bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can multicentre urodynamic studies provide high quality evidence for the clinical effectiveness of urodynamics? ICI‐RS 2019
Authors: Rademakers Kevin , Gammie Andrew , Yasmin Habiba , Cardozo Linda , Greenwell Tamsin , Harding Christopher , Kirschner‐Hermanns Ruth , Marcelissen Tom , Finazzi‐Agro Enrico
Published: January 2020

Aims

Lower urinary tract (LUT) function can be investigated by urodynamic studies (UDS) to establish underlying functional abnormalities in the LUT. A multicentre registry could present an opportunity to improve the scientific evidence base for UDS. During the International Consultation on Incontinence Research Society (ICI‐RS) meeting in Bristol, United Kingdom 2019, an expert panel discussed the potential of a multicentre urodynamic registry to improve the quality of urodynamic output.

Methods

the potential importance of a multicentre urodynamic registry, parameter inclusion, quality control, and pitfalls during a registry roll‐out were reviewed and discussed.

Results and Conclusions

The clinical utility, evaluation, and effectiveness of UDS remain poorly defined due to a lack of high quality evidence and large study populations. Therefore, the ICI‐RS proposes formation of a urodynamic panel for future roll‐out of a registry. The inclusion of basic parameters was discussed and the essential parameters were defined as well as the potential pitfalls of a registry roll‐out. The discussion and recommendations in this paper form the base for future urodynamic registry development.
Time of peak nocturnal diuresis rate between men with secondary nocturnal polyuria versus nocturnal polyuria syndrome
Authors: Monaghan Thomas F. , Epstein Matthew R. , Bliwise Donald L. , Michelson Kyle P. , Wu Zhan D. , Lazar Jason M. , Everaert Karel , Kabarriti Abdo E. , Holmes Arturo , Wein Alan J. , Weiss Jeffrey P.
Published: January 2020

Aim

Compare the circadian trajectory of diuresis between nocturnal polyuria (NP) patients with versus without identifiable contributory comorbidities.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of frequency‐volume charts from male patients with clinically‐significant nocturia (≥2 nocturnal voids) and NP (defined by nocturnal urine production [NUP] ≥90 mL/hour or nocturnal polyuria index [NPi] ≥0.33). Patients with NP and chronic kidney disease, congestive heart failure, and/or undertreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) were deemed to have secondary NP. Nocturnal polyuria syndrome (NPS) was defined as NP without edema, loop diuretic use, or the aforementioned conditions. Patients with diabetes insipidus or OSA with appropriate continuous positive airway pressure utilization were excluded. The timing and volumes of nocturnal voids were used to derive “early” and “late” nocturnal diuresis rates (mL/hour of urine produced before and after the first nocturnal awakening, respectively). The likelihood of an early peak nocturnal diuresis rate (ie, early >late nocturnal diuresis rate) was compared between patients with NPS versus secondary NP using both a crude and adjusted odds ratio.

Results

The likelihood of an early peak nocturnal diuresis rate in patients with NPS compared with secondary NP was 2.58 (1.05‐6.31) at NUP ≥ 90 mL/hour and 1.96 (0.87‐4.42) at NPi ≥ 0.33 on crude analysis, and 2.44 (0.96‐6.24) and 1.93 (0.83‐4.48) after adjustment, respectively.

Conclusions

A peak early nocturnal diuresis rate was significantly more likely in patients with NPS at NUP ≥ 90 mL/hour, with similar odds ratios at NPi ≥ 0.33 and following adjustment. Delineating nocturic patients by NP subgroup may facilitate more individualized management.

Patient Summary

Many people have to wake up to urinate because they produce too much urine at night—a condition known as “nocturnal polyuria.” Nocturnal polyuria might be caused by drinking too much fluid, other behavioral factors, or conditions that make your body hold on to too much fluid, like heart disease, kidney disease, and sleep apnea. In cases of nocturnal polyuria where no clear cause can be identified, it is thought that patients may suffer from a deficiency in nighttime vasopressin, a hormone that plays a key role in how much urine you produce. In this study, we compared the pattern of nighttime urine production in patients with different causes of nocturnal polyuria, which may lead to more personalized treatment options for patients with this condition.
The coupling system of Navier–Stokes equations and elastic Navier–Lame equations in a blood vessel
Authors: Liu Demin , Li Linjin
Published: January 2020

In this paper, the blood flow problem is considered in a blood vessel, and a coupling system of Navier–Stokes equations and linear elastic equations, Navier–Lame equations, in a cylinder with cylindrical elastic shell is given as the governing equations of the problem. We provide two finite element models to simulating the three‐dimensional Navier–Stokes equations in the cylinder while the asymptotic expansion method is used to solving the linearly elastic shell equations. Specifically, in order to discrete the Navier–Stokes equations, the dimensional splitting strategy is constructed under the cylinder coordinate system. The spectral method is adopted along the rotation direction while the finite element method is used along the other directions. By using the above strategy, we get a series of two‐dimensional‐three‐components (2D‐3C) fluid problems. By introduce the S‐coordinate system in E3 and employ the thickness of blood vessel wall as the expanding parameter, the asymptotic expansion method can be established to approximate the solution of the 3D elastic problem. The interface contact conditions can be treated exactly based on the knowledge of tensor analysis. Finally, numerical test shows that our method is reasonable.
TAM BB‐2139 ELSU extra long staple upland germplasm
Authors: Smith C. Wayne , Beyer Ben , Hequet E. F. , Hague S. , Jones D.
Published: January 2020

