bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial and environmental effects on a rock‐pool metacommunity depend on landscape setting and dispersal mode
Authors: Castillo‐Escrivà Andreu , Aguilar‐Alberola Josep A. , Mesquita‐Joanes Francesc
Published: March 2017

Empirical studies on structuring mechanisms of metacommunities usually focus on the major roles of environmental filtering and dispersal. Recent works suggest that the relative importance of these structuring mechanisms differs among organisms with different body size, taxonomic affiliation, and dispersal abilities, and also depends on spatial extent and environmental heterogeneity. However, the effects of physical connectivity among sites and dispersal mode are less commonly considered explicitly in field metacommunity studies.

We analysed a rock‐pool animal metacommunity, comparing both environmental and spatial effects between a set of pools in a ravine setting, with ephemeral connecting waterways, and another in a hill setting, without such connections. We also analysed the relative role of structuring mechanisms influencing active versus passive dispersers in the metacommunity. We used permutational multivariate analysis of variance and analysis of the multivariate homogeneity of group dispersions to compare environmental and species variation between landscape settings. Variation partitioning was applied to determine the percentage of species variation explained by environmental and spatial variables.

The relative influence of the structuring mechanisms depended on both the landscape connectivity context and species dispersal mode. Species sorting drove active‐disperser metacommunities in both isolated and waterway connected pools, suggesting that these animals had a dispersal rate among the environmentally suitable sites that was adequate to compensate for extinctions at the spatial scale we considered. In addition, beta diversity of active dispersers and species‐sorting effects were higher in the set of ravine rock pools that were more environmentally heterogeneous and connected by waterways. In contrast, species sorting structured passive‐disperser metacommunities only in the set of pools with connecting waterways, whereas spatial constraints more strongly affected passive dispersers in the relatively more isolated hillside pools.

Overall, environmental variables had a greater effect than spatial variables on rock‐pool metacommunities at the scale we studied, with the exception that passive dispersers in rock pools unconnected by waterways did tend to have spatially constrained distributions.
Performance of partitioning functional beta‐diversity indices: Influence of functional representation and partitioning methods
Authors: Loiseau Nicolas , Legras Gaëlle , Gaertner Jean‐Claude , Verley Philippe , Chabanet Pascale , Mérigot Bastien
Published: March 2017

Aim

Two frameworks (BASVIL and PODCAR), based on two different functional representations (ordination and dendrogram), have been proposed for partitioning overall functional beta diversity into two analogous components: turnover and nestedness‐resultant dissimilarity, or replacement and difference of functional richness, respectively. We compared the two frameworks by testing the influence of functional representations and partitioning methods on the measurement of overall functional beta diversity and its components.

Innovation

We computed beta‐diversity indices from the two frameworks on a set of communities simulated according to five scenarios of assembly: random, richness gradient, pure nestedness, pure turnover and mixed turnover/loss scenarios. To disentangle the effects of the partitioning approach and those of the functional representation on measurement of functional beta diversity, we also computed PODCAR indices in multidimensional space.

Main conclusions

BASVIL and PODCAR frameworks led to different results for overall functional beta diversity and their analogous partitioning components. Most of the difference between the two frameworks was due to the functional representation used. The goodness‐of‐fit measure (mean squared deviation, mSD) to assess the quality of functional spaces showed that the one computed on the basis of the dendrogram used in PODCAR remained lower than that of the functional ordination considered in BASVIL. In addition, only functional turnover derived from the BASVIL framework is independent of difference in functional richness. Finally, BASVIL measured functional variations derived from nested phenomena while PODCAR did not allow separation of this variation derived from richness difference. However, the sensitivity of BASVIL to functionally extreme species may make it difficult to know whether variations of the nestedness‐resultant dissimilarity components are due to a turnover with few extreme species or a loss in functional richness. Particular attention with regard to the properties of the two frameworks is required before drawing conclusions regarding processes that structure communities.
Diaspora strategies: Actors, members, and spaces
Authors: Cohen Nir
Published: March 2017

Recent years have seen a surge of interest in the engagement of migrant‐sending countries with their diaspora populations. Alternately referred to as diaspora strategies, diaspora engagement policies, diaspora policies, sending state strategies, or extraterritorial citizenship strategies, these systematic sets of policy initiatives were enthusiastically embraced by a broad range of southern and northern countries. The popularity of strategies as a policy tool has been accompanied by a proliferating social scientific literature. The current article reviews the quickly growing body of knowledge on diaspora strategies. Its primary objective is to underscore the distinct geographic contributions to the topic, including the territorial logic, which undergirds strategies, the scales and sites at which they are conceived and enacted, and the sociospatial boundaries, which they give rise to. The article identifies 4 main themes in the literature, namely, types and motivations, (dis)membering, states and other actors, and spatiotemporalities, discusses the salient contributions made within each, identifies their critical lacunas, and, where possible, makes constructive suggestions for a prospective research agenda.
Does the volume of supplemental intraligamentary injections affect the anaesthetic success rate after a failed primary inferior alveolar nerve block? A randomized‐double blind clinical trial
Authors: Aggarwal V. , Singla M. , Miglani S. , Kohli S. , Sharma V. , Bhasin S. S.
Published: March 2017

Aim

To investigate the efficacy of 0.2 mL vs. 0.6 mL of 2% lidocaine when given as a supplementary intraligamentary injection after a failed inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB).

