bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consequences of a nectar yeast for pollinator preference and performance
Authors: Schaeffer Robert N. , Mei Yu Zhu , Andicoechea Jonathan , Manson Jessamyn S. , Irwin Rebecca E.
Published: September 2016

Pollinators utilize floral resources that vary in colour, scent and reward quality. Variation in such traits, including nectar rewards, in addition to cues associated with their quality, can influence pollinator foraging decisions with consequences for pollinator reproductive success. Nectar is commonly subject to colonization by micro‐organisms capable of affecting a suite of traits important for pollinator attraction and fitness; yet, links between microbial presence and changes in pollinator preference and performance remain few.

Here, we evaluated the effects of a nectar‐inhabiting micro‐organism on pollinator foraging behaviour and reproduction using the common eastern bumblebee Bombus impatiens and the cosmopolitan nectar yeast Metschnikowia reukaufii. Using a combination of choice and no‐choice behavioural and feeding assays, we manipulated the presence and viability of M. reukaufii in nectar and assessed bumblebee foraging and reproductive responses.

Bombus impatiens workers responded positively to the presence of yeasts. Foragers trained to associate yeast presence with flower colour visited a significantly greater proportion of flowers inoculated with yeast when subject to a colour discrimination test. Moreover, foragers naïve to nectar yeasts incorporated more yeast‐inoculated flowers into initial foraging bouts when presented with a novel floral array. In addition, bees spent significantly longer foraging on yeast‐inoculated flowers compared to yeast‐free flowers. However, when we manipulated yeast presence and viability in microcolonies of queenless workers, we found no effect of yeast on components of bumblebee reproduction, such as initiation of egg laying and number of eggs laid. This lack of an effect of yeast persisted even under conditions of pollen limitation.

Taken together, these results suggest that nectar yeasts can enhance floral signalling and alter pollinator foraging behaviour at individual flowers, though they may not directly affect pollinator performance. Thus, nectar yeasts may play a significant role in mediating pollinator foraging behaviour, with consequences for plant fitness and evolution of floral traits.
Two‐dimensional joint inversions of cross‐hole resistivity data and resolution analysis of combined arrays
Authors: Demirel Cem , Candansayar M. Emin
Published: September 2016

In this study, a new two‐dimensional inversion algorithm was developed for the inversion of cross‐hole direct current resistivity measurements. In the last decades, various array optimisation methods were suggested for resistivity tomography. However, researchers have still collected data by using classical electrode arrays in most cross‐hole applications. Therefore, we investigated the accuracy of both the individual and the joint inversion of the classical cross‐hole arrays by using both synthetic and field data with the developed algorithm. We showed that the joint inversion of bipole–bipole, pole–bipole, bipole–pole, and pole–tripole electrode arrays gives inverse solutions that are closer to the real model than the individual inversions of the electrode array datasets for the synthetic data inversion. The model resolution matrix of the suggested arrays was used to analyse the inversion results. This model resolution analysis also showed the advantage of the joint inversion of bipole–bipole, pole–bipole, bipole–pole, and pole–tripole arrays. We also used sensitivity sections from each of the arrays and their superpositions to explain why joint inversion gives better resolution than the any individual inversion result.
Collaboration with Regulators to Support Quality and Accountability Following Medical Errors: The Communication and Resolution Program Certification Pilot
Authors: Gallagher Thomas H. , Farrell Michael L. , Karson Hannah , Armstrong Sarah J. , Maldon John T. , Mello Michelle M. , Cullen Bruce F.
Published: September 2016

Objective

Communication and resolution programs (CRPs) involve institutions responding to adverse events using transparency with patients, event analysis, recurrence prevention, and compensation. Collaboration with regulators around CRPs could enhance health care quality.

Setting and Participants

Health care institutions, liability insurers, and the Medical Quality Assurance Commission (MQAC, board of medicine) in Washington State.

Study Design

MQAC has collaborated with the Foundation for Health Care Quality (FHCQ) on the CRP Certification pilot. A panel of physicians, risk managers, and patient advocates at FHCQ will review cases for use of the CRP key elements. Cases meeting this standard will be “CRP Certified.” If MQAC determines that the CRP enhanced patient safety comparable or better than board action, the Commission may close the case.

Principal Findings

Developing this process identified the following issues: (1) protecting information submitted for CRP Certification; (2) determining what information the Commission needs to assess whether additional investigation is warranted; (3) preserving the Commission's responsibility to protect the public while working with health care organizations; and (4) addressing concerns that CRP Certification not shield incompetent providers.

