bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental manipulation of nocturnal nest cavity temperature in wild blue tits
Authors: Simmonds Emily G. , Sheldon Ben C. , Coulson Tim , Cole Ella F.
Published: March 2018

Advances in the timing of reproduction in temperate species are some of the most well documented biotic responses to increasing global temperatures. However, the magnitude and rate of these advances in timing are not equal across all taxonomic groups. These differences can lead to disruption of interspecific relationships if species respond differently to temperature changes. Understanding the relationship between temperature and phenology is a key step in predicting future population trends for species living in seasonal environments. However, experimentally manipulating temperature in the wild is logistically challenging and has consequently rarely been attempted. In this study we experimentally test whether in-nest temperatures in early spring act as a cue for breeding phenology in a population of wild blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). We split nests into three treatments; heated, cooled, and control. In-nest temperature in the heated and cooled boxes was manipulated by an average of ± 0.6 °C from control temperatures using heating devices and ice packs respectively. We assessed the impact of our experimental manipulation on box occupancy and reproductive timing. We found trends towards earlier phenology in heated nest boxes in addition to a higher occupancy rate in cooled boxes, however neither of these trends was found to be statistically significant. Our ability to distinguish statistical signals was hampered by unexpectedly low occupancy rates across all experimental treatments. Based on the results we cannot say if nocturnal in-nest temperature is an important cue for nest box choice or the timing of laying.
Shoelaces: an interactive tool for ribosome profiling processing and visualization
Authors: Birkeland Åsmund , Chyżyńska Katarzyna , Valen Eivind
Published: March 2018

The emergence of ribosome profiling to map actively translating ribosomes has laid the foundation for a diverse range of studies on translational regulation. The data obtained with different variations of this assay is typically manually processed, which has created a need for tools that would streamline and standardize processing steps.

We present Shoelaces, a toolkit for ribosome profiling experiments automating read selection and filtering to obtain genuine translating footprints. Based on periodicity, favoring enrichment over the coding regions, it determines the read lengths corresponding to bona fide ribosome protected fragments. The specific codon under translation (P-site) is determined by automatic offset calculations resulting in sub-codon resolution. Shoelaces provides both a user-friendly graphical interface for interactive visualisation in a genome browser-like fashion and a command line interface for integration into automated pipelines. We process 79 libraries and show that studies typically discard excessive amounts of data in their manual analysis pipelines.

Shoelaces streamlines ribosome profiling analysis offering automation of the processing, a range of interactive visualization features and export of the data into standard formats. Shoelaces stores all processing steps performed in an XML file that can be used by other groups to exactly reproduce the processing of a given study. We therefore anticipate that Shoelaces can aid researchers by automating what is typically performed manually and contribute to the overall reproducibility of studies. The tool is freely distributed as a Python package, with additional instructions and demo datasets available at https://bitbucket.org/valenlab/shoelaces
Post-mortem T2*- weighted MRI imaging of cortical iron reflects severity of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Bulk Marjolein , Kenkhuis Boyd , van der Graaf Linda M. , Goeman Jelle J. , Natté Remco , der Weerd Louise van
Published: March 2018

The value of iron-based MRI changes for the diagnosis and staging of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) depends on an association between cortical iron accumulation and AD pathology. Therefore, this study determined the cortical distribution pattern of MRI contrast changes in cortical regions selected based on the known distribution pattern of tau pathology and investigated whether MRI contrast changes reflect the underlying AD pathology in the different lobes.-weighted MRI was performed on post-mortem cortical tissue of controls, late-onset AD, and early-onset AD followed by histology and correlation analyses. Combining ex-vivo high-resolution MRI and histopathology revealed that: LOAD and EOAD have a different distribution pattern of AD pathological hallmarks and MRI contrast changes over the cortex, with EOAD showing more severe MRI changes; (2) per lobe, severity of AD pathological hallmarks correlates with iron accumulation, and hence with MRI. Therefore, iron-sensitive MRI sequences allow detection of the cortical distribution pattern of AD pathology ex-vivo.

Abbreviations

AD

Alzheimer’s disease

EOAD

early-onset AD

GM

gray matter

IRP

iron regulating proteins

LOAD

late-onset AD

MCI

mild cognitive impairment

PBS

phosphate buffered saline

QSM

quantitative susceptibility mapping

WM

white matter
Excitatory TMS Boosts Memory Representations
Authors: Wang Wei-Chun , Wing Erik A. , Murphy David L.K. , Luber Bruce M. , Lisanby Sarah H. , Cabeza Roberto , Davis Simon W.
Published: March 2018

Brain stimulation technologies have seen increasing application in basic science investigations, specifically towards the goal of improving memory functioning. However, proposals concerning the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive enhancement often rely on simplified notions of excitation and, most applications examining the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on functional neuroimaging measures have been limited to univariate analyses of brain activity. We present here analyses using representational similarity analysis (RSA) and encoding-retrieval similarity (ERS) analysis in order to quantify the effect of TMS on memory representations. To test whether an increase in local excitability in PFC can have measurable influences on upstream representations in earlier temporal memory regions, we compared 1Hz and 5Hz stimulation to the left dorsolateral PFC. We found that 10 minutes of 5Hz rTMS, relative to 1Hz, had multiple effects on neural representations: 1) greater RSA during both encoding and retrieval, 2) greater ERS across all items, and, critically, 3) increasing ERS in MTL with increasing univariate activity in DLPFC, and greater functional connectivity for hits than misses between these regions. These results provide the first evidence of rTMS enhancing semantic representations and strengthen the idea that rTMS may affect the reinstatement of previously experienced events in upstream regions.
Expectations May Influence the Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Authors: Rabipour Sheida , Wu Allan D. , Davidson Patrick S. R. , Iacoboni Marco
Published: March 2018

