bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case management effectiveness for managing chronic illnesses in Korea: a systematic review
Authors: Joo J.Y. , Liu M.F.
Published: June 2018

Background

Case management has been adopted in Korea and been recognized as a promising care‐coordination method that lowers costs and improves quality of care. However, the effectiveness of case management among individuals with chronic illnesses who reside in the community has yet to be established.

Aim

This systematic review identifies and synthesizes recent evidence of case management's effectiveness in managing chronic illnesses among adults in Korea.

Methods

The methodology of this systematic review was guided by the Cochrane processes and PRISMA statements. A search of multiple bibliographic databases to identify studies of case management in the populations of Koreans adult with chronic illnesses was conducted. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were published in English or Korean. Nine empirical peer‐reviewed studies published between 2008 and 2016 were selected for review.

Results

The retrieved studies show that case management programmes in Korea for adults with chronic illness in the community were led by nurses. There was strong evidence that nurse‐led case management was effective in improving psychobehavioural and objective clinical outcomes; however, results for health services utilization outcomes were mixed.

Conclusion

In future, research with rigorous study designs and large sample size in multiple settings are needed to further assess the effectiveness of case management in Korea.

Implications for nursing and health policy

Nurse‐led case management would be of support in the care of chronic illnesses not only in Korea but also in Asian countries which share standard practice of case management with Korea. Nursing leaders should allocate resources to sponsor educational resources and practical strategies for evidence‐based case management.
The family of 14‐3‐3 proteins and specifically 14‐3‐3σ are up‐regulated during the development of renal pathologies
Authors: Rizou Myrto , Frangou Eleni A. , Marineli Filio , Prakoura Niki , Zoidakis Jerome , Gakiopoulou Harikleia , Liapis George , Kavvadas Panagiotis , Chatziantoniou Christos , Makridakis Manousos , Vlahou Antonia , Boletis John , Vlahakos Demetrios , Goumenos Dimitrios , Daphnis Evgenios , Iatrou Christos , Charonis Aristidis S.
Published: June 2018

Chronic kidney disease, the end result of most renal and some systemic diseases, is a common condition where renal function is compromised due to fibrosis. During renal fibrosis, calreticulin, a multifunctional chaperone of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is up‐regulated in tubular epithelial cells (TECs) both in vitro and in vivo. Proteomic analysis of cultured TECs overexpressing calreticulin led to the identification of the family of 14‐3‐3 proteins as key proteins overexpressed as well. Furthermore, an increased expression in the majority of 14‐3‐3 family members was observed in 3 different animal models of renal pathologies: the unilateral ureteric obstruction, the nephrotoxic serum administration and the ischaemia‐reperfusion. In all these models, the 14‐3‐3σ isoform (also known as stratifin) was predominantly overexpressed. As in all these models ischaemia is a common denominator, we showed that the ischaemia‐induced transcription factor HIF1α is specifically associated with the promoter region of the 14‐3‐3σ gene. Finally, we evaluated the expression of the family of 14‐3‐3 proteins and specifically 14‐3‐3σ in biopsies from IgA nephropathy and membranous nephropathy patients. These results propose an involvement of 14‐3‐3σ in renal pathology and provide evidence for the first time that hypoxia may be responsible for its altered expression.
Deoxycholic acid activates epidermal growth factor receptor and promotes intestinal carcinogenesis by ADAM17‐dependent ligand release
Authors: Dong Wenxiao , Liu Li , Dou Yan , Xu Mengque , Liu Tianyu , Wang Sinan , Zhang Yujie , Deng Baoru , Wang Bangmao , Cao Hailong
Published: June 2018

High fat diet is implicated in the elevated deoxycholic acid (DCA) in the intestine and correlated with increased colon cancer risk. However, the potential mechanisms of intestinal carcinogenesis by DCA remain unclarified. Here, we investigated the carcinogenic effects and mechanisms of DCA using the intestinal tumour cells and Apcmin/+ mice model. We found that DCA could activate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and promote the release of EGFR ligand amphiregulin (AREG), but not HB‐EGF or TGF‐α in intestinal tumour cells. Moreover, ADAM‐17 was required in DCA‐induced promotion of shedding of AREG and activation of EGFR/Akt signalling pathway. DCA significantly increased the multiplicity of intestinal tumours and accelerated adenoma‐carcinoma sequence in Apcmin/+ mice. ADAM‐17/EGFR signalling axis was also activated in intestinal tumours of DCA‐treated Apcmin/+ mice, whereas no significant change occurred in tumour adjacent tissues after DCA exposure. Conclusively, DCA activated EGFR and promoted intestinal carcinogenesis by ADAM17‐dependent ligand release.
Oust the louse: leaping behaviour removes sea lice from wild juvenile sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka
Authors: Atkinson Emma M. , Bateman Andrew W. , Dill Lawrence M. , Krkošek Martin , Reynolds John D. , Godwin Sean C.
Published: June 2018

