bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Translation fidelity coevolves with longevity
Authors: Ke Zhonghe , Mallik Pramit , Johnson Adam B. , Luna Facundo , Nevo Eviatar , Zhang Zhengdong D. , Gladyshev Vadim N. , Seluanov Andrei , Gorbunova Vera
Published: July 2017

Whether errors in protein synthesis play a role in aging has been a subject of intense debate. It has been suggested that rare mistakes in protein synthesis in young organisms may result in errors in the protein synthesis machinery, eventually leading to an increasing cascade of errors as organisms age. Studies that followed generally failed to identify a dramatic increase in translation errors with aging. However, whether translation fidelity plays a role in aging remained an open question. To address this issue, we examined the relationship between translation fidelity and maximum lifespan across 17 rodent species with diverse lifespans. To measure translation fidelity, we utilized sensitive luciferase‐based reporter constructs with mutations in an amino acid residue critical to luciferase activity, wherein misincorporation of amino acids at this mutated codon re‐activated the luciferase. The frequency of amino acid misincorporation at the first and second codon positions showed strong negative correlation with maximum lifespan. This correlation remained significant after phylogenetic correction, indicating that translation fidelity coevolves with longevity. These results give new life to the role of protein synthesis errors in aging: Although the error rate may not significantly change with age, the basal rate of translation errors is important in defining lifespan across mammals.
Effects of testosterone therapy on BMI, blood pressure, and laboratory profile of transgender men: a systematic review
Authors: Velho I. , Fighera T. M. , Ziegelmann P. K. , Spritzer P. M.
Published: July 2017

Testosterone is the main hormonal agent used for cross‐sex hormone therapy in female‐to‐male transgender persons. Our aim was to systematically review the literature concerning the effects of testosterone on body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, hematocrit, hemoglobin, lipid profile, and liver enzymes in transgender men. PUBMED and EMBASE were searched for studies published until March 2017. Studies were included if they reported interventions with any dose of testosterone and comparison of variables before and during treatment. Of 455 potentially eligible articles, 13 were reviewed. Study duration ranged from 6 to 60 months, sample size ranged from 12 to 97 patients, and the most common treatment was parenteral testosterone undecanoate 1000 mg/12 weeks. Slight but significant increases in BMI were reported (from 1.3 to 11.4%). Three out of seven studies assessing the impact of different testosterone formulations on blood pressure detected modest increases or clinically irrelevant changes in this variable. In another study, however, two patients developed hypertension, which was resolved after cessation of testosterone therapy. Decreases in HDL‐cholesterol and increases in LDL‐cholesterol were consistently observed. Eight studies observed a relationship between testosterone and increased hemoglobin (range: 4.9–12.5%) and hematocrit (range: 4.4–17.6%), but discontinuation of androgen therapy was not necessary. In one study, two patients developed erythrocytosis (hematocrit >52%) after 9 and 12 months of treatment. One study analyzing testosterone formulations observed smaller increases in hemoglobin and hematocrit with testosterone gel. Six studies assessing liver function showed slight or no changes. Overall, the quality of evidence was low, given the lack of randomized clinical/controlled trials and the small sample sizes. In conclusion, exogenous testosterone administration to transgender men was associated with modest increases in BMI, hemoglobin/hematocrit, and LDL‐cholesterol, and with decreases in HDL‐cholesterol. Long‐term studies are needed to assess the long‐term risks of testosterone therapy, particularly as they relate to cardiometabolic risks such as diabetes, dyslipidemia and the metabolic syndrome.
Longitudinal study shows that depression in childhood is associated with a worse evolution of headaches in adolescence
Authors: Amouroux Rémy , Rousseau‐Salvador Céline , Pillant Magdeleine , Antonietti Jean‐Philippe , Tourniaire Barbara , Annequin Daniel
Published: July 2017

Aim

The aim of this study was to examine the course of headache diagnosis, headache frequency, anxiety, comorbid depressive symptoms and school absenteeism in adolescents with migraine and tension‐type headaches five years after baseline.

Methods

We followed a group of 122 children with a mean age of 10.1 (±1.3) years, with headache from a paediatric migraine centre in Paris who had taken part in a previous study from September 2007 to June 2008. This five‐year longitudinal study took place in January to June 2012. The measures that were used included demographic variables, headache diagnosis, headache data and a psychological assessment.

Results

At the five‐year point, about 22% of the children had become headache free, 34% had little to no disability, and 36% had a changed diagnosis. Moreover, a longer history of headache at baseline was associated with a worse evolution of headache at follow‐up. Lastly, high depression scores, but not anxiety, were a predictor of more headache disability at follow‐up.

