bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An integrative review of nurse practitioner education models: Part three of a four-part series on critical topics identified by the 2015 Nurse Practitioner Research Agenda
Authors: Kostas-Polston Elizabeth A. , Rawlett Kristen , Miedema Joy , Dickins Kirsten
Published: December 2018

Background and purpose:

Critical research topics were identified after nurse practitioner (NP) organization stakeholders participated in the Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioner, 2015 Nurse Practitioner Research Agenda Roundtable. Strategies and recommendations were identified to support further work examining NP outcomes-based research priorities in four areas: 1) policy and regulation; 2) workforce; 3) education; and 4) practice. For the purpose of this article, we focus on NP education. Important contrasts became evident after critiquing, analyzing, and synthesizing the literature. Meaningful differences were discovered in the understanding of the complexity of the construct, NP Education Models. Our results are presented as an integrative review. This is the third article in a four-part series investigating FAANP research priorities.

Methods:

A systematic literature review summarizing the literature for NP Education Models was conducted. PRISMA evidence-based methods were used to identify relevant studies. Of the 3,374 studies identified, 133 duplicate studies were eliminated, yielding a total of 3,241 articles. A team of three reviewers conducted screening and reviewing processes using defined eligibility criteria.

Conclusions:

A lack of clarity regarding use of the construct, NP Education Models, was discovered. The construct was broadly defined and represented different meanings. There is a paucity of theoretical development in current NP education that should be core to practice-focused NP educational programs.

Implications for practice:

Theoretical and conceptual NP education models and frameworks would bridge the gap between practice- and research-focused graduate programs. Overarching theoretical and conceptual models and frameworks promote critical thinking and decision-making across settings and populations.
Biomarkers of rejection in kidney transplantation
Authors: Singh Neeraj , Samant Hrishikesh , Hawxby Alan , Samaniego Millie D.
Published: December 2018

Purpose of review

To provide an update of the literature on the use of new biomarkers of rejection in kidney transplant recipients.

Recent findings

The kidney allograft biopsy is currently considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of rejection. However, the kidney biopsy is invasive and could be indeterminate. A significant progress has been made in discovery of new biomarkers of rejection, and some of them have been introduced recently for potential use in clinical practice including measurement of serum donor-derived cell free DNA, allo-specific CD154 + T-cytotoxic memory cells, and gene-expression ‘signatures’. The literature supports that these biomarkers provide fair and reliable diagnostic accuracy and may be helpful in clinical decision-making when the kidney biopsy is contraindicated or is inconclusive.

The new biomarkers provide a promising approach to detect acute rejections in a noninvasive way.
The Molecular and Clinical Landscape of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Batukbhai Bhavina D.O. , De Jesus-Acosta Ana
Published: December 2018

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are rare tumors of the pancreas originating from the islets of the Langerhans. These tumors comprise 1% to 3% of all newly diagnosed pancreatic cancers every year and have a unique heterogeneity in clinical presentation. Whole-genome sequencing has led to an increased understanding of the molecular biology of these tumors. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge of the signaling pathways involved in the tumorigenesis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors as well as the major studies targeting these pathways at preclinical and clinical levels.
Emerging Evidence for the Clinical Relevance of Pancreatic Cancer Exosomes
Authors: Massoumi Roxanne L. , Hines O. Joe , Eibl Guido , King Jonathan C.
Published: December 2018

The last 5 years have seen a dramatic increased interest in the field of exosome biology. Although much is unknown about the role of exosomes in human health and disease, disparate scientific disciplines are recognizing the highly conserved role that exosomes play in fundamental biological processes. Recently, there have been intriguing discoveries defining the role of exosomes in cancer biology. We performed a structured review of the English-language literature using the PubMed database searching for articles relating to exosomes and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Articles were screened for relevance and content to judge for inclusion. Evidence implicates exosomes in the pathogenesis, local progression, metastasis, immune evasion, and intercellular communication of PDAC. Basic science discoveries in exosome biology have the potential to change the clinical management of PDAC, where, despite advances in early detection, diagnosis, staging, chemotherapy, and surgery, survival rates have been stagnant for decades and PDAC remains the most deadly human gastrointestinal malignancy.
Gastric Neuroendocrine Tumor and Duodenal Gastrinoma With Chronic Autoimmune Atrophic Gastritis
Authors: Chen William C. , Warner Richard R. P. , Harpaz Noam , Zhu Hongfa , Roayaie Sasan , Kim Michelle Kang
Published: December 2018

