bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of the operational model when applied to quantify functional selectivity
Authors: Zhu Xiao , Finlay David B , Glass Michelle , Duffull Stephen B
Published: February 2018

Background and Purpose

Functional selectivity describes the ability of ligands to differentially regulate multiple signalling pathways when coupled to a single receptor, and the operational model is commonly used to analyse these data. Here, we assess the mathematical properties of the operational model and evaluate the outcomes of fixing parameters on model performance.

Experimental Approach

The operational model was evaluated using both a mathematical identifiability analysis and simulation.

Key Results

Mathematical analysis revealed that the parameters R0 and KE were not independently identifiable which can be solved by considering their ratio, τ. The ratio parameter, τ, was often imprecisely estimated when only functional assay data were available and generally only the transduction coefficient R (
) could be estimated precisely. The general operational model (that includes baseline and the Hill coefficient) required either the parameters Em or KA to be fixed. The normalization process largely cancelled out the mean error of the calculated Δlog (R) caused by fixing these parameters. From this analysis, it was determined that we can avoid the need for a full agonist ligand to be included in an experiment to determine Δlog (R).

Conclusion and Implications

This analysis has provided a ready‐to‐use understanding of current methods for quantifying functional selectivity. It showed that current methods are generally tolerant to fixing parameters. A new method was proposed that removes the need for including a high efficacy ligand in any given experiment, which allows application to large‐scale screening to identify compounds with desirable features of functional selectivity.
X‐ray‐enhanced cancer cell migration requires the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton complex
Authors: Imaizumi Hiromasa , Sato Katsutoshi , Nishihara Asuka , Minami Kazumasa , Koizumi Masahiko , Matsuura Nariaki , Hieda Miki
Published: February 2018

The linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex is a multifunctional protein complex that is involved in various processes at the nuclear envelope, including nuclear migration, mechanotransduction, chromatin tethering and DNA damage response. We recently showed that a nuclear envelope protein, Sad1 and UNC84 domain protein 1 (SUN1), a component of the LINC complex, has a critical function in cell migration. Although ionizing radiation activates cell migration and invasion in vivo and in vitro, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown. Here, we examined the involvement of the LINC complex in radiation‐enhanced cell migration and invasion. A sublethal dose of X‐ray radiation promoted human breast cancer MDA‐MB‐231 cell migration and invasion, whereas carbon ion beam radiation suppressed these processes in a dose‐dependent manner. Depletion of SUN1 and SUN2 significantly suppressed X‐ray‐enhanced cell migration and invasion. Moreover, depletion or overexpression of each SUN1 splicing variant revealed that SUN1_888 containing 888 amino acids of SUN1 but not SUN1_916 was required for X‐ray‐enhanced migration and invasion. In addition, the results suggested that X‐ray irradiation affected the expression level of SUN1 splicing variants and a SUN protein binding partner, nesprins. Taken together, our findings supported that the LINC complex contributed to photon‐enhanced cell migration and invasion.
Dental knowledge and dental service utilization: A 2‐year follow‐up study
Authors: Amarasena Najith , Spencer Andrew John , Roberts‐Thomson Kaye F. , Brennan David S.
Published: February 2018

Objectives

To investigate associations of dental knowledge with dental service utilization over 2 years in South Australians aged 45‐54 years.

Methods

In 2004‐2005, a random sample of 2469 adults aged 45‐54 years from Adelaide, South Australia, who were selected from the Australian electoral roll was surveyed. The outcome variables were the numbers of visits and dental services received over 2 years. Data were analysed using log‐binomial and Poisson regression. Statistical significance was determined at P < .05.

Results

The response rates were 43.8% in the study group (n = 879) and 50.7% in the comparison group (n = 107). Oral examinations were conducted on 709 persons (81% of study group participants). Dental services data were collected from approximately 60% of participants at the end of years 1 and 2. After adjusting for sex, education, health card status, toothbrushing and inadequate dentition, higher caries knowledge and periodontal knowledge scores were associated with higher percentages of persons making dental visits (prevalence ratio, 95% CI: 1.2, 1.1‐1.3 and 1.1, 1.0‐1.3), and lower rates of extraction (rate ratio, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.1‐0.4 and 0.4, 0.3‐0.7) and endodontic services (0.5, 0.3‐0.9 and 0.5, 0.3‐0.7). Higher caries knowledge was associated with lower rates of fillings (0.8, 0.7‐0.9) and denture services (0.1, 0.0‐0.6), while higher periodontal knowledge was associated with higher numbers of visits (1.3, 1.2‐1.5), and prophylaxis services (1.4, 1.1‐1.8) and crowns (1.7, 1.1‐2.5).