We conducted a manipulative field experiment to determine whether the leaping behaviour of wild juvenile sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka dislodges ectoparasitic sea lice Caligus clemensi and Lepeophtheirus salmonis by comparing sea‐lice abundances between O. nerka juveniles prevented from leaping and juveniles allowed to leap at a natural frequency. Juvenile O. nerka allowed to leap had consistently fewer sea lice after the experiment than fish that were prevented from leaping. Combined with past research, these results imply potential costs due to parasitism and indicate that the leaping behaviour of juvenile O. nerka does, in fact, dislodge sea lice.
Characterization, tissue distribution of apela and periprandial, fasting and refeeding changes of apela mRNA in Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii
Authors: Tang Ni , Hao Jin , Zhang Xin , Wu Yuan B. , Wang Shu Y. , Qi Jin W. , Tian Zhen Z. , Wang Bin , Chen Hu , Chen De F. , Li Zhi Q.
Published: June 2018

Apela identified from zebrafish Danio rerio for the first time in 2013 is a novel endogenous peptide ligand for the apelin receptor. To study the role of apela in regulating fish feeding, the complementary (c) DNA sequence of apela of Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii was cloned for the first time. The apela cDNA fragment of 836 bp was obtained by cloning. The open reading frame (ORF) of apela was 165 bp encoding a 54 amino acid, including 22 amino acids signal peptide and two proteolytic sites. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that A. baerii apela was clustered with mammalian and amphibian sequences. A. baerii apela messeger (m)RNA was widely distributed in 11 tissues related to feeding, with high expressions in brain, oesophagus and stomach, especially in the brain. The level of apela mRNA in brain increased significantly after feeding. On the first day of fasting, apela expression in brain was significantly lower than that of the fed group, but after fasting for 3–15 days, the expression of apela in A. baerii brain was significantly higher than that in the fed group. After refeeding apela mRNA expression was obviously reduced. These results suggest that apela plays a bidirectional role in feeding regulation of A. baerii, which may serve as a short‐term satiation factor and a long‐term hunger factor.
Visceral leishmaniasis in an infant gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla): Clinical signs, diagnosis, and successful treatment with single‐dose liposomal amphotericin B
Authors: Tinoco Herlandes Penha , da Costa Maria Elvira Loyola Teixeira , Pessanha Angela Tinoco , Coelho Carlyle Mendes , de Carvalho Tatiane Furtado , Mol Juliana Pinto da Silva , Viana Agostinho Gonçalves , Bueno Lilian Lacerda , Fujiwara Ricardo Toshio , Santos Renato Lima
Published: June 2018

A 2‐year‐old captive gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) was diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil, and treated with a single dose of liposomal amphotericin B, which resulted in clinical cure. This is the first report of visceral leishmaniasis in gorillas, and the first reported liposomal amphotericin B treatment in great apes.
Large‐sized pedunculated and polypoidal angiomyofibroblastoma of the vulva: A case report and literature review
Authors: Wang Yue , Zhang Ye , Lv Bingjian , Feng Ye
Published: June 2018

Angiomyofibroblastoma (AMF) represents a rare, benign mesenchymal tumor with a predilection for the vulvovaginal region, which may be misdiagnosed as aggressive angiomyxoma (AAM). Herein, we report a case of a 20‐year‐old nulliparous Chinese woman with a unique pedunculated and polypoidal mass, which had been developing within the previous 6 months in the left labium majus, exhibiting the AAM clinical impression but diagnosed as AMF. The mass measured 18 × 10 × 6 cm, and contained diffuse ulcerated areas and purulent discharge. A complete excision of the mass was performed. There was no subsequent evidence of recurrence, according to a 13‐month follow‐up. As a rare benign vulvovaginal tumor, AMF can present on patients of an early reproductive age with rapidly growing, polypoidal pattern. The whole exon sequencing analysis revealed the genomic alterations, which may contribute to the occurrence of AMF.
Antifungal mechanism of action of Schinus lentiscifolius Marchand essential oil and its synergistic effect in vitro with terbinafine and ciclopirox against dermatophytes
Authors: Danielli Letícia J , Pippi Bruna , Duarte Jonathaline A , Maciel Ana J , Lopes William , Machado Michel M , Oliveira Luis Flávio S , Vainstein Marilene H , Teixeira Mário L , Bordignon Sérgio A L , Fuentefria Alexandre M , Apel Miriam A
Published: June 2018

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal, antichemotactic and antioxidant activities of Schinus lentiscifolius essential oil, as well as its combined effect with terbinafine and ciclopirox, against dermatophytes.

Methods

Essential oil was analysed by GC-MS. The antifungal activity and the mechanism of action were determined by broth microdilution, sorbitol and ergosterol assays, as well as scanning electron microscopy. The checkerboard method was used for evaluating the interactions with commercial antifungal agents. The antioxidant and antichemotactic activities were measured using the DPPH and the modified Boyden chamber methods, respectively.

Key findings

Chemical analysis revealed the presence of 33 compounds, the primary ones being γ-eudesmol (12.8%) and elemol (10.5%). The oil exhibited 97.4% of antichemotactic activity and 37.9% of antioxidant activity. Antifungal screening showed effect against dermatophytes with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 125 and 250 μg/ml. Regarding the mechanisms of action, the assays showed that the oil can act on the fungal cell wall and membrane. Synergistic interactions were observed using the combination with antifungals, primarily terbinafine.

