bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the taste receptor‐related G‐protein, α‐gustducin, in pancreatic β‐cells
Authors: Udagawa Haruhide , Hiramoto Masaki , Kawaguchi Miho , Uebanso Takashi , Ohara‐Imaizumi Mica , Nammo Takao , Nishimura Wataru , Yasuda Kazuki
Published: January 2020

Aims/Introduction

Taste receptors, T1rs and T2rs, and the taste‐selective G‐protein, α‐gustducin, are expressed outside the taste‐sensing system, such as enteroendocrine L cells. Here, we examined whether α‐gustducin also affects nutrition sensing and insulin secretion by pancreatic β‐cells.

Materials and Methods

The expression of α‐gustducin and taste receptors was evaluated in β‐cell lines, and in rat and mouse islets either by quantitative polymerase chain reaction or fluorescence immunostaining. The effects of α‐gustducin knockdown on insulin secretion and on cyclic adenosine monophosphate and intracellular Ca2+ levels in rat INS‐1 cells were estimated. Sucralose (taste receptor agonist)‐induced insulin secretion was investigated in INS‐1 cells with α‐gustducin suppression and in islets from mouse disease models.

Results

The expression of Tas1r3 and α‐gustducin was confirmed in β‐cell lines and pancreatic islets. Basal levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, intracellular calcium and insulin secretion were significantly enhanced with α‐gustducin knockdown in INS‐1 cells. The expression of α‐gustducin was decreased in high‐fat diet‐fed mice and in diabetic db/db mice. Sucralose‐induced insulin secretion was not attenuated in INS‐1 cells with α‐gustducin knockdown or in mouse islets with decreased expression of α‐gustducin.

Conclusions

α‐Gustducin is involved in the regulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, intracellular calcium levels and insulin secretion in pancreatic β‐cells in a manner independent of taste receptor signaling. α‐Gustducin might play a novel role in β‐cell physiology and the development of type 2 diabetes.
Significant decrease in the prevalence of hepatitis C infection after the introduction of direct acting antivirals
Authors: Rodríguez‐Tajes Sergio , Domínguez Ángela , Carrión Jose Antonio , Buti María , Quer Joan Carles , Morillas Rosa M , López Carme , Torras Xavier , Baliellas Carme , Vergara Merche , Forner Montse , Zaragoza Natividad , Salò Joan , Rigau Joaquim , Caballeria Llorenç , Mariño Zoe , Janè Mireia , Colom Joan , Forns Xavier , Lens Sabela
Published: January 2020

Background and Aim

Accurate information on the epidemiology of hepatitis C and B infection is mandatory to establish a national/regional plan. We aim to update the prevalence of hepatitis C and B infection in Catalonia using point‐of‐care tests to analyze the risk factors related and to implement a linkage‐to‐care circuit.

Methods

This is a community‐based study. A random list of adult individuals was retrieved from censuses of primary care centers. Point‐of‐care tests for anti‐hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and a questionnaire for risk factor assessment were performed. Positive results were validated and a circuit for linkage‐to‐care was established.

Results

A total of 3328 individuals were included. The anti‐HCV and HBsAg overall prevalence were lower than expected [1.02%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65–1.39; and 0.52%, 95% CI 0.26–0.77, respectively]. Anti‐HCV positive subjects were mostly (88%) autochthonous. The prevalence increased with age; only 12% were under age 40. The associated risk factors were drug use, blood transfusion, relative with HCV, and diabetes. Notably, the prevalence of active infection was only 0.49% (95% CI 0.23–0.74), 40% less than previously reported, reflecting the impact of direct acting antiviral therapy. Differently, HBsAg positive subjects were mostly foreign migrants (53%) with no other risk factors. Despite the implementation of a linkage‐to‐care circuit, one third of HBsAg positive subjects were lost.

Conclusions

The prevalence of HCV infection was lower than previously reported, showing a strong impact of direct acting antiviral therapy in the last years. Because of hepatitis B universal vaccination, HBV infection in Catalonia is mainly associated with migrant population. Linkage‐to‐care in patients with hepatitis B was challenging and warrants additional efforts.
Effect of chest compression with kneeling on the bed in clinical situations
Authors: Hasegawa Tomoyuki , Okane Ritsu , Ichikawa Yoko , Inukai Sayuri , Saito Shin
Published: January 2020

Aim

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is vital for survival after cardiac arrest, and chest compressions are an important aspect of this. When performing chest compression in a hospital setting, the rescuer often has to kneel on the bed to overcome inconvenient differences in height between the rescuer and the bed. However, as yet no study has evaluated the quality of chest compressions in this position. The aim of this study was to examine the impact on the quality of chest compressions while kneeling on the bed.

Methods

Fifteen female students performed 2‐min chest compressions on a manikin placed on the floor and a bed. Measurement parameters included compression depth, heart rate, integrated electromyogram, and a visual analog scale. The parameters were measured every 30 s and were statistically compared between the conditions.

Results

Compression depth at 30, 60, 90, and 120 s differed significantly between the conditions. Heart rate values at 150 and 210 s of recovery significantly differed between the conditions. Integrated electromyogram values for the trapezius, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris differed between the floor and bed conditions during 2‐min chest compressions, whereas the external oblique muscle significantly differed at 60 and 120 s. Visual analog scales for fatigue, effectiveness, and stability significantly differed between the conditions.

