bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contextual and historical factors for increased levels of anxiety and depression in patients with head and neck cancer: A prospective longitudinal study
Authors: Henry Melissa , Fuehrmann Fabienne , Hier Michael , Zeitouni Anthony , Kost Karen , Richardson Keith , Mlynarek Alex , Black Martin , MacDonald Christina , Chartier Gabrielle , Zhang Xun , Rosberger Zeev , Frenkiel Saul
Published: March 2019

Background

This study aimed at examining predictors of clinical anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) at 3, 6, and 12 months post‐diagnosis, with a particular interest in contextual and historical factors.

Methods

Prospective longitudinal study of 219 consecutive patients newly diagnosed with a first occurrence of primary HNC, including psychometric measures, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV Diagnoses (SCID), and medical chart reviews.

Results

Point prevalence of clinical anxiety symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale‐Anxiety subscale) was 32.0%, 21.9%, 12.1%, and 12.6% at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months; and clinical depressive symptoms on the Depression Subscale was 19.4%, 21.9%, 13.5%, and 9.2%, respectively. Predictors of anxiety and depressive symptoms included upon diagnosis SCID major depressive or anxiety disorder, stressful life events in previous year, neuroticism, and levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms upon cancer diagnosis.

Conclusions

This study emphasizes the predictive contribution of broader personal contextual and historical factors that increase psychological vulnerability in HNC and merit consideration.
CA3 place cells that represent a novel waking experience are preferentially reactivated during sharp wave‐ripples in subsequent sleep
Authors: Hwaun Ernie , Colgin Laura Lee
Published: March 2019

A popular model of memory consolidation posits that recent memories stored in the hippocampus are reactivated during sleep and thereby transferred to neocortex for long‐term storage. This process is thought to occur during sharp wave‐ripples (SWRs) in nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREM). However, whether the hippocampus consolidates all recent memories in the same manner remains unclear. An efficient memory system may extract novel information from recent experiences for preferential consolidation. In the hippocampus, memories are thought to be stored initially in CA3. Therefore, CA3 place cells that encode novel experiences may be preferentially reactivated during SWRs in subsequent sleep. To test this hypothesis, we recorded CA3 place cells in rats during exposure to a familiar and a novel environment and during subsequent overnight sleep. We found that CA3 place cells that preferentially coded a novel environment showed larger firing rate increases during SWRs in NREM than place cells that preferentially coded a familiar environment. Moreover, CA3 place cell ensembles replayed trajectories from a novel environment during NREM with higher fidelity than trajectories from a familiar environment. Together, these results suggest that CA3 representations of novel experiences are preferentially processed during subsequent sleep.
Multisite analysis of high‐grade serous epithelial ovarian cancers identifies genomic regions of focal and recurrent copy number alteration in 3q26.2 and 8q24.3
Authors: Ballabio Sara , Craparotta Ilaria , Paracchini Lara , Mannarino Laura , Corso Silvia , Pezzotta Maria Grazia , Vescio Martina , Fruscio Robert , Romualdi Chiara , Dainese Emanuele , Ceppi Lorenzo , Calura Enrica , Pileggi Silvana , Siravegna Giulia , Pattini Linda , Martini Paolo , delle Marchette Martina , Mangioni Costantino , Ardizzoia Antonio , Pellegrino Antonio , Landoni Fabio , D'Incalci Maurizio , Beltrame Luca , Marchini Sergio
Published: March 2019

High‐grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer (HGS‐EOC) is a systemic disease, with marked intra and interpatient tumor heterogeneity. The issue of spatial and temporal heterogeneity has long been overlooked, hampering the possibility to identify those genomic alterations that persist, before and after therapy, in the genome of all tumor cells across the different anatomical districts. This knowledge is the first step to clarify those molecular determinants that characterize the tumor biology of HGS‐EOC and their route toward malignancy. In our study, ‐omics data were generated from 79 snap frozen matched tumor biopsies, withdrawn before and after chemotherapy from 24 HGS‐EOC patients, gathered together from independent cohorts. The landscape of somatic copy number alterations depicts a more homogenous and stable genomic portrait than the single nucleotide variant profile. Genomic identification of significant targets in cancer analysis identified two focal and minimal common regions (FMCRs) of amplification in the cytoband 3q26.2 (region α, 193 kb long) and 8q24.3 (region β, 495 kb long). Analysis in two external databases confirmed regions α and β are features of HGS‐EOC. The MECOM gene is located in region α, and 15 genes are in region β. No functional data are yet available for the genes in the β region. In conclusion, we have identified for the first time two FMCRs of amplification in HGS‐EOC, opening up a potential biological role in its etiopathogenesis.
A comparison of sources of baseline data for treatments of problem behavior following a functional analysis
Authors: Scheithauer Mindy , Schebell Shannon M. , Mevers Joanna Lomas , Martin Clarissa P. , Noell George , Suiter Kerri C. , Call Nathan A.
Published: March 2019

