bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Presenting signs and patient co‐variables in Gaucher disease: outcome of the Gaucher Earlier Diagnosis Consensus (GED‐C) Delphi initiative
Authors: Mehta Atul , Kuter David J. , Salek Sam S. , Belmatoug Nadia , Bembi Bruno , Bright Jeremy , vom Dahl Stephan , Deodato Federica , Di Rocco Maja , Göker‐Alpan Ozlem , Hughes Derralynn A. , Lukina Elena A. , Machaczka Maciej , Mengel Eugen , Nagral Aabha , Nakamura Kimitoshi , Narita Aya , Oliveri Beatriz , Pastores Gregory , Pérez‐López Jordi , Ramaswami Uma , Schwartz Ida V. , Szer Jeff , Weinreb Neal J. , Zimran Ari
Published: November 2018

Background

Gaucher disease (GD) presents with a range of signs and symptoms. Physicians can fail to recognise the early stages of GD owing to a lack of disease awareness, which can lead to significant diagnostic delays and sometimes irreversible but avoidable morbidities.

Aim

The Gaucher Earlier Diagnosis Consensus (GED‐C) initiative aimed to identify signs and co‐variables considered most indicative of early type 1 and type 3 GD, to help non‐specialists identify ‘at‐risk’ patients who may benefit from diagnostic testing.

Methods

An anonymous, three‐round Delphi consensus process was deployed among a global panel of 22 specialists in GD (median experience 17.5 years, collectively managing almost 3000 patients). The rounds entailed data gathering, then importance ranking and establishment of consensus, using 5‐point Likert scales and scoring thresholds defined a priori.

Results

For type 1 disease, seven major signs (splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, bone‐related manifestations, anaemia, hyperferritinaemia, hepatomegaly and gammopathy) and two major co‐variables (family history of GD and Ashkenazi‐Jewish ancestry) were identified. For type 3 disease, nine major signs (splenomegaly, oculomotor disturbances, thrombocytopenia, epilepsy, anaemia, hepatomegaly, bone pain, motor disturbances and kyphosis) and one major co‐variable (family history of GD) were identified. Lack of disease awareness, overlooking mild early signs and failure to consider GD as a diagnostic differential were considered major barriers to early diagnosis.

Conclusion

The signs and co‐variables identified in the GED‐C initiative as potentially indicative of early GD will help to guide non‐specialists and raise their index of suspicion in identifying patients potentially suitable for diagnostic testing for GD.
Identification of a variant associated with early‐onset diabetes in the intron of the insulin gene with exome sequencing
Authors: Matsuno Shohei , Furuta Hiroto , Kosaka Kitaro , Doi Asako , Yorifuji Tohru , Fukuda Takuya , Senmaru Takafumi , Uraki Shinsuke , Matsutani Norihiko , Furuta Machi , Mishima Hiroyuki , Iwakura Hiroshi , Nishi Masahiro , Yoshiura Kohichiro , Fukui Michiaki , Akamizu Takashi
Published: November 2018

Whole‐exome sequencing is a new technology. We used it to explore the gene responsible for early‐onset diabetes as a result of impaired insulin secretion in a family. In the INS gene, we identified the heterozygous c.188‐31G>A mutation in the proband – a 43‐year‐old woman. The mutation was also identified in her two daughters with diabetes, but not in her son or her parents, all of whom did not have diabetes. The substitution was located 31 bp proximal to exon 3 in intron 2. It was predicted to create an ectopic splice site leading to inserting 29 nucleotides of intron 2 as an exonic sequence in the transcript. The mutation has been reported in White families, and the present case is the first report in an Asian person. The present results would help in understanding the role of the mutation in developing diabetes.
Strikingly high levels of heterozygosity despite 20 years of inbreeding in a clonal honey bee
Authors: Smith Nicholas M. A. , Wade Claire , Allsopp Michael H. , Harpur Brock A. , Zayed Amro , Rose Stephen A. , Engelstädter Jan , Chapman Nadine C. , Yagound Boris , Oldroyd Benjamin P.
Published: November 2018

Inbreeding (the mating between closely related individuals) often has detrimental effects that are associated with loss of heterozygosity at overdominant loci, and the expression of deleterious recessive alleles. However, determining which loci are detrimental when homozygous, and the extent of their phenotypic effects, remains poorly understood. Here, we utilize a unique inbred population of clonal (thelytokous) honey bees,Apis mellifera capensis, to determine which loci reduce individual fitness when homozygous. This asexual population arose from a single worker ancestor approximately 20 years ago and has persisted for at least 100 generations. Thelytokous parthenogenesis results in a 1/3 of loss of heterozygosity with each generation. Yet, this population retains heterozygosity throughout its genome due to selection against homozygotes. Deep sequencing of one bee from each of the three known sub‐lineages of the population revealed that 3,766 of 10,884 genes (34%) have retained heterozygosity across all sub‐lineages, suggesting that these genes have heterozygote advantage. The maintenance of heterozygosity in the same genes and genomic regions in all three sub‐lineages suggests that nearly every chromosome carries genes that show sufficient heterozygote advantage to be selectively detrimental when homozygous.
A partition of the combined impacts of socioeconomic development and climate variation on economic risks of riverine floods
Authors: Feng Youcan , Rakowski Cynthia L. , McPherson Timothy N. , Judi David R.
Published: November 2018

