bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of intrathecal bupivacaine/morphine on quality of recovery in robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Koning M. V. , de Vlieger R. , Teunissen A. J. W. , Gan M. , Ruijgrok E. J. , de Graaff J. C. , Koopman J. S. H. A. , Stolker R. J.
Published: December 2019

Robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy causes discomfort in the immediate postoperative period. This randomised controlled trial investigated if intrathecal bupivacaine/morphine, in addition to general anaesthesia, could be beneficial for the postoperative quality of recovery. One hundred and fifty‐five patients were randomly allocated to an intervention group that received intrathecal 12.5 mg bupivacaine/300 μg morphine (20% dose reduction in patients > 75 years) or a control group receiving a subcutaneous sham injection and an intravenous loading dose of 0.1 mg.kg−1 morphine. Both groups received standardised general anaesthesia and the same postoperative analgesic regimen. The primary outcome was a decrease in the Quality of Recovery‐15 (QoR‐15) questionnaire score on postoperative day 1. The intervention group (n = 76) had less reduction in QoR‐15 on postoperative day 1; median (IQR [range]) 10% (1–8 [−60% to 50%]) vs. 13% (5–24 [−6% to 50%]), p = 0.019, and used less morphine during the admission; 2 mg (1–7 [0–41 mg]) vs. 15 mg (12–20 [8–61 mg]), p < 0.001. Furthermore, they perceived lower pain scores during exertion; numeric rating scale (NRS) 3 (1–6 [0–9]) vs. 5 (3–7 [0–9]), p = 0.001; less bladder spasms (NRS 1 (0–2 [0–10]) vs. 2 (0–5 [0–10]), p = 0.001 and less sedation; NRS 2 (0–3 [0–10]) vs. 3 (2–6 [0–10]), p = 0.005. Moreover, the intervention group used less rescue medication. Pruritus was more severe in the intervention group; NRS 4 (1–7 [0–10]) vs. 0 (0–1 [0–10]), p = 0.000. We conclude that despite a modest increase in the incidence of pruritus, multimodal pain management with intrathecal bupivacaine/morphine remains a viable option for robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy.
Quad bike injuries at an Australian regional hospital: a trauma registry review
Authors: Liddle Sean E. , McDermott Kathleen M. , Ward Linda M. , Lim Huat Hock , Read David J.
Published: December 2019

Background

Quad bikes are a prominent cause of morbidity and mortality in Australia in both agriculture and recreation. This study describes the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of quad bike injuries at the Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH).

Methods

A retrospective review of the RDH Trauma Registry for all quad bike mechanism of injury from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2015 was conducted. We analysed patient demographics, remoteness of injury, injury circumstances, patterns and severity of injury, surgical intervention, length of stay and outcome.

Results

In total, 186 persons were injured, of whom 81% (n = 150) were male. There was an increase in quad bike incidents during the 10‐year study period, and the greatest increase was seen in the 16–30 years age group. When helmet use was recorded, it was low at 36% (n = 47). Alcohol involvement was 40% (n = 74). Cases with alcohol involvement were 10 times less likely to have worn a helmet than those cases without alcohol involvement (95% confidence interval 3.8–29). The median Injury Severity Score was 8 (interquartile range 4–10). The median hospital length of hospital stay was 4 days (interquartile range 3–7). The majority, 57% (n = 106), did not require surgical intervention. The fatality rate was <5%.

Conclusion

Quad bike incidents presenting to RDH are increasing. This likely corresponds to the increased number of quad bikes in circulation, and has resulted in an increased demand on health care. Alcohol use and a lack of safety equipment continue to be potentially correctable factors.
Expanding the clinical and molecular spectrum of lethal congenital contracture syndrome 8 associated with biallelic variants of ADCY6
Authors: Agolini Emanuele , Cherchi Claudio , Bellacchio Emanuele , Martinelli Diego , Cocciadiferro Dario , Cutrera Renato , Chiarini Testa Maria B. , Barone Chiara , Bianca Sebastiano , Novelli Antonio
Published: December 2019

Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) is defined as congenital, non‐progressive contractures in more than two joints and in multiple body areas, resulting from reduced fetal mobility. So far, more than 400 causative genes for AMC have been identified. Some isolated AMC phenotypes arise as a result of mutations in genes encoding components required for motor neuron structure, function, and myelination, as in the case of ADCY6 encoding the enzyme adenylyl cyclase type 6. ADCY6 inactivation, due to biallelic variants, have been previously associated with the lethal congenital contracture syndrome 8 (LCCS8). So far, only four LCCS8 patients, from two families, have been reported. Here, we describe a new patient affected by a severe form of AMC, harboring two novel compound heterozygous variants in ADCY6. Our findings expand the clinical and mutational spectrum of LCCS8, showing a possible correlation between the impact of the ADCY6 missense variants reported to date, predicted by molecular modeling, and the severity of the phenotype.
Contextual Integration in Multiparty Audience Design
Authors: Yoon Si On , Brown‐Schmidt Sarah
Published: December 2019

