bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Living with and beyond cancer: a qualitative analysis
Authors: Reid Kate L. , Ahuriri-Driscoll Annabel L.M. , Mackay Catriona R. , Barnett Pauline , Richardson Ann K.
Published: March 2020

Purpose

to provide a bicultural perspective on the views of people who have completed cancer treatment and, of health providers.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 29 individuals (people who had recently completed cancer treatment and health providers). General inductive analysis was undertaken with all interview data, and a Kaupapa Māori approach was employed with the data from Māori participants.

Findings

Themes for Māori participants are as follows: (1) understanding health information is enhanced by connection and relationship; (2) the “professional” is personal and (3) enduring beyond cancer is “our” responsibility. Themes for non-Māori participants are as follows: (1) from survivorship to living with and beyond cancer; (2) from the hospital to primary care and (3) support for living with and beyond cancer.

Practical implications

Positive relationships, communication and self-determination are important for Māori making the transition from hospital to the community after cancer treatment. Well-coordinated processes and services are vital for supporting transitions from hospital to community for non-Māori living with and beyond cancer.

Originality/value

This research presents the diversity of Māori and non-Māori experiences of living with and beyond cancer, adding to the limited New Zealand literature regarding post-treatment supportive care. This paper is among the first to undertake separate interviews and thematic analyses of Māori and non-Māori experiences, and to report these separately. Determinants of positive survivorship experiences are identified, specifying a central and expanded role for cancer care services.
Qualifying tactile sensations evoked by non-steady cutaneous electrical stimulation with electroencephalography features
Authors: Chen Huiling , Shuai Liguo
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether electroencephalography (EEG) technology is effective in qualifying the tactile sensation evoked by non-steady cutaneous electrical stimulation. EEG is a novel method for electrotactile analysis and has demonstrated the discrimination ability for electrotactile sensation under steady contact conditions in recent years. However, in non-steady contact conditions, it is necessary to test its effectiveness. This study aims to explore an objective analysis method in comparison to psychophysical approach and to provide a methodology for non-steady electrotactile research.

Design/methodology/approach

With EEG experimentation on 13 volunteers, the authors collected evoked potentials by the predesigned “1” and “0” stimulation events. In addition, with a series of data preprocessing including artifact elimination, band-pass filtering, baseline normalization, data superposition and fast Fourier transform transformation, the authors got the power spectrum of alpha, beta and gamma rhythms. Furthermore, statistics analysis and ANOVA test were adopted for exploring the discrepancy of the spectrum characterizations for different non-steady electrostimulation events.

Findings

The EEG power spectrum of the central cortical brain is valuable in discriminating the two types of stimulation events. The power of alpha rhythm especially in the central cortical brain evoked by event “1,” whose current level is equal to the threshold, was significantly lower than that evoked by event “0,” whose level is less than the threshold (p < 0.05). Then, the power of the beta rhythm presented counter-change (p < 0.05). This study suggests that EEG may have the potential to qualify non-steady electrotactile sensation for engineering applications.

Research limitations/implications

Limiting factors of non-steady electrotactile stimulation were considered in this study. Different tapping frequency and contact time should be investigated in future studies.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills a challenge in qualifying the tactile sensations evoked by non-steady electrical stimulation with EEG characteristics.
Hospitality and tourism education in an emerging digital economy
Authors: Adeyinka-Ojo Samuel , Lee Sean , Abdullah Shamsul Kamariah , Teo John
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This paper addresses the strategic industry challenge relating to new education frameworks. The paper identifies key digital literacy and employability skills that students and educators need to develop to better understand and negotiate the changing, digitally focused landscape of the hospitality and tourism industry (HTI).

Design/methodology/approach

Content analysis was conducted on relevant literature related to digital technologies and employability skills. In particular, the paper explores the role of digital literacy and employability skills in an emerging digital economy and the disruptive impacts on hospitality and tourism operations.

Findings

There are three key findings related to digital literacy skills and technologies: industry practitioner perspectives, employability skills and experience economy services and disruptive digital innovations. These findings are conceptualised to craft an innovative framework for technology-driven hospitality and tourism curriculum development. The framework developed in this paper will be of interest to both hospitality and tourism educators and managers in the increasingly digitalized Malaysian HTI.

Originality/value

This paper presents an innovative, collaborative framework for hospitality and tourism curriculum development in education and industry to identify and develop the required digital literacy and employability skills.
Effect of WEDM process parameters on machinability of Nimonic75 alloy using brass wire
Authors: Singh Harvinder , Kumar Vinod , Kapoor Jatinder
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the influence of process parameters of wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) of Nimonic75. Nimonic75 is a Nickel-based alloy mostly used in the aerospace industry for its strength at high temperature.

Design/methodology/approach

One factor at a time (OFAT) approach has been used to perform the experiments. Pulse on time, pulse off time, peak current and servo voltage were chosen as input process parameters. Cutting speed, material removal rate and surface roughness (Ra) were selected as output performance characteristics.

