bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Habitat suitability, live abundance and their link to road mortality of Tasmanian wildlife
Authors: Nguyen Hanh K. D. , Fielding Matthew W. , Buettel Jessie C. , Brook Barry W.
Published: April 2019

ContextTasmania has been called the roadkill capital of Australia. However, little is known about the population-level impact of vehicle mortality on native mammals in the island state.
AimsThe aims were to investigate the predictability of roadkill on a given route, based on models of species distribution and live animal abundance for three marsupial species in Tasmania – the Tasmanian pademelon (Thylogale billardierii), Bennett’s wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) and the bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) – and to assess the possibility of predicting the magnitude of state-wide road mortality based on live animal abundance.
MethodsRoad mortality of the three species was measured on eight 15-km road segments in south-eastern Tasmania, during 16 weeks over the period 2016–17. Climate suitability was predicted using state-wide geographical location records, using species distribution models, and counts of these species from 190 spotlight survey roads.
Key resultsThe Tasmanian pademelons were the most frequently killed animal encountered over the study period. Live abundance, predicted by fitting models to spotlight counts, did not correlate with this fatality rate for any species. However, the climate suitability index generated by the species distribution models was strongly predictive for wombat roadkill, and moderately so for pademelons.
ConclusionsAlthough distributional and wildlife abundance records are commonly available and well described by models based on climate, vegetation and land-use predictors, this approach to climate suitability modelling has limited predictability for roadkill counts on specific routes.
ImplicationsRoad-specific factors, such as characteristics of the road infrastructure, nearby habitats and behavioural traits, seem to be required to explain roadkill frequency. Determining their relative importance will require spatial analysis of roadkill locations.
Modelling academic entrepreneurial intention with Bayesian networks / Modelado de la intención emprendedora académica con redes bayesianas
Authors: Ruiz-Ruano Ana-María , Puga Jorge L.
Published: April 2019

Entrepreneurship serves as an engine for the economy and has sparked a great deal of scholarly interest since the Enlightenment. Today, universities play an essential role in knowledge transfer as drivers that promote this phenomenon. The objective of this study is to compare different theoretical models that seek to explain the variables involved in entrepreneurial intention among university faculty using an automatic structural learning method of Bayesian networks. The sample was comprised of 1,068 professors from Spanish public universities between the ages of 24 and 77 ( M = 43.54, SD = 9.78). The results show that the variables that directly predict entrepreneurial intention are self-efficacy, desirability, attitude and social norm. These results are interesting for further exploring knowledge of the variables involved in the process of entrepreneurship at the university level and proposing systems to foster entrepreneurship.
A feminist look at social psychology / Una mirada feminista a la psicología social
Authors: Ferrer-Pérez Victoria A.
Published: April 2019

This theoretical revision starts from the consideration that the gender perspective constitutes a critical, explanatory and alternative vision that comes from feminism and generates an analysis framework that takes into consideration and pays attention to the differences and inequalities between women and men in any activity or area of social development, research or public policies. The objective of this revision is to provide clues to understanding what gender or feminist social psychology is. To this end, firstly, we briefly describe feminist theoretical assumptions and the gender or feminist perspective, which constitute its starting point, and secondly, we analyse what it means to integrate these principles into psychology.
Precipitates-interaction capture of nano-sized iron-rich precipitates during copper solidification
Authors: Chen Kaixuan , Chen Xiaohua , Wang Zidong
Published: April 2019

Nano-sized iron-rich precipitates reinforced copper alloys achieve excellent mechanical properties. Capture mechanism of iron-rich precipitates into copper grains during solidification was described but needs further validation. Here, Cu-1.5Fe-0.5Co (wt-%) alloy is fabricated by gravity casting. Iron-rich precipitates in nano and submicron scale (mostly < 100 nm) are well dispersed in copper grain interior. Traditional pushing/engulfment transition (PET) models are used to interpret the capture process of iron-rich precipitates during copper solidification, but all fail to match the experimental results. The precipitates-interaction capture mechanism is most reasonable for describing the capture process.
Powder bed fusion additive layer manufacturing of titanium alloys
Authors: Eskandari Sabzi Hossein
Published: April 2019

Powder bed fusion (PBF) techniques for additive layer manufacturing (ALM) are reviewed with a focus on titanium alloys production. Selective laser melting and electron beam melting are discussed in terms of feedstock production and processing-microstructure relationships. To control the PBF processes, an outline is presented on the computational modelling approaches for simulating process parameters and defects such as residual stresses and porosity at different length scales. It is concluded that by improving powder production techniques, designing new alloys and further developing ALM hardware, PBF techniques can reach commercial maturity.

