bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Services marketing practices in diverse cultures: Canada compared to Qatar
Authors: Abu Farha Allam K. , Koku Paul Sergius , Al-Kwifi Sam O. , Ahmed Zafar U.
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The service marketing literature has traditionally argued that the marketing practices of service firms that operate in diverse cultures should also differ. This paper aims to investigate this argument by examining the marketing practices of service firms in two highly diverse countries “Canada and Qatar” in the context of a contemporary conceptual framework.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected in both countries using a self-administered questionnaire that was used in previous contemporary marketing practice (CMP) studies. The data analysis was conducted in two stages. First, descriptive statistics were used to determine cross-national differences in the intensity of use of various CMP activities in Qatar compared to Canada. Second, cross-national differences in various combinations of marketing practices were identified using a cluster analysis.

Findings

The results indicate that service firms in both countries have more similarities than differences and that the overall patterns of marketing practices are similar. In addition, the firms’ marketing practices reflect aspects of all four marketing approaches rather than just one.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted in only two countries, thus generalisability of its findings and conclusions may not be possible.

Practical implications

The results of this study can help marketers to better understand the changing marketing environment and identify new marketing solutions when operating in different environments.

Originality/value

This study enhances the literature on service marketing and expands the application of the CMP framework to a new context that has not been addressed in previous studies.
What is determining affordable housing shortages in the Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia?
Authors: Lateef Olanrewaju Abdul , Idrus Arazi
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of the affordable housing shortage in the Greater Kuala Lumpur from the suppliers’ perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were collected through a cross-sectional survey questionnaire comprising 21 determinants and 111 experts in the housing industry.

Findings

The affordable housing shortages are consequences of regulations and policies on land allocations, building materials and the affordable housing market. The government should provide more lands to the developers or the government should directly build affordable housing on their lands. To lower the cost of construction, the government should reduce the importation tax and procedures, and the housing industry should find alternative building materials.

Originality/value

Theoretically, the research provided fresh insights into the causes of housing shortages and reasons for the increase in housing prices. The results will be useful to policymakers towards affordable housing delivery and to the developers and contractors on measures to increase profit margins and increase housing supply.
Waveform analysis of differential graphs of reconstructed impedance cardiography from healthy individuals
Authors: He Bai‐qing , Wang Zi‐ming , Kuang Shi‐jiang , Xiao Qiu‐jin , Kuang Ming‐xing , Ji Juan‐Feng , Wu Yun‐qiang
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The aim is to measure and analyze the wave amplitudes and time intervals of differential graphs of reconstructed impedance cardiography (RICG).

Methods

180 adults with normal cardiac function between the ages of 18–78 were included in the study. Six mingled impedance changes on chest surface were simultaneously detected for each subject. The differential graphs of five impedance change components of RICG were obtained through waveform separation and software differentiation. The amplitudes of C, X, O, b waves and time intervals of Q‐b and Q‐C were measured and statistically analyzed.

Results

The amplitudes of C and X waves in PL, PR, AO, and that of C, O, b waves in LV and RV, all decrease as age increases. Wave amplitudes of the female group were bigger than those of the male group (p < .01), while the Q‐C intervals of the female group were shorter than that of the male group (p < .01). Among five impedance change components, the wave amplitude of AO was larger than those of PL and PR (p < .01), and wave amplitudes of PL and PR were bigger than those of LV and RV (p < .01). Q‐C intervals of LV and RV were longer than those of AO, PL and PR (p < .01), while the Q‐b intervals of LV and RV were shorter than the Q‐C intervals of AO, PL, and PR.

Conclusions

The differential graphs of RICG could reflect indirectly the physiological activities and pathological changes of the heart and of the large blood vessels in thorax.
Treatment of gastric adenocarcinoma at a New Zealand centre: meeting the challenges of a low volume country
Authors: Saw Kai Sheng , Robertson Jason , Walsh Michael , Hider Phillip , Rodgers Michael , Booth Michael , Srinivasa Sanket , Koea Jonathan
Published: November 2019

Background

Surgical treatment of gastric cancer in New Zealand is challenging because of a low annual incidence of 400 patients and population dispersal over a wide area with little data on regional treatment trends and outcomes. This investigation was undertaken to evaluate the surgical outcomes of gastric cancer patients presenting to a single upper gastrointestinal centre (WDHB, Waitemata District Health Board) and to compare these to national and international standards.

Methods

Data on 135 patients with histologically proven gastric adenocarcinoma presenting between January 2010 and December 2014 were reviewed and compared with nationally available procedural volume data.

Results

Sixty of 135 patients were resected (resection rate 44%) and 75 patients were managed with palliative chemotherapy/symptomatic care alone. Twenty‐six patients (43%) received adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy and only two patients (3%) underwent laparoscopic resection. In resected patients, 90‐day mortality was 1.6%, and 11 patients (18%) developed complications ≥ Clavien‐Dindo grade 3. Fifty‐two patients (87%) had ≥15 lymph nodes resected and 54 patients (90%) had a histological R0 resection. At median follow‐up of 49 months, 30 patients remain alive and disease‐free with 20 true 5‐year disease‐free survivors. National data between 2010 and 2014 showed WDHB performed 20% (338/1710) of gastric resections for all indications in New Zealand.

