bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of Diploid and Triploid Westslope Cutthroat Trout Fry Stocked into Idaho Alpine Lakes
Authors: Cassinelli John D. , Meyer Kevin A. , Koenig Martin K. , Vu Ninh V. , Campbell Matthew R.
Published: December 2018

Anglers value alpine lakes as providing a scenic, backcountry fishing experience that is seldom found in other fisheries. However, trout introduced into alpine lakes often pose a risk to native salmonids in downstream habitats by establishing source populations in headwater locations. Although the stocking of sterile triploid trout can reduce this risk, poststocking performance should be equivalent to that of diploid fish before fisheries managers and anglers consider triploid stocking to be ideal. In this study, three different mechanical pressure treatments were tested to create mixed-sex triploid Westslope Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi; at 65,500.19 kPa (9,500 psi) applied for 5 min at 300 Celsius-minutes after fertilization, triploid induction rates were 100%, and egg survival to eye-up was only 8% lower than that for diploids. Fry were stocked into 51 alpine lakes (25 with triploids and 26 with diploids), and fish were sampled 3 years later. Gill-net catch rates, growth, and condition did not differ between stocked diploid and triploid fish. General linear models revealed that test fish were larger and in better condition in lakes with fewer total fish (indicating a density-dependent influence on growth and condition) and were also in better condition in lower-elevation lakes containing a higher percentage of shallow habitat. Ploidy level was not included in the most plausible model for any of the response variables. Our results indicate that triploid Westslope Cutthroat Trout can easily be created by using pressure treatment of fertilized eggs and appear to be a suitable alternative to diploids in alpine lake stocking programs. Our study suggests that the use of triploid Westslope Cutthroat Trout in alpine lakes similar to those we studied would prevent hybridization with native salmonids in adjacent habitats without reducing the abundance, size, or condition of fish available to anglers in the lakes where they are stocked.
Consistently High Trophic Overlap between Invasive White Perch and Native Black Crappies in Southeastern Reservoirs
Authors: Feiner Zachary S. , Brey Marybeth K. , Burgett Caroline
Published: December 2018

The detrimental impacts of invasive species often occur through deleterious trophic interactions (e.g., competition) with native species. However, the potential for competitive interactions between species may vary among systems, among seasons, or throughout the species’ ontogeny, requiring a thorough examination of trophic niches to determine whether overlap exists and to elucidate the likelihood of competition. The Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus is a popular game fish species across the United States, but recent invasions of White Perch Morone americana, which exploit a similar trophic niche, into southern reservoirs represent a major concern for the continued sustainability of Black Crappie fisheries. We examined the trophic niches of these species throughout their ontogeny in two North Carolina reservoirs during 2009 and 2010 using a combination of diet content and stable isotope analyses. Extensive and significant similarities in diet composition and isotopic niche overlap existed between Black Crappies and White Perch throughout their ontogeny and across seasons in both systems. Overlap was particularly high between smaller (<200-mm), invertivorous Black Crappies and all sizes of White Perch. This overlap suggests that if invertebrate resources become limited, competition during the juvenile stage could reduce growth rates and survival of young Black Crappies. By evaluating variation in the trophic niches of each species among seasons, body sizes, and reservoirs, we conclude that the potential for competitive interactions between White Perch and Black Crappie is high in southern reservoirs. Management options to either reduce White Perch abundance or prevent their spread to novel habitats may be necessary to sustain native and supplemented Black Crappie populations that are potentially vulnerable to White Perch invasions.
Discovery of Novel Molecular Frameworks of Farnesoid X Receptor Modulators by Ensemble Machine Learning
Authors: Merk Daniel , Grisoni Francesca , Schaller Kay , Friedrich Lukas , Schneider Gisbert
Published: December 2018

Invited for this month's cover picture is the group of Prof. Dr. Gisbert Schneider from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich (Switzerland). The cover picture illustrates the application of machine‐learning methods to expand the chemical space of farnesoid X receptor (FXR)‐targeting small molecules, by employing an ensemble of three complementary machine‐learning approaches (counter‐propagation artificial neural network, k‐nearest neighbor learner, and three‐dimensional pharmacophore model). Read the full text of their Full Paper at 10.1002/open.201800156.
Chemical modification of cellulose nanocrystals and their application in thermoplastic starch (TPS) and poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) nanocomposites
Authors: Ribeiro Paulo Leonardo Lima , Figueiredo Tamiris Vilas Boas , Moura Lívia Eloy , Druzian Janice Izabel
Published: December 2018

