bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Suspected Cerebral Edema in Diabetic Ketoacidosis: Is There Still a Role for Head CT in Treatment Decisions?*
Authors: Soto-Rivera Carmen L. , Asaro Lisa A. , Agus Michael S. D. , DeCourcey Danielle D.
Published: January 2017

Objectives:

Neurologic deterioration associated with cerebral edema in diabetic ketoacidosis is typically sudden in onset, progresses rapidly, and requires emergent treatment. The utility of brain imaging by head CT in decisions to treat for cerebral edema has not been previously studied. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of pediatric patients with diabetic ketoacidosis who develop altered mental status and evaluate the role of head CT in this cohort.

Design:

Retrospective analysis of clinical, biochemical, and radiologic data.

Setting:

Tertiary care children’s hospital (2004–2010).

Patients:

Six hundred eighty-six admissions of patients (< 26 yr) with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

Altered mental status was documented during 96 of 686 diabetic ketoacidosis admissions (14%). Compared with alert patients, those with altered mental status were younger (median, 12.0 vs 13.1 yr; p = 0.007) and more acidotic (pH, 7.04 vs 7.19; p < 0.001), with higher serum osmolality (328 vs 315 mOsm/kg; p < 0.001) and longer hospital length of stay (4.5 vs 3 d; p = 0.002). Head CT was performed during 60 of 96 diabetic ketoacidosis admissions with altered mental status (63%), 16 (27%) of which had abnormal results. Hyperosmolar therapy for cerebral edema was given during 23 of the 60 admissions (38%), during which 12 (52%) had normal head CT results, eight of these 12 (67%) after cerebral edema treatment and four (33%) before. Of the 11 admissions with abnormal head CT results that received hyperosmolar therapy, four head CT scan (36%) occurred after hyperosmolar treatment and seven (64%) before. For the 11 admissions with head CT before cerebral edema treatment, there was a median 2-hour delay between head CT and hyperosmolar therapy.

Conclusions:

In this single-center retrospective study, there was no evidence that decisions about treatment of patients with diabetic ketoacidosis and suspected cerebral edema were enhanced by head CT, and head CT may have led to a significant delay in hyperosmolar therapy.
Long-Term Function After Pediatric Critical Illness: Results From the Survivor Outcomes Study*
Authors: Pinto Neethi P. , Rhinesmith Elizabeth W. , Kim Tae Yeon , Ladner Peter H. , Pollack Murray M.
Published: January 2017

Objective:

Knowledge of the long-term outcomes of survivors of pediatric critical illness is sparse but important. The aim of this study was to evaluate morbidity and mortality 6 months and 3 years after hospital discharge.

Design:

Prospective cohort study.

Setting:

Urban, inner city, academic PICU.

Patients:

Consecutive patients admitted to the PICU from June 2012 to August 2012.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

We collected descriptive and demographic information and functional status assessments at baseline, admission, hospital discharge, 6 months and 3 years following discharge. Functional status was measured with the Functional Status Scale. New morbidity was defined as a change in Functional Status Scale score of greater than or equal to 3. Postdischarge assessments utilized scripted telephone surveys. Of 303 consecutive PICU patients, 253 were eligible and 129 parents consented. Follow-up outcomes were obtained for 77 patients (59.7%) at 6 months and 70 of these patients (54.2%) at 3 years. Both mortality and morbidity increased after discharge. Cumulative mortality increased from 3.9% (n = 3) at discharge to 7.8% (n = 6) at 6 months (p = 0.08) and 10.4% (n = 8) at 3 years (p = 0.03). New morbidity increased cumulatively from 5.2% (n = 4) at discharge to 6.5% (n = 5) at 6 months (p = 0.65) and 10.4% (n = 8) at 3 years (p = 0.16). Almost as many children demonstrated worsening of their functional status or died (38%) as children who survived without a change in functional status (44%). Less than 10% of children exhibited functional gains over time. Long-term functional outcome was associated with PICU variables including the need for invasive therapies and indicators of severity of illness such as use of mechanical ventilation, ventilator days, use of vasoactive medications, and PICU length of stay. The combined poor outcomes of new morbidity and mortality increased cumulatively from 9.1% (n = 7) at discharge to 14.3% (n = 11) at 6 months (p = 0.16) and 20.8% (n = 16) by 3 years (p = 0.01).

Conclusions:

Mortality and new morbidity appear to substantially increase after discharge. Critical illness is associated with a sustained impact on survival and functional status.
Impact of Viral Respiratory Pathogens on Outcomes After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Moynihan Katie , Barlow Andrew , Alphonso Nelson , Anderson Ben , Johnson Janelle , Nourse Clare , Schlebusch Sanmarié , Karl Tom R. , Schlapbach Luregn J.
Published: January 2017

Objectives:

Viral respiratory infection is commonly considered a relative contraindication to elective cardiac surgery. We aimed to determine the frequency and outcomes of symptomatic viral respiratory infection in pediatric cardiac surgical patients.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study of children undergoing cardiac surgery. Symptomatic children were tested using a multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (respiratory virus polymerase chain reaction) panel capturing nine respiratory viruses. Tests performed between 72 prior to and 48 hours after PICU admission were included. Mortality, length of stay in PICU, and intubation duration were investigated as outcomes.

