bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation and evaluation of the Mandarin version of the oral health literacy adult questionnaire in Taiwan
Authors: Ho Mu‐Hsing , Montayre Jed , Chang Hui‐Chen (Rita) , Joo Jee Young , Naghibi Sistani Mohammad Mehdi , Lin Yen‐Kuang , Traynor Victoria , Chang Chia‐Chi , Liu Megan F.
Published: November 2019

Objectives

This study aimed to translate the Oral Health Literacy Adult Questionnaire into a Mandarin version (MOHL‐AQ) and to examine its psychometric properties.

Methods

A methodological research using psychometric testing and evaluation of a translated instrument. A convenience sample of 402 participants from northern Taiwan were recruited for the validation of the MOHL‐AQ. Internal consistency reliability, split‐half reliability, inter‐rater reliability, face validity, content validity, and construct validity were evaluated.

Results

The value of internal consistency and split‐half reliability of the MOHL‐AQ were 0.77 and 0.78, respectively. Content validity reported a high content validity index (CVI = 95%). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and parallel analysis (PA) were used to determine a unidimensional model and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to confirm the model. The indices of good fit model were achieved at GFI = 0.93, AGFI = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.04, CFI = 0.90, PGFI = 0.73, χ2/df = 1.86 (p < .001). Most of the item‐total correlations indicated adequate and acceptable convergent validity (r > .30).

Conclusion

MOHL‐AQ demonstrates adequate psychometric properties for measuring the oral health literacy in Mandarin‐speaking population. Public health nurses can use MOHL‐AQ to assess oral health literacy in the community settings and further screen potential population with inadequate oral health literacy.
Emotional Responses to Bureaucratic Red Tape
Authors: Hattke Fabian , Hensel David , Kalucza Janne
Published: November 2019

Although red tape has a long history in public administration research, the emotional consequences of bureaucratic procedures for citizens have received little attention in the literature. Within the framework of behavioral public administration, this article investigates how varying conditions of administrative delay, administrative burden, and rule dysfunctionality in citizen‐state interactions spark discrete emotional reactions. Physiological measurements of emotions (e.g., facial coding, electrodermal activity, heart rate) from 136 participants in a laboratory study show that bureaucratic red tape evokes significant negative emotional responses, especially confusion, frustration, and anger. Experimental evidence also indicates that delay is less stirring than burden, while rule functionality has little placatory effect, regardless of the favorability of outcomes. These results support the conceptualization of red tape as an affective rather than a cognitive phenomenon. They also suggest that negative emotions of citizens are linked to the modus operandi of public administrations.
Why Public Employees Rebel: Guerrilla Government in the Public Sector
Authors: Hollibaugh Gary E. , Miles Matthew R. , Newswander Chad B.
Published: November 2019

Employee recalcitrance and employer reprisal are ever‐present conditions in public service. Yet we have limited knowledge of the forces that move administrators away from acquiescence and toward antagonism. The authors follow the theoretical thrust of behavioral public administration to better understand administrative behavior by targeting the determinants of guerrilla government actions. They do so by presenting the results of a conjoint experiment embedded in a survey of federal bureaucrats. Findings show that decisions to pursue guerrilla activities are conditional on a multitude of factors—namely, the bureaucrat's personal views of the directive as a policy solution, the compatibility of the directive with the bureaucrat's ethical framework, the status of the person issuing the directive, and the probability that the directive might cause harm to others. Notably, these decisions generally are not affected by the probability of retribution or the expected type thereof. However, they are affected by the magnitude of harm that may ensue if orders are obeyed and not resisted.
Guilt feelings and the intelligibility of moral duties
Authors: Ingram Andrew Tice
Published: November 2019

G.E.M. Anscombe argued that we should dispense with deontic concepts when doing ethics, if it is psychologically possible to do so. In response, I contend that deontic concepts are constitutive of the common moral experience of guilt. This has two consequences for Anscombe's position. First, seeing that guilt is a deontic emotion, we should recognize that Anscombe's qualification on her thesis applies: psychologically, we need deontology to understand our obligations and hence whether our guilt is warranted. Second, the fact that guilt is a deontic moral emotion debunks Anscombe's claim that deontic concepts are a relic of the Western, religious past: guilt feelings–hence the idea of moral duty as well–can be found in cultures without an ethics of divine command. Modern moral philosophers' interest in oughts and obligations is not an academic hobbyhorse, but a vital concern arising out of a primeval human emotion.
Restoration of a bighorn sheep population impeded by Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae exposure
Authors: Werdel Ty J. , Jenks Jonathan A. , Besser Thomas E. , Kanta John T. , Lehman Chadwick P. , Frink Teresa J.
Published: November 2019

Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) were once extirpated from the Black Hills region of South Dakota, U.S.A., mirroring declining populations throughout North America. Since the 1960s, several reintroductions have occurred in the Black Hills to reestablish populations, with varying success. We translocated 26 bighorn sheep from Alberta, Canada, to the Black Hills (February 2015) to restore bighorn sheep to their historic range. Due to prior examinations of cause‐specific survival, subsequent genetic diversity and disease prevalence analyses were required to evaluate success of the restoration effort. We measured a mean allelic diversity of 5.23 (SE = 0.44 [mean number of alleles]) and an observed heterozygosity of 0.71 (SE = 0.06; expected = 0.64 ± 0.05) in the translocated individuals. Translocated bighorn sheep tested negative for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae at capture. An autogenous vaccine was administered prior to release in an attempt to safeguard the translocated bighorn sheep from infection with a strain known to be resident in adjacent bighorn sheep populations. However, the year following the translocation, a different strain of M. ovipneumoniae was associated with a pneumonia outbreak that resulted in 57.9% mortality. Our results suggest that allelic diversity and heterozygosity were sufficient for long‐term herd establishment, reducing the potential for founder effects. However, the overwhelming mortality associated with pneumonia, via the transfer of M. ovipneumoniae from an unknown source, limited the success or our reintroduction efforts. Successful attempts to restore bighorn sheep to their historic ranges must consider and mitigate potential routes for M. ovipneumoniae transmission pre‐ and post‐reintroduction.
Detecting prolonged sitting bouts with the ActiGraph GT3X
Authors: Kuster Roman P. , Grooten Wilhelmus J. A. , Baumgartner Daniel , Blom Victoria , Hagströmer Maria , Ekblom Örjan
Published: November 2019

The ActiGraph has a high ability to measure physical activity; however, it lacks an accurate posture classification to measure sedentary behavior. The aim of the present study was to develop an ActiGraph (waist‐worn, 30 Hz) posture classification to detect prolonged sitting bouts, and to compare the classification to proprietary ActiGraph data. The activPAL, a highly valid posture classification device, served as reference criterion. Both sensors were worn by 38 office workers over a median duration of 9 days. An automated feature selection extracted the relevant signal information for a minute‐based posture classification. The machine learning algorithm with optimal feature number to predict the time in prolonged sitting bouts (≥5 and ≥10 minutes) was searched and compared to the activPAL using Bland‐Altman statistics. The comparison included optimized and frequently used cut‐points (100 and 150 counts per minute (cpm), with and without low‐frequency‐extension (LFE) filtering). The new algorithm predicted the time in prolonged sitting bouts most accurate (bias ≤ 7 minutes/d). Of all proprietary ActiGraph methods, only 150 cpm without LFE predicted the time in prolonged sitting bouts non‐significantly different from the activPAL (bias ≤ 18 minutes/d). However, the frequently used 100 cpm with LFE accurately predicted total sitting time (bias ≤ 7 minutes/d). To study the health effects of ActiGraph measured prolonged sitting, we recommend using the new algorithm. In case a cut‐point is used, we recommend 150 cpm without LFE to measure prolonged sitting and 100 cpm with LFE to measure total sitting time. However, both cpm cut‐points are not recommended for a detailed bout analysis.
Usage of Urban Space and Sociospatial Differentiation of Income Groups: A Case Study of Nanjing, China
Authors: Wang Hui , Kwan Mei‐Po , Hu Mingxing
Published: November 2019

With rapid economic and urban development in recent decades, sociospatial inequalities in Chinese cities are exacerbating. In China, the sociospatial structure of cities has experienced tremendous changes during the economic transition. Based on a person‐based perspective, this study explores the relationship between urban spaces and individual behaviours of low‐income and non‐low‐income groups in general and at the community level. The results indicate that low‐income residents are more likely constrained to outer suburbs than non‐low‐income residents. However, differences in urban‐space use between income groups vary in different communities. The differences in inner‐city communities are the most moderate, while the differences are the most significant in affordable housing communities. The logistic regression models reveal that the income variable influences only the outer‐suburb individuals’ use of urban space.
Adapting the passion‐driven statistics curriculum for transition to high school
Authors: Rose Jennifer S. , Dierker Lisa C.
Published: November 2019

We adapted a multidisciplinary, project‐based curriculum to introduce high school students to statistical inquiry. We examined student background characteristics, learning experiences, and course outcomes for 30 students aged 12 to 14 entering ninth grade who were involved in a 1‐week, accelerated version of a Passion‐Driven Statistics curriculum. On average, students rated the experience as very rewarding and the majority (70.0%) felt they had accomplished more than they had expected. Over half found the course more useful compared with other courses they had taken, and two‐thirds reported receiving more individualized support. Over 70% reported interest in taking a future programming course, despite the fact that most of them entered the course with no previous programming experience. Results suggest that a multidisciplinary project‐based curriculum could be adapted to an accelerated 1‐week summer experience for youth as young as 12 from underrepresented communities, providing a model that introduces statistical inquiry in an engaging manner.
Prevention strategies of transfusion‐transmitted parasitic infections (TTPIs) in Iran, an endemic area for malaria, toxoplasmosis and leishmaniasis
Authors: Mardani Ahmad
Published: November 2019

Background and Objectives

Parasitic infections are one of the most important adverse reactions of blood transfusion. Several strategies are being implemented in blood transfusion centers of the world to prevent the transfusion‐transmitted parasitic infections (TTPIs). The objective of this work was to clarify and describe the strategies to minimize the transmission risk of endemic parasitic agents in Iran via blood transfusion.