Conclusions

Schinus lentiscifolius essential oil acted as a chemosensitizer of the fungal cell to the drug, resulting in an improvement in the antifungal effect. Therefore, this combination can be considered as an alternative for the topical treatment of dermatophytosis.
Food for thought: formulating away the food effect – a PEARRL review
Authors: O'Shea Joseph P , Holm René , O'Driscoll Caitriona M , Griffin Brendan T
Published: June 2018

Objectives

Co-ingestion of oral dosage forms with meals can cause substantial changes in bioavailability relative to the fasted state. Food-mediated effects on bioavailability can have significant consequences in drug development, regulatory and clinical settings. To date, the primary focus of research has focused on the ability to mechanistically understand the causes and predict the occurrence of these effects.

Key findings

The current review describes the mechanisms underpinning the occurrence of food effects, sheds new insights on the relative frequency for newly licensed medicines and describes the various methods by which they can be overcome. Analysis of oral medicines licensed by either the EMA or FDA since 2010 revealed that over 40% display significant food effects. Due to altered bioavailability, these medicines are often required to be dosed, rather restrictively, in either the fed or the fasted state, which can hinder clinical usefulness.

There are clinical and commercial advantages to predicting the presence of food effects early in the drug development process, in order to mitigate this risk of variable food effect bioavailability. Formulation approaches aimed at reducing variable food-dependent bioavailability, through the use of bio-enabling formulations, are an essential tool in addressing this challenge and the latest state of the art in this field are summarised here.
A novel formulation of zolpidem for direct nose-to-brain delivery: synthesis, encapsulation and intranasal administration to mice
Authors: Borodina Tatiana , Marchenko Irina , Trushina Daria , Volkova Yulia , Shirinian Valerii , Zavarzin Igor , Kondrakhin Evgeny , Kovalev Georgy , Kovalchuk Mikhail , Bukreeva Tatiana
Published: June 2018

Objectives

Anxiolytic drug zolpidem was incorporated into the microcontainers based on mesoporous calcium carbonate particles modified by diethylaminoethyl-dextran/hyaluronic acid shell. The release of zolpidem in saline solution and in polymer film modelling nasal mucosa was investigated. The anxiolytic effect of zolpidem upon intranasal administration of microcontainers and free medicine was determined by in vivo experiments on mice.

Methods

The structures of all compounds during zolpidem synthesis were established using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The loading efficacy and release kinetics of zolpidem were analysed by spectrophotometry. Surface morphology of formulation was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. To determine the effect of zolpidem-loaded containers administration by the intranasal route in vivo experiments was carried out applying the open field test.

Key findings

Nasal administration of zolpidem in the form of the microcontainers based on mesoporous calcium carbonate particles modified by diethylaminoethyl-dextran/hyaluronic acid shell has a pronounced anxiolytic effect on the behaviour of the animals in the open field test.

Conclusions

The polyelectrolyte shell deposited together with zolpidem enhances the loading efficacy of the microcontainers. In vivo experiments on mice demonstrate increase in anxiolytic effect of zolpidem in microcontainers compared with upon intranasal administration of free medicine.
Fabric Softener Fragrances Modulate the Impression Toward Female Faces and Frontal Brain Activity
Authors: Onuma Takuya , Sakai Nobuyuki
Published: June 2018

This study aimed to investigate the modulatory effect of olfactory cues on impression toward faces. Twelve Japanese university students participated in the experiment. Before the participants had arrived, the experimental room had been filled with one of three fragrances of fabric softener as the ambient odor, or with no odor. All participants were exposed to each of the four odor conditions on separate days. In the experimental room, participants viewed 20 photographs of Japanese female faces and evaluated their impression toward the faces. The brain activity from the frontal brain region was recorded with functional near‐infrared spectroscopy. The fragrances enhanced an effeminate impression for the faces, but the effect was face‐dependent. A positive relationship between the impression change induced by the fragrances and the activity of the right frontal brain was observed. These findings indicated that olfactory cues modulate face perception in a manner that cannot be explained by a mood effect, and that the frontal brain region is involved in the reconstruction process of the integrated impression of face and olfactory cues.
Sinonasal aspergillosis: Outcome after topical treatment in dogs with cribriform plate lysis
Authors: Belda Beatriz , Petrovitch Nicholas , Mathews Kyle G.
Published: June 2018

Background

Cribriform lysis has been considered a contraindication for topical treatment of sinonasal aspergillosis (SNA) because of concerns about drug extravasation with resultant neurologic signs or death.

Objective/Hypothesis

To describe dogs with SNA and cribriform plate lysis treated with topical antifungal medications. Our hypothesis was that the conventional dogma that topical therapy should be avoided in these cases is incorrect.

Animals

Nine client‐owned dogs with SNA and lysis of the cribriform plate, lysis of the floor of a frontal sinus or both detected by computed tomography (CT).

Methods

A retrospective review of medical records was performed. Dogs that met inclusion criteria (ie, SNA confirmed by at least 1 laboratory test, braincase affected on CT, and topical treatment applied) were included. Size of lesions, ancillary diagnostic test results, topical therapy, and adjuvant PO treatments were recorded. Outcome was determined by phone calls.

