bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of different solvents on subcritical solvent extraction of oil from Assam tea seeds (Camellia sinensis var. assamica): Optimization of oil extraction and physicochemical analysis
Authors: Uoonlue Nontakarn , Muangrat Rattana
Published: December 2018

The optimal conditions for extracting oil from Assam tea seeds under subcritical hexane, petroleum ether, and isopropanol conditions to achieve maximum oil yield were investigated for each solvent. The oil yield, physicochemical properties, and stability obtained were compared with those obtained by Soxhlet extraction. Results showed that the optimal conditions for subcritical hexane, petroleum ether, and isopropanol extraction were at temperatures of 75, 75, and 105 °C under pressure of 1,500 psi for 15 min, which gave the highest percentage oil yield of 16.92, 16.27, and 15.05%, respectively. For each solvent, the oil yield obtained by subcritical solvent extraction and Soxhlet extraction methods was not significantly different (p > .05). The extracted oil samples were rich in oleic and linoleic acids. Using subcritical solvent extraction, the oil samples had higher phenolic and beta‐carotene content and antioxidant activity and were more stable than those extracted using Soxhlet extraction, and they enhanced the oxidative stability of soybean oil.

Practical applications

The subcritical solvent extraction method is a potential technique for extracting oil from Assam tea seeds, providing faster extraction than the Soxhlet method. Assam tea seed oil obtained by the subcritical extraction method has higher antioxidant activity and better stability than that obtained by the Soxhlet extraction method. Additionally, the tea seed oil extracted by both methods had a similar fatty acid composition without significant differences. The main fatty acids of tea seed oil were oleic and linoleic acids. Therefore, the high level of unsaturated fatty acids and good antioxidant activity of tea seed oil make it suitable for use in the food and cosmetic industries.
Evaluation of the effects of temperature on processed coffee beans in the presence of fungi and ochratoxin A
Authors: Sousa T. M. A. , Batista L. R. , Passamani F. R. F. , Lira N. A. , Cardoso M. G. , Santiago W. D. , Chalfoun S. M.
Published: December 2018

The coffee bean is sensitive to contamination with ocratoxigenic fungi; temperature influences the growth, and germination of these fungi, as well as the fungal toxins produced. The objectives of this study were to assess the distribution of toxigenic species, analyze the concentration of ochratoxin A (OTA) in Arabica coffee beans, and aplicate a mathematical model that considers the influence of actual temperature to predict the effects of projected temperature increase on OTA production. This toxin was, however, not detected in any of the coffee bean species analyzed here. The species with the highest incidence were Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus ochraceus. The results of the mathematical model demonstrated the influence of temperature on the production of the toxin. This information indicates the distribution of toxigenic fungal species in the regions of coffee cultivation in Minas Gerais, and thus, will assist the producers in adopting preventive measures.

Practical applications

Brazil is the largest coffee producer and exporter, which makes it a leader in the global coffee market; the state of Minas Gerais is responsible for 50% of this production. Following the global trend, Brazil has regulated the maximum permissible limit for ochratoxin A in coffee beans. This has led to a great interest in monitoring fungi and toxin production, mainly during the postharvest stage in the coffee cultivation regions of Brazil. Preventive measures can aid in the safe production of coffee beans, and the use of mathematical models capable of predicting the growth and production of fungal toxins are fundamental to informing the producers of the most favorable conditions in terms of temperature, as well as increases in ambient temperature, in specific regions of interest.
Effect of Living Wills on End‐of‐Life Care: A Systematic Review
Authors: Higel Thomas , Alaoui Anna , Bouton Céline , Fournier Jean‐Pascal
Published: December 2018

OBJECTIVES

To comprehensively assess the effect of a living will on end‐of‐life care.

DESIGN

Systematic review with narrative analysis following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses methodology.

PARTICIPANTS

All interventional and observational studies were included, excepting those with fictive cases. Included studies were conducted in adults with and without living wills, excluding individuals with specific psychiatric living wills.

MEASUREMENTS

Two authors independently extracted study and participant characteristics and outcomes related to end‐of‐life care (place of death, hospitalization and intensive care unit management, life‐sustaining treatments, restricted care). Risk of bias was assessed using the Risk Of Bias In Non‐randomized Studies of Interventions tool.

RESULTS

From 7,596 records identified, 28 observational studies were included, 19 conducted in the United States, 7 in Europe, and 1 each in Canada and Australia. Place of death was assessed in 14 studies, life‐sustaining treatments in 13, decision for restricted care in 12, and hospitalization in 8. Risk of bias was serious for 26 studies and moderate for 2. Twenty‐one studies reported significantly less medical management for individuals with a living will, 3 reported more medical management, and the difference was not significant in 37.