Growing interest surrounds transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a safe and inexpensive method for improving cognitive functions and mood. Nevertheless, tDCS studies rarely examine psychological factors such as expectations of outcomes, which may influence tDCS responsiveness through placebo-like effects. Here we sought to evaluate the potential influence of expectations on tDCS intervention outcomes. We assessed expectations of tDCS outcomes in 88 healthy young adults on three occasions: i) at baseline; ii) after reading information implying either high or low effectiveness of stimulation; and iii) after a single-session of sham-controlled anodal tDCS applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, during working memory (WM) training. Participants were largely uncertain about the effectiveness of stimulation in improving cognitive function at baseline. High or low expectation priming using simple positive or cautionary messages significantly increased or decreased expectation ratings, respectively, but ratings significantly decreased following stimulation in all groups. We found greater improvement in participants who received high compared to low expectation priming. Participants who received active stimulation and low expectation priming exhibited the lowest performance, suggesting that expectation priming and stimulation may have interacted. We did not find a significant effect of baseline expectations, belief of group assignment, or individual characteristics on measures of WM and verbal fluency. However, controlling for baseline expectations revealed greater post-intervention improvement on the executive function measures in participants who received high (compared to low) expectation priming. People randomly assigned to receive high expectation priming reported having a more pleasant experience overall, including greater satisfaction. Our findings suggest that expectations of outcomes should be taken into account in tDCS-based experimental studies and clinical trials.

Highlights

- Based on prior knowledge, healthy subjects are uncertain about NIBS effectiveness.

- Expectations of NIBS can change after a single exposure to simple written messages.

- Expectations of outcomes may influence cognitive performance.

- High expectations may lead to a more positive experience and motivation to perform.

- Low expectations may be counterproductive to NIBS.
Shared Polygenicity detection using Elastic Nets: SHARPEN
Authors: John Majnu , Lencz Todd
Published: March 2018

Current research suggests that hundreds to thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with modest effect sizes contribute to the genetic basis of many disorders, a phenomenon labeled as polygenicity. Additionally, many such disorders demonstrate polygenic overlap, in which risk alleles are shared at associated genetic loci. However, there are currently no well-developed statistical methods that can be utilized to detect specific subsets of SNPs involved in the shared polygenicity of phenotypes. In this paper, we illustrate how elastic nets, with appropriate adaptation in selecting the penalty parameter, can be utilized for narrowing the range of SNPs involved in shared polygenicity. We first develop the method when individual-level data from genomewide association studies (GWASs) are available; we also extend the approach so that it can be used when only summary level data from GWASs are available. We illustrate and assess the performance of the proposed methods using extensive simulations, and by applying the methods to summary level data from a pair of related GWASs with fasting glucose level and BMI as the phenotypes.
BioFeatureFinder: Flexible, unbiased analysis of biological characteristics associated with genomic regions
Authors: Ciamponi Felipe E. , Lovci Michael T. , Cruz Pedro R. S. , Massirer Katlin B.
Published: March 2018

BioFeatureFinder is a novel algorithm which allows analyses of many biological genomic landmarks (including alternatively spliced exons, DNA/RNA-binding protein binding sites, and gene/transcript functional elements, nucleotide content, conservation, k-mers, secondary structure) to identify distinguishing features. BFF uses a flexible underlying model that combines classical statistical tests with Big Data machine-learning strategies. The model is created using thousands of biological characteristics (features) that are used to build a feature map and interpret category labels in genomic ranges. Our results show that BFF is a reliable platform for analyzing large-scale datasets. We evaluated the RNA binding feature map of 110 eCLIP-seq datasets and were able to recover several well-known features from the literature for RNA-binding proteins; we were also able to uncover novel associations. BioFeatureFinder is available at https://github.com/kbmlab/BioFeatureFinder/.
Ancient genomes document multiple waves of migration in Southeast Asian prehistory
Authors: Lipson Mark , Cheronet Olivia , Mallick Swapan , Rohland Nadin , Oxenham Marc , Pietrusewsky Michael , Pryce Thomas Oliver , Willis Anna , Matsumura Hirofumi , Buckley Hallie , Domett Kate , Hai Nguyen Giang , Hiep Trinh Hoang , Kyaw Aung Aung , Win Tin Tin , Pradier Baptiste , Broomandkhoshbacht Nasreen , Candilio Francesca , Changmai Piya , Fernandes Daniel , Ferry Matthew , Gamarra Beatriz , Harney Eadaoin , Kampuansai Jatupol , Kutanan Wibhu , Michel Megan , Novak Mario , Oppenheimer Jonas , Sirak Kendra , Stewardson Kristin , Zhang Zhao , Flegontov Pavel , Pinhasi Ron , Reich David
Published: March 2018