Conclusion

South Australians aged 45‐54 years with higher dental knowledge had lower rates of invasive treatment over 2 years. These findings warrant policy initiatives that highlight the importance of dental knowledge in improving oral health.
Prevalence of orofacial clefts and risks for nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in newborns at a university hospital from West Mexico
Authors: Corona‐Rivera Jorge Román , Bobadilla‐Morales Lucina , Corona‐Rivera Alfredo , Peña‐Padilla Christian , Olvera‐Molina Sandra , Orozco‐Martín Miriam A. , García‐Cruz Diana , Ríos‐Flores Izabel M. , Gómez‐Rodríguez Brian Gabriel , Rivas‐Soto Gemma , Pérez‐Molina J. Jesús
Published: February 2018

We determined the overall prevalence of typical orofacial clefts and the potential risks for nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in a university hospital from West México. For the prevalence, 227 liveborn infants with typical orofacial clefts were included from a total of 81,193 births occurred during the period 2009–2016 at the “Dr. Juan I. Menchaca” Civil Hospital of Guadalajara (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico). To evaluate potential risks, a case‐control study was conducted among 420 newborns, including only those 105 patients with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (cases), and 315 infants without birth defects (controls). Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analysis expressed as adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals . The overall prevalence for typical orofacial clefts was 28 per 10,000 (95% confidence interval: 24.3–31.6), or 1 per 358 live births. The mean values for the prepregnancy weight, antepartum weight, and pre‐pregnancy body mass index were statistically higher among the mothers of cases. Infants with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate had a significantly higher risk for previous history of any type of congenital anomaly (adjusted odds ratio: 2.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.4–5.1), history of a relative with cleft lip with or without cleft palate (adjusted odds ratio: 19.6; 95% confidence interval: 8.2–47.1), and first‐trimester exposures to progestogens (adjusted odds ratio: 6.8; 95% CI 1.8–25.3), hyperthermia (adjusted odds ratio: 3.4; 95% confidence interval: 1.1–10.6), and common cold (adjusted odds ratio: 3.6; 95% confidence interval: 1.1–11.9). These risks could have contributed to explain the high prevalence of orofacial clefts in our region of Mexico, emphasizing that except for history of relatives with cleft lip with or without cleft palate, most are susceptible of modification.
Truncating variants of the DLG4 gene are responsible for intellectual disability with marfanoid features
Authors: Moutton S. , Bruel A.‐L. , Assoum M. , Chevarin M. , Sarrazin E. , Goizet C. , Guerrot A.‐M. , Charollais A. , Charles P. , Heron D. , Faudet A. , Houcinat N. , Vitobello A. , Tran‐Mau‐Them F. , Philippe C. , Duffourd Y. , Thauvin‐Robinet C. , Faivre L.
Published: February 2018

Marfanoid habitus (MH) combined with intellectual disability (ID) is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of overlapping disorders. We performed exome sequencing in 33 trios and 31 single probands to identify novel genes specific to MH‐ID. After the search for variants in known disease‐causing genes and non‐disease‐causing genes with classical approaches, we searched for variants in non‐disease‐causing genes whose pLI was above 0.9 (ExAC Consortium data), in which truncating variants were found in at least 3 unrelated patients. Only DLG4 gene met these criteria. Data from the literature and various databases also indicated its implication in ID. DLG4 encodes post‐synaptic density protein 95 (PSD‐95), a protein expressed in various tissues, including the brain. In neurons, PSD‐95 is located at the post‐synaptic density, and is associated with glutamatergic receptor signaling (NMDA and AMPA). PSD‐95 probably participates in dendritogenesis. Two patients were heterozygous for de novo frameshift variants and one patient carried a a consensus splice site variant. Gene expression studies supported their pathogenicity through haploinsufficiency and loss‐of‐function. Patients exhibited mild‐to‐moderate ID, similar marfanoid features, including a long face, high‐arched palate, long and thin fingers, pectus excavatum, scoliosis and ophthalmological manifestations (nystagmus or strabismus). Our study emphasizes the role of DLG4 as a novel post‐synaptic‐associated gene involved in syndromic ID associated with MH.
Alteration of GABAergic neurotransmission in Huntington's disease
Authors: Garret Maurice , Du Zhuowei , Chazalon Marine , Cho Yoon H. , Baufreton Jérôme
Published: February 2018

Hereditary Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by cell dysfunction and death in the brain, leading to progressive cognitive, psychiatric, and motor impairments. Despite molecular and cellular descriptions of the effects of the HD mutation, no effective pharmacological treatment is yet available. In addition to well‐established alterations of glutamatergic and dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems, it is becoming clear that the GABAergic systems are also impaired in HD. GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, and GABAergic neurotransmission has been postulated to be modified in many neurological and psychiatric diseases. In addition, GABAergic neurotransmission is the target of many drugs that are in wide clinical use. Here, we summarize data demonstrating the occurrence of alterations of GABAergic markers in the brain of HD carriers as well as in rodent models of the disease. In particular, we pinpoint HD‐related changes in the expression of GABAA receptors (GABAARs). On the basis that a novel GABA pharmacology of GABAARs established with more selective drugs is emerging, we argue that clinical treatments acting specifically on GABAergic neurotransmission may be an appropriate strategy for improving symptoms linked to the HD mutation.
Perceptions of driving after marijuana use compared to alcohol use among rural American young adults
Authors: Greene Kaylin M.
Published: February 2018

Introduction and Aims

Substance use contributes to motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death among young adults. The current qualitative study examined perceptions of the acceptability and harms associated with driving after marijuana versus alcohol use in rural America. Illuminating rural perspectives is critical given that the motor vehicle fatality rate is twice as high in rural as in urban areas in the USA.

