bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Race and culture in the secondary school health and physical education curriculum in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Petherick LeAnne
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore issues of race and culture in health education in the secondary school health and physical education (HPE) curriculum in Ontario, Canada.

Design/methodology/approach

Using Ontario’s secondary school curriculum as a point of analysis, this paper draws from critical race theory and a whiteness lens to identify how cultural and race identities are positioned in contemporary health education documents. The curriculum document and its newest strategies for teaching are the focus of analysis in this conceptual paper.

Findings

Within the curriculum new teaching strategies offer entry points for engaging students in learning more about culture and race. In particular, First Nation, Métis and Inuit identities are noted in the curriculum. Specifically, three areas of the curriculum point to topics of race and culture in health: eating; substance use, abuse and additions; and, movement activities. Within these three educational areas, the curriculum offers information about cultural practices to teach about what it means to understand health from a cultural lens.

Social implications

The HPE curriculum offers examples of how Ontario, Canada, is expanding its cultural approaches to knowing about and understanding health practices. The acknowledgment of First Nations, Métis and Inuit health and cultural ways of approaching health is significant when compared to other recently revised HPE curriculum from around the globe. The teaching strategies offered in the curriculum document provide one avenue to think about how identity, culture and race are being taught in health education classrooms.

Originality/value

First, with limited analysis of health education policy within schools, the use of critical theory provides opportunities for thinking about what comes next when broadening definitions of health to be more inclusive of cultural and race identity. Second, curriculum structures how teachers respond to the topics they are delivering, thus how HPE as a subject area promotes healthy practices is highly relevant to the field of health education. This paper provides an important acknowledgment of the educative work being undertaken in the revision of HPE curriculum.
Help chain in companies undergoing a lean implementation
Authors: Tortorella Guilherme , Fettermann Diego
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose an instrument for assessing the relationships between the critical success factors (CSFs) that promote help chain, providing means to enhance overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and quality performance in companies undergoing a lean implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

The aforementioned relationships were determined and validated through a survey carried out with 50 Brazilian manufacturers. The authors, thus, provide an empirically validated instrument for assessing help chain CSFs and their impact on key operational performance indicators with no parallel in the existing literature. Quality (incidence of scrap and rework in manufacturing processes) and OEE (overall equipment effectiveness measured in percentage) were chosen as performance indicators because of their recognized relevance in previous research related to help chain approach.

Findings

The results of this paper show that the size of the company and CSFs have a significant relationship with quality. However, for OEE, time of lean implementation seems to be significantly important to predict its performance.

Originality/value

Identifying relevant relationships between CSFs and performance indicators may contribute to specify the context in which problems are expected to occur. With that knowledge, manufacturers will be able to emphasize the development of such factors that tend to improve their operational performance. Therefore, possible correlations are investigated to obtain a clearer comprehension around the subject and enable a better understating over the boundary conditions that surround the problem.
Capital regulatory pressure, charter value and bank risk-taking: empirical evidence for China
Authors: Zhang Jinyi , Jiang Hai
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the effect of induced capital regulatory pressure on banks’ charter value and risk-taking, and the influence of bank’s charter value on its risk-taking under such a capital regulatory pressure.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use two different estimations to check the robustness of the results. First, they apply a two-stage least squares mode to estimate the impact of capital requirements and bank charter value on bank risk-taking, with the influence of capital regulatory and market-force variables on bank charter value. Second, to reduce the problem of unobserved heterogeneity, the authors use dynamic panel data techniques as a check for robustness.

Findings

The empirical results show that higher capital requirements pressure brings about a lower charter value for banks, which in turn increases their risk-taking. The issue of banks’ risk-taking is also affected by their size: large banks seem to be more stable than their smaller counterparts.

Research limitations/implications

The authors’ findings suggest that regulatory pressure has had the desired impact on insolvency risk for Chinese banks due to the expected penalty triggered by a breach of capital requirements.

Practical implications

It is the first paper that investigates the impact of capital regulatory pressure on risk-taking of the Chinese banking system, which sheds light on concerns about regulatory monitoring of bank risk and capital regulatory framework.

Social implications

This paper measures the impact of capital regulation on Chinese bank charter value and risk-taking and offers some support for the implementation of Basel III in China.

Originality/value

The authors have constructed different measures of regulatory pressure to investigate the influence of new capital regulatory regime on banks’ behavior. Most importantly, the exogenous changes of banks’ capital ratio induced by capital regulatory pressure during the past decade that provides a unique opportunity to directly analyze the impact of capital regulatory pressure on bank charter value and risk-taking.
Mixed histiocytosis: A case report and published work review
Authors: Li Zhongtao , Li Yun , Liu Weiping , Li Jinfan , Wang Lin
Published: December 2017

