bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interference of transcription across H‐NS binding sites and repression by H‐NS
Authors: Rangarajan Aathmaja Anandhi , Schnetz Karin
Published: February 2018

Nucleoid‐associated protein H‐NS represses transcription by forming extended DNA–H‐NS complexes. Repression by H‐NS operates mostly at the level of transcription initiation. Less is known about how DNA–H‐NS complexes interfere with transcription elongation. In vitro H‐NS has been shown to enhance RNA polymerase pausing and to promote Rho‐dependent termination, while in vivo inhibition of Rho resulted in a decrease of the genome occupancy by H‐NS. Here we show that transcription directed across H‐NS binding regions relieves H‐NS (and H‐NS/StpA) mediated repression of promoters in these regions. Further, we observed a correlation of transcription across the H‐NS‐bound region and de‐repression. The data suggest that the transcribing RNA polymerase is able to remodel the H‐NS complex and/or dislodge H‐NS from the DNA and thus relieve repression. Such an interference of transcription and H‐NS mediated repression may imply that poorly transcribed AT‐rich loci are prone to be repressed by H‐NS, while efficiently transcribed loci escape repression.
Review: Relationship of type 2 diabetes to human brain pathology
Authors: Pruzin J. J. , Nelson P. T. , Abner E. L. , Arvanitakis Z.
Published: February 2018

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are both highly prevalent diseases worldwide, and each is associated with high‐morbidity and high‐mortality. Numerous clinical studies have consistently shown that T2D confers a two‐fold increased risk for a dementia, including dementia attributable to AD. Yet, the mechanisms underlying this relationship, especially nonvascular mechanisms, remain debated. Cerebral vascular disease (CVD) is likely to be playing a role. But increased AD neuropathologic changes (ADNC), specifically neuritic amyloid plaques (AP) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), are also posited mechanisms. The clinicopathological studies to date demonstrate T2D to be consistently associated with infarcts, particularly subcortical lacunar infarcts, but not ADNC, suggesting the association of T2D with dementia may largely be mediated through CVD. Furthermore, growing interest exists in insulin resistance (IR), particularly IR within the brain itself, which may be an associated but distinct phenomenon from T2D, and possibly itself associated with ADNC. Other mechanisms largely related to protein processing and efflux in the central nervous system with altered function in T2D may also be involved. Such mechanisms include islet amyloid polypeptide (or amylin) deposition, co‐localized with beta‐amyloid and found in more abundance in the AD temporal cortex, blood‐brain barrier breakdown and dysfunction, potentially related to pericyte degeneration, and disturbance of brain lymphatics, both in the glial lymphatic system and the newly discovered discrete central nervous system lymph vessels. Medical research is ongoing to further disentangle the relationship of T2D to dementia in the ageing human brain.
The stereotyped positioning of the generative cell associated with vacuole dynamics is not required for male gametogenesis in rice pollen
Authors: Huang Xiaorong , Peng Xiongbo , Xie Fei , Mao Wanying , Chen Hong , Sun Meng‐Xiang
Published: February 2018

During male gametogenesis in cereals, the generative cell undergoes a positioning process that parallels the dynamics of the central vacuole, which is believed to be associated with generative cell movement in the male gametophyte. However, the impact of the generative cell positioning and the central vacuole dynamics on male gametogenesis has remained poorly understood.

Here, we report that OsGCD1 (GAMETE CELLS DEFECTIVE1) dysfunction influenced pollen development and disrupted pollen germination.

Loss of function of OsGCD1 altered the central vacuole dynamics and the generative cell was mispositioned. Nevertheless, twin sperm cells were generated normally, indicating that gametogenesis does not rely on positional information as long as a generative cell is produced. The normal vacuole dynamics seems necessary only for pollen maturation and germination.

Our findings also indicate that osgcd1 mutation resulted in rice male sterility in which pollen has full cell viability and generated normal gametes, but lacks the potential to germinate.
Microbiome‐based mechanisms hypothesized to initiate obesity‐associated rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Luo Y. , Blackledge W. C.
Published: February 2018

