bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of non-ionic surfactant on the internal corrosion for X52 steel in extra-heavy crude oil-in-water emulsions
Authors: Quej-Ake L.M. , Contreras A. , Aburto Jorge
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to study different extra-heavy crude oil-in-water emulsions that can be found in practice for corrosion process of X52 steel adding 60 mg.L-1 of non-ionic surfactant and a corrosion inhibitor (CI). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel plots are carried out. Thus, Bode-modulus and Bode-phase angle plots are discussed. Adsorption isotherms obtained from corrosion rate (CR) values are taken into account.

Design/methodology/approach

Two-electrode arrangement is used to characterize the pseudo-capacitance values for X52 steel exposed to water and crude oil phases, mainly. Electrochemical evaluations for X52 steel exposed to extra-heavy crude oil-in-water emulsions are recorded in a conventional three-electrode cell to study the corrosion process as was documented in detail by Quej-Ake et al. (2015). Therefore, all electrodes are placed as close as possible to eliminate the iR-drop.

Findings

Pseudo-capacitance analysis shows that X52 steel immersed in oilfield produced water was more susceptible to corrosion than that immersed in ocean water solution and extra-heavy crude oil phase. After being analyzed, the X52 steel surface coverage and adsorption process for surfactant and CI could be concluded that surfactant could protect the metal surface. In a coalescence extra-heavy crude oil-in-water emulsion, the water medium generated a new solution that was more corrosive than the original water phase. Wash crude oil process was provoked in emulsion systems to sweep up the salts, mainly. Thus, corrosive species that can be recovered inside extra-heavy crude oil may appear, and in turn a new more corrosive solution could be obtained. Taking into account the straight line obtained in Bode-modulus plot for X52 exposed to extra-heavy crude oil, it is possible to point out that the negative value of the slope orR2can be related to a coefficient (Jorcin et al., 2006). It is important to mention that electrochemical responses for X52 steel exposed to extra-heavy crude oil-in-water under coalescence emulsions revealed that corrosion and diffusion processes exist. Therefore, a possible good inhibitor is surfactant in emulsion systems.

Originality/value

CR and anodic and cathodic slopes suggest that the surfactant acted as mixed CI. Of these, susceptible anodic (MnS and perlite or cementite) and cathodic (ferrite) sites on steel surface could be affected, due to which physicochemical adsorption could happen by using electrochemical parameters analysis. Thus, no stable emulsions should be taken into account for extra-heavy crude oil transportation, because corrosion problems in atmospheric distillation process of the crude oil due to stable emulsion cannot be easily separated. In this manner, coalescent emulsions are more adequate for transporting extra-heavy crude oil because low energy to separate the water media is required.
A taxonomy of performance shaping factors for shield tunnel construction
Authors: Li Jue , Yu Minghui , Wang Hongwei
Published: May 2018

Purpose

On shield tunnel construction (STC) site, human error is widely recognized as essential to accident. It is necessary to explain which factors lead to human error and how these factors can influence human performance. Human reliability analysis supports such necessity through modeling the performance shaping factors (PSFs). The purpose of this paper is to establish and validate a PSF taxonomy for the STC context.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach taken in this study mainly consists of three steps. First, a description of the STC context is proposed through the analysis of the STC context. Second, the literature which stretch across the PSF methodologies, cognitive psychology and human factors of STC and other construction industries are reviewed to develop an initial set of PSFs. Finally, a final PSF set is modified and validated based on STC task analysis and STC accidents cases.

Findings

The PSF taxonomy constituted by 4 main components, 4 hierarchies and 85 PSFs is established for human behavior modeling and simulation under the STC context. Furthermore, by comparing and evaluating the performance of STC PSF and existing PSF studies, the proposed PSF taxonomy meets the requirement for qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Practical implications

The PSF taxonomy can provide a basis and support for human behavior modeling and simulation under the STC context. Integrating PSFs into a behavior simulation model provides a more realistic and integrated assessment of human error by manifesting the influence of each PSFs on the cognitive processes. The simulation results can suggest concrete points for the improvement of STC safety management.

Originality/value

This paper develops a taxonomy of PSFs that addresses the various unique influences of the STC context on human behaviors. The harsh underground working conditions and diverse resources of system information are identified as key characteristics of the STC context. Furthermore, the PSF taxonomy can be integrated into a human cognitive behavior model to predict the worker’s behavior on STC site in future work.
Banking stability determinants in Africa
Authors: Ozili Peterson K.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of banking stability in Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors present four measures of banking stability embedding banks’ loan loss coverage ratio, insolvency risk, asset quality ratio, and level of financial development, thereby allowing analysis of banking stability determinants from four complementary perspectives: protection for downside credit losses, distress arising from insolvency risk, non-performing loans, and financial development. The authors use the regression methodology to estimate the impact of financial structure, institutional, bank-level factors on bank stability.

Findings

The findings indicate that banking efficiency, foreign bank presence, banking concentration, size of banking sector, government effectiveness, political stability, regulatory quality, investor protection, corruption control and unemployment levels are significant determinant of banking stability in Africa and the significance of each determinant depends on the banking stability proxy employed and depends on the period of analysis: pre-crisis, during-crisis or post-crisis.

