bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
If i Go There Will Be Trouble, If i Stay There Will Be Double: Revenge Porn, Domestic Violence, and Family Offenses
Authors: Beechay Sarah
Published: October 2019

New York State's current lack of legislation criminalizing the threat of revenge porn allows repetitive, invasive, and embarrassing attacks on the morality and sexuality of victims. This can have a severe impact on survivors of domestic violence who are prevented from leaving dangerous situations by threats of dissemination. Victims of revenge porn and domestic violence often face isolation, threats of violence, and thoughts of suicide. This Note proposes that threats of revenge porn become family offenses under the New York Family Court Act § 812.
Deliver us from Evil: Protecting the Child When Both Parents Ignore the Order of Protection
Authors: Ramos Damian
Published: October 2019

Orders of protection are regularly utilized to protect victims of domestic violence as well as their children, by restricting the subject from contact or specific activity with the protected parties. Unfortunately, it is common for the adult protected party to facilitate the violation of these orders in an effort to reconcile with the subject, placing children in danger. This undermines the protection that these orders were intended to offer; without penalty to the protected party. This Note proposes a model statute penalizing any party who knowingly endangers children by facilitating the violation of any order of protection; family or criminal.
Medical–Legal Partnerships: How Legal Services can Dramatically Improve Health Outcomes, and the Missed Opportunity to Help Women Seeking Abortions
Authors: Rubin Rebecca
Published: October 2019

There are significant health disparities in the United States, with low‐income and minority Americans experiencing higher rates of chronic disease and autoimmune disorders. Research has firmly established that social factors ‐ such as malnutrition, limited access to healthcare, and safe housing ‐ play a critical role in these health disparities. Medical‐Legal Partnerships are a relatively new approach to improving the health of people living in poverty by addressing the root causes of these health‐harming social factors. This article discusses the benefits of Medical‐Legal Partnerships and argues for continued expansion of the model, particularly in pediatricians’ offices, because parents are more likely to seek medical care for their children than themselves. This article further discusses how legal constraints prevent federal funding for Medical‐Legal Partnerships in abortion clinics; this creates a missed opportunity to work with women who are seeking abortions, many of whom face considerable social and economic challenges that could be addressed through legal assistance. This article digs into the legal restrictions that create this missed opportunity and proposes potential solutions to better serve the vulnerable population of abortion‐seeking women.
Networking policy and firm performance
Authors: Burlina Chiara
Published: October 2019

This paper evaluates the effects of inter‐firm networks (IFNs) on firms’ economic performance. This policy instrument has been implemented in Italy from 2009 to support mostly small and medium‐size enterprises after the great economic crisis of 2007–2009. Starting from an original database of Italian manufacturing and service firms for the period 2010–2017, the paper develops in two steps: the first part, with “difference‐in‐differences” technique, is highlighted the positive effect on firms’ performance for those firms involved in an IFN. The second part investigates which characteristics of the IFN have better impacts on firm’s performance in the medium long‐run. This study contributes to the network policy literature by revealing another instrument to foster cooperation and increase firms’ innovation and internationalisation, without the need to be geographically bounded.
Pay the PIED Piper: Guidelines to Visualize Large Geochemical Datasets on Piper Diagrams
Authors: Russoniello Christopher J. , Lautz Laura K.
Published: October 2019

The Piper diagram has increased in popularity since its 1944 introduction and is now one of the most familiar and effective tools in the hydrogeologist's toolbox. Within the Piper diagram, three points on three related plots fully display the major ionic species of a water sample. Recently the size and availability of datasets have increased as additional field measurements and modeling results are shared more effectively in online databases. This growth presents opportunities and challenges for data analysis and conveyance—larger and longer datasets increase the potential to identify trends and patterns, but traditional Piper diagrams are quickly overwhelmed by large datasets as dense points overlap and become obscured. We present guidelines for effectively displaying large geochemical datasets on traditional Piper diagrams and new code that adds novel functionality for following these generic guidelines. This code, plotting interesting environmental data with Piper diagrams (PIED Piper), can be run within the Matlab environment or through a stand‐alone graphical user interface, and is the first Matlab code to generate Piper diagrams. The illustrative examples herein demonstrate (1) how limitations in displays of large datasets may be overcome with translucent symbology, contours, and heatmaps to identify trends and patterns, (2) how clusters of similar points can be identified and differentiated with convex hulls, and (3) how temporal‐and‐spatial patterns may be visually diagnosed with image groups and movies. The guidelines discussed in these examples will aid PIED Piper users to achieve the two goals of effective big data visualization: analysis and communication.
Who represents me? A patient‐derived model of patient engagement via patient and family advisory councils (PFACs)
Authors: Dukhanin Vadim , Feeser Scott , Berkowitz Scott A. , DeCamp Matthew
Published: October 2019

Background

Despite increasing attention to patient and family advisory councils (PFACs), what patients who are not PFAC members expect of PFACs remains understudied. Understanding their expectations is critical if PFACs are to help health systems achieve certain outcomes (eg increased patient satisfaction with health systems).

Objective

To obtain rich insights about what patients who are not PFAC members expect of PFACs.

