bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Right heart failure as a risk factor for severe exacerbation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Prospective cohort study
Authors: Orea‐Tejeda Arturo , Navarrete‐Peñaloza Ana Grecia , Verdeja‐Vendrell Leslie , Jiménez‐Cepeda Abril , González‐Islas Dulce Gabriela , Hernández‐Zenteno Rafael , Keirns‐Davis Candace , Sánchez‐Santillán Rocío , Velazquez‐Montero Alejandra , Puentes Rodríguez Gerardo
Published: October 2018

Background

The prognosis in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) depends, in large part, on the frequency of exacerbations. Cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure (HF), are the risk factors for exacerbations. However, the importance of HF type over the exacerbations in COPD patients is unknown.

Objective

To determine whether right heart failure (RHF) is an independent risk factor for severe exacerbations in patients with COPD.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of 133 patients diagnosed with COPD with a follow‐up period from 2010 to 2016. Patients with bronchial hyperreactivity, asthma, or pulmonary embolism were excluded.

Results

The mean age was 74.7 ± 8.2 years and 43.6% were men, 69.9% had severe exacerbations during follow‐up. Subjects with RHF had lower FEV1 (50.2 ± 19.9 vs 57.4 ± 16.9, P = .006) and greater incidence of stroke (15.4% vs 1.8%, P = .009) compared to those without RHF. Subjects with RHF were at higher risk of severe exacerbations (HR, 2.46; CI 95%, 1.32‐4.58, P = .005) compared to those without RHF after adjusting for confounding variables.

Conclusion

In patients with COPD, RHF is an independent risk factor for suffering severe exacerbations.
Molecular characteristics of carbapenem‐resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from urine in Hyogo, Japan
Authors: Osawa Kayo , Shigemura Katsumi , Kitagawa Koichi , Fukuda Teruo , Takasaka Ayaka , Wakabayashi Sakie , Sato Kanako , Yamamichi Fukashi , Shirakawa Toshiro , Fujisawa Masato
Published: October 2018

Objectives

To investigate the molecular characteristics and epidemiology of metallo‐β‐lactamase‐producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa from urine of urinary tract infection patients in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

Methods

Carbapenem‐resistant P. aeruginosa isolated from the urine of 21 urinary tract infection patients in three general hospitals in Hyogo Prefecture (Japan) were collected between 2007 and 2014. Their antibiotic susceptibilities, metallo‐β‐lactamase screening test, metallo‐β‐lactamase gene sequencing, multilocus sequence typing and repetitive‐sequence‐based polymerase chain reaction were determined for epidemiological analyses to investigate the genetic characteristics.

Results

Out of 21 isolates, 13 (61.9%) were positive for metallo‐β‐lactamase. There were 11 (52.4%) isolates with IMP‐1 in them, one (4.5%) isolate with IMP‐7 and one (4.5%) isolate with VIM‐1. Metallo‐β‐lactamase‐positive isolates were mainly identified as ST235, and metallo‐β‐lactamase‐negative isolates were STs 357, 277, 234, 439 and 639. Repetitive‐sequence‐based polymerase chain reaction showed metallo‐β‐lactamase‐positive isolates were grouped in eight clusters, and ST235 isolates with IMP‐1 from three hospitals belonging to the identical group I, the other ST235 isolates with IMP‐7 and VIM‐1 were from two hospitals belonging to group II.

Conclusions

Metallo‐β‐lactamase‐positive P. aeruginosa of ST235 isolates with IPM‐1 were mainly identified from the urine of urinary tract infection patients in Hyogo, Japan. A ST235 isolate with VIM‐1 was found for the first time. Further investigation is necessary to follow the spread of metallo‐β‐lactamase‐positive isolates.
Costs of Not Getting to Know You: Lower Levels of Parental Reflective Functioning Confer Risk for Maternal Insensitivity and Insecure Infant Attachment
Authors: Ensink Karin , Borelli Jessica L. , Roy Julie , Normandin Lina , Slade Arietta , Fonagy Peter
Published: October 2018

Parental reflective functioning (PRF) is a robust predictor of parenting sensitivity and secure infant attachment, but its assessment requires extensive resources, limiting its integration into research and clinical practice. The Mini‐Parent Reflective Functioning Interview (Mini‐PRFI) assesses the parent's capacity to mentalize for his/her 6‐month‐old infant (rated using the PRF coding system; Slade et al., 2004, PRF coding system and Slade REF, Unpublished protocol, New York, NY: The City University of New York). In the current study, we examined whether Mini‐PRFI scores were associated with theoretically related constructs; to establish a point of comparison, we evaluated links between Mini‐PRFI scores alongside RF assessed from the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Mother–infant dyads (N = 88) completed the AAI before the birth of the infant, the Mini‐PRFI and an interaction task (rated for insensitive parental behavior) when infants were 6 months old, as well as the Strange Situation Procedure when infants were 16 months old. Mini‐PRFI scores were strongly positively associated with AAI RF and negatively associated with maternal insensitivity. Mini‐PRFI scores predicted infant attachment organization (secure/insecure, organized/disorganized) at 16 months, and this effect was mediated by parenting insensitivity. These findings suggest that the Mini‐PRFI predicts theoretically related attachment constructs, demonstrating the promise of the Mini‐PRFI to increase the accessibility of interview‐based PRF measurements to clinicians and researchers.
The effects of union mergers and internal restructuring: a bottom‐up perspective by Danish shop stewards
Authors: Navrbjerg Steen E. , Larsen Trine P.
Published: October 2018

