bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards an integrative understanding of soil biodiversity
Authors: Thakur Madhav P. , Phillips Helen R. P. , Brose Ulrich , De Vries Franciska T. , Lavelle Patrick , Loreau Michel , Mathieu Jerome , Mulder Christian , Van der Putten Wim H. , Rillig Matthias C. , Wardle David A. , Bach Elizabeth M. , Bartz Marie L. C. , Bennett Joanne M. , Briones Maria J. I. , Brown George , Decaëns Thibaud , Eisenhauer Nico , Ferlian Olga , Guerra Carlos António , König‐Ries Birgitta , Orgiazzi Alberto , Ramirez Kelly S. , Russell David J. , Rutgers Michiel , Wall Diana H. , Cameron Erin K.
Published: November 2019

Soil is one of the most biodiverse terrestrial habitats. Yet, we lack an integrative conceptual framework for understanding the patterns and mechanisms driving soil biodiversity. One of the underlying reasons for our poor understanding of soil biodiversity patterns relates to whether key biodiversity theories (historically developed for aboveground and aquatic organisms) are applicable to patterns of soil biodiversity. Here, we present a systematic literature review to investigate whether and how key biodiversity theories (species–energy relationship, theory of island biogeography, metacommunity theory, niche theory and neutral theory) can explain observed patterns of soil biodiversity. We then discuss two spatial compartments nested within soil at which biodiversity theories can be applied to acknowledge the scale‐dependent nature of soil biodiversity.
Calcitriol inhibits migration and invasion of renal cell carcinoma cells by suppressing Smad2/3‐, STAT3‐ and β‐catenin‐mediated epithelial‐mesenchymal transition
Authors: Xu Shen , Zhang Zhi‐Hui , Fu Lin , Song Jin , Xie Dong‐Dong , Yu De‐Xin , Xu De‐Xiang , Sun Guo‐Ping
Published: November 2019

Low vitamin D status is associated with progression in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The present study found that vimentin, a mesenchymal marker, was accordingly upregulated, and E‐cadherin, an epithelial marker, was downregulated in RCC patients with low vitamin D status. Thus, we investigated the effects of calcitriol or vitamin D3, an active form of vitamin D, on epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) in RCC cells. RCC cells were treated by two models. In model 1, three RCC cell lines, ACHN, 786‐O and CAKI‐2, were incubated with either LPS (2.0 μg/mL) or transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 (10 ng/mL) in the presence or absence of calcitriol (200 nmol/L). In model 2, two RCC cell lines, ACHN and CAKI‐2, were incubated with calcitriol (200 nmol/L) only. Calcitriol inhibited migration and invasion not only in TGF‐β1‐stimulated but also in TGF‐β1‐unstimulated RCC cells. Moreover, calcitriol suppressed E‐cadherin downregulation and vimentin upregulation not only in TGF‐β1‐stimulated but also in TGF‐β1‐unstimulated ACHN and CAKI‐2 cells. Calcitriol attenuated LPS‐induced upregulation of MMP‐2, MMP‐7, MMP‐9, MMP‐26 and urokinase‐type plasminogen activator (u‐PA) in ACHN cells. In addition, calcitriol blocked TGF‐β1‐induced nuclear translocation of ZEB1, Snail and Twist1 in ACHN and CAKI‐2 cells. Mechanistically, calcitriol suppressed EMT through different signaling pathways: (i) calcitriol suppressed Smad2/3 phosphorylation by reinforcing physical interaction between vitamin D receptor (VDR) and Smad3 in TGF‐β1‐stimulated RCC cells; (ii) calcitriol inhibited signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 activation in LPS‐stimulated RCC cells; (iii) calcitriol inhibited β‐catenin/TCF‐4 activation by promoting integration of VDR with β‐catenin in TGF‐β1‐unstimulated RCC cells. Taken together, calcitriol inhibits migration and invasion of RCC cells partially by suppressing Smad2/3‐, STAT3‐ and β‐catenin‐mediated EMT.
Comparison of preoperative versus postoperative transversus abdominis plane and rectus sheath block in patients undergoing minimally invasive colorectal surgery
Authors: Xia J. , Paul Olson T. J. , Tritt S. , Liu Y. , Rosen S. A.
Published: November 2019

Aim

Ultrasound‐guided transversus abdominis plane and rectus sheath block (TAPRSB) decreases pain scores and narcotic use postoperatively after colorectal surgery (CRS). It is unclear if the effectiveness of TAPRSB varies according to whether it is performed preoperatively or postoperatively. Our aim was to investigate this.

Method

We compared patients who underwent preoperative TAPRSB or postoperative TAPRSB during minimally invasive CRS. Primary end‐points were pain scores and oral morphine milligram equivalent (MME) use postoperatively. Secondary end‐points included perioperative factors affecting pain scores and postoperative MME. Summary statistics and univariate analysis by nonparametric tests were utilized. The mixed‐effect model was applied to model the repeatedly measured pain score.

Results

From April 2015 until May 2018 168 patients received TAPRSB before (115) or after (53) minimally invasive CRS. The cohort included 79 (47.0%) women, and had an average age of 59.11 (±12.32) years and mean body mass index of 28.32 (±5.82) kg/m2. Indication for surgery was cancer in 66 (39.3%), polyp in 43 (25.6%) and diverticulitis in 43 (25.6%). Right colectomy was performed in 61 (36.3%), low anterior resection in 46 (27.4%) and sigmoid colectomy in 40 (23.8%) patients. The demographics of the groups were similar. Postoperative TAPRSB was only associated with lower pain scores at 12 h postoperatively. As secondary outcomes, average pain scores and MME were lower in patients who were older, had right colectomy or intracorporeal anastomosis.