Our group observed the first case of synchronous gastric neuroendocrine tumor (NET) and duodenal gastrinoma with autoimmune chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), in the absence of Helicobacter pylori infection. Demographic, clinical, endoscopic, and pathologic data were abstracted from the electronic medical record at Mount Sinai Hospital from 2013 to 2015. The patient's anonymity was carefully protected, and informed consent was obtained for publication of protected health information. A 53-year-old woman with hypertension presented to Mount Sinai Hospital in June 2013 for a second opinion for management of gastric and duodenal NETs. After evaluation by gastroenterology and surgery, repeat upper endoscopy with ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration revealed multiple diminutive type I gastric NETs and 2 duodenal NETs, against a background of autoimmune CAG, with biopsy pathology negative for H. pylori. She subsequently underwent a transduodenal resection of the duodenal NETs, confirming low-grade, gastrin-positive, stage T2 duodenal NET. On routine follow-up over the next 2 years, clinical, radiographic, and endoscopic surveillance revealed no recurrent or metastatic gastric or duodenal disease. This first report of synchronous duodenal gastrinoma and gastric NET in the setting of autoimmune CAG can broaden our understanding of gastric NET pathophysiology.
Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Authors: Hoofien Assaf , Dias Jorge A. , Malamisura Monica , Rea Francesca , Chong Sonny , Oudshoorn Johanna , Nijenhuis‐Hendriks Danielle , Otte Sebastian , Papadopoulou Alexandra , Romano Claudio , Gottrand Frederic , Miravet Victor V. , Orel Rok , Oliva Salvatore , Junquera Carolina G. , Załęski Andrzej , Urbonas Vaidotas , Garcia‐Puig Roger , Gomez Maria J.M. , Dominguez‐Ortega Gloria , Auth Marcus K.‐H. , Kori Michal , Ben Tov Amir , Kalach Nicolas , Velde Saskia V. , Furman Mark , Miele Erasmo , Marderfeld Luba , Roma Eleftheria , Zevit Noam
Published: December 2018

Objectives:

Recommendations for diagnosing and treating eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) are evolving; however, information on real world clinical practice is lacking. To assess the practices of pediatric gastroenterologists diagnosing and treating EoE and to identify the triggering allergens in European children.

Methods:

Retrospective anonymized data were collected from 26 European pediatric gastroenterology centers in 13 countries. Inclusion criteria were: Patients diagnosis with EoE, completed investigations prescribed by the treating physician, and were on stable medical or dietary interventions.

Results:

In total, 410 patients diagnosed between December 1999 and June 2016 were analyzed, 76.3% boys. The time from symptoms to diagnosis was 12 ± 33.5 months and age at diagnosis was 8.9 ± 4.75 years. The most frequent indications for endoscopy were: dysphagia (38%), gastroesophageal reflux (31.2%), bolus impaction (24.4%), and failure to thrive (10.5%). Approximately 70.3% had failed proton pump inhibitor treatment. The foods found to be causative of EoE by elimination and rechallenge were milk (42%), egg (21.5%), wheat/gluten (10.9%), and peanut (9.9%). Elimination diets were used exclusively in 154 of 410 (37.5%), topical steroids without elimination diets in 52 of 410 (12.6%), both diet and steroids in 183 of 410 (44.6%), systemic steroids in 22 of 410 (5.3%), and esophageal dilation in 7 of 410 (1.7%). Patient refusal, shortage of endoscopy time, and reluctance to perform multiple endoscopies per patient were noted as factors justifying deviation from guidelines.

Conclusions:

In this “real world” pediatric European cohort, milk and egg were the most common allergens triggering EoE. Although high‐dose proton pump inhibitor trials have increased, attempted PPI treatment is not universal.
Development of a simplified Cold Intolerance Symptom Severity questionnaire in patients with peripheral nerve injury
Authors: Franchignoni Franco , Magistroni Ernesta , Parodi Giulia , Massazza Giuseppe , Ferriero Giorgio , Giordano Andrea
Published: December 2018

The aim of this study was to analyse the Cold Intolerance Symptom Severity (CISS) questionnaire in its Italian validated version, using Rasch analysis, to gain insights for a possible refinement of the questionnaire. The CISS was administered to a convenience sample of 96 consecutively recruited outpatients with upper limb peripheral nerve injury. Data were analysed using Rasch analysis. According to rating scale diagnostics, response options of items 3 and 5 did not comply with the pre-set criteria for an optimal category functioning. After collapsing the malfunctioning categories, all items fitted the measured construct. Principal component analysis of standardized residuals showed local dependence between two items (one of them was considered redundant and deleted); after this deletion, unidimensionality of the 12-item questionnaire (CISS-12) was achieved. The reliability indices of CISS-12 were high (>0.85). Some clearer item wording was introduced in response to comments from an expert panel and patient feedback. Overall, Rasch analysis provided the rationale for improving the measurement qualities of the questionnaire, refining its rating scales, identifying those items most useful for measuring the intended construct and confirming the high reliability of its person-ability and item-difficulty estimates. In conclusion, the new simplified CISS-12 presents robust psychometric properties for measuring cold intolerance in patients with upper limb peripheral nerve injury and represents a solid basis for clinical studies aimed at a precise (interval level) measurement of cold-induced symptoms in these patients.
Attitudes of Physicians, Midwives, and Nurses About Doulas
Authors: Lucas Laura , Wright Erin
Published: December 2018

Introduction:

Evidence supports numerous positive clinical benefits of doula care. There are varying attitudes among physicians, midwives, and nurses toward support of doulas in a collaborative approach with women in labor. Tension and conflict with use of doulas may occur in some intrapartum settings in the United States.

Methods:

A scoping review of the literature between January 2008 and January 2018 was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and Scopus database to identify specific attitudes of physicians, midwives, and nurses toward doulas; 1,810 records were identified and initially reviewed. Inclusion criteria included original research published in the last 10 years and in the English language. Articles were excluded if the research was not original and if obstetrical providers' or nurses' attitudes toward doulas were not included.