Histiocytoses are a group of heterogeneous diseases that encompass Langerhans cell histiocytosis and non‐Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Cutaneous plane xanthoma is a non‐Langerhans cell histiocytic disorder characterized by the presence of yellow‐orange plaques on the face, neck, upper trunk and extremities. It can appear in association with several systemic diseases (including dyslipidemias, paraproteinemias, cardiovascular diseases and lymphoproliferative disorders), but is rarely connected with Langerhans cell histiocytoses. Eosinophilic granuloma is one of the clinical entities of Langerhans cell histiocytoses, characterized by skeletal lesions and occurring prominently in children. Mixed histiocytosis, the concomitant occurrence of Langerhans cell histiocytosis and non‐Langerhans cell histiocytosis in a single patient, is exceptional. We herein report a case of eosinophilic granuloma in an adult Chinese man who also developed plane xanthoma on his scalp and face, and we also include a published work review of the comorbid cases of eosinophilic granuloma and non‐Langerhans cell histiocytosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the mixed histiocytosis of cutaneous plane xanthoma and eosinophilic granuloma in China.
A camera‐based method for estimating absolute density in animals displaying home range behaviour
Authors: Campos‐Candela Andrea , Palmer Miquel , Balle Salvador , Alós Josep
Published: December 2017

The measurement of animal density may take advantage of recent technological achievements in wildlife video recording. Fostering the theoretical links between the patterns depicted by cameras and absolute density is required to exploit this potential.

We explore the applicability of the Hutchinson–Waser's postulate (i.e. when animal density is stationary at a given temporal and spatial scale, the absolute density is given by the average number of animals counted per frame), which is a counter‐intuitive statement for most ecologists and managers who are concerned with counting the same individual more than once. We aimed to reconcile such scepticism for animals displaying home range behaviour.

The specific objectives of this paper are to generalize the Hutchinson–Waser's postulate for animals displaying home range behaviour and to propose a Bayesian implementation to estimate density from counts per frame using video cameras.

Accuracy and precision of the method was evaluated by means of computer simulation experiments. Specifically, six animal archetypes displaying well‐contrasted movement features were considered. The simulation results demonstrate that density could be accurately estimated after an affordable sampling effort (i.e. number of cameras and deployment time) for a great number of animals across taxa.

The proposed method may complement other conventional methods for estimating animal density. The major advantages are that identifying an animal at the individual level and precise knowledge on how animals move are not needed, and that density can be estimated in a single survey. The method can accommodate conventional camera trapping data. The major limitations are related to some implicit assumptions of the underlying model: the home range centres should be homogeneously distributed, the detection probability within the area surveyed by the camera should be known, and animals should move independently to one another. Further improvements for circumventing these limitations are discussed.
Forensic Use of the Piracatinga Fish (Callophysius macropterus) to Locate and Identify Human Remains Retrieved From the Amazon River
Authors: Jennings Simões Erik L.
Published: December 2017

Piracatinga (Callophysius macropterus) are a type of bottom feeder catfish encountered in the Amazon River and its tributaries. We report two cases in which human remains were first located based on a characteristic circular distortion of the surface of the river that the Piracatinga make while they feed. Human skin samples of one of the victims recovered from the Piracatinga digestive tract were subjected to mitochondrial DNA analysis that allowed identification of the body of Case 1; the family recognized body parts of Case 2. Importantly, the location of human body parts and their identification based on DNA analysis enabled the respective families to obtain a death certificate expeditiously in the absence of identifiable remains—a process that normally requires 5 years under current Brazilian law, and in the absence of closure, imposes severe emotional stress on the family of the deceased.
Effect of Grinding at Modified Atmosphere or Vacuum on Browning, Antioxidant Capacities, and Oxidative Enzyme Activities of Apple
Authors: Kim Ah‐Na , Lee Kyo‐Yeon , Kim Hyun‐Jin , Chun Jiyeon , Kerr William L. , Choi Sung‐Gil
Published: December 2017

This study evaluated the effects of grinding at atmospheric pressure (control), under vacuum (∼2.67 kPa), or with modified atmosphere (N2and CO2) on the browning, antioxidant activity, phenolics, and oxidative enzyme activity of apples as a function of time. The control group was affected most, showing distinct browning and losing most of the antioxidant activity and concentrations of the main phenolic compounds. The modified atmosphere groups retained color, antioxidant activity, and phenolic compounds better than the control group. Least changes were obtained with vacuum grinding, particularly in terms of preventing enzymatic browning and oxidation of antioxidants apples. At 12 h after grinding, vacuum‐ground apples retained total phenolic contents 5.32, 1.54, and 1.49 times higher than control, nitrogen gas, and carbon dioxide gas‐ground samples, respectively. The oxidative enzyme activity, including that of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase, decreased in the control and modified atmosphere group, but they were maintained in the samples ground under the vacuum.

Practical Application

In this study, we found that grinding with modified atmosphere or vacuum conditions could effectively prevent browning as well as loss of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of ground apples. These results can help scientists and engineers build better grinding systems for retaining nutrient and quality factors of ground apples. In addition, these results may be useful to other fruit and vegetable industries that wish to retain fresh‐like quality and nutritional value during grinding and storage.
Does Accounting Conservatism Reduce Overpricing Caused by Short‐Sales Constraints?
Authors: Mashruwala Christina , Mashruwala Shamin
Published: December 2017