Design

From July to September 2018, we conducted a qualitative study using focus groups.

Setting and participants

We recruited patients and caregivers who receive their care from the Johns Hopkins Medicine Alliance for Patients (JMAP), LLC, a Medicare accountable care organization that in 2014 established a PFAC, the Beneficiary Advisory Council.

Approach

Using grounded theory, we analysed field notes, analytic memos and transcripts to develop a theoretical model of patient engagement via PFACs.

Results

Forty‐two patients and caregivers participated in five focus groups that included individuals of different ages, races, health statuses and socio‐economic statuses. Participants were largely unaware of PFACs. Participants wanted to knowwhorepresented them (interpreted as a form of political representation) and emphasized the need for representatives’ diversity.Whomattered becausewhocould affectwhatPFACs do. Participants expected that all patients should be able to communicate with PFACs and that meaningful engagement could enhance perceptions of health systems.

Conclusions

Eliciting views about patient representation from patients who have not been engaged as advisors or representatives has the potential to inform PFACs’ activities. Attention should be given to improving and measuring patients’ awareness of, and interactions with, their patient representatives.
Shortcomings and/or Missed Opportunities of the Global Compacts for the Protection of Forced Migrants
Authors: Jubilut Liliana Lyra , Casagrande Melissa Martins
Published: October 2019

The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) are norm‐creating exercises, in the sense of being international legal documents for a new framework that reinforces existing structures and attempt to renew migration governance globally. They were expected to further develop the protection of all migrants. However, despite some progress, there are shortcomings and/or missed opportunities in what they were able to achieve, especially in the case of the protection of forced migrants. Understanding these shortcomings and/or missed opportunities as being conceptual and institutional in nature, and to assess both these sets, this article presents the idea of forced migration and the lack of international protection of forced migrants (part 1), describes the protection of forced migrants achieved by the Compacts (part 2), and ends by assessing the shortcomings and/or missed opportunities in both Compacts (part 3).
Experience of stigma among family members of people with severe mental illness: A qualitative systematic review
Authors: Yin Min , Li Zheng , Zhou Chenxi
Published: October 2019

Family members of people with severe mental illness are subjected to stigmatization, and a better understanding of their experience of stigma is important for developing anti‐stigma interventions to reduce the related adverse consequences. This review aimed to systematically identify, evaluate, and synthesize existing findings from qualitative studies regarding the experience of stigma among family members of people with severe mental illness. A systematic literature search for primary studies was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT), SinoMed (China), Chinese Citation Database (CNKI), and Wanfang Data (China) until March 2019. Findings from the included qualitative studies were extracted and aggregated using meta‐synthesis, guided by the Joanna Briggs Methodology for Qualitative Systematic Reviews. The results revealed that family members experienced stigma and suffered from various negative consequences related to it. Five major categories were identified in 20 studies: ‘negative public images of mental illness’, ‘structural discrimination against mental illness’, ‘stigma encountered in everyday life’, ‘psychological distress associated with stigmatization’, and ‘coping with stigma’. The study contributes to our understanding of the stigma experienced by family members of people with severe mental illness. It is suggested that culturally appropriate multi‐level interventions targeting the general public, health professionals, communities, and family members need to be developed to reduce the harmful influence of associated family stigma.
Between an ocean and a high place: coastal drainage isolation generates endemic cryptic species in the Cape kurper Sandelia capensis (Anabantiformes: Anabantidae), Cape Region, South Africa
Authors: Bronaugh Whitcomb Meade , Swartz Ernst R. , Sidlauskas Brian L.
Published: October 2019

This study investigated the range‐wide phylogenetics and biogeography of the Cape kurper Sandelia capensis, a primary freshwater fish endemic to and widespread within the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa. Maximum likelihood, Bayesian phylogenetic and haplotype network analyses, based on two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes, revealed the existence of three reciprocally monophyletic, deeply divergent and allopatric clades that probably represent cryptic species. The West Coast Clade is largely confined to the Langvlei, Verlorenvlei, Berg and Diep Rivers, the Klein River Clade is endemic to the Klein River and the South Coast Clade is found everywhere else in the range of S. capensis sensu lato. It was hypothesised that divergences within S. capensis sensu lato probably occurred because of isolation of coastal drainages by persistent drainage divides or vicariance of current tributaries by the drowning of their confluences by high sea levels. The current distribution of lineages could be due to historical range expansion and gene flow via river capture or some other mode of transdivide dispersal or dispersal during periods of low sea level via palaeoriver confluences of currently isolated coastal rivers. Comparison of BEAST2 estimated divergence times with the timing of climatic, geological and geomorphological events supported long‐term coastal drainage isolation, punctuated by rare transdivide dispersal events and limited palaeoriver dispersal, as the best explanation of current phylogeographic and divergence patterns in S. capensis. Hydrological barriers that block upstream passage in palaeotributaries could hypothetically explain why S. capensis failed to disperse through certain palaeoriver confluences. There were several sites where biogeographic patterns have likely been confounded by human translocation of S. capensis. Alien fish predators and water extraction may threaten the three cryptic species more severely than previously realised, due to their smaller population sizes and inhabitation of only a portion of the range previously ascribed to S. capensis sensu lato. The preponderance of cryptic diversity and endemism in the CFR suggests that additional undescribed cryptic species of obligate freshwater fishes may be found in short coastal river systems around the world, especially in regions with a history of geological stability and a narrow continental shelf.
Comparative larval ontogeny of two fish species (Characiformes and Siluriformes) endemic to the São Francisco River in Brazil
Authors: Rocha Maíra S. A. , Silva Robson C. , Santos José C. E. , Schorer Marianne , Nascimento Maria P. , Pedreira Marcelo M.
Published: October 2019