Results

Four dogs were alive at the time of the manuscript submission with follow‐up ranging from 188 to 684 days without neurological signs observed. All dogs were discharged without major complication 1‐7 days postoperatively. One dog that had presented with a history of seizures experienced seizure activity 2 months after treatment.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Topical therapy did not result in complications in these dogs in which lytic regions as large as 16 × 22 mm2were noted. Sinonasal aspergillosis associated lysis of the cribriform plate; lysis of the floor of a frontal sinus or both detected on CT is not necessarily a contraindication to topical therapy.
Changes in quantity rather than palatability of alpine meadow species induce cascading effects of long‐term nitrogen fertilization on phytophagous insect abundance
Authors: Song Ming‐Hua , Zheng Li‐Li , Yin Tan‐Feng , Zhang Xian‐Zhou , Yu Fei‐Hai , Cornelissen Johannes H. C.
Published: June 2018

Questions

Do changes in plant tissue quality mediated by long‐term N enrichment cascade to affect the palatability and thus abundance of phytophagous insects? Do shifts in the abundance of plant functional groups mediated by long‐term N enrichment cascade to affect abundance of phytophagous insects?

Location

An alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau, China.

Methods

We measured the abundance of larvae of a phytophagous moth (Gynaephora menyuanensis) in plots subjected to 8 years of fertilization with different N rates and chemical forms in an alpine meadow. In a feeding experiment with the larvae, we tested whether N rate and N form affected leaf consumption of six abundant plant species in the alpine meadow through leaf quality.

Results

High N rate increased larval density by 45.6%. It increased leaf N concentration and decreased leaf C:N of four plant species, but did not affect leaf consumption on any of the six species. High N increased the abundance of more favoured graminoids, but decreased that of less favoured legumes and some forbs. Larval density was positively related to graminoid abundance and negatively related to forb abundance.

Conclusions

Long‐term N fertilization induced changes in both leaf quality and abundance of plant species in the community. However, the abundance of phytophagous insects was associated with shifts in plant functional group abundance but not with changes in plant palatability. These findings suggest that N‐mediated changes in plant community composition may have cascading effects on insect quantity.
Aqueous alteration of the Martian meteorite Northwest Africa 817: Probing fluid–rock interaction at the nakhlite launch site
Authors: Lee M. R. , Daly L. , Cohen B. E. , Hallis L. J. , Griffin S. , Trimby P. , Boyce A. , Mark D. F.
Published: June 2018

The nakhlite meteorites characteristically contain iddingsite, a hydrous iron–magnesium silicate that formed by aqueous alteration on Mars. Iddingsite is most abundant in Northwest Africa (NWA) 817, and alteration products in this meteorite also have the lowest deuterium/hydrogen ratio of any nakhlite. Taken together, these distinctive properties could be interpreted to show that NWA 817 was altered under different physico‐chemical conditions than the other nakhlites and by liquid water from a separate reservoir. Here this interpretation is tested through a petrographic, mineralogical, chemical, and isotopic study of NWA 817. We find that its iddingsite occurs as olivine‐hosted veins of nanocrystalline smectite and Fe‐oxyhydroxide. Strong similarities in the mineralogy of iddingsite between NWA 817 and other nakhlites suggest that these meteorites were altered under comparable physico‐chemical conditions, with the Fe‐rich composition of NWA 817 olivine grains rendering them especially susceptible to aqueous alteration. Analyses of NWA 817 bulk samples by stepwise pyrolysis confirm that its iddingsite has unusually low deuterium/hydrogen ratios, but owing to terrestrial weathering of this meteorite, the hydrogen isotopic data cannot be used with confidence to infer the origin of Martian aqueous solutions. NWA 817 was most probably altered along with the other nakhlites over a short time period and in a common aqueous system. One interpretation of a correlation between the eruption ages of three of the nakhlites and the chemical composition of their iddingsite is that water originated from close to the surface of Mars and flowed through the nakhlite lava pile under the influence of gravity.
Determinants of dietary practices during pregnancy: A longitudinal qualitative study in Niger
Authors: Rosen Joseph G. , Clermont Adrienne , Kodish Stephen R. , Matar Seck Amadou , Salifou Aichatou , Grais Rebecca F. , Isanaka Sheila
Published: June 2018

Undernutrition is associated with maternal morbidity and poor pregnancy outcomes. This qualitative study seeks to understand the multilevel factors influencing maternal dietary practices in Niger, including the impact of pregnancy illnesses on diet. Criterion‐based, purposive sampling was used to select pregnant women and household members from 24 villages in a rural district of the Maradi Region in south‐central Niger. Semistructured interviews (n = 153) and focus group discussions (n = 38) explored 4 primary themes: (a) perceptions of ideal diet during pregnancy, (b) barriers to consuming the ideal diet, (c) coping strategies including dietary responses related to pregnancy illnesses, and (d) changes in perceptions from early to late pregnancy. Longitudinal data collection allowed for repeated interviews of pregnant women to document changes in dietary practices throughout pregnancy. Transcripts were coded using an inductive approach informed by grounded theory methodology. Participants categorized foods into 4 primary dietary taxonomies when discussing ideal maternal diets but cited constraints related to accessibility and availability impeding routine consumption of these foods. Perceptions of “modern,” urban foods as healthy, coupled with key structural barriers such as food costs, were identified. Maternal morbidity influenced food consumption, as women reported reducing food intake early in pregnancy in response to illness episodes. Although awareness of optimal foods for supporting healthy pregnancies was moderately high, some misconceptions were observed and multilevel barriers to food security restricted opportunities for consuming these foods. Nutrition‐specific and nutrition‐sensitive interventions could improve access and availability of acceptable foods for supporting increased dietary intake during pregnancy.
Rasagiline, an inhibitor of MAO‐B, decreases colonic motility through elevating colonic dopamine content
Authors: Liu C.‐Z. , Zhang X.‐L. , Zhou L. , Wang T. , Quan Z.‐S. , Zhang Y. , Li J. , Li G.‐W. , Zheng L.‐F. , Li L.‐S. , Zhu J.‐X.
Published: June 2018

