bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Noninvasive predictors of perioperative atrial arrhythmias in patients with tetralogy of Fallot undergoing pulmonary valve replacement
Authors: Cortez Daniel , Barham Waseem , Ruckdeschel Emily , Sharma Nandita , McCanta Anthony C. , von Alvensleben Johannes , Sauer William H. , Collins Kathryn K. , Kay Joseph , Patel Sonali , Nguyen Duy T.
Published: April 2017

Background

Patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) have increased risk of atrial arrhythmias.

Hypothesis

A measure of atrial dispersion, the P‐wave vector magnitude (Pvm), can identify patients at risk for perioperative atrial flutter (AFL) or intra‐atrial re‐entrant tachycardia (IART) in a large TOF cohort.

Methods

We performed a blinded, retrospective analysis of 158 TOF patients undergoing pulmonary valve replacement between 1997 and 2015. History of AFL/IART was documented using electrocardiogram, Holter monitor, exercise stress test, implanted cardiac device, and electrophysiology study. P‐R intervals, Pvm, QRS duration, and QRS vector magnitude were assessed from resting sinus‐rhythm 12‐lead electrocardiograms and identification of those with AFL/IART was determined.

Results

Fourteen patients (8.9%) were found to have AFL/IART. Pvm, QRS duration, and QRS vector magnitude significantly differentiated those with AFL/IART from those without on univariate analysis: 0.09 ± 0.04 vs 0.18 ± 0.07 mV, 161.3 ± 21.9 vs 137.7 ± 31.4 ms, and 1.2 (interquartile range, 1.0–1.2) vs 1.6 mV (1.0–2.3), respectively (P < 0.05 for each). The Pvm had the highest area under the ROC curve (0.88) and was the only significant predictor on multivariate analysis, with odds ratio of 0.02 (95% confidence interval: 0.01‐0.53). P‐R duration, MRI volumes, and right‐heart hemodynamics did not significantly differentiate those with vs those without AFL/IART.

Conclusions

In TOF patients undergoing pulmonary valve replacement, Pvm has significant value in predicting those with perioperative AFL/IART. These clinical features may help further evaluate TOF patients at risk for perioperative atrial arrhythmias. Prospective studies are warranted.
Spatial and temporal expression profiles of urocortin 3 mRNA in the brain of the chicken (Gallus gallus)
Authors: Grommen Sylvia V. H. , Scott Melissa K. , Darras Veerle M. , De Groef Bert
Published: April 2017

Urocortin 3 (UCN3) is a neuropeptide believed to regulate stress‐coping responses by binding to type 2 corticotropin‐releasing hormone receptors. Here, we report the cloning and brain distribution of UCN3 mRNA in a sauropsid—the chicken, Gallus gallus. Mature chicken UCN3 is predicted to be a 40‐amino acid peptide showing high sequence similarity to human (93%), mouse (93%), and Xenopus (88%) UCN3. During the last third of embryonic development, UCN3 mRNA levels changed differentially in the various brain parts. In all brain parts, UCN3 mRNA levels tended to increase toward hatching, except for caudal brainstem, where a gradual decrease was observed during the last week of embryonic development. In cerebellum, a rapid increase in gene expression occurred between embryonic days 17 and 19. Using in situ hybridization, UCN3 mRNA was found to be expressed predominantly in the hypothalamus, pons, and medulla of posthatch chick brains, but not in some areas that are among the main expression sites in rodents, such as the brain areas where in mammals the median preoptic nucleus and the medial amygdala are located. This suggests that the roles of UCN3 in chicken, and perhaps sauropsids in general, are not all identical to those in rodents.
Kinetics of Valeric Acid Ketonization and Ketenization in Catalytic Pyrolysis on Nanosized SiO2, γ‐Al2O3, CeO2/SiO2, Al2O3/SiO2 and TiO2/SiO2
Authors: Kulyk Kostiantyn , Palianytsia Borys , Alexander John D. , Azizova Liana , Borysenko Mykola , Kartel Mykola , Larsson Mats , Kulik Tetiana
Published: April 2017

Valeric acid is an important renewable platform chemical that can be produced efficiently from lignocellulosic biomass. Upgrading of valeric acid by catalytic pyrolysis has the potential to produce value added biofuels and chemicals on an industrial scale. Understanding the different mechanisms involved in the thermal transformations of valeric acid on the surface of nanometer‐sized oxides is important for the development of efficient heterogeneously catalyzed pyrolytic conversion techniques. In this work, the thermal decomposition of valeric acid on the surface of nanoscale SiO2, γ‐Al2O3, CeO2/SiO2, Al2O3/SiO2 and TiO2/SiO2 has been investigated by temperature‐programmed desorption mass spectrometry (TPD MS). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) has also been used to investigate the structure of valeric acid complexes on the oxide surfaces. Two main products of pyrolytic conversion were observed to be formed depending on the nano‐catalyst used—dibutylketone and propylketene. Mechanisms of ketene and ketone formation from chemisorbed fragments of valeric acid are proposed and the kinetic parameters of the corresponding reactions were calculated. It was found that the activation energy of ketenization decreases in the order SiO2>γ‐Al2O3>TiO2/SiO2>Al2O3/SiO2, and the activation energy of ketonization decreases in the order γ‐Al2O3>CeO2/SiO2. Nano‐oxide CeO2/SiO2 was found to selectively catalyze the ketonization reaction.
WGA‐Alexa Conjugates for Axonal Tracing
Authors: Levy Sabrina L. , White Joshua J. , Lackey Elizabeth P. , Schwartz Lindsey , Sillitoe Roy V.
Published: April 2017