Conclusion

Kneeling on the bed does not enable grounding of the toe, causing the upper body to be unstable and limiting generation of the power required for chest compression. Our results suggest that rotation every minute is necessary to maintain effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation while kneeling on the bed.
Monitoring the glycosylation of α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole‐propionate‐type glutamate receptors using specific antibodies reveals a novel regulatory mechanism of N‐glycosylation occupancy by molecular chaperones in mice
Authors: Midorikawa Ryosuke , Takakura Daisuke , Morise Jyoji , Wakazono Yoshihiko , Kawasaki Nana , Oka Shogo , Takamiya Kogo
Published: January 2020

In the mammalian nervous system, protein N‐glycosylation plays an important role in neuronal physiology. In this study, we performed a comprehensive N‐glycosylation analysis of mouse GluA1, one of the major subunits of α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole‐propionate type glutamate receptor, which possesses six potential N‐glycosylation sites in the N‐terminal domain. By mass spectrometry‐based analysis, we identified the N‐glycoforms and semiquantitatively determined the site‐specific N‐glycosylation occupancy of GluA1. In addition, only the N401‐glycosylation site demonstrated incomplete N‐glycosylation occupancy. Therefore, we generated a peptide antibody that specifically detects the N401‐glycan‐free form to precisely quantify N401‐glycosylation occupancy. Using this antibody, we clarified that N401 occupancy varies between cell types and increases in an age‐dependent manner in mouse forebrains. To address the regulatory mechanism of N401‐glycosylation, binding proteins of GluA1 around the N401 site were screened. HSP70 family proteins, including Bip, were identified as candidates. Bip has been known as a molecular chaperone that plays a key role in protein folding in the ER (endoplasmic reticulum). To examine the involvement of Bip in N401‐glycosylation, the effect of Bip over‐expression on N401 occupancy was evaluated in HEK293T cells, and the results demonstrated Bip increases the N401 glycan‐free form by mediating selective prolongation of its protein half‐life. Taken together, we propose that the N401‐glycosite of GluA1 receives a unique control of modification, and we also propose a novel N‐glycosylation occupancy regulatory mechanism by Bip that might be associated with α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole‐propionate receptors function in the brain.

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A split‐face comparison of a fractional microneedle radiofrequency device and fractional radiofrequency therapy for moderate‐to‐severe acne vulgaris
Authors: Zeng Rong , Liu Yuzhen , Zhao Wenwen , Yang Yin , Wu Qiuju , Li Min , Lin Tong
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Radiofrequency equipment, including invasive fractional microneedle radiofrequency (FMR) and noninvasive fractional radiofrequency (FR), has facilitated progress in the field of active acne treatment, but clinical data are limited. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of FMR and FR in the treatment of moderate‐to‐severe acne vulgaris.

Methods

Ten patients with moderate‐to‐severe acne were enrolled in a 24‐week, prospective, single‐blind, randomized, comparative clinical trial with a split‐face design. Fractional microneedle radiofrequency treatment was provided on one side of the face and FR on the opposite side. Three consecutive treatments were performed at 4‐week interval. Objective assessment of efficacy was performed using the Acne Severity Index (ASI), and acne inflammatory lesions and noninflammatory lesions were evaluated.

Results

After the first treatment, ASI and both inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions of the FMR‐treated side were improved to a greater degree than the FR‐treated side. Patients' subjective satisfaction was also better regarding the FMR‐treated side. After subsequent treatments, efficacy improves for both groups, and no significant differences in the above efficacy parameters between the two groups were observed. Pain scores were significantly higher for the FR‐treated side than the FMR‐treated side.

Conclusion

Fractional microneedle radiofrequency is faster and more effective than FR for the treatment of moderate and severe acne after only one treatment. However, after several treatment sessions, both FMR and FR proved to be safe and effective for long‐term treatment of moderate‐to‐severe acne. Therefore, invasive radiofrequency, such as FMR, or noninvasive radiofrequency, such as FR, can successfully treat active acne.
The role of the microbiota in sedentary lifestyle disorders and ageing: lessons from the animal kingdom
Authors: O'Toole P.W. , Shiels P.G.
Published: January 2020

A paradox of so‐called developed countries is that, as the major historical causes of human mortality are eliminated or mitigated by medical progress, lifestyle‐related diseases have become major killers. Furthermore, as lifespan is extended by the combined effects of modern medicine, health span is struggling to keep apace because of the burden of noncommunicable diseases linked to diet and sedentary lifestyle. The gut microbiome is now recognized as a plastic environmental risk factor for many of these diseases, the microbiome being defined as the complex community of co‐evolved commensal microbes that breaks down components of a complex diet, modulates innate immunity, and produces signalling molecules and metabolites that can impact on diverse regulatory systems in mammals. Aspects of the so‐called ‘Western’ lifestyle linked to disease risk such as energy dense diet and antibiotic treatment are known to affect the composition and function of the microbiome. Here, we review the detailed mechanisms whereby the gut microbiome may modulate risk of diseases linked to sedentary lifestyle and ageing‐related health loss. We focus on the comparative value of natural animal models such as hibernation for studying metabolic regulation and the challenge of extrapolating from animal models to processes that occur in human ageing.
Bereavement Accommodations in the Classroom: Experiences and Opinions of School Staff
Authors: DeMuth Michele , Taggi‐Pinto Alison , Miller Elissa G. , Alderfer Melissa A.
Published: January 2020

BACKGROUND

Bereaved children often struggle in the school environment and school personnel often feel inadequately prepared to support them. This pilot study explored the experiences and opinions of school staff regarding approaches to addressing the needs of bereaved students in the classroom.

