bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Filaggrin gene mutations and the distribution of filaggrin in oral mucosa of patients with oral lichen planus and healthy controls
Authors: Larsen K.R. , Johansen J.D. , Reibel J. , Zachariae C. , Rosing K. , Pedersen A.M.L.
Published: December 2016

Background

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology affecting the skin and oral mucosa. Oral lichenoid lesions (OLLs), like oral contact reactions, may resemble oral lichen planus (OLP) both clinically and histopathologically. As OLP and OLL are hyperkeratotic diseases and filaggrin is essential to keratinization, the distribution of filaggrin may be altered in these lesions.

Objectives

To investigate whether patients with OLP/OLL have (i) altered distribution of filaggrin in the oral mucosa; (ii) a higher incidence of mutations in the filaggrin gene (FLG); (iii) active dermatoses, apart from cutaneous LP, than healthy controls; and (iv) patients with OLP/OLL and a defect in the FLG have more widespread oral lesions and report more symptoms than OLP/OLL patients without a concomitant defect in the FLG.

Methods

Forty‐nine Caucasian patients (42 women and 7 men, mean age 61.0 ± 10.3 years), with symptomatic OLP, OLL or stomatitis, and 29 matched healthy controls underwent a clinical oral and dermatological examination, oral mucosal biopsy and filaggrin genotyping (testing for R2447X, R501X, 2282del4). Smear tests for Candida spp. were performed in all patients to exclude oral candidiasis. Immunohistochemistry were performed using poly‐ and monoclonal filaggrin antibodies.

Results

The immunoreactivity for filaggrin was significantly more intense in the oral mucosa in the patients with OLP/OLL compared with healthy controls (P = 0.000025). No difference was noted in the incidence of defects in the FLG and active dermatoses between patients and healthy controls. No difference was noted in extension and number of symptoms reported by patients with OLP/OLL with or without a concomitant defect in the FLG.

Conclusion

OLP/OLL is associated with an altered distribution of filaggrin in the oral mucosa independently of defects in the FLG. Patients with OLP/OLL did not display more active dermatoses other than cutaneous LP when compared to healthy controls.
High serum alanine aminotransferase is associated with the risk of colorectal adenoma in Korean men
Authors: Moon Chang Mo , Yun Kyung Eun , Ryu Seungho , Chang Yoosoo , Park Dong Il
Published: December 2016

Background and Aim

An elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is frequently observed in subjects with metabolic syndrome, which is associated with the risk of colorectal adenoma (CRA). However, the relationship between ALT and CRA remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether high serum ALT is associated with the risk of CRA in a metabolically healthy population.

Methods

We conducted this cross‐sectional study in 27,717 asymptomatic Korean adults who underwent a health checkup. Subjects were categorized as adenoma‐free, hyperplastic polyp, low‐risk adenoma, or high‐risk adenoma. High‐risk adenoma was defined as three or more adenomas, any adenoma ≥ 10 mm, or adenoma with high‐grade dysplasia or villous features.

Results

Among all participants, 10.3% and 1.5% of cases were categorized as low‐risk and high‐risk adenoma, respectively. In multivariate analyses adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking habits, alcohol intake, regular exercise, aspirin and analgesics use, family history of colon cancer, education level, fatty liver, high‐sensitivity C reactive protein, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, total cholesterol, and triglyceride, an increase in ALT was positively associated with the prevalence of low‐risk and high‐risk adenoma (P for trend = 0.029 and 0.027, respectively). The highest quartile group of ALT level showed a significantly increased prevalence in low‐risk (odds ratio, 1.17) and high‐risk adenoma (odds ratio, 1.48) groups compared with the lowest quartile group. This phenomenon persisted in the subgroup analysis in men, but not in women.

Conclusions

In the asymptomatic healthy population, high serum ALT is significantly associated with the risk of CRA.
Effects of a Tax‐Time Savings Intervention on Use of Alternative Financial Services among Lower‐Income Households
Authors: Despard Mathieu R. , Grinstein‐Weiss Michal , Ren Chunhui , Guo Shenyang , Raghavan Ramesh
Published: December 2016

Alternative financial services (AFS) such as check cashing and payday loans may help unbanked households meet transaction and credit needs, yet often at a very high price. Saving tax refunds can help low‐ and moderate‐income (LMI) households build emergency savings as a way to reduce dependence on AFS and cope effectively with irregular cash flows and financial shocks. This study examined the impact on AFS use of message‐based interventions encouraging LMI households to save their refunds when they electronically filed their federal income tax returns. We found that 3 out of 18 interventions resulted in statistically significant reductions in credit‐related AFS use with small effect sizes. None of the interventions resulted in reduced transaction‐related AFS use. Other factors—especially prior AFS use and financial shocks—were strong predictors of AFS. Financially vulnerable households may need additional opportunities and protections to reduce dependence on AFS.
Consumer Risk Preferences and Higher Education Enrollment Decisions
Authors: Heckman Stuart J. , Montalto Catherine P.
Published: December 2016

