaphis (Pomaphis) pyri, Macrosiphoniella sanborni, Macrosiphum rosae, Myzocallis castanicola, Myzus persicae nicotianae, M. cerasi, M. varians, Phorodon humuli, Ovatus crataegarius, Takecallis arundicolens (first report in Greece), Uroleucon sonchi, and U. (Uromelan) aeneum. These results contribute to a better understanding of MWMV epidemiology.
Amyloplast Membrane Protein SUBSTANDARD STARCH GRAIN6 Controls Starch Grain Size in Rice Endosperm
Authors: Matsushima Ryo , Maekawa Masahiko , Kusano Miyako , Tomita Katsura , Kondo Hideki , Nishimura Hideki , Crofts Naoko , Fujita Naoko , Sakamoto Wataru
Published: January 2016

Starch is a biologically and commercially important polymer of glucose. Starch is organized into starch grains (SGs) inside amyloplasts. The SG size differs depending on the plant species and is one of the most important factors for industrial applications of starch. There is limited information on genetic factors regulating SG sizes. In this study, we report the rice (Oryza sativa) mutant substandard starch grain6 (ssg6), which develops enlarged SGs in endosperm. Enlarged SGs are observed starting at 3 d after flowering. During endosperm development, a number of smaller SGs appear and coexist with enlarged SGs in the same cells. The ssg6 mutation also affects SG morphologies in pollen. The SSG6 gene was identified by map-based cloning and microarray analysis. SSG6 encodes a protein homologous to aminotransferase. SSG6 differs from other rice homologs in that it has a transmembrane domain. SSG6-green fluorescent protein is localized in the amyloplast membrane surrounding SGs in rice endosperm, pollen, and pericarp. The results of this study suggest that SSG6 is a novel protein that controls SG size. SSG6 will be a useful molecular tool for future starch breeding and applications.
A new approach to measure sustainability in German facility management
Authors: Graubner Carl-Alexander , Pelzeter Andrea , Pohl Sebastian
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present the development of an action and assessment framework to make sustainability in German facility management (FM) transparent, measurable and assessable.

Design/methodology/approach

– The underlying research project’s approach to develop the new action and assessment framework consisted of a three-step methodology: to define and substantiate sustainability in FM, to operationalise and quantify sustainability in FM and to validate the developed system draft through an initial pilot study.

Findings

– The main result of the presented research project is a set of 24 criteria, organised into the separate areas of environmental, economic and sociocultural quality, as well as the quality of FM organisation and the sustainability of building/contract-specific facility services. The assessment methodology reflects the strategic approach of a plan–do–check–act loop to create a transparent and objective appraisal and a practical action framework.

Research limitations/implications

– The outcome of the study is initially only a measurement and assessment framework. To transform the finalised system draft and assessment tool into a certification system, further steps of development are necessary.

Practical implications

– The newly developed action and assessment framework is able to cure the blind spot that the relevant players (building owners, users and service providers) suffer from while developing, purchasing and comparing concepts for sustainable FM. The results and practical experiences of its initial pilot study show that this new framework can make the building operation phase and its processes transparent, measurable and assessable.

Social implications

– The guideline is also able to establish a crucial basis for the development of corporate sustainability strategies and sustainability reporting. This is an important step in closing the existing gap in numerous corporate social responsibility reports.

Originality/value

– Due to its assessment methodology and the calibration of its criteria, this new action and assessment framework both diversifies and completes the range of existing sustainability certification systems.
Integrating the Supply Chain … 25 years on
Authors: Stevens Graham C. , Johnson Mark
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– Twenty-five years ago IJPDLM published “Integrating the Supply Chain” (Stevens, 1989). The purpose of that original work was to examine the state-of-the-art in supply chain management (SCM). There have been substantial changes to the landscape within which supply chains function and changes to supply chains themselves. Given these changes it is appropriate to re-visit what is the new state-of-the art and determine whether the 1989 conceptualization requires extending. The authors also attempt to assess whether the evolution of SCM is associated with improved financial performance. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors take a conceptual approach to suggest that SCM is undergoing a transition to devolved, collaborative supply chain clusters. In addition, the authors consider imperatives and models for supply chain change and development. In line with the 1989 work, many of the observations in this invited paper are based on the primary author’s experience. The authors use a selection of financial data from leading firms to assess whether benefits attributed to SCM and changes in supply chain operating models have affected financial performance.

Findings

– The authors formalize a model for the dynamics of SCM change. The authors also synthesize a number of models of SCM that extend the original, highly cited work. These include goal-oriented networks and devolved, collaborative supply chain clusters. The authors also find the associations between the evolution of SCM and measures of firm financial performance over time to be equivocal.

