bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Opposing effects of oxidative challenge and carotenoids on antioxidant status and condition-dependent sexual signalling
Authors: Tomášek Oldřich , Gabrielová Barbora , Kačer Petr , Maršík Petr , Svobodová Jana , Syslová Kamila , Vinkler Michal , Albrecht Tomáš
Published: March 2016

Several recent hypotheses consider oxidative stress to be a primary constraint ensuring honesty of condition-dependent carotenoid-based signalling. The key testable difference between these hypotheses is the assumed importance of carotenoids for redox homeostasis, with carotenoids being either antioxidant, pro-oxidant or unimportant. We tested the role of carotenoids in redox balance and sexual signalling by exposing adult male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to oxidative challenge (diquat dibromide) and manipulating carotenoid intake. As the current controversy over the importance of carotenoids as antioxidants could stem from the hydrophilic basis of commonly-used antioxidant assays, we used the novel measure ofin vivolipophilic antioxidant capacity. Oxidative challenge reduced beak pigmentation but elicited an increase in antioxidant capacity suggesting resource reallocation from signalling to redox homeostasis. Carotenoids counteracted the effect of oxidative challenge on lipophilic (but not hydrophilic) antioxidant capacity, thereby supporting carotenoid antioxidant functionin vivo. This is inconsistent with hypotheses proposing that signalling honesty is maintained through either ROS-induced carotenoid degradation or the pro-oxidant effect of high levels of carotenoid-cleavage products acting as a physiological handicap. Our data further suggest that assessment of lipophilic antioxidant capacity is necessary to fully understand the role of redox processes in ecology and evolution.
Label-free technologies for target identification and validation
Authors: Li Jing , Xu Hua , West Graham M. , Jones Lyn H.
Published: March 2016

Chemical probes have been instrumental in revealing new targets and confirming target engagement. However, substantial effort and resources are required to design and synthesize these probes. In contrast, label-free technologies have the advantage of bypassing the need for chemical probes. Here we highlight the recent developments in label-free methods and discuss the pros and cons of each approach.
Improving the quality of service for users in cognitive radio network using priority queueing analysis
Authors: Bassoo Vandana , Khedun Narvada
Published: March 2016

Through cognitive radio (CR), unlicensed users can occupy idle spectrum bands without interference with the primary user (PU). Generally, when the arrival rate of licensed users is high, secondary users (SUs) may starve. In this study, the authors propose two models to improve the average total waiting time for the SU. They are the M/D/1 model of a PU delay system with non‐pre‐emptive priority and pre‐emptive priority. They are compared to an M/D/1 model with PU delay. Numerical analysis and Monte Carlo simulations are performed for all results. Improvements in the average total waiting time of 13–18% for PU and 24–32% for SU in the non‐pre‐emptive priority scheme are obtained. In the pre‐emptive priority scheme, 19–22 and 5–7% improvements are obtained for the PU and SU respectively. Furthermore, same models, but with finite buffer capacity for both users are investigated to model a real‐time system. In these schemes, the system improves the average total waiting time by 20–42% for the PU and 34–42% for the CR with the non‐pre‐emptive priority. Similarly, the pre‐emptive model shows 25–44 and 6–24% reduction in the PU and SU waiting times respectively.
Vessel target detection using zero‐Doppler spectra of radar echo for high‐frequency surface wave radar
Authors: Ji Yonggang , Zhan Jie , Wang Yiming , Chu Xiaoliang , Li Ming
Published: March 2016

High‐frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR) is employed generally to detect and track moving targets by using the Doppler shift of target echoes caused by their radial movement relative to the radar site. As the target echoes with zero‐Doppler are often mistaken for land or islands clutter, they would be discarded or removed as clutters in most cases. In this study, it is pointed out that not only land/island clutter but also moving targets with very low speed and non‐moving targets are contained in the zero‐Doppler spectra of HFSWR. Then, a detection method using zero‐Doppler spectra of HFSWR echoes is proposed to detect the moving targets with very low speed or non‐moving targets. The basic principles of the method and its essential flowchart of signal processing are introduced, and the preliminary results are given. Finally, the method is validated with experimental data and coincident AIS data.
A fluid collection system for dermal wounds in clinical investigations
Authors: Klopfer Michael , Banyard Derek , Li G.-P. , Widgerow Alan , Bachman Mark
Published: March 2016

In this work, we demonstrate the use of a thin, self adherent, and clinically durable patch device that can collect fluid from a wound site for analysis. This device is manufactured from laminated silicone layers using a novel all-silicone double-molding process. In vitro studies for flow and delivery were followed by a clinical demonstration for exudate collection efficiency from a clinically presented partial thickness burn. The demonstrated utility of this device lends itself for use as a research implement used to clinically sample wound exudate for analysis. This device can serve as a platform for future integration of wearable technology into wound monitoring and care. The demonstrated fabrication method can be used for devices requiring thin membrane construction.
Responses to various protein and energy supplements by steers fed low-quality tropical hay. 2. Effect of stage of maturity of steers
Authors: McLennan S. R. , Campbell J. M. , Pham C. H. , Chandra K. A. , Quigley S. P. , Poppi D. P.
Published: March 2016

