bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adult activity and temperature preference drives region-wide damselfly (Zygoptera) distributions under a warming climate
Authors: Corser Jeffrey D. , White Erin L. , Schlesinger Matthew D.
Published: April 2015

We analysed a recently completed statewide odonate Atlas using multivariate linear models. Within a phylogenetically explicit framework, we developed a suite of data-derived traits to assess the mechanistic distributional drivers of 59 species of damselflies in New York State (NYS). We found that length of the flight season (adult breeding activity period) mediated by thermal preference drives regional distributions at broad (10
5
km
2
) scales. Species that had longer adult flight periods, in conjunction with longer growing seasons, had significantly wider distributions. These intrinsic traits shape species' responses to changing climates and the mechanisms behind such range shifts are fitness-based metapopulation processes that adjust phenology to the prevailing habitat and climate regime through a photoperiod filter.
Interference coloration as an anti-predator defence
Authors: Pike Thomas W.
Published: April 2015

Interference coloration, in which the perceived colour varies predictably with the angle of illumination or observation, is extremely widespread across animal groups. However, despite considerable advances in our understanding of the mechanistic basis of interference coloration in animals, we still have a poor understanding of its function. Here, I show, using avian predators hunting dynamic virtual prey, that the presence of interference coloration can significantly reduce a predator's attack success. Predators required more pecks to successfully catch interference-coloured prey compared with otherwise identical prey items that lacked interference coloration, and attacks against prey with interference colours were less accurate, suggesting that changes in colour or brightness caused by prey movement hindered a predator's ability to pinpoint their exact location. The pronounced anti-predator benefits of interference coloration may explain why it has evolved independently so many times.
Localized auxin peaks in concentration-based transport models of the shoot apical meristem
Authors: Draelants Delphine , Avitabile Daniele , Vanroose Wim
Published: April 2015

We study the formation of auxin peaks in a generic class of concentration-based auxin transport models, posed on static plant tissues. Using standard asymptotic analysis, we prove that, on bounded domains, auxin peaks are not formed via a Turing instability in the active transport parameter, but via simple corrections to the homogeneous steady state. When the active transport is small, the geometry of the tissue encodes the peaks’ amplitude and location: peaks arise where cells have fewer neighbours, that is, at the boundary of the domain. We test our theory and perform numerical bifurcation analysis on two models that are known to generate auxin patterns for biologically plausible parameter values. In the same parameter regimes, we find that realistic tissues are capable of generating a multitude of stationary patterns, with a variable number of auxin peaks, that can be selected by different initial conditions or by quasi-static changes in the active transport parameter. The competition between active transport and production rate determines whether peaks remain localized or cover the entire domain. In particular, changes in the auxin production that are fast with respect to the cellular life cycle affect the auxin peak distribution, switching from localized spots to fully patterned states. We relate the occurrence of localized patterns to a
snaking
bifurcation structure, which is known to arise in a wide variety of nonlinear media, but has not yet been reported in plant models.
Protein abundance may regulate sensitivity to external cues in polarized cells
Authors: Sturrock Marc , Dawes Adriana T.
Published: April 2015

Cell polarization is a ubiquitous process which results in cellular constituents being organized into discrete intracellular spatial domains. It occurs in a variety of cell types, including epithelial cells, immune system cells and neurons. A key player in this process is the Par protein family whose asymmetric localization to anterior and posterior parts of the cell is crucial for proper division and cell fate specification. In this paper, we explore a stochastic analogue of the temporal model of Par protein interactions first developed in Dawes & Munro (Dawes and Munro 2011
Biophys. J.
101, 1412–1422. (
doi:10.1016/j.bpj.2011.07.030
)). We focus on how protein abundance influences the behaviour of both the deterministic and stochastic versions of the model. In Dawes & Munro (2011), it was found that bistable behaviour in the temporal model of Par protein led to the existence of complementary domains in the corresponding spatio-temporal model. Here, we find that the corresponding temporal stochastic model permits switching behaviour (the model solution ‘jumps’ between steady states) for lower protein abundances, whereas for higher protein abundances the stochastic and deterministic models are in good agreement (the model solution evolves to one of two steady states). This led us to the testable hypothesis that cells with lower abundances of Par protein may be more sensitive to external cues, whereas cells with higher abundances of Par protein may be less sensitive to external cues. In order to gain more control over the precise abundance of Par protein, we proposed and explored a second model (again, examining both deterministic and stochastic versions) in which the total number of Par molecules is conserved. We found that this model required an additional dimerization reaction in the cytoplasm in order for bistable and switching behaviour to be found. Once this additional reaction was included, we found that both the first and second models gave qualitatively similar results but in different regions of the parameter space, suggesting a further regulatory mechanism that cells could potentially use to modulate their response to external signals.
Extrapolating from local ecological processes to genus-wide patterns in colour polymorphism in South AfricanProtea
Authors: Carlson Jane E. , Holsinger Kent E.
Published: April 2015