Results:

Three records met criteria for inclusion. All used a cross-sectional survey design. Two were set in Canada exclusively and one was inclusive of nurses and doulas in both Canada and the United States. Themes emerged that may explain the influence and variances in attitudes toward doulas and the support they provide to laboring women.

Clinical Implications:

More research is needed to identify attitudes of members of the maternity care team toward doulas and to better understand implications of their attitudes on working together collaboratively and on patient outcomes.
Nurses' Perspective on Caring for Women Experiencing Perinatal Loss
Authors: Willis Patricia
Published: December 2018

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of caring for women with a perinatal loss from the perspective of the nurse and to determine the extent to which the response to perinatal loss reflects a process.

Study Design and Methods:

A purposive study was conducted with nine labor and birth nurses with experience in caring for women with a perinatal loss. The nurses were from two acute care hospitals within one healthcare system in Southeastern Massachusetts. A qualitative descriptive design with in-depth interviewing based on Rubin and Rubin (2012) was used to gather and analyze data.

Results:

Several themes depicting nurses' experience were identified: struggling with emotions, carrying on in the moment, being present for the patient, expressing conflict, and taking care of self. A process was identified by nurses describing their response to perinatal loss. The process began with recognition of the loss and progressed through phases including the recognition of their emotional impact, connecting with the mother, dealing with emotions, acting professionally, preparing to return to work, and never forgetting the woman.

Clinical Implications:

Nurses identified a need for more education and managerial support for excellence in care of women with a perinatal loss. Education to prepare nurses to meet the physical, psychological, and spiritual needs of women is recommended. Debriefing after caring for a woman with a loss was suggested by the nurses. When nurses' needs are met, they are better prepared to care for women experiencing a perinatal loss.
The Paramedian Forehead Flap for Nasal Reconstruction: From Antiquity to Present
Authors: Shokri Tom , Kadakia Sameep , Saman Masoud , Habal Mutaz B. , Kohlert Scott , Sokoya Mofiyinfolu , Ducic Yadranko , Wood-Smith Donald
Published: December 2018

Nasal reconstruction is considered the historic foundation of facial plastic surgery, and the forehead flap remains the workhorse of repair. To recreate both the aesthetic contour and function of the nose, all anatomic layers must be addressed—covering, lining, and structural support. This article reviews the noteworthy history underlying the development of the paramedian forehead flap as the primary tool in reconstruction of large nasal defects while highlighting its implications on modern nasal repair. Current developments in the use of 2-staged paramedian forehead flap reconstruction are examined and a modern technique is presented.
The Influence of Melatonin on Sleep Quality After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Zhang Juyi , Wang Yubin , Xu Hao , Yang Juan
Published: December 2018

Introduction:

The efficacy of melatonin to improve sleep quality after laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains controversial. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the influence of melatonin intervention versus placebo on sleep quality after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods:

We searched PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases through July 2018 for randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of melatonin intervention versus placebo on sleep quality after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This meta-analysis is performed using the random-effect model.

Results:

Five randomized controlled trials involving 250 patients are included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with control group for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, melatonin intervention shows no substantial impact on well-being [standard mean difference (std MD)=0.05; 95% confidence interval (CI)=−0.26 to 0.36; P=0.76], sleepiness (std MD=−0.10; 95% CI=−0.44 to 0.23; P=0.54), sleep quality (std MD=0.10; 95% CI=−0.21 to 0.41; P=0.53), pain scores after 1 hour (std MD=−0.26; 95% CI=−1.08 to 0.56; P=0.53) and 3 hours (std MD=−0.86; 95% CI=−2.69 to 0.97; P=0.36), headache [risk ratio (RR)=1.25; 95% CI=0.42-3.71; P=0.68], depression (RR=1.03; 95% CI=0.15-7.21; P=0.97), dizziness (RR=1.09; 95% CI=0.14-9.40; P=0.94).

Conclusions:

Melatonin intervention has no significant influence on well-being, sleepiness, sleep quality, pain intensity after 1 and 3 hours, headache, depression, and dizziness for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Stapled Hemorrhoidectomy Versus Transanal Hemorrhoidal Dearterialization in the Treatment of Hemorrhoids: An Updated Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xu Li , Chen Honglei , Gu Yunfei
Published: December 2018

This meta-analysis aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of stapled hemorrhoidectomy (SH) and transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD) for treating hemorrhoidal disease. Randomized control trials (RCTs) comparing SH with THD were searched in databases, including MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library database. Nine RCTs, with 1077 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. Nine RCTs, with 1077 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. The bleeding rate in the SH patient group was higher than that in the THD group. No significant difference was detected between SH and THD in terms of operating time, postoperative pain, hospital time, and return-to-work time. The total recurrence rate was higher in the THD group than in the SH group. In conclusion, SH and THD are effective for treating hemorrhoids. SH produces better outcomes in terms of a relatively lower recurrence rate. Future studies with long follow-up periods are needed to confirm these results.
Extending the Indication for Laparoscopic Surgery in Patients With Pan-Peritonitis
Authors: Yeom Jong Hoon , Lee Jun Ho , Song Joon Sung , Lee Min Hong , Kim Min Gyu
Published: December 2018

Background:

There have been reports of favorable results in patients with peritonitis who underwent laparoscopic surgery. The present study evaluated the outcomes of laparoscopic surgery in patients with pan-peritonitis.