This article explores how recent union mergers and restructuring affect union's service provision, interest representation and perceived union influence. We find that Danish shop stewards are just as satisfied with their union's service provision and interest representation but report of greater influence on federal and local branch union politics in 2010 compared to 1998.
Introduction: Quantifying and reporting social security obligations
Authors: Billig Assia , Brimblecombe Simon , Ménard Jean‐Claude
Published: October 2018

In a context of increasing transparency of social security scheme design and financing, assessing the financial implications of the promises made to current and future retirees of a social security pension system has become a key issue. The central role played by actuaries in the financial evaluation of social security systems means that the debate regarding methods and assumptions to use in such an exercise is of interest to all actuaries, those who use their work and those whose decisions are based on their work. This, in theory, appears a rather technical debate. However, in reality, these deliberations have a much wider impact. The discussion around how to assess the implications of promises made by social security systems to current and future populations will affect the decisions taken regarding the key features of systems, in particular the social contract between generations. It also feeds into the debate regarding sustainability, inter‐ and intra‐generational equity, the adequacy of benefits and the robustness of systems; that is, how future changes to the economic and demographic environment will affect systems. This introductory article discusses the importance of this topic including the implications for actuaries, policy‐makers and other stakeholders and then summarizes the six substantive articles that comprise this special issue. These articles reflect different points of view, but also different experiences and environments – which adds to their value as contributions to this important debate. Finally, this introduction sets the context for the reader – to ensure that the technical aspects of the set of papers are considered within the wider framework of social security provision and financing.
Accounting for social benefits: The search for a past event
Authors: Mason Paul
Published: October 2018

The article explains the role of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) in setting accounting standards for the public sector, and the due process that is followed in setting those standards. The article explains the scope of the IPSASB's current project on social benefits, and how this compares to the scope of social benefits in Government Finance Statistics (GFS)/System of National Accounts (SNA) as well as the IPSASB's previous social benefits projects. The scope is wider than pensions, and wider than social security as social assistance is also included. The accounting principles that underpin the IPSASB's current project are discussed and include the IPSASB's definition of a liability, and the key role that a “past event” plays in that definition. This is contrasted with some of the actuarial approaches. The article then describes the potential past events that the IPSASB has considered to date in the project, and what impact liabilities from these past events would have on the financial statements. This comparison makes reference to pensions, where the financial impact of different past events will be greatest. The article sets out the IPSASB's proposals in its recent Exposure Draft ED 63, Social Benefits, and also discusses alternative views on recognition and measurement. The article concludes by discussing the IPSASB's current guidance in RPG 1, Reporting on the Long‐Term Sustainability of an Entity's Finances, and notes that the IPSASB is seeking views on whether it should undertake further work in this area.
Phylogeography of the endangered saproxylic beetle Rosalia longicorn, Rosalia alpina (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), corresponds with its main host, the European beech (Fagus sylvatica, Fagaceae)
Authors: Drag Lukas , Hauck David , Rican Oldrich , Schmitt Thomas , Shovkoon Dmitri F. , Godunko Roman J. , Curletti Gianfranco , Cizek Lukas
Published: October 2018

Aim

The Rosalia longicorn (Rosalia alpina) is an internationally protected icon of biodiversity associated with old trees and dead wood. Although the beetle regularly exploits several marginal hosts, its preferred main host is European beech (Fagus sylvatica s.l.). Moreover, the geographical ranges of R. alpina and beech closely overlap. To assess whether their spatial association is mirrored in the genetic patterns of both species, we investigated the phylogeography of Rosalia alpina over its entire geographical range and compared it with the known genetic patterns of its hosts.

Location

Europe and western Asia.

Methods

Using both mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (14 microsatellite loci) markers, we analysed 148 (444, respectively) individuals from 31 (30, respectively) sites. We constructed a Bayesian Inference tree and a haplotype network, calculated the spatial analysis of molecular variance and assessed the population structure of our dataset using two Bayesian clustering methods (STRUCTURE and BAPS).

Results

Mitochondrial markers suggested existence of five clades in R. alpina populations. Two of them were endemic to the Italian mainland, one to Sicily, and another to southern Turkey. The remaining clade probably originated in the Balkans and colonized the rest of the species’ range. Nuclear markers supported this division. They also suggested two main recolonization routes from the Balkans; one heading north and then both west and east, the second expanding eastwards as far as the Caucasus. The observed genetic patterns were largely congruent with those of European beech.