Conclusions

Postoperative TAPRSB resulted in lower pain scores than preoperative TAPRSB 12 h after minimally invasive CRS, but otherwise no differences were seen in pain scores or MME use.
Communicative Context Affects Use of Referential Prosody
Authors: Tzeng Christina Y. , Namy Laura L. , Nygaard Lynne C.
Published: November 2019

The current study assessed the extent to which the use of referential prosody varies with communicative demand. Speaker–listener dyads completed a referential communication task during which speakers attempted to indicate one of two color swatches (one bright, one dark) to listeners. Speakers' bright sentences were reliably higher pitched than dark sentences for ambiguous (e.g., bright red versus dark red) but not unambiguous (e.g., bright red versus dark purple) trials, suggesting that speakers produced meaningful acoustic cues to brightness when the accompanying linguistic content was underspecified (e.g., “Can you get the red one?”). Listening partners reliably chose the correct corresponding swatch for ambiguous trials when lexical information was insufficient to identify the target, suggesting that listeners recruited prosody to resolve lexical ambiguity. Prosody can thus be conceptualized as a type of vocal gesture that can be recruited to resolve referential ambiguity when there is communicative demand to do so.
Fatigue and health‐related quality of life among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in China
Authors: Yang Ying , Li Qianqiu , Mao Jing , Mao Zongfu
Published: November 2019

Objectives

Fatigue is an important yet ignored symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, there is a paucity of literature from China on fatigue and its association with health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) among COPD patients. The purpose of this study was to (a) evaluate fatigue of COPD inpatients in China and (b) explore the association between fatigue and HRQoL.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study recruited patients hospitalised for an acute exacerbation of COPD within one month from three general hospitals in central China. Disease severity, fatigue and HRQoL were assessed for all participants using COPD Assessment Test (CAT), 9‐item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy‐Fatigue scale (FACIT‐F) and 12‐Item Short‐Form Health Survey (SF‐12v2).

Results

A total of 210 COPD patients participated in the study between April 2017 and January 2018, with an average age of 71.1 ± 12.2 years old. The overall prevalence of moderate to severe fatigue was 48.5%. A worse FACIT‐F score was associated with worse CAT score (r = −0.74, P < 0.01; B = −0.70, P < 0.01) and worse SF‐12v2 score (r = 0.77, P < 0.01; B = 0.66, P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Almost half of the COPD patients experience moderate to severe fatigue. Patients with greater disease severity exhibited more severe fatigue and worse HRQoL. Fatigue symptom has a strongly negative effect on COPD patients' HRQoL, physical health and mental health. Health personnel is recommended to provide fatigue‐related screening, counselling and health education, particularly for patients with moderate to severe COPD.
Trichoblastic carcinosarcoma: A case report and literature review
Authors: Underwood Caroline I. M. , Mansoori Parisa , Selim Angelica M. , Al‐Rohil Rami N.
Published: November 2019

Trichoblastic carcinosarcoma is a rare biphasic adnexal neoplasm. This case report chronicals the eighth occurrence of this tumor published in the English literature and provides a review of the prior publications. Clinically, this tumor presents as an isolated, rapidly growing lesion in elderly patients and is usually cured by complete surgical excision, with no evidence of recurrence or metastasis at follow‐up (7/8 cases). Histopathologically, trichoblastic carcinosarcoma is dermal‐based, with an epithelial component of basal cells and a mesenchymal component of spindle cells, both of which display malignant features. In addition to a morphologic description of trichoblastic carcinosarcoma, a discussion of the differential diagnoses, including other biphasic neoplasms, is also included. The small number of cases of trichoblastic carcinosarcoma is most likely secondary to under‐recognition and underreporting and a larger case volume is needed to more accurately assess the clinical course and treatment strategies.
Clinical outcomes with canagliflozin according to baseline body mass index: results from post hoc analyses of the CANVAS Program
Authors: Ohkuma Toshiaki , Van Gaal Luc , Shaw Wayne , Mahaffey Kenneth W. , de Zeeuw Dick , Matthews David R. , Perkovic Vlado , Neal Bruce
Published: November 2019

Aims

Sodium glucose co‐transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce several cardiovascular risk factors, including plasma glucose, blood pressure, albuminuria and body weight. Long‐term treatment lowers risks of cardiovascular and renal events. The objective of this post hoc analysis was to determine the effects of canagliflozin treatment versus placebo on clinical outcomes in relation to body mass index (BMI).

Materials and methods

The CANVAS Program randomized 10 142 participants with type 2 diabetes to canagliflozin or placebo. These analyses tested the consistency of canagliflozin treatment effects across BMI levels for cardiovascular, renal, safety and body weight outcomes in three groups defined by baseline BMI: <25, 25‐<30 and ≥30 kg/m2.

