bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Environmental reservoirs for exoS+ and exoU+ strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Rutherford Victoria , Yom Kelly , Ozer Egon A. , Pura Olivia , Hughes Ami , Murphy Katherine R. , Cudzilo Laura , Mitchell David , Hauser Alan R.
Published: April 2018

Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses its type III secretion system to inject the effector proteins ExoS and ExoU into eukaryotic cells, which subverts these cells to the bacterium's advantage and contributes to severe infections. We studied the environmental reservoirs of exoS+ and exoU+ strains of P. aeruginosa by collecting water, soil, moist substrates and plant samples from environments in the Chicago region and neighbouring states. Whole‐genome sequencing was used to determine the phylogeny and type III secretion system genotypes of 120 environmental isolates. No correlation existed between geographic separation of isolates and their genetic relatedness, which confirmed previous findings of both high genetic diversity within a single site and the widespread distribution of P. aeruginosa clonal complexes. After excluding clonal isolates cultured from the same samples, 74 exoS+ isolates and 16 exoU+ isolates remained. Of the exoS+ isolates, 41 (55%) were from natural environmental sites and 33 (45%) were from man‐made sites. Of the exoU+ isolates, only 3 (19%) were from natural environmental sites and 13 (81%) were from man‐made sites (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that man‐made water systems may be a reservoir from which patients acquire exoU+ P. aeruginosa strains.
Hypophosphatemia and duration of respiratory failure and mortality in critically ill patients
Authors: Federspiel C. K. , Itenov T. S. , Thormar K. , Liu K. D. , Bestle M. H.
Published: April 2018

Background

Hypophosphatemia has been associated with prolonged duration of respiratory failure and increased mortality in critically ill patients, but there is very limited evidence supporting the negative effects of low phosphate. We examined the association between hypophosphatemia at ICU admission and time to successful weaning and 28‐day mortality.

Methods

This was a cohort study that included all mechanically ventilated adult patients admitted to the ICU in 2013 at Nordsjællands Hospital. Hypophosphatemia was defined as a serum level below 0.80 mmol/L. Multivariate Cox‐regression was used to evaluate the effect of hypophosphatemia on mechanical ventilation and 28‐day mortality. Multiple imputation was used to adjust for missing values.

Results

A total of patients were admitted during the study period, of whom 190 were eligible. 122 (64.2%) had serum phosphate levels measured during the first 24 hours of admission, of whom 25 (20.5%) were found to be hypophosphatemic. About 74% of patients were successfully weaned from the ventilator within 28 days. Hypophosphatemia was not associated with this outcome (HR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.30‐1.04; P = .067). All‐cause 28‐day mortality was 32.6%. Hypophosphatemia was also not associated with 28‐day mortality (HR: 1.64; 95% CI: 0.65‐4.17; P = .447). Similar results were present in supplementary analysis where missing data were included by means of multiple imputation.

Conclusion

Hypophosphatemia at ICU admission was not associated with prolonged respiratory failure nor mortality. Further studies are warranted, where phosphate is measured systematically on all patients to elucidate the effect of low phosphate on relevant outcomes.
Failure to Find Ethanol‐Induced Conditioned Taste Aversion in Honey Bees (Apis melliferaL.)
Authors: Varnon Christopher A. , Dinges Christopher W. , Black Timothy E. , Wells Harrington , Abramson Charles I.
Published: April 2018

Background

Conditioned taste aversion (CTA) learning is a highly specialized form of conditioning found across taxa that leads to avoidance of an initially neutral stimulus, such as taste or odor, that is associated with, but is not the cause of, a detrimental health condition. This study examines if honey bees (Apis melliferaL.) develop ethanol (EtOH)‐inducedCTA.

Methods

Restrained bees were first administered a sucrose solution that was cinnamon scented, lavender scented, or unscented, and contained either 0, 2.5, 5, 10, or 20% EtOH. Then, 30 minutes later, we used a proboscis extension response (PER) conditioning procedure where the bees were taught to associate either cinnamon odor, lavender odor, or an air‐puff with repeated sucrose feedings. For some bees, the odor of the previously consumed EtOHsolution was the same as the odor associated with sucrose in the conditioning procedure. If bees are able to learn EtOH‐inducedCTA, they should show an immediate low level of response to odors previously associated with EtOH.

Results

We found that bees did not developCTAdespite the substantial inhibitory and aversive effects EtOHhas on behavior. Instead, bees receiving a conditioning odor that was previously associated with EtOHshowed an immediate high level of response. While this demonstrates bees are capable of one‐trial learning common toCTAexperiments, this high level of response is the opposite of what would occur if the bees developed aCTA. Responding on subsequent trials also showed a general inhibitory effect of EtOH. Finally, we found that consumption of cinnamon extract reduced the effects of EtOH.

