bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elements of the heterocyst‐specific transcriptome unravelled by co‐expression analysis in Nostoc sp. PCC 7120
Authors: Brenes‐Álvarez Manuel , Mitschke Jan , Olmedo‐Verd Elvira , Georg Jens , Hess Wolfgang R. , Vioque Agustín , Muro‐Pastor Alicia M.
Published: May 2019

Nitrogen is frequently limiting microbial growth in the environment. As a response, many filamentous cyanobacteria differentiate heterocysts, cells devoted to N2 fixation. Heterocyst differentiation is under the control of the master regulator HetR. Through the characterization of the HetR‐dependent transcriptome in Nostoc sp. PCC 7120, we identified the new candidate genes likely involved in heterocyst differentiation. According to their maximum induction, we defined E‐DIF (early in differentiation) and L‐DIF (late in differentiation) genes. Most of the genes known to be involved in the critical aspects of heterocyst differentiation or function were also classified into these groups, showing the validity of the approach. Using fusions to gfp, we verified the heterocyst‐specific transcription of several of the found genes, antisense transcripts and potentially trans‐acting sRNAs. Through comparative sequence analysis of promoter regions, we noticed the prevalence of the previously described DIF1 motif and identified a second motif, called DIF2, in other promoters of the E‐DIF cluster. Both motifs are widely conserved in heterocystous cyanobacteria. We assigned alr2522 as a third member, besides nifB and nifP, to the CnfR regulon. The elements identified here are of interest for understanding cell differentiation, engineering of biological nitrogen fixation or production of O2‐sensitive molecules in cyanobacteria.
Public Inquiry Methods, Processes and Outputs: an Epistemological Critique
Authors: Walshe Kieran
Published: May 2019

Public inquiries are an important phenomenon in modern British society, often used to address controversial or difficult issues of major concern to policy makers, the media and the public. Although people often comment adversely on how costly inquiries are and how long they take, inquiry methods are rarely discussed, let alone critiqued or challenged. However, from a social sciences perspective, inquiry methods, processes and outputs are often at odds with accepted standards for research methods. This paper discusses this divergence and the implications for how we should regard the inquiry as a way of knowing, or learning.
Maternal near‐miss and death associated with abortive pregnancy outcome: a secondary analysis of the Nigeria Near‐miss and Maternal Death Survey
Authors: Adanikin AI , Umeora OUJ , Nzeribe E , Agbata AT , Ezeama C , Ezugwu FO , Ugwu GO , Ikechebelu JI , Oladapo OT
Published: May 2019

Objective

To investigate the prevalence of life‐threatening complications related to pregnancies with abortive outcome and the associated health service events and performance in Nigerian public tertiary hospitals.

Design

Secondary analysis of a nationwide cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Forty‐two tertiary hospitals.

Population

Women admitted for pregnancy‐related complications.

Methods

All cases of severe maternal outcomes (SMO: maternal near‐miss or death) due to abortive pregnancy complications (defined as spontaneous or induced abortion, and ectopic pregnancy) were prospectively identified over 1 year using uniform identification criteria.

Main outcome measures

Prevalence of SMO, mortality index (% maternal death/SMO), case fatality rate, time until death after admission, and health service performance.

Results

Of 5779 women admitted with abortive pregnancy complications, 444 (7.9%) experienced an SMO: 366 maternal near‐misses and 78 maternal deaths. Intra‐hospital maternal mortality ratio from complicated abortive pregnancy outcome was 85/100 000 live births. Case fatality rate was worst for abortion‐related infections (19.1%). A quarter of maternal deaths occurred on the same day of admission; however, the peak time of occurrence of death was 3–7 days of admission. Women experiencing cardiovascular, renal or coagulation organ dysfunction were less likely to survive. Higher level of maternal education and closer residence to a health facility improved chance of maternal survival.

Conclusions

Abortive outcome remains a major contributor to SMO in Nigeria. Although early hospital presentation by women is critical to surviving abortive pregnancy complications, improved, appropriate, and timely management is essential to enhance maternal survival.

Tweetable abstract

78 maternal deaths and 366 near‐misses occurred from abortions and ectopic pregnancies in 42 Nigerian referral hospitals in 1 year.
Development and evaluation of a code frame to identify potential primary care presentations in the hospital emergency department
Authors: Schütze Heike , Rees Rhyannan , Asha Stephen , Eagar Kathy
Published: May 2019

Objective

A major challenge in evaluating the appropriateness of ED presentations is the lack of a universal and workable definition of patients who could have received primary care instead. Our objective was to develop a standardised code frame to identify potential primary care patients in the ED.

Methods

A standardised code frame to identify which patients could potentially be treated in a primary care setting was developed and tested on all patient episodes of care who presented to the ED of the St George Hospital, Sydney, between December 2016 and February 2017. Sensitivity and specificity of the code frame were performed. The code frame was then tested on all presentations from 2011 to 2016 in the St George Hospital and The Sutherland Hospital in Sydney.

