bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Dental Status and Temporomandibular Joint in Children With Generalized Joint Hypermobility
Authors: Demir Ferhat , Tüzüner Tamer , Baygın Özgül , Kalyoncu Mukaddes
Published: March 2020

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the dental status and temporomandibular diseases (TMDs)–related symptoms in children with generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) and compare them with healthy controls (HCs).

Methods

This is a cross-sectional, observational study carried out between September 2016 and April 2017. A total of 124 children with GJH (n = 62) and HC (n = 62) were enrolled. The GJH was assessed with the Beighton hypermobility score. The subjects were screened for dental status and TMD-related symptoms. The assessment included the index for “decayed,” “missing,” and “filled teeth” (DMFT, dmft); plaque; gingival bleeding; tooth mobility; and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) evaluation.

Results

The mean Beighton hypermobility score was 6.3 ± 1.2 in the GJH group. Visible plaque index and gingival bleeding index scores were found to be significantly higher in children with GJH then in the HC (p = 0.031, p = 0.023). No differences were found regarding the DMFT scores between the groups (p = 0.16). Temporomandibular disorder–related symptom frequencies were significantly higher in children with GJH (p < 0.001). The most common clinically determined sign of TMD was clicking with a maximum active mouth-opening. Combined TMJ symptoms and TMD were observed in approximately one third of the children with GJH.

Conclusions

The presence of GJH in a child may be indicative of future dental or TMJ problems, and it may cause dental problems due to increased gingival bleeding index and visible plaque index scores. Therefore, children with GJH require preventive dental and TMJ care.
Gastric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Incidentally Detected With Meckel Scintigraphy
Authors: Hamman Susan M. , Biyyam Deepa R. , Mandell Gerald A.
Published: March 2020

A 17-year-old boy presented with fatigue, hypoxia, palpitations, and anemia (hemoglobin 3.5 g/dL). The search for the etiology of the bleeding began with a Meckel scan. A photopenic region in the gastric body and a region of abnormal tracer uptake in the right midabdomen were unexpected findings. Further investigation with ultrasound and computed tomography revealed a gastric mass, which proved to be a gastrointestinal stromal tumor at pathology. The right-sided tracer uptake resulted from stasis in the collecting system of a malpositioned right kidney, a cause of false uptake in a Meckel scan.
Revisiting 99mTc-MIBI Radioguided Surgery in Management of TENIS Syndrome
Authors: Prashar Sarika , Dahiya Divya , Sood Ashwani , Chatterjee Debajyoti , Kaur Ravneet , Mittal Bhagwant Rai
Published: March 2020

Management of patients with thyroglobulin elevated and negative iodine scan is still a challenge with limited options left as the disease stops concentrating iodine. The minimally invasive surgery is the best option for residual/recurrent locoregional disease in postsurgical setup requiring accurate presurgical localization. Intraoperative gamma probe using low-dose tracer has shown its utility in radioguided surgery. The authors present a 46-year-old man with thyroglobulin elevated and negative iodine scan showing FDG-avid left supraclavicular lymph node on whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT with physiological uptake on whole-body radioactive iodine scan, where 99mTc-MIBI radioguided probe helped in carrying out minimally invasive surgery with excision of malignant node.
The Added Value of Tau-PET in the Assessment of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
Authors: López-Mora Diego Alfonso , Fernández León Alejandro , Lleó Alberto , Blesa Rafael , Camacho Valle
Published: March 2020

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by deposition of fibrillar aggregates of 4R tau-protein in neurons and glial cells. This disorder is underdiagnosed due to the overlap of the clinical syndrome with other related conditions. The clinical manifestations include cognitive impairment associated with behavioral changes, akinetic rigid syndrome, and prominent oculomotor dysfunction. We present the 18F-FDG and 18F-THK5351 PET images of a 71-year-old man diagnosed of probable PSP. This image highlights the hopeful results of the new tau-PET ligands radiotracers, because it allows to assess the distribution of tau-protein over time, closely associated with neurodegeneration in PSP.
Diffuse Metastases in Bilateral Penile Corpus Cavernosum From Renal Cancer Diagnosed by 18F-FDG PET/CT
Authors: Zou Qiong , Jiao Ju , Zou Min-hong , Yang Ting , Zhang Yong
Published: March 2020

We report a rare case of a 60-year-old man with diffuse metastases in bilateral penile corpus cavernosum after radical nephrectomy for left renal carcinoma. 18F-FDG PET/CT demonstrated diffuse hypermetabolic lesions in bilateral penile corpus cavernosum, hypermetabolic tumor recurrences in left renal operation region, and left pulmonary metastasis. Biopsy confirmed penile metastasis from renal clear cell carcinoma. Diffuse penile metastatic carcinoma from renal cancer is extremely rare and associated with poor prognosis. 18F-FDG PET/CT is helpful for diagnosis of penis metastasis and accurate staging of primary cancer.
68Ga–Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Uptake in a Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor
Authors: Luong Thien Vinh , Iversen Peter , Bouchelouche Kirsten , Arveschoug Anne Kirstine
Published: March 2020