Practical implications

Banking supervisors in African countries should consider the role of financial structure and institutional quality for banking stability in the African region.

Originality/value

This study is the first to examine banking stability determinants in Africa that takes into account institutional quality and financial structure.
Psychological capital as a personal resource in the JD-R model
Authors: Grover Steven L. , Teo Stephen T.T. , Pick David , Roche Maree , Newton Cameron J.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demystify the role of the personal resource of psychological capital (PsyCap) in the job demands-resources model. The theory suggests that personal resources directly influence perceptions of job demands, job resources, and outcomes. Alternatively, personal resources may moderate the impact of job demands and job resources on outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 401 nurses working in the Australian healthcare sector explores the relations among PsyCap, job demands and resources, and psychological well-being and work engagement.

Findings

The results suggest that PsyCap directly influences perceptions of job demands and resources and that it directly influences the outcomes of well-being and engagement. Furthermore, job demands and job resources mediate the relation of PsyCap with well-being and engagement, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The moderation effect of PsyCap was not supported, which suggests that PsyCap relates to perceptions as opposed to being a coping mechanism. This finding therefore narrows the scope of personal resources in this important model.

Originality/value

The importance of this study lies in its exploration of various ways that personal resources can influence this dominant model and in analyzing the global construct of PsyCap as opposed to some of its constituent parts.
Nonlinear effects of phenological shifts link interannual variation to species interactions
Authors: Rudolf Volker H. W.
Published: May 2018

The vast majority of species interactions are seasonally structured and depend on species' relative phenologies. However, differences in the phenologies of species naturally vary across years and are altered by ongoing climate change around the world.

By combining experiments that shifted the relative hatching of two competing tadpole species across a productivity gradient with simulations of inter‐annual variation in arrival times I tested how phenological variation across years can alter the strength and outcome of interspecific competition.

Shifting the relative timing of hatching (phenology) of a species fundamentally altered interspecific competition, and the effect of shifting the timing on competition was highly non‐linear for most demographic rates. Furthemore, this relationship varied with productivity of the system. As a consequence, (a) shifts in relative timing of phenologies had small or large effects depending on the average natural timing of interactions, and (b) changes in the inter‐annual variation in onset of interaction alone can alter species interactions in simulations even when mean phenologies (timing) remain unchanged across years.

Studies on phenologies traditionally focus on directional shifts in the mean of phenologies, but these results suggest that we also need to consider inter‐annual variation in phenologies of interacting species to predict dynamics of natural communities and how they will be modified by climate change.
Synthesis, characterization and electrochemistry studies of iron(III) complex with curcumin ligand
Authors: Özbolat Gülüzar , Yegani Arash Alizadeh , Tuli Abdullah
Published: May 2018

Iron overload is a serious clinical condition for humans and is a key target in drug development. The aim of this study was to investigate the coordination of iron(III) ions with curcumin ligand that may be used in the treatment of iron overload. Iron(III) complex of curcumin was synthesized and structurally characterized in its solid and solution state by FT‐IR, UV‐Vis, elemental analysis, and magnetic susceptibility. Electrochemical behaviour of the ligand and the complexes were examined using cyclic voltammetry. The cytotoxic activities of the ligand and the iron(III) complex were evaluated by the MTT assay. Curcumin reacted with iron in high concentrations at physiological pH at room temperature. Subsequently, a brown‐red complex was formed. Data regarding magnetic susceptibility showed that the complexes with a 1:2 (metal/ligand) mole ratio had octahedral geometry. The complex showed higher anti‐oxidant effect towards the cell line ECV304 at IC50 values of 4.83 compared to curcumin. The complex exhibited very high cytotoxic activity and showed a cytotoxic effect that was much better than that of the ligand. The potentials for redox were calculated as 0.180 V and 0.350 V, respectively. The electrochemistry studies showed that Fe3+/Fe2+ couple redox process occurred at low potentials. This value was within the range of compounds that are expected to show superoxide dismutase activity. This finding indicates that the iron complex is capable of removing free radicals. The observed cytotoxicity could be pursued to obtain a potential drug. Further studies investigating the use of curcumin for this purpose are needed.
Are Archetypes Essential?
Authors: Colman Warren
Published: May 2018

This paper distinguishes between Jung's theoretical discourse regarding the archetypes and his phenomenological account of numinous experience. For this author, the initial attraction of ‘my Jung’ came from both the vivid Romanticism of his descriptions of the anima and the apparent ‘ground of being’ offered by his theory of archetypes. However, the essentialism inherent to archetypal theory in general and the anima in particular has necessitated a re‐evaluation of Jung's theory in terms of emergence theory. My own version of this emphasises the role of symbols in the constitution of affect through collective human action in the world. In this reconfiguration, the visceral energy of numinous experience is retained while the problematic theory of archetypes is no longer needed.
Are Shocks Transitory or Permanent? An Inquiry into Agricultural Commodity Prices
Authors: Ghoshray Atanu
Published: May 2018