Dose response curves to various supplements were established in two pen-feeding experiments (Exp1 and Exp2) with Bos indicus crossbred steers of two age groups (Young, 10–12 months; Old, 33–36 months) fed low-quality tropical grass hays ad libitum. Diets included supplements based on (Exp1) cottonseed meal (CSM; intake (as fed) 0–10 g/kg liveweight (W).day) and a barley mix (Bar; 0–20 g/kg W.day) and (Exp2) a molasses mix (MUP) and a Bar mix, both fed at 0–20 g/kg W.day. Urea was provided with the Bar mixes and urea/copra meal with the MUP mix. Growth rates of Young steers increased linearly with Bar and MUP supplements but asymptotically with CSM whereas those of Old steers increased asymptotically with all supplement types. With supplement intake expressed on a liveweight basis (g/kg W.day), responses were greater for both steer age groups with CSM compared with Bar (Young, P < 0.001; Old, P < 0.01) and Bar compared with MUP treatments (Young, P < 0.01; Old, P < 0.05). Furthermore, Old steers outperformed their Young counterparts with both CSM (P < 0.05) and Bar (P < 0.001) supplements fed in Exp1 and with Bar and MUP supplements (P < 0.01) fed in Exp2. When supplement intake was expressed in absolute terms (kg/day), growth responses were not different between age groups for different supplements except that Old steers had a higher daily W gain on Bar than their Young counterparts (P < 0.05). Intake of hay (W-corrected) was higher for Young compared with Old steers without supplement but was variably reduced for both steer groups with increasing supplement intake. The results of these experiments have implications for supplement formulation for steers at different stages of maturity grazing low-quality forages.
Efficacy of Commercially Available Quaternary Ammonium Compounds for Controlling New Zealand Mudsnails Potamopyrgus antipodarum
Authors: Stout J. Benjamin , Avila Brian W. , Fetherman Eric R.
Published: March 2016

The New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum is an invasive species that can be transported to and established in new bodies of water on gear used by aquatic professionals, anglers, and aquatic recreationists. Sparquat 256, a standard disinfectant for controlling the spread of mudsnails, was recently discontinued by the manufacturer. Our objective was to find an industrial-strength, commercially available quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) that could replace Sparquat 256 for disinfection purposes. The efficacy of three products—Quat 4, Green Solutions High Dilutions Disinfectant 256 (GS 256), and Super HDQ Neutral (Super HDQ)—were tested using bath disinfection at multiple concentrations and exposure durations. For bath disinfection purposes, GS 256 and Super HDQ were the most effective. Super HDQ caused higher mortality rates at 48 h postexposure and was therefore tested and found to be highly effective for spray disinfection to prevent transporting mudsnails on field equipment. Regardless of the QAC chosen, we recommend a bath disinfection rate of 0.4% and a spray disinfection rate of 0.8% QACs in solution with an exposure duration of 10 min. These concentrations meet or exceed minimum effective disinfection requirements for quagga mussels Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha, whirling disease Myxobolus cerebralis, and chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.

Received January 8, 2015; accepted November 8, 2015 Published online March 22, 2016
Utility of Reservoir Characteristics to Determine Minimum Sampling Effort Needed to Assess Sport Fish Populations in Kansas Reservoirs
Authors: Neely Ben C. , Koch Jeff D. , Colvin Michael E.
Published: March 2016

Effective reservoir fisheries management requires fish samples suitable for addressing objectives. These samples are typically attained with fish sampling gears using standardized protocols. Some standardized protocols for sampling reservoir fishes promote objective-based sampling, and many include a minimum number of gear deployments. This minimum number is often a function of reservoir surface area. However, reservoir size may not adequately predict the number of gear deployments needed to reach sample objectives. We used multiple linear regression to determine the relationships between the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of reservoirs and the number of gear deployments needed to reach two sample objectives: (1) collecting 100 stock-length fish (N100), and (2) attaining relative SE of stock-length catch per effort (CPE) ≤25% (RSE25). These analyses were conducted using data from 34 Kansas reservoirs and six fish species. We used Akaike model averaging from a confidence model set (ΔAIC ≤ 2) to develop an average model for each sample objective (N100 and RSE25) and target species. Recent CPE was identified in N100 models for six target species and in RSE25 models for five. Conversely, reservoir surface area was identified in only one model for N100 and two for RSE25. These results suggest that reservoir characteristics other than surface area, particularly recent CPE, should be considered when developing minimum sample sizes for objective-based fish sampling protocols. This approach would allow managers to most efficiently allocate sampling effort while still collecting representative and precise fish samples.