We present a 60-year-old man with known prostate cancer treated with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Prostate-specific antigen levels did not decline accordingly, and a second 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT demonstrated a new focus with high 68Ga-PSMA uptake in the pancreatic tail. A subsequent CT scan did not display the lesion as a typical pancreatic tumor, and a spleen scintigraphy was also negative excluding an ectopic intrapancreatic accessory spleen. 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT showed uptake in the same area of the pancreatic tail consistent with a neuroendocrine tumor. This case illustrates that neuroendocrine tumors can be important pitfalls in 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT performed in prostate cancer patients.
Granulocytic Sarcoma
Authors: Schaeffer Christine V. , Moran Thomas E. , Keng Michael K. , Bateman Henry R. , DeGeorge Brent R.
Published: March 2020

Septic, inflammatory, or crystal-induced arthritis are common etiologies of wrist pain without antecedent trauma associated with pain, loss of motion, swelling, redness, and warmth. In this report, we detail the case of granulocytic sarcoma of the wrist that presented as acute wrist pain, swelling, and limitation in motion. Granulocytic sarcoma is an exceedingly rare extramedullary tumor associated with acute myeloblastic leukemia. It may be found in any part of the body; however, upper extremity involvement is uncommon. To our knowledge, this is the first description of granulocytic sarcoma occurring in the wrist joint.
Does Postoperative Cognitive Decline Result in New Disability After Surgery?
Authors: Deiner Stacie , Liu Xiaoyu , Lin Hung-Mo , Jacoby Rachelle , Kim Jong , Baxter Mark G. , Sieber Frederick , Boockvar Kenneth , Sano Mary
Published: March 2020

Objective:

Establish whether POCD is associated with new disability after surgery, which would inform whether POCD impacts patient-centered outcomes.

Background:

POCD is a decline in neuropsychiatric tests scores from presurgical baseline which occurs in approximately 15% of older patients 3 months after surgery. POCD is a research construct meant to investigate patient and family reports of older adults who were “never the same after surgery.” However, many patients with POCD do not perceive difficulty with thinking and memory, and the question remains whether POCD impacts patient function.

Methods:

We performed a prospective cohort study of 167 older adults undergoing major noncardiac surgery (requiring at least a 2-day hospital stay). Exclusion criteria were: history of dementia, cardiac or intracranial procedure, inability to consent for themselves, or emergency surgery. We administered formal neuropsychiatric testing (Alzheimer Disease Research Center UDS battery), basic and instrumental activities of daily living (Alzheimer Disease Research Center IADLs), pain (geriatric pain measure), and depression screening (hospital depression and anxiety scale) before and 3 months after surgery. We recorded all patient refined diagnostic related groups codes, blood pressure, anesthetics and narcotics administered, surgical and anesthesia duration, and measured complications and severity, length of stay, and readmissions.

Results:

Patients with POCD (21/167, 14.1%) had twice the proportion of new impairment in IADL as compared to those without POCD (57% vs 27%, P = .01). The most common areas of decline were social activities, ability to find items around the house, remember appointments, shop and pay for items, do laundry, drive a car/use public transport, and do housework. Predictors of IADL change after surgery included POCD, presurgical cognition, presurgical function, postoperative depression, and the development of postoperative complications.

Conclusions:

Patients with POCD experience a much higher incidence of new disability after surgery. Baseline cognitive or functional limitations are also risk factors for new disability. Many patients are not aware of their limitations before surgery. Future study is needed to identify practical ways to routinely screen patients and reduce risk. Patients need to be informed of their risk for new disability after surgery to inform their medical decision making.
Textbook Outcome and Survival in Patients With Gastric Cancer
Authors: Levy Jordan , Gupta Vaibhav , Amirazodi Elmira , Allen-Ayodabo Catherine , Jivraj Naheed , Jeong Yunni , Davis Laura E. , Mahar Alyson L. , De Mestral Charles , Saarela Olli , Coburn Natalie G.
Published: March 2020

Objective:

To examine the association between Textbook Outcome (TO)—a new composite quality measurement—and long-term survival in gastric cancer surgery.

Background:

Single-quality indicators do not sufficiently reflect the complex and multifaceted nature of perioperative care in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma.

Methods:

All patients undergoing gastrectomy for nonmetastatic gastric adenocarcinoma registered in the Population Registry of Esophageal and Stomach Tumours of Ontario (PRESTO) between 2004 and 2015 were included. TO was defined according to negative margins; >15 lymph nodes sampled; no severe complications; no re-interventions; no unplanned ICU admission; length of stay ≤21 days; no 30-day readmission; and no 30-day mortality. Three-year survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. A marginal multivariable Cox proportional-hazards model was used to estimate the association between achieving TO metrics and long-term survival. E-value methodology was used to assess for risk of residual confounding.

