bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient‐centred dietetic care from the perspectives of older malnourished patients
Authors: Hazzard E. , Barone L. , Mason M. , Lambert K. , McMahon A.
Published: May 2017

Background

Governing organisations for health services currently recommend a patient‐centred (PC) approach to practice for all health professions, including dietetics. For the vulnerable older malnourished patient, this approach needs to be prioritised to improve outcomes. The paucity of patient experience data likely limits evidence‐based, patient‐centred care (PCC) from being implemented effectively. The present study aimed to identify quality indicators of dietetic services from the perspectives of older malnourished patients to inform evidence‐based PC dietetic care.

Methods

Surveys were completed by a sample of 28 females and 28 males (mean age 81 years) who had been seen by a dietitian for malnutrition assessment. In‐depth, face‐to‐face, semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with a sub‐sample of four females and six males (mean age 81 years). Interviews were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis of transcripts and open‐ended survey responses was conducted to determine patient‐identified quality indicators.

Results

Three structure indicators (continuity of care through regular contact and post‐discharge dietetic follow‐up; interdisciplinary coordination and collaboration; and high‐quality hospital food services), five process indicators (addressing a patient's primary medical concern; involving the patient's family; providing clear and simple dietetic information; providing expert dietary knowledge; utilising interpersonal communication skills) and three outcome indicators (improvement in health status; improvement or maintenance of independence; weight gain) were identified. The experiences of older malnourished patients with dietetic services, as described in the present study, reinforce the importance of ensuring high‐quality and tailored dietetic care as a key element of PC dietetic services.

Conclusions

The quality indicators of dietetic services identified in the present study may facilitate dietitians to provide evidence‐based PCC for older malnourished patients.
Cholinesterase reactivators and bioscavengers for pre‐ and post‐exposure treatments of organophosphorus poisoning
Authors: Masson Patrick , Nachon Florian
Published: May 2017

Organophosphorus agents (OPs) irreversibly inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) causing a major cholinergic syndrome. The medical counter‐measures of OP poisoning have not evolved for the last 30 years with carbamates for pretreatment, pyridinium oximes‐based AChE reactivators, antimuscarinic drugs and neuroprotective benzodiazepines for post‐exposure treatment. These drugs ensure protection of peripheral nervous system and mitigate acute effects of OP lethal doses. However, they have significant limitations. Pyridostigmine and oximes do not protect/reactivate central AChE. Oximes poorly reactivate AChE inhibited by phosphoramidates. In addition, current neuroprotectants do not protect the central nervous system shortly after the onset of seizures when brain damage becomes irreversible. New therapeutic approaches for pre‐ and post‐exposure treatments involve detoxification of OP molecules before they reach their molecular targets by administrating catalytic bioscavengers, among them phosphotriesterases are the most promising. Novel generation of broad spectrum reactivators are designed for crossing the blood–brain barrier and reactivate central AChE.

This is an article for the special issue XVth International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms.

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Genetic markers for inherited thrombophilia are associated with fetal growth retardation in the population of Central Russia
Authors: Reshetnikov Evgeny , Zarudskaya Oksana , Polonikov Alexey , Bushueva Olga , Orlova Valentina , Krikun Evgeny , Dvornyk Volodymyr , Churnosov Mikhail
Published: May 2017

Aim

The aim of this study was to examine the role of hereditary thrombophilia in the development of fetal growth retardation (FGR) in the population of Central Russia.

Methods

The case–control study sample included 497 women in the third trimester of pregnancy recruited during 2009–2013. The participants were enrolled into two groups: patients with FGR (n = 250) and controls without FGR (n = 247). The participants were genotyped for four genetic markers of hereditary thrombophilia: factor V Leiden (G > A FV, rs6025), prothrombin (G > A FII, rs1799963), factor VII (G > A FVII, rs6046), and fibrinogen (G > A FI, rs1800790).

Results

The genetic factors for an increased risk of FGR were allele G of rs6046 (odds ratio [OR] = 2.34) and genotype GG of rs6046 (OR = 2.64), whereas genotype GA of rs6046 had the protective value (OR = 0.42). A combination of alleles G of rs1799963, A of rs6046, and G of rs1800790 (OR = 0.31) reduces the risk of FGR.

Conclusion

Polymorphism rs6046 of the FVII gene is associated with the development of FGR.
Differential expression of EWI‐2 in endometriosis, its functional role and underlying molecular mechanisms
Authors: Zheng Tingting , Yang Jing
Published: May 2017

Aim

We aimed to investigate EWI‐2 expression in endometrium tissues collected from women with endometriosis at mRNA and protein levels, to evaluate its potential as a biomarker for endometriosis and to study its functional role via possible regulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Methods

Endometrium tissues were collected from patients with endometriosis and healthy individuals. EWI‐2 mRNA expression was evaluated using quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) while EWI‐2 protein levels were determined by western blotting. For functional studies, EWI‐2 shRNA was transfected in endometrial epithelial cells and the in vitro migration and invasion assays were performed using the Transwell chambers.

