bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Troubled Times: Disability, Sexuality and Futurity in Mozambican, Ugandan and Zimbabwean Political Cultures
Authors: Jones Eleanor K
Published: November 2019

Since the earliest days of European expansionism, Africa has held a dual place in the Western imaginary, cast as a space of futurelessness even as white futurities were predicated on its exploitation. Appropriations of the future have persisted post-liberation, revealed in the divestment of futurity from bodies marked as queer or disabled. Drawing on historical moments and literary texts from Mozambique, Uganda and Zimbabwe, and on insights from queer theory, critical race theory and disability studies, I seek to demonstrate that the logics of white supremacy can be seen at work in these mechanisms of exclusion, even where whiteness itself is displaced – but that literary invocation of queerness and disability can thus be used to mobilize critique of this continuity. In centring the circumscription of futurity at the heart of colonialism, heteronormativity and ableism, then, I underscore the critical value of reading these as reciprocal and inextricable systems of power.
Relining the garbage can of organizational decision-making: modeling the arrival of problems and solutions as queues
Authors: Glynn Peter W , Greve Henrich R , Rao Hayagreeva
Published: November 2019

The garbage can account of organizations where problems, solutions, and people chase each other is often invoked but rarely studied since its publication 44 years ago. It has been critiqued for being a metaphor rather than a model, and offering a deterministic rather than stochastic account. We reline the garbage can model of organizational decision-making by modeling the arrival of problems, people, and solutions as queues that get matched randomly. We show that queuing models allow us to understand the effect of using either experts, supervisor approval, teams, and deviation from supervision on problem resolution and oversight. Our approach shows that manager approval increased the standard deviation of problem resolution, whereas queues are processed faster and have lower variance when there is oversight or teamwork, or when manager approval is bypassed due to independent action by problem solvers. It also shows the costs of using an organizational hierarchy to address problems with different levels of difficulty, or specialization to address a mixture of fundamentally different problems. Thus, a stochastic garbage can model provides insights into why organizations make many decisions but often fail to resolve problems!
Outcome of video-assisted thoracoscopic implantation of epicardial left ventricular leads with visual targeting for cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: Stauber Annina , Tanner Hildegard , Noti Fabian , Roten Laurent , Seiler Jens , Lam Anna , Medeiros-Domingo Argelia , Servatius Helge , Tran Van Nam , Carrel Thierry , Weber Alberto
Published: November 2019

OBJECTIVES

Our goal was to analyse the implantation and outcome of thoracoscopic epicardial leads after a failed endovascular approach or follow-up (FU) complications after endovascular implantation.

METHODS

We reviewed the records of patients with failed endovascular left ventricular (LV) lead placement or complications during FU, who were subsequently referred to cardiac surgeons for treatment with thoracoscopic LV lead implantation. We analysed the reasons for endovascular failure; the indications for the surgical procedures; and the clinical, echocardiographic and device FU results.

RESULTS

Between 2010 and 2013, a total of 23 patients were included. Among them, 17 of the patients had no previous cardiothoracic surgery, 13 (76%) had successful video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT) LV lead implantation, 3 (18%) had a conversion to thoracotomy and 1 (6%) failed. Of the 6 patients with prior cardiothoracic surgery, 2 (33%) had VAT only, 3 (50%) had primary thoracotomies and 1 (17%) had a conversion. Two major complications occurred. The reasons for LV endovascular lead failure were subclavian vein occlusion (n = 2), implant failure (n = 13) and complications during the FU period (n = 8). FU information was available for 20 patients: 17 (85%) had improved symptoms. The median FU period was 33 months. A total of 78% of patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III–IV before the operation; 30% were in NYHA functional class III–IV at the last FU examination. The left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 25% before surgery to 31% at the last FU examination. Overall, sensing and pacing threshold values remained stable over time. In 1 patient, lead revision was necessary due to an increase in the pacing threshold.

CONCLUSIONS

VAT implantation of LV leads had an excellent response rate with an improvement in NYHA functional class and left ventricular ejection fraction. The lead measurements were mainly stable over time.
Serratus plane block for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery major lung resection: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Viti Andrea , Bertoglio Pietro , Zamperini Massimo , Tubaro Alessandro , Menestrina Nicola , Bonadiman Silvia , Avesani Renato , Guerriero Massimo , Terzi Alberto
Published: November 2019

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of 2 different analgesic approaches on pain, postoperative rehabilitation exercises and rescue analgesics of 2 groups of patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) major lung resection for cancer.

METHODS

A total of 94 patients undergoing a VATS major lung resection were randomly allocated to 2 groups: the control group received intravenous and oral (i.e. systemic) analgesics while the intervention group received systemic analgesics plus pre-emptive serratus plane block. Pain perception was recorded until drainage removal or until 2 p.m. of postoperative day (POD) 3. In particular, the primary end point was defined as the peak pain perception on POD 1 (in the time frame between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m.). Secondary end points were the number of forced inspiration manoeuvers during rehabilitative incentive spirometry on POD 1 and 2 and the overall number of rescue analgesics requested by patients.

