bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Primary repair of duodenal injuries: a retrospective cohort study from a major trauma centre in South Africa
Authors: Weale R. D. , Kong V. Y. , Bekker W. , Bruce J. L. , Oosthuizen G. V. , Laing G. L. , Clarke D. L.
Published: January 2019

Background and Aims:

The management of duodenal trauma remains controversial. This retrospective audit of a prospectively maintained database was intended to clarify the operative management of duodenal injury at our institution and to assess the risk factors for leak following primary duodenal repair.

Materials and Methods:

This was a retrospective study undertaken at the Pietermaritzburg Metropolitan Trauma Service, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Operative techniques used for duodenal repair were recorded. Our primary outcome was duodenal leak in the postoperative period. Patients from January 2012 to December 2016 were included. All duodenal injuries were graded according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) grading. Only patients who had a primary repair were included in the final analysis.

Results:

During the five-year data collection period, a total of 562 patients underwent a trauma laparotomy; of which 94 patients sustained a duodenal injury. A primary pyloric exclusion and gastro-jejunostomy (PEG) was performed in three patients. These three were then excluded from further analysis. Of the 91 primary duodenal repairs, seven (8%) subsequently leaked. These were managed by PEG in three and by secondary repair and para-duodenal drainage in four. The two physiological parameters most associated with subsequent leak were lactate and pH level. There was a significantly higher mortality rate for those who leaked vs those who did not leak. Chi-squared test revealed a significant difference in the leak rate between AAST I (0%), AAST-II (1.6%) and AAST-3 (66.7%) grade injuries (p <0.01).

Conclusion:

The trend towards primary repair of duodenal injuries appears to be justified. However duodenal leak remains a significant risk in certain high risk patients and strategies to manage injuries in this subset requires further work.
Optimization of sensor placement for structural health monitoring: a review
Authors: Ostachowicz Wieslaw , Soman Rohan , Malinowski Pawel
Published: January 2019

The deployment cost of the structural health monitoring (SHM) system is the major argument against the more widespread use of the structural health monitoring techniques. Optimization of sensor placement offers an opportunity to reduce the cost of the SHM system without compromising on the quality of the monitoring approach. Several studies in the area of optimization of sensor placement for SHM applications have been undertaken but the approach has been rather application specific. This article is an attempt to present an unbiased state of the art of the work carried out in the area. The article is targeted towards researchers working in the field of structural health monitoring and optimization of sensor placement as well as practising engineers. This article reviews the work in the area of optimization of sensor placement. It first presents the definition of the optimization problem and then describes each step of the optimization. The current state of the art is then classified based on the techniques for which the optimization of sensor placement has been optimized. The article covers vibration-based monitoring, strain monitoring and elastic wave-based monitoring, as in the eyes of the authors these three techniques are most commonly used and accepted in the SHM community. The article later discusses the different optimization algorithms that have been applied in the literature. The article highlights the different pitfalls of the optimization algorithms and the countermeasures different researchers have proposed to overcome the known shortcomings. In the later section, the multi-objective optimization or the problem definition, keeping in mind the structural as well as executional demands, is discussed. A section has also been developed to showcase the use of optimization of sensor placement techniques’ data fusion–based systems.
Effects of Academic Momentum on Degree Attainment for Students Beginning College at 2-Year Institutions
Authors: Ann Clovis Meghan , Chang Mido
Published: January 2019

Research has shown that academic momentum is a key factor in degree completion for students attending 4-year institutions. The characteristics of 2-year students (also called community college students) often lead them to engage in behaviors contrary to the theory of academic momentum, and these behaviors theoretically reduce their likelihood of attaining a degree. Community college students often delay entry into college, attend part time, earn fewer credits within their first year, and have lower freshman grade point averages. This study investigated the effects of academic momentum on degree attainment for students who attended only a 2-year college and for students who transferred to a 4-year college. Data were obtained from a large, nationally representative longitudinal data set. The academic momentum predictor variables (credits earned and grade point average within the first year of college, and the number of months between exiting high school and entering college) were significant predictors for both 2-year and transfer students.
Integrative Oncology: International Perspectives
Authors: Grant Suzanne J. , Hunter Jennifer , Seely Dugald , Balneaves Lynda G. , Rossi Elio , Bao Ting
Published: January 2019

Interest in integrative oncology (IO) is growing globally. Patients with cancer are actively using traditional complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM) as part of their cancer and survivorship care. Published studies from around the world report increasing use of TCIM by people living with cancer. This article summarizes the presentations that took place during a symposium titled, “Integrative Oncology: International Perspectives” at the International Research Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health in Baltimore, 2018. The purpose of the presentations was to examine whether cancer services across a variety of geographical regions, including Australia, Canada, the United States, and the European Union, were actively responding to cancer survivors’ demand for TCIM. The presenters highlighted utilization rates and both facilitators and barriers to the provision of IO services in their respective countries and regions. The audience discussion following the presentations drew out many noteworthy perspectives.
Immunotherapy of Cancer: Developments and Reference Points, an Unorthodox Approach
Authors: Nikolaou Michail , Nikolaou Georgios , Digklia Antonia , Pontas Christos , Tsoukalas Nikolaos , Kyrgias George , Tolia Maria
Published: January 2019