Findings

Through experimental work, the effect of process parameters on the response characteristics has been found. Results identified the most important parameters to maximize the cutting speed and material removal rate and minimize Ra.

Originality/value

Very limited research work has been done on WEDM of Nickel-based alloy Nimonic75. Therefore, the aim of this paper to conduct preliminary experimentation for identifying the parameters, which influence the response characteristics such as material removal rate, cutting speed, Ra, etc. during WEDM of Nickel-based alloy (Nimonic75) using OFAT approach and found the machinability of Nimonic75 for further exhaustive experimentation work.
Antibacterial activity of phellodendron bark against Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Tsujii Toshiya , Kawada‐Matsuo Miki , Migita Hirono , Ohta Kouji , Oogai Yuichi , Yamasaki Youichi , Komatsuzawa Hitoshi
Published: March 2020

Streptococcus mutans is a major cause of tooth decay due to its promotion of biofilm formation and acid production. Several plant extracts have been reported to have multiple biological activities such as anti‐inflammation and antibacterial effects. This study investigated the antibacterial activity of three plant extracts, phellodendron bark (PB), yucca, and black ginger, and found that PB had a stronger effect than the other extracts. Then, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PB against 100 S. mutans strains was investigated. The MIC range of PB was 9.8–312.5 µg/mL. PB suppressed the growth kinetics of S. mutans in a dose‐dependent manner, even at sub‐MICs of PB. Then, we investigated the effect of PB on S. mutans virulence. The PB suppressed biofilm formation at high concentrations, although PB did not affect the expression of glucosyltransferase genes. Additionally, PB suppressed the decrease in pH from adding an excess of glucose. The expression of genes responsible for acid production was increased by the addition of excess glucose without PB, whereas their expression levels were not increased in the presence of 1× and 2× MIC of PB. Although PB showed a bacteriostatic effect on planktonic S. mutans cells, it was found that more than 2× MIC of PB showed a partial bactericidal effect on biofilm cells. In conclusion, PB not only showed antibacterial activity against S. mutans but also decreased the cariogenic activity in S. mutans.
Experimental shifts in exotic flowering phenology produce strong indirect effects on native plant reproductive success
Authors: Waters Susan M. , Chen Wei‐Ling C. , Hille Ris Lambers Janneke
Published: March 2020

By causing phenological shifts that vary among species, climate change is altering time envelopes for species interactions, often with unexpected demographic consequences. Indirect interactions, like apparent competition and apparent facilitation, are especially likely to change in duration because they involve multiple interactors, increasing the likelihood of asynchronous phenological shifts by at least one interactor. Thus, we might observe ecological surprises if intermediaries of indirectly interacting species change their mediating behaviour.

We explored this possibility in a plant–pollinator community that is likely to experience asynchronous phenological shifts. We advanced and delayed the flowering phenology of two ubiquitous exotic plants of western Washington prairies, Hypochaeris radicata and Cytisus scoparius, relative to seven native perennial forb species whose phenologies remained unmanipulated. These species interact indirectly through shared pollinators, whose foraging behaviour influences plant reproductive success. We quantified impacts of experimental phenological shifts on seedset, pollinator visitation rates and visiting pollinator composition relative to an unmanipulated control. We first verified that unmanipulated indirect interactions between native and exotic plants were strong, ranging from facilitative to competitive.

Seedset of native plants was strongly affected by changes in exotic flowering phenology, but the magnitude and direction of effects were not predicted by the nature of the original indirect interaction (facilitative vs. neutral vs. competitive) or the change in interaction duration. The relationship between pollinator visitation and seedset changed for most species, though changes in pollinator visitation rate and pollinator composition were not as widespread as effects on native seedset.

Synthesis. Changes in pollinator foraging behaviour in response to changes in available floral resources are probably responsible for the unexpected effects we observed. Asynchronous phenological shifts have the potential to produce large and unexpected effects on reproductive success via indirect interactions.
Time to Talk about Trust
Authors: Alba Sandra
Published: March 2020

Public trust in health research needs nurturing. How can epidemiologists help? Sandra Alba reports on a crucial debate
Investigating A Disease Outbreak
Authors: Fricker Ronald D. , Rigdon Steven E.
Published: March 2020

Teams of epidemiological and medical “detectives” are working to get a coronavirus pandemic under control. Ronald D. Fricker, Jr and Steven E. Rigdon walk us through a typical investigation
Let there be Light: A Tribute to Florence Nightingale
Authors: Andrews RJ
Published: March 2020

The year 2020 marks the bicentenary of Nightingale's birth. To celebrate this special occasion, we invited artist and data storyteller RJ Andrews to create an illustration inspired by the statistician, nurse and reformer
A Life in Objects
Authors: Tarran Brian
Published: March 2020

