bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proton pump inhibitors are associated with accelerated development of cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma in noncirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C infection: results from ERCHIVES
Authors: Li D. K. , Yan P. , Abou‐Samra A‐B. , Chung R. T. , Butt A. A.
Published: November 2017

Background

Proton pump inhibitors are among the most commonly prescribed medications in the United States. Their safety in cirrhosis has recently been questioned, but their overall effect on disease progression in noncirrhotic patients with chronic liver disease remains unclear.

Aim

To determine the impact of proton pump inhibitors on the progression of liver disease in noncirrhotic patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methods

Using the electronically retrieved cohort of HCV‐infected veterans (ERCHIVES) database, we identified all subjects who received HCV treatment and all incident cases of cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma. Proton pump inhibitor use was measured using cumulative defined daily dose. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed after adjusting univariate predictors of cirrhosis and various indications for proton pump inhibitor use.

Results

Among 11 526 eligible individuals, we found that exposure to proton pump inhibitors was independently associated with an increased risk of developing cirrhosis (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.32; 95% confidence interval: [1.17, 1.49]). This association remained robust to sensitivity analysis in which only patients who achieved sustained virologic response were analysed as well as analysis excluding those with alcohol abuse/dependence. Proton pump inhibitor exposure was also independently associated with an increased risk of hepatic decompensation (HR: 3.79 [2.58, 5.57]) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HR: 2.01 [1.50, 2.70]).

Conclusions

In patients with chronic HCV infection, increasing proton pump inhibitor use is associated with a dose‐dependent risk of progression of chronic liver disease to cirrhosis, as well as an increased risk of hepatic decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Current knowledge and perception of bariatric surgery among Greek doctors living in Thessaly
Authors: Zacharoulis Dimitris , Bakalis Vissarion , Zachari Eleni , Sioka Eleni , Tsimpida Dialecthi , Magouliotis Dimitrios , Tasiopoulou Vasiliki , Chatedaki Christina , Tzovaras George
Published: November 2017

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to assess doctors’ knowledge, current conceptions, and clinical practice regarding obesity and bariatric surgery.

Methods

A self‐administered survey was administered to 500 doctors with varying medical specialties in public and private practice.

Results

The response rate was 60%. Most participants (77.3%) were in private practice. Although almost half of the participants could define morbid obesity and obesity‐related comorbidities, only 8.7% felt educated about bariatric surgery. Participants had little knowledge of various types of bariatric procedures. A minority of doctors (24.7%) knew of the existence of a bariatric center in their area. Only 21.3% of doctors had referred a patient to a bariatric center. Reasons for non‐referral included lack of interest in bariatric surgery (37.3%), patient refusal (35.3%), increased operative fees (17.3%), lack of confidence in bariatric surgery (6.3%), and lack of access to a nearby bariatric center (3.7%). The majority of doctors were interested in learning more about bariatric surgery and related guidelines, but they remained reluctant to conduct patients’ postoperative follow‐ups.

Conclusion

The penetration of bariatric surgery in the medical community remains limited, despite its proven effectiveness in facilitating sustained weight loss and resolving several obesity‐related comorbidities. A great effort should be made to inform health‐care providers about the evolution of bariatric procedures, the potential benefits they offer, and the existence of certified bariatric centers. This will allow doctors to provide optimum health care to patients who could benefit from bariatric surgery.
EnGendering the State: Women's Work and Peru's 2012 Agrarian Census
Authors: Wilhoit Mary Elena
Published: November 2017

This paper analyzes rural women's work in the 2012 agrarian census in Ayacucho, Peru to demonstrate the effects of gendered labor on political subjectivities and processes of statecraft. Census work is an example of the temporary, low‐income jobs increasingly the mainstay of poor and landless women in semirural areas. Alongside short‐term jobs for NGOs or municipalities, however, such work provided its employees—in this case, low‐income, mestiza women—with channels for limited influence over local politics and development. At the same time, census work highlighted gendered attitudes toward the state and tensions over shifting patterns of gendered labor and political engagement. As both formal and illicit economies expand in Ayacucho, along with government interest in controlling the region, an analysis of the intersection of gendered labor trends and political attitudes provides a unique understanding of sovereignty and alterity that foregrounds local influence. Using the example of the census, I examine how women enacted governmental procedures through the limited, precarious work available to them, demonstrating both that the production of data used in policy is a negotiated process and that gendered relationships with the state reflect and are affected by local divisions of labor.
Performing Poweren Las Yardas(at the Yards): The Body, Capitalist Discipline, and the Making of MexicanYarderoLives in South Chicago
Authors: Lemus Sergio
Published: November 2017