Setting:

Tertiary PICU providing state-wide pediatric cardiac services.

Patients:

Children less than 18 years admitted January 1, 2008 to November 29, 2014 for cardiac surgery.

Measurements and Main Results:

Respiratory virus polymerase chain reaction was positive in 73 (4.2%) of 1,737 pediatric cardiac surgical admissions, including 13 children with multiple viruses detected. Commonly detected viruses included rhino/enterovirus (48%), adenovirus (32%), parainfluenza virus 3 (10%), and respiratory syncytial virus (3%). Pediatric Index of Mortality 2, Aristotle scores, and cardiopulmonary bypass times were similar between virus positive and negative/untested cohorts. Respiratory virus polymerase chain reaction positive patients had a median 2.0 days greater PICU length of stay (p < 0.001) and longer intubation duration (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis adjusting for age, Aristotle score, cardiopulmonary bypass duration, and need for preoperative PICU admission confirmed that virus positive patients had significantly greater intubation duration and PICU length of stay (p < 0.001). Virus positive patients were more likely to require PICU admission greater than 4 days (odds ratio, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.9–6.2) and more likely to require intubation greater than 48 hours (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4–4.7). There was no difference in mortality. No association was found between coinfection and outcomes.

Conclusions:

Pediatric cardiac surgical patients with a respiratory virus detected at PICU admission had prolonged postoperative recovery with increased length of stay and duration of intubation. Our results suggest that postponing cardiac surgery in children with symptomatic viral respiratory infection is appropriate, unless the benefits of early surgery outweigh the risk of prolonged ventilation and PICU stay.
Doppler Ultrasonography of the Central Retinal Vessels in Children With Brain Death*
Authors: Riggs Becky J. , Cohen Joanna S. , Shivakumar Bhavana , Trimboli-Heidler Carmelina , Patregnani Jason T. , Miller Marijean M. , Spaeder Michael C. , Dean Nathan P.
Published: January 2017

Objective:

The purpose of this observational study is to explore if bedside Doppler ultrasonography of the central retinal vessels has the potential to become an ancillary study to support the timely diagnosis of brain death in children.

Design:

Seventeen-month prospective observational cohort.

Setting:

Forty-four bed pediatric medical and surgical ICU in an academic teaching hospital.

Patients:

All children 0–18 years old who were clinically evaluated for brain death at Children’s National Health Systems were enrolled and followed until discharge or death.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

All patients had at least one ophthalmic ultrasound within 30 minutes of each brain death examination. The central retinal artery peak systolic blood flow velocity, resistive index, pulsatility index, and Doppler waveforms were evaluated in each patient. Thirty-five ophthalmic ultrasounds were obtained on 13 patients, 3 months to 15 years old, who each had two clinical examinations consistent with brain death. The average systolic blood pressure during the ultrasound examinations was 102 mm Hg (± 28), diastolic blood pressure 65 mm Hg (± 24), mean arterial pressure 79 mm Hg (± 23), heart rate 133 beats/min (± 27), temperature 36°C (± 0.96), arterial Co
2 35 mm Hg (± 9), and end-tidal Co
2 23 mm Hg (± 6). For all examinations, the average peak systolic velocity of the central retinal artery was significantly decreased at 4.66 cm/s (± 3.2). Twelve of 13 patients had both resistive indexes greater than or equal to 1, average pulsatility indexes of 3.6 (± 3.5) with transcranial Doppler waveforms consistent with brain death. Waveform analysis of the 35 ultrasound examinations revealed 11% with tall systolic peaks without diastolic flow, 17% with oscillatory flow, 29% showed short systolic spikes, and 23% had no Doppler movement detected. A rippling “tardus-parvus” waveform was present in 20% of examinations.

Conclusion:

This study supports that the combination of qualitative waveform analysis and quantitative blood flow variables of the central retinal vessels may have the potential to be developed as an ancillary study for supporting the diagnosis of brain death in children.
From Vitality to Vital Exhaustion and Other States of “Tense Tiredness”: A New Biopsychosocial Risk Domain
Authors: Rozanski Alan , Cohen Randy
Published: January 2017

Fatigue is a common prodromal symptom for various medical conditions, including acute myocardial infarction. Fatigue is also the core component of vital exhaustion, which consists of a specific triad: excessive fatigue, increased irritability, and feelings of demoralization. In this issue ofPsychosomatic Medicine, Frestad and Prescott present a meta-analysis of 16 studies, involving 53,337 participants, which found vital exhaustion to be associated with an increased risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and recurrent cardiac events among individuals with established CHD. After discussing methodological limitations of the studies included in this meta-analysis, we describe these findings in terms of a larger genre of risk that is biopsychosocial in origin and tied to two types of tiredness: “calm tiredness” and “tense tiredness.” The former is regenerative, while the latter enhances disease risk. We propose that besides vital exhaustion, other symptoms of negative affect may combine with tiredness to produce increased clinical risk, such as the presence of depressed mood, an inability to relax or recover after work, and symptoms of burnout. We further propose that vital exhaustion can be considered as part of a larger paradigm, ranging from a positive state of vitality to a negative state of exhaustion of vitality. We conclude this editorial by emphasizing the importance of improving vitality and the need to clarify biobehavioral mechanisms that play a role in the association between vital exhaustion and adverse CHD outcomes. New interventions are needed that target reducing exhaustion and improving vitality for individuals at high risk of CHD.
Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia
Authors: Li Bassi Gianluigi , Senussi Tarek , Aguilera Xiol Eli
Published: January 2017

