bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
False-Positive Pancreatic Uptake Detected on 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT
Authors: Demirkol Mehmet Onur , Kiremit Murat Can , Acar Omer , Sag Alan Alper , Kapran Yersu
Published: September 2017

A 72-year-old man underwent 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT because of an elevated prostate-specific antigen level despite prior prostatectomy. Besides low-intensity prostatic PSMA reactivities, a faintly PSMA-positive lesion in the pancreatic corpus drew attention, which seemed suggestive of a primary pancreatic cancer on the subsequent MRI and therefore had to be excised. The final diagnosis was pT3 low-grade neuroendocrine tumor. PSMA-positive incidentalomas, detected on 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT, can reveal more clinically significant extraprostatic disorders.
Trade-off shapes diversity in eco-evolutionary dynamics
Authors: Farahpour Farnoush , Saeedghalati Mohammadkarim , Brauer Verena , Hoffmann Daniel
Published: September 2017

We introduce an Interaction and Trade-off based Eco-Evolutionary Model (ITEEM), in which species are competing for resources in a well-mixed system, and their evolution in interaction trait space is subject to a life-history trade-off between replication rate and competitive ability. We demonstrate that the strength of the trade-off has a fundamental impact on eco-evolutionary dynamics, as it imposes four phases of diversity, including a sharp phase transition. Despite its minimalism, ITEEM produces without furtherad hocfeatures a remarkable range of observed patterns of eco-evolutionary dynamics. Most notably we find self-organization towards structured communities with high and sustainable diversity, in which competing species form interaction cycles similar to rock-paper-scissors games.
A Complex Evolutionary History for the Disease SusceptibilityCDHR3Locus
Authors: O’Neill Mary B. , Laval Guillaume , Teixeira João C. , Palmenberg Ann C. , Pepperell Caitlin S.
Published: September 2017

Selective pressures imposed by pathogens have varied among human populations throughout their evolution, leading to marked inter-population differences at some genes mediating susceptibility to infectious and immune-related diseases. A common polymorphism resulting in a C529versus T529change in the Cadherin-Related Family Member 3 (CDHR3) receptor is associated with rhinovirus-C (RV-C) susceptibility and severe childhood asthma. Given the morbidity and mortality associated with RV-C dependent respiratory infections and asthma, we hypothesized that the protective variant has been under selection in the human population. Supporting this idea, a recent cross-species outbreak of RV-C among chimpanzees in Uganda, which carry the ancestral ‘risk’ allele at this position, resulted in a mortality rate of 8.9%. Using publicly available genomic data, we sought to determine the evolutionary history and role of selection acting on this infectious disease susceptibility locus. The protective variant is the derived allele and is found at high frequency worldwide, with the lowest relative frequency in African populations and highest in East Asian populations. There is minimal population structure among haplotypes, and we detect genomic signatures consistent with a rapid increase in frequency of the protective allele across all human populations. However, given strong evidence that the protective allele arose in anatomically modern humans prior to their migrations out of Africa and that the allele has not fixed in any population, the patterns observed here are not consistent with a classical selective sweep. We hypothesize that patterns may indicate frequency-dependent selection worldwide. Irrespective of the mode of selection, our analyses show the derived allele has been subject to selection in recent human evolution.
A unified framework for dissecting the effects of common signals on functional and effective connectivity analyses: power, coherence, and Granger causality
Authors: Cohen Dror , Tsuchiya Naotsugu
Published: September 2017

When analyzing neural data it is important to consider the limitations of the particular experimental setup. An enduring issue in the context of electrophysiology is the presence of common signals. For example a non-silent reference electrode adds a common signal across all recorded data and this adversely affects functional and effective connectivity analysis. To address the common signals problem, a number of methods have been proposed, but relatively few detailed investigations have been carried out. We address this gap by analyzing local field potentials recorded from the small brains of fruit flies. We conduct our analysis following a solid mathematical framework that allows us to make precise predictions regarding the nature of the common signals. We demonstrate how a framework that jointly analyzes power, coherence and quantities from the Granger causality framework allows us to detect and assess the nature of the common signals. Our analysis revealed substantial common signals in our data, in part due to a non-silent reference electrode. We further show that subtracting spatially adjacent signals (bipolar rereferencing) largely removes the effects of the common signals. However, in some special cases this operation itself introduces a common signal. The mathematical framework and analysis pipeline we present can readily be used by others to detect and assess the nature of the common signals in their data, thereby reducing the chance of misinterpreting the results of functional and effective connectivity analysis.
Infection via mosquito bite alters Zika virus replication kinetics in rhesus macaques
Authors: Dudley Dawn M. , Newman Christina M. , Lalli Joseph , Stewart Laurel M. , Koenig Michelle R. , Weiler Andrea M. , Semler Matthew R. , Barry Gabrielle L. , Zarbock Katie R. , Mohns Mariel S. , Breitbach Meghan E. , Schultz-Darken Nancy , Peterson Eric , Newton Wendy , Mohr Emma L. , Capuano Saverio , Osorio Jorge E. , O’Connor Shelby L. , O’Connor David H. , Friedrich Thomas C. , Aliota Matthew T.
Published: September 2017