Conclusion

While WDHB is an internationally low volume centre for gastric cancer, surgical outcomes benchmark satisfactorily to international standards. New Zealand's national treatment standards should set aspirational goals for gastric cancer treatment and have a clear strategy to address issues of surgical volume and national service provision.
Bird's nest ferns promote resource sharing by centipedes
Authors: Phillips Josie W. , Chung Arthur Y. C. , Edgecombe Gregory D. , Ellwood M. D. Farnon
Published: November 2019

Bird's nest ferns (Asplenium spp.) support large numbers of invertebrates, including centipedes. As top invertebrate predators, centipedes drive ecosystem function, for example, by regulating decomposer populations, but we know little of their ecology in forest canopies. We provide the first detailed observations of the diversity and structure of the centipede communities of bird's nest ferns, revealing the importance of these epiphytes as nurseries for centipedes. We collected 305 centipedes equating to ˜11,300 mg of centipede biomass from 44 bird's nest ferns (22 of which were from the high canopy and 22 from the low canopy) in primary tropical rainforest in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Most abundant were the Scolopendromorpha (n = 227 individuals), followed by the Geophilomorpha (n = 59), Lithobiomorpha (n = 14), and Scutigeromorpha (n = 5). Although we observed very little overlap in species between the forest strata, scolopendromorph centipedes dominated throughout the canopy. Null model analysis revealed no significant competitive interactions; on the contrary, we observed centipedes sharing nest sites within the ferns on three of the ten occasions that we found nests. All nests belonged to centipedes of the family Scolopendridae, which are typically aggressive, and usually show negative spatial association. This study reveals a diverse community of canopy centipedes, providing further evidence of the importance of bird's nest ferns to a wide range of animals, many of which use the ferns at critical life stages. Future conservation strategies should regard these ubiquitous epiphytes as umbrella species and protect them accordingly in landscape management decisions.

Abstract in Malay is available with online material.
Pivotal Considerations for Optimal Deployment of Healthy Volunteers in Oncology Drug Development
Authors: Ahmed Mariam A. , Patel Chirag , Drezner Nicole , Helms Whitney , Tan Weiwei , Stypinski Daria
Published: November 2019

Oncology drug development is among the most challenging of any therapeutic area, with first‐in‐human trials expected to deliver information on both safety and activity. Until recently, therapeutic approaches in oncology focused on cytotoxic chemotherapy agents, ruling out even the possibility of enrolling normal healthy volunteers (NHVs) in clinical trials due to safety considerations. The emergence of noncytotoxic modalities, including molecularly targeted agents with more favorable safety profiles, however, has led to increasing numbers of clinical pharmacology studies of these agents being conducted in NHVs. Beyond rapid enrollment and cost savings, there are other advantages of conducting specific types of studies in NHVs with the goal of more appropriate dosing decisions in certain subsets of the intended patient populations, allowing for enrollment of such patients in therapeutic trials from which they might otherwise have been excluded. Nevertheless, the decision must be carefully weighed against potential disadvantages, and although the considerations surrounding conduct of clinical trials using NHVs are generally well‐defined in most other therapeutic areas, they are less well‐defined in oncology.
Red flags for neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 disease
Authors: Trivisano Marina , Specchio Nicola
Published: November 2019

This commentary is on the case series by Dozières‐Puyravel et al. on pages 528–530 of this issue.
Social ties explain catch portfolios of small‐scale fishers in the Caribbean
Authors: Alexander Steven M. , Staniczenko Phillip P. A. , Bodin Örjan
Published: November 2019

Small‐scale fisheries often involve weak management regimes with limited top‐down enforcement of rules and minimal support from legal institutions, making them useful model systems for investigating the role of social influence in determining economic and environmental outcomes. In such regimes, interpersonal relationships are expected to have a strong effect on a fisher's catch portfolio, the set of fish species targeted by an individual fisher. Here, we test three competing hypotheses about social influence using belief propagation network models and show that a peer‐to‐peer information‐sharing social network is key to explaining catch portfolios at a small‐scale fishery in Jamaica. We find that experience dictates the direction of influence among fishers in the social network, with older fishers and information brokers having distinct roles in shaping catch patterns for large‐ and small‐sized fish species, respectively. These findings highlight concrete opportunities for harnessing social networks in natural resource management. Our new approach to modelling social influence is applicable to many social–ecological systems with minimal legal and institutional support or those that rely heavily on bottom‐up participatory processes.
What is the effect of active ingredients in dentifrice on inhibiting the regrowth of overnight plaque? A systematic review
Authors: Valkenburg Cees , Else Slot Dagmar , Van der Weijden GA (Fridus)
Published: November 2019

Objectives

The aim of this systematic review was to establish the adjuvant clinical effect of brushing with a dentifrice containing purported active ingredients as compared to a regular sodium fluoride dentifrice with respect to the inhibition of overnight dental plaque regrowth from studies with human participants.

Methods

MEDLINE‐PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched, up to June 2019. The inclusion criteria were controlled clinical trials with participants aged ≥ 18 years in good general health. Studies were included that evaluated the effect of toothbrushing with a dentifrice on the inhibition of overnight dental plaque regrowth when an active ingredient was added to the dentifrice as compared to a common sodium fluoride product. Data were extracted from the eligible studies, the risk of bias was assessed, and a meta‐analysis was performed where feasible.

