bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Excess psychosocial burden in women with diabetes and premature acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Peters T. M. , Pelletier R. , Behlouli H. , Rossi A. M. , Pilote L.
Published: August 2017

Aim

Diabetes is a stronger risk factor for acute coronary syndrome for women than men. We investigate whether behavioural and psychosocial factors contribute to the disparity in acute coronary syndrome risk and outcomes among women with diabetes relative to women without diabetes and men.

Methods

Among 939 participants in the GENESIS‐PRAXY cohort study of premature acute coronary syndrome (age ≤ 55 years), we compared the prevalence of traditional and non‐traditional factors by sex and Type 2 diabetes status. In a case‐only analysis, we used generalized logit models to investigate the influence of traditional and non‐traditional factors on the interaction of sex and diabetes.

Results

In 287 women (14.3% with diabetes) and 652 men (10.4% with diabetes), women and men with diabetes showed a heavier burden of traditional cardiac risk factors compared with individuals without diabetes. Women with diabetes were more likely to be the primary earner and have more anxiety relative to women without diabetes, and reported worse perceived health compared with women without diabetes and men with diabetes. The interaction term for sex and diabetes (odds ratio (OR) 1.40, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) 0.83–2.36) was diminished after additional adjustment for non‐traditional factors (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.54–2.32), but not traditional factors alone (OR 1.41, 95% CI 0.84–2.36).

Conclusions

We observed trends toward a more adverse psychosocial profile among women with diabetes and incident acute coronary syndrome compared with women without diabetes and men with diabetes, which may explain the increased risk of acute coronary syndrome in women with diabetes and may also contribute to worse outcomes.
Harvest management based on leaf stage of a tetraploid vs. a diploid cultivar of annual ryegrass
Authors: Solomon J. K. Q. , Macoon B. , Lang D. J.
Published: August 2017

Leaf stage‐dependent defoliation is linked to the plant's physiological status and may be a more suitable criterion than time‐based intervals for harvesting forage grasses, but no reports of research with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam. var. westerwoldicum) were found. To address this, a 2‐year field study was carried out at Raymond, MS, on a Loring silt loam soil (fine‐silty, mixed, thermic Typic Fragiudalfs). Forage production, morphological characteristics and nutritive value responses to defoliation based on leaf stage (2, 3 and 4 leaves per tiller) and two residual stubble heights (RSH; 5 and 10 cm) of a tetraploid (“Maximus”) vs. a diploid (“Marshall”) cultivar of annual ryegrass were quantified. Forage harvested, in 2011, increased linearly as leaf stage increased from 7.3 to 8.8 Mg/ha, but during 2012 was least (7.0 Mg/ha) at 3‐leaf stage and similar at the other two leaf stages (7.6 Mg/ha). Tiller density was less for Maximus (1,191 tillers/m2) than for Marshall (1,383 tillers/m2). Leaf blade proportion decreased with increasing leaf stage and was greater by 9% for Maximus than for Marshall. Generally, forage nutritive value became less desirable with increasing leaf stage. There was a dichotomy in forage harvested and nutritive value responses, but maximum forage productivity was achieved when annual ryegrass was defoliated at the 4‐leaf stage interval.
Short‐term outcomes of atrial flutter ablation
Authors: Tripathi Byomesh , Arora Shilpkumar , Mishra Abhishek , Kundoor Vishwa Reddy , Lahewala Sopan , Kumar Varun , Shah Mahek , Lakhani Dhairya , Shah Harshil , Patel Nilay V. , Patel Nileshkumar J. , Dave Mihir , Deshmukh Abhishek , Sudhakar Sattur , Gopalan Radha
Published: August 2017

Background

Understanding the factors associated with early readmissions following atrial flutter (AFL) ablation is critical to reduce the cost and improving the quality of life in AFL patients.

Method

The study cohort was derived from the national readmission database 2013–2014. International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD‐9‐CM) diagnosis code 427.32 and procedure code 37.34 were used to identify AFL and catheter ablation, respectively. The primary and secondary outcomes were 90‐day readmission and complications including in‐hospital mortality. Cox proportional regression and hierarchical logistic regression were used to generate the predictors of primary and secondary outcomes respectively. Readmission causes were identified by ICD‐9‐CM code in primary diagnosis field of readmissions.

Result

Readmission rate of 18.19% (n = 1,010 with 1,396 readmissions) was noted among AFL patients (n = 5552). Common etiologies for readmission were heart failure (12.23%), atrial fibrillation (11.13%), atrial flutter (8.93%), respiratory complications (9.42%), infections (7.4%), bleeding (7.39%, including GI bleed–4.09% and intracranial bleed–0.79%) and stroke/TIA (1.89%). Multivariate predictors of 90‐day readmission (hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval, P value) were preexisting heart failure (1.30, 1.13–1.49, P < 0.001), chronic pulmonary disease (1.37, 1.18–1.58, P < 0.001), anemia (1.23, 1.02–1.49, P = 0.035), malignancy (1.87, 1.40–2.49, P < 0.001), weekend admission compared to weekday admission (1.23, 1.02–1.47, P = 0.029), and length of stay (LOS) ≥5 days (1.39, 1.16–1.65, P < 0.001). Note that 50% of readmissions happened within 30 days of discharge.