Southeast Asia is home to rich human genetic and linguistic diversity, but the details of past population movements in the region are not well known. Here, we report genome-wide ancient DNA data from thirteen Southeast Asian individuals spanning from the Neolithic period through the Iron Age (4100–1700 years ago). Early agriculturalists from Man Bac in Vietnam possessed a mixture of East Asian (southern Chinese farmer) and deeply diverged eastern Eurasian (hunter-gatherer) ancestry characteristic of Austroasiatic speakers, with similar ancestry as far south as Indonesia providing evidence for an expansive initial spread of Austroasiatic languages. In a striking parallel with Europe, later sites from across the region show closer connections to present-day majority groups, reflecting a second major influx of migrants by the time of the Bronze Age.
Genome-scale fitness profile of Caulobacter crescentus grown in natural freshwater
Authors: Hentchel Kristy L. , Ruiz Leila M. Reyes , Curtis Patrick D. , Fiebig Aretha , Coleman Maureen L. , Crosson Sean
Published: March 2018

Bacterial genomes evolve in complex ecosystems and are best understood in this natural context, but replicating such conditions in the lab is challenging. We used transposon sequencing to define the fitness consequences of gene disruption in the bacteriumCaulobacter crescentusgrown in natural freshwater, compared to axenic growth in common laboratory media. Gene disruptions in amino acid and nucleotide biosynthesis pathways and in metabolic substrate transport machinery impaired fitness in both lake water and defined minimal medium relative to complex peptone broth. Fitness in lake water was enhanced by insertions in genes required for flagellum biosynthesis and reduced by insertions in genes involved in biosynthesis of the holdfast surface adhesin. We further uncovered numerous hypothetical and uncharacterized genes for which disruption impaired fitness in lake water, defined minimal medium, or both. At the genome scale, the fitness profile of mutants cultivated in lake water was more similar to that in complex peptone broth than in defined minimal medium. Microfiltration of lake water did not significantly affect the terminal cell density or the fitness profile of the transposon mutant pool, suggesting thatCaulobacterdoes not strongly interact with other microbes in this ecosystem on the measured timescale. Fitness of select mutants with defects in cell surface biosynthesis and environmental sensing were significantly more variable in lake water than in defined medium, presumably owing to day-to-day heterogeneity in the lake environment. This study reveals genetic interactions betweenCaulobacterand a natural freshwater environment, and provides a new avenue to study gene function in complex ecosystems.
Serotonin signaling in hippocampus during initial cocaine abstinence drives persistent drug seeking
Authors: Kohtz Amy S. , Aston-Jones Gary
Published: March 2018

Background

The initiation of abstinence (extinction day 1, ED1) represents a stressful event involving abstinence from drug. We showed previously that ED1 cocaine-seeking behavior is reduced by blocking 5-HT signaling in dorsal hippocampus in both male and female rats. We hypothesized that the experience of ED1 can substantially influence later relapse behavior, and that dorsal raphe serotonin (DR 5-HT) signaling to dorsal hippocampus (DH) may be involved.

Methods

We used pharmacological inhibition of dorsal hippocampus 5-HT1A/1B receptors (via WAY100,635 plus GR127935), and chemogenetic inhibition of dorsal raphe-dHPC signaling to test the roles of these pathways on cocaine-seeking 2 weeks after ED1. We also tested specific effects of 5-HT1A or 5-HT1B receptor antagonism on conditioned place preference for cocaine.

Results

Inhibition of DR-DH signaling via DREADDs or 5-HT1A/1B antagonists decreased ED1 drug-seeking with persistent effects on cocaine-seeking 2 weeks later, confirming the involvement of 5-HT signaling to dorsal hippocampus in driving drug-seeking persistence. Administration of a 5-HT1B antagonist alone on ED1 transiently decreased drug-associated memory performance in CPP, whereas administration of a 5-HT1A antagonist had no effect on memory but blocked CPP on a subsequent test 24h later.

Conclusions

We conclude that blockade of DR inputs or 5HT1 signaling in DH on ED1 prevents recall of the drug-associated context and reduces drug seeking via antagonism of 5-HT1B receptors, and consolidates the memory of the newly non-drug context via antagonism of 5-HT1A receptors. Thus, treatments that modulate 5-HT-dependent memory mechanisms during initial abstinence may facilitate later maintenance of abstinence.
The X chromosome of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is homologous to a fly X chromosome despite 400 million years divergence
Authors: Meisel Richard P , Delclos Pablo J , Wexler Judith R
Published: March 2018

Background

Sex chromosome evolution is a dynamic process that can proceed at varying rates across lineages. For example, different chromosomes can be sex-linked between closely related species, whereas other sex chromosomes have been conserved for>100 million years. Cases of long-term sex chromosome conservation could be informative of factors that constrain sex chromosome evolution. Cytological similarities between the X chromosomes of the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) and most flies suggest that they may be homologous—possibly representing an extreme case of long-term conservation.

Results

To test the hypothesis that the cockroach and fly X chromosomes are homologous, we analyzed whole genome sequence data from cockroach. We found evidence in both sequencing coverage and heterozygosity that a significant excess of the same genes are on both the cockroach and fly X chromosomes. We also present evidence that the candidate X-linked cockroach genes may be dosage compensated in hemizygous males. Consistent with this hypothesis, three regulators of transcription and chromatin on the fly X chromosome are conserved in the cockroach genome.

