bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maternal Employment, Community Contexts, and the Child‐Care Arrangements of Diverse Groups
Authors: Ackert Elizabeth , Ressler Robert , Ansari Arya , Crosnoe Robert
Published: May 2018

Integrating family and child data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort with contextual data from the census, this study examined associations among maternal employment, aspects of communities related to child‐care supply and demand, and the early care and education arrangements of 4 year olds in Mexican‐origin, Black, and White families. Children with employed mothers were more likely to be in informal care arrangements than in early childhood education, regardless of racial/ethnic background. For children in Mexican‐origin families, selection into informal care over early childhood education was more likely in zip codes with greater demand for care as measured by higher female employment. Utilization of parent care versus early childhood education was also more likely for children in Mexican‐origin and Black families in zip codes with higher female employment. Constraints associated with maternal employment thus hindered children from enrolling in early childhood education, and community contexts posed challenges for some groups.
Discrepancies Between Retrospective and Actual Self‐Reports of Peer Victimization Six Years Earlier
Authors: Nishina Adrienne , Parra Luis Armando
Published: May 2018

Retrospective peer victimization reports may be inaccurate. With an ethnically and sexually diverse sample, this study compared adolescents’ self‐reported peer victimization in 6th grade to their own retrospective reports of 6th‐grade victimization when they were in the 12th grade, controlling for past and current adjustment. Overall, 12th graders’ retrospective victimization reports correlated with their own earlier 6th‐grade self‐reports and there was a general tendency to underreport retrospectively. Underreporters were distinguished by worse past 6th‐grade adjustment, whereas overreporters were distinguished by worse current (12th‐grade) adjustment. Higher current depressive symptoms and social anxiety, and lower current self‐worth may be important control variables when collecting retrospective reports of victimization because current adjustment may augment participants’ recollection of past experiences.
Enhanced genetic diversity of weedy rice populations associated with latitude decreases revealed by simple sequence repeat fingerprints
Authors: Wang Zhe , Fu Min‐Jie , Zhu Hai‐Ge , Zhu Yue , Zhao Xiang‐Xiang , Lu Bao‐Rong
Published: May 2018

Weedy rice (WR, Oryza sativa L. f. spontanea) is a noxious agricultural weed, infesting rice fields worldwide and causing tremendous yield losses of cultivated rice. However, little is known about the relationship between genetic diversity and distribution of WR populations across a wide latitudinal gradient, in addition to its reasons for genetic differentiation. To determine the distribution of genetic diversity and differentiation, we analyzed 20 WR populations collected from wide geographic ranges of rice‐planting regions across Northeast, Jiangsu, and Guangdong provinces of China, and Sri Lanka, based on 20 simple sequence repeat loci. Our results indicated a significant negative correlation (R = 0.84, P < 0.01) between genetic diversity and latitudinal locations of WR populations. The Mantel test (R2 = 0.49, P < 0.01) showed distinct groupings of WR populations from different rice‐planting regions, fitting an isolation‐by‐distance pattern. In addition, the STRUCTURE analysis and principal coordinates (PCoA) analysis indicated considerable genetic differentiation of WR from different rice‐planting regions, which was associated with the types of co‐occurring rice cultivars. We conclude, based on the above results, that WR genetic diversity is affected by the latitudes where WR populations are located. The genetic differentiation of WR populations is determined by their spatial distances and co‐occurring rice cultivars. Such a pattern of genetic diversity and differentiation across different regions might facilitate the design of effective WR control, in addition to understanding the adaptive evolution of this weed.
Ask me: Children's experiences of pain explored using the draw, write, and tell method
Authors: Pope Nicole , Tallon Mary , Leslie Gavin , Wilson Sally
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Pain management within emergency departments (ED) remains challenging. Given that unrelieved pain in children is linked to a number of negative physiological and psychological consequences, optimal management of children's pain is paramount. Many studies exploring children's pain have adopted quantitative methods or sought the perspectives of adults. Compared to adults, studies examining children's views on pain and pain management are limited. This study aimed to explore children's pain experiences, their perception of pain management and expectations of the role of the nurse.

Design

This was a qualitative descriptive study using an inductive approach.

Methods

Fifteen children, aged 4–8 years who presented to the ED of an Australian tertiary pediatric hospital in acute pain participated. Data were collected using draw, write, and tell (DWT) technique and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Three themes emerged (1) “Security,” (2) “My pain” with subthemes: “The pain feelings” and “My sad/happy feelings,” (3) “Comfort and relief” with subthemes: “Taking my mind off it,” “Resting” and “Hospital things.” When in pain children needed to feel secure. Parents and nurses were important in fostering a secure environment for children. Children were capable of describing their pain and identified nonpharmacological strategies to help their pain.

Practice implications

Children as young as 4 years old can provide detailed accounts of their pain, which extends beyond physical dimensions to include visual, auditory, and sensory features. Nurses need to listen, be honest, and develop trust with children to be helpful. Nonpharmacological pain‐relieving strategies can be implemented by parents and nurses in collaboration with the child. Fostering a secure environment is essential.
Community‐level functional interactions with fire track long‐term structural development and fire adaptation
Authors: Brussel Thomas , Minckley Thomas A. , Brewer Simon C. , Long Colin J.
Published: May 2018

Questions

Functional interactions between fire and fire‐dependent plant communities have been considered to select for increased community flammability. We address this concept by resolving: (a) can fossil pollen records be used to examine past variations in functional attributes; (b) can community‐level, functional responses to fire be obtained by coupling fire history with pollen derived plant traits; and (c) has directional selection promoted attributes that increase community flammability?

