bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inequalities in dental caries experience among 4‐year‐old New Zealand children
Authors: Shackleton Nichola , Broadbent Jonathan M. , Thornley Simon , Milne Barry J. , Crengle Sue , Exeter Daniel J.
Published: February 2018

Objectives

To investigate ethnic‐specific deprivation gradients in early childhood dental caries experience considering different domains of deprivation.

Methods

We used cross‐sectional near whole population‐level data on 318 321 four‐year‐olds attending the “B4 School check,” a national health and development check in New Zealand, across 6 fiscal years (2010/2011 to 2015/2016). The “lift the lip” screening tool was used to estimate experience of any caries and severe caries. We investigated deprivation gradients using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), which measures seven domains of deprivation across 5958 geographical areas (“data zones”). Ethnicity was categorized into five groups: (i) Māori, (ii) Pacific, (iii) Asian, (iv) Middle Eastern, Latin American and African (MELAA) and (v) European & Other (combined). We used a random intercepts model to estimate mutually adjusted associations between deprivation, ethnicity, age, fiscal year, and evidence of any dental caries experience.

Results

Reports of any caries experience decreased from 15.8% (95% CI: 15.7; 15.9%) to 14.7% 95% CI: 14.4; 14.8%), while reports of severe caries experience increased from 3.0% (95% CI: 3.0; 3.1%) to 4.4% (95% CI: 4.3; 4.5%) from 2010/2011 to 2015/2016. This varied by ethnicity with larger increases in severe caries for Pacific children from 7.1% (95% CI: 6.8; 7.4%) to 14.1% (95% CI: 13.7; 14.5%). There were deprivation gradients in dental caries experience with considerable variation by ethnicity and by domain of deprivation. The association between deprivation and dental caries experience was weakest for Asian children and was most pronounced for Pacific and Māori children.

Conclusion

Socioeconomic gradients in dental caries experience are evident by age 4 years, and these gradients vary by ethnicity and domain of deprivation.
Longitudinal outcomes of patients enrolled in a phase Ib clinical trial of the adipose‐derived stromal cells‐stromal vascular fraction in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Ntolios Paschalis , Manoloudi Eleni , Tzouvelekis Argyris , Bouros Evangelos , Steiropoulos Pachalis , Anevlavis Stavros , Bouros Demosthenes , Froudarakis Marios E.
Published: February 2018

Background and objective

Cell‐based therapies have been used for the management of several diseases, holding promising results. Few studies have evaluated their use in chronic lung diseases. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remains a lethal disease although new therapies have emerged the recent years. We have recently published a phase I study of 14 patients receiving endobronchially adipose‐derived stem cells (ADSCs). The aim of this report is to assess the outcome for our patients' population.

Patients and methods

Patients who originally participated in this phase I study were followed up until the time of death. Pulmonary function tests as well as disease progression and survival time points were recorded.

Results

After first administration, a significant functional decline was observed as assessed by the changes (delta—Δ) of diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) (mean ΔDLco = 6.2%, P = .04) and forced vital capacity (FVC) (mean ΔFVC = 6%, P = .029) at 18 and at 24 months, respectively. Median overall progression‐free survival was 26 months and median overall survival was 32 months. All patients were alive for at least 2 years (survival rate, 100%) after first administration. Twelve patients (85.7%) died owing to disease progression. None of the patients experienced tumor development.

Conclusions

Significant functional decline occurred at 24 months after first administration. The median survival and time to progression are in line with the published epidemiologic data. Further clinical trials complemented by mechanistic studies are sorely needed to delineate the role of ADSCs in IPF pathogenesis and treatment.
Spalthauttransplantation zur Defektdeckung am Ohr: eine statistische Analyse
Authors: Thuile Tobias , Larcher Lorenz , Gatscher Barbara , Schwaiger Karl , Deluca Jenny , Fallaha Amgiad , Tappeiner Lukas , Puviani Mario , Eisendle Klaus
Published: February 2018

Hintergrund und Ziele

Die Rekonstruktion nach Entfernung ausgedehnter maligner Hauttumoren am Ohr ist eine Herausforderung. Verschiedene Methoden der Defektdeckung wurden beschrieben. Lappenplastiken, längere Anästhesiezeiten, geringe Compliance und Antikoagulation stellen bei den oft älteren Patienten zusätzliche Risiken dar. Eine rasch, effizient und unkompliziert durchführbare Methode der Defektdeckung ist daher wünschenswert. Ziel der Studie war die Beurteilung des ästhetischen Resultats, des Heilungsprozesses, der Komplikations‐ und Rezidivrate nach Transplantation ungenetzter Spalthaut (SPHT) zur Defektdeckung nach knorpelerhaltender Resektion maligner Tumoren am Ohr.

Patienten und Methodik

32 Patienten wurden nach Entfernung von Hauttumoren am Ohr einer Defektdeckung mittels SPHT unterzogen.

Ergebnisse

Die durchschnittliche Defektgröße betrug 8,0 cm2. Eine vollständige Einheilung des Transplantates erfolgte in allen Fällen innerhalb von zwei Wochen. Wesentliche Komplikationen traten nicht auf. Das ästhetische Resultat wurde sowohl von den Patienten als auch von einem Dermatochirurgen und zwei plastischen Chirurgen als gut bewertet.