Practical implications

– This work proposes two additional operating models that firms can implement in order to improve the efficacy of their supply chains.

Originality/value

– The authors extend Stevens (1989) original work by synthesizing a number of additional models for SCI.
Success in the management of crowdfunding projects in the creative industries
Authors: Hobbs Jake , Grigore Georgiana , Molesworth Mike
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– Crowdfunding has become a significant way of funding independent film. However, undertaking a campaign can be time consuming and risky. The purpose of this paper is to understand the predictors likely to produce a film campaign that meets its funding goal.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study analyses 100 creative crowdfunding campaigns within the film and video category on crowdfunding website Kickstarter. Campaigns were analysed in relation to a number of variables, followed by a discriminant analysis to highlight the main predictors of crowdfunding success.

Findings

– This study finds key predictors of crowdfunding success and investigates differences between successful and failed crowdfunding campaigns. The attributes of these predictors lead us to question the long-term ability of crowdfunding to aid companies poorer in terms of time, financial and personnel resources, and therefore arguably in the greatest need of crowdfunding platforms.

Practical implications

– The findings provide insight to practitioners considering the crowdfunding approach and offers knowledge and recommendations so as to avoid what can be naïve and costly mistakes. The findings highlight that crowdfunding should not be considered lightly and can be a considerable investment of resources to be successful.

Originality/value

– The analysis of crowdfunding campaigns provides details on the significant predictors of crowdfunding success particularly relevant to creative campaigns. The findings provide a critique of previous claims about the benefit of crowdfunding for creative SMEs.
An online niche-market tour identification system for the travel and tourism industry
Authors: Wu C.H. , Ho G.T.S. , Lam C.H.Y. , Ip W.H. , Choy K.L. , Tse Y.K.
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a novel approach for niche-market tour identification, with the objective to obtain a better segmentation of target tourists and support the design of tourism products. A proposed system, namely the Niche Tourism Identification System (NTIS) was implemented based on the proposed scheme and its functionality was showcased in a case study undertaken with a local travel agency.

Design/methodology/approach

– The proposed system implements automated customer market segmentation, based on similar characteristics that can be collected from potential customers. After that, special-interest tourism-based market strategies and products can be designed for the potential customers. The market segmentation is conducted using a GA-basedk-means clustering engine (GACE), while the parameter setting is controlled by the travel agents.

Findings

– The proposed NTIS was deployed in a real-world case study which helps a local travel agency to determine the various types of niche tourism found in the existing market in Hong Kong. Its output was reviewed by experience tour planners. It was found that with the niche characteristics can be successfully revealed by summarizing the possible factors within the potential clusters in the existing database. The system performed consistently compared to human planners.

Originality/value

– To the best of the authors’ knowledge, although some alternative methods for segmenting travel markets have been proposed, few have provided any effective approaches for identifying existing niche markets to support online inquiry. Also, GACE has been proposed to compensate for the limitations that challengek-means clustering in binding to a local optimum and for its weakness in dealing with multi-dimensional space.
Political connections and firm value: an analysis of listed firms in Sri Lanka
Authors: Berkman Henk , Galpoththage Vidura
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to use a portfolio-time-series approach to examine the impact of five important political events on the value of politically connected firms in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study examines five major political events to test if political connections affect market value of listed companies in Sri Lanka. Results show that despite numerous news articles and public perception suggesting otherwise, there is no convincing evidence which indicate that political connections increase firm value in Sri Lanka.

Findings

– The empirical results provide no evidence that political connections increase firm value in Sri Lanka. Further tests indicate that the government is not biased towards politically connected firms when granting major projects. The authors also fail to find a relation between Tobin’s Q and the level of political connection after including several common control variables.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to the literature on the value of political connections by using a robust event study methodology and a novel setting: Sri Lanka in the period around the end of the civil war.
Accounting quality, governance standards, and syndicated loan contracts
Authors: Song Liang , Tuoriniemi Joel C
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine how firms’ accounting quality affects bank loan contracting in seven emerging markets and whether these relationships are affected by borrowers’ governance standards.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study sample period is 1999-2007 because the syndicated loan market was severely affected by the East Asian financial crisis of 1998 and the US financial crisis of 2008. The final sample includes 719 loan observations for 75 firms in seven emerging markets.

Findings

– The authors find that syndicated lenders provide loans with more favorable terms such as larger amounts, longer maturity and lower interest spread to borrowers in emerging markets with higher accounting quality. The authors also find that the influences of accounting quality on syndicated loan contracting for borrowers in emerging markets exist only with higher country- and firm-level governance rankings. The results of this paper suggest that lenders place more value on accounting numbers generated by borrowers in emerging markets with stronger internal and country governance frameworks.

