bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radiofrequency heating for powder pasteurization of barley grass: antioxidant substances, sensory quality, microbial load and energy consumption
Authors: Cao Xiaohuang , Zhang Min , Chitrakar Bimal , Mujumdar Arun S , Zhong Qifeng , Wang Zhushan , Wang Liping
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

Young barley grass powder contains abundant nutrition and its antioxidant substances are severely impaired by radiation (60Co) sterilization. To overcome product quality degradation, radiofrequency pasteurization was conducted using pilot‐scale radiofrequency equipment (27 MHz, 6 kW) with electrode gaps of 12, 14 and 16 cm, while hot‐air (80 °C) pasteurization was used for comparison.

RESULTS

Assessment suggested that uneven radiofrequency heating was improved for the 14 cm electrode gap. With an increase of electrode gap, microbial inactivation needs more energy consumption. A minimum energy consumption of 970 J g−1 was required for 1 log‐reduction of colonies. Radiofrequency pasteurization retained better antioxidant substances, lightness (L*), green color (a*) and odors in barley grass powder, compared with hot‐air sterilization. Contents of flavonoid and chlorophyll were 5.82 and 4.87 g kg−1 respectively, using the 14 cm electrode gap. Additionally, radiofrequency pasteurization led to an improvement in sourness, bitterness and umami tastes.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiofrequency pasteurization would be a superior alternative for the pasteurization of barley grass powder. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Synergistic effect of ultraviolet radiation and high hydrostatic pressure on texture, color, and oxidative stability of refrigerated tilapia fillets
Authors: Monteiro Maria LG , Mársico Eliane T , Rosenthal Amauri , Conte‐Junior Carlos A
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

The isolated application of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and ultraviolet‐C (UV‐C) radiation may induce physicochemical changes, thus jeopardizing fish quality attributes during refrigerated storage, which could be minimized by the use of synergistic treatments. Therefore, this study investigated the combined effect of UV‐C at 0.103 ± 0.002 J cm−2 and HHP at 220 MPa for 10 min on quality parameters of tilapia fillets stored at 4 °C for 15 days.

RESULTS

HHP and UV‐C+HHP showed higher myoglobin concentration, higher metmyoglobin‐reducing activity, and lower a* than control and the UV‐C treatment (P < 0.05), reaching 2.49, 2.58, 1.62, 1.54 mg myoglobin g−1, 13.30, 13.81, 2.29, 2.29%, and 2.32, 2.58, 4.29, 3.98 respectively on the last day of storage. UV‐C, HHP, and UV‐C+HHP increased water‐holding capacity and decreased the pH levels, hardness, and chewiness (P < 0.05). HHP retarded lipid oxidation and UV‐C increased protein oxidation compared with control (P < 0.05), achieving 0.81 and 2.80 mg malondialdehyde per kilogram of fish tissue, and 5.50 and 4.15 nmol carbonyl per milligram of protein respectively on 15th day of the storage.

CONCLUSION

Both technologies (alone or together) enhanced texture parameters and water‐holding capacity. UV‐C did not induce color changes and lipid oxidation, whereas HHP showed high potential to prevent meat discoloration, lipid oxidation, and protein oxidation. In addition, this combination of methods could be an alternative to prevent protein oxidation induced by UV‐C. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Huntington's disease in the United States: Variation by demographic and socioeconomic factors
Authors: Bruzelius Emilie , Scarpa Joseph , Zhao Yiyi , Basu Sanjay , Faghmous James H. , Baum Aaron
Published: March 2019

Background

Despite extensive research regarding the etiology of Huntington's disease, relatively little is known about the epidemiology of this rare disorder, particularly in the United States where there are no national‐scale estimates of the disease.

Objectives

To provide national‐scale estimates of Huntington's disease in a U.S. population and to test whether disease rates are increasing, and whether frequency varies by race, ethnicity, or other factors.

Methods

Using an insurance database of over 67 million enrollees, we retrospectively identified a cohort of 3,707 individuals diagnosed with Huntington's disease between 2003 and 2016. We estimated annual incidence, annual diagnostic frequency, and tested for trends over time and differences in diagnostic frequency by sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

During the observation period, the age‐adjusted cumulative incidence rate was1.22 per 100,000 persons (95% confidence interval: 1.53, 1.65), and age‐adjusted diagnostic frequency was 6.52 per 100,000 persons (95% confidence interval: 5.31, 5.66); both rates remained relatively stable over the 14‐year period. We identified several previously unreported differences in Huntington's disease frequency by self‐reported sex, income, and race/ethnicity. However, racial/ethnic differences were of lower magnitude than have previously been reported in other country‐level studies.

Conclusions

In these large‐scale estimates of U.S. Huntington's disease epidemiology, we found stable disease frequency rates that varied by several sociodemographic factors. These findings suggest that disease patterns may be more driven by social or environmental factors than has previously been appreciated. Results further demonstrate the potential utility of administrative Big Data in rare disease epidemiology when other data sources are unavailable. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Modifiable risk factors for cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of prospective cohort studies
Authors: Guo Yu , Xu Wei , Liu Feng‐Tao , Li Jie‐Qiong , Cao Xi‐Peng , Tan Lan , Wang Jian , Yu Jin‐Tai
Published: March 2019

Background

Cognitive impairment is a common and devastating manifestation in Parkinson's disease (PD). We aimed to identify modifiable risk factors for PD with cognitive impairment.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed and the Cochrane Library from June 1937 to September 2018 and included prospective cohort studies with random‐effects model used to combine estimates. Primary analyses for all types of cognitive impairments and subgroup analyses for separate outcomes were conducted.

