bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tests of species‐specific models reveal the importance of drought in postglacial range shifts of a Mediterranean‐climate tree: insights from integrative distributional, demographic and coalescent modelling andABCmodel selection
Authors: Bemmels Jordan B. , Title Pascal O. , Ortego Joaquín , Knowles L. Lacey
Published: August 2016

Past climate change has caused shifts in species distributions and undoubtedly impacted patterns of genetic variation, but the biological processes mediating responses to climate change, and their genetic signatures, are often poorly understood. We test six species‐specific biologically informed hypotheses about such processes in canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis) from the California Floristic Province. These hypotheses encompass the potential roles of climatic niche, niche multidimensionality, physiological trade‐offs in functional traits, and local‐scale factors (microsites and local adaptation within ecoregions) in structuring genetic variation. Specifically, we use ecological niche models (ENMs) to construct temporally dynamic landscapes where the processes invoked by each hypothesis are reflected by differences in local habitat suitabilities. These landscapes are used to simulate expected patterns of genetic variation under each model and evaluate the fit of empirical data from 13 microsatellite loci genotyped in 226 individuals from across the species range. Using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), we obtain very strong support for two statistically indistinguishable models: a trade‐off model in which growth rate and drought tolerance drive habitat suitability and genetic structure, and a model based on the climatic niche estimated from a genericENM, in which the variables found to make the most important contribution to theENMhave strong conceptual links to drought stress. The two most probable models for explaining the patterns of genetic variation thus share a common component, highlighting the potential importance of seasonal drought in driving historical range shifts in a temperate tree from a Mediterranean climate where summer drought is common.
Functional dissimilarity, not phylogenetic relatedness, determines interspecific interactions among plants in the Tibetan alpine meadows
Authors: Lyu Shengman , Liu Xiang , Venail Patrick , Zhou Shurong
Published: August 2016

The hypotheses suggesting that the nature and strength of species interactions should be determined by phylogenetic relatedness have important implications for the understanding of community structure. However, to date, there is limited empirical evidence to support them. At least two basic conditions need to be met in order to expect species interactions to be determined by evolutionary relatedness: a phylogenetic signal in the traits involved in the interactions and changes in the interactions as species are more ecologically similar. Here, we report results of a removal experiment in the Chinese Tibetan plateau in which we directly assessed if the nature and/or strength of interactions among twelve alpine meadow plant species were influenced by their phylogenetic relatedness and/or their functional dissimilarity. For each plant species, we compared its biomass production when grown alone to its biomass in presence of another species and used it as a measure of species interactions. Competition between pairs of species was more frequent than facilitation, with 60% of interactions resulting in plants producing less biomass when a second species was present. We found no effect of phylogenetic relatedness on the prevalence or intensity of competition or facilitation, presumably as none of the studied traits showed phylogenetic signal. Functional dissimilarity based on maximum plant height alone was the best predictor of both the prevalence and strength of competition and facilitation, followed by functional dissimilarity using all five functional traits. Our results pinpoint the limited capacity of phylogenetic relatedness as predictor of species interactions; underlining the limitations of using phylogenetic dispersion patterns to infer mechanisms of community assembly. On the contrary, when the right functional traits are used, functional dissimilarity among species can predict both the nature and strength of their interactions; accentuating the relevance of trait‐based approaches in community ecology research.
Evaluation of a novel lentiviral vaccine expressing KMP11‐HASPB fusion protein against Leishmania infantum in BALB/c mice
Authors: Mortazavidehkordi N. , Farjadfar A. , Khanahmad H. , Ghayour Najafabadi Z. , Hashemi N. , Fallah A. , Najafi A. , Kia V. , Hejazi S. H.
Published: August 2016

Hydrophilic acylated surface protein B (HASPB) is an immunogenic Leishmania protein against which antibodies are produced in the sera of cutaneous and visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) patients. Kinetoplastid membrane protein 11 (KMP11) is another protein antigen of Leishmania which is reported as a promising candidate for vaccination of VL. It is a highly conserved surface protein present in all members of kinetoplastid family and is expressed in both promastigotes and amastigotes. In this study, the coding sequence of KMP11 and HASPB was cloned into a pCDH‐cGFP lentiviral vector as a fusion protein. The gene expression was confirmed using RT‐PCR and Western blot methods. After injection of the recombinant KMP11‐HASPB‐expressing lentiviruses to BALB/c mice, using ELISA technique, a significant increase in IFN‐γ and IL‐4 as well as IgG1 and IgG2a was observed compared to the control group. Furthermore, the number of parasites in the liver and spleen of vaccinated mice decreased significantly compared with the control group.
Subglacial emplacement of tills and meltwater deposits at the base of overdeepened bedrock troughs
Authors: Buechi Marius W. , Frank Stephan M. , Graf Hans Rudolf , Menzies John , Anselmetti Flavio S.
Published: August 2016

