bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elucidating the roles of Alzheimer disease-associated proteases and the signal-peptide peptidase-like 3 (SPPL3) in the shedding of glycosyltransferases
Authors: El-Battari Assou , Mathieu Sylvie , Sigaud Romain , Prorok-Hamon Maëlle , Ouafik L’Houcine , Jeanneau Charlotte
Published: May 2018

The Golgi resident glycosyltransferases (GTs) are membrane-bound glycoproteins but are frequently found as soluble proteins in biological fluids where their function remains largely unknown. Previous studies have established that the release of these proteins involved Alzheimer disease-associated proteases such as β-secretases (BACE1 and BACE2) and the intramembrane-cleaving aspartyl proteases Presenilins 1 and 2. Recent studies have involved another intramembrane-cleaving enzyme, the signal peptide peptidese-like-3 (SPPL3). Except for the latter, the two former studies mostly addressed particular cases of GTs, namely ST6Gal-I (BACEs) or GnT-V (Presenilins). Therefore the question still remains as which of these secretases is truly responsible for the cleavage and secretion of GTs. We herein combined the 3 proteases in a single study with respect to their abilities to release 3 families of GTs encompassing three N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases, two fucosyltransferases and two sialyltransferases. Green fluorescent protein (gfp)-fused versions of these GTs were virally transduced in mouse embryonic fibroblasts devoid of BACEs, Presenilins or SPPL3. We found that neither BACE nor Presenilins are involved in the shedding of these glycosyltransferases, while SPPL3 was involved in the cleavage and release of some but not all GTs. Notably, the γ- secretase inhibitor DFK-167 was the only molecule capable of significantly decreasing glycosyltransferase secretion, suggesting the involvement of γ-secretase(s), yet different from Presenilins but comprising SPPL3 among other proteases still to be identified. Using confocal microscopy, we show that SPPL3 selectivity towards GTs relays not only on sequence specificity but also depends on how GTs distribute in the cell with respect SPPL3 during their cycling within and outside the Golgi.
Heterogeneity of Long-History Migration Predicts Smiling, Laughter and Positive Emotion Across the Globe and Within the United States
Authors: Niedenthal Paula M. , Rychlowska Magdalena , Wood Adrienne , Zhao Fangyun
Published: May 2018

Recent findings demonstrate that heterogeneity of long-history migration predicts present-day emotion behaviors and norms. Residents of countries characterized by high ancestral diversity display emotion expressions that are easier to decode by observers, endorse norms of higher emotion expressivity, and smile more in response to certain stimuli than residents of countries that lack ancestral diversity. We build on the extant findings and investigate historical heterogeneity as a predictor of daily smiling, laughter, and positive emotion across the world’s countries and the states of the United States. Study 1 finds that historical heterogeneity is positively associated with self-reports of smiling, laughter, and positive emotions in the Gallup World Poll when controlling for GDP and current present-day population diversity. Study 2 extends the findings to effects of long-history migration within the United States. We estimated the average percentage of foreign-born citizens in each state between 1850 and 2010 based on US Census information as an indicator of historical heterogeneity. Consistent with the world findings of Study 1, historical heterogeneity predicted smiling, laughter, and positive, but not negative, emotion. The relationships remained significant when controlling for per capita income and present-day diversity of population of each state. Together, the findings further demonstrate the important role of long-history migration in shaping emotion cultures of countries and states, which persist beyond the original socio-ecological conditions, and open promising avenues for cross-cultural research.
BK channel inhibition by strong extracellular acidification
Authors: Zhou Yu , Xia Xiao-Ming , Lingle Christopher J.
Published: May 2018

BK-type voltage- and Ca2+-dependent K+ channels are found in a wide range of cells and intracellular organelles. Among different loci, the composition of the extracellular microenvironment, including pH, may differ substantially. For example, it has been reported that BK channels are expressed in lysosomes with their extracellular side facing the strongly acidified lysosomal lumen (pH ~ 4.5). Here we show that BK activation is strongly and reversibly inhibited by extracellular H+, with its conductance-voltage relationship shifted by more than +100 mV at pHO 4. Our results reveal that this inhibition is mainly caused by H+ inhibition of BK voltage-sensor (VSD) activation through three acidic residues on the extracellular side of BK VSD. Given that these key residues (D133, D147, D153) are highly conserved among members in the voltage-dependent cation channel superfamily, the mechanism underlying BK inhibition by extracellular acidification might also be applicable to other members in the family.
Robust Design for Coalescent Model Inference
Authors: Parag Kris V , Pybus Oliver G
Published: May 2018