Originality/value

– Overall, this research provides new insights about how accounting quality affects the contract design. Specifically, the extant literature has demonstrated the effects of accounting quality on financial contracts in developed countries (e.g. Bharath et al., 2008). The authors extend this analysis to borrowers in emerging markets and confirm a similar result. Most notably, the authors explore whether the relationship between accounting quality and syndicated loan contracts is influenced by borrowers’ country- and firm-level governance, and find that accounting quality matters only when accompanied by high-quality governance. This research provides new insights about how accounting quality and governance standards affect the terms of borrowing contracts in emerging markets.
Non‐invasive naturalized alien plants were not more pollen‐limited than invasive aliens and natives in a common garden
Authors: Razanajatovo Mialy , van Kleunen Mark
Published: January 2016

Many invasive alien plants are, in contrast to many non‐invasive ones, self‐compatible and autofertile and thus do not fully depend on mates and pollinators for seed production. Nevertheless, they often still depend on pollinators for maximal reproduction. Indeed, it has been shown that many invasive plants can attract pollinators in the non‐native range and may attract more of them than non‐invasive plants do. This suggests that many introduced alien plants may have failed to become invasive because they are pollen‐limited.

We used an experimental approach to test whether non‐invasive alien species suffer higher pollen limitation and have lower autofertility than invasive aliens and natives. In a common garden, we assessed the degree of pollen limitation and autofertility of eight confamilial (or congeneric) triplets of native, invasive and non‐invasive (but naturalized) alien plant species (totalling 24 species). Our breeding‐system experiment included three treatments: pollen supplementation, open pollination and pollinator exclusion. We report three measures of pollen limitation and autofertility (fruit set, seed production per fruit and indices of pollen limitation and autofertility based on seed production per flower).

We found that the three plant groups had low degrees of pollen limitation and were almost all autofertile to some degree. Moreover, our phylogenetically informed analyses showed that the three plant groups did not differ significantly in their degrees of pollen limitation and autofertility.

Our results support previous findings that alien plants are able to attract pollinators in non‐native regions. Nevertheless, because invasive and non‐invasive naturalized alien species did not differ in their degrees of pollen limitation, our results suggest that pollen limitation may not play a major role in the spread of alien plants, once they have become naturalized.
The relationship between metabolic rate and sociability is altered by food deprivation
Authors: Killen Shaun S. , Fu Cheng , Wu Qingyi , Wang Yu‐Xiang , Fu Shi‐Jian
Published: January 2016

Individuals vary in the extent to which they associate with conspecifics, but little is known about the energetic underpinnings of this variation in sociability. Group‐living allows individuals to find food more consistently, but within groups, there can be competition for food items. Individuals with an increased metabolic rate could display decreased sociability to reduce competition. Long‐term food deprivation (FD) may alter any links between sociability and metabolic rate by affecting motivation to find food.

We examined these issues in juvenile qingbo carpSpinibarbus sinensis, to understand how FD and metabolic rate affect sociability. Like many aquatic ectotherms, this species experiences seasonal bouts of FD.

Individuals were either: (i) food‐deprived for 21 days; or (ii) fed a maintenance ration (control). Fish from each treatment were measured for standard metabolic rate (SMR) and tested for sociability twice: once in the presence of a control stimulus shoal and once with a food‐deprived stimulus shoal.

Control individuals ventured further from stimulus shoals over a 30‐min trial, while food‐deprived fish did not change their distance from stimulus shoals as trials progressed. Control fish with a higherSMRwere least sociable. Well‐fed controls showed decreased sociability when exposed to food‐deprived stimulus shoals, but there was evidence of consistency in relative sociability between exposures to different shoal types.

Results contrast with previous findings that several days of fasting causes individuals to decrease associations with conspecifics. Prolonged FD may cause individuals to highly prioritize food acquisition, and the decreased vigilance that would accompany continuous foraging may heighten the need for the antipredator benefits of shoaling. Conversely, decreased sociability in well‐fed fish with a highSMRprobably minimizes intraspecific competition, allowing them to satisfy an increased energetic demand while foraging. Together, these results suggest that FD – a challenge common for many ectothermic species – can affect individual sociability as well as the attractiveness of groups towards conspecifics. In addition, the lack of a link betweenSMRand sociability in food‐deprived fish suggests that, in situations where group membership is linked to fitness, the extent of correlated selection on metabolic traits may be context‐dependent.
South for the winter? Within‐dive foraging effort reveals the trade‐offs between divergent foraging strategies in a free‐ranging predator
Authors: Arthur Benjamin , Hindell Mark , Bester Marthan N. , Oosthuizen W. Chris , Wege Mia , Lea Mary‐Anne
Published: January 2016

Central to an animal's fitness is its foraging strategy and understanding the choices made by foraging animals is a fundamental aim in animal ecology. For diving animals, quantifying foraging effort within dives provides a measure of foraging that can be integrated with location information to reveal how animals use their environment as well as the trade‐offs associated with contrasting foraging strategies.