Communicating with multiple addressees poses a problem for speakers: Each addressee necessarily comes to the conversation with a different perspective—different knowledge, different beliefs, and a distinct physical context. Despite the ubiquity of multiparty conversation in everyday life, little is known about the processes by which speakers design language in multiparty conversation. While prior evidence demonstrates that speakers design utterances to accommodate addressee knowledge in multiparty conversation, it is unknown if and how speakers encode and combine different types of perspective information. Here we test whether speakers encode the perspective of multiple addressees, and then simultaneously consider their knowledge and physical context during referential design in a three‐party conversation. Analyses of referential form—expression length, disfluency, and elaboration rate—in an interactive multiparty conversation demonstrate that speakers do take into consideration both addressee knowledge and physical context when designing utterances, consistent with a knowledge‐scene integration view. These findings point to an audience design process that takes as input multiple types of representations about the perspectives of multiple addressees, and that bases the informational content of the to‐be‐designed utterance on a combination of the perspectives of the intended addressees.
Verruciform xanthoma accompanying a cystic growth: A case report
Authors: Hara Mariko , Kato Yoichi , Kaku Yo , Tsujioka Kaoru
Published: December 2019

Verruciform xanthoma, an uncommon, benign lesion with characteristic histopathological features, usually develops on the oral mucosa or genital area. We present an unusual case of verruciform xanthoma observed on the inguinal skin of a 52‐year‐old healthy man along with an underlying cystic component. The superficial lesion was a pedunculated nodule with a fissured surface and an 18‐mm mound‐like pigmented tumor underneath it. The histopathologically deep lesion was continuously attached to the superficial lesion. It was composed of fistula or sinus‐like spaces and covered with acanthotic epithelium. The epidermis and upper dermis of both lesions showed identical histopathological findings: varying degrees of acanthosis, elongation of rete ridges, eosinophilic parakeratotic layer extending toward the dermis, and densely infiltrating foam cells confined to the papillary layer of the dermis. This finding of a cystic component in the deep dermis expands the histopathologic features of verruciform xanthoma.
Influence of anti‐allergic drugs used systemically on the process of root resorption during delayed tooth replantation: A study in rats
Authors: Machado Nathália Evelyn da Silva , Banci Henrique Augusto , da Silva Lucas Deszo , Santinoni Carolina dos Santos , de Oliveira Danilo Louzada , Ervolino Edilson , Prado Rosana Leal do , Mori Graziela Garrido
Published: December 2019

Background/Aim

Anti‐allergic drugs can inhibit the hard tissue resorption process, and due to similarities between root resorption and bone mechanisms, it can be inferred that these drugs may also control root resorption. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of anti‐allergic drugs used systemically on the process of root resorption following delayed tooth replantation.

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐two maxillary right incisors of rats were extracted and subsequently replanted. Rats were divided into four groups according to the anti‐allergic drug administered: the rats in groups DEX, Q, and MO were treated systemically with dexamethasone phosphate, quercetin, and montelukast, respectively, and no systemic medication was administered to rats in group C. After 60 days, the animals were euthanized, and the specimens were processed for histomorphometric and immunohistochemical analyses. Statistical significance was set at P < .05.

Results

There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of inflammatory resorption, replacement resorption, or presence of tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase. In terms of events occurring in the periodontal ligament space, there was a difference between groups Q and MO due to the presence of dental ankylosis and inflammatory connective tissue (P < .05). A difference in inflammatory cells was also observed through CD45 immunolabeling between the DEX and Q groups when compared to the C group (P < .05).

Conclusion

The systemic administration of anti‐allergic drugs did not have an effect on the process of root resorption following delayed tooth replantation.
Motor skill acquisition during a balance task as a process of optimization of motor primitives
Authors: de Lemos Fonseca Marcus , Daneault Jean‐François , Vergara‐Diaz Gloria , Quixadá Ana Paula , Souza de Oliveira e Torres Ângelo Frederico , Pondé de Sena Eduardo , Bomfim Cruz Vieira João Paulo , Bigogno Reis Cazeta Bianca , Sotero dos Santos Vitor , da Cruz Figueiredo Thiago , Peña Norberto , Bonato Paolo , Vivas Miranda José Garcia
Published: December 2019

It has been argued that the central nervous system relies on combining simple movement elements (i.e. motor primitives) to generate complex motor outputs. However, how movement elements are generated and combined during the acquisition of new motor skills is still a source of debate. Herein, we present results providing new insights into the role of movement elements in the acquisition of motor skills that we obtained by analysing kinematic data collected while healthy subjects learned a new motor task. The task consisted of playing an interactive game using a platform with embedded sensors whose aggregate output was used to control a virtual object in the game. Subjects learned the task over multiple blocks. The analysis of the kinematic data was carried out using a recently developed technique referred to as “movement element decomposition.” The technique entails the decomposition of complex multi‐dimensional movements in one‐dimensional elements marked by a bell‐shaped velocity profile. We computed the number of movement elements during each block and measured how closely they matched a theoretical velocity profile derived by minimizing a cost function accounting for the smoothness of movement and the cost of time. The results showed that, in the early stage of motor skill acquisition, two mechanisms underlie the improvement in motor performance: 1) a decrease in the number of movement elements composing the motor output and 2) a gradual change in the movement elements that resulted in a shape matching the velocity profile derived by using the above‐mentioned theoretical model.
A homogeneous ensemble method for predicting gastric cancer based on gastroscopy reports
Authors: Ding Shuai , Hu Shikang , Pan Jinxin , Li Xiaojian , Li Gang , Liu Xiao
Published: December 2019