Results

EWI‐2 was significantly downregulated in tissues obtained from patients with endometriosis compared with healthy individuals (P < 0.0001). EWI‐2 expression in the secretory phase was lower than that in the proliferative phase (P < 0.0001). Receiver–operator curve analysis of EWI‐2 expression showed that the area under the curve for endometriosis diagnosis was 0.8942 (P = 0.003), 0.9643 (P = 0.0001), 0.9912 (P < 0.0001), and 0.9150 (P < 0.0001), respectively, for healthy women compared with women with endometriosis in matched comparisons of data originated from the proliferative, early, middle, and late secretory phases. Over the menstrual cycle, the expression of EWI‐2 was significantly decreased in the eutopic tissues compared to the ectopic tissues. Further cellular and molecular analyses showed that EWI‐2 inhibited cell migration and invasion via the Akt signaling.

Conclusion

Our findings suggested that downregulation of EWI‐2 may contribute to endometriosis physiopathology and potentiate EWI‐2 as a valuable diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for endometriosis.
Skin–mucous membrane disorder and therapeutic effect of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in recurrent ovarian cancer
Authors: Yamada Yuki , Kawaguchi Ryuji , Ito Fuminori , Iwai Kana , Niiro Emiko , Shigetomi Hiroshi , Tanase Yasuhito , Kobayashi Hiroshi
Published: May 2017

Aim

Hand–foot syndrome (HFS) induced by chemotherapy and molecule‐targeting drugs is correlated with treatment efficacy. We conducted a retrospective analysis to evaluate the relationship between HFS and efficacy of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) for recurrent ovarian cancer.

Methods

Patients were treated with PLD between July 2009 and May 2014. We evaluated patient characteristics, incidence of adverse events, clinical benefit (rate of complete response, partial response, and stable disease), progression‐free survival, and overall survival.

Results

Twenty‐seven patients were included in the study. Median age was 63 years (range, 41–77 years). The median number of cycles of PLD was 3 (range, 1–6). The clinical benefit rate was 33.3%, and progressive disease was noted in 18 patients (66.7%). Median overall survival was 6.7 months (range, 1.1–41 months). Compared with patients with grade 0/1 HFS and oral mucositis, patients with grade 2–4 toxicity (n = 9, 33.3%) had a significantly higher rate of clinical benefit (11.1% vs 77.7%; P < 0.001) and a longer median overall survival (3.7 months vs 20.8 months; P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Severity of HFS and mucositis may be a predictive marker of PLD efficacy. The prevention and management of HFS and mucositis are important for continued treatment.
Primary splenic pregnancy with hemorrhagic shock
Authors: Gao Hongyan , Yuan Ting , Ding Yi , Lin Xingguang , Wang Qing , Dai Li , Jiang Guohua , Chen Jiming
Published: May 2017

Primary splenic pregnancy, a type of abdominal pregnancy, is very rare and potentially life‐threatening, particularly without an accurate preoperative diagnosis. Herein we describe the case of a 27‐year‐old woman who had primary splenic pregnancy with hemorrhagic shock due to spleen rupture, who was successfully treated by laparotomy.
Deregulation of c‐Src tyrosine kinase and its downstream targets in pre‐eclamptic placenta
Authors: Irtegun Sevgi , Akcora‐Yıldız Dilara , Pektanc Gulsum , Karabulut Cagla
Published: May 2017

Aim

Pre‐eclampsia is a serious pregnancy disorder characterized by the new onset of hypertension and proteinuria in the second trimester of pregnancy. The determination of a key signaling regulatory mechanism involved in placental functions is critical to understanding the pathogenesis of pre‐eclampsia. The aim of this study was to examine the activity of c‐Src and its downstream targets, extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2, p38 and Jun N‐terminal kinase, as well as nuclear factor (NF)‐ĸB in placental tissues collected from women with pre‐eclampsia.

Methods

Ten pre‐eclamptic (PE) placentas and 10 control placentas were used in this study. The Western blot method was performed to evaluate the c‐Src/ mitogen activated protein kinase/NF‐ĸB signaling pathway in each group.

Results

c‐Src phosphorylation at Tyr‐416, used as a measure of c‐Src activity, was significantly decreased in PE placentas relative to the control. Reduced c‐Src activity resulted in the suppression of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation and a significant reduction in the phosphorylation of p38 and Jun N‐terminal kinase in PE placentas. Moreover, IĸBα phosphorylation was significantly elevated, while NF‐ĸB phosphorylation was suppressed in PE placentas.

Conclusions

The c‐Src/MAPK/NF‐ĸB signaling pathway may contribute to the pathogenesis of pre‐eclampsia.
Personal control decreases narcissistic but increases non‐narcissistic in‐group positivity
Authors: Cichocka Aleksandra , de Zavala Agnieszka Golec , Marchlewska Marta , Bilewicz Michał , Jaworska Manana , Olechowski Mateusz
Published: May 2017

Objective

We examined the effects of control motivation on in‐group positivity. Past research suggests that people compensate for low personal control by increasing support for social in‐groups. We predicted that the effect of personal control on in‐group positivity would depend on the type of in‐group positivity. Low personal control should increase compensatory, narcissistic in‐group positivity, whereas high personal control should increase secure, non‐narcissistic in‐group positivity.

