bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic review shows that immunising internationally adopted children is a major challenge for primary health care
Authors: Venturini Elisabetta , Piccini Paola , Tersigni Chiara , Chiappini Elena , Galli Luisa
Published: October 2018

Aim

This systematic review aimed to provide an overview of the immunisation of internationally adopted children and to discuss possible vaccination strategies.

Methods

A literature search was performed covering papers published in English from 1988 to 15 June 2018 using the Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases. This identified 749 studies and 41 full texts were evaluated.

Results

Overall, 19 studies conducted between 1988 and 2016 fulfilled our inclusion criteria. These covered 7663 children aged 1.1–5.7 years adopted from Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa and South and Central America. Tetanus protective antibody levels ranged from 35 to 95%, and similar data were reported for diphtheria. A higher percentage of adoptees had protective antibody levels for polio (50–93%) and measles (62–95%). More than a third (35%) did not have protective antibody titres for hepatitis B. Only one study investigated adoptees with protective antibodies against haemophilus influenza, and it reported that this was around 66%.

Conclusion

The appropriate immunisation of internationally adopted children is a major challenge for primary health care and a number of different approaches have been suggested, with no clear conclusions. Further studies on the cost‐effectiveness of different approaches should be performed to optimise screening strategies and develop recommendations.
Managers as a Missing Entity in Job Crafting Research: Relationships between Store Manager Job Crafting, Job Resources, and Store Performance
Authors: Shin Yuhyung , Hur Won‐Moo , Kim Hong‐Geun , Cheol Gang Min
Published: October 2018

Increasing demand for workplace proactivity has directed scholarly attention to job crafting as a voluntary and proactive form of job design. While mounting research has examined the impact of employee job crafting on work outcomes, little is known about the role of job crafting on the part of store managers in predicting unit‐level performance. To fill this gap, this study aims to investigate the link between store manager job crafting and store performance, and proposes job resources as boundary conditions affecting this relationship. We collected survey‐based data from 235 restaurant stores in South Korea and performed multilevel regression analyses. Results indicated that store manager job crafting was positively associated with store sales performance. This relationship was more pronounced when store managers received performance feedback than when they did not. However, autonomy and opportunities for development did not moderate the store manager job crafting–store performance relationship.
In‐situ Sourcing of Hematite Paints on the Surface of Hohokam Red‐on‐Buff Ceramics Using Laser Ablation – Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis
Authors: Eiselt B. S. , Dudgeon J. , Darling J. A. , Paucar E. N. , Glascock M. D. , Woodson M. K.
Published: October 2018

Worldwide applications of ochre analysis continue to develop at a rapid pace, highlighting a number of analytical and interpretative issues. As regional source databases continue to grow, researchers have turned to the thornier issues of source allocation. In this study, we utilize LA–ICP–MS and NAA to examine archaeological pigments, ceramic paints and experimental tiles from geological sources and Hohokam ceramics in central Arizona. Archaeological pigments and paint on sherds are successfully source matched based on trace element content, with implications for understanding paint production, sociocultural relations governing trade in pigment and the use of different resource landscapes over time.
Generation of PDX‐1 mutant porcine blastocysts by introducing CRISPR/Cas9‐system into porcine zygotes via electroporation
Authors: Tanihara Fuminori , Hirata Maki , Nguyen Nhien T. , Le Quynh A. , Hirano Takayuki , Takemoto Tatsuya , Nakai Michiko , Fuchimoto Dai‐ichiro , Otoi Takeshige
Published: October 2018

Recently, we established the GEEP (“gene editing by electroporation of Cas9 protein”) method, in which the CRISPR/Cas9 system, consisting of a Cas9 protein and single guide RNA (sgRNA), is introduced into pig zygotes by electroporation and thus induces highly efficient targeted gene disruption. In this study, we examined the effects of sgRNA on the blastocyst formation of porcine embryos and evaluated their genome‐editing efficiency. To produce an animal model for diabetes, we targeted PDX‐1 (pancreas duodenum homeobox 1), a gene that is crucial for pancreas development during the fetal period and whose monoallelic disruption impairs insulin secretion. First, Cas9 protein with different sgRNAs that targeted distinct sites in the PDX‐1 exon 1 was introduced into in vitro‐fertilized zygotes by the GEEP method. Of the six sgRNAs tested, three sgRNAs (sgRNA1, 2, and 3) successfully modified PDX‐1 gene. The blastocyst formation rate of zygotes edited with sgRNA3 was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of control zygotes without the electroporation treatment. Our study indicates that the GEEP method can be successfully used to generate PDX‐1 mutant blastocysts, but the development and the efficiency of editing the genome of zygotes may be affected by the sgRNA used for CRISPR/Cas9 system.
Translocation of meadow, heath and fen to the Habitat Garden: The first insights after 4 years of the experiment
Authors: Nowak Arkadiusz , Maślak Magdalena , Smieja Agata , Góra Julia , Kojs Paweł , Nowak Sylwia , Nobis Marcin
Published: October 2018

Questions

How does species composition of different vegetation types respond to translocation? How do they respond to encroachment of expansive native or alien species?

