bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Academic Factors Related to Student Achievement in a Capstone Food Chemistry Course
Authors: Shoulders Catherine W. , Johnson Donald M. , O'Bryan Corliss A. , Crandall Philip G.
Published: July 2018

The 1st step in successfully intervening with students who may fail a course is to identify them as early as possible in the semester. The objective of this study was to create a model to predict student performance in FDSC 4304, the required capstone Food Chemistry class, using academic performance in prerequisite courses as potential predictors. We analyzed data for 116 undergraduates who completed Food Chemistry (FDSC 4304) between 2008 and 2015. Data included semester of enrollment and grade earned in FDSC 4304; transfer status; grades in prerequisite classes in science, math, and statistics courses and an introductory Food Science course, FDSC 1103; and the students’ university GPA at the time of enrollment in FDSC 4304. Cumulative GPA had the strongest significant (P < 0.001) positive correlation with FDSC 4304 grade (r = 0.64), followed by grade in statistics GPA (r = 0.52), FDSC 1103 grade (r = 0.45), pre‐requisite chemistry GPA (r = 0.44), and biology GPA (r = 0.42). When using partial correlations to control for cumulative GPA, only grades in FDSC 1103 (completed by 62.9% of students) were significantly correlated with grades in FDSC 4304. Linear regression indicated cumulative GPA and FDSC 1103 grades explained 35.5% of the variance in FDSC 4304 grades. When cumulative GPA (available for 91.6% of students) alone was regressed on FDSC 4304, it explained 40.6% of the variance for the larger group. Lower cumulative GPAs and FDSC 1103 grades are suggestive but not determinative of potential student struggles in FDSC 4304. Instructors should use cumulative GPAs and introductory food science course grades (either alone or in combination) with actual early course performance measures to identify students in need of additional help.
Rectal cancer staging: An up‐to‐date pictorial review
Authors: Crimì Filippo , Lacognata Carmelo , Cecchin Diego , Zucchetta Pietro , Pomerri Fabio
Published: July 2018

Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignancy worldwide, and rectal cancer (RC) accounts for 29% of all cases. Local staging of RC is crucial for the purposes of addressing patients appropriately to surgery alone or to preoperative chemoradiotherapy (pCRT) followed by total mesorectal excision (TME). Combined pCRT and TME may negatively affect rectal function, so rectum‐sparing approaches such as transanal local excision have been proposed as an alternative to TME for patients showing a major or complete clinical response on restaging after pCRT. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a fundamental role in the local staging and restaging of RC, with or without positron emission tomography (PET). PET/MRI enables a multiplanar high‐resolution morphological study of the pelvis, providing important information on cell density and metabolic activity with diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) and 18F fluorodeoxyglucose uptake respectively. This article offers a pictorial review of the MRI anatomy of the ano‐rectal region and an update on local RC staging with a hybrid 18F‐FDG PET/MRI scan.
Daily intra‐abdominal pressure, Sequential Organ Failure Score and fluid balance predict duration of mechanical ventilation
Authors: Iyer Dushyant , Hunt Leanne , Frost Steven A. , Aneman Anders
Published: July 2018

Background

Elevated intra‐abdominal pressure (IAP) is a common occurrence in mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study was undertaken to determine the relationship between IAP, pulmonary compliance and the duration of mechanical ventilation.

Methods

A prospective study of 220 consecutively enrolled mechanically ventilated patients admitted to a mixed surgical‐medical ICU in a tertiary referral hospital. The IAP was measured at least twice daily, benchmarked against consensus guidelines. Dynamic pulmonary compliance was calculated together with admission Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE III) score and daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score.

Results

No relationship between highest IAP for the day and pulmonary compliance (P = 0.61) was found. For each 5 mm Hg increase in IAP, the risk of remaining intubated increased 19% (HR = 1.19, 95% CI: 0.98‐1.44); for each standard deviation increase in SOFA score (3.7 points), the risk of remaining intubated increased by 14% (HR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.98‐1.33); and for each 1 L increase in fluid balance, the risk of remaining intubated increased by 11% (HR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.04‐1.19). A nomogram was developed to predict the probability of extubation based on daily highest IAP for the day, SOFA score and fluid balance.

Conclusion

IAPs did not correlate with pulmonary compliance in critically ill patients. Increased IAP was associated with a longer duration of mechanical ventilation. A nomogram integrating daily IAP, SOFA score and fluid balance may be used to predict the duration of mechanical ventilation.
MC1R polymorphism associated with plumage color variations in Coturnix chinensis
Authors: Araguas R. M. , Sanz N. , Viñas J. , Vidal O.
Published: July 2018

The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene was investigated as a candidate for plumage variations in Chinese painted quail, Coturnix chinensis. Four silent and two missense nucleotide polymorphisms were identified. The correspondent amino acid changes, p.Glu92Lys and p.Pro292Leu, were found in Blue Face and Red Breasted animals respectively. Blue Face is a melanic phenotype similar to the co‐dominant Extended Brown of Japanese quail, and both share the p.Glu92Lys mutation. The association of p.Pro292Leu with the recessive Red Breasted was confirmed in 23 animals from an experimental F2 cross.
Implementation of a new strategy to improve the peri‐operative management of neuromuscular blockade and its effects on postoperative pulmonary complications
Authors: Rudolph M. I. , Chitilian H. V. , Ng P. Y. , Timm F. P. , Agarwala A. V. , Doney A. B. , Ramachandran S. K. , Houle T. T. , Eikermann M.
Published: July 2018