Method

These hypotheses were tested in a cross‐sectional survey (Study 1 N = 1,083, 54% female, Mage = 47.68), two experiments (Study 2 N = 105, 50% female, Mage = 32.05; Study 3 N = 154, 40% female, Mage = 29.93), and a longitudinal survey (Study 4 N = 398, 51% female, Mage = 32.05).

Results

In all studies, personal control was negatively associated with narcissistic in‐group positivity but positively associated with non‐narcissistic in‐group positivity. The longitudinal survey additionally showed that the positive relationship between personal control and non‐narcissistic in‐group positivity was reciprocal. Moreover, both types of in‐group positivity differentially mediated between personal control and out‐group attitudes: Narcissistic in‐group positivity predicted negative attitudes, and non‐narcissistic positivity predicted positive attitudes.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the role of individual motivation in fostering different types of in‐group positivity and intergroup outcomes.
Experiencing stigma as a nurse with mental illness
Authors: Peterson A. L.
Published: May 2017

Accessible summary

What is known on the subject?

Stigma involves connecting individuals with a particular label to negative characteristics; this is based not on the stigmatized condition itself, but cultural reactions to it.

Stigma exists towards nurses with mental illness.

What this paper adds to existing knowledge?

This paper offers a first‐person account of experiencing stigma as a nurse with a mental illness.

This paper incorporates the existing literature to offer a broader cultural perspective on the experiences of a nurse with a mental illness.

What are the implications for practice?

Nurses are likely to encounter a nurse with a mental illness at some point in their practice.

Nurses’ reactions towards colleagues with mental illness can have significant implications for those colleague(s)’ wellbeing.

Nurses with mental illness will have to navigate their person and professional journey while giving consideration to the attitudes of their nursing peers and leaders.

Limited research has been done on the stigma faced by nurses with mental illness from their nursing peers. Mental illness is not generally considered acceptable within the context of nursing culture, so when nurses do experience mental illness, their experiences in a professional context may be influenced by stereotypes, particularly those relating to dangerousness. Using autoethnography as a research method, the author examines her own subjective experiences of stigma as a nurse with a mental illness, and draws upon existing literature on stigma, deviance and the phenomenon of mental illness in nurses to analyse broader cultural implications for nursing. Assessment of suitability to return to work arises throughout the narratives, and consideration is given to the way that risk assessment by nursing leaders is impacted by negative stereotypes that surround mental illness.
The impact on relationships following disclosure of transgenderism: a wife's tale
Authors: Watts C. , Watts P. , Collier E. , Ashmore R.
Published: May 2017

Accessible summary

What is known on the subject?

The experiences of transgender people are becoming increasingly more visible in popular culture, biographical literature and the media.

The topic has received little attention within the psychiatric and mental health nursing literature.

There is a paucity of literature exploring the impact on relationships following a disclosure of transgenderism.

What does this paper add to existing knowledge?

A narrative account of the consequences for the wife of one transwoman and their relationships with friends and family following the disclosure of transgenderism.

The article identifies a range of issues that require further attention in relation to healthcare provision. These include the mental health needs of partners and spouses; attitudes of healthcare professionals towards transgender issues; and the adequacy of the formal support offered to partners and spouses of transgender people.

What are the implications for practice?

There is a need for healthcare practitioners to explore their understanding of transgender issues and how these may impact on the mental health of partners and spouses.

It is important that healthcare professionals provide a hopeful and supportive environment to enable couples to explore their relationships following disclosure of transgenderism.
Multiple ice‐binding proteins of probable prokaryotic origin in an Antarctic lake alga, Chlamydomonas sp. ICE‐MDV (Chlorophyceae)
Authors: Raymond James A. , Morgan‐Kiss Rachael
Published: May 2017

Ice‐associated algae produce ice‐binding proteins (IBPs) to prevent freezing damage. The IBPs of the three chlorophytes that have been examined so far share little similarity across species, making it likely that they were acquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). To clarify the importance and source of IBPs in chlorophytes, we sequenced the IBP genes of another Antarctic chlorophyte, Chlamydomonas sp. ICE‐MDV (Chlamy‐ICE). Genomic DNA and total RNA were sequenced and screened for known ice‐associated genes. Chlamy‐ICE has as many as 50 IBP isoforms, indicating that they have an important role in survival. The IBPs are of the DUF3494 type and have similar exon structures. The DUF3494 sequences are much more closely related to prokaryotic sequences than they are to sequences in other chlorophytes, and the chlorophyte IBP and ribosomal 18S phylogenies are dissimilar. The multiple IBP isoforms found in Chlamy‐ICE and other algae may allow the algae to adapt to a greater variety of ice conditions than prokaryotes, which typically have a single IBP gene. The predicted structure of the DUF3494 domain has an ice‐binding face with an orderly array of hydrophilic side chains. The results indicate that Chlamy‐ICE acquired its IBP genes by HGT in a single event. The acquisitions of IBP genes by this and other species of Antarctic algae by HGT appear to be key evolutionary events that allowed algae to extend their ranges into polar environments.
Artificial selection in guppies: male and female phenotypes produced by inter‐ and intrasexual selection
Authors: Van Eeckhoven J. , Huyghe K. , Van Damme R.
Published: May 2017