Results

Of 19 916 ED presentations, 5810 (29%) were potential primary care presentations. The code frame had a sensitivity of 99.9% and a specificity of 49.0%. Results were consistent (28%) when applied to 5 years of presentations (601 168 presentations).

Conclusion

This standardised code frame enables accurate retrospective local and national data estimations. The code frame could be used prospectively to evaluate interventions such as diverting patients to primary care settings, and to identify populations for specifically targeted interventions. The conservative nature of the code frame ensures that only those that can safely receive care in a primary care setting are identified as potential primary care.
Hyperkeratotic flexural erythema responding to amoxicillin–clavulanic acid therapy: Report of four cases
Authors: Kumarasinghe Sujith Prasad Wanniarachchi , Chandran Veena , Raby Edward , Wood Benjamin
Published: May 2019

Hyperkeratotic eruptions in the flexures, especially in the inguinal region, often pose a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. Inguinal keratotic eruptions may be caused by various infections, inflammatory dermatoses, vesico‐bullous dermatoses, nutrient deficiencies, medication allergies and other miscellaneous causes such as granular parakeratosis. We hereby report four patients who presented with idiopathic hyperkeratotic erythematous eruptions with a migratory nature involving the inguinal region and occasionally showing the histopathologic features of granular parakeratosis. All four patients showed a dramatic therapeutic response to amoxicillin–clavulanic acid combination. We suggest that ‘granular parakeratosis’ should be considered as a histopathologic feature rather than the diagnosis. We would prefer to label our cases as ‘Hyperkeratotic Flexural Erythema’. We recommend that detailed study of skin microbiome may help identify a possible alteration in skin microbiome contributing to the pathogenesis. We briefly review strategies on characterising the skin microbiome and the latest knowledge surrounding how alterations to the skin microbial populations can contribute to some diseases.
The use of post‐mortem lividity to determine sleep position in sudden unexpected deaths in infancy
Authors: Shipstone Rebecca , Thompson John M.D. , Young Jeanine , Byard Roger W.
Published: May 2019

Aim

To compare parental reports of position found in sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) to autopsy reports of lividity and to more accurately classify infant sleep position.

Methods

Cases of SUDI in Queensland between 2010 and 2014 were reviewed to determine the position in which infants were reported to have been placed and found. This was compared to the distribution of post‐mortem lividity at autopsy. Evidence of lividity present during early death scene investigation was also recorded.

Results

There was a discordance between the position an infant was reported to have been found and the position of lividity at autopsy in 22/228 SUDI (9.6%). All infants had anterior lividity despite 13 reportedly found supine, three on their side and six in an unknown position. Using anterior lividity at autopsy to change the position found increased the proportion of prone infants from 37.7% to 47.4%. In 47.8% cases, anterior or lateral lividity reported at the scene was no longer present at autopsy.

Conclusion

Previously published odds ratios may have underestimated the risk of sudden infant death associated with prone sleep position. SUDI death scene investigation protocols should require photographic documentation of lividity prior to transporting an infant.
Bayesian generalized structured component analysis
Authors: Choi Ji Yeh , Hwang Heungsun
Published: May 2019

Generalized structured component analysis (GSCA) is a component‐based approach to structural equation modelling, which adopts components of observed variables as proxies for latent variables and examines directional relationships among latent and observed variables. GSCA has been extended to deal with a wider range of data types, including discrete, multilevel or intensive longitudinal data, as well as to accommodate a greater variety of complex analyses such as latent moderation analysis, the capturing of cluster‐level heterogeneity, and regularized analysis. To date, however, there has been no attempt to generalize the scope of GSCA into the Bayesian framework. In this paper, a novel extension of GSCA, called BGSCA, is proposed that estimates parameters within the Bayesian framework. BGSCA can be more attractive than the original GSCA for various reasons. For example, it can infer the probability distributions of random parameters, account for error variances in the measurement model, provide additional fit measures for model assessment and comparison from the Bayesian perspectives, and incorporate external information on parameters, which may be obtainable from past research, expert opinions, subjective beliefs or knowledge on the parameters. We utilize a Markov chain Monte Carlo method, the Gibbs sampler, to update the posterior distributions for the parameters of BGSCA. We conduct a simulation study to evaluate the performance of BGSCA. We also apply BGSCA to real data to demonstrate its empirical usefulness.
Expression of CD1d by astrocytes corresponds with relative activity in multiple sclerosis lesions
Authors: Muir Fraser G.W. , Samadi‐Bahrami Zahra , Moore George R. Wayne , Quandt Jacqueline A.
Published: May 2019

