bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Can power-sharing foster peace? Evidence from Northern Ireland*
Authors: Mueller Hannes , Rohner Dominic 
Published: May 2018

AbstractIn the absence of power-sharing, minority groups in opposition have powerful incentives to substitute the ballot with the bullet. In contrast, when power is shared among all major groups in society, the relative gains of sticking to electoral politics are larger for minority groups. After making the theoretical argument, we provide in the current paper an empirical analysis of the impact of power-sharing at the local level, making use of fine-grained data from Northern Ireland’s 26 local district councils over the 1973–2001 period. We find that power-sharing has a sizable and robust conflict-reducing impact.
Alignment and political will: upscaling an Australian respectful relationships program
Authors: Joyce Andrew , Green Celia , Kearney Sarah , Leung Loksee , Ollis Debbie 
Published: May 2018

Summary
Many small scale efficacious programs and interventions need to be ‘scaled-up’ in order to reach a larger population. Although it has been argued that interventions deemed suitable for upscaling need to have demonstrated effectiveness, be able to be implemented cost-effectively and be accepted by intended recipients, these factors alone are insufficient in explaining which programs are adopted more broadly. Upscaling research often identifies political will as a key factor in explaining whether programs are supported and up-scaled, but this research lacks any depth into how political will is formed and has not applied policy theories to understanding the upscaling process. This article uses a political science lens to examine the key factors in the upscaling process of a Respectful Relationships in Schools Program. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with project staff, managers and community organizations involved in the program. The results reveal how a key focusing event related to a highly profiled personal tragedy propelled family violence into the national spotlight. At the same time, the organization leading the respectful relationships program leveraged their networks to position the program within the education department which enabled the government to quickly respond to the issue. The study highlights that political will is not a stand-alone factor as depicted by up-scaling models, but rather is the end point of a complex process that involves many elements including the establishment of networks and aligned programs that can capitalize when opportunities arise.
Question-Order Effects in the Evaluation of Political Institutions in Decentralized Polities
Authors: Tormos Raül 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
This research studies question-order effects in the evaluation of political institutions in socially heterogeneous regions within decentralized countries. Split-ballot experiments were embedded in 3 representative surveys fielded in the Spanish region of Catalonia. Significant consistency effects were spotted in all samples. Respondents who first evaluated the relatively less valued institutions of one governmental level assessed less favorably the relatively better rated institutions of the other level. Clear evidence of the reverse effect was present only in 1 of the experiments. In addition, heterogeneous question-order effects emerged among the 2 distinct national communities coexisting in Catalonia. The article suggests a mechanism beneath this sort of question-order effects and further proposes and empirically tests a remedial solution.
A Pair of Rigid Surfaces with pg= q = 2 and K2= 8 Whose Universal Cover is Not the Bidisk
Authors: Polizzi Francesco , Rito Carlos , Roulleau Xavier 
Published: May 2018

AbstractWe construct two complex-conjugated rigid minimal surfaces with $p_g\!=q=2$ and $K^2\!=8$ whose universal cover is not biholomorphic to the bidisk $\mathbb{H} \times \mathbb{H}$. We show that these are the unique surfaces with these invariants and Albanese map of degree 2, apart from the family of product-quotient surfaces given in [33]. This completes the classification of surfaces with $p_g=q=2, K^2=8$, and Albanese map of degree 2.
Primordial mass and density segregation in a young molecular cloud
Authors: Alfaro Emilio J , Román-Zúñiga Carlos G 
Published: May 2018

ABSTRACT
We analyse the geometry of the Pipe Nebula, drawn by the distribution (Q spatial parameter) and hierarchy (Λ spatial segregation) of column density peaks previously detected and catalogued. By analysing the mass and volume density of the cores, we determine that both variables show spatial segregation with a high degree of substructure. In view of the early evolutionary state of the Pipe Nebula, our results suggest that segregation both by mass and by volume density may be primordial, in the sense of appearing early in the chain of physical processes that lead to cluster formation. We propose that volume density, and not mass, is the parameter that most clearly determines the initial spatial distribution of pre-stellar cores.
A reevaluation of the proposed spin-down of the white dwarf pulsar in AR Scorpii
Authors: Potter Stephen B , Buckley David A H 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
We present high-speed optical photometric observations, spanning ∼2 yr, of the recently discovered white dwarf pulsar AR Scorpii. The amplitudes of the orbital, spin, and beat modulations appear to be remarkably stable and repeatable over the time span of our observations. It has been suggested that the polarized and non-polarized emission from AR Scorpii is powered by the spin-down of the white dwarf. However, we find that our new data are inconsistent with the published spin-down ephemeris. Whilst our data are consistent with a constant spin period, further observations over an extended time-base are required in order to ascertain the true spin-evolution of the white dwarf. This may have implications for the various models put forward to explain the energetics and evolution of AR Scorpii.
Rate of Return to Military Active Duty After Single and 2-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A 4-Year Retrospective Review
Authors: Tumialán Luis M , Ponton Ryan P , Cooper Angelina N , Gluf Wayne M , Tomlin Jeffrey M 
Published: May 2018

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Over the years of rigorous of military service, military personnel may experience cervical spondylosis and radiculopathy. Given the frequency of this occurrence, the capacity to return to unrestricted full duty in the military after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is worthy of analysis.

