bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economics of Incarceration
Authors: Schnepel Kevin T.
Published: December 2016

Incarceration rates have more than doubled in Australia over the past several decades, with a dramatic increase since 2010. There are many mechanisms by which these changes in imprisonment exert a causal influence on individual behaviour. The threat of incarceration can deter an individual from committing a crime. The experience of incarceration incapacitates a criminal but can also expose a prisoner to more criminal peers and reduce future legal employment opportunities. This article provides students an introduction to a rapidly expanding economics literature that empirically tests the mechanisms of incarceration and estimates its costs and benefits.
Gender Issues in an Ageing Society
Authors: Austen Siobhan
Published: December 2016

Many aspects of our ageing society are deeply gendered. The number of older women is substantially larger than the number of older men. Women are also more likely than men to live the latter part of their life without a spouse. Relatedly, they are more likely than men to be involved in caring for other ill or disabled older family members. This article examines how the combination of gender differences in life expectancy, marriage, care roles, workforce participation and current policy settings combine to produce gender inequality in old age. It identifies policy measures to redress this imbalance.
The making of ‘Boomergeddon’: the construction of the Baby Boomer generation as a social problem in Britain
Authors: Bristow Jennie
Published: December 2016

High‐profile claims about the problem of the ‘Baby Boomer’ generation, made in media and policy circles in recent years, have contributed to an awakened interest in the sociology of generations. While many claims focus on resource issues arising from the existence of a relatively large cohort (for example, pensions and healthcare), they contain an implicit moral critique of the generation associated with the postwar ‘boom’ of the Sixties. This article examines the development of the cultural script of the Baby Boomer problem in British newspapers over a 26‐year period, to examine how shifts in the discourse about the Boomer generation relate to wider social, economic, cultural and political trends.
Subjective well‐being in the new China: religion, social capital, and social status
Authors: Chen Yunsong , Williams Mark
Published: December 2016

We present the first nationally representative evidence on the relationship between religion and subjective well‐being for the case of China. Research on Western societies tends to find a positive association between being religious and level of well‐being. China provides an interesting critical case as the religious population is growing rapidly and the religious and socioeconomic environments are profoundly different from Western societies, implying different mechanisms might be at work. We hypothesize to find a positive association between religion and well‐being in China too, but argue social capital, for which strong evidence is often found in Western societies, is unlikely to be an important mechanism because religion in China is generally non‐congregational. Instead, we argue that the private and subjective dimension of religion matters for well‐being in China by helping adherents have an improved sense of social status relative to the non‐religious in the context of rapid social change and growing inequality. Our results generally support these predictions.
Clinical Factors and Expenditures Associated With ICD‐9‐CM Coded Trauma for the U.S. Population: A Nationally Representative Study
Authors: Dismuke Clara E. , Bishu Kinfe G. , Fakhry Samir , Walker Rebekah J. , Egede Leonard E.
Published: December 2016

Background

There is a lack of information on annual healthcare expenditures both per person and for the U.S. population associated with trauma, as identified by International Classification of Disease Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD‐9‐CM) codes.

Methods

This paper employed a two‐part model to estimate the unadjusted and adjusted annual per individual expenditures and population burden of trauma exposure for the U.S. population, using a nationally representative survey of medical care expenditures. In addition, we estimated a logit model to examine the demographic and comorbidity factors associated with the likelihood of experiencing trauma.

Results

Approximately 18.2% of U.S. adults were found to have trauma exposure during the survey year of 2011. The most frequent trauma ICD‐9‐CM code was injury not elsewhere classified/not otherwise specified. Adjusted likelihood of trauma was higher among individuals under the age of 65; males; non‐Hispanic whites; nonmarried or never married; and individuals living with comorbidities of stroke, joint pain, arthritis, and asthma. The most expensive of the top 10 ICD‐9‐CM trauma codes was dislocation of the knee. Significant differences in expenditure categories were found for office‐based, outpatient, emergency department (ED), dental, and other medical care. After adjustment for comorbidities and demographics, the adjusted per‐person burden of trauma was estimated to be $1,689 (95% confidence interval [CI] = $1,006 to $2,372), with an incremental burden on the U.S. population of $60.8 billion per year.

Conclusions

Trauma results in a significant healthcare expenditure burden, both per person and on the U.S. population. Clinicians should be aware that individuals in the U.S. population with certain comorbidities such as stroke, joint pain, arthritis, and asthma are more likely to have trauma and that differences exist in expenditures for office‐based, outpatient, dental, and the ED.
Ophthalmological findings in children with encephalitis
Authors: Hellgren Kerstin , Fowler Åsa , Rydberg Agneta , Wickström Ronny
Published: December 2016

Purpose

To evaluate ophthalmological abnormalities in children with acute encephalitis.

Methods

Thirty‐six children included in a hospital‐based prospectively and consecutively collected cohort of children with acute encephalitis were investigated for ophthalmological abnormalities. The investigation included clinical ophthalmological examination, fundus photography, neuro‐ophthalmological examinations as well as visual and stereo acuity. Results on laboratory examinations, clinical findings, neuroimaging and electroencephalography registrations were recorded for all children.

