bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robust estimates of environmental effects on population vital rates: an integrated capture–recapture model of seasonal brook trout growth, survival and movement in a stream network
Authors: Letcher Benjamin H. , Schueller Paul , Bassar Ronald D. , Nislow Keith H. , Coombs Jason A. , Sakrejda Krzysztof , Morrissey Michael , Sigourney Douglas B. , Whiteley Andrew R. , O'Donnell Matthew J. , Dubreuil Todd L.
Published: October 2014

Modelling the effects of environmental change on populations is a key challenge for ecologists, particularly as the pace of change increases. Currently, modelling efforts are limited by difficulties in establishing robust relationships between environmental drivers and population responses.

We developed an integrated capture–recapture state‐space model to estimate the effects of two key environmental drivers (stream flow and temperature) on demographic rates (body growth, movement and survival) using a long‐term (11 years), high‐resolution (individually tagged, sampled seasonally) data set of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) from four sites in a stream network. Our integrated model provides an effective context within which to estimate environmental driver effects because it takes full advantage of data by estimating (latent) state values for missing observations, because it propagates uncertainty among model components and because it accounts for the major demographic rates and interactions that contribute to annual survival.

We found that stream flow and temperature had strong effects on brook trout demography. Some effects, such as reduction in survival associated with low stream flow and high temperature during the summer season, were consistent across sites and age classes, suggesting that they may serve as robust indicators of vulnerability to environmental change. Other survival effects varied across ages, sites and seasons, indicating that flow and temperature may not be the primary drivers of survival in those cases. Flow and temperature also affected body growth rates; these responses were consistent across sites but differed dramatically between age classes and seasons. Finally, we found that tributary and mainstem sites responded differently to variation in flow and temperature.

Annual survival (combination of survival and body growth across seasons) was insensitive to body growth and was most sensitive to flow (positive) and temperature (negative) in the summer and fall.

These observations, combined with our ability to estimate the occurrence, magnitude and direction of fish movement between these habitat types, indicated that heterogeneity in response may provide a mechanism providing potential resilience to environmental change. Given that the challenges we faced in our study are likely to be common to many intensive data sets, the integrated modelling approach could be generally applicable and useful.
Acarbose treatment affects the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and the gut content of bifidobacteria in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Su Benli , Liu Haixia , Li Jing , Sunli Yongjuan , Liu Ben , Liu Dandan , Zhang Ping , Meng Xiuxiang
Published: October 2014

Background

The effects of acarbose add‐on therapy on gut microbiota and inflammatory cytokines were investigated in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods

Ninety‐five DM patients were randomly allocated to two groups: 59 to Group A who received antidiabetic treatment that included acarbose 150 mg/day, and 36 to Group B who received similar treatment to Group A but without acarbose. Forty‐five healthy volunteers were selected as a control group. Serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines were determined by ELISA, and the contents of 16S rDNA of gut bacteria were determined by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. General linear analysis for repeated measurements was used to analyze trend differences between the two diabetic groups.

Results

After 4 weeks of antidiabetic treatment, the gut contents of Bifidobacterium longum and Enterococcus faecalis were significantly increased in both diabetes groups. The increase of Bifidobacterium longum (P = 0.004) and the decrease of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) (P < 0.001) and prothrombin activator inhibitor‐1 (P = 0.003) were more significant in Group A. Decreases of monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 and LPS were more significant in patients whose HbA1c decrease was ≥1%, but there were no significant differences in the changes of other cytokines and gut bacteria between patients with HbA1c <7% and ≥7%. Pearson correlation analysis showed that changes of Enterococcus faecalis were negatively correlated with LPS, while multiple linear regression analysis showed a positive correlation of Bifidobacterium longum with acarbose treatment and the high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration.

Conclusions

Acarbose treatment can increase the content of gut Bifidobacterium longum in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and decrease some inflammatory cytokines independently of its antihyperglycemic effects.
Does fluoride in the water close the dental caries gap between Indigenous and non‐Indigenous children?
Authors: Lalloo R , Jamieson LM , Ha D , Ellershaw A , Luzzi L
Published: October 2014

Background

Indigenous children experience significantly more dental caries than non‐Indigenous children. This study assessed if access to fluoride in the water closed the gap in dental caries between Indigenous and non‐Indigenous children.

Methods

Data from four states and two territories were sourced from the Child Dental Health Survey (CDHS) conducted in 2010. The outcomes were dental caries in the deciduous and permanent dentitions, and the explanatory variables were Indigenous status and access to fluoridated water (≥0.5 mg/L) prior to 2008.

Results

Dental caries prevalence and severity for Indigenous and non‐Indigenous children, in both dentitions, was lower in fluoridated areas compared to non‐fluoridated areas. Among non‐Indigenous children, there was a 50.9% difference in mean dmft scores in fluoridated (1.70) compared to non‐fluoridated (2.86) areas. The difference between Indigenous children in fluoridated (3.29) compared to non‐fluoridated (4.16) areas was 23.4%. Among non‐Indigenous children there was a 79.7% difference in the mean DMFT scores in fluoridated (0.68) compared to non‐fluoridated (1.58) areas. The difference between Indigenous children in fluoridated (1.59) and non‐fluoridated (2.23) areas was 33.5%.

