bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of mycobacteria infections in Basilicata, Italy: 1999-2012
Authors: Buono Leonardo , Montesano Giuseppe
Published: March 2017

This short note describes the epidemiology of mycobacteria related infection through laboratory data in the region of Basilicata (Southern Italy) over a period of 13 years from 1999 to 2012. A total of 14,255 clinical specimens have been evaluated, showing 370 positive identification (84% M.tuberculosis complex and 16% non-tuberculosis mycobacteria).
A rare case of enteric and systemic Yersinia enterocolitica infection in a chronic, not iron-overloaded dialysis patient
Authors: Intra Jari , Auricchio Sara , Sala Roberta M. , Brambilla Paolo
Published: March 2017

We present herein a case of bacterial gastroenteritis due to Yersinia enterocolitica, occurred in a young woman undergoing haemodialysis with a previous history positive for prolonged (20 years) immunosuppressive therapy for glomerulonephritis before and for kidney transplant later. The patient’s outcome was favourable after a third-generation cephalosporin treatment without complications. The possible pathophysiological association between patient clinical condition and Yersinia bacteraemia is discussed, along with the review of literature.
Boundedness of the Generalized Fractional Integral Operators on Generalized Morrey Spaces over Metric Measure Spaces
Authors: Sawano Yoshihiro , Shimomura Tetsu
Published: March 2017

Our aim in this paper is to deal with the boundedness of the generalized fractional integral operators on generalized Morrey spaces

L_{p,\phi;2}(X;\mu)

over metric measure spaces. We also discuss a necessary condition for the boundedness of the generalized fractional integral operators. As applications, we establish new results for the predual spaces.
An RGB channel operation for removal of the difference of atmospheric scattering and its application on total sky cloud detection
Authors: Yang Jun , Min Qilong , Lu Weitao , Ma Ying , Yao Wen , Lu Tianshu
Published: March 2017

Abstract. The inhomogeneous sky background presents a great challenge for accurate cloud recognition from the total-sky images. A channel operation was introduced in this study to produce a new composite channel in which the difference of atmospheric scattering has been removed and a homogeneous sky background can be obtained. Following this, a new cloud detection algorithm was proposed that combined the merits of the differencing and threshold methods, named differencing and threshold combination algorithm (DTCA). Firstly, the channel operation was applied to transform 3-D RGB image to the new channel, then the circumsolar saturated pixels and its circularity were used to judge whether the sun is visible or not in the image. When the sun is obscured, a single threshold can be used to identify cloud pixels. If the sun is visible in the image, the true clear-sky background differencing algorithm is adopted to detect clouds. The qualitative assessment for eight different total-sky images shows the DTCA algorithm obtained satisfactory cloud identification effectiveness for thin clouds and in the circumsolar and near-horizon regions. Quantitative evaluation also shows that the DTCA algorithm achieved the highest cloud recognition precision for five different types of clouds and performed well under both visible sun and blocked sun conditions.
Assessment of virtual towers performed with scanning wind lidars and Ka-band radars during the XPIA experiment
Authors: Debnath Mithu , Iungo Giacomo Valerio , Brewer W. Alan , Choukulkar Aditya , Delgado Ruben , Gunter Scott , Lundquist Julie K. , Schroeder John L. , Wilczak James M. , Wolfe Daniel
Published: March 2017

Abstract. During the eXperimental Planetary boundary layer Instrumentation Assessment (XPIA) campaign, which was carried out at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO) in spring 2015, multiple-Doppler scanning strategies were carried out with scanning wind lidars and Ka-band radars. Specifically, step–stare measurements were collected simultaneously with three scanning Doppler lidars, while two scanning Ka-band radars carried out simultaneous range height indicator (RHI) scans. The XPIA experiment provided the unique opportunity to compare directly virtual-tower measurements performed simultaneously with Ka-band radars and Doppler wind lidars. Furthermore, multiple-Doppler measurements were assessed against sonic anemometer data acquired from the meteorological tower (met-tower) present at the BAO site and a lidar wind profiler. This survey shows that – despite the different technologies, measurement volumes and sampling periods used for the lidar and radar measurements – a very good accuracy is achieved for both remote-sensing techniques for probing horizontal wind speed and wind direction with the virtual-tower scanning technique.
Met Éireann high resolution reanalysis for Ireland
Authors: Gleeson Emily , Whelan Eoin , Hanley John
Published: March 2017