Gastroscopy is important for finding suspicious stomach lesions, screening for gastric cancer, and providing early diagnoses. Due to the differences in the levels of diagnosis and treatment among gastroscope doctors, clinical diagnosis based on gastroscopy is limited by low diagnostic sensitivity and specificity to gastric cancer. An assistive system for gastroscopy report analysis can be helpful to improve the success rate of gastric cancer detection. In this study, a homogeneous ensemble decision support system for gastric cancer screening (Endo‐GCS) that performs word segmentation, feature extraction, and gastric cancer screening on text‐based gastroscopy reports is proposed. The proposed Endo‐GCS method establishes a progressive local weighting algorithm that improves the overall prediction performance of the homogeneous ensemble model in gastric cancer screening. An optimal threshold estimation algorithm is developed to minimize the negative impact of misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses. Through a comparative experimental study using real gastroscopy report data, the pathological examination conclusion is the gold standard. The sensitivity of the proposed Endo‐GCS method is 88.27%, the specificity is 77.84%, and the accuracy is 82.11%, which significantly improved the sensitivity 65.49% and the accuracy 80.5% of the gastroscopic diagnosis results, respectively.
Effects of CD4 cell count and antiretroviral therapy on mucocutaneous manifestations among HIV/AIDS patients in Yunnan, China
Authors: Li Yu‐Ye , Yang Shi‐Han , Wang Rui‐Rui , Tang Jun‐Ting , Wang Hong‐Mei , Kuang Yi‐Qun
Published: December 2019

Background

The affecting factors of mucocutaneous manifestations in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients remain unclear in China.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted among HIV/AIDS patients in Yunnan, China. The demographic data, mucocutaneous manifestations, CD4 cell counts, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens were collected. The effects of CD4 cell count and ART on the spectrum of mucocutaneous manifestations were evaluated.

Results

Among 508 HIV/AIDS patients, 86.0% of cases showed mucocutaneous manifestations. The average CD4 cell count (176 cells/μl) of the patients with manifestations was significantly lower than those without manifestations (328 cells/μl) (P < 0.001). Diseases such as herpes zoster, oral candidiasis, condyloma acuminatum, genital herpes, oral leukoplakia, talaromycosis, cryptococcosis, and HIV‐PPE (pruritic papular eruption) were represented quite frequently in patients with CD4 cell count <200 cells/μl (P < 0.05), but eczema was suffered by those with CD4 cell count ≥200 cells/μl (P < 0.05). ART could decline the incidence of herpes zoster, oral candidiasis, condyloma acuminatum, genital herpes, oral leukoplakia, talaromycosis, and cryptococcosis (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Mucocutaneous manifestations are closely related to the CD4 cell count and can be used as early predictors of HIV/AIDS and immune status in clinic. ART could reduce the incidence of certain mucocutaneous manifestations.
Intergenerational associations of dietary inflammatory index with birth outcomes and weight status at age 5 and 9: Results from the Lifeways cross‐generation cohort study
Authors: Navarro Pilar , Shivappa Nitin , Hébert James R. , Mehegan John , Murrin Celine M. , Kelleher Cecily C. , Phillips Catherine M. ,   for the Lifeways Cross‐Generation Cohort Study
Published: December 2019

Background

Maternal diet and chronic inflammation may influence early‐life offspring health. No comparative data regarding intergenerational associations between dietary inflammation and offspring growth exist.

Objective

To investigate potential associations between parental and grandparental dietary inflammatory index (DII®) scores with offspring birth outcomes and childhood adiposity.

Methods

This analysis of the Lifeways Study includes 1082 mother‐child pairs, 333 index‐child's fathers and 707 grandparents. Energy‐adjusted DII (E‐DII) scores were derived from a validated FFQ for all adults. Birth outcomes were abstracted from hospital records. Childhood BMI was determined at age 5 and 9. Logistic regression and mediation analyses using the PROCESS macro for SPSS were performed.

Results

Higher maternal E‐DII scores, reflecting a more pro‐inflammatory diet, were associated with increased risk of low birthweight (LBW), BW < 2500 g (OR:1.20, 95%CI:1.02–1.47, p = 0.03). Higher maternal grandmothers' (MGM) E‐DII scores were associated with increased risk of macrosomia (OR:1.35, 95% CI:1.02–1.79, p = 0.03) and with increased risk of an overweight grandchild at age 9 (OR:1.47, 95% CI:1.26–1.72, p = 0.02). Results from the mediation analyses revealed a significant total effect between MGMs' E‐DII scores and grandchild's BW. Higher father's and paternal grandmothers' (PGM) E‐DII scores were associated with greater risk of childhood overweight/obesity at 5 years (OR:1.03, 95%CI:1.01–1.19, p = 0.04 and OR:1.07, 95%CI:1.05–1.09, p = 0.01, respectively). The association with the PGMs' E‐DII persisted at age 9 (OR:1.13, 95%CI:1.01–1.90, p = 0.04).

