bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glaucoma Implant Tube Lumen Obstruction Visualized Using Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: Nakakura Shunsuke , Noguchi Asuka , Noguchi Santaro , Hirose Yuka , Niimi Koji , Tabuchi Hitoshi , Kiuchi Yoshiaki
Published: January 2018

We report a case of glaucoma implant tube lumen obstruction visualized with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) and present its surgical management. The patient was a 66-year-old man with refractory glaucoma associated with traumatic aphakia in the right eye after trabeculectomy, several bleb needling procedures, and scleral fixation of the intraocular lens with pars plana vitrectomy. Finally, we performed Baerveldt implantation at the pars plana of the temporal inferior quadrant with a several Sherwood slit. However, his intraocular pressure (IOP) was >30 mm Hg despite maximum medication for several weeks. We attempted second vitrectomy and completely removed vitreous around the tube tip; however, his IOP remained around 40 mm Hg for several days after the surgery. Therefore, we suspected tube obstruction at the extraocular point of the tube lumen and used ASOCT for assessment. ASOCT revealed material in the tube lumen. We pulled out the tube and then crushed and extruded the obstructing material from the tube tip. We then refixed the tube at the same place and achieved good IOP control after the surgery. Our findings indicate that ASOCT is useful for diagnosing glaucoma implant tube lumen obstruction and surgical decision-making.
Symmetry of Upper Eyelid Contour After Unilateral Blepharoptosis Repair With a Single-strip Frontalis Suspension Technique
Authors: Akaishi Patricia , Galindo-Ferreiro Alicia , Cruz Antonio A. V.
Published: January 2018

Purpose:

To analyze the upper eyelid contour of patients with unilateral congenital ptosis who underwent single-strip frontalis suspension.

Methods:

The authors compared the upper eyelid shape of the right and left eyes of 10 patients who underwent unilateral frontalis suspension with a single strip of autogenous fascia. At a mean postoperative time of 10.1 ± 4.01 months, the image J software was used to measure the ratio between the nasal and temporal areas of the upper half of the palpebral fissure. The midpupil upper eyelid distance (MRD1) was also measured on the photos with the same software. The nonparametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the data.

Results:

Postoperative MRD1 ranged from 2.5 to 4.7 mm (median = 3.8) on the affected side. The MRD1 for nonoperated eyelid ranged from 1.8 to 5.0 mm (median = 3.5). On the operated side, the temporal areas ranged from 50.3 to 85.7 mm2 (median 65.2) and nasal areas ranged from 41.5 to 72.3 (the median was 60.1). In the contralateral, nonoperated palpebral fissures, the temporal areas ranged from 42.7 to 94.3 mm2 (median = 54.5) and the nasal areas ranged from 36.8 to 86.1 mm2 (median 52.3). The T/N ratio distributions were almost identical between groups, ranging from 0.9 to 1.2 (median = 1.1) in the operated eyes and from 0.9 to 1.3 (median = 1.1) in the fellow eyes.

Conclusions:

In autogenous fascia frontalis suspension procedures, the upper eyelid contour of the ptotic eyelids can be adequately normalized with a single area of traction on the tarsal plate.
Monitoring Depression Rates in an Urban Community: Use of Electronic Health Records
Authors: Davidson Arthur J. , Xu Stanley , Oronce Carlos Irwin A. , Durfee M. Josh , McCormick Emily V. , Steiner John F. , Havranek Edward , Beck Arne
Published: January 2018

Objectives:

Depression is the most common mental health disorder and mediates outcomes for many chronic diseases. Ability to accurately identify and monitor this condition, at the local level, is often limited to estimates from national surveys. This study sought to compare and validate electronic health record (EHR)-based depression surveillance with multiple data sources for more granular demographic subgroup and subcounty measurements.

Design/Setting:

A survey compared data sources for the ability to provide subcounty (eg, census tract [CT]) depression prevalence estimates. Using 2011-2012 EHR data from 2 large health care providers, and American Community Survey data, depression rates were estimated by CT for Denver County, Colorado. Sociodemographic and geographic (residence) attributes were analyzed and described. Spatial analysis assessed for clusters of higher or lower depression prevalence.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Depression prevalence estimates by CT.

Results:

National and local survey-based depression prevalence estimates ranged from 7% to 17% but were limited to county level. Electronic health record data provided subcounty depression prevalence estimates by sociodemographic and geographic groups (CT range: 5%-20%). Overall depression prevalence was 13%; rates were higher for women (16% vs men 9%), whites (16%), and increased with age and homeless patients (18%). Areas of higher and lower EHR-based, depression prevalence were identified.

