bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brilliant Blue as an alternative dye to Fast Green for in ovo electroporation
Authors: Saito Seiji , Kawamura Kazuki , Matsuda Yoichi , Suzuki Takayuki
Published: October 2019

Chick embryo electroporation is a powerful tool for the introduction of transgenes into tissues of interest for the study of developmental biology. This method often uses Fast Green to visualize the injected area by staining the solution containing DNA green. Here, we show that Fast Green fluoresces in a red color after electroporation, suggesting that researchers need to be cautious when detecting red fluorescence. Fast Green solution did not show any fluorescence before injection into chick embryos, but fluoresced red within 3 min post‐injection into chick embryos. We identified Brilliant Blue as suitable alternative dye for use as an indicator of injection sites in ovo electroporation. We found that 0.2% of Brilliant Blue was sufficient to track the area of DNA injection. In addition, this chemical did not show red fluorescence after electroporation. Our findings demonstrate that Brilliant Blue can be used for detecting red fluorescent proteins introduced into chick embryos by electroporation. Our study also shows useful examples for the application of Brilliant Blue for the precise quantification of two fluorescence intensities after EGFP and mCherry co‐electroporation.
Coping and adaptation strategies and institutional perceptions of hydrological risk in an urban Amazonian city
Authors: de Andrade Milena Marília Nogueira , Szlafsztein Claudio Fabian
Published: October 2019

This paper investigates coping and adaptation strategies and institutional perceptions of hydrological risk at the local scale in Santarém, an Amazonian city in the state of Pará, Brazil. Methods and tools of analysis encompassed secondary data, field observations, and qualitative techniques (focus‐group discussions and in‐depth interviews). Stakeholders from affected neighbourhoods describe their means of coping with and adapting to flooding, focusing on purposefulness, type of initiative and investment, risk timing, temporal and spatial scope, and performance. The results comprise an inventory of 16 mostly structural measures. The perceptions of six institutions of general responses to flooding are presented as opinions on actions that reduce the effects of such events, individual strategies and collective community endeavours in at‐risk areas, and the activities of the public and private sectors to manage floods. Understanding of coping and adaptation strategies and knowledge of institutional flood risk perceptions can benefit the implementation of risk and disaster reduction policies and practices.
BACK‐LOADED WAGES AND ON‐THE‐JOB TRAINING IN A FRICTIONAL LABOR MARKET
Authors: Sim Seung‐Gyu
Published: October 2019

This paper analyzes the coexistence of on‐the‐job (general) training and on‐the‐job search in a frictional labor market where firms post skill‐dependent labor contracts to preemptively back‐load compensation after training. The back‐loaded compensation scheme discourages trained workers' efficient job‐to‐job transition, as if they accumulated relationship‐specific capital, which induces overintensified training among more productive firms. The quantitative analysis predicts that the market equilibrium, relative to the efficiency benchmark, gets more skilled workers (training inefficiency) and less output (allocation inefficiency). It further demonstrates that efficiency loss is moderate due to positive externality and can be improved, as search friction is mitigated. (JEL J24, J31, J64)
The fitness of chemotrophs increases when their catabolic by‐products are consumed by other species
Authors: Seto Mayumi , Iwasa Yoh
Published: October 2019

Chemotrophic microorganisms synthesise biomass by utilising energy obtained from a set of chemical reactions that convert resources to by‐products, forming catabolic interactions. The amount of energy obtained per catabolic reaction decreases with the abundance of the by‐product named as the ‘abundant resource premium’. Consider two species, Species 1 and 2, Species 1 obtains energy from a reaction that converts resource A to by‐product B. Species 2 then utilises B as its resource, extracting energy from a reaction that converts B to C. Thus, the presence of Species 2 reduces the abundance of B, which improves the fitness of Species 1 by increasing the energy acquisition per reaction of A to B. We discuss the population dynamic implication of this effect and its importance in expanding a realised niche, boosting material flow through the ecosystem and providing mutualistic interactions among species linked by the material flow. Introducing thermodynamics into population ecology could offer us fundamental ecological insights into understanding the ecology of chemotrophic microorganisms dominating the subsurface realm.
Variations in Poverty by Family Characteristics Among Working‐Age Adults With Disabilities
Authors: Brucker Debra L.
Published: October 2019

Objective

To examine the association of family structure, family‐level employment, and receipt of adult public disability benefits on poverty levels among working‐age persons with disabilities in the United States.

Background

Working‐age persons with disabilities are more likely than their counterparts without disabilities to live in poverty. However, prior research has not fully examined differences in poverty that control for family structure, family‐level employment, receipt of adult public disability benefits, and other family‐level characteristics.

Method

Couched within a conceptual model of family resilience, data from the 2016 Current Population Survey (N = 110,865) were used to estimate binary logistic regression models predicting the likelihood of living in poverty, controlling for family structure, family‐level employment, receipt of adult public disability benefits, and other family‐level characteristics.