Conclusion

High depression scores in childhood were a risk factor that was associated with persistence and worsening of headaches in adolescence. This suggests that mental health assessments should be carried out in paediatric headache pain clinics.
Letter: Mendelian randomisation to investigate moderate alcohol consumption in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; modest effects need large numbers
Authors: Parisinos C. A.
Published: July 2017

Linked Content

This article is linked to Parisinos and Sookoian and Pirola papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14168 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14182.
Editorial: liver transplantation in patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease and obesity
Authors: Townsend S. A. , Newsome P. N.
Published: July 2017

Linked Content

This article is linked to Townsend and Newsome et al and Barone papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14179 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14195.
Letter: Mendelian randomisation to investigate moderate alcohol consumption in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; modest effects need large numbers—authors' reply
Authors: Sookoian S. , Pirola C. J.
Published: July 2017

Linked Content

This article is linked to Parisinos and Sookoian and Pirola papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14168 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14182.
Editorial: mesalazine to prevent recurrent acute diverticulitis—the final nail in the coffin. Authors’ reply
Authors: Kruis W. , Greinwald R.
Published: July 2017

Linked Content

This article is linked to Gracie and Ford et al and Kruis and Greinwald papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14180 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14193.
Effect of ginkgo extract supplementation on in vitro rumen fermentation and bacterial profiles under different dietary conditions
Authors: Oh Seongjin , Koike Satoshi , Kobayashi Yasuo
Published: July 2017

Ginkgo extract was applied to a batch culture study and evaluated for its potential as a feed additive for ruminant animals under different forage‐to‐concentrate (F:C) ratios (1:9, 3:7, 5:5, 7:3 and 9:1). Rumen fluid was mixed with respective diet and incubated at 39°C for 24 h with and without ginkgo extract (1.6% fruit equivalent in culture). Methane production was significantly decreased by ginkgo extract, with the greatest reductions found in the 5:5 (41.9%) followed by the 7:3 ratios (36.7%). Total short chain fatty acid and ammonia levels were not affected by ginkgo extract supplementation in any of the five different diets. However, ginkgo extract increased propionate proportion and decreased acetate proportion in all dietary conditions tested. The levels of total bacteria, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, Ruminococcus albus and Fibrobacter succinogenes were decreased by ginkgo extract. The levels of Selenomonas ruminantium, Anaerovibrio lipolytica, Ruminobacter amylophilus, Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens and Megasphaera elsdenii were increased by ginkgo extract supplementation, possibly contributing to the higher propionate production. These results suggest that rumen modulation by ginkgo extract can be achieved at a wide range of F:C ratios with no adverse impact on feed digestion. Moreover, F:C ratios of 5:5 and 7:3 may be optimal when methane mitigation is expected.
ON INTERMEDIATE HEADCOUNT INDICES OF POVERTY
Authors: Subramanian S. , Mukherjee Diganta
Published: July 2017

The archetypal population‐relative measure of poverty is the Headcount Ratio, while the archetypal population‐absolute measure is the Aggregate Headcount. The overwhelming emphasis in the poverty measurement literature has been on population‐relative measures. The value‐basis for this preference has been seldom submitted to serious scrutiny, with the result that absolute and intermediate measures have generally been subjected to relative neglect. There would appear to be a strong case for the employment of indices which are intermediate between relative and absolute measures, and which avoid the extreme values underlying both. The present note, building on earlier work by scholars such as Arriaga, Krtscha, Del Rio, Alonso‐Villar, Mukherjee, Zheng and Zoli, aims to advance the cause of a workable and plausible population‐intermediate headcount index of poverty.
Religious Development in African American Adolescents: Growth Patterns That Offer Protection
Authors: Lee Daniel B. , Neblett Enrique W.
Published: July 2017

Although religiosity promotes resilient outcomes in African American (AA) adolescents, there is a lack of research that examines the protective role of religious development in the context of stressful life events (SLEs). In 1,595AAadolescents, a cohort‐sequential design was used from ages 12 to 18 to examine subtypes of religiosity, as well as distinct developmental patterns within subtypes. The protective role of religious development was also examined in the context ofSLEs. The study findings indicated two subtypes of religiosity—extrinsic and intrinsic religiosity—as well as low and high developmental patterns in the identified subtypes. Furthermore, the protective influence of extrinsic and intrinsic religiosity gradually diminished from age 12 to 18 in the context ofSLEs.
Household Socioeconomic Status and Parental Investments: Direct and Indirect Relations With School Readiness in Ghana
Authors: Wolf Sharon , McCoy Dana Charles
Published: July 2017

This study examines how parent socioeconomic status (SES) directly and indirectly predicts children's school readiness through pathways of parental investment. Data come from direct assessments with preschool children and surveys with their primary caregivers in Ghana at the start of the 2015–2016 school year (N = 2,137; Mage = 5.2 years). Results revealed SES‐related gaps in all parental investment characteristics and child school readiness skills. Preschool involvement served as the primary mediating mechanism in the path from SES to most school readiness skills, though it did not predict executive function. The number of books in the household was marginally positively predictive of early literacy, whereas at‐home stimulation was negatively related to motor, literacy, and numeracy skills.
Prenatal exposure to dexamethasone in the mouse induces sex‐specific differences in placental gene expression
Authors: Lee Ji‐Yeon , Yun Hyo Jung , Kim Clara Yuri , Cho Yong Woo , Lee Yongmin , Kim Myoung Hee
Published: July 2017

