bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus infections among children and adults in Mexico
Authors: Gamiño‐Arroyo Ana E. , Moreno‐Espinosa Sarbelio , Llamosas‐Gallardo Beatriz , Ortiz‐Hernández Ana A. , Guerrero M. Lourdes , Galindo‐Fraga Arturo , Galán‐Herrera Juan F. , Prado‐Galbarro Francisco J. , Beigel John H. , Ruiz‐Palacios Guillermo M. , Noyola Daniel E. ,   the Mexico Emerging Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Network (La Red)
Published: July 2016

Background

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading etiological agent of acute respiratory tract infections and hospitalizations in children. However, little information is available regarding RSV infections in Latin American countries, particularly among adult patients.

Objective

To describe the epidemiology of RSV infection and to analyze the factors associated with severe infections in children and adults in Mexico.

Methods

Patients ≥1 month old, who presented with an influenza‐like illness (ILI) to six hospitals in Mexico, were eligible for participation in the study. Multiplex reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction identified viral pathogens in nasal swabs from 5629 episodes of ILI. Patients in whom RSV was detected were included in this report.

Results

Respiratory syncytial virus was detected in 399 children and 171 adults. RSV A was detected in 413 cases and RSV B in 163, including six patients who had coinfection with both subtypes; 414 (72.6%) patients required hospital admission, including 96 (16.8%) patients that required admission to the intensive care unit. Coinfection with one or more respiratory pathogens other than RSV was detected in 159 cases. Young age (in children) and older age (in adults) as well as the presence of some underlying conditions were associated with more severe disease.

Conclusions

This study confirms that RSV is an important respiratory pathogen in children in Mexico. In addition, a substantial number of cases in adults were also detected highlighting the relevance of this virus in all ages. It is important to identify subjects at high risk of complications who may benefit from current or future preventive interventions.
Ancestral range reconstruction of Galliformes: the effects of topology and taxon sampling
Authors: Wang Ning , Kimball Rebecca T. , Braun Edward L. , Liang Bin , Zhang Zhengwang
Published: July 2016

Aim

We examined divergence times and biogeography of the avian order Galliformes (which, despite a nearly world‐wide distribution, includes many weak fliers), to test whether current distributions reflect vicariance or long‐distance dispersal. We also tested the impact of taxon sampling and tree topology on our estimates of historical biogeography.

Location

World‐wide.

Methods

We generated timetrees for all major galliform lineages using several fossil calibrations and a combination of mitochondrial and nuclear data. We compared divergence times and reconstructed ancestral ranges using this timetree and the galliforms from a recent synthetic tree for all birds. Thus, we explored the sensitivity of our conclusions to differences in topology and taxon sampling.

Results

The results suggest late Cretaceous origins for Megapodiidae and possibly for Cracidae, the earliest diverging families. The other families diversified in the Eocene after the break‐up of Gondwana, contrary to previous suggestions. Both topology and taxon sampling affected the ancestral area estimates, although many nodes were consistent among the approaches.

Main conclusions

Divergences of Numididae, Odontophoridae and Phasianidae occurred in Africa, with subsequent dispersal to other continents. Reconstructed ranges for ancestors of the earliest diverging families, Megapodiidae and Cracidae, are less conclusive, but may have involved a South American origin, then dispersal to other continents. Thus, long‐distance dispersal is likely to have been important in galliforms, possibly reflecting more vagile ancestors and repeated range expansions and contractions. There appears to be a trade‐off between the use of trees with rich taxon sampling but limited data, where key taxa can be misplaced, and more robust trees with missing taxa. When biogeographically important taxa are included, complete taxon sampling does not appear necessary for accurate ancestral area reconstruction. Robust trees that include taxa targeted based on their distribution may be the best way to improve our understanding of historical biogeography.
Patient benefits in the treatment of psoriasis: long‐term outcomes in German routine care 2007–2014
Authors: Radtke M.A. , Langenbruch A. , Jacobi A. , Schaarschmidt M.‐L. , Augustin M.
Published: July 2016

Background

Psoriasis is associated with significant patient burden. Few studies have specifically measured patient preferences and benefits.

Objectives

Outcomes assessment using the Patient Benefit Index (PBI) in nationwide psoriasis surveys comparing health care in 2007 and 2014.

Methods

This was a non‐interventional, cross‐sectional survey conducted in 2007 and 2014 in randomly selected dermatological practices and clinics recording by a) physicians: comorbidity, clinical severity (PASI, GCA), and b) patients: quality of life (DLQI, EQ‐5D), patient‐relevant therapeutic benefits (PBI) and previous and curent treatments.

Results

In 2014, a total of n = 1265 patients (43.4% female, mean age 51.9 ± 14.3 years.; mean disease duration 21.6 ± 15.4 years.) were included. Overall PBI was 2.8 ± 1.1. A total of 91.6% of patients showed a more than minimum clinically relevant benefit (PBI>1). Patients treated with biologics and biologics combined with conventional systemics showed the highest benefit compared to patients with conventional systemic treatment and patients treated with topical steroids. In comparison with the 2007 survey (n = 2009), there was an increase in PBI from 2.5 ± 1.1 to 2.8 ± 1.1 and a gain of patients with high benefits (PBI ≥3) by 30% (38.5% vs. 49.4%).