Results

Married or cohabiting households that include an adult with a disability had equal odds of living in poverty as married or cohabiting households without an adult with a disability. However, in single‐adult households, the risk of living in poverty was higher among those households where the adult had a disability than among those who did not. Employment and receipt of public disability benefits moderated the risk of living in poverty for persons with disabilities, particularly for single‐headed households.

Conclusion

Family structure, family‐level employment, and receipt of public disability benefits are associated with the risk of living in poverty among adults with disabilities in the United States. In short, the public disability benefit system in the United States can reduce but not totally alleviate the risks of poverty for working‐age adults with disabilities.

Implications

Continued investment into furthering the employment of adults with disabilities, while protecting the availability of public disability benefits can reduce the risks of poverty for Americans with disabilities.
Multispecies biomass dynamics models reveal effects of ocean temperature on predation of juvenile pollock in the eastern Bering Sea
Authors: Uchiyama Tadayasu , Mueter Franz J. , Kruse Gordon H.
Published: October 2019

Walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) supports one of the largest commercial fisheries in the world. Juvenile pollock are important forage fish in the eastern Bering Sea (EBS) ecosystem, often representing the largest fraction in the diets of major Bering Sea piscivores. Large variability in the EBS pollock stock biomass in recent years has been attributed primarily to fluctuations in recruitment. It has been hypothesized that predation rates on forage fishes increase when the cold pool (a body of cold water < 2°C) is extensive and covers much of the middle continental shelf, which tends to concentrate larger predatory fishes in the outer shelf and slope regions. In contrast, young pollock appear to tolerate colder temperatures than older fish and can stay in the cold pool, thereby reducing predation. We used a multispecies modeling approach to examine the effects of the cold pool size on predation of juvenile pollock. We found that predation on age‐1 pollock by age‐3+ pollock decreased, and predation on age‐1 and age‐2 pollock by arrowtooth flounder increased with increasing bottom temperature, which was used as a proxy for the cold pool size. These results suggest that the cold pool creates spatial separation between juvenile pollock and arrowtooth flounder, but not between adult and juvenile pollock. The model developed in this study could be used to examine the effects of other covariates on interspecific interactions, help explain observed changes in fish communities, and understand implications of climate change on ecosystems and their productivity.
Subtropical water influences temporal fluctuations of early life stages of Vinciguerria lucetia (Osteichthyes: Phosichthyidae) in the Humboldt Current System (1998–2004)
Authors: Lemus Diego , Landaeta Mauricio F. , Balbontín Fernando , Saavedra‐Nievas Juan Carlos , Valenzuela Vivian , Miles Hernán
Published: October 2019

In the last decades, the fish Vinciguerria lucetia (Garman) has been of important interest to the fisheries sector; nonetheless, the spawning and nursery zones in the Humboldt Current System (HCS) have not yet been defined. By using a temporal series of 23 oceanographic surveys from austral spring of 1998 to autumn 2004 off northern Chile, the spatial and temporal distribution and abundance of eggs and larvae of V. lucetia were studied. The relationships with environmental conditions (sea surface temperature, water column stratification, salinity, dissolved oxygen) were modeled using generalized additive models (GAMs). Seasonal variations in eggs and larval abundances were recorded, and higher abundances were observed in spring and summer, respectively. The main spawning areas were located at approximately between 40 and 80 nautical miles offshore. The largest abundances of V. lucetia eggs were found during spring 2003; however, larval abundances reached the highest values following the strongest ENSO event 1997–98. GAMs predicted that offshore location, sea surface temperature, and the deepening of the oxygen minimum zone, characteristics of the subtropical waters (22–24°C, >34.9, 3–6 ml/L) drove eggs and larval distributions of V. lucetia in the HCS during 1998–2004, toward areas with scarce food availability for larvae. These results suggest that spawning and larval development of this oceanic species occur in oligotrophic waters as a loophole strategy, in order to reduce predation risk during early life stages.
Occurrence of Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis larvae off the Pacific coast of Tohoku area, northeastern Japan: Possibility of the discovery of the third spawning ground
Authors: Tanaka Yosuke , Tawa Atsushi , Ishihara Taiki , Sawai Etsuro , Nakae Misato , Masujima Masachika , Kodama Taketoshi
Published: October 2019

Recently, based on the histological studies it is suggested that Pacific bluefin tuna (PBF) spawns in the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition, off the Pacific coast of northeastern Japan, in addition to the previously identified two spawning areas of the northwestern Pacific around the Nansei Islands and the Sea of Japan. Distributional surveys for PBF larvae have not been conducted in the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition, and thus, we conducted PBF larval surveys at twenty stations in this area in early August 2018 to obtain evidence for the spawning of PBF. Twelve PBF larvae (3.9–7.2 mm in body length) were collected at six stations where sea surface temperature ranged from 27.2 to 28.2°C. Otolith microstructure analysis indicated that age of these larvae ranged from 4 to 11 days after hatching and the larvae hatched in late July. Growth of the collected larvae was comparable to those in the other two spawning grounds. Therefore, PBF spawns, hatches, and at least survives to the postflexion stage, 11 days after hatching in the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition. This fact potentially has a large impact on recruitment processes of PBF if they survive to recruitment in this third spawning ground.
Film and Video
Authors: Pedersen Lene
Published: October 2019

Film reviewed in this issue.