Inappropriate dosing of neostigmine for antagonism of neuromuscular blockade has been associated with postoperative pulmonary complications. We evaluated the effects of a quality improvement initiative tailored to optimise the use of neostigmine in antagonising neuromuscular blockade on postoperative pulmonary complications, costs and duration of hospital stay. The quality improvement initiative consisted of: a reduction in available neostigmine aliquot sizes; a cognitive aid; an educational component; and a financial incentive for the intra‐operative documentation of train‐of‐four measurement before administration of neostigmine. We conducted a pre‐specified analysis of data obtained in our quality improvement study. Additional analyses were conducted in a propensity‐matched cohort. An interrupted time series design was used to discriminate between the intervention and a counterfactual scenario. We analysed 12,025 consecutive surgical cases performed in 2015. Postoperative pulmonary complications occurred in 220 (7.5%) of 2937 cases pre‐intervention and 568 (6.3%) of 9088 cases post‐intervention. Adjusted regression analyses showed significantly a lower risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (OR 0.73 (95%CI 0.61–0.88); p = 0.001), lower costs (incidence rate ratio 0.95 (95%CI 0.93–0.97); p < 0.001) and shorter duration of hospital stay (incidence rate ratio 0.91 (95%CI 0.87–0.94); p < 0.001) after implementation of the quality improvement initiative. Analyses in a propensity‐matched sample (n = 2936 per group) and interrupted time series analysis (n = 27,202 cases) confirmed the findings. Our data show that a local, multifaceted quality improvement initiative can enhance the quality of intra‐operative neuromuscular blocking agent utilisation, thereby reducing the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications.
Drugs for treating severe hypertension in pregnancy: a network meta‐analysis and trial sequential analysis of randomized clinical trials
Authors: Sridharan Kannan , Sequeira Reginald P.
Published: July 2018

Aims

Several antihypertensive drugs are used in the treatment of severe hypertension in pregnancy. The present study is a network meta‐analysis comparing the efficacy and safety of these drugs.

Methods

Electronic databases were searched for randomized clinical trials comparing drugs used in the treatment of severe hypertension in pregnancy. The number of women achieving the target blood pressure (BP) was the primary outcome. Doses required and time taken for achieving the target BP, failure rate, and incidences of maternal tachycardia, palpitation, hypotension, headache, and neonatal death and stillbirth were the secondary outcomes. Mixed treatment comparison pooled estimates were generated using a random‐effects model. Odds ratios for the categorical and mean difference for the numerical outcomes were the effect estimates.

Results

Fifty‐one studies were included in the systematic review and 46 in the meta‐analysis. No significant differences in the number of patients achieving target BP was observed between any of the drugs. Diazoxide [−15 (−20.6, −9.4)], nicardipine [−11.8 (−22.3, −1.2)], nifedipine/celastrol [−19.3 (−27.4, −11.1)], nifedipine/vitamin D [−17.1 (−25.7, −9.7)], nifedipine/resveratrol [−13.9 (−22.6, −5.2)] and glyceryl trinitrate [−33.8 (−36.7, −31)] were observed to achieve the target BP (in minutes) more rapidly than hydralazine. Nifedipine required fewer doses than hydralazine for achieving the target BP. Glyceryl trinitrate and labetalol were associated with fewer incidences of tachycardia and palpitation respectively than hydralazine. Trial sequential analysis concluded adequate evidence for hydralazine and nifedipine compared with labetalol. Moderate quality of evidence was observed for direct comparison estimate between labetalol and hydralazine but was either low or very low for other comparisons.

Conclusion

The present evidence suggests similar efficacy between nifedipine, hydralazine and labetalol in the treatment of severe hypertension in pregnancy. Subtle differences may exist in their safety profile. The evidence is inadequate for other drugs.
Co‐administration of proton pump inhibitors and/or of steroids may be a risk factor for low trough concentrations of posaconazole delayed‐released tablets in adult patients with haematological malignancies
Authors: Cojutti Pier Giorgio , Candoni Anna , Lazzarotto Davide , Rabassi Nicholas , Fanin Renato , Hope William , Pea Federico
Published: July 2018

Aims

The aim of this study was to determine clinical variables associated with posaconazole exposure among adult patients with haematological malignancies who received posaconazole tablets for prophylaxis of invasive fungal infections (IFIs).

Methods

The study population included adult patients with haematological malignancies who received posaconazole delayed‐release tablets for prophylaxis of IFIs after induction chemotherapy for acute leukaemia or graft‐versus‐host‐disease (GVHD) complicating hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in the period January 2016–December 2017.

Results

Sixty‐six consecutive patients with 176 posaconazole Cmin were included for evaluation in the study. Subtherapeutic posaconazole concentrations (< 0.7 mg l−1) were observed at least once in 33.3% of patients (22/66), and overall in 17.0% of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) episodes (30/176). At multilevel linear regression, use of PPIs (P = 0.008), use of intermediate or high dose steroids (>0.7 mg kg−1 daily) (P = 0.022) and male gender (P = 0.025) were significantly associated with decreased Cmin, whereas time from starting therapy (P = 0.032) was associated with increased Cmin in our patient population.

