bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consistency of females’ stridulatory behaviour during inter‐sexual interactions in spiders
Authors: Calbacho‐Rosa Lucía , Cargnelutti Franco , Córdoba‐Aguilar Alex , Peretti Alfredo V.
Published: May 2019

In a sexual context, it is expected that females base their choice of mate on the behaviours that males perform during courtship, as such behaviours are associated with the male's mate quality. Stridulation is one form of female communication in arthropods, for example, spiders. In spiders, stridulation during sexual interactions is relatively common in some groups but mainly restricted to males. In the pholcid spider Holocnemus pluchei (Pholcidae), both sexes have stridulatory organs. The aims of the present work were to: (a) determine possible differences in the frequency of occurrence of stridulation between females during inter‐sexual interactions, (b) establish female consistency in stridulation along repeated interactions and (c) analyse if female stridulation is associated with certain male behaviours during pre‐copulatory courtship and with male size. Female H. pluchei showed highly repeatable differences in their frequency of stridulation across consecutive encounters with males (ICC = 0.64). However, only a modest level of repeatability was detected in total time females spent stridulating across trials (ICC = 0.19). Females’ mean stridulatory behaviour did not change across ten consecutive trials spread across 20 days, and their behaviour was apparently unaffected by male persistence of copulatory attempted and/or size. These results imply that the frequency of female stridulatory behaviour is a trait that is highly characteristic of each individual. Finally, our work opens the door to determine whether behavioural consistency manifests in other ecological contexts and their functional implications.
Simvastatin enhances chemotherapy in cervical cancer via inhibition of multiple prenylation‐dependentGTPases‐regulated pathways
Authors: Pan Qin , Xu Jiazhen , Ma Liang
Published: May 2019

Aberrant activation ofGTPases is common in cervical cancer, and their proper biological functions largely depend on a post‐translational modification termed prenylation. Simvastatin is a cholesterol‐lowering drug via inhibitingHMG‐CoA reductase, thereby inhibiting protein prenylation. In this study, we show that simvastatin selectively inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in cervical cancer cells while sparing normal cervical epithelial cells. This is achieved by depleting geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, inhibiting prenylation, decreasingGTPases activities and suppressing the activation of downstream Ras and RhoA signaling. The combination of simvastatin and paclitaxel remarkably augments in vitro as well as in vivo efficacy of either drug alone in cellular system and xenograft mouse model. Importantly, we show that cervical cancer cells have higher level ofHMG‐CoA reductase and elevated activities ofGTPases, suggesting that cervical cancer cells may be more dependent on prenylation than normal cervical epithelial cells. This might explain the selective inhibitory effects of simvastatin in cervical cancer. Since simvastatin is already available for clinic use, these results suggest that simvastatin is a promising drug candidate in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of cervical cancer. Our findings also emphasize the therapeutic value of prenylation inhibition and provide preclinical evidence to evaluate prenylation‐targeted drugs in cervical cancer.
Company matters: The presence of other genotypes alters traits and intraspecific selection in an Arctic diatom under climate change
Authors: Wolf Klara K. E. , Romanelli Elisa , Rost Björn , John Uwe , Collins Sinead , Weigand Hannah , Hoppe Clara J. M.
Published: May 2019

Arctic phytoplankton and their response to future conditions shape one of the most rapidly changing ecosystems on the planet. We tested how much the phenotypic responses of strains from the same Arctic diatom population diverge and whether the physiology and intraspecific composition of multistrain populations differs from expectations based on single strain traits. To this end, we conducted incubation experiments with the diatom Thalassiosira hyalina under present‐day and future temperature and pCO2 treatments. Six fresh isolates from the same Svalbard population were incubated as mono‐ and multistrain cultures. For the first time, we were able to closely follow intraspecific selection within an artificial population using microsatellites and allele‐specific quantitative PCR. Our results showed not only that there is substantial variation in how strains of the same species cope with the tested environments but also that changes in genotype composition, production rates, and cellular quotas in the multistrain cultures are not predictable from monoculture performance. Nevertheless, the physiological responses as well as strain composition of the artificial populations were highly reproducible within each environment. Interestingly, we only detected significant strain sorting in those populations exposed to the future treatment. This study illustrates that the genetic composition of populations can change on very short timescales through selection from the intraspecific standing stock, indicating the potential for rapid population level adaptation to climate change. We further show that individuals adjust their phenotype not only in response to their physicochemical but also to their biological surroundings. Such intraspecific interactions need to be understood in order to realistically predict ecosystem responses to global change.
UK vs US physician decision‐making in the treatment of haemophilia
Authors: Lamb Christopher C. , Wolfberg Adrian , Lyytinen Kalle
Published: May 2019

Introduction

Patient–physician shared decision‐making (SDM) has become increasingly seen as having a positive effect on management of chronic diseases. However, little is known of the factors that encourage SDM or how effective it may be at improving health outcomes or how cost‐effective it is.