Brian Tarran visits the Florence Nightingale Museum in London for a preview of its bicentenary exhibition
Utility of lumbar puncture after a normal brain computed tomography scan in patients presenting to the emergency department with suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage: A new more rational approach?
Authors: Pouryahya Pourya , Haydon Richard , Meyer Alastair , Easaw‐Mamutil Naomi , Tan Shawn Yan Zhi , Teng Glenn Hui Wen
Published: March 2020

Objective

The diagnostic approach for patients presenting to EDs with headaches suspicious for subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) remains challenging. Modern third‐generation computed tomography (CT) has been shown to be extremely sensitive in identifying SAH and may eliminate the need for lumbar puncture (LP) which is an invasive, time‐consuming procedure with limited accuracy and complications. The aim of this study is to assess the utility of LP in patients being evaluated for possible SAH in the ED after a negative non‐contrast CT scan of the brain, as well as addressing the knowledge gap in regard to rational diagnostics among clinicians.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective data analysis of patients being evaluated for possible SAH between June 2013 and June 2018 across three EDs in Victoria, Australia. A diagnosis of SAH was defined by SAH on CT or an abnormal cerebrospinal fluid result in conjunction with positive results on cerebral angiography. A follow‐up period of 6 months was chosen.

Results

A total of 4407 patients met inclusion criteria; 397 (9%) patients were diagnosed with SAH on CT. A total of 388 patients underwent LP and 778 were admitted to hospital for further investigations and management. A total of 2613 patients discharged from ED without LP remained well at 6 months from their initial presentation, but 230 cases were lost to follow up. One patient died from haemorrhagic stroke during his third hospitalisation. A single patient demonstrated a true positive LP after a normal CT brain.

Conclusion

LP is not required in all patients with suspected SAH who have a negative CT scan. There are defining patient characteristics that can be used to risk stratify patients and may eliminate the need for LP.
Resistance to neonicotinoid insecticides and expression changes of eighteen cytochrome P450 genes in field populations of Bemisia tabaci from Xinjiang, China
Authors: Wang Qiang , Wang Mei‐Na , Jia Zun‐Zun , Ahmat Tursun , Xie Lin‐Jie , Jiang Wei‐Hua
Published: March 2020

The occurrence of Bemisia tabaci poses an increasingly serious threat to cotton and vegetable crops in Xinjiang, China. Currently, neonicotinoid insecticides are commonly used to control the insect, to which resistance is inevitable due to intensive use. However, the resistance status and mechanism of B. tabaci to neonicotinoid insecticides in Xinjiang are poorly understood. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases represent a key detoxification mechanism in the neonicotinoid resistance of B. tabaci. In this study, the resistance level to imidacloprid and thiamethoxam was investigated using the leaf dipping method in five field populations of B. tabaci from Turpan (TP, two sampling sites), Shache (SC), Hotan (HT) and Yining (YN) in northern and southern Xinjiang. The expression changes of eighteen cytochrome P450 genes from the select B. tabaci populations were determined by real‐time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR). The bioassay revealed that the five populations tested had developed moderate to high levels of resistance to imidacloprid (12.26–46.07‐fold), while the populations remained sensitive to thiamethoxam except for HT, which had a low level of resistance. The qPCR results showed that the expression levels of five P450 genes, CYP4G68, CYP6CM1, CYP303A1‐like, CYP6DZ7 and CYP6DZ4, were significantly higher in some resistant field populations than in the susceptible strain. Resistance to imidacloprid in field populations of B. tabaci might be associated with the increased expression of these five cytochrome P450 genes. The results are useful for further understanding the mechanism of neonicotinoid resistance and will contribute to the management of insecticide‐resistant B. tabaci in Xinjiang.
Wintertime Surface Heat Exchange for the Inner Mongolia Reach of the Yellow River
Authors: Zhao Shuixia , Shen Hung Tao , Shi Xiaohong , Li Changyou , Li Chao , Zhao Shengnan
Published: March 2020

This study analyzed the wintertime surface heat exchange for the Inner Mongolia reach of the Yellow River, China, based on the data from the nearby weather station at Wulateqianqi. In this analysis, the solar radiation is based on the observed data. Other components of the surface heat flux, that is, long‐wave radiation, and evaporative and conductive heat fluxes, are calculated. The relative importance of the contributions of long‐wave radiation, conductive, and evaporative heat fluxes are in descending order. The air temperature is the most important meteorological factor to the total heat flux. Although the wind speed influences evaporative and conductive heat fluxes, it has the least correlation with the total heat budget. The heat exchange coefficient for the linearized surface heat exchange equation is 21.87 W/(m2 °C), which is comparable with published values in the regions of United States and Canada with similar latitudes.
Malignant solitary fibrous tumor occurring in the mediastinal pleura showing NAB2ex4‐STAT6ex2 fusion and negative STAT6 immunohistochemistry: A case report
Authors: Zhang Peng , Xiong Kai , Lv Peng , Zhang Hui , Wang Yuanguo , Yang Zhaoyu , Tao Ziyou , Zhang Peng , Song Wenjing
Published: March 2020