Result

Independent screening of 213 unique papers resulted in 10 eligible publications that provided 14 comparisons. Stannous fluoride and triclosan dentifrices were found as the active ingredients. The descriptive analysis indicated that all, but two comparisons demonstrated an additional effect on the active‐ingredient dentifrice. The meta‐analysis supported and strengthened these findings. It showed that when plaque was scored digitally, a DiffM was −3.15(95% CI [−4.61:‐1.69], P < .001, prediction interval [−5.07;‐1.24]). When plaque was scored clinically, the difference of means (DiffM) was −0.33(95% CI [−0.49:‐0.16], P < .001, prediction interval [−0.87; 0.21]).

Conclusion

The results of this review demonstrate moderate‐quality evidence that brushing with an active‐ingredient dentifrice with stannous fluoride or triclosan does provide an added clinically relevant effect concerning plaque inhibition capabilities that surpass the effect of a regular sodium fluoride dentifrice.
Targeted endodontic microsurgery and endodontic microsurgery: a surgical simulation comparison
Authors: Hawkins T. K. , Wealleans J. A. , Pratt A. M. , Ray J. J.
Published: November 2019

Aim

To compare surgical time, bevel angle and site volumetric profiles of osteotomy and resection accomplished by targeted endodontic microsurgery (TEMS) and traditional endodontic microsurgery (EMS) in a surgical simulation model.

Methodology

An 80x80‐mm cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) file was imported into Mimics software where artificial periapical lesions were created encompassing twelve root apices. Maxillary and mandibular models were 3D‐printed. TEMS surgical guides were designed and 3D‐printed for each surgical site. Three board‐certified endodontists used the original CBCT to plan and perform EMS on models of six maxillary and six mandibular teeth. Next, the same endodontists performed TEMS on duplicate 3D‐printed models for the same teeth. All surgeries were timed. Postoperative CBCT images of experimental models were made and imported into Amira software for measurement of bevel angle and site volumetric profiles. Paired t‐tests compared the mean differences between EMS and TEMS groups. A Bonferroni correction determined data to be significant at P < 0.004.

Results

TEMS significantly reduced surgical time (P < 0.00001), had bevel angles more closely approaching zero degrees (P < 0.01) and had significantly less volume of over‐resection (P < 0.001) and length of root resection (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

In this surgical simulation scenario, TEMS provided more efficient completion of osteotomy and resection, with a more appropriate root‐end resection volume and bevel angle.
Optimal start time of a markdown sale under a two‐echelon inventory system
Authors: Shin Youngchul , Ko Chang Seong , Moon Ilkyeong
Published: November 2019

The importance of inventory management for perishable items has been steadily attracting attention. Because of the characteristics of items whose values drop precipitously or cannot be sold after a particular time, items should be disposed of by a markdown sale. Accordingly, the company makes the following decisions at the end of the selling season: (a) selection on which products to be discounted, (b) pricing of the product, and (c) timing of the sale. Extant literature on the inventory problem has mainly focused on investigating decisions on selecting products for discount and the amount of the discount. That is, the decision on the start time of the markdown sale was not extensively studied. This study focuses on the optimal combination of a start time of the markdown sale and an order quantity based on a newsvendor model. Under certain conditions in a decentralized system, the start time of a markdown sale, where the retailer obtains the highest profit, is the least profitable for the manufacturer. Therefore, we propose a revenue‐sharing contract to avoid irrational ordering behavior by a retailer against a manufacturer. Centralization through the revenue‐sharing contract improves the profits of the retailer and manufacturer compared to those earned in the decentralized system.
In Search of Lost Time: Memory‐framing, Bilateral Identity‐making, and European Security
Authors: Hofmann Stephanie C. , Mérand Frédéric
Published: November 2019

Bilateral relations between France and either Germany or the UK are the backbone of European security and defence cooperation. From a strategic and cultural point of view, these relations are not self‐evident. In this article, we track the memory‐framing processes accompanying the creation of major bilateral initiatives. Leaders such as Adenauer and De Gaulle, Mitterrand and Kohl, Blair and Chirac, and Sarkozy and Cameron imagined bilateral communities of fate informed by mutually understandable historical memories: the World Wars for the Franco‐German relationship and the Empire for the Franco‐British relationship. Based on these memory frames, Franco‐German identity undergirds a policy‐based integration of core state powers while Franco‐British identity informs capacity‐building and force projection (a resource‐based integration). These bilateral identities led to earmarking national military forces for common purposes and intertwined defence industries. In some cases, they also provided an impetus for EU cooperation in the context of the Common Foreign and Security Policy or the Common Security and Defence Policy.
Small Decisions? The European Commission and the Transformation of the Role of Legal Expert Groups: The Case of Gender Equality and Non‐Discrimination
Authors: Jacquot Sophie
Published: November 2019