Conclusions

The CRP Certification program is a promising example of collaboration among institutions, insurers, and regulators to promote patient‐centered accountability and learning following adverse events.
Performance of Drying Technologies to Ensure Microbial Safety of Dried Fruits and Vegetables
Authors: Bourdoux Siméon , Li Dan , Rajkovic Andreja , Devlieghere Frank , Uyttendaele Mieke
Published: September 2016

Dried fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices are produced in and sourced from many countries worldwide, but they have been increasingly reported to be involved in outbreaks and alerts due to the presence of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella. These dried products are mainly produced by solar drying and conventional air drying, but a wide range of drying technologies are available. From a technological point of view the general trend is to optimize and standardize the drying process to ensure high‐quality products to be offered. Drying technologies are mainly evaluated for their performance to reduce water activity at low energy cost while maintaining good sensorial quality of the dried product. However, as low water activity foods are increasingly recognized to support microbial survival and dried products are often consumed as they are, or are used as ingredients in many ready‐to‐eat foods, there is increasing attention to the microbiological quality and safety aspects of these products. This review presents traditional and emerging technologies to dry fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices and discusses their potential to inactivate bacteria and viruses throughout the drying process. Overall, the microbial inactivation effect of the presented technologies has not yet been thoroughly assessed, even for traditional methods like solar drying, conventional air drying, or freeze‐drying. Emerging technologies such as dielectric (assisted) drying and low‐pressure superheated steam drying have been shown to reduce microbial populations; however, the number of studies is still low. Very few studies have focused on viral inactivation during drying processes.
Dietary sodium and potassium intake and their association with blood pressure in a non‐hypertensive Iranian adult population: Isfahan salt study
Authors: Mohammadifard Noushin , Khaledifar Arsalan , Khosravi Alireza , Nouri Fatemeh , Pourmoghadas Ali , Feizi Awat , Esmaillzadeh Ahmad , Sarrafzadegan Nizal
Published: September 2016

Aim

The association of sodium (Na) and potassium (K) intake with blood pressure (BP) is an ongoing debate, especially in central Iran. We aimed to examine the mean Na and K intake, major sources of Na and the relationship between BP and dietary and urinary Na and K.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was performed in central Iran in 2013–2014. A total of 796 non‐hypertensive adults aged >18 years were randomly recruited. The semi‐quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary Na and K intake. Moreover, 24‐hour urine samples were collected to measure 24‐hour urinary Na (UNa) and K (UK) as biomarkers. BP was measured twice on each arm using a standard protocol.

Results

The mean Na and K intake were 4309.6 ± 1344.4 and 2732.7 ± 1050.5 mg/day, respectively. Table and cooking salt were the main sources of Na. Odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) of the crude model in the highest quartile of UNa indicated a significant association with the higher risk of prehypertension (OR (95% CI): 2.09 (1.09–4.05); P for trend = 0.007). After adjustment for potential confounders, prehypertension was significantly associated with increasing dietary Na/K ratio (OR (95% CI): 1.28 (1.01–1.57); P for trend = 0.046) and UNa/UK ratio (OR (95% CI): 2.15(1.08‐4.55); P for trend = 0.029).

Conclusions

Increasing dietary and urinary Na/K ratios and UNa were associated with elevated BP and prehypertension occurrence. These findings support the necessity of developing a salt reduction programme in our country.
Food provision in early childhood education and care services: Exploring how staff determine nutritional adequacy
Authors: Cole Amanda , Vidgen Helen , Cleland Phoebe
Published: September 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore the methods, processes and strategies used by early childhood education and care (ECEC) services when determining the nutritional adequacy of food provided to children in their care.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews (n = 22) were conducted with directors, educators and cooks at long day care services (LDCS) (n = 12) regarding nutritional adequacy, the use of tools, guidelines and checklists, menu planning and identification and management of unhealthy foods. A qualitative thematic approach was used to identify anticipated and emergent themes. Case‐by‐case comparisons were then made, and tables and models were created to allow for comparative analysis.

Results

LDCS relied on personal knowledge, experience and ‘common sense’ when determining the nutritional adequacy of the food provided to children. LDCS demonstrated a lack of awareness and use of current regulatory requirements, nutrition guidelines and recommendations, although the services were confident in providing nutrition advice to parents/carers.

Conclusions

LDCS staff use personal knowledge and experience over evidence‐based nutrition guidelines and recommendations when determining if the food provided to children is nutritionally adequate. ECEC services are recognised as important settings for obesity prevention and the development of lifetime healthy eating habits. This study highlights the complexities and inconsistencies in providing food that is nutritious and appropriate to children in care while highlighting the need to improve the use and accessibility of nutrition guidelines.
Supplementation with Cashew Nut and Cottonseed Meal to Modify Fatty Acid Content in Lamb Meat
Authors: Pereira Elzania S. , Mizubuti Ivone Y. , Oliveira Ronaldo L. , Pinto Andréa P. , Ribeiro Edson L.A. , Gadelha Carla R.F. , Campos Ana C.N. , Pereira Marília F. , Carneiro Maria S.S. , Arruda Paulo C. , Silva Luciano P.
Published: September 2016