The effect of sulfated (original), carboxylated (oxidized), and Jeffamines M2005‐grafted cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) on the barrier and mechanical properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB)) matrices was investigated. CNCs were first oxidized via a catalytic reaction using NaClO as an oxidant and then grafted with an amine‐terminated ethylene oxide (EO)/propylene oxide (PO) copolymer (Jeffamine) by an amine‐acid coupling reaction. A degree of oxidation (DO) of 0.108 (mol/mol of anhydroglucose) was attempted for the carboxylated CNCs, whereas a degree of substitution (DS) of 0.04 (mol/mol of anhydroglucose) was determined for the M2005‐grafted CNCs. These values indicated satisfactory reactive process, with yields of 68% and 47.3% for the carboxylation and peptide coupling reactions, respectively. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis showed bands at 1643 cm−1 and 1550 cm−1 in the spectrum of M2005‐grafted CNCs, which qualitatively indicated the amide bond formation. In addition, the morphology and the zeta potential of modified CNCs ensured their homogeneity, stability, and surface degree of charge. In spite of a decrease in the solubility in water of the modified crystals, the procedure of chemical modification used avoided any variation in their crystalline structure and thermal stability. Then, the incorporation of sulfated, oxidized, or M2005‐grafted CNCs in matrices of TPS and P(3HB) allowed to produce reinforced nanocomposite films, with excellent barrier properties. Therefore, the chemical compatibility between CNCs and the polymer matrices is essential to produce attractive nanocomposites with improved mechanical properties for industrial applications.
Neural correlates of the effect of implementation intention on prospective memory
Authors: Chen Xing‐Jie , Liu Lu‐Lu , Wang Ya , Yang Tian‐Xiao , Huang Jia , Li Ke , Zeng Ya‐Wei , Cheung Eric F.C. , Shum David H.K. , van Amelsvoort Therese , Chan Raymond C.K.
Published: December 2018

Prospective memory (PM) refers to the ability to remember to do something in the future. Implementation intention refers to a self‐regulatory strategy in the form of “If …, then …” planning that can improve PM performance. However, the neural basis of the effect of implementation intention on PM remains unclear, as do the phases of PM that are affected by implementation intention. This study aimed to address these issues. Healthy participants were randomly assigned to the implementation intention (n = 18) and typical instruction (n = 20) conditions. All of them underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning when performing a PM task, which differentiated encoding, maintenance, and execution phases. Results demonstrated that participants in the implementation intention group showed different brain activations compared to participants in the typical instruction group. During the encoding phase, the implementation intention group showed increased activations in the inferior frontal gyrus (BA 10) and supramarginal gyrus (BA 40) compared to the typical instruction group; during the maintenance phase, the typical instruction group showed stronger activations in the inferior frontal gyrus (BA 46) than the implementation intention group; during the execution phase, the typical instruction group showed increased activations in the precentral gyrus (BA 6) and middle frontal gyrus (BA 8) than the implementation intention group. These results demonstrated the neural correlates of implementation intention on PM in different phases, and support the conclusion of our previous review based on fMRI evidence that implementation intention's improvement of PM performance is not fully automatic.
The effect of processing conditions on the rheological properties of blends of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene with high‐density polyethylene
Authors: Chaudhuri Krishnaroop , Poddar Suparna , Pol Harshawardhan , Lele Ashish , Mathur Ajit , Srinivasa Rao Gandham S. , Jasra Rakshavir
Published: December 2018

Blends of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) with small amounts of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were prepared by melt mixing in a twin‐screw microcompounder. Two types of UHMWPE differing in their states of chain entanglement were used. The blend composition, time of mixing, and rotation speed of the screws were varied. Rheological properties of the blends were studied in oscillatory shear and uniaxial elongational tests. Reduction in phase angle measured in dynamic shear rheology and increase in extensional strain hardening were found to be useful indicators for quantifying the extent of mixing of the two components. Although the disentangled UHMWPE showed reasonable mixing with HDPE during typical residence times of melt compounding operations, the entangled UHMWPE remained essentially undissolved. The extent of mixing increased with mixing time and screw speed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:821–829, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Injection and injection compression molding of ultra‐high‐molecular weight polyethylene powder
Authors: Yilmaz Galip , Ellingham Thomas , Turng Lih‐Sheng
Published: December 2018

Ultra‐high‐molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) powder was processed using injection molding (IM) with different cavity thicknesses and injection‐compression molding (ICM). The processing parameters of feeding the powders were optimized to ensure proper dosage and avoid jeopardizing the UHMWPE molecular structure. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy tests confirmed that the thermal and oxidative degradations of the material were avoided but crosslinking was induced during melt processing. Tensile tests and impact tests showed that the ICM samples were superior to those of IM. Increased cavity thickness and ICM were helpful for reducing the injection pressure and improving the mechanical properties due to effective packing of the material. Short shot molding showed that the UHMWPE melt did not exhibit the typical progressive and smooth melt front advancements. Due to its highly entangled polymer chains structure, it entered the cavity as an irregular porous‐like structure, as shown by short shots and micro‐computed tomography scans. A delamination skin layer (around 300‐μm thick and independent of cavity thickness) was formed on all IM sample surfaces while it was absent in the ICM samples, suggesting two different flow behaviors between IM and ICM during the packing phase. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:E170–E179, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Identification of Saliva Proteins of the Spider Mite Tetranychus evansi by Transcriptome and LC–MS/MS Analyses
Authors: Huang Hai‐Jian , Cui Jia‐Rong , Chen Lei , Zhu Yu‐Xi , Hong Xiao‐Yue
Published: December 2018

