bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Sarcopenia as a Predictor of Poor Outcomes After Esophagectomy in Elderly Patients With Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Nakashima Yuichiro , Saeki Hiroshi , Nakanishi Ryota , Sugiyama Masahiko , Kurashige Junji , Oki Eiji , Maehara Yoshihiko
Published: April 2017

Objective:

The objective of the study was to elucidate the impact of sarcopenia in elderly patients with esophageal cancer on postoperative complications and long-term survival after surgery for esophageal cancer.

Summary Background Data:

Sarcopenia, defined as loss of skeletal muscle mass with age, has been identified as a poor prognostic factor for malignancies. This retrospective study investigated the effect of sarcopenia on surgical outcomes among young and elderly patients with esophageal cancer.

Methods:

Data were collected for 341 consecutive patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Patients were assigned to 2 groups according to age (younger than 65 years and 65 years or older) and the presence of sarcopenia.

Results:

Sarcopenia was present in 170 of 341 patients (49.9%) with esophageal cancer and in 74 of 166 elderly patients (44.6%). The incidence of anastomotic leak and in-hospital death was significantly higher in the elderly sarcopenia group than in the elderly nonsarcopenia group (31.5% vs 15.2%, P = 0.015, 6.8 vs 0.0%, P = 0.037, respectively), and the overall survival rate in patients with sarcopenia correlated with a significantly poor prognosis in the elderly group (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that sarcopenia was a risk factor for an anastomotic leak (P = 0.034) and was an unfavorable prognostic factor for survival (P < 0.001). Those correlations between sarcopenia and surgical outcomes were not observed in the young group.

Conclusions:

Sarcopenia and worse surgical outcomes were significantly associated patients with in esophageal cancer aged 65 years and older but not in those younger than 65 years.
Severe population collapses and species extinctions in multi-host epidemic dynamics
Authors: Maslov Sergei , Sneppen Kim
Published: April 2017

Most infectious diseases including more than half of known human pathogens are not restricted to just one host, yet much of the mathematical modeling of infections has been limited to a single species. We investigate consequences of a single epidemic propagating in multiple species and compare and contrast it with the endemic steady state of the disease. We use the two-species Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) model to calculate the severity of post-epidemic collapses in populations of two host species as a function of their initial population sizes, the times individuals remain infectious, and the matrix of infection rates. We derive the criteria for a very large, extinction-level, population collapse in one or both of the species. The main conclusion of our study is that a single epidemic could drive a species with high mortality rate to local or even global extinction provided that it is co-infected with an abundant species. Such collapse-driven extinctions depend on factors different than those in the endemic steady state of the disease.
Single molecule fluorescencein situhybridisation for quantitating post-transcriptional regulation inDrosophilabrains
Authors: Yang Lu , Titlow Joshua S. , Ennis Darragh , Smith Carlas , Mitchell Jessica , Young Florence L. , Waddell Scott , Ish-Horowicz David , Davis Ilan
Published: April 2017

RNAin situhybridization can be a powerful method to investigate post-transcriptional regulation, but analysis of intracellular mRNA distributions in thick, complex tissues like the brain poses significant challenges. Here, we describe the application of single-molecule fluorescentin situhybridization (smFISH) to quantitate primary transcription and post-transcriptional regulation in whole-mountDrosophilalarval and adult brains. Combining immunofluorescence and smFISH probes for different regions of a single gene, i.e., exons, 3’UTR, and introns, we show examples of a gene that is regulated post-transcriptionally and one that is regulated at the level of transcription. We also show that the method can be used to co-visualise a variety of different transcripts and proteins in neuronal stems cells as well as deep brain structures such as mushroom body neuropils. Finally, we introduce the use of smFISH as asensitivealternative to conventional antibody labelling to mark specific neural stem cell populations in the brain.
Components of alcohol use and all-cause mortality
Authors: Hartz Sarah M. , Oehlert Mary , Horton Amy C. , Grucza Richard , Fisher Sherri L. , Nelson Karl G. , Sumerall Scott W. , Chad Neal P. , Regnier Patrice , Chen Guoqing , Williams Alexander , Bhattarai Jagriti , Evanoff Bradley , Bierut Laura J.
Published: April 2017

Importance

Current recommendations for low-risk drinking are based on drinking quantity: up to one drink daily for women and two drinks daily for men. Drinking frequency has not been independently examined for its contribution to mortality.

Objective

To evaluate the impact of drinking frequency on all-cause mortality after adjusting for drinks per day and binge drinking behavior.

Design

Two independent observational studies with self-reported alcohol use and subsequent all-cause mortality: the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), and data from Veteran’s Health Administration clinics (VA).

Setting

Epidemiological sample (NHIS) and VA outpatient database (VA Corporate Data Warehouse).

Participants

208,661 individuals from the NHIS interviewed between 1997 and 2009 at the age of 30 to 70 with mortality follow-up in the last quarter of 2011; 75,515 VA outpatients born between 1948 and 1968 who completed an alcohol survey in 2008 with mortality follow-up in June 2016.

