bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A targeted sequencing panel identifies rare damaging variants in multiple genes in the cranial neural tube defect, anencephaly
Authors: Ishida M. , Cullup T. , Boustred C. , James C. , Docker J. , English C. ,   GOSgene, Lench N. , Copp A.J. , Moore G.E. , Greene N.D.E. , Stanier P.
Published: December 2017

Neural tube defects (NTDs) affecting the brain (anencephaly) are lethal before or at birth, whereas lower spinal defects (spina bifida) may lead to lifelong neurological handicap. Collectively, NTDs rank among the most common birth defects worldwide. This study focuses on anencephaly, which despite having a similar frequency to spina bifida and being the most common type of NTD observed in mouse models, has had more limited inclusion in genetic studies. A genetic influence is strongly implicated in determining risk of NTDs and a molecular diagnosis is of fundamental importance to families both in terms of understanding the origin of the condition and for managing future pregnancies. Here we used a custom panel of 191 NTD candidate genes to screen 90 patients with cranial NTDs (n = 85 anencephaly and n = 5 craniorachischisis) with a targeted exome sequencing platform. After filtering and comparing to our in‐house control exome database (N = 509), we identified 397 rare variants (minor allele frequency, MAF < 1%), 21 of which were previously unreported and predicted damaging. This included 1 frameshift (PDGFRA), 2 stop‐gained (MAT1A; NOS2) and 18 missense variations. Together with evidence for oligogenic inheritance, this study provides new information on the possible genetic causation of anencephaly.
The risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers without a first‐degree relative with breast cancer
Authors: Metcalfe K.A. , Lubinski J. , Gronwald J. , Huzarski T. , McCuaig J. , Lynch H.T. , Karlan B. , Foulkes W.D. , Singer C.F. , Neuhausen S.L. , Senter L. , Eisen A. , Sun P. , Narod S.A. ,   and the Hereditary Breast Cancer Clinical Study Group
Published: December 2017

The objective of this study was to estimate the lifetime risk of breast cancer in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation with and without at least 1 first‐degree relative with breast cancer. A total of 2835 women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation were followed. Age‐ and gene‐specific breast cancer rates were calculated. The relative risks of breast cancer for subjects with a family history of breast cancer, compared to no family history were calculated. The mean age at baseline was 41.1 years, and they were followed for a mean of 6.0 years. The estimated penetrance of breast cancer to age 80 years was 60.8% for BRCA1 and 63.1% for BRCA2. For all BRCA carriers, the penetrance of breast cancer to age 80 for those with no first‐degree relative with breast cancer was 60.4% and 63.3% for those with at least 1 first‐degree relative with breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer for BRCA carriers with no first‐degree relative with breast cancer is substantial, and as a result, clinical management for these women should be the same as those for women with an affected relative.
Maternal Experiences of Parenting Girls who are Perceived as Overweight or at Risk for Becoming So: Narratives of Uncertainty, Ambivalence and Struggle
Authors: Ogle Jennifer Paff , Park Juyeon
Published: December 2017

This work explored U.S. mothers’ experiences of parenting young adolescent girls who are perceived by their mothers as overweight or at risk for becoming so. Data were collected via in‐depth interviews with 13 mothers and were analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Many mothers experienced socializing their daughters about issues of the body, weight, diet, and health as marked by uncertainty, ambivalence and struggle, particularly relative to four subthemes: mothers’ embodiment as challenge to ‘good mothering’, negotiating a dilemma of the ‘healthy mind’ versus the ‘healthy body’, managing discipline: how much to intervene?, and the challenge of interpersonal dynamics.
Monocarboxylate transporter 1 and the vulnerability of oligodendrocyte lineage cells to metabolic stresses
Authors: Zhou Peng , Guan Teng , Jiang Zhao , Namaka Mike , Huang Qing‐Jun , Kong Ji‐Ming
Published: December 2017

Aims

Oligodendrocytes, especially oligodendrocyte precursor cells, are known to be sensitive to hypoxic and metabolic stresses. Vulnerability of oligodendrocytes is considered a contributing factor to white matter dysfunction. However, little is known about the energy processing characteristics of oligodendrocyte lineage cells under basal and metabolic stress conditions. The aim of this study was to identify the energy requirements and cellular responses of oligodendrocytes at different developmental stages.

Methods

We compared the metabolic stress responses between myelinating oligodendrocytes (OLs) and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Differential regulation of cellular response was also investigated.

Results

We found that, following cerebral ischemia, monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) expression was upregulated in the peri‐infarct striatum but not in the cortex of the brain. In vitro ischemia models were used to induce oligodendrocyte stress as well. An increase in MCT1 expression was detected in OPCs after a mild oxygen‐glucose deprivation. Double‐labeled immunohistochemical analysis revealed that OPCs and OLs responded differently to metabolic stresses and that the susceptibility to metabolic stresses of OPCs and OLs was associated with their distinct expression profiles of MCT1.