Materials and Methods

This study was conducted in the Iranian blood transfusion organization (IBTO). The data were extracted from the latest version of the “medical interview” standard operating procedure (SOP) and then recorded in the prepared sheets.

Results

The donor selection is the first and only step to reduce the risk of TTPIs in endemic and non‐endemic areas of Iran. In all blood transfusion centers of the IBTO, the blood donation volunteers with a previous history of malaria, Chagas disease, visceral leishmaniasis (VL), muco‐cutaneous leishmaniasis and babesiosis, as well as those with toxoplasmosis, cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and with a history of residence in, or travel to, malaria‐endemic areas are permanently or temporarily deferred from the blood donation.

Conclusion

For some reasons, including the prevalence of malaria, toxoplasmosis and VL in parts of Iran, the donor selection strategy is not sufficient to prevent the TTPIs. Therefore, the changing of donor selection process and the use of other common preventive strategies are recommended to reduce the risk of TTPIs, especially for high‐risk groups of toxoplasmosis and VL.
Is Donated Breast Milk Better Than Formula for Feeding Very Low Birth Weight Infants? A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Yu Fei , Cao Bo , Wen Zunjia , Li Meng , Chen Hongbin , Xie Guojin
Published: November 2019

Background

The role of donated breast milk and formula feeding in very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs) remains unclear.

Objective

The objective for this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of breast milk and formula for feeding VLBWIs.

Methods

A comprehensive search of PubMed databases was conducted on November 30, 2018, to identify related randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Pooled odds ratio (OR) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using either a fixed or random‐effects model.

Results

Seven RCTs with a total of 876 infants were included. The formula showed more advantages in increasing infant weight (MD = −6.58, 95% CI: −11.19 to −1.98) and length (MD = −0.30, 95% CI: −0.41 to −0.20) than donated breast milk, but formula could also significantly increase the risks of necrotizing enterocolitis (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.18 to 0.59) and length of hospital stay (MD = −3.78, 95% CI: −6.84 to −0.72) when compared with donated breast milk. No significant differences on the head circumference gain (MD = −0.16, 95% CI: −0.33 to 0.01), sepsis (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.84 to 1.75), retinopathy of prematurity (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 0.73 to 2.05) and mortality (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.47 to 1.52) were found.

Linking Evidence to Action

The donated breast milk shows more advantages in reducing the incidence of NEC and length of hospital stay, but also more disadvantages in increasing the weight and length of VLBWIs and ELBWIs when compared with preterm formula feeding. Currently, there is no solid evidence demonstrating a significant advantage of donated breast milk over formula in the feeding of VLBWIs. Larger‐scale RCTs with rigorous designs are needed to elucidate the feeding plans of VLBWIs.
All-oxide thin-film transistors with channels of mixed InOx-ZnOy formed by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process
Authors: Lee Jeong-Mu , Lee Hwan-Jae , Pi Jae-Eun , Yang Jong-Heon , Lee Jeong Hun , Ahn Seong-Deok , Kang Seung-Youl , Moon Jaehyun
Published: November 2019

To make high mobility oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) for transparent large displays, the authors fabricated all-oxide TFTs having amorphous mixed-oxide channels of indium oxide (InOx) and zinc oxide (ZnOy). Liquid precursors of 3-(dimethyl amino)propyl-dimethyl indium (C7H18InN) and diethyl zinc [(C2H5)2Zn] and oxygen plasma were used to form mixed-oxide channels by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD). The authors varied the cycle ratio of InOx and ZnOy to deduce the optimal ratio of InOx:ZnOy for high performance TFTs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses were performed to reveal the decrease in the oxygen-deficient state as the fraction of InOx increases. At a deposition cycle ratio of InOx:ZnOy = 2:1, the TFT demonstrated the best performance of field effect mobility of 30.3 cm2/V s, subthreshold of 0.14 V/decade, and Ion/Ioff ratio of 3.1 × 109. By adjusting the relative cycles of different oxides in an ALD process, one may obtain the desired mixed-oxide channel TFT properties, which is not readily possible in the sputtering process. By varying the compositions of the oxide channel layer, the latitude of device fabrication could be widening, thereby enabling performance customization.
When dipping toast into a cup of tea leads to a scientific investigation
Authors: Marmottant Philippe , Orthion Florian , Rafaï Salima
Published: November 2019

This article recounts a scientific investigation that started from the observation of an ordinary everyday phenomenon. In a cup of tea, dipping buttered toast produces on the surface of the tea beautifully evolving lenses, which are pierced repeatedly by moving holes. To unravel this dynamic observation, we show here how we simplified the system into its basic ingredients, and how we excluded several hypotheses such as thermal convection. We reproduce the phenomenon with an inverse emulsion of surfactant-laden water droplets. Depending on the spreading of the lens, we also observe and explain the formation of an oil lacework and “swimming” lenses.
“Beyond Women’s Powers of Endurance”: The 1928 800-Meter and Women’s Olympic Track and Field in the Context of the United States
Authors: English Colleen
Published: November 2019

