bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating self‐efficacy, disease knowledge and adherence to treatment in adolescents with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Faint Nicholas R , Staton Janelle M , Stick Stephen M , Foster Juliet M , Schultz André
Published: February 2017

Aim

Patient adherence is integral to the effectiveness of prescribed treatment, and is associated with beneficial disease outcomes, yet in adolescents with cystic fibrosis, adherence is often sub‐optimal. Multiple factors may contribute to treatment adherence, including disease knowledge and self‐efficacy. In adolescents with cystic fibrosis: (i) to compare the disease knowledge of adolescents and their parents before transition to adult care; (ii) to determine the relationship between disease knowledge (adolescent, parent) and adherence; and (iii) to evaluate self‐efficacy and its association with disease knowledge and adherence.

Methods

Adolescents with cystic fibrosis and their parents were recruited from a tertiary children's hospital. Disease knowledge and self‐efficacy was assessed using the Knowledge of Disease Management‐CF and General Self‐Efficacy Scales respectively. Using pharmacy records, medication possession ratio was calculated to measure treatment adherence in the preceding year.

Results

Thirty‐nine adolescent (aged 12–17 (median 14) years) and parent pairs were recruited. Adherence to hypertonic saline, but not other medications, was significantly associated with disease knowledge in adolescents (r

2
 = 0.40, P = 0.029). Mean (SD) adolescent self‐efficacy was 30.8 (4.0), and not associated with disease knowledge or adherence. Mean (SD) disease knowledge was less in adolescents than parents (55 (16)% and 72 (14)% respectively, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Disease knowledge is sub‐optimal in adolescents with cystic fibrosis, even in the 2 years immediately before transition to adult care. Given that adherence with some treatments has been associated with disease knowledge our results suggest the need for educational interventions in adolescents with cystic fibrosis to optimise self‐management and health outcomes.
Supply Chain Power Configurations and Their Relationship with Performance
Authors: Huo Baofeng , Flynn Barbara B. , Zhao Xiande
Published: February 2017

To lay the foundation for the study of supply chain power, we study power configurations at the level of interlocking power dyads (IPDs), viewing the simultaneous effect of upstream and downstream power. We build on four key constructs: dependence asymmetry (resource dependence theory), joint dependence (embeddedness perspective), power type differential (based on French & Raven, 1959), and power source asymmetry. We examine the research question of what the relationship is betweenIPDs and the focal firm's operational performance, developing hypotheses based on the dependence asymmetry, joint dependence, power type differential, and power source asymmetry of theoreticalIPDs. A survey of over 600 respondents in China was used to collect data on focal firm perceptions of upstream and downstream power, with cluster analysis yielding eightIPDs. Inferential analysis revealed the importance of joint dependence, dependence asymmetry, power type differential, and power source asymmetry to the operational performance of the focal firm.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels of Phosphorylated Neurofilament Heavy as a Diagnostic Marker of Canine Degenerative Myelopathy
Authors: Toedebusch C.M. , Bachrach M.D. , Garcia V.B. , Johnson G.C. , Katz M.L. , Shaw G. , Coates J.R. , Garcia M.L.
Published: February 2017

Background

No definitive, antemortem diagnostic test for canine degenerative myelopathy (DM) is available. Phosphorylated neurofilament heavy (pNF‐H) is a promising biomarker for nervous system diseases.

Hypothesis/Objective

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum pNF‐H is a detectable biological marker for diagnosis of canine DM.

Animals

Fifty‐three DM‐affected, 27 neurologically normal, 7 asymptomatic at‐risk, and 12 DM mimic dogs.

Methods

Archived CSF and serum pNF‐H concentrations were determined by a commercially available ELISA. A receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated with CSF values.

Results

Compared with old control dogs, median CSF pNF‐H concentration was increased in all stages of DM; old dogs 5.1 ng/mL (interquartile range [IQR] 1.4–9.3) versus DM stage 1 23.9 ng/mL (IQR 20.8–29.6; P < .05) versus DM stage 2 36.8 ng/mL (IQR 22.9–51.2; P < .0001) versus DM stage 3 25.2 ng/mL (IQR 20.2–61.8; P < .001) versus DM stage 4 38.0 ng/mL (IQR 11.6–59.9; P < .01). Degenerative myelopathy stage 1 dogs had increased median CSF pNF‐H concentrations compared with asymptomatic, at‐risk dogs (3.4 ng/mL [IQR 1.5–10.9; P < .01]) and DM mimics (6.6 ng/mL [IQR 3.0–12.3; P < .01]). CSF pNF‐H concentration >20.25 ng/mL was 80.4% sensitive (confidence interval [CI] 66.09–90.64%) and 93.6% specific (CI 78.58–99.21%) for DM. Area under the ROC curve was 0.9467 (CI 0.92–0.9974). No differences in serum pNF‐H concentration were found between control and DM‐affected dogs.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

pNF‐H concentration in CSF is a sensitive biomarker for diagnosis of DM. Although there was high specificity for DM in this cohort, further study should focus on a larger cohort of DM mimics, particularly other central and peripheral axonopathies.
Can the environment influence species home‐range size? A case study onCtenomys minutus(Rodentia, Ctenomyidae)
Authors: Kubiak B. B. , Galiano D. , de Freitas T. R. O.
Published: February 2017