Conclusions:

Electronic health record–based depression prevalence varied by CT, gender, race/ethnicity, age, and living status. Electronic health record–based surveillance complements traditional methods with greater timeliness and granularity. Validation through subcounty-level qualitative or survey approaches should assess accuracy and address concerns about EHR selection bias. Public health agencies should consider the opportunity and evaluate EHR system data as a surveillance tool to estimate subcounty chronic disease prevalence.
Quantification of gene expression patterns to reveal the origins of abnormal morphogenesis
Authors: Martínez-Abadías N. , Mateu R. , Sastre J. , Motch Perrine S , Yoon M , Robert-Moreno A. , Swoger J. , Russo L. , Kawasaki K , Richtsmeier J. , Sharpe J.
Published: January 2018

The earliest developmental origins of dysmorphologies are poorly understood in many congenital diseases. They often remain elusive because the first signs of genetic misregulation may initiate as subtle changes in gene expression, which can be obscured later in development due to secondary phenotypic effects. We here develop a method to trace back the origins of phenotypic abnormalities by accurately quantifying the 3D spatial distribution of gene expression domains in developing organs. By applying geometric morphometrics to 3D gene expression data obtained by Optical Projection Tomography, our approach is sensitive enough to find regulatory abnormalities never previously detected. We identified subtle but significant differences in gene expression of a downstream target of theFgfr2mutation associated with Apert syndrome. Challenging previous reports, we demonstrate that Apert syndrome mouse models can further our understanding of limb defects in the human condition. Our method can be applied to other organ systems and models to investigate the etiology of malformations.
Spatial cell firing during virtual navigation of open arenas by head-restrained mice
Authors: Chen Guifen , King John A , Lu Yi , Cacucci Francesca , Burgess Neil
Published: January 2018

We present a mouse virtual reality (VR) system which restrains head-movements to horizontal rotations, potentially compatible with multi-photon imaging. We show that this system allows expression of the spatial navigational behaviour and neuronal firing patterns characteristic of real open arenas (R). Place and grid, but not head-direction, cell firing had broader spatial tuning in VR than R. Theta frequency increased less with running speed in VR than in R, while firing rates increased similarly in both. Place, but not grid, cell firing was more directional in VR than R. These results suggest that the scale of grid and place cell firing patterns, and the frequency of theta, reflect translational motion inferred from both virtual (visual and proprioceptive) cues and uncontrolled static (vestibular translation and extra-maze) cues, while firing rates predominantly reflect visual and proprioceptive motion. They also suggest that omni-directional place cell firing in R reflects local-cues unavailable in VR.
Shared transcriptional control and disparate gain and loss of aphid parasitism genes and loci acquired via horizontal gene transfer
Authors: Thorpe Peter , Escudero-Martinez Carmen M. , Cock Peter J. A. , Laetsch D. , Akker Sebastian Eves-van den , Bos Jorunn I.B.
Published: January 2018

Background

Aphids are a diverse group of taxa that contain hundreds of agronomically important species, which vary in their host range and pathogenicity. However, the genome evolution underlying agriculturally important aphid traits is not well understood.

Results

We generated highly-contiguous draft genome assemblies for two aphid species: the narrow host range Myzus cerasi, and the cereal specialist Rhopalosiphum padi. Using a de novo gene prediction pipeline on both these genome assemblies, and those of three related species (Acyrthosiphon pisum, D. noxia and M. persicae), we show that aphid genomes consistently encode similar gene numbers, and in the case of A. pisum, fewer and larger genes than previously reported. We compare gene content, gene duplication, synteny, horizontal gene transfer events, and putative effector repertoires between these five species to understand the genome evolution of globally important plant parasites.

Aphid genomes show signs of relatively distant gene duplication, and substantial, relatively recent, gene birth, and are characterized by disparate gain and loss of genes acquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Such HGT events account for approximately 1% of loci, and contribute to the protein-coding content of aphid species analysed. Putative effector repertoires, originating from duplicated loci, putative HGT events and other loci, have an unusual genomic organisation and evolutionary history. We identify a highly conserved effector-pair that is tightly genetically-linked in all aphid species. In R. padi, this effector pair is tightly transcriptionally-linked, and shares a transcriptional control mechanism with a subset of approximately 50 other putative effectors distributed across the genome.

Conclusions

This study extends our current knowledge on the evolution of aphid genomes and reveals evidence for a shared control mechanism, which underlies effector expression, and ultimately plant parasitism.
Bioinformatic analysis of endogenous and exogenous small RNAs on lipoproteins
Authors: Allen Ryan M. , Zhao Shilin , Ramirez Solano Marisol A. , Michell Danielle L. , Wang Yuhuan , Shyr Yu , Sethupathy Praveen , Linton MacRae F. , Graf Gregory A. , Sheng Quanhu , Vickers Kasey C.
Published: January 2018

To comprehensively study extracellular small RNAs (sRNA) by sequencing (sRNA-seq), we developed a novel pipeline to overcome current limitations in analysis entitled, “Tools for Integrative Genome analysis of Extracellular sRNAs (TIGER)”. To demonstrate the power of this tool, sRNA-seq was performed on mouse lipoproteins, bile, urine, and liver samples. A key advance for the TIGER pipeline is the ability to analyze both host and non-host sRNAs at genomic, parent RNA, and individual fragment levels. TIGER was able to identify approximately 60% of sRNAs on lipoproteins, and >85% of sRNAs in liver, bile, and urine, a significant advance compared to existing software. Results suggest that the majority of sRNAs on lipoproteins are non-host sRNAs derived from bacterial sources in the microbiome and environment, specifically rRNA-derived sRNAs from Proteobacteria. Collectively, TIGER facilitated novel discoveries of lipoprotein and biofluid sRNAs and has tremendous applicability for the field of extracellular RNA.
A simulation study on the relative role of age groups under differing pertussis transmission scenarios
Authors: Bento Ana I. , King Aaron A. , Rohani Pejman
Published: January 2018

