bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neuroprotection with the P53-Inhibitor Pifithrin-μ after Cardiac Arrest in a Rodent Model
Authors: Glas Michael , Frick Tamara , Springe Dirk , Putzu Alessandro , Zuercher Patrick , Grandgirard Denis , Leib Stephen L. , Jakob Stephan M. , Takala Jukka , Haenggi Matthias
Published: May 2017

Background:

The small molecule pifithrin-μ reversibility inhibits the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. The neuronal effects of pifithrin-μ applied after cardiac arrest are unknown. We hypothesized that pifithrin-μ reduces neuronal damage in the most vulnerable brain region, the hippocampus, after cardiac arrest.

Methods:

In two randomized controlled series we administered pifithrin-μ or control in 109 rats resuscitated after 8 or 10 min of cardiac arrest. Neuronal damage was blindly assessed with histology (Fluoro Jade B: FJB, cresyl violet: CV) in the most vulnerable brain region (CA1 segment of hippocampus) and with a series of neurobehavioral tests (Open Field Task, Tape-Removal Test, Morris Water Maze test). Mixed ANOVA was used to combine both series, simple comparisons were done with t tests or Mann–Whitney U test.

Results:

Pifithrin-μ reduced the number of degenerating, FJB-positive neurons by 25% (mixed ANOVA p group = 0.014). This was more prominent after 8 min cardiac arrest (8 min arrest pifithrin-μ 94 ± 47 vs control 128 ± 37; n = 11 each; 10 min arrest pifithrin-μ 78 ± 44, n = 15 vs control 101 ± 31, n = 18; p group∗ arrest length interaction = 0.622). The reduction of ischemic CV-positive neurons in pifithrin-μ animals was not significant (ANOVA p group = 0.063). No significant group differences were found in neurobehavioral testing.

Conclusion:

Temporarily inhibition of apoptosis with pifithrin-μ after cardiac arrest decreases the number of injured neurons in the CA1 segment of hippocampus in a cardiac arrest rat model, without clinical correlate. Further studies should elucidate the role of this neuroprotective agent in different settings and with longer cardiac arrest.
Child welfare professionals’ determination of when children’s access or potential access to loaded firearms constitutes child neglect
Authors: Evans Erin M. , Jennissen Charles A. , Oral Resmiye , Denning Gerene M.
Published: May 2017

BACKGROUND

Pediatric deaths and injuries from access to firearms are a significant public health problem. No studies have examined how experts determine child neglect regarding firearm access in the home. Our study objectives were to identify factors that influenced pediatric experts’ finding of firearm-related child neglect and to assess their attitudes toward child access prevention (CAP) laws.

METHODS

A survey was distributed to the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Child Abuse and Neglect members. Demographics, attitudes regarding CAP laws, and ages (up to 14 years old) at which experts deemed several scenarios as child neglect were determined. Scenarios tested potential versus actual loaded firearm access, presence or absence of a CAP law, and injury versus no injury when the firearm was accessed.

RESULTS

One hundred ninety-three surveys were completed. Experts agreed (>95%) that CAP laws were important, even for children up to age 15 years. Although a high percentage considered potential access to a loaded firearm as child neglect, a CAP law significantly increased the percentage for each age. In addition, higher percentages of respondents from states with CAP laws than those without deemed potential access as child neglect for 12- and 14-year-olds. In contrast, if the child had accessed a loaded firearm, there were no significant differences in the high percentages that deemed the scenario as child neglect under any conditions, including with and without a CAP law.

CONCLUSIONS

Although almost all child neglect experts considered potential and actual access to loaded firearms as child neglect, CAP laws increased the percentage for cases of potential access. Universal CAP laws may help ensure that determinations of child neglect are more consistent across states. The deterrent effect of potential child neglect findings may increase the number of parents securing firearms in ways that prevent child access and reduce firearm-related deaths and injuries.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Epidemiologic study, level III.
Flagella bending affects macroscopic properties of bacterial suspensions
Authors: Potomkin M. , Tournus M. , Berlyand L. V. , Aranson I. S.
Published: May 2017

To survive in harsh conditions, motile bacteria swim in complex environments and respond to the surrounding flow. Here, we develop a mathematical model describing how flagella bending affects macroscopic properties of bacterial suspensions. First, we show how the flagella bending contributes to the decrease in the effective viscosity observed in dilute suspension. Our results do not impose tumbling (random reorientation) as was previously done to explain the viscosity reduction. Second, we demonstrate how a bacterium escapes from wall entrapment due to the self-induced buckling of flagella. Our results shed light on the role of flexible bacterial flagella in interactions of bacteria with shear flow and walls or obstacles.
Nature of the optical band shapes in polymethine dyes and H-aggregates: dozy chaos and excitons. Comparison with dimers, H*- and J-aggregates
Authors: Egorov Vladimir V.
Published: May 2017