Results

A total of 31,298 articles were identified, of which 32 articles with 18 factors met the inclusion criteria for meta‐analysis. In the primary analysis, 9 modifiable risk factors were found to increase the risk of PD with cognitive impairment, including postural‐instability‐gait disorder (relative risk = 3.76, 95% confidence interval = 1.36‐10.40), hallucinations (relative risk = 3.09, 95% confidence interval = 1.61‐5.93), orthostatic hypotension (relative risk = 2.98, 95% confidence interval = 1.41‐6.28), cerebrovascular disease (relative risk = 1.52, 95% confidence interval = 1.01‐2.28), diabetes mellitus (relative risk = 1.47, 95% confidence interval = 1.13‐1.92), obesity (relative risk = 1.38, 95% confidence interval = 1.15‐1.65), cardiac disease (relative risk = 1.35, 95% confidence interval = 1.17‐1.56), alcohol consumption (relative risk = 1.32, 95% confidence interval = 1.15‐1.52), and smoking (relative risk = 1.31, 95% confidence interval = 1.14‐1.50). In the subgroup analysis, postural‐instability‐gait disorder subtype, orthostatic hypotension and hallucinations may increase the risk of dementia in PD. A total of 37 articles were included in the systematic review, in which 9 risk factors and 1 protective factor were additionally associated in single studies with the risk of PD with cognitive impairment, and 5 factors were associated with specific cognition domains.

Conclusions

Effective interventions in the management of PD symptoms, comorbidities, and lifestyles may be promising to reduce PD with cognitive impairment risk. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Two‐dimensional elastoplastic analysis of cylindrical cavity problems in Tresca materials
Authors: Zhuang Pei‐Zhi , Yu Hai‐Sui
Published: March 2019

This paper presents analytical elastic‐plastic solutions for static stress loading analysis and quasi‐static expansion analysis of a cylindrical cavity in Tresca materials, considering biaxial far‐field stresses and shear stresses along the inner cavity wall. The two‐dimensional static stress solution is obtained by assuming that the plastic zone is statically determinate and using the complex variable theory in the elastic analysis. A rigorous conformal mapping function is constructed, which predicts that the elastic‐plastic boundary is in an elliptic shape under biaxial in situ stresses, and the range of the plastic zone extends with increasing internal shear stresses. The major axis of the elliptical elastic‐plastic boundary coincides with the direction of the maximum far‐field compression stress. Furthermore, considering the internal shear stresses, an analytical large‐strain displacement solution is derived for continuous cavity expansion analysis in a hydrostatic initial stress filed. Based on the derived analytical stress and displacement solutions, the influence of the internal shear stresses on the quasi‐static cavity expansion process is studied. It is shown that additional shear stresses could reduce the required normal expansion pressure to a certain degree, which partly explains the great reduction of the axial soil resistance due to rotations in rotating cone penetration tests. In addition, through additionally considering the potential influences of biaxial in situ stresses and shear stresses generated around the borehole during drillings, an improved cavity expansion approach for estimating the maximum allowable mud pressure of horizontal directional drillings (HDDs) in undrained clays is proposed and validated.
Intravesical administration of blebbistatin prevents cyclophosphamide‐induced toxicity of the urinary bladder in female Wistar rats
Authors: Wróbel Andrzej , Serefko Anna , Bańczerowska‐Górska Małgorzata , Szopa Aleksandra , Dudka Jarosław , Poleszak Ewa
Published: March 2019

Aims

The main goal of our study was to investigate whether blebbistatin would prevent the cyclophosphamide (CYP)‐induced changes in cystometric and inflammatory parameters indicating the development of bladder inflammation and bladder overactivity. As the nature of CYP‐induced urotoxicity is inflammatory, we assume that agents presenting an anti‐inflammatory potential, such as blebbistatin, are worth special attention.

Materials and Methods

The experiments were carried out in female Wistar rats. Surgical procedures, cystometric investigations, measurements of bladder edema and urothelium thickness as well as biochemical analyses were performed according to the published literature.

Results

As expected, an acute administration of CYP (200 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) induced changes in the cystometric parameters and the levels of the tested biomarkers (ie, interleukin 1‐β, interleukin 6, interleukin 10, tumor necrosis factor‐α, nerve growth factor, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, heparin‐binding epidermal growth factor‐like growth factor, insulin‐like growth factor‐binding protein 3, C‐X‐C motif chemokine 10, orosomucoid‐1, Tamm‐Horsfall protein, hemopexin, and occludin), indicating the development of bladder overactivity and bladder inflammation, respectively. These changes were accompanied by bladder edema and increased urothelium thickness. Intravesical infusion of blebbistatin for 7 days (125 nmol/day) prevented all symptoms of the CYP‐induced urotoxicity.