Background

Dopamine (DA) is a negative modulator of gut motility. Monoamine oxidase‐B (MAO‐B) is an important metabolic enzyme degrading DA. Rasagiline, an irreversible MAO‐B inhibitor, is used to treat Parkinson’s disease because of its neuroprotective effect and increasing central DA. However, it is unclear whether MAO‐B exists in the colon and rasagiline increases colonic DA, thereby affecting colonic motility.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry, western blotting, enzyme activity assay, colonic motility recording, gut transit test, and high‐performance liquid chromatography‐electrochemical detection were employed in this study.

Key Results

Monoamine oxidase‐B was distributed in the colonic muscular layers including neurons and glias of rat and human. When oral treatment of rats with rasagiline for 4 weeks, in vitro colonic motility was significantly reduced, but it was greatly reversed by SCH‐23390, an antagonist of DA D1 receptor. The rasagiline‐treated rats also manifested decreased MAO‐B activity and increased DA content in the colonic muscular layer, but no alterations were detected in the protein expressions of D1 and D2 receptors, and MAO‐A and MAO‐B, as well as in the content of 5‐hydroxytryptamine and noradrenaline. Moreover, acute administration of rasagiline did not affect the colonic motility in vitro and the colonic DA level in rats, although MAO‐B activity was significantly inhibited.

Conclusions & Inferences

Monoamine oxidase‐B is abundant in the colonic muscular layer including myenteric plexus of rat and human. Long‐term administration of rasagiline can increase colonic DA thereby inhibiting colonic motility, suggesting that colonic MAO‐B could be a potential drug target for colonic dysmotility.
Trauma and resilience in literature
Authors: He Chengzhou
Published: June 2018

When reflecting on the Chinese one‐child policy, most accounts have focused on its social, political, and economic implications, which are usually explained by means of statistics. As a literary scholar, I think that the Chinese family‐planning policy should also be studied in terms of ethical and moral problems in the larger context of human identity. This more comprehensive perspective has mostly been ignored or hidden on purpose, and it will require the complexity of creative writing to embrace the larger context. Wa (Frog, 2009), a novel by Mo Yan, the Chinese Nobel Prize winner in 2012, is one of the few literary works that deal with the impact of and the responses to the one‐child policy from this point of view. Integrating letter writing, fiction, and drama, the novel experiments with its narrative to confront readers with the vulnerability, trauma, and redemption of those who became victims or survivors of the Chinese family‐planning policy for over 30 years. Supported by theories of trauma and resilience, this article shows how literature, with its multifocal creative complexity, is capable of breaking the silence and giving voice to victims that may bring them beyond victimhood.
Revealing mechanisms of salinity tissue tolerance in succulent halophytes: A case study for Carpobrotus rossi
Authors: Zeng Fanrong , Shabala Sergey , Maksimović Jelena Dragišić , Maksimović Vuk , Bonales‐Alatorre Edgar , Shabala Lana , Yu Min , Zhang Guoping , Živanović Branka D.
Published: June 2018

Efforts to breed salt tolerant crops could benefit from investigating previously unexplored traits. One of them is a tissue succulency. In this work, we have undertaken an electrophysiological and biochemical comparison of properties of mesophyll and storage parenchyma leaf tissues of a succulent halophyte species Carpobrotus rosii (“pigface”). We show that storage parenchyma cells of C. rossii act as Na+ sink and possessed both higher Na+ sequestration (298 vs. 215 mM NaCl in mesophyll) and better K+ retention ability. The latter traits was determined by the higher rate of H+‐ATPase operation and higher nonenzymatic antioxidant activity in this tissue. Na+ uptake in both tissues was insensitive to either Gd3+ or elevated Ca2+ ruling out involvement of nonselective cation channels as a major path for Na+ entry. Patch‐clamp experiments have revealed that Caprobrotus plants were capable to downregulate activity of fast vacuolar channels when exposed to saline environment; this ability was higher in the storage parenchyma cells compared with mesophyll. Also, storage parenchyma cells have constitutively lower number of open slow vacuolar channels, whereas in mesophyll, this suppression was inducible by salt. Taken together, these results provide a mechanistic basis for efficient Na+ sequestration in the succulent leaf tissues.
When should iron supplementation in dialysis patients be avoided, minimized or withdrawn?
Authors: Rostoker Guy
Published: June 2018

