bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
2D speckle tracking echocardiography of the right ventricle free wall in SCUBA divers after single open sea dive
Authors: Susilovic‐Grabovac Zora , Obad Ante , Duplančić Darko , Banić Ivana , Brusoni Denise , Agostoni Piergiuseppe , Vuković Ivica , Dujic Zeljko , Bakovic Darija
Published: December 2017

The presence of circulating gas bubbles and their influence on pulmonary and right heart hemodynamics was reported after uncomplicated self‐contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) dive(s). Improvements in cardiac imaging have recently focused great attention on the right ventricle (RV). The aim of our study was to evaluate possible effects of a single air SCUBA dive on RV function using 2D speckle tracking echocardiography in healthy divers after single open sea dive to 18 meters of seawater, followed by bottom stay of 47 minutes with a direct ascent to the surface. Twelve experienced male divers (age 39.5 ± 10.5 years) participated in the study. Echocardiographic assessment of the right ventricular function (free wall 2 D strain, tricuspid annular planes systolic excursion [TAPSE], lateral tricuspid annular peak systolic velocity [RV s`] and fractional area change [FAC]) was performed directly prior to and 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after surfacing. Two‐dimensional strain of all three segments of free right ventricular wall showed a significant increase in longitudinal shortening in post‐dive period for maximally 26% (basal), 15.4% (mid) and 16.3% (apical) as well as TAPSE (11.6%), RV FAC (19.2%), RV S` (12.7%) suggesting a rise in systolic function of right heart. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mean PAP) increased post‐dive from 13.3 mmHg to maximally 23.5 mmHg (P = .002), indicating increased RV afterload. Our results demonstrated that single dive with significant bubble load lead to increase in systolic function and longitudinal strain of the right heart in parallel with increase in mean PAP.
Virulence of entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae against red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier)
Authors: Yasin Muhammad , Wakil Waqas , Ghazanfar Muhammad Usman , Qayyum Mirza Abdul , Tahir Muhammad , Bedford Geoffrey O.
Published: December 2017

Nineteen different isolates of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana sensu lato (s.l.) and Metarhizium anisopliae s.l. (Ascomycota: Hypocreales), recovered from different soil samples (field crops, fruit orchards, vegetable fields and forests) and insect cadavers were tested against Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) at two different spore concentrations (1 × 107 and 1 × 108 conidia mL−1). Three isolates of B. bassiana and two of M. anisopliae gave >88 % larval and >75 % adult mortality of R. ferrugineus on their highest dose rate respectively. More sporulating cadavers (mycosis) resulted from a high dose rate compared to low dose on both life stages of R. ferrugineus. The current study confirmed the lethal action of B. bassiana and M. anisopliae isolates with mortality levels usually directly proportional to the conidial concentration. This study further confirmed that the isolates recovered from R. ferrugineus dead cadavers gave more mortality compared to the other sources. In the virulence assay two isolates of B. bassiana caused the highest percentage of both larval and adult mortality at all exposure intervals which suggest that they may be the most promising for use in sustainable management programs aimed at microbial control in date palm orchards.
What drives flight to quality?
Authors: Opitz Sebastian , Szimayer Alexander
Published: December 2017

The returns of equities and bonds tend to be positively correlated, but in extreme situations this relation reverses. Large negative equity returns co‐occur with large positive bond returns. This is potentially caused by investors reassessing their risk preferences and shifting their wealth to less risky asset classes, which is frequently termed flight to quality. We examine macroeconomic factors to identify the driving variables using a conditional copula model. Analysing quarterly data from 1952 to 2014, we find that the Treasury bill rate is the most significant driver. This insight is useful for asset allocation and risk management.
An anatomic description of intrinsic brachial muscles in the crab‐eating fox (Cerdocyon thous, Linnaeus 1776) and report of a variant arterial distribution
Authors: Vélez J. , Ramírez J. , Aristizábal O.
Published: December 2017

The crab‐eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) is a wild canid distributed throughout South America. It is one of the wild canids reported being hit by vehicles and injured in snares, thus inducing trauma or injury to the musculoskeletal system, possibly occurring in the brachial region. The main objective of this research was to provide an anatomic description of the crab‐eating fox's intrinsic brachial muscles including shape, origin, insertion, innervation and arterial blood supply, compared with that of the domestic dog. We dissected from superficial to deep two thoracic limbs of seven dead specimens donated to the University of Caldas by CORPOCALDAS. These muscles presented anatomic characteristics similar to those reported in the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) but with a variant in arterial blood supply, allowing us to suggest that surgical procedures that need the knowledge of intrinsic brachial muscles in the crab‐eating fox may be homologous to the domestic dog. However, one should consider its variant arterial distribution by part of the collateral radial artery and deep brachial artery to prevent incorrect incisions that may damage these arteries.
Populism, Hegemony, and the Politics of Natural Resource Extraction in Evo Morales's Bolivia
Authors: Andreucci Diego
Published: December 2017

