bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Late Quaternary sedimentation and permafrost development in a Svalbard fjord‐valley, Norwegian high Arctic
Authors: Gilbert Graham L. , O'Neill Hugh B. , Nemec Wojciech , Thiel Christine , Christiansen Hanne H. , Buylaert Jan‐Pieter
Published: March 2018

The infilling history of the Adventdalen fjord‐valley in central Spitsbergen is reconstructed, with a focus on permafrost development, based on sedimentological and cryostratigraphic evidence from drilling cores. The techniques of optically stimulated luminescence and radiocarbon accelerator mass‐spectrometry dating were used to establish sediment chronology. The fjord‐fill sedimentary succession includes the fjord‐bottom late Weichselian subglacial till of the Last Glacial Maximum, the early Holocene muddy glaciomarine deposits with ice‐rafted debris formed during the fjord deglaciation, and the younger Holocene deposits of a fjord‐head Gilbert‐type delta of which the fluvial distributary plain shows raised alluvial terraces hosting aeolian sedimentation. This sedimentary record of the last glaciation/deglaciation cycle is interpreted in terms of sequence stratigraphy. Zones of epigenetic and syngenetic permafrost are recognized from the vertical distribution of cryofacies, with a conclusion that the formation of permafrost commenced and extended down‐fjord as the fluvio‐deltaic fjord‐fill was gradually reaching subaerial exposure. The upwards‐grown syngenetic permafrost and the top part of downwards‐grown epigenetic permafrost below contain excess ice in a suite of cryofacies indicating ground‐ice segregation and segregative intrusion. The deeper epigenetic permafrost is ice‐poor and contains cryofacies formed solely by segregation processes. This case study may serve as an analogue for other similar Arctic fjord‐valleys where the fjord‐head shoreline was established during the post‐Weichselian deglaciation.
Joint action and joint attention: Drawing parallels between the literatures
Authors: Milward Sophie J. , Carpenter Malinda
Published: March 2018

Two of the most important milestones in children's development are joint action (acting with others) and joint attention (attending with others). These are popular fields in both psychology and philosophy but have formed surprisingly independent literatures despite the close similarities they share in terms of theoretical and methodological issues. This article systematically compares these fields and draws attention to specific and more general ways in which each could benefit from the other if communication between them were increased. We highlight a clear opportunity within these fields, but this could be a useful approach in cognitive science more generally.
A port in a storm: Spontaneous volunteering and grassroots movements in Amsterdam. A resilient approach to the (European) refugee crisis
Authors: Boersma Kees , Kraiukhina Anastasiia , Larruina Robert , Lehota Zsofia , Nury Elham Omar
Published: March 2018

This article seeks to expand knowledge about spontaneous volunteering in Amsterdam during the European refugee crisis in the winter of 2015–16. As formal institutions, which relied on a top–down command and control approach, were unable to handle the relatively large number of refugees who arrived in a short period of time, grassroots social movements based on bottom–up participation emerged. Grassroots volunteers were not only politically engaged, protesting against the strict refugee reception policy, but they also became involved in the crisis response, showing a great deal of flexibility. Although the social movements struggled with their organizational structures, they were able to adapt their missions and structures to changing circumstances. To achieve a resilience‐based response to future refugee influxes, this article advocates for formal response organizations to dismantle their static, top–down approach, and for social movements to find a balance between participation and professionalism. If institutionalized refugee response organizations adapt to the dynamics of local conditions, they could create the conditions for resilient solutions in the crisis context.
Identification of the novel KIR2DL4*00106 allele in a southern Chinese Han individual
Authors: Wang F. , Cai S.‐Q. , Yu Q.
Published: March 2018

The novel 2DL4*00106 allele differs from the closest allele 2DL4*00102 by a silent mutation.
ERAP1 molecular characterization: Identification of a de novo allelic variant
Authors: Padula M. C. , Leccese P. , Padula A. A. , D'Angelo S. , Martelli G.
Published: March 2018

The novel ERAP1 allelic variant is a missense polymorphism leading to the Arg53Pro substitution.
Determinants of City Choice of Foreign Direct Investment into China: The Role of Specialisation, Diversification and Competition Externalities
Authors: Song Tao , Cieslik Andrzej
Published: March 2018

In this paper we study empirically the determinants of location of inward FDI in China at the city level using firm‐level data for the period 1999–2009. In particular, we focus on the role of specialisation, diversification and competition externalities having controlled for the extensive set of city and regional characteristics including the regional market potential. We estimate both the conditional and multinomial logit models. We find that agglomeration externalities play an important role in determining the location of inward FDI in Chinese cities.
Reconceptualising play: Balancing childcare, extra‐curricular activities and free play in contemporary childhoods
Authors: Holloway Sarah L. , Pimlott‐Wilson Helena
Published: March 2018

