bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How patients choose kidney transplant centers: A qualitative study of patient experiences
Authors: Schaffhausen Cory R. , Bruin Marilyn J. , McKinney Warren T. , Snyder Jon J. , Matas Arthur J. , Kasiske Bertram L. , Israni Ajay K.
Published: March 2019

Little is known about how patients make the critical decision of choosing a transplant center. In the United States, acceptance criteria, waiting times, and mortality vary significantly by geography and center. We sought to understand patients' experiences and perspectives when selecting transplant centers. We included 82 kidney transplant patients in 20 semi‐structured interviews, nine focus groups with local candidates, and three focus groups with national recipients. Sites included two local transplant centers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and national recipients from across the United States. Transcripts were analyzed by two researchers using a thematic analysis. Several themes emerged related to priorities and barriers when choosing a center. Patients were often unfamiliar with options, even with multiple local centers. Patients described being referred to a specific center by a trusted provider. Patients prioritized perceived reputation, comfort, and convenience. Insurance coverage was both a source of information and a barrier to options. Patients underestimated differences across centers and the effects on being waitlisted and receiving a transplant. Barriers in decision making included an overwhelming scope of information and difficulty locating information relevant to patients with unique medical needs. Informed decisions could be improved by the dissemination of understandable information better tailored to individual patient needs.
Skin cancer knowledge and photoprotective practices of organ transplant recipients
Authors: Traboulsi Danya , Potok Olivia V. , Ruzycki Shannon M. , Surmanowicz Philip , Hardin Jori , Khokhar Bushra , Rabi Doreen M. , Hazlewood Glen , Mydlarski Paule Régine
Published: March 2019

Background

Long‐term use of immunosuppressive medications by organ transplant recipients (OTRs) leads to an increased risk of non‐melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs). The objective of this study was to assess photoprotective knowledge and practices among OTRs and to identify predictors of poor sunscreen adherence and barriers to photoprotection.

Methods

A written survey was administered to 300 solid OTRs attending the Southern Alberta Transplant Program. Demographics, transplant and NMSC history, ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure, photoprotective knowledge and practices, and barriers to implementing photoprotection were collected. Relevant statistical analyses and univariate and multivariable regression models on sunscreen use were performed.

Results

One hundred and seventy‐nine of the 300 respondents reported not using sunscreen most days despite 79.3% recalling have received photoprotection education. Of the surveyed OTRs, 45.7% reported no barriers to implementing photoprotective practices. On average, respondents scored 74.5% on a commonly used tool to assess photoprotective knowledge (SD 30.6%). In multivariable analyses, older age, male gender, and lack of post‐secondary education were associated with lower rates of self‐reported sunscreen use. The most commonly patient‐reported barriers to photoprotection were “hassle/time consuming” (16.7%) and “sunscreen is uncomfortable or unpleasant” (10.0%).

Conclusions

Despite OTRs self‐reporting having received sufficient sun‐protective knowledge and demonstrating reasonable recollection of photoprotective education on assessment, implementation of sun protection in the studied OTRs remains suboptimal.
Molecular characterization and functional analysis of daf‐16‐2b gene in the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus
Authors: Wang Buyong , Wen Rongrong , Ma Ling , Ma Yan , Zhou T. Hua
Published: March 2019

The Forkhead box O transcription factor DAF‐16 is an important downstream transcription factor in the well‐conserved insulin signalling (IIS) pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans. The nuclear localization of DAF‐16 can activate a series of genes that mediate oxidative stress, heat shock, xenobiotic responses, innate immunity, metabolism and autophagy. In this study, a Bxdaf‐16‐2b gene encoding 510 amino acids was cloned from Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Sequence analysis showed that the BxDAF‐16‐2b protein shared the highest similarity value (92%) with the DAF16‐2 (accession no. ADD84716.1) of B. xylophilus. Using in situ hybridization, Bxdaf‐16‐2b was shown to be constitutively expressed in the circum‐pharyngeal nerve rings and intestines of males, and in the head neurons and the ovaries of females. Quantitative RT‐PCR showed that the highest gene expression was found in females, followed by juveniles, males and eggs. Bxdaf‐16‐2b expression was up‐regulated after treatment with the botanical pesticides rotenone and matrine. RNA interference showed that the expression of Bxdaf‐16‐2b gene was reduced by dsRNA, and the silencing of Bxdaf‐16‐2b suppressed the expression of several IIS pathway genes. Bursaphelenchus xylophilus showed increased mortality at sublethal doses of rotenone and matrine when subjected to Bxdaf‐16‐2b gene silencing. Thus, Bxdaf‐16‐2b may participate in the stress response of B. xylophilus and play important roles in the immune system. This study paves the way towards design of new drug targets for non‐polluting control of nematodes.
Size, sex and social experience: Experimental tests of multiple factors mediating contest behaviour in a rockpool fish
Authors: Colella Daniel J. , Paijmans Kai C. , Wong Marian Y. L.
Published: March 2019