It is common practice in research on the treatment of problem behavior to compare levels of targeted behaviors during treatment to levels when treatment is not in place. Some researchers use data collected as part of a multielement functional analysis as the initial baseline, whereas others collect new baseline data following completion of the functional analysis. We evaluated whether the source of baseline data influences the reliability and efficiency of decision‐making. Results suggest that similar decisions are made in regard to treatment efficacy using the different sources of baseline data, but using data from a multielement functional analysis as baseline may save time. Interrater agreement was adequate, but lower for some graphs than has been observed in past studies. Several potential explanations for this discrepancy are discussed.
LeukocyteMask: An automated localization and segmentation method for leukocyte in blood smear images using deep neural networks
Authors: Fan Haoyi , Zhang Fengbin , Xi Liang , Li Zuoyong , Liu Guanghai , Xu Yong
Published: March 2019

Digital pathology and microscope image analysis is widely used in comprehensive studies of cell morphology. Identification and analysis of leukocytes in blood smear images, acquired from bright field microscope, are vital for diagnosing many diseases such as hepatitis, leukaemia and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The major challenge for robust and accurate identification and segmentation of leukocyte in blood smear images lays in the large variations of cell appearance such as size, colour and shape of cells, the adhesion between leukocytes (white blood cells, WBCs) and erythrocytes (red blood cells, RBCs), and the emergence of substantial dyeing impurities in blood smear images. In this paper, an end‐to‐end leukocyte localization and segmentation method is proposed, named LeukocyteMask, in which pixel‐level prior information is utilized for supervisor training of a deep convolutional neural network, which is then employed to locate the region of interests (ROI) of leukocyte, and finally segmentation mask of leukocyte is obtained based on the extracted ROI by forward propagation of the network. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the propose method and both the quantitative and qualitative comparisons with existing methods indicate that LeukocyteMask achieves a state‐of‐the‐art performance for the segmentation of leukocyte in terms of robustness and accuracy

.
Risk of hypotensive reactions is increased when using partial saline replacement for therapeutic plasma exchange
Authors: Irani Mehraboon S. , Toushan Mazen , Zhang Liyun , Simpson Pippa M. , Karafin Matthew S.
Published: March 2019

Background

Partial normal saline replacement during plasma exchange procedures is a common practice to reduce procedure costs but may increase the risk of adverse events, such as hypotension and citrate reactions. The goal of this study was to compare adverse event rates for the patients that used albumin or albumin/saline as replacement.

Study Design and Methods

A retrospective chart review was done of plasma exchange procedures that used all albumin or 80% albumin to 20% normal saline (80/20) as replacement. The procedure type (all albumin vs 80/20), the percent of normal saline used, age, gender, and adverse events during the procedure were recorded.

Results

During the study period, 3624 procedures were documented for 401 patients (46% female), age range 0 to 93 years, of which 2453 (67.7%) used 80/20. Overall 91 procedures (2.5%) resulted in a hypotensive event, 26 (0.7%) of which were classified as moderate to severe hypotension, and 40 (1.1%) had reported citrate toxicity. After adjusting for age, gender, and diagnosis using a generalized linear mixed model and backward model selection, results showed that 100% albumin had a significantly lower risk of having hypotension than 80/20 (odds ratio (OR): 0.531 [0.298, 0.946], P = 0.032) and moderate to severe hypotension (odds ratio: 0.140 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.031, 0.628], P = 0.010). Older age was also predictive of having hypotensive reactions (OR[95%CI] = 1.017,[1.0, 1.034], P = 0.047).

Conclusion

Partial saline use as a replacement fluid with albumin during plasma exchange is associated with an increased risk of hypotension. Use of saline as replacement fluid during plasma exchange should be minimized especially in older patients.
A Boundary‐Integral Approach for the Poisson–Boltzmann Equation with Polarizable Force Fields
Authors: Cooper Christopher D.
Published: March 2019

Implicit‐solvent models are widely used to study the electrostatics in dissolved biomolecules, which are parameterized using force fields. Standard force fields treat the charge distribution with point charges; however, other force fields have emerged which offer a more realistic description by considering polarizability. In this work, we present the implementation of the polarizable and multipolar force field atomic multipole optimized energetics for biomolecular applications (AMOEBA), in the boundary integral Poisson–Boltzmann solver PyGBe. Previous work from other researchers coupled AMOEBA with the finite‐difference solver APBS, and found difficulties to effectively transfer the multipolar charge description to the mesh. A boundary integral formulation treats the charge distribution analytically, overlooking such limitations. This becomes particularly important in simulations that need high accuracy, for example, when the quantity of interest is the difference between solvation energies obtained from separate calculations, like happens for binding energy. We present verification and validation results of our software, compare it with the implementation on APBS, and assess the efficiency of AMOEBA and classical point‐charge force fields in a Poisson–Boltzmann solver. We found that a boundary integral approach performs similarly to a volumetric method on CPU. Also, we present a GPU implementation of our solver. Moreover, with a boundary element method, the mesh density to correctly resolve the electrostatic potential is the same for standard point‐charge and multipolar force fields. Finally, we saw that for binding energy calculations, a boundary integral approach presents more consistent results than a finite difference approximation for multipolar force fields. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ultrasound‐guided percutaneous treatment of volar radiocarpal ganglion cysts: Safety and efficacy
Authors: Gitto Salvatore , Lee Susan C. , Miller Theodore T.
Published: March 2019

Purpose

To determine the safety and efficacy of ultrasound (US)‐guided percutaneous treatment of volar radiocarpal ganglion cysts.