Conclusions

Water fluoridation is effective in reducing dental caries, but does not appear to close the gap between non‐Indigenous children and Indigenous children.
The effect of red wood ant abundance on feeding damage by the pine weevil Hylobius abietis
Authors: Maňák Vítězslav , Björklund Niklas , Lenoir Lisette , Nordlander Göran
Published: October 2014

Red wood ants (Formica rufa group) are the dominant ant species in European forests that can affect the abundance of other arthropods (e.g. herbivorous insects in tree canopies or beetles on the forest floor).

Notably, ants can prevent pine weevils (Hylobius abietis) from feeding on conifer seedlings supplied with food sources for ants. This is a potentially important observation because the weevil is a serious pest in forest regeneration areas.

We hypothesized that frequent encounters between red wood ants and pine weevils on the ground may decrease the weevils' feeding on conifer seedlings. To test this hypothesis, we compared feeding damage caused by pine weevils on spruce seedlings in areas with high and low abundance of red wood ants.

Despite a four‐fold difference in the numbers of ants in pitfall trap samples, there were no significant differences between areas with high and low ant abundance in terms of feeding‐scar areas, proportions of attacked seedlings or proportions of killed seedlings.

Thus, in contrast to previously documented deterrent effects on ground‐dwelling beetles, high abundance of ants on the ground did not influence the feeding activity of pine weevils on the spruce seedlings. We conclude that the mechanisms underlying seedling protection by ants are probably mainly related to the ants' protection of food sources, whereas the frequency of encounters elsewhere has less effect on the weevils' feeding.
Prevalence of substance abuse in pregnancy among Danish women
Authors: Rausgaard Nete L.K. , Ibsen Inge O. , Jørgensen Jan S. , Lamont Ronald F. , Ravn Pernille
Published: October 2014

There are few recent data on the prevalence of substance abuse among Danish pregnant women. During 2013, in the Region of Southern Denmark, a cross‐sectional, anonymous, screening‐based study was conducted among pregnant women attending for routine ultrasound scan at 12 weeks gestation. The women submitted a urine sample and completed a short questionnaire. Urine samples were tested for opiates, cannabis, benzodiazepines, cocaine, methadone, amphetamine and methamphetamine. Positive samples underwent repeat analysis for confirmation. Of 690 pregnant women, 88.1% participated. Overall, 3.6% of women had a positive urine sample confirmed by repeated analysis. The age distribution in women with positive samples did not differ from the entire cohort. Our findings indicate a larger prevalence than anticipated, and that a substantial number of pregnant women with substance abuse are not appropriately referred to the focused specialist center for such women at risk.
Contribution of antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage to the burden of maternal near miss and death in a national surveillance study
Authors: Rocha Filho Edilberto A. , Costa Maria L. , Cecatti Jose G. , Parpinelli Mary A. , Haddad Samira M. , Sousa Maria H. , Melo Elias F. , Surita Fernanda G. , Souza Joao P.
Published: October 2014

Objective

To evaluate the occurrence of severe obstetric complications associated with antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage among women from the Brazilian Network for Surveillance of Severe Maternal Morbidity.

Design

Multicenter cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Twenty‐seven obstetric referral units in Brazil between July 2009 and June 2010.

Population

A total of 9555 women categorized as having obstetric complications.

Methods

The occurrence of potentially life‐threatening conditions, maternal near miss and maternal deaths associated with antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage was evaluated. Sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics and the use of criteria for management of severe bleeding were also assessed in these women.

Main outcome measures

The prevalence ratios with their respective 95% confidence intervals adjusted for the cluster effect of the design, and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to identify factors independently associated with the occurrence of severe maternal outcome.

Results

Antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage occurred in only 8% (767) of women experiencing any type of obstetric complication. However, it was responsible for 18.2% (140) of maternal near miss and 10% (14) of maternal death cases. On multivariate analysis, maternal age and previous cesarean section were shown to be independently associated with an increased risk of severe maternal outcome (near miss or death).

Conclusion

Severe maternal outcome due to antepartum and intrapartum hemorrhage was highly prevalent among Brazilian women. Certain risk factors, maternal age and previous cesarean delivery in particular, were associated with the occurrence of bleeding.
Minimum Clinically Important Difference in Medical Studies
Authors: Hedayat A. S. , Wang Junhui , Xu Tu
Published: October 2014

In clinical trials, minimum clinically important difference (MCID) has attracted increasing interest as an important supportive clinical and statistical inference tool. Many estimation methods have been developed based on various intuitions, while little theoretical justification has been established. This article proposes a new estimation framework of the MCID using both diagnostic measurements and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). The framework first formulates the population-based MCID as a large margin classification problem, and then extends to the personalized MCID to allow individualized thresholding value for patients whose clinical profiles may affect their PRO responses. More importantly, the proposed estimation framework is showed to be asymptotically consistent, and a finite-sample upper bound is established for its prediction accuracy compared against the ideal MCID. The advantage of our proposed method is also demonstrated in a variety of simulated experiments as well as two phase-3 clinical trials.
Financial strain, inflammatory factors, and haemoglobin A1c levels in African American women
Authors: Cutrona Carolyn E. , Abraham William T. , Russell Daniel W. , Beach Steven R. H. , Gibbons Frederick X. , Gerrard Meg , Monick Martha , Philibert Robert
Published: October 2014

Objective

Type 2 diabetes disproportionately affects African American women, a population exposed to high levels of stress, including financial strain (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2011, http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2011.pdf). We tested a mediational model in which chronic financial strain among African American women contributes to elevated serum inflammation markers, which, in turn, lead to increased haemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels and risk for type 2 diabetes.