The sedimentary infills of subglacially eroded bedrock troughs in the Alps are underexplored archives for the timing, extent and character of Pleistocene glaciations but may contain excellent records of the Quaternary landscape evolution over several glacial–interglacial cycles. The onset of sedimentation in these bedrock troughs is often reflected by diamicts and gravels directly overlying bedrock in the deepest basin segments. Subglacial or proglacial depositional environments have been proposed for these coarse‐grained basal units but their characteristics and origin remain controversial. This article presents results from drill cores that recovered a coarse‐grained basal unit in a major buried bedrock‐trough system in the Lower Glatt Valley, northern Switzerland. The excellent core recovery allowed a detailed study combining macroscopic, microscopic and geochemical methods and gives unprecedented insights into the transition from erosion to deposition in overdeepened bedrock troughs. These results show that the basal infill comprises diamicts, interpreted as subglacial tills, separated by thin sorted interbeds, originating from subglacial cavity deposition. The stacking of these units is interpreted to represent repeated switching between a coupled and decoupled ice–bed‐interface indicating an ever‐transforming mosaic of subglacial bed conditions. Decoupling in response to high basal water pressures is probably promoted by the confined subglacial hydraulic conditions resulting from the bedrock acting as aquitards, the narrow reverse sloping outlet and a large catchment area. While stratigraphic and lithological evidence suggests that erosion and the onset of basal sedimentation occurred during the same glaciation, different scenarios for the relative timing of infilling in relation to formation and glaciation of the bedrock trough are discussed. Overlying deltaic and glaciolacustrine sediments suggest deposition during subsequent deglaciation of the bedrock trough. The basal sediment characteristics are in agreement with previous reports in hydrogeological and seismic exploration and suggest the occurrence of similar basal successions in other subglacially overdeepened basins in the Alps and elsewhere.
Effect of resistance training on phase angle in older women: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Souza M. F. , Tomeleri C. M. , Ribeiro A. S. , Schoenfeld B. J. , Silva A. M. , Sardinha L. B. , Cyrino E. S.
Published: August 2016

Phase angle (PhA) is an angular‐derived bioelectrical impedance parameter based on resistance and reactance that has been widely used in different populations as an objective indicator of cellular health. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of resistance training (RT) on PhA in older women. Forty‐one older women (67.2 ± 4.5 years, 64.0 ± 12.3 kg, 154.7 ± 5.2 cm, and 26.6 ± 4.8 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a training group (TG, n = 19) that underwent progressive RT for 12 weeks (eight exercises, three sets of 10–15 repetitions maximum, three times per week) or a control group (CG, n = 22) that did not perform any type of exercise during the intervention period. Resistance, reactance, PhA, total body water (TBW), intracellular (ICW) and extracellular (ECW) water were assessed by spectral bioelectrical impedance. There was a significant group by time interaction (P < 0.05) for PhA, TBW, and ICW in which only the TG increased their scores after the intervention period (PhA = +6.5%, TBW = +2.8%, and ICW = +5.1%). The results suggest that progressive RT promotes an increase in PhA in older women. Therefore, the PhA seems to be a good parameter to assess changes in cellular health during RT intervention.
Across-formant integration and speech intelligibility: Effects of acoustic source properties in the presence and absence of a contralateral interferer
Authors: Summers Robert J. , Bailey Peter J. , Roberts Brian
Published: August 2016

The role of source properties in across-formant integration was explored using three-formant (F1+F2+F3) analogues of natural sentences (targets). In experiment 1, F1+F3 were harmonic analogues (H1+H3) generated using a monotonous buzz source and second-order resonators; in experiment 2, F1+F3 were tonal analogues (T1+T3). F2 could take either form (H2 or T2). Target formants were always presented monaurally; the receiving ear was assigned randomly on each trial. In some conditions, only the target was present; in others, a competitor for F2 (F2C) was presented contralaterally. Buzz-excited or tonal competitors were created using the time-reversed frequency and amplitude contours of F2. Listeners must reject F2C to optimize keyword recognition. Whether or not a competitor was present, there was no effect of source mismatch between F1+F3 and F2. The impact of adding F2C was modest when it was tonal but large when it was harmonic, irrespective of whether F2C matched F1+F3. This pattern was maintained when harmonic and tonal counterparts were loudness-matched (experiment 3). Source type and competition, rather than acoustic similarity, governed the phonetic contribution of a formant. Contrary to earlier research using dichotic targets, requiring across-ear integration to optimize intelligibility, H2C was an equally effective informational masker for H2 as for T2.
Discovery of a proteinaceous cellular receptor for a norovirus
Authors: Orchard Robert C. , Wilen Craig B. , Doench John G. , Baldridge Megan T. , McCune Broc T. , Lee Ying-Chiang J. , Lee Sanghyun , Pruett-Miller Shondra M. , Nelson Christopher A. , Fremont Daved H. , Virgin Herbert W.
Published: August 2016

New insights into norovirus entry

There's no escaping norovirus when you have it—the symptoms from this gastroenteritis-causing virus, though brief, are often debilitating. Preventing infections will rely on improving our understanding of how norovirus enters host cells. Orchard
et al.
show that the entry of murine norovirus (MNoV) into host cells requires a protein called CD300lf. In cell culture, mouse cells needed to express CD300lf in order for MNoV binding, entry, and replication to occur. Deleting the gene encoding CD300lf in mice protected them against MNoV infection. Human cells expressing CD300lf allowed MNoV to break the species barrier, a finding that may lead to new insights into the infectivity of this virus.