Methods

The institutional review board approved the retrospective study of patients referred for US‐guided percutaneous treatment of a volar radiocarpal ganglion cyst over a 5‐year period. Treatment consisted of a combination of aspiration, lavage using anesthetic, wall fenestration, and steroid injection. Intraprocedural imaging and procedure notes were reviewed. Followup information was retrieved from postprocedure electronic medical records.

Results

Eighty‐eight patients comprised our study group. Complete decompression of the ganglion cyst was achieved in 92% of cases immediately after treatment. There were no instances of hematoma or infection. Of 38 patients with available followup information, 66% had a ganglion cyst recurrence at a median time of 9 months, regardless of their initial size or the injection of steroids. Cysts with internal septa had a statistically significantly higher rate of recurrence (P = 0.033).

Conclusions

US‐guided percutaneous treatment of volar radiocarpal ganglion cysts is safe and ensures immediate decompression in most cases. However, cysts may recur, even after steroid injection or lavage.
Esophageal manometry, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and duodenal mucosal histopathology in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Adarsh MB , Sharma Shefali K , Prasad Kaushal K , Dhir Varun , Singh Surjit , Sinha Saroj K
Published: March 2019

Background and Aim

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is known to involve the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, resulting in dysmotility, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and mucosal changes causing significant morbidity. The study aimed to assess esophageal motility and duodenal mucosal changes in SSc.

Methods

This is a prospective, cross‐sectional, single‐center study of 23 patients with SSc diagnosed on the basis of standard criteria. Clinical details including the GI symptoms were recorded. All of them underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with duodenal biopsy, and 21 underwent esophageal manometry.

Results

Regurgitation, heartburn, and dysphagia were seen in 19 (82%), 16 (69%), and 10 (43%) patients, respectively. On endoscopy, 19 patients (83%) showed changes of reflux esophagitis (4 had grade C esophagitis), and 3 had esophageal candidiasis. Of the 21 patients who underwent esophageal manometry, 13 (62%) had absent peristalsis, 6 (28%) had ineffective peristalsis, and 10 (48%) had hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Duodenal biopsy showed partial villous atrophy in 9 (39%) patients, increased intraepithelial lymphocytes in 18 (78%), and excess of mononuclear inflammatory cells in lamina propria in 21 (91%). Partial villous atrophy was seen more commonly in those with abnormal esophageal peristalsis and a hypotensive LES.

Conclusion

Most of the patients with SSc had esophageal dysmotility in the form of absent peristalsis, ineffective esophageal peristalsis, and hypotensive LES. Histology of descending duodenum demonstrated partial villous atrophy and chronic inflammatory infiltrates in most of the patients with SSc.
Effect and mechanism of citral against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus in vivo
Authors: Long Nana , Tang Huaqiao , Sun Fenghui , Lin Lin , Dai Min
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

Citral is an active component of many plant extracts, and it is a safe additive used in food and cosmetics. A previous study showed that citral has a good antibacterial effect against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in vitro, but its in vivo anti‐infective activity has not been studied. Anti‐MRSA activity and the preliminary mechanism of citral against MRSA were investigated in MRSA‐infected KM mice. The ED50 was calculated using Karber's method. Groups were selected for inflammatory and oxidative stress level tests, and lung and liver tissues were counterstained with HE for detection of pathological changes. Cytokines and oxidative factors were evaluated using the ELISA method (one‐way ANOVA computed using SPSS 19.0.).

RESULTS

With the increase in the concentration of citral, the survival rate of MRSA‐infected mice increased accordingly. The ED50 values of citral for intramuscular injection and intragastric administration were 0.09 and 0.26 g kg−1 respectively. Citral significantly reduced cytokines (IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α) and oxidative factors (malondialdehyde and hydroxyl radicals) of MRSA‐infected mice, whereas it increased gluthtione and superoxide dismutase levels. Citral can reduce the lung inflammatory infiltrates infected by MRSA.

CONCLUSIONS

Citral exerted a dose‐dependent anti‐MRSA effect and ameliorated MRSA‐induced abnormal changes in inflammation and oxidative stress. This indicates that citral has the potential for development as a new anti‐MRSA drug. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Effects of different oenological techniques on the elaboration of adequate base wines for red sparkling wine production: phenolic composition, sensory properties and foam parameters
Authors: González‐Lázaro Miriam , Martínez‐Lapuente Leticia , Palacios Antonio , Guadalupe Zenaida , Ayestarán Belén , Bueno‐Herrera Marta , de la Cuesta Pedro López , Pérez‐Magariño Silvia
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

In red sparkling winemaking it is essential to obtain base wines with moderate alcohol content, adequate mouthfeel and color intensity. The aim of this work was to study oenological techniques to obtain adequate base wines for production of red sparkling wine by traditional methods: pre‐fermentative cold maceration with dry ice and délestage with premature grapes; and sugar reduction in must and partial dealcoholisation of wine with mature grapes. The effect on oenological parameters, e.g. phenolic content, foam and sensory characteristics, was studied in sparkling wines aged on the lees in bottles for 9 months followed by aging for12 months in bottles after disgorging.