For more than three decades it has been recognized that small amounts of vector saliva can significantly alter the infectivity of vector-borne pathogens and subsequentin vivodynamics. Mouse and nonhuman primate models now serve as useful platforms to study Zika virus (ZIKV) pathogenesis, candidate therapies, and vaccines, but they rely on needle inoculation of virus: the effects of mosquito-borne infection on disease outcome have not been explored in these models. To model vector-borne transmission of ZIKV in nonhuman primates, we infectedAedes aegyptimosquitoes with ZIKV and allowed them to feed on four ZIKV-naive rhesus macaques. We compared ZIKV replication kinetics and tissue distribution between animals that were subcutaneously inoculated with 104plaque-forming units of ZIKV and those that were exposed via mosquito bite. Here, we show that infection via mosquito bite delays ZIKV replication to peak viral loads in rhesus macaques. Importantly, in mosquito-infected animals ZIKV tissue distribution was limited to hemolymphatic tissues, female reproductive tract tissues, kidney, and liver, potentially emulating key features of human ZIKV infections, most of which are characterized by mild or asymptomatic disease. This newly developed system will be valuable for studying ZIKV disease because it more closely mimics human infection by mosquito bite than needle-based inoculations.
Review of UNAIDS national estimates of men who have sex with men, gay dating application users, and 90-90-90 data
Authors: Granich Reuben , Gupta Somya , Garner Alex , Howell Sean
Published: September 2017

Background

Achieving the 90-90-90 is essential to keep people alive and to end AIDS. Men who have sex with men (MSM) often have the least access to HIV services.

Purpose

Estimates for key populations are often unavailable, dated or have very wide confidence intervals and more accurate estimates are required.

Methods

We compared registered users from a major gay dating application (2016) from 29 countries with the latest available (2013-2016) UNAIDS estimates by country. We searched the Internet, PubMed, national surveillance reports, UNAIDS country reports, President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) 2016 and 2017 operational plans, and conference abstracts for the latest nationally representative continua for MSM.

Results

Of comparison countries, only 18 countries had UNAIDS or other MSM population estimates in the public domain. UNAIDS estimates were larger than the gay dating application users in 9 countries, perhaps reflecting incomplete market penetration for the application. The gay dating application users in 9 countries were above the UNAIDS estimates; 8 were over 30% higher and three more than double the reported estimate. Seven partial or complete nationally representative care continua for MSM were published between 2010 and 2016. Among estimated MSM living with HIV, viral suppression varied between 42% (United States) to 99% (Denmark). The quality of the continua methods varied (quality data not shown).

Conclusion

“What is not monitored is not done” and social media has significant promise to improve estimates to ensure that MSM and other vulnerable people living with HIV and their communities are not left behind on the way to ending AIDS.
Development of Echovirus 29 cytopathology in RD cell line might not happen within 10 days post inoculation
Authors: Adewumi M.O. , Faleye T.O.C. , Ayinde O.T. , Ibok U.I. , Adeniji J.A.
Published: September 2017

Echovirus 29 (E29) is a member of Species Enterovirus B (EV-B) in the genus Enterovirus, familyPicornaviridae, orderPicornavirinae. In Nigeria, molecular characterization of E29 was first described in 2002. In 2015, we found that a new clade of E29 had replaced that described in Nigeria in 2002-2003. To date, E29 isolates described from Nigeria were isolated in cultures of RD cell line. In 2016, we characterised an E29 strain that did not show cytopathology on RD cell line within the recommended 10 days of culture.

Here we show that the E29 in question grows with evident CPE in RD cell culture like other members of the clade when allowed to stay in culture for 13 to 14 days. The findings of this study therefore suggest that some of the samples declared negative for enteroviruses by the current WHO cell culture based detection algorithm might be false negatives. It is therefore encouraged that those particularly interested in non-polio enteroviruses endeavour to maintain at least 14 days incubation in cell culture in a bid to accommodate NPEVs like E29 that might need longer time to develop CPE especially when present at low titre.
canvasXpress: A versatile interactive high-resolution scientific multi-panel visualization toolkit
Authors: Zhang Baohong , Zhao Shanrong , Neuhaus Isaac
Published: September 2017

To the Editor:CanvasXpress (https://canvasxpress.org) was developed as the core visualization component for bioinformatics and systems biology analysis at Bristol-Myers Squibb and further enhanced by scientists around the world and served as a key visualization engine for many popular bioinformatics tools1,2,3,4,5,6. It offers a rich set of interactive plots to display scientific and genomics data, such as oncoprint of cancer mutations, heatmap, 3D scatter, violin, radar, and profile plots (Figure 1, canvasXpress plots arranged by canvasDesignerhttps://baohongz.github.io/canvasDesigner). Recently, the reproducibility and usability of the package in real world bioinformatics and clinical use cases have been improved significantly witnessed by continuous add-on features and wide adoption of the toolkit in the scientific communities. Furthermore, It is the first noteworthy package harmonizing real time interactive exploring and analyzing of big data, full-fledged customizing of look-n-feel, and producing multi-panel publication-ready figures in PDF format simultaneously.
Invasion triple trouble: Environmental fluctuations, fluctuation-adapted invaders and fluctuation-mal-adapted communities all govern invasion success
Authors: Saarinen Kati , Lindström Leena , Ketola Tarmo
Published: September 2017