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare clinical tumor, defined as a mesenchymal tumor of fibroblastic origin. A classic SFT is benign in most cases, but its clinical behavior is unpredictable. Lately, molecular analyses has discovered that almost all SFTs harbor an NAB2‐STAT6 fusion gene, which is considered specific to this tumor type. Recent studies have suggested that nuclear STAT6 immunoreactivity is a highly sensitive and specific marker of SFTs and can be helpful when diagnosis is inconclusive by conventional methods. We herein report the case of a rare malignant solitary fibrous tumor occurring in the mediastinal pleura. An 82‐year‐old Chinese man with intermittent breathlessness was referred to our hospital. Chest CT showed a significantly enhanced irregular huge soft tissue mass in the anterior mediastinal area. After radical resection, the immunohistochemistry staining results of the sample showed that STAT6 was negative. The final diagnosis was confirmed by qualitative endpoint reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction technique, showing positive NAB2ex4‐STAT6ex2 fusion.
Reduced Hippocampal Volumes Partially Mediate Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Spatial Navigation on a Virtual Water Maze Task in Children
Authors: Dodge Neil C. , Thomas Kevin G. F. , Meintjes Ernesta M. , Molteno Christopher D. , Jacobson Joseph L. , Jacobson Sandra W.
Published: March 2020

Background

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been linked to poorer performance on the Morris water maze (MWM), a test of spatial navigation in rodents that is dependent on hippocampal functioning. We recently confirmed these findings in children with PAE on a human analog of the MWM, the virtual water maze (VWM). Previous studies have shown that the hippocampus is particularly sensitive to PAE. Our aim was to determine whether hippocampal volume mediates the relation between PAE and virtual navigation.

Methods

VWM and MRI hippocampal data were collected from 50 right‐handed 10‐year‐old children in a heavily exposed Cape Town, South African sample. PAE data had been collected from their mothers during pregnancy, and the children were examined by expert fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) dysmorphologists. In the VWM, the participant attempts to learn the location of a hidden platform in a virtual pool of water across a series of learning trials using only distal room cues. Hippocampal volumes were derived using FreeSurfer from MRI scans administered within 1 week of completing the VWM task.

Results

Both the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)/partial FAS and nonsyndromal heavy‐exposed (HE) groups had smaller hippocampal volumes than controls. PAE was associated with reduced right hippocampal volumes even after control for total intracranial volume (ICV). Hippocampal volume was also positively associated with VWM performance. The relation between PAE and VWM performance was partially mediated by right hippocampal volume but not by total ICV.

Conclusions

These data confirm previous reports linking PAE to poorer spatial navigation on the VWM and are the first to provide direct evidence that volume reductions in this region partially mediate the relation of FASD diagnosis to place learning, suggesting that PAE specifically impairs the ability to encode the spatial information necessary for successful location of the hidden platform on a navigation task.
Party Sub‐Brands and American Party Factions
Authors: Clarke Andrew J.
Published: March 2020

Scholars and pundits have long noted the dominance of the American two‐party system, but we know relatively little about new, endogenous institutions that have emerged within the two major parties. I argue that ideological factions provide party sub‐brands, which allow legislators to more precisely define their partisan type and capture faction‐specific resources. To support this claim, I analyze new data on nine ideological factions in the House of Representatives (1995–2018). I find that (1) faction voting is distinct, suggesting a product ripe for party sub‐branding, and (2) joining a faction changes the ideological composition of a candidate's donor base—conditional on the strength of the faction's institutions. Party sub‐branding is effective only when factions possess organizational features that induce coordinated and disciplined position taking (e.g., whips, PACs, membership restrictions). These results suggest that, even within highly polarized parties, American political ideology is more than a dichotomous choice, and factions target niche markets of political donors as a means of blunting financial instruments of party power.
Genetic testing of FUS, HTRA2, and TENM4 genes in Chinese patients with essential tremor
Authors: Yan Ya‐Ping , Xu Cong‐Ying , Gu Lu‐Yan , Zhang Bo , Shen Ting , Gao Ting , Tian Jun , Pu Jia‐Li , Yin Xin‐Zhen , Zhang Bao‐Rong , Zhao Guo‐Hua
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Essential tremor (ET) is one of the most prevalent movement disorders. The genetic etiology of ET has not been well defined although a significant proportion (≥50%) are familial cases. Linkage analysis and genome‐wide association studies (GWASs) have identified several risk variants. In recent years, whole‐exome sequencing of ET has revealed several specific causal variants in FUS (p.Q290X), HTRA2 (p.G399S), and TENM4 (c.4324 G>A, c.4100C>A, and c.3412G>A) genes.

Objective

To investigate the genetic contribution of these three genes to ET, the protein‐coding sequences of FUS, HTRA2, and TENM4 were analyzed in a total of 238 ET patients and 272 controls from eastern China using direct Sanger sequencing.

