bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Multiparametric Alarm Criterion for Motor Evoked Potential Monitoring During Spine Deformity Surgery
Authors: Segura Martín J. , Talarico María E. , Noel Mariano A.
Published: December 2016

Purpose:

This is a pilot study to compare changes in the amplitude, area below the curve, number of phases, duration, and latency of the intraoperative transcranial motor evoked potentials (TcMEP) for early detection of impending spinal cord injury. An empirical ratio calculated by a combination of the above-mentioned parameters was also assessed.

Methods:

Intraoperative TcMEP recordings from five patients presenting with neuromuscular kyphoscoliosis, idiopathic scoliosis, achondroplasia and lumbar kyphosis, congenital kyphosis, and achondroplasia with cervical instability were reviewed. Anesthesia was sustained with propofol or sevoflurane plus remifentanil, no muscle relaxants were used after intubation. The TcMEPs to multipulse electrical stimulation were recorded from upper-limb and lower-limb muscles. To be worthy of analyses, changes should include TcMEP disappearance or amplitude decrease >−65% during surgical/force maneuverings.

Results:

Transient TcMEP changes related to surgical/force maneuvering were observed in all five patients consisting of a decrease in the empirical ratio value (>−95%), followed in magnitude by a drop in the area below the curve, amplitude (>−80%), duration, and number of phases, whereas latency increased. Changes returned to baseline when maneuverings were reverted. No hemodynamic/anesthetic factors were present during these events. After surgeries, no new neurological deficits were detected.

Conclusions:

An empirical ratio accounting for all TcMEP parameters seems to drop more than the amplitude during an intraoperative event. As few cases were analyzed, further studies in larger series of patients will be necessary to assess empirical ratio sensitivity/specificity and to determine whether this may be a useful monitoring warning criterion not leading to unnecessary interference with surgical treatment.
Forensic post-mortem interval (PMI) estimates: variation in fly developmental times of individuals
Authors: Földvári Mihály
Published: December 2016

Immature stages of flies are paramount in establishing the post-mortem interval (PMI) in forensic practice. My focus is on differences in developmental time that can be influenced by genetic differences or individual life history traits, which latter may be interpreted as life history decisions.

Data of a calliphorid fly species (Lucilia ampullacea) are presented: one female produced 300 eggs within an hour and the individual developmental time varied subsequently to a great extent – when the first flies emerged from their puparia there were still first instar larvae in the food (pig liver) provided.

In conclusion the estimated PMI must be based on a wide range of collected flies (not simply the oldest or largest or widest individual), since a limited sample can be one extremity of a potentially bell shaped (Gaussian) frequency distribution of developmental times — unrepresentative sampling will bias the PMI in an unpredictable way. One possible solution can be to use large, randomized samples and their body measurement means.
Microprocessor dynamics shows co- and post-transcriptional processing of pri-miRNAs
Authors: Louloupi Annita , Ntini Evgenia , Liz Julia , Ørom Ulf Andersson
Published: December 2016

miRNAs are small regulatory RNAs involved in the regulation of translation of target transcripts. miRNA biogenesis is a multi-step process starting with the cleavage of the primary miRNA transcript in the nucleus by the Microprocessor complex. Endogenous processing of pri-miRNAs is challenging to study and the in vivo kinetics of this process is not known. Here, we present a method for determining the processing kinetics of pri-miRNAs within intact cells over time using a pulse-chase approach to obtain nascent RNA within a 1-hour window after labeling with bromouridine. We show, that pri-miRNAs exhibit different processing kinetics ranging from fast over intermediate to slow processing and provide evidence that pri-miRNA processing can occur both co-transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally.
Environment driven conformational changes modulate H-NS DNA bridging activity
Authors: van der Valk Ramon A. , Vreede Jocelyne , Moolenaar Geri F. , Hofmann Andreas , Goosen Nora , Dame Remus T.
Published: December 2016

Bacteria frequently need to adapt to altered environmental conditions. Adaptation requires changes in gene expression, often mediated by global regulators of transcription. The nucleoid-associated protein H-NS is a key global regulator inGram-negative bacteria, and is believed to be a crucial player in bacterial chromatin organization via its DNA bridging activity. H-NS activityin vivois modulated by physico-chemical factors (osmolarity, pH, temperature) and interaction partners. Mechanistically it is unclear how functional modulation of H-NS by such factors is achieved. Here, we show that a diverse spectrum of H-NS modulators alter the ability of H-NS to bridge DNA. Changes in monovalent and divalent ion concentrations drive an abrupt switch between a bridging and non-bridging DNA binding mode. Similarly, synergistic and antagonistic co-regulators modulate the DNA bridging efficiency. Structural studies suggest a conserved mechanism: H-NS switches between a “closed” and an “open”, bridging competent, conformation driven by environmental cues and interaction partners.
A new improved and extended version of the multicell bacterial simulatorgro
Authors: Gutiérrez Martín , Gregorio-Godoy Paula , Pérez del Pulgar Guillermo , Muñoz Luis , Sáez Sandra , Rodríguez-Patón Alfonso
Published: December 2016

