bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Negros Bleeding-heartGallicolumba keayiprefers dense understorey vegetation and dense canopy cover, and species distribution modelling shows little remaining suitable habitat
Authors: Mynott Holly , Abrahams Mark , Kerhoas Daphne
Published: December 2019

The Philippines is a global biodiversity hotspot, with a large number of Threatened bird species, one of which is the Critically Endangered Negros Bleeding-heartGallicolumba keayi. The aim of this study was to investigate the habitat preference of the Negros Bleeding-heart and undertake species distribution modelling to locate areas of conservation importance based on identified suitable habitat. A survey of 94 point counts was undertaken and eight camera traps were deployed from May to August 2018 in the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park, Panay, Philippines. Habitat variables (canopy cover, understorey cover, ground cover, altitude, presence of rattan and pandan, tree diameter at breast height and branching architecture) were measured in 93 5 m-radius quadrats. To identify areas of potentially suitable habitat for the Negros Bleeding-heart, species distribution modelling was undertaken in MaxEnt using tree cover and altitude data on Panay and Negros. Using a Generalised Linear Model, Negros Bleeding-heart presence was found to be significantly positively associated with high understorey cover and dense canopy cover. Species distribution modelling showed that the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park is currently the most effectively located protected area for Negros Bleeding-heart conservation, while protected areas in Negros require further protection. It is imperative that protection is continued in the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park, and more survey effort is needed to identify other critical Negros Bleeding-heart populations, around which deforestation and hunting ban enforcement is strongly recommended.
A multi-dimensional, time-lapse, high content screening platform applied to schistosomiasis drug discovery
Authors: Chen Steven , Suzuki Brian M , Dohrmann Jakob , Singh Rahul , Arkin Michelle R , Caffrey Conor R
Published: December 2019

Approximately 10% of the world’s population is at risk of schistosomiasis, a disease of poverty caused by the Schistosoma parasite. To facilitate drug discovery for this complex flatworm, we developed an automated high-content screen to quantify the multidimensional responses of Schistosoma mansoni post-infective larvae (somules) to chemical insult. We describe an integrated platform to process worms at scale, collect time-lapsed, bright-field images, segment highly variable and touching worms, and then store, visualize, and query dynamic phenotypes. To demonstrate the methodology, we treated somules with seven drugs that generated diverse responses and evaluated 45 static and kinetic response descriptors relative to concentration and time. For compound screening, we used the Mahalanobis distance to compare multidimensional phenotypic effects induced by 1,323 approved drugs. Overall, we characterize both known anti-schistosomals and identify new bioactives. Apart from facilitating drug discovery, the multidimensional quantification provided by this platform will allow mapping of chemistry to phenotype.
Nearly unbiased estimator ofNe/Nbased on kinship relationships
Authors: Akita Tetsuya
Published: December 2019

This study develops a nearly unbiased estimator of the ratio of the contemporary effective mother size to the census size in a population, as a proxy of the ratio of contemporary effective size to census size (Ne/N). The proposed estimator is based on both known mother–offspring (MO) and maternal-sibling (MS) relationships observed within the same cohort, in which sampled individuals in the cohort probably share MO relationships with sampled mothers. The rationale is that the frequency of MO and MS pairs contains information regarding the contemporary effective mother size and the (mature) census size, respectively. Therefore, the estimator can be obtained only from genetic data. Moreover, We also evaluate the performance of the estimator by running an individual-based model. The results of this study provide the following: i) parameter range for satisfying the unbiasedness, and ii) guidance for sample sizes to ensure the required accuracy and precision, especially when the order of the ratio is available. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the usefulness of a sibship assignment method for genetic monitoring, providing insights for interpreting environmental and/or anthropological factors fluctuatingNe/N, especially in the context of conservation biology and wildlife management.
The neural representation of visually evoked emotion is high-dimensional, categorical, and distributed across transmodal brain regions
Authors: Horikawa Tomoyasu , Cowen Alan S. , Keltner Dacher , Kamitani Yukiyasu
Published: December 2019

Central to our subjective lives is the experience of different emotions. Recent behavioral work mapping emotional responses to 2185 videos found that people experience upwards of 27 distinct emotions occupying a high-dimensional space, and that emotion categories, more so than affective dimensions (e.g., valence), organize self-reports of subjective experience. Here, we sought to identify the neural substrates of this high-dimensional space of emotional experience using fMRI responses to all 2185 videos. Our analyses demonstrated that (1) dozens of video-evoked emotions were accurately predicted from fMRI patterns in multiple brain regions with different regional configurations for individual emotions, (2) emotion categories better predicted cortical and subcortical responses than affective dimensions, outperforming visual and semantic covariates in transmodal regions, and (3) emotion-related fMRI responses had a cluster-like organization efficiently characterized by distinct categories. These results support an emerging theory of the high-dimensional emotion space, illuminating its neural foundations distributed across transmodal regions.
Syntrophy via interspecies H2transfer betweenChristensenellaandMethanobrevibacterunderlies their global co-occurrence in the human gut
Authors: Ruaud Albane , Esquivel-Elizondo Sofia , de la Cuesta-Zuluaga Jacobo , Waters Jillian L. , Angenent Largus T. , Youngblut Nicholas D. , Ley Ruth E.
Published: December 2019