Conclusions

Dietary inflammation is associated with adverse offspring birth outcomes and childhood adiposity. A more pro‐inflammatory maternal line diet appears to influence early‐life growth, whereas paternal line dietary inflammation appears to influence childhood obesity.
Transcriptional changes in the aphid species Myzus cerasi under different host and environmental conditions
Authors: Thorpe P. , Escudero‐Martinez C. M. , Eves‐van den Akker S. , Bos J. I. B.
Published: December 2019

Aphids feature complex life cycles, which in the case of many agriculturally important species involve primary and secondary host plant species. Whilst host alternation between primary and secondary host can occur in the field depending on host availability and the environment, aphid populations maintained as laboratory stocks generally are kept under conditions that allow asexual reproduction by parthenogenesis on secondary hosts. We used Myzus cerasi (black cherry aphid) to assess aphid transcriptional differences between populations collected from primary hosts in the field and those adapted to secondary hosts under controlled environment conditions. Transfer of M. cerasi collected from local cherry trees to reported secondary host species resulted in low survival rates. Moreover, aphids were unable to survive on the secondary host land cress, unless first adapted to another secondary host, cleavers. Transcriptome analyses of the different aphid populations (field collected and adapted) revealed extensive transcriptional plasticity to a change in environment, with predominantly genes involved in redox reactions differentially regulated. Most of the differentially expressed genes were duplicated and we found evidence for differential exon usage. Our data suggest that aphid adaptation to different environments may pose a major hurdle and leads to extensive gene expression changes.
Effects of hypoxia on aerobic metabolism and active electrosensory acquisition in the African weakly electric fish Marcusenius victoriae
Authors: Moulton Tyler L. , Chapman Lauren J. , Krahe Rüdiger
Published: December 2019

Environmental hypoxia has effected numerous and well‐documented anatomical, physiological and behavioural adaptations in fishes. Comparatively little is known about hypoxia's impacts on sensing because it is difficult to quantify sensory acquisition in vivo. Weakly electric fishes, however, rely heavily on an easily‐measurable sensory modality—active electric sensing—whereby individuals emit and detect electric organ discharges (EODs). In this study, hypoxia tolerance of a mormyrid weakly electric fish, Marcusenius victoriae, was assessed by examining both its metabolic and EOD rates using a critical threshold (pcrit) paradigm. The routine metabolic rate was 1.42 mg O2 h−1, and the associated critical oxygen tension was 14.34 mmHg. Routine EOD rate was 5.68 Hz with an associated critical tension of 15.14 mmHg. These metabolic indicators of hypoxia tolerance measured in this study were consistent with those in previous studies on M. victoriae and other weakly electric fishes. Furthermore, our results suggest that some aerobic processes may be reduced in favour of maintaining the EOD rate under extreme hypoxia. These findings underscore the importance of the active electrosensory modality to these hypoxia‐tolerant fish.
Effects of social subordination and oestradiol on resting‐state amygdala functional connectivity in adult female rhesus monkeys
Authors: Reding Katherine M. , Grayson David S. , Miranda‐Dominguez Oscar , Ray Siddarth , Wilson Mark E. , Toufexis Donna , Fair Damien A. , Sanchez Mar M.
Published: December 2019

Preclinical studies demonstrate that chronic stress modulates the effects of oestradiol (E2) on behaviour through the modification of the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) neuronal structure. Clinical studies suggest that alterations in amygdala functional connectivity (FC) with the mPFC may be associated with stress‐related phenotypes, including mood and anxiety disorders. Thus, identifying the effects of stress and E2 on amygdala‐mPFC circuits is critical for understanding the neurobiology underpinning the vulnerability to stress‐related disorders in women. In the present study, we used a well‐validated rhesus monkey model of chronic psychosocial stress (subordinate social rank) to examine effects of E2 on subordinate (SUB) (i.e. high stress) and dominant (DOM) (i.e. low stress) female resting‐state amygdala FC with the mPFC and with the whole‐brain. In the non‐E2 treatment control condition, SUB was associated with stronger left amygdala FC to subgenual cingulate (Brodmann area [BA] 25: BA25), a region implicated in several psychopathologies in people. In SUB females, E2 treatment strengthened right amygdala‐BA25 FC, induced a net positive amygdala‐visual cortex FC that was positively associated with frequency of submissive behaviours, and weakened positive amygdala‐para/hippocampus FC. Our findings show that subordinate social rank alters amygdala FC and the impact of E2 on amygdala FC with BA25 and with regions involved in visual processing and memory encoding.
Sleep deprivation‐induced impairment of memory consolidation is not mediated by glucocorticoid stress hormones
Authors: Raven Frank , Heckman Pim R. A. , Havekes Robbert , Meerlo Peter
Published: December 2019