METHODS

Teachers/school personnel (N = 29) completed written open‐ended questions about their experiences with bereaved students and opinions regarding a bereavement‐focused accommodation (ie, 504) plan. Responses were summarized using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Most participants (93%) reported interacting with bereaved students and: (1) providing emotional support; (2) making classroom accommodations; (3) collaborating with the family/community; and (4) referring the student for counseling. Many (72%) expressed interest in a templated bereavement plan (21% did not respond; 7% said no) with education/resources for school personnel and suggested accommodations for students.

CONCLUSIONS

Teachers encountering grieving students would welcome a templated bereavement plan to help meet students' needs. Such a plan would allow staff to become more knowledgeable about grief and provide guidance for developing specific strategies to accommodate grieving students both emotionally and academically.
Taser use on individuals experiencing mental distress: An integrative literature review
Authors: Hallett Nutmeg , Duxbury Joy , McKee Tina , Harrison Natalie , Haines Alina , Craig Elaine , O'Brien Anthony J.
Published: January 2020

Accessible summary

What is known about the subject?

People experiencing mental distress have a high rate of contact with police in community crisis events.

Police use a continuum of responses when managing situations involving agitation, aggression and behavioural problems.

People experiencing mental distress have been subjected to Tasers as part of the police response.

Following a number of deaths and numerous reports of injuries, concerns have been raised about the safety of Tasers.

What this paper adds?

Police use of Tasers in mental health crises is relatively common.

Tasers are used in a range of settings including public places, private residences and healthcare facilities.

People experiencing mental distress may be subjected to more use of Tasers than the general population.

What are the implications for practice?

Mental health professionals need to work with police towards greater understanding of the needs of people experiencing mental distress and to promote the use of non‐coercive interventions in mental health crisis events.

Mental health researchers need to explore the qualitative experiences of people who are Tasered, to provide an evidence base for Taser use with people experiencing mental distress.

Introduction

Conducted electrical weapons, or “Tasers,” are currently used by over 15,000 law enforcement and military agencies worldwide. There are concerns regarding the effectiveness, potential for harm and overuse with people experiencing mental distress.

Aim

To explore the literature about police use of Tasers with people experiencing mental distress.

Method

An integrative review was undertaken, and qualitative and quantitative analytical approaches were used.

Results

Thirty‐one studies were included. Of all recorded usage, overall prevalence of Taser use on people experiencing mental distress was 28%. This population appears to experience higher Taser usage than the general population.

Discussion

There are substantial gaps in the research literature particularly with respect to the decision‐making processes involved in deploying Tasers on this population and the physical and psychological consequences of Taser use in this context.

Implications for practice

Police use of Tasers in mental health crises is relatively common and occurs in a variety of environments including mental health settings. Mental health professionals need to work with police towards greater understanding of the needs of people with mental illness and to promote the use of non‐coercive interventions in mental health crisis events.
Small RNA sequencing of pectoral muscle tissue reveals microRNA‐mediated gene modulation in chicken muscle growth
Authors: Zhang Zengrong , Qiu Mohan , Du Huarui , Li Qingyun , Gan Wu , Xiong Xia , Yu Chunlin , Peng Han , Xia Bo , Song Xiaoyan , Yang Li , Hu Chenming , Chen Jialei , Yang Chaowu , Jiang Xiaosong
Published: January 2020

Sichuan mountainous black‐bone (SMB) chicken is a small‐sized black‐feathered chicken breed with low amount of meat, while Dahen (DH) chicken has a larger body size and a faster growth rate. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in various physiological processes, but their role in chicken muscle growth remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the miRNAs and pathways participating in the muscle growth of chicken. MiRNA profiles of four SMB chickens and four DH chickens were detected by small RNA sequencing. A total of 994 known miRNAs were identified, among which gga‐miR‐1a‐3p, gga‐miR‐148‐3p and gga‐miR‐133a‐3p exhibited the highest enrichment in both breeds of chickens. Thirty‐two miRNAs were differently expressed between SMB and DH chickens. The differently expressed miRNAs were mainly associated with fatty acid metabolism, immunity and MAPK activation‐related processes. Kyoto encyclopaedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that miRNAs were involved in the immunity‐related and MAPK signalling pathways. Moreover, miR‐204 was downregulated in DH chicken compared with SMB chicken, and significantly inhibited the expression of MAP3K13, which is involved in the MAPK pathway. It was confirmed through luciferase reporter assays that miR‐204 specifically inhibited the activity of MAP3K13. Our results helped demonstrate the potential molecular mechanisms of muscle growth in chickens and provide valuable information for chicken breeding.
Data‐driven taxonomy matching of asteroid and meteorite
Authors: Saito Yuki , Hong Peng K. , Niihara Takafumi , Miyamoto Hideaki , Fukumizu Kenji
Published: January 2020