The CD1 protein family present lipid antigens to the immune system. CD1d has been observed in the CNS of MS patients, yet no studies have quantitatively characterized this expression and related it to inflammatory demyelinative activity in MS plaques. In this study, we set out to localize and quantify the presence of CD1d expression by astrocytes in MS brain tissue lesions. Formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded MS and control brain tissues were examined. Lesions were classified as active, chronic active or chronic silent. Using immunofluorescence, the density of CD1d‐positive cells was determined in active lesions, chronic active lesion edges and chronic active lesion centers. The percentage of CD1d‐positive cells that were GFAP‐positive was also determined in each of these regions. CD1d immunoreactivity was significantly increased in MS compared to control tissue, was significantly more prevalent in areas of active demyelination, and colocalized with GFAP‐positive reactive astrocytes. Increases of CD1d immunoreactivity in the CNS of MS patients being greatest in areas of active demyelination and localized to GFAP‐positive astrocytes lend support to the hypothesis of a lipid‐targeted autoimmune process contributing to the pathogenesis of MS.
Six1 regulates leukemia stem cell maintenance in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Chu Yajing , Chen Yangpeng , Li Mengke , Shi Deyang , Wang Bichen , Lian Yu , Cheng Xuelian , Wang Xiaomin , Xu Mingjiang , Cheng Tao , Shi Jun , Yuan Weiping
Published: May 2019

Molecular genetic changes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) play crucial roles in leukemogenesis, including recurrent chromosome translocations, epigenetic/spliceosome mutations and transcription factor aberrations. Six1, a transcription factor of the Sine oculis homeobox (Six) family, has been shown to transform normal hematopoietic progenitors into leukemia in cooperation with Eya. However, the specific role and the underlying mechanism of Six1 in leukemia maintenance remain unexplored. Here, we showed increased expression of SIX1 in AML patients and murine leukemia stem cells (c‐Kit+ cells, LSCs). Importantly, we also observed that a higher level of Six1 in human patients predicts a worse prognosis. Notably, knockdown of Six1 significantly prolonged the survival of MLL‐AF9‐induced AML mice with reduced peripheral infiltration and tumor burden. AML cells from Six1‐knockdown (KD) mice displayed a significantly decreased number and function of LSC, as assessed by the immunophenotype, colony‐forming ability and limiting dilution assay. Further analysis revealed the augmented apoptosis of LSC and decreased expression of glycolytic genes in Six1 KD mice. Overall, our data showed that Six1 is essential for the progression of MLL‐AF9‐induced AML via maintaining the pool of LSC.
Recipient Design in Communicative Pointing
Authors: Winner Tobias , Selen Luc , Murillo Oosterwijk Anke , Verhagen Lennart , Medendorp W. Pieter , van Rooij Iris , Toni Ivan
Published: May 2019

A long‐standing debate in the study of human communication centers on the degree to which communicators tune their communicative signals (e.g., speech, gestures) for specific addressees, as opposed to taking a neutral or egocentric perspective. This tuning, called recipient design, is known to occur under special conditions (e.g., when errors in communication need to be corrected), but several researchers have argued that it is not an intrinsic feature of human communication, because that would be computationally too demanding. In this study, we contribute to this debate by studying a simple communicative behavior, communicative pointing, under conditions of successful (error‐free) communication. Using an information‐theoretic measure, called legibility, we present evidence of recipient design in communicative pointing. The legibility effect is present early in the movement, suggesting that it is an intrinsic part of the communicative plan. Moreover, it is reliable only from the viewpoint of the addressee, suggesting that the motor plan is tuned to the addressee. These findings suggest that recipient design is an intrinsic feature of human communication.
An assessment of ecological values and conservation gaps in protection beyond the corridor of the Appalachian Trail
Authors: McKinley Peter S. , Belote R. Travis , Aplet Gregory H.
Published: May 2019

The Appalachian Trail (AT) traverses the Appalachian Mountains across 11 degrees of latitude from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Maine's Mt. Katahdin. The 3,524 km (2,190‐mile) long trail is buffered within a conserved corridor that is at least ~ 305 m wide and covers approximately 101,000 hectacres (250,000 acres) overseen by the National Park Service (NPS), making it one of the largest NPS units in the East. Although a continuous marked trail has been established since 1937, protection of the corridor was not complete until the last couple of decades. Additional conservation designations exist adjacent to much of the trail corridor, but significant gaps in protection remain. A variety of land trusts and other nonprofit conservation organizations, federal and state land management agencies, and regional trail clubs overseen by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) actively seek to add to the local, regional, and national conservation significance of this landscape or to improve the management of lands already protected. Here, we assess biodiversity and ecological integrity along the entire AT among 2,123 trail sampling segments and four planning regions. We evaluated gradients of biodiversity and ecological integrity in relation to the existing management status of trail sampling segments to identify gaps in protection of high value areas. The AT possesses high species diversity at the southern end, where much of it exists in federal multiple‐use management, and high ecological integrity in the north on private timberlands. Inadequately protected areas of such high biological diversity and ecological integrity occur throughout the trail. Our data are analyzed at the scale of the entire AT with summaries and comparisons among broad sections, regions, states, and some specific locations. We include our spatial data so that it may be used for analyses and prioritization at multiple scales from the local maintenance club to the ATC.
Interventions to improve insulin prescribing practice for people with diabetes in hospital: a systematic review
Authors: Bain A. , Hasan S. S. , Babar Zaheer-Ud-Din
Published: May 2019

Aim

To conduct a systematic review of literature to identify interventions that are effective in improving insulin prescribing for people with diabetes in the hospital setting.

