bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Child Food Requests and Maternal Compliance in Low‐income Hispanic and Non‐Hispanic Families
Authors: Haroldson Amber , Cordell Zachary , Haldeman Lauren
Published: September 2015

This study examined child food requests, maternal compliance to those requests, and how these differed between Hispanic and non‐Hispanic participants. Low‐income mother–child dyads (N = 149) completed an in‐home structured interview, and height and weight were measured. The average number of requests per child by food group from most to least was as follows: grains, combination, sweets, dairy, fruits, fats, beverages, meats, and vegetables. The average rate of maternal compliance by food group from highest to lowest was as follows: vegetables, meat, fruits, combination, beverages, dairy, grains, fats, and sweets. Hispanic children requested significantly more dairy (p < .001), beverages (p < .001), and combination foods (p = .045) compared to non‐Hispanic children, but maternal compliance rates were not significantly different between groups. Utilizing child influence on dietary behaviors could be a strategy for future nutrition interventions in this population.
Financial Coaching and Financial Therapy: Differences and Boundaries
Authors: Delgadillo Lucy M. , Britt Sonya L.
Published: September 2015

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to disentangle differences between financial coaching and financial therapy. While financial coaching and financial therapy share many techniques and approaches, financial therapy is a more inclusive practice. Financial therapy (e.g., financial therapists) has the ability to address dysfunctional money attitudes, as well as money disorders, and covers a wider time spectrum of healing a person's past trauma and old pains. Another difference between financial coaching and financial therapy that is discussed in the paper is the arrangement of services and compensation. The paper does not suggest that one approach is better or right. Each approach can be appropriate for particular situations.
Plastic zone correction on a Zener–Stroh crack interacting with a circular inclusion in ductile materials
Authors: Fan M. , Yi D. K. , Xiao Z. M.
Published: September 2015

Elastic–plastic stress analysis on a matrix Zener–Stroh crack interacting with a circular inclusion (fibre) in fibre‐reinforced composites has been carried out. The Zener–Stroh crack is initiated near the fibre in the pure matrix. Plastic zone correction is introduced the first time for such a crack–inclusion interaction problem so that the fracture behaviour can be analysed more accurately. To determine the plastic zone sizes, a generalized Irwin model is proposed for the mixed‐mode problem where the Von Mises stress yielding criterion is employed. Different to a Griffith crack, a Zener–Stroh crack propagation always occurs from the sharp tip whose relative position to the inclusion has great effect on the elastic–plastic fracture behaviour of the crack. In our study, the plastic zone size (PZS), crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) and effective stress intensity factor (SIF) are evaluated by solving the formulated singular integral equations. Through the numerical examples, the influence of the inclusion (fibre) shear modulus, crack–inclusion distance and the crack sharp tip position on the fracture behaviour of the crack is discussed. It is found that the shear modulus ratio and the crack–inclusion distance have great effect on the normalized values of PZS and CTOD, but the effects highly depend on the crack sharp tip position.
It is the economy, stupid! Projecting the fate of fish populations using ecological–economic modeling
Authors: Quaas Martin F. , Reusch Thorsten B. H. , Schmidt Jörn O. , Tahvonen Olli , Voss Rudi
Published: September 2015

Four marine fish species are among the most important on the world market: cod, salmon, tuna, and sea bass. While the supply of North American and European markets for two of these species – Atlantic salmon and European sea bass – mainly comes from fish farming, Atlantic cod and tunas are mainly caught from wild stocks. We address the question what will be the status of these wild stocks in the midterm future, in the year 2048, to be specific. Whereas the effects of climate change and ecological driving forces on fish stocks have already gained much attention, our prime interest is in studying the effects of changing economic drivers, as well as the impact of variable management effectiveness. Using a process‐based ecological–economic multispecies optimization model, we assess the future stock status under different scenarios of change. We simulate (i) technological progress in fishing, (ii) increasing demand for fish, and (iii) increasing supply of farmed fish, as well as the interplay of these driving forces under different scenarios of (limited) fishery management effectiveness. We find that economic change has a substantial effect on fish populations. Increasing aquaculture production can dampen the fishing pressure on wild stocks, but this effect is likely to be overwhelmed by increasing demand and technological progress, both increasing fishing pressure. The only solution to avoid collapse of the majority of stocks is institutional change to improve management effectiveness significantly above the current state. We conclude that full recognition of economic drivers of change will be needed to successfully develop an integrated ecosystem management and to sustain the wild fish stocks until 2048 and beyond.
Phylogenetic patterns in the geographic distributions of birds support the tropical conservatism hypothesis
Authors: Duchêne David A. , Cardillo Marcel
Published: September 2015

Aim

Recent research suggests that the latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) in birds is unlikely to result from faster diversification in the tropics. This puts the focus on other mechanisms, such as dispersal, as the primary drivers for the LDG. We aim to distinguish two prominent models, tropical conservatism (TCH) and out of the tropics (OTM), which make distinct predictions about dispersal across latitudes and the phylogenetic clustering of assemblages in temperate regions.