Received March 6, 2015; accepted November 30, 2015 Published online March 22, 2016
A dimer-type saddle search algorithm with preconditioning and linesearch
Authors: Gould N. , Ortner C. , Packwood D.
Published: March 2016

The dimer method is a Hessian-free algorithm for computing saddle points. We augment the method with a linesearch mechanism for automatic step size selection as well as preconditioning capabilities. We prove local linear convergence. A series of numerical tests demonstrate significant performance gains.
Effects of absolute fasting on reproduction and survival of the invasive apple snail Pomacea canaliculata in its native range
Authors: Tamburi Nicolás E. , Martín Pablo R.
Published: March 2016

A South American freshwater gastropod, the apple snail Pomacea canaliculata, has become a driver of ecosystemic changes in wetlands and an important rice pest after its introduction to various parts of the world, mainly Asia. The objective of this study was to study the effect of an abrupt interruption in food availability in the short term (up to 4 weeks) and long term (up to 8 months) on survival and reproductive activity. The main results indicate that short-term fasting mainly affects the survival of males, but only when they are raised together with females, probably due to a greater mate-searching activity that increases mortality in the individuals with lower reserves. The number of copulating snails or egg-laying females shows an abrupt drop when fasting and a rapid recovery after the food supply is restored. The strategy of discontinuing reproductive activity prioritizes energy conservation for the survival of the females. Interpopulation variation in resistance to starvation was observed in adults, which can be explained to some extent by the food availability that they experienced in their natural environment. No interpopulational differences in survival were seen in hatchlings. The mean maximum values of survival under starvation were 52.6 days in hatchlings and the 3.3% of adults survive over than 200 days, which may be a relevant trait in dispersal and establishment in new habitats.
The Effects of Fluvoxamine on the Steady-State Plasma Concentrations of Escitalopram and Desmethylescitalopram in Depressed Japanese Patients
Authors: Yasui-Furukori Norio , Tsuchimine Shoko , Kubo Kazutoshi , Ishioka Masamichi , Nakamura Kazuhiko , Inoue Yoshimasa
Published: March 2016

Background:

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of fluvoxamine, an inhibitor of Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 (CYP2C19), on the pharmacokinetics of escitalopram, a substrate of CYP2C19.

Methods:

Thirteen depressed patients initially received a 20-mg/d dose of escitalopram alone. Subsequently, a 50-mg/d dose of fluvoxamine was administered because of the insufficient efficacy of escitalopram. Plasma concentrations of escitalopram and desmethylescitalopram were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography before and after fluvoxamine coadministration. The QT and corrected QT (QTc) intervals were measured before and after fluvoxamine coadministration.

Results:

Fluvoxamine significantly increased the plasma concentrations of escitalopram (72.3 ± 36.9 ng/mL versus 135.2 ± 79.7 ng/mL, P < 0.01) but not those of desmethylescitalopram (21.5 ± 7.0 ng/mL versus 24.9 ± 12.0 ng/mL, no significance [ns]). The ratios of desmethylescitalopram to escitalopram were significantly decreased during fluvoxamine coadministration (0.37 ± 0.21 versus 0.21 ± 0.10, P < 0.01). The CYP2C19 genotype did not fully explain the degree of the change. Fluvoxamine coadministration did not change the QT or QTc intervals.

Conclusions:

The results of this study suggest that adjunctive treatment with fluvoxamine increases the concentration of escitalopram. The QTc interval did not change in this condition.
Childhood Antecedents and Maintaining Factors in Maladaptive Daydreaming
Authors: Somer Eli , Somer Liora , Jopp Daniela S.
Published: March 2016

This study explored the fantasy activity of 16 individuals who were seeking online peer-support and advice for maladaptive daydreaming (MD). MD is an under-researched mental activity described as persistent vivid fantasy activity that replaces human interaction and/or interferes with important areas of functioning. We employed a grounded theory methodology that yielded seven common themes presented as a sequential descriptive narrative about the nature, precursors, and consequences of MD. The presented “storyline” included the following themes: (1) daydreaming as an innate talent for vivid fantasy; (2) daydreaming and social isolation—a two-way street; (3) the role of trauma in the development of MD; (4) the rewards of daydreaming; (5) the insatiable yearning for daydreaming; (6) shame and concealment; (7) unsuccessful treatment attempts. A main conclusion of our study is that there is an urgent need for early identification of MD and its correct diagnoses in adulthood.
Transcriptomic comparison ofDrosophilasnRNP biogenesis mutants: implications for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Authors: Garcia Eric L. , Wen Ying , Praveen Kavita , Matera A. Gregory
Published: March 2016