Prior research documents that, in the presence of investor disagreement, short‐sales constraints can lead to equity overvaluation. We examine whether conservative accounting practices reduce the susceptibility to such overpricing, as predicted by Miller (1980). Consistent with Miller's prediction, we find that when shorting constraints and disagreement are high, the degree of overvaluation decreases systematically with accounting conservatism. These findings suggest that financial reporting conservatism helps improve market efficiency by counteracting the tendency to overvaluation that typically occurs in the presence of short‐selling constraints and divergence of opinion.
Relative roles of termites and saprotrophic microbes as drivers of wood decay: A wood block test
Authors: Cheesman Alexander W. , Cernusak Lucas A. , Zanne Amy E.
Published: December 2017

Deadwood in tropical ecosystems represents an important but poorly studied carbon (C) pool. Biologically mediated decay of this pool occurs by both saprotrophic microbes and macro‐invertebrates, such as termites. The activity of these decay agents is influenced by abiotic conditions, especially water availability in tropical systems. While saprotrophic microbial activity is directly controlled by moisture, termites employ various morphological and behavioural modifications that should allow for continued activity in dry conditions. We therefore hypothesized that the relative role of termites would be enhanced in the dry season and a dry compared to a wet site. We deployed a novel wood bait (Pinus radiata) at two sites (rainforest and savanna), with or without access holes cut into termite‐excluding mesh. Mass loss from wood baits was measured after a dry season and after a full dry/wet annual cycle. Mass loss was higher at the rainforest site, demonstrating the overall role of moisture in driving wood decay. Counter to expectations, we found no evidence that the relative role of termites was higher at the dry site, nor during the dry season. However, the prevalence of termites was higher in the savanna compared to the rainforest. While termites clearly impact wood decay, these findings indicate that the relative importance of termites in the fate of deadwood may not reflect their mere presence within and across ecosystems. If moisture availability shifts under climate change, our results suggest similar functional responses between termites and saprotrophic microbes in driving C loss from deadwood.
Duration of anaemia during the first week of life is an independent risk factor for retinopathy of prematurity
Authors: Lundgren Pia , Athikarisamy Sam E. , Patole Sanjay , Lam Geoffrey C. , Smith Lois E. , Simmer Karen
Published: December 2017

Aim

This study evaluated the correlation between retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), anaemia and blood transfusions in extremely preterm infants.

Methods

We included 227 infants born below 28 weeks of gestation at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, Australia, from 2014–2016. Birth characteristics and risk factors for ROP were retrieved, and anaemia and severe anaemia were defined as a haemoglobins of <110 g/L and <80 g/L, respectively. Logistic regression was used for the analysis.

Results

Retinopathy of prematurity treatment was needed in 11% of cases and the mean number of blood transfusions (p < 0.01), and mean number of weeks of anaemia (p < 0.001) and of severe anaemia (p < 0.05), had positive associations with ROP cases warranting treatment. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the best‐fit model of risk factors included anaemic days during first week of life, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.46% and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.16–1.83 (p < 0.05), sepsis during the first 4 weeks of life (OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.10–9.00, p < 0.05) and days of ventilation (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.06, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The duration of anaemia during the first week of life was an independent risk factor for ROP warranting treatment and preventing early anaemia may decrease this risk.
Narrative review shows that the short‐term use of ketorolac is safe and effective in the management of moderate‐to‐severe pain in children
Authors: Marzuillo Pierluigi , Calligaris Lorenzo , Amoroso Stefano , Barbi Egidio
Published: December 2017

In June 2013, the European Medicine Agency recommended limiting codeine use in paediatric patients, creating a void in managing moderate pain. We reviewed the literature published in English (1985–June 2017) on the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and safety profile of ketorolac, a possible substitute for codeine and opioids, for treating moderate‐to‐severe pain. We found that gastrointestinal side effects were mainly reported with prolonged use, significant bleeding was reported in adenotonsillectomy, and adverse renal effects appeared to be limited to patients with specific coexisting risk factors.

Conclusion

The short‐term use of ketorolac appears to be safe for children in many situations.
AN IMPROVED FLUORIMETRIC DETERMINATION OF α‐MANNOSIDASE ACTIVITY IN BOVINE PLASMA
Authors: SINCLAIR A. J. , EMBURY D. H. , ALLEN J. D.
Published: December 2017

This paper describes a manual fluorimetric method for the assay of acidic α‐mannosidase activity in bovine plasma. The optimum conditions for the assay of this enzyme were studied. The assay method devised includes the addition of zinc to the substrate, which stimulates activity by approximately twofold, and reduces the optimum substrate concentration. This latter feature affords considerable cost saving in each test. We have also shown that the α‐mannosidase activity in lithium heparin plasma, EDTA plasma and blood serum is the same whether the plasma/serum is separated from the cells/clot at 6, 20 or 25 hours after sample collection. This has eliminated the previous necessity of having to deliver whole blood samples to the laboratory within 6 hours of collection. Furthermore samples for the supplementary neutrophil assay can now be taken at the same time as those for the plasma test, and both samples forwarded together.

The plasma α‐mannosidase assay is a rapid and reliable screening test for the mannosidosis genotype and for detecting carrier animals. Carrying out this plasma assay in conjunction with the more definitive neutrophil assay provides a reliable method of distinguishing homozygotes and heterozygotes from normal animals.
Evaluation of the effect of dabrafenib and metabolites on QTc interval in patients with BRAF V600–mutant tumours
Authors: Nebot Noelia , Arkenau Hendrik‐Tobias , Infante Jeffrey R. , Chandler Jason C. , Weickhardt Andrew , Lickliter Jason D. , Sarantopoulos John , Gordon Michael S. , Mak Gabriel , St‐Pierre Annie , Tang Lihua , Mookerjee Bijoyesh , Carson Stanley W. , Hayes Siobhan , Grossmann Kenneth F.
Published: December 2017

Aims

The effect of repeat oral supratherapeutic dosing of the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib on QTc interval was assessed in patients with BRAF V600–mutant tumours.