RESULTS

Serratus plane block provided a better pain control between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. of POD 1 (Numeric Rating Scale 1.7 vs 3.5; P < 0.001). Patients in the intervention group performed more forced inspiration manoeuvers at a mean higher volume during incentive spirometry (8.9 vs 7, P < 0.001, and 1010 vs 865 ml, P = 0.02). They required fewer rescue doses of analgesics (0.57 vs 1.1; P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Serratus plane block provided a better pain control, entailing a better performance during postoperative rehabilitation exercises in terms of duration and quality of incentive spirometry. It diminished the patient’s need for rescue analgesics during the early postoperative period.

Clinical trial registration number

NCT03134729.
Epidemiology and management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax: a systematic review
Authors: Mendogni Paolo , Vannucci Jacopo , Ghisalberti Marco , Anile Marco , Aramini Beatrice , Congedo Maria Teresa , Nosotti Mario , Bertolaccini Luca ,   Collaborators of the Pneumothorax Working Group, on behalf of the Italian Society for Thoracic Surgery (endorsed by the Italian Ministry of Health) Collaborators of the Pneumothorax Working Group, D’Ambrosio Ambra Enrica , De Vico Andrea , Guerrera Francesco , Imbriglio Giovanna , Pardolesi Alessandro , Schiavon Marco , Russo Emanuele
Published: November 2019

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is one of the most common thoracic diseases affecting adolescents and young adults. Despite the high incidence of PSP and the availability of several international guidelines for its diagnosis and treatment, a significant behavioural heterogeneity can be found among those management recommendations. A working group of the Italian Society of Thoracic Surgery summarized the best evidence available on PSP management with the methodological tool of a systematic review assessing the quality of previously published guidelines with the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II. Concerning PSP physiopathology, the literature seems to be equally divided between those who support the hypothesis of a direct correlation between changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature and the incidence of PSP, so it is not currently possible to confirm or reject this theory with reasonable certainty. Regarding the choice between conservative treatment and chest drainage in the first episode, there is no evidence on whether one option is superior to the other. Video-assisted thoracic surgery represents the most common and preferred surgical approach. A primary surgical approach to patients with their first PSP seems to guarantee a lower recurrence rate than that of a primary approach consisting of a chest drainage positioning; conversely, the percentage of futile surgical interventions that would entail this aggressive attitude must be carefully evaluated. Surgical pleurodesis is recommended and frequently performed to limit recurrences; talc poudrage offers efficient pleurodesis, but a considerable number of surgeons are concerned about administering this inert material to young patients.

Clinical trial registration number

International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42018084247.
Benchmarking as a quality of care improvement tool for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: an NCDR ACTION Registry experience in Latin America
Authors: Caixeta Adriano , Franken Marcelo , Katz Marcelo , Lemos Pedro A , Gomes Ivanise , Yokota Paula Ko , V Alliegro PatrÍcia , Pesaro Eduardo E , Neto Miguel Cendoroglo , Valentine C Michael , Brindis Ralph G , Makdisse Marcia
Published: November 2019

Objective

We aim to examine the effect of benchmarking on quality-of-care metrics in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) through the implementation of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) ACTION Registry.

Design

From January 2005 to December 2017, 712 patients underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention PCI—499 before NCDR ACTION Registry implementation (prior to 2013) and 213 after implementation.

Setting

STEMI.

Participants

712 patients.

Intervention(s)

Primary PCI.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

We examined hospital performance for the quality indicators in processes and outcomes of the management of patients presenting with STEMI. Outcome measures include door-to-balloon time (DBT), antiplatelet therapy and anti-ischemic drugs prescribed at discharge from pre-NCDR ACTION Registry to post-implementation.

Results

There was improvement in DBT, decreasing from 94 min in 2012 (before NCDR adoption) to reach a median of 47 min in 2017 (Ptrend < 0.001). The percentage of cases with the optimal DBT of < 90 min increased from 55.8% before to 90.1% after the implementation of the NCDR ACTION Registry (Ptrend < 0.001). The rate of aspirin (90.3–100%, P < 0.001), P2Y12 inhibitor (70.1–78.4%, P = 0.02), beta-blocker (76.8–100%, P < 0.001) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (60.1–99.5%, P < 0.001) prescribed at discharge increased from pre-NCDR ACTION Registry to post-implementation. Adjusted mortality before and after NCDR ACTION Registry implementation showed significant change (from 9.04 to 5.92%; P = 0.027).

Conclusions

The introduction of the ACC NCDR ACTION Registry led to incremental gains in the quality in STEMI management through the benchmarking of process of care and clinical outcomes, achieving reduced DBT, improving guideline-directed medication adherence and increasing patient safety, treatment efficacy and survival.
Temporal convolutional networks allow early prediction of events in critical care
Authors: Catling Finneas J R , Wolff Anthony H
Published: November 2019

Objective

Clinical interventions and death in the intensive care unit (ICU) depend on complex patterns in patients’ longitudinal data. We aim to anticipate these events earlier and more consistently so that staff can consider preemptive action.

Materials and Methods

We use a temporal convolutional network to encode longitudinal data and a feedforward neural network to encode demographic data from 4713 ICU admissions in 2014–2018. For each hour of each admission, we predict events in the subsequent 1–6 hours. We compare performance with other models including a recurrent neural network.