Materials and Methods:

We enrolled 148 patients who underwent open and laparoscopic surgery for pan-peritonitis between January 2015 and December 2017 at Hanyang University Guri Hospital. Patients with appendicitis or cholecystitis were excluded from this study because of the simplicity of the technique and the favorable postoperative prognosis. Surgical outcomes including open conversion, morbidity, mortality, risk, and prognostic factors were evaluated.

Results:

During the study period, 125 patients (84.5%) underwent laparoscopic surgery. The conversion to open surgery occurred in 7 (5.3%) patients. In the laparoscopic surgery group, 27 patients (21.6%) experienced postoperative complications, and 6 died (4.8%). Multivariate analysis showed that age of older than 75 years was a risk factor for postoperative complications. Especially, preoperative shock (<90 mm Hg) and a longer time from symptom onset (over 2 d) to surgery were prognostic factors for postoperative mortality.

Conclusions:

On the basis of our results and experiences, we believe that laparoscopic surgery is applicable to surgery of pan-peritonitis. And, preoperative shock and longer time from onset are prognostic factors of mortality in laparoscopic group. Therefore, we are confident that careful patient selection and specialized laparoscopic team should be considered in order to have best results.
Dynamics of microbial contaminants is driven by selection during ethanol production
Authors: Queiroz Luciano Lopes , Costa Maria Silveira , de Abreu Pereira Alcilene , de Paula Avila Marcelo , Costa Patrícia Silva , Nascimento Andréa Maria Amaral , Lacorte Gustavo Augusto
Published: December 2018

Brazil is the second largest ethanol producer in the World and largest using sugarcane feedstock. Bacteria contamination is one the most important issues faced by ethanol producers that seek to increase production efficiency. Each step of production is a selection event due to the environmental and biological changes that occur. Therefore, we evaluated the influence of the selection arising from the ethanol production process on diversity and composition of Bacteria. Our objectives were to test two hypothesis, (1) that species richness will decrease during the production process and (2) that Lactic Acid Bacteria will become dominant with the advance of ethanol production due to selection. Bacterial community assemblage was accessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing from 19 sequential samples. Temperature is of great importance in shaping microbial communities. Species richness increased between the Decanter and Must steps of the process. Low Simpson index values were recorded at the fermentation step, indicating a high dominance ofLactobacillus. Interactions betweenLactobacillusand yeast may be impairing the efficiency of industrial ethanol production.
The impact of biological sex on alternative splicing
Authors: Karlebach Guy , Veiga Diogo F.T. , Mays Anne Deslattes , Chatzipantsiou Christina , Barja Pablo Prieto , Chatzou Maria , Kesarwani Anil K. , Danis Daniel , Kararigas Georgios , Zhang Xingmin Aaron , George Joshy , Steinhaus Robin , Hansen Peter , Seelow Dominik , McMurry Julie A , Haendel Melissa A , Yang Jeremy , Oprea Tudor , Anczukow Olga , Banchereau Jacques , Robinson Peter N
Published: December 2018

Over 95% of human genes undergo alternative splicing (AS) in a developmental, tissue-specific, or signal transduction-dependent manner. Here, we present a large-scale survey of sex-biased differential alternative splicing (DAS) across 7027 samples of 39 tissues from 532 individuals (351 males and 181 females) from the Genotype-Tissue Expression project. We detected a total of 1278 statistically significant DAS events affecting 888 different genes and 4417 significant differential gene expression (DGE) events in 3221 genes. Only 267 (29.3%) of the differentially spliced genes were also differentially expressed. Genes that displayed sex-biased DGE or DAS across multiple tissues were enriched in functions related to signaling including histone demethylation. The probability of a gene showing significant differential AS varies by chromosome and is highest for the X chromosome, with differentially spliced X chromosomal genes additionally being more likely to escape X chromosomal inactivation. A small but significant association was found between sex-biased AS and transcripts that undergo physiological nonsense-mediated decay (NMD). We show a significant overlap of differential splicing and genes that display estrogen-induced alternative splicing, that are involved in estrogen response pathway. Further, we show overlap of the involved exons with estrogen-receptor bindings sites. Our results provide a comprehensive survey of sex-biased AS and its characteristics across a large collection of human tissues.
Novel Alzheimer risk genes determine the microglia response to amyloid-β but not to TAU pathology
Authors: Sierksma Annerieke , Lu Ashley , Salta Evgenia , Mancuso Renzo , Zoco Jesus , Blum David , Buée Prof Luc , Strooper Prof Bart De , Fiers Mark
Published: December 2018

Background

Thousands of SNPs associated with risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) do not reach genome-wide significance. When combined, they contribute however to a highly predictive polygenic risk score. The relevance of these subthreshold risk genes to disease, and how their combined predictive power translates into functionally relevant disease pathways, is unknown. We investigate here at the genome-wide level and in an unbiased way to what extent AD risk genes show altered gene expression in the context of increasing Aβ or Tau pathology in mouse models of AD.