This study evaluates the effect of cashew nut meal (CNM), whole cottonseed (WCS), and calcium salts of long‐chain fatty acids (Ca‐LCFA) on the fatty acid profiles of meat from hair lambs. Thirty‐five 60‐d‐old, male, noncastrated Santa Ines lambs with an initial average body weight of 13.00 ± 1.80 kg were used in a randomized complete‐block design with 7 blocks and 5 treatments. The experimental treatments consisted of a control diet (CON) without supplemental lipids and 4 test diets with different lipid supplements that were selected according to the degree of protection from ruminal hydrogenation and their polyunsaturated fatty acid richness. The tests diets included the following modifications: supplementation with WCS, supplementation with CNM, supplementation with both cottonseed and CNM (CSCNM), and supplementation with Ca‐LCFA. The C18:1n9c content was highest in the meat of the animals fed the CNM diet (42.00%). The meat from lambs fed the WCS and Ca‐LCFA diets had higher C18:0 contents (25.23 and 22.80%, respectively). The C16:1 content was higher in the meat from the animals fed the CNM and CON diets (1.54 and 1.49%, respectively). C18:2c9t11 concentration was higher in the meat from the animals fed the Ca‐LCFA and CNM diets. The estimated enzyme activity of Δ9‐desaturase C18 was highest in the muscles of the lambs fed the CON, CNM, and CSCNM diets. The use of cashew nuts in the diet resulted in an increase in the C18:2c9t11 content of the lamb meat, which improved the nutritional characteristics of the fat.
Identification of the Major Components of Buddleja officinalis Extract and Their Metabolites in Rat Urine by UHPLC‐LTQ‐Orbitrap
Authors: Sun Mohan , Luo Zhiqiang , Liu Yang , Yang Ruirui , Lu Lina , Yu Guohua , Ma Xiaoyun , Liu Aoxue , Guo Yafang , Zhao Haiyu
Published: September 2016

Buddleja officinalis Maxim, one of the most popular herbal medicines in China, is widely prescribed for curing eye diseases for centuries. In this study, the major components of B. officinalis extract (BOE) and their metabolites in rat urine were detected and identified by ultra‐high‐pressure liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap‐orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐LTQ‐Orbitrap). A total of 19 compounds, including 8 flavonoids and 11 phenylethanoid glycosides, were confirmed or tentatively identified from BOE. In vivo, 33 components, including 3 prototypes and 30 metabolies, were confirmed or tentatively identified in rat urine samples. The metabolic pathways of different types of compounds were also proposed. This study would effectively narrow the range of potentially bioactive constituents of BOE and shed light to its action mechanism.
Solutions for loss of information in high‐beta‐diversity community data
Authors: Smith Robert J.
Published: September 2016

Dissimilarity measures, which gauge compositional resemblance between sample units, tend to lose information with increasing distance along ecological gradients. This undesirable property is especially common in high‐beta‐diversity community data, yet analysts seldom acknowledge it when relating multivariate attributes (e.g. species composition) to underlying gradients.

With 1000 simulated and 14 real community data sets, I systematically varied beta‐diversity to evaluate the effects of seven dissimilarity adjustment methods (plus one baseline method) on outcomes from multivariate gradient analyses. Performance was determined by plotting dissimilarities vs. environmental distances, by ordination vs. environmental distance correlations and by Procrustean concordance of ordinations with known environmental grid structure.

Performance of all methods declined as narrower niches and greater competition asymmetry led to greater beta‐diversity. With simulated data, methods based on probabilities of joint occurrences (Beals smoothing, Swan's method) most effectively resolved the loss‐of‐information problem, followed closely by three step‐across methods (Shortest‐path, Extended, Geodesic); the CY and Diffusion methods did not outperform unmodified Bray–Curtis dissimilarities. With real community data sets, the Beals, Shortest‐path and Extended methods excelled.

Electing to adjust dissimilarities is recommended when many pairs of sample units share few species in common, although unmodified dissimilarities may still be appropriate when beta‐diversity is low. Dissimilarity adjustments are appropriate not only for species diversity and ecological purposes, but also for other applications where nonlinear relationships among attributes and gradients are expected in zero‐rich and highly variable multivariate data.
Severe odontogenic infection in pregnancy: a timely reminder
Authors: Tocaciu S , Robinson BW , Sambrook PJ
Published: September 2016

Dental practitioners often treat patients that are pregnant. Understanding the altered physiology in the pregnant patient, especially changes in immune function, is vital in effective management of orofacial infections. We present a case of rapidly spreading odontogenic infection in a pregnant patient requiring surgical management. We also discuss the physiological changes of pregnancy relevant to dentistry, and the principles of managing such infections in the gravid patient.
Eliciting and integrating expert knowledge to assess the viability of the critically endangered golden sun‐moth Synemon plana
Authors: Mata Luis , Garrard Georgia E. , Kutt Alex S. , Wintle Bonnie C. , Chee Yung En , Backstrom Anna , Bainbridge Brian , Urlus Jake , Brown Geoff W. , Tolsma Arn D. , Yen Alan L. , New Timothy R. , Bekessy Sarah A.
Published: September 2016