The general consensus is that sleep promotes neuronal recovery and plasticity, whereas sleep deprivation (SD) impairs brain function, including cognitive processes. Indeed, a wealth of data has shown a negative impact of SD on learning and memory processes, particularly those that involve the hippocampus. The mechanisms underlying these negative effects of sleep loss are only partly understood, but a reoccurring question is whether they are in part caused by stress hormones that may be released during SD. The purpose of the present study is therefore to examine the role of glucocorticoid stress hormones in SD‐induced memory impairment. Male C57BL/6J mice were trained in an object‐location memory paradigm, followed by 6 hr of SD by mild stimulation. At the beginning of the SD mice were injected with the corticosterone synthesis inhibitor metyrapone. Memory was tested 24 hr after training. Blood samples taken in a separate group of mice showed that SD resulted in a mild but significant increase in plasma corticosterone levels, which was prevented by metyrapone. However, the SD‐induced impairment in object‐location memory was not prevented by metyrapone treatment. This indicates that glucocorticoids play no role in causing the memory impairments seen after a short period of SD.
Shock‐induced formation of wüstite and fayalite in a magnetite‐quartz target rock
Authors: Henrichs Leonard F. , Kontny Agnes , Reznik Boris , Gerhards Uta , Göttlicher Jörg , Genssle Tim , Schilling Frank
Published: December 2019

Projectile–target interactions as a result of a large bolide impact are important issues, as abundant extraterrestrial material has been delivered to the Earth throughout its history. Here, we report results of shock‐recovery experiments with a magnetite‐quartz target rock positioned in an ARMCO iron container. Petrography, synchrotron‐assisted X‐ray powder diffraction, and micro‐chemical analysis confirm the appearance of wüstite, fayalite, and iron in targets subjected to 30 GPa. The newly formed mineral phases occur along shock veins and melt pockets within the magnetite‐quartz aggregates, as well as along intergranular fractures. We suggest that iron melt formed locally at the contact between ARMCO container and target, and intruded the sample causing melt corrosion at the rims of intensely fractured magnetite and quartz. The strongly reducing iron melt, in the form of μm‐sized droplets, caused mainly a diffusion rim of wüstite with minor melt corrosion around magnetite. In contact with quartz, iron reacted to form an iron‐enriched silicate melt, from which fayalite crystallized rapidly as dendritic grains. The temperatures required for these transformations are estimated between 1200 and 1600 °C, indicating extreme local temperature spikes during the 30 GPa shock pressure experiments.
Experimental constraints on the solidification of a hydrous lunar magma ocean
Authors: Lin Yanhao , Hui Hejiu , Xia Xiaoping , Shang Sheng , van Westrenen Wim
Published: December 2019

The identification of hydrogen in a range of lunar samples and the similarity of its abundance and isotopic composition with terrestrial values suggest that water could have been present in the Moon since its formation. To quantify the effect of water on early lunar differentiation, we present new analyses of a high‐pressure, high‐temperature experimental study designed to model the mineralogical and geochemical evolution of the solidification material equivalent to 700 km deep lunar magma oceans first reported in Lin et al. (2017a). We also performed additional experiments to better quantify water contents in the run products. Water contents in the melt phases in hydrous run products spanning a range of crystallization steps were quantified directly using a secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Results suggest that a significant but constant proportion (68 ± 5%) of the hydrogen originally added to the experiments was lost from the starting material independent of run conditions and run duration. The volume of plagioclase formed during our crystallization experiments can be combined with the measured water contents and the observed crustal thickness on the Moon to provide an updated lunar interior hygrometer. Our data suggest that at least 45–354 ppm H2O equivalent was present in the Moon at the time of crust formation. These estimates confirm the inference of Lin et al. (2017a) that the Moon was wet during its magma ocean stage, with corrected absolute water contents now comparable to estimates derived from the water content in a range of lunar samples.
Resilience in reef‐building corals: The ecological and evolutionary importance of the host response to thermal stress
Authors: Drury Crawford
Published: December 2019

Coral reefs are under extreme threat due to a number of stressors, but temperature increases due to changing climate are the most severe. Rising ocean temperatures coupled with local extremes lead to extensive bleaching, where the coral‐algal symbiosis breaks down and corals may die, compromising the structure and function of reefs. Although the symbiotic nature of the coral colony has historically been a focus of research on coral resilience, the host itself is a foundational component in the response to thermal stress. Fixed effects in the coral host set trait baselines through evolutionary processes, acting on many loci of small effect to create mosaics of thermal tolerance across latitudes and individual coral reefs. These genomic differences can be strongly heritable, producing wide variation among clones of different genotypes or families of a specific larval cross. Phenotypic plasticity is overlaid on these baselines and a growing body of knowledge demonstrates the potential for acclimatization of reef‐building corals through a variety of mechanisms that promote resilience and stress tolerance. The long‐term persistence of coral reefs will require many of these mechanisms to adjust to warmer temperatures within a generation, bridging the gap to reproductive events that allow recombination of standing diversity and adaptive change. Business‐as‐usual climate scenarios will probably lead to the loss of some coral populations or species in the future, so the interaction between intragenerational effects and evolutionary pressure is critical for the survival of reefs.
Residency and abundance of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in Nemuro Strait, Hokkaido, Japan
Authors: Kobayashi Hayao , Amano Masao
Published: December 2019