We investigated the diving behaviour of 12 free‐ranging Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) during their post‐breeding winter migrations, quantifying within‐dive foraging effort using a novel approach to identify divergent foraging strategies and determine the costs and benefits associated with foraging decisions.

Significant differences identified in both diving behaviour and foraging effort of female Antarctic fur seals could be attributed to two main, contrasting foraging strategies. Habitat was a major determinant of diving and foraging behaviour, with clear differences occurring either side of the Polar Front, a prominent oceanographic feature in the Southern Ocean.

Longer night duration and improved access to vertically migrating prey lead to increased foraging opportunities and a reduced foraging effort south of the Polar Front. Dives in this region were short and shallow. Conversely, seals remaining closer to the breeding colony north of the Polar Front had deep, long dives and an elevated foraging effort. The distinct foraging strategies of fur seals have associated trade‐offs related to habitat availability, travel costs, prey accessibility and prey quality, which are likely driving their foraging decisions.

This study highlights the trade‐offs between contrasting foraging strategies that currently coexist within a population of a wide‐ranging predator and raises questions about the viability of strategies with future change to population size or environmental conditions. Finally, understanding the trade‐offs associated with foraging strategies is important for assessing the foraging decisions of animals across a variety of environments.
Integrating ecosystem services in river basin management plans
Authors: Terrado Marta , Momblanch Andrea , Bardina Mònica , Boithias Laurie , Munné Antoni , Sabater Sergi , Solera Abel , Acuña Vicenç
Published: January 2016

According to the European Union Water Framework Directive, river basin management plans must include a programme of measures, with a series of management actions aiming to achieve good ecosystem status of all water bodies within the basin. The design and later prioritization of these management actions is, in theory, done through cost‐effectiveness analysis (CEA), which compares management action costs with expected improvements in ecosystem status. However, such an approach does not consider the effects of management actions on human well‐being resulting from changes in the provision of ecosystem services.

We propose to complement the current CEA approach with a cost–benefit analysis (CBA) integrating the effects of management actions on the provision of ecosystem services, therefore moving from a single‐objective to a multiobjective approach. We propose a flexible methodological framework based on a combination of CEA and CBA that can be easily adapted to different case studies.

To test the applicability of our approach, we applied it to an impaired basin, the Llobregat River basin (north‐eastern Iberian Peninsula). The analysis considers management actions selected from the programme of measures under implementation: establishment of environmental river flows, improvement of river connectivity, treatment of urban wastewater and reduction in saline pollution; and the effects on a series of ecosystem services: water provisioning, waste treatment and habitat for species.

Results revealed that management actions designed to improve ecosystem status do not necessarily improve human well‐being through changes in the provision of ecosystem services.

The implementation of the CEA and CBA allowed the identification of management actions providing the best trade‐offs between improvements of ecosystem status and human well‐being. For example, the establishment of environmental river flows in the upper Llobregat River was the management action that maximized the balance between gains in ecosystem status and human well‐being.

Synthesis and applications. Overall, the combination of cost‐effectiveness analysis and cost–benefit analysis supports a more informed and transparent decision‐making in the implementation of river basin management plans, better assisting stakeholders to prioritize those management actions providing the optimal win–win results.
Bringing forth stories of blame and shame in dialogues with families affected by adolescent self‐harm
Authors: Amoss Sarah , Lynch Monica , Bratley Mary
Published: January 2016

Feelings of blame and shame seemed to figure significantly in the interactional patterns of some families seen within the self‐harm intervention family therapy (SHIFT) trial. Taking the SHIFT manual as a starting point, we elaborate the links between blame, shame, emotional regulation and adolescent self‐harm, drawing on various theoretical models. We note the importance of attending to these emotional processes both in the family and the therapy team, arguing that these unhelpful patterns of interaction, emotion and meaning‐making may also signal a motivation for change. We offer some ideas about using blame and shame as platforms for understanding and intervention in the context of adolescent self‐harm and illustrate the application of these ideas with case vignettes.

Practitioner points

Consider offering the young person and parents parallel sessions to scaffold better communication in family sessions.