It has been suggested that climate change will lead to increased environmental fluctuations, which will undoubtedly have evolutionary consequences for all biota. For instance, fluctuations can directly increase the risk of invasions of alien species into new areas, as these species have repeatedly been proposed to benefit from disturbances. At the same time increased environmental fluctuations may also select for better invaders. However, selection by fluctuations may also influence the resistance of communities to invasions, which has rarely been tested. We tested eco-evolutionary dynamics of invasion with bacterial clones, evolved either in constant or fluctuating temperatures, and conducted experimental invasions in both conditions. We found clear evidence that ecological fluctuations, as well as adaptation to fluctuations by both the invader and community, all affected invasions, but played different roles at different stages of invasion. Ecological fluctuations clearly promoted invasions, especially into fluctuation mal-adapted communities. The evolutionary background of the invader clearly played a smaller role, and only at the later stages of invasion in the fluctuating environments. Our results indicate that climate change associated disturbances can directly increase the risk of invasions by altering ecological conditions during invasions, as well as via the evolution of both the invader and communities. Our experiment provides novel information on the complex consequences of climate change on invasions in general, and also charts risk factors associated with the spread of environmentally growing opportunistic pathogens.

Data Accessibility

Upon acceptance the data will be made publicly available.

Statement of authorship

Authors planned the questions and experiment together. KS conducted the laboratory work and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. TK conducted statistical analyses. All authors wrote the final version of the manuscript.
KCC1 Activation protects Mice from the Development of Experimental Cerebral Malaria
Authors: Hortle Elinor , Starrs Lora , Brown Fiona , Jane Stephen , Curtis David , McMorran Brendan J. , Foote Simon J. , Burgio Gaetan
Published: September 2017

Plasmodium falciparummalaria causes half a million deaths per year, with up to 9% of this mortality caused by cerebral malaria (CM). One of the major processes contributing to the development of CM is an excess of host inflammatory cytokines. Recently K+ signaling has emerged as an important mediator of the inflammatory response to infection; we therefore investigated whether mice carrying an ENU induced activation of the electroneutral K+ channel KCC1 had an altered response toPlasmodium berghei. Here we show that Kcc1M935K/M935Kmice are protected from the development of experimental cerebral malaria, and that this protection is associated with an increased CD4+ T cells and TNF-α response. This is the first description of a K+ channel affecting the development of experimental cerebral malaria.
Longitudinal development of hippocampal subregions from childhood to adulthood
Authors: Tamnes Christian K. , Bos Marieke G. N. , van de Kamp Ferdi C. , Peters Sabine , Crone Eveline A.
Published: September 2017

Detailed descriptions of the development of the hippocampus promise to shed light on the neural foundation of development of memory and other cognitive functions, as well as the emergence of major mental disorders. Hippocampus is a heterogeneous structure with a well characterized internal complexity, but development of its distinct subregions in humans has remained poorly described. We analyzed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from a large longitudinal sample (270 participants, 678 scans) using an automated segmentation tool and mixed models to delineate the development of hippocampal subregion volumes from childhood to adulthood. We also examined sex differences in subregion volumes and their development, and associations between hippocampal subregions and general cognitive ability. Nonlinear developmental trajectories with early volume increases were observed for subiculum, cornu ammonis (CA) 1, molecular layer (ML) and fimbria. In contrast, parasubiculum, presubiculum, CA2/3, CA4 and the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus (GC-DG) showed linear volume decreases. No sex differences were found in hippocampal subregion development. Finally, general cognitive ability was positively associated with CA2/3 and CA4 volumes, as well as with ML development. In conclusion, hippocampal subregions appear to develop in diversified ways across adolescence, and specific subregions may link to general cognitive level.

Highlights

Hippocampal subregions develop in differential ways from childhood to adulthood

Subiculum, CA1, ML and fimbria showed nonlinear trajectories with initial increases

Parasubiculum, presubiculum, CA2/3, CA4 and GC-DG showed linear volume decreases

There were no sex differences in hippocampal subregion development

General cognitive ability associated with CA2/3 and CA4 volumes and ML development
A comprehensive profile of circulating RNAs in human serum
Authors: Umu Sinan Uğur , Langseth Hilde , Bucher-Jonannessen Cecilie , Fromm Bastian , Keller Andreas , Meese Eckart , Lauritzen Marianne , Leithaug Magnus , Lyle Robert , Rounge Trine
Published: September 2017

Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecules have fundamental roles in cells and many are also stable in body fluids as extracellular RNAs. In this study, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to investigate the profile of small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) in human serum. We analyzed 10 billion lllumina reads from 477 serum samples, included in the Norwegian population-based Janus Serum Bank (JSB). We found that the core serum RNA repertoire includes 258 micro RNAs (miRNA), 441 piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNA), 411 transfer RNAs (tRNA), 24 small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNA), 125 small nuclear RNAs (snRNA) and 123 miscellaneous RNAs (misc-RNA). We also investigated biological and technical variation in expression, and the results suggest that many RNA molecules identified in serum contain signs of biological variation. They are therefore unlikely to be random degradation by-products. In addition, the presence of specific fragments of tRNA, snoRNA, Vault RNA and Y_RNA indicates protection from degradation. Our results suggest that many circulating RNAs in serum can be potential biomarkers.
Neuronal populations in the occipital cortex of the blind synchronize to the temporal dynamics of speech
Authors: van Ackeren Markus J. , Barbero Francesca , Mattioni Stefania , Bottini Roberto , Collignon Olivier
Published: September 2017

The occipital cortex of early blind individuals (EB) activates during speech processing, challenging the notion of a hard-wired neurobiology of language. But, at what stage of speech processing do occipital regions participate in EB?Here we demonstrate that parieto-occipital regions in EB enhance their synchronization to acoustic fluctuations in human speech in the theta-range (corresponding to syllabic rate), irrespective of speech intelligibility. Crucially, enhanced synchronization to the intelligibility of speech was selectively observed in primary visual cortex in EB, suggesting that this region is at the interface between speech perception and comprehension. Moreover, EB showed overall enhanced functional connectivity between temporal and occipital cortices sensitive to speech intelligibility and altered directionality when compared to the sighted group. These findings suggest that the occipital cortex of the blind adopts an architecture allowing the tracking of speech material, and therefore does not fully abstract from the reorganized sensory inputs it receives.
The lamellipodium is a myosin independent mechanosensor
Authors: Oakes Patrick W. , Bidone Tamara C. , Beckham Yvonne , Skeeters Austin V. , Ramirez-San Juan Guillermina R. , Winter Stephen P. , Voth Gregory A. , Gardel Margaret L.
Published: September 2017

The ability of adherent cells to sense changes in the mechanical properties of their extracellular environments is critical to numerous aspects of their physiology. It has been well documented that cell attachment and spreading are sensitive to substrate stiffness. Here we demonstrate that this behavior is actually biphasic, with a transition that occurs around a Young’s modulus of ∼7 kPa. Furthermore, we demonstrate that, contrary to established assumptions, this property is independent of myosin II activity. Rather, we find that cell spreading on soft substrates is inhibited due to reduced nascent adhesion formation within the lamellipodium. Cells on soft substrates display normal leading edge protrusion activity, but these protrusions are not stabilized due to impaired adhesion assembly. Enhancing integrin-ECM affinity through addition of Mn2+recovers nascent adhesion assembly and cell spreading on soft substrates. Using a computational model to simulate nascent adhesion assembly, we find that biophysical properties of the integrin-ECM bond are optimized to stabilize interactions above a threshold matrix stiffness that is consistent with the experimentally observations. Together these results suggest that myosin II-independent forces in the lamellipodium are responsible for mechanosensation by regulating new adhesion assembly, which in turn, directly controls cell spreading. This myosin II-independent mechanism of substrate stiffness sensing could potentially regulate a number of other stiffness sensitive processes.

Significance Statement

Cell physiology can be regulated by the mechanics of the extracellular environment. Here, we demonstrate that cell spreading is a mechanosensitive process regulated by weak forces generated at the cell periphery and independent of motor activity. We show that stiffness sensing depends on the kinetics of the initial adhesion bonds that are subjected to forces driven by protein polymerization. This work demonstrates how the binding kinetics of adhesion molecules are sensitively tuned to a range of forces that enable mechanosensation.
An integrated analysis of the epigenetic, genetic, and transcriptional patterns associated with outcome across cancer types
Authors: Smith Joan C. , Sheltzer Jason M.
Published: September 2017

Successful treatment decisions in cancer depend on the accurate assessment of patient risk. To improve our understanding of the molecular alterations that underlie deadly malignancies, we analyzed genomic profiles from 33,036 solid tumors with known patient outcomes. Contrary to expectations, we find that mutations in cancer driver genes are almost never associated with patient survival time. In contrast, copy number changes in these same genes are broadly prognostic. Analysis of methylation, microRNA, mRNA, and protein expression patterns in primary tumors define several additional prognostic patterns, including signatures of tumor mitotic activity and tissue de-differentiation. Co-expression analysis with a cell cycle meta-gene distinguished proliferation-dependent and ‐independent prognostic features, allowing us to construct multivariate survival models with improved stratification power. In total, our analysis provides a comprehensive resource for biomarker and therapeutic target identification, and suggests that copy number and methylation profiling should complement tumor sequencing efforts to improve patient risk assessment.
Necrosis triggered byMycobacterium tuberculosisalters macrophage triglyceride metabolism and inflammatory response in a DGAT1 – dependent manner
Authors: Jaisinghani Neetika , Dawa Stanzin , Singh Kaurab , Nandy Ananya , Menon Dilip , Bhandari Purva , Khare Garima , Tyagi Anil , Gandotra Sheetal
Published: September 2017