Is populism necessary to the articulation of counter‐hegemonic projects, as Laclau has long argued? Or is it, as Žižek maintains, a dangerous strategy, which inevitably degenerates into ideological mystification and reactionary postures? In this paper, I address this question by exploring the politics of discourse in Evo Morales's Bolivia. While, in the years leading to the election of Morales, a populist ideological strategy was key to challenging neoliberal forces, once the hegemony of the new power bloc was stabilised, indigenous demands for emancipatory socio‐environmental change began to be perceived as a threat to resource‐based accumulation. In this context, the populist signifiers that originated in indigenous‐popular struggles were used by the Morales government to legitimise repression of the indigenous movement. I argue, therefore, that ideological degeneration signals a problem not with populism per se, but rather with the class projects and shifting correlations of forces that underpin it in changing conjunctures.
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia with heart defect has a high risk for hypoplastic left heart syndrome and major extra‐cardiac malformations: 10‐year national cohort from Finland
Authors: Hautala Johanna , Karstunen Emma , Ritvanen Annukka , Rintala Risto , Mattila Ilkka P. , Räsänen Juha , Suominen Pertti K. , Ojala Tiina
Published: December 2017

Introduction

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) has a well‐known risk of congenital heart defects with poor prognosis. This study was conducted to determine the national total prevalence and prenatal detection rates of CDH with heart defects and its association with major extra‐cardiac malformations and to further evaluate the impact of the heart defect severity on survival.

Material and methods

A 10‐year national cohort was derived from four national registries, including live births, stillbirths, and terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomalies. The study cohort was sorted according to cardiac defect severity.

Results

The total prevalence of CDH with heart defects was 0.6/10 000 births and live birth prevalence 0.3/10 000 live births. Of 145 cases with CDH, 37 (26%) had a concurrent heart defect. The overall prenatal detection rate of heart defects was 41%. The total prevalence (483/10 000) and live birth prevalence (500/10 000) of hypoplastic left heart syndrome were 124 and 250 times higher than in the general population in Finland, respectively. Additional major extra‐cardiac malformations were found in 68% of cases. The survival rate for CDH with major heart defects was 11 and 38% with minor heart defects.

Conclusions

The total prevalence of hypoplastic left heart syndrome was significantly higher in CDH patients than in the general population in Finland. Prenatal detection rate for heart defects in CDH patients was 41%. Major extra‐cardiac malformations were more common than previously reported. The prognosis of CDH with major heart defects remained poor.
New FIGO and Swedish intrapartum cardiotocography classification systems incorporated in the fetal ECG ST analysis (STAN) interpretation algorithm: agreements and discrepancies in cardiotocography classification and evaluation of significant ST events
Authors: Olofsson Per , Norén Håkan , Carlsson Ann
Published: December 2017

Introduction

The updated intrapartum cardiotocography (CTG) classification system by FIGO in 2015 (FIGO2015) and the FIGO2015‐approached classification by the Swedish Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologist in 2017 (SSOG2017) are not harmonized with the fetal ECG ST analysis (STAN) algorithm from 2007 (STAN2007). The study aimed to reveal homogeneity and agreement between the systems in classifying CTG and ST events, and relate them to maternal and perinatal outcomes.

Material and methods

Among CTG traces with ST events, 100 traces originally classified as normal, 100 as suspicious and 100 as pathological were randomly selected from a STAN database and classified by two experts in consensus. Homogeneity and agreement statistics between the CTG classifications were performed. Maternal and perinatal outcomes were evaluated in cases with clinically hidden ST data (n = 151). A two‐tailed p < 0.05 was regarded as significant.

Results

For CTG classes, the heterogeneity was significant between the old and new systems, and agreements were moderate to strong (proportion of agreement, kappa index 0.70–0.86). Between the new classifications, heterogeneity was significant and agreements strong (0.90, 0.92). For significant ST events, heterogeneities were significant and agreements moderate to almost perfect (STAN2007 vs. FIGO2015 0.86, 0.72; STAN2007 vs. SSOG2017 0.92, 0.84; FIGO2015 vs. SSOG2017 0.94, 0.87). Significant ST events occurred more often combined with STAN2007 than with FIGO2015 classification, but not with SSOG2017; correct identification of adverse outcomes was not significantly different between the systems.

Conclusion

There are discrepancies in the classification of CTG patterns and significant ST events between the old and new systems. The clinical relevance of the findings remains to be shown.
Brain connectivity in children is increased by the time they spend reading books and decreased by the length of exposure to screen‐based media
Authors: Horowitz‐Kraus Tzipi , Hutton John S.
Published: December 2017

Aim

This study compared the time spent using screen‐based media or reading on the functional connectivity of the reading‐related brain regions in children aged 8–12.

Methods

We recruited 19 healthy American children from a private school in Cincinnati, USA, in 2015‐6 after advertising the study to parents. The parents completed surveys on how many hours their children spent on independent reading and screen‐based media time, including smartphones, tablets, desktop or laptop computers and television. The children underwent magnetic resonance imaging that assessed their resting‐state connectivity between the left visual word form area, as the seed area, and other brain regions, with screen time and reading time applied as predictors.