Conclusion

In German routine care, psoriasis patients have shown increased therapeutic benefits over time with highest benefits deriving from biologics combined with systemics.
Comparing acute and chronic human cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica focusing on arginase activity
Authors: Mortazavi H. , Sadeghipour P. , Taslimi Y. , Habibzadeh S. , Zali F. , Zahedifard F. , Rahmati J. , Kamyab K. , Ghandi N. , Zamanian A. , Reza Tohidinik H. , Muller I. , Kropf P. , Rafati S.
Published: July 2016

Background

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Iran is mainly caused by Leishmania major (L. major) and L. tropica. Arginase mediated L‐arginine metabolism is an important issue in Leishmania parasite propagation. Arginase activity in human CL due to L. major and L. tropica have not been studied up to now.

Objectives

We aimed to compare the clinical and laboratory aspects of acute and chronic CL, focussing on arginase activity.

Methods

In this case–control study, 30 patients with acute CL (duration ≤ 1 year), 13 patients with chronic CL (duration ≥ 2 year) and 11 healthy controls were recruited. Arginase activity was measured in skin biopsies of lesions, peripheral blood polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs), peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma by standard methods.

Results

The median of arginase activity in the acute lesions was higher than in chronic samples and significantly higher than in healthy controls (P = 0.008). PMNs of both acute and chronic patients showed higher levels of arginase activity as compared to the levels in PBMCs and plasma. The median of arginase activity in the PMNs of patients with chronic CL was higher than that of patients with acute CL and significantly higher than that of the healthy controls (P = 0.010).

Conclusion

The level of arginase activity in lesions of patients with acute and chronic CL was higher than the skin of healthy controls. The highest level of arginase activity was observed in PMNs from patients with chronic CL. This suggests that the high level of arginase activity in PMNs of patients with chronic CL may contribute to the chronicity.
Quality in Australian after‐hours doctor home visits: exploring the clinical, professional and security supports available to involved practitioners
Authors: Ifediora Chris Onyebuchi
Published: July 2016

Rationale, aims and objectives

The after‐hours house call (AHHC) services in Australia has gained huge popularity in recent years, but it is not clear how well supported the involved doctors feel regarding the clinical, professional and security aspects of their work. It is important that this knowledge gap is filled given that appropriate support helps engender quality in health service delivery.

Methods

This is a questionnaire‐based electronic survey involving a sample frame of all 300 doctors participating in AHHC through the National Home Doctor Service. National Home Doctor Service is Australia's largest AHHC service provider.

Results

A total of 168 valid responses (56.0%) were received. Overall, the mean support levels were mild to moderate, ranging from 2.4 to 2.8 out of 4.0 for all three parameters. Specifically, 65.3% of the respondents felt well‐supported on clinical issues, 64.7% on professional issues and 43.2% on security issues. Australian‐trained doctors were less likely to feel well supported on all aspects [Clinical: odds ratio (OR) 0.38, confidence interval (CI) 0.16 to 0.90; Professional: OR 0.30, CI 0.13 to 0.72; and Security: OR 0.22; CI 0.09 to 0.53] compared with overseas‐trained ones. Unsurprisingly, doctors who adopted protective measures felt significantly better supported regarding security (OR 2.75; CI 1.31 to 5.78).

Conclusion

There is room for improvement regarding support on AHHC in Australia, and concerned Surgeries should ensure that where available these supports are appropriately utilized.
An approach for improving flood risk communication using realistic interactive visualisation
Authors: Kuser Olsen V.B. , Momen B. , Langsdale S.M. , Galloway G.E. , Link E. , Brubaker K.L. , Ruth M. , Hill R.L.
Published: July 2016

Floods become disasters when people and property are placed in harm's way. Yet stakeholders, those at risk of flooding, often take no action to reduce their vulnerability. We demonstrated an approach for improving flood risk communication using the process of realistic interactive visualisation. Our goal was to communicate information about flood risk at the community level and increase stakeholders’ intent to take actions to reduce their risk. Realistic visualisation promotes action based on emotional connection to images. Interactive visualisation is the direct construction of the model by stakeholders. As a reference, we also tested a nationally‐recognised model designed for the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Both methods resulted in significant learning about community‐specific flood risk and risk reduction options. To maximise the intent by stakeholders to take actions to reduce risk, the realistic interactive visualisation method used in high‐quality meeting facilities performed best.
On the vulnerability of river levees induced by seepage
Authors: Michelazzo G. , Paris E. , Solari L.
Published: July 2016

Seepage through earthen levees is a mechanism often observed during floods and can lead to levee failure if combined with internal erosion. This notwithstanding, hazard maps for levee failure are often elaborated solely considering the mechanism of overtopping. In this work, the assessment of levee vulnerability relative to seepage is investigated by considering the characteristic time scales of the phenomena and the main factors upon which they depend. In particular, the persistence of hydrological load is compared with the critical time of seepage associated to the emergence of the phreatic line along the landside of levees. The results can easily be applied to long river reaches, elaborating of through seepage‐hazard maps and locating the levees that are more vulnerable to seepage failure.
The relationship between children's motor proficiency and health‐related fitness
Authors: Milne Nikki , Leong Gary M , Hing Wayne
Published: July 2016

Aims

The overall purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between motor proficiency and health‐related fitness in children. In addition, the study aimed to determine if particular combinations of motor skills have a stronger relationship with individual health‐related fitness measures.