Schlussfolgerungen

Die SPHT am Ohr ist eine zuverlässige Methode zur Deckung ausgedehnter Hautdefekte. Selbst bei großen Tumoren des äußeren Ohres ist der Ohrknorpel nicht immer infiltriert. Eine knorpelschonende Tumorresektion mit anschließender Defektdeckung mittels SPHT ist eine ausgezeichnete und rasch durchführbare Technik mit hoher Patientenzufriedenheit.
Predicting effects of large‐scale reforestation on native and exotic birds
Authors: Pejchar Liba , Gallo Travis , Hooten Mevin B. , Daily Gretchen C.
Published: February 2018

Aim

Ecological restoration is critical for recovering biodiversity and ecosystem services, yet designing interventions to achieve particular outcomes remains fraught with challenges. In the extensive regions where non‐native species are firmly established, it is unlikely that historical conditions can be fully reinstated. To what degree, and how rapidly, can human‐dominated areas be shifted via restoration into regimes that benefit target species, communities or processes?

Location

We explore this question in a >20‐year‐old reforestation effort underway at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge in montane Hawaii. This large‐scale planting ofAcacia koatrees is designed to secure populations of globally threatened bird species by transitioning the site rapidly from pasture to native forest.

Methods

We surveyed all forest birds in multiple corridors of young planted trees, remnant corridors of mature trees along gulches and at sites within mature forest. Using a Bayesian hierarchical approach, we identified which factors (distance from forest, habitat type and surrounding tree cover) had the most important influence on native and exotic bird abundance in the reforestation area.

Results

We found that 90% of native and exotic bird species responded quickly, occupying corridors of native trees approximately a decade after planting. However, native and exotic forest birds responded to markedly different characteristics of the reforested area. Native bird abundance was strongly predicted by proximity to mature forest and remnant corridors; conversely, exotic bird abundance was best predicted by overall tree cover throughout the area reforested.

Main conclusions

Our results demonstrate that large‐scale tree planting in corridors adjacent to mature forest can catalyse rapid recovery (both increased abundance and expanded distribution) of forest birds and that it is possible to design reforestation to benefit native species in novel ecosystems.
Thomas Hodgskin, Rational Optimist
Authors: Mingardi Alberto
Published: February 2018

Long considered a ‘Ricardian socialist’, Thomas Hodgskin is rarely read as the perceptive observer of the Industrial Revolution that he was. His most famous pamphlet, Labour Defended Against the Claims of Capital, has been interpreted as anticipating some central tenets of Marxism. If we abandon this well‐established interpretation, however, we can better appreciate Hodgskin's acute reading of the process of industrialisation unfolding before his eyes. Unlike most socialists, Hodgskin had no sympathy for machine breakers and actually understood the importance of the entrepreneurial function. Moreover, he thought mechanisation and improvement in the tools available for workers would not dispossess them but, on the contrary, would raise their living standards. Hodgskin's ‘optimism’ shows that in the 1820s someone who was deeply concerned with the future of the working classes could nonetheless develop a reasoned sympathy for industrialisation — rather than merely oppose technological innovation and long for a mythical past.
N‐terminal B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) is associated with disease severity in multiple myeloma
Authors: Pavo Noemi , Cho Anna , Wurm Raphael , Strunk Guido , Krauth Maria , Agis Hermine , Hülsmann Martin
Published: February 2018

Background

Elevated levels of cardiovascular markers including N‐terminal B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) have been shown to be associated with disease severity and mortality in an unselected population of cancer patients without cardiac disease. The aim of this study was to investigate whether NT‐proBNP levels are related to disease severity in multiple myeloma (MM) and to assess the natural course of NT‐proBNP levels throughout disease progression.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively analysed a total of 118 patients with MM, who were followed up routinely. NT‐proBNP, beta‐2‐microglobulin (B2M) and levels of plasma cell‐derived light chains were measured at baseline and follow‐up (FUP) visits. All‐cause mortality was defined as primary study endpoint, and the correlation between NT‐proBNP and disease severity reflected by B2M and the International Staging System (ISS) was assessed.

Results

During a median FUP of 845 (IQR:683‐978) days, 31 patients (26%) died. NT‐proBNP showed a highly significant positive correlation with B2M at first presentation [r = .65, P < .001] and increased significantly with progressing MM disease stage [133.3 pg/mL (IQR:51.5‐282.0) for ISS stage 1, 487.4 pg/mL (IQR:123.8‐738.3) for ISS stage 2 and 969.1 pg/mL (IQR:472.8‐3748.0) for ISS stage 3, P < .001 between all groups]. During FUP, NT‐proBNP levels rose significantly alongside other MM disease severity markers for patients experiencing the primary outcome [356.6 pg/mL (IQR:142.9‐782.3) vs 862.9 pg/mL (IQR:338.8‐4215.0), P < .001], whereas no significant changes in laboratory parameters could be detected for survivors.