This article examines the relationship between capitalism, the body, and discipline in a new working‐class population in Chicago, Illinois. Specifically, this analysis documents how Mexican lawn‐service workers—commonly known asyarderos—develop the discipline to control their movements, feelings, and bodily functions to perform lawn‐care services efficiently. The article draws on Michel Foucault's notion of biopower and Karl Marx's capitalist framework to advance an anthropological analysis of the ways in which workers become self‐disciplining. The article concludes with a reflection on the hardships of the lawn‐care industry, the production process, and how laughter becomes a mechanism to humanize an activity that is dehumanizing.
Blechschmidt Collection: Revisiting specimens from a historical collection of serially sectioned human embryos and fetuses using modern imaging techniques
Authors: Miyazaki Reina , Makishima Haruyuki , Männer Jörg , Sydow Hans‐Georg , Uwabe Chigako , Takakuwa Tetsuya , Viebahn Christoph , Yamada Shigehito
Published: November 2017

Along with the Carnegie Collection in the United States and the Kyoto Collection in Japan, the Blechschmidt Collection (Georg‐August‐University of Göttingen, Germany) is a major historical human embryo and fetus collection. These collections are of enormous value to human embryology; however, due to the nature of the historical histological specimens, some stains are fading in color, and some glass slides are deteriorating over time. To protect these specimens against such degradation and ensure their future usefulness, we tried to apply modern image scanning and computational reconstruction. Samples of histological specimens of the Blechschmidt Collection were digitized into images using commercial flatbed scanners with a resolution of 4800 pixels per inch. Two specimens were reconstructed into three‐dimensional (3D) images by using modern techniques to vertically stack two‐dimensional images of the slices into 3D blocks. The larger specimen of crown‐rump length (CRL) 64.0 mm, a series of very large histological sections in human embryology, was reconstructed clearly, with its central nervous system segmented before stacking. The smaller specimen of CRL 17.5 mm was also reconstructed into 3D images. The outer surface of the embryo was intact, and its development was classified according to the widely used Carnegie stages (CSs). The CS of the specimen was identified as the later half of CS 20. The invaluable Blechschmidt Collection can be revisited for further research with modern techniques such as digital image scanning and computational 3D reconstruction.
Inhibition of transient potential receptor vanilloid type 1 suppresses seizure susceptibility in the genetically epilepsy‐prone rat
Authors: Cho Sue J , Vaca Michelle A , Miranda Clive J , N'Gouemo Prosper
Published: November 2017

Aims

Intracellular calcium plays an important role in neuronal hyperexcitability that leads to seizures. One calcium influx route of interest is the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) channel. Here, we evaluated the effects of capsazepine (CPZ), a potent blocker of TRPV1 channels on acoustically evoked seizures (audiogenic seizures, AGS) in the genetically epilepsy‐prone rat (GEPR‐3), a model of inherited epilepsy.

Methods

Male and female GEPR‐3s were used. For the acute CPZ treatment study, GEPR‐3s were tested for AGS susceptibility before and after treatment with various doses of CPZ (0, 1, 3, and 10 mg/kg; ip). For semichronic CPZ treatment study, GEPR‐3s were tested for AGS susceptibility before and after 5‐day CPZ treatment at the dose of 1 mg/kg (ip). The prevalence, latency, and severity of AGS were recorded and analyzed.

Results

We found that acute CPZ pretreatment reduced the seizure severity in male GEPR‐3s; the effect was dose‐dependent. In female GEPR‐3s, however, CPZ treatment completely suppressed the seizure susceptibility. Furthermore, semichronic CPZ treatment suppressed seizure susceptibility in female GEPR‐3s, but only reduced the seizure severity in male GEPR‐3s.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the TRPV1 channel is a promising molecular target for seizure suppression, with female GEPR‐3s exhibiting higher sensitivity than male GEPR‐3s.
SEL: A unified algorithm for salient entity linking
Authors: Trani Salvatore , Lucchese Claudio , Perego Raffaele , Losada David E. , Ceccarelli Diego , Orlando Salvatore
Published: November 2017

The entity linking task consists in automatically identifying and linking the entities mentioned in a text to their uniform resource identifiers in a given knowledge base. This task is very challenging due to its natural language ambiguity. However, not all the entities mentioned in the document have the same utility in understanding the topics being discussed. Thus, the related problem of identifying the most relevant entities present in the document, also known as salient entities (SE), is attracting increasing interest. In this paper, we propose salient entity linking, a novel supervised 2‐step algorithm comprehensively addressing both entity linking and saliency detection. The first step is aimed at identifying a set of candidate entities that are likely to be mentioned in the document. The second step, besides detecting linked entities, also scores them according to their saliency. Experiments conducted on 2 different data sets show that the proposed algorithm outperforms state‐of‐the‐art competitors and is able to detect SE with high accuracy. Furthermore, we used salient entity linking for extractive text summarization. We found that entity saliency can be incorporated into text summarizers to extract salient sentences from text. The resulting summarizers outperform well‐known summarization systems, proving the importance of using the SE information.
Multi‐year simulation and model calibration of soil moisture and temperature profiles in till soil
Authors: Okkonen J. , Ala‐Aho P. , Hänninen P. , Hayashi M. , Sutinen R. , Liwata P.
Published: November 2017