This review was submitted as part of the 2019 Materials Literature Review Prize of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining run by the Editorial Board of MST. Sponsorship of the prize by TWI Ltd is gratefully acknowledged.
Effect of pressure on solidification cracking susceptibility of Al–Si alloys
Authors: Liu Jiangwei , Zeng Pingwang , Li Yuqiang , Kou Sindo
Published: April 2019

An approach was developed to calculate the crack susceptibility under various levels of pressure, and the corresponding numerical method was presented. The binary Al–Si alloy system was selected for study because the effect of high pressure on its phase diagram has been reported. The results showed a higher pressure can lead to a higher crack susceptibility and shift the most crack susceptible composition to higher solute contents. It was found a higher pressure can increase the effect of back diffusion on the solidification path and hence the crack susceptibility. This study provides a new understanding of the effect of pressure on solidification cracking susceptibility and can be a relevant starting point for studying solidification cracking under high pressures.
The effect of atmosphere on the composition of wire arc additive manufactured metal components
Authors: Elmer John W. , Gibbs Gordon
Published: April 2019

The effects of atmospheric contamination on wire arc additively manufactured (WAAM) components were studied by producing AM multilayer parts under controlled conditions. Gas impurity levels were maintained using an argon purge box at levels from atmospheric (210,000 ppm O2) to 1 ppm O2, and with corresponding levels of nitrogen. Stainless steel (308L), titanium (Ti–6Al–4V) and pure Ta were studied, each having different affinities for oxygen and nitrogen. Results show that WAAM parts made in air produce unacceptable oxygen and/or nitrogen levels for most applications. However, with moderate purging, all three metals can be deposited by WAAM with compositions similar to the starting wire, and the results are used to provide recommended minimum purge box atmospheres for each metal.
Progress on the regulation of myofibrillar function: Part 2
Authors: Granzier Henk L. , Moss Richard L.
Published: April 2019

The second of two special issues on contractile systems charts further progress towards an understanding of myofilament regulation.
The gapless energy spectrum and spin-Peierls instability of 1D Heisenberg spin systems in polymeric complexes of transition metals and hypothetical carbon allotropes
Authors: Cheranovskii V O , Slavin V V , Tchougréeff A L , Dronskowski R
Published: April 2019

We investigate the spin-Peierls instability of some periodic 1D Heisenberg spin systems having a gapless energy spectrum at different values of coupling J between the unit cells. Using the density-matrix renormalization group method we numerically study the dependence of critical exponents p  of spin-Peierls transition of above spin systems on the value of J. In contrast to chain systems, we find significantly non-monotonous dependence p (J) for three-legs ladder system. In the limit of weak coupling J we derive effective spin s chain Hamiltonians describing the low-energy states of the system considered by means of perturbation theory. The value of site spin s coincides with the value of the ground-state spin of the isolated unit cell of the system considered. This means that at small J values all the systems with the singlet ground state and the same half-integer value of s should have a similar critical behavior which is in agreement with our numerical study. The presence of gapped excitations inside the unit cells at small values of J should give, for our spin systems, at least one intermediate plateau in field dependence of magnetization at low temperatures. The stability of this plateau against the increase of the values of J and temperature is studied using the quantum Monte-Carlo method.
Generation of arbitrary all-photonic graph states from quantum emitters
Authors: Russo Antonio , Barnes Edwin , Economou Sophia E
Published: April 2019

We present protocols to generate arbitrary photonic graph states from quantum emitters that are in principle deterministic. We focus primarily on two-dimensional cluster states of arbitrary size due to their importance for measurement-based quantum computing. Our protocols for these and many other types of two-dimensional graph states require a linear array of emitters in which each emitter can be controllably pumped, rotated about certain axes, and entangled with its nearest neighbors. We show that an error on one emitter produces a localized region of errors in the resulting graph state, where the size of the region is determined by the coordination number of the graph. We describe how these protocols can be implemented for different types of emitters, including trapped ions, quantum dots, and nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond.
The Role of Sex and Age on Pre-drinking: An Exploratory International Comparison of 27 Countries
Authors: Ferris Jason , Puljević Cheneal , Labhart Florian , Winstock Adam , Kuntsche Emmanuel
Published: April 2019

Aims

This exploratory study aims to model the impact of sex and age on the percentage of pre-drinking in 27 countries, presenting a single model of pre-drinking behaviour for all countries and then comparing the role of sex and age on pre-drinking behaviour between countries.

Methods

Using data from the Global Drug Survey, the percentages of pre-drinkers were estimated for 27 countries from 64,485 respondents. Bivariate and multivariate multilevel models were used to investigate and compare the percentage of pre-drinking by sex (male and female) and age (16–35 years) between countries.

Results

The estimated percentage of pre-drinkers per country ranged from 17.8% (Greece) to 85.6% (Ireland). The influence of sex and age on pre-drinking showed large variation between the 27 countries. With the exception of Canada and Denmark, higher percentages of males engaged in pre-drinking compared to females, at all ages. While we noted a decline in pre-drinking probability among respondents in all countries after 21 years of age, after the age of 30 this probability remained constant in some countries, or even increased in Brazil, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States.