Results

Time spent reading was positively correlated with higher functional connectivity between the seed area and left‐sided language, visual and cognitive control regions. In contrast, screen time was related to lower connectivity between the seed area and regions related to language and cognitive control.

Conclusion

Screen time and time spent reading showed different effects on functional connectivity between the visual word form area and language, visual and cognitive control regions of the brain. These findings underscore the importance of children reading to support healthy brain development and literacy and limiting screen time.
Sleep disorders in obese children are not limited to obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome
Authors: Carriere Caroline , Coste Olivier , Meiffred‐Drouet Marie‐Claire , Barat Pascal , Thibault Hélène
Published: December 2017

Aim

This study was to characterise respiratory and nonrespiratory sleep disorders in obese children and evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic impact of a specific sleep consultation.

Methods

A descriptive study was conducted in obese French children who received multidisciplinary care management from the hospital centre for paediatric obesity in Bordeaux. This followed a specific sleep consultation between 2007 and 2015, because their paediatrician had identified symptoms suggestive of sleep disorders.

Results

The sleep specialist confirmed the presence of a sleep disorder in 98.4% of the 128 obese children, with a mean age of 12.1 ± 3.2 years. These included respiratory sleep disorders, hypersomnolence, insomnia and circadian rhythm sleep–wake disorders. Polysomnography revealed that 46.1% had respiratory sleep disorders and 24.2% had obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). Just under half (47.6%) were referred to an otorhinolaryngologist for sleep care management, 30.5% were referred to an orthodontist, 17.9% had melatonin treatment and 13.3% received continuous positive airway pressure ventilation.

Conclusion

Sleep disorders in obese children were not limited to respiratory sleep disorders including OSAS. A systematic specific consultation with a sleep specialist is essential for the diagnosis and care of such children and would be beneficial when treating paediatric obesity.
Characterization of myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase activity and liberation of actin from myofibrils upon heating chicken breast meat
Authors: Matsuishi Masanori , Eda Yoshitaka , Saito Emi , Yamamoto Shohei , Kanamori Kenji , Goto Yuto , Kobayashi Yutaro , Okitani Akihiro
Published: December 2017

Denaturation of actin and myosin in myofibrils induced by heating at 50°C was investigated to reveal the mechanism of irreversible liberation of actin from myofibrils on heating at lower temperatures than conventional cooking. Denaturation of these proteins was determined by Mg2+‐ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) and Ca2+‐ATPase activities. When minced meat was heated for 20 min, actin was liberated accompanying denaturation of 80% of actin and 50% of myosin. Heating of the myofibrillar fraction (MFF) isolated from meat homogenate induced much slower denaturation of actin than myosin. When MFF was heated with sarcoplasmic fractions, denaturation of actin was facilitated, suggesting that sarcoplasmic fractions contain factors to facilitate actin denaturation. Inosine‐5′‐monophosphate, a component of sarcoplasmic fractions, was shown to have no effect on actin and myosin denaturation. These results suggest that heating meat at 50°C dissociates binding (‘Bond A’) between actin and myosin participating in ATPase activities, resulting in denaturation of both proteins under influence of sarcoplasmic components. Although denaturation of actin and myosin disrupted Bond A, actin was not liberated simultaneously, suggesting the presence of another bond (‘Bond B’, more heat‐stable than Bond A) between both proteins and necessity of disruption of Bond B for actin release from myofibrils.
Pharmacology in translation: the preclinical and early clinical profile of the novel α2/3 functionally selective GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulator PF‐06372865
Authors: Nickolls Sarah A , Gurrell Rachel , van Amerongen Guido , Kammonen Juha , Cao Lishuang , Brown Adam R , Stead Clara , Mead Andy , Watson Christine , Hsu Cathleen , Owen Robert M , Pike Andy , Fish Rebecca L , Chen Laigao , Qiu Ruolun , Morris Evan D , Feng Gang , Whitlock Mark , Gorman Donal , van Gerven Joop , Reynolds David S , Dua Pinky , Butt Richard P
Published: December 2017

Background and Purpose

Benzodiazepines, non‐selective positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of GABAA receptors, have significant side effects that limit their clinical utility. As many of these side effects are mediated by the α1 subunit, there has been a concerted effort to develop α2/3 subtype‐selective PAMs.

Experimental Approach

In vitro screening assays were used to identify molecules with functional selectivity for receptors containing α2/3 subunits over those containing α1 subunits. In vivo receptor occupancy (RO) was conducted, prior to confirmation of in vivo α2/3 and α1 pharmacology through quantitative EEG (qEEG) beta frequency and zolpidem drug discrimination in rats respectively. PF‐06372865 was then progressed to Phase 1 clinical trials.