Methods

We used an existing GWAS data set to generate lists of candidate AD genes at different levels of significance. We performed transcriptomic analysis on wild-type and transgenic APP/PS1 (APPtg) and Thy-TAU22 (TAUtg) mouse models at early and late stage of disease. We used unbiased weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify clusters of co-regulated genes responsive to Aβ or TAU pathology. Gene set enrichment was used to identify clusters that were enriched for AD risk genes.

Findings

Consistent and significant enrichment of AD risk genes was found in only one out of 63 coexpression modules. This module is highly responsive to Aβ but not to TAU pathology. We identify in this module 18 AD risk genes (p-value=6·5e-11) including 11 new ones, GPC2, TREML2, SYK, GRN, SLC2A5, SAMSN1, PYDC1, HEXB, RRBP1, LYN and BLNK. All are expressed in microglia, have a binding site for the transcription factor SPI1 (PU.1), and become significantly upregulated when exposed to Aβ. A subset regulates FC-gamma receptor mediated phagocytosis.

Interpretation

Genetic risk of AD is functionally translated into a microglia pathway responsive to Aβ pathology. This insight integrates aspects of the amyloid hypothesis with genetic risk associated to sporadic AD.
Clinical and Functional Characterization of Melanocortin 4 Receptor genetic variants in African American and/or Hispanic children with severe early onset obesity.
Authors: De Rosa Maria C , Chesi Alessandra , McCormack Shana , Zhou Justin , Weaver Benjamin , McDonald Molly , Christensen Sinead , Liimatta Kalle , Rosenbaum Michael , Hakonarson Hakon , Doege Claudia A , Hirschhorn Joel N , Grant Struan FA , Thaker Vidhu V
Published: December 2018

Context: Mutations in melanocortin receptor (MC4R) are the most frequent cause of monogenic obesity in children of European ancestry, but little is known about their prevalence in children from minority populations in the United States.
Objective: This study aims to identify the prevalence of MC4R mutations in children with severe early onset obesity of African-American and/or Latina ancestry.
Design and Setting: Individuals were recruited from the weight management clinics at two hospitals and from the institutional biobank at a third hospital. Sequencing of the MC4R gene was performed by whole exome and/or Sanger sequencing. Functional testing was performed to establish the surface expression of the receptor and cAMP response to its cognate ligand alpha - melanocyte stimulating hormone.
Participants: Three hundred and twelve children (1-18 years, 50% girls) with body mass index (BMI) > 120% of 95th percentile of CDC 2000 growth charts at an age < 6 years, with no known pathological cause of obesity were enrolled.
Results: Eight rare MC4R mutations (2.6%) were identified in this study (R7S, F202L (n=2), M215I, G252D, V253I, I269N, F284I), three of which have not been previously reported (M215I, G252D, F284I). The pathogenicity of the variants was confirmed either by prior literature
reports, or by functional testing. There was no significant difference in the BMI or height trajectories of children with or without MC4R mutations in this cohort.
Conclusions: While the prevalence of MC4R mutations in this cohort was similar to that reported in obese children of European ancestry, some of the variants were novel.
Analyzing the neuroglial brainstem circuits for respiratory chemosensitivity in freely moving mice
Authors: Bhandare Amol , van de Wiel Joseph , Roberts Reno , Braren Ingke , Huckstepp Robert , Dale Nicholas
Published: December 2018

The regulated excretion of CO2 during breathing is a key life-preserving homeostatic mechanism. In the rostral medulla oblongata, neurons in two nuclei -the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) and the rostral medullary Raphe -have been proposed as central CO2 chemosensors that mediate adaptive changes in breathing. One such adaptive change is active expiration, thought to be controlled by the lateral parafacial region (pFL). Here we use promoter-driven expression of GCaMP6 and head-mounted mini-microscopes to image the Ca2+ activity in neurons and glia of RTN, Raphe and pFL in awake adult mice during inspiration of elevated CO2 to discriminate their roles in the adaptive response to hypercapnia. While there were multiple types of neuronal response to hypercapnia in both the RTN and the Raphe, a substantial proportion of neurons in the Raphe encoded the inspired level of CO2. By contrast, such responses were very rare in the RTN and the responses of RTN neurons suggest that this nucleus plays an integrative rather than a direct sensing role in the chemosensory reflex. pFL neurons were reliably activated by hypercapnia and their activity preceded active expiration suggesting a key causal link to this aspect of breathing. Our analysis considerably revises understanding of chemosensory control in the adult awake mouse and paves the way to understanding how breathing is coordinated with complex non-ventilatory behaviours such as swallowing and vocalisation.
Arabidopsis Myosins XI Are Involved in Exocytosis of Cellulose Synthase Complexes
Authors: Zhang Weiwei , Cai Chao , Staiger Christopher J.
Published: December 2018