Conclusion

Cardiac etiologies remain the most common reason for the readmission after AFL ablation. Identifying high risk patients, careful discharge planning, and close follow‐up postdischarge can potentially reduce readmission rates in AFL ablation patients.
Exercise stress test reveals ineligibility for subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator in patients with Brugada syndrome
Authors: Tachibana Motomi , Nishii Nobuhiro , Morita Hiroshi , Nakagawa Koji , Watanabe Atsuyuki , Nakamura Kazufumi , Ito Hiroshi
Published: August 2017

Background

The eligibility of patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) for implantation of a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S‐ICD) is not well known. This study aimed to clarify the eligibility of BrS patients for S‐ICD using electrocardiography (ECG) at rest and during exercise testing. We also analyzed factors associated with ineligibility for S‐ICD from standard 12‐lead ECG at rest.

Methods

We enrolled 110 consecutive BrS patients who visited Okayama university hospital from December 2015 to December 2016. All patients were assessed for S‐ICD eligibility, which required one lead to satisfy the S‐ICD screening template. We assessed standard 12‐lead ECG parameters in all participants. Of those who passed S‐ICD screening, 45 patients were assessed for S‐ICD eligibility during treadmill stress test.

Results

Mean age of study patients was 54 ± 13 years and 108 (98%) were men. In total, 89 patients (81%) satisfied S‐ICD indications at rest. Existence of complete right bundle branch block (CRBBB) on standard 12‐lead ECG was a significant predictor of ineligibility for S‐ICD (odds ratio, 5.00; P = 0.03; 95%CI, 1.14–21.98). Of the 45 patients who underwent treadmill stress testing, 11 patients (24%) showed ineligibility for S‐ICD during the test.

Conclusion

CRBBB was a predictor of ineligibility for S‐ICD in patients with BrS. Sinus tachycardia changes ECG morphology in some patients and stress testing should be considered before S‐ICD implantation.
Left atrial appendage occlusion: 2016 in review
Authors: de J. Ramos Ramirez Manuel , Young Bonnie , Harjai Kishore , Mascarenhas Vernon , Vijayaraman Pugazhendhi
Published: August 2017

A significant body of data has emerged in the area of Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO). In this article, we present an overview of the most notable publications along with a review of the most important publications on LAAO in 2016. We also present important historical data such as landmark clinical studies, review of most utilized occlusion devices, and important clinical studies that are underway.
Inventing Postcolonial Elites: Race, Language, Mix, Excess
Authors: Reyes Angela
Published: August 2017

This article illustrates how semiotic processes that form and circulate ideologies about race, language, and the elite are central to questions of coloniality. Considering the historical and contemporary context of the Philippines, I examine how notions of linguistic and racial “mix” and “excess” get linked to elite social figures and how one elite figure in particular—the “conyo elite”—is reportedly heard and seen by a private school–educated listening subject that is constituted, in contrast, as “middle‐class elite.” I consider how iconizations of mixedness and excessiveness invent distinctions among Philippine elite types, producing an “elite bifurcation” that recursively constitutes colonial hierarchies: positioning conyo elites as acting as colonists whose supposedly mixed and excessive qualities are regarded as immoral, overly modern, and a national betrayal.
Rates of early intervention services in children born extremely preterm/extremely low birthweight
Authors: Mills Ianthe S , Doyle Lex W , Cheong Jeanie LY , Roberts Gehan ,   on behalf of the Victorian Infant Collaborative Study Group
Published: August 2017

Aim

To determine the rates of early intervention (EI) service use in extremely preterm (EP, <28 weeks’ gestation) or extremely low birthweight (ELBW, <1000 g) infants between 1991 and 2013, and identify biological or socio‐economic factors associated with receiving EI.

Methods

Participants comprised consecutive EP or ELBW survivors born in 1991–1992, 1997 or 2005 in Victoria, Australia, and randomly selected, matched term‐born controls. The main outcome measure was parent‐reported EI participation up to 8 years of age. Neurodevelopmental outcomes and socio‐economic risk factors were compared with EI participation to identify associations among the preterm groups.

Results

The rates of EI were higher in the preterm groups than the control groups overall (odds ratio 4.29, 95% confidence interval 3.28, 5.59, P < 0.001), and the rates of EI rose significantly over time – from 42% in the 1991–1992 preterm cohort to 64% in the 2005 preterm cohort. Among the preterm groups, post‐natal corticosteroid therapy, cystic periventricular leukomalacia and surgery in the newborn period were all independently associated with increased odds of receiving EI. Increased severity of disability was associated with higher rates of EI. The majority (95%) of preterm children with a physical impairment received EI, compared with only 73% of children with a cognitive impairment alone. EI participation rates were independent of social risk.

