bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A framework for linking competitor ecological differences to coexistence
Authors: Ousterhout Brittany H. , Serrano Mabel , Bried Jason T. , Siepielski Adam M.
Published: June 2019

Not all ecological differences among competing species affect their ability to locally coexist. Rather, the differences that promote stable coexistence can be those which cause each species to experience stronger intraspecific than interspecific competition. Recent approaches have established how to detect the demographic signature of these competitive effects, but alone they cannot elucidate the ecological differences among species that yield these patterns.

Here, we present a unifying experimental and observational framework that identifies potential ecological differences among species shaping their responses to intra‐ and interspecific competition. We first describe a conceptual model establishing why the strength of intra‐ and interspecific competitive interactions should vary along environmental gradients related to species ecological differences. We then show how to apply the framework using Enallagma damselflies, a diverse group of predatory aquatic insects.

To determine how species responded to intra‐ and interspecific competition along environmental gradients, we experimentally manipulated the relative abundances of three species and replicated this across five lakes which varied in environmental conditions affecting larval damselfly per capita growth and mortality rates—key vital rates regulating their populations.

Results suggest Enallagma are ecologically differentiated in ways that in some communities can result in intraspecific competition exceeding interspecific competition. However, in many cases the opposite was true, or the effects of intra‐ and interspecific competition were equivalent via growth and mortality responses. Moreover, these effects tended to be weak and asymmetrical among competitors, which suggests that differential responses of larval growth and mortality to intra‐ and interspecific competition may not contribute strongly to the maintenance of Enallagma diversity. Different environmental factors appear to shape these demographic responses to competition, providing insight into the ecological mechanisms regulating damselfly assemblages.

This framework can be broadly applied to identify the ecological differences among species that may promote coexistence, advancing knowledge of the mechanisms underlying coexistence and overcoming some limitations of purely phenomenological approaches.
Maternal age at birth shapes offspring life‐history trajectory across generations in long‐lived Asian elephants
Authors: Reichert Sophie , Berger Vérane , Jackson John , Chapman Simon N. , Htut Win , Mar Khyne U. , Lummaa Virpi
Published: June 2019

Advanced maternal age at birth can have pronounced consequences for offspring health, survival and reproduction. If carried over to the next generation, such fitness effects could have important implications for population dynamics and the evolution of ageing, but these remain poorly understood. While many laboratory studies have investigated maternal age effects, relatively few studies have been conducted in natural populations, and they usually only present a “snapshot” of an offspring's lifetime.

In the present study, we focus on how maternal age influences offspring life‐history trajectories and performance in a long‐lived mammal.

We use a multigenerational demographic dataset of semi‐captive Asian elephants to investigate maternal age effects on several offspring life‐history traits: condition, reproductive success and overall survival.

We show that offspring born to older mothers display reduced overall survival but higher reproductive success, and reduced survival of their own progeny. Our results show evidence of a persistent effect of maternal age on fitness across generations in a long‐lived mammal.

By highlighting transgenerational effects on the fitness of the next generation associated with maternal age, the present study helps increase our understanding of factors contributing to individual variation in ageing rates and fitness.
Tree performance in a biodiversity enrichment experiment in an oil palm landscape
Authors: Zemp Delphine Clara , Gérard Anne , Hölscher Dirk , Ammer Christian , Irawan Bambang , Sundawati Leti , Teuscher Miriam , Kreft Holger
Published: June 2019

Large‐scale conversion of tropical forests into oil palm monocultures has led to dramatic losses of biodiversity and ecosystem functions. While ecological restoration is urgently needed in many oil palm landscapes, there is a lack of scientific knowledge of sustainable management strategies.

We established experimental tree islands of varying sizes (25 m2to 1,600 m2) and diversity levels (1, 2, 3 and 6 species) in an oil palm plantation in Sumatra, Indonesia. Six native multi‐purpose tree species includingArchidendron pauciflorum(Jengkol),Durio zibethinus(Durian),Parkia speciosa(Petai),Shorea leprosula(Meranti),Peronema canescens(Sungkai) andDyera polyphylla(Jelutung) were planted between living and felled oil palms. Here, we analyse the controlling factors of tree growth and survival during the first 4 years at the level of local neighbourhood and tree island.

We found a significant effect of diversity levels on tree productivity, that is, basal area was higher in multi‐species than in single‐species tree islands. This overyielding was attributed to enhanced tree growth, while mortality had no effect. In the local neighbourhood, tree species richness had a positive effect on tree growth during the first year only, indicating that selection and dominance of well‐performing species at high level of diversity are most likely driving overyielding.

Trees grew better away from living oil palms, suggesting tree‐palm competition. Proximity to felled oil palms increased growth especially during the first years, during which the planted trees might have benefited from the additional available space and resources. Despite positive edge effects from the conventional oil palm management in the surrounding, tree island size had an overall positive effect on tree growth.

