bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Similar Transition Processes in Synovial Fibroblasts from Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis: A Single-Cell Study
Authors: Cai Shaozhe , Ming Bingxia , Ye Cong , Lin Shengyan , Hu Peng , Tang Jungen , Zheng Fang , Dong Lingli
Published: July 2019

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) are common rheumatic disorders that primarily involve joints. The inflammation of the synovium can be observed in both of the two diseases. Synovial fibroblasts (SFs) play an important role in the inflammatory process of the synovium. The functional states of synovial fibroblasts are heterogeneous, and the detailed transition process of their functional states is still unclear. By using transcriptomic data of SFs at a single-cell level, we found a similar transition process for SFs in RA and OA. We also identified the potential regulatory effects of the WNT signaling pathway, the TGF-βsignaling pathway, the FcεRI signaling pathway, and the ERBB signaling pathway on modifying the SFs’ functional state. These findings indicate potentially overlapped pathogenic mechanisms in these two diseases, which may help uncover new therapeutic targets to ameliorate disease progression.
Impact of Tooth Loss and Other Risk Factors on Cognitive Impairment in Saudi Female Population
Authors: Abdulhade Ganem Atheer , Sandeepa N. C. , Hassan Alkhayri Afnan , Mohammed Mousa Yosra
Published: July 2019

Introduction. It is known that cognitive impairment is linked to aging and neurobiological, psychological, and social factors. Recently, however, mastication and the number of teeth has also attracted attention, with a previous case control study reporting a correlation between the loss of teeth and Alzheimer’s disease. Objective. To investigate possible relationships between cognitive function and various demographic variables, stress, medical history, and number of natural teeth in a specified female population. Materials & Methods. A sample of the Saudi female population, 40–65 years of age, who visited the King Khalid University College of Dentistry (Abha, Saudi Arabia), was studied. Education, occupation, perceived stress, and medical history, along with the number of remaining teeth, were assessed. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to assess cognitive performance and the results were statistically analyzed. Results. Subjects were divided into those with mild, moderate, and severe impairment based on MMSE score; the association between age, education, occupation, medical history, and cognitive function demonstrated statistically significant results. Fifty percent of subjects with 0–16 teeth exhibited severe cognitive impairment. Of the cognitive abilities, attention, recall, and language skills were linked to the number of remaining teeth. When subjects were categorized into only high and low cognitive impairment based on MMSE score, regression analysis did not reveal a significant correlation between any of the studied variables and cognitive impairment. Conclusion. Results of the present study add to the recent data and head towards the theory of likely connection between the number of teeth and hippocampus-dependent cognitive functioning. Results of regression analysis revealed an absence of conclusive relation in the latter part of study. Longitudinal analyses including comprehensive clinical dental data with brain-imaging will shed further light on probable causal relationship(s).
Relationship between Freezing of Gait and Anxiety in Parkinson’s Disease Patients: A Systemic Literature Review
Authors: Witt Ivan , Ganjavi Hooman , MacDonald Penny
Published: July 2019

Freezing of gait (FOG) is experienced by a significant number of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The pathophysiology of this disabling motor symptom remains unclear, and there are no effective therapies. Anxiety has previously been posited as a contributing factor to gait freezing. There have been few studies directly investigating this topic, and a comprehensive literature review is lacking. The objective of this paper was to systematically review the evidence associating anxiety with the presence, severity, and progression of FOG in PD patients. The PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases were searched up to September 19, 2018, for English-language, peer-reviewed articles that explored anxiety and FOG as outcome measures in a PD population base. Review articles, case reports, and articles that assessed gait disorders other than FOG were excluded, yielding a total of 26 articles in the final analysis. Of these 26 studies, 16 had a significant relationship between anxiety outcome measure and either presence or severity of FOG. There was great variability among studies in terms of outcome measures for both FOG and anxiety. Despite this heterogeneity, most studies relate anxiety and FOG. Standardized, high-validity outcome measures of anxiety and FOG are needed. Future exploration should aim to clarify the role of anxiety in FOG as a causal factor, pathophysiological marker, and manifestation of a common pathophysiological process versus a consequence of FOG itself. Clarifying the relationship between anxiety and FOG could reveal anxiety reduction as a therapy for FOG.
A Cross-Sectional Study ofEntamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovskiiComplex in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Soares Neci M. , Azevedo Helen C. , Pacheco Flávia T. F. , de Souza Joelma N. , Del-Rei Rodrigo P. , Teixeira Márcia C. A. , Santos Fred L. N.
Published: July 2019