The environment physically limits animal movement and use of space. In the case of subterranean rodents, natural selection is expected to favor burrow structures that minimize energetic costs of digging. However, in some cases the same species is found in habitats that strongly differ in resource availability and soil characteristics, as inCtenomys minutus. This species is thus a good model in which to estimate the influence of habitat on behavioral characteristics such as home‐range size. We evaluated the home‐range sizes of twoC. minutuspopulations that inhabit different habitats: sand dunes and sand fields. We radio tracked 19 adult animals, and estimated the home‐range size of each individual using the grid cell (2 × 2 m covering all of the radio fixes), and minimum convex polygon (MCP) methods. Our results show that home ranges ofC. minutusdiffer in the two habitats, with average size 1.75 times larger for individuals inhabiting sand dunes. This difference in home‐range size between habitats is likely associated with differences in resource availability (plant biomass) or soil conditions.
Snow carrots after the Chelyabinsk event and model implications for highly porous solar system objects
Authors: Luther Robert , Artemieva Natalia , Ivanova Marina , Lorenz Cyril , Wünnemann Kai
Published: February 2017

After the catastrophic disruption of the Chelyabinsk meteoroid, small fragments formed funnels in the snow layer covering the ground. We constrain the pre‐impact characteristics of the fragments by simulating their atmospheric descent with the atmospheric entry model. Fragments resulting from catastrophic breakup may lose about 90% of their initial mass due to ablation and reach the snow vertically with a free‐fall velocity in the range of 30–90 m s−1. The fall time of the fragments is much longer than their cooling time, and, as a consequence, fragments have the same temperature as the lower atmosphere, i.e., of about −20 °C. Then, we use the shock physics code iSALE to model the penetration of fragments into fluffy snow, the formation of a funnel and a zone of denser snow lining its walls. We examine the influence of several material parameters of snow and present our best‐fit model by comparing funnel depth and funnel wall characteristics with observations. In addition, we suggest a viscous flow approximation to estimate funnel depth dependence on the meteorite mass. We discuss temperature gradient metamorphism as a possible mechanism which allows to fill the funnels with denser snow and to form the observed “snow carrots.” This natural experiment also helps us to calibrate the iSALE code for simulating impacts into highly porous matter in the solar system including tracks in the aerogel catchers of the Stardust mission and possible impact craters on the 67P/Churyumov‐Gerasimenko comet observed recently by the Rosetta mission.
Severe acute malnutrition in children aged under 5 years can be successfully managed in a non‐emergency routine community healthcare setting in Ghana
Authors: Akparibo Robert , Harris Janet , Blank Lindsay , Campbell Mike J. , Holdsworth Michelle
Published: February 2017

This study investigated the performance of community‐based management of severe acute malnutrition (CMAM) within routine healthcare services in Ghana. This was a retrospective cohort study of n = 488 children (6–59 months) who had received CMAM. Data for recovery, default, and mortality rates were obtained from enrolment cards in 56 outpatient centres in Upper East region, Ghana. Satisfactory rates of recovery of 71.8% were reported. Children who were enrolled with higher mid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC) ≥11.5 cm had seven times greater chance of recovery compared with children who were enrolled with lower MUAC <11.5 cm, OR = 7.35, 95% CI [2.56, 21.15], p < .001. Children who were diagnosed without malaria at baseline were 30 times, OR = 30.39, 95% CI [10.02, 92.13], p < .001, more likely to recover compared with those with malaria (p < .001). The average weight gain was 4.7 g−1·kg−1·day−1, which was influenced by MUAC status at baseline, β = .78, 95% CI [0.46, 1.00], p < .001, presence of malaria, β = −1.25, 95% CI [−1.58, 0.92], p < .001, and length of stay, β = 0.13, 95% CI [0.08, 0.18], p < .001. The default rate (28.5%) was higher than international standards recommendations by Sphere. Mortality rate (1.6%) was lower than international standards. Our findings suggest that community‐based management of SAM can achieve similar success when delivered in routine non‐emergency settings. However, this success can be diluted by a high default rate, and the factors contributing to this need to be explored to improve programme effectiveness within communities.
Is competence enough to enable Kenyan mothers to make good infant and young child feeding decisions?
Authors: Schneider Lauriina , Ollila Sari , Kimiywe Judith , Lubeka Crippina , Mutanen Marja
Published: February 2017