Across human populations, 16S rRNA gene-based surveys of gut microbiomes have revealed that the bacterial familyChristensenellaceae and the archaeal familyMethanobacteriaceaeco-occur and are enriched in individuals with a lean, compared to an obese, BMI. Whether these association patterns reflect interactions between metabolic partners remains to be ascertained, as well as whether these associations play a role in the lean host phenotype with which they associate. Here, we validated previously reported co-occurrence patterns of the two families, and their association with a lean BMI, with a meta-analysis of 1,821 metagenomes derived from 10 independent studies. Furthermore, we report positive associations at the genus and species level betweenChristensenellaspp. andMethanobrevibacter smithii,the most abundant methanogen of the human gut. By co-culturing threeChristensenellaspp. WithM. smithii,we show thatChristensenellaspp. efficiently support the ofM. smithiivia H2production, far better thanBacteroides thetaiotaomicron.C. minutaforms flocs colonized byM. smithiieven when H2is in excess. In culture withC. minuta, H2consumption byM. smithiishifts the metabolic output ofC. minuta’s fermentation towards acetate rather than butyrate. Together, these results indicate that the widespread co-occurrence of these microbiota is underpinned by both physical and metabolic interactions. Their combined metabolic activity may provide insights into their association with a lean host BMI.

Importance

The human gut microbiome is made of trillions of microbial cells, most of which areBacteria, with a subset ofArchaea. The bacterial familyChristensenellaceaeand the archaeal familyMethanobacteriaceaeare widespread in human guts. They correlate with each other and with a lean body type. Whether species of these two families interact, and how they affect the body type, are unanswered questions. Here, we showed that species within these families correlate with each other across people. We also demonstrated that particular species of these two families grow together in dense flocs, wherein the bacteria provide hydrogen gas to the archaea, which then make methane. When the archaea are present, the ratio of bacterial products (which are nutrients for humans) is changed. These observations indicate when these species grow together, their products have the potential to affect the physiology of their human host.
Framework to simulate gene regulatory networks with stochastic molecular kinetics and to infer steady-state network structure
Authors: Hettich Johannes , Gebhardt J. Christof M.
Published: December 2019

Background

The temporal progression of many fundamental processes in cells and organisms, including homeostasis, differentiation and development, are governed by gene regulatory networks (GRNs). GRNs balance fluctuations in the output of their genes, which trace back to the stochasticity of molecular interactions. Although highly desirable to understand life processes, predicting the temporal progression of gene products within a GRN is challenging when considering stochastic events such as transcription factor – DNA interactions or protein production and degradation.

Results

We report CaiNet, a fast computer-aided interactive network simulation environment optimized to set up, simulate and infer GRNs at molecular detail. In our approach, we consider each network element to be isolated from other elements during small time intervals, after which we synchronize molecule numbers between all network elements. Thereby, the temporal behaviour of network elements is decoupled and can be treated by local stochastic or deterministic solutions. We demonstrate the working principle of the modular approach of CaiNet with a repressive gene cascade comprising four genes. By considering a deterministic time evolution within each time interval for all elements, our method approaches the solution of the system of deterministic differential equations associated with the GRN. By allowing genes to stochastically switch between on and off states or by considering stochastic production of gene outputs, we are able to include increasing levels of stochastic detail and approximate the solution of a Gillespie simulation. Notably, our modular approach further allows for a simple consideration of deterministic delays. We further infer relevant regulatory connections and steady-state parameters of a GRN of up to ten genes from steady-state measurements by identifying each gene of the network with a single perceptron in an artificial neuronal network and using a gradient decent method originally designed to train recurrent neural networks.

Conclusion

CaiNet constitutes a user-friendly framework to simulate GRNs at molecular detail and to infer the topology and steady-state parameters of GRNs. Thus, it should prove helpful to analyze or predict the temporal progression of reaction networks or GRNs in cellular and organismic biology. CaiNet is freely available at https://gitlab.com/GebhardtLab/CaiNet.
Multiple requirements for Rab GTPases in the development ofDrosophilatracheal dorsal branches and terminal cells
Authors: Best Benedikt T. , Leptin Maria
Published: December 2019