Parenteral iron is used to restore the body's iron pool before and during erythropoiesis‐stimulating agent (ESA) therapy; together these agents form the backbone of anemia management in end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis. ESRD patients receiving chronic intravenous iron products, which exceed their blood loss are exposed to an increased risk of positive iron balance. Measurement of the liver iron concentration (LIC) reflects total body iron stores in patients with secondary hemosiderosis and genetic hemochromatosis. Recent studies of LIC in hemodialysis patients, measured by quantitative MRI and magnetic susceptometry, have demonstrated a high risk of iron overload in dialysis patients treated with IV iron products at doses advocated by current anemia management guidelines for dialysis patients. Liver iron overload causes increased production of hepcidin and elevated plasma levels, which can activate macrophages of atherosclerotic plaques. This mechanism may explain the results of 3 long‐term epidemiological studies which showed the association of excessive IV iron doses with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among hemodialysis patients. A more physiological approach of iron therapy in ESRD is needed. Peritoneal dialysis patients, hemodialysis patients infected with hepatitis C virus, and hemodialysis patients with ferritin above 1000 μg/L without a concomitant inflammatory state, all require specific and cautious iron management. Two recent studies have shown that most hemodialysis patients will benefit from lower maintenance IV iron dosages; their results are applicable to American hemodialysis patients. Novel pharmacometric and economic approaches to iron therapy and anemia management are emerging which are designed to lessen the potential side effects of excessive IV iron while maintaining hemoglobin stability without an increase in ESA dosing.
Bank finance for private firms in China: Does political capital still pay off?
Authors: Cheng Wenli , Wu Yongzheng
Published: June 2018

This paper investigates whether political connection can help private firms in China gain access to commercial bank loans. Based on data from the 2012 Nationwide Survey of Private Enterprises in China, it finds that: (i) politically connected firms were more likely to have access to commercial bank loans; (ii) the mechanism for this better access might be that, on the one hand, political connection was used by private firms as a tool to overcome discrimination and/or information asymmetry in the loan market; on the other hand, political connection was seen by banks as a signal of creditworthiness; and (iii) the importance of political connection seems to lie in the connection to the power to govern rather than the mere opportunity to influence policy.
Degradation of AlGaN/GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor high electron mobility transistors under off-state electrical stress
Authors: Song Liang , Fu Kai , Zhao Jie , Yu Guohao , Hao Ronghui , Fan Yaming , Cai Yong , Zhang Baoshun
Published: June 2018

In this paper, the authors have fabricated AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor high electron mobility transistors employing the low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) SiNx as the gate insulator with field plate structure and the long-term degradation was investigated under off-state stress with degradation process monitoring. The gate leakage and drain leakage under off-state electrical stress showed different change rules while the former was expected to be effectively suppressed by LPCVD-SiNx dielectric. The output and transfer characteristics between the stress were obtained periodically to investigate the degradation process. Through the analysis of the degradation of the parameters and the shifts of the Raman spectra, the inverse piezoelectric effect is believed to be the dominant degradation mechanism.
Comparison of ZnO surface modification with gas-phase propiolic acid at high and medium vacuum conditions
Authors: Konh Mahsa , He Chuan , Li Zhengxin , Bai Shi , Galoppini Elena , Gundlach Lars , Teplyakov Andrew V.
Published: June 2018

Recent advances in preservation of the morphology of ZnO nanostructures during dye sensitization required the use of a two-step preparation procedure. The first step was the key for preserving ZnO materials morphology. It required exposing clean ZnO nanostructures to a gas-phase prop-2-ynoic acid (propiolic acid) in vacuum. This step resulted in the formation of a robust and stable surface-bound carboxylate with ethynyl groups available for further modification, for example, with click chemistry. This paper utilizes spectroscopic and microscopic investigations to answer several questions about this modification and to determine if the process can be performed under medium vacuum conditions instead of high vacuum procedures reported earlier. Comparing the results of the preparation process at medium vacuum of 0.5 Torr base pressure with the previously reported investigations of the same process in high vacuum of 10−5 Torr suggests that both processes lead to the formation of the same surface species, confirming that the proposed modification scheme can be widely applicable for ZnO sensitization procedures and does not require the use of high vacuum. Additional analysis comparing the computationally predicted surface structures with the results of spectroscopic investigations yields the more complete description of the surface species resulting from this approach.
Exploiting time varying sparsity for underwater acoustic communication via dynamic compressed sensing
Authors: Jiang Weihua , Zheng Siyuan , Zhou Yuehai , Tong F. , Kastner Ryan
Published: June 2018

While it has been recognized that the multipath structure of the underwater acoustic (UWA) channel offers the potential for compressed sensing (CS) sparsity exploitation, the rapidly time varying arrivals induced by highly dynamic surfaces unfortunately pose significant difficulties to channel estimation. From the viewpoint of underwater acoustic propagation, with the exception of the highly time varying arrivals caused by dynamic surface, generally there exist relatively stationary or slowly changing arrivals caused by direct path or bottom reflection, which imply the adoption of a discriminate estimation method to handle sparse components with different time variation scale. By modeling the time varying UWA channels as a sparse set consisting of constant and time-varying supports, in this paper, estimation of time varying UWA channel is transformed into a problem of dynamic compressed sensing sparse recovery. The combination of a Kalman filter and compressed sensing is adopted to pursue the solution of it. Numerical simulations demonstrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm. In the form of a channel-estimation-based decision-feedback equalizer, the experimental results with the field data obtained in a shallow water acoustic communication experiment indicate that the proposed dynamic compressed sensing algorithm outperforms classic algorithms as well as CS algorithms.
Probing measurement-induced effects in quantum walks via recurrence
Authors: Nitsche Thomas , Barkhofen Sonja , Kruse Regina , Sansoni Linda , Štefaňák Martin , Gábris Aurél , Potoček Václav , Kiss Tamás , Jex Igor , Silberhorn Christine
Published: June 2018