Design and Methods

In 2015–2016, 72 young adults aged 18–25 years (Mage = 20.2; 50.7% female) living in Montana, USA, participated in 11 focus groups. A list of descriptive codes was generated inductively and two individuals coded participant comments. Discussion, memoing and concept mapping were used to uncover broader themes and transcripts were reviewed for evidence of these themes.

Results

There was shared consensus that, with regard to crash risk, driving after marijuana use was safer than driving after alcohol use. While alcohol was thought to impair driving ability universally, marijuana's impacts depended on individual characteristics (e.g. compensatory behaviours) and the marijuana itself (e.g. type). Participants expressed conflicting beliefs about policies surrounding marijuana use and driving but were more knowledgeable about alcohol‐related policies. Participants viewed older adults and those in frontier areas as more disapproving of driving after marijuana use.

Discussion and Conclusions

Misinformation about the consequences of driving after marijuana use is common, demonstrating the need for future research and educational interventions. Developing and disseminating guidelines for driving after marijuana use would help marijuana users make informed decisions and mitigate driving‐related risks.
When a physician and a clinical ethicist collaborate for better patient care
Authors: Arawi Thalia , Charafeddine Lama
Published: February 2018

Bioethics is a relatively new addition to bedside medical care in Arab world which is characterized by a special culture that often makes blind adaptation of western ethics codes and principles; a challenge that has to be faced. To date, the American University of Beirut Medical Center is the only hospital that offers bedside ethics consultations in the Arab Region aiming towards better patient‐centered care. This article tackles the role of the bedside clinical ethics consultant as an active member of the medical team and the impact of such consultations on decision‐making and patient‐centered care. Using the case of a child with multiple medical problems and a futile medical condition, we describe how the collaboration of the medical team and the clinical ethics consultant took a comprehensive approach to accompany and lead the parents and the medical team in their decision‐making process and how the consultations allowed several salient issues to be addressed. This approach proved to be effective in the Arab cultural setting and indeed did lead to better patientcentered care.
Implications of Odera Oruka's ethics of consumerism for reducing globesity
Authors: Fayemi Ademola K.
Published: February 2018

In this paper, I advance Odera Oruka's insights on the ethics of consumerism in order to draw relevant implications of his thoughts on rethinking the problem of obesity. I argue that Oruka's ethics of consumerism and his right to human minimum theory entail some salient ideas that might serve as a better ethical model for reducing the global obesity prevalence. Though Oruka's African moral philosophy is yet to receive universal attention it arguably deserves, the interests of the international and ‘globesity’ community would be better served learning from the contributions of an African moral theory to contemporary bioethical discourse on obesity. Oruka's moral thoughts are by constitution, a deontological and cosmopolitan call for reducing hunger in globalized world, while also indirectly, addressing obesity of the poor. I show the limitations of his ethics of consumerism, and the shortcomings of such ethics in the context of obesity of the poor. Consequently, I develop a neo‐Orukan virtue based ethics that is worthy of attention in efforts towards addressing the obesity tide. No such perspective currently exists in the context of obesity; yet the exigent need for one is necessitated by the defects of the libertarian and harm principle approaches in Western bioethical discourse.
Development of a screening tool using electronic health records for undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose detection in the Slovenian population
Authors: Štiglic G. , Kocbek P. , Cilar L. , Fijačko N. , Stožer A. , Zaletel J. , Sheikh A. , Povalej Bržan P.
Published: February 2018

Aim

To develop and validate a simplified screening test for undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose for the Slovenian population (SloRisk) to be used in the general population.

Methods

Data on 11 391 people were collected from the electronic health records of comprehensive medical examinations in five Slovenian healthcare centres. Fasting plasma glucose as well as information related to the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score questionnaire, FINDRISC, were collected for 2073 people to build predictive models. Bootstrapping‐based evaluation was used to estimate the area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve performance metric of two proposed logistic regression models as well as the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score model both at recommended and at alternative cut‐off values.

Results

The final model contained five questions for undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes prediction and achieved an area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve of 0.851 (95% CI 0.850–0.853). The impaired fasting glucose prediction model included six questions and achieved an area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve of 0.840 (95% CI 0.839–0.840). There were four questions that were included in both models (age, sex, waist circumference and blood sugar history), with physical activity selected only for undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes and questions on family history and hypertension drug use selected only for the impaired fasting glucose prediction model.

Conclusions

This study proposes two simplified models based on FINDRISC questions for screening of undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in the Slovenian population. A significant improvement in performance was achieved compared with the original FINDRISC questionnaire. Both models include waist circumference instead of BMI.
Investigating the longitudinal association between diabetes and anxiety: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Smith K. J. , Deschênes S. S. , Schmitz N.
Published: February 2018

Aim

Previous research has indicated an association between diabetes and anxiety. However, no synthesis has determined the direction of this association. The aim of this study was to determine the longitudinal relationship between anxiety and diabetes.