Synthesis and applications. We planted native trees in an oil palm landscape following a tree island pattern. The establishment success differed widely among the six planted species. The selection of particular species is a decisive factor to foster a positive relationship between diversity and tree growth. Planting larger tree islands (e.g. 1,600 square metres) is a better option to enhance tree growth, but tree‐palm competition implies a trade‐off between tree growth and palm oil production in the tree islands.
Copepods promote bacterial community changes in surrounding seawater through farming and nutrient enrichment
Authors: Shoemaker Katyanne M. , Duhamel Solange , Moisander Pia H.
Published: June 2019

Bacteria living in the oligotrophic open ocean have various ways to survive under the pressure of nutrient limitation. Copepods, an abundant portion of the mesozooplankton, release nutrients through excretion and sloppy feeding that can support growth of surrounding bacteria. We conducted incubation experiments in the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre to investigate the response of bacterial communities in the presence of copepods. Bacterial community composition and abundance measurements indicate that copepods have the potential to influence the microbial communities surrounding and associating with them – their ‘zoosphere’, in two ways. First, copepods may attract and support the growth of copiotrophic bacteria including representatives of Vibrionaceae, Oceanospirillales and Rhodobacteraceae in waters surrounding them. Second, copepods appear to grow specific groups of bacteria in or on the copepod body, particularly Flavobacteriaceae and Pseudoalteromonadaceae, effectively ‘farming’ them and subsequently releasing them. These distinct mechanisms provide a new view into how copepods may shape microbial communities in the open ocean. Microbial processes in the copepod zoosphere may influence estimates of oceanic bacterial biomass and in part control bacterial community composition and distribution in seawater.
General Motor Holden's closure in Playford, South Australia: Analysis of the policy response and its implications for health
Authors: Browne‐Yung Kathryn , Ziersch Anna , Baum Fran , Friel Sharon , Spoehr John
Published: June 2019

Deindustrialisation and the closure of automotive manufacturing can differentially affect the socioeconomic prospects of workers and their communities, and contribute to social and health inequity. We used Bacchi's problematisation approach to examine the South Australian (SA) Labor government's policy responses to the General Motors Holden (GMH) Elizabeth plant closure announcement. We focused on the way that these policy responses framed the ‘problem’ of this major economic shock, particularly the extent to which potential social and health equity consequences were addressed. We found a narrow focus on economic strategies, neglecting the compounding impact of poverty in Playford, which may exacerbate health inequity. The community effects from the GMH closure remain uncertain and may be delayed for several years. SA requires better integrated social and economic policies to minimise social and health inequalities, as the consequences of the car manufacturing loss are realised.
The aesthetics of ‘time reckoning’: a Guna chromatic history★
Authors: Fortis Paolo
Published: June 2019

This is a study of time and aesthetics through an ethnographic analysis of an indigenous visual system. Looking at historical changes in women's clothing and village patterns among Guna people (Panama), the article shows that images and artefacts are key to shedding light on indigenous historicities. Core visual and material processes encapsulate and manifest biographical and group time. By the same token, such processes provide a privileged perspective to consider how present‐day social relations are the product of long‐term historical transformations. The analysis draws on the relatively overlooked notion of ‘chromatism’ developed by Lévi‐Strauss and subsequently elaborated by Lima as ‘chromatic sociality’. It proposes that ‘chromatism’ is an indigenous category that allows for reckoning with the passing of time and the shifting circumstances of history.
‘This is a gathering of lovers’: Islamic self‐help and affective pedagogies in contemporary Singapore
Authors: Jamil Nurhaizatul
Published: June 2019

In Singapore, the proliferation of Islamic classes drawing from self‐help rhetoric, popular culture, the Qur'an, and Hadith allude to the increased appeal of affective pedagogies to Muslim youth. Taught by Singaporean Al‐Azhar University graduates, the classes predominantly attracted university‐educated, minoritized Malay Muslim women. Through the use of affective pedagogies, the teachers reframed Islamic piety to foreground three forms of love: self, divine, and romantic. Extending scholarship on racialized affect, this article interrogates the ways in which the teachers’ affective pedagogies mediated young women's anxieties within a neoliberalizing context, and the latter's negotiations of their newly acquired religious knowledge as they contended with quotidian precarities. While anthropology's foregrounding of lived materialities complicates some of the theoretical presuppositions of affect theory, the latter expands our understanding of piety projects as not merely concerned with ethical self‐discipline, but entangled with broader racialization processes – especially for minoritized subjects whose capacity to transform becomes constitutive of a will to improve. By placing anthropological theory on Islamic piety in a dialogical tension with affect theory, I highlight the forms of affective religious sentiments that circulate through difference and negation, and are integral to particular sites of minoritized Muslim subject formation.
On fun and freedom: young women's moral learning in Indonesian Islamic boarding schools
Authors: Hefner Claire‐Marie
Published: June 2019

This article analyses the role of fun and freedom in the moral learning of young women students in two Indonesian Islamic boarding schools. Recent debates about Islam and ethical subject formation have centred on the assumed tension between Islam and freedom. I examine decisions about television viewing and dress to illustrate both the flexibility and fixity of moral values and evaluation in girls’ lives. I argue that anthropologists of morality and Islam should take seriously moments of fun as important instances for ‘moralludus’ or ‘moral play’ – the testing, shifting, and reshaping of the boundaries of moral behaviours that involve balancing the demands of various social fields and the larger ethical community in which a person is embedded. I suggest that these moments be viewed not as ruptures or instances of hypocrisy but as everyday occurrences of embedded agency in the lives of piety‐minded individuals.
Accessing the interiority of others: Sufism in Sri Lanka
Authors: de Munck Victor , Manoharan Christopher
Published: June 2019