Location

Global.

Methods

We used geographic and phylogenetic data for more than 9000 bird species to reconstruct the ancestral latitudinal zone for each node in each of 100 bird phylogenetic estimates. We used methods that consider discrete latitudinal zones, as well as those that consider latitudinal position as a continuous variable. We then estimated the frequency of ancestor–descendant dispersal within and across latitudinal zones. We also quantified phylogenetic clustering in latitudinal zones separately for bird assemblages within the Old World and the New World.

Results

Latitudinal distributions are relatively conserved: 60–96% of nodes had the same inferred latitude as their immediate ancestral node. We find that dispersal events out of the tropics were less frequent (4–5%) than dispersal events into the tropics (15–21%), the opposite of what would be expected under the OTM. Nodes with inferred temperate distributions are generally younger than the Eocene–Oligocene Climate Transition, as expected under the TCH. Phylogenetic clustering shows no regular patterns of association with latitude, and is likely to be largely driven by radiations within a few large forested biomes.

Main conclusions

Our results provide support for the expectations of the TCH, but are less consistent with those of the OTM. Both the deeper origins of tropical clades and the comparatively recent but infrequent dispersal events into temperate regions appear to play a role in generating the strong disparity in tropical and temperate species richness in birds.
Male Syrian Hamsters Experimentally Infected with Helicobacter spp. of the H. bilis Cluster Develop MALT‐Associated Gastrointestinal Lymphomas
Authors: Woods Stephanie E. , Ek Courtney , Shen Zeli , Feng Yan , Ge Zhongming , Muthupalani Sureshkumar , Whary Mark T. , Fox James G.
Published: September 2015

Background

Aged hamsters naturally infected with novel Helicobacter spp. classified in the H. bilis cluster develop hepatobiliary lesions and typhlocolitis.

Methods

To determine whether enterohepatic H. spp. contribute to disease, Helicobacter‐free hamsters were experimentally infected with H. spp. after suppression of intestinal bacteria by tetracycline treatment of dams and pups. After antibiotic withdrawal, weanlings were gavaged with four H. bilis‐like Helicobacter spp. isolated from hamsters or H. bilis ATCC 43879 isolated from human feces and compared to controls (n = 7 per group).

Results

Helicobacter bilis 43879‐dosed hamsters were necropsied at 33 weeks postinfection (WPI) due to the lack of detectable infection by fecal PCR; at necropsy, 5 of 7 were weakly PCR positive but lacked intestinal lesions. The remaining hamsters were maintained for ~95 WPI; chronic H. spp. infection in hamsters (6/7) was confirmed by PCR, bacterial culture, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and ELISA. Hamsters had mild‐to‐moderate typhlitis, and three of the male H. spp.‐infected hamsters developed small intestinal lymphoma, in contrast to one control. Of the three lymphomas in H. spp.‐infected hamsters, one was a focal ileal mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) B‐cell lymphoma, while the other two were multicentric small intestinal large B‐cell lymphomas involving both the MALT and extra‐MALT mucosal sites with lymphoepithelial lesions. The lymphoma in the control hamster was a diffuse small intestinal lymphoma with a mixed population of T and B cells.

Conclusions

Results suggest persistent H. spp. infection may augment risk for gastrointestinal MALT origin lymphomas. This model is consistent with H. pylori/heilmannii‐associated MALT lymphoma in humans and could be further utilized to investigate the mechanisms of intestinal lymphoma development.
Comparison of Iron‐Binding Ability Between Thr70‐NapA and Ser70‐NapA of Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Shan Weiran , Kung Hsiang‐fu , Ge Ruiguang
Published: September 2015

Background

The neutrophil‐activating protein (NapA) of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), with DNA‐binding and iron seizing properties, is a fundamental virulence factor involved in H. pylori‐related diseases. Compared with Ser70‐NapA strain, Thr70‐NapA strain is more intimately correlated with iron‐deficiency anemia.

Methods

To investigate whether two types of proteins differ in iron‐binding ability, mutated Thr70‐NapA and Ser70‐NapA strains were established. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) method was conducted to measure the binding between the NapA protein and Fe2+. The structural changes of NapA protein were also tested during iron interaction by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) and circular dichroism (CD) methods. DNA‐binding assay was performed for evaluate the affinity of both mutated and wild types of NapA with DNA.

Results

Mutated Thr70‐NapA had higher iron‐binding ability than wild Ser70‐NapA. The structural stability of Thr70‐NapA was disrupted and became more active along with the rising concentration of Fe2+, whereas no similar association was observed between Ser70‐NapA and Fe2+ level. When the iron/protein molar ratio ranged from 10 to 20, both Ser70‐NapA and Thr70‐NapA displayed weaker DNA‐binding ability.