Tuberculosis granulomas represent a site of controlling bacterial dissemination at the cost of host tissue damage. Within the heterogenous array of TB granulomas, some contain triglyceride (TG) rich foamy macrophages, the etiology and function of which remains largely unexplained. Here we show that necrosis of tuberculosis lesions andM. tuberculosis(Mtb) infected macrophages elicits a bystander response of triglyceride storage. We elucidate a role for the RD1 region of mycobacterial genome to be a key player in this phenomenon. TG storage in necrosis associated foamy macrophages promoted the pro-inflammatory state of macrophages while silencing expression of diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase (DGAT1) suppressed expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Surprisingly, acute infection with Mtb led to lipolysis of host TG, rather than synthesis, suggesting mobilization of triglyceride stored within macrophage lipid droplets to be involved in the inflammatory response to infection. Our data is likely to open new avenues for management of the inflammatory response during infection.
Detection of long repeat expansions from PCR-free whole-genome sequence data
Authors: Dolzhenko Egor , van Vugt Joke J.F.A. , Shaw Richard J. , Bekritsky Mitchell A. , van Blitterswijk Marka , Narzisi Giuseppe , Ajay Subramanian S. , Rajan Vani , Lajoie Bryan R. , Johnson Nathan H. , Kingsbury Zoya , Humphray Sean J. , Schellevis Raymond D. , Brands William J. , Baker Matt , Rademakers Rosa , Kooyman Maarten , Tazelaar Gijs H.P. , van Es Michael A. , McLaughlin Russell , Sproviero William , Shatunov Aleksey , Jones Ashley , Al Khleifat Ahmad , Pittman Alan , Morgan Sarah , Hardiman Orla , Al-Chalabi Ammar , Shaw Chris , Smith Bradley , Neo Edmund J. , Morrison Karen , Shaw Pamela J. , Reeves Catherine , Winterkorn Lara , Wexler Nancy S. ,   The US–Venezuela Collaborative Research Group, Housman David E. , Ng Christopher W. , Li Alina L. , Taft Ryan J. , van den Berg Leonard H. , Bentley David R. , Veldink Jan H. , Eberle Michael A.
Published: September 2017

Identifying large expansions of short tandem repeats (STRs), such as those that cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and fragile X syndrome, is challenging for short-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data. A solution to this problem is an important step toward integrating WGS into precision medicine. We developed a software tool called ExpansionHunter that, using PCR-free WGS short-read data, can genotype repeats at the locus of interest, even if the expanded repeat is larger than the read length. We applied our algorithm to WGS data from 3001 ALS patients who have been tested for the presence of the C9orf72 repeat expansion with repeat-primed PCR (RP-PCR). Compared against this truth data, ExpansionHunter correctly classified all (212/212, 95% CI [0.98, 1.00]) of the expanded samples as either expansions (208) or potential expansions (4). Additionally, 99.9% (2786/2789, 95% CI [0.997, 1.00]) of the wild-type samples were correctly classified as wild type by this method with the remaining three samples identified as possible expansions. We further applied our algorithm to a set of 152 samples in which every sample had one of eight different pathogenic repeat expansions, including those associated with fragile X syndrome, Friedreich's ataxia, and Huntington's disease, and correctly flagged all but one of the known repeat expansions. Thus, ExpansionHunter can be used to accurately detect known pathogenic repeat expansions and provides researchers with a tool that can be used to identify new pathogenic repeat expansions.
Tiny niches and translocations: The challenge of identifying suitable recipient sites for small and immobile species
Authors: Brooker Rob W. , Brewer Mark J. , Britton Andrea J. , Eastwood Antonia , Ellis Christopher , Gimona Alessandro , Poggio Laura , Genney David R.
Published: September 2017

Assisted colonisation, one form of species translocation, has been proposed as a tool for helping species to track suitable conditions in a changing climate. There are considerable practical challenges associated with it, including predicting where to place translocated individuals. This problem may be particularly big for small and immobile species, where small‐scale microenvironmental conditions de‐couple them from environmental conditions as projected in large‐scale climate models.

To investigate this problem, we developed a survey‐based model to predict the occurrence of our target species, the fruticose terricolous arctic‐alpine lichen, Flavocetraria nivalis, within the Cairngorm Mountains.

We then undertook an experimental translocation of this species. A second model, using variables that were significant in the survey‐based model, was only fair at predicting the initial pattern of survival at the recipient site.

However, model fit of the translocation survival model improved over time as the distribution of surviving individuals more accurately reflected the distribution of suitable environmental conditions. In addition, model predictive power increased with the addition of data on microclimatic conditions at recipient plots.

Synthesis and applications. Our results demonstrate that, for species which respond strongly to local environmental conditions, are immobile and, to some extent, decoupled from larger scale climates, it may be difficult to build a priori accurate predictive models of habitat suitability. In these cases, a combination of modelling and expert judgement, along with the movement of substantial numbers of transplants, may be the appropriate options for maximising the success of assisted colonisation.
Capillary Electrophoresis Based on Nucleic Acid Detection as Used in Food Analysis
Authors: Lian Dong‐Sheng , Zeng Hua‐Song
Published: September 2017

