bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Skilled reaching deterioration contralateral to cervical hemicontusion in rats is reversed by pregabalin treatment conditional upon its early administration
Authors: Erskine Erin L.K.S. , Smaila Brittney D. , Plunet Ward , Liu Jie , Raffaele Elizabeth E. , Tetzlaff Wolfram , Kramer John L.K. , Ramer Matt S.
Published: May 2019

Introduction:

Gabapentinoids are first-line treatments for painful traumatic and nontraumatic central nervous system disorders. Evidence from a large human study suggests that early use of gabapentinoids after spinal cord injury improves motor scores. The underlying mechanism is unknown.

Objectives:

We sought to examine the effects of early pregabalin (PGB, a gabapentinoid) treatment on performance in a fine motor task (skilled reaching) after cervical hemicontusion. We also asked whether early PGB administration affected PGB responsiveness later on.

Methods:

Rats received C4/5 cervical hemicontusions. Injury severities ranged from 80 to 150 kdyn. We monitored evidence of skin irritation (peri-incisional and elsewhere) and quantified food pellet retrieval using the Montoya staircase test. Behaviours were assessed in rats receiving early (for 3 weeks from injury induction) and/or late (resuming or beginning at week 8) PGB treatment in animals with 150-kdyn injuries.

Results:

Contralateral skilled reaching waned in control animals with 150-kdyn injuries. This was prevented in animals, which received early PGB as long as treatment continued. Deterioration of skilled reaching was reversed by later (week 8) PGB only in animals that had received early treatment. Ipsilateral reaching impairment was not improved by PGB. Relief of skin irritation verified early PGB efficacy.

Conclusion:

Hemicontusive spinal cord injury produces a contralateral motor phenotype evocative of on-going neuropathic pain. Early PGB preserves sensitivity to subsequent PGB treatment, indicating that motor function is impaired by neuropathic pain and can be improved indirectly by early PGB administration. Direct effects of PGB on motor circuitry cannot be excluded but are not supported by our data.
Predictive Capacity of Risk Models in Liver Transplantation
Authors: de Boer Jacob D. , Putter Hein , Blok Joris J. , Alwayn Ian P.J. , van Hoek Bart , Braat Andries E.
Published: May 2019

Background.

Several risk models to predict outcome after liver transplantation (LT) have been developed in the last decade. This study compares the predictive performance of 7 risk models.

Methods.

Data on 62 294 deceased donor LTs performed in recipients ≥18 years old between January 2005 and December 2015 in the United Network for Organ Sharing region were used for this study. The balance of risk, donor risk index (DRI), Eurotransplant-DRI, donor-to-recipient model (DRM), simplified recipient risk index, Survival Outcomes Following Liver Transplantation (SOFT), and donor Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores were calculated, and calibration and discrimination were evaluated for patient, overall graft, and death-censored graft survival. Calibration was evaluated by outcome of high-risk transplantations (>80th percentile of the respective risk score) and discrimination by concordance index (c-index).

Results.

Patient survival at 3 months was best predicted by the SOFT (c-index: 0.68) and Balance of Risk score (c-index: 0.64), while the DRM and SOFT score had the highest predictive capacity at 60 months (c-index: 0.59). Overall, graft survival was best predicted by the SOFT score at 3-month follow-up (c-index: 0.65) and by the SOFT and DRM at 60-month follow-up (c-index: 0.58). Death-censored graft survival at 60-month follow-up is best predicted by the DRI (c-index: 0.59) and Eurotransplant-DRI (c-index: 0.58). For patient and overall graft survival, high-risk transplantations were best defined by the DRM. For death-censored graft survival, this was best defined by the DRI.

Conclusions.

This study shows that models dominated by recipient factors have the best performance for short-term patient survival. Models that also include sufficient donor factors have better performance for long-term graft survival. Death-censored graft survival is best predicted by models that predominantly included donor factors.
Association of Intrapatient Variability of Tacrolimus Concentration With Early Deterioration of Chronic Histologic Lesions in Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Mo Hyejin , Kim Song-Yi , Min Sangil , Han Ahram , Ahn Sanghyun , Min Seung-Kee , Lee Hajeong , Ahn Curie , Kim Yonsu , Ha Jongwon
Published: May 2019

Background.

High intrapatient variability (IPV) of tacrolimus (Tac) is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for poor graft outcomes in kidney transplantation. The timing of onset of its impact on kidney histologic lesions has not been investigated.

Methods.

We analyzed the adverse effect of Tac IPV using the coefficient of variability from 6 to 12 months posttransplantation on long-term outcomes in a cohort of 671 kidney recipients and on the evolution of chronic histologic lesions in a cohort of 212 recipients for whom paired protocol biopsies at 10 days and 1 year were available.

Results.