CONCLUSION

Methodological quality of included studies was insufficient to offer reliable results. The effect of living wills appears limited in view of the importance and direction of potential biases. Further studies including larger populations, considering main confounding factors, and documenting the real presence of a living will in medical records are necessary to reach stronger conclusions on the effect of living wills on end‐of‐life care. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:164–171, 2019.
High‐Risk Comorbidity Combinations in Older Patients Undergoing Emergency General Surgery
Authors: Ho Vanessa P. , Schiltz Nicholas K. , Reimer Andrew P. , Madigan Elizabeth A. , Koroukian Siran M.
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Over a million older patients in the United States are admitted yearly for emergency general surgery (EGS) conditions. Seven procedure types dominate: colon, small bowel, gallbladder, ulcer disease, adhesiolysis, appendix, and laparotomy operations. A higher comorbidity burden is known to increase mortality in this population, but the impact of specific comorbidity combinations is unknown. Our objectives were to (1) characterize the distribution of procedures, comorbidities, and outcomes for older patients undergoing EGS; and (2) apply a data‐driven approach (association rule mining) to identify comorbidity combinations associated with disproportionately high mortality.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Cross‐sectional study of patients 65 years and older who underwent one of the seven procedures previously cited, taken from the 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. A total of 280 885 patient encounters were identified.

MEASUREMENTS

In‐hospital mortality, procedures, and comorbidities based on the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index.

RESULTS

Overall mortality was 5.6%. The most common procedures were gallbladder (33.7%), ulcer surgery (21.5%), and adhesiolysis (21.0%). Mortality increased for all procedures as patients aged. Comorbidities associated with the highest mortality included coagulopathy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.74; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.41–4.11; p < .001), fluid and electrolyte disorders (FED) (aOR = 2.89; 95% CI = 3.66–3.14; p < .001), and liver disease (aOR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.61–2.22; p < .001). Three‐way comorbidity combinations most highly associated with mortality were coagulopathy, FED, and peripheral vascular disease (aOR = 5.10; 95% CI = 4.17–6.24; p < .001), and coagulopathy, FED, and chronic pulmonary disease (aOR = 4.83; 95% CI = 4.00–5.82; p < .001).

CONCLUSION

For older patients, combinations of comorbidities portend additional risk beyond single comorbidities, and the associated risk burden is driven by the specific constellation of comorbidities present. Future work must continue to examine the effect of co‐occurring diseases to provide personalized and realistic prognostication for older patients undergoing EGS. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:503–510, 2019.
Living Wills: One Part of the Advance Care Planning Puzzle
Authors: David Daniel , McMahan Ryan D. , Sudore Rebecca L.
Published: December 2018

This editorial comments on the Review Article by Higel et al. in this issue.
Comment on: What are the Social Causes of Rational Suicide in Older Adults?
Authors: Reines Eric , Ruby Eric , Kligler Roger
Published: December 2018

See the Reply by Dzeng et al.
Reply to: Social Causes of Rational Suicide in Older Adults
Authors: Dzeng Elizabeth , Pantilat Steven Z.
Published: December 2018

This letter comments on the letter by Reines et al.
Capturing the Commercial World of Children: The Feasibility of Wearable Cameras to Assess Marketing Exposure
Authors: Watkins Leah , Aitken Robert , Gage Ryan , Smith Moira B. , Chambers Tim J. , Barr Michelle , Stanley James , Signal Louise N.
Published: December 2018

There is widespread concern about the implications of increased targeting of marketing to children. However, despite the ubiquitous presence of marketing in children's environments, children's actual exposure to the full range of marketing across all media and in multiple settings remains unknown. This article reports on an innovative method of analysis, using data from wearable automated cameras, to objectively document children's marketing exposure across and within settings. Results show children were exposed to an average of 638 marketing encounters per day. The most common form of marketing exposure was to brand labeling, and marketing for food and beverages the dominant product category. This article provides an objective observation of the commercial world of children in a wide range of settings, presenting unique insights and a new analysis method for documenting children's environmental advertising exposure to inform policy decisions about the ethics and practices of marketing to children.
Oral History and the Discursive Construction of Identity in Flint, Michigan
Authors: Britt Erica
Published: December 2018

This article explores the ways that Flint residents report on their encounters with various kinds of “outsiders” who are influenced by mass‐mediated images that position Flint and its residents in a certain way. Through the voicing of outsiders who engage in the circulation of negative discourses about Flint, residents then insert their own voices as they contest negative discourses about the city. Here, the images that they project about life in Flint provide a powerful counternarrative about what it means to have lived in the city during its deindustrializing period. This suggests that oral history interviews are an important site for the discursive production (and contestation) of individual and collective identities for Flint residents.
Fighting Words: Antiblackness and Discursive Violence in an American High School
Authors: Smalls Krystal A.
Published: December 2018

In the United States, discourses of “black‐on‐black” violence are pervasive in news media and everyday interactions. These discourses are often indexicalized along various contextual scales and draw upon several ideological wellsprings in their interdiscursive iterations. By examining a specific discourse about tensions between African transnational and African American young people in the Philadelphia area, this article considers how students and educators at a large suburban high school, local community members, and news media sustain and contest a notion of black‐on‐black violence by sometimes using the entextualized phrasing but, more often, by tacitly indexing or eroding its epistemic underpinnings. In the analysis, these underpinnings are presented as anti‐black epistemes that construct black people as immanently and exceptionally violent, and African Americans especially so. Ethnographic discourse analysis conducted over several years suggests that such epistemes help to not only rationalize the criminalization and disciplining of black youth regardless of national origin (and thus engender a multifaceted practice of “discursive violence” that can produce actual violence), but also help prop up the contextual frames through which African transnational youth discursively perform nonthreatening selves in contradistinction to their African American peers, even as they may undermine anti‐black epistemes.
Mobile (Dis)connection: New Technology and Rechronotopized Images of the Homeland
Authors: Karimzad Farzad , Catedral Lydia
Published: December 2018