Results

In total, 10 128 participants with baseline BMI measurements were included. There were 966 participants with BMI <25 kg/m2, 3153 with BMI 25‐<30 kg/m2 and 6009 with BMI ≥30 kg/m2. Mean percent body weight reduction with canagliflozin compared with placebo was greater at 12 months [−2.77%  (95% confidence interval (CI): −2.95, ‐2.59)] than at 3 months [‐1.72%  (95% CI: ‐1.83, ‐1.62)]. The hazard ratios (HRs) for canagliflozin compared with placebo control for the composite outcome of cardiovascular death, non‐fatal myocardial infarction or non‐fatal stroke were 1.03 (95% CI: 0.66, 1.59) in participants with BMI <25 kg/m2, 0.97 (0.76, 1.23) with BMI 25‐<30 kg/m2 and 0.79 (0.67, 0.93) with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 (P for heterogeneity = 0.55). The effects of canagliflozin on each component of the composite were also similar across BMI subgroups, as were effects on heart failure and renal outcomes (P for heterogeneity ≥0.19). The effects on safety outcomes were also broadly similar.

Conclusions

Canagliflozin improved cardiovascular and renal outcomes consistently across patients with a broad range of BMI levels.
Singhiella simplex (Singh) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), a new aleyrodid species for Italy causing damage on Ficus
Authors: Laudani F. , Giunti G. , Zimbalatti G. , Campolo O. , Palmeri V.
Published: November 2019

The ficus whitefly Singhiella simplex (Singh) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is recorded for the first time in Italy. It was detected in Reggio Calabria (Southern Italy) in a public garden. The monitoring of its presence has highlighted its distribution in most of the city's urban green areas. S. simplex was found on Ficus benjamina and F. microcarpa trees, most of which were severely defoliated. The wide distribution and the high level of the infestations suggest that the introduction of this insect is not recent.
Agronomic performance of 27 Populus clones evaluated after two 3‐year coppice rotations in Henan, China
Authors: Zhang Jin , Song Xueqin , Zhang Lei , Jia Huixia , Peng Xiaopeng , Zhao Zicheng , Su Xuehui , Li Xilin , Lu Mengzhu , Hu Jianjun
Published: November 2019

Selecting superior clones is the first step for commercial short‐rotation coppice cultures to provide biomass and bioenergy. Till date, such selection for hybrid Populus clones in middle China is absent. Here we describe the growth, aboveground biomass production and cell wall composition of 27 hybrid poplar clones in Henan, China for two 3‐year rotations. Significant variation in these three characteristics over two triennial rotation coppices among the 27 poplar clones was observed. During two 3‐year rotation coppices, clones ‘276’, ‘02‐17’, and ‘599’ showed relatively higher tree heights and larger basal diameters than those of the other clones. However, the most productive clones were ‘36’ and ‘01‐30’. At the end of the second triennial rotation, the aboveground biomass production reached 18 Mg ha−1 year−1. For the cell wall composition analysis, the cellulose contents of clones ‘01‐243’ and ‘2001’ were relatively high, while the xylose contents of clones ‘01‐30’ and ‘65’ were relatively high. Cluster analysis based on height, basal diameter, biomass, heat value, cellulose content, and survival rate revealed five growth potential classes. Accordingly, clones ‘03‐332’, ‘36’, and ‘599’ exhibited high biomass and growth and had the greatest potential to serve as excellent biomass producers in Henan, China. In addition, the expression patterns of 20 key regulatory genes were analyzed, and an integrated coexpression network was constructed. This field trial provides a comprehensive quantification and evaluation of the agronomic performance of 27 poplar clones in Henan, China. The results of this study and the analytical strategies provide an efficient mechanism for selecting clones that will perform well agronomically in local environments. The expression of key genes and the integrated coexpression network provide the molecular mechanisms of poplar biomass performance.
Quality and cost‐effectiveness analyses of home‐visit nursing based on the frequency of nursing care visits and patients' quality of life: A pilot study
Authors: Otsuki Naoko , Fukui Sakiko , Nakatani Eiji
Published: November 2019

Aim

This pilot study aimed to analyze the cost‐effectiveness of visiting nursing care, to establish a new evaluation method considering both the quality and cost of visiting nursing care.

Method

Participants were 384 caregivers from 10 certified home‐visit nursing agencies that support patients in severe conditions in Japan. They completed a survey assessing the number of nursing care visits carried out in November 2016, visiting nursing receipt data for 1 month of study and quality of life (QOL), as measured by the EuroQol‐5 Dimension at their last visit, which took place 1 month later.

Results

We categorized participants into low‐charge and high‐charge groups. In the low‐charge group, no relationship was found between high QOL and frequency of implementation of each type of care. In the high‐charge group, participants with high frequencies of “medicine management and instruction,” “description and guidance for diseases and treatment,” and “nutrition and diet care” had higher levels of QOL.

Conclusions

This research might contribute to establishing a cost assessment system for home‐visit nursing care in Japan, which is expected to be useful in countries where the average age of the population is increasing. Care provided by visiting nurses might be divided into care items that related or did not relate to QOL. Therefore, when evaluating the quality and cost‐effectiveness of visiting nursing care, it is necessary to construct an evaluation system that considers these aspects and obtain appropriate data. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 36–41.
Bombyx mori monocarboxylate transporter 9 (BmMCT9) is involved in the transport of uric acid in silkworm integument
Authors: Wang Lingyan , Yin Yaru , Wang Kun , Cao Jun , Cheng Tingcai , Liu Chun , Zhang Yan , Zhu Yong
Published: November 2019