Polymorphic traits are central to many fundamental discoveries in evolution, yet why they are found in some species and not others remains poorly understood. We use the African genusProtea—within which more than 40% of species have co-occurring pink and white floral colour morphs—to ask whether convergent evolution and ecological similarity could explain the genus-wide pattern of polymorphism. First, we identified environmental correlates of pink morph frequency across 28 populations of four species. Second, we determined whether the same correlates could predict species-level polymorphism and monomorphism across 31 species. We found that pink morph frequency increased with elevation inProtea repensand three sectionExsertaespecies, increased eastward inP. repens, and increased with seed predation intensity in sectionExsertae. For cross-species comparisons, populations of monomorphic pink species occurred at higher elevations than populations of monomorphic white species, and 18 polymorphic species spanned broader elevational gradients than 13 monomorphic species. These results suggest that divergent selection along elevational clines has repeatedly favoured polymorphism, and that more uniform selection in altitudinally restricted species may promote colour monomorphism. Our findings are, to our knowledge, the first to link selection acting within species to the presence and absence of colour polymorphism at broader phylogenetic scales.
Echo state networks with multiple readout modules
Authors: Laan Andres , Vicente Raul
Published: April 2015

We propose a new readout architecture for echo state networks where multiple linear readout modules are activated at distinct time points to varying degrees by a separate controller module. The controller module, like the reservoir of the echo state network, can be initialized randomly. All linear readout modules are trained through simple linear regression, which is the only adaptive step in the modified algorithm. The resulting architecture provides modest improvements on a variety of time series processing tasks (between 5 to 50% in performance metric depending on the task studied). The novel architecture is guaranteed to perform at least as accurately as a conventional linear readout. It can be utilized as a general purpose readout method when augmentations to performance relative to the standard method is needed.

PACS numbers:05.45.Tp, 07.05.Mh
Phylogenomic analyses support traditional relationships within Cnidaria
Authors: Zapata Felipe , Goetz Freya E , Smith Stephen A , Howison Mark , Siebert Stefan , Church Samuel , Sanders Steven M , Ames Cheryl Lewis , McFadden Catherine S , France Scott C , Daly Marymegan , Collins Allen G , Haddock Steven HD , Dunn Casey , Cartwright Paulyn
Published: April 2015

Cnidaria, the sister group to Bilateria, is a highly diverse group of animals in terms of morphology, lifecycles, ecology, and development. How this diversity originated and evolved is not well understood because phylogenetic relationships among major cnidarian lineages are unclear, and recent studies present contrasting phylogenetic hypotheses. Here, we use transcriptome data from 15 newly-sequenced species in combination with 26 publicly available genomes and transcriptomes to assess phylogenetic relationships among major cnidarian lineages. Phylogenetic analyses using different partition schemes and models of molecular evolution, as well as topology tests for alternative phylogenetic relationships, support the monophyly of Medusozoa, Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Hydrozoa, and a clade consisting of Staurozoa, Cubozoa, and Scyphozoa. Support for the monophyly of Hexacorallia is weak due to the equivocal position of Ceriantharia. Taken together, these results further resolve deep cnidarian relationships, largely support traditional phylogenetic views on relationships, and provide a historical framework for studying the evolutionary processes involved in one of the most ancient animal radiations.
Phylogenetic analysis supports a link between DUF1220 domain number and primate brain expansion
Authors: Zimmer Fabian , Montgomery Stephen H.
Published: April 2015

The expansion of DUF1220 domain copy number during human evolution is a dramatic example of rapid and repeated domain duplication. However, the phenotypic relevance of DUF1220 dosage is unknown. Although patterns of expression, homology and disease associations suggest a role in cortical development, this hypothesis has not been robustly tested using phylogenetic methods. Here, we estimate DUF1220 domain counts across 12 primate genomes using a nucleotide Hidden Markov Model. We then test a series of hypotheses designed to examine the potential evolutionary significance of DUF1220 copy number expansion. Our results suggest a robust association with brain size, and more specifically neocortex volume. In contradiction to previous hypotheses we find a strong association with postnatal brain development, but not with prenatal brain development. Our results provide further evidence of a conserved association between specific loci and brain size across primates, suggesting human brain evolution occurred through a continuation of existing processes.
On the modeling of oil well drilling processes
Authors: Della Nave Esteban , Dvorkin Eduardo Natalio
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present the development of a simulator of oil well drilling processes.