This paper focuses on how information accessed through new media is discursively represented by migrants. Taking an ethnographic approach to the analysis of Uzbek and Iranian migration discourse, we show how the underspecified and decontextualized information received via technology is combined with the “imagined homeland” in order to reconstruct images of life there‐and‐now. Since images of the homeland are chronotopic in nature, we argue that the reconstruction of these images can be understood as rechronotopization. The rechronotopized image, then, operates as a lens through which migrants socially position themselves relative to the homeland. More specifically, we show how the conflict between prior images and rechronotopized images are invoked to construct difference and discuss disconnection. Thus, while technology facilitates connection, we argue that because it reminds migrants of how things have changed since they left, it may also lead to feelings of disconnection.
Teachers' Perceived and Desired Roles in Nutrition Education
Authors: Metos Julie M. , Sarnoff Kelan , Jordan Kristine C.
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND

Elementary teachers have the potential to influence children's eating habits. This study examined teacher views and practices regarding nutrition education.

METHODS

An online survey was administered to K‐6 teachers (N = 628) in 55 public elementary schools in a large city in the western United States. Three indices were created based on responses. Indices included: (1) attitudes and beliefs about nutrition education; (2) self‐efficacy regarding nutrition education; and (3) personal health behaviors. Relationships between indices, classroom practices, and teacher characteristics were tested. Teacher comments were categorized into themes.

RESULTS

Most teachers agreed they can make a difference in the eating behaviors of their students (68%). Correlations between hours of nutrition taught and teachers' attitudes and beliefs (r = .37, p < .01), nutrition self‐efficacy (r = .38, p < .01), and personal health practices (r = .15, p < .01) were weak, yet statistically significant. Number of years teaching was inversely related to frequency of food rewards (r = −119, p < .01). Few teachers (21%) agreed they have support to teach nutrition in the classroom.

CONCLUSION

Teachers understand the importance of nutrition education but provision is limited by competing demands. Teachers suggest tailored nutrition materials, qualified nutrition personnel, and school stakeholder support to promote nutrition education.
School‐Based Weight Management Program Curbs Summer Weight Gain Among Low‐Income Hispanic Middle School Students
Authors: Reesor Layton , Moreno Jennette P. , Johnston Craig A. , Hernandez Daphne C.
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND

Research shows that elementary students gain weight over the summer. It is unknown if these findings apply to Hispanic adolescents. We evaluated school and summer standardized body mass index (zBMI) changes in Hispanic middle school students.

METHODS

Hispanic middle school students were randomly assigned to a weight management program (N = 230) or control condition (N = 195). Paired sample t‐tests compared zBMI change scores during the school year versus summer when not enrolled in a weight management program (eg, control group). We used 2 × 2 repeated measures analysis of variances to determine program group differences in zBMI scores across school versus summer periods separately for normal and overweight/obese students.

RESULTS

In the control group, students' zBMI change scores decreased during the school year, but increased during summer for both normal weight and overweight/obese students. Program effects on zBMI indicated school year decreases and summer increases for both normal and overweight/obese students. However, zBMI scores did not differ by program status for normal weight students. Overweight/obese students in the program compared to the control group increased zBMI to a lesser extent over the summer.

CONCLUSION

For all students, zBMI increased during the summer. A school‐based weight management program protected overweight/obese students against potentially greater summer weight gain.
QIM, CATA, and Word Association methods for quality assessment of flathead gray mullet (Mugil cephalus): Going beyond the trained panel
Authors: Tiyo de Godoy Nathália , Veneziano Andre Luis , da Cunha Rodrigues Larissa , Schoffen Enke Dariane B. , Lapa‐Guimarães Judite
Published: December 2018

This study aimed to verify how untrained assessors would perform the quality evaluation of the flathead gray mullet (Mugil cephalus) using Check‐All‐That‐Apply (CATA) (n = 44) and Word Association (WA) (n = 112) methods by comparing the results with those from trained assessors (n = 5–9), using the Quality Index Method (QIM). Descriptors from QIM were adapted and used as CATA descriptors for the evaluation of fish with 3, 8, 10, 15, and 17 days of storage in ice. Images of fish with 3, 6, 10, 15, and 19 days of ice storage were used as stimuli for WA. The quality indices obtained from QIM and CATA presented a high correlation with r = .94 (p = .018). Multiple Factor Analysis revealed a high similarity between CATA and QIM sample configurations. Appropriate descriptors were selected in CATA for fish stored for different periods. This resulted in a better discrimination of samples in comparison with WA. M. cephalus, with 15 days of storage in ice, was rated unacceptable for consumption by both trained and untrained assessors. These findings showed that even untrained assessors were able to evaluate fish freshness, and thus emphasize the importance of actions aimed at maintaining the quality of raw fish from capture to commercialization.