Methodology

Ninety‐seven adult patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpits received an IANB and root canal treatment was initiated. Pain during treatment was recorded using a visual analogue scale (Heft‐Parker VAS). Patients with unsuccessful anaesthesia (n = 78) randomly received intraligamentary injection of either 0.2 mL or 0.6 mL of 2% lidocaine with 1 : 80 000 epinephrine. Root canal treatment was reinitiated. Success after primary injection or supplementary injection was defined as no or mild pain (HP VAS score ≤54 mm) during access preparation and root canal instrumentation. Heart rate was monitored using a finger pulse oximeter. The anaesthetic success rates were analysed with Pearson chi‐square test at 5% significance levels. The heart rate changes were analysed using t‐tests.

Results

The intraligamentary injections with 0.2 mL solution gave an anaesthetic success rate of 64%, whilst the 0.6 mL was successful in 84% of cases with failed primary IANB. (χ2 = 4.3, P = 0.03). There was no significant effect of the volume of intraligamentary injection on the change in heart rate.

Conclusions

Increasing the volume of intraligamentary injection improved the success rates after a failed primary anaesthetic injection.
The whys and the hows of psychosocial approaches to addiction
Authors: Frings Daniel , Albery Ian P. , Monk Rebecca L.
Published: March 2017

The field of addiction psychology attempts to addresses a major social problem. Yet, discourse within the discipline suggests a biological focus, driven by disease‐model of addiction, has caused our understanding to be too narrow. In contrast, psychosocial approaches conceptualize the phenomena from various perspectives. We here bring together papers utilizing a variety of methods in the context of substance use and mis‐use. These explore the effects that alcohol primes have on attentional control, how procrastination may predict hazardous drinking, the typology of “pre‐drinking” motivations and the effects of dyadic membership. It also looks at prevention in terms of public health messaging and also heroin use uptake. We hope showcasing these studies will encourage addiction researchers to widen the scope and method of their enquiries.
Antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus sp. isolated from the vaginal environment of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.) bred ex situ
Authors: Donato Anna C.J. , Penna Bruno , Consalter Angélica , Carvalho Daniela D. , Lilenbaum Walter , Ferreira Ana M.R.
Published: March 2017

Background

Squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.) have been widely used as animal models; however, the occurrence of Staphylococcus sp in their vaginal microbiota remains to be described.

Methods

Samples were collected from 175 adult squirrel monkeys to isolate Staphylococcus sp and to test for susceptibility to a panel of nine antimicrobial agents.

Results

Isolates with characteristics of the genus Staphylococcus were detected in 95 of 175 samples. Coagulase‐negative staphylococci (CoNS) were the most common (95.8%, 91/95) isolates. Resistance to antibiotics was observed in 47.3% (45/95) of isolates. Resistance to tetracycline was observed in 28.5% (26/91), chloramphenicol in 15.4% (14/91), and methicillin in 13.2% (12/91) of CoNS. Coagulase‐positive staphylococci were resistant to tetracycline, erythromycin, and methicillin.

Conclusions

The presence of Staphylococcus sp in vaginal samples obtained from squirrel monkeys suggests that these animals were in a carrier state. Furthermore, isolating strains resistant to methicillin reinforces the biosafety care of a colony.
Emerging roles for the amyloid precursor protein and derived peptides in the regulation of cellular and systemic metabolism
Authors: Czeczor J. K. , McGee S. L.
Published: March 2017

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a transmembrane protein that can be cleaved by proteases through two different pathways to yield a number of small peptides, each with distinct physiological properties and functions. It has been extensively studied in the context of Alzheimer's disease, with the APP‐derived amyloid β (Aβ) peptide being a major constituent of the amyloid plaques observed in this disease. It has been known for some time that APP can regulate neuronal metabolism; however, the present review examines the evidence indicating that APP and its peptides can also regulate key metabolic processes such as insulin action, lipid synthesis and storage and mitochondrial function in peripheral tissues. This review presents the hypothesis that amyloidogenic processing of APP in peripheral tissues plays a key role in the response to nutrient excess and that this could contribute to the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Emotional Intelligence in the Interior Design Context
Authors: Webber Steven B.
Published: March 2017