Conclusions

Blebbistatin might be a promising novel agent for the treatment of bladder dysfunctions, like CYP‐induced hemorrhage cystitis or bladder overactivity, since it diminished the increased urinary bladder levels of proinflammatory markers and normalized the concentrations of the anti‐inflammatory ones. This effect was accompanied by amelioration of bladder edema and permeability, and normalization of both urothelium thickness and values of the cystometric parameters.
Anisotropy in nanocellular polymers promoted by the addition of needle‐like sepiolites
Authors: Bernardo Victoria , Martin‐de Leon Judith , Rodriguez‐Perez Miguel Angel
Published: March 2019

This work presents a new strategy for obtaining nanocellular materials with high anisotropy ratios by means of the addition of needle‐like nanoparticles. Nanocellular polymers are of great interest due to their outstanding properties, whereas anisotropic structures allow the realization of improved thermal and mechanical properties in certain directions. Nanocomposites based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with nanometric sepiolites are generated by extrusion. From the extruded filaments, cellular materials are produced using a two‐step gas dissolution foaming method. The effect of adding various types and contents of sepiolites is investigated. As a result of the extrusion process, the needle‐like sepiolites are aligned in the machine direction in the solid nanocomposites. Regarding the cellular materials, the addition of sepiolites allows one to obtain anisotropic nanocellular polymers with cell sizes of 150 to 420 nm and cell nucleation densities of 1013–1014 nuclei cm−3 and presenting anisotropy ratios ranging from 1.38 to 2.15, the extrusion direction being the direction of the anisotropy. To explain the appearance of anisotropy, a mechanism based on cell coalescence is proposed and discussed. In addition, it is shown that it is possible to control the anisotropy ratio of the PMMA/sepiolite nanocellular polymers by changing the amount of well‐dispersed sepiolites in the solid nanocomposites. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Protecting activity of desiccated enzymes
Authors: Piszkiewicz Samantha , Gunn Kathryn H. , Warmuth Owen , Propst Ashlee , Mehta Aakash , Nguyen Kenny H. , Kuhlman Elizabeth , Guseman Alex J. , Stadmiller Samantha S. , Boothby Thomas C. , Neher Saskia B. , Pielak Gary J.
Published: March 2019

Protein‐based biological drugs and many industrial enzymes are unstable, making them prohibitively expensive. Some can be stabilized by formulation with excipients, but most still require low temperature storage. In search of new, more robust excipients, we turned to the tardigrade, a microscopic animal that synthesizes cytosolic abundant heat soluble (CAHS) proteins to protect its cellular components during desiccation. We find that CAHS proteins protect the test enzymes lactate dehydrogenase and lipoprotein lipase against desiccation‐, freezing‐, and lyophilization‐induced deactivation. Our data also show that a variety of globular and disordered protein controls, with no known link to desiccation tolerance, protect our test enzymes. Protection of lactate dehydrogenase correlates, albeit imperfectly, with the charge density of the protein additive, suggesting an approach to tune protection by modifying charge. Our results support the potential use of CAHS proteins as stabilizing excipients in formulations and suggest that other proteins may have similar potential.
Automated text scoring and real‐time adjustable feedback: Supporting revision of scientific arguments involving uncertainty
Authors: Lee Hee‐Sun , Pallant Amy , Pryputniewicz Sarah , Lord Trudi , Mulholland Matthew , Liu Ou Lydia
Published: March 2019

This paper describes HASbot, an automated text scoring and real‐time feedback system designed to support student revision of scientific arguments. Students submit open‐ended text responses to explain how their data support claims and how the limitations of their data affect the uncertainty of their explanations. HASbot automatically scores these text responses and returns the scores with feedback to students. Data were collected from 343 middle‐ and high‐school students taught by nine teachers across seven states in the United States. A mixed methods design was applied to investigate (a) how students’ utilization of HASbot impacted their development of uncertainty‐infused scientific arguments; (b) how students used feedback to revise their arguments, and (c) how the current design of HASbot supported or hindered students’ revisions. Paired sample t tests indicate that students made significant gains from pretest to posttest in uncertainty‐infused scientific argumentation, ES = 1.52 SD, p < 0.001. Linear regression analysis results indicate that students' HASbot use significantly contributed to their posttest performance on uncertainty‐infused scientific argumentation while gender, English language learner status, and prior computer experience did not. From the analysis of videos, we identified several affordances and limitations of HASbot.
Fast Charging Lithium Batteries: Recent Progress and Future Prospects
Authors: Zhu Gao‐Long , Zhao Chen‐Zi , Huang Jia‐Qi , He Chuanxin , Zhang Jian , Chen Shaohai , Xu Lei , Yuan Hong , Zhang Qiang
Published: March 2019