Methods

We assessed level of financial strain four times over a 10‐year period and tested its effect on two serum inflammation markers, C‐reactive protein (CRP) and soluble interleukin‐6 receptor (sIL‐6R) in year 11 of the study. We tested the inflammation markers as mediators in the association between chronic financial strain and HbA1c, an index of average blood glucose level over several months.

Design

Data were from 312 non‐diabetic African American women from the Family and Community Health Study (FACHS; Cutrona et al., 2000, J. Pers. Soc. Psychol., 79, 1088).

Results

Chronic financial strain predicted circulating sIL‐6R after controlling for age, BMI, health behaviours, and physical health measures. In turn, sIL‐6R significantly predicted HbA1c levels. The path between chronic financial strain and HbA1c was significantly mediated by sIL‐6R. Contrary to prediction, CRP was not predicted by chronic financial strain.

Conclusions

Results support the role of inflammatory factors in mediating the effects of psychosocial stressors on risk for type 2 diabetes. Findings have implications for interventions that boost economic security and foster effective coping as well as medical interventions that reduce serum inflammation to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject? Financial strain is a risk factor for many disorders, and it is associated with inflammation in the peripheral bloodstream. Inflammation processes are known to be associated with insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

What does this study add?

Financial strain, a psychological stressor, predicts higher levels of an inflammatory marker, sIL‐6r, when controlling for a set of known predictors of inflammation.

This inflammatory marker, in turn, predicts haemoglobin A1C level, a marker of risk for diabetes.

The association between financial strain, a psychological stressor, and hemoglobin A1C is mediated by the inflammatory marker, sIL‐6r, suggesting that one mechanism through which psychological stressors increase risk for diabetes is through inflammatory mechanisms.
Hypothermic machine perfusion improves Doppler ultrasonography resistive indices and long‐term allograft function after renal transplantation: a single‐centre analysis
Authors: Dion Marie S. , McGregor Thomas B. , McAlister Vivian C. , Luke Patrick P. , Sener Alp
Published: October 2014

Objectives

To evaluate whether hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) of transplanted kidneys can improve long‐term renal allograft function compared with static cold storage (CS).

Methods

We evaluated whether graft Doppler ultrasonography resistive indices improved with the use of HMP compared with CS preservation, and examined whether these improvements were predictive of long‐term graft function. A total of 30 kidney transplants (15 pairs) were examined. One of the kidney pairs was placed on CS and transplanted first (CS group, n = 15). The other kidney of each pair was placed on HMP and transplanted after the CS group (HMP group, n = 15). Doppler ultrasonography was performed on days 1 and 7 after transplantation and resistive indices were evaluated. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was monitored for 24 months after transplantation.

Results

Despite longer cold ischaemia times, kidneys maintained with HMP had lower resistive indices (P = 0.005) with correspondingly higher eGFR throughout the follow‐up. Subgroup analysis showed that the HMP‐induced improvement in postoperative eGFR was greatest in kidneys obtained from donation after cardiac death (DCD), even at 2 years after transplantation (P = 0.008).

Conclusions

HMP of transplant kidneys appears to improve vascular resistance after transplantation and has a positive impact on long‐term allograft function compared with CS in the population of recipients of DCD kidneys.
A prognostic model for survival after palliative urinary diversion for malignant ureteric obstruction: a prospective study of 208 patients
Authors: Cordeiro Maurício D. , Coelho Rafael F. , Chade Daher C. , Pessoa Rodrigo R. , Chaib Mateus S. , Colombo‐Júnior José R. , Pontes‐Júnior José , Guglielmetti Giuliano B. , Srougi Miguel
Published: October 2014

Objective

To identify factors associated with survival after palliative urinary diversion (UD) for patients with malignant ureteric obstruction (MUO) and create a risk‐stratification model for treatment decisions.

Patients and Methods

We prospectively collected clinical and laboratory data for patients who underwent palliative UD by ureteric stenting or percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) between 1 January 2009 and 1 November 2011 in two tertiary care university hospitals, with a minimum 6‐month follow‐up. Inclusion criteria were age >18 years and MUO confirmed by computed tomography, ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging. Factors related to poor prognosis were identified by Cox univariable and multivariable regression analyses, and a risk stratification model was created by Kaplan–Meier survival estimates at 1, 6 and 12 months, and log‐rank tests.