The matching of asteroids and meteorites is a significant step toward a better understanding of the origin, structure, and history of the solar system. We propose a data‐driven approach for investigating common taxonomic structure between asteroids and meteorites; C‐, S‐, and V‐type for the former, and carbonaceous chondrite, ordinary chondrite, and howardite‐eucrite‐diogenite (HED) meteorite for the latter. In the numerical experiments, by checking whether the taxonomy information of meteorites improves classification for asteroid data, we examine the existence of common structure over the two domains. For this purpose, we compare the resultant accuracies of two clustering methods which are with/without the guidance of meteorite data. We observe that the guidance of meteorite taxonomy improves the accuracy for classifying asteroids, either with the reflectance spectra or major chemical compositions of meteorites. This fact serves as a piece of evidence that there is a common taxonomic structure and links between meteorites and asteroids, supporting a long‐standing hypothesis.
Two‐eyed seeing: A useful gaze in Indigenous medical education research
Authors: McKivett Andrea , Hudson Judith N. , McDermott Dennis , Paul David
Published: January 2020

Context

Medical education has a role in preparing future health care practitioners to have the skills to meaningfully address health disparities while providing effective clinical care considerate of diversity in our societies. This calls for medical education researchers to approach their craft in ways that prioritise and value inputs from a broader range of perspectives and worldviews in an effort to redress the negative impacts of social, political and structural forces on health outcomes.

Methods

Given the entrenched health inequities experienced by Indigenous populations across the globe, this paper details an approach to medical education research put forward by Canadian Mi'kmaw Elders Murdena and Albert Marshall and named ‘two‐eyed seeing’. This approach provides the opportunity for medical education researchers to address the ongoing impacts of colonisation, racism and marginalisation on health outcomes by prioritising Indigenous worldviews in medical curricula. The need for researchers and medical academies to critically consider Indigenous governance and processes of respectful knowledge sharing within the wider institutional and societal contexts is addressed.

Conclusions

The benefits of two‐eyed seeing in the context of better preparing the future workforce to effectively meet the needs of those most vulnerable, and to action change against health inequities, situate it as a promising research approach in medical education.
A small‐scale MRI scanner and complementary imaging method to visualize and quantify xylem embolism formation
Authors: Meixner Marco , Tomasella Martina , Foerst Petra , Windt Carel W.
Published: January 2020

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful tool to image xylem embolism formation in plants. MRI scanners configured to accept intact plants are rare and expensive. Here, we investigate if affordable small‐scale, custom‐built low‐field MRI scanners would suffice for the purpose.

A small‐scale, C‐shaped permanent magnet was paired with open, plane parallel imaging gradients. The setup was small enough to fit between leaves or branches and offered open access for plant stems of arbitrary length. To counter the two main drawbacks of the system, low signal to noise and reduced magnetic field homogeneity, a multi‐spin echo (MSE) pulse sequence was implemented, allowing efficient signal acquisition and quantitative imaging of water content and T2 signal relaxation.

The system was tested visualizing embolism formation in Fagus sylvatica during bench dehydration. High‐quality images of water content and T2 were readily obtained, which could be utilized to detect the cavitation of vessels smaller than could be spatially resolved. A multiplication of both map types yielded images in which filled xylem appeared with even greater contrast.

T2 imaging with small‐scale MRI devices allows straightforward visualization of the spatial and temporal dynamics of embolism formation and the derivation of vulnerability curves.
Illness‐related intrusive thoughts and illness anxiety disorder
Authors: Arnáez Sandra , García‐Soriano Gemma , López‐Santiago Jose , Belloch Amparo
Published: January 2020

Introduction

Intrusive thoughts about health threats (illness‐ITs) are a potential cognitive risk factor for the development and maintenance of illness anxiety disorder (IAD). This study analyzes the dimensionality of illness‐ITs from normalcy to psychopathology, and it evaluates whether the appraisals instigated by the Its mediate between these thoughts and IAD symptoms.

Methods

Two groups of individuals participated in the study and completed the Illness Intrusive Thoughts Inventory and the Whiteley Index. The first group was composed of 446 non‐clinical community participants. Of them, 264 individuals (68.6% women; Mage = 30.03 [SD = 13.83]) reported having experienced an upsetting illness‐IT in the past three months and were then included in the main analyses. The second group included 31 patients with a current main diagnosis of IAD based on DSM‐5 criteria (51.6% women; Mage = 32.74 [SD = 9.69]). Their severity was assessed with the Hypochondriasis Yale‐Brown Obsessive‐Compulsive Scale ‐Modified version, with scores ranging from 15 to 58 (M = 46.12, SD = 9.41).