Epidemiological studies on species-specificEntamoebainfections are scarce due to the morphological similarity of pathogenicEntamoeba histolyticaand nonpathogenicE. disparandE. moshkovskii. The diagnosis ofE. histolyticais frequently based on coproantigen (E. histolytica-Gal/GalNAc lectin specific) detection by immunoassays. However, specificE. histolytica-lectin is not expressed in cysts, which are eliminated by asymptomatic individuals leading to false-negative results and an underestimation of amebiasis prevalence. Molecular techniques based on the amplification of parasite DNA have been shown to be a highly sensitive and specific method that allows the detection of differentEntamoebaspecies. This study aimed to assess the frequency of the species fromE. histolytica/dispar/moshkovskiicomplex by molecular and immunological techniques in individuals attended at a public health system in Salvador-Bahia, Brazil. A cross-sectional study involving 55,218 individuals was carried out. The diagnosis was based on microscopy revealingE. histolytica/dispar/moshkovskiicomplex. The species differentiation was performed byE. histolytica-specific antigen, serological evaluation and by molecular technique. The overall prevalence ofE. histolytica/dispar/moshkovskiicomplex determined by microscopy was approximately 0.49% (273/55,218).E. histolytica-specific antigen detection and molecular characterization returned 100% negativity forE. histolytica. However, serological evaluation returned an 8.9% positivity (8/90). In the stool samples analysed by PCR, it was not possible to identifyE. histolyticaandE. moshkovskii, although circulating IgG anti-E. histolyticahas been detected.
Dynamics of the O. felineus Infestation Intensity and Egg Production in Carcinogenesis and Partial Hepatectomy in the Setting of Superinvasive Opisthorchiasis
Authors: Bychkov Vitaly G. , Kalyonova Ludmila F. , Khadieva Elena D. , Lazarev Semen D. , Lukmanov Ilgiz R. , Shidin Vladimir A. , Morozov Evgeny N.
Published: July 2019

Clinical and experimental studies have shown that opisthorchii tend to evade tumour growth foci to colonize more distant areas of the liver. When modelling tumours with various carcinogens in the setting of superinvasive opisthorchiasis, the intensity of invasion is reduced both before the formation of neoplasms (>120 days) and after the development of tumours of various histogeneses (liver, pancreas, and stomach) (>240 days). Egg production was observed to increase with the decrease in the number of parasites in the liver. The smallest changes in the infestation intensity indicators and egg production were observed in the experimental stomach tumours (p>0.05). A partial hepatectomy in the setting of opisthorchiasis did not affect the number of parasites in the ecological niche (liver) or the production of eggs by the helminth. With the deterioration of the vegetation state, parasite clumps of opisthorchii increase egg production under the conditions of distress.
Anti-miRNA Oligonucleotide Therapy for Chondrosarcoma
Authors: Sun Xiaojuan , Chen Yupeng , Yu Hongchuan , Machan Jason T. , Alladin Ashna , Ramirez Jose , Taliano Ross , Hart Jesse , Chen Qian , Terek Richard M.
Published: July 2019

Chondrosarcoma is a highly aggressive primary malignant bone tumor mostly occurring in adults. There are no effective systemic treatments, and patients with this disease have poor survival. miR-181a is an oncomiR that is overexpressed in high-grade chondrosarcoma and promotes tumor progression. Regulator of G-protein signaling 16 (RGS16) is a target of miR-181a. Inhibition of RGS16 expression by miR-181a enhances CXC chemokine receptor 4 signaling, which in turn increases MMP1 and VEGF expression, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Here, we report the results of systemic treatment with anti-miRNA oligonucleotides (AMO) directed against miR-181a utilizing a nanopiece delivery platform (NPs). NPs were combined with a molecular beacon or anti–miR-181a oligonucleotides and are shown to transfect chondrosarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Intratumoral injection and systemic delivery had similar effects on miR-181a expression in nude mice bearing chondrosarcoma xenografts. Systemic delivery of NPs carrying anti–miR-181a also restored RGS16 expression, decreased expression of VEGF and MMP1, MMP activity, and tumor volume by 32% at day 38, and prolonged survival from 23% to 45%. In conclusion, these data support that systemic delivery of AMO shows promise for chondrosarcoma treatment.
Application of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Psychiatry
Authors: Herrera-Melendez Ana-Lucia , Bajbouj Malek , Aust Sabine
Published: July 2019

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique, which noninvasively alters cortical excitability via weak polarizing currents between two electrodes placed on the scalp. Since it is comparably easy to handle, cheap to use and relatively well tolerated, tDCS has gained increasing interest in recent years. Based on well-known behavioral effects, a number of clinical studies have been performed in populations including patients with major depressive disorder followed by schizophrenia and substance use disorders, in sum with heterogeneous results with respect to efficacy. Nevertheless, the potential of tDCS must not be underestimated since it could be further improved by systematically investigating the various stimulation parameters to eventually increase clinical efficacy. The present article briefly explains the underlying physiology of tDCS, summarizes typical stimulation protocols and then reviews clinical efficacy for various psychiatric disorders as well as prevalent adverse effects. Future developments include combined and more complex interactions of tDCS with pharmacological or psychotherapeutic interventions. In particular, using computational models to individualize stimulation protocols, considering state dependency and applying closed-loop technologies will pave the way for tDCS-based personalized interventions as well as the development of home treatment settings promoting the role of tDCS as an effective treatment option for patients with mental health problems.
Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Conditioned Medium Promotes Wound Healing in Deep Second-Degree Burns in Male Rats
Authors: Aryan Arefeh , Bayat Mohammad , Bonakdar Shahin , Taheri Soudabeh , Haghparast Newsha , Bagheri Mohammad , Piryaei Abbas , Abdollahifar Mohammad-Amin
Published: July 2019

