bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parallel bursts of recent and rapid radiation in the Mediterranean and Eritreo‐Arabian biodiversity hotspots as revealed byGlobulariaandCampylanthus(Plantaginaceae)
Authors: Affenzeller Matthias , Kadereit Joachim W. , Comes Hans Peter
Published: January 2018

Aim

Molecular phylogenetic inferences have been important to test hypotheses of the temporal and geographical origin of plant lineages from the Mediterranean region (MR) and their rates of diversification. However, comparisons are still rare between well‐sampled and closely related clades from within and outside theMR. Here, we compare the biogeographical histories and diversification rates between two main genera of woody perennial Plantaginaceae with highest species diversities in theMR(Globularia) and the Eritreo‐Arabian region (EAR;Campylanthus).

Location

Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions; Eritreo‐Arabian region.

Methods

We estimated a time‐calibrated phylogeny of theGlobularia+Poskea–Campylanthusclade based on combined nuclear (ITS) and chloroplastDNAsequences for ancestral area reconstructions and within‐ and among‐clade diversification rate analyses.

Results

The presently disjunct ranges betweenGlobulariaandCampylanthusmost likely reflect dispersal/migration from theEARinto theMRbetween the mid‐early Miocene (c. 9.6 Ma) and the late Pliocene (c. 3.3 Ma). The subsequent diversification ofGlobulariacoincides with that ofCampylanthus(c. 3.5 Ma), with similar rates of constant lineage accumulation in both genera. While the MacaronesianGlobulariaspecies are recent (Late Pleistocene) colonists, most likely from theMR, neither late Plio‐/Pleistocene vicariance nor dispersal‐mediated range evolution can be refuted for Macaronesian versusEARCampylanthus.

Main conclusions

The coupling between low‐ and high‐latitude climate shifts likely triggered the simultaneous diversification at comparable rates ofCampylanthusandGlobulariain, respectively, theEARandMRat the end of the Pliocene. In the extensive and ecogeographically complexMR,Globulariaexperienced increased diversification rates likely triggered by glacial cycles and resulting in adaptive species formation. In contrast, increased diversification rates inCampylanthuslikely were triggered by aridity cycles and resulted in geographical speciation.
Nonlinear higher order abiotic interactions explain riverine biodiversity
Authors: Ryo Masahiro , Harvey Eric , Robinson Christopher T. , Altermatt Florian
Published: January 2018

Aim

Theory and experiments strongly support the importance of interactive effects of multiple factors shaping biodiversity, although their importance rarely has been investigated at biogeographically relevant scales. In particular, the importance of higher order interactions among environmental factors at such scales is largely unknown. We investigated higher order interactions of environmental factors to explain diversity patterns in a metacommunity of aquatic invertebrates at a biogeographically relevant scale and discuss the findings in an environmental management context.

Location

All major drainage basins in Switzerland (Rhine, Rhone, Ticino and Inn; 41,285 km2).

Methods

Riverine α‐diversity patterns at two taxonomic levels (family richness of all benthic macroinvertebrates and species richness of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) were examined at 518 sites across the basins. We applied a novel machine learning technique to detect key three‐way interactions of explanatory variables by comparing the relative importance of 1,140 three‐way combinations for family richness and 680 three‐way combinations for species richness.

Results

Relatively few but important three‐way interactions were meaningful for predicting biodiversity patterns among the numerous possible combinations. Specifically, we found that interactions among elevational gradient, prevalence of forest coverage in the upstream basin and biogeoclimatic regional classification were distinctly important.

Main conclusion

Our results indicated that a high prevalence of terrestrial forest generally sustains riverine benthic macroinvertebrate diversity, but this relationship varies considerably with biogeoclimatic and elevational conditions likely due to community composition of forests and macroinvertebrates changing along climatic and geographical gradients. An adequate management of riverine ecosystems at relevant biogeographical scales requires the identification of such interactions and a context‐dependent implementation.
Efficacy of catheter ablation of focal sources in persistent atrial fibrillation
Authors: Takahashi Yoshihide , Yamashita Syu , Suzuki Masahito , Yabe Kento , Hirao Kenzo
Published: January 2018

Introduction

Recent studies suggest that atrial fibrillation (AF) is maintained by electrical activity arising from focal sources. We sought to test whether catheter ablation that targets focal sources can improve on current ablation protocols for persistent AF.

Methods and results

In patients with persistent AF whose AF did not terminate with pulmonary vein (PV) isolation, the left atrium was mapped with a 20‐pole high‐density mapping catheter using CARTO®3 navigation. If a site demonstrated centrifugal activation over at least three consecutive cycles, it was deemed a focal source and ablated. If AF remained, defragmentation was performed until AF was terminated. Freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmia was compared between the study patients and propensity score matched historical controls who had undergone conventional stepwise ablation. Of the 68 study patients, 2.9 ± 1.9 focal sources were identified in 60 patients. Focal sources displayed transient centrifugal activation patterns for a median of six consecutive cycles. Total radiofrequency duration was shorter in the study group (62 ± 16 minutes vs. 75 ± 24 minutes, P = 0.0003). During a 1‐year follow‐up period, 39 (57%) and 26 (38%) patients were free from atrial tachyarrhythmias in the absence of antiarrhythmic drugs in the study and control groups, respectively (hazard ratio: 1.85, 95% confidence interval: 1.17–2.96, P = 0.009). Improvement of clinical outcome was mainly driven by a decrease in recurrence of atrial tachycardia in the study patients (22% vs. 40%, P = 0.047).