Purpose of review

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is an iatrogenic disease. Here we appraise recent advancements in the development and testing of strategies to prevent VAP. We also provide recommendations on the most promising interventions that should be applied.

Recent findings

In the last year, preventive bundles have consistently let to a reduction of VAP. A few trials on endotracheal tubes (ETTs) with novel cuffs failed to translate positive bench findings into clinical settings. In addition, meta-analyses confirmed the primary role of subglottic secretion aspiration in VAP prevention. A relatively new ETT, with an innovative cuff design, has been tested in clinical trials confirming potential value. Meta-analyses confirmed reduction of VAP with the use of chlorhexidine for oropharyngeal decontamination. However, prophylactic inhaled or oral antibiotics are ineffective. Finally, there is growing interest in orally ingested probiotics to prevent VAP. The results of ongoing studies on probiotics are much-awaited.

In conclusion, in the past year, new evidence elucidated limitations of new ETT cuffs in the prevention of VAP; whereas, subglottic secretion aspiration proved consistent benefits. Modulation of oropharyngeal colonization with chlorhexidine decreases risks of VAP and should be widely implemented. Finally, preventive measures with proven preventive value should be grouped into bundles.
Modifiers of Response to Treatment With Fesoterodine for Urgency-Predominant Urinary Incontinence in a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Winkelman William D. , Huang Alison J. , Schembri Michael , Rogers Rebecca G. , Richter Holly , Myers Deborah L. , Kraus Stephen R. , Johnson Karen C. , Hess Rachel , Gregory Tomas , Bradley Catherine S. , Arya Lily , Brown Janette S. , Subak Leslee L.
Published: January 2017

Objective

The aim of this study was to identify clinical and demographic characteristics that moderate response to treatment with fesoterodine among women with a diagnosis of urgency-predominant urinary incontinence.

Methods

A multicenter, double-blinded, 12-week randomized controlled trial of pharmacologic therapy for urgency-predominant urinary incontinence in community-dwelling women diagnosed by the 3-item Incontinence Questionnaire (3IQ) was previously performed. Participants (N = 645) were randomized to fesoterodine therapy (4–8 mg daily; n = 322) or placebo (n = 323). Urinary incontinence was assessed by 3-day voiding diaries. In this secondary analysis, a “responder” was defined as reduction of 50% or greater in overall incontinence episode frequency compared with baseline. Clinical and demographic characteristics that may moderate treatment response were assessed by testing for interaction between characteristics and intervention in logit models of responders, adjusting for clinical site.

Results

Participants’ ages were a mean of 56 (SD, 14) years, 68% were white race, and they had a mean of 3.9 (SD, 3.0) urgency incontinence episodes per day. There were no baseline differences in demographic, clinical, or incontinence characteristics between treatment and placebo groups or between responders and nonresponders. There was an increase in the proportion of responders to fesoterodine with increasing age (P= 0.04) and parity (0.04) and among married women (P= 0.03), but no effect modification was observed by race/ethnicity, body mass index, education, employment status, or alcohol or tobacco use.

Conclusions

In ambulatory women with urgency-predominant urinary incontinence, older age, being married, and higher parity significantly moderated and potentiated the effects of pharmacologic therapy on incontinence frequency. This study identifies certain populations who may have increased responsiveness to treatment with antimuscarinic therapy and may be used to inform and guide future therapy.
Cerebellar mutism syndrome: cause and rehabilitation
Authors: Catsman-Berrevoets Coriene E.
Published: January 2017

Purpose of review

Mutism of cerebellar origin may occur in the context of various causes but is most frequent in children after resection of a large midline cerebellar tumour. In this review, the endeavour to reach a consensus on name and definition of postoperative mutism of cerebellar origin and associated symptoms is highlighted. In addition, progress in understanding of cause and risk factors for the syndrome is discussed as well as the rehabilitation issues.

Recent findings

Consensus on the term cerebellar mutism syndrome (CMS) has been reached. The exact pathogenesis of CMS remains unclear. Recently, attention was drawn to the hypothesis that thermal injury might be an important mechanism in the pathogenesis of CMS. Diffusion tensor imaging tractography was found to visualize the damage to relevant pathways that are associated with persistent impairments after recovery of CMS. There is still no established treatment for CMS to date.