Results on the theoretical explanation of the shape of optical bands in polymethine dyes, their dimers and aggregates are summarized. The theoretical dependence of the shape of optical bands for the dye monomers in the vinylogous series in line with a change in the solvent polarity is considered. A simple physical (analytical) model of the shape of optical absorption bands in H-aggregates of polymethine dyes is developed based on taking the dozy-chaos dynamics of the transient state and the Frenkel exciton effect in the theory of molecular quantum transitions into account. As an example, the details of the experimental shape of one of the known H-bands are well reproduced by this analytical model under the assumption that the main optical chromophore of H-aggregates is a tetramer resulting from the two most probable processes of inelastic binary collisions in sequence: first, monomers between themselves, and then, between the resulting dimers. The obtained results indicate that in contrast with the compact structure of J-aggregates (brickwork structure), the structure of H-aggregates is not the compact pack-of-cards structure, as stated in the literature, but a loose alternate structure. Based on this theoretical model, a simple general (analytical) method for treating the more complex shapes of optical bands in polymethine dyes in comparison with the H-band under consideration is proposed. This method mirrors the physical process of molecular aggregates forming in liquid solutions: aggregates are generated in the most probable processes of inelastic multiple binary collisions between polymethine species generally differing in complexity. The results obtained are given against a background of the theoretical results on the shape of optical bands in polymethine dyes and their aggregates (dimers, H*- and J-aggregates) previously obtained by V.V.E.
Inducible versus constitutive social immunity: examining effects of colony infection on glucose oxidase and defensin-1 production in honeybees
Authors: López-Uribe Margarita M. , Fitzgerald Andrea , Simone-Finstrom Michael
Published: May 2017

Honeybees use a variety of defence mechanisms to reduce disease infection and spread throughout the colony. Many of these defences rely on the collective action of multiple individuals to prevent, reduce or eradicate pathogens—often referred to as ‘social immunity’. Glucose oxidase (GOX) and some antimicrobial peptides (e.g. defensin-1 or Def1) are secreted by the hypopharyngeal gland of adult bees on larval food for their antiseptic properties. Because workers secrete these compounds to protect larvae, they have been used as ‘biomarkers’ for social immunity. The aim of this study was to investigate if GOX and Def1 are induced after pathogen exposure to determine whether its production by workers is the result of a collective effort to protect the brood and colony in response to a pathogen challenge. Specifically, we quantified GOX and Def1 in honeybee adults before and after colony-level bacterial infection by American foulbrood ((AFB),
Paenibacillus larvae
). Overall, our results indicate that levels of GOX and Def1 are not induced in response to pathogenic infections. We therefore conclude that GOX and Def1 are highly constitutive and co-opted as mechanisms of social immunity, and these factors should be considered when investigating immunity at the individual and colony level in social insects.
Fetal death certificate data quality: A tale of two US counties
Authors: Christiansen-Lindquist Lauren , Silver Robert M. , Parker Corette B. , Dudley Donald J. , Koch Matthew A. , Reddy Uma M. , Saade George R. , Goldenberg Robert L. , Hogue Carol J. R.
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Describe the relative frequency and joint effect of missing and misreported fetal death certificate (FDC) data and identify variations by key characteristics.

Methods

Stillbirths were prospectively identified during 2006-2008 for a multi-site population-based case-control study. For this study, eligible mothers of stillbirths were not incarcerated residents of DeKalb County, Georgia, or Salt Lake County, Utah, aged > 13 years, with an identifiable FDC. We identified the frequency of missing and misreported (any departure from the study value) FDC data by county, race/ethnicity, gestational age, and whether the stillbirth was antepartum or intrapartum.

Results

Data quality varied by item, and was highest in Salt Lake County. Reporting was generally not associated with maternal or delivery characteristics. Reasons for poor data quality varied by item in DeKalb County: some items were frequently missingandmisreported; however, others were of poor quality due toeithermissing or misreported data.

Conclusions

FDC data suffer from missing and inaccurate data, with variations by item and county. Salt Lake County data illustrate that high quality reporting is attainable. The overall quality of reporting must be improved to support consequential epidemiologic analyses for stillbirth, and improvement efforts should be tailored to the needs of each jurisdiction.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

CCC

concordance correlation coefficient

CDC

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

FDC

Fetal death certificate

NCHS

National Center for Health Statistics

SCRN

Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network
High-throughput, image-based screening of genetic variant libraries
Authors: Emanuel George , Moffitt Jeffrey R. , Zhuang Xiaowei
Published: May 2017

Image-based, high-throughput, high-content screening of pooled libraries of genetic perturbations will greatly advance our understanding biological systems and facilitate many biotechnology applications. Here we introduce a high-throughput screening method that allows highly diverse genotypes and the corresponding phenotypes to be imaged in numerous individual cells. To facilitate genotyping by imaging, barcoded genetic variants are introduced into the cells, each cell carrying a single genetic variant connected to a unique, nucleic-acid barcode. To identify the genotype-phenotype correspondence, we perform live-cell imaging to determine the phenotype of each cell, and massively multiplexed FISH imaging to measure the barcode expressed in the same cell. We demonstrated the utility of this approach by screening for brighter and more photostable variants of the fluorescent protein YFAST. We imaged 20 million cells expressing ~60,000 YFAST mutants and identified novel YFAST variants that are substantially brighter and/or more photostable than the wild-type protein.
Contrasting patterns of evolutionary constraint and novelty revealed by comparative sperm proteomic analysis
Authors: Whittington Emma , Forsythe Desiree , Karr Timothy L. , Walters James R. , Dorus Steve
Published: May 2017