Main conclusions

The results of both markers were mostly congruent, suggesting at least four potential refugia for R. alpina located in the southernmost parts of its geographical range. Its populations from a large part of Europe and western Asia, however, were genetically poor, dominated by a single haplotype. Phylogeographies of the beetle and its main host seem to be tightly matched, reflecting their common history.
Formation of intramuscular connective tissue network in fish: first insight from the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Rallière Cécile , Branthonne Adele , Rescan Pierre‐Yves
Published: October 2018

The formation of the intramuscular connective tissue was investigated in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss by combining histological and in situ gene‐expression analysis. Laminin, a primary component of basement membranes, surrounded superficial slow and deep fast muscle fibres in O. mykiss as soon as the hatching stage (c. 30 days post fertilization (dpf)). In contrast, type I collagen, the primary fibrillar collagen in muscle of vertebrates, appeared at the surface of individual slow and fast muscle fibres only at c. 90 and 110 dpf, respectively. The deposition of type I collagen in laminin‐rich endomysium ensheathing individual muscle fibres correlated with the late appearance of collagen type 1 α 1 chain (col1α1) expressing fibroblasts inside slow and then fast‐muscle masses. Double in situ hybridization indicated that coll1α1 expressing muscle resident fibroblasts also expressed collagen type 5 α 2 chain (col5α2) transcripts, showing that these cells are a major cellular source of fibrillar collagens within O. mykiss muscle. At c. 140 dpf, the formation of perimysium‐like structure was manifested by the increase of type I collagen deposition around bundles of myofibres concomitantly with the alignment and elongation of some collagen‐expressing fibroblasts. Overall, this study shows that the formation of O. mykiss intramuscular connective tissue network is completed only in aged fry when fibroblast‐like cells expressing type I and V collagens arise inside of the growing myotome.
Endocan expression in placenta of women with hypertension
Authors: Chew Bee S. , Ghazali Razmin , Othman Hanita , Ismail Nor A. M. , Othman Aimi S. , Laim Nur M. S. T. , Wong Yin P. , Tan Geok C.
Published: October 2018

Aim

The aim of our study was to determine the endocan‐1 expression in placenta of hypertensive women, and its association with maternal and fetal outcomes.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study consisted of 21 pregnant women with hypertension and 23 without hypertension. The gestational age ranged from 28 to 39 weeks (hypertensive) and 32 to 40 weeks (normotensive). The paraffin embedded formalin fixed placenta tissue blocks were retrieved from the pathology archives. Endocan immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue sections of full thickness and maternal surface of the placenta. The endocan expression was determined in fetal endothelial cells, maternal endothelial cells, cytotrophoblasts, syncytiotrophoblasts and decidual cells. The differences in endocan expression in placenta between hypertensive and normotensive subjects were evaluated by Pearson chi‐square test and t‐test were used in the statistical analysis.

Results

The endocan expression was significantly higher in fetal endothelial cells (P < 0.001), maternal endothelial cells (P = 0.003) and decidual cells (P < 0.001) in the placenta of women with hypertension. When comparing positive and negative endocan expression in maternal outcomes, endocan was associated with the development of pre‐eclampsia (P = 0.03). Also, a positive endocan expression was associated with low birthweight (P = 0.001) and prematurity (P = 0.005) in the fetal outcomes.

Conclusion

This study showed endocan is highly expressed in fetal endothelial cells, maternal endothelial cells and decidual cells in placenta of hypertensive women. In addition, its expression was associated with poorer maternal and fetal outcomes. These findings suggest endocan may play an important role in the progression of hypertension in pregnancy.
International standardisation of the test of masticating and swallowing solids in children
Authors: Frank Ulrike , van den Engel‐Hoek Lenie , Nogueira Dália , Schindler Antonio , Adams Sasha , Curry Morgan , Huckabee Maggie‐Lee
Published: October 2018

The Test of Masticating and Swallowing Solids (TOMASS) is a validated assessment tool measuring the efficiency of solid bolus intake by four quantitative parameters: discrete bites, masticatory cycles, swallows and time to ingest a single cracker. A normative database for adults (20‐80+ years) has previously been established. The objective of this study was to investigate the applicability and reliability of the TOMASS in children and adolescents (TOMASS‐C) and to establish the normative database for this younger population. We collected data from 638 participants (male: 311, female: 327) in five age groups (4‐18 years) with five different but very similar test crackers in four countries. Significant effects of bolus type (cracker), age group and gender on the TOMASS parameters were identified, requiring stratification of the TOMASS‐C database by these variables. Intra‐rater reliability was excellent (ICC > 0.94) for all parameters; inter‐rater reliability was moderate for “number of swallows” (ICC = 0.54), good for “bites” (ICC = 0.78) and “time” (ICC = 0.82), and excellent for “masticatory cycles” (ICC = 0.96). The “Test of Masticating and Swallowing Solids in Children (TOMASS‐C)” was identified to be a reliable diagnostic tool for the comprehensive measurement of discrete oral stage components of solid bolus ingestion, standardised by a large normative database that covers age groups from preschoolers to young adults. While differences between gender groups were less pronounced than in the adult population, previous results relating to changes in masticatory and swallowing as a function of age are confirmed by our data.
Two mixed breed dogs with sensory neuropathy are homozygous for an inversion disruptingFAM134Bpreviously identified in Border Collies
Authors: Amengual‐Batle Pablo , Rusbridge Clare , José‐López Roberto , Golini Lorenzo , Shelton G. Diane , Mellersh Cathryn S. , Gutierrez‐Quintana Rodrigo
Published: October 2018