Exposures

Quantity of alcohol use when not binging (1-2 drinks on typical day, 3-4 drinks on typical day), frequency of non-binge drinking (never, weekly or less, 2-3 times weekly, 4 or more times weekly), and frequency of binge drinking (never, less than weekly, 1-3 times weekly, 4 or more times weekly). Covariates included age, sex, race, and comorbidity.

Main Outcomes and Measures

All-cause mortality.

Results

After adjusting for binge drinking behavior, survival analysis showed an increased risk for all-cause mortality among people who typically drink 1-2 drinks four or more times weekly, relative to people who typically drink 1-2 drinks at a time weekly or less (NHIS dataset HR=1.15, 95% CI 1.06-1.26; VA dataset HR=1.31, 95% CI 1.15-1.49).

Conclusions and Relevance

Drinking four or more times weekly increased risk of all-cause mortality, even among those who drank only 1 or 2 drinks daily. This was seen in both a large epidemiological database and a large hospital-based database, suggesting that the results can be generalized.
Association between substance use disorder and polygenic liability to schizophrenia
Authors: Hartz Sarah M. , Horton Amy , Oehlert Mary , Carey Caitlin E. , Agrawal Arpana , Bogdan Ryan , Chen Li-Shiun , Hancock Dana B. , Johnson Eric O. , Pato Carlos , Pato Michele , Rice John P. , Bierut Laura J.
Published: April 2017

Background

There are high levels of comorbidity between schizophrenia and substance use disorder, but little is known about the genetic etiology of this comorbidity.

Methods

Here, we test the hypothesis that shared genetic liability contributes to the high rates of comorbidity between schizophrenia and substance use disorder. To do this, polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia derived from a large meta-analysis by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium were computed in three substance use disorder datasets: COGEND (ascertained for nicotine dependence n=918 cases, 988 controls), COGA (ascertained for alcohol dependence n=643 cases, 384 controls), and FSCD (ascertained for cocaine dependence n=210 cases, 317 controls). Phenotypes were harmonized across the three datasets and standardized analyses were performed. Genome-wide genotypes were imputed to 1000 Genomes reference panel.

Results

In each individual dataset and in the mega-analysis, strong associations were observed between any substance use disorder diagnosis and the polygenic risk score for schizophrenia (mega-analysis pseudo R2range 0.8%-3.7%, minimum p=4×10-23).

Conclusions

These results suggest that comorbidity between schizophrenia and substance use disorder is partially attributable to shared polygenic liability. This shared liability is most consistent with a general risk for substance use disorder rather than specific risks for individual substance use disorders and adds to increasing evidence of a blurred boundary between schizophrenia and substance use disorder.
System Identification Using Compressed Sensing Reveals Signaling-Decoding System by Gene Expression
Authors: Tsuchiya Takaho , Fujii Masashi , Matsuda Naoki , Kunida Katsuyuki , Uda Shinsuke , Kubota Hiroyuki , Konishi Katsumi , Kuroda Shinya
Published: April 2017

Cells decode information of signaling activation at a scale of tens of minutes by downstream gene expression with a scale of hours to days, leading to cell fate decisions such as cell differentiation. However, no system identification method with such different time scales exists. Here we used compressed sensing technology and developed a system identification method using data of different time scales by recovering signals of missing time points. We measured phosphorylation of ERK and CREB, immediate early gene expression products, and mRNAs of decoder genes for neurite elongation in PC12 cell differentiation and performed system identification, revealing the input–output relationships between signaling and gene expression with sensitivity such as graded or switch-like response and with time delay and gain, representing signal transfer efficiency. We predicted and validated the identified system using pharmacological perturbation. Thus, we provide a versatile method for system identification using data with different time scales.

Highlights

We developed a system identification method using compressed sensing.

This method allowed us to find a pathway using data of different time scales.

We identified a selective signaling-decoding system by gene expression.

We validated the identified system by pharmacological perturbation.

eTOC Blurb

We describe a system identification method of molecular networks with different time-scale data using a signal recovery technique in compressed sensing.
Estimating time of HIV-1 infection from next-generation sequence diversity
Authors: Puller Vadim , Neher Richard , Albert Jan
Published: April 2017

Estimating the time since infection (TI) in newly diagnosed HIV-1 patients is challenging, but important to understand the epidemiology of the infection. Here we explore the utility of virus diversity estimated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) as novel biomarker by using a recent genome-wide longitudinal dataset obtained from 11 untreated HIV-1-infected patients with known dates of infection. The results were validated on a second dataset from 31 patients.

Virus diversity increased linearly with time, particularly at 3rd codon positions, with little inter-patient variation. The precision of the TI estimate improved with increasing sequencing depth, showing that diversity in NGS data yields superior estimates to the number of ambiguous sites in Sanger sequences, which is one of the alternative biomarkers. The full advantage of deep NGS was utilized with continuous diversity measures such as average pairwise distance or site entropy, rather than the fraction of polymorphic sites. The precision depended on the genomic region and codon position and was highest when 3rd codon positions in the entirepolgene were used. For these data, TI estimates had a mean absolute error of around 1 year. The error increased only slightly from around 0.6 years at a TI of 6 months to around 1.1 years at 6 years.