Fast charging enables electronic devices to be charged in a very short time, which is essential for next‐generation energy storage systems. However, the increase of safety risks and low coulombic efficiency resulting from fast charging severely hamper the practical applications of this technology. This Review summarizes the challenges and recent progress of lithium batteries for fast charging. First, it describes the definition of fast charging and proposes a critical value of ionic and electrical conductivity of electrodes for fast charging in a working battery. Then based on this definition, the requirements and optimization strategies of the electrode, electrolyte, and electrode/electrolyte interface for fast charging are proposed. Finally, a general conclusion and perspectives on the better understanding of lithium batteries with fast charging capability are presented.
Preparative separation of bioactive polyphenol resveratrol from Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. by pH‐zone‐refining countercurrent chromatography
Authors: Yang Lijiao , Wang Chaoyue , Tong Shengqiang
Published: March 2019

pH‐zone‐refining countercurrent chromatography has been well explored for separation of organic acids and bases from natural products. However, it has not been investigated in separation of polyphenol compounds so far. In the present work, pH‐zone‐refining countercurrent chromatography was successfully applied in preparative separation of a polyphenol bioactive component resveratrol along with a hydroxyanthraquinone emodin, from traditional Chinese medicinal herb Polygonum cuspidatum using a self‐made type‐J countercurrent chromatographic apparatus. Resveratrol is a polyphenol component with a wide arrange of bioactivities. A biphasic solvent system composed of n‐hexane/ethyl acetate/ethanol/water (3:5:2:6, v/v) was selected, in which 10 mmol L−1 of trifluoroacetic acid was added in the organic phase as the retainer while 10 mmol L−1 of ammonia was added in the aqueous phase as the eluter. The loading sample could reach 300 mg in a single run, in which 35 mg of resveratrol and 156 mg of emodin could be obtained with a high purity of 96.0 and 93.2%, respectively, as determined by HPLC. Meanwhile, an interesting elution sequence for resveratrol and emodin by pH‐zone‐refining countercurrent chromatography was found and discussed compared with conventional countercurrent chromatography. The results showed that pH‐zone‐refining countercurrent chromatography could be used in preparative separation of polyphenol component. An efficient alternative method for preparative separation of resveratrol from Polygonum cuspidatum was established.
Effective course registration, add/drop policies key to four‐year graduation rates
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: March 2019

ATLANTA — In 2018, San Diego State University had the number‐one six‐year graduation rate for actual versus predictive graduation rates, which was determined by comparing the university's actual graduation rate to the rate analysts would expect, given such factors as financial resources; admissions data; proportion of economically disadvantaged students; social mobility; and science, technology, engineering, and math orientation. The actual number of students who graduate from SDSU over the course of six years is more than 75 percent.
Topological data analysis for the string landscape
Authors: Cole Alex , Shiu Gary
Published: March 2019

Abstract

Persistent homology computes the multiscale topology of a data set by using a sequence of discrete complexes. In this paper, we propose that persistent homology may be a useful tool for studying the structure of the landscape of string vacua. As a scaled-down version of the program, we use persistent homology to characterize distributions of Type IIB flux vacua on moduli space for three examples: the rigid Calabi-Yau, a hypersurface in weighted projective space, and the symmetric six-torus T
6 = (T
2)3. These examples suggest that persistence pairing and multiparameter persistence contain useful information for characterization of the landscape in addition to the usual information contained in standard persistent homology. We also study how restricting to special vacua with phenomenologically interesting low-energy properties affects the topology of a distribution.
Indirect probe of electroweak-interacting particles with mono-lepton signatures at hadron colliders
Authors: Matsumoto Shigeki , Shirai Satoshi , Takeuchi Michihisa
Published: March 2019

Abstract

Electroweak-interacting massive particles (EWIMPs) exist in a broad class of new physics models beyond the Standard Model. Searching for such particles is one of most primary goal at the LHC and future colliders. The EWIMP generally affects the LHC signatures through quantum corrections even without direct productions. By measuring the Standard Model processes precisely, we can indirectly probe the EWIMPs. In this paper, we study the current constraint and future prospect of the EWIMPs by using the precision measurements of mono-lepton production from the charged Drell-Yan processes at hadron colliders. We found the mono-lepton signature can be a better probe than dilepton signature from the neutral Drell-Yan processes.
The evaluation of large cycling infrastructure investments in Glasgow using crowdsourced cycle data
Authors: Hong Jinhyun , McArthur David Philip , Livingston Mark
Published: March 2019

The benefits of cycling have been well established for several decades. It can improve public health and make cities more active and environmentally friendly. Due to the significant net benefits, many local governments in Scotland have promoted cycling. Glasgow City Council constructed four significant pieces of cycling infrastructure between 2013 and 2015, partly in preparation for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and partly to encourage cycling more generally. This required substantial capital investment. However, the effectiveness of these big new infrastructure investments has not been well examined, mostly due to data limitations. In this study, we utilised data from the activity tracking app Strava for the years 2013–2016 and fixed effects panel data regression models to examine whether the new cycling infrastructure has increased cycling volumes on these routes. Our results show that three of the infrastructure projects have a positive effect on the monthly total volume of cycling trips made by users of the app, with flows up by around 12% to 18%. Although this result is promising, it needs to be interpreted with care due to the characteristics of the data.
DEFINABLE MINIMAL COLLAPSE FUNCTIONS AT ARBITRARY PROJECTIVE LEVELS
Authors: KANOVEI VLADIMIR , LYUBETSKY VASSILY
Published: March 2019