Location

Breitenbush Lake, Oregon, USA.

Methods

We developed a framework based on ecological understanding of functional traits and pollen records to analyse variations in functional attribute expressions through time. Fire‐related functional attributes that indicate sensitivity to changes in fire activity were identified and associated with taxa from a pollen record.

Results

Nine of the 14 functional attributes were significantly related to fire frequency (number of fires 1,000 per year). When combined with fire history data, variation in the abundances of functional attributes suggest selection of plant community expressions that indicate community‐level responses to fire related to changes in structural development and changes in fire adaptation. Fire frequency variations may drive directional selection for fire‐adapted attributes, and against fire‐sensitive attributes. Our results indicate increased Holocene fire activity may have been linked to vegetation functional interactions with fire.

Conclusions

Our method of combining paleoecological data with functional traits allowed reconstruction of community‐level changes in the expression of functional characteristics, providing evidence on structural development and changes in fire adaptation. Our results (a) highlight the capacity of paleoecological records to track plant community trait composition; (b) provide novel information on fire–vegetation relationships, independent of and complementary to conventional methods of disturbance‐based paleoecological interpretations; (c) suggest the Holocene fire trend may be linked to the type of biomass being burned through directional selection; and (d) suggest an application that may be applied to quantify community responses to various disturbances across broad temporal and spatial scales.
Do as I sayandas I do: Imitation, pedagogy, and cumulative culture
Authors: Fridland Ellen
Published: May 2018

Several theories, which attempt to give an account of cumulative culture, emphasize the importance of high‐fidelity transmission mechanisms as central to human learning. These high‐fidelity transmission mechanisms are thought to account for the ratchet effect, that is, the capacity to inherit modified or improved knowledge and skills rather than having to develop one's skills from the ground up via individual learning. In this capacity, imitation and teaching have been thought to occupy a special place in the explanation of cumulative culture because they are both thought to function as high‐fidelity transmission mechanisms. In contrast to this standard view, I will argue that imitation and teaching are not both best construed as primarily high‐fidelity transmission mechanisms. Rather, I will argue that though both can contribute to the high‐fidelity transmission of information, imitation and teaching make two distinct contributions to cumulative culture. I will claim that imitation functions primarily as a high‐fidelity transmission mechanism while teaching is primarily responsible for the innovation and creativity characteristic of cumulative culture.
The role of lysosomes and autophagosomes in frontotemporal lobar degeneration
Authors: Bain H. D. C. , Davidson Y. S. , Robinson A. C. , Ryan S. , Rollinson S. , Richardson A. , Jones M. , Snowden J. S. , Pickering‐Brown S. , Mann D. M. A.
Published: May 2018

Introduction

Cell biological and genetic evidence implicate failures in degrading aggregating proteins, such as tau and TDP‐43, through the autophagy or lysosomal pathways in the pathogenesis of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).

Methods

We investigated changes in the degradative pathways in 60 patients with different pathological or genetic forms of FTLD employing immunohistochemistry for marker proteins such as lysosomal‐associated membrane proteins 1 (LAMP‐1) and 2 (LAMP‐2), cathepsin D (CTSD) and microtubule‐associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha (LC3A). Immunostained sections were qualitatively and semi‐quantitatively assessed for the appearance, distribution and intensity of staining in neurones of the dentate gyrus (DG) and CA4 region of the hippocampus, and the temporal cortex (Tcx).

Results

Lower levels of neuronal LAMP‐1 immunostaining were present in the DG and Tcx in FTLD‐tau compared to FTLD‐TDP. There was less LAMP‐1 immunostaining in FTLD‐tau with MAPT mutations, and FTLD‐tau with Pick bodies, compared to FTLD‐TDP types A and B, and less LAMP‐1 immunostaining in FTLD‐TDP type C than in FTLD‐TDP types A and B. There was greater LAMP‐1 immunostaining in GRN mutation which may reflect the underlying type A histology rather than mutation. There were no differences in neuronal LAMP‐2, CTSD, EEA‐1 or LC3A immunostaining between any of the five FTLD histological or four genetic groups, nor between FTLD‐TDP and FTLD‐tau.

Conclusions

The underlying pathological mechanism in FTLD‐tau may lie with a relative deficiency of lysosomes, or defective vesicular transport, whereas the failure to clear TDP‐43 aggregates may lie with lysosomal dysfunction rather than a lack of available lysosomes or degradative enzymes.
Measuring the implementation of early childhood development programs
Authors: Aboud Frances E. , Prado Elizabeth L.
Published: May 2018

In this paper we describe ways to measure variables of interest when evaluating the implementation of a program to improve early childhood development (ECD). The variables apply to programs delivered to parents in group sessions and home or clinic visits, as well as in early group care for children. Measurements for four categories of variables are included: training and assessment of delivery agents and supervisors; program features such as quality of delivery, reach, and dosage; recipients’ acceptance and enactment; and stakeholders’ engagement. Quantitative and qualitative methods are described, along with when measures might be taken throughout the processes of planning, preparing, and implementing. A few standard measures are available, along with others that researchers can select and modify according to their goals. Descriptions of measures include who might collect the information, from whom, and when, along with how information might be analyzed and findings used. By converging on a set of common methods to measure implementation variables, investigators can work toward improving programs, identifying gaps that impede the scalability and sustainability of programs, and, over time, ascertain program features that lead to successful outcomes.
Reporting guidelines for implementation research on nurturing care interventions designed to promote early childhood development
Authors: Yousafzai Aisha K. , Aboud Frances E. , Nores Milagros , Kaur Raghbir
Published: May 2018