Methods

Part 1 of this phase 1, multicentre, 2‐part study (BRF113773/NCT01738451) assessed safety/tolerability of dabrafenib 225 or 300 mg twice daily (BID) to inform part 2 dosing. Patients in part 2 received dabrafenib‐matched placebo on day −1, single‐dose dabrafenib 300 mg on day 1, 300 mg BID on days 2 to 7, and 300 mg on day 8 (morning), followed by 24‐h Holter electrocardiographic monitoring and pharmacokinetics sample collection each dose day. Pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics analysis assessed combined dabrafenib and metabolite effects on QTc interval.

Results

Part 1 (n = 12) determined supratherapeutic dosing, 300 mg BID, for part 2. Thirty‐one patients completed part 2. Mean maximum ΔΔQTcF occurred on day 8, 10 h postdose (2.86 msec; 90% CI, −1.36 to 7.07). Categorical analysis showed no placebo and dabrafenib outliers (increase >60 msec; QTcF >500 msec). Day 1 dabrafenib 300 mg Cmax and AUC(0–∞) were ≈ 2‐fold higher than with single‐dose 150 mg. Day 8 AUC(0‐τ) with 300 mg BID was ≈ 2.7‐fold higher than with 150 mg BID. Dabrafenib metabolites showed similar trends. Pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics modelling/simulation showed that median QTc increase was <5 msec (upper 90% CI, <10 msec). No unexpected toxicities occurred with supratherapeutic dosing.

Conclusion

Repeat oral supratherapeutic dabrafenib 300 mg BID dosing had no clinically relevant effect on QTc interval, with no new safety signals seen.
Cardiac output changes after osmotic therapy in neurosurgical and neurocritical care patients: a systematic review of the clinical literature
Authors: Tsaousi Georgia , Stazi Elisabetta , Cinicola Marco , Bilotta Federico
Published: December 2017

Aim

Osmotherapy constitutes a first‐line intervention for intracranial hypertension management. However, hyperosmolar solutes exert various systematic effects, among which their impact on systemic haemodynamics is poorly clarified. This review aims to appraise the clinical evidence of the effect of mannitol and hypertonic saline (HTS) on cardiac performance in neurosurgical and neurocritical care patients.

Method

A database search was conducted to identify randomized clinical trials and observational studies reporting HTS or mannitol use in acute brain injury setting. The primary end‐points were alterations of cardiac output (CO) and other haemodynamic variables, while the impact of osmotic agents on intracranial pressure, brain relaxation, plasma osmolality, electrolyte levels and urinary output constituted secondary outcomes.

Results

Eight studies, enrolling 182 patients in total, were included. HTS exerted a more profound cardiac output augmentation than mannitol, but no distinct difference between groups occurred. Central venous pressure, stroke volume and stroke volume variation were favourably affected by both osmotic agents, whilst the reported changes in blood pressure were inconclusive. HTS infusion yielded a larger intracranial pressure reduction than mannitol but had an equivalent effect on brain relaxation. Mannitol presented a more potent diuretic effect than HTS. Effect on serum osmolality was alike in both osmotic agents, but contrary to HTS‐promoted hypernatraemia, mannitol use induced transient hyponatraemia.

Conclusions

Mannitol or HTS administration seems to induce an enhancement of cardiac performance; being more prominent after HTS infusion. This effect combined with mannitol‐induced enhancement of diuresis and HTS‐promoted increase of plasma sodium concentration could partially explain the effects of osmotherapy on cerebral haemodynamics.
MicroRNA‐155 promotes gastric cancer growth and invasion by negatively regulating transforming growth factor‐β receptor 2
Authors: Qu Yajing , Zhang Haiyang , Sun Wu , Han Yueting , Li Shuang , Qu Yanjun , Ying Guoguang , Ba Yi
Published: December 2017

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and has high morbidity and mortality rates. It is essential to elucidate the molecular events of GC proliferation and invasion, which will provide new therapeutic targets for GC. The inactivation of transforming growth factor‐β receptor 2 (TGFβR2) correlates with cancer cell growth and metastasis, but the mechanisms underlying the downregulation of TGFβR2 expression remain unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as post‐transcriptional regulators and play a key role in the development of cancers. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays have shown that miR‐155 directly binds to the 3′‐UTR of TGFβR2 mRNA. In this study, we found that the TGFβR2 protein levels, but not mRNA levels, were downregulated in GC tissues, and the levels of miR‐155 were significantly increased in GC tissues. We deduced that miR‐155 was inversely correlated with TGFβR2 in GC cells. In vitro studies showed that overexpression of miR‐155 in SGC7901 inhibited the expression of TGFβR2 and then promoted GC cell proliferation and migration, whereas miR‐155 inhibitor showed opposite effects. In addition, the tumor‐suppressing function of TGFβR2 was verified by using siRNA and TGFβR2 overexpressing plasmids. The results showed that miR‐155 promotes cell growth and migration by negatively regulating TGFβR2. Thus, miR‐155‐regulated TGFβR2 as a potential therapeutic target in GC.
New evidence of connections between increased O-GlcNAcylation and inflammasome in the oral mucosa of patients with oral lichen planus
Authors: Thi Do T , Phoomak C , Champattanachai V , Silsirivanit A , Chaiyarit P
Published: December 2017