Background

Rapid evolution is a hallmark of reproductive genetic systems and arises through the combined processes of sequence divergence, gene gain and loss, and changes in gene and protein expression. While studies aiming to disentangle the molecular ramifications of these processes are progressing, we still know little about the genetic basis of evolutionary transitions in reproductive systems. Here we conduct the first comparative analysis of sperm proteomes in Lepidoptera, a group that broadly exhibits dichotomous spermatogenesis, in which males simultaneously produce a functional fertilization-competent sperm (eupyrene) and an incompetent sperm morph lacking DNA (apyrene). Through the integrated application of evolutionary proteomics and genomics, we characterize the genomic patterns associated with the origination of this unique spermatogenic process and assess the importance of genetic novelty in Lepidoptera sperm biology.

Results

Comparison of the newly characterized Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) sperm proteome to those of the Carolina sphinx moth (Manduca sexta) and the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) demonstrated conservation at the level of protein abundance and post-translational modification within Lepidoptera. In contrast, comparative genomic analyses across insects reveals significant divergence at two levels that differentiate the genetic architecture of sperm in Lepidoptera from other insects. First, a significant reduction in orthology among Monarch sperm genes relative to the remainder of the genome in non-Lepidopteran insect species was observed. Second, a substantial number of sperm proteins were found to be specific to Lepidoptera, in that they lack detectable homology to the genomes of more distantly related insects. Lastly, the functional importance of Lepidoptera specific sperm proteins is broadly supported by their increased abundance relative to proteins conserved across insects.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the origin of heteromorphic spermatogenesis early in Lepidoptera evolution was associated with a burst of genetic novelty. This pattern of genomic diversification is distinct from the remainder of the genome and thus suggests that this transition has had a marked impact on Lepidoptera genome evolution. The identification of abundant sperm proteins unique to Lepidoptera, including proteins distinct between specific lineages, will accelerate future functional studies aiming to understand the developmental origin of dichotomous spermatogenesis and the functional diversification of the fertilization incompetent apyrene sperm morph.
Evolutionary dynamics of incubation periods
Authors: Ottino-Löffler Bertrand , Scott Jacob G. , Strogatz Steven H.
Published: May 2017

The incubation period of a disease is the time between an initiating pathologic event and the onset of symptoms1. For typhoid fever2,3, polio4, measles5, leukemia6and many other diseases7–10, the incubation period is highly variable. Some affected people take much longer than average to show symptoms, leading to a distribution of incubation periods that is right skewed and often approximately lognormal8–10. Although this statistical pattern was discovered more than sixty years ago8, it remains an open question to explain its ubiquity11. Here we propose an explanation based on evolutionary dynamics on graphs12–18. For simple models of a mutant or pathogen invading a network-structured population of healthy cells, we show that skewed distributions of incubation periods emerge for a wide range of assumptions about invader fitness, competition dynamics, and network structure. The skewness stems from stochastic mechanisms associated with two classic problems in probability theory: the coupon collector and the random walk19,20. Unlike previous explanations11,21that rely crucially on heterogeneity, our results hold even for homogeneous populations. Thus, we predict that two equally healthy individuals subjected to equal doses of equally pathogenic agents may, by chance alone, show remarkably different time courses of disease.
Crystal structure of the multiple antibiotic resistance regulator MarR fromClostridium difficile
Authors: Peng J. W. , Yuan H. , Tan X. S.
Published: May 2017

Regulators of multiple antibiotic resistance (MarRs) are key players against toxins in prokaryotes. MarR homologues have been identified in many bacterial and archaeal species which pose daunting antibiotic resistance issues that threaten public health. The continuous prevalence ofClostridium difficileinfection (CDI) throughout the world is associated with the abuse of antibiotics, and antibiotic treatments of CDI have limited effect. In the genome ofC. difficilestrain 630, themarRgene (ID 4913953) encodes a MarR protein. Here, MarR fromC. difficile(MarRC.difficile) was subcloned and crystallized for the first time. MarRC.difficilewas successfully expressed inEscherichia coliin a soluble form and was purified to near-homogeneity (>95%) by a two-step purification protocol. The structure of MarRC.difficilehas been solved at 2.3 Å resolution. The crystal belonged to the monoclinic space groupP43212, with unit-cell parametersa=b= 66.569,c= 83.654 Å. The structure reported reveals MarRC.difficileto be a dimer, with each subunit consisting of six α-helices and three antiparallel β-hairpins. MarRC.difficileshows high structural similarity to the MarR proteins fromE. coliandStaphylococcus aureus, indicating that MarRC.difficilemight be a DNA-binding protein.
Feeding ecology is the primary driver of beak shape diversification in waterfowl
Authors: Olsen Aaron M.
Published: May 2017

The diversity of beak shapes among birds is often assumed to be largely the result of adaptations to different feeding behaviors and diets. However, this assumption has only been tested for a small subset of avian diversity, primarily within the order Passeriformes. Moreover, given the role of the beak in behaviors other than feeding and given that most previously identified beak‐feeding associations concern beak size rather than shape, it remains unclear how much of beak shape diversity is explained by feeding ecology and what functional explanations account for these differences in shape.