Using a nonLaver modification of Uri Abraham’s minimal $\Delta _3^1$ collapse function, we define a generic extension $L[a]$ by a real a, in which, for a given $n \ge 3$, $\left\{ a \right\}$ is a lightface $\Pi _n^1 $ singleton, a effectively codes a cofinal map $\omega \to \omega _1^L $ minimal over L, while every $\Sigma _n^1 $ set $X \subseteq \omega $ is still constructible.
Bureaucratic Activism: Pursuing Environmentalism Inside the Brazilian State
Authors: Abers Rebecca Neaera
Published: March 2019

This study explores the evolution of the Green Grants program, run by Brazil’s Ministry of Environment, as a means for developing the concept of bureaucratic activism. When the Workers’ Party first took office in 2003, many social movement actors joined the government, especially in that agency. After 2007, however, most of these activists left the government. At the same time, the ministry substituted thousands of temporary employees for permanent civil servants. Surprisingly, this study finds that these public employees carried forward the environmentalist cause, even when this required contesting the priorities of superiors. Examining their attitudes and practices leads to a definition of activism as the proactive pursuit of opportunities to defend contentious causes. The case study helps to develop this concept and to demonstrate that workers inside bureaucracies can engage in activist behavior. It also explores the effects of bureaucratic activism on environmental policymaking in Brazil.
Participation as a Safety Valve: Police Reform Through Participatory Security in Latin America
Authors: González Yanilda María
Published: March 2019

The institutionalization of community participation in the context of policing has become increasingly common in Latin America as a means of addressing the seemingly intractable increase in crime and insecurity. The creation of formal spaces for community participation in security differs markedly from how police forces have historically operated. Moreover, opening spaces for citizen input and oversight could potentially limit an executive’s control over the police, an important political tool. Why, then, do politicians sometimes turn to “participatory security” when reforming the police? This article argues that politicians choose participation as a safety valve to disaggregate societal discontent, particularly when police-society relations are fractious and police capacity and resources are low. Drawing on qualitative evidence from Buenos Aires Province, São Paulo State, and Colombia, this study demonstrates that participation can serve a range of strategic purposes, which, in turn, shape the institutional design of the participatory mechanism.
Wave propagation for a class of non-local dispersal non-cooperative systems
Authors: Yang Fei-Ying , Li Wan-Tong , Wang Jia-Bing
Published: March 2019

This paper is concerned with the travelling waves for a class of non-local dispersal non-cooperative system, which can model the prey-predator and disease-transmission mechanism. By the Schauder's fixed-point theorem, we first establish the existence of travelling waves connecting the semi-trivial equilibrium to non-trivial leftover concentrations, whose bounds are deduced from a precise analysis. Further, we characterize the minimal wave speed of travelling waves and obtain the non-existence of travelling waves with slow speed. Finally, we apply the general results to an epidemic model with bilinear incidence for its propagation dynamics.
Integrating cultural and biological perspectives on long-term human-walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) interactions across the North Atlantic
Authors: Keighley Xénia , Tange Olsen Morten , Jordan Peter
Published: March 2019

The hunting of marine mammals as a source of subsistence, trade, and commercial revenue has formed an important part of human cultures across the North Atlantic. One important prey species has been the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus), sought after for meat, skin, blubber, ivory, and bone. Unfortunately, biological studies of current walrus populations and studies across the humanities and social sciences into past use and hunting of walruses, have been poorly integrated. Disciplinary boundaries have left a gap in understanding the reciprocal effects of human-walrus interactions. Emerging interdisciplinary methods offer new opportunities to write the historical ecology of Atlantic walruses. The integration of methods such as ancient DNA, isotopes, past population modelling, zooarchaeological assemblages, and ethnographic interviews can now be used to answer previously intractable questions. For example, how has walrus hunting shaped and been influenced by changes in human settlement and trade, what have been the cumulative impacts on walrus populations, the extent of anthropogenic selective pressures or the effect of changing hunting regimes on particular populations of walruses? New, collaborative research approaches applied to the wealth of Arctic archaeological faunal remains already housed in museum collections offer a unique chance to explore the past dynamics of human-animal interactions.
DOES SIZE MATTER? A CRITICAL REVIEW OF META-ANALYSIS IN AGRONOMY
Authors: KRUPNIK TIMOTHY J. , ANDERSSON JENS A. , RUSINAMHODZI LEONARD , CORBEELS MARC , SHENNAN CAROL , GÉRARD BRUNO
Published: March 2019