Nonstationarities in both climate and socioeconomic systems play a role in flood risk. Based on a data‐driven case study in an urbanised watershed subjected to nonstationary factors in climate (rain, snow, and rain on snow) and socioeconomic conditions (e.g., built environment market changes), a multiscale, multimodel approach was adopted to develop local‐scale flood hazard predictions and an analytical framework was developed to quantify the associated flood risk. The case study shows that socioeconomic development can have a comparable contribution as climate variability when evaluating the expected annual damage. The relative contributions from socioeconomic development, in some cases, do not necessarily compound the risk, but can, in fact, act as a mitigating factor in annualised risk. Timelines of risk management planning are an important factor to consider. Socioeconomic factors such as market value can produce nonlinear and reversed trends in flood impact assessments within the 10‐year time frame. Furthermore, the nonstationarity of climate and development conditions together was shown to cause up to 43% of the variation in risk estimates and up to 70% of the variation in the benefit–cost effectiveness.
Applicability of satellite radar imaging to monitor the conditions of levees
Authors: Özer Işıl E. , van Leijen Freek J. , Jonkman Sebastiaan N. , Hanssen Ramon F.
Published: November 2018

Levees are critical systems in safeguarding an area against catastrophic flooding events with potential fatalities and economic losses. Current monitoring methods of levees highly rely on expert judgement, resulting in infrequent and subjective assessments of their status. Satellite radar imaging, in particular using interferometry (InSAR), holds a large potential to monitor the condition of levees with millimetre‐level precision, anywhere on the planet. However, for levee management, the usability of the technique requires significant radar expert knowledge. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in using time‐series InSAR for systematic levee deformation monitoring. We explore its use to complement existing approaches for assessing levee deformation and failure investigations in a fast, systematic, and cost‐effective way. The applicability of imaging radar satellites is discussed, supported by case studies on levee monitoring in the Netherlands. We elaborate on the technical aspects with respect to levee monitoring using SAR technology, such as estimating deformation in different directions, satellite characteristics, precision, and reliability. We conclude that InSAR is becoming an operational deformation monitoring system, which allows for the detection, tracking, and analysis of irregularities on levee sections with increased efficiency and quality, thus contributing to improved risk management.
Robust river systems: On assessing the sensitivity of embanked rivers to discharge uncertainties, exemplified for the Netherlands' main rivers
Authors: Klijn Frans , Asselman Nathalie , Mosselman Erik
Published: November 2018

There is increasing attention for the robustness of systems, in view of more frequent and more extreme weather events. Calls to increase a system's robustness are usually motivated by the resulting reduced sensitivity to extreme events and uncertainties about their probability of occurrence. The concept has been elaborated for flood risk systems, but recently questions have arisen about whether subsystems, such as flood defences or rivers, should and could also be assessed on their robustness. Against the background of a recent debate in the Netherlands about whether to raise the embankments again or to make more room for the rivers in anticipation of increasing extreme river discharges into the future, we propose to define the robustness of embanked alluvial rivers by their sensitivity to uncertainties in flood discharge, expressed by the relationship between discharge and flood water level. We assess the Rhine River branches and Meuse River in the Netherlands and show how their planform, as defined by the location of the embankments and the presence of obstacles in the floodplains, causes remarkable differences in robustness per river and per river stretch. We finally discuss what this might entail for policy planning.
The weight of the flood‐of‐record in flood frequency analysis
Authors: St. George Scott , Mudelsee Manfred
Published: November 2018

The standard approach to flood frequency analysis (FFA) fits mathematical functions to sequences of historic flood data and extrapolates the tails of the distribution to estimate the magnitude and likelihood of extreme floods. Here, we identify the most exceptional floods in the United States as compared against other major floods at the same location, and evaluate how the flood‐of‐record (Qmax) influences FFA estimates. On average, floods‐of‐record are 20% larger by discharge than their second‐place counterparts (Q2), and 212 gages (7.3%) have Qmax:Q2 ratios greater than two. There is no clear correspondence between the Qmax:Q2 ratio and median instantaneous discharge, and exceptional floods do not become less likely with time. Excluding Qmax from the FFA causes the median 100‐year flood to decline by −10.5%, the 200‐year flood by −11.8%, and the 500‐year flood by −13.4%. Even when floods are modelled using a heavy tail distribution, the removal of Qmax yields significantly “lighter” tails and underestimates the risk of large floods. Despite the temporal extension of systematic hydrological observations in the United States, FFA is still sensitive to the presence of extreme events within the sample used to calculate the frequency curve.
GRAIN LENGTH AND AWN 1 negatively regulates grain size in rice
Authors: Wang Tao , Zou Ting , He Zhiyuan , Yuan Guoqiang , Luo Tao , Zhu Jun , Liang Yueyang , Deng Qiming , Wang Shiquan , Zheng Aiping , Liu Huainian , Wang Lingxia , Li Ping , Li Shuangcheng
Published: November 2018