Design/methodology/approach

– The simulator incorporates the main variables that are used by drilling engineers in the definition of the drilling processes. The code is useful a priori, in the design of a drilling process, as a tool for comparing different design options and predicting their results and a posteriori of a failure to understand its genesis and therefore provide know-why to improve the drilling techniques.

Findings

– The developed finite element simulator uses a co-rotational Bernoulli beam element, an explicit time integration scheme and an explicit contact algorithm. The numerical results show that the simulator is stable and provides consistent solutions.

Practical implications

– During the drilling of oil wells, the fatigue damage and wear of the drilling column is of utmost concern. To determine the mechanical behavior of the drilling column standard simplified analyses are usually performed using commercially available codes; however, those standard analyses do not include a transient dynamic simulation of the process; hence, it is necessary to develop a specific tool for the detailed dynamic simulation of drilling processes.

Originality/value

– A simulator able to perform a description of the drilling process in the time range will be an important contribution to the tools used by drilling engineers.
Guest editorial: humanitarian logistics - an opportunity for service research
Authors: Heaslip Graham
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature service operations management (OM) and its application to the field of humanitarian operations.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper serves as the editorial for this issue of JHLSCM.

Findings

– The paper suggests that there is an opportunity for service OM academics to apply their knowledge and skills to answer fundamental questions in the humanitarian OM field.

Research limitations/implications

– There is a need for a re-conceptualization of the term “humanitarian operations” to include services. Humanitarian OM is not just products but also services.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes to the knowledge and applications of services OM in humanitarian operations research. This is the first work to identify how services OM theories can be adopted for humanitarian OM research. This research should serve as a foundation for future research.
Does online collaboration with customers drive innovation performance?
Authors: Ryzhkova Natalia
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the actual usage of online methods for collaboration with customers and firms’ innovation performance. Drawing on theories of knowledge flows and knowledge creation, this study analyses the results of customer collaboration in the online mode in comparison to the offline mode.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data for the econometric analysis comes from managers of 102 so-called “gazelles”, knowledge-intensive service firms that were characterized by exceptionally stable growth rates in Sweden during 2010 and 2011.

Findings

– This study confirms the significance of information and communication technology (ICT)-supported collaboration with customers for a firm’s innovation performance. Interacting with customers using online methods has a positive effect on companies’ innovation output. Besides, knowledge-intensive service companies demonstrate more extensive though less intensive use of online channels for collaborating with customers compared to offline methods.

Research limitations/implications

– The data for this study has typical limitations resulting from the collection method of web-surveying. Future research should refine the findings of this study using various measures of firms’ innovation performance.

Practical implications

– Firms should be more receptive towards online methods of collaboration with customers because using such strategy can increase their probability to introduce service innovations. The insights from this study are especially valuable for companies in knowledge-intensive service industries because the sample consist of companies that can be regarded as successful cases.

Originality/value

– This study is one of the first that addresses the issue of the impact of collaborative technologies on innovation performance. The sample of steady-growing gazelle companies adds value to the results.
Customer defection in retail banking
Authors: Piha Lamprini P. , Avlonitis George J.
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide managers and researchers a comprehensive view of the root causes of customer departure and empirically test the attitudinal and behavioural consequences of failed service quality in a retail banking context.

Design/methodology/approach

– A quantitative study was conducted among retail banking customers who had defected from a large retail bank provider. Data from 989 usable responses to a questionnaire filled through a telephone survey were applied to model estimation through structural equation modelling.

Findings

– Findings demonstrate the effect of failed service quality on customers’ negative attitudes towards the retail bank provider (dissatisfaction and lack of commitment), the direct negative impact of failed service quality on loyalty (the opposite of defection), as well as its indirect negative impact on loyalty through negative attitudes. The moderating role of customers’ switching costs and subjective knowledge of the bank’s products is revealed and the relative impact of each failed service quality factor on negative attitudes and behavioural intentions is assessed.

Practical implications

– Key areas causing customer dissatisfaction and eventually defection are shown to bank managers, providing direction for implementing strategies and mechanisms in order to effectively reduce the defection rate.

Originality/value

– The theoretical model, which was in large confirmed through the empirical data, offers for the first time empirical evidence regarding the extent to which the general categories of reasons to defect in a service context identified in the literature are indeed causing customer exit.
Australian citizenship in interesting times
Authors: Cary Lisa , Pruyn Marc , Austin Jon
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to understand, more deeply, what the field of citizenship education stands for, in both theory and practice, historically and currently, and especially, in relation to the new Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship. The authors have drawn on the backgrounds in social studies/social education, multicultural education, democracy education and Indigenous studies, in order to more deeply and profoundly understand “civics and citizenship education” and what it represents today in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

– Methodologically, the authors see epistemological spaces as discursive productions from post-structural/post-modern and critical perspectives. These positions draw upon the notion of discourse as an absent power that can validate/legitimize vs negate/de-legitimize. The authors employ a meta-level analysis that historicizes the spaces made possible/impossible for those in deviant subject positions through a critique of the current literature juxtaposed with a presentation and analysis of “citizenship snapshots” of the authors. In this way, the authors attempt to move beyond conceptions of deviant citizenship based on curricular content and instructional method, and explore the realms of epistemology through the study of exclusion/inclusion.