grois a cell programming language developed in Klavins Lab for simulating colony growth and cell-cell communication. It is used as a synthetic biology prototyping tool for simulating multicellular biocircuits. In this work, we present several extensions made togrothat improve the performance of the simulator, make it easier to use and provide new functionalities. The new version ofgrois between one and two orders of magnitude faster than the original version. It is able to grow microbial colonies with up to 105cells in less than 20 minutes. A new library, CellEngine, accelerates the resolution of spatial physical interactions between growing and dividing cells by implementing a new shoving algorithm. A genetic library, CellPro, based on Probabilistic Timed Automata, simulates gene expression dynamics using simplified and easy to compute digital proteins. We also propose a more convenient language specification layer, ProSpec, based on the idea that proteins drive cell behavior. CellNutrient, another library, implements Monod-based growth and nutrient uptake functionalities. The intercellular signaling management was improved and extended in a library called CellSignals. Finally, bacterial conjugation, another local cell-cell communication process, was added to the simulator. To show the versatility and potential outreach of this version ofgro, we provide studies and novel examples ranging from synthetic biology to evolutionary microbiology. We believe that the upgrades implemented forgrohave made it into a powerful and fast prototyping tool capable of simulating a large variety of systems and synthetic biology designs.
Parallel streams define the temporal dynamics of speech processing across human auditory cortex
Authors: Hamilton Liberty S. , Edwards Erik , Chang Edward F.
Published: December 2016

To derive meaning from speech, we must extract multiple dimensions of concurrent information from incoming speech signals, including phonetic and prosodic cues. Equally important is the detection of acoustic cues that give structure and context to the information we hear, such as sentence boundaries. How the brain organizes this information processing is unknown. Here, using data-driven computational methods on an extensive set of high-density intracranial recordings, we reveal a large-scale partitioning of the entire human speech cortex into two spatially distinct regions that detect important cues for parsing natural speech. These caudal (Zone 1) and rostral (Zone 2) regions work in parallel to detect onsets and prosodic information, respectively, within naturally spoken sentences. In contrast, local processing within each region supports phonetic feature encoding. These findings demonstrate a fundamental organizational property of the human auditory cortex that has been previously unrecognized.
Tandem duplications lead to novel expression patterns through exon shuffling inD. yakuba
Authors: Rogers Rebekah L. , Shao Ling , Thornton Kevin R.
Published: December 2016

One common hypothesis to explain the impacts of tandem duplications is that whole gene duplications commonly produce additive changes in gene expression due to copy number changes. Here, we use genome wide RNA-seq data from a population sample ofDrosophila yakubato test this ‘gene dosage’ hypothesis. We observe little evidence of expression changes in response to whole transcript duplication capturing 5ʹ and 3ʹ UTRs. Among whole gene duplications, we observe evidence that dosage sharing across copies is likely to be common. The lack of expression changes after whole gene duplication suggests that the majority of genes are subject to tight regulatory control and therefore not sensitive to changes in gene copy number. Rather, we observe changes in expression level due to both shuffling of regulatory elements and the creation of chimeric structures via tandem duplication. Additionally, we observe 30de novogene structures arising from tandem duplications, 23 of which form with expression in the testes. Thus, the value of tandem duplications is likely to be more intricate than simple changes in gene dosage. The common regulatory effects from chimeric gene formation after tandem duplication may explain their contribution to genome evolution.

Author Summary

The enclosed work shows that whole gene duplications rarely affect gene expression, in contrast to widely held views that the adaptive value of duplicate genes is related to additive changes in gene expression due to gene copy number. We further explain how tandem duplications that create shuffled gene structures can force upregulation of gene sequences,de novogene creation, and multifold changes in transcript levels.

These results show that tandem duplications can produce new genes that are a source of immediate novelty associated with more extreme expression changes than previously suggested by theory. Further, these gene expression changes are a potential source of both beneficial and pathogenic mutations, immediately relevant to clinical and medical genetics in humans and other metazoans.
Fusing tree-ring and forest inventory data to infer influences on tree growth
Authors: Evans Margaret E. K. , Falk Donald A. , Arizpe Alexis , Swetnam Tyson L. , Babst Flurin , Holsinger Kent E.
Published: December 2016