In Bombyx mori, there are more than 30 mutant strains exhibiting the translucent larval skin resulting from a decrease in the uric acid content in epidermal cell. Of these, the Chinese translucent (oc) mutant presents a moderately translucent larval skin. Previously, we narrowed the region linked to the oc phenotype to approximately 234 kb by positional cloning, and found that BmMCT9 was severely suppressed in the mutant. Here, we analyzed the mutation and potential molecular function of BmMCT9. Sequence analysis showed that a 2,624‐bp fragment of BmMCT9 promoter region was replaced by a 22‐bp sequence in the mutant. Luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed that BmMCT9 promoter activity in the mutant was significantly lower than that in the wild type. Knockdown of BmMCT9 caused a translucent phenotype in the first‐instar silkworm larvae. Immunoblotting analysis showed that BmMCT9 expression was severely reduced in the mutant than in the wild type, and immunofluorescence showed that BmMCT9 existed mainly within the cytoplasm of epidermal cells. Together, our results suggest that reduced levels of BmMCT9 were responsible for the translucent phenotype of oc mutant, and that BmMCT9 might function in intracellular vesicles facing the cytoplasm including urate granules in silkworm integument.
Potential lung cancer screening outcomes using different age and smoking thresholds in the ANRS‐CO4 French Hospital Database on HIV cohort
Authors: Makinson A , Tron L , Grabar S , Milleron B , Reynes J , Le Moing V , Morquin D , Lert F , Costagliola D , Guiguet M
Published: November 2019

Objectives

In most lung screening programmes, only subjects ≥ 55 years old and smoking ≥ 30 pack‐years are eligible to undergo chest low‐dose computed tomography. Whether the same criteria should apply to people living with HIV (PLHIV) is uncertain, given the increased lung cancer risks associated with immunodeficiency and high rates of smoking. We assessed different outcomes obtained from simulating one round of lung cancer screening in PLHIV using different age and smoking thresholds for eligibility.

Methods

Data from the French Agence Nationale de Recherche sur le SIDA et les Hépatites Virales (ANRS)‐CO4 French Hospital Database on HIV (FHDH) cohort of PLHIV and a national representative survey of PLHIV in care in 2011 (the ANRS‐VESPA2 [enquête sur les personnes atteintes] study) were used to estimate the maximum proportion of incident lung cancers occurring between 2012 and 2016 that would have potentially been detected by screening in 2011. Secondary outcomes were numbers of eligible subjects in the cohort and numbers of subjects needed to screen (NNS) to detect one lung cancer.

Results

Among 77819 PLHIV in 2011 (median age 46 years; 66% men), 285 subjects subsequently developed lung cancer. Adoption of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations (55–80 years; ≥ 30 pack‐years) would have detected 31% of lung cancers at most. Lowering the minimum age to 50 and 45 years would have detected 49% and 60% of cancers, respectively, but would have greatly increased the number of eligible subjects and the NNS to detect one case of lung cancer.

Conclusions

Use of the USPSTF criteria would have detected only a minority of lung cancers in a large French cohort of PLHIV in 2011. Screening PLHIV at younger ages (45 or 50 years) and/or the use of lower smoking thresholds (20 pack‐years) may be beneficial, despite the consequently higher numbers of eligible subjects and NNS to detect one case of lung cancer, and should be evaluated in future studies.
Leiomyosarcoma of the skin: review of the literature with an emphasis on prognosis and management
Authors: Kazlouskaya Viktoryia , Lai Yi C. , Khachemoune Amor
Published: November 2019

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) of the skin is rare, and no management guideline currently exists. Although LMS is historically classified as either dermal (cutaneous) or subcutaneous, definition for its classfication is inconsistent in the literature. Studies on the managenent of LMS are scarce, and there is no consensus on the appropriate surgical margin for the treatment of LMS. While a 1 cm margin may be sufficient in cutaneous LMS, wider margins may be required for subcutaneous tumors. Mohs micrographic surgery is a promising surgical modality for the treatment of cutaneous LMS. In this review, current knowledge on LMS is summarized and a practical approach to the management of this rare neoplasm is proposed.
Macrophomina phaseolina: an overlooked cutaneous infection, seed rot disease in humans
Authors: Schwartz Robert A. , Kapila Rajendra
Published: November 2019

Rare and emerging opportunistic fungal pathogens are a serious and growing concern for immunosuppressed patients. Macrophomina phaseolina, an important soilborne plant pathogen in tropical and subtropical soil, should be considered in this category. It may be evident as a localized cutaneous cellulitis or as an ocular keratitis. We describe a 42‐year‐old diabetic male originally from India in whom a soft tissue mass of the foot proved to be an M. phaseolina cellulitis and review the literature. To our knowledge, only four individuals have been documented with infections with this organism, three of whom were immunocompromised.
The static stability of support factor‐based rectangular packings: an assessment by regression analysis
Authors: Junqueira Leonardo , Queiroz Thiago Alves de
Published: November 2019

This work presents new insights about how solutions of support factor‐based rectangular packings behave in relation to their static stability. In particular, we address the constrained two‐dimensional packing problem, for the solution of which is used a known integer linear programming model that positions items over a grid of points. The model has embedded constraints based on a support factor parameter that ensure a minimum support for the base of items. The solutions obtained from the model are then evaluated by a procedure that verifies the conditions for the static stability. Computational tests were performed on a large variety of randomly generated instances, and the outputs were assessed by means of regression analysis (linear and logistic). The results show which characteristics of the instances contribute directly and inversely to the probability of obtaining statically stable packing patterns. This outcome may be useful to guide the choice of support factor values in some practical contexts.
A retrospective matched‐cohort study of 3994 lower extremity wounds of multiple etiologies across 644 institutions comparing a bioactive human skin allograft, TheraSkin, plus standard of care, to standard of care alone
Authors: Gurtner Geoff C. , Garcia Aimee D. , Bakewell Katie , Alarcon Jason B.
Published: November 2019