In the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, women officially competed in track and field for the first time. After a world-record-breaking 800-meter final, the press inaccurately reported that the runners collapsed at the finish and generally called for the race to be eliminated since it called too greatly on feminine strength. In intervening years between the 1928 and 1932 Olympics, the IOC and IAAF voted to eliminate the race from the program. A fuller understanding of 800-meter race, within a broader American cultural milieu about women’s health and sport, demonstrates how the media and sport governing bodies intersect with ideologies of femininity.
The Red Zinger/Coors Classic Bicycle Race: Commemorations and Re-Cycled Narratives
Authors: Lucas Shelley
Published: November 2019

The Red Zinger Bicycle Classic, later renamed the Coors International Bicycle Classic, is renowned for its influence on the development of men’s and women’s cycle racing in the United States. Recent efforts to create a United States Cycling Monument in Boulder, Colorado, centered on commemorating what is commonly referred to as the Coors Classic. I use the proposed monument as a starting point for exploring how the Coors Classic is being remembered, particularly with respect to the women’s competition. Where do women cyclists and their contests fit into the commemoration of this race? My analysis illuminates gendered aspects of this race and what I refer to as re-cycled narratives. I conclude with a concern about the impact of re-cycled narratives on present-day women’s cycling and consider historian Beverly Southgate’s call for thinking about histories for the future.
Antibiotic Resistance and Epigenetics: More to It than Meets the Eye
Authors: Ghosh Dipannita , Veeraraghavan Balaji , Elangovan Ravikrishnan , Vivekanandan Perumal
Published: November 2019

The discovery of antibiotics in the last century is considered one of the most important achievements in the history of medicine. Antibiotic usage has significantly reduced morbidity and mortality associated with bacterial infections. However, inappropriate use of antibiotics has led to emergence of antibiotic resistance at an alarming rate. Antibiotic resistance is regarded as a major health care challenge of this century.
Carriage and Subtypes of Foodborne Pathogens Identified in Wild Birds Residing near Agricultural Lands in California: a Repeated Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Navarro-Gonzalez N. , Wright S. , Aminabadi P. , Gwinn A. , Suslow T. V. , Jay-Russell M. T.
Published: November 2019

The shedding dynamics of foodborne pathogens by wild birds on farmland are not well characterized. This yearlong study sampled wild birds for foodborne pathogens within agricultural lands in northern California. There was a low prevalence of
Salmonella
spp.,
Escherichia coli
O157:H7, and non-O157 Shiga-toxin producing
E. coli
(prevalence, 0.34% to 0.50%) identified in bird populations in this study. However, pathogens of public health importance (such as
Salmonella
Newport,
E. coli
O157:H7, and STEC O103 and O26) were identified in fecal samples, and two birds carried STEC on their feet or feathers. Identical pathogen strains were shared episodically among birds and between wild geese and free-range cattle. This result suggests a common source of contamination in the environment and potential transmission between species. These findings can be used to assess the risk posed by bird intrusions in produce fields and enhance policy decisions toward the comanagement of food safety and farmland habitat conservation.
Influences of a Prolific Gut Fungus (Zancudomyces culisetae) on Larval and Adult Mosquito (Aedes aegypti)-Associated Microbiota
Authors: Frankel-Bricker Jonas , Buerki Sven , Feris Kevin P. , White Merlin M.
Published: November 2019

Mosquitoes are widespread vectors of numerous human pathogens and harbor microbiota known to affect host phenotypic traits. However, little research has directly investigated how bacterial communities associated with larvae and adults are connected. We characterized whole-body bacterial communities in mosquito larvae preceding pupation and in newly emerged adults, and investigated whether a significant biotic factor, fungal colonization of the larval hindgut, impacted these microbiomes. Results showed that fungal colonization reduced microbial community variation across individuals and differentially impacted the outcomes of transstadial transmission for certain bacterial genera, revealing downstream effects of the fungus on initial adult microbiomes. The importance of our research is in providing a thorough comparative analysis of whole-body microbiota harbored in larvae and adults of the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and in demonstrating the important role a widespread gut fungus played in a host-associated microbiome.
Interferon Gamma Reprograms Host Mitochondrial Metabolism through Inhibition of Complex II To Control Intracellular Bacterial Replication
Authors: Jessop Forrest , Buntyn Robert , Schwarz Benjamin , Wehrly Tara , Scott Dana , Bosio Catharine M.
Published: November 2019

The mechanisms by which interferon gamma (IFN-γ) controls the replication of cytosolic pathogens independent of responses, such as the generation of reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), have not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we developed a model usingFrancisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, in which pathways triggered by IFN-γ commonly associated with bacterial control were not required.
Optimal Timing of Repeat Multiplex Molecular Testing for Respiratory Viruses
Authors: Mandelia Yamini , Procop Gary W. , Richter Sandra S. , Worley Sarah , Liu Wei , Esper Frank
Published: November 2019

Determining whether and when multiplex nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for respiratory viruses should be repeated is difficult. We analyzed 5 years of results for a multiplex NAAT targeting 14 respiratory viruses, to determine how often repeat tests were ordered and the time period in which results were likely to change. Results for NAATs performed on nasopharyngeal specimens and repeated within 90 days after initial testing were analyzed.
Novel
Sulfolobus
Fuselloviruses with Extensive Genomic Variations
Authors: Zhang Junxia , Zheng Xiaowei , Wang Haina , Jiang Hongchen , Dong Hailiang , Huang Li
Published: November 2019