Prenatal stress during pregnancy leads to sex‐specific effects on fetal development and disease susceptibility over the life span; however, the origin of sex differences has not been identified. The placenta not only plays a key role in fetal growth and development throughout pregnancy, but also affects the fetal programming underlying subsequent adult health and accounts. Therefore, sex‐specific adaptation of the placenta may be central to the sex differences in fetal growth and survival. Here, we analyzed the effects of prenatal dexamethasone (Dex) on sex‐specific changes in placental gene expression using RNA‐Seq. Placental tissues from males and females were separated into two developmentally distinct fetal and maternal parts at E11.5 stage. The majority of genes in female placentas were downregulated by prenatal Dex, whereas those were mostly maintained or rather upregulated in male placentas. RNA‐Seq results were validated using independent biological replicates from the same stage and placental tissue samples from E18.5 by realtime PCR assays. Activation of various inflammatory response‐related genes, chemokines and their receptors, particularly in male placentas, strongly implies that prenatal Dex exposure causes sex‐specific physiological responses that can lead to inflammatory diseases involving vascular pathology.
Supporting a friend, housemate or partner with mental health difficulties: The student experience
Authors: Byrom Nicola C.
Published: July 2017

Aims

When experiencing mental health difficulties, university students turn to their friends for support. This study assessed the consequences of caregiving among a university sample, identifying predictors of caregiving burden among students.

Methods

A total of 79 students with experience of supporting a friend with mental health difficulties were recruited through a UK student mental health charity to complete an online survey. Alongside qualitative data, the online survey used the Experience of Caregiving Inventory and the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire as measures of the consequences of caregiving.

Results

Students supporting friends, housemates or partners were found to experience significant consequences of caregiving. Frequency of face‐to‐face contact and duration of illness predicted more negative consequences of caregiving, but these relationships were not straightforward. The presence and intensity of professional support did not influence the experience of caregiving.

Conclusions

The study suggests that the impact of supporting friends with mental health difficulties is not insubstantial for students. Broadening the network of informal social support may help improve the experience for students supporting a friend, but currently, contact with professional services appears to have a limited effect.
Time capsules in natural sediment archives—Tracking phytoplankton population genetic diversity and adaptation over multidecadal timescales in the face of environmental change
Authors: Ellegaard Marianne , Godhe Anna , Ribeiro Sofia
Published: July 2017

Undisturbed records of resting stages produced in the past and stored in coastal sediments are very valuable to science, because they may provide unique insights into past evolutionary and ecological trajectories. Within marine phytoplankton, multidecadal time series of monoclonal strains germinated from resting stages have been established for diatoms (Skeletonema marinoi) and dinoflagellates (Pentapharsodinium dalei), spanning ca. a century. Phenotypic and genotypic analyses of these time series have revealed effects of past environmental changes on population genetic structure. Future perspectives include direct comparisons of phenotypes and genotypic data of populations, for example, by genomewide assays that can correlate phenotypic trends with genotypes and allele frequencies in temporally separated strains. Besides their usefulness as historical records, “seed” banks of phytoplankton resting stages also have the potential to provide an inoculum that influences present populations through “dispersal from the past” (the storage effect) and are important for adaptation to future environments through their standing genetic diversity.
Managerial gaming of stock and option grants
Authors: Tian Yisong S.
Published: July 2017

In this paper, we examine managerial gaming of different types of equity grants, both at the initial award of the equity grants (front‐end gaming) and the unwinding of the equity holdings in the future (back‐end gaming). We find that the potential gains from stock price manipulation vary substantially across different types of equity grants. While traditional stock option grants are less vulnerable to front‐end gaming, they are more vulnerable to back‐end gaming than other types of equity grants (e.g., restricted stock grants). To prevent or discourage managerial gaming, firms should preset all terms of the equity grant in advance and link its future payoff to average stock prices (e.g., by granting Asian stock options).
The global rural: Relational geographies of poverty and uneven development
Authors: Rignall Karen , Atia Mona
Published: July 2017

This paper explores rural poverty through a relational lens, arguing that new spatial patterns of poverty stemming from global economic transformations call for a relational approach; one that draws attention to the importance of global integration while recognizing that places are absorbed differently and unevenly into circuits of capital accumulation. The spread of neoliberalism has reconfigured rural spaces, and the production of poverty knowledge reinforces this uneven spatiality. We address recent literature extending the critical analysis of poverty and welfare in the Global North to the production of poverty knowledge and development practice globally. We examine the various technologies of power that ask the subjects of rural poverty to be empowered, moral, and market‐oriented subjects. This attention to how rural poverty is governed and how rural subjects are inserted into the project of development highlights the distinct role of rural spaces in relation to poverty studies. We emphasize the spatially and temporally disjointed ways in which rural spaces and subjectivities are reconfigured, calling for greater attention to ethnographic accounts of the lived experiences of poverty. We argue for a reconsideration the “global rural” in processes of uneven development.
Enhanced electrical properties and strong red light‐emitting in Eu3+‐doped Sr1.90Ca0.15Na0.9Nb5O15 ceramics
Authors: Hao Shenglan , Li Jinhong , Yang Pei , Wei Lingling , Yang Zupei
Published: July 2017