OBJECTIVE
To identify the rate of return to full, unrestricted active duty after single and 2-level anterior cervical discectomy, and fusion surgery in military personnel.

METHODS
A retrospective chart review was performed at a tertiary care military treatment facility for all active duty personnel who underwent a single or 2-level ACDF over a 4-yr period. Patient and procedural data were collected to include single or 2-level fusion, indication for surgery, fusion level, tobacco use, age, and military rank. Fischer's Exact and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests were used to identify statistically significant differences in the rate of return to active duty.

RESULTS
A total of 132 anterior cervical discectomy and fusions were analyzed. One hundred sixteen patients (88%) were able to return to unrestricted full active duty, while the remaining 16 required separation from the military for continued pain or disability. The return to active duty rate was significantly higher in service members with a rank of E7 or above (99%) than those E6 and below (73%). There was a strong association between the presence of a pseudoarthrosis and the capacity to return to full duty (P = .013).

CONCLUSION
Both single and 2-level ACDFs have high overall success with an 88% rate of return to full duty.
Leveraging Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Emergency Department to Improve the Quality of Urinary Tract Infection Management and Outcomes
Authors: Jorgensen Sarah C J , Yeung Samantha L , Zurayk Mira , Terry Jill , Dunn Maureen , Nieberg Paul , Pallares Jean , Wong-Beringer Annie 
Published: May 2018

Abstract

Background
The complex and fast-paced emergency department (ED) practice setting presents unique challenges that demand a tailored approach to antimicrobial stewardship. In this article, we describe the strategies applied by 1 institution’s antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) that were successful in improving prescribing practices and outcomes for urinary tract infection (UTI) in the ED.

Methods
Core strategies included pre-implementation research characterizing the patient population, antimicrobial resistance patterns, prescribing behavior, and morbidity related to infection; collaboration across multiple disciplines; development and implementation of a UTI treatment algorithm; education to increase awareness of the algorithm and the background and rationale supporting it; audit and feedback; and early evaluation of post-implementation outcomes.

Results
We observed a rapid change in prescribing post-implementation with increased empiric nitrofurantoin use and reduced cephalosporin use (P &lt; .05). Our elevation of nitrofurantoin to firstline status was supported by our post-implementation analysis showing that its use was independently associated with reduced 30-day return visits (adjusted odds ratio, 0.547; 95% confidence interval, 0.312–0.960). Furthermore, despite a shift to a higher risk population and a corresponding decrease in antimicrobial susceptibility rates post-implementation, the preferential use of nitrofurantoin did not result in higher bug-drug mismatches while 30-day return visits to the ED remained stable.

Conclusions
We demonstrate that an outcomes-based ASP can impart meaningful change to knowledge and attitudes affecting prescribing practices in the ED. The success of our program may be used by other institutions as support for ASP expansion to the ED.
Assessing the public health impact of cannabis legalization in Canada: core outcome indicators towards an ‘index’ for monitoring and evaluation
Authors: Fischer Benedikt , Russell Cayley , Rehm Jürgen , Leece Pamela 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The legalization of non-medical cannabis use and supply is impending in Canada. This constitutes a major policy change with the declared objective of improving public health outcomes, which requires rigorous monitoring and evaluation. While numerous different aspects associated with legalization will be examined, a focused perspective is required for effective policy evaluation purposes. To these ends, we have identified a set of 10 core indicators associated with cannabis-related risk/harm outcomes—based on current best evidence—that are expected to measure the primary impacts of legalization on public health outcomes. We briefly review these indicators, and their respective data availability in Canada. As ideally an integrated outcome assessment of cannabis legalization’s impact on public health will be available, we further propose options to merge the individual indicators into an integrated, weighted ‘index’, considering their expected relative impact for public health. One possible approach to undertake this is ‘multi-criteria decision analysis’ as a method to weight the relative indicator impact on public health; alternative approaches are proposed. The integrated ‘public health index’ for cannabis legalization will allow for scientifically comprehensive, while focused, monitoring and evaluation of the effects of legalization in Canada for the benefits of science and evidence-based policy alike.
HrpS Is a Global Regulator on Type III Secretion System (T3SS) and Non-T3SS Genes in Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola
Authors: Wang Jingru , Shao Xiaolong , Zhang Yingchao , Zhu Yanan , Yang Pan , Yuan Jian , Wang Tingting , Yin Chunyan , Wang Wei , Chen Sheng , Liang Haihua , Deng Xin 
Published: May 2018