Methods

Seventy‐seven children (F:28, M:49) (mean age: 11.19 ± 2.74 years) participated in this prospective cohort study. Physical measures included the following: motor proficiency (Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, heart rate and VO2peak (mL/kg/min).

Results

After factoring in age, motor proficiency as a combined total score had a strong negative relationship with the health‐related fitness measures of BMI (r
2 = 0.62, P < 0.001) and waist circumference (r
2 = 0.72, P < 0.001) and a strong positive relationship with VO2peak (r
2 = 0.78, P = 0.002). Children with lower motor proficiency (≤25th percentile) had a significantly larger mean waist circumference (M = 13.85 cm, 95% confidence interval (CI) (2.05, 25.66), P = 0.01), heavier weight (M = 22.17 kg, 95% CI (2.44, 41.91), P = 0.02) and higher BMI (M = 5.10 kg/m2, 95% CI (0.33, 9.87), P = 0.03) than children with higher motor proficiency (≤75th percentile).

Conclusions

Motor proficiency, once corrected for age, is significantly related to a number of health‐related measures in children and should therefore be considered a focus for investigation for children with poor health‐related fitness (e.g. high BMI and waist circumference percentiles or low cardiorespiratory fitness), as motor incompetence could be an underlying contributing factor to a child's poor physical health.
Hospital admission for infection during early childhood influences developmental vulnerabilities at age 5 years
Authors: Kariuki Maina , Raudino Alessandra , Green Melissa J , Laurens Kristin R , Dean Kimberlie , Brinkman Sally A , Lenroot Rhoshel K , Liu Enwu , Harris Felicity , Luo Luming , Carr Vaughan J
Published: July 2016

Aim

Childhood infectious diseases can be associated with later physical and psychological ill health, and the effects of this association may be evident during early childhood development. This study aimed to examine the effects of hospitalisation for early life infection on early childhood development.

Methods

Hospital admission data for infection were obtained from the New South Wales Ministry of Health Admitted Patient Data Collection for 87 026 children, for whom the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) was completed in their first year of formal schooling (age approximately 5 years). The AEDC provides estimates of each child's level of functioning on five domains of development spanning social and emotional skills, communication skills, numeracy and literacy and physical health. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to determine the relationship between exposure to hospital admissions for infectious disease prior to age 4 years and vulnerability on the AEDC. Models were adjusted for the effects of potential confounding factors related to the perinatal period, exposure to maltreatment and family characteristics.

Results

Single and multiple hospitalisation(s) for infections were consistently associated with increased likelihood of being developmentally vulnerable on all AEDC domains, with odds ratios ranging from 1.02 to 1.28, after adjustment for confounding factors.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a pervasive effect of early life infections that require hospital admission on multiple aspects of early child development, even after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Relatively, severe infection during early childhood constitutes a risk factor for developmental vulnerability by the time of entry to school.
Gross motor performance in children prenatally exposed to alcohol and living in remote Australia
Authors: Lucas Barbara R , Latimer Jane , Doney Robyn , Watkins Rochelle E , Tsang Tracey W , Hawkes Genevieve , Fitzpatrick James P , Oscar June , Carter Maureen , Elliott Elizabeth J
Published: July 2016

Aim

This study aimed to determine the gross motor (GM) performance of Aboriginal children living in remote Australia. The relationship between GM skills, prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) was explored.

Methods

A population‐based observation study was conducted in 2011 to assess motor performance in children living in the Fitzroy Valley, Western Australia, using the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT‐2). BOT‐2 data were retrospectively analysed using recently developed software enabling separation of fine and GM outcomes.

Results

A total of 108 children (98.1% Aboriginal; 53% male, mean age: 8.7 years) were assessed. Half (52.2%) were exposed to at least ‘risky’ levels of PAE, and 21 (19%) were diagnosed with an FASD. The mean GM composite score of the cohort (47.0 ± 8.4) approached the BOT‐2 normative mean (50.0 ± 10) and was similar between children with and without PAE (P = 0.27). This mean score, however, was significantly lower in children with FASD than without (mean difference: −5.5 ± 20.6; P = 0.006). Compared with children without FASD, children with FASD had significant impairment in subtests for running speed and agility (mean difference ± standard deviation (SD): −2.4 ± 8.1; P = 0.003) and strength (mean difference ± SD:−2.8 ± 9.9; P = 0.004) and (ii) a higher proportion than expected had overall GM impairment (≤2 SD: 9.5%; ≤1 SD: 23.8%). In groups with PAE, no PAE and no FASD, GM function approached expected population norms.

