bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnetic resonance imaging following neoadjuvant chemoradiation and transanal endoscopic microsurgery for rectal cancer
Authors: São Julião G. P. , Ortega C. D. , Vailati B. B. , Habr‐Gama A. , Fernandez L. M. , Gama‐Rodrigues J. , Araujo S. E. , Perez R. O.
Published: April 2017

Aim

Full‐thickness local excision after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for patients with rectal cancer and incomplete clinical response has been a treatment strategy for organ preservation. Follow‐up of these patients is challenging since anatomic distortion and postoperative changes may be clinically indistinguishable from tumour recurrence. MRI may have a role in detecting recurrence. The aim of this study was to describe the MRI findings during follow‐up in patients having local excision following CRT with and without local recurrence.

Method

The data were collected retrospectively from a single centre. Fifty‐three patients with rectal cancer who had full‐thickness local excision after neoadjuvant CRT and near‐complete response were eligible for the study. Patients with local recurrence were treated by radical salvage surgery. The main outcome was local MRI assessment findings during follow‐up.

Results

Fifteen patients (five who developed local recurrence and 10 with no evidence of local recurrence) had MR images available for review and were included in the study. High signal intensity and thickening of the rectal wall were present in all patients with recurrent disease within the rectal wall. Overall, 80% of the patients with recurrence showed diffusion restriction. MRI mesorectal fascia status and circumferential resection margin showed agreement in all cases. A low signal intensity scar was seen in all patients without recurrent disease.

Conclusion

MRI shows high signal intensity and thickening of the rectal wall in recurrent disease in comparison to a low signal intensity fibrotic scar in non‐recurrent disease. These findings may be useful in surveillance of these patients.
A sea urchin in vivo model to evaluate Epithelial‐Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Romancino Daniele P. , Anello Letizia , Lavanco Antonella , Buffa Valentina , Di Bernardo Maria , Bongiovanni Antonella
Published: April 2017

Epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an evolutionarily conserved cellular program, which is a prerequisite for the metastatic cascade in carcinoma progression. Here, we evaluate the EMT process using the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus embryo. In sea urchin embryos, the earliest EMT event is related to the acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype by the spiculogenetic primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) and their migration into the blastocoel. We investigated the effect of inhibiting the epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling pathway on this process, and we observed that mesenchyme cell differentiation was blocked. In order to extend and validate our studies, we investigated the migratory capability and the level of potential epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) targets in a breast cancer cell line after EGF modulation. Altogether, our data highlight the sensitivity of the sea urchin embryo to anti‐EMT drugs and pinpoint the sea urchin embryo as a valuable in vivo model system for studying EMT and the screening of anti‐EMT candidates.
Spatial scales of habitat selection decisions: implications for telemetry‐based movement modelling
Authors: Bastille‐Rousseau Guillaume , Murray Dennis L. , Schaefer James A. , Lewis Mark A. , Mahoney Shane P. , Potts Jonathan R.
Published: April 2017

Movement influences a myriad of ecological processes operating at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Yet our understanding of animal movement is limited by the resolution of data that can be obtained from individuals. Traditional approaches implicitly assume that movement decisions are made at the spatial and temporal scales of observation, although this scale is typically an artifact of data‐gathering technology rather than biological realism. To address this limitation, we used telemetry‐based movement data for caribou Rangifer tarandus in Newfoundland, Canada, and compared movement decisions estimated at the temporal resolution of GPS relocations (2 h) to a novel model describing directional movement to areas reachable over an extended period. We showed that this newer model is a better predictor of movement decisions by caribou, with decisions made at the scale of ∼2 km, including the strong avoidance of dense coniferous forest, an outcome not detectable at the scale of GPS relocations. These results illustrate the complexity of factors affecting animal movement decisions and the analytical challenges associated with their interpretation. Our novel modelling framework will help support increased accuracy in predictive models of animal space‐use, and thereby aid in determining biologically meaningful scales for collecting movement and habitat data.
Global reduction fisheries and their products in the context of sustainable limits
Authors: Cashion Tim , Tyedmers Peter , Parker Robert W R
Published: April 2017