This manuscript has been withdrawn owing to an author dispute.
FoxN1-dependent thymic epithelial cells promote T-cell leukemia development
Authors: Ghezzo Marinella N. , Fernandes Mónica T. , Machado Rui S. , Pacheco-Leyva Ivette , Araújo Marta A.S. , Kalathur Ravi K. , Futschik Matthias E. , Alves Nuno L. , dos Santos Nuno R.
Published: January 2018

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive malignancy of thymocytes. The role of thymic microenvironmental cells and stromal factors in thymocyte malignant transformation and T-ALL development remains little explored. Here, using the TEL-JAK2 transgenic (TJ2-Tg) mouse model of T-ALL, which is driven by constitutive JAK/STAT signaling and characterized by the acquisition ofNotch1mutations, we sought to identify stromal cell alterations associated with thymic leukemogenesis. Immunofluorescence analyses showed that thymic lymphomas presented epithelial areas characterized by keratin 5 and keratin 8 expression, adjacently to keratin-negative, epithelial-free areas. Both keratin-positive and -negative areas stained conspicuously with ER-TR7 (a fibroblast marker), laminin, and CD31 (an endothelial cell marker). Besides keratin 5, keratin-positive areas were also labeled by theUlex Europaeusagglutinin-1 medullary thymic epithelial cell (TEC) marker. To assess whether TECs are important for T-ALL development, we generated TJ2-Tg mice heterozygous for the FoxN1 transcription factornudenull mutation. In contrast tonudehomozygous mice, which lack thymus and thymocytes, heterozygous mutant mice present only mild thymocyte maturation defects. In TJ2-Tg;Foxn1+/nucompound mice both emergence of malignant cells in pre-leukemic thymi and overt T-ALL onset were significantly delayed. Moreover, in transplantation assays leukemic cell expansion in the thymus of recipientFoxn1+/numice was reduced as compared to control littermates. These results indicate that FoxN1 insufficiency impairs specifically thymic leukemogenesis but not thymocyte development.

In a mouse model of T-ALL, several cellular alterations were detected in thymic lymphomas, including altered epithelial distribution and increased proportion of fibroblasts or endothelial cells. Reduced dosage of FoxN1, a thymic epithelial transcription factor, delayed leukemogenesis in these mice.
Automated map sharpening by maximization of detail and connectivity
Authors: Terwilliger Thomas C. , Sobolev Oleg , Afonine Pavel V. , Adams Paul D.
Published: January 2018

Synopsis

A procedure for optimizing the sharpening of a map based on maximizing the level of detail and connectivity of the map is developed and applied to 361 pairs of deposited cryo-EM maps and associated models.

We present an algorithm for automatic map sharpening that is based on optimization of detail and connectivity of the sharpened map. The detail in the map is reflected in the surface area of an iso-contour surface that contains a fixed fraction of the volume of the map, where a map with high level of detail has a high surface area. The connectivity of the sharpened map is reflected in the number of connected regions defined by the same iso-contour surfaces, where a map with high connectivity has a small number of connected regions. By combining these two measures in a metric we term “adjusted surface area”, we can evaluate map quality in an automated fashion. We use this metric to choose optimal map sharpening parameters without reference to a model or other interpretations of the map. Map sharpening by optimization of adjusted surface area can be carried out for a map as a whole or it can be carried out locally, yielding a locally-sharpened map. To evaluate the performance of various approaches, we use a simple metric based on map-model correlation that can reproduce visual choices of optimally-sharpened maps. The map-model correlation is calculated using a model with B-factors (atomic displacement factors, ADP) set to zero. We use this model-based metric to evaluate map sharpening, use it to evaluate map sharpening approaches and find that optimization of adjusted surface area can be an effective tool for map sharpening.
Planned missing data design: stronger inferences, increased research efficiency and improved animal welfare in ecology and evolution
Authors: Noble Daniel W.A. , Nakagawa Shinichi
Published: January 2018

Ecological and evolutionary research questions are increasingly requiring the integration of research fields along with larger datasets to address fundamental local and global scale problems. Unfortunately, these agendas are often in conflict with limited funding and a need to balance animal welfare concerns.

Planned missing data design (PMDD), where data are randomly and deliberately missed during data collection, is a simple and effective strategy to working under greater research constraints while ensuring experiments have sufficient power to address fundamental research questions. Here, we review how PMDD can be incorporated into existing experimental designs by discussing alternative design approaches and evaluating how data imputation procedures work under PMDD situations.

Using realistic examples and simulations of multilevel data we show how a variety of research questions and data types, common in ecology and evolution, can be aided by using a PMDD with data imputation procedures. More specifically, we show how PMDD can improve statistical power in detecting effects of interest even with high levels (50%) of missing data and moderate sample sizes. We also provide examples of how PMDD can facilitate improved animal welfare and potentially alleviate research costs and constraints that would make endeavours for integrative research challenging.