Aim

To investigate the uses and applications of patient physician–SDM in the management of haemophilia and the influence of healthcare systems in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Methods

This was a qualitative study based on interviews with treatment experts in the United States and United Kingdom. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the data from the transcribed interviews and themes that emerged as related to the decision influencers. Twelve physicians from each country were interviewed by the author.

Results

Treatment guidelines were viewed as having only limited applicability because of the lack of universal best options in haemophilia. The US physicians in the sample appeared to be more influenced by patient preferences than physicians in the UK, who instead tended to follow policies and standards of care more closely. Physicians in both countries commented that many of their patents had become highly knowledgeable of their bleeding disorder. US physicians were sometimes limited by insurance company policies but also reported that they were often successful in appealing insurance decisions.

Conclusion

The research suggests that there are different influences on decision‐making between healthcare systems; patients and overarching healthcare systems play a major role in how physicians treat haemophilia.
Designing a co‐productive study to overcome known methodological challenges in organ donation research with bereaved family members
Authors: Noyes Jane , Mclaughlin Leah , Morgan Karen , Roberts Abigail , Stephens Michael , Bourne Janette , Houlston Michael , Houlston Jessica , Thomas Sarah , Rhys Revd Gethin , Moss Bethan , Duncalf Sue , Lee Dawn , Curtis Rebecca , Madden Susanna , Walton Phillip
Published: May 2019

Background

Co‐production of research into public health services has yet to demonstrate tangible benefits. Few studies have reported the impact of co‐production on research outcomes. The previous studies of organ donation have identified challenges in engaging with public organizations responsible, gaining ethical approval for sensitive studies with the recently bereaved and difficulty in recruiting bereaved family members who were approached about organ donation.

Objective

To address these challenges, we designed the first large co‐productive observational study to evaluate implementation of a new system of organ donation in Wales. This paper outlines the co‐productive strategies that were designed to overcome known methodological challenges and reports what impact they had on resolving these challenges.

Design

Two‐year co‐produced study with multiple stakeholders with the specific intention of maximizing engagement with the National Health Service arm in Wales responsible for organ donation, and recruitment of bereaved family members whose perspectives are essential but commonly absent from studies.

Setting and participants

NHS Blood and Transplant, Welsh Government and multiple patient and public representatives who served as co‐productive partners with the research team.

Results

Co‐productive strategies enabled a smooth passage through four different ethics processes within the 10‐week time frame, family member recruitment targets to be surpassed, sharing of routinely collected data on 100% of potential organ donor cases and development of further research capacity and capability in a critically under researched area.

Discussion and conclusion

Although expensive and time consuming, co‐production was effective and added value to research processes and study outcomes.
MT1‐MMP evaluation in neointimal hyperplasia in the late follow‐up after prosthesis implantation
Authors: Bruczko Marta , Gogiel Tomasz , Wolańska Małgorzata , Kowalewski Radosław , Sobolewski Krzysztof , Romanowicz Lech
Published: May 2019

Vascular surgical interventions are often burdened with late complications, including thrombosis or restenosis. The latter is generally caused by neointimal hyperplasia. Although extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling is an important part of neointima formation, this process is not clearly understood. The aim of the study was to assess the content and activity of membrane‐type 1 matrix metalloproteinase in human neointima in the late stages of its development. Matrix metalloproteinase‐2 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase‐2 were also evaluated. The research was performed on neointima samples collected during secondary vascular interventions from patients with chronic limb ischaemia who developed vascular occlusion at 6‐18 months after aorto/ilio‐femoral bypass grafting. The control material consisted of segments of femoral arteries collected from organ donors. Western blot and/or ELISA were used for the determination of MT1‐MMP and TIMP‐2 expression. The activity of MT1‐MMP was measured by fluorometric assay and that of MMP‐2 by zymography. We demonstrated significantly increased MT1‐MMP protein content in neointima when compared to normal arteries. However, the activity of MT1‐MMP was significantly lower in neointima than in control samples. The decreased MT1‐MMP activity was concomitant with reduced activity of MMP‐2. The TIMP‐2 protein levels in neointima and normal arteries were not significantly different. The results of our study suggest that the reduced activity of MT1‐MMP and consequently MMP‐2 in human neointima may play a role in decreased degradation of ECM components and thus promote neointimal overgrowth.
Endovascular clot retrieval for M2 segment middle cerebral artery occlusion: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Findakly Salam , Maingard Julian , Phan Kevin , Barras Christen D. , Jhamb Ashu , Chandra Ronil , Thijs Vincent , Brooks Mark , Asadi Hamed
Published: May 2019

Background

Endovascular clot retrieval (ECR) is the standard of care for acute ischaemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion. However, isolated occlusion of the M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was underrepresented in the landmark trials.