Although there are widespread concerns that consumers are making poor choices regarding higher education, the fact that human capital investments are risky is often overlooked in the national conversation. Therefore, this research investigates the effect of risk preferences on higher education enrollment decisions. A sample from the 1997 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97) was analyzed, and the results indicate that consumer risk preferences have a significant effect on the likelihood of enrollment. Specifically, there was a robust, positive relationship between risk tolerance and the likelihood of enrollment even after controlling for time preferences and risk perceptions. Consistent with previous findings, ability, parental education, family net worth and income, and being female were positively associated with the likelihood of enrollment. The results suggest that risk preferences may be an important source of omitted variable bias in previous studies of higher education investment choices.
Living with persistent rheumatoid arthritis: a BARFOT study
Authors: Bala Sidona‐Valentina , Samuelson Karin , Hagell Peter , Fridlund Bengt , Forslind Kristina , Svensson Björn , Thomé Bibbi
Published: December 2016

Aim and objective

To describe and understand the meaning of living with persistent rheumatoid arthritis.

Background

A considerable number of patients with rheumatoid arthritis live with an ongoing active and symptomatic illness despite access to potent antirheumatic treatment. There is, however, a lack of knowledge about the meaning of living with this severe long‐term illness, defined as persistent rheumatoid arthritis.

Design

A descriptive design based on a hermeneutic phenomenological method was used.

Methods

Ten adults with persistent rheumatoid arthritis and at least five years disease duration were interviewed. The interviews were analysed according to van Manen's method.

Results

Living with persistent rheumatoid arthritis revealed four overall themes: an existence dominated by painful symptoms and treatment, radical changes and limitations in one's life, a continual struggle to cope with one's life and to master the illness, and a dependency on those who are close by and the world around. The lifeworld was affected to a varying extent and in various ways by the illness but also by the dependence on its treatment and care that was not experienced as sufficiently meeting needs in terms of security, access to and coordination of care as well as team and rehabilitation services.

Conclusions

Persistent rheumatoid arthritis and its treatment entail a radical effect on the person's life and quality of life. Current ordinary rheumatology care does not seem to meet the individual needs of the person with persistent rheumatoid arthritis in an optimal way.

Relevance to clinical practice

A greater knowledge about and understanding of the person who lives with persistent rheumatoid arthritis is important for facilitating the development of care and the relief of suffering. A holistic alternative to conventional clinical practice, such as person‐centred care, could be tested as an innovative model of care. Our findings might serve as material for educational and counselling purposes for healthcare professionals.
Social Anhedonia and Romantic Relationship Processes
Authors: Assaad Lily , Lemay Edward P.
Published: December 2016

Objective

Social anhedonia is a deficiency in the capacity to experience pleasure from social interactions. This study examined the implications of social anhedonia for romantic relationship functioning, including the association of social anhedonia with sentiments toward romantic partners that are central to relationship functioning (satisfaction, commitment, regard for the partner, and care for the partner's welfare) and analogous perceptions of the partner's sentiments.

Method

Data were collected from 281 participants who were involved in romantic relationships.

Results

Social anhedonia predicted less satisfaction, regard, and care, and these effects were independent of attachment insecurity and self‐esteem. In addition, social anhedonia had an indirect negative effect on commitment via attachment avoidance. Social anhedonia also predicted more negative perceptions of the partner's sentiments.

Conclusions

Results suggest that social anhedonia may undermine the functioning of romantic relationships by reducing positive sentiments toward partners and security in the partner's sentiments toward the self.
Yield, Yield‐related Traits and Response of Potato Clones to Late Blight Disease, in North‐Western Highlands of Ethiopia
Authors: Hirut Betaw G. , Shimelis Hussein A. , Melis Rob , Fentahun Mengistu , De Jong Walter
Published: December 2016

Late blight disease of potato caused by Phytophthora infestans poses a significant threat to potato production in Ethiopia. The development of new high yielding genotypes with adequate late blight disease resistance will provide a strong component of an integrated management strategy for farmers. The objective of this study was to determine late blight resistance and yield of potato clones under field condition in north‐western Ethiopia. Twenty‐four clones (17 from the International Potato Centre B3C2 population and seven widely grown cultivars) were evaluated at three locations. The experiment was laid in a randomized complete block design with two replications. Late blight resistance and yield‐related traits were determined. Results showed that clones differ significantly for all traits across locations. The following five clones combine high to moderate resistance to late blight with high yields: 396029.250, 395017.229, 396004.263, 396034.103 and 395077.12. These clones are useful genetic resources for resistance breeding against late blight disease and for enhanced yields.
Antagonistic Yeasts for Biocontrol of the Banana Postharvest Anthracnose Pathogen Colletotrichum musae
Authors: Zhimo V. Yeka , Dilip Darsana , Sten Jessica , Ravat Vikas Kumar , Bhutia Dawa Dolma , Panja Birendranath , Saha Jayanta
Published: December 2016