Globally, one‐sixth of landings from marine capture fisheries are destined for the production of fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO), which are currently overwhelming utilized by fed aquaculture. Many different species are used globally for the production of FMFO, but little concern has been given to the divergent environmental and ecological impacts of FMFO products based on species, ecosystem and fishing gear used in their capture. We evaluated the variable environmental performance of FMFO products from a wide range of fisheries whose products are either primarily intended for reduction or whose by‐products are redirected to reduction. Assessed fisheries accounted for 44% of global reduction fishery landings in 2014. Analysis was conducted on the basis of two measures: the carbon footprint (i.e., greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions) and the marine footprint (i.e., primary production required [PPR]). We found large differences between the impacts of FMFO products across the 18 reduction fisheries examined. Cumulatively, we estimate that reduction fisheries emitted 4.6 million tonnes of CO2‐e GHGs in 2014, and appropriated over 4% of primary production in some ecosystems, demonstrating a non‐trivial impact. As demand for aquafeeds grow, the sustainable sourcing of raw material inputs will be of great importance. Results here suggest that the source of FMFO inputs can have dramatic effects on the environmental performance of fish feeds and fed aquaculture. We recommend further research on the environmental and ecological impacts of food production systems, and specifically to understand these results in relation to global production and sustainable boundaries.
Slow gait speed as a predictor of 1‐year cognitive decline in a veterans' retirement community in southern Taiwan
Authors: Hsu Chiao‐Lin , Liang Chih‐Kuang , Liao Mei‐Chen , Chou Ming‐Yueh , Lin Yu‐Te
Published: April 2017

Aim

Slow gait speed has been associated with mortality, poor physical function and disability in older people. Our aim was to evaluate the association between slow gait speed and rapid cognitive decline among oldest‐old men in Taiwan.

Methods

We carried out a longitudinal cohort study in a veterans' retirement community, and enrolled 249 male residents aged 80 years and older. Slow gait speed was defined as <1 m/s, and rapid cognitive decline was defined as a Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) decline of ≥3 points over 1 year. Body mass index, Charlson's Comorbidity Index, handgrip strength, gait speed and Mini‐Mental State Examination datasets were collected, and a logistic regression model was built to evaluate the association between fast cognitive decline and slow gait speed.

Results

In all, 249 residents (mean age 86.4 ± 4.01 years) were recruited, including 58 (23.3%) with rapid cognitive decline. Univariate analysis showed that slow gait speed could predict rapid cognitive decline (OR 4.10, 95% CI 1.20–14.00, P = 0.024). After adjusting for age, Charlson's Comorbidity Index, polypharmacy, psychiatric drug usage, cigarette smoking experience, baseline cognitive function, depressive mood, handgrip strength, nutritional status and history of fall, slow gait speed was still independently associated with rapid cognitive decline (adjusted OR 4.58, 95% CI 1.22–17.2, P = 0.024).

Conclusions

Slow gait speed was thus an independent predictor of rapid cognitive decline in oldest‐old men in a veterans' retirement community in Taiwan. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017: 17 (Suppl. 1): 14–19.
Medication appropriateness for patients with dementia approaching the end of their life
Authors: Chuang Hsien‐Yeh , Wen Yu‐Wen , Chen Liang‐Kung , Hsiao Fei‐Yuan
Published: April 2017

Aim

To examine medication use among patients with dementia towards the end of their life and to evaluate the appropriateness of medication use by using a nationwide database.

Methods

Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified 6532 people with dementia that died between 2008 and 2012. For each person with dementia, data of medication use in the last month of outpatient setting (vs –12th month [baseline]) and last hospitalization (vs –3rd hospitalization [baseline]) before death were retrieved for study. The medications of interest were selected according to a consensus recommendation, which included five categories defining their appropriateness (i.e. always, sometimes, rarely and never appropriate, as well as no consensus). Multivariable logistic regression was carried out to analyze the determinants for use of “never appropriate” medications.

Results

Approximately 10% of the study participants were prescribed medications categorized as “never appropriate” in the last month of life in the outpatient settings, which was significantly lower than their baseline (−12th month: 17.5%; P < 0.0001). A similar pattern was identified in the last hospitalization before death. Older age was associated with a lower likelihood of being prescribed “never appropriate” medications (age 75–84: aOR 0.34 [0.29–0.41], P < 0.0001; age ≥85: aOR 0.34 [0.28–0.40], P < 0.0001). In contrast, patients with a history of diabetes mellitus (aOR 1.31 [1.10–1.55], P = 0.0018) were associated with a higher likelihood of being prescribed “never appropriate” medications.

Conclusions

This is the first study to sophisticatedly describe medications use, particularly according to their appropriateness for palliative care, in Asian people with dementia at the end of their life. Approximately 10% of all patients were prescribed “never appropriate” medications at the end of their life, which deserves further study to evaluate the clinical impact of the quality of care. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017: 17 (Suppl. 1): 65–74..
Pathogenesis of vascular leak in dengue virus infection
Authors: Malavige Gathsaurie Neelika , Ogg Graham S.
Published: April 2017