The tracheal epithelium in fruit fly larvae is a popular model for multi- and unicellular migration and morphogenesis. Like all epithelial cells, tracheal cells use Rab GTPases to organise their internal membrane transport, resulting in the specific localisation or secretion of proteins on the apical or basal membrane compartments. Some contributions of Rabs to junctional remodelling and governance of tracheal lumen contents are known, but it is reasonable to assume that they play important further roles in morphogenesis. This pertains in particular to terminal tracheal cells, specialised branch-forming cells that drastically reshape both their apical and basal membrane during the larval stages. We performed a loss-of-function screen in the tracheal system, knocking down endogenously tagged alleles of 26 Rabs by targeting the tag via RNAi. This revealed that at least 14 Rabs are required to ensure proper cell fate specification and migration of the dorsal branches, as well as their epithelial fusion with the contralateral dorsal branch. The screen implicated four Rabs in the subcellular morphogenesis of terminal cells themselves. Further tests suggested residual gene function after knockdown, leading us to discuss the limitations of this approach. We conclude that more Rabs than identified here may be important for tracheal morphogenesis, and that the tracheal system offers great opportunities for studying several Rabs that have barely been characterised so far.
Control of noncoding RNA production and histone levels by a 5′ tRNA fragment
Authors: Boskovic Ana , Bing Xin Yang , Kaymak Ebru , Rando Oliver J.
Published: December 2019

Small RNAs derived from mature tRNAs, referred to as tRNA fragments or “tRFs,” are an emerging class of regulatory RNAs with poorly understood functions. We recently identified a role for one specific tRF—5′ tRF-Gly-GCC, or tRF-GG—as a repressor of genes associated with the endogenous retroelement MERVL, but the mechanistic basis for this regulation was unknown. Here, we show that tRF-GG plays a role in production of a wide variety of noncoding RNAs—snoRNAs, scaRNAs, and snRNAs—that are dependent on Cajal bodies for stability and activity. Among these noncoding RNAs, regulation of the U7 snRNA by tRF-GG modulates heterochromatin-mediated transcriptional repression of MERVL elements by supporting an adequate supply of histone proteins. Importantly, the effects of inhibiting tRF-GG on histone mRNA levels, on activity of a histone 3′ UTR reporter, and ultimately on MERVL regulation could all be suppressed by manipulating U7 RNA levels. We additionally show that the related RNA-binding proteins hnRNPF and hnRNPH bind directly to tRF-GG, and are required for Cajal body biogenesis, positioning these proteins as strong candidates for effectors of tRF-GG function in vivo. Together, our data reveal a conserved mechanism for 5′ tRNA fragment control of noncoding RNA biogenesis and, consequently, global chromatin organization.
Kinetic study of extrusion cooking of corn-rice flour blend fortified with nutraceutical concentrates with respect to various physical parameters
Authors: Kour Jasmeet , Singh Sukhcharn , Saxena Dharmesh C.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of residence time distribution in extruders along with the incorporation of nutraceuticals on the final quality of the products with respect to several pivotal responses.

Design/methodology/approach

Corn–rice flour blend fortified with isolated nutraceutical concentrates at two (low and high) levels was extruded at barrel temperature (110°C), screw speed (260 rpm) and feed moisture (17 percent). Extrudates were collected at an interval of 24 s followed by analysis for radial expansion (RE), bulk density (BD), water absorption index (WAI), sensory score (SS), textural hardness, colorimetric values (L*,a* andb*) and color difference (E).

Findings

The entire data were fitted to zero- and first-order kinetic models. There was a gradual decrease in RE, SS andL* value, whereas an increase in BD, textural hardness anda* value of extrudates fortified with the three nutraceutical concentrates was observed with the successive time interval of 24 s along with a more pronounced effect on color difference (E) observed during the last stages of extrusion time. The zero-order kinetic model was well fitted for BD anda* value, whereas the first-order kinetic model showed better results for RE, WAI, SS, textural hardness,L* value,a* value andb* value of fortified extrudates.

Originality/value

Nutraceuticals likeβ-glucans, lignans andγoryzanol exhibit numerous health-beneficial effects. This study analyzes the kinetics of changes in various responses of extrudates fortified with these nutraceutical concentrates during extrusion.
How does the quality of public education influence the citizens’ willingness to support it? Evidence from a comparative survey of 27 countries
Authors: Habibov Nazim , Auchynnikava Alena , Luo Rong
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically test two opposing theoretical hypotheses from research literature: low quality of public education boosts support for public education; and low quality of public education weakens support for public education.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use microdata from 27 post-communist countries over a period of five years. This study uses two outcome variables in order to capture the level of support for public education: the willingness to elevate investments in public education to an important policy priority; and the willingness to pay more taxes to improve public healthcare. A series of logistic regressions is used to find how the outcome variable is influenced by six dimensions of the quality of the public education system.

Findings

The main finding is that a lower quality of public education strengthens the willingness of citizens to make investments into public education by: making it a political priority for the government; and through a professed increased willingness to pay more taxes towards improving public education. These findings remain valid for both years of investigation and for both EU and non-EU samples. In contrast, the authors could not find support for the hypothesis that postulates that a lower quality of public education will reduce support for public education.