Practical applications

The evaluation of fish quality by consumers has been considered tricky. Only more experienced fish consumers have confidence in their ability to judge the freshness of fish. However, our study showed that untrained individuals, confronted with the task of evaluating fish quality using both the CATA and the Word Association methods, performed very well. This allowed us to conclude that they were clearly able to evaluate freshness. Untrained individuals were neither stricter, nor more lenient than trained assessors in determining the shelf life of the flathead gray mullet. Our study joined many others that have concluded that CATA method—thanks to its easiness to perform—resulted in the discrimination of samples similar to that obtained with trained panels. These findings demonstrate that CATA and WA methods, designed to be applicable with untrained panels, were effective in the evaluation of fish freshness, thus providing a solution when trained assessors are not available. In addition, the importance of trading fish with high quality is clear, so that the consumers can receive value for their money and feel satisfied.
Unilateral periorbital swelling with vesicular golden crust forehead rash
Authors: Khoo Erwin J , Vijayakulasingam Thalitha , Ng David C‐E
Published: December 2018

See Answer
Insulin and incretin responses to grazing in insulin‐dysregulated and healthy ponies
Authors: Fitzgerald Danielle M. , Walsh Donald M. , Sillence Martin N. , Pollitt Christopher C. , de Laat Melody A.
Published: December 2018

Background

Supraphysiological insulin and incretin responses to a cereal‐based diet have been described in horses and ponies with insulin dysregulation (ID). However, the hormonal responses to grazing have not yet been described.

Objectives

To determine if there is a difference in the insulin and incretin responses to grazing pasture between insulin‐dysregulated and healthy ponies.

Animals

A cohort of 16 ponies comprising 5 with normal insulin regulation (NIR), 6 with moderate ID (MID), and 5 with severe ID (SID).

Methods

In this case‐control study, an oral glucose test (OGT) was used to determine the insulin responsiveness of each pony to PO carbohydrate before grazing pasture (4 hours) for 3 consecutive days. Serial blood samples collected during grazing were analyzed for glucose, insulin, glucose‐dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) and active glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (aGLP‐1), and compared among pony groups and day of pasture access.

Results

The area under the insulin curve when grazing increased with ID severity (P < .03). The median (range) maximal insulin concentration was greater in the MID (72.5 [129] μIU/mL) and SID (255 [338.5] μIU/mL) groups, compared to the NIR (11.7 [24.9] μIU/mL) group (P < .03) and occurred within 2‐4 hours of grazing. Postprandial OGT insulin concentration was positively correlated with 2 hours post‐grazing insulin across all 3 grazing days (P ≤ .03). The aGLP‐1 and GIP concentrations increased in response to grazing but did not differ among groups.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Grazing pasture provoked an increased insulin and incretin response in insulin‐dysregulated ponies within 4 hours of grazing. The pasture and OGT insulin concentrations were correlated.
Differences in miRNA differential expression in whole blood between horses with sarcoid regression and progression
Authors: Unger Lucia , Jagannathan Vidhya , Pacholewska Alicja , Leeb Tosso , Gerber Vinzenz
Published: December 2018

Background

Currently no methods are available to predict the clinical outcome of individual horses with equine sarcoid (ES) disease.

Objective

To investigate if whole blood microRNA (miRNA) profiles can predict the long‐term development of ES tumors.

Animals

Five horses with regression and 5 with progression of ES lesions monitored over 5‐7 years and 5 control horses free of ES for at least 5 years.

Methods

For this cohort study, RNA extracted from whole blood samples from the regression, progression, and control groups was used for high throughput sequencing. Known and novel miRNAs were identified using miRDeep2 and differential expression analysis was carried out by the DESeq2 algorithm. Target gene and pathway prediction as well as enrichment and network analyses were conducted using TarBase, mirPath, and metaCore from GeneGo.

Results

Fourteen miRNAs were differentially expressed between regression and progression groups after accounting for the control condition: 4 miRNAs (28.6%) were upregulated and 10 miRNAs (71.4%) were downregulated with >2‐fold change. Seven of the 10 downregulated miRNAs are encoded in an miRNA cluster on equine chromosome 24, homologous to the well‐known 14q32 cluster in humans. Their target genes show enrichment for pathways involved in viral carcinogenesis.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Whole blood miRNA expression profiles are associated with long‐term ES growth in horses and warrant further validation as prognostic biomarkers in a larger study cohort. Deregulation of miRNAs on equine chromosome 24 might represent a trigger for ES development.
Relationships among urinary protein‐to‐creatinine ratio, urine specific gravity, and bacteriuria in canine urine samples
Authors: Meindl Alison G. , Lourenço Bianca N. , Coleman Amanda E. , Creevy Kate E.
Published: December 2018

Background

Proteinuria is a marker of chronic kidney disease in dogs and a risk factor for increased morbidity and death. Predictive models using the results of readily available screening tests could foster early recognition.

Objective

To determine whether urine specific gravity (USG) and semiquantitative category of dipstick protein can be used to predict urinary protein‐to‐creatinine ratio (UP : C) and to examine the effect of urine culture results on UP : C in dogs.