Science
, this issue p.
933
Full-Genome Sequence Analysis of a Reassortant Strain of
Bluetongue virus
Serotype 16 from Southern India
Authors: Kumar Lalit , Batra Kanisht , Chaudhary Deepika , Gupta Akhil Kumar , Dalal Anita , Kalyanaraman Brindha , Irulappan Ganesan P. , Kumar Vinay , Maan Sushila
Published: August 2016

The complete genome sequence of a reassortant field strain (IND2014/01) of
Bluetongue virus
(BTV) serotype 16, isolated from sheep from southern India in 2014, was sequenced. The total genome size was 19,186 bp. Sequence comparisons of all genome segments, except segment 5 (Seg-5), showed that IND2014/01 belonged to the major eastern topotype of BTV.
Complete Genome Sequences of Three Historically Important, Spatiotemporally Distinct, and Genetically Divergent Strains of Zika Virus: MR-766, P6-740, and PRVABC-59
Authors: Yun Sang-Im , Song Byung-Hak , Frank Jordan C. , Julander Justin G. , Polejaeva Irina A. , Davies Christopher J. , White Kenneth L. , Lee Young-Min
Published: August 2016

Here, we report the 10,807-nucleotide-long consensus RNA genome sequences of three spatiotemporally distinct and genetically divergent Zika virus strains, with the functionality of their genomic sequences substantiated by reverse genetics: MR-766 (African lineage, Uganda, 1947), P6-740 (Asian lineage, Malaysia, 1966), and PRVABC-59 (Asian lineage-derived American strain, Puerto Rico, 2015).
Genome Sequence of a Multidrug-Resistant Strain of
Bacillus pumilus
, CB01, Isolated from the Feces of an American Crow,
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Authors: Nelson R. Lee , Castro Michael A. , Katti Madhusudan , Eisen Jonathan A. , Van Laar Tricia A.
Published: August 2016

Avian species have the potential to serve as important reservoirs for the spread of pathogenic microorganisms. Here, we report the genome sequence of a drug-resistant strain of
Bacillus pumilus
, CB01, isolated from the feces of an American crow,
Corvus brachyrhynchos
.
Genome Sequence and Annotation of
Colletotrichum higginsianum
, a Causal Agent of Crucifer Anthracnose Disease
Authors: Zampounis Antonios , Pigné Sandrine , Dallery Jean-Félix , Wittenberg Alexander H. J. , Zhou Shiguo , Schwartz David C. , Thon Michael R. , O'Connell Richard J.
Published: August 2016

Colletotrichum higginsianum
is an ascomycete fungus causing anthracnose disease on numerous cultivated plants in the family
Brassicaceae
, as well as the model plant
Arabidopsis thaliana
. We report an assembly of the nuclear genome and gene annotation of this pathogen, which was obtained using a combination of PacBio long-read sequencing and optical mapping.
Draft Genome Sequence of Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacterium
Paraburkholderia tropica
Strain P-31 Isolated from Pomegranate (
Punica granatum
) Rhizosphere
Authors: Kaur Chandandeep , Selvakumar Govindan , Ganeshamurthy Arakalgud Nanjundiah
Published: August 2016

We report the 8.9 Mb draft genome sequence of phosphate-solubilizing bacterium
Paraburkholderia tropica
strain P-31, isolated from pomegranate (
Punica granatum
) rhizosphere. The draft genome sequence of
Paraburkholderia tropica
strain P-31 consists of 8,881,246 bp with a G+C content of 64.7%, 8,039 protein-coding genes, and 49 RNAs.
Genome Sequences of
Ralstonia insidiosa
Type Strain ATCC 49129 and Strain FC1138, a Strong Biofilm Producer Isolated from a Fresh-Cut Produce-Processing Plant
Authors: Xu Yunfeng , Nagy Attila , Yan Xianghe , Haley Bradd J. , Kim Seon Woo , Liu Nancy T. , Nou Xiangwu
Published: August 2016

Ralstonia insidiosa
is an opportunistic pathogen and a strong biofilm producer. Here, we present the complete genome sequences of
R. insidiosa
FC1138 and ATCC 49129. Both strains have two circular chromosomes of approximately 3.9 and 1.9 Mb and a 50-kb plasmid. ATCC 49129 also possesses a megaplasmid of approximately 318 kb.
Draft Genome Sequence of Endophytic Bacterium
Enterobacter asburiae
PDA134, Isolated from Date Palm (
Phoenix dactylifera
L.) Roots
Authors: Yaish Mahmoud W.
Published: August 2016

In this report, a draft of the
Enterobacter asburiae
strain PDA134 genome was sequenced. This bacterial strain was isolated from the root tissue of a date palm, where it has the ability to produce 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) under salinity stress.
Draft Genome Sequence of an Industrially Important
Bacillus
sp. from Mandarmani Coastal Waters in Midnapur District, West Bengal, India
Authors: Ray Chaudhuri Shaon
Published: August 2016

Reported here is the draft genome sequence of an amylase-, protease-, DNase-, oxidase-, gelatinase-, and catalase-producing, Gram-positive diplobacillus (
Bacillus
sp. SM1 strain MCC2138), which was isolated from marine coastal waters and has the ability to degum raw silk fabric as well as Ramie fiber. The genome comprises 1.76 Mb with a GC content of 34.5%.
Vitamin D deficiency in Malaysian adolescents aged 13 years: findings from the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team study (MyHeARTs)
Authors: Al-Sadat Nabilla , Majid Hazreen Abdul , Sim Pei Ying , Su Tin Tin , Dahlui Maznah , Abu Bakar Mohd Fadzrel , Dzaki Najat , Norbaya Saidatul , Murray Liam , Cantwell Marie M , Jalaludin Muhammad Yazid ,   MyHeART study group
Published: August 2016

Objective

To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<37.5 nmol/L) among young adolescents in Malaysia and its association with demographic characteristics, anthropometric measures and physical activity.