Conclusion

EI participation is high in the EP population, and rates of EI use have increased over time. Contrary to previous reports, social risk factors were not found to be associated with EI use.
Identity, threat aversion, and civil servants' policy preferences: Evidence from the European Parliament
Authors: Kuehnhanss Colin R. , Murdoch Zuzana , Geys Benny , Heyndels Bruno
Published: August 2017

Distinct policy options are typically characterized by a number of advantages (or ‘opportunities’) and disadvantages (or ‘threats’). The preference for one option over another depends on how individuals within an organization perceive these opportunities and threats. In this article, we argue that individuals' identification with an organization's core aims and objectives constitutes a key determinant of this perception. We propose that stronger identification shifts individuals' attention towards potential threats rather than opportunities in the payoff distribution, encouraging avoidance of negative outcomes. Moreover, we argue that this ‘prevention focus’ in individuals' motivational basis will be stronger under negative than under positive selection strategies. An original survey experiment with civil servants in the European Parliament finds significant evidence supporting the empirical implications of our argument.
Advances in Risk Analysis with Big Data
Authors: Choi Tsan‐Ming , Lambert James H.
Published: August 2017

With cloud computing, Internet‐of‐things, wireless sensors, social media, fast storage and retrieval, etc., organizations and enterprises have access to unprecedented amounts and varieties of data. Current risk analysis methodology and applications are experiencing related advances and breakthroughs. For example, highway operations data are readily available, and making use of them reduces risks of traffic crashes and travel delays. Massive data of financial and enterprise systems support decision making under risk by individuals, industries, regulators, etc. In this introductory article, we first discuss the meaning of big data for risk analysis. We then examine recent advances in risk analysis with big data in several topic areas. For each area, we identify and introduce the relevant articles that are featured in the special issue. We conclude with a discussion on future research opportunities.
“Birds of a Feather” Fail Together: Exploring the Nature of Dependency in SME Defaults
Authors: Calabrese Raffaella , Andreeva Galina , Ansell Jake
Published: August 2017

This article studies the effects of incorporating the interdependence among London small business defaults into a risk analysis framework using the data just before the financial crisis. We propose an extension from standard scoring models to take into account the spatial dimensions and the demographic characteristics of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), such as legal form, industry sector, and number of employees. We estimate spatial probit models using different distance matrices based only on the spatial location or on an interaction between spatial locations and demographic characteristics. We find that the interdependence or contagion component defined on spatial and demographic characteristics is significant and that it improves the ability to predict defaults of non–start‐ups in London. Furthermore, including contagion effects among SMEs alters the parameter estimates of risk determinants. The approach can be extended to other risk analysis applications where spatial risk may incorporate correlation based on other aspects.
Participatory Guarantee Systems: Alternative Ways of Defining, Measuring, and Assessing ‘Sustainability’
Authors: Loconto Allison , Hatanaka Maki
Published: August 2017

Over the past 20 years, standards and certification have become the leading governance mechanism for determining what sustainability entails, how to measure it, and how to assess it. This system of sustainability standards has generally relied upon the third‐party certification (TPC) model to ensure that producers are complying with standards. Over the past ten to fifteen years, critiques of this model have emerged in both practitioner and academic circles that question the appropriateness of this model based on the type of knowledge that is privileged, the marginalisation of some actors, and the allocation of accountability to individual rather than collective actors. We draw upon case studies from Japan and Chile to examine the ways that participatory guarantee systems (PGS) institute practices for defining, measuring, and assessing sustainability that empower local actors – both producers and consumers. Our cases illustrate that expert and lay knowledges are both relevant and often have different strengths. We argue that PGS offer an alternative approach to sustainability governance, one that may be more democratic and hence, produce forms of sustainability that incorporate the lived experiences of people around the world.
Safety evaluation of combination carboplatin and toceranib phosphate (Palladia) in tumour‐bearing dogs: A phase I dose finding study
Authors: Wouda R. M. , Hocker S. E. , Higginbotham M. L.
Published: August 2017

Combining conventional cytotoxic maximum tolerated dose (MTD) chemotherapy with low‐dose metronomic and/or anti‐angiogenic agents is a exciting area of oncologic research. The objective of this study was to establish the MTD, safety and adverse event (AE) profile of 1 such drug combination. This prospective phase I dose‐finding clinical trial assumed an open‐label 3 + 3 cohort design. Client‐owned dogs with 1 or more cytologically and/or histologically confirmed and macroscopically measurable, naive or recurrent, malignant tumours, were enrolled. No preference for tumour histology, grade or stage was expressed. Toceranib was administered at a dose of 2.75 mg kg−1 by mouth (PO) every other day (EOD), and carboplatin administered intravenously (IV) every 21 days at a starting dose of 200 mg m−2. A total of 25% dose escalation was proposed for carboplatin, to a maximum of 300 mg m−2. AEs were graded according to the Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group's common terminology criteria for AEs (VCOG‐CTCAE). Grade 3 haematologic or gastrointestinal AEs were nominated dose‐limiting. Response to therapy was evaluated according to the VCOG's revised RECIST criteria. Eleven dogs were enrolled. Tumour histologies included sinonasal carcinoma, osteosarcoma, thyroid carcinoma, melanoma and apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma. MTDs of carboplatin and toceranib were identified as 200 mg m−2 IV every 21 days and approximately 2.75 mg kg−1 PO EOD, respectively. The dose‐limiting toxicity was neutropenia. Two dogs experienced a partial response, and 6 maintained stable disease. Combination carboplatin and toceranib chemotherapy was well‐tolerated. Clinical benefit was observed in most cases. This protocol warrants further investigation in phase II/III trials.
Punctate retinal hemorrhage and its relation to ocular and systemic disease in dogs: 83 cases
Authors: Violette Nathaniel P. , Ledbetter Eric C.
Published: August 2017

Objective

To describe clinical aspects of dogs with punctate retinal hemorrhage (PRH).