This paper rethinks geographical approaches to children's play in the Global North. One narrowly conceived strand of past research considered the erosion of outdoor free play, but overlooked children's views of alternative play environments (e.g., out‐of‐school activities). A separate thread examined the feminisation of employment and growth in childcare, but investigations into children's play in care‐based environments are rare, and explorations of their ability to balance different play landscapes are lacking. This paper builds on insights from both lines of research, and challenges their deficiencies, to map out a more broadly conceived geography of play. Drawing on rigorous quantitative and qualitative research with middle‐ and working‐class parents and children, the paper examines the socially differentiated reconciliation of neighbourhood, extra‐curricular and care‐based play in contemporary British childhoods. The analysis highlights stark class differences in the balance between these play environments. Middle‐class children's elective engagement in extra‐curricular activities results in reduced outdoor free play, but they have little control over the total time they play in care environments. Working‐class children have greater experience of playing out, but are underscheduled as they have less than desired access to play in structured activities and wraparound care. In conclusion, the paper argues that geographers must: (1) move beyond the romanticisation of free play and recognise children's right to participate in a diversity of playful spaces; (2) embrace an intergenerational approach which recognises that play is not a matter for children alone – adults can facilitate as well as limit play, but reliance on women's unpaid labour makes play a feminist issue; and (3) uncover play's role in social reproduction as wider inequalities emerge in, and are reproduced through, children's landscapes of play in times of austerity, whether as here in terms of class, or along other axes of social differentiation or location.
The face of the nation: Troubling the sameness–strangeness divide in the age of migration
Authors: Antonsich Marco
Published: March 2018

Over the last two decades, banal and everyday nationalism have been the main theoretical and methodological approaches for studying how nations are reproduced “from below”. The present article advances this literature by paying close attention to racially differentiated subjects and, more precisely, subjects who are perceived to look different from, but sound like, the national majority group. Building on the feminist attention to the corporeal, I argue that face‐to‐face encounters with the simultaneous embodiment of (somatic) strangeness and (linguistic) sameness generate a sense of surprise which interrupts the reproduction of the nation. This, in turn, allows for the “troubling” of the very identity category (nation) which both banal and everyday nationalism avoid interrogating directly. I support and illustrate this argument by focusing on the case of the children of migrants born and raised in Italy and their personal experiences in mundane settings. The article discusses the implications of this short circuit in the banal and everyday processes of national reproduction in terms of potential openings of the nation to more inclusive forms.
Preoperative autologous blood collection before bone marrow harvests in haploidentical related donors: is it justified?
Authors: Arora Komal , Kelley James , Martinez Fernando , Tholpady Ashok
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND

With the increasing safety of allogeneic blood supply and declining need for transfusion due to patient blood management, the practice of preoperative autologous donation (PAD) continues to decline. The practice gained popularity during the 1980s and 1990s with the emergence of transfusion‐transmitted human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C. At the peak of this public concern, the National Marrow Donor Program recommended that marrow donors have 1 to 3 autologous units of blood collected before their marrow harvest to minimize the likelihood of allogeneic transfusion. After three decades, the practice remains prevalent in marrow donors. We aimed to study the efficacy of PAD in healthy marrow donors.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

PADs performed before marrow harvest in healthy donors at our center between January 2013 and July 2015 were reviewed. The utilization of autologous units and decrease in hemoglobin levels due to PAD and marrow harvest were studied. Similar practices were assessed in the rest of the United States through a brief survey.

RESULTS

Of a total of 262 autologous units collected from 136 donors, 25.2% were wasted. Ninety‐nine percent of the marrow donors received at least 1 unit of blood irrespective of the need. PAD contributed to preoperative anemia, exposing three donors to allogeneic blood transfusion. The survey results showed a mixed response with some institutions continuing and others not practicing PAD.

CONCLUSION

PADs are not justified in healthy marrow donors as they expose them to a risk of preoperative anemia and hence a greater risk of transfusion.
Flea market finds and global exports: Four multistate outbreaks of humanSalmonellainfections linked to small turtles, United States—2015
Authors: Gambino‐Shirley K. , Stevenson L. , Concepción‐Acevedo J. , Trees E. , Wagner D. , Whitlock L. , Roberts J. , Garrett N. , Van Duyne S. , McAllister G. , Schick B. , Schlater L. , Peralta V. , Reporter R. , Li L. , Waechter H. , Gomez T. , Fernández Ordenes J. , Ulloa S. , Ragimbeau C. , Mossong J. , Nichols M.
Published: March 2018

Zoonotic transmission ofSalmonellainfections causes an estimated 11% of salmonellosis annually in the United States. This report describes the epidemiologic, traceback and laboratory investigations conducted in the United States as part of four multistate outbreaks ofSalmonellainfections linked to small turtles.Salmonellaisolates indistinguishable from the outbreak strains were isolated from a total of 143 ill people in the United States, pet turtles, and pond water samples collected from turtle farm A, as well as ill people from Chile and Luxembourg. Almost half (45%) of infections occurred in children aged <5 years, underscoring the importance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation to keep pet turtles and other reptiles out of homes and childcare settings with young children. Although only 43% of the ill people who reported turtle exposure provided purchase information, most small turtles were purchased from flea markets or street vendors, which made it difficult to locate the vendor, trace the turtles to a farm of origin, provide education and enforce the United States federal ban on the sale and distribution of small turtles. These outbreaks highlight the importance of improving public awareness and education about the risk ofSalmonellafrom small turtles not only in the United States but also worldwide.
Understanding Disability: Biopsychology, Biopolitics, and an In-Between-All Politics
Authors: Goodley Dan
Published: March 2018