Burn wound treatment is difficult and one of the most challenging problems in the clinic. Researchers have examined the applications of mesenchymal stem cells as a cell-based therapy for skin regeneration. But the role of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell conditioned medium (hBM-MSC-CM) in the treatment of burn injury remains unclear. This research aims at detecting whether hBM-MSC-CM can increase the wound healing of deep second-degree burns in male rats. In this study, 32 adult male rats per each time point were randomly divided into four groups: (1) control group, (2) sham group (DMEM), (3) common treatment group (CT), and (4) conditioned media group (CM). A 3 × 3 cm circular burn was created on the back of the rats. On postsurgical days 7, 15, and 28, the wound closure area of each wound was measured and then the skin samples were removed and analyzed using stereological methods. Wound closure area was significantly increased in the CM and CT groups on the 15th and the 28th day after burn injury compared to the control and DMEM groups. The stereological parameters and immunohistochemistry analysis of the wounds revealed significantly improved healing in the CM group compared to the control and other groups. It is concluded that these findings indicate that hBM-MSC-CM promotes skin wound healing by increasing cell proliferation, regulating collagen synthesis and collagen composition, and inducing angiogenesis at the injury site.
Gestational weight gain, nutritional status and blood pressure in pregnant women
Authors: Campos Chiara Alzineth Silva , Malta Maira Barreto , Neves Paulo Augusto Ribeiro , Lourenço Bárbara Hatzlhoffer , Castro Marcia C , Cardoso Marly Augusto
Published: July 2019

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether weekly gestational weight gain is associated with anemia, vitamin A insufficiency, and blood pressure levels in the third trimester of pregnancy. METHODS: A prospective study with 457 pregnant women attending primary care in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre. The weekly gestational weight gain rate measured between the second and third trimesters was classified as insufficient, adequate, and excessive according to the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine 2009. The outcomes at the beginning of the third gestational trimester were: anemia (Hb < 110 g/L), vitamin A insufficiency (serum retinol<1.05 μmol/L) and blood pressure levels (continuous values, in mmHg). Age-adjusted prevalence ratios, schooling, and use of vitamin and mineral supplements were calculated in Poisson regression models with robust variance. RESULTS: A total of 18.6% of pregnant women had insufficient weekly weight gain, and 59.1% had excessive weight gain. The frequencies of anemia, vitamin A insufficiency and hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic ≥ 90 mmHg) were 17.5%, 13.4%, and 0.6%, respectively. The prevalence ratios for anemia among pregnant women with insufficient and excessive weight gain were 0.41 (95%CI 0.18–0.93) and 1.00 (95%CI 0.63–1.59), respectively, when compared to pregnant women with adequate weight gain. For vitamin A insufficiency, the adjusted prevalence ratio was significantly higher among pregnant women with insufficient weight gain (2.85, 95%CI 1.55–5.24) and no difference for excessive weight gain (1.53, 95%CI 0.84–2.74) when compared to pregnant women with adequate weight gain. Pregnant women with excessive weight gain had higher mean systolic blood pressure (111.10; 95%CI 109.9–112.2) when compared to pregnant women with insufficient weight gain (107.50; 95%CI 105.4–109.6) and adequate (106.20; 95%CI 104.3–108.20). CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient weekly gestational weight gain was associated with the risk of vitamin A insufficiency. Excessive weight gain, in turn, was associated with higher blood pressure values at the beginning of the third gestational trimester.
Ordinance 3992/2017: challenges and advances for resource management in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS)
Authors: Pereira Blenda Leite Saturnino , Oliveira Junior Antonio Carlos Rosa de , Faleiros Daniel Resende
Published: July 2019

To advance in order to overcome the challenge of enabling greater autonomy in the use of financial resources in the Unified Health System (SUS), system managers agreed that transfers from the Union to other federated entities will be carried out through a financial investment account and a costing account. Over the past few years, states and municipalities managed more than 34,000 bank accounts dedicated to the Union’s on-lendings, in which balance exceeded R$8 billion. However, from 2018, Ordinance 3,992/2017 unequivocally separated the budget flow from the financial flow, and the fund-to-fund transfers started to be carried out in only 11,190 bank accounts. Since then, managers have had financial autonomy in the management of financial resources received from the Union, if in accordance w
Spatial analysis of pneumococcal meningitis in São Paulo in the pre- and post-immunization era
Authors: Oliveira Danise Senna , Chiaravalloti Neto Francisco , Mota Thiago Santos , Araujo Daniel Brito de , Sartori Ana Marli Christovam
Published: July 2019