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that focal sources are appropriate ablation targets in addition to the PVs in persistent AF.
Considerations of prescribers and pharmacists for the use of non‐selective β‐blockers in asthma and COPD patients: An explorative study
Authors: Kuipers Esther , Wensing Michel , De Smet Peter A.G.M. , Teichert Martina
Published: January 2018

Rationale, aims, and objectives

Despite recommendations in prevailing guidelines to avoid the use of non‐selective (NS) β‐blockers in patients with asthma or COPD, on average, 10 patients per community pharmacy receive NS β‐blockers monthly. The aim of our study was to identify the reasons of prescribers and pharmacists to treat asthma and COPD patients with NS β‐blockers.

Methods

Fifty‐three community pharmacists in the Netherlands selected patients with actual concurrent use of inhalation medication and NS β‐blockers. For at least 5 patients, each pharmacist screened all medication surveillance signals and actions taken at first dispensing. Each pharmacist selected 3 different initial prescribers for a short interview to explore their awareness of the co‐morbidity and reasons to apply NS β‐blockers.

Results

Pharmacists identified 827 asthma/COPD patients with actual use of NS β‐blockers. From these, 153 NS β‐blocker prescribers were selected and interviewed (64 general practitioners, 45 ophthalmologists, 24 cardiologists, and 20 other prescribers). One hundred seven prescribers were aware of the drug‐disease interaction of the asthma or COPD co‐morbidity when initiating the NS β‐blocker, and 46 were not. From these, 40 prescribers did not consider the contraindication to be relevant.

For 299 patients, medication surveillance signals and actions at first dispensing were retrieved. Patients used predominantly ocular timolol (39.8%), and the oral preparations propranolol (30.8%) and carvedilol (15.1%). In 154 cases, the pharmacy system generated a warning alert.

Conclusions

A substantial number of prescribers was unaware of the co‐morbidity or did not regard NS β‐blockers contraindicated, despite prevailing clinical guidelines. Improvement programs should target prescribers' awareness and knowledge of NS β‐blockers in patients with asthma or COPD.
Elevated CO2 differentially affects tobacco and rice defense against lepidopteran larvae via the jasmonic acid signaling pathway
Authors: Lu Chengkai , Qi Jinfeng , Hettenhausen Christian , Lei Yunting , Zhang Jingxiong , Zhang Mou , Zhang Cuiping , Song Juan , Li Jing , Cao Guoyan , Malook Saif ul , Wu Jianqiang
Published: January 2018

Atmospheric CO2 levels are rapidly increasing due to human activities. However, the effects of elevated CO2 (ECO2) on plant defense against insects and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we show that ECO2 increased the photosynthetic rates and the biomass of tobacco and rice plants, and the chewing lepidopteran insects Spodoptera litura and Mythimna separata gained less and more mass on tobacco and rice plants, respectively. Consistently, under ECO2, the levels of jasmonic acid (JA), the main phytohormone controlling plant defense against these lepidopteran insects, as well as the main defense‐related metabolites, were increased and decreased in insect‐damaged tobacco and rice plants. Importantly, bioassays and quantification of defense‐related metabolites in tobacco and rice silenced in JA biosynthesis and perception indicate that ECO2 changes plant resistance mainly by affecting the JA pathway. We further demonstrate that the defensive metabolites, but not total N or protein, are the main factors contributing to the altered defense levels under ECO2. This study illustrates that ECO2 changes the interplay between plants and insects, and we propose that crops should be studied for their resistance to the major pests under ECO2 to predict the impact of ECO2 on future agroecosystems.
An optical configuration for fastidious STEM detector calibration and the effect of the objective‐lens pre‐field
Authors: JONES L. , VARAMBHIA A. , SAWADA H. , NELLIST P.D.
Published: January 2018

In the scanning transmission electron microscope, an accurate knowledge of detector collection angles is paramount in order to quantify signals on an absolute scale. Here we present an optical configuration designed for the accurate measurement of collection angles for both image‐detectors and energy‐loss spectrometers. By deflecting a parallel electron beam, carefully calibrated using a diffraction pattern from a known material, we can directly observe the projection‐distortion in the post‐specimen lenses of probe‐corrected instruments, the 3‐fold caustic when an image‐corrector is fitted, and any misalignment of imaging detectors or spectrometer apertures. We also discuss for the first time, the effect that higher‐order aberrations in the objective‐lens pre‐field has on such an angle‐based detector mapping procedure.
The impact of artificial selection on morphological integration in the appendicular skeleton of domestic horses
Authors: Hanot Pauline , Herrel Anthony , Guintard Claude , Cornette Raphaël
Published: January 2018