What do disability labels give us and what do they steal from us? How possible is it to live our lives without categories when life is necessarily categorical? In this brief provocation, I want to explore the disability labels through recourse to three perspectives that have much to say about categorization, disability, and the human condition: the biopsychological, the biopolitical, and, what I term, an in-between-all politics. It is my view that disability categories intervene in the world in some complex and often contradictory ways. One way of living with contradictions is to work across disciplinary boundaries, thus situating ourselves across divides and embracing uncertainty and contradiction to enhance all our lives. I will conclude with some interdisciplinary thoughts for the field of adapted physical activity.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Fosfomycin and Its Activity against Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-, Plasmid-Mediated AmpC-, and Carbapenemase-Producing Escherichia coli in a Murine Urinary Tract Infection Model
Authors: Zykov Ilya Nikolaevich , Samuelsen Ørjan , Jakobsen Lotte , Småbrekke Lars , Andersson Dan I. , Sundsfjord Arnfinn , Frimodt-Møller Niels
Published: March 2018

Fosfomycin has become an attractive treatment alternative for urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to increasing multidrug resistance (MDR) in
Escherichia coli
. In this study, we evaluated the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) indices of fosfomycin and its
in vivo
activity in an experimental murine model of ascending UTI. Subcutaneous administration of fosfomycin showed that the mean peak plasma concentrations of fosfomycin were 36, 280, and 750 mg/liter following administration of a single dose of 0.75, 7.5, and 30 mg/mouse, respectively, with an elimination half-life of 28 min, and urine peak concentrations of 1,100, 33,400, and 70,000 mg/liter expected to be sustained above 1 mg/liter (MIC of the test strain, NU14) for 5, 8, and 9.5 h, respectively. The optimal PK/PD indices for reducing urine colony counts (number of CFU per milliliter) were determined to be the area under the concentration-time curve/MIC from 0 to 72 h and the maximum concentration/MIC on the basis of the dose-dependent bloodstream PK and the results of an evaluation of six dosing regimens. With a dosing regimen of 15 mg/mouse twice (every 36 h), fosfomycin significantly reduced the number of CFU per milliliter of all susceptible strains in urine, including clinical MDR strains, except for one clinical strain (
P
= 0.062). Variable degrees of reduction were observed in the bladder and kidneys. No significant reductions in the number of CFU per milliliter were observed with the resistant strains. In conclusion, fosfomycin shows concentration-dependent
in vivo
activity, and the results suggest that fosfomycin is an effective alternative to carbapenems in treating MDR
E. coli
in uncomplicated UTIs. The data on the effectiveness of fosfomycin against the MDR isolates along with the results of PK/PD modeling should facilitate the further development of improved recommendations for its clinical use.
Cyclic di-AMP Acts as an Extracellular Signal That Impacts
Bacillus subtilis
Biofilm Formation and Plant Attachment
Authors: Townsley Loni , Yannarell Sarah M. , Huynh Tuanh Ngoc , Woodward Joshua J. , Shank Elizabeth A.
Published: March 2018

There is a growing appreciation for the impact that bacteria have on higher organisms. Plant roots often harbor beneficial microbes, such as the Gram-positive rhizobacterium
Bacillus subtilis
, that influence their growth and susceptibility to disease. The ability to form surface-attached microbial communities called biofilms is crucial for the ability of
B. subtilis
to adhere to and protect plant roots. In this study, strains harboring deletions of the
B. subtilis
genes known to synthesize and degrade the second messenger cyclic di-adenylate monophosphate (c-di-AMP) were examined for their involvement in biofilm formation and plant attachment. We found that intracellular production of c-di-AMP impacts colony biofilm architecture, biofilm gene expression, and plant attachment in
B. subtilis
. We also show that
B. subtilis
secretes c-di-AMP and that putative c-di-AMP transporters impact biofilm formation and plant root colonization. Taken together, our data describe a new role for c-di-AMP as a chemical signal that affects important cellular processes in the environmentally and agriculturally important soil bacterium
B. subtilis
. These results suggest that the “intracellular” signaling molecule c-di-AMP may also play a previously unappreciated role in interbacterial cell-cell communication within plant microbiomes.

IMPORTANCE
Plants harbor bacterial communities on their roots that can significantly impact their growth and pathogen resistance. In most cases, however, the signals that mediate host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions within these communities are unknown. A detailed understanding of these interaction mechanisms could facilitate the manipulation of these communities for agricultural or environmental purposes.
Bacillus subtilis
is a plant-growth-promoting bacterium that adheres to roots by forming biofilms. We therefore began by exploring signals that might impact its biofilm formation. We found that
B. subtilis
secretes c-di-AMP and that the ability to produce, degrade, or transport cyclic di-adenylate monophosphate (c-di-AMP; a common bacterial second messenger) affects
B. subtilis
biofilm gene expression and plant attachment. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of c-di-AMP impacting a mutualist host-microbe association and suggests that c-di-AMP may function as a previously unappreciated extracellular signal able to mediate interactions within plant microbiomes.
The Typhoid Toxin Produced by the Nontyphoidal
Salmonella enterica
Serotype Javiana Is Required for Induction of a DNA Damage Response
In Vitro
and Systemic Spread
In Vivo
Authors: Miller Rachel A. , Betteken Michael I. , Guo Xiaodong , Altier Craig , Duhamel Gerald E. , Wiedmann Martin
Published: March 2018