Conclusions

Pre-drinking is a worldwide phenomenon, but varies substantially by sex and age between countries. These variations suggest that policy-makers would benefit from increased understanding of the particularities of pre-drinking in their own country to efficiently target harmful pre-drinking behaviours.
Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Pair Bond Maintenance and Potential Neural Substrates in Female Prairie Voles
Authors: Walcott Andre T , Ryabinin Andrey E
Published: April 2019

Aims

Discordant heavy alcohol use is a risk factor for disruption of intimate partner relationships. Modeling these relationships in prairie voles indicates that biological effects of alcohol can contribute to this risk. In particular, alcohol consumption disrupted an established preference for a female partner in male prairie voles if the partner was drinking water, but not if the partner was drinking alcohol. The current study investigated the effects of alcohol consumption on pair bonds in female prairie voles.

Methods

Female and male prairie voles established pair bonds during 1 week of cohabitation. Following cohabitation, females and their partners were put into mesh-divided cages where they were given access to 10% ethanol and water or only water for 1 week. Pair bonds in female prairie voles were tested using the partner preference test (PPT). Following the PPT, we examined oxytocin, vasopressin and FosB immunoreactivity across several brain regions.

Results

Female prairie voles consumed more alcohol if their male partner was also drinking alcohol, but not if their partner was drinking water. During PPT, females preferred their partner over a stranger, regardless of their partner’s drinking status. Alcohol consumption decreased oxytocin immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and increased FosB immunoreactivity in the centrally projecting Edinger–Westphal nucleus.

Conclusions

Established partner preference in female prairie voles is resistant to alcohol consumption. This finding suggests that the risk for disruption of intimate partner relationships in females is not mediated by a decreased motivation to be with their partners.
Challenges for Exposure Science in Developing Countries
Authors: Naidoo Saloshni
Published: April 2019

Occupational and environmental exposures are important contributors influencing the burden of disease in developing countries. It is important to quantify the impact of exposures from working and living environments on individual and population health in order to reduce the burden of related diseases. Despite the tremendous advances made internationally in the field of exposure science, numerous challenges, including low literacy levels, poor organization of work and living, legislative gaps, and limited exposure science capacity, exist in developing countries. In this commentary, these challenges are discussed and recommendations for the exposure science community to help in addressing the challenges are proposed.
Another look at matrix correlations
Authors: Borzou Ahmad , Yousefi Razie , Sadygov Rovshan G
Published: April 2019

Motivation

High throughput technologies are widely employed in modern biomedical research. They yield measurements of a large number of biomolecules in a single experiment. The number of experiments usually is much smaller than the number of measurements in each experiment. The simultaneous measurements of biomolecules provide a basis for a comprehensive, systems view for describing relevant biological processes. Often it is necessary to determine correlations between the data matrices under different conditions or pathways. However, the techniques for analyzing the data with a low number of samples for possible correlations within or between conditions are still in development. Earlier developed correlative measures, such as the RV coefficient, use the trace of the product of data matrices as the most relevant characteristic. However, a recent study has shown that the RV coefficient consistently overestimates the correlations in the case of low sample numbers. To correct for this bias, it was suggested to discard the diagonal elements of the outer products of each data matrix. In this work, a principled approach based on the matrix decomposition generates three trace-independent parts for every matrix. These components are unique, and they are used to determine different aspects of correlations between the original datasets.

Results

Simulations show that the decomposition results in the removal of high correlation bias and the dependence on the sample number intrinsic to the RV coefficient. We then use the correlations to analyze a real proteomics dataset.

Availability and implementation

The python code can be downloaded from http://dynamic-proteome.utmb.edu/MatrixCorrelations.aspx.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Making Sense of ‘Joint Enterprise’ for Murder: Legal Legitimacy or Instrumental Acquiescence?
Authors: Hulley Susie , Crewe Ben , Wright Serena
Published: April 2019

The legal doctrine of ‘joint enterprise’ has been heavily criticized for lacking legitimacy, primarily linked to distributive (in)justice. This paper draws on the narratives of ‘joint enterprise prisoners’ serving long life sentences for murder to address such concerns and extend the discussion to questions of ‘legal legitimacy’. Prisoners who were early in their sentences explicitly rejected the legal legitimacy of joint enterprise, while those at a later stage reported ‘accepting’ their conviction and demonstrated ‘consent’ by engaging with their sentence. We argue that rather than representing normative acceptance of the legal legitimacy of joint enterprise over time, this acceptance is a form of instrumental acquiescence associated with ‘dull compulsion’ ‘coping acceptance’ and personal meaning making.
Characterizing the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Care Continuum Among Transgender Women and Cisgender Women and Men in Clinical Care: A Retrospective Time-series Analysis
Authors: Poteat Tonia , Hanna David B , Rebeiro Peter F , Klein Marina , Silverberg Michael J , Eron Joseph J , Horberg Michael A , Kitahata Mari M , Mathews W C , Mattocks Kristin , Mayor Angel , Rich Ashleigh J , Reisner Sari , Thorne Jennifer , Moore Richard D , Jing Yuezhou , Althoff Keri N
Published: April 2019

Background

Prior studies suggest that transgender women (TW) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are less likely to be virally suppressed than cisgender women (CW) and cisgender men (CM). However, prior data are limited by small sample sizes and cross-sectional designs. We sought to characterize the HIV care continuum comparing TW to CW and CM in the United States and Canada.