Worldwide, the growing obesity pandemic contributes to a range of chronic diseases. Recent epidemiological studies have suggested an association between obesity and the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly among young women, whereby pro‐inflammatory effects of adipokines provide one explanatory hypothesis. Yet, recent clinical and laboratory‐based studies provide emerging evidence indicating microbiome involvement in RA initiation and development, including anti‐citrullinated antibody formation and Th17 cell activation. Obesity and RA‐associated microbiome alteration might provide a plausible link to address the impact of obesity to RA pathogenesis. The microbiome's influence on RA development – at mucosal as well as articular sites – and relevant pathophysiological mechanisms regarding obesity's association with RA are presented herein to discuss this hypothesis and aid understanding of obesity's role in RA development.
Timing the early treatment of Class II, division 1 malocclusion — Clinical and research considerations
Authors: Ghafari Joseph
Published: February 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between timing of emergence of the permanent teeth and sagittal occlusal changes in children enrolled in a prospective clinical trial of Class II, division 1 treatment. The children, ages 7.2–13.3 years, met strict inclusion criteria and were assigned at random to treatment with either a headgear or a Fränkel functional appliance. Relationships between maxillary and mandibular first molars and canines, as well as overjet, were measured with digital calipers on casts made every 2 months and mounted on a SAM II articulator. The emergence of a permanent tooth was scored on a scale from 1 to 3, depending on the eruptive level of the tooth from cutting through the gingiva (1) to reaching the occlusal table (3). Specifically, emergence of the second premolars (PM2) and permanent second molars (M2), the most adjacent teeth to the first molars, was evaluated as it interacted with the development of the sagittal occlusion. Treatment of the distocclusion was as effective in late childhood as in mid‐childhood. Within each appliance group, the emergence of PM2 and M2 did not affect the amount of progress toward Class I significantly (p> 0.05), indicating that improvement from distocclusion to neutrocclusion with each appliance is not influenced by the timing of emergence of these teeth. Although these findings support a one‐phase treatment starting in the late mixed dentition, earlier intervention in mid‐childhood may be required in the presence of several developmental conditions, or when the dental and skeletal development deviate significantly in the individual patient.
Adult orthodontic therapy: extraction versus non‐extraction
Authors: Baumrind Sheldon
Published: February 2018

This study addresses the problem of randomization of subjects with respect to an irreversible aspect of treatment strategy, namely, the extraction of teeth. The investigation includes both prospective and retrospective components. The data presented focus on clinician decision‐making. Of the 1321 potential subjects for whom records were taken, 250 met the inclusion criteria. Of these subjects, 82 declined to participate and 20 were dropped because of difficulty in obtaining five independent evaluations of their records within a reasonable time frame. Thus, the final sample contained 148 subjects. Approximately one‐third of the subjects in the sample are adult, somewhat more than half are female, and Class I malocclusions outnumber Class II malocclusions by a count of 95 to 53. Patterns of agreement and disagreement among five clinicians include: a) agreement/disagreement on the primary decision whether or not to extract: the data reveal a strong tendency towards consensus among the clinicians; b) agreement/disagreement on extraction pattern in patients in whom the clinician believes that extraction is indicated: the clinicians tended strongly to agree on extraction pattern; c) agreement/ disagreement on the need for adjunctive orthognathic surgery: decisions favoring surgery were more common and more ‘definite’ than ‘probable’ in the adult cohort than in the adolescent cohort but this tendency was not as strong as had been anticipated; d) agreement/disagreement concerning Angle classification: disagreements were more common than had been anticipated; and e) differences among the individual clinicians as to their ratios of extraction/non‐extraction decisions: overall, clinicians opted for extraction less frequently in the adolescent cohort than in the adult cohort (55 vs. 66%). Because the data are drawn from actual clinical experience, the conclusions involve a number of assumptions and their generalizability should be evaluated.
A comparative analysis of Class II treatments: a retrospective/prospective alternative
Authors: Johnston Lysle E.
Published: February 2018

Because of a perceived need to examine problems more pressing than ‘now versus later’ or ‘headgear versus functionals’, a retrospective/prospective alternative to the randomized clinical trial has been developed. In this approach, discriminant analysis is used to identify samples of ex‐patients who, prior to treatment, were equally susceptible to various contemporary treatment alternatives: extraction, non‐extraction; orthodontics, surgery; fixed versus functional. This method of ‘confounder summarization’ has made it possible for us to conduct a wide variety of long‐term comparisons and, in the process, to assess treatment efficiency, stability, esthetics, functional impact, and interaction with the pattern of facial growth. These studies are described in broad outline and serve as examples of the type of data that can be generated in a timely fashion by carefully planned, quasi‐experimental investigations.
Orthodontic process and outcome: efficacy studies ‐ Strategies for developing process and outcome measures: a new era in orthodontics
Authors: Vig Katherine WL , Weyant Robert , Vayda Douglas , O'Brien Kevin , Bennett Elizabeth
Published: February 2018

The development of process and outcome measures in orthodontics lends itself to retrospective clinical studies. Once valid and reliable measures have been tested, prospective studies may utilize these measures to assess the quality of orthodontic treatment outcome and the duration and process of treatment. The findings from two retrospective studies comparing the quality of outcome using the peer assessment rating (PAR) occlusal index and duration of treatment are reported. Class I and Class II treatment comparisons indicate the duration of treatment time is increased on average 5 months in Class II, division 1 patients. In the second study, the effect of extraction/non‐extraction treatment in a sample that included all types of malocclusion indicates that, on average, treatment time is increased by approximately 5 months when extractions are included as part of the orthodontic treatment plan.
Let them eat cake: the struggle between form and substance in orthodontic clinical investigation
Authors: Johnston Lysle E.
Published: February 2018