In Nordic regions water infiltration into soil is controlled by soil moisture content and frozen soil conditions, which are regulated by soil temperature. For long‐term model predictions of the effects of climate change, models need to be tested with long‐term data to assess model sensitivity to parameter uncertainties under both typical and exceptional conditions. Ten‐year (2002–2011) daily soil moisture and temperature data at different depths in glacial till soils in central Finland were used to assess the sensitivity of a coupled heat and water transfer model, COUP, to model parameters. The model was most sensitive to the parameters controlling snow accumulation and melt, the thermal conductivity of frozen soil and soil water retention characteristics. Observed time series for soil temperature and moisture at different depths were matched reasonably well by model simulations, although the model performance with respect to moisture dynamics in the topsoil was relatively poor. The model was not able to simulate accurately exceptional winter conditions, such as mid‐winter snowmelt events. This study showed that the main characteristics of long‐term variation in soil temperature for till‐derived soil in a cold climate can be resolved by a coupled water and heat transport model. Better characterization of infiltration in cold climates would require measurement of water fluxes, and soil frost occurrence and penetration.

Highlights

Ten‐year soil temperature and moisture observations are predicted with coupled heat and water model.

Snow processes and soil thermal and water retention properties proved critical in our simulations.

Exceptional winter conditions pose a challenge in parameterization of the model.

Studies measuring water fluxes and soil frost occurrence are needed for advances in modelling.
Warming and top predator loss drive ecosystem multifunctionality
Authors: Antiqueira Pablo Augusto P. , Petchey Owen L. , Romero Gustavo Quevedo
Published: November 2017

Global change affects ecosystem functioning both directly by modifications in physicochemical processes, and indirectly, via changes in biotic metabolism and interactions. Unclear, however, is how multiple anthropogenic drivers affect different components of community structure and the performance of multiple ecosystem functions (ecosystem multifunctionality). We manipulated small natural freshwater ecosystems to investigate how warming and top predator loss affect seven ecosystem functions representing two major dimensions of ecosystem functioning, productivity and metabolism. We investigated their direct and indirect effects on community diversity and standing stock of multitrophic macro and microorganisms. Warming directly increased multifunctional ecosystem productivity and metabolism. In contrast, top predator loss indirectly affected multifunctional ecosystem productivity via changes in the diversity of detritivorous macroinvertebrates, but did not affect ecosystem metabolism. In addition to demonstrating how multiple anthropogenic drivers have different impacts, via different pathways, on ecosystem multifunctionality components, our work should further spur advances in predicting responses of ecosystems to multiple simultaneous environmental changes.
Bottom‐up vs. top‐down effects on terrestrial insect herbivores: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Vidal Mayra C. , Murphy Shannon M.
Published: November 2017

Primary consumers are under strong selection from resource (‘bottom‐up’) and consumer (‘top‐down’) controls, but the relative importance of these selective forces is unknown. We performed a meta‐analysis to compare the strength of top‐down and bottom‐up forces on consumer fitness, considering multiple predictors that can modulate these effects: diet breadth, feeding guild, habitat/environment, type of bottom‐up effects, type of top‐down effects and how consumer fitness effects are measured. We focused our analyses on the most diverse group of primary consumers, herbivorous insects, and found that in general top‐down forces were stronger than bottom‐up forces. Notably, chewing, sucking and gall‐making herbivores were more affected by top‐down than bottom‐up forces, top‐down forces were stronger than bottom‐up in both natural and controlled (cultivated) environments, and parasitoids and predators had equally strong top‐down effects on insect herbivores. Future studies should broaden the scope of focal consumers, particularly in understudied terrestrial systems, guilds, taxonomic groups and top‐down controls (e.g. pathogens), and test for more complex indirect community interactions. Our results demonstrate the surprising strength of forces exerted by natural enemies on herbivorous insects, and thus the necessity of using a tri‐trophic approach when studying insect‐plant interactions.
Performance Outcomes of Turnover Intentions in Temporary Organizations: A Dyadic Study on the Effects at the Individual, Team, and Organizational Level
Authors: Nuhn Helge F.R. , Heidenreich Sven , Wald Andreas
Published: November 2017

This research examines the link between turnover intentions from temporary and permanent organizations and how both types of turnover intentions affect employee performance at an individual, temporary and permanent organizational level. Using dyadic data from 253 team members and their supervisors we find that turnover intentions from temporary organizations significantly enhance turnover intentions from permanent organizations, which leads to decreasing performance at all three levels. A moderation analysis suggests that companies can reduce detrimental effects of turnover intentions from temporary organizations by providing transparency and possibilities to participate in staffing processes. Our paper contributes to research on the performance effects of employee turnover intentions by: (1) analyzing effects of turnover intentions from temporary organizations; (2) investigating the interplay between turnover intentions from temporary organizations and the permanent organization; and (3) considering performance effects at three different organizational levels.
Potentially high‐risk cardiac arrhythmias with focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures and generalized tonic–clonic seizures are associated with the duration of periictal hypoxemia
Authors: Park Katherine J. , Sharma Gaurav , Kennedy Jeffrey D. , Seyal Masud
Published: November 2017

Objective

To investigate potentially high‐risk cardiac arrhythmias (PHAs) following focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures (FBTCSs) and generalized tonic–clonic seizures (GTCSs) and to study the association of PHAs with seizure characteristics and the severity of associated ictal respiratory dysfunction.