Aggressive contests amongst conspecifics are important to understand from an ecological and evolutionary perspective as contest dynamics can directly influence individual fitness. For some species, individual attributes such as relative body size closely predict the outcome, intensity and duration of contests, whereas for others, prior social experiences play a key role. However, disentangling the relative effects of individual attributes and social experiences is challenging from an experimental perspective, and because of this, few studies have investigated relative effects of multiple factors. Rockpool fishes have been well studied in terms of factors governing abundance, distribution and community structure, but much less so in terms of contest behaviour. This is surprising because contest dynamics are likely to directly affect the distribution of fishes along the rocky shore, and hence indirectly govern population and community composition. Here, we explored multiple factors potentially influencing contest behaviour in a numerically dominant, resident intertidal fish species,Bathygobius cocosensis(Gobiidae). Using a series of staged pairwise contest trials, we investigated the effect of size, sex and social experiences (namely prior residency and winner–loser experiences) on contest dynamics. We found no evidence that prior residency influenced contest outcome, suggesting social experiences play a minor role in contest dynamics. Previous winner/loser experience also did not influence contest outcome, although this is likely a product of low sample size. In addition, the likelihood of winning was unrelated to contestant sex, and the combination of sexes in paired contests did not influence contest intensity or duration. Instead, body size was related to contest outcome, intensity and duration in the majority of experimental trials. These results suggest that body size rather than sex or social experiences is the key determinant of contest dynamics in this species. We suggest that the dynamic biotic and abiotic environment inhabited by intertidal fish may reduce the influence of prior social experiences in modulating contest dynamics.
Deciphering how plant pathogenic bacteria disperse and meet: Molecular epidemiology of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri at microgeographic scales in a tropical area of Asiatic citrus canker endemicity
Authors: Pruvost Olivier , Boyer Karine , Ravigné Virginie , Richard Damien , Vernière Christian
Published: March 2019

Although some plant pathogenic bacteria represent a significant threat to agriculture, the determinants of their ecological success and evolutionary potential are still poorly understood. Refining our understanding of bacterial strain circulation at small spatial scales and the biological significance and evolutionary consequences of co‐infections are key questions. The study of bacterial population biology can be challenging, because it requires high‐resolution markers that can be genotyped with a high throughput. Here, we overcame this difficulty for Xanthomonas citri pv. citri, a genetically monomorphic bacterium causing Asiatic citrus canker (ACC). Using a genotyping method that did not require cultivating the bacterium or purifying DNA, we deciphered the pathogen's spatial genetic structure at several microgeographic scales, down to single lesion, in a situation of ACC endemicity. In a grove where copper was recurrently applied for ACC management, copper‐susceptible and copper‐resistant X. citri pv. citri coexisted and the bacterial population structured as three genetic clusters, suggesting a polyclonal contamination. The range of spatial dependency, estimated for the two largest clusters, was four times greater for the cluster predominantly composed of copper‐resistant bacteria. Consistently, the evenness value calculated for this cluster was indicative of increased transmission. Linkage disequilibrium was high even at a tree scale, probably due to a combination of clonality and admixture. Approximately 1% of samples exhibited within‐lesion multilocus polymorphism, explained at least in part by polyclonal infections. Canker lesions, which are of major biological significance as an inoculum source, may also represent a preferred niche for horizontal gene transfer. This study points out the potential of genotyping data for estimating the range of spatial dependency of plant bacterial pathogens, an important parameter for guiding disease management strategies.
Classification of congestive heart failure with different New York Heart Association functional classes based on heart rate variability indices and machine learning
Authors: Qu Zhaohui , Liu Qianwen , Liu Chengyu
Published: March 2019

This study aims to evaluate the effect of heart rate variability (HRV) indices on the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification of patients with congestive heart failure and to test the effectiveness of different machine learning algorithms. Twenty‐nine long‐term RR interval recordings from subjects (aged 34 to 79) with congestive heart failure (NYHA classes I, II, and III) in MIT‐BIH Database were studied. We firstly removed the unreasonable RR intervals and segment the RR recordings with a 300‐RR interval length window. Then the multiple HRV indexes were calculated for each RR segment. Support vector machine (SVM) and classification and regression tree (CART) methods were then separately used to distinguish patients with different NYHA classes based on the selected HRV indices. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was finally employed as the evaluation indicator to compare the performance of the two classifiers. The SVM classifier achieved accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 84.0%, 71.2%, and 83.4%, respectively, whereas the CART classifier achieved 81.4%, 66.5%, and 81.6%, respectively. The area under the curve of receiver operating characteristic for the two classifiers was 86.4% and 84.7%, respectively. It is possible for accurately classifying the NYHA functional classes I, II, and III when using the combination of HRV indices and machine learning algorithms. The SVM classifier performed better in classification than the CART classifier using the same HRV indices.
Psychometric Validation of the Role Function Restrictive Domain of the Migraine Specific Quality‐of‐Life Questionnaire Version 2.1 Electronic Patient‐Reported Outcome in Patients With Episodic and Chronic Migraine
Authors: Speck Rebecca M. , Shalhoub Huda , Wyrwich Kathleen W. , Yu Ren , Ayer David W. , Ford Janet , Bush Elizabeth N. , Lipton Richard B.
Published: March 2019

Objectives

To assess the measurement properties of the Migraine‐Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire version 2.1 (MSQv2.1) electronic patient‐reported outcome (ePRO) Role Function‐Restrictive (RFR) domain to evaluate the functional impact of migraine in patients with episodic (EM) or chronic migraine (CM) enrolled in clinical trials.