Conclusion

Taken together, this study shows that MCT1 plays a role in the responses of OPCs and OLs to metabolic and ischemic stresses and suggests that redistribution of energy substrates is a determinant in white matter injury.
National conservation science conferences as a means of bridging conservation science and practice
Authors: Roll Uri , Iwamura Takuya , Berger‐Tal Oded
Published: December 2017

Article impact statement: National conservation conferences provide benefits not currently served by meetings at other levels.
Mathematical models for water vapour resistance prediction of printed garments
Authors: Stančić Mladen , Kašiković Nemanja , Grujić Dragana , Novaković Dragoljub , Milošević Rastko , Ružičić Branka , Geršak Jelka
Published: December 2017

The human body has developed a thermo‐regulatory system that maintains an inner body temperature of approximately 37 °C. At excessive body temperatures, sweat mechanisms activate, resulting in a decrease in body temperature through sweat evaporation. Garments, depending on their characteristics, extensively affect the heat interchange process between the human body and the environment. Different printing processes change the characteristics of textile materials and therefore the garments made from these materials. This paper investigates the influence of digital printing parameters on the thermo‐physiological features of textile materials. The effects of printing parameters on thermo‐physiological characteristics of substrate materials were determined by measuring water vapour resistance. The obtained results show that printing parameters, in combination with material composition and material texture, have a large effect on the thermo‐physiological characteristics of textiles.
Higher spring temperatures increase food scarcity and limit the current and future distributions of crossbills
Authors: Mezquida Eduardo T. , Svenning Jens‐Christian , Summers Ron W. , Benkman Craig W.
Published: December 2017

Aim

Understanding how climate affects species distributions remains a major challenge, with the relative importance of direct physiological effects versus biotic interactions still poorly understood. We focus on three species of resource specialists (crossbill Loxia finches) to assess the role of climate in determining the seasonal availability of their food, the importance of climate and the occurrence of their food plants for explaining their current distributions, and to predict changes in their distributions under future climate change scenarios.

Location

Europe.

Methods

We used datasets on the timing of seed fall in European Scots pine Pinus sylvestris forests (where different crossbill species occur) to estimate seed fall phenology and climate data to determine its influence on spatial and temporal variation in the timing of seed fall to provide a link between climate and seed scarcity for crossbills. We used large‐scale datasets on crossbill distribution, cover of the conifers relied on by the three crossbill species and climate variables associated with timing of seed fall, to assess their relative importance for predicting crossbill distributions. We used species distribution modelling to predict changes in their distributions under climate change projections for 2070.

Results

We found that seed fall occurred 1.5–2 months earlier in southern Europe than in Sweden and Scotland and was associated with variation in spring maximum temperatures and precipitation. These climate variables and area covered with conifers relied on by the crossbills explained much of their observed distributions. Projections under global change scenarios revealed reductions in potential crossbill distributions, especially for parrot crossbills.

Main conclusions

Ranges of resource specialists are directly influenced by the presence of their food plants, with climate conditions further affecting resource availability and the window of food scarcity indirectly. Future distributions will be determined by tree responses to changing climatic conditions and the impact of climate on seed fall phenology.
Clinical correlates of hypoglycaemia over 4 years in people with type 2 diabetes starting insulin: An analysis from the CREDIT study
Authors: Home Philip , Calvi‐Gries Francoise , Blonde Lawrence , Pilorget Valerie , Berlingieri Joseph , Freemantle Nick
Published: December 2017

Aim

To identify factors associated with documented symptomatic and severe hypoglycaemia over 4 years in people with type 2 diabetes starting insulin therapy.

Materials and methods

CREDIT, a prospective international observational study, collected data over 4 years on people starting any insulin in 314 centres; 2729 and 2271 people had hypoglycaemia data during the last 6 months of years 1 and 4, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression was used to select the characteristics associated with documented symptomatic hypoglycaemia, and the model was tested against severe hypoglycaemia.

Results

The proportions of participants reporting ≥1 non‐severe event were 18.5% and 16.6% in years 1 and 4; the corresponding proportions of those achieving a glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) concentration <7.0% (<53 mmol/mol) were 24.6% and 18.3%, and 16.5% and 16.2% of those who did not. For severe hypoglycaemia, the proportions were 3.0% and 4.6% of people reaching target vs 1.5% and 1.1% of those not reaching target. Multivariable analysis showed that, for documented symptomatic hypoglycaemia at both years 1 and 4, baseline lower body mass index and more physical activity were predictors, and lower HbA1c was an explanatory variable in the respective year. Models for documented symptomatic hypoglycaemia predicted severe hypoglycaemia. Insulin regimen was a univariate explanatory variable, and was not retained in the multivariable analysis.