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is considered a chronic inflammatory immune-mediated disease of the oral mucosa. Immunopathogenesis of OLP is thought to be associated with cell-mediated immune dysregulation. O-GlcNAcylation is a form of reversible glycosylation. It has been demonstrated that O-GlcNAcylation promoted nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signalling. Activation of NF-кB can induce expression of nucleotide-binding domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which is a large intracellular multi-protein complex involving an immune response. Dysregulated expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome was reported to be associated with autoinflammatory diseases. No integrative studies between O-GlcNAcylation and NLRP3 inflammasome in OLP patients have been reported. The present study aimed to determine the immunohistochemical expression of O-GlcNAcylation, NF-κB signalling molecules and NLRP3 inflammasome in oral mucosae of OLP patients. Oral tissue samples were collected from 30 OLP patients and 30 healthy individuals. Immunohistochemical staining and analyses of immunostaining scores were performed to evaluate expression of O-GlcNAcylation, NF-κB signalling molecules and NLRP3 inflammasome. According to observations in this study, significantly higher levels of O-GlcNAcylation, NF-κB signalling molecules and NLRP3 inflammasome were demonstrated in OLP patients compared with control subjects (P < 0·001). Positive correlations among O-GlcNAcylation, NF-κB signalling molecules and NLRP3 inflammasome were also observed in OLP samples (P < 0·01). In conclusion, the present study provides supportive evidence that increased O-GlcNAcylation is associated with increased expression of NLRP3 inflammasome via the NF-κB signalling pathway. These findings provide a new perspective on immunopathogenesis of OLP in relation to autoinflammation.
A systematic review of validated sinus surgery simulators
Authors: Stew B. , Kao S.S.‐T. , Dharmawardana N. , Ooi E.H.
Published: December 2017

Background

Simulation provides a safe and effective opportunity to develop surgical skills. A variety of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) simulators has been described in the literature. Validation of these simulators allows for effective utilisation in training.

Objective of review

To conduct a systematic review of the published literature to analyse the evidence for validated ESS simulation.

Search strategy

Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane and Cinahl were searched from inception of the databases to 11 January 2017.

Evaluation method

Twelve thousand five hundred and sixteen articles were retrieved of which 10 112 were screened following the removal of duplicates. Thirty‐eight full‐text articles were reviewed after meeting search criteria. Evidence of face, content, construct, discriminant and predictive validity was extracted.

Results

Twenty articles were included in the analysis describing 12 ESS simulators. Eleven of these simulators had undergone validation: 3 virtual reality, 7 physical bench models and 1 cadaveric simulator. Seven of the simulators were shown to have face validity, 7 had construct validity and 1 had predictive validity. None of the simulators demonstrated discriminate validity.

Conclusion

This systematic review demonstrates that a number of ESS simulators have been comprehensively validated. Many of the validation processes, however, lack standardisation in outcome reporting, thus limiting a meta‐analysis comparison between simulators.
Relationship between smoking and total antioxidant status, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index, vit C, vit E
Authors: Karademirci Merve , Kutlu Ruhusen , Kilinc Ibrahim
Published: December 2017

Background

Tobacco smoking contains many toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic chemicals, as well as stable and unstable free radicals. In this study, we aimed to assess the vitamin E, vitamin C and total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) in smoking and non‐smoking men.

Materials and Methods

This case‐control analytical study was conducted on 78 smoking and 82 non‐smoking men. Fagerström nicotine‐dependence test was used to assess the participants' addiction status. Low‐density lipoprotein‐c, high‐density lipoprotein‐c, total cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, vitamin E, vitamin C, TAS and TOS levels were determined.

Results

The mean age of 160 men who participated in our study was 33.0 ± 10.6 years. The comparison of smoker and non‐smoker groups was made in terms of the parameters of TAS, TOS, OSI, vitamin C and vitamin E; it was seen that TAS (P = .003), vitamin C (P < .001) and vitamin E (P < .001) values in non‐smokers' group were found significantly higher than smokers. In non‐smokers, vitamin C level was 4.3 times more than the smokers. In non‐smokers, vitamin E level was 6.9 times more than the smokers. The values of TOS (P < .001) and OSI (P < .001) in smokers were significantly higher than the control group.