The aim of the present study was to perform comparative histological analyses of the ontogenetic development of two fish species endemic to the São Francisco River in Brazil: Prochilodus argenteus and Lophiosilurus alexandri. Histological analyses were performed every 24 h from the moment of hatching until 14 days post‐hatching (dph) for the observation of larval development and until 39 dph for the observation of gonadal development. Whole larvae were fixed in Bouin's solution and the histological slides were stained with haematoxylin–eosin. Lophiosilurus alexandri larvae had a larger body size compared with P. argenteus larvae since hatching. Lophiosilurus alexandri larvae had mouth opening and pigmentation of the eyes upon hatching, whereas these events were observed at 1 dph in P. argenteus larvae. The visualisation and the inflation of the swim bladder occurred at 1 and 3 dph, respectively, in the P. argenteus, whereas these events occurred at 2 and 8 dph, respectively, in L. alexandri. Yolk granules were absorbed at 4 dph in P. argenteus and the 10 dph in L. alexandri. At 7 dph, the digestive tube was more differentiated in L. alexandri than P. argenteus and at 14 dph, the digestive system of both species had features of their eating habits: broad stomach and short intestine in L. alexandri, typical of carnivorous habits; stomach with a mechanical function and long intestine in P. argenteus, typical of detritivorous habits. The epithelial lining tissue, formed by a single layer of cells in the newly hatched larvae (0 dph), differentiated throughout the study, exhibiting scales in P. argenteus and numerous club cells in the middle epithelial region of L. alexandri at 39 dph. Undifferentiated gonads with somatic cells and primordial germ cells were observed at 39 dph, with caudal‐cranial migration since 1 dph in both species. The anatomic changes during the ontogeny of P. argenteus and L. alexandri larvae are directly associated with the evolutionary history of each species, which explains their feeding habits, behaviour and distribution in the environment: Prochilodus argenteus is detritivorous and actively swims in the water column, whereas L. alexandri is carnivorous and inhabits bottom regions. At 39 dph neither species exhibited sexual differentiation.
A Socratic Inquiry Into the Nature of Frailty
Authors: Varadhan Ravi
Published: October 2019

In Plato's dialogues, Socrates, the protagonist, attempts to bring out the essential nature of an idea or a concept by engaging in a dialogue with the other characters. He asks probing questions of them to challenge their unquestioned assumptions and to eliminate flaws in their thinking. A hallmark of the dialogues is that Socrates himself never provides a final answer regarding the nature of the idea under discussion. Inspired by the power of the Socratic model to illumine one's thinking on difficult concepts, we have developed a short dialogue examining the nature of geriatric frailty. Our goal is to communicate, in a lively and nontechnical style, some of the fundamental challenges in studying frailty in older adults. Those acquainted with Plato's dialogues will recognize the resemblance to the initial segment of The Republic,1 which takes place in the house of a wealthy merchant named Cephalus. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2455–2457, 2019
U.S. Monetary Policy and International Bond Markets
Authors: GILCHRIST SIMON , YUE VIVIAN , ZAKRAJŠEK EGON
Published: October 2019

This paper analyzes how U.S. monetary policy affects the pricing of dollar‐denominated sovereign debt. We document that yields on dollar‐denominated sovereign bonds are highly responsive to U.S. monetary policy surprises—during both the conventional and unconventional policy regimes—and that the passthrough of unconventional policy to foreign bond yields is, on balance, comparable to that of conventional policy. In addition, a conventional U.S. monetary easing (tightening) leads to a significant narrowing (widening) of credit spreads on sovereign bonds issued by countries with a speculative‐grade credit rating but has no effect on the corresponding weighted average of bilateral exchange rates for a basket of currencies from the same set of risky countries; this indicates that an unanticipated tightening of U.S. monetary policy widens credit spreads on risky sovereign debt directly through the financial channel, as opposed to indirectly through the exchange rate channel. During the unconventional policy regime, yields on both investment‐ and speculative‐grade sovereign bonds move one‐to‐one with policy‐induced fluctuations in yields on comparable U.S. Treasuries. We also examine whether the response of sovereign credit spreads to US monetary policy differs between policy easings and tightenings and find no evidence of such asymmetry.
Vinca alkaloids, thalidomide and eribulin‐induced peripheral neurotoxicity: From pathogenesis to treatment
Authors: Islam Badrul , Lustberg Maryam , Staff Nathan P. , Kolb Noah , Alberti Paola , Argyriou Andreas A.
Published: October 2019