Abstract. The Irish Meteorological Service, Met Éireann, has carried out a 35-year very high resolution (2.5 km horizontal grid) regional climate reanalysis for Ireland using the ALADIN-HIRLAM numerical weather prediction system. This article provides an overview of the reanalysis, called MÉRA, as well as a preliminary analysis of surface parameters including screen level temperature, 10 m wind speeds, mean sea-level pressure (MSLP), soil temperatures, soil moisture and 24 h rainfall accumulations. The quality of the 3-D variational data assimilation used in the reanalysis is also assessed. Preliminary analysis shows that it takes almost 12 months to spin up the deep soil in terms of moisture, justifying the choice of running year-long spin up periods. Overall, the model performed consistently over the time period. Small biases were found in screen-level temperatures (less than −0.5 °C), MSLP (within 0.5 hPa) and 10 m wind speed (up to 0.5 m s−1) Soil temperatures are well represented by the model. 24 h accumulations of precipitation generally exhibit a small positive bias of  ∼ 1 mm per day and negative biases over mountains due to a mismatch between the model orography and the geography of the region. MÉRA outperforms the ERA-Interim reanalysis, particularly in terms of standard deviations in screen-level temperatures and surface winds. This dataset is the first of its kind for Ireland that will be made publically available during spring 2017.
Changes in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the Mauritanian-Cape Verde
upwelling region between 2005 and 2012
Authors: González-Dávila Melchor , Santana Casiano J. Magdalena , Machín Francisco
Published: March 2017

Abstract. Coastal upwelling along the eastern margins of major ocean basins represent regions of large economic importance due to the high biological productivity. However, the physical forcing of upwelling processes that favor the production in these areas are being affected by global warming, which will modify the intensity of the upwelling and, consequently, the carbon dioxide cycle. For this reason, the role of observations in addressing any climate change impacts on the global carbon cycle in areas of upwelling is of great importance. Monthly high resolution surface experimental data for temperature and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the Mauritanian-Cape Verde upwelling region from 2005 to 2012 are shown. This data set provides direct evidence of seasonal and interannual changes in the physical and biochemical processes. They confirmed an upwelling intensification and an increase in the CO2 outgassing of 1 Tg a year in one of the four most important upwelling regions of the planet due to wind increase, even when primary production seems to also be reinforced. This increase in CO2 intake together with the observed decrease in sea surface temperature at the location of the Mauritanian Cape Blanc, 21º N, produced a pH decrease of −0.003 ± 0.001 per year.
Estimating annual water storage variations in medium-scale (2000–10 000 km2) basins using microwave-based soil moisture retrievals
Authors: Crow Wade T. , Han Eunjin , Ryu Dongryeol , Hain Christopher R. , Anderson Martha C.
Published: March 2017

Abstract. Due to their shallow vertical support, remotely sensed surface soil moisture retrievals are commonly regarded as being of limited value for water budget applications requiring the characterization of temporal variations in total terrestrial water storage (dS ∕ dt). However, advances in our ability to estimate evapotranspiration remotely now allow for the direct evaluation of approaches for quantifying dS ∕ dt via water budget closure considerations. By applying an annual water budget analysis within a series of medium-scale (2000–10 000 km2) basins within the United States, we demonstrate that, despite their clear theoretical limitations, surface soil moisture retrievals derived from passive microwave remote sensing contain statistically significant information concerning dS ∕ dt. This suggests the possibility of using (relatively) higher-resolution microwave remote sensing products to enhance the spatial resolution of dS ∕ dt estimates acquired from gravity remote sensing.
Uncertainties in shoreline position analysis: the role of run-up and tide in a gentle slope beach
Authors: Manno Giorgio , Lo Re Carlo , Ciraolo Giuseppe
Published: March 2017

Abstract. In the last decades in the Mediterranean sea, high anthropic pressure from increasing economic and touristic development has affected several coastal areas. Today the erosion phenomena threaten human activities and existing structures, and interdisciplinary studies are needed to better understand actual coastal dynamics. Beach evolution analysis can be conducted using GIS methodologies, such as the well-known Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), in which error assessment based on shoreline positioning plays a significant role. In this study, we propose a new approach to estimate the positioning errors due to tide and wave run-up influence. To improve the assessment of the wave run-up uncertainty, we used a spectral numerical model to propagate waves from deep to intermediate water and a Boussinesq-type model for intermediate water up to the swash zone. Tide effects on the uncertainty of shoreline position were evaluated using data collected by a near tide gauge. The proposed methodology was applied to an unprotected, dissipative Sicilian beach far from harbours and subjected to intense human activities over the last 20 years. The results show wave run-up and tide errors ranging from 0.12 m to 4.5 m and from 1.20 m to 1.39 m, respectively.
An Investigation of Saudi EFL University Students’ Attitudes towards the Use of Google Translate
Authors: Alhaisoni Eid , Alhaysony Maha
Published: March 2017

It is argued that the popularity of Google Translate is increasing and users are implementing this giant search engine for different purposes. Hence, this paper reports the results of a study on attitudes toward the use of Google Translate (GT). The participants were 92 Saudi EFL university English major students. A questionnaire was used as an instrument in this study. The results revealed that almost all of the subjects reported using GT. Vocabulary, writing and reading were the three most frequent purposes for which they use GT, whereas translation was the least frequently used. The results also showed that GT is frequently used to get the meaning of unknown words, writing assignments and reading an English textbook. The findings of the study have implications for students, instructors and researchers.
A Quantitative Investigation of the Time-varying Beta of the International CAPM: The Case of North American and European Equity Portfolios
Authors: Tsuji Chikashi
Published: March 2017