Conclusion

Posaconazole exposure during treatment with delayed‐released tablet formulation may be affected by the use of PPIs and/or of intermediate or high dose steroids.
Increased risk of all‐cause mortality associated with domperidone use in Parkinson's patients: a population‐based cohort study in the UK
Authors: Simeonova Marina , de Vries Frank , Pouwels Sander , Driessen Johanna H. M. , Leufkens Hubert G.M. , Cadarette Suzanne M. , Burden Andrea M.
Published: July 2018

Aims

Domperidone is used to treat gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and is linked to an increased risk of mortality. We sought to examine the risk of all‐cause mortality associated with domperidone exposure in PD.

Methods

We conducted a cohort study using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink database (1987–2011). The first recorded PD diagnosis defined index date. Time‐dependent Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) of all‐cause mortality associated with domperidone use. PD patients were stratified by domperidone use (current/recent/past), with never used as the referent. Current domperidone users were stratified by daily dose, domperidone duration and other anti‐Parkinson's medications. A secondary analysis compared PD patients to matched (1:1) non‐PD patients.

Results

A total of 5114 PD patients were identified. Current use of domperidone among PD patients was associated with a two‐fold increase in all‐cause mortality (HRadj = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.64–2.45), as compared to patients never exposed to domperidone. All‐cause mortality risk was highest in those starting domperidone in the previous month [HRadj = 2.97, 95% CI: 2.06–4.27]. When compared to matched non‐PD patients, PD was associated with a 43% increased risk of all‐cause mortality, yet this increased to a 2.4‐fold increased risk among PD patients currently using domperidone.

Conclusion

Current use of domperidone was associated with a two‐fold increased mortality risk in PD patients, as compared to PD patients that never used domperidone. The risk is highest in the first month of use and does not appear to be attributable to PD alone.
The ‘top 100’ drugs and classes in England: an updated ‘starter formulary’ for trainee prescribers
Authors: Audi Selma , Burrage Daniel R. , Lonsdale Dagan O. , Pontefract Sarah , Coleman Jamie J. , Hitchings Andrew W. , Baker Emma H.
Published: July 2018

Aims

Prescribing is a complex skill required of doctors and, increasingly, other healthcare professionals. Use of a personal formulary can help to develop this skill. In 2006–9, we developed a core list of the 100 most commonly prescribed drugs. Our aim in the present study was to update this ‘starter formulary’ to ensure its continued relevance for prescriber training.

Methods

We analysed large contemporary primary and secondary care datasets to identify the most frequently prescribed medicinal products. Items were classified into natural groups, broadly following their British National Formulary classification. The resulting drug groups were included in the core list if they comprised ≥0.1% prescriptions in both settings or ≥0.2–0.3% prescriptions in one setting. Drugs from emergency guidelines that did not qualify by prescribing frequency completed the list.

Results

Over 1 billion primary care items and approximately 1.8 million secondary care prescriptions were analysed. The updated list comprises 81 drug groups commonly prescribed in both settings; six from primary care; seven from secondary care; and six from emergency guidelines. Eighty‐eight per cent of the formulary was unchanged. Notable changes include entry of newer anti‐epileptics and dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors and exit of phenytoin and thiazolidinediones.

Conclusions

The relative stability of the core drug list over 9 years and the current update ensure that learning based on this list remains relevant to practice. Trainee prescribers may be encouraged to use this ‘starter formulary’ to develop a sound basis of prescribing knowledge and skills that they can subsequently apply more widely.
A Partially Linear Proportional Hazards Model for Current Status Data
Authors: Lu Minggen , McMahan Christopher S.
Published: July 2018

For analyzing current status data, a flexible partially linear proportional hazards model is proposed. Modeling flexibility is attained through using monotone splines to approximate the baseline cumulative hazard function, as well as B-splines to accommodate nonlinear covariate effects. To facilitate model fitting, a computationally efficient and easy to implement expectation-maximization algorithm is developed through a two-stage data augmentation process involving carefully structured latent Poisson random variables. Asymptotic normality and the efficiency of the spline estimator of the regression coefficients are established, and the spline estimators of the nonparametric components are shown to possess the optimal rate of convergence under suitable regularity conditions. The finite-sample performance of the proposed approach is evaluated through Monte Carlo simulation and it is further illustrated using uterine fibroid data arising from a prospective cohort study on early pregnancy.
Cognitive impairment in hodgkin lymphoma survivors
Authors: Trachtenberg Estherina , Mashiach Tatiana , Ben Hayun Rachel , Tadmor Tamar , Fisher Tali , Aharon‐Peretz Judith , Dann Eldad J.
Published: July 2018