Key Results

PF‐06372865 exhibited functional selectivity for those receptors containing α2/3/5 subunits, with significant positive allosteric modulation (90–140%) but negligible activity (≤20%) at GABAA receptors containing α1 subunits. PF‐06372865 exhibited concentration‐dependent occupancy of GABAA receptors in preclinical species. There was an occupancy‐dependent increase in qEEG beta frequency and no generalization to a GABAA α1 cue in the drug‐discrimination assay, clearly demonstrating the lack of modulation at the GABAA receptors containing an α1 subtype. In a Phase 1 single ascending dose study in healthy volunteers, evaluation of the pharmacodynamics of PF‐06372865 demonstrated a robust increase in saccadic peak velocity (a marker of α2/3 pharmacology), increases in beta frequency qEEG and a slight saturating increase in body sway.

Conclusions and Implications

PF‐06372865 has a unique clinical pharmacology profile and a highly predictive translational data package from preclinical species to the clinical setting.
Breast cancer: The translation of big genomic data to cancer precision medicine
Authors: Low Siew‐Kee , Zembutsu Hitoshi , Nakamura Yusuke
Published: December 2017

Cancer is a complex genetic disease that develops from the accumulation of genomic alterations in which germline variations predispose individuals to cancer and somatic alterations initiate and trigger the progression of cancer. For the past 2 decades, genomic research has advanced remarkably, evolving from single‐gene to whole‐genome screening by using genome‐wide association study and next‐generation sequencing that contributes to big genomic data. International collaborative efforts have contributed to curating these data to identify clinically significant alterations that could be used in clinical settings. Focusing on breast cancer, the present review summarizes the identification of genomic alterations with high‐throughput screening as well as the use of genomic information in clinical trials that match cancer patients to therapies, which further leads to cancer precision medicine. Furthermore, cancer screening and monitoring were enhanced greatly by the use of liquid biopsies. With the growing data complexity and size, there is much anticipation in exploiting deep machine learning and artificial intelligence to curate integrative “−omics” data to refine the current medical practice to be applied in the near future.
Vulnerable children's rights to participation, protection, and provision: The process of defining the problem in Swedish child and family welfare
Authors: Heimer Maria , Näsman Elisabet , Palme Joakim
Published: December 2017

This study addresses the relationship between children's participation and the protection and provision offered to them by social services in Sweden. It applies a theoretical framework for analysing child welfare that is anchored in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. How child participation may affect child protection and provision is examined empirically using case documentation from 2 municipalities. The main finding is that when children are not given voice or opportunity to influence the framing of what “the problem” is, the design of protection and care tends to be poorly matched to the actual problems documented in the child investigation and vice versa; when children can influence framing, this is associated with well‐matched protection and care. This suggests that traditional child welfare ethos, to the effect that protection should be of such overriding concern that children even should be protected from participation, is misguided. The study further illustrates the intrinsic problems with the family orientation of Swedish social services and its reliance on partnership with parents, which makes it difficult to live up to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Incorporating child participation into existing service models can transform Swedish social services to an augmented child‐focused system that by ensuring participation also promotes protection and provision.
Dry and wet periods drive rapid shifts in community assembly in an estuarine ecosystem
Authors: Chang Andrew L. , Brown Christopher W. , Crooks Jeffrey A. , Ruiz Gregory M.
Published: December 2017

The impacts of changing climate regimes on emergent processes controlling the assembly of ecological communities remain poorly understood. Human alterations to the water cycle in the western United States have resulted in greater interannual variability and more frequent and severe extremes in freshwater flow. The specific mechanisms through which such extremes and climate regime shifts may alter ecological communities have rarely been demonstrated, and baseline information on current impacts of environmental variation is widely lacking for many habitats and communities. Here, we used observations and experiments to show that interannual variation in winter salinity levels in San Francisco Bay controls the mechanisms determining sessile invertebrate community composition during the following summer. We found consistent community changes in response to decadal‐scale dry and wet extremes during a 13‐year period, producing strikingly different communities. Our results match theoretical predictions of major shifts in species composition in response to environmental forcing up to a threshold, beyond which we observed mass mortality and wholesale replacement of the former community. These results provide a window into potential future community changes, with environmental forcing altering communities by shifting the relative influences of the mechanisms controlling species distributions and abundances. We place these results in the context of historical and projected future environmental variation in the San Francisco Bay Estuary.
Who owns the Brazilian carbon?
Authors: Freitas Flavio L. M. , Englund Oskar , Sparovek Gerd , Berndes Göran , Guidotti Vinicius , Pinto Luís F. G. , Mörtberg Ulla
Published: December 2017