Design

This is a cross-sectional study among Form 1 (year 7) students from 15 schools selected using a stratified random sampling design. Information regarding sociodemographic characteristics, clinical data and environmental factors was collected and blood samples were taken for total vitamin D. Descriptive and multivariable logistic regression was performed on the data.

Setting

National secondary schools in Peninsular Malaysia.

Participants

1361 students (mean age 12.9±0.3 years) (61.4% girls) completed the consent forms and participated in this study. Students with a chronic health condition and/or who could not understand the questionnaires due to lack of literacy were excluded.

Main outcome measures

Vitamin D status was determined through measurement of sera 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). Body mass index (BMI) was classified according to International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria. Self-reported physical activity levels were assessed using the validated Malay version of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C).

Results

Deficiency in vitamin D was seen in 78.9% of the participants. The deficiency was significantly higher in girls (92.6%, p<0.001), Indian adolescents (88.6%, p<0.001) and urban-living adolescents (88.8%, p<0.001). Females (OR=8.98; 95% CI 6.48 to 12.45), adolescents with wider waist circumference (OR=2.64; 95% CI 1.65 to 4.25) and in urban areas had higher risks (OR=3.57; 95% CI 2.54 to 5.02) of being vitamin D deficient.

Conclusions

The study shows a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among young adolescents. Main risk factors are gender, ethnicity, place of residence and obesity.
THE EFFECTS OF REPLACING CHINA’S TWO-EXAM COLLEGE ENTRANCE SYSTEM WITH A ONE-EXAM SYSTEM
Authors: LI FENG , GAN LI
Published: August 2016

Since its inception in 1978, the China National College Entrance Exam has consisted of two different exams: the humanities exam and the science exam. In September 2014, the State Council decided to abolish the two-exam system in 2017 to adopt a single-exam system. This paper studies if and how abolishing the two-exam system would affect both humanities and science students in terms of their probabilities of being qualified for the first-tier university pool and ultimately being admitted to their respective first choice, first-tier universities. Based on micro-level student data from an anonymous province from 2004 to 2007, we find that adopting a one-exam system is likely to significantly help the humanities students in their probability of being admitted to their first choice institutions.
Electrocaloric effect and freezing temperature in (Pb0.8Ba0.2)[(Zn1∕3Nb2∕3)0.7Ti0.3]O3 relaxor ferroelectric ceramic
Authors: Peláiz-Barranco A. , Calderón-Piñar F. , Mendez-González Y.
Published: August 2016

The electrocaloric effect (ECE) is studied in (Pb[Formula: see text]Ba[Formula: see text][(Zn[Formula: see text]Nb[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]]O3 relaxor ferroelectric ceramic by using an “indirect method”. The electric dependence for the polarization (hysteresis loops) has been obtained for several temperatures showing typical relaxor characteristics. The temperature change [Formula: see text], which is associated with the ECE, is calculated by using the temperature dependence for the polarization. A maximum value for [Formula: see text] is observed for temperatures close above the freezing temperature, showing an indirect evidence of that critical temperature. The results are discussed considering the contribution of the polar nanoregions to the polarization.
Epidemiology and Management of the 2013–16 West African Ebola Outbreak
Authors: Boisen M.L. , Hartnett J.N. , Goba A. , Vandi M.A. , Grant D.S. , Schieffelin J.S. , Garry R.F. , Branco L.M.
Published: August 2016

The 2013–16 West African Ebola outbreak is the largest, most geographically dispersed, and deadliest on record, with 28,616 suspected cases and 11,310 deaths recorded to date in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. We provide a review of the epidemiology and management of the 2013–16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa aimed at stimulating reflection on lessons learned that may improve the response to the next international health crisis caused by a pathogen that emerges in a region of the world with a severely limited health care infrastructure. Surveillance efforts employing rapid and effective point-of-care diagnostics designed for environments that lack advanced laboratory infrastructure will greatly aid in early detection and containment efforts during future outbreaks. Introduction of effective therapeutics and vaccines against Ebola into the public health system and the biodefense armamentarium is of the highest priority if future outbreaks are to be adequately managed and contained in a timely manner.
Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 −1562C/T Gene Polymorphism Is Associated with Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Feng Shufen , Ye Gang , Bai Shi , Wei Hongcheng , Liao Xueling , Li Lu
Published: August 2016