Methods

The 7‐item MSQv2.1 ePRO RFR measures the functional impact of migraine on relationships with family and friends, leisure time, work or daily activities, productivity, concentration, tiredness, and energy. Measurement properties of the RFR were assessed using data from 2 EM (CGAG [n = 851] and CGAH [n = 909]) and 1 CM (CGAI [n = 1090]) Phase 3 galcanezumab clinical trials. Anchor‐ and distribution‐based analyses were utilized to derive a responder threshold for clinical interpretation of change over time. The Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), Patient Global Impression of Severity (PGI‐S), Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI‐I), and migraine headache days (MHD) served as anchors. Responsiveness and responder threshold analyses were completed from baseline to the average of months 4‐6 for EM studies, and from baseline to month 3 for the CM study; timeframes selected were based on the primary endpoints in these studies.

Results

Cronbach’s alpha values for internal consistency reliability were 0.93, 0.92, and 0.92, for CGAG, CGAH, and CGAI, respectively. Test–retest reliability intra‐class correlation coefficients were 0.82 and 0.84 for CGAG and CGAH, and 0.85 for CGAI in stable patients. Convergent validity was supported by moderate to strong correlations (≥0.30) between the RFR and both MIDAS and PGI‐S. Known‐groups validity was established between subgroups stratified by baseline PGI‐S and MHD (P < .05; δ = 0.35‐1.96). For the EM studies, anchor variables suggested a change of ≥25 points (equivalent to 9 points/state changes on raw scale) in the RFR was an appropriate threshold to interpret a treatment benefit. For the CM study a change of ≥17.14 points (6 points/state changes on raw scale) was an appropriate threshold. In all 3 studies, significantly (P < .01) more galcanezumab patients achieved the responder definition thresholds, as compared to placebo (odds ratios of 1.98, 2.45, 2.27, 2.44, 1.64, and 1.66 for the 120 and 240 mg arms in the CGAG, CGAH, and CGAI trials, respectively).

Conclusion

The MSQv2.1 ePRO RFR has sufficient reliability, validity, responsiveness, and appropriate interpretation standards for use in EM and CM clinical trials to assess the functional impact of migraine.
Personalized therapy for Helicobacter pylori: CYP2C19 genotype effect on first‐line triple therapy
Authors: Arévalo Galvis Azucena , Trespalacios Rangel Alba Alicia , Otero Regino William
Published: March 2019

Background

Triple therapy efficacy against Helicobacter pylori is low worldwide, and thus, alternatives must be sought to improve eradication. The aim of the present study was to determine CYP2C19 genetic polymorphism effect on H pylori eradication.

Methods

A randomized, single‐blinded clinical trial including 133 participants was carried out. H pylori infection was confirmed by histologic and microbiologic test. Antibiotic susceptibility to amoxicillin and clarithromycin was performed. CYP2C19 polymorphisms *1, *2, and *3 were analyzed by real‐time PCR (Roche ®), and nested PCR for CYP2C19*17 polymorphisms. Participants were randomized into two groups for different H pylori therapies, one with standard omeprazole doses and another with omeprazole doses depending on CYP2C19 polymorphism. H pylori eradication was verified by stool antigen tests (Meridian ®).

Results

The most common CYP2C19 polymorphism was *1/*1 in 54.9% of the participants followed by *17/*17 in 21.1%. Triple therapy efficacy with standard omeprazole doses versus personalized therapy based on CYP2C19 polymorphism by ITT analysis was 84% (95% CI: 0.73‐0.91) vs 92.2% (95% CI: 0.82‐0.97) (P = 0. 14), respectively. The efficacy by PP analysis was 92.1% (95% CI: 0.82‐0.97) vs 100% (95% CI: 0.92‐0.01) (P = 0.027), respectively.

Conclusions

The most frequent polymorphism was extensive PPI metabolizers (62.4%). Effectiveness of guided therapies by susceptibility test was good, yet they can be further improved by customized therapy based on CYP genotype. Therefore, high PPI (80 mg/d) doses are recommended for H pylori eradication therapies in Colombia.

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03650543.
Clinicopathological evaluation of the programmed cell death 1 (PD1)/programmed cell death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) axis in post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorders: association with Epstein–Barr virus, PD‐L1 copy number alterations, and outcome
Authors: Veloza Luis , Teixido Cristina , Castrejon Natalia , Climent Fina , Carrió Ana , Marginet Marta , Soldini Davide , González‐Farré Blanca , Ribera‐Cortada Inmaculada , Lopez‐Guillermo Armando , González‐Barca Eva , Sierra Adriana , Herrera Mileyka , Gómez Cándida , Garcia Adriana , Balagué Olga , Campo Elias , Martinez Antonio
Published: March 2019

Aims

The clinical implications of the programmed cell death 1 (PD1)/programmed cell death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) axis in patients with post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorders are largely unknown, and its association with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) status and PD‐L1 copy number alterations (CNAs) has not been thoroughly studied.