Animals

Three hundred ninety‐four dogs (482 visits) presented to a university Community Practice Clinic or Veterinary Teaching Hospital between January 2011 and November 2015.

Methods

Retrospective study. Medical records were searched to identify dogs for which urinalysis, UP : C measurement, and urine culture testing were performed during a single hospital visit. Urine specific gravity, UP : C, dipstick protein concentration, and findings of urine sediment analysis and urine culture were recorded. Regression or Spearman correlation analysis was used to test for relationships between UP : C and USG within dipstick categories and between UP : C and bacterial colony‐forming units per milliliter, respectively. Cohen's kappa test was used to evaluate agreement between urine culture and UP : C testing.

Results

There were significant (P < .05) weak negative correlations (R2 range, 0.14‐0.37) between UP : C and USG for all nonnegative urine protein dipstick categories. The presence of a positive urine culture did not agree with the presence of abnormal UP : C (κ = −0.06).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Within dipstick protein categories, UP : C cannot be accurately predicted from USG. Repeating UP : C measurement after resolution of urinary tract infection is advisable.
On the Idiosyncrasies of the Labour Market for Visual Artists
Authors: Hartog Joop , Kackovic Monika
Published: December 2018

Labour markets for visual artists active on the primary art market are characterized by the oversupply of producers, strong product heterogeneity, elusive buyer tastes, and highly uncertain incomes. Self‐employment is the rule, and often, in combination with other (non)art‐related work. First, we describe these features and provide empirical evidence for the Netherlands. Second, we build an analytical model by adjusting the standard model of labour supply to allow for these features. Third, we provide further suggestions for empirical work focusing on career dynamics in markets with extreme uncertainty.
Diagnostic performance of a stepwise cytological algorithm for biliary malignancy in primary sclerosing cholangitis
Authors: von Seth Erik , Ouchterlony Helena , Dobra Katalin , Hjerpe Anders , Arnelo Urban , Haas Stephan , Bergquist Annika
Published: December 2018

Background and aims

Detection of early cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a stepwise approach to biliary brush cytology with sequential use of fluorescence in‐situ hybridization (FISH) for the detection of biliary malignancy in PSC.

Method

We retrospectively studied consecutive patients with PSC who underwent biliary brushings at Karolinska University Hospital between 2009 and 2015 (n = 208). Brush samples were categorized as benign, equivocal (atypical or suspicious) and malignant. Equivocal cases were further analysed with FISH. Samples with a malignant cytology or positive FISH were considered positive. The diagnosis was determined after 12 months of follow‐up.

Results

The diagnosis CCA was confirmed in 15 patients (7%), high‐grade dysplasia in three patients, and low‐grade dysplasia in five patients at follow‐up. Using the diagnostic algorithm, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) for a diagnosis of CCA were 80% (95%CI 52%‐96%), 96% (95%CI 92%‐98%), 60% (95%CI 36%‐81%) and 98% (95% CI 95%‐100%). In patients with equivocal cytology (n = 61), the sensitivity for CCA diagnosis increased to 100% (95%CI 72%‐100%) with a lower PPV of 58% (95%CI 34%‐78%). The diagnostic accuracy for detection of CCA in all patients was 95% (95%CI 91%‐97%).

Conclusion

Biliary brush cytology with sequential use of FISH in equivocal cases seems to be a highly predictive diagnostic test for CCA in PSC. These results support the use of FISH when cytology is equivocal for detection of biliary malignancy in PSC.
Introduced deer and their potential role in disease transmission to livestock in Australia
Authors: Cripps Jemma K. , Pacioni Carlo , Scroggie Michael P. , Woolnough Andrew P. , Ramsey David S. L.
Published: December 2018

The transmission of pathogens between wildlife and livestock is a globally recognised threat to the livestock industry, as well as to human and wildlife health. Wild cervids are susceptible to many diseases affecting livestock. This presents a challenge for wildlife and domestic animal disease management because the frequent use of agricultural areas by wild cervids may hamper the effectiveness of disease control strategies.

Six deer species have established wild populations in Australia and are expanding in range and abundance. A comprehensive literature review of diseases impacting deer and livestock was undertaken, resulting in consideration of 38 pathogens. A qualitative risk assessment was then carried out to assess the overall risk posed by the pathogens to the livestock industry.

Five diseases (bovine tuberculosis, foot and mouth disease, malignant catarrhal fever, surra, and screw‐worm fly infestation) ranked highly in our risk assessment. Of these five diseases, only one (malignant catarrhal fever) is currently present in Australia, but all five are notifiable diseases at a national level. Data on these diseases in deer are limited, especially for one of the most abundant species, the sambar deer Rusa unicolor, highlighting a further potential risk attributable to a lack of understanding of disease epidemiology.