Our results show that virus diversity determined by NGS can be used to estimate time since HIV-1 infection many years after the infection, in contrast to most alternative biomarkers. We provide the regression coefficients as well as web tool for TI estimation.

Author summary

HIV-1 establishes a chronic infection, which may last for many years before the infected person is diagnosed. The resulting uncertainty in the date of infection leads to difficulties in estimating the number of infected but undiagnosed persons as well as the number of new infections, which is necessary for developing appropriate public health policies and interventions. Such estimates would be much easier if the time since HIV-1 infection for newly diagnosed cases could be accurately estimated. Three types of biomarkers have been shown to contain information about the time since HIV-1 infection, but unfortunately, they only distinguish between recent and long-term infections (concentration of HIV-1-specific antibodies) or are imprecise (immune status as measured by levels of CD4+ T-lymphocytes and viral sequence diversity measured by polymorphisms in Sanger sequences).

In this paper, we show that recent advances in sequencing technologies, i.e. the development of next generation sequencing, enable significantly more precise determination of the time since HIV-1 infection, even many years after the infection event. This is a significant advance which could translate into more effective HIV-1 prevention.
Boreal river impoundments caused little change in fish diversity but clear community assemblage shifts: A multi-scale analysis
Authors: Turgeon Katrine , Turpin Christian , Gregory-Eaves Irene
Published: April 2017

Hydroelectricity is often presented as a clean and renewable energy source, but river flow regulation and fragmentation caused by dams are recognized to impact aquatic biodiversity in temperate and tropical ecosystems. However, the effects of boreal river impoundment are not clear as the few studies that exist have not been able to separate the hydrological changes brought about by dams from other factors (e.g.fish stocking, and species introduction).

We adopted a multi-scale analysis to examine changes in nearshore fish communities over 20 years (spanning before and after impoundment) using a network of 24 sampling stations spread across from four reservoirs and two hydroelectricity complexes located in the boreal region (Northern Québec, Canada). Given the remote location, confounding factors were minimal.

We found no strong temporal trends in alpha- and gamma-diversity in impacted stations (upstream and downstream of the dam) relative to reference sites across the three spatial scales. Using beta-diversity analyses, we also detected a high stability in fish composition over time and space at the complex and reservoir scales.

At the scale of the sampling stations, we observed higher rates of species turnover (beta-diversity) coincident with the time of reservoir filling and shortly after. Likewise, we detected species assemblage shifts that correlated with time since impoundment only at the sampling station scale. This pattern was masked at the complex and reservoir scales.

Synthesis and applications. Overall, the isolated effect of impoundment in these remote boreal ecosystems caused no loss of species and little change in fish diversity over 20 years, but resulted in substantial species assemblage shifts. Our work shows that examining community data at different scales is key to understand the anthropogenic impacts on fish biodiversity.
A novel role forEts4in axis specification and cell migration in the spiderParasteatoda tepidariorum
Authors: Pechmann Matthias , Benton Matthew A. , Kenny Nathan J. , Posnien Nico , Roth Siegfried
Published: April 2017

Organizers play important roles during the embryonic development of many animals. The most famous example is the Spemann organizer that sets up embryonic axes in amphibian embryos.

In spiders, a group of BMP secreting mesenchymal cells (the cumulus) functions as an organizer of the dorsoventral axis. Similar to experiments performed with the Spemann organizer, transplantation of the cumulus is able to induce a secondary axis in spiders.

Despite the importance of this structure, it is unknown which factors are needed to activate cumulus specific gene expression.

To address this question, we performed a transcriptomic analysis of early embryonic development in the spiderParasteatoda tepidariorum.Through this work, we found that the transcription factorPt-Ets4is needed for cumulus integrity, dorsoventral patterning and for the activation ofPt-hunchbackandPt-twistexpression. Furthermore, ectopic expression ofPt-Ets4is sufficient to induce cell delamination and migration by inducing a mesoderm-like cell fate.
Effects of mestranol on estrogen receptors expression in zebrafish
Authors: Cheng Lianqiang , Wang Xiaowen , Li Shijun , Liu Yongjun , Guo Zhengxin
Published: April 2017

The estrogen receptor (ER) genes, which encode a group of important ligand-activated transcriptional factors, can modulate estrogen-target gene activities. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have three ER receptor genes,esr1,esr2a, andesr2b. In this study, we examined the mRNA expression levels of these ER receptors after treatment with mestranol (EE3ME). Zebrafish larvae were exposed to 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/L from 6 hours post-fertilization (hpf) and the mRNA expression levels of the ER genes were determined at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hpf. Treatment with mestranol led to a significant stimulation ofesr1mRNA expression at lower concentration and reached maximum at 72 hpf, however, the esr1 mRNA levels were reduced at higher mestranol concentration during exposure. The gene expression ofesr2bwas markedly decreased and theesr2aremained unaffected at all concentration in the duration. Altogether, these results suggested mestranol might cause the disruption of endocrine activities in fish by mediating ER genes expression.
The closed-loop pathways of signaling molecules
Authors: Liu Yang
Published: April 2017