Conclusions

Thr70‐NapA has much stronger ability to sequester ferrous ion compared with Ser70‐NapA in H. pylori. In addition, the DNA‐binding property of NapA is dependent upon the Fe2+ concentration.
Arab men who have sex with men in Israel: knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices
Authors: Mor Z , Grayeb E , Beany A
Published: September 2015

Objectives

Arab men who have sex with men (AMSM) are becoming visible in society, and reports of HIV infection and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are emerging. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of AMSM regarding HIV transmission, their attitudes towards condom use and their sexual practices compared with Jewish MSM (JMSM), and to evaluate AMSM–JMSM friendships and sexual encounters.

Methods

Participants in this cross‐sectional study completed questionnaires in Arabic or Hebrew. The outcome variable was unprotected anal sex (UAI) in the previous 6 months with a partner(s) whose HIV status was discordant or unknown. AMSM and JMSM indicated if they had friends or sexual encounters from the other ethnic group.

Results

The questionnaires were completed by 342 (16.2%) AMSM and 1775 (83.8%) JMSM in 2012. AMSM were more likely to be religious, ‘closeted’ and married than JMSM; their knowledge regarding HIV transmission was inferior and attitudes towards condom use were less favourable. AMSM reported less alcohol and drug use than JMSM, were more likely to be attracted to and have sex with women, and reported a greater number of sexual partners and more UAI. Being AMSM was a predictive variable for UAI in the multivariate model. While 178 AMSM (52.0%) reported that most of their close friends were JMSM, 251 (73.4%) had only/mostly sexual encounters with JMSM. Among JMSM, 41 (2.3%) reported that their close friends were AMSM, and 308 (17.3%) had only/mostly sexual encounters with AMSM.

Conclusions

The knowledge of AMSM regarding HIV transmission and their attitudes towards condom use were less favourable than those of JMSM, and they performed more UAI. AMSM may benefit from targeted interventions, including reconciling their same‐sex attraction in positive terms. Same‐sex attraction and gay identity may provide common ground to strengthen Arab–Jew communication in Israel.
Constructing undesirables: A critical discourse analysis of ‘othering’ within the Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act
Authors: Huot Suzanne , Bobadilla Andrea , Bailliard Antoine , Laliberte Rudman Debbie
Published: September 2015

Immigration policy in Canada has recently shifted, reflecting changes in other Western countries. We studied the discursive constructions of forced migrants within Bill C‐31 “Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act” and its associated Backgrounder documents published by the Canadian Government. The documents were analysed using an approach to critical discourse analysis adapted from Bacchi's (2009) methodology and informed by a theoretical framework of “othering”. Particular groups of migrants were represented as posing threats to the economy, the integrity of the refugee system, and national security. The documents offered three solutions: the creation of specific categories of migrants, an emphasis upon efficiency of the system, and expanded powers to the government. The problematization of asylum seekers as posing multiple threats to Canadian society obfuscates governmental responsibilities to this population and reflects common strategies of neoliberal governance.
Prejudices and perceptions: patient acceptance of mobile technology use in health care
Authors: Alexander S. M. , Nerminathan A. , Harrison A. , Phelps M. , Scott K. M.
Published: September 2015

mHealth is transforming health care, yet few studies have evaluated patient and carer perceptions of the use of smartphones at the patient bedside. In this study, 70 patients and carers answered a short survey on health professionals' use of mobile devices. Half the participants were tolerant of doctors using such devices if it was work‐related; others believed it was a distraction and not beneficial to patient care. Changes in practice and patient education may be needed to enable effective use of mobile devices in health.
System A amino acid transporters regulate glutamine uptake and attenuate antibody‐mediated arthritis
Authors: Raposo Bruno , Vaartjes Daniëlle , Ahlqvist Emma , Nandakumar Kutty‐Selva , Holmdahl Rikard
Published: September 2015

Proliferation of rapidly dividing bone marrow‐derived cells is strongly dependent on the availability of free glutamine, whose uptake is mediated through different amino acid transporters. The sodium‐coupled neutral amino acid transporter (SNAT) family was previously reported to be associated with the development of collagen‐induced arthritis in mice. Here, we tested the hypothesis whether impairment of SNAT proteins influences immune cell function and in turn alters arthritis development. The 2‐(methylamino)isobutyric acid (MeAIB), a SNAT‐specific substrate, was used to modulate the function of SNAT proteins. We demonstrate that glutamine uptake by murine naive lymphocytes, and consequent cell proliferation, is strongly associated with system A transporters. Physiological impairment of SNAT proteins reduced the antibody‐initiated effector phase of arthritis, mainly by affecting the levels of circulating monocytes and neutrophils. MeAIB was also shown to affect the proliferation of immortalized cells, through trans‐inhibition of SNAT proteins. Based on our observations, we conclude that SNAT proteins regulate the initial stages of lymphocyte activation by regulating glutamine uptake, and that the effector phase of arthritis can be affected by non‐metabolized SNAT substrates. Most probably, metabolically active cells within both the adaptive and the innate immune systems are regulated by SNAT proteins and play a role in modifying arthritis development.
Community Health Workers’ Provision of Family Planning Services in Low‐ and Middle‐Income Countries: A Systematic Review of Effectiveness
Authors: Scott Valerie K. , Gottschalk Lindsey B. , Wright Kelsey Q. , Twose Claire , Bohren Meghan A. , Schmitt Megan E. , Ortayli Nuriye
Published: September 2015