Vinca alkaloids, thalidomide, and eribulin are widely used to treat patients with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), adults affected by multiple myeloma and locally invasive or metastatic breast cancer, respectively. However, soon after their introduction into clinical practice, chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) emerged as their main non‐hematological and among dose‐limiting adverse events. It is generally perceived that vinca alkaloids and the antiangiogenic agent thalidomide are more neurotoxic, compared to eribulin. The exposure to these chemotherapeutic agents is associated with an axonal, length‐dependent, sensory polyneuropathy of mild to moderate severity, whereas it is considered that the peripheral nerve damage, unless severe, usually resolves soon after treatment discontinuation. Advanced age, high initial and prolonged dosing, coadministration of other neurotoxic chemotherapeutic agents and pre‐existing neuropathy are the common risk factors. Pharmacogenetic biomarkers might be used to define patients at increased susceptibility of CIPN. Currently, there is no established therapy for CIPN prevention or treatment; symptomatic treatment for neuropathic pain and dose reduction or withdrawal in severe cases is considered, at the cost of reduced cancer therapeutic efficacy. This review critically examines the pathogenesis, epidemiology, risk factors (both clinical and pharmacogenetic), clinical phenotype and management of CIPN as a result of exposure to vinca alkaloids, thalidomide and its analogue lenalidomide as also eribulin.
Perceptions of resilience in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis: A Q‐methodology study
Authors: Chon Mi Young , Yeun Eun Ja , Jung Kyoung Hee , Jo Young‐il , Lee Kyeong Ryong
Published: October 2019

Resilience is a potential human psycho‐social ability that can reduce negative emotion and promote adaptation to adversity. Most previous studies on resilience have highlighted positive factors for patients with chronic illnesses; however, very few focus on the resilience of patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) using a qualitative approach. Using Q‐methodology, we identified the perceptions of resilience of patients undergoing PD. We recruited 33 Korean participants undergoing PD in a university hospital, and classified 37 Q‐samples into a 9‐point normal distribution grid. Collected data were analyzed using the PC‐QUANL program. The perceived subjectivity of the resilience of Korean patients undergoing PD was categorized as three factors: “support‐based acceptance,” “gloomy isolation,” and “active life‐oriented.” The three factors explained 47.4% of the total variance. The eigenvalues were 9.99, 3.40, and 2.26, respectively. These findings suggest that a differentiated approach is needed for interventions to enhance the resilience of patients undergoing PD. This study highlights that clinical nurses and health professionals should understand the perceptions of resilience of patients undergoing PD, and consider their viewpoints in the caring and treatment process.
Molecular epidemiology and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance inEnterococcusspp.,Staphylococcusspp., andStreptococcusspp. in Africa: a systematic review from a One Health perspective
Authors: Osei Sekyere John , Mensah Eric
Published: October 2019

A systematic review of antibiotic‐resistant Gram‐positive bacteria in Africa from a One Health perspective is lacking. Here, we report result from a search for English‐language articles on the resistance mechanisms and clonality of Gram‐positive bacteria in Africa between 2007 and 2019 reported in PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and African Journals OnLine; 172 studies from 22 different African countries were identified. Resistance genes, such asmecA,erm(B),erm(C),tet(M),tet(K),tet(L),vanB,vanA,vanC, andtet(O), were found to be common.Staphylococcusspp.,Enterococcusspp., andStreptococcusspp. were the main species reported by the studies, with clones such asStaphylococcus aureusST5 (n = 218 isolates), ST8 (n = 127 isolates), ST80 (n = 133 isolates), and ST88 (n = 117 isolates), and mobile genetic elements such as IS16(n = 28 isolates), IS256(n = 96), Tn916(n = 107 isolates), and SCCmec(n = 4437 isolates) identified. SCCmecIV (n = 747 isolates) was predominant, followed by SCCmecIII (n = 305 isolates), SCCmecII (n = 163 isolates), SCCmecV (n = 135 isolates), and SCCmecI (n = 79 isolates). Resistance to penicillin (n = 5926 isolates), tetracycline (n = 5300 isolates), erythromycin (n = 5151 isolates), rifampicin (n = 3823 isolates), gentamycin (n = 3494 isolates), sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (n = 3089 isolates), and ciprofloxacin (n = 2746 isolates) was common in most reports from 22 countries. Clonal dissemination of resistance across countries and between humans, animals, and the environment was observed. Resistance rates ranged from 1.4% to 100% for 15 of the studies; 10 were One Health–related studies. Strict infection control measures, antimicrobial stewardship, and periodic One Health epidemiological surveillance studies are needed to monitor and contain the threat of increasing antibiotic resistance in Africa.
Mechanobiological modulation of in situ and in vivo osteocyte calcium oscillation by acoustic radiation force
Authors: Hu Minyi , Lee Wonsae , Jiao Jian , Li Xiaofei , Gibbons Daniel E. , Hassan Chaudhry Raza , Tian Guo‐Wei , Qin Yi‐Xian
Published: October 2019

