bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serum Markers of Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Terrin Gianluca , Stronati Laura , Cucchiara Salvatore , De Curtis Mario
Published: April 2017

Objective:

The aim of the study was to systematically review the diagnostic utility of serum biomarkers for the diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

Methods:

We conducted an electronic and manual search of the available evidence. We included studies reporting data on the diagnostic accuracy of “serum” biomarkers for the diagnosis of NEC, available until January 2016.

Results:

We selected 22 studies from the 1296 articles retrieved. Only S100 A8/A9 protein and apolipoprotein-CII showed high sensitivity (100% and 96.4%, respectively) and specificity (90% and 95%, respectively) in the studies using Bell stage II NEC as target condition. High sensitivity and specificity were reported for interleukin-10 (100% and 90%), interleukin1-receptor antagonist (100% and 91.7%), intestinal fatty acid–binding protein (100% and 91%) and ischemia-modified albumin (94.7% and 92%), when tested to predict the evolution from definite to advanced NEC. Given the amount of uncertainty, the limited availability of data and heterogeneity among the populations in the different studies, we were unable to perform a meta-analysis. Major concerns about the applicability stemmed from the spectrum of patients enrolled and the inclusion of diseases different from Bell stage ≥2 NEC as target conditions.

Conclusions:

We identified only few markers with good diagnostic accuracy and found an overall low quality of the studies on serum NEC biomarkers. In conclusion, data supporting their use are insufficient.
Management of an Esojejunal Intrathoracic Leak Using an Endoscopic Vacuum-assisted Closure Technique
Authors: Barabino Gabriele , Filippello Alexandre , Brek Amine , Cuilleron Muriel , Dumas Olivier , Rinaldi Leslie , Porcheron Jack
Published: April 2017

Management of intrathoracic anastomotic leaks remains an important clinical challenge. We describe a case about a patient with intrathoracic esophageal anastomotic leaks after oesogastrectomy. Ndoscopic Vacuum-assisted closure technique today is an effective alternative in the treatment of anastomotic leaks after upper gastrointestinal tract surgery.
Transcriptional response ofHoxbgenes to retinoid signalling is regionally restricted along the neural tube rostrocaudal axis
Authors: Carucci Nicoletta , Cacci Emanuele , Nisi Paola S. , Licursi Valerio , Paul Yu-Lee , Biagioni Stefano , Negri Rodolfo , Rugg-Gunn Peter J. , Lupo Giuseppe
Published: April 2017

During vertebrate neural development, positional information is largely specified by extracellular morphogens. Their distribution, however, is very dynamic due to the multiple roles played by the same signals in the developing and adult neural tissue. This suggests that neural progenitors are able to modify their competence to respond to morphogen signalling and autonomously maintain positional identities after their initial specification. In this work, we take advantage ofin vitroculture systems of mouse neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) to show that NSPCs isolated from rostral or caudal regions of the mouse neural tube are differentially responsive to retinoic acid (RA), a pivotal morphogen for the specification of posterior neural fates.Hoxbgenes are among the best known RA direct targets in the neural tissue, yet we found that RA could promote their transcription only in caudal but not in rostral NSPCs. Correlating with these effects, key RA-responsive regulatory regions in theHoxbcluster displayed opposite enrichment of activating or repressing histone marks in rostral and caudal NSPCs. Finally, RA was able to strengthenHoxbchromatin activation in caudal NSPCs, but was ineffective on the repressedHoxbchromatin of rostral NSPCs. These results suggest that the response of NSPCs to morphogen signalling across the rostrocaudal axis of the neural tube may be gated by the epigenetic configuration of target patterning genes, allowing long-term maintenance of intrinsic positional values in spite of continuously changing extrinsic signals.
Detecting taxonomic and phylogenetic signals in equid cheek teeth: towards new palaeontological and archaeological proxies
Authors: Cucchi T. , Mohaseb A. , Peigné S. , Debue K. , Orlando L. , Mashkour M.
Published: April 2017

The Plio–Pleistocene evolution of
Equus
and the subsequent domestication of horses and donkeys remains poorly understood, due to the lack of phenotypic markers capable of tracing this evolutionary process in the palaeontological/archaeological record. Using images from 345 specimens, encompassing 15 extant taxa of equids, we quantified the occlusal enamel folding pattern in four mandibular cheek teeth with a single geometric morphometric protocol. We initially investigated the protocol accuracy by assigning each tooth to its correct anatomical position and taxonomic group. We then contrasted the phylogenetic signal present in each tooth shape with an exome-wide phylogeny from 10 extant equine species. We estimated the strength of the phylogenetic signal using a Brownian motion model of evolution with multivariate
K
statistic, and mapped the dental shape along the molecular phylogeny using an approach based on squared-change parsimony. We found clear evidence for the relevance of dental phenotypes to accurately discriminate all modern members of the genus
Equus
and capture their phylogenetic relationships. These results are valuable for both palaeontologists and zooarchaeologists exploring the spatial and temporal dynamics of the evolutionary history of the horse family, up to the latest domestication trajectories of horses and donkeys.
Some aspects of radical cascade and relay reactions
Authors: Quiclet-Sire Béatrice , Zard Samir Z.
Published: April 2017