Conclusions

Elevated levels of the cardiovascular marker NT‐proBNP are associated with disease severity in patients with MM.
Towards continuous professional development: Experiencing group reflection to analyse practice
Authors: Sharmahd Nima , Peeters Jan , Bushati Mirlinda
Published: February 2018

Researchers and international organisations recognise that the quality of ECEC services is related to a professional and competent workforce. The latter should be part of a ‘competent system’ that is capable of linking staff's initial good education to the possibility of constantly reflecting on ideas and practices. Continuous professional development initiatives (CPD) are crucial in this discourse. This article explores possibilities for CPD paths, with a focus on group‐reflection methods in which the team/group reflects on its own practice. More specifically, it presents the Wanda method which was developed by VBJK and Artevelde University College in Belgium (Fl.) through a European Social Fund (ESF) project and then adapted to the contexts of four European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia) within the ISSA (International Step by Step Association) network. In 2016, VBJK was appointed by Unicef to offer a Training of the Trainers (TOT) on CPD in Albania with the possibility of re‐adapting the Wanda method to the Albanian preschool context. The article ends by presenting this Albanian experience in greater detail.
Let's talk about trust, baby! Theorizing trust and mutual recognition in the EU's area of freedom, security and justice
Authors: Schwarz Michael
Published: February 2018

If mutual recognition is to be the ‘cornerstone of judicial co‐operation’ in the area of freedom, security and justice, mutual trust, on the other hand, must take a lead role as the normative glue that grounds and facilitates legal practices of recognition. Despite its topicality and practical relevance, the theoretical underpinnings of trust have been largely left untouched by legal scholarship. This article seeks to fill that void by unpacking trust's conceptual premises to prepare a critique of the legal principle of mutual trust and its underlying ideology as it emerged in the jurisprudence of the CJEU. It presents an enriched conceptualization of recognition trust, inquires into the potential and risks of trust‐based judicial cooperation and sheds light on the interplay of trust, distrust and the law. In drawing policy conclusions from the theoretical discussion, it also points to a new normative dimension of trust asking whether trust could feature as a form of mutual recognition.
Transgenerational interactions between pesticide exposure and warming in a vector mosquito
Authors: Tran Tam T. , Janssens Lizanne , Dinh Khuong V. , Stoks Robby
Published: February 2018

While transgenerational plasticity may buffer ectotherms to warming and pesticides separately, it remains unknown how combined exposure to warming and pesticides in the parental generation shapes the vulnerability to these stressors in the offspring. We studied the transgenerational effects of single and combined exposure to warming (4°C increase) and the pesticide chlorpyrifos on life‐history traits of the vector mosquito Culex pipiens. Parental exposure to a single stressor, either warming or the pesticide, had negative effects on the offspring: parental exposure to both warming and the pesticide resulted in an overall lower offspring survival, and a delayed offspring metamorphosis. Parental exposure to a single stressor did, however, not alter the vulnerability of the offspring to the same stressor in terms of survival. Parental pesticide exposure resulted in larger offspring when the offspring experienced the same stressor as the parents. Within both the parental and offspring generations, warming made the pesticide more toxic in terms of survival. Yet, this synergism disappeared in the offspring of parents exposed to both stressors simultaneously because in this condition, the pesticide was already more lethal at the lower temperature. Our results indicate that transgenerational effects will not increase the ability of this vector species to deal with pesticides in a warming world. Bifactorial transgenerational experiments are crucial to understand the combined impact of warming and pesticides across generations, hence to assess the efficacy of vector control in a warming world.
Effects of past and projected river discharge variability on freshwater production in an anadromous fish
Authors: Ohlberger Jan , Buehrens Thomas W. , Brenkman Samuel J. , Crain Patrick , Quinn Thomas P. , Hilborn Ray
Published: February 2018

Knowledge about population responses to environmental variability, including extreme climatic events, is crucial for understanding their current status and likely fate under future environmental change. The frequency and intensity of extreme events is projected to increase, especially in freshwater ecosystems.

Anadromous fishes depend on freshwater habitats for spawning and juvenile rearing, making them sensitive to altered hydrologic regimes. Here, we evaluate the effect of past and projected variability in river hydrology on freshwater production of naturally spawning coho salmon populations from coastal river systems in Washington,USA.

Using a stage‐based life‐cycle model, we show that juvenile production during freshwater residence depends on river flow characteristics. Most importantly, juvenile production is reduced by low minimum stream flows during summer.

Based on climate model projections suggesting more extreme summer droughts in the region, we then simulate changes in river flow characteristics and quantify the effects of more frequent and severe low flows during summer on juvenile production as well as the harvest that can be sustained in these populations.