Events of the past decade or so argue that there is little support in the literature for much of the specialty's treatment portfolio. The resulting call for ‘evidence‐based’ treatment (not to mention the obvious intellectual bankruptcy of much of the clinical literature) has prompted many to argue that the randomized clinical trial (RCT) represents the future of orthodontic clinical investigation. The RCT, after all, is medicine's gold standard; what more is there to say? A popular, but ultimately divisive, corollary of this mimicry is the smug tendency to discount all other sources of data. In the face of a need for information, this attitude is also a wasteful conceit: in the end, the RCT can be applied only to a very narrow spectrum of orthodontic questions. Randomization implies equal susceptibility. Any prospective participant would have to be informed of this equality as part of the informed consent process. Unfortunately, it would be nearly impossible to enroll fully‐informed subjects into any study whose alternatives are of markedly different morbidity: extraction versus non‐extraction or orthodontics versus surgery. Thus, when measured against the most vexing clinical questions, the orthodontic RCT is almost by definition an amusing diversion ‐ expensive, but relatively trivial in scope. Like it or not, it seems reasonable to conclude that most of the specialty's comparative clinical data will have to be generated by way of non‐randomized designs in which care is taken to minimize the various known sources of bias. There probably is no other way.
Force systems developed by six different cantilever configurations
Authors: Dalstra Michel , Melsen Birte
Published: February 2018

The force systems developed by six different cantilever configurations used as part of a three‐piece intrusion mechanics were investigated using the Finite Element method. The deformation patterns during activation, as well as the required activation forces, were calculated. Also determined were the force systems generated during de‐activation. The actual force delivery system varied according to the shape of the bend. All cantilevers delivered a combination of horizontal and vertical forces, but the results demonstrated that the curved cantilevers behaved fundamentally differently from the others. These configurations produced only retraction forces during de‐activation, whereas the other cantilevers first produced protrusive forces, which were gradually reversed into retractive forces during the de‐activation. The addition of length to the wire by bending a loop or a step in a utility shaped cantilever, lowers the stiffness of the configuration and results in lower de‐activation forces.
The emerging soft tissue paradigm in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning
Authors: Ackerman James L. , Proffit William R. , Sarver David M.
Published: February 2018

Until now, orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning has been based on hard tissue relationships and on the Angle paradigm that considers ideal dental occlusion ‘nature's intended ideal form’. In this view, the clinician and nature are partners in seeking the ideal. In the modem biological model, variation is accepted as the natural form; ideal occlusion is the exception rather than the rule, and the orthodontist and nature are often adversaries. The orthodontist's task is to achieve the occlusal and facial outcomes that would most, benefit that individual patient, whose esthetic concerns are often paramount. Because the soft tissues largely determine the limitations of orthodontic treatment, from the perspectives of function and stability, as well as esthetics, the orthodontist must plan treatment within the patient's limits of soft tissue adaptation and soft tissue contours. This emerging soft tissue paradigm in diagnosis and treatment planning places greater emphasis on clinical examination of soft tissue function and esthetics than has previously been the case, and new information in these areas is required.
Piggyback archwires
Authors: Sandler P.J. , Murray A.M. , Biase D. Di
Published: February 2018

Commonly, clinicians’ principal tool in the alignment phase of orthodontic mechanotherapy is the nickel‐titanium wire. During the course of orthodontic treatment, however, there are times when some segments of the dental arch require flexible wires, while the rest would benefit from rigid wires. In this report, we describe a technique where both of these needs are satisfied simultaneously. Specifically, a segment of nickel‐titanium wire is piggybacked onto a stainless steel wire in regions where flexibility is desired. This method eliminates the problems associated with the activation, de‐activation forces created along a continuous archwire and might be more economical. Clinical pictures illustrate the point.
Reliability of a method for the localization of displaced maxillary canines using a single panoramic radiograph
Authors: Chaushu S. , Becker A. , Chaushu G.
Published: February 2018

The present study was initiated to determine the validity and reproducibility of a method previously reported for localization of displaced maxillary canines by panoramic radiographs. Eleven dental specialists (five orthodontists, five surgeons, and one radiologist) and five (final year) dental students were asked to interpret initial panoramic radiographs of 20 patients with 26 unerupted canines. The method contends that, provided that the radiographic image of the unerupted canines superimposes on the root of the lateral incisor at a height coronal to the apical third, a ratio between the widest mesiodistal dimension of the affected canine and the homolateral central incisor [Canine‐Incisor Index (CII)] of more than 1.15 indicates palatal displacement. Among the observers, the measurement error was small, insufficient to cause overlap between the ranges of values for the CII of buccal and palatal canines. Inter‐observer reproducibility was high. Without exception, all observers correctly diagnosed the location of each of the impacted canines. The CII cut‐off point of 1.15, which was arbitrarily chosen in the previous work, was shown to be valid to differentiate buccal from palatal displacement.