Methods

Electrocardiographic (EKG) and pulse oximetry (SpO2) data were recorded concurrently with video‐electroencephalographic telemetry in the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU). One minute of preictal EKG, the ictal EKG, and 2 min of ictal/postictal data were reviewed for each seizure. Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, bradyarrhythmia, and/or sinus pauses were considered as PHAs. FBTCSs/GTCSs with PHAs were compared to those that had only ictal sinus tachycardia.

Results

Data from 69 patients with 182 FBTCSs/GTCSs with usable SpO2 and EKG recordings were available. There were 10 FBTCSs/GTCSs in 10 patients with a PHA. The presence of PHAs was not associated with seizure duration or SpO2 nadir. FBTCSs/GTCSs with a PHA were significantly associated with the duration of oxygen desaturation < 90% when compared with FBTCSs/GTCSs with only sinus tachycardia (Mann–Whitney, p = 0.042). Desaturation duration of <100 s was not significantly associated with occurrence of PHAs (p = 0.110) when compared with seizures that had only sinus tachycardia. The odds ratio for occurrence of PHA was 7.86 for desaturation durations ≥ 125 s versus desaturations < 125 s (p = 0.005). The odds ratio increased to 13.09 for desaturation durations ≥ 150 s (p < 0.001). Preictal and ictal/postictal arrhythmias occurred with focal seizures that did not progress to FBTCSs. Four patients with focal seizures had ictal/postictal PHAs without preictal PHAs. Two of these patients had evidence for prior cardiac disturbance.

Significance

PHAs following a single FBTCS/GTCS in the EMU are significantly associated with the duration of ictal/postictal hypoxemia. It is possible that FBTCS/GTCS‐associated hypoxemia may trigger fatal cardiac arrhythmias in a subset of susceptible patients dying of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.
The impact of hypsarrhythmia on infantile spasms treatment response: Observational cohort study from the National Infantile Spasms Consortium
Authors: Demarest Scott T. , Shellhaas Renée A. , Gaillard William D. , Keator Cynthia , Nickels Katherine C. , Hussain Shaun A. , Loddenkemper Tobias , Patel Anup D. , Saneto Russell P. , Wirrell Elaine , Sánchez Fernández Iván , Chu Catherine J. , Grinspan Zachary , Wusthoff Courtney J. , Joshi Sucheta , Mohamed Ismail S. , Stafstrom Carl E. , Stack Cynthia V. , Yozawitz Elissa , Bluvstein Judith S. , Singh Rani K. , Knupp Kelly G. ,   the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium
Published: November 2017

Objective

The multicenter National Infantile Spasms Consortium prospective cohort was used to compare outcomes and phenotypic features of patients with infantile spasms with and without hypsarrhythmia.

Methods

Patients aged 2 months to 2 years were enrolled prospectively with new‐onset infantile spasms. Treatment choice and categorization of hypsarrhythmia were determined clinically at each site. Response to therapy was defined as resolution of clinical spasms (and hypsarrhythmia if present) without relapse 3 months after initiation.

Results

Eighty‐two percent of patients had hypsarrhythmia, but this was not associated with gender, mean age, preexisting developmental delay or epilepsy, etiology, or response to first‐line therapy. Infants with hypsarrhythmia were more likely to receive standard treatment (adrenocorticotropic hormone, prednisolone, or vigabatrin [odds ratio (OR) 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–4.7] and preexisting epilepsy reduced the likelihood of standard treatment (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.9–5.4). Hypsarrhythmia was not a determinant of response to treatment. A logistic regression model demonstrated that later age of onset (OR 1.09 per month, 95% CI 1.03–1.15) and absence of preexisting epilepsy (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.06–2.81) had a small impact on the likelihood of responding to the first‐line treatment. However, receiving standard first‐line treatment increased the likelihood of responding dramatically: vigabatrin (OR 5.2 ,95% CI 2–13.7), prednisolone (OR 8, 95% CI 3.1–20.6), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; OR 10.2, 95% CI 4.1–25.8) .