Better understanding and prediction of tree growth is important because of the many ecosystem services provided by forests and the uncertainty surrounding how forests will respond to anthropogenic climate change. With the ultimate goal of improving models of forest dynamics, here we construct a statistical model that combines complementary data sources – tree-ring and forest inventory data. A Bayesian hierarchical model is used to gain inference on the effects of many factors on tree growth – individual tree size, climate, biophysical conditions, stand-level competitive environment, tree-level canopy status, and forest management treatments – using both diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree-ring data. The model consists of two multiple regression models, one each for the two data sources, linked via a constant of proportionality between coefficients that are found in parallel in the two regressions. The model was applied to a dataset developed at a single, well-studied site in the Jemez Mountains of north-central New Mexico, U. S. A. Inferences from the model included positive effects of seasonal precipitation, wetness index, and height ratio, and negative effects of seasonal temperature, southerly aspect and radiation, and plot basal area. Climatic effects inferred by the model compared well to results from a dendroclimatic analysis. Combining the two data sources did not lead to higher predictive accuracy (using the leave-one-out information criterion, LOOIC), either when there was a large number of increment cores (129) or under a reduced data scenario of 15 increment cores. However, there was a clear advantage, in terms of parameter estimates, to the use of both data sources under the reduced data scenario: DBH remeasurement data for ~500 trees substantially reduced uncertainty about non-climate fixed effects on radial increments. We discuss the kinds of research questions that might be addressed when the high-resolution information on climate effects contained in tree rings are combined with the rich metadata on tree- and stand-level conditions found in forest inventories, including carbon accounting and projection of tree growth and forest dynamics under future climate scenarios.
Skills and earnings in less than bachelor’s occupations
Authors: Yerger David B.
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate linkages in US labor market between importance of specific skills, education, or training requirements, and private average salary for occupations not characterized as requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Design/methodology/approach

Data set constructed that matches 474 less than bachelor’s occupations to private average salary, education, or training requirements category, and 35 specific skills. Statistical and regression analysis has been done to assess linkages between these variables.

Findings

Highest returns associated with cognitive skills, quantitative skills, and other core academic basic skills set followed by traditional blue-collar technical skills. Interpersonal skills and related social skills set exhibited weak, and sometimes negative, association with private average salary by occupation.

Research limitations/implications

Study of only US labor market at single point of time, findings may not generalize to either non US markets or occupations requiring bachelor’s degree or higher.

Practical implications

Workers in the less than bachelor’s labor market have greater upside salary potential if they obtain postsecondary certificates or associates’ degrees and target occupations placing a greater importance on cognitive skills, quantitative skills, and core academic basic skills than if they target traditional blue-collar technical skill occupations.

Social implications

Social policies to enhance earnings for workers lacking bachelor’s degrees must target improving core generic transferable academic skills as well as vocationally specific training.

Originality/value

This if the first study that links these many specific skills to salary variation across less than bachelor’s occupations.
The rationale of part-time farming: empirical evidence from Norway
Authors: Mittenzwei Klaus , Mann Stefan
Published: December 2016

Purpose

Outside farming, pluriactivity is generally considered as undesirable, whereas agricultural economists tend to recommend part-time farming. This contradiction is to be solved. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Linking tax-payer and statistical farm-level data from Norway, the authors tested how profitable part-time farming is for Norwegian farm households.

Findings

The analysis showed that concentrating on either working on-farm or off-farm generates a higher household income than combining the two.

Practical implications

Part-time farming may be a lifestyle decision, but apparently is not economically optimal for most farms.

Originality/value

The contribution solves an apparent contradiction between the discourses inside and outside agriculture.
Trust-based social capital, economic growth and property rights: explaining the relationship
Authors: Ahmad Mahyudin , Hall Stephen G.
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to attest whether generalized trust variable is the best proxy for social capital in explaining the latter’s effect on economic growth in a panel setting. Via a specially formulated theoretical framework, the authors also test whether the growth-effect of social capital is direct or indirect, and if it is indirect, can property rights be the link between social capital and growth.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors begin with testing the robustness of generalized trust variable in explaining the effect of social capital on growth and property rights. The authors then propose a number of trust-alternative variables that are shown to contain an element of trust based on theoretical arguments drawn from previous studies, to proxy for social capital and re-estimate its effect on growth and property rights. In this study, the authors use panel estimation technique, hitherto has been limited in social capital studies, which are capable of reducing omitted variable bias and time-invariant heterogeneity compared to the commonly used cross-sectional estimation.

Findings

First, the authors find that generalized trust data obtained by the World Value Survey (WVS) are unable to yield sufficiently robust results in panel estimation due to missing observations problem. Using the proposed trust-alternative variables, the estimation results improve significantly and the authors are able to show that social capital is a deep determinant of growth and it is affecting growth via property rights channel. The findings also give supporting evidence to the primacy of informal rules and constraints as proposed by North (2005) over the political prominence theory by Acemoglu et al. (2005).

Research limitations/implications

Generalized trust data obtained from the WVS, frequently used in majority of social capital studies to measure social capital, yield highly non-robust results in panel estimation due to missing observations problem. Future studies in social capital intending to use panel estimation therefore need to find trust-alternative variables to proxy for social capital, and this paper has proposed four such variables.