Results

Illness‐ITs are common in both non‐clinical individuals and in patients with IAD, and they instigate dysfunctional emotional, cognitive, and behavioral consequences, although with greater intensity in patients than in non‐clinical individuals. The relationship between illness‐ITs and IAD is mediated by overestimation of threat and thought‐action fusion‐probability appraisals.

Conclusion

Illness‐ITs are a dimensional cognitive experience. The way they are appraised facilitates their escalation into symptoms of IAD.

Practitioner points

Provides support for the cognitive explanatory model of IAD and its usefulness in clinical practice.

Indicates that the way people interpret and react to naturally occurring intrusive thoughts about illness seems to be a vulnerability marker for developing an illness anxiety disorder.

Emphasizes that the meaning that patients with IAD ascribe to their intrusive thoughts about illnesses must be a main target in the cognitive‐behavioral treatment of IAD.

Suggests that the importance of intrusive thoughts in IAD does not lie in the frequency with which they are experienced, but in the way, they are appraised/interpreted, which is what determines whether they become a clinically significant symptom.

Indicates that the relationship between illness intrusive thoughts and IAD symptoms in non‐clinical individuals is based on: overestimating the negative consequences of experiencing an illness intrusive thought; and the appraisal that having such a thought would increase its likelihood of coming true.

Shows that the frequency of illness‐related intrusive cognitions is associated with worse cognitive and behavioral consequences.
Rotavirus genotype and Vesikari score of outpatients in Japan in the vaccine era
Authors: Ono Mayumi , Tsugawa Takeshi , Nakata Shuji , Kondo Kenji , Tatsumi Masatoshi , Tsutsumi Hiroyuki , Kawasaki Yukihiko
Published: January 2020

Background

Group A rotaviruses (RVs) are a major cause of severe gastroenteritis among infants and young children. In Japan, RV vaccines were introduced in 2011, leading to a reduction in severe gastroenteritis cases. Studies are required to assess the effectiveness of the vaccines and their effect on the prevalence of RV genotypes.

Methods

Fecal samples were collected from outpatients with RV gastroenteritis in a pediatric clinic in Sapporo, Japan, from 2010 to 2016. GPI genotypes were determined using reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction. Clinical information and immunization records were obtained from outpatients after 2013. GPI genotypes and clinical features were compared between patients with and without a RV vaccine history.

Results

In total, 270 cases were genotyped. G1P[8]I1 (Wa‐like G1P[8]) strains were dominant from 2010 to 2012. G1P[8]I2 (DS‐1‐like G1P[8]) strains appeared in 2012 and dominated in 2013 to 2015. G2P[4]I2 and G9P[8]I1 strains increased every 3 years (G2P[4]I2: 2011 and 2014, G9P[8]I1: 2010, 2013 and 2016). After the 2013 season, 137 cases were collected, 24 of which were vaccinated. Cases requiring drip infusion were fewer in the vaccination group than in the non‐vaccination group (16.7% vs 52.2%). No patients required hospitalization in the vaccination group compared with 10.6% in the non‐vaccination group. A severe Vesikari score was less common in the vaccination group than in the non‐vaccination group (33.3% vs 78.8%). There was no significant difference in the GPI genotype distribution between the two groups.

Conclusion

Rotaviruses vaccine effectiveness, regardless of GPI genotype, was confirmed in terms of alleviation of disease severity.
Uncinate fasciculus disruption relates to poor recognition of negative facial emotions in Alzheimer's disease: a cross‐sectional diffusion tensor imaging study
Authors: Takahashi Masato , Kitamura Soichiro , Matsuoka Kiwamu , Yoshikawa Hiroaki , Yasuno Fumihiko , Makinodan Manabu , Kimoto Sohei , Miyasaka Toshiteru , Kichikawa Kimihiko , Kishimoto Toshifumi
Published: January 2020

Background

Recognising facial emotions involves visual and emotional information processing. Patients with dementia, including dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT), are known to poorly recognise facial emotions, especially negative facial emotions. In this study, we aimed to assess if DAT patients exhibit poor facial emotional recognition, and to identify a neural basis for how poor facial emotional recognition might occur.

Methods

Magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis were conducted in 20 DAT patients and 15 cognitive normal (CN) subjects. The uncinate fasciculus (UF), inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and inferior fronto‐occipital fasciculus were delineated by deterministic tractography. DTI parameters were calculated for each fibre. Facial emotion recognition was evaluated with the Facial Emotion Selection Test (FEST). The relationships between FEST scores and DTI parameters in each fibre were measured by partial correlation analyses with age, gender, and the Mini‐Mental State Examination as covariates. Group‐wise comparisons between DAT and CN subjects were performed for each DTI parameter in each fibre.

Results

DAT patients showed lower FEST negative emotion scores than CN subjects (P < 0.05). The score of negative emotion subscale was negatively correlated (r = −0.770, P < 0.001) to mean diffusivity of the left UF in DAT patients. There were no relationships between negative emotion subscale and the other fibre tracts. DAT patients showed no differences in the DTI parameters for each fibre compared to CN subjects.