The biological effect of ultrasound on bone regeneration has been well documented, yet the underlying mechanotransduction mechanism is largely unknown. In relation to the mechanobiological modulation of the cytoskeleton and Ca2+ influx by short‐term focused acoustic radiation force (FARF), the current study aimed to visualize and quantify Ca2+ oscillations in real‐time of in situ and in vivo osteocytes in response to focused low‐intensity pulsed ultrasound (FLIPUS). For in situ studies, fresh mice calvaria were subjected to FLIPUS stimulation at 0.05, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.7 W. For the in vivo study, 3‐month‐old C57BL/6J Ai38/Dmp1‐Cre mice were subjected to FLIPUS at 0.15, 1, and 1.5 W. As observed via real‐time confocal imaging, in situ FLIPUS led to more than 80% of cells exhibiting Ca2+ oscillations at 0.3–0.7 W and led to a higher number of Ca2+ spikes with larger values at >0.3 W. In vivo FLIPUS at 1–1.5 W led to more than 90% of cells exhibiting Ca2+ oscillations. Higher FLIPUS energies led to larger Ca2+ spike magnitudes. In conclusion, this study provided a pilot study of both in situ and in vivo osteocytic Ca2+ oscillations under noninvasive FARF, which aids further exploration of the mechanosensing mechanism of the controlled bone cell motility response to the stimulus.
A representative bureaucracy perspective on workforce composition in international organizations: The case of the United Nations Secretariat
Authors: Badache Fanny
Published: October 2019

This article provides a representative bureaucracy perspective on staff composition in international organizations (IOs). Contrary to previous studies in international relations, I argue that staff composition is not only driven by power but international organizations are also concerned with bureaucratic representation. Therefore, I examine one potential barrier and one driver to passive representation, namely the available local labour pool and political representation. The empirical analysis is based on an original database of human resources statistics in the United Nations Secretariat which allows for a differentiation between staff categories. The resulting regression analyses suggest that headquarters locations, political representation and diplomacy are the main determinants of member states’ representation, but these determinants vary in strength depending on the staff categories. This article contributes to the study of staff composition in IOs by examining additional determinants and to the recent discussions on representative bureaucracy at the international level.
Evaluation of Candidate Items for Severe PTSD Screening for Patients With Chronic Pain: Pilot Data Analysis With the IRT Approach
Authors: You Dokyoung S. , Ziadni Maisa S. , Gilam Gadi , Darnall Beth D. , Mackey Sean C.
Published: October 2019

Objectives

Post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) commonly co‐occurs with chronic pain. Although PTSD symptoms are associated with negative health outcomes in patients with chronic pain, PTSD is typically under‐detected and under‐treated in outpatient pain settings. There is a need for rapid, brief screening tools to identify those at greatest risk for severe PTSD symptoms. To achieve that goal, our aim was to use item response theory (IRT) to identify the most informative PTSD symptoms characterizing severe PTSD in patients with chronic pain.

Methods

Fifty‐six patients (71% female, 61% White) with mixed etiology chronic pain completed the PTSD Checklist‐Civilian Version (PCL‐C) as part of their appointment with a pain psychologist at a tertiary outpatient pain clinic. We used an IRT approach to evaluate each item's discriminant (a) and severity (b) parameters.

Results

Findings revealed that “feeling upset at reminders” (a = 3.67, b = 2.44) and “avoid thinking or talking about it” (a = 3.61, b = 2.17) as being highly discriminant for severe PTSD.

Conclusions

We identified 2 candidate items for a brief PTSD screener as they were associated with severe PTSD symptoms. These 2 items may provide clinical utility in outpatient pain treatment settings to identify those suffering from severe PTSD, enabling physicians to refer them to trauma‐specific evaluation or therapy. Future research is needed to further validate and confirm these candidate PTSD items in a larger clinic sample.

Lay Summary

The current study used the IRT approach to identify candidate items for a brief screener for severe PTSD. We examined 17 items of the PCL‐C, and identified 2 items that were highly discriminant for severe PTSD. The 2 items were “feeling upset at reminders” and “avoid thinking or talking about it.” These 2 items may provide clinical utility, since they may enable physicians to screen and make a referral for further assessment or treatment for PTSD.
Manipulation of β‐carotene levels in tomato fruits results in increased ABA content and extended shelf life
Authors: Diretto Gianfranco , Frusciante Sarah , Fabbri Claudia , Schauer Nicolas , Busta Lucas , Wang Zhonghua , Matas Antonio J. , Fiore Alessia , K.C. Rose Jocelyn , Fernie Alisdair R. , Jetter Reinhard , Mattei Benedetta , Giovannoni Jim , Giuliano Giovanni
Published: October 2019