Endothelial dysfunction leading to vascular leak is the hallmark of severe dengue. Vascular leak typically becomes clinically evident 3–6 days after the onset of illness, which is known as the critical phase. This critical phase follows the period of peak viraemia, and lasts for 24–48 hr and usually shows rapid and complete reversal, suggesting that it is likely to occur as a result of inflammatory mediators, rather than infection of the endothelium. Cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor‐α, which are known to be elevated in the critical phase of dengue, are likely to be contributing factors. Dengue NS1, a soluble viral protein, has also been shown to disrupt the endothelial glycocalyx and thus contribute to vascular leak, although there appears to be a discordance between the timing of NS1 antigenaemia and occurrence of vascular leak. In addition, many inflammatory lipid mediators are elevated in acute dengue viral infection such as platelet activating factor (PAF) and leukotrienes. Furthermore, many other inflammatory mediators such as vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin‐2 have been shown to be elevated in patients with dengue haemorrhagic fever, exerting their action in part by inducing the activity of phospholipases, which have diverse inflammatory effects including generation of PAF. Platelets have also been shown to significantly contribute to endothelial dysfunction by production of interleukin‐1β through activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and also by inducing production of inflammatory cytokines by monocytes. Drugs that block down‐stream immunological mediator pathways such as PAF may also be beneficial in the treatment of severe disease.
The prognostic value of B7‐H6 protein expression in human oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Wang Jiongke , Jin Xin , Liu Jiajia , Zhao Kui , Xu Hao , Wen Jing , Jiang Lu , Zeng Xin , Li Jing , Chen Qianming
Published: April 2017

Objectives

To investigate the expression and prognostic value of B7‐H6 protein in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues.

Materials and Methods

A total of 50 oral squamous cell carcinoma samples, 10 oral leukoplakia (OLK) samples, and 17 normal controls were included in the analysis. The expression of B7‐H6 in oral squamous cell carcinoma, OLK, and normal controls was evaluated by immunohistochemical assay.

Results

The B7‐H6 protein expression was significantly higher in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues than that in normal oral mucosa. Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between the expression of B7‐H6 and differentiation, but not with age, sex, tumor size, lymph metastasis, clinical stage, or recurrence. Further, the survival curves showed that B7‐H6 was an independent prognostic factor of overall survival and disease‐free survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Moreover, multivariate survival analysis by COX proportional hazard regression model revealed that the recurrence, differentiation, and expression of B7‐H6 were related to the prognosis. Lastly, we verified the prognostic value of B7‐H6 in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusions

B7‐H6 may represent a new prognostic marker for oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Adolescent Offenders' Qualitative Reflections on Desistance From Crime
Authors: Amemiya Jamie , Kieta Jessica , Monahan Kathryn C.
Published: April 2017

Although many young offenders desist from crime during adolescence, little is known about this process. This study used a qualitative approach to elucidate adolescent offenders' experiences in desisting from crime. Thirty‐nine male adolescent offenders (Mage = 16.59 years) participated in a semistructured interview about the desistance process. One of four themes characterized adolescents' reflections on their own desistance: having a psychological reorientation, reacting to consequences, persisting, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Adolescents discussed five agentic moves they make to facilitate desistance: seeking and maintaining supportive relationships, navigating peer groups, working toward long‐term goals, structuring time, and finding sanctuaries from the outside. These findings highlight adolescents' strengths, resources, and active role in desisting from crime.
Pneumatosis intestinalis in a cohort of children with neurological impairment: A patient group with a management dilemma
Authors: Awad Karim , Short Melissa , Niyogi Anindya , Hosie Gareth , Godse Alok
Published: April 2017

Aim

Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is uncommon in school‐age children. We studied a cohort of neurologically impaired school‐age children with PI to formulate an optimum management plan.

Methods

We retrospectively studied all school‐age children who were referred to paediatric surgeons with radiological evidence of PI identified between 2011 and 2015. We analysed data on patient demographics, medications, feeding, associated comorbidities, presentation, investigations and treatments.

Results

Five patients (3F:2M) with a median age of 7 years (range 5–9) were referred for surgical opinion with the evidence of pneumatosis on their abdominal X‐rays. Four of them had associated pneumoperitoneum. All children had neurological impairment significant enough to make them unable to communicate clearly. Four patients were gastrostomy fed, one was jejunally fed. Four children had recurrent episodes of pneumatosis. Four patients had surgery at the initial presentation where colonic pneumatosis was detected; however, there was no evidence of bowel ischaemia or perforation despite of the presence of pneumoperitoneum. Recurrent episodes were successfully managed conservatively even in the presence of pneumoperitoneum.