Results

Our model performed similarly to the recurrent neural network for some events and outperformed it for others. This performance increase was more evident in a sensitivity analysis where the prediction timeframe was varied. Average positive predictive value (95% CI) was 0.786 (0.781–0.790) and 0.738 (0.732–0.743) for up- and down-titrating FiO2, 0.574 (0.519–0.625) for extubation, 0.139 (0.117–0.162) for intubation, 0.533 (0.492–0.572) for starting noradrenaline, 0.441 (0.433–0.448) for fluid challenge, and 0.315 (0.282–0.352) for death.

Discussion

Events were better predicted where their important determinants were captured in structured electronic health data, and where they occurred in homogeneous circumstances. We produce partial dependence plots that show our model learns clinically-plausible associations between its inputs and predictions.

Conclusion

Temporal convolutional networks improve prediction of clinical events when used to represent longitudinal ICU data.
Effects of dietary fiber sources during late gestation and lactation on sow performance, milk quality, and intestinal health in piglets1
Authors: Shang Qinghui , Liu Hansuo , Liu Sujie , He Tengfei , Piao Xiangshu
Published: November 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with 2 sources of fiber, sugar beet pulp (SBP), and wheat bran (WB), on sow performance, milk quality, and intestinal health in piglets. Forty-five multiparous sows at day 85 of gestation were allocated to the following 3 treatments: 1) a corn-soybean meal basal diet (CON); 2) the CON diet supplemented with 20% SBP in gestation and 10% SBP in lactation (SBP); and 3) the CON diet supplemented with 30% WB in gestation and 15% WB in lactation (WB). The SBP diets increased (P < 0.05) sow ADFI during lactation, litter and piglet weaning weight, piglet ADG, immunoglobulin A (IgA), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels in the colostrum and IgA levels in the milk, while the WB diets only increased (P < 0.05) IL-10 levels in the milk when compared with the CON diets. Piglets from SBP-fed sows had greater (P < 0.05) serum growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels than those from WB-fed or CON-fed sows, whereas piglets from WB-fed sows had greater (P < 0.05) serum GH levels than those from CON-fed sows. Serum diamine oxidase activity, endotoxin, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were reduced (P < 0.05) in piglets from SBP-fed or WB-fed sows. Piglets from SBP-fed sows also had greater (P < 0.05) serum IL-10 levels than those from CON-fed sows. The ileal mRNA expression of TNF-α was reduced (P < 0.05) in piglets from SBP-fed or WB-fed sows. Piglets from SBP-fed sows had lower (P < 0.05) IL-6 expression, and greater (P < 0.05) IL-10 expression and secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) levels in the ileum than those from WB- or CON-fed sows. Piglets from WB-fed sows had greater (P < 0.05) IL-10 expression and SIgA levels compared with those from CON-fed sows. The ileal mRNA expression of occludin in the ileum was greater (P < 0.05) in piglets from SBP-fed sows than those from CON-fed sows. The ileal mRNA expression of ZO-1 was greater (P < 0.05) in piglets from WB-fed sows than those from CON-fed sows, but lower (P < 0.05) than those from SBP-fed sows. Piglets from SBP-fed sows had greater (P < 0.05) abundance of Christensenellaceae and butyrate levels in the colon, while piglets from WB-fed sows had greater (P < 0.05) abundance of Lactobacillaceae. Collectively, maternal SBP supplementation was more effective than WB in improving milk quality, enhancing growth performance and intestinal barrier function, and ameliorating intestinal inflammation in piglets.
Evaluation of Soybean for Resistance to Neohyadatothrips variabilis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Noninfected and Infected With Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus
Authors: Lagos-Kutz D , Pawlowski M L , Haudenshield J , Han J , Domier L L , Hartman G L
Published: November 2019

Soybean vein necrosis virus (SVNV) was first identified in Arkansas and Tennessee in 2008 and is now known to be widespread in the United States and Canada. Multiple species of thrips transmit this and other tospoviruses with Neohydatothrips variabilis (Beach) (soybean thrips) cited as the most efficient vector for SVNV. In this study, 18 soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., genotypes were evaluated in four experiments by infesting plants with noninfected and SVNV-infected thrips using choice and no-choice assays. In both choice experiments with noninfected and SVNV-infected thrips, the lowest number of immature soybean thrips occurred on plant introductions (PIs) 229358 and 604464 while cultivars Williams 82 and Williamsfield Illini 3590N supported higher counts of mature thrips. The counts between the two assays (noninfected and SVNV-infected thrips) were positively correlated. In both no-choice experiments with noninfected and SVNV-infected thrips, counts of thrips did not differ by soybean genotypes. Further studies are needed to characterize the inheritance and mechanisms involved in the resistance found in the choice assay.
The Effects of Constant and Fluctuating Temperatures on Development of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), the Asian Citrus Psyllid
Authors: Milosavljević Ivan , McCalla Kelsey A , Morgan David J W , Hoddle Mark S
Published: November 2019