Oncology is currently a sector of medical science with accelerated progress due to rapid technological development, the advancement in molecular biology, and the invention of many innovative therapies. Immunotherapy partially accounts for this advance, since it is increasingly playing an important role in the treatment of cancer patients, bringing on a sense of hope and optimism through a series of clinical studies and cases with spectacular results. Immunotherapy, after the initial successes it experienced in the early 20th century, was forgotten after chemotherapy and radiotherapy prevailed and developed slowly in the background. Today, it is the new hope for cancer treatment, despite the unorthodox path it has followed. In this article, we study the course and key points of the discovery of immune-oncology from the oncologist’s point of view. We also record the questions that have been posed about immunotherapy that sometimes lead to confusion or stalemate.
A fractional Fourier transform–based channel estimation algorithm in single-carrier direct sequence code division multiple access underwater acoustic communication system
Authors: Zhou Lin , Zhao Qingsheng , Chi Shukai , Li Yanlong , Liu Lanjun , Yu Qianxiang
Published: January 2019

Due to the complexity and variability of the underwater acoustic channel, the communication signal is affected by multi-path, time delay, and Doppler frequency shift. Based on the advantageous characteristics of fractional Fourier transform on chirp signal processing, a fractional Fourier transform–based algorithm using combined linear frequency–modulated signal is proposed, which can estimate parameters of underwater acoustic channel and has a better performance than the existing methods. To distinguish multi-user in underwater acoustic communication system, a single-carrier direct sequence code division multiple access communication system combined with the fractional Fourier transform–based algorithm is proposed. Thus, a preliminary study on underwater multi-target identification is carried out. The simulation and experimental results show that the fractional Fourier transform–based algorithm is simple and effective, and the energy can be focused at the “best” fractional order, which can directly determine the multi-path number and complete the channel estimation. The proposed single-carrier direct sequence code division multiple access communication system has good performance on bit error rate when we use corresponding spreading code to distinguish multi-user.
Sleep Mediates the Relationship Between Depression and Cognitive Impairment in Older Men
Authors: Wu Chia-Rung , Chen Pin-Yuan , Hsieh Shu-Hua , Huang Hui-Chuan , Chen Yu-Ting , Chen Ting-Jhen , Chiu Hsiao-Yean
Published: January 2019

Sleep and depression are strongly associated with cognitive impairment. The role of sleep disturbances in the adverse effect of depression on cognitive dysfunction in older adults remains unclear. This study explored the mediating effect of self-reported sleep disturbances on the relationship between depression and cognitive impairment in older adults according to sex differences. This study derived data from the 2009 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey and included 2,175 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older (men = 991; women = 1,184). Sleep disturbances were measured using self-reported survey questions. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale was used to assess depression. The Mini-Mental State Examination was used to evaluate cognitive impairment. A higher proportion of female older persons had cognitive impairment and depression than male older persons (cognition: 24.4% vs. 11.5%; depression: 17.0% vs. 10.8%). The meditating effect of sleep was detected in only men. Difficulty in initiating sleep was a complete mediator of the adverse effect of depression on cognitive impairment (Sobel test: p = .03). In summary, difficultly in initiating sleep may be a crucial, treatable mediator of the adverse effect of depression on cognitive impairment in older men.
An IPv6-based framework for fog-assisted healthcare monitoring
Authors: Hu Jianqiang , Wu Keshou , Liang Wei
Published: January 2019

The new generation healthcare monitoring system combines technologies of wireless body sensor network, cloud computing, and Bigdata, and there are still limitations in protocol security, response delay, and prediction of potential severity disease. In response to the above situation, an Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6)-based framework for fog-assisted healthcare monitoring is proposed. This framework is composite of body-sensing layer, fog layer, and cloud layer. The body-sensing layer generates physiological data, and fog computing node in fog layer collects and analyses time-sensitive data. Fog layer sends physiological data to cloud computing node in cloud layer for further processing. Mobile intelligent device connects fog computing node and helps individuals to predict the potential disease with its level of severity. The proposed framework uses advanced techniques such as IPv6-based network architecture, cloud–fog resource scheduling algorithm based on time threshold, and classification model of chronic diseases based on cascaded deep learning and so on. In order to determine the validity of the framework, health data were systematically generated from 45 patients for 30 days. Results depict that the proposed classification model of chronic diseases has high accuracy in determining the level of severity of potential disease. Moreover, response delay is much lower than Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4)-based cloud-assisted environment.
Look-ahead gear-shifting strategy on ramps for heavy trucks with automated mechanical transmission
Authors: Cong Xiao-yan , Zhang Yong-gang , Wang Chun-peng , Zhu Hong-xuan , Wang Zeng-cai
Published: January 2019