This paper contributes to the contentious topic of whether shocks to agricultural commodity prices are permanent or transitory. This is an important issue with regards to forecasting, economic modelling of agricultural prices and risk management. Past studies have not accounted for important characteristics of agricultural prices that matter when testing whether shocks to prices are permanent or transitory. These include the presence or absence of a deterministic trend, the possible break in the trend, non‐stationary volatility, and the problem of the initial deviation of commodity prices from their long‐run mean or trend. We conduct a comprehensive test that incorporates all these characteristics known to plague agricultural commodity prices. Though the conclusion is mixed, the balance is in favour of agricultural price shocks being permanent in nature. This result departs from the general view that in theory, agricultural prices should be stationary, suggesting that the controversy of whether shocks to agricultural prices are temporary or permanent is not yet over.
Usual energy and macronutrient intakes in a large sample of Iranian middle‐aged and elderly populations
Authors: Heidari Zahra , Feizi Awat , Azadbakht Leila , Mohammadifard Noushin , Maghroun Maryam , Sarrafzadegan Nizal
Published: May 2018

Aim

The present study aimed to assess the usual distribution of energy and macronutrient intake among a large representative sample of Iranian healthy middle‐aged and elderly people.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, a second follow‐up survey of the Isfahan Cohort Study (ICS) was carried out; 1922 people aged 40 years and older were investigated. Dietary intakes were collected using 24‐hour recall and two or more consecutive food records. Distribution of energy and macronutrient intake was estimated using traditional and National Cancer Institute (NCI) methods.

Results

The mean usual intake of energy was 1749.2 kcal based on the NCI method. Carbohydrate constituted 59.98% and protein 17.42% of total energy intake. The mean contributions of total fat, saturated fatty acids (SFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) to energy intake were 25.74%, 9.5%, 4.92 and 7.75%, respectively. Approximately 7% of studied females aged 51–70 years met the recommended or higher levels for fibre. Females had significantly higher compliance of the recommended cholesterol level than males (age range of 40–70 years; P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

It appears that Iranian middle‐aged and elderly people are advancing towards a high risk of obesity and non‐communicable chronic diseases. Nutritional interventions for improving the diet amongst this at‐risk population are necessary.
Differential mRNA expression of neuroinflammatory modulators in the spinal cord and thalamus of type 2 diabetic monkeys
Authors: Ding Huiping , Kiguchi Norikazu , Kishioka Shiroh , Ma Tao , Peters Christopher M. , Ko Mei‐Chuan
Published: May 2018

Background

Given that diabetes‐associated complications are closely associated with neuroinflammation, it is imperative to study potential changes in neuroinflammatory modulators in the central nervous system of diabetic primates.

Methods

The mRNA levels of pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokines, toll‐like receptors (TLRs), growth factors, and cannabinoid receptors were compared in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) and thalamus of naturally occurring type 2 diabetic monkeys and an age‐matched control group using reverse transcription and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

In the SDH of diabetic monkeys, mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines (i.e. interleukin [IL]‐1β and tumor necrosis factor [TNF] α), TLR1, and TLR2 were increased, whereas mRNA levels of IL‐10, an anti‐inflammatory cytokine, were decreased. No changes were observed in the mRNA levels of growth factors and cannabinoid receptors. In line with the mRNA data, TNFα immunoreactivity was significantly increased in diabetic monkeys. Moreover, mRNA expression levels of IL‐1β, TNFα, TLR1, and TLR2 in the SDH were positively correlated with plasma glucose concentrations in all monkeys.

Conclusions

Several ligands and receptors involved in neuroinflammation are simultaneously dysregulated in the spinal cord of diabetic monkeys. This primate disease model will facilitate the design of novel treatment approaches to ameliorate neuroinflammation‐driven adverse effects in diabetic patients.
Trimethylamine‐N‐oxide promotes brain aging and cognitive impairment in mice
Authors: Li Dang , Ke Yilang , Zhan Rui , Liu Changjie , Zhao Mingming , Zeng Aiping , Shi Xiaoyun , Ji Liang , Cheng Si , Pan Bing , Zheng Lemin , Hong Huashan
Published: May 2018

Gut microbiota can influence the aging process and may modulate aging‐related changes in cognitive function. Trimethylamine‐N‐oxide (TMAO), a metabolite of intestinal flora, has been shown to be closely associated with cardiovascular disease and other diseases. However, the relationship between TMAO and aging, especially brain aging, has not been fully elucidated. To explore the relationship between TMAO and brain aging, we analysed the plasma levels of TMAO in both humans and mice and administered exogenous TMAO to 24‐week‐old senescence‐accelerated prone mouse strain 8 (SAMP8) and age‐matched senescence‐accelerated mouse resistant 1 (SAMR1) mice for 16 weeks. We found that the plasma levels of TMAO increased in both the elderly and the aged mice. Compared with SAMR1‐control mice, SAMP8‐control mice exhibited a brain aging phenotype characterized by more senescent cells in the hippocampal CA3 region and cognitive dysfunction. Surprisingly, TMAO treatment increased the number of senescent cells, which were primarily neurons, and enhanced the mitochondrial impairments and superoxide production. Moreover, we observed that TMAO treatment increased synaptic damage and reduced the expression levels of synaptic plasticity‐related proteins by inhibiting the mTOR signalling pathway, which induces and aggravates aging‐related cognitive dysfunction in SAMR1 and SAMP8 mice, respectively. Our findings suggested that TMAO could induce brain aging and age‐related cognitive dysfunction in SAMR1 mice and aggravate the cerebral aging process of SAMP8 mice, which might provide new insight into the effects of intestinal microbiota on the brain aging process and help to delay senescence by regulating intestinal flora metabolites.
Feasibility and Acceptability of Maternal Choline Supplementation in Heavy Drinking Pregnant Women: A Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Jacobson Sandra W. , Carter R. Colin , Molteno Christopher D. , Meintjes Ernesta M. , Senekal Marjanne S. , Lindinger Nadine M. , Dodge Neil C. , Zeisel Steven H. , Duggan Christopher P. , Jacobson Joseph L.
Published: May 2018