Conclusions

The honey bees' lack of learned avoidance to EtOHmirrors that seen in human alcoholism. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of honey bees as an insect model for EtOHconsumption.
Alcohol Delays the Onset of Puberty in the Female Rat by Altering Key Hypothalamic Events
Authors: Srivastava Vinod K. , Hiney Jill K. , Dees William L.
Published: April 2018

Background

Because alcohol (ALC) delays signs of pubertal development, we assessed the time course of events associated with the synthesis of critical hypothalamic peptides that regulate secretion of luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone (LHRH), the peptide that drives the pubertal process.

Methods

Immature female rats were administered either laboratory chow or BioServe isocaloric control or ALC‐liquid diets from 27 through 33 days of age. On days 28, 29, 31, and 33, animals were killed by decapitation and tissue blocks containing the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) and the rostral hypothalamic area (RHA) were isolated and stored frozen until assessed by Western blot analysis.

Results

Synthesis of dynorphin (DYN), a prepubertal inhibitor of LHRH secretion, was increased (p < 0.05) in the MBH of ALC‐treated animals by day 29. DYN was further elevated (p < 0.01) on day 33 and was associated with an increase (p < 0.01) in DYN receptor expression. ALC did not affect synthesis of neurokinin B (NKB), a prepubertal stimulator of LHRH; however, it did suppress (p < 0.05) NKB receptor expression in the MBH by day 31. The most potent stimulator of prepubertal LHRH secretion, kisspeptin (Kp), was also decreased (p < 0.05) in the MBH as early as day 29, with continued suppression (p < 0.01) through day 33. Similar timely suppressions of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), an immediate upstream regulator of Kp, were also noted. These decreases in mTOR and Kp were consistent with ALC stimulating (p < 0.05) the p‐AMP‐activated protein kinase/Raptor inhibitory pathway to mTOR on day 29, then later suppressing (p < 0.001) an Akt‐mediated induction pathway to mTOR by day 31. In the RHA, ALC affected the pathways regulating Kp in a manner similar to that described in the MBH; however, these effects were not noted until day 33.

Conclusions

ALC acts within the MBH as early as 29 days to induce inhibitor and repressor inputs to LHRH, while depressing stimulatory inputs to the peptide. Collectively, these events lead to delayed signs of pubertal development.
POLICY ADRIFT: CANADIAN CROWN CORPORATIONS IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Authors: BERNIER Luc , DUTIL Patrice , HAFSI Taïeb
Published: April 2018

Canada has had a strong tradition of using state‐owned enterprises for economic development. ‘Crown corporations’, as State‐owned enterprises are known in Canada, were created with a built‐in autonomy for their commercial activities on the condition that they also fulfil policy objectives. Of late, however, policy objectives have been articulated more through regulations and governance models and are issued far more from central agencies such as the Treasury Board Secretariat than from the ‘home department’ of the agency. This article explores the evolution of the use of Crowns from the glory days of their formation to the privatization era of the 1980s and 1990s to the modern day. It examines how governance and control mechanisms have replaced policy directives. The picture given of the Canadian experience could be relevant for the coming years when these enterprises become more international and thus challenge the present arrangement.
Investigating the Role of Goal Orientation in Job Seekers’ Experience of Value Congruence
Authors: Yu Kang Yang Trevor , Verma Kapil
Published: April 2018

There is still limited understanding of how goal orientations influence the association between value congruence (VC) and organisational attraction for job seekers. We address this issue by investigating the impact of individuals’ goal orientations on the VC–attraction relationship. Our investigation using different measurement approaches to congruence across two studies also allowed us to examine the implications of different methods to operationalising VC in job search contexts. Two prominent types of goal orientation in job search—learning‐approach goal orientation (LAGO) and performance‐avoid goal orientation (PAGO)—were hypothesised to moderate the relationship between VC and organisational attraction. In study 1, value congruence based on direct molar perceptions displayed a stronger positive relationship with attraction among low LAGO individuals. Study 2, using separate atomistic judgments of person and organisational values, also demonstrated that LAGO moderates the effects of VC on attraction. However, the form of moderation effects varied across different types of work values (i.e., relationships and security). These findings demonstrate the need to contextualise the study of job seekers’ VC within a goal‐striving context, where different ways of operationalising VC can also shed more light on the psychological processes underlying judgments of congruence.
An alternative derivation method of mixed model equations from best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) and restricted BLUP of breeding values not using maximum likelihood
Authors: Satoh Masahiro
Published: April 2018

Two mixed model equations (MME) for best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) of breeding values and for restricted BLUP of breeding values were derived by maximum likelihood from the joint normal probability distribution of the observations and breeding values. As a result, MME is actually more general than maximum likelihood because we can prove that each set of solutions of MME are identical to BLUP and restricted BLUP of breeding values and then it does not depend on normality. In the present study, the author shows deriving directly each MME from BLUP and restricted BLUP equations for breeding values without assuming the joint normal distribution of the data and random effects. However, if we cannot assume the multivariate normal density distribution of the estimated aggregate breeding value and each breeding value for selected traits, the response to selection by restricted BLUP may deviate from the expected values.
Cumulative exposure to phthalates from phthalate‐containing drug products: a Danish population‐wide study
Authors: Ennis Zandra Nymand , Broe Anne , Pottegård Anton , Ahern Thomas P. , Hallas Jesper , Damkier Per
Published: April 2018

Aims

Up to 50‐fold higher levels of urinary phthalate metabolites have been observed in users of phthalate‐containing drug products compared with non‐users. This is of concern, as phthalates are suspected endocrine disrupters and have been associated with cancer development. This study aims to quantify annual cumulated phthalate exposure from drug products among users of phthalate‐containing oral medications in Denmark throughout the period of 2004–2016.