The ability to create carbon–carbon bonds is at the heart of organic synthesis. Radical processes are particularly apt at creating such bonds, especially in cascade or relay sequences where more than one bond is formed, allowing for a rapid assembly of complex structures. In the present brief overview, examples taken from the authors' laboratory will serve to illustrate the strategic impact of radical-based approaches on synthetic planning. Transformations involving nitrogen-centred radicals, electron transfer from metallic nickel and the reversible degenerative exchange of xanthates will be presented and discussed. The last method has proved to be a particularly powerful tool for theintermolecularcreation of carbon–carbon bonds by radical additions even to unactivated alkenes. Various functional groups can be brought into the same molecule in a convergent manner and made to react together in order to further increase the structural complexity. One important benefit of this chemistry is the so-called RAFT/MADIX technology for the manufacture of block copolymers of almost any desired architecture.
Wave energy absorption by a submerged air bag connected to a rigid float
Authors: Kurniawan A. , Chaplin J. R. , Hann M. R. , Greaves D. M. , Farley F. J. M.
Published: April 2017

A new wave energy device features a submerged ballasted air bag connected at the top to a rigid float. Under wave action, the bag expands and contracts, creating a reciprocating air flow through a turbine between the bag and another volume housed within the float. Laboratory measurements are generally in good agreement with numerical predictions. Both show that the trajectory of possible combinations of pressure and elevation at which the device is in static equilibrium takes the shape of an S. This means that statically the device can have three different draughts, and correspondingly three different bag shapes, for the same pressure. The behaviour in waves depends on where the mean pressure-elevation condition is on the static trajectory. The captured power is highest for a mean condition on the middle section.
Quantifying the bending of bilayer temperature-sensitive hydrogels
Authors: Dong Chenling , Chen Bin
Published: April 2017

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels can serve as manipulators, including grippers, sensors, etc., where structures can undergo significant bending. Here, a finite-deformation theory is developed to quantify the evolution of the curvature of bilayer temperature-sensitive hydrogels when subjected to a temperature change. Analysis of the theory indicates that there is an optimal thickness ratio to acquire the largest curvature in the bilayer and also suggests that the sign or the magnitude of the curvature can be significantly affected by pre-stretches or small pores in the bilayer. This study may provide important guidelines in fabricating temperature-responsive bilayers with desirable mechanical performance.
Winter range expansion of a hummingbird is associated with urbanization and supplementary feeding
Authors: Greig Emma I. , Wood Eric M. , Bonter David N.
Published: April 2017

Anthropogenic changes to the landscape and climate cause novel ecological and evolutionary pressures, leading to potentially dramatic changes in the distribution of biodiversity. Warm winter temperatures can shift species' distributions to regions that were previously uninhabitable. Further, urbanization and supplementary feeding may facilitate range expansions and potentially reduce migration tendency. Here we explore how these factors interact to cause non-uniform effects across a species's range. Using 17 years of data from the citizen science programme Project FeederWatch, we examined the relationships between urbanization, winter temperatures and the availability of supplementary food (i.e. artificial nectar) on the winter range expansion (more than 700 km northward in the past two decades) of Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna). We found that Anna's hummingbirds have colonized colder locations over time, were more likely to colonize sites with higher housing density and were more likely to visit feeders in the expanded range compared to the historical range. Additionally, their range expansion mirrored a corresponding increase over time in the tendency of people to provide nectar feeders in the expanded range. This work illustrates how humans may alter the distribution and potentially the migratory behaviour of species through landscape and resource modification.
UNBIAS: An attempt to correct abundance bias in 16S sequencing, with limited success
Authors: Edgar Robert C.
Published: April 2017

Next-generation amplicon sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA is widely used to survey microbial communities. Alpha and beta diversities of these communities are often quantified on the basis of OTU frequencies in the reads. Read abundances are biased by factors including 16S copy number and PCR primer mismatches which can cause the read abundance distribution to diverge substantially from the species abundance distribution. Using mock community tests with species abundances determined independently by shotgun sequencing, I find that 16S amplicon read frequencies have no meaningful correlation with species frequencies (Pearson coefficientrclose to zero). In addition, I show that that the Jaccard distance between the abundance distributions for reads of replicate samples, which ideally would be zero, is typically ~0.15 with values up to 0.71 for replicates sequenced in different runs. Using simulated communities, I estimate that the average rank of a dominant species in the reads is 3. I describe UNBIAS, a method that attempts to correct for abundance bias due to gene copy number and primer mismatches. I show that UNBIAS can achieve informative, but still poor, correlations (r~0.6) between estimated and true abundances in the idealized case of mock samples where species are well known. However,rfalls to ~0.4 when the closest reference species have 97% identity and to ~0.2 at 95% identity. This degradation is mostly explained by the increased difficulty in predicting 16S copy number when OTUs have lower similarity with the reference database, as will typically be the case in practice. 16S abundance bias therefore remains an unsolved problem, calling into question the naive use of alpha and beta diversity metrics based on frequency distributions.
Volatility cones and volatility arbitrage strategies – empirical study based on SSE ETF option
Authors: Pan Hong Yu Xin , Song Jun
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Using volatility cones as the estimate of actual volatility instead of GARCH models, the purpose of this paper is to explore whether volatility arbitrage strategy can provide positive profits and how the transaction costs existed in the real market affect the effectiveness of volatility arbitrage strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