Animals studied

83 dogs (119 eyes) withPRH.

Procedures

Medical records of dogs evaluated by the Cornell University ophthalmology service with a clinical diagnosis ofPRHbetween 2006 and 2015 were reviewed. For this study,PRHwas defined as retinal hemorrhages ≤ 1 optic disk diameter in size and dogs with other posterior segment ocular diseases were excluded. Signalment and clinical features of the dogs were recorded, including concurrent ocular and systemic diseases.

Results

Punctate retinal hemorrhage was identified in 119 eyes of 83 dogs. The mean (±standard deviation) age of dogs was 10.0 (±3.8) years. Mixed‐breed dogs, Golden Retrievers, Jack Russell Terriers, and English Springer Spaniels were statistically overrepresented relative to the ophthalmology service canine referral population during the same period. Hemorrhages were found in all retinal locations and varied in number. Concurrent ocular disease was present in 78 eyes (66%) including keratoconjunctivitis sicca, uveitis, and cataracts. Fifty dogs (60%) suffered from concurrent systemic disease and diabetes mellitus, multiple myeloma, and systemic hypertension were statistically overrepresented in thePRHpopulation. Less frequently, other serious systemic diseases were present in dogs withPRHincluding immune‐mediated thrombocytopenia, leptospirosis, metastatic neoplasia, and thromboembolic disease.

Conclusions

The risk ofPRHin dogs may be increased by certain ocular and systemic diseases. As the presence ofPRHcan be associated with underlying systemic disease in dogs, it may prompt further clinical investigation and diagnostics.
Sex‐specific factors regulating pressure and flow
Authors: Barnes Jill N.
Published: August 2017

New Findings

What is the topic of this review?

There are sex‐ and sex‐hormone‐specific differences in autonomic control of blood pressure, central haemodynamics and cerebral blood flow.

What advances does it highlight?

Sex differences in autonomic control of blood pressure may underlie other sex‐specific characteristics associated with cerebral blood flow, which can, in turn, affect tissue function.

Over the last decade, there have been many published reports on sex differences in blood pressure regulation between young men and young women. The autonomic nervous system is a primary contributor to both acute and long‐term blood pressure regulation. Sex differences in blood pressure regulation are likely to have effects that extend beyond mean arterial pressure and that can affect blood flow and tissue function. This short review includes recent literature from our laboratory focusing on autonomic control of the circulation, specifically age‐ and sex‐hormone‐related differences in central haemodynamics and cerebral blood flow, and discusses potential clinical implications.
Serum osmolarity in male patients with bipolar disorder manic episode
Authors: Kalelioglu Tevfik , Karamustafalioglu Nesrin , Genc Abdullah , Kocabiyik Murat
Published: August 2017

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

The main goal of this study was, for the first time, to investigate the role of the serum osmolarity in bipolar disorder manic episode.

What is the main finding and its importance?

Our results demonstrate a diminished serum osmolarity in manic episode compared with healthy control subjects. This finding supports the hypothesis of a fluid and electrolyte imbalance during acute episodes. Decreased serum osmolarity might be a reflection of a relative haemodilution in mania.

Imbalance of water and electrolyte homeostasis has been suggested to be associated with acute episodes of bipolar disorder. In this study, we aimed to investigate, for the first time, the serum osmolarity in bipolar disorder manic episode. A total of 68 bipolar inpatients in manic episode and 60 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy control subjects were included in the study. Serum osmolarity was calculated from sodium (Na+), glucose and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) according to following formula: (2 × Na+) + (BUN/2.8) + (glucose/18). The significance level was accepted as P < 0.05. The serum osmolarity of manic patients was 295.34 ± 4.90 mosmol/l and that of the control group was 298.46 ± 5.33 mosmol/l. The serum osmolarity of the manic group was significantly lower than that of control subjects (P < 0.001). When we compared the components of serum osmolarity, a statistically significant difference was also observed between groups in terms of glucose (85.85 ± 12.25 mg/dl for manic, 92.95 ± 20.77 mg/dl for control subjects, P = 0.019) and Na+ (140.73 ± 2.06 mmol/l for manic, 142.06 ± 2.48 mmol/l for control subjects, P = 0.001). For BUN concentrations, there was no statistically significant difference between manic (25.50 ± 9.85 mg/dl) and control (26.61 ± 6.64 mg/dl) groups (P = 0.461). Our results demonstrate a diminished serum osmolarity in manic episode compared with healthy control subjects. This finding supports the hypothesis of a fluid and electrolyte imbalance during acute episodes. Decreased serum osmolarity might be a reflection of a relative haemodilution in mania. However, exploration of the role of fluid and electrolyte homeostasis and mechanisms of related hormones may contribute to a better understanding of the aetiology of bipolar disorder.
Removal of incoherent noise from an averaged cross-spectral matrix
Authors: Hald Jørgen
Published: August 2017