To investigate the association between the metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) −1562C/T polymorphism and diabetic nephropathy (DN) in Han Chinese, the patients with type 2 diabetes were collected and divided into the non-DN (NDN) and DN groups; controls were recruited. Genotype and allele frequencies were assessed using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results showed that SBP, DBP, HbA1c, UAER, Cr, BUN, TG, and TC were higher in the DN group compared with the control and NDN groups. SBP, HbA1c, and TC in DN patients with the TT and CT genotypes were lower than in those with CC. Compared with controls, the frequency of the T allele in the DN group was significantly lower. The MMP9 −1562C allele, SBP, Cr, BUN, TG, and TC were independent risk factors for DN. All of the above suggested that the MMP9 −1562C/T polymorphism was associated with DN in Han Chinese.
Thermodynamic Feasibility of Hydrogen-Rich Gas Production Supported by Iron Based Chemical Looping Process
Authors: Słowiński Grzegorz , Smoliński Adam
Published: August 2016

The continuously increasing oil prices as well as stronger environmental regulations regarding greenhouse emissions made the greatest economic powers search a new, price competitive, and environment friendly energy carrier, such as hydrogen. The world research activities in these terms focus on the development of integrated hydrogen and power generating technologies, particularly technologies of hydrogen production from various carbonaceous resources, like methane, coal, biomass, or waste, often combined with carbon dioxide capture. In the paper the thermodynamic analysis of the enhancement of hydrogen production in iron based chemical looping process is presented. In this method, iron oxide is first reduced to iron with a reducing agent, such as carbon oxide, hydrogen, or mixture of both gases (synthesis gas), and then, in the inverse reaction with steam, it is regenerated to iron oxide, and pure stream of hydrogen is produced.
Uncatalysed Production of Coumarin-3-carboxylic Acids: A Green Approach
Authors: Martínez Joel , Sánchez Lilibeth , Pérez F. Javier , Carranza Vladimir , Delgado Francisco , Reyes Leonor , Miranda René
Published: August 2016

A green contribution in short reaction times with moderate yields to produce coumarin-3-carboxylic acids is offered. Five different modes to activate the reactions (microwave, near-infrared, mechanical milling, and ultrasound) were compared with mantle heating in the presence or absence of ethanol, a green solvent. Near-infrared and microwave irradiations deliver the best yields in contrast to ultrasound and mechanical milling; moreover, these four processes offered shorter reaction times in comparison with the conventional mantle heating method. It is also important to highlight that the obtained molecules were produced without the requirement of a catalyst and two nonconventional energies forms are presented as new processes.
Multiobjective Optimal Algorithm for Automatic Calibration of Daily Streamflow Forecasting Model
Authors: Liu Yi , Guo Jun , Sun Huaiwei , Zhang Wei , Wang Yueran , Zhou Jianzhong
Published: August 2016

Single-objection function cannot describe the characteristics of the complicated hydrologic system. Consequently, it stands to reason that multiobjective functions are needed for calibration of hydrologic model. The multiobjective algorithms based on the theory of nondominate are employed to solve this multiobjective optimal problem. In this paper, a novel multiobjective optimization method based on differential evolution with adaptive Cauchy mutation and Chaos searching (MODE-CMCS) is proposed to optimize the daily streamflow forecasting model. Besides, to enhance the diversity performance of Pareto solutions, a more precise crowd distance assigner is presented in this paper. Furthermore, the traditional generalized spread metric (SP) is sensitive with the size of Pareto set. A novel diversity performance metric, which is independent of Pareto set size, is put forward in this research. The efficacy of the new algorithm MODE-CMCS is compared with the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) on a daily streamflow forecasting model based on support vector machine (SVM). The results verify that the performance of MODE-CMCS is superior to the NSGA-II for automatic calibration of hydrologic model.
Optimizing Safety Stock Levels in Modular Production Systems Using Component Commonality and Group Technology Philosophy: A Study Based on Simulation
Authors: Hernandez-Ruiz Kenneth Edgar , Olivares-Benitez Elias , Martinez-Flores Jose Luis , Caballero-Morales Santiago Omar
Published: August 2016

Modular production and component commonality are two widely used strategies in the manufacturing industry to meet customers growing needs for customized products. Using these strategies, companies can enhance their performance to achieve optimal safety stock levels. Despite the importance of safety stocks in business competition, little attention has been paid to the way to reduce them without affecting the customer service levels. This paper develops a mathematical model to reduce safety stock levels in organizations that employ modular production. To construct the model, we take advantage of the benefits of aggregate inventories, standardization of components, component commonality, and Group Technology philosophy in regard to stock levels. The model is tested through the simulation of three years of operation of two modular product systems. For each system, we calculated and compared the safety stock levels for two cases: (1) under the only presence of component commonality and (2) under the presence of both component commonality and Group Technology philosophy. The results show a reduction in safety stock levels when we linked the component commonality with the Group Technology philosophy. The paper presents a discussion of the implications of each case, features of the model, and suggestions for future research.
Plasticity and Awareness of Bodily Distortion
Authors: Pazzaglia Mariella , Zantedeschi Marta
Published: August 2016