Results:

Of the 1836 patients included in this study, 402 (22%) achieved all TO metrics. TO patients had a higher 3-year survival rate compared to non-TO patients (75% vs 55%, log-rank P < 0.001). After adjustments for covariates and clustering within hospitals, TO was associated with a 41% reduction in mortality (adjusted hazards ratio 0.59, 95% confidence interval 0.48, 0.72, P < 0.001). These results were robust to potential residual confounding.

Conclusions:

Achieving TO is strongly associated with improved long-term survival in gastric cancer patients and merits further focus in surgical quality improvement efforts.
Potential Therapeutic Approaches for the Intussusception Through a Side-to-Side Jejunojejunal Anastomosis After Laparoscopic Gastrectomy
Authors: Lee Si-Hak , Chung Jae Hun , Choi Cheol Woong , Kim Su Jin , Kim Dae-Hwan , Choi Chang In , Hwang Sun-Hwi
Published: March 2020

We reviewed our experience with the management of intussusception presenting as a complication of laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) and studied the feasibility of a laparoscopic intervention to treat or prevent this condition. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 12 patients diagnosed with intussusception, following gastrectomy, from 2008 to 2017, including clinical manifestations, incidence, post-LG time-interval before diagnosis, and treatment. Totally, 12/2300 gastrectomy patients (0.52%) developed intussusception. All 12 had undergone laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer (12/1250, 0.96%) and presented with intussusception through a side-to-side jejunojejunal anastomosis. The mean latency period was 423.8 (range: 86 to 1500) days. Four patients underwent emergent laparoscopic reduction of the efferent loop without bowel resection, along with fixation of the reduced jejunum to the afferent loop and the small bowel mesentery, to prevent a recurrence. One patient required open surgery with manual reduction and segmental resection of the gangrenous small bowel portion. All operated patients recovered without any complications. Intussusception resolved spontaneously in the remaining 7/12 patients. We found that a laparoscopic approach can be used for preventing or managing post-LG intussusception. We found that recurrence can be prevented or treated by anchoring and fixing the (reduced) efferent loop to the afferent loop and the small bowel mesentery.
Endoscopic Ampullectomy of Benign Ampullary Lesions: Outcomes From a Single Center Study
Authors: Ödemiş Bülent , Durak Muhammed B. , Cengiz Mustafa
Published: March 2020

Background:

Endoscopic ampullectomy (EA) offers an insignificantly intrusive strategy for viably treating mucosal and occasionally submucosal lesions of the ampulla of Vater and encompassing periampullary area with high achievement and is more secure. The aim of this study was to present safety, efficacy, and outcomes of EA in the treatment of benign lesions of ampulla Vater performed by single experienced endoscopists in a high volume center.

Methods:

This retrospective study was conducted in patients referred to our hospital (Turkey High Speciality Training and Research Hospital, Turkey) for endoscopic evaluation of ampullary benign lesions over an 8-year period (between October 2011 and September 2019). Success rate was defined as complete resection of lesions.

Results:

Twenty-nine patients with a median age of 64 years were included. Twenty-five patients had lesions confined to the ampulla vateri (86.2%). Accordingly, 2 lesions had intraductal extension adenoma (IDA) (6.9%) and 2 were lateral spreading adenoma (6.9%). The median size of the lesion was 17.5 mm (10 to 36 mm). Nineteen lesions (65.5%) were resected en bloc and 10 lesions (34.5%) were resected in piecemeal manner. Complete resection was achieved in 21 of 23 patients with benign ampullary lesions. The procedure success rate was 91.3%. Complications occurred in 6 patients (20.6%) of these 3 had (10.3%) bleeding, 2 (6.8%) had pancreatitis, and 1 had (3.4%) perforation. Four patients (13.7%) had a recurrence.

Conclusions:

Deep resection of the benign ampullary lesions increases the complete resection rate, cannulation rate of the pancreatic duct, and stenting rate of the pancreatic duct. EA is a safe and successful procedure in patients with benign lesions of ampulla vater.
Transplant Outcomes in Older Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Compared to Alcohol-related Liver Disease and Hepatitis C
Authors: Henson Jacqueline B. , Wilder Julius M. , Kappus Matthew R. , Barbas Andrew S. , Moylan Cynthia A. , Niedzwiecki Donna , Muir Andrew J. , Berg Carl L. , Patel Yuval A.
Published: March 2020

Background.

Patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are waitlisted at older ages than individuals with other liver diseases, but the effect of age on liver transplantation (LT) outcomes in this population and whether it differs from other etiologies is not known. We aimed to evaluate the impact of age on LT outcomes in NASH.

Methods.

The United Network for Organ Sharing database was used to identify adults with NASH, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) listed for LT during 2004–2017. Patients were split into age groups (18–49, 50–54, 55–59, 60–64, 65–69, ≥70), and their outcomes were compared.

Results.