Meta‐analyses of interventions such as parenting, stimulation, and early childhood education have reported consistent medium‐to‐high effect sizes on early childhood development (ECD) and early learning outcomes. However, few effective interventions promoting ECD have achieved scale. In order to increase the access to effective or high‐quality services, greater focus on implementation research of interventions promoting ECD is necessary. In this paper, we describe the development of reporting guidelines for implementation research of nurturing care interventions designed to promote ECD following an expert consensus‐building process. The goal of these guidelines is to support a transparent and standard reporting of implementation evidence on nurturing care interventions designed to promote early childhood development.
Diffusing and scaling evidence‐based interventions: eight lessons for early child development from the implementation of perinatal home visiting in South Africa
Authors: Tomlinson Mark , Hunt Xanthe , Rotheram‐Borus Mary Jane
Published: May 2018

Most low‐ and middle‐income countries lack resources with which to implement public health programs. As such, there is a necessity to facilitate programing that judiciously makes use of what resources there are. However, despite evidence for the efficacy of many interventions, translating these into real‐world effectiveness, and then into scalability, is complex and has often been neglected. We draw on a case study of Philani+ (a maternal and child health intervention implemented in South Africa) to distil eight features of health programing that aid intervention effectiveness. We argue that implementation science should turn its attention to the human resource “process” features of interventions. We describe the importance of staff selection (rigorous selection and hiring procedures); training (developing a set of common core pragmatic problem‐solving skills); monitoring (feedback about quality); community and institutional support (rapport with intervention communities); the importance of stable leadership (consistent leadership focusing on how to optimize the potential of staff); the importance of implementing with sustainable, long‐term change in mind; and, finally, we describe how cultivating consistency within an organization requires disciplined action and disciplined focus on the organization's vision.
What policymakers need from implementation evaluations of early childhood development programs
Authors: Lombardi Joan
Published: May 2018

As early childhood interventions move from small‐ to large‐scale programs, the partnerships among researchers, policymakers, communication experts, practitioners, and local communities become increasingly critical for successful implementation. The results from evaluations of programs need to guide policymakers so that they can make informed administrative and fiscal decisions. This commentary makes five recommendations for researchers to consider when designing early childhood programs for scale.
Measuring the cost of investing in early childhood interventions and applications of a standardized costing tool
Authors: Gustafsson‐Wright Emily , Boggild‐Jones Izzy
Published: May 2018

In this paper we analyze the need for consistent and accurate cost data on early childhood development (ECD) interventions as a basis for increasing and improving the effectiveness of current spending on ECD. We establish the key components necessary in a costing model and present a new standardized costing tool intended for use across a broad range of stakeholders and contexts. Learnings from piloting the tool in Bangladesh, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, and Mozambique are shared. Providing a standardized methodology for costing ECD is an important contribution to the field and has the potential to improve both the volume and effectiveness of ECD financing.
Building capacity in health and education systems to deliver interventions that strengthen early child development
Authors: Nores Milagros , Fernandez Camila
Published: May 2018

Building capacity within health and education systems of low‐ and middle‐income countries in order to deliver high‐quality early childhood services requires coordinated efforts across sectors, effective governance, sufficient funding, an adequate workforce, reliable data systems, and continuous monitoring, evaluation, and improvement cycles; it also requires partnerships with the private sector, communities, and parents. In addition, building capacity requires leadership, innovation of strategies to fit into existing structures, evidence‐based intervention models, and effective partnerships that help make interventions more culturally relevant, help finance them, and help create institutional long‐term support and sustainability for them. In this article, we focus on identifying eight critical aspects of enabling systemic support for early childhood services. Every action that strengthens these critical aspects should be seen as necessary, but insufficient, steps toward a national strong governance structure for delivering a locally relevant and comprehensive early child development program that promotes children's developmental potentials.
A network for early childhood development
Authors: Zonji Shekufeh
Published: May 2018

Political action and investment are critical to meet the development needs of vulnerable young children today. Early childhood development (ECD) has become a global priority: an ECD target and other ECD‐related targets are included in the sustainable development goals, over 75 countries have officially adopted multisectoral ECD policy instruments, and ECD is a programmatic focus in major global institutions (including UNICEF, UNESCO, the WHO, and the World Bank). However, lack of clear and strong ownership of and champions for ECD, operational and communication siloes of constituent sectors that constitute ECD, political pressures for investment in other arenas, and low international investment in ECD inhibit making a compelling and cohesive investment case for ECD. This commentary explores how a global ECD network can facilitate systematic alignment and action across sectors to support country systems, strengthen political will, and increase investment to deliver results for young children's development. The ECD Action Network is in formation and offers an opportunity for the field to share knowledge among countries and sectors, identify pathways for sectoral coordination and collaboration, and undertake advocacy to generate the scale of political and financial support necessary to ensure that every child receives the nurturing care he/she needs.
Effect of chronic toluene exposure on heart rhythm parameters
Authors: Arslan Şűkrű , Uzunhasan Isil , Kocas Betul Balaban , Cetinkal Gokhan , Arslan Şeyma , Kocas Cuneyt , Abaci Okay , Yildiz Mustafa , Celiker Cengiz , Turkoglu Cengizhan
Published: May 2018

Background

Toluene is used extensively in various industrial processes, and an increasing number of workers are getting exposed to its vapor. Cardiac abnormalities that have been reported in association with toluene exposure (in toxic doses) are atrioventricular conduction abnormalities, sinus bradycardia, ventricular tachycardia, recurrent myocardial infarction, dilated cardiomyopathy, and coronary vasospasm.