Measured cross-spectral matrices (CSMs) from a microphone array will in some cases be contaminated by severe incoherent noise signals in the individual channels. A typical example is flow noise generated in the individual microphones when measuring in a wind tunnel. Assuming stationary signals and performing long-time averaging, the contamination will be concentrated on the CSM diagonal. When the CSM is used for traditional frequency-domain beamforming, diagonal removal (DR) will avoid use of the diagonal. DR is effective at suppressing the contamination effects, but it also has some side effects. With other beamforming algorithms and in connection with acoustic holography, however, the diagonal of the CSM is needed. The present paper describes a method for removal of incoherent noise contamination from the CSM diagonal. The method formulates the problem as a semidefinite program, which is a convex optimization problem that can be solved very efficiently and with guaranteed convergence properties. A first numerical study investigates the question, whether the semidefinite program formulation will provide in all cases the desired output. A second numerical study investigates the limitations introduced by off-diagonal noise contributions due to finite averaging time. The results of that study are backed up by results from a practical measurement.
mTOR regulates metabolic adaptation of APCs in the lung and controls the outcome of allergic inflammation
Authors: Sinclair Charles , Bommakanti Gayathri , Gardinassi Luiz , Loebbermann Jens , Johnson Matthew Joseph , Hakimpour Paul , Hagan Thomas , Benitez Lydia , Todor Andrei , Machiah Deepa , Oriss Timothy , Ray Anuradha , Bosinger Steven , Ravindran Rajesh , Li Shuzhao , Pulendran Bali
Published: August 2017

Metabolic programming of tissue APCs

Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are scattered throughout the body in lymphoid organs and at the portals of pathogen entry, where they act as sentinels of the immune system. Sinclair
et al.
demonstrate that APCs at different sites have distinctive metabolic signatures and that the development and function of these cells are determined not only by their transcriptional program, but also by their metabolic state (see the Perspective by Wiesner and Klein). The authors identified a central role for mTOR in mediating the metabolic adaptation of such tissue-resident APCs by influencing the immunological character of allergic inflammation. Thus, tissues endow resident APCs with distinctive metabolic characteristics that control APC development and function.

Science
, this issue p.
1014
; see also p.
973
Hydrogenation of fluoroarenes: Direct access to all-
cis
-(multi)fluorinated cycloalkanes
Authors: Wiesenfeldt Mario P. , Nairoukh Zackaria , Li Wei , Glorius Frank
Published: August 2017

Keeping all fluorines on the same side

Carbon-fluorine bonds are highly polarized, and this effect is magnified when several of them reside on the same face of a saturated ring. However, most existing fluorination methods have difficulty consistently producing this all-cis mutual configuration. Wiesenfeldt
et al.
used a rhodium catalyst in nonpolar solvent to add hydrogens selectively to just one face of a wide variety of flat fluoroarene rings, pushing all fluorines toward the other face. The reaction also pushed fluorine toward the same face as nitrogen and oxygen in heterocycles such as indole and benzofuran.

Science
, this issue p.
908
Three Complete Genome Sequences of Genotype G Mumps Virus from the 2016 Outbreak in Arkansas, USA
Authors: Alkam Duah , Wongsurawat Thidathip , Jenjaroenpun Piroon , Connor Skylar , Hobbs Charlotte , Wassenaar Trudy M. , Jun Se-Ran , Nookaew Intawat , Ussery David
Published: August 2017

We present here the complete genome sequences of three mumps virus (MuV) strains isolated from patients who tested positive for the mumps virus during a mumps outbreak in Springdale, AR (USA), in 2016. The virus genomes, sequenced with Oxford Nanopore technology, belong to genotype G and have an average length of 15,342 nucleotides (nt).
Whole-Genome
De Novo
Sequencing of the Lignin-Degrading Wood Rot Fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium (ATCC 20696)
Authors: Hong Chang-Young , Lee Su-Yeon , Ryu Sun-Hwa , Lee Sung-Suk , Kim Myungkil
Published: August 2017

Phanerochaete chrysosporium
(ATCC 20696) has a catabolic ability to degrade lignin. Here, we report whole-genome sequencing used to identify genes related to lignin modification. We determined the 39-Mb draft genome sequence of this fungus, comprising 13,560 predicted gene models. Gene annotation provided crucial information about the location and function of protein-encoding genes.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Gram-Positive Neutrophilic Iron-Precipitating
Kineosporia
sp. Strain A_224
Authors: Braun Burga , Künzel Sven , Szewzyk Ulrich
Published: August 2017