Look-ahead information has been applied to vehicle shift systems and has led to the development of innovative changes in shifting strategies. A shifting strategy significantly influences the dynamic and economic performance of a truck. If a shift control system can predict the information of the road ahead, then the dynamic programming method can be used to obtain an optimal shift schedule, thereby achieving the best balance between the dynamic and the economic performance of a truck. Determining the weights of the economic and dynamic performance of a truck is critical in dynamic programming. Weight is related to road slope value; hence, this study uses different weights on 3%, 5%, and 10% ramp simulation experiments to investigate the relationship between fuel consumption and running time and to determine the optimum weight for different slopes. On the basis of the optimal shift schedule obtained via dynamic programming, the ramp information of the road ahead can be utilized to adjust the shift point to avoid unnecessary shifting before entering the slope and reduce shift times on a ramp. An actual truck test shows that the anthropomorphic shifting strategy proposed in this study meets driver expectations and is conducive to the ramp driving of trucks with automated manual transmission.
Hierarchical dynamic depth projected difference images–based action recognition in videos with convolutional neural networks
Authors: Wu Hanbo , Ma Xin , Li Yibin
Published: January 2019

Temporal information plays a significant role in video-based human action recognition. How to effectively extract the spatial–temporal characteristics of actions in videos has always been a challenging problem. Most existing methods acquire spatial and temporal cues in videos individually. In this article, we propose a new effective representation for depth video sequences, called hierarchical dynamic depth projected difference images that can aggregate the action spatial and temporal information simultaneously at different temporal scales. We firstly project depth video sequences onto three orthogonal Cartesian views to capture the 3D shape and motion information of human actions. Hierarchical dynamic depth projected difference images are constructed with the rank pooling in each projected view to hierarchically encode the spatial–temporal motion dynamics in depth videos. Convolutional neural networks can automatically learn discriminative features from images and have been extended to video classification because of their superior performance. To verify the effectiveness of hierarchical dynamic depth projected difference images representation, we construct a hierarchical dynamic depth projected difference images–based action recognition framework where hierarchical dynamic depth projected difference images in three views are fed into three identical pretrained convolutional neural networks independently for finely retuning. We design three classification schemes in the framework and different schemes utilize different convolutional neural network layers to compare their effects on action recognition. Three views are combined to describe the actions more comprehensively in each classification scheme. The proposed framework is evaluated on three challenging public human action data sets. Experiments indicate that our method has better performance and can provide discriminative spatial–temporal information for human action recognition in depth videos.
Intellectual disability and independent living: Professionals’ views via a Delphi study
Authors: Fullana Judit , Pallisera Maria , Vilà Montserrat , Valls Maria Josep , Díaz-Garolera Gemma
Published: January 2019

Background:

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) states that people have the right to decide where to live and with whom. Professionals play a key role in supporting processes for independent living (IL). This research aimed to identify which ideas generated more or less consensus among professionals regarding the role of different agents involved in the processes of IL in Spain.

Method:

The Delphi method was applied to an expert panel of 25 professionals.

Results:

A high consensus was reached regarding the role that people with intellectual disabilities, their families and their natural support networks play in supporting IL processes, but there was less consensus on the role played by organizations and professionals.

Conclusions:

The study highlights the need to promote practices that favour the decision-making capacity of individuals to move towards models of support based on community and the human rights model.
Knowledge and attitudes towards concussion in UK-based male ice hockey players: A need for attitude change?
Authors: Hutchinson Sarah , Ellison Paul , Levy Andrew , Marchant David
Published: January 2019

Objective

Concussion is a common injury in ice hockey, and previous research suggests some misconceptions and unsafe attitudes amongst players. The purpose of this study was to assess sport concussion knowledge, attitudes and the effect of sport concussion history in UK-based male ice hockey players across three levels of competition: professional, semi-professional and amateur.

Methods

Sixty-one participants across a number of UK ice hockey teams completed the Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes Survey and reviewed a series of statements to assess knowledge (concussion knowledge index), attitudes (concussion attitude index) and misconceptions of concussion.

Results

Level of competition and concussion history had no significant effect on concussion knowledge index or concussion attitude index. A positive significant relationship exists between playing experience and concussion knowledge index and concussion attitude index. Statements identified common misconceptions and areas of accurate knowledge regarding concussion symptoms suggesting that male ice hockey players have a higher level knowledge compared to a sample of the UK general public. Playing experience was associated with increased knowledge and increasingly safe attitudes towards concussion.