Conclusions

The parameters of TAS, vitamin C and vitamin E were significantly higher in the non‐smoker group than in the smoker group. The levels of TOS and OSI were higher in the smoker group. It is known that cigarette smoking leads to various diseases because of the free radicals it contains.
Epidemiological trade‐off between intra‐ and interannual scales in the evolution of aggressiveness in a local plant pathogen population
Authors: Suffert Frédéric , Goyeau Henriette , Sache Ivan , Carpentier Florence , Gélisse Sandrine , Morais David , Delestre Ghislain
Published: December 2017

The efficiency of plant resistance to fungal pathogen populations is expected to decrease over time, due to their evolution with an increase in the frequency of virulent or highly aggressive strains. This dynamics may differ depending on the scale investigated (annual or pluriannual), particularly for annual crop pathogens with both sexual and asexual reproduction cycles. We assessed this time‐scale effect, by comparing aggressiveness changes in a local Zymoseptoria tritici population over an 8‐month cropping season and a 6‐year period of wheat monoculture. We collected two pairs of subpopulations to represent the annual and pluriannual scales: from leaf lesions at the beginning and end of a single annual epidemic and from crop debris at the beginning and end of a 6‐year period. We assessed two aggressiveness traits—latent period and lesion size—on sympatric and allopatric host varieties. A trend toward decreased latent period concomitant with a significant loss of variability was established during the course of the annual epidemic, but not over the 6‐year period. Furthermore, a significant cultivar effect (sympatric vs. allopatric) on the average aggressiveness of the isolates revealed host adaptation, arguing that the observed patterns could result from selection. We thus provide an experimental body of evidence of an epidemiological trade‐off between the intra‐ and interannual scales in the evolution of aggressiveness in a local plant pathogen population. More aggressive isolates were collected from upper leaves, on which disease severity is usually lower than on the lower part of the plants left in the field as crop debris after harvest. We suggest that these isolates play little role in sexual reproduction, due to an Allee effect (difficulty finding mates at low pathogen densities), particularly as the upper parts of the plant are removed from the field, explaining the lack of transmission of increases in aggressiveness between epidemics.
Vaccinations are not associated with inhibitor development in boys with severe haemophilia A
Authors: Platokouki H. , Fischer K. , Gouw S. C. , Rafowicz A. , Carcao M. , Kenet G. , Liesner R. , Kurnik K. , Rivard G. E. , van den Berg H. M.
Published: December 2017

Background

Inhibitor development in previously untreated patients (PUPs) with severe haemophilia A is a multifactorial event. It is unknown whether paediatric vaccinations given in close proximity to factor VIII (FVIII) are associated with inhibitor development.

Objective

To assess whether paediatric vaccinations in close proximity to FVIII within the first 75 exposure days (EDs) are associated with inhibitor development in PUPs with severe haemophilia A.

Methods

We included 375 PUPs with severe haemophilia A (<0.01 IU/mL) from the PedNet Registry who had received vaccinations between the first and 75th ED or inhibitor development. Inhibitor risk was compared between patients who did and who did not receive vaccinations within 24, 72 or 120 hours of FVIII infusion. Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios were calculated for any or repeated vaccinations in close proximity to FVIII, using Cox regression.

Results

Inhibitor development occurred in 77 of 375 patients (20.5%). Overall inhibitor development appeared similar or lower in patients receiving vaccinations in close proximity to FVIII as compared to patients receiving vaccinations without FVIII: for 24 hours, this was 19.2% and 21.4% (P = .186), for 72 hours, 16.4% and 27.3% (P = .023) and for 120 hours, 18.3% and 25.0% (P = .085), respectively.

Conclusion

We found no association between vaccinations given in close proximity to FVIII exposure within the first 75 EDs and inhibitor development. Our data do not support avoiding administration of FVIII at time of routine vaccinations.
Understanding sunscreen SPF performance using cross‐polarized UVA reflectance photography
Authors: Crowther J. M.
Published: December 2017

Objectives

Objective methods for understanding sunscreen behaviour in vitro before they are applied to the skin have failed to keep pace with the ever‐increasing demands for higher SPF scores where the products are absorbing more and more similar levels of UV. A novel method for visualizing the spreading and location of SPF ingredients based on cross‐polarized UVA reflectance photography is described here which gives new insights into the formation of final film morphology and how it correlates with in vivo SPF efficacy for a set of test products.

Methods

High‐resolution UVA‐based images of sunscreen films spread onto PMMA plates were captured using a modified commercial SLR camera in a custom imaging system. Visual grading and image analysis were used to describe the overall UVA absorbance and streakiness of the resultant films, and the data compared with both in vivo and calculated in vitro SPF scores for the products.

Results

Differences were observed between the products in terms of how they spread during application. A strong correlation was observed between the evenness of the resultant film as determined from the photographs and final in vivo SPF scores.

Conclusions

Cross‐polarized UVA reflectance photography has been demonstrated to be a valuable new method for assessing sunscreen distribution after spreading and to differentiate product based on film morphology, as well as strongly correlating with final in vivo behaviour.
Unfolding dielectric breakdown effects on energy storage performances of modified (Sr0.98Ca0.02)(Ti1‐xZrx)O3 ceramics
Authors: Luo Qu , Yao Zhonghua , Zhang Guifang , Zhang Lin , Xie Juan , Hao Hua , Cao Minghe , Liu Hanxing
Published: December 2017