Results

The median (range) survival was 144 (0–1084) days for the 208 patients included after UD (58 ureteric stenting, 150 PCN); 164 patients died, 44 (21.2%) during hospitalisation. Overall survival did not differ by UD type (P = 0.216). The number of events related to malignancy (≥4) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) index (≥2) were associated with short survival on multivariable analysis. These two risk factors were used to divide patients into three groups by survival type: favourable (no factors), intermediate (one factor) and unfavourable (two factors). The median survival at 1, 6, and 12 months was 94.4%, 57.3% and 44.9% in the favourable group; 78.0%, 36.3%, and 15.5% in the intermediate group; and 46.4%, 14.3%, and 7.1% in the unfavourable group (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our stratification model may be useful to determine whether UD is indicated for patients with MUO.
Risk of acute myocardial infarction after androgen‐deprivation therapy for prostate cancer in a Chinese population
Authors: Teoh Jeremy Y.C. , Chan Samson Y.S. , Chiu Peter K.F. , Poon Darren M.C. , Cheung Ho‐Yuen , Hou Simon S.M. , Ng Chi‐Fai
Published: October 2014

Objective

To investigate the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after androgen‐deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer in a Chinese population.

Patients and methods

All Chinese patients with prostate cancer who were treated primarily with radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy, with or without further ADT at our hospital from the year 2000 to 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. We compared the risk of AMI in the patients who were given further ADT (ADT group) with those who were not given any ADT (non‐ADT group). Potential risk factors of AMI including age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, history of stroke, ischaemic heart disease, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) and duration of ADT were reviewed. The risk of AMI after ADT was first analysed using the Kaplan–Meier method, followed by Cox regression analyses including the potential risk factors mentioned.

Results

In all, 452 patients were included, with 200 patients in the non‐ADT group and 252 patients in the ADT group. The mean (sd) age was 68.2 (5.9) years in the non‐ADT group and 69.5 (6.5) years in the ADT group, and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.031). There were no significant differences in their pre‐existing medical conditions or ECOG PS. The ADT group was associated with an increased risk of AMI when compared with the non‐ADT group (P = 0.004) upon Kaplan‐Meier analysis. Upon multivariate Cox regression analysis, hyperlipidaemia, poor ECOG PS and the use of ADT were the only three significant factors that were associated with increased risk of developing new AMI.

Conclusions

There was increased risk of AMI after ADT for prostate cancer in a Chinese population. Hyperlipidaemia and poor ECOG PS were also significant risk factors for developing AMI. The risk of AMI should be considered when deciding on ADT, especially in patients with history of hyperlipidaemia and relatively poor ECOG PS.
Late Holocene beetle assemblages and environmental change in Gammelhemmet, northern Sweden
Authors: Khorasani Sara , Panagiotakopulu Eva , Engelmark Roger , Ralston Ian
Published: October 2014

Analysis of insect fossil remains retrieved from a bog close to the abandoned farm at Gammelhemmet, near Lycksele in Swedish Lapland, enabled the reconstruction of environmental changes at the site over the last 2500 years. These results represent the first late Holocene palaeoentomological succession studied for insect remains in the Västerbotten interior, and they provide new evidence for landscape change in the area. Around 2000 years ago, at the end of the early Iron Age, disappearance of the tree and leaf litter fauna and an increase in aquatic species indicate the expansion of wetlands in the area. Patches of a multi‐aged mixed woodland with a diverse assemblage of forest‐dwelling beetles succeeded the wetland ∼1500 years ago, at the beginning of the late Iron Age. A marked change to open and drier conditions, and the presence of species often found in grassland and cultivated ground took place during the post‐Medieval period. Our evidence indicates drainage of the area prior to the 18th century, placing the initiation of agricultural activities in Gammelhemmet earlier than the documentary record. Our research shows the potential of the use of fossil insects for understanding environmental change and also human impact on the landscape, even of limited scale, from natural contexts.
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Quinazoline Derivatives as Anti‐inflammatory Agents against Lipopolysaccharide‐induced Acute Lung Injury in Rats
Authors: Hu Jie , Zhang Yali , Dong Lili , Wang Zhe , Chen Lingfeng , Liang Dandan , Shi Dengjian , Shan Xiaoou , Liang Guang
Published: October 2014

Quinazoline has been reported to exhibit multiple bioactivities. The aim of this study was to discover new quinazoline derivatives with preventive effect on lipopolysaccharide‐induced acute lung injury via anti‐inflammatory actions. Thirty‐three 4‐amino quinazolin derivatives were synthesized and screened for anti‐inflammatory activities in lipopolysaccharide‐induced macrophages. The most potent four compounds, 6h, 6m, 6p, and 6q, were shown dose‐dependent inhibition against lipopolysaccharide‐induced TNF‐α and IL‐6 release. Then, the preliminary structure–activity relationship and quantitative structure–activity relationship analyses were conducted. To further determine the effects of quinazolines on acute lung injury treatment, lipopolysaccharide‐induced acute lung injury model was employed. Male Sprague Dawley rats were pretreated with 6m or 6q before instillation of lipopolysaccharide. The results showed that 6m and 6q, especially 6q, obviously alleviated lung histopathological changes, inflammatory cells infiltration, and cytokines mRNA expression initiated by lipopolysaccharide. Taken together, this work suggests that 6m and 6q suppressed the lipopolysaccharide‐induced acute lung injury through inhibition of the inflammatory response in vivo and in vitro, indicating that quinazolines might serve as potential agents for the treatment of acute lung injury and deserve the continuing drug development and research.
Derivatives Form Better Lipoxygenase Inhibitors than Piperine: In Vitro and In Silico Study
Authors: Tomy Muringayil J. , Sharanya Chelankara S. , Dileep Kalarickal V. , Prasanth Shankar , Sabu Abudulhameed , Sadasivan Chittalakkottu , Haridas Madathilkovilakathu
Published: October 2014