This paper provides a detailed review of the pathogens affecting both cervids and livestock in Australia, and applies a qualitative framework for assessing the risk posed by deer to the livestock industry. The qualitative framework used here could easily be adapted to assess disease risk in other contexts, making this work relevant to scientists and wildlife managers, as well as to livestock industry workers, worldwide.
Unintentional endotracheal tube cuff deflation during routine checks: a simulation study
Authors: Patel Vikesh , Hodges Emily J , Mariyaselvam Maryanne ZA , Peutherer Catherine , Young Peter J
Published: December 2018

Background

Endotracheal tube cuff pressures should be maintained between 20 and 30 cm H2O to prevent the aspiration of subglottic secretions past the cuff. Guidance recommends regular monitoring of the cuff pressure, performed using a handheld manometer/inflator. Poor technique can lead to transient deflation of the cuff, leading to the bolus aspiration of upper respiratory tract secretions, tracheal colonization and, ultimately, ventilator‐associated pneumonia.

Aims and objectives

To determine whether intensive care staff transiently deflate the endotracheal tube cuff to below 20 cm H2O during routine cuff pressure checks when using a handheld manometer/inflator device.

Design

This was an exploratory simulation study.

Methods

A sample of medical (n = 10) and nursing staff (n = 10), capable of caring for a tracheally intubated patient, participated in the study on a single day. A mannequin was intubated with a standard oral endotracheal tube with the cuff pressure set at 50 cm H2O. Participants were required to check and correct the cuff pressure to the appropriate level with a manometer. The lowest attained and the final target pressures were recorded.

Results

Three doctors were unfamiliar with the manometer and did not attempt measurement. During cuff pressure readjustment, 59% (10/17) of participants transiently deflated the cuff below 20 cm H2O and then re‐inflated to attain the final pressure. Of these participants, four deflated the cuff pressure to 0 cm H2O before re‐adjusting it back into range. Most participants, 88% (15/17), corrected the final cuff pressure to between 20 and 30 cm H2O.

Conclusions

Poor technique when using the manometer led to unintentional cuff deflation during routine checks. In clinical practice, this could increase the risk of pulmonary aspiration and ventilator‐associated pneumonia. Further research into alternatives for handheld manometers, such as automated continuous cuff pressure monitors, is warranted.

Relevance to clinical practice

Cuff deflations can easily occur during routine cuff pressure checks. Staff should be aware of the implications of cuff deflations and seek to improve training with manometers.
Enhancing cultural safety among undergraduate nursing students through watching documentaries
Authors: Mkandawire‐Valhmu Lucy , Weitzel Jennifer , Dressel Anne , Neiman Tammy , Hafez Shahad , Olukotun Oluwatoyin , Kreuziger Suzanne , Scheer Victoria , Washington Rosetta , Hess Alexa , Morgan Sarah , Stevens Patricia
Published: December 2018

The purpose of the study was to develop an understanding of how nursing students gained perspective on nursing care of diverse populations through watching documentaries in a cultural diversity course. The basis of this paper is our analyses of students’ written responses and reactions to documentaries viewed in class. The guiding theoretical frameworks for the course content and the study included postcolonial feminism, Foucauldian thought, and cultural safety. Krathwohl's Taxonomy of the Affective Domain was used to identify themes and determine how undergraduate nursing students were progressing in achieving learning outcomes. Our findings suggest that while the use of documentaries serves as a tool for deepening students’ understanding of the realities of various populations, this activity, in the absence of critical reflection, may inadvertently promote stereotypes and further marginalize different people groups. Even though nursing students reflected on the importance of cultural safety in nursing, our findings indicate that their actions may not reflect this, especially since these students are in the early stages of the nursing program. Students need to be provided with a space where they can explore implicit biases evoked by exposure to new information about different people groups as a way of enhancing culturally safe care.
N2 fixation in free‐floating filaments of Trichodesmium is higher than in transiently suboxic colony microenvironments
Authors: Eichner Meri , Thoms Silke , Rost Björn , Mohr Wiebke , Ahmerkamp Soeren , Ploug Helle , Kuypers Marcel M. M. , de Beer Dirk
Published: December 2018

To understand the role of micrometer‐scale oxygen (O2) gradients in facilitating dinitrogen (N2) fixation, we characterized O2 dynamics in the microenvironment around free‐floating trichomes and colonies of Trichodesmium erythraeum IMS101.

Diurnal and spatial variability in O2 concentrations in the bulk medium, within colonies, along trichomes and within single cells were determined using O2 optodes, microsensors and model calculations. Carbon (C) and N2 fixation as well as O2 evolution and uptake under different O2 concentrations were analyzed by stable isotope incubations and membrane inlet mass spectrometry.

We observed a pronounced diel rhythm in O2 fluxes, with net O2 evolution restricted to short periods in the morning and evening, and net O2 uptake driven by dark respiration and light‐dependent O2 uptake during the major part of the light period. Remarkably, colonies showed lower N2 fixation and C fixation rates than free‐floating trichomes despite the long period of O2 undersaturation in the colony microenvironment.