Conclusions

Our results support our hypothesis that the German cockroach shares the same X chromosome as most flies. This may represent convergent evolution of the X chromosome in the lineages leading to cockroaches and flies. Alternatively, the common ancestor of most insects may have had an X chromosome that resembled the extant cockroach and fly X. Cockroaches and flies diverged ∼400 million years ago, which would be the longest documented conservation of a sex chromosome. Cockroaches and flies have different mechanisms of sex determination, raising the possibility that the X chromosome was conserved despite evolution of the sex determination pathway.
Assessment of the petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation potential of the sediment microbial community from an urban fringing tidal marsh of Northern New England
Authors: Ní Chadhain Sinéad M. , Miller Jarett L. , Dustin John P. , Trethewey Jeff P. , Jones Stephen H. , Launen Loren A.
Published: March 2018

We assessed the impact of dodecane,n-hexane and gasoline on the microbial diversity of chronically polluted fringing tidal marsh sediment from the Great Bay Estuary of New Hampshire. Dilution cultures containing saturated alkane concentrations were sampled at zero, one and 10 days, andalkBandcyp153A1alkane hydroxylase gene libraries and 16S rRNA sequences were analyzed. The initial sediment had the most diverse alkane hydroxylase sequences and phylogenetic composition whereas treated sediments became less functionally and phylogenetically diverse with alkane substrates apparently enriching a few dominant taxa. All 1-and 10-day samples were dominated byPseudomonas-type alkane hydroxylase sequences except in dodecane treatments where primarilyRhodococcus--type alkane hydroxylases were detected. 16S rRNA profiling revealed that the Gammaproteobacteria, particularlyPseudomonas, dominated all one day samples, especially then-hexane and gasoline treatments (63.2 and 47.2% respectively) and the 10-dayn-hexane treatment (which contained 60.8%Pseudomonasand 18.6%Marinobacter).In contrast, the 10 days of dodecane treatment enriched for Actinobacteria (26.2%Rhodococcusand 32.4%Mycobacterium)and gasoline treatment enriched for Firmicutes (29.7%; mainlyBacillus, LysinibacillusandRumelibacillus).Our data indicate that fringing tidal marshes contain microbial communities with alkane-degrading abilities similar to larger meadow marshes, and support the hypothesis that alkane exposure reduces the functional and phylogenetic diversity of microbial communities in an alkane-specific manner. Further research to evaluate the ability of such fringing marsh communities to rebound to pre-pollutant diversity levels should be conducted to better assess the threat of petroleum to these habitats.
Compendium of Synovial Signatures Identifies Pathologic Characteristics for Predicting Treatment Response in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Kim Ki-Jo , Kim Minseung , Tagkopoulos Ilias
Published: March 2018

Treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is challenging due to clinical heterogeneity and variability. Integration of RA synovial genome-scale transcriptomic profiling of different patient cohorts can provide insights on the causal basis of drug responses. A normalized compendium was built that consists of 256 RA synovial samples that cover an intersection of 11,769 genes from 11 datasets. Differentially expression genes (DEGs) that were identified in three independent methods were fed into functional network analysis, with subsequent grouping of the samples based on a non-negative matrix factorization method. Finally, we built a predictive model for treatment response by using RA-relevant pathway activation scores and four machine learning classification techniques. We identified 876 up-regulated DEGs including 24 known genetic risk factors and 8 drug targets. DEG-based subgrouping revealed 3 distinct RA patient clusters with distinct activity signatures for RA-relevant pathways. In the case of infliximab, we constructed a classifier of drug response that was highly accurate with an AUC/AUPR of 0.92/0.86. The most informative pathways in achieving this performance were the NFκB-, FcεRI- TCR-, and TNF signaling pathways. Similarly, the expression of the HMMR, PRPF4B, EVI2A, RAB27A, MALT1, SNX6, and IFIH1 genes contributed in predicting the patient outcome. Construction and analysis of normalized synovial transcriptomic compendia can provide useful insights for understanding RA-related pathway involvement and drug responses for individual patients. The efficacy of a predictive model for personalized drug response has been demonstrated and can be generalized to several drugs, co-morbidities, and other relevant features.
Label-free imaging of cholesterol and lipid distributions in model membranes
Authors: Donaldson Stephen H. , de Aguiar Hilton B.
Published: March 2018

Over recent decades, lipid membranes have become standard models for examining the biophysics and biochemistry of cell membranes. Interrogation of lipid domains within biomembranes is generally done with fluorescence microscopy via exogenous chemical probes. However, most fluorophores have limited partitioning tunability, with the majority segregating in the least biologically relevant domains (i.e., low-density liquid domains). Therefore, a molecular-level picture of the majority of non-labeled lipids forming the membrane is still elusive. Here, we present simple, label-free imaging of domain formation in lipid monolayers, with chemical selectivity in unraveling lipid and cholesterol composition in all domain types. Exploiting conventional vibrational contrast in spontaneous Raman imaging, combined with chemometrics analysis, allows for examination of ternary systems containing saturated lipids, unsaturated lipids, and cholesterol. We confirm features commonly observed by fluorescence microscopy, and provide an unprecedented analysis of cholesterol distribution at the single-membrane level.
Drosophilaegg-derived tyrosine phosphatase (EDTP): a novel target for improved survivorship to prolonged anoxia and cellular protein aggregates
Authors: Xiao Chengfeng , Qiu Shuang , Li Xiao , Luo Dan-Ju , Liu Gong-Ping
Published: March 2018