Conclusion

In neurologically impaired school‐age children, the presence of pneumatosis and pneumoperitoneum does not mandate bowel ischaemia or perforation and therefore could be successfully managed conservatively without the need for surgery.
Sleep complaints associated with wish to die after a suicide crisis—an exploratory study
Authors: Mirsu‐Paun Anca , Jaussent Isabelle , Komar Giovanni , Courtet Philippe , Lopez‐Castroman Jorge
Published: April 2017

The present study explores whether sleep concerns are associated with wish to die throughout a 1‐month time interval following a suicide crisis. Sixty‐eight patients admitted to the emergency department of a general or psychiatric hospital were enrolled. Sleep difficulties were assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, self‐reported satisfaction with sleep and time in bed. Suicidal ideation was assessed through the presence of a wish to die at 1 month following a suicide crisis. Co‐existing psychiatric diagnoses were assessed using the French version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Potential covariate factors such as personal and family history of suicidal behaviours and sociodemographic variables were accounted for. We found that wish to die was associated significantly with insomnia severity, low satisfaction with sleep and sleep duration 1 month after the suicide crisis, even after controlling for covariates. This exploratory study is limited by a small sample size, and results cannot be generalized to patients with psychotic disorders or alcohol use disorders. Also, other factors related potentially to suicidal ideation, such as depression severity, stressful events or levels of family support, were not accounted for. However, overall our study supports the assessment of sleep complaints as a potential indicator of suicide risk in the weeks that follow a suicide crisis.
No postcopulatory selection against MHC‐homozygous offspring: Evidence from a pedigreed captive rhesus macaque colony
Authors: Sterck E. H. M. , Bontrop R. E. , de Groot N. , de Vos‐Rouweler A. J. M. , Doxiadis G. G. M.
Published: April 2017

The heterozygosity status of polymorphic elements of the immune system, such as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), is known to increase the potential to cope with a wider variety of pathogens. Pre‐ and postcopulatory processes may regulate MHC heterozygosity. In a population where mating occurs among individuals that share identical MHC haplotypes, postcopulatory selection may disfavour homozygous offspring or ones with two MHC haplotypes identical to its mother. We tested these ideas by determining the incidence of MHC‐heterozygous and MHC‐homozygous individuals in a pedigreed, partially consanguineous captive rhesus monkey colony. Bayesian statistics showed that when parents share MHC haplotypes, the distribution of MHC‐heterozygous and MHC‐homozygous individuals significantly fitted the expected Mendelian distribution, both for the complete MHC haplotypes, and for MHC class I or II genes separately. Altogether, we found in this captive colony no evidence for postcopulatory selection against MHC‐homozygous individuals. However, the distribution of paternally and maternally inherited MHC haplotypes tended to differ significantly from expected. Individuals with two MHC haplotypes identical to their mother were underrepresented and offspring with MHC haplotypes identical to their father tended to be overrepresented. This suggests that postcopulatory processes affect MHC haplotype combination in offspring, but do not prevent low MHC heterozygosity.
Philosophy Makes No Progress, So What Is the Point of It?
Authors: Shand John
Published: April 2017

Philosophy makes no progress. It fails to do so in the way science and mathematics make progress. By “no progress” is meant that there is no successive advance of a well‐established body of knowledge—no views are definitively established or definitively refuted. Yet philosophers often talk and act as if the subject makes progress, and that its point and value lies in its doing so, while in fact they also approach the subject in ways that clearly contradict any claim to progress. This article presents evidence for, and a theoretical explanation of, the view that philosophy makes no progress, concluding with an account of what philosophy is and what the point and value of it is. Philosophy should not be shy about being what it is, nor should it pretend to be what it is not. What it is should be reflected in philosophizing and the way it is taught.
Institutional Evils, Culpable Complicity, and Duties to Engage in Moral Repair
Authors: Peck Eliana , Feder Ellen K.
Published: April 2017

Apology is arguably the central act of the reparative work required after wrongdoing. The analysis by Claudia Card (1940–2015) of complicity in collectively perpetrated evils moves one to ask whether apology ought to be requested of persons culpably complicit in institutional evils. To better appreciate the benefits of and barriers to apologies offered by culpably complicit wrongdoers, this article examines doctors’ complicity in a practice that meets Card's definition of an evil, namely, the non‐medically necessary, nonconsensual “normalizing” interventions performed on babies born with intersex anatomies. It argues that in this instance the complicity of doctors is culpable on Card's terms, and that their culpable complicity grounds rightful demands for them to apologize.
Batman in the Classroom: Academic Philosophy and “… and Philosophy”
Authors: Schurtz Landon W.
Published: April 2017

Though the interaction of philosophy with pop culture has so far mostly taken the form of books for nonphilosophers that use various shows and movies as sources of examples to illustrate “traditional” philosophical issues, this article contends that serious engagement with the informal philosophical discussions expressed in popular entertainments constitutes a kind of “ethnophilosophy” and should be considered an important part of the discipline. Our disciplinary responsibility for maintaining and considering the history of philosophy ought to include even the philosophical conversations that occur outside the academy; however unlike “proper” philosophy this material may be, it nonetheless represents engagement—sometimes substantial engagement—with the same issues that concern those of us who are considered “professional” philosophers, and thus is legitimately of interest to us.
Correcting the Scholarly Record in the Aftermath of Plagiarism: A Snapshot of Current‐Day Publishing Practices in Philosophy
Authors: Dougherty M. V.
Published: April 2017