Conclusions

Hypoglycaemia occurred at significant rates, but was stable over 4 years despite increased insulin doses. The association with insulin regimen and with oral agent use declined over that time. Associated predictors and explanatory variables for documented symptomatic hypoglycaemia conformed to clinical impressions and could be extended to severe hypoglycaemia. Better achieved HbA1c was associated with a higher risk of hypoglycaemia.
LH‐21 and abnormal cannabidiol improve β‐cell function in isolated human and mouse islets through GPR55‐dependent and ‐independent signalling
Authors: Ruz‐Maldonado Inmaculada , Pingitore Attilio , Liu Bo , Atanes Patricio , Huang Guo Cai , Baker David , Alonso Francisco José , Bermúdez‐Silva Francisco Javier , Persaud Shanta J.
Published: December 2017

Aims

To examine the effects of Abn‐CBD (GPR55 agonist) and LH‐21 (CB1 antagonist) on human and mouse islet function, and to determine signalling via GPR55 using islets from GPR55−/− mice.

Materials and methods

Islets isolated from human organ donors and mice were incubated in the absence or presence of Abn‐CBD or LH‐21, and insulin secretion, [Ca2+]i, cAMP, apoptosis, β‐cell proliferation and CREB and AKT phosphorylation were examined using standard techniques.

Results

Abn‐CBD potentiated glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion and elevated [Ca2+]i in human islets and islets from both GPR55+/+ and GPR55−/− mice. LH‐21 also increased insulin secretion and [Ca2+]i in human islets and GPR55+/+ mouse islets, but concentrations of LH‐21 up to 0.1 μM were ineffective in islets from GPR55−/− mice. Neither ligand affected basal insulin secretion or islet cAMP levels. Abn‐CBD and LH‐21 reduced cytokine‐induced apoptosis in human islets and GPR55+/+ mouse islets, and these effects were suppressed after GPR55 deletion. They also increased β‐cell proliferation: the effects of Abn‐CBD were preserved in islets from GPR55−/− mice, while those of LH‐21 were abolished. Abn‐CBD and LH‐21 increased AKT phosphorylation in mouse and human islets.

Conclusions

This study showed that Abn‐CBD and LH‐21 improve human and mouse islet β‐cell function and viability. Use of islets from GPR55−/− mice suggests that designation of Abn‐CBD and LH‐21 as a GPR55 agonist and a CB1 antagonist, should be revised.
Plasma proprotein‐convertase‐subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes
Authors: El Khoury Petra , Roussel Ronan , Fumeron Frederic , Abou‐Khalil Yara , Velho Gilberto , Mohammedi Kamel , Jacob Marie‐Paule , Steg Philippe Gabriel , Potier Louis , Ghaleb Youmna , Elbitar Sandy , Ragot Stephanie , Andreata Francesco , Caligiuri Giusepinna , Hadjadj Samy , Boileau Catherine , Marre Michel , Abifadel Marianne , Varret Mathilde , Hansel Boris
Published: December 2017

Aim

To investigate whether plasma concentrations of proprotein‐convertase‐subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) were associated with cardiovascular (CV) events in two cohorts of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

We considered patients from the DIABHYCAR (n = 3137) and the SURDIAGENE (n = 1468) studies. Baseline plasma PCSK9 concentration was measured using an immunofluorescence assay. In post hoc, but preplanned, analyses we assessed the relationship between PCSK9 and the following endpoints: (1) a combined endpoint of major CV events: CV death, non‐fatal myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and heart failure‐related hospital admission; (2) a composite of all CV events: MI, stroke, heart failure‐related hospital admission, coronary/peripheral angioplasty or bypass, CV death; (3) MI; (4) stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA); and (5) CV death.

Results

In the DIABHYCAR study, plasma PCSK9 tertiles were associated with the incidence of MI, all CV events and stroke/TIA (P for trend <.05). In adjusted Cox analysis, plasma PCSK9 was associated, independently of classic risk factors, with the incidence of major CV events (hazard ratio [HR] for 1‐unit increase of log[PCSK9] 1.28 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.06‐1.55]), the incidence of MI (HR 1.66 [95% CI 1.05‐2.63]), and the incidence of all CV events (HR 1.22 [95% CI 1.04‐1.44]), but not with CV death. Plasma PCSK9 was not associated with the incidence of CV disease in the participants of the SURDIAGENE study with high CV risk treated with statins and insulin.

Conclusions

We found that PCSK9 was inconsistently associated with CV events in populations with type 2 diabetes. The association may depend on the level of CV risk and the background treatment.
Claims‐based studies of oral glucose‐lowering medications can achieve balance in critical clinical variables only observed in electronic health records
Authors: Patorno Elisabetta , Gopalakrishnan Chandrasekar , Franklin Jessica M. , Brodovicz Kimberly G. , Masso‐Gonzalez Elvira , Bartels Dorothee B. , Liu Jun , Schneeweiss Sebastian
Published: December 2017

Aim

To evaluate the extent to which balance in unmeasured characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) was achieved in claims data, by comparing against more detailed information from linked electronic health records (EHR) data.

Methods

Within a large US commercial insurance database and using a cohort design, we identified patients with T2DM initiating linagliptin or a comparator agent within class (ie, another dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor) or outside class (ie, pioglitazone or a sulphonylurea) between May 2011 and December 2012. We focused on comparators used at a similar stage of diabetes to linagliptin. For each comparison, 1:1 propensity score (PS) matching was used to balance >100 baseline claims‐based characteristics, including proxies of diabetes severity and duration. Additional clinical data from EHR were available for a subset of patients. We assessed representativeness of the claims–EHR‐linked subset, evaluated the balance of claims‐ and EHR‐based covariates before and after PS‐matching via standardized differences (SDs), and quantified the potential bias associated with observed imbalances.

