bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The potential of a human rights approach for accelerating the implementation of comprehensive restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children
Authors: Granheim Sabrina Ionata , Vandevijvere Stefanie , Torheim Liv Elin
Published: December 2017

Overweight and obesity in children is rising at the global level, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Among the causes for this increase is the marketing of unhealthy food and beverage products, which affects children’s food preferences, purchasing requests and consumption patterns. The need to address harmful marketing to children has been recognized at the World Health Organization, with Member States having agreed in 2010 to implement a set of recommendations to restrict such practices. Concurrently, there is an increasing understanding of unhealthy food and malnutrition as human rights concerns. This paper explores the potential of existing legally and non-legally binding human rights instruments for accelerating the implementation of comprehensive restrictions to reduce harmful marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children. Four relevant themes were identified in existing human rights instruments: (i) the best interest of the child should be considered above all other interests; (ii) the rights to health and adequate food cannot be realized without supportive healthy environments; (iii) children should be protected from economic exploitation; and (iv) the persuasive marketing of unhealthy food and beverage products is explicitly recognized as a threat to the rights to food and health. In conclusion, existing human rights instruments could be harnessed to advance public health measures to restrict the marketing of unhealthy food and beverage products to children. Policy-makers and advocates should draw from these instruments and refer to State’s obligations within international and domestic human rights law to strengthen their efforts to restrict harmful marketing practices to children.
Stability and constrained control for positive two-dimensional systems with delays in the second FM model
Authors: Shen Jian , Wang Weiqun
Published: December 2017

This paper addresses the stability and control problem of linear positive two-dimensional discrete-time systems with multiple delays in the second Fornasini–Marchesini model. The contribution lies in three aspects. First, a novel proof is provided to establish necessary and sufficient conditions of asymptotic stability for positive two-dimensional delayed systems. Then, a state-feedback controller is designed to ensure the non-negativity and stability of the closed-loop systems. Finally, a sufficient condition for the existence of constrained controllers is developed under the additional constraint of bounded control, which means that the control inputs and the states of the closed-loop systems are bounded. Two examples are given to validate the proposed methods.
A Sharp Version of the Hörmander Multiplier Theorem
Authors: Grafakos Loukas , Slavíková Lenka
Published: December 2017

We provide an improvement of the Hörmander multiplier theorem in which the Sobolev space ${{L^{r}_{s}}}(\mathbb R^{n})$ with integrability index r and smoothness index s > n/r is replaced by the Sobolev space with smoothness s built upon the Lorentz space $L^{n/s,1}(\mathbb R^{n})$.
Digital PCR Technology for Detection of Palm-Infecting Phytoplasmas Belonging to Group 16SrIV that Occur in Florida
Authors: Bahder Brian W. , Helmick Ericka E. , Mou De-Fen , Harrison Nigel A. , Davis Robert
Published: December 2017

Phytoplasmas are an economically important group of plant pathogens that negatively impact a wide variety of plants in agricultural and natural ecosystems. In Florida, palm trees are essential elements in the nursery and landscaping industries that suffer from diseases caused by phytoplasmas that are related to each other but are classified in two different subgroups, 16SrIV-A and 16SrIV-D. In this study, a TaqMan assay was developed for digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) to detect both palm-infecting phytoplasmas found in Florida. When compared with real-time PCR assays and nested PCR assays, dPCR was capable of detecting the phytoplasmas at much lower concentrations than was possible by using real-time PCR and nested PCR. Additionally, the assay was capable of detecting 16SrIV-B phytoplasma as well as isolates representing the 16SrI and 16SrIII phytoplasma groups. Due to sequence identity of primer annealing regions across diverse phytoplasmas, the assay is likely to be successful for detection of a wide variety of phytoplasmas. The increased sensitivity of this dPCR assay over real-time PCR will allow for earlier detection of phytoplasma infection in palm trees, as well as for screening of salivary glands of candidate insect vector species. These advantages should aid timely management decisions to reduce disease spread and rapid determination of phytoplasma transmission by vectors.
Transforming the Role of the Clinical Faculty Coordinator in the Dedicated Education Unit
Authors: Auxier Nicole , Simpson Holly
Published: December 2017

The dedicated education unit (DEU) clinical education model has been identified nationally as an innovative model for clinical nursing education. This article identifies the core values of the DEU clinical faculty coordinator role and describes the transformation of this role across three clinical models. The role has been adapted to fit the needs of acute care, post-acute care, and community nursing DEU models, meeting the needs of the clinical educational environment and clinical staff as well as student learning outcomes.
Accessory Auricles: Systematic Review of Definition, Associated Conditions, and Recommendations for Clinical Practice
Authors: Amirhassankhani Sasan , Lloyd Mark S.
Published: December 2017