The minimum or nondiscount upper half mean length (UHML) of upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., for consumption in the United States is 27 mm, while the minimum for international markets is 28 mm. This discrepancy is based on the remaining US spinning mills predominately using rotor spinning technology, while ring spinning predominates internationally. Along with increased international base for staple length, processors desire greater fiber strength, decreased short fiber content, and more uniform fiber length distributions to withstand ever‐increasing processing speeds and rigor and to produce premium yarns with improved end use quality. A narrower micronaire range (or finer yet mature fibers) or finer fibers is also desirable. With increasing export of US cotton and advances in spinning technology, improvements of fiber quality parameters are essential for the competitiveness of US upland cotton. Producers receive premiums for improved fiber quality, and their product is more competitive with manmade fibers in the textile market. TAM BB‐2139 ELSU (extra long staple upland) (Reg. no. GP‐1071, PI 691840) exhibited UHML exceeding the control cultivars and averaged 35.5 mm UHML across six locations in central and south Texas in 2016–2017. It also averaged 36.6 mm in the 2016 USDA Regional High Quality Test when grown across nine locations in eight states. The minimum UHML for G. barbadense L., pima cotton, is 34.9 mm. TAM BB‐2139 ELSU will provide upland cotton breeders with a source for improving UHML.
Conformational states of TNFR1 as a molecular switch for receptor function
Authors: Lo Chih Hung , Huber Evan C. , Sachs Jonathan N.
Published: January 2020

Tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) is a transmembrane receptor that plays a key role in the regulation of the inflammatory pathway. While inhibition of TNFR1 has been the focus of many studies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, activation of the receptor is important for the treatment of immunodeficiency diseases such as HIV and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease where a boost in immune signaling is required. In addition, activation of other TNF receptors such as death receptor 5 or FAS receptor is important for cancer therapy. Here, we used a previously established TNFR1 fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor together with a fluorescence lifetime technology as a high‐throughput screening platform to identify a novel small molecule that activates TNFR1 by increasing inter‐monomeric spacing in a ligand‐independent manner. This shows that the conformational rearrangement of pre‐ligand assembled receptor dimers can determine the activity of the receptor. By probing the interaction between the receptor and its downstream signaling molecule (TRADD) our findings support a new model of TNFR1 activation in which varying conformational states of the receptor act as a molecular switch in determining receptor function.
A fully Bayesian mixture model approach for identifying noncompliance in a regulatory tobacco clinical trial
Authors: Kaizer Alexander M. , Koopmeiners Joseph S.
Published: January 2020

Identifying noncompliance in a randomized trial is challenging, but could be improved by leveraging biomarker data to identify participants that did not comply with their assigned treatment. For randomized trials of very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes, the biomarker of total nicotine equivalents (TNE) could be used to identify noncompliance. Compliant participants should have lower levels of TNEs than participants that did not comply and smoked normal nicotine content cigarettes, resulting in a mixture of compliant and noncompliant participants at each dose level. Thresholds of TNE could then be identified from the compliant groups at each dose level and used to determine which study participants were compliant. Furthermore, proposed biological relationships of TNE with nicotine dose could be incorporated into improve the efficiency of estimation, but may introduce bias if misspecified. To account for multiple modeling assumptions across dose levels, we explore model averaging via reversible jump markov chain monte carlo (MCMC) within each dose level to take advantage of improvements in efficiency when the proposed relationship is true and to downweight the biological model when it is misspecified. In simulation studies, we demonstrate that model averaging in the presence of a correct biological relationship results in a decrease in the mean square error (MSE) of up to 85%, but downweights the model in dose levels where the relationship is not appropriate. We apply our approach to data from a randomized trial of VLNC cigarettes to estimate TNE thresholds and probability of compliance curves as a function of TNEs for each nicotine dose used in the trial.
Extraction techniques for pesticide residues analysis in edible oils and role of sorbents in cleanup
Authors: Muhammad Rashid , Ahad Karam , Mehboob Farrakh
Published: January 2020

Pesticide residue analysis enables researchers to detect the minute quantity of residual pesticides by applying sensitive analytical techniques which include gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. However, the sample preparation step prior to utilizing these sophisticated techniques is key to achieving the required sensitivity. The present article reviews the significant methods available for sample preparation for pesticide residue analysis in edible oil. Present sample extraction and cleanup section, most common extraction and cleanup techniques such as liquid‐liquid extraction, solid phase extraction/dispersive solid phase extraction and quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe method are discussed. Since selection of sorbent affects the recovery, matrix effect and rate of false positive and false negatives, hence, special attention has been paid to sorbents required for sample cleanup. Many sorbents are commercially available however their possible interactions with fatty acids and impurities have not been highlighted in literature. The present review not only highlights the role of commonly used sorbents such as florisil, graphitized carbon black, primary secondary amine and octadecyl bonded silicas but also discusses the pros and cons of newly developed sorbents.
Ex-vivo-Stammzellgentherapie an der Haut
Authors: Koller Ulrich
Published: January 2020

Hintergrund

Eine Ex-vivo-Stammzellgentherapie ermöglicht die Behebung der genetischen Ursache einer monogenetischen Hauterkrankung.