If you can, work with a team to help reflect on your own emotional responses and their meanings.

When attempts to lessen blame provoke more, try to understand what underlies blaming behaviour.

When a family's reported lack of difficulties seems incongruent with the presence of self‐harm, consider the possible silencing effect of shame.
AYin‐Yangapproach to education policy regarding health and the environment: early‐careerists' image of the future and priority programmes
Authors: Watts Paul , Custer Benjamin , Yi Zhuang‐Fang , Ontiri Enoch , Pajaro Marivic
Published: January 2016

Since the inception of sustainable development (SD), there has been a somewhat ignored contradiction between paradigms that are ecosystem‐based and paradigms that are human‐based or purely economic. We suggest that this contradiction can be unified through a balance of the two. TheChineseYin‐Yang philosophy is applied as a tool or approach to seeking balance between these ecocentric and anthropocentric paradigms. Priority education policy design for the merging of ecology and health are projected through an Ecohealth lens in response to increasingSDchallenges and the intention of the international Ecohealth organization to contribute toSDgoals. MeetingSDgoals along the nexus of health and environment is further considered through early‐careerist cultural assessments and projections. The groups considered for their professional image of the future are: members of the Ecohealth Association Student Section andChinese early‐careerists participating in a related conference. In response toSDgoals, a problem‐based learning design is suggested as an education policy priority. Rather than approachingSDas a boolean concept, for example, by either focusing on ecosystem sustainability or economic development, we suggest education policy for programmes and curriculums that will help emerging professionals balance these paradigms, so as to best address national and global challenges.
Obscure oases: natural, cultural and historical geography of western Queensland's Tertiary sandstone springs
Authors: Silcock Jennifer L. , Macdermott Harry , Laffineur Boris , Fensham Roderick J.
Published: January 2016

The distribution of surface water dictates human and animal activity in arid zones. Although typically small, hidden, and inaccessible, springs and wells fed by local aquifers were the only sources of reliable water across vast areas of inland Australia until the last century. Compared to larger, more accessible water sources such as riverine waterholes and Great Artesian Basin discharge springs, their history is sketchy and poorly documented, although rich in intrigue and mythology. Since the expansion of artificial waters and motorised transport, many of these small oases have been forgotten, and their location and permanence are now less well‐known than for thousands of years. We examine the distribution, hydrogeology, cultural history, and biological values of Tertiary sandstone springs in western Queensland based on a review of historical literature, interviews with long‐term residents, and extensive field surveys. One hundred and sixty springs were documented, and nearly 40% of these have declined in flow or become inactive since pastoral settlement for reasons that are not well understood. While their decline in some areas seems related to shallow bores sunk into their local aquifers, it is possible that some smaller springs owed their existence to regular human maintenance. Others are probably naturally dynamic over decadal time scales. This study documents an almost‐forgotten aspect of Queensland's natural and cultural history.
Activation of TRAIL‐DR5 pathway promotes sensorineural degeneration in the inner ear
Authors: Kao Shyan‐Yuan , Soares Vitor Y.R. , Kristiansen Arthur G. , Stankovic Konstantina M.
Published: January 2016

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family cytokines are important mediators of inflammation. Elevated levels of serum TNF‐α are associated with human sensorineural hearing loss via poorly understood mechanisms. We demonstrate, for the first time, expression of TNF‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its signaling death receptor 5 (DR5) in the murine inner ear and show that exogenous TRAIL can trigger hair cell and neuronal degeneration, which can be partly prevented with DR5‐blocking antibodies.
Differential Effects of Sunitinib on the Expression Profiles of Xenobiotic‐Metabolizing Enzymes and Transporters in Rat Liver and Kidneys
Authors: Korashy Hesham M. , Ansari Mushtaq A. , Maayah Zaid H. , Imam Faisal , Raish Mohammad , Attafi Ibraheem M. , Alharbi Naif O. , Moraished Bader A.
Published: January 2016