Drosophilaegg-derived tyrosine phosphatase (EDTP), a lipid phosphatase that removes 3-position phosphate at the inositol ring, has dual functions in the oogenesis and the muscle performance during adult stages. A mammalian homologous geneMTMR14, which encodes the myotubularin-related protein 14, negatively regulates autophagy. Mutation ofEDTP/MTMR14, however, causes at least three deleterious consequences: (1) lethality in the early embryogenesis inDrosophila; (2) “jumpy” phenotype with apparently impaired motor functions; and (3) association with a rare genetic disorder called centronuclear myopathy. Here we show that flies carrying a heterozygousEDTPmutation had increased survivorship to prolonged anoxia; tissue-specific downregulation ofEDTPin non-muscle tissues, particularly motoneurons, extended the lifespan; and tissue-specific downregulation ofEDTPin motoneurons improved the survivorship to beta-amyloid peptides (Aβ42) and polyglutamine (polyQ) protein aggregates. MTMR14 expression was evident in the hippocampus and cortex in C57BL/6J and APP/PS1 mice. Compared with C57BL/6J mice, APP/PS1 mice had reduced MTMR14 in the cortex but not in the hippocampus. Hippocampal expression of MTMR14 was increased and plateaued at 9-17 months compared with 2-6 months in C57BL/6J mice. Aβ42 treatment increased the expression of MTMR14 in the primarily cultured hippocampal neurons of Sprague/Dawley rats and mouse Neuro2a neuroblasts. We demonstrated a novel approach of tissue-specific manipulation of the disease-associated geneEDTP/MTMR14for lifespan extension and the improvement of survivorship to cellular protein aggregates.
On expectation propagation for generalised, linear and mixed models
Authors: Kim Andy S.I. , Wand Matt P.
Published: March 2018

Expectation propagation is a general approach to deterministic approximate Bayesian inference for graphical models, although its literature is confined mostly to machine learning applications. We investigate the utility of expectation propagation in generalised, linear, and mixed model settings. We show that, even though the algebra and computations are complicated, the notion of message passing on factor graphs affords streamlining of the required calculations and we list the algorithmic steps explicitly. Numerical studies indicate expectation propagation is marginally more accurate than a competing method for the models considered, but at the expense of bigger algebraic and computational overheads.
Stunting, starvation and refeeding: a review of forgotten 19th and early 20th century literature
Authors: Hermanussen M , Bogin B , Scheffler C
Published: March 2018

Aim

To scrutinize to what extent modern ideas about nutrition effects on growth are supported by historic observations in European populations.

Method

We reviewed 19th and early 20th century paediatric journals in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, the third largest European library with an almost complete collection of the German medical literature. During a three‐day visit, we inspected 15 bookshelf meters of literature not available in electronic format.

Results

Late 19th and early 20th century breastfed European infants and children, independent of social strata, grew far below World Health Organisation (WHO) standards and 15–30% of adequately‐fed children would be classified as stunted by theWHOstandards. Historic sources indicate that growth in height is largely independent of the extent and nature of the diet. Height catch‐up after starvation was greater than catch‐up reported in modern nutrition intervention studies, and allowed for unimpaired adult height.

Conclusion

Historical studies are indispensable to understand why stunting does not equate with undernutrition and why modern diet interventions frequently fail to prevent stunting. Appropriateness and effect size of modern nutrition interventions on growth need revision.
Effects of personal air pollution exposure on asthma symptoms, lung function and airway inflammation
Authors: Chambers L. , Finch J. , Edwards K. , Jeanjean A. , Leigh R. , Gonem S.
Published: March 2018

Background

There is evidence that air pollution increases the risk of asthma hospitalizations and healthcare utilization, but the effects on day‐to‐day asthma control are not fully understood.

Objective

We undertook a prospective single‐centre panel study to test the hypothesis that personal air pollution exposure is associated with asthma symptoms, lung function and airway inflammation.

Methods

Thirty‐two patients with a clinical diagnosis of asthma were provided with a personal air pollution monitor (Cairclip NO2/O3) which was kept on or around their person throughout the 12‐week follow‐up period. Ambient levels of NO2 and particulate matter were modelled based upon satellite imaging data. Directly measured ozone, NO2 and particulate matter levels were obtained from a monitoring station in central Leicester. Participants made daily electronic records of asthma symptoms, peak expiratory flow and exhaled nitric oxide. Spirometry and asthma symptom questionnaires were completed at fortnightly study visits. Data were analysed using linear mixed effects models and cross‐correlation.