Cancer‐related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is commonly reported post‐chemotherapy in adults with solid tumours. Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) mostly affects young adults. Data regarding CRCI in HL survivors (HLS) are scarce. The current study aimed to objectively assess CRCI incidence and characteristics in HLS. HLS, who completed first‐line (chemotherapy ± radiation) therapy and remained in complete remission for 6 months to 5 years from therapy end, were evaluated. Age‐ and education‐matched healthy individuals served as controls (n = 14). Test results were compared to population norms and healthy controls. Study participants completed self‐reported questionnaires evaluating fatigue, depression, anxiety, quality of life and cognitive function. Subjects underwent neurocognitive evaluation, assessing processing speed, memory, attention, executive functions and intelligence domains. The present study included 51 HLS with a median age of 28 years, mean education of 14·5 ± 2·5 years. Complaints related to cognitive deterioration and fatigue were significantly more severe and frequent in HLS compared to healthy controls. Objective neurocognitive evaluation demonstrated that 30% of HLS were impaired in ≥2 cognitive domains. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that fatigue and cognitive impairment, predominantly in executive functions and memory, constitute frequent and alarming findings in HLS. These adverse effects can persist and exert an impact on all aspects of life.
Prevalence and outcomes of uncommon BCR‐ABL1 fusion transcripts in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia: data from a single centre
Authors: Qin Ya‐Zhen , Jiang Qian , Jiang Hao , Lai Yue‐Yun , Shi Hong‐Xia , Chen Wen‐Min , Yu Lu , Huang Xiao‐Jun
Published: July 2018

To explore the type, prevalence and outcomes in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients with uncommon BCR‐ABL1 transcripts in the era of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), uncommon BCR‐ABL1 transcripts were screened in 4750 patients by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and type‐specific real‐time quantitative PCR was regularly performed for molecular monitoring. A total of 19 uncommon transcripts, including e1a2, e1a3, e6a2, e8a2, e12a2, unusual e13a2, e13a3, unusual e14a2, e14a3 and e19a2 were identified in 83 (1·7%) patients. The three most frequent types were e19a2, e13a3/e14a3 and e1a2. Compared with the 571 newly diagnosed CML patients in chronic phase with common e13a2/e14a2 transcripts receiving frontline imatinib therapy, patients with the e19a2 (n = 16) and e1a2 (n = 11) transcripts had significantly reduced probabilities of 1‐year complete cytogenetic response (CCyR, P = 0·0004 and 0·016) and major molecular response (MMR, P = 0·0018 and 0·0035), and patients with the e13a3/e14a3 transcript (n = 10) had significantly increased probabilities of 1‐year CCyR (P = 0·0072) and MMR (P = 0·0073). Patients with the e19a2 transcript had low probabilities of 2‐year event‐free survival (EFS, P = 0·0004) and progression‐free survival (P = 0·0067), and patients with the e1a2 transcript had low probability of 2‐year EFS (P < 0·0001). Therefore, uncommon BCR‐ABL1 fusion transcripts are rare and diverse in patients with CML and may be relevant for TKI therapy outcomes.
Gene mutations and clonal architecture in myelodysplastic syndromes and changes upon progression to acute myeloid leukaemia and under treatment
Authors: Stosch Juliane M. , Heumüller Anezka , Niemöller Christoph , Bleul Sabine , Rothenberg‐Thurley Maja , Riba Julian , Renz Nathalie , Szarc vel Szic Katarzyna , Pfeifer Dietmar , Follo Marie , Pahl Heike L. , Zimmermann Stefan , Duyster Justus , Wehrle Julius , Lübbert Michael , Metzeler Klaus H. , Claus Rainer , Becker Heiko
Published: July 2018

Knowledge of the molecular and clonal characteristics in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and during progression to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is essential to understand the disease dynamics and optimize treatment. Sequencing serial bone marrow samples of eight patients, we observed that MDS featured a median of 3 mutations. Mutations in genes involved in RNA‐splicing or epigenetic regulation were most frequent, and exclusively present in the major clone. Minor subclones were distinguishable in three patients. As the MDS progressed, a median of one mutation was gained, leading to clonal outgrowth. No AML developed genetically independent of a pre‐existing clone. The gained mutation mostly affected genes encoding signalling proteins. Additional acquisition of genomic aberrations frequently occurred. Upon treatment, emergence of new clones could be observed. As confirmed by single‐cell sequencing, multiple mutations in identical genes in different clones were present within individual patients. DNA‐methylation profiling in patients without identification of novel mutations in AML revealed methylation changes in individual genes. In conclusion, our data complement previous observations on the mutational and clonal characteristics in MDS and at progression. Moreover, DNA‐methylation changes may be associated with progression in single patients. Redundancy of mutated genes in different clones suggests fertile grounds promoting clonal selection or acquisition.
Small Is Beautiful? Emerging Organizational Strategies among Italian Professionals
Authors: Maestripieri Lara , Cucca Roberta
Published: July 2018

The traditional debate about professional groups has mainly focused on conflicts between professions and organizations, reinforcing dualisms and dichotomies. Few scholars have investigated the extent to which professionalism and organizations are intertwined while focusing on the case of professionals integrated into large organizations, and even less attention has been paid to emerging forms of organization among self‐employed professionals. Taking as an example organizational trends among architects (liberal professionals) and management consultants (emerging professionals) in Italy, this article investigates how small, flexible, and (often) interprofessional organizations promoted by self‐employed professionals are increasingly instrumental in overcoming market pressures and responding to emerging social needs in times of crisis and austerity.
The Corporate Elite and the Architecture of Climate Change Denial: A Network Analysis of Carbon Capital's Reach into Civil Society
Authors: Carroll William , Graham Nicolas , Lang Michael K. , Yunker Zoë , McCartney Kevin D.
Published: July 2018