Hypothesis

We aimed to investigate the effects of chronic toluene exposure on cardiac rhythm.

Methods

In this study, 40 workers in the polishing industry with more than 3 months of exposure to a mixture of organic solvents including toluene and 38 control subjects working in other fields who were matched by age, sex, smoking, habits, and living accommodation were investigated. Twelve‐lead surface electrocardiogram and 24‐hour Holter recordings were performed to determine QRS duration, PR duration (P and R wave interval on electrocardiograms), P wave dispersion, corrected QT dispersion, and heart rate variability parameters.

Results

The maximum heart rate was significantly lower in the toluene‐exposed group compared to the control group (130.5 ± 15.1 vs 138.6 ± 16.0, P = 0.02). Corrected low frequency (cLF) and cLF/corrected high frequency (cHF) were also significantly lower in toluene‐exposed group (43.6 ± 7.2 vs 50.7 ± 10.5, P = 0.01 and 1.4 ± 0.4 vs 2.2 ± 1.0, P < 0.01, respectively). Mean cHF, root‐mean‐square successive difference, and standard deviation of all five‐minute NN interval means values were significantly higher in the toluene‐exposed group (32.8 ± 8.1 vs 25.4 ± 8.2, P ≤ 0.01; 74.0 ± 46.1 vs 60.3 ± 59.4, P = 0.02; and 149.5 ± 77.0 vs 108.9 ± 43.2, P = 0.01, respectively).

Conclusions

This study implies that chronic toluene exposure disturbs cardiac autonomy, particularly by suppressing sympathetic activity, and parasympathetic suppression also occurs with increased exposure duration. We also demonstrated that chronic toluene exposure was not associated with major cardiac arrhythmias and rhythm conduction system disorders.
A combined epicardial implantation and subsequent extraction strategy in pacemaker device infection in pacemaker‐dependent patients
Authors: van den Brink Floris S. , van Dijk Vincent F. , Boersma Lucas V.A. , Wijffels Maurits C.E.F. , Gelissen John , Daeter Edgar , Sonker Uday , Balt Jippe
Published: May 2018

Introduction

Treatment infections is challenging in pacemaker (PM) dependent patients. We proposed a novel implantation strategy for this group of patients.

Methods

Patients who were PM dependent and were admitted with a PM infection received a combined procedure of left ventricular (LV) epicardial implantation of a PM lead and subsequent extraction of the infected system. No temporary pacing wire was used and the PM generator was placed in the left flank.

Results

Between 2012 and 2015 we treated 16 patients who were PM dependent and with a PM infection. The majority of patients were male (81% [13/16]) and the median age was 71 years (50–91). The cause of infection was valvular endocarditis in 38% (6/16), lead infection in 25% (4/16), and isolated pocket infection in 38% (6/16).

All patients underwent epicardial implantation of a LV lead (1084T bipolar lead; St. Jude Medical Myodex, St. Paul, MN, USA) and extraction of the infected device. There was no occurrence of periprocedural mortality and no postprocedural tamponades. There was one complication in the form of a hemorrhage at the infected device extraction site. In the median follow‐up period of 17 months there were four of 16 deaths, none of which were attributable to epicardial LV implantation. LV‐lead threshold was 1.1V (±0.7V) upon implantation that increased to 1.2V (±0.6V) at 0.4‐ms pulse duration. There were no reinfections of the epicardial lead or device.

Conclusion

Epicardial left ventricle PM implantation and subsequent extraction of an infected PM in PM‐dependent patients is feasible and safe with good long‐term outcome.
Vegetative compatibility groups in Colletotrichum coccodes from Turkey and their aggressiveness to potato
Authors: Özer G. , Bayraktar H. , Tsror (Lahkim) L. , Yaman T. , Kabakcı H. , Göre M. E.
Published: May 2018

Black dot, caused by Colletotrichum coccodes, is a common disease of potato in Turkey, affecting tuber quality and yield. The objectives of the current study were to characterize vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) of C. coccodes isolates from three regions in Turkey, and to assess the correlation between VCGs and aggressiveness of isolates on potato. A total of 147 C. coccodes isolates were recovered from plants showing typical black dot symptoms on stolons, roots and stems. The frequency of nitrate non‐utilizing (nit) nit1/nit3 and NitM phenotypes were 79% and 21%, respectively. Complementation between nit mutants of the isolates and eight European/Israeli EU/I‐VCG tester isolates was used to characterize the VCGs. Amongst the tested isolates, 33.3% were assigned to EU/I‐VCG6, 21.8% to EU/I‐VCG8, 15.7% to EU/I‐VCG4. EU/I‐VCG1, EU/I‐VCG3, EU/I‐VCG5 and EU/I‐VCG7 were classified at 1.4%, 3.4%, 4.8% and 5.4%, frequency, respectively. No isolate was assigned to EU/I‐VCG2 group, while 21 isolates (14.3%) were not assigned to any of the EU/I‐VCGs. The pathogenicity tests indicated significant differences in aggressiveness of the isolates with respect to sclerotia density on potato tissues. The highest densities of sclerotia on roots and crown were obtained with EU/I‐VCG6 isolates and the lowest with EU/I‐VCG1, EU/I‐VCG3 and EU/I‐VCG5 isolates. The results demonstrate that there is significant VCG diversity among C. coccodes isolates from potato plants in Turkey.
The Effects of the Early Trump Presidency on Public Attitudes Toward the Republican Party
Authors: Jacobson Gary C.
Published: May 2018