The European Equality Law Network (EELN) was founded in 2014. It resulted from the merger of two gender equality and non‐discrimination expert groups. The creation of the EELN may appear as a simple decision made to rationalize the landscape of EU expert groups. The objective of this article is to show that this merger indicates there have been important transformations in the role of expert groups and legal expertise in the field of EU equality policy. This seemingly small decision participates in a larger process of change. The legal experts and the Commission are no longer partners who are developing equality policy together: members of the EELN are seen merely as service providers. The article isolates three main explanations for this: the roles of the policy sector, the regulatory and enforcement politics of the Commission and policy instruments in the framework of the Commission's managerial turn during the 2010s.
CMS Works to Ensure Residents’ Quality and Safety in Nursing Homes
Authors: Moody‐Williams Jean D.
Published: November 2019

This editorial comments on the article by Quigley et al.
Identification of the pathogen responsible for tea white scab disease
Authors: Lingyun Zhou , Yunfeng Li , Chunyan Ji , Hongyan Liu , Wei Li , Fen Xiang , Zhenzhong Wang
Published: November 2019

Tea white scab disease commonly occurs in high‐altitude tea‐growing areas worldwide. Both Elsinoe leucospila and Phyllosticta theaefolia have been reported as the pathogen responsible for this disease. To conclusively identify the causative agent, samples were collected from plants infected with tea white scab disease in high‐altitude tea gardens in southern China. Fungal isolates obtained from the infected material were identified based on morphological characteristics, comparisons of ITS, 18S rDNA, RPB2 and LSU sequences, and pathogenicity tests. Both Elsinoe sp. and Phyllosticta sp. were isolated from the collected samples with rates of 6% and 35%, respectively. On potato dextrose agar medium, Phyllosticta sp. grew faster and sporulated more than E. leucospila. However, only E. leucospila caused symptoms similar to those of tea white scab disease. In contrast, Phyllosticta sp. infections resulted in large necrotic spots. Therefore, E. leucospila appears to be the pathogen responsible for tea white scab disease, whereas Phyllosticta sp. is a hyperparasitic fungus that infects the diseased plant tissue. The high isolation rate of Phyllosticta sp. due to its rapid growth and considerable sporulation may have led to the erroneous identification of this fungus as the cause of tea white scab disease. Our findings may be useful for future investigations of this disease, particularly regarding the development of improved prevention and/or control measures.
(Not so) Smart sleep tracking through the phone: Findings from a polysomnography study testing the reliability of four sleep applications
Authors: Fino Edita , Plazzi Giuseppe , Filardi Marco , Marzocchi Michele , Pizza Fabio , Vandi Stefano , Mazzetti Michela
Published: November 2019

An increasing number of sleep applications are currently available and are being widely used for in‐home sleep tracking. The present study assessed four smartphone applications (Sleep Cycle‐Accelerometer, SCa; Sleep Cycle‐Microphone, SCm; Sense, Se; Smart Alarm, SA) designed for sleep−wake detection through sound and movement sensors, by comparing their performance with polysomnography. Twenty‐one healthy participants (six males, 15 females) used the four sleep applications running on iPhone (provided by the experimenter) simultaneously with portable polysomnography recording at home, while sleeping alone for two consecutive nights. Whereas all apps showed a significant correlation with polysomnography‐time in bed, only SA offered significant correlations for sleep efficacy. Furthermore, SA seemed to be quite effective in reliable detection of total sleep time and also light sleep; however, it underestimated wake and partially overestimated deep sleep. None of the apps resulted capable of detecting and scoring rapid eye movement sleep. To sum up, SC (functioning through both accelerometer and microphone) and Se did not result sufficiently reliable in sleep−wake detection compared with polysomnography. SA, the only application offering the possibility of an epoch‐by‐epoch analysis, showed higher accuracy than the other apps in comparison with polysomnography, but it still shows some limitations, particularly regarding wake and deep sleep detection. Developing scoring algorithms specific for smartphone sleep detection and adding external sensors to record other physiological parameters may overcome the present limits of sleep tracking through smart phone apps.
Texture profile analysis and stress relaxation characteristics of protein fortified sweetpotato noodles
Authors: Kadiri Oseni , Gbadamosi Saka O. , Akanbi Charles T.
Published: November 2019

The mechanical stress relaxation and textual characteristics of starch noodles supplemented with soybean protein concentrate (SPC) was studied with an Instron texture analyzer. Noodles strength was observed to increase significantly with increased in SPC concentration from 0 to 20%. Noodles (ES30) formulated with the esterified starch and 30% SPC substitution had the highest deformation modulus index, initial break force, and maximum break force. The stress relaxation data was well fitted by the Maxwell and Peleg–Normand models though the latter was the most suited. The fitted parameters, F3 and λ1 had a higher sensitivity to changes in its viscoelastic properties when compared to k2 or %SR. A significant correlation was established between the stress relaxation index and textural parameters. The result of this study suggests that starch noodles with enhanced textural and break force characteristics can be formulated with 10–20% SPC substitution.