Knowledge of the body is filtered by perceptual information, recalibrated through predominantly innate stored information, and neurally mediated by direct sensory motor information. Despite multiple sources, the immediate prediction, construction, and evaluation of one’s body are distorted. The origins of such distortions are unclear. In this review, we consider three possible sources of awareness that inform body distortion. First, the precision in the body metric may be based on the sight and positioning sense of a particular body segment. This view provides information on the dual nature of body representation, the reliability of a conscious body image, and implicit alterations in the metrics and positional correspondence of body parts. Second, body awareness may reflect an innate organizational experience of unity and continuity in the brain, with no strong isomorphism to body morphology. Third, body awareness may be based on efferent/afferent neural signals, suggesting that major body distortions may result from changes in neural sensorimotor experiences. All these views can be supported empirically, suggesting that body awareness is synthesized from multimodal integration and the temporal constancy of multiple body representations. For each of these views, we briefly discuss abnormalities and therapeutic strategies for correcting the bodily distortions in various clinical disorders.
Filarial Infection or Antigen Administration Improves Glucose Tolerance in Diet-Induced Obese Mice
Authors: Berbudi Afiat , Surendar Jayagopi , Ajendra Jesuthas , Gondorf Fabian , Schmidt David , Neumann Anna-Lena , Wardani Ajeng P.F. , Layland Laura E. , Hoffmann Linda S. , Pfeifer Alexander , Hoerauf Achim , Hübner Marc P.
Published: August 2016

Helminths induce type 2 immune responses and establish an anti-inflammatory milieu in their hosts. This immunomodulation was previously shown to improve diet-induced insulin resistance which is linked to chronic inflammation. In the current study, we demonstrate that infection with the filarial nematode Litomosoides sigmodontis increased the eosinophil number and alternatively activated macrophage abundance within epididymal adipose tissue (EAT) and improved glucose tolerance in diet-induced obese mice in an eosinophil-dependent manner. L. sigmodontis antigen (LsAg) administration neither altered the body weight of animals nor adipose tissue mass or adipocyte size, but it triggered type 2 immune responses, eosinophils, alternatively activated macrophages, and type 2 innate lymphoid cells in EAT. Improvement in glucose tolerance by LsAg treatment remained even in the absence of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. Furthermore, PCR array results revealed that LsAg treatment reduced inflammatory immune responses and increased the expression of genes related to insulin signaling (Glut4, Pde3b, Pik3r1, and Hk2) and fatty acid uptake (Fabp4 and Lpl). Our investigation demonstrates that L. sigmodontis infection and LsAg administration reduce diet-induced EAT inflammation and improve glucose tolerance. Helminth-derived products may, therefore, offer new options to improve insulin sensitivity, while loss of helminth infections in developing and developed countries may contribute to the recent increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes.
Surgical Treatment of Early-Stage Cervical Cancer
Authors: Brucker Sara Y. , Ulrich Uwe A.
Published: August 2016

Surgical treatment of cervical cancer has been a cornerstone in the management of this malignancy for more than 100 years. Today, for early-stage and low-risk cervical cancer, surgery is still considered the gold standard. If the preoperative assessment of the tumor reveals a situation prompting postoperative adjuvant radiochemotherapy, the latter should be planned as the primary treatment option, being preceded by staging laparoscopy including pelvic and paraaortic lymph node dissection. As an alternative to the open approach, the definitive surgical treatment should be either performed laparoscopically, or be laparoscopic-assisted, or laparoscopically robotic-assisted.
Da atuação da Defensoria Pública para Promoção e Defesa dos Direitos da Mulher
Authors: Lewin Ana Paula De Oliveira Castro Meirelles , Prata Ana Rita Souza
Published: August 2016

O presente artigo pretende tratar da atuação da Defensoria Pública Estadual, sobretudo a Defensoria Pública paulista, em favor das mulheres, especialmente aquelas vítimas de violência doméstica e familiar, considerando as vulnerabilidades que permeiam as relações de gênero.
Risk Factors and Cognitive Relevance of Cortical Cerebral Microinfarcts in Patients With Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack
Authors: Wang Zhaolu , van Veluw Susanne J. , Wong Adrian , Liu Wenyan , Shi Lin , Yang Jie , Xiong Yunyun , Lau Alexander , Biessels Geert Jan , Mok Vincent C.T.
Published: August 2016

Background and Purpose—

It was recently demonstrated that cerebral microinfarcts (CMIs) can be detected in vivo using 3.0 tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging. We investigated the prevalence, risk factors, and the longitudinal cognitive consequence of cortical CMIs on 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging, in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Methods—

A total of 231 patients undergoing 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging were included. Montreal Cognitive Assessment was used to evaluate global cognitive functions and cognitive domains (memory, language, and attention visuospatial and executive functions). Cognitive changes were represented by the difference in Montreal Cognitive Assessment score between baseline and 28-month after stroke/transient ischemic attack. The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between cortical CMIs and cognitive functions were explored using ANCOVA and regression models.

Results—

Cortical CMIs were observed in 34 patients (14.7%), including 13 patients with acute (hyperintense on diffusion-weighted imaging) and 21 with chronic CMIs (isointense on diffusion-weighted imaging). Atrial fibrillation was a risk factor for all cortical CMIs (odds ratio, 4.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.5–14.9;
P
=0.007). Confluent white matter hyperintensities was associated with chronic CMIs (odds ratio, 2.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–7.8;
P
=0.047). The presence of cortical CMIs at baseline was associated with worse visuospatial functions at baseline and decline over 28-month follow-up (β=0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.1–1.0;
P
=0.008, adjusting for brain atrophy, white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, and microbleeds).