Food safety and food production are closely related to the health of consumers. Food‐related accidents often cause tremendous losses of personnel and property. Thus, rapid detection and analysis of ingredients in food, tracing food sources, studying the optimal conditions for food production, and more are vital for preventing incidents related to safety. Conventional analysis based on proteomics, microbial cultures, and morphology, as well as biochemical tests based on metabonomics, are considered gold standards and used frequently, but they are labor‐intensive, time‐consuming, tedious, error‐prone, and incapable of meeting the demand for rapid and precise detection at a large scale. Alternative detection methods that utilize capillary electrophoresis have the advantages of high efficiency, high throughput, high speed, and automation; these methods are coupled with various nucleic acid detection strategies to overcome the drawbacks of traditional identification methods, and to prevent false results. Therefore, this review focuses on the application of capillary electrophoresis based on nucleic acid detection in food analysis and provides an introduction to the limitations, advantages, and future developments of this approach.
Supplementation with the Methyl Donor Betaine Prevents Congenital Defects Induced by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Karunamuni Ganga , Sheehan Megan M. , Doughman Yong Qiu , Gu Shi , Sun Jiayang , Li Youjun , Strainic James P. , Rollins Andrew M. , Jenkins Michael W. , Watanabe Michiko
Published: September 2017

Background

Despite decades of public education about dire consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), drinking alcohol during pregnancy remains prevalent. As high as 40% of live‐born infants exposed to alcohol during gestation and diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome have congenital heart defects that can be life‐threatening. In animal models, the methyl donor betaine, found in foods such as wheat bran, quinoa, beets, and spinach, ameliorated neurobehavioral deficits associated with PAE, but effects on heart development are unknown.

Methods

Previously, we modeled a binge drinking episode during the first trimester in avian embryos. Here, we investigated whether betaine could prevent adverse effects of alcohol on heart development. Embryos exposed to ethanol (EtOH) with and without an optimal dose of betaine (5 μM) were analyzed at late developmental stages. Cardiac morphology parameters were rapidly analyzed and quantified using optical coherence tomography. DNA methylation at early stages was detected by immunofluorescent staining for 5‐methylcytosine in sections of embryos treated with EtOH or cotreated with betaine.

Results

Compared to EtOH‐exposed embryos, betaine‐supplemented embryos had higher late‐stage survival rates and fewer gross head and body defects than seen after alcohol exposure alone. Betaine also reduced the incidence of late‐stage cardiac defects such as absent vessels, abnormal atrioventricular (AV) valves, and hypertrophic ventricles. Furthermore, betaine cotreatment brought measurements of great vessel diameters, interventricular septum thickness, and AV leaflet volumes in betaine‐supplemented embryos close to control values. Early‐stage 5‐methycytosine staining revealed that DNA methylation levels were reduced by EtOH exposure and normalized by co‐administration with betaine.

Conclusions

This is the first study demonstrating efficacy of the methyl donor betaine in alleviating cardiac defects associated with PAE. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of low‐concentration betaine doses in mitigating PAE‐induced birth defects and have implications for prenatal nutrition policies, especially for women who may not be responsive to folate supplementation.
Remembering Gallipoli: Anzac, the Great War and Australian Memory Politics
Authors: McDonald Matt
Published: September 2017

Few could have predicted that an ill‐fated landing of Allied troops in modern‐day Turkey in April 1915 would become the founding moment of the Australian nation. Australians were amongst several nations represented and did not suffer the most casualties, while the battle itself and the campaign of which it was a part was a military failure. Yet the notion that this battle constituted a “coming of age” for a nascent nation, and that Australian soldiers had exhibited the defining characteristics of a national type, has become a powerful — even hegemonic — story of Australian identity. Many analysts have pointed to the militaristic, masculine and mono‐cultural dimensions of a myth that weds the nation to a colonial past and in the process imposes limits on the ways in which we can imagine the nation and its role in the world. Yet as the Australian government geared up for the 2015 centenary of that landing — Anzac Day — with an unprecedented commitment of resources for commemorative activities, the shadow cast by the broader Anzac myth over Australian society and politics triggered surprisingly little public debate. This paper explores the key contours of the Anzac myth, examining the politics of Anzac memory and memorialisation in the context of the centenary of the Great War and the landing of Australian troops at Gallipoli.
Patriots All Around: Inter/national Timing, Round Numbers, and the Politics of Commemorative Critique
Authors: Hom Andrew R.
Published: September 2017

Rather than focusing on a particular commemoration, this article draws attention to the issue of when we say what we say. It argues that when scholars take “big” anniversaries of major international political events as the occasion for critique, they concede important conceptual and practical ground to an overlooked yet hegemonic symbolic order that constrains political possibility. Regardless of content, timing such discussions to round numbers accumulating from “given” and “historical” dates like 1917 or 9/11 reaffirms a statist and state‐systemic — an inter/national — politics of commemoration. After briefly introducing a way to analyze temporal phenomena using the concept of timing in the first section, the rest of the article elaborates the functional and political implications of discussions organized around inter/national calendars. The second section summarizes links between hegemonic timing and the modern inter/national imaginary. The third explicates the cosmopolitical importance of calendars and anniversaries, showing how modern dating systems privilege particular historical legacies, constitute political identities, and hypertrophy the importance of round numbers. The fourth section examines the ontopolitics of these timing practices and identifies five consequences of inter/nationally–timed critique. The article concludes by suggesting alternative calendars supportive of a more thoroughgoing temporal challenge to our hegemonic politics of commemoration.
Disposable Leaders: Media and Leadership Coups from Menzies to Abbott
Authors: Ward Ian
Published: September 2017