Location

Meadow, heath and fen plots in Radzionków Habitat Botanical Garden, Poland.

Methods

In 2013, between June and October, 16,500 pieces of turf blocks from three communities, each 80 × 120 cm in size and 40–50 cm deep, were transferred from a donor site to newly constructed artificial basins. Temporal changes of species composition were observed in 163 permanent plots 2 × 2 m from 2013 to 2016. To analyse compositional changes, we carried out constrained ordination with time as explanatory variable. For changes in species richness, diversity, herb and shrub layers, contribution of woody species, diagnostic taxa, archaeophytes, neophytes, native expansive taxa and ruderal plants, a one‐way ANOVA was applied.

Results

We found that only 35%–39% of species had a positive correlation with time. The total number of species significantly decreased only within the meadow plots. The fen and heath only experienced a slight decrease in species number. Significant changes in abundance of diagnostic species were observed in all plant communities. The abundances of diagnostic taxa were maintained during the first 2 year, then dropped considerably. The highest decrease was noted in the heathland community.

Conclusions

Turf translocation appeared to be only partially effective as a compensatory measure. Four years after the translocation, the three different habitats still maintained their specific structural features, however the number of diagnostic taxa considerably decreased, particularly in the heathland and the wet meadow. Given the high financial and logistical effort required, translocation measures are questionable and should only be applied as an exceptional last resort method.
Bee movement across heterogeneous tropical forests: multi‐paternal analyses reveal the importance of neighborhood composition for pollen dispersal
Authors: O'Connell Megan C. , Castilla Antonio R. , Lee Leticia X. , Jha Shalene
Published: October 2018

Animal pollination is critical for maintaining the reproduction and genetic diversity of many plant species, especially those in tropical ecosystems. Despite the threat to pollination posed by tropical deforestation, it remains an understudied process. In particular, little is known about these dynamics in multi‐paternal, successional plant species whose fruits can contain substantial genetic diversity. Given the importance of successional plants in reforestation, quantifying the factors that impact their reproduction is essential for understanding plant gene flow in the context of global change. In this study, we investigated pollen‐mediated gene flow at the multi‐paternal fruit level to quantify how tropical pollinators navigate and mediate gene flow in altered forests. Utilizing microsatellite genotyping and paternity analyses, we revealed that distinct plant neighborhood and individual factors drive pollen dispersal at the intra‐fruit scale. Variance in pollen dispersal distances was greater for neighborhoods with higher conspecific density, indicating that density dependent reproductive patterns play a role at this scale. Additionally, both the diversity and evenness of sires mediated by a single pollinator were affected by the size of the mother tree, that is, larger mothers received pollen from a less diverse, less even pool of sires per fruit. Pollinator body size was not found to be a significant driver of pollen dispersal, indicating that both small‐ and large‐bodied pollinators were equally important pollen dispersers at this scale. By exploring patterns of variation at the intra‐fruit level, we show that conspecific density and tree size significantly impact multi‐paternal pollen‐mediated gene flow, reinforcing the importance of investigating intraspecific, intra‐individual variance in plant reproduction.
Discrepancies Between Adolescent and Parent Reports About Family Relationships
Authors: De Los Reyes Andres , Ohannessian Christine M. , Racz Sarah J.
Published: October 2018

Family relationships play an essential role in adolescent development. When studying relationship domains (e.g., quality, conflict, communication), researchers typically rely on adolescents and their parents as informants. However, across research teams, domains, and methods of measurement, researchers commonly observe discrepant estimates of family relationships between informants’ reports. In this article, we review theoretical models for understanding these discrepant reports, summarize research on how the degree of discrepancy between reports informs our understanding of adolescent development, and highlight directions for research.
Trauma and Long‐Term Memory for Childhood Events: Impact Matters
Authors: Goodman Gail S. , Quas Jodi A. , Goldfarb Deborah , Gonzalves Lauren , Gonzalez Alejandra
Published: October 2018

In recent years, society has been stunned by high‐profile cases in which adults allege they were sexually victimized in childhood. A crucial issue in these cases is how accurately adults remember the traumatic childhood experiences. In this article, we examine the predictors of the accuracy of adults’ long‐term memory for maltreatment and events related to the maltreatment experienced in childhood. First, we discuss memory for negative or threatening information and how child maltreatment may affect memory. Second, we highlight methodological challenges inherent in this scientific inquiry. Third, we describe the findings from our longitudinal research on the accuracy of adults’ memory for child abuse and for subsequent involvement in the legal system. We conclude that, overall, the greater the traumatic impact experienced, the more accurate the later memory, although factors related to development, individual differences, and interviews moderate the effects of childhood trauma on the accuracy of adults’ memory.
Early Relational Experience: A Foundation for the Unfolding Dynamics of Parent–Child Socialization
Authors: Kochanska Grazyna , Boldt Lea J. , Goffin Kathryn C.
Published: October 2018