A number of hedging approaches proposed to improve the hedging results and final returns of Black-Scholes model are analyzed and compared.

Findings

The general finding is that volatility arbitrage strategy can provide satisfactory returns based on the samples in Chinese market. Regarding transaction costs, the variable bandwidth delta and delta tolerance approach showed better results. Besides, choosing futures together with ETFs as hedging underlying can increase the VaR for better risk management.

Practical implications

This paper offers a new method for volatility arbitrage in Chinese financial market.

Originality/value

This paper researches the profitability of the volatility arbitrage strategy on ETF 50 options using volatility cones method for the first time. This method has advantage over the point-wise estimation such as GARCH model and stochastic volatility model.
An exploration of how research can aid the development of facilities management
Authors: Campbell Lucy Zarina
Published: April 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to explore traditional FM research and potential trends.

Design/methodology/approach

This was an exploratory review of literature.

Findings

The main thrust of the argument in this paper is that FM research develops a more communicable and proven understanding of how to apply a wide spectrum of externally developed methods in unique FM settings as well as developing new methods. Second, a more robust FM knowledge base can inform designers, engineers and architects given that FMs are experts of design in use.

Research limitations/implications

This research focused on the UK, Europe, America and Australia. It does not represent a comprehensive/systematic review of the research activities occurring in FM globally.

Practical implications

Research traditionally focuses on hard FM; in contrast, FM outcomes are heavily dependent on the way end users interact with and use organisational services and equipment. This suggests that there is a gap between practice and research, and that intuitive and in-depth FM knowledge about end users has yet to be captured and formalised through research.

Social implications

Development of FM research requires uptake of contemporary research trends towards partnered research, working across disciplines.

Originality/value

Achieving a more robust FM knowledge base would help capture the wealth of knowledge that FMs have about buildings in use; this could then be used by FMs and also by designers to improve their products and services in disciplines like engineering and architecture.
A comprehensive hierarchical model of retail banking
Authors: Bakar Juhaida Abu , Clemes Michael Daniel , Bicknell Kathryn
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a comprehensive hierarchical model of behavioural intentions in the Malaysian retail banking industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were analysed using EFA, CFA and structural modelling.

Findings

The findings illustrate that customer satisfaction is the most important determinant of behavioural intentions, followed by switching costs, corporate image and perceived value. Service quality is indirectly related to behavioural intentions and customer satisfaction mediates the relationship between the two constructs. Customer satisfaction is strongly influenced by service quality, corporate image and perceived value. Service quality is also an antecedent of perceived value, corporate image and switching costs. The empirical results also support a hierarchical and multidimensional approach for conceptualising and measuring customers’ perceptions of service quality.

Research limitations/implications

The comprehensive hierarchical model developed in this research can be used as framework for additional studies on the banking industry.

Practical implications

The findings provide Malaysian bank managers with empirically-based insights into behavioural intentions and offer guidelines for assessing and improving service quality.

Originality/value

This is the first study that uses comprehensive hierarchical modelling to synthesise the effects of service quality, customer satisfaction, perceived value, corporate image and switching costs on the behavioural intentions of retail bank customers.
Use of QR code and Layar app for academic library services
Authors: Kharat Santosh Abaji , Panage Bhausaheb M. , Nagarkar Shubhada
Published: April 2017

Purpose

This study completed action research in the library. The purpose of this study is to increase awareness of the QR code and the Augmented Reality Application (ARA) among library users.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a technical review.

Findings

The researchers arranged tables in the library called “Scan Me” tables, and arranged academic books, journals and magazines with the QR code and the Layar material on a “scan me table”. The researchers designed one video using movie maker and other supporting software to provide guidelines on how to use the scan me table in the library. The researchers have shared this video among selected MBA libraries that have Wi-Fi and library software members.