Conclusions—

Cortical CMIs are a common finding in patients with stroke/transient ischemic attack. Associations between CMI with atrial fibrillation and white matter hyperintensities suggest that these lesions have a heterogeneous cause, involving microembolism and cerebral small vessel disease. CMI seemed to preferentially impact visuospatial functions as assessed by a cognitive screening test.
After the Ayatollah: Institutionalisation and Succession in the marjaʿiyya of Sayyid Muḥammad Ḥusayn Faḍl Allāh
Authors: Clarke Morgan
Published: August 2016

This paper deals with the death of a high religious authority, the Twelver Shiʿi marjaʿ al-taqlīd, or “Grand Ayatollah”, Sayyid Muḥammad Ḥusayn Faḍl Allāh. The emphasis given to following a living authority within the Twelver Shiʿi tradition makes their passing a moment of crisis, all the more so in the case of a figure who made “contemporaneity” a cornerstone of his distinctive appeal. I examine not only the events surrounding Faḍl Allāh’s death but also its aftermath, in particular the question of the “succession” to his legacy. In an unorthodox move that maintains his reputation for controversy, Faḍl Allāh’s organisation has continued to operate as an independent foundation in his name without falling under the aegis of a living authority. This serves as an illuminating case study of issues of succession and institutionalisation within the Twelver Shiʿi tradition and beyond.
Two new species of Helicascus (Morosphaeriaceae) from submerged wood in northern Thailand
Authors: LUO ZONG-LONG , YANG JING , LIU JIAN-KUI , SU HONG-YAN , BAHKALI ALI H. , HYDE KEVIN D.
Published: August 2016

Helicascus species from submerged wood in aquatic habitats in northern Thailand were studied based on morphology and analysis of DNA sequence data. Descriptions and illustrations of H. elaterascus and a new species H. chiangraiensis are provided.  H. chiangraiensis is characterized by unilocular ascostromata, fissitunicate asci with a long, narrow and coiled endoascus, ascospores with 2–4 large refractive guttules. The phylogenetic analysis based on combined ITS, LSU and SSU sequence data placed the species in Morosphaeriaceae (Pleosporales).
Two new Chrysosporium (Onygenaceae, Onygenales) from China
Authors: ZHANG YAN-WEI , CHEN WANHAO , ZENG GUIPING , ZOU XIAO , WEN TINGCHI , HAN YANFENG , QIU SHU-YI , LIANG ZONG-QI
Published: August 2016

Fungal isolates GZUIFR-EM14.2002 and GZUIFR-EM66601 were respectively isolated from Chinese soil samples under the snake skin in Guizhou Province and from the soil samples under the feathers in Hubei Province, China. Morphological and molecular evidence support both isolates as new species of Chrysosporium. Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS-5.8S rDNA sequences grouped GZUIFR-EM14.2002 together with C. lucknowense and C. mephiticum. GZUIFR-EM14.2002, which could be distinguished from the latter two species by the presence of abundant intercalary conidia, was named C. guizhouense sp. nov.  In the phylogenetic tree, GZUIFR-EM66601 was most closely related to C. submersum and C. siglerae, GZUIFR-EM66601 differed from the other two species in having small obovate to ellipsoidal conidia and no intercalary conidia; this strain was designated as C. hubeiense sp. nov. Holotypes and their isolates had been deposited in GZAC, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China.
Lavellodrilus notosetosus sp. nov. (Annelida, Crassiclitellata, Acanthodrilidae): a new Mexican earthworm with uncommon characters, revealed by a preliminary revision of subfamily Acanthodrilinae
Authors: FRAGOSO CARLOS , ROJAS PATRICIA
Published: August 2016

A new acanthodriline earthworm species, Lavellodrilus notosetosus sp. nov., is described from tropical rain forests of southern Mexico. The new species is placed within the genus Lavellodrilus by the presence of mesial spermathecal pores. It is separated from other species of the genus by the dorsal location of setae cd in most of the body, last hearts in segment 13, first intestinal segment in 20 and genital setae in segment 12. A preliminary morphological revision of all genera and species of Acanthodrilinae was undertaken in order to: i) evaluate if the mesial spermathecal pores justify the status of Lavellodrilus, ii) determine how common (expressed as percentages of species having the character) the diagnostic characters of the new species are in the subfamily, iii) clarify if these characters exhibit a geographical pattern, and iv) contribute towards a comprehensive analysis of the Acanthodrilinae. In this revision, species were separated in nine geographical regions: USA, northern Mexico, southern Mexico, Caribbean Islands (northern hemisphere), and South America, South Africa, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Antarctic Islands (southern hemisphere). As a result of the revision it was found that among the 511 recognized species of Acanthodrilinae only 11 species have a mesial location of the spermathecal pores, in two cases probably representing monophyletic groups (Lavellodrilus and a group of South African Parachilota species). It was also found that the distinguishing characters in L. notosetosus sp. nov., notably the location of last hearts, genital setae and the first intestinal segment, are uncommon characters in the acanthodriline earthworm fauna of southern Mexico and Central America, but more frequent in North America, the Caribbean, and the southern hemisphere. We conclude that the acanthodrilines from the northern hemisphere are morphologically more similar to those from Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia than to those of South Africa and South America.
Five new species of Geranomyia Haliday, 1833 (Diptera, Limoniidae) from China
Authors: ZHANG XIAO , ZHANG ZEHUA , YANG DING
Published: August 2016