The present method is rapid, simple, accurate, and easily taught to dental students or dental specialists, with the simplest of initial instruction. While confirmations with other radiographic techniques is strongly advised before a definitive treatment is undertaken, this method has merit in providing more information than has been available from the panoramic radiograph hitherto, to satisfy the needs of an initial orthodontic consultation.
Surgical orthodontic treatment of skeletal Class III malocclusion with anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADNR): a case report
Authors: Itoh S. , Nagata H. , Nakagawa K. , Takada K. , Murakami S. , Ogura T.
Published: February 2018

A female patient with skeletal problems and left temporomandibular joint (TMJ) derangement was treated with an occlusal splint, arthroscopic irrigation, and orthodontic surgery. The left side disc was displaced anteriorly without reduction, and mobility of the left condylar head was restricted. With arthroscopic irrigation, the jaw functions were recovered, but the disc position remained the same. After TMJ therapy, orthodontic and orthognatic surgery treatments were performed to correct the dentofacial deformity. Stable facial esthetics and occlusion devoid of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) symptoms were obtained and the patient's progress was monitored over a 5‐year period.
Perioperative Blood Management Strategies for Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Lu Qiang , Peng Hao , Zhou Guan‐jin , Yin Dong
Published: February 2018

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) often causes a significant amount of blood loss with an accompanying decline in hemoglobin and may increase the frequency of allogeneic blood transfusion rates. Unfortunately, allogeneic blood transfusions have associated risks including postoperative confusion, infection, cardiac arrhythmia, fluid overload, increased length of hospital stay, and increased mortality. Other than reducing the need for blood transfusions, reducing perioperative blood loss in TKA may also minimize intra‐articular hemorrhage, limb swelling, and postoperative pain, and increase the range of motion during the early postoperative period. These benefits improve rehabilitation success and increase patients’ postoperative satisfaction. Preoperative anemia, coupled with intraoperative and postoperative blood loss, is a major factor associated with higher rates of blood transfusion in TKA. Thus, treatment of preoperative anemia and prevention of perioperative blood loss are the primary strategies for perioperative blood management in TKA. This review, combined with current evidence, analyzes various methods of blood conservation, including preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative methods, in terms of their effectiveness, safety, and cost. Because many factors can be controlled to reduce blood loss and transfusion rates in TKA, a highly efficient, safe, and cost‐effective blood management strategy can be constructed to eliminate the need for transfusions associated with TKA.
Diagnosis of Compressed Nerve Root in Lumbar Disc Herniation Patients by Surface Electromyography
Authors: Li Wei , Liu Yan‐cheng , Zheng Chen‐fan , Miao Jun , Chen Hui , Quan Hai‐ying , Yan Song‐hua , Zhang Kuan
Published: February 2018

Objective

To establish a logistic regression model using surface electromyography (SEMG) parameters for diagnosing the compressed nerve root at L5 or S1 level in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

Methods

This study recruited 24 patients with L5 nerve root compression and 23 patients with S1 nerve root compression caused by LDH from May 2014 to May 2016. SEMG signals from the bilateral tibialis anterior and lateral gastrocnemius were measured. The root mean square (RMS), the RMS peak time, the mean power frequency (MPF), and the median frequency (MF) were analyzed. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity values were calculated separately. The areas under the curve (AUC) of the receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the kappa value were used to evaluate the accuracy of the SEMG diagnostic model.

Results

The accuracy of the SEMG model ranged from 85.71% to 100%, with an average of 93.57%. The sensitivity, specificity, AUC, and kappa value of the logistic regression model were 0.98 ± 0.05, 0.92 ± 0.09, 0.95 ± 0.04 (P = 0.006), and 0.87 ± 0.11, respectively (P = 0.001). The final diagnostic model was: ; y = 10.76 − (5.95 × TA_RMS Ratio) − (0.38 × TA_RMS Peak Time Ratio) – (5.44 × 44 × LG_RMS Peak Time Ratio). L5 nerve root compression is diagnosed when P < 0.5 and S1 nerve root compression when P ≥ 0.5.

Conclusions

The logistic regression model developed in this study showed high diagnostic accuracy in detecting the compressed nerve root (L5 and S1) in these patients with LDH.
Bayesian Non-Parametric Generation Of Fully Synthetic Multivariate Categorical Data in the Presence of Structural Zeros
Authors: Manrique-Vallier Daniel , Hu Jingchen
Published: February 2018

Statistical agencies are increasingly adopting synthetic data methods for disseminating microdata without compromising the privacy of respondents. Crucial to the implementation of these approaches are flexible models, able to capture the nuances of the multivariate structure in the original data. In the case of multivariate categorical data, preserving this multivariate structure also often involves satisfying constraints in the form of combinations of responses that cannot logically be present in any data set—like married toddlers or pregnant men—also known as structural zeros. Ignoring structural zeros can result in both logically inconsistent synthetic data and biased estimates. Here we propose the use of a Bayesian non-parametric method for generating discrete multivariate synthetic data subject to structural zeros. This method can preserve complex multivariate relationships between variables, can be applied to high dimensional data sets with massive collections of structural zeros, requires minimal tuning from the user and is computationally efficient. We demonstrate our approach by synthesizing an extract of 17 variables from the 2000 US census. Our method produces synthetic samples with high analytic utility and low disclosure risk.
It is only fair: blood donors are more sensitive to violations of fairness norms than nondonors – converging psychometric and ultimatum game evidence
Authors: Ferguson E. , Lawrence C.
Published: February 2018

Background and Objectives

The design of effective donor recruitment campaigns requires an accurate understanding of donor motivations. This requires cross‐validation of theoretically derived, psychometrically assessed motivations with behavioural preferences. Theoretical models suggest that blood donors should be more sensitive than nondonors to violations of fairness norms. Specifically, active blood donors, compared to nondonors, should endorse beliefs of reciprocal fairness, norms of both positive and negative reciprocity and reject more unfair offers in a behavioural economic game (the ultimatum game). This study is the first to test this hypothesis.