Presidents from Truman through Obama have influenced their party's popularity, reputation for competence, presumed policy commitments, appeal as an object of identification, and electoral performance. Despite Donald Trump's singularly unorthodox campaign and early presidency, survey data available for his first 15 months in office suggest that opinions of his performance are having at least as large an impact as that of his predecessors' on affect toward his party generally and its congressional wing in particular, as well as on its reputation for handling at least one policy domain (health care). Trump also appears to be widening the demographic and cultural differences between ordinary Republicans and Democrats, exacerbating the gender, age, and racial gaps between the party coalitions in a way that threatens the long‐term vitality of his party. Generic House election polls pointing to 2018 suggest that if his approval ratings remain at or below 40 percent, as they have through the first quarter of 2018, Democrats have excellent prospects for winning control of the House.
The repeated bout effect can occur without mechanical and neuromuscular changes after a bout of eccentric exercise
Authors: Pincheira P. A. , Hoffman B. W. , Cresswell A. G. , Carroll T. J. , Brown N. A. T. , Lichtwark G. A.
Published: May 2018

Changes in muscle fascicle mechanics have been postulated to underpin the repeated bout effect (RBE) observed following exercise‐induced muscle damage (EIMD). However, in the medial gastrocnemius (MG), mixed evidence exists on whether fascicle stretch amplitude influences the level of EIMD, thus questioning whether changes in fascicle mechanics underpin the RBE. An alternative hypothesis is that neural adaptations contribute to the RBE in this muscle. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuromechanical adaptations during and after repeated bouts of a highly controlled muscle lengthening exercise that aimed to maximize EIMD in MG. In all, 20 subjects performed two bouts of 500 active lengthening contractions (70% of maximal activation) of the triceps surae, separated by 7 days. Ultrasound constructed fascicle length‐torque (L‐T) curves of MG, surface electromyography (EMG), maximum torque production, and muscle soreness were assessed before, 2 hours and 2 days after each exercise bout. The drop in maximum torque (4%) and the increase in muscle soreness (24%) following the repeated bout were significantly less than following the initial bout (8% and 59%, respectively), indicating a RBE. However, neither shift in the L‐T curve nor changes in EMG parameters were present. Furthermore, muscle properties during the exercise were not related to the EIMD or RBE. Our results show that there are no global changes in gastrocnemius mechanical behavior or neural activation that could explain the observed RBE in this muscle. We suggest that adaptations in the non‐contractile elements of the muscle are likely to explain the RBE in the triceps surae.
Effect of high‐intensity resistance circuit‐based training in hypoxia on aerobic performance and repeat sprint ability
Authors: Ramos‐Campo D. J. , Martínez‐Guardado I. , Olcina G. , Marín‐Pagán C. , Martínez‐Noguera F. J. , Carlos‐Vivas J. , Alcaraz P. E. , Rubio J. Á.
Published: May 2018

Recent acute studies have shown that high‐intensity resistance circuit‐based (HRC) training in hypoxia increases metabolic stress. However, no intervention studies have yet proven their effectiveness. This study aimed to analyze the effect of 8 weeks of HRC in hypoxia on aerobic performance, resting energy expenditure (REE), repeat sprint ability (RSA) and hematological variables. Twenty‐eight subjects were assigned to hypoxia (FiO2 = 15%; HRChyp: n = 15; age: 24.6 ± 6.8 years; height: 177.4 ± 5.9 cm; weight: 74.9 ± 11.5 kg) and normoxia (FiO2 = 20.9%; HRCnorm: n = 13; age: 23.2 ± 5.2 years; height: 173.4 ± 6.2 cm; weight: 69.4 ± 7.4 kg) groups. Each training session consisted of two blocks of three exercises (Block 1: bench press, leg extension, front pull down; 2: deadlift, elbow flexion, ankle extension). Each exercise was performed at 6 repetitions maximum. Participants exercised twice weekly for 8 weeks and before and after the training program blood test, REE, RSA and treadmill running test were performed. Fatigue index in the RSA test was significantly decreased in the HRChyp (−0.9%; P < .01; ES = 2.75) but not in the HRCnorm. No changes were observed in REE and hematological variables. Absolute (4.5%; P = .014; ES = 0.42) and relative (5.2%; P = .008; ES = 0.43) maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), speed at VO2max (4%; P = .010; ES = 0.25) and time to exhaustion (4.1%; P = .012; ES = 0.26) were significantly increased in HRChyp but not in the HRCnorm. No significant differences between groups were found. Compared with normoxic conditions, 8 weeks of HRC training under hypoxic conditions efficiently improves aerobic performance and RSA without changes in REE and red blood O2‐carrying capacity.
Detection of hydroquinone by Raman spectroscopy in patients with melasma before and after treatment
Authors: Cabrera‐Alonso R. , Guevara E. , Ramírez‐Elías M. G. , Moncada B. , González F. J.
Published: May 2018

Background

Melasma is an acquired, facial hyperpigmentation without a specific origin. It is regularly associated with multiple etiologic factors such as pregnancy, genetic, racial, and from estrogen administration. Among the methods to treat skin hyperpigmentation a series of skin bleaching agents have been used. At present, the most commonly used agent is known as hydroquinone. Nowadays, it is known that hydroquinone can cause cancer in animals with unknown relevance to humans.