Our results demonstrate that changes in hydrologic regimes due to environmental change, especially extreme low flows during summer, may significantly affect juvenile production in anadromous fishes such as coho salmon and the services these populations provide to their ecosystems and humans. Understanding population responses to extreme climatic events is thus essential for improving species conservation and risk assessments.
Issues and Options in the Delineation of Well Capture Zones under Uncertainty
Authors: Frind Emil O. , Molson John W.
Published: February 2018

The delineation of wellhead protection areas (WHPAs) under uncertainty is still a challenge for heterogeneous porous media. For granular media, one option is to combine particle tracking (PT) with the Monte Carlo approach (PT‐MC) to account for geologic uncertainties. Fractured porous media, however, require certain restrictive assumptions under this approach. An alternative for all types of media is the capture probability (CP) approach, which is based on the solution of the standard advection‐dispersion equation in a backward mode, making use of the analogy between forward and backward transport processes. Within this context, we review the current controversy about the correct form of the conceptual model for transport, finding that the advection‐diffusion model, which represents the diffusive interchange between streamtubes with differing velocities, is more physically realistic than the conventional advection‐dispersion model. For mildly to moderately heterogeneous materials, stochastic theories and simulation experiments show that this process converges at the field scale to an effective advection‐dispersion process that can be simulated with conventional transport models using appropriate macrodispersivity values. For highly heterogeneous materials, stochastic theories do not yet exist but there is no reason why the process should not converge naturally as well. Macrodispersivities appear to be formation‐specific. The advection‐dispersion model can be used for capture zone delineation in heterogeneous granular media. For fractured porous systems, hybrid equivalent porous medium and discrete fracture network or CP‐based approaches may have potential. In general, capture zones delineated by PT without MC will always be too small and should not be used as a basis for land‐use decisions.
RELIGIONS, FERTILITY, AND GROWTH IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Authors: de la Croix David , Delavallade Clara
Published: February 2018

We investigate the extent to which the pronatalism of religions impedes growth via the fertility/education channel. Using Southeast Asian censuses, we show empirically that being Catholic, Buddhist, or Muslim significantly raises fertility, especially for couples with intermediate to high education levels. With these estimates, we identify the parameters of a structural model. Catholicism is strongly pro‐child (increasing total spending on children), followed by Buddhism, whereas Islam is more pro‐birth (redirecting spending from quality to quantity). Pro‐child religions depress growth in its early stages by lowering savings and labor supply. In the later stages of growth, pro‐birth religions impede human capital accumulation.
Toxicity and growth inhibition potential of vetiver, cinnamon, and lavender essential oils and their blends against larvae of the sheep blowfly, Lucilia sericata
Authors: Khater Hanem F. , Ali Ali M. , Abouelella Galal A. , Marawan Marawan A. , Govindarajan Marimuthu , Murugan Kadarkarai , Abbas Rao Z. , Vaz Nelissa P. , Benelli Giovanni
Published: February 2018

Background

Myiasis induced by the sheep blowfly, Lucilia sericata, represents a public health problem widely distributed throughout the world. L. sericata larval stages feed on both humans and animals. L. sericata adults and larvae can play a role in spreading agents of mycobacterial infections.

Objectives

It is critical to establish new and safe alternative methods of controlling L. sericata.

Methods

The insecticidal effectiveness and growth inhibition potential of three commercially available essential oils (EOs), vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides), cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), as well as their blends, were tested against the second (L2) and third (L3) larval stages of L. sericata. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) oil was used as a carrier and tested on L2 and L3 larvae. To the best of our knowledge, all applied essential oils, except lavender, and oil blends were tested against L. sericata for the first time.

Results

All applied oils did not repel L2 from the treated liver but adversely affected their development. Contact treatments on L. sericata L3 indicated that vetiver and cinnamon oils significantly affected treated larvae. Total mortality rates were 93.33 and 95.56%, respectively. Furthermore, oil blends tested through contact assays killed larvae when used at higher concentrations; adult emergence was eliminated post‐treatment with doses >30% for oil blend 1 and >10% for oil blend 2.

Conclusion

Overall, cinnamon and vetiver oils (5%) were selected as reliable and cheap biopesticides for controlling larvae of L. sericata. The tested oils are inexpensive and represent new promising botanical insecticides in the fight against blowflies causing myiasis.
Factors associated with intention of Israeli‐born women and immigrant women from the Former Soviet Union to take folic acid before and during pregnancy
Authors: Ben Natan Merav , Brandin Rimkus Alina , Tseytlin Eryomine Anna
Published: February 2018

Aim

Folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy decreases rates of neural tube defects. However, many women fail to adhere to folic acid supplementation recommendations. This study explored factors associated with women's intention to take folic acid before and during pregnancy, using the Theory of Planned Behaviour, with an emphasis on differences between Israeli‐born women and immigrant women from the Former Soviet Union.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, 100 Israeli born‐women and 100 women from the Former Soviet Union of childbearing age completed a questionnaire, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Results

The findings indicated a significant difference in the rates at which Israeli‐born and FSU‐born women took folic acid before and during pregnancy, as well as a significant difference in their intention to take folic acid supplementation in future pregnancies. The theoretical model explained 88.7% of variance in women's intention to take folic acid, with the most influential variable being behavioural attitudes towards taking folic acid.