By reaching a consensus on terminology and description of CMS, a firm basis has been created for future research. The pathogenesis of CMS seems multifactorial and important risk factors have been found. However, CMS cannot be effectively prevented yet and no established or specific treatment is available, apart from very general rehabilitation and cognitive interventions.
A forward-looking review of seizure prediction
Authors: Freestone Dean R. , Karoly Philippa J. , Cook Mark J.
Published: January 2017

Purpose of review

Seizure prediction has made important advances over the last decade, with the recent demonstration that prospective seizure prediction is possible, though there remain significant obstacles to broader application. In this review, we will describe insights gained from long-term trials, with the aim of identifying research goals for the next decade.

Recent findings

Unexpected results from these studies, including strong and highly individual relationships between spikes and seizures, diurnal patterns of seizure activity, and the coexistence of different seizure populations within individual patients exhibiting distinctive dynamics, have caused us to re-evaluate many prior assumptions in seizure prediction studies and suggest alternative strategies that could be employed in the search for algorithms providing greater clinical utility. Advances in analytical approaches, particularly deep-learning techniques, harbour great promise and in combination with less-invasive systems with sufficiently power-efficient computational capacity will bring broader clinical application within reach.

We conclude the review with an exercise in wishful thinking, which asks what the ideal seizure prediction dataset would look like and how these data should be manipulated to maximize benefits for patients. The motivation for structuring the review in this way is to create a forward-looking, optimistic critique of the existing methodologies.
A Bayesian Perspective on Accumulation in the Magnitude System
Authors: Martin Benoît , Wiener Martin , van Wassenhove Virginie
Published: January 2017

Several theoretical and empirical work posit the existence of a common magnitude system in the brain. Such a proposal implies that manipulating stimuli in one magnitude dimension (e.g. duration in time) should interfere with the subjective estimation of another magnitude dimension (e.g. size in space). Here, we asked whether a generalized Bayesian magnitude estimation system would sample sensory evidence using a common, amodal prior. Two psychophysical experiments separately tested participants on their perception of duration, surface, and numerosity when the non-target magnitude dimensions and the rate of sensory evidence accumulation were manipulated. First, we found that duration estimation was resilient to changes in surface and numerosity, whereas lengthening (shortening) the duration yielded under- (over-) estimations of surface and numerosity. Second, the perception of surface and numerosity were affected by changes in the rate of sensory evidence accumulation, whereas duration was not. Our results suggest that a generalized magnitude system based on Bayesian computations would minimally necessitate multiple priors.
Modelling haplotypes with respect to reference cohort variation graphs
Authors: Rosen Yohei , Eizenga Jordan , Paten Benedict
Published: January 2017

Current statistical models of haplotypes are limited to panels of haplotypes whose genetic variation can be represented by arrays of values at linearly ordered bi- or multiallelic loci. These methods cannot model structural variants or variants that nest or overlap. A variation graph is a mathematical structure that can encode arbitrarily complex genetic variation. We present the first haplotype model that operates on a variation graph-embedded population reference cohort. We describe an algorithm to calculate the likelihood that a haplotype arose from this cohort through recombinations and demonstrate time complexity linear in haplotype length and sublinear in population size. We furthermore demonstrate a method of rapidly calculating likelihoods for related haplotypes. We describe mathematical extensions to allow modelling of mutations. This work is an essential step forward for clinical genomics and genetic epidemiology since it is the first haplotype model which can represent all sorts of variation in the population.
Interactive effects of shifting body size and feeding adaptation drive interaction strengths of protist predators under warming
Authors: Fussmann K. E. , Rosenbaum B. , Brose U. , Rall B.C.
Published: January 2017

Global change is heating up ecosystems fuelling biodiversity loss and species extinctions. High-trophic-level predators are especially prone to extinction due to an energetic mismatch between increasing feeding rates and metabolism with warming. Different adaptation mechanisms such as decreasing body size to reduce energy requirements (morphological response) as well as direct effects of adaptation to feeding parameters (physiological response) have been proposed to overcome this problem. Here, we use protist-bacteria microcosm experiments to show how those adaptations may have the potential to buffer the impact of warming on predator-prey interactions. After adapting the ciliate predatorTetrahymena pyriformisto three different temperatures (15°C, 20°C and 25°C) for approximately 20 generations we conducted functional response experiments on bacterial prey along an experimental temperature gradient (15°C, 20°C and 25°C). We found an increase of maximum feeding rates and half-saturation densities with rising experimental temperatures. Adaptation temperature had on average slightly negative effects on maximum feeding rates, but maximum feeding rates increased more strongly with rising experimental temperature in warm adapted predators than in cold adapted predators. There was no effect of adaptation temperature on half-saturation densities characterising foraging efficiency. Besides the mixed response in functional response parameters, predators also adapted by decreasing body size. As smaller predators need less energy to fulfil their energetic demands, maximum feeding rates relative to the energetic demands increased slightly with increased adaptation temperature. Accordingly, predators adapted to 25°C showed the highest feeding rates at 25°C experimental temperature, while predators adapted to 15°C showed the highest maximum feeding rate at 15°C. Therefore, adaptation to different temperatures potentially avoids an energetic mismatch with warming. Especially a shift in body size with warming additionally to an adaptation of physiological parameters potentially helps to maintain a positive energy balance and prevent predator extinction with rising temperatures.
Comparison and Characterisation of Mutation Calling from Whole Exome and RNA Sequencing Data for Liver and Muscle Tissue in Lactating Holstein Cows Divergent for Fertility
Authors: Moran Bruce , Butler Stephen T. , Creevey Christopher J.
Published: January 2017