Piperine is a secondary metabolite of black pepper. Its uses in medicine were already studied. However, its derivatives have not gained considerable attention. In the presented study, the Lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitory activity of piperine and its derivatives, piperonylic acid, piperic acid, and piperonal have been assessed and compared by enzyme kinetics, ITC and molecular modeling experiments. The presented investigations expressed that all the studied compounds inhibited LOX by binding at its active site. The IC50 values of these compounds were deduced from the kinetics data and found to be 85.79, 43.065, 45.17, and 50.78 μm for piperine, piperonylic acid, piperic acid, and piperonal, respectively. The binding free energies obtained from ITC experiments were −7.47, −8.33, −8.09, and −7.86 kcal/mol for piperine, piperonylic acid, piperic acid, and piperonal, respectively. Similarly, the glide scores obtained for piperine, piperonylic acid, piperic acid, and piperonal were −7.28, −10.32, −10.72, and −9.57 kcal/mol, respectively. The results of ITC and molecular modeling experiments suggested that piperonylic acid and piperonal exhibit stronger binding at the active site than piperine does. From the presented studies, it could be concluded that derivatives of piperine may be of higher significance than piperine for certain medicinal applications, implicating (Ayurvedic) fermented herbal drugs with piperine in them.
How Do Children Perceive and Act on Dynamic Affordances in Crossing Traffic‐Filled Roads?
Authors: Plumert Jodie M. , Kearney Joseph K.
Published: October 2014

Successfully perceiving and acting on dynamic affordances is critical for children and adults to function. In our work, we look at how children cross roads as a model for understanding how they learn to perceive and act on dynamic affordances. Ten‐ to 14‐year‐old children and adults ride an interactive bicycling simulator through an immersive virtual environment where they cross intersections with continuous cross traffic. We consistently find developmental and individual differences in children's ability to tightly time their entry into the roadway relative to the lead car in the gap. Given that children do not adjust their gap choices to match their less precise timing abilities, children take more risks when crossing roads than adults. We conclude by discussing possible reasons for these developmental differences in movement timing.
Purkinje Images: Conveying Different Content for Different Luminance Adaptations in a Single Image
Authors: Arpa Sami , Ritschel Tobias , Myszkowski Karol , Çapın Tolga , Seidel Hans‐Peter
Published: October 2014

Providing multiple meanings in a single piece of art has always been intriguing to both artists and observers. We present Purkinje images, which have different interpretations depending on the luminance adaptation of the observer. Finding such images is an optimization that minimizes the sum of the distance to one reference image in photopic conditions and the distance to another reference image in scotopic conditions. To model the shift of image perception between day and night vision, we decompose the input images into a Laplacian pyramid. Distances under different observation conditions in this representation are independent between pyramid levels and pixel positions and become matrix multiplications. The optimal pixel colour can be found by inverting a small, per‐pixel linear system in real time on a GPU. Finally, two user studies analyze our results in terms of the recognition performance and fidelity with respect to the reference images.
Effect of risk aversion on prioritizing conservation projects
Authors: Tulloch Ayesha I.T. , Maloney Richard F. , Joseph Liana N. , Bennett Joseph R. , Di Fonzo Martina M.I. , Probert William J.M. , O'Connor Shaun M. , Densem Jodie P. , Possingham Hugh P.
Published: October 2014

Conservation outcomes are uncertain. Agencies making decisions about what threat mitigation actions to take to save which species frequently face the dilemma of whether to invest in actions with high probability of success and guaranteed benefits or to choose projects with a greater risk of failure that might provide higher benefits if they succeed. The answer to this dilemma lies in the decision maker's aversion to risk—their unwillingness to accept uncertain outcomes. Little guidance exists on how risk preferences affect conservation investment priorities. Using a prioritization approach based on cost effectiveness, we compared 2 approaches: a conservative probability threshold approach that excludes investment in projects with a risk of management failure greater than a fixed level, and a variance‐discounting heuristic used in economics that explicitly accounts for risk tolerance and the probabilities of management success and failure. We applied both approaches to prioritizing projects for 700 of New Zealand's threatened species across 8303 management actions. Both decision makers’ risk tolerance and our choice of approach to dealing with risk preferences drove the prioritization solution (i.e., the species selected for management). Use of a probability threshold minimized uncertainty, but more expensive projects were selected than with variance discounting, which maximized expected benefits by selecting the management of species with higher extinction risk and higher conservation value. Explicitly incorporating risk preferences within the decision making process reduced the number of species expected to be safe from extinction because lower risk tolerance resulted in more species being excluded from management, but the approach allowed decision makers to choose a level of acceptable risk that fit with their ability to accommodate failure. We argue for transparency in risk tolerance and recommend that decision makers accept risk in an adaptive management framework to maximize benefits and avoid potential extinctions due to inefficient allocation of limited resources.