The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with maternal infant and young child feeding motivation in urban and rural Kenya. We conducted 18 focus group discussions with mothers of children 0 to 23 months of age and healthcare workers. The data were transcribed, translated, and explored following the principles of content analysis. We first explored and coded the data inductively and categorized it according to emerging themes representing the most relevant topics for young child feeding. After this, these themes were theorized into an explanatory framework. Finally, the results yielded seven themes integrated into self‐determination theory's three basic motivation‐building pillars: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. We found that maternal intrahousehold autonomy on child feeding was substantial. However, this autonomy was lost for a period of time while in close contact with the healthcare staff. The authority of the healthcare workers was at its peak when the child was born and faded gradually as the child grew. Building maternal competence is important for child‐feeding outcomes, but our data showed that the health education methods used by the healthcare workers were inadequate to improve maternal to improve the motivation. The competence of Kenyan healthcare workers should be improved in the area of complementary feeding counseling, and they should be trained to provide practical and emotional support as a way of increasing maternal motivation on infant and child feeding.
NorWood: a gene expression resource for evo‐devo studies of conifer wood development
Authors: Jokipii‐Lukkari Soile , Sundell David , Nilsson Ove , Hvidsten Torgeir R. , Street Nathaniel R. , Tuominen Hannele
Published: February 2017

The secondary xylem of conifers is composed mainly of tracheids that differ anatomically and chemically from angiosperm xylem cells. There is currently no high‐spatial‐resolution data available profiling gene expression during wood formation for any coniferous species, which limits insight into tracheid development.

RNA‐sequencing data from replicated, high‐spatial‐resolution section series throughout the cambial and woody tissues of Picea abies were used to generate the NorWood.conGenIE.org web resource, which facilitates exploration of the associated gene expression profiles and co‐expression networks.

Integration within PlantGenIE.org enabled a comparative regulomics analysis, revealing divergent co‐expression networks between P. abies and the two angiosperm species Arabidopsis thaliana and Populus tremula for the secondary cell wall (SCW) master regulator NAC Class IIB transcription factors. The SCW cellulose synthase genes (CesAs) were located in the neighbourhoods of the NAC factors in A. thaliana and P. tremula, but not in P. abies. The NorWood co‐expression network enabled identification of potential SCW CesA regulators in P. abies.

The NorWood web resource represents a powerful community tool for generating evo‐devo insights into the divergence of wood formation between angiosperms and gymnosperms and for advancing understanding of the regulation of wood development in P. abies.
Diversification of Rosaceae since the Late Cretaceous based on plastid phylogenomics
Authors: Zhang Shu‐Dong , Jin Jian‐Jun , Chen Si‐Yun , Chase Mark W. , Soltis Douglas E. , Li Hong‐Tao , Yang Jun‐Bo , Li De‐Zhu , Yi Ting‐Shuang
Published: February 2017

Phylogenetic relationships in Rosaceae have long been problematic because of frequent hybridisation, apomixis and presumed rapid radiation, and their historical diversification has not been clarified.

With 87 genera representing all subfamilies and tribes of Rosaceae and six of the other eight families of Rosales (outgroups), we analysed 130 newly sequenced plastomes together with 12 from GenBank in an attempt to reconstruct deep relationships and reveal temporal diversification of this family.

Our results highlight the importance of improving sequence alignment and the use of appropriate substitution models in plastid phylogenomics. Three subfamilies and 16 tribes (as previously delimited) were strongly supported as monophyletic, and their relationships were fully resolved and strongly supported at most nodes. Rosaceae were estimated to have originated during the Late Cretaceous with evidence for rapid diversification events during several geological periods. The major lineages rapidly diversified in warm and wet habits during the Late Cretaceous, and the rapid diversification of genera from the early Oligocene onwards occurred in colder and drier environments.

Plastid phylogenomics offers new and important insights into deep phylogenetic relationships and the diversification history of Rosaceae. The robust phylogenetic backbone and time estimates we provide establish a framework for future comparative studies on rosaceous evolution.
Reconciling conceptualizations of relationships and person‐centred care for older people with cognitive impairment in acute care settings
Authors: Rushton Carole , Edvardsson David
Published: February 2017

Relationships are central to enacting person‐centred care of the older person with cognitive impairment. A fuller understanding of relationships and the role they play facilitating wellness and preserving personhood is critical if we are to unleash the productive potential of nursing research and person‐centred care. In this article, we target the acute care setting because much of the work about relationships and older people with cognitive impairment has tended to focus on relationships in long‐term care. The acute care setting is characterized by archetypal constraints which differentiate it from long‐term care, in terms of acuity and haste, task‐orientated work patterns and influence from “the rule of medicine,” all of which can privilege particular types of relating. In this article, we drew on existing conceptualizations of relationships from theory and practice by tapping in to the intellectual resources provided by nurse researchers, the philosophy of Martin Buber and ANT scholars. This involved recounting two examples of dyadic and networked relationships which were re‐interpreted using two complementary theoretical approaches to provide deeper and more comprehensive conceptualizations of these relationships. By re‐presenting key tenets from the work of key scholars on the topic relationships, we hope to hasten socialization of these ideas into nursing into the acute care setting. First, by enabling nurses to reflect on how they might work toward cultivating relationships that are more salutogenic and consistent with the preservation of personhood. Second, by stimulating two distinct but related lines of research enquiry which focus on dyadic and networked relationships with the older person with cognitive impairment in the acute care setting. We also hope to reconcile the schism that has emerged in the literature between preferred approaches to care of the older person with cognitive impairment, that is person‐centred care versus relationship‐centred care by arguing that these are complementary rather than mutually exclusive and can be brought together in one theoretical framework acknowledging personhood as relational in essence.
Predator discrimination in the hermit crab Calcinus californiensis: tight for shell breakers, loose for shell peelers
Authors: Alcaraz Guillermina , Arce Elsah
Published: February 2017