From 2004 to 2017, 14 197 adults with NASH were waitlisted, and the proportion ≥65 increased from 15.8% to 28.9%. NASH patients ages 65–69 had an increased risk of waitlist and posttransplant mortality compared to younger groups, whereas the outcomes in ages 60–64 and 55–59 were similar. The outcomes of individuals with NASH were similar to patients of the same age group with ALD or HCV. Functional status and dialysis were predictors of posttransplant mortality in individuals ≥65 with NASH, and cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death.

Conclusions.

Older NASH patients (≥65) have an increased risk of waitlist and posttransplant mortality compared to younger individuals, although outcomes were similar to patients with ALD or HCV of corresponding age. These individuals should be carefully evaluated prior to LT, considering their functional status, renal function, and cardiovascular risk. Further studies are needed to optimize outcomes in this growing population of transplant candidates.
The role of diet in preventing and reducing cognitive decline
Authors: Angeloni Cristina , Businaro Rita , Vauzour David
Published: March 2020

Purpose of review

This review summarises the most recent evidence regarding the effects of diet in preventing and reducing age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.

Recent findings

Recent evidence indicates that nutraceuticals and whole diet approaches may protect against the development of age-related cognitive decline and pathological neurodegeneration. The neuroprotective effects are diverse depending on the nutrient employed and may involve a reduction of neuroinflammation, an activation of the endogenous antioxidant defence system and a modulation of the gut microbiota structure and function.

This review summarises the existing evidence in favour of diet as a viable alternative approach to directly impact cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases. The single nutrient (polyphenols, B vitamins, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids) versus whole diet approach (Mediterranean diet, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, MIND, Nordic, ketogenic) is presented and discussed. Potential mechanisms of action underlying the beneficial effects of these diets are also described. Implementation of large-scale preventive interventions based on dietary patterns identified as being beneficial to brain health should be a research and public health priority, ideally in conjunction with other health-promoting lifestyle factors.
Simple unity among the fundamental equations of science
Authors: Frank Steven A.
Published: March 2020

The Price equation describes the change in populations. Change concerns some value, such as biological fitness, information or physical work. The Price equation reveals universal aspects for the nature of change, independently of the meaning ascribed to values. By understanding those universal aspects, we can see more clearly why fundamental mathematical results in different disciplines often share a common form. We can also interpret more clearly the meaning of key results within each discipline. For example, the mathematics of natural selection in biology has a form closely related to information theory and physical entropy. Does that mean that natural selection is about information or entropy? Or do natural selection, information and entropy arise as interpretations of a common underlying abstraction? The Price equation suggests the latter. The Price equation achieves its abstract generality by partitioning change into two terms. The first term naturally associates with the direct forces that cause change. The second term naturally associates with the changing frame of reference. In the Price equation’s canonical form, total change remains zero because the conservation of total probability requires that all probabilities invariantly sum to one. Much of the shared common form for the mathematics of different disciplines may arise from that seemingly trivial invariance of total probability, which leads to the partitioning of total change into equal and opposite components of the direct forces and the changing frame of reference.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Fifty years of the Price equation’.
When science mirrors life: on the origins of the Price equation
Authors: Harman Oren
Published: March 2020

The Price equation was a piece of abstract mathematics. What kind of a connection could it possibly have had to George Price's personal life and biography? Here, I will argue that the initial impetus for Price's foray into mathematical population genetics stemmed from a preoccupation with the origins of family, one that was born following a divorce from his wife and the abandonment of their two young girls. What is special about the Price equation is the way in which it associates statistically between two groups, a ‘mother’ and ‘daughter’ population. The association need not mean genetic relatedness in the narrow sense of direct descent, and it allows us to see selection working at different levels simultaneously, a fact that was not lost on William Hamilton. Hamilton was one of the few friends who desperately tried to save Price from falling into the abyss of depression and homelessness in the period following the publication of ‘Selection and covariance’ (Price 1928Nature227, 520–521 (doi:10.1038/227520a0)). Viewed in this light, the Price equation assumes new meaning.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Fifty years of the Price equation’.
The Price equation and reproductive value
Authors: Grafen Alan
Published: March 2020

The Price equation is widely recognized as capturing conceptually important properties of natural selection, and is often used to derive versions of Fisher’s fundamental theorem of natural selection, the secondary theorems of natural selection and other significant results. However, class structure is not usually incorporated into these arguments. From the starting point of Fisher’s original connection between fitness and reproductive value, a principled way of incorporating reproductive value and structured populations into the Price equation is explained, with its implications for precise meanings of (two distinct kinds of) reproductive value and of fitness. Once the Price equation applies to structured populations, then the other equations follow. The fundamental theorem itself has a special place among these equations, not only because it always incorporated class structure (and its method is followed for general class structures), but also because that is the result that justifies the important idea that these equations identify the effect of natural selection. The precise definitions of reproductive value and fitness have striking and unexpected features. However, a theoretical challenge emerges from the articulation of Fisher’s structure: is it possible to retain the ecological properties of fitness as well as its evolutionary out-of-equilibrium properties?