Fragestellung

Dargestellt werden die Vorgehensweise und Wahl der Gentherapiemethode im Zuge einer Ex-vivo-Gentherapie an der Haut.

Material und Methoden

Aktuelle Gentherapieansätze fokussieren sich auf die Ergänzung oder gezielte Korrektur des betroffenen Gens im Erbgut.

Ergebnisse

Bis dato wurde die Genersatztherapie erfolgreich an Patienten mit der blasenbildenden Hauterkrankung Epidermolysis bullosa angewandt. Designer-Nukleasen-vermittelte Gentherapieansätze befinden sich in der präklinischen Phase.

Schlussfolgerungen

Die Wahl der Gentherapiemethode richtet sich nach deren Sicherheitsprofil, der zu behandelten Genodermatose und dem zu korrigierenden Erbschaden.
Identification of CD318 (CDCP1) as novel prognostic marker in AML
Authors: Heitmann Jonas S. , Hagelstein Ilona , Hinterleitner Clemens , Roerden Malte , Jung Gundram , Salih Helmut R. , Märklin Melanie , Kauer Joseph
Published: January 2020

Genetic and morphological markers are well-established prognostic factors in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, further reliable markers are urgently needed to improve risk stratification in AML. CD318 (CDCP1) is a transmembrane protein which in solid tumors promotes formation of metastasis and correlates with poor survival. Despite its broad expression on hematological precursor cells, its prognostic significance in hematological malignancies so far remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the role of CD318 as novel prognostic marker in AML by immunophenotyping of leukemic blasts. Flow cytometric evaluation of CD318 on leukemic cells in 70 AML patients revealed a substantial expression in 40/70 (57%) of all cases. CD318 surface levels were significantly correlated with overall survival in patients receiving anthracycline-based induction therapy or best available alternative therapy. Using receiver-operating characteristics, we established a cut-off value to define CD318lo and CD318hi expression in both cohorts. Notably, high CD318 expression correlated inversely as prognostic marker in both treatment cohorts: as poor prognostic marker in patients receiving intense therapy, whereas upon palliative care it correlated with better outcome. In conclusion, FACS-based determination of CD318 expression may serve as novel prognostic factor depending on implemented therapy in AML patients.
‘What do we do, doctor?’ Transitions of identity and responsibility: a narrative analysis
Authors: Yardley Sarah , Kinston Ruth , Lefroy Janet , Gay Simon , McKinley Robert K.
Published: January 2020

Transitioning from student to doctor is notoriously challenging. Newly qualified doctors feel required to make decisions before owning their new identity. It is essential to understand how responsibility relates to identity formation to improve transitions for doctors and patients. This multiphase ethnographic study explores realities of transition through anticipatory, lived and reflective stages. We utilised Labov’s narrative framework (Labov in J Narrat Life Hist 7(1–4):395–415, 1997) to conduct in-depth analysis of complex relationships between changes in responsibility and development of professional identity. Our objective was to understand how these concepts interact. Newly qualified doctors acclimatise to their role requirements through participatory experience, perceived as a series of challenges, told as stories of adventure or quest. Rules of interaction within clinical teams were complex, context dependent and rarely explicit. Students, newly qualified and supervising doctors felt tensions around whether responsibility should be grasped or conferred. Perceived clinical necessity was a common determinant of responsibility rather than planned learning. Identity formation was chronologically mismatched to accepting responsibility. We provide a rich illumination of the complex relationship between responsibility and identity pre, during, and post-transition to qualified doctor: the two are inherently intertwined, each generating the other through successful actions in practice. This suggests successful transition requires a supported period of identity reconciliation during which responsibility may feel burdensome. During this, there is a fine line between too much and too little responsibility: seemingly innocuous assumptions can have a significant impact. More effort is needed to facilitate behaviours that delegate authority to the transitioning learner whilst maintaining true oversight.
How Active is Active Learning: Value Function Method Versus an Approximation Method
Authors: Amman Hans M. , Tucci Marco P.
Published: January 2020

In a previous paper Amman et al. (Macroecon Dyn, 2018) compare the two dominant approaches for solving models with optimal experimentation (also called active learning), i.e. the value function and the approximation method. By using the same model and dataset as in Beck and Wieland (J Econ Dyn Control 26:1359–1377, 2002), they find that the approximation method produces solutions close to those generated by the value function approach and identify some elements of the model specifications which affect the difference between the two solutions. They conclude that differences are small when the effects of learning are limited. However the dataset used in the experiment describes a situation where the controller is dealing with a nonstationary process and there is no penalty on the control. The goal of this paper is to see if their conclusions hold in the more commonly studied case of a controller facing a stationary process and a positive penalty on the control.
Validating the validation: reanalyzing a large-scale comparison of deep learning and machine learning models for bioactivity prediction
Authors: Robinson Matthew C. , Glen Robert C. , Lee Alpha A.
Published: January 2020