High IPV of Tac (cutoff value of coefficient of variability = median of 20.5%) was associated with an increased risk of graft loss (hazard ratio, 3.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.090–9.849; P = 0.035) in the entire cohort. At 1 year, the high Tac IPV group showed a significantly deteriorated chronicity score (F = 5.912, P = 0.016) compared with the low Tac IPV group in the Histology cohort after controlling for the 10-day scores. In a multivariate analysis, a high IPV of Tac was predictive of the chronicity score (odds ratio, 1.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.215–1.075; P = 0.003) at 1 year posttransplant.

Conclusions.

These data indicate that high IPV of Tac is associated with early deterioration of chronic histologic lesions as well as poorer long-term outcomes. Large prospective studies of Tac IPV usage as a clinical monitoring tool are needed in the future.
Modelling of framework materials at multiple scales: current practices and open questions
Authors: Fraux Guillaume , Chibani Siwar , Coudert François-Xavier
Published: May 2019

The last decade has seen an explosion of the family of framework materials and their study, from both the experimental and computational points of view. We propose here a short highlight of the current state of methodologies for modelling framework materials at multiple scales, putting together a brief review of new methods and recent endeavours in this area, as well as outlining some of the open challenges in this field. We will detail advances in atomistic simulation methods, the development of material databases and the growing use of machine learning for the prediction of properties.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Mineralomimesis: natural and synthetic frameworks in science and technology’.
Emergent magnetic order and correlated disorder in formate metal-organic frameworks
Authors: Dixey R. J. C. , Orlandi F. , Manuel P. , Mukherjee P. , Dutton S. E. , Saines P. J.
Published: May 2019

Magnetic materials with strong local interactions but lacking long-range order have long been a curiosity of physicists. Probing their magnetic interactions is crucial for understanding the unique properties they can exhibit. Metal-organic frameworks have recently gathered more attention as they can produce more exotic structures, allowing for controlled design of magnetic properties not found in conventional metal-oxide materials. Historically, magnetic diffuse scattering in such materials has been overlooked but has attracted greater attention recently, with advances in techniques. In this study, we investigate the magnetic structure of metal-organic formate frameworks, using heat capacity, magnetic susceptibility and neutron diffraction. In Tb(DCO2)3, we observe emergent magnetic order at temperatures below 1.2 K, consisting of twok-vectors. Ho(DCO2)3shows diffuse scattering above 1.6 K, consistent with ferromagnetic chains packed in a frustrated antiferromagnetic triangular lattice, also observed in Tb(DCO2)3above 1.2 K. The other lanthanides show no short- or long-range order down to 1.6 K. The results suggest an Ising-like one-dimensional magnetic order associated with frustration is responsible for the magnetocaloric properties, of some members in this family, improving at higher temperatures.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Mineralomimesis: natural and synthetic frameworks in science and technology’.
Introduction: minerals to metal-organic frameworks
Authors: Phillips Anthony E.
Published: May 2019

Mineralogy and materials design have always been closely intertwined. Here, I review some of the earliest work in modern materials chemistry to explicitly take inspiration from mineral structures and properties, and introduce the invited contributions to this theme issue.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Mineralomimesis: natural and synthetic frameworks in science and technology’.
A high-throughput fluidic chip for rapid phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility testing
Authors: Wistrand-Yuen Pikkei , Malmberg Christer , Fatsis-Kavalopoulos Nikos , Lübke Moritz , Tängdén Thomas , Kreuger Johan
Published: May 2019

Many patients with severe infections receive inappropriate empirical treatment and rapid detection of bacterial antibiotic susceptibility can in this context improve clinical outcome and reduce mortality. We have to this end developed a high-throughput fluidic chip for rapid phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility testing of bacteria. A total of 21 clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus were acquired from the EUCAST Development Laboratory and tested against amikacin, ceftazidime and meropenem (Gramnegative bacteria) or gentamicin, ofloxacin and tetracycline (Gram-positive bacteria). The bacterial samples were mixed with agarose and loaded in 8 separate growth chambers in the fluidic chip. The chip was thereafter connected to a reservoir lid containing different antibiotics and a pump used to draw growth media with or without antibiotics into the chip for generation of diffusion-limited antibiotic gradients in the growth chambers. Bacterial microcolony growth was monitored using darkfield time-lapse microscopy and quantified using a cluster image analysis algorithm. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were automatically obtained by tracking the growth rates of individual microcolonies in different regions of antibiotic gradients. Stable MIC values were obtained within 2-4 hours and the results showed categorical agreement to reference MIC values as determined with broth microdilution in 86% of the cases.