We combine Hofstadter's description of mutual interior access between persons with theories of interiority presented in ethnographic contexts and in anthropological literature on Sufi rituals. The intersection of these theories with Hofstadter's concepts is applied to three Sufi rituals: an annual village festival presided over by aMaulana(descendant of the Prophet); the devotionaldhikrcircles that meet weekly at the mosque; and a major Sufi festival held in a remote, mountainous area of Sri Lanka where living Sufi virtuosi come as well as thousands of pilgrims. Each ritual is posited to represent increasingly substantial degrees of interior alignment between participants. By intentionally expanding their senses of self through engagement in ritual practice and appreciation of religious dogma, participants approximate an overlapping of their separate interiorities. The article contributes to anthropological discussions of interiority, Muslim identity, and the sacred.
How customer‐oriented companies breed HR flexibility and improved performance: evidence from business‐to‐customer companies in China
Authors: Ma Xifang , Shu Rui , Zhong Genyuan
Published: June 2019

The contemporary literature has taken a ‘market‐driven’ approach to explaining the influence of interaction orientation on organizational performance, but has ignored the internal changes within organizations that are shaped by their customer‐oriented practices. Drawing on the market orientation‐responsiveness‐performance framework (Hult, Ketchen and Slater 2005; Ketchen, Hult and Slater 2007), we provide an alternative explanation for the influence of interaction orientation by articulating the role of a firm's HR flexibility. Using a sample of 156 business‐to‐customer firms located in China, we find that interaction orientation is positively related to organizational performance through its impact on a firm's HR flexibility. Moreover, the association between interaction orientation and HR flexibility is stronger when the organizational culture encourages collective actions (i.e. organizational collectivism). We also discuss the theoretical implications of this research.
How does servant leadership fuel employee innovative behavior? A moderated mediation framework
Authors: Zhu Chunling , Zhang Fangliang
Published: June 2019

This research seeks to contribute to leadership theory by proposing an integrative framework to reveal how servant leadership and employee cognitive factors foster the conditions that promote employee innovative behavior. Building on social cognitive theory, we hypothesize that servant leadership improves employee innovative behavior through inspiring employee knowledge‐sharing. We predict that employee organizational identification strengthens the impact of servant leadership on knowledge‐sharing, and that employee learning goal orientation amplifies the relationship between employee knowledge‐sharing and innovative behavior. We also propose that the positive indirect effect of servant leadership on employee innovative behavior via knowledge‐sharing is strongest when both moderators are at a high level. Using data collected from 215 supervisor‐employee dyads from three private high‐tech firms in China and a multisource and multiphase research design, we find support for our proposed model. Theoretical and managerial implications for leadership and management practices are also discussed.
Observational study evaluating the effectiveness of physician‐targeted education for improving glycemic management of patients with type 2 diabetes (BEYOND II)
Authors: Weng Jianping , Zhao Jiajun , Zhou Zhiguang , Guo Xiaohui , Zou Dajin , Ji Qiuhe , Tong Nanwei , Li Qifu , Zhu Jun , Li Qiang , Qin Guijun , Feng Ping , Yang Liyong , Gao Zhengnan , Chen Lulu , Li Hong , Li Yiming , Zeng Longyi , Zhu Dalong , Lu Juming , Luo Tianhong , Cui Nan
Published: June 2019

Background

Because there has been no quality improvement initiatives targeting patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) receiving basal insulin therapy, this study evaluated the effectiveness of physician‐targeted education for optimizing glycemic management in these patients in China.

Methods

This multicenter open‐label observational study conducted across China had a baseline sample survey, followed by a 6‐month education program, and ended with a post‐education sample survey. Education based on T2D treatment guidelines was given at Months 1 and 3, and was reinforced by self‐audit every month. Each hospital enrolled 100 patients with T2D receiving basal insulin at both the baseline and post‐education survey. The primary outcome was the proportion of hospitals meeting individual improvement goals. The goal setting was based on the proportion of patients achieving HbA1c <7.0% in each hospital at the time of the baseline survey.

Results

Overall, the individual improvement goal was achieved by 35 centers (49%). Hospitals with poor glycemic management at the baseline survey had higher possibility to improve at post‐education survey. Two large sample surveys at baseline and post‐education showed improved glucose management among these hospitals. A higher proportion of patients achieved HbA1c <7.0% in the post‐education survey (27.2% vs 36.5%;P < 0.001) with reduced HbA1c levels (8.10% vs 7.72%;P < 0.001). Questionnaires from 723 physicians showed that confidence and practice of basal insulin use were significantly improved.