I quantified the association between beak shape and feeding ecology for 42 species in the bird order Anseriformes (waterfowl) using 3D curvature of the upper beak collected from museum specimens and continuous dietary data compiled from the literature. I also tested whether leverage or stress resistance of the beak explains the association between beak shape and feeding ecology. Diet is strongly and significantly correlated with beak shape in waterfowl. An ancestral beak shape reconstruction and the reconstructed diet of the anseriform fossil Presbyornis both support filter‐feeding as ancestral for most waterfowl, followed by multiple, significantly convergent transitions from a duck‐like beak toward a more goose‐like beak. The evolution of a more goose‐like beak is associated with increased consumption of leaves, decreased consumption of invertebrates, and an increase in mechanical advantage of the beak. Moreover, no association was identified between size (measured as either beak size or body mass) and feeding ecology nor between size and beak shape.

These results demonstrate that feeding ecology has acted as the primary selective force in the diversification of waterfowl beak shapes, including the convergent originations of geese. Thus, rapid and convergent adaptation of the beak to feeding is not limited to passerines nor is it limited to size‐correlated shape changes. The positive evolutionary correlation between mechanical advantage and herbivory shows that lever mechanics can explain the functional evolution of the kinetic upper beak in birds. These results also suggest that functions of the beak other than feeding may play a minor role in explaining overall beak shape diversity.

A lay summary is available for this article.
Towards the Post‐Secular City? London since the 1960s
Authors: Wolffe John
Published: May 2017

It is possible to interpret the available statistical evidence to argue that — when the presence of minority traditions is taken into account — the level of religious practice in London in the early twenty‐first century was quite similar to that in the early twentieth century. London may be exceptional in some respects, but it is nevertheless indicative of wider patterns of religious change over the last half‐century, which have hitherto received little academic attention. The London case reveals a dynamic picture of simultaneous decline and resurgence, with overall rapid growth in Pentecostalism, Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism while traditional Christian denominations have generally been contracting. However, the Christian picture is further variegated at the local level, with significant pockets of growth even in the historic churches, notably but not only in the Church of England Diocese of London. Moreover, the wider social engagements of many religious groups have given them an impact beyond their actual membership.
Idioms of Accumulation: Corporate Accumulation by Dispossession in Urban Zimbabwe
Authors: Mbiba Beacon
Published: May 2017

David Harvey's notion of ‘accumulation by dispossession' has inspired a wide range of studies in different places. But it has hardly registered in the area of urban land grabbing in Africa and what the role of local capital has been in these processes. In this article, I use archival data, field observations and insights from key informant interviews in Harare to examine how the 1990s neoliberalism and the post‐1999 Zimbabwe crisis created new opportunities for accumulation of wealth through the irregular and fraudulent transfer of public urban land into private hands, including those of reputable corporate institutions. I provide a summary of the literature on contemporary land grabbing, raising questions about and providing new insights for a comparative understanding of the transformative role and nature of the state, postcolonial African cities, anti‐capitalist struggles, and the status and meaning of planning in different settings.
Stock price firm‐specific information on the choice of stock payment in mergers and acquisitions
Authors: Ouyang Wenjing , Szewczyk Samuel H.
Published: May 2017

Previous studies on the choice of stock payment in M&A mainly focus on managerial private information. This study shows that managers also learn new firm‐specific information from financial markets in making this decision. The acquirer's stock price firm‐specific information increases the stock‐payment‐to‐Q sensitivity. The target's stock price firm‐specific information decreases the stock payment probability. Further analyses on deal and firm characteristics as well as shareholder wealth in stock mergers support the managerial learning argument. Overall, this study highlights a new set of information that affects the form of merger payment in mergers and acquisitions.
Froghood: Postmetamorphic development of the rock river frog Thoropa miliaris (Spix, 1824) (Anura, Cycloramphidae)
Authors: Rebouças Raoni , da Silva Hélio Ricardo , Sanuy Delfi
Published: May 2017

Thoropa miliaris is a frog species endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, inhabiting wet rocky habitats. Males of this species present nuptial excrescences, which are keratinized spines on the surface of some fingers and internal metacarpal tubercles. Although these spines are usually associated with male adulthood, no details of their development are available. To investigate the sequence of spines' appearance, we correlated the number of spines with size and age, which was estimated by skeletochronology. We studied individuals collected from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There was significant correlation between size of individuals and number of spines and between age and number of spines in the callosities. The first spines appeared in metacarpal–phalangeal articulation of finger II, when specimens were 1 year old. The estimated growth curve did not show stabilization at any age. We considered the degree of development of the nuptial excrescences as a proxy for sexual maturity and so individuals may already be sexually active by 1 year of age. Estimated longevity of T. miliaris is similar to that estimated for other tropical species of frogs. Although growth in anuran species is considered to be undetermined, in T. miliaris, it seems to fit either undetermined or determined models.
Cephalopod embryonic shells as a tool to reconstruct reproductive strategies in extinct taxa
Authors: Laptikhovsky Vladimir , Nikolaeva Svetlana , Rogov Mikhail
Published: May 2017

