bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trophoblast‐derived CXCL12 promotes CD56brightCD82−CD29+ NK cell enrichment in the decidua
Authors: Lu Han , Jin Li‐Ping , Huang Hong‐Lan , Ha Si‐Yao , Yang Hui‐Li , Chang Rui‐Qi , Li Da‐Jin , Li Ming‐Qing
Published: October 2019

Problem

Decidual natural killer (dNK) cells play key roles in maternal‐fetal immune regulation, trophoblast invasion, and vascular remodeling, and most dNK cell populations are CD56brightCD16− NK cells. However, the enrichment and redistribution of dNK cells in the local decidua have not been clarified yet.

Method of study

A total of 45 women with normal pregnancies and 8 unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) patients were included. We isolated primary human dNK (n = 53) and peripheral blood NK (pNK) cells (n = 5) from specimen and analyzed CD56, CD82, and CD29 by flow cytometry (FCM). We assessed their adhesion ability by cell counts of NK cells adhered to decidual stromal cells (DSCs) in a co‐culture system.

Results

We found that RSA patients had more CD56dim dNK cells with lower CD82 and higher CD29 than women with normal pregnancies. There were negative correlations of CD82 to CD29 on CD56dim and CD56+ dNK cells. In normal pregnancies, dNK cells had lower CD82 and higher CD29 expression with a stronger adhesion ability than pNK cells. Blocking CD82 on dNK cells increased the adhesive ability and CD29 expression, while blocking CD29 decreased the adhesive ability. Co‐culturing dNK cells with trophoblast cells decreased CD82 expression and increased the adhesive ability of dNK cells and the percentage of CD56bright NK cells, while blocking trophoblast‐derived CXCL12 increased CD82 expression, decreased CD29 expression, and impaired the adhesive ability of NK cells.

Conclusion

Trophoblast cells enhance the adhesive ability of NK cells to DSCs via the CXCL12/CD82/CD29 signaling pathway and contribute to CD56bright NK cell enrichment in the uterus.
Antithrombotic effect of SP‐8008, a benzoic acid derivative, through the selective inhibition of shear stress‐induced platelet aggregation
Authors: Ngo Thien , Kim Keunyoung , Bian Yiying , Nam Gibeom , Park Hyun‐Ju , Lee Kiho , Cho Geum‐Sil , Ryu Jei‐Man , Lim Kyung‐Min , Chung Jin‐Ho
Published: October 2019

Background and Purpose

Bleeding is one of the most critical adverse effects of antithrombotic drugs, and many efforts have been made to discover novel antiplatelet agents without bleeding complications. Shear stress‐induced platelet aggregation (SIPA), where the interaction of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib constitutes the initial step, is a promising target to overcome bleeding problems, as SIPA occurs only in pathological conditions. Here, we describe SP‐8008, a novel modulator of vWF–GP Ib interactions and evaluated its antiplatelet/antithrombotic effects.

Experimental Approach

Newly synthesized compounds were screened for antiplatelet effects in vitro, using human platelets exposed to high shear stress. Aggregation, intracellular calcium level, granule secretion, and integrin activation were assessed. Molecular modelling using virtual docking and flow cytometry were used to evaluate effects on vWF–GP Ib interactions. Antithrombotic effects in vivo were determined in rats, using arterial thrombosis and shear stress‐specific thrombosis. Transection tail bleeding time was used to evaluate adverse effects.

Key Results

SP‐8008 was a potent inhibitor of SIPA, with IC50 of 1.44 ± 0.09 μM. SP‐8008 effectively and broadly blocked shear stress‐induced platelet activation events, without any significant toxicity. Importantly, SP‐8008 was highly selective against SIPA, effectively interfering with vWF–GP Ib engagement. Most importantly, SP‐8008 exerted significant antithrombotic effects in vivo in both shear stress‐specific and arterial thrombosis, without prolonging bleeding time.

Conclusions and Implications

Our results demonstrated that SP‐8008 can be a novel selective antiplatelet agent with improved safety profile.
Triaging ophthalmology outpatient referrals with machine learning: A pilot study
Authors: Tan Yiran , Bacchi Stephen , Casson Robert J. , Selva Dinesh , Chan WengOnn
Published: October 2019

Importance

Triaging of outpatient referrals to ophthalmology services is required for the maintenance of patient care and appropriate resource allocation. Machine learning (ML), in particular natural language processing, may be able to assist with the triaging process.

Background

To determine whether ML can accurately predict triage category based on ophthalmology outpatient referrals.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Participants

The data of 208 participants was included in the project.

Methods

The synopses of consecutive ophthalmology outpatient referrals at a tertiary hospital were extracted along with their triage categorizations. Following pre‐processing, ML models were applied to determine how accurately they could predict the likely triage categorization allocated. Data was split into training and testing sets (75%/25% split). ML models were tested on an unseen test set, after development on the training dataset.

Main Outcome Measure

Area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) for category one vs non‐category one classification.

Results

For the main outcome measure, convolutional neural network (CNN) provided the best AUC (0.83) and accuracy on the test set (0.81), with the artificial neural network (AUC 0.81 and accuracy 0.77) being the next best performing model. When the CNN was applied to the classification task of identifying which referrals should be allocated a category one vs category two vs category three priority, a lower accuracy was achieved (0.65).