Results

The median age was 4.0 years (Interquartile Range 1.9–9.8). The aetiology was identified in 74% of cases. Three of 36 patients were found to have abnormal ophthalmological findings related to the encephalitis. Transient sixth nerve palsy was seen in a 15‐year‐old child and transient visual impairment was seen in a 3.5‐year‐old child. Bilateral miosis and ptosis, i.e. autonomic nerve system symptoms, were seen in an 11‐month‐old child, with herpes simplex 1 and N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor antibody encephalitis. All three children recovered and improved their ophthalmological function with time.

Conclusion

Only 3 of 36 children were found to have ophthalmological abnormalities due to encephalitis and they all improved with time. Thus, ophthalmological consultation does not seem to fit in a screening programme for childhood encephalitis but should be considered in selected cases.
Managing Employee Stock Option Expense: A Fair Value Approach
Authors: Wu Ming‐Cheng , Lin I‐Cheng , Huang Yi‐Ting
Published: December 2016

Owing to special characteristics, classic option pricing models are not well suited to the valuation of employee stock options (ESOs). This paper attempts to conduct a more general fair value estimation based on attaching performance targets to option vesting. Considering a setting that includes factors such as options that may be exercised early at employee discretion, employee exit rates and firm default risk, this paper presents a sensitivity analysis and empirical tests of option value. The results highlight the importance of considering the characteristics of ESOs in the design of performance‐vested option plans so as to provide the most attractive incentives for employees.
Does IFRS 10 on Consolidated Financial Statements Abandon Accepted Economic Principles?
Authors: Ben‐Shahar Danny , Sulganik Eyal , Tsang Desmond
Published: December 2016

The 2007 global financial crisis revealed a deficiency in the financial reporting of off‐balance‐sheet vehicles. To better reflect risks associated with such items, International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 10 provided new principles for determining an investor's control of an investee for the purpose of preparing consolidated financial statements. We show that an applicative example appearing under the new guidelines contradicts the conclusion drawn from widely accepted power indices: the Shapley‐Shubik value and the Banzhaf index. Our study adds to the literature aiming to incorporate methodological economic thought into accounting principles.
Ultrasurface structure of oromandibular area in a hill stream teleost Glyptothorax trilineatus Blyth, 1860
Authors: Kaushik Gitartha , Bordoloi Sabitry
Published: December 2016

Ultrasurface structure of the oromandibular area of a hillstream catfish Glyptothorax trilineatus Blyth 1860, an inhabitant of the sub‐Himalayan streams of India is described. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) study of these areas revealed a series of punctuation elevation from the general surface epithelium. Two types (types I and II) of taste buds (TB) could be identified where one type is with microvillar projections and others without any projection. Another type of cell, the basal cells, without any apical microvilli was also recorded. TBs were more concentrated on the ventral surface of the barbels. In most of the TBs, the pore is located at the centre of the elevation and surrounded by a circular area. Jaw sheath bears a single type of teeth, the papilliform teeth.
Human Nuclear Genome Transfer (So‐Called Mitochondrial Replacement): Clearing the Underbrush
Authors: Baylis Françoise
Published: December 2016

In this article, I argue that there is no compelling therapeutic ‘need’ for human nuclear genome transfer (so‐called mitochondrial replacement) to prevent mitochondrial diseases caused by mtDNA mutations. At most there is a strong interest in (i.e. ‘want’ for) this technology on the part of some women and couples at risk of having children with mitochondrial disease, and perhaps also a ‘want’ on the part of some researchers who see the technology as a useful precedent – one that provides them with ‘a quiet way station’ in which to refine the micromanipulations techniques essential for other human germline interventions and human cloning. In advance of this argument, I review basic information about mitochondrial disease and novel genetic strategies to prevent the transmission of mutated mitochondria. Next, I address common features of contemporary debates and discussions about so‐called mitochondrial replacement. First, I contest the cliché that science‐and‐(bio)technology is fast outpacing ethics. Second, I dispute the accuracy of the term ‘mitochondrial replacement’. Third, I provide a sustained critique of the purported ‘need’ for genetically‐related children. In closing, I call into question the mainly liberal defense of human nuclear genome transfer. I suggest an alternative frame of reference that pays particular attention to issues of social justice. I conclude that our limited resources (time, talent, human eggs, and money) should be carefully expended in pursuit of the common good, which does not include pandering to acquired desires (i.e., wants).
A Mitochondrial Story: Mitochondrial Replacement, Identity and Narrative
Authors: Scully Jackie Leach
Published: December 2016

Mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRT) are intended to avoid the transmission of mitochondrial diseases from mother to child. MRT represent a potentially powerful new biomedical technology with ethical, policy, economic and social implications. Among other ethical questions raised are concerns about the possible effects on the identity of children born from MRT, their families, and the providers or donors of mitochondria. It has been suggested that MRT can influence identity (i) directly, through altering the genetic makeup and physical characteristics of the child, or (ii) indirectly through changing the child's experience of disease, and by generating novel intrafamilial relationships that shape the sense of self. In this article I consider the plausibility and ethical implications of these proposed identity effects, but I focus instead on a third way in which identity may be affected, through the mediating influence of the wider social world on MRT effects on identity. By taking a narrative approach, and examining the nature and availability of identity narratives, I conclude that while neither direct genetic nor indirect experiential effects can be excluded, social responses to MRT are more likely to have a significant and potentially damaging influence on the generation of MRT children's narratives of identity. This conclusion carries some implications for the collective moral responsibility we hold to ensure that MRT, if implemented, are practised in ethically justifiable ways.
Review: Low self‐esteem and internalizing disorders in young people – a systematic review
Authors: Keane Lisa , Loades Maria
Published: December 2016

Background

Cognitive behavioural therapy for low self‐esteem (LSE) has shown promise as a trans‐diagnostic model for treating mental health difficulties in adults. To ascertain the potential value of this treatment approach in working with young people with internalizing disorders, we need to develop our understanding of LSE within these mental health conditions. The aim of this review is to explore (a) the co‐occurrence of clinically significant anxiety/depression and LSE in young people (aged 18 years and younger), and (b) the association between LSE in childhood and adolescence and mental health difficulties in later adolescence and emerging adulthood.

Method

A systematic search of three electronic databases (PsychInfo/Pubmed/Google Scholar) was conducted to identify relevant studies.

Results

Ten studies examining the association between LSE and clinically significant anxiety/depression in young people met the inclusion criteria, as did eight studies investigating the association between LSE in young people with internalizing difficulties in later adolescence/emerging adulthood. Although relatively few studies were identified, studies consistently supported the co‐occurrence of LSE and internalizing disorders in young people, particularly in young people with co‐morbid anxiety and depression. LSE in childhood and adolescence appears to be a relatively weak predictor of the development of anxiety and depression in later adolescence and early adulthood.

Conclusions

Further research investigating the relationship between low self‐esteem and mental health difficulties in young people and its implications for treatment in this age group is indicated.
Individual Differences in Children's Corepresentation of Self and Other in Joint Action
Authors: Milward Sophie J. , Kita Sotaro , Apperly Ian A.
Published: December 2016

Previous research has shown that children aged 4–5 years, but not 2–3 years, show adult‐like interference from a partner when performing a joint task (Milward, Kita, & Apperly, 2014). This raises questions about the cognitive skills involved in the development of such “corepresentation (CR)” of a partner (Sebanz, Knoblich, & Prinz, 2003). Here, individual differences data from one hundred and thirteen 4‐ to 5‐year‐olds showed theory of mind (ToM) and inhibitory control (IC) as predictors of ability to avoid CR interference, suggesting that children with better ToM abilities are more likely to succeed in decoupling self and other representations in a joint task, while better IC is likely to help children avoid interference from a partner's response when selecting their own response on the task.
Trait‐based prediction of extinction risk of small‐bodied freshwater fishes
Authors: Kopf R. Keller , Shaw Casey , Humphries Paul
Published: December 2016

Small body size is generally correlated with r‐selected life‐history traits, including early maturation, short‐generation times, and rapid growth rates, that result in high population turnover and a reduced risk of extinction. Unlike other classes of vertebrates, however, small freshwater fishes appear to have an equal or greater risk of extinction than large fishes. We explored whether particular traits explain the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List conservation status of small‐bodied freshwater fishes from 4 temperate river basins: Murray‐Darling, Australia; Danube, Europe; Mississippi‐Missouri, North America; and the Rio Grande, North America. Twenty‐three ecological and life‐history traits were collated for all 171 freshwater fishes of ≤120 mm total length. We used generalized linear mixed‐effects models to assess which combination of the 23 traits best explained whether a species was threatened or not threatened. We used the best models to predict the probability of 29 unclassified species being listed as threatened. With and without controlling for phylogeny at the family level, small body size—among small‐bodied species—was the most influential trait correlated with threatened species listings. The k‐folds cross‐validation demonstrated that body size and a random effect structure that included family predicted the threat status with an accuracy of 78% (SE 0.5). We identified 10 species likely to be threatened that are not listed as such on the IUCN Red List. Small body size is not a trait that provides universal resistance to extinction, particularly for vertebrates inhabiting environments affected by extreme habitat loss and fragmentation. We hypothesize that this is because small‐bodied species have smaller home ranges, lower dispersal capabilities, and heightened ecological specialization relative to larger vertebrates. Trait data and further model development are needed to predict the IUCN conservation status of the over 11,000 unclassified freshwater fishes, especially those under threat from proposed dam construction in the world's most biodiverse river basins.
Long intragenic non‐coding RNA lincRNA‐p21 suppresses development of human prostate cancer
Authors: Wang Xiaohai , Ruan Yuan , Wang Xingjie , Zhao Wei , Jiang Qi , Jiang Chenyi , Zhao Yuyang , Xu Yongzhi , Sun Feng , Zhu Yiping , Xia Shujie , Xu Dongliang
Published: December 2016

Objectives

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequent malignancies in men, worldwide, although its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Long non‐coding RNAs participate in development of human cancers. In this invetsigation, we aimed to study the roles of lincRNA‐p21 in development of human prostate cancer.