—The coalescent process describes how changes in the size of a population influence the genealogical patterns of sequences sampled from that population. The estimation of population size changes from genealogies that are reconstructed from these sequence samples, is an important problem in many biological fields. Often, population size is characterised by a piecewise-constant function, with each piece serving as a population size parameter to be estimated. Estimation quality depends on both the statistical coalescent inference method employed, and on the experimental protocol, which controls variables such as the sampling of sequences through time and space, or the transformation of model parameters. While there is an extensive literature devoted to coalescent inference methodology, there is surprisingly little work on experimental design. The research that does exist is largely simulation based, precluding the development of provable or general design theorems. We examine three key design problems: temporal sampling of sequences under the skyline demographic coalescent model, spatio-temporal sampling for the structured coalescent model, and time discretisation for sequentially Markovian coalescent models. In all cases we prove that (i) working in the logarithm of the parameters to be inferred (e.g. population size), and (ii) distributing informative coalescent events uniformly among these log-parameters, is uniquely robust. ‘Robust’ means that the total and maximum uncertainty of our estimates are minimised, and are also insensitive to their unknown (true) parameter values. Given its persistence among models, this formally derived two-point theorem may form the basis of an experimental design paradigm for coalescent inference.
Regulation of trophic architecture across spatial scales in a major river network
Authors: Harvey Eric , Altermatt Florian
Published: May 2018

Moving beyond species count data is an essential step to better understand the effects of environmental perturbations on biodiversity and ecosystem functions, and to eventually better predict the strength and direction of those effects. Here, coupling an integrative path analysis approach with data from an extensive countrywide monitoring program, we tested the main spatial, environmental and anthropogenic drivers of change in stream macroinvertebrate trophic structure along the entire Swiss Rhine river catchment. Trophic structure was largely driven by inherent altitudinal variation influencing and cascading to regional scaled factors such as land use change and position in the riverine network, which, in turn, transformed local habitat structure variables. Those cascading effects across scales propagated through the biotic community, first affecting preys and, in turn, predators. Our results illustrate how seemingly less important factors can act as essential transmission belts, propagating through direct and indirect pathways across scales to generate the specific context in which each trophic group will strive or not, leading to characteristic landscape wide variations in trophic community structure.
Tropical forest refuge in peripheral soils of slags in Caatinga
Authors: de Souza José João Lelis Leal , de Souza Bartolomeu Israel , de Queiroz Rubens Teixeira , Lunguinho Rony Lopes , de Medeiros Joseilson Ramos , Cardoso Eini Celly Morais , de Melo e Silva Pedro André , de Oliveira Helder Cavalcante
Published: May 2018

The influence of environmental factors on the structure and composition of plant communities in the Caatinga is complex and poorly explored. Spatial variation of biodiversity in Caatinga is poorly know and strictly attributed to climatic conditions. We investigated the influence of slags on floristic composition and structure of a shrubby-arboreal community in one of the driest region in Brazil. Chemical and physical analyses of soils were performed in samples of seven plots from savannic formations and from forest formations. Vegetation was characterized floristically and structurally in all plots. Habitats were structurally distinct, and diversity differed between peripheral and non-peripheral areas of slags. Nine of the ninety-seven species identified are reported to (sub)humid biomes. Soils are dominantly shallow, eutrophic and sandy loam. However, soils in the periphery of slags are more developed once paludization, melanization and bioturbation were verified. Our results suggest that soil fertility did not influence vegetable cover in Caatinga. The cover of plant species considered exclusive of (sub)humid biomes in Brazil extends beyond highlands in the semiarid, associated with high soil organic carbon content and water retention capacity of more developed soils than the typical of the Caatinga.
The surveillance of pre-mRNA splicing is an early step in C. elegans RNAi of endogenous genes
Authors: Newman Martin A. , Ji Fei , Fischer Sylvia E.J. , Anselmo Anthony , Sadreyev Ruslan I. , Ruvkun Gary
Published: May 2018

RNAi pathways detect and silence foreign nucleic acids such as viruses as well as endogenous genes in many species. The phylogenetic profile across eukaryotes of proteins that mediate key steps in RNAi is correlated with the profiles of multiple mRNA splicing proteins and with intron number, suggesting that RNAi may surveil mRNA splicing to detect the divergent or absent introns of viruses. Here we examine the role of mRNA splicing in Caenorhabditis elegans RNAi. We found that viable null mutations in U1 and U2 small nuclear ribonucleic protein (snRNP)-specific splicing factor genes cause defects in RNAi. The U1A ortholog rnp-2 is required for normal ERGO-1 Argonaute class 26G siRNA biogenesis, trans-splicing of the eri-6/7 transcript, and targeting of poorly conserved gene transcripts by WAGO Argonaute class 22G siRNAs. We found that gene transcripts engaged by the siRNA-generating machinery are poorly conserved, possess few introns, and often have introns that are divergent from introns with strong consensus splicing sites found in highly conserved genes. We present biochemical evidence that RNAi targeted transcripts are tightly bound to spliceosomes. These findings suggest multiple layers of regulation by the spliceosome at early steps of small RNA-mediated gene silencing.
Exploratory study of using unmanned aerial system imagery for construction site 3D mapping
Authors: Álvares Juliana Sampaio , Costa Dayana Bastos , Melo Roseneia Rodrigues Santos de
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an exploratory study which aims to assess the potential use of 3D mapping of buildings and construction sites using unmanned aerial system (UAS) imagery for supporting the construction management tasks.