The effects of six average daily temperatures, 15, 20, 25, 30, 32, and 35°C, that were either constant or fluctuating over 24 h on development times of California-sourced Diaphorina citri Kuwayama nymphs were examined. Thermal performance curves for immature stages of D. citri were characterized using one linear and six nonlinear models (i.e., Ratkowsky, Lobry-Rosso-Flandrois, Lactin-2, Brière-2, Beta, and Performance-2). Daily thermal fluctuations had significant effects on development times of D. citri nymphs, which differed across experimental temperatures. Diaphorina citri nymphs reared at constant temperatures completed development faster than those reared under fluctuating profiles with equivalent temperature means. Linear model estimates of degree-days required for completion of cumulative development of D. citri were 25% lower for constant temperatures when compared with fluctuating temperature regimens. Nonlinear model estimations of optimum developmental temperature and upper theoretical temperature bounds for development were similar for individuals reared under constant and fluctuating temperatures. Nevertheless, the estimated values of lower theoretical temperature limits above which development occurred were lower under fluctuating than constant temperatures. A meta-analysis of published D. citri temperature-dependent development literature, synthesizing datasets of five globally distributed populations (Brazil, California, China, Florida, and Japan) reared under different constant temperatures on six different host plants (i.e., Citrus limonia, C. sinensis cv Natal, C. sinensis cv. Pêra, C. reticulata, Fortunella margarita, and Murraya paniculata), together with the results of this study (C. volkameriana), revealed convergence in estimates of developmental parameters. These results have implications for predicting D. citri invasion and establishment risk and subsequent population performance across various climactic gradients and geographic regions.
On Frequent Batch Auctions for Stocks
Authors: Jagannathan Ravi
Published: November 2019

I show that frequent batch auctions for stocks have the potential to reduce the severity of stock price crashes when they occur. For a given sequence of orders from a continuous electronic limit order book market, matching orders using one-second apart batch auctions results in nearly the same trades and prices. Increasing the time interval between auctions to one minute significantly reduces the severity stock price crashes. In spite of this and other advantages pointed out in the literature, frequent batch auctions have not caught on. There is a need for carefully designed market experiments to understand why and what aspect of reality academic research may be missing.
Missed opportunities for measles vaccination among departing travelers from Japan to India
Authors: Yamakawa Michiyo , Tokinobu Akiko , Tanaka Yuko , Matsushita Naohiko , Hashizume Masahiro
Published: November 2019

Measles vaccination among Japanese backpackers in India
Integration at work: Migrant healthcare professionals in two Spanish hospitals
Authors: Finotelli Claudia
Published: November 2019

Organisations’ logics play a crucial role in the integration of immigrants. This article aims to contribute to the relatively unexplored field of immigrant integration in organisations by analysing the workplace integration of healthcare professionals in two Spanish hospitals. Analysis shows how the lack of an official integration strategy in Spain does not seem to have significantly affected inclusion mechanisms of healthcare migrant workers in two large Spanish hospitals. Organisations’ internal logics indeed represent a relevant variable to understanding the process of integration and how conflicts can be de-escalated in organisations. As interviews reveal, workplace integration is not perceived as a cultural problem to the extent that healthcare professionals adapt to the way of working and establishing relationships in each hospital. Differences among professional categories are more important than ethnic diversity since immigrant integration is considered a question of professional rather than cultural assimilation. Yet, major obstacles to immigrant integration seem to proceed from the existing barriers to permanent employment of third-country nationals and cumbersome administrative procedures for foreign credentials recognition.
‘I don’t want to have a separated home’: Reckoning family and return migration among married Nigerians in China
Authors: Adebayo Kudus Oluwatoyin
Published: November 2019

The growing ‘Africans in China’ literature has documented the extent and extensiveness of flows from Africa to Chinese cities. However, return migration has not received much attention, and even less is known about the role of the family in return consideration. The article focuses on how married Nigerians reckon return and family in Guangzhou city using data from ethnographic observations and interviews with 25 participants. While the family is central to how married migrants think about return, the dynamics vary among the participants. Migrants whose spouses/children reside in Nigeria complain about being distant from their families and the challenge of unification and ‘absentee fatherhood’. Nigerian couples that live in Guangzhou as a family consider the high cost of raising children and the future competitiveness of their children as ‘China-educated’ as factors in return calculations. Moreover, despite living with their husbands in China, some Nigerian women desire to return to Nigeria to improve their lives, but they did not embark on a return journey to avoid family separation. Among Nigerians in an interracial relationship with Chinese women, the feeling of (un)belongingness resonates in their return consideration owing to poor experiences with access to residence permit and social welfare. While integration issues impact on return migration of married Nigerians in Guangzhou, the transnational practices of the men suggest that a return behaviour would probably accompany return consideration.
Optimal gridding and degridding in radio interferometry imaging
Authors: Ye Haoyang , Gull Stephen F , Tan Sze M , Nikolic Bojan
Published: November 2019