Conclusion

Despite knowledge relating to loss of consciousness and correct management of symptoms being generally accurate, there are worryingly unsafe attitudes regarding aspects of concussion. Such attitudes may well pose significant threats to players’ safety and long-term health.
A review of avelumab in locally advanced and metastatic bladder cancer
Authors: Rao Arpit , Patel Manish R.
Published: January 2019

Urothelial carcinoma remains a devastating disease with a poor prognosis. Though immune therapy with Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) has been used for localized bladder cancer for years, only immune-checkpoint blockade with antiprogrammed cell-death 1 (anti-PD-1) and antiprogrammed cell-death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) inhibitors have demonstrated improvement in survival of patients with metastatic disease. Anti-PD-L1 antibody, avelumab, was recently given United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accelerated approval for the treatment of recurrent/metastatic urothelial carcinoma after failure of first-line chemotherapy, marking the fifth immune checkpoint inhibitor to be given FDA approval for the treatment of metastatic urothelial cancer. The following manuscript will review avelumab, its pharmacology, and the clinical experience that has led to its approval, as well as future plans for clinical development of avelumab for the treatment or urothelial cancer.
The use of a durable right ventricular assist device for isolated right ventricular failure due to combined pre‐ and postcapillary pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Vullaganti Sirish , Tibrewala Anjan , Rich Jonathan D. , Pham Duc T. , Rich Stuart
Published: January 2019

Patients with isolated right ventricular (RV) failure have poor outcomes and minimal treatment options. We report a case where a durable RV assist device (RVAD) was implanted for end‐stage RV failure from combined pre‐ and postcapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) due in part to chronic thromboembolic PH using a temporary percutaneous RVAD as a bridging strategy. While the patient ultimately died from non‐cardiovascular causes, there was significant improvement in markers of cardiogenic shock and hemodynamic RV function parameters without adverse effects from increased pulmonary artery pressures. More research is needed to identify an appropriate long‐term mechanical support strategy for this patient population.
Predictive value of in-hospital white blood cell count in Chinese patients with triple-vessel coronary disease
Authors: Zhao Xueyan , Jiang Lin , Xu Lianjun , Tian Jian , Xu Yujun , Zhao Yanyan , Feng Xinxing , Wu Yajie , Zhang Yin , Wang Dong , Sun Kai , Xu Jingjing , Liu Ru , Xu Bo , Zhao Wei , Hui Rutai , Gao Runlin , Song Lei , Yuan Jinqing
Published: January 2019

Aims

The predictive value of white blood cells in triple-vessel coronary artery disease (TVD) remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationship between WBC counts and long-term prognosis of TVD.

Methods

A total of 8943 consecutive patients with triple-vessel coronary artery disease were enrolled from April 2004 to February 2011. The primary endpoint was all-cause death and the secondary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs; a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction or stroke).

Results

After a median of 7.5 years of follow-up, 7678 patients were included in the final analysis. Multivariable analysis showed that the white blood cell count was an independent predictor of death (hazard ratio: 1.04, p < 0.01) and MACCE (hazard ratio: 1.03, p = 0.02). In white blood cell differential analysis, increased monocytes (hazard ratio: 1.93, p = 0.001) and eosinophils (hazard ratio: 1.82, p < 0.01), and decreased lymphocytes (hazard ratio: 0.89, p = 0.02) were independent predictors of death. Increased monocytes (hazard ratio: 1.62, P = 0.002) and eosinophils (hazard ratio: 1.55, p < 0.01) were independent predictors of MACCE. A combination of monocyte, lymphocyte and eosinophil counts with the Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) score improved the predictive value for mortality (area under the curve from 0.569 to 0.611; integrated discrimination improvement = 0.012; net reclassification improvement = 0.299) and improved slightly with SYNTAX score II (all p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Total and differential white blood cell counts are independent prognostic factors of long-term mortality and MACCE in triple-vessel coronary artery disease. A combination of monocyte, lymphocyte and eosinophil counts improved the predictive value for mortality with the SYNTAX score, and improved it slightly with SYNTAX score II.
First presentation of Sneddon-Wilkinson disease with unexpected immunoglobulin A gammopathy: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Mayba Julia N , Hawkins C Nicole
Published: January 2019

We present a case of Sneddon-Wilkinson disease in a 52-year-old female at her first presentation to dermatology. Outlined in the case are various investigations undertaken at this initial presentation, including rheumatologic and hematologic malignancy markers, which identified immunoglobulin A gammopathy. The systemic and topical therapies used to treat the patient’s condition are described, as well as her response to these treatments. In this discussion, we explain the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical presentation of Sneddon-Wilkinson disease. Various medical conditions having known association with Sneddon-Wilkinson disease are discussed, including immunoglobulin A or immunoglobulin G monoclonal gammopathies and lymphoproliferative disorders. A comprehensive differential diagnosis for Sneddon-Wilkinson disease is provided, including immunoglobulin A pemphigus, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis and pustular psoriasis, among others. We describe the systemic and topical therapy options for the treatment of Sneddon-Wilkinson disease, of which first line treatment is systemic dapsone. This patient serves as an excellent case of Sneddon-Wilkinson disease with unexpected immunoglobulin A gammopathy.
The incidence of biphalangeal fifth toe: Comparison of normal population and patients with foot deformity
Authors: Ucpunar Hanifi , Camurcu Yalkın , Ozcan Cagri , Buyuk Abdul Fettah , Tas Suleyman Kasim , Cobden Adem
Published: January 2019

Background:

Pedal biphalangism, which was also defined as symphalangism, is seen at a frequency that cannot be ignored; however, no study can be found in the literature evaluating biphalangism in normal population in comparison to those who have foot disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of the pedal fifth toe symphalangism in normal population and in patients with foot deformity including hallux valgus, pes planus, pes cavus, and pes equinovarus. We hypothesized that pedal fifth toe symphalangism may be a predisposing factor or an accompanying structural variation for foot deformity.