The pathways of signaling molecules are important to understanding how signaling molecules regulate physiological function and also in predicting the pathological development which is important to therapeutic strategy, however the thorough knowledge of these pathways is still lack. In this paper, we used the big data concept to analyze the pathways of signaling molecules and categorize these molecules into five groups according to their origin and effect on the five organs of heart-spleen-lung-kidney-liver. Heart group includes IGF, Ang and Mg; spleen group includes ANP, aldosterone, retinoic acid and ghrelin; lung group includes FGF7, VEGF, ascorbic acid and HIF; kidney group includes calcitonin, PTHrP, Wnt and NO; and liver group includes EPO, renin, SOD, AKR and GSH. We found that each group of molecules have assisting effect on the other organ in the order of heart-spleen-lung-kidney-liver-heart, and have regulating effect on the other organ in the order of heart-lung-liver-spleen-kidney-heart. Moreover, the pathways of molecules of each group also follow these two arrangements, in which the pathways of molecules form a closed-loop that may lead to new therapeutic strategies.
Meaning-making through research
Authors: Kulkarni Mukta
Published: April 2017

Purpose

In outlining the author’s experiences as a researcher and as an individual who engages with persons with a disability, the author wonders what meaningful research means when research subjects are people that society lumps together, largely views as stigmatized, and does not seem to understand. The author also notes how the research journey has impacted the author as an individual in rather unexpected ways. The paper aims to discuss this issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The author notes her personal experiences which can help all of us surface and think through our attempts at meaning-making through research.

Findings

When we do not quite understand our research subjects, the syntax of our thoughts can be dictated by our institutional contexts, and it is likely that we capture and feed the period’s dominant assumptions back into the context.

Originality/value

The author’s journey has been marked with worries, and has taught the author humility and acceptance. It has taught the author how we need to understand the subjects as whole beings, our institutional setting as it predisposes us to organize our research worlds, and our own biases as a researcher. Learning this is especially important for all of us when we study stigmatized subjects because definitions, measurement, and how we showcase a collective have implications for individual human beings.
Working with the divides
Authors: Avery Helen , Nordén Birgitta
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The paper aims to provide a conceptual map of how to mediate between sustainability theory and practice in higher education and how disciplinary divides can be bridged. It further looks at issues linked to knowledge views and drivers for institutional change that affect opportunities for whole institution development promoting action preparedness.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking its point of departure in the University Educators for Sustainable Development report UE4SD (2014, 2015), the paper discusses ways that ideas and interaction can be mediated in higher education settings, to connect sustainability research with vocational programmes. Different options are considered and compared.

Findings

Although the literature stresses both action orientation and the need for holistic transdisciplinary approaches, many institutional drivers limit opportunities for more integrating approaches.

Research limitations/implications

However, while conclusions may hold for universities at an overarching level, it is likely that certain research and teaching environments have been able to transcend such barriers.

Practical implications

Conceptually mapping the different forms that dialogue, interaction and flows of ideas take within higher education institutions has relevance for whole institution development for sustainability.

Social implications

Importantly, producing sustainability science with relevance to practice in various professions is a fundamental condition to support accelerated transitions to sustainability at societal levels.

Originality/value

The paper makes a significant contribution by focusing on concrete institutional pathways for knowledge exchange and negotiation that can support education for sustainability in higher education.
Determinants of services co-creation with business customers
Authors: Jouny-Rivier Elodie , Reynoso Javier , Edvardsson Bo
Published: April 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to identify and analyze factors that determine firms’ commitment to co-create new services with business customers.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative study based on a scenario method, involving an online survey of French service companies, reveals the determinants of commitment to service co-creation.

Findings

Customer benefits and organizational sacrifices, as well as firm-related factors (specialization, partners’ involvement and innovativeness) correlate with firms’ commitment to co-create new services. The proposed, empirically grounded model details factors that determine firms’ commitment to co-create new services with business customers, including innovative culture as a key determinant.

Practical implications

The identified factors that affect firms’ commitment to co-create services can guide managers’ efforts to improve customer relationships and thus their service innovation processes.

Originality/value

This study identifies and analyzes characteristics of committed firms, as well as the benefits and sacrifices they face in co-creating new services, in a novel way. Thus, it helps define the fit between a service offering and business customers’ participation in new service development contexts.
The interplay of customer experience and commitment
Authors: Keiningham Timothy , Ball Joan , Benoit (née Moeller) Sabine , Bruce Helen L. , Buoye Alexander , Dzenkovska Julija , Nasr Linda , Ou Yi-Chun , Zaki Mohamed
Published: April 2017

Purpose

This research aims to better understand customer experience, as it relates to customer commitment and provides a framework for future research into the intersection of these emerging streams of research.

Design/methodology/approach

This research contributes to theoretical and practical perspectives on customer experience and its measurement by integrating extant literature with customer commitment and customer satisfaction literature.