Conclusions

A higher than expected proportion of children with FASD had GM scores that indicated impairment and need for therapy. Evaluation of GM performance should routinely be included in FASD assessment to determine strategies to optimise child development.
Review: Astrocytes in Alzheimer's disease and other age‐associated dementias: a supporting player with a central role
Authors: Garwood C. J. , Ratcliffe L. E. , Simpson J. E. , Heath P. R. , Ince P. G. , Wharton S. B.
Published: July 2016

Astrocytes have essential roles in the central nervous system and are also implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease. Forming non‐overlapping domains, astrocytes are highly complex cells. Immunohistochemistry to a variety of proteins can be used to study astrocytes in tissue, labelling different cellular components and sub‐populations, including glial fibrillary acidic protein, ALDH1L1, CD44, NDRG2 and amino acid transporters, but none of these labels the entire astrocyte population. Increasing heterogeneity is recognized in the astrocyte population, a complexity that is relevant both to their normal function and pathogenic roles. They are involved in neuronal support, as active components of the tripartite synapse and in cell interactions within the neurovascular unit (NVU), where they are essential for blood–brain barrier maintenance and neurovascular coupling. Astrocytes change with age, and their responses may modulate the cellular effects of neurodegenerative pathologies, which alone do not explain all of the variance in statistical models of neurodegenerative dementias. Astrocytes respond to both the neurofibrillary tangles and plaques of Alzheimer's disease, to hyperphosphorylated tau and Aβ, eliciting an effect which may be neuroprotective or deleterious. Not only astrocyte hypertrophy, in the form of gliosis, occurs, but also astrocyte injury and atrophy. Loss of normal astrocyte functions may contribute to reduced support for neurones and dysfunction of the NVU. Understanding how astrocytes contribute to dementia requires an understanding of the underlying heterogeneity of astrocyte populations, and the complexity of their responses to pathology. Enhancing the supportive and neuroprotective components of the astrocyte response has potential translational applications in therapeutic approaches to dementia.
Endpoints for therapeutic interventions in faecal incontinence: small step or game changer
Authors: Rao S. S. C.
Published: July 2016

Faecal incontinence (FI) is common and its pathophysiology and treatments continue to evolve. However, a standard measure(s) for assessing its clinical outcome has been elusive. Consequently, over 100 measures and scoring systems, each with intrinsic biases have been reported. These include adequate relief or global satisfaction, ≥50% reduction in episodes or days without FI, quality of life (QOL), FI severity scales and composite indices. Earlier scales relied on the frequency and type of solid, liquid or flatus incontinence and effects on life style whereas newer scales have incorporated urgency, use of pads, antidiarrhoeals and amount of leakage, using prospective daily stool diaries or retrospective weekly or single point assessments. Such a plethora of measures have negatively impacted the assessment and outcome of clinical trials, and have made comparisons difficult. So, how does one sort out the grain from the chaff? In a provocative, post‐hoc analysis published in this issue, the minimal clinically important difference, i.e. the smallest change detected by an instrument that is associated with a clinically meaningful change was used to assess FI endpoint. Based on this a ≥50% reduction in FI episodes is recommended as a clinically meaningful outcome measure when assessed by prospective stool diary, and it correlates with symptoms and severity. However, this requires further validation in multi‐centre, longer duration and therapeutically effective clinical trial(s). Simultaneous assessment of coping strategies, QOL and psychosocial domains can provide further insights regarding the overall impact of treatments. This mini‐review discusses the advances and controversies in defining meaningful FI endpoints.
A contextual perspective on talented female participants and their development in extracurricular STEM programs
Authors: Stoeger Heidrun , Schirner Sigrun , Laemmle Lena , Obergriesser Stefanie , Heilemann Michael , Ziegler Albert
Published: July 2016

We advocate a more contextual perspective in giftedness research. In our view, doing so opens up three particularly interesting research areas, which we refer to as the participation issue, the effectiveness issue, and the interaction issue. To illustrate their utility, we examined characteristics of females participating in German high achiever–track secondary education who had applied for participation in a 1‐year extracurricular e‐mentoring program in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) (n = 1237). Their characteristics were compared with male and female random‐sample control groups. We assessed the effectiveness of the mentoring program by comparing the developmental trajectories of program participants with those of three control groups: applicants who were randomly chosen for later participation (waiting‐list control group) and a female and a male control group. Finally, we examined whether differences in program effectiveness could be partially explained by characteristics of the interaction with the domain. Program applicants possessed more advantageous individual characteristics but, unexpectedly, less advantageous home and school environments than female and male members of the control groups. Program participation affected positive changes in certainty about career goals (independent of STEM) and in the number of STEM activities. The amount of STEM communication partially explained differences in program effectiveness.
Incidence of Pocket Infection Postcardiac Device Implantation Using Antibiotic versus Saline Solution for Pocket Irrigation
Authors: LAKSHMANADOSS UMASHANKAR , NUANEZ BONITA , KUTINSKY ILANA , KHALID RIZWAN , HAINES DAVID E , WONG WAI SHUN
Published: July 2016

Background

Preprocedure systemic antibiotic prophylaxis reduces infections in patients undergoing cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) implantations. Whether pocket irrigation with antibiotic solution offers any advantage over saline solution in CIED implantation is unknown.