Materials:

Patients admitted to the emergency department of our center in October and November 2016 were defined as the control group, and patients with the diagnosis of hallux valgus, pes planus, pes cavus, and pes equinovarus treated between 2011 and 2016 in our department were defined as the foot deformity group. Individuals who had anteroposterior, oblique, and lateral radiographs of foot were included in the study.

Results:

One thousand and four patients participated in the cross-sectional observational study. Biphalangeal fifth toe was found in 328 of 1004 (32.7%) patients. In foot deformity group ( n = 672), 222 patients (33%) had biphalangeal fifth toe. In the control group, 106 (31.9%) of the 332 patients had biphalangeal fifth toe. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of biphalangeal fifth toe between the two groups ( p = 0.72).

Conclusions:

According to the results of this study, biphalangeal fifth toe is a common pedal anatomical variant seen approximately in one-third of the population who have either foot deformity or not. This information may be valuable for podiatrist undertaking the conservative or surgical treatment of fifth toe-related disorders.
Phylogenetic and functional analysis of ADAMTS13 identifies highly conserved domains essential for allosteric regulation
Authors: Muia Joshua , Zhu Jian , Greco Suellen C. , Vanhoorelbeke Karen , Gupta Garima , Westfield Lisa A. , Sadler J. Evan
Published: January 2019

The metalloprotease ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 repeats member 13) prevents microvascular thrombosis by cleaving von Willebrand factor (VWF) within platelet-rich thrombi, and cleavage depends on allosteric activation of ADAMTS13 by the substrate VWF. Human ADAMTS13 has a short propeptide, metalloprotease (M), disintegrin-like (D), thrombospondin-1 (T), Cys-rich (C), and spacer (S) domains (proximal domains), followed by 7 T and 2 CUB (complement components C1r and C1s, sea urchin protein Uegf, and bone morphogenetic protein-1) domains (distal domains). Distal domains inhibit the catalytic proximal domains; binding of distal T8-CUB domains to the VWF D4 domain relieves autoinhibition and promotes cleavage of the nearby VWF A2 domain. However, the role of specific ADAMTS13 distal domains in this allosteric mechanism is not established. Assays of plasma ADAMTS13 from 20 placental mammals, birds, and amphibians show that allosteric regulation is broadly conserved, and phylogenetic analysis of 264 vertebrates shows the long propeptide, T3, T4, T6, and T6a domains have been deleted several times in placental mammals, birds, and fish. Notably, pigeon ADAMTS13 has only 3 distal T domains but was activated normally by human VWF D4 and cleaved VWF multimers, preferentially under fluid shear stress. Human ADAMTS13 constructed to resemble pigeon ADAMTS13 retained normal allosteric regulation and shear-dependent cleavage of VWF. Thus, the T3-T6 domains of human ADAMTS13 are dispensable. Conversely, deletion of T7 or T8 abolished allosteric activation. For most species, some sequence changes in the VWF substrate can markedly increase the rate of cleavage, suggesting that ADAMTS13 and VWF have not evolved to be optimal enzyme-substrate pairs. These properties may reflect evolutionary pressure to balance the risk for VWF-dependent bleeding and thrombosis.
Maternal high fat diet compromises survival and modulates lung development of offspring, and impairs lung function of dams (female mice)
Authors: Smoothy Jordan , Larcombe Alexander N. , Chivers Emily K. , Matthews Vance B. , Gorman Shelley
Published: January 2019

Background

Epidemiological studies have identified strong relationships between maternal obesity and offspring respiratory dysfunction; however, the causal direction is not known. We tested whether maternal obesity alters respiratory function of offspring in early life.

Methods

Female C57Bl/6 J mice were fed a high or low fat diet prior to and during two rounds of mating and resulting pregnancies with offspring lung function assessed at 2 weeks of age. The lung function of dams was measured at 33 weeks of age.

Results

A high fat diet caused significant weight gain prior to conception with dams exhibiting elevated fasting glucose, and glucose intolerance. The number of surviving litters was significantly less for dams fed a high fat diet, and surviving offspring weighed more, were longer and had larger lung volumes than those born to dams fed a low fat diet. The larger lung volumes significantly correlated in a linear fashion with body length. Pups born from the second pregnancy had reduced tissue elastance compared to pups born from the first pregnancy, regardless of the dam’s diet. As there was reduced offspring survival born to dams fed a high fat diet, the statistical power of lung function measures of offspring was limited. There were signs of increased inflammation in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of dams (but not offspring) fed a high fat diet, with more tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin(IL)-5, IL-33 and leptin detected. Dams that were fed a high fat diet and became pregnant twice had reduced fasting glucose immediately prior to the second mating, and lower levels of IL-33 and leptin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Conclusions