Anatomical labeling approaches are essential for understanding brain organization. Among these approaches are various methods of performing tract tracing. However, a major hurdle to overcome when marking neurons in vivo is visibility. Poor visibility makes it challenging to image a desired neuronal pathway so that it can be easily differentiated from a closely neighboring pathway. As a result, it becomes impossible to analyze individual projections or their connections. The tracer that is chosen for a given purpose has a major influence on the quality of the tracing. Here, we describe the wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) tracer conjugated to Alexa fluorophores for reliable high‐resolution tracing of central nervous system projections. Using the mouse cerebellum as a model system, we implement WGA‐Alexa tracing for marking and mapping neural circuits that control motor function. We also show its utility for marking localized regions of the cerebellum after performing single‐unit extracellular recordings in vivo. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Forgiveness, Humility, and Hope: An Interview With Everett L. Worthington Jr.
Authors: Fox Jesse , Mullen Patrick R. , Giordano Amanda
Published: April 2017

In this article, the authors interviewed Everett L. Worthington Jr. regarding his impact on research related to forgiveness, humility, and hope. They briefly highlight Worthington's professional career, provide the transcription of a detailed interview, and offer a list of suggested readings on the topics discussed in this interview. The authors' aim is to highlight Worthington's scholarly works, driving motivation, and thoughts on future research and to provide resources for working with forgiveness, humility, and hope with clients.
Evaluating morphometric and metabolic markers of body condition in a small cetacean, the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)
Authors: Kershaw Joanna L. , Sherrill Meredith , Davison Nicholas J. , Brownlow Andrew , Hall Ailsa J.
Published: April 2017

Mammalian body condition is an important individual fitness metric as it affects both survival and reproductive success. The ability to accurately measure condition has key implications for predicting individual and population health, and therefore monitoring the population‐level effects of changing environments. No consensus currently exists on the best measure to quantitatively estimate body condition in many species, including cetaceans. Here, two measures of body condition were investigated in the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). First, the most informative morphometric body condition index was identified. The mass/length2 ratio was the most appropriate morphometric index of 10 indices tested, explaining 50% of the variation in condition in stranded, male porpoises with different causes of death and across age classes (n = 291). Mass/length2 was then used to evaluate a second measure, blubber cortisol concentration, as a metabolic condition marker. Cortisol is the main glucocorticoid hormone involved in the regulation of lipolysis and overall energy balance in mammals, and concentrations could provide information on physiological state. Blubber cortisol concentrations did not significantly vary around the girth (n = 20), but there was significant vertical stratification through the blubber depth with highest concentrations in the innermost layer. Concentrations in the dorsal, outermost layer were representative of concentrations through the full blubber depth, showed variation by sex and age class, and were negatively correlated with mass/length2. Using this species as a model for live cetaceans from which standard morphometric measurements cannot be taken, but from which blubber biopsy samples are routinely collected, cortisol concentrations in the dorsal, outermost blubber layer could potentially be used as a biomarker of condition in free‐ranging animals.
Biodiversity in the city: key challenges for urban green space management
Authors: Aronson Myla FJ , Lepczyk Christopher A , Evans Karl L , Goddard Mark A , Lerman Susannah B , MacIvor J Scott , Nilon Charles H , Vargo Timothy
Published: April 2017

Cities play important roles in the conservation of global biodiversity, particularly through the planning and management of urban green spaces (UGS). However, UGS management is subject to a complex assortment of interacting social, cultural, and economic factors, including governance, economics, social networks, multiple stakeholders, individual preferences, and social constraints. To help deliver more effective conservation outcomes in cities, we identify major challenges to managing biodiversity in UGS and important topics warranting further investigation. Biodiversity within UGS must be managed at multiple scales while accounting for various socioeconomic and cultural influences. Although the environmental consequences of management activities to enhance urban biodiversity are now beginning to be addressed, additional research and practical management strategies must be developed to balance human needs and perceptions while maintaining ecological processes.
Long‐term outcome of patients with solitary plasmacytoma treated with radiotherapy: A population‐based, single‐center study with median follow‐up of 13.7 years
Authors: Barzenje Dlawer Abdulla , Kolstad Arne , Ghanima Waleed , Holte Harald
Published: April 2017