Material and Methods

In this work, Raman spectroscopy was used to observe the presence of hydroquinone in the skin of 18 patients who have been under treatment for melasma.

Results

A significant increase in the Raman signal was observed in the six bands associated with hydroquinone after melasma treatment.

Conclusion

The authors believe that monitoring the presence of hydroquinone may be useful for an optimal personalized treatment of melasma and to provide the specialist a support tool to control the administration of this type of bleaching agents.
Split‐axilla comparison study of 0.5‐MHz, invasive, bipolar radiofrequency treatment using insulated microneedle electrodes for primary axillary hyperhidrosis
Authors: Cho S. B. , Park J. , Zheng Z. , Yoo K. H. , Kim H.
Published: May 2018

Background

Energy‐delivering devices can be used to induce thermal coagulation of the eccrine sweat glands for treating primary axillary hyperhidrosis (PAH).

Objective

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of invasive, bipolar radiofrequency (RF) treatment for PAH.

Methods

A split‐axilla study was performed to compare the clinical outcomes of 0.5 MHz, invasive, bipolar RF treatment with treatment settings of a longer conduction time and lower power (LC/LP) vs a shorter conduction time and higher power (SC/HP) for treating PAH.

Results

The in vivo study revealed median hyperhidrosis disease severity scale scores of 1.5 (interquartile range [IQR], 1‐2) at 1 month and 1 (IQR, 1‐2) at 3 months after treatment with the LC/LP setting, compared to baseline. Meanwhile, the other side of the axillae treated with the SC/HP setting showed scores of 2 (IQR, 2‐2) at 1 month and 2 (IQR, 1.25‐2) at 3 months. Analysis via a linear mixed model revealed a significant interaction (group, P = .011; time, P < .001; and group × time, P = .048) between treatment group and time.

Conclusion

PAH can be effectively and safely treated with invasive, multilayered, multiple‐pass, 0.5‐MHz, bipolar RF treatment, particularly with LC/LP.
The dynamical Manin–Mumford conjecture and the dynamical Bogomolov conjecture for endomorphisms of
Authors: Ghioca Dragos , Nguyen Khoa D. , Ye Hexi
Published: May 2018

We prove Zhang’s dynamical Manin–Mumford conjecture and dynamical Bogomolov conjecture for dominant endomorphisms $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6F7}$ of $(\mathbb{P}^{1})^{n}$. We use the equidistribution theorem for points of small height with respect to an algebraic dynamical system, combined with an analysis of the symmetries of the Julia set for a rational function.
CTNNAL1 inhibits ozone‐induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition in human bronchial epithelial cells
Authors: Tan Meiling , Liu Caixia , Huang Wenjie , Deng Linhong , Qin Xiaoqun , Xiang Yang
Published: May 2018

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

What is the effect of catenin alpha‐like 1 (CTNNAL1), an asthma‐related epithelial adhesion molecule that plays a vital role in airway epithelial wound repair, on airway epithelial–mesenchymal transition?

What is the main finding and its importance?

CTNNAL1 inhibits ozone‐induced airway epithelial–mesenchymal transition features, mediated by repressing the expression of Twist1 mRNA and reducing TGF‐β1 levels. These findings contribute to our understanding of the pathology of airway EMT and may indicate a possible therapeutic target for airway remodelling in bronchial asthma.

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), a crucial event occurring during epithelial and mesenchymal repair, was reported to be a possible mechanism for airway remodelling. Our previous work showed that the expression of catenin alpha‐like 1 (CTNNAL1) was down‐regulated in the bronchial epithelial cells of asthmatic models and played a vital role in airway epithelial wound repair. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of CTNNAL1 on airway EMT. Overexpression or silencing of CTNNAL1 in human bronchial epithelial cells was induced by stable transfection. CTNNAL1 was silenced in primary mouse airway epithelial cells with an effective siRNA vector. Cells were stressed by ozone for 4 days at 30 min day−1 to induce EMT. EMT features, changes in the function of co‐cultured lung fibroblasts, changes in the expression of the transcriptional repressors Snail/Slug and Twist1/Twist2 and changes in the secretion of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1) were assayed in different cell lines with or without ozone exposure. Both ozone exposure and silencing of CTNNAL1 induced EMT features in airway epithelial cells. Functional changes in lung fibroblasts increased after co‐culture with (ozone‐stressed) CTNNAL1‐silenced cells. Snail and Twist1 expression increased, and the level of TGF‐β1 was enhanced. Conversely, CTNNAL1 overexpression reversed EMT features, repressed mRNA levels of Twist1 and reduced the secretion of TGF‐β1, both alone and in combination with ozone exposure. Our results indicate that ozone exposure induces airway EMT and that CTNNAL1 inhibits ozone‐induced airway EMT. CTNNAL1 may play a role in airway EMT by repressing the expression of Twist1 mRNA and reducing the level of TGF‐β1.
Attenuated nitric oxide bioavailability in systemic sclerosis: Evidence from the novel assessment of passive leg movement
Authors: Clifton Heather L. , Machin Daniel R. , Groot H. Jonathan , Frech Tracy M. , Donato Anthony J. , Richardson Russell S. , Wray D. Walter
Published: May 2018