RESULTS

Pre‐fermentative cold maceration was the only treatment that increased the content of anthocyanins in sparkling wines at both stages of aging. Sparkling wines elaborated using délestage showed the highest mean values of the degree of polymerization of proanthocyanidins. Sparkling wines from mature grapes were given higher valuation in the gustatory phase. Sparkling wines elaborated using pre‐fermentative cold maceration were given the highest valuation for foam quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Pre‐fermentative cold maceration is a viable alternative to common techniques for increasing the anthocyanin content in wines from premature grapes. It would therefore be a good option to obtain adequate base wines. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Supporting a Spouse With Military Posttraumatic Stress: Daily Associations With Partners’ Affect
Authors: Carter Sarah P. , Giff Sarah T. , Campbell Sarah B. , Renshaw Keith D.
Published: March 2019

Service members and veterans (SM/Vs) with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can receive significant benefits from social support by a spouse or romantic partner. However, little is known about how providing support impacts partners. This study sought to identify (a) how provision of support is associated with partners’ daily negative and positive affect and (b) how SM/Vs’ PTSD symptom severity might moderate such associations. In a 14‐day daily‐diary study that assessed 64 couples in which one member was an SM/V with PTSD symptoms, partners reported nightly on whether or not they provided instrumental support and/or emotional support that day as well as their current negative and positive affect. Multilevel modeling showed that the provision of emotional and instrumental support were both significantly related to partners’ lower levels of negative affect, f 2 = 0.09, and higher levels of positive affect, f 2 = 0.03, on that same day but not the next day. The positive same‐day effects were seen if any support was given, with no additive effects when both types of support were provided. Severity of SM/V PTSD moderated the association between provision of emotional support and lower same‐day negative affect such that the association was significant only when PTSD symptoms were more severe. Overall, these findings indicate that support provision to a partner with PTSD is associated with improved affect for the romantic partner providing support. However, given that only same‐day affect was associated with support, the findings may also suggest that positive affect increases the provision of support.
Pretreatment triglycerides‐to‐high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in postmenopausal women with endometrial cancer
Authors: Luo Yu‐Zhen , Yang Zheng , Qiu Yu‐Ling , Li Xiao‐Hong , Qin Liu‐Qun , Su Qi‐Sheng , Mo Wu‐Ning
Published: March 2019

Raised triglycerides (TG) and reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐c) are components of metabolic syndrome. Both high TG and metabolic syndrome have been reported to be risk factors of endometrial cancer. Therefore, triglycerides‐to‐high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL‐c ratio) may be a useful biological indicator in managing endometrial cancer. We aimed to explore the association between pretreatment TG/HDL‐c ratio and endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women, and to evaluate its potential role in the disease. Pretreatment serum lipid profile and TG/HDL‐c ratio were retrospectively analyzed for 167 postmenopausal women with endometrial cancer and 464 matched noncancer controls. Compared with controls, pretreatment TG/HDL‐c ratio in endometrial cancer patients significantly elevated regardless of whether patients had diabetes or overweight/obesity (P < 0.05). Further analyses showed that pretreatment TG/HDL‐c ratio increased significantly with advanced tumor stage. Interestingly, TG/HDL‐c ratio of type I endometrial cancer patients was higher than those with type II endometrial cancer. A positive association was found between pretreatment TG/HDL‐c ratio and tumor stage (adjustedr= 0.176, P =0.027) in endometrial cancer group. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis yielded the cut‐off value of 1.52 for TG/HDL‐c ratio to discriminate patients with cancer from controls (area under the curve, 0.689; sensitivity, 51.5%; specificity, 84.1%). Multivariate logistic regression model identified TG/HDL‐c ratio ≥ 1.52 (odds ratio = 4.123;P< 0.001) as an independent predictor of endometrial cancer. TG/HDL‐c ratio was positively associated with endometrial cancer clinical features, such as tumor stage and pathogenetic type. Accordingly, pretreatment TG/HDL‐c ratio might be a potential marker for endometrial cancer.
New Bio‐Polyamides from Terpenes: α‐Pinene and (+)‐3‐Carene as Valuable Resources for Lactam Production
Authors: Stockmann Paul N. , Pastoetter Dominik L. , Woelbing Marion , Falcke Claudia , Winnacker Malte , Strittmatter Harald , Sieber Volker
Published: March 2019

The synthesis and polymerization of two β‐lactams and two ε‐lactams derived from the terpenes α‐pinene and (+)‐3‐carene are reported. The new biopolymers can be considered as polyamide 2 (PA2) and polyamide 6 (PA6)‐types with aliphatic stereoregular side chains, which lead to remarkable new properties. The macromolecules are investigated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and infrared (IR). The (+)‐3‐carene‐derived PA6‐type is of particular interest, since it reaches a molecular weight of over 30 kDa, which is the highest value for lactam‐based polyamides derived from terpenes reported to date. Additionally, a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 120 °C is observed, surpassing the glass transition temperature of PA6 by 60 °C. The absence of a melting point (Tm) indicates high amorphicity, another novelty for terpene‐based polyamides, which might give transparent bio‐polyamides access to new fields of application.
The antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity of a multidrug‐resistant Elizabethkingia anophelis isolate
Authors: Wang Mingxi , Gao Hongzhi , Lin Nanfei , Zhang Yaping , Huang Nan , Walker Edward D. , Ming Desong , Chen Shicheng , Hu Shaohua
Published: March 2019