Machine learning methods may have the potential to significantly accelerate drug discovery. However, the increasing rate of new methodological approaches being published in the literature raises the fundamental question of how models should be benchmarked and validated. We reanalyze the data generated by a recently published large-scale comparison of machine learning models for bioactivity prediction and arrive at a somewhat different conclusion. We show that the performance of support vector machines is competitive with that of deep learning methods. Additionally, using a series of numerical experiments, we question the relevance of area under the receiver operating characteristic curve as a metric in virtual screening. We further suggest that area under the precision–recall curve should be used in conjunction with the receiver operating characteristic curve. Our numerical experiments also highlight challenges in estimating the uncertainty in model performance via scaffold-split nested cross validation.
2019 HRS/EHRA/APHRS/LAHRS focused update to 2015 expert consensus statement on optimal implantable cardioverter-defibrillator programming and testing
Authors: Stiles Martin K. , Fauchier Laurent , Morillo Carlos A. , Wilkoff Bruce L.
Published: January 2020

The 2015 HRS/EHRA/APHRS/SOLAECE Expert Consensus Statement on Optimal Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Programming and Testing provided guidance on bradycardia programming, tachycardia detection, tachycardia therapy, and defibrillation testing for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) patient treatment. The 32 recommendations represented the consensus opinion of the writing group, graded by Class of Recommendation and Level of Evidence. In addition, Appendix B provided manufacturer-specific translations of these recommendations into clinical practice consistent with the recommendations within the parent document. In some instances, programming guided by quality evidence gained from studies performed in devices from some manufacturers was translated such that this programming was approximated in another manufacturer’s ICD programming settings. The authors found that the data, although not formally tested, were strong, consistent, and generalizable beyond the specific manufacturer and model of ICD. As expected, because these recommendations represented strategic choices to balance risks, there have been reports in which adverse outcomes were documented with ICDs programmed to Appendix B recommendations. The recommendations have been reviewed and updated to minimize such adverse events. Notably, patients who do not receive unnecessary ICD therapy are not aware of being spared potential harm, whereas patients in whom their ICD failed to treat life-threatening arrhythmias have their event recorded in detail. The revised recommendations employ the principle that the randomized trials and large registry data should guide programming more than anecdotal evidence. These recommendations should not replace the opinion of the treating physician who has considered the patient’s clinical status and desired outcome via a shared clinical decision-making process.
Gratitude Texting Touches the Heart: Challenge/Threat Cardiovascular Responses to Gratitude Expression Predict Self-initiation of Gratitude Interventions in Daily Life
Authors: Enko Jolanta , Behnke Maciej , Dziekan Martyna , Kosakowski Michał , Kaczmarek Lukasz D.
Published: January 2020

Gratitude-based interventions are effective in facilitating positive relationships and increasing life satisfaction. However, for some individuals (e.g., with high levels of depression and low trait-gratitude) gratitude expression is threatening and rarely undertaken spontaneously. In this study, we expected to replicate this gratitude expression threat effect. Moreover, we aimed to understand psychophysiological mechanisms of this effect by accounting for cognitive, motivational, and physiological responses to gratitude expression in line with the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat. One hundred ninety-six students (51% women) between the ages of 18 and 31 years old (M = 21.20, SD = 2.08) reported personality measures and completed a laboratory session where they expressed gratitude via text messages after reporting evaluation and motivation towards the task. Their cardiovascular reactivity was monitored continuously. After the session, participants were invited to continue a gratitude intervention for the next three weeks. We found that individuals with higher depression and lower trait-gratitude were less likely to initiate gratitude intervention. This effect was mediated by a cardiovascular marker of threat (total peripheral resistance) that inhibited motivation and behavior. In summary, we replicated and provided further evidence for the role of personality traits in predicting aversive responses to gratitude expression via interventions. These findings contribute to the person-activity fit recommendations.
Ethnic enclaves and segregation—self-employment and employment patterns among forced migrants
Authors: Klaesson Johan , Öner Özge
Published: January 2020

The relevance of residential segregation and ethnic enclaves for labor market sorting of immigrants has been investigated by a large body of literature. Previous literature presents competing arguments and mixed results for the effects of segregation and ethnic concentration on various labor market outcomes. The geographical size of the area at which segregation and/or ethnic concentration is measured, however, is left to empirical work to determine. We argue that ethnic concentration and segregation should not be used interchangeably, and more importantly, the geographical area at which they are measured relates directly to different mechanisms. We use a probabilistic approach to identify the likelihood that an immigrant is employed or a self-employed entrepreneur in the year 2005 with respect to residential segregation and ethnic concentration at the level of the neighborhood, municipality, and local labor market level jointly. We study three groups of immigrants that accentuate the differences between forced and pulled migrants: (i) the first 15 member states of European Union (referred to as EU 15) and the Nordic countries, (ii) the Balkan countries, and (iii) countries in the Middle East. We find that ethnic enclaves, proxied by ethnic concentration at varying levels, indicate mixed results for the different immigrant groups we study, both for their employment and entrepreneurship probability, whereas residential segregation has a more uniformly distributed result where its relationship to any of the two labor market outcomes is almost always negative or insignificant.
Removal of Bisphenol A and Its Potential Substitutes by Biodegradation
Authors: Frankowski Robert , Zgoła-Grześkowiak Agnieszka , Smułek Wojciech , Grześkowiak Tomasz
Published: January 2020