Conclusion

The study emphasizes the need to increase knowledge and change attitudes and beliefs about folic acid supplementation among women and their significant others, as well as the importance of cultural, language, and economic barriers when treating Former Soviet Union immigrant populations.
Two Forms of Catholic Apocalyptic Theology
Authors: O'Regan Cyril
Published: February 2018

While the emergence and development of apocalyptic forms of theology in Catholicism have been inhibited by particular theological styles as well as the powerful presence of the institutional church, it is the case that from the second half of the twentieth century on Catholicism has seen a number of forms of apocalyptic theology being well received. The two most influential forms have been provided by Johann Baptist Metz and Hans Urs von Balthasar. In this article I bring these two very different forms of apocalyptic into critical conversation with a view to coming to some provisional judgement regarding relative theological adequacy. The crucial issue is whether in the apocalyptic figurations of Metz and Balthasar the church is faithfully represented or undercut. I determine that Balthasar elaborates an apocalyptic form of theology in which the institutional church represents Christ and that Metz fundamentally undercuts the church. Still, the judgement of ‘Catholic’ adequacy or inadequacy is not solely based on the articulation of different views of the church largely because in neither case is the view of the church absolutely free standing. Not only is the conception of the church connected with other conceptions, for example, a view of God, Christ, community and person, but it is also influenced by how one interprets the Bible, understands tradition and engages philosophy. If apocalyptic and the church connect (Balthasar) or fail to connect (Metz), this will be in part due to very different decisions regarding these three features.
Characterization, conservation and loss of dignity at the end‐of‐ life in the emergency department. A qualitative protocol
Authors: Fernández‐Sola Cayetano , Granero‐Molina José , Díaz‐Cortés María del Mar , Jiménez‐López Francisca Rosa , Roman‐López Pablo , Saez‐Molina Encarnación , Aranda‐Torres Cayetano José , Muñoz‐Terrón José María , García‐Caro María Paz , Hernández‐Padilla José Manuel
Published: February 2018

Aims

To explore and understand the experiences of terminally ill patients and their relatives regarding dignity during end‐of‐life care in the emergency department.

Background

The respect given to the concept of dignity is significantly modifying the clinical relationship and the care framework involving the end‐of‐life patient in palliative care units, critical care units, hospices and their own homes. This situation is applicable to in‐hospital emergency departments, where there is a lack of research which takes the experiences of end‐of‐life patients and their relatives into account.

Design

A phenomenological qualitative study.

Methods

The protocol was approved in December 2016 and will be carried out from December 2016–December 2020. The Gadamer's philosophical underpinnings will be used in the design and development of the study. The data collection will include participant observation techniques in the emergency department, in‐depth interviews with terminally ill patients and focus groups with their relatives. For the data analysis, the field notes and verbatim transcriptions will be read and codified using ATLAS.ti software to search for emerging themes.

Discussion

Emerging themes that contribute to comprehending the phenomenon of dignity in end‐of‐life care in the emergency department are expected to be found. This study's results could have important implications in the implementation of new interventions in emergency departments. These interventions would be focused on improving: the social acceptance of death, environmental conditions, promotion of autonomy and accompaniment and assumption (takeover) of dignified actions and attitudes (respect for human rights).
SIRT1/FoxO3 axis alteration leads to aberrant immune responses in bronchial epithelial cells
Authors: Di Vincenzo Serena , Heijink Irene H. , Noordhoek Jacobien A. , Cipollina Chiara , Siena Liboria , Bruno Andreina , Ferraro Maria , Postma Dirkje S. , Gjomarkaj Mark , Pace Elisabetta
Published: February 2018

Inflammation and ageing are intertwined in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The histone deacetylase SIRT1 and the related activation of FoxO3 protect from ageing and regulate inflammation. The role of SIRT1/FoxO3 in COPD is largely unknown. This study evaluated whether cigarette smoke, by modulating the SIRT1/FoxO3 axis, affects airway epithelial pro‐inflammatory responses. Human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) and primary bronchial epithelial cells (PBECs) from COPD patients and controls were treated with/without cigarette smoke extract (CSE), Sirtinol or FoxO3 siRNA. SIRT1, FoxO3 and NF‐κB nuclear accumulation, SIRT1 deacetylase activity, IL‐8 and CCL20 expression/release and the release of 12 cytokines, neutrophil and lymphocyte chemotaxis were assessed. In PBECs, the constitutive FoxO3 expression was lower in patients with COPD than in controls. Furthermore, CSE reduced FoxO3 expression only in PBECs from controls. In 16HBE, CSE decreased SIRT1 activity and nuclear expression, enhanced NF‐κB binding to the IL‐8 gene promoter thus increasing IL‐8 expression, decreased CCL20 expression, increased the neutrophil chemotaxis and decreased lymphocyte chemotaxis. Similarly, SIRT1 inhibition reduced FoxO3 expression and increased nuclear NF‐κB. FoxO3 siRNA treatment increased IL‐8 and decreased CCL20 expression in 16HBE. In conclusion, CSE impairs the function of SIRT1/FoxO3 axis in bronchial epithelium, dysregulating NF‐κB activity and inducing pro‐inflammatory responses.
Determination of peripheral neuropathy in high‐fat diet fed low‐dose streptozotocin‐treated female C57Bl/6J mice and Sprague–Dawley rats
Authors: Coppey Lawrence J , Shevalye Hanna , Obrosov Alexander , Davidson Eric P , Yorek Mark A
Published: February 2018

Aims/Introduction

Peripheral neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes and also occurs in 30% of human obese individuals with impaired glucose tolerance. Even though peripheral neuropathy affects both sexes, most pre‐clinical studies have been carried out using male rodents. The aim of the present study was to create diet‐induced obesity and type 2 diabetes in female rats and mice in order to examine the development of peripheral neuropathy.