Planned missing data designs are still in their infancy and we discuss some of the difficulties in their implementation and provide tentative solutions. Nonetheless, data imputation procedures are becoming more sophisticated and more easily implemented and it is likely that PMDD will be an effective and powerful tool for a wide range of experimental designs, data types and problems in ecology and evolution.
Association between peripheral inflammation and DATSCAN data of the striatal nuclei in different motor subtypes of Parkinson Disease
Authors: Sanjari Moghaddam Hossein , Sherbaf Farzaneh Ghazi , Zadeh Mahtab Mojtahed , Ashraf-Ganjouei Amir , Aarabi Mohammad Hadi
Published: January 2018

The interplay between peripheral and central inflammation has a significant role in dopaminergic neural death in nigrostriatal pathway, although no direct assessment of inflammation has been performed in relation to dopaminergic neuronal loss in striatal nuclei. In this study, the correlation of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a marker of peripheral inflammation to striatal binding ratios (SBR) of DAT-SPECT images in bilateral caudate and putamen nuclei were calculated in 388 drug-naïve early PD patients (288 tremor-dominant, 73 PIGD, and 27 intermediate) and 148 controls. NLR was significantly higher in PD patients than age and sex-matched healthy controls. NLR showed a negative correlation to SBR in bilateral putamen in all PD subjects. Among our three subgroups, only TD subgroup showed remarkable results. A positive association between NLR and motor severity was observed in TD subgroup. Besides, NLR could negatively predict the SBR in ipsilateral and contralateral putamen and caudate nuclei in tremulous phenotype. Nonetheless, we found no significant association between NLR and other clinical and imaging findings in PIGD and intermediate subgroups, supporting the presence of distinct underlying pathologic mechanisms between tremor and non-tremor predominant PD at early stages of the disease.
Formaldehyde–aminoguanidine condensation and aminoguanidine self-condensation products: syntheses, crystal structures and characterization
Authors: Buvaylo Elena A. , Kokozay Vladimir N. , Strutynska Nataliia Yu. , Vassilyeva Olga Yu. , Skelton Brian W.
Published: January 2018

Guanidine is the functional group on the side chain of arginine, one of the fundamental building blocks of life. In recent years, a number of compounds based on the aminoguanidine (AG) moiety have been described as presenting high anticancer activities. The product of condensation between two molecules of AG and one molecule of formaldehyde was isolated in the protonated form as the dinitrate salt (systematic name: 2,8-diamino-1,3,4,6,7,9-hexaazanona-1,8-diene-1,9-diium dinitrate), C3H14N8
2+·2NO3
−, (I). The cation lacks crystallographically imposed symmetry and comprises two terminal planar guanidinium groups, which share an N—C—N unit. Each cation in (I) builds 14 N—H...O hydrogen bonds and is separated from adjacent cations by seven nitrate anions. The AG self-condensation reaction in the presence of copper(II) chloride and chloride anions led to the formation of the organic–inorganic hybrid 1,2-bis(diaminomethylidene)hydrazine-1,2-diium tetrachloridocuprate(II), (C2H10N6)[CuCl4], (II). Its asymmetric unit is composed of half a diprotonated 1,2-bis(diaminomethylidene)hydrazine-1,2-diium dication and half a tetrachloridocuprate(II) dianion, with the CuII atom situated on a twofold rotation axis. The planar guanidinium fragments in (II) have their planes twisted by approximately 77.64 (5)° with respect to each other. The tetrahedral [CuCl4]2− anion is severely distorted and its pronounced `planarity' must originate from its involvement in multiple N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds. It was reported that [CuCl4]2− anions, with a trans-Cl—Cu—Cl angle (Θ) of ∼140°, are yellow–green at room temperature, with the colour shifting to a deeper green as Θ increases and toward orange as Θ decreases. Brown salt (II), with a Θ value of 142.059 (8)°, does not fit the trend, which emphasizes the need to take other structural factors into consideration. In the crystal of salt (II), layers of cations and anions alternate along the b axis, with the minimum Cu...Cu distance being 7.5408 (3) Å inside a layer. The structures of salts (I) and (II) were substantiated via spectroscopic data. The endothermic reaction involved in the thermal decomposition of (I) requires additional oxygen. The title salts may be useful for the screening of new substances with biological activity.
Bis[μ-N,N′-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bis(trimethylsilylamido)-1κ2N1,N2;2:3κ2N6:N6]bis(tetrahydrofuran)-2:3κ2O-1-nickel(II)-2,3-lithium(I)
Authors: Boltin Alan M. , Guillet Gary L.
Published: January 2018

The title complex, [Li2Ni(C11H21N3Si2)2(C4H8O)2], is a trimetallic complex of two LiIcations and a NiIIcation bridged by twoN,N′-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bis(trimethylsilylamide) ligands that crystallizes in theFdd2 space group. The molecule hasC2rotational symmetry, with the NiIIcation located on the twofold axis. The coordination sphere of the NiIIcation is composed of two amido N and two pyridyl N-atom donors in a distorted square-planar geometry. The LiIcations are coordinated by two amido N-atom donors and a tetrahydrofuran molecule with a long interaction with a pyridyl N-atom donor. The coordinating tetrahydrofuran ligand and a trimethylsilyl group are disordered. Intra- or intermolecular hydrogen bonding, as well as π–π stacking, are not observed between the molecules, likely indicating that weak electrostatic interactions are the dominant feature leading to the crystal structure.
Examining family cohesion’s influence on resort vacation satisfaction
Authors: Gregory Amy , Fu Xiaoxiao
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Although much satisfaction research examines the role of demographics, few examine the phenomena of family cohesion or travel party composition and the role they play in influencing satisfaction. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to leverage the two to further understand satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 400 vacationing families were analyzed to examine the factors of family cohesion, activity satisfaction and overall vacation satisfaction.