Conclusions

Physician‐targeted education improved glycemic management of patients with T2D in 71 hospitals in China, and was more effective at hospitals with poor glycemic management at the baseline survey.
Notomelia in a piglet (Sus scrofa): Case report and review of the literature
Authors: Pourlis Aris , Papatsiros Vassilis G. , Athanasiou Labrini V. , Maragkakis George G. , Tsioli Vasiliki
Published: June 2019

This report describes a case of notomelia in a female piglet. The extra limb was attached at the interscapular region and was significantly undergrown. Its appendage was bifurcated with a unilateral keratinized tip. This is probably the first report of notomelia in a pig. The observations were compared with the bovine and ovine cases of notomelia reported so far.
Loss Aversion in Politics
Authors: Alesina Alberto , Passarelli Francesco
Published: June 2019

We study loss aversion in elections by investigating a median voter model (full convergence in a two‐candidate election) and a model of partial divergence of policy proposals. First, we show a status quo bias, an endowment effect, and a moderating effect of policies. Second, we show the occurrence of “long‐term cycles” in policies with self‐supporting movements to the right or the left. Finally, we prove that younger societies should be more prone to change and less affected by the status quo bias than older ones.
High prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and particularly Trichomonas vaginalis diagnosed using US FDA‐approved Aptima molecular tests and evaluation of conventional routine diagnostic tests in Ternopil, Ukraine
Authors: Boiko Iryna , Golparian Daniel , Krynytska Inna , Unemo Magnus
Published: June 2019

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain major public health problems globally. Appropriate laboratory diagnosis of STIs is rare in Ukraine. We investigated the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) using the US FDA‐approved Aptima Combo 2 and Aptima TV assays and compared the results with the conventional routine diagnostic tests (CDTs) in Ukraine. Urogenital swabs from consecutive mostly symptomatic females (n = 296) and males (n = 159) were examined. The prevalences were as follows: 10% (n = 47) of TV, 5.3% (n = 24) of CT and 1.5% (n = 7) of NG. The specificity of some CDTs was high, for example, 100% for NG culture, TV IgG ELISA, CT IgM ELISA and CT microscopy, but lower for other CDTs, that is, from 44% to 99.8%. The sensitivity of all CDTs was suboptimal, that is, 71% (n = 5) for NG microscopy, 57% (n = 4) for NG culture, 53% (n = 8) for CT IgG ELISA, 33% (n = 1) for TV IgG ELISA, 28% (n = 13) for TV microscopy, 25% (n = 1) for CT IgA ELISA, 20% (n = 3) for CT IgM ELISA and 0% (n = 0) for CT microscopy. The prevalences of particularly TV and CT were high, but substantial also for NG, in Ternopil, Ukraine. The sensitivities of all CDTs were low, and widespread implementation of validated, quality‐assured and cost‐effective molecular diagnostic STI tests in Ukraine is imperative.
Real‐world short‐term effectiveness of ustekinumab in 305 patients with Crohn’s disease: results from the ENEIDA registry
Authors: Iborra M. , Beltrán B. , Fernández‐Clotet A. , Gutiérrez A. , Antolín B. , Huguet J.M. , De Francisco R. , Merino O. , Carpio D. , García‐López S. , Mesonero F. , Navarro P. , Ferreiro‐Iglesias R. , Carbajo A.Y. , Rivero M. , Gisbert J.P. , Piñero‐Pérez M.C. , Monfort D. , Bujanda L. , García‐Sepulcre M.F. , Martín‐Cardona A. , Cañete F. , Taxonera C. , Domènech E. , Nos P. ,   GETECCU Group (Grupo Español de Trabajo en Enfermedad de Crohn y Colitis Ulcerosa)
Published: June 2019

Background

There are limited data of ustekinumab administered according to the doses recommended in the UNITI studies.

Aim

To assess the real‐world, short‐term effectiveness of ustekinumab in refractory Crohn's disease (CD)

Methods

Multicentre study of CD patients starting ustekinumab after June 2017 at the recommend dose (260, 390 or 520 mg based on weight ~6 mg/kg IV week 0 and 90 mg subcutaneously week 8). Values for Harvey‐Bradshaw Index (HBI), C‐reactive protein (CRP) and faecal calprotectin (FC) were recorded at baseline and at weeks 8 and 14. Demographic and clinical data, previous treatments, AEs and hospitalisations were documented. Possible predictors of clinical remission were examined.

Results

Three hundred and five patients were analysed (≥2 previous anti‐TNFα therapies 64% and vedolizumab 29%). At baseline, 217 (72%) had an HBI >4 points. Of these, 101 (47%) and 126 (58%) achieved clinical remission at weeks 8 and 14, respectively. FC levels returned to normal (<250 µg/g) in 46% and 54% of the patients at weeks 8 and 14 respectively. CRP returned to normal (<3 mg/L) in the 35% and 41% of the patients at week 8 and 14 respectively. AEs were recorded in 38, and 40 patients were hospitalised. Intolerance to the most recent anti‐TNF agent and fewer previous anti‐TNF agents were associated with clinical remission at week 14. Endoscopic severity was associated with poor response.