Grain size is an important factor determining yield in rice. Here, we identified a recessive mutant gene, grain length and awn 1 (gla1), which caused a significant increase in grain length and weight, and was associated with long awns. The gla1 mutation was mapped to a single‐nucleotide polymorphism in a gene encoding a cytoplasmically‐localized mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase. Overexpression of GLA1 caused a decrease in grain length, and the GLA1 protein interacted with OsMAPK6. These results suggest that GLA1 may serve as a negative regulator of the OsMAPKK4‐OsMAPK6 cascade, controlling grain size via the dephosphorylation of OsMAPK6.
Efficacy of two plant extracts against acne vulgaris: Initial results of microbiological tests and cell culture studies
Authors: Kılıç Songül , Okullu Sinem Öktem , Kurt Özgür , Sevinç Hakan , Dündar Cihat , Altınordu Fahim , Türkoğlu Murat
Published: November 2018

Background

Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease characterized by increased sebum production, inflammation, and colonization of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) on pilosebaceous follicles.

Aims

To determine the efficacy of two different plant extracts against P. acnes and to analyze the gene expression levels of IL‐1α, SRD5A1, and TNFα in HaCaT cells treated with these plant extracts.

Methods

Anti‐acne extract 1 (AE1) consisted of Juglans regia (walnut husk), Myrtus communis (myrtle leaves), Matricaria chamomilla (chamomilla flowers), Urtica dioica (stinging nettle leaves), and Rosa damascena (rose flowers). Anti‐acne extract 2 (AE2) contained Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (broccoli) and B. oleracea var. italica (cauliflower). The antimicrobial activities of the extracts were tested on two different P. acnes strains: the reference strain of P. acnes (ATCC 51277) and the clinical isolate from a patient. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts was determined using the broth dilution method. Human keratinocyte cells were used for in vitro tests. Gene expression analyses were performed with RT‐qPCR.

Results

The MIC values of the extracts were below 1/2048 µg/mL. In the gene expression analysis, AE1 increased the expression level of TNFα (1.1719, P < 0.0001), suppressed the expression level of IL‐1α, SRD5A1 (0.0588, P = 0.0231; 0.3081, P = 0.0351), respectively. AE2 suppressed gene expression level of IL‐1α, SRD5A1, TNFα (0.3815, P = 0.0254; 0.3418, P = 0.0271; 0.1997, P = 0.0623).

Conclusions

Both herbal extracts demonstrated strong antibacterial and anti‐inflammatory activity in this preliminary trial. In conclusion, the topical application of these botanical extracts can be good candidates for local acne treatment.
Attainment Discrepancy and New Geographic Market Entry: The Moderating Roles of Vertical Pay Disparity and Horizontal Pay Dispersion
Authors: Lim Elizabeth
Published: November 2018

Studies in the behavioural strategy literature have examined the influence of attainment discrepancy on new geographic market entry with inconclusive results. We clarified the relationship between attainment discrepancy and new geographic market entry by considering the moderating effects of managerial pay gaps with concentration on vertical pay disparity and horizontal pay dispersion. The framework also contributes to our understanding of tournament theory and social comparison theory by identifying specified performance contexts under which types of pay gaps conform to or violate theoretical predictions. Empirical analyses based on a panel data of Standard and Poor’s (S&P) 500 firms from 1996 to 2006 showed that our hypotheses are largely supported.
Clinicopathological analysis of oral diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma, NOS: A systematic review
Authors: Rodrigues‐Fernandes Carla Isabelly , de Souza Lucas Lacerda , Santos‐Costa Sara Ferreira dos , Pontes Hélder Antônio Rebelo , de Almeida Oslei Paes , Vargas Pablo Agustin , Henao Javier Rendón , Rahimi Siavash , Brennan Peter A. , Fonseca Felipe Paiva
Published: November 2018

Background

Diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma, NOS (DLBCL NOS) is the commonest extranodal non‐Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosed in the oral and maxillofacial region. However, few studies are currently available and its prognostic determinants remain undefined.

Purpose

To analyse the available data on oral DLBCL NOS and to describe its clinicopathological features, identifying potential prognostic factors.

Methods

An electronic systematic search was performed using multiple databases with a specific search strategy in April 2018. All reports describing DLBCL NOS involving the oral cavity and jaw bones with sufficient clinicopathological information were assessed.

Results

Sixty‐three publications were included in the study, comprising 122 cases. Oral DLBCL NOS was found predominantly in elderly males (61.5%), and most often presented as an asymptomatic swelling of the gingiva. Patients commonly were HIV‐negative (36.1%), with few reports describing EBV‐positive cases (four cases/3.3%). Only eight cases presented B symptoms and most cases were classified as stage I or II (48.4%). CHOP therapy was the main treatment option (24.5%) and the overall 5‐year survival rate achieved 83%. Males and advanced Ann Arbor stage patients presented significantly lower survival rates in the univariate analysis, but no significance was found in the multivariate model.