Methods

Computerized bibliographic databases were searched for studies published in English that described the effectiveness of interventions to improve insulin prescribing within the hospital setting. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported data that compared insulin prescribing practice after an intervention or compared with a control group. Studies were not excluded on the basis of publication date, geographical location or risk of bias assessment.

Results

We identified 35 studies for inclusion in the review, including two cluster randomized controlled trials, two cohort studies, and 31 uncontrolled before–after studies. Studies reported a variety of interventions that aimed to increase insulin prescribing accuracy or completeness or decrease the use of discouraged subcutaneous sliding scale insulin regimens. Differences in definition of insulin prescribing error, terminology and common practice based on geographical location was evident, and quality issues with respect to study design and reporting somewhat limited the interpretation of conclusions.

Conclusions

Implementing strategies that are sensitive to local context and designed to increase adherence to insulin prescribing guidelines are associated with a reduction in prescribing errors. Future implementation should build on effective approaches including multifaceted interventions involving multiple stakeholders at various institutional levels. Future studies in insulin prescribing errors would benefit from the use of standardized approaches, terminology and outcome measures to enable greater comparison.
Effect of liraglutide on estimates of lipolysis and lipid oxidation in obese patients with stable coronary artery disease and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: A randomized trial
Authors: Anholm Christian , Kumarathurai Preman , Samkani Amirsalar , Pedersen Lene R. , Boston Raymond C. , Nielsen Olav W. , Kristiansen Ole P. , Fenger Mogens , Madsbad Sten , Sajadieh Ahmad , Haugaard Steen B.
Published: May 2019

Elevated levels of non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA) play a role in insulin resistance, impaired beta‐cell function and they are a denominator of the abnormal atherogenic lipid profile that characterizes obese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We hypothesized that the GLP‐1 receptor agonist liraglutide, in combination with metformin, would reduce lipolysis. In a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over trial, 41 T2DM patients with coronary artery disease were randomized and treated with liraglutide‐metformin vs placebo‐metformin during 12‐ + 12‐week periods with a wash‐out period of at least 2 weeks before and between the intervention periods. NEFA kinetics were estimated using the Boston Minimal Model of NEFA metabolism, with plasma NEFA and glucose levels measured during a standard 180‐minute frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test. Liraglutide‐metformin reduced estimates of lipolysis. Furthermore, placebo‐metformin increased estimates of lipid oxidation, while treatment with liraglutide eliminated this effect. We conclude that liraglutide exerts a clinically relevant reduction in estimates of lipolysis and lipid oxidation which is explained, in part, by improved insulin secretion, as revealed by an intravenous glucose tolerance test.
The effects of high‐frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on resting‐state functional connectivity in obese adults
Authors: Kim Se‐Hong , Park Bo‐Yong , Byeon Kyoungseob , Park Hyunjin , Kim Youngkook , Eun Young‐Mi , Chung Ju‐Hye
Published: May 2019

Aims

We conducted a 4‐week randomized, sham‐controlled, single‐blind, parallel‐group trial to examine the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) delivered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on functional brain connectivity and body weight in adults with obesity.

Materials and methods

Of the 45 volunteers with obesity, aged between 18 and 70 years (body mass index [BMI] ≥25 kg/m2 according to the obesity criterion for an Asian population), 36 participants (54.1 ± 11.0 years, BMI 30.2 ± 3.5 kg/m2, 77.8% female) completed the 4 weeks of follow‐up, undergoing two resting state fMRI scans (20 in the real stimulation group and 16 in the sham stimulation group). A total of eight sessions of high‐frequency rTMS targeting the left DLPFC were provided over a period of 4 weeks (5‐second trains with 25‐second inter‐train intervals, 10 Hz, 110% motor threshold; 2000 pulses over 20 minutes).

Results

Participants in the real stimulation group showed significantly greater weight loss from baseline following the eight session of rTMS (−2.53 ± 2.41 kg vs 0.38 ± 1.13 kg, P < 0.01). For intrinsic brain connectivity comparisons, the between‐ness centrality values within the right frontoparietal network tended to increase with rTMS, and a significant interaction effect was identified for time (pre vs post) × rTMS (real vs sham) in the right frontoparietal network (P = 0.031, FDR corrected).

Conclusions

We observed that rTMS selectively increased resting state functional connectivity within the right frontoparietal network. Our findings suggest that high‐frequency rTMS to the left DLPFC might strengthen the frontoparietal network that orchestrates top‐down inhibitory control to reduce food intake.
Use of 3D printed models in student education of craniofacial traumas
Authors: Nicot Romain , Druelle Charles , Schlund Matthias , Roland‐Billecart Thomas , Gwénaël Raoul , Ferri Joël , Gosset Didier
Published: May 2019

A low‐cost 3D printed model has been introduced into the oral and maxillofacial surgery teaching program of undergraduate students to improve education and mechanical comprehension of craniofacial trauma. Steps of the 3D printed haptic model building process are listed. 3D printed models of facial fractures were obtained from Data Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) data. Computed Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD‐CAM) freeware was used to create new fractures on the standard tessellation language (STL) file. 3D printed haptic model appears to be an efficient low‐cost support for craniofacial trauma education of undergraduate students.
Five rules for resistance management in the antibiotic apocalypse, a road map for integrated microbial management
Authors: Raymond Ben
Published: May 2019