We examined the trend in residence patterns and abundance of male sperm whales in Nemuro Strait, Japan, based on long‐term photo‐identification (1,513 survey days, total 2,969 photos) between 2006 and 2017. A total of 225 unique individuals were identified during this study, with an average of 36 (SE = 2.55) new individuals identified in each season. The model chosen by maximum likelihood suggests that residence time around Nemuro Strait is 769 (SE = 372.4) days, with individuals staying in the strait about 48 days (SE = 8.36) per year. While the migration patterns of male sperm whales visiting this area are still unclear, these findings along with previous studies suggest that males move from one breeding area to another neighboring area every several weeks, shifting their home ranges gradually over a period of a few years. The abundance of sperm whales in Nemuro Strait varied greatly from year to year; from 28 (95%CI: 24–44) in 2015 and (95%CI: 22–48) in 2016 to 66 (95%CI: 57–84) in 2011. This study provides important knowledge of abundance and residency for Nemuro Strait, information which will contribute to further research on the social structure and movement pattern of male sperm whales.
Developing a newborn rat model of ventriculitis without concomitant bacteremia by intraventricular injection of K1 (−) Escherichia coli
Authors: Ahn So Yoon , Chang Yun Sil , Sung Dong Kyung , Kim Young Eun , Park Won Soon
Published: December 2019

Background

Neonatal meningitis caused by Escherichia coli results in high mortality and neurological disabilities, and the concomitant systemic bacteremia confounds its mortality and brain injury. This study developed an experimental model of neonatal ventriculitis without concomitant systemic bacteremia by determining the bacterial inoculum of K1 capsule‐negative E. coli by intraventricular injection in newborn rats.

Methods

We carried out intraventricular injections 1 × 102 (low dose), 5 × 102 (medium dose), or 1 × 103 (high dose) colony‐forming units (CFU) of K1 (−) E. coli (EC5ME) in Sprague‐Dawley rats at postnatal day (P) 11. Ampicillin was started at P12. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures were performed at 6 h, 1 day, and 6 days after inoculation. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at P12 and P17. Survival was monitored, and brain tissue was obtained for histological and biochemical analyses at P12 and P17.

Results

Survival was inoculum dose‐dependent, with the lowest survival in the high‐dose group (20%) compared with the medium‐ (67%) or low‐ (73%) dose groups. CSF bacterial counts in the low‐ and medium‐dose groups were significantly lower than that in the high‐dose group at 6 h, but not at 24 h after inoculation. No bacteria were isolated from the blood throughout the experiment or from the CSF at P17. Brain MRI showed an inoculum dose‐dependent increase in the extent of brain injury and inflammatory responses.

Conclusions

We developed a newborn rat model of bacterial ventriculitis without concomitant systemic bacteremia by intraventricular injection of EC5ME.
How to leverage the impact of R&D on product innovation? The moderating effect of management innovation
Authors: Heij Cornelis V. , Volberda Henk W. , Van den Bosch Frans A.J. , Hollen Rick M.A.
Published: December 2019

Although research and development (R&D) is a key indicator of (technological) innovation, scholars have found mixed results regarding its effect on product innovation and firm performance. In this paper, we claim that variations in R&D effectiveness can be explained by changes in a firm’s social system, in particular in its management innovation. It is still unclear how management innovation influences R&D effectiveness in terms of product innovation. In this study, we address this theoretical and empirical gap in the innovation literature. Our theoretical arguments and findings from a large‐scale survey among Dutch firms show that R&D has a decreasingly positive relationship with product innovation, particularly for firms with low levels of management innovation. However, in firms with high levels of management innovation, this relationship becomes more J‐shaped, especially in small and medium‐sized firms. Our findings also appear to indicate that management innovation may be more important for competitive advantage than just R&D. Overall, our insights reveal that management innovation is a key moderator in explaining firms’ effectiveness in transforming R&D into successful product innovation.
Assessing risks and mitigating impacts of harmful algal blooms on mariculture and marine fisheries
Authors: Brown Andrew Ross , Lilley Martin , Shutler Jamie , Lowe Chris , Artioli Yuri , Torres Ricardo , Berdalet Elisa , Tyler Charles R.
Published: December 2019