Methods

We analyzed annual HIV care continuum outcomes by gender status from January 2001 through December 2015 among adults (aged ≥18 years) in 15 clinical cohorts. Outcomes were retention in care and viral suppression.

Results

The study population included TW (n = 396), CW (n = 14 094), and CM (n = 101 667). TW had lower proportions retained in care than CW and CM (P < .01). Estimates of retention in care were consistently lower in TW, with little change over time within each group. TW and CW had similar proportions virally suppressed over time (TW, 36% in 2001 and 80% in 2015; CW, 35% in 2001 and 83% in 2015) and were lower than CM (41% in 2001 and 87% in 2015). These differences did not reach statistical significance after adjusting for age, race, HIV risk group, and cohort.

Conclusions

TW experience challenges with retention in HIV care. However, TW who are engaged in care achieve viral suppression that is comparable to that of CW and CM of similar age, race, and HIV risk group. Further research is needed to understand care engagement disparities.
Consecutive surgical sequelae in children and adolescents with Marfan syndrome after primary cardiovascular surgical interventions
Authors: Javier Delmo Eva Maria , Javier Mariano Francisco del Maria , Hetzer Roland
Published: April 2019

OBJECTIVES

This study focuses on the consecutive sequelae of children and adolescents with Marfan syndrome after primary cardiovascular surgical interventions and the long-term outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective review of children with Marfan syndrome who underwent primary surgical intervention in childhood (<18 years) and sequential cardiovascular operations between July 1986 and September 2014 was undertaken.

RESULTS

Thirty-six children (mean age 12.38 ± 4.4, range 0.62–17.14 years, at the first operation; 12 females) underwent a total of 97 sequential cardiovascular operations. Primary pathologies were annuloaortic ectasia, aortic root and ascending aorta aneurysm, aortic valve insufficiency, floppy mitral valve and midaortic syndrome. Initial operations were emergency in 2 and urgent and elective in 10 and 24 patients, respectively. Associated skeletal abnormalities were seen in 8. All underwent a second operation; 17 underwent a third operation; 6 had a fourth; and 2 had a fifth. The survival rate of children <13 years of age at the first operation compared to those who were older and male, was not statistically significant (P = 0.244). The cumulative survival rate based on age at first operation was 63.24 ± 0.16% at a mean follow-up period of 13.9 ± 6.8 (median 11.8, range 2–32.6) years.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with Marfan syndrome undergoing surgery during childhood needed sequential reinterventions. However, even with multiple consecutive surgeries, long-term outcome is deemed satisfactory.
Disability and quality of life in heart failure patients: a cross-sectional study
Authors: García-Olmos Luis , Batlle Maurice , Aguilar Rio , Porro Carlos , Carmona Montse , Alberquilla Angel , Sánchez-Gómez Luis M , Monge Elena , López-Rodríguez Ana B , Benito Luis , Baños Nicolas , Simón Amaya , Martínez-Álvarez Miguel A , Luque Eva M , García-Benito Cristina
Published: April 2019

Background

Although both hospitalization and mortality due to heart failure (HF) have been widely studied, less is known about the impact of HF on disability and quality of life.

Aim

To assess the degree of disability and quality of life in HF patients attended at family medicine centres.

Design and setting

Cross-sectional study of a cohort of HF patients attended at family medicine centres.

Methods

Disability was assessed with the WHODAS 2 questionnaire, which provides a global and six domain scores that is understanding and communication, getting around, self-care, getting along with people, life activities and participation in society. Quality of life was assessed with the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, which furnishes a global and two domain scores, physical and emotional.

Results

A breakdown of the results showed that 28% of patients had moderate disability and 16.7% had severe disability, with the most important areas affected being: life activities, 8.9% extreme disability and 30.3% severe disability; getting around, 34.6% severe disability and 2% extreme disability; and participation in society, 53.3% moderate-severe disability. Quality of life was mildly affected. New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification and sex were the major determinants of disability and quality of life. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists were associated with better scores in the “getting around” and “life activity” domains.