An exhaustive study of existing data on the relationship between egg size and maximum size of embryonic shells in 42 species of extant cephalopods demonstrated that these values are approximately equal regardless of taxonomy and shell morphology. Egg size is also approximately equal to mantle length of hatchlings in 45 cephalopod species with rudimentary shells. Paired data on the size of the initial chamberversusembryonic shell in 235 species ofAmmonoidea, 46Bactritida, 13Nautilida, 22Orthocerida, 8Tarphycerida, 4Oncocerida, 1Belemnoidea, 4Sepiida and 1Spirulida demonstrated that, although there is a positive relationship between these parameters in some taxa, initial chamber size cannot be used to predict egg size in extinct cephalopods; the size of the embryonic shell may be more appropriate for this task. The evolution of reproductive strategies in cephalopods in the geological past was marked by an increasing significance of small‐egged taxa, as is also seen in simultaneously evolving fish taxa.
Mild TSH resistance: Clinical and hormonal features in childhood and adulthood
Authors: Vigone Maria Cristina , Di Frenna Marianna , Guizzardi Fabiana , Gelmini Giulia , de Filippis Tiziana , Mora Stefano , Caiulo Silvana , Sonnino Micol , Bonomi Marco , Persani Luca , Weber Giovanna
Published: May 2017

Objective

Mutations in TSH receptor (TSHR) are associated with TSH resistance, a genetic defect characterized by a heterogeneous phenotype ranging from severe hypothyroidism to subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). We assessed the clinical and hormonal pattern of TSHR variants in a series of pediatric patients, and the long‐term outcome of growth, biochemical measurements of metabolism, and neuropsychological functions in TSHR mutations carriers.

Design

Observational, retrospective study.

Patients

Thirty four children (age 7 days to 11 years) and 18 adult carriers of TSHR variants.

Measurements

The TSHR gene was sequenced by PCR‐amplified direct sequencing in 111 pediatric patients with slight to moderate elevation of TSH and normal FT4 levels. The study focused on the: auxological and biochemical parameters, thyroid ultrasound, bone age, bone mineral density (BMD), and intellectual outcome (IQ) were collected during the long follow‐up (1‐15 years).

Results

Seventeen different TSHR variants (eight novel) were identified in 34 of the 111 pediatric patients, with a high prevalence of familial cases (27/34). Neonatal screening for congenital hypothyroidism was positive in half of the TSHR carriers. Growth, IQ, BMD, and biochemical parameters were normal in all subjects. Twenty patients received L‐T4 replacement therapy, in all cases before genetic analysis. After re‐evaluation, six patients resumed L‐T4 therapy: they were compound heterozygous, or single heterozygous and with associated conditions at risk of thyroid impairment (SGA). No adults presented clinical features consistent with impaired thyroid function.

Conclusions

Children carriers of TSHR variants, regardless of L‐T4 treatment, show regular growth and neuropsychological development, with no evident biochemical and US alterations.
New Paradigm for Translational Modeling to Predict Long‐term Tuberculosis Treatment Response
Authors: Bartelink IH , Zhang N , Keizer RJ , Strydom N , Converse PJ , Dooley KE , Nuermberger EL , Savic RM
Published: May 2017

Disappointing results of recent tuberculosis chemotherapy trials suggest that knowledge gained from preclinical investigations was not utilized to maximal effect. A mouse‐to‐human translational pharmacokinetics (PKs) – pharmacodynamics (PDs) model built on a rich mouse database may improve clinical trial outcome predictions. The model included Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth function in mice, adaptive immune response effect on bacterial growth, relationships among moxifloxacin, rifapentine, and rifampin concentrations accelerating bacterial death, clinical PK data, species‐specific protein binding, drug‐drug interactions, and patient‐specific pathology. Simulations of recent trials testing 4‐month regimens predicted 65% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55–74) relapse‐free patients vs. 80% observed in the REMox‐TB trial, and 79% (95% CI, 72–87) vs. 82% observed in the Rifaquin trial. Simulation of 6‐month regimens predicted 97% (95% CI, 93–99) vs. 92% and 95% observed in 2RHZE/4RH control arms, and 100% predicted and observed in the 35 mg/kg rifampin arm of PanACEA MAMS. These results suggest that the model can inform regimen optimization and predict outcomes of ongoing trials.
Systolic longitudinal strain correlates with visual assessment of regional left ventricular function during dobutamine stress echocardiography and discriminates the segments with induced contractility impairment
Authors: Wierzbowska‐Drabik Karina , Miśkowiec Dawid , Kasprzak Jarosław D.
Published: May 2017

Background

The relationship between visual and strain assessment of left ventricular (LV) function during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) remains poorly investigated. We assessed systolic longitudinal strain (SLS) and strain rate (SLSR) in segments visually graded as normokinetic, hypokinetic, or akinetic at baseline (0) and peak stage (1) of DSE and compared deformation changes between segments with and without induced contractility worsening.

Methods

From 250 patients examined by DSE, 238 patients with diagnostic test were included, mean age of 62±9 years (105 females). Regional LV contractility was assessed visually and measured using SLS and SLSR in 4284 segments.