Originality/value

The use of panel estimation technique extends the evidence of social capital significance to economic growth and property rights, since the previous social capital studies rely heavily on cross-sectional estimation technique. Due to the availability of annual observations of the trust-alternative variables, this paper is able to find better results as compared to estimation using generalized trust data.
Maintaining hope: the intrinsic role of professional support
Authors: Onnis Leigh-ann L. , Dyer Geraldine
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the supportive aspects of a team approach for a remote mental health team that report high stability in senior clinical roles, in a region where voluntary turnover is typically high.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative research study examines the reflections of team members on their role and job characteristics through informal semi-structured interviews.

Findings

The extant themes identified as supportive aspects of the team approach included engagement and both personal and professional support. The intrinsic role of support in remote work environments, and the impact of intrinsic job satisfaction through client-focussed practices further supported low turnover, improved stability and consistency of service provision.

Originality/value

Continued support for existing experienced health professionals will contribute to workforce stability in remote regions where needs are complex and continuity of care is improved by consistent, reliable services. With health professionals working in remote Australia reporting high levels of job satisfaction; it follows that the next steps involve minimising dissatisfaction through effective workforce support mechanisms. Health professionals already working in remote regions, suggest that this is about engagement and personal and professional support through flexible work systems. While the findings of this study may not be generalisable, the authors suggest that these supportive aspects are transferable to other multi-disciplinary team settings.
Livestock grazing, forest protection and law in Greece
Authors: Kapotas Panagiotis , Maria Efpraxia Aithra
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present, from a critical point of view, the current legal framework of livestock grazing in public forests in Greece, to present the implementation problems that have arisen and to suggest possible solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors are trying to combine and implement some of the rangeland ecology results as a tool to explain the legal status and the reform proposals.

Findings

Livestock grazing is a misunderstood activity when it occurs in forests. In fact, when livestock grazing is controlled and based on the capacity of a forest area, it has been proven that it does not degrade an ecosystem; on the contrary, it contributes to biodiversity and to the prevention of forest fires. The prohibition of grazing for a long period of time, along with the establishment of a legal framework by which the forestry service is required to abide, which does not provide for alternatives or compensatory measures to farmers, has resulted in the creation of extremely unpleasant conditions for farmers.

Originality/value

There are hardly any relevant studies in Greek and international literature specifically focused on the Greek legal status of livestock grazing. The scarce contributions on this topic have been investigated and are incorporated in the justification of the study.
Analysis of the stochastic model of the Markov chain on daily rainfall occurrence in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Authors: Back Álvaro José , Miguel Luana Pasini
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the seasonal and spatial variations in the statistical descriptors of the Markov chain model as well as the expected values of the length of dry and wet days and to estimate the probability of dry and rainy sequences in the state of Santa Catarina.

Design/methodology/approach

Daily rainfall data from 1970 to 2013 of five rainfall stations in the state of Santa Catarina were used. To model the sequence of dry and wet days, the first order of the Markov chain was used. The statistical descriptors of the Markov model were evaluated, as well as the expected values of the length of dry and wet days and the number of dry and rainy days for each month. Along with geometric distribution, the probability of occurrence of sequences of dry and rainy days was determined. The adherence of the data to geometric distribution was evaluated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.

Findings

The results showed that there is a seasonal and spatial variation in Markov model descriptors and also in the duration of the dry and rainy periods. These variations may be related to the mechanisms responsible for the formation and distribution of rainfall in the state, such as the air masses and relief. The Lages station, located in the Plateau of Santa Catarina, had the highest P00 values, reflecting more stable conditions of the atmosphere. In autumn and winter, no marked differences were found between the coastal stations and west of the state. The geometric distribution was adequate for estimating the probability of dry and rainy days.

Originality/value

Although some work has already been carried out on the modeling of the Markov chain in the state of Santa Catarina, this study was found to be more complete with the use of various statistical descriptors of the model and its application in estimating the duration of the cycles of dry and wet periods and the number of rainy days in the period.
Enhancing the spatial rainfall uniformity of pressurized nozzle simulators
Authors: Silveira Alexandre , Isidoro Jorge M.G.P. , de Deus Fábio P. , dos Reis Simone Siqueira , Silva Antônio Marciano da , Gonçalves Flávio A. , Menezes Paulo Henrique Bretanha Junker , Tiezzi Rafael de O.
Published: December 2016

Purpose

Rainfall simulators are used on experimental hydrology, in areas such as, e.g., urban drainage and soil erosion, with important timesaving when compared to real scale hydrological monitoring. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to increase the quality of rainfall simulation, namely, for its use with scaled physical models.

Design/methodology/approach

Two pressurized rainfall simulators are considered. M1 uses three HH-W 1/4 FullJet nozzles under an operating pressure of 166.76 kPa and was tested over a 4.00 m length by 2.00 m width V-shaped surface. M2 was prepared to produce artificial rainfall over an area of 10.00 m length by 10.00 m width. The spatial distribution of rainfall produced from a single nozzle was characterized in order to theoretically find the best positioning for nozzles to cover the full 100 m2 area with the best possible rainfall uniformity.