Most chronic wounds are related to comorbidities, for which no clinical trials are performed. This retrospective propensity matched‐cohort study examined data from 2 074 000 lower extremity wounds across 644 institutions to determine the effectiveness of TheraSkin plus standard of care (SOC; n = 1997) versus SOC alone (n = 1997). Multivariate modelling comparing outcomes such as healing rates, percent area reductions (PARs), amputations, recidivism, treatment completion, and medical transfers were evaluated. A higher proportion of wounds in the treatment group compared with the controls were more likely to close (68.3% versus 60.3%), particularly wounds with exposed structures (64% versus 50.4%) and with lower recidivism at 6 months (24.9% versus 28.3%). The control group was 2.75x more likely to require amputation than the treatment group. The combination of propensity matching and logistic regression analysis on a particularly large database demonstrated that wounds treated with TheraSkin had higher healing rates, higher PARs (78.7% versus 68.9%), fewer amputations, lower recidivism, higher treatment completion (61.0% versus 50.6%), and lower medical transfers (16.1% versus 23.5%) than SOC alone. This study considered data from complex wounds typically excluded from controlled trials and supports the idea that real‐world evidence studies can be valid and reliable.
Surgical site infection following traumatic orthopaedic surgeries in geriatric patients: Incidence and prognostic risk factors
Authors: Le Jinbo , Dong Zhijie , Liang Jie , Zhang Kun , Li Yanhua , Cheng Meijuan , Zhao Zhenshuan
Published: November 2019

Geriatric population is increasing rapidly worldwide, and fragility fracture and complication following orthopaedic surgery in elderly people have now become major challenges for surgeons. Further studies are required to identify potentially modifiable factors associated with surgical site infection (SSI) in geriatric patients. This retrospective, multicenter study was conducted at four level I hospitals in China. During the 31‐month study period, a total of 2341 patients (65 years or older) underwent orthopaedic surgery and complete data were recorded from September 2015 to April 2018. Demographics information, medications and additional comorbidities, surgery‐related variables, and laboratory indexes were extracted and analysed. Receiver‐operating characteristic analysis was performed to detect the optimum threshold of continuous variables. Independent risk factors of SSI were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses. Finally, 63 patients suffered from wound infection within the follow‐up period, indicating a 2.7% incidence rate of SSI. Statistical results showed that open injury (odds ratio [OR], 9.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.4‐16.7), American Society of Anesthesiologists classified III‐IV score (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3‐3.8), surgical duration of >132 minutes (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1‐5.0), serum albumin (ALB) of <36.4 mg/L (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.6‐3.4), and blood glucose (GLU) of >118 mg/dL (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.1‐5.3) were independent risk factors of postoperative SSI. With the application of sensitive and modifiable variables such as surgical duration and the levels of ALB and GLU, more geriatric patients with sub‐high risk of postoperative SSI could be identified.
Age and growth of Brauer's lanternfish Gymnoscopelus braueri and rhombic lanternfish Krefftichthys anderssoni (Family Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean
Authors: Saunders Ryan A. , Lourenço Silvia , Vieira Rui P. , Collins Martin A. , Assis Carlos A. , Xavier Jose C.
Published: November 2019

This study examines age and growth of Brauer's lanternfish Gymnoscopelus braueri and rhombic lanternfish Krefftichthys anderssoni from the Scotia Sea in the Southern Ocean, through the analysis of annual growth increments deposited on sagittal otoliths. Otolith pairs from 177 G. braueri and 118 K. anderssoni were collected in different seasons from the region between 2004 and 2009. Otolith‐edge analysis suggested a seasonal change in opaque and hyaline depositions, indicative of an annual growth pattern, although variation within the populations of both species was apparent. Age estimates varied from 1 to 6 years for G. braueri (40 to 139 mm standard length; LS) and from 0 to 2 years for K. anderssoni (26 to 70 mm LS). Length‐at‐age data were broadly consistent with population cohort parameters identified in concurrent length‐frequency data from the region for both species. The estimated values of von Bertalanffy growth curves for G. braueri were L∞ = 133.22 mm, k = 0.29 year−1 and t0 = −0.21 year and the values for K. anderssoni were L∞ = 68.60 mm, k = 0.71 year−1 and t0 = −0.49 year. There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in growth between sexes for either species, suggesting that males and females have similar growth and development trajectories in the Scotia Sea. A positive allometric relationship between LS and wet mass was found for each species, as well as a significant (P < 0.0001) linear relationship between otolith size and LS. Growth performance (Ф′) was similar between the two species and congruent with other myctophid species across the Southern Ocean. This study provides important parameters for future Southern Ocean ecosystem studies in a resource management context.
Radiographic evaluation of the forelimbs and hind limbs of marmosets (Callithrix spp.)
Authors: de Souza Siragusi Rafael H. , Rahal Sheila C. , da Silva Jeana P. , Mamprim Maria J. , Rolim Luna S. , Teixeira Carlos R. , de Camargo Barbara W. D. F. , Monteiro Frederico O. B.
Published: November 2019

Background

The maintenance of marmosets in captivity may trigger various disorders. The objective of this study was to provide a radiographic evaluation of the forelimbs and hind limbs of marmosets rescued from illegal wildlife trade and maintained in captivity.