Methods

We conducted a Danish nationwide cohort study using The Danish National Prescription Registry and an internal database held by The Danish Medicines Agency. These databases hold information on drug products; date of dispensing, and the type and quantity of excipients in drugs with Danish marketing permission. We present the number of users over time and their distribution of exposure to enteric phthalate polymers and ortho‐phthalates.

Results

The annual number of individuals exposed to phthalate‐containing products declined during 2004–2016. The total number of individuals exposed to dibutyl phthalate declined from 21 499 in 2004 to 5400 in 2016. However, among those exposed, the median dibutyl phthalate exposure remained above European regulatory limit of exposure ranging between 380–1710 mg/year throughout the study period. Lithium‐products constituted the majority of dibutyl phthalate exposure. Diethyl phthalate exposure, mainly caused by erythromycin, theophylline and diclofenac products, did not exceed the EMA regulatory limit.

Conclusion

While the number of individuals exposed to phthalates from oral medications during 2004–2016 declined, the use of phthalate‐containing drugs is still considerable.
Educational pelvic exams on anesthetized women: Why consent matters
Authors: Friesen Phoebe
Published: April 2018

It is argued here that the practice of medical students performing pelvic exams on women who are under anesthetic and have not consented is immoral and indefensible. This argument begins by laying out the ethical justification for the practice of informed consent, which can be found in autonomy and basic rights. Foregoing the process of consent within medicine can result in violations of both autonomy and basic rights, as well as trust, forming the basis of the wrong of unauthorized pelvic examinations. Several objections to this argument are considered, all of which stem from the idea that this practice constitutes an exception to the general requirement of informed consent. These objections suggest that nonconsensual pelvic examinations on women under anesthetic are ethically acceptable on utilitarian grounds, in that they offer benefits either to the patient or to society, or on the grounds of triviality, in that consent is already presumed, or the practice is insignificant. Each of these objections is rejected and the practice is deemed indefensible.
A diagnostic tree model for polytomous responses with multiple strategies
Authors: Ma Wenchao
Published: April 2018

Constructed‐response items have been shown to be appropriate for cognitively diagnostic assessments because students’ problem‐solving procedures can be observed, providing direct evidence for making inferences about their proficiency. However, multiple strategies used by students make item scoring and psychometric analyses challenging. This study introduces the so‐called two‐digit scoring scheme into diagnostic assessments to record both students’ partial credits and their strategies. This study also proposes a diagnostic tree model (DTM) by integrating the cognitive diagnosis models with the tree model to analyse the items scored using the two‐digit rubrics. Both convergent and divergent tree structures are considered to accommodate various scoring rules. The MMLE/EM algorithm is used for item parameter estimation of the DTM, and has been shown to provide good parameter recovery under varied conditions in a simulation study. A set of data from TIMSS 2007 mathematics assessment is analysed to illustrate the use of the two‐digit scoring scheme and the DTM.
Impact of age on survival of locoregional nasopharyngeal carcinoma: An analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program database, 2004‐2013
Authors: Huang S.‐J. , Tang Y.‐Y. , Liu H.‐M. , Tan G.‐X. , Wang X. , Zhang H. , Yang F. , Yang S.
Published: April 2018

Objectives

To determine the impact of age at diagnosis and other factors on survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Design, Setting and Participants

A retrospective, population‐based cohort study of 3103 patients are selected, whose records were submitted to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2004 and 2013. We evaluated the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who were 20 years or older with a diagnosis of primary, non‐metastatic NPC.

Main outcome measures

Overall survival (OS) and risks of OS and NPC‐specific survival.

Results

Overall survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 85.8%, 71.0%, and 62.6%, respectively. Older age was a significant predictor of poor OS, as was Chinese ethnicity. We also determined that middle‐aged white patients, but not middle‐aged black or Chinese patients, were at a higher risk of death than were younger patients of the same race/ethnicity. Nodal (N) stage 0‐1 disease was a significant predictor of poor OS when comparing survival of older patients with N0‐1 vs N2‐3 stage disease. Finally, we found that married patients had a decreased risk of death when compared to those who were single.