Methods and results

PD1/PD‐L1 expression was studied in 50 adult post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorders, and the correlations with PD‐L1 CNAs, EBV, clinicopathological features and outcome were evaluated. Thirty‐seven (74%) cases were classified as diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL), nine (18%) cases were classified as polymorphic, and four (8%) cases were classified as classic Hodgkin lymphoma. Thirty‐four cases were EBV‐positive, with 29 of 34 (85%) having latency II or III, and 15 of 34 (44%) having viral replication. PD‐L1 expression in tumour cells and tumour‐associated macrophages was observed in 30 (60%) and 37 (74%) cases, respectively. PD1 positivity was seen in 16 (32%) cases. PD‐L1 expression was associated with EBV with latency II or III (P = 0.001) and organ rejection (P = 0.04), and, in DLBCL, with non‐germinal centre type DLBCL (P < 0.001). Cases with PD‐L1‐positive tumour cells showed a higher number of PD‐L1 CNAs than PD‐L1‐negative cases (P = 0.001). Patients with EBV/latency III/replication and simultaneous PD‐L1 expression showed the worst overall survival (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The PD1/PD‐L1 axis is deregulated in post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorders, with frequent PD‐L1 expression and PD1 negativity. PD‐L1 expression is associated with EBV latency II or III and PD‐L1 CNAs, and probably reflects a proinflammatory tumour microenvironment. The combined analysis of EBV status and PD‐L1 expression may help to identify deeply immunosuppressed patients who can benefit from immune reconstitution approaches.
POSTPOSITIVISM AND THE LOGIC OF THE AVANT‐GARDE
Authors: GRIGORIEV SERGE
Published: March 2019

The purpose of this article is to explore the conditions under which the postpositivist interest in rewriting or reinterpreting history could operate legitimately from a historical point of view. The first part of the article outlines and explains some of the key thematic elements of historical postpositivism. The second proceeds to investigate how these elements can be configured and related to each other within Arthur Danto's influential account of the development of contemporary art, and especially the avant‐garde. The intention is to acquire a sense of the working dynamics of postpositivist thought, so as to better understand its possible implications for the writing of history. In the concluding section an argument is proposed to the effect that, although the postpositivist interest in the rewriting of history can in principle be admitted as entirely legitimate, its legitimacy depends on introducing some substantive constraints on content, in addition to the formal considerations that postpositivist discourse generally tends to favor. It is further suggested that this constraint should take the form of a requirement on historical literacy whose meaning is, finally, elucidated by drawing a contrast with historical common sense.
FROM LEFT‐WING TO COMMUNIST MELANCHOLY: TRAVERSO'S WAGER
Authors: Plass Ulrich
Published: March 2019

Enzo Traverso's inspired book Left‐Wing Melancholia revisits iconic representations of revolutionary hopes and defeats not to draw up an inventory of what has been lost but rather to remind his readers that past defeats also contain the traces of unfulfilled possibilities. After the end of the Soviet Union and the global triumph of neoliberal capitalism, the communist utopian imagination of a classless society, Traverso suggests, can be reignited through memorial practices of resilient, resistant melancholy. Traverso's argument draws on Walter Benjamin's notions of materialist history, redemptive memory, and knowing melancholy. Yet the nameless vanquished masses to whom Benjamin's concept of history seeks to do justice remain marginal in Traverso's book. Instead, revolutionary defeat is cast in the tragic mold of succeeding by failing, a trope exemplified by figures such as Auguste Blanqui, Charles Péguy, or Daniel Bensaïd. In response to Traverso's reliance on the transhistorical category of the tragic, this essay argues for a more abstractly theoretical understanding of left‐wing melancholy as conditioned by historically specific class relations that constrain and challenge the engaged intellectual. Moreover, this essay questions Traverso's dualistic treatment of politically committed (Benjamin, Brecht, C. L. R. James) and elitist intellectuals (Adorno) and concludes that the concept of left‐wing melancholy must ultimately be interrogated against the backdrop of a lingering uncertainty about the relationship between theory and praxis that, as Adorno claims, one can already find in Karl Marx—an uncertainty that is hence inscribed into the history of any Marxist theory of revolution and history.
The accuracy of CBCT for the detection and diagnosis of vertical root fractures in vivo
Authors: Byakova S. F. , Novozhilova N. E. , Makeeva I. M. , Grachev V. I. , Kasatkina I. V.
Published: March 2019

Aim

To compare the in vivo accuracy of CBCT for the detection of fracture lines versus the diagnosis of vertical root fractures (VRFs) according to characteristic patterns of associated bone resorption.

Methodology

Eighty‐eight patients with symptoms typical of VRFs in root filled teeth, who underwent a CBCT examination and later had the teeth extracted, were divided into two groups: the fracture group (n = 65) and the control group (n = 23). Five blinded observers assessed the CBCT images in two sessions. During the first session, they were asked to state the diagnosis according to the CBCT and clinical data. During the second session after 2 weeks, they assessed only axial slices and were asked to detect a fracture line. The mean CBCT specificity, sensitivity, accuracy values and area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve were calculated and compared using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test.