Heartbound. 2018, 90 mins.
Closing the Gap? Gender and the Global Compacts for Migration and Refugees
Authors: Hennebry Jenna L. , Petrozziello Allison J.
Published: October 2019

Migrant women's organizations, UN Women, and civil society advocacy networks have mobilized to call for greater gender‐responsiveness in migration governance. The development of the Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees presented an important opportunity to continue enhancing the international framework for protecting the rights of women and men on the move. This article asks: How has gender been understood/invoked during proceedings leading up to their adoption? In what ways is it incorporated in the resulting compacts and their operationalization? What are the gains and missed opportunities for gender‐responsiveness? Drawing on data gathered through participant observation in the global compact on migration preparatory meetings and member state negotiations in Geneva and New York, and policy analysis of the drafts of both compacts, this paper aims to determine the extent to which the compacts, and the plans to operationalize them, serve to widen or close the gender gap.
American Public Opinion on Immigration: Nativist, Polarized, or Ambivalent?
Authors: Wright Matthew , Levy Morris
Published: October 2019

For Dauvergne (2016), one consequence of the “end of settler societies” is nativism, or what she calls “mean‐spirited politics”: anti‐immigrant, anti‐Muslim, anti‐Multiculturalism. This accords with the prevailing tone of public opinion literature on the subject, which links anti‐immigrant hostility in settler societies to influxes of diversity and associated racial threat. In this essay, we determine just how closely this stylized vision of anxiety‐fuelled nativism resembles the true state of mass opinion about immigration. Using a variety of surveys fielded in recent years, we show that Americans: 1) hold generally positive views about immigration, though with a substantial dose of ambivalence about its consequences; 2) are not especially consistent in their policy attitudes over time; 3) express policy attitudes that readily depart from their underlying predispositions, and; 4) have only become more pro‐immigrant in recent years, and whatever partisan polarization exists on the issue stems from the fact that Republicans are becoming more positive at a slightly slower pace than Democrats. All of this suggests that, while there is a hard core of ethnocentrism and "mean‐spiritedness" in the U.S., the prevailing tone is much less negative than the standard portrayal assumes.
How do clients and (In)formal caregivers experience quality of home care? A qualitative approach
Authors: Haex Roy , Thoma‐Lürken Theresa , Beurskens Anna J. H. M. , Zwakhalen Sandra M. G.
Published: October 2019

Aim

To explore and understand the views of clients and formal and informal caregivers about the experienced quality of home care for older people.

Design

A descriptive qualitative study was conducted using individual interviews.

Methods

Six home care clients, four formal and six informal caregivers were recruited from two Dutch home care organizations. Individual, semi‐structured interviews took place between April ‐ November 2018. The INDividually EXperienced QUAlity of Long‐term care framework was used to guide data collection and content analyses.

Results

The analyses revealed several important attributes contributing to experienced quality of home care such as a preferred small number of caregivers, perceived sufficient time for care provision and a caring atmosphere facilitating open communication and humour. Participants indicated that care routines fitting with the care receiver's former way of living were important. A more ‘close’ personal care relationship related to trust, openness and empathy was preferred over a more ‘detached’ professional care relationship.

Conclusion

This study identified a wide range of attributes related to experienced quality of care from the perspectives of clients and formal and informal caregivers in home care.

Impact

Care providers are being challenged to structurally assess individual experienced quality of home care. This study underlines the importance of incorporating care preferences and experiences throughout the care process from a relationship‐centred care approach. Relevant care measures and outcomes should be determined to gain insight and further improve individual care provision.
Recovery experiences buffer against adverse well‐being effects of workplace surface acting: A two‐wave study of hospital nurses
Authors: Gu Yuanbo , You Xuqun
Published: October 2019

Aims

To test the direct effects of different surface acting strategies and the interactive effects of surface acting and recovery experiences on nurses' well‐being.

Design

A two‐wave study design.

Methods

Chinese hospital nurses (N = 372; 47.3% of initial sample) reported on their levels of surface acting, recovery experiences and well‐being using a paper and pencil survey in November 2017 and November 2018.

Findings

Surface acting has long‐term effects on nurses' well‐being. Compared with positive expression, negative suppression generally tends to show more negative effects. Recovery experiences play a buffering role in the surface acting – nurses' well‐being relationship.

Conclusion

These findings offer initial evidence for long‐term effects of surface acting and show how hospital nurses can avoid adverse effects of surface acting through fostering recovery experiences.