We report here the draft genome sequence of the neutrophilic iron-precipitating
Kineosporia
sp. strain A_224. Analysis of the predicted genes may improve our knowledge of its role in ochrous formations in natural and technical water systems. This is the first public genome sequence of a
Kineosporia aurantiaca
strain.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Marine Bacterium Pseudomonas aestusnigri VGXO14
T
Authors: Gomila Margarita , Mulet Magdalena , Lalucat Jorge , García-Valdés Elena
Published: August 2017

The type strain of
Pseudomonas aestusnigri
(VGXO14), isolated from a crude oil-polluted marine sand sample, is a member of the
P. pertucinogena
phylogenetic group. Here, we report the genome sequence (3.83 Mb) of
P. aestusnigri
to gain insights into the biology and taxonomy of marine
Pseudomonas
spp. adapted to polluted marine habitats.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
, the European House Dust Mite
Authors: Waldron Rose , McGowan Jamie , Gordon Natasha , McCarthy Charley , Mitchell E. Bruce , Doyle Sean , Fitzpatrick David A.
Published: August 2017

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
is the European dust mite and a major source of human allergens. Here, we present the first draft genome sequence of the mite, as well as the
ab initio
gene prediction and functional analyses that will facilitate comparative genomic analyses with other mite species.
Physical activity during adolescence and the development of cam morphology: a cross-sectional cohort study of 210 individuals
Authors: Palmer Antony , Fernquest Scott , Gimpel Mo , Birchall Richard , Judge Andrew , Broomfield John , Newton Julia , Wotherspoon Mark , Carr Andrew , Glyn-Jones Sion
Published: August 2017

Introduction

Cam morphology is a strong risk factor for the development of hip pain and osteoarthritis. It is increasingly thought to develop in association with intense physical activity during youth; however, the aetiology remains uncertain. The study aim was to characterise the effect of physical activity on morphological hip development during adolescence.

Methods

Cross-sectional study of individuals aged 9–18 years recruited from Southampton Football Club Academy (103 male) with an age-matched control population (52 males and 55 females). Assessments included questionnaires and 3 Tesla MRI of both hips. Alpha angle, epiphyseal extension and epiphyseal tilt were measured on radial images.

Results

Alpha angle and epiphyseal extension increased most rapidly between ages 12 and 14 years. Soft-tissue hypertrophy at the femoral head-neck junction preceded osseous cam morphology and was first evident at age 10 years. The greatest increase and highest absolute values of alpha angle and epiphyseal extension were colocalised at 1 o’clock. Maximum alpha angles were 6.7 degrees greater in males than females (p=0.005). Compared with individuals who play no regular sport, alpha angles were 4.0 degrees higher in individuals who play sport for a school or club (p=0.041) and 7.7 degrees higher in individuals competing at a national or international level (p=0.035). There was no association with leg dominance .

Conclusions

Sporting activity during adolescence is strongly associated with the development of cam morphology secondary to epiphyseal hypertrophy and extension with a dose-response relationship. Males participating in competitive sport are at particularly elevated risk of developing cam morphology and secondary hip pathology.
Socioeconomic differences in children’s growth trajectories from infancy to early adulthood: evidence from four European countries
Authors: McCrory Cathal , O’Leary Neil , Fraga Silvia , Ribeiro Ana Isabel , Barros Henrique , Kartiosuo Noora , Raitakari Olli , Kivimäki Mika , Vineis Paolo , Layte Richard
Published: August 2017

Background

Height is regarded as a marker of early-life illness, adversity, nutrition and psychosocial stress, but the extent to which differences in height are determined by early-life socioeconomic circumstances, particularly in contemporary populations, is unclear. This study examined socioeconomic differences in children’s height trajectories from birth through to 21 years of age in four European countries.

Methods

Data were from six prospective cohort studies—Generation XXI, Growing Up in Ireland (infant and child cohorts), Millennium Cohort Study, EPITeen and Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study—comprising a total of 49 492 children with growth measured repeatedly from 1980 to 2014. We modelled differences in children’s growth trajectories over time by maternal educational level using hierarchical models with fixed and random components for each cohort study.

Results

Across most cohorts at practically all ages, children from lower educated mothers were shorter on average. The gradient in height was consistently observed at 3 years of age with the difference in expected height between maternal education groups ranging between −0.55 and −1.53 cm for boys and −0.42 to −1.50 cm for girls across the different studies and widening across childhood. The height deficit persists into adolescence and early adulthood. By age 21, boys from primary educated maternal backgrounds lag the tertiary educated by −0.67 cm (Portugal) and −2.15 cm (Finland). The comparable figures for girls were −2.49 cm (Portugal) and −2.93 cm (Finland).

Conclusions

Significant differences in children’s height by maternal education persist in modern child populations in Europe.
Characteristics of tobacco purchases in urban corner stores
Authors: Lawman Hannah G , Dolatshahi Jennifer , Mallya Giridhar , Vander Veur Stephanie , Coffman Ryan , Bettigole Cheryl , Wojtanowski Alexis , Wylie-Rosett Judith , Foster Gary D
Published: August 2017

Introduction

To examine the prevalence and patterns of tobacco purchases at low-income, urban corner stores.

Methods

Data on tobacco products and other purchases were collected through direct observation of customers’ purchases (n=6369) at 120 urban corner stores in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from April to September 2012.