Design/methodology/approach

The case studies were performed in two different residential construction projects. The equipment used was a quadcopter equipped with digital camera and GPS that allow for the registry of geo-referenced images. The Pix4D Mapper and PhotoScan software were used to generate the 3D models. The study sought to examine three main constructs related to the 3D mapping developed: the easiness of development, the quality of the models in accordance with the proposed use and the usefulness and limitations of the mapping for construction management purposes.

Findings

The main contributions of this study include a better understanding of the development process of 3D mapping from UAS imagery, the potential uses of this mapping for construction management and the identification of barriers and benefits related to the application of these emerging technologies for the construction industry.

Originality/value

The importance of the study is related to the initiative to identify and evaluate the potential use of 3D mapping from UAS imagery, which can provide a 3D view of the construction site from different perspectives, for construction management tasks applications, trying to bring positive contributions to this knowledge area.
The war on some consumers of some drugs
Authors: Ditchfield Jeff
Published: May 2018

Purpose

As a prominent Cannabis Activist in the UK, the purpose of this paper is to articulate some thoughts on where activists should go next, to challenge stigmatising drug laws.

Design/methodology/approach

A personal narrative is interweaved with a drug policy discussion and views on how activists can best promote reform.

Findings

Activists ought to fight moral injustice by breaking unjust laws if necessary. This paper demonstrates how activists can develop regulatory models from the bottom up via cannabis clubs and the importance of talking to and educating the media.

Originality/value

The author has been researching the benefits of medicinal cannabis since 2001 and assists terminal cancer sufferers around the world. The author is also an accomplished Public Speaker on cannabis and wishes to use this platform to share experience and thoughts with fellow activists.
Mentoring associate teachers in initial teacher education: the value of dialogic feedback
Authors: Jones Luke , Tones Steven , Foulkes Gethin
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse feedback in the context of secondary initial teacher education (ITE) in England. More specifically, it aims to examine the feedback experiences of physical education (PE) subject mentors and their associate teachers (ATs) during a one-year postgraduate programme.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews, with nine PE mentors and 11 ATs within a university ITE partnership, were used to explore lesson feedback and the context in which it was provided. Interview data from the 20 participants were analysed through constant comparison to categorise content and identify patterns of responses.

Findings

Mentors were well versed in the formal feedback mechanism of a written lesson observation. This approach is well established and accepted within ITE, but the dialogic feedback that follows lessons was thought to be where ATs made most progress. These learning conversations were seen to provide less formal but more authentic feedback for those learning to teach, and were most successful when founded on positive and collaborative relationships between the mentor and the ATs.

Practical implications

These findings have implications for providers of teacher education and more specifically how they approach mentor training. The focus on lesson observations has value, but examining more informal dialogic approaches to feedback may have more impact on the learning of ATs.

Originality/value

These findings support the value of lesson feedback but challenge the primacy of formal written lesson observations. The learning conversations that follow lessons are shown to provide authentic feedback for ATs.
A preventive conservation approach for historical timber roof structures
Authors: Van Roy Nathalie , Verstrynge Els , van Balen Koenraad
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the assets of a preventive conservation approach for historical timber roof structures, as a means to improve the quality and durability of maintenance and repair interventions.

Design/methodology/approach

The advantages of a preventive approach for historical structures were identified based on two analyses: a study of the structures’ behaviour and an investigation of existing approaches in current practice. The two main identified advantages of the approach, the cyclic process-approach and the potential of knowledge enhancement, were hereafter conceptually implemented in existing approaches.

Findings

Current practices focus on single curative interventions, and monitoring is often considered redundant. The importance of monitoring and knowledge enhancement is demonstrated based on the theory of complex adaptive systems (CAS). A preventive conservation approach for historic timber roof structures allows integrating these insights.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis of current practice is a sample survey, and the proposed preventive conservation approach is presented at a conceptual level. Future research foresees a more elaborated study of current practice and detailed validation of the developed approach.

Originality/value

Three new contributions to the existing research on preventive conservation are: arguments for the implementation of a preventive approach, based on an analysis of the structures’ behaviour; the identification of limitations of current approaches that can be tackled in a preventive conservation approach; and the integration of the existing international guidelines and the principles of preventive conservation into a conceptual approach for the monitoring and management of these structures. Furthermore, the research paper demonstrates how timber structures can be understood as CAS, which is a novel viewpoint.
Corporate governance, risk and efficiency: evidence from GCC Islamic banks
Authors: Ben Zeineb Ghada , Mensi Sami
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the simultaneous effect of corporate governance (CG) of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Islamic banks (IBs) on efficiency and risk.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors include Shariah supervisory board (SSB) size, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)-duality and ownership structure as CG variables. Efficiency and risk are measured using the data envelopment analysis (DEA)/stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) andZ-score, respectively. This paper also examines the risk-efficiency relationship. To test the hypotheses, the authors used seemingly unrelated regressions on a sample of 56 GCC IBs during the period 2004-2013.