Background

Choline, an essential nutrient, serves as a methyl‐group donor for DNA methylation and is a constituent of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and a precursor to major components of cell membranes. Findings from animal studies suggest that choline supplementation during pregnancy can mitigate adverse effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on growth and neurocognitive function. We conducted a randomized, double‐blind exploratory trial to examine feasibility and acceptability of a choline supplementation intervention during pregnancy.

Methods

Seventy heavy drinkers, recruited in mid‐pregnancy, were randomly assigned to receive a daily oral dose of 2 g of choline or a placebo from time of enrollment until delivery. Each dose consisted of an individually wrapped packet of powder that, when mixed with water, produced a sweet tasting grape‐flavored drink. Adherence was assessed by collecting used and unused drink packets on a monthly basis and tabulating the number used. Side effects were assessed in monthly interviews. Blood samples obtained at enrollment and at 4 and 12 weeks after randomization were assayed for plasma choline concentration.

Results

Adherence was good‐to‐excellent (median doses taken = 74.0%; interquartile range = 53.9 to 88.7%) and was not related to a range of sociodemographic characteristics or to alcohol consumption ascertained using a timeline follow‐back interview. By 4 weeks, plasma choline concentrations were significantly higher in the choline supplementation than the placebo arm, and this group difference continued to be evident at 12 weeks. The only side effect was a small increase in nausea/dyspepsia. No effects were seen for diarrhea, vomiting, muscle stiffness, blood pressure, or body odor changes.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that a choline supplementation program with very heavy drinkers during pregnancy is feasible even among highly disadvantaged, poorly educated women. The broad acceptability of this intervention is indicated by our finding that adherence was not related to maternal education, intellectual function, depression, nutritional status, or alcohol use.
Efficacy of Maternal Choline Supplementation During Pregnancy in Mitigating Adverse Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Growth and Cognitive Function: A Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Jacobson Sandra W. , Carter R. Colin , Molteno Christopher D. , Stanton Mark E. , Herbert Jane S. , Lindinger Nadine M. , Lewis Catherine E. , Dodge Neil C. , Hoyme H. Eugene , Zeisel Steven H. , Meintjes Ernesta M. , Duggan Christopher P. , Jacobson Joseph L.
Published: May 2018

Background

We recently demonstrated the acceptability and feasibility of a randomized, double‐blind choline supplementation intervention for heavy drinking women during pregnancy. In this study, we report our results relating to the efficacy of this intervention in mitigating adverse effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on infant growth and cognitive function.

Methods

Sixty‐nine Cape Coloured (mixed ancestry) heavy drinkers in Cape Town, South Africa, recruited in mid‐pregnancy, were randomly assigned to receive a daily oral dose of either 2 g of choline or placebo from time of enrollment until delivery. Each dose consisted of an individually wrapped packet of powder that, when mixed with water, produced a sweet tasting grape‐flavored drink. The primary outcome, eyeblink conditioning (EBC), was assessed at 6.5 months. Somatic growth was measured at birth, 6.5, and 12 months, recognition memory and processing speed on the Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence, at 6.5 and 12 months.

Results

Infants born to choline‐treated mothers were more likely to meet criterion for conditioning on EBC than the placebo group. Moreover, within the choline arm, degree of maternal adherence to the supplementation protocol strongly predicted EBC performance. Both groups were small at birth, but choline‐treated infants showed considerable catch‐up growth in weight and head circumference at 6.5 and 12 months. At 12 months, the infants in the choline treatment arm had higher novelty preference scores, indicating better visual recognition memory.