In this single‐center, population‐based, and retrospective study, we analyzed the outcome of 49 patients with solitary bone plasmacytoma (SBP) and 28 patients with solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma (SEP), all treated with radiotherapy. Laminectomy was performed in 18/30 SBP patients with vertebral involvement and tumour resection in 10 SEP patients. Overall survival and cause of death for each patient were compared to 5 sex‐, age‐, and residency‐matched individuals from the normal population. Response (complete and partial) was achieved in 94% of SBP and 96% of SEP patients. Relapse rates were higher in SBP (65%) compared to patients with SEP (18%) (P < .01). Only one in‐field relapse was identified for the whole series. Ten‐ and 15‐year overall survival, progression free survival (PFS) and multiple myeloma free survival (MMFS) for patients with SBP were 60%/41%, 25%/17%, and 33%/33%. Corresponding values for patients with SEP were 67%/54%, 57%/44%, and 91%/91%. SBP patients had significantly shorter PFS and MMFS compared to SEP patients (P < .01 for both). Only two of the SEP patients developed multiple myeloma and no patient in the whole series progressed to multiple myeloma later than 10 years after diagnosis. Unlike for SEP, the major cause of death among SBP patients was multiple myeloma (49%). Compared to matched normal population, no increased risk of death from secondary malignancies or cardiovascular disease was observed. Positive predictors in SBP patients were for overall survival age <60 years, combined laminectomy and radiotherapy and radiotherapy dose >40 gray, for PFS tumour size <6 cm and combined laminectomy and radiotherapy and for MMFS tumour size <6 cm. Radiotherapy confers excellent local control in both SEP and SBP patients; however, the challenge is to prevent development of multiple myeloma in patients with SBP.
Inflammatory biomarkers and cancer: CRP and suPAR as markers of incident cancer in patients with serious nonspecific symptoms and signs of cancer
Authors: Rasmussen Line Jee Hartmann , Schultz Martin , Gaardsting Anne , Ladelund Steen , Garred Peter , Iversen Kasper , Eugen‐Olsen Jesper , Helms Morten , David Kim Peter , Kjær Andreas , Lebech Anne‐Mette , Kronborg Gitte
Published: April 2017

In Denmark, patients with serious nonspecific symptoms and signs of cancer (NSSC) are referred to the diagnostic outpatient clinics (DOCs) where an accelerated cancer diagnostic program is initiated. Various immunological and inflammatory biomarkers have been associated with cancer, including soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) pentraxin‐3, mannose‐binding lectin, ficolin‐1, ficolin‐2 and ficolin‐3. We aimed to evaluate these biomarkers and compare their diagnostic ability to classical biomarkers for diagnosing cancer in patients with NSSC. Patients were included from the DOC, Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre. Patients were given a final diagnosis based on the combined results from scans, blood work and physical examination. Weight loss, Charlson score and previous cancer were registered on admission, and plasma concentrations of biomarkers were measured. The primary outcome was incident cancer within 1 year. Out of 197 patients included, 39 patients (19.8%) were diagnosed with cancer. Patients with cancer were significantly older and had a higher burden of comorbidities and previous cancer diagnoses compared to patients who were not diagnosed with cancer. Previous cancer, C‐reactive protein (CRP) and suPAR were significantly associated with newly diagnosed cancer during follow‐up in multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex and CRP. Neither any of the PRRs investigated nor self‐reported weight loss was associated with cancer. In this study, previous cancer, CRP and suPAR were significantly associated with cancer diagnosis in patients with NSSC. Ficolin‐1‐3, MBL and pentraxin‐3 were not associated with cancer.
Model selection with estimated factors and idiosyncratic components
Authors: Fosten Jack
Published: April 2017

This paper provides consistent information criteria for the selection of forecasting models that use a subset of both the idiosyncratic and common factor components of a big dataset. This hybrid model approach has been explored by recent empirical studies to relax the strictness of pure factor‐augmented model approximations, but no formal model selection procedures have been developed. The main difference to previous factor‐augmented model selection procedures is that we must account for estimation error in the idiosyncratic component as well as the factors. Our main contribution is to show the conditions required for selection consistency of a class of information criteria that reflect this additional source of estimation error. We show that existing factor‐augmented model selection criteria are inconsistent in circumstances where N is of larger order than
, where N and T are the cross‐section and time series dimensions of the dataset respectively, and that the standard Bayesian information criterion is inconsistent regardless of the relationship between N and T. We therefore propose a new set of information criteria that guarantee selection consistency in the presence of estimated idiosyncratic components. The properties of these new criteria are explored through a Monte Carlo simulation study. The paper concludes with an empirical application to long‐horizon exchange rate forecasting using a recently proposed model with country‐specific idiosyncratic components from a panel of global exchange rates.
Recurrent Hyperparathyroidism Due to a Novel CDC73 Splice Mutation
Authors: Hattangady Namita Ganesh , Wilson Tremika Le-Shan , Miller Barbra Sue , Lerario Antonio Marcondes , Giordano Thomas James , Choksi Palak , Else Tobias
Published: April 2017