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Do systemic sclerosis patients exhibit impaired nitric oxide‐mediated vascular function of the lower limb and are these decrements correlated with plasma biomarkers for inflammation and oxidative stress?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Findings indicate impaired nitric oxide‐mediated vascular function, linked to the incidence of digital ulcers and a milieu of inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the absence of significant correlations between individual biomarkers and blood flow responses suggests that the vasculopathy observed in systemic sclerosis may not be solely the result of derangements in the redox balance or inflammatory signalling.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by vasculopathy, which may be the consequence of inflammation and oxidative stress that ultimately leads to a reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Passive leg movement (PLM) is a novel methodology for assessing lower limb vascular function that is predominantly NO dependent. We combined this vascular assessment with a comprehensive panel of plasma biomarkers to assess the axis of inflammation, oxidative stress and NO in SSc patients (n = 12; 62 ± 11 years of age) compared with healthy control subjects (n = 17; 60 ± 16 years of age). The PLM‐induced changes in leg blood flow (LBF; 191 ± 104 versus 327 ± 217 ml min−1) and LBF area under the curve (39 ± 104 versus 125 ± 131 ml) were reduced in SSc compared with control subjects. Stratification of patients according to history of digital ulcer (DU) formation revealed a further reduction in LBF area under the curve in DU (−13 ± 83 ml) versus non‐DU (91 ± 102 ml) patients. Biomarkers of inflammation (C‐reactive protein) and oxidative stress (malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl) were all elevated in SSc (C‐reactive protein, 3299 ± 2372 versus 984 ± 565 ng ml−1; malondialdehyde, 3.2 ± 1.1 versus 1.1 ± 0.7 μm; and protein carbonyl, 0.15 ± 0.05 versus 0.12 ± 0.03 nmol mg−1), and C‐reactive protein was further elevated in patients with a history of DU (4551 ± 2752 versus 2047 ± 1019 ng ml−1) compared with non‐DU, although these were not individually correlated with changes in LBF. These findings of impaired NO‐mediated vascular function, linked to DU and a milieu of inflammation and oxidative stress, suggest that redox balance plays an important, but not necessarily deterministic, role in the vascular pathophysiology of SSc.
Neopterin/7,8‐dihydroneopterin is elevated in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients and protects mdx skeletal muscle function
Authors: Lindsay Angus , Schmiechen Alexandra , Chamberlain Christopher M. , Ervasti James M. , Lowe Dawn A.
Published: May 2018

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

We examined whether the macrophage‐synthesized antioxidant 7,8‐dihydroneopterin was elevated in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients. We then examined whether 7,8‐dihydroneopterin could protect dystrophic skeletal mouse muscle from eccentric contraction‐induced force loss and improve recovery.

What is the main finding and its importance?

Urinary neopterin/creatinine and 7,8‐dihydroneopterin/creatinine were elevated in DMD patients. 7,8‐Dihydroneopterin attenuated eccentric contraction‐induced force loss of dystrophic skeletal mouse muscle and accelerated recovery of force. These results suggest that eccentric contraction‐induced force loss is mediated, in part, by an oxidative component and provides a potential protective role for 7,8‐dihydroneopterin in DMD.

Macrophage infiltration is a hallmark of dystrophin‐deficient muscle. We tested the hypothesis that Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients would have elevated levels of the macrophage‐synthesized pterins, neopterin and 7,8‐dihydroneopterin, compared with unaffected age‐matched control subjects. Urinary neopterin/creatinine and 7,8‐dihydroneopterin/creatinine were elevated in DMD patients, and 7,8‐dihydroneopterin/creatinine was associated with patient age and ambulation. Urinary 7,8‐dihydroneopterin corrected for specific gravity was also elevated in DMD patients. Given that 7,8‐dihydroneopterin is an antioxidant, we then identified a potential role for 7,8‐dihydroneopterin in disease pathology. We assessed whether 7,8‐dihydroneopterin could: (i) protect against isometric force loss in wild‐type skeletal muscle exposed to various pro‐oxidants; and (ii) protect wild‐type and mdx muscle from eccentric contraction‐induced force loss, which has an oxidative component. Force loss was elicited in isolated extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles by 10 eccentric contractions, and recovery of force after the contractions was measured in the presence of exogenous 7,8‐dihydroneopterin. 7,8‐Dihydroneopterin attenuated isometric force loss by wild‐type EDL muscles when challenged by H2O2 and HOCl, but exacerbated force loss when challenged by SIN‐1 (NO•, O2•, ONOO−). 7,8‐Dihydroneopterin attenuated eccentric contraction‐induced force loss in mdx muscle. Isometric force production by EDL muscles of mdx mice also recovered to a greater degree after eccentric contractions in the presence of 7,8‐dihydroneopterin. The results corroborate macrophage activation in DMD patients, provide a potential protective role for 7,8‐dihydroneopterin in the susceptibility of dystrophic muscle to eccentric contractions and indicate that oxidative stress contributes to eccentric contraction‐induced force loss in mdx skeletal muscle.
Glimpsing speech in temporally and spectro-temporally modulated noise
Authors: Fogerty Daniel , Carter Brittney L. , Healy Eric W.
Published: May 2018