Conclusion

HF patients in primary care show an important degree of disability and an acceptable quality of life.
Fosfomycin tromethamine activity on biofilm and intracellular bacterial communities produced by uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from patients with urinary tract infection
Authors: González Maria José , Da Cunda Paula , Notejane Martín , Zunino Pablo , Scavone Paola , Robino Luciana
Published: April 2019

Fosfomycin tromethamine (FT), an old antibiotic revived as a new strategy to overcome antibiotic resistance, is an excellent option for the treatment of lower urinary tract infection (UTI). During UTI, Escherichia coli produces biofilms and could invade the bladder epithelial cells, developing intracellular bacterial communities (IBC). The present work aimed to evaluate the activity of FT on biofilms and IBC from clinical isolates of E. coli. A total of 38 E. coli clinical UTI isolates previously characterized as biofilm and IBC producers were studied. FT susceptibility was evaluated and its activity on 48 h biofilm was determined by microtiter plate-based biofilm assay comparing three different antibiotic concentrations. Two UPEC strains were selected to evaluate FT activity on IBC in vitro using T24 bladder cells. The survival percentage of intracellular bacteria after 24 h exposure to FT was calculated and compared to the percentage of intracellular bacteria without antibiotic. All the strains were susceptible to FT. FT produced a significant reduction of biofilms at the three concentrations tested, compared to the control. However, no statistically effect on IBC was observed after 24 h of fosfomycin exposure in cell culture. FT is a good option for bacterial biofilm reduction within UTI. However, it does not affect IBC.
Personality Moderates Intervention Effects on Cognitive Function: A 6-Week Conversation-Based Intervention
Authors: Cerino Eric S , Hooker Karen , Goodrich Elena , Dodge Hiroko H
Published: April 2019

Background and Objectives

Social isolation is associated with a higher risk of dementia. We previously conducted and showed the efficacy of an intervention which uses conversation (the core component of social interactions) as a tool to enhance cognitive function. We now explore whether cognitive improvements through conversation-based intervention depend on an individual’s personality.

Research Design and Methods

We reexamined data from a 6-week randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Number: NCT01571427) to determine whether conversation-based intervention effects were moderated by personality traits in 83 older adults (mean age = 80.51 years, 49 cognitively intact, 34 individuals with mild cognitive impairment). The intervention group participated in daily 30-min face-to-face semi-structured conversations with trained interviewers through a web-enabled system for 6 weeks. At baseline, psychosocial questionnaires and a neuropsychological battery were completed.

Results

Intervention group participants with high agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion exhibited significant improvements in language-based executive function tasks beyond changes in the control group (ps < .05). An opposite pattern for delayed recall memory and working memory tasks emerged among highly extraverted participants (ps < .05).

Discussion and Implications

Our exploratory findings suggest the adaptive role of personality traits in conversation-based cognitive interventions may be limited to tasks incorporating a language component, and offer initial evidence for personalized approaches to cognitive health in late life.
Targeted knock-in mice with a human mutation in GRTH/DDX25 reveals the essential role of phosphorylated GRTH in spermatid development during spermatogenesis
Authors: Kavarthapu Raghuveer , Anbazhagan Rajakumar , Raju Murugananthkumar , Morris Chon-Hwa Tsai , Pickel James , Dufau Maria L
Published: April 2019

Gonadotropin-regulated testicular RNA helicase (GRTH/DDX25) is a testis specific member of the DEAD-box family of RNA helicases expressed in meiotic and haploid germ cells which plays an essential role in spermatogenesis. There are two species of GRTH the 56 kDa non-phospho and 61 kDa phospho forms. Our early studies revealed a missense mutation (R242H) of GRTH in azoospermic men that when expressed in COS1-cells lack the phospho-form of GRTH. To investigate the role of the phospho-GRTH species in spermatogenesis, we generated a GRTH knock-in (KI) transgenic mice with the R242H mutation. GRTH-KI mice are sterile with reduced testis size, lack sperm with spermatogenic arrest at round spermatid stage and loss of the cytoplasmic phospho-GRTH species. Electron microscopy studies revealed reduction in the size of chromatoid bodies (CB) of round spermatids (RS) and germ cell apoptosis. We observed absence of phospho-GRTH in the CB of RS. Complete loss of chromatin remodeling and related proteins such as TP2, PRM2, TSSK6 and marked reduction of their respective mRNAs and half-lives were observed in GRTH-KI mice. We showed that phospho-GRTH has a role in TP2 translation and revealed its occurrence in a 3′ UTR dependent manner. These findings demonstrate the relevance of phospho-GRTH in the structure of the chromatoid body, spermatid development and completion of spermatogenesis and provide an avenue for the development of a male contraceptive.
Freedom of Symbolic Speech in the Context of Memory Wars in Eastern Europe
Authors: Nuzov Ilya
Published: April 2019

This article addresses the historic evolution and recent proliferation of memory laws that prohibit symbolic speech in Eastern Europe. A phenomenon of the latter part of the twentieth century, these laws traditionally enabled democracies to defend themselves against extreme ideologies by restricting symbols of totalitarian regimes. An analysis of recently adopted laws in Ukraine and Russia, however, demonstrates a shift away from these aims to restrictions on the use of symbolic speech as measures to counteract external security threats and competing historical narratives. In the climate of ‘memory wars’ in Eastern Europe, these laws are increasingly employed for the politics of memory and are likely to be misused for expedient political gains while running afoul of international human rights law, including freedom of expression and other norms embodied in the European Convention on Human Rights. The article concludes that drafting these types of laws narrowly and derogating from freedom of expression obligations in times of emergency might help to ensure their compliance with international law.
Selection bias introduced by informative censoring in studies examining effects of vaccination in infancy
Authors: López-López José A , Sterne Jonathan A C , Higgins Julian P T
Published: April 2019

Background

Many studies have examined ‘non-specific’ vaccine effects on infant mortality: attention has been particularly drawn to diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine, which has been proposed to be associated with an increased mortality risk. Both right and left censoring are common in such studies.