Conclusion

This is the first study to show the real‐world effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab administered according to the recommended induction regimen in a cohort of highly refractory CD patients.
Geochemical fingerprinting of Monegros cherts: Redefining the origin of a prehistoric tracer
Authors: Sánchez De la Torre M. , García‐Simón L. M. , Le Bourdonnec F.‐X. , Domingo R.
Published: June 2019

The geographical name of Monegros has traditionally been used to describe a high‐quality, dark‐coloured chert originating in a carbonate lacustrine environment, being one of the most important long‐distance tracers in south‐west Europe during prehistory. This chert type outcrops in the Monegros region, situated in the Ebro Basin (north‐eastern Iberia), but not only there, as cherts with the same descriptions are found in other regions, some far from the homonymous area. Nevertheless, prehistorians working on the characterization of lithic sources have frequently used the term ‘Monegros' to define this chert, basing their attributions solely on macroscopic descriptions. These are not sufficient as they do not allow cherts from the Monegros region to be distinguished from cherts from other regions. In this study, the area where Monegros cherts outcrop was delimited and fieldwork was carried out to identify the origin of the geological formations and the preserved outcrops. The classic approach has proved to be insufficient for this purpose, so geochemical fingerprinting using energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (ED‐XRF) spectroscopy was performed. The results obtained after this first geochemical approach show that some differences can be found between the different formations in the Monegros region in terms of their major and minor components.
‘Poking the skunk’: Ethical and medico‐legal concerns in research about patients’ experiences of medical injury
Authors: Schulz Moore Jennifer , Mello Michelle M. , Bismark Marie
Published: June 2019

Improving how health care providers respond to medical injury requires an understanding of patients’ experiences. Although many injured patients strongly desire to be heard, research rarely involves them. Institutional review boards worry about harming participants by asking them to revisit traumatic events, and hospital staff worry about provoking lawsuits. Institutions’ reluctance to approve this type of research has slowed progress toward responses to injuries that are better able to meet patients’ needs. In 2015–2016, we were able to surmount these challenges and interview 92 injured patients and families in the USA and New Zealand. This article explores whether the ethical and medico‐legal concerns are, in fact, well‐founded. Consistent with research about trauma‐research‐related distress, our participants’ accounts indicate that the pervasive fears about retraumatization are unfounded. Our experience also suggests that because being heard is an important (but often unmet) need for injured patients, talking provides psychological benefits and may decrease rather than increase the impetus to sue. Our article makes recommendations to institutional review boards and researchers. The benefits to responsibly conducted research with injured patients outweigh the risks to participants and institutions.
Bcl‐2/Bcl‐xL inhibition predominantly synergistically enhances the anti‐neoplastic activity of a low‐dose CUSP9 repurposed drug regime against glioblastoma
Authors: Halatsch Marc‐Eric , Kast Richard Eric , Dwucet Annika , Hlavac Michal , Heiland Tim , Westhoff Mike‐Andrew , Debatin Klaus‐Michael , Wirtz Christian Rainer , Siegelin Markus David , Karpel‐Massler Georg
Published: June 2019

Background and Purpose

Drug repurposing represents a promising approach to safely accelerate the clinical application of therapeutics with anti‐cancer activity. In this study, we examined whether inhibition of the anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 family proteins Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐xL enhances the biological effects of the repurposed CUSP9 regimen in an in vitro setting of glioblastoma.

Experimental Approach

We applied 3‐[4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays to assess cellular proliferation. Annexin V/propidium iodide and tetramethylrhodamine, ethyl ester staining were used to examine apoptosis. Western blotting, RT‐PCR, and specific knockdown experiments using siRNA were employed to examine molecular mechanisms of action.

Key Results

Bcl‐2/Bcl‐xL inhibition exerted synergistic anti‐proliferative effects across established, primary cultured, and stem‐like glioblastoma cells when combined with CUSP9 which had been reduced to only one tenth of its proposed original concentration (CUSP9‐LD). The combination treatment also led to enhanced apoptosis with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and activation of caspases. On the molecular level, CUSP9‐LD counteracted ABT263‐mediated up‐regulation of Mcl‐1. Silencing of Mcl‐1 enhanced ABT263‐mediated apoptosis which indicates that down‐regulation of Mcl‐1 is crucial for the induction of cell death by the combination treatment.

Conclusion and Implications

These data suggest that Bcl‐2/Bcl‐xL inhibition enhances the susceptibility of glioblastoma cells towards CUSP9, allowing dramatic dose reduction and potentially decreased toxicity when applied clinically. A clinical trial involving the original CUSP doses (CUSP9v3) is currently ongoing in our institution (NCT02770378). The Bcl‐2/Bcl‐xL inhibitor ABT263 is in clinical trials and might represent a valuable adjunct to the original CUSP.
Hypoxia decreases macrophage glycolysis and M1 percentage by targeting microRNA‐30c and mTOR in human gastric cancer
Authors: Zhihua Yun , Yulin Tan , Yibo Wang , Wei Ding , Yin Chu , Jiahao Xu , Runqiu Jiang , Xuezhong Xu
Published: June 2019