Methods

We searched seven databases for studies examining the longitudinal relationship between anxiety and diabetes. Two independent reviewers screened studies from a population aged 16 or older that examined either anxiety as a risk factor for incident diabetes or diabetes as a risk factor for incident anxiety. Studies that met eligibility criteria were put forward for data extraction and meta‐analysis.

Results

In total 14 studies (n = 1 760 800) that examined anxiety as a risk factor for incident diabetes and two (n = 88 109) that examined diabetes as a risk factor for incident anxiety were eligible for inclusion in the review. Only studies examining anxiety as a risk factor for incident diabetes were put forward for the meta‐analysis. The least adjusted (unadjusted or adjusted for age only) estimate indicated a significant association between baseline anxiety with incident diabetes (odds ratio 1.47, 1.23–1.75). Furthermore, most‐adjusted analyses indicated a significant association between baseline anxiety and incident diabetes. Included studies that examined diabetes to incident anxiety found no association.

Conclusions

There was an association between baseline anxiety and incident diabetes. The results also indicate the need for more research to examine the direction of association from diabetes to incident anxiety. This work adds to the growing body of evidence that poor mental health increases the risk of developing diabetes.
The presentation and management of platelet disorders in pregnancy
Authors: Goldman Bernardus G. , Hehir Mark P. , Yambasu Sahr , O'Donnell Edward M.
Published: February 2018

Thrombocytopenia, defined as a platelet count less than 150 000 per microlitre, occurs in 7%‐12% of all pregnancies. Apart from anaemia, it is the most common haematological disorder in pregnancy. Despite its frequent occurrence, thrombocytopenia often leads to difficulties of diagnosis and management in pregnancy. Typically, a pregnant woman will have platelet counts of 150 000 to 450 000 per microlitre and platelet counts may be slightly lower than those of healthy, non‐pregnant controls. Approximately, 8% of pregnant women will develop mild thrombocytopenia (100 000‐150 000 per microlitre) and while 65% of these women will have no underlying pathology, all pregnant women with platelet counts of less than 100 000 per microlitre should undergo further clinical and laboratory assessment. Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy occurs as a result of multiple distinct conditions, we present four cases of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy encountered in our unit over a 12‐month period. These include gestational thrombocytopenia, immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and thrombocytopenia absent radius (TAR) syndrome. The literature review of these cases highlights the significance of identification, understanding pathophysiology and a multidisciplinary approach to these conditions. We refresh knowledge on these conditions and emphasise the importance of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.
Vestibular modulation of peripersonal space boundaries
Authors: Pfeiffer Christian , Noel Jean‐Paul , Serino Andrea , Blanke Olaf
Published: February 2018

Human–environment interactions are mediated through the body and occur within the peripersonal space (PPS), the space immediately adjacent to and surrounding the body. The PPS is taken to be a critical interface between the body and the environment, and indeed, body‐part specific PPS remapping has been shown to depend on body‐part utilization, such as upper limb movements in otherwise static observers. How vestibular signals induced by whole‐body movement contribute to PPS representation is less well understood. In a series of experiments, we mapped the spatial extension of the PPS around the head while participants were submitted to passive whole‐body rotations inducing vestibular stimulation. Forty‐six participants, in three experiments, executed a tactile detection reaction time task while task‐irrelevant auditory stimuli approached them. The maximal distance at which the auditory stimulus facilitated tactile reaction time was taken as a proxy for the boundary of peri‐head space. The present results indicate two distinct vestibular effects. First, vestibular stimulation speeded tactile detection indicating a vestibular facilitation of somatosensory processing. Second, vestibular stimulation modulated audio‐tactile interaction of peri‐head space in a rotation direction‐specific manner. Congruent but not incongruent audio‐vestibular motion stimuli expanded the PPS boundary further away from the body as compared to no rotation. These results show that vestibular inputs dynamically update the multisensory delineation of PPS and far space, which may serve to maintain accurate tracking of objects close to the body and to update spatial self‐representations.
Modulation of task‐related cortical connectivity in the acute and subacute phase after stroke
Authors: Larsen Lisbeth H. , Zibrandtsen Ivan C. , Wienecke Troels , Kjaer Troels W. , Langberg Henning , Nielsen Jens B. , Christensen Mark S.
Published: February 2018