This study seeks to initiate the emotional intelligence (EI) conversation within the context of interior design (ID) education and practice by expanding the body of knowledge in relation to ID students’ EI and to place these observations in context with the EI of other university students. This study involved two aspects of research, an original component spanning two years that studied the EI of ID students utilizing the 33–item self–report Assessing Emotions Scale (Schutte, Malouff, Hall, Haggerty, Cooper, Golden, & Dornheim, 1998) and, secondly, a comparison of ID students’ test scores with ten other existing studies of college students. The findings demonstrated that ID students possess a statistically higher level of EI than their university student counterparts. The possibilities for future research involving EI and ID are numerous, with significant potential impact in the areas of design thinking, design process, project and personnel management, job satisfaction, perceived job control, job commitment, entrepreneurism, stress management and burnout, internship development, and possibly gender differences. EI training could be of particular interest to both educators and practitioners alike as they seek to train the next generation of leading designers. For educators, EI could prove particularly important as they seek to prepare students for the realities of entry–level design positions as well as set their sights on long–term leadership positions where they will be expected to manage multiple disciplines, people, and projects simultaneously. For practitioners, understanding of EI can provide insight regarding leadership and team dynamics in addition to becoming aware of the potential differences in EI between disciplines.
Genomic evidence for convergent evolution of a key trait underlying divergence in island birds
Authors: Cooper Elizabeth A. , Uy J. Albert C.
Published: March 2017

Reproductive isolation can be initiated by changes in one or a few key traits that prevent random mating among individuals in a population. During the early stages of speciation, when isolation is often incomplete, there will be a heterogeneous pattern of differentiation across regions of the genome between diverging populations, with loci controlling these key traits appearing the most distinct as a result of strong diversifying selection. In this study, we used Illumina‐sequenced ddRADtags to identify genomewide patterns of differentiation in three recently diverged island populations of theMonarcha castaneiventrisflycatcher of the Solomon Islands. Populations of this species have diverged in plumage colour, and these differences in plumage colour, in turn, are used in conspecific recognition and likely important in reproductive isolation. Previous candidate gene sequencing identified point mutations inMC1RandASIP, both known pigmentation genes, to be associated with the difference in plumage colour between islands. Here, we show that background levels of genomic differentiation based on over 70,000SNPs are extremely low between populations of distinct plumage colour, with no loci reaching the level of differentiation found in either candidate gene. Further, we found that a phylogenetic analysis based on theseSNPs produced a taxonomy wherein the two melanic populations appear to have evolved convergently, rather than from a single common ancestor, in contrast to their original classification as a single subspecies. Finally, we found evidence that the pattern of low genomic differentiation is the result of both incomplete lineage sorting and gene flow between populations.
Arabidopsis MAP65‐4 plays a role in phragmoplast microtubule organization and marks the cortical cell division site
Authors: Li Haoge , Sun Baojuan , Sasabe Michiko , Deng Xingguang , Machida Yasunori , Lin Honghui , Julie Lee Y‐R. , Liu Bo
Published: March 2017

The evolutionarily conserved MAP65 family proteins bundle anti‐parallel microtubules (MTs). In Arabidopsis thaliana, mutations in the MAP65‐3 gene lead to serious defects in MT organization in the phragmoplast and cause failures in cytokinesis. However, the functions of other ArabidopsisMAP65 isoforms are largely unknown.

MAP65 functions were analyzed based on genetic interactions among different map65 mutations. Live‐cell imaging and immunolocalization experiments revealed dynamic activities of two closely related MAP65 proteins in dividing cells.

The map65‐4 mutation caused synthetic lethality with map65‐3 although map65‐4 alone did not cause a noticeable phenotype. Furthermore, the introduction of an extra copy of the MAP65‐4 gene significantly suppressed defects in cytokinesis and seedling growth caused by map65‐3 because of restoring MT engagement in the spindle midzone. During mitosis, MAP65‐4 first appeared at the preprophase band and persisted at the cortical division site afterwards. It was also concentrated on MTs in the spindle midzone and the phragmoplast. In the absence of MAP65‐3, MAP65‐4 exhibited greatly enhanced localization in the midzone of developing phragmoplast.

Therefore, we have uncovered redundant but differential contributions of MAP65‐3 and MAP65‐4 to engaging and bundling anti‐parallel MTs in the phragmoplast and disclosed a novel action of MAP65‐4 at the cortical cell division site.
Regulation of low temperature stress in plants by microRNAs
Authors: Megha Swati , Basu Urmila , Kav Nat N.V.
Published: March 2017

Low temperature is one of the most common environmental stresses that seriously affect the growth and development of plants. However, plants have the plasticity in their defence mechanisms enabling them to tolerate and, sometimes, even survive adverse environmental conditions. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non‐coding RNAs, approximately 18–24 nucleotides in length, and are being increasingly recognized as regulators of gene expression at the post‐transcriptional level and have the ability to influence a broad range of biological processes. There is growing evidence in the literature that reprogramming of gene expression mediated through miRNAs is a major defence mechanism in plants enabling them to respond to stresses. To date, numerous studies have established the importance of miRNA‐based regulation of gene expression under low temperature stress. Individual miRNAs can modulate the expression of multiple mRNA targets, and, therefore, the manipulation of a single miRNA has the potential to affect multiple biological processes. Numerous functional studies have attempted to identify the miRNA–target interactions and have elaborated the role of several miRNAs in cold‐stress regulation. This review summarizes the current understanding of miRNA‐mediated modulation of the expression of key genes as well as genetic and regulatory pathways, involved in low temperature stress responses in plants.
Viral infection‐induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and a membrane‐associated transcription factor NbNAC089 are involved in resistance to virus in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Li F. F. , Sun H. J. , Jiao Y. B. , Wang F. L. , Yang J. G. , Shen L. L.
Published: March 2017