Methods

Records from 327 consecutive patients who underwent CIED implantation by three operators from February 2011 to January 2014 were reviewed. From February 2011 to January 2012, the antibiotic solution was used for pocket irrigation; from February 2012 to January 2014, saline solution was used. All patients received preprocedural IV antibiotics. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, lab data, and occurrence of any pocket infection postimplant were collected.

Results

There were 118 and 209 patients in the antibiotic solution and saline solution group, respectively. A total of four (1.2%) patients had CIED infection: two in the antibiotic solution group and two in the saline solution group. Median time to infection from implant date was 81.5 ± 35 days. Two patients (50%) had infection after first device implantation. Of the four patients, one had positive blood culture, three had positive pocket cultures, one had lead vegetation, one underwent pocket exploration, and all of them had devices/leads extracted, with reimplantation on the contralateral side. No mortality was observed due to infectious complications.

Conclusion

When compared to pocket irrigation in the antibiotic solution group, the saline solution group was not associated with increased incidence of infectious complications after CIED implantation. The use of saline solution pocket irrigation alone may be used in CIED pocket irrigation periprocedurally.  Further evaluation in larger randomized trials is needed.
Discontinuous unilateral involvement of 12 part core biopsies by adenocarcinoma predicts bilateral involvement of subsequent radical prostatectomy
Authors: Lowenthal Brett Matthew , Liao Xiaoyan , Wen Fang , Bagherzadeh Nader , Mahooti Sepi
Published: July 2016

At our institution, percent tumor burden in prostate core biopsies is quantified using variations of one of two methods. Measurement by the Aggregate method reports only adenocarcinoma and omits intervening stroma and benign prostatic glands while the Discontinuous method includes the intervening stroma and benign glands between distinct foci of adenocarcinoma. In this study, we selected cases with 12‐part core biopsies that were followed by a radical prostatectomy within two years. Interestingly, we found that when adenocarcinoma involved prostate 12‐part core biopsies and subsequent resection unilaterally, there is no significant difference in absolute percentage of tumor using either measuring method (P = 0.4). In contrast, when adenocarcinoma involved the biopsies unilaterally and subsequent prostatectomy bilaterally, the two measurement methods had a statistically significant difference in percentage scores (P = 0.002). In the study cohort, other factors including Gleason score (P = 0.88) and total number of adenocarcinoma‐involved cores (P = 0.27) did not introduce any significant correlation with bilateral involvement. In this study, we found that biopsies that discontinuously and unilaterally involve half of a prostate are much more likely to involve both lobes than those that are unilateral and present in nodular aggregates.
Clinicopathological features of 49 primary gastrointestinal diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma cases; comparison with location, cell‐of‐origin, and frequency of MYD88 L265P
Authors: Nagakita Keina , Takata Katsuyoshi , Taniguchi Kohei , Miyata‐Takata Tomoko , Sato Yasuharu , Tari Akira , Ohnishi Nobuhiko , Noujima‐Harada Mai , Omote Shizuma , Nakamura Naoya , Iwamuro Masaya , Maeda Yoshinobu , Okada Hiroyuki , Tanimoto Mitsune , Yoshino Tadashi
Published: July 2016

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most common primary site of extranodal diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL), with approximately one‐third of extranodal DLBCL occurring in the GI tract. We investigated the clinicopathological features and immunohistochemically‐assessed cell‐of‐origin of 49 GI DLBCL cases (stomach, 24; small intestine, 10; colon, 15) and also examined the presence of MYD88 L265P as recently this mutation has been frequently identified in ABC‐like DLBCL, particularly in extranodal sites. Small intestinal DLBCL was characterized by the preponderance of women (P = 0.041) and elevated LDH (P = 0.002) and soluble interleukin‐2 receptor (P = 0.033). Small intestinal DLBCL more frequently showed anemia (P = 0.031) and elevated CRP (P = 0.029) than gastric DLBCL. ABC‐like phenotype was seen in 71.4 % cases (stomach, 79 %; small intestine, 70 %; colon, 60 %). MYD88 L265P was detected in 6.1 % cases; all were primary gastric DLBCL with ABC‐like phenotype but had no distinct clinicopathological features. In conclusion, GI DLBCL had different clinicopathological features according to the primary site especially in the small intestine. Also, MYD88 L265P had little involvement in GI DLBCL compared with other extranodal DLBCLs, suggesting that its pathogenesis might be different from that of organs with a high frequency of MYD88 L265P.
Hymenoscyphus fraxineus is a leaf pathogen of local Fraxinus species in the Russian Far East
Authors: Drenkhan R. , Solheim H. , Bogacheva A. , Riit T. , Adamson K. , Drenkhan T. , Maaten T. , Hietala A. M.
Published: July 2016