Impact

Surface acting is a chronic stressor, having long‐term effects on nurses' well‐being. In contrast to positive expression, negative suppression has more detrimental impacts. Recovery experiences play a protective role by alleviating the adverse effects of surface acting. Managers and individuals are advised to differentiate distinct surface acting strategies. Managers should try best to facilitate employee recovery. Hospital nurses are well recommended to train themselves by adopting several recovery programmes.
Asperpyrone A attenuates RANKL‐induced osteoclast formation through inhibiting NFATc1, Ca2+ signalling and oxidative stress
Authors: Chen Xi , Wang Chao , Qiu Heng , Yuan Yu , Chen Kai , Cao Zhen , Xiang Tan Ren , Tickner Jennifer , Xu Jiake , Zou Jun
Published: October 2019

Imbalance of osteoblast and osteoclast in adult leads to a variety of bone‐related diseases, including osteoporosis. Thus, suppressing the activity of osteoclastic bone resorption becomes the main therapeutic strategy for osteoporosis. Asperpyrone A is a natural compound isolated from Aspergillus niger with various biological activities of antitumour, antimicrobial and antioxidant. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of Asperpyrone A on osteoclastogenesis and to explore its underlining mechanism. We found that Asperpyrone A inhibited RANKL‐induced osteoclastogenesis in a dose‐dependent manner when the concentration reached 1 µm, and with no cytotoxicity until the concentration reached to 10 µm. In addition, Asperpyrone A down‐regulated the mRNA and protein expression of NFATc1, c‐fos and V‐ATPase‐d2, as well as the mRNA expression of TRAcP and Ctsk. Furthermore, Asperpyrone A strongly attenuated the RNAKL‐induced intracellular Ca2+ oscillations and ROS (reactive oxygen species) production in the process of osteoclastogenesis and suppressed the activation of MAPK and NF‐κB signalling pathways. Collectively, Asperpyrone A attenuates RANKL‐induced osteoclast formation via suppressing NFATc1, Ca2+ signalling and oxidative stress, as well as MAPK and NF‐κB signalling pathways, indicating that this compound may become a potential candidate drug for the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis.
A New Statistic for Selecting the Smoothing Parameter for Polynomial Loglinear Equating Under the Random Groups Design
Authors: Liu Chunyan , Kolen Michael J.
Published: October 2019

Smoothing is designed to yield smoother equating results that can reduce random equating error without introducing very much systematic error. The main objective of this study is to propose a new statistic and to compare its performance to the performance of the Akaike information criterion and likelihood ratio chi‐square difference statistics in selecting the smoothing parameter for polynomial loglinear equating under the random groups design. These model selection statistics were compared for four sample sizes (500, 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000) and eight simulated equating conditions, including both conditions where equating is not needed and conditions where equating is needed. The results suggest that all model selection statistics tend to improve the equating accuracy by reducing the total equating error. The new statistic tended to have less overall error than the other two methods.
Resource use of great hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna mokarran) off eastern Australia
Authors: Raoult Vincent , Broadhurst Matt K. , Peddemors Vic M. , Williamson Jane E. , Gaston Troy F.
Published: October 2019

Great hammerhead sharks Sphyrna mokarran are the largest member of Sphyrnidae, yet the roles of these large sharks in the food webs of coastal ecosystems are still poorly understood. Here we obtained samples of muscle, liver and vertebrae from large S. mokarran (234–383 cm total length; LT) caught as by‐catch off eastern Australia and used stable‐isotope analyses of δ15N, δ13C and δ34S to infer their resource use and any associated ontogenetic patterns. The results indicated large S. mokarran are apex predators primarily relying on other sharks and rays for their diet, with a preference for benthic resources such as Australian cownose rays Rhinoperon neglecta during the austral summer. Teleosts, cephalopods and crustaceans were not significant components of S. mokarran diets, though some conspecifics appeared to rely on more diverse resources over the austral summer. Ontogenetic shifts in resource use were detected but trajectories of the increases in trophic level varied among individuals. Most S. mokarran had non‐linear trajectories in ontogenetic resource‐use shifts implying size was not the main explanatory factor. Stable isotope values of δ13C and δ34S in muscle suggest S. mokarran span coastal, pelagic and benthic food webs in eastern Australia.
Impacts of biogas production on nitrogen flows on Dutch dairy system: Multiple level assessment of nitrogen indicators within the biogas production chain
Authors: Hoang Dieu Linh , Davis Chris , Moll Henri C. , Nonhebel Sanderine
Published: October 2019

Biogas production on dairy farms is promoted as a climate change measure since it captures methane, a greenhouse gas emitted by manure, and produces renewable energy. Digestate is a by‐product of biogas production and is often used for nutrient recycling in a similar way as traditional manure. Despite having similar functions, manure and digestate have different behaviors related to nitrogen recycling and nitrogen emissions which are significant agricultural and environmental concerns of manure. This paper provides an insight into the impact of biogas production on nitrogen emissions and nitrogen recycling issues of the current dairy farming practice. Using the Substance Flow Analysis (SFA) approach, we analyzed the changes on three levels: manure handling, dairy farm, and the whole chain. Four biogas production options on a Dutch dairy farm related to types and sources of feedstocks were considered. We quantified biogas output, nitrogen fertilizer replacement percentage (%) and consequential nitrogen emissions (kgN/year; kgN/m3 biogas produced) of these productions in comparison with the baseline of current dairy farming without biogas. We conclude that biogas production options with additional feedstocks will cause profound changes in the nitrogen recycling on dairy farms and the nitrogen emissions at the chain level. Besides, the results show that determining the optimal biogas production option can be challenging as the evaluation is highly dependent on the used nitrogen indicator and the included level of analysis. Our findings show how SFA and a multilevel perspective can give a broader understanding of environmental trade‐offs.
Undergraduate students' perspectives on pursuing a career in mental health nursing following practicum experience
Authors: Slemon Allie , Jenkins Emily , Bungay Vicky , Brown Helen
Published: October 2019