Intended to test broad hypotheses and arrive at unifying conclusions, meta-analysis is the process of extracting, assembling, and analyzing large quantities of data from multiple publications to increase statistical power and uncover explanatory patterns. This paper describes the ways in which meta-analysis has been applied to support claims and counter-claims regarding two topics widely debated in agricultural research, namely organic agriculture (OA) and conservation agriculture (CA). We describe the origins of debate for each topic and assess prominent meta-analyses considering data-selection criteria, research question framing, and the interpretation and extrapolation of meta-analytical results. Meta-analyses of OA and CA are also examined in the context of the political economy of development-oriented agricultural research. Does size matter? We suggest that it does, although somewhat ironically. While meta-analysis aims to pool all relevant studies and generate comprehensive databases from which broad insights can be drawn, our case studies suggest that the organization of many meta-analyses may affect the generalizability and usefulness of research results. The politicized nature of debates over OA and CA also appear to affect the divergent ways in which meta-analytical results may be interpreted and extrapolated in struggles over the legitimacy of both practices. Rather than resolving scientific contestation, these factors appear to contribute to the ongoing debate. Meta-analysis is nonetheless becoming increasingly popular with agricultural researchers attracted by the power for the statistical inference offered by large datasets. This paper consequently offers three suggestions for how scientists and readers of scientific literature can more carefully evaluate meta-analyses. First, the ways in which papers and data are collected should be critically assessed. Second, the justification of research questions, framing of farming systems, and the scales at which research results are extrapolated and discussed should be carefully evaluated. Third, when applied to strongly politicized topics situated in an arena of scientific debate, as is the case with OA and CA, more conservative interpretations of meta-analytical results that recognize the socially and politically embedded nature of agricultural research is are needed.
The Origins of the Italian Regional Divide: Evidence from Real Wages, 1861–1913
Authors: Federico Giovanni , Nuvolari Alessandro , Vasta Michelangelo
Published: March 2019

The origins of the Italian North-South divide have always been controversial. We fill this gap by estimating a new dataset of real wages (Allen 2001; Allen et al. 2011) from Unification (1861) to WWI. Italy was very poor throughout the period, with a modest improvement since the late nineteenth century. This improvement started in the Northwest industrializing regions, while real wages in other macro-areas remained stagnant. The gap Northwest/South widened until the end of the period. Focusing on the drivers of regional trends, we find that human capital formation exerted strong positive effect on the growth of real wages.
The Stop of the Exchequer and the Secondary Market for English Sovereign Debt, 1677–1705
Authors: Li Ling-Fan
Published: March 2019

Based on information related to the Stop of Exchequer, 1672, this article calculates the current yields of sovereign debt and examines the effect of the Glorious Revolution on the government’s credibility. The results show that even though the interest payment had not been paid for years, when Parliament authorized the resumption of payment, the current yields fell not only below the level when the interest payment was made by Charles II, but quickly converged to the rates of return of alternative investment. The movement of current yields supports that the constitutional change of 1689 did enhance the government’s credibility.
Role of Electron Microscopy in Early Detection of Altered Epithelium During Experimental Oral Carcinogenesis
Authors: Sawant Sharada , Dongre Harsh , Kanojia Deepak , Jamghare Sayli , Borges Anita , Vaidya Milind
Published: March 2019

Early detection of altered epithelium can help in controlling the further progression by timely intervention. Alterations in cellular adhesion are one of the hallmarks of cancer progression, which can be detected at the intracellular level using high-resolution electron microscopy. This study aimed to evaluate the role of electron microscopy in the establishment of ultrastructural markers for early detection of altered epithelium using tissues from 4-Nitroquinoline-1-Oxide (4NQO) induced rat tongue carcinogenesis. Our previous study using light microscopy displayed no histopathological alterations in 4NQO treated tissues until 40 days of treatment, while dysplasia, papilloma and carcinoma were detected at 80/120, 160 and 200 days, respectively. However, electron microscopy detected alterations such as detachment of desmosomes from cell membranes and their clustering in the cytoplasm, increased tonofilaments, keratohyaline granules and thickened corneum in 40 days treated corresponding tissues. These alterations are apparent with hyperkeratosis/hyperplasia but remained undetected using light microscopy. Further, in dysplasia, papilloma and carcinoma, gradual and significant loss of desmosomes, leading to the significant widening of intercellular spaces, was observed using iTEM software. These parameters may serve as indicators for progression of oral cancer. Our results highlight the importance of electron microscopy in the early detection of subcellular changes in the altered epithelium.
Control of Atrazine-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) in Double-Crop Grain Sorghum
Authors: Hay Marshall M. , Albers Jeffrey J. , Dille J. Anita , Peterson Dallas E.
Published: March 2019

Double-crop grain sorghum after winter wheat harvest is a common cropping system in the southern plains region. Palmer amaranth is a troublesome weed in double-crop grain sorghum in Kansas. Populations resistant to various herbicides (e.g., atrazine, glyphosate, metsulfuron, pyrasulfotole) have made Palmer amaranth management even more difficult for producers. To evaluate control of atrazine-resistant and atrazine-susceptible Palmer amaranth in double-crop grain sorghum, we assessed 14 herbicide programs, of which 8 were PRE only and 6 were PRE followed by (fb) POST applications. Visible ratings of Palmer amaranth control were taken at 3 and 8 wk after planting (WAP) grain sorghum. PRE treatments containing very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA)–inhibiting herbicides provided 91% control of atrazine-resistant Palmer amaranth 3 WAP, and reduced weed density 8 WAP compared to atrazine-only PRE treatments. PRE fb POST treatments, especially those that included VLCFA-inhibiting herbicides, provided greater control (71% to 93%) of both atrazine-resistant and atrazine-susceptible Palmer amaranth, respectively, at 8 WAP compared to PRE treatments alone (59% to 79%). These results demonstrated the utility of VLCFA-inhibiting herbicides applied PRE and in a layered PRE fb POST approach in controlling atrazine-resistant Palmer amaranth, as well as the importance of an effective POST application following residual PRE herbicides for controlling both atrazine-resistant and atrazine-susceptible Palmer amaranth in double-crop grain sorghum.
Can Weeds Overtopping Soybean or Adzuki Bean Be Mechanically Pulled to Reduce Their Seed Input?
Authors: Simard Marie-Josée , Page Eric R. , Nurse Robert E.
Published: March 2019