Elizabethkingia anophelis 12012‐2 PRCM was isolated from a patient with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and lower respiratory tract infection in China. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) analysis demonstrated that it was resistant to 20 antibiotics including trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin, which were effective for the elimination of other Elizabethkingia infections. To investigate multidrug resistance and pathogenicity mechanisms, we analyzed genome features of 12012‐2 PRCM and compared them to the other Elizabethkingia species. The draft genome size was 4.02 Mb with a GC content of 32%, comparable to that of other E. anophelis strains. Phylogenetic analysis showed that E. anophelis 12012‐2 PRCM formed a sister group with E. anophelis 502, distinct from clades formed by other clinical and environmental E. anophelis isolates. E. anophelis 12012‐2 PRCM contained multiple copies of β‐lactamase genes as well as genes predicted to function in antimicrobial efflux. It also contained 92 genes that were potentially involved in virulence, disease, and defense, and were associated with resistance and pathogenicity. Comparative genomic analysis showed high homology among three clinical and two environmental E. anophelis strains having a variety of similar antibiotic resistance and virulence factor genes, and similar genomic structure. Applications of this analysis will contribute to understanding the antibiotic resistance and pathogenic mechanisms of E. anophelis infections, which will assist in the management of infections as it increases in prevalence.
Sodium butyrate and panobinostat induce apoptosis of chronic myeloid leukemia cells via multiple pathways
Authors: Jia Xiaoyuan , Zheng Yinsuo , Guo Yanzi , Chen Kan
Published: March 2019

Purpose

Histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACI) is a novel therapeutic option for cancer. However, the effects of HDACIs on chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and the mechanism‐of‐action of two HDACI members, sodium butyrate (NaBu) and panobinostat (LBH589) in K562 and the adriamycin–resistant cell line K562/ADR.

Methods

Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was detected with flow cytometry. Cell cycle analysis and western blot were performed to explore the possible molecules related to HDACIs effects.

Results

The effect of NaBu was more powerful on K562/ADR than on K562 cells. LBH589 triggered apoptosis and inhibited the growth of K562 cells. Both HDACIs inhibited K562 and K562/ADR cells via activation of intrinsic/extrinsic apoptotic pathways and inhibition of AKT‐mTOR pathway while NaBu also activated endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) mediated apoptotic pathway in K562/ADR cells. LBH589 reduced the expression of drug–resistant related proteins in K562 cells. However, neither NaBu nor LBH589 could significantly influence the expression of the drug–resistant related proteins in K562/ADR cells.

Conclusion

The combination of HDACI and other therapeutic strategies are likely required to overcome drug resistance in CML therapy.
Nerve transfer from the median to musculocutaneous nerve to induce active elbow flexion in selected cases of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita
Authors: Hagemann Christian , Stücker Ralf , Breyer Sandra , Kunkel Philip O. S.
Published: March 2019

Background

Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) is a rare disease which affects mainly upper and lower extremities. Affected patients are not able to eat unassisted due to elbow contracture and nonexistent active elbow flexion. In traumatic brachial plexus palsies, a nerve transfer from either median or ulnar nerve to the musculocutaneous nerve has proved to induce active elbow flexion, and we report our results of such a procedure in a nontraumatic condition, that is, arthrogryposis.

Methods

We selected four patients with AMC type 1 (6 extremities, 2 males, 2 females) diagnosed with AMC presenting to our institution shortly after birth from 2014 to 2016 to perform a nerve transfer from the median nerve to the musculocutaneous nerve in order to induce active elbow flexion. The indication of application of this surgical procedure was based on active finger and wrist flexion, limited contracture of elbow joints and evidence of flexing muscle fibers detected by sonography.

Results

Five nerve transfers were conducted with a follow up of 2–5 years. Two extremities reached active elbow flexion motorgrade M4, two M3, and one M1 at latest follow up. One patient developed a postoperative suture granuloma. One nerve transfer was abandoned due to neuroanatomic variation. One extremity was treated with botulinum toxin in triceps muscle in addition to the nerve transfer.

Conclusions

In this series of selected cases of AMC Type 1 we were able to induce active elbow flexion using a nerve transfer technique developed for traumatic and obstetric brachial plexus palsies. In four extremities the procedure achieved independent hand‐to‐mouth active elbow flexion. Level of evidence four.
Synchronization of fractional‐order chaotic systems with disturbances via novel fractional‐integer integral sliding mode control and application to neuron models
Authors: Vafaei Vajiheh , Kheiri Hossein , Akbarfam Aliasghar Jodayree
Published: March 2019

In this paper, a novel fractional‐integer integral type sliding mode technique for control and generalized function projective synchronization of different fractional‐order chaotic systems with different dimensions in the presence of disturbances is presented. When the upper bounds of the disturbances are known, a sliding mode control rule is proposed to insure the existence of the sliding motion in finite time. Furthermore, an adaptive sliding mode control is designed when the upper bounds of the disturbances are unknown. The stability analysis of sliding mode surface is given using the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, the results performed for synchronization of three‐dimensional fractional‐order chaotic Hindmarsh‐Rose (HR) neuron model and two‐dimensional fractional‐order chaotic FitzHugh‐Nagumo (FHN) neuron model.
A Keller‐Segel‐fluid system with singular sensitivity: Generalized solutions
Authors: Black Tobias , Lankeit Johannes , Mizukami Masaaki
Published: March 2019