Findings

– Reflecting the highly personal and individualized nature of the type of research required to be conducted in this aspect of national and personal identity, each of the authors draws here on personal experiences with aspects of citizenship that are not noticeably present in the current national curriculum. Specifically, the three “citizenship snapshots” at the heart of this paper’s discussion and analysis – snapshots constructed by academics who both understand and resist the racialised/classed privilege bestowed upon them by nation states – are: “The boomerang citizen”, “privileged and non-privileged citizen immigrants”, and “Indigenous citizenship, sovereignty & colonialism”.

Originality/value

– Drawing both on the current international scholarship on citizenship, power and social changes and the critical/post-structuralist qualitative methodology set forth by the authors, this work describes and problematizes the evolving “citizenship identities” in an attempt to critically assess the new civics and citizenship component of the Australian curriculum; understand the ongoing development of national, regional and global “trans/international” citizenship youth identities; and make connections between citizenship education, identity development and the global youth “occupy”/liberation movements.
Researching the researcher: the heart and mind in sub-prime times
Authors: emerald elke , Carpenter Lorelei
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to gather research-stories, that is, the stories of the researcher themselves. The authors gather stories that situate researchers in their social, political, personal and professional contexts to learn about being a researcher in a University at this particular historical moment.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors’ stories began with the naive question – “What is it like to be a researcher in a University right now?”. The authors asked this question of Julie White’s (2012) “disposable academics” (p. 50); short-term and casualised staff with insecure teaching or research contracts. They asked White’s (2012, p. 48) “academic infantry” the mid-career researchers who have felt the labour intensification of recent times. They also asked senior academics, established professors with established research histories and the security (they hope) of a steady track record and a list of external grants.

Findings

– The answers were not simple. They were stories of the pragmatics of managing the new academic scene; maintaining a research passion despite the pressures of new managerialism’s focus on certain forms of efficiency, external accountability and monitoring; resolving the apparent losses of autonomy, academic freedom, support, security and academic dignity. The authors heard emotional and vulnerable stories, stories of personal investment and emotionally and physically risky and dangerous encounters. The authors learnt something of the complex business of negotiating personal and professional subjectivities.

Originality/value

– The authors heard emotional and vulnerable stories, stories of personal investment and emotionally and physically risky and dangerous encounters. They learnt something of the complex business of negotiating personal and professional subjectivities.
Post‐anthesis changes in the labellum of Cypripedium macranthos var. rebunense (Orchidaceae) and a speculation on functional design of the labellum
Authors: Sugiura Naoto , Yumiyama Megumi
Published: April 2015

In bumblebee‐pollinated Cypripedium macranthos var. rebunense, some plants have small labella that do not allow pollinating queens to enter, but they occasionally produce capsules for reasons that remain unclear. We found that after anthesis, the labellum gradually droops, and its width and length (but not height) distinctly increase, eventually producing an elongate and dorsoventrally compressed shape. The rate of increase in labellum size was significantly greater in flowers that initially had a smaller labellum, so that the post‐anthesis changes actually enabled large‐bodied bumblebees to enter those labella. Therefore, we conclude that C. macranthos var. rebunense relied on only bumblebee queens for pollination, irrespective of labellum size at the time of anthesis. Observations of in‐labellum bumblebee behavior suggested that the elongate and dorsoventrally compressed shape and the inclination seemed to result in more predictable and desirable bumblebee movements into the labellum.
A preliminary and qualitative study of resource ratio theory to nitrifying lab‐scale bioreactors
Authors: Bellucci Micol , Ofiţeru Irina D. , Beneduce Luciano , Graham David W. , Head Ian M. , Curtis Thomas P.
Published: April 2015

The incorporation of microbial diversity in design would ideally require predictive theory that would relate operational parameters to the numbers and distribution of taxa. Resource ratio‐theory (RRT) might be one such theory. Based on Monod kinetics, it explains diversity in function of resource‐ratio and richness. However, to be usable in biological engineered system, the growth parameters of all the bacteria under consideration and the resource supply and diffusion parameters for all the relevant nutrients should be determined. This is challenging, but plausible, at least for low diversity groups with simple resource requirements like the ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB). One of the major successes ofRRTwas its ability to explain the ‘paradox of enrichment’ which states that diversity first increases and then decreases with resource richness. Here, we demonstrate that this pattern can be seen in lab‐scale‐activated sludge reactors and parallel simulations that incorporate the principles ofRRTin a floc‐based system. High and low ammonia and oxygen were supplied to continuous flow bioreactors with resource conditions correlating with the composition and diversity of residentAOBcommunities based onAOB16SrDNAclone libraries. Neither the experimental work nor the simulations are definitive proof for the application ofRRTin this context. However, it is sufficient evidence that such approach might work and justify a more rigorous investigation.
Marine hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria as whole‐cell biosensors for n‐alkanes
Authors: Sevilla Emma , Yuste Luis , Rojo Fernando
Published: April 2015