Practical applications

Dried noodles are formulated from raw noodles which have been dehydrated either by hot‐air drying or natural drying. It has the advantages of being low‐cost, easy to cook, and longer shelf‐life. Consumer's acceptance of cooked noodles depends majorly on its textural properties such as its elasticity, hardness, and smoothness. The extent of noodles hardness and its breakpoint features are an influencer of noodles breakage during packaging and shipping. The determination of modeling parameters describing these physical characteristics can help in the production of noodles with improved breakpoint index, textural features, and quality. Therefore, the effects of different percentage of SPC supplementation on the break force and stress relaxation characteristics of noodles formulated from sweet potato starch were evaluated in the present study.
Tracing the signs of local dispersal in the temperate forest understorey using spatially structured vegetation data
Authors: Chudomelová Markéta , Zelený David
Published: November 2019

Questions

Dispersal is important for the formation of biodiversity patterns. However, studying dispersal is difficult, particularly in established communities. We examined local dispersal processes in the forest herbaceous layer by looking at the abundance of plants in the neighbourhood of the surveyed plots and using dispersal traits and fecundity‐related attributes.

Location

Thermophilous oakwood in south Moravia, Czech Republic.

Methods

We collected plant community and environmental data from 2 m × 2 m plots nested in a 5 m × 5 m square grid, covering 0.36 hectares of temperate forest. We created binomial generalised linear models of species occurrence in the 2 m × 2 m plots, using species frequencies in four adjacent 5 m × 5 m plots (plot neighbourhood) and environmental data, to account for dependence caused by habitat factors. We analysed the relationships between neighbourhood effects and species attributes using linear regression.

Results

Approximately one third of species had a stronger association to neighbourhood alone than to local environment factors. For the remaining species, there was a large joint effect of neighbourhood and environment. However, the link between dispersal traits and the neighbourhood effect was weak. The trait analyses showed that plumed appendages were negatively correlated to neighbourhood effects, whereas possession of elongated appendages, high terminal velocity, clonal spread and absence of seed appendages exhibited insignificant positive relationships to the neighbourhood.

Conclusions

At the scale of metres, the distributional patterns of forest herbs cannot be solely associated with dispersal. The reasons could be methodological: our data contain a limited set of species with mostly database‐derived attributes. However, there may also be ecological mechanisms involved. The spatial distribution of plants could be modified by limited seed production and further reshaped by extinctions during earlier ontogenetic stages.
Changing trends in viral hepatitis mortality in East and Southeast Asia between 1987 and 2015 and its prediction until 2030
Authors: Wu Jie , Wang Hong‐Liang , Liu Xiaoxiao , Ding Cheng , Zhou Yuqing , Fu Xiaofang , Huang Chenyang , Zheng Yang , Wang Chencheng , Li Lanjuan , Yang Shigui
Published: November 2019

Background & Aims

Trends in long‐term mortality rates for viral hepatitis in East and Southeast Asia have been rarely reported. The aim of our study was to explore the long‐term trends in viral hepatitis mortality rates in East and Southeast Asian countries between 1987 and 2015 and provide predictions of mortality to 2030.

Methods

We obtained viral hepatitis mortality data from the WHO Mortality Database for six East and Southeast Asian countries between 1987 and 2015. We produced choropleth maps of viral hepatitis mortality rates in 1987 and 2015 in East and Southeast Asia to illustrate geographic variations. We made predictions of mortality rates for each included country until the year 2030 using a series of joinpoint models.

Results

Viral hepatitis mortality rates declined in China (the average annual percent change (AAPC) = −5.1%, 95% CI: −7.5, −2.6), Singapore (AAPC = −5.4%, 95% CI: −7.5, −3.2), and the Philippines (AAPC = −3.4%, 95% CI: −4.9, −1.8). In contrast, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Malaysia have experienced increasing trends in mortality rates, followed by decreasing trends. Our predictions indicate that all countries will experience slight to moderate downward trends until 2030.

Conclusion

Favourable decreasing trends have been noted in East and Southeast Asian countries, which may not only inform the control and management of viral hepatitis in this region but also guide the prevention of viral hepatitis deaths in another region with a similar viral hepatitis epidemic.
Duplication and diversification of trehalase confers evolutionary advantages on lepidopteran insects
Authors: Zhou Yanyan , Li Xiaotong , Katsuma Susumu , Xu Yusong , Shi Liangen , Shimada Toru , Wang Huabing
Published: November 2019

Gene duplication provides a major source of new genes for evolutionary novelty and ecological adaptation. However, the maintenance of duplicated genes and their relevance to adaptive evolution has long been debated. Insect trehalase (Treh) plays key roles in energy metabolism, growth, and stress recovery. Here, we show that the duplication of Treh in Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) is linked with their adaptation to various environmental stresses. Generally, two Treh genes are present in insects: Treh1 and Treh2. We report three distinct forms of Treh in lepidopteran insects, where Treh1 was duplicated into two gene clusters (Treh1a and Treh1b). These gene clusters differ in gene expression patterns, enzymatic properties, and subcellular localizations, suggesting that the enzymes probably underwent sub‐ and/or neofunctionalization in the lepidopteran insects. Interestingly, selective pressure analysis provided significant evidence of positive selection on duplicate Treh1b gene in lepidopteran insect lineages. Most positively selected sites were located in the alpha‐helical region, and several sites were close to the trehalose binding and catalytic sites. Subcellular adaptation of duplicate Treh1b driven by positive selection appears to have occurred as a result of selected changes in specific sequences, allowing for rapid reprogramming of duplicated Treh during evolution. Our results suggest that gene duplication of Treh and subsequent functional diversification could increase the survival rate of lepidopteran insects through various regulations of intracellular trehalose levels, facilitating their adaptation to diverse habitats. This study provides evidence regarding the mechanism by which gene family expansion can contribute to species adaptation through gene duplication and subsequent functional diversification.
Urinary chloride concentration as a prognostic marker in critically ill patients
Authors: Komaru Yohei , Doi Kent , Matsuura Ryo , Yoshida Teruhiko , Miyamoto Yoshihisa , Yoshimoto Kohei , Nangaku Masaomi
Published: November 2019

Aim

Associations have been reported among serum chloride concentration, mortality and incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in intensive care units (ICU). This study aimed to examine associations among urinary chloride, mortality, and AKI incidence in ICU patients.