Resistance to new antimicrobials can become widespread within 2–3 years. Resistance problems are particularly acute for bacteria that can experience selection as both harmless commensals and pathogenic hospital‐acquired infections. New drugs, although welcome, cannot tackle the antimicrobial resistance crisis alone: new drugs must be partnered with more sustainable patterns of use. However, the broader experience of resistance management in other disciplines, and the assumptions on which resistance rests, is not widely appreciated in clinical and microbiological disciplines. Improved awareness of the field of resistance management could improve clinical outcomes and help shape novel solutions. Here, the aim is to develop a pragmatic approach to developing a sustainable integrated means of using antimicrobials, based on an interdisciplinary synthesis of best practice, recent theory and recent clinical data. This synthesis emphasizes the importance of pre‐emptive action and the value of reducing the supply of genetic novelty to bacteria under selection. The weight of resistance management experience also cautions against strategies that over‐rely on the fitness costs of resistance or low doses. The potential (and pitfalls) of shorter courses, antibiotic combinations and antibiotic mixing or cycling are discussed in depth. Importantly, some of variability in the success of clinical trials of mixing approaches can be explained by the number and diversity of drugs in a trial, as well as whether trials encompass single wards or the wider transmission network that is a hospital. Consideration of the importance of data, and of the initially low frequency of resistance, leads to a number of additional recommendations. Overall, reduction in selection pressure, interference with the transmission of problematic genotypes and multidrug approaches (combinations, mixing or cycling) are all likely to be required for sustainability and the protection of forthcoming drugs.
Quantum‐inspired genetic programming model with application to predict toxicity degree for chemical compounds
Authors: Darwish Saad M. , Shendi Tamer A. , Younes Ahmed
Published: May 2019

Cheminformatics plays a vital role in maintaining large amounts of chemical data. The reliable prediction of toxic effects of chemicals in living systems is highly desirable in domains such as cosmetics, drug design, food safety, and the manufacturing of chemical compounds. Toxicity prediction requires several new approaches for knowledge discovery from data to paradigm composite associations between the modules of the chemical compound; the computational demands of such techniques increase greatly with the number of chemical compounds involved. State‐of‐the‐art prediction methods such as neural networks and multilayer regression require either tuning parameters or complex transformations of predictor or outcome variables and do not achieve highly accurate results. This paper proposes a quantum‐inspired genetic programming model to improve prediction accuracy. Genetic programming is utilized to give a linear equation for calculating the degree of toxicity more accurately. Quantum computing is employed to improve the selection of the best‐of‐run individuals and handles parsimony pressure to reduce the complexity of solutions. The results of the internal validation analysis indicated that the quantum‐inspired genetic programming model has better goodness‐of‐fit statistics then and significantly outperforms the neural network model.
Not taking debt at face value, or market value or amortized cost: Policy value as a measure of the burden of public debt
Authors: Irwin Timothy C.
Published: May 2019

Public debt is sometimes measured at its market value or amortized cost, the measurement bases prescribed by international accounting standards and statistical guidelines. But an overview of 191 countries and a closer investigation of 19 shows that public debt is most often measured at face value. An analysis of the three measurement bases and the discount rates on which they explicitly or implicitly depend shows that all are unsatisfactory as indicators of the burden that the debt imposes on the government. On the one hand, face value is manipulable: governments can borrow as much as they wish while reporting virtually no debt at all at face value. Though no government has done this, there is some, inconclusive evidence that a few may have exploited the manipulability of face value to slow the growth of reported debt. On the other hand, market value and amortized cost are unsatisfactory because they vary with the government's creditworthiness. Thus, for example, the market value of a government's debt declines as the government becomes financially distressed. An alternative measurement basis is proposed here that does not suffer from these problems, namelypolicy value, which is the value of the debt conditional on the government's carrying out its policy toward the debt, or the present value of planned debt payments at the debt's market interest rate less any credit‐risk premium in that rate.
Evaluation of temperature‐sensitive fatigue crack propagation of a high‐speed railway wheel rim material
Authors: Fang Xiu‐Yang , Cai Zhen‐Bing , Wang Jun‐Guo , Yang Xu‐Feng
Published: May 2019

The fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) of ER8C high‐speed railway wheel rim material was tested at various service temperatures. The temperature sensitivity of fatigue crack propagation was evaluated, and the effect of temperature on the crack propagation mechanism was analyzed. The obtained results indicate a fatigue ductile‐to‐brittle transition (FDBT) point at −20°C for the ER8C wheel rim materials. A reverse relationship was found between FCGR and temperature for the near threshold and Paris regimes when the temperature was below the FDBT point. However, no evident changing rule was found when the temperature was above this transition point. An evident fatigue crack propagation mode transition was found from lamellar tearing to intergranular cracks, which was related to the FDBT for the near‐threshold regime.
The hidden value of artisanal fisheries in Honduras
Authors: Canty Steven , Funes Manuela , Box Stephen , Zylich Kyrstn , Derrick Brittany , Divovich Esther , Lindop Alasdair , Pauly Daniel , Zeller Dirk
Published: May 2019