Aims

Given the potential treatment benefit associated with M2 MCA occlusions, we aimed to evaluate the outcome of patients undergoing ECR for M2 occlusion.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the available literature that included patients with M2 MCA occlusions who underwent ECR. Successful reperfusion was defined as a treatment in cerebral ischaemia score of 2b‐3. Good outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score ≤ 2. We also analysed complications such as post‐procedure symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage and mortality at 3 months.

Results

Fifteen studies including 1105 patients with isolated M2 occlusions were analysed. Successful reperfusion occurred in 75.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 67.7–84.1%) of patients; good outcome was observed in 58.3% (95% CI 51.7–63.8% of patients. The rate of symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage was 5.1% (95% CI 4.2–8.3%), and 3‐month mortality rate was 12.2% (95% CI 10.4–16.3%).

Conclusion

The outcomes of ECR treatment of M2 occlusions are favourable, with good safety profile. Comparison to medical management from large registries or randomised controlled trials is warranted.
Regional Intergovernmental Organizations as Catalysts for Transnational Policy Diffusion: The Case of UNASUR Health
Authors: Agostinis Giovanni
Published: May 2019

Why do member states of regional intergovernmental organizations (RIOs) voluntarily adapt their policies and institutions to the norms and procedures implemented in other member states? I tackle this puzzle by investigating the domestic effects of health cooperation among South American states within the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). The article shows how the establishment of a regional sector‐based institution like the Health Council of UNASUR triggered the diffusion of similar policies by reducing transaction costs and increasing information exchanges among member states’ health bureaucracies. I argue that RIOs such as UNASUR catalyse transnational diffusion not by enforcing binding regional norms (as in the case of the EU), but by bridging member states’ shared functional needs and asymmetric capacities in specific policy areas. Using the case of UNASUR Health, the article contributes to the study of the logics of transnational diffusion within RIOs in the absence of authority delegated to supranational institutions.
Ethical Challenges in Caring for Unrepresented Adults: A Qualitative Study of Key Stakeholders
Authors: Verma Aradhana , Smith Alexander K. , Harrison Krista L. , Chodos Anna H.
Published: May 2019

The decision‐making process on behalf of unrepresented adults (ie, those who lack capacity to make medical decisions and have no identifiable surrogate) is at risk for not incorporating their interests, raising ethical concerns. We performed semistructured interviews with key stakeholders across multiple sectors in an urban county who participate in the care of or decision‐making process for unrepresented adults. This included a safety net healthcare system, social services, and legal services. Participants were healthcare, social service, and legal professionals who worked with unrepresented adults (n = 25). Our interview questions explored the current process for proxy decision making in cases of unrepresented adults and potential alternatives. We recorded, transcribed, and analyzed interviews using the constant comparative method to identify major themes related to ethical challenges if they were raised. Participants grappled with multiple ethical challenges around the care of unrepresented adults. Themes described by participants were: (1) prioritizing autonomy; (2) varying safety thresholds; (3) distributing resources fairly; and (4) taking a moral toll on stakeholders. In conclusion, all stakeholders identified ethical challenges in caring for unrepresented adults. An applied ethical framework that takes these dilemmas into account could improve ethical practice for unrepresented adults and lessen the emotional toll on stakeholders. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1724–1729, 2019
Antibodies against alpha‐synuclein: tools and therapies
Authors: Vaikath Nishant N. , Hmila Issam , Gupta Vijay , Erskine Daniel , Ingelsson Martin , El‐Agnaf Omar M. A.
Published: May 2019

Synucleinopathies including Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and multiple system atrophy are characterized by the abnormal accumulation and propagation of α‐synuclein (α‐syn) pathology in the central and peripheral nervous system as Lewy bodies or glial cytoplasmic inclusions. Several antibodies against α‐syn have been developed since it was first detected as the major component of Lewy bodies and glial cytoplasmic inclusions. Over the years, researchers have generated specific antibodies that alleviate the accumulation of intracellular aggregated α‐syn and associated pathology in cellular and preclinical models of synucleinopathies. So far, antibodies have been the first choice as tools for research and diagnosis and currently, a wide variety of antibody fragments have been developed as an alternative to full‐length antibodies for increasing its therapeutic usefulness. Recently, conformation specific antibody‐based approaches have been found to be promising as therapeutic strategies, both to block α‐syn aggregation and ameliorate the resultant cytotoxicity, and as diagnostic tools. In this review, we summarize different α‐syn specific antibodies and provide their usefulness in tackling synucleinopathies.

image

This article is part of the Special Issue “Synuclein”.
Satisfaction of a new telephone consultation service for prenatal and postnatal health care
Authors: Kobayashi Hiroshi , Sado Toshiyuki
Published: May 2019

Aims

In October 2017, the ‘Prenatal and Postnatal Health Care Service in Nara (PPHSN)’ has piloted the introduction of a new telephone consultation service to support prenatal and postnatal health care and childcare. This study aimed to document the feasibility, acceptability and satisfaction with the service provided by a trained nurse specialist who can access to clinician support when necessary.