In bounded smooth domains
, N ∈ {2,3}, we consider the Keller‐Segel‐Stokes system

urn:x-wiley:mma:media:mma5561:mma5561-math-0002
and prove global existence of generalized solutions if

urn:x-wiley:mma:media:mma5561:mma5561-math-0003
These solutions are such that blow‐up into a persistent Dirac‐type singularity is excluded.
Klein‐Gordon‐Zakharov system in energy space: Blow‐up profile and subsonic limit
Authors: Shi Qihong , Wang Shu
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we prove finite‐time blowup in energy space for the three‐dimensional Klein‐Gordon‐Zakharov (KGZ) system by modified concavity method. We obtain the blow‐up rates of solutions in local and global space, respectively. In addition, by using the energy convergence, we study the subsonic limit of the Cauchy problem for KGZ system and prove that any finite energy solution converges to the corresponding solution of Klein‐Gordon equation in energy space.
On global solutions of gravity driven nonhomogeneous viscous flows in a bounded domain
Authors: Wang Na , Hu Yuxi
Published: March 2019

We consider an initial boundary value problem for nonhomogeneous Navier‐Stokes equations with a uniform gravitational field. For any given steady density profile whose derivatives are sufficiently close to a negative constant, we show that there exists a unique global solution if the initial perturbation with respect to the steady state is sufficiently small.
GC‐(4→8)‐GCG, A Proanthocyanidin Dimer from Camellia ptilophylla, Modulates Obesity and Adipose Tissue Inflammation in High‐Fat Diet Induced Obese Mice
Authors: Peng Jinming , Jia Yan , Hu Tianyong , Du Jing , Wang Yue , Cheng Baohui , Li Kaikai
Published: March 2019

Scope

Excessive fat accumulation in adipose tissue leads to obesity and related chronic inflammation. This study aims to examine the effects of gallocatechin ‐(4→8)‐gallocatechin‐3‐O‐gallate (GC‐(4→8)‐GCG), a main proanthocyanidin dimer from Camellia ptilophylla (Cocoa tea), on adipocyte‐ and adipose‐related inflammation in vivo and in vitro.

Methods and results

C57BL/6 mice are fed a high‐fat diet (HFD) and GC‐(4→8)‐GCG (40 or 80 mg kg−1 d−1) for 8 weeks. The metabolic profiles, adipose tissue hypertrophy, macrophage infiltration, and inflammatory cytokine production are investigated. Additionally, 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes are utilized to investigate the effect of GC‐(4→8)‐GCG on preadipocyte differentiation and the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α‐stimulated inflammatory response in vitro. GC‐(4→8)‐GCG supplementation decreases HFD‐induced epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) hypertrophy, suppresses proinflammatory cytokine production and macrophage infiltration in eWAT, and improves insulin sensitivity in HFD‐induced obese mice. In vitro, GC‐(4→8)‐GCG shows a strong anti‐adipogenic potential in 3T3‐L1 preadipocyte by inhibiting the expression of key adipogenic transcription factors and decreasing the production of proinflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the activation of the nuclear factor (NF)‐κB, Janus tyrosine kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT3) and mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways.

Conclusion

GC‐(4→8)‐GCG can modulate obesity and improve obesity‐related insulin resistance by inhibiting preadipocyte differentiation and the related proinflammatory responses.
Design of dual band MIMO antenna with improved isolation
Authors: Pasumarthi Srinivasa Rao , Kamili Jagadeesh Babu , Avala Mallikarjuna Prasad
Published: March 2019

A compact dual band multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) antenna was proposed. It resonates at 5.93 and 7.68 GHz. A 2 × 1 MIMO antenna with edge to edge distance of λ0/25 (f = 5.93 GHz) developed and its performance is evaluated in terms of mutual coupling using three techniques: (a) defected ground structure (DGS), (b) asymmetrical coplanar strips (ACPS), and (c) combination of DGS and ACPS. Results show that with DGS mutual coupling (S21) is reduced by −30.61 dB at 5.93 GHz and −29.5 dB at 7.68 GHz. Using ACPS mutual coupling (S21) is reduced by −27.91 dB at 5.93 GHz and −47 dB at 7.68 GHz. With ACPS and DGS mutual coupling (S21) is reduced by −58 dB at 5.93 GHz and −28.65 dB at 7.68 GHz. Its performance is also evaluated in terms of radiation patterns, VSWR, envelope correlation coefficient, and diversity gain.
Predictors of psychological distress in low‐income mothers over the first postpartum year
Authors: Adynski Harry , Zimmer Catherine , Thorp John , Santos Hudson P
Published: March 2019

Up to 25% of postpartum women experience psychological distress including stress, depressive, or anxiety symptoms during the postpartum period. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which social determinants of health and allostatic load score, a 10‐item index of biologic measures of chronic stress, predict psychological distress in low‐income pregnant women over the first postpartum year. We conducted a secondary data analysis of the Child Community Health Research Network data set. The psychological distress outcome variables were perceived stress (n = 842), depression (
n = 845), and anxiety (
n = 846) symptoms, all measured categorically over the first year postpartum (T1:1 month, T2: 24–29 weeks, and T3: 50–65 weeks). Our predictors were social determinants of health (e.g., demographics, maternal hardship, percent poverty level, interpersonal violence, and food security) and allostatic load score. Generalized linear mixed models were used to determine which predictors were significantly associated with psychological distress symptoms across the first postpartum year. Interpersonal violence was a statistically significant risk factor for stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms over the first year postpartum. Other significant risk factors included low‐income level, nativity, and perceived food security. Receiving food stamps was a significant protective factor for stress symptoms. The significance of risk factors for psychological distress, both modifiable and nonmodifiable, can be used as potential targets for further research, screening, and intervention. Future work should explore why and in what conditions these risk factors vary over time.
Palaeodiet inferred from pre‐Hispanic and early colonial human remains from Carrizales, Zaña Valley, Peru
Authors: Turner Bethany L. , VanValkenburgh Parker , Lee Kristina E. , Schaefer Benjamin J.
Published: March 2019