Conclusions

This exploratory study is the first to provide evidence that a high dose of choline administered early in pregnancy can mitigate adverse effects of heavy PAE on EBC, postnatal growth, and cognition in human infants. These findings are consistent with studies of alcohol‐exposed animals that have demonstrated beneficial effects of choline supplementation on classical conditioning, learning, and memory.
Brief Motivational Intervention for Underage Young Adult Drinkers: Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Colby Suzanne M. , Orchowski Lindsay , Magill Molly , Murphy James G. , Brazil Linda A. , Apodaca Timothy R. , Kahler Christopher W. , Barnett Nancy P.
Published: May 2018

Background

While there is a substantial literature on the efficacy of brief motivational intervention (BMI) for college student drinkers, research has focused less on young adults who do not attend a 4‐year college, despite their elevated risk for excessive alcohol use and associated harmful consequences.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial (NCT01546025) compared the efficacy of BMI to a time‐matched attention control intervention (relaxation training [REL]) for reducing alcohol consumption and related negative consequences in an underage young adult sample. BMI was tailored to the developmental transition out of high school for young adults who were not immediately planning to enroll in a 4‐year college. Non–treatment‐seeking underage drinkers who reported past‐month heavy drinking (N = 167; ages 17 to 20; 42% female; 59% non‐Hispanic White) were randomly assigned to receive a single session of BMI or REL. Outcomes were evaluated 6 weeks and 3 months postintervention via in‐person assessments.

Results

Generalized estimating equation models provided strong support for the efficacy of BMI for reducing harmful drinking in these young adults. Compared to REL, and after controlling for baseline covariates including gender, those who received BMI subsequently reported significantly fewer average drinks per week, percent drinking days, percent heavy drinking days, lower peak and typical estimated blood alcohol concentration on drinking days, and fewer adverse consequences of drinking (all ps < 0.05). These between‐group effects did not weaken over the course of the 3‐month follow‐up period.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate an efficacious approach to tailoring BMI for non–college‐attending young adults. Future research should replicate and extend these findings over a longer follow‐up period.
Effects of moderate, voluntary ethanol consumption on the rat and human gut microbiome
Authors: Kosnicki Kassi L. , Penprase Jerrold C. , Cintora Patricia , Torres Pedro J. , Harris Greg L. , Brasser Susan M. , Kelley Scott T.
Published: May 2018

Many alcohol‐induced health complications are directly attributable to the toxicity of alcohol or its metabolites, but another potential health impact of alcohol may be on the microbial communities of the human gut. Clear distinctions between healthy and diseased‐state gut microbiota have been observed in subjects with metabolic diseases, and recent studies suggest that chronic alcoholism is linked to gut microbiome dysbiosis. Here, we investigated the effects of moderate levels of alcohol consumption on the gut microbiome in both rats and humans. The gut microbiota of rats voluntarily consuming a 20 percent ethanol solution, on alternate days, were compared with a non‐exposed control group to identify differential taxonomic and functional profiles. Gut microbial diversity profiles were determined using culture‐independent amplification, next‐generation sequencing and bioinformatic analysis of bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence libraries. Our results showed that, compared with controls, ethanol‐consuming rats experienced a significant decline in the biodiversity of their gut microbiomes, a state generally associated with dysbiosis. We also observed significant shifts in the overall diversity of the gut microbial communities and a dramatic change in the relative abundance of particular microbes, such as the Lactobacilli. We also compared our results to human fecal microbiome data collected as part of the citizen science American Gut Project. In contrast to the rat data, human drinkers had significantly higher gut microbial biodiversity than non‐drinkers. However, we also observed that microbes that differed among the human subjects displayed similar trends in the rat model, including bacteria implicated in metabolic disease.
Adverse adult consequences of different alcohol use patterns in adolescence: an integrative analysis of data to age 30 years from four Australasian cohorts
Authors: Silins Edmund , Horwood L. John , Najman Jake M. , Patton George C. , Toumbourou John W. , Olsson Craig A. , Hutchinson Delyse M. , Degenhardt Louisa , Fergusson David , Becker Denise , Boden Joseph M. , Borschmann Rohan , Plotnikova Maria , Youssef George J. , Tait Robert J. , Clare Philip , Hall Wayne D. , Mattick Richard P. ,   for the Cannabis Cohorts Research Consortium
Published: May 2018

Background and Aims

Studies have linked adolescent alcohol use with adverse consequences in adulthood, yet it is unclear how strong the associations are and to what extent they may be due to confounding. Our aim was to estimate the strength of association between different patterns of adolescent drinking and longer‐term psychosocial harms taking into account individual, family and peer factors.

Design

Participant‐level data were integrated from four long‐running longitudinal studies: Australian Temperament Project, Christchurch Health and Development Study, Mater Hospital and University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy and Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study.

Setting

Australia and New Zealand.

Participants

Participants were assessed on multiple occasions between ages 13 and 30 years (from 1991 to 2012). Number of participants varied (up to n = 9453) by analysis.

Measurements

Three patterns of alcohol use (frequent, heavy episodic and problem drinking) were assessed prior to age 17. Thirty outcomes were assessed to age 30 spanning substance use and related problems, antisocial behaviour, sexual risk‐taking, accidents, socio‐economic functioning, mental health and partner relationships.

Findings

After covariate adjustment, weekly drinking prior to age 17 was associated with a two‐ to threefold increase in the odds of binge drinking [odds ratio (OR) = 2.14; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.57–2.90], drink driving (OR = 2.78; 95% CI = 1.84–4.19), alcohol‐related problems (OR = 3.04; 95% CI = 1.90–4.84) and alcohol dependence (OR = 3.30; 95% CI = 1.69–6.47) in adulthood. Frequency of drinking accounted for a greater proportion of the rate of most adverse outcomes than the other measures of alcohol use. Associations between frequent, heavy episodic and problem drinking in adolescence and most non‐alcohol outcomes were largely explained by shared risk factors for adolescent alcohol use and poor psychosocial functioning.