The critically endangered golden sun‐moth Synemon plana occurs in urban fringe areas of southeastern Australia that are currently experiencing rapid and extensive development. The urban fringe is a complex and uncertain environment in which to manage threatened species with the intersection of fragmented natural habitats, built environments and human populations generating novel, poorly understood interactions. In this context, management frameworks must incorporate ecological processes as well as social considerations. Here, we explore how biodiversity sensitive urban design might improve the fate of the golden sun‐moth, and threatened species generally, in urban fringe environments. We: (i) developed an expert‐informed Bayesian Belief Network model that synthesizes the current understanding of key determinants of golden sun‐moth population viability at sites experiencing urbanizing pressure; (ii) quantified the nature and strength of cause‐effect relationships between these factors using expert knowledge; and (iii) used the model to assess expectations of moth population viability in response to different combinations of management actions. We predict that adult survival, bare ground cover and cover of resource plants are the most important variables affecting the viability of golden sun‐moth populations. We also demonstrate the potential for biodiversity sensitive urban design as a complementary measure to conventional management for this species. Our findings highlight how expert knowledge may be a valuable component of conservation management, especially in addressing uncertainty around conservation decisions when empirical data are lacking, and how structured expert judgements become critical in supporting decisions that may help ameliorate extinction risks faced by threatened species in urban environments.
Malthus, Darwin, and the Descent of Economics
Authors: Remoff Heather
Published: September 2016

Confusion about overpopulation stems from the writings of Thomas Malthus in 1798. It was compounded by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, both of whom made the Malthusian “struggle for existence” the basis of natural selection in the evolutionary process. Malthus argued, without evidence, that human population growth will continue unchecked until regulated by external factors such as hunger and disease. Darwin and Wallace cemented that idea into evolutionary theory. Recent evolutionary biologists have focused on gene frequency as a way to compare the reproductive success of one individual against another within the same species. However, among humans, the true basis of reproductive success is grounded in control of the resources necessary for survival. Humans sometimes adapt to environmental stress by having more children, not fewer, which means that poverty can cause population growth, not the reverse. Recognizing this simple relationship would have helped Darwin resolve a dilemma at the heart of his theory: his expectation that the most successful members of our species would have the most children, an idea contradicted by his observation of large, poor families among the Irish. The evolutionary puzzle can be solved by observing that providing equal access to land enables humans to limit their own fertility. The problem of equal access can be addressed by implementing Henry George's idea of taxing the value of land, thereby preventing hoarding and gross inequality of wealth.
Gender, Honor, and Aggregate Fertility
Authors: Root Leslie , Johnson‐Hanks† Jennifer
Published: September 2016

This article examines the tension between population‐level and individual‐level interests regarding childbearing, from Malthus's concern for overpopulation to the contemporary issue of son preference, and argues for an understanding of individual‐level interests that distinguishes parents from households. In making this distinction, we draw attention to how gender norms can play an important role in shaping reproductive interests. Survey data and previous work show a wealth of differences in the number of children men and women would like to have, and in their behaviors toward the children they have. We argue not that gender norms cause women to want more children than men, but that they cause women to want children more, for reasons that include time spent with children, old‐age support, women's proscribed opportunities for achieving social standing, and the relationship in many contexts between honorable female adulthood and bearing children at the right time and under the right circumstances. We further argue that a just and effective population policy must consider fertility outcomes at multiple scales, including that of the welfare of individual women.
All in the Family: Partisan Disagreement and Electoral Mobilization in Intimate Networks—A Spillover Experiment
Authors: Foos Florian , de Rooij Eline A.
Published: September 2016

We advance the debate about the impact of political disagreement in social networks on electoral participation by addressing issues of causal inference common in network studies, focusing on voters' most important context of interpersonal influence: the household. We leverage a randomly assigned spillover experiment conducted in the United Kingdom, combined with a detailed database of pretreatment party preferences and public turnout records, to identify social influence within heterogeneous and homogeneous partisan households. Our results show that intrahousehold mobilization effects are larger as a result of campaign contact in heterogeneous than in homogeneous partisan households, and larger still when the partisan intensity of the message is exogenously increased, suggesting discussion rather than behavioral contagion as a mechanism. Our results qualify findings from influential observational studies and suggest that within intimate social networks, negative correlations between political heterogeneity and electoral participation are unlikely to result from political disagreement.
Physiological aspects of Toll‐like receptor 4 activation in sepsis‐induced acute kidney injury
Authors: Anderberg S. B. , Luther T. , Frithiof R.
Published: September 2016

Sepsis‐induced acute kidney injury (SI‐AKI) is common and associated with high mortality. Survivors are at increased risk of chronic kidney disease. The precise mechanism underlying SI‐AKI is unknown, and no curative treatment exists. Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) activates the innate immune system in response to exogenous microbial products. The result is an inflammatory reaction aimed at clearing a potential infection. However, the consequence may also be organ dysfunction as the immune response can cause collateral damage to host tissue. The purpose of this review is to describe the basis for how ligand binding to TLR4 has the potential to cause renal dysfunction and the mechanisms by which this may take place in gram‐negative sepsis. In addition, we highlight areas for future research that can further our knowledge of the pathogenesis of SI‐AKI in relation to TLR4 activation. TLR4 is expressed in the kidney. Activation of TLR4 causes cytokine and chemokine release as well as renal leucocyte infiltration. It also results in endothelial and tubular dysfunction in addition to altered renal metabolism and circulation. From a physiological standpoint, inhibiting TLR4 in large animal experimental SI‐AKI significantly improves renal function. Thus, current evidence indicates that TLR4 has the ability to mediate SI‐AKI by a number of mechanisms. The strong experimental evidence supporting a role of TLR4 in the pathogenesis of SI‐AKI in combination with the availability of pharmacological tools to target TLR4 warrants future human studies.
Border‐crossing: The PBO, PCO and the boundary of the public service
Authors: Heintzman Ralph
Published: September 2016