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is caused by deletion or mutation of theSurvival Motor Neuron 1gene (SMN1)1, but the mechanism whereby reduced levels of SMN protein lead to disease is unknown. SMN functions in the assembly of spliceosomal small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) and potential splicing defects have been uncovered in various animal models of SMA. We used disruptions inSmnand two additional snRNP biogenesis genes,PhaxandArs2, to classify RNA processing differences as snRNP-dependent orSmngene specific inDrosophila. Although more numerous, the processing changes inArs2mutants were generally distinct from those identified inPhaxandSmnanimals.PhaxandSmnnull mutants exhibited comparable reductions in steady-state snRNA levels, and direct comparison of their transcriptomes uncovered a shared set of alternative splicing changes. Transgenic expression ofPhaxandSmnin the respective mutant backgrounds significantly rescued both snRNA levels as well as alternative splicing. When compared to theSmnwild-type rescue line, three additional disease models (bearing SMA-causing point mutations inSmn) displayed only small-to-indistinguishable differences in snRNA levels and the identified splicing disruptions. Comparison of these intermediate SMA models revealed fewer than 10% shared splicing differences. Instead, the threeSmnpoint mutants displayed common increases in stress responsive transcripts that correlated with phenotypic severity. These findings uncouple organismal viability defects from the general housekeeping function of SMN and suggest that SMN-specific changes in gene expression may be important for understanding how loss of SMN ultimately causes disease.
Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a Lebanese sample
Authors: Farhat Antoine G. , Jaalouk Doris , Francis Serine
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The relationship between adherence to a Mediterranean diet and reduced mortality or a lower incidence of major chronic diseases has been widely studied. The purpose of this study was to assess the adherence of a Lebanese adult sample to the Mediterranean diet.

Design/methodology/approach

– This cross-sectional dietary survey involved a Lebanese population sample aged 19 to 70 years. A total of 615 men and women were asked to fill a diet history questionnaire (144 items), assisted by trained nutrition research assistants. Data were analyzed and compared to the Mediterranean diet recommendations, and the Mediterranean diet score, a ten-point scale based on above and below median levels of consumption, was estimated.

Findings

– There was no significant difference in terms of adherence between men and women participants below the age of 30 years, while women over 30 years had a poorer score than men within this age group. The surveyed sample was found to have a 4.2 Mediterranean diet score and, thus, has a low adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern. Consumption of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, legumes and nuts of this Lebanese sample met the Mediterranean diet recommendations, while whole grains, poultry and fish consumption was lower than the recommended Mediterranean diet intake, and meat consumption was found to be much higher than what was recommended.

Originality/value

– Facing the fast increase in non-communicable disease incidence, and with a more spread Western-type culture, it is central to raise awareness about the role of traditional Mediterranean diet in preventing and protecting against these diseases. This study contributes to the limited literature on the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in Lebanon.
Reconciling recreational use and conservation values in a coastal protected area
Authors: Stigner Madeleine G. , Beyer Hawthorne L. , Klein Carissa J. , Fuller Richard A.
Published: March 2016

Protected areas often need to provide recreational opportunities whilst conserving biodiversity. Recreation brings important benefits to human well‐being, and allowing people to experience nature in protected areas can also provide revenue and support for conservation objectives. However, not all recreational activities are compatible with environmental management goals.

Here, we show how a coastal protected area can be zoned to satisfy both recreational and conservation objectives.

We collected empirical data on the effect of recreational disturbance to foraging shorebirds in Moreton Bay Marine Park, Queensland, Australia, and calculated the benefit of alternative protected area zone types on shorebird representation using a zero‐inflated negative binomial model. The predictions from this model were used to optimize a zoning plan in a linear programming framework that balances recreational use with shorebird conservation. Costs reflect foregone recreational opportunity, thereby facilitating solutions that minimize restrictions on recreational use of the coastline.

We discover a consistent negative effect of recreational use of the foreshore on shorebird occupancy and abundance and show that, despite this, zoning can be used to achieve shorebird representation targets with only a small cost to recreational opportunity.

When dog recreation is permitted at all sites, a 91% shorebird representation target can be met, indicating that de facto patterns of recreation were rather well segregated from areas used by shorebirds. By restricting dog recreation to five sites and allowing people to access all other foreshore sites, shorebird representation increased to 97%.