Tall weeds escaping early weed management, such as weeds resistant to one or multiple herbicides, are an increasing concern. When weeds reach a certain size, few options other than hand weeding will limit the production and dispersal of seeds. The objective of this project was to evaluate the efficacy of the Bourquin Organic Weed Puller® (a rotating series of wheels that grab and pull) at removing tall weeds before they shed seeds in soybean and adzuki bean. Trials were set up in Canada at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research farms at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (SJR), QC (2 yr), and Harrow (HAR), ON (1 yr), on a loamy and a sandy soil, respectively. The experimental design included crops of different potential heights (different soybean cultivars and adzuki bean), two weed species per location (common lambsquarters [both locations] and common ragweed or redroot pigweed at HAR), and two pulling dates. The set-up also included weedy and herbicide-treated control plots. Weeds overtopping the crop canopy by at least 10 cm were tagged and characterized. Damage from the weed puller was rated as 1, pulled (desired effect); 2, cut; 3, folded; 4, stripped; and 5, intact. The seed production of damaged and intact weeds was also recorded. Less than one-third of common ragweed or redroot pigweed plants were pulled during any treatment combination. The highest pulling rates were observed for common lambsquarters at SJR (43%), but very few were pulled at HAR (3.1% max). Pulling rates were not high enough to potentially control seed inputs from herbicide-resistant populations, and successfully pulled common lambsquarters left on the ground produced thousands of viable seeds.
Studies on Seed biology, Distribution, and Chemical Control of Smellmelon (Cucumis melovar. agrestis Naudin): An Invasive Weed
Authors: Noor-Ziarat Reza , Rezvani Mohammad , Bagherani Naser , Grichar W. James
Published: March 2019

Smellmelon is an invasive weed in the Golestan and Mazandran provinces of Iran. In a series of experiments, germination of freshly harvested seeds, cardinal temperatures, plant burial depth, and distribution and chemical control of smellmelon were evaluated to assist us in developing a management program to help growers manage this weed more effectively. The optimal seed germination temperature was estimated at 32.7 C by a two-piece segmented model. Mature fresh seeds of smellmelon exhibited no dormancy, whereas mucilage of the seed negatively affected germination. The greatest seed sowing depth from which seedlings emerged was 5 cm. Geographical distribution of smellmelon occurred up to an elevation of 350 m above sea level, whereas the density of smellmelon decreased at elevations higher than 151 m. Imazethapyr reduced plant growth and the reproductive capacity of smellmelon. Germination of seed from smellmelon plants treated with imazethapyr was significantly reduced compared with seed treated with bentazon or bentazon plus acifluorfen. A combination of tillage of deeper than 5 cm, early planting time, and the use of imazethapyr can reduce smellmelon competition in various field crops.
Synoptic and Mesoscale Mechanisms Drive Winter Precipitation δ18O/δ2H in South‐Central Alaska
Authors: Bailey Hannah L. , Klein Eric S. , Welker Jeffrey M.
Published: March 2019

Measurements of oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes in precipitation (δ18OP and δ2HP) provide a valuable tool for understanding modern hydrological processes and the empirical foundation for interpreting paleoisotope archives. However, long‐term data sets of modern δ18OP and δ2HP in southern Alaska are entirely absent, thus limiting our insight and application of regionally defined climate‐isotope relationships in this proxy‐rich region. We present and utilize a 13‐year‐long record of event‐based δ18OP and δ2HP data from Anchorage, Alaska (2005–2018, n = 332), to determine the mechanisms controlling precipitation isotopes. Local surface air temperature explains ~30% of variability in the δ18OP data with a temperature‐δ18O slope of 0.31 ‰/°C, indicating that δ18OP archives may not be suitable paleo‐thermometers in this region. Instead, back‐trajectory modeling reveals how winter δ18OP/δ2HP reflects synoptic and mesoscale processes in atmospheric circulation that drive changes in the passage of air masses with different moisture sources, transport, and rainout histories. Specifically, meridional systems—with either northerly flow from the Arctic or southerly flow from the Gulf of Alaska—have relatively low δ18OP/δ2HP due to progressive cooling and removal of precipitation as it condenses with altitude over Alaska's southern mountain ranges. To the contrary, zonally derived moisture from either the North Pacific and/or Bering Sea retains relatively high δ18OP/δ2HP values. These new data contribute a better understanding of the modern Alaska water isotope cycle and provide an empirical basis for interpreting paleoisotope archives in context of regional atmospheric circulation.
Knowledge and perception about dental implants among undergraduate dental students
Authors: Sharma Arati , Chaudhari Bijay Kumar , Shrestha Bidhan , Suwal Pramita , Parajuli Prakash Kumar , Singh R. K. , Niraula Surya Raj
Published: March 2019

Introduction

Awareness about dental implants is increasing among dental patients, which demands a higher level of competence for dental students. So, the objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and perception of undergraduate dental students about dental implants.