The
Salmonella
cytolethal distending toxin (S-CDT), first described as the “typhoid toxin” in
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serotype Typhi, induces DNA damage in eukaryotic cells. Recent studies have shown that more than 40 nontyphoidal
Salmonella
(NTS) serotypes carry genes that encode S-CDT, yet very little is known about the activity, function, and role of S-CDT in NTS. Here we show that deletion of genes encoding the binding subunit (
pltB
) and a bacteriophage muramidase predicted to play a role in toxin export (
ttsA
) does not abolish toxin activity in the S-CDT-positive NTS
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serotype Javiana. However,
S.
Javiana strains harboring deletions of both
pltB
and its homolog
artB
, had a complete loss of S-CDT activity, suggesting that
S.
Javiana carries genes encoding two variants of the binding subunit. S-CDT-mediated DNA damage, as determined by phosphorylation of histone 2AX (H2AX), producing phosphorylated H2AX (γH2AX), was restricted to epithelial cells in S and G
2
/M phases of the cell cycle and did not result in apoptosis or cell death. Compared to mice infected with a Δ
cdtB
strain, mice infected with wild-type
S.
Javiana had significantly higher levels of
S.
Javiana in the liver, but not in the spleen, ileum, or cecum. Overall, we show that production of active S-CDT by NTS serotype
S.
Javiana requires different genes (
cdtB
,
pltA
, and either
pltB
or
artB
) for expression of biologically active toxin than those reported for S-CDT production by
S.
Typhi (
cdtB
,
pltA
,
pltB
, and
ttsA
). However, as in
S.
Typhi, NTS S-CDT influences the outcome of infection both
in vitro
and
in vivo
.

IMPORTANCE
Nontyphoidal
Salmonella
(NTS) are a major cause of bacterial food-borne illness worldwide; however, our understanding of virulence mechanisms that determine the outcome and severity of nontyphoidal salmonellosis is incompletely understood. Here we show that S-CDT produced by NTS plays a significant role in the outcome of infection both
in vitro
and
in vivo
, highlighting S-CDT as an important virulence factor for nontyphoidal
Salmonella
serotypes. Our data also contribute novel information about the function of S-CDT, as S-CDT-mediated DNA damage occurs only during certain phases of the cell cycle, and the resulting damage does not induce cell death as assessed using a propidium iodide exclusion assay. Importantly, our data support that, despite having genetically similar S-CDT operons, NTS serotype
S.
Javiana has different genetic requirements than
S.
Typhi, for the production and export of active S-CDT.
The Life Aquatic at the Microscale
Authors: Raina Jean-Baptiste
Published: March 2018

There are more than one million microbial cells in every drop of seawater, and their collective metabolisms not only recycle nutrients that can then be used by larger organisms but also catalyze key chemical transformations that maintain Earth’s habitability. Understanding how these microbes interact with each other and with multicellular hosts is critical to reliably quantify any functional aspect of their metabolisms and to predicting their outcomes on larger scales.
Using Cultivated Microbial Communities To Dissect Microbiome Assembly: Challenges, Limitations, and the Path Ahead
Authors: Wolfe Benjamin E.
Published: March 2018

As troves of microbiome sequencing data provide improved resolution of patterns of microbial diversity, new approaches are needed to understand what controls these patterns. Many microbial ecologists are using cultivated model microbial communities to address this challenge.
Regulation of the IL-33/ST2 Pathway Contributes to the Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Acupuncture in the Ovalbumin-Induced Murine Asthma Model
Authors: Dong Ming , Ma Cheng , Wang Wen-Qian , Chen Juan , Wei Ying
Published: March 2018

Background

Bronchial asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease which has three main pathological features: airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), airway remodelling, and chronic inflammation. Acupuncture is known to be an effective integrative medical therapy that has been used in the treatment of several chronic diseases, including bronchial asthma. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects of acupuncture on inflammation and regulation of the IL-33/ST2 pathway in a mouse model of asthma.

Methods

The murine asthma model was established by both injection and inhalation of ovalbumin (OVA). Within 24 hours of the last OVA challenge, lung function was assessed by measurement of the airway resistance (RL) and lung dynamic compliance (Cdyn). Pulmonary tissues were collected for the detection of pathological changes and mucus secretion. Serum levels of tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-33 and sST2 (secreted ST2) were detected by ELISA. Th17 cell proportions and counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were analysed by flow cytometry.

Results

The results showed that AHR, chronic inflammation and mucus secretion were significantly suppressed by acupuncture treatment. RL decreased while Cdyn increased after acupuncture treatment. There was an apparent decrease in the serum concentrations of certain pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-33, and an increase in sST2 level compared with untreated asthmatic mice. Acupuncture also reduced the CD4 +IL-17A+ cell proportion and counts in BALF.