Synthesis and applications. Our approach of calculating the contribution of each zone type towards conservation objectives results in zoning plans with robust estimates of conservation benefit that can be readily implemented by managers. Specifically, we estimated the effects of removing people and domestic dog recreation within each intertidal site on shorebird abundance to inform coastal zoning plans. Incorporating cost as foregone recreational opportunity results in zoning plans that minimize the number of people required to make a behavioural change. Compliance to zone types is often ultimately voluntary so integrating the current intensity of recreational use is more likely to generate workable zoning plans.
The Fate of Anglo‐Saxon Saints after the Norman Conquest of England: St Æthelwold of Winchester as a Case Study
Authors: BROWETT REBECCA
Published: March 2016

This paper explores the continued debate concerning the status and treatment of Anglo‐Saxon saints after 1066 through the discussion of the fate of St Æthelwold of Winchester's cult. Current historiography favours Susan Ridyard's 1986 thesis that the new Norman bishops and abbots used the Anglo‐Saxon saints to establish their authority, integrate themselves into their new religious houses, and guard their communities' land and possessions. She challenged the notion that the churchmen were sceptical of and mistreated Anglo‐Saxon saints' cults. However, historians such as Paul Hayward, and more recently Tom License, have disputed Ridyard's thesis. This article examines the status of St Æthelwold's cult at Winchester and Abingdon after 1066, where there is clear evidence that the cult was suppressed. This paper will explore the means by which, and the potential motivations why, the abbots of Abingdon and bishop of Winchester expressed disrespectful attitudes towards St Æthelwold's cult, discussing the implications this has on current historiography.
Effects of Parturition on Pelvic Age Indicators
Authors: Bongiovanni Rosanne
Published: March 2016

This research assessed whether parity has a differential effect on age indicators of the pelvis. The data were collected from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection. Age indicators of the pubic symphysis and auricular surface were assessed using the Todd, Suchey–Brooks, Lovejoy et al., and Buckberry and Chamberlain scoring systems. A transition analysis was conducted, and scoring systems of the pubic symphysis showed the parous female group transitioning between eight and 14 years earlier than the nulliparous female and male groups, and 1 and 7 years earlier using the auricular surface methods. A likelihood ratio test produced significantly different results between parous and nulliparous females using the pubic symphysis (p < 0.01) but not the auricular surface (p > 0.05). Although parous females were inaccurately assessed more often than nulliparous females, no correction of methods is necessary at this time as current standards take parity into account by utilizing a lumped female sample.
Regional development in a resource production system: long distance commuting, population growth, and wealth redistribution in the Western Australia Goldfields
Authors: Martinus Kirsten
Published: March 2016

Resource towns often exist on a knife‐edge, largely depending upon global demand for their resource/s and, at the same time, playing a critical role in the development of a nation. The transition from single resource towns to diversified economies has been modelled on several occasions, but their application to other resource locales is difficult given the unique interplay of geographic, political, social, and economic factors. Nonetheless, Innis' Canadian staples theory may explain the political motivations of resource extraction and exportation, not least in relation to the Western Australia Goldfields. This paper seeks to explore the theory's potential in this context by examining the implications of high labour mobility. It employs a two‐step process using, first, a social network analysis to map the entire Australian labour commuting network and, second, a regression analysis of commuting, regional wealth, and population size against population change. While the Goldfields historically grew in line with processes described by Innis' theory, contemporary high labour mobility has created a variegated landscape of different development dynamics and trajectories. This finding carries implications for network patterns of residence and work. Labour acts to extend the distribution of wealth by sending incomes to the metropolitan core and to amenity‐rich regional towns across the State and nation. In such light, regional development scholars must view the resource town in its broader urban system of distinct but interlocked, and sometimes overlapping, activity nodes.
Risk‐preferring rats make worse decisions and show increased incubation of craving after cocaine self‐administration
Authors: Ferland Jacqueline‐Marie N. , Winstanley Catharine A.
Published: March 2016

Maladaptive decision‐making may play an integral role in the development and maintenance of an addiction. Substance‐dependent individuals make riskier choices on the Iowa Gambling Task, and these deficits persist during withdrawal and are predictive of relapse. However, it is unclear from clinical studies whether this cognitive impairment is a cause or consequence of drug use. We trained male Long‐Evans rats on the rat Gambling Task, a rodent analogue of the Iowa Gambling Task, to determine how choice preference influenced, and was influenced by, cocaine self‐administration, withdrawal and incubation of craving. Rats that exhibited a preference for the risky, disadvantageous options at baseline were uniquely and adversely affected by cocaine self‐administration. Risky choice was exacerbated in these rats when decision‐making was assessed during the same diurnal period as cocaine self‐administration, whereas the choice pattern of optimal decision‐makers was unaffected. This decision‐making deficit was maintained during 30 days of withdrawal and correlated with greater cue‐induced incubation of craving. Risk‐preferring rats also made more drug‐seeking responses during cocaine self‐administration. These data demonstrate that poor decision‐making prior to contact with addictive drugs is associated with a pro‐addictive behavioural phenotype, characterized by further increased risky choice and heightened responding for drug both during cocaine self‐administration and withdrawal. Such findings indicate that the elevated risky decision‐making observed in substance‐dependent populations is not merely circumstantial, but makes an important contribution to addiction vulnerability and severity that can now be effectively modelled in laboratory rats.
Intranasal naloxone soon to become part of evolving clinical practice around opioid overdose prevention
Authors: Dietze Paul , Cantwell Kate
Published: March 2016