Conclusion

Oral DLBCL NOS is an aggressive malignancy, but with a high survival rate.
Development of sleep patterns in children with obese and normal‐weight parents
Authors: Xiu Lijuan , Hagströmer Maria , Bergqvist‐Norén Linnea , Johansson Elin , Ekbom Kerstin , Svensson Viktoria , Marcus Claude , Ekstedt Mirjam
Published: November 2018

Aim

To study the sleep development and sleep characteristics in children at different obesity risks, based on parental weight, and also to explore their weekday–weekend sleep variations and associated family factors.

Methods

A total of 145 children participating in a longitudinal obesity prevention project were included, of which 37 had normal‐weight parents (low obesity risk), and 108 had overweight/obese parents (high obesity risk). Sleep diaries at ages 1 and 2 years were used to study sleep development in children at different obesity risks. Objectively assessed sleep using an accelerometer at 2 years of age was used to analyse weekday–weekend sleep variations.

Results

There was no difference in sleep development from age 1 to age 2 among children at different obesity risks, but more children in the high‐risk group had prolonged sleep onset latency and low sleep efficiency. At 2 years of age, children in the high‐risk group had more weekday–weekend variation in sleep offset (mean difference 18 min, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4–33 min), midpoint of sleep (mean difference 14 min, 95% CI 3–25 min) and nap onset (mean difference 42 min, 95% CI 10–74 min) than children in the low‐risk group, after adjusting for other family factors. However, no difference could be detected between groups in weekday–weekend variation in sleep duration.

Conclusions

Unfavourable sleep characteristics, as well as more variation in sleep schedules, have been observed in children at high obesity risk. While the differences were relatively small, they may reflect the unfavourable sleep hygiene in families at high obesity risk.
Effect of gellan gum on functional properties of low‐fat chicken meat batters
Authors: Li Ke , Liu Jiu‐Ya , Fu Lei , Li Wen‐Jie , Zhao Ying‐Ying , Bai Yan‐Hong , Kang Zhuang‐Li
Published: November 2018

The effects of substituting pork back‐fat with addition of gellan gum and water on gel characteristics, rheological property, water mobility, and distribution of chicken meat batters were studied. The addition of gellan gum significantly affected the cooking yield, color, texture, and rheological property of chicken meat batters (p < .05). The cooking yield and textural properties were not significantly different (p > .05) when gellan gum was added with 0, 0.2, and 0.4%. When the level of gellan gum reached 0.6%, the cooked chicken meat batters had significantly lowerL* value, cooking yield, hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness values (p < .05). The initial storage modulus (G′) of chicken batters was significantly decreased (p < .05) with increasing gellan gum. During the heating, an increase in denaturation temperature of the myosin head and tail were observed in chicken batters with added gellan gum. TheG′ of chicken batters with 0, 0.2, and 0.4% gellan gum were not significant difference (p > .05) at 80C, but theG′ of chicken batters with 0.6% gellan gum was significantly decreased (p < .05). LF‐NMR revealed that T21and T22were significantly increased (p < .05) with increasing the water and gellan gum content while P21and P22were not significantly different (p > .05) in the chicken batters with 0, 0.2, and 0.4% gellan gum. A significant decrease was observed (p < .05) in the chicken batter with 0.6% gellan gum. Overall, added 0.2 and 0.4% gellan gum to chicken meat batters could reduce pork back‐fat.

Practical applications

Emulsion‐type meat products contain a high level of fat, saturated fatty acids, and cholesterol, which have a potential negative effect on consumers health. However, animal fat plays an important role in the textural properties and water‐holding capacity of meat products. One of great challenges in meat processing is how to find a fat substitute to produce low‐fat meat products which have overall acceptable quality. This study showed that the addition of gellan gum influenced the textural properties of chicken batters and changed the dynamic rheological behavior. The addition of 0.2 and 0.4% gellan gum kept a stable cooking yield and textural properties of cooked chicken batters and also reduced the pork back‐fat. LF‐NMR could reflect the cooking yield and gel properties of the chicken batters. Gellan gum may be used to replace pork back‐fat to produce low‐fat chicken meat batters having overall acceptability in meat industry for meeting consumer demand.
Activity patterns of sympatric living exotic and endemic carnivores (the fosa) in Western Madagascar's deciduous forests
Authors: Merson S. D. , Dollar L. J. , Tan C. K. W. , W Macdonald D.
Published: November 2018

Western Madagascar's deciduous forest is an important, threatened habitat to little‐known Eupleridae, such as the fosa Cryptoprocta ferox. Using camera‐trap grids established in two important deciduous forests, Ankarafantsika National Park and Andranomena Special Reserve, we explore the activity patterns of endemic and exotic carnivores and evaluate how exotics may be influencing fosa temporal activity across these two protected areas. Three methodologies, kernel density, circular and wave analysis, were used to evaluate the activity pattern overlap between exotic free‐ranging cats Felis sp. and dogs Canis familiaris, exotic small Indian civets Viverricula indica and the endemic fosa. Our results showed fosas to be cathemeral, peaking in activity in the evening and at dawn. Cats were nocturnal, whilst also highly active at dusk. Civets did not display a dominant period of activity, but were relatively more active in the night, and at dusk. In contrast, dogs were diurnal and also active at dawn, in alignment with human activity. Fosa activity significantly overlapped with the nocturnal cat and civet, whilst being distinct from the diurnal dog and humans. Our results suggest that there is potentially a competitive impact of exotic free‐ranging dogs and cats when present across fosas’ dry forest habitat. This highlights the need for further examination into the impact of Madagascar's exotic carnivores, and the experimental trial to investigate the impact of their removal (or reduced abundance), on Madagascar's wildlife.
Allergy alerts — The incidence of parentally reported allergies in children presenting for general anesthesia
Authors: Sommerfield David L. , Sommerfield Aine , Schilling Alina , Slevin Lliana , Lucas Michaela , von Ungern‐Sternberg Britta S.
Published: November 2018