Materials and methods

Expression of lincRNA‐p21 was assessed by real‐time PCR in cell lines and in human tissues. Lentivirus carrying sh‐lincRNA‐p21, lincRNA‐p21 or control constructs were used to determine their effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis. A mouse xenograft model was employed to explore the functions of lincRNA‐p21 on cancer cell population growth in vivo. Relationships between p53 downstream genes and lincRNA‐p21 levels were explored by real‐time PCR, western blotting and chromatin immunoprecipitation.

Results

LincRNA‐p21 was found to be down‐regulated in human prostate cancer, and low levels of lincRNA‐p21 correlated with high disease stage and prediction of poor survival. We further showed that lincRNA‐p21 inhibited prostate cancer cell proliferation and colony formation in vitro and reduced rate of prostate cancer cell population growth in vivo. Study of mechanisms involved revealed that lincRNA‐p21 promoted apoptosis and induced expression of p53 downstream genes by regulating p53 binding to their promoters. Finally, we showed that expression of p53 downstream genes was reduced in the malignant prostate tissues, which correlated with lincRNA‐p21 level.

Conclusions

Our findings indicated that lincRNA‐p21 inhibited development of human prostate cancer partly by regulating p53 downstream gene expression and partly by apoptotic activation.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus in people with severe mental illness: inequalities by ethnicity and age. Cross‐sectional analysis of 588 408 records from the UK
Authors: Das‐Munshi J. , Ashworth M. , Dewey M. E. , Gaughran F. , Hull S. , Morgan C. , Nazroo J. , Petersen I. , Schofield P. , Stewart R. , Thornicroft G. , Prince M. J.
Published: December 2016

Aims

To investigate whether the association of severe mental illness with Type 2 diabetes varies by ethnicity and age.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of data from an ethnically diverse sample of 588 408 individuals aged ≥18 years, registered to 98% of general practices (primary care) in London, UK. The outcome of interest was prevalent Type 2 diabetes.

Results

Relative to people without severe mental illness, the relative risk of Type 2 diabetes in people with severe mental illness was greatest in the youngest age groups. In the white British group the relative risks were 9.99 (95% CI 5.34, 18.69) in those aged 18–34 years, 2.89 (95% CI 2.43, 3.45) in those aged 35–54 years and 1.16 (95% CI 1.04, 1.30) in those aged ≥55 years, with similar trends across all ethnic minority groups. Additional adjustment for anti‐psychotic prescriptions only marginally attenuated the associations. Assessment of estimated prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in severe mental illness by ethnicity (absolute measures of effect) indicated that the association between severe mental illness and Type 2 diabetes was more marked in ethnic minorities than in the white British group with severe mental illness, especially for Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi individuals with severe mental illness.

Conclusions

The relative risk of Type 2 diabetes is elevated in younger populations. Most associations persisted despite adjustment for anti‐psychotic prescriptions. Ethnic minority groups had a higher prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in the presence of severe mental illness. Future research and policy, particularly with respect to screening and clinical care for Type 2 diabetes in populations with severe mental illness, should take these findings into account.
Dialects of an invasive songbird are preserved in its invaded but not native source range
Authors: Pipek Pavel , Petrusková Tereza , Petrusek Adam , Diblíková Lucie , Eaton Mark A. , Pyšek Petr
Published: December 2016

Biological invasions are not only events with substantial environmental and socioeconomic impacts but are also interesting natural experiments, allowing the study of phenomena such as the cultural evolution of bird song following introduction. We took an excellent opportunity to compare the distribution of dialects of the yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella, a small Eurasian passerine, in its native source region (Great Britain) and invaded range (New Zealand) more than hundred years after relocation. Recent field recordings (including those provided by volunteers within a citizen science project) were complemented by those from archives, each assigned to appropriate dialect by visual inspection of a sonogram, and the resulting spatial patterns of dialect distribution were interpreted using historical data on the yellowhammer invasion. The two countries differ markedly in the composition and distribution of dialects. New Zealand populations sing a greater number of different dialects, seven in total, five of which were not detected in the current British population, but have been reported by previous studies from the continental Europe. Two identified localities of capture (Brighton, Sussex, UK) and release (Dunedin, Otago, NZ) differ even more strikingly, having no dialects in common. The largely sedentary nature of yellowhammers allows for two mutually exclusive explanations for European dialects being detected in New Zealand but not in Great Britain: 1) the corresponding song types have emerged de novo in New Zealand, through convergent cultural evolution; 2) the dialects have disappeared from Great Britain, while being preserved in New Zealand. Indirect evidence from the widespread occurrence of these dialects in continental Europe and the reported stability of yellowhammer song, supports the latter explanation. We suggest that the yellowhammer dialect system is an avian equivalent of a phenomenon already noted in human languages, in which ancient words or structures are retained in expatriate communities.
A bioenergetics model of the entire life cycle of the three‐spined stickleback,gasterosteus aculeatus
Authors: Leloutre Charlène , Péry Alexandre R. R. , Porcher Jean‐Marc , Beaudouin Rémy
Published: December 2016