Aims and objectives

The purpose of this study was to explore how undergraduate students perceive and make decisions regarding mental health nursing as a career following completion of an inpatient mental health practicum.

Background

Among nursing students, mental health is consistently perceived as the least desirable nursing career path. However, evidence to explain why this is the case remains limited, with a lack of research exploring students' experiences of mental health settings and how these experiences influence their perceptions of a mental health nursing career. This knowledge gap limits strategies to support nurses' selection of mental health nursing as a career path, contributing to a global shortage of mental health nurses.

Design

This study used a qualitative narrative inquiry design.

Methods

In‐depth interviews (N = 15) were conducted with undergraduate nursing students to explore their experiences of mental health practicums. Participants had all completed a 6‐week practicum in inpatient mental health settings in urban hospitals. Reporting follows COREQ guidelines.

Results

Nursing students' decisions to not choose a career in mental health nursing were influenced by negative practicum experiences, including the institutional environments of the inpatient mental health settings and witnessing of harmful nursing practices. These factors were identified as barriers to pursuing a career in mental health nursing. However, students expressed desire to continue to work with clients with mental health challenges and aimed to pursue nursing careers that preserve this opportunity in different healthcare settings.

Conclusions

These findings expand upon existing literature that frequently positions nursing students as “uninterested” in mental health nursing and offers insights that can contribute to addressing global mental health nursing shortages.

Relevance to clinical practice

This study highlights the need for mental health nurses, nursing leaders, and educators to recognise and respond to students' difficult experiences in the inpatient mental health setting during practicums.
The value of bronchoalveolar lavage for discrimination between healthy and diseased individuals
Authors: Frye B. C. , Schupp J. C. , Rothe M. E. , Köhler T. C. , Prasse A. , Zissel G. , Vach W. , Müller‐Quernheim J.
Published: October 2019

Background

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is standard diagnostic procedure. Procedural recommendations have been made by pneumological societies including normal values for interpretation of BAL cytology. These normal values derive from small studies in healthy volunteers and have never been analysed for their sensitivity and specificity.

Objectives

This study aims to analyse sensitivity and specificity of these normal values by assessing lavage cell composition in healthy and diseased individuals.

Methods

More than 6000 BAL were retrospectively analysed for their cellular distribution including BALs of 250 healthy individuals. All BALs were obtained under similar conditions.

Results

Bronchoalveolar lavage cytology of healthy individuals mirrors data from previous studies with smoking being the most important manipulator of BAL cytology. Analyses of proposed normal values demonstrate specificity between 80% and 95%, whereas sensitivity ranges between 35% and 65%. Using different mathematical models, a value summing up the differences to ATS‐proposed normal values of the cytological pattern was found to best discriminate between healthy and diseased individuals with a sensitivity of nearly 60% with a predefined specificity of 95%.

Conclusion

In summary, our analysis confirmed prior results for healthy volunteers and enlarged these findings by analysing sensitivity and specificity of lavage results in an independent validation cohort of diseased individuals. Thereby, the study may influence the acceptance of BAL in the diagnostic workup of individuals with pulmonary diseases. Additionally, the study proposes a novel value that facilitates lavage interpretation and may therefore be useful in further studies.
Descriptive Epidemiology of Childhood Disability Prevalence by Sex in the Mississippi Delta and Appalachian Regions
Authors: McDaniel Justin T. , Davis Tammy , Yahaya Musa , Nuhu Kaamel
Published: October 2019

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests a rise in childhood disability rates across the United States with males and those with lower socioeconomic status bearing greater burden. We investigated childhood disability rates in the Mississippi Delta (MDR) and Appalachian regions (AR) in comparison to other parts of the country.

METHODS

Using data from the US Census Bureau, we calculated childhood disability rates by type and sex at national, regional, and subregional levels. We used risk ratios (RR) to compare childhood disability rates by sex, type, and region. We generated choropleth maps to represent the geographic distribution of disability.