Findings

The breadth of the domains that encompass customer experience – cognitive, emotional, physical, sensorial and social – makes simplistic metrics impossible for gauging the entirety of customers’ experiences. These findings provide strong support of the need for new research into customer experience and customer commitment.

Practical implications

Given the complexity of customer experience, managers are unlikely to track and manage all relevant elements of the concept. This research provides a framework identifying empirically the most salient attributes of customer experience with particular emphasis on those elements that enhance commitment. This offers insight into service design to correspond with specific commitment and experience dimensions.

Originality/value

This research is the first to examine the customer experience as it relates to customer commitment – a key factor in customer loyalty, positive word of mouth and other desired outcomes for managers and marketers. This paper provides a framework for future research into these emerging topics.
Red: NCSS notable trade book lesson plan
Authors: Sunal Cynthia , Odebiyi Oluseyi Matthew
Published: April 2017

Purpose

This early grades lesson for ages 4-7 explores the concept of bullying, focusing on its occurrence among students in day-to-day school experiences. The purpose of this paper is to depict typical bullying occurring in school, for example, during peer play using the book Red as a resource.

Design/methodology/approach

The story line describes bullying and how one’s actions can contribute to promoting and to preventing bullying.

Findings

The story line describes bullying and how one’s actions can contribute to promoting and to preventing bullying.

Practical implications

The lesson sequence builds awareness of the consequences of bullying and how to deal with bullying when it occurs. The focus is on non-aggressive, non-provoking, active approaches to responding to bullying.

Originality/value

The aim is to help students develop anti-bullying behaviors and to make school a safe place for every student.
Classroom convention: teaching comparative constitutional design through simulation
Authors: Fisher Sarah , Justwan Florian
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to detail a simulation exploring the academic and real-world debates surrounding constitutional design.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors deployed this simulation in different contexts: undergraduate courses in comparative politics and middle school classrooms of gifted students in India.

Findings

In conjunction with discussion of institutional setup, such as parliamentary vs presidential systems and judicial review vs parliamentary sovereignty, the students were required to design a new constitution for a fictional country that just overthrew a brutal dictator. Throughout the simulation, the students were assigned to be the representatives of a particular ethnic group, each with distinct interests to be represented during the constitutional convention.

Originality/value

The authors detail the learning objectives and simulation setup for this constitutional convention. Finally, the authors discuss some issues raised by the students during the simulation.
“Women know how to get things done”: narrative of an intersectional movement
Authors: Vickery Amanda Elizabeth
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how African-American women, both individually and collectively, were subjected to both racism and sexism when participating within civil rights organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

Because of the intersection of their identities as both African and American women, their experiences participating and organizing within multiple movements were shaped by racism and patriarchy that left them outside of the realm of leadership.

Findings

A discussion on the importance of teaching social studies through an intersectional lens that personifies individuals and communities traditionally silenced within the social studies curriculum follows.

Originality/value

The aim is to teach students to adopt a more inclusive and complex view of the world.
Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation: written by Duncan Tonatiuh
Authors: Sturm Elizabeth
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation, by Duncan Tonatiuh, along with other materials on school segregation to address the question, is separate ever equal?

Design/methodology/approach

Students compare and contrast segregated schooling using a Venn diagram, then research other instances of school segregation, paying attention to the time periods, geographic locations, and impact on segregated individuals. In pairs, students identify these locations on a US map and create a class timeline of the instances of segregation they uncover. Using their research, the class then discusses segregation and its impact on the segregated groups and individuals. Afterwards, students compare their school to the schools researched to determine if segregation exists in their school, and form a class position statement on the importance and benefits of school desegregation.

Findings

Students will build an understanding of the importance and benefits of school desegregation and the negative impact of segregation.

Originality/value

This lesson plan brings together multiple texts that illustrate the impact of segregation on various cultures in America.
Serum H‐ficolin levels: Clinical association with interstitial lung disease in patients with systemic sclerosis
Authors: Miyagawa Takuya , Asano Yoshihide , de Mestier Yuka , Saigusa Ryosuke , Taniguchi Takashi , Yamashita Takashi , Nakamura Kouki , Hirabayashi Megumi , Miura Shunsuke , Ichimura Yohei , Takahashi Takehiro , Yoshizaki Ayumi , Miyagaki Tomomitsu , Sugaya Makoto , Sato Shinichi
Published: April 2017

Ficolins, a group of oligomeric lectins consisting of three isoforms (H‐, L‐ and M‐ficolin), contribute to innate immunity via activating the complement pathway and/or acting directly as opsonins against pathogens and apoptotic cells. Because apoptotic cells likely drive the development of systemic sclerosis (SSc) partly through innate immunity, we assessed the clinical association of serum H‐ficolin levels in SSc patients. Despite no difference in serum H‐ficolin levels between SSc and control subjects, SSc patients with decreased serum H‐ficolin levels tended to have a higher prevalence of interstitial lung disease (ILD). More importantly, serum H‐ficolin levels inversely correlated with ground‐glass opacity score on chest computed tomography in SSc‐ILD patients. Therefore, H‐ficolin‐related innate immunity may be involved in SSc‐ILD development.
Mechanism of the vasorelaxant effect induced by trans‐4‐methyl‐β‐nitrostyrene, a synthetic nitroderivative, in rat thoracic aorta
Authors: Teófilo Taylena Maria , Arruda‐Barbosa Loeste , Rodrigues‐Silva Jussara Mathyelle , Vale Joyce Karen Lima , Borges Rosivaldo Santos , Duarte Gloria Pinto , Magalhães Pedro Jorge Caldas , Lahlou Saad
Published: April 2017