The spider mite Tetranychus evansi has a remarkable ability to suppress and manipulate plant defenses, which makes it an ideal model to investigate plant–herbivores interactions. In this study, a de novo assembly of the transcriptome of T. evansi is performed and the proteins in its secreted saliva by LC–MS/MS are characterized. A total of 29 365 unigenes are assembled and 136 saliva proteins are identified. Comparative analysis of the saliva proteins in T. evansi, T. truncatus, and T. urticae shows that 64 protein groups are shared by at least two Tetranychus species, and 52 protein groups are specifically identified in T. evansi. In addition, some saliva proteins are common in arthropod species, while others are species‐specific. These results will help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which T. evansi modulates plant defenses.
Cytomine: Toward an Open and Collaborative Software Platform for Digital Pathology Bridged to Molecular Investigations
Authors: Rubens Ulysse , Hoyoux Renaud , Vanosmael Laurent , Ouras Mehdy , Tasset Maxime , Hamilton Christopher , Longuespée Rémi , Marée Raphaël
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Digital histology is being increasingly used in research and clinical applications. In parallel, new tissue imaging methods (e.g., imaging mass spectrometry) are currently regarded as very promising approaches for better molecular diagnosis in pathology. However, these new data sources are still often underexploited because of the lack of collaborative software to share and correlate information for multimodal analysis.

Experimental design

The open science paradigm is followed to develop new features in the web‐based Cytomine software to support next‐generation digital pathology bridged to molecular investigations.

Results

New open‐source developments allow to explore whole‐slide classical histology with Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation (MALDI) imaging and to support preprocessing for biomarker discovery using laser microdissection‐based microproteomics.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

The updated version of Cytomine is the first open and web‐based tool to enable sharing data from classical histology, molecular imaging, and cell counting for proteomics preprocessing. It holds good promise to fulfill imminent needs in molecular histopathology.
Ex vivo treatment of prostate tumor tissue recapitulates in vivo therapy response
Authors: Zhang Wenhao , van Weerden Wytske M. , de Ridder Corrina M. A. , Erkens‐Schulze Sigrun , Schönfeld Edgar , Meijer Titia G. , Kanaar Roland , van Gent Dik C. , Nonnekens Julie
Published: December 2018

Background

In vitro models of prostate cancer (PCa) are not always reliable to evaluate anticancer treatment efficacy. This limitation may be overcome by using viable tumor slice material. Here we report on the establishment of an optimized ex vivo method to culture tissue slices from patient‐derived xenografts (PDX) of prostate cancer (PCa), to assess responses to PCa treatments.

Methods

Three PDX models were used that are characterized by different androgen receptor (AR) expression and different homology directed DNA repair capacities, due to a breast cancer associated two (BRCA2) wild‐type or mutated status. Tumors were removed from mice, sliced using a vibratome and cultured for a maximum of 6 days. To test the sensitivity to androgen antagonist, tumor slices from the AR‐expressing and AR‐negative PDX tumors were treated with the anti‐androgen enzalutamide. For sensitivity to DNA repair intervention, tumors slices from BRCA2 wild‐type and mutated PDXs were treated with the poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase‐1 inhibitor olaparib. Treatment response in these tumor slices was determined by measuring slice morphology, cell proliferation, apoptosis, AR expression level, and secretion of prostate specific antigen (PSA).

Results

We compared various culture conditions (support materials, growth media, and use of a 3D smooth rocking platform) to define the optimal condition to maintain tissue viability and proliferative capacity up to least 6 days. Under optimized conditions, enzalutamide treatment significantly decreased proliferation, increased apoptosis, and reduced AR‐expression and PSA secretion of AR‐expressing tumor slices compared to AR‐negative slices, that did not respond to the intervention. Olaparib treatment significantly increased cell death in BRCA2 mutated tumors slices as compared to slices from BRCA2 wild type tumors.

Conclusions

Ex vivo treatment of PCa PDX tumor slices with enzalutamide and olaparib recapitulates responses previously observed in vivo. The faithful retention of tissue structure and function in this ex vivo model offers an ideal opportunity for treatment efficacy screening, thereby reducing costs and numbers of experimental animals.
Residue‐level determinants of angiopoietin‐2 interactions with its receptor Tie2
Authors: Bakhman Anna , Rabinovich Eitan , Shlamkovich Tomer , Papo Niv , Kosloff Mickey
Published: December 2018

We combined computational and experimental methods to interrogate the binding determinants of angiopoietin‐2 (Ang2) to its receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) Tie2—a central signaling system in angiogenesis, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. We used physics‐based electrostatic and surface‐area calculations to identify the subset of interfacial Ang2 and Tie2 residues that can affect binding directly. Using random and site‐directed mutagenesis and yeast surface display (YSD), we validated these predictions and identified additional Ang2 positions that affected receptor binding. We then used burial‐based calculations to classify the larger set of Ang2 residues that are buried in the Ang2 core, whose mutations can perturb the Ang2 structure and thereby affect interactions with Tie2 indirectly. Our analysis showed that the Ang2‐Tie2 interface is dominated by nonpolar contributions, with only three Ang2 and two Tie2 residues that contribute electrostatically to intermolecular interactions. Individual interfacial residues contributed only moderately to binding, suggesting that engineering of this interface will require multiple mutations to reach major effects. Conversely, substitutions in substantially buried Ang2 residues were more prevalent in our experimental screen, reduced binding substantially, and are therefore more likely to have a deleterious effect that might contribute to oncogenesis. Computational analysis of additional RTK‐ligand complexes, c‐Kit‐SCF and M‐CSF‐c‐FMS, and comparison to previous YSD results, further show the utility of our combined methodology.
Structure and function insights garnered from in silico modeling of the thrombospondin type‐1 domain‐containing 7A antigen
Authors: Stoddard Shana V. , Welsh Colin L. , Palopoli Maggie M. , Stoddard Serena D. , Aramandla Mounika P. , Patel Riya M. , Ma Hong , Beck Laurence H.
Published: December 2018