Methods

Fourteen marmosets were studied.

Results and conclusions

Three marmosets were apparently normal. Of the eleven marmosets with radiographic changes in the hind limbs, five had pelvic narrowing and bilateral varus deviation of the femur, with one suggestive of rickets and another of osteomalacia. The other marmosets showed changes such as malunion of acetabular fracture, transtibial amputation, tibial antecurvatum, and knee osteoarthritis. Six marmosets showed alterations in the forelimbs such as radius fracture, scapulohumeral subluxation, and elbow joint incongruence. In conclusion, 78.57% of the marmosets had bone and/or joint changes detected by plain radiography, which were found predominantly in the hind limbs and without impediment to locomotion in captivity.
Reverse Koebner's phenomenon in a case of Lymphohemangioma circumscriptum: A diagnostic clue representative of the Whimster hypothesis
Authors: Sehrawat Manu , Sardana Kabir , Katare Anusha , Malhotra Purnima
Published: November 2019

Background:

Lymphangioma circumscriptum are benign hamartomatous lymphatic growths, diagnosed clinically by the morphology of groups of clear fluid filled to serosanguinous fluid vesicles. MRI is an essential investigation to assess the depth of the lesions.

Aim

To report an interesting hitherto unreported observation of Reverse Koebner’s phenomenon, which can be used as a new diagnostic technique in Lymphohemagioma.

Method

Biopsy was taken for the confirmation of the lesion which is an inflicted iatrogenic trauma which showed Reverse koebner’s phenomenon in the lesion.

Results

Irregular shaped reddish blue painless plaque with rough lobulated surface with discrete firm reddish‐blue painless papules, of varying sizes were biopsied. Post biopsy, significant reduction in size and redness of the lesions noticed.

Conclusion

Disappearance of the lesions on biopsy indicates reminiscensce of the reverse koebner’s phenonmenon.
The evaluation of long‐pulsed Nd:YAG laser efficacy and side effects in the treatment of cutaneous vessels on the face and legs
Authors: Asiran Serdar Zehra , Fisek Izci Neslihan
Published: November 2019

Background

Long‐pulsed Nd:YAG lasers have been used for the treatment of cutaneous vascular lesions on face and leg veins.

Objective

To report our experience with long‐pulsed Nd:YAG lasers for the treatment cutaneous vessels on the face and legs.

Materials and Methods

A total of 145 patients with cutaneous vessels on the face and the legs were included in this study. All patients received two treatment sessions, first at the beginning and second after four weeks. Patients were evaluated three times: first at the beginning of the therapy, and second and third after the four weekly follow‐ups. The laser settings of each treatment session were recorded. The physician's assessment of treatment efficiency was taken by comparing gross photograph and clinical evaluation. The grade of improvement, as the percent of reduction in the severity of veins after laser treatment, was determined as follows: <25% improvement (mild); 25%–50% improvement (moderate); 51%–75% improvement (good); and >75% improvement (excellent). The side effects were also recorded.

Results

Of the 145 patients who completed the study, 63.6% of patients had vessels on the face, and 36.4% had them on the legs. After the first session, 82.8% of patients have good improvement (51%–75%). After the second session, 78.6% of patients have excellent improvement (>75%). The clinical improvement after the second treatment session was significantly higher than the first treatment session (P ˂ .05). There were no statistical differences between the treatment areas (P ˃ .05). The most common side effect was erythema in 12.4% (P ˃ .05).

Conclusion

The Nd:YAG laser is an effective and safe treatment option for the treatment of cutaneous vessels on the face and the legs.
A radiological evaluation of the effects of edentulousness on the temporomandibular joint
Authors: Unal Erzurumlu Zerrin , Celenk Peruze
Published: November 2019

Background

The articular eminence of the temporomandibular joint is an anatomical structure exposed to functional loads resulting from masticatory forces. Tooth loss may change the biomechanics of the masticator system, and the articular eminence can be affected by this change.

Objective

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the edentulousness and the articular eminence inclination of the temporomandibular joint.

Methods

The articular eminence inclination was measured in panoramic radiographs in the right and left temporomandibular joint on a total of 100 patients (50 dentate and 50 edentulous). The articular eminence inclination of dentate and edentulous patients was compared, as well as the influence of gender and duration of edentulousness.

Results

The mean articular eminence inclination value in the dentate group (42.6 ± 4.30) was higher than that of the edentulous group (35.1 ± 4.70, P < .001). Although there was no significant difference between males and females in the dentate group with regard to articular eminence inclination (42.0 ± 4.70 and 42.9 ± 4.10, respectively, P = .373), in the edentulous group, males had higher values as compared to females (37.1 ± 4.70 and 34.2 ± 4.50, respectively, P = .003). Finally, the duration of edentulousness and the degrees of articular eminence inclination values did not show positive correlations (P = .782).