Results

From a claims‐based study population of 166 613 patients with T2DM, 7219 (4.3%) patients were linked to their EHR data. Claims‐based characteristics in the EHR‐linked and EHR‐unlinked patients were similar (SD < 0.1), confirming the representativeness of the EHR‐linked subset. The balance of claims‐based and EHR‐based patient characteristics appeared to be reasonable before PS‐matching and generally improved in the PS‐matched population, to be SD < 0.1 for most patient characteristics and SD < 0.2 for select laboratory results and body mass index categories, which was not large enough to cause meaningful confounding.

Conclusion

In the context of pharmacoepidemiological research on diabetes therapy, choosing appropriate comparison groups paired with a new‐user design and 1:1 PS matching on many proxies of diabetes severity and duration improves balance in covariates typically unmeasured in administrative claims datasets, to the extent that residual confounding is unlikely.
Silicon‐mediated resistance against specialist insects in sap‐sucking and leaf‐chewing guilds in the Si non‐accumulator collard
Authors: Teixeira Natália C. , Valim Janete Oliveira S. , Campos Wellington G.
Published: December 2017

Soil amendment with Silicon (Si) can increase plant resistance against insect herbivores, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The mechanical resistance hypothesis (MRH) states that Si accumulated in epidermal cells directly and passively protects against herbivores by creating a mechanical barrier. The physiological resistance hypothesis (PRH) states that Si enhances resistance by activating plant biochemical and physiological processes. We tested both hypotheses by manipulating Si fertilization of the Si non‐accumulator collard, Brassica oleracea L. cv. acephala (Brassicaceae). Then, we assessed functional and ultrastructural plant responses and the developmental and reproductive performance of the leaf‐chewing larvae of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), and the sap‐sucking cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae L. (Hemiptera: Aphididae). There was a 20% increase in leaf Si content. Silicon deposition in epidermal cells was identified by confocal microscopy and directly coincided with lower performance of P. xylostella, but did not affect B. brassicae. On the other hand, we found no unequivocal evidence that Si‐mediated changes in primary and secondary metabolism improved plant resistance against the insects. Negative mechanical effects of Si on the insects may have masked beneficial effects of increased water, nitrogen, and mineral contents in Si‐treated collards. Silicon did not change leaf contents of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. Although Si‐mediated increases in leaf glucosinolates (GLS) correlated with lower larval performance and higher oviposition preference of P. xylostella, both P. xylostella and B. brassicae are highly specialized in overcoming such secondary metabolites. Thus, mechanical resistance may have impaired P. xylostella, rather than the Si‐mediated increase in GLS. We suggest that the PRH may depend on the degree of insect feeding specialization, so that toxic Si‐mediated defenses may be more efficient against unadapted polyphagous herbivores. For them, a toxic barrier may be added to the mechanical resistance.
Different pre‐scanning instructions induce distinct psychological and resting brain states during functional magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Kawagoe Toshikazu , Onoda Keiichi , Yamaguchi Shuhei
Published: December 2017

Resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs‐fMRI) is widely used to investigate functional brain network connectivity during rest or when the subject is not performing an explicit task. In the standard procedure, subjects are instructed to ‘let your mind wander’ or ‘think of nothing’. While these instructions appear appropriate to induce a ‘resting‐state’, they could induce distinct psychological and physiological states during the scan. In this study, we investigated whether different instructions affect mental state and functional connectivity (FC) (i.e. induce distinct ‘resting states’) during rs‐fMRI scanning. Thirty healthy subjects were subjected to two rs‐fMRI scans differing only in pre‐scan instructions: think of nothing (TN) and mind‐wandering (MW) conditions. Self‐reports confirmed that subjects spent the majority of the scanning time in the appropriate mental state. Independent component analysis extracted 19 independent components (ICs) of interest and functional network connectivity analyses indicated several conditional differences in FCs among those ICs, especially characterised by stronger FC in the MW condition than in the TN condition, between default mode network and salience/visual/frontal network. Complementary correlation analysis indicated that some of the network FCs were significantly correlated with their self‐reported data on how often they had the TN condition during the scans. The present results provide evidence that the pre‐scan instruction has a significant influence on resting‐state FC and its relationship with mental activities.
Machine learning for decoding listeners’ attention from electroencephalography evoked by continuous speech
Authors: de Taillez Tobias , Kollmeier Birger , Meyer Bernd T.
Published: December 2017