While maternal high fat diet compromised litter survival, it also promoted somatic and lung growth (increased lung volume) in the offspring. Further studies are required to examine downstream effects of this enhanced lung volume on respiratory function in disease settings.
Study of Human T21 Placenta Suggests a Potential Role of Mesenchymal Spondin-2 in Placental Vascular Development
Authors: Gerbaud Pascale , Murthi Padma , Guibourdenche Jean , Guimiot Fabien , Sarazin Benoît , Evain-Brion Danièle , Badet Josette , Pidoux Guillaume
Published: January 2019

Placental development is particularly altered in trisomy of chromosome 21 (T21)–affected pregnancies. We previously described in T21-affected placentae an abnormal paracrine crosstalk between the villus mesenchymal core and villus trophoblasts. T21-affected placentae are known to be characterized by their hypovascularity. However, the causes of this anomaly remain not fully elucidated. Therefore, the hypothesis of an abnormal paracrine crosstalk between fetal mesenchymal core and placental endothelial cells (PLECs) was evocated. Villus mesenchymal cells from control (CMCs) and T21 placentae (T21MCs) were isolated and grown in culture to allow their characterization and collection of conditioned media for functional analyses (CMC-CM and T21MC-CM, respectively). Interestingly, PLEC proliferation and branching ability were less stimulated by T21MC-CM than by CMC-CM. Protein array analysis identified secreted proangiogenic growth factors in CMC-CM, which were reduced in T21MC-CM. Combined mass spectrometry and biochemical analysis identified spondin-2 as a factor decreased in T21MC-CM compared with CMC-CM. We found that exogenous spondin-2 stimulated PLEC proliferation and established that T21MC-CM supplemented with spondin-2 recovered conditioned media ability to induce PLEC proliferation and angiogenesis. Hence, this study demonstrates a crosstalk between villus mesenchymal and fetal endothelial cells, in which spondin-2 secreted from mesenchymal cells plays a central role in placental vascular functions. Furthermore, our results also suggest that a reduction in spondin-2 secretion may contribute to the pathogenesis of T21 placental hypovascularity.
Microtubule stabilizer reveals requirement of Ca2+-dependent conformational changes of microtubules for rapid coiling of haptonema in haptophyte algae
Authors: Nomura Mami , Atsuji Kohei , Hirose Keiko , Shiba Kogiku , Yanase Ryuji , Nakayama Takeshi , Ishida Ken-ichiro , Inaba Kazuo
Published: January 2019

A haptonema is an elongated microtubule-based motile organelle uniquely present in haptophytes. The most notable and rapid movement of a haptonema is “coiling”, which occurs within a few milliseconds following mechanical stimulation in an unknown motor-independent mechanism. Here, we analyzed the coiling process in detail by high-speed filming and showed that haptonema coiling was initiated by left-handed twisting of the haptonema, followed by writhing to form a helix from the distal tip. On recovery from a mechanical stimulus, the helix slowly uncoiled from the proximal region. Electron microscopy showed that the seven microtubules in a haptonema were arranged mostly in parallel but that one of the microtubules often wound around the others in the extended state. A microtubule stabilizer, paclitaxel, inhibited coiling and induced right-handed twisting of the haptonema in the absence of Ca2+, suggesting changes in the microtubule surface lattice. Addition of Ca2+ caused bend propagation toward the proximal region. These results indicate that switching microtubule conformation, possibly with the aid of Ca2+-binding microtubule-associated proteins is responsible for rapid haptonematal coiling.
Minimal in vitro systems shed light on cell polarity
Authors: Vendel Kim J. A. , Tschirpke Sophie , Shamsi Fayezeh , Dogterom Marileen , Laan Liedewij
Published: January 2019

Cell polarity – the morphological and functional differentiation of cellular compartments in a directional manner – is required for processes such as orientation of cell division, directed cellular growth and motility. How the interplay of components within the complexity of a cell leads to cell polarity is still heavily debated. In this Review, we focus on one specific aspect of cell polarity: the non-uniform accumulation of proteins on the cell membrane. In cells, this is achieved through reaction–diffusion and/or cytoskeleton-based mechanisms. In reaction–diffusion systems, components are transformed into each other by chemical reactions and are moving through space by diffusion. In cytoskeleton-based processes, cellular components (i.e. proteins) are actively transported by microtubules (MTs) and actin filaments to specific locations in the cell. We examine how minimal systems – in vitro reconstitutions of a particular cellular function with a minimal number of components – are designed, how they contribute to our understanding of cell polarity (i.e. protein accumulation), and how they complement in vivo investigations. We start by discussing the Min protein system from Escherichia coli, which represents a reaction–diffusion system with a well-established minimal system. This is followed by a discussion of MT-based directed transport for cell polarity markers as an example of a cytoskeleton-based mechanism. To conclude, we discuss, as an example, the interplay of reaction–diffusion and cytoskeleton-based mechanisms during polarity establishment in budding yeast.
Medical and Musculoskeletal Concerns for the Wheelchair Athlete: A Review of Preventative Strategies
Authors: Dutton Rebecca A.
Published: January 2019