Methods

The pilot study was conducted between November 2017 and February 2018. Japanese women who are undergoing a health checkup at the Nara Medical University hospital for delivery and post‐partum women who had recently (<1 year) given birth at this hospital (they are raising a child) were invited to participate in the study. They called a free mobile phone number, and spoke to a trained nurse to consult maternal and newborn care practices. The PPHSN project also provided information for supporting raising a child. The postal survey of the PPHSN service was conducted in March 2018.

Results

A total of 26 participants were enrolled. The questionnaire was answered by 23 (88.5%) participants, of which over half (52.2–95.7%) of participants declared they were ‘strongly agree’ plus ‘agree’ regarding ‘patient‐centered care’, ‘communication and information’, ‘technical quality’, ‘efficiency’, ‘access and convenience (feasibility)’, and ‘willing to use the service again (acceptability)’. The majority (95.7%) of respondents reported being willing to use the service again for a similar health problem.

Conclusion

This study provided the first evidence of satisfaction with telephone or social networking consultation service by nurse specialists in Japan.
Cultivating Participation and the Varieties of Reflexivity in Stand‐Up Comedy
Authors: Lindfors Antti
Published: May 2019

This article concerns the genre of stand‐up comedy as a staged performance of self‐presentation constrained by a specific participant structure and an interactional setting that foregrounds both subjective (token‐specific) and objective (typifying) presentational orientations. By initially distinguishing between three modes of footing as pragmatically organizing the role configurations of this communicative form, I investigate how this tripartite dynamic is metapragmatically regimented within the genre, and further argue how performing stand‐up necessarily entails the calibration of multiple overlapping footings at once. Adopting the nascent yet thriving Finnish stand‐up scene as a point of entry to the international expansion and newfound popularity of stand‐up in the ongoing century, the analysis sheds light on novel intersections of publics and selves in increasingly mediated contexts of contemporary culture.
The dispersal of Austronesian languages in Island South East Asia: Current findings and debates
Authors: Klamer Marian
Published: May 2019

This paper reviews the “standard” view of the Austronesian language family tree in connection with the archeological “farming/language dispersal” hypothesis of Neolithic populations moving into Island South East Asia (ISEA) and beyond. It focuses on what is currently known about the dispersal history of the ~650 languages spoken in ISEA (Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Timor‐Leste) that belong to the Malayo‐Polynesian branch of Austronesian and points out where the topology of the MP branch is agreed upon and where it is contested. The conclusion is that historical linguistics is currently not in the position to provide information about higher order temporal and spatial relations between speaker groups within ISEA, unlike that which the language/farming dispersal hypothesis suggests. It also reviews some claims that can be heard in support of this hypothesis and concludes (i) that the expansion of MP languages into ISEA was less monolithic than often suggested, but rather that their lexical and structural diversity suggests multiple migrations of different groups, in many different directions, at different points in time; (ii) that the history of MP languages very likely involved long‐term, intense contact in multilingual communities where newcomers and autochthonous people lived together for centuries if not millennia; (iii) that the original populations of Island SE Asia were not (only) hunter–gatherers but had sea‐faring groups and agriculturalists among them; and (iv) that the histories reflected in languages, archeological findings and human genetics do not always converge. Simple macro‐level models like the standard Austronesian tree and the farming/language dispersal hypotheses are unable to catch the linguistic history of ISEA, with its complex geography, human networks, and migrations. To deepen our understanding of this history, the focus is currently shifting from macro‐level hypotheses to more detailed bottom‐up investigations of regional MP language groups and their speakers.
Does seed ingestion by bats enhance germination? A new meta‐analysis 15 years later
Authors: Saldaña‐Vázquez Romeo A. , Castaño John Harold , Baldwin Justin , Pérez‐Torres Jairo
Published: May 2019

The seed dispersal cycle forms the basis of vegetation establishment and population dynamics. Evidence shows varied results for the role of frugivorous bats, where ingestion and gut passage enhance seed germination for some plant species, but not for others.

Using meta‐analysis techniques with a novel data base spanning 31 years of study, we answered the following questions: (1) does seed passage through bat digestive tracts result in higher probability of seed germination than seed pulp removal by humans? (2) Are there effects of seed origin, germination conditions, bat species, and plant species on the probability of seed germination? (3) Is there an effect of fruit bat dietary preferences on the probability of ingested seed germination? And (4) does seed ingestion by bats result in shorter germination time than seed pulp removal by humans?

In general, seed passage through bat digestive tracts neither significantly increased the probability of germination nor reduced seed germination time. However, seed germination varied mainly with plant species and bat species, and fewer than 25% of plant species responded to bat gut passage in a positive or negative way. Plant species that were preferred by a species of bat were more likely to germinate after ingestion than non‐preferred plant species, in line with the core plant taxa hypothesis.