The thrombospondin type‐1 domain containing 7A (THSD7A) protein is known to be one of the antigens responsible for the autoimmune disorder idiopathic membranous nephropathy. The structure of this antigen is currently unsolved experimentally. Here we present a homology model of the extracellular portion of the THSD7A antigen. The structure was evaluated for folding patterns, epitope site prediction, and function was predicted. Results show that this protein contains 21 extracellular domains and with the exception of the first two domains, has a regular repeating pattern of TSP‐1‐like followed by F‐spondin‐like domains. Our results indicate the presence of a novel Trp‐ladder sequence of WxxxxW in the TSP‐1‐like domains. Of the 21 domains, 18 were shown to have epitope binding sites as predicted by epitopia. Several of the F‐spondin‐like domains have insertions in the canonical TSP fold, most notably the coiled coil region in domain 4, which may be utilized in protein‐protein binding interactions, suggesting that this protein functions as a heparan sulfate binding site.
Efficacy of SMTP‐7, a small‐molecule anti‐inflammatory thrombolytic, in embolic stroke in monkeys
Authors: Suzuki Eriko , Nishimura Naoko , Yoshikawa Tetsuya , Kunikiyo Yudai , Hasegawa Keiko , Hasumi Keiji
Published: December 2018

SMTP‐7 (Stachybotrys microspora triprenyl phenol‐7) is a small molecule that promotes thrombolysis and suppresses inflammation possibly through plasminogen modulation and soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibition, respectively. Here, we demonstrate an efficacy of SMTP‐7 in a severe embolic stroke model in monkeys. The middle cerebral artery was embolized by an autologous blood clot. Saline, SMTP‐7, or tissue‐type plasminogen activator (t‐PA) (n = 5 in each group) was given after 3 hours, and neurologic deficit scoring and infarct characterization were performed after 24 hours. Hemorrhagic infarct‐accompanied premature death was observed for two animals in t‐PA group. SMTP‐7 treatment significantly reduced the sizes of infarct by 65%, edema by 37%, and clot by 55% compared to saline treatment. Plasma levels of the products of plasminogen activation (plasmin‐α2‐antiplasmin complex) and sEH reaction (dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid) in SMTP‐7 group were 794% (P < 0.05) and 60% (P = 0.085) compared to saline group, respectively. No significant changes in the plasma levels of MMP‐9, CRP, MCP‐1, and S100B were found. There was an inverse correlation between plasmin‐α2‐antiplasmin complex level and infarct volume (r = 0.93, P < 0.05), suggesting a role of thrombolysis in the SMTP‐7 action to limit infarct development. In conclusion, SMTP‐7 is effective in treating severe embolic stroke in monkeys under conditions where t‐PA treatment tends to cause hemorrhagic infarct‐associated premature death.
Quantum Transport Properties of an Exciton Insulator/Superconductor Hybrid Junction
Authors: Bercioux Dario , Bujnowski Bogusz , Bergeret F. Sebastián
Published: December 2018

A theoretical study of electronic transport in a hybrid junction consisting of an excitonic insulator sandwiched between a normal and a superconducting electrode is presented. The normal region is described as a two‐band semi‐metal and the superconducting lead as a two‐band superconductor. In the excitonic insulator region, the coupling between carriers in the two bands leads to an excitonic condensate and a gap Γ in the quasi‐particle spectrum. Four different scattering processes at both interfaces are identified: Two types of normal reflection, intra‐ and inter‐band; and two different Andreev reflections, one retro‐reflective within the same band and one specular reflective between the two bands. The differential conductance of the structure is calculated and the existence of a minimum at voltages of the order of the excitonic gap is shown. The findings are useful toward the detection of the excitonic condensate and provide a plausible explanation for recent transport experiments on HgTe quantum wells and InAs/GaSb bilayer systems.
The contribution of financial entities to the sustainable development through the reporting of corporate social responsibility information
Authors: Pucheta‐Martínez María Consuelo , Bel‐Oms Inmaculada , Nekhili Mehdi
Published: December 2018