Materials and Methods

Two studies are reported. One experimental psychometric study (N = 400) and one behavioural economic game using the ultimatum game (N = 60).

Results

Consistent with the predictions, active and lapsed donors, compared to nondonors, were more likely to endorse beliefs of reciprocal fairness and active donors to endorse norms of both positive and negative reciprocity and reject more unfair offers in the ultimatum game. This pattern of motivations was unique to blood donors and not observed for other health (i.e. being on the organ donor register) and nonhealth (e.g. volunteering) prosociality.

Conclusion

Blood donors have a heightened sensitivity to unfairness violations. This indicates a very clear and specific line for the development of interventions that align fairness, self‐interest and reciprocity, for example voluntary reciprocal altruism (VRA). We also highlight the importance of establishing intervention development within a clinical trials model and emphasize why experimental work of this type is vital.
Abrogation of fluid suppression in intracranial postcontrast fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance imaging: A clinical and phantom study
Authors: Dickinson Peter J. , Jones‐Woods Sarah , Cissell Derek D.
Published: February 2018

Postcontrast, fluid–attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences are reported to be of variable value in veterinary and human neuroimaging. The source of hyperintensity in postcontrast‐T2 FLAIR images is inconsistently reported and has implications for the significance of imaging findings. We hypothesized that the main source of increased signal intensity in postcontrast‐T2 FLAIR images would be due to gadolinium leakage into adjacent fluid, and that the resulting gadolinium‐induced T1 shortening causes reappearance of fluid hyperintensity, previously nulled on precontrast FLAIR images. A retrospective, descriptive study was carried out comparing T2 weighted, pre‐ and postcontrast T1 weighted and pre‐ and postcontrast weighted T2 FLAIR images in a variety of intracranial diseases in dogs and cats. A prospective, experimental, phantom, in vitro study was also done to compare the relative effects of gadolinium concentration on T2 weighted, T1 weighted, and FLAIR images. A majority of hyperintensities on postcontrast‐T2 FLAIR images that were not present on precontrast FLAIR images were also present on precontrast T2 weighted images, and were consistent with normal or pathological fluid filled structures. Phantom imaging demonstrated increased sensitivity of FLAIR sequences to low concentrations of gadolinium compared to T1 weighted sequences. Apparent contrast enhancement on postcontrast‐T2 FLAIR images often reflects leakage of gadolinium across normal or pathology specific barriers into fluid‐filled structures, and hyperintensity may therefore represent normal fluid structures as well as pathological tissues. Findings indicated that postcontrast‐T2 FLAIR images may provide insight into integrity of biological structures such as the ependymal and subarachnoid barriers that may be relevant to progression of disease.
What matters most to people in retirement villages and their transition to residential aged care
Authors: Yeung Polly , Good Gretchen , O'Donoghue Kieran , Spence Sarah , Ros Blanka
Published: February 2018

INTRODUCTION: As older people age and become frail, their decline in independence and concomitant changing care needs may force them to move from retirement village to a residential aged care (RAC) facility. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that contribute to subjective wellbeing among older people living in retirement villages in Aotearoa New Zealand and to compare results with the data from the residents of the care home facilities co-located with the retirement villages.METHOD: This study is mainly quantitative in nature to examine what factors contributed to subjective wellbeing among older people living in retirement villages. Descriptive and regression analyses were used with data collected in 2016 from residents of two retirement villages (N = 163) from one aged residential care provider in Aotearoa New Zealand and they were then compared with already-published data on RAC residents. In addition, four village residents participated in semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: Results showed that retirement village residents reported being generally satisfied with their living environment and their overall wellbeing is positively influenced by their social and psychological milieu.CONCLUSIONS: This research provides insights on what matters most to retirement village residents’ subjective wellbeing, which includes a dignified environment enhancing positive mental health, relationship building and reducing loneliness and isolation. Results were also compared with feedback from care home residents co-located in the same estate to provide an indicative picture for comparison against other studies to inform and expand choices for older people to consider when relocating in late-life.
Developmental Trends and Determinants of Physical Activity From Adolescence to Adulthood Differ by Ethnicity/Race and Sex
Authors: Miller Jonathan , Pereira Mark , Wolfson Julian , Laska Melissa , Nelson Toben , Neumark-Sztainer Dianne
Published: February 2018