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress may induce two cell defence pathways, the unfolded protein response (UPR) or programmed cell death (PCD) upon unmitigated stress. This study confirmed that viral infection could induce ER stress through changing ER morphology and up‐regulating ER stress‐related genes, including NbNAC089. AtNAC089 serves as an ER stress sensor to regulate PCD in Arabidopsis. In this study, Nicotiana benthamiana NbNAC089 was identified. The gene encoded a 409 amino acid protein with a putative transmembrane domain near the C‐terminus and a NAC domain at the N‐terminus. NbNAC089 was localized to the ER membranes, and a truncated form of NbNAC089, lacking the transmembrane domain, was localized to the nucleus. Meanwhile, the full length of NbNAC089 was activated and cleaved in response to viral infection. The results suggest that the native protein may be translocated to the nucleus by release from the membrane during viral infection. Knock‐down of NbNAC089 in N. benthamiana increased susceptibility to Tobacco mosaic virus or Cucumber mosaic virus, and, in addition, promoted up‐regulation of UPR genes but impaired up‐regulation of PCD genes. These results show that NbNAC089 is a negative regulator of UPR and a positive regulator of PCD, and plays a role in the process of viral infection.
Commentary: Performance Information Impact on Legislators: A Blessing or Otherwise?
Authors: Huissoud Michel
Published: March 2017

Related Content: Demaj (PAR May/June 2017)
On Attacking and Defending American Democracy
Authors: Spicer Michael W.
Published: March 2017

Related Content: Balfour (PAR May/June 2017)

Related Content: Raadschelders (PAR May/June 2017)

Related Content: Bartels (PAR May/June 2017)

Related Content: Benavides (PAR May/June 2017)
Adaptive Deconvolution on the Non‐negative Real Line
Authors: Mabon Gwennaëlle
Published: March 2017

In this paper, we consider the problem of adaptive density or survival function estimation in an additive model defined by Z=X+Y with X independent of Y, when both random variables are non‐negative. This model is relevant, for instance, in reliability fields where we are interested in the failure time of a certain material that cannot be isolated from the system it belongs. Our goal is to recover the distribution of X (density or survival function) through n observations of Z, assuming that the distribution of Y is known. This issue can be seen as the classical statistical problem of deconvolution that has been tackled in many cases using Fourier‐type approaches. Nonetheless, in the present case, the random variables have the particularity to be
supported. Knowing that, we propose a new angle of attack by building a projection estimator with an appropriate Laguerre basis. We present upper bounds on the mean squared integrated risk of our density and survival function estimators. We then describe a non‐parametric data‐driven strategy for selecting a relevant projection space. The procedures are illustrated with simulated data and compared with the performances of a more classical deconvolution setting using a Fourier approach. Our procedure achieves faster convergence rates than Fourier methods for estimating these functions.
A method to determine the shear and compressive stress–strain curves from torsion and bending tests of thin wires
Authors: Connesson Nathanael , Antherieu Gabriel , Favier Denis
Published: March 2017

Some materials are provided as wire or other slender geometries and are commonly used as mechanical parts, especially in medical applications. If slender geometries are well adapted to quasistatic tensile tests, such geometries cannot be properly tested under shear and compressive loads. The shear and compressive stress–strain curves nevertheless remain of major interest to engineers and designers. This paper proves and illustrates that material shear and compressive stress–strain curves can efficiently be extracted from torsion and bending tests on thin wires, even in noisy situations. The method is first presented to analyze torsion tests. This method is then developed and adapted to extract the material compressive stress–strain curve from both pure bending and uniaxial tensile tests.
Molecular systematics of threadfin breams and relatives (Teleostei, Nemipteridae)
Authors: Hung Kuo‐Wei , Russell Barry C. , Chen Wei‐Jen
Published: March 2017

Threadfin breams and relatives of the family Nemipteridae comprise 69 currently recognized species in five genera. They are found in the tropical and subtropical Indo‐West Pacific and most are commercially important. Using recently developed molecule‐based approaches exploiting DNA sequence variation among species/specimens, this study reconstructed a comprehensive phylogeny of the Nemipteridae, examined the validity of species and explored the cryptic diversity of the family, and tested previous phylogenetic hypotheses. A combined data set (105 taxa from 41 morphospecies) with newly determined sequences from two nuclear genes (RAG1 and RH) and one mitochondrial gene (COI), and a data set with only COI gene sequences (329 newly obtained plus 328 from public databases from a total of 53 morphospecies) were used in the phylogenetic analysis. The latter was further used for species delimitation analyses with two different tools to explore species diversity. Our phylogenetic results showed that all the currently recognized genera were monophyletic. The monotypic genus Scaevius is the sister group of Pentapodus and they together are sister to Nemipterus. These three genera combined to form the sister group of the clade comprising Parascolopsis and Scolopsis. The validity of most of the examined species was confirmed except in some cases. The combined evidence from the results of different analyses revealed a gap in our existing knowledge of species diversity in the Nemipteridae. We found several currently recognized species contain multiple separately evolving metapopulation lineages within species; some lineages should be considered as new species for further assignment. Finally, some problematic sequences deposited in public databases (probably due to misidentification) were also revised in this study to improve the accuracy for prospective DNA barcoding work on nemipterid fishes.
Development of a Multimodal Colposcopy for Characterization of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia
Authors: Ren Wenqi , Qu Yingjie , Pei Jiaojiao , Xiao Linlin , Zhang Shiwu , Chang Shufang , Xu Ronald X.
Published: March 2017