This paper aims at examining the relationship between the board composition and corporate social responsibility (CSR) of a sample of listed financial entities, discussing the reasons driving these entities to disclose CSR information. We hypothesise that there is a positive association between outside (institutional and independent directors) and female directors and CSR disclosure, and a negative relationship between inside directors and CSR reporting. Our findings provide evidence that the presence of independent directors and female directors on boards promotes CSR disclosure. Moreover, the results also show that the presence of inside directors and institutional directors on boards does not have an influence on CSR reporting. Thus, our evidence suggests that board attributes, such as the presence of independent and female directors, encourage financial entities to report CSR matters, showing the effectiveness of these two corporate governance mechanisms. The paper sheds light on the influence of the board structure of financial entities on CSR disclosure. Therefore, this study contributes to past research by providing an index for measuring the CSR disclosure of financial entities and the importance of the distinction between outside and inside directors.
Living Messages from Chemistry Icons: Legacies with Contemporary Relevance
Authors: Mehta Goverdhan , Krief Alain , Hopf Henning , Matlin Stephen A.
Published: December 2018

Beyond individual scientific virtuosity and creativity that leading figures in chemistry have displayed, they have sometimes conveyed wider messages of significance beyond their own professional specialization. They include insights into broader aspects of science, society or the ways of the world. On the other hand, the words, attitudes and actions of eminent chemists from former times have not always presented good models for others to follow, whether judged by their own contemporary or our present standards. Both positive and negative lessons may convey to us something about humanity in general or the nature of our current predicaments and challenges. In an era when science is more necessary than ever to help meet oncoming global challenges, yet the principles and results of science are irrationally questioned, it is particularly relevant to re‐connect with the broad insights and messages that can be derived from examining the thoughts and deeds of chemistry icons from the past.
Perinatal changes in fetal cardiac geometry and function in diabetic pregnancy at term
Authors: Patey O. , Carvalho J. S. , Thilaganathan B.
Published: December 2018

Objective

To evaluate the effect of diabetes in pregnancy on fetal and neonatal cardiac geometry and function around the time of delivery.

Methods

This was a prospective study of 75 pregnant women delivering at term, comprising 54 normal pregnancies and 21 with a diagnosis of pregestational or gestational diabetes mellitus. Fetal and neonatal conventional and spectral tissue Doppler and two‐dimensional speckle‐tracking echocardiography were performed a few days before and within hours after delivery. Fetal and neonatal cardiac geometry, global myocardial deformation and performance, diastolic and systolic function and left ventricular (LV) torsion were compared between normal pregnancies and those with diabetes, and perinatal changes within the diabetes group were assessed.

Results

Compared with normal pregnancies, diabetic pregnancies demonstrated significant differences in fetal ventricular geometry, myocardial deformation and cardiac function (right ventricular (RV) sphericity index, 0.56 vs 0.65; LV torsion, 2.1 °/cm vs 5.6 °/cm; LV isovolumetric relaxation time, 101 ms vs 115 ms; and RV isovolumetric contraction time, 107 ms vs 119 ms; P < 0.001 for all). Compared with normal pregnancies, diabetic pregnancies demonstrated significant differences in neonatal cardiac parameters (mean RV sphericity index, 0.43 vs 0.55; mean LV torsion, 1.30 °/cm vs 2.78 °/cm; median LV myocardial performance index (MPI′), 0.39 vs 0.51; median RV‐MPI′, 0.34 vs 0.40; P < 0.01 for all). Paired comparison between fetal and neonatal cardiac indices in diabetic pregnancies demonstrated that delivery resulted in a significant improvement in some, but not all, cardiac indices (mean RV sphericity index, 0.65 vs 0.55; mean LV torsion, 5.60 °/cm vs 2.78 °/cm; median RV‐MPI′, 0.51 vs 0.40; P < 0.01 for all).

Conclusions

Compared with normal term fetuses and neonates, those of diabetic women exhibit cardiac indices indicative of myocardial impairment, reflecting a response to a relatively hyperglycemic intrauterine environment with alteration in fetal loading conditions (LV preload deprivation and increased RV afterload) and adaptation to subsequent acute changes in hemodynamic load at delivery. Elucidating mechanisms that contribute to the alterations in perinatal cardiac function in diabetic pregnancy could help in refining management and developing better therapeutic strategies to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
The Heterogeneity of Global Pediatric Surgery: Defining Needs and Opportunities Around the World
Authors: Garber Kent , Cabrera Carla Cecilia Ramírez , Dinh Quang‐Le , Gerstle Justin T. , Holterman AiXuan , Millano Leecarlo , Muma Nyagetuba J. K. , Nguyen Liem Thanh , Tran Hoang , Tran Son Ngoc , Shekherdimian Shant
Published: December 2018

Background

The global burden of pediatric surgical conditions continues to remain inadequately addressed, particularly in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Among the many factors contributing to this gap are a lack of access to care secondary to resource shortages and inequitable distribution, underfinancing of healthcare systems, poor quality of care, and contextual challenges such as natural disasters and conflict. The relative contribution of these and other factors varies widely by region and even with countries of a region.

Methods

This review seeks to discuss the heterogeneity of global pediatric surgery and offer recommendations for addressing the barriers to high‐quality pediatric surgical care throughout the world.

Results

There is significant heterogeneity in pediatric surgical challenges, both between regions and among countries in the same region, although data are limited. This heterogeneity can reflect differences in demographics, epidemiology, geography, income level, health spending, historical health policies, and cultural practices, among others.