Findings

Experiments with M1 led to an average rainfall intensity of 76.77-82.25 mm h−1 with a 24.88 per cent variation coefficient and a Christiansen Uniformity Coefficient (CUC) of 78.86 per cent. The best result with M2 was an average rainfall intensity of 75.12-76.83 mm h−1 with a 21.23 per cent variation coefficient and a CUC of 83.05 per cent.

Practical implications

This study contributes to increase the quality of artificial rainfall produced by pressurized rainfall simulators.

Originality/value

M2 is the largest rainfall simulator known by the authors worldwide. Its use on rainfall-runoff studies (e.g. urban areas, erosion, pollutant transport) will allow for a better understanding of complex surface hydrology processes.
Hydropower reservoir sediment and water quality assessment
Authors: Estigoni Marcus Vinicius , Miranda Renato Billia , Mauad Frederico Fabio
Published: December 2016

Purpose

Finer sediment particles (silt and clay) transported by rivers carry the major part of nutrient loads by absorption; thus, sediment settling can remove nutrients from the water column. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relation between reservoir sedimentation and water quality by assessing the reservoir sedimentation process and the sediments’ characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

Bathymetric surveys from 2004 to 2014 were analyzed to assess the sedimentation process. Core samples provided information on a layer-by-layer basis of the sediment deposits, and water samples near the surface and near the bottom provided information on sediment concentration, and adsorbed and dissolved nutrients.

Findings

The upstream region of a reservoir is already silted. From 2004 to 2014, the delta evoluted approximately 500 m downstream and the deposits were mainly composed of clay. An area of approximately 1,000 m between the delta and the dam should still be able to continue allowing sediment deposition in the coming years. Most of the nutrients were absorbed into the sediment particles, except for the nitrogen measured in the dry season.

Research limitations/implications

Although analyses of the full cycle of the nutrients were not carried out, the constant sediment trapping of finer sediments and the high rate of absorbed nutrients in the suspended sediment support the hypothesis that the reservoir has removed nutrients from aqueous media by adsorption into sediments.

Practical implications

In the studied case, reservoir sedimentation has led to better water quality downstream.

Originality/value

It is shown in this study that reservoir sedimentation may have positive effects on river water quality.
Valuing the Redevelopment Option Component of Urban Land Values
Authors: Munneke Henry J. , Womack Kiplan S.
Published: December 2016

This study draws from the redevelopment, real option, and urban spatial growth literatures to explore the spatial dynamics of the components of house prices. More specifically, the paper proposes that the capitalized value of the option to redevelop housing at the property level can be estimated by incorporating the likelihood of exercising the redevelopment option (the probability of redevelopment) into spatial and nonspatial hedonic house price models. Accordingly, option values are estimated for properties across the spectrum of the housing life cycle. Results from the study reveal a substantial level of spatial variation and clustering in the predicted option values, indicating that location is a major determinant of redevelopment and real option values. Furthermore, the results provide new evidence in support of the theoretical construct that properties purchased for immediate redevelopment are only valued for the underlying land.
Peritoneal Dialysis Registry With 2013 Survey Report
Authors: Masakane Ikuto , Hasegawa Takeshi , Ogata Satoshi , Kimata Naoki , Nakai Shigeru , Hanafusa Norio , Hamano Takayuki , Wakai Kenji , Wada Atsushi , Nitta Kosaku
Published: December 2016

Since 2009, the peritoneal dialysis (PD) registry has been carried out as part of the annual nationwide survey conducted by the Statistical Survey Committee of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy with the cooperation of the Japanese Society for Peritoneal Dialysis. In this study, the current status of PD patients is reported on the basis of the results of the survey conducted at the end of 2013. The subjects were PD patients who lived in Japan and participated in the 2013 survey. Descriptive analysis was performed for various items including the current status of the combined use of PD and another dialysis method such as hemodialysis (HD) or hemodiafiltration (HDF), the method of exchanging dialysate, the use of an automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) machine, and the incidences of peritonitis and catheter exit‐site infection. From the results of the facility survey in 2013, the number of PD patients was 9392, a decrease of 122 from that in 2012. Among the entire dialysis patient population, 3.0% were PD patients, a decrease of 0.1%. Among the studied patients, 292 had a peritoneal catheter and underwent peritoneal lavage, 174 were started on PD in 2013 but introduced to other blood purification methods in 2013, and 1920 underwent both PD and another dialysis method such as HD or HDF. The percentage of patients who underwent PD and another dialysis method increased with the number of years on PD: <1 year, 3.5%; 1 to < 2 years, 8.4%; 2 to < 4 years, 15.3%; 4 to < 6 years, 27.1%; 6 to < 8 years, 39.3%; 8 to < 10 years, 47.1%; and ≥ 10 years, 57.5%. The percentage of PD patients for whom the dialysate was completely manually exchanged was 31.6%, whereas the percentages of PD patients who used a bag‐exchange device based on ultraviolet‐light irradiation and that based on thermal sterile joint systems were 52.1 and 14.9%, respectively. The mean incidence of peritonitis was 0.22 per patient per year (once per 54.5 patients per month). The mean incidence of catheter exit‐site infection was 0.34 per patient per year (once per 35.3 patients per month).
Interleukin‐4 cytokine single nucleotide polymorphisms in kawasaki disease: a case‐control study and a review of knowledge
Authors: Assari Raheleh , Aghighi Yahya , Ziaee Vahid , Sadr Maryam , Rezaei Arezou , Rahmani Farzaneh , Sadr Zeinab , Raeeskarami Seyed Reza , Moradinejad Mohammad Hassan , Rezaei Nima
Published: December 2016