This systematic review evaluates the strength of the evidence that community health workers’ (CHW) provision of family planning (FP) services in low‐ and middle‐income countries is effective. In a search of eight databases, articles were screened by study design and outcome measure and ranked by strength of evidence. Only randomized trials, longitudinal studies with a comparison group, and pre‐test/post‐test studies met inclusion criteria. A total of 56 studies were included. Of those studies with relevant data, approximately 93 percent indicated that CHW FP programs effectively increased the use of modern contraception, while 83 percent reported an improvement in knowledge and attitudes concerning contraceptives. Based on these findings, strong evidence exists for promoting CHW programs to improve access to FP services. We recommend a set of best practice guidelines that researchers and program managers can use to report on CHW FP programs to facilitate the translation of research to practice across a wide range of settings.
School Socioeconomic Composition and Adolescent Sexual Initiation in Malawi
Authors: Kim Jinho
Published: September 2015

Numerous studies have documented the determinants of sexual behavior among adolescents in less‐developed countries, yet relatively little is known about the influence of social contexts such as school and neighborhood. Using two waves of data from a school‐based longitudinal survey conducted in Malawi from 2011–13, this study advances our understanding of the relationship between school‐level socioeconomic contexts and adolescents’ sexual activity. The results from two‐level multinomial logistic regression models suggest that high socioeconomic composition of the student body in school decreases the odds of initiation of sexual activity, independent of other important features of schools and individual‐level characteristics. This study also finds that the association between school socioeconomic composition and sexual activity is statistically significant among male adolescents but not female adolescents, suggesting that schools’ socioeconomic contexts may be more relevant to male adolescents’ initiation of sexual activity.
Microwave Dielectric Properties and Thermally Stimulated Depolarization Currents of (1−x)Ba(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–xBaSnO3 Solid Solutions
Authors: Zhang Jie , Zhou Yuanyuan , Yue Zhenxing , Zhang Xiaohua , Li Longtu
Published: September 2015

Microwave dielectric ceramics of (1−x)Ba(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐xBaSnO3 [(1−x)BMN‐xBS] with high quality factors was synthesized by the solid‐state reaction method. The effects of BaSnO3 additions (x = 0–0.2) on the sinterability, crystal structures, microwave dielectric properties, and microwave dielectric loss mechanisms of BMN were investigated systematically. The degree of 1:2 cation ordering was decreased with increasing Sn content and eventually faded away as x ≥ 0.1, where the low‐temperature relaxations disappeared coincidently through the thermally stimulated depolarization current technique. It was supposed to be the short‐range misplacements of the B‐site cations within the long‐range ordered structure. Meanwhile, the high‐temperature relaxations associated with the in‐grain oxygen vacancies were found in all the title compounds. Though the concentrations of oxygen vacancies of 0.8BMN‐0.2BS were higher than BMN, high Q × f values could also be obtained even in the absence of 1:2 cation ordering. Specifically, the excellent characteristics like εr = 29.02, Q × f = 90 000 GHz and τf = 6.3 ppm/°C were achieved in the specimens of x = 0.2 sintered at 1450°C.
Patients' perceptions of transgressive behaviour in care relationships with nurses: a qualitative study
Authors: Vandecasteele Tina , Debyser Bart , Van Hecke Ann , De Backer Tineke , Beeckman Dimitri , Verhaeghe Sofie
Published: September 2015

Aim

To gain insight in the onset and meaning of transgressive behaviour in care relationships with nurses, from the perspective of patients.

Background

Aggression and transgressive behaviour in health care have been a focus of research over the last decades. Most studies describe staff experiences on patient aggression. Patient' perspectives on aggression and transgressive behaviour in interactions with nurses are rarely sought.

Design

Qualitative interview study.

Methods

Twenty patients were purposefully sampled from six wards of two general hospitals. Semi‐structured interviews were carried out in 2011. Data were analysed using the constant comparative method influenced by the grounded theory approach.

Findings

On elaborating on what constitutes experiences of transgressive behaviour, patients employ a framework of suppositions towards hospital care and nurse–patient relationships. This framework leads to implicit ideas on how competent professional caregivers will be and on how relationships with nurses will be characterized as normal human interactions. When these anticipated ideas are not met, patients feel obliged to address this discrepancy by adjusting their expectations or behaviour. Patients become more vigilant with regard to care given by nurses; search for own solutions; make excuses for nurses or reprioritize their expectations. Because of this adjustment, perceptions of transgressive behaviour are reinforced, mitigated or put into perspective.