Conclusion

Acupuncture effectively protects lung function and attenuates airway inflammation in the OVA-induced mouse model of asthma, which supports the role of acupuncture as a potential therapy in asthma treatment.
Is exposure to ionising radiation associated with childhood cardiac arrhythmia in the Russian territories contaminated by the Chernobyl fallout? A cross-sectional population-based study
Authors: Jourdain Jean-Rene , Landon Geraldine , Clero Enora , Doroshchenko Vladimir , Silenok Aleksandr , Kurnosova Irina , Butsenin Andrei , Denjoy Isabelle , Franck Didier , Heuze Jean-Pierre , Gourmelon Patrick
Published: March 2018

Objective

To investigate childhood cardiac arrhythmia and chronic exposure to caesium-137 (137Cs) resulting from the Chernobyl accident.

Design

Prospective cross-sectional study using exposed/unexposed design conducted in the Bryansk region from May 2009 to May 2013 on children selected on the basis of137Cs soil deposition: control territories ([137Cs]<37 kBq per square metre, where children were considered as unexposed) and contaminated territories ([137Cs]>555 kBq per square metre, where children were considered as exposed).

Setting

Russian territories affected by the Chernobyl fallout (Bryansk region).

Participants

This cross-sectional study included 18 152 children aged 2–18 years and living in the Bryansk region (Russia).

Main outcome measures

All children received three medical examinations (ECG, echocardiography and137Cs whole-body activity measurement) and some of them were given with a 24-hour Holter monitoring and blood tests.

Results

Cardiac arrhythmia was diagnosed in 1172 children living in contaminated territories and 1354 children living in control territories. The crude prevalence estimated to 13.3% in contaminated territories was significantly lower than in control territories with 15.2% over the period 2009–2013 (P<0.001). Considering137Cs whole-body burden as exposure, cardiac arrhythmia was found in 449 contaminated children and 2077 uncontaminated children, corresponding to an estimated crude prevalence of 14.5% and 14.2%, respectively, which does not differ significantly (P=0.74). Also, we investigated the association between territory, exposure to137Cs and cardiac arrhythmia: the adjusted OR was not significant (0.90 with 95% CI 0.81 to 1.00; P=0.06) for the territory. For137Cs whole-body burden, the ORs close to 1 did not reach statistical significance (P for trend=0.97).

Conclusion

This study does not observe an association between cardiac arrhythmia and137Cs deposition levels in the Bryansk region exposed to Chernobyl fallout. The suspected increase of cardiac arrhythmia in children exposed to Chernobyl fallout is not confirmed.
Effectiveness of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against adult pneumonia in Italy: a case–control study in a 2-year prospective cohort
Authors: Prato Rosa , Fortunato Francesca , Cappelli Maria Giovanna , Chironna Maria , Martinelli Domenico
Published: March 2018

Objectives

Current strategies to prevent adult pneumococcal disease have been recently reviewed in Italy. We did a postlicensure study to estimate the direct vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) against adult pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia (pCAP).

Study design

Between 2013 and 2015, a 2-year prospective cohort study of adults with CAP was conducted in the Apulia region of Italy where the average vaccine uptake of PCV13 was 32% among adults ≥65 years. The test-negative design was used to estimate VE against all episodes of confirmed pCAP and vaccine-type (VT)-CAP. VE in a subgroup of patients managed in the community was also estimated using a matched case–control design. VE was calculated as one minus the OR times 100%.

Results

The overall VE of PCV13 was 33.2% (95% CI −106.6% to 82%) against pCAP irrespective of serotype and 38.1% (95% CI −131.9% to 89%) against VT-CAP in the cohort of adults ≥65 years. The VE was 42.3% (95% CI −244.1% to 94.7%) against VT-CAP in the age group at higher vaccine uptake. For the subgroup of cases managed in the community, the overall VE against disease due to any pneumococcal strain was 88.1% (95% CI 4.2% to 98.5%) and 91.7% (95% CI 13.1% to 99.2%) when we controlled for underlying conditions.

Conclusions

Although our results are non-significant, PCV13 promises to be effective against all confirmed pCAP already with modest levels of uptake in the population of adults ≥65 years of age. Larger studies are needed to confirm the direct vaccine benefits.
A cost of illness study of hypoglycaemic events in insulin-treated diabetes in the Netherlands
Authors: de Groot Saskia , Enters-Weijnen Catherine F , Geelhoed-Duijvestijn Petronella H , Kanters Tim A
Published: March 2018

Objectives

Patients with diabetes mellitus are at a risk for hypoglycaemia. Besides the burden of hypoglycaemia for patients, hypoglycaemia poses an economic burden to society. The aim of this study was to calculate the per patient societal costs of hypoglycaemia among patients with type1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) on insulin therapy in the Netherlands.

Methods

To calculate the costs of hypoglycaemia, data from the Global Hypoglycaemia Assessment Tool (HAT) study were used. Dutch patients were selected from the HAT study database and data regarding healthcare resource use, informal care use and productivity losses were combined with Dutch unit costs to calculate the per patient 4-week costs of patients experiencing hypoglycaemia. Besides these 4-week costs, costs per hypoglycaemic event were calculated by dividing the study population total 4-week costs by the total number of events in this period.