Mechanisms underlying the vasorelaxant effects of trans‐4‐methyl‐β‐nitrostyrene (T4MeN) were studied in rat aortic rings. In endothelium‐intact preparations, T4MeN fully and similarly relaxed contractions induced by phenylephrine (PHE) (IC50 = 61.41 [35.40‐87.42] μmol/L) and KCl (IC50 = 83.50 [56.63‐110.50] μmol/L). The vasorelaxant effect of T4MeN was unchanged by endothelium removal, pretreatment with L‐NAME, indomethacin, tetraethylammonium, ODQ or MDL‐12,330A. Under Ca2+‐free conditions, T4MeN significantly reduced with a similar potency: (i) phasic contractions induced by PHE, but not by caffeine; (ii) contractions due to CaCl2 in aortic preparations stimulated with PHE (in the presence of verapamil) or high KCl; (iii) contractions evoked by the restoration of external Ca2+ levels after depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores in the presence of thapsigargin. In contrast, T4MeN was more potent at inhibiting contractions evoked by the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, sodium orthovanadate, than those induced by the activator of PKC, phorbol‐12,13‐dibutyrate. These results suggest that T4MeN induces an endothelium‐ independent vasorelaxation that appears to occur intracellularly through the inhibition of contractions that are independent of Ca2+ influx from the extracellular milieu but involve phosphorylation of tyrosine residues.
Contracting on GAAP Changes: Large Sample Evidence
Authors: CHRISTENSEN HANS B. , NIKOLAEV VALERI V.
Published: April 2017

We explore revealed preferences for the contractual treatment of changes to GAAP in a large sample of private credit agreements issued by publicly held U.S. firms. We document a significant time‐trend toward excluding GAAP changes from the determination of covenant compliance over the period from 1994 to 2012. This trend is positively associated with proxies for standard setters’ shift in focus toward relevance and international accounting harmonization. At the firm level, borrowers facing higher uncertainty are more likely to write contracts that include GAAP changes, but these firms also show a more pronounced time‐trend toward excluding GAAP changes. While this evidence is broadly consistent with an efficiency role for GAAP changes in debt contracting, it is also consistent with a shift in standard setters’ focus offering a partial explanation of why fewer contracts rely on GAAP changes in 2012 than in 1994.
Do males choose their mates in the lekking moth Achroia grisella? Influence of female body mass and male reproductive status on male mate choice
Authors: Goubault Marlène , Burlaud Rebecca
Published: April 2017

Lekking males aggregate to attract females and contribute solely to egg fertilization, without any further parental care. Evolutionary theory therefore predicts them to be nonchoosy toward their mates, because any lost mating opportunities would outweigh the benefits associated with such preferences. Nevertheless, due to time costs, the production of energetically costly sexual displays, and potential sperm limitation, the mating effort of lekking males is often considerable. These factors, combined with the fact that many females of varying quality are likely to visit leks, could favor the evolution of male mate preferences. Here, we show that males of the lekking lesser wax moth, Achroia grisella, were indeed more likely to mate with heavier females in choice experiments, even at their virgin mating (i.e., when their reproductive resources have not yet been depleted by previous matings). This differential female mating success could not be attributed to female behavior as heavy and light females showed similar motivation to mate (i.e., latency to approach the males) and time to copulate. Males seem to benefit from mating with heavier females, as fecundity positively correlated with female mass. This new empirical evidence shows that male mate choice may have been underestimated in lekking species.
Association between progressive hepatic morphology changes on serial MR imaging and clinical outcome in primary sclerosing cholangitis
Authors: Kitzing Yu Xuan , Whitley Siobhan A , Upponi Sara S , Srivastava Brijesh , Alexander Graeme JM , Lomas David J
Published: April 2017

Introduction

Hepatic morphology changes are well described in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and characterised by a combination of atrophy and hypertrophy changes. This study investigates the relationship between progression of these changes over time and clinical outcome in patients with PSC.

Methods

Fifty‐three patients with PSC (mean age 44, 28 males and 25 females) who underwent serial MRI liver studies at least one year apart were identified. The first and the last MRI studies were selected for the retrospective analysis. Three radiologists reviewed and compared both studies for changes in hepatic morphology, specifically atrophy and/or hypertrophy. The imaging findings were correlated with adverse clinical outcomes defined as death or liver transplantation and with serum bilirubin.