A whole life‐cycle bioenergetic model based on the dynamic energy budget (DEB) theory was proposed for the three‐spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). To develop this model, experiments on growth and reproduction were performed: adult and juvenile growth, size at first reproduction and amount of eggs spawned by females were monitored under different feeding levels and temperatures. TheDEBparameters were estimated, using Bayesian statistics, based on the data produced during these experiments and on other data found in the literature. The model fitted accurately the different data used for the calibration process and, in addition, predicted accurately the data sets used to assess its predictability. Our bioenergetic model of the whole life cycle of the three‐spined stickleback accounting for environmental variations could contribute in many ways to improved ecological assessment: supporting change of scale from individual to populations; developing new biomarkers of exposure and effect; analysing ecotoxicity tests with biology‐based models.
Variation in Reproductive Success Across Captive Populations: Methodological Differences, Potential Biases and Opportunities
Authors: Griffith Simon C. , Crino Ondi L. , Andrew Samuel C. , Nomano Fumiaki Y. , Adkins‐Regan Elizabeth , Alonso‐Alvarez Carlos , Bailey Ida E. , Bittner Stephanie S. , Bolton Peri E. , Boner Winnie , Boogert Neeltje , Boucaud Ingrid C. A. , Briga Michael , Buchanan Katherine L. , Caspers Barbara A. , Cichoń Mariusz , Clayton David F. , Derégnaucourt Sebastien , Forstmeier Wolfgang , Guillette Lauren M. , Hartley Ian R. , Healy Susan D. , Hill Davina L. , Holveck Marie‐Jeanne , Hurley Laura L. , Ihle Malika , Tobias Krause E. , Mainwaring Mark C. , Marasco Valeria , Mariette Mylene M. , Martin‐Wintle Meghan S. , McCowan Luke S. C. , McMahon Maeve , Monaghan Pat , Nager Ruedi G. , Naguib Marc , Nord Andreas , Potvin Dominique A. , Prior Nora H. , Riebel Katharina , Romero‐Haro Ana A. , Royle Nick J. , Rutkowska Joanna , Schuett Wiebke , Swaddle John P. , Tobler Michael , Trompf Larissa , Varian‐Ramos Claire W. , Vignal Clémentine , Villain Avelyne S. , Williams Tony D.
Published: December 2016

Our understanding of fundamental organismal biology has been disproportionately influenced by studies of a relatively small number of ‘model’ species extensively studied in captivity. Laboratory populations of model species are commonly subject to a number of forms of past and current selection that may affect experimental outcomes. Here, we examine these processes and their outcomes in one of the most widely used vertebrate species in the laboratory – the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). This important model species is used for research across a broad range of fields, partly due to the ease with which it can be bred in captivity. However despite this perceived amenability, we demonstrate extensive variation in the success with which different laboratories and studies bred their subjects, and overall only 64% of all females that were given the opportunity, bred successfully in the laboratory. We identify and review several environmental, husbandry, life‐history and behavioural factors that potentially contribute to this variation. The variation in reproductive success across individuals could lead to biases in experimental outcomes and drive some of the heterogeneity in research outcomes across studies. The zebra finch remains an excellent captive animal system and our aim is to sharpen the insight that future studies of this species can provide, both to our understanding of this species and also with respect to the reproduction of captive animals more widely. We hope to improve systematic reporting methods and that further investigation of the issues we raise will lead both to advances in our fundamental understanding of avian reproduction as well as to improvements in future welfare and experimental efficiency.
Conspecific Attraction Drives Intraspecific Aggregations by Nephila clavipes Spiders
Authors: Fitzgerald Meghan R. , Ives Anthony R.
Published: December 2016

Aggregation behavior is common throughout the animal world, although it is rare in spiders (Araneae). Nephila clavipes spiders are frequently found both in solitary webs and in aggregations of conspecifics. N. clavipes aggregations are not considered social, because these spiders do not engage in food sharing or group parental care. The currently accepted explanation for N. clavipes aggregations is that they form passively, as spiders aggregate in response to the patchy distribution of food resources in the environment. Here, we show instead that N. clavipes females actively seek out conspecifics and, therefore, that aggregations arise from conspecific attraction. We experimentally established that (1) N. clavipes females actively follow the trails left by conspecifics and (2) aggregations are formed independently of prey density in a particular area. These results suggest that while aggregations in high food patches increase encounter rates of conspecific spiders and support the nutritional needs of multiple large spiders, this potential benefit is not the proximate mechanism for aggregation. Thus, we hypothesize that N. clavipes females likely acquire fitness benefits from aggregating with conspecifics.
Galanin contributes to ultraviolet irradiation‐induced inflammation in human skin
Authors: Lee Min Jung , Oh Jang‐Hee , Park Chi‐Hyun , Kim Kyu Han , Lee Dong Hun , Chung Jin Ho
Published: December 2016