The luminescent‐ferroelectic materials based on Sr1.90Ca0.15Na0.9Nb5O15 (SCNN) matrix doping with Eu3+ were synthesized by the conventional solid‐state reaction method. The crystal structure, photoluminescence, thermal stability, dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric behaviors were systematically investigated. XRD results revealed that Eu3+ introduction could induce the tungsten bronze phase transition from orthorhombic to tetragonal structures. The dielectric spectra of all specimens showed two broad dielectric anomalies: a high‐temperature ferroelectric phase transition (Tc) and a low‐temperature ferroelastic phase transition (Ts), both of which were suppressed at higher Eu3+ concentrations. The enhanced electrical properties were obtained in a proper Eu3+ concentration range of 0.03‐0.05. For all SCNN:xEu3+ samples, the strong red emission peak at 617 nm originating from the electric dipole transition of 5D0 →7F2 was excited by different light excitations of 395 or 463 nm. Our results demonstrated that Eu3+‐doped SCNN materials might have promising potential in advanced multifunctional optoelectronic applications.
Perceptions of key participants about Botswana adolescents' risks of unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV: Qualitative findings
Authors: Magowe Mabel K. M. , Seloilwe Esther , Dithole Kefalotse , St. Lawrence Janet
Published: July 2017

Aim

The qualitative research findings are reported on the perceptions of key participants in Botswana about adolescent sexuality problems and the feasibility (with suggestions) of an adolescent prevention intervention.

Methods

Twenty adult key participants who were selected through purposive sampling from schools and youth centers responded to open‐ended questions during face‐to‐face individual in‐depth interviews that were conducted between December, 2011 and January, 2012 in Gaborone, Botswana.

Results

The data were analyzed by using an inductive content analysis. Five major themes and 12 subthemes emerged from the interviews. The key participants discussed situations that exposed adolescents to HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy. They also discussed unsafe sexual practices, the consequences of unprotected sex, poor parent–adolescent communication on sexuality, and the need for a sexuality education program.

Conclusion

Policy changes are needed to improve collaboration between adolescents, parents, teachers, and youth officers in order to address adolescent sexuality problems. Further research is needed to explore the ways in which to improve sexuality communication between these groups. The results of the study provide valuable information on the sexuality risks that expose adolescents to HIV, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections and the strategies for the prevention of these risks, thus informing targeted interventions for risk reduction for adolescents.
ON THE ROBUSTNESS OF HIGHER ORDER RISK PREFERENCES
Authors: Deck Cary , Schlesinger Harris
Published: July 2017

Economists have begun to recognize the role that higher order risk preferences play in a variety of settings. As such, several experiments have documented the degree of prudence, temperance, and, to a lesser extent, edginess and bentness that laboratory subjects exhibit. More recently, researchers have argued that higher order risk preferences generally conform to mixed risk‐averse and mixed risk‐loving patterns that arise from a preference for disaggregating or aggregating harms, respectively. This article examines the robustness of this pattern in three ways. First, it attempts to directly replicate previous results with compound lotteries over monetary outcomes. Second, it compares behavior in compound lotteries with behavior in reduced‐form lotteries. And third, it evaluates choices over monetary and nonmonetary risks. While previous results are replicated for compound lotteries over monetary outcomes and aggregate behavior with reduced‐form lotteries has a similar pattern, individuals clearly treat compound and reduced‐form lotteries differently. Further, behavior differs between monetary and nonmonetary outcomes.
The anterior nasal region in the Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) suggests adaptation for thermoregulation and water conservation
Authors: Nelson D. P. , Warburton N. M. , Prideaux G. J.
Published: July 2017

The Red Kangaroo, Macropus rufus, is a specialist inhabitant of the hot, arid interior of Australia. Physiological adaptations that enable it to survive in this extreme environment are not fully understood, but include modifications of the kidney to optimize water economy and the ability to reabsorb water from digesta. To date, no nasal adaptations have been revealed in M. rufus, even though specializations in this region for thermoregulation and water conservation are common in arid‐zone placental mammals, such as camels. Here, we investigate the nasal osteology and histology of M. rufus and describe two previously unreported features. Computed‐tomographic scans reveal two modifications of the premaxillae in adult M. rufus: a sulcus on the inner margin of lateral walls of the nasal cavity, and a longitudinal recess lying in the floor of the nasal cavity. Histological analysis shows that these are lined with simple respiratory epithelia; no additional glandular structures were evident. The submucosa of the lateral sulcus was highly vascular, suggesting a role in thermoregulation. The lamina propria of the ventral recess was relatively avascular, but contains lymphatic vessels. Presence of the lateral sulcus in the tropical Antilopine Kangaroo, M. antilopinus, and absence of either feature in the more mesic‐adapted grey kangaroos (M. fuliginosus, M. giganteus), lends support to the hypothesis that this premaxillary modification may reflect adaptation of the nasal cavity for thermoregulation. The ventral nasal recess was unique to M. rufus and we suggest that it may play a role in water conservation in this species via reclamation of moisture by the lymphatic system. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of a nasal mechanism for water reclamation in mammals.
Validation of the schema mode concept in personality disordered offenders
Authors: Keulen‐de Vos Marije , Bernstein David P. , Clark Lee Anna , de Vogel Vivienne , Bogaerts Stefan , Slaats Mariëtte , Arntz Arnoud
Published: July 2017

Purpose

A core element of Schema Therapy (ST) is ‘schema modes’ or fluctuating emotional states. ST assumes that particular personality pathology consists of specific combinations of maladaptive schema modes. There is confirmatory evidence for the modes hypothesized to be central to borderline and narcissistic personality disorder (PD) in non‐forensic patients. In this study, we tested three aspects of the construct validity of schema modes in cluster‐B personality disordered offenders, examining its factorial validity, and the relations among personality disorders and violence risk.