This paper investigates the time-invariant and the time-varying betas of the international capital asset pricing model (CAPM) for North American and European equity portfolio returns over the period from August 1, 1990 to June 30, 2016. Our quantitative examinations using the full vector-half (VECH) model reveal the following interesting evidence. First, we find that (1) the time-invariant international CAPM beta value for North American equity portfolio returns and that for European equity portfolio returns, which are derived from the standard ordinary least squares (OLS) method, are both close to one. In contrast, our examinations find that (2) the time-varying international CAPM betas of North American equity portfolio returns are lower than one before 1996, and slightly higher than one after 1996. Moreover, our investigations further reveal that (3) the time-varying international CAPM betas of European equity portfolio returns are lower than one before around 2004, and clearly higher than one after around 2004.
Bias in polar questions: Evidence from English and German production experiments
Authors: Domaneschi Filippo , Romero Maribel , Braun Bettina
Published: March 2017

Different polar question forms (e.g., Do you / Do you not / Don’t you / Really? Do you... have a car?) are not equally appropriate in all situations. The present experiments investigate which combinations of original speaker belief and contextual evidence influence the choice of question type in English and German. Our results show that both kinds of bias interact: in both languages, positive polar questions are typically selected when there is no original speaker belief and positive or non-informative contextual evidence; low negation questions (Do you not...?) are most frequently chosen when no original belief meets negative contextual evidence; high negation questions (Don’t you...?) are prompted when positive original speaker belief is followed by negative or non-informative contextual evidence; positive questions with really are produced most frequently when a negative original bias is combined with positive contextual evidence. In string-identical forms, there are prosodic differences across crucial conditions.
Consequences of CEO Overconfidence
Authors: Zhao Qiuhong , Ziebart Dave A.
Published: March 2017

We test the impact of CEO overconfidence on the cost of debt and the impact of SOX on overconfidence via CEO selection. Our CEO overconfidence measure is based on the degree of optimism in management earnings forecasts, and the measure for the cost of debt is bond yield spreads. Our evidence supports that the market discounts CEO overconfidence by increasing the cost of borrowing. Moreover, we find that the financial market also incorporates past CEO overconfidence into bond pricing. We document that the board prefers to appoint a more rational CEO over an overconfident CEO. Our findings are consistent with Banerjee et al.’s (2015) argument that an independent board mitigates the costs of CEO overconfidence in terms of investment and risk exposure.
Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in the Electronic Banking
Authors: Tharanikaran Vadivelu , Sritharan Sutha , Thusyanthy Vadivelu
Published: March 2017

The present study aims to assess the degree of service quality and customer satisfaction in the electronic banking context in Battticaloa district. To achieve these objectives a questionnaire was developed with item measures that capture the service quality and customer satisfaction constructs. In a study of 231 respondents (51 percent of response rate), unidimensionality, reliability and validity assessments were conducted to validate the key constructs and one sample t-test was performed to test the hypotheses. The results indicated that service quality and customer satisfaction were at high degree in the electronic banking in Battticaloa district. The findings of this study assist the bank managers, academics and practitioners to develop and implement service quality and customer satisfaction related strategies in the electronic banking. Further, this study makes a contribution to the existing literature by comprehensively examining the notions of service quality and customer satisfaction in the electronic banking.
A produção de sentidos num contexto de aproximação entre arte e vida
Authors: Silva Luzia Renata da
Published: March 2017

O desenvolvimento desse texto desenvolve-se a partir do desejo de pensar a prática artística relacionada à propostas pedagógicas transformadoras. A partir desse interesse, problematiza-se alguns artistas que transformaram seus campos, contextos e formas de atuação por não filiarem-se a ideia de arte tradicionalmente aceita. Por consequência, a reflexão formulada reflete sobre a importância que o educador Rudolf Steiner teve na constituição e na visão de arte de Joseph Beuys e os possíveis desdobramentos do pensamento desse artista na atuação do professor artista José Luiz Kinceler que, na lida com a arte, propôs ações transformadoras em um contexto de ensino de arte. Enviado em: 10 de outubro de 2016.Aprovado em: 22 de dezembro de 2016.
Forma, informe, formação: considerações sobre o saber morfológico em Georges Didi-Huberman
Authors: Anglada Carolina
Published: March 2017

O teórico francês Georges Didi-Huberman desenvolve um campo lexical que atrela a ideia de imagem à forma, à plasticidade, ao ritmo e à força de sua aparição. Todo um vocabulário morfológico é desenvolvido a partir da observação tanto de espécies animais, como as falenas, quanto do reino vegetal, e mesmo de obras artísticas teoricamente destituídas de dinamismo, como as do minimalismo. Diante da extrema variabilidade de matérias sobre as quais a teoria didi-hubermaniana se detém, o presente artigo visa investigar as condições em que a noção de forma se apresenta como operador conceitual, de modo a compreender os outros paradigmas da arte que o crítico francês elabora, apoiado em uma reformulação do conceito.  Enviado em: 18 de outubro de 2016.Aprovado em: 01 de dezembro de 2016.
High self‐reported non‐adherence to antiretroviral therapy amongst adolescents living with HIV in Malawi: barriers and associated factors
Authors: Kim Maria H , Mazenga Alick C , Yu Xiaoying , Ahmed Saeed , Paul Mary E , Kazembe Peter N , Abrams Elaine J
Published: March 2017

Introduction: Globally adolescents and young adults account for more than 40% of new HIV infections, and HIV‐related deaths amongst adolescents increased by 50% from 2005 to 2012. Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is critical to control viral replication and preserve health; however, there is a paucity of research on adherence amongst the growing population of adolescents living with HIV/AIDS (ALHIV) in Southern Africa. We examined levels of self‐reported ART adherence, barriers to adherence, and factors associated with non‐adherence amongst ALHIV in Malawi.