Macrophages are essential inflammatory cells which regulate the features of immune reactions within tumors. Many studies have reported their regulatory roles in immunity through cytokines and cell signaling. However, relatively few studies have focused on their metabolic features and mechanisms. We aimed to determine the signaling pathway regulating cell metabolism and the mechanism related to the regulation of human tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) in gastric cancer (GC). Tumor‐infiltrated macrophages were isolated from human GC tissues using magnetic beads, gene transcription was determined by real‐time PCR, protein expression was monitored using western blots, metabolites were determined using HPLC, and transcriptional regulation was analyzed by the luciferase‐based reporter gene system. A significant decrease in microRNA (miR)‐30c and an increase in regulated in development and DNA damage responses 1 (REDD1) were detected in human GC TAMs, the transcription of miR‐30c was negatively correlated with REDD1. MicroRNA‐30c expression was suppressed by hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α activation and related to decreased mTOR activity as well as glycolysis in human GC TAMs. Hypoxia‐regulated miR‐30c downregulated REDD‐1 expression by targeting its 3′UTR. Overexpression of miR‐30c or restored mTOR activity in macrophages with miR‐30cLow expression promoted M1 macrophage differentiation and function in TAMs. Therefore, hypoxia in the human GC microenvironment suppressed the expression of miR‐30c, and decreased mTOR activity as well as glycolysis in GC TAMs, thus inhibiting M1 differentiation and function. These results provide a novel metabolic strategy for tumor microenvironment‐based therapy.
Fatigue in children with perinatal stroke: clinical and neurophysiological associations
Authors: Wrightson James G , Zewdie Ephrem , Kuo Hsing‐Ching , Millet Guillaume Y , Kirton Adam
Published: June 2019

Aim

To characterize fatigue in children with hemiparesis with perinatal stroke and explore associations with measures of motor performance and corticospinal excitability.

Method

Forty‐five children (16 females, 29 males), aged 6 to 18 years (mean [SD] 12y [4]), with magnetic resonance imaging‐confirmed perinatal stroke participated. Associations between fatigue (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 3.0 cerebral palsy module fatigue subscale), motor performance (Assisting Hand Assessment [AHA], Box and Blocks Test, grip strength), and excitability of corticospinal projections to both hands were examined using ranked tests of correlation, robust regression, and the Mann–Whitney U test.

Results

Nearly half of the participants (n=21) reported experiencing fatigue in the previous month. Function in the less affected hand (Box and Blocks Test, grip strength) was correlated with fatigue scores. Participants with preserved ipsilateral projections to the more affected hand had less fatigue, and scores correlated with the excitability of these projections. Fatigue scores were not associated with age, sex, or AHA score.

Interpretation

Fatigue is common in children with hemiparesis with perinatal stroke and is associated with motor performance and the presence and excitability of ipsilateral corticospinal projections from the contralesional hemisphere to the more affected hand.

What this paper adds

Fatigue is common in children with hemiparesis with perinatal stroke.

Fatigue was associated with motor performance and strength in the less affected, but not the more affected, hand.

Fatigue was associated with the presence and excitability of ipsilateral corticospinal projections from the contralesional hemisphere.
Silk‐ and volatile‐based male mate choice in the genital plug‐producing spider
Authors: Sentenská Lenka , Pekár Stano
Published: June 2019

Female mating history can have a strong effect on male fertilization success. Although males often prefer to mate with virgin females, they often also engage with mated females. As the intensity of sperm competition can differ among mated females, males are expected to evolve means to identify their status. In spiders, males often use female silk to gather information about female quality. Males of many spider species deposit mating plugs into female genitalia to hinder further copulations. We tested whether males of the foliage‐dwelling, plug‐producing spiderPhilodromus cespitum, which is an important natural enemy of pests, discriminate between females of different mating status and whether they can determine the extent of genital plugging in mated females solely on the basis of cues gained from deposited female silk. We presented males with draglines of females that varied in either mating status (virgin vs. mated), the extent of plugging (small vs. big plug), or the age of the plug (fresh vs. old plug) and examined their mate preferences. Additionally, we tested whether males were attracted to volatile cues produced by female bodies. Our experiments revealed that males preferred draglines of virgin females to those of mated females, and mated females with small plugs to those with large plugs. They were also attracted to female volatile cues. This study suggests that males are able to extract fine‐scale information on mating status from female draglines.
Foreign language practice in simulation video games: An analysis of game‐based FL use dynamics
Authors: Ibrahim Karim
Published: June 2019

Video/digital games have grown into a mainstream language‐mediated activity that attracts millions of foreign language (FL) learners worldwide. While empirical studies have demonstrated that digital game‐based interactions offer valuable opportunities for FL practice and learning (e.g., Sundqvist & Wikström, 2015), little is known about the specific dynamics of FL use that facilitate FL learning. The present exploratory case study examined three Arabic learners’ game‐based FL use when playing the Arabic simulation‐management video game Baalty. The study was framed by an ecological approach to FL learning, and data were collected through gaming journals, interviews, observations, and think‐aloud protocol. Findings revealed that a number of specific dynamics including engagement, active FL use, and embodied meaning motivated, promoted, and scaffolded FL practice in the course of gameplay. Pedagogical and research implications are discussed.
A Data Science Framework for Movement
Authors: Dodge Somayeh
Published: June 2019