Method

Our sample consisted of 70 offenders who were diagnosed with an antisocial, borderline, or narcissistic PD. Schema modes were assessed with the Schema Mode Inventory (SMI), personality disorders with the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality‐Forensic Version (SNAP‐FV), and violence risk with the Historical, Clinical, and Risk management scheme (HCR‐20V2).

Results

When controlling for the two other PDs, three schema mode factors distinguished antisocial PD as a disorder involving both low scores on internalizing and high scores on externalizing modes, and borderline PD as involving high scores on internalizing modes. Furthermore, the externalizing schema modes were a significant predictor for violence risk inside the hospital.

Conclusions

The hypothesized mode models were partially supported for all three PDs. The findings thus provide some support for the construct validity of schema modes in a forensic sample.
Anger in Negotiations: A Review of Causes, Effects, and Unanswered Questions
Authors: Hunsaker David A.
Published: July 2017

This article reviews the literature on the emotion of anger in the negotiation context. I discuss the known antecedents of anger in negotiation, as well as its positive and negative inter‐ and intrapersonal effects. I pay particular attention to the apparent disagreements within the literature concerning the benefits and drawbacks of using anger to gain advantage in negotiations and employ Attribution Theory as a unifying mechanism to help explain these diverse findings. I call attention to the weaknesses evident in current research questions and methodologies and end with suggestions for future research in this important area.
Toward a Communication Perspective of Restorative Justice: Implications for Research, Facilitation, and Assessment
Authors: Paul Gregory D. , Borton Ian M.
Published: July 2017

As the research and practice of restorative justice has grown, conversations have been ongoing about how to define and evaluate such practices. In this conceptual review, we argue for the utility and importance of adopting a communication perspective (Pearce, 1989,Communication and the human condition. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, IL.) for defining, evaluating, and practicing restorative justice. We begin by describing a communication perspective before reviewing scholarly literature regarding defining and evaluating restorative justice. We also illustrate how a communication perspective can prompt useful questions about defining, evaluating, facilitating, and administering restorative justice. We conclude with a discussion of implications for research, facilitation, and organizational administration.
From Co‐existence to Shared Society: A Paradigm Shift in Intercommunity Peacebuilding Among Jews and Arabs in Israel
Authors: Kuttner Ran
Published: July 2017

The discourse regarding Jewish–Arab intercommunity peacebuilding processes is undergoing major changes in recent years, gradually shifting from “coexistence” as the desired outcome to “shared society.” This article suggests that this transition portrays a paradigm shift that should be acknowledged and taken into account by peacebuilding activists and conflict specialists. The first section describes various common understandings of this shift in the context of Jewish‐Arab relations in Israel. Section two will describe the underpinnings of the paradigm shift from individualistic to relational understanding of the self and argue that this shift is consistent with the wish for transition to “shared society” and to develop more dialogic frameworks of groups’ shared living. Section three will present a case study, the work of Givat Haviva, emphasizing the relational premises that can be found in its methodology to cultivate a shared society among Jews and Arabs in Israel.
Upper esophageal sphincter (UES) metrics on high‐resolution manometry (HRM) differentiate achalasia subtypes
Authors: Blais P. , Patel A. , Sayuk G. S. , Gyawali C. P.
Published: July 2017

Background

The upper esophageal sphincter (UES) reflexively responds to bolus presence within the esophageal lumen, therefore UES metrics can vary in achalasia.

Methods

Within consecutive patients undergoing esophageal high‐resolution manometry (HRM), 302 patients (58.2±1.0 year, 57% F) with esophageal outflow obstruction were identified, and compared to 16 asymptomatic controls (27.7±0.7 year, 56% F). Esophageal outflow obstruction was segregated into achalasia subtypes 1, 2, and 3, and esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO with intact peristalsis) using Chicago Classification v3.0. UES and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) metrics were compared between esophageal outflow obstruction and normal controls using univariate and multivariate analysis. Linear regression excluded multicollinearity of pressure metrics that demonstrated significant differences across individual subtype comparisons.

Key Results

LES integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) had utility in differentiating achalasia from controls (P<.0001), but no utility in segregating between subtypes (P=.27). In comparison to controls, patients collectively demonstrated univariate differences in UES mean basal pressure, relaxation time to nadir, recovery time, and residual pressure (UES‐RP) (P≤.049). UES‐RP was highest in type 2 achalasia (P<.0001 compared to other subtypes and controls). In multivariate analysis, only UES‐RP retained significance in comparison between each of the subgroups (P≤.02 for each comparison). Intrabolus pressure was highest in type 3 achalasia; this demonstrated significant differences across some but not all subtype comparisons.