Research limitations/implications

The main implication of these findings is that despite the increases in availability of private schooling opportunities, the citizens of post-communist countries have not abandoned their support for public education. Even if citizens of post-communist countries believe that public education is no longer of an appropriately high quality, they continue to support the provision of resources to it in order to improve on the current situation.

Practical implications

The current low quality of public education can be seen as providing an impetus for encouraging support for public education.

Social implications

In terms of policy-making, the findings demonstrate the opportunity to shore up public support for further reforms in public- education in post-communist countries.

Originality/value

The current education policy research literature is silent about the direction of the effect of low quality public education on the willingness to provide support for public education. Against this background, this is the first study which empirically tested whether quality of public education affect willingness to support it. Covering a period of five years, the authors test the above-postulated hypotheses using a diverse sample of 27 post-communist countries.
First-home buyers and herding behavior in Surabaya, Indonesia
Authors: Susanto Sofian Arif , Njo Anastasia
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This study aims to determine the causality of herding which was traced down to social and normative influences from first-home buyers represented by undergraduate students.

Design/methodology/approach

The Perception Alignment Hypothesis was used in this experimental research, and was conducted on a sample of 125 undergraduates studying finance representing first-home buyers. The experiment provides the subjects property brochures in Surabaya to appraise a value that they see fit for purchase. The subjects were given both social- and normative-induced treatments separately using information cascade, and their valuation shifts were recorded. Their valuations were then divided into three sections under the treatment groups, consisting of initial, “social’ and “normative’ valuations.

Findings

In contrast to previous findings, the results showed that first-home buyers succumbed to both social and normative influences, causing them to herd. Further analysis of the credibility of information was conducted and it showed that the undergraduates were only prone to social influence, whereas other aspects regarding normative influences must be further researched.

Practical implications

The decline of homeownership on a global scale is concerning, especially when 60% of the market represents young adults under the age of 35. This implies that both the government and property developers may need to enact strict measures to regulate property purchases.

Originality/value

This is the first experimental study on herding of Surabaya, Indonesia, mainly focusing on human behavior and information cascade. Thus, this study could be a viable reflection to future policies in Indonesia being made to answer actual demands in the residential market.
Selling places: a community-based model for promoting local food. The case of Rhondda Cynon Taf
Authors: Bowen Robert , Bennett Sophie
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate how places approach the promotion of local food products and what it means to produce, consume and support local produce in a rural region.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a participatory action-reflective approach through a series of three focus groups held over consecutive weeks with nine participants. This included local food producers, artists and community members, with data collected through focus group discussions, reflective video diaries and a questionnaire. The research was conducted in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, a region with entrepreneurial potential but lacking a reputation for food.

Findings

Findings demonstrate confused perceptions of local identity, leading to a clichéd image of the region. As such, an origin brand may do little to enhance the value of local produce or increase economic prosperity in places that lack an established identity. Places with a more recognised reputation for food, such as Wales, could benefit from an origin brand, similar to Brittany.

Originality/value

The study extends the academic understanding of place branding by investigating the value of using origin branding in promoting food products. The context of a lesser-known region highlights the importance of awareness and reputation for the successful implementation of the brand. Additionally, the unique community-led action-reflective methodology provides a holistic model in exploring the effective development of the brand.
Less is more: On‐board lossy compression of accelerometer data increases biologging capacity
Authors: Nuijten Rascha J. M. , Gerrits Theo , Shamoun‐Baranes Judy , Nolet Bart A.
Published: December 2019

GPS‐tracking devices have been used in combination with a wide range of additional sensors to study animal behaviour, physiology and interaction with their environment. Tri‐axial accelerometers allow researchers to remotely infer the behaviour of individuals, at all places and times. Collection of accelerometer data is relatively cheap in terms of energy usage, but the amount of raw data collected generally requires much storage space and is particularly demanding in terms of energy needed for data transmission.

Here, we propose compressing the raw accelerometer (ACC) data into summary statistics within the tracking device (before transmission) to reduce data size, as a means to overcome limitations in storage and energy capacity.

We explored this type of lossy data compression in the accelerometer data of tagged Bewick's swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii collected in spring 2017. Using software settings in which bouts of 2 s of both raw ACC data and summary statistics were collected in parallel but with different bout intervals to keep total data size comparable, we created the opportunity for a direct comparison of time budgets derived by the two data collection methods.

We found that the data compression in our case yielded a six times reduction in data size per bout, and concurrent, similar decreases in storage and energy use of the device. We show that with the same accuracy of the behavioural classification, the freed memory and energy of the device can be used to increase the monitoring effort, resulting in a more detailed representation of the individuals’ time budget. Rare and/or short behaviours, such as daily roost flights, were picked up significantly more when collecting summary statistics instead of raw ACC data (but note differences in sampling rate). Such level of detail can be of essential importance, for instance to make a reliable estimate of the energy budgets of individuals.