The functional relevance of cortical reorganization post‐stroke is still not well understood. In this study, we investigated task‐specific modulation of cortical connectivity between neural oscillations in key motor regions during the early phase after stroke. EEG and EMG recordings were examined from 15 patients and 18 controls during a precision grip task using the affected hand. Each patient attended two sessions in the acute and subacute phase (median of 3 and 34 days) post‐stroke. Dynamic causal modelling (DCM) for induced responses was used to investigate task‐specific modulations of oscillatory couplings in a bilateral network comprising supplementary motor area (SMA), dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) and primary motor cortex (M1). Fourteen models were constructed for each subject, and the input induced by the experimental manipulation (task) was set to inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Bayesian model selection favoured a fully connected model. A reduced coupling from SMA and intact M1 in the γ‐band (31–48 Hz) to lesioned M1 in the β‐band (15–30 Hz) was observed in patients in the acute phase compared to controls. Behavioural performance improved significantly in the subacute phase, while an increased positive coupling from intact PMd to lesioned M1 and a less negative modulation from lesioned M1 to intact M1 were observed for patients compared to controls both from the γ‐band to the β‐band. We infer that the observed differences in cross‐frequency cortical interactions are important for functional recovery.
Freedom and poverty in the Kantian state
Authors: Hasan Rafeeq
Published: February 2018

The coercive authority of the Kantian state is rationally grounded in the ideal of equal external freedom, which is realized when each individual can choose and act without being constrained by another's will. This ideal does not seem like it can justify state‐mandated economic redistribution. For if one is externally free just as long as one can choose and act without being constrained by another, then only direct slavery, serfdom, or other systems of overt control seem to threaten external freedom. Yet Kant endows the freedom‐based state with considerable powers of economic redistribution. I argue that recent commentary has misunderstood both Kant's account ofwhypoverty is a form of freedom‐threatening dependence and the extent of the Kantian state's powers for remedying poverty. Criticizing Arthur Ripstein and the Kantianism of the “Toronto‐School,” I argue that the most salient notion of dependence at issue within the Kantian framework is not the direct control of the choice‐making capacities of another but asymmetrical influence in a power relationship. For Kant, poverty is fundamentally a problem of structural disempowerment.
Modeling fitness changes in wild Atlantic salmon populations faced by spawning intrusion of domesticated escapees
Authors: Castellani Marco , Heino Mikko , Gilbey John , Araki Hitoshi , Svåsand Terje , Glover Kevin A.
Published: February 2018

Genetic interaction between domesticated escapees and wild conspecifics represents a persistent challenge to an environmentally sustainable Atlantic salmon aquaculture industry. We used a recently developed eco‐genetic model (IBSEM) to investigate potential changes in a wild salmon population subject to spawning intrusion from domesticated escapees. At low intrusion levels (5%–10% escapees), phenotypic and demographic characteristics of the recipient wild population only displayed weak changes over 50 years and only at high intrusion levels (30%–50% escapees) were clear changes visible in this period. Our modeling also revealed that genetic changes in phenotypic and demographic characteristics were greater in situations where strayers originating from a neighboring wild population were domestication‐admixed and changed in parallel with the focal wild population, as opposed to nonadmixed. While recovery in the phenotypic and demographic characteristics was observed in many instances after domesticated salmon intrusion was halted, in the most extreme intrusion scenario, the population went extinct. Based upon results from these simulations, together with existing knowledge, we suggest that a combination of reduced spawning success of domesticated escapees, natural selection purging maladapted phenotypes/genotypes from the wild population, and phenotypic plasticity, buffer the rate and magnitude of change in phenotypic and demographic characteristics of wild populations subject to spawning intrusion of domesticated escapees. The results of our simulations also suggest that under specific conditions, natural straying among wild populations may buffer genetic changes in phenotypic and demographic characteristics resulting from introgression of domesticated escapees and that variation in straying in time and space may contribute to observed differences in domestication‐driven introgression among native populations.
Fuzzy time series model based on weighted association rule for financial market forecasting
Authors: Cheng Ching‐Hsue , Chen Chung‐Hsi
Published: February 2018

Fuzzy time series have been used to forecast future problems based on historical data. However, previously fuzzy time series methods have some problems: (a) subjectively determined the length of intervals, (b) only discusses the relations for previous period and next period in forecasting stage, and (c) no appropriately consider the weights of fuzzy relations. Based on these reasons, this study proposes a novel fuzzy time series model with 3 focuses: (a) proposing a spread partition algorithm to calculate the length of intervals under the given number of linguistic value and automatically determine the lower bound and upper bound of universe, (b) considering multi‐order fuzzy relation, and (c) building weighted fuzzy association rules based on Apriori's association rules and compute the cardinality of each fuzzy relation. That is, this study proposed a novel method based on Apriori's large itemsets to build the weighted fuzzy time series model for solving forecast problems. To verify the proposed model, the gold price data sets and exchange rates are employed as experimental data sets. This study compared the proposed model with other methods for forecasting accuracy, and the comparison results shown that the proposed method is better than other methods in root mean square error and mean absolute percentage error criteria.
Development of a new semianalytical approach for 2D analysis of crack propagation problems
Authors: Yazdani M. , Khaji N.
Published: February 2018