Conclusions

DAT‐related prefrontal‐limbic network dysfunction is associated with poor recognition of unpleasant emotions; consequently, worse facial recognition of negative emotion is observed in DAT patients.
Electrocortical dynamics differentiate athletes exhibiting low‐ and high‐ ACL injury risk biomechanics
Authors: Bonnette Scott , Diekfuss Jed A. , Grooms Dustin R. , Kiefer Adam W. , Riley Michael A. , Riehm Christopher , Moore Charles , Barber Foss Kim D. , DiCesare Christopher A. , Baumeister Jochen , Myer Gregory D.
Published: January 2020

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are physically and emotionally debilitating for athletes,while motor and biomechanical deficits that contribute to ACL injury have been identified, limited knowledge about the relationship between the central nervous system (CNS) and biomechanical patterns of motion has impeded approaches to optimize ACL injury risk reduction strategies. In the current study it was hypothesized that high‐risk athletes would exhibit altered temporal dynamics in their resting state electrocortical activity when compared to low‐risk athletes. Thirty‐eight female athletes performed a drop vertical jump (DVJ) to assess their biomechanical risk factors related to an ACL injury. The athletes' electrocortical activity was also recorded during resting state in the same visit as the DVJ assessment. Athletes were divided into low‐ and high‐risk groups based on their performance of the DVJ. Recurrence quantification analysis was used to quantify the temporal dynamics of two frequency bands previously shown to relate to sensorimotor and attentional control. Results revealed that high‐risk participants showed more deterministic electrocortical behavior than the low‐risk group in the frontal theta and central/parietal alpha‐2 frequency bands. The more deterministic resting state electrocortical dynamics for the high‐risk group may reflect maladaptive neural behavior—excessively stable deterministic patterning that makes transitioning among functional task‐specific networks more difficult—related to attentional control and sensorimotor processing neural regions.
Androgen receptor, aromatase, oestrogen receptor α/β and G protein‐coupled receptor 30 expression in the testes and epididymides of adult sheep
Authors: Ge Wenbo , Xiao Longfei , Duan Hongwei , Jiang Yuting , Lv Jianshu , Ding Ziqiang , Hu Junjie , Zhao Xingxu , Zhang Yong
Published: January 2020

The androgen receptor (AR) plays a key role in reproduction, and aromatase (P450arom), nuclear oestrogen receptors (ERs) α and β, and G protein‐coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) are important for testicular and epididymal cell proliferation and development. In the study, we have investigated the expression and localization of AR, P450arom, ERα, ERβ and GPR30 in testes and epididymides of sexually mature sheep by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrate that the AR, P450arom and ERα levels in the caput and corpus epididymis were significantly lower than those in the testis and cauda epididymis (p < .05), the ERβ level in the testis was significantly higher than in the caput, corpus and cauda epididymis (p < .05), and the GPR30 level in the caput epididymis was significantly lower than in the testis and corpus and cauda epididymis (p < .05). These receptors were mainly detected in epididymal epithelial, basal, smooth muscle, Sertoli and Leydig cells, as well as in spermatozoa. Taken together, the results suggest that sheep epididymides and testes have the potential for estradiol synthesis and are the targets of both androgens and estradiol. These results provide a foundation for further studies on the mechanisms of androgens and estradiol signalling in the testes and epididymides of sheep.
Against the De Minimis Principle
Authors: Lundgren Björn , Stefánsson H. Orri
Published: January 2020

According to the class of de minimis decision principles, risks can be ignored (or at least treated very differently from other risks) if the risk is sufficiently small. In this article, we argue that a de minimis threshold has no place in a normative theory of decision making, because the application of the principle will either recommend ignoring risks that should not be ignored (e.g., the sure death of a person) or it cannot be used by ordinary bounded and information‐constrained agents.
RWAc and SDOc: The measurement of right‐wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation in childhood
Authors: Ruffman Ted , Ruffman Charlie , Hill Sarah , Turunc Gamze , Park Noel , Du Kangning , Hayhurst Jill , Kang Jie , Selçuk Bilge , Regenbrecht Holger , Philipp Michael C. , Hunter John A.
Published: January 2020

Right‐wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) predict prejudice and discrimination in adults. To create analogous scales for children, we carried out four studies. First, we gave 112 adults from New Zealand (Study 1) and 146 adults from Turkey (Study 2) novel child‐appropriate measures of RWA and SDO, along with the standard adult measures. The two RWA measures correlated more highly with each other than with the SDO measures, and the two SDO measures correlated more highly with each other than with the RWA measures. Study 3 tested 75 children aged 6 to 12, finding acceptable to good reliability for the two child scales. Child RWA (RWAc) and SDO (SDOc) decreased significantly over age. SDOc correlated with maternal SDO and RWA, and RWAc correlated with children's racial bias. Study 4 examined the RWAc scale with 39 children aged 5 to 11 years. There was good reliability for the RWAc scale and a correlation with anti‐fat prejudice. Overall, the findings indicate that: (a) the scales are reliable, (b) SDOc correlates with parental attitudes, (c) RWAc correlates with children's prejudice, and (d) RWA and SDO are present early in life and decline with age.
Measurement of skin hydration with a portable device (SkinUp® Beauty Device) and comparison with the Corneometer®
Authors: Westermann Thais V. A. , Viana Vinicius Rodrigues , Berto Junior Clemilson , Detoni da Silva Cassia Britto , Carvalho Edison Luis Santana , Pupe Carolina G.
Published: January 2020

Background

Epidermis hydration measurement is an important tool to assess its health. SkinUp® is a portable device that measures moisture and oil levels of skin through impedance method, it is cheap and has small dimensions, but this equipment has not yet been cited in the scientific literature. Thus, the objective of this work was to validate SkinUp® equipment by comparing its results with Corneometer® CM825.