In conclusion, we argue that this type of lossy data compression can be a well‐considered choice in study situations where limitations in energy and storage space of the device pose a problem. Ultimately, these developments can allow for long‐term and nearly continuous remote monitoring of the behaviour of free‐ranging animals.
Hypothermic to ischemic ratio and mortality in post‐cardiac arrest patients
Authors: Skrifvars Markus B. , Soreide Eldar , Sawyer Kelly N. , Taccone Fabio S. , Toome Valdo , Storm Christian , Jeppesen Anni , Grejs Anders , Duez Christophe H. V. , Tiainen Marjaana , Rasmussen Bodil S. , Laitio Timo , Hassager Christian , Kirkegaard Hans
Published: December 2019

Background

We studied the associations between ischemia and hypothermia duration, that is, the hypothermic to ischemic ratio (H/I ratio), with mortality in patients included in a trial on two durations of targeted temperature management (TTM) at 33°C.

Methods

The TTH48 (NCT01689077) trial compared 24 and 48 hours of TTM in patients after cardiac arrest. We calculated the hypothermia time from return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) until the patient reached 37°C after TTM and the ischemic time from CA to ROSC. We compared continuous variables with the Mann‐Whitney U test. Using COX regression, we studied the independent association of the logarithmically transformed H/I ratio and time to death as well as interaction between time to ROSC, hypothermia duration, and intervention group. We visualized the predictive ability of variables with receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Results

Of the 338 patients, 237 (70%) survived for 6 months. The H/I ratio was 155 (IQR 111‐238) in survivors and 114 (IQR 80‐169) in non‐survivors (P < .001). In a Cox regression model including factors associated with outcome in univariate analysis, the logarithmically transformed H/I ratio was a significant predictor of outcome (hazard ratio 0.52 (0.37‐0.72, P = .001)). After removing an outlier, we found no interaction between time to ROSC and intervention group (P = .55) or hypothermia duration in quartiles (P = .07) with mortality. There was no significant difference in the area under the curve (AUC) between time to ROSC and H/I ratio (ΔAUC 0.03 95% CI −0.006‐0.07, P = .10).

Conclusions

We did not find any consistent evidence of a modification of the effect of TTM based on ischemia duration.
Oculomotor deficits in children adopted from Eastern Europe
Authors: Pueyo Victoria , Castillo Olimpia , Gonzalez Inmaculada , Ortin Marta , Perez Teresa , Gutierrez Diego , Prieto Esther , Alejandre Adrian , Masia Belen
Published: December 2019

Aim

We aim to assess oculomotor behaviour in children adopted from Eastern Europe, who are at high risk of maternal alcohol consumption.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included 29 adoptees and 29 age‐matched controls. All of them underwent a complete ophthalmological examination. Oculomotor control, including fixation and saccadic performance, was assessed using a DIVE device, with eye tracking technology. Anthropometric and facial measurements were obtained from all the adopted children, to identify features of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Fixational and saccadic outcomes were compared between groups, and the effect of adoption and FASD features quantified.

Results

Oculomotor performance was poorer in adopted children. They presented shorter (0.53 vs 1.43 milliseconds in the long task and 0.43 vs 0.82 in the short task) and more unstable fixations (with a bivariate contour ellipse area of 27.9 vs 11.6 degree2 during the long task and 6.9 vs 1.3 degree2 during the short task) and slower saccadic reactions (278 vs 197 milliseconds). Children with sentinel finding for FASD showed the worst oculomotor outcomes.

Conclusion

Children adopted from Eastern Europe present oculomotor deficits, affecting both fixation and saccadic skills. We highlight prenatal exposure to alcohol as the main cause for these deficits.
Repeated mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke in a dialysis patient: A case report and literature review
Authors: Ding Yun‐Long , Niu Jia‐Li , Fan Jiao‐Xin , Liu Yan
Published: December 2019

Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) can significantly improve the prognosis of patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke. It is still unclear whether repeated MT in a short period of time is safe and effective in patients with renal failure and atrial fibrillation (AF). We present the case of an LVO patient with AF and uremia who was successfully treated with MT for M1 segment occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) and achieved a good outcome. Fifteen days after the first MT, the patient's stroke recurred; angiography at that time revealed M1 segment, and branch occlusion of the right MCA, and a second MT was performed. This patient was given oral warfarin to maintain her international normalized ratio (INR) between 2 and 3, and over a 9‐month follow‐up period, no further vascular events occurred. It may be safe and effective to perform repeated MTs in patients with uremia and AF who have suffered two cardiogenic strokes in a short period of time. It might be beneficial to treat a patient of this description with anticoagulant therapy after careful assessment of the patient's condition. Nephrologists and medical staff at hemodialysis centers should recognize the importance of MT for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). In this way, health care providers can take measures in a timely, effective manner when they encounter hemodialysis patients with AIS.
Discussing teamwork in health care: from interprofessional collaboration to coordination and cooperation
Authors: Bochatay Naike
Published: December 2019