Findings

The results indicate that implementing rigorous CG structures correlate with higher efficiency levels. Particularly, the authors show that the governance structure of IBs allows them to take higher risks to achieve a high efficiency level. In addition, results show that bank efficiency and risk are positively related.

Practical implications

This paper gives some insights to policy makers. It points out detail attention toward the importance of CG in IB that influences the efficiency level and risk-taking behavior. Thus, IB should improve governance procedures that can lead to higher efficiency and survival in a competitive environment and sustain financial crisis. Moreover, the economic conditions of a country are the main determinant of an IB’s efficiency and risk relationships.

Originality/value

The simultaneous effect of the CG of the GCC IBs on efficiency and risk is examined, taking into consideration different CG proxies, i.e., SSB size, CEO-duality and ownership structure, and different efficiency estimation techniques, i.e., SFA and DEA.
Typology of social media followers: the case of luxury brands
Authors: Ramadan Zahy , Farah Maya F. , Dukenjian Armig
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Luxury brands tend to be hesitant in adopting social media. This matter has created an imminent need to understand the different types of online luxury followers so as to help luxury brands communicate effectively with their consumers, while maintaining the “luxe” image and experience. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to provide luxury brands with a deeper understanding of their online audience and the strategies needed to engage with them through the different social media platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was utilized in which 24 in-depth interviews were conducted with Lebanese followers of an online luxury brand’s social media pages.

Findings

The study identifies the presence of six main categories of online luxury followers: pragmatists, bystanders, trend hunters, image seekers, passionate owners, and prime consumers. Each group has a specific engagement and propensity to buy levels.

Research limitations/implications

Understanding the different segments of luxury brand followers provides a framework for marketing managers that allows them to correctly target their marketing and communication strategies in order to maximize consumer engagement and purchasing behaviors.

Originality/value

A significant gap exists in the extant literature which offers no understanding of the different luxury brand followers and their different characteristics. This study is the first to offer an exploratory typology of the various luxury brand followers on social media platforms.
Do ‘his’ education and class matter? The changing effect of the husband on women's labour‐market transitions in Italy and Britain
Authors: Solera Cristina
Published: May 2018

A new stream of sociological and demographic theory emphasizes individualization as the key process in late modernity. As maintained by Hakim (), women also have increasingly become agents of their own biographies, less influenced by the social class and the family. In this study, I intend to contribute to this debate by analysing how, in Italy and Britain, women's movements between employment and housework are linked to their husband's education and class, and how this link has changed across cohorts. Using discrete‐time event‐history modelling on the BHPS and ILFI, my findings show that in both countries, if the woman's educational and labour‐market profile is controlled for, the husband's occupation and education have lost importance. Yet, although based more on ‘her’ than ‘his’ profile, divisions along ‘classic’ lines are still evident and not context‐free, and they assume different forms in the two countries with distinctive institutional and cultural settings. In ‘liberal’ Britain, women's labour‐market participation responds more to motherhood and class than to education, while in ‘familistic’ Italy education seems more important, which suggests the existence of returns over and above strictly human capital/economic ones.
Can cultural consumption increase future earnings? Exploring the economic returns to cultural capital
Authors: Reeves Aaron , de Vries Robert
Published: May 2018

Cultural consumption is often viewed as a form of embodied cultural capital which can be converted into economic rewards (e.g., earnings) because such practices increase the likelihood of moving into more advantaged social positions. However, quantitative evidence supporting this theory remains uncertain because it is often unable to rule out alternative explanations. Cultural consumption appears to influence hiring decisions in some elite firms, in both the US and the UK, but it is unclear whether these processes are applicable to other professional occupations and other labour market processes, such as promotions. We examine these processes using data from Understanding Society, an individual‐level panel survey conducted in the UK, allowing us to explore whether cultural consumption predicts future earnings, upward social mobility and promotions. People who consume a larger number of cultural activities are more likely to earn higher wages in the future, to be upwardly socially mobile, and to be promoted. Cultural consumption, then, can function as cultural capital in some labour market settings, potentially contributing to the reproduction of income inequality between generations.
Biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus strains and their control by selected phytochemicals
Authors: Unlu Aise , Sar Taner , Seker Gamze , Erman Ayse Gokce , Kalpar Elif , Akbas Meltem Yesilcimen
Published: May 2018

Biofilm formation by 30 Staphylococcus aureus dairy isolates and their control by phytochemicals were investigated. The majority of strains were biofilm positive by phenotypic analysis. The nuc and icaA genes were present in 30 and 27 strains, respectively. In addition, 13 strains were positive for all nuc, clfA, fnbA and icaA genes. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of citral, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, farnesol, limonene and terpinen‐4‐ol were also evaluated for seven strains. It was shown that the use of farnesol, cinnamaldehyde or terpinen‐4‐ol at a concentration of 2 mg/mL could be at least 80% effective on S. aureus strains and their biofilms.
Growing Reinsurance Payments Weaken Competitive Bidding in Medicare Part D
Authors: Jung Jeah , Feldman Roger
Published: May 2018

Objectives

To examine variation in risk‐adjusted reinsurance payments across Part D plans, analyze its implications for the program, and explore options to reduce reinsurance payments.