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Fifty years of the Price equation’.
The Price equation as a bridge between animal breeding and evolutionary biology
Authors: Bijma P.
Published: March 2020

The genetic response to selection is central to both evolutionary biology and animal and plant breeding. While Price's theorem (PT) is well-known in evolutionary biology, most breeders are unaware of it. Rather than using PT, breeders express response to selection as the product of the intensity of selection (i), the accuracy of selection (ρ) and the additive genetic standard deviation (σA);R=iρσA. In contrast to the univariate ‘breeder's equation’, this expression holds for multivariate selection on Gaussian traits. Here, I relateR=iρσAto PT, and present a generalized version,R=iwρA,wσA, valid irrespective of the trait distribution. Next, I consider genotype–environment covariance in relation to the breeder's equation and PT, showing that the breeder's equation may remain valid depending on whether the genotype–environment covariance works across generations. Finally, I consider the response to selection in the prevalence of an endemic infectious disease, as an example of an emergent trait. The result shows that disease prevalence has much greater heritable variation than currently believed. The example also illustrates that the indirect genetic effect approach moves elements of response to selection from the second to the first term of PT, so that changes acting via the social environment come within the reach of quantitative genetics.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Fifty years of the Price equation’.
The Price equation and the causal analysis of evolutionary change
Authors: Okasha Samir , Otsuka Jun
Published: March 2020

Though the Price equation in itself is simply a statistical identity, biologists have often adopted a ‘causal interpretation’ of the equation, in the sense that its component terms have been supposed to correspond to distinct causal processes in evolution, such as natural selection and transmission bias. In this paper, we bring the issue of causal interpretation to the fore, by studying the conditions under which it is legitimate to read causal meaning into the Price equation. We argue that only if substantive assumptions about causal structure are made, which can be represented in the form of a causal model, can the component terms of the Price equation be interpreted as causally meaningful. We conclude with a reflection on the epistemic uses of the Price equation, emphasizing the difference between the description, explanation and prediction of evolutionary change.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Fifty years of the Price equation’.
AI-aided design of novel targeted covalent inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Tang Bowen , He Fengming , Liu Dongpeng , Fang Meijuan , Wu Zhen , Xu Dong
Published: March 2020

The focused drug repurposing of known approved drugs (such as lopinavir/ritonavir) has been reported failed for curing SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. It is urgent to generate new chemical entities against this virus. As a key enzyme in the life-cycle of coronavirus, the 3C-like main protease (3CLproor Mpro) is the most attractive for antiviral drug design. Based on a recently solved structure (PDB ID: 6LU7), we developed a novel advanced deep Q-learning network with the fragment-based drug design (ADQN-FBDD) for generating potential lead compounds targeting SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. We obtained a series of derivatives from those lead compounds by our structure-based optimization policy (SBOP). All the 47 lead compounds directly from our AI-model and related derivatives based on SBOP are accessible in our molecular library athttps://github.com/tbwxmu/2019-nCov. These compounds can be used as potential candidates for researchers in their development of drugs against SARS-CoV-2.
Loss of α2-6 sialylation promotes the transformation of synovial fibroblasts into a pro-inflammatory phenotype in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Wang Yilin , Khan Aneesah , Antonopoulos Aristotelis , Bouché Laura , Buckley Christopher D , Filer Andrew , Raza Karim , Ping-Li Kun , Tolusso Barbara , Gremese Elisa , Kurowska-Stolarska Mariola , Alivernini Stefano , Dell Anne , Haslam Stuart M. , Pineda Miguel A.
Published: March 2020

In healthy joints, synovial fibroblasts (SFs) provide the microenvironment required to mediate homeostasis but are recognized to adopt a pathological role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), promoting the infiltration and activation of immune cells to perpetuate local inflammation, pain and joint destruction. Carbohydrates (glycans) attached to cell surface proteins are fundamental regulators of cellular interactions between stromal and immune cells, but very little is known about the glycome of SFs or how glycosylation regulates their biology. Here we fill these gaps in our understanding of stromal guided pathophysiology by systematically mapping glycosylation pathways in healthy and arthritic SFs. We used a combination of transcriptomic and glycomic analysis to show that transformation of fibroblasts into pro-inflammatory cells in RA is associated with profound glycan remodeling, a process that involves reduction of α2-6 terminal sialylation that is mostly mediated by TNFα-dependent inhibition of the glycosyltransferase ST6Gal1. We also show that sialylation of SFs correlates with distinct disease stages and SFs functional subsets in both human RA and models of mouse arthritis. We propose that pro-inflammatory cytokines in the joint remodel the SF-glycome, transforming a regulatory tissue intended to preserve local homeostasis, into an under-sialylated and highly pro-inflammatory microenvironment that contributes to an amplificatory inflammatory network that perpetuates chronic inflammation. These results highlight the importance of cell glycosylation in stromal immunology.
Computer vision for pattern detection in chromosome contact maps
Authors: Matthey-Doret Cyril , Baudry Lyam , Breuer Axel , Montagne Rémi , Guiglielmoni Nadège , Scolari Vittore , Jean Etienne , Campeas Arnaud , Henri Chanut Philippe , Oriol Edgar , Meot Adrien , Politis Laurent , Vigouroux Antoine , Moreau Pierrick , Koszul Romain , Cournac Axel
Published: March 2020