Whole‐cell biosensors offer potentially useful, cost‐effective systems for the in‐situ monitoring of seawater for hydrocarbons derived from accidental spills. The present work compares the performance of a biosensor system for the detection of alkanes in seawater, hosted in either Escherichia coli (commonly employed in whole‐cell biosensors but not optimized for alkane assimilation) or different marine bacteria specialized in assimilating alkanes. The sensor system was based on the Pseudomonas putida AlkS regulatory protein and the PalkB promoter fused to a gene encoding the green fluorescent protein. While the E. coli sensor provided the fastest response to pure alkanes (25‐fold induction after 2 h under the conditions used), a sensor based on Alcanivorax borkumensis was slower, requiring 3–4 h to reach similar induction values. However, the A. borkumensis sensor showed a fourfold lower detection threshold for octane (0.5 μM), and was also better at sensing the alkanes present in petrol. At petrol concentrations of 0.0125%, the A. borkumensis sensor rendered a sevenfold induction, while E. coli sensor showed no response. We discuss possible explanations to this behaviour in terms of the cellular adaptations to alkane uptake and the basal fluorescence produced by each bacterial strain, which was lowest for A. borkumensis.
A rare case of cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy
Authors: Meah Nekma , Khirwadkar Nitin , Ellison Judith
Published: April 2015

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy is a rare microangiopathy first described by Salama and Rosenthal in 2000. Several cases have been reported to date, describing distinct histological findings of thick hyaline collagenous blood vessel walls in the superficial dermis. Clinical confusion can arise with generalised essential telangiectasia. We report a case occurring in a 76‐year‐old woman who presented with a 2‐year history of a telangiectatic rash progressing from her knees upwards. The diagnosis was confirmed on skin biopsy and treatment with pulsed dye laser was later initiated at the patient's request.
Postoperative morbidity survey, mortality and length of stay following emergency laparotomy
Authors: Howes T. E. , Cook T. M. , Corrigan L. J. , Dalton S. J. , Richards S. K. , Peden C. J.
Published: April 2015

Thirty‐day mortality following emergency laparotomy is high, and greater amongst elderly patients. Studies systematically describing peri‐operative complications are sparse, and heterogeneous. We used the postoperative morbidity survey to describe the type and frequency of complications, and their relationship with outcomes for 144 patients: 114 < 80 years old, and 30 ≥ 80 years old. Cumulative postoperative morbidity survey scores and patterns of morbidity were similar (p = 0.454); however, 28‐day mortality was higher in the elderly (10/30 (33.3%) vs 11/114 (9.6%), p = 0.008), and hospital stay was longer (median (IQR [range]) 17 (13–35 [6–62]) days vs 11 (7–21 [2–159]) days, p = 0.006). Regression analysis indicated that cardiovascular, haematological, renal and wound complications were associated with longer hospital stay, and that cardiovascular complications predicted mortality. The postoperative morbidity survey system enabled structured mapping of the number and type of complications, and their relationship with outcome, following emergency laparotomy. These results indicate that rather than a greater propensity to complications following surgery, it was the failure to tolerate these that increased mortality in the elderly.
Targeting renal purinergic signalling for the treatment of lithium‐induced nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
Authors: Kishore B. K. , Carlson N. G. , Ecelbarger C. M. , Kohan D. E. , Müller C. E. , Nelson R. D. , Peti‐Peterdi J. , Zhang Y.
Published: April 2015