Data/Study Design

2007–2015 Part D Plan Payment and Premium data; 2010–2013 Part D Prescription Drug Event data; and 2013 Part D Plan Formulary Files.

Principal Findings

Risk‐adjusted reinsurance payments varied widely across plans at a given out‐of‐pocket (OOP) premium. The variance in risk‐adjusted reinsurance in common OOP premium ranges increased between 2010 and 2015. High risk‐adjusted reinsurance payments were negatively correlated with use of utilization management tools for high‐cost drugs.

Conclusions

Growing reinsurance payments shrink plans’ liability for managing drug spending for high‐cost enrollees, creating plan moral hazard, and making OOP premiums a noisy signal of plans’ total costs.
Summary annual reports: length, readability and content
Authors: Bradbury Michael E. , Hsiao Pei___Chi Kelly , Scott Tom
Published: May 2018

This paper examines summary annual reports (SAR) as an alternative channel for communicating financial information. We use a sample of New Zealand local governments (councils) that are required to report audited SAR. Using various measures, we compare document length and readability of SAR and annual reports (AR). We find that SAR are approximately 10 percent of the AR length and both have a ___very difficult___ readability score. We then use a disclosure index to examine the relation between SAR report length and the level of disclosures. After controlling for other factors that impact the level of disclosure, we conclude that the reduction in SAR is driven by lower levels of content. We then discuss the policy implications of our findings.
Post‐operative complications in elderly onset inflammatory bowel disease: a population‐based study
Authors: Sacleux S.‐C. , Sarter H. , Fumery M. , Charpentier C. , Guillon‐Dellac N. , Coevoet H. , Pariente B. , Peyrin‐Biroulet L. , Gower‐Rousseau C. , Savoye G. ,   the EPIMAD Group
Published: May 2018

Background

IBD diagnosed after the age of 60 is increasing. Data on post‐operative complications in elderly onset IBD are scarce.

Aim

To describe the incidence of and factors associated with post‐operative complications in elderly onset IBD, diagnosed after the age of 60.

Methods

Using EPIMAD Cohort (1988‐2006), among 841 incident IBD patients, 139 (17%) underwent intestinal surgery, including 100 Crohn's disease (CD) and 39 ulcerative colitis (UC).

Results

After a median post‐operative follow‐up of 6 years (2‐10), 50 (36%) patients experienced at least 1 complication with a total of 69. During the first 30 post‐operative days, the mortality rate was 4%. Thirty‐two early complications (<30 days) were observed in 23 patients (17%), with 15 infectious, without significant difference between CD and UC. More than half early post‐operative complications (n = 19, 59%) were severe (>grade 2) without significant difference between CD and UC (P = 0.28). Thirty‐seven long‐term adverse effects of surgical therapy (≥30 days) were observed in 33 patients (24%). Multivariate analysis found (1) acute severe colitis (OR = 7.84 [2.15‐28.52]) and emergency surgery (OR = 4.46 [1.75‐11.36]) were associated with early post‐operative complications, and (2) Female gender (HR = 2.10 [1.01‐4.37]) and delay before surgery >3 months (HR = 2.09 [1.01‐4.31]) with long‐term adverse effects of surgical therapy.

Conclusions

One‐third of elderly IBD patients experienced at least 1 post‐operative complication. Half of the early complications were severe, and infectious. Emergency surgery was the key driver for post‐operative complication.
Scalable Bayesian Variable Selection for Structured High-Dimensional Data
Authors: Chang Changgee , Kundu Suprateek , Long Qi
Published: May 2018

Variable selection for structured covariates lying on an underlying known graph is a problem motivated by practical applications, and has been a topic of increasing interest. However, most of the existing methods may not be scalable to high-dimensional settings involving tens of thousands of variables lying on known pathways such as the case in genomics studies. We propose an adaptive Bayesian shrinkage approach which incorporates prior network information by smoothing the shrinkage parameters for connected variables in the graph, so that the corresponding coefficients have a similar degree of shrinkage. We fit our model via a computationally efficient expectation maximization algorithm which scalable to high-dimensional settings (). Theoretical properties for fixed as well as increasing dimensions are established, even when the number of variables increases faster than the sample size. We demonstrate the advantages of our approach in terms of variable selection, prediction, and computational scalability via a simulation study, and apply the method to a cancer genomics study.
Long non‐coding RNA FOXD2‐AS1 contributes to colorectal cancer proliferation through its interaction with microRNA‐185‐5p
Authors: Zhu Yanyan , Qiao Liang , Zhou Yun , Ma Ning , Wang Chaojie , Zhou Jianwei
Published: May 2018