Previous research has shown that it is possible to predict which speaker is attended in a multispeaker scene by analyzing a listener's electroencephalography (EEG) activity. In this study, existing linear models that learn the mapping from neural activity to an attended speech envelope are replaced by a non‐linear neural network (NN). The proposed architecture takes into account the temporal context of the estimated envelope and is evaluated using EEG data obtained from 20 normal‐hearing listeners who focused on one speaker in a two‐speaker setting. The network is optimized with respect to the frequency range and the temporal segmentation of the EEG input, as well as the cost function used to estimate the model parameters. To identify the salient cues involved in auditory attention, a relevance algorithm is applied that highlights the electrode signals most important for attention decoding. In contrast to linear approaches, the NN profits from a wider EEG frequency range (1–32 Hz) and achieves a performance seven times higher than the linear baseline. Relevant EEG activations following the speech stimulus after 170 ms at physiologically plausible locations were found. This was not observed when the model was trained on the unattended speaker. Our findings therefore indicate that non‐linear NNs can provide insight into physiological processes by analyzing EEG activity.
Different responses of spontaneous and stimulus‐related alpha activity to ambient luminance changes
Authors: Benedetto Alessandro , Lozano‐Soldevilla Diego , VanRullen Rufin
Published: December 2017

Alpha oscillations are particularly important in determining our percepts and have been implicated in fundamental brain functions. Oscillatory activity can be spontaneous or stimulus‐related. Furthermore, stimulus‐related responses can be phase‐ or non‐phase‐locked to the stimulus. Non‐phase‐locked (induced) activity can be identified as the average amplitude changes in response to a stimulation, while phase‐locked activity can be measured via reverse‐correlation techniques (echo function). However, the mechanisms and the functional roles of these oscillations are far from clear. Here, we investigated the effect of ambient luminance changes, known to dramatically modulate neural oscillations, on spontaneous and stimulus‐related alpha. We investigated the effect of ambient luminance on EEG alpha during spontaneous human brain activity at rest (experiment 1) and during visual stimulation (experiment 2). Results show that spontaneous alpha amplitude increased by decreasing ambient luminance, while alpha frequency remained unaffected. In the second experiment, we found that under low‐luminance viewing, the stimulus‐related alpha amplitude was lower, and its frequency was slightly faster. These effects were evident in the phase‐locked part of the alpha response (echo function), but weaker or absent in the induced (non‐phase‐locked) alpha responses. Finally, we explored the possible behavioural correlates of these modulations in a monocular critical flicker frequency task (experiment 3), finding that dark adaptation in the left eye decreased the temporal threshold of the right eye. Overall, we found that ambient luminance changes impact differently on spontaneous and stimulus‐related alpha expression. We suggest that stimulus‐related alpha activity is crucial in determining human temporal segmentation abilities.
The changing faces of soil organic matter research
Authors: Smith P. , Lutfalla S. , Riley W. J. , Torn M. S. , Schmidt M. W. I. , Soussana J.‐F.
Published: December 2017

For the 70th Anniversary of the establishment of the British Society of Soil Science, this short paper explores the idea that research on soil organic matter has remained a central theme within soil science over the past 70 years, albeit with changing emphasis and application. The number of publications on soil organic matter has increased greatly in recent decades; for example, there were almost 35 000 journal papers with this theme in the decade 2007–2016. Several topics in research on soil organic matter, such as soil fertility, have endured for a number of decades, with publications found on soil organic matter and fertility in the decade 1947–1956. A search with other keywords occurring with soil, such as climate change, biodiversity, fertility, quality, health and security, showed that several topics did not appear before the 1970s and 1980s, but since then the sub‐topics and applications have diversified. Carbon is a keyword that has become more associated with publications on soil organic matter; carbon is in over half of soil organic matter publications of the last decade. A closer examination of research on agricultural soil carbon sequestration since 1990 reveals that the focus of papers in the literature has changed over this period. A closer examination of papers on modelling shows that the next generation of soil organic matter models is developing from pseudo first‐order decay models using conceptual pools and prescribed controls of turnover time to vertically resolved, microbially explicit models representing mineral surface and plant interactions. Given its higher policy profile during the last 2 years, research on soil organic matter and soil carbon sequestration is predicted to have a bright future.

Highlights

The number of publications on soil organic matter has increased greatly in recent decades.

Soil fertility research has endured for many decades, whereas other topics have diversified.

Soil organic matter has been increasingly associated with carbon, which has changed the focus of papers since 1990.

Expanding policy attention to soil organic matter research during the last 2 years suggests a bright future.
Mathematical modelling of water and solute movement in ridge plant systems with dynamic ponding
Authors: Duncan S. J. , Daly K. R. , Sweeney P. , Roose T.
Published: December 2017

We present a mathematical model that describes the movement of water and solutes in a ridge and furrow geometry. We focus on the effects of two physical processes: root water uptake and pond formation in the furrows. Special attention is paid to the physical description of ponding as an effect of transient rain events. We focus on phenomena taking place in the furrow cross‐section, not on the drainage along the furrow. The resulting model comprises a coupled system of partial and ordinary differential equations that describe the mathematical interplay between solute transport, water movement and furrow pond depth. The system of equations is solved numerically using finite element techniques. We conducted numerical simulations to determine how mobile solutes with low buffer powers penetrate into the soil. We considered two cases: low rainfall, in which pond formation does not occur, and high rainfall, in which significant ponding is observed in the furrows. We found, in the presence of roots, that mobile solutes collected into a concentrated spot adjacent to the root system independent of rainfall intensity. In the absence of roots, however, we observed that water infiltration from ponding acted as the dominant transport mechanism for mobile solutes. This resulted in deep solute penetration into the soil when compared with non‐ponded furrows.