Accessory auricles are rare congenital abnormalities embryologically derived from the first branchial arch. Presentation may be variable with locations grouped into anatomical zones based on the frequency of location found in the literature. This study reviewed the papers between 1981 and 2017. Findings included an association with syndromes including Goldenhar, VACTERL, Treacher–Collins, Townes–Brocks, and Wolf–Hirschhorn. Based on histological and embryological evidence, the term “accessory auricle” is best used as an umbrella term to define this difference. Finally, indications are provided for imaging and laboratory investigations to guide the physician treating patients with accessory auricles.
Primary Closure of Oroantral Communication Using Pedicled Buccal Fat Pad Following Maxillary Cyst Enucleation
Authors: Emes Yusuf , Aga Uğur , Cesur Anil , Soluk-Tekkesin Merva , Aybar Büket , Alatli Canan
Published: December 2017

Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is a clinically aggressive developmental odontogenic cyst with a high recurrence rate as 62%. Oroantral communication (OAC) is a gateway through the maxillary sinus and the oral cavity, which, if not treated, will develop into oroantral fistula or chronical sinus diseases. Different methods for closure of OAC were described but only few of them have common usage. In recent years, the use of a pedicled buccal fat pad (BFP) in closure of large oroantral defects has been become popular. In our patient, the OAC resulted from the surgical removal of OKC was closed with BFP.
Human fetal liver cultures support multiple cell lineages that can engraft immunodeficient mice
Authors: Fomin Marina E. , Beyer Ashley I. , Muench Marcus O.
Published: December 2017

During prenatal development the liver is composed of multiple cell types with unique properties compared to their adult counterparts. We aimed to establish multilineage cultures of human fetal liver cells that could maintain stem cell and progenitor populations found in the developing liver. An aim of this study was to test if maturation of fetal hepatocytes in short-term cultures supported by epidermal growth factor and oncostatin M can improve their ability to engraft immunodeficient mice. Fetal liver cultures supported a mixture of albumin+cytokertin-19+hepatoblasts, hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, CD14++CD32+liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) and CD34+CD133+haematopoietic stem cells. Transplantation of cultured cells into uPA-NOG or TK-NOG mice yielded long-term engraftment of hepatocytes, abundant LSEC engraftment and multilineage haematopoiesis. Haematopoietic engraftment included reconstitution of B-, T- and NK-lymphocytes. Colonies of polarized human hepatocytes were observed surrounded by human LSECs in contact with human CD45+blood cells in the liver sinusoids. Thus, fetal liver cultures support multiple cell lineages including LSECs and haematopoietic stem cells while also promoting the ability of fetal hepatocytes to engraft adult mouse livers. Fetal liver cultures and liver-humanized mice created from these cultures can provide useful model systems to study liver development, function and disease.
Humans as model organisms
Authors: Sterelny Kim
Published: December 2017

Like every other species, our species is the result of descent with modification under the influence of natural selection; a tip in an increasingly large and deep series of nested clades, as we trace its ancestry back to increasingly remote antecedents. As a consequence of shared history, our species has much in common with many others; as a consequence of its production by the general mechanisms of evolution, our species carries information about the mechanisms that shaped other species as well. For reasons unconnected to biological theory, we have far more information about humans than we do about other species. So in principle and in practice, humans should be usable as model organisms, and no one denies the truth of this for mundane physical traits, though harnessing human data for more general questions proves to be quite challenging. However, it is also true that human cognitive and behavioural characteristics, and human social groups, are apparently radically unlike those of other animals. Humans are exceptional products of evolution and perhaps that makes them an unsuitable model system for those interested in the evolution of cooperation, complex cognition, group formation, family structure, communication, cultural learning and the like. In all these respects, we are complex and extreme cases, perhaps shaped by mechanisms (like cultural evolution or group selection) that play little role in other lineages. Most of the papers in this special issue respond by rejecting or downplaying exceptionalism. I argue that it can be an advantage: understanding the human exception reveals constraints that have restricted evolutionary options in many lineages.
Coalescence and linkage disequilibrium in facultatively sexual diploids
Authors: Hartfield Matthew , Wright Stephen I. , Agrawal Aneil F.
Published: December 2017

Under neutrality, linkage disequilibrium (LD) results from physically linked sites having non-independent coalescent histories. In obligately sexual organisms, meiotic recombination is the dominant force separating linked variants from one another, and thus in determining the decay of LD with physical distance. In facultatively sexual diploid organisms that principally reproduce clonally, mechanisms of mitotic exchange are expected to become relatively more important in shaping LD. Here we outline mathematical and computational models of a facultative-sex coalescent process that includes meiotic and mitotic recombination, via both crossovers and gene conversion, to determine how LD is affected with facultative sex. We demonstrate that the degree to which LD is broken down by meiotic recombination simply scales with the probability of sex if it is sufficiently high (much greater than 1/NforNthe population size). However, with very rare sex (occurring with frequency on the order of 1/N), mitotic gene conversion plays a particularly important and complicated role because it both breaks down associations between sites and removes within-individual diversity. Strong population structure under rare sex leads to lower average LD values than in panmictic populations, due to the influence of low-frequency polymorphisms created by allelic sequence divergence acting in individual subpopulations. These analyses provide information on how to interpret observed LD patterns in facultative sexuals, and determine what genomic forces are likely to shape them.
Clinically Important sex differences in GBM biology revealed by analysis of male and female imaging, transcriptome and survival data
Authors: Yang Wei , Warrington Nicole M. , Taylor Sara J. , Carrasco Eduardo , Singleton Kyle W. , Wu Ningying , Lathia Justin D. , Berens Michael E. , Kim Albert H. , Barnholtz-Sloan Jill S. , Swanson Kristin R. , Luo Jingqin , Rubin Joshua B
Published: December 2017