This study employs social network analysis to map the Canadian network of carbon‐capital corporations whose boards interlock with key knowledge‐producing civil society organizations, including think tanks, industry associations, business advocacy organizations, universities, and research institutes. We find a pervasive pattern of carbon‐sector reach into these domains of civil society, forming a single, connected network that is centered in Alberta yet linked to the central‐Canadian corporate elite through hegemonic capitalist organizations, including major financial companies. This structure provides the architecture for a “soft” denial regime that acknowledges climate change while protecting the continued flow of profit to fossil fuel and related companies.
Towards complete identification of allergens in Jack Jumper (Myrmecia pilosula) ant venom and their clinical relevance: An immunoproteomic approach
Authors: Wanandy Troy , Wilson Richard , Gell David , Rose Hayley E. , Gueven Nuri , Davies Noel W. , Brown Simon G. A. , Wiese Michael D.
Published: July 2018

Background

The venomous stings of Jack Jumper ant (JJA; species of the Myrmecia pilosula taxonomic group) are a significant public health issue in parts of south‐eastern and south‐western Australia, causing anaphylaxis in approximately 3% of the population. Three allergenic peptides, Myr p 1, Myr p 2 and Myr p 3, and one histamine‐releasing peptide, pilosulin 5, have been fully described, but there are at least 5 additional high molecular weight IgE‐binding components that have not been identified.

Objective

To identify IgE‐binding components in JJA venom (JJAV) and to relate the IgE recognition of these components to relevant clinical parameters.

Methods

Identification of IgE‐binding components and determination of their sensitizing prevalence was performed using SDS‐PAGE immunoblot assay and sera from 90 patients with confirmed allergy to JJAV. Tandem mass spectrometry was used for identification of novel JJAV components fractionated by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and SDS‐PAGE.

Results

Using SDS‐PAGE immunoblot, 10 IgE‐binding bands were identified in JJAV, two of which were recognized by 81% and 47% of the population studied. Mass spectrometry identified 17 novel JJAV proteins, including 2 glycoproteins, and confirmed the presence of 4 known Myr p and pilosulin peptides in JJAV. Most of the newly identified IgE‐binding proteins were enzymes, including phospholipase A2, hyaluronidase, arginine kinase and dipeptidyl peptidase IV. Correlations were found between recognition of certain IgE‐binding bands with JJAV‐specific IgE titre by ImmunoCAP, intradermal test threshold and treatment‐related issues.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

This study has for the first time revealed the identity of various proteins with IgE‐binding capacity in the venom of JJA and demonstrated their clinical relevance in the diagnosis and treatment of JJAV allergy.
High ambient levels of grass, weed and other pollen are associated with asthma admissions in children and adolescents: A large 5‐year case‐crossover study
Authors: Shrestha Som K. , Katelaris Constance , Dharmage Shyamali C. , Burton Pamela , Vicendese Don , Tham Rachel , Abramson Michael J. , Erbas Bircan
Published: July 2018

Background

Pollen is an important aeroallergen that triggers asthma exacerbations in children, but we know little about the impact of different pollen types in cities with varying climatic conditions and pollen seasons.

Objectives

We aimed to assess the role of ambient level of different types of pollen on a large time series of child and adolescent asthma hospitalizations in Sydney, Australia.

Methods

Childhood asthma hospitalization and the daily ambient pollen concentrations of different species were collected in South‐West Sydney. With a bidirectional case‐crossover design, we fitted conditional logistic regression models to measure the associations between instantaneous and up to 3 days lagged effects of pollen concentrations on asthma hospitalizations after controlling for potential confounders and testing for interactions.

Results

A total of 2098 children, more boys (59.7%) and 2‐5 years old (62.6%), were hospitalized due to asthma. The geometric mean concentration of Cupressus, 7.88 [5.02] grains/m3, was the highest during the study period. The increase from 75th to 90th percentile of grass (OR = 1.037, 95% CI 1.005‐1.070), weed other than Plantago species (OR = 1.053, 95% CI 1.009‐1.098) and unclassified pollen (OR = 1.034, 95% CI 1.010‐1.058) were significantly associated with the odds of asthma hospitalizations. Boys were at greater risk of asthma exacerbations associated with grass (OR = 1.046, 95% CI 1.003‐1.090) and unclassified pollen (OR = 1.041, 95% CI 1.010‐1.073). There was evidence of effect modification by age groups for Cupressus, conifer, total tree and total pollen.