Methods

A retrospective observational study was conducted among medical‐surgical ICU in a tertiary hospital wherein 170 consecutive ICU patients were evaluated from October 2015 to March 2016 and 116 patients were enrolled. Serial data of serum and urine electrolytes from day 1 to day 4 of ICU admission were examined. The primary and secondary outcomes were ICU mortality and incidence of AKI in the ICU, respectively.

Results

Among the 116 enrolled patients, 15 (13%) died during their ICU stay. Although serum and urinary sodium and potassium on day 1 did not significantly differ between ICU survivors and non‐survivors, urinary chloride concentration on day 1 was significantly lower in non‐survivors. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the cutoff value of day 1 urinary chloride concentration for prediction of ICU mortality was 53 mEq/L. The lower urinary chloride concentration group on day 1 showed a significantly lower survival rate, even in long‐term follow‐up, compared with the higher urinary chloride group. Addition of day 1 urinary chloride concentration improved prediction of AKI incidence in the ICU by Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score alone.

Conclusion

Lower urinary chloride concentration was associated with increased mortality and incidence of AKI in the ICU. Further investigation is necessary to clarify the mechanism of urinary chloride regulation.
Onset of seasonal metabolic depression in the Antarctic midge Belgica antarctica appears to be independent of environmental cues
Authors: Spacht Drew E. , Gantz J. D. , Lee Richard E. , Denlinger David L.
Published: November 2019

Seasonal progression is tracked in most animals by changes in daylength, thus allowing reliable synchrony with abundant food and favourable developmental conditions. In polar regions, daylength varies extensively, fluctuating at the highest latitudes from persistent light to persistent dark. The Antarctic midge Belgica antarctica has a narrow seasonal window in which to feed and develop, and previous work shows that this insect, despite having the elements of a circadian clock, remains continuously active when temperatures are permissive. The present study aims to clarify seasonal tracking in B. antarctica during the austral summer by monitoring oxygen consumption rates in a field population and in experimental groups exposed to shortened daylength, dehydration and chilling. Remarkably, during March, coordinated decreases in oxygen consumption are observed, ranging from 18% to 42%, in all treatment groups, indicating an anticipatory response to seasonal change regardless of the environmental cues. These results suggest that B. antarctica relies on an intrinsic mechanism to program metabolic depression at the onset of the long austral winter.
Molecular insights into the phylogeny of Blapstinina (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Opatrini)
Authors: Lumen Ryan , Kanda Kojun , Iwan Dariusz , Smith Aaron Dennis , Kaminski Marcin Jan
Published: November 2019

The monophyly of the North and South American endemic subtribe Blapstinina (Tenebrionidae: Opatrini) is tested through phylogenetic analyses using five molecular markers [nuclear ribosomal 28S (28S), cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII), arginine kinase (ArgK), carbamoyl‐phosphate synthetase domain of rudimentary (CAD), wingless (wg)]. Representatives of several opatrinoid subtribes were taken into consideration, including other geographically overlapping endemic genera, namely Ammodonus, Ephalus and Pseudephalus (all previously considered representatives of Ammobiina). A comparative study of morphology was performed to assess resulting phylogenetic hypotheses. Analyses support the monophyly of Blapstinina; however, they also strongly indicate that Ammodonus should be included within the subtribe. Mecysmus is nested within Blapstinus and therefore, a new synonymy, Blapstinus (= Mecysmus syn.n.), and the following combinations are introduced: Blapstinus advena comb.n., B. angustus comb.r., B. laticollis comb.n., B. parvulus comb.n., B. tenuis comb.n. Morphological analysis showed a close affiliation between Ephalus and Pseudephalus. Based on these results, Pseudephalus is synonymized with Ephalus [Ephalus (= Pseudephalus syn.n.)], and the following combination is introduced: Ephalus brevicornis comb.n. Recovered topologies also strongly support transferring Ephalus stat.n. into Opatrina, making the distribution of Opatrina amphi‐Atlantic.
Preprotein signature for full susceptibility to the co‐translational translocation inhibitor cyclotriazadisulfonamide
Authors: Van Puyenbroeck Victor , Pauwels Eva , Provinciael Becky , Bell Thomas W. , Schols Dominique , Kalies Kai‐Uwe , Hartmann Enno , Vermeire Kurt
Published: November 2019