Methods: Cross‐sectional study of 519 ALHIV (12–18 years) attending two large HIV clinics in central and south‐eastern Malawi. Participants self‐reported missed doses (past week/month), barriers to adherence, and completed questionnaires on past traumatic events/stressors, disclosure, depression, substance use, treatment self‐efficacy, and social support. Biomedical data were retrieved from existing medical records. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors independently associated with self‐reported ART adherence (7 day recall).

Results: The mean age of participants (SD) was 14.5 (2) years and 290 (56%) were female. Of the 519 participants, 153 (30%) reported having missed ART doses within the past week, and 234 (45%) in the past month. Commonly reported barriers to adherence included forgetting (39%), travel from home (14%), busy with other things (11%), feeling depressed/overwhelmed (6%), feeling stigmatized by people outside (5%) and within the home (3%). Factors found to be independently associated with missing a dose in the past week were drinking alcohol in the past month (OR 4.96, 95% CI [1.41–17.4]), missed clinic appointment in the past 6 months (OR 2.23, 95% CI [1.43–3.49]), witnessed or experienced violence in the home (OR 1.86, 95% CI [1.08–3.21]), and poor treatment self‐efficacy (OR 1.55 95% CI [1.02–2.34]). Sex and age were not associated with adherence.

Conclusions: In our study, nearly half of all ALHIV reported non‐adherence to ART in the past month. Violence in the home or alcohol use in the past year as well as poor treatment self‐efficacy were associated with worse adherence. Sub‐optimal adherence is a major issue for ALHIV and compromise treatment outcomes. Programmes specifically tailored to address those challenges most pertinent to ALHIV may help improve adherence to ART.
An allosteric transport mechanism for the AcrAB-TolC multidrug efflux pump
Authors: Wang Zhao , Fan Guizhen , Hryc Corey F , Blaza James N , Serysheva Irina I , Schmid Michael F , Chiu Wah , Luisi Ben F , Du Dijun
Published: March 2017

Bacterial efflux pumps confer multidrug resistance by transporting diverse antibiotics from the cell. In Gram-negative bacteria, some of these pumps form multi-protein assemblies that span the cell envelope. Here, we report the near-atomic resolution cryoEM structures of the Escherichia coli AcrAB-TolC multidrug efflux pump in resting and drug transport states, revealing a quaternary structural switch that allosterically couples and synchronizes initial ligand binding with channel opening. Within the transport-activated state, the channel remains open even though the pump cycles through three distinct conformations. Collectively, our data provide a dynamic mechanism for the assembly and operation of the AcrAB-TolC pump.
Organization and Delivery of Scholarly Communications Services by Academic and Research Libraries in the United Kingdom: Observations from Across the Pond
Authors: Fruin Christine
Published: March 2017

INTRODUCTION The U.K. library community has implemented collaborative strategies in key scholarly communication areas such as open access mandate compliance, and U.S. librarians could benefit from learning in greater detail about the practices and experiences of U.K. libraries with respect to how they have organized scholarly communication services. METHODS In order to better understand the scholarly communication activities in U.K. academic and research libraries, and how U.S. libraries could apply that experience in the context of their own priorities, an environmental scan via a survey of U.K. research libraries and in-person interviews were conducted. RESULTS U.K. libraries concentrate their scholarly communication services on supporting compliance with open access mandates and in the development of new services that reflect libraries’ shifting role from information consumer to information producer. DISCUSSION Due to the difference in the requirements of open access mandates in the U.K. as compared to the U.S., scholarly communication services in the U.K. are more focused on supporting compliance efforts. U.S. libraries engage more actively in providing copyright education and consultation than U.K. libraries. Both U.K. and U.S. libraries have developed new services in the areas of research data management and library publishing. CONCLUSION There are three primary takeaways from the experience of U.K. scholarly communication practitioners for U.S. librarians: increase collaboration with offices of research, reconsider current organization and delegation of scholarly communication services, and increase involvement in legislative and policy-making activity in the U.S. with respect to access to research.
Heavier birth weight associated with taller height but not age at menarche in US women born 1991‐1998
Authors: Workman Megan , Kelly Karina
Published: March 2017

Objectives

Heavier birth weight predicts taller adult height, but it remains unknown the extent to which this additional height increment results from a faster average growth rate versus an extension of the growth period. Aiming to distinguish these effects, this study examined associations between birth weight (BW), age at menarche (an established proxy for growth duration), and near‐adult height in a cohort of US young women born in the 1990s.