El Efecto de la Aversión de Riesgo sobre la Priorización de Proyectos de Conservación
Simple psoas cross‐sectional area measurement is a quick and easy method to assess sarcopenia and predicts major surgical complications
Authors: Jones K. I. , Doleman B. , Scott S. , Lund J. N. , Williams J. P.
Published: October 2014

Aim

Radiologically assessed muscle mass has been suggested as a surrogate marker of functional status and frailty and may predict patients at risk of postoperative complications. We hypothesize that sarcopenia negatively impacts on postoperative recovery and is predictive of complications.

Method

One hundred patients undergoing elective resection for colorectal carcinoma were included in this study. Lean muscle mass was estimated by measuring the cross‐sectional area of the psoas muscle at the level of the third lumbar vertebra identified on a preoperative CT scan, normalizing for patient height. Perioperative morbidity was scored according to the Clavien–Dindo classification. All statistical data analyses were carried out using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0.

Results

Fifteen per cent of patients were identified as sarcopenic. There were no deaths in the study group. Sarcopenia was associated with a significantly increased risk of developing major complications (Grade 3 or greater, OR = 5.41, 95% CI: 1.45–20.15, P = 0.01). Sarcopenia did not predict length of stay, critical care dependency or time to mobilization.

Conclusion

Sarcopenia, as a marker of frailty, is an important risk factor in surgical patients but difficult to estimate using bedside testing. CT scans, performed for preoperative staging, provide an opportunity to quantify lean muscle mass without additional cost or exposure to radiation and eliminate the inconvenience of further investigations.
Renal outcomes of simultaneous liver–kidney transplantation compared to liver transplant alone for candidates with renal dysfunction
Authors: Brennan Todd V. , Lunsford Keri E. , Vagefi Parsia A. , Bostrom Alan , Ma Michael , Feng Sandy
Published: October 2014

It is unclear whether a concomitant kidney transplant grants survival benefit to liver transplant (LT) candidates with renal dysfunction (RD). We retrospectively studied LT candidates without RD (n = 714) and LT candidates with RD who underwent either liver transplant alone (RD‐LTA; n = 103) or simultaneous liver–kidney transplant (RD‐SLKT; n = 68). RD was defined as renal replacement therapy (RRT) requirement or modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD)–glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <25 mL/min/1.73 m2. RD‐LTAs had worse one‐yr post‐transplant survival compared to RD‐SLKTs (79.6% vs. 91.2%, p = 0.05). However, RD‐LTA recipients more often had hepatitis C (60.2% vs. 41.2%, p = 0.004) and more severe liver disease (MELD 37.9 ± 8.1 vs. 32.7 ± 9.1, p = 0.0001). Twenty RD‐LTA recipients died in the first post‐transplant year. Evaluation of the cause and timing of death relative to native renal recovery revealed that only four RD‐LTA recipients might have derived survival benefit from RD‐SLKT. Overall, 87% of RD‐LTA patients recovered renal function within one month of transplant. One yr after RD‐LTA or RD‐SLKT, serum creatinine (1.5 ± 1.2 mg/dL vs. 1.4 ± 0.5 mg/dL, p = 0.63) and prevalence of stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD; 5.9% vs. 6.8%, p = 0.11) were comparable. Our series provides little evidence that RD‐SLKT would have yielded substantial short‐term survival benefit to RD‐LTA recipients.
Quantification of Mitral Regurgitation by Real Time Three‐Dimensional Color Doppler Flow Echocardiography Pre– and Post–Percutaneous Mitral Valve Repair
Authors: Gruner Christiane , Herzog Bernhard , Bettex Dominique , Felix Christian , Datta Saurabh , Greutmann Matthias , Gaemperli Oliver , Müggler Simon A. , Tanner Felix C. , Gruenenfelder Juerg , Corti Roberto , Biaggi Patric
Published: October 2014

Background

Echocardiographic quantification of mitral regurgitation (MR) can be challenging if the valve geometry is significantly altered. Our aim was to compare the quantification of MR by the recently developed real time three‐dimensional (3D) volume color flow Doppler (RT‐VCFD) method to the conventional two‐dimensional (2D) echocardiographic methods during the MitraClip procedure.

Methods

Twenty‐seven patients (mean age 76 ± 8 years, 56% male) were prospectively enrolled and severity of MR was assessed before and after the MitraClip procedure in the operating room by 3 different methods: (1) by integrative visual approach by transesophageal echocardiography, (2) by transthoracic 2D pulsed‐wave Doppler–based calculation of aortic stroke volumes (SV) and mitral inflow allowing calculation of regurgitant volume, and (3) by transthoracic 3D RT‐VCFD–based calculation of regurgitant volume.