Exposure of the skin to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation causes various consequences such as inflammation and photoageing. Galanin is an active neuropeptide expressed widely in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues including the skin. Galanin promotes or inhibits inflammation in a context‐dependent manner, but its role in UV irradiation‐induced responses in human skin was still unknown. UV irradiation induced a substantial expression of galanin in primary epidermal keratinocytes in vitro and in human epidermis in vivo. Galanin knock‐down by siRNA transfection markedly inhibited UV irradiation‐induced expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐1, interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6 and cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2. Moreover, siRNA‐mediated knock‐down of GAL2, a principal galanin receptor in the skin, led to a considerable decrease in these mediators in keratinocytes. Collectively, our findings suggest that galanin is an important messenger between the neuroendocrine system and UV irradiation‐damaged skin.
TRIM21 is important in the early phase of inflammation in the imiquimod‐induced psoriasis‐like skin inflammation mouse model
Authors: Vinter Hanne , Langkilde Ane , Ottosson Vijole , Espinosa Alexander , Wahren‐Herlenius Marie , Raaby Line , Johansen Claus , Iversen Lars
Published: December 2016

Tripartite motif‐containing protein 21 (TRIM21) regulates pro‐inflammatory cytokines and type I interferons and acts as an autoantigen in certain autoimmune diseases, but TRIM21 has not been investigated in psoriasis. It has been suggested that TRIM21 may have a dual function; in the early phase of inflammation, it may function as a stimulator; but upon immune stimulation, its ubiquitinating mode of action may shift from stabilization to degradation of IRF3 causing inhibition of the immune responses. The imiquimod (IMQ)‐induced psoriasis‐like mouse model displays features similar to those of human psoriasis. However, chronicity is lacking in this model. We investigated whether the role of TRIM21 in psoriasis was pro‐inflammatory or anti‐inflammatory. We hypothesized that a shift of the TRIM21‐ubiquitinating mode of action may explain the lack of chronicity in the IMQ‐induced psoriasis‐like mouse model. We showed that TRIM21 expression is increased in lesional psoriatic skin and in the early phase of IMQ‐induced inflammation both in vitro and in vivo. Surprisingly, inflammation was significantly less pronounced in TRIM21 knockout mice than in wild‐type mice as shown by ear thickness measured at days 8, 9 and 10 after treatment start, by spleen weight as a marker of systemic effect of IMQ at 10 days after treatment start and by expression of IL‐12p40 at days 3 and 10 after treatment start and IL‐17A at day 3 after treatment start. Therefore, induction of TRIM21 expression cannot explain the lack of chronicity in the IMQ‐induced psoriasis‐like skin inflammation mouse model.
Nuclear transplantation, the conservation of the genome, and prospects for cell replacement
Authors: Gurdon J. B.
Published: December 2016

Initial nuclear transplantation experiments in Xenopus eggs provided the first evidence for the conservation of the genome after cellular differentiation. This Discovery‐in‐Context Review recounts the early experiments that led to successful nuclear transfer in amphibians and the establishment of totipotency of a differentiated cell and shows how these discoveries paved the way for similar cloning experiments in other organisms.
Chlorophyll fluorescence tracks seasonal variations of photosynthesis from leaf to canopy in a temperate forest
Authors: Yang Hualei , Yang Xi , Zhang Yongguang , Heskel Mary A. , Lu Xiaoliang , Munger J. William , Sun Shucun , Tang Jianwu
Published: December 2016

Accurate estimation of terrestrial gross primary productivity (GPP) remains a challenge despite its importance in the global carbon cycle. Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) has been recently adopted to understand photosynthesis and its response to the environment, particularly with remote sensing data. However, it remains unclear how ChlF and photosynthesis are linked at different spatial scales across the growing season. We examined seasonal relationships between ChlF and photosynthesis at the leaf, canopy, and ecosystem scales and explored how leaf‐level ChlF was linked with canopy‐scale solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) in a temperate deciduous forest at Harvard Forest, Massachusetts, USA. Our results show that ChlF captured the seasonal variations of photosynthesis with significant linear relationships between ChlF and photosynthesis across the growing season over different spatial scales (R2 = 0.73, 0.77, and 0.86 at leaf, canopy, and satellite scales, respectively; P < 0.0001). We developed a model to estimate GPP from the tower‐based measurement of SIF and leaf‐level ChlF parameters. The estimation of GPP from this model agreed well with flux tower observations of GPP (R2 = 0.68; P < 0.0001), demonstrating the potential of SIF for modeling GPP. At the leaf scale, we found that leaf Fq’/Fm’, the fraction of absorbed photons that are used for photochemistry for a light‐adapted measurement from a pulse amplitude modulation fluorometer, was the best leaf fluorescence parameter to correlate with canopy SIF yield (SIF/APAR, R2 = 0.79; P < 0.0001). We also found that canopy SIF and SIF‐derived GPP (GPPSIF) were strongly correlated to leaf‐level biochemistry and canopy structure, including chlorophyll content (R2 = 0.65 for canopy GPPSIF and chlorophyll content; P < 0.0001), leaf area index (LAI) (R2 = 0.35 for canopy GPPSIF and LAI; P < 0.0001), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (R2 = 0.36 for canopy GPPSIF and NDVI; P < 0.0001). Our results suggest that ChlF can be a powerful tool to track photosynthetic rates at leaf, canopy, and ecosystem scales.
Global thermal niche models of two European grasses show high invasion risks in Antarctica
Authors: Pertierra Luis R. , Aragón Pedro , Shaw Justine D. , Bergstrom Dana M. , Terauds Aleks , Olalla‐Tárraga Miguel Ángel
Published: December 2016