Adaptive sports refers to organized sporting activities that are practiced by individuals with disabilities and are worthwhile to maintain physical and psychological health. As adaptive sports participation continues to rise, health care providers must have an enhanced understanding of injury and illness patterns specific to the adaptive athlete. Early recognition and prevention are important to ensure safe and successful participation in sport. The present review aims to provide a framework for diagnosis and prevention of common conditions specific to the wheelchair athlete. In particular, autonomic dysreflexia, impaired thermoregulation, urinary tract infection, and pressure injuries, as well as shoulder pain, upper-extremity entrapment neuropathies, and osteoporotic fractures will be discussed.
Blood Flow Restriction Only Increases Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis with Exercise
Authors: NYAKAYIRU JEAN , FUCHS CAS J. , TROMMELEN JORN , SMEETS JOEY S. J. , SENDEN JOAN M. , GIJSEN ANNEMIE P. , ZORENC ANTOINE H. , VAN LOON LUC J. C. , VERDIJK LEX B.
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Combining blood flow restriction (BFR) with exercise can stimulate skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Recent observations in an animal model suggest that BFR performed without exercise can also induce anabolic effects. We assessed the effect of BFR performed both with and without low-load resistance-type exercise (LLRE) onin vivomyofibrillar protein synthesis rates in young men.

Methods

Twenty healthy young men (age = 24 ± 1 yr, body mass index = 22.9 ± 0.6 kg·m−2) were randomly assigned to remain in resting condition (REST ± BFR;n= 10) or to perform LLRE (LLRE ± BFR at 20% one-repetition maximum;n= 10), combined with two 5-min cycles of single leg BFR. Myofibrillar protein synthesis rates were assessed during a 5-h post-BFR period by combining a primed continuous L-[ring-13C6]phenylalanine infusion with the collection of blood samples, and muscle biopsies from the BFR leg and the contralateral control leg. The phosphorylation status of anabolic signaling (mammalian target of rapamycin pathway) and metabolic stress (acetyl-CoA carboxylase)–related proteins, as well as the mRNA expression of genes associated with skeletal muscle mass regulation, was assessed in the collected muscle samples.

Results

Under resting conditions, no differences in anabolic signaling or myofibrillar protein synthesis rates were observed between REST + BFR and REST (0.044% ± 0.004% vs 0.043% ± 0.004% per hour, respectively;P= 0.683). By contrast, LLRE + BFR increased myofibrillar protein synthesis rates by 10% ± 5% compared with LLRE (0.048% ± 0.005% vs 0.043% ± 0.004% per hour, respectively;P= 0.042). Furthermore, compared with LLRE, LLRE + BFR showed higher phosphorylation status of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and 4E-BP1 as well as the elevated mRNA expression of MuRF1 (allP< 0.05).

Conclusion

BFR does not increase myofibrillar protein synthesis rates in healthy young men under resting conditions. When combined with LLRE, BFR increases postexercise myofibrillar protein synthesis ratesin vivoin humans.
Physical Activity and Sedentary Time: Association with Metabolic Health and Liver Fat
Authors: BOWDEN DAVIES KELLY A. , SPRUNG VICTORIA S. , NORMAN JULIETTE A. , THOMPSON ANDREW , MITCHELL KATIE L. , HARROLD JO A. , FINLAYSON GRAHAM , GIBBONS CATHERINE , WILDING JOHN P. H. , KEMP GRAHAM J. , HAMER MARK , CUTHBERTSON DANIEL J.
Published: January 2019

Introduction/Purpose

To investigate whether (a) lower levels of daily physical activity (PA) and greater sedentary time accounted for contrasting metabolic phenotypes (higher liver fat/presence of metabolic syndrome [METS+] vs lower liver fat/absence of metabolic syndrome [METS−]) in individuals of similar body mass index and (b) the association of sedentary time on metabolic health and liver fat.

Methods

Ninety-eight habitually active participants (53 female, 45 male; age, 39 ± 13 yr; body mass index 26.9 ± 5.1 kg·m−2), underwent assessments of PA (SenseWear armband; wear time ~98%), cardiorespiratory fitness (V˙O2 peak), body composition (magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy) and multiorgan insulin sensitivity (oral glucose tolerance test). We undertook a) cross-sectional analysis comparing four groups: nonobese or obese, with and without metabolic syndrome (METS+ vs METS−) and b) univariate and multivariate regression for sedentary time and other levels of PA in relation to liver fat.

Results

Light, moderate, and vigorous PA did not account for differences in metabolic health between individuals, whether nonobese or obese, although METS+ individuals were more sedentary, with a higher number, and prolonged bouts (~1–2 h). Overall, sedentary time, average daily METS and V˙O2 peak were each independently associated with liver fat percentage. Each additional hour of daily sedentary time was associated with a 1.15% (95% confidence interval, 1.14%–1.50%) higher liver fat content.