How a virus survives in the arms race with its host is an intriguing question. In this study, we isolated and characterized four novel fuselloviruses, named
Sulfolobus
spindle-shaped viruses 19 to 22 (SSV19-22). Interestingly, SSV20-22 differ primarily in two genomic regions and are apparently convertible through homologous recombination during coinfection. Moreover, sites of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) were identified throughout the genomes of SSV20-22 and, notably, enriched in certain regions, including the gene encoding the putative end filament protein VP4, which is believed to be involved in host recognition and binding by the virus.
The Proton Pump Inhibitor Omeprazole Does Not Promote Clostridioides difficile Colonization in a Murine Model
Authors: Tomkovich Sarah , Lesniak Nicholas A. , Li Yuan , Bishop Lucas , Fitzgerald Madison J. , Schloss Patrick D.
Published: November 2019

Antibiotics are the primary risk factor for
Clostridioides difficile
infections (CDIs), but other factors may also increase a person’s risk. In epidemiological studies, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use has been associated with CDI incidence and recurrence. PPIs have also been associated with alterations in the human intestinal microbiota in observational and interventional studies. We evaluated the effects of the PPI omeprazole on the structure of the murine intestinal microbiota and its ability to disrupt colonization resistance to
C. difficile
. We found omeprazole treatment had minimal impact on the murine fecal microbiota and did not promote
C. difficile
colonization. Further studies are needed to determine whether other factors contribute to the association between PPIs and CDIs seen in humans or whether aspects of murine physiology may limit its utility to test these types of hypotheses.
Emergence and Comparative Genomics Analysis of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Carrying
mcr-1
in Fennec Fox Imported from Sudan to China
Authors: Feng Chunyan , Wen Peipei , Xu Hao , Chi Xiaohui , Li Shuang , Yu Xiao , Lin Xiangmei , Wu Shaoqiang , Zheng Beiwen
Published: November 2019

The extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing members of the
Enterobacteriaceae
family are a global concern for both animal and human health. There is some information indicating a high prevalence of ESBL producers in food animals. Moreover, there have been an increasing number of reports on ESBL-producing strains resistant to the last-resort antibiotic colistin with the global dissemination of the plasmid-mediated
mcr-1
gene, which is believed to have originated in animal breeding. However, little is known regarding the burden of ESBL-producing
Enterobacteriaceae
on wild animals. No data were available on the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among wild animals imported into China. This is the first study to investigate the microbiological and genomics surveillance investigation of ESBL colonization among fennec fox (
Vulpes zerda
) imported from Sudan to China, and we uncovered a high prevalence of ESBL-EC. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism of colistin resistance in an isolate that harbored
mcr-1
was also investigated. Results of characterization and analysis of 29 ESBL-producing
E. coli
may have important implications on our understanding of the transmission dynamics of these bacteria. We emphasize the importance of improved multisectoral surveillance for colistin-resistant
E. coli
in this region.
Biomediation of submarine sediment gravity flow dynamics
Authors: Craig Melissa J. , Baas Jaco H. , Amos Kathryn J. , Strachan Lorna J. , Manning Andrew J. , Paterson David M. , Hope Julie A. , Nodder Scott D. , Baker Megan L.
Published: November 2019

Sediment gravity flows are the primary process by which sediment and organic carbon are transported from the continental margin to the deep ocean. Up to 40% of the total marine organic carbon pool is represented by cohesive extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by microorganisms. The effect of these polymers on sediment gravity flows has not been investigated, despite the economic and societal importance of these flows. We present the first EPS concentrations measured in deep-sea sediment, combined with novel laboratory data that offer insights into the modulation of the dynamics of clay-laden, physically cohesive sediment gravity flows by biological cohesion. We show that EPS can profoundly affect the character, evolution, and runout of sediment gravity flows and are as prevalent in deep oceans as in shallow seas. Transitional and laminar plug flows are more susceptible to EPS-induced changes in flow properties than turbulent flows. At relatively low concentrations, EPS markedly decrease the head velocity and runout distance of transitional flows. This biological cohesion is greater, per unit weight, than the physical cohesion of cohesive clay and may exert a stronger control on flow behavior. These results significantly improve our understanding of the effects of an unrealized biological component of sediment gravity flows. The implications are wide ranging and may influence predictive models of sediment gravity flows and advance our understanding about the ways in which these flows transport and bury organic carbon globally.
Mechanism for enhanced eolian dust flux recorded in North Pacific Ocean sediments since 4.0 Ma: Aridity or humidity at dust source areas in the Asian interior?
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Liu Qingsong , Roberts Andrew P. , Larrasoaña Juan C. , Shi Xuefa , Jin Chunsheng
Published: November 2019