Conclusions

The survival of older patients with NPC is inferior to that of younger patients. Race/ethnicity, marital status, and stage of disease are important modifiers of risk. Collectively, our results indicate that management of older patients requires optimisation.
Bone: Another potential target to treat, prevent and predict diabetes
Authors: Liu Dong‐mei , Mosialou Ioanna , Liu Jian‐min
Published: April 2018

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is now a worldwide health problem with increasing prevalence. Mounting efforts have been made to treat, prevent and predict this chronic disease. In recent years, increasing evidence from mice and clinical studies suggests that bone‐derived molecules modulate glucose metabolism. This review aims to summarize our current understanding of the interplay between bone and glucose metabolism and to highlight potential new means of therapeutic intervention. The first molecule recognized as a link between bone and glucose metabolism is osteocalcin (OCN), which functions in its active form, that is, undercarboxylated OCN (ucOC). ucOC acts in promoting insulin expression and secretion, facilitating insulin sensitivity, and favouring glucose and fatty acid uptake and utilization. A second bone‐derived molecule, lipocalin2, functions in suppressing appetite in mice through its action on the hypothalamus. Osteocytes, the most abundant cells in bone matrix, are suggested to act on the browning of white adipose tissue and energy expenditure through secretion of bone morphogenetic protein 7 and sclerostin. The involvement of bone resorption in glucose homeostasis has also been examined. However, there is evidence indicating the implication of the receptor activator of nuclear factor κ‐B ligand, neuropeptide Y, and other known and unidentified bone‐derived factors that function in glucose homeostasis. We summarize recent advances and the rationale for treating, preventing and predicting diabetes by skeleton intervention.
Mortality risk remains higher in individuals with type 1 diabetes: A population‐based cohort study (the Ayrshire diabetes follow‐up cohort [ADOC])
Authors: Collier Andrew , Connelly Paul J. , Hair Mario , Cameron Lyall , Ghosh Sujoy , Waugh Norman
Published: April 2018

Aims

Type 1 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all‐cause mortality. Numerous studies have demonstrated that outcomes for diabetes are improved by intensive glycaemic control, blood pressure control, and treatment of dyslipidaemia in addition to cessation of smoking. The aim of this study was to compare mortalities in individuals with type 1 diabetes with that in non‐diabetic individuals, and to investigate the effects of age, gender, glycaemic control, socio‐economic status, hypertension, ischaemic heart disease (IHD), smoking status, body mass index (BMI) and dyslipidaemia.

Methods

A population‐based analysis in Ayrshire and Arran, Scotland included 253 304 non‐diabetic individuals and 1324 individuals with type 1 diabetes who were tracked from 2009 to 2014.

Results

Patients with type 1 diabetes had higher mortality rates than non‐diabetic individuals (HR, 3.20; P < .01), with relative mortality in female individuals with type 1 diabetes being higher than that in males (OR, 2.38 vs 1.52; P < .01). Increasing age (HR, 2.37), smoking (HR, 1.85), IHD (HR, 1.62) and hypertension (HR, 1.21) (all P < .01) increased mortality risk. A hypertensive female with type 1 diabetes and IHD who smoked had an HR of 11.6 compared with a non‐smoking, normotensive non‐diabetic female without IHD. For a hypertensive male with type 1 diabetes and IHD who smoked, HR was 6.96. BMI > 30 kg/m2 was associated with reduced mortality risk in both non‐diabetic (HR, 0.61) and diabetic subjects (HR, 0.40).

Conclusions

This study confirmed that the risk of mortality in individuals with type 1 diabetes remains elevated. Further studies are required to understand how gender affects the disparity in mortality and why obesity appears to be protective.
The potentials of game‐based environments for integrated, immersive learning data
Authors: Groff Jennifer S.
Published: April 2018

In the last two decades, game‐based learning environments have evolved into powerful learning tools. With the growth and evolution in complexity of these innovations, complementary work in game‐based assessment design has also begun to take shape and has generated considerable interest among a variety of education stakeholders. This is in part due to their ability to offer real‐time, adaptive and integrated formative feedback. As the use of digital devices and digital learning tools continues to expand in schools, the potential for harnessing learning data becomes increasingly possible and powerful. Yet there are inherent tensions and challenges in the nature of collecting assessment data inside a game‐based learning environment which confront our foundational premises of what makes for a good assessment. In this article, we explore the evolution and opportunities of the emerging field of game‐based assessment, the challenges and tensions these innovations present and how we may be able to collectively advance this work to benefit everyday classrooms.
Scientific publications of European neurologists: a survey commissioned by the European Academy of Neurology
Authors: Cruccu G. , Deuschl G. , Federico A.
Published: April 2018

Background and purpose

Bibliometric searches may provide an indirect assessment of research in a field or country. The European Academy of Neurology decided to investigate how article production was developing in European countries, as an indicator of neurological vitality.

Methods

We searched two databases, Scopus and PubMed, for articles published by authors belonging to neurological institutions in all European countries, the USA, Brazil, China and Japan. The search assessed production in the period between 2000 and 2015. We calculated four indicators, i.e. gross neurological product (GNP) (which includes all articles published in any indexed journal), production in top neurological journals, GNP per inhabitant and GNP per gross domestic product.