The effects of projective measurements on the quantum mechanical evolution of a particle can be simulated with coherent light.
Passive radiofrequency x-ray dosimeter tag based on flexible radiation-sensitive oxide field-effect transistor
Authors: Cramer Tobias , Fratelli Ilaria , Barquinha Pedro , Santa Ana , Fernandes Cristina , D’Annunzio Franck , Loussert Christophe , Martins Rodrigo , Fortunato Elvira , Fraboni Beatrice
Published: June 2018

We present a novel microelectronic x-ray dosimeter compatible with flexible plastic substrates and passive RFID detection.
Characterization of a Novel SXT/R391 Integrative and Conjugative Element Carrying
cfr
,
bla
CTX-M-65
,
fosA3
, and
aac(6′)-Ib-cr
in Proteus mirabilis
Authors: Lei Chang-Wei , Chen Yan-Peng , Kang Zhuang-Zhuang , Kong Ling-Han , Wang Hong-Ning
Published: June 2018

A novel 139,487-bp SXT/R391 integrative and conjugative element, ICE
Pmi
ChnBCP11, was characterized in
Proteus mirabilis
of swine origin in China. ICE
Pmi
ChnBCP11 harbors 20 different antimicrobial resistance genes, including the clinically important rRNA methyltransferase gene
cfr
, the extended-spectrum β-lactamase gene
bla
CTX-M-65
, fosfomycin resistance gene
fosA3
, and fluoroquinolone resistance gene
aac(6′)-Ib-cr
.
Student-Designed High-Throughput Assays to Assess Effects of Growth Insults in Budding Yeast
Authors: Segarra Veronica A. , Wilson Carrie , Lowery Kelley , Ransdell Slade , Schnuck Jamie , Way Paul , Srougi Melissa C.
Published: June 2018

Modern high-throughput screening is a versatile method used widely in academic and industrial labs for genetic and pharmacological testing, but is underutilized in undergraduate laboratories. We designed an open inquiry-based laboratory activity exploiting a small-scale high-throughput screening assay of the budding yeast S. cerevisiae to promote active learning and introduce students to modern data collection and analysis techniques. In this activity, students at both the high school and university levels generate growth curves of S. cerevisiae using a microplate reader after treatment with their insult of choice. This lab presents an ideal opportunity for both high school and university students to actively learn about the process of science as well as high-throughput data collection and analysis in a cost-effective manner.
Mutation Rate Simulation by Dice Roll: Practice with the Drake Equation
Authors: Haddix Pryce L. , Danderson Clark A.
Published: June 2018

Spontaneous mutation, or random genetic change during normal organism function, and random mutagenesis are widely employed by biologists to investigate cell function. The mutation rate of any genetic locus is commonly defined as the probability of mutation μ = M/N. That is, the number of mutations is assumed to be equal to the number of mutant organisms M following N cell division events to produce a population size of N + 1 cells. Measuring the rate of mutant organism production is technically cumbersome due to the need to quantify both mutant and total cell numbers from multiple independent cultures; such measurements are often not feasible for the undergraduate biology laboratory. We present here a simple classroom probability exercise that simulates the production of mutant organisms and measures mutation rate using the Drake equation. This exercise and data analysis may be completed in one hour’s time and without microbial cultivation.
Is obesity associated with depression in children? Systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Sutaria Shailen , Devakumar Delan , Yasuda Sílvia Shikanai , Das Shikta , Saxena Sonia
Published: June 2018

Objectives

To compare the odds of depression in obese and overweight children with that in normal-weight children in the community.

Design

Systematic review and random-effect meta-analysis of observational studies.

Data sources

EMBASE, PubMed and PsychINFO electronic databases, published between January 2000 and January 2017.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

Cross-sectional or longitudinal observational studies that recruited children (aged <18 years) drawn from the community who had their weight status classified by body mass index, using age-adjusted and sex-adjusted reference charts or the International Obesity Task Force age-sex specific cut-offs, and concurrent or prospective odds of depression were measured.

Results

Twenty-two studies representing 143 603 children were included in the meta-analysis. Prevalence of depression among obese children was 10.4%. Compared with normal-weight children, odds of depression were 1.32 higher (95% CI 1.17 to 1.50) in obese children. Among obese female children, odds of depression were 1.44 (95% CI 1.20 to 1.72) higher compared with that of normal-weight female children. No association was found between overweight children and depression (OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.14) or among obese or overweight male subgroups and depression (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.41% and 1.08, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.37, respectively). Subgroup analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies separately revealed childhood obesity was associated with both concurrent (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.45) and prospective odds (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.88) of depression.

Conclusion

We found strong evidence that obese female children have a significantly higher odds of depression compared with normal-weight female children, and this risk persists into adulthood. Clinicians should consider screening obese female children for symptoms of depression.