Results

Cairclip exposure data were of good quality with clear evidence of diurnal variability and a missing data rate of approximately 20%. We were unable to detect consistent relationships between personal air pollution exposure and clinical outcomes in the group as a whole. In an exploratory subgroup analysis, total oxidant exposure was associated with increased daytime symptoms in women but not men.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

We did not find compelling evidence that air pollution exposure impacts on day‐to‐day clinical control in an unselected asthma population, but further studies are required in larger populations with higher exposure levels. Women may be more susceptible than men to the effects of air pollution, an observation which requires confirmation in future studies.
Central venous pressure monitoring in living donor kidney recipients does not affect immediate graft function: A propensity score analysis
Authors: Adelmann Dieter , Bicknell Leonie , Niemann Claus U. , Feiner John , Roll Garrett R. , Burdine Lyle , Whitlock Elizabeth L.
Published: March 2018

Background

During kidney transplantation, intraoperative fluid management can affect post‐transplant graft function. It is unclear whether or not central venous pressure (CVP) monitoring is required to guide fluid therapy during kidney transplantation.

Methods

We compared post‐transplant graft function in recipients of living donor kidney transplants between August 2006 and March 2009 based on the use or absence of intraoperative CVP monitoring. Graft function, assessed using the creatinine reduction ratio on postoperative day 2 (CCR2), was evaluated by multivariable linear regression analysis and in a propensity‐matched cohort.

Results

Two hundred and ninety patients were included in the analysis. Central venous pressure was monitored in 84 patients (29%). There was no difference in post‐transplant graft function, as measured by CCR2, between patients with and without CVP monitoring in both unadjusted and multivariable‐adjusted analyses. There were also no statistically significant differences in CCR2, delayed graft function, or 3‐month renal function between those monitored with CVP and those without, in the propensity‐matched cohort.

Conclusions

In this single‐center analysis, immediate post‐transplant renal function was not associated with the use of intraoperative CVP monitoring.
Esophagojejunal anastomotic dehiscence successfully repaired by endoluminal suture and stent positioning: Report of a mini‐invasive approach
Authors: Granata Antonino , Amata Michele , Traina Mario
Published: March 2018

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Comparison of propofol monotherapy and propofol combination therapy for sedation during gastrointestinal endoscopy: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Yoon Sang Won , Choi Geun Joo , Lee Oh Haeng , Yoon Il Jae , Kang Hyun , Baek Chong Wha , Jung Yong Hun , Woo Young Cheol
Published: March 2018

Background and Aim

Previous randomized controlled trials have reported conflicting findings comparing propofol combination therapy (PCT) with propofol monotherapy (PMT) for sedation of patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy. Therefore, a systematic review was carried out to compare the efficacy and safety of PCT and PMT in such patients.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases to identify all randomized controlled trials that compared the efficacy and safety of PCT and PMT for sedation of patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy. Primary endpoints were incidence of respiratory complications, hypotension and arrhythmia, dose of propofol used, and recovery time. Procedure duration and the satisfaction of patients and doctors were also evaluated.

Results

A total of 2250 patients from 22 studies were included in the final analysis. The combined analysis did not show any difference between PCT and PMT in the incidence of respiratory complications (risk ratio [RR], 0.80; 95% CI, 0.52 to 1.23; I2 = 58.34%), hypotension (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.63 to 1.78; I2 = 72.13%), arrhythmia (RR,1.40; 95% CI, 0.74 to 2.64; I2 = 43.71%), recovery time (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.16; 95% CI, −0.49 to 0.81; I2 = 95.9%), procedure duration (SMD, 0.04; 95% CI, −0.05 to 0.14; I2 = 0.0%), patient satisfaction (SMD, 0.13; 95% CI, −0.26 to 0.52; I2 = 89.63%) or doctor satisfaction (SMD, 0.01; 95% CI, −0.15 to 0.17; I2 = 0.00%). However, the dose of propofol used was significantly lower in PCT than in PMT (SMD, −1.38; 95% CI, −1.99 to −0.77; I2 = 97.70%).

Conclusion

PCT showed comparable efficacy and safety to PMT with respect to respiratory complications, hypotension and arrhythmia, recovery time, procedure duration, patient satisfaction, and doctor satisfaction. However, the average dose of propofol used was higher in PMT.
Knowledge and attitudes about sports‐related dental injuries and mouthguard use in young athletes in four different contact sports—water polo, karate, taekwondo and handball
Authors: Galic Tea , Kuncic Domagoj , Poklepovic Pericic Tina , Galic Ivan , Mihanovic Frane , Bozic Josko , Herceg Mark
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims

The increasing popularity of participating in sports activities among children and adolescents has increased the risk of sports‐related orofacial and dental injuries. Therefore, it is important to establish efficient preventive strategies regarding sports‐related dental trauma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of sports‐related dental injuries in young athletes and to compare the frequency of such injuries between high‐risk and medium‐risk sports, along with assessing athletes’ attitudes and habits regarding mouthguard use.

Methods

A total of 229 young athletes from four different sports (water polo (n = 59), karate (n = 58), taekwondo (n = 57) and handball (n = 55)) participated in this study. A standardized questionnaire about the frequency of orofacial and dental injuries was used. Questions were also asked about athletes’ habits related to mouthguard use.

Results

Mean age of the participants was 12.9 ± 3.2 years, and the average time of playing experience was 4.8 ± 3.1 years. Orofacial injury had been experienced by 58 athletes (25.3%), while 31 athletes (13.5%) suffered dental injury. Higher rate of dental injuries was observed in water polo (18.6%), karate (17.2%) and handball (21.8%) than in taekwondo (3.5%) (P = .035). Most participants were aware of mouthguards for dental trauma prevention and considered them efficient for preventing dental injuries during sports activities, but only 94 (41%) used them. There was a statistically significant difference in the use of mouthguards between taekwondo (73.7%) and karate (70.7%) players compared to handball (14.5%) and water polo players (5.1%) (P < .001).