Tomato fruit ripening is controlled by the hormone ethylene and by a group of transcription factors, acting upstream of ethylene. During ripening, the linear carotene lycopene accumulates at the expense of cyclic carotenoids. Fruit‐specific overexpression of LYCOPENE β‐CYCLASE (LCYb) resulted in increased β‐carotene (provitamin A) content. Unexpectedly, LCYb‐overexpressing fruits also exhibited a diverse array of ripening phenotypes, including delayed softening and extended shelf life. These phenotypes were accompanied, at the biochemical level, by an increase in abscisic acid (ABA) content, decreased ethylene production, increased density of cell wall material containing linear pectins with a low degree of methylation, and a thicker cuticle with a higher content of cutin monomers and triterpenoids. The levels of several primary metabolites and phenylpropanoid compounds were also altered in the transgenic fruits, which could be attributed to delayed fruit ripening and/or to ABA. Network correlation analysis and pharmacological experiments with the ABA biosynthesis inhibitor, abamine, indicated that altered ABA levels were a direct effect of the increased β‐carotene content and were in turn responsible for the extended shelf life phenotype. Thus, manipulation of β‐carotene levels results in an improvement not only of the nutritional value of tomato fruits, but also of their shelf life.
Genetic parameters for fertility traits in Nellore bulls
Authors: Carvalho Filho Ivan , Marques Daniele Botelho Diniz , de Campos Carolina Filardi , Guimarães José Domingos , Guimarães Simone Eliza Facioni , Lopes Paulo Sávio , Silva Fabyano Fonseca e , Veroneze Renata
Published: October 2019

Nellore is the main cattle breed used in Brazil, being the largest commercial herd in the world. Beyond the importance of male reproductive efficiency for farm profit, the use of reproductive techniques, mainly artificial insemination, turns the evaluation of male reproductive traits even more important. Estimation of genetic parameters increases the knowledge on traits variances and allows envisaging the possibility of the inclusion of new traits as selection criterion. Genetic parameters for fifteen traits that can be classified as testicular biometry or physical and morphological semen traits were estimated for a Nellore bull population ranging from 18 to 36 months. Single‐trait and bi‐trait animal models were used for (co)variance components estimation. The contemporary group was considered as fixed effect and age at measurement as covariable. Scrotal circumference presented heritability of 0.47 ± 0.12. This value is similar to the heritabilities found for all testicular biometry traits (0.34–0.48). Sperm progressive motility, which has a direct effect on bull fertility, presented low heritability (0.07 ± 0.08). Major and total sperm defects presented moderate to high heritabilities (0.49 ± 0.18 and 0.39 ± 0.15, respectively), indicating that great genetic gain can be obtained through selection against sperm defects. High and positive genetic correlations were observed among testicular biometry traits, which also presented favourable genetic correlations with physical and morphological traits of the semen with magnitude ranging from high to low. Scrotal circumference presented moderate to high and favourable genetic correlations with sperm progressive motility, sperm turbulence, major sperm defects and total sperm defects. Thus, the selection for scrotal circumference results in favourable correlated genetic response for semen quality. The results show that the use of scrotal circumference as reference trait for bull fertility is appropriate, since it presents high heritability and favourable genetic correlation with semen quality.
On aggregation of strongly dependent time series
Authors: Beran Jan , Liu Haiyan , Ghosh Sucharita
Published: October 2019

We consider cross‐sectional aggregation of time series with long‐range dependence. This question arises for instance from the statistical analysis of networks where aggregation is defined via routing matrices. Asymptotically, aggregation turns out to increase dependence substantially, transforming a hyperbolic decay of autocorrelations to a slowly varying rate. This effect has direct consequences for statistical inference. For instance, unusually slow rates of convergence for nonparametric trend estimators and nonstandard formulas for optimal bandwidths are obtained. The situation changes, when time‐dependent aggregation is applied. Suitably chosen time‐dependent aggregation schemes can preserve a hyperbolic rate or even eliminate autocorrelations completely.
Post Birth Challenges among Working Mothers in a Higher Educational Institute in Ghana: Implications for Occupational Competitiveness of Working Mothers
Authors: Salihs Suad Ahmed , FORKUOR John Boulard , Boamah Vivian Etsiapa
Published: October 2019

In Ghana, most formal employment opportunities require employees to work for 8 hours for 5 consecutive days each week. While this may not be challenging to men in the socio-cultural context of Ghana, the socio-cultural expectation of women as carers and home keepers sometimes make this requirement of formal occupations difficult for some women. Of all the challenges facing women in formal occupations in Ghana, one of the least explored is the implication of post birth depression on the productivity of women within the formal sector in Ghana. This paper presents data from an exploratory qualitative research that used qualitative interviews to explore the post birth mental health challenges of working mothers within a public university in Ghana. The paper reveals that working mothers suffer stress, frustration and self-esteem challenges and that these challenges have implications for the occupational wellbeing of women in higher educational institutions. While these challenges are similar for women in other occupational fields, our argument is for higher educational institutions to consider the real and present implications that these challenges have for the occupational progress of working mothers.
The Effect of Holding an Object on Postural Stability and Suprapostural Task Performance
Authors: Liddy Joshua J. , Arnold Amanda J. , Cho HyeYoung , Romine Nathaniel L. , Haddad Jeffrey M.
Published: October 2019

Holding an object has been found to reduce postural sway during quiet standing. However, people normally stand to accomplish suprapostural goals, such as fitting a key into a lock. Postural control should therefore be assessed by examining postural outcomes in the context of suprapostural task performance. This study assessed whether holding an object increased standing postural stability and improved the performance of a concurrent precision manual task. A total of 15 young adults performed a precision manual task with their dominant hand while holding or not holding an object in their nondominant hand. Postural stability was assessed using measures of postural sway and time to boundary. Suprapostural task performance was assessed as an error count. Holding did not influence postural sway or suprapostural task performance. Discrepancies among previous studies coupled with the present findings suggest that the effects of holding an object on standing posture are highly sensitive to the experimental context. The authors provide several explanations for their findings and discuss the limitations of previous suggestions that holding an object may have clinical relevance for balance-compromised populations.
New drugs target growing threat of fatal fungi
Authors: Kupferschmidt Kai
Published: October 2019