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food sector globally and protein provisioning from aquaculture now exceeds that from wild capture fisheries. There is clear potential for the further expansion of marine aquaculture (mariculture), but there are associated risks. Some naturally occurring algae can proliferate under certain environmental conditions, causing deoxygenation of seawater, or releasing toxic compounds (phycotoxins), which can harm wild and cultured finfish and shellfish, and also human consumers. The impacts of these so‐called harmful algal blooms (HABs) amount to approximately 8 $billion/yr globally, due to mass mortalities in finfish, harvesting bans preventing the sale of shellfish that have accumulated unsafe levels of HAB phycotoxins and unavoided human health costs. Here, we provide a critical review and analysis of HAB impacts on mariculture (and wild capture fisheries) and recommend research to identify ways to minimise their impacts to the industry. We examine causal factors for HAB development in inshore versus offshore locations and consider how mariculture itself, in its various forms, may exacerbate or mitigate HAB risk. From a management perspective, there is considerable scope for strategic siting of offshore mariculture and holistic Environmental Approaches for Aquaculture, such as offsetting nutrient outputs from finfish farming, via the co‐location of extractive shellfish and macroalgae. Such pre‐emptive, ecosystem‐based approaches are preferable to reactive physical, chemical or microbiological control measures aiming to remove or neutralise HABs and their phycotxins. To facilitate mariculture expansion and long‐term sustainability, it is also essential to evaluate HAB risk in conjunction with climate change.
Impact of environmental factors on the growth and maturation of farmed Arctic charr
Authors: Imsland Albert Kjartan Dagbjartarson , Gunnarsson Snorri , Thorarensen Helgi
Published: December 2019

Farming of Arctic charr mainly takes place in land‐based farms applying intensive rearing methods with relatively high production costs. Depending on local conditions at each site, it is possible to regulate important environmental factors to improve productivity and well‐being of the fish. Knowledge about how these different environmental factors affect various farming traits is important to reduce production costs. This review shows how rearing temperature, photoperiod, salinity and feeding rate can affect farming traits such as growth rate, maturation and feed conversion efficiency of Arctic charr. High growth rate during juvenile phase when the fish are reared at higher temperatures can result in higher incidence of maturation during the on‐growing period. Overall, more moderate rearing temperature regimes seem to result in better long‐term growth rates. Photoperiod manipulation and feed ration can be used as tools to improve growth and reduce maturation. It is possible to rear Arctic charr successfully up to market size in salinities up to c. 27–28 ppt. However, extended rearing resulted in higher ratio of sexually mature fish at 29 than at 25 possibly linked to higher rearing temperatures in brackish water. Future studies should focus on better preserving the potential high growth rate of Arctic charr during juvenile phase into the on‐growing period and establish protocols to improve the seawater tolerance of Arctic charr.
Improving police integrity in Uganda: Impact assessment of the police accountability and reform project
Authors: Wagner Natascha , Hout Wil , Namara Rose
Published: December 2019

Uganda and in particular the Ugandan police are perceived as highly corrupt. To address the integrity of police officers, an intervention called the Police Accountability and Reform Project (PARP) was implemented in selected police districts between 2010 and early 2013. This paper studies the impact of PARP for a sample of 600 police officers who were interviewed about police integrity by means of 12 hypothetical vignette cases depicting context‐specific, undesirable behavior of varying degrees of severity. The assessments of the cases by the police officers are analyzed using propensity score matching, inverse probability weighting, and seemingly unrelated regression techniques. We show that the self‐selection of police officers into the program is unlikely to drive the results. The results suggest that officers participating in PARP activities (1) judge the presented cases of misconduct more severely, (2) are more inclined to report misconduct, and (3) also expect their colleagues to judge misbehavior at the police level more critically although the latter two coefficient estimates are smaller in size. This suggests that PARP activities have affected the perception of police officers but only encouraged them moderately to actually take action against bad practices.
Transforming a School into a Learning Community by Integrating FIRST Framework through a Professional Development Framework
Authors: Farhat Amal
Published: December 2019

This study recounts the cyclic process that one private school developed and implemented for the purpose of professional development PD of its staff during an academic year. The process consists of five stages that constitute the framework for PD. The content used to implement the PD framework was a learning framework that focuses on students’ active deep learning, FIRST. The implementation of the PD incorporated many tasks such as training, coaching, classroom observations and learning walks, all of which were delegated to teachers as a way to distribute leadership. Other tasks included formative assessment of teachers’ skills, reflection on practice, and planning for action. At the end of the year, the impact of the PD was investigated through questionnaires, classroom observations, lesson plans, and interviews with students. It was found that teachers preferred the newly adopted PD framework to preceding professional development programs and reported to have benefited more than they had previously. Classroom observations conducted by external and internal observers indicated that the teachers were integrating the majority of the newly introduced skills in their classroom performances. Finally, students, when interviewed, used much of the terminology that were elicited from the learning framework, FIRST, which constituted the content of the PD framework their teachers had undergone. In addition, they reported to have learned considerably from the newly adopted activities and practices by their teachers and enjoyed the new approaches used in their classrooms.
Portable Intelligent Oscilloscope Based on Innovative Education
Authors: Zeng Yu , Ma Long-Hua , Wu Fei-Qing , Huang Ze-Xi
Published: December 2019