Emerging evidence has indicated that long non‐coding RNA plays an important role in carcinogenesis at the transcriptional and post‐translational levels. The regulation of carcinogenesis‐related effectors is potent in the determination of tumor initiation and progression. In the current study, FOXD2‐AS1 was found to interact with microRNA (miR)‐185‐5p to modulate proliferation, migration, and invasion of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Interestingly, expression of cell division control 42 was significantly influenced by FOXD2‐AS1 and miR‐185‐5p. In CRC patients, the expression level of FOXD2‐AS1 in CRC tissue was closely associated with miR‐185‐5p and cell division control 42, and implicated in the overall survival rate. Therefore, our study suggests that long non‐coding RNA FOXD2‐AS1 plays a positive role in CRC and could be developed and used as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and therapy of CRC. This will greatly improve the prevention and treatment of the third most common cancer worldwide.
Promoting Replicability in Developmental Research Through Meta‐analyses: Insights From Language Acquisition Research
Authors: Bergmann Christina , Tsuji Sho , Piccinini Page E. , Lewis Molly L. , Braginsky Mika , Frank Michael C. , Cristia Alejandrina
Published: May 2018

Previous work suggests that key factors for replicability, a necessary feature for theory building, include statistical power and appropriate research planning. These factors are examined by analyzing a collection of 12 standardized meta‐analyses on language development between birth and 5 years. With a median effect size of Cohen's d = .45 and typical sample size of 18 participants, most research is underpowered (range = 6%–99%; median = 44%); and calculating power based on seminal publications is not a suitable strategy. Method choice can be improved, as shown in analyses on exclusion rates and effect size as a function of method. The article ends with a discussion on how to increase replicability in both language acquisition studies specifically and developmental research more generally.
“It's our children!” Exploring intersectorial collaboration in family centres
Authors: Bulling Ingunn Skjesol , Berg Berit
Published: May 2018

Services providing support for children and families are often described as fragmented and more concerned with the boundaries of their fields of responsibility than collaborating with other sectors. To meet the need for greater collaboration, there is increased impetus for establishing interdisciplinary services, such as family centres. This paper presents the results of a qualitative study based on in‐depth interviews and participant observation in 3 Norwegian family centres. The findings provide insight into central challenges in developing new practices within the field of family support; we discuss how intersectorial collaboration is constructed in relation to the core objectives of the family centre, professional competence, and service stability.

This study demonstrates that both managers and professionals struggle with prioritizing intersectorial work, which mainly focuses on prevention and health promotion, over and above their traditional sectoral responsibilities. It also illustrates the necessity of articulating intersectorial collaboration as an explicit aim and exploring its implications and examining how this contributes to family centres building supportive communities. Building integrated services is not the ultimate goal of this particular form of service provision but rather the first step towards building interconnected support systems for all children in the community.
Social workers' views on community involvement in child protection work in Italy
Authors: Fazzi Luca
Published: May 2018

Involvement of the community is a topic that is gaining increasing importance in the debate on child protection social work. However, the empirical findings that help to understand the factors which enable social workers to involve community actors successfully are still scarce. The article presents the results of an empirical pilot study carried out on a sample of 24 child protection social workers employed in four public agencies in Italy. The results of the research highlight the complexity of the factors that influence the ability of social workers to involve the community in schemes involving children and their families and the importance of constructing a community‐based approach that directly involves local‐level institutions and policy programmes.
Using social‐network research to improve outcomes in natural resource management
Authors: Groce Julie E. , Farrelly Megan A. , Jorgensen Bradley S. , Cook Carly N.
Published: May 2018

The conservation and management of natural resources operates in social–ecological systems in which resource users are embedded in social and environmental contexts that influence their management decisions. Characterizing social networks of resource users can be used to inform understanding of social influences on decision making, and social network analysis (SNA) has emerged as a useful technique to explore these relationships. We synthesized how SNA has been used in 85 studies of natural resource management. We considered how social networks and social processes (e.g., interactions between individuals) influence each other and in turn influence social outcomes (e.g., decisions or actions) that affect environmental outcomes (e.g., improved condition). Descriptive methods were used in 58% of the studies to characterize social processes, and 42% of the studies compared multiple networks or multiple points in time to assess social or environmental outcomes. In 4 studies, authors assessed network interventions intended to affect social processes or environmental outcomes. The heterogeneity in case studies, methods, and analyses preclude general lessons. Thus, to structure and further learning about the role of social networks in achieving environmental outcomes, we created a typology that deconstructs social processes, social outcomes, and environmental outcomes into themes and options of social and ecological measures within each. We suggest shifts in research foci toward intervention studies to aid in understanding causality and inform the design of conservation initiatives. There is a need to develop clearer justification and guidance around the proliferation of network measures. The use of SNA in natural resource management is expanding rapidly; thus, now is the time for the conservation community to build a more rigorous evidence base to demonstrate the extent to which social networks can play a role in achieving desired social and environmental outcomes.
Substance use and population life expectancy in the USA: Interactions with health inequalities and implications for policy
Authors: Imtiaz Sameer , Probst Charlotte , Rehm Jürgen
Published: May 2018