Sex differences in the incidence and outcome of human disease are broadly recognized but in most cases not adequately understood to enable sex-specific approaches to treatment. Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common malignant brain tumor, provides a case in point. Despite well-established differences in incidence, and emerging indications of differences in outcome, there are few insights that distinguish male and female GBM at the molecular level, or allow specific targeting of these biological differences. Here, using a quantitative imaging-based measure of response, we found that temozolomide chemotherapy is more effective in female compared to male GBM patients. We then applied a novel computational algorithm to linked GBM transcriptome and outcome data, and identified novel sex-specific molecular subtypes of GBM in which cell cycle and integrin signaling were identified as the critical determinants of survival for male and female patients, respectively. The clinical utility of cell cycle and integrin signaling pathway signatures was further established through correlations between gene expression and in vitro chemotherapy sensitivity in a panel of male and female patient-derived GBM cell lines. Together these results suggest that greater precision in GBM molecular subtyping can be achieved through sex-specific analyses, and that improved outcome for all patients might be accomplished via tailoring treatment to sex differences in molecular mechanisms.

One Sentence Summary

Male and female glioblastoma are biologically distinct and maximal chances for cure may require sex-specific approaches to treatment.
A solution to the hand-eye calibration in the manner of the absolute orientation problem
Authors: Deniz Cengiz , Cakir Mustafa
Published: December 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to introduce a simple hand-eye calibration method that can be easily applied with different objective functions.

Design/methodology/approach

The hand-eye calibration is solved by using the closed form absolute orientation equations. Instead of processing all samples together, the proposed method goes through all minimal solution sets. Final result is chosen after evaluating the solution set for arbitrary objectives. In this stage, outliers can be excluded optionally if more accuracy is desired.

Findings

The proposed method is very flexible and gives more accurate and convenient results than the existing solutions. The mathematical error expression defined by the calibration equations may not be valid in practice, where especially systematic distortions are present. It is shown in the simulations that the solution which results the least mathematical error in systems may have incorrect, incompatible results in the presence of practical demands.

Research limitations/implications

The performance of the calibration performed with the proposed method is compared with the reference methods in the literature. When the back-projection error is benchmarked, which corresponds to the point repeatability, the proposed approach is considered as the most successful method among all others. Due to its robustness, it is decided to make tooling-sensor calibrations by the recommended method, in the robotic non-destructive testing station in Ford-OTOSAN Kocaeli Plant Body Shop Department.

Originality/value

Arranging the well-known AX = XB calibration equation in quaternion representation as Q_A = Q_x × Q_B × Q_x reveals another common spatial rotation equation. In this way, absolute orientation solution satisfies the hand-eye calibration equations. The proposed solution is not presented in the literature as a standalone hand-eye calibration method, although some researchers drop a hint to the relative formulations.
Growth in containership sizes to be stopped?
Authors: Malchow Ulrich
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The increase of containership sizes driven by the need to create greater economies of scale seems to be an endless process. Vessels of more than 21,000 TEU are presently on order. The purpose of this paper is to question whether a positive effect still remains at present mega ship sizes and, even if this was the case, whether such presumably small effect would be outweighed by costly operational impacts for the lines and the ports out of the huge ship sizes.

Design/methodology/approach

The effect of increasing ship sizes on the three major cost items in container shipping have been investigated by extrapolating founded regression curves, applying respective physical laws and referring lumpsum crewing cost (as the major part of the vessel’s running costs) to various ship sizes.

Findings

In this paper, it is shown that further effects of lower slot costs lessen while ships get larger. Hence, a further increase in ship sizes would not significantly reduce transport costs anymore. In contrast, the necessary efforts to prepare the ports for ships of ever-increasing size are growing over proportionally with every additional metre of draught and/or beam. It is shown that an ongoing increase of containership sizes, e.g. in the Europe-Far East trade, does not bring any further benefit, neither for the ports and their terminals nor even for the lines itself and not even for the shippers! It is an amazing mechanism that all stakeholders act rationally on their own, but the overall effect for all of them (including the public) has turned into negative.

Originality/value

The results may pave the way for a closer cooperation among ports, e.g. within the Hamburg-Le Havre range. Ports and terminals may see the opportunity to escape the spiral of ongoing efforts for deepening and widening the fairways and installing ever-bigger gantry cranes by agreeing on a joint policy with regard to maximum ship size.
Internationalisation within liner shipping
Authors: Prockl Günter , Kinra Aseem , Kotzab Herbert
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Container shipping is generally considered a global business. This truth may not hold from a single-company perspective. The companies’ physical operation networks show that container carriers operate differently and follow different paths in their internationalisation development. Additionally, the degree of internationalisation, measured on the basis of sea-oriented operations, differs from that measured according to land-oriented front-end marketing and sales activities. The purpose of this study is to further examine the internationalisation patterns of shipping lines.