Dielectric materials with large maximum polarization but small lossy hysteresis, high electrical breakdown, and postponed maximum polarization can store a large amount of electrical energy and are thus promising candidates for energy storage applications. In this work, a dielectric capacitor based on (Sr0.98Ca0.02)(Ti,Zr)O3 system achieved the elevated energy storage performances calculated from the polarization‐electric field hysteresis loops due to enhanced breakdown strength by Zr substitution. Dielectric relaxation could be ascribed to the appearance of the doubly ionized oxygen vacancies verified by activation energy. For the studied system, dielectric breakdown dominated for the enhancement of energy storage performances because of the difference of ferroelectric activity and cation stability between Zr and Ti ions. The optimal Zr‐modified composition exhibited better energy storage performances in contrast with pure (Sr0.98Ca0.02)TiO3, suggesting that they might be an emerging candidate for next‐generation high‐energy devices.
Alemtuzumab depletion failure can occur in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Dubuisson Nicolas , Baker David , Kang Angray S. , Pryce Gareth , Marta Monica , Visser Leo H. , Hofmann Werner E. , Gnanapavan Sharmilee , Giovannoni Gavin , Schmierer Klaus
Published: December 2017

Alemtuzumab is a lymphocyte‐depleting antibody and one of the most effective treatments for relapsing multiple sclerosis. However, it also causes loss of immune‐tolerance leading to secondary autoimmunity and marked anti‐drug antibody responses. Although these anti‐drug responses have been reported to be of no significance, we hypothesized that they will affect the depleting capacity and treatment response in some individuals. This was found following analysis of the regulatory submission of the pivotal phase III trials, which was obtained from the European Medicines Agency. At the population level there was lack of influence of ‘ever‐positive’ alemtuzumab‐specific antibody responses on lymphocyte depletion, clinical efficacy and adverse effects during the 2‐year trial. This was not surprising as no one before the first infusion, and only 0·6% of people before the second‐infusion, had pre‐infusion, neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). However, at the individual level, NAbs led to poor lymphocyte depletion. Importantly, it was evident that 31% of people had NAbs and 75% had binding antibodies at the end of treatment‐cycle 2, which suggests that problems may occur in people requiring additional alemtuzumab cycles. In addition, we also identified individuals, following ‘post‐marketing’ alemtuzumab use, whose lymphocyte level was never effectively depleted after the first infusion cycle. Hence, although alemtuzumab depletes lymphocytes in most individuals, some people fail to deplete/deplete poorly, probably due to biological‐response variation and NAbs, and this may lead to treatment failure. Monitoring depletion following infusion and assessment of the neutralizing response before re‐infusion may help inform the decision to retreat or switch therapy to limit treatment failure.
Comparison of the three waves of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus circulation since live poultry markets were permanently closed in the main urban areas in Zhejiang Province, July 2014‐June 2017
Authors: Cheng Wei , Wang Xiaoxiao , Shen Ye , Yu Zhao , Liu Shelan , Cai Jian , Chen Enfu
Published: December 2017

Background

The sudden increase in the number of human cases infected with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus after September 2016 raised global concern.

Objectives

To assess the changes in epidemiological characteristics of H7N9 cases since the massive closure of live poultry markets (LPMs) in the main urban areas in Zhejiang province.

Methods

We used descriptive statistics to compare epidemiological characteristics of the three distinct waves of H7N9 cases in Zhejiang province. The rural or urban cases were defined according to the location where the patients had exposure within 2 weeks before illness onset.

Results

Between July 2014 and June 2017, 166 H7N9 cases were reported in Zhejiang province, with 45, 34, and 87 cases reported in the third, fourth, and fifth wave, respectively. Across the three waves, most reported cases were from rural areas. A similar percentage of cases in all three waves reported exposure to LPMs, raising poultry at home or around the house, as well as occupational exposure. Compared to the third (80.00%) and fourth wave (70.59%), a significantly larger proportion of cases from the non‐LPMs closure areas were observed in the fifth wave (89.66%) (P = .034).

Conclusion

Epidemiological characteristics of human cases infected with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus had generally remained unchanged since the massive closure of LPMs in the main urban area of Zhejiang province. The sudden increase in the number of H7N9 cases in the fifth wave was mainly attributed to the excessive cases reported from areas where LPMs were not permanently closed.
Reversible luminescence modulation of Ho‐doped K0.5Na0.5NbO3 piezoelectrics with high luminescence contrast
Authors: Zhang Yao , Liu Jian , Sun Haiqin , Peng Dengfeng , Li Ruihong , Bulin Chaoke , Wang Xusheng , Zhang Qiwei , Hao Xihong
Published: December 2017

A significant luminescence modulation behavior based on photochromic reactions was observed in Ho3+‐doped (Na0.52K0.48)0.92Li0.08NbO3 ceramics, fabricated by the conventional solid‐state reaction method. Under visible light irradiation (407 nm) for 20 second, the samples changed pale gray from initial pale green, and returned to their original color by a thermal stimulus of 230°C for 10 minutes, showing typical photochromic phenomenon. Under 453 nm excitation, the samples exhibited strong green emission at 551 nm. Interestingly, their green emission intensity can be effectively tailored by controlling photochromic reaction processes (irradiation wavelength and time), and the luminescent modulation ratio (ΔRt) reaches up to 77%. And, the ΔRt value has no any obvious degradation after 10 cycles by alternating visible light irradiation and thermal stimulus, showing excellent reversibility. These results make it potential applications in many fields as a kind of multifunctional material.
Geographic variation in Sundew (Drosera) leaf colour: plant–plant interactions counteract expected effects of abiotic factors
Authors: Millett Jonathan , Foot George W. , Thompson Julia C. , Svensson Brita M.
Published: December 2017

Aim

To identify geographic patterns in leaf colour of roundleaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) growing on ombrotrophic (rain fed) bogs across Europe and establish the controls over these patterns.