Materials and methods

This cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted after taking ethical clearance and approval from the Institutional Review Committee of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences and informed consent from each dental college of Nepal. The sample included all those students who were present at the time of survey. Data collection were carried out during the academic schedules of the colleges, supervised, and monitored by the investigators themselves. Collected data were coded, entered in Microsoft excel 2013 and descriptive analysis was carried out.

Results

A majority of the total (54.6%) and 59.2% of 5th year respondents perceived to be moderately well-informed about dental implants. The main advantage of dental implants was thought to be longevity by 53.1% of total and 48.4% of 5th year students; only 27.6% of the total and 42.2% of 5th year students said the main advantage of dental implants is they are more conservative than other tooth-replacement modalities. Highest percentage of the total respondents (31.9%) said most important factor for implant success to be implant type and material, whereas 59.8% of 5th year students said case selection. Those who felt dental implants require additional oral hygiene maintenance and care by the patient and dentist were 58.4% of total and 75.1% of 5th year students. Over two-thirds (67.5%) of total thought that economic feasibility will limit use of dental implants in Nepal. The difficulty encountered to place implants was perceived to be average by 56.8% of total and 58.1% of 5th year. There were differences in the perception and knowledge at different academic levels, but not as expected.

Conclusions

It could not be concluded that knowledge about dental implants increased with increase in academic level. Even at the late-clinical year a majority of students gave unsatisfactory responses.
Correction: Hopefully devoted to Q: targeting glutamine addiction in cancer
Authors: Still Emma R. , Yuneva Mariia O.
Published: March 2019

This article was originally published under a CC BY NC SA License, but has now been made available under a CC BY 4.0 License.
The trimeric autotransporter adhesin BadA is required for in vitro biofilm formation by Bartonella henselae
Authors: Okaro Udoka , Green Ryan , Mohapatra Subhra , Anderson Burt
Published: March 2019

Bartonellahenselae (Bh) is a Gram-negative rod transmitted to humans by a scratch from the common house cat. Infection of humans with Bh can result in a range of clinical diseases including lymphadenopathy observed in cat-scratch disease and more serious disease from persistent bacteremia. It is a common cause of blood-culture negative endocarditis as the bacterium is capable of growing as aggregates, and forming biofilms on infected native and prosthetic heart valves. The aggregative growth requires a trimeric autotransporter adhesin (TAA) called Bartonella adhesin A (BadA). TAAs are found in all Bartonella species and many other Gram-negative bacteria. Using Bh Houston-1, Bh Houston-1 ∆badA and Bh Houston-1 ∆badA/pNS2PTrcbadA (a partial complement of badA coding for a truncated protein of 741 amino acid residues), we analyze the role of BadA in adhesion and biofilm formation. We also investigate the role of environmental factors such as temperature on badA expression and biofilm formation. Real-time cell adhesion monitoring and electron microscopy show that Bh Houston-1 adheres and forms biofilm more efficiently than the Bh Houston-1 ∆badA. Deletion of the badA gene significantly decreases adhesion, the first step in biofilm formation in vitro, which is partially restored in Bh Houston-1 ∆badA/pNS2PTrcbadA. The biofilm formed by Bh Houston-1 includes polysaccharides, proteins, and DNA components and is susceptible to enzymatic degradation of these components. Furthermore, both pH and temperature influence both badA expression and biofilm formation. We conclude that BadA is required for optimal adhesion, agglutination and biofilm formation.
Midbrain tectal stem cells display diverse regenerative capacities in zebrafish
Authors: Lindsey Benjamin W. , Aitken Georgia E. , Tang Jean K. , Khabooshan Mitra , Douek Alon M. , Vandestadt Celia , Kaslin Jan
Published: March 2019

How diverse adult stem and progenitor populations regenerate tissue following damage to the brain is poorly understood. In highly regenerative vertebrates, such as zebrafish, radial-glia (RG) and neuro-epithelial-like (NE) stem/progenitor cells contribute to neuronal repair after injury. However, not all RG act as neural stem/progenitor cells during homeostasis in the zebrafish brain, questioning the role of quiescent RG (qRG) post-injury. To understand the function of qRG during regeneration, we performed a stab lesion in the adult midbrain tectum to target a population of homeostatic qRG, and investigated their proliferative behaviour, differentiation potential, and Wnt/β-catenin signalling. EdU-labelling showed a small number of proliferating qRG after injury (pRG) but that progeny are restricted to RG. However, injury promoted proliferation of NE progenitors in the internal tectal marginal zone (TMZi) resulting in amplified regenerative neurogenesis. Increased Wnt/β-catenin signalling was detected in TMZi after injury whereas homeostatic levels of Wnt/β-catenin signalling persisted in qRG/pRG. Attenuation of Wnt signalling suggested that the proliferative response post-injury was Wnt/β-catenin-independent. Our results demonstrate that qRG in the tectum have restricted capability in neuronal repair, highlighting that RG have diverse functions in the zebrafish brain. Furthermore, these findings suggest that endogenous stem cell compartments compensate lost tissue by amplifying homeostatic growth.