The biocontrol potentials of Candida tropicalis YZ1, C. tropicalis YZ27 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae YZ7 against the postharvest anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum musae were investigated. Treatments with all the three biocontrol agents (1 × 108 CFU/ml) significantly reduced the natural anthracnose disease severity of harvested banana fruits stored at ambient condition. Germination and survival of C. musae spores were markedly inhibited by all the three yeast strains in in vitro tests. The niche overlap index (NOI) was used to determine the interaction between the antagonists and C. musae, and the results (high NOI values) suggest competitive exclusion of C. musae by the yeast strains. C. tropicalis YZ27 inoculated on banana wounds exhibited rapid colonization and maintenance of its population on the inoculated site. The biocontrol efficacy was also observed as a function of concentration of the antagonist applied. The fruits treated with C. tropicalis YZ27, 36 h before pathogen inoculation, showed the best results with 96.0% disease inhibition followed by those treated 24 h before with 84.0% inhibition. The above results point to competition for nutrients and space as the main mechanism of antagonistic action of C. tropicalis YZ27 against C. musae.
Marker Gene Overexpression in Flowers Treated with Resistance Inducers does not Correlate with Protection Against Flower‐Infecting Fungi in Tomato and Blueberry
Authors: Thomas‐Sharma Sara , Leebens‐Mack James H. , Scherm Harald
Published: December 2016

Flowers can serve as infection courts for specialized and unspecialized plant pathogens, but little is known about the ability of floral tissues to undergo induced resistance (IR) responses against these pathogens. We studied the expression of IR marker genes in tomato and blueberry flowers treated with the inducers methyl jasmonate (MeJA), benzothiadiazole‐S‐methyl ester (BTH) and 2,6‐dichloroisonicotinic acid (INA). In tomato, spray application of MeJA and BTH (but not INA) to entire plants (leaves, stems and flowers) resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) overexpression of Pin2 (5.2‐fold) and PR‐4 (5.6‐fold) in pistil tissues, respectively. A statistically similar expression was obtained in pistils when flowers were protected from direct spray, indicating a systemic response. In blueberry, where information about IR marker genes is limited, PR‐3 and PR‐4 orthologs were first identified and characterized using in silico and wet‐laboratory techniques. In subsequent induction experiments, INA and BTH induced overexpression of PR‐4 in blueberry pistils by 3.2‐ and 1.8‐fold, respectively, when entire plants were treated. In blueberry flowers protected from spray applications, all chemicals applied to vegetative tissues led to significant overexpression of PR‐4 (MeJA: 1.4‐fold, BTH: 2.9‐fold and INA: 1.6‐fold), with BTH also inducing PR‐3 (1.7‐fold). The effect of these responses in protecting flowers was studied by inoculating treated tomato flowers with the necrotroph Botrytis cinerea and blueberry flowers with the hemi‐biotroph Monilinia vaccinii‐corymbosi. In both pathosystems, no significant disease suppression associated with resistance inducer application was observed under the conditions studied. Thus, although IR marker genes were shown to be inducible in floral tissue, the magnitude of this response was insufficient to suppress pathogen ingress.
Development and Application of a Quantitative Real‐time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for the Detection of Aeromonas salmonicida
Authors: Du Yishuai , Liu Ying , Xiao Peng , Meng Lingjie , Liu Pengfei
Published: December 2016

A rapid, economical, specific, and sensitive quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay coupled with SYBR Green I chemistry was developed for the quantitative detection of Aeromonas salmonicida from farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, with the symptoms of furunculosis. The set of primers designed from the virulence array protein (vapA) gene was specific to A. salmonicida. Compared with the conventional PCR, qPCR had a lower detection limit of 5.6 copies of the positive plasmids. The standard curve, which showed the relationship between the copies of A. salmonicida and its quantification cycle (Cq) value, could be described as follows: log (copies of A. salmonicida) = −0.3213 Cq + 10.721. The quantitative detection of copies of A. salmonicida in different tissues of the moribund Atlantic salmon showed that A. salmonicida could be detected in all tissues; the spleen contained the largest number of A. salmonicida and then the kidney. These results suggest that the qPCR assay reported here is a specific, sensitive, and quantitative method for detecting A. salmonicida. It can be used for the routine tests of A. salmonicida in local aquaculture enterprise and for the research of infection routes of A. salmonicida to Atlantic salmon.
Brain size evolution in the frog Fejervarya limnocharis supports neither the cognitive buffer nor the expensive brain hypothesis
Authors: Mai C. L. , Liao J. , Zhao L. , Liu S. M. , Liao W. B.
Published: December 2016