Results

Overall 13% of corner store purchases included tobacco products. The majority (61%) of tobacco purchases did not include any other products, and 5.1% of all purchases from corner stores included a food or beverage and tobacco product. Approximately 24% of tobacco purchases were for lower-cost tobacco products such as cigars and cigarillos, and nearly 5% of tobacco purchases were an illegal purchase of a single, unpackaged tobacco product that is not intended for individual sale (ie, loosies). There was no difference in the average amount spent on food or beverages when purchased with (US$2.55, 95% CI: 2.21 to 2.88) or without (US$2.55, 95% CI: 2.48 to 2.63) tobacco products.

Conclusions

In low-income, urban corner store settings, 87% of purchases did not include tobacco; most tobacco purchases did not include the sale of non-tobacco items and spending on non-tobacco items was similar whether or not tobacco was purchased. These findings can help inform retail-level tobacco sales decisions, such as voluntary discontinuation of tobacco products or future public health policies that target tobacco sales. The results challenge prevailing assumptions that tobacco sales are associated with sales of other products in corner stores, such as food and beverages.
Diary of a parliamentary intern
Authors: Chitty John
Published: August 2017

How the loss of non‐UK EU vets could threaten animal welfare, public health and our ability to trade was discussed at a BVA/RCVS reception in Parliament in June. Parliamentary intern Anthony Ridge reports how the discussions will influence the Government's future immigration policy.
Stability Analysis of Initially Curved Beams Mechanically Coupled in a Parallel Arrangement
Authors: Ouakad Hassen M.
Published: August 2017

This paper investigates the stability behavior of a mechanically coupled bi-stable mechanism made of two parallel and initially curved microbeams with focus on the influence of the coupled beams’ initial curvatures on the system. First, the nonlinear and coupled force–displacement equation is derived. Then, a parametric study of the coupled beams system is studied with the system categorized into different structural compartment types according to the initial curvature of the coupled beams. It is concluded that the snap-through of such a coupled bi-stable system is governed by the beams’ initial curvatures difference. The simulation results showed that these two parameters (the beams’ initial curvatures) essentially govern the structural behavior of the coupled system in satisfying the necessary structural stability condition. It is found that the smallest (critical) value of the minimum force amplitude occurs only when both initial beams’ mid-point elevations are equal to each other. Furthermore, it is shown that any probability to increase or decrease the curvature of any beam will alter the nonlinear behavior of the coupled beam system from a simple regular snap-through to a constrained-snap-through, and even to the disappearance of the snap-through. Finally, a finite element method is conducted to investigate the stability of the coupled mechanism, of which the results show a good agreement with the analytical results of this paper.
Depositional history of a condensed shallow marine reservoir succession: stratigraphy and detrital zircon geochronology of the Jurassic Stø Formation, Barents Sea
Authors: Klausen Tore Grane , Müller Reidar , Sláma Jiří , Olaussen Snorre , Rismyhr Bjarte , Helland-Hansen William
Published: August 2017

The Early to Middle Jurassic Stø Formation (Toarcian to Bajocian) was deposited in a relatively shallow (10 s of meter deep) epicontinental sea in northern Pangea and represents one of the most prolific reservoir intervals in the Barents Sea basin. It comprises a condensed, predominantly shallow marine succession characterized by long hiatuses and erosional reworking with several horizons of extraformational pebble grade conglomerate.

Six distinct facies associations describe sedimentological environments ranging from transgressive, tidal, fluvial and regressive shoreface. Deposits are interpreted and correlated within three sequence stratigraphic units (SI to SIII) which reflect variations in relative sea-level during an overall transgression of the basin. Interpreted depositional systems show subtle variations in petrographic character, but provenance analyses reveal different sedimentary sources. Thirteen core samples distributed geographically and stratigraphically were analysed for detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology. Data show that the Southwestern Barents Sea Basin (SWBSB) was dominated by mixing of reworked material and coarse grained sediment supply from extrabasinal source areas including a Caledonian provenance in the southwest and a Fennoscandian provenance to the southeast. Intra-basinal erosion of underlying strata with Triassic zircon grains dominate in northern parts of the basin.

Supplementary material
:
Supporting information relating to the analysis of different dataset and the interpretations presented in the paper are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3841282
.
“Hands On” Visual Recognition for Visually Impaired Users
Authors: Sosa-García Joan , Odone Francesca
Published: August 2017

Blind or visually impaired (BVI) individuals are capable of identifying an object in their hands by combining the available visual cues (if available) with manipulation. It is harder for them to associate the object with a specific brand, a model, or a type. Starting from this observation, we propose a collaborative system designed to deliver visual feedback automatically and to help the user filling this semantic gap. Our visual recognition module is implemented by means of an image retrieval procedure that provides real-time feedback, performs the computation locally on the device, and is scalable to new categories and instances. We carry out a thorough experimental analysis of the visual recognition module, which includes a comparative analysis with the state of the art. We also present two different system implementations that we test with the help of BVI users to evaluate the technical soundness, the usability, and the effectiveness of the proposed concept.
Mo(bile) Money, Mo(bile) Problems
Authors: Reaves Bradley , Bowers Jasmine , Scaife Nolen , Bates Adam , Bhartiya Arnav , Traynor Patrick , Butler Kevin R. B.
Published: August 2017