Psychologists have long tried to understand why trajectories of socialization in individual parent–child dyads can be distinct, leading to adaptive or maladaptive developmental outcomes. In this article, we elucidate origins of those differences by examining the subtle yet enduring implications of early parent–child relationships in longitudinal studies of low‐ and high‐risk families, using correlational and experimental designs, and multiple measures. Those relationships are key for socialization because they can alter cascades from children's biologically based difficult temperament to parents' negative control to negative children's outcomes, as demonstrated by social‐learning theories. We suggest that those cascades unfold only in parent–child dyads whose early relationships lack positive mutuality and security. Such relationships set the tone for adversarial cascades. In contrast, early mutually positive, secure relationships initiate cooperative, effective socialization and defuse risks of negative cascades. Parents' and children's internal representations of each other may explain how such divergent sequelae unfold.
Paracosms: The Imaginary Worlds of Middle Childhood
Authors: Taylor Marjorie , Mottweiler Candice M. , Aguiar Naomi R. , Naylor Emilee R. , Levernier Jacob G.
Published: October 2018

The invention of imaginary worlds (“paracosms”) is a creative activity of middle childhood that has previously been investigated primarily with retrospective adult reports and biographical accounts. In descriptions collected from 8‐ to 12‐year‐old children, the prevalence was 16.9% in Study 1 (n = 77) and 17.4% in Study 2 (n = 92). Children with and without paracosms did not differ in verbal comprehension, divergent thinking (Studies 1 and 2) or working memory (Study 2). However, children with paracosms had more difficulty with inhibitory control (Study 2) and had higher creativity scores on a story‐telling task (Studies 1 and 2). Paracosms provided a vehicle for stories associated with imaginary companions and/or for developing complex narratives alone or with friends.
The Relation Between Callous‐Unemotional Traits, Psychosocial Maturity, and Delinquent Behavior Among Justice‐Involved Youth
Authors: Simmons Cortney , Fine Adam , Knowles Alissa , Frick Paul J. , Steinberg Laurence , Cauffman Elizabeth
Published: October 2018

Callous‐unemotional (CU) traits are a risk factor for severe and persistent patterns of juvenile delinquency. Given the influence of CU trait assessments in justice‐system settings, it is important to determine whether the predictive utility of CU traits is conditional on the absence of protective psychosocial factors. Employing a sample of justice‐involved male youth (N = 1,216, Mage = 15.29), this study examined whether psychosocial maturity (PSM) outweighs or attenuates the effect of CU traits on delinquency. Results indicated that youth with high CU traits or low PSM offended more during the year following their first arrest. Additionally, PSM moderated the relation between CU traits and offending, such that higher PSM was associated with less offending but only among low CU youth.
Anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibody with DNA binding activity enters living monocytes via cell surface DNA and induces tissue factor expression
Authors: Virachith S , Saito M , Watanabe Y , Inoue K , Hoshi O , Kubota T
Published: October 2018

Autoantibodies characteristic for anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are anti-β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) antibodies and anti-DNA antibodies, respectively, and almost half of APS cases occur in SLE. Anti-β2GPI antibodies are recognized to play a pivotal role in inducing a prothrombotic state, but the precise mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In a widely accepted view, binding of anti-β2GPI antibodies to cell surface β2GPI in monocytes and endothelial cells triggers the Toll-like receptor 4-myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (TLR)-4-MyD88) signaling pathway which leads to activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/extracellular signal-regulated kinases (MEK-1/ERK) and/or nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and expression of tissue factor (TF). However, resting cells do not express substantial amounts of TLR-4. Previously, we generated a mouse monoclonal anti-β2GPI antibody WB-6 and showed that it induced a prothrombotic state – including TF expression on circulating monocytes – in normal mice. In the current study, we aimed to clarify the mechanism of interaction between WB-6 and resting monocytes, and found that WB-6 exhibits binding activity to DNA and enters living monocytes or a monocytic cell line and, to a lesser extent, vascular endothelial cells. Treatment of the cells with DNase I reduced the internalization, suggesting the involvement of cell surface DNA in this phenomenon. Monocytes harboring internalized WB-6 expressed TF and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α which, in turn, stimulated endothelial cells to express intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-I) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-I). These results suggest the possibility that a subset of anti-β2GPI antibodies with dual reactivity to DNA possesses ability to stimulate DNA sensors in the cytoplasm, in addition to the cell surface receptor-mediated pathways, leading to produce proinflammatory and prothrombotic states.
No evidence of adverse fertility and pregnancy outcomes in patients with unrecognized and untreated multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1
Authors: Thompson Michael , Burgess John
Published: October 2018

Objective

Literature concerning the impact of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1) on fertility is limited to case reports despite the early onset of endocrinopathies, such as primary hyperparathyroidism and prolactinoma, that may impact fertility. This study describes the impact of unrecognized and untreated MEN 1 on fertility and pregnancy outcomes in a multigenerational cohort of the Tasman 1 MEN 1 kindred.