Whole exome sequencing has had low uptake in livestock species, despite allowing accurate analysis of single nucleotide variant (SNV) mutations. Transcriptomic data in the form of RNA sequencing has been generated for many livestock species and also represents a source of mutational information. However, there is little information on the accuracy of using this data for the identification of SNVs. We generated a bovine exome capture design and used it to sequence and call mutations from a lactating dairy cow model genetically divergent for fertility (Fert+, n=8; Fert-, n=8). We compared mutations called from liver and muscle transcriptomes from the same animals. Our exome capture demonstrated 99.1% coverage of the exome design of 56.7MB, whereas transcriptomes covered 55 and 46.5% of the exome, or 24.4 and 20.7MB, in liver and muscle respectively after filtering. We found that specificity of SNVs in the transcriptome data is approximately 75% following basic hard-filtering, and could be increased to above 80% by increasing the minimum threshold of reads covering SNVs, but this effect was negated in more highly covered SNVs. RNA-DNA differences, SNVs found in transcriptome but not exome, were discovered and shown to have significantly increased levels of transition mutations in both tissues. Functional annotation of non-synonymous SNVs specific to the high and low fertility phenotypes identified immune response-related genes, supporting previous work that has identified differential expression in the same genes. Publically available RNAseq data may be analysed in a similar way to further increase the utility of this resource.

The exome and transcriptome both relate to the same protein-coding regions of the genome. There has been sparse research on characterising mutations in RNA and DNA within the same individuals. Here we characterise the similarities in our Holstein dairy cow animal model. We offer practical and biological results indicating that RNA sequencing is a useful proxy of exome sequencing, itself shown to be applicable to this livestock species using a previously untested commercial application. This potentially unlocks public RNA sequencing data for further analysis, also indicating that RNA-DNA differences may associate with transcriptomic divergence.
A new and accurate continuum description of moving fronts
Authors: Johnston S T , Baker R E , Simpson M J
Published: January 2017

Processes that involve moving fronts of populations are prevalent in ecology and cell biology. A common approach to describe these processes is a lattice-based random walk model, which can include mechanisms such as crowding, birth, death, movement and agent-agent adhesion. However, these models are generally analytically intractable and it is computationally expensive to perform sufficiently many realisations of the model to obtain an estimate of average behaviour that is not dominated by random fluctuations. To avoid these issues, both mean-field and corrected mean-field continuum descriptions of random walk models have been proposed. However, both continuum descriptions are inaccurate outside of limited parameter regimes, and corrected mean-field descriptions cannot be employed to describe moving fronts. Here we present an alternative description in terms of the dynamics of groups of contiguous occupied lattice sites and contiguous vacant lattice sites. Our description provides an accurate prediction of the average random walk behaviour in all parameter regimes. Critically, our description accurately predicts the persistence or extinction of the population in situations where previous continuum descriptions predict the opposite outcome. Furthermore, unlike traditional mean-field models, our approach provides information about the spatial clustering within the population and, subsequently, the moving front.
Unraveling the population history of Indian Siddis
Authors: Das Ranajit , Upadhyai Priyanka
Published: January 2017

The Siddis are a unique Indian tribe of African, South Asian and European ancestry. While their ancestral origins have been traced to the Bantu populations from sub-Saharan Africa, their population history has remained an enigmatic question. Here, we have traced the biogeographical origin of the Siddis employing an admixture based algorithm, Geographical Population Structure (GPS). We evaluated 14 Siddi genomes in reference to 5 African populations from the 1000 Genomes project and 7 Bantu populations from the Human Genome Diversity project. GPS assigned the Siddi genomes to west Zambia and the present-day border between Zimbabwe and northeastern Botswana, overlapping with one of the principal areas of secondary Bantu settlement in Africa, ~1700 years before present (YBP). This is concordant with the secondary Bantu dispersal route from the east African Bantu center that brought the African ancestors of the Siddis to settlement sites in southeast Africa, from where they were disseminated to India, by the Portuguese. Our results also suggest that while the Siddi genomes are significantly different from that of the Bantus, they displayed the highest genomic proximity to the Luhyas and North-East Bantus from Kenya, and that ancestral Siddis are likely to have split from the Luhyas, ~2700 YBP, in congruence with known Bantu expansion and population migration routes. Together with historical, linguistic and anthropological evidences our findings shine light on the genetic relatedness between populations, fine-scale population structure and recapitulate the population history of the Siddis, in the ethnohistorical context of India.
A portable system for metagenomic analyses using nanopore-based sequencer and laptop computers can realize rapid on-site determination of bacterial compositions
Authors: Mitsuhashi Satomi , Kryukov Kirill , Nakagawa So , Takeuchi Junko S , Shiraishi Yoshiki , Asano Koichiro , Imanishi Tadashi
Published: January 2017