The relationships between the different component parts of organisms, such as the sharing of common development or function, produce a coordinated variation between the different traits. This morphological integration contributes to drive or constrain morphological variation and thus impacts phenotypic diversification. Artificial selection is known to contribute significantly to phenotypic diversification of domestic species. However, little attention has been paid to its potential impact on integration patterns. This study explores the patterns of integration in the limb bones of different horse breeds, using 3D geometric morphometrics. The domestic horse is known to have been strongly impacted by artificial selection, and was often selected for functional traits. Our results confirm that morphological integration among bones within the same limb is strong and apparently partly produced by functional factors. Most importantly, they reveal that artificial selection, which led to the diversification of domestic horses, impacts covariation patterns. The influence of selection on the patterns of covariation varies along the limbs and modulates bone shape, likely due to a differential ligament or muscle development. These results highlight that, in addition to not being constrained by a strong morphological integration, artificial selection has modulated the covariation patterns according to the locomotor specificities of the breeds. More broadly, it illustrates the interest in studying how micro‐evolutionary processes impact covariation patterns and consequently contribute to morphological diversification of domestic species.
Filler migration and extensive lesions after lip augmentation: Adverse effects of polydimethylsiloxane filler
Authors: Abtahi‐naeini Bahareh , Faghihi Gita , Shahmoradi Zabihollah , Saffaei Ali
Published: January 2018

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), also called liquid silicone, belongs to a group of polymeric compounds that are commonly referred to as silicones. These filling agents have been used as injectable filler for soft tissue augmentation. There are limited experiences about management of the severe complications related to filler migration associated with PDMS injection. We present a 35‐year‐old female with severe erythema, edema over her cheeks and neck, and multiple irregularities following cosmetic lip augmentation with PDMS. Further studies are required for management of this complicated case of PDMS injection.
A Spiritual Care Toolkit: An evidence‐based solution to meet spiritual needs
Authors: Kincheloe Donna D , Stallings Welden Lois M , White Ann
Published: January 2018

Aims and objectives

To determine differences between baseline spiritual perspectives of nurses, patients and their families and examine the effectiveness of a spiritual care (SC) toolkit as an intervention to facilitate meeting spiritual needs of hospitalised patients and families.

Background

Provision of SC by nurses in the acute care environment is an issue of high priority for patients. Nurses report lack of time, comfort, training, cultural knowledge and mobilisation of resources as obstacles to SC delivery. Evidence points to positive patient outcomes and patient satisfaction, yet few studies include interventions to help nurses meet spiritual needs of patients and families.

Design

Descriptive and quasi‐experimental design.

Methods

Patients, family members (n = 132) and nurses (n = 54) were administered SC surveys while hospitalised on two acute care units of a Midwest hospital system in the United States. Population represented patients suffering acute, chronic and terminal illness. Data collected over a 13‐week period examined relationships between the groups spiritual perspectives and the effectiveness of a SC toolkit intervention.

Results

Significant differences between nurse‐patient and nurse‐family groups were found, whereas no significant differences existed between patient‐family groups. A pretest‐posttest revealed the SC toolkit aided in overcoming obstacles to nurses' SC delivery. Patients and their family members found the SC toolkit helpful.

Conclusions

Findings suggest an evidence‐based SC toolkit has the propensity to help nurses meet spiritual needs of hospitalised patients and families. However, successful implementation and sustainability require organisational support, funding for resources and SC training for staff.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

A SC toolkit supplied with culturally sensitive faith resources supporting what patients and families value, believe and practice can be easily customised and implemented by any healthcare organisation in the world. Further investigation of SC toolkit effectiveness using multiple sites is recommended.
Vitrification and in vitro culture had no adverse effect on the follicular development and gene expression of stimulated human ovarian tissue
Authors: Ramezani Mahdi , Salehnia Mojdeh , Jafarabadi Mina
Published: January 2018

Aim

The study assesses the effect of the vitrification procedure on the integrity, morphology, follicular development and gene expression of stimulated human ovarian tissue after warming and two weeks of in vitro culture.

Methods

Ovarian specimens were divided into non‐vitrified and vitrified groups and were cultured for two weeks. Morphological analysis and immunohistochemistry were performed. The 17‐β estradiol and anti‐Müllerian hormone levels in collected media were assessed. Gene expression was analyzed using real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Results

The morphology and immunohistochemistry of bcl‐2‐like protein 4 and B‐cell lymphoma 2 of human stimulated ovarian tissue were similar in both groups. There was no significant difference in the percentage of normal follicles between the groups before and after in vitro culture. In spite of an increase in the percentage of growing follicles in cultured tissues compared to the non‐cultured groups, the rate of normal follicles was significantly decreased in both cultured groups (P < 0.05). Gene expression was no different in vitrified tissues compared to the control; however, the expression of growth differentiation factor 9 and follicle stimulating hormone receptor genes were increased and factor in germ line alpha and kit ligand genes were decreased during in vitro culture (P < 0.05). In the two cultured groups, the level of 17‐β estradiol was increased (P < 0.05), but the anti‐Müllerian hormone concentration was not statistically altered.