Based on the innovative education idea that students in various universities can do experiments anytime and anywhere without being limited by the course time, a portable oscilloscope suitable for students' experiment and teaching practice is designed by using Arduino, Android and Bluetooth Technology. This oscilloscope not only realizes the basic functions of an oscilloscope, but also makes the measurement images of low-frequency signals more clear and impressive. In addition, the design based on the mobile App is more user-friendly, which enhances the user's sense of use and facilitates the sorting and query of experimental data. The application test shows that the oscilloscope has stable performance, clear waveform, satisfies students' learning and teaching practice to a large extent, and has a good development prospect.
Expansion coding and computation in the cerebellum: 50 years after the Marr–Albus codon theory
Authors: Sanger Terence D. , Yamashita Okito , Kawato Mitsuo
Published: December 2019

Fifty years ago, David Marr and James Albus proposed a computational model of cerebellar cortical function based on the pioneering circuit models described by John Eccles, Masao Ito and Janos Szentagothai. The Marr–Albus model remains one of the most enduring and influential models in computational neuroscience, despite apparent falsification of some of the original predictions. We re‐examine the Marr–Albus model in the context of the modern theory of computational neural networks and in the context of expanded interpretations of the connectivity and function of cerebellar cortex within the full motor system. By doing so, we show that the original elements of the codon theory continue to make important predictions for cerebellar mechanism, and we show that evidence appearing to contradict the original model is based on an artificially narrow interpretation of cerebellar structure and motor function.

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Design Optimization of Nonrotational and Rotational Needle Insertion for Minimal Cutting Forces
Authors: Lin Chi-Lun , Jheng Yu-Chen , Ng Si Yen , Yen Chun Jung
Published: December 2019

The needle insertion is widely used in many medical procedures, particularly in the needle biopsy. The cutting force occurred during the insertion process has a significant effect on the cutting outcome. This paper focuses on minimizing the cutting force for two conventional needle insertion methods, the nonrotational and rotational needle insertion. For the nonrotational needle insertion, the secondary bevel angle and angle of rotation, which are two used for grinding the back-bevel and lancet needles, are considered. For the rotational needles, the effects of the insertion speed and the slice-push ratio on the cutting force are investigated. Levels of these design variables are defined using practical needle design configurations found in the literature. A clear trend of the cutting force decreases as the increase of the inclination angle was observed. The optimal cutting force of nonrotational needles was found as 0.242 N with inclination angle of 69.25 deg for the lancet needle and 0.254 N with inclination angle of 66.24 deg for the back-bevel needle. The optimization of rotational needles yielded a configuration of slice-push ratio as 4.66 and insertion speed as 2.01, which resulted in a minimal cutting force of 0.22 N. Besides, the main effects of and the interaction between the design variables on the cutting force are obtained and discussed. These results provide essential information for selecting geometric and cutting speed parameters for the design of nonrotational and rotational needles.
Thermal Transport in Nanoparticle Packings Under Laser Irradiation
Authors: Yuksel Anil , Yu Edward T. , Cullinan Michael , Murthy Jayathi
Published: December 2019

Nanoparticle heating due to laser irradiation is of great interest in electronic, aerospace, and biomedical applications. This paper presents a coupled electromagnetic-heat transfer model to predict the temperature distribution of multilayer copper nanoparticle packings on a glass substrate. It is shown that heat transfer within the nanoparticle packing is dominated by the interfacial thermal conductance between particles when the interfacial thermal conductance constant, GIC, is greater than 20 MW/m2K, but that for lower GIC values, thermal conduction through the air around the nanoparticles can also play a role in the overall heat transfer within the nanoparticle system. The coupled model is used to simulate heat transfer in a copper nanoparticle packing used in a typical microscale selective laser sintering (μ-SLS) process with an experimentally measured particle size distribution and layer thickness. The simulations predict that the nanoparticles will reach a temperature of 730 ± 3 K for a laser irradiation of 2.6 kW/cm2 and 1304 ± 23 K for a laser irradiation of 6 kW/cm2. These results are in good agreement with the experimentally observed laser-induced sintering and melting thresholds for copper nanoparticle packing on glass substrates.
Nanoemulsion as an Effective Treatment against Human-Pathogenic Fungi
Authors: Garcia Alexis , Fan Yong Yi , Vellanki Sandeep , Huh Eun Young , Vanegas DiFernando , Wang Su He , Lee Soo Chan
Published: December 2019

Advances in medicine have resulted in the discovery and implementation of treatments for human disease. While these recent advances have been beneficial, procedures such as solid-organ transplants and cancer treatments have left many patients in an immunocompromised state. Furthermore, the emergence of immunocompromising diseases such as HIV/AIDS or other immunosuppressive medical conditions have opened an opportunity for fungal infections to afflict patients globally. The development of drug resistance in human-pathogenic fungi and the limited array of antifungal drugs has left us in a scenario where we need to develop new therapeutic approaches to treat fungal infections that are less prone to the development of resistance by pathogenic fungi. The significance of our work lies in utilizing a novel nanoemulsion formulation to treat topical fungal infections while minimizing risks of drug resistance development.