Eolian material within pelagic North Pacific Ocean (NPO) sediments contains considerable information about paleoclimate evolution in Asian dust source areas. Eolian signals preserved in NPO sediments have been used as indices for enhanced Asian interior aridity. We here report a detailed eolian dust record, with chemical index of alteration (CIA) and Rb/Sr variations, for NPO sediments from Ocean Drilling Program Hole 885A over the past 4.0 m.y. CIA and Rb/Sr co-vary with the dust signal carried by combined eolian hematite and goethite concentrations. Changes in CIA around the intensification of Northern Hemisphere glaciation (iNHG) event at ca. 2.75 Ma indicate that dust production in source areas was associated mostly with physical and chemical weathering before and after the iNHG event, respectively. We here attribute the eolian flux increase into the NPO across the iNHG event mainly to increased availability of wind-erodible sediment in dust source areas derived from snow and glacial meltwater runoff, which resulted from glacial expansion and enhanced snowfall in the mountains surrounding the Tarim region in response to global cooling. Our results provide a deeper understanding of Asian interior environmental changes in response to global paleoclimate changes, where dust source areas became intermittently moister rather than more arid in response to global cooling.
How to perform and interpret the sweat test
Authors: Brown Anthony , Jenkins Laura , Reid Alastair , Leavy Anne , McDowell Glen , McIlroy Claire , Thompson Andrew , McNaughten Ben
Published: November 2019

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common life-threatening autosomal-recessive disease affecting Caucasians in the western world. The sweat test is the main diagnostic test for CF. It is indicated as part of the clinical assessment for infants that have picked up on the national neonatal screening programme. It may also be requested where clinical suspicion of a diagnosis of CF exists despite normal screening results. This article outlines the physiological basis behind sweat testing and the technical aspects of performing the test. Indications for performing the test are also considered. The article aims to provide clinicians with a guide to interpretation of results.
Six-year-old boy with a slow-onset persistent back pain
Authors: Caddeo Giulia , Paganin Paola , Gortani Giulia , Carbone Marco , Gregori Massimo , Barbi Egidio
Published: November 2019

A 6-year-old boy was evaluated for a 6-week history of low back pain. Initially, the pain was exacerbated by movements, eventually showing a milder and fluctuating trend. History was unremarkable for previous traumatic events, fever or nocturnal pain. Physical examination revealed localised pain at palpation of the spinous processes at the lumbosacral level. Blood tests showed a normal blood count, negative C reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, normal lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine phosphokinase.

A posterior–anterior radiograph of the lumbar spine resulted normal. An MRI scan revealed a lumbosacral transitional vertebra with bone oedema of the posterior arch until the spinous process.

For better bone definition, a CT scan was performed ( figure 1 ).

Figure 1

CT scan of the transitional lumbosacral (L5) vertebra.

Questions

Which causes of persistent low back pain should be ruled out in children under 10 years of age?

Osteochondrosis

Neoplasm

Functional pain

Infections

What is the diagnosis in this patient?

How is the diagnosis performed?

How is this condition managed?

Answers can be found on page 2.
Prediction of visual outcomes by an artificial neural network following intravitreal injection and laser therapy for retinopathy of prematurity
Authors: Huang Ching-Yen , Kuo Ren-Jieh , Li Cheng-Han , Ting Daniel S , Kang Eugene Yu-Chuan , Lai Chi-Chun , Tseng Hsiao-Jung , Yang Lan-Yan , Wu Wei-Chi
Published: November 2019

Aims

To construct a program to predict the visual acuity (VA), best corrected VA (BCVA) and spherical equivalent (SE) of patients with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) from 3 to 12 years old after intravitreal injection (IVI) of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor and/or laser photocoagulation treatment.

Methods

This retrospective study employed a feedforward artificial neural network with an error backpropagation learning algorithm to predict visual outcomes based on patient birth data, treatment received and age at follow-up. Patients were divided into two groups based on prior treatments. The main outcome measures were the difference between the predicted and actual values of visual outcomes. These were analysed using the normalised root mean square error (RMSE). Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the predictive accuracy by this algorithm.

Results

A total of 60 ROP infants with prior treatments were included. In the IVI group, the normalised average RMSE for VA, BCVA, and SE was 0.272, 0.185 and 0.131, respectively. In the laser group, the normalised average RMSE for VA, BCVA and SE was 0.190, 0.250 and 0.104, respectively. This result shows that better predictive power was obtained for SE than for VA or BCVA in both the IVI and laser groups (p<0.001). In addition, the algorithm performed slightly better in predicting visual outcomes in the laser group (p<0.001).

Conclusions

This algorithm offers acceptable power for predicting visual outcomes in patients with ROP with prior treatment. Predictions of SE were more precise than predictions of for VA and BCVA in both groups.
Metagenomics of the faecal virome indicate a cumulative effect of enterovirus and gluten amount on the risk of coeliac disease autoimmunity in genetically at risk children: the TEDDY study
Authors: Lindfors Katri , Lin Jake , Lee Hye-Seung , Hyöty Heikki , Nykter Matti , Kurppa Kalle , Liu Edwin , Koletzko Sibylle , Rewers Marian , Hagopian William , Toppari Jorma , Ziegler Annette-Gabriele , Akolkar Beena , Krischer Jeffrey P , Petrosino Joseph F , Lloyd Richard E , Agardh Daniel
Published: November 2019

Objective

Higher gluten intake, frequent gastrointestinal infections and adenovirus, enterovirus, rotavirus and reovirus have been proposed as environmental triggers for coeliac disease. However, it is not known whether an interaction exists between the ingested gluten amount and viral exposures in the development of coeliac disease. This study investigated whether distinct viral exposures alone or together with gluten increase the risk of coeliac disease autoimmunity (CDA) in genetically predisposed children.