The possibility of removing bisphenol A and its five potential substitutes (bisphenols S, F, AF, E, and B) was tested using microorganism consortia from river water and activated sludge from municipal and rural wastewater treatment plants. For most bisphenols, biodegradation with activated sludge was faster than with river water and a greater extent of biodegradation was also achieved. However, only bisphenol A and bisphenol F underwent 100% primary biodegradation while other bisphenols degraded no more than about 50% which has some important implications in case of their increased usage. Metabolic activity in biodegradation liquors was also tested and it showed higher activity in the tests with activated sludge than with river water. However, there was no clear connection between the decline of metabolic activity and the extent of biodegradation as decreased activity was observed for two easily degrading bisphenols and two others with little biodegradability. It can be assumed that two different phenomena are involved in this process including depletion of nutrients for easily degradable bisphenol A and absence of nutrients for bacteria incapable of primary degradation of bisphenol AF and bisphenol S.
The Grand Concepts of Environmental Studies Boundary objects between disciplines and policymakers
Authors: Lundgren Jakob
Published: January 2020

Inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration is necessary in order to take on the environmental challenges facing humanity. Different disciplines, stakeholders, and policymakers need to work together to produce the knowledge necessary to create effective and just courses of action to counteract environmental problems. Recently, the notion of ‘boundary objects’ has been increasingly used within environmental studies to explain how some objects facilitate communication across the boundaries between different groups of actors. Due to their vague use in common contexts and specific use in each group, these objects let groups retain their own understanding while still communicating successfully with others. Novel concepts like ‘resilience’, ‘ecosystem services’, and ‘sustainability’ are due to their interpretive flexibility commonly described as boundary objects. However, in order to implement these concepts in concrete policy, some amount of standardization is needed. This presents a tension with the vagueness required for the facilitation of communication. This paper explicates whether and how novel concepts in environmental studies can be usefully understood as boundary objects. I review how boundary objects have been applied in the literature surrounding inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations, focusing especially on instances where concepts were considered to be boundary objects. I suggest that novel concepts in environmental studies can be understood as both ‘grand concepts’ in their most widespread use and as ‘hubs and spokes’ in local contexts. This allows for both vagueness at the macro level and standardization at the local level. I also explore how models, frameworks, and data have been successfully used as boundary objects.
„Meine Aufgabe ist, einen Bericht zu schreiben“: „Die sanften Kontrolleure“ und ihre Dokumente
Authors: Kühne Sylvia , Schlepper Christina
Published: January 2020

Dieser Beitrag untersucht – aus der Perspektive der institutionellen Ethnographie und unter Rückgriff auf Datenmaterial der vergleichenden Replikationsstudie „Die sanften Kontrolleure“ – wie Sozialarbeiter_innen im Handlungsfeld Jugendgerichtshilfe Dokumente in Gesprächen mit ihren Adressat_innen zum Einsatz bringen. Es zeigt sich, dass Dokumente Jugendgerichtshelfer_innen einerseits dazu dienen, Konflikte zu vermeiden und die Hilfeabsicht die Interaktion bestimmen zu lassen. Andererseits werden auch Funktionen offenbar, die in Strategien der Wahrheitsfindung eingebettet sind und nicht auf Hilfe für die Adressat_innen, sondern auf die Erfüllung des justiziellen Handlungsauftrags zielen. In variierendem Ausmaß fungiert die Akte als Verbündete in der Interaktion und erweitert das sozialarbeiterische Handlungsrepertoire um Möglichkeiten, sich als Helfer_in darzustellen – jedoch nicht nur der Adressat_innen, sondern vor allem des Gerichts. So deuten die Ergebnisse, erstens, darauf hin, dass der Einbezug von Dokumenten in die Interaktion die Gefahr in sich birgt, dass Sozialarbeiter_innen ihre Handlungspraxis standardisieren und dabei eine juristische Handlungslogik antizipieren. Analog dazu weist, zweitens, auch ein diachroner Vergleich von Bezugnahmen auf Dokumente in den Gesprächen zwischen Sozialarbeiter_innen und ihren Adressat_innen auf eine Verschiebung der Selbstpositionierungen von Sozialarbeiter_innen in Richtung ihres justiziellen Hilfeauftrags hin.
Serosurvey on healthcare personnel caring for patients with Ebola virus disease and Lassa virus in the United States
Authors: Kraft Colleen S. , Mehta Aneesh K. , Varkey Jay B. , Lyon G. Marshall , Vanairsdale Sharon , Bell Sonia , Burd Eileen M. , Sexton Mary Elizabeth , Cassidy Leslie Anne , Olinger Patricia , Rengarajan Kalpana , Raabe Vanessa N. , Davis Emily , Henderson Scott , DesRoches Paula , Xu Yongxian , Mulligan Mark J. , Ribner Bruce S.
Published: January 2020

Objective:

Healthcare personnel (HCP) were recruited to provide serum samples, which were tested for antibodies against Ebola or Lassa virus to evaluate for asymptomatic seroconversion.