Conclusion

Patients adjust their behaviour based on what they experience in care relationships with nurses or the hospital care. It is crucial that patients feel free to discuss their assumptions or untoward needs and nurses learn to understand and reflect on those experiences.
Improvement in emotional eating associated with an enhanced body image in obese women: mediation by weight‐management treatments' effects on self‐efficacy to resist emotional cues to eating
Authors: Annesi James J. , Mareno Nicole
Published: September 2015

Aims

To assess effects of cognitive‐behavioural weight‐loss treatments on self‐efficacy to control emotionally cued eating and whether those changes mediate relationships between body satisfaction and emotional eating.

Background

Emotional eating is common, especially in women with obesity. A better understanding of relationships of its psychosocial correlates might benefit behavioural weight‐loss treatments.

Design

A field‐based, quantitative study incorporated two theoretically derived weight‐loss treatments using repeated measures analyses that employed validated surveys.

Methods

Women with obesity volunteered for a community‐based weight‐loss study and were assigned to either a treatment of a manual plus phone support (n = 47), or in‐person contacts emphasizing self‐regulation (n = 48), over 6 months. Both emphasized physical activity, healthy eating and building self‐efficacy for enabling the health‐behaviour changes. Data were collected between 2013–2014. Multiple regression analyses assessed predictors of self‐efficacy change. Mixed‐model analysis of variances assessed treatment differences in psychosocial changes. Mediation analyses assessed mediation of the relationships between body satisfaction and emotional eating changes.

Results

Changes in Overall mood and Self‐regulation significantly predicted change in Self‐efficacy to control emotionally cued eating. Changes in Body satisfaction, Emotional eating, Mood, Self‐regulating eating and Self‐efficacy were significant overall, and each significantly greater in the in‐person treatment. Self‐efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between changes in Body satisfaction and Emotional eating total (and Emotional eating when depressed or anxious, but not when frustrated/angry).

Conclusion

Results clarified mediation of the dynamic relationship between body satisfaction and emotional eating, which might enable behavioural weight‐loss treatments to better‐address emotional eating.
Low reproductive isolation and highly variable levels of gene flow reveal limited progress towards speciation between European river and brook lampreys
Authors: Rougemont Q. , Gaigher A. , Lasne E. , Côte J. , Coke M. , Besnard A.‐L. , Launey S. , Evanno G.
Published: September 2015

Ecologically based divergent selection is a factor that could drive reproductive isolation even in the presence of gene flow. Population pairs arrayed along a continuum of divergence provide a good opportunity to address this issue. Here, we used a combination of mating trials, experimental crosses and population genetic analyses to investigate the evolution of reproductive isolation between two closely related species of lampreys with distinct life histories. We used microsatellite markers to genotype over 1000 individuals of the migratory parasitic river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) and freshwater‐resident nonparasitic brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) distributed in 10 sympatric and parapatric population pairs in France. Mating trials, parentage analyses and artificial fertilizations demonstrated a low level of reproductive isolation between species even though size‐assortative mating may contribute to isolation. Most parapatric population pairs were strongly differentiated due to the joint effects of geographic distance and barriers to migration. In contrast, we found variable levels of gene flow between sympatric populations ranging from panmixia to moderate differentiation, which indicates a gradient of divergence with some population pairs that may correspond to alternative morphs or ecotypes of a single species and others that remain partially isolated. Ecologically based divergent selection may explain these variable levels of divergence among sympatric population pairs, but incomplete genome swamping following secondary contact could have also played a role. Overall, this study illustrates how highly differentiated phenotypes can be maintained despite high levels of gene flow that limit the progress towards speciation.
Within‐species variation in long‐term trajectories of growth, fecundity and mortality in the Collembola Folsomia candida
Authors: Mallard F. , Farina M. , Tully T.
Published: September 2015

Senescence – the progressive deterioration of organisms with age – affects many traits of which survival and reproduction are the most commonly studied. Recent comparative studies have revealed a remarkable amount of variation in the patterns of ageing across the tree of life. This between‐species diversity raises many questions about the evolution of senescence and of the shapes of the life‐history age trajectories. Here, we study how the different components of the shapes of these life‐history age trajectories can vary within a single species to shed light on the possible constraints involved in their evolution. To do so, we closely followed in controlled laboratory conditions, and for more than 450 days, the mortality, body length and fecundity of small cohorts of two clonal lineages of the Collembola Folsomia candida. We studied three components of the adult mortality trajectory: the baseline mortality, onset and speed of senescence. We found that they can differ between strains of a single species in such a way that, remarkably, an increased life expectancy is not synonymous with a delayed senescence: the strain that grows bigger has the longest life expectancy but suffers from a precocious senescence. We observed marked differences between the strains in the asymptotic body length and reproductive investment. More generally, our results highlight the importance of finely describing the long‐term trajectories of several life‐history traits in order to better understand how the patterns of senescence have been shaped by natural selection.
Paternity analyses in wild‐caught and laboratory‐reared Caribbean cricket females reveal the influence of mating environment on post‐copulatory sexual selection
Authors: Oneal E. , Knowles L. L.
Published: September 2015