Background and aim

Pediatric patients increasingly report allergies, including allergies to food and medications. We sought to determine the incidence and, nature of parent‐reported allergies in children presenting for surgery and its significance for anesthetists.

Methods

We prospectively collected data on admissions through our surgical admission unit over a 2‐month period at a pediatric tertiary care teaching hospital. Data collected included patient demographics, history of atopy, with more comprehensive information collected if an allergy was reported. A clinical immunologist and an anesthetist reviewed the documentation of all patients reporting an allergy.

Results

We reviewed 1001 pediatric patients, 158 (15.8%) patients with parent‐reported allergies; to medications/drugs (n = 73), food (n = 66), environmental allergens (dust/grasses, n = 35), tapes/dressings (n = 27), latex (n = 4), and venom (eg, bee, wasp, n = 9). Forty‐one patients reported antibiotic allergies, with Beta‐lactam antibiotics being the most common, with the majority presenting with rash alone (57%). Ten patients reported allergies to nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and eight to opioids. Twenty‐four patients reported egg and/or peanut allergy. Only 3/1001 (0.3%) patients were deemed to have evidence of likely IgE‐mediated drug allergy. Of the reported allergies, only 60 (38.2%) had been investigated prior, most likely to be followed up were food (53%) and environmental allergies (44.4%). Only 4/73 (5.5%) reported medication allergies had further follow‐up. Just four patients (0.4% of the entire cohort) had drug sensitivities/allergies that were likely to majorly alter anesthesia practice.

Conclusion

Only the minority of parent‐reported allergies in pediatric surgical patients were specialist confirmed and likely to be clinically relevant. Self‐reported food allergy is commonly specialist verified whereas reactions to medications were generally not. Over‐reporting of allergies is increasingly common and limits clinician choice of medications. Better education of patients and their families and more timely verification or dismissal of parent‐reported reactions is urgently needed.
Performance measures and models for open‐water integrated multi‐trophic aquaculture
Authors: Reid Gregor K. , Lefebvre Sébastien , Filgueira Ramón , Robinson Shawn M.C. , Broch Ole J. , Dumas Andre , Chopin Thierry B.R.
Published: November 2018

Qualifying and quantifying nutrient flows within open‐water Integrated Multi‐Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) systems is necessary to determine transfer efficiencies and to assess overall system performance. There are numerous empirical performance metrics, such as spatially defined growth and nutrient sequestration, which may have application. When used in combination with modelling techniques, empirical approaches can be a powerful tool for system assessment or prediction. Simple empirical growth models, such as the thermal‐growth coefficient (TGC) and scope for growth (SFG), are applicable to aquatic animals and can include nutritional mass‐balance approaches to estimate nutrient loads. Comparable empirical growth models exist for seaweeds. Mechanistic‐based dynamic growth and reproduction models, such as Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB), are more complex, but have application beyond site‐specific empirical models and can, therefore, be included into larger ecosystem models for application to IMTA. Proximity, ecological transfer efficiencies, particle dynamics, species culture ratios and the timing of multi‐species production cycles can have profound implications for IMTA effectiveness and require careful consideration for system assessment. This review provides a pragmatic evaluation of performance measures and models to assess nutrient transfer and growth in open‐water IMTA systems.
Facts, truths and myths about SPF shrimp in Aquaculture
Authors: Alday‐Sanz Victoria , Brock James , Flegel Timothy W. , McIntosh Robins , Bondad‐Reantaso Melba G. , Salazar Marcela , Subasinghe Rohana
Published: November 2018

Shrimp domestication and genetic improvement programmes began in late 1980s, in the United States of America, under the United States Marine Shrimp Farming Program (USMSFP), using the Pacific whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei. The USMSFP was based on proven concepts from the livestock and poultry industries and began with establishing a specific pathogen‐free (SPF) shrimp stock. The original shrimp stock was obtained using rigorous screening of captured wild shrimp for selection of individuals naturally free of major shrimp pathogens. Although the concept of SPF animals was well defined for terrestrial animals, it was relatively new for aquaculture, and it took some time to be adopted by the aquaculture community. In the early 1990s, parallel to USMSFP, several other programmes on genetic improvement of shrimp were also initiated in Latin America. Subsequently, several new terminologies and products, such as specific pathogen resistant (SPR) shrimp, specific pathogen tolerant (SPT) shrimp and even ‘all pathogen exposed’ (APE) shrimp, entered the shrimp industry vocabulary and became commercial. This led to confusion in the shrimp industry about the meaning, relationship and significance of these new terms with respect to SPF. This position paper attempts to clarify these concepts, provide science‐based definitions, reconfirms the importance of developing, maintaining and using domesticated, specific pathogen‐free (SPF) shrimp stocks (which may also achieve SPR and/or SPT status) to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks and increase production and profit. The same principles would apply to development of domesticated SPF stocks for other species used in aquaculture. The paper also discusses the difficulties of confirming and certifying SPF status due to the presence of endogenous viral elements (EVEs) and calls for internationally agreed science and evidence‐based technical guidelines for producing healthy shrimp.
Invasive autumn olive performance varies in different reclamation conditions: implications for restoration
Authors: Franke Morgan E. , Zipper Carl , Barney Jacob N.
Published: November 2018