Individuals discovered to have engaged in serial plagiarism in philosophy are few, but the academic publishers falling victim to them are many. Some of the most respected publishing houses in philosophy have recently dealt with the problem of having published plagiarized material. The various responses by these publishers to an instance of serial plagiarism, one that involves forty‐three articles and book chapters, provides a real‐time snapshot of the practices for correcting the scholarly record. The analysis offered in this article yields a twofold conclusion: first, there is relatively little uniformity among publishers in philosophy for responding to plagiarism; and second, in comparison with the natural sciences the discipline of philosophy often falls short of the accepted practices for correcting the scholarly record. The article considers only public, documented cases of academic plagiarism in philosophy and makes no new allegations of plagiarism.
Building A General Theory of Meta‐Argumentation
Authors: Hovhannisyan Hasmik , Djidjian Robert
Published: April 2017

This article presents a critical analysis of the main modern approaches to the problem of meta‐argumentation and suggests a method for developing a general conception of meta‐argumentation. A set of theoretical‐methodological difficulties (aporias) along this path is revealed. Overcoming these aporias would constitute the main steps toward developing the body of a theory of meta‐argumentation.
Reasons to Desire and Desiring at Will
Authors: Verdejo Victor M.
Published: April 2017

There is an unresolved conflict concerning the normative nature of desire. Some authors take rational desire to differ from rational belief in being a normatively unconstrained attitude. Others insist that rational desire seems plausibly subject to several consistency norms. This article argues that the correct analysis of this conflict of conative normativity leads us to acknowledge intrinsic and extrinsic reasons to desire. If sound, this point helps us to unveil a fundamental aspect of desire, namely, that we cannot desire at will. Unlike belief, however, desire can unproblematically accommodate a notion of instrumental attitude.
Flora and vegetation of rocky outcrops/cliffs near the Hyrcanian forest timberline in the Mazandaran mountains, northern Iran
Authors: Naqinezhad Alireza , Esmailpoor Ali
Published: April 2017

Due to their numerous endemic/sub‐endemic and rare plant species, rocky outcrops and cliffs, particularly those occurring at the timberline and forest/steppe ecotones of the Hyrcanian area, are considered as among the most important and fragile ecosystems in Iran. As a representative of such ecosystems, one of the last remnants of relatively undisturbed timberline and ecotone areas of the central Hyrcanian region was selected for phytogeographical, floristic and vegetation analyses. The flora and vegetation of rocky outcrops and crevices at altitudes of 2500–3000 m a.s.l. was surveyed by 40 relevés of 25 m2 surface area. A total of 215 vascular plants belonging to 55 families and 150 genera were identified in the different vegetation types. Hemicrytophytes (55.8%) were the dominant life form and Euro–Siberian/Irano–Turanian biregional plants (28.2%) were the most common chorotype at the study sites. A phytogeographical analysis indicated that Euro–Siberian elements (including Hyrcanian endemics) precede other uniregional chorotypes in the timberline and upper‐mountain parts of the central Hyrcanian area. The Caucasus, an important biodiversity hotspot close to Iran, has a considerable number of taxa in common with the Irano–Turanian floristic regions. Five vegetation types were identified using a modified TWINSPAN procedure and subsequently analysed by indirect gradient analysis applying both species‐related (species richness, life form and phytogeographical elements) and topographic/bedrocks features of the studied relevés. The analysis revealed that the vegetation of the area is mainly affected by altitude, heat index, northness, slope inclination and bedrock features.
The interplay between aridity and competition determines colonization ability, exclusion and ecological segregation in the heteroploid Brachypodium distachyon species complex
Authors: Rey Pedro J. , Manzaneda Antonio J. , Alcántara Julio M.
Published: April 2017

A higher competitive advantage of polyploid plants compared with their parental diploids is frequently invoked to explain their establishment success, colonization of novel environments and cytotypic ecological segregation, yet there is scarce experimental evidence supporting such hypotheses. Here, we investigated whether differential competitive ability of species of the Brachypodium distachyon (Poaceae) species complex, a model system for genomic, ecological and evolutionary studies of temperate grasses, contributes to explaining their ecological segregation as well as their coexistence in diploid/allotetraploid contact zones.

We conducted two field experiments in dry and humid localities to evaluate the tolerance to competition of diploids and allotetraploids in densely occupied environments, and to parameterize models of intra‐ and intercytotype competition as a mechanism for species exclusion/coexistence.

We provide experimental evidence supporting the hypothesis that, under natural field conditions, allotetraploids have superior ecological success compared with one of their parental diploids in terms of both colonizing competitive habitats and intercytotypic competition, with the balance of intra/intercytotype competition favoring polyploid population establishment.