Polyandry is ubiquitous in insects and provides the conditions necessary for male‐ and female‐driven forms of post‐copulatory sexual selection to arise. Populations of Amphiacusta sanctaecrucis exhibit significant divergence in portions of the male genitalia that are inserted directly into the female reproductive tract, suggesting that males may exercise some post‐copulatory control over fertilization success. We examine the potential for male–male and male–female post‐copulatory interactions to influence paternity in wild‐caught females of A. sanctaecrucis and contrast our findings with those obtained from females reared in a high‐density laboratory environment. We find that female A. sanctaecrucis exercise control by mating multiple times (females mount males), but that male–male post‐copulatory interactions may influence paternity success. Moreover, post‐copulatory interactions that affect reproductive success of males are not independent of mating environment: clutches of wild‐caught females exhibit higher sire diversity and lower paternity skew than clutches of laboratory‐reared females. There was no strong evidence for last male precedence in either case. Most attempts at disentangling the contributions of male–male and male–female interactions towards post‐copulatory sexual selection have been undertaken in a laboratory setting and may not capture the full context in which they take place – such as the relationship between premating and post‐mating interactions. Our results reinforce the importance of designing studies that can capture the multifaceted nature of sexual selection for elucidating the role of post‐copulatory sexual selection in driving the evolution of male and female reproductive traits, especially when different components (e.g. precopulatory and post‐copulatory interactions) do not exert independent effects on reproductive outcomes.
Trichogramma parasitoids for control of Lepidopteran borers in Taiwan: species, life‐history traits and Wolbachia infections
Authors: Wu L. H. , Hoffmann A. A. , Thomson L. J.
Published: September 2015

Trichogramma, polyphagous endoparasitoids of lepidopteran eggs, are used against a variety of crop pests throughout the world including those of sugar cane and corn in south‐eastern Asia. Their ability to be easily and economically reared on factitious hosts and their wide host range have contributed to their widespread use in pest control. The overall aim of this study was to select strains for eventual release in crop areas for control of lepidopteran borer pests of sugar cane and corn. To this end, we identified common Trichogramma species emerging from corn borer egg masses throughout south‐western Taiwan, compared their life‐history characteristics, assessed their thermal limits and identified the Wolbachia infection status of collected Trichogramma parasitoids. Trichogramma ostriniae was the most commonly collected species on corn, with occasional detection of T. chilonis and an unidentified species designated as T. sp. y. Although the sex ratio varied widely between sites, Wolbachia infection was detected only at a single site in one species (T. ostriniae). Wolbachia‐infected T. ostriniae were tolerant to high temperature stress. Trichogramma chilonis had lowest fecundity of the three species tested, and a Wolbachia‐infected T. ostriniae strain had lower fecundity than an uninfected strain. Given the limited availability of distribution and historical data for Trichogramma species in Taiwan, the current study provides a baseline for future work and also highlights the importance of accurately identifying species when establishing colonies of natural enemies for biocontrol.
Distribution and influence of grazing on wheat curl mites (Aceria tosichella Keifer) within a wheat field
Authors: Umina P. A. , Schiffer M. , Parker P. , Hoffmann A. A.
Published: September 2015

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) is a serious disease of wheat and is primarily transmitted from infected to healthy plants by the wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella Keifer. Although wheat is the primary plant host of A. tosichella, wheat curl mites have been recorded on more than 60 different plant hosts; this broad host range allows mites to survive outside the wheat‐growing season by providing a ‘green bridge’. Despite the fact that A. tosichella can only crawl short distances, the mites can disperse via wind and thus have the capacity to readily infest wheat crops from neighbouring refuges. In this study, we undertook field trials to investigate the temporal movement of A. tosichella, as well as the importance of wind and livestock grazing on mite dispersal late in the cropping season. We demonstrate there is a window in spring when A. tosichella undergo significant movement in south‐eastern Australia, and this is likely related to the development stage of wheat plants, and may also be influenced by wind direction. We found that grazing wheat crops reduced mite numbers, suggesting that any increase in WSMV issues in ‘grain and graze’ crops is likely due to the longer season wheat varieties used in these systems rather than the direct effects of grazing. These results emphasize the importance of crop management strategies in the control of A. tosichella.
Perspectives of orthopaedic surgeons on patients' appropriateness for total joint arthroplasty: a qualitative study
Authors: Frankel Lucy , Sanmartin Claudia , Hawker Gillian , De Coster Carolyn , Dunbar Michael , Bohm Eric , Noseworthy Tom
Published: September 2015

Rationale, aims and objectives

As total joint arthroplasty (TJA) rates rise, there is need to ensure appropriate use. Our objective was to elucidate surgeons' perspectives on appropriateness for TJA.

Methods

Semi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted in a sample of orthopaedic surgeons that perform TJA in three Canadian Provinces. Surgeons were asked to discuss their criteria for TJA appropriateness for osteoarthritis; potential value of a decision‐support tool to select appropriate candidates; and the role of other stakeholders in assessing appropriateness.