Aim

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis of medium‐sized arteries. High levels of interleukin 4 (IL‐4) and the dominance of Th2 cytokines seem to be a key feature in the acute phase of KD. In this study, the role of IL‐4 and IL‐4R gene polymorphisms were investigated in Iranian children with KD.

Methods

Fifty‐five patients with KD and 140 healthy subjects as a control group were enrolled in this study. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL‐4 gene at positions −1098 (rs2243248), −590 (rs2243250) and −33 (rs2070874), as well as IL‐4RA gene at position +1902 (rs180275) were assessed in patients and the control group.

Results

The C allele and CC genotype of IL‐4 gene at position −590 and at position −33 had positive associations and the CT genotype at −590 was negatively associated with KD (odds ratio (95% CI) = 0.04 [0.01–0.09]). The haplotype TCC was more frequent among the patients, while the haplotypes TTT and TTC had a negative association with KD.

Conclusion

IL‐4 polymorphisms might be associated with KD in an Iranian population.
Identifying barriers to the care of the rheumatoid hand in China: comparing attitudes of rheumatologists and hand surgeons
Authors: Franzblau Lauren E. , Wang Keming , Liang Xuebing , Guo Yang , Li Yingni , Lin Yu‐chieh (Jay) , Lee Sunghee , Pennell Beth‐Ellen , Shauver Melissa J. , Chung Kevin C.
Published: December 2016

Aim

In China, hand surgeons treat fewer rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared to other countries. We investigated whether physician and surgeon knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding RA hand deformities reflect current evidence and may contribute to the low utilization of surgery.

Method

We surveyed hand surgeons and rheumatologists at three tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China. Questionnaires were developed from literature and expert review to assess their knowledge, attitudes and practice patterns related to rheumatoid hand surgery.

Results

Thirty‐five hand surgeons and 59 rheumatologists completed the survey. Roughly one‐third felt that the rheumatologists and hand surgeons agree on how to manage RA hand deformities. One‐fifth of rheumatologists and 29% of hand surgeons believed that drug therapy can correct hand deformities, which contradicts current evidence. Likewise, 30% and 14%, respectively, recommended surgery for early‐stage hand sequelae that do not meet current indications for surgery. Over 80% of surgeons and rheumatologists had no exposure to the other specialty during training and felt their training on the treatment of rheumatoid hand deformities was inadequate.

Conclusion

Although we found similar interspeciality disagreement in China as is seen in the United States, there appears to be less interaction through training and consultations. Our results also indicate potential deficits in training and unawareness of evidence and indications for rheumatoid hand surgery. These findings help to explain why surgery for rheumatoid hand deformities is rare in China; doctors have fewer opportunities to collaborate across specialties and may not be able to select appropriate candidates for surgery.
The Age‐Varying Association of Student Status with Excessive Alcohol Use: Ages 18 to 30 Years
Authors: Evans‐Polce Rebecca J. , Maggs Jennifer L. , Staff Jeremy , Lanza Stephanie T.
Published: December 2016

Background

There is a well‐known link between attending college and engaging in excessive alcohol use. This study examines in a national sample how the association between student status and excessive alcohol use changes from late adolescence through young adulthood and whether the association of student status with excessive alcohol use is different for students residing with versus away from parents during the school year.

Methods

This study used cross‐sectional data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a nationally representative sample of noninstitutionalized civilian adults residing in the United States. Our analyses included nonhigh school young adults who were ages 18 to 30 years (n = 8,645). Excessive alcohol use included past‐year (i) high‐intensity drinking (men: ≥10 standard drinks; women: ≥8) and (ii) exceeding weekly drinking guidelines (men: >14 drinks per week; women: >7). Students who resided away from their parents and students who lived with their parents during the school year were compared to nonstudents.

Results

Analyses using time‐varying effect modeling showed that the relationship of student status with excessive alcohol use varied as a function of age. Overall student status lost its association with excessive alcohol use in the early 20s, after controlling for demographics and other adult social roles. The association between student status and excessive alcohol use also varied considerably across age and depending on whether the student was residing with or away from parents.