Methods

Multiple regression evaluated age‐adjusted height as an outcome of BW, age at menarche, indicators of family socioeconomic status, and other potential confounders in a sample of US teens who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2012 (N = 342). Relevant interactions were also evaluated.

Results

Mean ± SD was 11.9 ± 1.2 years and 3262 ± 592 g for age at menarche and BW, respectively. BW did not predict age at menarche (β = –.01, p = .838). Girls were 1.3 cm taller per year delay in menarche (p < .001) and 2.9 cm taller per 1 kg increase in BW (p < .001). Additionally, the greatest gain in height associated with delayed menarche was observed among the heaviest BW quartile.

Conclusions

Girls born heavier were taller but experienced menarche at similar ages to girls born lighter. To the extent that age at menarche reflected growth duration, these results demonstrate faster average growth among heavier‐born girls. Consistent with fetal programming of average growth rate, these results held after adjustment for confounders of postnatal growth like family socioeconomic status.
Old before your time: Ancient carbon incorporation in contemporary aquatic foodwebs
Authors: Guillemette François , Bianchi Thomas S. , Spencer Robert G. M.
Published: March 2017

The current paradigm in trophic dynamic theory is that organisms will gain more energy from fresh, “young” organic materials because they contain the essential elements and chemical characteristics for enhancing growth, unlike more aged and thus conceptually degraded resources. However, a growing body of recent literature is raising exceptions to this resource‐age paradigm and highlights that organisms present in diverse aquatic settings in fact incorporate old organic carbon into their biomass. This shift in resource utilization has the potential to alter foodweb stability, structure, and dynamics, but has yet to be integrated into ecological studies and conceptual frameworks. In this review, we first outline a number of recent studies providing direct evidence of the transport and incorporation of old organic carbon in aquatic food webs, and then discuss the ecological implications of this changing view in resource utilization. We ultimately highlight future research avenues that will provide new insights into the response of aquatic foodwebs to the increased mobilization and delivery of old organic carbon to aquatic settings following anthropogenic perturbations and ongoing climatic change.
The euphotic zone under Arctic Ocean sea ice: Vertical extents and seasonal trends
Authors: Laney Samuel R. , Krishfield Richard A. , Toole John. M.
Published: March 2017

Eight Ice‐Tethered Profilers were deployed in the Arctic Ocean between 2011 and 2013 to measure vertical distributions of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and other bio‐optical properties in ice‐covered water columns, multiple times a day over periods of up to a year. With the radiometers used on these profilers, PAR could be measured to depths of only ∼20–40 m in the central Arctic in late summer under sea ice ∼1 m thick. At lower latitudes in the Beaufort Gyre, late summer PAR was measurable under ice to depths exceeding 125 m. The maximum depths of measurable PAR followed seasonal trends in insolation, with isolumes shoaling in the fall as solar elevation decreased and deepening in spring and early summer after insolation resumed and sea ice diminished. PAR intensities were often anomalously low above 20 m, likely due to a shading effect associated with local horizontal heterogeneity in light transmittance by the overlying sea ice. A model was developed to parameterize these complex vertical PAR distributions to improve estimates of the water column diffuse attenuation coefficient and other related parameters. Such a model is necessary to separate the effect of surface ice heterogeneity on under‐ice PAR profiles from that of the water column itself, so that euphotic zone depth in ice‐covered water columns can be computed using canonical metrics such as the 1% light level. Water column diffuse attenuation coefficients derived from such autonomously‐collected PAR profile data, using this model, agreed favorably with values determined manually in complementary studies.
Transformation of humic substances by the freshwater Ascomycete Cladosporium sp.
Authors: Rojas‐Jimenez Keilor , Fonvielle Jeremy A. , Ma Hua , Grossart Hans‐Peter
Published: March 2017

The ecological relevance of fungi in freshwater ecosystems is becoming increasingly evident, particularly in processing the extensive amounts of polymeric organic carbon such as cellulose, chitin, and humic substances (HS). We isolated several fungal strains from oligo‐mesotrophic Lake Stechlin, Brandenburg, Germany, and analyzed their ability to degrade polymeric‐like substrates. Using liquid chromatography‐organic carbon detection, we determined the byproducts of HS transformation by the freshwater fungus Cladosporium sp. KR14. We demonstrate the ability of this fungus to degrade and simultaneously synthesize HS, and that transformation processes were intensified when iron, as indicator of the occurrence of Fenton reactions, was present in the medium. Furthermore, we showed that structural complexity of the HS produced changed with the availability of other polymeric substances in the medium. Our study highlights the contribution of freshwater Ascomycetes to the transformation of complex organic compounds. As such, it has important implications for understanding the ecological contribution of fungi to aquatic food webs and related biogeochemical cycles.
Treatment of gambling disorder patients with comorbid depression
Authors: Linnet Jakob , Jeppsen Mensink Monique , de Neergaard Bonde Johanne , Winterdahl Michael
Published: March 2017

Objective

This study was conducted to investigate and clinically assess comorbid depression and its relevance in individuals suffering from gambling disorders. The DSM-V defines the condition of gambling disorder as a persistent and recurrent problematic gambling behaviour leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.