Background:Interventions to raise population physical activity generally show modest effects; one possible reason is that trends and determinants of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) differ between population subgroups. This study examined differences in trends and determinants of reported MVPA by ethnicity/race and sex in a 15-year longitudinal study.Methods:Participants (n = 2092) in the Project Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults study were surveyed on MVPA behavior and potential determinants from adolescence to young adulthood. Generalized estimating equations were used to model age trends in MVPA and associations with determinants.Results:Mean MVPA declined by 2.1 hours per week over 15 years of follow-up from adolescence to young adulthood. Asian males reported the lowest levels of MVPA at each age. Nonwhite females reported less MVPA than white females at each age. The association of body mass index (BMI) with MVPA differed by sex and ethnicity/race. Asian males and females showed lower levels of MVPA at both low and high BMI.Conclusions:Interventions to increase MVPA may need to begin earlier among Asian men and nonwhite women than among other groups. Asian adolescents with lower BMI show lower MVPA and may benefit from additional intervention efforts compared with Asian adolescents with normal BMI.
Motor Patterns Acquired Early in Life, the Brain-Behavior Coalition, and the Importance of Context
Authors: Nishiyori Ryota , Ulrich Beverly D.
Published: February 2018

Our goal for this paper is to address changes in motor patterns that occur early in life. To do this, we begin by sharing first a brief set of exemplar patterns of movement that emerge prenatally and during the first year postnatally. We couch these descriptions in the hypotheses proposed to explain what has been observed, and emphasize, as well, the context in which they appear. We follow with some experimental studies developmental scientists have used to test these explanations. Subsequently, we address the brain-behavior collaboration that unfolds and supports skill acquisition across early development. We provide data to show that recent advances in brain-imaging technology enable researchers to monitor cortical activity as infants explore and learn functional skills in real time and over developmental time. This opens a new frontier to the scientific study of the early development of neuromotor control and can enhance both our basic science knowledge and our efforts to optimize positive clinical outcomes.
Neuromuscular Physiology, Exercise, and Training During Youth—The Year That Was 2017
Authors: Behm David G.
Published: February 2018

The pressure for children to excel and succeed in sport continues to mount. Although resistance training for youth was in disfavor by many organizations even into the early 21st century, children’s training programs are more closely resembling the volume and intensity of adult programs. The physiological maturation of adolescent youth may impact their response to advanced training programs. Furthermore, the pressure to specialize in specific sports rather than engage in a variety of sporting activities may affect not only training responses but also injury incidence. The highlighted articles first illustrate the training-specific responses of prepeak and postpeak height velocity stage youth with more specific training stimuli needed for the postpeak height velocity stage youth. Second, individual sports tend to promote earlier and greater specialization compared with team sports, which tend to result in a higher proportion of overuse injuries. Based on the findings of these 2 studies, the planning and implementation of high-intensity training for youth, such as plyometrics, should take into consideration the physical maturation of the child and that the prevention of overuse injuries would benefit from a more varied participation in sports and activities.
Youth Resistance Training: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly—The Year That Was 2017
Authors: Faigenbaum Avery D.
Published: February 2018

The good news is that a growing body of evidence recognizes resistance training as foundational to long-term physical development. Original research and reviews published in 2017 conclude that early exposure to developmentally appropriate resistance training can improve markers of health, increase muscular fitness, enhance physical literacy, and reduce the risk of injury in young athletes. Although the papers discussed in the commentary add to our understanding of the pleiotropic benefits of youth resistance training, they also raise concerns. As measures of muscular strength and power have been found to track from childhood to adulthood, the bad news is that youth with low levels of muscular fitness tend to become weak adults who are at increased risk for functional limitations and adverse health outcomes. Furthermore, global participation in youth resistance training is falling far short of public health recommendations, and these ugly trends will likely impact the health and well-being of future generations. A change in current attitudes and common practices is urgently needed to educate parents, practitioners, and clinicians about the potential benefits of resistance training for all children and adolescents, not only young athletes.
In Vitro
and
In Vivo
Efficacy of a Novel and Long-Acting Fungicidal Azole, PC1244, on Aspergillus fumigatus Infection
Authors: Colley Thomas , Sehra Gurpreet , Chowdhary Anuradha , Alanio Alexandre , Kelly Steven L. , Kizawa Yasuo , Armstrong-James Darius , Fisher Matthew C. , Warrilow Andrew G. S. , Parker Josie E. , Kelly Diane E. , Kimura Genki , Nishimoto Yuki , Sunose Mihiro , Onions Stuart , Crepin Damien , Lagasse Franz , Crittall Matthew , Shannon Jonathan , McConville Matthew , King-Underwood John , Naylor Alan , Bretagne Stéphane , Murray John , Ito Kazuhiro , Strong Pete , Rapeport Garth
Published: February 2018