Conclusions

The association of student status with excessive alcohol use is heterogeneous in terms of both age and living arrangements, suggesting opportunities for interventions targeting problematic alcohol use. Future research should examine additional sources of heterogeneity of students in their risk for excessive alcohol use.
Elevated tumour necrosis factor‐alpha was associated with intima thickening in obese children
Authors: Bo Luo , Yi‐Can Yang , Qing Zhou , Xiao‐Hui Wu , Ke Huang , Chao‐Chun Zou
Published: December 2016

Aim

This study investigated the relationship between intima‐media thickness (IMT) and immune parameters in obese children from five to 16 years of age.

Methods

We enrolled 185 obese children with a mean age of 10.65 ± 2.10 years and 211 controls with a mean age of 10.32 ± 1.81 years. Glycometabolism, lipid metabolism, sex hormones, immune indices and carotid IMT were measured.

Results

Serum interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐10, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐alpha, white blood cells and common and internal carotid artery IMTs in the obese group were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05, respectively). Bivariate correlation analysis showed that the common carotid arterial IMT was positively correlated with alanine aminotransferase, triglyceride, uric acid, apolipoprotein B, IL‐6, IL‐10, TNF‐alpha, follicle‐stimulating hormone and testosterone. Internal carotid artery IMT was positively correlated with alanine aminotransferase and follicle‐stimulating hormone. Both common and internal carotid artery IMTs were inversely correlated with apolipoprotein A1 (p < 0.05, respectively). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that testosterone, alanine aminotransferase and TNF‐alpha were the independent determinants of common carotid arterial IMT.

Conclusion

Tumour necrosis factor‐alpha, alanine aminotransferase and testosterone were associated with intima thickening in the early life in obese children and may increase later risks of premature atherogenicity and adult cardio‐cerebrovascular diseases.
High salivary testosterone‐to‐androstenedione ratio and adverse metabolic phenotypes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Münzker J. , Lindheim L. , Adaway J. , Trummer C. , Lerchbaum E. , Pieber T.R. , Keevil B. , Obermayer‐Pietsch B.
Published: December 2016

Background

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by a combination of hormonal and metabolic disturbances, such as insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, anovulation and hyperandrogenism. Clinical phenotypes of PCOS show different patterns of steroid hormones that have been investigated to some extent. This study aimed to establish a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method for the quantification of salivary testosterone and androstenedione and to describe the salivary testosterone‐to‐androstenedione (T/A4) ratio as a new tool for the assessment of hyperandrogenism and metabolic health.

Material and methods

Saliva and serum samples of 274 patients with PCOS and 51 healthy women were used for the quantification of steroid hormones. A comprehensive clinical and metabolic assessment was performed. Salivary testosterone and androstenedione were measured via LC‐MS/MS. The salivary T/A4 ratio was calculated and correlated with hormones and metabolic parameters.

Results

Salivary testosterone (P < 0·001), androstenedione (P < 0·001) and the salivary T/A4 ratio (P < 0·001) were significantly higher in patients with patients compared to healthy women. In patients with PCOS, a high salivary T/A4 ratio was associated with an adverse metabolic phenotype, that is glucose intolerance (P = 0·019), insulin resistance (P < 0·001), metabolic syndrome (P < 0·001), obesity (P < 0·001) and oligo‐/anovulation (P = 0·001). Significant correlations of the salivary T/A4 ratio with adverse metabolic parameters were found.

Conclusion

Quantification of salivary androgens provides an attractive alternative to serum analysis and helps in characterizing metabolic health in women with PCOS. Our data show a strong link between a high salivary T/A4 ratio and an adverse metabolic phenotype in patients with PCOS.
Hearing impairment in a female infant with interstitial deletion of 2q24.1q24.3
Authors: Ono Hiroaki , Kurosawa Kenji , Wakamatsu Nobuaki , Masuda Shin
Published: December 2016

Patients with interstitial deletions in 2q24.1q24.3 are rarely reported. These patients manifest a variety of clinical features in addition to intellectual disability, depending on the size and location of the deletion. We report a female patient with interstitial deletion of 5.5 Mb in 2q24.1q24.3, who showed intrauterine growth retardation, hypotonia, global developmental delay, microcephaly, and characteristic facial appearance. In addition, she had hearing impairment, with no auditory brainstem response. Case of 2q24.1q24.3 deletion with hearing impairment is quite rare. We suspect that hearing impairment is caused by bilateral cochlear nerve deficiency due to cochlear nerve canal stenosis. Further studies are necessary to evaluate hearing impairment as a clinical feature in patients with de novo heterozygous 2q24.1q24.3 deletion.
Genetic profiling of children with advanced cholestatic liver disease
Authors: Shagrani M. , Burkholder J. , Broering D. , Abouelhoda M. , Faquih T. , El‐Kalioby M. , Subhani S.N. , Goljan E. , Albar R. , Monies D. , Mazhar N. , AlAbdulaziz B.S. , Abdelrahman K.A. , Altassan N. , Alkuraya F.S.
Published: December 2016