Results

The LV segments during baseline and peak stage of DSE revealed gradual decrease in absolute values of SLS (from 17.7±6.4% in normokinetic to 11.7±8.4% in akinetic segments at rest, and from 17.2±8.5% to 14.4±7.8% at peak, P<.001), as measured by automated function imaging (AFI) and SLSR (from 1.1±0.37 s−1 in normokinetic to 0.9±0.29 s−1 in akinetic at rest, and from 2.32±0.92 to 2.13±0.85 s−1 at peak). The decrease in SLS in segments with contractility worsening was higher than in segments without induced impairment (ΔSLS 2% vs 0%, P<.0001 for all LV segments and 2% vs 1%, P=.02 in mid‐LV segments). Absolute value of regional SLS <23% at peak DSE and decrease in SLS >2% from baseline showed 90% and 76% sensitivity for the detection of contractility impairment.

Conclusion

Strain analysis quantifies segmental LV contractility not only at rest and peak DSE but may be helpful in detection of stress‐induced contractility worsening.
Interpersonal sensitivity, bullying victimization and paranoid ideation among help‐seeking adolescents and young adults
Authors: Masillo Alice , Valmaggia Lucia R. , Saba Riccardo , Brandizzi Martina , Lo Cascio Nella , Telesforo Ludovica , Venturini Paola , Izzo Aniello , Mattioli M. Teresa , D'Alema Marco , Girardi Paolo , Fiori Nastro Paolo
Published: May 2017

Aim

The effects of a negative interpersonal experience, such as bullying victimization in childhood and adolescence, can be strong and long lasting. Bullying victimization is associated with paranoid ideation and suspiciousness. Few studies have focused on personality traits of victims of bullying. The aim of this study is to investigate whether a particular personality trait called interpersonal sensitivity may be related to suspiciousness in those who experienced bullying victimization.

Methods

The study sample consisted of 147 help‐seeking adolescents (mean age 17 years) selected after a screening phase (Prodromal Questionnaire) and evaluated with the Structured Interview for Psychosis‐risk Syndromes (SIPS). All participants were specifically asked if they had experienced either psychological bullying or physical bullying, and they completed the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM).

Results

Of the whole sample, 30 (20%) participants had experienced psychological bullying or physical bullying at least once in their life. Performing a multiple regression, bullying victimization was found to be an independent predictor of subtle paranoid ideation and suspiciousness. Interpersonal sensitivity was also found to be an independent predictor of subtle paranoid ideation; in particular, two IPSM subscales, fragile inner‐self and separation anxiety, showed a significant correlation with subtle paranoid ideation.

Conclusions

Our results confirmed that bullying victimization is a negative interpersonal experience associated with paranoid ideation and suspiciousness. However, being overly sensitive and having negative beliefs about the self as fragile and vulnerable to threat also lead to a tendency to attribute experiences as externally caused and, in turn, facilitate the formation and maintenance of paranoid ideation.
Emergence of Bruton's tyrosine kinase‐negative Hodgkin lymphoma during ibrutinib treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Authors: Glavey Siobhan , Quinn John , McCloy Mary , Sargent Jeremy , McCartney Yvonne , Catherwood Mark , Marafioti Teresa , Leader Mary , Murphy Philip , Thornton Patrick
Published: May 2017

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a chronic B‐cell lympho‐proliferative disorder in which lymphomatous transformations occur in 5%‐15% of patients. Histologically these cases resemble diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma, or Richter's transformation, in over 80% of cases. Rare cases of transformation to Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) have been reported in the literature with an estimated prevalence of 0.4%. We report a case of a 67‐year‐old female with CLL treated with the novel Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) inhibitor, ibrutinib, who subsequently presented with intractable fevers. Bone marrow trephine, and lymph node biopsy revealed classical HL with negative immuno‐histochemistry for Btk in HL cells, on a backdrop of CLL. The patient commenced treatment with Adriamycin, Vinblastine and Dacarbazine (AVD), which resulted in an excellent response. Hodgkin transformation of CLL is rare with a single retrospective study of 4121 CLL patients reporting only 18 cases. Btk expression in HL cells is recently recognised in classical HL; however, the majority of HLs are Btk negative. Given that Btk inhibitors have recently been shown to induce genomic instability in B cells, in the context of their widespread use, such emerging cases are increasingly relevant.
Optimal climate for large trees at high elevations drives patterns of biomass in remote forests of Papua New Guinea
Authors: Venter Michelle , Dwyer John , Dieleman Wouter , Ramachandra Anurag , Gillieson David , Laurance Susan , Cernusak Lucas A. , Beehler Bruce , Jensen Rigel , Bird Michael I.
Published: May 2017