To develop and evaluate the clinical application of a multimodal colposcopy combining multispectral reflectance, autofluorescence, and red, green, blue (RGB) imaging for noninvasive characterization of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). We developed a multimodal colposcopy system that combined multispectral reflectance, autofluorescence, and RGB imaging for noninvasive characterization of CIN. We studied the optical properties of cervical tissue first; then the imaging system was designed and tested in a clinical trial where comprehensive datasets were acquired and analyzed to differentiate between squamous normal and high grade types of cervical tissue. The custom-designed multimodal colposcopy is capable of acquiring multispectral reflectance images, autofluorescence images, and RGB images of cervical tissue consecutively. The classification algorithm was employed on both normal and abnormal cases for image segmentation. The performance characteristics of this system were comparable to the gold standard histopathologic measurements with statistical significance. Our pilot study demonstrated the clinical potential of this multimodal colposcopic system for noninvasive characterization of CIN. The proposed system was simple, noninvasive, cost-effective, and portable, making it a suitable device for deployment in developing countries or rural regions of limited resources.
Accounting for Uncontrolled Variations in Low-Speed Turbine Experiments
Authors: Evans Kathryn R. , Longley John P.
Published: March 2017

It is common to assume that the performance of low-speed turbines depends only on the flow coefficient and Reynolds number. As such, the required operating point is achieved by controlling the values of these two nondimensional quantities by, for example, appropriate choices for the mass flow rate and applied brake torque. However, when the turbine has an atmospheric inlet and uses unconditioned air, variations in ambient pressure, temperature, and humidity are introduced. While it is still possible to maintain the required values for the flow coefficient and Reynolds number, the ambient variations affect additional nondimensional quantities which are related to the blade speed and gas properties. Generally, the values of these additional nondimensional quantities cannot be controlled and, consequently, they affect the turbine performance. In addition, thermal effects, which are exacerbated by the use of plastic blades, can cause changes in the blade row seal clearance and these also affect the performance. Therefore, to obtain measurements with greater accuracy and repeatability, the changes in the uncontrolled nondimensional quantities must be accounted. This paper contains four parts. First, it is described how suitable data acquisition parameters can be determined to eliminate short time scale facility unsteadiness within the measurements. Second, by the analysis of models, the most appropriate forms for the additional nondimensional quantities that influence turbine performance are obtained. Since the variations in the uncontrolled nondimensional quantities affect repeatability, the size of the effect on the turbine performance is quantified. Third, a best-fit accounting methodology is described, which reduces the effects of the uncontrolled nondimensional quantities on turbine performance, provided sufficient directly related measurements are available. Finally, the observations are generalized to high-speed turbomachines.
A Comprehensive Survey on Microgrippers Design: Mechanical Structure
Authors: Verotti Matteo , Dochshanov Alden , Belfiore Nicola P.
Published: March 2017

An atlas of 98 microgrippers that recently appeared in Literature is herein presented by using four different forms: (a) a restyled layout of the original mechanical structure, (b) its corresponding pseudorigid body model (PRBM), (c) its kinematic chain, and finally, (d) its related graph. Homogeneity in functional sketching (a) is assumed to be greatly helpful to understand how these grippers work and what are the most significant differences between them. Therefore, a unified and systematic set of aesthetics and proportionality criteria have been adopted. Analogously, unified criteria for obtaining pseudorigid (b), kinematic (c), and graph (d) representations have been also used, which made the atlas easy to be read and inspected. The distinction among lumped and distributed compliance has been also accepted to develop the structure of the atlas. A companion paper has been prepared to present a survey on the variety of operational strategies that are used in these microgrippers.
Effect of a Health Care System Respiratory Fluoroquinolone Restriction Program To Alter Utilization and Impact Rates of Clostridium difficile Infection
Authors: Shea Katherine M. , Hobbs Athena L. V. , Jaso Theresa C. , Bissett Jack D. , Cruz Christopher M. , Douglass Elizabeth T. , Garey Kevin W.
Published: March 2017