Conclusions and Relevance

ML may be able to accurately assist with the triaging of ophthalmology referrals. Future studies with data from multiple centres and larger sample sizes may be beneficial.
Abutment screw withdrawal after conical abutment settlement: A pilot study
Authors: Yao Kuang‐Ta , Chang Tsai‐Yu , Fang Hsu‐Wei , Huang Chang‐Hung , Wang Ding‐Han , Hsu Ming‐Lun
Published: October 2019

Objective

This study investigated the effects of abutment screw withdrawal after conical abutment settlement on the stability of the implant–abutment connection.

Materials and methods

Twenty implants of a conical connection system were used. Two two‐piece abutment designs were used: cone only (n = 10; NI) and cone plus octagonal index design (n = 10; I); for each design, five samples were used with (S) and without (NS) abutment screw withdrawal before a cyclic test. Finally, four groups, namely Gr S(NI), Gr S(I), Gr NS(NI), and Gr NS(I), were included. The cyclic test included cyclic loading of 20–200 N, 30°, and 4‐mm off‐axis to implant axis at 10 Hz for 106 cycles, simulating a clinical time interval of 40 months. The fatigue cycles were recorded. The axial displacement of the conical abutments during abutment settlement, screw withdrawal, and cyclic loading were measured. Abutment morphology was examined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Results

Only Gr NS(NI) failed the test, indicating that without the index design and abutment screw withdrawal, and connection stability seriously deteriorated. Gr NS(I) exhibited significantly higher axial displacement into the implant after abutment settlement than did Gr NS(NI). It also exhibited continuous axial displacement into the implant after cyclic loading. SEM after cyclic testing in Gr NS(I) revealed marked burnishing on lateral edges of the index, indicating that the index design provides an antitorsional ability.

Conclusion

Although this study has few limitations, abutment screw withdrawal is feasible in this conical implant–abutment connection system with index design.
A modified AUGIS Delphi process to establish research priorities in bariatric and metabolic surgery
Authors: Wilson Michael S. J. , Knight Stephen , Vaughan‐Shaw Peter , Blakemore Alex I. , O'Kane Mary , Boyle Christopher , Small Peter , Mahawar Kamal ,   on behalf of AUGIS and BOMSS
Published: October 2019

Delphi methodology may be utilized to develop consensus opinion among a group of experts. The aim of our study was to use a modified Delphi process to determine the future research priorities among bariatric and metabolic healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom. Members of the Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons and the British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society were invited to submit individual research questions via an online survey (phase I). Two rounds of prioritization by multidisciplinary expert healthcare professionals (phase II and III) were completed to determine a final list of high‐priority research questions. Fifty‐one bariatric and metabolic surgery‐focused questions were identified in phase I. Thirty‐five questions were taken forward for prioritization in phase II. Eleven high‐priority questions were identified in phase III. The final list of high‐priority questions had an emphasis on the pathophysiology and long‐term sequelae of bariatric and metabolic surgery. A modified Delphi process has produced a list of 11 high‐priority research questions in bariatric and metabolic surgery. Future studies and awards from funding bodies should reflect this consensus list of prioritized questions in the interest of improving patient care and encouraging collaborative research across multiple centres.
Multiple behavioral contexts of a melanized tail display in a desert lizard
Authors: Gilbert Anthony L. , Brooks Olivia L. , Lattanzio Matthew S.
Published: October 2019

Conspicuous color displays in animals are often studied in the context of how they communicate an individual's reproductive value, ability to escape capture, or overall health. The study of sexual dichromatism often focuses on the evolution of male display traits balanced between detectability and mate acquisition, representing constraints stemming from both natural and sexual selection. Melanistic coloration and melanin color patterns play important roles in both intraspecific and interspecific signaling in animals; as melanin serves multiple purposes in organismal biology, the evolution of melanin‐based visual displays might not be restricted to a single behavioral or ecological context. Here, we examine the behavioral contexts of the conspicuous melanin‐based tail display in the greater earless lizard (Cophosaurus texanus), asking if this melanized tail pattern is associated with (a) female association preference of males varying in the concentration of melanin, (b) individual locomotor performance capacity, and (c) thermal ecology. We found the amount of tail melanin is linked with both locomotor performance and female association preference, with greater concentrations of melanin predicting the evolution of faster performance capacities and females preferring males with more discrete melanin bars. We found limited support that differences in melanin are linked with thermoregulation or thermal ecology. Overall, we find that multiple behavioral contexts shape the evolution of this melanized display trait. We conclude that behavioral constraints stemming from both natural and sexual selection can interact synergistically to favor the evolution and expression of a melanistic visual display, even in potentially costly ecological contexts.
Selection of gender‐incongruent applicants: No gender bias with structured interviews
Authors: Pogrebtsova Ekaterina , Luta Denisa , Hausdorf Peter A.
Published: October 2019