Design

The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young study prospectively followed children carrying the HLA risk haplotypes DQ2 and/or DQ8 and constructed a nested case–control design. From this design, 83 CDA case–control pairs were identified. Median age of CDA was 31 months. Stool samples collected monthly up to the age of 2 years were analysed for virome composition by Illumina next-generation sequencing followed by comprehensive computational virus profiling.

Results

The cumulative number of stool enteroviral exposures between 1 and 2 years of age was associated with an increased risk for CDA. In addition, there was a significant interaction between cumulative stool enteroviral exposures and gluten consumption. The risk conferred by stool enteroviruses was increased in cases reporting higher gluten intake.

Conclusions

Frequent exposure to enterovirus between 1 and 2 years of age was associated with increased risk of CDA. The increased risk conferred by the interaction between enteroviruses and higher gluten intake indicate a cumulative effect of these factors in the development of CDA.
Adverse childhood experiences and bullying behaviours at work among workers in Japan
Authors: Kizuki Masashi , Fujiwara Takeo , Shinozaki Tomohiro
Published: November 2019

Objectives

To examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), workplace bullying victimisation and bullying behaviours to subordinates among Japanese workers.

Methods

We conducted an internet-based cross-sectional survey among workers who had enacted 0, 1 and ≥2 types of bullying behaviours that had been directed towards subordinates in the past 3 years (n=309 for each group, total N=927). We assessed ACEs with questionnaires about adverse experiences at home and bullying victimisation at school. The total and controlled direct effects of ACEs on the number of bullying behaviours to subordinates were estimated from a baseline-adjusted and a direct-effect marginal structural ordinal logistic model, respectively.

Results

There was a positive dose–response association between the level of ACEs and the frequency of workplace bullying victimisation, as well as the number of bullying behaviours enacted at work after adjustment for sex, age and childhood socioeconomic status (both p<0.001). Workers in the highest tertile of ACEs compared with the lowest tertile had 3.15 (95% CI 2.20 to 4.50) times higher odds of having perpetrated more bullying behaviours at work. The magnitude of the effect was 2.57 (95% CI 1.70 to 3.90) via pathways not mediated by workplace bullying victimisation in a direct-effect marginal structural model.

Conclusions

People who had ACEs were at increased risk later in life of enacting bullying behaviours at work. Current findings may be useful to prevent bullying behaviours at work.
Scots pine and Norway spruce foliage biomass in Finland and Sweden — testing traditional models vs. the pipe model theory
Authors: Lehtonen Aleksi , Heikkinen Juha , Petersson Hans , Ťupek Boris , Liski Eero , Mäkelä Annikki
Published: November 2019

The pipe model approach was compared with foliage biomass models by using the cross-sectional area at the tree crown base for predicting foliage biomass of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). We evaluated the impacts of site type, fertilization, and climate on the relationship between foliage biomass and cross-sectional area at the tree crown base, referred as to the pipe model ratio. Our hypotheses were that (i) the pipe model approach is a more precise and accurate method for foliage prediction than the traditional biomass models and (ii) the pipe model ratio for foliage does not explicitly depend on any single environmental driver. Data used here consisted of felled trees from Finnish and Swedish biomass studies. These data were analyzed by linear mixed models with different covariates, and the uncertainties of different modelling approaches were evaluated. The pipe model outperformed other models for Scots pine but not for Norway spruce. Results showed larger pipe model ratios for Scots pine in herb-rich forests compared with those of trees in subxeric heath forest. Results from fertilized trees indicated that the addition of nitrogen temporarily increased foliage biomass.
Effects of nitrogen deposition on litter decomposition and nutrient release mediated by litter types and seasonal change in a temperate forest
Authors: Yan Guoyong , Dong Xiongde , Huang Binbin , Wang Honglin , Hong Ziming , Zhang Junhui , Xing Yajuan , Wang Qinggui
Published: November 2019

We conducted a field experiment with four levels of simulated nitrogen (N) deposition (0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 g N m−2yr−1, respectively) to investigate the response of litter decomposition of Pinus koraiensis (PK), Tilia amurensis (TA), and their mixture to N deposition during winter and growing seasons. Results showed that N addition significantly increased the mass loss of PK litter and significantly decreased the mass loss of TA litter throughout the 2 yr decomposition processes, which indicated that the different responses in the decomposition of different litters to N addition can be species specific, potentially attributed to different litter chemistry. The faster decomposition of PK litter with N addition occurred mainly in the winter, whereas the slower decomposition of TA litter with N addition occurred during the growing season. Moreover, N addition had a positive effect on the release of phosphorus, magnesium, and manganese for PK litter and had a negative effect on the release of carbon, iron, and lignin for TA litter. Decomposition and nutrient release from mixed litter with N addition showed a non-additive effect. The mass loss from litter in the first winter and over the entire study correlated positively with the initial concentration of cellulose, lignin, and certain nutrients in the litter, demonstrating the potential influence of different tissue chemistries.
A hidden constraint on the Hamiltonian formulation of relativistic worldlines
Authors: Koch Benjamin , Muñoz Enrique
Published: November 2019