Mobile money, also known as branchless banking, leverages ubiquitous cellular networks to bring much-needed financial services to the unbanked in the developing world. These services are often deployed as smartphone apps, and although marketed as secure, these applications are often not regulated as strictly as traditional banks, leaving doubt about the truth of such claims. In this article, we evaluate these claims and perform the first in-depth measurement analysis of branchless banking applications. We first perform an automated analysis of all 46 known Android mobile money apps across the 246 known mobile money providers from 2015. We then perform a comprehensive manual teardown of the registration, login, and transaction procedures of a diverse 15% of these apps. We uncover pervasive vulnerabilities spanning botched certification validation, do-it-yourself cryptography, and other forms of information leakage that allow an attacker to impersonate legitimate users, modify transactions, and steal financial records. These findings show that the majority of these apps fail to provide the protections needed by financial services. In an expanded re-evaluation one year later, we find that these systems have only marginally improved their security. Additionally, we document our experiences working in this sector for future researchers and provide recommendations to improve the security of this critical ecosystem. Finally, through inspection of providers’ terms of service, we also discover that liability for these problems unfairly rests on the shoulders of the customer, threatening to erode trust in branchless banking and hinder efforts for global financial inclusion.
Classification of Passes in Football Matches Using Spatiotemporal Data
Authors: Chawla Sanjay , Estephan Joël , Gudmundsson Joachim , Horton Michael
Published: August 2017

A knowledgeable observer of a game of football (soccer) can make a subjective evaluation of the quality of passes made between players during the game, such as rating them as
Good
,
OK
, or
Bad
. In this article, we consider the problem of producing an automated system to make the same evaluation of passes and present a model to solve this problem.

Recently, many professional football leagues have installed object tracking systems in their stadiums that generate high-resolution and high-frequency spatiotemporal trajectories of the players and the ball. Beginning with the thesis that much of the information required to make the pass ratings is available in the trajectory signal, we further postulated that using complex data structures derived from computational geometry would enable domain football knowledge to be included in the model by computing metric variables in a principled and efficient manner. We designed a model that computes a vector of predictor variables for each pass made and uses machine learning techniques to determine a classification function that can accurately rate passes based only on the predictor variable vector.

Experimental results show that the learned classification functions can rate passes with 90.2% accuracy. The agreement between the classifier ratings and the ratings made by a human observer is comparable to the agreement between the ratings made by human observers, and suggests that significantly higher accuracy is unlikely to be achieved. Furthermore, we show that the predictor variables computed using methods from computational geometry are among the most important to the learned classifiers.
A small population of liver endothelial cells undergoes endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in response to chronic liver injury
Authors: Ribera Jordi , Pauta Montse , Melgar-Lesmes Pedro , Córdoba Bernat , Bosch Anna , Calvo Maria , Rodrigo-Torres Daniel , Sancho-Bru Pau , Mira Aurea , Jiménez Wladimiro , Morales-Ruiz Manuel
Published: August 2017

Rising evidence points to endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) as a significant source of the mesenchymal cell population in fibrotic diseases. In this context, we hypothesized that liver endothelial cells undergo EndMT during fibrosis progression. Cirrhosis in mice was induced by CCl4. A transgenic mouse expressing a red fluorescent protein reporter under the control of Tie2 promoter (Tie2-tdTomato) was used to trace the acquisition of EndMT. Sinusoidal vascular connectivity was evaluated by intravital microscopy and high-resolution three-dimensional confocal microscopy. A modest but significant fraction of liver endothelial cells from both cirrhotic patients and CCl4-treated Tie2-tdTomato mice acquired an EndMT phenotype characterized by the coexpression of CD31 and α-smooth muscle actin, compared with noncirrhotic livers. Bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) inhibited the acquisition of EndMT induced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) treatment in cultured primary mouse liver endothelial cells from control mice. EndMT was also reduced significantly in vivo in cirrhotic Tie2-tdTomato mice treated intraperitoneally with BMP-7 compared with untreated mice (1.9 ± 0.2 vs. 3.8 ± 0.3%, respectively; P < 0.05). The decrease of EndMT in cirrhotic livers correlated with a significant decrease in liver fibrosis ( P < 0.05) and an improvement in the vascular disorganization rate ( P < 0.05). We demonstrated the acquisition of the EndMT phenotype by a subpopulation of endothelial cells from cirrhotic livers in both animal models and patients. BMP-7 treatment decreases the occurrence of the EndMT phenotype and has a positive impact on the severity of disease by reducing fibrosis and sinusoidal vascular disorganization.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY A subpopulation of liver endothelial cells from cirrhotic patients and mice with liver fibrosis undergoes endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Liver endothelial cells from healthy mice could transition into a mesenchymal phenotype in culture in response to TGF-β1 treatment. Fibrotic livers treated chronically with BMP-7 showed lower EndMT acquisition, reduced fibrosis, and improved vascular organization.