Background

Childhood mental illness is poorly recognised by healthcare providers and parents, despite half of all lifetime cases of diagnosable mental illness beginning by the age of 14 years.
1
Globally, depression is the leading cause of disease burden, as measured by disability-adjusted life years, in children aged 10–19 years.
2
Untreated, it is associated with poor school performance and social functioning, substance misuse, recurring depression in adulthood and increased suicide risk, which is the second leading cause of preventable death among young people.
3–6
The resulting cost to the National Health Service of treating depression is estimated at over £2 billion, and the wider social and economic impact of depression is likely to be considerable.
7
Quality improvement of delirium status communication and documentation for intensive care unit patients during daily multidisciplinary rounds
Authors: Aparanji Krishna , Kulkarni Shreedhar , Metzke Megan , Schmudde Yvonne , White Peter , Jaeger Cassie
Published: June 2018

Delirium is a key quality metric identified by The Society of Critical Care Medicine for intensive care unit (ICU) patients. If not recognised early, delirium can lead to increased length of stay, hospital and societal costs, ventilator days and risk of mortality. Clinical practice guidelines recommend ICU patients be assessed for delirium at least once per shift. An initial audit at our urban tertiary care hospital in Illinois, USA determined that delirium assessments were only being performed 31% of the time. Nurses completed simulation based education and were trained using delirium screening videos. After the educational sessions, delirium documentation increased from 40% (12/30) to 69% (41/59) (two-proportion test, p<0.01) for dayshift nurses and from 27% (8/30) to 61% (36/59) (two-proportion test, p<0.01) during the nightshift. To further increase the frequency of delirium assessments, the delirium screening tool was standardised and a critical care progress note was implemented that included a section on delirium status, management strategy and discussion on rounds. After the documentation changes were implemented, delirium screening during dayshift increased to 93% (75/81) (two-proportion test, p<0.01). Prior to this project, physicians were not required to document delirium screening. After the standardised critical care note was implemented, documentation by physicians was 95% (106/111). Standardising delirium documentation, communication of delirium status on rounds, in addition to education, improved delirium screening compliance for ICU patients.
Seed germination of the halophyte Anabasis setifera (Amaranthaceae) from Saudi Arabia
Authors: Basahi Mohammed A.
Published: June 2018

The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of temperature light/darkness and salinity (NaCl) on seed germination of Anabasis setifera Moq. and the effects of alleviating salinity stress using distilled water. All of the seeds completed germination at 15/5, 20/10, and 20 °C; a higher percentage of seeds completed germination in light than in the dark at 20/10 and 25/15 °C. The percentage of seeds that completed germination decreased as salinity increased from 0 to 700 mmol/L NaCl. Seeds that did not complete germination in the 800 or 700 mmol/L NaCl solutions did complete germination after being transferred to distilled water, with a recovery rate of 94.5% and 75.5%, respectively, at 25/15 °C. The inhibitory effect of NaCl on the completion of germination in this species probably occurs via an osmotic effect.
Algorithms and Bounds for L-Drawings of Directed Graphs
Authors: Angelini Patrizio , Lozzo Giordano Da , Bartolomeo Marco Di , Donato Valentino Di , Patrignani Maurizio , Roselli Vincenzo , Tollis Ioannis G.
Published: June 2018

We introduce L-drawings, a novel paradigm for representing directed graphs aiming at combining the readability features of orthogonal drawings with the expressive power of adjacency matrix representations. In an L-drawing, vertices have exclusive [Formula: see text]- and [Formula: see text]-coordinates and edges consist of two segments, one exiting the source vertically and one entering the destination horizontally.

We study the problem of computing L-drawings using minimum ink. We prove its NP-hardness and provide a heuristic based on a polynomial-time algorithm that adds a vertex to a drawing using the minimum additional ink. We performed an experimental analysis of the heuristic which confirms its effectiveness.
A Combinatorial Model of Two-Sided Search
Authors: Aydinian Harout , Cicalese Ferdinando , Deppe Christian , Lebedev Vladimir
Published: June 2018

We study a new model of combinatorial group testing: the item to be found (a.k.a. the target) occupies an unknown node in a graph. At each time instant, we can test (or query) a subset of the nodes and learn whether the target occupies any of such nodes. Immediately after the result of the test is available, the target can move to any node adjacent to its present location. The search finishes when we are able to locate the object with some predefined accuracy [Formula: see text] (a parameter fixed beforehand), i.e., to indicate a set of [Formula: see text] nodes that includes the location of the object.

In this paper we study two types of problems related to the above model: (i) what is the minimum value of the accuracy parameter for which a search strategy in the above sense exists; (ii) given the accuracy, what is the minimum number of tests that allow to locate the target. We study these questions on paths, cycles, and trees as underlying graphs and provide tight answers for the above questions. We also consider a restricted variant of the problem, where the number of moves of the target is bounded.
Heavy-ion fusion reactions by using Yukawa form potential
Authors: Avar A. , Hassanabadi H. , Hassanabadi S.
Published: June 2018

Our purpose in this paper is to modify the original proximity potential by universal function available in the literature. A potential model with Yukawa proximity potential has been considered according to the modified model fusion reactions of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] which have been discussed in detail. The results have a good agreement with the experimental data.