Advanced cholestatic liver disease is a leading referral to pediatric liver transplant centers. Recent advances in the genetic classification of this group of disorders promise a highly personalized management although the genetic heterogeneity also poses a diagnostic challenge. Using a next‐generation sequencing‐based multi‐gene panel, we performed retrospective analysis of 98 pediatric patients who presented with advanced cholestatic liver disease. A likely causal mutation was identified in the majority (61%), spanning many genes including ones that have only rarely been reported to cause cholestatic liver disease, e.g. TJP2 and VIPAS39. We find no evidence to support mono‐allelic phenotypic expression in the carrier parents despite the severe nature of the respective mutations, and no evidence of oligogenicity. The high‐carrier frequency of the founder mutations identified in our cohort (1 in 87) suggests a minimum incidence of 1:7246, an alarmingly high disease burden that calls for the primary prevention through carrier screening.
Evaluating Agricultural Economists within Colleges and Faculties of Agriculture
Authors: Ker Alan P.
Published: December 2016

There is an increasing tendency for individual faculty evaluations, in whole or in part, to be done outside the department. Historically, this was not true. College committees acted only to uphold standards, ensure equity, and monitor procedural correctness within a department's evaluation process. Deans tended not to participate in routine faculty evaluations. Financial metrics like return on investment were not calculated on an individual faculty basis. Incentives from all administrative levels tended to be consistent with disciplinary success. These are no longer true for many agricultural economics departments. Both department and faculty responses have been mixed. At the department level, some have not responded while others have embraced a life science model. At the individual faculty level, some have not responded while others have chased money, impact factors, and publication counts. I explore the consequences of these changes for agricultural economists in a college dominated by life sciences with two caveats. First, this is an opinion article and represents my perceptions of general tendencies; there exist many exceptions in either direction. Second, I have biases which are undoubtedly reflected throughout.

Il y a une tendance croissante aux évaluations individuelles des professeurs, en tout ou en partie. Ces évaluations sont réalisées de l'extérieur du département. Historiquement, ce n′était pas vrai. Les comités des collèges agissaient uniquement pour respecter les normes, assurer l′équité et surveiller l'exactitude procédurale au sein du processus d′évaluation d'un département. Les doyens universitaires ont tendance à ne pas participer aux évaluations routines de la faculté académique. Les statistiques financières, comme le rendement du capital investi, n'ont pas été calculées individuellement au niveau de la faculté. Les  mesures incitatives de tous les niveaux administratifs ont tendance à être liées avec la réussite dans le domaine en question. Ceci n'est plus vrai pour de nombreux départements d’économie agricoles universitaires. Les réponses des départements et du corps professoral ont été mitigées. Au niveau départemental, certains n'ont pas répondu alors que d'autres ont adopté le modèle des sciences de la vie. Au niveau de la faculté individuelle, certains n'ont pas répondu alors que d'autres ont chassé de l'argent, des facteurs d'impact et une quantité de publication. J'explore les conséquences de ces changements pour les économistes agricoles dans un collège dominé par les sciences de la vie.  Je souligne deux mises en garde. Premièrement, il s'agit d'un article d'opinion et représente ma perception des tendances générales; Il existe de nombreuses exceptions dans les deux directions. Deuxièmement, j'ai des préjugés qui seront reflétés tout au long.
Why do patients die after a liver transplantation?
Authors: Daniel Kim E. , Eickhoff Jens , Lucey Michael R.
Published: December 2016

Background

As more patients achieve long‐term survival, it has become important to understand mortality in liver transplantation (LT) recipients.

Methods

We conducted retrospective reviews of long‐term outcome in two adult LT cohorts: 85 031 in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database and 1458 transplanted at the University of Wisconsin (UW).

Results

During median follow‐up of 3.2 years (UNOS) and 6.6 years (UW), 35.1% of UNOS patients and 44.2% of UW patients died; 43.1% of all UNOS deaths occurred in year 1 compared to 25.1% in the UW cohort. Deaths due to infection (other than viral hepatitis) or cardiovascular (CV) causes were most frequent in year 1 in both cohorts and then persisted at lower rates. In contrast, death from malignancy increased after year 1 to peak in years 1‐5. Deaths due to rejection, hepatitis, or graft failure were infrequent. In the UW cohort, de novo malignancy was more common than recurrent tumor and correlated with smoking history.

Conclusions

A coordinated holistic approach that focuses on limiting immunosuppression, infection, risky behaviors, and CV risks, while screening for cancer, is needed to extend the healthy lives of LT recipients.
Triad of constraints in bicycle riding in children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Sugden David
Published: December 2016

This commentary is on the original article by Toovey et al. on pages 395–401 of this issue.