This study utilises multi‐isotopic analysis to reconstruct diet and source‐water consumption from human remains collected at Carrizales, in the Zaña Valley of northern coastal Peru. Carrizales is a multicomponent site that encompasses the remains of (a) Early Intermediate Period (200–800 CE) cemeteries (Conjuntos 126 and 127), (b) Late Sicán/Lambayeque period (ca. 1100–1350 CE) domestic occupations (Conjuntos 125, 128, and 131), and (c) a planned town (reducción) into which indigenous people were resettled under Spanish rule, ca. 1572 CE (Conjunto 123). Faunal and botanical assemblages at the site differ significantly between the Late Sicán/Lambayeque and early colonial phases, suggesting a distinct shift in local subsistence regimes following Spanish colonisation and resettlement.

Human remains were collected from Carrizales for the characterisation of dietary isotopes and further examination of the impacts of Spanish colonialism on native foodways. Carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope values were characterised in the enamel carbonate, bone carbonate, and bone collagen of individuals associated with Early Intermediate Period contexts (N = 4) and the late 16th century chapel within the site's reducción (N = 21). Over half of the study sample failed to produce viable bone collagen, an issue that is common in bioarchaeological samples from the north coast of Peru. However, among those with viable bone collagen and carbonate, there were minimal differences in δ13C, δ18O, and δ15N values between the two phases. This extends to values in enamel carbonate, which is highly resistant to diagenesis. Therefore, patterns in isotope values do not mirror the significant differences manifest in food remains from Carrizales. We suggest that (a) the diets of Early Intermediate Period individuals and Early Colonial period individuals buried at the site were quite similar, contrasting with the patterns indicated by Late Intermediate Period food remains, and (b) both populations obtained water from similar sources—a pattern that reinforces the characterisation of reducción in the Zaña Valley as a relatively local phenomenon in which nearby populations were concentrated into planned towns, rather than drawn from distant valleys.
Indigenous peoples’ habitation history drives present‐day forest biodiversity in British Columbia's coastal temperate rainforest
Authors: Fisher Julia A. , Shackelford Nancy , Hocking Morgan D. , Trant Andrew J. , Starzomski Brian M.
Published: March 2019

Long‐term human habitation has transformed the earth's surface. The combination of time and complex human–environment interactions in remote regions of North America has likely resulted in modified landscapes, though we often consider these regions free of human influence due to the absence of industrial development.

We examined long‐term impacts of human resource‐use on British Columbia's coastal rainforest communities. We focused on the region's widespread habitation sites with extensive shell middens to test the legacy of ancient human occupation in present‐day plant communities.

Ten habitation sites and 10 control sites in similar locales were selected for floristic surveys and soil sampling. We tested whether plant communities at habitation sites reflected a ‘cultural plant‐use legacy’, with greater presence of culturally significant plant species, and/or a ‘marine nutrient subsidy legacy’ from human use, with increases in species that prefer nutrient‐rich soils.

We found that the habitation sites had different plant assemblages than the control sites and were dominated by plants with both higher nutrient requirements and cultural significance. We demonstrate that long‐term occupation has led to strong differences in plant community structure between sites, countering the notion that this is a pristine landscape. We emphasize the value of interdisciplinary approaches and considering past human resource‐use when examining current plant communities.

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Development and validation of a 5‐year mortality prediction model using regularized regression and Medicare data
Authors: Lund Jennifer L. , Kuo Tzy‐Mey , Brookhart M. Alan , Meyer Anne‐Marie , Dalton Alexandra F. , Kistler Christine E. , Wheeler Stephanie B. , Lewis Carmen L.
Published: March 2019

Purpose

De‐implementation of low‐value services among patients with limited life expectancy is challenging. Robust mortality prediction models using routinely collected health care data can enhance health care stakeholders' ability to identify populations with limited life expectancy. We developed and validated a claims‐based prediction model for 5‐year mortality using regularized regression methods.

Methods

Medicare beneficiaries age 66 or older with an office visit and at least 12 months of pre‐visit continuous Medicare A/B enrollment were identified in 2008. Five‐year mortality was assessed through 2013. Secondary outcomes included 30‐, 90‐, and 180‐day and 1‐year mortality. Claims‐based predictors, including comorbidities and indicators of disability, frailty, and functional impairment, were selected using regularized logistic regression, applying the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) in a random 80% training sample. Model performance was assessed and compared with the Gagne comorbidity score in the 20% validation sample.