Conclusion

Country‐level research and stakeholder engagement are needed to better understand the heterogeneity of local needs and drive policy changes that contribute to sustainable reforms. Key to these efforts will be improved financing, access to and quality of pediatric surgical care.
Mathematical Structuralism
Authors: Hellman Geoffrey , Shapiro Stewart
Published: December 2018

The present work is a systematic study of five frameworks or perspectives articulating mathematical structuralism, whose core idea is that mathematics is concerned primarily with interrelations in abstraction from the nature of objects. The first two, set-theoretic and category-theoretic, arose within mathematics itself. After exposing a number of problems, the book considers three further perspectives formulated by logicians and philosophers of mathematics: sui generis, treating structures as abstract universals, modal, eliminating structures as objects in favor of freely entertained logical possibilities, and finally, modal-set-theoretic, a sort of synthesis of the set-theoretic and modal perspectives.
Race and Rights in the Digital Age
Authors: Powell Catherine
Published: December 2018

This essay discusses how, despite the liberatory potential of technology, racial bias pervades the digital space. This bias creates tension with both the formal, de jure equality notion of “colorblindness” (in U.S. constitutional law) as well as the broader, substantive, de facto equality idea (in international human rights law). The essay draws on the work of Osagie Obasogie to show how blind people perceive race in the same way as sighted people, despite not being able to see race. It then uses blindness as a metaphor to explore how race is seen and not seen online, and analyzes the implications of this for human rights.
Four new species of Bacidia s.s. (Ramalinaceae, Lecanorales) in the Russian Far East
Authors: GERASIMOVA Julia V. , EZHKIN Aleksandr K. , BECK Andreas
Published: December 2018

The molecular phylogeny of Bacidia s.s. in the Russian Far East was investigated using 62 nucleotide sequences from the ITS nrDNA region, 22 of which were newly obtained. Phylogenetic reconstructions employed Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood searches using MrBayes and RAxML. In addition, ITS2 secondary structures added further support using Compensatory Base Changes. As a result of morphological and phylogenetic studies, four new species of Bacidia are described. Bacidia areolata sp. nov. belongs to the suffusa group. It was collected once in Khabarovskiy Krai, the Russian Far East, on the bark of Acer tegmentosum and is closely related to B. suffusa but differs in having a smooth, cracked to areolate thallus and shorter spores. Bacidia elongata sp. nov. is a member of the fraxinea group and is similar to B. fraxinea but differs in having a wide zone of cells with enlarged lumina along the edge of the exciple. In fact, this zone of enlarged cells, in combination with its overall habit, places it morphologically close to B. suffusa, B. millegrana and B. campalea. Bacidia kurilensis sp. nov. is a basal member of the laurocerasi group and closely related to B. biatorina, B. heterochroa, B. laurocerasi and B. salazarensis. However, the combination of a granular thallus, large black apothecia and a green hue in the upper part of the exciple edge as well as in the epihymenium sets it apart from the species mentioned above. Bacidia sachalinensis sp. nov. resolves as a strongly supported member of the polychroa group and is known from a single locality in Sakhalin, the Russian Far East. Its thallus structure and apothecium colour are variable, which is typical for the polychroa group, but it differs from B. polychroa by having shorter spores with fewer septa and a mainly smooth to areolate thallus.
Barth backwards: reading theChurch Dogmatics‘from the end’
Authors: McDonald Rob
Published: December 2018

This article proposes a way of reading Karl Barth'sChurch Dogmaticsbackwards or ‘from the end’. Employing this method to exploreThe Doctrine of GodandThe Doctrine of the Word of Godhighlights two aspects of Barth's theology. The first is the importance of communion to Barth's account of the immanence and economy of God, especially in his understanding of God as the ‘Lord of Glory’. The second is Barth's careful balancing of christology and pneumatology across the first two volumes of theDogmaticsthrough the use of a chiastic structure that underpins his construal of divine election and his account of divine revelation.
Covenantal history and participatory metaphysics: formulating a Reformed response to the charge of legal fiction
Authors: Michelson Jared
Published: December 2018

To combat the charges raised by Radical Orthodoxy and others, which allege that Protestant soteriologies amount to a legal fiction, Bruce McCormack and Michael Horton suggest that Reformed theology embrace a covenantal ontology, which aims to overcome legal fiction objections without sacrificing Reformational insights or making recourse to medieval participatory metaphysics. For both theologians, covenantal history and participatory metaphysics are treated as rival paradigms. I suggest that their proposals display serious weaknesses and propose an alternative approach, inspired by the retrieval of Reformed scholastic insights, which treats covenant and participatory metaphysics as complementary motifs rather than rival paradigms, and is thereby able to overcome the legal fiction objection while maintaining Protestant distinctives.
Condescension, anticipation, reciprocal ecstasies: theological reflections on early Christian readings of Isaiah 6 and Daniel 3
Authors: Bucur Bogdan G.
Published: December 2018