Conclusions

Frequency of adolescent drinking predicts substance use problems in adulthood as much as, and possibly more than, heavy episodic and problem drinking independent of individual, family and peer predictors of those outcomes.
Industrial mining land use and poverty in regions of Burkina Faso
Authors: OUOBA Youmanli
Published: May 2018

Industrial mining generally develops in rural areas where agriculture is the main subsistence activity of the population. However, there seems to be an incompatible coexistence between agricultural and mining activities, as both require a large amount of land. Given the extensive agricultural system in Burkina Faso and the expansion of mining since 2007, this study analyzed the effect of industrial mining land use on poverty in the 13 regions of Burkina Faso. The study examined the effect of mining land use intensity on cereal production/yield before exploring its impact on poverty by using several econometric methods and various data from the National Statistics Institute. The results indicate that mining land use intensity had no direct effect on poverty; instead, the effect is indirect. Indeed, mining land use intensity negatively affects cereal yield, and that reinforces the incidence of poverty in mining regions. Moreover, the results show that cereal production increases with cropped land. As cereal yield decreases with industrial mining land use intensity, this suggests that the expansion of mining would contribute to the jeopardizing of the food supply as well as the exacerbation of poverty in mining regions. Therefore, policies are needed to encourage the sustainable management of land and mining revenue redistribution in the mining regions of Burkina Faso.
Downregulated miR‐17, miR‐29c, miR‐92a and miR‐214 may be related to BCL11B overexpression in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: He Zifan , Liao Ziwei , Chen Shaohua , Li Bo , Yu Zhi , Luo Gengxin , Yang Lijian , Zeng Chengwu , Li Yangqiu
Published: May 2018

Aim

BCL11B overexpression is a characteristic of most T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL) cases, and downregulated BCL11B in leukemic T cells inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to analyze the miRNA expression pattern that may be related to BCL11B regulation in T‐ALL.

Methods

Quantitative real‐time PCR was used to detect the miRNAs miR‐17‐3p, miR‐17‐5p, miR‐29c‐3p, miR‐92a‐3p, miR‐214‐3p and miR‐214‐5p, the BCL11B expression level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells which was obtained from 17 de novo and untreated T‐ALL patients, and 15 healthy individuals (HIs) served as control. Correlations between the relative miRNA expression levels and BCL11B were analyzed.

Results

Based on the computational prediction that certain miRNAs bind the BCL11B 3′‐UTR, miR‐17‐3p, miR‐17‐5p, miR‐29c‐3p, miR‐92a‐3p, miR‐214‐3p and miR‐214‐5p were found to be candidates for regulating BCL11B. The expression levels of the six miRNAs were decreased compared with HIs, and with the exception of miR‐17‐5p, statistically significant differences in expression levels were found in the T‐ALL group. Moreover, while significantly higher BCL11B expression was found in the T‐ALL group, a negative trend in the correlation level for all six miRNAs could be found in all groups; however, statistical significance was only found for miR‐214‐3p in the T‐ALL group.

Conclusion

miRNA downregulation together with BCL11B upregulation suggests that miR‐17, miR‐29c, miR‐92a and miR‐214 might be involved in BCL11B regulation. The therapeutic promise of regulating the expression of these miRNAs for T‐ALL therapy may be considered in the future.
Brachyury oncogene is a prognostic factor in high‐risk testicular germ cell tumors
Authors: Pinto F. , Cárcano F. M. , da Silva E. C. A. , Vidal D. O. , Scapulatempo‐Neto C. , Lopes L. F. , Reis R. M.
Published: May 2018

The T‐box transcription factor Brachyury has been considered a cancer‐specific marker and a novel oncotarget in solid tumors. Brachyury overexpression has been described in various cancers, being associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and poor prognosis. However, its clinical association with testicular germ cell tumor is unknown. We analyzed the expression of Brachyury by immunohistochemistry in a series of well‐characterized testicular germ cell tumor samples and at transcript level by in silico analysis. Additionally, we aimed to investigate the clinical significance of Brachyury in testicular germ cell tumor. Brachyury cytoplasm immunostaining was present in 89.6% (86/96) of cases with nuclear staining observed in 24% (23/96) of testicular germ cell tumor. Bioinformatics microarray expression analysis of two independent cohorts of testicular germ cell tumors showed similar results with increased levels of Brachyury in testicular germ cell tumors and metastasis compared with normal testis. Clinically, Brachyury nuclear staining was statistically associated with lower event‐free survival (p = 0.04) and overall survival (p = 0.01) in intermediate/high‐risk testicular germ cell tumors. Univariate analysis showed that Brachyury nuclear subcellular localization was a predictor of poor prognosis (p = 0.02), while a tendency was observed by multivariate analysis (HR: 3.56, p = 0.06). In conclusion, these results indicate that Brachyury plays an oncogenic role in testicular germ cell tumors and its subcellular localization in the nucleus may constitute a novel biomarker of poor prognosis and a putative oncotarget for intermediate/high‐risk testicular germ cell tumor patients.
Vitamin D was not associated with survival or cerebrospinal fluid cathelicidin levels in children with bacterial meningitis
Authors: Savonius Okko , Pelkonen Tuula , Roine Irmeli , Viljakainen Heli , Andersson Sture , Fernandez Josefina , Peltola Heikki , Helve Otto
Published: May 2018

Aim

Vitamin D deficiency impairs the immunological system and has been associated with worse outcomes of infectious diseases, but its role in bacterial meningitis remains unknown. We investigated whether serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D concentrations related to disease outcomes and to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cathelicidin concentrations in childhood bacterial meningitis.