Methods

All MEN 1 positive (MEN 1+, n = 63) and MEN 1 negative (MEN 1−, n = 75) descendants born between 1825 and 1951 of a common founder. Review of birth, death, marriage and medical records provided data on date of birth and death, gender, MEN 1 status and the number of pregnancies and children per parent.

Results

Compared to MEN 1− parents, MEN 1+ parents had more children (RR 1.30, 1.02‐1.66) and live births (RR 1.31, 1.02‐1.67) with no excess of stillbirths (RR 1.24, 0.24‐6.36). Compared to the era‐matched Tasmanian fertility rate, MEN 1+ parents had more children (4.87 ± 4.11 vs 3.40 ± 0.61, P = 0.048), whereas MEN 1− parents had similar numbers of children (3.67 ± 3.27 vs 3.36 ± 0.62, P = 0.55). MEN 1+ parents had a similar number of MEN 1+ and MEN 1− offspring (2.1 ± 1.9 vs 2.5 ± 2.3, P = 0.31). Indirectly assessed miscarriage rate was similar between MEN 1+ and MEN 1− mothers (P = 0.77). Clinically overt pituitary disease reduced MEN 1+ kindred member likelihood of parenthood (33% vs 97%).

Conclusions

There was no adverse impact of MEN 1 on patient fertility overall; however, MEN 1‐related pathology may have impaired the reproductive potential of a subset of individuals with pituitary disease.
Learning A Stroke‐Based Representation for Fonts
Authors: Balashova Elena , Bermano Amit H. , Kim Vladimir G. , DiVerdi Stephen , Hertzmann Aaron , Funkhouser Thomas
Published: October 2018

Designing fonts and typefaces is a difficult process for both beginner and expert typographers. Existing workflows require the designer to create every glyph, while adhering to many loosely defined design suggestions to achieve an aesthetically appealing and coherent character set. This process can be significantly simplified by exploiting the similar structure character glyphs present across different fonts and the shared stylistic elements within the same font. To capture these correlations, we propose learning a stroke‐based font representation from a collection of existing typefaces. To enable this, we develop a stroke‐based geometric model for glyphs, a fitting procedure to reparametrize arbitrary fonts to our representation. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our model through a manifold learning technique that estimates a low‐dimensional font space. Our representation captures a wide range of everyday fonts with topological variations and naturally handles discrete and continuous variations, such as presence and absence of stylistic elements as well as slants and weights. We show that our learned representation can be used for iteratively improving fit quality, as well as exploratory style applications such as completing a font from a subset of observed glyphs, interpolating or adding and removing stylistic elements in existing fonts.
Harnessing marine microclimates for climate change adaptation and marine conservation
Authors: Woodson C. Brock , Micheli Fiorenza , Boch Charles , Al‐Najjar Maha , Espinoza Antonio , Hernandez Arturo , Vázquez‐Vera Leonardo , Saenz‐Arroyo Andrea , Monismith Stephen G. , Torre Jorge
Published: October 2018

Main Points

Responses to climate change and large‐scale forcing can vary widely at local scales creating marine microclimates.

Microclimates are robust even under extreme large‐scale forcing events (ENSO, climate change) potentially creating spatial refuges or ‘safe spaces’ for important species.

Small/medium no‐take zones, artificial reefs, and other possible spatial management can be placed to harness local variability as an adaptation or conservation measure in the face of climate change.
Electrocardiographic Effects of a Supratherapeutic Dose of WCK 2349, a Benzoquinolizine Fluoroquinolone
Authors: Mason Jay W. , Chugh Rakesh , Patel Anasuya , Gutte Ranjeet , Bhatia Ashima
Published: October 2018

The purpose of this study was to measure the electrocardiographic (ECG) effects of WCK 2349 (the L‐alanine ester prodrug of levonadifloxacin) at a supratherapeutic oral dose of 2,600 mg. A total of 48 healthy volunteers were randomized to treatment with placebo, WCK 2349, or oral moxifloxacin, 400 mg, in a crossover‐designed thorough QT study. A supratherapeutic mean maximum levonadifloxacin concentration (Cmax) of 43.3 μg/mL was achieved at 3.1 hours. A therapeutic dose of 1,000 mg b.i.d. in a previous study in patients resulted in a Cmax of 17.8 μg/mL. WCK 2349 exerted no significant effect on baseline‐ and placebo‐corrected QTcF (QT interval corrected for heart rate (HR) by the Fridericia formula), QRS, or PR interval. HR was transiently accelerated by a maximum of 14.4 (95% confidence interval, 11.80–16.92) beats per minute (bpm) at 3 hours. Concentration–effect modeling predicted a mean increase of 8.0 bpm at Cmax at the standard therapeutic dose. A therapeutic dose of 1,000 mg b.i.d. of WCK 2349 is not expected to cause clinically significant ECG effects, except for a possible transient increase in HR, which seems to be clinically insignificant.
Alongside the Grain: Conceptualizing Scale and the Upper Threshold of Local in the Agro‐industrial Palouse
Authors: Wilson Troy M.
Published: October 2018