Dieback of European ash was first observed in Europe in the early 1990s. The disease is caused by the invasive ascomycete Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, proposed to originate from Far East Asia, where it has been considered a harmless saprotroph. This study investigates the occurrence of H. fraxineus in tissues of local ash species in the Russian Far East, and assesses its population‐specific genetic variation by ITS sequencing. Shoot dieback symptoms, characteristic of H. fraxineus infection on European ash, were common, but not abundant, on Fraxinus mandshurica and Fraxinus rhynchophylla trees in Far East Russia. High levels of pathogen DNA were associated with necrotic leaf tissues of these ash species, indicating that the local H. fraxineus population is pathogenic to their leaves. However, the low levels of H. fraxineus DNA detected in shoots with symptoms, the failure to isolate this fungus from such tissues, and the presence of other fungi with pathogenic potential in shoots with symptoms indicate that local H. fraxineus strains may not be responsible (or their role is negligible) for the observed ash shoot dieback symptoms in the region. Conspicuous differences in ITS rDNA sequences detected between H. fraxineus isolates from Russian Far East and European populations suggest that the current ash dieback epidemic in Europe might not directly originate from the Russian Far East. Revision of the herbarium material shows that the earliest specimen of H. fraxineus was collected in 1962 from the Russian Far East and the oldest H. fraxineus specimen of China was collected in 2004.
Transcriptome analyses of inner cell mass and trophectoderm cells isolated by magnetic‐activated cell sorting from bovine blastocysts using single cell RNA‐seq
Authors: Zhao X‐M , Cui L‐S , Hao H‐S , Wang H‐Y , Zhao S‐J , Du W‐H , Wang D , Liu Y , Zhu H‐B
Published: July 2016

Contents

Research on bovine embryonic stem cells (bESCs) has been hampered because bESCs are cultured in conditions that are based on information obtained from culturing mouse and human inner cell mass (ICM) cells. The aim of this study was to compare gene expression in ICM and trophectoderm (TE) cell lineages of bovine embryos and to discuss the findings relative to information available for mice and humans. We separated a high‐purity (>90%) ICM and TE from bovine blastocysts by magnetic‐activated cell sorting and analysed their transcriptomes by single cell RNA‐seq. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were assessed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases. Finally, qRT‐PCR was performed to validate the RNA‐seq results. From 207 DEGs identified (adjusted p ≤ .05; fold change ≥2), 159 and 48 had greater expression in the ICM and TE cells respectively. We validated 27 genes using qRT‐PCR and found their expression patterns were mostly similar to those of RNA‐seq, including 12 novel ICM‐dominant (HNF4A, CCL24, FGFR4, IFITM3, PTCHD2, GJB5, FN1, KLK7, PRDM14, GRP, FGF19 and GCM1) and two novel TE‐dominant (SLC10A1 and WNT4) genes. Bioinformatics analysis showed that these DEGs are involved in many important pathways, such as MAPK and cancer cell pathways, and these pathways have been shown to play essential roles in mouse and human ESCs in the self‐renewal and pluripotent maintenance. As a conclusion, there were sufficient differences to allow us to conclude that the control of pluripotency in bovine ICM cells is species‐specific.
Long‐term influence of sod cutting depth on the restoration of degraded wet heaths
Authors: Godefroid Sandrine , Sansen Ugo , Koedam Nico
Published: July 2016

Temperate heaths have an unfavorable conservation status in most European biogeographical regions. Increasing nitrogen levels promote competitive grass species such asMolinia caerulea, which is a main threat to heathland conservation in Europe. This article investigates the long‐term influence of sod cutting and the resulting changes in soil properties on the heath composition, integrity, and structure. In 15 nature reserves across the northern half of Belgium, we used (1) a large number of plots (203); (2) a broad range of sod cut depths (2–40 cm), and (3) a temporal dimension that describes how long the effects of sod cutting persist (census up to 19 years after sod cutting). Multivariate analyses were used in order to explore the influence of sod cut depth and time after sod cutting on the soil and vegetation properties. There was a positive relationship between sod cut depth and soilpHand water level, and a negative relationship with Al3+,NH4+, and total organic matter (TOM). However, only a limited number of typical (target) species appeared after sod cutting, and then only weakly. Most of the time they remained a minor component of the restored vegetation. Moreover,M. caeruleareappeared and its cover significantly increased during the years following sod cutting. Although we were able to show that sod cut depth has a differential effect on soil properties and vegetation recovery, it also appeared that sod cutting does not restore wet heaths in the long term when applied in regions with high nitrogen deposition.
Implementing a psycho‐educational intervention for care assistants working with people with dementia in aged‐care facilities: facilitators and barriers
Authors: Barbosa Ana , Nolan Mike , Sousa Liliana , Figueiredo Daniela
Published: July 2016