The recognition of hereditary causes of primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) is important because clinical care and surveillance differ significantly between sporadic and hereditary pHPT. In addition, the increasing number of genetic tests poses a challenge to classify mutations as benign or pathogenic. Functional work-up of variants remains a mainstay to provide evidence for pathogenicity. We describe a 52-year-old male patient with recurrent pHPT since age 35 years. Despite several neck surgeries with complete parathyroidectomy, he experienced persistent pHPT, necessitating repeated surgery for a forearm autotransplant, which finally resulted in unmeasurable parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. Genetic testing revealed a new CDC73 variant (c.238-8G>A [IVS2-8G>A]), initially classified as a variant of uncertain significance. Parathyroid tissue from the initial surgeries showed loss of heterozygosity. Using an RT-PCR approach, we show that the mutation leads to the use of a cryptic splice site in peripheral mononuclear cells. In addition, a minigene approach confirms the use of the cryptic splice site in a heterologous cell system. The novel c.238-8G>A CDC73 variant activates a cryptic splice site, and the functional data provided justify the classification as a likely pathogenic variant. Our results underscore the importance of functional work-up for variant classification in the absence of other available data, such as presence in disease-specific databases, other syndromic clinical findings, or family history. In addition, the presented case exemplifies the importance to consider a hereditary condition in young patients with pHPT, particularly those with multi-gland involvement. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Resistin polymorphims, plasma resistin levels and obesity in Tunisian volunteers
Authors: Zayani Nesrine , Hamdouni Haithem , Boumaiza Imen , Achour Ons , Neffati Fadoua , Omezzine Asma , Najjar Mohamed Fadhel , Bouslama Ali
Published: April 2017

Background

Adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ that secretes a number of adipokines, like Resistin (RETN); it's an adipocytes‐secreted cytokine and has been proposed as a link between obesity and diabetes. Many resistin gene polymorphisms were described and their implication in obesity was controversial. This study was to investigate the prevalence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) inRETNgene 420C/G; 44G/A; 62G/A; 394C/G and 299 G/A and their association with Resistin level and obesity in Tunisian volunteers.

Methods

We recruited 169 nonobese (mean age=42.16‐14.26 years; mean body mass index [BMI]=24.51‐3.69 kg/m2) and 160 obese (mean age=47.86‐11.17 years; meanBMI=36‐4.78 kg/m2). Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism. Anthropometric parameters, lipid levels, Glycemia and insulinemia were measured,BMIwas calculated and insulinresistance was evaluated with the homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) and resistin level was measured byELISA. Statistical analyses were performed bySPSS19.0.

Results

After adjustment for confounding parameters; the Odds Ratio (OR) of obesity associated with mutated genotypes at 420C/G compared with normal genotype was as:OR=2.17; 95%CI[1.28‐3.68],P=.004. The serum Resistin levels present no significant association with allRETNpolymorphisms and it was significantly associated withBMI(P=.047). In our haplotype analysis, one haplotype seems to be protective and one other seems to be the highest risk to obesity.

Conclusion

The 420 C/G Polymorphism were associated with obesity and Leptin concentration in our population.
Creating an Instrument to Measure Student Response to Instructional Practices
Authors: DeMonbrun Matt , Finelli Cynthia J. , Prince Michael , Borrego Maura , Shekhar Prateek , Henderson Charles , Waters Cindy
Published: April 2017

Background

Calls for the reform of education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have inspired many instructional innovations, some research based. Yet adoption of such instruction has been slow. Research has suggested that students' response may significantly affect an instructor's willingness to adopt different types of instruction.

Purpose

We created the Student Response to Instructional Practices (StRIP) instrument to measure the effects of several variables on student response to instructional practices. We discuss the step‐by‐step process for creating this instrument.

Design/Method

The development process had six steps: item generation and construct development, validity testing, implementation, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and instrument modification and replication. We discuss pilot testing of the initial instrument, construct development, and validation using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

Results

This process produced 47 items measuring three parts of our framework. Types of instruction separated into four factors (interactive, constructive, active, and passive); strategies for using in‐class activities into two factors (explanation and facilitation); and student responses to instruction into five factors (value, positivity, participation, distraction, and evaluation).

Conclusions

We describe the design process and final results for our instrument, a useful tool for understanding the relationship between type of instruction and students' response.
Study of the CPML for the Three‐Dimensional Five‐Step LOD‐FDTD method
Authors: Feng Xuejian , Yang Lixia
Published: April 2017

In this paper, the convolution perfectly matched layer (CPML) absorbing boundary conditions (ABC) in five‐step locally one‐dimensional finite‐difference time‐domain (LOD5‐FDTD) method are deduced. The formulation of the LOD5‐FDTD is derived and numerical results are demonstrated for different Courant Friedrich Levy numbers (CFL) in the simulation domain in the test. Then, using a sinusoidal source, the field phase distribution surrounded by the CPML‐ABC is calculated. The results of these simulation experiments illustrate that the CPML‐ABC can be used efficiently in the LOD5‐FDTD method.
Large‐scale ocean‐atmospheric processes and seasonal rainfall variability in South Australia: accounting for non‐linearity and establishing the hierarchy of influence
Authors: Tozer C. R. , Kiem A. S.
Published: April 2017