Materials and Methods

At 12 weeks‐of‐age, rats and mice were separated into three groups. Two groups or rats and mice were fed a 60‐kcal% high‐fat diet for 12 weeks (rats) or 8 weeks (mice). To induce type 2 diabetes, one group of high‐fat diet‐fed rats and mice were treated with a low dose of streptozotocin. Analyses of multiple neural end‐points were carried out 12 weeks later.

Results

Glucose utilization was impaired in diet‐induced obese female rats and mice, as was a number of neurological end‐points including nerve conduction velocity, intraepidermal and subepithelial corneal nerve fiber densities, and thermal and mechanical sensitivity. When female diet‐induced obese rats or mice were made hyperglycemic, glucose utilization and sensory nerve density of the skin and cornea, as well as thermal and mechanical sensitivity, were more significantly impaired compared with diet‐induced obese female rodents.

Conclusions

These studies show that diet‐induced obese and type 2 diabetic female rodents develop peripheral neuropathy that is similar to that occurring in male rodents. However, for female rats, more aggressive treatment is required to induce dietary obesity.
Effectiveness of the polysaccharide hemostatic powder in non‐variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding: Using propensity score matching
Authors: Park Jun Chul , Kim Yeong Jin , Kim Eun Hye , Lee Jinae , Yang Hyun Su , Kim Eun Hwa , Hahn Kyu Yeon , Shin Sung Kwan , Lee Sang Kil , Lee Yong Chan
Published: February 2018

Background and Aim

Recently, the application of hemostatic powder to the bleeding site has been used to treat active upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). We aimed to assess the effectiveness of the polysaccharide hemostatic powder (PHP) in patients with non‐variceal UGIB.

Methods

We reviewed prospectively collected 40 patients with UGIB treated with PHP therapy between April 2016 and January 2017 (PHP group) and 303 patients with UGIB treated with conventional therapy between April 2012 and October 2014 (conventional therapy group). We compared the rate of successful hemostasis and the rebleeding between the two groups after as well as before propensity score matching using the Glasgow–Blatchford score and Forrest classification.

Results

Thirty patients treated with the PHP and 60 patients treated with conventional therapy were included in the matched groups. Baseline patient characteristics including comorbidities, vital signs, and bleeding scores were similar in the matched groups. The rate of immediate hemostasis and 7‐day and 30‐day rebleeding were also similar in the two groups before and after matching. In the subgroup analysis, no significant differences in immediate hemostasis or rebleeding rate were noted between PHP in monotherapy and PHP combined with a conventional hemostatic method. At 30 days after the therapy, there were no significant PHP‐related complications or mortality.

Conclusions

Given its safety, the PHP proved feasible for endoscopic treatment of UGIB, having similar effectiveness as that of conventional therapy. The PHP may become a promising hemostatic method for non‐variceal UGIB.
Lumbopelvic Pain and Threats to Walking Ability in Well‐Functioning Older Adults: Findings from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
Authors: Simonsick Eleanor M. , Aronson Benjamin , Schrack Jennifer A. , Hicks Gregory E. , Jerome Gerald J. , Patel Kushang V. , Studenski Stephanie A. , Ferrucci Luigi
Published: February 2018

Objectives

To examine the potential contribution of severity of lumbopelvic pain (LPP) in well‐functioning older adults to poorer walking efficiency, lack of endurance, slower gait speed, and decline in these mobility parameters over 1 to 5 years.

Design

Longitudinal analysis of Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging data.

Setting

National Institute on Aging, Clinical Research Unit, Baltimore, Maryland.

Participants

Well‐functioning men and women aged 60 to 89 (N=878).

Measurements

An interviewer‐administered questionnaire was used to ascertain reported presence and severity of back and hip pain in the preceding 12 months and reported walking ability, including ease of walking a mile. Certified examiners assessed usual gait speed, the energetic cost of walking (oxygen consumption, mL per kg/m), and time taken to walk 400 m as quickly as possible. Covariates included sex, age, age‐squared, race, height, weight, exercise, and smoking.

Results

Overall, 31.4% had mild LPP, and 15.7% had moderate to severe LPP. In adjusted analyses, reported walking ability (p<.001), endurance walk performance (p=.007), and energetic cost of walking (p=.049) were worse with increasing LPP severity. Usual gait speed did not vary according to LPP (p=.31). Longitudinally, over an average 2.3 years, persons with new or sustained LPP had worse follow‐up level, greater mean decline, and higher likelihood of meaningful decline in reported walking ability than persons free of LPP or whose LPP resolved. Walking performance did not differ according to LPP follow‐up status.