Significance

First‐line treatment with standard therapy was by far the most important variable in determining likelihood of response to treatment of infantile spasms with or without hypsarrhythmia.
Distribution patterns of loliginid squid paralarvae in relation to the oceanographic features off the South Brazil Bight (22°–25°S)
Authors: de Araujo Carolina Costa , Gasalla Maria A.
Published: November 2017

Loliginid squids constitute marine resources of increasing importance in shelf ecosystems off the coast of South Brazil. However, the existing information and knowledge about the occurrence of early‐life stages and causes of distributional patterns are insufficient. Here, we have revisited Brazilian historical plankton samples obtained from 11 oceanographic surveys to identify paralarvae and their abundances over time. The study area and time period cover the region between Cabo de São Tomé (22°S) and Cananéia (25°S) at depths down to 200 m from 1991 to 2005. Of the 246 paralarvae quantified, ~50% were identified to the genus or species level, including Doryteuthis spp. (D. sanpaulensis and D. plei), Lolliguncula brevis and a single specimen of Pickfordiateuthis pulchella. Paralarval occurrence and abundance peaked in different areas and were associated with distinct oceanographic conditions: D. sanpaulensis occurred in the northern region associated with cold waters and upwelling events, D. plei occurred primarily in the southern region of the study area and in warmer waters, and L. brevis was found in shallow and low salinity waters in the estuarine region off the coast of Santos. Overall, the highest abundance of paralarvae occurred in the nearshore, northernmost areas during summer, and this can be associated with the observed retention mechanisms caused by local circulation, seasonal upwelling, the intrusion of nutrient‐rich waters, and spawning peaks. The present study provides new information and evidence for loliginid patterns in the area that may potentially be useful for better understanding the recruitment patterns and fishery assessments of squid populations.
Simulating the recent impacts of multiple biotic disturbances on forest carbon cycling across the United States
Authors: Kautz Markus , Anthoni Peter , Meddens Arjan J. H. , Pugh Thomas A. M. , Arneth Almut
Published: November 2017

Biotic disturbances (BDs, for example, insects, pathogens, and wildlife herbivory) substantially affect boreal and temperate forest ecosystems globally. However, accurate impact assessments comprising larger spatial scales are lacking to date although these are critically needed given the expected disturbance intensification under a warming climate. Hence, our quantitative knowledge on current and future BD impacts, for example, on forest carbon (C) cycling, is strongly limited. We extended a dynamic global vegetation model to simulate ecosystem response to prescribed tree mortality and defoliation due to multiple biotic agents across United States forests during the period 1997–2015, and quantified the BD‐induced vegetation C loss, that is, C fluxes from live vegetation to dead organic matter pools. Annual disturbance fractions separated by BD type (tree mortality and defoliation) and agent (bark beetles, defoliator insects, other insects, pathogens, and other biotic agents) were calculated at 0.5° resolution from aerial‐surveyed data and applied within the model. Simulated BD‐induced C fluxes totaled 251.6 Mt C (annual mean: 13.2 Mt C year−1, SD ±7.3 Mt C year−1 between years) across the study domain, to which tree mortality contributed 95% and defoliation 5%. Among BD agents, bark beetles caused most C fluxes (61%), and total insect‐induced C fluxes were about five times larger compared to non‐insect agents, for example, pathogens and wildlife. Our findings further demonstrate that BD‐induced C cycle impacts (i) displayed high spatio‐temporal variability, (ii) were dominated by different agents across BD types and regions, and (iii) were comparable in magnitude to fire‐induced impacts. This study provides the first ecosystem model‐based assessment of BD‐induced impacts on forest C cycling at the continental scale and going beyond single agent‐host systems, thus allowing for comparisons across regions, BD types, and agents. Ultimately, a perspective on the potential and limitations of a more process‐based incorporation of multiple BDs in ecosystem models is offered.
Rethinking creative industries research: Synthesizing the Creative Class thesis, clustering, and global production network approaches
Authors: Wu Di
Published: November 2017

Identifying three prevalent approaches—Richard Florida's consumption‐related Creative Class thesis, clustering of the creative industries, and global production networks of these industries—to understand the geography and development of the creative industries in existing literature, this paper reviews the significance and limitations of these approaches. It argues that existing literature treat these approaches “stand alone” from each another, without acknowledging the importance of other actors and forces. Instead, these three dynamics do not function separately, but are interdependent and complementary. It points to a critical agenda for future research, arguing that it is the intersection and synergy between these three dynamics that together shapes the development of the creative industries. This paper calls for further research, first, to examine the interrelationship between the local and the global scales of the creative industries by adopting the Global Production Networks (GPN) approach and, second, to study the association between the consumption‐related urban amenities and the production of the creative industries.
The World Health Organisation 2016 classification of penile carcinomas: a review and update from the International Society of Urological Pathology expert‐driven recommendations
Authors: Cubilla Antonio L , Velazquez Elsa F , Amin Mahul B , Epstein Jonathan , Berney Daniel M , Corbishley Cathy M ,   Members of the ISUP Penile Tumor Panel
Published: November 2017