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the pneumococcal meningitis incidence rates in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, by age group, municipalities and micro-regions, as well as the spatial distribution of pneumococcal meningitis incidence rates among children under 5 years old in the pre- (2005–2009) and post-vaccination (2011–2013) periods and its associations with socioeconomic variables and vaccination coverage. METHODS: The data source was the Brazilian Notifiable Diseases Information System. For the pre- and post-vaccination periods, thematic maps were built for pneumococcal meningitis incidence in under-5 children, by São Paulo state micro-regions, vaccination coverage and socioeconomic variables, using QGIS 2.6.1 software. Scan statistics performed by the SatScan 9.2 software were used to analyze spatial and spatiotemporal clusters in São Paulo municipalities and micro-regions. A Bayesian inference for latent Gaussian model with zero-inflated Poisson model through the integrated nested Laplace approximation was used in the spatial analysis to evaluate associations between pneumococcal meningitis incidence rates and socioeconomic variables of interest in São Paulo micro-regions. RESULTS: From 2005 to 2013, 3,963 pneumococcal meningitis cases were reported in São Paulo. Under-5 children were the most affected in the whole period. In the post-vaccination period, pneumococcal meningitis incidence rates decreased among this population, particularly among infants (from 4.17/100,000 in 2005 to 2.54/100,000 in 2013). Two clusters were found in pre-vaccination – one of low risk for pneumococcal meningitis, in the northwest of the state (OR = 0.45, p = 0.0003); and another of high risk in the southeast (OR = 1.62, p = 0.0000). In the post-vaccination period, only a high-risk cluster remained, in the southeast (RR = 1.97, p = 0.0570). In Bayesian analysis, wealth was the only variable positively associated to pneumococcal meningitis (RR = 1.026, 95%CI 1.002–1.052). CONCLUSIONS: Pneumococcal meningitis is probably underdiagnosed and underreported in São Paulo. Differentiated rates of pneumococcal meningitis diagnosis and reporting in each microregion, according to the São Paulo Index of Social Responsibility, might explain our results.
Parental Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke or Atrial Fibrillation in Young Adults
Authors: McAlister Finlay A. , Yan Lin , Roos Leslie L. , Lix Lisa M.
Published: July 2019

Background and Purpose—

Cryptogenic strokes are often the first clinical manifestation of undiagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF). We designed this study to test whether parental AF is a risk factor for stroke in young adults.

Methods—

Population-based cohort study using linked administrative databases from April 1, 1972 to March 31, 2016 in Manitoba, Canada for 325 333 offspring (age ≥18 years) with at least 1 linked parent (total 582 195 parents). We examined the association between parental history of AF and stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in the offspring using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models.

Results—

Offspring median age at study entry was 18 years. During 5.533 million person-years of follow-up (mean 17 years), 8678 offspring had an incident stroke or TIA (5.2% of the 24 583 offspring with a parental history of AF compared with 2.5% of the 300 750 offspring with no parental history of AF), and 1430 were diagnosed with AF (1.9% versus 0.3%). Incidence rates for stroke/TIA were higher in offspring with a parental history of AF (195.0 versus 156.6 per 100 000 person-years). Parental AF was associated with elevated risk in offspring of stroke/TIA (hazard ratio 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04–1.18) or AF (hazard ratio 1.75; 95% CI, 1.55–1.97) and a higher frequency of other cardiovascular risk factors. After adjusting for demographics, region of residence, socioeconomic status, and other stroke risk factors in offspring, parental AF was associated with AF in their offspring in young adulthood (adjusted hazard ratio 1.61; 95% CI, 1.43–1.82); the association of parental AF with offspring stroke/TIA was attenuated (adjusted hazard ratio 1.05; 95% CI, 0.99–1.12) after adjusting for the other cardiovascular risk factors.

Conclusions—

Parental AF is associated with increased risk of AF and other cardiovascular risk factors in their offspring during early adulthood, resulting in increased stroke risk.
Functional Outcome Following Stroke Thrombectomy in Clinical Practice
Authors: Wollenweber Frank A. , Tiedt Steffen , Alegiani Anna , Alber Burkhard , Bangard Christopher , Berrouschot Jörg , Bode Felix J. , Boeckh-Behrens Tobias , Bohner Georg , Bormann Albrecht , Braun Michael , Dorn Franziska , Eckert Bernd , Flottmann Fabian , Hamann Gerhard F. , Henn Karl-Heinz , Herzberg Moriz , Kastrup Andreas , Kellert Lars , Kraemer Christoffer , Krause Lars , Lehm Manuel , Liman Jan , Lowens Stephan , Mpotsaris Anastasios , Papanagiotou Panagiotis , Petersen Martina , Petzold Gabor C. , Pfeilschifter Waltraud , Psychogios Marios-Nikos , Reich Arno , von Rennenberg Regina , Röther Joachim , Schäfer Jan-Hendrik , Siebert Eberhard , Siedow Andreas , Solymosi Laszlo , Thonke Sven , Wagner Marlies , Wunderlich Silke , Zweynert Sarah , Nolte Christian H. , Gerloff Christian , Thomalla Götz , Dichgans Martin , Fiehler Jens
Published: July 2019

Background and Purpose—

Endovascular treatment for large vessel occlusion in ischemic stroke has proven to be effective in large clinical trials. We aimed to provide real-world estimates of endovascular treatment reperfusion rates and functional outcome on a countrywide scale.