Results

There was a mean interval of 60 months between MRI examinations and a mean clinical follow‐up period thereafter of 22 months. Thirty‐three (62.3%) patients had stable hepatic morphology, whilst 20 (37.7%) patients showed hepatic morphology changes (atrophy: 13 patients, 24%; hypertrophy: 16 patients, 30%). Eleven patients (21%) died or underwent liver transplantation. There was a significant correlation between interval hepatic atrophy and adverse clinical outcomes (P = 0.001). Significant correlations were found between increasing serum bilirubin level and interval hepatic atrophy, hepatic hypertrophy and combined changes (P = 0.025, P = 0.022, P = 0.027, respectively).

Conclusion

Hepatic morphology changes over time in patients with PSC are heterogeneous with some patients developing atrophy and/or hypertrophy whilst other patients remain stable. In this retrospective study, progressive hepatic atrophy showed significant association with adverse clinical outcome defined by either death or liver transplantation.
Specificity and sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging findings in the diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy
Authors: Bacchi Stephen , Chim Ivana , Patel Sandy
Published: April 2017

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative condition that can only be diagnosed conclusively on pathological examination. Currently, the diagnosis is based upon the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Society for PSP criteria. These criteria consist of purely clinical findings. Elements of brain MRI that are being investigated for this role include identifying structural features on conventional MRI, volume changes, signal abnormalities and diffusion changes. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic search to identify which MRI findings have evidence to support their sensitivity/specificity/accuracy in the diagnosis of PSP. A search was conducted of Pubmed and Medline on July 5th–6th 2016 using the medical subject headings progressive supranuclear palsy and MRI. Seventy articles were identified which assessed the sensitivity/specificity/accuracy of MRI signs for the diagnosis of PSP. There were 13 studies that identified MRI features that had ≥95% sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of PSP. Four of these studies identified the magnetic resonance parkinsonism index as highly sensitive and specific. There were only four studies which assessed how effective given MRI features are at predicting the pathological diagnosis of PSP. Several markers, such as the magnetic resonance parkinsonism index, have been demonstrated to be both specific and sensitive for PSP. However, many studies assessing these markers have common weaknesses including small sample size and lacking autopsy correlation.
A new modality for the estimation of corrected flow time via electrocardiography as an alternative to Doppler ultrasonography
Authors: Hossein‐Nejad Hooman , Mohammadinejad Payam , Zeinoddini Atefeh , Seyedhosseini Davarani Seyedhossein , Banaie Mohsen
Published: April 2017

Background

Evaluation of corrected flow time (FTc) via ultrasonography is one of the suggested modalities for the assessment of intravascular volume status. This study aimed to compare the results of FTc of carotid artery measured via ultrasonography, as a measure of mechanical outcome of the cardiac cycle, with the results of FTc estimation from a new modified formula via electrocardiography (ECG), as a measure of electrical function of the cardiac cycle.

Methods

Healthy volunteers were evaluated before and after a passive leg raising (PLR) maneuver. FTc was measured concurrently before and after PLR via a modified method from ECG and via ultrasonography of the carotid artery.

Results

A total number of 98 healthy volunteers (51 women and 47 men) with a mean age of 30.69 ± 6.28 years were included. There was a significant correlation between FTc measured by ultrasonography and estimated by ECG both before PLR and after PLR (r = .878, p < .0001 and r = .797, p < .0001, respectively). Changes in FTc were slightly higher in measurements by ultrasonography compared to estimations by ECG (22.33 ± 17.15 ms0.5 vs. 15.86 ± 14.25 ms0.5, p = .001).

Conclusion

Estimation of FTc via ECG is potentially an effective and feasible method for the assessment of volume status at the clinical settings. Further investigations should determine the significance of differences that may be observed between ultrasonography and ECG in patients with either dehydration or volume overload and in the need of real‐time volume status assessment.
Effects of nitrogen fertilizer and harvesting stage on photosynthetic pigments and phytol contents of Italian ryegrass silage
Authors: Lv Renlong , EL‐Sabagh Mabrouk , Obitsu Taketo , Sugino Toshihisa , Kurokawa Yuzo , Kawamura Kensuke
Published: April 2017

This study aimed to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizer application and harvesting stage on the contents of chlorophyll, phytol and carotenoids (β‐carotene and lutein) in Italian ryegrass herbage before and after ensiling, and the extent of phytol preservation after ensiling. Three rates of N fertilizer (0, 60 and 120 kg N/ha) were applied by top‐dressing as an additional fertilizer. The herbage harvested at booting stage (27 weeks of age) or heading stage (29 weeks of age) were wilted for 1 day, then ensiled for 60 days using a small‐scale pouch system. In the pre‐ensiled herbages, increasing N fertilizer application increased the contents of crude protein and photosynthetic pigments, and these contents were also higher at the booting stage compared with the heading stage. In the silage, increasing N fertilizer application also increased the contents of crude protein, the photosynthetic pigments and their derivatives (pheophytin and pheophorbide), while harvesting stage did not affect the contents of β‐carotene, chlorophylls or pheophorbide. Nitrogen fertilizer application and early harvesting of herbage increased lutein and phytol contents in Italian ryegrass silage. Lutein and phytol in Italian ryegrass herbage are indicated to be well preserved during ensiling.
Lateral line scale types and review of their taxonomic distribution
Authors: Voronina Elena P. , Hughes Dianne R.
Published: April 2017