Design/methodology/approach

An examination of the front-end activities and the structures of leading container-shipping companies is conducted. The sales office networks of the sector’s 20 largest companies worldwide (by twenty-foot equivalent unit capacity) are analysed as key indicators. The numbers of sales offices are measured by analysing the websites of the sample (20 companies), as well as annual reports and other publicly available data sources.

Findings

The findings show that not all shipping companies are international, by virtue of the industry. While it is difficult to observe differences in the overall patterns of the sales networks at a macro level, some companies differ in their activities. The data set also shows that market share and total capacity are not necessarily good indicators of a carrier’s worldwide presence.

Research limitations/implications

This research is based on secondary data. Other important transactional and market-oriented considerations should be examined before drawing conclusions about the internationalisation of container-shipping companies and of the industry.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the relevant existing research, particularly by adding its view on the demand-oriented criteria as suggested by Dunning and Lundan (2008).
Formate hydrogenlyase and formate secretion ameliorate H2 inhibition in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus paralvinellae
Authors: Topçuoğlu Begüm D. , Meydan Cem , Orellana Roberto , Holden James F.
Published: December 2017

Some hyperthermophilic heterotrophs in the genus Thermococcus produce H2 in the absence of S° and have up to seven hydrogenases, but their combined physiological roles are unclear. Here, we show which hydrogenases in Thermococcus paralvinellae are affected by added H2 during growth without S°. Growth rates and steady‐state cell concentrations decreased while formate production rates increased when T. paralvinallae was grown in a chemostat with 65 µM of added H2(aq). Differential gene expression analysis using RNA‐Seq showed consistent expression of six hydrogenase operons with and without added H2. In contrast, expression of the formate hydrogenlyase 1 (fhl1) operon increased with added H2. Flux balance analysis showed H2 oxidation and formate production using FHL became an alternate route for electron disposal during H2 inhibition with a concomitant increase in growth rate relative to cells without FHL. T. paralvinellae also grew on formate with an increase in H2 production rate relative to growth on maltose or tryptone. Growth on formate increased fhl1 expression but decreased expression of all other hydrogenases. Therefore, Thermococcus that possess fhl1 have a competitive advantage over other Thermococcus species in hot subsurface environments where organic substrates are present, S° is absent and slow H2 efflux causes growth inhibition.
Collaborative model for training and credentialing point‐of‐care ultrasound: 6‐year experience and quality outcomes
Authors: Cormack Carolynne J , Coombs Peter R , Guskich Kate E , Blecher Gabriel E , Goldie Neil , Ptasznik Ronnie
Published: December 2017

Introduction

Point‐of‐care ultrasound (PoCUS) is a rapidly growing area, providing physicians with a valuable diagnostic tool for patient assessment. This paper describes a collaborative model, utilising radiology department ultrasound expertise, to train and credential physicians in PoCUS. A 6‐year experience of the implementation and outcomes of the programme established within the emergency departments of a large, multi‐campus hospital network are presented.

Methods

A collaborative model was initially developed and implemented between radiology and emergency departments. Key elements of the programme included hospital executive support, close collaboration with stakeholders, resource allocation, appointment of a sonographer educator, clear scope of practise and robust quality processes.

Results

Participation grew from 36 emergency physicians in 2011 to 96 physicians in 2016. A total 11064 scans were logged with the programme in the 6‐year period. Routine quality audit of 61.8% (6836/11064) of all scans included 2836 Focussed Assessment by Sonography in Trauma (FAST) and 1422 Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) examinations. False‐positive or false‐negative diagnoses occurred in 3.6% (102/2836) FAST and 1.3% (19/1422) AAA cases. No adverse clinical outcomes were reported to involve programme‐compliant scans.

Conclusion

A collaborative model to train and credential physicians in PoCUS has been successfully implemented. The programme grew significantly, produced excellent quality outcomes and resolved many issues of potential conflict related to PoCUS.
Impact of antimicrobial stewardship programme on hospitalized patients at the intensive care unit: a prospective audit and feedback study
Authors: Khdour Maher R. , Hallak Hussein O. , Aldeyab Mamoon A. , Nasif Mowaffaq A. , Khalili Aliaa M. , Dallashi Ahamad A. , Khofash Mohammad B. , Scott Michael G.
Published: December 2017

Aims

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is one of the most important factors contributing to the emergence of drug resistant pathogens. The purpose of this study was to measure the clinical impact of antimicrobial stewardship programme (ASP) interventions on hospitalized patients at the Intensive care unit at Palestinian Medical Complex.