In radio interferometry imaging, the Fast Fourier transform (FFT) is often used to compute maps from visibility data. A gridding procedure for convolving the measured visibilites with a chosen gridding function is used to transform visibility values into uniformly sampled grid points. We propose here a parameterised family of ‘least-misfit gridding functions’ which minimise an upper bound on the difference between the DFT and FFT dirty images for a given gridding support width and image cropping ratio. When compared with the widely used spheroidal function with similar parameters, these provide more than 100 times better alias suppression and RMS misfit reduction over the usable dirty map. We discuss how appropriate parameter selection and tabulation of these functions allow for a balance between accuracy, computational cost and storage size. Although it is possible to reduce the errors introduced in the gridding or degridding process to the level of machine precision, accuracy comparable to that achieved by CASA requires only a lookup table with 300 entries and a support width of 3, allowing for a greatly reduced computation cost for a given performance.
Short-term Increase in Risk of Overweight and Concomitant Systolic Blood Pressure Elevation in Treatment Naïve Persons Starting INSTI-based Antiretroviral Therapy
Authors: Galdamez Ronald , García José A , Fernández Marta , Robledano Catalina , Agulló Vanessa , García-Abellán Javier , Telenti Guillermo , Padilla Sergio , Gutiérrez Félix , Masiá Mar
Published: November 2019

Background

Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTI) have been associated with weight gain, but their effect on short-term overweight/obesity incidence, blood pressure(BP) and metabolic markers change has not been described in treatment-naïve people with HIV(PWH).

Methods

Medical records of treatment-naïve persons starting ART at the HIV Clinic of University Hospital of Elche(Spain), between January 2007 and July 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Standard procedures included measurements of weight, BP and metabolic assessment. Data at baseline, 48, 72, and 96 weeks post ART initiation were analysed. We used Cox mixed-effects model to generate predictions of BMI over time and Generalized Additive Mixed Models(GAMM) to relax the linearity assumptions and generate 95% confidence intervals in the multivariable adjust.

Results

Among 219 (median age 44.0 years, IQR=37.0-53.5; 46 females) participants. Baseline weight mean(SD) was 70.4(13.7)kg without difference between regimens; 66% had a BMI <25 kg/mt2. The incidence of overweight/obesity was significantly greater in persons starting INSTI-based regimens: 15(36.6%) of 41 patients treated with INSTI vs 30(28.9%) of 104 treated with other ART regimens(HR 2.3, 95%CI, 1.2–4.4;p=0.011). In contrast to other ART regimens, patients treated with INSTI showed a significant increase in systolic BP(SBP) (adjusted increase 7.0 mmHg, 95%CI, 0.3–13.7;p=0.039) that was correlated with weight gain (r=0.13, 95%CI, 0.10-0.16;p<0.001). Patients who reached overweight/obesity in INSTI-based ART showed a significant increase in LDL cholesterol.

Conclusions

INSTI-based ART was associated in the short-term with a greater risk of overweight/obesity and SBP elevation. Patients developing overweight/obesity increased LDL cholesterol with no other metabolic disturbances.
Oral Vancomycin May Be Associated With Earlier Symptom Resolution Than Metronidazole for Hospitalized Children With Nonsevere Clostridioides difficile Infections
Authors: Yin Jianyi , Kociolek Larry K , Same Rebecca G , Hsu Alice J , Amoah Joe , Tamma Pranita D
Published: November 2019

Objective

National guidelines recommend oral vancomycin over oral metronidazole as first-line treatment for nonsevere Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in adults. Guidelines recommend metronidazole for children with nonsevere CDI, emphasizing that comparative effectiveness studies comparing the relative efficacy of vancomycin and metronidazole are lacking in children.

Method

We conducted an observational study of hospitalized children with nonsevere CDI treated with metronidazole versus vancomycin using an inverse probability of treatment-weighted propensity-score analysis. All of the following criteria had to be present for children with positive CDI testing for study eligibility: (1) ≥3 new-onset unformed stools within a 24-hour period; (2) 2–17 years of age; (3) hospitalization for ≥48 hours for CDI; (4) no laxative use ≤48 hours; (5) no alternate etiology for diarrhea; (6) no previous episode of CDI ≤3 months; (7) no concurrent non-CDI–targeted antibiotic therapy, and (8) no severe or fulminant CDI.

Results

One hundred ninety-two patients met eligibility criteria; 141 (73.4%) received oral metronidazole and 51 (26.6%) children received oral vancomycin. Baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups in the weighted cohort. Of 141 patients, 101 (71.7%) children receiving metronidazole had clinical improvement by day 5, whereas 44 of 51 (86.3%) cases resolved with vancomycin (odds ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.17–0.97; P = .04). The odds of CDI recurrence within 12 weeks were similar between the groups.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that children with nonsevere CDI have earlier resolution of clinical symptoms when prescribed vancomycin compared with metronidazole. Large interventional studies are necessary to evaluate the reproducibility of our findings.
Mutation spectrum in GNAQ and GNA11 in Chinese uveal melanoma
Authors: Zhang Edward D , Zhang Meixia , Li Gen , Zhang Charlotte L , Li Zhihuan , Zang Guangxi , Su Zhiguang , Zhang Ming , Xiang Daoman , Zhao Ling , Zhu Jie
Published: November 2019