Methods—

Two thousand seven hundred ninety-four patients with large vessel occlusion were included into an investigator-initiated, industry-independent, prospective registry in 25 sites in Germany between June 2015 and April 2018. The primary outcome was the score on the modified Rankin Scale ranging from zero (no symptoms) to 6 (death) at 3 months. Secondary analyses included the prediction of a good outcome (modified Rankin Scale, 0–2). Dichotomized analyses of predictors were performed using logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders.

Results—

Median age was 75 years (interquartile range, 64–82); median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 15 (interquartile range, 10–19). Vessel occlusion was in the anterior circulation in 2265 patients (88%) and in the posterior circulation in 303 patients (12%). Intravenous alteplase before endovascular treatment was given in 1457 patients (56%). Successful reperfusion was achieved in 2143 subjects (83%). At 3 months, 854 patients (37%) showed a good outcome; mortality was 29%. There was no difference between anterior and posterior circulation occlusions (
P
=0.27). Significant predictors for a good outcome were younger age (odds ratio [OR], 1.06; 95% CI, 1.05–1.07), no interhospital transfer (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.03–1.88), lower stroke severity (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.08–1.13), smaller infarct size (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.15–1.39), alteplase use (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.08–2.06), and reperfusion success (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.45–1.96).

Conclusions—

High rates of favorable outcome can be achieved on a countrywide scale by endovascular treatment. Mortality appears to be greater in the daily routine than otherwise reported by authors of large randomized trials. There were no outcome differences between the anterior and posterior circulation.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT03356392.
Proteomic analysis of differently expressed proteins in sex differentiation phases of flower buds in monoecious Pistacia chinensis Bunge
Authors: Chen Yifan , Bai Qian , Ruan Funan , Su Shuchai
Published: July 2019

The Pistacia chinensis Bunge is traditionally dioecious, and the female trees are more required to grow in practice for oil seed production. The discovery of monoecious P. chinensis Bunge in North China provided good raw materials to study the sex differentiation process. The objective of this study was to identify the differently expressed proteins in flower buds in two key sex differentiation phases in monoecious P. chinensis Bunge. Morphological observation and paraffin section were used to determine the key phenophases, and label-free quantitative technique was used for proteomic analysis. The results showed that the proteins related to oxidative stress resistance up-regulated while proteins involved in photosynthesis down-regulated during the female primordium differentiation in bisexual flower buds of the monoecious P. chinensis Bunge in early March, while proteins related to oxidative stress resistance, ribosome activity, and photosynthetic function up-regulated during the male primordium differentiation in bisexual flower buds of the monoecious P. chinensis Bunge in late May. The most up-regulated proteins all involved in the photosynthesis pathway in both kind of flower buds in late May compared to those in early March, and the down-regulated proteins all involved in the ribosome pathway. The identified differentially expressed proteins such as the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutases may be possible molecular markers for sex determination in monoecious P. chinensis Bunge.
Primulina lianchengensis (Gesneriaceae), a new species from Danxia landform of Fujian, China: Evidence from morphological and molecular analyses
Authors: YE BAO-JIAN , CHEN XIN-YAN , ZHENG SHI-QUN , WANG LI-HUI , CHEN HUI , CHEN SHI-PIN
Published: July 2019

Primulina lianchengensis B.J.Ye & S.P.Chen (Gesneriaceae) is described and illustrated from Fujian Province in the Southeast of China. Then phylogenetic analyses of the genus were presented using nuclear ribosomal ITS and two plastid markers (atpB-rbcL and rpL32-trnL). Morphological analysis indicates that P. lianchengensis is similar to P. danxiaensis, P. depressa, P. lechangensis and P. yangshanensis, but it differs in the base and margin of leaf, petiole, bract, length and shape of corolla, numbers of staminodes and stigma lobe. Molecular analysis reveals that P. lianchengensis is genetically similar to P. danxiaensis and P. yangshanensis.
Phytoseiid mites of the subfamily Phytoseiinae (Acari: Phytoseiidae)from sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: UECKERMANN EDDIE A. , ZANNOU IGNACE D. , DE MORAES GILBERTO J. , OLIVEIRA ANIBAL R. , HANNA RACHID , YANINEK JOHN S.
Published: July 2019

This is the seventh publication in a series concerning the phytoseiid mites of sub-Saharan Africa. Sixteen phytoseiid species of the subfamily Phytoseiinae (Chantia: 1 species, Phytoseius: 13 species and Platyseiella: 2 species) are reported in this paper. They include all species of this subfamily known to occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Ten of these species are redescribed. Most of those species were collected in cassava habitats in tropical Africa and in other habitats in South Africa. A key is included to help in the separation of these species.
Three New Malodorous Rainfrogs of the Genus Pristimantis (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the Wokomung Massif in west-central Guyana, South America
Authors: MEANS D. BRUCE , SAVAGE JAY M.
Published: July 2019