This doctoral research investigates teamwork, specifically collaboration, at two different hospitals both of which were highly involved in the promotion of interprofessional collaboration. The analysis of the field observations and data collected revealed that this concept did not accurately reflect daily interactions between health care professionals, but that other forms of interaction such as coordination and cooperation were more frequent. Furthermore, the use of these more specific concepts to discuss teamwork in health care enabled important differences to be observed between the clinical settings. The impact of this research in practice suggests that adopting more specific concepts would make it easier to identify relevant literature and to design policies and educational programmes that address teamwork in health care. FJ.
Marked compositional changes in harvestmen assemblages in Amazonian forest islands induced by a mega dam
Authors: Tourinho Ana Lúcia , Benchimol Maíra , Porto Willians , Peres Carlos A. , Storck‐Tonon Danielle
Published: December 2019

Mega hydroelectric dams have become one of the main drivers of habitat loss in tropical forests, converting large tracts of pristine forests into isolated forest islands. Understanding how biodiversity cope with landscape modification in these archipelagic landscapes is of paramount importance to assess the environmental consequences of dam infrastructure and propose mitigation actions for biodiversity conservation. In this context, harvestmen (Opiliones, Arachnida) comprise an excellent indicator taxon of habitat quality, given their high sensitivity to desiccation and microclimatic change.

We investigate the effects of landscape change induced by a mega hydropower dam on forest harvestmen species richness, abundance and composition within the Balbina Hydroelectric Dam, Central Brazilian Amazon. We sampled 20 islands and 5 mainland continuous forests, relating our biological response variables to local, patch and landscape scale metrics.

Although unexpectedly species richness was unaffected by any local, patch and landscape variables, species composition and abundance were differentially affected by a set of predictor variables at different scales. Forest cover and fallen woody stems were significant predictors of species composition, whereas vegetation density, forest cover, island area, abundance of palm trees, and fallen woody stems best explained harvestmen abundance.

Our results indicate that both islands embedded within greater and lower amount of forest cover are important to ensure high diversity of harvestmen. We recommend retaining large forest habitat patches surrounded by a large amount of forest cover to minimise forest disturbance effects and enhance long‐term persistence of harvestmen sensitive species in large hydroelectric dams.
Improved genetic identification of acipenseriform embryos with application to the endangered pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus
Authors: Kashiwagi Tom , DeLonay Aaron J. , Braaten Patrick J. , Chojnacki Kimberly A. , Gocker Rachel M. , Heist Edward J.
Published: December 2019

We produced pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus embryos at five pre‐hatch developmental stages and isolated and quantified genomic DNA from four of the stages using four commercial DNA isolation kits. Genomic DNA prepared using the kit that produced the largest yields and concentrations were used for microsatellite DNA analyses of 10–20 embryos at each of the five developmental stages. We attempted to genotype the hatchery‐produced embryos at 19 microsatellite loci and confirmed reliable genotyping by comparing the microsatellite genotypes to those of known parents. Embryos at stages 5 and 8 did not produce reliable genotyping while those at stages 14, 24 and 33 did. We used the same DNA isolation method on 262 wild‐caught acipenseriform embryos collected from the lower Yellowstone River. A total of 200 of the wild embryos were successfully identified to stages 8 to 34 and the rest could not be staged. Using a combination of single nucleotide polymorphism and microsatellite markers, 249 of the wild‐caught embryos were genetically identified as paddlefish Polyodon spathula, five were identified as shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus and eight failed to amplify. None were identified as pallid sturgeon. This study demonstrates that early‐stage wild‐spawned acipenseriform embryos can be genetically identified less than 24 h post‐spawn. This methodology will be useful for recovery efforts for endangered pallid sturgeon and can be applied to other acipenseriform species.
The number of wire placement in the pancreatic duct and metal biliary stent as risk factors for post‐endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis
Authors: Shin Seung Hwan , So Hoonsub , Cho Sunghee , Kim Nayoung , Baik Gwang Ho , Lee Sung Koo , Park Do Hyun
Published: December 2019

Background and Aim

Many post‐ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) risk factors, including pancreatic duct cannulation, have been identified; however, whether the number of repeated and unintentional wire placements (WPs) in the pancreatic duct during wire‐guided cannulation affects PEP risk is unknown. We aimed to identify the effects of repeated WP in the pancreatic duct and other potential risk factors on PEP incidence.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 877 patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). We examined potential patient‐related and procedure‐related risk factors, and PEP incidence by univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses.

Results

Thirty‐four patients (3.9%) had PEP. Univariable analysis revealed younger age, malignant common bile duct or ampulla of Vater stricture, two or more episodes of WPs in the pancreatic duct, and metal biliary stent as risk factors for PEP. Following multivariable analysis, two or more episodes of WPs in the pancreatic duct and metal biliary stent remained in the final model. PEP did not increase significantly in case of a one episode of WP (4.0%) compared with no episode of WP in the pancreatic duct (2.7%). However, patients with two episodes of WPs had 8.0% incidence and three or more episodes of WPs had 14.3%.