Importance

Prompt and effective antimicrobial therapy is crucial for the management of patients with severe bacterial infections but is becoming increasingly difficult to provide due to emerging antibiotic resistance. The traditional methods for antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) used in most clinical laboratories are reliable but slow with turnaround times of 2-3 days, which necessitates the use of empirical therapy with broad-spectrum antibiotics. There is a great need for fast and reliable AST methods that enable start of targeted treatment within a few hours to improve patient outcome and reduce overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The high-throughput fluidic chip for phenotypic AST described in the present study enables data on antimicrobial resistance within 2-4 hours allowing for an early initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy.
Immunoinformatics Prediction of Epitope Based Peptide Vaccine Against Listeria Monocytogenes Fructose Bisphosphate Aldolase Protein
Authors: Elhag Mustafa , Abubaker Mustafa , Ahmad Nagla Mohammad , Haroon Esraa Musa , Alaagib Ruaa Mohamed , Abd albagi Sahar Obi , Hassan Mohammed A.
Published: May 2019

Listeria Monocytogenesrepresents an important food-borne pathogen worldwide that can cause life-threatening listeriosis disease especially in pregnant women, fetuses, elderly people, and immuno-compromised individuals with high mortality rates. Moreover, no vaccine against it exists. This study predicts an effective epitope-based vaccine against Fructose 1,6 Bisphosphate Aldolase (FBA) enzyme of Listeria Monocytogenes using immunoinformatics approaches. The sequences were retrieved from NCBI and several prediction tests were conducted to analyze possible epitopes for B-cell, T-cell MHC class I and II. 3D structure of the promising epitopes was obtained. Two epitopes showed high binding affinity for B-cells, while four epitopes showed high binding affinity for MHCI and MHCII. The results were promising to formulate a vaccine with more than 98% population coverage. We hope that these promising epitopes serves as a preventive measure for the disease in the future and recommend invivo and invitro studies.
Obesogenic diet and targeted deletion of potassium channel Kv1.3 have differing effects on voluntary exercise in mice
Authors: Chelette Brandon M. , Thomas Abigail , Fadool Debra Ann
Published: May 2019

Voluntary exercise is frequently employed as an intervention for obesity. The voltage-gated potassium Kv1.3 is also receiving attention as a therapeutic target for obesity, in addition to potential therapeutic capabilities for neuroinflammatory diseases. To investigate combinatorial effects of these two therapies, we have compared the metabolic status and voluntary exercise behavior of both wildtype mice and a transgenic line of mice that are genetic knockouts for Kv1.3 when provided with a running wheel and maintained on diets of differing fat content and caloric density. We tracked metabolic parameters and wheel running behavior while maintaining the mice on their assigned treatment for 6 months. Wildtype mice maintained on the fatty diet gain a significant amount of bodyweight and adipose tissue and display significantly impaired glucose tolerance, though all these effects were partially reduced with provision of a running wheel. Similarly to previous studies, the Kv1.3-null mice were resistant to obesity, increased adiposity, and impaired glucose tolerance. Both wildtype and Kv1.3-null mice maintained on the fatty diet displayed increased wheel running activity compared to CF-fed mice which was caused primarily by a significant increase in amount of time spent running as opposed to an increase in running velocity. Interestingly, the patterns of running behavior differ between wildtype and Kv1.3-null mice, especially in how their resting periods are distributed through the dark phase. These studies indicate that voluntary exercise combats metabolic maladies and running behavior is modified by both consumption of an obesogenic diet and deletion of the Kv1.3 channel.

NEW and NOTEWORTHY

Kv1.3-null mice exhibit different running and resting patterns compared to wildtype mice

Mice maintained on an obesogenic diet (32% kcal from fat) exhibit increased running distance and increased time spent running compared to mice fed normal rodent chow.
Action of cocaine involves depletion of dopaminergic and serotonergic storage vesicles
Authors: Homberg Judith R. , Karel Peter , Meyer Francisca , Rink Kiki , van Hulten Josephus A. , van Bakel Nick H.M. , de Mulder Eric L.W. , Caffino Lucia , Fumagalli Fabio , Jansen Jitske , Masereeuw Rosalinde , Martens Gerard J.M. , Cools Alexander R. , Verheij Michel M.M.
Published: May 2019

Cocaine is known to increase the extracellular levels of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) by inhibiting the neuronal reuptake of these monoamines. However, individuals with reduced monoamine reuptake transporter expression do not display a reduction in cocaine intake, suggesting that a mechanism other than inhibition of monoamine reuptake contributes to the rewarding and addictive effects of the psychostimulant. Here we report that cocaine depletes the dopaminergic and serotonergic storage vesicles of the rat nucleus accumbens. This cocaine-induced vesicle depletion gave rise to acute increases in the extracellular levels of DA and 5-HT, which in turn correlated with monoamine-type-specific changes in behavior. Both the neurochemical and behavioral responses to cocaine varied among individual animals, which was not due to individual differences in the reuptake of DA and 5-HT, but rather to individual differences in their vesicular release. Furthermore, we found that reserpine-induced depletion of storage vesicles reduced both short and long access cocaine self-administration, and the degree of reduction was linked to the vesicular storage capacity of the animals. In conclusion, we demonstrate a novel mechanism by which cocaine increases the extracellular concentrations of accumbal DA and 5-HT, namely via release from storage vesicles. Furthermore, individual differences in cocaine-induced vesicular monoamine release shape individual differences in not only the acute behavioral and neurochemical effects of the stimulant, but also in its intake. Thus, intracellular storage vesicles represent an attractive novel drug target to combat psychostimulant addiction.
Housing temperature influences exercise training adaptations in mice
Authors: Raun Steffen H. , Olguín Carlos Henriquez , Karavaeva Iuliia , Ali Mona , Møller Lisbeth L. V. , Kot Witold , Castro Mejía Josué L. , Nielsen Dennis Sandris , Gerhart-Hines Zach , Richter Erik A. , Sylow Lykke
Published: May 2019