Variable environmental conditions affect brain size evolution. To explain inter‐ and intraspecific brain size variation among vertebrates, two adaptive hypotheses – the expensive brain hypothesis (EBH) and the cognitive buffer hypothesis (CBH) – have been proposed. The EBF proposes that relative brain size is reduced in animals that experience longer periods of low food availability in fluctuating environments. Alternatively, the CBH states that a major advantage of a relatively large brain is to enhance cognitive abilities in fluctuating environments. We found considerable variation in brain size and the sizes of brain structures in the Asian grass frog (Fejervarya limnocharis) among populations. Inconsistent with the predictions of the EBH and the CBH, individuals living in habitats with medium variation in temperatures and length of growth seasons at middle latitude and/or altitude had a relatively large brain, suggesting that environmental habitat‐induced energetic constraints do not play an important role in shaping brain size evolution. Moreover, we also detected a significant intersexual difference in telencephalon size. Specifically, none of relative size of brain structures was correlated with variation in temperature and growth season related to environmental habitats, although latitude strongly affected the relative sizes of telencephalon and cerebellum. Our findings decline both the EBH and the CBH to explain brain size variation in the Asian grass frog. Furthermore, our results also suggest the sex‐specificity of the environmental‐induced brain size evolution in adult frogs associated with reproductive behaviors and spawning site selection.
The molecular basis of jaundice: An old symptom revisited
Authors: Gazzin Silvia , Masutti Flora , Vitek Libor , Tiribelli Claudio
Published: December 2016

Increased serum bilirubin level is a widely used diagnostic marker for hepatic illnesses. Nevertheless, mild elevation of unconjugated serum bilirubin (such as in Gilbert syndrome) has been recently demonstrated to correlate with low risk of chronic inflammatory and/or oxidative stress‐mediated diseases. In accord, a low serum bilirubin level has emerged as an important predisposing factor or a biomarker of these pathologic conditions including cardiovascular, tumour, and possibly neurodegenerative diseases. Bilirubin possesses multiple biological actions with interaction in a complex network of enzymatic and signalling pathways. The fact that the liver is the main organ controlling the bioavailability of bilirubin emphasizes the central role of this organ in human health.
Reconciling inconsistencies in precipitation–productivity relationships: implications for climate change
Authors: Knapp Alan K. , Ciais Philippe , Smith Melinda D.
Published: December 2016

Precipitation (PPT) is a primary climatic determinant of plant growth and aboveground net primary production (ANPP) over much of the globe. Thus,PPT–ANPPrelationships are important both ecologically and to land–atmosphere models that couple terrestrial vegetation to the global carbon cycle. EmpiricalPPT–ANPPrelationships derived from long‐term site‐based data are almost always portrayed as linear, but recent evidence has accumulated that is inconsistent with an underlying linear relationship. We review, and then reconcile, these inconsistencies with a nonlinear model that incorporates observed asymmetries inPPT–ANPPrelationships. Although data are currently lacking for parameterization, this new model highlights research needs that, when met, will improve our understanding of carbon cycle dynamics, as well as forecasts of ecosystem responses to climate change.

ContentsSummary41I.Introduction41II.The PPT–ANPP relationship: spatial vs temporal models42III.Inconsistencies with a linear temporal model43IV.Revision of the temporal PPT–ANPP model to better forecast climate change impacts44V.Conclusions45Acknowledgements46References46
Disentangling the complexities of how legumes and their symbionts regulate plant nitrogen access and storage
Authors: Reed Sasha C.
Published: December 2016

This article is a Commentary on Wolf et al., 213: 690–699.
Utilization of Permanent His‐Bundle Pacing for Management of Proarrhythmia Related to Biventricular Pacing
Authors: SOFI AAMIR , VIJAYARAMAN PUGAZHENDHI , BAROLD S. SERGE , HERWEG BENGT
Published: December 2016

Biventricular pacing has occasionally been associated with ventricular proarrhythmia, which at times can be refractory to conventional antiarrhythmic drug therapy and ablative intervention. Recently, permanent His‐bundle pacing has emerged as a reasonable alternative to right ventricular and biventricular pacing. In addition, by maintaining the physiologic pattern of ventricular electrical activation, it is less likely to be arrhythmogenic. We report the use of permanent His‐bundle pacing to manage ventricular proarrhythmia that developed after initiation of biventricular pacing and was unresponsive to antiarrhythmic and ablative therapy.
Infra‐His Block during Atrial Pacing—Functional or Pathological?
Authors: SELVARAJ RAJA J , KUMAR BINAY , RANGASAMY SASINTHAR
Published: December 2016

The significance of infra‐His conduction abnormalities observed in the electrophysiology lab can be difficult to assess. In this report we show infra‐His conduction block during programmed atrial stimulation in a patient and discuss if this should be considered functional or pathological.
New insights into genotypic thermodependency of cytoplasmic male sterility for hybrid barley breeding
Authors: Bernhard Timm , Friedt Wolfgang , Snowdon Rod J. , Wittkop Benjamin
Published: December 2016

The cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) system msm1 in barley is known to be thermosensitive, sometimes resulting in spontaneous fertility restoration in the absence of the corresponding restorer gene Rfm1. Here, we investigated genotypic differences concerning temperature sensitivity and the plant developmental stage at which elevated temperature induces spontaneous fertility restoration in three CMS mother lines. While one line stayed completely male sterile, a significantly higher fertility was observed in two lines after treatment from growth stage DC 41 until maturation. Microscopic analysis revealed that sterile anthers contained neither intact pollen, nor remains of aborted pollen grains, whereas pollen was visible in anthers of potentially fertile plants. We conclude that the barley CMS system affects anther and pollen development prior to meiosis. Elevated temperature during heading and flowering can lead to a spontaneous fertility restoration by reactivating pollen growth. Nevertheless, genotypic variation exists enabling the selection for stable CMS mother lines and the development of F1 hybrids with high hybridity. As spontaneous fertility restoration due to environmental effects is difficult to phenotype, further investigations will focus on the development of molecular markers for marker‐assisted selection.
Use of cone beam computed tomography in implant dentistry: current concepts, indications and limitations for clinical practice and research
Authors: Bornstein Michael M. , Horner Keith , Jacobs Reinhilde
Published: December 2016

Diagnostic radiology is an essential component of treatment planning in the field of implant dentistry. This narrative review will present current concepts for the use of cone beam computed tomography imaging, before and after implant placement, in daily clinical practice and research. Guidelines for the selection of three‐dimensional imaging will be discussed, and limitations will be highlighted. Current concepts of radiation dose optimization, including novel imaging modalities using low‐dose protocols, will be presented. For preoperative cross‐sectional imaging, data are still not available which demonstrate that cone beam computed tomography results in fewer intraoperative complications such as nerve damage or bleeding incidents, or that implants inserted using preoperative cone beam computed tomography data sets for planning purposes will exhibit higher survival or success rates. The use of cone beam computed tomography following the insertion of dental implants should be restricted to specific postoperative complications, such as damage of neurovascular structures or postoperative infections in relation to the maxillary sinus. Regarding peri‐implantitis, the diagnosis and severity of the disease should be evaluated primarily based on clinical parameters and on radiological findings based on periapical radiographs (two dimensional). The use of cone beam computed tomography scans in clinical research might not yield any evident beneficial effect for the patient included. As many of the cone beam computed tomography scans performed for research have no direct therapeutic consequence, dose optimization measures should be implemented by using appropriate exposure parameters and by reducing the field of view to the actual region of interest.
Esthetic assessments in implant dentistry: objective and subjective criteria for clinicians and patients
Authors: Cosyn Jan , Thoma Daniel S. , Hämmerle Christoph H. F. , De Bruyn Hugo
Published: December 2016

In recent years the scientific community has shown a clear interest in the esthetic outcome of implant treatment. The present paper provides an overview of the esthetic ratings that have been used in implant dentistry. A distinction can be made between objective evaluations by clinicians and subjective evaluations by patients. The former mainly include: midfacial and interproximal soft‐tissue levels; two‐dimensional/three‐dimensional soft‐tissue alterations; assessment of the color match between the natural dentition, on the one hand, and the peri‐implant tissues and the reconstruction, on the other hand; and ordinal indices, such as the pink and white esthetic score. Patient's needs and judgment may differ from objective indicators of implant success and esthetics. As a result, assessing treatment on the basis of patient‐reported outcomes measures should be considered important. Validated questionnaires have been used that mainly assess the impact of oral health on the overall well‐being of individuals. The esthetic judgment of patients is usually based on nonstandardized questions with varying scoring methods, including visual analog scales, Likert and other category scales and open questions. The heterogeneity in scoring systems between studies may compromise proper comparison of objective and subjective esthetic outcomes between studies and therapeutic concepts.
Evolution of loading protocols in implant dentistry for partially dentate arches
Authors: Morton Dean , Pollini Adrien
Published: December 2016

Better outcomes for patients receiving dental implants as part of oral rehabilitation remains a constant goal. Advances in implant design, clinical protocols and biomaterials provide opportunities to accelerate treatment, increasing efficiency, predictability and patient satisfaction. It is important to understand that these changes can result in negative outcomes and increased risk. This article reviews the existing published evidence relating to accelerated clinical protocols and patient outcomes. Subsequent to the review, clinical recommendations are offered.
Reliability of graph metrics derived from resting‐state human EEG
Authors: Kuntzelman Karl , Miskovic Vladimir
Published: December 2016

It is increasingly appreciated that a complete description of brain functioning will necessarily involve the characterization of large‐scale interregional temporal synchronization of neuronal assemblies. The need to capture the dynamic formation of such large‐scale networks has yielded a renewed interest in the human EEG in combination with a suite of methods for estimating functional connectivity along with the graph theoretical approaches for characterizing network structure. While initial work has established generally good reproducibility for a limited selection of these graph theoretical measures, there remains an obvious need to document the reproducibility of a more extensive array of commonly used graph metrics. We sought to evaluate the test‐retest reliability of a much richer suite of graph theoretic measures as applied to weighted networks derived from high‐density resting‐state human EEG. Our findings were promising overall, with some important qualifications when considering the frequency bands of interest and the method used to calculate functional connectivity as well as some substantial variance between individual graph metrics. In general, the reliability of networks in the α and β frequency bands was improved when functional connectivity was defined solely on the basis of relative phase distributions. In the δ and θ bands, reliability was substantially better when functional connectivity was based on coherence, which incorporates both phase and amplitude information.
Assessing the internal consistency of the event‐related potential: An example analysis
Authors: Thigpen Nina N. , Kappenman Emily S. , Keil Andreas
Published: December 2016