Results

We identified two synonymous coding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs741810 and rs1052352 in FUS, and three previously reported synonymous SNPs, rs11237621, rs689369, and rs2277277 in TENM4. No nonsynonymous exonic variants were identified in these subjects. We found that the frequency of the rs1052352C allele was significantly higher (P = .001) in the ET group than in the control group.

Conclusion

Overall, our findings suggest that rs1052352 of FUS might contribute to ET risk in Chinese population.
Neutrophil‐predominant bullous pemphigoid induced by checkpoint inhibitors: A case series
Authors: Morris Lisa M. , Lewis Hal A. , Cornelius Lynn A. , Chen David Y. , Rosman Ilana S.
Published: March 2020

Checkpoint inhibitors have been revolutionary in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, non‐small‐cell lung cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. By restricting negative feedback of T‐cells, checkpoint inhibitors allow the immune system to identify and destroy malignant cells. This enhanced immune response is efficacious in the treatment of the aforementioned malignancies; however, it may lead to immune‐related adverse events. Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a well‐documented cutaneous adverse reaction of checkpoint inhibitors, with a majority of cases reporting an eosinophil‐predominant or mixed inflammatory infiltrate. We report two cases of neutrophil‐predominant BP presenting in patients on checkpoint inhibitors.
Moving markets? Government bond investors and microeconomic policy changes
Authors: Mosley Layna , Paniagua Victoria , Wibbels Erik
Published: March 2020

Do sovereign bond markets react systematically to microeconomic policy reforms? Some observers suggest that investors are very attentive to supply‐side policies such as those related to labor markets, corporate taxation, and product standards. They argue that, along with macroeconomic outcomes and broad financial market conditions, such reforms affect sovereign bond premiums, for developed as well as emerging economies. In contrast, we predict few systematic effects of supply‐side policy reforms on sovereign bond market outcomes. Our theory draws on a standard three‐equation model of the economy, widely accepted among economic and finance professionals. That model makes few clear predictions regarding the anticipated effects of microeconomic policy changes; as a result, we expect that such reforms will not generate systematic market reactions. Our analyses, based on daily data from 37 countries from 2004 to 2012, indeed reveal little evidence of a systematic bond market reaction to the 47 most significant reforms to corporate taxation and labor market regulation. These results call into question the notion that “bond market vigilantes” play a central role in compelling governments to enact specific microeconomic policy changes.
External threats, political turnover, and fiscal capacity
Authors: Galindo‐Silva Hector
Published: March 2020

In most of the recent literature on state capacity, the significance of wars in state‐building assumes that threats from foreign countries generate common interests among domestic groups, leading to larger investments in state capacity. However, many countries that have suffered external conflicts do not experience increased unity. Instead, they face factional politics that often lead to destructive civil wars. This paper develops a theory of the impact of interstate conflicts on fiscal capacity in which fighting an external threat is not always a common‐interest public good, and in which interstate conflicts can lead to civil wars. The theory identifies conditions under which an increased risk of external conflict decreases the chance of civil war, which in turn results in a government with a longer political life and with more incentives to invest in fiscal capacity. These conditions depend on the cohesiveness of institutions, but in a non‐trivial and novel way: A higher risk of an external conflict that results in lower political turnover, but that also makes a foreign invasion more likely, contributes to state‐building only if institutions are sufficiently incohesive.
Shared hippocampal abnormalities in sporadic temporal lobe epilepsy patients and their siblings
Authors: Long Lili , Galovic Marian , Chen Yayu , Postma Tjardo , Vos Sjoerd B. , Xiao Fenglai , Wu Wenyue , Song Yanmin , Huang Sha , Koepp Matthias , Xiao Bo
Published: March 2020

Objective

To examine the shared familial contribution to hippocampal and extrahippocampal morphological abnormalities in patients with sporadic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and their unaffected siblings.

Methods

We collected clinical, electrophysiological, and T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of 18 sporadic patients with TLE without lesions other than hippocampal sclerosis (12 right, 6 left), their 18 unaffected full siblings, and 18 matched healthy volunteers. We compared between‐group differences in cortical thickness and volumes of five subcortical areas (hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, putamen, and pallidum). We determined the subregional extent of hippocampal abnormalities using surface shape analysis. All our imaging results were corrected for multiple comparisons using random field theory.

Results

We detected smaller hippocampal volumes in patients (right TLE: median right hippocampus 1.92 mL, interquartile range [IQR] 1.39‐2.62, P < .001; left TLE: left hippocampus 2.05 mL, IQR 1.99‐2.33, P = .01) and their unaffected siblings (right hippocampus 2.65 mL, IQR 2.32‐2.80, P < .001; left hippocampus 2.39 mL, IQR 2.18‐2.53, P < .001) compared to healthy controls (right hippocampus 2.94 mL, IQR 2.77‐3.24; left hippocampus 2.71 mL, IQR 2.37‐2.89). Surface shape analysis showed that patients with TLE had bilateral subregional atrophy in both hippocampi (right > left). Similar but less‐pronounced subregional atrophy was detected in the right hippocampus of unaffected siblings. Patients with TLE had reduced cortical thickness in bilateral premotor/prefrontal cortices and the right precentral gyrus. Siblings did not show abnormalities in cortical or subcortical areas other than the hippocampus.