Findings

Contrary to previous research, the results suggest that family cohesion is comprised of two primary factors: emotional bonding and decision making, family boundaries and coalitions. The findings suggest that family cohesion and activity satisfaction contributed to overall vacation satisfaction. However, as an addition to extant research, the findings demonstrate that travel party size moderated this relationship.

Research limitations/implications

This research challenges findings of extant research on family cohesion and extends satisfaction research by introducing the effect of family cohesion and travel party composition. Both suggest and offer opportunities for future academic research. Practically speaking, this research also provides insight for practitioners as to why “travel party composition” should be regarded as an operative, rather than a descriptive term.

Practical implications

Practically speaking, this research also provides insight for practitioners as to why “travel party composition” should be regarded as an operative, rather than a descriptive term. Given the results of this research, the moderating effect of travel party composition is an interesting academic finding. Operationalizing this component in practice is challenging. However, practitioners can take the knowledge of the positive relationships between family cohesion, participation in activities, and overall vacation satisfaction, as well as the moderating effect of travel party composition, into account when evaluating guest satisfaction scores, programming activities, and resolving guest issues.

Originality/value

In addition to challenging findings of prior research, this research utilizes data gathered during family vacations; therefore not relying on recall or issues with memory effect. In addition, it extends existing research through the exploration of moderating variables. Finally, the research has practical implications for practitioners to attend to satisfaction of the increasing global family leisure market.
Tense and plural formation in Welsh–English bilingual children with and without language impairment
Authors: Chondrogianni Vasiliki , John Nerys
Published: January 2018

Background

Grammatical morphology has been shown to be problematic for children with specific language impairment (SLI) or developmental language disorder (DLD). Most research on this topic comes from widely spoken languages, such as English. Despite Welsh being the most extensively spoken indigenous in the UK after English, and Wales being the only official bilingual country in the UK, our knowledge about the morphosyntactic areas of Welsh that may pose problems for Welsh‐speaking children with SLI is limited. Currently, Welsh‐speaking speech and language therapists (SLTs) are heavily reliant on the use of informally translated English assessments. This can inadvertently result in a failure to take aspects of Welsh morphosyntax into account that are critical for the assessment and treatment of Welsh‐speaking children.

Aims

This is the first study to examine how Welsh–English bilingual children of early school age with typical development (bi‐TD) and with SLI (bi‐SLI) perform on production tasks targeting verbal and nominal morphology in Welsh. We targeted areas of Welsh morphosyntax that could potentially be vulnerable for Welsh‐speaking children with or at risk of language impairment, such as tense marking and plural formation, and assessed their diagnostic potential.

Methods & Procedures

Twenty‐eight Welsh‐dominant bilingual children participated in the study: 10 bi‐SLI and 18 bi‐TD. They were administered three elicitation tasks targeting the production of verbal (compound and synthetic past tense) and nominal (plural) morphology in Welsh.

Outcomes & Results

The bi‐SLI children performed worse than their bi‐TD peers across all three tasks. They produced more uninflected verbs in the elicited‐production task and were less likely to be prompted to produce the synthetic past, which is a concatenating, low‐frequency form of the past tense. They also over‐regularized less in the context of plural nouns, and when they did, they opted for high‐frequency suffixes.

Conclusions & Implications

By focusing on aspects of morphosyntactic development which are unique to Welsh, we have increased existing about how verbal and nominal morphology are acquired in Welsh‐speaking bi‐SLI and bi‐TD children. The present results point towards productivity problems for Welsh‐speaking bi‐SLI children who are adversely influenced by low‐frequency structures and fail to over‐regularize in the context of verbal and nominal concatenating morphology. From a clinical perspective, targeting synthetic past‐tense forms through a prompting task may be a promising assessment and intervention tool that future studies could explore further.
Blow flies as urban wildlife sensors
Authors: Hoffmann Constanze , Merkel Kevin , Sachse Andreas , Rodríguez Pablo , Leendertz Fabian H. , Calvignac‐Spencer Sébastien
Published: January 2018

Wildlife detection in urban areas is very challenging. Conventional monitoring techniques such as direct observation are faced with the limitation that urban wildlife is extremely elusive. It was recently shown that invertebrate‐derived DNA (iDNA) can be used to assess wildlife diversity in tropical rainforests. Flies, which are ubiquitous and very abundant in most cities, may also be used to detect wildlife in urban areas. In urban ecosystems, however, overwhelming quantities of domestic mammal DNA could completely mask the presence of wild mammal DNA. To test whether urban wild mammals can be detected using fly iDNA, we performed DNA metabarcoding of pools of flies captured in Berlin, Germany, using three combinations of blocking primers. Our results show that domestic animal sequences are, as expected, very dominant in urban environments. Nevertheless, wild mammal sequences can often be retrieved, although they usually only represent a minor fraction of the sequence reads. Fly iDNA metabarcoding is therefore a viable approach for quick scans of urban wildlife diversity. Interestingly, our study also shows that blocking primers can interact with each other in ways that affect the outcome of metabarcoding. We conclude that the use of complex combinations of blocking primers, although potentially powerful, should be carefully planned when designing experiments.
Grafting influence on the weight and quality of tomato fruit under salt stress
Authors: Koleška I. , Hasanagić D. , Todorović V. , Murtić S. , Maksimović I.
Published: January 2018