Lithium still retains its critical position in the treatment of bipolar disorder by virtue of its ability to prevent suicidal tendencies. However, chronic use of lithium is often limited by the development of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), a debilitating condition. Lithium‐induced NDI is due to resistance of the kidney to arginine vasopressin (AVP), leading to polyuria, natriuresis and kaliuresis. Purinergic signalling mediated by extracellular nucleotides (ATP/UTP), acting via P2Y receptors, opposes the action of AVP on renal collecting duct (CD) by decreasing the cellular cAMP and thus AQP2 protein levels. Taking a cue from this phenomenon, we discovered the potential involvement of ATP/UTP‐activated P2Y2 receptor in lithium‐induced NDI in rats and showed that P2Y2 receptor knockout mice are significantly resistant to Li‐induced polyuria, natriuresis and kaliuresis. Extension of these studies revealed that ADP‐activated P2Y12 receptor is expressed in the kidney, and its irreversible blockade by the administration of clopidogrel bisulphate (Plavix®) ameliorates Li‐induced NDI in rodents. Parallel in vitro studies showed that P2Y12 receptor blockade by the reversible antagonist PSB‐0739 sensitizes CD to the action of AVP. Thus, our studies unravelled the potential beneficial effects of targeting P2Y2 or P2Y12 receptors to counter AVP resistance in lithium‐induced NDI. If established in further studies, our findings may pave the way for the development of better and safer methods for the treatment of NDI by bringing a paradigm shift in the approach from the current therapies that predominantly counter the anti‐AVP effects to those that enhance the sensitivity of the kidney to AVP action.
The Impact of an ECV Service is Limited by Antenatal Breech Detection: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hemelaar Joris , Lim Lee N. , Impey Lawrence W.
Published: April 2015

Background

External cephalic version (ECV) reduces the chance of breech presentation at term birth and lowers the chance of a cesarean delivery. ECV services are now in place in many units in the United Kingdom but their effectiveness is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the reasons for breech presentation at term birth.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of 394 consecutive babies who were in breech presentation at term birth in a large United Kingdom maternity unit that offers ECV. The cohort was analyzed over two time periods 10 years apart: 1998–1999 and 2008–2009.

Results

Only 33.8 percent of women had undergone a (failed) ECV attempt. This low proportion was mainly because breech presentation was not diagnosed antenatally (27.9%). Other contributing factors were: ECV not offered by clinicians (12.2%), ECV declined by women (14%), and contraindications to ECV (10.7%). Over the 10‐year period, the proportion of breech presentations that were not diagnosed antenatally increased from 23.2 to 32.5 percent (p = 0.04), which constituted 52.8 percent of women who had not undergone an ECV attempt in 2008–2009. Failure of clinicians to offer ECV reduced from 21.6 to 3.0 percent (p = 0.0001) and the proportion of women declining ECV decreased from 19.1 to 9.0 percent (p = 0.005). Overall, ECV attempts increased from 28.9 to 38.5 percent (p = 0.05).

Conclusions

Although ECV counseling, referral, and attempt rates have increased, failure to detect breech presentation antenatally is the principal barrier to successful ECV. Improved breech detection would have a greater impact than methods to increase ECV success rates.
Exploring student perceptions, learning outcome and gender differences in a flipped mathematics course
Authors: Chen So‐Chen , Yang Stephen J.H. , Hsiao Chia‐Chang
Published: April 2015

The flipped classroom approach has recently gained prominence in education. However, a review of previous studies shows that the relationship associated with gender difference, student perceptions and learning outcomes has still remained unexplored, and there has been little discussion regarding flipped classroom environment. To fill this gap, this study aimed to provide a further study by developing an empirical study, extending perspectives of research for flipped classroom in education. This study was conducted to respond and investigate two main student perceptions in a flipped precalculus course, namely, situational interest and course satisfaction. By the self‐developed perception measures, situational interest contained feeling, value and topic interest (three factors), while course satisfaction contained course design, system quality, course arrangement and online assessment (four factors). To respectively determine factors on final grades, we assessed the predicting power among those factors. Students' feedback and gender differences were also evaluated to provide a holistic profile of this flipped course. Results showed that feelings predict the final grades in males, while course design predicts the final grades in females. Moreover, the result also showed that even if females and males showed different topic interest in this course, they performed equally well. Some suggestions to effectively implement a flipped course were also provided from students' feedback. The implications of the results were provided for instructors' guidance in implementing flipped classroom. Finally, the study concluded that students' perceptions may be considered as motivational strategies in teaching and learning process to involve students in academic activities for improving their grades in flipped course.
Validation of ice‐wedge isotopes at Yituli'he, northeastern China as climate proxy
Authors: Yang Sizhong , Cao Xianyong , Jin Huijun
Published: April 2015