Brazil is one of the major contributors to land‐use change emissions, mostly driven by agricultural expansion for food, feed, and bioenergy feedstock. Policies to avoid deforestation related to private commitments, economic incentives, and other support schemes are expected to improve the effectiveness of current command and control mechanisms increasingly. However, until recently, land tenure was unknown for much of the Brazilian territory, which has undermined the governance of native vegetation and challenged support and incentive mechanisms for avoiding deforestation. We assess the total extent of public governance mechanisms protecting aboveground carbon (AGC) stocks. We constructed a land tenure dataset for the entire nation and modeled the effects and uncertainties of major land‐use acts on protecting AGC stocks. Roughly 70% of the AGC stock in Brazil is estimated to be under legal protection, and an additional 20% is expected to be protected after areas in the Amazon with currently undesignated land undergo a tenure regularization. About 30% of the AGC stock is on private land, of which roughly two‐thirds are protected. The Cerrado, Amazon, and Caatinga biomes hold about 40%, 30%, and 20% of the unprotected AGC, respectively. Effective conservation of protected and unprotected carbon will depend on successful implementation of the Forest Act, and regularization of land tenure in the Amazon. Policy development that prioritizes unprotected AGC stocks is warranted to promote conservation of native vegetation beyond the legal requirements. However, different biomes and land tenure structures may require different policy settings considering local and regional specifics. Finally, the fate of current AGC stocks relies upon effective implementation of command and control mechanisms, considering that unprotected AGC in native vegetation on private land only accounts for 6.5% of the total AGC stock.
Reliability of three questions for the screening of advanced cognitive impairment in polypathological patients
Authors: Díez‐Manglano Jesús , Espuelas‐Monge María , Gomes‐Martín Javier , Lerín‐Sánchez Javier , Odriozola‐Grijalba Mónica , Piqueras‐Serrano Carmen , Sánchez‐Rubio‐Lezcano Pablo , Zamora‐Mur Alfredo
Published: December 2017

Aim

To determine whether answering three questions erroneously (“what is the date today?,” “when were you born?” and “how old are you?”) allows for the detection of advanced cognitive impairment in polypathological patients.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study of patients admitted to the internal medicine and geriatrics departments was carried out. Advanced cognitive impairment was diagnosed when patients made 7–10 errors in the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire.

Results

We included 441 polypathological patients, 330 of them from the internal medicine departments and 111 from the geriatrics department. Their mean age was 80.8 years (8.9 years). Of them, 141 (32.0%) answered one question incorrectly, 58 (13.1%) answered two and 89 (20.2%) answered all three questions incorrectly. The prevalence of advanced cognitive impairment was 27.7%. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the test were 0.705, 0.991, 0.966 and 0.898, respectively. The accuracy of the test was 0.912. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.947, 95% CI 0.923–0.970.

Conclusions

The three questions test has very good specificity and positive predictive value, and it can be used for the screening of advanced cognitive impairment in polypathological patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 441–447.
Prognostic effect of body mass index to mortality in Korean older persons
Authors: Kim Haksun , Yoon Jong L , Lee Aeyoung , Jung Yujin , Kim Mee Y , Cho Jung J , Ju Young S
Published: December 2017

Aim

Body mass index (BMI) is regarded as a predictor of life expectancy and a determinant of mortality. However, the effect of age on BMI‐related mortality remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine the prognostic effect of BMI to mortality risk among Korean older persons.

Methods

Data were collected from the Korean National Health Insurance Services’ Senior Cohort database. This study analyzed the data of 79 341 men and 91 298 women aged ≥65 years who underwent health examinations in the 2007 fiscal year. Individual mortality was identified 5 years after 2008. The participants were stratified into seven groups according to basal BMI. Hazard ratios of death were calculated through Cox proportional hazards model after adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, exercise, alcohol intake and income.

Results

During the 5‐year follow up, 11 651 men and 7 235 women died. In both sexes, a lower BMI had a higher hazard ratio (HR), but the trend of increasing HR at high BMI was not clear. For men, the lowest HR was 0.79 (95% CI 0.71–0.87) at a BMI of 27.5–30.0 kg/m2. For women, the lowest HR was 0.84 (95% CI 0.78–0.91) at a BMI of 25.0–27.5 kg/m2. For both sexes, the relative mortality risk was associated with a lower BMI.

Conclusions

A high BMI is not associated with increased mortality in older adults aged ≥65 years, whereas a lower BMI is associated with an increased mortality risk in later life in this population. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 538–546.
Lean Product Development: Nothing New Under the Sun?
Authors: Salgado Eduardo Gomes , Dekkers Rob
Published: December 2017

The concept of lean product development has attracted the attention of many scholars since its inception in the 1990s derived from practices at Toyota Motor Company. Key to this approach to new product development (NPD) are a few methods derived from lean production as well as longer established practices such as concurrent engineering. This makes one wonder whether lean product development is a new practice, a new method or an encapsulation of already existing methods at the time; this quest for the roots and tenets of lean product development, also in comparison with other methods for NPD, is the focus of this paper. This journey takes this propositional paper not only to the roots of lean product development and the context of its era of conception, but also to what this concept adds to other extant methods for NPD. In particular, this comparison draws out that other methods are trying to achieve the same objectives: the creation of products and services with value to the customer, the reduction of time‐to‐market and the efficient use of resources. This inference implies that managers of new product (and service) development can choose from a wider pallet of methods and approaches to enhance the performance of R&D and to connect better to manufacturing (including supply chains). Inevitably, this has implications for research on (lean) product and service development; hence, this paper sets out a research agenda based on the deliberations and gaps that have been uncovered in the discourse.
Immigrant nurses’ perceptions on cultural differences‐based job concerns: A phenomenological study in Shanghai China
Authors: Yu Haiping , Peng Youqing , Hung Yunying , Zhou Lin
Published: December 2017

Aims and objectives

To explore the experiences of immigrant nurses working in Shanghai, China.