Results

Of 17 surgeons approached for participation, 14 completed interviews (12 males; 7 aged <50 years; 5 academic; 8 in urban practices). Surgeons agreed that pain and pain impact on patients' quality of life and function were the key criteria to assess appropriateness for TJA, but that these concepts were difficult to assess and not always congruent with structural changes on joint radiography. Some used a wider range of criteria, including their assessments of patient expectations, ability to cope and readiness for surgery. While patient age was not identified as a criterion itself, surgeons did acknowledge that appropriateness criteria may differ for younger versus older patients. Most agreed that a decision‐support tool would help ensure that all elements of appropriateness are assessed in a standardized manner, albeit the ultimate decision to offer surgery must be left to the discretion of surgeons, within the context of the doctor–patient relationship.

Conclusions

Surgeons recognized the need for a tool to support decision making for TJA, particularly in the context of increasing surgical demand in younger patients with less severe arthritis. The work to develop and test such a decision‐support tool is underway.
miR‐122‐5p as a plasma biomarker of liver injury in fish exposed to microcystin‐LR
Authors: Florczyk M , Brzuzan P , Krom J , Woźny M , Łakomiak A
Published: September 2015

Recent studies have shown the presence of large amounts of microRNAs (miRNAs; miRs) from damaged cells in the peripheral blood. In this study, we investigated the levels of miRNAs circulating in the blood plasma of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) after exposure to microcystin‐LR. We used real‐time PCR to examine the relative expression of plasma levels of 4 miRNAs (miR‐122‐5p and let‐7c‐5p, the liver‐enriched microRNAs, miR‐148a‐3p which promotes the hapatospecific phenotype in mammals, and miR‐92a‐3p, a cell proliferation and angiogenesis promoter, potentially hepatocarcinogenic) during the first 48 h after exposure to MC‐LR. We observed a rapid increase of miR‐122‐5p levels 8 h after exposure (P < 0.05), which continued to the end of the experiment. Our results demonstrated that the plasma miR‐122‐5p was indicative of MC‐LR‐induced liver injury, exhibiting areas under the curve close to 1 in ROC analysis (AUC = 0.976, P < 0.001). Although plasma levels of miR‐148a‐3p and miR‐92a‐3p were significantly elevated by the end of the experiment, their discriminative power was lower than reported for the miR‐122‐5p. Based on these results and reports on miRNA‐based diagnosis of liver injuries in mammals, plasma miR‐122‐5p could be considered as a robust, new generation diagnostic biomarker in fish, helpful for the non‐invasive diagnosis of liver damage.
Rheology and Fluid Dynamic of Egg White: Effect of Thixotropy on Engineering Design
Authors: Polachini Tiago Carregari , Basso Rodrigo Corrêa , Telis‐Romero Javier
Published: September 2015

The wide application of egg products by food industries reinforces the importance of dealing with egg white properties, such as thermophysical ones, for correct processing and equipment design. Therefore, rheological properties, density and pressure drops were studied from 0.5 to 53.4C, as well as their influence on the energy pump required in a hypothetical pipeline configuration. Egg white presented Power–Law behavior, with thixotropy. Consistency coefficient and apparent viscosity were estimated by an Arrhenius‐type equation for downward and upward curves. Densities were obtained as a linear function of temperature. Fanning friction factors could be calculated and correlated with generalized Reynolds number. The use of Rabinowitsch–Mooney equation resulted in good similarity with the rheological behavior obtained using the rheometer. Different cases of pipeline simulation showed a deviation of until 2.8% in the required energy pump.

Practical Applications

Egg white is a very useful product of food industry, but its processing requires the knowledge of some thermophysical properties. Among them, there are rheological properties and flow behavior which could present thixotropy. Studying how transport properties are affected by shear rate is valid for the correct equipment design. In order to evaluate this behavior deviation on industrial plant designs, thixotropy and friction factors of egg white are discussed in this work through the aid of a hypothetical pipeline. Rheograms obtained from pressure drops (along a pipe) and shear stress (by rheometer) were compared to provide information about the similarity between different ways for data acquisition.
Effect of Thermal Processing on Antibacterial Activity of Multifloral Honeys
Authors: Pimentel‐González D.J. , Basilio‐Cortes U.A. , Hernández‐Fuentes A.D. , Figueira A.C. , Quintero‐Lira A. , Campos‐Montiel R.G.
Published: September 2015

In this study, the effects of thermal processing in the antibacterial activity of four multifloral honeys were determined. The thermal treatments were carried out at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80C, and the following characteristics were determined: total phenols and antibacterial activity of three gram‐positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) and three gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The results showed that the behavior of total phenols in relation to temperature depended on the floral sources of honey. The honeys presented curves of either linear or quadratic responses of the antibacterial activity in relation to the thermal process, depending on the honey's floral sources and the kind of bacterium to inhibit. The results suggest that the honey's antibacterial activities and behavior with the temperature are different depending on the honey's floral sources and the kind of bacteria that they inhibit.