Well-stocked pipeline could yield new tools to treat intractable infections.
Codes of conduct aim to curb harassment at field sites
Authors: Nordling Linda
Published: October 2019

Guides spell out behavior and navigate cultural differences.
Europe dreams big for future space missions
Authors: Clery Daniel
Published: October 2019

Scientists debate themes vying for billion-euro mission slots in Voyage 2050 program.
Growing pains
Authors: Popkin Gabriel
Published: October 2019

Ecologist Thomas Crowther is having a bumpy rise to prominence.
AAAS's “How We Respond” report captures U.S. ingenuity
Authors: Hoy Anne Q.
Published: October 2019

Facing climate change, communities across the country devise locally tailored responses, report shows
Vulnerability of the industrialized microbiota
Authors: Sonnenburg Justin L. , Sonnenburg Erica D.
Published: October 2019

One world, one health

As people increasingly move to cities, their lifestyles profoundly change. Sonnenburg and Sonnenburg review how the shift of recent generations from rural, outdoor environments to urbanized and industrialized settings has profoundly affected our biology and health. The signals of change are seen most strikingly in the reduction of commensal microbial taxa and loss of their metabolic functions. The extirpation of human commensals is a result of bombardment by new chemicals, foodstuffs, sanitation, and medical practices. For most people, sanitation and readily available food have been beneficial, but have we now reached a tipping point? How do we “conserve” our beneficial symbionts and keep the pathogens at bay?

Science
, this issue p.
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The treacheries of adaptation
Authors: Miller Craig R.
Published: October 2019

As fitness rises during adaptive evolution, the cost of mutation may escalate as well
On privilege
Authors: Berg Jeremy
Published: October 2019

This editorial is my last contribution in my role as Editor-in-Chief of the
Science
family of journals. I have had a front-row seat to learning about often astounding research across many disciplines. And I have overseen efforts at three mature journals and helped develop or launch three new ones. As I take stock of this tremendous opportunity, I have been reflecting on the characteristics of privilege, in science and in life.
Identifying patients likely to be readmitted after transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Authors: Goldsweig Andrew , Aronow Herbert David
Published: October 2019

Hospital readmission following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) contributes considerably to the costs of care. Readmission rates following TAVR have been reported to be as high as 17.4% at 30 days and 53.2% at 1 year. Patient and procedural factors predict an increased likelihood of readmission including non-transfemoral access, acute and chronic kidney impairment, chronic lung disease, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, atrial fibrillation, major bleeding and prolonged index hospitalisation. Recent studies have also found the requirement for new pacemaker implantation and the severity of paravalvular aortic regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation to be novel predictors of readmission. Post-TAVR readmission within 30 days of discharge is more likely to occur for non-cardiac than cardiac pathology, although readmission for cardiac causes, especially heart failure, predicts higher mortality than readmission for non-cardiac causes. To combat the risk of readmission and associated mortality, the routine practice of calculating and considering readmission risk should be adopted by the heart team. Furthermore, because most readmissions following TAVR occur for non-cardiac reasons, more holistic approaches to readmission prevention are necessary. Familiarity with the most common predictors and causes of readmission should guide the development of initiatives to address these conditions proactively.
Relationship between reperfusion and intracranial hemorrhage after thrombectomy
Authors: Desai Shashvat M , Tonetti Daniel A , Morrison Andrew A , Gross Bradley A , Jankowitz Brian Thomas , Jovin Tudor G , Jadhav Ashutosh P
Published: October 2019

Introduction

Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) is a devastating complication after endovascular thrombectomy. Prior reports have demonstrated that thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) ≥2 b reperfusion is protective against sICH. We aimed to further examine the relationship between reperfusion grade and sICH, to elucidate whether a difference between TICI 2b and 3 exists, and to determine whether this relationship holds true for patients undergoing delayed thrombectomy (6–24 hours).

Methods

We performed a single-center retrospective review of prospectively-recorded data for patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion between January 2015 and February 2018. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of parenchymal hematoma (PH) and sICH (NINDS—National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, SITS-MOST—Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke Monitoring Study, ECASS III—European-Australian Cooperative Acute Stroke Study III criteria) and to identify the role of reperfusion grade. This analysis was repeated for delayed thrombectomy patients.

Results

528 patients were included; mean age was 71.5% and 43% were male. Median NIHSS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale) and time last seen well (TLSW) to treatment were 17 and 4.8 hours, respectively. Successful recanalization was achieved in 94%. On multivariable analyses, ASPECTS (Alberta Stroke Programme Early CT Score) was a predictor of PH (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.87; p=0.002) for patients achieving any reperfusion grade. For patients achieving successful reperfusion, lower ASPECTS was a predictor of PH (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.91; p=0.005) and of sICH (ECASS III) (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.98; p=0.04); in addition, TICI 2b as compared with TICI 3 was a predictor of PH (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1 to 4.4; p=0.04) and of sICH (NINDS) (OR 7.5, 95% CI 1 to 57; p=0.045). TLSW to treatment was not an independent predictor of PH or sICH.