Many intervention studies lack an investigation and description of the factors that are relevant to its success or failure, despite its relevance to inform future interventions. This study aimed to explore the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of a psycho‐educational intervention for care assistants caring for people with dementia in aged‐care facilities. A process evaluation was carried out alongside a pretest/post‐test controlled study conducted in aged‐care facilities. Seven focus‐group interviews involving 21 care assistants (female; mean age 43.37 ± 10.0) and individual semi‐structured interviews with two managers (female; mean age 45.5 ± 10.26) were conducted 2 weeks and 6 months after the intervention, in two aged‐care facilities. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and submitted to content analysis by two independent researchers. Results were organised into implementer, participant and organisation level hindered and facilitator factors. Findings enable the interpretation of the experimental results and underscore the importance of collecting the perception of different grades of staff to obtain information relevant to plan effective interventions.
Complex caring needs without simple solutions: the experience of interprofessional collaboration among staff caring for older persons with multimorbidity at home care settings
Authors: Larsen Anne , Broberger Eva , Petersson Pia
Published: July 2016

Background

Older persons with multimorbidity being cared for at home often have complex needs which cannot be met by one single caregiver. Interprofessional collaboration is therefore considered necessary if care is to be organised according to the needs of the older person. To achieve coherent health care, municipalities and county councils need to develop their collaboration.

Aim

The aim of this study was to illustrate how various professionals belonging to homemaker services, home care services in municipality and hospital‐based home care services experience collaboration in caring for older persons with multimorbidity.

Method

A hermeneutic approach was used. Eleven informants participated in the study and were individually interviewed.

Findings

The findings show that collaboration between players comprises various types of experiences which influence not only the staff who are involved in collaboration but also the outcome of the collaboration itself. The informants’ experience of collaboration was defined by distrust and trust and by insecurity and security. To focus on patients’ needs and to develop the collaboration further, it was important for informants to take the relations into account and have a reflective and questioning approach. This attitude resulted in a feeling of trust and security, and a flexible and critical approach without boundary drawings between basic and specialised care.

Conclusion and relevance of practice

Complex situations cannot be solved with simple models. Instead, a flexible approach appears necessary with focus shifting from structures to interpersonal relations and interactions. Therefore, the different professionals have to work as a transprofessional team where close interactions, flexibility and improvisation are keys to success. The transprofessional team approach is suggested to have the potential to take the competence of all staff into account when high‐quality home health care to older persons with multimorbidity is to be provided by multiple caregivers.
Non‐invasive tumescent cryolipolysis using a new 4D handpiece: a comparative study with a porcine model
Authors: Jeong S. Y. , Kwon T. R. , Seok J. , Park K. Y. , Kim B. J.
Published: July 2016

Background/Purpose

The growing demand for a youthful appearance, including a favorable body shape, has motivated recent developments in noninvasive body contouring techniques. Our aim was to investigate the efficacy and safety of a new version of a 4D handpiece‐mounted cooling device for cryolipolysis with or without tumescent injections.

Methods

We conducted a side‐by‐side comparative study using two female porcine models. Two areas of each pig's left abdomen were treated using a conventional device and the new cooling device, and two areas of the right abdomen were also treated using the conventional and new cooling device, but both were combined with tumescent‐solution injections.

Results

The conventional method alone yielded a 75.25% reduction in skin thickness, while the new cooling device alone yielded a 81.63% reduction. When paired with tumescent injections, the conventional device yielded a 86.3% reduction in skin thickness and the cooling device yielded a 85.9% reduction. Using histological analysis with H&E, oil red O, and toluidine blue stain, we confirmed that selective cryolipolysis was able to induce selective apoptosis of fat cells.

Conclusion

This in vivo study presents a new 4D handpiece‐assisted cooling device with tumescent anesthesia that is safe and effective for fat reduction.
A new HLA‐C*07 allele, C*07:02:70, identified in a Chinese individual
Authors: Zhou X.‐Y. , Jiang P. , Cai J.‐P.
Published: July 2016

A novel allele HLA‐C*07:02:70 differs from HLA‐C*07:02:01:01 by a single nucleotide at position 987 (C>T).
The experience of extended blood group genotyping by next‐generation sequencing (NGS): investigation of patients with sickle‐cell disease
Authors: Fichou Y. , Mariez M. , Le Maréchal C. , Férec C.
Published: July 2016

Background

Patients suffering from haemoglobinopathies may be treated by red blood cell (RBC) transfusion on a regular basis and then exposed to multiple antigens with a recurrent, potential risk of alloimmunization routinely prevented by extended RBC antigen cross‐matching. While time‐consuming and labour‐intensive serological analyses are the gold standard for RBC typing, genotyping by current high‐throughput molecular tools, including next‐generation sequencing (NGS), appears to offer a potent alternative.

Study design and Methods

The potential of extended blood group genotyping (EBGG) by NGS of 17 genes involved in 14 blood group systems was evaluated in a cohort of 48 patients with sickle‐cell disease. Sample preparation and sequencing were simplified and automated for future routine implementation.

Results

Sequencing data were obtained for all DNA samples with two different sequencing machines. Prediction of phenotypes could be made in 12 blood group systems and partially in two other blood group systems (Rh and MNS). Importantly, predicted phenotypes in the MNS (S/s), Duffy, Kidd and Kell systems matched well with serological data (98·9%), when available. Unreferenced alleles in the ACHE and ART4 genes, respectively, involved in the Yt and Dombrock blood groups, were identified, then contributing to extend the current knowledge of blood group molecular genetics.