Results

Mean 4-week total costs of hypoglycaemia amounted to €163 (SD, €870) in T1DM and €134 (SD, €364) in T2DM. While productivity costs were the most important cost driver of hypoglycaemia in patients with T1DM (accounting for 72% of the total costs), costs of hypoglycaemia in patients with T2DM were almost entirely driven by costs within the healthcare sector (accounting for 98% of the total costs). Mean costs of a severe hypoglycaemic event were €828 and €508 in T1DM and T2DM, respectively, whereas mean costs of a non-severe event were almost zero.

Conclusions

This study showed that the economic burden of severe hypoglycaemia is substantial. The prevention of hypoglycaemia could therefore not only reduce the burden for patients, but also the economic burden to society.
A systematic assessment of Cochrane reviews and systematic reviews published in high-impact medical journals related to cancer
Authors: Goldkuhle Marius , Narayan Vikram M , Weigl Aaron , Dahm Philipp , Skoetz Nicole
Published: March 2018

Objective

To compare cancer-related systematic reviews (SRs) published in the Cochrane Database of SRs (CDSR) and high-impact journals, with respect to type, content, quality and citation rates.

Design

Methodological SR with assessment and comparison of SRs and meta-analyses. Two authors independently assessed methodological quality using an Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR)-based extraction form. Both authors independently screened search results, extracted content-relevant characteristics and retrieved citation numbers of the included reviews using the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science database.

Data sources

Cancer-related SRs were retrieved from the CDSR, as well as from the 10 journals which publish oncological SRs and had the highest impact factors, using a comprehensive search in both the CDSR and MEDLINE.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

We included all cancer-related SRs and meta-analyses published from January 2011 to May 2016. Methodological SRs were excluded.

Results

We included 346 applicable Cochrane reviews and 215 SRs from high-impact journals. Cochrane reviews consistently met more individual AMSTAR criteria, notably with regard to an a priori design (risk ratio (RR) 3.89; 95% CI 3.10 to 4.88), inclusion of the grey literature and trial registries (RR 3.52; 95% CI 2.84 to 4.37) in their searches, and the reporting of excluded studies (RR 8.80; 95% CI 6.06 to 12.78). Cochrane reviews were less likely to address questions of prognosis (RR 0.04; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.09), use individual patient data (RR 0.03; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.09) or be based on non-randomised controlled trials (RR 0.04; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.09). Citation rates of Cochrane reviews were notably lower than those for high-impact journals (Cochrane reviews: mean number of citations 6.52 (range 0–143); high-impact journal SRs: 74.45 (0–652)).

Conclusions

When comparing cancer-related SRs published in the CDSR versus those published in high-impact medical journals, Cochrane reviews were consistently of higher methodological quality, but cited less frequently.
Effects of vaccines in patients with sickle cell disease: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Wiyeh Alison Beriliy , Abdullahi Leila Hussein , Wonkam Ambroise , Wiysonge Charles Shey , Kaba Mamadou
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited haematological disorder caused by a single point mutation (Glub6Val) that promotes polymerisation of haemoglobin S and sickling of erythrocytes. Inflammation, haemolysis, microvascular obstruction and organ damage characterise the highly variable clinical expression of SCD. People with SCD are at increased risk of severe infections, hence the need for vaccination against common disease-causing organisms in this population. We aim to review the evidence on the efficacy and safety of vaccines in people with SCD.

Methods and analysis

The present systematic review will examine the current data as indexed in PubMed, CENTRAL, EMBASE and EBSCOHost. We will consult Strategic Advisory Group of Experts practice statements, conference abstracts, reference lists of relevant articles, WHO ICTRP trial registry and experts in the field. Two authors will independently screen search outputs, select studies, extract data and assess risk of bias; resolving discrepancies by discussion and consensus between the two authors or arbitration by a third author when necessary. We will perform a meta-analysis for clinically homogenous studies. Evidence from clinically diverse studies will be aggregated using narrative synthesis of the findings. In either case, we will use the GRADE approach to assess the strength of the available evidence.

Ethics and dissemination

The study draws on data that are readily available in the public domain, hence no formal ethical review and approval is required. The findings of this review will be disseminated through conference presentations and a publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018084051.
How the science of injury prevention contributes to advancing home fire safety in the USA: successes and opportunities
Authors: Gielen Andrea C , Frattaroli Shannon , Pollack Keshia M , Peek-Asa Corinne , Yang Jingzhen G
Published: March 2018

Background

In the decades since the landmark report-America Burning-was published in 1973, the number of home fire deaths has shrunk from >5500 per year to 2650 in 2015. This paper: (1) describes how science and practice in injury prevention and fire and life safety contributed to successful interventions, and (2) identifies emerging strategies and future opportunities to prevent home fire-related deaths.

Methods

The aims are addressed through the lens of population health research, with a focus on the work of selected Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded Injury Control Research Centers. Results are organised using the Haddon Matrix and an ecological model.