The Clerk of the Privy Council's (PCO) role in the 2012 confrontation with the Parliamentary Budget Officer is re‐examined as a case study in the imperatives of public service leadership in a system of responsible government. PCO's 2014 defence of the Clerk's conduct is contradicted both by the Clerk's text and by its own logical consequences. Both in form and substance, the Clerk crossed the boundary that should exist between public service and political values, and thus provided additional evidence of the need to re‐establish the necessary boundary between elected and unelected officials in a parliamentary democracy.
Visual outcomes and late complications in paediatric orbital rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: Eade Edwina , Tumuluri Krishna , Do Helen , Rowe Neil , Smith James
Published: September 2016

Background

Orbital rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare but important malignancy for an ophthalmologist. We aimed to review the management and outcome, including late orbital complications and visual acuity over 25 years from a specialist paediatric ophthalmology department.

Design

This was a retrospective longitudinal case series.

Participants

All patients presenting to our institution between December 1989 and December 2014 with a histopathological diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma originating from (primary) or invading into the orbit (paranasal) were included.

Methods

The oncology and ophthalmology databases were cross referenced to identify patients.

Main Outcome Measures

Baseline demographics, chemotherapy, surgical and radiation dose, visual acuity, ocular and systemic complications, local and distant recurrence and mortality were recorded for each patient. Outcomes were reported with descriptive statistics.

Results

Eighteen patients were included. Median age was 4.3 years (range 4 months to 16 years) with average follow‐up of 9 years. The 5‐year disease‐specific survival was 100% for the orbital group and 25% for the paranasal group; 29% of the orbital group maintained vision better than 6/12 in their treated eye, and the overall globe conservation rate was 71%. The most common ocular complications were cataract and keratopathy in both the orbital and paranasal groups. Other ocular complications included orbital hypoplasia or fat atrophy, eyelid malposition and lacrimal duct stenosis.

Conclusions

Ophthalmic late effects are seen in a significant proportion of patients with orbital rhabdomyosarcoma. There is excellent survival in these patients, and continued efforts should be made to reduce the late effects of therapy.
Using a social–ecological framework to inform the implementation of conservation plans
Authors: Guerrero Angela M. , Wilson Kerrie A.
Published: September 2016

One of the key determinants of success in biodiversity conservation is how well conservation planning decisions account for the social system in which actions are to be implemented. Understanding elements of how the social and ecological systems interact can help identify opportunities for implementation. Utilizing data from a large‐scale conservation initiative in southwestern of Australia, we explored how a social–ecological system framework can be applied to identify how social and ecological factors interact to influence the opportunities for conservation. Using data from semistructured interviews, an online survey, and publicly available data, we developed a conceptual model of the social–ecological system associated with the conservation of the Fitz‐Stirling region. We used this model to identify the relevant variables (remnants of vegetation, stakeholder presence, collaboration between stakeholders, and their scale of management) that affect the implementation of conservation actions in the region. We combined measures for these variables to ascertain how areas associated with different levels of ecological importance coincided with areas associated with different levels of stakeholder presence, stakeholder collaboration, and scales of management. We identified areas that could benefit from different implementation strategies, from those suitable for immediate conservation action to areas requiring implementation over the long term to increase on‐the‐ground capacity and identify mechanisms to incentivize implementation. The application of a social–ecological framework can help conservation planners and practitioners facilitate the integration of ecological and social data to inform the translation of priorities for action into implementation strategies that account for the complexities of conservation problems in a focused way.
The effect of protected areas on forest disturbance in the Carpathian Mountains 1985–2010
Authors: Butsic Van , Munteanu Catalina , Griffiths Patrick , Knorn Jan , Radeloff Volker C. , Lieskovský Juraj , Mueller Daniel , Kuemmerle Tobias
Published: September 2016