Originality/value

This research also incorporates how to prepare virtual data and how they are linked with real data, how to give training to library staff to solve users’ queries and how to help them at the time of downloading the application or scanning material. Creating a better platform for this research required support from a library software design team as well as in-house technical or IT support staff for good maintenance of the library server, Wi-Fi equipment and so forth.
Enchanted reason: Science fiction, print capitalism and the magic of anthropology
Authors: Pels Peter
Published: April 2017

Science fiction is a privileged site to study the magic of capitalism. On the one hand, an anthropology of science fiction asks questions about how to characterize science fiction socially and culturally. It should resolve these questions by acknowledging that its first recognizable manifestation occurs when the fictionalization of science, fed by the confusion science produces about life and morality, is brought together with the drive to commercialize such confusion in print capitalism, and in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) in particular. On the other, it can then show that anthropology itself becomes (with geography and archaeology) one of the most frequently fictionalized sciences in early science fiction – more in particular, anthropology's focus on the magic of psychic powers and ancient secrets that it seeks out in remote parts of the world. Contrary to the obsession with futuristic technology, which properly belongs to a later phase of science fiction, it is neither the attractions of fact nor the persistence of belief that explain capitalism's magic, but the uncertainty generated by their juxtaposition.
Relative indemnity: risk, insurance, and kinship in Indian microfinance
Authors: Kar Sohini
Published: April 2017

With the growth of commercial microfinance in India, the poor have been increasingly enfolded into circuits of global finance. In making these collateral‐free loans, however, microfinance institutions (MFIs) engage in new forms of risk management. While loans are made to women with the goal of economic and social empowerment, MFIs require male kin to serve as guarantors. Drawing on fieldwork in the city of Kolkata, I argue that through the requirement of male guarantors, MFIs hedge on kinship, even as they speculate on the bottom of the pyramid as a new market of accumulation.
Physicochemical, textural and sensory properties of white soft cheese made from buffalo and cow milk mixtures
Authors: Dimitreli Georgia , Exarhopoulos Stylianos , Antoniou Kleio K , Zotos Anastasios , Bampidis Vasileios A
Published: April 2017

The physicochemical, textural and sensory properties of white soft cheeses made from three different buffalo and cow milk mixtures (100:0, 70:30 and 30:70) during 3‐month storage were studied. The increase in buffalo milk concentration resulted in increasing total cheese yield, dry matter (DM) and fat retention and fat in DM content. However, it caused reductions in moisture content, salt intake, hardness, chewiness, elasticity, sensory hardness and sensory cohesiveness of the samples. The percentage of water‐soluble nitrogen to total nitrogen increased during storage resulting in decreased fracturability, hardness (textural and sensory), cohesiveness (textural and sensory), springiness, chewiness and elasticity. The panellists evaluated the white soft cheese made with buffalo milk as the most acceptable.
Connecting deliberative mini‐publics to representative decision making
Authors: SETÄLÄ MAIJA
Published: April 2017

Despite some prominent critics, deliberative democrats tend to be optimistic about the potential of deliberative mini‐publics. However, the problem with current practices is that mini‐publics are typically used by officials on an ad hoc basis and that their policy impacts remain vague. Mini‐publics seem especially hard to integrate into representative decision making. There are a number of reasons for this, especially prevailing ideas of representation and accountability as well as the contestatory character of representative politics. This article argues that deliberative mini‐publics should be regarded as one possible way of improving the epistemic quality of representative decision making and explores different institutional designs through which deliberative mini‐publics could be better integrated into representative institutions. The article considers arrangements which institutionalise the use of mini‐publics; involve representatives in deliberations; motivate public interactions between mini‐publics and representatives; and provide opportunities to ex post scrutiny or suspensive veto powers for mini‐publics. The article analyses prospects and problems of these measures, and considers their applicability in different contexts of representative politics.
Questioning Reality, Questioning Science: Teaching Students in the Food and Agricultural Sciences about Epistemological, Ethical, and Empirical Controversies
Authors: Chiles Robert , Coupland John Neil
Published: April 2017

The effective application of food science depends on social constraints, yet the training for food scientists does not adequately consider the contested social context under which food is processed, packaged, and prepared. We recently co‐taught a new course (“Arguing about food”) intended to introduce students to critical perspectives on the epistemological, ethical, and empirical assumptions that characterize contemporary food controversies. Through a series of guest lectures, readings, and discussions, students engaged with contrasting views on data quality, food ethics, nutrition, safety, governance, and the scientific enterprise as a whole. A key feature of the course was that we did not seek to defend any particular position. Rather, we examined how different values could lead reasonable people to take different views on scientific issues. Course requirements included a pass/fail quiz, a series of written reading responses, a group project devoted to a case study, and active attendance and participation. The students were engaged and challenged by the material, and at the end of the semester, reported that the course had also been useful and informative to them as young professionals embarking upon careers in the food and agricultural sciences.
Functional characterization of LotP from Liberibacter asiaticus
Authors: Loto Flavia , Coyle Janelle F. , Padgett Kaylie A. , Pagliai Fernando A. , Gardner Christopher L. , Lorca Graciela L. , Gonzalez Claudio F.
Published: April 2017