The two non‐native grasses that have established long‐term populations in Antarctica (Poa pratensis and Poa annua) were studied from a global multidimensional thermal niche perspective to address the biological invasion risk to Antarctica. These two species exhibit contrasting introduction histories and reproductive strategies and represent two referential case studies of biological invasion processes. We used a multistep process with a range of species distribution modelling techniques (ecological niche factor analysis, multidimensional envelopes, distance/entropy algorithms) together with a suite of thermoclimatic variables, to characterize the potential ranges of these species. Their native bioclimatic thermal envelopes in Eurasia, together with the different naturalized populations across continents, were compared next. The potential niche of P. pratensis was wider at the cold extremes; however, P. annua life history attributes enable it to be a more successful colonizer. We observe that particularly cold summers are a key aspect of the unique Antarctic environment. In consequence, ruderals such as P. annua can quickly expand under such harsh conditions, whereas the more stress‐tolerant P. pratensis endures and persist through steady growth. Compiled data on human pressure at the Antarctic Peninsula allowed us to provide site‐specific biosecurity risk indicators. We conclude that several areas across the region are vulnerable to invasions from these and other similar species. This can only be visualized in species distribution models (SDMs) when accounting for founder populations that reveal nonanalogous conditions. Results reinforce the need for strict management practices to minimize introductions. Furthermore, our novel set of temperature‐based bioclimatic GIS layers for ice‐free terrestrial Antarctica provide a mechanism for regional and global species distribution models to be built for other potentially invasive species.
Risky future for Mediterranean forests unless they undergo extreme carbon fertilization
Authors: Gea‐Izquierdo Guillermo , Nicault Antoine , Battipaglia Giovanna , Dorado‐Liñán Isabel , Gutiérrez Emilia , Ribas Montserrat , Guiot Joel
Published: December 2016

Forest performance is challenged by climate change but higher atmospheric [CO2] (ca) could help trees mitigate the negative effect of enhanced water stress. Forest projections using data assimilation with mechanistic models are a valuable tool to assess forest performance. Firstly, we used dendrochronological data from 12 Mediterranean tree species (six conifers and six broadleaves) to calibrate a process‐based vegetation model at 77 sites. Secondly, we conducted simulations of gross primary production (GPP) and radial growth using an ensemble of climate projections for the period 2010–2100 for the high‐emission RCP8.5 and low‐emission RCP2.6 scenarios. GPP and growth projections were simulated using climatic data from the two RCPs combined with (i) expected ca; (ii) constant ca = 390 ppm, to test a purely climate‐driven performance excluding compensation from carbon fertilization. The model accurately mimicked the growth trends since the 1950s when, despite increasing ca, enhanced evaporative demands precluded a global net positive effect on growth. Modeled annual growth and GPP showed similar long‐term trends. Under RCP2.6 (i.e., temperatures below +2 °C with respect to preindustrial values), the forests showed resistance to future climate (as expressed by non‐negative trends in growth and GPP) except for some coniferous sites. Using exponentially growing ca and climate as from RCP8.5, carbon fertilization overrode the negative effect of the highly constraining climatic conditions under that scenario. This effect was particularly evident above 500 ppm (which is already over +2 °C), which seems unrealistic and likely reflects model miss‐performance at high ca above the calibration range. Thus, forest projections under RCP8.5 preventing carbon fertilization displayed very negative forest performance at the regional scale. This suggests that most of western Mediterranean forests would successfully acclimate to the coldest climate change scenario but be vulnerable to a climate warmer than +2 °C unless the trees developed an exaggerated fertilization response to [CO2].
Protein characteristics in grass–clover silages according to wilting rate and fermentation pattern
Authors: Bakken A. K. , Vaga M. , Hetta M. , Randby Å. T. , Steinshamn H.
Published: December 2016

Effects of wilting rate and fermentation stimulators and inhibitors on protein characteristics of forages typical for organic production were assessed using traditional analytical methods and a gas production in vitro assay. The hypotheses were that the proportion of the crude protein (CP) fraction that was soluble would be lowest, and the protein feed value highest, under rapid wilting and restricted fermentation. The solubility of the CP fraction varied according to treatments and between a first and a second cut, with moderate and high content of clover respectively. It was, however, of minor importance for the protein value, both calculated as amino acids absorbed in the small intestine (AAT20) and estimated as effective utilizable crude protein (uCP04) by the in vitro assay. In ensiled herbage, AAT20 was highest in rapidly wilted and restrictedly fermented silages made from a first cut dominated by highly digestible grasses. Silages from the second cut dominated by red clover were far lower in AAT20. The in vitro assay did not separate silages according to herbage composition or wilting rate, but ranked restrictedly fermented above extensively fermented with regard to protein supply. The assay might still have caught the characteristics that determine the true protein value in vivo.
Detection of DNA double‐strand breaks by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis
Authors: Kawashima Yuri , Yamaguchi Nahomi , Teshima Rie , Narahara Hisashi , Yamaoka Yoshio , Anai Hirofumi , Nishida Yoshihiro , Hanada Katsuhiro
Published: December 2016