Inter‐ and intrasexual selection are often assumed to push phenotypes in similar directions, but this must not always be the case. The current study used two artificial selection treatments in an attempt to disentangle the effects of inter‐ and intrasexual selection in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). The first artificial treatment (inter) was maintained by selecting males that were most appealing to prospective females; in the second treatment (intra), only the most dominant males were allowed to reproduce. Male morphology, aggression, and reproductive behaviour, as well as female choice and reproductive behaviour were compared between intra‐ and inter‐treatment. After three generations of artificial selection, inter‐males varied more in their orange colouration pattern than did intra‐males. This may indicate that male orange colouration is subject to negative frequency dependent selection by means of female choice in the inter‐treatment. Females preferred inter‐males, regardless of their own selection history. These results question the seldom tested assumption that intra‐ and intersexual selection reinforce the same characters. The lack of direct benefits for choosing a dominant male are hypothesized to be at the basis of this discrepancy, since male guppies do not defend territories and do not provide resources to mates.
Measuring True Income Inequality in Mexico
Authors: Reyes Miguel , Teruel Graciela , López Miguel
Published: May 2017

Recent literature on income distribution in Mexico has found evidence of underestimation in inequality. There is a growing consensus that household surveys in Mexico do not capture total household income, but there is no consensus on a methodological proposal to estimate a more‐realistic distribution. This article offers a proposal for adjusting household income, crossing information from household surveys, national accounts, economic censuses, and tax incidence from the Tax Administration System. It shows evidence of a high, persistent income‐distribution inequality, with emphasis on factorial and intracompany inequality. The usual adjustment implies that entire average income increases, but this article identifies the main cause of underestimation in distribution, focusing on noncaptured capital income in the wealthiest households surveyed.
Vanguardism and the Vanguardist Organization: A Study of the Sandinista National Liberation Front and its Rise to Power
Authors: Telleria Gabriel M.
Published: May 2017

Vanguardism has generally been studied in the context of the Cuban Revolution, as a guiding framework for revolutionary movements around the world. In Guevara's conception, the vanguard group is ideologically more advanced than the masses; the masses understand the new values, but not sufficiently, while among the vanguard group there has been a qualitative change that allows it to make sacrifices in its capacity as an advance guard. A vanguardist organization exhibits distinctive characteristics; it is capable of rapid change; it has the necessary tactics and can plan insurrection and military operations; and it requires a centralized authority and discipline of the highest order and strong leadership developed over a long period. Historical context and legitimacy are central elements in vanguardism. The vanguardist organization seeks social fitness and legitimacy that is compatible with the dominant social class to gain political control and governmental power. This study describes the vanguardist organization through an examination of the rise of the Sandinista National Liberation Front to power in Nicaragua during the 1970s.
Prosecuting Environmental Crime: Latin America's Policy Innovation
Authors: Ungar Mark
Published: May 2017

Why does Latin America struggle to implement even its increasingly strong and broadly supported environmental polices? To answer that question, this article examines the primary tool of enforcement, environmental prosecution, one of the region's newest and most‐innovative developments in policy and institutional reform. It creates an analytical framework that explains how the two pillars of prosecution, the state and the law, are also its two main weaknesses. Within the state, it examines deficiencies in investigation and resources. Within the law, it focuses on the lack of clarity in laws and in policy regulations that support them. Together, these common and inherent policy challenges make it difficult for governments throughout Latin America to halt crimes such as illegal deforestation, mining, and road building. The article develops a way to understand comparatively how ably policies are supported in practice. Empirically, it draws on five years of fieldwork in the region's two main tropical areas, Central America and the Amazon Basin. In addition to its concrete policy assessments and recommendations, the article brings a new dimension to the study of the state in Latin America and to the field of criminology.
An empirical evaluation of the normative justifications for cartel criminalisation
Authors: Stephan Andreas
Published: May 2017

A growing number of jurisdictions treat ‘hardcore’ cartel conduct as crime, in the belief that the threat of incarceration is necessary for deterrence. The significant economic harm caused by cartels is generally undisputed, but there is disagreement over whether cartel conduct is morally offensive enough to justify criminalisation. Critics argue that it is another example of ‘over-criminalisation’, seeking to regulate an activity that is morally ambiguous. Those in favour have sought to formulate normative justifications for why cartel conduct should be crime. Many of these rely on the assumption that members of society expect markets to be competitive and believe cartels are undesirable. This paper makes a significant contribution by testing this question empirically. Public surveys from the UK, Germany, Italy and the US are used to critically analyse the extent to which normative justifications for cartel conduct have empirical backing.
Creating the Reasonable Child: Risk, Responsibility, and the Attractive Nuisance Doctrine
Authors: Atkinson Evelyn
Published: May 2017

In common law, trespassers could not sue for injuries. In the early 1870s, however, courts exempted child trespassers injured by industrial machinery from this rule. The development of the hotly contested “attractive nuisance” doctrine illustrates turn-of-the-twentieth-century debates about how to allocate the risk of injury from industrial accidents, which linked responsibility to the capacity to understand danger and to exert self-control. Although at first courts in attractive nuisance cases perceived children as innocent, irrational “butterflies,” they gradually reconceived child plaintiffs to be rational, risk-bearing individuals, a change reflected and accelerated by the Safety First campaign launched by railroad corporations. This reframing of children's ability to bear risk created the standard of the “reasonable child,” which transferred responsibility for industrial accidents to children themselves. Although by the 1930s the attractive nuisance doctrine had been widely accepted, in practice the “reasonable child” standard posed a difficult hurdle for child plaintiffs to overcome.
Gut microbiota of the pine weevil degrades conifer diterpenes and increases insect fitness
Authors: Berasategui Aileen , Salem Hassan , Paetz Christian , Santoro Maricel , Gershenzon Jonathan , Kaltenpoth Martin , Schmidt Axel
Published: May 2017