Conclusions

Greater sedentary time, independent of other levels of PA, is associated with being metabolically unhealthy; even in habitually active people, lesser sedentary time, and higher cardiorespiratory fitness and average daily METS is associated with lower liver fat.
Are Consumers Poorly Informed about Fuel Economy? Evidence from Two Experiments
Authors: Allcott Hunt , Knittel Christopher
Published: January 2019

It is often asserted that consumers are poorly informed about and inattentive to fuel economy, causing them to buy low-fuel economy vehicles despite their own best interest. This paper presents evidence on this assertion through two experiments providing fuel economy information to new vehicle shoppers. Results show zero statistical or economic effect on average fuel economy of vehicles purchased. In the context of a simple optimal policy model, the estimates suggest that current and proposed US fuel economy standards are significantly more stringent than needed to address the classes of imperfect information and inattention addressed by our interventions. (JEL C93, D12, D83, D91, L62, Q48)
The Long-Run Impacts of Financial Aid: Evidence from California’s Cal Grant
Authors: Bettinger Eric , Gurantz Oded , Kawano Laura , Sacerdote Bruce , Stevens Michael
Published: January 2019

We examine the long-term impacts of California’s state-based financial aid by tracking educational and labor force outcomes for up to 14 years after high school graduation. We identify program impacts by exploiting variation in eligibility rules using GPA and family income cutoffs that are ex ante unknown to applicants. Aid eligibility increases undergraduate and graduate degree completion, and for some subgroups, raises longer-run annual earnings and the likelihood that young adults reside in California. These findings suggest that the net cost of financial aid programs may frequently be overstated, though our results are too imprecise to provide exact cost-benefit estimates. (JEL H75, I21, I22, I23, I26, I28)
Recent advances in understanding the role of the basal ganglia
Authors: Simonyan Kristina
Published: January 2019

The basal ganglia are a complex subcortical structure that is principally involved in the selection and implementation of purposeful actions in response to external and internal cues. The basal ganglia set the pattern for facilitation of voluntary movements and simultaneous inhibition of competing or interfering movements. In addition, the basal ganglia are involved in the control of a wide variety of non-motor behaviors, spanning emotions, language, decision making, procedural learning, and working memory. This review presents a comparative overview of classic and contemporary models of basal ganglia organization and functional importance, including their increased integration with cortical and cerebellar structures.
Chicken feather hydrolysate as alternative peptone source for microbial cultivation
Authors: Akpor Oghenerobor B. , Odesola Damilola E. , Thomas Remilekun E. , Oluba Olarewaju M.
Published: January 2019

Background: Commercially available conventional growth medium for the culture of microbes are expensive, hence the need for alternative cheaper sources. Poultry waste, in the form of feather and blood, are of value in biotechnology because of their high protein content. Hence the primary aim of this study was to produce a cheaper peptone alternative from chicken feather protein hydrolysate (CFPH) and blood meal (BM).

Methods: We monitored the growth of selected bacteria and fungi in different concentrations of medium produced from varying combination of peptone, CFPH and BM in order to determine the combination that produced maximum growth. Five different media, namely 100% peptone (control), 100% BM, 40% peptone + 60% CFPH, 40% BM + 60% CFPH and 20% peptone + 20% BM + 60% CFPH were prepared and used for the study. The different media were inoculated with 1 ml of each test organism (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida carpophila, Candida tropicalis and Pichia kundriavzevii) and their growth monitored for 10 h.

Results: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus aureus grew best in the 100% peptone, Klebsiella pneumoniae grew best in 100 BM. The fungi species were observed to grow best in 100% peptone. The 60% CFPH + 40% peptone combination (CFPH obtained with precipitate of trichloroacetic acid (TCA), hydrochloric acid (HCl) and nitic acid (HNO3) gave the best growth of E. coli.  The 60% CFPH + 40% peptone combination (CFPH obtained with precipitate of TCA) also gave the best growth of C. tropicalis and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Conclusions: Overall, the 60% CFPH + 40% peptone combination showed the most potential as an alternative to peptone, especially for E. coli.
Recent advances in our understanding of the structure and function of more unusual cation channels
Authors: Brown Brandon M. , Nguyen Hai M. , Wulff Heike
Published: January 2019

As their name implies, cation channels allow the regulated flow of cations such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium across cellular and intracellular membranes. Cation channels have long been known for their fundamental roles in controlling membrane potential and excitability in neurons and muscle. In this review, we provide an update on the recent advances in our understanding of the structure–function relationship and the physiological and pathophysiological role of cation channels. The most exciting developments in the last two years, in our opinion, have been the insights that cryoelectron microscopy has provided into the inner life and the gating of not only voltage-gated channels but also mechanosensitive and calcium- or sodium-activated channels. The mechanosensitive Piezo channels especially have delighted the field not only with a fascinating new type of structure but with important roles in blood pressure regulation and lung function.