These results suggest that: (1) the principal role of frugivorous bats in seed dispersal is to transport seeds away from parent plants, (2) handling of fruit by bats does not enhance or hinder seed germination, and (3) germination of the seeds of fruits consumed by bats is idiosyncratic to the bat and plant species in question.
Parallel evolution of an alpine type ecomorph in a scorpionfly: Independent adaptation to high‐altitude environments in multiple mountain locations
Authors: Suzuki Tomoya , Suzuki Nobuo , Tojo Koji
Published: May 2019

Elucidation of the diversification process of organisms is one of the important tasks of biology. From the viewpoint of species diversity, insects are the most successful group among the diverse organisms on earth and evolutionary adaptation is one of the important factors driving this pattern. Evolutionary adaptation is one of the important factors in the diversification of insects. One of the representative examples of environmental adaptation in insects is the shortening and loss of wings in subalpine and alpine zones. In this study, we focused on the Japanese scorpionfly, Panorpodes paradoxus. In this species, individuals that inhabit mountainous regions and subalpine zones have long wings (the “general type”), and individuals that inhabit higher altitudinal ranges have short wings (the “alpine type”). We collected samples of all Japanese Panorpodes species and one Korean Panorpodes species, and conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses of the mtDNA COI (610 bp), COII (688 bp), and 16S rRNA (888 bp) and nuDNA EF1‐α (658 bp) and 28S rRNA (524 bp) regions in order to reveal the evolutionary history of the alpine type of P. paradoxus. As a result of molecular phylogenetic analyses, it was revealed that the alpine type of P. paradoxus was polyphyletic, and had evolved to become the alpine type at least twice independently at separate mountain locations. In addition, the result of divergence time estimation suggested that the alpine type is an “ecomorph”, having recently adapted to low temperature habitats following mountain uplift within the Japanese Archipelago and subsequent glacial‐interglacial cycles.
HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) and acute kidney injury: A secondary analysis of renal study outcomes
Authors: Wang Amanda Y , Trongtrakul Konlawij , Bellomo Rinaldo , Li Qiang , Cass Alan , Gallagher Martin ,   for the RENAL Study Investigators and the ANZICS Clinical Trials Group
Published: May 2019

Background

Mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) remains high. Previous studies have explored the role of HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) with variable findings.

Methods

The Randomized Evaluation of Normal versus Augmented Level Replacement Therapy (RENAL) Study recruited 1508 participants requiring dialysis in ICU between 2006 and 2009. Statin use was recorded at study baseline. Multivariate Cox modelling was used to assess associations of such statin use and all‐cause mortality. Propensity score analysis was performed for sensitivity analysis. The primary outcome was all‐cause mortality at 90 days.

Results

Of the 1462 participants with the available data on statin usage, 187 (12.8%) received statin therapy at baseline. Participants who receiving statins were older (P < 0.001), less likely to have sepsis or require mechanical ventilation (P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed statin use did not have significant associations with mortality at both day 28 (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.053, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.784–1.415, P = 0.730) and day 90 (HR = 1.091, 95% CI = 0.836–1.424, P = 0.520). Propensity score analysis confirmed the lack of association between statin use and mortality at day 90 (HR = 1.042, 95% CI = 0.734–1.479, P = 0.819). However, in septic patients, multivariable analysis suggested statin therapy was associated with a trend to higher mortality at day 90 (HR = 1.688, 95% CI = 1.132–2.519, P = 0.010) and continuation of statins was associated with higher mortality (HR = 2.160, 95% CI = 1.296–3.599, P = 0.003), compared with statin withdrawal.

Conclusion

In the RENAL study cohort, baseline statin use was not associated with mortality. Our findings do not support a protective role of statins in ICU patients with severe AKI.

Clinical Trials registration number for the RENAL study: NCT00221013, the date of registration: September 14, 2005.
Endosymbiotic Sinorhizobium meliloti modulate Medicago root susceptibility to secondary infection via ethylene
Authors: Sorroche Fernando , Walch Mathilda , Zou Lan , Rengel David , Maillet Fabienne , Gibelin‐Viala Chrystel , Poinsot Véréna , Chervin Christian , Masson‐Boivin Catherine , Gough Clare , Batut Jacques , Garnerone Anne‐Marie
Published: May 2019

A complex network of pathways coordinates nodulation and epidermal root hair infection in the symbiotic interaction between rhizobia and legume plants. Whereas nodule formation was known to be autoregulated, it was so far unclear whether a similar control is exerted on the infection process.

We assessed the capacity of Medicago plants nodulated by Sinorhizobium meliloti to modulate root susceptibility to secondary bacterial infection or to purified Nod factors in split‐root and volatile assays using bacterial and plant mutant combinations. Ethylene implication in this process emerged from gas production measurements, use of a chemical inhibitor of ethylene biosynthesis and of a Medicago mutant affected in ethylene signal transduction.