Results

We found evidence to support interventions that address all components of both the matrix and the model, including: reduced ignition propensity cigarettes, stop smoking campaigns, housing codes, residential sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, community risk reduction, school-based educational programmes, and fire and burn response systems. Future reductions are likely to come from enhancing residential sprinkler and smoke alarm technology, and increasing their utilisation; expanding the use of community risk reduction methods; and implementing new technological solutions. Despite the successes, substantial disparities in home fire death rates remain, reflecting underlying social determinants of health.

Conclusion

Most of the evidence-supported interventions were focused on changing the policy and community environments to prevent home fires and reduce injury when a fire occurs. Future prevention efforts should give high priority to addressing the continued disparities in home fire deaths.
Cause-specific mortality in Swedish males diagnosed with non-psychotic mental disorders in late adolescence: a prospective population-based study
Authors: Henriksson Malin , Nyberg Jenny , Schiöler Linus , Hensing Gunnel , Kuhn Georg H , Söderberg Mia , Torén Kjell , Löve Jesper , Waern Margda , Åberg Maria
Published: March 2018

Background

While risk of premature death is most pronounced among persons with severe mental illness, also milder conditions are associated with increased all-cause mortality. We examined non-psychotic mental (NPM) disorders and specific causes of natural death in a cohort of late adolescent men followed for up to 46 years.

Methods

Prospective cohort study of Swedish males (n=1 784 626) who took part in structured conscription interviews 1968–2005. 74 525 men were diagnosed with NPM disorders at or prior to conscription. Median follow-up time was 26 years. HRs for cause-specific mortality were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

Risks in fully adjusted models were particularly elevated for death by infectious diseases (depressive and neurotic/adjustment disorders (HR 2.07; 95% CI 1.60 to 2.67), personality disorders (HR 2.90; 95% CI 1.96 to 4.28) and alcohol-related and other substance use disorders (HR 9.02; 95% CI 6.63 to 12.27)) as well as by gastrointestinal causes (depressive and neurotic/adjustment disorders (HR 1.64; 95% CI 1.42 to 1.89), personality disorders (HR 2.77; 95% CI 2.27 to 3.38) and alcohol-related/substance use disorders (HR 4.41; 95% CI 3.59 to 5.42)).

Conclusion

Young men diagnosed with NPM disorders had a long-term increased mortality risk, in particular due to infectious and gastrointestinal conditions. These findings highlight the importance of early preventive actions for adolescents with mental illness.
High altitude arterialised capillary earlobe blood gas measurement using the Abbott i-STAT
Authors: Lewis Christopher T , Malein W L , Chesner I , Clarke S
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Measurement of physiological parameters in extreme environments is essential to advancing knowledge, prophylaxis and treatment of altitude sickness. Point-of-care testing facilitates investigation in non-specialist and remote settings, as well as becoming increasingly popular at the bedside for real-time results in the clinical environment. Arterialised capillary earlobe blood gases are recommended as a valid alternative to arterial sampling in research. This study aimed to test the feasibility of obtaining and analysing daily earlobe samples at high altitude.

Methods

From 17 to 24 January 2016, 24 participants on a research expedition to Ecuador underwent daily earlobe blood gas measurements including pH, partial pressure of oxygen and partial pressure of carbon dioxide to 5043 m. Samples were analysed using an Abbott i-STAT blood gas analyser and G3+ cartridges.

Results

Daily measurements were successfully obtained and analysed at the point of care in 23/24 participants and were well tolerated with no adverse events. 12% (27/220) cartridges failed and required repeat sampling.

Conclusions

Daily earlobe blood gas analysis using the Abbott i-STAT is feasible in a protected environment at high altitude. Participants and equipment should be kept warm before and during testing. Spare cartridges should be available. This methodology may be useful for both research and therapeutic measurements in remote, rural and wilderness medicine.
Association between circulating leptin levels and multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Xie Xue-Feng , Huang Xiao-Hui , Shen Ai-Zong , Li Jun , Sun Ye-Huan
Published: March 2018

Aim

Leptin, synthesised by adipocytes, has been identified as a hormone that can influence inflammatory activity. Several studies have investigated leptin levels in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), but the results are not consistent. This study aims to derive a more precise evaluation on the relationship between circulating leptin levels and MS.

Design

A comprehensive literature searched up to July 2017 was conducted to evaluate the association of circulating leptin levels and MS. The random-effect model was applied to calculate pooled standardised mean difference (SMD) and its 95% CI.

Main outcome measures

Circulating leptin levels of patients with MS and healthy controls.

Results

Of 2155 studies identified, 33 met eligibility criteria and 9 studies with 645 patients with MS and 586 controls were finally included in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis revealed that, compared with the healthy control group, the MS group had significantly higher plasma/serum leptin levels, with the SMD of 0.70% and 95% CI (0.24 to 1.15). Subgroup analyses suggested that the leptin levels of patients with MS were associated with region, age, study sample size, measurement type, gender and blood sample type.