Conclusions

These results showed that the integrity of stimulated human ovarian tissue after vitrification/warming was well preserved; however, the in vitro culture condition needs improvement.
Incidence and risk factors of severe lacerations during forceps delivery in a single teaching hospital where simulation training is held annually
Authors: Sano Yasuko , Hirai Chihiro , Makino Shintaro , Li Xianglan , Takeda Jun , Itakura Atsuo , Takeda Satoru
Published: January 2018

Aim

This study was conducted to evaluate the incidence of severe lacerations during forceps delivery and the risk factors associated with such delivery in a hospital where simulation training is held annually.

Methods

The medical records of 857 women who underwent forceps delivery at term with singleton cephalic presentation from 2010 to 2015 were reviewed. The relationship between clinical characteristics and birth canal trauma was analyzed. Birth canal trauma included third and fourth degree perineal lacerations. Univariable and multivariable models of logistic regression were employed to estimate the raw odds ratio and were adjusted for cofactors with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05.

Results

The incidence of severe lacerations was 10.1%. Birth weight, fetal head station, the rate of malrotation and the number of extractions were higher in women with severe lacerations (P < 0.01), whereas the use of obstetric anesthesia was lower in women with such lacerations (P < 0.01). Neither the indication for forceps delivery nor the qualifications of the operator had any influence on the incidence of severe lacerations.

Conclusion

The incidence of severe lacerations was relatively low. Risk factors for severe lacerations with forceps delivery were identified as birth weight, fetal head station, malrotation and the number of extractions. Obstetric anesthesia may protect against severe lacerations.
Roles of venovenous anastomosis and umbilical cord insertion abnormalities in birthweight discordance in monochorionic–diamniotic twin pregnancies without twin–twin transfusion syndrome
Authors: Konno Hiroko , Murakoshi Takeshi , Yamashita Akiko , Matsushita Mitsuru
Published: January 2018

Aim

We evaluated risk factors for birthweight discordance in monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies without twin–twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).

Methods

We investigated all MCDA twin placentas injected with colored dye at our institution between 2007 and 2015. We excluded pairs of twins with TTTS, fetal demise, or severe fetal malformation. All pairs of twins were assigned to the discordant group (birthweight discordance ≥ 25%) or the concordant group (birthweight discordance < 25%). In each pair of twins, we described vascular anastomoses as either arterioarterial, venovenous (VV), or arterial–venous, and abnormal umbilical cord insertion as either marginal or velamentous. We also recorded placental sharing discordance.

Results

A total of 150 placentas were analyzed. The incidence of VV anastomosis in the discordant group (40%) was significantly higher than that in the concordant group (12%, P = 0.005). Unilateral abnormal umbilical cord insertion was significantly more common in the discordant group (85%) than in the concordant group (38%, P < 0.001). Placental sharing discordance was seen more frequently in the discordant group than in the concordant group. Multiple logistic analysis revealed that VV anastomosis (odds ratio: 4.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.2–18.6, P < 0.01) and unilateral abnormal umbilical cord insertion of the smaller twin (odds ratio: 5.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.4–22.9, P < 0.01) were independent risk factors for birthweight discordance.

Conclusion

VV anastomoses and unilateral abnormal umbilical cord insertion of the smaller twin are independent risk factors for birthweight discordance in MCDA twin pregnancies without TTTS.
Short‐term and long‐term clinical outcomes of rotational atherectomy in resistant chronic total occlusion
Authors: Huang Wei‐Chieh , Teng Hsin‐I , Chan Wan‐Leong , Lu Tse‐Min
Published: January 2018

Objectives

To evaluate the short‐ and long‐term clinical outcomes of RA in CTO coronary intervention.

Background

The application of rotational atherectomy (RA) may improve the success rate of percutaneous recanalization of chronic total occlusion (CTO) with heavy calcification.

Methods

From January 2011 to September 2014, we enrolled 285 patients with CTO who underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Resistant CTO lesions were defined as those with heavy calcifications as well as those that no devices are able to pass after guide wire crossing.

Results

All patients with resistant CTO lesions (n = 26) were successfully treated by RA without major complications, except 1 patient complicated with coronary perforation and treated by surgery successfully (success rate: RA group vs non‐RA group: 96.2%, vs 89.5%, P = 0.038). Compared to the non‐RA group, the patients in the RA group were older (P = 0.028), had higher J‐CTO scores (P = 0.001), and needed longer stents (P = 0.001). All patients were followed up for a mean period of 3.4 ± 2.3 years, and the 1‐year and long‐term clinical outcomes of the RA group were excellent and comparable with those not receiving RA in multivariate analysis adjusted for multiple variables.