The International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) held an expert‐driven penile cancer conference in Boston in March 2015, which focused on the new World Health Organisation (WHO) classification of penile cancer: human papillomavirus (HPV)‐related tumours and histological grading. The conference was preceded by an online survey of the ISUP members, and the results were used to initiate discussions. Because of the rarity of penile tumours, this was not a consensus but an expert‐driven conference aimed at assisting pathologists who do not see these tumours on a regular basis. After a justification for the novel separation of penile squamous cell carcinomas into HPV‐related and non‐HPV‐related‐carcinomas, the histological classification of penile carcinoma was proposed; this system was also accepted subsequently by the WHO for subtyping of penile carcinomas (2016). A description of HPV‐related neoplasms, which may be recognised by their histological features, was presented, and p16 was recommended as a surrogate indicator of HPV. A three‐tier grading system was recommended for penile squamous carcinomas; this was also adopted by the WHO (2016). Many of the distinctive histological subtypes of squamous cell carcinoma of the penis are associated with distinct grades, based on the squamous cell carcinoma subtype histological features.
Sunscreen formulations do not interfere with sweat cooling during exercise
Authors: Ou‐Yang H. , Meyer K. , Houser T. , Grove G.
Published: November 2017

Objective

Sweating plays a critical role in maintaining thermal balance and keeping skin cool during exercise. People often wear sunscreens on hot summer days for sun protection. Most recreational sunscreens are designed to be water‐ and sweat‐resistant, so that sweating will not remove or compromise the protection. The objective of this study was to determine whether wearing sweat‐resistant sunscreen might impede natural sweating, potentially interfering with thermal regulation and resulting in the elevation of skin temperature.

Methods

We conducted a controlled, randomized, split‐face and split‐arm clinical study with 24 female subjects wearing an SPF 70 lotion sunscreen on half of the face and an SPF 70 spray sunscreen on one of the forearms at a dosage of 2 mg cm−2. Following sunscreen application, subjects participated in two sessions of indoor exercise to induce clearly visible sweating.

Results

We found that both skin temperatures and sweat evaporation rates were significantly elevated after each session, yet there were no significant differences in either skin temperatures or sweat rates between the treated and untreated control sites at any time point for any of the skin sites measured.

Conclusion

We conclude that the application of tested sweat‐resistant sunscreen lotions and sprays does not have any measurable effects on skin cooling by natural sweating process. People should continue to use these sunscreens during recreational activities.
Financial literacy among university students: A study in eight European countries
Authors: Ergün Kutlu
Published: November 2017

This study analysed the level of financial literacy among university students in Estonia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation and Turkey. The purpose of the study was to determine the level of financial literacy among university students, and to find out the relationship between financial knowledge and demographic characteristics of students. Online survey instrument was used to collect data. 409 fully completed questionnaires were accepted for analysis. Logistic regression was used to analyse of impact of the demographic characteristics on financial literacy. Overall mean of correct answers for the survey was 72.2%. This result represents a medium level of financial literacy about personal finance. Results indicate that male students, business major students, PhD students, those who live in a rental house, those whose parents have high level income, those who get advice on financial matters from their friends, those who took financial course before, those who get financial information about financial issues from university education, and students from Poland are more knowledgeable on personal finance. More financial courses should be provided in university education programmes, which could help more students handle their finances better and improve their financial wellbeing. It should be taken into consideration that in recent years, environmental and technological influences on financial literacy may be more important than parental influence.
Prenatal traffic‐related air pollution exposures, cord blood adipokines and infant weight
Authors: Alderete T. L. , Song A. Y. , Bastain T. , Habre R. , Toledo‐Corral C. M. , Salam M. T. , Lurmann F. , Gilliland F. D. , Breton C. V.
Published: November 2017

Objective

Studies suggest that prenatal exposure to traffic‐related air pollution (TRAP) may contribute to childhood obesity. While exact mechanisms for this association are unknown, circulating adipokines are hypothesized to contribute to early‐life weight gain.

Methods

The Maternal and Child Health Study birth cohort included 136 women from the Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center. This study estimated prenatal residential TRAP exposure and used linear regression analysis to examine associations between adipokines with TRAP exposure and infant weight change (birth to 6 months).

Results

A one standard deviation (1‐SD: 2 ppb) increase in prenatal non‐freeway nitrogen oxides was associated with 33% (P = 0.01) higher leptin and 9% higher high molecular weight adiponectin levels (P = 0.07) in cord blood. Leptin levels were 71% higher in mothers who lived <75 m than those living >300 m from major roadways (P = 0.03). A 1‐SD (10 ng mL−1) increase in leptin was associated with a significant increase in infant weight change in female infants (0.62 kg, P = 0.02) but not male infants (0.11 kg, P = 0.48).

Conclusions

Higher TRAP exposures were associated with higher cord blood levels of leptin and high molecular weight adiponectin. These adipokines were associated with increased infant weight change in female infants, which may have implications for future obesity risk.
Binary oxide ceramics for enhanced phenols degradation under simulated Solar light
Authors: Carević Milica V. , Abazović Nadica D. , Savić Tatjana D. , Novaković Tatjana B. , Pjević Dejan J. , Čomor Mirjana I.
Published: November 2017