Inactive ice wedges are still present today at Yituli'he in the middle Da Xing'anling (Greater Hinggan) Mountains in northeastern China, which is the southernmost known site (50°37′N) with ice wedges in the Northern Hemisphere. However, it is uncertain whether the ice‐wedge isotope composition, characterized by low δ18O, δD and low deuterium excess values, is representative of the isotope signature of a broader region. In this paper, the ice‐wedge isotope compositions were examined in the context of the stable isotopes of precipitation from the nearby Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP) stations. In addition, the pollen spectra from the host sediments were analysed to provide additional information on local vegetation in order to better understand the climate conditions favouring ice‐wedge formation. The pollen spectra suggest that the Yituli'he ice wedges developed during the colder and wetter period after 6000 cal. a BP. The isotopes in the Yituli'he ice wedges are consistent with the isotope background recorded in atmospheric precipitation collected at the nearby GNIP stations. When the snow‐melt froze into ice veinlets, the isotope signals did not change substantially because of the strong, cold, continental anticyclones in winter as well as a strong temperature inversion that prevail in the Da Xing'anling Mountains. As the climate pattern did not change substantially, the neoglacial cold period is unlikely to have allowed for strong secondary fractionation of isotope records during ice‐wedge formation. Thus, the annual isotope signature can be interpreted as a valid archive of climate data.
Spontaneous Self‐Distancing and Adaptive Self‐Reflection Across Adolescence
Authors: White Rachel E. , Kross Ethan , Duckworth Angela L.
Published: April 2015

Experiments performed primarily with adults show that self‐distancing facilitates adaptive self‐reflection. However, no research has investigated whether adolescents spontaneously engage in this process or whether doing so is linked to adaptive outcomes. In this study, 226 African American adolescents, aged 11–20, reflected on an anger‐related interpersonal experience. As expected, spontaneous self‐distancing during reflection predicted lower levels of emotional reactivity by leading adolescents to reconstrue (rather than recount) their experience and blame their partner less. Moreover, the inverse relation between self‐distancing and emotional reactivity strengthened with age. These findings highlight the role that self‐distancing plays in fostering adaptive self‐reflection in adolescence, and begin to elucidate the role that development plays in enhancing the benefits of engaging in this process.
Tackling the problem of teenage pregnancy in looked‐after children: a peer mentoring approach
Authors: Mezey Gillian , Robinson Fiona , Gillard Steve , Mantovani Nadia , Meyer Deborah , White Sarah , Bonell Chris
Published: April 2015

Teenage pregnancy is associated with adverse health and social outcomes, even after adjusting for prior disadvantage, and is recognized as a major public health issue. Rates of teenage pregnancy in the UK are among the highest in Europe. Interventions introduced in the past decade to address the problem, such as improved sex and relationships education in schools, have been accompanied by a fall in teenage pregnancy rates in the UK. However, this decline has not been mirrored among looked‐after children. In this paper, we discuss why this may be the case. We suggest that a system of peer mentoring, involving a young person, whose experience of life post‐care has been positive, may be an effective approach to tackling the problem of pregnancy in this group. Peer mentoring has the potential to assist young people in developing self‐esteem, confidence and in making choices regarding their education, personal development and relationships.
Adaptations to a diet‐based weight‐reducing programme in obese women resistant to weight loss
Authors: Tremblay A. , Lepage C. , Panahi S. , Couture C. , Drapeau V.
Published: April 2015

The aim of this study was to assess energy intake, resting metabolic rate (RMR), appetite sensations, eating behaviours and sleep duration and quality in obese women resistant to body weight loss when subjected to a diet‐based weight‐reducing programme. A pooled cohort of obese women (n = 75; aged 39 ± 8 years; body mass index: 33 ± 4 kg m−2) participated in a 12–16‐week diet‐based weight loss programme targeting a daily energy deficit of 500–700 kcal d−1. Women were classified in tertiles a posteriori based on the response of their body weight to dietary supervision (high, moderate and low responders). Post‐intervention, mean weight loss was 3.3 ± 2.8 kg and explained by the 2.9 ± 2.6 kg reduction in fat mass. Mean weight loss was 6.2 ± 1.6, 3.4 ± 0.6 and 0.2 ± 1.4 kg in participants classified in the high, middle and low tertiles, respectively. Women in the low tertile reduced their daily energy intake and susceptibility to hunger during the programme to a lesser extent than those in the high tertile and had higher fasting hunger in response to the dietary intervention. Women in the high tertile maintained their RMR, which was in contrast to the significant decrease predicted by their weight loss. They also reported a significant improvement in sleep quality and an increase in sleep duration compared with other tertiles. The differences in the response of body weight to dietary supervision may be explained, in part, by variations in energy intake, eating behaviours, appetite sensations and sleep duration and quality.
Preschoolers use phrasal prosody online to constrain syntactic analysis
Authors: de Carvalho Alex , Dautriche Isabelle , Christophe Anne
Published: April 2015