RESULTS

Childhood disability was more prevalent, at the national level, among boys (6.64%) than girls (4.08%). Children in the MDR (boys = 8.60%; girls = 5.08%) and AR (boys = 7.81%; girls = 4.83%) had greater risk of disability than those elsewhere in the country (boys = 6.47%; girls = 3.98%), with rates generally higher in rural compared to urban areas in said regions.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood disability affects rural areas of the country more extensively, with the MDR and AR affected to an even greater extent. School‐based health centers, in particular, which are disproportionately located in urban areas, could benefit disabled children living in the MDR and AR.
Defining Food Education Standards through Consensus: The Pilot Light Food Education Summit
Authors: Sutter Carolyn , Metcalfe Jessica Jarick , Tucker Lynn , Lohrmann David K. , Koch Pamela A. , Allegrante John P. , DeSorbo‐Quinn Alexandra
Published: October 2019

BACKGROUND

Consistent with the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Approach, food education encompasses nutritional status, culture, community, environment, and society. Unifying standards are needed to support food education integration in K‐12 curricula. Pilot Light, a Chicago‐based nonprofit, sought to generate such standards. This study reports a formative evaluation research process that led to the development of Food Education Standards (FES).

METHODS

Nine FES were drafted within the context of the National Health Education Standards. The 2‐day Pilot Light Food Education Summit convened 26 experts and community members to review draft FES. A facilitated, consensus‐building process generated refined FES and K‐12 competencies. Drawing on Summit outcomes and expert feedback, a team of teachers subsequently drafted final FES. Summit participants completed pre‐ and post‐Summit surveys to assess changes in food education priorities.

RESULTS

The initial 9 FES were refined to 7. Comparison data indicated shifts in endorsed priorities for food education, moving from prioritizing specific knowledge, such as “categorizing food into food groups,” toward “students having a conscious decision‐making process around food.”

CONCLUSIONS

Developed with input from experts across multidisciplinary fields, the evidence‐based Pilot Light FES can be feasibly implemented in multiple subjects across all school types and community socio‐demographic levels.
Management of inflammatory bowel disease in children: It is time for an individualised approach
Authors: Grover Zubin , Alex George
Published: October 2019

Paediatric‐onset inflammatory bowel disease (PO‐IBD) is associated with greater morbidity compared to adult‐onset IBD. However, as not all children with PO‐IBD will have poor outcome and the best management decisions involve weighing risks versus benefit and wishes of patient's and family, we review risk factors of IBD progression in children and summarise rapidly expanding treatment choices, potential drug‐related adverse events and risk minimisation strategies, ending with new treatment paradigms focusing on long‐term goal of intestinal healing. For the purpose of this article, we have outlined the conventional approach, including medications currently licenced and available for use in Australia for paediatric IBD through the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme and briefly discuss other promising therapies that are shown to be effective in adults but are undergoing paediatric clinical trials.
Futility in adolescent anorexia nervosa and the question of withdrawal of care
Authors: Forbes David A
Published: October 2019

Anorexia nervosa is a chronic disorder of children, adolescents and young people typically characterised by self‐starvation and resistance to interventions. Staff dealing with these young people frequently question patient motivations and the ethics of interventions that may be applied against the wishes of patients. The question of withdrawal of care in a subgroup of these patients has been raised. Futility is not an appropriate response to adolescent anorexia nervosa, and treatment withdrawal is not appropriate for a disorder in which most patients can be expected to recover, in which opposition to treatment is a characteristic of the disorder and in which brain dysfunction is precipitated by severe malnutrition.
Myocardial hypertrophy is improved with berberine treatment via long non-coding RNA MIAT-mediated autophagy
Authors: Zeng Zhicong , Pan Yan , Wu Wei , Li Liang , Wu Zijun , Zhang Yuangui , Deng Bin , Wei Shanyan , Zhang Weiwei , Lin Fengxia , Song Yinzhi
Published: October 2019

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate berberine (BBR) effects on myocardial hypertrophy (MH) and associated mechanisms.

Methods

BBR effects on MH were evaluated in rats with constriction of abdominal aorta (CAA). qRT-PCR assay was used to measure MH-related genes, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and autophagy-related genes expressions. Western blot was performed to detect autophagy markers expression. Filamentous actin and phalloidin expressions were detected using immunofluorescence assay.

Key findings

BBR significantly attenuated CAA-induced MH and cardiomyocyte enlargement. CAA upregulated β myosin heavy chain and atrial natriuretic peptide expressions in heart tissues, which was attenuated by BBR. BBR suppressed myocardial infarction associated transcript (MIAT) expression in rats with CAA. p62 mRNA expression was upregulated and beclin1 and autophagy related 5 were downregulated in CAA versus control groups. The effects were abolished by BBR. In vitro studies showed that BBR ameliorated angiotensin II-induced MH and attenuated Ang II-induced MIAT expression in H9C2 cells. Expressions of phosphorylated mTOR, phosphorylated AMPK and LC3 were upregulated in H9C2 cells after Ang II stimulation, and the effects were abolished by BBR.