Conclusions

Handball and water polo had similarly high occurrence of dental trauma as karate, a high‐risk martial art sport. Therefore, the classification of sports according to the risk of dental trauma should be reconsidered. It would be beneficial to make wearing a mouthguard mandatory in all high‐risk sports, as well as in those with medium‐risk for dental injuries.
Trends and characteristics of maxillofacial fractures sustained during sports activities in Japan
Authors: Yamamoto Kazuhiko , Matsusue Yumiko , Horita Satoshi , Murakami Kazuhiro , Sugiura Tsutomu , Kirita Tadaaki
Published: March 2018

Background/Aim

Sports activity increases the risk of maxillofacial fractures. The aim of this study was to analyze trends and characteristics of maxillofacial fractures sustained during sports activity to develop more effective treatments and possibly to prevent injury.

Materials and methods

Data of 248 patients with maxillofacial fractures sustained during sports activity were retrospectively analyzed based on their clinical records and radiographs.

Results

The patients were 226 males (91.1%) and 22 females (8.9%). Their ages ranged from 6 to 70 years and the majority were in their second decade. The fractures were sustained in various sports which included baseball in 85 patients (34.3%), rugby in 40 (16.1%), soccer in 30 (12.1%), softball in 22 (8.9%), golf in 10 (4.0%), hockey in 8 (3.2%), combat sports in 28 (11.3%), and others in 29 (11.7%). The cause of injuries was collision with another player in 97 patients (39.1%), hit by a ball in 89 (35.9%), intended attack in 20 (8.1%), hit by equipment of another player in 15 (6.0%), a fall in 14 (5.6%), and collision with ground equipment in 13 (5.2%). The site of fractures was the mandible in 145 patients (58.5%), midface in 100 (40.3%), and both in 3 (1.2%). Among 210 fracture sites in the mandible, 77 (36.6%) were in the angle, 68 (32.4%) in the symphysis, and 65 (30.9%) in others. Among 103 fractures in the midface, 58 (56.3%) were in the zygoma, 26 (25.2%) in alveolar bone, and 19 (18.4%) in others. Treatment was observation in 67 patients (27.0%), maxillomandibular fixation in 64 (25.8%), open reduction and internal fixation in 63 (25.4%), intramaxillary splinting in 40 (16.1%), transcutaneous reduction in 10 (4.0%), and other procedures in 4 (1.6%).

Conclusion

Maxillofacial fractures sustained during sports activity showed characteristic features dependent on the type of sport and cause of injury.
PAR1 contribution in acute electrophysiological properties of oral anticoagulants in rabbit pulmonary vein sleeve preparations
Authors: Font Jonaz , Simeon Mathilda , Simard Christophe , Allouche Stéphane , Plane Anne‐Flore , Ferchaud Virginie , Brionne Marie , Rouet René , Nowoczyn Marie , Manrique Alain , Puddu Paolo Emilio , Milliez Paul , Alexandre Joachim
Published: March 2018

Whether oral anticoagulants, vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), and nonvitamin K oral anticoagulant (NOACs) frequently prescribed to atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, do themselves have a pro‐ or anti‐arrhythmic effect have never been addressed. Transmembrane action potentials were recorded in an acute rabbit model of superfused pulmonary veins (PVs) sleeves preparations using standard microelectrode technique. Fluindione 10 μm (n = 6) increased the AP (action potential) duration (APD), induced a significantly Vmax depression (from 95 ± 14 to 53 ± 5 V/s, P < 0.05), and 2 : 1 blocks during rapid atrial pacing thus evoking class I anti‐arrhythmic properties, and prevented spontaneous trigger APs. Apixaban 10 μm (n = 6) increased the APD, significantly prolonged the effective refractory period (from 56.3 ± 4.2 to 72.0 ± 8.6 ms, P < 0.05), and prevented triggered APs occurrence. Fluindione and apixaban effects were suppressed with the addition of the protease‐activated receptors 1 (PAR 1) agonist SFLLR‐NH2. Warfarin 10 μm (n = 6) significantly abbreviated the early refractory period (from 56.3 ± 4.2 to 45.0 ± 2.2 ms, P < 0.05) and increased triggered APs occurrence that were successfully prevented by nifedipine but not by the addition of the protease‐activated receptors 1 agonist SFLLR‐NH2. In this acute rabbit PVs model, VKAs and NOACs, at physiological concentrations, exhibited very different pharmacological properties that influence PVs electrophysiology, implying PAR1, with fluindione and apixaban which exhibited more anti‐arrhythmic properties, whereas warfarin exhibited more pro‐arrhythmic properties.
Land use intensity, rather than plant species richness, affects the leaching risk of multiple nutrients from permanent grasslands
Authors: Klaus Valentin H. , Kleinebecker Till , Busch Verena , Fischer Markus , Hölzel Norbert , Nowak Sascha , Prati Daniel , Schäfer Deborah , Schöning Ingo , Schrumpf Marion , Hamer Ute
Published: March 2018