In the biblical theophanies of Isaiah 6 and Daniel 3, divine condescension and human ascent constitute reciprocal ecstatic moves towards a divine–human encounter. The christological interpretation, widespread in early Christian reception history, further discerns in Isaiah 6 and Daniel 3 an anticipation of the radical condescension of the Logos-made-human and, conversely, an anticipation of the deifying ascent of humanity in Christ. Finally, the early Christian reading of Isaiah 6 and Daniel 3 as ‘christophanies’ – that is, as manifestations of the Logos-to-be-incarnate – also allows us a glimpse into the performative aspect and experiential claims of early Christian exegesis, broadly construed to also incorporate hymnography, iconography and ritual.
VOX POPULI, VOX DEORUM? ATHENIAN DOCUMENT RELIEFS AND THE THEOLOGIES OF PUBLIC INSCRIPTION
Authors: Mack William
Published: December 2018

This article argues that, by concentrating on a reading of the depictions of deities on the Athenian document reliefs as symbolic representations of states rather than as divinities, previous scholarly approaches to them have failed to explore the role they ascribe to the gods in collective decision-making and the exercise of public authority. This article resituates the interpretation of these monuments in the context of other monuments depicting the gods and recent approaches to them, and the other ways in which public inscriptions, both at Athens and elsewhere, make reference to divine actors, through their erection in sacred spaces and the use of thetheoiheading. It then examines the range of possible readings of the relationship between divine agency and political decision-making which these monuments privilege and argues that they reflect a conventional understanding that, in general, Athenian decision-making was underpinned by the gods.
Informality and Working Conditions in China's Sanitation Sector
Authors: Zhang Hao , Friedman Eli
Published: December 2018

Drawing on ethnographic data from the sanitation industry in Wenzhou and Guangzhou, we investigate different patterns of work organization in each city. We find that supplementary informal work can serve to subsidize low family income and therefore stabilize formal but exploitative work. In Wenzhou, the family team model creates time and space for one spouse to engage in informal work while still receiving a wage from the employer. This additional informal work significantly increases net family income, which neutralizes worker demands for better wages and working conditions in the formal sector. In contrast, Guangzhou workers are subject to relatively rigid spatio-temporal controls, impeding them from participating in informal work to supplement their formal wages. Despite receiving higher wages and more benefits, these workers are highly wage dependent and express much greater discontent than their equivalents in Wenzhou. Theoretically, we contribute to the literature on informality through a discussion of “ancillary informal work,” highlighting how access to certain kinds of informal work both subsidizes and is facilitated by formal sector employment.
GPS Signal Reception Classification Using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System
Authors: Sun Rui , Hsu Li-Ta , Xue Dabin , Zhang Guohao , Ochieng Washington Yotto
Published: December 2018

The multipath effect and Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) reception of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals both serve to degrade performance, particularly in urban areas. Although receiver design continues to evolve, residual multipath errors and NLOS signals remain a challenge in built-up areas. It is therefore desirable to identify direct, multipath-affected and NLOS GPS measurements in order improve ranging-based position solutions. The traditional signal strength-based methods to achieve this, however, use a single variable (for example, Signal to Noise Ratio (C/N0)) as the classifier. As this single variable does not completely represent the multipath and NLOS characteristics of the signals, the traditional methods are not robust in the classification of signals received. This paper uses a set of variables derived from the raw GPS measurements together with an algorithm based on an Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) to classify direct, multipath-affected and NLOS measurements from GPS. Results from real data show that the proposed method could achieve rates of correct classification of 100%, 91% and 84%, respectively, for LOS, Multipath and NLOS based on a static test with special conditions. These results are superior to the other three state-of-the-art signal reception classification methods.
Domesticating Light and Shadows in the Neolithic: The Dombate Passage Grave (A Coruña, Spain)
Authors: González-García A. César , Vilas-Estévez Benito , López-Romero Elías , Mañana-Borrazás Patricia
Published: December 2018

Research on the Neolithic monuments and dwellings of Atlantic Europe has shown that plays of light and colour were tools for the social and symbolic construction of the world. The integration of the architectures into the surrounding landscape and the incorporation of the surrounding landscape into the architectures were an essential part of this logic. In this context, recent research in the megalithic passage grave of Dombate has evidenced an unusual physical manifestation of sunlight, which interacts with the decorated back stone. The light-and-shadow phenomenon occurs at sunrise during the period of winter solstice. In this paper we discuss the particulars of this phenomenon and we argue that sunlight when it penetrates the passage and chamber at sunrise on these dates may have dictated how the art was located and applied to the structural stone. Such differentiation seems to have had important cultural and ritual significance and encoded/embedded meaning for the tomb builders and may have implications for the consideration of the symbolic dimension of similar architectures in Atlantic Europe.
Evaluating interventions to improve child nutrition in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Doocy Shannon , Emerson Jillian , Colantouni Elizabeth , Strong Johnathan , Amundson-Mansen Kimberly ,   the Jenga Jamaa II Study Team, Menakuntuala Joseph
Published: December 2018

Objective

The prevention of malnutrition in children under two approach (PM2A), women’s empowerment and agricultural interventions have not been widely evaluated in relation to child diet and nutrition outcomes. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of PM2A, women’s empowerment groups (WEG), farmer field schools (FFS) and farmer-to-farmer training (F2F).

Design

Community-matched quasi-experimental design; outcome measures included children’s dietary diversity, stunting and underweight.