Results

All indicators greatly increased over time. The European GNP paralleled that of the USA and was higher than those of the other countries. Restricting the search to top neurological journals showed that, since 2012, European production grew faster than that of the USA. Germany had the highest production within Europe, Switzerland had the best ratio between GNP and inhabitants, and The Netherlands had the best ratio between GNP and gross domestic product.

Conclusions

Although this search had several limitations, the results were so straightforward that we can conclude that European neurology is highly active in the world. Future analyses should compare neurology with other main medical disciplines.
A guide to miRNAs in inflammation and innate immune responses
Authors: Nejad Charlotte , Stunden H. James , Gantier Michael P.
Published: April 2018

The discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the early 1990's has revolutionized our thinking of post‐transcriptional gene control. miRNAs are involved in the regulation of almost every cellular and developmental process in eukaryotic organisms. In the context of infection and immunity, miRNAs play critical roles controlling processes involved in pathogen clearance, while ensuring a rapid return to homeostasis. In this review, we provide a broad overview of the miRNAs that have been implicated in innate immunity and inflammation in mammals over the past decade. We discuss how most miRNAs can have dual activities on inflammation, suggesting that modulation of their activity for therapeutic purposes may be context‐dependent.
Writing Rape, Troping History: Story, Plot, and Ethical Reading in Julia Franck'sDie Mittagsfrau(2007)
Authors: Stone Katherine
Published: April 2018

This article examines the rhetorical function of sexual violence in Julia Franck's novelDie Mittagsfrau(2007), which unflinchingly relates the degradations to which the protagonist is subjected from infancy: sexual exploitation by her sister, psychological abuse at the hands of her mother, sexual harassment by a family friend, abuse by her eventual husband, marginalization as a “Mischling” in the Third Reich, and gang rape by Soviet soldiers. Franck extensively and graphically describes individual episodes of sexual harassment within chapters that span several years. This narrative excess warrants a “hysterical reading,” so to speak: an approach that magnifies textual details in order to demonstrate the link between representations of sexual violence and wider patterns of structural and symbolic violence. The gaps and tensions that emerge as the narrative shifts between the mimetic and tropological levels provide the basis for a broader exploration of the ethics of reading and the ethics of representing sexual violence more generally.
Effects of Lactobacillus buchneri isolated from tropical maize silage on fermentation and aerobic stability of maize and sugarcane silages
Authors: Silva L. D. , Pereira O. G. , Silva T. C. , Leandro E. S. , Paula R. A. , Santos S. A. , Ribeiro K. G. , Valadares Filho S. C.
Published: April 2018

This study was aimed to perform a screening of Lactobacillus buchneri strains from maize silage and use them as inoculant in maize and sugarcane silages. In all, 151 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from whole‐plant maize silage, and their identification was based on the sequence analysis of 16S rDNA. In total, 15 strains were categorized to the L. buchneri group and eight of these were selected based on growth rate and fermentation pattern. The selected strains were evaluated on fermentation and aerobic stability of maize and sugarcane silages. For maize, the inoculated silages had lower pH and higher LAB population, but lower acetic acid concentration in comparison with the untreated control silage. For sugarcane silage, the strains 56.1, 56.4 and 40788 resulted in highest dry‐matter (DM) content and lowest DM losses. However, only the strain 40788 showed lowest counts of yeasts and moulds. Sugarcane silages inoculated with the strains 56.9, 56.26 and the untreated control silage showed highest concentrations of lactic acid and ethanol, besides the great DM losses. Even so, for both crops, the aerobic stability was not affected by inoculation. After air exposure, all silages increased temperature and had high population of yeast and moulds. Nevertheless, the strains 56.1 and 56.4 are promising for use as a silage inoculant.
Can the Land Use Master Plan Control Urban Expansion and Protect Farmland in China? A Case Study of Nanjing
Authors: Shao Zinan , Spit Tejo , Jin Zhifeng , Bakker Martha , Wu Qun
Published: April 2018

Urbanization represents a challenge for plans aimed at controlling urban expansion and protecting farmland, such as the land use master plan (LUMP) instituted by the Chinese national government. This paper studies the effectiveness of such top–down plans under the authoritarian regime through the case study of Nanjing. In contrast to previous studies that compare actual and planned land‐use maps, we compare actual and planned land‐use patterns. We use land‐use change data to examine spatio‐temporal land‐use change between the years 1997 and 2014. The results indicate that the actual amount of urban‐rural built‐up land exceeded planned regulatory amount by 50,185 ha and the total farmland was 70,541 ha less than the target outlined in the LUMP (1997–2010). Based on these results, and the fact that the allowed total urban‐rural built‐up land had already been surpassed in 2014, it is to be expected that the target of farmland protection outlined in the LUMP (2006–2020) will be broken, signaling the ineffectiveness of the plan to control urban expansion and protect farmland. Plan‐led developments (e.g., new towns, development zones) and market forces (e.g., housing market, foreign direct investment) explain these developments. This study indicates that when cities embrace “growth‐led” development and entrepreneurial governance, the ability of plans to control urban expansion and protect farmland is severely limited.
The Changing Geography of Domestic Financial City Network in China, 1995–2015
Authors: Zhao Jinli , Zhang Xuebo , Song Jinping
Published: April 2018