Method

A total of 61 subjects with gambling disorders were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV (SCID-I), the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and the Major Depression inventory (MDI).

Results

Two-way analysis of variance showed highly significant treatment outcomes associated with reductions in SOGS,F(1,60)=84.79,p<0.0001, MDI,F(1,60)=38.13,p<0.0001, craving,F(1,60)=29.59,p<0.0001, and gambling control, 47.65,p<0.0001. There was also a highly significant outcome associated with comorbidity in MDI,F(1,60)=9.17,p<0.0001. Finally, there was a significant interaction effect between treatment outcome and comorbidity,F(1,60)=3.90,p<0.005, suggesting that both treatment and comorbidity contributed to reductions in depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

These results suggest and highlights the importance and benefits of integrated treatment of gambling disorders and its comorbidity, but also stresses the importance of adequate screening and detection of these two variables.
How Campaigns Enhance European Issues Voting During European Parliament Elections
Authors: Beach Derek , Hansen Kasper M. , Larsen Martin V.
Published: March 2017

Based on findings from the literature on campaign effects on the one hand, and the literature on European Parliament elections on the other, we propose a model of European Parliamentary elections in which the campaign shift the calculus of electoral support, making differences in national political allegiances less important and attitudes about the European project more important by informing voters of and getting them interested in European politics. In effect, we argue that the political campaign leading up to the election makes European Parliament elections less second order. While previous studies have demonstrated that EU issues can matter for voting behavior in European Parliament elections, existing research has drawn on post-election surveys that do not enable us to capture campaign effects. Our contribution is to assess the impact of a campaign by utilizing a rolling cross-sectional survey that enables us to track how voters were affected by the campaign. Our findings show that campaigns do have an effect on European Parliament election outcomes, in that they provide information that enables voters to make decisions based on their attitude on European issues, making voter decision-making more dominated by EU issue voting.
A retrospective analysis of a societal experiment among the Danish population suggests that exposure to extra doses of vitamin A during fetal development may lower type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk later in life
Authors: Keller Amélie , Ängquist Lars , Jacobsen Ramune , Vaag Allan , Heitmann Berit L.
Published: March 2017

Vitamin A deficiency has been associated with impaired fetal pancreatic development and increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In 1962, mandatory margarine fortification with vitamin A was increased by 25 % in Denmark. We aimed to determine whether offspring of mothers who had been exposed to the extra vitamin A from fortification during pregnancy had a lower risk of developing T2DM in adult life, compared with offspring of mothers exposed to less vitamin A. Individuals from birth cohorts with the higher prenatal vitamin A exposure (born 1 December 1962–31 March 1964) and those with lower prenatal exposure (born 1 September 1959–31 December 1960) were followed up with regard to development of T2DM before 31 December 2012 in the Danish National Diabetes Registry and National Patient Register. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the risk of T2DM by vitamin A exposure level. A total of 193 803 individuals were followed up until midlife. Our results showed that individuals exposed prenatally to extra vitamin A from fortified margarine had a lower risk of developing T2DM than those exposed to lower levels: OR 0·88; 95 % CI 0·81, 0·95, P=0·001, after adjustment for sex. Fetal exposure to small, extra amounts of vitamin A from food fortification may reduce the risk of T2DM. These results may have public health relevance, as they demonstrate that one of the most costly chronic diseases may be prevented by food fortification – a simple and affordable public health nutrition intervention.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS: HOW EXTENSIVE ARE THEIR SEARCHES?
Authors: Wood Hannah , Arber Mick , Glanville Julie M.
Published: March 2017

Objectives: Economic evaluation (EE) is an accepted element of decision making and priority setting in healthcare. As the number of published EEs grows, so does the number of systematic reviews (SRs) of EEs. Although search methodology makes an important contribution to SR quality, search methods in reviews of EEs have not been evaluated in detail. We investigated the resources used to identify studies in recent, published SRs of EEs, and assessed whether the resources reflected recommendations.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE for SRs of EEs published since January 2013 and extracted the following from eligible reviews: databases searched, health technology assessment (HTA) sources searched, supplementary search techniques used. Results were compared against the minimum search resources recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (MEDLINE, Embase, NHS EED, EconLit) for economic evidence for single technology appraisals, and resource types suggested in the summary of current best evidence from SuRe Info (economic databases, general databases, HTA databases, HTA agency Web pages, gray literature).

Results: Sixty-five SRs met the inclusion criteria; data were extracted from forty-two. Five reviews (12 percent) met or exceeded the NICE recommended resources. Nine reviews (21 percent) searched at least four of the five types of resource recommended by SuRe Info. Five reviews (12 percent) searched all five. Twenty-three reviews (55 percent) did not meet the NICE recommendations or four of five of the SuRe Info recommended resource types. Search reporting was frequently unclear or incorrect.