Practical Applications

The consumer trend to search for minimally processed foods has increased in recent years due to the perception that food processing decreases its health benefits and antibacterial activities. Honey can inhibit pathogenic bacteria, but this inhibition is determined by the floral source from which the honey is collected. In this study, it was shown that thermal processing has a different effect on the antibacterial activities of each honey. These effects were linear or quadratic according to the bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and the floral source of the honey. This effect did not depend on the Gram (the inhibition against Salmonella typhimurium was linear with respect to the thermal process in all honey), in contrast to E. coli (where the effect was quadratic with a peak at 60C in all of the honey). The results led to the conclusion that the thermal processing of each honey must be different to maximize their beneficial health effects as well as their antibacterial activities.
Detection of Prototheca zopfii in Raw Milk and Cheese with Special Reference to Their Antibiogram
Authors: AbdelHameed Karima G.
Published: September 2015

Milk and cheese contaminated with Prototheca sp. have zoonotic importance and constitute public health significance to the consumers. In this study, a total of 300 random raw milk and cheese samples were collected from Qena city markets, Egypt, to detect Prototheca sp. Fifty‐five of the total 58 isolates of Prototheca were isolated from raw milk and cheese, respectively. The isolates were identified conventionally and microscopically. API system and biochemical tests divided the isolates into four species as follows: P. zopfii, P. blaschkeae, P. stagnora and P. wickerhamii. The most prevalent isolated species was P. zopfii, which was isolated from 12% of buffalo's milk, 16% of cow's milk, 20% of Damietta and 22% of Kareish cheese samples. Polymerase chain reaction assay for P. zopfii confirmation was carried out by amplification of 18S rDNA that classified P. zopfii as genotypes I (28.88%) and II (71.11%). P. zopfii show in vitro resistance to almost all tested types of antimicrobial except for gentamicin and kanamycin. However, nystatin and ketoconazole showed the highest activity among the antifungal.

Practical Applications

In this study, high prevalence of Prototheca sp. in the examined raw milk and cheese samples constitutes a public health hazard to consumers. Therefore, sanitary measures during production, storage and processing, as well as sufficient heat treatment, should be recommended. In addition, the present research contributes to increase the knowledge on the diffusion of antibiotic resistance of P. zopfii strains.
The Conflicted State and Agrarian Transformation in Pink TideVenezuela
Authors: Enríquez Laura J. , Newman Simeon J.
Published: September 2015

Can radical political‐economic transformation be achieved by electoral regimes that have not thoroughly reconstructed the state? ContemporaryVenezuela offers an optimal venue for examining this question. TheChavistamovement did not replace the previous state: instead, its leaders attempted to reform existing state entities and establish new ones in pursuit of its transformation agenda. It has also used its oil wealth to support cooperatively‐oriented economic activity, without necessarily fundamentally altering the property structure. Thus, the social change‐oriented political economy exists alongside the traditional one. Focusing on agrarian transformation, we examine ethnographically how these factors have impacted the state's capacity to attain its goal of national food sovereignty. We find that the state's ability to accomplish this objective has been compromised bylack of agency‐level capacity,inter‐agency conflictand thepersistence of the previously‐extant agrarian property structure. These dynamics have influenced the state to shift from its initial objective of food sovereignty to a policy of nationalist food security.
Interleukin‐18 gene polymorphisms and risk of recurrent pregnancy loss: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Chen Hui , Yang Xiaorong , Du Jinge , Lu Ming
Published: September 2015

Interleukin‐18 (IL‐18) plays a potential pathological role in recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The results of published studies on the relationship between IL‐18 gene promoter polymorphisms (‐137G/C and‐607C/A) and RPL risk remain controversial. This meta‐analysis was performed to evaluate the association of IL‐18, ‐137G/C and‐607C/A gene polymorphisms with the risk of RPL under recessive, dominant and additive genetic models. A literature search was conducted in Medline, Embase and Web of Science for studies that described the effect of IL‐18 gene polymorphisms on RPL risk. The numbers of each ‐137G/C and‐607C/A genotype in the case and control groups were extracted. Quality of the original studies’ methodology was also assessed. Meta‐analysis was performed using Stata 13.1 software and the fixed effect model was used. Five articles were included in this meta‐analysis. No significant heterogeneity between the studies was noted. The IL‐18 ‐137 G/C polymorphism was significantly associated with an increased risk of RPL under a recessive genetic model (CC vs. GG + CG: odds ratio = 1.56, 95% confidence interval = 1.13 ~ 2.15). For the ‐607C/A mutation, we failed to find any association under any genetic models. The Egger's regression asymmetry test showed no publication bias. Our present study indicates a positive association between the CC genotype of the IL‐18 ‐137G/C gene and RPL risk. Future well‐designed large studies are needed to validate the association between IL‐18 gene polymorphisms and the risk of RPL.