An important step in developing climate forecasts is the identification of an appropriate set of predictors. Seasonal rainfall forecasts for South Australia (SA) currently have low predictive skill. It is hypothesised that this is because the large‐scale climate processes influencing SA's rainfall variability have yet to be completely identified and therefore are not adequately represented in forecast models. Here, relationships between large‐scale climate influences and rainfall in SA are assessed with a focus on methods that account for non‐linearities inherent in the climate system. A threshold method and also a novel method for climate predictor selection, Partial Mutual Information, are used to establish the hierarchy of importance of the key influences. From a large suite of potential predictors, variability in the Subtropical Ridge intensity, blocking and the gradient of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the tropical central and eastern Indian Ocean are found to be key indicators of seasonal rainfall variability in SA. Interactions between processes are shown to increase the amount of variability accounted for and therefore need to be better considered when producing seasonal forecasts. Notably, the view of which climate process(es) is(are) important changes depending on the input variables used, suggesting that it is not wise to make a priori assumptions about what is or is not important. Furthermore, even a perfect forecast of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), the focus of forecasting efforts in Australia, will not necessarily lead to an improvement to forecast skill in SA given that these processes are not key for the region. The results of this analysis can inform the development of existing and new statistical and dynamical seasonal forecasting systems for SA, and for other regions where the impacts of climate variability are significant but not necessarily dominated by ENSO and IOD.
Climatology and trends of air and soil surface temperatures in the temperate steppe region of North China
Authors: Liu Binhui , Henderson Mark , Wang Lei , Shen Xiangjin , Zhou Daowei , Chen Xiangwei
Published: April 2017

We analysed observations of daily maximum and minimum air and soil surface temperatures collected between 1965 and 2007 in the temperate steppe region of North China to understand the climatology and trends of the diurnal temperature range. Sunshine duration and precipitation records were also analysed for their relationships with the changes in temperatures. In general, the daily maximum soil surface temperatures (SSTmax) are generally much higher than the daily maximum air temperature (Tmax), and the daily minimum soil surface temperature (SSTmin) are slightly lower than the daily minimum air temperature (Tmin) throughout the year. Consequently, the soil surface diurnal temperature range (SSDTR) is much higher than diurnal temperature range of air temperatures (DTR). As with air temperatures, soil surface temperatures have warmed significantly over the study period at most stations, increasing by 0.62 °C per decade for SSTmax and 0.64 °C per decade for SSTmin for the region overall. Annual and seasonal SSTmax and SSTmin have increased faster than Tmax and Tmin, except for SSTmax in winter. Declines in air DTR have been commonly observed, but in our study SSDTR decreases only in winter, driven by a steep decline after 2000, mostly resulting from strong increases in SSTmin and slight decreases in SSTmax. Both annual and seasonal calculations indicate that the decline in air DTR mainly coincided with a period of rapid decrease in sunshine duration before 1990. Total cloud amount decreased during this period, so the changes in total cloud amount could not be the cause for decrease in sunshine duration and DTR before 1990. SSDTR shows a different pattern: the rapid decrease of SSDTR in winter season since the end of 1990 coincides with a decrease in sunshine duration and an increase in total cloud amount, which may have contributed to the decrease in winter SSDTR in the new millennium.
Black Existentialism: Extending the Discourse on Meaning and Existence
Authors: VEREEN LINWOOD G. , WINES LISA A. , LEMBERGER‐TRUELOVE TAMIKO , HANNON MICHAEL D. , HOWARD NATASHA , BURT ISAAC
Published: April 2017

The authors provide an exploration of the philosophical concepts of Black existentialism. Black existentialism is presented as a philosophical alternative to European existentialism to inform humanistic practices in addressing racial and social inequality. Implications for scholarly discourse are provided, and areas for future research are explored.
The effect of realistic geometries on the susceptibility‐weighted MR signal in white matter
Authors: Xu Tianyou , Foxley Sean , Kleinnijenhuis Michiel , Chen Way Cherng , Miller Karla L.
Published: April 2017

Purpose

To investigate the effect of realistic microstructural geometry on the susceptibility‐weighted MR signal in white matter (WM), with application to demyelination.

Methods

Previous work has modeled susceptibility‐weighted signals under the assumption that axons are cylindrical. In this study, we explored the implications of this assumption by considering the effect of more realistic geometries. A three‐compartment WM model incorporating relevant properties based on the literature was used to predict the MR signal. Myelinated axons were modeled with several cross‐sectional geometries of increasing realism: nested circles, warped/elliptical circles, and measured axonal geometries from electron micrographs. Signal simulations from the different microstructural geometries were compared with measured signals from a cuprizone mouse model with varying degrees of demyelination.

Results

Simulation results suggest that axonal geometry affects the MR signal. Predictions with realistic models were significantly different compared with circular models under the same microstructural tissue properties, for simulations with and without diffusion.

Conclusion

The geometry of axons affects the MR signal significantly. Literature estimates of myelin susceptibility, which are based on fitting biophysical models to the MR signal, are likely to be biased by the assumed geometry, as will any derived microstructural properties. Magn Reson Med 79:489–500, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
SIRT1 and AMPK pathways are essential for the proliferation and survival of primary effusion lymphoma cells
Authors: He Meilan , Tan Brandon , Vasan Karthik , Yuan Hongfeng , Cheng Fan , Ramos da Silva Suzane , Lu Chun , Gao Shou‐Jiang
Published: April 2017