Conclusions and Inferences

Nadir UES‐RP can differentiate achalasia subtypes within the esophageal outflow obstruction spectrum, with highest values in type 2 achalasia. This metric likely represents a surrogate marker for esophageal pressurization.
Long‐term impact of the low‐FODMAP diet on gastrointestinal symptoms, dietary intake, patient acceptability, and healthcare utilization in irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: O'Keeffe M. , Jansen C. , Martin L. , Williams M. , Seamark L. , Staudacher H. M. , Irving P. M. , Whelan K. , Lomer M. C.
Published: July 2017

Background

The low‐FODMAP diet is a frequently used treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Most research has focused on short‐term FODMAP restriction; however, guidelines recommend that high‐FODMAP foods are reintroduced to individual tolerance. This study aimed to assess the long‐term effectiveness of the low‐FODMAP diet following FODMAP reintroduction in IBS patients.

Methods

Patients with IBS were prospectively recruited to a questionnaire study following completion of dietitian‐led low‐FODMAP education. At baseline and following FODMAP restriction (short term) only, gastrointestinal symptoms were measured as part of routine clinical care. Following FODMAP reintroduction, (long term), symptoms, dietary intake, acceptability, food‐related quality of life (QOL), and healthcare utilization were assessed. Data were reported for patients who continued long‐term FODMAP restriction (adapted FODMAP) and/or returned to a habitual diet (habitual).

Key Results

Of 103 patients, satisfactory relief of symptoms was reported in 12% at baseline, 61% at short‐term follow‐up, and 57% at long‐term follow‐up. At long‐term follow‐up, 84 (82%) patients continued an ‘adapted FODMAP’ diet (total FODMAP intake mean 20.6, SD 14.9 g/d) compared with 19 (18%) of patients following a ‘habitual’ diet (29.4, SD 22.9 g/d, P=.039). Nutritional adequacy was not compromised for either group. The ‘adapted FODMAP’ group reported the diet cost significantly more than the ‘habitual’ group (P<.001) and affected social eating (P<.01) but there was no effect on food‐related QOL. Healthcare utilization was similar between both groups.

Conclusion and Inferences

Low‐FODMAP education is effective for long‐term IBS management, enables a nutritionally adequate diet, and is broadly acceptable to patients.
Transthoracic intracardiac catheters in pediatric cardiac patients: A single‐center experience
Authors: Beham Kristoffer , Dave Hitendu , Kelly Janet , Frey Bernhard , Hug Maja I. , Brotschi Barbara
Published: July 2017

Background

Transthoracic intracardiac catheters are frequently inserted in children during congenital heart surgery for monitoring and vascular access purposes. Their use entails a small potential risk.

Aim

We aimed to evaluate both catheter‐associated morbidities related to maintenance and removal of transthoracic intracardiac catheters in pediatric cardiac patients, and predictors for catheter‐associated adverse events.

Methods

Single‐center retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data of children aged 0‐14 years receiving a transthoracic intracardiac catheter inserted in the operating room during 7 consecutive years at the University Children's Hospital Zurich.

Results

A total of 115 transthoracic intracardiac catheters were placed in 112 patients: 45 right atrial, 68 left atrial, and 2 pulmonary artery catheters. Five catheters (4.3%) had to be removed due to catheter‐associated adverse events (infection, 2; nonfunction, 2; and leakage 1). After catheter removal, 19% of patients suffered adverse events, these were minor in 16 (14%) and serious in 6 (5.1%) (symptomatic bleeding in four (3.5%) patients, pericardial tamponade leading to death in one (0.8%), and tension pneumothorax in one (0.8%)). Catheter position in the right atrium and the need for platelet transfusion prior to removal were risk factors for adverse events.

Conclusions

Transthoracic intracardiac catheters are useful in the management of specific patient groups with complex congenital heart defects. Adverse events do occur; most of them do not require intervention. The insertion technique plays an important role in avoiding adverse events. Strict guidelines for the use and removal of transthoracic intracardiac catheters are required. Low platelet count should delay catheter removal. The wealth of information and therapeutic options offered by these catheters appear to outweigh the associated potential adverse events in this specific patient group.
Coarse‐sand beach ridges at Cowley Beach, north‐eastern Australia: Their formative processes and potential as records of tropical cyclone history
Authors: Tamura Toru , Nicholas William A. , Oliver Thomas S. N. , Brooke Brendan P.
Published: July 2017