Two unrelated 8‐month‐old male mixed breed dogs were presented for evaluation of progressive ataxia, knuckling, and lack of pain perception in the distal limbs. Because of the similarity in age of onset, progression, and clinical findings with previously described sensory neuropathy in Border Collies, the affected dogs were screened for anFAM134Bmutation and were determined to be homozygous for the mutation. Despite few phenotypic similarities with other breeds, genetic testing for specific diseases should be considered in mixed breed dogs with compatible clinical signs, especially if ancestry is unknown.
Retrospective evaluation of toceranib phosphate (Palladia®) use in the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors of dogs
Authors: Berger Erika P. , Johannes Chad M. , Jergens Albert E. , Allenspach Karin , Powers Barbara E. , Du Yingzhou , Mochel Jonathan P. , Fox Leslie E. , Musser Margaret L.
Published: October 2018

Background

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are uncommon intestinal neoplasms in the dog. Literature regarding adjunctive therapy for GISTs in dogs is sparse. High‐risk GISTs in humans respond to tyrosine kinase inhibition in the adjuvant setting.

Objectives

To review cases of toceranib phosphate use in dogs with GISTs and provide initial assessment of possible biological activity. A secondary aim was to evaluate patient and tumor characteristics for possible prognostic value.

Animals

Twenty‐seven dogs with confirmed GISTs based on histopathology and immunohistochemistry treated with toceranib.

Methods

Retrospective study in which cases of toceranib use in dogs with GIST were solicited using the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Oncology and Small Animal Internal Medicine listservs.

Results

Five of 7 dogs with gross disease experienced clinical benefit (71%; 3 complete responses, 1 partial response, 1 stable disease). These included 2 dogs with durable responses after toceranib discontinuation. Median progression‐free interval (PFI) in dogs with gross disease was 110 weeks (range, 36‐155 weeks). Median PFI in dogs with microscopic disease was 67 weeks (range, 9‐257 weeks). Metastasis at diagnosis (P = 0.04) and high mitotic index (P < 0.001) were associated with shorter PFI in toceranib‐treated dogs.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Biological activity of toceranib is evident in dogs with gross disease. Metastasis of GIST at diagnosis, as well as high tumor mitotic index, was associated with shorter PFI in toceranib‐treated dogs. Larger studies are needed to define postsurgical risk and refine the use of toceranib in dogs with gross and microscopic GIST.
What in the Word! The Scope for the Effect of Word Choice on Economic Behavior
Authors: Farrow Katherine , Grolleau Gilles , Mzoughi Naoufel
Published: October 2018

We propose that words can be an object of systematic study in the field of economics and outline an approach to the study of word choice in behavioral economics. We consider words as strategic instruments of influence and review how they can impact behaviors in several subtle and distinctive ways, namely through their capacity to elicit affect, support identity and social belonging, evoke linguistic associations, and generate bias arising from variations in fluency. We provide a variety of examples to illustrate the behavioral impacts of words through these mechanisms and provide practical recommendations regarding how words can be harnessed by policymakers to reach socially desirable goals through a consideration of how word‐related behavioral anomalies shape incentives.
Shall We Riot Too? The Geographical Neighbor Impact on Political Instability
Authors: Grechyna Daryna
Published: October 2018

This paper investigates the impact of regional political instability on the political instability of a country. Our identification strategy relies on the spatial nature of international relations. We use the characteristics of the neighbors’ neighbors as the instruments for the neighbors’ political instability and regional dummies to control for common regional shocks. We show that political instability in neighboring countries has a strong positive impact on a given country's political instability. The average of neighbors’ population size appears to be a significant mediating factor behind this relationship.
The North–South Divergence in Italy during theGreat Recession
Authors: Odoardi Iacopo , Muratore Fabrizio
Published: October 2018

The economic recession that followed the 2007 crisis has widened the economic gaps between the wealthiest and the relatively poorer regions in Italy. TheGreat Recessionhas changed the importance of local economic strengths and hindered the possibilities of economic recovery, especially in theMezzogiornoof Italy. We seek the local strengths present in Italian regions in the post‐crisis period by comparing two macro areas to observe strong and weak points for intervention. A first analysis using multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) is used to filter the relevant determinants in a large dataset, and a panel data analysis serves to obtain group‐specific results. Some effects of the prolonged recession are confirmed in all regions, while some weaknesses of the South, such as financial markets, play an increasing role in the regional development scenarios.
Genomic data recover previously undetectable fragmentation effects in an endangered amphibian
Authors: McCartney‐Melstad Evan , Vu Jannet K. , Shaffer H. Bradley
Published: October 2018