This study offers novel progresses for a semianalytical method to simulate 2D propagation of cracks based on linear elastic fracture mechanics. For this purpose, a new algorithm is proposed on the basis of the linear elastic fracture mechanics for crack propagation in single‐mode and mixed mode. Herein, discretization is only performed on the boundaries of the problem by using specific subparametric elements and higher‐order Chebyshev polynomials as mapping functions. Implementing the weighted residual method and by taking Clenshaw‐Curtis numerical quadrature, diagonal Euler's differential equations are obtained. Consequently, once the local coordinate origin is assumed at the tip of the crack, the stress intensity factors can be derived directly. In accordance with the rate of maximum energy release as a propagation criterion and by proposing a new quasi‐automatic remeshing procedure based on domain division, the crack propagation is applied here. Based on the new presented algorithm, application of the new semianalytical method to crack propagation analysis is more flexible and efficient. By taking this advantage, relatively coarse and simple discretization compared with other computational methods may be used. By modelling 4 benchmark problems with a few numbers of degrees of freedom, the validity and accuracy of the current method is illustrated. Results show that the presented algorithm is applicable for efficient and precise prediction of crack trajectories.
Measuring and evaluating ecological flows from streams to regions: Steps towards national coverage
Authors: McKenna James E. , Reeves Howard W. , Seelbach Paul W.
Published: February 2018

Living aquatic communities are largely determined and maintained by the volume and quality of flowing waters, both within lotic systems and in receiving waters of coastal systems. However, flow is one of the most frequently and extensively altered features of rivers and streams; alteration effects are likely to be exacerbated by climate change. Lotic systems vary and different fish species need different environmental conditions, and distinct problems are evident at various spatial scales. New synoptic flow and biological information now make it possible to evaluate the effects of altered flows throughout the Great Lakes Region at scales from the stream reach to the Region.

We used estimates of river and streamflow and observed fish abundances to develop tools that specify the response of fish to alterations in those flows. We fit the logistic model to a cumulative fish abundance curve as a function of yield providing an empirical means to develop models of the response of cumulative fish abundance to flows.

Response zones of yield for each species in each system type (based on size and thermal class) illustrate how criteria may be developed that can be used in decision‐making for management of flows. In our example application, we evaluate both the general response of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) abundances (and fish diversity) to changes in flows and assess the sensitivity of each stream fish community to flow alteration. Mapping stream sensitivity to flow alteration throughout the US Great Lakes Region with a multiscale spatial framework showed how regional variability in sensitivity for any fish species or assemblage may be evaluated and provides managers with information to help determine where the best opportunities for protection or restoration of streamflows and associated communities exist.

These results provide valuable tools and critical information to managers responsible for balancing water uses and maintaining high quality lotic ecosystems. These methods may be applied to any geographic region and can be extended nationally or globally, where flow, temperature, fish and landscape data are available.
Testing for seasonality in alpine streams: How does altitude affect freshwater insect life cycles?
Authors: McCulloch Graham A. , Waters Jonathan M.
Published: February 2018

Altitudinal offset in adult emergence has been well characterised for terrestrial insects, but remains poorly understood for freshwater insect assemblages. Stream insects, like their terrestrial counterparts, are expected to exhibit phenology gradients, with delayed emergence associated with increasing altitude (Hopkins' Law).

We analysed the collection records of the entire endemic stonefly fauna from New Zealand's mainland (99 species, 19 genera, four families) to test for intraspecific and interspecific correlations between altitude and adult emergence.

Intraspecific analyses of widespread New Zealand plecopteran taxa indicate that high‐altitude populations emerge substantially later than those at lower elevations, with 25 of 31 widespread stonefly taxa yielding significant positive associations between altitude and emergence date. Similar patterns were detected for interspecific comparisons, even when phylogenetic relationships were considered, with high‐altitude taxa emerging substantially later than lowland counterparts.

In a number of species, delays in emergence (mean: 5.3 ± 2.0 days/100 m) exceeded those previously reported for terrestrial insect taxa and also exceeded values originally predicted under Hopkins' Law. These findings suggest that stream‐insect life cycles have potential to be highly sensitive to temperature shifts and thus raise questions about their response to anthropogenic climate impacts.
Long‐term effects of climate change on carbon flows through benthic secondary production in small lakes
Authors: Belle Simon , Musazzi Simona , Tõnno Ilmar , Poska Anneli , Leys Bérangère , Lami Andrea
Published: February 2018

A palaeolimnological study, covering the last c. 12,000 years, was conducted in a small subalpine lake located in the Alps to study climate change impacts on carbon flows through food webs in small lakes. We used analysis of sedimentary pigments and carbon stable isotopic composition of chironomid remains (δ13CHC) to reconstruct past dynamics of phytoplankton community and carbon sources sustaining benthic consumers.

Chironomid biomass was sustained by a combination of allochthonous, autochthonous and CH4‐derived organic matters, and their relative contributions were correlated to changes in temperature. Relatively high terrestrial contributions to chironomid biomass were observed during period of the Holocene when in‐lake production was low. Relatively high incorporation of CH4‐derived carbon to chironomid biomass was found during anoxic events co‐occurring with the Holocene thermal maximum.