Liberibacter asiaticus is an unculturable parasitic bacterium of the alphaproteobacteria group hosted by both citrus plants and a psyllid insect vector (Diaphorina citri). In the citrus tree, the bacteria thrive only inside the phloem, causing a systemically incurable and deadly plant disease named citrus greening or Huanglongbing. Currently, all commercial citrus cultivars in production are susceptible to L. asiaticus, representing a serious threat to the citrus industry worldwide. The technical inability to isolate and culture L. asiaticus has hindered progress in understanding the biology of this bacterium directly. Consequently, a deep understanding of the biological pathways involved in the regulation of host–pathogen interactions becomes critical to rationally design future and necessary strategies of control. In this work, we used surrogate strains to evaluate the biochemical characteristics and biological significance of CLIBASIA_03135. This gene, highly induced during early stages of plant infection, encodes a 23 kDa protein and was renamed in this work as LotP. This protein belongs to an uncharacterized family of proteins with an overall structure resembling the LON protease N‐terminus. Co‐immunoprecipitation assays allowed us to identify the Liberibacter chaperonin GroEL as the main LotP‐interacting protein. The specific interaction between LotP and GroEL was reconstructed and confirmed using a two‐hybrid system in Escherichia coli. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that LotP has a native molecular weight of 44 kDa, corresponding to a dimer in solution with ATPase activity in vitro. In Liberibacter crescens, LotP is strongly induced in response to conditions with high osmolarity but repressed at high temperatures. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) results suggest that LotP is a member of the LdtR regulon and could play an important role in tolerance to osmotic stress.
Drinker Types, Harm, and Policy‐Related Variables: Results from the 2011 International Alcohol Control Study in New Zealand
Authors: Wall Martin , Casswell Sally
Published: April 2017

Background

The aim was to identify a typology of drinkers in New Zealand based on alcohol consumption, beverage choice, and public versus private drinking locations and investigate the relationship between drinker types, harms experienced, and policy‐related variables.

Methods

Model‐based cluster analysis of male and female drinkers including volumes of alcohol consumed in the form of beer, wine, spirits, and ready‐to‐drinks (RTDs) in off‐ and on‐premise settings. Cluster membership was then related to harm measures: alcohol dependence, self‐rated health; and to 3 policy‐relevant variables: liking for alcohol adverts, price paid for alcohol, and time of purchase.

Results

Males and females were analyzed separately. Men fell into 4 and women into 14 clearly discriminated clusters. The male clusters consumed a relatively high proportion of alcohol in the form of beer. Women had a number of small extreme clusters and some consumed mainly spirits‐based RTDs, while others drank mainly wine. Those in the higher consuming clusters were more likely to have signs of alcohol dependency, to report lower satisfaction with their health, to like alcohol ads, and to have purchased late at night.

Conclusions

Consumption patterns are sufficiently distinctive to identify typologies of male and female alcohol consumers. Women drinkers are more heterogeneous than men. The clusters relate differently to policy‐related variables.
Letter: hepatocellular carcinoma risk after hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance
Authors: Jiang J.‐F. , Sun J. , Shi J. , Liu X.
Published: April 2017

Linked Content

This article is linked to Gounder et al papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14026 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.13621.
Integrated Analytical Techniques for the Study of Colouring Materials from Two Megalithic Barrows
Authors: Oliveira C. , Bettencourt A. M. S. , Araújo A. , Gonçalves L. , Kuźniarska‐Biernacka I. , Costa A. L.
Published: April 2017

We have determined the composition of rock art pigments from two megalithic barrows located in the north of Portugal. The use of XRD, SEM–EDS and FT–IR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of hematite and kaolinite in the red pigments from the Eireira barrow, and kaolinite in the white pigment from the Leira das Mamas barrow. The organic composition of the pigments was studied by GC–MS, suggesting that the red sinuous lines and dots from the Eireira barrow were prepared with cooked or heated algae and/or aquatic plants, with egg as binder, while the white pigment from the Leira das Mamas barrow revealed a mixture of vegetable oils for kaolinite moulding, which could be stabilized by temporary exposure to high temperatures. The multi‐analytical approach used on this study of megalithic pigments allowed the recovery of important data about north‐western prehistoric communities, namely the way in which they exploited existing resources and their ability to transform them.
Peroxisome Proliferator‐Activated Receptor α Activation Suppresses Cytochrome P450 Induction Potential in Mice Treated with Gemfibrozil
Authors: Shi Cunzhong , Min Luo , Yang Julin , Dai Manyun , Song Danjun , Hua Huiying , Xu Gangming , Gonzalez Frank J. , Liu Aiming
Published: April 2017