A critical consideration when using molecular ecological methods to detect trends and parameterize models at very fine spatial and temporal scales has always been the technical limits of resolution. Key landscape features, including most anthropogenic modifications, can cause biologically important, but very recent changes in gene flow that require substantial statistical power to detect. The problem is one of temporal scale: Human change is rapid and recent, while genetic changes accumulate slowly. We generated SNPs from thousands of nuclear loci to characterize the population structure of New York‐endangered eastern tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) on Long Island and quantify the impacts of roads on population fragmentation. In stark contrast to a recent microsatellite study, we uncovered highly structured populations over an extremely small spatial scale (approximately 40 km2) in an increasingly human‐modified landscape. Geographic distance and the presence of roads between ponds were both strong predictors of genetic divergence, suggesting that both natural and anthropogenic factors contribute to the observed patterns of genetic variation. All ponds supported small to modest effective breeding populations, and pond surface area showed a strong positive correlation with population size. None of these patterns emerged in an earlier study of the same system using microsatellite loci, and we determined that at least 300–400 SNPs were needed to recover the fine‐scale population structure present in this system. Conservation assessments using earlier genetic techniques in other species may similarly lack the statistical power for small‐scale inferences and benefit from reassessments using genomic tools.
Prevalence of low inflammatory tinea genitalis in southern China
Authors: Yin Songchao , Xie Xiaoyuan , Li Meirong , Zhou Xin , Wei Ling , Chen Zhirui , Chen Jian , Lu Chun , de Hoog Sybren , Lai Wei , Feng Peiying
Published: October 2018

Background

Emergence of highly inflammatory genital dermatophyte infections has been reported from Southeast Asia. In view of this, knowledge of the non‐outbreak fungal flora of the genitals is required as a baseline study.

Objectives

We present our 12‐year experience in a tertiary clinic with the diagnosis of scrotal fungal infections.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed of patients with a diagnosis of scrotal fungal infections proven by direct microscopy and culture. Clinical, mycological and treatment data were collected.

Results

In total, 35 male patients were identified, of which 27 concerned dermatophyte infections and eight were yeasts. Nannizzia gypsea was the most common agent (48.6%), presenting as thick pseudomembraneous lesions limited to the scrotum. Trichophyton rubrum (22.9%) and Epidermophyton floccosum (5.7%) mainly presented erythematous, dry and scaly lesions and involving more sites besides the scrotum. Candida albicans (n = 3), C. glabrata (n = 2), C. guilliermondii (n = 1) and Trichosporon asteroides (n = 1), presented various lesions. Sports, sweating and concurrent tineas are hypothesised as predisposing factors.

Conclusions

The prevalent causative agent of scrotum infections is N. gypsea, but wide species diversity is observed. All infections show mild skin inflammation. It is suggested that this genital fungal flora represents the current situation prior to clonal dermatophyte outbreaks.
Gain‐of‐function variants in the melanocortin 4 receptor gene confer susceptibility to binge eating disorder in subjects with obesity: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Qasim A. , Mayhew A. J. , Ehtesham S. , Alyass A. , Volckmar A.‐L. , Herpertz S. , Hinney A. , Hebebrand J. , Meyre D.
Published: October 2018

The association between coding variants in the melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) and binge eating disorder (BED) in patients with obesity is controversial. Two independent reviewers systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, BIOSIS Previews, Web of Science Core Collection and Google Scholar up to February 2018, using terms describing the MC4R gene and BED. Six of 103 identified references were included. Studies examined associations between at least one coding variant/mutation in MC4R and BED and screened for BED as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Risk of bias was assessed using a modified version of the Q‐Genie tool, and overall quality of evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation guidance. Meta‐analysis was conducted via logistic regression models. A positive association between gain‐of‐function (GOF) variants in the MC4R and BED was observed (odds ratio [OR] = 3.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.82, 5.04; p = 1.7 × 10−5), while no association was detected between loss‐of‐function (LOF) mutations and BED (OR = 1.50; 95% CI: 0.73, 2.96; p = 0.25). Similar results were found after accounting for study quality (GOF variants: OR = 3.15; 95% CI: 1.76, 5.66; p = 1.1 × 10−4; LOF mutations: OR = 1.50; 95% CI: 0.73, 2.97; p = 0.25). Our systematic review and meta‐analysis provides evidence that GOF variants as opposed to LOF mutations in MC4R are associated with BED in subjects with obesity.
Bariatric surgery and birth defects: A systematic literature review
Authors: Benjamin Renata H. , Littlejohn Sarah , Mitchell Laura E.
Published: October 2018

Background

Bariatric procedures are on the rise. The risk of birth defects in pregnancies following such procedures may be increased (eg, due to nutrient deficiencies) or decreased (eg, due to decreased maternal body mass index, BMI).

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature review of the association between bariatric surgery and birth defects using Ovid MEDLINE and PubMed (1946‐2017). Information was abstracted on study design, exposures, outcomes, covariates and estimates of association.

Results

Fifteen studies met our inclusion criteria: 14 evaluated the outcome of any birth defect, and one evaluated neural tube defects. Estimates of association between bariatric surgery and birth defects were available for nine studies and ranged from 0.6 to 1.9 (all 95% confidence intervals included 1.0). When studies were stratified by surgery type, there was no obvious pattern of association. When stratified by the approach used to account for BMI, positive associations were observed in studies that did not account for maternal prepregnancy BMI or used women with normal BMI as the reference group (range: 1.3‐1.9). Estimates from studies that either matched or adjusted for prepregnancy BMI were closer to the null (range: 1.1‐1.2) and studies that compared to morbidly obese women reported protective associations (range: 0.6‐0.7).