Conclusion

The treatment of RA is safe and feasible for resistant CTO lesions with heavy calcification. The short‐ and long‐term clinical outcomes of the treatment of RA were excellent and comparable with those not needing RA for CTO PCI.
Mechanisms regulating expansion of CD8+ T cells during HIV‐1 infection
Authors: Nasi A. , Chiodi F.
Published: January 2018

Abnormal immune activation and expansion of CD8+ T cells, especially of memory and effector phenotypes, take place during HIV‐1 infection, and these abnormal features persist during administration of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to infected patients. The molecular mechanisms for CD8+ T‐cell expansion remain poorly characterized. In this article, we review the literature addressing features of CD8+ T‐cell immune pathology and present an integrated view on the mechanisms leading to abnormal CD8+ T‐cell expansion during HIV‐1 infection. The expression of molecules important for directing the homing of CD8+ T cells between the circulation and lymphoid tissues, in particular CCR5 and CXCR3, is increased in CD8+ T cells in circulation and in inflamed tissues during HIV‐1 infection; these disturbances in the homing capacity of CD8+ T cells have been linked to increased CD8+ T‐cell proliferation. The production of IL‐15, a cytokine responsible for physiological proliferation of CD8+ T cells, is increased in lymphoid tissues during HIV‐1 infection as result of microbial translocation and severe inflammation. IL‐15, and additional inflammatory cytokines, may lead to deregulated proliferation of CD8+ T cells and explain the accumulation of CD8+ T cells in circulation. The decreased capacity of CD8+ T cells to localize to gut‐associated lymphoid tissue also contributes to the accumulation of these cells in blood. Control of inflammation, through ART administration during primary HIV‐1 infection or therapies aimed at controlling inflammation during HIV‐1 infection, is pivotal to prevent abnormal expansion of CD8+ T cells during HIV‐1 infection.
The affective relevance of suggestion‐focused and problem‐focused voice: A diary study on voice in meetings
Authors: Starzyk Anita , Sonnentag Sabine , Albrecht Anne‐Grit
Published: January 2018

Building on the affective events theory framework, we argue for voice as affect‐relevant action and investigate the affective consequences of voice in meetings within persons. We administered daily surveys over one workweek to examine how suggestion‐focused and problem‐focused voice in meetings relate to state positive and state negative affect at work. Our analyses are based on the data of 124 employees reporting on 224 meetings. Employees’ problem‐focused voice in meetings was associated with a decrease in employees’ state negative affect at the end of the next workday. Employees’ suggestion‐focused voice, however, was not associated with an increase in employees’ state positive affect at the end of the next workday. Future studies should investigate boundary conditions that might change the affective consequences of employees’ voice in meetings.

Practitioner points

Meetings offer employees the opportunity to voice work‐related issues to bring about change. There is substantial intra‐individual variability in employees’ voice in meetings, such that an employee sometimes takes this opportunity, whereas sometimes the same employee passes it on.

An employee can show suggestion‐focused voice (i.e., make suggestions of how to improve current work processes) or problem‐focused voice (i.e., address problems about inefficiencies or poor performance) in a meeting. Both types of voice can provide valuable information for work teams and organizations.

When employees suggest an improvement in a meeting, they do not necessarily feel more active at the end of their next workday, but when they address a problem, they feel less distressed. This favourable affective consequence may help to develop a more positive view of problem‐focused voice among supervisors and employees.
Being mindful at work and at home: Buffering effects in the stressor–detachment model
Authors: Haun Verena C. , Nübold Annika , Bauer Anna G.
Published: January 2018

In this daily diary study, we examined the moderating role of employee domain‐specific mindfulness within the stressor–detachment model (Sonnentag & Fritz, , Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36, 72). According to the stressor–detachment model, emotional and quantitative demands should be associated with decreased psychological detachment after work, which in turn is associated with decreased well‐being (i.e., low positive affect and high negative affect) at bedtime. Moreover, we proposed that both mindfulness at work and home should buffer the relations between job demands and psychological detachment and between psychological detachment and well‐being. Sixty‐five employees completed two daily surveys (i.e., after work and before going to bed) over five workdays. Results of multilevel analyses revealed that job demands did not predict psychological detachment, which in turn did not predict well‐being at bedtime. However, the relation between emotional demands and psychological detachment was buffered by both mindfulness at work and at home while the relation between quantitative demands and psychological detachment was moderated by mindfulness at home only. Moreover, we found that mindfulness at home moderated the relation between psychological detachment and positive affect at bedtime. Our study demonstrates the buffering role of daily mindfulness within the stressor–detachment model and highlights the value of considering domain‐specific mindfulness.

Practitioner points

Being mindful at work and at home buffers the negative relationships between job demands and psychological detachment after work.