Conclusion

Higher baseline ASPECTS and higher degree of reperfusion following endovascular thrombectomy is associated with reduced likelihood of PH and sICH.
Treatment retention of infliximab and etanercept originators versus their corresponding biosimilars: Nordic collaborative observational study of 2334 biologics naïve patients with spondyloarthritis
Authors: Lindström Ulf , Glintborg Bente , Di Giuseppe Daniela , Nordström Dan , Aarrestad Provan Sella , Gudbjornsson Bjorn , Askling Johan , Lund Hetland Merete , Aaltonen Kalle , Krogh Niels Steen , Geirsson Arni Jon , Jacobsson Lennart T H
Published: October 2019

Objective

Although clinical trials support equivalence of originator products and biosimilars for etanercept and infliximab, real-world studies among biologics-naïve patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) are lacking. The objectives were to compare treatment retention in biologics-naïve patients with SpA starting either the originator product or a biosimilar of infliximab and etanercept, and to explore the baseline characteristics of these patients.

Methods

Patients with SpA (ankylosing spondylitis/non-radiographical axial SpA/undifferentiated SpA), starting infliximab or etanercept as their first-ever biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug during January 2014–June 2017 were identified in five Nordic biologics–rheumatology registers. Baseline characteristics were retrieved from each registry; comorbidity data were identified through linkage to national health registers. Country-specific data were pooled, and data on infliximab and etanercept were analysed separately. Comparisons of treatment retention between originators and biosimilars were assessed through survival probability curves, retention rates (2 years for infliximab/1 year for etanercept) and Hazard Ratios (HR).

Results

We included 1319 patients starting infliximab (24% originator/76% biosimilar), and 1015 patients starting etanercept (49% originator/51% biosimilar). Baseline characteristics were largely similar for the patients treated with the originators compared with the corresponding biosimilars. Survival probability curves were highly similar for the originator and its biosimilar, as were retention rates: infliximab 2-year retention originator, 44% (95% CI 38% to 50%)/biosimilar, 46% (95% CI: 42% to 51%); and etanercept 1-year retention originator, 66% (95% CI 61% to 70%)/biosimilar, 73% (95% CI 68% to 78%). HRs were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

This observational study of biologics-naïve patients with SpA from five Nordic countries showed similar baseline characteristics and very similar retention rates in patients treated with originators versus biosimilars, for both infliximab and etanercept, indicating comparable effectiveness in clinical practice.
p-Coumaric-Acid-ContainingAdenostemma laveniaAmeliorates Acute Lung Injury by Activating AMPK/Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling and Improving the Anti-oxidant Response
Authors: Chen Jian-Jung , Deng Jeng-Shyan , Huang Chung-Chun , Li Pei-Ying , Liang Yu-Chia , Chou Che-Yi , Huang Guan-Jhong
Published: October 2019

Adenostemma lavenia is a perennial herb belonging to the Compositae family and is widely distributed in the tropical parts of Asia. It has been widely used as medicine in Taiwan with the whole plant used to treat pulmonary congestion, pneumonia, bacterial infections of the respiratory tract, edema, and inflammation. This study sought to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of A. lavenia in vitro and in animal models. The anti-inflammatory effects of ethyl acetate fractions of A. lavenia (EAAL) were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) murine macrophages (RAW 264.7) and lung injury in mice. EAAL reduced proinflammatory cytokine responses. Preoral EAAL alleviated LPS-induced histological alterations in lung tissue and inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells and protein concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). EAAL prevented protein expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2); phosphorylation of I[Formula: see text]B-[Formula: see text], MAPKs, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK); and activated anti-oxidant enzymes (catalase, SOD, and GPx), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in LPS-stimulated cells and lung tissues. Fingerprinting of EAAL was performed with HPLC to control its quality, and [Formula: see text]-coumaric acid was found to be a major constituent. This study suggests that EAAL is a potential therapeutic agent to treat inflammatory disorders.
On elastic scattering amplitude of planar charged fermions in a constant magnetic field
Authors: Khalilov V. R.
Published: October 2019

The elastic scattering amplitude (ESA) is obtained in the one-loop approximation of the (2[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]1)-dimensional quantum electrodynamics (QED[Formula: see text]) for planar charged fermions in an external constant magnetic field. We obtain the elastic scattering amplitude in the corresponding massive theory and then discuss and calculate the massless limit of ESA. The imaginary part of ESA are related to the total probability of photons emission by charged fermions in the considered magnetic field. Simple analytical formulas are obtained when planar charged fermions in initial states occupy high excited Landau levels.
Algorithms, platforms, and ethnic bias
Authors: Silva Selena , Kenney Martin
Published: October 2019

How computing platforms and algorithms can potentially either reinforce or identify and address ethnic biases.