Chromosomes of all species studied so far display a variety of higher order organizational features such as domains or loops often associated to biological functions and visible on Hi-C contact maps. We developedChromosight, an algorithm inspired from computer vision that can detect patterns in Hi-C maps.Chromosighthas greater sensitivity than existing methods, while being faster and applicable to any type of genomes, including bacteria, viruses, yeasts and mammals. Code and documentation:https://github.com/koszullab/chromosight
Hippocampal cells integrate past memory and present perception for the future
Authors: Yang Cen , Naya Yuji
Published: March 2020

The ability to use stored information in a highly flexible manner is a defining feature of the declarative memory system. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying this flexibility are poorly understood. To address this question, we recorded single-unit activity from the hippocampus of two non-human primates performing a newly devised task requiring the monkeys to retrieve long-term item-location association memory and then use it flexibly in different circumstances. We found that hippocampal neurons signaled both mnemonic information representing the retrieved location and perceptual information representing the external circumstance. The two signals were combined at a single-neuron level to construct goal-directed information by three sequentially occurring neuronal operations (e.g., convergence, transference, targeting) in the hippocampus. Thus, flexible use of knowledge may be supported by the hippocampal constructive process linking memory and perception, which may fit the mnemonic information into the current situation to present manageable information for a subsequent action.
The coupled dual-oscillator model of wing and haltere motion in flies
Authors: Deora Tanvi , Sane Sanjay P.
Published: March 2020

The mechanics of Dipteran thorax is dictated by a network of exoskeletal linkages which, when deformed by flight muscles, generate coordinated wing movements. In Diptera, forewings power flight, whereas hindwings have evolved into specialized halteres which provide rapid mechanosensory feedback for flight stabilization. Although actuated by independent muscles, wing-haltere motion is precisely phase-coordinated at high frequencies. Because wingbeat frequency is a product of wing-thorax resonance, wear-and-tear of wings or thorax should impair flight ability. Here, we show that wings and halteres are independently-driven, linked, coupled oscillators. We systematically reduced wing length in flies and observed how wing-haltere synchronization was affected. The wing-wing system is a strongly-coupled oscillator, whereas wing-haltere system is weakly-coupled through mechanical linkages which synchronize phase and frequency. Wing-haltere link is unidirectional; altering wingbeat frequency affects haltere frequency, but not vice-versa. Exoskeletal linkages are thus key morphological features of Dipteran thorax, ensuring robust wing-haltere synchrony despite wing damage.
Tests of hybridisation inTetragonulastingless bees using multiple genetic markers
Authors: Hereward James P. , Smith Tobias J. , Gloag Ros , Brookes Dean R. , Walter Gimme H.
Published: March 2020

Discrepancies in mitochondrial and nuclear genetic data are often interpreted as evidence of hybridisation. We re-examined reports of hybridisation in three cryptic stingless bee species in the genusTetragonulain South East Queensland, Australia (T. carbonaria, T. davenporti, andT. hockingsi). Previous studies on this group using microsatellite markers proposed that occasional hybrids are found. In contrast, we find that allele frequencies at neutral regions of the nuclear genome, both microsatellites and randomsnps, reliably separated the three species, and thus do not support hybridisation. We found no inter-species variation in PCR amplicons of the nuclear geneEF1alpha, but low and moderate species-specific polymorphisms in the nuclear geneOpsinand the mitochondrial16Srespectively, with no cases of mito-nuclear discordance at these genes. We confirm that nuclear divergence between these species is low, based on 10-26kb of non-coding sequence flankingEF1alphaandOpsin(0.7-1% pairwise difference between species). However, we find mitogenomes to be far more diverged than nuclear genomes (21.6-23.6% pairwise difference between species). Based on these comprehensive analyses of multiple marker types, we conclude that there is no ongoing gene flow in theTetragonulaspecies of South East Queensland, despite their high morphological similarity to one another and the low nuclear divergence among them. The mitogenomes and draft nuclear genomes provided for these species will be a resource for further molecular studies on this group, which are important pollinators in Australian natural and agroecosystems.
DAZL mediates a broad translational program regulating expansion and differentiation of spermatogonial progenitors
Authors: Mikedis Maria M. , Fan Yuting , Nicholls Peter K. , Endo Tsutomu , Jackson Emily K. , Cobb Sarah A. , de Rooij Dirk G. , Page David C.
Published: March 2020