Methods

All consecutively enrolled patients in a clinical trial on childhood bacterial meningitis in Latin America in 1996–2003 were considered, and 142 children, with a median age of seven months who had a confirmed bacterial aetiology and frozen serum available for further analyses, were included in this study. Serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were determined with a chemiluminescence immunoassay analyser, while CSF cathelicidin was measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

The median serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D concentration was 96 (range 19–251) nmol/L. No relationship was found with patient survival, but children with any neurological sequelae had lower serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels than children without sequelae. Serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D was unrelated to cathelicidin concentrations in CSF.

Conclusion

Although serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D in children with bacterial meningitis was not associated with survival or CSF cathelicidin concentrations, its relationship with more detailed disease outcomes warrants further study.
Doubly Robust Matching Estimators for High Dimensional Confounding Adjustment
Authors: Antonelli Joseph , Cefalu Matthew , Palmer Nathan , Agniel Denis
Published: May 2018

Valid estimation of treatment effects from observational data requires proper control of confounding. If the number of covariates is large relative to the number of observations, then controlling for all available covariates is infeasible. In cases where a sparsity condition holds, variable selection or penalization can reduce the dimension of the covariate space in a manner that allows for valid estimation of treatment effects. In this article, we propose matching on both the estimated propensity score and the estimated prognostic scores when the number of covariates is large relative to the number of observations. We derive asymptotic results for the matching estimator and show that it is doubly robust in the sense that only one of the two score models need be correct to obtain a consistent estimator. We show via simulation its effectiveness in controlling for confounding and highlight its potential to address nonlinear confounding. Finally, we apply the proposed procedure to analyze the effect of gender on prescription opioid use using insurance claims data.
Persulfide synthases that are functionally coupled with translation mediate sulfur respiration in mammalian cells
Authors: Fujii Shigemoto , Sawa Tomohiro , Motohashi Hozumi , Akaike Takaaki
Published: May 2018

Cysteine persulfide and polysulfide are produced in cells and exist in abundance in both low MW and protein fractions. However, the mechanism of regulation of the formation of cellular cysteine polysulfides and the physiological functions of cysteine persulfides/polysulfides produced in cells are not fully understood. We recently demonstrated that cysteinyl‐tRNA synthetase (CARS) is a novel cysteine persulfide synthase. CARS is involved in protein polysulfidation that is coupled with translation. In particular, mitochondria function in biogenesis and bioenergetics is also supported and up‐regulated by cysteine persulfide derived from mitochondrial CARS (also known as CARS2). Here, we provide an overview of recent advances in reactive persulfide research and our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the formation and the physiological roles of reactive persufides, with a primary focus on the formation of cysteine persulfide by CARS and the most fundamental mitochondrial bioenergetics mediated by persulfides, that is, sulfur respiration.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Chemical Biology of Reactive Sulfur Species. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.4/issuetoc
Folding, thrusting and diapirism: Competing mechanisms for shaping the structure of the north Dezful Embayment, Zagros, Iran
Authors: Najafi Mahdi , Vergés Jaume , Etemad‐Saeed Najmeh , Karimnejad Hamid Reza
Published: May 2018

Differentiating compressional growth strata from halokinetic sequences is not straightforward in foreland fold‐and‐thrust belts where compressional and diapiric processes were coeval. Although there are numerous studies on the role of salt layers in fold‐and‐thrust belts, very few focus on syntectonic evaporites where they are thick enough to develop diapirism. The tectonic structures of the northern Dezful Embayment, along the footwall of the Zagros Mountain Front Fault, show a complex evolution interpreted in this study by the concurrence of folding, thrusting and pre‐ and syn‐shortening diapirism of the lower Miocene Gachsaran evaporites. We explore this tectonic–diapiric–sedimentary interplay by combining field studies and remote‐sensing mapping, detailed stratigraphy and sedimentology, high‐quality seismic data, and step‐by‐step balanced tectono‐sedimentary restorations. Initial diapirism occurred soon after the deposition of at least 1.5 km thick Miocene Gachsaran evaporites during the sedimentation of up to 5 km thick Aghajari, Lahbari and Bakhtyari formations, which display syntectonic mixed growth strata and halokinetic sequences. These sedimentary sequences filled salt‐related minibasins, from which the Azanak Minibasin is the deepest, limited by growing salt walls and salt anticlines (Azanak thrust‐weld and the Saland–Lali anticline). Palaeocurrents and clasts compositions document fluvial diversions and exposure and erosion of Gachsaran evaporites along the active salt walls. Although, by further shortening, the precursor salt walls squeezed and reactivated as thrust‐welds structuring a duplex of overriding minibasins. During the deposition of the middle‐late Miocene Aghajari Formation, Kazhdumi and Pabdeh source rocks were buried to oil‐expulsion depths, and Sarvak and Asmari reservoirs were mildly folded in large and open anticlines. The Gachsaran system in the northern Dezful Embayment is collated with the structures of preshortening Hormuz salt and syn‐shortening Fars salt to highlight the important role of these ductile units in the tectonic evolution of the Zagros fold belt that is compared to syn‐compressional salt‐related Pyrenees, Carpathians, Sivas and Kuga fold belts.
Mechanisms underlying insect freeze tolerance
Authors: Toxopeus Jantina , Sinclair Brent J.
Published: May 2018