The pine weevil (Hylobius abietis), a major pest of conifer forests throughout Europe, feeds on the bark and cambium, tissues rich in terpenoid resins that are toxic to many insect herbivores. Here, we report the ability of the pine weevil gut microbiota to degrade the diterpene acids of Norway spruce. The diterpene acid levels present in ingested bark were substantially reduced on passage through the pine weevil gut. This reduction was significantly less upon antibiotic treatment, and supplementing the diet with gut suspensions from untreated insects restored the ability to degrade diterpenes. In addition, cultured bacteria isolated from pine weevil guts were shown to degrade a Norway spruce diterpene acid. In a metagenomic survey of the insect's bacterial community, we were able to annotate several genes of a previously described diterpene degradation (dit) gene cluster. Antibiotic treatment disrupted the core bacterial community of H. abietis guts and eliminated nearly all dit genes concordant with its reduction in diterpene degradation. Pine weevils reared on an artificial diet spiked with diterpenes, but without antibiotics, were found to lay more eggs with a higher hatching rate than weevils raised on diets with antibiotics or without diterpenes. These results suggest that gut symbionts contribute towards host fitness, but not by detoxification of diterpenes, as these compounds do not show toxic effects with or without antibiotics. Rather the ability to thrive in a terpene‐rich environment appears to allow gut microbes to benefit the weevil in other ways, such as increasing the nutritional properties of their diet.
The K = 2 conundrum
Authors: Janes Jasmine K. , Miller Joshua M. , Dupuis Julian R. , Malenfant René M. , Gorrell Jamieson C. , Cullingham Catherine I. , Andrew Rose L.
Published: May 2017

Assessments of population genetic structure have become an increasing focus as they can provide valuable insight into patterns of migration and gene flow. structure, the most highly cited of several clustering‐based methods, was developed to provide robust estimates without the need for populations to be determined a priori. structure introduces the problem of selecting the optimal number of clusters, and as a result, the ΔK method was proposed to assist in the identification of the “true” number of clusters. In our review of 1,264 studies using structure to explore population subdivision, studies that used ΔK were more likely to identify K = 2 (54%, 443/822) than studies that did not use ΔK (21%, 82/386). A troubling finding was that very few studies performed the hierarchical analysis recommended by the authors of both ΔK and structure to fully explore population subdivision. Furthermore, extensions of earlier simulations indicate that, with a representative number of markers, ΔK frequently identifies K = 2 as the top level of hierarchical structure, even when more subpopulations are present. This review suggests that many studies may have been over‐ or underestimating population genetic structure; both scenarios have serious consequences, particularly with respect to conservation and management. We recommend publication standards for population structure results so that readers can assess the implications of the results given their own understanding of the species biology.
Subcellular compartmentation, interdependency and dynamics of the cyclic AMP‐dependent PKA subunits during pathogenic differentiation in rice blast
Authors: Selvaraj Poonguzhali , Tham Hong Fai , Ramanujam Ravikrishna , Naqvi Naweed I.
Published: May 2017

The cAMP‐dependent PKA signalling plays a central role in growth, asexual development and pathogenesis in fungal pathogens. Here, we functionally characterised RPKA, the regulatory subunit of cAMP/PKA and studied the dynamics and organisation of the PKA subunits in the rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. The RPKA subunit was essential for proper vegetative growth, asexual sporulation and surface hydrophobicity in M. oryzae. A spontaneous suppressor mutation, SMR19, that restored growth and conidiation in the RPKA deletion mutant was isolated and characterised. SMR19 enhanced conidiation and appressorium formation but failed to suppress the pathogenesis defects in rpkAΔ. The PKA activity was undetectable in the mycelial extracts of SMR19, which showed a single mutation (val242leu) in the highly conserved active site of the catalytic subunit (CPKA) of cAMP/PKA. The two subunits of cAMP/PKA showed different subcellular localisation patterns with RpkA being predominantly nucleocytoplasmic in conidia, while CpkA was largely cytosolic and/or vesicular. The CpkA anchored RpkA in cytoplasmic vesicles, and localisation of PKA in the cytoplasm was governed by CpkA in a cAMP‐dependant or independent manner. We show that there exists a tight regulation of PKA subunits at the level of transcription, and the cAMP signalling is differentially compartmentalised in a stage‐specific manner in rice blast.
Body mass index and healthcare costs: a systematic literature review of individual participant data studies
Authors: Kent Seamus , Fusco Francesco , Gray Alastair , Jebb Susan A. , Cairns Benjamin J. , Mihaylova Borislava
Published: May 2017