Methods

A prospective audit with intervention and feedback by ASP team within 48–72 h of antibiotic administration began in September 2015. Four months of pre‐ASP data were compared with 4 months of post‐ASP data. Data collected included clinical and demographic data; use of antimicrobials measured by defined daily doses, duration of therapy, length of stay, readmission and all‐cause mortality.

Results

Overall, 176 interventions were made the ASP team with an average acceptance rate of 78.4%. The most accepted interventions were dose optimization (87.0%) followed by de‐escalation based on culture results with an acceptance rate of 84.4%. ASP interventions significantly reduces antimicrobial use by 24.3% (87.3 defined daily doses/100 beds vs. 66.1 defined daily doses/100 beds P < 0.001). The median (interquartile range) of length of stay was significantly reduced post ASP [11 (3–21) vs. 7 (4–19) days; P < 0.01]. Also, the median (interquartile range) of duration of therapy was significantly reduced post‐ASP [8 (5–12) days vs. 5 (3–9); P = 0.01]. There was no significant difference in overall 30‐day mortality or readmission between the pre‐ASP and post‐ASP groups (26.9% vs. 23.9%; P = 0.1) and (26.1% vs. 24.6%; P = 0.54) respectively.

Conclusions

Our prospective audit and feedback programme was associated with positive impact on antimicrobial use, duration of therapy and length of stay.
Reluctance to express emotion explains relation between cognitive distortions and social competence in anxious children
Authors: Scott Brandon G. , Pina Armando A. , Parker Julia H.
Published: December 2017

Guided by social information processing and affective social competence models, the focal objective of this research was to examine the relations among anxious children's cognitive distortions, social skill competence, and reluctance to express emotion. In addition, we explored whether children's attention control played any meaningful role. Using a sample of 111 anxious children (Mage = 9.63, SD = 0.73; 75.7% girls; 56% Hispanic/Latino), we found that cognitive distortions were negatively related to social competence. In addition, tests of moderated mediation showed that the negative association between cognitive distortions and social skill competence was indirect via reluctance to express emotion, but this only was the case for anxious children with high attention control and for distortions in the academic domain. The findings of this study may set the stage for new ways to conceptualize the role of higher attention control among anxious youth.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Cognitive errors are prevalent in anxious youth

Anxious children show socio‐emotion deficits

What does this study add?

Cognitive errors are related to socio‐emotion deficits in anxious youth

Relations depend on attention control
Embryonic exposure to valproic acid affects the histaminergic system and the social behaviour of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Baronio Diego , Puttonen Henri A J , Sundvik Maria , Semenova Svetlana , Lehtonen Essi , Panula Pertti
Published: December 2017

Background and Purpose

Histamine modulates several behaviours and physiological functions, and its deficiency is associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Gestational intake of valproic acid (VPA) is linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), characterized by impaired sociability and stereotypies. VPA effects on the neurochemistry and functional morphology of the histaminergic system in ASD are unclear. Zebrafish are highly social, and given the similarities between zebrafish and human neurotransmitter systems, we have studied the effects of VPA on histamine in zebrafish.

Experimental Approach

Histaminergic, dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems of larval and adult zebrafish exposed to VPA from the end of gastrulation until neural tube formation were studied using HPLC, quantitative PCR, immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. Sociability, dark‐flash response and locomotion were also studied.

Key Results

Zebrafish larvae exposed to VPA showed decreased locomotion and an abnormal dark‐flash response. Additionally, a reduced number of histaminergic neurons, low histamine and altered mRNA expression of key genes of the monoaminergic systems were also detected. The reduced mRNA expression of genes of the studied systems persisted until adulthood. Furthermore, adult VPA‐exposed animals presented lower brain levels of noradrenaline and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, along with impaired sociability.

Conclusions and Implications

VPA exposure in early development causes molecular and neurochemical alterations in zebrafish, which persist into adulthood and accompany impaired sociability. These findings will highlight the possible involvement of the histaminergic system in outcomes related to neuropsychiatric disorders. Furthermore, it supports zebrafish as a tool to investigate mechanisms underlying these disorders.
Response to the Clinical Commentary on electrical nerve stimulation for the management of equine trigeminal mediated headshaking by Dr K. J. Pickles
Authors: Devereux S.
Published: December 2017

See the original clinical commentary by K. J Pickles and correspondence by K. J. Pickles.
The sedimentary and remote‐sensing reflection of biomass burning in Europe
Authors: Adolf Carole , Wunderle Stefan , Colombaroli Daniele , Weber Helga , Gobet Erika , Heiri Oliver , van Leeuwen Jacqueline F. N. , Bigler Christian , Connor Simon E. , Gałka Mariusz , La Mantia Tommaso , Makhortykh Sergey , Svitavská‐Svobodová Helena , Vannière Boris , Tinner Willy
Published: December 2017

Aim

We provide the first European‐scale geospatial training set relating the charcoal signal in surface lake sediments to fire parameters (number, intensity and area) recorded by satellite moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors. Our calibration is intended for quantitative reconstructions of key fire‐regime parameters by using sediment sequences of microscopic (MIC from pollen slides, particles 10–500 µm) and macroscopic charcoal (MAC from sieves, particles > 100 µm).