Exercise training is a powerful means to combat metabolic pathologies. Mice are extensively used to describe the benefits of exercise, but mild cold stress induced by housing temperatures may confound translation to humans. Thermoneutral housing is a strategy to make mice more metabolically similar to humans but its effects on exercise adaptations are unknown. Using voluntary wheel running, we show that thermoneutral housing blunted exercise-induced improvements in insulin action in muscle and adipose tissue. Moreover, thermoneutrality reduced the effects of training on energy expenditure, body composition, muscle and adipose tissue protein expressions, and the gut microbiome. The majority of these thermoneutral-dependent training adaptations could not be ascribed to a lower voluntary running volume. Thus, we conclude that organismal adaptations to exercise training in mice critically depend upon housing temperature. Our findings underscore the importance of housing temperature as an important parameter in the design and interpretation of murine exercise studies.

Highlights

Housing at 30°C blunts several adaptations to exercise training in mice

Exercise-sensitive protein induction is dampened at 30°C in skeletal muscle

30°C-housing blunts training-induced increase in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake

Glucose tolerance is not improved by voluntary exercise training at 30°C housing

Decreased running in 30°C housing is not due to overheating

Graphical abstract
Self-perception and interpersonal peacefulness: the mediating role of theory of mind and harmony
Authors: Khayyer Zahra , Oreyzi Hamidreza , Asgari Karim , Sikström Sverker
Published: May 2019

Purpose

A wide range of variables, including cognitive, emotional and relational factors, could affect the level of peacefulness. The purpose of this paper is to examine key variables (theory of mind (ToM) and harmony) that mediate the personality trait of peacefulness.

Design/methodology/approach

The participants were 182 university students recruited from three universities in Isfahan, Iran. Some different scales were applied in order to measure the intended peace variables.

Findings

The findings demonstrate that ToM, as the ability to attribute mental states, significantly mediates the association between interpersonal peacefulness and inhibition skill, interpersonal peacefulness and conflict resolution abilities, and interpersonal peacefulness and level of aggression. In addition, harmony mediates the relationship between intrapersonal peacefulness, hope, intrapersonal peacefulness and self-compassionate competency.

Practical implications

These findings indicate that peaceful feelings enable a person to provide more attention to the concerns of others and to relationship issues.

Originality/value

This an original type of study in the field of peace psychology.
Comparing accounting students’ instructional preferences: Australia and Zimbabwe
Authors: Sithole Seedwell T.M. , Abeysekera Indra
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This study aims to examine the instructional preferences exhibited by students in an Australian and a Zimbabwean setting and how cultural conditioning can reflect in the instructional design choice and the effect on the learning process.

Design/methodology/approach

Using graphical and textual presentations of an experiment with three instructional designs and 217 undergraduate students, this study empirically examines student understanding of financial accounting in the two countries. Students’ performance scores and reported mental effort ratings were used to determine the instructional preference.

Findings

The findings of this comparative study show that Australian accounting students prefer graph and text designs aligned with a low power distance, (PD) while Zimbabwean students prefer graph and text designs associated with a high PD. Deep-rooted cultural values and modes of thinking need to be considered in the learning processes.

Research limitations/implications

The sample used in this study came from first-year undergraduate students studying introductory accounting at two different universities from two different countries (Australia and Zimbabwe). The results may not be generalisable to other universities, although similar patterns were found to be consistent with students’ cultural orientations. In addition, there may be other factors that motivate students’ learning and affect their performance, and those should therefore be considered.

Practical implications

The results suggest that students learning in different cultural contexts learn better with different instructional formats, requiring educators to consider different formats of instructional material.

Originality/value

This study is the first to offer accounting educators insights on one major dimension of cultural variation, using instructional material designed according to cognitive load theory principles in a cross-cultural context.
Cascading effects of mammalian herbivores on ground‐dwelling arthropods: Variable responses across arthropod groups, habitats and years
Authors: Cecil Eric M. , Spasojevic Marko J. , Cushman J. Hall
Published: May 2019

Large mammalian herbivores are well known to shape the structure and function of ecosystems world‐wide, and these effects can in turn cascade through systems to indirectly influence other animal species. A wealth of studies has explored the effects of large mammals on arthropods, but to date they have reported such widely varying results that generalizations have been elusive. Three factors are likely drivers of this variability: the widely varying life‐history characteristics of different arthropod groups, the highly variable landscapes that mammalian herbivores commonly inhabit and temporal variation in environmental conditions.

Here, we use an 18‐year‐old exclosure experiment stratified across three distinct coastal prairie habitats in northern California to address the effects of a reintroduced mammalian herbivore, tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) on the composition, richness and abundance of ground‐dwelling arthropods over two years with very different precipitation regimes.