Movement is the driving force behind the form and function of many ecological and human systems. Identification and analysis of movement patterns that may relate to the behavior of individuals and their interactions is a fundamental first step in understanding these systems. With advances in IoT and the ubiquity of smart connected sensors to collect movement and contextual data, we now have access to a wealth of geo‐enriched high‐resolution tracking data. These data promise new forms of knowledge and insight into movement of humans, animals, and goods, and hence can increase our understanding of complex spatiotemporal processes such as disease outbreak, urban mobility, migration, and human‐species interaction. To take advantage of the evolution in our data, we need a revolution in how we visualize, model, and analyze movement as a multidimensional process that involves space, time, and context. This paper introduces a data science paradigm with the aim of advancing research on movement.
Should I stay or should I go? Explaining variation in nonstate actor advocacy over time in global governance
Authors: Hanegraaff Marcel , Vergauwen Jorik , Beyers Jan
Published: June 2019

The past decades have been characterized by a growing number of nonstate actors (NSAs) involved in global governance. However, despite this growth, only a small number of NSAs have been able to maintain a prolonged global presence over a substantial period of time. To explain why some NSAs are more active, we rely on resource dependence theory. We demonstrate that sustained advocacy over time can be explained by a density dependence mechanism, namely the more NSAs mobilize, the lower the chance that individual NSAs will prolong their global advocacy efforts. Analysis of data stemming from a unique data set of 5,627 NSAs active at the global climate conferences demonstrates that much advocacy in this field is indeed of an incidental nature, namely a large number of groups attend once and never return.
The Association Between Parental Migraine and Infant Colic: A Cross‐Sectional, Web‐Based, U.S. Survey Study
Authors: Gelfand Amy A. , Buse Dawn C. , Cabana Michael D. , Grimes Barbara , Goadsby Peter J. , Allen I. Elaine
Published: June 2019

Background

Infant colic, or excessive crying in an otherwise healthy infant, is common, although the cause(s) are not known. This study aimed to determine whether parental migraine is associated with infant colic.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional online survey study of biological parents of 4‐8 week olds in the United States during February and March 2017 and October 2017‐April 2018. Parents self‐reported information about their and their infant's health using validated instruments wherever possible. Parents were recruited using social media advertisements and completed the survey online. Migraine was identified with a validated screener using modified International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd edition criteria. Parental depression and anxiety were screened with the Patient Health Questionnaire‐2 (PHQ‐2) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale‐2 (GAD‐2). Parental seasonal allergies and asthma were assessed by self‐report. Infant colic was determined based on parental response to the question, “Has your baby cried for at least 3 hours on at least 3 days in the last week?”

Results

A total of 1,715 surveys were completed over 2 recruitment periods; 1,419 formed the analysis set. Eight hundred twenty‐seven were completed by biological mothers and 592 by biological fathers. Mean (SD) maternal age: 28.9 (5.1) years; 33.5% had migraine/probable migraine. Maternal migraine was associated with increased odds of infant colic: OR 1.7 (1.3‐2.4). Among mothers with migraine, headache frequency ≥15 days/month was associated with higher risk of infant colic (OR 2.5 (1.2‐5.3)); and anxiety was borderline associated (OR 1.7 (1.0‐2.9)). Mean (SD) paternal age was 31.6 (4.5) years; 20.8% had migraine/probable migraine. Paternal migraine was not associated with infant colic: OR 1.0 (0.7‐1.5). Fathers with depression (OR 2.4 (1.4‐4.3)) or anxiety (OR 1.7 (1.1‐2.7)) were more likely to have a baby with colic but having a girl infant was protective: (OR 0.7 (0.5‐0.97)).

Conclusions

Mothers with migraine are more likely to have a baby with colic, while fathers with migraine are not. Further research is needed to determine the mechanisms underlying these findings. In the meantime, clinicians may wish to counsel parents with a maternal history of migraine about the increased possibility of having a colicky infant and provide resources and education about infant crying.
Retrograde root canal retreatment with pre‐bent ultrasonic files. A retrospective outcome study
Authors: Weissman A. , Goldberger T. , Wigler R. , Kfir A. , Blau–Venezia N.
Published: June 2019

Aim

To assess retrospectively the clinical and radiographic outcomes of retrograde root canal retreatment (RRR) and to identify possible prognostic factors that may affect the outcome.

Methodology

Clinical records and radiographs were collected from patients who had undergone RRR between 2009 and 2016 and had a 1‐year follow‐up. All surgical procedures were performed by a single endodontist. The RRR technique involved minimal root‐end resection and maximal length retrograde preparation using pre‐bent ultrasonic files. Outcomes were categorized as complete, incomplete, uncertain or unsatisfactory healing based on clinical and radiographic findings. The complete and incomplete healing cases were pooled and considered as successes, while uncertain and unsatisfactory cases were considered failures. Prognostic factors were analysed using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

In total, 575 patients with 721 teeth were included. The overall success rate was 91.8%. None of the prognostic factors (including age, gender, size of periapical radiolucency and isthmus presence) had a significant influence on the outcome (P > 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed tooth type had a significant influence on outcome (P = 0.008) with mandibular incisors having a significantly lower success rate (71.4%). Multivariate analysis using logistic regression revealed that the only variable with a significant association to the outcome was retrograde preparation length (P = 0.016, odds ratio = 1.299 (1.050, 1.607), C.I. = 95%)), i.e. the longer the retrograde preparation, the better the outcome.