In plants, cellulose is synthesized at the cell surface by plasma membrane (PM)-localized cellulose synthase (CESA) complexes (CSCs). The molecular and cellular mechanisms that underpin delivery of CSCs to the PM, however, are poorly understood. Cortical microtubules have been shown to interact with CESA-containing compartments and mark the site for CSC delivery, but are not required for the delivery itself. Here, we demonstrate that myosin XI and the actin cytoskeleton mediate CSC delivery to the PM by coordinating the exocytosis of CESA-containing compartments. Measurement of cellulose content indicated that cellulose biosynthesis was significantly reduced in a myosin xik xi1 xi2 triple knockout (xi3KO) mutant. By combining genetic and pharmacological disruption of myosin activity with quantitative live-cell imaging, we observed decreased abundance of PM-localized CSCs and reduced delivery rate of CSCs in myosin-deficient cells. These phenotypes correlated with a significant increase in failed vesicle secretion events at the PM as well as an abnormal accumulation of CESA-containing compartments at the cell cortex. Through high spatiotemporal assays of cortical vesicle behavior, we identified defects in CSC vesicle tethering and fusion at the PM. Furthermore, disruption of myosin activity reduced the delivery of several other secretory markers to the PM and reduced constitutive and receptor-mediated endocytosis. These findings reveal a previously undescribed role for myosin in vesicle secretion and cellulose production at the cytoskeleton–PM–cell wall nexus.
METAGENOMIC SEQUENCING FOR COMBINED DETECTION OF RNA AND DNA VIRUSES IN RESPIRATORY SAMPLES FROM PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS
Authors: van Boheemen Sander , van Rijn-Klink Anneloes L. , Pappas Nikos , Carbo Ellen C. , Vorderman Ruben H.P. , van 't Hof Peter J. , Mei Hailiang , Claas Eric C.J. , Kroes Aloys C.M. , de Vries Jutte
Published: December 2018

Introduction: Viruses are the main cause of respiratory tract infections. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) enables the unbiased detection of all potential pathogens in a clinical sample, including variants and even unknown pathogens. To apply mNGS in viral diagnostics, there is a need for sensitive and simultaneous detection of RNA and DNA viruses. In this study, the performance of an in-house mNGS protocol for routine diagnostics of viral respiratory infections, with single tube DNA and RNA sample-pre-treatment and potential for automated pan-pathogen detection was studied. Materials and Methods: The sequencing protocol and bioinformatics analysis was designed and optimized including the optimal concentration of the spike-in internal controls equine arteritis virus (EAV) and phocine-herpes virus-1 (PhHV-1).The whole genome of PhHV-1 was sequenced and added to the NCBI database. Subsequently, the protocol was retrospectively validated using a selection of 25 respiratory samples with in total 29 positive and 346 negative PCR results, previously sent to the lab for routine diagnostics. Results: The results demonstrated that our protocol using Illumina Nextseq 500 sequencing with 10 million reads showed high repeatability. The NCBI RefSeq database as opposed to the NCBI nucleotide database led to enhanced specificity of virus classification. A correlation was established between read counts and PCR cycle threshold value, demonstrating the semi-quantitative nature of viral detection by mNGS. The results as obtained by mNGS appeared condordant with PCR based diagnostics in 25 out of the 29 (86%) respiratory viruses positive by PCR and in 315 of 346 (91%) PCR-negative results. Viral pathogens only detected by mNGS, not present in the routine diagnostic workflow were influenza C, KI polyomavirus, and cytomegalovirus. Conclusions: Sensitivity and analytical specificity of this mNGS protocol was comparable with PCR and higher when considering off-PCR target viral pathogens. All potential viral pathogens were detected in one single test, while it simultaneously obtained detailed information on detected viruses.
Histological evidences of diabetic kidney disease precede clinical diagnosis
Authors: Comai Giorgia , Malvi Deborah , Angeletti Andrea , Vasuri Francesco , Valente Sabrina , Ambrosi Francesca , Capelli Irene , Ravaioli Matteo , Pasquinelli Gianandrea , D'Errico Antonietta , Fornoni Alessia , La Manna Gaetano
Published: December 2018

In the absence of a histhological diagnosis, persistent albuminuria is globally accepted as the main diagnostic criteria for diabetic kidney disease.
In the present retrospective study, we evaluated data from an Italian cohort of 42 diabetic deceased donors (mainly type 2 diabetes). Using kidney biopsies obtained at time of donation to evaluate single or double allocation based on Karpinski score, we determined the prevalence of histological lesions attributable to diabetes.
All 42 donors presented with normoalbuminuria and an estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (CKD-EPI) > 60 ml/min/1.73m2. Of the 36 patients with available kidney biopsy, one was non interpretable and 32 had histopathological lesions consistent with diabetic kidney disease and encompassing all histological classes.
Thus, we found a relatively high proportion of histologically proven diabetic kidney disease that was clinically undiagnosed as none of the patient had significant albuminuria and eGFR <60 cc/min/1.73 m2. Our data support the need to implement routine kidney biopsies in normoalbuminuric diabetic subjects in early stages of Chronic Kidney Disease. As others have shown that histological lesions associated with diabetic kidney disease predict disease progression, such strategy may help to risk stratify patients and may guide therapeutic decisions at early disease stages.
Adherence to Iron and Folic Acid Supplement and Associated Factors among Antenatal Care Attendant Mothers In Lay Armachiho Health Centers, Northwest, Ethiopia, 2017
Authors: Dagne Derso Henok , Agegnehu Gashaw , Atenafu Azeb , Dagnew Baye ,   GashawAgegnehu, Azeb Atenafu, Henok Dagne, Baye Dagnew
Published: December 2018

Background: Iron deficiency is the leading nutrient deficiency in the world affecting the lives of more than 2 billion people, accounting to over 30% of the world’s population. Pregnant women are particularly at high risk of iron and folic acid deficiency.