Methods

We conducted simulation studies examining right censoring (at measles vaccination) and left censoring (by excluding early follow-up) in a variety of scenarios in which confounding was and was not present. We estimated both unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs), averaged across simulations.

Results

We identified scenarios in which right-censoring at measles vaccination was informative and so introduced bias in the direction of a detrimental effect of DTP vaccine. In some, but not all, situations, adjusting for confounding by health status removed the bias caused by censoring. However, such adjustment will not always remove bias due to informative censoring: inverse probability weighting was required in one scenario. Bias due to left censoring arose when both health status and DTP vaccination were associated with mortality during the censored early follow-up and was in the direction of attenuating a beneficial effect of DTP on mortality. Such bias was more severe when the effect of DTP changed over time.

Conclusions

Estimates of non-specific effects of vaccines may be biased by informative right or left censoring. Authors of studies estimating such effects should consider the potential for such bias and use appropriate statistical approaches to control for it. Such approaches require measurement of prognostic factors that predict censoring.
Risk Assessment of the Tropism and Pathogenesis of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A/H7N9 Virus Using Ex Vivo and In Vitro Cultures of Human Respiratory Tract
Authors: Chan Louisa L Y , Hui Kenrie P Y , Kuok Denise I T , Bui Christine H T , Ng Ka-chun , Mok Chris K P , Yang Zi-feng , Guan Wenda , Poon Leo L M , Zhong Nanshan , Peiris J S Malik , Nicholls John M , Chan Michael C W
Published: April 2019

Background

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)-H7N9 virus arising from low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI)-H7N9 virus with polybasic amino acid substitutions in the hemagglutinin was detected in 2017.

Methods

We compared the tropism, replication competence, and cytokine induction of HPAI-H7N9, LPAI-H7N9, and HPAI-H5N1 in ex vivo human respiratory tract explants, in vitro culture of human alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) and pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-L).

Results

Replication competence of HPAI- and LPAI-H7N9 were comparable in ex vivo cultures of bronchus and lung. HPAI-H7N9 predominantly infected AECs, whereas limited infection was observed in bronchus. The reduced tropism of HPAI-H7N9 in bronchial epithelium may explain the lack of human-to-human transmission despite a number of mammalian adaptation markers. Apical and basolateral release of virus was observed only in HPAI-H7N9- and H5N1-infected AECs regardless of infection route. HPAI-H7N9, but not LPAI-H7N9 efficiently replicated in HMVEC-L.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that a HPAI-H7N9 virus efficiently replicating in ex vivo cultures of human bronchus and lung. The HPAI-H7N9 was more efficient at replicating in human AECs and HMVEC-L than LPAI-H7N9 implying that endothelial tropism may involve in pathogenesis of HPAI-H7N9 disease.
Development and Interlaboratory Validation of Two Fast UPLC–MS-MS Methods Determining Urinary Bisphenols, Parabens and Phthalates
Authors: van der Meer Thomas P , van Faassen Martijn , Frederiksen Hanne , van Beek André P , Wolffenbuttel Bruce H R , Kema Ido P , van Vliet-Ostaptchouk Jana V
Published: April 2019

People are constantly exposed to a wide variety of chemicals. Some of these compounds, such as parabens, bisphenols and phthalates, are known to have endocrine disrupting potencies. Over the years, these endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been a rising cause for concern. In this study, we describe setup and validation of two methods to measure EDCs in human urine, using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The phenol method determines methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, n-butyl- and benzylparaben and bisphenol A, F and S. The phthalate method determines in total 13 metabolites of dimethyl, diethyl, diisobutyl, di-n-butyl, di(2-ethylhexyl), butylbenzyl, diiso-nonyl and diisodecyl phthalate. Runtime was 7 and 8 min per sample for phenols and phthalates, respectively. The methods were validated by the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) for 13 compounds. In addition, EDCs were measured in forty 24-h urine samples, of which 12 EDCs were compared with the same samples measured in an established facility (Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark). The intra-assay coefficient of variability (CV) was highest at 10% and inter-assay CV was highest at 12%. Recoveries ranged from 86 to 115%. The limit of detection ranged from 0.06 to 0.43 ng/mL. Of 21 compounds, 10 were detected above limit of detection in ≥93% of the samples. Eight compounds were in accordance to NIST reference concentrations. Differences in intercept were found for two compounds whereas slope differed for six compounds between our method and that used in the Danish facility. In conclusion, we set up and validated two high-throughput methods with very short runtime capable of measuring 5 parabens, 3 bisphenols and 13 different metabolites of 8 phthalates. Sensitivity of the phenol method was increased by using ammonium fluoride in the mobile phase.
Field-Evolved Resistance of Northern and Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Populations to Corn Hybrids Expressing Single and Pyramided Cry3Bb1 and Cry34/35Ab1 Bt Proteins in North Dakota
Authors: Calles-Torrez Veronica , Knodel Janet J , Boetel Mark A , French B Wade , Fuller Billy W , Ransom Joel K
Published: April 2019