Sunitinib (SUN) is a multi‐targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor that was recently approved for the treatment of gastrointestinal tract and renal cancers. To date, very little is known about the effects of SUN on the expression of hepatic and renal xenobiotic‐metabolizing enzymes (XMEs) and transporters. The present study was designed to investigate the capacity of chronic SUN treatment to modulate the mRNA and protein expression levels of phase I cytochrome P450 (CYP), phase II conjugating enzymes, and phase III transporters in rat liver and kidneys. For this purpose, SUN (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) was injected IP into Wistar albino rats for 4 weeks; thereafter, the mRNA and protein expression levels of several XMEs and transporters were determined by RT‐PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Real‐time PCR analysis showed that SUN significantly induced the hepatic and renal CYP1A1, 1A2, 1B1, 2E1 and 4F4, whereas it inhibited CYP2C11 and 4A2. Furthermore, SUN specifically induced renal, but not hepatic, CYP2J3 and 3A2, while it induced only hepatic CYP4A1. With regard to phase II, SUN induced hepatic GSTA1 and UGT1A and renal NQO1 and UGT1A mRNA levels, whereas it inhibited renal GST1A expression. On the other hand, both renal and hepatic P‐gp, MRP2 and BCRP transporters were significantly induced by SUN at the mRNA and protein expression levels. Importantly, these differential effects were associated with changes in oxidative stress genes and lipid peroxidation levels. In conclusion, SUN can serve as XME and transporters modulator, which potentially may counteract the efficacy of the treatment, adverse reactions and drug interactions in SUN treatment.
Comparative Effects of CT Imaging Measurement on RECIST End Points and Tumor Growth Kinetics Modeling
Authors: Li CH , Bies RR , Wang Y , Sharma MR , Karovic S , Werk L , Edelman MJ , Miller AA , Vokes EE , Oto A , Ratain MJ , Schwartz LH , Maitland ML
Published: January 2016

Quantitative assessments of tumor burden and modeling of longitudinal growth could improve phase II oncology trials. To identify obstacles to wider use of quantitative measures we obtained recorded linear tumor measurements from three published lung cancer trials. Model‐based parameters of tumor burden change were estimated and compared with similarly sized samples from separate trials. Time‐to‐tumor growth (TTG) was computed from measurements recorded on case report forms and a second radiologist blinded to the form data. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST)‐based progression‐free survival (PFS) measures were perfectly concordant between the original forms data and the blinded radiologist re‐evaluation (intraclass correlation coefficient = 1), but these routine interrater differences in the identification and measurement of target lesions were associated with an average 18‐week delay (range, −20 to 55 weeks) in TTG (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.32). To exploit computational metrics for improving statistical power in small clinical trials will require increased precision of tumor burden assessments.
Is Low Serum Klotho Level Associated with Alterations in Coronary Flow Reserve?
Authors: Keles Nursen , Caliskan Mustafa , Dogan Burcu , Aksu Feyza , Bulur Serkan , Keles Necibe Nur , Kostek Osman , Aung Soe Moe , Isbilen Banu , Demircioglu Kenan , Kalcik Macit , Oguz Aytekin
Published: January 2016

Background

The Klotho gene, described as an “aging suppressor” gene, encodes a single‐pass transmembrane protein. The extracellular part of Klotho is cleaved and released into the circulation where it may function as a vasculoprotective hormone. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) is accepted as a marker of coronary microvascular dysfunction when epicardial coronary stenosis is absent. There are no data regarding the relationship between serum Klotho levels and disorders in coronary microcirculation in healthy adults. We aimed to investigate the association between serum Klotho levels and alterations in coronary microcirculation in healthy adults using echocardiographic measurements of CFR.

Methods

Thirty‐four healthy volunteers (median age: 34 [27–39], 14 males) were enrolled in this study. The study population was divided into two subgroups according to the median value of serum Klotho levels: a high Klotho (HK) group (n = 17, median age: 34 [30–38]; 6 males) and a low Klotho (LK) group (n = 17, median age: 32 [26–39]; 8 males). The analysis of coronary flow velocities was performed by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography.

Results

Hyperemic diastolic peak flow velocities and CFR were significantly higher in the HK group than in the LK group (70 [66–92] versus 61 [47–66], P = 0.003 and 3.0 [2.6–3.8] versus 2.2 [1.7–2.8], respectively, P = 0.001). Serum Klotho levels were positively correlated with CFR (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Serum Klotho levels correlate with CFR in a healthy population. Low serum Klotho levels may potentially identify patients with impaired CFR.
Germination of native and introduced plants from scats of Fallow Deer (Dama dama) and Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) in a south‐eastern Australian woodland landscape
Authors: Claridge Andrew W. , Hunt Rob , Thrall Peter H. , Mills Douglas J.
Published: January 2016