Two commercial tomato cultivars were used to determine whether grafting could prevent decrease of fruit weight and quality under salt stress conditions. The cultivars Buran F1 and Berberana F1 were grafted onto rootstock ‘Maxifort’ and grown under three levels of elevated soil salinity (EC 3.80 dS m−1, 6.95 dS m−1 and 9.12 dS m−1). Fruit weight reduction of grafted plants was lower (about 20–30%) in comparison with non‐grafted ones. Salt stress at the second salinity level (EC 6.95 dS m−1) induced the highest alteration of examined growth and quality parameters. The total increase of phenols, flavonoids, ascorbate and lycopene content in the fruits of both grafted and non‐grafted plants for both cultivars had a similar trend and intensity, though some inter‐cultivar variation was observed. The possibility of grafting tomato plants to improve salt tolerance without fruit quality loss is discussed.
Renal complications of anaesthesia
Authors: McKinlay J. , Tyson E. , Forni L. G.
Published: January 2018

Peri‐operative acute kidney injury is common, accounting for 30–40% of all in‐hospital cases of acute kidney injury. It is associated with clinically significant morbidity and mortality even with what was hitherto regarded as relatively trivial increases in serum creatinine, and carries over a 12‐fold relative risk of death following major abdominal surgery. Comorbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, liver disease and particularly pre‐existing chronic kidney disease, as well as the type and urgency of surgery, are major risk factors for the development of postoperative acute kidney injury. As yet, there are no specific treatment options for the injured kidney, although there are several modifiable risk factors of which the anaesthetist should be aware. As well as the avoidance of potential nephrotoxins and appropriate volume balance, optimal anaesthetic management should aim to reduce the risk of postoperative renal complications. This may include careful ventilatory management and blood pressure control, as well as appropriate analgesic strategies. The choice of anaesthetic agent may also influence renal outcomes. Rather than concentrate on the classical management of acute kidney injury, this review focuses on the potential development of acute kidney injury peri‐operatively, and the means by which this may be ameliorated.
Treatment with proton pump inhibitors is associated with increased mortality in patients with pyogenic liver abscess
Authors: Bettinger D. , Martin D. , Rieg S. , Schultheiss M. , Buettner N. , Thimme R. , Boettler T.
Published: January 2018

Background

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are often used in patients with gastro‐esophageal reflux and peptic ulcer disease. A higher risk for infectious diseases and for pyogenic liver abscess has been reported in patients with prolonged PPI intake. Although many patients have ongoing PPI treatment after diagnosis of liver abscess, there are no data available that focus on the prognostic impact of PPI treatment in these patients.

Aim

To analyse the effect of PPI treatment on mortality in patients with pyogenic liver abscesses.

Methods

Between January 2005 and March 2017, one hundred and eighty‐one patients with pyogenic liver abscess were retrospectively included in this analysis. Medical records including PPI treatment, microbiological and imaging data were reviewed. The primary endpoint was index mortality and predictive factors were analysed using uni‐ and multivariate logistic regression models.

Results

One hundred patients with pyogenic liver abscess (55.2%) were treated with PPI compared to 81 patients (44.8%) without PPI treatment. In both patient cohorts, enterococcus spp. and streptococcus of the anginous group were the most common pathogens identified. Patients with PPI treatment had significantly higher index mortality compared to patients without PPI treatment (30.0% vs 11.1%, P = 0.003). After adjusting for comorbidities PPI remained an independent predictive factor with an OR of 2.56 (1.01‐6.46, P = 0.036).

Conclusions

PPI treatment is associated with higher index mortality in patients with pyogenic liver abscess. Therefore, critical evaluation of the indication for PPI treatment is particularly important in patients at high risk for pyogenic liver abscess.
ITPA Activity in Children Treated by Azathioprine: Relationship to the Occurrence of Adverse Drug Reactions and Inflammatory Response
Authors: Citterio‐Quentin Antony , Moulsma Mustapha , Gustin Marie‐Paule , Lachaux Alain , Boulieu Roselyne
Published: January 2018

Azathioprine (AZA), a thiopurine drug, is widely used in the treatment of children with immunological diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH); however, interindividual variability in the occurrence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and drug response is observed. This study investigated (i) the relationships between inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase (ITPA) activity, an enzyme involved in thiopurine metabolism, and the occurrence of ADRs in children with immunological disease on AZA therapy, and (ii) the relationship between ITPA activity and the inflammatory activity observed in children with IBD. ITPA and TPMT activities were determined in 106 children with immunological disease on AZA therapy. Markers of hepatotoxicity, myelotoxicity, pancreatitis and inflammation as well as clinical information were retrospectively collected during regular medical visits. No significant association was found between ITPA activity and hepatotoxicity or clinical ADRs such as cutaneous reactions, arthralgia, flulike symptoms and gastrointestinal disorders. Concerning myelotoxicity, a significant relation was observed between ITPA activity and RBC mean corpuscular volume (MCV; p=0.003). This observation may be related to the significant relationship found between high ITPA activity and the increase in γ‐globulin level reflecting inflammation (p=0.005). In our study, ITPA activity was not associated with occurrence of ADRs, but a relationship between high ITPA activity and γ‐globulin, a marker of inflammation, was found in children with IBD. Therefore, measurement of ITPA activity may help to identify children with IBD predisposed to residual inflammation on AZA therapy. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm this result.
Mesenchymal stem cell deficiency influences megakaryocytopoiesis through the TNFAIP3/NF‐κB/SMAD pathway in patients with immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: He Yun , Xu Lin‐Lin , Feng Fei‐Er , Wang Qian‐Ming , Zhu Xiao‐Lu , Wang Chen‐Cong , Zhang Jia‐Min , Fu Hai‐Xia , Xu Lan‐Ping , Liu Kai‐Yan , Huang Xiao‐Jun , Zhang Xiao‐Hui
Published: January 2018