Prey exposed to predators with different hunting and feeding modes are under different selective pressures, therefore it is expected that they should exhibit plastic and adaptive antipredator responses according to current risks. The hermit crab Calcinus californiensis faces two contrasting predators, the shell peeler Arenaeus mexicanus that hunts by active searching and the shell breaker Eriphia squamata that hunts by ambush. In order to discover whether C. californiensis displays plastic responses depending on the type of predatory challenge, we examined the shell size preference, the hiding time, and the escape velocity of hermit crabs in the presence of chemical cues from a shell peeler, a shell breaker, and a control. We also examined the role of shell fit on the escape velocity of the hermit crabs in natural tidal pools. Crabs chose shells with a loose fit (relatively large shells) in the presence of chemical cues from the shell peeler Arenaeus and shells with a tight fit when exposed to cues from the shell breaker Eriphia. The hermit crabs hid for shorter times and moved away faster from Eriphia than from Arenaeus stimulus. The use of a tight shell favours faster movement away from the shell breaker (pre‐capture strategy), but prevents the crab retracting deeper inside the shell, increasing the risk of be eaten by the shell peeler once captured. Hence, the use of loose shells that protect the crab from the shell peeler hinders fast escape. This study shows specific and plastic antipredatory responses to contrasting predators, each bringing adaptive benefits at different levels of the predator sequence.
Mean conditions predict salt marsh plant community diversity and stability better than environmental variability
Authors: Noto Akana E. , Shurin Jonathan B.
Published: February 2017

Environmental variability and the frequency of extreme events are predicted to increase in future climate scenarios; however, the role of fluctuations in shaping community composition, diversity and stability is not well understood. Identifying current patterns of association between measures of community stability and climatic means and variability will help elucidate the ways in which altered variability and mean conditions may change communities in the future. Salt marshes provide essential ecosystem services and are increasingly threatened by sea‐level rise, land‐use change, eutrophication and predator loss, yet the effects of temporal environmental variation on salt marshes remain unknown. We synthesized long‐term plant community monitoring data from 11 sites on both coasts of the United States. We used an information‐theoretic approach and linear models to determine the associations among long‐term mean conditions, interannual environmental variability, and plant community stability and diversity. We found that salt marsh community stability and diversity were more strongly related to long‐term means of temperature and precipitation than to interannual variation. Warm and wet environments had fewer species and less turnover among years. Our results suggest that communities in cool, dry environments may be more resilient to climate warming due to greater species richness and turnover. Mean conditions are sufficient to predict contemporary patterns of salt marsh plant community dynamics, but environmental variability may have stronger impacts as it increases with climate change.
Plant–soil negative feedback explains vegetation dynamics and patterns at multiple scales
Authors: Vincenot Christian E. , Cartenì Fabrizio , Bonanomi Giuliano , Mazzoleni Stefano , Giannino Francesco
Published: February 2017

Spatial patterns and self‐organization of plants has been a subject of fascination because the underlying mechanisms have been hard to determine, raising different explanatory hypotheses. Plant–soil negative feedback (PSNF) – defined as the induction of negative conditions for conspecific establishment – has been widely studied in both field and laboratory conditions, and conceptually demonstrated by some modelling works. We present a mechanistic model, integrating individual plants inside an agent‐based framework, to explore the effects of PSNF on the spatial and temporal dynamics of virtual populations and communities of plants of diverse growth forms. This endeavour led to the reproduction of well‐known vegetation patterns observed at various scales, demonstrating for the first time a unified mechanism behind the spatial patterns of Janzen–Connell seedlings’ distribution, ring formation, and the high species mobility in species‐rich grasslands. These results support the ecological relevance of PSNF in the regulation of spatial organization and biodiversity dynamics in plant communities. More specifically, PSNF due to autoxicity seems most coherent with the spatio‐temporal scale of dynamics displayed here.
Testing the impact of sliding versus deciding in cyclical and noncyclical relationships
Authors: CLIFFORD CHARITY E. , VENNUM AMBER , BUSK MICHELLE , FINCHAM FRANK D.
Published: February 2017

This study investigates longitudinally predictors and outcomes of sliding (a desire to avoid clarifying the status of a romantic relationship; measured as relationship talk avoidance) among emerging adults (N = 244) in cyclical (ending and renewing a relationship) and noncyclical romantic relationships. Avoidance of relationship talk was positively associated with relationship uncertainty 7 weeks earlier and negatively related to dedication and satisfaction 7 weeks later, through decreased relationship maintenance (measured by constructive communication). We hypothesized that sliding would both predict and be predicted by lower dedication. Dedication did not predict later sliding for cyclical partners, but was associated with lower sliding for noncyclical partners, suggesting dedication may buffer the negative impact of uncertainty for noncycling partners.
Evaluation of the immune response in BALB/c mice induced by a novel DNA vaccine expressing GRA14 against Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Ahmadpour E. , Sarvi S. , Hashemi Soteh M. B. , Sharif M. , Rahimi M. T. , Valadan R. , Tehrani M. , Khalilian A. , Montazeri M. , Daryani A.
Published: February 2017