We developed a portable system for metagenomic analyses consisting of nanopore technology-based sequencer, MinION, and laptop computers, and assessed its potential ability to determine bacterial compositions rapidly. We tested our protocols using mock bacterial community that contained equimolar 16S rDNA and a pleural effusion from a patient with empyema for time effectiveness and accuracy. MinION sequencing targeting 16S rDNA detected all of 20 bacteria present in the mock bacterial community. Time course analysis indicated that sequence data obtained during the first 5-minute sequencing were enough to detect all 20 bacteria species in the mock sample and determine their compositions with sufficient accuracy. Additionally, using a clinical sample extracted from the pleural effusion of a patient with empyema, we could identify major bacteria in a pleural effusion by rapid sequencing and analysis. All of these results are comparable to or even better than the conventional 16S rDNA sequencing results using IonPGM sequencer. Our results suggest that rapid sequencing and bacterial composition determination is possible within 2 hours.Our integrative system is applicable to rapid diagnostic tests for infectious diseases in near future.
Epidemiological and ecological determinants of Zika virus transmission in an urban setting
Authors: Lourenço J , Maia de Lima M , Faria NR , Walker A , Kraemer MUG , Villabona-Arenas CJ , Lambert B , Marques de Cerqueira E , Pybus OG , Alcantara LCJ , Recker M
Published: January 2017

Zika has emerged as a global public health concern. Although its rapid geographic expansion can be attributed to the success of itsAedesmosquito vectors, local epidemiological drivers are still poorly understood. The city of Feira de Santana played a pivotal role in the early phases of the Chikungunya and Zika epidemics in Brazil. Here, using a climate-driven transmission model, we show that low Zika observation rates and a high vectorial capacity in this region were responsible for a high attack rate during the 2015 outbreak and the subsequent decline in cases in 2016, when the epidemic was peaking in the rest of the country. Our projections indicate that the balance between the loss of herd-immunity and the frequency of viral re-importation will dictate the transmission potential of Zika in this region in the near future. Sporadic outbreaks are expected but unlikely to be detected under current surveillance systems.
The burden of dengue fever and chikungunya in southern coastal Ecuador: Epidemiology, clinical presentation, and phylogenetics from the first two years of a prospective study
Authors: Stewart-Ibarra Anna M. , Ryan Sadie J. , Kenneson Aileen , King Christine A. , Abbott Mark , Barbachano-Guerrero Arturo , Beltrán-Ayala Efraín , Borbor-Cordova Mercy J. , Cárdenas Washington B. , Cueva Cinthya , Finkelstein Julia L. , Lupone Christina D. , Jarman Richard G. , Berry Irina Maljkovic , Mehta Saurabh , Polhemus Mark , Silva Mercy , Endy Timothy P.
Published: January 2017

Here we report the findings from the first two years of an arbovirus surveillance study conducted in Machala, Ecuador, a dengue endemic region (2014-2015). Patients with suspected dengue virus (DENV) infections (index cases, n=324) were referred from five Ministry of Health clinical sites. A subset of DENV positive index cases (n = 44) were selected, and individuals from the index household and four neighboring homes within 200-meters were recruited (n = 400). Individuals who entered the study, other than index cases, are referred to as associates. In 2014, 70.9% of index cases and 35.6% of associates had acute or recent DENV infections. In 2015, 28.3% of index cases and 12.8% of associates had acute or recent DENV infections. For every DENV infection captured by passive surveillance, we detected an additional three acute or recent DENV infections in associates. Of associates with acute DENV infections, 68% reported dengue-like symptoms, with the highest prevalence of symptomatic acute infections in children under 10 years of age. The first chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections were detected on epidemiological week 12 in 2015. 43.1% of index cases and 3.5% of associates had acute CHIKV infections. No Zika virus infections were detected. Phylogenetic analyses of isolates of DENV from 2014 revealed genetic relatedness and shared ancestry of DENV1, DENV2 and DENV4 genomes from Ecuador with those from Venezuela and Colombia, indicating presence of viral flow between Ecuador and surrounding countries. Enhanced surveillance studies, such as this, provide high-resolution data on symptomatic and inapparent infections across the population.
Revisiting suppression of interspecies hybrid male lethality inCaenorhabditisnematodes
Authors: Ryan Lauren E. , Haag Eric S.
Published: January 2017