Setting

Communities in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Participants

A total of 1312 children from 1113 households.

Results

Achievement of minimum dietary diversity ranged from 22·9 to 39·7 % and was significantly greater in the PM2A and FFS groups (P<0·05 for both comparisons). Fewer than 7·6 and 5·8 % of children in any group met minimum meal frequency and acceptable diet targets; only the PM2A group differed significantly from controls (P<0·05 for both comparisons). The endline stunting prevalence ranged from 54·7 % (PM2A) to 69·1 % (F2F) and underweight prevalence from 22·3 % (FFS) to 34·4 % (F2F). No significant differences were found between intervention groups and controls for nutrition measures; however, lower prevalences of stunting (PM2A, −4 %) and underweight (PM2A and FFS, −7 %) suggest potential impact on nutrition outcomes.

Conclusions

Children in the PM2A and FFS groups had better child diet measures and nutrition outcomes with the best results among PM2A beneficiaries. Interventions that address multiple aspects nutrition education, health, ration provision and income generation may be more effective in improving child diet and nutrition in resource-poor settings than stand-alone approaches.
Evidence of palliative care stigma: The role of negative stereotypes in preventing willingness to use palliative care
Authors: Shen Megan Johnson , Wellman Joseph D.
Published: December 2018

Objective

Although palliative care is critical to managing symptoms, pain, and transitions to end-of-life care among those facing serious or chronic illness, it is often underused, which may be due to stigma associated with palliative care representing giving up fighting one's illness. The goal of the present studies was to test the theoretical framework of stigma within the context of palliative care to inform future work on intervention development that addresses potential barriers to palliative care utilization.

Method

In study 1, participants (n = 152) had an oncologist describe two treatment options to a terminally ill cancer patient: (1) palliative care and (2) chemotherapy. Participants were then randomly assigned to read that the patient chose palliative care or chemotherapy. In study 2, these stereotypes about those receiving palliative care were examined as a potential mediator between perceived palliative care stigma and prospective palliative care use. Participants (n = 199) completed self-report measures of palliative care stigma, negative stereotypes about palliative care users, and prospective use of palliative care. Mediation analysis tested the mediational effects of stereotypes on the relationship between palliative care stigma and prospective usage of palliative care.

Result

In study 1, those in the palliative care condition endorsed significantly higher levels of negative stereotypes about the patient, viewed the decision more negatively, and saw the patient as less afraid of death. In study 2, palliative care stigma was associated with less prospective usage of palliative care for self and for one's family member. This relationship was mediated by negative stereotypes about individuals receiving palliative care.

Significance of results

Results suggest that palliative care stigma exists (study 1) and that this stigma may be a barrier to the utilization of palliative care (study 2). Future research should examine stigma reduction as a potential intervention target to improve palliative care utilization.
Evaluation of 2,4-D–based Herbicide Mixtures for Control of Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri)
Authors: Lawrence Benjamin H. , Bond Jason A. , Eubank Thomas W. , Golden Bobby R. , Cook Donald R. , Mangialardi Joseph P.
Published: December 2018

Understanding control of glyphosate-resistant (GR) Palmer amaranth with multiple herbicide sites of action, including synthetic auxins, is crucial for growers to minimize GR Palmer amaranth interference with crops. Field studies in 2013 and 2014 and a greenhouse study in 2014 were conducted in Stoneville, MS, to evaluate POST control of GR Palmer amaranth with 2,4-D alone and in mixtures with glyphosate and/or glufosinate. In the greenhouse study, control of 5- and 10-cm GR Palmer amaranth was 87% with 2,4-D at 0.84 kg ae ha−1. Dry weight reduction of GR Palmer amaranth was ≥81% with 2,4-D at 0.84 kg ha−1. In field studies, mixtures of glufosinate at 0.59 kg ai ha−1and 2,4-D at 0.56 or 1.12 kg ae ha−1controlled 5- to 10-cm GR Palmer amaranth 87% at 28 d after treatment (DAT). Averaged across glyphosate treatments, glufosinate applied alone applied to 5- to 10-cm GR Palmer amaranth reduced dry weight at 28 DAT to 20 g m−2from 82 g m−2and was comparable with that following 2,4-D applied alone at 1.12 kg ae ha−1and mixtures of glufosinate plus 2,4-D at 0.56 and 1.12 kg ae ha−1. Mixtures of 2,4-D plus glufosinate provided ≥92% control of 15- to 20-cm GR Palmer amaranth at 28 DAT. When applied to 15- to 20-cm plants, mixtures of 2,4-D plus glufosinate reduced GR Palmer amaranth density to ≤5 plants m−2compared with 65 plants m−2where no 2,4-D or glufosinate was applied. Glufosinate and 2,4-D are viable control options for 5- to 10-cm or 15- to 20-cm GR Palmer amaranth. However, 2,4-D did not improve GR Palmer amaranth control when added to any herbicide mixture except glyphosate and glufosinate applied to 15- to 20-cm plants at the 28 DAT evaluation.
Plasma Activity Around Sunspots May Foreshadow Solar Storms
Authors: Sidder Aaron
Published: December 2018

A new study identifies possible precursors to space weather in the regions encircling sunspots.