We found that elk shifted the composition of arthropod communities, increasing the abundance of ants, beetles, spiders and mites, decreasing the abundance of woodlice and bristletails in some but not all habitats types, and having no effect on the abundance of bugs, crickets and springtails. Elk also increased richness and changed the composition of ant genera and beetle morpho‐species. Interestingly, the effects of elk on arthropod composition, richness and abundance varied little between years, despite very different precipitation levels, biomass accumulation and thatch height.

Elk reduced shrub cover, above‐ground herbaceous biomass and thatch height and increased soil compaction, and these changes predicted the abundance and richness of arthropods, although taxonomic groups varied in their responses, presumably due to differences in environmental requirements.

Synthesis. Our research highlights the importance of using long‐term experiments to assess the cascading effects of large herbivores on the composition of grounddwelling arthropod communities and to identify the mechanisms that indirectly shape arthropod responses to herbivores among variable habitats and years in order to develop a greater understanding of the variable responses of arthropods to large mammalian herbivores.
Functional characterization of the sterigmatocystin secondary metabolite gene cluster in the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina: involvement in oxidative stress response, sexual development, pigmentation and interspecific competitions
Authors: Shen Ling , Porée François‐Hugues , Gaslonde Thomas , Lalucque Hervé , Chapeland‐Leclerc Florence , Ruprich‐Robert Gwenaël
Published: May 2019

Filamentous fungi are known as prolific untapped reservoirs of diverse secondary metabolites, where genes required for their synthesis are organized in clusters. The bioactive properties of these compounds are closely related to their functions in fungal biology, which are not well understood. In this study, we focused on the Podospora anserina gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of sterigmatocystin (ST). Deletion of the PaStcA gene encoding the polyketide synthase and overexpression (OE) of the PaAflR gene encoding the ST‐specific transcription factor in P. anserina were performed. We showed that growth of PaStcAΔ was inhibited in the presence of methylglyoxal, while OE‐PaAflR showed a little inhibition, indicating that ST production may enhance oxidative stress tolerance in P. anserina. We also showed that the OE‐PaAflR strain displayed an overpigmented thallus mediated by the melanin pathway. Overexpression of PaAflR also led to sterility. Interspecific confrontation assays showed that ST‐overexpressed strains produced a high level of peroxides and possessed a higher competitiveness against other fungi. Comparative metabolite profiling demonstrated that PaStcAΔ strain was unable to produce ST, while OE‐PaAflR displayed a ST overproduction. This study contributes to a better understanding of ST in P. anserina, especially with regard to its involvement in fungal physiology.
Build community before the storm: The National Weather Service's social media engagement
Authors: Olson Michele K. , Sutton Jeannette , Vos Sarah C. , Prestley Robert , Renshaw Scott L. , Butts Carter T.
Published: May 2019

The current study examines crisis communication on social media by observing how twelve National Weather Service (NWS) offices use Twitter to facilitate engagement with stakeholders during threat and nonthreat periods. Using content analytic methods, we examine message features related to content and structure during a 3‐month period in spring 2016. We conduct chi‐square analyses to determine how the prevalence of these features varies by time. Results indicate that NWS offices use Twitter for ongoing engagement communication through both the content and structure of their messages, where community building and action‐orientated messages are primarily used during nonthreat periods. When fair weather changes and storms approach, the offices shift to the communication of risk. Our findings underscore the need to examine organizational communication practices in a manner that recognizes the distinctions between long‐term engagement goals and short‐term goals related to the mission of the organization.
A simple algorithm to predict non‐compliance with organ at risk dose‐volume constraints when planning intensity modulated post‐prostatectomy radiation treatment: ‘Why we should put the CART before the horse’
Authors: Collier Natalie , Kneebone Andrew , Hruby George , McCloud Philip , Booth Jeremy , Eade Thomas
Published: May 2019

Introduction

It is not always apparent when the optimal IMRT/VMAT plan for post‐prostatectomy radiotherapy (PPRT) has been achieved. Individual variation in patient anatomy is a key contributor. This study aimed to create a model to determine the probability of rectum and/or bladder doses exceeding planning goals based on individual patient anatomy prior to planning.

Methods

The IMRT/VMAT PPRT plans from 200 men were randomly and evenly allocated into the Training Cohort and the Validation Cohort. Univariate and multivariate analysis of the Training Cohort identified variables which impacted bladder and rectal doses. Significant variables were included in a Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis. The resultant algorithm was then applied to the Validation Cohort.

Results

On multivariate analysis, prescription dose; bladder and rectal volume; lymph node treatment; and percentage of bladder and rectal overlap with the PTV were significant variables. Following CART analysis, the overlap volume (OV) for both rectum (rectum overlap > 20%) and bladder (bladder overlap > 20%) were the key drivers of meeting planning goals. Treatment of pelvic lymph nodes was included as the secondary driving factor for bladder (but not rectal) dose. On application to the Validation Cohort, CART analysis predicted 95% and 87% of patients who would meet bladder and rectal planning goals respectively.