Conclusions

Although boys are more vulnerable to grass pollen, weed, and other pollen are also important triggers of asthma exacerbations in all children and adolescents. These findings are important for urban green space planning and the development of pollen monitoring systems for families with children at risk of asthma exacerbations during peak pollen seasons.
Modeling temperature‐dependent development rate and phenology in insects: review of major developments, challenges, and future directions
Authors: Rebaudo François , Rabhi Victor‐Badre
Published: July 2018

The study of insect responses to temperature has a long tradition in science, starting from Réaumur's work on caterpillars in the 18th century. In 1932, Ernst Janisch wrote: ‘The problem is (and will be more and more in the future) one of the most important ones in entomology […]’. Almost 90 years after this paper, its prediction still holds true, with a sustained interest of the scientific community for the study of insect responses to temperature, especially in the context of climate change. We present a review of the major developments in the field of insect development responses to temperature and analyze the growing importance of modeling approaches in the literature using a bibliographic analysis. We discuss recent advances and future directions for phenology‐modeling based on temperature‐dependent development rate. Finally, we highlight the need for a change of paradigm toward a system‐based approach in order to overcome current challenges and to predict insect phenology more accurately, with direct implications in agriculture, conservation biology, and epidemiology.
Commercially formulated glyphosate can kill non‐target pollinator bees under laboratory conditions
Authors: Abraham John , Benhotons Grace Senami , Krampah Isaac , Tagba Jehoshaphat , Amissah Carlos , Abraham Janice Dwomoh
Published: July 2018

The use of glyphosate‐based herbicides in agroecosystems has increased over the past few years because of the advent of genetically modified glyphosate‐resistant crops and resistant weeds. This is alarming because of potential damaging effects on non‐target organisms. In sub‐Saharan Africa, for example Ghana, many rural farmers have not received training in the use of glyphosate‐based herbicides, thus tend to apply higher than recommended concentrations on farms. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of glyphosate‐based herbicides on beneficial insects under laboratory conditions, using Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Apini) and Hypotrigona ruspolii (Magretti) (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini) as models. The bees were put in contact for 24 h with the recommended concentration of Sunphosate 360 SL, a glyphosate‐based herbicide, 2× the recommended concentration, or distilled water as control. The effect of the herbicide on the bees was compared to the effect of a lambda‐cyhalothrin insecticide. Generally, more bees died after contact with plants freshly sprayed with the herbicide than on herbicide‐treated filter paper. In both cases, more bees died after contact with the higher concentration of the herbicide. These findings suggest that beneficial insects, specifically A. mellifera and H. ruspolii, may get killed if they are sprayed upon or come into contact with plants that have been freshly sprayed with (more than) the recommended concentration of glyphosate‐based herbicides. Therefore, it is important to restrict access and use of such herbicides to trained personnel who will comply with spraying guidelines, that is, recommended concentrations and timing of spray. Spraying at a time when insects are flying about may be detrimental to beneficial insects such as pollinator bees, parasitoids, and predators.
Selective effects of floral food sources and honey on life‐history traits of a pest–parasitoid system
Authors: Munir Sadia , Dosdall Lloyd M. , Keddie Andrew
Published: July 2018

Many parasitoids and their herbivorous hosts forage on the same floral resources in agroecosystems. Floral resources that benefit natural enemies without supporting pests can improve the efficacy of biological control agents. Here, we report the results of a study on selective effects of floral and non‐floral food sources on the life‐history traits of the parasitoid Diadegma insulare (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and its host Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Under standard laboratory conditions, insects were exposed to four flowering plant species, 10% honey solution, and water. All food sources increased the longevity of the herbivore and its parasitoid by as much as four‐ to nine‐fold, respectively, compared to the water control diet. Diadegma insulare survived the longest on Thlaspi arvense L. (Brassicaceae) and P. xylostella on Sinapis arvensis L. (Brassicaceae). However, none of the food sources tested was beneficial to the parasitoid alone, though Lobularia maritima L. (Brassicaceae) was found to selectively favor the longevity of D. insulare. Diadegma insulare adults were heavier when fed on S. arvensis, whereas feeding on the honey solution led to higher body weights of P. xylostella. In conclusion, we demonstrated that floral and non‐floral food sources varied in their suitability and acted differently on life‐history traits of a host–parasitoid system. The selective characteristics of nectar‐producing plants and their influence on the herbivore‐natural enemy combination can, therefore, be employed to increase their impact in integrated P. xylostella management.
New onset epilepsy among patients with periodic discharges on continuous electroencephalographic monitoring
Authors: Punia Vineet , Bena James , Krishnan Balu , Newey Christopher , Hantus Stephen
Published: July 2018

Objective

To evaluate the incidence of new onset epilepsy and associated risk factors in patients with periodic patterns on continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) during critical illness.

Methods

The local cEEG database and then medical records were reviewed from January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2013 to find adult patients with no history of epilepsy who had periodic discharges—either lateralized (LPDs) or generalized (GPDs)—or nonperiodic/nonepileptogenic (NP/NE) findings on cEEG and ≥3 months of clinical follow‐up. Clinical seizure after discharge was the primary outcome. Chi‐square test, Kruskal‐Wallis test, and Cox proportional hazards models were used for statistical analysis.