Gauge theories with general covariance are particularly reluctant to quantization. We discuss the example of the Hamiltonian formulation of the relativistic point particle that, despite its apparent simplicity, is of crucial importance since a number of point particle systems can be cast into this form on a higher dimensional Rindler background, as recently pointed out by Hojman. It is shown that this system can be equipped with a hidden local, symmetry generating, constraint which on the one hand does not bother the classical evolution and on the other hand simplifies the realization of the path integral quantization. Even though the positive impact of the hidden symmetry is more evident in the Lagrangian version of the theory, it is still present through the suggested Hamiltonian constraint.
Adsorption behavior of Cs+ ions to vermiculite demonstrated by molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Takeuchi Akira
Published: November 2019

The present paper discusses the simulation results, performed by classical molecular dynamics (MD), for vermiculite. The kinetic process of the [Formula: see text] ions in water that are adsorbed into vermiculite [Formula: see text] was investigated with classical MD simulations utilizing Coulomb and Born–Mayer–Huggins potentials. A monoclinic vermiculite crystal with a [Formula: see text] supercell was placed into 8461 molecules of water to form a rectangular supercell of [Formula: see text]. The water was placed into contact with both sides of the [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] planes of the vermiculite crystal, along the [Formula: see text]-axis only. The rectangular supercells, which were prepared with the vermiculite in water with and without an additional 200 [Formula: see text] ions, were simulated. The MD conditions included a constant pressure ensemble for 1 ps at a constant step of 0.1 fs. The results revealed an increase in the distances of the [Formula: see text] layers at the interface between the vermiculite and water. This increase in the separation of the [Formula: see text] layers was suitable for the uptake of [Formula: see text] ions by the vermiculite. The accelerated MD simulation which replaced the interfacial [Formula: see text] ions with [Formula: see text] ions tended to include the [Formula: see text] ions into the vermiculite by excluding the [Formula: see text] ions.
Mineral pigment studies on ancient ceramics and glass artifacts from commercial settlements on Danube border between Muntenia and Dobruja
Authors: Constantinescu B. , Cristea-Stan D. , Kovács I. , Szökefalvi-Nagy Z. , Poll I.
Published: November 2019

We analyzed the compositions of mineral pigments for some ceramics and glass items excavated from the commercial settlements on Danube at the border between Ottoman Empire (Dobruja) and Romanian Principalities — Piua Petrii and Dinogetia–Garvan, using external milli-beam PIXE. The problem of mineral pigments used for Turkish ceramics (16th–17th centuries) is very important for the understanding of commercial routes of late medieval period. We determined the elemental compositions of green, red, brown and especially blue pigments. The most interesting case is the one of the Co-based blue pigments. The origin of the raw materials for these pigments in the 17th century could be the mining district of Schneeberg in Germany, characterized by the presence of Ni traces, our study revealing a possible trade route connection between Saxony and Ottoman Empire. As concerning glass samples, we analyzed fragments of Byzantine painted bracelets identifying manganese (mixed with iron) and copper for blue–black bulk-glass color, respectively for green bulk-glass color, a mixture of lead and tin for yellow painting and powders of gold and silver for some painted areas.
Analysis of strontium in soil and plant samples contaminated during the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident
Authors: Ishii K. , Arai H. , Ohnuma T. , Takeuchi A.
Published: November 2019

An accident in March 2011 released small amounts of radioactive strontium isotopes ([Formula: see text]Sr) along with large amounts of radioactive caesium isotopes ([Formula: see text]Cs). [Formula: see text]Sr isotopes accumulate in bone and are more dangerous than [Formula: see text]Cs isotopes. Therefore, it is necessary to research the contamination by [Formula: see text]Sr. We examined 10 types of plants and the soil beneath them using particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis and investigated correlations between elemental transfer coefficients from soil to plant, including Sr, magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca). We determined that the Sr transfer coefficient was [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]0.2; we found a proportional relationship between those of Mg and Ca, which were [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]0.2. We collected plant and soil samples from hot locations close to the nuclear power plant and investigated the contamination by [Formula: see text]Cs and [Formula: see text]Sr in plants and soil using a [Formula: see text]-ray scintillation detector and our new [Formula: see text]Sr detection system. We recorded [Formula: see text]Sr specific activities of 19 and 5.6 kBq/kg at and 5 cm below the soil surface, respectively, at a distance of 3 km from the nuclear power plant. We estimated a specific activity of [Formula: see text]Sr in plants of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]0.6 Bq/kg in most of the Fukushima region, 13–64 Bq/kg in the controlled area, and 380 Bq/kg within 3 km of the nuclear power plant. Thus, we confirmed that plants grown in Fukushima were free of contamination by [Formula: see text]Cs and [Formula: see text]Sr.