Highlights

Effect of furrow ponding and plant water uptake on solute movement in ridged fields.

We developed a mathematical model that describes ponding in furrows from rainfall events.

Solute ‘hot spots’ formed in soil from surface ponding and root water uptake.

We estimate reduced risk to solute leaching under the effects of ponding when roots are present in soil.
Antibody response to seasonal influenza vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis receiving immunomodulatory therapy
Authors: Olberg H. K. , Eide G. E. , Cox R. J. , Jul‐Larsen Å. , Lartey S. L. , Vedeler C. A. , Myhr K.‐M.
Published: December 2017

Background and purpose

We have previously shown that patients with multiple sclerosis receiving immunomodulatory treatment have reduced seroprotection rates after influenza immunization. The aim of this study was to further investigate the influence of immunomodulatory therapies on the antibody response and seroprotection rates in patients immunized with seasonal influenza vaccine in 2012/2013 compared with healthy controls.

Methods

Ninety patients receiving fingolimod, glatiramer acetate, interferon beta‐1a/1b, natalizumab or no therapy were compared with 62 healthy controls. All subjects received the inactivated split virus vaccine in 2012 and serum samples were collected pre‐vaccination and 3, 6 and 12 months post‐vaccination. The vaccine responses were evaluated by the hemagglutination inhibition assay and adjusted for age and gender.

Results

No significant differences in rates of protection against H1N1 for interferon beta‐1a/1b and glatiramer acetate were observed as compared with controls at 3, 6 and 12 months. Fingolimod provided reduced protection at all time points post‐vaccination, whereas natalizumab displayed reduced protection at 3 and 6 months. Patients without immunomodulation did not display protection rates that were significantly different from the controls at 3 and 12 months.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that patients with multiple sclerosis receiving fingolimod or natalizumab should be considered for a second dose of the vaccine in cases of insufficient protection. Our results further indicate that new immunomodulatory treatment regimens should be systematically evaluated for their influence on influenza‐specific vaccine responses.
Interactive effects of seizure frequency and lateralization on intratemporal effective connectivity in temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Park Chang‐hyun , Choi Yun Seo , Kim Hyeon Jin , Chung Hwa‐Kyung , Jung A‐Reum , Yoo Jeong Hyun , Lee Hyang Woon
Published: December 2017

Objective

Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) show brain connectivity changes in association with cognitive impairment. Seizure frequency and lateralization are 2 important clinical factors that characterize epileptic seizures. In this study, we sought to examine an interactive effect of the 2 seizure factors on intratemporal effective connectivity based on resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) in patients with TLE.

Methods

For rsfMRI data acquired from 48 TLE patients and 45 healthy controls, we applied stochastic dynamical causal modeling to infer effective connectivity between 3 medial temporal lobe (MTL) regions, including the hippocampus (Hipp), parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), and amygdala (Amyg), ipsilateral to the seizure focus. We searched for the effect of the 2 seizure factors, seizure frequency (good vs poor seizure control) and lateralization (left vs right TLE), on connection strengths and their relationship with the level of verbal memory and language impairment.

Results

Impairment of verbal memory and language function was mainly affected by seizure lateralization, consistent with preferential involvement of the left MTL in verbal mnemonic processing. For the fully connected model, which was selected as the effective connectivity structure that best explained the observed rsfMRI time series, alterations in connection strengths were primarily influenced by seizure frequency; there was an increase in the strength of the Hipp to PHG connection in TLE patients with poor seizure control, whereas the strength of the Amyg to PHG connection increased in those with good seizure control. Furthermore, the association between connection strength alterations and cognitive impairment was interactively affected by both seizure frequency and lateralization.

Significance

These findings suggest an interactive effect as well as an individual effect of seizure frequency and lateralization on neuroimaging features and cognitive function. This potential interaction needs to be evaluated in the consideration of multiple seizure factors.
Brain regions and epileptogenicity influence epileptic interictal spike production and propagation during NREM sleep in comparison with wakefulness
Authors: Lambert Isabelle , Roehri Nicolas , Giusiano Bernard , Carron Romain , Wendling Fabrice , Benar Christian , Bartolomei Fabrice
Published: December 2017

Objective

Non–rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep is known to be a brain state associated with an activation of interictal epileptic activity. The goal of this work was to quantify topographic changes occurring during NREM sleep in comparison with wakefulness.

Method

We studied intracerebral recordings of 20 patients who underwent stereo‐electroencephalography (SEEG) during presurgical evaluation for pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy. We measured the number of interictal spikes (IS) and quantified the co‐occurrence of IS between brain regions during 1 hour of NREM sleep and 1 hour of wakefulness. Co‐occurrence is a method to estimate IS networks based on a temporal concordance between IS of different brain regions. Each studied region was labeled as “seizure‐onset zone” (SOZ), “propagation zone” (PZ), or “not involved region” (NIR).