Location

North‐west Europe.

Taxon

Angiosperms, Drosera rotundifolia.

Methods

We measured leaf colour of D. rotundifolia plants growing on 24 ombrotrophic bogs across north‐west Europe covering 26.4 degrees of longitude and 21.1 degrees of latitude. We measured the height and cover of co‐occurring vascular plant vegetation and the amount of incident light intercepted by the vegetation canopy. We determined the role of abiotic variables in controlling the patterns found. In a separate experimental study, we manipulated plant–plant interactions with D. rotundifolia by removing aboveground vascular plant vegetation and monitoring leaf colour over a single summer.

Results

Drosera rotundifolia leaf colour varied between bogs. Leaves were redder in northern latitudes and eastern longitudes, and in sites/plots with lower canopy influence, lower nutrient deposition, and a more continental climate. Canopy influence was greater on sites in southern latitudes, eastern longitudes, and with higher nutrient deposition, longer growing seasons and a more maritime climate. Nutrient deposition was higher at more southerly latitudes, eastern sites had a more continental climate, and southern and western sites had warmer and longer growing seasons. In the in situ experiment, leaves became more red when canopy light transmission was increased by removing vegetation, but not when shade net was subsequently added to reduce light transmission.

Main Conclusion

Geographic variation in Drosera rotundifolia leaf colour is strongly affected by its light environment, mediated by plant–plant interactions, but leaf colour is also affected by other abiotic factors. The relative importance of biotic and abiotic factors in determining geographic patterns in traits, and also species responses to environmental change, might depend on the growth form and competitive ability of a species.
Relative abundance of mature myostatin rather than total myostatin is negatively associated with bone mineral density in Chinese
Authors: Wu Long‐Fei , Zhu Dong‐Cheng , Wang Bing‐Hua , Lu Yi‐Hua , He Pei , Zhang Yun‐Hong , Gao Hong‐Qin , Zhu Xiao‐Wei , Xia Wei , Zhu Hong , Mo Xing‐Bo , Lu Xin , Zhang Lei , Zhang Yong‐Hong , Deng Fei‐Yan , Lei Shu‐Feng
Published: December 2017

Myostatin is mainly secreted by skeletal muscle and negatively regulates skeletal muscle growth. However, the roles of myostatin on bone metabolism are still largely unknown. Here, we recruited two large populations containing 6308 elderly Chinese and conducted comprehensive statistical analyses to evaluate the associations among lean body mass (LBM), plasma myostatin, and bone mineral density (BMD). Our data revealed that total myostatin in plasma was mainly determined by LBM. The relative abundance of mature myostatin (mature/total) was significantly lower in high versus low BMD subjects. Moreover, the relative abundance of mature myostatin was positively correlated with bone resorption marker. Finally, we carried out in vitro experiments and found that myostatin has inhibitory effects on the proliferation and differentiation of human osteoprogenitor cells. Taken together, our results have demonstrated that the relative abundance of mature myostatin in plasma is negatively associated with BMD, and the underlying functional mechanism for the association is most likely through inhibiting osteoblastogenesis and promoting osteoclastogenesis.
Antagonists of Wnt/β‐catenin signalling in the periodontitis associated with type 2 diabetes and smoking
Authors: Miranda Tamires S. , Napimoga Marcelo H. , Feres Magda , Marins Letícia M. , da Cruz Daniele F. , da Silva Hélio Doyle P. , Duarte Poliana M.
Published: December 2017

Aim

This study evaluated the levels of sclerostin (SOST) and Dickkopf (DKK)‐1 in the chronic periodontitis (CP) associated with type 2 diabetes (DM) and/or smoking. Relationships between SOST, DDK1, RANKL, OPG, IL‐1ß, IL‐6 and TNF‐α, and pathogens were assessed.

Material and Methods

The study population included non‐diabetic non‐smokers (control), non‐smokers with DM (DM group), non‐diabetic smokers (S group) and smokers with DM (SDM group), all with CP. Serum and gingival levels of SOST, DKK1, RANKL, OPG, IL‐1ß, IL‐6 and TNF‐α were evaluated by multiplex immunoassay. Gene expressions of these biomarkers and subgingival levels of pathogens were assessed by qPCR.

Results

Gingival protein and/or mRNA levels of DKK1 and SOST were higher in subjects with DM and/or smoking than in controls (p < .05). Serum levels of SOST were higher in the DM group than in controls (p < .05). DKK1 positively correlated with SOST in the DM, SDM and control groups (p < .05) at mRNA levels. DKK‐1 and SOST correlated with pathogens, especially in both groups with DM.

Conclusions

SOST and DKK1 were upregulated in patients with CP presenting DM and/or smoking. DM, alone or with smoking, particularly influenced the correlations of SOST and DKK1 with each other and with the other biomarkers mostly at mRNA levels, as well as with periodontal pathogens.