Significance

Our results demonstrate a shared vulnerability of the hippocampus in both patients with TLE and their unaffected siblings, pointing to a contribution of familial factors to hippocampal atrophy. This neuroimaging trait could represent an endophenotype of TLE, which might precede the onset of epilepsy in some individuals.
Light and dissolved nutrients mediate recalcitrant organic matter decomposition via microbial priming in experimental streams
Authors: Howard‐Parker Brooke , White Brendon , Halvorson Halvor M. , Evans‐White Michelle A.
Published: March 2020

Environmental factors such as nutrient and light availability may play important roles in determining the magnitude and direction of microbial priming and detrital decomposition and, therefore, the relative importance of microbial priming in carbon (C) dynamics in freshwater ecosystems.

We integrated light availability with an existing conceptual model predicting the magnitude of the priming effect (PE) along a dissolved nutrient gradient (i.e.nutrientPE model). Our modifiedlight‐nutrientPE model hypothesises how light may mediate priming at any given nutrient concentration and provides a calculation method for quantitative PE values (i.e. light effect size at a given nutrient concentration).

We used recirculating stream mesocosms withQuercus stellata(post oak) leaf litter as an organic matter (OM) substrate in a 150‐day experiment to test our model predictions. We manipulated light levels [ambient (full light), shaded (c.19% of ambient)] and phosphorus (P) concentration (10, 100, 500 µg PO4‐P/L) in a fully factorial design. We also supplied all mesocosms with 500 µg/L dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Microbial biomass, water column dissolved organic C, and leaf litter dry mass and recalcitrant OM [i.e. the fibre (cellulose + lignin) component of post oak substrate] were measured. Recalcitrant OM (ROM)k‐rates (day−1) were used to calculate the light effect size within P treatments as a log response ratio (ln[ambientk‐rate/shadek‐rate]) to ascertain PE magnitude and direction (positive or negative).

Light was an important driver of dissolved organic C, a potential source of additional labile organic matter essential for priming heterotrophic microbes. There were weak PEs in total leaf litter dry mass remaining, but PEs were more pronounced in leaf litter ROM remaining. The strongest positive PEs (specific to litter ROM pools) occur in the highest P treatment, presumably due to a change in which nutrient, nitrogen versus P, was a limiting factor for microbes based on nutrient ratios rather than P concentration alone. These results illustrate the importance of considering light levels, nutrient ratios (rather than individual nutrients), and detrital ROM components in further PE model development.
Functional structure and diversity of invertebrate communities in a glacierised catchment of the tropical Andes
Authors: Crespo‐Pérez Verónica , Dangles Olivier , Ibarra Cristina , Espinosa Rodrigo , Andino Patricio , Jacobsen Dean , Cauvy‐Fraunié Sophie
Published: March 2020

In many mountainous areas, glaciers feed streams characterised by harsh environmental conditions, such as low water temperature, high turbidity, low channel stability, and high temporal variability in flow. Additionally, in many glacierised catchments, the mixture of streams arising from different water sources (glacier melt, groundwater, rainfall) generates high levels of environmental heterogeneity, which enhance species turnover rates and increase regional diversity.

Studies from mainly temperate regions have revealed some consistent patterns: a predominance of traits adaptive to harsh environmental conditions and reduced functional diversity with increased glaciality, both strongly related to environmental filtering. Here, we investigated variation in functional structure and diversity between macroinvertebrate communities from 15 stream sites, with different water sources (five glacier‐fed, five groundwater‐fed, and five mixed source) and level of glacier influence, in a glacierised catchment in the Ecuadorian Andes.

Our results revealed functional differences between communities inhabiting the different stream types. As found in temperate regions, high levels of glaciality were associated with an increase of small‐sized taxa that do not swim but are temporarily attached to or burrow in the substrate, have a flying‐adult stage, and feed by collecting–gathering. Similarly, we found a general decrease in functional diversity at sites with higher glacier influence. A null modelling approach suggested that in some of our glacier‐fed sites, environmental filtering may be the main driver of community assembly, whereas other mechanisms, mainly regional (such as dispersal), but also local (such as intraspecific competition), may gain importance as glacier influence decreases.