Toxoplasma gondii can cause severe and even fatal disease in human beings and animals. Effective vaccines may contribute to control toxoplasmosis. GRA14, a novel secreted dense granule protein of T. gondii, has been proposed as a vaccine candidate due to its intervacuolar transport and unique topology in the parasitophorous vacuole membrane. In this study, we constructed a DNA vaccine encoding GRA14 of T. gondii. BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly three times at 2 week intervals and challenged with T. gondii RH strain 5 weeks later. The immune responses were evaluated using lymphocyte proliferation assay, cytokine and antibody measurements. In addition, the survival times and parasite load of mice challenged with the virulent T. gondii RH strain were evaluated. The results showed that the mice immunized with pcGRA14 induced both enhanced specific humoral and Th1 cellular immune responses, and also mice immunized with the pcGRA14 showed an increased survival time and decreased parasite load compared with control groups (P<.05). The results indicated, for the first time, that the GRA14 is a potential DNA vaccine against toxoplasmosis.
Responsive Pricing Newsvendor Networks with Discretionary Commonality
Authors: Dong Lingxiu , Kouvelis Panos , Tian Zhongjun
Published: February 2017

Discretionary commonality is a form of operational flexibility used in multi‐product manufacturing environments. Consider a case where a firm produces and sells two products. Without discretionary commonality, each product is made through a unique combination of input and production capacity. With discretionary commonality, one of the inputs could be used for producing both products, and one of the production capacities could be used to process different inputs for producing one of the products. In the latter case, the manager can decide, upon the realization of uncertainty, not only the quantities for different products (outputs) but also the means of transforming inputs into outputs. The objective of this study is to understand how the firm's value, its inventory levels for inputs and capacity levels for resources are affected by the demand characteristics and market conditions. In pursuing this research, we extend Van Mieghem and Rudi ( 2002 )'s newsvendor network model to allow for the modeling of product interdependence, demand functions, random shocks, and firm's ex post pricing decision. Applying the general framework to the network with discretionary commonality, we discover that inventory and capacity management can be quite different compared to a network where commonality is non‐discretionary. Among other results, we find that as the degree of product substitution increases, the relative need for discretionary commonality increases; as the market correlation increases, while the firm's value may increase for complementary products, the discretionary common input decreases but the dedicated input increases. Numerical study shows that discretionary flexibility and responsive pricing are strategic substitutes.
Deep root growth and nitrogen uptake by rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L.) as affected by nitrogen fertilizer, plant density and leaf harvesting on a coarse sandy soil
Authors: Kristensen H. L. , Stavridou E.
Published: February 2017

This study investigated management strategies to increase deep root growth and crop nitrogen (N) uptake by rocket grown as baby leaf in coarse sandy soil. Stage I (sowing to first harvest) measured the effects of two sowing densities and two N fertilizer rates on root growth and total N uptake. In Stage II (first to second harvest), effects of leaf harvesting and late season N fertilizer application on root growth, total N uptake and deep 15N uptake were measured. At the end of Stage I, root depth was 0.68–0.90 m, and the large fertilizer application increased N uptake. Plant density increased root depth, N uptake and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) early in this stage and biomass production at harvest. Leaf harvesting in Stage II affected root density but not root depth that reached 1.4 m. The ability for N uptake was greater from 0.6 m due to more roots and larger N inflow than from 1.1 m depth. Late season fertilizer increased N concentration and uptake but did not affect NUE and deep N uptake. During the growing season, 330–349 kg Ninorg/ha was lost from 0 to 1.0 m depth most likely by leaching. Management practices that increased root growth and N uptake were found to increase NUE in rocket production early in the season. The production system used N inefficiently and smaller applications, plant density, leaf harvesting and other changes of management are required to reduce leaching.
The association of the HLA‐A*24:02, B*39:01 and B*39:06 alleles with type 1 diabetes is restricted to specific HLA‐DR/DQ haplotypes in Finns
Authors: Mikk M.‐L. , Heikkinen T. , El‐Amir M. I. , Kiviniemi M. , Laine A.‐P. , Härkönen T. , Veijola R. , Toppari J. , Knip M. , Ilonen J. ,   the Finnish Paediatric Diabetes Register
Published: February 2017

Background

We analysed the previously reported association of the HLA‐A*24:02, B*18 and B*39 alleles with type 1 diabetes and diabetes associated autoimmunity in the Finnish population applying HLA‐DR/DQ stratification.

Materials & methods

Haplotype transmission was analysed in 2424 nuclear families from the Finnish Paediatric Diabetes Register. Survival analysis was applied to study the development of islet autoantibodies and further progression to clinical diabetes in the prospective follow‐up cohort from the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) Study. The subjects were genotyped for specific HLA class I alleles by sequence‐specific hybridization using lanthanide labelled nucleotide probes.