Results

During NREM sleep, the number of interictal spikes significantly increased in all regions (mean of 68%). This increase was higher in medial temporal regions than in other regions, whether involved in the SOZ. Spike co‐occurrence increased significantly in all regions during NREM sleep in comparison with wakefulness but was greater in neocortical regions. Spike co‐occurrence in medial temporal regions was not higher than in other regions, suggesting that the increase of the number of spikes in this region was in great part a local effect.

Significance

This study demonstrated that medial temporal regions show a greater propensity to spike production or propagation during NREM sleep compared to other brain regions, even when the medial temporal lobe is not involved in the SOZ.
Couple‐based Intervention for Depression: An Effectiveness Study in the National Health Service in England
Authors: Baucom Donald H. , Fischer Melanie S. , Worrell Michael , Corrie Sarah , Belus Jennifer M. , Molyva Efthymia , Boeding Sara E.
Published: December 2017

This study represents an effectiveness study and service evaluation of a cognitive behavioral, couple‐based treatment for depression (BCT‐D) provided in London services that are part of the “Improving Access to Psychological Therapies” (IAPT) program in England. Twenty‐three therapists in community clinics were trained in BCT‐D during a 5‐day workshop, followed by monthly group supervision for 1 year. The BCT‐D treatment outcome findings are based on 63 couples in which at least one partner was depressed and elected to receive BCT‐D. Eighty‐five percent of couples also demonstrated relationship distress, and 49% of the nonclient partners also met caseness for depression or anxiety. Findings demonstrated a recovery rate of 57% with BCT‐D, compared to 41% for all IAPT treatments for depression in London. Nonclient partners who met caseness demonstrated a 48% recovery rate with BCT‐D, although they were not the focus of treatment. BCT‐D was equally effective for clients regardless of the clinical status of the nonclient partner, suggesting its effectiveness in assisting both members of the couple simultaneously. Likewise, treatment was equally effective whether or not both partners reported relationship distress. The findings are promising regarding the successful application of BCT‐D in routine clinical settings.
Creating individual accessible area hypotheses improves stacked species distribution model performance
Authors: Cooper Jacob C. , Soberón Jorge
Published: December 2017

Aim

Stacked species distribution models (SDMs) are an important step towards estimating species richness, but frequently overpredict this metric and therefore erroneously predict which species comprise a given community. We test the idea that developing hypotheses about accessible area a priori can greatly improve model performance. By integrating dispersal ability via accessible area into SDM creation, we address an often‐overlooked facet of ecological niche modelling.

Innovation

By limiting the training and transference areas to theoretically accessible areas, we are creating more accurate SDMs on the basis of a taxon's explorable environments. This limitation of space and environment is a more accurate reflection of a taxon's true dispersal properties and more accurately reflects the geographical and environmental space to which a taxon is exposed. Here, we compare the predictive performance of stacked SDMs derived from spatially constrained and unconstrained training areas.

Main conclusions

Restricting a species’ training and transference areas to a theoretically accessible area greatly improves model performance. Stacked SDMs drawn from spatially restricted training areas predicted species richness and community composition more accurately than non‐restricted stacked SDMs. These accessible area‐based restrictions mimic true dispersal barriers to species and limit training areas to the suite of environments to those which a species is exposed to in nature. Furthermore, these restrictions serve to ‘clip’ predictions in geographical space, thus removing overpredictions in adjacent geographical regions where the species is known to be absent.
Mapping the role of ‘transnational family habitus’ in the lives of young people and children
Authors: ZONTINI ELISABETTA , REYNOLDS TRACEY
Published: December 2017

In this article, we develop the concept of ‘transnational family habitus’ as a theoretical tool for making sense of the ways in which children and young people from a migrant background are ‘doing families’ transnationally. Drawing on over a decade of cumulative research on Caribbean and Italian families in the UK, as well as on a new joint research project, we first investigate the opportunities and consequences of a transnational family habitus on family arrangements, kinship relationships and identity within a transnational context. Second, we analyse the role of these young people's structural location in Britain in shaping the boundaries of their transnational family habitus. We argue that one should see a transnational family habitus as an asset that can potentially disrupt conventional understandings of belonging and processes of inclusion and exclusion. However, we also detail how social divisions of class, race, and increasingly migration status, shape such a habitus.
Pleckstrin homology domain of p210 BCR‐ABL interacts with cardiolipin to regulate its mitochondrial translocation and subsequent mitophagy
Authors: Shimasaki Kentaro , Watanabe‐Takahashi Miho , Umeda Masato , Funamoto Satoru , Saito Yoshiro , Noguchi Noriko , Kumagai Keigo , Hanada Kentaro , Tsukahara Fujiko , Maru Yoshiro , Shibata Norihito , Naito Mikihiko , Nishikawa Kiyotaka
Published: December 2017