Life expectancy at birth for the USA has not increased in recent years. This commentary assesses the impact of substance use on this phenomenon. Although crude mortality rates of the most important causes of death (such as cardiovascular diseases or cancer) have declined between 2010 and 2014, crude mortality rates of drug‐ and alcohol‐induced causes of death have increased. Alcohol use, non‐medical prescription drug use (especially prescription opioid use) and illicit drug use have likely played a crucial role in life expectancy trends of the past years. Importantly, the current mortality crisis due to substances is disproportionately borne in lower socio‐economic strata. As such, policies should reduce this impact.
Swift, certain and fair justice: Insights from behavioural learning and neurocognitive research
Authors: Curtis Ashlee , Youssef George , Guadagno Belinda , Manning Victoria , Enticott Peter G. , Lubman Dan I. , Miller Peter
Published: May 2018

Increasingly, persons entering the criminal justice system are reporting substance‐related concerns. It is therefore essential that interventions appropriately target the needs of substance‐using offenders to ensure the rate of reoffending can be reduced. In this context, there is now a substantial literature demonstrating specific neurocognitive deficits among substance‐using and offender populations, including, but not limited to, problems with executive function, rational decision making, consequential thinking and prospective memory. Such research is providing important insights into why current intervention approaches may not be as effective for substance‐using offenders, and why emerging programs, such as ‘swift, certain and fair’ justice programs, which focus on guaranteed, immediate but proportionate sanctions, might be more successful in reducing both substance use and offending behaviour. In this paper, we argue that the potential success of this intervention can be understood from a behavioural learning and neurocognitive perspective, and may point the way forward for other approaches that seek to change behaviour.
Incremental benefit of three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography in the assessment of left atrial appendage aneurysm leading to severe extrinsic compression of a coronary artery
Authors: Tandon Rohit , Arisha Mohammed J. , Nanda Navin C. , Kumar Sooraj , Wander Gurpreet S. , Srialluri Swetha , Kamel Hassan , Salama Ahmed Y.
Published: May 2018

Left atrial appendage aneurysm (LAA AN) is a rare disease entity, which can be congenital or acquired in nature. We report an adult patient with LAA AN presenting with anginal chest pain in whom live/real time three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3DTTE) provided incremental value over the two‐dimensional (2D) technique in providing a more comprehensive assessment of the lesion. A literature review of the salient features of LAA AN is also provided in a tabular form.
Screening for resistance of progenies derived from Castanea sativa × C. crenata and C. crenata to Cryphonectria parasitica
Authors: Pažitný J. , Bolvanský M. , Adamčíková K.
Published: May 2018

The possibility of screening young seedlings of Castanea for chestnut blight resistance was examined to try to shorten time needed for a breeding programme. Two‐year‐old chestnut seedlings of eight progenies, derived from open and controlled pollination of three hybrids (Castanea sativa × C. crenata and a C. crenata tree by paternal tree of C. sativa) were screened for resistance to chestnut blight. One hybrid and a C. crenata were partially susceptible, and two hybrids were partially resistant to chestnut blight. A total of 179 seedlings were inoculated with two virulent and one hypovirulent strain of Cryphonectria parasitica at two dates (early June and early September). Stromata production was higher and canker size larger when seedlings were inoculated in early June. Differences in canker size among seedlings derived from different parental trees were observed only after September inoculation. However, differences in canker size among seedlings inoculated with the virulent strains were observed only after June inoculation. The only significant effect on seedling survival was based on fungal strains used for inoculation. Ratio of seedlings, which died after inoculation with the hypovirulent strain, was significantly lower (36.8%) than those that died after inoculation with virulent strains (88.4 and 95.1%). Survival of seedlings was affected only by fungal strains used in inoculation, and not influenced by parental trees. The risk of seedling dieback increased with increasing canker size and with decreasing stem diameter of seedlings.
African agricultural productivity and the transatlantic slave trade: evidence from Senegambia in the nineteenth century
Authors: Rönnbäck Klas , Theodoridis Dimitrios
Published: May 2018