Speech recognition in fluctuating maskers is influenced by the spectro-temporal properties of the noise. Three experiments examined different temporal and spectro-temporal noise properties. Experiment 1 replicated previous work by highlighting maximum performance at a temporal gating rate of 4–8 Hz. Experiment 2 involved spectro-temporal glimpses. Performance was best with the largest glimpses, and performance with small glimpses approached that for continuous noise matched to the average level of the modulated noise. Better performance occurred with periodic than for random spectro-temporal glimpses. Finally, time and frequency for spectro-temporal glimpses were dissociated in experiment 3. Larger spectral glimpses were more beneficial than smaller, and minimum performance was observed at a gating rate of 4–8 Hz. The current results involving continuous speech in gated noise (slower and larger glimpses most advantageous) run counter to several results involving gated and/or filtered speech, where a larger number of smaller speech samples is often advantageous. This is because mechanisms of masking dominate, negating the advantages of better speech-information sampling. It is suggested that spectro-temporal glimpsing combines temporal glimpsing with additional processes of simultaneous masking and uncomodulation, and continuous speech in gated noise is a better model for real-world glimpsing than is gated and/or filtered speech.
A rationally designed NRP1-independent superagonist SEMA3A mutant is an effective anticancer agent
Authors: Gioelli Noemi , Maione Federica , Camillo Chiara , Ghitti Michela , Valdembri Donatella , Morello Noemi , Darche Marie , Zentilin Lorena , Cagnoni Gabriella , Qiu Yaqi , Giacca Mauro , Giustetto Maurizio , Paques Michel , Cascone Ilaria , Musco Giovanna , Tamagnone Luca , Giraudo Enrico , Serini Guido
Published: May 2018

An NRP1-independent, non-natural SEMA3A mutant isoform is a parenterally deliverable anticancer drug that normalizes the vasculature.
Striatal dopamine regulates systemic glucose metabolism in humans and mice
Authors: ter Horst Kasper W. , Lammers Nicolette M. , Trinko Richard , Opland Darren M. , Figee Martijn , Ackermans Mariette T. , Booij Jan , van den Munckhof Pepijn , Schuurman P. Richard , Fliers Eric , Denys Damiaan , DiLeone Ralph J. , la Fleur Susanne E. , Serlie Mireille J.
Published: May 2018

Modulation of the striatal dopamine system affects glucose metabolism in humans and mice.
Opening the eyes on autism
Authors: Jones Rebecca M.
Published: May 2018

Nine- to 10-month-old infants who develop autism show early enhanced pupillary light reflex compared with infants who did not develop autism.
Antibacterial Spectrum of a Tetrazole-Based Reversible Inhibitor of Serine β-Lactamases
Authors: Pemberton Orville A. , Zhang Xiujun , Nichols Derek A. , DeFrees Kyle , Jaishankar Priyadarshini , Bonnet Richard , Adams Jessie , Shaw Lindsey N. , Renslo Adam R. , Chen Yu
Published: May 2018

CTX-M is the most prevalent family of extended-spectrum β-lactamases. We recently developed a tetrazole-derived noncovalent inhibitor of CTX-M-9.
Bifidobacterium pseudolongum in the Ceca of Rats Fed Hi-Maize Starch Has Characteristics of a Keystone Species in Bifidobacterial Blooms
Authors: Centanni Manuela , Lawley Blair , Butts Christine A. , Roy Nicole C. , Lee Julian , Kelly William J. , Tannock Gerald W.
Published: May 2018

This study addresses the microbiology and function of a natural ecosystem (the rat gut) using DNA-based observations and
in vitro
experimentation. The microbial community of the large bowel of animals, including humans, has been studied extensively through the use of high-throughput DNA sequencing methods and advanced bioinformatics analysis. These studies reveal the compositions and genetic capacities of microbiotas but not the intricacies of how microbial communities function. Our work, combining DNA sequence analysis and laboratory experiments with cultured strains of bacteria, revealed that the increased abundance of bifidobacteria in the rat gut, induced by feeding indigestible starch, involved a species that cannot itself degrade the starch (
Bifidobacterium animalis
) but cohabits with a species that can (
Bifidobacterium pseudolongum
).
B. pseudolongum
has the characteristics of a keystone species in the community because it had low abundance but high ability to perform a critical function, the hydrolysis of resistant starch.
Draft Genome Sequence of Rhizobium sophoriradicis H4, a Nitrogen-Fixing Bacterium Associated with the Leguminous Plant Phaseolus vulgaris on the Coast of Peru
Authors: Ormeño-Orrillo Ernesto , Aguilar-Cuba Yohana , Zúñiga-Dávila Doris
Published: May 2018

The genome sequence of
Rhizobium sophoriradicis
H4, a nitrogen-fixing bacterium isolated from the common bean (
Phaseolus vulgaris
) in Peru, is reported here. The genome assembly revealed a 6.44-Mbp genome which was distributed into 95 contigs, with
N
50
and
L
50
values of 293 kbp and 9, respectively. The genome contained 6,312 coding sequence (CDS) genes and 52 RNA genes (49 tRNAs and 3 rRNAs).