Surface mining has caused significant disturbance globally, and is responsible for the loss of more than 600,000 ha of the world's largest temperate deciduous forest in the Appalachian region of the United States alone. Due to the heavy disturbance on mine lands, invasive plants have become dominant on many former coalfields, some of which were intentionally planted with exotic species. The establishment of invasive plants on these disturbed lands has often led to reductions in establishment of desirable native species. Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), an exotic nitrogen‐fixing shrub, is a problematic invasive species on reclaimed sites in Appalachia. To better understand how reclamation conditions affect autumn olive, we assessed the effects of the mine‐soil substrate and vegetation seeding on autumn olive establishment and growth. In each experiment, we also manipulated the herbaceous plant community to further examine effects on autumn olive establishment and growth. In spring 2015, we transplanted 480 1‐year‐old autumn olive seedlings across both experiments. After 2 years of growth, autumn olive performed better in weathered‐rock than in unweathered‐rock substrates; in bare‐ground plots than in vegetated plots; and in tree‐compatible (low‐competition) seeding than in more‐competitive conventional seeding. No treatment precluded autumn olive establishment. However, our results show that strategic use of beginning substrates and planting mixes can have strong inhibitory effects on invasive plants, but also that substrate and herbaceous‐plant community conditions favorable to establishment of native trees are also favorable to autumn olive.
An unusual case of Nocardia cyriacigeorgica presenting with spinal abscesses in a renal transplant recipient and a review of the literature
Authors: Freiberg Jeffrey A. , Saharia Kapil K. , Morales Megan K.
Published: November 2018

Nocardia species represent a well‐recognized yet uncommon cause of opportunistic infections in humans. It most frequently presents as a pulmonary infection with or without central nervous system involvement. It is a very rare cause of spinal abscesses, with only 26 cases reported in the literature. Here we report a 49‐year‐old man with a history of renal transplantation who presented with low back pain and was diagnosed with epidural and paraspinal abscesses due to Nocardia cyriacigeorgica that was successfully treated with antimicrobial therapy alone. In addition to the case reported here, we also conducted a systematic review of the existing literature regarding spinal abscesses due to Nocardia species and examined the success of the various treatments utilized.
Aligning Developmental and Processing Accounts of Implicit and Statistical Learning
Authors: Peter Michelle S. , Rowland Caroline F.
Published: November 2018

A long‐standing question in child language research concerns how children achieve mature syntactic knowledge in the face of a complex linguistic environment. A widely accepted view is that this process involves extracting distributional regularities from the environment in a manner that is incidental and happens, for the most part, without the learner's awareness. In this way, the debate speaks to two associated but separate literatures in language acquisition: statistical learning and implicit learning. Both fields have explored this issue in some depth but, at present, neither the results from the infant studies used by the statistical learning literature nor the artificial grammar learning tasks studies from the implicit learning literature can be used to fully explain how children's syntax becomes adult‐like. In this work, we consider an alternative explanation—that children use error‐based learning to become mature syntax users. We discuss this proposal in the light of the behavioral findings from structural priming studies and the computational findings from Chang, Dell, and Bock's (2006) dual‐path model, which incorporates properties from both statistical and implicit learning, and offers an explanation for syntax learning and structural priming using a common error‐based learning mechanism. We then turn our attention to future directions for the field, here suggesting how structural priming might inform the statistical learning and implicit learning literature on the nature of the learning mechanism.
In silico model of the dilutional effects of conventional component therapy versus whole blood in the management of massively bleeding adult trauma patients
Authors: Seheult Jansen N. , Stram Michelle N. , Sperry Jason , Spinella Philip C. , Triulzi Darrell J. , Yazer Mark H.
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND

There are multiple approaches to the blood product and fluid resuscitation of a bleeding trauma patient. An in silico model of different trauma resuscitation strategies was constructed to predict their effects on the volumes of the different body fluid compartments and on several important hemostatic factors.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

This multicompartment dynamic deterministic model comprised four interconnected modules (hemostatic, resuscitation, body fluid compartment, and dilutional coagulopathy). The model was divided into five resuscitation phases with simulations using six different resuscitation strategies: whole blood (WB) only, conventional component therapy (CCT) only or 10 units of WB followed by CCT, with either 1 L of crystalloid or 1.5 units of WB or red blood cells in the prehospital phase.