Results

The HLA‐B*39:06 allele was found almost exclusively on the (DR8)‐DQB1*04 haplotype in which its presence changed the disease risk status of the whole haplotype from neutral to predisposing. The HLA‐A*24:02 and the B*39:01 alleles increased the diabetes‐associated risk of the DRB1*04:04‐DQA1*03‐DQB1*03:02 haplotype but the alleles were in linkage disequilibrium and no independent effect could be detected. Within the DIPP cohort, neither the A*24:02 nor the B*39:01 allele were associated with seroconversion but were in contrast associated with increased progression from seroconversion to clinical disease.

Discussion & Conclusions

The independent predisposing effect of the HLA‐B*39:06 allele with type 1 diabetes was confirmed in the Finnish population but the association of the A*24:02 and B*39:01 alleles remained inconclusive whilst both A*24:02 and B*39:01 affected the progression rate from seroconversion to autoantibody positivity to overt type 1 diabetes.
Patient age and number of apheresis days may predict development of secondary myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myelogenous leukemia after high‐dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for lymphoma
Authors: Ge Isabell , Saliba Rima M. , Maadani Farzaneh , Popat Uday R. , Qazilbash Muzaffar H. , Ravi Pingali Sai , Shah Nina , Ahmed Sairah , Bashir Qaiser , Nieto Yago , Champlin Richard E. , Hosing Chitra
Published: February 2017

BACKGROUND

The goal of our study was to find predictors for the development of secondary myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myelogenous leukemia (s‐MDS/AML) in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma who received high‐dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of 295 patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma who had undergone their first stem cell collection and ASCT. Patient, disease, and treatment characteristics were collected. The primary goal of this study was to analyze the association between the number of apheresis days needed to collect the requisite stem cell dose in addition to the previously described factors such as age, sex, number and type of prior chemotherapeutic regimens, disease type and status, and the risk of developing s‐MDS/AML.

RESULTS

Twenty‐two patients of 295 were diagnosed with s‐MDS/AML after a median follow‐up of 62 months. Multivariate analysis using a classification and regression tree showed that the incidence of s‐MDS/AML was lowest in patients who were not more than 55 years old at transplantation and in whom the target cell dose was collected in fewer than two apheresis sessions (5‐year cumulative incidence, 1%), whereas incidence was highest in patients who were more than 55 years old at transplantation and who received a transplant more than 21 months after their initial lymphoma diagnosis (5‐year cumulative incidence, 20%).

CONCLUSION

Our study defines a subset of relapsed or refractory lymphoma patients who should be closely monitored for development of s‐MDS/AML after high‐dose chemotherapy and ASCT.
Occult gastrointestinal bleeding is a common finding in dogs with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Crivellenti Leandro Z. , Borin‐Crivellenti Sofia , Fertal Kristi L. , Contin Catarina M. , Miranda Caroline M. J. , Santana Aureo E.
Published: February 2017

Background

The risk of occult gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) is known to be increased among human dialysis patients suffering from end‐stage renal disease. However, there are no studies to date that investigate the incidence of OGIB in either dogs or people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), irrespective of dialysis.

Objectives

The purpose of the study was to determine whether the incidence of OGIB is greater in dogs with CKD as compared to a control population, and if this pathology is associated with changes in serum variables related to iron metabolism.

Methods

Fecal occult bleeding was evaluated in 10 healthy dogs and 30 CKD dogs. Test results were compared to indicators of blood loss and/or iron metabolism.

Results

Dogs with CKD had a significantly higher incidence of OGIB than the control group (P < .0001). While 80% of dogs with stage 2 CKD did not exhibit anemia, 90% tested positive for OGIB. Similarly, subjects with stage 4 CKD had more significant blood loss than either stage 2 (P = .0071) or stage 3 CKD (P = .0385). Serum hemoglobin, transferrin, and iron concentrations in the CKD group were statistically lower than in the control group (P < .0001) and correlated with fecal occult bleeding (r = −.61; r = −.40; r = −.44, respectively), as well as serum creatinine concentrations (P < .0001, r = .64).

Conclusions

This preliminary study suggests that OGIB is a common clinical finding among dogs with CKD, even in the early stages of the disease process. Therefore, fecal occult blood tests may be useful as an indication for gastroprotective agents in the treatment plan.
Rapid immunocytochemistry for the detection of cytokeratin and vimentin: assessment of its diagnostic value in neoplastic diseases of dogs
Authors: Sawa Mariko , Inoue Mayuko , Yabuki Akira , Kohyama Moeko , Miyoshi Noriaki , Setoguchi Asuka , Yamato Osamu
Published: February 2017

Background

Immunocytochemistry (ICC) is an advanced diagnostic technique used in the field of veterinary cytology. We recently developed a rapid ICC method for the detection of cytokeratin and vimentin in dogs, which helps to determine whether tumor cells are of epithelial or nonepithelial origin. However, the diagnostic value of this rapid ICC method in neoplastic diseases of dogs has not been assessed yet.

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of rapid ICC compared to standard immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Methods

Air‐dried smear samples and formalin‐fixed paraffin sections were prepared from tumors excised from dogs (n = 30). Immunosignals for cytokeratin and vimentin were detected in smear samples by rapid ICC, and in paraffin sections by standard IHC. Signals in smear samples detected by rapid ICC were compared with positive staining in paraffin sections detected by standard IHC and analyzed for statistical significance (kappa statistic).