This paper uses a case study of local food system development in the agro‐industrial Palouse region of the northwestern United States to examine how communities negotiate the boundaries of local. Farmer‐vendor participation in the region's largest farmers market shows that local‐scale boundaries are porous and sometimes problematic, particularly when considering producers on the “upper threshold of local”—the boundary between local and middle socio‐spatial scales. Examining how farmer‐vendor strategies, farmers market politics, and organizational engagement in Palouse civic agriculture relate to a contested upper threshold boundary provides insights on how distance‐dependent notions of local may be challenged, how operation size can be stretched, and how this blurry and porous boundary presents problems for mid‐sized operations hoping to engage or broker multiple locales or scales.
Metrics for evaluating representation target achievement in protected area networks
Authors: Jantke Kerstin , Kuempel Caitlin D. , McGowan Jennifer , Chauvenet Alienor L. M. , Possingham Hugh P.
Published: October 2018

Global conservation targets (e.g. Aichi Target 11) have helped drive a dramatic expansion of the global protected area (PA) network. Credible metrics have an important role to play in evaluating and expanding PAs to achieve conservation outcomes and objectives. For metrics to be useful and adopted, they need to be transparent, easy to understand, and easy to implement. We present two complementary metrics, “mean protection gap” and “mean target achievement”, for evaluating representation target achievement in PA networks along with the R package “ConsTarget” that calculates and plots both metrics. We use Australia's proposed Commonwealth Marine Reserve network as a case study to demonstrate the application of these metrics. We recommend the metrics be used to evaluate the progress towards building representative PA networks in line with Aichi target 11's goals.
Mouse gastrulation: Attributes of transcription factor regulatory network for epiblast patterning
Authors: Cui Guizhong , Suo Shengbao , Wang Ran , Qian Yun , Han Jing‐Dong J. , Peng Guangdun , Tam Patrick P. L. , Jing Naihe
Published: October 2018

Gastrulation is a key milestone in early mouse development when multipotent epiblast cells are allocated to progenitors of diverse tissue lineages that constitute the ensemble of building blocks of the body plan. The analysis of gene function revealed that the activity of transcription factors is likely to be the fundamental driving force underpinning the lineage specification and tissue patterning in the primary germ layers. The developmental‐spatial transcriptome of the gastrulating embryo revealed the concerted and interactive activity of the gene regulatory network anchored by development‐related transcription factors. The findings of the network structure offer novel insights into the regionalization of tissue fates and enable tracking of the progression of epiblast patterning, leading to the construction of molecularly annotated fate maps of epiblast during gastrulation.
Experience‐dependent transcriptional regulation in juvenile brain development
Authors: Sakai Akiko , Sugiyama Sayaka
Published: October 2018

During brain development, once primary neural networks are formed, they are largely sculpted by environmental stimuli. The juvenile brain has a unique time window termed the critical period, in which neuronal circuits are remodeled by experience. Accumulating evidence indicates that abnormal rewiring of circuits in early life contributes to various neurodevelopmental disorders at later stages of life. Recent studies implicate two important aspects for activation of the critical period, both of which are experience‐dependent: (a) proper excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance of neural circuit achieved during developmental trajectory of inhibitory interneurons, and (b) epigenetic regulation allowing flexible gene expression for neuronal plasticity. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of juvenile brain plasticity from the viewpoints of transcriptional and chromatin regulation, with a focus on Otx2 homeoprotein. Depending on experience, Otx2 is transported into cortical parvalbumin‐positive interneurons (PV cells), where it induces PV cell maturation to activate the critical period. Understanding the unique behavior and function of Otx2 as a “messenger” of experience should therefore provide insights into mechanisms of juvenile brain development. Recently identified downstream targets of Otx2 suggest novel roles of Otx2 in homeostasis of PV cells, and, moreover, in regulation of chromatin state, which is important for neuronal plasticity. We further discuss epigenetic changes during postnatal brain development spanning the critical period. Different aspects of chromatin regulation may underlie experience‐dependent neuronal development and plasticity.
A lifestyle intervention programme for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes mellitus among South Asian women with gestational diabetes mellitus [LIVING study]: protocol for a randomized trial
Authors: Gupta Y. , Kapoor D. , Josyula L. K. , Praveen D. , Naheed A. , Desai A. K. , Pathmeswaran A. , de Silva H. A. , Lombard C. B. , Shamsul Alam D. , Prabhakaran D. , Teede H. J. , Billot L. , Bhatla N. , Joshi R. , Zoungas S. , Jan S. , Patel A. , Tandon N.
Published: October 2018

Aim

This study aims to determine whether a resource‐ and culturally appropriate lifestyle intervention programme in South Asian countries, provided to women with gestational diabetes (GDM) after childbirth, will reduce the incidence of worsening of glycaemic status in a manner that is affordable, acceptable and scalable.