Research suggests that the use of structured interviews can reduce gender bias in hiring. However, studies have been limited to gender‐neutral professions or laboratory simulations. The current study evaluated two components of the structured interview in a field sample of 691 applicants interviewing for a male‐dominated position of public transit operator. Multilevel modeling results show no significant differences in ratings across applicant gender with this highly structured interview. This relation was found in individual interviewer ratings and consensus panel ratings, as well as irrespective of interviewer gender and interviewer participation in comprehensive versus minimal training in structured interviewing. This study provided a conservative test in a male‐dominated profession to further validate the value of the structured interview for promoting equal hiring practices.
Wide‐bandgap HfO2‐V2O5 nanowires heterostructure for visible light‐driven photocatalytic degradation
Authors: Sari Fitri Nur Indah , Lu Sang‐Hsuan , Ting Jyh‐Ming
Published: October 2019

A novel HfO2/V2O5 nanocomposite has been fabricated for use as photocatalyst. HfO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were deposited on V2O5 using a precipitation method. Both commercial V2O5 particles and microwave‐assisted hydrothermal (MAH)‐synthesized V2O5 nanowires (NWs) were used. We demonstrate that the HfO2/V2O5 nanocomposite exhibits better photodegradation efficiency than the V2O5. The photodegradation reaction constant of the HfO2/V2O5 nanocomposite is more than 66% higher than that of the V2O5. The wide‐bandgap, transparent HfO2 effectively reduces the electron‐hole recombination by proving defect levels to quench the recombination. A plausible band structure is proposed to support the existence of these defect levels.
Mother’s curse and indirect genetic effects: Do males matter to mitochondrial genome evolution?
Authors: Keaney Thomas A. , Wong Heidi W. S. , Dowling Damian K. , Jones Therésa M. , Holman Luke
Published: October 2019

Maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was originally thought to prevent any response to selection on male phenotypic variation attributable to mtDNA, resulting in a male‐biased mtDNA mutation load (“mother's curse”). However, the theory underpinning this claim implicitly assumes that a male's mtDNA has no effect on the fitness of females he comes into contact with. If such “mitochondrially encoded indirect genetics effects” (mtIGEs) do in fact exist, and there is relatedness between the mitochondrial genomes of interacting males and females, male mtDNA‐encoded traits can undergo adaptation after all. We tested this possibility using strains of Drosophila melanogaster that differ in their mtDNA. Our experiments indicate that female fitness is influenced by the mtDNA carried by males that the females encounter, which could plausibly allow the mitochondrial genome to evolve via kin selection. We argue that mtIGEs are probably common, and that this might ameliorate or exacerbate mother's curse.
Hierarchical analysis of wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fecundity in relation to body size and developmental traits
Authors: Hanson Nora , Ounsley James , Burton Tim , Auer Sonya , Hunt James H. , Shaw Brian , Henderson Jim , Middlemas Stuart J.
Published: October 2019

Using data from wild Atlantic salmon Salmo salar returning to spawn in seven Scottish rivers, we developed a model of fecundity based on individual body size and key developmental traits. We used a novel approach to model selection which maximises predictive accuracy for application to target river stocks to select the best from a suite of Bayesian hierarchical models. This approach aims to ensure the optimal model within the candidate set includes covariates that best predict out‐of‐sample data to estimate fecundity in areas where no direct observations are available. In addition to body size, the final model included the developmental characteristics of age at smolting and years spent at sea. Using two independent long‐term monitoring datasets, the consequences of ignoring these characteristics was revealed by comparing predictions from the best model with models that omitted them.
Predicting the antimicrobial effect of probiotic lactic acid bacteria against Staphylococcus aureus in white cheeses, using Fourier series modeling method
Authors: Kalkan Selin
Published: October 2019

In this study, it was aimed to design the time‐predicted inactivation model for various growth curves and the growth parameters representing the changes in the inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus in probiotic white cheese. For this purpose, S. aureus were inoculated in the pasteurized milk and the production of probiotic white cheese was performed in five different groups, and then samples were matured for 60 days at 4°C. S. aureus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei Shirota, and mesophilic starter culture levels of the samples were analyzed on the 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th, 15th, 30th, and 60th days of maturation. The inactivation model evaluation was performed by using the number of microorganisms counted with Fourier modeling method. In determining the model to be applied, the coefficient of determination (R2) and the sum of squared errors (SSE) for the mean number of microorganisms detected via modeling method were used. As conclusions, the number of S. aureus has decreased by approximately 5 logarithmic units at the end of the storage period by using probiotics together with the starter culture. It was determined that the Fourier modeling method is a suitable inactivation model with R2 values of 0.9847–0.9986 and SSE values of 0.094–0.510.
Self‐Reported Prescription Drug Use for Pain and for Sleep and Incident Frailty
Authors: Cil Gulcan , Park Juyoung , Bergen Andrew W.
Published: October 2019

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to estimate incident frailty risks of prescription drugs for pain and for sleep in older US adults.

DESIGN

Longitudinal cohort.

SETTING

Health and Retirement Study.

PARTICIPANTS

Community‐living respondents aged 65 years and older, excluding individuals who received recent treatment for cancer (N = 14 208). Our longitudinal analysis sample included respondents who were not frail at baseline and had at least one follow‐up wave with complete information on both prescription drug use and frailty, or date of death (N = 7201).