Results were then compared with those collected in a small boreal lake in Estonia. We tested the hypothesis that responses in carbon flows through benthic food web to past climate change would be similar between these lakes. We found a negative correlation between δ13CHC values of both lakes and inferred air temperature, suggesting that temperature was the major driver to different food sources being incorporated into chironomid biomass.

Our study demonstrated that air temperature was the principal driver of the energy flows through benthic food web in the studied small lakes. We conjectured that carbon cycling in food webs of small lakes might be strongly sensitive to climate change.
Drought timing and local climate determine the sensitivity of eastern temperate forests to drought
Authors: D'Orangeville Loïc , Maxwell Justin , Kneeshaw Daniel , Pederson Neil , Duchesne Louis , Logan Travis , Houle Daniel , Arseneault Dominique , Beier Colin M. , Bishop Daniel A. , Druckenbrod Daniel , Fraver Shawn , Girard François , Halman Joshua , Hansen Chris , Hart Justin L. , Hartmann Henrik , Kaye Margot , Leblanc David , Manzoni Stefano , Ouimet Rock , Rayback Shelly , Rollinson Christine R. , Phillips Richard P.
Published: February 2018

Projected changes in temperature and drought regime are likely to reduce carbon (C) storage in forests, thereby amplifying rates of climate change. While such reductions are often presumed to be greatest in semi‐arid forests that experience widespread tree mortality, the consequences of drought may also be important in temperate mesic forests of Eastern North America (ENA) if tree growth is significantly curtailed by drought. Investigations of the environmental conditions that determine drought sensitivity are critically needed to accurately predict ecosystem feedbacks to climate change. We matched site factors with the growth responses to drought of 10,753 trees across mesic forests ofENA, representing 24 species and 346 stands, to determine the broad‐scale drivers of drought sensitivity for the dominant trees inENA. Here we show that two factors—the timing of drought, and the atmospheric demand for water (i.e., local potential evapotranspiration;PET)—are stronger drivers of drought sensitivity than soil and stand characteristics. Drought‐induced reductions in tree growth were greatest when the droughts occurred during early‐season peaks in radial growth, especially for trees growing in the warmest, driest regions (i.e., highestPET). Further, mean species trait values (rooting depth and ψ50) were poor predictors of drought sensitivity, as intraspecific variation in sensitivity was equal to or greater than interspecific variation in 17 of 24 species. From a general circulation model ensemble, we find that future increases in early‐seasonPETmay exacerbate these effects, and potentially offset gains in C uptake and storage inENAowing to other global change factors.
Nonparametric Significance Test for Discovery of Network‐Constrained Spatial Co‐Location Patterns
Authors: Cai Jiannan , Deng Min , Liu Qiliang , He Zhanjun , Tang Jianbo , Yang Xuexi
Published: February 2018

Spatial co‐location patterns are useful for understanding positive spatial interactions among different geographical phenomena. Existing methods for detecting spatial co‐location patterns are mostly developed based on planar space assumption; however, geographical phenomena related to human activities are strongly constrained by road networks. Although these methods can be simply modified to consider the constraints of networks by using the network distance or network partitioning scheme, user‐specified parameters or priori assumptions for determining prevalent co‐location patterns are still subjective. As a result, some co‐location patterns may be wrongly reported or omitted. Therefore, a nonparametric significance test without priori assumptions about the distributions of the spatial features is proposed in this article. Both point‐dependent and location‐dependent network‐constrained summary statistics are first utilized to model the distribution characteristics of the spatial features. Then, by using these summary statistics, a network‐constrained pattern reconstruction method is developed to construct the null model of the test, and the prevalence degree of co‐location patterns is modeled as the significance level. The significance test is evaluated using the facility points‐of‐interest data sets. Experiments and comparisons show that the significance test can effectively detect network‐constrained spatial co‐location patterns with less priori knowledge and outperforms two state‐of‐the‐art methods in excluding spurious patterns.
Differentiation of high‐latitude and polar marine faunas in a greenhouse world
Authors: Crame J. Alistair , McGowan Alistair J. , Bell Mark A.
Published: February 2018

Aim

The aim was to investigate those factors that influenced the differentiation of high‐latitude and polar marine faunas on both ecological and evolutionary time‐scales. Can a focus on a greenhouse world provide some important clues?

Location

World‐wide, but with particular emphasis on the evolution of Antarctic marine faunas.

Time period

Early Cenozoic era and present day.

Major taxa studied

Mollusca, especially Neogastropoda.

Methods

The Early Cenozoic global radiation of one of the largest extant marine clades, Neogastropoda, was examined, and detailed comparisons were made between two tropical localities and Antarctica. High‐ to low‐latitude faunal differentiation was assessed using Sørensen's dissimilarity index, and component species in each of the three faunas were assigned to 29 families and family groups. Relative diversity distributions were fitted to these three faunas and two modern ones to assess the contrast in evenness between high‐ and low‐latitude assemblages.