Two experiments were conducted to investigate whether young children are able to take into account phrasal prosody when computing the syntactic structure of a sentence. Pairs of French noun/verb homophones were selected to create locally ambiguous sentences ([la petite ferme] [est très jolie] ‘the small farm is very nice’ vs. [la petite] [ferme la fenêtre] ‘the little girl closes the window’ – brackets indicate prosodic boundaries). Although these sentences start with the same three words, ferme is a noun (farm) in the former but a verb (to close) in the latter case. The only difference between these sentence beginnings is the prosodic structure, that reflects the syntactic structure (with a prosodic boundary just before the critical word when it is a verb, and just after it when it is a noun). Crucially, all words following the homophone were masked, such that prosodic cues were the only disambiguating information. Children successfully exploited prosodic information to assign the appropriate syntactic category to the target word, in both an oral completion task (4.5‐year‐olds, Experiment 1) and in a preferential looking paradigm with an eye‐tracker (3.5‐year‐olds and 4.5‐year‐olds, Experiment 2). These results show that both groups of children exploit the position of a word within the prosodic structure when computing its syntactic category. In other words, even younger children of 3.5 years old exploit phrasal prosody online to constrain their syntactic analysis. This ability to exploit phrasal prosody to compute syntactic structure may help children parse sentences containing unknown words, and facilitate the acquisition of word meanings.
Community‐led Housing and ‘Slow’ Opposition to Corporate Development: Citizen Participation as Common Ground?
Authors: Jarvis Helen
Published: April 2015

Coinciding with the ideological agenda of ‘new localism’ in welfare and planning policy is popular re‐engagement with a convivial scale of participation in civil society. This is evident in a growing number and variety of community‐led housing (CLH) groups and projects. It is also evident in ‘slow’ social movements, such as Cittaslow, that emphasise ‘quality of life’ and ‘sustainability’. Paradoxically, while home and community are essential to a local sense of identity and belonging, connections have not been made between ‘slow’ opposition to the homogenizing effects of corporate development and CLH. This paper draws particular attention to groups of ordinary citizens creating new or modified forms of housing that are not available in the mainstream housing market. A view is taken of CLH that encompasses wider aspects of community organising and resilience. The paper highlights the socio‐spatial functions to citizen participation and motivations that drive CLH from the bottom–up. These need to be better understood if research and policy are to support and enable the process of growing locally driven housing solutions.
Photoluminescence Properties of Er/Pr‐Doped K0.5Na0.5NbO3 Ferroelectric Ceramics
Authors: Wu Xiao , Lau Chi Man , Kwok Kin Wing
Published: April 2015

Er/Pr‐doped K0.5Na0.5NbO3 ceramics have been fabricated and the effects of Pr3+ on their photoluminescence properties have been investigated systematically. The visible upconversion emissions, near‐infrared and mid‐infrared downconversion emissions of Er3+ ions under the excitation of 980 nm have been studied in detail. The effects of Pr3+ on PL properties and energy‐transfer processes have also been elucidated. By selecting an appropriate excitation source, simultaneous visible downconversion emissions of Er3+ and Pr3+ ions can be realized, and the emission colors of the ceramics can be tuned via the concentration of Pr3+ ions in a wide range from yellowish green to yellow. Our results also reveal that the photoluminescence emissions of the ceramics can be enhanced by the alignment of polarization of the ferroelectric host.
Climatic drivers of trait assembly in woody plants in Japan
Authors: Shiono Takayuki , Kusumoto Buntarou , Maeshiro Ryo , Fujii Shin‐Jiro , Götzenberger Lars , de Bello Francesco , Kubota Yasuhiro
Published: April 2015

Aim

A trait‐based biogeographical approach can be used to shed light on species‐sorting mechanisms that are driven by the interactions between species traits and abiotic conditions along large‐scale gradients. We tested the hypothesis that geographical patterns of woody plant assemblages are driven largely by environmental filtering, in relation to climate harshness and seasonality, acting on key functional traits.

Location

Japanese archipelago.

Methods

Using a large‐scale grid‐based dataset of 773 woody species and five functional traits measured in the field, spanning the Japanese archipelago, we analysed the influence of climate harshness (absolute minimum temperature and precipitation of driest month) and climate seasonality (temperature and precipitation seasonality, and the length of period suitable for photosynthesis) on three aspects of community trait structure: community mean trait values, functional richness and functional divergence. To confirm whether the influence of climate‐based species sorting on functional structure was stronger than the impact of dispersal limitation, we used null models that did or did not account for the difference in regional species pools as a result of vicariance.

Results

While climate harshness and historical dispersal limitation had a some influence on trait structure, temperature seasonality played a significant role. Greater seasonality was associated with functional similarity in wood density and leaf nitrogen concentration, but also contributed to increased diversity in leaf thickness, specific leaf area and maximum height.

Main conclusions

Our results demonstrate the importance of climate harshness and seasonality in shaping the geographical variation of functional trait structures in woody plant assemblages, while we found that species richness decreases with increasing climate harshness. Climate seasonality results in the convergence and divergence of co‐occurring traits across different vegetation zones. This suggests that seasonal environmental variability acts not only as a filter of species traits but also as a driver creating a greater difference in functional strategies among woody plant species.