Fluoroquinolones are one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotic classes in the United States despite their association with adverse consequences, including
Clostridium difficile
infection (CDI). We sought to evaluate the impact of a health care system antimicrobial stewardship-initiated respiratory fluoroquinolone restriction program on utilization, appropriateness of quinolone-based therapy based on institutional guidelines, and CDI rates. After implementation, respiratory fluoroquinolone utilization decreased from a monthly mean and standard deviation (SD) of 41.0 (SD = 4.4) days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 patient days (PD) preintervention to 21.5 (SD = 6.4) DOT/1,000 PD and 4.8 (SD = 3.6) DOT/1,000 PD posteducation and postrestriction, respectively. Using segmented regression analysis, both education (14.5 DOT/1,000 PD per month decrease;
P
= 0.023) and restriction (24.5 DOT/1,000 PD per month decrease;
P
< 0.0001) were associated with decreased utilization. In addition, the CDI rates decreased significantly (
P
= 0.044) from preintervention using education (3.43 cases/10,000 PD) and restriction (2.2 cases/10,000 PD). Mean monthly CDI cases/10,000 PD decreased from 4.0 (SD = 2.1) preintervention to 2.2 (SD = 1.35) postrestriction. A significant increase in appropriate respiratory fluoroquinolone use occurred postrestriction versus preintervention in patients administered at least one dose (74/130 [57%] versus 74/232 [32%];
P
< 0.001), as well as in those receiving two or more doses (47/65 [72%] versus 67/191 [35%];
P
< 0.001). A significant reduction in the annual acquisition cost of moxifloxacin, the formulary respiratory fluoroquinolone, was observed postrestriction compared to preintervention within the health care system ($123,882 versus $12,273;
P
= 0.002). Implementation of a stewardship-initiated respiratory fluoroquinolone restriction program can increase appropriate use while reducing overall utilization, acquisition cost, and CDI rates within a health care system.
Pharmacokinetics and Placental Transfer of Elvitegravir, Dolutegravir, and Other Antiretrovirals during Pregnancy
Authors: Rimawi Bassam H. , Johnson Erica , Rajakumar Augustine , Tao Sijia , Jiang Yong , Gillespie Scott , Schinazi Raymond F. , Mirochnick Mark , Badell Martina L. , Chakraborty Rana
Published: March 2017

The integrase inhibitors elvitegravir (EVG) and dolutegravir (DTG) rapidly decrease the plasma HIV-1 viral load, a key factor in the prevention of maternal-to-fetal transmission of HIV-1. No data have been reported on the concentrations of these drugs in cord blood, maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), or placental tissue in pregnant women. We present
in vivo
pharmacokinetic data on antiretrovirals (ARV) within maternal and cord blood and within placentae from HIV-1-infected pregnant women. Maternal blood and cord blood were obtained from women receiving EVG, cobicistat, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and emtricitabine as a single fixed-dose combination formulation or DTG as part of a combination regimen. Plasma and PBMCs from maternal and cord blood were obtained along with villous placental samples. Drug concentrations were simultaneously determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Utilizing medians and ranges to interpret our data, we compared the drug concentration ratios between different matrices (maternal and cord blood plasma, PBMCs, and placenta). All five agents transferred from maternal into fetal circulation via the placenta. Concentration ratios for EVG, cobicistat, tenofovir, and emtricitabine (
n
= 10) and DTG (
n
= 3) were determined between cord plasma and placenta, cord and maternal plasma, and cord PBMCs and maternal PBMCs. TFV moves from maternal plasma through the placenta to the cord blood and then into cord PBMCs, where it is phosphorylated into its active forms (TFV diphosphate). These five ARVs were detected in each of the compartments, highlighting transfer of these agents from the maternal into the fetal circulation.
Association between socioeconomic position and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Ghanaians in different geographic locations: the RODAM study
Authors: Addo Juliet , Agyemang Charles , de-Graft Aikins Ama , Beune Erik , Schulze Matthias B , Danquah Ina , Galbete Cecilia , Nicolaou Mary , Meeks Karlijn , Klipstein-Grobusch Kerstin , Bahendaka Silver , Mockenhaupt Frank P , Owusu-Dabo Ellis , Kunst Anton , Stronks Karien , Smeeth Liam
Published: March 2017

Background

The prevalence of diabetes has been shown to be socially patterned but the direction of the association in low-income countries and among migrant populations in Europe has varied in the literature. This study examined the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and diabetes in Ghanaians in Europe and in Ghana.

Methods

Data were derived from the multicentre Research on Obesity and Diabetes among African Migrants (RODAM) study of Ghanaian adults aged 25–70 years residing in Europe (Amsterdam, Berlin and London) and in urban and rural Ghana. Educational attainment (elementary, secondary or higher) and occupational class (low or high) were used as indicators of SEP. Age-standardised prevalence of diabetes and prevalence ratios were evaluated separately for men and women of different SEP in Ghana and Europe.

Results

A total of 5290 participants were included in the analyses. The prevalence of diabetes decreased with increasing level of education in Ghanaian men and women in Europe and in men in urban Ghana, whereas diabetes prevalence increased with increasing level of education in men and women in rural Ghana. The association between occupational class and the prevalence of diabetes followed a less consistent pattern in men and women in the different locations.