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare and aggressive B‐cell lymphoma with a dismal prognosis caused by infection of Kaposi's sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus. Despite the findings that numerous viral genes and cellular pathways are essential for the proliferation and survival of PEL cells, there is currently no effective therapeutic treatment for PEL. Here, we report that the metabolic sensor SIRT1 is functionally required for sustaining the proliferation and survival of PEL cells. Knockdown of SIRT1 with specific shRNAs or inhibition of SIRT1 with an inhibitor (tenovin‐6) induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in PEL cells. We detected high levels of AMPK activation in PEL cells, reflected in AMPKα1 phosphorylation at T174. Knockdown or inhibition of SIRT1 reduced AMPK activation, indicating that SIRT1 was required for AMPK activation. Interestingly, knockdown of AMPK with specific shRNAs or inhibition of AMPK with the inhibitor compound C recapitulated the phenotype of SIRT1, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, whereas overexpression of a constitutively active AMPK construct rescued the cytotoxic effect of SIRT1 knockdown. Remarkably, treatment with tenovin‐6 effectively inhibited the initiation and progression of PEL, and significantly extended the survival of mice in a murine PEL model. Taken together, these results illustrate that the SIRT1–AMPK axis is essential for maintaining the proliferation and survival of PEL and identify SIRT1 and AMPK as potential therapeutic targets, and tenovin‐6 as a candidate therapeutic agent for PEL patients. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Barrier and thermal properties of polyimide derived from a diamine monomer containing a rigid planar moiety
Authors: Liu Yiwu , Huang Jie , Tan Jinghua , Zeng Yi , Ding Qian , Zhang Hailiang , Liu Yuejun , Xiang Xianwei
Published: April 2017

An aromatic polyimide (3,6‐CPI) was prepared by the polymerization of pyromellitic dianhydride and diamine (3,6‐CDA) containing a rigid planar carbazole moiety. The synthesized polyimide shows outstanding barrier properties with oxygen permeation rate and water vapor permeation rate low at 7.9 cm3 m−2 day−1 and 9.8 g m−2 day−1, respectively. Wide angle X‐ray diffraction, positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the excellent barrier properties of 3,6‐CPI are mainly due to the crystallinity and low free volume of the polymer, which result from the rigid planar backbone structure and strong interchain hydrogen bonding. In addition, the polyimide exhibits excellent thermal stability and favorable mechanical properties with a 5 wt% weight‐loss temperature of 559 °C in nitrogen, a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 397 °C and a tensile strength of 115.4 MPa. The as‐synthesized polyimide shows potential packaging applications in the field of flexible electronics and displays, flexible and thin film photovoltaics, and light‐emitting diodes. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
State and irrigation: archeological and textual evidence of water management in late Bronze Age China
Authors: Zhuang Yijie
Published: April 2017

Ancient China remains an important case to investigate the relationship between statecraft development and ‘total power.’ While important economic and social developments were achieved in the late Neolithic, it was not until the late Bronze Age (first millennium BC) that state‐run irrigation systems began to be built. Construction of large‐scale irrigation projects, along with walls and defensive facilities, became vital to regional states who were frequently involved in chaotic warfare and desperate to increase food production to feed the growing population. Some of the irrigation infrastructures were brought into light by recent archeological surveys. We scrutinize fast accumulating archeological evidence and review rich historical accounts on late Bronze Age irrigation systems. While the credibility of historical documents is often questioned, with a robust integration with archeological data, they provide important information to understand functions and maintenance of the irrigation projects. We investigate structure and organization of large‐scale irrigation systems built and run by states and their importance to understanding dynamic trajectories to social power in late Bronze Age China. Cleverly designed based on local environmental and hydrological conditions, these projects fundamentally changed water management and farming patterns, with dramatic ecological consequences in different states. Special bureaucratic divisions were created and laws were made to further enhance the functioning of these large‐scale irrigation systems. We argue that they significantly increased productivity by converting previously unoccupied land into fertile ground and pushed population threshold to a new level. A hypothesis should be tested in further archeological research. WIREs Water 2017, 4:e1217. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1217

This article is categorized under:

Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems

Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change

Human Water > Water Governance
3D modeling of chromatin structure: is there a way to integrate and reconcile single cell and population experimental data?
Authors: Le Dily François , Serra François , Marti‐Renom Marc A.
Published: April 2017

The genome is organized in a hierarchical fashion within the nucleus in interphase. This nonrandom folding of the chromatin fiber is thought to play important roles in the processing of the genetic information. Therefore, a better knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the three‐dimensional structure of the genome appears essential to fully understand the nuclear processes including transcription and replication. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and molecular biology methods deriving from the Chromosome Conformation Capture technique are the methods of choice to study genome 3D organization at different levels. Although these single cell and population methods allowed to highlight similar chromatin structures, they also show frequent discrepancies which might be better understood by improving the capacity to generate actual 3D models of organization based on the different types of data available. This review aims at giving an overview of the principles, advantages, and limits of microscopy and molecular biology methods of analysis of genome structure and at discussing the different approaches of modeling of chromatin classically used and the improvements that are necessary to reach a better understanding on the links between chromatin structure and its spatial organization. WIREs Comput Mol Sci 2017, 7:e1308. doi: 10.1002/wcms.1308

This article is categorized under:

Structure and Mechanism > Molecular Structures

Molecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Interactions

Software > Molecular Modeling
What programmatic assessment in medical education can learn from healthcare
Authors: Schuwirth L. , Van der Vleuten C. , Durning S. J.
Published: April 2017

None
Women Wanderers and the Writing of Mobility, 1784–1814
Authors: Horrocks Ingrid
Published: April 2017