Results

Overall, 183 204 (24%) individuals died. In addition to demographics, 161 indicators of comorbidity and function were included in the final model. In the validation sample, the c‐statistic was 0.825 (0.823‐0.828). Median‐predicted probability of 5‐year mortality was 14%; almost 4% of the cohort had a predicted probability greater than 80%. Compared with the Gagne score, the LASSO model led to improved 5‐year mortality classification (net reclassification index = 9.9%; integrated discrimination index = 5.2%).

Conclusions

Our claims‐based model predicting 5‐year mortality showed excellent discrimination and calibration, similar to the Gagne score model, but resulted in improved mortality classification. Regularized regression is a feasible approach for developing prediction tools that could enhance health care research and evaluation of care quality.
Identification of gene expression logical invariants in Arabidopsis
Authors: Pandey Sonalisa , Sahoo Debashis
Published: March 2019

Numerous gene expression datasets from diverse tissue samples from the plant variety Arabidopsis thaliana have been already deposited in the public domain. There have been several attempts to do large scale meta‐analyses of all of these datasets. Most of these analyses summarize pairwise gene expression relationships using correlation, or identify differentially expressed genes in two conditions. We propose here a new large scale meta‐analysis of the publicly available Arabidopsis datasets to identify Boolean logical relationships between genes. Boolean logic is a branch of mathematics that deals with two possible values. In the context of gene expression datasets we use qualitative high and low expression values. A strong logical relationship between genes emerges if at least one of the quadrants is sparsely populated. We pointed out serious issues in the data normalization steps widely accepted and published recently in this context. We put together a web resource where gene expression relationships can be explored online which helps visualize the logical relationships between genes. We believe that this website will be useful in identifying important genes in different biological context. The web link is http://hegemon.ucsd.edu/plant/.
A PEX5 missense allele preferentially disrupts PTS1 cargo import into Arabidopsis peroxisomes
Authors: Patel Khushali J. , Kao Yun‐Ting , Llinas Roxanna J. , Bartel Bonnie
Published: March 2019

The sorting of eukaryotic proteins to various organellar destinations requires receptors that recognize cargo protein targeting signals and facilitate transport into the organelle. One such receptor is the peroxin PEX5, which recruits cytosolic cargo carrying a peroxisome‐targeting signal (PTS) type 1 (PTS1) for delivery into the peroxisomal lumen (matrix). In plants and mammals, PEX5 is also indirectly required for peroxisomal import of proteins carrying a PTS2 signal because PEX5 binds the PTS2 receptor, bringing the associated PTS2 cargo to the peroxisome along with PTS1 cargo. Despite PEX5 being the PTS1 cargo receptor, previously identified Arabidopsis pex5 mutants display either impairment of both PTS1 and PTS2 import or defects only in PTS2 import. Here, we report the first Arabidopsis pex5 mutant with an exclusive PTS1 import defect. In addition to markedly diminished GFP‐PTS1 import and decreased pex5‐2 protein accumulation, this pex5‐2 mutant shows typical peroxisome‐related defects, including inefficient β‐oxidation and reduced growth. Growth at reduced or elevated temperatures ameliorated or exacerbated pex5‐2 peroxisome‐related defects, respectively, without markedly changing pex5‐2 protein levels. In contrast to the diminished PTS1 import, PTS2 processing was only slightly impaired and PTS2‐GFP import appeared normal in pex5‐2. This finding suggests that even minor peroxisomal localization of the PTS1 protein DEG15, the PTS2‐processing protease, is sufficient to maintain robust PTS2 processing.
Factors associated with intentions for breast cancer risk management: Does risk group matter?
Authors: Conley Claire C. , Agnese Doreen M. , Vadaparampil Susan T. , Andersen Barbara L.
Published: March 2019

Objective

National guidelines provide breast cancer (BC) risk management recommendations based on estimated lifetime risk. Despite this specificity, it is unclear if women's risk management intentions are or are not guideline concordant. To address this knowledge gap, women at varying risk levels reported intentions for risk‐reducing behaviors. Factors associated with intentions, informed by the Health Beliefs Model, were also studied.

Methods

Women with elevated BC risk (N = 103) were studied and categorized by risk level: moderate (15%‐20%), high (greater than or equal to 20%), or very high (BRCA1/2 positive). Participants self‐reported BC susceptibility, self‐efficacy, and benefits, barriers, and intentions for risk‐reducing mastectomy (RRM), risk‐reducing salpingo‐oophorectomy (RRSO), chemoprevention, improving diet or physical activity, and reducing alcohol use.

Results

Groups significantly differed in RRSO intentions (P < .01); BRCA1/2 positive women had greater intentions for RRSO. Groups did not differ in intentions for RRM, chemoprevention, or lifestyle changes (Ps > .28). In hierarchical linear regression models examining Health Belief Model (HBM) factors, perceived susceptibility was associated with intentions for RRM (β = .169, P = .08). Perceived benefits was associated with intentions for RRM (β = .237, P = .02) and chemoprevention (β = .388, P < .01). Self‐efficacy was associated with intentions for physical activity (β = .286, P < .01).

Conclusions

Consistent with guidelines, BRCA1/2 positive women reported greater intentions for RRSO, and risk groups did not differ in intentions for lifestyle changes. Notably, women's intentions for RRM and chemoprevention were guideline discordant; groups did not differ in intentions for these behaviors. Accounting for the effects of risk group, modifiable health beliefs were also associated with risk management intentions; these may represent targets for decision support interventions.