Results

A total of 195 patients (median age = 67.8 years) were included. There were 53 (27%), 73 (37%), and 69 (35%) patients with LPDs, GPDs, and NP/NE findings on cEEG, respectively. These three groups did not differ by demographic or clinical variables. A total of 29 (15%) patients (LPDs = 20 [38%], GPDs = 4 [6%], and NP/NE = 5 [7%]) developed epilepsy during a median follow‐up of 32.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 13.2‐42.8) months. The hazard ratio for epilepsy development among LPD patients was 7.7 (95% CI = 2.9‐20.7) times compared to the NP/NE group, and the risk further increased to 11.4 (95% CI = 4‐31.4) times if they also had electrographic seizures. This association remained significant despite adjusting for each covariate at a time.

Significance

Patients with LPDs on cEEG during critical illness are at least seven times more likely to develop epilepsy compared to patients with NP/NE findings. This risk is further increased if patients with LPDs have electrographic seizures. In comparison, the presence of GPDs does not seem to impact the risk for developing epilepsy. cEEG findings at the time of acute insult have potential to serve as prognostic biomarkers for epilepsy development.
Partial gastrectomy and total splenectomy for the treatment of a gastric mass in a horse
Authors: Voss S. J. , Barceló Oliver F. , Rupp A. , Raftery A. G. , Pollock P. J.
Published: July 2018

A 9‐year‐old cob mare with a history of recurrent colic presented during an acute colic episode. Ultrasonography revealed a mass emanating from the greater curvature of the stomach and was tightly adhered to the cranial edge of the spleen. Partial gastrectomy and total splenectomy were performed via a midline celiotomy incision. The mass was subsequently confirmed to be granulomatous inflammation, postulated to be secondary to a penetrating injury to the stomach. Post‐operatively, the mare had episodes of recurrent colic that were successfully managed with optimisation of the horse's diet and feeding regime. At 10 months’ post‐operatively the mare was managed on full turn out, with no evidence of colic and had returned to the previous level of ridden work. The horse then presented 14 months post‐operatively with severe colic due to a large colon impaction and displacement and was euthanased. This is the first report to describe successful partial gastrectomy as a treatment option for a gastric mass in the horse.
A data‐driven method for rating management information systems journals in the same scale of the Association of Business Schools Journal Guide
Authors: Duan Lian , Nasri Farrokh , Paknejad Javad
Published: July 2018

An appropriate measurement of journal quality is essential in accreditation, funding allocation, hiring, merit pay, tenure, and promotion decisions in academics. The current best practice to rate journal quality is to combine journal bibliometrics with expert assessment. For example, the Association of Business Schools (ABS) Journal Guide generated by this method is widely used by many business schools. However, different journal bibliometrics calculated in the citation network sometimes provide inconsistent ranking, and it is hard for domain experts to utilize the conflicting information. Therefore, given a journal, if the ABS Scientific Committee members are not familiar with it and different journal bibliometrics provide conflicting information, the given journal is hard to be rated and will not be included in the ABS journal list. In order to solve the above issue and maintain a comprehensive list of journals in the management information systems (MIS) field, this paper proposes a data‐driven method to predict the ABS rating based on six popular bibliometrics for any given MIS journal. To the best of our knowledge, our method is the first work on this type to predict ABS ratings, which can serve as a more reliable rating reference and is much easier to be used to generate the rating for a comprehensive list of journals in the MIS field. In this paper, comprehensive experiments are conducted to evaluate the rating performance of our method from four different perspectives, including new journals, top journals, and interdisciplinary journals, and identifying overrated and underrated journals by ABS. Experiment results show our method can provide very reliable estimated ABS ratings for most MIS journals with few exceptions. Since our method is not perfect, expert knowledge is encouraged to be included to correct our estimated ABS ratings. However, such correction must be conducted under the following two constraints. First, domain experts must have sufficient evidences to do the correction. Second, correction can be adding or subtracting 1, but not beyond 1.
Lysophosphatidylcholine‐induced cytotoxicity and protection by heparin in mouse brain bEND.3 endothelial cells
Authors: Tsai Tien‐Yao , Leong Iat‐Lon , Cheng Ka‐Shun , Shiao Lian‐Ru , Su Tzu‐Hui , Wong Kar‐Lok , Chan Paul , Leung Yuk‐Man
Published: July 2018

A pathological feature in atherosclerosis is the dysfunction and death of vascular endothelial cells (EC). Oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), known to accumulate in the atherosclerotic arterial walls, impairs endothelium‐dependent relaxation and causes EC apoptosis. A major bioactive ingredient of the oxidized LDL is lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), which at higher concentrations causes apoptosis and necrosis in various EC. There is hitherto no report on LPC‐induced cytotoxicity in brain EC. In this work, we found that LPC caused cytosolic Ca2+ overload, mitochondrial membrane potential decrease, p38 activation, caspase 3 activation and eventually apoptotic death in mouse cerebral bEND.3 EC. In contrast to reported reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by LPC in other EC, LPC did not trigger ROS formation in bEND.3 cells. Pharmacological inhibition of p38 alleviated LPC‐inflicted cell death. We examined whether heparin could be cytoprotective: although it could not suppress LPC‐triggered Ca2+ signal, p38 activation and mitochondrial membrane potential drop, it did suppress LPC‐induced caspase 3 activation and alleviate LPC‐inflicted cytotoxicity. Our data suggest LPC apoptotic death mechanisms in bEND.3 might involve mitochondrial membrane potential decrease and p38 activation. Heparin is protective against LPC cytotoxicity and might intervene steps between mitochondrial membrane potential drop/p38 activation and caspase 3 activation.
Copula‐function‐based analysis model and dynamic reliability of a gear transmission system considering failure correlations
Authors: Wei J. , Pan Z. , Lin X. , Qin D. , Zhang A. , Shi L.
Published: July 2018