Solvothermal synthesis of ZrO2–TiO2 binary oxides and pure counterparts at 150°C in water/isopropanol media is presented. Titanium (IV) isopropoxide and zirconium (IV) propoxide were used as precursors. XRD and TEM techniques were used for structural and morphological characterization of obtained samples. XPS spectra of mixed oxide samples were compared in order to correlate composition of samples with surface properties and presence of defects. Relative positions of defect states within band‐gaps of semiconductors were estimated from UCPL spectra. UV‐Vis DRS spectra revealed that both pure oxides experienced red shift of absorption thresholds compared to reference data. Photocatalytic activities of all samples were probed under simulated Solar light on three model compounds: phenol, 4‐chlorophenol (4‐CP) and 2, 4, 6‐trichlorphenol (TCP). Pure TiO2 showed the highest photocatalytic activity in the case of phenol. However, pure ZrO2 and binary oxides showed higher photoactivity in degradation of 4‐CP and TCP. The activity of wide band‐gap semiconductors under simulated Solar light in photodegradation of phenol and its derivatives is most probably the consequence of formation of charge transfer complexes between pollutant molecules and semiconductors surface.
The experience of stigma in inflammatory bowel disease: An interpretive (hermeneutic) phenomenological study
Authors: Dibley Lesley , Norton Christine , Whitehead Elizabeth
Published: November 2017

Aim

To explore experiences of stigma in people with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background

Diarrhoea, urgency and incontinence are common symptoms in inflammatory bowel disease. Social rules stipulate full control of bodily functions in adulthood: poor control may lead to stigmatization, affecting patients’ adjustment to disease. Disease‐related stigma is associated with poorer clinical outcomes, but qualitative evidence is minimal.

Design

An interpretive (hermeneutic) phenomenological study of the lived experience of stigma in inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods

Forty community‐dwelling adults with a self‐reported diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease were recruited purposively. Participants reported feeling stigmatized or not and experiencing faecal incontinence or not. Unstructured interviews took place in participants’ homes in the United Kingdom (September 2012 – May 2013). Data were analysed using Diekelmann's interpretive method.

Findings

Three constitutive patterns—Being in and out of control, Relationships and social Support and Mastery and mediation—reveal the experience of disease‐related stigma, occurring regardless of continence status and because of name and type of disease. Stigma recedes when mastery over disease is achieved through development of resilience—influenced by humour, perspective, mental well‐being and upbringing (childhood socialization about bodily functions). People travel in and out of stigma, dependent on social relationships with others including clinicians and tend to feel less stigmatized over time.

Conclusion

Emotional control, social support and mastery over disease are key to stigma reduction. By identifying less resilient patients, clinicians can offer appropriate support, accelerating the patient's path towards disease acceptance and stigma reduction.
Escitalopram oxalate induces apoptosis in U‐87MG cells and autophagy in GBM8401 cells
Authors: Chen Vincent Chin‐Hung , Hsieh Yi‐Hsien , Chen Li‐Jeng , Hsu Tsai‐Ching , Tzang Bor‐Show
Published: November 2017

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is recognized as a most aggressive brain cancer with the worst prognosis and survival time. Owing to the anatomic location of gliomas, surgically removing the tumour is very difficult and avoiding damage to vital brain regions during radiotherapy is impossible. Therefore, therapeutic strategies for malignant glioma must urgently be improved. Recent studies have demonstrated that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have cytotoxic effect on certain cancers. Considering as a more superior SSRI, escitalopram oxalate exhibits favourable tolerability and causes generally mild and temporary adverse events. However, limited information is revealed about the influence of escitalopram oxalate on GBM. Therefore, an attempt was made herein to explore the effects of escitalopram oxalate on GBM. The experimental results revealed that escitalopram oxalate significantly inhibits the proliferation and invasive ability of U‐87MG cells and significantly reduced the expressions of cell cycle inhibitors such as Skp2, P57, P21 and P27. Notably, escitalopram oxalate also induced significant apoptotic cascades in U‐87MG cells and autophagy in GBM8401 cells. An animal study indicated that escitalopram oxalate inhibits the proliferation of xenografted glioblastoma in BALB/c nude mice. These findings implied that escitalopram oxalate may have potential in treatment of glioblastomas.
Analysis of current thyroid function test ordering practices
Authors: Kluesner Joseph K. , Beckman Darrick J. , Tate Joshua M. , Beauvais Alexis A. , Kravchenko Maria I. , Wardian Jana L. , Graybill Sky D. , Colburn Jeffrey A. , Folaron Irene , True Mark W.
Published: November 2017

Rationale

Current guidelines recommend thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) alone as the best test to detect and monitor thyroid dysfunction, yet free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) are commonly ordered when not clinically indicated. Excessive testing can lead to added economic burden in an era of rising healthcare costs, while rarely contributing to the evaluation or management of thyroid disease.

Objective

To evaluate our institution's practice in ordering thyroid function tests (TFTs) and to identify strategies to reduce inappropriate FT4 and FT3 testing.

Methods

A record of all TFTs obtained in the San Antonio Military Health System during a 3‐month period was extracted from the electronic medical record. The TFTs of interest were TSH, FT4, thyroid panel (TSH + FT4), FT3, total thyroxine (T4), and total triiodothyronine (T3). These were categorized based on the presence or absence of hypothyroidism.