Conclusion

LPP was common in well‐functioning older adults and was associated with greater energetic cost of walking and poorer perceived and observed walking endurance. The longitudinal effect of LPP is unclear, but worsening perception of walking ability and its contribution to future mobility loss warrants further attention.
Amoebicidal activity of curcumin on Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites
Authors: Rangel-Castañeda Itzia Azucena , Hernández-Hernández José Manuel , Pérez-Rangel Armando , González-Pozos Sirenia , Carranza-Rosales Pilar , Charles-Niño Claudia Lisette , Tapia-Pastrana Gabriela , Ramírez-Herrera Mario Alberto , Castillo-Romero Araceli
Published: February 2018

Objectives

This study was undertaken to investigate the amoebicidal potential of curcumin on Entamoeba histolytica, as well as its synergistic effect with metronidazole.

Methods

Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites were exposed to 100, 200 and 300 μm of curcumin, for 6, 12 and 24 h. Consequently, the viability of cells was determined by trypan blue exclusion test. All specimens were further analysed by scanning electron microscopy. For drug combination experiment, the Chou-Talalay method was used.

Key findings

Curcumin affected the growth and cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The higher inhibitory effects were observed with 300 μm at 24 h; 65.5% of growth inhibition and only 28.8% of trophozoites were viable. Additionally, curcumin also altered adhesion and the morphology of the trophozoites. Scanning electron microscopy revealed treated trophozoites with damages on the membrane, size alterations and parasites with loss of cellular integrity. In addition, the combination of curcumin + metronidazole exhibited a synergistic effect; the activity of both drugs was improved.

Conclusions

This is the first report evaluating the effectiveness of curcumin against E. histolytica. Our results suggest that CUR could be considered for evaluation in future pharmacological studies as a promising amoebicidal agent or as complementary therapy.
Comprehensive bile acid profiling in hereditary intrahepatic cholestasis: Genetic and clinical correlations
Authors: Liu Teng , Wang Ren‐Xue , Han Jun , Hao Chen‐Zhi , Qiu Yi‐Ling , Yan Yan‐Yan , Li Li‐Ting , Wang Neng‐Li , Gong Jing‐Yu , Lu Yi , Zhang Mei‐Hong , Xie Xin‐Bao , Yang Jun‐Cong , You Yi‐Jie , Li Jia‐qi , Knisely A. S. , Borchers Christoph H. , Ling Victor , Wang Jian‐She
Published: February 2018

Background & Aims

Genetic defects causing dysfunction in bile salt export pump (BSEP/ABCB11) lead to liver diseases. ABCB11 mutations alter the bile acid metabolome. We asked whether profiling plasma bile acids could reveal compensatory mechanisms and track genetic and clinical status.

Methods

We compared plasma bile acids in 17 ABCB11‐mutated patients, 35 healthy controls and 12 genetically undiagnosed cholestasis patients by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography/multiple‐reaction monitoring‐mass spectrometry (UPLC/MRM‐MS). We developed an index to rank bile acid hydrophobicity, and thus toxicity, based on LC retention times. We recruited 42 genetically diagnosed hereditary cholestasis patients, of whom 12 were presumed to have impaired BSEP function but carried mutations in genes other than ABCB11, and 8 healthy controls, for further verification.

Results

The overall hydrophobicity indices of total bile acids in both the ABCB11‐mutated group (11.89 ± 1.07 min) and the undiagnosed cholestasis group (11.46 ± 1.07 min) were lower than those of healthy controls (13.69 ± 0.77 min) (both p < 0.005). This was owing to increased bile acid modifications. Secondary bile acids were detected in patients without BSEP expression, suggesting biliary bile acid secretion through alternative routes. A diagnostic panel comprising lithocholic acid (LCA), tauro‐LCA, glyco‐LCA and hyocholic acid was identified that could differentiate the ABCB11‐mutated cohort from healthy controls and undiagnosed cholestasis patients (AUC=0.946, p < 0.0001) and, in non‐ABCB11‐mutated cholestasis patients, could distinguish BSEP dysfunction from normal BSEP function (9/12 vs 0/38, p < 0.0000001).

Conclusions

Profiling of plasma bile acids has provided insights into cholestasis alleviation and may be useful for the clinical management of cholestatic diseases.
Trends of child undernutrition in rural Ecuadorian communities with differential access to roads, 2004–2013
Authors: Lopez Velma K. , Dombecki Carolyn , Trostle James , Mogrovejo Patricia , Castro Morillo Nancy , Cevallos William , Goldstick Jason , Jones Andrew D. , Eisenberg Joseph N. S.
Published: February 2018

Road access can influence protective and risk factors associated with nutrition by affecting various social and biological processes. In northern coastal Ecuador, the construction of new roads created a remoteness gradient among villages, providing a unique opportunity to examine the impact of roads on child nutritional outcomes 10 years after the road was built. Anthropometric and haemoglobin measurements were collected from 2,350 children <5 years in Esmeraldas, Ecuador, from 2004 to 2013 across 28 villages with differing road access. Logistic generalized estimating equation models assessed the longitudinal association between village remoteness and prevalence of stunting, wasting, underweight, overweight, obesity, and anaemia. We examined the influence of socio‐economic characteristics on the pathway between remoteness and nutrition by comparing model results with and without household‐level socio‐economic covariates. Remoteness was associated with stunting (OR = 0.43, 95% CI [0.30, 0.63]) and anaemia (OR = 0.56, 95% CI [0.44, 0.70]). Over time, the prevalence of stunting was generally decreasing but remained higher in villages closer to the road compared to those farther away. Obesity increased (0.5% to 3%) over time; wasting was high (6%) but stable during the study period. Wealth and education partially explained the better nutritional outcomes in remote vs. road villages more than a decade after some communities gained road access. Establishing the extent to which these patterns persist requires additional years of observation.
Gene expression profiling across ontogenetic stages in the wood white (Leptidea sinapis) reveals pathways linked to butterfly diapause regulation
Authors: Leal Luis , Talla Venkat , Källman Thomas , Friberg Magne , Wiklund Christer , Dincă Vlad , Vila Roger , Backström Niclas
Published: February 2018