Conclusions

A simple algorithm was developed to predict plan quality by using the OV of the bladder and rectum with the PTV. This algorithm may be used a priori to assess the planning process in the context of variable anatomy, and to optimise planning quality and efficiency.
Quantitative analysis of the sHLA‐G protein in seminal plasma
Authors: Schallmoser Andreas , Raab Monika , Karn Thomas , Königsberger Sebastian , Schmidt Elke , Breitenbach‐Koller Hannelore , Sänger Nicole
Published: May 2019

Background

Recent studies revealed that maternal and embryonic contributions impact on HLA‐G protein expression and might contribute to pregnancy success or failure. The main objective of this study was to examine the paternal levels of the immunoregulatory soluble human leukocyte antigen‐G (sHLA‐G) protein in seminal plasma and testicular biopsy samples during artificial reproductive technique (ART) treatment and to investigate possible correlations with other semen parameters, age, and pregnancy outcome of the female partner.

Methods

Soluble HLA‐G levels of 106 seminal plasma samples and eight testicular biopsy samples were determined using a commercial sHLA‐G Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit.

Results

We observed a significant negative correlation of male age with total sHLA‐G amount (P 0.023, R −0.221) and semen volume (P = 0.047, R −0.193). Testicular biopsy samples were analyzed and tested positively with sHLA‐G ELISA. Levels of sHLA‐G in seminal plasma samples from men with normozoospermia did not deviate significantly from those with reduced semen quality. No significant difference of sHLA‐G levels in seminal plasma and pregnancy outcome of the female partner was detected. Our data showed that age of men with normozoospermia was significantly lower when the female partner conceived after ART treatment (P = 0.016, Mann‐Whitney U test).

Conclusion

High sHLA‐G levels in seminal plasma of the male partner appear not to be required for pregnancy but might contribute among other factors to the success of establishing and maintaining pregnancy through long‐term priming of the female uterine milieu.
Learning “Merit” in a Chinese Preschool: Bringing the Anthropological Perspective to Understanding Moral Development
Authors: Xu Jing
Published: May 2019

Moral development in early childhood has recently raised heightened interest across social sciences. Integrating controlled methods into ethnographic fieldwork, this article investigates how Chinese preschool children develop their understanding of “merit,” an important fairness principle in resource allocation, through socialization ofbiaoxian hao. Whereas the experimental data taps into distributing reward based on how much one contributes to collective work, a standard attribute of “merit” in psychology literature, ethnographic analysis reveals how children's understanding of merit is mediated by the cultural discourse ofbiaoxian hao, a significant moral framework in contemporary China that refers to self‐presentation in authority‐evaluation contexts, with a hierarchical dimension. Ethnography further demonstrates the developmental trajectory of learningbiaoxian haoand the powerful disciplinary mechanism of overt social comparison and moral evaluation. By showing how two basic moral concerns, sensitivity to fairness and inclination to impress authority, intersect in early development in cultural contexts, this mixed‐methods research provides a direction for cultural anthropology to contribute to the interdisciplinary study of moral development. [merit, fairness, biaoxian, moral development, China]
Primary cilia: biosensors of the male reproductive tract
Authors: Girardet Laura , Augière Céline , Asselin Marie‐Pier , Belleannée Clémence
Published: May 2019

Background

The primary cilium is a microtubule‐based organelle that extends transiently from the apical cell surface to act as a sensory antenna. Initially viewed as a cellular appendage of obscure significance, the primary cilium is now acknowledged as a key coordinator of signaling pathways during development and in tissue homeostasis.

Objectives

The aim of this review was to present the structure and function of this overlooked organelle,with an emphasis on its epididymal context and contribution to male infertility issues.

Materials and Methods

A systematic review has been performed in order to include main references relevant to the aforementioned topic.

Results

Increasing evidence demonstrates that primary cilia dysfunctions are associated with impaired male reproductive system development and male infertility issues.

Discussion

While a large amount of data exists regarding the role of primary cilia in most organs and tissues, few studies investigated the contribution of these organelles to male reproductive tract development and homeostasis.

Conclusion

Functional studies of primary cilia constitute an emergent and exciting new area in reproductive biology research.
Serum TLR2 and TLR4 levels in colorectal cancer and their association with systemic inflammatory markers, tumor characteristics, and disease outcome
Authors: Paarnio Karoliina , Tuomisto Anne , Väyrynen Sara A. , Väyrynen Juha P. , Klintrup Kai , Ohtonen Pasi , Mäkinen Markus J. , Mäkelä Jyrki , Karttunen Tuomo J.
Published: May 2019

Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) are involved in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis. However, the significance of serum TLR concentrations in CRC is unknown. We analyzed serum TLR2 and TLR4 concentrations with ELISA in preoperative samples from 118 patients with CRC and 88 matched controls. We also assessed tissue TLR expression with immunohistochemistry and by detecting serum determinants of systemic inflammation. Most participants (>70%) had undetectable serum TLR2. The mean serum TLR4 levels were lower in patients than in controls (1.1 vs 1.8 ng/mL; p = 0.015). Undetectable TLR4 was more common in stage I (39%) than in stages II–IV (11%, p < 0.001). TLR2 or TLR4 expression in tumor cells did not correlate with serum levels, but abundant TLR2 expression in normal colon epithelium was associated with detectable serum TLR2 (p = 0.034). Undetectable serum TLR2 was linked to high modified Glasgow prognostic scores (p = 0.010), high CRP levels (p = 0.013), blood vessel invasion (p = 0.013), and tended to be associated with worse 5‐year survival (p = 0.052). In conclusion, serum TLR2 levels were inversely associated with systemic inflammation in patients with CRC. Moreover, serum TLR2 levels might depend more on normal colorectal mucosa contributions than on tumor tissue contributions. Further studies are required to assess the prognostic value of serum TLR2.
Effect of dietary fish oil intake on ubiquitin ligase expression during muscle atrophy induced by sciatic nerve denervation in mice
Authors: Komiya Yusuke , Kobayashi Chiaki , Uchida Naoyasu , Otsu Shohei , Tanio Tatsuki , Yokoyama Issei , Nagasao Jun , Arihara Keizo
Published: May 2019

Dietary fish oil intake improves muscle atrophy in several atrophy models however the effect on denervation‐induced muscle atrophy is not clear. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary fish oil intake on muscle atrophy and the expression of muscle atrophy markers induced by sciatic nerve denervation in mice. We performed histological and quantitative mRNA expression analysis of muscle atrophy markers in mice fed with fish oil with sciatic nerve denervation. Histological analysis indicated that dietary fish oil intake slightly prevented the decrease of muscle fiber diameter induced by denervation treatment. In addition, dietary fish oil intake suppressed the MuRF1 (tripartite motif‐containing 63) expression up‐regulated by denervation treatment, and this was due to decreased tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) production in skeletal muscle. We concluded that dietary fish oil intake suppressed MuRF1 expression by decreasing TNF‐α production during muscle atrophy induced by sciatic nerve denervation in mice.
Hydrothermal fluid flow associated to the extensional evolution of the Adriatic rifted margin: Insights from the pre‐ to post‐rift sedimentary sequence (SE Switzerland, N ITALY)
Authors: Incerpi Nicolò , Martire Luca , Manatschal Gianreto , Bernasconi Stefano M. , Gerdes Axel , Czuppon György , Palcsu László , Karner Garry D. , Johnson Christopher A. , Figueredo Patricio H.
Published: May 2019

This paper investigates the hydrothermal fluid circulation that was linked to the extensional evolution of the Adriatic rifted margin during the Jurassic opening of the Alpine Tethys. Remnants of this rifted margin are spectacularly preserved in SE Switzerland and N Italy. Five study areas were chosen ranging from the former proximal to the most distal part of the margin. We demonstrate an intimate link between Jurassic extensional tectonics and fluid activity affecting the pre‐ to early post‐rift sedimentary sequences. Nature, composition and origin of fluids are constrained by a multidisciplinary approach based on field observations and including geochemical (O‐C, Sr, He isotopes, U‐Pb datings, fluid inclusion microthermometry) and petrological methods. Several fluid‐related diagenetic products and processes such as dolomitization, veining, hydraulic brecciation, and silicification can be recognized. It appears that different paleogeographic settings and different stratigraphic levels document distinct phases of fluid activity. The fluids reached temperatures of up to 150°C near paleo‐seafloor. They were enriched in 18O, had high 87Sr/86Sr and low 3He/4He ratios, documenting a strong interaction between seawater and a granitic basement. Many lines of evidence point to the occurrence of over‐pressured fluids and long‐lasting fluid circulation due to fault‐valve mechanisms and high thermal gradients. Two main stages with different fluid chemistry can be recognized: (1) a carbonate‐rich stage that developed during the stretching phases and was linked to high‐angle normal faulting, and (2) a silica‐rich stage occurring during late rift exhumation of crustal and mantle rocks in the distal domains in the presence of detachment faults and high thermal gradients. This paper provides, for the first time, a large and robust characterization of fluid–rock interactions occurring during rifting along an almost complete section across a magma‐poor rifted margin.
Effects of game‐based and standard executive control training on cognitive and academic abilities in elementary school children
Authors: Johann Verena E. , Karbach Julia
Published: May 2019