ERPs are widely and increasingly used to address questions in psychophysiological research. As discussed in this special issue, a renewed focus on questions of reliability and stability marks the need for intuitive, quantitative descriptors that allow researchers to communicate the robustness of ERP measures used in a given study. This report argues that well‐established indices of internal consistency and effect size meet this need and can be easily extracted from most ERP datasets, as demonstrated with example analyses using a representative dataset from a feature‐based visual selective attention task. We demonstrate how to measure the internal consistency of three aspects commonly considered in ERP studies: voltage measurements for specific time ranges at selected sensors, voltage dynamics across all time points of the ERP waveform, and the distribution of voltages across the scalp. We illustrate methods for quantifying the robustness of experimental condition differences, by calculating effect size for different indices derived from the ERP. The number of trials contributing to the ERP waveform was manipulated to examine the relationship between signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), internal consistency, and effect size. In the present example dataset, satisfactory consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.7) of individual voltage measurements was reached at lower trial counts than were required to reach satisfactory effect sizes for differences between experimental conditions. Comparing different metrics of robustness, we conclude that the internal consistency and effect size of ERP findings greatly depend on the quantification strategy, the comparisons and analyses performed, and the SNR.
Sleep apnoea in heart failure: To treat or not to treat?
Authors: Naughton Matthew T. , Kee Kirk
Published: December 2016

Heart failure (HF) and sleep apnoea are common disorders which frequently coexist. Two main types of apnoea occur: one is obstructive which, through recurring episodes of snoring, hypoxaemia, large negative intra‐thoracic pressures and arousals from sleep leading to downstream inflammatory and autonomic nervous system changes, is thought to be a causative factor to the development of systemic hypertension and HF. The other type of apnoea, Cheyne–Stokes respiration with central sleep apnoea (CSR‐CSA), is characterized by an oscillatory pattern of ventilation with a prevailing hyperventilation‐induced hypocapnia, often in the absence of significant hypoxaemia and snoring, and is thought to be a consequence of advanced HF‐related low cardiac output, high sympathetic nervous system activation and pulmonary congestion. CSR‐CSA may be a compensatory response to advanced HF. Rostral fluid shift during sleep may play an important role in the pathogenesis of both obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and CSA. Studies of positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment of OSA and CSA in HF have shown short‐term improvements in cardiac and autonomic function; however, there is no evidence of improved survival. Loop gain may provide useful marker of continuous PAP (CPAP) responsiveness in patients with central apnoea. A greater understanding of the pathophysiology of the interaction between obstructive and central apnoea and the various types of HF, and the mechanisms of therapies, such as PAP, is required to develop new strategies to overcome the disabling symptoms, and perhaps improve the mortality, that accompany HF with sleep apnoea.
A new model of short acceleration‐based training improves exercise performance in old mice
Authors: Niel R. , Ayachi M. , Mille‐Hamard L. , Le Moyec L. , Savarin P. , Clement M.‐J. , Besse S. , Launay T. , Billat V. L. , Momken I.
Published: December 2016

In order to identify a more appealing exercise strategy for the elderly, we studied a mouse model to determine whether a less time‐consuming training program would improve exercise performance, enzyme activities, mitochondrial respiration, and metabolomic parameters. We compared the effects of short‐session (acceleration‐based) training with those of long‐session endurance training in 23‐month‐old mice. The short‐session training consisted of five acceleration‐based treadmill running sessions over 2 weeks (the acceleration group), whereas the endurance training consisted of five‐one‐hour treadmill sessions per week for 4 weeks (the endurance group). A control group of mice was also studied. In the acceleration group, the post‐training maximum running speed and time to exhaustion were significantly improved, relative to pretraining values (+8% for speed, P<.05; +10% for time to exhaustion, P<.01). The post‐training maximum running speed was higher in the acceleration group than in the endurance group (by 23%; P<.001) and in the control group (by 15%; P<.05). In skeletal muscle samples, the enzymatic activities of citrate synthase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase were significantly higher in the acceleration group than in the endurance group. Furthermore, mitochondrial respiratory activity in the gastrocnemius was higher in the acceleration group than in the control group. A metabolomic urine analysis revealed a higher mean taurine concentration and a lower mean branched amino acid concentration in the acceleration group. In old mice, acceleration‐based training appears to be an efficient way of increasing performance by improving both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, and possibly by enhancing antioxidant defenses and maintaining muscle protein balance.
Birth prevalence of congenital talipes equinovarus in low‐ and middle‐income countries: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Smythe Tracey , Kuper Hannah , Macleod David , Foster Allen , Lavy Christopher
Published: December 2016

Objective

Congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), or clubfoot, is a structural malformation that develops early in gestation. Birth prevalence of clubfoot is reported to vary both between and within low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs), and this information is needed to plan treatment services. This systematic review aimed to understand the birth prevalence of clubfoot in LMIC settings.