Commentary to: Clinical provision of improvised nasal naloxone without experimental testing and without regulatory approval: imaginative shortcut or dangerous bypass of essential safety procedures?
New approved nasal naloxone welcome, but unlicensed improvised naloxone spray kits remain a concern: proper scientific study must accompany innovation
Authors: Strang John , Mcdonald Rebecca
Published: March 2016

Commentary to: Clinical provision of improvised nasal naloxone without experimental testing and without regulatory approval: imaginative shortcut or dangerous bypass of essential safety procedures?
Twitter Analysis: Studying US Weekly Trends in Work Stress and Emotion
Authors: Wang Wei , Hernandez Ivan , Newman Daniel A. , He Jibo , Bian Jiang
Published: March 2016

We propose the use of Twitter analysis as an alternative source of data to document weekly trends in emotion and stress, and attempt to use the method to estimate the work recovery effect of weekends. On the basis of 2,102,176,189 Tweets, we apply Pennebaker's linguistic inquiry word count (LIWC) approach to measure daily Tweet content across 18 months, aggregated to the US national level of analysis. We derived a word count dictionary to assess work stress and applied p‐technique factor analysis to the daily word count data from 19 substantively different content areas covered by the LIWC dictionaries. Dynamic factor analysis revealed two latent factors in day‐level variation of Tweet content. These two factors are: (a) a negative emotion/stress/somatic factor, and (b) a positive emotion/food/friends/home/family/leisure factor, onto which elements of work, money, achievement, and health issues have strong negative loadings. The weekly trend analysis revealed a clear “Friday dip” for work stress and negative emotion expressed on Twitter. In contrast, positive emotion Tweets showed a “mid‐week dip” for Tuesday‐Wednesday‐Thursday and “weekend peak” for Friday through Sunday, whereas work/money/achievement/health problem Tweets showed a small “weekend dip” on Fridays through Sundays. Results partially support the Effort‐Recovery theory. Implications and limitations of the method are discussed.
A Naturalistic Multilevel Framework for Studying Transient and Chronic Effects of Psychosocial Work Stressors on Employee Health and Well‐Being
Authors: Ilies Remus , Aw Sherry S.Y. , Lim Vivien K.G.
Published: March 2016

Research in work and organisational health psychology (WOHP) has traditionally employed methodologies targeted at examining between‐individual associations of psychosocial stressors, psychological strain, health, and well‐being. Recently, however, there has been a shift towards more ecologically valid assessments of these classes of constructs, i.e. assessing them as and when they occur, often involving multiple assessments of the individual within a day. Known as Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), studies employing this methodology enable examinations of within‐individual (daily) fluctuations in well‐being as a result of work stressors and other environmental factors, as well as investigations of person–environment interactions. In addition, the study of employee health and well‐being can benefit from the application of new and exciting technologies for measurement, such as smartphones and wearable devices for the tracking of physiological well‐being indicators. Drawing on the Allostatic Load Model as an integrative framework, the current article aims to organise previous EMA research efforts in the field of WOHP, provide an overview of methodological tools that can be used in EMA research, and provide guidelines for analyzing EMA data. Finally, we conclude by discussing opportunities and challenges in the use of EMA in WOHP.
Degeneration patterns of the worker spermatheca during morphogenesis in ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: Gotoh Ayako , Billen Johan , Hashim Rosli , Ito Fuminori
Published: March 2016

Reproductive division of labor is one of the crucial features in social insects, however, the developmental mechanisms leading to modifications in the reproductive apparatus of workers are still not very clear. Ants show a remarkable diversity in the morphological specialization of the worker's reproductive apparatus, that allows to distinguish four types, type 1: workers that have ovaries and a functional spermatheca, and that reproduce like queens, type 2: workers have ovaries and a vestigial spermatheca, type 3: workers have ovaries but no spermatheca, and type 4: workers lost both ovaries and spermatheca. We investigated morphogenesis of the worker spermatheca in 28 ant species by histological examination. In workers of type 1, the morphogenesis of the spermatheca is very similar to that in ant queens. In type 2, the spermathecal disc also differentiates, however, the development is interrupted and remains vestigial. In types 3 and 4, the absence of the spermatheca in the adult phase is caused by a degeneration after initial formation of the spermathecal disc or by a complete lack of the spermathecal discs. The timing of these interruption and degeneration events varies among species. The species exhibiting an earlier interrupting point of spermatheca formation in workers have a larger queen‐worker dimorphism, that seems to be independent from ant phylogeny.
Patch exploitation by non‐aggressive parasitoids under intra‐ and interspecific competition
Authors: Robert Félix‐Antoine , Brodeur Jacques , Boivin Guy
Published: March 2016