Based on longitudinal office distribution data on top domestic financial enterprises, this study explores the evolution of China's financial city network in the last two decades by means of a social network analysis. The position of each city in financial city network is evaluated from two aspects which are external financial resources attraction and headquarters financial development based, respectively, on urban weighted indegree and urban weighted outdegree. Taking these two aspects together, the top echelons of the financial city network can be regarded as potential national or regional financial centers. Furthermore, by means of a panel data regression analysis, determining factors of financial city network evolution are explored from perspectives of location, institution, and social‐economy. We find that most cities have witnessed significant changes in city position, especially in terms of external financial resources attraction, and the influencing factors of financial development vary by region due to the disparities in regional financial development environments.
Using climatic variables to estimate dry matter production in the grazing stratum of Piatã palisadegrass
Authors: Brandao Virginia L. N. , Rocha Gabriel O. , Chizzotti Fernanda H. M. , Silva Alex L. , Marcondes Marcos I.
Published: April 2018

The modeling of pasture production could be used as a tool to make the process of working with increasingly erratic precipitation and temperature patterns resulting from climate change easier and more accurate. This study aimed to define models to determine dry matter, leaf and stem production associated with climatic variables for Palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã) in the grazing stratum. Four treatments were established to provide the greatest variability throughout the experiment, consisting of two light interception percentages as cutting criteria (95 and 100%) and two residue heights (15 and 20 cm). Data were collected between January 2012 and December 2013. Dry matter production day−1 (DMPd), leaf production day−1 (LPd) and stem production day−1 (SPd) were regressed against 13 climatic variables. The variables were also corrected by multiplying each variable by the relationship: real evapotranspiration/potential evapotranspiration. The backward procedure was used to determine significant variables to estimate production; then a multiple regression was fitted. When the corrected variables presented better Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC), they replaced the original variables. The analysis showed that climate variables are adequate to estimate DMPd, LPd and SPd in palisadegrass cv. Piatã, and the models should significantly contribute to pasture management across tropical regions.
Influence of portlandite on Pyrex glass dissolution and the formation of alkali‐silica chemical reaction products
Authors: Noguchi Natsumi , Morinaga Yuka , Kajio Tomohiro , Yogarajah Elakneswaran , Nawa Toyoharu
Published: April 2018

The dissolution behavior of Pyrex glass in a model system consisting of 1‐M NaOH with varying amounts of portlandite, representing the glass dissolution in alkaline environment and alkali‐silica reaction (ASR) in cementitious materials, is studied. The Pyrex glass dissolution and the reaction products were characterized using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance (29Si‐NMR), and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X‐ray (SEM/EDX), and the silica and calcium concentrations in the liquid phase were determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐AES). The experimental results show that the dissolution of the Pyrex glass continued until it consumed the portlandite and then reached a constant rate, with a linear relationship with the amount of portlandite. The absence of calcium and reduction of silica concentration in the liquid phase with the increase in portlandite indicate the formation of high‐reaction products with portlandite, confirmed by XRD and 29Si‐NMR. The calcium sodium silicate hydrate (C–N–S–H) and sodium silicate hydrate (N–S–H) are the main ASR products; their composition and proportions strongly depend on the reaction time and the amount of portlandite added. A thermodynamic model, which couples geochemical code (PHREEQC) and the experimental silica dissolution rate, was used to predict ASR products and the remaining portlandite. The simulation results predicted the experimental data fairly well for different portlandite additions. The mechanism for Pyrex glass dissolution in the presence of varying portlandite additions is discussed with regard to experimental data and simulation results.
Interaction between lead‐free multicomponent alkali borosilicate glass frits and hematite in red overglaze enamels
Authors: Inada Hirofumi , Okazaki Yuki , Yokoyama Tadanori , Takaishi Taigo , Fujii Tatsuo , Takada Jun , Asoh Hidetaka , Hashimoto Hideki
Published: April 2018

Japanese traditional red overglaze enamel decorations on porcelain known as akae are produced using lead‐containing frits, leading to a problem of lead release. Although many lead‐free frits have been developed, a well‐colored akae has not yet been realized, mainly because of no information on the reaction between lead‐free frits and hematite during the heating process in akae production. To reveal the effect of such interaction between the frits and hematite in akae on the color tone, various akae test pieces were prepared and investigated. On using low‐melting‐point lead‐free alkali borosilicate glass system, which contain zinc oxide, the formation of zinc ferrite proceeds simultaneously with the dissolution and particle growth of hematite in the frit melt. The particle growth rate due to dissolution and precipitation in the frit melt is faster than that due to sintering of particles caused by heat treatment of hematite powder in dry process. The dissolving capacity and promoting effect of particle growth depended on frit compositions. We also showed that the composition of akae glass layer varies because of ions diffusing from the glaze layer. Compositional changes in the akae glass could strongly affect the reactivity between the frits and hematite, resulting in variation in the color tone, the crystal phases formed, and their segregated states.
Regional flood frequency analysis using L‐moments for geographically defined regions: An assessment in Brazil
Authors: Cassalho F. , Beskow S. , de Mello C.R. , de Moura M.M.
Published: April 2018