Conclusions: Searches conducted for the majority of recently published SRs of EEs do not meet two published approaches.
Evaluation and Execution of Great Elliptic Sailing
Authors: Hsu Tien-Pen , Hsieh Tsung-Hsuan
Published: March 2017

The Great Elliptic Sailing (GES), which can reduce sailing distance, is important to navigators. Whether a Great Ellipse (GE) is worth using depends on whether the distance saved is significant. Otherwise, the Rhumb Line (RL) is easier to steer. We propose a simple criterion to evaluate the difference in distance between the GE and the RL. The criterion is that the GE is worth using when the vertex lies between the departure and destination. In order to take the advantage of shorter distance, the GE is usually approximated as a series of waypoints. Unlike currently practised methods, we propose the Longitude Bisection Method (LBM) which determines waypoints with varying intervals. This approach can establish the appropriate number of waypoints to approximate the GE effectively. The proposed criterion and the LBM are demonstrated in practical examples.
TWO FRAGMENTS OF AN ANCIENT MANTIC MANUSCRIPT IN SAN BARTOLO YAUTEPEC, OAXACA
Authors: van Doesburg Sebastián , Urcid Javier
Published: March 2017

The unexpected discovery of two reused fragments of an ancient mantic manuscript in Oaxaca casts new insights on scribal and divinatory practices at the eve of the Spanish conquest. This paper describes, analyzes, and interprets the faded inscriptions in the two fragments, comparing the structure of the calendrical notations and the painted imagery with those written on the handful of extant pre-Hispanic screenfolds. Although certain patterns allow us to posit the possible relationship between the fragments, other seeming deviations in the reckonings of the divinatory calendar lead us to conclude that the manuscript from which the two fragments originate evinces a distinct scribal and mantic regional variant.
Preface
Authors: Fokina Ekaterina
Published: March 2017

This special issue of Mathematical Structures in Computer Science is dedicated to the memory of Barry Cooper (October 9, 1943–October 26, 2015). Barry's life in research had a huge impact on the development of the world of computability. Aside from his enormous achievements in classical computability theory, he contributed immensely to the promotion of interdisciplinary developments related to computability, in particular, by founding the Association for Computability in Europe (CiE) and its annual, highly successful conference series.
Fossils reveal late Holocene diversity and post-European decline of the terrestrial mammals of the Murray–Darling Depression
Authors: Fusco Diana A. , McDowell Matthew C. , Medlin Graham , Prideaux Gavin J.
Published: March 2017

Context Establishing appropriate faunal baselines is critical for understanding and abating biodiversity declines. However, baselines can be highly reliant on historical records that come from already disturbed ecosystems. This is exemplified in the Murray–Darling Depression bioregion of Australia, where European settlement (and accompanying marked land-management changes and the introduction of many species) triggered rapid declines and losses of native species, often before their documentation. Aims We aim to establish the mammal fauna present when Europeans settled the Murray Mallee and Murray–Darling Depression bioregion and determine the extent of mammal loss since European settlement. Methods We describe a dated vertebrate assemblage from Light’s Roost in the lower Murray Mallee region of South Australia. We compare our data with those of modern fauna surveys and historical records to document the extent of change in the mammal fauna since European settlement. Key results Radiocarbon ages showed that the assemblage was accumulating, at a minimum, within an interval from 1900 to 1300 years ago. Since this time, the Murray–Darling Depression has lost half of its flightless terrestrial mammals. Species lost include the mulgara (Dasycercus blythi/cristicauda), which places this taxon within only 40km of Lake Alexandrina, the hitherto-disputed type locality for D. cristicauda. Fossils provided the principal evidence for nearly half of the Murray Mallee fauna and over three-quarters of the fauna are represented in the fossil record. Conclusions Late Holocene assemblages provide important archives of species biogeography and diversity. Our revised faunal baseline indicated that the pre-European fauna of the Murray–Darling Depression was more diverse than hitherto understood and its reduction appears largely caused by the impacts of European settlement. Implications Baselines for species distributions derived from historical records and modern faunal surveys are likely to be incomplete and warrant revision, particularly for smaller and more cryptic species. Deficiencies in regional records mask the extent of mammal declines caused by European colonisation and associated agricultural practices, and thus vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbance.
Mapping fish community biodiversity for European marine policy requirements
Authors: Rambo Henrike , Stelzenmüller Vanessa , Greenstreet Simon P. R. , Möllmann Christian
Published: March 2017

Predictive maps of biodiversity patterns are pivotal to marine conservation and marine spatial planning alike, yet mapping of biodiversity indicators at the community-level is neither straightforward nor well-tested empirically. Two principle approaches exist. A direct approach involves calculation of indices for each sample, followed by interpolation to estimate values at unsampled locations. An indirect approach first interpolates individual species distributions and then determines indices based on the stacked distribution maps. We compared the appropriateness of both approaches to provide management-relevant information by mapping the distribution of demersal fish biodiversity in the German North Sea Exclusive Economic Zone using species richness, Hill’s N1 and a novel traits-based community sensitivity to fishing index (CSI). To substitute zero-inflated species with up to 95% zeros in the sample data, we applied each species’ mean abundance value as a flat surface. Spatial patterns between indicators varied, but certain hot- and cold-spots were revealed, which, under current legislation, might suggest that the present level of biodiversity protection is insufficient. Despite both approaches generating similar main patterns, the direct approach predicted a narrower range of index values and only depicted the most dominant patterns. Contrary to that the indirect approach better reproduced the variability in the data, along with additional information on species distributions and a theoretical advantage pertaining to sampling issues. Although the choice over the mapping approach is context dependent, for our study area featuring a community with relatively few species, we consider the indirect approach to provide the more reliable information for implementing marine environmental legislation.
Semisynthetic pH-sensitive fluorophores for imaging exocytosis and endocytosis
Authors: Martineau Magalie , Somasundaram Agila , Grimm Jonathan B. , Gruber Todd D. , Choquet Daniel , Taraska Justin W. , Lavis Luke D. , Perrais David
Published: March 2017