MEASUREMENTS

Prescription drug use for pain and sleep, sociodemographics, other drug and substance use, and Burden frailty model components. Multivariable drug use stratified hazard models with death as a competing risk evaluated frailty risks associated with co‐use and single use of prescription drugs for pain and for sleep.

RESULTS

Proportions endorsing prescription drug use were 22.1% for pain only, 6.8% for sleep only, and 7.7% for both indications. Burden frailty model prevalence was 41.0% and varied significantly by drug use. Among non‐frail individuals at baseline, proportions endorsing prescription drug use were 14.9%, 5.6%, and 2.2% for the three indications. Prescription drug use was associated with increased risk of frailty (co‐use adjusted subhazard ratio [sHR] = 1.95; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6‐2.4; pain only adjusted sHR = 1.58; CI = 1.4‐1.8; sleep‐only adjusted sHR = 1.35; CI = 1.1‐1.6; no use = reference group). Cumulative incidence of frailty over 8 years for the four groups was 60.6%, 50.9%, 45.8%, and 34.1%. Sensitivity analyses controlling for chronic diseases associated with persistent pain resulted in minor risk reductions.

CONCLUSION

Prescription pain and sleep drug use is significantly associated with increased incidence of frailty. Research to estimate effects of pain and sleep indications and of drug class–specific dosage and duration on incident frailty is indicated before advocating deprescribing based on these findings. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2474–2481, 2019
The life cycle carbon balance of selective logging in tropical forests of Costa Rica
Authors: Alice‐Guier Federico E. , Mohren Frits , Zuidema Pieter A.
Published: October 2019

The effect of logging on atmospheric carbon concentrations remains highly contested, especially in the tropics where it is associated to forest degradation. To contribute to this discussion, we estimated the carbon balance from logging natural tropical forests in Costa Rica through a life cycle accounting approach. Our system included all major life cycle processes at a regional level during one rotation period (15 years). We used mass flow analysis to trace biogenic carbon. Data were gathered from all logging operations in the Costa Rican NW region (107 management plants), a sample of industries transforming wood into final products (20 sawmills), and national reports. We estimated a surplus of −3.06 Mg C ha−1 15 year−1 stored within the system. When accounting for uncertainty and variability in a Monte Carlo analysis, the average balance shifted to −2.19 Mg C ha−1 15 year−1 with a 95% CI of −5.26 to 1.86. This confidence interval reveals probabilities of a net increase in atmospheric carbon due to harvesting although these are smaller than those from a system that acts as a reservoir. Our results provide evidence for the carbon neutrality of bio‐materials obtained from natural forests. We found that anthropogenic reservoirs play a determinant role in delaying carbon emissions and that these may explain differences with previous carbon balance studies on tropical forest management. Therefore, the climate mitigation potential of forest‐derived products is not exclusive to forest management, but measures should be considered throughout the processes of wood transformation, use, and disposal.
Longitudinal relations between substance use abstinence motivations and substance use behaviors in adolescence: A self‐determination theory approach
Authors: Moore Joseph Paul , Hardy Sam A.
Published: October 2019

Objective

We employed self‐determination theory (SDT) as a framework for examining longitudinal relations between adolescents’ motivations to abstain from substances and their subsequent substance use.

Method

Participants were 475 adolescents in the United States. The data came from annual surveys following adolescents from age 16 to 19. The measures included self‐reports of controlled and autonomous motivations to abstain from substances, as well as substance use frequency.

Results

We used structural equation modeling to estimate autoregressive cross‐lagged models of controlled and autonomous abstinence motivations predicting substance use a year later (with 3 years of data on abstinence motivations and 4 years of data on substance use). Autonomous motivation predicted decreases in substance use, while controlled motivation predicted increases. Follow‐up analyses also revealed that relations between abstinence motivations and substance use increase in strength with greater time lags, and decreases in autonomous abstinence motivation partially mediate the link between controlled abstinence motivation and later substance use.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated the usefulness of SDT in understanding motivations to abstain from substance use during adolescence. In line with this theoretical approach, autonomous motivations for abstinence were adaptive while controlled motivations for abstinence were maladaptive.
Death by Pokémon GO: The Economic and Human Cost of Using Apps While Driving
Authors: Faccio Mara , McConnell John J.
Published: October 2019

We investigate the link between smartphone usage by drivers and increases in insurance premiums by using police accident reports and exploiting the introduction of the augmented reality game Pokémon GO as a natural experiment. We document a disproportionate increase in crashes, vehicular damage, injuries, and fatalities in the vicinity of locations where users can play the game while driving. Ignoring incremental lives lost, the lower bound estimate of the cost of users playing the game while driving translates to an increase in insurance premiums of 2.47 percent.
Pharmacological properties and their medicinal uses of Cinnamomum: a review
Authors: Kumar Sanjay , Kumari Reshma , Mishra Shailja
Published: October 2019

Objectives

Cinnamomum (Family Lauraceae) is traditionally used for flavouring food and in pharmaceutical preparations against various ailments. Detailed literature on the ethnobotanical and pharmacological properties of Cinnamomum is segregated and not present in well-documented form. In the present review, we have been trying to gather its detailed medicinal as well as pharmacological properties. The ethnobotanical and pharmacological properties of Cinnamomum were collected by searching several scientific databases, that is PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Scopus.