Three new species of rainfrogs of the genus Pristimantis are described from a large mesa (tepui), the Wokomung Massif, of the Pakaraima Mountains in west-central Guyana. Pristimantis dendrobatoides n. sp. is known from 1385–1411 m, P. jester n. sp. from 1411–1650 m, and P. saltissimus n. sp. from 698–1560 m elevation. The three species are syntopic at elevations around 1400 m in cloud forest. All three taxa are unusual among species of Pristimantis in the production of malodorous and distasteful skin secretions when handled, conditions that are atypical for the genus. Two of the new species (P. dendrobatoides, P. jester) also have bright, red skin coloration, and the third (P. saltissimus) is either cryptically colored or brightly colored.
South American Caenis Stephens (Ephemeroptera, Caenidae), new species and stage descriptions
Authors: MOLINERI CARLOS , MALZACHER PETER
Published: July 2019

Eight species of Caenis are reported from Argentina, and new records are given for Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay. The nymphs of five of them are firstly described from reared material: Caenis burmeisteri, C. dominguezi, C. gonseri, C. tenella new combination, and C. ludicra. Female adult stage of all these species (except C. tenella) are also firstly described. The new combination Caenis tenella is proposed, and the name Caenis grimi is here treated as a junior synonym of it. Caenis uruzu new species is described from male imagos and nymphs. New distributional records from Argentina and Uruguay are given. Diagnosis and illustrations to distinguish all the treated species from other Caenis species are proposed. A key to adults and nymphs from Argentinean species of Caenis is provided.
Descriptions of four new Mexican riodinids (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae)
Authors: CALLAGHAN CURTIS J. , LLORENTE-BOUSQUETS JORGE , LUIS-MARTINEZ ARMANDO
Published: July 2019

Four new riodinid taxa from Mexico are described as follows: Euselasia pontasis sp. nov., Euselasia aurantiacus aurum ssp. nov., Exoplisia azuleja sp. nov., Synargis nymphidioides septentrionalis ssp. nov. The status of Necyria larunda Godman & Salvin, 1885, is reviewed. Habitats and distributional ranges are described for each taxon.
A Catalogue of Indian Stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera)
Authors: CHANDRA KAILASH , GUPTA DEVANSHU , AHMED ISHTIAQ
Published: July 2019

This catalogue lists 146 valid species included in 27 genera and 8 families of the order Plecoptera (Insecta) recorded from India. We record the nomenclatural changes of the species names, type localities, type depositories, and distribution. The Himalayan Region supports the greatest diversity (87 species), followed by the Northeast Region (51 species), Deccan Peninsula (18 species), Western Ghats (11 species), and Trans Himalaya (6 species). The Nemouridae (69 species, 7 genera) and Perlidae (49 species, 9 genera) represent nearly 80% of the species known from India. Approximately, 90 species are endemic to India.
Hindgut Ciliate Composition of Thoroughbred Mares in Kentucky, USA, and Binary Fission in Polymorphella ampulla
Authors: GÜRELLİ GÖZDE , LYONS EUGENE THOMAS , KESBİÇ FEVZİYE IŞIL
Published: July 2019

Species composition and distribution of hindgut ciliates were investigated in the feces of 20 thoroughbred mares in Kentucky, USA. Thirty-three species and six morphotypes belonging to 21 genera were identified. The average density of hindgut ciliates in mares was 13.5 ± 13.7 × 104 cells ml−1, whereas mean number of ciliate species per host was 14.4 ± 5.3. Bundleia nana, B. elongata, B. piriformis, Blepharoconus hemiciliatus, Holophryoides ovalis, H. macrotricha, Blepharoprosthium polytrichum, Prorodonopsis coli, Paraisotrichopsis composita, Blepharocorys microcorys, and Ochoterenaia appendiculata were the first identified species in horses inhabited in USA. Scanning electron microscopic images of Holophryoides macrotricha, Paraisotrichopsis composita, Cycloposthium dentiferum m. corrugatum, C. edentatum m. edentatum, C. edentatum m. scutigerum, Tetratoxum parvum m. parvum, T. parvum m. sulcatum, T. excavatum m. excavatum, Allantosoma intestinale, and Arcosoma brevicorniger were studied. Binary fission in Polymorphella ampulla was also studied.
Review of the enigmatic ‘shark’, Platyacrodus unicus Ameghino, 1935, from the Paleocene of Patagonia, Argentina: a history of palaeontologists, sharks and crabs
Authors: BOGAN SERGIO , AGNOLIN FEDERICO , EZCURRA MARTÍN D.
Published: July 2019

Platyacrodus unicus Ameghino, 1935, was described as an enigmatic shark probably related to the clade Heterodontidae. This species was described based on a single, small crushing tooth-like element coming from the “Salamancan” (Danian) of the Western Río Chico locality, Chubut province, Patagonia, Argentina. The holotype and only known specimen was never figured and only briefly characterized by its original describer Florentino Ameghino. The finding of the original figures and holotype specimen allows for a re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of this species. Here, Platyacrodus unicus is reinterpreted as the carapace of a small retroplumid crab of the genus Costacopluma Collins & Morris, 1975.
100 Years of Progress on Mountain Meteorology Research
Authors: Smith Ronald B.
Published: July 2019