Uveal melanoma is the most common intraocular cancer in the adult eye. R183 and Q209 were found to be mutational hotspots in exon 4 and exon 5 of GNAQ and GNA11 in Caucasians. However, only a few studies have reported somatic mutations in GNAQ or GNA11 in uveal melanoma in Chinese. We extracted somatic DNA from paraffin-embedded biopsies of 63 Chinese uveal melanoma samples and sequenced the entire coding regions of exons 4 and 5 in GNAQ and GNA11. The results showed that 33% of Chinese uveal melanoma samples carried Q209 mutations while none had R183 mutation in GNAQ or GNA11. In addition, seven novel missense somatic mutations in GNAQ (Y192C, F194L, P170S, D236N, L232F, V230A, and M227I) and four novel missense somatic mutations in GNA11 (R166C, I200T, S225F, and V206M) were found in our study. The high mutation frequency of Q209 and the novel missense mutations detected in this study suggest that GNAQ and GNA11 are common targets for somatic mutations in Chinese uveal melanoma.
Spectral fingerprints of facial affect processing bias in major depression disorder
Authors: Jiang Haiteng , Hua Lingling , Dai Zhongpeng , Tian Shui , Yao Zhijian , Lu Qing , Popov Tzvetan
Published: November 2019

In major depressive disorder (MDD), processing of facial affect is thought to reflect a perceptual bias (toward negative emotion, away from positive emotion, and interpretation of neutral as emotional). However, it is unclear to what extent and which specific perceptual bias is represented in MDD at the behavior and neuronal level. The present report examined 48 medication naive MDD patients and 41 healthy controls (HCs) performing a facial affect judgment task while magnetoencephalography was recorded. MDD patients were characterized by overall slower response times and lower perceptual judgment accuracies. In comparison with HC, MDD patients exhibited less somatosensory beta activity (20–30 Hz) suppression, more visual gamma activity (40–80 Hz) modulation and somatosensory beta and visual gamma interaction deficit. Moreover, frontal gamma activity during positive facial expression judgment was found to be negatively correlated with depression severity. Present findings suggest that perceptual bias in MDD is associated with distinct spatio-spectral manifestations on the neural level, which potentially establishes aberrant pathways during facial emotion processing and contributes to MDD pathology.
Electrophysiological features of sleep in children with Kir4.1 channel mutations and Autism–Epilepsy phenotype: a preliminary study
Authors: Cucchiara Federico , Frumento Paolo , Banfi Tommaso , Sesso Gianluca , Di Galante Marco , D’Ascanio Paola , Valvo Giulia , Sicca Federico , Faraguna Ugo
Published: November 2019

Study Objectives

Recently, a role for gain-of-function (GoF) mutations of the astrocytic potassium channel Kir4.1 (KCNJ10 gene) has been proposed in subjects with Autism–Epilepsy phenotype (AEP). Epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are common and complexly related to sleep disorders. We tested whether well characterized mutations in KCNJ10 could result in specific sleep electrophysiological features, paving the way to the discovery of a potentially relevant biomarker for Kir4.1-related disorders.

Methods

For this case–control study, we recruited seven children with ASD either comorbid or not with epilepsy and/or EEG paroxysmal abnormalities (AEP) carrying GoF mutations of KCNJ10 and seven children with similar phenotypes but wild-type for the same gene, comparing period-amplitude features of slow waves detected by fronto-central bipolar EEG derivations (F3-C3, F4-C4, and Fz-Cz) during daytime naps.

Results

Children with Kir4.1 mutations displayed longer slow waves periods than controls, in Fz-Cz (mean period = 112,617 ms ± SE = 0.465 in mutated versus mean period = 105,249 ms ± SE = 0.375 in controls, p < 0.001). An analog result was found in F3-C3 (mean period = 125,706 ms ± SE = 0.397 in mutated versus mean period = 120,872 ms ± SE = 0.472 in controls, p < 0.001) and F4-C4 (mean period = 127,914 ms ± SE = 0.557 in mutated versus mean period = 118,174 ms ± SE = 0.442 in controls, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This preliminary finding suggests that period-amplitude slow wave features are modified in subjects carrying Kir4.1 GoF mutations. Potential clinical applications of this finding are discussed.
Effectiveness in adapting the implementation of the Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) using real-world conditions
Authors: Garvin Teresa M , Chiappone Alethea , Weissenburger-Moser Boyd Lisa , Shuell Julie , Plumlee Catherine , Yaroch Amy L
Published: November 2019

The National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) was a multistate intervention that was highly effective in implementing best practices for healthy eating physical activity (HEPA) in early care and education (ECE) programs across the USA. The ECELC included didactic in-person learning sessions, technical assistance, and self-assessment-guided action planning. This study aimed to describe the effectiveness of adaptions to the self-assessments, learning sessions, and overall support, and also aimed to compare the effectiveness of each to the Original ECELC Model, when applicable. This study utilized a pre-poststudy design using data collected via the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) instrument for ECE programs that adapted the Original ECELC Model. Adaptations to the Original ECELC Model were found to promote best practices and policies with regard to Breastfeeding & Infant Feeding, Child Nutrition, Infant & Child Physical Activity, Outdoor Play & Learning, and/or Screen Time as demonstrated by the NAP SACC (p < .05), with some exceptions of nonstatistically significant increases. Improvements were found to be statistically similar to improvements made among participants of the Original ECELC Model. Partner-driven, scalable, and customizable policy- and practice-based interventions to promote HEPA among children in ECE settings may serve as a key strategy to work toward reducing risk for childhood obesity.
Workforce Composition and the Risk of Labor Market Exit Among Older Workers in Finnish Companies
Authors: Riekhoff Aart-Jan , Järnefelt Noora , Laaksonen Mikko
Published: November 2019