Conclusions

Studies of the association between bariatric surgery and birth defects vary with respect to the surgical procedures included, birth defects ascertainment methods and approaches used to account for maternal BMI. Consequently, it is not possible to draw a conclusion regarding the association between bariatric surgery and birth defects. Additional studies are warranted.
Toward a sociology of autism and neurodiversity
Authors: Leveto Jessica A.
Published: October 2018

Discourse related to autism studies are multidisciplinary, applied, and extensive. Pulling from multiple disciplines and calling for interdisciplinary collaborations, I begin to construct a review of research relevant to move toward a sociology of autism and neurodiversity. I argue that sociology is positioned to utilize its epistemological and phenological strengths to provide insight as well as fill in gaps in the literature related to autism studies. I address controversies and provide structural context to the sociocultural history of the autism and neurodiversity. From Kanner and Asperger through to the DSM‐5, I outline the evolution and social construction of autism and identify sociological programs of scholarship that continue to shape (and be shaped) by understanding autism and neurodiversity. Using theoretical contributions rooted in social psychological principles of symbolic interaction, such as mind, self, solidarity, and stigma—I address how sociology is shaping scholarship related to autism and address interdisciplinary critiques of these programs. I highlight how the next generation of scholars are formulating the cutting‐edge issues for the future of research within these areas and emphasize that research programs should center work on improving the lived experiences of those on the spectrum.
The Russian elite's imperial nationalism and the Russian society: The emergence of a grand consensus
Authors: Ponarin Eduard , Komin Michael
Published: October 2018

This article uses various Russian elite and mass survey data to explain, from a post‐structuralist perspective, the ongoing confrontation between Russia and the West. It argues that the Russian elite, in the wake of the 2013–2014 Ukrainian crisis, opted for imperial nationalism, different from either ethnic or civic varieties of nationalism, because it best suited its goals. Imperial identification eases ethnic tension within Russia and rallies the nation around its government in the face of perceived external threats. This choice finds an enthusiastic support at the mass level, contributing to rising happiness in spite of economic hardship due to rising national pride. The article also briefly discusses some implications of this momentous shift in identity politics.
Quantifying user preferences for sanitation construction and use: Application of discrete choice experiments in Amhara, Ethiopia
Authors: Goddard Frederick G. B. , Delea Maryann G. , Sclar Gloria D. , Woreta Mulat , Zewudie Kassahun , Freeman Matthew C.
Published: October 2018

Objective

To quantify stated preferences for latrine use and construction in Amhara, Ethiopia, using Discrete Choice Experiments (DCEs).

Methods

We conducted image‐based DCEs to assess preferences for latrine use (stratified by gender) and construction (among men only) in Amhara, Ethiopia. Preference was quantified using a conditional logistic model to estimate utilities and corresponding odds ratios associated with a set of latrine attributes.

Results

For latrine use, tin roof, handwashing stations and clean latrines had the highest relative utility coefficients. Tin roof was preferred to no roof for use (Women: OR: 3.68, 95% CI: 3.18–4.25; Men: OR: 3.75, 95% CI: 3.21–4.39) and new latrine construction (5.92, 5.04–6.95). Concrete slabs, a critical aspect of improved sanitation, was not preferred to dirt floors for use (Women: 0.87, 0.75–1.00; Men: 1.03, 0.88–1.20), but was preferred for new construction (1.52, 1.30–1.78). We did not observe any trends in preference for direct (monetary) or indirect cost (labour days), so we were not able to elicit trade‐offs between latrine attributes and these costs for the construction of new latrines.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest similar latrine use preferences between men and women. We found that tin roofs are the most strongly preferred latrine characteristic, but concrete slabs, commonly promoted in sanitation programmes, were not preferred for use. We demonstrate the utility of DCEs to elicit stated preferences for latrine use and construction among community members who have myriad motivations for using and making improvements to their sanitation facilities, including the ease of cleaning and hygiene, durability, or privacy and comfort.
Writing, Graphic Codes, and Asynchronous Communication
Authors: Morin Olivier , Kelly Piers , Winters James
Published: October 2018

We present a theoretical framework bearing on the evolution of written communication. We analyze writing as a special kind of graphic code. Like languages, graphic codes consist of stable, conventional mappings between symbols and meanings, but (unlike spoken or signed languages) their symbols consist of enduring images. This gives them the unique capacity to transmit information in one go across time and space. Yet this capacity usually remains quite unexploited, because most graphic codes are insufficiently informative. They may only be used for mnemonic purposes or as props for oral communication in real‐time encounters. Writing systems, unlike other graphic codes, work by encoding a natural language. This allows them to support asynchronous communication in a more powerful and versatile way than any other graphic code. Yet, writing systems will not automatically unlock the capacity to communicate asynchronously. We argue that this capacity is a rarity in non‐literate societies, and not so frequent even in literate ones. Asynchronous communication is intrinsically inefficient because asynchrony constrains the amount of information that the interlocutors share and limits possibilities for repair. This would explain why synchronous, face‐to‐face communication always fosters the development of sophisticated codes (natural languages), but similar codes for asynchronous communication evolve with more difficulties. It also implies that writing cannot have evolved, at first, for supporting asynchronous communication.
Assessment of a novel nanoparticle hyperthermia therapy in a murine model of osteosarcoma
Authors: Tuohy Joanne L. , Fogle Jonathan E. , Meichner Kristina , Borst Luke B. , Petty Christopher S. , Griffith Emily H. , Osborne Jason A. , Lascelles B. Duncan X.
Published: October 2018

Objective

To evaluate the effects of nanoparticle hyperthermia therapy on monocyte function and tumor‐derived factors associated with macrophage polarization in a murine osteosarcoma model.