Promoting mindfulness both in the work and home domain can help employees psychologically detach from work despite high job demands.
Copula variation in Asturian Spanish and the multidimensionality of stancetaking in interaction
Authors: Barnes Sonia
Published: January 2018

In this study, I analyze the relationship between stance, style and sociolinguistic variation in a situation of language contact between Asturian and Spanish in the urban areas of Asturias (Spain). Using different types of data, and a triangulation of quantitative and qualitative methods, I explore the interactional functions of Asturian ‘ye’ (‘he/she/it is’), a salient marker of Asturian identity, and how the stances indexed by this form – low epistemic commitment, lack of seriousness and social solidarity – are connected to more enduring social identities. In the analysis, I provide a possible operationalization of stances that takes into consideration the multidimensionality of the stancetaking process. I also show how examining stance can provide a tool to move beyond monolithic representations of social meaning, and dichotomous distinctions between standard and non‐standard variants.
Reported safety environment predicts injuries among children aged 1–6 years in specific communities
Authors: Siman‐Tov Maya , Peleg Kobi , Baron‐Epel Orna
Published: January 2018

Aim

To measure individual and environmental risk factors predicting reported child injuries.

Methods

A prospective, follow‐up study was performed including 380 parents of children aged 1–6 years, living in various communities throughout Israel. Parents were interviewed three times, 3 months apart. Injuries were defined as including minor injuries that required parental attention and medically attended injuries: doctor or nurse visit, emergency medical services or hospitalisation. Parents reported the level of safety for both indoor and outdoor environments, covering 11 items pertaining to safety elements dedicated to prevent child injury. Socio‐demographic and parents' attitudes towards child injury were also measured.

Results

During the 6‐month follow‐up period, 37% of parents reported that their child was injured, and 29% of them received medical attention. Reported outdoor safety environment was found to be a predictor of child injury, suggesting that the risk of child injury is higher among children living in unsafe outdoor environments. However, this depended on levels of religiosity (with an odds ratio of 2.48 and 95% confidence interval of 1.09–5.64 for traditional families and an odds ratio of 3.65 and 95% confidence interval of 1.58–8.46 for religious families).

Conclusions

Safe environments play a major role in decreasing the risk of injury among children. In order to decrease injury rates among young children, attention should be given to the immediate outdoor environment in which children grow up and play. Decision makers might particularly want to pay closer attention to the influence of religious backgrounds on child safety through safe environments.
The role of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer glycosylation in regulating matrix metalloproteinases in periodontitis
Authors: Zhang Z. , Yang X. , Zhang H. , Liu X. , Pan S. , Li C.
Published: January 2018

Background and Objective

Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that may induce activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and lead to the destruction of periodontal tissue. The level of EMMPRIN glycosylation might be involved in this process. This study aims to investigate the role of EMMPRIN glycosylation in regulating MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 during the progression of periodontitis.

Material and Methods

Gingival tissues were collected from patients with chronic periodontitis and from patients undergoing crown‐lengthening procedures (healthy gingival tissue). Tissues were used for immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence. A human immortalized oral epithelial cell (HIOEC) line was stably transfected by an N‐acetylglucosaminyltransferase‐V (GnT‐V) RNA interference (RNAi) lentivirus to suppress EMMPRIN glycosylation. Gene silence efficiency was detected by western blot, quantitative real‐time PCR and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. An HIOEC/human gingival fibroblast (HGF) co‐culture model and an individual culture model were used in this study. After exposure of cells to Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (Pg. LPS), the expression of EMMPRIN, MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 were assessed by western blot, quantitative real‐time PCR and IF, and the secretion of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 were detected by gelatin‐degradation assays.

Results

Compared with the periodontally healthy group, patients with periodontitis showed increased expression of EMMPRIN on the gingival epithelial cell membrane. GnT‐V, a key regulator of EMMPRIN glycosylation, was co‐expressed with EMMPRIN in gingival epithelial cells in patients with periodontitis. Knockdown of GnT‐V reduced the level of EMMPRIN glycosylation in HIOECs. Furthermore, in the HIOEC/HGF co‐culture model, stimulation with Pg. LPS (10 μg/mL, 4 hours) promoted EMMPRIN glycosylation and increased the activities of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9, while suppression of EMMPRIN glycosylation by GnT‐V knockdown reduced the synthesis and activities of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 under Pg. LPS stimulation. Moreover, the gelatin‐degradation assay showed that inhibition of EMMPRIN glycosylation suppressed the Pg. LPS‐induced degradation of gelatin in the co‐culture model.