In the last days of the Scandinavian journey that would become the basis of her great post-Revolutionary travel book, Mary Wollstonecraft wrote, 'I am weary of travelling - yet seem to have no home - no resting place to look to - I am strangely cast off'. From this starting point, Ingrid Horrocks reveals the significance of representations of women wanderers in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries, particularly in the work of women writers. She follows gendered, frequently reluctant wanderers beyond travel narratives into poetry, gothic romances, and sentimental novels, and places them within a long history of uses of the more traditional literary figure of the male wanderer. Drawing out the relationship between mobility and affect, and illuminating textual forms of wandering, Horrocks shows how paying attention to the figure of the woman wanderer sheds new light on women and travel, and alters assumptions about mobility's connection with freedom.
Review Essay
Authors: Raizen Michal
Published: April 2017

The field of Middle Eastern Studies has seen a recent spate of publications that offer a timely and nuanced look at the intersection of language, ideology, and visual representation in Israel-Palestine. Scholars of cultural studies, comparative literature, history, film studies, and the visual arts will appreciate the breadth of perspective offered by a combined reading of Lital Levy's Poetic Trespass: Writing between Hebrew and Arabic in Israel/Palestine, Gil Z. Hochberg's Visual Occupations: Violence and Visibility in a Conflict Zone, and Yaron Shemer's Identity, Place, and Subversion in Contemporary Mizrahi Cinema in Israel. This cluster of studies, taken as a whole, offers a coherent critical intervention into the politics of a literary and visual field marked by silences, lacunas, blind spots, and elisions. Poetic Trespass sketches the contours of a Hebrew literary landscape inhabited by a tacit Arabic presence. With a purview that extends to literature, cinema, and the plastic arts, Visual Occupations probes the tension between systemic practices of concealment and strategic modes of lending visibility. Identity, Place, and Subversion, a powerfully articulated analysis of Mizrahi cinema, interrogates the notion that ethnic difference has become irrelevant in the context of a contemporary Israeli melting pot.
Gut microbiota of mice putatively modifies amino acid metabolism in the host brain
Authors: Kawase Takahiro , Nagasawa Mao , Ikeda Hiromi , Yasuo Shinobu , Koga Yasuhiro , Furuse Mitsuhiro
Published: April 2017

Recently, it has been found that the gut microbiota influences functions of the host brain by affecting monoamine metabolism. The present study focused on the relationship between the gut microbiota and the brain amino acids. Specific pathogen-free (SPF) and germ-free (GF) mice were used as experimental models. Plasma and brain regions were sampled from mice at 7 and 16 weeks of age, and analysed for freed- andl-amino acids, which are believed to affect many physiological functions. At 7 weeks of age, plasma concentrations ofd-aspartic acid (d-Asp),l-alanine (l-Ala),l-glutamine (l-Gln) and taurine were higher in SPF mice than in GF mice, but no differences were found at 16 weeks of age. Similar patterns were observed for the concentrations ofl-Asp in striatum, cerebral cortex and hippocampus, andl-arginine (l-Arg),l-Ala andl-valine (l-Val) in striatum. In addition, the concentrations ofl-Asp,d-Ala,l-histidine,l-isoleucine (l-Ile),l-leucine (l-Leu),l-phenylalanine andl-Val were significantly higher in plasma of SPF mice when compared with those of GF mice. The concentrations ofl-Arg,l-Gln,l-Ile andl-Leu were significantly higher in SPF than in GF mice, but those ofd-Asp,d-serine andl-serine were higher in some brain regions of GF mice than in those of SPF mice. In conclusion, the concentration of amino acids in the host brain seems to be dependent on presence of the gut microbiota. Amino acid metabolism in the host brain may be modified by manipulating microbiota communities.
Maternal iron intake during pregnancy and birth outcomes: a cross-sectional study in Northwest China
Authors: Yang Jiaomei , Cheng Yue , Pei Leilei , Jiang Yufen , Lei Fangliang , Zeng Lingxia , Wang Quanli , Li Qiang , Kang Yijun , Shen Yuan , Dang Shaonong , Yan Hong
Published: April 2017

Previous studies have yielded conflicting results on the associations of maternal Fe intake with birth outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the associations between maternal Fe intake (total Fe from diet and supplements, dietary total Fe, haeme Fe, non-haeme Fe and Fe supplements use) and adverse birth outcomes in Shaanxi Province of Northwest China. In all, 7375 women were recruited using a stratified multistage random sampling method at 0–12 months (median 3; 10th–90th percentile 0–7) after delivery. Diets were collected by a validated FFQ and maternal characteristics were obtained via a standard questionnaire. The highest tertile of haeme Fe intake compared with the lowest tertile was negatively associated with low birth weight (LBW) (OR 0·68; 95 % CI 0·49, 0·94), small for gestational age (SGA) (OR 0·76; 95 % CI 0·62, 0·94) and birth defects (OR 0·55; 95 % CI 0·32, 0·89). Maternal haeme Fe intake was associated with a lower risk of intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) (medium tertilev. lowest tertile: OR 0·78; 95 % CI 0·61, 0·95; highest tertilev. lowest tertile: OR 0·76; 95 % CI 0·59, 0·93;Ptrend=0·045). The OR of LBW associated with Fe supplements use were as follows: during pregnancy: 0·72 (95 % CI 0·50, 0·95); in the second trimester: 0·67 (95 % CI 0·42, 0·98); in the third trimester: 0·47 (95 % CI 0·24, 0·93). We observed no associations of total Fe, dietary total Fe or non-haeme Fe intake with birth outcomes. The results suggest that maternal haeme Fe intake is associated with a reduced risk of LBW, SGA, IUGR and birth defects, and Fe supplements use during pregnancy reduces LBW risk.
Prenatal exposure to vitamin D from fortified margarine and risk of fractures in late childhood: period and cohort results from 222 000 subjects in the D-tect observational study
Authors: Händel Mina Nicole , Frederiksen Peder , Osmond Clive , Cooper Cyrus , Abrahamsen Bo , Heitmann Berit L.
Published: April 2017