In temperate latitudes, many insects enter diapause (dormancy) during the cold season, a period during which developmental processes come to a standstill. The wood white (Leptidea sinapis) is a butterfly species distributed across western Eurasia that shows photoperiod‐induced diapause with variation in critical day‐length across populations at different latitudes. We assembled transcriptomes and estimated gene expression levels at different developmental stages in experimentally induced directly developing and diapausing cohorts of a single Swedish population of L. sinapis to investigate the regulatory mechanisms underpinning diapause initiation. Different day lengths resulted in expression changes of developmental genes and affected the rate of accumulation of signal molecules, suggesting that diapause induction might be controlled by increased activity of monoamine neurotransmitters in larvae reared under short‐day light conditions. Expression differences between light treatment groups of two monoamine regulator genes (DDC and ST) were observed already in instar III larvae. Once developmental pathways were irreversibly set at instar V, a handful of genes related to dopamine production were differentially expressed leading to a significant decrease in expression of global metabolic genes and increase in expression of genes related to fatty acid synthesis and sequestration. This is in line with a time‐dependent (hour‐glass) model of diapause regulation where a gradual shift in the concentration of monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites during development of larvae under short‐day conditions leads to increased storage of fat, decreased energy expenditures, and ultimately developmental stasis at the pupal stage.
Transcriptomics reveal transgenerational effects in purple sea urchin embryos: Adult acclimation to upwelling conditions alters the response of their progeny to differential pCO2 levels
Authors: Wong Juliet M. , Johnson Kevin M. , Kelly Morgan W. , Hofmann Gretchen E.
Published: February 2018

Understanding the mechanisms with which organisms can respond to a rapidly changing ocean is an important research priority in marine sciences, especially in the light of recent predictions regarding the pace of ocean change in the coming decades. Transgenerational effects, in which the experience of the parental generation can shape the phenotype of their offspring, may serve as such a mechanism. In this study, adult purple sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, were conditioned to regionally and ecologically relevant pCO2 levels and temperatures representative of upwelling (colder temperature and high pCO2) and nonupwelling (average temperature and low pCO2) conditions typical of coastal upwelling regions in the California Current System. Following 4.5 months of conditioning, adults were spawned and offspring were raised under either high or low pCO2 levels, to examine the role of maternal effects. Using RNA‐seq and comparative transcriptomics, our results indicate that differential conditioning of the adults had an effect on the gene expression patterns of the progeny during the gastrula stage of early development. For example, maternal conditioning under upwelling conditions intensified the transcriptomic response of the progeny when they were raised under high versus low pCO2 conditions. Additionally, mothers that experienced upwelling conditions produced larger progeny. The overall findings of this study are complex, but do suggest that transgenerational plasticity in situ could act as an important mechanism by which populations might keep pace with rapid environmental change.
Host‐associated bacterial community succession during amphibian development
Authors: Prest Tiffany L. , Kimball Abigail K. , Kueneman Jordan G. , McKenzie Valerie J.
Published: February 2018

Amphibians undergo significant developmental changes during their life cycle, as they typically move from a primarily aquatic environment to a more terrestrial one. Amphibian skin is a mucosal tissue that assembles communities of symbiotic microbiota. However, it is currently not well understood as to where amphibians acquire their skin symbionts, and whether the sources of microbial symbionts change throughout development. In this study, we utilized data collected from four wild boreal toad populations (Anaxyrus boreas); specifically, we sampled the skin bacterial communities during toad development, including eggs, tadpoles, subadults and adults as well as environmental sources of bacteria (water, aquatic sediment and soil). Using 16S rRNA marker gene profiling coupled with SourceTracker, we show that while primary environmental sources remained constant throughout the life cycle, secondary sources of boreal toad symbionts significantly changed with development. We found that toad skin communities changed predictably across development and that two developmental disturbance events (egg hatching and metamorphosis) dictated major changes. Toad skin communities assembled to alternative stable states following each of these developmental disturbances. Using the predicted average rRNA operon copy number of the communities at each life stage, we showed how the skin bacterial communities undergo a successional pattern whereby “fast‐growing” (copiotroph) generalist bacteria dominate first before “slow‐growing” (oligotroph) specialized bacteria take over. Our study highlights how host‐associated bacterial community assembly is tightly coupled to host development and that host‐associated communities demonstrate successional patterns akin to those observed in free‐living bacteria as well as macrofaunal communities.