The trunk canal of fishes is contained within a series of lateral line (LL) scales. To categorise LL scale structural types, and determine their distribution, an analysis of original data was undertaken using light and scanning electron microscopy in combination with a literature survey from over 1,000 species representative of most orders of bony fishes. Our categorisation of LL scales is based on the relationship between the tube, or ossified trunk canal segment, and associated scale. Tubular‐Scalar LL scales consist of a distinguishable tube and elasmoid scale in scale pockets. Four types occur only in species with elasmoid scales. Integrated LL scales do not develop in scale pockets, and their tube is enclosed or extended by a non‐elasmoid scale or spines. Integrated 1 and 2 LL scales co‐occur with ganoid and calcidermoid scales, and Integrated 3 LL scales occur when common scales are absent or elasmoid. Tubular LL scales are tubes only, occurring mainly in scaleless species or with calcidermoid and elasmoid scales. Non‐Tubular LL scales are composed only of a scale, co‐occurring mainly with cycloid scales. There is consistency of LL scale type in many orders, families and genera and the presence of different types within taxa can be meaningful.
Tenapanor administration and the activity of the H+‐coupled transporter PepT1 in healthy volunteers
Authors: Johansson Susanne , Rosenbaum David P. , Palm Johan , Stefansson Bergur , Knutsson Mikael , Lisbon Eleanor A. , Hilgendorf Constanze
Published: April 2017

Aim

Tenapanor (RDX5791/AZD1722), an inhibitor of gastrointestinal Na+/H+ exchanger NHE3, is being evaluated for the treatment of patients with constipation‐predominant irritable bowel syndrome and the treatment of hyperphosphataemia in patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis. By reducing intestinal H+ secretion, inhibition of NHE3 by tenapanor could indirectly affect H+‐coupled transporter activity, leading to drug–drug interactions. We investigated the effect of tenapanor on the activity of the H+‐coupled peptide transporter PepT1 via assessment of the pharmacokinetics of cefadroxil – a compound transported by PepT1 – in healthy volunteers.

Methods

In this open‐label, two‐period crossover, phase 1 study (NCT02140281), 28 volunteers received in random order: a single dose of cefadroxil 500 mg for 1 day; and tenapanor 15 mg twice daily over 4 days followed by single doses of both cefadroxil 500 mg and tenapanor 15 mg on day 5. There was a 4‐day washout between treatment periods.

Results

Cefadroxil exposure was similar when administered alone or in combination with tenapanor {geometric least‐squares mean ratios [(cefadroxil + tenapanor)/cefadroxil] (90% confidence interval): area under the concentration–time curve 93.3 (90.6–96.0)%; maximum concentration in plasma 95.9 (89.8–103)%}. Tenapanor treatment caused a softening of stool consistency and an increase in stool frequency, consistent with its expected pharmacodynamic effect. No safety concerns were identified and tenapanor was not detected in plasma.

Conclusions

These results suggest that tenapanor 15 mg twice daily does not have a clinically relevant impact on the activity of the H+‐coupled transporter PepT1 in humans. This may guide future research on drug–drug interactions involving NHE3 inhibitors.
Perinatal outcomes among young Indigenous Australian mothers: A cross‐sectional study and comparison with adult Indigenous mothers
Authors: Steenkamp Malinda , Boyle Jacqueline , Kildea Sue , Moore Vivienne , Davies Michael , Rumbold Alice
Published: April 2017

Background

The teenage pregnancy rate is high among Indigenous Australian women, yet little is known about their pregnancy outcomes. Moreover, against a background of extreme social disadvantage, the relative importance of age as a risk factor for adverse outcomes among Indigenous pregnancies is unclear. We compared perinatal outcomes for Indigenous teenagers (<20 years) with adult Indigenous women (20‐34 years), and described outcomes in subgroups of teenagers.

Methods

Data were analyzed for 2421 singleton births to Indigenous women aged <35 years in Australia's Northern Territory from 2003 to 2005. Regression was used to assess the effect of young maternal age on normal birth, healthy baby, preterm birth, low birthweight, special care admission, and mean birthweight, adjusting for covariates.

Results

Three‐quarters of teenagers and 62% of adult mothers lived in remote areas. Smoking rates were around 50% in both groups. Teenagers were more likely to have a normal birth than adults (adjusted odds ratio 1.78 [95% CI 1.35‐2.34]). The groups did not differ for healthy baby, preterm birth, or low birthweight. Babies of teenagers weighed 135 g less than those of adults; however, adjustment for covariates eliminated this difference. Examination of teenage subgroups (≤16 years and 17‐19 years) revealed risk behaviors being higher for 17‐19 years olds than for the younger group, and more prevalent among urban‐based mothers.

Discussion

Young maternal age is not a risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes among Indigenous women. Rather, they are having babies in disadvantaged circumstances within a system challenged to support them socially and clinically.