Location

North–south and east–west transects across Europe, covering the mediterranean, temperate, alpine, boreal and steppe biomes.

Time period

Lake sediments and MODIS active fire and burned area products were collected for the years 2012–2015.

Methods

Cylinder sediment traps were installed in lakes to annually collect charcoal particles in sediments. We quantitatively assessed the relationships between MIC and MAC influx (particles/cm2/year) and the MODIS‐derived products to identify source areas of charcoal and the extent to which lake‐sediment charcoal is linked to fire parameters across the continent.

Results

Source area of sedimentary charcoal was estimated to a 40‐km radius around sites for both MIC and MAC particles. Fires occurred in grasslands and in forests, with grass morphotypes of MAC accurately reflecting the burned fuel‐type. Despite the lack of local fires around the sites, MAC influx levels reached those reported for local fires. Both MIC and MAC showed strong and highly significant relationships with the MODIS‐derived fire parameters, as well as with climatic variation along a latitudinal temperature gradient.

Main conclusions

MIC and MAC are suited to quantitatively reconstructing fire number and fire intensity on a regional scale. However, burned area may only be estimated using MAC. Local fires may be identified by using several lines of evidence, e.g. analysis of large particles (> 600 µm), magnetic susceptibility and sedimentological data. Our results offer new insights and applications to quantitatively reconstruct fires and to interpret available sedimentary charcoal records.
Reduced therapeutic effect of antiviral drugs in patients with hepatitis B virus reactivation after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Kimura Masamichi , Nishikawa Koji , Sakamaki Hisashi , Mizokami Masashi , Kimura Kiminori
Published: December 2017

Aim

Patients with resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are potentially at high risk of HBV reactivation. Although antiviral drug therapy is recommended when HBV DNA reappears in the serum, drug efficacy after HBV reactivation remains unclear.

Methods

Host immune response against HBV was investigated by immunological analyses at 12 months after entecavir (ETV) treatment in six HSCT‐treated and five non‐HSCT‐treated patients with HBV reactivation, and 18 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Peripheral HBV‐specific CD8+ T cells were analyzed for total numbers by flow cytometry and tetramer staining, as was intracellular γ‐interferon (IFN‐γ) production and CD107a expression in response to HBV peptides. Interleukin‐10 (IL‐10)‐expressing CD19+ B‐cell count and serum inflammatory cytokine levels were also analyzed.

Results

Serum HBV DNA was detectable in HSCT‐treated patients with HBV reactivation at 12 months compared with other groups, indicating insufficient ETV efficacy against HBV. The HBV‐specific CD8+ T‐cell counts in HSCT‐treated patients with HBV reactivation were significantly lower compared with those in non‐HSCT patients. Additionally, IFN‐γ production and CD107a expression by CD8+ T cells after incubation with HBV peptides was significantly reduced in HSCT‐treated compared with CHB patients at 12 months after ETV treatment. Conversely, HSCT‐treated patient serum IL‐10 levels were significantly elevated compared with those in non‐HSCT patients. Finally, IL‐10‐producing CD19+ B‐cell counts were increased in HSCT‐treated compared with CHB patients.

Conclusion

After HBV reactivation, ETV efficacy was impaired in HSCT‐treated patients as evidenced by low HBV‐specific CD8+ T‐cell counts and high B‐cell IL‐10 production.
Low risk of avian influenza A (H5N6) transmission to depopulation workers in Korea
Authors: Ryu Sukhyun , Lim Jun‐Sik , Cowling Benjamin J. , Chun Byung Chul
Published: December 2017

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N6) virus occurred between November 20, 2016, and March 1, 2017 in poultry farms, in the Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea. To identify the risk of transmission of H5N6 to depopulation workers, active and passive surveillance was conducted. Virological testing of respiratory swabs with real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction was performed for workers who reported respiratory symptoms. Among 4633 depopulation workers, 22 reported respiratory symptoms, but all tested negative for H5N6. Personal protective equipment in addition to antiviral prophylaxis was adequate to limit transmission of H5N6 from poultry to humans.
Pharmacist‐physician collaborative care model and time to goal blood pressure in the uninsured population
Authors: Dixon Dave L. , Sisson Evan M. , Parod Eric D. , Van Tassell Benjamin W. , Nadpara Pramit A. , Carl Daniel , W. Dow Alan
Published: December 2017

Pharmacist‐physician collaborative practice models (PPCPMs) improve blood pressure (BP) control, but their effect on time to goal BP is unknown. This retrospective cohort study evaluated the impact of a PPCPM on time to goal BP compared with usual care using data from existing medical records in uninsured patients with hypertension. The primary outcome was time from the initial visit to the first follow‐up visit with a BP <140/90 mm Hg. The study included 377 patients (259 = PPCPM; 118 = usual care). Median time to BP goal was 36 days vs 259 days in the PPCPM and usual care cohorts, respectively (P < .001). At 12 months, BP control was 81% and 44% in the PPCPM and usual care cohorts, respectively (P < .001) and therapeutic inertia was lower in the PPCPM cohort (27.6%) compared with usual care (43.7%) (P < .0001). Collaborative models involving pharmacists should be considered to improve BP control in high‐risk populations.
Letter to the Editor: Unreported statistics lead to unverifiable results in study of vitamin D supplementation in children with autism spectrum disorder ‐ Comment regarding Saad, K., et al. (2016)
Authors: Beale David Jeffrey
Published: December 2017