These findings, together with previous data on ecogeographic segregation and adaptive response to water stress, suggest that the interplay between aridity and competitive outcome determines the ability to colonize competitive environments, the exclusion of diploids, especially in arid localities, and species geographic segregation.
Nutrition in adolescents: physiology, metabolism, and nutritional needs
Authors: Das Jai K. , Salam Rehana A. , Thornburg Kent L. , Prentice Andrew M. , Campisi Susan , Lassi Zohra S. , Koletzko Berthold , Bhutta Zulfiqar A.
Published: April 2017

Adolescence is the period of development that begins at puberty and ends in early adulthood. Most commonly, adolescence is divided into three developmental periods: early adolescence (10–14 years of age), late adolescence (15–19 years of age), and young adulthood (20–24 years of age). Adolescence is marked by physical and sexual maturation, social and economic independence, development of identity, acquisition of skills needed to carry out adult relationships and roles, and the capacity for abstract reasoning. Adolescence is characterized by a rapid pace of growth that is second only to that of infancy. Nutrition and the adolescent transition are closely intertwined, since eating patterns and behaviors are influenced by many factors, including peer influences, parental modeling, food availability, food preferences, cost, convenience, personal and cultural beliefs, mass media, and body image. Here, we describe the physiology, metabolism, and nutritional requirements for adolescents and pregnant adolescents, as well as nutrition‐related behavior and current trends in adolescent nutrition. We conclude with thoughts on the implications for nutrition interventions and priority areas that would require further investigation.
Systematic review on evidence‐based adolescent nutrition interventions
Authors: Lassi Zohra S. , Moin Anoosh , Das Jai K. , Salam Rehana A. , Bhutta Zulfiqar A.
Published: April 2017

Adolescence is a critical stage in the life cycle, and adequate nutrition is necessary for the proper growth and development of individuals and their offspring. Here, we comprehensively review all published systematic reviews (through October 2016) on adolescents (10–19 years) and women of reproductive age, including pregnant women, which targeted interventions related to nutrition. For interventions where there was no existing systematic review on adolescents, we reviewed primary studies/trials. We included interventions on micronutrient supplementation (iron, folic acid, iron–folic acid (IFA), calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, zinc, iodine, and multiple micronutrients), food/protein energy supplementation, nutrition education for pregnant adolescents, obesity prevention and management, and management of gestational diabetes. We identified a total of 35 systematic reviews, of which only five were conducted on adolescents, and 107 primary studies on adolescents. Our review suggests that iron alone, IFA, zinc, and multiple micronutrient supplementation in adolescents can significantly improve serum hemoglobin concentration. While zinc supplementation in pregnant adolescents showed improvements in preterm birth and low birth weight, we found a paucity of trials on calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, and iodine supplementation. We found limited evidence on food/protein energy supplementation in adolescents. Interventions to prevent and manage obesity showed a nonsignificant impact on reducing body mass index. This review underscores the importance of adolescent nutrition interventions. It is imperative that countries design nutritional interventions, particularly for adolescents.
Global and regional trends in the nutritional status of young people: a critical and neglected age group
Authors: Akseer Nadia , Al‐Gashm Sara , Mehta Seema , Mokdad Ali , Bhutta Zulfiqar A.
Published: April 2017

Adolescence and emerging adulthood form a critical time period for the achievement of optimal health and nutrition across all stages of the life course. We undertook a review of published literature and global data repositories for information on nutrition levels, trends, and patterns among young people aged 10–24 years from January 1, 2016 to September 20, 2016. We describe patterns for both males and females at the global level and for geographic regions for the period covering 1990–2015. The results of this study paint a less than ideal picture of current young people's nutrition, suggesting dual burdens of underweight and high body‐mass index in many countries and variable improvements in micronutrient deficiencies across geographical regions. Poor diet diversity and lack of nutrient‐dense food, high risk for metabolic syndrome, and sedentary lifestyles also characterize this population. The need for objective, comparable, and high‐quality data is also recognized for further study in this area. As the global community works toward supporting and scaling up health gains in the sustainable development goal era, realizing the critical role of young people is essential. Investing in young people's nutrition is critical to making strides in improving the overall health and well‐being of all populations.
Unifying concepts of biological function from molecules to ecosystems
Authors: Farnsworth Keith D. , Albantakis Larissa , Caruso Tancredi
Published: April 2017