Within the nematode genusCaenorhabditis,C. briggsaeandC. nigoniare among the most closely related species known. They differ in sexual mode, withC. nigoniretaining the ancestral XO male-XX female outcrossing system, whileC. briggsaefemales recently evolved self-fertility and an XX-biased sex ratio. Wild-typeC. briggsaeandC. nigonican produce fertile hybrid XX female progeny, but XO progeny are either 100% inviable (whenC. briggsaeis the mother) or viable but sterile (whenC. nigoniis the mother). A recent study provided evidence suggesting that loss of theCbr-him-8meiotic regulator inC. briggsaehermaphrodites allowed them to produce viable and fertile hybrid XO male progeny when mated toC. nigoni. Because such males would be useful for a variety of genetic experiments, we sought to verify this result. Preliminary crosses with wild-typeC. briggsaehermaphrodites occasionally produced fertile males, but they could not be confirmed to be interspecies hybrids. Using an RNA interference protocol that eliminates any possibility of self-progeny inCbr-him-8hermaphrodites, we find sterile males bearing theC. nigoniX chromosome, but no fertile males bearing theC. briggsaeX, as in wild-type crosses. Our results suggest that the apparent rescue of XO hybrid viability and fertility is due to incomplete purging of self-sperm prior to mating.
Critical success factors for eLearning in Saudi Arabian universities
Authors: Alhabeeb Abdullah , Rowley Jennifer
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer insights into the development of eLearning systems and the perceptions of key players in the management of eLearning systems in three large universities in Saudi Arabia. It establishes the relative importance of different factors and compares these findings with studies conducted elsewhere in the world.

Design/methodology/approach

Desk research was conducted to gather a profile of the eLearning initiatives in the participating universities. Structured interviews were conducted with senior managers with responsibility for implementing and promoting eLearning in their universities. The interview protocol prompted discussion of the importance of the following sets of factors in the success and acceptance of eLearning: student characteristics, instructor characteristics, learning environment, instructional design, and support. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings

Supported by the Saudi Government, the three universities in this study have been developing their eLearning services. The two most important groups of critical success factors in this process were regarded as those related to student and instructor characteristics. Further analysis within each group of factors suggested that participants regarded instructor knowledge with learning technologies and student knowledge of computer systems, and technical infrastructure as important facilitators of success. Amongst instructional design factors, clarity of learning objectives and content quality were regarded as important. Insights are offered as to the reasons for these selections.

Originality/value

This study furthers earlier research on eLearning managers’ views and contributes to understanding of eLearning and its management in the Middle East.
Fast fashion environments: consumer’s heaven or retailer’s nightmare?
Authors: Cook Sasikarn Chatvijit , Yurchisin Jennifer
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The current research explored both pre-purchase and post-purchase factors of consumer behaviour. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships that may exist among consumers’ perceptions of perishability, scarcity, low price, attitudes, impulse buying, post-purchase emotions, and product returns within the context of the fast fashion environments.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 246 usable questionnaires completed by female undergraduate students, who made purchases and product returns at fast fashion retailers, were analysed in SPSS and AMOS 23.0. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Consumers who are attracted to scarcity due to limited supply and scarcity due to time, referred to as perceived perishability, have a positive attitude towards the fast fashion retailers in which products are presented in scarce environments. Likewise, consumers have a positive attitude towards fast fashion retailers due to low priced merchandises they offer. Consequently, consumers who have a positive attitude towards the fast fashion retailers are likely to purchase products from them impulsively. Moreover, impulse buying behaviour positively influenced some negative post-purchase emotional responses, which in turn positively influenced product returns in the fast fashion environments.

Research limitations/implications

The results of the current study contribute to a greater understanding of apparel-related consumer behaviour in general. A theory formation of fast fashion consumer behaviour from acquisition to disposal can be drawn from the results of this study. Because some fast fashion retailers do sell clothing for both men and women, researchers could compare the responses of males and females to examine differences in consumer behaviour related to demographic characteristics. In the future, an examination of actual emotional responses and return behaviour would be beneficial for a more complete understanding of post-purchase consumer behaviour.

Practical implications

Fast fashion retailers could use this information to carefully design shopping environments that induce impulse buying behaviour because it may result in product returns. Fast fashion retailers need to understand the causes of the return behaviour, whether consumer related or product related, to better meet the needs of their target market. Return policies must be considered.

Originality/value

This research is the first to examine the impact of negative emotions following consumers’ impulse buying on product returns in the fast fashion retail environments.
Prominent retailing authors and institutions: 2009-2015
Authors: Ketron Seth , Runyan Rodney , Farris II M. Theodore
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The current work reviews all retailing articles published in four prominent retailing journals – Journal of Retailing, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, and International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research – in the 2009-2015 period, picking up where Runyan and Hyun (2009) left off. The purpose of this paper is to identify leading authors and institutions in retailing research based on overall impact.

Design/methodology/approach

Content analysis/literature review/descriptive research.

Findings

In total, 1,392 articles were published during this time period, and through a procedure of weights and adjustments for author count, journal impact, journal quality, and journal publishing opportunity, the findings reveal that research collaboration is highly prevalent, as evidenced by the high number of multi-authored papers and cross-university/international partnerships. Additionally, some authors and institutions remain influential, while others have emerged as highly influential in the last seven years. This shows the dynamic nature of the field and the need to remain active in quality publishing.

Research limitations/implications

Scholars must understand that several factors influence impact judgments, which cannot be assessed using raw counts alone. Journal quality, impact, and publishing opportunity as well as author counts are important elements to consider.