Storm surges generated by tropical cyclones have been considered a primary process for building coarse‐sand beach ridges along the north‐eastern Queensland coast, Australia. This interpretation has led to the development of palaeotempestology based on the beach ridges. To better identify the sedimentary processes responsible for these ridges, a high‐resolution chronostratigraphic analysis of a series of ridges was carried out at Cowley Beach, Queensland, a meso‐tidal beach system with a >3 m tide range. Optically stimulated luminescence ages indicate that 10 ridges accreted seaward over the last 2500 to 2700 years. The ridge crests sit +3·5 to 5·1 m above Australian Height Datum (ca mean sea‐level). A ground‐penetrating radar profile shows two distinct radar facies, both of which are dissected by truncation surfaces. Hummocky structures in the upper facies indicate that the nucleus of the beach ridge forms as a berm at +2·5 m Australian Height Datum, equivalent to the fair‐weather swash limit during high tide. The lower facies comprises a sequence of seaward‐dipping reflections. Beach progradation thus occurs via fair‐weather‐wave accretion of sand, with erosion by storm waves resulting in a sporadic sedimentary record. The ridge deposits above the fair‐weather swash limit are primarily composed of coarse and medium sands with pumice gravels and are largely emplaced during surge events. Inundation of the ridges is more likely to occur in relation to a cyclone passing during high tide. The ridges may also include an aeolian component as cyclonic winds can transport beach sand inland, especially during low tide, and some layers above +2·5 m Australian Height Datum are finer than aeolian ripples found on the backshore. Coarse‐sand ridges at Cowley Beach are thus products of fair‐weather swash and cyclone inundation modulated by tides. Knowledge of this composite depositional process can better inform the development of robust palaeoenvironmental reconstructions from the ridges.
Effects of live wetland plant macrophytes on acidification, redox potential and sulphate content in acid sulphate soils
Authors: Michael P. S. , Fitzpatrick R. W. , Reid R. J.
Published: July 2017

Unless properly managed, acid sulphate soils can exert a range of negative environmental impacts, including soil acidification and mobilization of metals and metalloids. Incorporation of organic matter in the form of plant mulches can substantially neutralize sulphuric soils and prevent the oxidation of sulphidic soils. These positive effects of dead plants are largely mediated by bacterial reduction of sulphates to sulphides, using the organic matter as a microbial nutrient source. However, very little is known about the effects of live plants on acid sulphate soils. In this study, we compared pH, Eh and sulphate content of sulphidic and sulphuric soils that were not planted (i.e. unplanted) with those soils planted with the following three common wetland plants: Phragmites, Melaleuca and Typha. Each of these plants is capable of growth in aerobic and flooded soils. In all our experiments, the presence of plants correlated with an increase in soil acidification rather than neutralizing soil acidity when compared to unplanted controls. The mechanism for this appears to be transport of oxygen down the soil profile by aerenchymatous tissue formed in these species, and the release of oxygen into the rhizosphere.
Treatment of an acquired Factor XIII inhibitor in an adolescent with systemic lupus erythematosus and renal failure
Authors: Rabik Cara A. , Atkinson Meredith A. , Sule Sangeeta , Strouse John J.
Published: July 2017

BACKGROUND

Factor (F)XIII deficiency is a rare inherited bleeding disorder, but can also be acquired due to the development of inhibitors.

CASE REPORT

A 17‐year‐old female with systemic lupus erythematosus and end‐stage kidney disease secondary to Class IV lupus nephritis developed spontaneous subcutaneous and muscular hematomas and delayed major bleeding after invasive procedures. She had abnormal kaolin thromboelastography (kTEG; decreased maximal amplitude, representative of clot strength) initially attributed to thrombocytopenia and uremic platelet dysfunction, but her FXIII activity was undetectable, and a high‐titer antibody against FXIII was identified. She had improvement in clinical bleeding and in kaolin thromboelastogram result and transient improvement in FXIII activity after each dose of plasma‐derived FXIII concentrate (Corifact) or cryoprecipitate. Her inhibitor titers gradually improved with multiple immunosuppressive therapies and plasma exchange. While her FXIII activity level remained mildly decreased, she has not had additional significant bleeding.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with either plasma‐derived FXIII or cryoprecipitate is an effective treatment to normalize the kTEG variables and clinical bleeding diatheses associated with acquired FXIII inhibitors. Higher doses may be needed in patients with high‐titer inhibitor.
Cat scratch disease: U.S. clinicians' experience and knowledge
Authors: Nelson C. A. , Moore A. R. , Perea A. E. , Mead P. S.
Published: July 2017

Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a zoonotic infection caused primarily by the bacterium Bartonella henselae. An estimated 12,000 outpatients and 500 inpatients are diagnosed with CSD annually, yet little is known regarding clinician experience with and treatment of CSD in the United States. Questions assessing clinical burden, treatment and prevention of CSD were posed to 3,011 primary care providers (family practitioners, internists, paediatricians and nurse practitioners) during 2014–2015 as part of the annual nationwide DocStyles survey. Among the clinicians surveyed, 37.2% indicated that they had diagnosed at least one patient with CSD in the prior year. Clinicians in the Pacific and Southern regions were more likely to have diagnosed CSD, as were clinicians who saw paediatric patients, regardless of specialty. When presented with a question regarding treatment of uncomplicated CSD, only 12.5% of clinicians chose the recommended treatment option of analgesics and monitoring, while 71.4% selected antibiotics and 13.4% selected lymph node aspiration. In a scenario concerning CSD prevention in immunosuppressed patients, 80.6% of clinicians chose some form of precaution, but less than one‐third chose the recommended option of counseling patients to treat their cats for fleas and avoid rough play with their cats. Results from this study indicate that a substantial proportion of U.S. clinicians have diagnosed CSD within the past year. Although published guidelines exist for treatment and prevention of CSD, these findings suggest that knowledge gaps remain. Therefore, targeted educational efforts about CSD may benefit primary care providers.
Concrete wave dispersion interpretation through Mindlin's strain gradient elastic theory
Authors: Iliopoulos Sokratis N. , Malm Fabian , Grosse Christian U. , Aggelis Dimitrios G. , Polyzos Demosthenes
Published: July 2017