Key findings

The plant extracts have been reported to possess astringent, warming stimulant, carminative, blood purifier, digestive, antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties and also help to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. A wide range of phytochemical compounds including aldehydes, acetate, alcohol, terpinenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, coumarins, phenols, saponins, tannins, carboxylic acid, hydrocarbons, camphene, spathulenol, fatty acids, actinodaphnine, butanolides, lignans, steroids, propenoids and kaempferol glycosides are found in various parts of plant.

This review provides detailed information about history, traditional uses, phytochemistry and clinical impacts of cinnamon as a spice and medicine. So we recommend further study on the clinical, medicinal, purification and identification of the most effective antibacterial activity of cinnamon to cure various infectious diseases.
Family‐centred end‐of‐life care and bereavement services in Swedish intensive care units: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Fridh Isabell , Åkerman Eva
Published: October 2019

Background

Post‐intensive care syndrome‐family is a common problem in relatives of patients who die in an intensive care unit. Family‐centred end‐of‐life care with support for the family during and after the death is supposed to prevent suffering and avoid illness.

Aims and objectives

This study aimed to investigate family‐centred end‐of‐life care and bereavement follow‐up services offered to family members of patients who die in Swedish intensive care units.

Design, Methods

A cross‐sectional study using a 16‐question survey based on family‐centred end‐of‐life care was sent to all 81 adult intensive care units. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics and chi‐square. Respondents were able to add individual comments to the questionnaire.

Results

Although the majority (76.7%) offered some kind of follow up, this service was not always offered. Modes for invitation, timing, and contents in the follow up varied between the units. The staff tried to individualize the follow‐up service according to the family's needs. Nurses and social workers were the only professionals who provided follow‐up conversations on their own.

Most of the intensive care units (97.3%) kept diaries that were handed over to the family when they left the unit after the patient's death or at a follow‐up visit. Only 8.8% reported that they always offer the family the opportunity to be present during resuscitation. Most respondents reported that patients (60.6%) died in a private room.

Conclusions

Family‐centred end‐of‐life care varied among the intensive care units, and some families were not offered any follow up at all. Timing, invitation, and elements in the follow up differ between the units. Diaries were commonly kept and usually given to the family. Few units offered the family to be present during resuscitation.

Relevance to clinical practice

There is a need for national guidelines to ensure that all bereaved families receive equal and individual family‐centred end‐of‐life care.
Associations of maternal glycemia and prepregnancy BMI with early childhood growth: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Zhang Yaqi , Chen Zhong , Cao Zhongqiang , Zhang Yiming , Yao Cong , Qiu Lin , Li Yuanyuan , Xu Shunqing , Zhou Aifen , Xia Wei
Published: October 2019

The prevalence of maternal and child overweight/obesity and gestational hyperglycemia has increased greatly in China in recent years. However, studies examining the relationship between maternal hyperglycemia, maternal prepregnancy body mass index (ppBMI), and offspring obesity in China are limited. Here, we conducted a prospective study of 6684 mother−child pairs in Wuhan, China in 2012–2015. Maternal glucose concentrations were measured at approximately 24–28 weeks of gestation; children's weight and length were measured at birth and at 6, 12, and 24 months of age; and BMI‐for‐age Z‐scores (BMIZ) were calculated for different time points. We found that maternal fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentrations were positively associated with offspring ponderal index and the risk of macrosomia at birth, but not with BMIZ or the risk of overweight/obesity at 6, 12, and 24 months of age. By contrast, maternal ppBMI was positively associated with both an increased risk of macrosomia at birth and overweight/obesity at 6, 12, and 24 months of age. Here, we observed an interaction effect of the association of FPG and ppBMI on offspring macrosomia and a mediating effect of gestational diabetes mellitus on the pathway between ppBMI and macrosomia. Our findings suggest that maternal ppBMI is a more pronounced predictor than gestational FPG concentrations in both the relation to BMIZ and the risk of overweight/obesity in early childhood.
Progress in regulatory peptide research
Authors: Zhang Limei , Eiden Lee E.
Published: October 2019

The field of regulatory peptide research has developed significant momentum owing to several recent converging trends. Dozens of peptide‐based drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the past decade, the majority for the treatment of metabolic disorders, including diabetes. These are the “tip of the spear” for peptide therapeutics, revealing that impediments of delivery, stability, and bioavailability inherent in peptide drugs have in many cases been overcome. While most are orally available, and directed at peripheral targets, pharmaceutical delivery of peptides to the central nervous system through nasal mucosal routes has also seen much progress. Cell‐based high‐throughput drug discovery methods, the X‐ray crystallographic structural definition of G protein–coupled receptors, and deorphanization of peptide‐liganded receptors have contributed to the emergence of new targets for pharmacological intervention and accelerated the development of peptide‐based as well as nonpeptide congeners for existing ones. Finally, the recognition that peptides act at their receptors, in a cellular context, in conjunction with other peptides and other first messengers, including neurotransmitters, hormones, and autocrine and paracrine factors, has led to an increased appreciation for the combinatorial possibilities of regulatory peptide action, now penetrating to drug design and discovery efforts. The fifteen reviews, reports, and perspectives collected in this special issue of Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences provide a snapshot of the frontiers of the field of regulatory peptide research as they expand physiologically, pharmacologically, and therapeutically.
Characterization 3333 of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) accessions for resistance to phylotype I and phylotype II strains of the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex under high temperatures
Authors: Kunwar Sanju , Hsu Yun‐Che , Lu Shu‐Fen , Wang Jaw‐Fen , Jones Jeffrey B. , Hutton Samuel , Paret Mathews , Hanson Peter
Published: October 2019