Conclusions

A WP in the pancreatic duct and a metal biliary stent were associated with increased PEP incidence in patients undergoing ERCP. As for the pancreatic duct wire cannulation, two or more WPs considerably increased PEP incidence. This suggests that preventive measures or alternative procedures might be considered in patients with such cases during and after ERCP.
Experiencing winter for spring flowering: A molecular epigenetic perspective on vernalization
Authors: Luo Xiao , He Yuehui
Published: December 2019

Many over‐wintering plants, through vernalization, overcome a block to flowering and thus acquire competence to flower in the following spring after experiencing prolonged cold exposure or winter cold. The vernalization pathways in different angiosperm lineages appear to have convergently evolved to adapt to temperate climates. Molecular and epigenetic mechanisms for vernalization regulation have been well studied in the crucifer model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we review recent progresses on the vernalization pathway in Arabidopsis. In addition, we summarize current molecular and genetic understandings of vernalization regulation in temperate grasses including wheat and Brachypodium, two monocots from Pooideae, followed by a brief discussion on divergence of the vernalization pathways between Brassicaceae and Pooideae.
First assessment of the potential for coculture of sandfish (Holothuria scabra) with Babylon snail (Babylonia areolata) in Vietnam
Authors: Dobson Gregory T. , Duy Nguyen D. Q. , Southgate Paul C.
Published: December 2019

The potential for the coculture of sandfish, Holothuria scabra and Babylon snail, Babylonia areolata was investigated. Sandfish (weight 1.87 ± 0.41 g) were cultured at low (25 ind/m2; 46.75 g/m2), medium (50 ind/m2; 93.5 g/m2), and high (100 ind/m2; 187 g/m2) densities in monoculture and in coculture with Babylonia at a density of 400 ind/m2 (208 g/m2). In monoculture, sandfish were provided with 1 g m−2 day−1 commercial prawn starter feed. In coculture, trash fish provided for Babylonia (5% total wet weight per day) was the only food input. Sandfish survival over the 84‐day experiment period was reduced in coculture treatments (77.60 vs. 97.22%) but was in line with expected survival rates (80–90%) of commercial sandfish culture. Mean sandfish weight gain and absolute growth rate were around 37% greater in coculture (mean weight gain 13.42 ± 2.90 g vs. 9.77 ± 2.54 g over 84 days). No differences in Babylonia growth rate or survival were evident between sandfish density treatments. Sediment organic matter content did not differ significantly between monoculture (0.43 ± 0.03%) and coculture (0.55 ± 0.06%) treatments, but the latter had elevated concentrations of ammonia. Results provide a basis for further development of land‐based pond coculture systems for sandfish and Babylonia.
Literacies remaking public places: the Umbrella Movement of Hong Kong, 2014
Authors: Gillen Julia , Yu Mandy Hoi Man , Fan Gloria Ho Nga , Ho Selena
Published: December 2019

We approach Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement, also known as Occupy Central, encountered in 2 days in November 2014 as an exemplar of literacy as placemaking. As a contemporary city‐based resistance movement, the creation and subsequent resemiotisation of literacy artefacts were an important element of spatialised practice in asserting a new and dynamic sense of citizenship. In their collaborative design, shared commitment to certain values and expressions of political resistance, these occupation sites may be read as an instantiation of Goodsell's concept of public space. The initial research site of engagement gave rise to a dataset of photographs that the authors examined together as discourses in place, informed by cultural knowledge of Hong Kong. Selecting two photographs, we broaden out beyond the linguistic features of texts to consider processes of creative semiotic remediation. We suggest that in such placemaking activities, the Umbrella Movement activists embodied Giroux's concept of literacy as emancipatory practice. Finally, we make suggestions as to how this study might be connected to a critical pedagogy of place.
Child‐level double burden of malnutrition in the MENA and LAC regions: Prevalence and social determinants
Authors: Ghattas Hala , Acharya Yubraj , Jamaluddine Zeina , Assi Moubadda , El Asmar Khalil , Jones Andrew D.
Published: December 2019