Cyclotriazadisulfonamide (CADA) inhibits the co‐translational translocation of human CD4 (huCD4) into the endoplasmic reticulum lumen in a signal peptide (SP)‐dependent way. We propose that CADA binds the nascent huCD4 SP in a folded conformation within the translocon resembling a normally transitory state during translocation. Here, we used alanine scanning on the huCD4 SP to identify the signature for full susceptibility to CADA. In accordance with our previous work, we demonstrate that residues in the vicinity of the hydrophobic h‐region are critical for sensitivity to CADA. In particular, exchanging Gln‐15, Val‐17 or Pro‐20 in the huCD4 SP for Ala resulted in a resistant phenotype. Together with positively charged residues at the N‐terminal portion of the mature protein, these residues mediate full susceptibility to the co‐translational translocation inhibitory activity of CADA towards huCD4. In addition, sensitivity to CADA is inversely related to hydrophobicity in the huCD4 SP. In vitro translocation experiments confirmed that the general hydrophobicity of the h‐domain and positive charges in the mature protein are key elements that affect both the translocation efficiency of huCD4 and the sensitivity towards CADA. Besides these two general SP parameters that determine the functionality of the signal sequence, unique amino acid pairs (L14/Q15 and L19/P20) in the SP hydrophobic core add specificity to the sensitivity signature for a co‐translational translocation inhibitor.
Breathing dissipative solitons in mode-locked fiber lasers
Authors: Peng Junsong , Boscolo Sonia , Zhao Zihan , Zeng Heping
Published: November 2019

Oscillating dissipative solitons and their bound states are captured in ultrafast lasers using real-time measurement techniques.
Cyclodextrin polymer networks decorated with subnanometer metal nanoparticles for high-performance low-temperature catalysis
Authors: Huang Tiefan , Sheng Guan , Manchanda Priyanka , Emwas Abdul H. , Lai Zhiping , Nunes Suzana Pereira , Peinemann Klaus-Viktor
Published: November 2019

Ultrafine metal nanoparticles on a rationally designed support show outstanding catalytic performance.
Mechanically transformative electronics, sensors, and implantable devices
Authors: Byun Sang-Hyuk , Sim Joo Yong , Zhou Zhanan , Lee Juhyun , Qazi Raza , Walicki Marie C. , Parker Kyle E. , Haney Matthew P. , Choi Su Hwan , Shon Ahnsei , Gereau Graydon B. , Bilbily John , Li Shuo , Liu Yuhao , Yeo Woon-Hong , McCall Jordan G. , Xiao Jianliang , Jeong Jae-Woong
Published: November 2019

A platform built with novel materials and manufacturing strategies enables electronics adaptable for various applications.
Entropic elasticity and negative thermal expansion in a simple cubic crystal
Authors: Wendt David , Bozin Emil , Neuefeind Joerg , Page Katharine , Ku Wei , Wang Limin , Fultz Brent , Tkachenko Alexei V. , Zaliznyak Igor A.
Published: November 2019

Experiments reveal that negative thermal expansion behavior of a crystalline solid is similar to that of polymers and rubber.
Target-Controlled Infusion of Cefepime in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Jonckheere Stijn , De Neve Nikolaas , Verbeke Jan , De Decker Koen , Brandt Inger , Boel An , Van Bocxlaer Jan , Struys Michel M. R. F. , Colin Pieter J.
Published: November 2019

Attainment of appropriate pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) targets for antimicrobial treatment is challenging in critically ill patients, particularly for cefepime, which exhibits a relative narrow therapeutic-toxic window compared to other beta-lactam antibiotics. Target-controlled infusion (TCI) systems, which deliver drugs to achieve specific target drug concentrations, have successfully been implemented for improved dosing of sedatives and analgesics in anesthesia.
Human Cytomegalovirus Alters Host Cell Mitochondrial Function during Acute Infection
Authors: Combs Joseph A. , Norton Elizabeth B. , Saifudeen Zubaida R. , Bentrup Kerstin Honer Zu , Katakam Prasad V. , Morris Cindy A. , Myers Leann , Kaur Amitinder , Sullivan Deborah E. , Zwezdaryk Kevin J.
Published: November 2019

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a herpesvirus present in up to 85% of some populations. Like all herpesviruses, HCMV infection is for life. No vaccine is currently available, neutralizing antibody therapies are ineffective, and current antivirals have limited long-term efficacy due to side effects and potential for viral mutation and resistance. The significance of this research is in understanding how HCMV manipulates the host mitochondria to support bioenergetic and biosynthetic requirements for replication. Despite a large genome, HCMV relies exclusively on host cells for metabolic functions. By understanding the dependency of HCMV on the mitochondria, we could exploit these requirements and develop novel antivirals.
Intact Viral Particle Counts Measured by Flow Virometry Provide Insight into the Infectivity and Genome Packaging Efficiency of Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus
Authors: Renner Tyler Milston , Tang Vera A. , Burger Dylan , Langlois Marc-André
Published: November 2019