Conclusions

The association of diabetes and SEP differed in rural Ghana compared with urban settings in Ghana and Europe and comparing men and women, highlighting the complex interaction of SEP and the development of diabetes. These findings have important implications for diabetes prevention strategies in Ghanaians in different locations.
Survey of mercury in boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata) and wood frog (Rana sylvatica) tadpoles from wetland ponds in the Prairie Pothole Region of Canada
Authors: Boczulak Stacy A. , Vanderwel Mark C. , Hall Britt D.
Published: March 2017

Tadpoles are important prey items for many aquatic organisms and often represent the largest vertebrate biomass in many fishless wetland ecosystems. Neurotoxic mercury (Hg) can, at elevated levels, decrease growth, lower survival, and cause developmental instability in amphibians. We compared total Hg (THg) body burden and concentration in boreal chorus frog ( Pseudacris maculata) and wood frog ( Rana sylvatica) tadpoles. Overall, body burden and concentration were lower in boreal chorus frog tadpoles than wood frog tadpoles, as expected, because boreal chorus frog tadpoles consume at lower trophic levels. The variables species, stage, and mass explained 21% of total variation for body burden in our models but had negligible predictive ability for THg concentration. The vast majority of the remaining variation in both body burden and THg concentration was attributable to differences among ponds; tadpoles from ponds in three areas had considerably higher THg body burden and concentration. The pond-to-pond differences were not related to any water chemistry or physical parameter measured, and we assumed that differences in wetland geomorphology likely played an important role in determining Hg levels in tadpoles. This is the first report of Hg in frog tadpoles in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America.
Vacuum energy of one-dimensional supercritical Dirac–Coulomb system
Authors: Davydov A. , Sveshnikov K. , Voronina Yu.
Published: March 2017

Nonperturbative vacuum polarization effects are explored for a supercritical Coulomb source with [Formula: see text] in 1[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]1D. Both the vacuum charge density [Formula: see text] and vacuum energy [Formula: see text] are considered. It is shown that in the overcritical region the behavior of vacuum energy could be significantly different from perturbative quadratic growth up to decrease reaching large negative values.
Different aspects of multiplicity distribution of shower particles in central collisions with AgBr target
Authors: Bhattacharyya Swarnapratim , Haiduc Maria , Neagu Alina Tania , Firu Elena
Published: March 2017

Different aspects like multiplicity moments, [Formula: see text] moments and multiplicity fluctuations in terms of scaled variance of the shower particles has been carried out for central events of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] interactions at (4.1–4.5) AGeV/c. Comparison of our results with different experimental analysis of central collisions of emulsion data has been performed whenever available.
On Static Binary Translation of ARM/Thumb Mixed ISA Binaries
Authors: Chen Jiunn-Yeu , Yang Wuu , Hsu Wei-Chung , Shen Bor-Yeh , Ou Quan-Huei
Published: March 2017

Code discovery has been a main challenge for
static
binary translation, especially when the source instruction set architecture has variable-length instructions, such as the x86 architectures. Due to embedded data such as PC (program counter)-relative data, jump tables, or paddings in the code section, a binary translator may be misled to translate data as instructions. For variable-length instructions, once a piece of data is mis-translated as instructions, decoding subsequent bytes could also go wrong. We are concerned with static binary translation for the very popular Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) architectures. Although ARM is considered a reduced instruction set computer architecture, it does allow the mix of 32-bit (ARM) instructions and 16-bit (Thumb) instructions in the same executables. In addition to different instruction lengths, the ARM and Thumb instructions are located at 4-byte or 2-byte aligned addresses, respectively. Furthermore, because ARM and Thumb instructions share the same encoding space, a 4-byte word could sometimes be decoded as one ARM instruction or two Thumb instructions. The correct decoding of this 4-byte word is actually determined at runtime by the least-significant bit of the program counter.

For unstripped binaries, the
mapping symbols
can be used to identify ARM code regions and Thumb code regions. However, for stripped binaries, such mapping symbols are unavailable. We propose a novel solution to statically translate stripped ARM/Thumb mixed executables. Our solution is implemented in a static binary translator. The binary translator further generates multiple versions of translated code for the code regions whose types cannot be determined with our solution. One of the code versions is selected during runtime. The binary translator also includes a series of analyses that enable the removal of most useless code versions. Based on the experimental results on stripped ARM/Thumb mixed binaries in the SPEC2006 and Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium (EEMBC) benchmark suites, our static binary translator achieves impressive performance when migrating them to run on x86 machines and the space overhead is no more than 10%.
Control of Passion Fruit Fungal Diseases Using Essential Oils Extracted from Rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis)and Eucalyptus(Eucalyptus agglomerata)in Egerton University Main Campus Njoro, Kenya
Authors: Waithaka Paul Njenga , Gathuru Eliud Mugu , Githaiga Benson Muriuki , Kimani Salome Nduta
Published: March 2017