Excess weight is associated with increased total healthcare costs, but it is less well known how the associations between excess weight and costs vary across different types of healthcare service. We reviewed studies using individual participant data to estimate associations between body mass index and healthcare costs, and summarized how annual healthcare costs for overweight (body mass index 25 to <30 kg/m2) and obese (≥30 kg/m2) individuals compared with those for healthy weight individuals (18.5 to <25 kg/m2). EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched from January 1990 to September 2016, and 75 studies were included in the review. Of these, 34 studies presented adequate information to contribute to a quantitative summary of results. Compared with individuals at healthy weight, the median increases in mean total annual healthcare costs were 12% for overweight and 36% for obese individuals. The percentage increases in costs were highest for medications (18% for overweight and 68% for obese), followed by inpatient care (12% and 34%) and ambulatory care (4% and 26%). Percentage increases in costs associated with obesity were higher for women than men. The substantial costs associated with excess weight in different healthcare settings emphasize the need for investment to tackle this major public health problem.
Obesity is inversely related to the risks of dental caries in Korean adults
Authors: Song I‐S , Han K , Ryu J‐J , Park J‐B
Published: May 2017

Objective

This study investigated whether obesity is linked with dental caries. This study hypothesized that obesity may influence the number or prevalence of dental caries in Korean adults.

Subjects and Methods

Data were derived from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey performed at 2008–2010. Lifestyle, sociodemographic, and biochemical variables were analyzed. Indices related to obesity, sarcopenia, and metabolic syndrome were investigated. Finally, caries index and oral health behaviors were included for the analysis.

Results

The caries index was inversely associated with increasing body mass index (BMI) and body fat quartile (all p‐values <.01). Subjects with high waist circumference who met the inclusion criteria of metabolic syndrome were less likely to have decayed tooth (p‐value = .0009). Subjects with a BMI of 25 or more showed about 20% less prevalence of dental caries experience than normal individuals with a BMI of 18.5 to 23 glucose (odds ratio [95% confidence intervals] = 0.808 [0.684–0.956]). Similarly, subjects with total body fat in the highest quartile revealed about 20% less prevalence of caries experiences that those with body fat proportion in the lowest quartile (0.84 [0.672,1.049]).

Conclusions

Obesity was inversely associated with occurrence or severity of dental caries in Korean adults.
Electricity consumption in Egypt: a long‐run analysis of its determinants
Authors: Kwakwa Paul Adjei
Published: May 2017

The study examined the determinants of electricity consumption for the Egyptian economy over the period of 1971–2012. An Engle‐Granger and the Phillips‐Ouliaris tests revealed that a long‐run relationship exists between electricity consumption, price, income, urbanisation, financial development, carbon emission, trade and education. Estimating the effects of these variables on the country's electricity consumption, the Phillips and Hansen (Review of Economic Studies, 57, 1990 and 99) Fully Modified OLS and Park's (Econometrica, 60, and 119) Canonical Cointegrating Regression models were employed. The estimated results showed that income, urbanisation, financial development, trade and education positively affect electricity consumption. While industrialisation had negative effect, price and carbon emissions were found not to have any significant effect on electricity consumption in Egypt. Policy implications based on the results are discussed.
Glanzmann's disease; gingival bleeding despite good OH
Authors: Malden N. , Al–Mahozi S. , Scully C.
Published: May 2017

Gingival bleeding is most commonly due to plaque‐related gingivitis. Haemostasis depends upon three phases – a vascular phase, a platelet phase and blood coagulation (clotting). Defects in any phase may lead to a bleeding tendency. Platelet defects are often quantitative (thrombocytopenia) and readily understood but there are also qualitative (thrombasthenia) defects – related to various platelet receptors. We report a rare case of gingival bleeding despite good oral health care the main complaint being that the patient was embarrassed by blood‐stained lips interfering with social interaction.
Primary Malignant Gingival Melanoma: Case Report and Educational Reminder
Authors: Mahmood H. , Chengot P.
Published: May 2017

Oral melanomas are extremely rare tumours accounting for approximately 1.6% of all head and neck malignancies. They usually have a silent clinical presentation but are distinctly more aggressive than all other types of melanoma. Poor patient awareness coupled with a lack of education amongst health care professionals in recognising premalignant pigmented lesions can result in delayed patient presentation and referral to specialist services for diagnosis and treatment. We present the case of a patient who was referred to the Oral Medicine Department at Leeds Dental Institute with a hyper‐pigmented lesion affecting the maxillary gingivae. Histopathology findings confirmed a diagnosis of primary malignant gingival melanoma (Breslow stage 1). The patient sadly died less than 6 months later. This case highlights the importance of early detection, timely referral and the need for greater public awareness in order to improve prognosis of such highly invasive lesions.
Investigation of nerve injury after lower third molar removal
Authors: Moosa Z. , Malden N.
Published: May 2017

Aim

This study was carried out to investigate the number of patients who developed a nerve injury (inferior alveolar nerve or lingual nerve) following lower third molar removal at the Edinburgh Dental Institute.

Material and methods

A prospective cross sectional study was conducted at the Edinburgh Dental Institute. A total of 218 patients who underwent 236 mandibular third molar extractions were included in the study. They all signed a consent form and agreed to be a part of the study. All of them were followed up with a telephone interview 1 week post operatively and were asked if they had any altered sensations in the lip, chin and/or tongue. If they did, they were asked to attend for a clinical assessment.