Protected areas are a cornerstone for forest protection, but they are not always effective during times of socioeconomic and institutional crises. The Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe are an ecologically outstanding region, with widespread seminatural and old‐growth forest. Since 1990, Carpathian countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine) have experienced economic hardship and institutional changes, including the breakdown of socialism, European Union accession, and a rapid expansion of protected areas. The question is how protected‐area effectiveness has varied during these times across the Carpathians given these changes. We analyzed a satellite‐based data set of forest disturbance (i.e., forest loss due to harvesting or natural disturbances) from 1985 to 2010 and used matching statistics and a fixed‐effects estimator to quantify the effect of protection on forest disturbance. Protected areas in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the Ukraine had significantly less deforestation inside protected areas than outside in some periods; the likelihood of disturbance was reduced by 1–5%. The effectiveness of protection increased over time in these countries, whereas the opposite was true in Romania. Older protected areas were most effective in Romania and Hungary, but newer protected areas were more effective in Czech Republic, and Poland. Strict protection (International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN] protection category Ia‐II) was not more effective than landscape‐level protection (IUCN III‐VI). We suggest that the strength of institutions, the differences in forest privatization, forest management, prior distribution of protected areas, and when countries joined the European Union may provide explanations for the strikingly heterogeneous effectiveness patterns among countries. Our results highlight how different the effects of protected areas can be at broad scales, indicating that the effectiveness of protected areas is transitory over time and space and suggesting that generalizations about the effectiveness of protected areas can be misleading.
Complexity as a continuum of many health‐related challenges
Authors: Brehaut Jamie C , Kohen Dafna E
Published: September 2016

This commentary is on the review by Glader et al. on pages 1116–1123 of this issue.
Young people's experiences of Social Recovery Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and treatment as usual in the PRODIGY trial
Authors: Gee Brioney , Notley Caitlin , Byrne Rory , Clarke Tim , Hodgekins Jo , French Paul , Fowler David
Published: September 2016

Aim

The PRODIGY trial is an ongoing randomized controlled trial of Social Recovery Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (SRCBT), a new intervention designed to improve social functioning in young people at risk of long‐term social disability due to severe and complex mental health problems. The aim of this qualitative sub‐study was to understand trial participants’ experiences of SRCBT and the control condition, treatment as usual.

Methods

Trial participants were aged 16–25 years with socially disabling severe and complex mental health problems. A purposive sample of trial participants took part in in‐depth qualitative interviews which were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.

Results

Participants from the SRCBT arm valued the relationship with their therapist, the flexibility of intervention delivery and the cognitive and behavioural techniques taught. They viewed SRCBT as challenging but worthwhile. Participants from the treatment as usual arm reported receiving little support, both prior to and during their participation in the trial. Participants from both arms valued opportunities to talk about their difficulties during trial participation. Increased activity was an important goal of participants from both arms and most expressed high motivation and little hopelessness.

Conclusions

Currently available services do not meet the needs of some young people with socially disabling mental health problems. Motivation to change appears high at this early stage of disorder, supporting the potential value of intervening early to prevent longer term social disability. SRCBT was well accepted by participants and so is a promising intervention to meet this objective.
Family cohesion and flexibility in early episode psychosis
Authors: Gupta Maya , Bowie Christopher R.
Published: September 2016

Aim

Research suggests that family support promotes recovery and is a key component of a successful early intervention programme. However, very little is known about family functioning in families that are coping with the onset of a psychotic illness and the factors that help to foster adaptive family functioning during this challenging time. The purpose of this study was to understand the individual, caregiver and family factors that are associated with adaptive family functioning in early episode psychosis.

Methods

An online survey with 107 family caregivers of an individual with early psychosis was used to examine relationships among various caregiver and family system variables such as caregiver appraisals, coping strategies, quality of life, perceived helpfulness of support systems and family functioning. Family functioning was assessed using a multi‐dimensional approach and measured along dimensions of cohesion and flexibility.

Results

Family members of an individual with early psychosis reported more family difficulties across dimensions of cohesion and flexibility. Family members’ cognitive appraisals about the illness, its consequences and one's caregiving role were significant predictors of wellbeing. Negative appraisals were strongly associated with lower caregiver quality of life, whereas the presence of positive coping strategies was associated with better caregiver quality of life. Finally, positive caregiver appraisals predicted adaptive family functioning.

Conclusions

Family functioning is a complex and multi‐faceted construct. The findings from this study have important implications for the field of early intervention in psychosis and could inform relevant treatment targets.
The dopamine D3 receptor, a quarter century later
Authors: Sokoloff Pierre , Le Foll Bernard
Published: September 2016

This review updates the existing knowledge suggesting a role for the D3 receptor in schizophrenia and drug addiction. The D3 receptor is expressed in brain regions controlling reward, emotions, and motivation. Antipsychotics bind in vitro to the D3 receptor with similar affinity as to the D2 receptor, and occupancy of D3 receptors in vivo by these compounds given acutely at clinical dosage have been demonstrated in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) studies. The D3 receptor modulates glutamatergic pathways from the prefrontal cortex to subcortical areas, either directly by interacting with N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the nucleus accumbens, or indirectly by controlling dopamine release from ventral tegmental area neurons. In animals, D3 receptor antagonists reverse behavioral manifestations of NMDA receptor blockade and improve cognitive performances in various paradigms. Two D3 receptor‐selective compounds have reached clinical trials in schizophrenia, with negative results seemingly due to insufficient target engagement; the results with a third compound, F17464, have not been disclosed yet. There is converging evidence that D3 receptors do not control the reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse (with the exception of alcohol under low requirement), but rather affects the motivation to take the drugs under high requirement, reactivity to drug‐associated cues, and drug‐seeking behaviors triggered by stimuli associated with relapse in humans. D3 receptor expression measured by PET is upregulated in humans with various drug addictions. A single administration of the D3 receptor‐selective antagonist, GSK598809, in humans transiently alleviated craving in smokers after overnight abstinence. The clinical development of D3‐selective compounds will benefit from initial assessment of target engagement through the use of PET.
Implications of using the MDRD or CKD‐EPI equation instead of the Cockcroft–Gault equation for estimating renal function and drug dosage adjustment in elderly patients
Authors: Cartet‐Farnier Elodie , Goutelle‐Audibert Laetitia , Maire Pascal , De la Gastine Blandine , Goutelle Sylvain
Published: September 2016