Mountains significantly influence weather and climate on Earth, including disturbed surface winds; altered distribution of precipitation; gravity waves reaching the upper atmosphere; and modified global patterns of storms, fronts, jet streams, and climate. All of these impacts arise because Earth’s mountains penetrate deeply into the atmosphere. This penetration can be quantified by comparing mountain heights to several atmospheric reference heights such as density scale height, water vapor scale height, airflow blocking height, and the height of natural atmospheric layers. The geometry of Earth’s terrain can be analyzed quantitatively using statistical, matrix, and spectral methods. In this review, we summarize how our understanding of orographic effects has progressed over 100 years using the equations for atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics, numerical modeling, and many clever in situ and remote sensing methods. We explore how mountains disturb the surface winds on our planet, including mountaintop winds, severe downslope winds, barrier jets, gap jets, wakes, thermally generated winds, and cold pools. We consider the variety of physical mechanisms by which mountains modify precipitation patterns in different climate zones. We discuss the vertical propagation of mountain waves through the troposphere into the stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. Finally, we look at how mountains distort the global-scale westerly winds that circle the poles and how varying ice sheets and mountain uplift and erosion over geologic time may have contributed to climate change.
The Annual Cycle of Fractional Atmospheric Shortwave Absorption in Observations and Models: Spatial Structure, Magnitude, and Timing
Authors: Schwarz M. , Folini D. , Yang S. , Wild M.
Published: July 2019

We use the best currently available in situ and satellite-derived surface and top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) shortwave radiation observations to explore climatological annual cycles of fractional (i.e., normalized by incoming radiation at the TOA) atmospheric shortwave absorption [Formula: see text] on a global scale. The analysis reveals that [Formula: see text] is a rather regional feature where the reported nonexisting [Formula: see text] in Europe is an exception rather than the rule. In several regions, large and distinctively different [Formula: see text] are apparent. The magnitudes of [Formula: see text] reach values up to 10% in some regions, which is substantial given that the long-term global mean atmospheric shortwave absorption is roughly 23%. Water vapor and aerosols are identified as major drivers for [Formula: see text] while clouds seem to play only a minor role for [Formula: see text]. Regions with large annual cycles in aerosol emissions from biomass burning also show the largest [Formula: see text]. As biomass burning is generally related to human activities, [Formula: see text] is likely also anthropogenically intensified or forced in the respective regions. We also test if climate models are able to simulate the observed pattern of [Formula: see text]. In regions where [Formula: see text] is driven by the annual cycle of natural aerosols or water vapor, the models perform well. In regions with large [Formula: see text] induced by biomass-burning aerosols, the models’ performance is very limited.
“Freshwater” in the Ocean is Not a Useful Parameter in Climate Research
Authors: Schauer Ursula , Losch Martin
Published: July 2019

Ocean water is freshwater with salt. The distribution of salt concentration in the ocean changes by addition and removal of freshwater in the form of precipitation, continental runoff, and evaporation, and by a flow of saline ocean water that gives rise to a salt flux divergence. Often, changes in salinity are described in terms of “freshwater content” changes and oceanic “freshwater transports,” defined as fractions of freshwater. But these freshwater fractions are arbitrary, because they are defined by a nonunique reference salinity. Also all temporal and spatial comparisons and anomalies of such freshwater fractions in the ocean depend on the choice of reference salinity in a nonlinear way, because in the definition of the fraction it appears in the denominator. Consequently, any conclusion based on the comparison of freshwater fractions is ambiguous. Since there is no definite physical constraint for a unique reference salinity, freshwater fractions are declared not useful for the assessment of the state of ocean regions and the associated changes. In the light of ongoing changes in the water cycle and the global nature of climate science, scientific results need to be expressed in a way so that they can be easily compared and integrated in a global perspective. To this end, we recommend to avoid freshwater fraction as a parameter describing the ocean state. Instead, one should use the terms of the salt budget to obtain unique results for quantifying and comparing salinity.
Are claims of non-inferiority of Internet and computer-based cognitive-behavioural therapy compared with in-person cognitive-behavioural therapy for adults with anxiety disorders supported by the evidence from head-to-head randomised controlled trials? A systematic review
Authors: O’Kearney Richard , Kim Sheri , Dawson Rachelle L , Calear Alison L
Published: July 2019

Objective:

This review examines the evidence from head-to-head randomised controlled trials addressing whether the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural therapy for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorders in adults delivered by computer or online (computer- and Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy) is not inferior to in-person cognitive-behavioural therapy for reducing levels of symptoms and producing clinically significant gains at post-treatment and at follow-up. A supplementary aim is to examine the evidence for severity as a moderator of the relative efficacy of computer- and Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy and in-person cognitive-behavioural therapy.

Method:

PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase and Cochrane database of randomised trials were searched for randomised controlled trials of cognitive-behavioural therapy for these disorders with at least an in-person cognitive-behavioural therapy and Internet or computer cognitive-behavioural therapy arm.