Background

With the development of China, population growth has been accelerating. Simultaneously, the number of immigrant nurses in Shanghai has been increasing dramatically. Meanwhile, their turnover rate is abnormally high, primarily because of job concerns stemming from cultural differences. An understanding of immigrant nurses’ job concerns caused by cultural differences can be used to help them to work more efficiently and cohesively. We aimed to investigate immigrant nurses’ lived experiences regarding job concerns caused by cultural differences in Shanghai, China.

Methods

This is a phenomenological study. In‐depth semi‐structured interviews were conducted with fifteen immigrant nurses from January–July 2016. Data were collected using audio‐taped face‐to‐face interviews; the narratives were then transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.

Results

The following three major themes emerged from the data: “communication difficulties,” “work adjustment difficulties” and “life adjustment difficulties.” The eight sub‐themes within these were as follows: (i) language barrier, (ii) inability to integrate oneself with the local culture, (iii) feelings of unfairness, (iv) difficulty asking for leave, (v) feeling stressed, (vi) not being acclimatised, (vii) feeling helpless and (viii) feeling guilt at being unable to take care of their family.

Conclusion

It is important to implement appropriate training programmes on language and cultural adaptation for immigrant nurses. To enhance integrate immigrant nurses into Shanghai's society, more support needs to be provided.

Relevance to clinical practice

Administrators in hospitals should pay attention to immigrant nurses’ job concerns that are caused by cultural differences and provide timely and effective assistance.
Recanalization of native superficial femoral artery chronic total occlusion after failed femoropopliteal bypass in patients with critical limb ischemia
Authors: Li Zhenjiang , Feng Rui , Qin Feng , Zhao Zhiqing , Yuan Liangxi , Li Yiming , Liu Junjun , Feng Jiaxuan , Zhou Jian , Bao Junmin , Jing Zaiping
Published: December 2017

Objectives

This study aimed to examine the outcomes of endovascular recanalization for native superficial femoral artery (SFA) chronic total occlusion (CTO) in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) after femoropopliteal bypass failure with limited surgical revascularization options.

Background

Endovascular recanalization of native artery occlusions has been recently used as a new alternative for threatened limbs after bypass graft occlusion. The feasibility and efficacy has not been widely reported.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 45 consecutive patients (45 limbs) undergoing endovascular recanalization of native SFA occlusion following failed femoropopliteal bypass between June 2010 and December 2016.

Results

All limbs had Transatlantic Inter‐Society Consensus class C (26.7%, 12/45) or D (73.3%, 33/45) lesions with a mean lesion length of 29.8 cm. The technical success rate was 95.6% (43/45 limbs). The ABI showed a significant increase from 0.3 ± 0.1 pre‐procedure to 0.7 ± 0.1 post‐procedure (P < 0.01). Two early (<30 days) below‐knee amputations due to acute thrombotic ischemia occurred during perioperative period and resulted in one death due to myocardial infarction. The mean follow‐up was 42.7 months (1‐62 months). Two patients were lost to follow up. The primary patency rates at 12 and 36 months were 54% and 51%, respectively. Secondary patency rates at 12 and 36 months were 78% and 61%, respectively. Limb salvage rate was 95% and amputation‐free survival rate was 88% at both 12 and 36 months.

Conclusion

Recanalization of native SFA CTO due to failed femoropopliteal bypass offers a feasible and safe alternative to surgical reconstruction with acceptable limb salvage.
The utility of oral brush cytology in the early detection of oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders: A systematic review
Authors: H. Alsarraf Abdulhameed , Kujan Omar , Farah Camile S.
Published: December 2017

Objectives

This systematic review aimed to analyze the published evidence for the use of oral brush cytology for the early detection of oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs).

Methods

Literature was systematically searched through several databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Additional review was performed through cross‐checks on the bibliographies of selected articles. The inclusion criteria involved studies assessing the utility of oral brush cytology on human tissues and its applications in the diagnosis, screening, or surveillance of oral cancer or OPMDs.

Results

The search strategy resulted in 343 abstracts or full‐text articles, of which 36 met the inclusion criteria. The year of publication ranged from 1994 to 2017, and a total of 4302 samples from OPMDs, oral squamous cell carcinoma, and healthy controls have been investigated. Baby toothbrush, cytobrush, OralCDx®, and Orcellex® are the brushes that were used to obtain transepithelial mucosal samples for conventional and liquid‐based cytology evaluation.