We identified a feedback mechanism that we named AOI (for Autoregulation Of Infection) by which endosymbiotic bacteria control secondary infection thread formation by their rhizospheric peers. AOI involves activation of a cyclic adenosine 3′,5′‐monophosphate (cAMP) cascade in endosymbiotic bacteria, which decreases both root infectiveness and root susceptibility to bacterial Nod factors. These latter two effects are mediated by ethylene.

AOI is a novel component of the complex regulatory network controlling the interaction between Sinorhizobium meliloti and its host plants that emphasizes the implication of endosymbiotic bacteria in fine‐tuning the interaction.
Genetic and phenotypic analyses indicate that resistance to flooding stress is uncoupled from performance in cultivated sunflower
Authors: Gao Lexuan , Lee Joon Seon , Hübner Sariel , Hulke Brent S. , Qu Yan , Rieseberg Loren H.
Published: May 2019

Given the rising risk of extreme weather caused by climate change, enhancement of abiotic stress resistance in crops is increasingly urgent. But will the development of stress‐resistant cultivars come at the cost of yield under ideal conditions? We hypothesize that this need not be inevitable, because resistance alleles with minimal pleiotropic costs may evade artificial selection and be retained in crop germplasm.

Genome‐wide association (GWA) analyses for variation in plant performance and flooding response were conducted in cultivated sunflower, a globally important oilseed.

We observed broad variation in flooding responses among genotypes. Flooding resistance was not strongly correlated with performance in control conditions, suggesting no inherent trade‐offs. Consistent with this finding, we identified a subset of loci conferring flooding resistance, but lacking antagonistic effects on growth. Genetic diversity loss at candidate genes underlying these loci was significantly less than for other resistance genes during cultivated sunflower evolution.

Despite bottlenecks associated with domestication and improvement, low‐cost resistance alleles remain within the cultivated sunflower gene pool. Thus, development of cultivars that are both flooding‐tolerant and highly productive should be straightforward. Results further indicate that estimates of pleiotropic costs from GWA analyses explain, in part, patterns of diversity loss in crop genomes.
Close relationship with the supervisor may impede employee creativity by suppressing vertical task conflict
Authors: Zhang Xin‐an , Zhou Ke
Published: May 2019

Leader‐member exchange as a form of supportive leadership is expected to foster employee creativity. However, empirical evidence suggested this relationship is complex. This study attempts to address this complexity by proposing and testing a curvilinear mechanism, which attenuates the overall positive effect of LMX on creativity by transmitting a curvilinear indirect effect via vertical task conflict. Results drawn from a sample of 276 supervisor–subordinate dyads provided support for the hypothesized curvilinear indirect effect. Specifically, LMX was found to negatively influence employee creativity by suppressing vertical task conflict for subordinates in high‐quality LMX relationships, while the indirect effect was not significant for subordinates in low‐quality LMX relationships.
Predictors of quality of life for families of children and adolescents with severe physical illnesses who are receiving hospital‐based care
Authors: Svavarsdottir Erla Kolbrun , Tryggvadottir Gudny Bergthora
Published: May 2019

Aim

There is strong evidence regarding the impact of medical treatments on hospitalised children and their families after being diagnosed with a serious illness. Even though survival rates have increased for children and adolescents with illnesses such as cancer, kidney, liver and gastrointestinal diseases, lengthy medical procedures and symptom management may have an impact on the well‐being and quality of life for families. Little is known, however, about promoting family quality of life in hospital‐based paediatric settings. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictors of quality of life (QOL) across physical health conditions among families of children and adolescents with cancer, kidney, liver and gastrointestinal diseases. Further, to evaluate the difference in perception on QOL among families of children with cancer compared to families of children with kidney, liver and gastrointestinal diseases.

Method

The study design was cross‐sectional. Thirty‐eight families of children with cancer, kidney, liver or gastrointestinal diseases participated at a University Hospital. Data were collected using valid and reliable instruments to measure the study variables from March 2015 to May 2016.

Findings

The main result from the stepwise regression analysis indicated perceived family support and illness beliefs, significantly predicted quality of life of the family; approximately 41% of the variance in the families’ perception of their quality of life was explained by the model.

Conclusions

The findings emphasise the importance of supporting and maintaining quality of life for families of children with physical illnesses.

Relevance to clinical practice

Family level interventions within the healthcare system are needed for families of children with severe physical illnesses, since that can result in better outcomes for the child or adolescent and their family. Such an intervention would need to emphasise therapeutic conversations within a relational context, highlighting illness management, illness beliefs, and cognitive and emotional family support.
Experience of care through patients, family members and health professionals in an intensive care unit: a qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Rodriguez‐Almagro Julian , Quero Palomino María Azucena , Aznar Sepulveda Elena , Fernandez‐Espartero Rodriguez‐Barbero María Del Mar , Ortiz Fernandez Francisca , Soto Barrera Virginia , Hernandez‐Martinez Antonio
Published: May 2019

Background

A patient's stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) can lead to psychological and social alterations in patients and their nearest family circle. Healthcare staff and patients’ family members strongly influence patients’ stays in ICU.