Results

The average sensitivity of CBCT for the diagnosis of VRFs was 0.84 ± 0.2. The accuracy and AUC values were 0.81 ± 0.08 and 0.84 ± 0.17, respectively. The sensitivity, accuracy and AUC values for the detection of VRFs were significantly lower: 0.17 ± 0.24 (P = 0.042), 0.54 ± 0.07 (P = 0.043), and 0.52 ± 0.09 (P = 0.043), respectively. The specificity of CBCT for the detection and diagnosis of VRFs did not differ significantly (P = 0.50).

Conclusion

Cone‐beam computed tomography was helpful in VRF diagnosis even when it was not possible to visualize the fracture line.
Effect of apple cider vinegar agent on the microstructure, phase evolution, and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles
Authors: Afshari Mohammad , Rouhani Isfahani Amir‐Reza , Hasani Saeed , Davar Fatemeh , Jahanbani Ardakani Khadijeh
Published: March 2019

In the present study, spinel structure CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by the sol‐gel auto‐combustion technique. The effect of apple cider vinegar (ACV) addition as an organic biocompatible agent on the size, morphology, and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles was investigated in detail. The phase evolution, particle size, and lattice parameter changes of the synthesized phase have been estimated by using Rietveld structure refinement analysis of X‐ray powder diffraction data. Also, Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT‐IR) of the samples verified the presence of two expected bands correspond to tetrahedral and octahedral metal‐oxygen complexes within the spinel structure. Furthermore, microstructural observations revealed that ultrafine particles have a semi‐spherical morphology. It was shown that the particles size decreased from ~45 to ~17 nm with an increase in the amount of ACV. Magnetic properties were carried out by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature. Both the saturation magnetization (Ms) and coercivity (Hc) were found to be significantly dependent on the crystallite size and the amount of ACV.
Spatial Barriers and the Formation of Global Art Cities: The Case of Tokyo
Authors: Morgner Christian
Published: March 2019

This paper addresses a neglected dimension of global cities research: how the idea of economic concentration, its surplus and consequent global influence can be applied to the art world. The research presented here relates to Tokyo as a well‐known example of a global city, advancing existing understandings of Tokyo from the neglected perspective of the arts. Based on qualitative and quantitative research by the author, including cultural and spatial mapping, interviews, ethnographic observations and visual documents, the findings confirm that the role of space and materiality is overlooked in global cities research. The results demonstrate the active contribution and intervention of spatial patterns in the formation of artistic activities. A number of Tokyo's spatial features have an inhibiting effect that shifts artistic activities underground, creating asymmetries in the constitution of symbolic meanings in the city and a failure to openly stimulate artistic practices. As a consequence, Tokyo's vivid art world remains invisible not only to outsiders but to Tokyo itself.
Maturity‐onset diabetes of the young type 5 uncovered during pregnancy with a long‐term diagnosis of type 1 diabetes
Authors: Deng Mingqun , Wang Xiaojing , Xiao Xinhua , Ping Fan
Published: March 2019

We report a case of missed diagnosis of maturity‐onset diabetes of the young type 5 uncovered during pregnancy with a previous diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Maturity‐onset diabetes of the young type 5 cannot be excluded in early‐onset diabetes with positive islet‐related autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes‐prone human leukocyte antigen subtypes. Abdominal ultrasound should be used in all patients with pre‐gestational diabetes, and maturity‐onset diabetes of the young type 5 should be considered when renal abnormality is presented.
Na+/K+‐ATPase gene duplications in clitellate annelids are associated with freshwater colonization
Authors: Horn Kevin M. , Williams Bronwyn W. , Erséus Christer , Halanych Kenneth M. , Santos Scott R. , Creuzé des Châtelliers Michel , Anderson Frank E.
Published: March 2019

Major habitat transitions, such as those from marine to freshwater habitats or from aquatic to terrestrial habitats, have occurred infrequently in animal evolution and may represent a barrier to diversification. Identifying genomic events associated with these transitions can help us better understand mechanisms that allow animals to cross these barriers and diversify in new habitats. Study of the Capitella telata and Helobdella robusta genomes allows examination of one such habitat transition (marine to freshwater) in Annelida. Initial examination of these genomes indicated that the freshwater leech H. robusta contains many more copies (12) of the sodium–potassium pump alpha‐subunit (Na+/K+‐ATPase) gene than does the marine polychaete C. telata (2). The sodium–potassium pump plays a key role in maintenance of cellular ionic balance and osmoregulation, and Na+/K+‐ATPase duplications may have helped annelids invade and diversify in freshwater habitats. To assess whether the timing of Na+/K+‐ATPase duplications coincided with the marine‐to‐freshwater transition in Clitellata, we used transcriptomic data from 18 annelid taxa, along with the two genomes, to infer a species phylogeny and identified Na+/K+‐ATPase gene transcripts in order to infer the timing of gene duplication events using tree‐based methods. The inferred timing of Na+/K+‐ATPase duplication events is consistent with the timing of the initial marine‐to‐freshwater transition early in the history of clitellate annelids, supporting the hypothesis that gene duplications may have played a role in the annelid diversification into freshwater habitats.
Inter‐individual maternal care received and genotype interactions affect dopaminergic phenotypes in female rat offspring
Authors: Lauby Samantha C. , Chatterjee Diptendu , Pan Pauline , McGowan Patrick O. , Fleming Alison S.
Published: March 2019