Conclusions

Retrograde root canal retreatment was successful in 91.8% of cases. This predictable success rate was achieved while minimizing root‐end resection and maximizing retrograde canal preparation length.
Sintering and concomitant crystallization of bioactive glasses
Authors: Blaeß Carsten , Müller Ralf , Poologasundarampillai Gowsihan , Brauer Delia S.
Published: June 2019

The sintering of bioactive glasses allows for the preparation of complex structures, such as three‐dimensional porous scaffolds. Such 3D constructs are particularly interesting for clinical applications of bioactive glasses in bone regeneration, as the scaffolds can act as a guide for in‐growing bone cells, allowing for good integration with existing and newly formed tissue while the scaffold slowly degrades. Owing to the pronounced tendency of many bioactive glasses to crystallize upon heat treatment, 3D scaffolds have not been much exploited commercially. Here, we investigate the influence of crystallization on the sintering behavior of several bioactive glasses. In a series of mixed‐alkali glasses an increased CaO/alkali metal oxide ratio improved sintering compared to Bioglass 45S5, where dense sintering was inhibited. Addition of small amounts of calcium fluoride helped to keep melting and sintering temperatures low. Unlike glass 13‐93, these new glasses crystallized during sintering but this did not prevent densification. Variation in bioactive glass particle size allowed for fine‐tuning the microporosity resulting from the sintering process.
Cosmopolitanism: The Foundational Ground for a More Inclusive Understanding of Belonging to Protect the Human Rights of North Korean Stateless Women
Authors: Yoon I Sil
Published: June 2019

In this article, I will examine the use of the notion of cosmopolitanism to address the exclusionary nature of citizenship. Citizenship is a contemporary social norm that privileges citizens and discriminates against others, leading to consequent human rights violations experienced by stateless populations. I will use the case study of North Korean stateless women who reside in China and who are victims of human trafficking as an example of stateless people who lack legal guarantees for human rights. By uncovering the way citizenship operates as a social structure that deprives people of their human rights, I will argue for Seyla Benhabib's notion of cosmopolitanism, which pursues a more inclusive notion of belonging and necessitates institutional changes. These include the juridical implementation of improved immigration policy and citizenship law, involving the cooperation of the global society, to recognize the dignity of the stateless and protect their human rights.
The Impact of UN Peacekeeping Operations on Human Trafficking
Authors: Horne Cale , Barney Morgan
Published: June 2019

While United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations (PKOs) are generally considered to reduce the likelihood of civil war recurrence, attention in recent years has shifted to understanding the dynamics unique to post‐Cold War peacekeeping, including the changing makeup and mandate of PKOs, and associated patterns of peacekeeper misconduct. While several studies of misconduct emphasize peacekeepers’ implication in sexual exploitation and abuse of host country citizens, this study goes the next step by assessing peacekeeping’s relationship to human trafficking more broadly—a perennial concern in post‐conflict states. Though UN PKOs are not always directly responsible for increases in human trafficking in mission host countries, this paper considers how the attributes of UN peacekeeping missions may create the conditions where trafficking is likely to flourish or flounder.
Understanding patients’ experiences of recovery after staged complex aortic repair: A phenomenological study
Authors: Haakseth Linda , Wanhainen Anders , Björck Martin , Jangland Eva
Published: June 2019

Aim

To explore patients’ with complex aortic diseases lived experiences of recovery between and after staged endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) procedures, including adjunctive open surgery.

Design

Qualitative descriptive phenomenological design, applying person‐centred care and lifeworld‐led health care.

Methods

Patients operated on in a staged fashion between 2012–2017 were invited to participate. Six participants underwent in‐depth interviews 1–5 years postoperatively. The interviews were analysed using descriptive phenomenological method.

Findings

The essence of the patients’ experiences was described as: a necessary, overwhelming, hard, and prolonged process with life changing consequences. Between the operations: expected tiredness where life goes on as usual and insufficient time for recovery. Short‐term after all operations: overwhelming tiredness, pain and complications, mostly from neurological deficits. Losing ‘yourself’ and struggling to manage daily life one day to another. Long‐term after all operations: gradually recovering back to ‘yourself’ and having to accept life with permanent setbacks and limitations.

Conclusion

Patients with complex aortic diseases struggle with physical and psychological setbacks, continuing years after their operations. There is a need to prospectively assess different aspects of these patients’ recovery, identify those with impaired recovery and establish preventive and supporting strategies.

Impact

Patients’ experience of recovery after staged aortic repair has not previously been investigated. The findings indicate that these patients struggle with various physical and psychological setbacks continuing years after their operations. These results will inform further research on this group of patients and guide healthcare professionals in the care of these patients in their transition back to recovery.