Methods

Women with GDM (diagnosed by oral glucose tolerance test using the International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria) will be recruited from 16 hospitals in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Participants will undergo a repeat oral glucose tolerance test at 6 ± 3 months postpartum and those without Type 2 diabetes, a total sample size of 1414, will be randomly allocated to the intervention or usual care. The intervention will consist of four group sessions, 84 SMS or voice messages and review phone calls over the first year. Participants requiring intensification of the intervention will receive two additional individual sessions over the latter half of the first year. Median follow‐up will be 2 years. The primary outcome is the proportion of women with a change in glycaemic category, using the American Diabetes Association criteria: (i) normal glucose tolerance to impaired fasting glucose, or impaired glucose tolerance, or Type 2 diabetes; or (ii) impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance to Type 2 diabetes. Process evaluation will explore barriers and facilitators of implementation of the intervention in each local context, while trial‐based and modelled economic evaluations will assess cost‐effectiveness.

Discussion

The study will generate important new evidence about a potential strategy to address the long‐term sequelae of GDM, a major and growing problem among women in South Asia. (Clinical Trials Registry of India No: CTRI/2017/06/008744; Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry No: SLCTR/2017/001; and ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier No: NCT03305939)
Effects of acute fructose loading on levels of serum uric acid—a pilot study
Authors: Olofsson Camilla , Anderstam Björn , Bragfors‐Helin Ann‐Christin , Eriksson Monica , Qureshi Abdul R. , Lindholm Bengt , Hilding Agneta , Wiczkowski Wieslaw , Orsini Nicola , Stenvinkel Peter , Rajamand Ekberg Neda
Published: October 2018

Background

Fructose intake may lead to hyperuricaemia, which is associated with increased risk and progression of kidney disease. We aimed to explore the acute effects of fructose loading from different sources, with and without a pizza, on levels of serum uric acid in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), type 2 diabetes (T2D) without CKD, and in healthy subjects (HS).

Methods

The study included six HS, and three CKD stage 4‐5 and seven T2D patients. Drinks consumed were blueberry drink (17.5 g fructose), Coca‐Cola (18 g fructose) and fructose drink (35 g fructose). The drinks were also combined with pizza, in total six interventions. Serum samples were collected fasting and 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after intake and also 240 minutes after drink + pizza, and analysed for fructose, uric acid and triglycerides. Postprandial responses were explored using repeated‐measure ANOVA.

Results

Baseline serum uric acid levels were increased in CKD (P = 0.037). There were significant differences in serum fructose and serum uric levels over time between drinks and drinks + pizza for all groups (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). The highest peak in serum fructose followed the fructose drink interventions and the lowest the blueberry drink. The fructose drink interventions gave the highest responses in serum uric acid and the lowest responses followed the blueberry drink. Triglycerides increased following pizza interventions (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Intake of fructose increases serum uric acid. The fructose intake via a blueberry drink induced lowest increase and thus may be protective.
Effect of honey on glucose and insulin concentrations in obese girls
Authors: Farakla Ioanna , Koui Eleni , Arditi Jessica , Papageorgiou Ifigenia , Bartzeliotou Anastasia , Papadopoulos Georgios E. , Mantzou Aimilia , Papathanasiou Chrysanthi , Dracopoulou Maria , Papastamataki Maria , Moutsatsou Paraskevi , Papassotiriou Ioannis , Chrousos George P. , Charmandari Evangelia
Published: October 2018

Background

Childhood obesity represents a major health problem of our century. The benefits of natural products, such as honey, in the management of obesity have gained renewed interest. In this study, we investigated the effect of honey on glucose and insulin concentrations in obese prepubertal girls.

Materials and Methods

Thirty healthy obese girls aged 10.55 (±SEM:0.34) years with a mean body mass index (BMI) above the 97th centile for age (28.58 ± 1.40 kg/m2, BMI z‐score 2.96) underwent a standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) followed by an oral honey tolerance test (OHTT) 2 weeks later. Both solutions contained 75 g of glucose. Subsequently, subjects were randomized to receive either 15 g of honey or 15 g of marmalade daily, while both groups complied with dietetic instructions. Six months later all subjects were re‐evaluated with an OGTT and an OHTT.

Results

At the end of the study, all subjects demonstrated a significant reduction in BMI (27.57 ± 1.40, z‐score: 2.54 vs 28.58 ± 1.40 kg/m2, z‐score: 2.96, P < 0.001), however, there were no significant differences in BMI and all parameters tested between the group that received honey and the control group. The areas under the concentration–time curve for glucose and insulin for the entire population were significantly lower following ingestion of honey than glucose solution (P < 0.001) both at the beginning and at the end of study.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that honey does not have an effect on stimulated plasma glucose and serum insulin concentrations compared with the standard glucose solution in obese prepubertal girls.
TIME‐USE AND ACADEMIC PEER EFFECTS IN COLLEGE
Authors: Mehta Nirav , Stinebrickner Ralph , Stinebrickner Todd
Published: October 2018