Setting:

From 2014 to 2016, 4 patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD) and 1 patient with Lassa fever (LF) were treated in the Serious Communicable Diseases Unit (SCDU) at Emory University Hospital. Strict infection control and clinical biosafety practices were implemented to prevent nosocomial transmission of EVD or LF to HCP.

Participants:

All personnel who entered the SCDU who were required to measure their temperatures and complete a symptom questionnaire twice daily were eligible.

Results:

No employee developed symptomatic EVD or LF. EVD and LF antibody studies were performed on sera samples from 42 HCP. The 6 participants who had received investigational vaccination with a chimpanzee adenovirus type 3 vectored Ebola glycoprotein vaccine had high antibody titers to Ebola glycoprotein, but none had a response to Ebola nucleoprotein or VP40, or a response to LF antigens.

Conclusions:

Patients infected with filoviruses and arenaviruses can be managed successfully without causing occupation-related symptomatic or asymptomatic infections. Meticulous attention to infection control and clinical biosafety practices by highly motivated, trained staff is critical to the safe care of patients with an infection from a special pathogen.
Reproducibility and validity of portable haemoglobinometer for the diagnosis of anaemia in children under the age of 5 years
Authors: da Silva Pereira Alessandra , de Castro Inês Rugani Ribeiro , Bezerra Flávia Fioruci , Nogueira Neto José Firmino , da Silva Ana Carolina Feldenheimer
Published: January 2020

Portable haemoglobinometers have been used in order to estimate the prevalence of anaemia in diverse settings. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate their performance in children of different age groups in distinct epidemiological contexts. To evaluate the reproducibility and reliability of a portable haemoglobinometer for the diagnosis of anaemia in children <5 years Hb was measured in the venous blood of 351 children <5 years by an automated system (standard method) and in three capillary blood samples, using a portable haemoglobinometer (HemoCue®; test method). The reproducibility of the device and of the test method was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (Hb in its continuous form), κ and prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted κ (PABAK) (categorised variable: anaemia: yes/no). For test method validation, Bland–Altman analyses were performed and sensitivity, specificity, accuracy rate, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were calculated. The haemoglobinometer presented good device reproducibility (ICC = 0·79) and reasonable method reproducibility (puncture, collection and reading) (ICC = 0·71). Superficial and fair agreement (κ) and good agreement (PABAK) were observed among the diagnoses obtained through the test method. The prevalence of anaemia was 19·1 and 19·7 % using the standard and the test method, respectively, with no statistically significant differences. The test method presented higher specificity (87·7 %) and NPV (88·3 %) than sensitivity (50·7 %) and PPV (49·3 %), and intermediary accuracy rate (57·8 %). HemoCue® showed good device reproducibility and reasonable method reproducibility, as well as good performance in estimating the prevalence of anaemia. Nevertheless, it showed a fair reliability and low individual diagnostic accuracy.
Designation of a neotype and paraneotype forConularina triangulata(Raymond, 1905) (Upper Ordovician, eastern North America)
Authors: Van Iten Heyo , Cournoyer Mario E. , Coyne Michelle
Published: January 2020

Conularina triangulata(Raymond, 1905), the genotype ofConularinaSinclair, 1942, is a rare, early Late Ordovician conulariid (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa; Van Iten et al., 2006) having three sides or faces instead of four (Sinclair, 1942, fig. 9; Van Iten, 1992, text-fig. 3E). Originally described from the Valcour Formation (early Sandbian; Dix et al., 2013) on Valcour Island, New York (Sinclair, 1942),C.triangulatahas since been found in laterally equivalent strata of the upper Laval Formation (‘Upper Chazy’; Sinclair, 1942) in Laval, Québec, Canada (Sinclair, 1942). From this same unit and area, Sinclair (1942) erected three new, four-sided species ofConularina(C.irrasa,C.raymondi, andC.undosa), and he erected a single four-sided species (C.narrawayi) from the Ottawa Formation (now the Sandbian–Katian Ottawa Group; Dix et al., 2013) at Tétreauville (now Gatineau), Québec. Subsequently, Jerre (1994) reported the occurrence of two species ofConularinain the Upper Ordovician of Sweden. Jerre (1994) also proposed thatEoconularia?forensisSinclair, 1946 from the Upper Ordovician Citadelle Formation (‘Quebec City’ Formation; Sinclair, 1946) in Québec City, Québec (Promontoire de Québec thrust sheet, Appalachian Humber Zone, Allochtonous Domain; Castonguay et al., 2002) is a species ofConularina.
Examining the effect of mindfulness on well-being: self-connection as a mediator
Authors: Klussman Kristine , Curtin Nicola , Langer Julia , Nichols Austin Lee
Published: January 2020

The current research sought to better understand the effect of mindfulness on well-being by examining self-connection as a potential mediator. We define self-connection as: (1) an awareness of oneself, (2) an acceptance of oneself based on this awareness, and (3) an alignment of one’s behavior with this awareness. Based on this definition, we measured self-connection, mindfulness and well-being using two distinct samples and two different operationalizations of well-being. In Study 1, we recruited 101 people from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and asked them about their connection to themselves, mindfulness and flourishing. In Study 2, we surveyed an additional 104 people from MTurk, again measuring mindfulness and self-connection. However, this time we operationalized well-being as satisfaction with life. As expected, mindfulness predicted self-connection and well-being in both studies. Self-connection also predicted well-being and partially mediated the relationship between mindfulness and well-being. These results suggest that mindfulness bolsters self-connection, which in turn increases people’s well-being.
Can a Foreigner Own Land in Nigeria? The Supreme Court Decision inGerhard Huebner v Aeronautical Industrial Engineering and Project Management Company Limited
Authors: Ogbuabor Chukwunweike A , Ajah Damian Uche
Published: January 2020