Freeze tolerance – the ability to survive internal ice formation – has evolved repeatedly in insects, facilitating survival in environments with low temperatures and/or high risk of freezing. Surviving internal ice formation poses several challenges because freezing can cause cellular dehydration and mechanical damage, and restricts the opportunity to metabolise and respond to environmental challenges. While freeze‐tolerant insects accumulate many potentially protective molecules, there is no apparent ‘magic bullet’ – a molecule or class of molecules that appears to be necessary or sufficient to support this cold‐tolerance strategy. In addition, the mechanisms underlying freeze tolerance have been minimally explored. Herein, we frame freeze tolerance as the ability to survive a process: freeze‐tolerant insects must withstand the challenges associated with cooling (low temperatures), freezing (internal ice formation), and thawing. To do so, we hypothesise that freeze‐tolerant insects control the quality and quantity of ice, prevent or repair damage to cells and macromolecules, manage biochemical processes while frozen/thawing, and restore physiological processes post‐thaw. Many of the molecules that can facilitate freeze tolerance are also accumulated by other cold‐ and desiccation‐tolerant insects. We suggest that, when freezing offered a physiological advantage, freeze tolerance evolved in insects that were already adapted to low temperatures or desiccation, or in insects that could withstand small amounts of internal ice formation. Although freeze tolerance is a complex cold‐tolerance strategy that has evolved multiple times, we suggest that a process‐focused approach (in combination with appropriate techniques and model organisms) will facilitate hypothesis‐driven research to understand better how insects survive internal ice formation.
Measuring Social Capital with Twitter within the Electronics and ICT Cluster of the Basque Country
Authors: Etxabe Igor
Published: May 2018

Social network sites like Twitter enable the creation of virtual environments where online communities are formed around specific topics. Lately, due to their increasing success, these platforms are turning out to be effective for electronic word–of–mouth communication since they can be used as another means to spread information and build a network of contacts.

In this paper, Twitter is used as a proxy to measure social capital in the electronics and ICT cluster, one of the 22 clusters integrated in the Basque cluster policy. Tweets were extracted through REST and Streaming API and later on studied using Social Network Analysis, both from the static and dynamic perspective. Above all, I highlight a strong correlation at the structural and relational level, intra and inter dimensionally. The social and organizational proximity may explain the tighter relationships among affiliates, where the association that rules the cluster and other firms play an important role.
IntAct: intra‐operative fluorescence angiography to prevent anastomotic leak in rectal cancer surgery: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Armstrong G. , Croft J. , Corrigan N. , Brown J. M. , Goh V. , Quirke P. , Hulme C. , Tolan D. , Kirby A. , Cahill R. , O'Connell P. R. , Miskovic D. , Coleman M. , Jayne D.
Published: May 2018

Aim

Anastomotic leak (AL) is a major complication of rectal cancer surgery. Despite advances in surgical practice, the rates of AL have remained static, at around 10–15%. The aetiology of AL is multifactorial, but one of the most crucial risk factors, which is mostly under the control of the surgeon, is blood supply to the anastomosis. The MRC/NIHR IntAct study will determine whether assessment of anastomotic perfusion using a fluorescent dye (indocyanine green) and near‐infrared laparoscopy can minimize the rate of AL leak compared with conventional white‐light laparoscopy. Two mechanistic sub‐studies will explore the role of the rectal microbiome in AL and the predictive value of CT angiography/perfusion studies.

Method

IntAct is a prospective, unblinded, parallel‐group, multicentre, European, randomized controlled trial comparing surgery with intra‐operative fluorescence angiography (IFA) against standard care (surgery with no IFA). The primary end‐point is rate of clinical AL at 90 days following surgery. Secondary end‐points include all AL (clinical and radiological), change in planned anastomosis, complications and re‐interventions, use of stoma, cost‐effectiveness of the intervention and quality of life. Patients should have a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the rectum suitable for potentially curative surgery by anterior resection. Over 3 years, 880 patients from 25 European centres will be recruited and followed up for 90 days.

Discussion

IntAct will rigorously evaluate the use of IFA in rectal cancer surgery and explore the role of the microbiome in AL and the predictive value of preoperative CT angiography/perfusion scanning.