Results

We found moderate agreement between the integrative visual approach and the 3D RT‐VCFD method for assessment of MR severity before (κ = 0.4, P < 0.05) and after MitraClip (κ = 0.5, P < 0.05). Relevant MR (3+ and 4+) was detected by visual approach in 27/27 and by 3D‐VCFD method in 24/27 patients before and in 1 patient by both methods after the MitraClip procedure. In contrast, MR quantification by 2D SV method did not agree with the integrative visual approach or with the 3D RT‐VCFD method.

Conclusions

Quantification of MR before and after percutaneous MV repair by 3D RT‐VCFD is comparable to the integrative visual assessment and more reliable than the 2D SV method in this small study population. Further automation of 3D RT‐VCFD is needed to improve the accuracy of peri‐interventional MR quantification.
Right Ventricular Strain before and after Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy in Patients with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Marston Nicholas , Brown Jason P. , Olson Nicholas , Auger William R. , Madani Michael M. , Wong Darrin , Raisinghani Ajit B. , DeMaria Anthony N. , Blanchard Daniel G.
Published: October 2014

Background

Right ventricular (RV) function is significantly impaired in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Two‐dimensional speckle tracking RV strain and strain rate are novel methods to assess regional RV systolic function in CTEPH patients before and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE). Our goal was to (1) assess baseline longitudinal strain and strain rate of the basal RV free wall in CTEPH and (2) measure early changes in RV strain and strain rate after PTE.

Methods

We performed echocardiography on 30 consecutive patients with CTEPH referred for PTE with adequate pre‐ and post‐PTE strain imaging. Strain and strain rate were assessed 6.4 ± 4.5 days before and 9.1 ± 3.9 after PTE.

Results

Basal RV free wall strain and time to peak strain—but not basal RV strain rate and time to peak strain rate—changed significantly after PTE. Unexpectedly, basal RV strain became less negative, from −24.3% to −18.9% after PTE (P = 0.005). Time to peak strain decreased from 356 to 287 msec after PTE (P < 0.001). Preoperatively, RV strain correlated with pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) but this relationship was not evident postoperatively. Furthermore, the change in RV strain did not correlate with the change in mPAP or PVR.

Conclusions

In patients with CTEPH, RV basal strain paradoxically became less negative (i.e., relative systolic shortening decreased) following PTE. This change in RV strain could be due to intraoperative RV ischemia and/or postoperative stunning. Thus, RV basal strain cannot be used as a surrogate marker for surgical success early after PTE.
Fetal and Neonatal Imaging and Strategy of Primary Neonatal Heart Transplantation in Hypoplastic Left Heart with Ebstein's Anomaly
Authors: Hammel James M. , Danford David A. , Spicer Robert L. , Kutty Shelby
Published: October 2014

We present the anatomic constellation of mitral stenosis/aortic atresia variant of hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Ebstein's anomaly, and partial anomalous pulmonary venous return, an exceeding rare congenital heart defect. Prenatal echocardiography led to concern about the capacity of the right ventricle to increase cardiac output with lung expansion and pulmonary arterial runoff at birth, prompting the precaution of extracorporeal membrane oxygenator standby at delivery. Stage I palliation was not attempted, and control of pulmonary arterial blood flow was achieved with pulmonary artery banding, allowing sufficient ongoing hemodynamic stability. Orthotopic cardiac transplantation, repair of hypoplastic aortic arch, and primary sutureless repair of left pulmonary veins was performed, using dual‐site arterial cannulation and continuous mild hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. We discuss how this unique echocardiographic anatomy influenced the surgical decision and point out how it guided therapy toward a strategy of primary transplantation rather than standard staged surgical palliation.
Breaking constraint: axial patterning in Trichechus (Mammalia: Sirenia)
Authors: Buchholtz Emily A. , Wayrynen Kaisa L. , Lin Iris W.
Published: October 2014

Meristic variation is often limited in serially homologous systems with high internal differentiation and high developmental modularity. The mammalian neck, an extreme example, has a fixed (at seven) count of diversely specialized segments. Imposition of the mammalian cervical constraint has been tentatively linked to the origin of the diaphragm, which is muscularized by cells that migrate from cervical somites during development. With six cervical vertebrae, the genus Trichechus (manatee) has apparently broken this constraint, although the mechanism of constraint escape is unknown. Hypotheses for the developmental origin of Trichechus cervical morphology include cervical rib 7 repatterning, a primaxial/abaxial patterning shift, and local homeosis at the cervical/thoracic boundary. We tested predictions of these hypotheses by documenting vertebral morphology, axial ossification patterns, regionalization of the postcranial skeleton, and the relationship of thoracic ribs to sternal subunits in a large data set of fetal and adult Trichechus and Dugong specimens. These observations forced rejection of all three hypotheses. We propose alternatively that a global slowing of the rate of somitogenesis reduced somite count and disrupted alignment of Hox‐generated anatomical markers relative to somite (and vertebral) boundaries throughout the Trichechus column. This hypothesis is consistent with observations of the full range of traditional cervical morphologies in the six cervical vertebrae, conserved postcranial proportions, and column‐wide reduction in count relative to its sister taxon, Dugong. It also suggests that the origin of the mammalian cervical constraint lies in patterning, not in count, and that Trichechus and the tree sloths have broken the constraint using different developmental mechanisms.
Effects of environmental enrichment on ERK1/2 phosphorylation in the rat prefrontal cortex following nicotine‐induced sensitization or nicotine self‐administration
Authors: Gomez Adrian M. , Sun Wei‐Lun , Midde Narasimha M. , Harrod Steven B. , Zhu Jun
Published: October 2014