Materials and Methods

Twenty subjects had skin hydration measurement on forearm, cheeks, and forehead. Measurements obtained with the two instruments were correlated by calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient and the P‐value significance. The sensitivity of the equipment to different regions and treatments and their accuracy were also evaluated.

Results

Positive correlations between equipment were found for skin hydration, with P ≤ .001. Both instruments presented high sensitivity to the different treatments (P < .001). When sensitivity to different regions was evaluated, both showed greater hydration in the cheek and forehead when compared to the forearm (P < .005). The measurements between the cheek and forehead showed no significant difference when compared to each other. In addition, the two devices have good repeatability in the measurements.

Conclusion

These results indicate that SkinUp® can be used in the future for skin analysis in in vivo assays.
Optimizing the u411 automated urinalysis instrument for veterinary use
Authors: Evans Samantha J. M. , Sharp Julia L. , Vap Linda M.
Published: January 2020

Background

The Cobas u411 Analyzer (Roche Diagnostics) is an automated, reflectance photometry‐based urinalysis instrument designed for use with Roche's CHEMSTRIP 10UA technology and human urine samples.

Objective

We aimed to optimize and validate the Cobas u411 Analyzer for use in canine and feline urinalysis.

Methods

Patient urine samples presenting to the Clinical Pathology Laboratory at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital were analyzed with the Cobas u411 and by manual readings in parallel. Initially, 223 canine and 83 feline urine samples were run using the u411 factory settings. Following comparisons with manual results, and evaluation for directional bias, adjustments to the reflectance values were made in the instrument's programming. An additional 183 canine and 95 feline samples were run using the adjusted settings. Total urine protein concentrations were measured in 48 samples and used to generate receiver operating characteristic curves for the protein test pad.

Results

Following adjustments in reflectance programming, concordance between u411 and manual results was increased by 17.7% for protein, 11.7% for ketones, and 4.5% for bilirubin. Concordances for pH, glucose, and blood were not substantially changed. Discordance for all analytes was ≤3%. Canine and feline samples had similar levels of discordance, though marginal concordance was higher in dogs for ketones, bilirubin, and blood.

Conclusions

Adjustments to the reflectance programming of the Cobas u411 Analyzer improved concordance with manual results for canine and feline samples. This instrument has the potential to greatly increase both efficiency and consistency of urinalysis procedures in higher throughput veterinary diagnostic laboratories.
Diagnosis and treatment of demodicosis in dogs and cats
Authors: Mueller Ralf S. , Rosenkrantz Wayne , Bensignor Emmanuel , Karaś‐Tęcza Joanna , Paterson Tara , Shipstone Michael A.
Published: January 2020

Background

Demodicosis is a common disease in small animal veterinary practice worldwide with a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic options.

Objectives

To provide consensus recommendations on the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of demodicosis in dogs and cats.

Methods and materials

The authors served as a Guideline Panel (GP) and reviewed the literature available before December 2018. The GP prepared a detailed literature review and made recommendations on selected topics. A draft of the document was presented at the North American Veterinary Dermatology Forum in Maui, HI, USA (May 2018) and at the European Veterinary Dermatology Congress in Dubrovnik, Croatia (September 2018) and was made available via the World Wide Web to the member organizations of the World Association for Veterinary Dermatology for a period of three months. Comments were solicited and responses were incorporated into the final document.

Conclusions

In young dogs with generalized demodicosis, genetic and immunological factors seem to play a role in the pathogenesis and affected dogs should not be bred. In old dogs and cats, underlying immunosuppressive conditions contributing to demodicosis should be explored. Deep skin scrapings are the diagnostic gold standard for demodicosis, but trichograms and tape squeeze preparations may also be useful under certain circumstances. Amitraz, macrocyclic lactones and more recently isoxazolines have all demonstrated good efficacy in the treatment of canine demodicosis. Therapeutic selection should be guided by local drug legislation, drug availability and individual case parameters. Evidence for successful treatment of feline demodicosis is strongest for lime sulfur dips and amitraz baths.
Meta‐analysis of public perception toward xenotransplantation
Authors: Mitchell Chace , Lipps Alan , Padilla Luz , Werkheiser Zoie , Cooper David K. C. , Paris Wayne
Published: January 2020