Agriculture has played a central role in Africa's long‐term economic development. Previous research has argued that the low productivity of African economies has posed significant challenges to African efforts to produce an agricultural surplus or to develop commercial agriculture. Low agricultural productivity has also served as a key explanation for the transatlantic slave trade, on the basis that it was more profitable to export humans overseas than to grow and export produce. However, the field has suffered from a lack of comparable empirical evidence. This article contributes to this field by presenting quantitative data on historical land and labour productivity in Africa, from a case study of the agricultural productivity of Senegambia in the early nineteenth century. Focusing on five key crops, our results suggest that both land and labour productivity was lower in Senegambia than it was in all other parts of the world for which we have found comparable data. This article thus lends support to claims that stress ecological factors as one of the main determinants of Africa's historical development.
Chronic high‐caloric diet modifies sleep homeostasis in mice
Authors: Panagiotou Maria , Meijer Johanna H. , Deboer Tom
Published: May 2018

Obesity prevalence and sleep habit changes are commonplace nowadays, due to modern lifestyle. A bidirectional relationship likely exists between sleep quality and metabolic disruptions, which could impact quality of life. In our study, we investigated the effects of a chronic high‐caloric diet on sleep architecture and sleep regulation in mice. We studied the effect of 3 months high‐caloric diet (HCD, 45% fat) on sleep and the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) in C57BL/6J mice during 24‐hr baseline (BL) recordings, and after 6‐hr sleep deprivation (SD). We examined the effect of HCD on sleep homeostasis, by performing parameter estimation analysis and simulations of the sleep homeostatic Process S, a measure of sleep pressure, which is reflected in the non‐rapid‐eye‐movement (NREM) sleep slow‐wave‐activity (SWA, EEG power density between 0.5 and 4.0 Hz). Compared to controls (n = 11, 30.7 ± 0.8 g), mice fed with HCD (n = 9, 47.6 ± 0.8 g) showed an increased likelihood of consecutive NREM‐REM sleep cycles, increased REM sleep and decreased NREM sleep EEG SWA. After SD, these effects were more pronounced. The simulation resulted in a close fit between the time course of SWA and Process S in both groups. HCD fed mice had a slower time constant (Ti = 15.98 hr) for the increase in homeostatic sleep pressure compared with controls (5.95 hr) indicating a reduced effect of waking on the increase in sleep pressure. Our results suggest that chronic HCD consumption impacts sleep regulation.
No changes in parieto‐occipital alpha during neural phase locking to visual quasi‐periodic theta‐, alpha‐, and beta‐band stimulation
Authors: Keitel Christian , Benwell Christopher S. Y. , Thut Gregor , Gross Joachim
Published: May 2018

Recent studies have probed the role of the parieto‐occipital alpha rhythm (8–12 Hz) in human visual perception through attempts to drive its neural generators. To that end, paradigms have used high‐intensity strictly‐periodic visual stimulation that created strong predictions about future stimulus occurrences and repeatedly demonstrated perceptual consequences in line with an entrainment of parieto‐occipital alpha. Our study, in turn, examined the case of alpha entrainment by non‐predictive low‐intensity quasi‐periodic visual stimulation within theta‐ (4–7 Hz), alpha‐ (8–13 Hz), and beta (14–20 Hz) frequency bands, i.e., a class of stimuli that resemble the temporal characteristics of naturally occurring visual input more closely. We have previously reported substantial neural phase‐locking in EEG recording during all three stimulation conditions. Here, we studied to what extent this phase‐locking reflected an entrainment of intrinsic alpha rhythms in the same dataset. Specifically, we tested whether quasi‐periodic visual stimulation affected several properties of parieto‐occipital alpha generators. Speaking against an entrainment of intrinsic alpha rhythms by non‐predictive low‐intensity quasi‐periodic visual stimulation, we found none of these properties to show differences between stimulation frequency bands. In particular, alpha band generators did not show increased sensitivity to alpha band stimulation and Bayesian inference corroborated evidence against an influence of stimulation frequency. Our results set boundary conditions for when and how to expect effects of entrainment of alpha generators and suggest that the parieto‐occipital alpha rhythm may be more inert to external influences than previously thought.
Navigating north: how body mass and winds shape avian flight behaviours across a North American migratory flyway
Authors: Horton Kyle G. , Van Doren Benjamin M. , La Sorte Frank A. , Fink Daniel , Sheldon Daniel , Farnsworth Andrew , Kelly Jeffrey F.
Published: May 2018

The migratory patterns of birds have been the focus of ecologists for millennia. What behavioural traits underlie these remarkably consistent movements? Addressing this question is central to advancing our understanding of migratory flight strategies and requires the integration of information across levels of biological organisation, e.g. species to communities. Here, we combine species‐specific observations from the eBird citizen‐science database with observations aggregated from weather surveillance radars during spring migration in central North America. Our results confirm a core prediction of migration theory at an unprecedented national scale: body mass predicts variation in flight strategies across latitudes, with larger‐bodied species flying faster and compensating more for wind drift. We also find evidence that migrants travelling northward earlier in the spring increasingly compensate for wind drift at higher latitudes. This integration of information across biological scales provides new insight into patterns and determinants of broad‐scale flight strategies of migratory birds.