Conclusions

BBR exerted beneficial effects on MH induced by CCA, and the mechanisms were associated with decreased MIAT expression and enhanced autophagy.
Liver fibrosis by FibroScan® independently of established cardiovascular risk parameters associates with macrovascular and microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Lombardi Rosa , Airaghi Lorena , Targher Giovanni , Serviddio Gaetano , Maffi Gabriele , Mantovani Alessandro , Maffeis Claudio , Colecchia Antonio , Villani Rosanna , Rinaldi Luca , Orsi Emanuela , Pisano Giuseppina , Adinolfi Luigi E. , Fargion Silvia , Fracanzani Anna L.
Published: October 2019

Background & Aims

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are closely associated, and liver fibrosis has been related to macrovascular complications. We examined whether liver fibrosis, diagnosed by FibroScan®, correlates with chronic vascular complications in a cohort of T2DM.

Methods

We recruited 394 outpatients with T2DM attending five Italian diabetes centres who underwent liver ultrasonography (US), FibroScan® and extensive evaluation of macrovascular and microvascular diabetic complications.

Results

Steatosis by US was present in 89%. Almost all patients (96%) were on hypoglycaemic drugs, 58% had at least one chronic vascular complication, 19% a macrovascular complication (prior myocardial infarction and/or ischaemic stroke) and 33% a microvascular one (26% chronic kidney disease [CKD]; 16% retinopathy; 6% neuropathy). In all, 171 (72%) patients had CAP ≥ 248dB/m (ie hepatic steatosis), whereas 83 (21%) patients had LSM ≥ 7.0/6.2 kPa (M/XL probes) (significant liver fibrosis). CAP was not associated with any macro/microvascular complications, whereas LSM ≥ 7.0/6.2 kPa was independently associated with prior cardiovascular disease (adjusted OR 3.3, 95%CI 1.2‐8.8; P = .02) and presence of microvascular complications (adjusted OR 4.2, 95%CI 1.5‐11.4; P = .005), mainly CKD (adjusted OR 3.6, 95%CI 1.3‐10.1; P = .01) and retinopathy (adjusted OR 3.7, CI 95% 1.2‐11.9; P = .02). Neither diabetes duration nor haemoglobin A1c differed according to CAP or LSM values.

Conclusion

Significant fibrosis, detected by FibroScan®, is independently associated with increased prevalence of macrovascular and microvascular complications, thus opening a new scenario in the use of this tool for a comprehensive evaluation of hepatic and vascular complications in patients with T2DM.
Greater genetic and regulatory plasticity of retained duplicates in Epichloë endophytic fungi
Authors: Wu Baojun , Cox Murray P.
Published: October 2019

Gene duplicates can act as a source of genetic material from which new functions arise. Most duplicated genes revert to single copy genes and only a small proportion are retained. However, it remains unclear why some duplicate genes persist in the genome for an extended time. We investigate this question by analysing retained gene duplicates in the fungal genus Epichloë, ascomycete fungi that form close endophytic symbioses with their host grasses. Retained duplicates within this genus have two independent origins, but both long pre‐date the origin and diversification of the genus Epichloë. We find that loss of retained duplicates within the genus is frequent and often associated with speciation. Retained duplicates have faster evolutionary rates (Ka) and show relaxed selection (Ka/Ks) compared to single copy genes. Both features are time‐dependent. Through comparison of conspecific strains, we find greater evolutionary rates in coding regions and sequence divergence in regulatory regions of retained duplicates than single copy genes, with this pattern more pronounced for strains adapted to different grass host species. Consistent with this sequence divergence in regulatory regions, transcriptome analyses show greater expression variation of retained duplicates than single copy genes. This suggest that cis‐regulatory changes make important contributions to the expression patterns of retained duplicates. Coupled with supporting observations from the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, these data suggest that genetic robustness and regulatory plasticity are common drivers behind the retention of duplicated genes in fungi.
Lack of statistical power as a major limitation in understanding MHC‐mediated immunocompetence in wild vertebrate populations
Authors: Gaigher Arnaud , Burri Reto , San‐Jose Luis M. , Roulin Alexandre , Fumagalli Luca
Published: October 2019

Disentangling the sources of variation in developing an effective immune response against pathogens is of major interest to immunoecology and evolutionary biology. To date, the link between immunocompetence and genetic variation at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) has received little attention in wild animals, despite the key role of MHC genes in activating the adaptive immune system. Although several studies point to a link between MHC and immunocompetence, negative findings have also been reported. Such disparate findings suggest that limited statistical power might be affecting studies on this topic, owing to insufficient sample sizes and/or a generally small effect of MHC on the immunocompetence of wild vertebrates. To clarify this issue, we investigated the link between MHC variation and seven immunocompetence proxies in a large sample of barn owls and estimated the effect sizes and statistical power of this and published studies on this topic. We found that MHC poorly explained variation in immunocompetence of barn owls, with small‐to‐moderate associations between MHC and immunocompetence in owls (effect size: .1 ≥ r ≤ .3) similar to other vertebrates studied to date. Such small‐to‐moderate effects were largely associated with insufficient power, which was only sufficient (>0.8) to detect moderate‐to‐large effect sizes (r ≥ .3). Thus, studies linking MHC variation with immunocompetence in wild populations are underpowered to detect MHC effects, which are likely to be of generally small magnitude. Larger sample sizes (>200) will be required to achieve sufficient power in future studies aiming to robustly test for a link between MHC variation and immunocompetence.
Conflict Resolution: Lessons from the Dayton Peace Process
Authors: Hartwell Leon
Published: October 2019