Conclusion

We conclude that EMMPRIN glycosylation participates in the regulation of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 production through mediating the interaction of HIOECs and HGFs. Inhibiting EMMPRIN glycosylation can reduce the activation of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 and suppress the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the HIOEC/HGF co‐culture model. Therefore, this study suggests that EMMPRIN glycosylation may affect the host immune‐inflammatory response by regulating MMPs in periodontitis.
Risky behavior and its effect on survival: snowshoe hare behavior under varying moonlight conditions
Authors: Gigliotti L. C. , Diefenbach D. R.
Published: January 2018

Predation and predation risk can exert strong influences on the behavior of prey species. However, risk avoidance behaviors may vary among populations of the same species. We studied a population of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) near the southern edge of their range, in Pennsylvania. This population occupies different habitat types, experiences different environmental conditions, and are exposed to different predator species and densities than northern hare populations; therefore, they might exhibit differences in risk avoidance behaviors. We analyzed hare survival, movement rates, and habitat use under different levels of predation risk, as indexed by moonlight. Similar to previous work, we found snowshoe hare survival decreased with increased moon illumination during the winter, but we found differences in behavioral responses to increased predation risk. We found that snowshoe hares did not reduce movement rates during high‐risk nights, but instead found that hares selected areas with denser canopy cover, compared to low‐risk nights. We suggest that behavioral plasticity in response to predation risk allows populations of the same species to respond to localized conditions.
Children With SLI Can Exhibit Reduced Attention to a Talker's Mouth
Authors: Pons Ferran , Sanz‐Torrent Monica , Ferinu Laura , Birulés Joan , Andreu Llorenç
Published: January 2018

It has been demonstrated that children with specific language impairment (SLI) show difficulties not only with auditory but also with audiovisual speech perception. The goal of this study was to assess whether children with SLI might show reduced attention to the talker's mouth compared to their typically developing (TD) peers. An additional aim was to determine whether the pattern of attention to a talking face would be related to a specific subtype of SLI. We used an eye‐tracker methodology and presented a video of a talker speaking the children's native language. Results revealed that children with SLI paid significantly less attention to the mouth than the TD children. More specifically, it was also observed that children with a phonological‐syntactic deficit looked less to the mouth as compared to the children with a lexical‐syntactic deficit.
Review of Single Subject Research Examining the Effectiveness of Interventions for At‐Risk English Learners
Authors: Baker Doris Luft , Richards‐Tutor Catherine , Sparks Anthony , Canges Rebecca
Published: January 2018

We review published single subject design (SSD) studies that examine the effects of interventions for English learners at‐risk or with learning disabilities. Results of our literature search yielded 10 studies, five in reading, one in reading and behavior, and four in mathematics that met our inclusion criteria. Seven studies targeted Spanish‐speaking English learners, and three studies included students who spoke other languages than English and/or English only students. Two studies in mathematics included native language instruction. Six studies included English learners in second grade and above, and one study included high school students. We were able to calculate effect sizes (Hedges g) for eight of the 10 studies. Findings indicated a significant effect of the intervention for 12 of the 18 dependent variables measured. SSD methodology has the potential to help researchers and practitioners better understand what interventions work for English learners, and under what circumstances.
Frederick C. Leonard: A history and personal recollections
Authors: Leonard Frederick D.
Published: January 2018

As a child Frederick C. Leonard displayed such a precocious aptitude for astronomy that he became known as “Chicago's Boy Astronomer.” But within a decade after receiving his Ph.D., his interests had turned to meteorites. He persuaded Harvey Nininger to help him found the Society for Research on Meteorites, later renamed The Meteoritical Society, in 1933—a time when the study of meteorites was not considered a worthy pursuit of serious scientists. He nurtured the Society and held it together through the Great Depression, World War II, a destructive feud, and a significant personal and family crisis. He obtained legitimacy and affiliation for the Society with mainstream scientific organizations. He was its first President, and he was Editor of its publications from the Society's founding until a year before his death in 1960. Through it all he was a persistent advocate for the importance of the study of meteorites and the legitimacy of meteoritics as a valuable field of science.
The psychological representation of modality
Authors: Phillips Jonathan , Knobe Joshua
Published: January 2018

A series of recent studies have explored the impact of people's judgments regarding physical law, morality, and probability. Surprisingly, such studies indicate that these three apparently unrelated types of judgments often have precisely the same impact. We argue that these findings provide evidence for a more general hypothesis about the kind of cognition people use to think about possibilities. Specifically, we suggest that this aspect of people's cognition is best understood using an idea developed within work in the formal semantics tradition, namely the notion of modality. On the view we propose, people may have separate representations for physical, moral and probabilistic considerations, but they also integrate these various considerations into a unified representation of modality.
Reconsidering nationalism and feminism: the Kurdish political movement in Turkey
Authors: Al‐Ali Nadje , Tas Latif
Published: January 2018

Feminist scholars have documented with reference to multiple empirical contexts that feminist claims within nationalist movements are often side‐lined, constructed as ‘inauthentic’ and frequently discredited for imitating supposedly western notions of gender‐based equality. Despite these historical precedents, some feminist scholars have pointed to the positive aspects of nationalist movements, which frequently open up spaces for gender‐based claims. Our research is based on the recognition that we cannot discuss and evaluate the fraught relationship in the abstract but that we need to look at the specific historical and empirical contexts and articulations of nationalism and feminism. The specific case study we draw from is the relationship between the Kurdish women's movement and the wider Kurdish political movement in Turkey. We are exploring the ways that the Kurdish movement in Turkey has politicised Kurdish women's rights activists and examine how Kurdish women activists have reacted to patriarchal tendencies within the Kurdish movement.
Identification and functional characterization of type II toxin/antitoxin systems in Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans
Authors: Schneider B. , Weigel W. , Sztukowska M. , Demuth D.R.
Published: January 2018