Rats raised in an enriched condition (EC) exhibit alterations in the neurobiological and behavioral response to nicotine compared with rats reared in an impoverished condition (IC) or a standard condition (SC). The current study determined whether environmental enrichment differentially regulates extracellular signal‐regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) activity in the prefrontal cortex in rats following nicotine sensitization or nicotine self‐administration. Under the saline control condition, EC rats displayed diminished baseline activity and greater sensitization to repeated administration of nicotine compared with IC and SC rats. After repeated saline injections, the basal levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2 (pERK1/2) were higher in EC compared with IC and SC rats, which was negatively correlated with their respective baseline activities. Repeated nicotine (0.35 mg/kg) injections induced pERK1/2 to similar levels in SC and IC rats; however, the induction of pERK1/2 in EC rats by nicotine was not significantly different from saline controls, owing to their high baseline. In the self‐administration paradigm, EC rats self‐administered less nicotine (0.03 mg/kg/infusion) relative to IC or SC rats on a fixed ratio‐1 schedule of reinforcement. Accordingly, no differences in pERK1/2 were found between EC and IC rats self‐administering saline, whereas nicotine self‐administration resulted in an increase in pERK1/2 in IC rats but not in EC rats. Furthermore, the levels of pERK1/2 in EC and IC rats were positively correlated with their respective total number of nicotine infusions. Thus, these findings suggest that environmental enrichment alters the basal and nicotine‐mediated pERK1/2, which may contribute to enrichment‐induced behavioral alterations in response to nicotine.
The effect of exercise on depressive symptoms in multiple sclerosis based on a meta‐analysis and critical review of the literature
Authors: Dalgas U. , Stenager E. , Sloth M. , Stenager E.
Published: October 2014

Background and purpose

The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature on the effects of exercise on depressive symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as to apply meta‐analytical procedures to the results.

Methods

A systematic search covering eight databases was conducted. The included studies were randomized controlled trials applied to people with definite MS who completed a structured exercise intervention which were compared to any comparator, including other forms of exercise. The outcomes included a primary measure of depression/depressive symptoms or an instrument with a clearly defined depression subscale.

Results

Fifteen randomized controlled trial studies were identified including a total of 331 exercising subjects and 260 controls. The average Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) score was 5.6 ± 1.3 points. Only one study applied depressive symptoms as the primary outcome. Four studies showed positive effects of exercise on depressive symptoms. An in‐depth analysis of the studies revealed that the baseline level of depressive symptoms, patient disability level, choice of depression instrument and exercise intensity may influence the results. The meta‐analysis included 12 studies reflecting a total of 476 subjects. The standardized mean difference across studies was g = −0.37, 95% confidence interval (−0.56; −0.17), and the null hypothesis of homogeneity within the sample could not be rejected (Q = 12.05, df = 11, P = 0.36).

Discussion

Exercise may be a potential treatment to prevent or reduce depressive symptoms in individuals with MS, but existing studies do not allow solid conclusions. Future well‐designed studies evaluating the effects of exercise on depressive symptoms and major depression disorder in MS are highly warranted.
Activation of NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasomes in Kupffer cells in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion
Authors: Kim Hyo‐Yeon , Kim Seok‐Joo , Lee Sun‐Mee
Published: October 2014

Inflammasome activation by danger signals in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is responsible for the sterile inflammatory response. Signals triggering formation and activation of the inflammasome involve the generation of oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to examine the molecular mechanisms of inflammasome activation and the involvement of reactive oxygen species in hepatic I/R. I/R induced the formation of nucleotide‐binding domain leucine‐rich repeat containing family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) and absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasomes and the subsequent serum release of interleukin 1β. Pannexin‐1 inhibitor and anti‐cathepsin B antibody attenuated I/R‐induced inflammasome activation and hepatic injury. The expression of the thioredoxin‐interacting protein gene and the interaction between NLRP3 and the thioredoxin‐interacting protein increased after I/R. Treatment with the antioxidant N‐acetylcysteine significantly attenuated protein conversion of interleukin 1β after hepatic I/R. Moreover, pannexin‐1 protein expression and cathepsin B release were strongly attenuated by N‐acetylcysteine. The depletion of Kupffer cells with gadolinium chloride markedly decreased NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasome expression and activation of their signaling pathways, and also reduced the level of caspase‐1 protein in F4/80‐positive cells. Our findings suggest that reactive‐oxygen‐species‐mediated activation of NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasomes leads to I/R‐induced inflammatory responses in which Kupffer cells play a crucial role.

Structured digital abstract

Panx1 physically interacts with Casp1 and asc by anti bait coip (View interaction)

asc physically interacts with Aim2 by anti bait coip (View interaction)