Model calculations demonstrate that low permeability of the cell wall in combination with metabolic heterogeneity between single cells allows for anoxic intracellular conditions in colonies but also free‐floating trichomes of Trichodesmium. Therefore, whereas colony formation must have benefits for Trichodesmium, it does not favor N2 fixation.
Depicting imaginary authorship
Authors: Vanacker Beatrijs
Published: December 2018

Mimicking translational practice, pseudotranslations—original texts that present themselves as translations—hold the potential of laying bare some literary conventions that shaped the literary context in which they appear. This is also illustrated by the ambivalent nature of pseudotranslations—seen as translation by some, and as original by others—which challenges the idea of authorship in relation to modes of textual transfer. This article proposes to investigate the depiction of authorship in eighteenth‐century French pseudotranslations. The analysis will illustrate how their paratextual staging of both imaginary author and (pseudo‐)translator conveys a (meta)fictional commentary, based on a playful oscillation between construction and dismantlement. This hypothesis will be addressed through close‐readings of Mylord Stanley, ou le criminel vertueux (1747), Histoire de Miss Honora (1766) and Le philosophe anglois, ou histoire de Mr. Cleveland (1731). These novels, all part of the ‘Anglomania’ movement, critically engage with images of authorship and translatorship. A comparative reading of their paratexts will bring out the interplay between the imaginary author as an embodiment of the cultural authority of the source text and the creative impetus drawn from his alleged unreliability as an author (and narrator), as well as that of the translator.
External water transport is more important than vascular transport in the extreme atmospheric epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish moss)
Authors: Herppich Werner B. , Martin Craig E. , Tötzke Christian , Manke Ingo , Kardjilov Nikolay
Published: December 2018

Most epiphytic bromeliads, especially those in the genus Tillandsia, lack functional roots and rely on the absorption of water and nutrients by large, multicellular trichomes on the epidermal surfaces of leaves and stems. Another important function of these structures is the spread of water over the epidermal surface by capillary action between trichome “wings” and epidermal surface. Although critical for the ultimate absorption by these plants, understanding of this function of trichomes is primarily based on light microscope observations. To better understand this phenomenon, the distribution of water was followed by its attenuation of cold neutrons following application of H2O to the cut end of Tillandsia usneoides shoots. Experiments confirmed the spread of added water on the external surfaces of this “atmospheric” epiphyte. In a morphologically and physiologically similar plant lacking epidermal trichomes, water added to the cut end of a shoot clearly moved via its internal xylem and not on its epidermis. Thus, in T. usneoides, water moves primarily by capillarity among the overlapping trichomes forming a dense indumentum on shoot surfaces, while internal vascular water movement is less likely. T. usneoides, occupying xeric microhabitats, benefits from reduction of water losses by low‐shoot xylem hydraulic conductivities.
When opportunity knocks, who answers? Infidelity, gender, race, and occupational sex composition
Authors: Munsch Christin L. , Yorks Jessica
Published: December 2018

To date, the prevailing explanation for gender differences in infidelity has been evolutionary. Adaptive pressures lead men to seek sexual variety and, consequently, take advantage of opportunities for extramarital sex more than women. However, an often‐overlooked component of the evolutionary perspective is the way in which social context influences behavior. Thus, we extend previous theoretical accounts by examining the ways in which opportunity is facilitated or constrained by experiences of tokenism. The authors find, for White men, who tend to report favorable treatment in female‐dominated work, opportunity is positively associated with infidelity. For non‐White men, who report poor treatment in female‐dominated work, occupational sex composition and infidelity are negatively associated. For White and non‐White women, occupational sex composition is unrelated to infidelity.
Characterization of NPR1 and NPR4 genes from mulberry (Morus multicaulis) and their roles in development and stress resistance
Authors: Xu Yu‐Qi , Wang Hong , Qin Rong‐Li , Fang Li‐Jing , Liu Zhuang , Yuan Shuo‐Shuo , Gai Ying‐Ping , Ji Xian‐Ling
Published: December 2018

The quality and quantity of mulberry leaves are often affected by various environmental factors. The plant NPR1 and its homologous genes are important for plant systemic acquired resistance. Here, the full‐length cDNAs encoding the NPR1 and NPR4 genes (designated MuNPR1 and MuNPR4, respectively) were isolated from Morus multicaulis. Sequence analysis of the amino acids and protein modeling of the MuNPR1 and MuNPR4 proteins showed that MuNPR1 shares some conserved characteristics with its homolog MuNPR4. MuNPR1 was shown to have different expression patterns than MuNPR4 in mulberry plants. Interestingly, MuNPR1 or MuNPR4 transgenic Arabidopsis produced an early flowering phenotype, and the expression of the pathogenesis‐related 1a gene was promoted in MuNPR1 transgenic Arabidopsis. The MuNPR1 transgenic plants showed more resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst. DC3000) than did the wild‐type Arabidopsis. Moreover, the ectopic expression of MuNPR1 might lead to enhanced scavenging ability and suppress collase accumulation. In contrast, the MuNPR4 transgenic Arabidopsis were hypersensitive to Pst. DC3000 infection. In addition, transgenic Arabidopsis with the ectopic expression of either MuNPR1 or MuNPR4 showed sensitivity to salt and drought stresses. Our data suggest that both the MuNPR1 and MuNPR4 genes play a role in the coordination between signaling pathways, and the information provided here enables the in‐depth functional analysis of the MuNPR1 and MuNPR4 genes and may promote mulberry resistance breeding in the future.
Treatment and Dose Prioritization in Early Phase Platform Trials of Targeted Cancer Therapies
Authors: Li Yimei , Wang Ming , Cheung Ying Kuen
Published: December 2018