This paper examines academic peer effects in college. Unique new data from the Berea Panel Study allow us to focus on a mechanism wherein a student's peers affect her achievement by changing her study effort. Although the potential relevance of this mechanism has been recognized, data limitations have made it difficult to provide direct evidence about its importance. We find that a student's freshman grade point average is affected by the amount her peers studied in high school, suggesting the importance of this mechanism. Using time diary information, we confirm that college study time is actually being affected. (JEL I20, F21, J01)
‘Flattening’ tax evasion?
Authors: Filer Randall K. , Hanousek Jan , Lichard Tomáš , Torosyan Karine
Published: October 2018

We analyze the response of tax evasion to the introduction of a flat tax in several transition economies. Using a novel estimator based on household level data, we show that in most of the countries studied there was no discernible effect on the measured size of unreported income following a flat tax reform. This may imply that decreases in marginal tax rates may frequently have been accompanied by a parallel deterioration in attitudes towards public services and the government in general. The countries that show a response to the flat tax reform appear to be those where satisfaction with government services increased.
Preference and performance of Lepidoptera varies with tree age in juniper woodlands
Authors: Pardikes Nicholas A. , Forister Matthew L. , Dyer Lee A.
Published: October 2018

1. As trees age, they undergo significant physiological and morphological changes. Nevertheless, tree ontogeny and its impacts on herbivores are often overlooked as determinants of plant–herbivore population dynamics and the strength of plant–herbivore interactions.

2.Juniperus(Cupressaceae) is a dominant, long‐lived conifer that serves as the sole host to a specialised assemblage of caterpillars. Over the past 150 years, several juniper species in western North America have expanded their geographic occupancy at local and regional scales, which has resulted in an increase in the number of immature trees on the landscape. Using assays in the laboratory, the effects of tree ontogeny on caterpillar performance and oviposition preference for two juniper specialist caterpillars,Callophrys gryneus(Lycaenidae) andGlena quinquelinearia(Geometridae), were examined. The study considered whether responses to tree ontogeny were consistent across caterpillar species and juniper host species.

3. Tree age was found to be a reliable predictor of caterpillar performance, with caterpillars developing more quickly and growing larger when fed foliage from young trees. Differences in the phytochemical diversity between foliage from trees of different ages might help to explain observed differences in caterpillar performance. Interestingly, the specialist butterfly,C. gryneus, displayed an oviposition preference for foliage from old‐growthJuniperus osteospermatrees, despite the fact that larvae of this species performed poorly on older trees.

4. It is concluded that young juniper trees are an important resource for the specialised Lepidopteran community and that tree ontogeny is an important component of intraspecific variation, which contributes to the structure of plant–herbivore communities.
Scaffolding agency: A proleptic account of the reactive attitudes
Authors: McGeer Victoria
Published: October 2018

This paper examines the methodological claim made famous by P. F. Strawson: that we understand what features are required for responsible agency by exploring our attitudes and practices of holding responsible. What is the presumed metaphysical connection between holding responsible and being fit to be held responsible that makes this claim credible? I propose a non‐standard answer to this question, arguing for a view of responsible agency that is neither antirealist nor straightforwardly realist. It is instead “constructivist.” On the “Scaffolding View” I defend, reactive attitudes play an essential role in developing, supporting, and thereby maintaining the capacities that make for responsible agency. Although this view has relatively novel implications for a metaphysical understanding of capacities, its chief virtue, in contrast with more standard views, is in providing a plausible defense of why so‐called “responsible agents” genuinely deserve to be treated as such.
On the relationship between body condition and parasite infection in wildlife: a review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Sánchez Cecilia A. , Becker Daniel J. , Teitelbaum Claire S. , Barriga Paola , Brown Leone M. , Majewska Ania A. , Hall Richard J. , Altizer Sonia
Published: October 2018

Body condition metrics are widely used to infer animal health and to assess costs of parasite infection. Since parasites harm their hosts, ecologists might expect negative relationships between infection and condition in wildlife, but this assumption is challenged by studies showing positive or null condition–infection relationships. Here, we outline common condition metrics used by ecologists in studies of parasitism, and consider mechanisms that cause negative, positive, and null condition–infection relationships in wildlife systems. We then perform a meta‐analysis of 553 condition–infection relationships from 187 peer‐reviewed studies of animal hosts, analysing observational and experimental records separately, and noting whether authors measured binary infection status or intensity. Our analysis finds substantial heterogeneity in the strength and direction of condition–infection relationships, a small, negative average effect size that is stronger in experimental studies, and evidence for publication bias towards negative relationships. The strongest predictors of variation in study outcomes are host thermoregulation and the methods used to evaluate body condition. We recommend that studies aiming to assess parasite impacts on body condition should consider host–parasite biology, choose condition measures that can change during the course of infection, and employ longitudinal surveys or manipulate infection status when feasible.
Demographic costs and benefits of natural regeneration during tropical forest restoration
Authors: Trevor Caughlin T. , de la Peña‐Domene Marinés , Martínez‐Garza Cristina
Published: October 2018