Bacterial wilt of tomato caused by Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) causes substantial yield losses in the tropics and subtropics. Disease management options by chemicals are limited, and host resistance is the cheapest and easiest means of control. However, sources of bacterial wilt resistance in tomato are limited. The disease often coincides with higher temperatures in the tropics, and resistance sources that are more heat stable are particularly valuable for breeding of tropically adapted tomato cultivars. The objectives of this study were to identify tomato accessions that demonstrate relatively high bacterial wilt resistance under high temperatures and to identify accessions that may possess QTLs other than Bwr‐6 and Bwr‐12 (two major disease resistance QTLs against bacterial wilt), which could be exploited in future breeding. Sixty‐seven tomato entries reported as bacterial wilt resistant were evaluated in a greenhouse against one strain each of phylotype I (Pss4) and phylotype IIB (Pss1632) of the RSSC (average temperature ≥29°C). Of those, five and 19 were homozygous for Bwr‐6 and Bwr‐12, respectively, and six were homozygous for both QTLs. Bwr‐12 contributed to resistance against phylotype I strain but not against the phylotype II strain. Bwr‐6 contributed to resistance against both phylotype strains. Entries with both QTLs as a group performed relatively better against the phylotype I strain. Entry “94T765‐24‐79”, which lacked Bwr‐6 and Bwr‐12, demonstrated relatively high resistance against the phylotype II strain and may carry new QTL/s. As new bacterial wilt resistance QTLs are mapped and markers designed, pyramiding multiple bacterial wilt resistance QTLs into new varieties should be straightforward, thereby increasing the chances of obtaining stable resistance.
Inequality and Trade Policy: The Pro‐Poor Bias of Contemporary Trade Restrictions
Authors: Ural Marchand Beyza
Published: October 2019

This paper studies the pro‐poor bias of trade policy in India by estimating the household welfare effects of removing the current protection structure. The elimination of a pro‐poor trade policy is expected to have a negative differential welfare effect at the low end of the distribution. The paper first constructs trade restrictiveness indexes for household consumption items and industries using both tariffs and non‐tariff barriers. The results indicate that Indian trade policy is regressive through the expenditure channel as it disproportionately raises the cost of consumption for poorer households, while it is progressive through the earnings channel. Based on the net welfare effects, the elimination of the current trade protection structure is estimated to reduce inequality. These results indicate that a trade policy that is progressive through the earnings channel may induce a price effect that is regressive through the expenditure channel.
Supporting Transmasculine Survivors of Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence: Reflections from Peer Support Facilitation
Authors: Shultz Jackson W.
Published: October 2019

Data show that trans individuals experience disproportionately high rates of sexual assault compared to their cisgender peers, yet very few survivor support spaces are accessible to trans men. Using autoethnography to reflect on the experiences of serving as a peer facilitator of a grassroots peer support group for transmasculine and non‐binary survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence in the United States, this article illuminates issues frequently iterated by trans survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence within peer support group settings. From these experiences, common themes are highlighted that reveal new insights and considerations for those who work with transmasculine survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence.
Comparative accuracy and precision of two commercial laboratory analyzers for the quantification of ammonia in cerebrospinal fluid
Authors: Devriendt Nausikaa , Or Matan , Meyer Evelyne , Paepe Dominique , Vallarino Nicolas , Bhatti Sofie F.M. , de Rooster Hilde
Published: October 2019

Background

Hyperammonemia is one of the contributing factors of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Although blood ammonia concentrations are frequently measured in patients suspected of HE, systemic levels do not necessarily reflect the amount of ammonia in the central nervous system. Measuring ammonia in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can help to understand HE better and potentially improve the diagnosis and follow‐up of patients with HE.

Objectives

The objectives of this technical report were to evaluate the accuracy and precision of two commercial blood ammonia analyzers (Catalyst Dx, CatDX and Pocket Chem BA, PocBA) to measure CSF ammonia concentrations.

Methods

A pool of normal equine CSF was spiked with concentrated ammonia, and a series of six spiked samples were measured in parallel with both CatDx and PocBA.

Results

CatDx and PocBA data correlated excellently with but differed significantly from the spiked ammonia concentrations. These differences were smaller when ammonia CSF concentrations were measured with the PocBA than with the CatDx. In addition, values obtained with the PocBA were more precise than those measured with the CatDx, especially for low ammonia concentrations.