Results

Between August 1 and October 31, 2016, there were 38 214 individual TFTs ordered via 28 597 total laboratory requests; 11 486 of these requests were in patients with a history of hypothyroidism. The number (percent) of laboratory requests fell into these patterns: TSH alone 14 919 (52.14%), TSH + FT4 7641 (26.72%), FT3 alone 3039 (10.63%), FT4 alone 1219 (4.26%), TSH + FT4 + FT3 783 (2.74%), and others 996 (3.48%); 36.0% of TFTs ordered were free thyroid hormones. Projected out to a year, using Department of Defense laboratory costs, $317 429 worth of TFTs would be ordered, with free thyroid hormone testing accounting for $107 720.

Conclusion

Inappropriate ordering of free thyroid hormone tests is common. In an era of rising healthcare costs, inappropriate thyroid function testing is an ideal target for efforts to reduce laboratory overutilization, which in our system, could save up to $120 000 per year. Further evaluation is needed to determine strategies that can reduce excessive thyroid hormone testing.
Reduced blood‐brain barrier expression of fatty acid‐binding protein 5 is associated with increased vulnerability of APP/PS1 mice to cognitive deficits from low omega‐3 fatty acid diets
Authors: Pan Yijun , Choy Kwok H. C. , Marriott Philip J. , Chai Siew Y. , Scanlon Martin J. , Porter Christopher J. H. , Short Jennifer L. , Nicolazzo Joseph A.
Published: November 2017

Lower levels of the cognitively beneficial docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are often observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Brain DHA levels are regulated by the blood‐brain barrier (BBB) transport of plasma‐derived DHA, a process facilitated by fatty acid‐binding protein 5 (FABP5). This study reports a 42.1 ± 12.6% decrease in the BBB transport of 14C‐DHA in 8‐month‐old AD transgenic mice (APPswe,PSEN1∆E9) relative to wild‐type mice, associated with a 34.5 ± 6.7% reduction in FABP5 expression in isolated brain capillaries of AD mice. Furthermore, short‐term spatial and recognition memory deficits were observed in AD mice on a 6‐month n‐3 fatty acid‐depleted diet, but not in AD mice on control diet. This intervention led to a dramatic reduction (41.5 ± 11.9%) of brain DHA levels in AD mice. This study demonstrates FABP5 deficiency and impaired DHA transport at the BBB are associated with increased vulnerability to cognitive deficits in mice fed an n‐3 fatty acid‐depleted diet, in line with our previous studies demonstrating a crucial role of FABP5 in BBB transport of DHA and cognitive function.

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Ontogeny of hallucal metatarsal rigidity and shape in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) and chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
Authors: Patel Biren A. , Organ Jason M. , Jashashvili Tea , Bui Stephanie H. , Dunsworth Holly M.
Published: November 2017

Life history variables including the timing of locomotor independence, along with changes in preferred locomotor behaviors and substrate use during development, influence how primates use their feet throughout ontogeny. Changes in foot function during development, in particular the nature of how the hallux is used in grasping, can lead to different structural changes in foot bones. To test this hypothesis, metatarsal midshaft rigidity [estimated from the polar second moment of area (J) scaled to bone length] and cross‐sectional shape (calculated from the ratio of maximum and minimum second moments of area, Imax/Imin) were examined in a cross‐sectional ontogenetic sample of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta; n = 73) and common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes; n = 79). Results show the hallucal metatarsal (Mt1) is relatively more rigid (with higher scaled J‐values) in younger chimpanzees and macaques, with significant decreases in relative rigidity in both taxa until the age of achieving locomotor independence. Within each age group, Mt1 rigidity is always significantly higher in chimpanzees than macaques. When compared with the lateral metatarsals (Mt2–5), the Mt1 is relatively more rigid in both taxa and across all ages; however, this difference is significantly greater in chimpanzees. Length and J scale with negative allometry in all metatarsals and in both species (except the Mt2 of chimpanzees, which scales with positive allometry). Only in macaques does Mt1 midshaft shape significantly change across ontogeny, with older individuals having more elliptical cross‐sections. Different patterns of development in metatarsal diaphyseal rigidity and shape likely reflect the different ways in which the foot, and in particular the hallux, functions across ontogeny in apes and monkeys.
The human platysma contains numerous muscle spindles
Authors: May Astrid , Bramke Silvia , Funk Richard H. W. , May Christian Albrecht
Published: November 2017

The mimic muscles are usually described as containing no muscle spindles. In the present publication the human platysma was reinvestigated concerning its content of corpuscular sensors. Serial sections through the platysma of seven donors revealed numerous muscle spindles but no Pacini corpuscules. The muscle spindles were located in the cranial two‐thirds of the platysma, and were evenly distributed with a tendency to have more spindles in the lateral part of the muscle. Immunohistochemical staining with S46 antibodies revealed a predominance of nuclear bag fibers. The results point to an extended function of the platysma as an afferent center of the lower face mimic muscles.