Assemblage composition in streams in tropical glacierised catchments may be driven by both local and regional processes that generate a gradient of decreasing functional diversity with stronger glacier influence. However, lack of knowledge of relevant traits for taxa in tropical glacierised streams currently poses a substantial obstacle to predicting changes likely to arise from global warming and glacier melt in this region.
Carbonate facies‐specific stable isotope data record climate, hydrology, and microbial communities in Great Salt Lake, UT
Authors: Ingalls Miquela , Frantz Carie M. , Snell Kathryn E. , Trower Elizabeth J.
Published: March 2020

Organic and inorganic stable isotopes of lacustrine carbonate sediments are commonly used in reconstructions of ancient terrestrial ecosystems and environments. Microbial activity and local hydrological inputs can alter porewater chemistry (e.g., pH, alkalinity) and isotopic composition (e.g., δ18Owater, δ13CDIC), which in turn has the potential to impact the stable isotopic compositions recorded and preserved in lithified carbonate. The fingerprint these syngenetic processes have on lacustrine carbonate facies is yet unknown, however, and thus, reconstructions based on stable isotopes may misinterpret diagenetic records as broader climate signals. Here, we characterize geochemical and stable isotopic variability of carbonate minerals, organic matter, and water within one modern lake that has known microbial influences (e.g., microbial mats and microbialite carbonate) and combine these data with the context provided by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing community profiles. Specifically, we measure oxygen, carbon, and clumped isotopic compositions of carbonate sediments (δ18Ocarb, δ13Ccarb, ∆47), as well as carbon isotopic compositions of bulk organic matter (δ13Corg) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC; δ13CDIC) of lake and porewater in Great Salt Lake, Utah from five sites and three seasons. We find that facies equivalent to ooid grainstones provide time‐averaged records of lake chemistry that reflect minimal alteration by microbial activity, whereas microbialite, intraclasts, and carbonate mud show greater alteration by local microbial influence and hydrology. Further, we find at least one occurrence of ∆47 isotopic disequilibrium likely driven by local microbial metabolism during authigenic carbonate precipitation. The remainder of the carbonate materials (primarily ooids, grain coatings, mud, and intraclasts) yield clumped isotope temperatures (T(∆47)), δ18Ocarb, and calculated δ18Owater in isotopic equilibrium with ambient water and temperature at the time and site of carbonate precipitation. Our findings suggest that it is possible and necessary to leverage diverse carbonate facies across one sedimentary horizon to reconstruct regional hydroclimate and evaporation–precipitation balance, as well as identify microbially mediated carbonate formation.
Inclusion of trophic interactions increases the vulnerability of an alpine butterfly species to climate change
Authors: Filazzola Alessandro , Matter Stephen F. , Roland Jens
Published: March 2020

Climate change is expected to have significant and complex impacts on ecological communities. In addition to direct effects of climate on species, there can also be indirect effects through an intermediary species, such as in host–plant interactions. Indirect effects are expected to be more pronounced in alpine environments because these ecosystems are sensitive to temperature changes and there are limited areas for migration of both species (i.e. closed systems), and because of simpler trophic interactions. We tested the hypothesis that climate change will reduce the range of an alpine butterfly (Parnassius smintheus) because of indirect effects through its host plant (Sedumsp.). To test for direct and indirect effects, we used the simulations of climate change to assess the distribution ofP. smintheuswith and withoutSedumsp. We also compared the projected ranges ofP. smintheusto four other butterfly species that are found in the alpine, but that are generalists feeding on many plant genera. We found thatP. smintheusgained distributional area in climate‐only models, but these gains were significantly reduced with the inclusion ofSedumsp. and in dry‐climate scenarios which resulted in a reduction in net area. When compared to the more generalist butterfly species,P. smintheusexhibited the largest loss in suitable habitat. Our findings support the importance of including indirect effects in modelling species distributions in response to climate change. We highlight the potentially large and still neglected impacts climate change can have on the trophic structure of communities, which can lead to significant losses of biodiversity. In the future, communities will continue to favour species that are generalists as climate change induces asynchronies in the migration of species.
Rheology evolution of a geopolymer precursor aqueous suspension during aging
Authors: Dusserre Gilles , Farrugia Anaïs , Cutard Thierry
Published: March 2020

Geopolymer‐based glass‐ceramic matrix composites can be processed at room temperature and a heat treatment below 100°C leads to matrix hardening thanks to the geopolymerization mechanisms. The stabilization of the matrix into glass‐ceramics is achieved via a post‐curing at high temperature. This paves the way of the utilization of cost‐effective liquid composite molding processes, for which all the necessary equipment is already available for processing temperature ranges related to polymer matrix composites, provided that the rheological behavior of the precursor is suitable to conveniently permeate the fibrous preform. The paper describes the thixotropic rheological behavior of a reference suspension at processing temperature (10°C‐20°C) and its evolution along aging at −18°C. The changes are interpreted in terms of geopolymerization mechanisms (dissolution and polycondensation) and suspension rheology (predominance of hydrodynamic effects at high shear rate). On this basis, a phenomenological modeling framework, combining two Krieger‐Dougherty equations, is proposed to build a relationship between the effective viscosity of the suspension and the phenomena involved during aging (dissolution of aluminosilicate particles) and shearing (microstructure scalar variable).
Dynamic effects of post‐harvest preservation on phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activities in sweet corn kernels
Authors: Xiang Nan , Wen Tianxiang , Yu Binglin , Li Gaoke , Li Chunyan , Li Wu , Lu Wenjia , Hu Jianguang , Guo Xinbo
Published: March 2020