Rat mothers exhibit natural variations in care and can shape offspring adult behaviour and their maternal care by affecting the dopaminergic system. We explored whether genotype and gene × environment interactions are involved in these processes in nulliparous female offspring. We assessed maternal licking/grooming toward individual female pups during the first week postpartum and dopamine‐related behaviour of the offspring in adulthood. Behaviours explored included strategy shifting, impulsive action and sucrose preference. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the dopamine receptor 2, dopamine transporter and catechol‐O‐methyltransferase genes were examined in relation to offspring behaviour and baseline dopamine turnover in select brain regions. Dopamine receptor 2 (RS107017253) variation moderated, or interacted with, the relationship between early‐life licking received and behaviour. Specifically, offspring with the A/A genotype showed a significant correlation between early‐life licking received and behaviour. Offspring with the A/G and G/G genotypes did not show this relationship. Dopamine transporter gene variation affected offspring behaviour regardless of early‐life licking received. Our findings suggest that genotype can directly affect dopamine‐related behaviours and alter the sensitivity of offspring to the maternal environment. This could be informative on how maternal care is transmitted between generations of female offspring.
Cajal‐Retzius neurons are required for the development of the human hippocampal fissure
Authors: Meyer Gundela , González‐Arnay Emilio , Moll Ute , Nemajerova Alice , Tissir Fadel , González‐Gómez Miriam
Published: March 2019

Cajal‐Retzius neurons (CRN) are the main source of Reelin in the marginal zone of the developing neocortex and hippocampus (HC). They also express the transcription factor p73 and are complemented by later‐appearing GABAergic Reelin+ interneurons. The human dorsal HC forms at gestational week 10 (GW10), when it develops a rudimentary Ammonic plate and incipient dentate migration, although the dorsal hippocampal fissure (HF) remains shallow and contains few CRN. The dorsal HC transforms into the indusium griseum (IG), concurrently with the rostro‐caudal appearance of the corpus callosum, by GW14–17. Dorsal and ventral HC merge at the site of the former caudal hem, which is located at the level of the future atrium of the lateral ventricle and closely connected with the choroid plexus. The ventral HC forms at GW11 in the temporal lobe. The ventral HF is wide open at GW14–16 and densely populated by large numbers of CRNs. These are in intimate contact with the meninges and meningeal blood vessels, suggesting signalling through diverse pathways. At GW17, the fissure deepens and begins to fuse, although it is still marked by p73/Reelin+ CRNs. The p73KO mouse illustrates the importance of p73 in CRN for HF formation. In the mutant, Tbr1/Reelin+ CRNs are born in the hem but do not leave it and subsequently disappear, so that the mutant cortex and HC lack CRN from the onset of corticogenesis. The HF is absent, which leads to profound architectonic alterations of the HC. To determine which p73 isoform is important for HF formation, isoform‐specific TAp73‐ and DeltaNp73‐deficient embryonic and early postnatal mice were examined. In both mutants, the number of CRNs was reduced, but each of their phenotypes was much milder than in the global p73KO mutant missing both isoforms. In the TAp73KO mice, the HF of the dorsal HC failed to form, but was present in the ventral HC. In the DeltaNp73KO mice, the HC had a mild patterning defect along with a shorter HF. Complex interactions between both isoforms in CRNs may contribute to their crucial activity in the developing brain.
The face of postural tachycardia syndrome – insights from a large cross‐sectional online community‐based survey
Authors: Shaw B. H. , Stiles L. E. , Bourne K. , Green E. A. , Shibao C. A. , Okamoto L. E. , Garland E. M. , Gamboa A. , Diedrich A. , Raj V. , Sheldon R. S. , Biaggioni I. , Robertson D. , Raj S. R.
Published: March 2019

Background

Patients with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) experience chronic symptoms of orthostatic intolerance. There are minimal data detailing the demographics, clinical features and clinical course of this condition. This online, community‐based survey highlights patients’ experience with POTS. It consists of the largest sample of POTS patients reported to date.

Objectives

To describe the demographics, past medical history, medications, treatments and diagnostic journey for patients living with POTS.

Methods

Postural tachycardia syndrome patients completed an online, community‐based, cross‐sectional survey. Participants were excluded if they had not received a diagnosis of POTS from a physician. The questions focused on the patient experience and journey, rather than physiological responses.

Results

The final analysis included 4835 participants. POTS predominantly affects white (93%) females (94%) of childbearing age, with approximately half developing symptoms in adolescence (mode 14 years). POTS is a chronic multisystem disorder involving a broad array of symptoms, with many patients diagnosed with comorbidities in addition to POTS. POTS patients often experience lengthy delays [median (interquartile range) 24 (6–72) months] and misdiagnosis, but the diagnostic delay is improving. POTS patients can present with a myriad of symptoms most commonly including lightheadedness (99%), tachycardia (97%), presyncope (94%), headache (94%) and difficulty concentrating (94%).