Conclusion

This in‐house comparative study shows that ammonia concentrations in spiked equine CSF correlate well with those measured by two commercial blood ammonia analyzers. Nevertheless, concentrations obtained with the PocBA are more accurate and more precise than those obtained with the CatDx, making the former device the preferred choice for clinical veterinary applications.
Magnitud del riesgo por accidentes con objetos cortopunzantes en la consulta odontológica
Authors: Cazares de León Francisco , Treviño Taméz Miriam Alveza , Soto Gámez David Ernesto , Sánchez Márquez María Del Carmen
Published: October 2019

Antecedentes: El personal del área de la salud está constantemente expuesto a sangre y fluidos provenientes de los pacientes durante su jornada laboral. Por lo tanto, el personal de odontología corre el riesgo de contraer enfermedades infecciosas. Objetivo: Conocer la frecuencia del riesgo laboral por objetos punzocortantes en odontólogos de primer nivel de atención de los Centros de Salud urbano y rural de los Servicios de Salud de Nuevo León Monterrey Nuevo León, México. Métodos: diseño del estudio no experimental, descriptivo, transversal y prospectivo. Población de estudio: odontólogos aplicativos de los Servicios de Salud de Nuevo León con un muestreo probabilístico 108 odontólogos. Se utilizó un cuestionario diseñado con 12 preguntas relacionadas con los accidentes punzocortantes, con una confiabilidad de un alfa de Cronbach de .832. Resultados: el 38.8 % de los masculinos informó haber presentado accidente laboral y femeninas el 67.2 % señalaron haber sufrido un accidente con punzocortante. En relación al conocer si habían sufrido algún accidente por objetos punzocortantes, solo el 59.3 % lo reportó y un 40.7 %  no había sufrido accidente; un 49 % si recibió capacitación en bioseguridad y un 51 %  no ha recibido capacitación. Conclusión: Con base a estos resultados podemos concluir que aún falta por mejorar las capacitaciones y ampliar la cobertura de capacitación a los odontólogos en materia de normativas de bioseguridad y manejo de residuos peligrosos biológicos infecciosos, así como actualizar el conocimiento de infecciones transmitidas por objetos punzocortantes.
Review of high-throughput approaches to search for piezoelectric nitrides
Authors: Talley Kevin R. , Sherbondy Rachel , Zakutayev Andriy , Brennecka Geoff L.
Published: October 2019

Piezoelectric materials are commonplace in modern devices, and the prevalence of these materials is poised to increase in the years to come. The majority of known piezoelectrics are oxide materials, due in part to the related themes of a legacy of ceramists building off of mineralogical crystallography and the relative simplicity of fabricating oxide specimens. However, diversification beyond oxides offers exciting opportunities to identify and develop new materials perhaps better suited for certain applications. Aluminum nitride (and recently, its Sc-modified derivative) is the only commercially integrated piezoelectric nitride in use today, although this is likely to change in the near future with increased use of high-throughput techniques for materials discovery and development. This review covers modern methods—both computational and experimental—that have been developed to explore chemical space for new materials with targeted characteristics. Here, the authors focus on the application of computational and high-throughput experimental approaches to discovering and optimizing piezoelectric nitride materials. While the focus of this review is on the search for and development of new piezoelectric nitrides, most of the research approaches discussed in this article are both chemistry- and application-agnostic.
Slow sound laser in lined flow ducts
Authors: Coutant Antonin , Aurégan Yves , Pagneux Vincent
Published: October 2019

This work considers the propagation of sound in a waveguide with an impedance wall. In the low frequency regime, the first effect of the impedance is to decrease the propagation speed of acoustic waves. Therefore, a flow in the duct can exceed the wave propagation speed at low Mach numbers, making it effectively supersonic. This work analyzes a setup where the impedance along the wall varies such that the duct is supersonic then subsonic in a finite region and supersonic again. In this specific configuration, the subsonic region acts as a resonant cavity, and triggers a laser-like instability. This work shows that the instability is highly subwavelength. Besides, if the subsonic region is small enough, the instability is static. This work also analyzes the effect of a shear flow layer near the impedance wall. Although its presence significantly alters the instability, its main properties are maintained. This work points out the analogy between the present instability and a similar one in fluid analogues of black holes known as the black hole laser.
Electrically control amplified spontaneous emission in colloidal quantum dots
Authors: Yu Junhong , Shendre Sushant , Koh Weon-kyu , Liu Baiquan , Li Mingjie , Hou Songyan , Hettiarachchi Chathuranga , Delikanli Savas , Hernández-Martínez Pedro , Birowosuto Muhammad Danang , Wang Hong , Sum TzeChien , Demir Hilmi Volkan , Dang Cuong
Published: October 2019

Amplified spontaneous emission of a colloidal quantum dot film is electronically controlled in a practical device.
Science meets a metaphor
Ahab's Rolling Sea: A Natural History of Moby-Dick
Richard J. King
University of Chicago Press, 2019. 464 pp.
Authors: Kemp Christopher J.
Published: October 2019

Looking beyond its literary merits, a historian traces the natural history of
Moby-Dick
Earthworms' place on Earth
Authors: Fierer Noah
Published: October 2019