In order to investigate the effects of thermal processing and preservation on phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of sweet corn kernels, 100 °C, 115 °C and 121 °C were operated as processed conditions and‐20 °C was provided for 6 months storage in this study. Results showed that phenolics, vitamin E content and antioxidant activity in sweet corn kernels raised after thermal processing. Three months preservation slightly declined phenolics and vitamin E content. Thermal processing in favor of the retentions of vitamin E and carotenoids. Principle component analyses and correlation analyses were operated to identify the roles of detected compounds. The study figured out the phytochemical profiles of sweet corn kernels during preservation and elaborated the effect of thermal processing, which could be a guidance for the procession and preservation of post‐harvest fresh kernels.
Respiratory microbiome and epithelial interactions shape immunity in the lungs
Authors: Invernizzi Rachele , Lloyd Clare M. , Molyneaux Philip L.
Published: March 2020

The airway epithelium represents a physical barrier to the external environment acting as the first line of defence against potentially harmful environmental stimuli including microbes and allergens. However, lung epithelial cells are increasingly recognized as active effectors of microbial defence, contributing to both innate and adaptive immune function in the lower respiratory tract. These cells express an ample repertoire of pattern recognition receptors with specificity for conserved microbial and host motifs. Modern molecular techniques have uncovered the complexity of the lower respiratory tract microbiome. The interaction between the microbiota and the airway epithelium is key to understanding how stable immune homeostasis is maintained. Loss of epithelial integrity following exposure to infection can result in the onset of inflammation in susceptible individuals and may culminate in lung disease. Here we discuss the current knowledge regarding the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which the pulmonary epithelium interacts with the lung microbiome in shaping immunity in the lung. Specifically, we focus on the interactions between the lung microbiome and the cells of the conducting airways in modulating immune cell regulation, and how defects in barrier structure and function may culminate in lung disease. Understanding these interactions is fundamental in the search for more effective therapies for respiratory diseases.
Promoting case indexing in case library learning: Effects of indexing prompts on self‐explanation and problem solving
Authors: Park Jongchan , Park Chaeyeon , Jung Hyojung , Kim Dongsik
Published: March 2020

In case library learning, an instructional method that promotes case‐based problem solving, learners often struggle with indexing cases. Poor case indexing may hamper retention and retrieval of cases, hindering the construction of mental libraries in learners. To address this issue, the authors developed two indexing prompt types, explanation‐based and difference‐based, and explored their effects on self‐explanation and problem solving in case libraries. A total of 105 students across three sections of a career development course participated in the study. Each section was assigned to one of three conditions: explanation‐based indexing, difference‐based indexing and no indexing prompt. Both indexing prompts facilitated self‐explanation, which elaborated corresponding aspects of cases on which the prompts mainly focused. In arguing for a solution, learners relied more heavily on domain knowledge regardless of prompt types. However, both indexing prompt groups outperformed the control group in rebuttals. The authors discussed the theoretical and practical implications of the study.
Sex differences in foetal origins of child emotional symptoms: a test of evolutionary hypotheses in a large, general population cohort
Authors: Braithwaite Elizabeth C. , Pickles Andrew , Wright Nicola , Sharp Helen , Hill Jonathan
Published: March 2020

Background

Based on previous findings from the Wirral Child Health and Development Study (WCHADS), and on evolutionary hypotheses, we preregistered analyses of data from a large epidemiological sample (https://osf.io/fn5g9/register/564d31db8c5e4a7c9694b2be), to test for sex‐dependent moderation by prenatal maternal depressive symptoms of the association between postnatal maternal depressive symptoms and child emotional problems.

Methods

A total of 8,354 mothers and children were followed from pregnancy to 3.5 years in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Self‐report measures of prenatal and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms, and maternal report of child emotional symptoms were administered.

Results

There was a three‐way interaction between maternal prenatal and postnatal depression, and child sex (Coeff .042 95% CI 0.015 to 0.068, p = .002). This arose from moderation by prenatal depression, in opposite directions in boys and in girls. In boys, the association between postnatal depression and child emotional symptoms was weaker following lower prenatal depressive symptoms (interaction term coeff = .030, p = .001), and in girls, to a lesser extent, the association was stronger following lower prenatal depressive symptoms (interaction term coeff = −.012, p = .221).

Conclusions

We replicated the finding from the WCHADS that prenatal depression modifies the association between postnatal depression and children's emotional problems in a sex‐dependent fashion. In ALSPAC, the sex difference was explained mainly by a protective effect of low prenatal depression in boys, while in WCHADS, it arose from greater vulnerability of girls to postnatal depression following low prenatal depression. In the light of these findings, in evaluating and implementing early interventions, there is need to consider that risks associated with postnatal depression may vary depending on maternal mood during pregnancy and may differ between boys and girls.