Methods

Six databases were searched for studies that reported birth prevalence of clubfoot in LMICs. Results were screened and assessed for eligibility using pre‐defined criteria. Data on birth prevalence were extracted and weighted pooled estimates were calculated for different regions. Wilcoxon rank‐sum test was used to examine changes in birth prevalence over time. Included studies were appraised for their methodological quality, and a narrative synthesis of findings was conducted.

Results

Forty‐eight studies provided data from 13 962 989 children in 20 countries over 55 years (1960–2015). The pooled estimate for clubfoot birth prevalence in LMICs within the Africa region is 1.11 (0.96, 1.26); in the Americas 1.74 (1.69, 1.80); in South‐East Asia (excluding India) 1.21 (0.73, 1.68); in India 1.19 (0.96, 1.42); in Turkey (Europe region) 2.03 (1.54, 2.53); in Eastern Mediterranean region 1.19 (0.98, 1.40); in West Pacific (excluding China) 0.94 (0.64, 1.24); and in China 0.51 (0.50, 0.53).

Conclusion

Birth prevalence of clubfoot varies between 0.51 and 2.03/1000 live births in LMICs. A standardised approach to the study of the epidemiology of clubfoot is required to better understand the variations of clubfoot birth prevalence and identify possible risk factors.
The Myth of Color Sensations, or How Not to See a Yellow Banana
Authors: Mandik Pete
Published: December 2016

I argue against a class of philosophical views of color perception, especially insofar as such views posit the existence of color sensations. I argue against the need to posit such nonconceptual mental intermediaries between the stimulus and the eventual conceptualized perceptual judgment. Central to my arguments are considerations of certain color illusions. Such illusions are best explained by reference to high‐level, conceptualized knowledge concerning, for example, object identity, likely lighting conditions, and material composition of the distal stimulus. Such explanations obviate the need to appeal to nonconceputal mental links in the causal chains eventuating in conceptualized color discriminations.
AGO4 is specifically required for heterochromatic siRNA accumulation at Pol V‐dependent loci in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Wang Feng , Axtell Michael J.
Published: December 2016

In plants, 24 nucleotide long heterochromatic siRNAs (het‐siRNAs) transcriptionally regulate gene expression by RNA‐directed DNA methylation (RdDM). The biogenesis of most het‐siRNAs depends on the plant‐specific RNA polymerase IV (Pol IV), and ARGONAUTE4 (AGO4) is a major het‐siRNA effector protein. Through genome‐wide analysis of sRNA‐seq data sets, we found that AGO4 is required for the accumulation of a small subset of het‐siRNAs. The accumulation of AGO4‐dependent het‐siRNAs also requires several factors known to participate in the effector portion of the RdDM pathway, including RNA POLYMERASE V (POL V), DOMAINS REARRANGED METHYLTRANSFERASE 2 (DRM2) and SAWADEE HOMEODOMAIN HOMOLOGUE 1 (SHH1). Like many AGO proteins, AGO4 is an endonuclease that can ‘slice’ RNAs. We found that a slicing‐defective AGO4 was unable to fully recover AGO4‐dependent het‐siRNA accumulation from ago4 mutant plants. Collectively, our data suggest that AGO4‐dependent siRNAs are secondary siRNAs dependent on the prior activity of the RdDM pathway at certain loci.
Incidence and clinical characteristics of transfusion‐associated circulatory overload using an active surveillance algorithm
Authors: Roubinian N. H. , Hendrickson J. E. , Triulzi D. J. , Gottschall J. L. , Chowdhury D. , Kor D. J. , Looney M. R. , Matthay M. A. , Kleinman S. H. , Brambilla D. , Murphy E. L. ,   the NHLBI Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study‐III (REDS‐III)
Published: December 2016

Background

The concordance of haemovigilance criteria developed for surveillance of transfusion‐associated circulatory overload (TACO) with its clinical diagnosis has not been assessed. In a pilot study to evaluate an electronic screening algorithm, we sought to examine TACO incidence and application of haemovigilance criteria in patients with post‐transfusion pulmonary oedema.

Study Design and Methods

From June to September 2014, all transfused adult inpatients at four academic hospitals were screened with an algorithm identifying chest radiographs ordered within 12 h of blood component release. Patients with post‐transfusion pulmonary oedema underwent case adjudication by an expert panel. TACO incidence was calculated, and clinical characteristics were compared with other causes of post‐transfusion pulmonary oedema.

Results

Among 4932 transfused patients, there were 3412 algorithm alerts, 50 cases of TACO and 47 other causes of pulmonary oedema. TACO incidence was 1 case per 100 patients transfused. TACO classification based on two sets of haemovigilance criteria (National Healthcare Safety Network and proposed revised International Society for Blood Transfusion) was concordant with expert panel diagnosis in 57% and 54% of reviewed cases, respectively. Although the majority of clinical parameters did not differentiate expert panel adjudicated TACO from other cases, improved oxygenation within 24 h of transfusion did (P = 0·01).