This article investigates how a firm’s workforce characteristics affect an individual’s timing of exit from the labor market. It analyzes the relations between the age, skill, and wage structures of companies and the risk of labor market exit of Finnish older workers by using the detailed longitudinal register-based Finnish Linked Employer–Employee Data. The study follows the Finnish working population born between 1942 and 1950 (N = 216,713). Multilevel discrete-time survival analysis with individuals nested in firms is applied to estimate the risk of permanent exit from work between the ages of 53 and 68. The results show that these risks differ between firms: greater diversity in age and education levels among the workforce as well as seniority-based wage systems within a firm decrease the propensity of early exit, while being employed at a firm with an older staff increases the risk of exit. The findings from interactions between individual- and firm-level characteristics further illustrate that one’s individual characteristics matter in relation to the characteristics of the overall firm’s workforce. Being dissimilar from one’s coworkers, especially in terms of skills and education, can reduce the risk of early exit.
Peter Artedi’s Catalogue of the fishes of the Baltic Sea: an English translation with an introduction and commentary
Authors: Aili Hans , Pietsch Theodore W
Published: November 2019

A manuscript catalogue of the fishes of the Baltic Sea, and of the rivers and lakes of Sweden, the only known original work of the Swedish ichthyologist Peter Artedi (1705‒35) by his own hand, is translated into English for the first time, and its contents assessed in light of Artedi’s contribution to the development and philosophy of Linnaean systematics. Appended accounts of Swedish cetaceans and terrestrial mammals are also discussed, as well as Artedi’s ‘principles of ichthyology’, the methodology later employed in his magnum opus, the Ichthyologia of 1738. Evidence that Artedi presented the manuscript to Sir Hans Sloane as a way to introduce himself during his visit to London in 1734 is also provided.
Exogenous Treatment with Glutamate Induces Immune Responses in Arabidopsis
Authors: Goto Yukihisa , Maki Noriko , Ichihashi Yasunori , Kitazawa Daisuke , Igarashi Daisuke , Kadota Yasuhiro , Shirasu Ken
Published: November 2019

Plant resistance inducers (PRIs) are compounds that protect plants from diseases by activating immunity responses. Exogenous treatment with glutamate (Glu), an important amino acid for all living organisms, induces resistance against fungal pathogens in rice and tomato. To understand the molecular mechanisms of Glu-induced immunity, we used the Arabidopsis model system. We found that exogenous treatment with Glu induces resistance against pathogens in Arabidopsis. Consistent with this, transcriptome analyses of Arabidopsis seedlings showed that Glu significantly induces the expression of wound-, defense-, and stress-related genes. Interestingly, Glu activates the expression of genes induced by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or damage-associated molecular patterns at much later time points than the flg22 peptide, which is a bacterial-derived PAMP. The Glu receptor-like (GLR) proteins GLR3.3 and GLR3.6 are involved in the early expression of Glu-inducible genes; however, the sustained expression of these genes does not require the GLR proteins. Glu-inducible gene expression is also not affected by mutations in genes that encode PAMP receptors (EFR, FLS2, and CERK1), regulators of pattern-triggered immunity (BAK1, BKK1, BIK1, and PBL1), or a salicylic acid biosynthesis enzyme (SID2). The treatment of roots with Glu activates the expression of PAMP-, salicylic acid-, and jasmonic acid-inducible genes in leaves. Moreover, the treatment of roots with Glu primes chitin-induced responses in leaves, possibly through transcriptional activation of LYSIN-MOTIF RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE 5 (LYK5), which encodes a chitin receptor. Because Glu treatment does not cause discernible growth retardation, Glu can be used as an effective PRI.
Trichothecium roseum Enters ‘Fuji’ Apple Cores Through Stylar Fissures
Authors: Dai Pengbo , Jiang Yuanyuan , Liang Xiaofei , Gleason Mark L. , Zhang Rong , Sun Guangyu
Published: November 2019

Apple core rot, an economically important disease worldwide, appears both before and during harvest. Current gaps in understanding of the infection cycle impede progress toward more effective management of this disease. The fungus Trichothecium roseum is the main pathogen of core rot on apple in China. In this study, we used fluorescent labeling to trace colonization of T. roseum in floral tissues, characterizing routes of penetration to the core of ‘Fuji’ apples. T. roseum infected petals, anthers, filaments, stigmas and separated styles of flowers, and floral debris served as inoculum for core infection. In field inoculations, T. roseum entered styles initially through stylar fissures and colonized pluricellular hairs of these fissures during early stages of fruit development. Subsequently, hyphae grew along the extending fissures, which are continuations of stylar fissures located between stylar bases and carpel cavities. The hyphae remained in the extending fissures from mid-June to late July. When fruit developed an open sinus in late July, the sinus eventually fused with extending fissures and carpel cavities in late August, hyphae invaded carpel cavities, and ultimately fruit flesh via cracks on carpel cavity walls. Our results revealed for the first time the routes by which T. roseum penetrates apple fruit, and provided significant insights for strategic management of core rot.
Detection of Viable Xanthomonas fragariae Cells in Strawberry Using Propidium Monoazide and Long-Amplicon Quantitative PCR
Authors: Wang Hehe , Turechek William W.
Published: November 2019