Fertility across metazoa requires the germline-specific DAZ family of RNA-binding proteins. Here we examine whether DAZL directly regulates progenitor spermatogonia using a conditional genetic mouse model andin vivobiochemical approaches combined with chemical synchronization of spermatogenesis. We find that the absence ofDazlimpairs both expansion and differentiation of the spermatogonial progenitor population. In undifferentiated spermatogonia, DAZL binds the 3’ UTRs of ∼2,500 protein-coding genes. Some targets are known regulators of spermatogonial proliferation and differentiation while others are broadly expressed, dosage-sensitive factors that control transcription and RNA metabolism. DAZL binds 3’ UTR sites conserved across vertebrates at a UGUU(U/A) motif. By assessing ribosome occupancy in undifferentiated spermatogonia, we find that DAZL increases translation of its targets. In total, DAZL orchestrates a broad translational program that amplifies protein levels of key spermatogonial and gene regulatory factors to promote the expansion and differentiation of progenitor spermatogonia.
Synchronous Caregiving from Birth to Adulthood Tunes Humans’ Social Brain
Authors: Ulmer-Yaniv Adi , Salomon Roy , Waidergoren Shani , Shimon-Raz Ortal , Djalovski Amir , Feldman Ruth
Published: March 2020

Mammalian young are born with immature brains and rely on the mother’s body and caregiving behavior for maturation of neurobiological systems that sustain adult sociality. However, the parent-child precursors of humans’ social brain are unknown. We followed human neonates, who received or were deprived of maternal bodily contact, to adulthood, repeatedly measuring mother-child interactive synchrony. We tested the neural basis of empathic accuracy in adulthood and utilized multivariate techniques to distinguish brain regions sensitive to others’ distinct emotions from those globally activated by the vicarious stance. A network comprising the amygdala, insula, and temporal pole underpinned empathic accuracy, which was shaped by mother-child synchrony across development. Synchronous experiences with mother or father in infancy impacted adults’ neural empathy, highlighting the benefits of humans’ bi-parental rearing. Findings demonstrate the centrality of synchronous caregiving across development for tuning humans’ social brain.
Inhibition of IL34 unveils tissue-selectivity and is sufficient to reduce microglial proliferation in chronic neurodegeneration
Authors: Obst Juliane , Simon Emilie , Martin-Estebane Maria , Pipi Elena , Barkwill Liana M. , Gonzalez-Rivera Ivette , Buchanan Fergus , Prescott Alan R. , Faust Dorte , Fox Simon , Brownlees Janet , Taylor Debra , Perry V. Hugh , Nuthall Hugh , Atkinson Peter J , Karran Eric , Routledge C , Gomez-Nicola Diego
Published: March 2020

The proliferation and activation of microglia, the resident macrophages in the brain, is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and prion disease. Colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) is critically involved in regulating microglial proliferation, and CSF1R blocking strategies have been recently used to modulate microglia in neurodegenerative diseases. However, CSF1R is broadly expressed by many cellular types and the impact of its inhibition on the innate immune system is still unclear. CSF1R can be activated by two independent ligands, CSF1 and interleukin 34 (IL-34). Recently, it has been reported that microglia development and maintenance depend on IL-34 signalling. In this study, we evaluate the inhibition of IL-34 as a novel strategy to reduce microglial proliferation in neurodegenerative diseases, using the ME7 model of prion disease. Selective inhibition of IL-34 showed no effects on peripheral macrophages populations in healthy mice, avoiding the side effects observed after CSF1R inhibition on the systemic compartment. However, we observed a reduction in microglial proliferation after IL-34 inhibition in prion-diseased mice, indicating that microglia could be more specifically targeted by reducing IL-34 and that this ligand plays an important role in the modulation of microglia population during neurodegeneration. Overall, our results suggest that control of microglial response through IL-34 blockade could be a potential therapeutic approach in neurodegenerative diseases.
Experimental charge density of grossular under pressure – a feasibility study
Authors: Gajda Roman , Stachowicz Marcin , Makal Anna , Sutuła Szymon , Parafiniuk Jan , Fertey Pierre , Woźniak Krzysztof
Published: March 2020

X-ray diffraction studies of crystals under pressure and quantitative experimental charge density analysis are among the most demanding types of crystallographic research. A successful feasibility study of the electron density in the mineral grossular under 1 GPa pressure conducted at the CRISTAL beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron is presented in this work. A single crystal was placed in a diamond anvil cell, but owing to its special design (wide opening angle), short synchrotron wavelength and the high symmetry of the crystal, data with high completeness and high resolution were collected. This allowed refinement of a full multipole model of experimental electron distribution. Results are consistent with the benchmark measurement conducted without a diamond-anvil cell and also with the literature describing investigations of similar structures. Results of theoretical calculations of electron density distribution on the basis of dynamic structure factors mimic experimental findings very well. Such studies allow for laboratory simulations of processes which take place in the Earth's mantle.
Theoretical foundations of antecedents of internationalization and moderators in multinationality–performance relationship
Authors: Purkayastha Anish , Sharma Sunil , Karna Amit
Published: March 2020

Purpose

In this paper, the authors undertake a systematic analysis of multinationality–performance (M-P) literature published in the last decade, when antecedents for internationalization and moderators of theM-Prelationship had attained a center stage in international business and international management research. ThoughM-Prelationship is one of the most widely studied topics within international business literature, so far synthesis of the entire theoretical landscape is missing in extant literature.