Our ability to model global carbon fluxes depends on understanding how terrestrial carbon stocks respond to varying environmental conditions. Tropical forests contain the bulk of the biosphere's carbon. However, there is a lack of consensus as to how gradients in environmental conditions affect tropical forest carbon. Papua New Guinea (PNG) lies within one of the largest areas of contiguous tropical forest and is characterized by environmental gradients driven by altitude; yet, the region has been grossly understudied. Here, we present the first field assessment of aboveground biomass (AGB) across three main forest types of PNG using 193 plots stratified across 3,100‐m elevation gradient. Unexpectedly, AGB had no direct relationship to rainfall, temperature, soil, or topography. Instead, natural disturbances explained most variation in AGB. While large trees (diameter at breast height > 50 cm) drove altitudinal patterns of AGB, resulting in a major peak in AGB (2,200–3,100 m) and some of the most carbon‐rich forests at these altitudes anywhere. Large trees were correlated to a set of climatic variables following a hump‐shaped curve. The set of “optimal” climatic conditions found in montane cloud forests is similar to that of maritime temperate areas that harbor the largest trees in the world: high ratio of precipitation to evapotranspiration (2.8), moderate mean annual temperature (13.7°C), and low intra‐annual temperature range (7.5°C). At extreme altitudes (2,800–3,100 m), where tree diversity elsewhere is usually low and large trees are generally rare or absent, specimens from 18 families had girths >70 cm diameter and maximum heights 20–41 m. These findings indicate that simple AGB‐climate‐edaphic models may not be suitable for estimating carbon storage in forests where optimal climate niches exist. Our study, conducted in a very remote area, suggests that tropical montane forests may contain greater AGB than previously thought and the importance of securing their future under a changing climate is therefore enhanced.
Reclaiming Tangible Heritage: Cultural Aesthetics, Materiality, and Ethnic Belonging in the Maya Diaspora
Authors: Barenboim Deanna
Published: May 2017

Este artículo trata la materialización del hogar y la herencia en el contexto de la migración indígena de Yucatán, México, a los Estados Unidos. Analizo la manera en que la realidad contemporánea de la migración Maya, junto con el largo legado de desarraigo y de apropiación cultural, forman la manera en que los migrantes interactúan día a día con la cultura material que los rodea. La manipulación por los migrantes indígenas de objetos a los cuales se les asignan propósitos nuevos que enlazan la vida migrante a la cultura del pueblo y a la herencia arqueológica, toma una prominencia y un significado particular en el contexto de la migración transnacional. A través de encuentros táctiles y visuales con objetos re‐definidos que funcionan como indicadores de la identidad Maya y la distinción cultural, los migrantes se re‐apoderan de la herencia tangible y crean una “estética de herencia” que les permite reclamar custodia de lugar, hogar, y pertenencia. En retrospectiva, los objetos usados en este proceso permiten que el migrante solidifique una identidad indígena étnica emergente que depende de conexiones emocionales con su hogar al igual que con su pasado pre‐Hispánico.
Impact of Providing Compassion on Job Performance and Mental Health: The Moderating Effect of Interpersonal Relationship Quality
Authors: Chu Li‐Chuan
Published: May 2017

Purpose

To examine the relationships of providing compassion at work with job performance and mental health, as well as to identify the role of interpersonal relationship quality in moderating these relationships.

Design and Methods

This study adopted a two‐stage survey completed by 235 registered nurses employed by hospitals in Taiwan. All hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression analyses.

Findings

The results show that providing compassion is an effective predictor of job performance and mental health, whereas interpersonal relationship quality can moderate the relationships of providing compassion with job performance and mental health.

Conclusions

When nurses are frequently willing to listen, understand, and help their suffering colleagues, the enhancement engendered by providing compassion can improve the provider's job performance and mental health. Creating high‐quality relationships in the workplace can strengthen the positive benefits of providing compassion.

Clinical Relevance

Motivating employees to spontaneously exhibit compassion is crucial to an organization. Hospitals can establish value systems, belief systems, and cultural systems that support a compassionate response to suffering. In addition, nurses can internalize altruistic belief systems into their own personal value systems through a long process of socialization in the workplace.
Daily oral administration of low-dose methotrexate has greater antirheumatic effects in collagen-induced arthritis rats
Authors: Koyama Aoi , Tanaka Aki , To Hideto
Published: May 2017

Objectives

Methotrexate (MTX) is administered once or thrice weekly to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Even though RA continually progresses, MTX is not administered daily. Therefore, we investigated whether the daily administration of a low dose of MTX inhibits the progression of arthritis in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats.

Methods

Methotrexate was orally administered once weekly, thrice weekly and once daily to CIA rats, and arthritis scores were measured.

Key findings

When the same dose of MTX was administered, the exacerbation of arthritis was inhibited significantly more in the once-daily group than in the other groups. When the dose in the once-daily group was reduced to one-fourth that of the current standard dosing method, arthritis scores were markedly lower in the once-daily group than in the once and thrice-weekly groups.

Conclusions

The daily administration of a low dose of MTX not only maintained normal levels that estimated adverse effects but also suppressed the progression of arthritis significantly more than the current standard dosing method. The results indicate that the reconsideration of dosing schedules based on the characteristics of MTX will lead to more effective RA therapy than that currently used in clinical practice.
Effects of a lifestyle intervention on REM sleep‐related OSA severity in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Shechter Ari , Foster Gary D. , Lang Wei , Reboussin David M. , St‐Onge Marie‐Pierre , Zammit Gary , Newman Anne B. , Millman Richard P. , Wadden Thomas A. , Jakicic John M. , Strotmeyer Elsa S. , Wing Rena R. , Pi‐Sunyer F. Xavier , Kuna Samuel T. ,   The Sleep Ahead Research Group of the Look Ahead Research Group
Published: May 2017