Conclusions

Findings from this study indicate that meaningful evidence‐based recommendations for the implementation of a minimally invasive technique to be utilized as an adjunctive tool for screening and early detection of oral cancer and OPMDs are complicated from the reported studies in the literature. There is need for well‐designed clinical studies to assess the accuracy of oral brush cytology utilizing validated cytological assessment criteria for the diagnosis and prediction of OPMDs.
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Plasma from Dogs with Immune‐mediated Hemolytic Anemia
Authors: Lawson C. , Smith S.A. , O'Brien M. , McMichael M.
Published: December 2017

Background

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are part of the innate immune response and are essential in local pathogen control, but are associated with pathological inflammation, organ damage, autoimmunity, and thrombosis. Immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is a pro‐inflammatory, prothrombotic disease associated with high mortality.

Hypothesis/Objectives

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are a feature of the inflammatory process in dogs with IMHA. The objective of the study was to evaluate plasma from dogs with IMHA for the presence of 2 indirect markers and 1 direct marker of NETs.

Animals

Healthy client‐owned dogs (56) and hospitalized dogs with IMHA (n = 35).

Methods

Prospective study. Plasma samples for all dogs were evaluated for cell‐free DNA using a fluorescence assay, histone‐DNA (hisDNA) complex using an ELISA, and citrullinated histone H3 (specific for NETosis) using Western blot. Reference intervals were generated using plasma from healthy dogs.

Results

In dogs with IMHA, cell‐free DNA concentration was above the reference interval in 17% of samples with a median (range) of 1.0 μg/mL (0.1–17.3), and hisDNA concentration was above the reference interval in 94% of samples with a median (range) of 30.7 × pooled normal plasma (PNP; 0.6–372.1). Western blot for citrullinated histone H3 identified detectable bands in 84% samples from dogs with IMHA.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The assay for cell‐free DNA detected evidence of NETs in fewer dogs than did the other approaches. Excessive NETs appears to be a feature of IMHA in dogs and contributions to the prothrombotic state deserve further study.
Species interactions weakly modify climate‐induced tree co‐occurrence patterns
Authors: Copenhaver‐Parry Paige E. , Bell David M.
Published: December 2017

Aims

Species distributions are hypothesized to be underlain by a complex association of processes that span multiple spatial scales including biotic interactions, dispersal limitation, fine‐scale resource gradients and climate. Species disequilibrium with climate may reflect the effects of non‐climatic processes on species distributions, yet distribution models have rarely directly considered non‐climatic processes. Here, we use a Joint Species Distribution Model (JSDM) to investigate the influence of non‐climatic factors on species co‐occurrence patterns and to directly quantify the relative influences of climate and alternative processes that may generate correlated responses in species distributions, such as species interactions, on tree co‐occurrence patterns.

Location

US Rocky Mountains.

Methods

We apply a Bayesian JSDM to simultaneously model the co‐occurrence patterns of ten dominant tree species across the Rocky Mountains, and evaluate climatic and residual correlations from the fitted model to determine the relative contribution of each component to observed co‐occurrence patterns. We also evaluate predictions generated from the fitted model relative to a single‐species modelling approach.

Results

For most species, correlation due to climate covariates exceeded residual correlation, indicating an overriding influence of broad‐scale climate on co‐occurrence patterns. Accounting for covariance among species did not significantly improve predictions relative to a single‐species approach, providing limited evidence for a strong independent influence of species interactions on distribution patterns.

Conclusions

Overall, our findings indicate that climate is an important driver of regional biodiversity patterns and that interactions between dominant tree species contribute little to explain species co‐occurrence patterns among Rocky Mountain trees.
Transcriptional response of Nautella italica R11 towards its macroalgal host uncovers new mechanisms of host–pathogen interaction
Authors: Hudson Jennifer , Gardiner Melissa , Deshpande Nandan , Egan Suhelen
Published: December 2017

Macroalgae (seaweeds) are essential for the functioning of temperate marine ecosystems, but there is increasing evidence to suggest that their survival is under threat from anthropogenic stressors and disease. Nautella italica R11 is recognized as an aetiological agent of bleaching disease in the red alga, Delisea pulchra. Yet, there is a lack of knowledge surrounding the molecular mechanisms involved in this model host–pathogen interaction. Here we report that mutations in the gene encoding for a LuxR‐type quorum sensing transcriptional regulator, RaiR, render N. italica R11 avirulent, suggesting this gene is important for regulating the expression of virulence phenotypes. Using an RNA sequencing approach, we observed a strong transcriptional response of N. italica R11 towards the presence of D. pulchra. In particular, genes involved in oxidative stress resistance, carbohydrate and central metabolism were upregulated in the presence of the host, suggesting a role for these functions in the opportunistic pathogenicity of N. italica R11. Furthermore, we show that RaiR regulates a subset of genes in N. italica R11, including those involved in metabolism and the expression of phage‐related proteins. The outcome of this research reveals new functions important for virulence of N. italica R11 and contributes to our greater understanding of the complex factors mitigating microbial diseases in macroalgae.
Direct and indirect costs incurred by Australian living kidney donors
Authors: Barnieh Lianne , Kanellis John , McDonald Stephen , Arnold Jennifer , Sontrop Jessica M. , Cuerden Meaghan , Klarenbach Scott , Garg Amit X. , Boudville Neil ,   for the Donor Nephrectomy Outcomes Research (DONOR) Network
Published: December 2017

Aim

To describe the direct and indirect costs incurred by Australian living kidney donors.