The GFP-based superecliptic pHluorin (SEP) enables detection of exocytosis and endocytosis, but its performance has not been duplicated in red fluorescent protein scaffolds. Here we describe ‘semisynthetic’ pH-sensitive protein conjugates that match the properties of SEP. Conjugation to genetically encoded self-labeling tags or antibodies allows visualization of both exocytosis and endocytosis, constituting new bright sensors for these key steps of synaptic transmission.
Fast functional annotation of metagenomic shotgun data by DNA alignment to a microbial gene catalog
Authors: Brown Stuart M. , Hao Yuhan , Chen Hao , Laungani Bobby P. , Ali Thahmina A. , Dong Changsu , Lijeron Carlos , Kim Baekdoo , Krampis Konstantinos , Pei Zhiheng
Published: March 2017

Background

Metagenomic shotgun sequencing is becoming increasingly popular to study microbes associated with the human body and in environmental samples. A key goal of shotgun metagenomic sequencing is to identify gene functions and metabolic pathways that differ between samples or conditions. However, current methods to identify function in the large number of reads in a high-throughput sequence data file rely on the computationally intensive and low stringency approach of mapping each read to a generic database of proteins or reference microbial genomes.

Results

We have developed an alternative analysis approach for shotgun metagenomic sequence data utilizing Bowtie2 DNA-DNA alignment of the reads to a database of well annotated genes compiled from human microbiome data. This method is rapid, and provides high stringency matches (>90% DNA sequence identity) of shotgun metagenomics reads to genes with annotated functions. We demonstrate the use of this method with synthetic data, Human Microbiome Project shotgun metagenomic data sets, and data from a study of liver disease. Differentially abundant KEGG gene functions can be detected in these experiments.

Conclusions

Functional annotation of metagenomic shotgun sequence reads can be accomplished by rapid DNA-DNA matching to a custom database of microbial sequences using the Bowtie2 sequence alignment tool. This method can be used for a variety of microbiome studies and allows functional analysis which is otherwise computationally demanding. This rapid annotation method is freely available as a Galaxy workflow within a Docker image.
Using mobile phones as acoustic sensors for high-throughput mosquito surveillance
Authors: Mukundarajan Haripriya , Hol Felix J H , Castillo Erica A , Newby Cooper , Prakash Manu
Published: March 2017

The direct monitoring of mosquito populations in field settings is a crucial input for shaping appropriate and timely control measures for mosquito-borne diseases. Here, we demonstrate that commercially available mobile phones are a powerful tool for acoustically mapping mosquito species distributions worldwide. We show that even low-cost mobile phones with very basic functionality are capable of sensitively acquiring acoustic data on species-specific mosquito wingbeat sounds, while simultaneously recording the time and location of the human-mosquito encounter. We survey a wide range of medically important mosquito species, to quantitatively demonstrate how acoustic recordings supported by spatio-temporal metadata enable rapid, non-invasive species identification. As proof-of-concept, we carry out field demonstrations where minimally-trained users map local mosquitoes using their personal phones. Thus, we establish a new paradigm for mosquito surveillance that takes advantage of the existing global mobile network infrastructure, to enable continuous and large-scale data acquisition in resource-constrained areas.
De novoBK channel mutation causes epilepsy by regulating voltage-dependent, but not calcium-dependent, activation
Authors: Li Xia , Poschmann Sibylle , Chen Qiuyun , Oundjian Nelly Jouayed , Snoeijen-Schouwenaars Francesca M. , Kamsteeg Erik-Jan , Willemsen Marjolein , Wang Qing Kenneth
Published: March 2017

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. Here we report the firstde novomutation in the BK channel (p.N995S) that causes epilepsy in two independent families. The p.N995S mutant channel showed a markedly increased macroscopic potassium current mediated by increases in both channel open probability and channel open dwell time. Mutation p.N995S affects the voltage-activation pathway of BK channel, but does not affect the calcium sensitivity. Paxilline blocks potassium currents from both WT and mutant BK channels. We also identified two variants of unknown significance, p.E656A and p.N1159S in epilepsy patients. However, they do not affect BK channel functions, therefore, are unlikely to be a cause of disease. These results expand the BK channelopathy to a more common disease of epilepsy, suggest that the BK channel is a drug target for treatment of epilepsy, and highlight the importance of functional studies in the era of precision medicine.