The Bosnian War (1992–1995) was one of the most brutal conflicts in Europe since the end of World War II. Thirty‐four cease‐fires failed to produce peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina until the late American diplomat, Richard Holbrooke, brokered one that set the stage for a series of negotiations—starting in the Balkans and ending in Dayton, Ohio. The Dayton peace process finally terminated the Bosnian War. The interplay of military intervention by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and diplomacy by the United States was remarkable. This article highlights thirteen conflict resolution lessons or “Holbrookeisms” that can be learned from the Dayton peace process. Some aspects of Holbrooke's approach toward the peace process helped him to successfully mediate an end to the Bosnian War, while others contributed toward some of the existing cleavages in today's Bosnian society.
Why Do Peace Negotiations Succeed or Fail? Legal Commitment, Transparency, and Inclusion during Peace Negotiations in Colombia (2012–2016) and Turkey (2012–2015)
Authors: Bakiner Onur
Published: October 2019

This article examines the ways in which the negotiation framework—i.e., the legal guarantees, information management mechanism, and degree of inclusivity in peace negotiations—shapes the likelihood of concluding a peace agreement. Codifying the peace negotiations in law, publicizing information about the content of negotiations, and including mediators and civil society actors in peace talks is likely to increase a government's short‐term costs. However, doing so alleviates the adversaries' information asymmetry and commitment problems, sets guidelines to insure the process against exogenous shocks, and increases the number of actors taking part in conflict management. Comparing the recent peace negotiations to end intrastate wars in Colombia and Turkey, this article argues that a legalized, public, and inclusive framework made a peace agreement possible in Colombia, while the lack of such a framework caused Turkey's peace talks to fail.
Polls and Elections: Abandoning the Ground Game? Field Organization in the 2016 Election
Authors: Darr Joshua P.
Published: October 2019

I examine the organizational and voter contact strategies of the presidential campaigns in the 2016 election, finding that Hillary Clinton opened many more field offices than Donald Trump. Both Clinton and Trump invested less aggressively in field operations than their predecessors while avoiding areas of opponent strength and “swing” areas. Neither Clinton nor Trump held a clear advantage in voter contact, and estimates of the effects of field offices were smaller than in previous cycles. Clinton's defeat should not be interpreted as evidence that field organizing is a poor investment in 2020.
Robustness of Optimal Investment Decisions in Mixed Insurance/Investment Cyber Risk Management
Authors: Mazzoccoli Alessandro , Naldi Maurizio
Published: October 2019

An integrated risk management strategy, combining insurance and security investments, where the latter contribute to reduce the insurance premium, is investigated to assess whether it can lead to reduced overall security expenses. The optimal investment for this mixed strategy is derived under three insurance policies, covering, respectively, all the losses (total coverage), just those below the limit of maximum liability (partial coverage), and those above a threshold but below the maximum liability (partial coverage with deductibles). Under certain conditions (e.g., low potential loss, or either very low or very high vulnerability), the mixed strategy reverts however to insurance alone, because investments do not provide an additional benefit. When the mixed strategy is the best choice, the dominant component in the overall security expenses is the insurance premium in most cases. Optimal investment decisions require an accurate estimate of the vulnerability, whereas larger estimation errors may be tolerated for the investment‐effectiveness coefficient.
A multilevel investigation of cultural competence among South Korean clinical nurses
Authors: Chae Duckhee , Park Yunhee , Kang Kyeonghwa , Kim Jongdae
Published: October 2019

Background

There is lack of empirical evidence on whether organisational variables affect the cultural competence of nurses.

Aim

This study aimed to investigate individual and organisational characteristics associated with South Korean clinical nurses’ cultural competence.

Methods

A descriptive cross‐sectional research design was used. A convenient sample of 401 clinical nurses from 21 hospitals in South Korea was recruited between November 2015 and February 2016. Multilevel modelling was used to estimate the effects of individual‐ and organisation‐level predictors. Data were analysed using the nlme package in R.

Results

Multilevel modelling indicated that professionalism (β = 0.02, p < 0.001) and foreign language fluency (β = 0.25, p = 0.012) were significant individual‐level predictors. Education on foreign patient care was marginally significant at p = 0.069. At the organisational level, nurse‐to‐patient ratio (β = 0.37, p = 0.038) and organisational cultural competence (β = 0.02, p < 0.001) were significant predictors. In addition, hospital ownership and work environment were marginally significant at p = 0.054 and p = 0.050, respectively. Furthermore, there was a significant cross‐level interaction between professionalism and hospital ownership (β = 0.03, p = 0.003).

Conclusion

To provide culturally competent care, nurse leaders should recognise the importance of organisational‐level factors, such as nurse staffing and organisational cultural competence, and create an environment that is inclusive of diverse patients, as well as promote professionalism among individual nurses.