Xanthomonas fragariae causes angular leaf spot in strawberry. The pathogen’s association with its host tissue is thought to be a condition for its survival. Consequently, transmission of the pathogen to field production sites occurs almost exclusively through the movement of contaminated planting stock. The aim of this study was to develop a propidium monoazide (PMA)-quantitative PCR (qPCR) protocol for specific detection of viable X. fragariae cells. The qPCR procedure was developed for two different primer pairs: one producing a long amplicon (863 bp) and the other a short amplicon (61 bp). Both pairs were tested on mixtures of viable and heat-killed bacteria cells, bacteria-spiked strawberry petiole samples, and petioles collected from symptomatic, inoculated plants. The results showed that long-amplicon PMA-qPCR enabled specific and sensitive detection of X. fragariae with a detection limit of 103 CFU/ml, and it significantly improved PMA efficiency in differentiating viable from dead bacterial cells relative to short-amplicon PMA-qPCR. Based on the delta threshold cycle (Ct) values (i.e., the difference in Ct values between PMA-treated and nontreated samples), the long-amplicon PMA-qPCR was able to suppress the detection of dead X. fragariae cells 1.9- to 3.1-fold across all petiole samples tested. The quantification results from PMA-qPCR for mixtures of viable and dead cells were highly correlated with the predicted bacterial concentrations in a linear relationship (R2 = 0.981). This assay can be useful for identifying inoculum sources in the strawberry production cycle, which may lead to improved disease management strategies.
Primary cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma successfully treated with eribulin: a case report
Authors: Ota Shinichiro , Shimonaga Takashi , Yuki Shintaro , Kuraoka Kazuya , Ogawa Toshiya , Hirata Taizo
Published: November 2019

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma that typically occurs in children and adolescents and is rare in adults. Furthermore, as cardiac tumor is rare, adult cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma is a very rare entity. Here, we report the case of a 68-year-old woman with cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma who was successfully treated with eribulin. She presented with sudden loss of consciousness, which was attributed to the cardiac tumor. The tumor was resected by emergency surgery and was diagnosed as embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Although surgical treatment alleviated her symptoms, the residual tumor increased in size after surgery and required multimodal treatment. First-line chemotherapy with the vincristine, actinomycin D, and cyclophosphamide regimen had to be discontinued owing to adverse events, and thus eribulin was used as a second-line treatment. Eribulin was better tolerated and helped maintain a stable disease status for >18 months. This reported case of cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma is the first case to be successfully treated with eribulin over a relatively long period. Eribulin therapy may thus be a viable treatment alternative for rhabdomyosarcoma.
Chrysin Alleviates Chronic Hypoxia–Induced Pulmonary Hypertension by Reducing Intracellular Calcium Concentration in Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Dong Fang , Zhang Jun , Zhu Shun , Lan Ting , Yang Jinbo , Li Linqing
Published: November 2019

Chrysin (CH), the main ingredient of many medicinal plants, has been reported to be a very potent flavonoid possessing a large number of pharmacological activities. Recent studies have shown that CH significantly improves hemodynamic parameters such as right ventricular pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling in a rat model of chronic hypoxia–induced pulmonary hypertension (CHPH). These improvements are through the inhibition of NOX4 expression, reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde production, pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation, and collagen accumulation. In this study, we investigated another mechanism by which CH alleviates CHPH by regulating intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in PASMCs, as well as the underlying signaling pathway. The results show that (1) in CHPH model rats, CH substantially attenuated elevated right ventricular pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling; (2) in cultured rat distal PASMCs, CH inhibited the hypoxia-triggered promotion of cell proliferation, store-operated Ca2+ entry and [Ca2+]i; and (3) CH significantly suppressed the hypoxia-upregulated HIF-1α, BMP4, TRPC1, and TRPC6 expression in distal pulmonary arteries (PAs) and cultured rat distal PASMCs. These results indicate that CH likely exerts its CHPH protective activity by regulating [Ca2+]i, which may result from the downregulation of HIF-1α, BMP4, TRPC1, and TRPC in PASMCs.
A Narrative Review of Movement-Based Mind-Body Interventions
Authors: Park Juyoung , Krause-Parello Cheryl A. , Barnes Chrisanne M.
Published: November 2019

This narrative literature review evaluated the effects of movement-based mind-body interventions (MMBIs; yoga, tai chi, and qigong) on low back pain. A search of databases was conducted to identify relevant studies. Thirty-two articles met inclusion criteria and were included for this narrative review. Of the reviewed studies, the highest number focused on yoga intervention (n = 25), 4 focused on qigong, and 3 focused on tai chi in managing back pain. The selected articles showed MMBI to be effective for treatment of low back pain, reporting positive outcomes such as reduction in pain or psychological distress (eg, depression and anxiety), and improved functional ability. However, little is known about the effects of MMBI, in particular qigong and tai chi. More clinical trials are needed to determine how to reduce back pain, improve physical function, and minimize behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with low back pain. Nurse practitioners may introduce such mind-body interventions for managing pain, especially for patients at high risk for adverse effects from pharmacological treatment, and refer them to a yoga therapist, tai-chi instructor, or qigong instructor.