Results

Of the 218 patients, 13 patients (5.5%) reported altered sensations in the telephone interview. Eleven reported altered sensations in the lip and/or chin. Two of the patients reported altered sensations in the tongue. So inferior alveolar nerve injury incidence was 4.7% while lingual nerve injury incidence was 0.9%. Eleven of the injuries were temporary and the other two patients remain under review as they are still reporting some altered sensations.

Conclusion

The result correlates with the incidence of nerve injury available in the literature. However, to get a more accurate result, a study with a larger number of patients needs to be carried out.
Non‐traditional isotope perspectives in vertebrate palaeobiology
Authors: Martin Jeremy E. , Tacail Theo , Balter Vincent
Published: May 2017

The recent development of multi‐collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC‐ICP‐MS) notably in the disciplines of earth sciences, now allows the precise measurement of isotope ratios, even at low concentration. Non‐traditional isotope systems, such as alkaline earth (Ca, Mg) and transition (Cu, Fe, Zn) metals are now being measured in a variety of biological tissues, including bone and teeth. Although our understanding of the environmental and biological mechanisms behind the fractionation of such elements is still in its infancy, some of these isotopes are suspected to fractionate along the food chain, as has been reported in the literature for calcium, magnesium and zinc. Other geochemical methods, such as concentration analyses, permit a prior assessment of diagenesis in the fossils and such an approach indicates that in some circumstances, not only enamel but also dentine or bone can preserve its original biogenic composition. The aims here are to: review the current knowledge surrounding these various isotopic tools; address their potential preservation in biological apatite; and provide the palaeobiologist with a guide to the different toolkits available, including a discussion of their potential applications in vertebrate palaeobiology with a case study involving two mammal assemblages from the Pleistocene of Europe.
Ubiquitin‐specific protease 8 is a novel prognostic marker in early‐stage lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Kim Yunjung , Shiba‐Ishii Aya , Nakagawa Tomoki , Husni Ryan Edbert , Sakashita Shingo , Takeuchi Tomoyo , Noguchi Masayuki
Published: May 2017

Alterations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression frequently occur in early‐stage lung adenocarcinoma. Ubiquitin‐specific protease 8 (USP8) has been reported to stabilize EGFR protein at the plasma membrane through the recycling pathway. Here, we examined the correlation between USP8 expression and the expression or mutation status of EGFR, as well as the clinicopathological features of lung adenocarcinoma and patient outcome. Expression of EGFR and USP8 in surgically resected specimens of lung adenocarcinoma (82 cases) was examined by immunohistochemistry. Overexpression of EGFR was mutually correlated with that of USP8, and was also associated with clinicopathological features including pathological subtype, lymphatic permeation, and vascular invasion. Moreover, patients who had USP8‐positive tumors had a significantly poorer outcome than those who were USP8‐negative, not only overall but also patients who were EGFR‐negative. Although EGFR was expressed in invasive adenocarcinoma but not in adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), USP8 was overexpressed in not only invasive adenocarcinoma but also 38.1% of AIS cases. In vitro, USP8 regulated the expression and half‐life of EGFR in immortalized AIS cells, and also cell proliferation. Our findings indicate that overexpression of USP8 in lung adenocarcinoma is an early event during the course of tumor progression, and is related to EGFR expression.
Epistatic influence in tomato Ve1‐mediated resistance
Authors: Castroverde C. D. M. , Xu X. , Blaya Fernández J. , Nazar R. N. , Robb J.
Published: May 2017

Resistance to Verticillium wilt disease is associated with the tomato Ve‐locus; however, the individual functional roles of Ve1 and Ve2 in host plants remain controversial.

As a first step towards Ve mutational analyses in planta, the Ve1 coding region from a resistant tomato near‐isoline (cv. Craigella GCR218) was introduced into a susceptible near‐isoline (cv. Craigella GCR26).

35S:Ve1 plants segregated into two distinct classes; roughly half were resistant and half were susceptible. Ve1 transcript levels were up‐regulated in both classes compared to wild‐type plants, showing stable transgenic expression. Expression analysis of Ve2 revealed that mRNA levels were similar between 35S:Ve1 and wild‐type tomatoes, demonstrating that Ve1 transgene introduction does not alter endogenous Ve2 expression.

Overall, the results of this study confirm the functional role of Ve1 protein in resistance to the vascular fungal pathogen V. dahliae race 1 (Vd1), but suggest that a yet undefined factor exerts an epistatic influence on the Ve1 gene.
Floral nectar of the obligate outcrossing Canavalia gladiata (Jacq.) DC. (Fabaceae) contains only one predominant protein, a class III acidic chitinase
Authors: Ma X. L. , Milne R. I. , Zhou H. X. , Fang J. Y. , Zha H. G.
Published: May 2017

Floral nectar can affect the fitness of insect‐pollinated plants, through both attraction and manipulation of pollinators. Self‐incompatible insect‐pollinated plants receive more insect visits than their self‐compatible relatives, and the nectar of such species might face increased risk of infestation by pathogens carried by pollinators than self‐compatible plants. Proteins in nectar (nectarins) play an important role in protecting the nectar, but little is known regarding nectarins in self‐incompatible species.