For tropical forest restoration to result in long‐term biodiversity gains, native trees must establish self‐sustaining populations in degraded sites. While many have asked how seedling recruitment varies between restoration treatments, the long‐term fate of these recruits remains unknown. We address this research gap by tracking natural recruits of 27 species during the first 7 years of a tropical forest restoration experiment that included both planted and naturally regenerating plots. We used an individual‐based model to estimate the probability that a seedling achieves reproductive maturity after several years of growth and survival. We found an advantage for recruits in naturally regenerating plots, with up to 40% increased probability of reproduction in this treatment, relative to planted plots. The demographic advantage of natural regeneration was highest for mid‐successional species, with relatively minor differences between treatments for early‐successional species. Our research demonstrates the consequences of restoration decision making across the life cycle of tropical tree species.
Effect of phytoplankton size diversity on primary productivity in the North Pacific: trait distributions under environmental variability
Authors: Chen Bingzhang , Smith Sherwood Lan , Wirtz Kai W.
Published: October 2018

While most biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) studies have found positive effects of species richness on productivity, it remain unclear whether similar patterns hold for marine phytoplankton with high local richness. We use the continuous trait‐based modelling approach, which assumes infinite richness and represents diversity in terms of the variance of the size distribution, to investigate the effects of phytoplankton size diversity on productivity in a three‐dimensional ocean circulation model driven by realistic physics forcing. We find a slightly negative effect of size diversity on primary production, which we attribute to several factors including functional trait‐environment interactions, flexible stoichiometry and the saturation of productivity at low diversity levels. The benefits of trait optimisation, whereby narrow size distributions enhance productivity under relatively stable conditions, tend to dominate over those of adaptive capacity, whereby greater diversity enhances the ability of the community to respond to environmental variability.
Progress report on new antiepileptic drugs: A summary of the Fourteenth Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic Drugs and Devices (EILAT XIV). II. Drugs in more advanced clinical development
Authors: Bialer Meir , Johannessen Svein I. , Koepp Matthias J. , Levy René H. , Perucca Emilio , Tomson Torbjörn , White H. Steve
Published: October 2018

The Fourteenth Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic Drugs and Devices (EILAT XIV) took place in Madrid, Spain, on May 13‐16, 2018 and was attended by 168 delegates from 28 countries. The conference provided a forum for professionals involved in basic science, clinical research, regulatory affairs, and clinical care to meet and discuss the latest advances related to discovery and development of drugs and devices aimed at improving the management of people with epilepsy. This progress report provides a summary of findings on investigational compounds for which data from both preclinical studies and studies in patients were presented. The compounds reviewed include anakinra, cannabidiol, cannabidivarin, fenfluramine, ganaxolone, medium‐chain fatty acids, padsevonil, and the valproic derivatives valnoctamide and sec‐butylpropylacetamide. On June 25, 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a standardized formulation of cannabidiol oral solution for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox‐Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome in patients 2 years and older. The report shows that there continues to be a steady flow of potential antiepileptic drugs progressing to clinical development. Many of these compounds show innovative mechanisms of action, and some have already been tested in placebo‐controlled randomized controlled trials, with promising efficacy and safety results.
Progress report on new antiepileptic drugs: A summary of the Fourteenth Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic Drugs and Devices (EILAT XIV). I. Drugs in preclinical and early clinical development
Authors: Bialer Meir , Johannessen Svein I. , Koepp Matthias J. , Levy René H. , Perucca Emilio , Tomson Torbjörn , White H. Steve
Published: October 2018

The Fourteenth Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic Drugs and Devices (EILAT XIV) took place in Madrid, Spain, on May 13‐16, 2018 and was attended by 168 delegates from 28 countries. The conference provided a forum for professionals involved in basic science, clinical research, regulatory affairs, and clinical care to meet and discuss the latest advances related to discovery and development of drugs and devices aimed at improving the management of people with epilepsy. This progress report provides a summary of findings on investigational compounds for which data from preclinical or early (phase I) clinical studies were presented. The compounds reviewed include adenosine and adenosine kinase inhibitors, BIS‐001 (huperzine A), 2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose, FV‐082, FV‐137, JNJ‐40411813, JNJ‐55511118 and analogs, ketone‐enhanced antiepileptic drugs, oxynytones, OV329, TAK‐935 (OV935), XEN901, and XEN1101. Many innovative approaches to drug development were presented. For example, some compounds are being combined with traditional antiepileptic drugs based on evidence of synergism in seizure models, some act as inhibitors of enzymes involved in modulation of neuronal activity, and some interact in novel ways with excitatory receptors or ion channels. Some of the compounds in development target the etiology of specific epilepsy syndromes (including orphan conditions) through precision medicine, and some offer hope of producing disease‐modifying effects rather than symptomatic seizure suppression. Overall, the results summarized in the report indicate that important advances are being made in the effort to develop compounds with potentially improved efficacy and safety profiles compared with existing agents.