Results

By the Middle Eocene, a distinct high‐latitude neogastropod fauna had evolved in Antarctica. In addition, the distribution of species within families in this fauna is statistically significantly less even than that in the tropics. Indeed, there is no detectable difference in the scale of this separation from that seen today. Exactly as in the modern fauna, Middle Eocene Antarctic neogastropods are dominated by a small number of trophic generalist groups.

Main conclusions

As the hyperdiverse Neogastropoda clade radiated globally through the Early Cenozoic, it differentiated into distinct high‐ and low‐latitude components. The fact that it did so in a greenhouse world strongly suggests that something else besides temperature was involved in this process. The predominance of generalist feeding types in the Antarctic fossil faunas is linked to the phenomenon of a seasonally pulsed food supply, exactly as it is today. Seasonality in primary productivity may act as a fundamental control on the evolution of large‐scale biodiversity patterns.
Ethical agro‐food networks in global peripheries, Part I: The rise and recommodification of fair trade and organics
Authors: Bidwell Simon , Murray Warwick E , Overton John
Published: February 2018

Rapid global growth of ethical agro‐food networks such as fair trade, organics, and geographical indications has been accompanied by an increasing volume of research, but, as yet, there has been little comparative or integrated study of these networks from the perspective of development geography. Focussing particularly on Latin America, this two‐part series of articles summarises the state of the art and proposes an integrated research agenda on the significance of ethical agro‐food networks as strategies for de‐commodification in global peripheries. The first article provides an overview of research on fair trade and organic networks, which has mainly focussed on export commodities such as coffee, cacao, and bananas. Despite evidence of some livelihood benefits from fair trade and organic networks for well‐organised small producers and their communities, these studies show a general tendency for recommodification and the capture of added value by powerful market players.
Investigation of luminescence properties of Pb2+‐doped Sr2B2O5 phosphor
Authors: Yildiz Esra , Erdoğmuş Ertuğrul
Published: February 2018

A near‐UV emitting phosphor, Pb2+‐doped Sr2B2O5 was synthesized by the solid‐state reaction method at 900°C for 3 hours in air. The structure of the phosphor was verified by X‐ray diffraction study which shows monoclinic phase. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis confirmed the formation of Sr2B2O5. The excitation and emission spectra of the synthesized phosphors were investigated at room temperature with photoluminescence spectrophotometer. The emission and excitation bands of Pb2+‐doped Sr2B2O5 were observed at 370 and 289 nm, respectively. The dependence of the PL intensities on the Pb2+ concentration for the Sr2−xPbxB2O5 (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.03) phosphors was studied and it was observed that the concentration quenching of Pb2+ in Sr2B2O5 is 0.025 mol.
Matching donor and recipient based on predicted indirectly recognizable human leucocyte antigen epitopes
Authors: Geneugelijk K. , Spierings E.
Published: February 2018

The predicted indirectly recognizable human leucocyte antigen (HLA) epitopes (PIRCHE) algorithm is a novel in silico algorithm to determine donor–recipient compatibility. The PIRCHE algorithm determines donor–recipient compatibility by counting the number of mismatched HLA‐derived epitopes that are involved in indirect T‐cell alloimmune responses; these epitopes are designated as PIRCHE. Over the last few years, the PIRCHE algorithm has been investigated in both hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and solid organ transplantation. This review describes the theory of the algorithm, its application in transplantation, and highlights the future perspectives on the clinical application of the PIRCHE algorithm.
Calcineurin is required for male sex pheromone biosynthesis and female acceptance
Authors: Zhao W. , Li L. , Zhang Y. , Liu X. , Wei J. , Xie Y. , Du M. , An S.
Published: February 2018

Lepidoptera sex pheromone biosynthesis is regulated by pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN). PBAN regulates not only female sex pheromone biosynthesis but also male sex pheromone biosynthesis. Previous research has confirmed that PBAN regulates sex pheromone biosynthesis using Ca2+ as a secondary messenger in all examined species to date. However, the downstream signal of Ca2+ has remained elusive. In the present study, calcineurin A (CNA), a downstream signal of Ca2+, was discovered in Helicoverpa armigera male hairpencil and named HaCNA. Sequence analysis demonstrated that the open reading frame of HaCNA contains 1488 nucleotides encoding 495 amino acid residues. A homology search revealed that HaCNA shares a high amino acid identity with the CNA of other insects. Developmental and spatial expression analyses revealed that the mRNA levels of HaCNA peaked at 24 h after emergence and that HaCNA expression was ubiquitous in all examined tissues. Activity analysis revealed that PBAN activates HaCNA, and a Ca2+ inhibitor, Lacl3, attenuated the effect of PBAN by decreasing HaCNA activity. Pharmacological inhibitor and RNA interference‐mediated knockdown assays revealed that both activity inhibition and decreased mRNA levels of HaCNA led to a significant decrease in the production of the male sex pheromone components [octadecanol and (Z)‐11 hexadecanol)] and in the efficacy of female mating acceptance. Our results demonstrate that HaCNA acts as downstream signal of PBAN/Ca2+ and plays an important role in PBAN‐induced male sex pheromone biosynthesis and female mating acceptance.