The antifungal effects of the novel triazole PC1244, designed for topical or inhaled administration, against
Aspergillus fumigatus
were tested in a range of
in vitro
and
in vivo
studies. PC1244 demonstrated potent antifungal activities against clinical
A. fumigatus
isolates (
n
= 96) with a MIC range of 0.016 to 0.25 μg/ml, whereas the MIC range for voriconazole was 0.25 to 0.5 μg/ml. PC1244 was a strong tight-binding inhibitor of recombinant
A. fumigatus
CYP51A and CYP51B (sterol 14α-demethylase) enzymes and strongly inhibited ergosterol synthesis in
A. fumigatus
with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 8 nM. PC1244 was effective against a broad spectrum of pathogenic fungi (MIC range, <0.0078 to 2 μg/ml), especially
Aspergillus terreus
,
Trichophyton rubrum
,
Candida albicans
,
Candida glabrata
,
Candida krusei
,
Cryptococcus gattii
,
Cryptococcus neoformans
, and
Rhizopus oryzae
. PC1244 also proved to be quickly absorbed into both
A. fumigatus
hyphae and bronchial epithelial cells, producing persistent antifungal effects. In addition, PC1244 showed fungicidal activity (minimum fungicidal concentration, 2 μg/ml) which indicated that it was 8-fold more potent than voriconazole.
In vivo
, once-daily intranasal administration of PC1244 (3.2 to 80 μg/ml) to temporarily neutropenic, immunocompromised mice 24 h after inoculation with itraconazole-susceptible
A. fumigatus
substantially reduced the fungal load in the lung, the galactomannan concentration in serum, and circulating inflammatory cytokine levels. Furthermore, 7 days of extended prophylaxis with PC1244 showed
in vivo
effects superior to those of 1 day of prophylactic treatment, suggesting accumulation of the effects of PC1244. Thus, PC1244 has the potential to be a novel therapy for the treatment of
A. fumigatus
infection in the lungs of humans.
Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae, a Generalist Pathogen with Unique Virulence Factors and High Genetic Diversity
Authors: Osorio Carlos R. , Vences Ana , Matanza Xosé M. , Terceti Mateus S.
Published: February 2018

Photobacterium damselae
subsp.
damselae
causes vibriosis in a variety of marine animals, including fish species of importance in aquaculture.
Do patients with blunt thoracic aortic injury present to hospital with unstable vital signs? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bade-Boon Jordan , Mathew Joseph K , Fitzgerald Mark C , Mitra Biswadev
Published: February 2018

Background

Blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is an uncommon diagnosis, usually developing as a consequence of high-impact acceleration–deceleration mechanisms. Timely diagnosis may enable early resuscitation and reduction of shear forces, essential to prevent worsening of the injury prior to definitive management. Death is commonly due to haemorrhagic shock, but clinical features may be absent until sudden and massive haemorrhage.

Objectives

The aim of this systematic review was to determine the proportion of patients with BTAI who present with unstable vital signs.

Methods

Manuscripts were identified through a search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases, focusing on subject headings and keywords related to the aorta and trauma. Mechanisms of injury, haemodynamic status and mortality from the included manuscripts were reviewed. Meta-analysis of presenting haemodynamic status among a select group of similar papers was conducted.

Results

Nineteen studies were included, with five selected for meta-analysis. Most reported cases of BTAI (80.0%–100%) were caused by road traffic incidents, with mortality consistently higher among initially unstable patients. There was statistically significant heterogeneity among the included studies (P<0.01). The pooled proportion of patients with haemodynamic instability in the setting of BTAI was 48.8% (95% CI 8.3 to 89.4).

Conclusions

Normal vital signs do not rule out aortic injury. A high degree of clinical suspicion and liberal use of imaging is necessary to prevent missed or delayed diagnoses.
Genetic tests in lymphatic vascular malformations and lymphedema
Authors: Michelini Sandro , Paolacci Stefano , Manara Elena , Eretta Costantino , Mattassi Raul , Lee Byung-Boong , Bertelli Matteo
Published: February 2018

Syndromes with lymphatic malformations show phenotypic variability within the same entity, clinical features that overlap between different conditions and allelic as well as locus heterogeneity. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive clinical genetic description of lymphatic malformations and the techniques used for their diagnosis, and to propose a flowchart for genetic testing. Literature and database searches were performed to find conditions characterised by lymphatic malformations or the predisposition to lymphedema after surgery, to identify the associated genes and to find the guidelines and genetic tests currently used for the molecular diagnosis of these disorders. This search allowed us to identify several syndromes with lymphatic malformations that are characterised by a great heterogeneity of phenotypes, alleles and loci, and a high frequency of sporadic cases, which may be associated with somatic mutations. For these disorders, we found many diagnostic tests, an absence of harmonic guidelines for molecular diagnosis and well-established clinical guidelines. Targeted sequencing is the preferred method for the molecular diagnosis of lymphatic malformations. These techniques are easy to implement and have a good diagnostic success rates. In addition, they are relatively inexpensive and permit parallel analysis of all known disease-associated genes. The targeted sequencing approach has improved the diagnostic process, giving patients access to better treatment and, potentially, to therapy personalised to their genetic profiles. These new techniques will also facilitate the prenatal and early postnatal diagnosis of congenital lymphatic conditions and the possibility of early intervention.
Re-evaluation of ice loads on the Molikpaq structure measured during the 1985–86 season
Authors: Jordaan Ian , Hewitt Kevin , Frederking Robert
Published: February 2018