Results:

A total of 14 randomised controlled trials (9 Internet, 5 computer) of cognitive-behavioural therapy for social anxiety disorder, panic disorder and specific phobia and 3 reports of effect moderators were included. One study showed a low risk of bias when assessed against risk of bias criteria for non-inferiority trials. The remaining studies were assessed as high or unclear risk of bias. One study found that Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy was superior and non-inferior at post-treatment and follow-up to group in-person cognitive-behavioural therapy for social anxiety disorder. One study of Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy for panic disorder showed non-inferiority to individual in-person cognitive-behavioural therapy for responder status at post-treatment and one of Internet cognitive-behavioural therapy for panic disorder for symptom severity at follow-up. Other comparisons (22 Internet, 13 computer) and for estimates pooled for Internet cognitive-behavioural therapy for social anxiety disorder, Internet cognitive-behavioural therapy for panic disorder and computer-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy studies did not support non-inferiority. Evidence of effect moderation by severity and co-morbidity was mixed.

Conclusion:

There is limited evidence from randomised controlled trials which supports claims that computer- or Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy for anxiety disorders is not inferior to in-person delivery. Randomised controlled trials properly designed to test non-inferiority are needed before conclusions about the relative benefits of in-person and Internet- and computer-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy can be made.

Prospero:

CRD420180961655-6
Latent Variable Interactions With Ordered-Categorical Indicators: Comparisons of Unconstrained Product Indicator and Latent Moderated Structural Equations Approaches
Authors: Aytürk Ezgi , Cham Heining , Jennings Patricia A. , Brown Joshua L.
Published: July 2019

Methods to handle ordered-categorical indicators in latent variable interactions have been developed, yet they have not been widely applied. This article compares the performance of two popular latent variable interaction modeling approaches in handling ordered-categorical indicators: unconstrained product indicator (UPI) and latent moderated structural equations (LMS). We conducted a simulation study across sample sizes, indicators’ distributions and category conditions. We also studied four strategies to create sets of product indicators for UPI. Results supported using a parceling strategy to create product indicators in the UPI approach or using the LMS approach when the categorical indicators are symmetrically distributed. We applied these models to study the interaction effect between third- to fifth-grade students’ social skills improvement and teacher–student closeness on their state English language arts test scores.
Factors that predict weight gain among first-year college students
Authors: Yan Zi , Harrington Alexandra
Published: July 2019

Aim and objectives:

In the USA, undergraduate students gain more weight in the first year in college than at any other point in their lives. However, the factors that predict their weight gain are unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the predictors of weight gain among first-year college students at a US college over a 3-month period.

Design:

Correlational longitudinal study using baseline and follow-up self-report survey data.

Setting:

A private college in the Northeastern USA.

Methods:

A total of 110 first-year college students were invited to complete both baseline and follow-up surveys 3 months apart. The baseline survey examined participants’ knowledge, self-efficacy, attitudes, intentions and practices regarding physical activity, diet and stress management. The follow-up survey evaluated barriers to diet and exercise practices.

Results:

Knowledge, attitudes, intentions and behavioural practices did not predict weight change. However, students who gained weight perceived significantly more personal and environmental barriers than those who did not change weight on the following variables: lack of motivation to exercise, no time to eat healthily, perception of lack of healthy food options and impact of bad weather on exercise.

Conclusion:

Even living in the same college environment, students perceive environmental barriers differently, which was associated with body weight gain. Health education and promotion professionals should guide students to overcome barriers to healthy eating and exercise, as well as making the campus environment more conducive to healthy behaviour.
Whiteness out of place: White parents’ encounters with local Chinese schooling in post-colonial Hong Kong
Authors: Groves Julian M. , O’Connor Paul
Published: July 2019

We identify a missing narrative about the place of whiteness in post-colonial Hong Kong. Using an anthropological framework developed by Mary Douglas, we show how white migrants who try to integrate their children into local Cantonese medium of instruction schools are challenged by recurring obstacles that highlight their whiteness and signal them as ‘matter out of place’ by transgressing colonial assumptions about whiteness in the territory. In adopting this framework, we reorient the current focus of whiteness studies away from examining the strategies and performances employed by white migrants in the production of whiteness to the regulation of whiteness by the social order. By identifying the absence of an appropriate narrative for these parents in the local education system, we highlight not just the continuity of colonial constructs of whiteness, but also the constraints upon those who try to escape them.
Social Class and Cosmopolitan Parenting in Taiwanese Families
Authors: Shih Yi-Ping
Published: July 2019

Cosmopolitanism, or “being international,” has become an ideal to which parents aspire for their children in East Asia. The objective of this article is to investigate the meaning of cosmopolitanism among Taiwanese middle- and working-class parents, and to examine how they incorporate cosmopolitanism into their child-rearing practices. Using data from the longitudinal family interviews of 30 families in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2008 and follow-up interviews in 2015, I find three distinct modes of cosmopolitan parenting. They are banal cosmopolitanism among the working class, which emphasizes the consumption of foreign products; pragmatic cosmopolitanism among the old middle class, which focuses on language skills and other competencies for interacting with foreigners; and dedicated cosmopolitanism among new professionals, which emphasizes in-depth understanding of other peoples and cultures. These results offer novel insights into the transmission of class advantage across generations and inform debates concerning the complex process of cultural globalization and local class structure in postindustrial societies.