The concept of function arises at all levels of biological study and is often loosely and variously defined, especially within ecology. This has led to ambiguity, obscuring the common structure that unites levels of biological organisation, from molecules to ecosystems. Here we build on already successful ideas from molecular biology and complexity theory to create a precise definition of biological function which spans levels of biological organisation and can be quantified in the unifying currency of biomass, enabling comparisons of functional effectiveness (irrespective of the specific function) across the field of ecology. We give precise definitions of ecological and ecosystem function that bring clarity and precision to studies of biodiversity– ecosystem function relationships and questions of ecological redundancy. To illustrate the new concepts and their unifying power, we construct a simple community‐level model with nutrient cycling and animal‐plant mutualism, emphasising the importance of its network structure in determining overall functioning. This type of network structure is that of an autocatalytic set of functional relationships, which also appears at biochemical, cellular and organism levels of organisation, creating a nested hierarchy. This enables a common and unifying concept of function to apply from molecular interaction networks up to the global ecosystem.
Transgenic miR156 switchgrass in the field: growth, recalcitrance and rust susceptibility
Authors: Baxter Holly L. , Mazarei Mitra , Dumitrache Alexandru , Natzke Jace M. , Rodriguez Miguel , Gou Jiqing , Fu Chunxiang , Sykes Robert W. , Turner Geoffrey B. , Davis Mark F. , Brown Steven D. , Davison Brian H. , Wang Zeng‐Yu , Stewart C. Neal
Published: April 2017

Sustainable utilization of lignocellulosic perennial grass feedstocks will be enabled by high biomass production and optimized cell wall chemistry for efficient conversion into biofuels. MicroRNAs are regulatory elements that modulate the expression of genes involved in various biological functions in plants, including growth and development. In greenhouse studies, overexpressing a microRNA (miR156) gene in switchgrass had dramatic effects on plant architecture and flowering, which appeared to be driven by transgene expression levels. High expressing lines were extremely dwarfed, whereas low and moderate‐expressing lines had higher biomass yields, improved sugar release and delayed flowering. Four lines with moderate or low miR156 overexpression from the prior greenhouse study were selected for a field experiment to assess the relationship between miR156 expression and biomass production over three years. We also analysed important bioenergy feedstock traits such as flowering, disease resistance, cell wall chemistry and biofuel production. Phenotypes of the transgenic lines were inconsistent between the greenhouse and the field as well as among different field growing seasons. One low expressing transgenic line consistently produced more biomass (25%–56%) than the control across all three seasons, which translated to the production of 30% more biofuel per plant during the final season. The other three transgenic lines produced less biomass than the control by the final season, and the two lines with moderate expression levels also exhibited altered disease susceptibilities. Results of this study emphasize the importance of performing multiyear field studies for plants with altered regulatory transgenes that target plant growth and development.
Genome‐wide association studies to identify rice salt‐tolerance markers
Authors: Patishtan Juan , Hartley Tom N. , Fonseca de Carvalho Raquel , Maathuis Frans J.M.
Published: April 2017

Salinity is an ever increasing menace that affects agriculture worldwide. Crops such as rice are salt sensitive, but its degree of susceptibility varies widely between cultivars pointing to extensive genetic diversity that can be exploited to identify genes and proteins that are relevant in the response of rice to salt stress. We used a diversity panel of 306 rice accessions and collected phenotypic data after short (6 h), medium (7 d) and long (30 d) salinity treatment (50 mm NaCl). A genome‐wide association study (GWAS) was subsequently performed, which identified around 1200 candidate genes from many functional categories, but this was treatment period dependent. Further analysis showed the presence of cation transporters and transcription factors with a known role in salinity tolerance and those that hitherto were not known to be involved in salt stress. Localization analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showed the presence of several hundred non‐synonymous SNPs (nsSNPs) in coding regions and earmarked specific genomic regions with increased numbers of nsSNPs. It points to components of the ubiquitination pathway as important sources of genetic diversity that could underpin phenotypic variation in stress tolerance.
Cross‐sectional and longitudinal epidemiological studies of Internet gaming disorder: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Mihara Satoko , Higuchi Susumu
Published: April 2017

Aim

The diagnostic criteria of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) have been included in section III of DSM‐5. This study aims to systematically review both cross‐sectional and longitudinal epidemiological studies of IGD.

Methods

All publications included in PubMed and PsychINFO up to May 2016 were systematically searched to identify cross‐sectional studies on prevalence and longitudinal studies of IGD. In the process of identification, articles in non‐English languages and studies focusing solely on the use of gaming were excluded, and those meeting the methodological requirements set by this review were included. As a result, 37 cross‐sectional and 13 longitudinal studies were selected for review.

Results

The prevalence of IGD in the total samples ranged from 0.7% to 27.5%. The prevalence was higher among males than females in the vast majority of studies and tended to be higher among younger rather than older people in some studies. Geographical region made little difference to prevalence. Factors associated with IGD were reported in 28 of 37 cross‐sectional studies. These were diverse and covered gaming, demographic and familial factors, interpersonal relations, social and school functioning, personality, psychiatric comorbidity, and physical health conditions. Longitudinal studies identified risk and protective factors, and health and social consequences of IGD. The natural course of IGD was diverse but tended to be more stable among adolescents compared to adults.