Growth of fruits which form an important part of human diet has been jeopardized by the many fungal diseases that are present today. This study was conceived to isolate the most common fungal pathogens in passion fruits. Fungi were isolated using potato dextrose agar in addition to characterization using morphological, cultural, and biochemical means. Extraction of essential oils from rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus agglomerata) was done. Before carrying the sensitivity test of essential oils to the fungal isolates, constituents of the essential oils were determined. The most common fungal pathogens isolated from passion fruits wereAlternariaspp. (45%),Fusariumspp. (22%),Colletotrichumspp. (17%), andPenicilliumspp. (16%). There was a relationship between heating time and yield of essential oils in rosemary (r=0.99) and eucalyptus (r=0.99). Conversely, there was no significant difference in the amount of essential oils produced by rosemary and eucalyptus (P=0.08). Furthermore, there was a significant difference in growth inhibition of the fungal pathogens between essential oils from rosemary and eucalyptus (P=0.000438). Fungal pathogens isolated from passion fruits can be controlled using essential oils from rosemary and eucalyptus. The oils need to be produced in large scale.
The Effects of Sandstorms on the Climate of Northwestern China
Authors: Hu Tiantian , Wu Di , Li Yaohui , Wang Chenghai
Published: March 2017

In this paper, we investigate the observational direct radiation characteristics of several sandstorm events in Northwestern China (NWC). A simulating sensitivity experiment was designed to reduce the downward radiation in RegCM4 to investigate the climatic impacts and persistence of the direct radiation effect (DRE) from dust aerosols in sandstorms. The results show that dust aerosols in sandstorms can change the radiation heating rate of the atmosphere, heating the air in the middle and low troposphere and cooling Earth’s surface. The climate effects of continuous and intense sandstorms in April in NWC can reach downstream areas such as Southeast and Northeast China and can persist for months. The dust aerosols in sandstorms can enhance diabatic heating and moisture loss. Therefore, dust storms lead to the environment in NWC becoming warmer and dryer. Through analysis of the dust tracer total burden, we identified that the enhancement of the dust total burden in the arid region illustrated that the DRE of dust aerosol in sandstorm process can react with the dust emission, thus forming a self-feedback loop. The DRE can persist three months.
Effect of the Fe Nanoparticles Generated by Pulsed Plasma in Liquid in the Catalyzed Ozone Removal of Phenolphthalein
Authors: Olea-Mejia O. , Fernández-Mondragón M. , Barrera-Díaz C. , Cabral-Prieto A.
Published: March 2017

We have synthesized, in this work, zero valent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles to improve the efficiency of degradation of phenolphthalein catalyzed by ozone in aqueous solution. The Fe nanoparticles were obtained using the pulsed plasma in liquid (PPL) method with water as the liquid medium. Such nanoparticles have a mean size of 12 nm and are composed of ~80% Fe0, while the rest are a mixture of Fe+2and Fe+3oxides. The degradation of phenolphthalein was carried on a glass reactor injecting a constant amount of ozone and introducing different concentrations of Fe nanoparticles to the system. When using pure ozone, the percentage of degradation of phenolphthalein measured by colorimetry after one hour of reaction was 84%. However, when Fe nanoparticles are used, such percentage can be as high as 98% in 50 minutes of reaction. Furthermore, the degradation rate constant was 0.0334 min−1with only ozone and it can be as high as 0.0733 min−1with Fe nanoparticles. Finally, the total mineralization of phenolphthalein was obtained by total organic carbon (TOC) determinations. It is shown that when using only ozone, we obtained a percentage of mineralization of 49% and 96% when using the highest concentration of Fe nanoparticles.
ENETS Consensus Guidelines for the Standards of Care in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Systemic Therapy - Biotherapy and Novel Targeted Agents
Authors: Pavel Marianne , Valle Juan W. , Eriksson Barbro , Rinke Anja , Caplin Martyn , Chen Jie , Costa Frederico , Falkerby Jenny , Fazio Nicola , Gorbounova Vera , de Herder Wouter , Kulke Matthew , Lombard-Bohas Catherine , O'Connor Juan , Sorbye Halfdan , Garcia-Carbonero Rocio ,   all other Antibes Consensus Conference Participants
Published: March 2017

Systemic therapies established in the management of patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) include somatostatin analogs and interferon-α, also referred to as biotherapy. Recent randomized controlled studies have extended the knowledge on the frequency of side effects associated with biotherapy. More recently, novel targeted drugs, such as the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus and the multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib, have been introduced in the management of NETs. Although targeted drugs are generally well tolerated, with most adverse events being of mild to moderate severity and manageable, novel targeted drugs exhibit a distinct adverse event profile that warrants guidance for appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic management. This is particularly important given the widespread and potentially long-term use of everolimus in a broad spectrum of NETs and of sunitinib in pancreatic NETs. This review will focus on the most relevant toxicities associated with biotherapy and novel targeted drugs and on their management. For each drug class indication, administration and dosing schedule, most frequent adverse events, actions and dose adjustments for adverse events as well as their monitoring are presented. This review further covers the evaluation of treatment effect, patient information, drug interactions, and information on pregnancy.