Study design

Experimental study.

Animals

Female C3H mice.

Methods

Peripheral blood monocyte cell surface phenotype, monocyte chemotaxis, tumor messenger RNA expression, and survival were compared among osteosarcoma (OS)‐bearing mice treated with nanoparticle hyperthermia therapy, OS‐bearing mice with osteomyelitis, OS‐bearing mice, vehicle control mice, and normal control mice.

Results

OS‐bearing mice with osteomyelitis had a higher proportion of “nonclassical” monocytes (Ly6Clo) compared with all other experimental groups. There were alterations in monocyte expression of multiple chemokine receptors among experimental groups including CXCR2, CCR2, and CXCR4. Monocytes from OS‐bearing mice treated with hyperthermia therapy exhibited greater chemotaxis compared with monocytes from OS‐bearing mice with osteomyelitis.

Conclusion

OS likely induced alterations in monocyte phenotype and function. Nanoparticle hyperthermia therapy increased in vitro monocyte chemotaxis.

Clinical impact

Enhancing monocyte/macrophage function in dogs with OS may enhance antitumor immunity.
Reinfection with Streptococcus suis analysed by whole genome sequencing
Authors: Willemse Niels , van der Ende Arie , Schultsz Constance
Published: October 2018

A butcher with chronic dermatitis presented with a second episode of Streptococcus suis meningitis, 8 years after the first episode. To distinguish between reinfection and persistent carriage, we compared the two S. suis isolates using whole genome sequencing. We investigated whole genome sequences of the S. suis isolates by means of substitution rates and population structure of closely related strains in addition to available clinical information. Genome‐wide analyses revealed an inserted region consisting of 12 genes in the first isolate and the calculated substitution rate between the isolates suggested infections were caused by highly similar, but unrelated strains. Continuous occupational exposure likely resulted in reinfection with S. suis in a butcher.
Ownership Concentration and Economic and Financial Performance in Latin-American Companies
Authors: Silva Tarcísio Pedro da , Leite Maurício , Guse Jaqueline Carla , Chiarello Tania Cristina
Published: October 2018

The study examined the relationship of ownership concentration in the economic and financial performance of publicly traded Latin American companies possessing American Depository Receipts (ADRs). Generally, the capital structure decisions are tied directly to the results of the organizations, thus reflecting the economic and financial performance. The correlation between the set of variables within the group of ownership structure with the group of economic and financial performance showed significant correlation with the linear combinations, when analyzed in the set of all the samples of companies and taken separately by country. However, the results did not show similar correlation to Venezuela, Colombia and Peru due to the existence of few observations. The results also portrayed a significant correlation within economic and financial performance, higher to Mexican companies, when compared with the results of other countries and among the set of the two groups of variables that highlighted the analysis by ownership structure and economic and financial performance as well.
The possible role of brain rhythms in perceiving fast speech: Evidence from adult aging
Authors: Penn Lana R. , Ayasse Nicole D. , Wingfield Arthur , Ghitza Oded
Published: October 2018

The rhythms of speech and the time scales of linguistic units (e.g., syllables) correspond remarkably to cortical oscillations. Previous research has demonstrated that in young adults, the intelligibility of time-compressed speech can be rescued by “repackaging” the speech signal through the regular insertion of silent gaps to restore correspondence to the theta oscillator. This experiment tested whether this same phenomenon can be demonstrated in older adults, who show age-related changes in cortical oscillations. The results demonstrated a similar phenomenon for older adults, but that the “rescue point” of repackaging is shifted, consistent with a slowing of theta oscillations.
Leaks put Italy's underground lab in jeopardy
Authors: Cartlidge Edwin
Published: October 2018

Prosecutors charge Gran Sasso chiefs after chemical spills put spotlight on water safety.
NASA's next Mars rover aims to explore two promising sites
Authors: Voosen Paul
Published: October 2018

2020 rover could start with a river delta in Jezero crater.
Replumbing the lymphatic system
Authors: Leslie Mitch
Published: October 2018

Clinical trials for lymphedema begin to test approaches to restore lymph flow.
Vive la resistant vines!
Authors: Stokstad Erik
Published: October 2018

Disease-resistant varieties could eliminate much of winemakers' need for fungicides.
Electrical generation and detection of spin waves in a quantum Hall ferromagnet
Authors: Wei Di S. , van der Sar Toeno , Lee Seung Hwan , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Halperin Bertrand I. , Yacoby Amir
Published: October 2018

Magnons propagating in graphene

At sufficiently low temperatures, a two-dimensional electron system placed in an external magnetic field can exhibit the so-called quantum Hall effect. In this regime, a variety of magnetic phases may occur, depending on the electron density and other factors. Wei
et al.
studied the properties of these exotic magnetic phases in graphene. They generated magnons—the excitations of an ordered magnetic system—that were then absorbed by the sample, leaving a mark on its electrical conductance. The magnons were able to propagate across long distances through various magnetic phases in the bulk graphene.