The devastating effects of floods, combined with scarce data sets, have stimulated the development of hydrological regionalisation techniques. The present study proposed an evaluation of the L‐moments based index‐flood procedure, coupled with watershed grouping based on geographical convenience for regionalisation of maximum streamflows. A pioneer analysis for South America, addressing the geographical classification method adopted by National Water Agency of Brazil (ANA), was conducted considering over 100 watersheds in southern Brazil. Nonstationary and discordant maximum annual streamflow (MAS) series were removed with the aid of the Mann–Kendall test and discordancy measure, whereas the heterogeneity measure was used to check regional homogeneity. The best regional distribution was identified by the
Z
DIST goodness‐of‐fit measure. Finally, multiple nonlinear regressions, considering morphological and meteorological watershed characteristics, were performed to obtain better index‐flood estimates. It was concluded that: (a) the proposed methodological strategy provided satisfactory estimation of design floods; (b) area, mean slope, stream gradient, and flow length, were the most satisfactory explanatory variables; (c) the fitted equations stand out as a state‐of‐art alternative for the scarce hydrological monitoring in southern Brazil; and (d) the hydrological boundaries defined by ANA might not be the most adequate approach from a regional point of view.
Behavioral Economics: A New Lens for Understanding Genomic Decision Making
Authors: Moore Scott Emory , Ulbrich Holley H. , Hepburn Kenneth , Holaday Bonnie , Mayo Rachel , Sharp Julia , Pruitt Rosanne H.
Published: April 2018

Purpose

This article seeks to take the next step in examining the insights that nurses and other healthcare providers can derive from applying behavioral economic concepts to support genomic decision making. As genomic science continues to permeate clinical practice, nurses must continue to adapt practice to meet new challenges. Decisions associated with genomics are often not simple and dichotomous in nature. They can be complex and challenging for all involved.

Design

This article offers an introduction to behavioral economics as a possible tool to help support patients’, families’, and caregivers’ decision making related to genomics.

Methods

Using current writings from nursing, ethics, behavioral economic, and other healthcare scholars, we review key concepts of behavioral economics and discuss their relevance to supporting genomic decision making.

Findings

Behavioral economic concepts—particularly relativity, deliberation, and choice architecture—are specifically examined as new ways to view the complexities of genomic decision making. Each concept is explored through patient decision making and clinical practice examples. This article also discusses next steps and practice implications for further development of the behavioral economic lens in nursing.

Conclusions

Behavioral economics provides valuable insight into the unique nature of genetic decision‐making practices.

Clinical Relevance

Nurses are often a source of information and support for patients during clinical decision making. This article seeks to offer behavioral economic concepts as a framework for understanding and examining the unique nature of genomic decision making. As genetic and genomic testing become more common in practice, it will continue to grow in importance for nurses to be able to support the autonomous decision making of patients, their families, and caregivers.
Stem cell‐like populations and immunoregulatory molecules in periodontal granulation tissue
Authors: Apatzidou D. A. , Nile C. , Bakopoulou A. , Konstantinidis A. , Lappin D. F.
Published: April 2018

Background and Objectives

Determine the presence of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in healthy periodontal tissue and periodontal granulation tissue (GT) and explore associations between immuno‐regulatory molecules and selected subgingival microorganisms.

Material and Methods

Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated, propagated and characterised by flow cytometry from a region of healthy gingival tissue and inflamed GT of 10 systemically healthy non‐smokers with chronic periodontitis. Tissue levels of immunoregulatory molecules were determined by qPCR and Gingival Crevicular Fluid (GCF) levels by ELISA. Subgingival plaque levels of periodontal pathogens were determined by qPCR

Results

Cells with MSC‐properties were isolated from both inflamed GT and healthy gingival (G) tissue. A pro‐inflammatory process predominated in GT which was partly reflected in GCF and putative periodontal pathogens were higher at diseased sites. However, there was no significant difference in surface levels of mesenchymal (CD90, CD73, CD146, CD271, STRO‐1), endothelial (CD105, CD106), hematopoietic (CD34, CD45) and embryonic (SSEA‐4) stem cell markers between MSCs isolated from GT and G tissue.