Results

Rapid ICC detected specific immunosignals in 25/30 cases (83.3%), and nonspecific signals were detected in 5/30 cases. Statistical analysis revealed fair agreement in epithelial tumors (n = 16) with cytokeratin (κ = 0.236) and vimentin (κ = 0.294). In nonepithelial tumors (n = 14), almost perfect agreement was demonstrated with cytokeratin (κ = 0.857) and vimentin (κ = 0.857).

Conclusions

The rapid ICC method can be a useful tool for the diagnostic cytology of neoplastic tissues in dogs.
Follicular lipidosis in a dachshund dog
Authors: Colodel Marcia M. , Pietroluongo Bruno , Lucas Ronaldo , Gomes Kenia B. , Grandi Fabrizio
Published: February 2017

Background

Follicular lipidosis is a rare disease, having only been reported in six Rottweiler dogs. The diagnosis of follicular lipidosis is confirmed by histopathological examination of the affected skin.

Objective

To report a case of follicular lipidosis in a dachshund dog.

Animals

A 13‐month‐old female dachshund dog, with hypotrichosis on the head and cervical region from 10 months of age.

Methods

Histological examination of skin biopsy specimens.

Results

Histological examination revealed basket weave orthokeratosis, ballooning of matrix cells and external root sheath keratinocytes.

Clinical importance

This case report highlights the importance of including follicular lipidosis among the differential diagnoses of noninflammatory and nonhormonal cutaneous lesions in dachshund presented with hair loss.
Comparing tree shapes: beyond symmetry
Authors: Goloboff Pablo A. , Arias Joan S. , Szumik Claudia A.
Published: February 2017

This paper describes two types of problems related to tree shapes, as well as algorithms that can be used to solve these problems. The first problem is that of comparing the similarity of the unlabelled shapes instead of merely their degree of balance, in a manner analogous to that routinely used to compare topologies for labelled trees. There are possible practical applications for this comparison, such as determining, based on tree shape similarity alone, whether the taxa in two phylogenies are likely to have a correspondence (e.g. hosts and parasites with high specificity). It is shown that tree balance is insufficient for this task and that standard measures of topological difference (Robinson–Foulds distances, SPR distances or retention indices of the matrices representing the trees, MRPs) can be easily adapted to the problem. The second type of problem is to determine whether taxa of uncertain matching unique to two different phylogenies could correspond to each other (e.g. the same species in larvae and adults of metamorphic animals, fossils known from different body parts). This second problem can be solved by either relabelling taxa in such a way that the number of consensus nodes is maximized, or relabelling taxa in such a way that the sum of the number of steps in the MRP of each tree mapped onto the other is minimum.
Evolution of Strigamia centipedes (Chilopoda): a first molecular assessment of phylogeny and divergence times
Authors: Bonato Lucio , Bortolin Francesca , Drago Leandro , Orlando Marco , Dányi László
Published: February 2017

We present a first phylogenetic and temporal framework, with biogeographical insights, for the centipedes of the genus Strigamia, which are widespread predators in the forest soils of the Northern Hemisphere and comprise the evo‐devo model species Strigamia maritima. The phylogeny was estimated by different methods of maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference from sequences of two mitochondrial (16S, COI) and two nuclear (18S, 28S) genes, obtained from 16 species from all major areas of the global range of the genus and encompassing most of the overall morphological and ecological diversity. Divergence times were estimated after calibration upon the fossil record of centipedes. We found that major lineages of extant species of Strigamia separated most probably around 60 million years (Ma) ago. The two most diverse lineages diversified during the last 30 Ma and are today segregated geographically, one in Europe and another in Eastern Asia. This latter region hosts a hitherto underestimated richness and anatomical diversity of species, including three still unknown, yet morphologically well distinct species, which are here described as new: Strigamia inthanoni sp. n. from Thailand, Strigamia korsosi sp. n. from the Ryukyu Islands and Strigamia nana sp. n. from Taiwan. The northern European model species S. maritima is more strictly related to the Eastern Asian lineage, from which it most probably separated around 35 Ma ago before the major diversification of the latter.
ECRIF Framework System
Authors: Tosuncuoglu Irfan
Published: February 2017

English is an international language-it is already known by everybody. There have been a lot of ideas and discussions about foreign language learning. And nowadays we have met the framework of ECRIF. It is shortly a framework to help students learn new language and skills so that they can use them fluently and, it has to do with adopting a more learning-centered model of learning the lessons that the teacher conducted. If we analyze; E means encounter, C means clarity, R means remember, I means internalize, F means fluency. Consequently, we can infer by means of ECRIF framework does not how the lesson to be conducted, unlike it gives an idea to the teacher how the learning process is going on, and they can have an idea that what do the students think during the lesson. In this article it is tried to be developed a viewpoint in English teaching within the context of ECRIF.
Un análisis documental de la investigación en dislexia en la edad adulta
Authors: Soriano-Ferrer Manuel , Piedra-Martínez Elisa
Published: February 2017