The type III secretion system (T3SS) is the main machinery for Pseudomonas savastanoi and other gram-negative bacteria to invade plant cells. HrpR and HrpS form a hetero-hexamer, which activates the expression of HrpL, which induces all T3SS genes by binding to a ‘hrp box’ in promoters. However, the individual molecular mechanism of HrpR or HrpS has not been fully understood. Through chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to high-throughput DNA sequencing, we found that HrpR, HrpS, and HrpL had four, 47, and 31 targets on the genome, respectively. HrpS directly bound to the promoter regions of a group of T3SS genes and non-T3SS genes. HrpS independently regulated these genes in a hrpL deletion strain. Additionally, a HrpS-binding motif (GTGCCAAA) was identified, which was verified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and lux-reporter assay. HrpS also regulated motility and biofilm formation in P. savastanoi. The present study strongly suggests that HrpS alone can work as a global regulator on both T3SS and non-T3SS genes in P. savastanoi. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Embedding containerized workflows inside data science notebooks enhances reproducibility
Authors: Hu Jiaming , Hung Ling-Hong , Yeung Ka Yee 
Published: May 2018

AbstractData science notebooks, such as Jupyter, combine text documentation with dynamically editable and executable code and have become popular for sharing computational methods. We present nbdocker, an extension that integrates Docker software containers into Jupyter notebooks. nbdocker transforms notebooks into autonomous, self-contained, executable and reproducible modules that can document and disseminate complicated data science workflows containing code written in different languages and executables requiring different software environments.
Characterization of Animal Movement Patterns using Information Theory: a Primer
Authors: Owoeye Kehinde , Musolesi Mirco , Hailes Stephen 
Published: May 2018

AbstractUnderstanding the movement patterns of animals across different spatio-temporal scales, conditions, habitats and contexts is becoming increasingly important for addressing a series of questions in animal behaviour studies, such as mapping migration routes, evaluating resource use, modelling epidemic spreading in a population, developing strategies for animal conservation as well as understanding several emerging patterns related to feeding, growth and reproduction. In recent times, information theory has been successfully applied in several fields of science, in particular for understanding the dynamics of complex systems and characterizing adaptive social systems, such as dynamics of entities as individuals and as part of groups.In this paper, we describe a series of non-parametric information-theoretic measures that can be used to derive new insights about animal behaviour with a specific focus on movement patterns, namely Shannon entropy, Mutual information, Kullback-Leibler divergence and Kolmogorov complexity. In particular, we believe that the metrics presented in this paper can be used to formulate new hypotheses that can be verified potentially through a set of different observations and be complementary to existing techniques. We show how these measures can be used to characterize the movement patterns of several animals across different habitats and scales. Specifically, we show the effectiveness in using Shannon entropy to characterize the movement of sheep with Batten disease, mutual information to measure association in pigeons, Kullback-Leibler divergence to study the flights of Turkey vulture, and Kolmogorov complexity to find similarities in the movement patterns of animals across different scales and habitats. Finally, we discuss the limitations of these methods and we outline the challenges in this research area.
DeepPVP: phenotype-based prioritization of causative variants using deep learning
Authors: Boudellioua Imane , Kulmanov Maxat , Schofield Paul N , Gkoutos Georgios V , Hoehndorf Robert 
Published: May 2018

AbstractBackgroundPrioritization of variants in personal genomic data is a major challenge. Recently, computational methods that rely on comparing phenotype similarity have shown to be useful to identify causative variants. In these methods, pathogenicity prediction is combined with a semantic similarity measure to prioritize not only variants that are likely to be dysfunctional but those that are likely involved in the pathogenesis of a patient’s phenotype.ResultsWe have developed DeepPVP, a variant prioritization method that combined automated inference with deep neural networks to identify the likely causative variants in whole exome or whole genome sequence data. We demonstrate that DeepPVP performs significantly better than existing methods, including phenotype-based methods that use similar features. DeepPVP is freely available at https://github.com/bio-ontology-research-group/phenomenet-vp.ConclusionsDeepPVP further improves on existing variant prioritization methods both in terms of speed as well as accuracy.
Network controllability: viruses are driver agents in dynamic molecular systems
Authors: Ravindran Vandana , Nacher Jose Carlos , Akutsu Tatsuya , Ishitsuka Masayuki , Osadcenco Adrian , Sunitha V , Bagler Ganesh , Schwartz Jean-Marc , Robertson David L 
Published: May 2018