Gemfibrozil, a peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α (PPARα) agonist, is widely used for hypertriglyceridaemia and mixed hyperlipidaemia. Drug–drug interaction of gemfibrozil and other PPARα agonists has been reported. However, the role of PPARα in cytochrome P450 (CYP) induction by fibrates is not well known. In this study, wild‐type mice were first fed gemfibrozil‐containing diets (0.375%, 0.75% and 1.5%) for 14 days to establish a dose–response relationship for CYP induction. Then, wild‐type mice and Pparα‐null mice were treated with a 0.75% gemfibrozil‐containing diet for 7 days. CYP3a, CYP2b and CYP2c were induced in a dose‐dependent manner by gemfibrozil. In Pparα‐null mice, their mRNA level, protein level and activity were induced more than those in wild‐type mice. So, gemfibrozil induced CYP, and this action was inhibited by activated PPARα. These data suggested that the induction potential of CYPs was suppressed by activated PPARα, showing a potential role of this receptor in drug–drug interactions and metabolic diseases treated with fibrates.
Immediate implant and rehabilitation based on All‐on‐4 concept in patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis: A medium‐term prospective study
Authors: Li Sha , Di Ping , Zhang Yu , Lin Ye
Published: April 2017

Background

Aggressive periodontitis renders a great challenge to the conventional implant due to the risks of infection and ongoing marginal bone loss (MBL). A study about full‐arch immediate implant and restoration in patients with advanced generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAP) was not read, even though the All‐on‐4 concept has been proven to be predictable for edentulous patients.

Purpose

This prospective study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and medium‐term outcomes of immediate implant and rehabilitation based on the All‐on‐4 concept in patients with advanced GAP via clinical and radiographic analyses.

Materials and Methods

Seventeen patients (mean age 39.4 years) with advanced GAP received immediate postextraction implant and rehabilitation based on the All‐on‐4 concept between January 2009 and January 2014. Eighty implants were inserted into 20 arches (7 maxillae and 13 mandibles). The average follow‐up duration was 5 years (range 2‐7). Complications, probing depth, and plaque, bleeding, and gingiva indices were evaluated. MBL was measured based on the panoramic radiographs taken immediately after surgery and annually thereafter.

Results

The cumulative survival rate (CSR) of the implants was 98.75% (79/80) after an average of 5 years. One tilted implant failed due to peri‐implantitis. The average peri‐implant MBL was 0.8 ± 0.4 and 1.2 ± 0.3 mm after 1 and 7 years, respectively. The CSR was 100% (20/20) for definite prostheses, while 85% (17/20) for provisional prostheses. The average probing depth, and plaque, bleeding, and gingiva indices at the last recall visit were 3.0 ± 0.5, 1.2 ± 0.4, 0.5 ± 0.5, and 0.4 ± 0.4 mm, respectively. Patient showed high satisfaction to the overall effects.

Conclusions

Based on this study, the All‐on‐4 concept provided predictable outcomes in patients with GAP in 2‐ to 7‐year follow‐ups, and averted the severe bone defect area of aggressive periodontitis.
Discrimination Structure Complementarity‐Based Feature Selection
Authors: Wang Shuqin , Wei Jinmao , Yang Zhenglu
Published: April 2017

Feature selection is crucial, particularly for processing high‐dimensional data. Existing selection methods generally compute a discriminant value for a feature with respect to class variable to indicate its classification ability. However, a scalar value can hardly reveal the multifaceted classification abilities of a feature for different subproblems of a complicated multiclass problem. In view of this, we propose to select features based on discrimination structure complementarity. To this end, the classification abilities of a feature for different subproblems are evaluated individually. Consequently, a discrimination structure vector can be obtained to indicate if the feature is discriminative respectively for different subproblems. Based on discrimination structure, indispensable and dispensable features (ID‐features for short) are defined. In selection process, the ID‐features, which are complementary in discrimination structure to the selected ones, are selected. The proposed method tries to equally treat all subproblems and hence can avoid falling into the pitfall that the discriminative features for difficult subproblems are prone to be covered by the features for easy ones in multi‐class classification. Two algorithms are developed and compared with several feature selection methods using some open data sets. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Foraging at a safe distance: crab spider effects on pollinators
Authors: HUEY SPENCER , NIEH JAMES C.
Published: April 2017

1. The ability of pollinating insects to discover and evade their predators can affect plant–pollinator mutualisms and have cascading ecosystem effects. Pollinators will avoid flowers with predators, but it is not clear how far away they will move to continue foraging. If these distances are relatively small, the impact of predators on the plant–pollinator mutualism may be lessened. The plant could continue to receive some pollination, and pollinators would reduce the time and energy needed to search for another patch.

2. A native crab spider, Xysticus elegans, was placed on one cluster in a small array of Baccharis pilularis inflorescence clusters, and the preferred short‐range foraging distances of naturally visiting pollinators was determined.

3. Nearly all pollinator taxa (honey bees, wasps, other Hymenoptera, and non‐bombyliid flies) spent less time foraging on the predator cluster.

4. The key result of this study is that inflorescences within 90 mm of the crab spider were avoided by visiting honey bees and wasps, which spent three‐ and 18‐fold more time, respectively, foraging on more distant flower clusters.