Read the full article at doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12652
Response to letters: Randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation in children with autism spectrum disorder – correction and additional information
Authors: Saad Khaled
Published: December 2017

Read the full article at doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12652
Exploring the Benefits of Affectionate Communication: Implications for Interpersonal Acceptance–Rejection Theory
Authors: Denes Amanda , Bennett Margaret , Winkler Kara L.
Published: December 2017

In the past several decades, a robust line of research has developed in the field of communication exploring the interpersonal outcomes of receiving and giving affection. The present review offers an in‐depth examination of research on affectionate communication and its implications for understanding interpersonal acceptance and rejection. The review begins by introducing the primary theoretical framework used to explore affectionate communication, followed by an overview of the benefits of receiving and giving affection. Following this review, the implications of affectionate communication for acceptance–rejection researchers are presented, including a discussion of the complexities of affection and what such intricacies may mean for future theorizing in this domain. Lastly, future directions for acceptance–rejection research in light of this review are presented.
In silico analysis of the competition between Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus mutans in the dental biofilm
Authors: Valdebenito B. , Tullume‐Vergara P.O. , González W. , Kreth J. , Giacaman R.A.
Published: December 2017

During dental caries, the dental biofilm modifies the composition of the hundreds of involved bacterial species. Changing environmental conditions influence competition. A pertinent model to exemplify the complex interplay of the microorganisms in the human dental biofilm is the competition between Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus mutans. It has been reported that children and adults harbor greater numbers of S. sanguinis in the oral cavity, associated with caries‐free teeth. Conversely, S. mutans is predominant in individuals with a high number of carious lesions. Competition between both microorganisms stems from the production of H2O2 by S. sanguinis and mutacins, a type of bacteriocins, by S. mutans. There is limited evidence on how S. sanguinis survives its own H2O2 levels, or if it has other mechanisms that might aid in the competition against S. mutans, nonetheless. We performed a genomic and metabolic pathway comparison, coupled with a comprehensive literature review, to better understand the competition between these two species. Results indicated that S. sanguinis can outcompete S. mutans by the production of an enzyme capable of metabolizing H2O2. S. mutans, however, lacks the enzyme and is susceptible to the peroxide from S. sanguinis. In addition, S. sanguinis can generate energy through gluconeogenesis and seems to have evolved different communication mechanisms, indicating that novel proteins may be responsible for intra‐species communication.
SNP g.1007A>G within the porcine DNAL4 gene affects sperm motility traits and percentage of midpiece abnormalities
Authors: Wiedemann I , Maehlmeyer A , Jansen S , Sharifi AR , Knorr C
Published: December 2017

Contents

The flagellar beating of a spermatozoa's axoneme is caused by the varying activation and inactivation of dynein molecules. Dynein, axonemal, light chain 4 (DNAL4) is a functional candidate gene for sperm motility as it encodes a small subunit of the dyneins. We resequenced the porcine DNAL4 using three artificial insemination (AI) boars each with high (>68%) or low (<60%) motility, and detected 23 SNP. These were then genotyped for 82 AI boars. Using spermatological records, significantly negative genetic correlations between ejaculate volume (VOL) and the further spermatological parameters concentration (CONC) (r = −.43), motility of undiluted semen (MOTUD) (r = −.09), motility after 24 h (MOT1) (r = −.17) and after 48 hr (MOT2) (r = −.23) were estimated. Significantly positive correlations existed between CONC and MOT1 (r = .07) as well as MOT2 (r = .10), between MOTUD and MOT1 (r = .33), between MOTUD and MOT2 (r = .36), and finally between MOT1 and MOT2 (r = .70). Significantly negatively correlated were all motility traits with the parameters abnormal acrosome (AA) (MOTUD r = −.06; MOT1 r = −.08, and MOT2 r = −.1) and presence of cytoplasmic droplet (CD) (MOTUD r = −.07; MOT1 r = −.08; MOT2 r = −.07). Association analyses (single marker regression model; SMR) propose that SNP g.1007A>G, located in the second intron, reduces motility significantly (MOTUD ‐4.59%; MOT1 ‐10.33%; MOT2 ‐19.37%). According to the dominant‐recessive model (DRM), genotype AA is always superior compared to genotypes AG and GG (i.e. MOTUD 67.67%, 64.16% and 53.91%; MOT1 54.17%, 43.75% and 28.44%; MOT2 44.12%, 24.91% and 4.97%). The average effect of gene substitution (g.1007A>G) on abnormal midpiece (AM) was 0.71%, the genotypic values—as expressed by LSmeans—were 0.1 (AA) and 0.81 (AG).
Spinal cord injury‐induced cardiomyocyte atrophy and impaired cardiac function are severity dependent
Authors: Squair Jordan W. , Liu Jie , Tetzlaff Wolfram , Krassioukov Andrei V. , West Christopher R.
Published: December 2017

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

How does the severity of spinal cord injury affect left ventricular mechanics, function and the underlying cardiomyocyte morphology?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Here, we show that severe, but not moderate, spinal cord injury causes cardiomyocyte atrophy, altered left ventricular mechanics and impaired cardiac function.