Disposable Leaders: Media and Leadership Coups from Menzies to Abbott. By Rodney Tiffen (Sydney: University of New South Wales Press, 2017), pp.vii + 296, AU$34.99 (pb).
Nazis in our Midst: German‐Australians, Internment and the Second World War
Authors: Moses John A.
Published: September 2017

Nazis in our Midst: German‐Australians, Internment and the Second World War. By David Henderson (Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2016), pp.197 ISBN 978‐1‐925003‐50‐5. AU$39.95 (pb).
Evatt: A Life
Authors: Strangio Paul
Published: September 2017

Evatt: A Life. By John Murphy (Sydney: NewSouth Publishing, 2016), pp. × + 451. AU$49.99 (cloth).
What is to be done? A Dialogue on Communism, Capitalism and the Future of Democracy
Authors: Doyle Natalie J.
Published: September 2017

What is to be done? A Dialogue on Communism, Capitalism and the Future of Democracy. By Alain Badiou, Marcel Gauchet, translated by Susan Spitzer (Oxford: Polity, 2015), pp.176 £12.99 (pb).
Association between mode of delivery and astigmatism in preschool children
Authors: Liu Fengyang , Yang Xubo , Tang Angcang , Liu Longqian
Published: September 2017

Purpose

To determine whether mode of delivery has any impact on astigmatism.

Methods

This case–control study was performed in the Department of Ophthalmology in 2015. Exposure was mode of delivery [vaginal delivery (VD) or caesarean section (CS), which here included both elective and emergency CS]. Outcome was astigmatism (≥2.5 D), which was determined by cycloplegic refraction. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were computed to assess the associations between mode of delivery and astigmatism from logistic regression models.

Results

Of the 659 children studied here (341 boys; mean age, 4.37 years), 440 were born by CS and 219 by VD. The incidence of severe astigmatism (≥2.5 D) in the CS and VD groups was 22.06% and 13.24%, respectively. Children delivered by CS had a 77.9% higher risk of severe astigmatism compared with vaginally delivered children (OR = 1.779; 95% CI, 1.121 to 2.824). After dividing CS into elective CS and emergency CS, children delivered by elective CS had an 87.3% increased risk of severe astigmatism (OR = 1.873; 95% CI, 1.157 to 3.032), but children delivered by emergency CS did not differ from vaginally delivered children. In addition, the children whose mothers had histories of breastfeeding had a 44.6% lower risk of severe astigmatism than children whose mother did not breastfeed them (OR = 0.554, 95% CI, 0.335–0.914).

Conclusion

Birth by CS, especially elective CS, increases the risk of severe astigmatism (≥2.50 D) in childhood.
SUMO co‐expression modifies KV11.1 channel activity
Authors: Steffensen A. B. , Andersen M. N. , Mutsaers N. , Mujezinovic A. , Schmitt N.
Published: September 2017

Aim

The voltage‐gated potassium channel KV11.1 is the molecular basis for the IKr current, which plays an important role in cardiac physiology. Its malfunction is associated with both inherited and acquired cardiac arrhythmias. Native currents differ from those in experimental models, suggesting additional regulatory mechanisms. We hypothesized that the post‐translational modification sumoylation fine‐tunes channel activity.

Methods

The functional effects of sumoylation on KV11.1 were addressed by employing two‐electrode voltage‐clamp (TEVC) experiments in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Site‐directed mutagenesis enabled a further analysis of the SUMO‐target amino acids. We assessed protein expression levels and used confocal imaging for localization studies.

Results

Co‐expression with Ubc9 and SUMO alters the electrophysiological properties of KV11.1 leading to a decrease in steady‐state current amplitude largely due to faster inactivation and alteration of deactivation kinetics. We identified three lysines (K21, K93 and K116) in the PAS domain as the putative SUMO‐targets.

Conclusion

This study indicates KV11.1 as a sumoylation target and offers three main targets: K21, K93, and K116. Furthermore, it proposes an underlying mechanism for the observed kinetic impact of the PAS domain.
Factor Xa inhibition by rivaroxaban in the trough steady state can significantly reduce thrombin generation
Authors: Horinaka Shigeo , Sugawara Rie , Yonezawa Yutaka , Ishimitsu Toshihiko
Published: September 2017

Aims

The aim of the present study was to demonstrate evidence of reduced thrombin generation at the trough plasma rivaroxaban concentration.

Methods

A single‐centre, prospective, nonrandomized, drug‐intervention, self‐controlled study was conducted in 51 anticoagulation therapy‐naïve patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Plasma rivaroxaban concentration was measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) and the anti‐factor Xa chromogenic assay. Partial thrombin time (PT), protein C activity, and protein S antigen, prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2), D‐dimer, thrombomodulin (TM), thrombin–antithrombin complex (TAT), plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1) and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) levels were also measured at the trough steady state after 4 weeks of rivaroxaban treatment and compared with baseline.