Science
, this issue p.
229
Neuronal specification in space and time
Authors: Holguera Isabel , Desplan Claude
Published: October 2018

To understand how neurons assemble to form functional circuits, it is necessary to obtain a detailed knowledge of their diversity and to define the developmental specification programs that give rise to this diversity. Invertebrates and vertebrates appear to share common developmental principles of neuronal specification in which cascades of transcription factors temporally pattern progenitors, while spatial cues modify the outcomes of this temporal patterning. Here, we highlight these conserved mechanisms and describe how they are used in distinct neural structures. We present the questions that remain for a better understanding of neuronal specification. Single-cell RNA profiling approaches will potentially shed light on these questions, allowing not only the characterization of neuronal diversity in adult brains, but also the investigation of the developmental trajectories leading to the generation and maintenance of this diversity.
Microglia and early brain development: An intimate journey
Authors: Thion Morgane S. , Ginhoux Florent , Garel Sonia
Published: October 2018

Cross-talk between the nervous and immune systems has been well described in the context of adult physiology and disease. Recent advances in our understanding of immune cell ontogeny have revealed a notable interplay between neurons and microglia during the prenatal and postnatal emergence of functional circuits. This Review focuses on the brain, where the early symbiotic relationship between microglia and neuronal cells critically regulates wiring, contributes to sex-specific differences in neural circuits, and relays crucial information from the periphery, including signals derived from the microbiota. These observations underscore the importance of studying neurodevelopment as part of a broader framework that considers nervous system interactions with microglia in a whole-body context.
Observation of the topological Anderson insulator in disordered atomic wires
Authors: Meier Eric J. , An Fangzhao Alex , Dauphin Alexandre , Maffei Maria , Massignan Pietro , Hughes Taylor L. , Gadway Bryce
Published: October 2018

A messy topological wire

Adding irregularity to a system can lead to a transition from a more orderly to a less orderly phase. Meier
et al.
demonstrated a counterintuitive transition in the opposite direction: Controlled fluctuations in the system's parameters caused it to become topologically nontrivial. The starting point was a one-dimensional lattice of ultracold rubidium atoms in momentum space whose band structure was topologically trivial. The researchers then introduced fluctuations in the tunneling between the lattice sites and monitored the atomic “wires” as the amplitude of the fluctuations increased. The wires first became topologically nontrivial and then went back to trivial for sufficient disorder strengths.

Science
, this issue p.
929
Response to Comment on “U-Th dating of carbonate crusts reveals Neandertal origin of Iberian cave art”
Authors: Hoffmann D. L. , Standish C. D. , García-Diez M. , Pettitt P. B. , Milton J. A. , Zilhão J. , Alcolea-González J. J. , Cantalejo-Duarte P. , Collado H. , de Balbín R. , Lorblanchet M. , Ramos-Muñoz J. , Weniger G.-Ch. , Pike A. W. G.
Published: October 2018

Slimak
et al
. challenge the reliability of our oldest (>65,000 years) U-Th dates on carbonates associated with cave paintings in Spain. They cite a supposed lack of parietal art for the 25,000 years following this date, along with potential methodological issues relating to open-system behavior and corrections to detrital or source water
230
Th. We show that their criticisms are unfounded.
Ketyl radical reactivity via atom transfer catalysis
Authors: Wang Lu , Lear Jeremy M. , Rafferty Sean M. , Fosu Stacy C. , Nagib David A.
Published: October 2018

Iodine smooths the way to ketyl radicals

Chemists typically transform carbonyl compounds through polar two-electron reactions. It is also possible to pursue radical coupling strategies by adding just one electron to form a ketyl group. However, the strong reductant supplying that electron often limits the reaction's versatility. Wang
et al.
report a mild means of forming ketyls by first adding acetyl iodides across the C=O bond (see the Perspective by Blackburn and Roizen). A photoactivated manganese catalyst then temporarily pulls the iodine away, leaving a ketyl to couple with alkynes. The iodine then returns to one of the alkyne's carbons, stabilizing the product but remaining poised for further transformations.

Science
, this issue p.
225
; see also p.
157
Circuits for care
Authors: Kohl Johannes
Published: October 2018

A small population of hypothalamic neurons orchestrates parenting behaviors
Dimerization quality control via ubiquitylation
Authors: Herhaus Lina , Dikic Ivan
Published: October 2018

A specialized ubiquitin ligase enzyme approves only functional dimers
The persistence of polio
Polio: The Odyssey of Eradication
Thomas Abraham
Oxford University Press, 2018. 280 pp.
Authors: Hines Pamela J.
Published: October 2018

Inspired by the successful eradication of smallpox, efforts to eliminate poliovirus haven't achieved the same success
Japan needs gender equality
Authors: Murakami Yumiko , Borgonovi Francesca
Published: October 2018

Last month, Tokyo Medical University (TMU) announced Yukiko Hayashi as its first female president. This comes on the heels of discovering that the insitution had manipulated entrance exam scores for many years to curb female enrollment. Hayashi may be an attempt by TMU to restore its reputation, but the scandal should be a wake-up call for Japanese society to ensure that men and women have equal opportunities to succeed.