Conclusions

Overall, we consider that our strategy for NGS‐based EBGG, assisted by a simple method for genotyping exons 1 and 2 of the pairs of homologous genes (i.e. RHD/RHCE and GYPA/GYPB), as well as the future support of potent bioinformatics tools, may be implemented for routine diagnosis in specific populations.
Burn-Up Dependency of Control Rod Position at Zero-Power Criticality in the High-Temperature Engineering Test Reactor
Authors: Honda Yuki , Fujimoto Nozomu , Sawahata Hiroaki , Takada Shoji , Sawa Kazuhiro
Published: July 2016

The high-temperature engineering test reactor (HTTR) is a block-type high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), which was constructed in Japan. The operating data of HTTR with burn-up to about 370 EFPD (effective full-power days), which are very important for the development of HTGRs, have been collected in both zero-power and powered operations. In the aspects of code validation, the detailed prediction of temperature distribution in the core makes it difficult to validate the calculation code because of difficulty in measuring the core temperature directly in powered operation of the HTTR. In this study, the measured data of the control rod position, while keeping the temperature distribution in the core uniform at criticality in zero-power operation at the beginning of each operation cycle were compared with the calculated results by core physics design code of the HTTR. The measured data of the control rod position were modified based on the core temperature correlation. At the beginning of burn-up, the trends of burn-up characteristics are slightly different between experimental and calculation data. However, the calculated result shows less than 50 mm of small difference (total length of control rod is 4060 mm) to the measured one, which indicates that the calculated results appropriately reproduced burn-up characteristics, such as a decrease in uranium-235, accumulation in plutonium, and decrease in burnable absorber.
Backbone: A Multiphysics Framework for Coupling Nuclear Codes Based on CORBA and MPI
Authors: Liu Yu , Nishimura Michael , Seydaliev Marat , Piro Markus
Published: July 2016

Recent trends in nuclear reactor performance and safety analyses increasingly rely on multiscale multiphysics computer simulations to enhance predictive capabilities by replacing conventional methods that are largely empirically based with a more scientifically based methodology. Through this approach, one addresses the issue of traditionally employing a suite of stand-alone codes that independently simulate various physical phenomena that were previously disconnected. Multiple computer simulations of different phenomena must exchange data during runtime to address these interdependencies. Previously, recommendations have been made regarding various approaches for piloting different design options of data coupling for multiphysics systems (Seydaliev and Caswell, 2014, “CORBA and MPI Based “Backbone” for Coupling Advanced Simulation Tools,” AECL Nucl. Rev., 3(2), pp. 83–90). This paper describes progress since the initial pilot study that outlined the implementation and execution of a new distribution framework, referred to as “Backbone,” to provide the necessary runtime exchange of data between different codes. The Backbone, currently under development at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), is a hybrid design using both common object request broker architecture (CORBA) and message passing interface (MPI) systems. This paper also presents two preliminary cases for coupling existing nuclear performance and safety analysis codes used for simulating fuel behavior, fission product release, thermal hydraulics, and neutron transport through the Backbone. Additionally, a pilot study presents a few strategies of a new time step controller (TSC) to synchronize the codes coupled through the Backbone. A performance and fidelity comparison is presented between a simple heuristic method for determining time step length and a more advanced third-order method, which was selected to maximize configurability and effectiveness of temporal integration, saving time steps and reducing wasted computation. The net effect of the foregoing features of the Backbone is to provide a practical toolset to couple existing and newly developed codes—which may be written in different programming languages and used on different operating systems—with minimal programming effort to enhance predictions of nuclear reactor performance and safety.
Usage and effects of a lecture recording system on study behaviours of preclinical medical students in Thailand
Authors: Iramaneerat Cherdsak , Udompap Prowpanga , Bangchang Patawee Na , Thongtan Sutheethorn , Jaruthamsopon Chuleeporn
Published: July 2016

Background: Many medical schools provide a lecture recording system (LRS) to allow students to view or review lectures on demand. The investigators examined how many students used an LRS and whether there is any difference in students’ study behaviours between subjects with and without an LRS. Methods: The investigators conducted a survey among third-year preclinical medical students in a large medical school in Thailand. The questionnaire contained three parts: (1) demographic data, (2) students’ use of LRS and (3) study behaviours of students—using a modified version of the Study Behaviours Inventory (SBI-HS), to compare subjects with and without an LRS. Results: We received 101 completed questionnaires (33% response rate). Ninety-five percent of survey respondents used the LRS, with 51% using the LRS less than 2 hours per day and 49% more than 2 hours per day. When combining scores from all items, there was no significant difference in students’ overall study behaviours between subjects with and without an LRS, t(85) = -0.77, p = 0.44. However, nine individual items showed significant differences between subjects, with eight of nine showing better study behaviours for subjects with an LRS than those without an LRS. Conclusion: Many preclinical students used an LRS regularly. The presence of an LRS was not associated with significant changes in students’ study behaviours.