Gammaretroviruses, or, more specifically, murine leukemia viruses (MLVs), have been a longstanding model for studying retroviruses. Although being extensively analyzed and dissected for decades, several facets of MLV biology are still poorly understood. One of the primary challenges has been enumerating total intact virus particles in a sample. While several analytical methods can precisely measure virus protein amounts, MLVs are known to induce the secretion of soluble and vesicle-associated viral proteins that can skew these measurements. With recent technological advances in flow cytometry, it is now possible to analyze viruses down to 90 nm in diameter with an approach called flow virometry. The technique has the added benefit of being able to discriminate viruses from extracellular vesicles and free viral proteins in order to confidently provide an intact viral particle count. Here, we used flow virometry to provide new insights into the basic characteristics of Moloney MLV.
Epigenetic Upregulation of Chicken MicroRNA-16-5p Expression in DF-1 Cells following Infection with Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) Enhances IBDV-Induced Apoptosis and Viral Replication
Authors: Duan Xueyan , Zhao Mingliang , Wang Yongqiang , Li Xiaoqi , Cao Hong , Zheng Shijun J.
Published: November 2019

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an acute, highly contagious, and immunosuppressive disease in young chickens, causing severe economic losses to stakeholders across the globe. Although IBD virus (IBDV)-induced apoptosis in the host has been established, the underlying mechanism is not very clear. Here, we show that infection of DF-1 cells by IBDV upregulated gga-miR-16-5p expression via demethylation of the pre-miR-16-2 promoter. Overexpression of gga-miR-16-5p enhanced IBDV-induced apoptosis associated with increased cytochrome
c
release and caspase-9 and -3 activation. Importantly, we found that IBDV infection induced expression of gga-miR-16-5p that triggered apoptosis by targeting Bcl-2, favoring IBDV replication, while inhibition of gga-miR-16-5p in IBDV-infected cells restored Bcl-2 expression, slowing down viral growth, indicating that IBDV induces apoptosis by epigenetic upregulation of gga-miR-16-5p expression. These findings uncover a novel mechanism employed by IBDV for its own benefit, which may be used as a potential target for intervening IBDV infection.
A river is born: Highlights of the geologic evolution of the Colorado River extensional corridor and its river: A field guide honoring the life and legacy of Warren Hamilton
Authors: Howard* Keith A. , House* P. Kyle , John* Barbara E. , Crow* Ryan S. , Pearthree* Philip A.
Published: November 2019

The Colorado River extensional corridor, which stretched by a factor of 2 in the Miocene, left a series of lowland basins and intervening bedrock ranges that, at the dawn of the Pliocene, were flooded by Colorado River water newly diverted from the Colorado Plateau through Grand Canyon. This water and subsequent sediment gave birth, through a series of overflowing lakes, to an integrated Colorado River flowing to the newly opened Gulf of California. Topock Gorge, which the river now follows between the Chemehuevi and Mohave Mountains, is a major focus of this field guide, as it very nicely exposes structural, stratigraphic, and magmatic aspects of the Miocene extensional corridor, a core complex, and detachment faults as well as a pre-Cenozoic batholith. Topock Gorge also is the inferred site of a paleodivide between early Pliocene basins of newly arrived Colorado River water. Overspilling of its upstream lake breached the divide and led the river southward. The Bouse Formation in this and other basins records the pre–river integration water bodies. Younger riverlaid deposits including the Bullhead Alluvium (Pliocene) and the Chemehuevi Formation (Pleistocene) record subsequent evolution of the Colorado River through a succession of aggradational and re-incision stages. Their stratigraphic record provides evidence of local basin deepening after river inception, but little deformation on a regional scale of the river valley in the last 4 m.y. except in the Lake Mead area. There, faults interrupt both the paleoriver grade and incision rates, and are interpreted to record 100’s of m of true uplift of the Colorado Plateau. Warren Hamilton’s insightful work beginning in the 1950s helped set the stage for interpretation of Mesozoic orogeny and Cenozoic extension in this region, as well as the record of the Bouse Formation.
Journey to the Grand Canyon: A geologic and hydrologic excursion across Arizona’s magnificent heartland
Authors: Ranney Wayne , Glotfelty Marvin
Published: November 2019

The Grand Canyon is perhaps our planet’s most widely recognized and single most important geologic landform. The goals for this trip are to give participants an understanding of the canyon’s formation and its dynamic hydrologic system. While our destination is clear, the journey will also provide opportunities to discuss Arizona’s larger geologic setting within the Basin and Range, Transition Zone, and Colorado Plateau physiographic provinces. Stops and discussions will include: (1) geologic setting and groundwater environment of the Phoenix basin; (2) Cenozoic landscape development of the Transition Zone; (3) Montezuma Well, a unique arid-land spring contained within a travertine mound; (4) ascent of the Mogollon Rim, the state’s second largest landform and entryway to the Colorado Plateau; (5) the San Francisco Volcanic Field and surrounding volcanic features, including Sunset Crater, a late Holocene scoria cone; and (6) multiple stops in Grand Canyon National Park to discuss its varied geology. The principal focus here will be on evolving concepts of the canyon’s formation since the time of John Wesley Powell, including the flurry of research results proffered in the past 20 years. Participants will walk the Trail of Time, Earth’s largest man-made geologic exhibit at over 2 km. Another equally important discussion will cover the modern hydrologic system of the canyon, which yields a tenuous supply of potable water from a single inner-canyon spring for over six million annual visitors and 2,500 full-time residents. The National Park Service has prioritized the replacement of the Trans-Canyon Waterline due to climate change concerns.