The aim of this study was to determine if an intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) reduces the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in rapid‐eye movement (REM) sleep, and to determine if longitudinal changes in glycaemic control are related to changes in OSA severity during REM sleep over a 4‐year follow‐up. This was a randomized controlled trial including 264 overweight/obese adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and OSA. Participants were randomized to an ILI targeted to weight loss or a diabetes support and education (DSE) control group. Measures included anthropometry, apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) during REM sleep (REM‐AHI) and non‐REM sleep (NREM‐AHI) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at baseline and year 1, year 2 and year 4 follow‐ups. Mean baseline values of REM‐AHI were significantly higher than NREM‐AHI in both groups. Both REM‐AHI and NREM‐AHI were reduced significantly more in ILI versus DSE, but these differences were attenuated slightly after adjustment for weight changes. Repeated‐measure mixed‐model analyses including data to year 4 demonstrated that changes in HbA1c were related significantly to changes in weight, but not to changes in REM‐AHI and NREM‐AHI. Compared to control, the ILI reduced REM‐AHI and NREM‐AHI during the 4‐year follow‐up. Weight, as opposed to REM‐AHI and NREM‐AHI, was related to changes in HbA1c. The findings imply that weight loss from a lifestyle intervention is more important than reductions in AHI for improving glycaemic control in T2D patients with OSA.
Postoperative Evaluation of Reduction Loss in Proximal Humeral Fractures: A Comparison of Plain Radiographs and Computed Tomography
Authors: Jia Xiao‐yang , Chen Yan‐xi , Qiang Min‐fei , Zhang Kun , Li Hao‐bo , Jiang Yu‐chen , Zhang Yi‐jie
Published: May 2017

Objective

To compare postoperative CT images with plain radiographs for measuring prognostic factors of reduction loss of fractures of the proximal part of the humerus.

Methods

A total of 65 patients who sustained fractures of the proximal humerus treated with locking plates from June 2012 to October 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 24 men and 41 women, with a mean age of 60.0 years (range, 22–76 years). According to the Neer classification system of proximal humeral fracture, there were 26 two‐part, 27 three‐part and 12 four‐part fractures of the proximal part of the humerus, and all fractures were treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) using locked plating. All postoperative CT images and plain radiographs of the patients were obtained. Prognostic factors of the reduction loss were the change of neck shaft angle (NSA) and the change of humeral head height (HHH). The change of NSA and HHH were evaluated by the difference between postoperative initial and final follow‐up measurement. Reduction loss was defined as the change ≥10° for NSA or ≥5 mm for HHH. The NSA and HHH were measured using plain radiographs and 3‐D CT images, both initially and at final follow‐up. The paired t‐test was used for comparison of NSA, change of NSA, HHH, and change of HHH between two image modalities. The differences between two image modalities in the assessment of reduction loss were examined using the χ2‐test (McNemar test). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to assess the intra‐observer and inter‐observer reliability.

Results

3‐D CT images (ICC range, 0.834–0.967) were more reliable in all parameters when compared with plain radiographs (ICC range, 0.598–0.915). Significant differences were found between the two image modalities in all parameters (plain radiographs: initial NSA = 133.6° ± 3.8°, final NSA = 130.0° ± 1.9°, initial HHH = 17.9 ± 0.9 mm, final HHH = 15.8 ± 1.5 mm; 3‐D CT: initial NSA = 131.4° ± 3.4°, final NSA = 128.8° ± 1.7°, initial HHH = 16.8 ± 1.2 mm, final HHH = 14.5 ± 1.1 mm; all P < 0.05). In the assessment of reduction loss, the percentage was 16.9% (11/65) for the plain radiographs and 7.7% (5/65) for the 3‐D CT scans (P < 0.05). For the 5 patients with reduction loss, which were observed by two imaging modalities, the mean Constant–Murley score was 61.0 ± 1.6. The patients with reduction loss, observed only in plain radiographs but not CT images, had good shoulder function (Constant–Murley score: 82.7 ± 1.0).

Conclusions

Our data reveal that 3‐D CT images are more reliable than plain radiographs in the assessment of the prognostic factors of reduction loss of fractures of the proximal part of the humerus with treatment of locking plates; this reliable CT technique can serve as an effective guideline for the subsequent clinical management of patients.
Act Versus Impact: Conservatives and Liberals Exhibit Different Structural Emphases in Moral Judgment
Authors: Hannikainen Ivar R. , Miller Ryan M. , Cushman Fiery A.
Published: May 2017

Conservatives and liberals disagree sharply on matters of morality and public policy. We propose a novel account of the psychological basis of these differences. Specifically, we find that conservatives tend to emphasize the intrinsic value of actions during moral judgment, in part by mentally simulating themselves performing those actions, while liberals instead emphasize the value of the expected outcomes of the action. We then demonstrate that a structural emphasis on actions is linked to the condemnation of victimless crimes, a distinctive feature of conservative morality. Next, we find that the conservative and liberal structural approaches to moral judgment are associated with their corresponding patterns of reliance on distinct moral foundations. In addition, the structural approach uniquely predicts that conservatives will be more opposed to harm in circumstances like the well‐known trolley problem, a result which we replicate. Finally, we show that the structural approaches of conservatives and liberals are partly linked to underlying cognitive styles (intuitive versus deliberative). Collectively, these findings forge a link between two important yet previously independent lines of research in political psychology: cognitive style and moral foundations theory.