The objectives of this study were to compare the estimations of renal function obtained with six equations, including the Cockcroft–Gault (CG), Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD‐EPI) equations and to evaluate the implication of using other equations for drug dosing in elderly patients in place of CG. An observational prospective study was conducted over 6 months in two geriatric hospitals with inclusions of all hospitalized inpatients. A list of 36 drugs for which recommendations of dosage adjustment for renal function were mentioned in the manufacturer dosing guidelines was used to compare the implications of using the various equations for drug dosing. A total of 249 patients with a mean age of 83.6 years were included. Mean estimates of renal function from the CG, MDRD, and CKD‐EPI equations were 51.3 ± 23.5 mL/min, 72.2 ± 35.2, and 64.3 ± 22.5 mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively (P < 0.001). Twenty percent of patients had at least one drug for which the dose was not appropriately adjusted to renal function. The use of the MDRD and CKD‐EPI equations in place of the CG equation was associated with dosage discrepancy in 20–25% of patients and 15% of drug orders, resulting in potential overdosage in 95% of cases. Use of MDRD or CKD‐EPI equations results in higher estimates of renal function and may have important implications for drug dosing decision and drug safety in elderly patients. The best way is to directly measure the drug effect or its concentration when it is possible to do so.
HP1BP3 expression determines maternal behavior and offspring survival
Authors: Garfinkel B. P. , Arad S. , Neuner S. M. , Netser S. , Wagner S. , Kaczorowski C. C. , Rosen C. J. , Gal M. , Soreq H. , Orly J.
Published: September 2016

Maternal care is an indispensable behavioral component necessary for survival and reproductive success in mammals, and postpartum maternal behavior is mediated by an incompletely understood complex interplay of signals including effects of epigenetic regulation. We approached this issue using our recently established mice with targeted deletion of heterochromatin protein 1 binding protein 3 (HP1BP3), which we found to be a novel epigenetic repressor with critical roles in postnatal growth. Here, we report a dramatic reduction in the survival of pups born to Hp1bp3−/− deficient mouse dams, which could be rescued by co‐fostering with wild‐type dams. Hp1bp3−/− females failed to retrieve both their own pups and foster pups in a pup retrieval test, and showed reduced anxiety‐like behavior in the open‐field and elevated‐plus‐maze tests. In contrast, Hp1bp3−/− females showed no deficits in behaviors often associated with impaired maternal care, including social behavior, depression, motor coordination and olfactory capability; and maintained unchanged anxiety‐associated hallmarks such as cholinergic status and brain miRNA profiles. Collectively, our results suggest a novel role for HP1BP3 in regulating maternal and anxiety‐related behavior in mice and call for exploring ways to manipulate this epigenetic process.
‘WIR WOLLTEN DOCH WISSEN, WIE GROß DIE GEFAHR WAR’: THE GERMAN WAR CHILD AS ICON AND AGENT IN BERLIN SCHOOL ESSAYS, 1946
Authors: Lloyd Alexandra
Published: September 2016

In recent years the generation of German children born in the 1930s and 1940s have begun to speak publicly about their experiences during World War II, breaking their decades‐long silence apparently for the first time. Publications such as Sabine Bode's Die vergessene Generation: Die Kriegskinder brechen ihr Schweigen established a narrative of long‐term trauma, repression of memory, and an opportunity for release in the new, empathetic, post‐unification context. While their memories were afforded a privileged and prominent status, the ‘Kriegskinder’ arguably became symbolic of German wartime victimhood. This article examines a collection of texts which pose a challenge to the portrayal of the former war children as icons of German suffering in post‐unification discourse. The 1996 volume ‘Ich schlug meiner Mutter die brennenden Funken ab’: Berliner Schulaufsätze aus dem Jahr 1946, compiled by Annett Gröschner, contains essays written in 1946 by schoolchildren living in East Berlin about their experiences in wartime and during post‐war reconstruction. Using these essays, this article considers the young authors’ self‐presentation as war children, accounts of their status as agents within the war, and the narrative agency they exercise in communicating their stories.