The shortage of donor organs for transplantation is an international problem. One promising option to meet the need is xenotransplantation (XTx; eg, pig‐to‐human). However, there are still questions surrounding XTx that must be answered before proceeding to clinical trials. The current work is a meta‐analysis of articles published between 1985 and 2019 to analyze the factors most strongly associated with agreement and opposition toward the procedure. Although 80% (41/51) of the published studies were related to the opinions of patients, only three provided sufficient data for analysis. Thus, the bulk of what we really know about attitudes toward XTx comes from students, stakeholders, and hospital staff. The findings suggest that, before proceeding from the laboratory to clinical trials, more directed research is necessary from individual programs to achieve sufficient understanding of the attitudes of patients and the broader public, and the level of risk that is acceptable to these groups.
Eocene–Oligocene sea‐level fall drove amphipod habitat shift from marine to freshwater in the Far East
Authors: Li Yulong , Li Shuqiang , Liu Hongguang , Kurenshchikov Dmitry K. , Hou Zhonge
Published: January 2020

The Eocene–Oligocene sea‐level fall has been viewed as a primary driver of biological succession. We used Anisogammaridae living in both marine and freshwater habitats to test the hypothesis that Eocene–Oligocene sea‐level fall can explain the marine–freshwater habitat shift in the Far East. We obtained three mitochondrial and two nuclear fragments for 138 samples representing 31 species, covering marine and freshwater habitats from latitudes 24 to 50°N. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that freshwater Anisogammaridae is monophyletic. Divergence‐time estimation and ancestral range reconstruction indicate that the family originated from a marine habitat in the North Pacific region during the Eocene and separated between marine and freshwater lineages at 38 Ma. The freshwater lineage diversified at 27 Ma, and further diverged into lotic and lentic clades. Our results suggest that the Eocene–Oligocene sea‐level fall provided an opportunity for marine‐derived Anisogammaridae to shift to new freshwater habitats. The freshwater anisogammarids dispersed from north to south, resulting in the restriction of current marine species restricted to the latitudes 35–50°N and the range of freshwater species in latitudes 24–40°N. Deep divergences within the freshwater lineage were related to the separation of lotic and lentic environments and the opening of the Japan Sea.
The disruption of invariant natural killer T cells exacerbates cardiac hypertrophy and failure caused by pressure overload in mice
Authors: Takahashi Masashige , Kinugawa Shintaro , Takada Shingo , Kakutani Naoya , Furihata Takaaki , Sobirin Mochamad Ali , Fukushima Arata , Obata Yoshikuni , Saito Akimichi , Ishimori Naoki , Iwabuchi Kazuya , Tsutsui Hiroyuki
Published: January 2020

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

We questioned whether the disruption of invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells exacerbates left ventricular (LV) remodelling and heart failure after transverse aortic constriction in mice.

What are the main findings and their importance?

Pressure overload induced by transverse aortic constriction increased the infiltration of iNKT cells in mouse hearts. The disruption of iNKT cells exacerbated LV remodelling and hastened the transition from hypertrophy to heart failure, in association with the activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase signalling. Activation of iNKT cells modulated the immunological balance in this process and played a protective role against LV remodelling and failure.

Chronic inflammation is involved in the development of cardiac remodelling and heart failure (HF). Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, a subset of T lymphocytes, have been shown to produce various cytokines and orchestrate tissue inflammation. The pathophysiological role of iNKT cells in HF caused by pressure overload has not been studied. In the present study, we investigated whether the disruption of iNKT cells affected this process in mice. Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and a sham operation were performed in male C57BL/6J wild‐type (WT) and iNKT cell‐deficient Jα18 knockout (KO) mice. The infiltration of iNKT cells was increased after TAC. The disruption of iNKT cells exacerbated left ventricular (LV) remodelling and hastened the transition to HF after TAC. Histological examinations also revealed that the disruption of iNKT cells induced greater myocyte hypertrophy and a greater increase in interstitial fibrosis after TAC. The expressions of interleukin‐10 and tumour necrosis factor‐α mRNA and their ratio in the LV after TAC were decreased in the KO compared with WT mice, which might indicate that the disruption of iNKT cells leads to an imbalance between T‐helper type 1 and type 2 cytokines. The phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase was significantly increased in the KO mice. The disruption of iNKT cells exacerbated the development of cardiac remodelling and HF after TAC. The activation of iNKT cells might play a protective role against HF caused by pressure overload. Targeting the activation of iNKT cells might thus be a promising candidate as a new therapeutic strategy for HF.
Experimental Characterization of a Liquid Jet Emanating From An Effervescent Atomizer
Authors: Sivadas V. , Balaji K. , Vishwakarma Antriksha , Manikandan Sundar Ram
Published: January 2020

The study focuses on experimental characterization of the primary atomization associated with an effervescent atomizer. Unlike the existing designs available in the literature that inject air perpendicular to the liquid flow direction, the present atomizer design utilizes coflowing air configuration. In doing so, the aerodynamic shear at the liquid–gas interface create instability and enhance the subsequent jet breakup. Both integrated and intrinsic properties of the liquid jet were extracted by utilizing high-speed flow visualization techniques. The integrated property consists of breakup length, while the intrinsic property involves primary and intermediate breakup frequencies. The primary instability is characterized by low-frequency sinusoidal mode, whereas the intermediate instability consists of high-frequency dilatational mode. Dimensionless plots of these parameters with Weber number ratio leads to a better collapse of data, thereby generating appropriate universal functions. The combined diagram of frequencies converge with increasing relative velocity. This may be due to the dominance of energy consuming sinusoidal wave as the aerodynamic shear increases.