5. Whether honey bees can use olfaction to detect spiders was then tested, and this study provides the first demonstration that honey bees will avoid crab spider odour alone at a food source.
Social outcomes of young adults with childhood‐onset epilepsy: A case‐sibling‐control study
Authors: Baca Christine B. , Barry Frances , Vickrey Barbara G. , Caplan Rochelle , Berg Anne T.
Published: April 2017

Objective

We aimed to compare long‐term social outcomes in young adults with childhood‐onset epilepsy (cases) with neurologically normal sibling controls.

Methods

Long‐term social outcomes were assessed at the 15‐year follow‐up of the Connecticut Study of Epilepsy, a community‐based prospective cohort study of children with newly diagnosed epilepsy. Young adults with childhood‐onset epilepsy with complicated (abnormal neurologic exam findings, abnormal brain imaging with lesion referable to epilepsy, intellectual disability (ID; IQ < 60) or informative history of neurologic insults to which the occurrence of epilepsy might be attributed), and uncomplicated epilepsy presentations were compared to healthy sibling controls. Age, gender, and matched‐pair adjusted generalized linear models stratified by complicated epilepsy and 5‐year seizure‐free status estimated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals [CIs] for each outcome.

Results

The 15‐year follow‐up included 361 individuals with epilepsy (59% of initial cases; N = 291 uncomplicated and N = 70 complicated epilepsy; mean age 22 years [standard deviation, SD 3.5]; mean epilepsy onset 6.2 years [SD 3.9]) and 173 controls. Social outcomes for cases with uncomplicated epilepsy with ≥5 years terminal remission were comparable to controls; cases with uncomplicated epilepsy <5 years seizure‐free were more likely to be less productive (school/employment < 20 h/week) (aOR 3.63, 95% CI 1.83–7.20) and not to have a driver's license (aOR 6.25, 95% CI 2.85–13.72). Complicated cases with epilepsy <5 years seizure‐free had worse outcomes across multiple domains; including not graduating high school (aOR 24.97, 95% CI 7.49–83.30), being un‐ or underemployed (<20 h/week) (aOR 11.06, 95% CI 4.44–27.57), being less productively engaged (aOR 15.71, 95% CI 6.88–35.88), and not living independently (aOR 10.24, 95% CI 3.98–26.36). Complicated cases without ID (N = 36) had worse outcomes with respect to productive engagement (aOR 6.02; 95% CI 2.48–14.58) compared to controls. Cases with complicated epilepsy were less likely to be driving compared to controls, irrespective of remission status or ID.

Significance

In individuals with uncomplicated childhood‐onset epilepsy presentations and 5‐year terminal remission, young adult social outcomes are comparable to those of sibling controls. Complicated epilepsy, notable for intellectual disability, and seizure remission status are important prognostic indicators for long‐term young adult social outcomes in childhood‐onset epilepsy.
Reasons for discontinuation of reversible contraceptive methods by women with epilepsy
Authors: Mandle Hannah B. , Cahill Kaitlyn E. , Fowler Kristen M. , Hauser W. Allen , Davis Anne R. , Herzog Andrew G.
Published: April 2017

Objective

To report the reasons for discontinuation of contraceptive methods by women with epilepsy (WWE).

Methods

These retrospective data come from a web‐based survey regarding the contraceptive practices of 1,144 WWE in the community, ages 18–47 years. We determined the frequencies of contraceptive discontinuations and the reasons for discontinuation. We compared risk ratios for rates of discontinuation among contraceptive methods and categories. We used chi‐square analysis to test the independence of discontinuation reasons among the various contraceptive methods and categories and when stratified by antiepileptic drug (AED) categories.

Results

Nine hundred fifty‐nine of 2,393 (40.6%) individual, reversible contraceptive methods were discontinued. One‐half (51.8%) of the WWE who discontinued a method discontinued at least two methods. Hormonal contraception was discontinued most often (553/1,091, 50.7%) with a risk ratio of 1.94 (1.54–2.45, p < 0.0001) compared to intrauterine devices (IUDs), the category that was discontinued the least (57/227, 25.1%). Among all individual methods, the contraceptive patch was stopped most often (79.7%) and the progestin‐IUD was stopped the least (20.1%). The top three reasons for discontinuation among all methods were reliability concerns (13.9%), menstrual problems (13.5%), and increased seizures (8.6%). There were significant differences among discontinuation rates and reasons when stratified by AED category for hormonal contraception but not for any other contraceptive category.