Conclusion

Overall, our study suggests that patients with MS have a significantly higher leptin level than in healthy controls. Further mechanism studies and longitudinal large cohort studies are still needed to further reveal the role of leptin in the pathogenesis of MS.
Understanding summertime thermal refuge use by adult Atlantic salmon using remote sensing, river temperature monitoring, and acoustic telemetry
Authors: Frechette Danielle M. , Dugdale Stephen J. , Dodson Julian J. , Bergeron Normand E.
Published: March 2018

Adult Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) return to natal rivers several months before spawning and during summer can be subjected to temperatures that exceed their upper temperature tolerance limits. Salmon use thermal refuges to minimize exposure to high temperatures, but little information exists regarding behavioral thermoregulation by adult Atlantic salmon. We examined behavioral thermoregulation by Atlantic salmon during summer in-river residence in a Quebec river with a novel combination of thermal infrared remote sensing, river temperature monitoring, and acoustic telemetry. Adults engaged in behavioural thermoregulation at cooler ambient river temperatures (17–19 °C) than previously recorded for this species and maintained body temperature within a narrow range (16–20 °C) via use of cool and warm refuges. Adults used large, stable, stratified pools as refuges, allowing multiple individuals to thermoregulate simultaneously without leaving the pool. Low river discharge and high temperatures can be physical barriers to salmon migration, preventing them from accessing suitable refuges (e.g., pools). Identifying and maintaining connectivity to thermal refuges may be critical for persistence of Atlantic salmon populations as climate changes and rivers warm.
Identifying the critical habitat of Canadian vertebrate species at risk
Authors: Lemieux Lefebvre S. , Landry-Cuerrier M. , Humphries M.M.
Published: March 2018

Identification of critical habitat is central to major conservation laws protecting endangered species in North America and around the world. Yet the actual ecological research that is required to identify which habitats are critical to the survival or recovery of species is rarely discussed and poorly documented. Here we quantitatively assess the information and methods used to identify critical habitat in the recovery strategies of 53 vertebrates at risk in Canada. Of the critical habitat identifications assessed, 17% were based on habitat occupancy information, 28% on habitat characteristics and (or) functions, and 40% assessed habitat suitability by linking functional use and biophysical characteristics. However, only 15% of the recovery strategies we evaluated examined relationships between habitat and population viability, abundance, individual fitness, or survival. Furthermore, the breadth of evidence used to assess critical habitats was weaker among long-lived taxa and did not improve over time. Hence, although any approach used to identify critical habitat is likely to be a step in the right direction in minimally protecting and maintaining habitats supporting critical life-cycle processes, there is a persistent gap between the widely recognized importance of critical habitat and our ability to quantitatively link habitats to population trends and individual fitness.
Environmental variation and seasonal changes as determinants of the spatial distribution of scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) in Neotropical forests
Authors: Lira A.F.A. , DeSouza A.M. , Albuquerque C.M.R.
Published: March 2018

Habitat selection and seasonal changes are key drivers of the population dynamics of many species. We analyzed how the environmental structure influences species establishment in an area by comparing microhabitat preference and functional richness of scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) in wet (Atlantic forest) and semiarid (Caatinga) areas. Variations in superficial foraging activity and microhabitat colonization during dry and rainy seasons were evaluated as an indication of the climatic impact on population dynamics. We collected 12 scorpion species using ultraviolet light lamps. We found that differential patterns in spatial distribution were independent of forest type, and we provide evidence for partial niche partitioning among scorpion species based on age class and climatic conditions. Foraging activity was also seasonally influenced. Functional richness was higher in wet forests than in dry forests, whereas taxonomical richness exhibited an opposite pattern. We conclude that spatiotemporal resource partitioning and refuge sharing are important drivers of the population dynamics and spatial distribution of scorpion species in Neotropical forests.
Spinning boson stars and hairy black holes with nonminimal coupling
Authors: Herdeiro Carlos A. R. , Radu Eugen
Published: March 2018

We obtain spinning boson star solutions and hairy black holes with synchronized hair in the Einstein–Klein–Gordon model, wherein the scalar field is massive, complex and with a nonminimal coupling to the Ricci scalar. The existence of these hairy black holes in this model provides yet another manifestation of the universality of the synchronization mechanism to endow spinning black holes with hair. We study the variation of the physical properties of the boson stars and hairy black holes with the coupling parameter between the scalar field and the curvature, showing that they are, qualitatively, identical to those in the minimally coupled case. By discussing the conformal transformation to the Einstein frame, we argue that the solutions herein provide new rotating boson star and hairy black hole solutions in the minimally coupled theory, with a particular potential, and that no spherically symmetric hairy black hole solutions exist in the nonminimally coupled theory, under a condition of conformal regularity.
Matrix elements of the proton–neutron symplectic model
Authors: Ganev H. G.
Published: March 2018

The tensor properties of the [Formula: see text] algebra generators are determined in respect to the reduction chain [Formula: see text], which defines a shell-model coupling scheme of the proton–neutron symplectic model (PNSM). They are further used to calculate the matrix elements of the basic [Formula: see text] operators of the PNSM in the space of fully symmetric representations in the [Formula: see text]-coupled basis using a generalized Wigner–Eckart theorem. The obtained results allow further the matrix elements of any physical operator of interest, such as the relevant transition operators or the collective potential, to be calculated. As an illustration, the matrix elements of the basic irreducible tensor terms which appear in the [Formula: see text] decomposition of the long-range full major-shell mixing proton–neutron quadrupole–quadrupole interaction are presented.