The nectarins from a self‐incompatible and insect‐pollinated leguminous crop, Canavalia gladiata, were separated using two‐dimensional electrophoresis and analysed using mass spectrometry. The predominant nectarin gene was cloned and the gene expression pattern investigated using quantitative real‐time PCR. Chitinolytic activity in the nectar was tested with different substrates.

The C. gladiata nectar proteome only has one predominant nectarin, an acidic class III chitinase (CaChi3). The full‐length CaChi3 gene was cloned, coding for a protein of 298 amino acids with a predicted signal peptide. CaChi3 is very similar to members of the class III chitinase family, whose evolution is dominated by purifying selection. CaChi3 was expressed in both nectary and leaves. CaChi3 has thermostable chitinolytic activity according to glycol‐chitin zymography or a fluorogenic substratem but has no lysozyme activity.

Chitinase might be a critical protein component in nectar. The extremely simple nectar proteome in C. gladiata disproves the hypothesis that self‐incompatible species always have more complex nectar proteomes. Accessibility of nectar might be a significant determinant of the evolutionary pressure to develop nectar defence mechanisms.
Effects of meiotic inhibitors and gonadotrophins on porcine oocytes in vitro maturation, fertilization and development
Authors: Gil MA , Nohalez A , Martinez CA , Ake‐Villanueva JR , Centurion‐Castro F , Maside C , Cuello C , Roca J , Parrilla I , Martinez EA
Published: May 2017

Contents

This study evaluated the effect of three reversible meiotic inhibitors (MINs) and their interaction with gonadotrophins (Gns) on the meiotic maturation and developmental competence of porcine oocytes. In experiment 1, the oocytes were matured for 22 hr in the presence or absence of dbcAMP (1 mM), cycloheximide (7 μM) or cilostamide (20 μM) with or without Gns, and for an additional 22 hr in the absence of MINs and Gns. At 22 hr of maturation, regardless of the presence of Gns, a higher proportion (p < .001) of oocytes cultured in the presence of MINs were effectively arrested at the germinal vesicle stage compared with the oocytes cultured without MINs. At 44 hr of maturation, the proportion of oocytes that reached MII was higher (p < .05) in groups with Gns compared with groups without Gns. In experiment 2, oocytes that were matured as in experiment 1 were inseminated and cultured for 7 days to evaluate fertilization parameters and blastocyst formation. Only oocytes from the dbcAMP + Gns group had higher (p < .05) efficiency of fertilization compared with the other treatment groups. The presence of dbcAMP during maturation also increased (p < .05) blastocyst formation and efficiency of blastocyst formation in both the presence and absence of Gns. These results indicate that the interaction of Gns with the tested MINs improved meiotic progression. In addition, regardless of supplementation with Gns, the presence of dbcAMP during the first maturation period increased and even doubled the capacity of oocytes to develop to the blastocyst stage.
Cell cycle synchronization and analysis of apoptosis‐related gene in skin fibroblasts from domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) and kodkod (Leopardus guigna)
Authors: Veraguas D , Gallegos PF , Castro FO , Rodriguez‐Alvarez L
Published: May 2017

Contents

The kodkod population is in constant decrease and the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) might help to preserve the genetic pool of this species. The cell cycle synchronization of donor cells plays a crucial role in SCNT. The objective of this research was to evaluate two different methods for quiescence induction, serum starvation (SS) and contact inhibition (CI), both for 1, 3 and 5 days, on skin fibroblast from domestic cat and kodkod. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that in domestic cat, SS and CI, both at 3 and 5 days, increased the percentage of fibroblasts in G0/G1 compared to growing cells (GC) (p < .05). In kodkod, only SS for 3 and 5 days and CI for 1 and 3 days increased the percentage of fibroblasts in G0/G1 compared to GC (p < .05). Viability analysis by differential staining revealed that SS for 5 days decreased the proportion of live fibroblasts in domestic cat and kodkod (p < .05). Regarding gene expression analysis, in domestic cat fibroblasts, no differences were found in the BAX/BCL2 ratio in SS and CI (both at 1, 3 and 5 days) compared to GC. In kodkod fibroblasts, BAX/BCL2 ratio was increased in CI at 3 and 5 days compared to SS at 3 and 5 days (p < .05). In conclusion, in kodkod fibroblasts SS for 5 days and CI after 3 days might have a negative impact on cellular viability. According to these results, we suggest SS for 3 days for cell cycle synchronization in kodkod fibroblasts.
Case Report: Renal Transplantation in Patients with Pre‐existing Hypogammaglobulinemia
Authors: Lund K. P. , Bruunsgaard H. , Marquart H. V. , Sørensen S. S.
Published: May 2017

Hypogammaglobulinemia (HGG) is well‐characterized as a common phenomenon after kidney transplantation. However, no reports of pre‐existing HGG from kidney transplantation seem to be available. We have reviewed three patients who developed HGG prior to kidney transplantation, and all three were treated successfully with immunoglobulin replacement therapy before and after kidney transplantation. The kidney grafts were functioning at follow‐up 1.5–8 years (mean: 3.6 years) after transplantation, and there were no diagnosed episodes of clinical rejections and no severe infection complications post‐transplantation.