Methods

A total of 55 living kidney donors from three centres in Perth, Australia and one centre in Melbourne, Australia (2010–2014) was studied. Forty‐nine donors provided information on expenses incurred during the donor evaluation period and up to 3 months after donation. A micro‐costing approach was used to measure and value the units of resources consumed. Expenses were grouped as direct costs (ground and air travel, accommodation, and prescription medications) and indirect costs (lost wages and lost productivity). Costs were standardized to the year 2016 in Australian dollars.

Results

The most common direct costs were for ground travel (100%), parking (76%), and post‐donation pain medications or antibiotics (73%). The highest direct costs were for air travel (median $1986 [three donors]) and ground travel (median $459 [49 donors]). Donors also reported lost wages (median $9891 [37 donors]). The inability to perform household activities or care for dependants were reported by 32 (65%) and 23 (47%) donors. Total direct costs averaged $1682 per donor (median $806 among 49 donors). Total indirect costs averaged $7249 per donor (median $7273 among 49 donors). Total direct and indirect costs averaged $8932 per donor (median $7963 among 49 donors).

Conclusion

Many Australian living kidney donors incur substantial costs during the donation process. Our findings inform the continued development of policies and programmes designed to minimize costs incurred by living kidney donors.
Impacts of long‐term precipitation manipulation on hydraulic architecture and xylem anatomy of piñon and juniper in Southwest USA
Authors: Hudson P. J. , Limousin J. M. , Krofcheck D. J. , Boutz A. L. , Pangle R. E. , Gehres N. , McDowell N. G. , Pockman W. T.
Published: December 2017

Hydraulic architecture imposes a fundamental control on water transport, underpinning plant productivity, and survival. The extent to which hydraulic architecture of mature trees acclimates to chronic drought is poorly understood, limiting accuracy in predictions of forest responses to future droughts. We measured seasonal shoot hydraulic performance for multiple years to assess xylem acclimation in mature piñon (Pinus edulis) and juniper (Juniperus monosperma) after 3+ years of precipitation manipulation. Our treatments consisted of water addition (+20% ambient precipitation), partial precipitation‐exclusion (−45% ambient precipitation), and exclusion‐structure control. Supplemental watering elevated leaf water potential, sapwood‐area specific hydraulic conductivity, and leaf‐area specific hydraulic conductivity relative to precipitation exclusion. Shifts in allocation of leaf area to sapwood area enhanced differences between irrigated and droughted KL in piñon but not juniper. Piñon and juniper achieved similar KL under ambient conditions, but juniper matched or outperformed piñon in all physiological measurements under both increased and decreased precipitation treatments. Embolism vulnerability and xylem anatomy were unaffected by treatments in either species. Absence of significant acclimation combined with inferior performance for both hydraulic transport and safety suggests piñon has greater risk of local extirpation if aridity increases as predicted in the southwestern USA.
Illuminating the role of the Gα heterotrimeric G protein subunit, RGA1, in regulating photoprotection and photoavoidance in rice
Authors: Ferrero‐Serrano Ángel , Su Zhao , Assmann Sarah M.
Published: December 2017

We studied physiological mechanisms of photoavoidance and photoprotection of a dwarf rice mutant with erect leaves, d1, in which the RGA1 gene, which encodes the Gα subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein, is non‐functional. Leaves of d1 exhibit lower leaf temperature and higher photochemical reflectance index relative to wild type (WT), indicative of increased photoavoidance and more efficient light harvesting. RNA sequencing analysis of flag leaves revealed that messenger RNA levels of genes encoding heat shock proteins, enzymes associated with chlorophyll breakdown, and ROS scavengers were down‐regulated in d1. By contrast, genes encoding proteins associated with light harvesting, Photosystem II, cyclic electron transport, Photosystem I, and chlorophyll biosynthesis were up‐regulated in d1. Consistent with these observations, when WT and d1 plants were experimentally subjected to the same light intensity, d1 plants exhibited a greater capacity to dissipate excess irradiance (increased nonphotochemical quenching) relative to WT. The increased capacity in d1 for both photoavoidance and photoprotection reduced sustained photoinhibitory damage, as revealed by a higher Fv/Fm. We therefore propose RGA1 as a regulator of photoavoidance and photoprotection mechanisms in rice and highlight the prospect of exploiting modulation of heterotrimeric G protein signalling to increase these characteristics and improve the yield of cereals in the event of abiotic stress.