Type II toxin/antitoxin (TA) systems contribute to the formation of persister cells and biofilm formation for many organisms. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans thrives in the complex oral microbial community subjected to continual environmental flux. Little is known regarding the presence and function of type II TA systems in this organism or their contribution to adaptation and persistence in the biofilm. We identified 11 TA systems that are conserved across all seven serotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans and represent the RelBE, MazEF and HipAB families of type II TA systems. The systems selectively responded to various environmental conditions that exist in the oral cavity. Two putative RelBE‐like TA systems, D11S_1194‐1195 and D11S_1718‐1719 were induced in response to low pH and deletion of D11S_1718‐1719 significantly reduced metabolic activity of stationary phase A. actinomycetemcomitans cells upon prolonged exposure to acidic conditions. The deletion mutant also exhibited reduced biofilm biomass when cultured under acidic conditions. The D11S_1194 and D11S_1718 toxin proteins inhibited in vitro translation of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and degraded ribosome‐associated, but not free, MS2 virus RNA. In contrast, the corresponding antitoxins (D11S_1195 and D11S_1719), or equimolar mixtures of toxin and antitoxin, had no effect on DHFR production or RNA degradation. Together, these results suggest that D11S_1194‐1195 and D11S_1718‐1719 are RelBE‐like type II TA systems that are activated under acidic conditions and may function to cleave ribosome‐associated mRNA to inhibit translation in A. actinomycetemcomitans. In vivo, these systems may facilitate A. actinomycetemcomitans adaptation and persistence in acidic local environments in the dental biofilm.
Excess incidence and risk factors for recurrent pneumonia in bipolar disorder
Authors: Li Min‐Shan , Hung Galen Chin‐Lun , Yang Shu‐Yu , Pan Chun‐Hung , Liao Ya‐Tang , Tsai Shang‐Ying , Chen Chiao‐Chicy , Kuo Chian‐Jue
Published: January 2018

Aim

Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) tend to have poorer outcomes after pneumonia and could have a higher risk for recurrence of pneumonia. We aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors of recurrent pneumonia in patients with BD.

Methods

In a nationwide cohort of BD patients (derived from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan) who were hospitalized for pneumonia between 1996 and 2012, we identified 188 patients who developed recurrent pneumonia after a baseline pneumonia episode. Applying risk‐set sampling at a 1:2 ratio, 353 matched controls were selected from the study cohort. We used multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis to explore the association between recurrent pneumonia and physical illness, concomitant medications, and psychotropic drugs.

Results

The findings showed that the incidence of recurrent pneumonia in BD was 6.60 cases per 100 person‐years, which was higher than that in the general population. About 10% (9.24%) of cases with recurrent pneumonia died within 30 days of hospitalization. Patients had increased risk of recurrent pneumonia if they had hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cancer, or asthma. Conversely, psychotropic drugs, both first‐ and second‐generation antipsychotics, which are known to increase susceptibility to baseline pneumonia, were not associated with risk of pneumonia recurrence.

Conclusion

We found an excess incidence of recurring pneumonia in patients with BD, and this risk was associated with pre‐existing medical conditions but not psychotropic agents. Physicians should carefully consider the comorbid medical conditions of patients with BD that could lead to recurrent pneumonia.
Preparing for saliencies: Emotional expectations under probabilistically and aversively salient situations
Authors: Kamei Mio , Kotani Yasunori , Sakuma Haruo
Published: January 2018

In humans, the expectation process in decision making has not been as thoroughly investigated as the evaluation process. The present study focused on the interaction between probabilistic saliency and motivational saliency during expectation and evaluation periods using stimulus‐preceding negativity (SPN) and reward positivity (RewP). Twenty healthy participants performed a modified monetary‐incentive delay task under reward‐approach and punishment‐avoidance conditions. Each condition was characterized by the likely outcome (reward only, punishment only) to manipulate motivational saliency. The task difficulty was regulated to control for probabilistic saliency, and the error trial was set as a probabilistically salient event (75% correct, 25% error). The results demonstrated that there was a larger SPN in the 25%‐error trial than the 75%‐correct trial and that it was left hemisphere predominant. Furthermore, there was an interaction between probabilistic and motivational saliency such that the SPN in the error trial was larger in the punishment‐avoidance than in the reward‐approach condition at Fz and at the right hemisphere. In contrast, RewP was only significantly different from zero in the 75%‐correct trial in the reward‐approach condition. These results confirm that the SPN increases with probabilistic saliency and that probabilistically salient events may intervene in the motivational saliency of the outcome; furthermore, that RewP reflects the weighted positive value of the outcome for reward but not the weighted negative value of the outcome for punishment. We discuss the interaction between probabilistic saliency and motivational saliency on SPN and its left hemisphere predominance based on the functions of the insular cortex.
Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Grim news
Authors: Porcel José M.
Published: January 2018

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