Design/methodology/approach

Through keywords search process, the authors found 111 studies in management literature that look at internationalization, its antecedents, performance of internationalized firms, and moderators of theM-Prelationship. The focus of this study is to identify theoretical foundations used to explain the antecedents and moderators inM-Prelationship, in order to suggest the future research direction for the field. The authors classify the antecedents and moderators based on their theoretical underpinnings not only to identify commonly used theoretical foundations in the last 10 years of international strategy research but also to highlight potential areas for future research.

Findings

The authors’ analysis indicates that research on international strategy in the last decade was dominated by theory testing in the context of developed economies. The authors’ review suggests that majority of the antecedents and moderators in theM-Prelationship are anchored within institutional theory, organizational structure, resource-based view, social capital, and upper echelon theory.

Originality/value

The authors’ findings are indicative of a rich research potential ofM-Prelationship in the contextual research setting of emerging markets while leveraging more diversified theoretical bases and multiple levels of research design.
Investigating the significance of risks in BOT transportation projects in Vietnam
Authors: Le Phuong Thi , Chileshe Nicholas , Kirytopoulos Konstantinos , Rameezdeen Raufdeen
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The Built Operate Transfer (BOT) model has been increasingly used in transportation investments in Vietnam. However, there is still an inadequacy of risk management applications in these projects and lack of research in this area. The study aims to improve the success of projects implemented through the BOT model in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

The study followed a sequential design including interviews and a questionnaire survey to investigate the perception of stakeholders from public and private sector regarding the probability of occurrence and the severity of impact of risks in BOT transportation projects in Vietnam. Quantitative data from the survey was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics to explore the priority of risks as well as the differences in the perception between the public and private sectors.

Findings

The results showed that the top five most significant risks in BOT transportation projects in Vietnam are: (1) problems with land acquisition and compensation, (2) inappropriate location of toll booths, (3) public resistance to pay, (4) high toll rate and (5) lack of cash flow. With the exception of “lack of cash flow,” there were no statistically significant differences in the rankings of individual risks between the public and private sector. In addition, there is a significant positive correlation in the overall rankings of all risks for both sectors.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the body of knowledge by exploring the probability of occurrence and the severity of the impact of risks in BOT transportation projects in a developing country like Vietnam which has not been extensively explored yet. Second, it provides an insight into the perception of stakeholders from the public and private sector regarding the level of risks which is very useful for potential stakeholders in making decisions when they intend to participate in such partnerships. Third, it enables the Vietnamese government to establish suitable policies related to such projects. These contributions are very important in improving risk management in PPPs in developing countries.
Rewarding employee inventions in corporations
Authors: Svačina Pavel
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Reasonable remuneration of employee inventions is a controversial issue causing court litigations among employees and employers in many countries. The paper aims to shed light on the missing economic interpretation of the reasonable remuneration of employee inventions. Specifically, it focuses on the concept of “reasonability” at the issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In an empirical qualitative multiple case-study setting, the paper explores inductively Czech corporate employee inventors' remuneration systems, using typological analysis and M. Weber's interpretative theoretical construct of “ideal type.”

Findings

At the first level, reasonability is a function of multi-amount rewarding, a certain level of total remuneration and identifiable benefits being a decisive factor. Additionally, the reasonability is conceptualised as a function of two dimensions – timing/risk and benefit–reward relation. At the second level, the reasonability is interpreted as a concept balancing seven points of view: timing, materiality, equity, risk management, transparency, system costs and exactness. At the third level, the paper offers an optimal remuneration system like the one that optimises developed seven-criterion framework.

Research limitations/implications

Even if analysed within one-country and nine-company context, the insights are generalisable across a broader sample of countries with statutory rules for employee inventions. Studying more cases may enrich the findings. The findings are based merely on a rational perspective and do not deal with psychological aspects of employees.

Practical implications

The results may be helpful for intellectual property or R&D managers in building or reorganising employee invention remuneration systems within corporations. The developed seven-criteria model can serve as a discussion framework; the suggested optimal system as a reference point. The results may serve as well to consultants, judges or other parties involved in currently growing employee–employer controversies and litigations. The analysis may fuel public policy decisions, too.

Originality/value

The paper brings unique and detailed empirical insights into the issue of employee inventions. It offers a complex multi-perspective (employee/employer) framework through which the reasonability can be discussed and suggests an optimal system, which can serve as a reference point.