ABSTRACTIn recent years control theory has been applied to biological systems with the aim of identifying the minimum set of molecular interactions that can drive the network to a required state. However in an intra-cellular network it is unclear what ‘control’ means. To address this limitation we use viral infection, specifically HIV-1 and HCV, as a paradigm to model control of an infected cell. Using a large human signalling network comprised of over 6000 human proteins and more than 34000 directed interactions, we compared two dynamic states: normal/uninfected and infected. Our network controllability analysis demonstrates how a virus efficiently brings the dynamic host system into its control by mostly targeting existing critical control nodes, requiring fewer nodes than in the uninfected network. The driver nodes used by the virus are distributed throughout the pathways in specific locations enabling effective control of the cell via the high ‘control centrality’ of the viral and targeted host nodes. Furthermore, this viral infection of the human system permits discrimination between available network-control models, and demonstrates the minimum-dominating set (MDS) method better accounts for how biological information and signals are transferred than the maximum matching (MM) method as it identified most of the HIV-1 proteins as critical driver nodes and goes beyond identifying receptors as the only critical driver nodes. This is because MDS, unlike MM, accounts for the inherent non-linearity of signalling pathways. Our results demonstrate control-theory gives a more complete and dynamic understanding of the viral hijack mechanism when compared with previous analyses limited to static single-state networks.
Positively interacting strains that circulate in a network structured population induce cycling epidemics of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae
Authors: Zhang Xu-Sheng , Zhao Hongxin , Vynnycky Emilia , Chalker Vicki 
Published: May 2018

AbstractIn many countriesMycoplasma pneumoniae(MP) epidemics last approximately one to two years and occur every three to seven years. Poor understanding of the drivers of recurrent MP epidemics limits the predictability of and dynamic responses to the outbreak. Taking into account network structured contacts among people and co-circulating strains of MP, we propose a multi-strain SIRS network model of epidemics of MP where different strains interact during re-infection and within secondary infection. Simulations show that although strain interactions and network-mediated spatial correlations are two separate mechanisms for MP epidemics cycling, each requires very restricted model parameter values such as strong strain interactions and strong network contacts, respectively. When both mechanisms work collectively, MP recurrent epidemics become feasible within the plausible ranges of model parameters. This indicates that positively interacting strains that co-circulate within network contacts induce periodicity and dominant strain shift in observed MP incidence.
Membrane insertion of α-xenorhabdolysin in near-atomic detail
Authors: Schubert Evelyn , Vetter Ingrid R. , Prumbaum Daniel , Penczek Pawel A. , Raunser Stefan 
Published: May 2018

ABSTRACTα-Xenorhabdolysins (Xax) are α-pore-forming toxins (α-PFT) from pathogenic bacteria that form 1-1.3 MDa large pore complexes to perforate the host cell membrane. PFTs are used by a variety of bacterial pathogens as an offensive or defensive mechanism to attack host cells. Due to the lack of structural information, the molecular mechanism of action of Xax toxins is poorly understood. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of the XaxAB pore complex from Xenorhabdus nematophila at an average resolution of 4.0 Å and the crystal structures of the soluble monomers of XaxA and XaxB at 2.5 Å and 3.4 Å, respectively. The structures reveal that XaxA and XaxB are built similarly and appear as heterodimers in the 12-15 subunits containing pore. The structure of the XaxAB pore represents therefore the first structure of a bi-component α-PFT. Major conformational changes in XaxB, including the swinging out of an amphipathic helix are responsible for membrane insertion. XaxA acts as an activator and stabilizer for XaxB that forms the actual transmembrane pore. Based on our results, we propose a novel structural model for the mechanism of action of Xax toxins.
A Real Time PCR Assay for Quantification of Parasite Burden in Murine Models of Leishmaniasis
Authors: Antonia Alejandro L. , Wang Liuyang , Ko Dennis C. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractEukaryotic parasites in the genusLeishmaniaplace approximately 350 million people per year at risk of disease. In addition to their global health significance,Leishmaniaspp. have served as an important model for delineating basic concepts in immunology such as T-helper cell polarization. There have been many qPCR based assays reported for measuring parasite burden in humans and animals. However, these are largely optimized for use in clinical diagnosis and not specifically for animal models. This has led several of these assays to have suboptimal characteristics for use in animal models. For example, multi-copy number genes have been frequently used to increase sensitivity, but are subject to greater plasticity within the genome and thus may confound effects of experimental manipulations in animal models. In this study, we develop a sybr-green based quantitative touchdown PCR assay for a highly conserved and single copy, putative RNA binding protein, DRBD3. With primers nearly perfectly conserved across allLeishmaniaspp., this assay rivals the sensitivity of previously reported qPCR based methods of parasite quantitation and successfully detectedL. majorfrom mouse infection. Use of this protocol in the future will lead to improved accuracy in animal based models and help to tease apart differences in biology of host-parasite interactions.