Results

Plasma concentrations obtained by the LC–MS/MS and anti‐Xa assays were correlated (r = 0.841, P < 0.001). The mean concentration of rivaroxaban at the trough steady state was 23.6 ng ml–1, at which F1 + 2, TAT and D‐dimer had decreased from the baseline values (P < 0.0001, P = 0.029 and P < 0.005, respectively). PT was prolonged (+0.59 s, P < 0.0001). TFPI increased from baseline to the trough steady state in the first to third quartile groups (+0.79 pg ml–1, P = 0.048). By contrast, PAI‐1, protein C activity, protein S antigen and TM remained within the normal range at the trough steady state.

Conclusions

Residual plasma rivaroxaban at the trough steady state may explain the antithrombin effect of rivaroxaban in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.
Opportunities for Students to Prescribe: An Evaluation of 185 Consultations in the Student‐run Cardiovascular Risk Management Programme
Authors: Schutte Tim , Prince Katinka , Richir Milan , Donker Erik , van Gastel Leonie , Bastiaans Ferdynand , de Vries Henk , Tichelaar Jelle , van Agtmael Michiel
Published: September 2017

Involving students in cardiovascular risk management (CVRM) could offer patients a structured CVRM programme and students a valuable learning opportunity. We describe and evaluate a student‐run CVRM programme that was set up to offer primary prevention to patients with known risk factors in a general practitioner's practice. During a consultation, two undergraduate medical students assessed the patients' actual risk and formulated a CVRM plan, which they discussed with the patient after approval by a GP. After the consultations, patients were asked to complete evaluation/feedback questionnaires. From December 2014 to December 2015, 185 consultations were carried out by 46 students. Feedback questionnaires of 153 consultations were returned, in which patient satisfaction was 8.43 (1–10, min‐max). The cardiovascular risk of 95 patients was determined, and in >50% patients, it was ‘high’. Participating students and GPs were enthusiastic about the (pharmacotherapy) learning opportunities and improved CVRM care while contributing to real patient care in this CVRM programme.
Prenatal attitudes toward vaginal delivery and actual delivery mode: Variation by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status
Authors: Attanasio Laura B. , Hardeman Rachel R. , Kozhimannil Katy B. , Kjerulff Kristen H.
Published: September 2017

Objectives

Researchers documenting persistent racial/ethnic and socioeconomic status disparities in chances of cesarean delivery have speculated that women's birth attitudes and preferences may partially explain these differences, but no studies have directly tested this hypothesis. We examined whether women's prenatal attitudes toward vaginal delivery differed by race/ethnicity or socioeconomic status, and whether attitudes were differently related to delivery mode depending on race/ethnicity or socioeconomic status.

Methods

Data were from the First Baby Study, a cohort of 3006 women who gave birth to a first baby in Pennsylvania between 2009 and 2011. We used regression models to examine (1) predictors of prenatal attitudes toward vaginal delivery, and (2) the association between prenatal attitudes and actual delivery mode. To assess moderation, we estimated models adding interaction terms.

Results

Prenatal attitudes toward vaginal delivery were not associated with race/ethnicity or socioeconomic status. Positive attitudes toward vaginal delivery were associated with lower odds of cesarean delivery (AOR=0.60, P < .001). However, vaginal delivery attitudes were only related to delivery mode among women who were white, highly educated, and privately insured.

Conclusions

There are racial/ethnic differences in chances of cesarean delivery, and these differences are not explained by birth attitudes. Furthermore, our findings suggest that white and high‐socioeconomic status women may be more able to realize their preferences in childbirth.
Progression of care among women who use a midwife for prenatal care: Who remains in midwife care?
Authors: Weisband Yiska Loewenberg , Gallo Maria F. , Klebanoff Mark A. , Shoben Abigail B. , Norris Alison H.
Published: September 2017

Background

Prenatal care provided by midwives provides a safe and cost‐effective alternative to care provided by physicians. However, no studies have evaluated the frequency of women who leave midwifery care, in a hospital setting. Our study objectives were to measure the frequency of transfers of care to physicians, to describe the sociodemographic and pregnancy‐related characteristics of women who transferred to the care of a physician during prenatal care and at delivery, and to assess correlates of these transfers.

Methods

We used electronic medical records to perform a retrospective cohort study of women who delivered at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC) and had at least one prenatal care visit within OSUWMC's network. We report descriptive findings, using proportions and means with standard deviations. We used logistic regression, with Firth's bias correction as necessary, to assess correlates of transferring to a physician during prenatal care and at delivery.

Results

Most women who initiated prenatal care with a midwife remained in midwifery care throughout delivery, with 4.7% transferring to a physician during prenatal care, and an additional 21.4% transferring to a physician during delivery. After adjusting for pregnancy‐related factors, the black race was statistically significantly associated with leaving midwifery care during prenatal care (adjusted odds ratio AOR 3.0 [95% CI 1.4–6.6]) and delivery (AOR 2.5 [95% CI 1.5–4.3]).

Conclusion

Findings indicate that most women remain in midwifery care throughout pregnancy, but raise important questions with respect to the possible role that race has in pregnancy care.