The principal aim of the present study was to assess how the severity of spinal cord injury (SCI) affects left ventricular (LV) mechanics, function and underlying cardiomyocyte morphology. Here, we used different severities of T3 spinal cord contusions (MODERATE, 200 kdyn contusion; SEVERE, 400 kdyn contusion; SHAM) and combined standard echocardiography with speckle tracking analyses to investigate in vivo cardiac function and deformation (contractility) after experimental SCI in the Wistar rat. In addition, we investigated changes in the intrinsic structure of cardiac myocytes ex vivo. We demonstrate that SEVERE SCI induces a characteristic decline in LV chamber size and a reduction in in vivo LV deformation (i.e. radial strain) throughout the entire systolic portion of the cardiac cycle [25.6 ± 3.0 versus 44.5 ± 8.1% (Pre‐injury); P = 0.0029]. SEVERE SCI also caused structural changes in cardiomyocytes, including decreased length [115.6 ± 7.63 versus 125.8 ± 6.75 μm (SHAM); P = 0.0458], decreased width [7.78 ± 0.71 versus 10.78 ± 1.08 μm (SHAM); P = 0.0015] and an increase in the length/width ratio [14.88 ± 0.66 versus 11.74 ± 0.89 (SHAM); P = 0.0018], which was significantly correlated with LV flow‐generating capacity after SCI (i.e. stroke volume, R2 = 0.659; P = 0.0013). Rats with MODERATE SCI exhibited no changes in any metric versus SHAM. This is the first study to demonstrate that the severity of SCI determines the course of changes in the intrinsic structure of cardiomyocytes, which are directly related to contractile function of the LV.
Postnatal effects of intrauterine treatment of the growth‐restricted ovine fetus with intra‐amniotic insulin‐like growth factor‐1
Authors: Spiroski A. M. , Oliver M. H. , Jaquiery A. L. , Prickett T. C. R. , Espiner E. A. , Harding J. E. , Bloomfield F. H.
Published: December 2017

Key points

Fetal growth restriction increases the risk of fetal and neonatal mortality and morbidity, and contributes to increased risk of chronic disease later in life.

Intra‐amniotic insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF1) treatment of the growth‐restricted ovine fetus improves fetal growth, but postnatal effects are unknown.

Here we report that intra‐amniotic IGF1 treatment of the growth‐restricted ovine fetus alters size at birth and mechanisms of early postnatal growth in a sex‐specific manner.

We also show that maternal plasma C‐type natriuretic peptide (CNP) products are related to fetal oxygenation and size at birth, and hence may be useful for non‐invasive monitoring of fetal growth restriction.

Intrauterine IGF1 treatment in late gestation is a potentially clinically relevant intervention that may ameliorate the postnatal complications of fetal growth restriction.

Placental insufficiency‐mediated fetal growth restriction (FGR) is associated with altered postnatal growth and metabolism, which are, in turn, associated with increased risk of adult disease. Intra‐amniotic insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF1) treatment of ovine FGR increases growth rate in late gestation, but the effects on postnatal growth and metabolism are unknown. We investigated the effects of intra‐amniotic IGF1 administration to ovine fetuses with uteroplacental embolisation‐induced FGR on phenotypical and physiological characteristics in the 2  weeks after birth. We measured early postnatal growth velocity, amino‐terminal propeptide of C‐type natriuretic peptide (NTproCNP), body composition, tissue‐specific mRNA expression, and milk intake in singleton lambs treated weekly with 360 μg intra‐amniotic IGF1 (FGRI; n = 13 females, 19 males) or saline (FGRS; n = 18 females, 12 males) during gestation, and in controls (CON; n = 15 females, 22 males). There was a strong positive correlation between maternal NTproCNP and fetal oxygenation, and size at birth in FGR lambs. FGR lambs were ∼20% lighter at birth and demonstrated accelerated postnatal growth velocity. IGF1 treatment did not alter perinatal mortality, partially abrogated the reduction in newborn size in females, but not males, and reduced accelerated growth in both sexes. IGF1‐mediated upregulation of somatotrophic genes in males during the early postnatal period could suggest that treatment effects are associated with delayed axis maturation, whilst treatment outcomes in females may rely on the reprogramming of nutrient‐dependent mechanisms of growth. These data suggest that the growth‐restricted fetus is responsive to intra‐amniotic intervention with IGF1, and that sex‐specific somatotrophic effects persist in the early postnatal period.