Conclusions

These data provide important insights into the background, clinical features and diagnostic journey of patients suffering from POTS. These data should serve as an essential step for moving forward with future studies aimed at early and accurate diagnoses of these patients leading to appropriate treatments for their symptoms.
Biases in paired preference tests: Cross‐cultural comparison of Japanese and American consumers
Authors: Hasegawa Yuka , Ishii Rie , Kyutoku Yasushi , Dan Ippeita , Rousseau Benoît
Published: March 2019

This research examined potential biases associated with paired preference tests and how these biases might differ between Japanese and American cultures. The three biases that were investigated were the potential differential use of the no preference option, a predisposition in choosing the first stimulus in a pair, and finally a potential tendency of picking the stimulus with the numerically higher code in the pair. In this investigation, 96 American and 192 Japanese subjects performed six paired preference tests involving three types of grapefruit juices, three of the pairs involving identical samples. Of the three biases, only the differential use of the “no preference” option was significantly observed, with American subjects exhibiting higher “no preference” frequencies than Japanese for identical pairs (24% and 9%, respectively). Interestingly, no clear position or code bias effects were uncovered, a result possibly driven by the experimental approach used in this research. Potential explanations are discussed.

Practical applications

Biases when executing paired preference tests have been documented. Addressing them, if not controlling them, is necessary to ensure reliable interpretation of test results. One important bias involves the use of the “no preference” option for identical samples. This use directly impacts how an identicality norm can be utilized to interpret test results. Assuming the wrong identicality norm will increase the likelihood of reaching an incorrect conclusion. This research establishes the identicality norm for Japanese subjects and confirms that such norm would be different from that of American subjects and more like that of Korean consumers. This will be of value for companies conducting research across cultures to ensure that more reliable conclusions are reached. No clear position or code biases were found in this research. Nevertheless, sample position balancing and the use of two sets of labeling codes in any paired preference test design are recommended since these effects have been previously reported elsewhere.
Deterministic Parameter Change Models in Continuous and Discrete Time
Authors: Chambers Marcus J. , Taylor A. M. Robert
Published: March 2019

We consider a model of deterministic one‐time parameter change in a continuous time autoregressive model around a deterministic trend function. The exact discrete time analogue model is detailed and compared to corresponding parameter change models adopted in the discrete time literature. The relationships between the parameters in the continuous time model and the discrete time analogue model are also explored. Our results show that the discrete time models used in the literature can be justified by the corresponding continuous time model, with a only a minor modification needed for the (most likely) case where the changepoint does not coincide with one of the discrete time observation points. The implications of our results for a number of extant discrete time models and testing procedures are discussed.
Networked uniqueness
Authors: Fjellestad Danuta
Published: March 2019

This essay focuses on one of the most intriguing literary puzzles today, an anonymously published volume Being or Nothingness. Multiplying puzzles and provoking speculative searches for answers, this spoof on Sartre's seminal philosophical text (if this is what it is), I argue, insists on its unique qualities as a bound physical object while simultaneously “unbounding” itself through resolute participation in a variety of networks. Ultimately, I propose, it can be seen as an exemplary specimen of what N. Katherine Hayles has dubbed the “postprint era.” Importantly, although in many ways a sui generis book, Being or Nothingness is like other, less baffling, fiction books that through elaborate design forge an oxymoronic “unique copy”; intensifying artifice, they tease with the promise of an auratic experience.
DMBT1 involvement in the human aortic endothelial cell response to Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Oho Takahiko , Nagata Emi
Published: March 2019

Streptococcus mutans is a causative organism of dental caries and has been reported to be associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Previous studies have demonstrated that S. mutans invades human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) and HAECs invaded by S. mutans produce higher levels of CVD–related cytokines than non‐invaded HAECs. DMBT1 (deleted in malignant brain tumors 1), also known as salivary agglutinin or gp‐340, belongs to the scavenger receptor cysteine–rich superfamily. DMBT1 is expressed in epithelial and non‐epithelial tissues and has multiple functions. The interaction between S. mutans and DMBT1 has been demonstrated in cariogenesis, but DMBT1 involvement in CVD has not been examined. In this study, we investigated DMBT1 expression in HAECs stimulated with S. mutans and examined the role of DMBT1 in the interaction between S. mutans and HAECs. All of the tested S. mutans strains induced higher production levels of DMBT1 in HAECs than those in unstimulated HAECs. More S. mutans cells adhered to DMBT1 knock down HAECs than to DMBT1–producing HAECs. Invasion of DMBT1 knock down HAECs by S. mutans was stronger than that of DMBT1–producing HAECs, and externally added DMBT1 reduced bacterial invasion. Cytokine production by DMBT1 knock down HAECs by S. mutans stimulation was higher than that by DMBT1–producing HAECs. These phenomena seemed to be due to the effect of released DMBT1, namely, the inhibition of bacterial adherence to HAECs by DMBT1. These results suggest that DMBT1 plays a protective role against the S. mutans–induced CVD process in HAECs.
Paediatric Minor facial trauma resulting in invasive Group A streptococcal orofacial infections: two case reports
Authors: Maarouf M. , Hanji C. , Mohindra A. , Shetty S.
Published: March 2019