In a landmark decision on 17 April 2017, the Supreme Court of Nigeria held that foreigners cannot legally and validly own land in Nigeria. This decision is of significant interest for the international investing community. The decision is a curious one and deserves close scrutiny. It was based on the court's interpretation that the Land Use Act provides that all lands in Nigeria are to be held in trust by the governor of each state for the use and benefit of all Nigerians. This note posits that the Supreme Court decision was completely erroneous and that, contrary to that decision, the correct position of the law is that foreigners can lawfully and validly own land in Nigeria provided that they are not enemy aliens.
A Western Reversal Since the Neolithic? The Long-Run Impact of Early Agriculture
Authors: Olsson Ola , Paik Christopher
Published: January 2020

In this article we document a reversal of fortune within the Western agricultural core, showing that regions which made early transition to Neolithic agriculture are now poorer than regions that made the transition later. The finding contrasts recent influential works emphasizing the beneficial role of early transition. Using data from a large number of carbon-dated Neolithic sites throughout the Western agricultural area, we determine approximate transition dates for about 60 countries, 280 medium-sized regions, and 1,400 small regions. Our empirical analysis shows that there is a robust negative, reduced-form relationship between years since transition to agriculture and contemporary levels of income both across and within countries. Our results further indicate that the reversal had started to emerge already before the era of European colonization.
Standing out with the progressive
Authors: DE WIT ASTRID , PETRÉ PETER , BRISARD FRANK
Published: January 2020

In this paper we demonstrate on the basis of diachronic and synchronic data from a variety of languages that progressives are particularly liable to be used for the expression of extravagance. We define extravagant language use as a signaling mechanism that consists in the exploitation of an unconventional construction in a given context as a way for speakers to indicate that there is something non-canonical about the situation that they are reporting. Novel constructions naturally lend themselves to such extravagant exploitation, since they are by definition to a certain extent unconventional. This is why, as we will demonstrate, the English, Dutch and French progressives were notably often recruited in extravagant contexts at the onset of their development. However, our synchronic data reveal that Present-day English, Dutch and French progressives continue to be used for extravagant purposes, which suggests that there is something inherent about progressive aspect that makes it liable to such expressive usage. This is confirmed by data from other, typologically diverse languages. We offer a cognitive-semantic analysis in terms of epistemic contingency in order to account for this intrinsic association of progressive aspect and extravagance across languages. Our analysis thus reveals that extravagance is not a transient property of emerging progressives, but that, instead, the semantics of these constructions makes them particularly liable to be recruited for extravagant purposes. It also demonstrates that in order to analyze the range of uses of progressive constructions in a unified fashion, we need to look beyond the temporal import of these constructions.
Single nucleotide polymorphism heritability and differential patterns of genetic overlap between inattention and four neurocognitive factors in youth
Authors: Micalizzi Lauren , Brick Leslie A. , Marraccini Marisa E. , Benca-Bachman Chelsie E. , Palmer Rohan H.C. , Knopik Valerie S.
Published: January 2020

Theoretical models of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder implicate neurocognitive dysfunction, yet neurocognitive functioning covers a range of abilities that may not all be linked with inattention. This study (a) investigated the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) heritability (h2SNP) of inattention and aspects of neurocognitive efficiency (memory, social cognition, executive function, and complex cognition) based on additive genome-wide effects; (b) examined if there were shared genetic effects among inattention and each aspect of neurocognitive efficiency; and (c) conducted an exploratory genome-wide association study to identify genetic regions associated with inattention. The sample included 3,563 participants of the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort, a general population sample aged 8–21 years who completed the Penn Neurocognitive Battery. Data on inattention was obtained with the Kiddie Schedule of Affective Disorders (adapted). Genomic relatedness matrix restricted maximum likelihood was implemented in genome-wide complex trait analysis. Analyses revealed significant h2SNP for inattention (20%, SE = 0.08), social cognition (13%, SE = 0.08), memory (17%, SE = 0.08), executive function (25%, SE = 0.08), and complex cognition (24%, SE = 0.08). There was a positive genetic correlation (0.67, SE = 0.37) and a negative residual covariance (−0.23, SE = 0.06) between inattention and social cognition. No SNPs reached genome-wide significance for inattention. Results suggest specificity in genetic overlap among inattention and different aspects of neurocognitive efficiency.
Altered platelet proteome in lupus anticoagulant (LA)-positive patients—protein disulfide isomerase and NETosis as new players in LA-related thrombosis
Authors: Hell Lena , Lurger Kristina , Mauracher Lisa-Marie , Grilz Ella , Reumiller Christina Maria , Schmidt Georg Johannes , Ercan Huriye , Koder Silvia , Assinger Alice , Basilio José , Gebhart Johanna , Ay Cihan , Pabinger Ingrid , Zellner Maria
Published: January 2020

Patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) are at high risk of developing venous and arterial thromboembolism (TE). The role of platelets in the pathogenesis of these prothrombotic conditions is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to gain mechanistic insights into the role of platelets in APS by comparing the platelet proteome between lupus anticoagulant (LA)-positive patients with (LA+ TE+) and without a history of TE (LA+ TE−) and healthy controls. The platelet proteome of 47 patients with LA, 31 with a history of TE and 16 without thrombotic history, and 47 healthy controls was analyzed by two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to identify disease-related proteins. Afterward, selected LA-related platelet proteins were validated by western blot and ELISA. Alterations of 25 proteins were observed between the study groups. STRING pathway analysis showed that LA-related protein profiles were involved in platelet activation, aggregation, and degranulation. For example, protein disulfide isomerase family members, enzymes that promote thrombosis, were upregulated in platelets and plasma of LA+ TE+ patients. Leukocyte elastase inhibitor (SERPINB1), an antagonist of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, was decreased in platelets of LA+ TE+ patients compared to healthy controls. Additionally, citrullinated histone H3, a NET-specific marker, was increased in plasma of LA+ TE+ patients. These findings suggest that decreased platelet SERPINB1 levels favor prothrombotic NETosis, especially in LA+ TE+ patients. Our findings reveal protein abundance changes connected to altered platelet function in LA-positive patients, thus suggesting a pathogenic role of platelets in thrombotic complications in APS.
Correction: Curcumin inhibits cellular condensation and alters microfilament organization during chondrogenic differentiation of limb bud mesenchymal cells
Authors: Kim Dongkyun , Kim Song-Ja , Kang Shin-Sung , Jin Eun-Jung
Published: January 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Inhibition of the mitochondrial citrate carrier, Slc25a1, reverts steatosis, glucose intolerance, and inflammation in preclinical models of NAFLD/NASH
Authors: Tan Mingjun , Mosaoa Rami , Graham Garrett T. , Kasprzyk-Pawelec Anna , Gadre Shreyas , Parasido Erika , Catalina-Rodriguez Olga , Foley Patricia , Giaccone Giuseppe , Cheema Amrita , Kallakury Bhaskar , Albanese Chris , Yi Chunling , Avantaggiati Maria Laura
Published: January 2020

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its evolution to inflammatory steatohepatitis (NASH) are the most common causes of chronic liver damage and transplantation that are reaching epidemic proportions due to the upraising incidence of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes. Currently, there is no approved treatment for NASH. The mitochondrial citrate carrier, Slc25a1, has been proposed to play an important role in lipid metabolism, suggesting a potential role for this protein in the pathogenesis of this disease. Here, we show that Slc25a1 inhibition with a specific inhibitor compound, CTPI-2, halts salient alterations of NASH reverting steatosis, preventing the evolution to steatohepatitis, reducing inflammatory macrophage infiltration in the liver and adipose tissue, while starkly mitigating obesity induced by a high-fat diet. These effects are differentially recapitulated by a global ablation of one copy of the Slc25a1 gene or by a liver-targeted Slc25a1 knockout, which unravel dose-dependent and tissue-specific functions of this protein. Mechanistically, through citrate-dependent activities, Slc25a1 inhibition rewires the lipogenic program, blunts signaling from peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, a key regulator of glucose and lipid metabolism, and inhibits the expression of gluconeogenic genes. The combination of these activities leads not only to inhibition of lipid anabolic processes, but also to a normalization of hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance as well. In summary, our data show for the first time that Slc25a1 serves as an important player in the pathogenesis of fatty liver disease and thus, provides a potentially exploitable and novel therapeutic target.
Long noncoding RNA FOXD2-AS1 enhances chemotherapeutic resistance of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma via STAT3 activation
Authors: Li Rui , Chen Shuwei , Zhan Jiandong , Li Xinghua , Liu Wenlin , Sheng Xiaoli , Lu Zhongming , Zhong Rong , Chen Liangsi , Luo Xiaoning , Hu Yameng , Ouyang Ying , Liu Tao , Zhang Quan , Zhang Siyi
Published: January 2020

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a common head and neck cancer. Despite recently improved management of LSCC, chemotherapy resistance of patients remains a challenge. In this study, we identified that long noncoding RNA FOXD2-AS1 regulates LSCC therapeutic resistance by augmenting LSCC stemness. LSCC chemotherapy-resistant patients showed increased FOXD2-AS1 expression compared with that in chemotherapy-sensitive patients, which predicted poor prognosis. Gain- or loss-of-function experiments showed that upregulated FOXD2-AS1 maintained cancer stemness, reducing the response to chemotherapy, while FOXD2-AS1 downregulation had the opposite effects. FOXD2-AS1 acted as a scaffold for STAT3 and PRMT5, promoting STAT3 transcriptional activity, which is essential to maintain cancer stemness and promote chemotherapeutic resistance. Interfering with FOXD2-AS1 using short hairpin RNA rescued LSCC’s chemotherapeutic sensitivity. Thus, FOXD2-AS1 promotes LSCC chemotherapeutic resistance and is an upstream activator of STAT3, making FOXD2-AS1 a potential therapeutic target to improve the chemotherapy effect in LSCC patients.