The behavioral strategies evolved by insect parasitoids to optimize their foraging efforts have been the subject of many theoretical and empirical studies. However, the effects competition may have on these strategies, especially for species that do not engage in antagonistic behaviors, have received little attention. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of intraspecific and interspecific competition on patch exploitation strategies by two non‐aggressive species, Trichogramma pintoi Voegelé and Trichogramma minutum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), both generalist egg parasitoids. We analyzed the patch residence times of females, their patch‐leaving mechanisms, and the sex allocation of their progeny while foraging either alone, with an intraspecific competitor, or with an interspecific competitor. To some extent, each species responded differently to the presence of a competitor in the patch. Trichogramma pintoi females did not change their patch‐leaving mechanisms in response to competition and behaved as if under an exploitative competition regime, whereas T. minutum females did change their patch‐leaving mechanisms in response to competition and remained longer in the host patch than expected. Antennal rejection, and not oviposition, was the proximate behavioral mechanism underlying patch‐leaving decisions by both species. Neither species adjusted the sex allocation of their progeny in response to competition. These results indicate that the effects of competition differ even among closely related parasitoid species.
Parasitoid‐induced transgenerational fecundity compensation in an aphid
Authors: Kaiser Matthew C. , Heimpel George E.
Published: March 2016

Increased reproductive effort by organisms in response to attack by consumers (‘fecundity compensation’) is well documented in both plants and animals, although most examples only involve direct compensation by the individuals exposed to consumers. We used the parasitoid waspLysiphlebus orientalisStarý & Rakhshani (Hymenoptera:Braconidae) and the soybean aphid,Aphis glycinesMatsumura (Hemiptera:Aphididae), to determine whether reproduction by parasitized aphids can lead to fecundity compensation. Although parasitism byL. orientalisstrongly decreased fecundity for parasitized aphids, offspring of parasitized aphids reproduced at a greater rate at maturity than did the offspring of non‐parasitized aphids. Also, parasitized aphids contained fewer but larger embryos developing within them. The presence of these larger embryos may explain how the offspring of parasitized aphids can produce more progeny with no apparent reduction in progeny quality. Mature and nearly mature soybean aphids successfully reproduced after parasitism, a prerequisite for transgenerational fecundity compensation, andL. orientalisshowed a preference for these age classes of aphids as hosts when foraging. Transgenerational fecundity compensation may allow for higher than expected densities of both hosts and consumers to persist and may be adaptive for both the host and consumer in this system. The phenomenon could also reduce the strength of biological control interactions.
Changes in organic carbon and nitrogen in soil with metal pollution by Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhou T. , Li L. , Zhang X. , Zheng J. , Zheng J. , Joseph S. , Pan G.
Published: March 2016

Organic carbon (OC) and nitrogen (N) storage in soil plays an important role in global climate change and in maintaining food security. Pollution of soil with heavy metals has occurred in many parts of the world, but their effects on soil OC and N have not been well addressed. Relevant data were extracted from peer‐reviewed journal papers and analysed by a meta‐analysis to determine how long‐term heavy metal pollution affected soil OC and N status. Plant biomass decreased significantly because heavy metals in soil decreased soil OC and N concentrations by 5.0 and 17.9%, respectively, but increased the C/N ratio by 5.1%. The largest reductions in soil OC and N concentrations were in soil more strongly polluted by metals. The changes in soil OC and N with metal pollution varied with climatic conditions. More substantial decreases in OC and N concentrations were likely to occur in polluted soil with large background contents of OC and low pH. Overall, heavy metals were linked to greater reductions in soil OC and N concentrations in natural ecosystems than in agro‐ecosystems. These results provided a quantitative evaluation of the effects of heavy metal pollution on the decrease in soil C and N concentrations and, therefore, on global climate change. Further consideration should be given to changes in the cycling of C and N in soil polluted with metals in natural and agro‐ecosystems.
Managing Stress Levels of Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Meta‐Analytic Review of Interventions
Authors: Lindo Endia J. , Kliemann Karin R. , Combes Bertina H. , Frank Jessica
Published: March 2016

Parents of children diagnosed with disabilities often experience elevated levels of stress compared to those parenting children without disabilities (Baker‐Ericzén, Brookman‐Frazee, & Stahmer, 2005; Tomanik, Harris, & Hawkins, 2004). This increase in stress can have a negative impact on parent well‐being (Trute & Hiebert‐Murphy, 2002) resulting in a stress‐induced dysregulation of the immune system. In their article in this issue, Gouin, da Estrela, Desmarais, and Baker found that increased levels of social support served as protection against this dysregulation. In the current study, we examined the nature and beneficial components of formal support services targeted at reducing the stress levels of parental caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. With this meta‐analytic review we attempt to examine the efficacy of these interventions and potential moderators to their effects by reviewing comparison group studies conducted in North America with parent stress interventions and stress outcome measures. Six studies were identified that met this review's criteria, reporting an overall effect of d = 0.51. In sum, stress management interventions were found to effectively reduce the reported stress of parents caring for children with developmental disabilities. A significant issue identified was the limited number of comparison group studies that examined stress management interventions for this population. Implications of these findings and need for further exploration are discussed.
Can Twitter improve your health? An analysis of alcohol consumption guidelines on Twitter
Authors: Hughes Emma
Published: March 2016