Declining fisheries catches are a global trend, with management failing to keep pace with growth in fishing effort and technological advances. The economic value of Honduras’ catches was estimated within the industrial and artisanal sectors. Catches were found to be 2.9 times greater than the official statistics between 1950 and 2015. The merging of industrial and artisanal catch data masked the decline in industrial catches and hid the strong growth of artisanal fisheries. In 1996, annual artisanal fisheries landed catches surpassed the industrial fishery sector, and in 2000, the annual net value of artisanal fisheries eclipsed the value of the industrial fisheries. These data highlight the importance of artisanal fisheries in Honduras and challenge the long‐held belief that the industrial sector contributes more to the national economy. The global paucity of fisheries data highlights the need for comprehensive strategies to collect more detailed and accurate fisheries data.
Oxidative and non‐oxidative degradation pathways of L‐ascorbic acid
Authors: Ebrahimi Saeid , Dabbagh Hossein A.
Published: May 2019

L‐Ascorbic acid (AA) is an essential component for organisms and is responsible for various functions in the human body. Its structure is in a way that suffering significant structural changes during storage. Herein, the stability of L‐ascorbic acid aqueous solution at various thermal (25 and 90 °C ± 2) and atmospheric oxygen or argon was monitored by optical rotation changes as a function of time intervals. Under oxygen, specific optical rotation [α] of the solution was decreased from + 22.0 to + 2.0 after 32 days and under argon + 11.5 after 9 months at 25 °C. The loss of [α] increased at 90 °C under both oxygen and argon atmospheres. Subsequently, the obtained reaction mixtures were evaporated to dryness and analysed by FT‐IR, 1H‐NMR and GC‐MS techniques. Results of these analyses indicate that AA was decomposed to a complex mixture of reaction products.
Prey capture and selection throughout the breeding season in a deep‐diving generalist seabird, the thick‐billed murre
Authors: Brisson‐Curadeau Émile , Elliott Kyle H.
Published: May 2019

Generalist seabirds forage on a variety of prey items providing the opportunity to monitor diverse aquatic fauna simultaneously. For example, the coupling of prey consumption rates and movement patterns of generalist seabirds might be used to create three‐dimensional prey distribution maps (‘preyscapes’) for multiple prey species in the same region. However, the complex interaction between generalist seabird foraging behaviour and the various prey types clouds the interpretation of such preyscapes, and the mechanisms underlying prey selection need to be understood before such an application can be realized. Central place foraging theory provides a theoretical model for understanding such selectivity by predicting that larger prey items should be 1) selected farther from the colony and 2) for chick‐feeding compared with self‐feeding, but these predictions remain untested on most seabird species. Furthermore, rarely do we know how foraging features such as handling time, capture methods or choice of foraging location varies among prey types. We used three types of animal‐borne biologgers (camera loggers, GPS and depth‐loggers) to examine how a generalist Arctic seabird, the thick‐billed murre Uria lomvia, selects and captures their prey throughout the breeding season. Murres captured small prey at all phases of a dive, including while descending and ascending, but captured large fish mostly while ascending, with considerably longer handling times. Birds captured larger prey and dove deeper during chick‐rearing. As central place foraging theory predicted, birds travelling further also brought bigger prey items for their chick. The location of a dive (distance from colony and distance to shore) best explained which prey type was the most likely to get caught in a dive, and we created a preyscape surrounding our study colony. We discuss how these findings might aid the use of generalist seabirds as bioindicators.
Could coastal plants in western Amazonia be relicts of past marine incursions?
Authors: Bernal Rodrigo , Bacon Christine D. , Balslev Henrik , Hoorn Carina , Bourlat Sarah J. , Tuomisto Hanna , Salamanca Sonia , van Manen Milan Teunissen , Romero Ingrid , Sepulchre Pierre , Antonelli Alexandre
Published: May 2019

The rainforests of Amazonia comprise some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth. Despite this high biodiversity, little is known about how landscape changes that took place in deep history have affected the assembly of its species, and whether the impact of such changes on biodiversity can still be observed. Here, we present a hypothesis to explain our observation that plants typical of Neotropical coastal habitats also occur in western Amazonia, in some cases thousands of kilometres away from the coast. Evidence on their current distribution, dispersal biology and divergence times estimated from molecular phylogenies suggest that these plants may be the legacy of the large marine‐influenced embayment that dominated the area for millions of years in the Neogene. We hypothesize that coastal plants dispersed along the shores of this embayment and persisted as inland relicts after the marine incursion(s) retreated, probably with the aid of changes in soil conditions caused by the deposition of marine sediments. This dispersal corridor may also have facilitated the colonization of coastal environments by Amazonian lineages. These scenarios could imply an unexpected coastal source that has contributed to Amazonia's high floristic diversity and led to disjunct distributions across the Neotropics. We highlight the need for future studies and additional evidence to validate and shed further light on this potentially important pattern.
Long‐term survival of structurally compromised tooth preserved with crown lengthening procedure and restorative treatment: A pilot retrospective analysis
Authors: Ashnagar Sajjad , Barootchi Shayan , Ravidá Andrea , Tattan Mustafa , Wang Hom‐Lay , Wang Chin‐Wei
Published: May 2019

Aim

Since there is limited study to assist in an evidenced‐based decision whether to extract or preserve a structurally compromised tooth, the aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the long‐term survival rate of tooth preservation after crown lengthening procedure (CLP) and restorative treatments.