In den letzten Jahren haben Angehörige der deutschen Kriegskindergeneration ihr jahrzehntelanges Schweigen gebrochen, indem sie sich anscheinend zum ersten Mal öffentlich über ihre Erfahrungen im Zweiten Weltkrieg geäußert haben. Erzählt wird in vielen Veröffentlichungen, wie z. B. Sabine Bodes Die vergessene Generation: Die Kriegskinder brechen ihr Schweigen, von langfristigen Traumata, von der Verdrängung der Erinnerung und der Chance, das Angestaute in der neuen, einfühlsameren Nachwendezeit zu thematisieren. Solchen Erinnerungen wurde ein privilegierter und prominenter Status gewährt, und aus den Kriegskindern wurde gleichzeitig ein Symbol für deutsche Kriegsopfer. Dieser Artikel untersucht eine Sammlung von Texten, die die übliche Schilderung der Kriegskinder als Ikonen deutschen Leidens im Nachwendediskurs in Frage stellen. Der von Annett Gröschner 1996 ausgewählte und eingeleitete Band ‘Ich schlug meiner Mutter die brennenden Funken ab’: Berliner Schulaufsätze aus dem Jahr 1946 enthält Aufsätze, die 1946 von Ostberliner Schulkindern über ihre Erfahrungen während des Krieges und der Wiederaufbauphase geschrieben wurden. Durch eine Analyse dieser Aufsätze betrachtet der vorliegende Artikel die Selbstdarstellung der jungen Schreibenden als Kriegskinder, ihre Selbstbeschreibung als Handelnde im Krieg, und ihre narrative Tätigkeit als Autoren ihrer Erlebnisse.
Ecotypic variation in forage nutrient value of a dominant prairie grass across a precipitation gradient
Authors: Gibson David J. , Donatelli Juliette M. , AbuGhazaleh Amer , Baer Sara G. , Johnson Loretta C.
Published: September 2016

Ecotypic variation in forage nutrient value of a dominant grassland species, Andropogon gerardii Vitman (big bluestem), was quantified across a longitudinal precipitation gradient of the US Great Plains. Ecotypic variation of A. gerardii has been documented across this gradient, but the extent to which forage nutrient value differs among ecotypes is poorly known. Seven indicators of forage nutrient value (neutral detergent fiber [NDF], acid detergent fiber [ADF], in‐vitro dry matter digestibility [IVDMD], crude protein [CP], crude fat [CF], ash content) and relative feed value [RFV] were examined in 12 populations representing four ecotypes corresponding with distinct climate regions: eastern Colorado, central Kansas, eastern Kansas and southern Illinois. Vegetative material of A. gerardii was collected from each population in July 2010. A greenhouse study tested the effect of watering regime on seedlings of the ecotypes from three of the precipitation regions grown under controlled conditions. Forage nutrient value indicators nitrogen and CP increased, and ADF decreased east to west, while IVDMD decreased across the gradient corresponding with less annual precipitation. The greenhouse experiment showed that sampling before and after water treatment affected forage nutrient value measurements, with the exception of NDF and CF. Nutrient value was most related to soil moisture and phenology, with smaller differences among ecotypes. Nutrient value of populations from the southern Illinois ecotype changed the least in response to variation in soil moisture. The southern Illinois ecotype will likely maintain forge nutrient value under variable precipitation projected to occur with climate change better than the ecotypes from more westerly parts of the range of A. gerardii.
The demographics, treatment characteristics and quality of life of adult people with haemophilia in China – results from the HERO study
Authors: Sun J. , Zhao Y. , Yang R. , Guan T. , Iorio A. ,   the Chinese HERO study group
Published: September 2016

Introduction

Haemophilia management in China needs to be further developed. To further improve the quality of life (QoL) of people with haemophilia (PWH) in China, it is important to investigate the peculiarities of China as compared to other countries.

Aim

The primary objective of the Haemophilia Experiences, Results and Opportunities (HERO) project was to quantify the impact of key psychosocial factors affecting PWH. This article presents the demographics, treatment characteristics, and QoL of adult PWH in China as compared with the results of the other nine countries participating in the HERO study.

Methods

This was a web‐ (except in Algeria) and questionnaire‐based survey conducted in 10 countries.

Results

A total of 110 adult PWH from China and 565 from other countries completed the questionnaire. Compared with other countries, respondents in China reported: lower rate of employment (45.6% vs. 63.1%); lower percentages of being treated by prophylaxis (4.1% vs. 36.8%), being treated always at home (27.8% vs. 54.3%) and following treatment recommendation as instructed (6.2% vs. 40.5%); greater difficulty in obtaining replacement factor products (97.3% vs. 29.6%) and visiting their treatment centre (60.9% vs. 26.4%); more annual bleeds requiring treatment (mean: 29.4/year vs. 15.4/year); lower mean self‐evaluated disease control score (5.5 vs. 7.7), EQ‐5D index (0.71 vs. 0.75) and visual analogue scale (7.1 vs. 7.5) scores. Employed PWH in China had a better self‐reported generic QoL than those unemployed.

Conclusions

The study suggests that there is a major need for further improvement of both medical care and ongoing psychosocial support for PWH in China.