Aims

To explore the perceptions about the experiences of patients in the ICU, their family members and nurses who attend them.

Methods

A descriptive phenomenological design was used to guide the research. A purposive sample of 27 male and female participated. Nine hospitalised patients, nine nurses and nine family members were interviewed in 2016 using a semi‐structured, face to face interview. Steps of Giorgi phenomenological method were used to analyse the qualitative data.

Findings

Among the three categorised groups, there is a common point that is the constant of humanization in care and it is very clear on the part of the patient, the patient's family and the nurses whom they attend. In addition, both in the group of patients and in the group of families allude to the fear and anguish that responds to patients, this problem does not appear in the speeches of nurses, who are torn between excessive technology and the performance of their work correctly for better patient welfare.

Conclusions

A stay in an ICU implies emotional expense for both patients and their families, which leads to a series of changes in their affective and social sphere, manifested by a set of requirements that must be responded by the multidisciplinary team that attends to patients. It would be fundamental to inform the health authorities about these requirements in order to modify the usual conduct habits displayed in ICU, which would help improve all levels for patients, their families and nurses.
A responsibility that never rests – the life situation of a family caregiver to an older person
Authors: Jarling Aleksandra , Rydström Ingela , Ernsth‐Bravell Marie , Nyström Maria , Dalheim‐Englund Ann‐Charlotte
Published: May 2019

Background

When the ageing population increases, the burden and responsibility of close family members will likely increase. Those closely related who assume a great responsibility can be significantly affected in health, well‐being and daily life.

Aim

This study aims to describe the life situation when family caregivers are imposed responsibility for an older person with complex care needs in their own home.

Methods

In this Swedish qualitative study, ten family caregivers were strategically selected in order to achieve variations in the life situation. A reflective lifeworld research design based on phenomenological philosophy was used throughout the data collection with the lifeworld interviews and the analytic process.

Findings

In terms of extensive responsibility, the life situation is complex and involves emotions that are difficult to manage. In essence, a paradoxical life situation is described which is experienced as both voluntarily and nonchosen at the same time. The responsibility never rests. The essential meaning is further illustrated with three constituents: loss of freedom, contradictory feelings and affected relationships.

Conclusion

A life situation with extensive responsibility for an older family member interferes with the whole life situation with an impact on health and relationships with other people. The findings are crucial for professional caregivers in order to capture the nature of family support in a way that enables a meaningful life for both the family caregiver and the older person being cared for. Knowledge of this will give professional caregivers an increased awareness of the life situation of family caregivers and provide a better understanding of the support they are longing for, and, in some countries, such as Sweden, also are entitled to by law.
Parents’ satisfaction with child psychiatry
Authors: Räty Ville , Haaranen Ari , Rissanen Tiina
Published: May 2019

Aims

Effective social and healthcare services are important for recipient point of view. Reforms in field of social and health care affect straight to the lives of children, adolescents and families. Voice of the parents’ of the child psychiatric patient must be heard during reforms. The purpose of this study was to explore the parents’ satisfaction with the child psychiatric clinic in southern Finland in the autumn 2017.

Methods

The questionnaire for parents’ included 12 questions related to a single visit experience in clinic. In total, 168 responses were collected at the end of the visits. Likert scale responses were analysed statistically with nonparametric methods for the relationship between variables such as the respondent relationship to the child and the type of visit. The open‐ended questions were analysed by qualitative content analysis.

Results

The relationship with the child was multifaceted: 54% were mothers and 18% fathers, 13% other adults and 3% child welfare workers. The respondents’ age distribution was 18–62 years, and the average age was 39 years. The respondents were satisfied with their visit at the clinic. The respondents’ relationship with the child was determined how successful the visit was in the point of view of respondent in some cases. There was no difference in the experience for the first‐time visitors and returning visitors or the parents′ who had visited the clinic at the same time.

Conclusions

Even there was significant difference experiencing the visit in some cases, the respondents were satisfied and visits deemed to have benefit. The speed and availability of care and the skills and competence of the staff were appreciated. Atmosphere in the clinic was warm and positive. Development point of view, lack of information about the duration of the visit was raised to parents at the beginning of the visit.
Biomechanical evaluation of different ankle orthoses in a simulated lateral ankle sprain in two different modes
Authors: Benca Emir , Ziai Pejman , Hirtler Lena , Schuh Reinhard , Zandieh Shahin , Windhager Reinhard
Published: May 2019