Introduced deer occur in many forests and woodlands in Australia and potentially play an important role in influencing the floristics and structure of these landscapes through eating plants and disseminating seeds. In a glasshouse trial, we tested whether field‐collected scats of Fallow Deer (Dama dama) contained viable plant seeds. Scats of deer obtained from a woodland study area in Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales, produced seedlings from a range of native and introduced plant species. Forbs and herbs were dominant in these samples, confirming the grazing behaviour of deer at the time scats were collected. Samples of scats from Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), collected contemporaneously from the same sites as deer scats, also produced plant germinants. By volume, deer scats produced a greater diversity of plant germinants, including native and weed species, than did kangaroo scats. Although no weed species emanating from deer or kangaroo scats were of national significance, several species were of regional environmental significance, including Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsis), which was only found germinating out of deer scat, Stinkgrass (Eragrostis cilianensis) and Purpletop (Verbena bonariensis). In addition to dispersing viable seeds, Fallow Deer may also influence vegetation structure through their browsing. Further research is necessary to elucidate their respective role in dispersing native and introduced plants as well as any impacts that foraging behaviour might be having on woodland landscapes, to better inform management of the resident deer population.
Managing fire‐dependent vegetation in Byron Shire, Australia: Are we restoring the keystone ecological process of fire?
Authors: Baker Andrew G. , Catterall Claudia
Published: January 2016

Fire is a keystone ecological process in many ecosystems. In such ecosystems, the exclusion of fire can lead to fundamental shifts in vegetation structure, composition and distribution and poses a major threat to the biodiversity dependent on these habitats. Programmes to manage and restore native vegetation have increased rapidly over recent decades, and while many such programmes have demonstrable success managing a range of environmental threats, their effectiveness in identifying and addressing the major threat of fire exclusion in fire‐dependent vegetation is questionable. This study sought to identify impediments to the management of fire‐excluded vegetation at the assessment and planning stage of ecological management programmes in Byron Shire in north‐east New South Wales. Sixty ecological management and restoration plans for sites known to be fire‐excluded in the shire were reviewed to determine the rate at which fire exclusion was identified and addressed in planning over the last decade. Document analysis found the majority of plans failed to accurately identify fire exclusion or to recommend the reintroduction of fire in fire‐excluded management sites. Absence of standardised guidelines that require comprehensive consideration of fire exclusion in ecological management and restoration plans is suggested as a key factor in the low response rates observed. Furthermore, it was found that existing implicit prompts to address inappropriate‐fire regimes generally, including government policies, project objectives and site‐assessment prompts had little effect on identification and response rates, further confirming the need for more‐explicit assessment prompts relating to fire‐frequency issues. Without improvements of the current ecological assessment and planning process to increase identification and management of fire exclusion in the study area, fire‐dependent biodiversity values will continue to decline wherever fire exclusion remains unmanaged. It is recommended that explicit assessment and planning templates are developed and implemented to effectively manage fire exclusion and conserve the fire‐dependent biodiversity of Byron Shire and the far north coast of NSW.
Meeting the Increasing Demands on Family Attorneys Representing Clients with Mental Health Challenges
Authors: Frost Lynda E. , Beck Connie J. A.
Published: January 2016

The changing nature of family court and increasing awareness of mental health challenges force family lawyers to navigate tricky legal, ethical, and practical issues. This article reviews increased complexity for litigants as a result of procedural changes in the current family court, the rise of pro se representation, and statutory changes encouraging shared parental care of children. It analyzes common legal and ethical challenges for attorneys representing potentially impaired clients. It details practical means of supporting clients and increasing their capacity to engage meaningfully in family court matters. This roadmap can guide lawyers in improving their knowledge and skills in order to meet legal and ethical standards for representing family law clients with mental health challenges.

Key Points for the Family Court Community:

Trends such as procedural changes in the current family court, the rise of pro se representation, and statutory changes encouraging shared parental care of children require significant engagement and competence on the part of litigants.

Family attorneys have a complex task in representing a possibly impaired client, as they must gauge the client's level of functioning throughout the legal process to ensure the client has sufficient capacity to participate meaningfully.

Legal requirements and ethical guidelines address and shape many aspects of an attorney's interactions with a client living with mental illness.

Experienced attorneys can support clients in maximizing their capacity to engage in family court proceedings.
Therapeutic Privilege and Custody Evaluations: Discovery of Treatment Records
Authors: Simon Robert A. , Willick Daniel H.
Published: January 2016

Mental health professionals play a variety of roles in family law litigation. Each role has its own set of principles, rules, and responsibilities. It is important therapists understand the implications of their giving input in litigated cases, that they are aware of the need to obtain proper informed consent from their patients before disclosing confidential therapy information, and that they understand how their relationship with their patient may be affected by their involvement in litigation. This article explores the issue of therapeutic privilege in custody evaluation and issues surrounding the discovery of treatment records in such cases. The competing need for the court to have adequate information to make well‐advised orders regarding children must be balanced against the patient's privacy and the need to emsure that those seeking therapy at what is a particularly stressful time in their lives are not unduly impacted by concerns that the therapist–patient privilege may be compromised.