Several studies indicate that executive functions (EF), such as working memory (WM), inhibition or flexibility can be improved by training and that these training‐related benefits in WM capacity generalize to reading and mathematical abilities. However, the results of these studies are inconsistent and most of them focused on WM training in children with learning difficulties. Evidence for typically developing children is rare and no study has investigated inhibition training or flexibility training. There is also a lack of studies taking motivational factors into account. Therefore, this study compared the effects of game‐based and standard training regimens targeting WM, inhibition, or flexibility in children. One hundred and fifty‐three typically developing elementary school students (mean age = 9.6 years, standard deviations  = 0.8) were investigated in an intervention design with a pretest, 21 sessions of training, a posttest and a follow‐up after three months. They were randomized into one of six training groups or a control group. We found training gains in all training groups and higher self‐reported motivation in the game‐based as compared to the standard training groups. Furthermore, there was domain‐specific transfer to untrained EF tasks across all training groups. We found greater performance improvements in reading ability (but not mathematics) in the game‐based flexibility training group and the game‐based inhibition training group as compared to the control group. Transfer effects were still significant at follow‐up. In sum, our findings provide first evidence for a systematic comparison of training on different domains of EF and their differential effects on academic abilities.
Motion tracking of parents’ infant‐ versus adult‐directed actions reveals general and action‐specific modulations
Authors: van Schaik Johanna E. , Meyer Marlene , van Ham Camila R. , Hunnius Sabine
Published: May 2019

Parents tend to modulate their movements when demonstrating actions to their infants. Thus far, these modulations have primarily been quantified by human raters and for entire interactions, thereby possibly overlooking the intricacy of such demonstrations. Using optical motion tracking, the precise modulations of parents’ infant‐directed actions were quantified and compared to adult‐directed actions and between action types. Parents demonstrated four novel objects to their 14‐month‐old infants and adult confederates. Each object required a specific action to produce a unique effect (e.g. rattling). Parents were asked to demonstrate an object at least once before passing it to their demonstration partner, and they were subsequently free to exchange the object as often as desired. Infants’ success at producing the objects’ action‐effects was coded during the demonstration session and their memory of the action‐effects was tested after a several‐minute delay. Indicating general modulations across actions, parents repeated demonstrations more often, performed the actions in closer proximity and demonstrated action‐effects for longer when interacting with their infant compared to the adults. Meanwhile, modulations of movement size and velocity were specific to certain action‐effect pairs. Furthermore, a ‘just right’ modulation of proximity was detected, since infants’ learning, memory, and parents’ prior evaluations of their infants’ motor abilities, were related to demonstrations that were performed neither too far from nor too close to the infants. Together, these findings indicate that infant‐directed action modulations are not solely overall exaggerations but are dependent upon the characteristics of the to‐be learned actions, their effects, and the infant learners.
Transaction costs and economic growth under common legal system: State‐level evidence from Mexico
Authors: Spruk Rok , Kovac Mitja
Published: May 2019

This paper examines the contribution of administrative and procedural transaction costs to economic growth under common legal system. We show that administrative and procedural costs vary quite a lot even within the institutional environment sharing the common legal system. States with low‐cost business registration, low‐cost access to property rights and greater judicial efficiency tend to have consistently higher growth. The established effects are robust to alternative model specifications, heterogeneity bias, and to a variety of control variables that might confound the effects of administrative and procedural costs on growth. Such differences in costs are far from being trivial as we show that these within‐system differences might be instrumental in influencing economic growth. Lower administrative and procedural costs induce growth by increasing investment rate, lowering unemployment rate, encouraging labor supply and improving total factor productivity. In the counterfactual scenario, the transition from high‐cost to low‐cost regime is associated with substantial growth and development gains over time. By exploiting the variation in the disease environment, ethnic fractionalization and historical urbanization, we show that the negative effect of rising procedural and administrative costs on growth and development appears to be causal.
The mesoscavenger release hypothesis and implications for ecosystem and human well‐being
Authors: O'Bryan Christopher J. , Holden Matthew H. , Watson James E.M.
Published: May 2019

Many apex scavenger species, including nearly all obligate scavengers, are in a state of rapid decline and there is growing evidence these declines can drastically alter ecological food webs. Our understanding of how apex scavengers regulate populations of mesoscavengers, those less‐efficient scavengers occupying mid‐trophic levels, is improving; yet, there has been no comprehensive evaluation of the evidence around the competitive release of these species by the loss of apex scavengers. Here we present current evidence that supports the mesoscavenger release hypothesis, the increase in mesoscavengers and increase in carrion in the face of declining apex scavengers. We provide two models of scavenger dynamics to demonstrate that the mesoscavenger release hypothesis is consistent with ecological theory. We further examine the ecological and human well‐being implications of apex scavenger decline, including carrion removal and disease regulation services.
Corporate decision making in the presence of political uncertainty: The case of corporate cash holdings
Authors: Hankins William B. , Stone Anna‐Leigh , Cheng Chak Hung Jack , Chiu Ching‐Wai (Jeremy)
Published: May 2019

Using a quarterly panel of U.S. corporations over the period 1985–2014, we show that corporate managers respond to political uncertainty and economic policy uncertainty shocks in different ways. We proxy for political uncertainty using the Partisan Conflict Index and employ a prevalent empirical macroeconomic methodology to construct structural shocks that are orthogonal to shocks captured by the Economic Policy Uncertainty Index. Following a political uncertainty shock, corporations increase cash but do not adjust investment. Alternatively, following an economic policy uncertainty shock, firms appear to draw on cash and reduce capital spending to increase research and development spending.