Methods

Electronic and paper chart of patients received CLP in our graduate clinic from 1990 to 2015 were reviewed. Statistical analysis was done using Cox regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier estimator.

Results

A total of 766 coded charts were initially collected. Four hundred and fourteen cases were included in the final analysis. The Kaplan–Meier estimate shows a cumulative survival rate of 88.3% in 5 years, 78.4% in 10 years and 68.1% in 15 years. In terms of reasons for failure, restorative problem such as recurrent decays was the main issue (35.2%), followed by fracture (29.6%), endodontic complications (23.9%) and periodontal breakdown (11.3%).

Conclusions

Within the limitation of this study, structurally compromised teeth have a reasonable long‐term survival rate close to 80% after 10 years in a teaching institute. Patients with high fracture or caries risk may pose a higher chance of failure. Objective information should be presented to the patient to arrive at an evidence‐based decision.
General psychopathology, internalising and externalising in children and functional outcomes in late adolescence
Authors: Sallis Hannah , Szekely Eszter , Neumann Alexander , Jolicoeur‐Martineau Alexia , van IJzendoorn Marinus , Hillegers Manon , Greenwood Celia M.T. , Meaney Michael J , Steiner Meir , Tiemeier Henning , Wazana Ashley , Pearson Rebecca M. , Evans Jonathan
Published: May 2019

Background

Internalising and externalising problems commonly co‐occur in childhood. Yet, few developmental models describing the structure of child psychopathology appropriately account for this comorbidity. We evaluate a model of childhood psychopathology that separates the unique and shared contribution of individual psychological symptoms into specific internalising, externalising and general psychopathology factors and assess how these general and specific factors predict long‐term outcomes concerning criminal behaviour, academic achievement and affective symptoms in three independent cohorts.

Methods

Data were drawn from independent birth cohorts (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), N = 11,612; Generation R, N = 7,946; Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN), N = 408). Child psychopathology was assessed between 4 and 8 years using a range of diagnostic and questionnaire‐based measures, and multiple informants. First, structural equation models were used to assess the fit of hypothesised models of shared and unique components of psychopathology in all cohorts. Once the model was chosen, linear/logistic regressions were used to investigate whether these factors were associated with important outcomes such as criminal behaviour, academic achievement and well‐being from late adolescence/early adulthood.

Results

The model that included specific factors for internalising/externalising and a general psychopathology factor capturing variance shared between symptoms regardless of their classification fits well for all of the cohorts. As hypothesised, general psychopathology factor scores were predictive of all outcomes of later functioning, while specific internalising factor scores predicted later internalising outcomes. Specific externalising factor scores, capturing variance not shared by any other psychological symptoms, were not predictive of later outcomes.

Conclusions

Early symptoms of psychopathology carry information that is syndrome‐specific as well as indicative of general vulnerability and the informant reporting on the child. The ‘general psychopathology factor' might be more relevant for long‐term outcomes than specific symptoms. These findings emphasise the importance of considering the co‐occurrence of common internalising and externalising problems in childhood when considering long‐term impact.
Higher temperatures increase developmental rate & reduce body size at hatching in the small‐eyed skate Raja microocellata: implications for exploitation of an elasmobranch in warming seas
Authors: Hume John B.
Published: May 2019

Effects of temperature on development of Raja microocellata was tested by maintaining embryos in controlled conditions representative of those predicted under current climate scenarios. There was a positive relationship between size of neonates & developmental rate: temperatures 14.5–16.5°C produced skates 3.5–7%, respectively, smaller than those raised at 12.5°C. Developmental rates were also 12–23% faster, with neonates hatching 3–7 weeks earlier.
Astrocytes in neuroendocrine systems: An overview
Authors: MacDonald Alastair J. , Robb Josephine L. , Morrissey Nicole A. , Beall Craig , Ellacott Kate L. J.
Published: May 2019

A class of glial cell, astrocytes, is highly abundant in the central nervous system (CNS). In addition to maintaining tissue homeostasis, astrocytes regulate neuronal communication and synaptic plasticity. There is an ever‐increasing appreciation that astrocytes are involved in the regulation of physiology and behaviour in normal and pathological states, including within neuroendocrine systems. Indeed, astrocytes are direct targets of hormone action in theCNS, via receptors expressed on their surface, and are also a source of regulatory neuropeptides, neurotransmitters and gliotransmitters. Furthermore, as part of the neurovascular unit, astrocytes can regulate hormone entry into theCNS. This review is intended to provide an overview of how astrocytes are impacted by and contribute to the regulation of a diverse range of neuroendocrine systems: energy homeostasis and metabolism, reproduction, fluid homeostasis, the stress response and circadian rhythms.
Gastroparesis, metoclopramide, and tardive dyskinesia: Risk revisited
Authors: Al‐Saffar Ahmad , Lennernäs Hans , Hellström Per M.
Published: May 2019