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess Adherence to Iron and folic acid supplement during pregnancy and its associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care.

Methods

Institution based cross-sectional study was employed from February 2016 to March 2017. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data was collected using a structured and pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to identify associated factors with Adherence to prenatal iron and folic acid supplement among pregnant women. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was computed to determine the level of significance. Those variables with a p-value less than 0.05 had been considered as significant.

Result

Adherence to Iron and folic acid was 28.7% with 95% C.I. (24.3, 33.6%). Educational status of mothers(AOR= 9.27 (95%CI: 2.47, 34.71), Educational status of husband (AOR= 0.31(95% CI: 0.11,0.88), Mothers who had a family size of four(AOR=3.70(1.08,12.76), Mothers who had family size of five and above (AOR= 4.88(95% CI: 1.20, 19.85),Mothers who had 2500-3500 birr household average monthly income (AOR= 0.46(95% CI: 0.24,0.89), Mothers who had registered at 17-24weeks with (AOR=0.40(95% CI: 0.22-0.74), registered at 25-28weeks (AOR=0.20(95% CI 0.10, 0.41), Mothers who had collected their iron and folic acid started at first visit at first month of pregnancy and duration of iron and folic acid is taken (AOR= 2.42(95% CI:1.05, 5.58) had significant association with iron and folic acid adherence.

Conclusion and recommendation

Adherence of Iron and folic acid was relatively low. Maternal and husband education status, family size, registration time, economic status and first visit in the first month with duration of iron and folic acid taken were factors significantly associated with adherence to iron and folic acid supplement. Educating pregnant mothers, improving economic status, early ANC registration can improve adherence to iron and folic acid supplement.
Low genetic variation in tolerance to defoliation in a long-lived tropical understorey palm
Authors: Jansen Merel , Zuidema Pieter A. , van Ast Aad , Bongers Frans , Malosetti Marcos , Martínez-Ramos Miguel , Núñez-Farfán Juan , Anten Niels P.R.
Published: December 2018

Defoliation is a ubiquitous stressor that can strongly limit plant performance. Tolerance to defoliation is often associated with compensatory growth. Genetic variation in tolerance and compensatory growth responses, in turn, play an important role in the evolutionary adaptation of plants to changing disturbance regimes but this issue has been poorly investigated for long-lived woody species. We quantified genetic variation in plant growth and growth parameters, tolerance to defoliation and compensatory responses to defoliation for a population of the understorey palm Chamaedorea elegans. In addition, we evaluated genetic correlations between growth and tolerance to defoliation.

We performed a greenhouse experiment with 731 seedlings from 47 families with twelve or more individuals of C. elegans. Seeds were collected in southeast Mexico within a 0.7 ha natural forest area. A two-third defoliation treatment (repeated every two months) was applied to half of the individuals to simulate leaf loss. Compensatory responses in specific leaf area, biomass allocation to leaves and growth per unit leaf area were quantified.

We found that growth rate was highly heritable and that plants compensated strongly for leaf loss. However, genetic variation in tolerance, compensation, and the individual compensatory responses was low. We found strong correlations between family mean growth rates in control and defoliation treatments. We did not find indications for growth-tolerance trade-offs: genetic correlation between tolerance and growth rate were not significant.

The low genetic variation in tolerance and compensatory responses observed here suggests a low potential for evolutionary adaptation to changes in damage or herbivory, but high ability to adapt to changes in environment that require different growth rates. The strong correlations between family mean growth rates in control and defoliation treatments suggest that performance differences among families are also maintained under stress of disturbance.
Novel and known signals of selection for fat deposition in domestic sheep breeds from Africa and Eurasia
Authors: Mastrangelo Salvatore , Bahbahani Hussain , Moioli Bianca , Ahbara Abulgasim , Al Abri Mohammed , Almathen Faisal , da Silva Anne , Portolano Baldassare , Mwacharo Joram M , Hanotte Olivier , Pilla Fabio , ciani elena
Published: December 2018

Genomic regions subjected to selection frequently show signatures such as within-population reduced nucleotide diversity and outlier values of differentiation among differentially selected populations. In this study, we analyzed 50K SNP genotype data of 373 animals belonging to 23 sheep breeds of different geographic origins using the Rsb and FST statistical approaches, to identify loci associated with the fat-tail phenotype. We also checked if these putative selection signatures overlapped with regions of high-homozygosity (ROH). The analyses identified novel signals and confirmed the presence of selection signature in genomic regions that harbor candidate genes known to affect fat deposition. Several genomic regions that frequently appeared in ROH were also identified within each breed, but only two ROH islands overlapped with the putative selection signatures. The results reported herein provide the most complete genome-wide study of selection signatures for fat-tail in African and Eurasian sheep breeds; they also contribute insights into the genetic basis for the fat tail phenotype in sheep, and confirm the great complexity of the mechanisms that underlie quantitative traits, such as the fat-tail.
Transcriptome analysis of fasting caecotrophy on hepatic lipid metabolism in New Zealand rabbits
Authors: wang yadong , Xu Huifen , Sun Guirong , Xue Mingming , Sun Shuaijie , Huang Tao , Zhou Jianshe , Juan Loor J , Li Ming
Published: December 2018

Background: Rabbit produce two kinds of feces: hard and soft feces, and they have a preference for consuming the latter. Although this habit of rabbits has been reported for many years, little is known on whether this behavior will impact growth performance and metabolism. The RNA-Seq technology is an effective means of analyzing transcript groups to clarify molecular mechanisms. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of fasting caecotrophy on growth performance and lipid metabolism in rabbits.