Invasive Group A Streptococcus infections can be underestimated and develop rapidly into serious necrotising soft tissue infections associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We report two children who presented following minor trauma with Group A Streptococcus infections and tissue necrosis. We retrospectively reviewed two relevant cases illustrating their clinical features, treatment and outcomes. A 5‐year‐old and a 3‐year‐old both sustained innocuous injuries yet presented with significant facial cellulitis, pyrexia, elevated CRP, white cell and neutrophil count. Both had concurrent upper respiratory infective symptoms. Timely surgical debridement and aggressive antimicrobial therapy was provided. Both patients’ cultures grew Group A streptococcus pyogenes. Children presenting with significant systemic reactions following minor trauma must be monitored closely with a high index of suspicion for necrosis of tissues and treated accordingly.
Abscisic acid‐dependent histone demethylation during postgermination growth arrest in Arabidopsis
Authors: Wu Jinfeng , Ichihashi Yasunori , Suzuki Takamasa , Shibata Arisa , Shirasu Ken , Yamaguchi Nobutoshi , Ito Toshiro
Published: March 2019

After germination, seedlings undergo growth arrest in response to unfavourable conditions, a critical adaptation enabling plants to survive harsh environments. The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a key role in this arrest. To arrest growth, ABA‐dependent transcription factors change gene expression patterns in a flexible and reversible manner. Although the control of gene expression has important roles in growth arrest, the epigenetic mechanisms in the response to ABA are not fully understood. Here, we show that the histone demethylases JUMONJI‐C domain‐containing protein 30 (JMJ30) and JMJ32 control ABA‐mediated growth arrest in Arabidopsis thaliana. During the postgermination stage (2–3 days after germination), the ABA‐dependent transcription factor ABA‐insensitive3 (ABI3) activates the expression of JMJ30 in response to ABA. JMJ30 then removes a repressive histone mark, H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), from the SNF1‐related protein kinase 2.8 (SnRK2.8) promoter, and hence activates SnRK2.8 expression. SnRK2.8 encodes a kinase that activates ABI3 and is responsible for JMJ30‐ and JMJ32‐mediated growth arrest. A feed‐forward loop involving the ABI3 transcription factor, JMJ histone demethylases, and the SnRK2.8 kinase fine‐tunes ABA‐dependent growth arrest in the postgermination phase. Our findings highlight the importance of the histone demethylases in mediating adaptation of plants to the environment.
Infantile hemangioma: Efficacy of low‐dose propranolol and of intralesional bleomycin injection for propranolol non‐response
Authors: Düzenli Kar Yeter , Özdemir Zeynep Canan , Acu Berat , Bör Özcan
Published: March 2019

Background

Infantile hemangioma (IH) is the most common form of benign childhood vascular tumor. Most resolve spontaneously, but treatment is recommended in patients who develop complication. Propranolol is recommended as the first‐line therapy, while the treatment in the case of non‐response to first‐line therapy depends on the clinical experiences of each center. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of low‐dose propranolol in the treatment of IH, and the outcomes of percutaneous intralesional bleomycin injection (IBI) in patients unresponsive to propranolol.

Methods

Medical records of 104 children diagnosed with IH between June 2014 and June 2017 were reviewed retrospectively.

Results

Median patient age was 6 months (range, 3–12 months). Forty‐five patients (43.3%) received therapy: 18 (40%) for cosmetic problems and 27 (60%) for lesion‐related complications. The most common complications were hemorrhage (15.6%) and impairment in visual function (15.6%). All of the patients received propranolol 1 mg/kg/day as the first‐line therapy. Response to treatment was excellent in 35 patients, good in four and poor in one, while five patients did not respond to therapy. The five unresponsive patients received percutaneous IBI at 0.3–0.5 mg/kg/dose as second‐line therapy. The response to treatment was excellent in four patients, good in one.

Conclusions

The majority of IH resolved spontaneously. In the patients who required treatment, low‐dose propranolol was successful in most, and IBI was effective and safe in the remaining five patients who did not respond to propranolol.
Tradescantia‐based models: a powerful looking glass for investigation of photoacclimation and photoadaptation in plants
Authors: Ptushenko Oxana S. , Ptushenko Vasily V.
Published: March 2019

Here, we summarize diverse evidence from species that belong to the genus Tradescantia, which we propose as handy and versatile models for studies of the ecology of photosynthesis and the mechanisms of photoacclimation in higher plants. A valuable feature of this genus is the amazingly broad range of ecological niches occupied by its species: from shady understory of tropical rainforest to deserts and semideserts. The former habitats demand shade tolerance (e.g. that featured by Tradescantia fluminensis), whereas the latter requires succulence and/or high light stress tolerance (evident in e.g. Tradescantia navicularis). At the same time, the acclimative traits of Tradescantia species seem quite moderate at first glance. Certainly, their basic principles of acclimation seem to differ in some aspects from the ones typical for most of other higher plants. This review presents a systematic analysis of irradiance responses of Tradescantia species studied on different timescales. The specifics of Tradescantia responses to irradiance make the plants of this genus a ‘multitool’ for studies in this field. Similarity of irradiance acclimation patterns is a characteristic feature in the ecologically contrasting Tradescantia species, which may inspire further insights into physiology and evolution of plants.