Classical elastic wave features like pulse velocity and attenuation have been used for decades for concrete condition characterization. Relatively recently the effect of frequency has been studied showing no doubt over the dispersive behavior of the material. Despite the experimental evidence, there is no unified theory to model the material and explain this phase velocity change at frequencies below 200 kHz. Herein, the Mindlin's strain gradient elastic theory including the additional micro-stiffness and micro-inertia parameters is considered as an alternative of multiple scattering theory. Experimental results are produced from material with dictated microstructure using a specific diameter of glass beads in cement paste. Results show that Mindlin's theory provides conclusions on the microstructure of the material and is suitable for describing the observed dispersion in different length scales (from millimeters in the case of mortar to several centimeters in the case of concrete).
Draft Genome Sequence of Bacteriophage vB_Eco_swan01
Authors: Michniewski Slawomir , Redgwell Tamsin , Scanlan David J. , Millard Andrew D.
Published: July 2017

Bacteriophage vB_Eco_swan01 was isolated from an ornamental pool using
Escherichia coli
MG1655 as the host. Bacteriophage vB_Eco_swan01 has limited similarity with other known phages at the nucleotide level and likely represents a new bacteriophage species within the
Tunavirinae
.
Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium Phage CrystalP
Authors: Fleischacker Christine L. , Segura-Totten Miriam ,   SEA-PHAGES 2016 Bioinformatics Workshop, Garlena Rebecca A. , Jacobs-Sera Deborah , Pope Welkin H. , Russell Daniel A. , Hatfull Graham F. ,   SEA-PHAGES 2016 Bioinformatics Workshop, Asai David , Bhalla Suparna , Biederman Billy , Bortz Rebecca , Breton Timothy , Brey Chris , Brown-Kennerly Victoria , Butela Kristen , Cavinder Brad , Connors Bernadette , Cresawn Steven , Decker Jillian , Delaney Nguyen Kristen , Diaz Arturo , Dojs Madeline , Doty Jean , Edwards Dale , Fast Kayla , Fleischacker Christine , Frost Victoria , Furlong Laurie , Haddad Eid , Hatfull Graham , Hughes Lee , Jacobs-Sera Debbie , Katsanos Joanna , Kesinger Evan , Kirkpatrick Bridgette , Kobi Priscilla , Koga Ann , Lawson Jonathan , Martin Stephanie , McLean Jeff , Merkhofer Evan , Montgomery Jacob , Moriyama Etsuko , Gibson Margaret Nordlie , Ospina-Giraldo Manuel , Paige-Anderson Carleitta , Pope Welkin , Powell Ann , Preuss Mary , Ruffin Vernon , Russell Dan , Sandel Michael , Scherer Anne , Schwebach J. , Scrudato Melody , Seegulam M. Esa , Segura-Totten Miriam , Sivanathan Vic , Smith Mary Ann , Stamm Joyce , Sutter Nate , Tolsma Sara , Twichell Carole , Valle-Rivera Ana Maria , Washington Tony , Weir Scott , Westover Kristi , Yan Wenbo
Published: July 2017

Mycobacteriophage CrystalP is a newly isolated phage infecting
Mycobacterium smegmatis
strain mc
2
155. CrystalP has a 76,483-bp genome and is predicted to contain 143 protein-coding and 2 tRNA genes, including repressor and integrase genes consistent with a temperate lifestyle. CrystalP is related to the mycobacteriophages Toto and Kostya and to other Cluster E phages.
Draft Genome Sequence of Klebsiella michiganensis 3T412C, Harboring an Arsenic Resistance Genomic Island, Isolated from Mine Tailings in Peru
Authors: Ccorahua-Santo Robert , Cervantes Miguel , Duran Yerson , Aguirre Mac , Marin Claudia , Ramírez Pablo
Published: July 2017

An arsenic resistance genomic island in the bacterium
Klebsiella michiganensis
3T412C was isolated from mine tailings from Peru. This genomic island confers adaptation to extreme environments with high concentrations of arsenic. Isolate 3T412C contained a complete set of genes involved in resistance to arsenic. This operon is surrounded by putative genes for resistance to other heavy metals.
Draft Genome Sequence of Multidrug-Resistant
Cellulosimicrobium
sp. Strain KWT-B, Isolated from Feces of
Hirundo rustica
Authors: Kenzaka Takehiko , Ishimoto Yuina , Tani Katsuji
Published: July 2017

Migratory birds have been postulated as potential spreaders of antibiotic resistance. Multidrug-resistant
Cellulosimicrobium
sp. strain KWT-B was isolated from the feces of
Hirundo rustica
. A draft genome sequence indicated that the strain harbors multidrug-resistant transporters, multidrug efflux pumps, a vancomycin-resistant protein, and metallo-beta-lactamases.