Conclusion

According to the results of this study, we found that edentulous patients had lower articular eminence inclination than dentate patients, and it was more prominent in female than male patients.
On the conditions of authority in academic publics
Authors: Piller Ingrid
Published: November 2019

The discourse of some of the most powerful public figures in today’s world is often incoherent and nonsensical. Incoherent yet authoritative discourse shows that authority does not rest in language but results from non‐linguistic and pre‐textual conditions. The non‐linguistic and pre‐textual conditions are exemplified in an Australian case‐study of a media debate between the Immigration Minister and a refugee, drawing on research by Smith‐Khan (2019a, 2019b). Two such conditions are then examined with reference to academic publics. First, I ask which languages do or do not carry authority, before moving on to speaker identity as a condition of authority. The close association between English and academic excellence has resulted in diminishing the authority of academic publications in languages other than English. The same is true of publications by women and people of colour. I close by reflecting on referencing practices as forms of extending authoritativeness to voices in excluded languages and from excluded scholars in academic publics.
Effects of continuous positive airway pressure on blood pressure in obstructive sleep apnea patients: The Apnea Positive Pressure Long‐term Efficacy Study (APPLES)
Authors: Javaheri Sogol , Gottlieb Daniel J. , Quan Stuart F.
Published: November 2019

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with hypertension, and short‐term studies have demonstrated a modest reduction in blood pressure with continuous positive airway pressure therapy. We evaluated the effects of continuous positive airway pressure versus sham continuous positive airway pressure on blood pressure in 1,101 participants with obstructive sleep apnea from the Apnea Positive Pressure Long‐term Efficacy Study, a randomized, sham‐controlled double‐blinded study designed to assess the impact of continuous positive airway pressure on neurocognition. Participants with apnea−hypopnea index ≥ 10 were randomly assigned to continuous positive airway pressure or sham continuous positive airway pressure. Blood pressures measured in the morning and evening at baseline, 2 months and 6 months were analysed post hoc using a mixed‐model repeated‐measures analysis of variance. The largest magnitude reduction was approximately 2.4 mmHg in morning systolic pressure that occurred at 2 months in the continuous positive airway pressure arm as compared with an approximate 0.5 mmHg reduction in the sham group (continuous positive airway pressure effect −1.9 mmHg, p = .008). At 6 months, the difference between groups was diminished and no longer statistically significant (continuous positive airway pressure effect −0.9 mmHg, p = .12). Sensitivity analysis with use of multiple imputation approaches to account for missing data did not change the results. Treatment with continuous positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnea reduces morning but not evening blood pressure in a population with well‐controlled blood pressure. The effect was greater after 2 than after 6 months of treatment.
Impacts of culture survival rate on culture cost and input factors: Case study of the hard clam (Meretrix meretrix) culture in Yunlin County, Taiwan
Authors: Chang Chi‐Cheng , Huang Jung‐Fu , Schafferer Christian , Lee Jie‐Min , Ho Li‐Ming
Published: November 2019

This study applies a translog cost function model to analyze the culture costs and the use of input factors among three groups of hard clam farmer households in Yunlin County, Taiwan, with different survival rates (low‐intermediate, intermediate‐high, and high). The study found that farmer household production in the three observed groups all exhibited economies of scale and could significantly expand the scale of production to lower the average cost. For farmer households with high survival rates, production cost could be reduced by 2.16% by a 10% increase in output. Moreover, the study shows that the survival rate–cost interaction values of farmer households in the intermediate‐high and low‐intermediate survival rate clusters were negative. Therefore, any increase in the survival rate could help lower the culture cost of farmer households. For low‐intermediate farmers, the survival rate–cost interaction value was the most negative; any increase in the survival rate by 10% would decrease the cost per hectare by NT$23,424. For high survival‐rate households, seeding and capital were substitutes, and seeding and feed were complements. As such, farmers would reduce the use of seeding factors when increasing the use of capital and decreasing the use of feed.
Dietary patterns of 6–24‐month‐old children are associated with nutrient content and quality of the diet
Authors: Faber Mieke , Rothman Marinel , Laubscher Ria , Smuts Cornelius M.
Published: November 2019

We determined the associations of dietary patterns with energy/nutrient intakes and diet quality. Previously collected single 24‐hr dietary recalls for children aged 6–11 months (n = 1,585), 12–17 months (n = 1,131), and 18–24 months (n = 620) from four independent studies in low socio‐economic populations in South Africa were pooled. A maximum‐likelihood factor model, with the principal‐factor method, was used to derive dietary (food) patterns. Associations between dietary pattern scores and nutrient intakes were determined using Kendall's Rank Correlations, with Bonferroni‐adjusted significance levels. For both 6–11 months and 12–17 months, the formula milk/reverse breast milk pattern was positively associated with energy and protein intake and mean adequacy ratio (MAR). The family foods pattern (6–11 months) and rice and legume pattern (12–17 months) were positively associated with plant protein, fibre, and PU fat; both for total intake and nutrient density of the complementary diet. These two patterns were also associated with the dietary diversity score (DDS; r = 0.2636 and r = 0.2024, respectively). The rice pattern (18–24 months) showed inverse associations for nutrient intakes and nutrient densities, probably because of its inverse association with fortified maize meal. The more westernized pattern (18–24 months) was positively associated with unfavourable nutrients, for example, saturated fat and cholesterol. These results highlight that underlying dietary patterns varied in terms of energy/nutrient composition, nutrient adequacy, nutrient densities of the complementary diet, and dietary diversity.
Reactive Oxygen Species Explicit Dosimetry for Photofrin‐mediated Pleural Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Ong Yi Hong , Dimofte Andreaa , Kim Michele M. , Finlay Jarod C. , Sheng Tianqi , Singhal Sunil , Cengel Keith A. , Yodh Arjun G. , Busch Theresa M. , Zhu Timothy C.
Published: November 2019