Although the prevalence of obesity has rapidly increased in the low‐ and middle‐income countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) regions, child undernutrition remains a public‐health challenge. We examined region‐specific sociodemographic determinants of this double burden of malnutrition, specifically, the co‐occurrence of child stunting and overweight, using Demographic and Health Survey and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey data (2003–2016) from 11 countries in the MENA (n= 118,585) and 13 countries in the LAC (n= 77,824) regions. We used multiple logistic regressions to model region‐specific associations of maternal education and household wealth with child nutritional outcomes (6–59 months). The prevalence of stunting, overweight, and their co‐occurrence was 24%, 10%, and 4.3% in children in the MENA region, respectively, and 19%, 5%, and 0.5% in children in the LAC region, respectively. In both regions, higher maternal education and household wealth were significantly associated with lower odds of stunting and higher odds of overweight. As compared with the poorest wealth quintiles, decreased odds of co‐occurring stunting and overweight were observed among children from the second, third, and fourth wealth quintiles in the LAC region. In the MENA region, this association was only statistically significant for the second wealth quintile. In both regions, double burden was not statistically significantly associated with maternal education. The social patterning of co‐occurring stunting and overweight in children varied across the two regions, indicating potential differences in the underlying aetiology of the double burden across regions and stages of the nutrition transition.
Inherited salt‐losing tubulopathy: An old condition but a new category of tubulopathy
Authors: Nozu Kandai , Yamamura Tomohiko , Horinouchi Tomoko , Nagano China , Sakakibara Nana , Ishikura Kenji , Hamada Riku , Morisada Naoya , Iijima Kazumoto
Published: December 2019

Bartter syndrome (BS) and Gitelman syndrome (GS) are syndromes associated with congenital tubular dysfunction, characterized by hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis. Clinically, BS is classified into two types: the severe antenatal/neonatal type, which develops during the fetal period with polyhydramnios and preterm delivery; and the relatively mild classic type, which is usually found during infancy with failure to thrive. GS can be clinically differentiated from BS by its age at onset, usually after school age, or laboratory findings of hypomagnesemia and hypocalciuria. Recent advances in molecular biology have shown that these diseases can be genetically classified into type 1 to 5 BS and GS. As a result, it has become clear that the clinical classification of antenatal/neonatal BS, classic BS, and GS does not always correspond to the clinical symptoms associated with the genotypes in a one‐to‐one manner; and there is clinically no clear differential border between type 3 BS and GS. This has caused confusion among clinicians in the diagnosis of these diseases. It has been proposed that the disease name “inherited salt‐losing tubulopathy” can be used for cases of tubulopathies accompanied by hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis. It is reasonable to use this term prior to genetic typing into type 1–5 BS or GS, to avoid confusion in a clinical setting. In this article, we review causative genes and phenotypic correlations, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for salt‐losing tubulopathy as well as the clinical characteristics of pseudo‐BS/GS, which can also be called a “salt‐losing disorder”.
Engagement in primary health care nurses: A cross‐sectional study in a Brazilian city
Authors: da Silva Albertina Gomes , Cabrera Eliana Márcia Sotello , Gazetta Cláudia Eli , Sodré Paula Canova , Castro Jussara Rossi , Cordioli Junior João Roberto , Cordioli Dezolina Franciele Cardin , Lourenção Luciano Garcia
Published: December 2019

Objective

Professional engagement is an indicator of the relationship between a nurse and the work environment and is an important factor in performance and productivity. The goal of this study was to evaluate levels of engagement among nurses in primary health care units.

Methods

Cross‐sectional study in a city of São Paulo state, Brazil, in 2017, using an instrument containing sociodemographic variables and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES).

Results

In the sample of 75 nurses, the majority were female (94.7%), aged between 29 and 39 (52.0%), specialists (81.3%), married (57.3%), permanent employees (68.0%), working 40 hr per week (98.7%), and working in primary health care for 3–10 years (42.7%). Engagement levels were classified as high in all dimensions. Nurses who worked as managers presented a very high level of dedication; professionals aged 40 years or older presented very high levels in all dimensions (Dedication: 5.2; Absorption: 5.0; Vigor: 5.3; and Overall score: 5.1); and professionals with more than 10 years of experience in primary health care had very high levels in all dimensions (Dedication: 5.0; Absorption: 5.0; Vigor: 5.0; and Overall score: 5.0).

Conclusions

Nurses working in Brazil's primary health care system have high engagement and ability to act; they enhance team performance and quality and effectiveness of care provided.
The Specialized Early Care for Alzheimer’s method of caring for people with dementia: an investigation of what works and how
Authors: McCrae Niall , Penhallow Jessica , Rees Olivia , Norman Ian
Published: December 2019

Background and rationale

SPECAL is a model of care for people with dementia based on a novel conceptualisation of memory and how this changes in dementia. Carers adapt their communication style to prevent distress and promote well‐being for the person with dementia. However, there is limited scientific evidence on the effectiveness of SPECAL.

Aim

This study explored mechanisms of SPECAL through a qualitative enquiry with family carers.

Method

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with family carers who had been coached in SPECAL and applied its principles and practices. Thematic analysis was applied.

Findings

All participants had found SPECAL helpful in caring for a person with dementia. The core themes of this positive experience were empathy, harmony and resilience. Synthesis of these themes contributes to a proposed model of the mechanisms of SPECAL.

Conclusion

In applying SPECAL, carers gained an empathetic insight to the feelings of the person with dementia. This empathy leads to a more harmonious environment, which enhances the carer’s resilience.