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disease. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play important roles in the physiology and homeostasis of the haematopoietic system, including supporting megakaryocytic differentiation from CD34+ haematopoietic progenitor cells. Tumour necrosis factor alpha‐induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3, also termed A20) plays a key role in terminating NF‐κB signalling. Human genetic studies showed that the polymorphisms of the TNFAIP3 gene may contribute to ITP susceptibility. In this study, we showed a significant decrease in TNFAIP3 and increase in NF‐κB/SMAD7 in ITP‐MSCs. In co‐cultures with CD34+ cells, NF‐κB was overexpressed in MSCs from healthy controls (HC‐MSCs) after transfection with NFKBIA (IκB)‐specific short hairpin (sh)RNAs, resulting in MSC deficiency and a reduction in megakaryocytic differentiation and thrombopoiesis. Knockdown of TNFAIP3 expression using TNFAIP3‐specific shRNAs in HC‐MSCs affected megakaryocytopoiesis. However, IKBKB knockdown corrected megakaryocytopoiesis inhibition in the ITP‐MSCs by decreasing NF‐κB expression. Amplified TNFAIP3 expression in ITP‐MSCs by TNFAIP3 cDNA can facilitate megakaryocyte differentiation. shRNA‐mediated knockdown of SMAD7 expression rescued the impaired MSC function in ITP patients. Therefore, we demonstrate that a pathological reduction in TNFAIP3 levels induced NF‐κB/SMAD7 pathway activation, causing a deficiency in MSCs in ITP patients. The ability of ITP‐MSCs to support megakaryocytic differentiation and thrombopoiesis of CD34+ cells was impaired.
Substance P as a putative efferent transmitter mediates GABAergic inhibition in mouse taste buds
Authors: Huang Anthony Y , Wu Sandy Y
Published: January 2018

Background and Purpose

Capsaicin‐mediated modulation of taste nerve responses is thought to be produced indirectly by the actions of neuropeptides, for example, CGRP and substance P (SP), on taste cells implying they play a role in taste sensitivity. During the processing of gustatory information in taste buds, CGRP shapes peripheral taste signals via serotonergic signalling. The underlying assumption has been that SP exerts its effects on taste transmitter secretion in taste buds of mice.

Experimental Approach

To test this assumption, we investigated the net effect of SP on taste‐evoked ATP secretion from mouse taste buds, using functional calcium imaging with CHO cells expressing high‐affinity transmitter receptors as cellular biosensors.

Key Results

Our results showed that SP elicited PLC activation‐dependent intracellular Ca2+ transients in taste cells via neurokinin 1 receptors, most likely on glutamate–aspartate transporter‐expressing Type I cells. Furthermore, SP caused Type I cells to secrete GABA.

Conclusion and Implications

Combined with the recent findings that GABA depresses taste‐evoked ATP secretion, the current results indicate that SP elicited secretion of GABA, which provided negative feedback onto Type II (receptor) cells to reduce taste‐evoked ATP secretion. These findings are consistent with a role for SP as an inhibitory transmitter that shapes the peripheral taste signals, via GABAergic signalling, during the processing of gustatory information in taste buds. Notably, the results suggest that SP is intimately associated with GABA in mammalian taste signal processing and demonstrate an unanticipated route for sensory information flow within the taste bud.
A prospective cohort study of 122 adult patients presenting to an otolaryngologist's office with globus pharyngeus
Authors: Rasmussen E.R. , Schnack D.T. , Ravn A.T.
Published: January 2018

Objectives

To investigate the epidemiology of globus pharyngeus in adult patients presenting to the otolaryngologist's office. Also, the predictors of persisting symptoms, prevalence of anxiety and the effect of clinical assessment were analysed.

Design

This was a prospective cohort study. Follow‐up was carried out using a postal questionnaire.

Setting

One otolaryngologists’ office comprising three medical doctors.

Participants

A total of 122 consecutive globus patients presenting to one otolaryngology office in a 1‐year period.

Main outcome measures

Globus incidence, gender and age distribution, predictors of persisting symptoms and the patient's health‐related concerns.

Results

3.8% of first‐time visits were regarding globus. The mean age was 48 years [range 20‐88 years], and a female predominance was found (ratio 1.49). Eighty‐four per cent experienced anxiety, mainly due to fear of cancer. The most common pathological findings were reflux (15.6%) and post‐infectious inflammation (10.6%). 21.4% of questionnaire responders reported full remission of their symptoms. Three predictors regarding symptom persistence were identified: male gender (OR 1.52), smoking (OR 3.4) and difficulties in breathing (OR 8.7). Patients with concomitant foreign body sensation were less likely to have persisting symptoms (OR 0.42). No cases of malignant disease were encountered. 94.7% was reassured by the office visit.