Conclusions

The incidence of TACO was similar to that observed in prior studies utilizing active surveillance. Case classification by haemovigilance criteria was frequently discordant with clinical diagnoses of TACO in patients with post‐transfusion pulmonary oedema. Improvements in oxygenation within 24 h of transfusion merit further evaluation in the diagnosis of TACO.
Nurses’ Evidence‐Based Practice Beliefs and the Role of Evidence‐Based Practice Mentors at University Hospitals in Finland
Authors: Saunders Hannele , Vehviläinen‐Julkunen Katri
Published: December 2016

Background

Although systematic implementation of evidence‐based practice (EBP) is essential to effectively improve patient outcomes, quality, and value of care, nurses do not consistently use evidence in practice. Uptake is hampered by lack of nurses’ readiness for EBP, including nurses’ EBP beliefs and lack of EBP mentors. Favorable EBP beliefs are foundational to Registered Nurses’ (RNs) use and integration of best evidence into clinical decision making, whereas EBP mentors are in a key role for strengthening RNs’ beliefs in the value of EBP and confidence in their ability to implement EBP. Although nurses’ EBP beliefs and role of BP mentors have been widely studied in countries leading the EBP movement, less is known about them in the non‐English‐speaking world.

Aims

To determine RNs EBP beliefs and the role of EBP mentors at Finnish university hospitals and to explore the associations between RNs’ EBP beliefs and sociodemographic factors.

Methods

A cross‐sectional descriptive survey was conducted in November–December 2014 at every university hospital in Finland with a convenience sample (n = 943) of practicing RNs. The data were collected via an electronic survey, and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

RNs reported low levels of EBP beliefs in the degree to which they believed that clinical nursing practice and their own practice were based on evidence. EBP mentors worked in many professional nursing roles. Several significant differences were found between RN's EBP beliefs and sociodemographic variables.

Linking Evidence to Action

Although RNs were familiar with and believed in the value of EBP in improving care quality and patient outcomes, their ratings were low about the degree to which they believed that clinical nursing practice and their own practice were based on evidence, indicating a modest level of individual EBP readiness among Finnish RNs required for integrating best evidence into clinical care delivery.
Pertinence of the Grain Size on the Mechanical Strength of Polycrystalline Metals
Authors: Zontsika N. A. , Abdul-Latif A. , Ramtani S.
Published: December 2016

Motivated by the already developed micromechanical approach (Abdul-Latif et al., 2002, “Elasto-Inelastic Self-Consistent Model for Polycrystals,” ASME J. Appl. Mech., 69(3), pp. 309–316.), a new extension is proposed for describing the mechanical strength of ultrafine-grained (ufg) materials whose grain sizes, d, lie in the approximate range of 100 nm < d < 1000 nm as well as for the nanocrystalline (nc) materials characterized by d≤100 nm. In fact, the dislocation kinematics approach is considered for characterizing these materials where grain boundary is taken into account by a thermal diffusion concept. The used model deals with a soft nonincremental inclusion/matrix interaction law. The overall kinematic hardening effect is described naturally by the interaction law. Within the framework of small deformations hypothesis, the elastic part, assumed to be uniform and isotropic, is evaluated at the granular level. The heterogeneous inelastic part of deformation is locally determined. In addition, the intragranular isotropic hardening is modeled based on the interaction between the activated slip systems within the same grain. Affected by the grain size, the mechanical behavior of the ufg as well as the nc materials is fairly well described. This development is validated through several uniaxial stress–strain experimental results of copper and nickel.
Performance Prediction and Optimization of Low Pressure Steam Turbine Radial Diffuser at Design and Off-Design Conditions Using Streamline Curvature Method
Authors: Zhang Luying , Congiu Francesco , Gan Xiaopeng , Karunakara David
Published: December 2016

The performance of the radial diffuser of a low pressure (LP) steam turbine is important to the power output of the turbine. A reliable and robust prediction and optimization tool is desirable in industry for preliminary design and performance evaluation. This is particularly critical during the tendering phase of retrofit projects, which typically cover a wide range of original equipment manufacturer and other original equipment manufacturers designs. This work describes a fast and reliable numerical approach for the simulation of flow in the last stage and radial diffuser coupled with the exhaust hood. The numerical solver is based on a streamline curvature throughflow method and a geometry-modification treatment has been developed for off-design conditions, at which large-scale flow separation may occur in the diffuser domain causing convergence difficulty. To take into account the effect of tip leakage jet flow, a boundary layer solver is coupled with the throughflow calculation to predict flow separation on the diffuser lip. The performance of the downstream exhaust hood is modeled by a hood loss model (HLM) that accounts for various loss generations along the flow paths. Furthermore, the solver is implemented in an optimization process. Both the diffuser lip and hub profiles can be quickly optimized, together or separately, to improve the design in the early tender phase. 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are used to validate the solver and the optimization process. The results show that the current method predicts the diffuser/exhaust hood performance within good agreement with the CFD calculation and the optimized diffuser profile improves the diffuser recovery over the datum design. The tool provides General Electric the capability to rapidly optimize and customize retrofit diffusers for each customer considering different constraints.