Significance

Contraception counseling for WWE should consider the special experience profiles that are unique to this special population on systemic hormonal contraception.
Why Do Traders Split Orders?
Authors: Garvey Ryan , Huang Tao , Wu Fei
Published: April 2017

We examine factors that influence decisions by U.S. equity traders to execute a string of orders, in the same stock, in the same direction, around the same time. Order splitting is more likely to occur when traders submit larger‐size orders and when market depth and trading activity are lower. Order splitters demand liquidity more and pay higher trading costs, but their overall performance is better. When controlling for execution time, split orders are more informative than single orders. Our results suggest that order splitting arises from a variety of factors, including informational differences, order and trader characteristics, and market conditions.
Does Immigration Affect Demand for Redistribution? – An Experimental Design
Authors: Runst Petrik
Published: April 2017

Does increasing immigration lower the electorate’s demand for welfare state benefits? Results from a novel experiment suggest that such a shift in demand is unlikely to occur in the overall population. However, high income individuals lower their demand for redistribution when primed with information on immigration as they pay a large share of overall taxes. Taste effects, where voters do not desire transfer payments to ethnically different groups, seem to play a minor role. Low education individuals, on the other hand, demand more redistribution when primed. Immigration and demand for welfare are not correlated on average. However, if political systems are more responsive to highly educated voters, increased levels of immigration may lead to less redistribution.
Ethnographic Reviews
Authors: deRoche Constance
Published: April 2017

Books reviewed in this issue.

Doing Development in West Africa: A Reader by and for Undergraduates. Charles Piot, ed.
Identification and characterization of Laodelphax striatellus (Insecta: Hemiptera: Delphacidae) neutral sphingomyelinase
Authors: Zhou Y. , Lin X.‐W. , Begum M.‐A. , Zhang C.‐H. , Shi X.‐X. , Jiao W.‐J. , Zhang Y.‐R. , Yuan J.‐Q. , Li H.‐Y. , Yang Q. , Mao C. , Zhu Z.‐R.
Published: April 2017

The neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase) 1 homologue gene LsSMase was cloned from Laodelphax striatellus, a direct sap‐sucker and virus vector of gramineous plants, and expressed via a Bac to Bac baculovirus expression system. The LsSMase‐enhanced green fluorescent protein fusion protein was located in the endoplasmic reticulum in a similar manner to mammalian nSMase 1. The biochemical properties of LsSMase were determined in detail. The optimal pH and temperature for recombinant LsSMase were 8 and 37 °C, respectively. LsSMase was an Mg2+ or Mn2+ dependent enzyme, but different concentration of each were needed. The activity of LsSMase was significantly stimulated by Ethylene glycol bis(2‐aminoethyl ether)tetraacetic acid (EGTA), whereas it was inhibited by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Millimolar concentrations of Zn2+ completely inhibited LsSMase. The reducing agents dithiothreitol and β‐mercaptoethanol varied in their effects on activity. Phospholipids were not found to stimulate LsSMase.
Reintroductions of native plant species to the United Kingdom
Authors: Bird S. A. , Esseen P. J. , Hewitt R.
Published: April 2017

Zoos can play a key role in the conservation of native plant species, and projects concerning the reintroduction and reinforcement of local plant populations are potentially an ideal way to involve visitors and local communities in practical conservation. However, such projects need to be clearly thought through and designed correctly from the start. Knowledge and understanding of relevant International Union for Conservation of Nature guidelines are important to ensure that reintroductions are ethical and sustainable. Many zoological institutions tend not to get involved in such local projects, favouring more exotic and attention‐grabbing conservation programmes. Chester Zoo, UK, has engaged with partners and worked with various native plant species, predominantly in Cheshire and North Wales, including Black poplar Populusnigra ssp betulifolia, Common barberry Berberis vulgaris and Common juniper Juniperus communis. There have been a number of key lessons learned, which can be applied to the design and management of future projects.
Counting Crowds is Hard to do
Authors: Tarran Brian
Published: April 2017

But satellite images, crowd photos, mobile phones and Twitter can help improve our estimates
In Search of Earth Analogues
Authors: Cisewski Jessi
Published: April 2017

The radial velocity method of exoplanet detection has led to some fantastic discoveries of planets outside our solar system. But the hunt for true Earth analogues is hampered by noisy data from stars. Jessi Cisewski outlines the challenge, and how statisticians and statistically savvy astronomers are trying to help
Thermodynamic insight into the evolution of medieval glassworking properties
Authors: Hunault Myrtille O. J. Y. , Vinel Vincent , Cormier Laurent , Calas Georges
Published: April 2017

We present differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses of seven French stained glasses from the 13th to 16th centuries. These glasses illustrate the dramatic compositional change from the antique soda‐rich glasses to potash‐ and lime‐rich compositions, resulting in drastic temperature and viscosity increases. We investigate the influence of chemical composition on glass thermal properties: glass‐transition (Tg), crystallization, and melting temperatures. We find that Tg varies from 533°C (soda type) to 638°C±17°C (potash type) to 685°C±5°C (lime type). The viscous slowdown of the melt as a function of the temperature, close to Tg, was modeled using the Vogel‐Tammann‐Fulcher equation. This enables temperature‐viscosity profile calculations, and suggests that recipes have been empirically optimized to reach similar thermoelastic properties suitable for glassmaking despite changing the nature of raw materials.