Conclusion

The incidence of globus is 3.8% in the otolaryngologist's office. Female gender and concomitant foreign body sensation were predictive for presenting to the clinic even if symptom remission had occurred. Male gender, smoking and self‐perceived breathing difficulties were predictive for persisting symptoms. Globus is an anxiety‐causing symptom, but reassurance is provided by clinical examination by the otolaryngologist.
Split‐thickness skin grafting for reconstruction of auricular skin defects: a statistical analysis
Authors: Thuile Tobias , Larcher Lorenz , Gatscher Barbara , Schwaiger Karl , Deluca Jenny , Fallaha Amgiad , Tappeiner Lukas , Puviani Mario , Eisendle Klaus
Published: January 2018

Background and objectives

Surgical reconstruction following the removal of large malignant auricular lesions is challenging. While many options for defect closure have been described, in the elderly population usually affected flap surgery, long anesthesia times, patient compliance, and anticoagulant therapy pose additional risks. An alternative quick, simple, and effective method of defect closure is therefore highly desirable. The objective of the present study was to assess the aesthetic outcome, healing process, complications, and recurrence rates associated with unmeshed split‐thickness skin grafts (STSGs) used for covering large auricular skin defects following cartilage‐sparing skin cancer removal.

Patients and methods

Under local tumescent anesthesia, 32 patients received STSGs for defect closure following the removal of malignant cutaneous neoplasms of the ear.

Results

The average defect size was 8.0 cm². In all cases, complete healing of the recipient site occurred within two weeks. There were no major complications. The aesthetic outcome was rated highly by patients as well as by the dermatosurgeon involved and two independent plastic surgeons.

Conclusions

STSGs are a valid option for closing large auricular skin defects. Even large cutaneous tumors of the external ear do not necessarily infiltrate the cartilage. Thus, cartilage‐sparing tumor resection with subsequent defect closure using a STSG is an excellent and quick method associated with high patient satisfaction.
Innovative approaches to continuous professional development (CPD) in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Europe: Findings from a comparative review
Authors: Jensen Bente , Iannone Rosa Lisa
Published: January 2018

This article explores innovation as an aspect of in‐service continuous professional development (CPD) in ECEC. Based on a literature review and a cross‐country analysis conducted in ten European countries, we found that innovation in CPD was understood as a way to improving quality in ECEC. CPD no longer solely deals with practitioners’ knowledge and skills. Rather, it encompasses processes such as critical thinking, reflexivity and co‐creation within and across ECEC systems. Two overall approaches to innovation in CPD emerged: one can be characterised as developing in systems that lack a national definition for innovation, where there is nevertheless a growing awareness of the need to finding new solutions for ECEC; and one as highly innovative in systems that have a history, culture and societal tradition of innovation. Also, three additional insights were identified as crucial aspects of CPD in terms of innovation: (a) critical reflection; (b) communities of practice; and (c) a growing focus on politics that address social inequality through ECEC. This analysis contributes to filling the gaps in research on innovative CPD in ECEC at three levels: system (macro), inter‐organisational (meso) and individual, organisational (micro). Further research is needed to explore more in‐depth the identified approaches to innovation related to CPD and their impact on quality development in European ECEC.
Changes in soil microbial community are linked to soil carbon fractions after afforestation
Authors: Zhao F. Z. , Ren C. J. , Zhang L. , Han X. H. , Yang G. H. , Wang J.
Published: January 2018

The soil microbial community plays an important role in regulating soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition and maintaining stability in forest ecosystems. However, the interactions between the soil microbial community and soil carbon (C) fractions following afforestation remain poorly understood. In this study, soil samples were collected in an afforested area representing a chronosequence of 42, 27 and 17 years of Robinia pseudoacacia L. succession (RP42yr, RP27yr and RP17yr, respectively), and in farmland (FL) soil for comparison. Illumina sequencing of the16S rRNA and fungal ITS genes was used to analyse soil bacterial and fungal diversity, and the content of C fractions was also measured. Our results indicated that soil C fractions in the afforested RP42yr, RP27yr and RP17yr sites were 34.83–94.11%, 38.52–82.83% and 27.24–89.32% larger, respectively, than in the FL soil. Shannon indices for bacterial and fungal diversity, which ranged from 6.59 to 6.81 and 3.73 to 4.19, respectively, were also larger in the afforested soil. In addition, the dominant bacterial and fungal phyla, including Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes, Bacteroidetes, Nitrospirae, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes, Armatimonadetes, Cyanobacteria, Chlorobi, Firmicutes, Fibrobacteres, Zygomycota, Basidiomycota and Glomeromycota, were more abundant in afforested soil than in FL soil, whereas Actinobacteria and Ascomycota were more abundant in FL soil than in afforested soil. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were strong and positive between soil microbial diversity (alpha diversity, Bshannon and Fshannon) and C fractions (P < 0.05). The dominant phyla (both bacterial and fungal), such as Proteobacteria and Zygomycota, had significant positive effects on C fractions, whereas for other taxa, such as Actinobacteria and Ascomycota, they were significant and negative. Thus, our results indicated that changes in soil C fractions are linked to the composition of soil microbial communities following afforestation. They also provide further evidence that soil bacterial and fungal communities play vital roles in the turnover of SOC and C cycling.

Highlights

Changes in soil microbial community influence soil carbon fractions following afforestation.

Carbon fractions and soil microbial communities respond to afforestation.

Changes in C fractions were strongly correlated with soil microbial diversity.

Soil microbial diversity and microbial taxa markedly affected carbon fractions.