Ankle orthoses are commonly used for prevention of recurrent ankle sprains. While there are some data on their functional performance or restriction of range of motion, there is little knowledge on the quantifiable passive mechanical effectiveness of various devices. This study aimed to determine the prophylactic stabilization effect for commonly prescribed ankle orthoses in a simulated recurrent ankle sprain. Eleven anatomic lower leg specimens were tested in plantar flexion and hindfoot inversion in a simulated ankle sprain in a quasi‐static and dynamic test mode at 0.5°/s and 50°/s internal rotation, respectively. Tests included intact specimens, same specimens with the ruptured anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), followed by stabilization with five different semi‐rigid orthoses: AirGo Ankle Brace, Air Stirrup Ankle Brace, Dyna Ankle 50S1, MalleoLoc, and Aequi. Compared to the injured and unprotected state, two orthoses (AirGo and Air Stirrup) significantly reinforced the ankle. The Aequi ankle brace restored stability comparable to an intact joint. Dyna Ankle 50S1 and MalleoLoc provided insufficient resistance to applied internal rotation compared to the ankle with ruptured ATFL. Ankle orthoses varied significantly in their ability to stabilize the unstable ankle during an ankle sprain in both testing modes. Presented objective data on passive stabilization reveal a lack of supporting evidence for clinical application of ankle orthoses.
The quality of mother‐adolescent disclosure: Links with predictors and adolescents’ sociomoral outcomes
Authors: Laible Deborah , Conover Olivia , Eberly Lewis Mary , Karahuta Erin , Van Norden Clare , Stout Wyntre , Carlo Gustavo , Cruz Alysia
Published: May 2019

Previous work on adolescents’ disclosure has focused on the frequency of disclosure to parents, but not the quality of that disclosure. Therefore, there is a need to examine factors that predict the quality of adolescents’ disclosure, as well as the consequences of the quality for adolescents’ outcomes. In this study, 100 adolescents (M age = 14.27 years; 57 girls; 70.7% White, European American) disclosed to mothers a recent past event in which they felt excluded; the videotaped and transcribed conversations were rated for indices of the quality of disclosure (i.e., the quality of elaboration and emotion discussed). Adolescents completed measures of sociomoral behavior and parental warmth and mothers completed measures of their moral identity, circle of moral regard, and moral socialization. The quality of adolescents’ disclosure was related to adolescents’ sociomoral outcomes (including prosocial behaviors, empathy, and sociability). Adolescents’ disclosure quality was predicted by gender and by aspects of mothers’ moral sophistication. Findings highlight the importance of high‐quality self‐disclosure by adolescents for promoting adolescents’ moral development, potentially because such disclosure gives parents the opportunity to help adolescents cope with challenging peer experiences potentially through emotion coaching and problem‐solving. Moreover, the findings are novel because they highlight how maternal moral processes might promote adolescents’ disclosure.
Political Ideology and Concerns About White‐Collar Crime: Exploring the Switch Hypothesis
Authors: Kroska Amy , Schmidt Marshall R. , Schleifer Cyrus
Published: May 2019

Objective

Numerous studies show that political conservatives in the United States are more concerned about crime than are political liberals. But, according to the “switch hypothesis,” the direction of the association should reverse when the focus is on reducing and punishing white‐collar crime. Despite the intuitiveness of this hypothesis, however, only one study to date has directly tested it.

Method

We explore the hypothesis using data from an online survey administered to undergraduate, graduate, and law students at a southern university. We include a wide range of controls, including demographic attributes, socioeconomic indicators, street crime victimization, white‐collar crime victimization, and a composite measure of trust in professionals.

Results

As hypothesized, political conservatives are less concerned about reducing and punishing white‐collar crime than are political liberals, and the association is stronger for men than it is for women, patterns that hold with and without the controls. The main effect of conservatism also holds (1) when examined with structural equation modeling, (2) when each item of the dependent variable is examined separately with stereotype logistic regression, and (3) when the sample is weighted to match the gender and race/ethnicity distribution in the population from which it was drawn.

Conclusion

Consistent with the switch hypothesis, the results suggest that conservatives are less concerned about white‐collar crime than are liberals.
Congress and the Political Economy of Daylight Saving Time, 1918–1985
Authors: Gray Thomas R. , Jenkins Jeffery A.
Published: May 2019

Objective

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a government policy regulating the timing of daylight during the summer months. While DST's existence is taken for granted in modern American life, the adoption and expansion of the policy was heavily debated, with strong opposition that persists to the present day—a full century after its inception as a World War I energy‐efficiency program. After reviewing the history of DST, we analyze the political economy of congressional vote choice on DST policy.

Method

We analyze votes of members of Congress on all DST‐specific roll calls between 1918 and 1985, assessing whether members voted to expand or reduce DST.

Results

We find that ideology, party, geographic location, and the portion of a constituency made up by farmers all strongly predict member support for adopting and expanding DST—and that each of these effects is durable over time. Digging deeper, we find significant evidence for local representation on DST votes, as constituency‐specific factors are more strongly associated with congressional vote choice than partisanship or general ideological preferences.

Conclusion

Overall, our results provide an original empirical assessment of the factors that drove the adoption and revision of a contentious and significant government policy that endures today.