RESULTS

At the end of the simulations using 1 L of crystalloid fluids in the prehospital resuscitation phase, the use of WB led to a 1.4 g/dL higher hemoglobin concentration, 32 mg/dL higher fibrinogen concentration, and 0.9 L lower total extracellular fluid volume compared to CCT. Prehospital blood product transfusion in place of crystalloid resulted in higher hemoglobin and fibrinogen concentrations and a lower international normalized ratio throughout the resuscitation regardless of the resuscitation strategy used. Throughout both the prehospital crystalloid and prehospital blood product transfusion simulations, the hemoglobin and fibrinogen concentrations and platelet counts were higher, and the international normalized ratio was lower, when WB was used compared to CCT.

CONCLUSIONS

This model predicted improved hemostatic factor levels and a smaller total extracellular fluid volume volume when WB was transfused instead of CCT to bleeding trauma patients.
Deferral rate variability in blood donor eligibility assessment
Authors: de Kort Wim , Prinsze Femmeke , Nuboer Glenn , Twisk Jos , Merz Eva‐Maria
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND

Both donors and the blood bank rely on the result of the donor health interview. However, survey data suggest that substantial variability in deferral rates among interviewers exist. We studied whether variability remained after adjusting for conditional factors.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

The data set included Dutch interview data on whole blood donor visits in 2015, where one of their visits was selected randomly. We applied logistic regression and multilevel regression analyses with the donor visit, with the interviewer representing the levels. We set up four models: 1) all reasons deferral, 2) low‐hemoglobin‐level deferral, 3) infectious disease risk deferral and 4) other medical reasons deferral.

RESULTS

In total, 138,398 visits were included in the study, of which 60,534 (43.7%) related to male donors. The overall deferral rate for men was 7.91% and for women 12.25%. Deferral rates among interviewers ranged from as low as 1.19% up to 28.8%. Models 2 (low hemoglobin level) and particularly 4 (other medical reasons), for both men and women, showed significant intraclass correlation coefficients, implying considerable deferral rate variability among interviewers. Donor age, the number of previous visits, and the season had relatively large effects. However, explained variances of the logistic regression models were relatively low, ranging from 2.53% to 7.35%.

CONCLUSION

Deferral appears to be a random process, while substantial variability was found among interviewer deferral rates, suggesting that some interviewers are more cautious than others. Our results suggest heuristic and subjective diagnosing to be prevalent. Steps should be taken to improve interview result validity.
Comparative evaluation of decellularized porcine liver matrices crosslinked with different chemical and natural crosslinking agents
Authors: Gao Mengyu , Wang Yujia , He Yuting , Li Yi , Wu Qiong , Yang Guang , Zhou Yanyan , Wu Diwei , Bao Ji , Bu Hong
Published: November 2018

The natural liver extracellular matrix (ECM) achieved by decellularization holds great potential in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Additionally, the use of crosslinking agents on the ECM to stabilize its ultrastructure and enhance scaffold durability is gaining interest in tissue engineering. The objective of this study was to compare the scaffold properties of porcine liver ECM crosslinked with different agents (glutaraldehyde, genipin, and quercetin) to find the best strategy for producing a decellularized matrix with optimal and stable characteristics for transplantation and regeneration. The properties examined include mechanical properties, material stability, immunogenicity, and angiogenic capacity. Scaffolds were implanted into the greater omentum of rats, and their abilities to induce immune cell subpopulation invasion and neovascularization were evaluated. The results show that genipin crosslinking of decellularized liver matrices increased the mechanical and proangiogenic properties and reduced the inflammatory response in vivo.
La ‘Première’ dans les activités de nature: une performance, un record?
Authors: Schut Pierre-Olaf , Marsac Antoine
Published: November 2018

Dans les activités de nature, la « première » est une forme de performance particulière. L’analogie entre les premières et les records sportifs doit être questionnée. L’objet de cet article est de démontrer les spécificités des premières par rapport aux records sportifs et d’en tirer une meilleure compréhension de l’identité des activités de nature. Nous nous appuyons sur une analyse socio-historique des premières et de leur valorisation dans différents médias, propres à une communauté de pratiquants ou grand public. Nos principaux résultats révèlent que, les premières et les records se rejoignent sur certaines caractéristiques liées notamment à la performance physique. Néanmoins, derrière ces analogies, les premières se distinguent par de nombreux aspects comme leur unicité qui leur confère une historicité particulière. De cette analyse ressort l’identité des activités de nature et explique la mobilité inhérente à ces pratiques dans la mesure où la découverte est un moteur essentiel.
Intraperitoneal, subcutaneous and intravenous glucagon delivery and subsequent glucose response in rats: a randomized controlled crossover trial
Authors: Dirnena-Fusini Ilze , Åm Marte Kierulf , Fougner Anders Lyngvi , Carlsen Sven Magnus , Christiansen Sverre Christian
Published: November 2018

Objective

Hypoglycemia is a frequent and potentially dangerous event among patients with diabetes mellitus type 1. Subcutaneous glucagon is an emergency treatment to counteract severe hypoglycemia. The effect of intraperitoneal glucagon delivery is sparsely studied. We performed a direct comparison of the blood glucose response following intraperitoneally, subcutaneously and intravenously administered glucagon.