Background

Metoclopramide is primarily a dopamine receptor antagonist, with 5HT3 receptor antagonist and 5HT4 receptor agonist activity, and used as an antiemetic and gastroprokinetic since almost 50 years. Regulatory authorities issued restrictions and recommendations regarding long‐term use of the drug at oral doses exceeding 10 mg 3‐4 times daily because of the risk for development of tardive dyskinesia. The aim of our study was to review mechanism(s) of action and pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic properties of metoclopramide, as well as the risk of metoclopramide‐induced tardive dyskinesia, factors that may change drug exposure in humans, and to summarize the clinical context for appropriate use of the drug.

Methods

A PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cross Reference search was done using the key words and combined searches: drug‐drug interaction, gastroparesis, metoclopramide, natural history, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug‐drug interaction, outcome, risk factors, tardive dyskinesia.

Key results

Data show that the risk of tardive dyskinesia from metoclopramide is low, in the range of 0.1% per 1000 patient years. This is far below a previously estimated 1%‐10% risk suggested in treatment guidelines by regulatory authorities. High‐risk groups are elderly females, diabetics, patients with liver or kidney failure, and patients with concomitant antipsychotic drug therapy, which reduces the threshold for neurological complications.

Conclusions & Inferences

The risk of tardive dyskinesia due to metoclopramide is far below approximated numbers in treatment guidelines. This risk and the influence of known risk factors should be considered when starting a course of metoclopramide for treatment of gastroparesis.
Compensation to simulated insect leaf herbivory in wild cotton (Gossypium hirsutum): responses to multiple levels of damage and associated traits
Authors: Quijano‐Medina T. , Covelo F. , Moreira X. , Abdala‐Roberts L.
Published: May 2019

Identifying the mechanisms of compensation to insect herbivory remains a major challenge in plant biology and evolutionary ecology. Most previous studies have addressed plant compensatory responses to one or two levels of insect herbivory, and the underlying traits mediating such responses remain elusive in many cases.

We evaluated responses associated with compensation to multiple intensities of leaf damage (0% control, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% of leaf area removed) by means of mechanical removal of foliar tissue and application of a caterpillar (Spodoptera exigua) oral secretions in 3‐month‐old wild cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum). Four weeks post‐treatment, we measured plant growth and multiple traits associated with compensation, namely: changes in above‐ and belowground, biomass and the concentration of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and non‐structural carbon reserves (starch and soluble sugars) in roots, stems and leaves.

We found that wild cotton fully compensated in terms of growth and biomass allocation when leaf damage was low (10%), whereas moderate (25%) to high leaf damage in some cases led to under‐compensation. Nonetheless, high levels of leaf removal (50% and 75%) in most cases did not cause further reductions in height and allocation to leaf and stem biomass relative to low and moderate damage. There were significant positive effects of leaf damage on P concentration in leaves and stems, but not roots, as well as a negative effect on soluble sugars in roots.

These results indicate that wild cotton fully compensated for a low level of leaf damage but under‐compensated under moderate to high leaf damage, but can nonetheless sustain growth despite increasing losses to herbivory. Such responses were possibly mediated by a re‐allocation of carbohydrate reserves from roots to shoots.
Incentive–Compatible Prehospital Triage in Emergency Medical Services
Authors: Webb Eric M. , Mills Alex F.
Published: May 2019

The emergency medical services (EMS) system is designed to handle life‐threatening emergencies, but a large and growing number of non‐emergency patients are accessing hospital‐based health care through EMS. A national survey estimated that 17% of ambulance trips to hospital emergency departments (EDs) were medically unnecessary, and these unnecessary trips make up an increasing proportion of all EMS trips. These non‐emergency patients are a controllable arrival stream that can be redirected to an appropriate care provider, reducing congestion in EDs, reducing costs to patients and health care payers, and improving patient health, but prehospital triage to identify these patients is almost never implemented by EMS providers in the United States. Using a decision model, we show that prehospital triage is unlikely to occur under the current structure of fee‐for‐service reimbursements, regardless of how effective the triage process might be, unless low‐acuity patients are unprofitable and a hospital is willing to coordinate with EMS. We demonstrate several mechanisms a payer, such as Medicare, could use to promote prehospital triage: reforming fee‐for‐service reimbursements or offering a value‐based payment, such as bundled payments or shared savings contracts. Using data from a national survey and levels of triage effectiveness demonstrated in the literature, we conservatively estimate that Medicare alone could save between $3 and $70 million per year (depending on triage effectiveness) by providing incentives for prehospital triage. Between 26,500 and 628,000 non‐emergency patients could be diverted to more appropriate care options, making prehospital triage a practical step to address hospital emergency department crowding.