Originality/value

These reviews are vital to the field in that they provide status updates on scholarship, so these reviews should be done periodically. Additionally, the findings in this paper provide a more holistic understanding of research impact and permit better assessment for scholars and administrators.
A six thousand‐year record of climate and land‐use change from Mediterranean seagrass mats
Authors: López‐Merino Lourdes , Colás‐Ruiz Nieves R. , Adame María F. , Serrano Oscar , Martínez Cortizas Antonio , Mateo Miguel A.
Published: January 2017

The Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica maintains a biodiverse ecosystem and it is a world‐wide important carbon sink. It grows for millennia, accumulating organic‐rich soils (mats) beneath the meadows. This marine habitat is protected by the European Union; however, it is declining rapidly due to coastal development. Understanding its response to disturbances could inform habitat restoration, but many environmental impacts predate monitoring programs (<50 years).

This research explores the palaeoecological potential of Posidonia mats to reconstruct six thousand years of environmental change that could have affected Posidonia meadows and, in turn, left an imprint on the mats.

Palynological, microcharcoal, magnetic susceptibility and glomalin‐related soil protein (GRSP) analyses on Posidonia mats enabled us to detect climate‐ and human‐induced environmental processes impacting on the seagrass during the Late Holocene.

The pollen and microcharcoal records reconstructed anthropogenic disturbances attributed to agriculture. The record of GRSP shows that agrarian activities affected continental soil quality. Changes in magnetic susceptibility reveal that enhanced soil erosion was caused by both climate (major flooding events in the NW Mediterranean) and humans (cultivation) which impacted on the Posidonia mat. Finally, increased human impact is linked to eutrophication of coastal waters since Roman‐Medieval times.

Synthesis. This study shows that climate and land‐use changes in the western Mediterranean resulted in enhanced loadings of terrigenous material to the coastal zone since the Late Holocene, likely disturbing the Posidonia meadows and their mat carbon accumulation dynamics. Under the current global change scenario in which CO2 emissions are projected to increase, restoring carbon sinks is a priority. Seagrass habitat restoration should consider not only the coastal perturbations, but also the continental ones at a catchment scale to preserve the socio‐economic ecosystem services provided by seagrasses.
Comparative proteomic analysis of urine and laser microdissected glomeruli in IgA nephropathy
Authors: Ning Xiaoyuan , Yin Zhong , Li Zuoxiang , Xu Jiayun , Wang Linna , Shen Wanjun , Lu Yang , Cai Guangyan , Zhang Xueguang , Chen Xiangmei
Published: January 2017

The purpose of the present study was to identify the differential proteins that synchronously change in urine and glomeruli and could be used to monitor glomerular lesions of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). The proteomes of urine and glomeruli from four IgAN patients who were graded III/IV according to the grading system of Lee et al. were compared to the urine proteomes of four healthy volunteers and the glomeruli proteomes of adjacent normal tissue from four patients with renal tumors, respectively. Western blot, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence assay were applied to verify the results of the proteomic analysis. In the proteomic analysis of urine from IgAN patients and healthy volunteers, 714 proteins were identified, with 246 proteins identified as differential proteins. In the proteomic analysis of glomeruli from renal biopsy tissue of IgAN patients and from adjacent normal tissue of patients with renal tumors, 161 proteins were identified altogether, and 20 proteins of these were recognized as differential proteins. After comparatively analyzing the differential proteins identified in the urine and glomeruli, five synchronously changed differential proteins were found: complement C9, Ig kappa chain C region and three cytoskeleton proteins. In summary, our findings indicate that certain immunological indices in urine appear to be associated with glomerular lesions of IgAN.
The intrauterine renin–angiotensin system: Sex‐specific effects on the prevalence of spontaneous preterm birth
Authors: Pringle Kirsty G , Zakar Tamas , Lumbers Eugenie R
Published: January 2017

Preterm birth (PTB) is the single largest cause of death in infants and young children. The rate of PTB is significantly higher in male infants, particularly those that are born very preterm. Here we present evidence to suggest that the decidual renin–angiotensin system may play a role in inhibiting inflammation and maintaining the integrity of the fetal membranes during pregnancy, and that sex‐specific alterations in the intrauterine RAS could contribute to the increased risk of PTB in male babies. Women carrying female fetuses have high levels of expression of decidual prorenin at term. Decidua from ‘female’ pregnancies also have greater expression of the anti‐inflammatory angiotensin (Ang)‐(1‐7) pathway, than decidua from ‘male’ pregnancies, and have lower levels of the pro‐inflammatory Ang II pathway. We propose that in ‘female’ pregnancies, the very high levels of decidual prorenin drive the anti‐inflammatory Ang‐(1‐7) pathway, thus reducing the likelihood of PTB. In addition, the high levels of prorenin produced by the decidua in ‘female’ pregnancies are able to diffuse into the amnion and bind to the PRR. We postulate that PRR/prorenin interactions, possibly through both angiotensin dependent and independent pathways, stimulate the production of ECM proteins, inhibit ECM degradation and prevent apoptosis, thus strengthening the amnion. Thus control of the inflammatory signature and the integrity of the fetal membranes prior to parturition may partly depend on the sexually determined activity of the decidual and amniotic renin–angiotensin system pathways.