This article is the first in the feature to highlight the social network site Twitter as a tool for health information and it reports on a study by Emma Hughes, who completed an MSc in information and library studies at Aberystwyth University in 2014. Emma's research investigated the quality of health information available on Twitter, in particular the information available on UK alcohol consumption guidelines. Her research suggests that users searching for this information would need certain literacy skills to interpret it correctly. However, there is no doubt that Twitter is an increasingly popular resource for information dissemination and health professionals, and organisations should be encouraged to use it frequently as a tool for sharing information.

AM
Online learning: the brave new world of massive open online courses and the role of the health librarian
Authors: Spring Hannah
Published: March 2016

In a wired, virtual and information rich society, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are leading us into a brave new world in which their key role is to support lifelong networked learning. This feature looks at the broad role of MOOCs and considers them within the context of health, and health librarianship. In particular, it provides examples of where health librarians have developed MOOCs and what opportunities there are in the future for health librarians to collaborate in the development and delivery of health MOOCs.

H.S.
Estimating the Wage Premium of Collective Wage Contracts: Evidence from Longitudinal Linked Employer–Employee Data
Authors: Gürtzgen Nicole
Published: March 2016

Using a large‐scale linked employer–employee dataset from western Germany, this paper presents new evidence on the wage premium of collective bargaining contracts. In contrast to previous studies, we seek to assess the extent to which differences in wages between workers in covered and uncovered firms arise from the nonrandom selection of workers and firms into collective bargaining coverage. By measuring the relative wage changes of workers employed in firms that change contract status, we obtain estimates that depart considerably from previous results relying on cross‐sectional data. Results from analyzing separate transitions show that leaving industry‐level contracts is associated with subsequent wage losses. However, the results from a trend‐adjusted difference‐in‐difference approach indicate that particularly the transitions to no coverage appear to be associated with negative shocks. Overall, our findings provide no evidence of a “true” wage effect of leaving wage bargaining, once we account for differences in pretransition wage growth.
Mechanism and Simulation of Removal Rate and Surface Roughness During Optical Polishing of Glasses
Authors: Suratwala Tayyab , Steele William , Feit Michael , Shen Nan , Dylla‐Spears Rebecca , Wong Lana , Miller Phil , Desjardin Richard , Elhadj Selim
Published: March 2016

Glass optics with ultra‐low roughness surfaces (<2 Å rms) are strongly desired for high‐end optical applications (e.g., lasers, spectroscopy, etc.). The complex microscopic interactions that occur between slurry particles and the glass workpiece during optical polishing ultimately determine the removal rate and resulting surface roughness of the workpiece. In this study, a comprehensive set of 100 mm diameter glass samples (fused silica, phosphate, and borosilicate) were polished using various slurry particle size distributions (PSD), slurry concentrations, and pad treatments. The removal rate and surface roughness of the glasses were characterized using white light interferometry and atomic force microscopy. The material removal mechanism for a given slurry particle is proposed to occur via nano‐plastic deformation (plastic removal) or via chemical reaction (molecular removal) depending on the slurry particle load on the glass surface. Using an expanded Hertzian contact model, called the Ensemble Hertzian Multi‐gap (EHMG) model, a platform has been developed to understand the microscopic interface interactions and to predict trends of the removal rate and surface roughness for a variety of polishing parameters. The EHMG model is based on multiple Hertzian contacts of slurry particles at the workpiece–pad interface in which the pad deflection and the effective interface gap at each pad asperity height are determined. Using this, the interface contact area and each particle's penetration, load, and contact zone are determined which are used to calculate the material removal rate and simulate the surface roughness. Each of the key polishing variables investigated is shown to affect the material removal rate, whose changes are dominated by very different microscopic interactions. Slurry PSD impacts the load per particle distribution and the fraction of particles removing material by plastic removal. The slurry concentration impacts the areal number density of particles and fraction of load on particles versus pad. The pad topography impacts the fraction of pad area making contact with the workpiece. The glass composition predominantly impacts the depth of plastic removal. Also, the results show that the dominant factor controlling surface roughness is the slurry PSD followed by the glass material's removal function and the pad topography. The model compares well with the experimental data over a variety of polishing conditions for both removal rate and roughness and can be extended to provide insights and strategies to develop practical, economic processes for obtaining ultra‐low roughness surfaces while simultaneously maintaining high material removal rates.