A DNA double‐strand break (DSB) is one of the most cytotoxic DNA lesions because unrepaired DSBs cause chromosomal aberrations and cell death. Although many physiological DSBs occur at DNA replication sites, the molecular mechanisms underlying this remain poorly understood. There was therefore a need to develop a highly specific method to detect DSB fragments containing DNA replication sites. Here we investigated whether pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) combined with visualization of DNA replication sites by immunoblotting using halogenized deoxyuridines, such as BrdU and IdU, was sufficient for this detection. Our methodology enabled us to reproduce previously reported data. In addition, this methodology was also applied to the detection of bacterial infection‐induced DSBs on human chromosomal DNA. Based on our findings, we propose that this strategy combining PFGE with immunoblot analysis will be applicable to studies analyzing the mechanistic details of DNA repair, the DNA damage response and the activity of DNA‐damaging agents.
Legitimacy on Licence: Why and How it Matters
Authors: IRWIN‐ROGERS KEIR
Published: December 2016

People leaving prison typically face numerous barriers to successful reintegration – a situation reflected by high reoffending rates in many countries throughout the world. To support people to overcome these barriers, criminal justice systems often provide some form of post‐custodial supervision. Based on a multisite ethnographic study, this article provides an insight into post‐custodial supervision in England and Wales. It introduces a novel theoretical framework for understanding the dynamics of supervisory relationships, which at its core distinguishes between legitimacy based on processes and legitimacy based on outcomes. While both sources of legitimacy are desirable, the former is particularly important because the latter is largely dependent upon it. In short, constructive relationships between licencees and supervisors fail to develop when processes are neglected, which, in turn, prevents probation and hostel workers from fulfilling their supervisory roles effectively.
Annual Research Review: An expanded account of information‐processing mechanisms in risk for child and adolescent anxiety and depression
Authors: Lau Jennifer Y. F. , Waters Allison M.
Published: December 2016

Background

Anxiety and depression occurring during childhood and adolescence are common and costly. While early‐emerging anxiety and depression can arise through a complex interplay of ‘distal’ factors such as genetic and environmental influences, temperamental characteristics and brain circuitry, the more proximal mechanisms that transfer risks on symptoms are poorly delineated. Information‐processing biases, which differentiate youth with and without anxiety and/or depression, could act as proximal mechanisms that mediate more distal risks on symptoms. This article reviews the literature on information‐processing biases, their associations with anxiety and depression symptoms in youth and with other distal risk factors, to provide direction for further research.

Methods

Based on strategic searches of the literature, we consider how youth with and without anxiety and/or depression vary in how they deploy attention to social‐affective stimuli, discriminate between threat and safety cues, retain memories of negative events and appraise ambiguous information. We discuss how these information‐processing biases are similarly or differentially expressed on anxiety and depression and whether these biases are linked to genetic and environmental factors, temperamental characteristics and patterns of brain circuitry functioning implicated in anxiety and depression.

Findings

Biases in attention and appraisal characterise both youth anxiety and depression but with some differences in how these are expressed for each symptom type. Difficulties in threat‐safety cue discrimination characterise anxiety and are understudied in depression, while biases in the retrieval of negative and overgeneral memories have been observed in depression but are understudied in anxiety. Information‐processing biases have been studied in relation to some distal factors but not systematically, so relationships remain inconclusive.

Conclusions

Biases in attention, threat‐safety cue discrimination, memory and appraisal may characterise anxiety and/or depression risk. We discuss future research directions that can more systematically test whether these biases act as proximal mechanisms that mediate other distal risk factors.
Hybrid implementation model of community‐partnered early intervention for toddlers with autism: a randomized trial
Authors: Shire Stephanie Y. , Chang Ya‐Chih , Shih Wendy , Bracaglia Suzanne , Kodjoe Maria , Kasari Connie
Published: December 2016

Background

Interventions found to be effective in research settings are often not as effective when implemented in community settings. Considering children with autism, studies have rarely examined the efficacy of laboratory‐tested interventions on child outcomes in community settings using randomized controlled designs.

Methods

One hundred and thirteen children with autism enrolled in public early intervention classrooms in low resource neighborhoods were randomized to Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation (JASPER) intervention or treatment as usual waitlist for 10 weeks with 1‐month follow‐up.

Results

Teaching assistants delivered JASPER at adequate fidelity. Children randomized to JASPER demonstrated significant gains over treatment as usual in core developmental outcomes of joint engagement, joint attention, and play skills that were maintained at follow‐up.

Conclusions

Supervised teaching assistants delivered JASPER intervention with a range of toddlers with autism leading to significant gains in developmental outcomes.