A new study provides a global view of earthworm ecology
Stepping out of the dinosaurian shadow
Rise of the Mammals
HHMI Tangled Bank Studios
Premiering 30 October 2019 on PBS at 9 pm ET
Authors: Black Riley
Published: October 2019

A new film offers a glimpse into the Cenozoic ascension of mammals
Alinity m HR HPV Assay Fulfills Criteria for Human Papillomavirus Test Requirements in Cervical Cancer Screening Settings
Authors: Oštrbenk Valenčak Anja , Šterbenc Anja , Seme Katja , Poljak Mario
Published: October 2019

The Alinity m HR HPV assay (Alinity) is a novel human papillomavirus (HPV) assay that individually identifies genotypes HPV16, HPV18, and HPV45 while reporting on 11 other high-risk HPV (hrHPV) genotypes in two aggregates: HPV31/33/52/58 and HPV35/39/51/56/59/66/68. The clinical performance of Alinity for screening for cervical cancer was evaluated in population-based settings.
Molecular Epidemiology of Noninvasive and Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections in Cape Town
Authors: Barth D. D. , Naicker P. , Engel K. , Muhamed B. , Basera W. , Mayosi B. M. , Dale J. B. , Engel M. E.
Published: October 2019

The development of a vaccine for group A streptococcus (GAS) is of paramount importance given that GAS infections cause more than 500,000 deaths annually across the world. This prospective passive surveillance laboratory study evaluated the potential coverage of the M protein-based vaccine currently under development. While a number of GAS strains isolated from this sub-Sahara African study were included in the current vaccine formulation, we nevertheless report that potential vaccine coverage for GAS infection in our setting was approximately 60%, with four of the most prevalent strains not included. This research emphasizes the need to reformulate the vaccine to improve coverage in areas where the burden of disease is high.
Sepsis-induced digital ischaemia in a professional pianist, in the absence of vasopressors
Authors: Kurup Vishnu , Simpson R Scott
Published: October 2019

Peripheral limb ischaemia and gangrene are devastating complications of pneumococcal sepsis. We report a 43-year-old professional pianist who presented with early sepsis and rapid development of this syndrome. No vasopressor medication was ever administered. We urgently reviewed the medical literature on a range of therapies recommended by consulting teams, to ensure he received optimal care. Based on our review and on feedback from the patient himself, we gained valuable insights into this illness and the merits of selected treatment options. His fingers ultimately recovered their function, intact, although several toes were later amputated. More recently published reviews postulate that imbalances in coagulation factors and natural anticoagulants occur as a result of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and ‘shock liver’ in the sepsis syndrome, leading to microcirculatory thromboses. We submit this report as we believe it supports this hypothesis and adds further valuable information. We hope our observations will assist other critical care clinicians confronting this serious condition.
A case of isolated cortical venous thrombosis presenting radiographically as a subacute multifocal leukoencephalopathy, and review of literature
Authors: Palmer Charles Francis , Khalighinejad Farnaz , Jun-O'Conell Adalia , Ionete Carolina
Published: October 2019

A 55-year-old man presented with brief seizure with associated acute aphasia, right head turn and subsequent generalised convulsion. On imaging, he was found to have patchy juxtacortical and cortical T2 hyperintensity with high radiographic suspicion for subacute multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid testing were unremarkable. Clinically, the patient recovered completely and had no recurrence of symptoms. On follow-up MRI 1 month later, the T2 hyperintensity had resolved almost entirely while hypointensity on susceptibility-weighted angiography MRI remained, suggesting isolated cortical venous thrombosis.
Laryngeal gout mimicking chondrosarcoma with concurrent longus colli tendinitis
Authors: Lee Si Ying Chrisanda , Gan Yijin Jereme , Goh Julian Park Nam , Ho Yong Howe , Lim Ming Yann
Published: October 2019

A 42-year-old man with multiple comorbidities, including gout, presented to the emergency department with severe odynophagia for 4 days with intermittent dysphagia for 1–2 months. A CT scan of the neck showed right longus colli tendinitis and partially calcified excrescences from the right thyroid cartilage which raised suspicion of a cartilaginous tumour. He underwent an MRI scan of the neck to better evaluate the thyroid cartilage findings, which showed a heterogeneous mass suspicious for a chondroid tumour. He then underwent a positron-emission tomography-CT scan which showed a fluorodeoxyglucose-avid mass containing foci of calcification involving the right thyroid cartilage and adjacent strap muscle, with high standardised uptake value of 7.7. He subsequently underwent a CT-guided biopsy and an open biopsy of the right thyroid cartilage, and the results revealed gouty tophi. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of laryngeal gout with longus coli tendinitis, both of which are rare conditions.
Rosacea causing unilateral Morbihan syndrome
Authors: Weeraman Saliya , Birnie Andrew
Published: October 2019

Morbihan syndrome is a rare entity causing woody induration of the face. There are numerous case reports of bilateral Morbihan syndrome. We present a case of a 46-year-old man with right infra-orbital cheek swelling and symptoms of rosacea who had histology consistent with granulomatous rosacea following debulking surgery. His clinical presentation and investigation findings support a diagnosis of rosacea causing unilateral Morbihan syndrome.