Conclusion

Although existing epidemiological studies have provided useful data, differences in methodologies make it difficult to compare the findings of these studies when drawing consensus. Future international studies using reliable and uniform methods are warranted.
Swedish women's perceptions of and conformity to feminine norms
Authors: Kling Johanna , Holmqvist Gattario Kristina , Frisén Ann
Published: April 2017

The relatively high gender equality in the Swedish society is likely to exert an influence on gender role construction. Hence, the present research aimed to investigate Swedish women's perceptions of and conformity to feminine norms. A mixed methods approach with two studies was used. In Study 1, young Swedish women’s gender role conformity, as measured by the Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory 45 (CFNI‐45), was compared to the results from previously published studies in Canada, the United States, and Slovakia. Overall, Swedish women displayed less conformity than their foreign counterparts, with the largest difference on the subscale Sexual fidelity. In Study 2, focus group interviews with young Swedish women added a more complex picture of feminine norms in the Swedish society. For instance the results indicated that Swedish women, while living in a society with a strong gender equality discourse, are torn between the perceived need to invest in their appearances and the risk of being viewed as non‐equal when doing so. In sum, despite the fact that traditional gender roles are less pronounced in Sweden, gender role conformity is still a pressing issue. Since attending to the potential roles of feminine norms in women’s lives previously has been proposed to be useful in counseling and therapeutic work, the present research also offers valuable information for both researchers and practitioners. [Correction added on 5 May 2017, after first online publication in April 2017: An incorrect Abstract was inadvertently captured in the published article and has been corrected in this current version.]
Tracing Protest Motives: The Link Between Newspaper Coverage, Movement Messages, and Demonstrators’ Reasons to Protest
Authors: Ketelaars Pauline
Published: April 2017

Within the social movement literature, it is mostly assumed that the reasons why people join a protest demonstration are in line with the collective action frames of the organizations staging the protest. Some recent studies suggest, however, that protesters’ motives are only partly aligned with the messages that are broadcasted by social movements. This study argues that activists’ motives are for an important part shaped by mass media coverage on the protest issue. It investigates the link between people's reasons to protest, the campaign messages of the protest organizers, and newspaper coverage prior to the demonstration. Data cover 14 anti‐austerity demonstrations in Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Results show that social movements depend a lot on other political actors to gain media visibility for their messages. Furthermore, the relationship between social movement frames and protest participant motives is mediated by newspaper coverage. Protest organizers’ are able to reach demonstrators via their own communication channels to some extent, but for many of their messages, they also rely on journalists’ reporting about the protest issue.
Mitochondrial genome sequences effectively reveal deep branching events in aphids (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Chen Jing , Wang Yuan , Jiang Liyun , Qiao Gexia
Published: April 2017

Over the past dozen years, considerable effort has been devoted to unravelling the higher‐level phylogenetic relationships of viviparous aphids (Aphididae). However, to date, there is still no commonly accepted phylogenetic hypothesis. In this study, we establish a robust phylogenetic framework for the Aphididae based on mitochondrial genome sequences of 35 aphid species, 22 of which are newly reported. Phylogenetic inferences are performed using multiple data sets, alternative partitioning schemes and different model‐based methods. Our analyses result in well‐supported backbone relationships for the major lineages of aphids, suggesting the feasibility of mitogenome data for resolving phylogenetic questions in aphids. Mindarinae is strongly supported as the earliest branching lineage within Aphididae. A monophyletic clade comprising Calaphidinae, Phyllaphidinae and Saltusaphidinae is corroborated to be the sister group to the species‐richest subfamily Aphidinae. In addition, the morphologically defined subfamily Eriosomatinae is uncovered to be non‐monophyletic.
Computer Supported Collaborative Work trends on Media Organizations: Mixing Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches
Authors: Sidiropoulos Efstathios A. , Veglis Andreas A.
Published: April 2017

There is a growing concern in the financial world regarding the lack of resources for the sustainability of media related enterprises. The increasing cost of computing resources and data storage have crucially established the deployment of cost-saving and high-effective technologies. The aim of these technologies should be the support of teamworking. The work environments of the media organizations typically remain stable despite the development of internet. Our purpose was to investigate journalists’ and media professionals’ beliefs regarding Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) and groupware effectiveness in work routines, based on their experiences. We used a mixed method analysis in the participants’ sample. The participants were randomly selected senior and junior journalists/media professionals, head officers, chief editors and assistants, in two groups of 11 and 12 participants each. In conclusion, the need to improve our understanding of groupware in journalism practice has been recognized, not least because of the risk of “technology illiteracy”, unemployment and isolation. Simply importing training techniques from non-journalistic disciplines has not resulted in improved news publishing.