The intensification of land use constitutes one of the main drivers of global change and alters nutrient fluxes on all spatial scales, causing landscape‐level eutrophication and contamination of natural resources. Changes in soil nutrient concentrations are thus indicative for crucial environmental issues associated with intensive land use. We measured concentrations of NO3–N, NH4–N, P, K, Mg, and Ca using 1,326 ion‐exchange resin bags buried in 20 cm depth beneath the main root zone in 150 temperate grasslands. Nutrient concentrations were related to land use intensity, that is, fertilization, mowing, grazing intensities, and plant diversity by structural equation modeling. Furthermore, we assessed the response of soil nutrients to mechanical sward disturbance and subsequent reseeding, a common practice for grassland renewal. Land use intensity, especially fertilization, significantly increased the concentrations of NO3–N, NH4–N, K, P, and also Mg. Besides fertilization (and tightly correlated mowing) intensity, grazing strongly increased NO3–N and K concentrations. Plant species richness decreased P and NO3–N concentrations in soil when grassland productivity of the actual year was statistically taken into account, but not when long‐term averages of productivity were used. Thus, we assume that, in the actual study year, a distinct drought period might have caused the observed decoupling of productivity from fertilization and soil nutrients. Breaking up the grassland sward drastically increased NO3–N concentrations (+146%) but reduced NH4–N, P, and K concentrations, unbalancing soil nutrient stoichiometry and boosting the risk of N leaching. Reseeding the sward after disturbance did not have a short‐term effect on nutrient concentrations. We conclude that renewal of permanent grassland should be avoided as far as possible and future grassland management has to strongly rise the effectiveness of fertilization. Additionally, grassland management might have to increasingly taking care of periods of drought, in which nutrient additions might not increase plant growth but potentially only facilitate leaching.
Transbronchial lung biopsy for the diagnosis of IgG4‐related lung disease
Authors: Otani Kyoko , Inoue Dai , Itoh Tomoo , Zen Yoh
Published: March 2018

Aims

The diagnosis of IgG4‐related disease (IgG4‐RD) requires a multidisciplinary approach, in which histology plays an important role. Although a diagnosis was previously established by the use of surgically resected specimens, there is increasing clinical demand to diagnose this systemic condition by the use of biopsies. The aim of the present study was to elucidate how useful transbronchial lung biopsies (TBLBs) are for this diagnostic purpose.

Methods and results

The study cohort consisted of 20 consecutive patients diagnosed with IgG4‐RD in other organs who underwent TBLB for potential pulmonary involvement. One case showing multiple granulomas suggestive of other conditions was excluded. Seven of the remaining 19 cases (37%) showed apparently normal lung tissue, indicating a sampling error, and 12 (63%) had microscopic abnormalities. Nine cases (47%) with a dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate met the number and ratio criteria for IgG4‐positive plasma cell infiltration (>20 cells/high‐power field, and an IgG4/IgG‐positive plasma cell ratio of >40%). Obliterative phlebitis and storiform fibrosis were observed in one case each. In 43 control cases of various inflammatory conditions, tissue IgG4 elevations appeared to be uncommon, with only two cases (5%) each meeting the number or ratio criterion, and one case (2%) fulfilling both. All control cases with tissue IgG4 elevations were of eosinophilic pneumonia.

Conclusions

Transbronchial lung biopsies provided histological findings that were supportive for the diagnosis of IgG4‐RD in 47% of cases, with 98% diagnostic specificity. Therefore, they have potential as a useful and acceptable diagnostic approach for IgG4‐related lung disease.
Splenic hematopoietic stem cells display a pre‐activated phenotype
Authors: Coppin Emilie , Florentin Jonathan , Vasamsetti Sathish Babu , Arunkumar Anagha , Sembrat John , Rojas Mauricio , Dutta Partha
Published: March 2018

Splenic hematopoiesis is crucial to the pathogenesis of diseases including myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis. The spleen acts as a reservoir of myeloid cells, which are quickly expelled out in response to acute inflammation. In contrast to the well‐defined bone marrow hematopoiesis, the cellular and molecular components sustaining splenic hematopoiesis are poorly understood. Surprisingly, we found that, unlike quiescent bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), most of splenic HSC are in the G1 phase in C57BL/6 mice. Moreover, splenic HSC were enriched for genes involved in G0‐G1 transition and expressed lower levels of genes responsible for G1‐S transition. These data indicate that, at steady state, splenic HSC are pre‐activated, which may expedite their cell cycle entry in emergency conditions. Consistently, in the acute phase of septic shock induced by LPS injection, splenic HSC entered the S‐G2‐M phase, whereas bone marrow HSC did not. Mobilization and transplantation experiments displayed that bone marrow HSC, once in the spleen, acquired cell cycle status similar to splenic HSC, strongly suggesting that the splenic microenvironment plays an important role in HSC pre‐activation. In addition, we found that myeloid translocation gene 16 (Mtg16) deficiency in C57BL/6 mice resulted in significantly increased S‐G2‐M entry of splenic but not bone marrow HSC, suggesting that Mtg16 is an intrinsic negative regulator of G1‐S transition in splenic HSC. Altogether, this study demonstrates that compared to bone marrow, splenic HSC are in a pre‐activated state, which is driven by extracellular signals provided by splenic microenvironment and HSC intrinsic factor Mtg16.
Unknown Intracardiac Electrogram
Authors: Prystowsky Eric N.
Published: March 2018

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