Prenatal low vitamin D may have consequences for bone health. By means of a nationwide mandatory vitamin D fortification programme, we examined the risk of fractures among 10–18-year-old children from proximate birth cohorts born around the date of the termination of the programme. For all subjects born in Denmark during 1983–1988, civil registration numbers were linked to the Danish National Patient Registry for incident and recurrent fractures occurring at ages 10–18 years. Multiplicative Poisson models were used to examine the association between birth cohort and fracture rates. The variation in fracture rates across birth cohorts was analysed by fitting an age-cohort model to the data. We addressed the potential modification of the effect of vitamin D availability by season of birth. The risk of fractures was increased among both girls and boys who were born before the vitamin D fortification terminated in 1985 (rate ratio (RR) exposed v. non-exposed girls: 1·15 (95 % CI 1·11, 1·20); RR exposed v. non-exposed boys: 1·11 (95 % CI 1·07, 1·14). However, these associations no longer persisted after including the period effects. There was no interaction between season of birth and vitamin D availability in relation to fracture risk. The study did not provide evidence that prenatal exposure to extra vitamin D from a mandatory fortification programme of 1·25 µg vitamin D/100 g margarine was sufficient to influence the risk of fractures in late childhood, regardless of season of birth. Replication studies are needed.
Bushmeat consumption in the West African Sahel of Burkina Faso, and the decline of some consumed species
Authors: Hema Emmanuel M. , Ouattara Valy , Parfait Gnoumou , Di Vittorio Massimiliano , Sirima Djidama , Dendi Daniele , Guenda Wendengoudi , Petrozzi Fabio , Luiselli Luca
Published: April 2017

To explore the patterns of bushmeat trade in the Sahel we carried out a multidisciplinary study, focusing on Burkina Faso. We conducted baseline interview surveys to examine the variation in people's perceptions of bushmeat in relation to their place of residence (urban vs rural), sex and age. We also analysed the long-term (1985–2010) population dynamics of two ungulate species, the oribiOurebia ourebiand the common duikerSylvicapra grimmia, known to be among the main targets of the bushmeat trade locally. For the antelopes we chose as our study area a protected area (Nazinga Game Ranch) where poaching activities occur and are likely to represent a threat to the local wildlife. The results of the interviews underlined significant differences in bushmeat consumption between rural and urban areas. In particular, the probability of finding people who did not consume bushmeat increased in the urban area, where bushmeat is less available than in the rural areas. Sex and age did not have any effect on people's perceptions of bushmeat. In Burkina Faso bushmeat is still widely consumed, and this could be because the bushmeat trade is poorly controlled, with a lack of enforcement of the legislation. Long-term field surveys revealed that the oribi and the common duiker have declined significantly in Nazinga Game Ranch, suggesting that the bushmeat trade in Burkina Faso may have negative consequences in terms of the conservation outlook for these species.
A transdiagnostic study of education, employment, and training outcomes in young people with mental illness
Authors: Lee R. S. C. , Hermens D. F. , Scott J. , O'Dea B. , Glozier N. , Scott E. M. , Hickie I. B.
Published: April 2017

Background

Optimizing functional recovery in young individuals with severe mental illness constitutes a major healthcare priority. The current study sought to quantify the cognitive and clinical factors underpinning academic and vocational engagement in a transdiagnostic and prospective youth mental health cohort. The primary outcome measure was ‘not in education, employment or training’ (‘NEET’) status.

Method

A clinical sample of psychiatric out-patients aged 15–25 years (n = 163) was assessed at two time points, on average, 24 months apart. Functional status, and clinical and neuropsychological data were collected. Bayesian structural equation modelling was used to confirm the factor structure of predictors and cross-lagged effects at follow-up.

Results

Individually, NEET status, cognitive dysfunction and negative symptoms at baseline were predictive of NEET status at follow-up (p < 0.05). Baseline cognitive functioning was the only predictor of follow-up NEET status in the multivariate Bayesian model, while controlling for baseline NEET status. For every 1 s.d. deficit in cognition, the probability of being disengaged at follow-up increased by 40% (95% credible interval 19–58%). Baseline NEET status predicted poorer negative symptoms at follow-up (β = 0.24, 95% credible interval 0.04–0.43).

Conclusions

Disengagement with education, employment or training (i.e. being NEET) was reported in about one in four members of this cohort. The initial level of cognitive functioning was the strongest determinant of future NEET status, whereas being academically or vocationally engaged had an impact on future negative symptomatology. If replicated, these findings support the need to develop early interventions that target cognitive phenotypes transdiagnostically.