Northern, Diabrotica barberi Smith & Lawrence, and western, D. virgifera virgifera LeConte, corn rootworms (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) are major economic pests of corn, Zea mays L., in North America. Corn hybrids expressing Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) toxins are commonly used by growers to manage these pests. Several cases of field-evolved resistance to insecticidal proteins expressed by Bt corn hybrids have been documented in many corn-producing areas of North America, but only for D. v. virgifera. In 2016, beetles of both species were collected from five eastern North Dakota corn fields and reared in a growth chamber. In 2017, larvae reared from those populations were subjected to single-plant bioassays to screen for potential resistance to Cry3Bb1, Cry34/35Ab1, and pyramided Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1 Bt toxins. Our results provide the first documented report of field-evolved resistance in D. barberi to corn hybrids expressing Cry3Bb1 (Arthur problem population) and Cry34/35Ab1 (Arthur and Page problem populations, and the Ransom and Sargent populations) proteins in North America. Resistance to Cry3Bb1 was also observed in the Ransom population of D. v. virgifera. Increased larval survival on the pyramided Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1 hybrid was observed in both species. No cross-resistance was evident between Cry3Bb1 and Cry34/35Ab1 in any of the D. barberi populations tested. Our experiments identified field-evolved resistance to Bt toxins in some North Dakota populations of D. barberi and D. v. virgifera. Thus, more effective control tools and improved resistance management strategies are needed to prolong the durability of this technology for managing these important pests.
Velocity and orbital characteristics of micrometeors observed by the Arecibo 430 MHz incoherent scatter radar
Authors: Li Yanlin , Zhou Qihou
Published: April 2019

Using the Arecibo 430 MHz incoherent scatter radar located in Puerto Rico, we report the characteristics of the smallest meteors observed by any ground-based instruments. Coupled with an efficient pulse coding technique, the radar detects over 40 meteors min−1 in the dawn hours. The typical mass of these meteors is estimated to be 10−13 kg and the corresponding radius is about 2 μm. The velocity of the meteors is concentrated within a narrow range at a given time from mid-night to noon. Numerical simulations show that such a characteristic is most consistent with meteoroids having circular orbits in inclined planes. The orbital evolution of these meteoroids is most significantly affected by Poynting–Robertson and solar wind drags. They are captured by the Earth on their way to spiral into the Sun. At the mass range where drag forces dominate, Earth-crossing meteoroids are mostly expected to be in quasi-circular orbits because they can be produced anywhere outside the Earth's orbit. Our observation demonstrates this is indeed the case for retrograde meteoroids.
Orbital decay of short-period gas giants under evolving tides
Authors: Alvarado-Montes Jaime A , García-Carmona Carolina
Published: April 2019

The discovery of many giant planets in close-in orbits and the effect of planetary and stellar tides in their subsequent orbital decay have been extensively studied in the context of planetary formation and evolution theories. Planets orbiting close to their host stars undergo close encounters, atmospheric photoevaporation, orbital evolution, and tidal interactions. In many of these theoretical studies, it is assumed that the interior properties of gas giants remain static during orbital evolution. Here, we present a model that allows for changes in the planetary radius as well as variations in the planetary and stellar dissipation parameters, caused by the planet’s contraction and change of rotational rates from the strong tidal fields. In this semi-analytical model, giant planets experience a much slower tidal-induced circularization compared to models that do not consider these instantaneous changes. We predict that the eccentricity damping time-scale increases about an order of magnitude in the most extreme case for too inflated planets, large eccentricities, and when the planet’s tidal properties are calculated according to its interior structural composition. This finding potentially has significant implications on interpreting the period–eccentricity distribution of known giant planets as it may naturally explain the large number of non-circularized, close period currently known. Additionally, this work may help to constrain some models of planetary interiors, and contribute to a better insight about how tides affect the orbital evolution of extrasolar systems.
Analysis of basal chromosome instability in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Authors: Palmitelli Micaela , Stanganelli Carmen , Stella Flavia , Krzywinski Andrea , Bezares Raimundo , González Cid Marcela , Slavutsky Irma
Published: April 2019

Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer, contributing to tumour development and transformation, being chromosome instability (CIN) the most common form in human cancer. Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most frequent adult leukaemia in the Western world. In this study, we have evaluated basal CIN in untreated patients with CLL by measuring chromosome aberrations (CAs) and micronucleus (MN) frequency and their association with different prognostic factors. Seventy-two patients and 21 normal controls were analysed. Cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) studies were performed. IGHV (immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region) mutational status was evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. An increased number of CA in patients compared with controls (P = 0.0001) was observed. Cases with abnormal karyotypes showed increased CA rate than those with normal karyotypes (P = 0.0026), with a particularly highest frequency in cases with complex karyotypes. Among FISH risk groups, a significant low frequency of CA was found in patients with no FISH alterations compared to those with del13q14 and ≥2 FISH alterations (P = 0.0074). When mean CA value (6.7%) was considered, significant differences in the distribution of low and high CA frequency between cases with normal and abnormal karyotypes (P = 0.002) were observed. By MN analysis, higher frequency in patients compared to controls (P = 0.0001) was also found, as well as between cases with ≥2 FISH abnormalities and those with no FISH alterations (P = 0.026). Similarly, significant differences were observed when patients were divided according to mean MN frequency (2.2%; P ≤ 0.04). Interestingly, patients with high MN frequency had shorter time to first treatment than those with low frequency (P = 0.024). Cases with mutated and unmutated IGHV status showed increased CA and MN frequencies compared to controls (P ≤ 0.0007), but no differences between both groups were found. Our results support the strong interaction between CIN and genomic complexity as well as their influence on poor outcome in this pathology.
Comparative effectiveness of different antihypertensive agents in kidney transplantation: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Pisano Anna , Bolignano Davide , Mallamaci Francesca , D’Arrigo Graziella , Halimi Jean-Michel , Persu Alexandre , Wuerzner Gregoire , Sarafidis Pantelis , Watschinger Bruno , Burnier Michel , Zoccali Carmine
Published: April 2019

Background

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare benefits and harms of different antihypertensive drug classes in kidney transplant recipients, as post-transplant hypertension (HTN) associates with increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality.

Methods

The Ovid-MEDLINE, PubMed and CENTRAL databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing all main antihypertensive agents versus placebo/no treatment, routine treatment.

Results

The search identified 71 RCTs. Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) (26 trials) reduced the risk for graft loss {risk ratio [RR] 0.58 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38–0.89]}, increased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) [mean difference (MD) 3.08 mL/min (95% CI 0.38–5.78)] and reduced blood pressure (BP). Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) (13 trials) reduced the risk for graft loss [RR 0.62 (95% CI 0.40–0.96)] but decreased renal function and increased the risk for hyperkalaemia. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) (10 trials) did not modify the risk of death, graft loss and non-fatal CV events and increased the risk for hyperkalaemia. When pooling ACEI and ARB data, the risk for graft failure was lower in renin–angiotensin system (RAS) blockade as compared with control treatments. In direct comparison with ACEIs or ARBs (11 trials), CCBs increased GFR [MD 11.07 mL/min (95% CI 6.04–16.09)] and reduced potassium levels but were not more effective in reducing BP. There are few available data on mortality, graft loss and rejection. Very few studies performed comparisons with other active drugs.

Conclusions

CCBs could be the preferred first-step antihypertensive agents in kidney transplant patients, as they improve graft function and reduce graft loss. No definite patient or graft survival benefits were associated with RAS inhibitor use over conventional treatment.
Scalable volumetric imaging for ultrahigh-speed brain mapping at synaptic resolution
Authors: Wang Hao , Zhu Qingyuan , Ding Lufeng , Shen Yan , Yang Chao-Yu , Xu Fang , Shu Chang , Guo Yujie , Xiong Zhiwei , Shan Qinghong , Jia Fan , Su Peng , Yang Qian-Ru , Li Bing , Cheng Yuxiao , He Xiaobin , Chen Xi , Wu Feng , Zhou Jiang-Ning , Xu Fuqiang , Han Hua , Lau Pak-Ming , Bi Guo-Qiang
Published: April 2019

The speed of high-resolution optical imaging has been a rate-limiting factor for meso-scale mapping of brain structures and functional circuits, which is of fundamental importance for neuroscience research. Here, we describe a new microscopy method of Volumetric Imaging with Synchronized on-the-fly-scan and Readout (VISoR) for high-throughput, high-quality brain mapping. Combining synchronized scanning beam illumination and oblique imaging over cleared tissue sections in smooth motion, the VISoR system effectively eliminates motion blur to obtain undistorted images. By continuously imaging moving samples without stopping, the system achieves high-speed 3D image acquisition of an entire mouse brain within 1.5 hours, at a resolution capable of visualizing synaptic spines. A pipeline is developed for sample preparation, imaging, 3D image reconstruction and quantification. Our approach is compatible with immunofluorescence methods, enabling flexible cell-type specific brain mapping and is readily scalable for large biological samples such as primate brains. Using this system, we examined behaviorally relevant whole-brain neuronal activation in 16 c-Fos-shEGFP mice under resting or forced swimming conditions. Our results indicate the involvement of multiple subcortical areas in stress response. Intriguingly, neuronal activation in these areas exhibits striking individual variability among different animals, suggesting the necessity of sufficient cohort size for such studies.