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is caused by the chimeric protein p210 BCR‐ABL encoded by a gene on the Philadelphia chromosome. Although the kinase domain of p210 BCR‐ABL is an active driver of CML, the pathological role of its pleckstrin homology (PH) domain remains unclear. Here, we carried out phospholipid vesicle‐binding assays to show that cardiolipin (CL), a characteristic mitochondrial phospholipid, is a unique ligand of the PH domain. Arg726, a basic amino acid in the ligand‐binding region, was crucial for ligand recognition. A subset of wild‐type p210 BCR‐ABL that was transiently expressed in HEK293 cells was dramatically translocated from the cytosol to mitochondria in response to carbonyl cyanide m‐chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) treatment, which induces mitochondrial depolarization and subsequent externalization of CL to the organelle's outer membrane, whereas an R726A mutant of the protein was not translocated. Furthermore, only wild‐type p210 BCR‐ABL, but not the R726A mutant, suppressed CCCP‐induced mitophagy and subsequently enhanced reactive oxygen species production. Thus, p210 BCR‐ABL can change its intracellular localization via interactions between the PH domain and CL to cope with mitochondrial damage. This suggests that p210 BCR‐ABL could have beneficial effects for cancer proliferation, providing new insight into the PH domain's contribution to CML pathogenesis.
The impact of using peer interviewers in a study of patient empowerment amongst people in cancer follow‐up
Authors: Jørgensen Clara R. , Eskildsen Nanna B. , Thomsen Thora G. , Nielsen Inger D. , Johnsen Anna T.
Published: December 2017

Background

A range of benefits have been reported from engaging peer interviewers in qualitative interviews, but little systematic evaluation exists to assess their impact on both process and outcomes of qualitative interviews in health research.

Objective

To investigate the impact of involving patient representatives as peer interviewers in a research project on patient empowerment.

Design

18 interviews were carried out as part of the wider study, seven by the academic researcher alone and eleven jointly with a peer interviewer. The interviews were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively to explore potential differences between interviews conducted by the researcher alone and interviews conducted jointly by the researcher and the peer interviewers. A phone evaluation of the peer interviews was carried out with the research participants, and notes were thematically analysed to understand their experiences.

Results

Differences were identified between the academic researcher and the peer interviewers in the types of questions they asked and the degree to which personal narrative was used in the interview. Peer interviewers varied significantly in their approach. Research participants were positive about the experience of being interviewed by a peer interviewer. No firm conclusions could be made about impact on outcomes.

Discussion and conclusions

The uniqueness and complexity of qualitative interviews made it difficult to provide any firm conclusions about the impact of having peer interviewers on the research outcomes, and the benefits identified from the analysis mostly related to the process of the interviews. Benefits from using peer interviewers need to be considered alongside relevant ethical considerations, and available resources for training and support.
Primary effusion lymphoma in Taiwan shows two distinctive clinicopathological subtypes with rare human immunodeficiency virus association
Authors: Chen Bo‐Jung , Wang Ran‐Ching , Ho Chung‐Han , Yuan Chang‐Tsu , Huang Wan‐Ting , Yang Sheau‐Fang , Hsieh Pin‐Pen , Yung Yun‐Chih , Lin Shih‐Yao , Hsu Chen‐Fang , Su Ying‐Zhen , Kuo Chun‐Chi , Chuang Shih‐Sung
Published: December 2017

Aims

To investigate the clinicopathological and molecular features of primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) in Taiwan and the association with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV).

Methods and results

We investigated retrospectively 26 cases with a median age of 76.5. Only one (4%) patient was infected with HIV. Cytologically, all lymphoma cells revealed typical immunoblastic to plasmablastic morphology. Immunohistochemically, HHV8 was positive in eight (32%) tumours and negative in 17 (68%) cases. All 23 tested cases examined were of the non‐germinal‐centre B cell phenotype. MYC proto‐oncogene (MYC) and Epstein–Barr encoding mRNA (EBER) were positive in 43% (nine of 21) and 17% (four of 23) cases, respectively. Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH), B cell lymphoma (BCL)2, BCL6 and MYC were rearranged in 71%, 11%, 12% and 18% cases, respectively. By univariate analysis, the overall survival (OS) was associated statistically with MYC expression (P = 0.012) and BCL2 rearrangement (P = 0.035), but not with the others. By multivariate analysis, no factor was statistically significant. Compared to the HHV8‐negative cases, the HHV8‐positive cases were mainly of the plasmablastic immunophenotype expressing CD30 and CD138, and with a less frequent expression of pan‐B cell markers.

Conclusions

Apart from the phenotypical difference, our HHV8‐positive neoplasms were not distinct from the HHV8‐negative group. Literature review of 256 cases, including our cases, revealed that HHV8‐positive cases were associated more frequently with HIV and EBV infection, with rare MYC rearrangement, and a poorer prognosis than HHV8‐negative cases. We propose to name the HHV8‐positive cases as ‘classical’ or ‘type I PEL’ and the HHV8‐negative cases as ‘type II PEL’, stressing the similarities and the distinctive features between these two groups.