Research design and methods

This is a prospective, randomized, controlled, open-label, crossover trial in 20 octreotide-treated rats. Three interventions, 1  week apart, in a randomized order, were done in each rat. All 20 rats were given intraperitoneal and subcutaneous glucagon injections, from which 5 rats were given intravenous glucagon injections and 15 rats received placebo (intraperitoneal isotonic saline) injection. The dose of glucagon was 5 µg/kg body weight for all routes of administration. Blood glucose levels were measured before and until 60 min after the glucagon/placebo injections.

Results

Compared with placebo-treated rats, a significant increase in blood glucose was observed 4 min after intraperitoneal glucagon administration (p=0.009), whereas after subcutaneous and intravenous glucagon administration significant increases were seen after 8 min (p=0.002  and p<0.001, respectively). In intraperitoneally treated compared with subcutaneously treated rats, the increase in blood glucose was higher after 4 min (p=0.019) and lower after 40 min (p=0.005) and 50 min (p=0.011). The maximum glucose response occurred earlier after intraperitoneal compared with subcutaneous glucagon injection (25 min vs 35 min; p=0.003).

Conclusions

Glucagon administered intraperitoneally gives a faster glucose response compared with subcutaneously administered glucagon in rats. If repeatable in humans, the more rapid glucose response may be of importance in a dual-hormone artificial pancreas using the intraperitoneal route for administration of insulin and glucagon.
Is the single self-rated health item reliable in India? A construct validity study
Authors: Cullati Stéphane , Mukhopadhyay Simantini , Sieber Stefan , Chakraborty Achin , Burton-Jeangros Claudine
Published: November 2018

Introduction

In high-income countries, the self-rated health (SRH) item is used in health surveys to capture the population’s general health because of its simplicity and satisfactory validity and reliability. Despite scepticism about its use in low-income and middle-income countries, India implemented the SRH item in many of its demographic and population health surveys, but evidence of its validity is lacking. The objective was to assess the construct validity of the SRH item in India.

Methods

Data for 4492 men and 4736 women from the Indian sample of the World Health Survey (2003) were used. Overall, 43 health status indicators were grouped into health dimensions (physical, mental and functional health, chronic diseases, health behaviours) and the SRH item was regressed on these indicators by using sex-stratified multivariable linear regressions, adjusted with demographic and socioeconomic variables.

Results

Respondents (participation rate 95.6%; mean age 38.9 years) rated their health as very good (21.8%), good (36.4%), moderate (26.6%), bad (13.2%) or very bad (2.0%). Among men, the adjusted explained SRH variance by health dimensions ranged between 18% and 41% (physical 33%, mental 32%, functional health 41%, chronic diseases 23%, health behaviours 18%). In multivariable models, the overall explained variance increased to 45%. The 43 health status indicators were associated with SRH and their effect sizes were in the expected direction. Among women, results were similar (overall explained variance 48%).

Conclusion

The SRH item has satisfactory construct validity and may be used to monitor health status in demographic and population health surveys of India.
Increased sensitivity of microbiological testing of cornea organ culture medium by additional resin treatment
Authors: Skenderi Zemra , Giurgola Laura , Gatto Claudio , D’Amato Tóthová Jana , Pruß Axel , Schroeter Jan
Published: November 2018

Objective

This validation study investigates the treatment of cornea organ culture medium (Modified Eagle Medium, Biochrom GmbH, Berlin, Germany) with RESEP, a new medical device for antibiotics removal, before microbiological testing with BACTECTMblood culture bottles.

Methods and analysis

10–100 colony forming units ofStaphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Bacillus subtillis, Aspergillus brasiliensis, Clostridium sporogenes, Enterobacter cloacaeandStaphylococcus epidermidiswere inoculated in 9mL of cornea organ culture medium. In group A, the medium was withdrawn with RESEP and treated for 20 min at room temperature, and then inoculated in BACTEC Plus Aerobic/F/Anaerobic/F blood culture bottles. In group B, the medium, spiked by the inoculation of microorganism, was injected directly. For each strain, a growth control was performed, by direct inoculation of the microorganisms in BACTECTMvials (positive control). All samples were incubated in the automated BACTECTMblood culture system at 36°C ±1°C for maximum of 14 days or until a positive reading. The elimination of antibiotics from the medium by RESEP was determined by high-performance liqiud chromatography.

Results

After 20 min of RESEP treatment, 100% (n=9) of streptomycin, 100% (n=9) of amphotericin B and 99.7% (n=9) of penicillin G were eliminated. In group A , all microorganisms were detected within 3 days of incubation with a sensitivity of 100% (n=99) and showed no significant delay compared with the positive controls. In group B, the overall sensitivity was 67.9% (n=96) with a significant delay until detection of microbial growth for all tested microorganisms except forA. brasiliensis.

Conlclusion

The use of RESEP to eliminate the antibiotics from cornea organ culture medium increases the sensitivity of the microbiological testing with BACTECTMPlus blood culture bottles significantly and fulfils the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia method suitability test.