With the advances in the discovery of molecular targets, there is increasing interest in evaluating targeted therapies for disease subtypes characterized by certain biomarkers. Patients with a certain biomarker could potentially benefit from different experimental drugs, and, therefore, evaluating the relative efficacy of these drugs is an important objective. We consider the design of an early phase platform trial where multiple therapies are evaluated in patients with different biomarkers, with the objective of identifing the best drug at an efficacious and safe dose for a given disease subtype. We use the continual reassessment method to estimate the maximum tolerated dose of a drug and adopt hierarchical Bayesian modelling to estimate the efficacy of a drug administered at multiple doses. Using the continual reassessment method and hierarchical Bayesian modelling as the basis of inference, we propose various algorithms that prescribe the drug–dose for the patients using adaptive randomization. We demonstrate that adaptive randomization puts more patients at the right drug and dose on average than does balanced randomization, with slightly larger variability in distribution, and has no effect on the accuracy of drug–dose selection. Moreover the simulations show advantages of hierarchical Bayesian modelling over the beta–binomial model in scenarios with relatively flat or partially flat dose–efficacy relationships.
Bed sediment entrainment by streamflow: State of the science
Authors: Dey Subhasish , Ali Sk Zeeshan
Published: December 2018

In fluvial sedimentology, bed sediment entrainment by streamflow has a decisive role in controlling several fluvial processes. Owing to its huge practical importance, the subject has been painstakingly explored for over a century. However, a detailed understanding of the mechanism of the bed sediment entrainment phenomenon achieved hitherto is far from complete. The central theme of bed sediment entrainment is occupied by the sediment entrainment threshold, which varies enormously in its qualitative definition, identification and quantification encompassing a broad range of spatiotemporal scales. This article presents the state of the science of the entrainment of non‐cohesive bed sediments under a steady‐unidirectional streamflow. It begins with the diverse definitions and representations of the entrainment threshold criterion from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives, scrutinising its suitability and ambit of applicability. Then, the effects of energetic factors that drive the entrainment threshold criterion are critically appraised. The indispensable mechanisms of bed sediment entrainment, including the theoretical background and modelling strategies, the role of turbulent bursting phenomenon and the phenomenological perspective into the origin of the scaling laws of sediment entrainment, are explained. Throughout the article, special emphasis is given to the strengths and weaknesses of the current state of the science. In addition, a deliberate attempt is made to invoke the thought‐provoking ideas on the multifarious features of bed sediment entrainment. Finally, the innovative perspectives on the bed sediment entrainment are provided and the concluding remarks are made, elucidating the major challenges and suggesting the prospective ways to resolve them as a future scope of research.
Consumption Responses to a Large Shock to Financial Wealth: Evidence from Italy
Authors: Bottazzi Renata , Trucchi Serena , Wakefield Matthew
Published: December 2018

We estimate marginal propensities to consume from wealth shocks. We exploit large asset‐price shocks in 2007–2008 and household‐level panel data to implement instrumental variables. A fall of one euro in risky financial wealth resulted in cuts to annual total (non‐durable) consumption of 8.5–9 (5.5–5.7) cents, with small effects on food spending. Effects seem stronger for lower‐wealth or indebted households, but significant responses from wealthier households and those without mortgages are important for our baseline results. Counterfactuals indicate financial‐wealth effects were relatively important for consumption falls in Italy in 2007–2008. The estimated effects are consistent with a simulated life‐cycle model capturing the wealth shock.
An evidence‐based medicine approach for case presentations by trainees
Authors: Lycan Thomas W , Ahmed Tamjeed , Seegars Mary Beth , Patel Meera , Woods Ryan , Melin Susan A
Published: December 2018

Background

Evidence‐based medicine (EBM) is a key aspect of medical training that can be challenging for trainees to learn. Tumour boards (TBs) are multidisciplinary meetings that are often opportunities for trainees to deliver patient case presentations, which is another integral part of medical education; however, TBs are time intensive, typically lack academic structure and may fail to emphasise EBM.

Objective

To design a systematic approach to improve both trainee satisfaction and the level of evidence cited at typical academic TBs.

Methods

From 2017 to 2018, Plan–Do–Study–Act (PDSA) methodology was used to develop a systematic approach for medical oncology trainees towards TBs. Statistical testing was used to assess which characteristics of a patient case made it more difficult to apply EBM.

Anonymous surveys were distributed to trainees before and after the intervention to assess the educational utility.

Results

We developed a shared voluntary case database, so that references with higher levels of evidence could be rapidly recalled and applied to similar cases. We then developed EBM‐focused review sessions to highlight database trends. Both the database and the review sessions had high participation rates (>90% cases had voluntary data entry), and each were reported to have educational value by trainees.

Conclusions

A two‐step implementation of an easy‐to‐use case database followed by review sessions focused on high‐yield sources of evidence improved trainee satisfaction for TBs, but did not significantly improve the strength of the evidence cited.