Conclusion

Periodontal lesions, albeit inflamed, retain healing potential as inferred by the presence of MSC‐like cells with similar immunophenotypic characteristics to those found in healthy periodontal tissue. Therefore, there might be merits for healing in preserving sufficient GT in‐situ during periodontal surgery.
Influence of 3 calcium channel blockers on gingival overgrowth in a population of severe refractory hypertensive patients
Authors: Vidal F. , de Souza R. C. , Ferreira D. C. , Fischer R. G. , Gonçalves L. S.
Published: April 2018

Objective

The aim of the current study was to assess the association between 3 different calcium channel blockers (CCBs) (nifedipine, amlodipine and felodipine) and gingival overgrowth in patients with a diagnosis of severe refractory hypertension.

Methods

One hundred and sixty‐two patients with severe refractory hypertension, taking CCBs, were selected. Gingival overgrowth was graded and periodontal measurements were recorded (probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, plaque index and bleeding on probing). Unconditional multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between CCB intake and gingival overgrowth after adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Of the 162 patients, 26 (16.0%) were current smokers and 101 (62.3%) were females. The mean age (SD) was 54.1 (8.5) years and the median age (range) 52.5 (39‐78) years. Gingival overgrowth was observed in 55 patients (34.0%). Nifedipine was the most common medication (35.2%; 57 of 162). The results of multiple binary logistic regression showed statistically significant associations between CCB intake (exposure) and gingival overgrowth (outcome) after adjusting for the variables treatment time with antihypertensive and plaque index. Patients with gingival overgrowth were 2.5 (odds ratio = 2.46; 95% confidence interval: 1.04‐5.82) and 4.0 (odds ratio = 3.90; 95% confidence interval: 1.47‐10.35) times more likely to be taking nifedipine and amlodipine, respectively, than patients without gingival overgrowth. On the other hand, this significant association was not observed for felodipine.

Conclusion

Nifedipine and amlodipine, but not felodipine, were associated with gingival overgrowth in patients with severe refractory hypertension.
Legacy of historical litter raking in temperate forest plant communities
Authors: Vild Ondřej , Šipoš Jan , Szabó Péter , Macek Martin , Chudomelová Markéta , Kopecký Martin , Suchánková Silvie , Houška Jakub , Kotačka Martin , Hédl Radim
Published: April 2018

Question

European temperate forests have been managed for millennia, and this management has left a long‐lasting legacy in soil chemistry and plant species composition and diversity. One of the most common practices was the raking of leaf litter, which was used as bedding for farm animals. We asked, what is the legacy of historical litter raking for contemporary forest plant communities?

Location

Czech Republic.

Methods

We explored the effect of historical litter raking on species richness and diversity of the forest herbaceous layer. We also tested whether long‐term soil acidification and nutrient depletion caused by litter raking were reflected in Ellenberg indicator values for nutrients and soil reaction and in the higher abundance of specialists of acidophilous forest types. We used written historical evidence to identify areas where litter raking was practised in the 19th century. We analysed the differences between vegetation plots located in areas affected and unaffected by the past litter raking. Our analysis included almost 2,500 vegetation plots recorded between 1980 and 2015.

Results

Litter raking was historically practised in a striking 85% of forested townships. Although litter raking had no significant effect on overall species richness, we found significant differences of diversity patterns among forest types. Historically raked plots were taxonomically more similar. We found no difference in the mean Ellenberg indicator values for soil reaction and nutrients between the affected and unaffected plots, and only a weak positive response of selected herb species of acidophilous forests.

Conclusions

We provide the first empirical evidence of the historical litter‐raking legacy in forest communities on a large scale. Despite its historical frequency, we found only a weak legacy of historical litter raking in present‐day plant communities. Future studies could potentially use other, finer‐scale methods in smaller territories to complement our results.
Genetic identification of factors for extracellular cellulose accumulation in the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus vulcanus: proposal of a novel tripartite secretion system
Authors: Maeda Kaisei , Tamura Jyunya , Okuda Yukiko , Narikawa Rei , Midorikawa Takafumi , Ikeuchi Masahiko
Published: April 2018

Cells of the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus vulcanus strain RKN (NIES‐2134) aggregate and produce extracellular cellulose under induced conditions of blue light and low temperature, and both aggregation and cellulose production require the cellulose synthase Tll0007 (XcsA) and photosensory diguanylate cyclases. However, overexpression of both the cellulose synthase and a constitutively active diguanylate cyclase was not sufficient to induce cellulose‐mediated cell aggregation under normal growth conditions. Synteny analysis and gene knockout revealed that two putative genes, hlyD‐like tlr0903 (xcsB) and endoglucanase‐like tlr1902 (xcsC), are linked to tll0007, although they are located apart from tll0007 in the T. vulcanus genome. Gene knockdown revealed that tlr1605 (tolC) was essential for the cellulose‐mediated cell aggregation. Low temperature induced marked upregulation of tlr0903, and overexpression of both tlr0903 (but not tlr1902) and diguanylate cyclase resulted in the strong cell aggregation and cellulose accumulation under normal conditions. Based on these and phylogenetic analysis, we propose that the cyanobacterial extracellular cellulose production is due to a novel variant of the bacterial tripartite secretion system.