Keypoints for the Family Court Community:

Conflicting goals and roles for mental health professionals in custody litigation

Protection of the psychotherapist–patient privilege and therapeutic alliance versus the state's interest in knowing information pertinent to understanding the best interests of children

Legal precedents related to the protection of confidentiality and the psychotherapist–patient privilege

The importance of informed consent in the disclosure of treatment progress and treatment records
Understanding the Parenting Experience of A Child With Mental Illness and the Construct of Parent Recovery within the Social Service and Court Communities
Authors: O'Connor Thomas J.
Published: January 2016

The Courts manage a child with mental illness as an invested yet impersonal steward of change or supervision. An invested parent is the true personal steward of that child's welfare. That stewardship can create trauma over time and therefore benefit from technical supports to sustain attention, hope, and vitality. This article is a perspective‐based article detailing the psychological experience of parenting the adolescent and young adult child with a mental illness and presents the current construct of ‘recovery’ as an evidence‐based method to enhance parent competency.

Practitioner's Key Points:

Persons working within the court systems that manage families raising a child with a mental illness need to understand each families’ basic resource needs.

Properly training and supporting parents of a child with mental illness can lessen the burden of other court and social service resources in servicing these families.

Understanding the construct of recovery in managing mental illness provides professionals working within the court systems with new tools to deliver better outcomes.
Special Considerations in Child Custody Evaluations for Children with High‐Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Rappaport Sol R. , Kanter Cecily , Anast Kara
Published: January 2016

Asperger's Disorder, which now is subsumed under Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the DSM‐5, is increasingly being identified in children and adolescents. As a result, professionals in family law courts will have more exposure to children with ASD. However, there are limited guidelines and few published studies directing how family court professionals should take into account the unique needs of these families. This article will provide the reader with an understanding of high‐functioning ASD, the impact it has on the family, and comorbid issues. This article provides specific suggestions for how evaluators should assess families when a child has ASD and will provide guidance for attorneys and judges.

Keypoints for the Family Court Community:

The rate of autism has increased in recent decades leading to more children with autism being involved with family court professionals.

Attorneys, judges, and mental health professionals working in family court need to understand high‐functioning autism and its impact on children, parents, and their families.

Families with children with high‐functioning autism require custom‐made parenting plans that address the unique needs of the child.

In developing parenting plans, family court professionals need to consider comorbid disorders when dealing with children and adolescents with autism.

Family court professionals should have additional training and expertise when working with families where a child has high‐functioning autism.

When families of children with autism are involved in family court, they present a broad range of unique factors which impact educational issues, parenting plans, decision making, treatment, and the entire family system.
Carbon dynamics of mature and regrowth tropical forests derived from a pantropical database (TropForC‐db)
Authors: Anderson‐Teixeira Kristina J. , Wang Maria M. H. , McGarvey Jennifer C. , LeBauer David S.
Published: January 2016

Tropical forests play a critical role in the global carbon (C) cycle, storing ~45% of terrestrial C and constituting the largest component of the terrestrial C sink. Despite their central importance to the global C cycle, their ecosystem‐level C cycles are not as well‐characterized as those of extra‐tropical forests, and knowledge gaps hamper efforts to quantify C budgets across the tropics and to model tropical forest‐climate interactions. To advance understanding of C dynamics of pantropical forests, we compiled a new database, the Tropical Forest C database (TropForC‐db), which contains data on ground‐based measurements of ecosystem‐level C stocks and annual fluxes along with disturbance history. This database currently contains 3568 records from 845 plots in 178 geographically distinct areas, making it the largest and most comprehensive database of its type. Using TropForC‐db, we characterized C stocks and fluxes for young, intermediate‐aged, and mature forests. Relative to existing C budgets of extra‐tropical forests, mature tropical broadleaf evergreen forests had substantially higher gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco), their autotropic respiration (Ra) consumed a larger proportion (~67%) of GPP, and their woody stem growth (ANPPstem) represented a smaller proportion of net primary productivity (NPP, ~32%) or GPP (~9%). In regrowth stands, aboveground biomass increased rapidly during the first 20 years following stand‐clearing disturbance, with slower accumulation following agriculture and in deciduous forests, and continued to accumulate at a slower pace in forests aged 20–100 years. Most other C stocks likewise increased with stand age, while potential to describe age trends in C fluxes was generally data‐limited. We expect that TropForC‐db will prove useful for model evaluation and for quantifying the contribution of forests to the global C cycle. The database version associated with this publication is archived in Dryad (DOI: 10.5061/dryad.t516f) and a dynamic version is maintained at https://github.com/forc-db.