La dislexia en la edad adulta afecta alrededor del 4% de la población. Por ello, el objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los aspectos metodológicos, así como los temas de investigación, acerca de la dislexia en población adulta. A partir de una búsqueda bibliográfica en la base de datos del Psychological Abstracts: PsycoINFO, se identifican y seleccionan los trabajos sobre los que se centra la revisión. Los resultados indican respecto a la metodología que la mayoría de estudios emplean métodos cuantitativos de investigación (59.4%), frente al 5.7% que emplea métodos cualitativos. También se emplean en el 10% de los trabajos diseños de N=1, y, en menos del 10%, entrevistas, estudios longitudinales y técnicas neurobiológicas. En cuanto a los temas de investigación, el 40.6% de los trabajos se centran en analizar procesos cognitivos (conciencia fonológica, memoria, inteligencia, velocidad de procesamiento) y el rendimiento académico (lectura de palabras, lectura de pseudopalabras, ortografía y comprensión de textos), el 25.4% son estudios neurobiológicos (neurológicos y genéticos), el 12% se centran en la intervención, el 8% en identificación y el 5.4% analizan los problemas asociados a la dislexia en la edad adulta. Los objetivos prioritarios de la investigación parecen ser la caracterización de las manifestaciones de la dislexia en la edad adulta, seguidos de los estudios que se dirigen al esclarecimiento de las bases neurobiológicas. También se amplía la investigación

hacia temas de orden práctico.
Calidad de vida percibida por los escolares con sobrepeso y obesidad, de sectores populares de Medellín, Colombia
Authors: Rodriguez Barrera Juan Carlos , Bastidas Miryam , Genta Giuseppe , Olaya-Contreras Patricia
Published: February 2017

Obesity in children affects physical-and mental health and can develop anxiety, depression, as well as other disorders. The objective was to evaluate the Health-Related Quality of Live (HRQOL) in schoolchildren, according to the nutritional status, and to compare our results with those of the European Union. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 679 schoolchildren, 10-14 years, in a public school of Medellin. The KIDSCREEN -27 questionnaire was used to asses HRQOL. Women, especially with obesity, had a less favorable perception of their physical activity, health, mood and family life, while men perceived less social support from friends; they were mocked by their peers and also felt harassed. Our results are consistent with those found in the European study. The Health-Related Quality of Live in schoolchildren is not homogenous, is affected by age, sex and by the cultural constraints about the construction of the body image. Key words: Bullying, obesity, schoolchildren, overweight, quality of life, social acceptance Health Psychology, Quality of Life La obesidad afecta la salud física y mental de niños/niñas. Se evaluó la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) en escolares, de acuerdo al estado nutricional y se compararon los resultados con los de la Unión Europea. Se realizó un estudio transversal con 679 escolares, 10 a 14 años, de una escuela pública de Medellín, Colombia. Se empleó el KIDSCREEN-27 para medir CVRS. Las mujeres, especialmente con obesidad, tuvieron una percepción menos favorable de la actividad física, salud, estado de ánimo y vida familiar, mientras que los hombres perciben más desfavorablemente el apoyo de amigos y la aceptación social, sintiéndose objeto de burla e intimidación. Los resultados son consistentes con los encontrados en el estudio europeo. La percepción de CVRS de los escolares no es homogénea, está afectada por la edad, el sexo y los condicionantes culturales alrededor de la construcción de la imagen corporal. Palabras claves autores Aceptación social, acoso escolar, calidad de vida, obesidad escolar, sobrepeso, Palabras claves descriptores Calidad de Vida, Psicología de la Salud,
Desarrollo y propiedades psicométricas de un nuevo cuestionario de evaluación de alfabetización en salud mental en jóvenes
Authors: Campos Luísa , Dias Pedro , Palha Filipa , Duarte Ana , Veiga Elisa
Published: February 2017

Several instruments assess constructs related to mental health literacy and to the stigma associated with mental health problems. However, most of them have conceptualisations that may limit the assessment of the mental health literacy concept in a more up-to-date and comprehensive perspective. Furthermore, some of the instruments’ structure may limit their use in large scale samples, in a short period of time and with repeated measures. This article presents the development of the Mental Health Literacy questionnaire (MHLq) and the studies to assess its psychometric properties. After item-pool generation, content validity was assessed by experts and a think aloud procedure. The MHLq was tested in two samples of students (study 1 n=239; aged between 12 and 15 years old; study 2 n=737; aged between 11 and 17 years old) to determine its psychometric properties. Factor analysis procedures favoured a three-factor solution (with 33 items) of the MHLq. The questionnaire showed good internal consistency (total score α=0.84; Factor 1 first aid skills and help seeking - α=0.79; Factor 2 knowledge/stereotypes - α=0.78; Factor 3 self-help strategies - α=0.72); and excellent test-retest reliability, the ICC for the total score of MHLq was 0.88 and for the three dimensions of MHLq was 0.80 (Factor 1), 0.90 (Factor 2) and 0.86 (Factor 3). The MHLq is a practical, valid and reliable tool for identifying gaps in knowledge, beliefs and behavioural intentions, in large samples, allowing the development and evaluation of interventions aimed at promoting mental health in young people.