The Molikpaq drilling platform, a steel annulus filled with sand, 90 m wide, was deployed at the Amauligak I-65 location in the Beaufort Sea during the 1985–1986 winter. It was heavily instrumented for measurement of ice loads, using strain gauges, extensometers, and Medof panels. The original calibrations of the Medof panels were used to estimate loads. Calibration was carried out using uniform pressures up to 1.86 MPa. The actual loading in the field of the Medof panels was extremely non-uniform spatially, particularly during ice crushing, and is very different from that in the original calibration. The resulting high pressures led to softening of the polyurethane buttons in the panels, including the Mullins effect. The panels were consequently reading too high. Extensometer readings, geotechnical measurements, and those pertaining to a decelerating floe impacting the structure, support the conclusion that actual ice loads were about half those obtained using the original Medof panel calibrations.
Generation and coherent detection of QPSK signal using a novel method of digital signal processing
Authors: Zhao Yuan , Hu Bingliang , He Zhen-An , Xie Wenjia , Gao Xiaohui
Published: February 2018

We demonstrate an optical quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) signal transmitter and an optical receiver for demodulating optical QPSK signal with homodyne detection and digital signal processing (DSP). DSP on the homodyne detection scheme is employed without locking the phase of the local oscillator (LO). In this paper, we present an extracting one-dimensional array of down-sampling method for reducing unwanted samples of constellation diagram measurement. Such a novel scheme embodies the following major advantages over the other conventional optical QPSK signal detection methods. First, this homodyne detection scheme does not need strict requirement on LO in comparison with linear optical sampling, such as having a flat spectral density and phase over the spectral support of the source under test. Second, the LabVIEW software is directly used for recovering the QPSK signal constellation without employing complex DSP circuit. Third, this scheme is applicable to multilevel modulation formats such as M-ary PSK and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) or higher speed signals by making minor changes.
Modal and Elastic Time-History Analysis of Frames with Tapered Sections by Non-Prismatic Elements
Authors: Bai Rui , Liu Si-Wei , Chan Siu-Lai
Published: February 2018

Low-cost robotic welding and wide availability of high strength steel plates of grades over 500[Formula: see text]MPa make the use of tapered members an economical alternative to conventional prismatic members for modern steel structures, as experienced by the authors in some practical projects in Hong Kong and Macau. This paper proposes a new and efficient numerical method for modal and elastic time-history analysis of the frames with tapered sections. A series of non-prismatic elements is derived on the basis of analytical expressions, and the exact consistent mass and tangent stiffness matrices are formulated. Five common types of tapered sections for practical applications, namely the circular solid, circular hollow, rectangular solid, rectangular hollow and doubly symmetric-I sections, are studied. Contrary to the conventional method using the approximate assumptions for the section properties along the member length, this research analytically expresses the flexural rigidity and cross-sectional area for the stiffness and mass matrices of an element. Further, the techniques for obtaining the dynamic performances, such as natural vibrations and time-history responses, of non-prismatic members are investigated. Finally, three examples are conducted for validating and verifying the accuracy of the proposed formulations. The present work can be used in the dynamic response analysis of frame structures with tapered sections in seismic zones.
Realising Value from Absorptive Capacity
Authors: Eastburn Ronald
Published: February 2018

To gain insight into how successful community banks are continuously “adaptive” to environmental challenges, we examined the role absorptive capacity (ACAP) plays in effecting improved performance. ACAP is the formal mechanism used for sensing and experimentation of knowledge — and as such is adopted to acquire, assimilate, transform and exploit knowledge so as to positively influence performance. Data obtained from a survey of 151 community bank CEOs confirmed that ACAP does indeed enhance performance. We also demonstrated the multi-dimensional structure of ACAP, the consequence of cultivating an active learning orientation and the relevance of potential cultural inhibitors on decision behaviour for innovative performance. Several directions for future studies utilising knowledge-based responses are proposed.
Distribution of the unpaired electron in neutral bis(phthalocyaninato) yttrium double-deckers: An experimental and theoretical combinative investigation
Authors: Chen Xin , Chen Yuxiang , Bai Ming , Wang Chiming , Qi Dongdong , Liu Qingyun , Xu Meixing , Jiang Jianzhuang
Published: February 2018

The location of the unpaired electron in neutral bis(phthalocyaninato) yttrium double-decker complexes, with different substituents, has been studied on the basis of both experimental methods and density functional theory (DFT) calculations over the molecular structures, atomic charges, electronic absorption, infrared spectra, and electron paramagnetic resonance. The results reveal the location of the unpaired electron mainly on the carbon atoms of both tetrapyrrole chromophores with the population distribution obviously affected by the peripheral substituents.