In this study, an improved prediction model is introduced to assess the residual strength of gear transmission systems. The residual strength and stress‐strength interference theories are then combined to facilitate the study of the reliability of the gears and bearings in these systems. Based on the copula function, the correlation between the gear contact and bending failure is determined. The relationship between the copula function and reliability is used to determine the dynamic reliability of the gears while considering multiple correlated failure modes. In this manner, more accurate and dynamic reliability attenuation characteristics are obtained for the gear transmission system.
Storm impacts on alpine lakes: Antecedent weather conditions matter more than the event intensity
Authors: Perga Marie‐Elodie , Bruel Rosalie , Rodriguez Laura , Guénand Yann , Bouffard Damien
Published: July 2018

Extreme weather events may be just as important as gradual trends for the long‐term trajectories of ecosystems. For alpine lakes, which are exposed to both exacerbated atmospheric warming and intense episodic weather events, future conditions might not be appropriately forecast by only climate change trends, i.e. warming, if extreme events have the potential to deflect their thermal and metabolic states from their seasonal ranges. We used high‐frequency monitoring data over three open‐water seasons with a one‐dimensional hydrodynamic model of the high‐altitude Lake Muzelle (France) to show that rainstorms or windstorms, notwithstanding their intensity, did not trigger long‐lasting consequences to the lake characteristics when light penetration into the lake was not modified. In contrast, storms associated with high turbidity input from the watershed (“turbid storms”) strongly modified the lacustrine hydrodynamics and metabolism for the rest of the open‐water season through reduced light penetration. The long‐lasting effects of turbid storms were related to the inputs and in‐lake persistence of very light glacial suspensoids from the watershed. The occurrence of the observed turbid storms was not related to the wind or rain intensities during the events. Instead, the turbid storms occurred after dry and atypically warm spells, i.e. meteorological conditions expected to be more frequent in this alpine region in the upcoming decades. Consequently, storm events, notwithstanding their intensity, are expected to strongly imprint the future ecological status of alpine lakes under climate warming.
Coupled Surface and Groundwater Hydrological Modeling in a Changing Climate
Authors: Sridhar Venkataramana , Billah Mirza M. , Hildreth John W.
Published: July 2018

Many current watershed modeling efforts now incorporate surface water and groundwater for managing water resources since the exchanges between groundwater and surface water need a special focus considering the changing climate. The influence of groundwater dynamics on water and energy balance components is investigated in the Snake River Basin (SRB) by coupling the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) and MODFLOW models (VIC‐MF) for the period of 1986 through 2042. A 4.4% increase in base flows and a 10.3% decrease in peak flows are estimated by VIC‐MF compared to the VIC model in SRB. The VIC‐MF model shows significant improvement in the streamflow simulation (Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency [NSE] of 0.84) at King Hill, where the VIC model could not capture the effect of spring discharge in the streamflow simulation (NSE of −0.30); however, the streamflow estimates show an overall decreasing trend. Two climate scenarios representing median and high radiative‐forcings such as representative concentration pathways 4.5 and 8.5 show an average increase in the water table elevations between 2.1 and 2.6 m (6.9 and 8.5 feet) through the year 2042. The spatial patterns of these exchanges show a higher groundwater elevation of 15 m (50 feet) in the downstream area and a lower elevation of up to 3 m (10 feet) in the upstream area. Broadly, this study supports results of previous work demonstrating that integrated assessment of groundwater‐surface water enables stakeholders to balance pumping, recharge and base flow needs and to manage the watersheds that are subjected to human pressures more sustainably.
Skin bacterial colonizations and superinfections in immunocompetent patients with scabies
Authors: Esposito Luigi , Veraldi Stefano
Published: July 2018

Background

Skin bacterial colonizations and superinfections are well‐known complications of scabies, in particular, in tropical and subtropical countries. However, only very rare studies on skin bacterial colonizations and superinfections have been carried out in immunocompetent patients with scabies living in Western countries.

Methods

Eighty‐nine Caucasian adult immunocompetent patients with scabies living in Milan, Italy, were subjected to bacteriologic examinations of the skin. Clinical diagnosis of scabies was confirmed in all patients by means of microscopic examinations: they were considered positive when adults or eggs or feces of Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis were visible. In all patients, six skin swabs (three for aerobic and three for anaerobic bacteria) were taken in three different areas before the beginning of the treatment.

Results

No clinical manifestations of pyoderma were observed. Bacteriologic examinations were positive in 5/89 patients (5.6%). Bacteriologic cultures were positive for Staphylococcus aureus in all five patients; in one patient, they were also positive for Escherichia coli. No growth of anaerobic bacteria was recorded.

Conclusions

According to the results of this study, skin bacterial colonizations and superinfections in immunocompetent adult patients with scabies living in Milan are uncommon. Bacteriologic examinations may therefore be considered as an unnecessary routine procedure.