The following five new species of the genus Geranomyia from China are described and illustrated: G. baisensis sp. nov., G. degenerata sp. nov., G. longispina sp. nov., G. maculata sp. nov. and G. nigra sp. nov.. Three known species, G. apicifasciata (Alexander, 1930), G. radialis (Alexander, 1930) and G. sparsiguttata (Alexander, 1937), are listed with new distribution data. A key to the species of the genus Geranomyia from China is presented.
State restructuring and subnational innovation spaces across Chinese prefectures
Authors: Prodi Giorgio , Nicolli Francesco , Frattini Federico
Published: August 2016

This paper maps the emergence of ‘subnational innovation spaces’ in China as they result from the interaction between state restructuring and the diffusion of innovative activities. Several countervailing forces have played a part in outlining a number of supra-urban regions that diverge by their own capability to develop and govern innovation-related socio-economic processes. On the one hand, the downscaling of state power enables the local administrative units to plan place-based strategies to embed technological upgrading, such as driving indigenous innovative activities to cluster around industrial and technological parks. On the other hand, this clustering entails reconfiguring socio-spatial interactions, while experiencing new networked connections to be governed. Thus, technological upgrading and state restructuring are intertwined and mutually reinforcing. Following this perspective, the authors have rearranged various data sets at the prefectural level and processed them to disentangle some of the main underlying processes: first, the distribution of innovation-related ‘infrastructures’ across cities; second, the evolution of innovative activities; third, the transition towards a firm-centred Science and Technology system. These factors have been then combined together with neighbourhood relations to outline different subnational innovation spaces. The result is a country-wide map describing how the geography of innovative activities in China exhibits features that are connected to the long-term processes of transition, industrialisation and state restructuring. This picture suggests that the catching up with ‘upgraded development’ in laggard regions could be further promoted identifying ‘up-scaled’ regional hubs to coordinate the development of wider areas.
Entrepreneurship and self-employment for people with disabilities
Authors: Maritz Alex , Laferriere Richard
Published: August 2016

Disability impacts a large number of people and affects a wide range of socioeconomic outcomes, including labour market participation. Towards supporting the active participation of people with disabilities in society and the economy, this paper aims to explore the role of disability entrepreneurship and self-employment. There is some international evidence that targeted inclusive entrepreneurship initiatives such as training and support programmes can be effective to assist disabled people to participate in self-employment activities. This study is the first to examine this phenomenon in Australia. We explore self-employment activity among disabled people, theoretical underpinnings, provide benefits and challenges of entrepreneurship for people with disabilities, and propose policy recommendations. Overall, this relatively unexplored issue of national priority requires additional empirical research, enabling policy, and decision makers to make informed decisions to enhance labour market participation through entrepreneurship and self-employment.
Comment: Looking Beyond the Ability EI Model Facilitates the Development of New Performance-Based Tests
Authors: Schlegel Katja
Published: August 2016

Despite widespread support for the idea of measuring EI as an ability based on Mayer and Salovey’s model, only a few performance-based EI tests have been developed. I argue that both the original and updated ability EI model provide little guidance for a theory-driven generation of items and their scoring, as the functions and processes associated with high and low EI are not specified in enough detail. One solution is to draw on theories from other fields when creating a measurement rationale for a new EI test. I illustrate this approach by describing two new tests measuring emotional understanding and emotion management.
CloneCNA: detecting subclonal somatic copy number alterations in heterogeneous tumor samples from whole-exome sequencing data
Authors: Yu Zhenhua , Li Ao , Wang Minghui
Published: August 2016

Background

Copy number alteration is a main genetic structural variation that plays an important role in tumor initialization and progression. Accurate detection of copy number alterations is necessary for discovering cancer-causing genes. Whole-exome sequencing has become a widely used technology in the last decade for detecting various types of genomic aberrations in cancer genomes. However, there are several major issues encountered in these detection problems, including normal cell contamination, tumor aneuploidy, and intra-tumor heterogeneity. Especially, deciphering the intra-tumor heterogeneity is imperative for identifying clonal and subclonal copy number alterations.

Results

We introduce CloneCNA, a novel bioinformatics tool for efficiently addressing these issues and automatically detecting clonal and subclonal somatic copy number alterations from heterogeneous tumor samples. CloneCNA fully explores the log ratio of read counts between paired tumor-normal samples and tumor B allele frequency of germline heterozygous SNP positions, further employs efficient statistical models to quantitatively represent copy number status of tumor sample containing multiple clones. We examine CloneCNA on simulated heterogeneous and real tumor samples, and the results demonstrate that CloneCNA has higher power to detect copy number alterations than existing methods.

Conclusions

CloneCNA, a novel algorithm is developed to efficiently and accurately identify somatic copy number alterations from heterogeneous tumor samples. We demonstrate the statistical framework of CloneCNA represents a remarkable advance for tumor whole-exome sequencing data. We expect that CloneCNA will promote cancer-focused studies for investigating the role of clonal evolution and elucidating critical events benefiting tumor tumourigenesis and progression.