Explicit dosimetry of treatment light fluence and implicit dosimetry of photosensitizer photobleaching are commonly used methods to guide dose delivery during clinical PDT. Tissue oxygen, however, is not routinely monitored intraoperatively even though it is one of the three major components of treatment. Quantitative information about in vivo tissue oxygenation during PDT is desirable, because it enables reactive oxygen species explicit dosimetry (ROSED) for prediction of treatment outcome based on PDT‐induced changes in tumor oxygen level. Here, we demonstrate ROSED in a clinical setting, Photofrin‐mediated pleural photodynamic therapy, by utilizing tumor blood flow information measured by diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS). A DCS contact probe was sutured to the pleural cavity wall after surgical resection of pleural mesothelioma tumor to monitor tissue blood flow (blood flow index) during intraoperative PDT treatment. Isotropic detectors were used to measure treatment light fluence and photosensitizer concentration. Blood‐flow‐derived tumor oxygen concentration, estimated by applying a preclinically determined conversion factor of 1.5 × 109 μMs cm−2 to the blood flow index, was used in the ROSED model to calculate the total reacted reactive oxygen species [ROS]rx. Seven patients and 12 different pleural sites were assessed and large inter‐ and intrapatient heterogeneities in [ROS]rx were observed although an identical light dose of 60 J cm−2 was prescribed to all patients.
Synthesis and Characterization of Ru(II) Complexes with π‐Expansive Imidazophen Ligands for the Photokilling of Human Melanoma Cells
Authors: Ghosh Goutam , Yin Huimin , Monro Susan M.A. , Sainuddin Tariq , Lapoot Lloyd , Greer Alexander , McFarland Sherri A.
Published: November 2019

Ru(II) complexes were synthesized with π‐expanding (phenyl, fluorenyl, phenanthrenyl, naphthalen‐1‐yl, naphthalene‐2‐yl, anthryl and pyrenyl groups) attached at a 1H‐imidazo[4,5‐f][1,10]phenanthroline ligand and 4,4′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine (4,4′‐dmb) coligands. These Ru(II) complexes were characterized by 1D and 2D NMR, and mass spectroscopy, and studied for visible light and dark toxicity to human malignant melanoma SK‐MEL‐28 cells. In the SK‐MEL‐28 cells, the Ru(II) complexes are highly phototoxic (EC50 = 0.2–0.5 µm) and have low dark toxicity (EC50 = 58–230 µm). The highest phototherapeutic index (PI) of the series was found with the Ru(II) complex bearing the 2‐(pyren‐1‐yl)‐1H‐imidazo[4,5‐f][1,10]phenanthroline ligand. This high PI is in part attributed to the π‐rich character added by the pyrenyl group, and a possible low‐lying and longer‐lived 3IL state due to equilibration with the 3MLCT state. While this pyrenyl Ru(II) complex possessed a relatively high quantum yield for singlet oxygen formation (Φ∆ = 0.84), contributions from type‐I processes (oxygen radicals and radical ions) are competitive with the type‐II (1O2) process based on effects of added sodium azide and solvent deuteration.
Designing a Choice Architecture for Regulators
Authors: Dudley Susan E. , Xie Zhoudan
Published: November 2019

The emergence of behavioral public administration has led to increasing calls for public managers and policy makers to consider predictable cognitive biases when regulating individual behaviors or market transactions. Recognizing that cognitive biases can also affect the regulators themselves, this article attempts to understand how the institutional environment in which regulators operate interacts with their cognitive biases. In other words, to what extent does the “choice architecture” that regulators face reinforce or counteract predictable cognitive biases? Just as knowledge of behavioral insights can help regulators design a choice architecture that frames individual decisions to encourage welfare‐enhancing choices, it may help governments understand and design institutions to counter cognitive biases in regulators that contribute to deviations from public interest policies. From these observations, the article offers some modest suggestions for improving the regulatory choice architecture.
Soil amendment interacts with invasive grass and drought to uniquely influence aboveground versus belowground biomass in aridland restoration
Authors: Garbowski Magda , Brown Cynthia S. , Johnston Danielle B.
Published: November 2019

Water‐holding soil amendments such as super‐absorbent polymer (SAP) may improve native species establishment in restoration but may also interact with precipitation or invasive species such as Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass or downy brome) to influence revegetation outcomes. We implemented an experiment at two sites in Colorado, U.S.A., in which we investigated the interactions of drought (66% reduction of ambient rainfall), B. tectorum seed addition (BRTE, 465 seeds/m2), and SAP soil amendment (25 g/m2) on initial plant establishment and 3‐year aboveground and belowground biomass and allocation. At one site, SAP resulted in higher native seeded species establishment but only with ambient precipitation. However, by the third year, we detected no SAP effects on native seeded species biomass. Treatments interacted to influence aboveground and belowground biomass and allocation differently. At one site, a SAP × precipitation interaction resulted in lower belowground biomass in plots with SAP and drought (61.7 ± 7.3 g/m2) than plots with drought alone (91.6 ± 18.1 g/m2). At the other site, a SAP × BRTE interaction resulted in higher belowground biomass in plots with SAP and BRTE (56.6 ± 11.2 g/m2) than BRTE alone (35.0 ± 3.7 g/m2). These patterns were not reflected in aboveground biomass. SAP should be used with caution in aridland restoration because initial positive effects may not translate to long‐term benefits, SAP may uniquely influence aboveground versus belowground biomass, and SAP can interact with environmental variables to impact developing plant communities in positive and negative ways.