Results: Our results indicated that, compared with the control group, the final body weight, weight gain, liver weight, specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio were all decreased in the experimental group (P<0.05). Oil red staining of the liver tissue indicated that fasting caecotrophy resulted in decrease of lipid droplet accumulation. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed a total of 301.2 million raw reads approximately 45.06 Gb of high-quality clean data. The data were mapped to the rabbit genome (http://www.ensembl.org/Oryctolagus_cuniculus). After a five step filtering process, 14964 genes were identified, including 444 differentially expressed genes (P<0.05, foldchange≥1). Especially for remarkable changes of genes related to lipid metabolism, RT-PCR further validated the remarkable decrease of these genes in fasting caecotrophy group, including CYP7A1, PPARG, ABCA1, ABCB1, ABCG1, GPAM, SREBP, etc. KEGG annotation of the differentially expressed genes indicated that the main pathways affected were retinol metabolism, pentose and glucuronide interactions, starch and sucrose metabolism, fatty acid degradation, steroid hormone biosynthesis.
Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study revealed that banning caecotrophy reduced growth rate and altered lipid metabolism, our results laid instructive basis for rabbit feeding and production. These data also provides a reference for studying the effects of soft feces on other small herbivores.
Thermal behavior of single-crystal scintillators for high-speed X-ray imaging
Authors: Kastengren Alan
Published: December 2018

Indirect detection of X-rays using single-crystal scintillators is a common approach for high-resolution X-ray imaging. With the high X-ray flux available from synchrotron sources and recent advances in high-speed visible-light cameras, these measurements are increasingly used to obtain time-resolved images of dynamic phenomena. The X-ray flux on the scintillator must, in many cases, be limited to avoid thermal damage and failure of the scintillator, which in turn limits the obtainable light levels from the scintillator. In this study, a transient one-dimensional numerical simulation of the temperature and stresses within three common scintillator crystals (YAG, LuAG and LSO) used for high-speed X-ray imaging is presented. Various conditions of thermal loading and convective cooling are also presented.
Nonlinear optical organic–inorganic crystals: synthesis, structural analysis and verification of harmonic generation in tri-(o-chloroanilinium nitrate)
Authors: Athmani Hamza , Kijatkin Christian , Benali-Cherif Rim , Pillet Sébastien , Schaniel Dominik , Imlau Mirco , Benali-Cherif Nourredine , Bendeif El-Eulmi
Published: December 2018

The structural and nonlinear optical properties of a new anilinium hybrid crystal of chemical formula (C6H7NCl+·NO3
−)3 have been investigated. The crystal structure was determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements performed at a temperature of 100 K which show that the compound crystallizes in a noncentrosymmetric space group (Pna21). The structural analysis was coupled with Hirshfeld surface analysis to evaluate the contribution of the different intermolecular interactions to the formation of supramolecular assemblies in the solid state that exhibit nonlinear optical features. This analysis reveals that the studied compound is characterized by a three-dimensional network of hydrogen bonds and the main contributions are provided by the O...H, C...H, H...H and Cl...H interactions, which alone represent ∼85% of the total contributions to the Hirshfeld surfaces. It is noteworthy that the halogen...H contributions are quite comparable with those of the H...H contacts. The nonlinear optical properties were investigated by nonlinear diffuse femtosecond-pulse reflectometry and the obtained results were compared with those of the reference material LiNbO3. The hybrid crystals exhibit notable second (SHG) and third (THG) harmonic generation which confirms its polarity is generated by the different intermolecular interactions. These measurements also highlight that the THG signal of the new anilinium compound normalized to its SHG counterpart is more pronounced than for LiNbO3.
Redetermination of Sr2PdO3 from single-crystal X-ray data
Authors: Thakur Gohil S. , Reuter Hans , Felser Claudia , Jansen Martin
Published: December 2018

The crystal structure redetermination of Sr2PdO3 (distrontium palladium trioxide) was carried out using high-quality single-crystal X-ray data. The Sr2PdO3 structure has been described previously in at least three reports [Wasel-Nielen & Hoppe (1970). Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 375, 209–213; Muller & Roy (1971). Adv. Chem. Ser. 98, 28–38; Nagata et al. (2002). J. Alloys Compd.
346, 50–56], all based on powder X-ray diffraction data. The current structure refinement of Sr2PdO3, as compared to previous powder data refinements, leads to more precise cell parameters and fractional coordinates, together with anisotropic displacement parameters for all sites. The compound is confirmed to have the orthorhombic Sr2CuO3 structure type (space group Immm) as reported previously. The structure consists of infinite chains of corner-sharing PdO4 plaquettes interspersed by SrII atoms. A brief comparison of Sr2PdO3 with the related K2NiF4 structure type is given.