bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intra‐operative cell salvage in urological surgery: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of comparative studies
Authors: Kinnear Ned , O'Callaghan Michael , Hennessey Derek , Liddell Heath , Newell Bradley , Bolt John , Lawrentschuk Nathan
Published: May 2018

Objective

To evaluate systematically the safety and efficacy of intra‐operative cell salvage (ICS) in urology.

Methods

A search of Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library to August 2017 was performed using methods pre‐published on PROSPERO. Reporting followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis guidelines. Eligible titles were comparative studies published in English that used ICS in urology. Primary outcomes were allogeneic transfusion rates (ATRs) and tumour recurrence. Secondary outcomes were complications and cost.

Results

Fourteen observational studies were identified, with a total of 4 536 patients. ICS was compared with no the blood conservation technique (seven studies), preoperative autologous donation (PAD; five studies) or both (two studies). Cohorts underwent open prostatectomy (11 studies), open cystectomy (two studies) or open partial nephrectomy (one study). Meta‐analysis was possible only for ATRs within prostatectomy studies. In this setting, ICS reduced ATR compared with no the blood conservation technique (odds ratio [OR] 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.15–0.76) but not PAD (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.39–1.31). In the non‐prostatectomy setting, ATRs amongst patients who underwent ICS were significantly higher or similar in one and two studies, respectively. Tumour recurrence was found to be significantly less common (two studies), similar (eight studies) or not measured (four studies). All six studies reporting complications found no difference in their ICS cohorts. Regarding cost, one study from 1995 found ICS more expensive than PAD, while two more recent studies found ICS to be cheaper than no blood conservation technique. As a result of inter‐study heterogeneity, meta‐analyses were not possible for recurrence, complications or cost.

Conclusion

Low‐level evidence exists that, compared with other blood conservation techniques, ICS reduces ATR and cost while not affecting complications. It does not appear to increase tumour recurrence post‐prostatectomy, although follow‐up durations were short. Small study sizes and short follow‐ups mean conclusions cannot be drawn with regard to recurrence after nephrectomy or cystectomy. Randomized trials with long‐term follow‐up evaluating ICS in urology are required.
Production and preservation of resins – past and present
Authors: Seyfullah Leyla J. , Beimforde Christina , Dal Corso Jacopo , Perrichot Vincent , Rikkinen Jouko , Schmidt Alexander R.
Published: May 2018

Amber is fossilised plant resin. It can be used to provide insights into the terrestrial conditions at the time the original resin was exuded. Amber research thus can inform many aspects of palaeontology, from the recovery and description of enclosed fossil organisms (biological inclusions) to attempts at reconstruction of past climates and environments. Here we focus on the resin itself, the conditions under which it may have been exuded, and its potential path to fossilisation, rather than on enclosed fossils. It is noteworthy that not all plants produce resin, and that not all resins can (nor do) become amber. Given the recent upsurge in the number of amber deposits described, it is time to re‐examine ambers from a botanical perspective. Here we summarise the state of knowledge about resin production in modern ecosystems, and review the biological and ecological aspects of resin production in plants. We also present new observations on conifer‐derived resin exudation, with a particular focus on araucarian conifer trees. We suggest that besides disease, insect attacks and traumatic wounding from fires and storms, other factors such as tree architecture and local soil conditions are significant in creating and preserving resin outpourings. We also examine the transformation of resin into amber (maturation), focusing on geological aspects of amber deposit formation and preservation. We present new evidence that expands previous understanding of amber deposit formation. Specific geological conditions such as anoxic burial are essential in the creation of amber from resin deposits. We show that in the past, the production of large amounts of resin could have been linked to global climate changes and environmental disruption. We then highlight where the gaps in our knowledge still remain and potential future research directions.
A new tool for neighbourhood change research: The Canadian Longitudinal Census Tract Database, 1971–2016
Authors: Allen Jeff , Taylor Zack
Published: May 2018

Performing longitudinal analysis of socio‐economic change in small‐area spatial units such as census tracts presents several methodological complications and requires significant data preparation. Unit boundaries are revised each census year because of changes in population and delineation methodologies. This limits cross‐year comparison since data are not representative of the same spatial units. To address these problems, we have developed an innovative procedure to reduce error when comparing tract‐level data across census years by apportioning data to the same areal units. This paper describes the methods used to create the Canadian Longitudinal Tract Database. Our procedure is a combination of map‐matching techniques, dasymetric overlays, and population‐weighted areal interpolation. The output is a set of tables with apportionment weights pertaining to pairs of unique boundary identifiers across census years, which can be linked with census data or other data with census identifiers that require longitudinal comparison.
Children's Belief in Counterintuitive and Counterperceptual Messages
Authors: Lane Jonathan D.
Published: May 2018

Children's cognition is shaped, in part, by the messages provided by parents, educators, and peers. Some of these messages defy children's own knowledge or perceptions—these claims may be confronted regularly in science classes and museums (e.g., when learning about invisible gases or species categorization) and in religious settings (e.g., when learning about all‐powerful deities, souls, or qi). How are children's beliefs influenced by these countermessages? Using a constructivist framework, I review research to chart a developmental account for how children adjust their beliefs in response to counterintuitive and counterperceptual messages. I focus on how and why children's receptivity to such claims shifts across development, and I discuss cognitive and contextual factors that influence these developments.
Leptin and IGF‐1 in relation to body composition and bone mineralization of preterm‐born children from infancy to 8 years
Authors: Ruys Charlotte A. , van de Lagemaat Monique , Lafeber Harrie N. , Rotteveel Joost , Finken Martijn J.J.
Published: May 2018

Objective

Preterm birth has been associated with altered body composition, especially increased fat mass (FM) and decreased bone mineralization, and leptin and IGF‐1 have been suggested to be involved in the regulation of both. We aimed to study the interplay between leptin, IGF‐1, FM and bone mineralization measured in infancy and childhood of children born preterm.

Design

Observational study.

Patients/subjects

Seventy‐nine (40 boys) preterm‐born children (gestational age ≤32 weeks and/or birth weight ≤1500 g) aged 8 years.

Measurements

Serum leptin and IGF‐1 were measured at term age, at 3‐ and 6‐month corrected age (CA), and 8 years. Body composition (fat and lean mass) and bone parameters (bone area, mineral content and density) were measured by Dual‐energy X‐ray Absorptiometry (DXA) at term age, 6‐month CA and 8 years.

Results

Leptin was positively associated with FM at all time points and with bone parameters at term age and 6‐month CA. IGF‐1 was associated with body composition and bone density at most of the time points. Explained variation in bone mineralization increased significantly by adding bone area (BA) and height to the models.

Conclusions

During infancy and childhood, leptin and IGF‐1 were associated with body composition in preterm‐born children. In addition, leptin was associated with bone parameters in early infancy, but not in childhood. It is hypothesized that a complicated interplay between multiple pathways, which most likely changes over time, is involved in regulation of body composition and bone mineralization of preterm‐born infants.
Converting loss‐on‐ignition to organic carbon content in arable topsoil: pitfalls and proposed procedure
Authors: Jensen J. L. , Christensen B. T. , Schjønning P. , Watts C. W. , Munkholm L. J.
Published: May 2018

Assessments of changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks depend heavily on reliable values of SOC content obtained by automated high‐temperature C analysers. However, historical as well as current research often relies on indirect SOC estimates such as loss‐on‐ignition (LOI). In this study, we revisit the conversion of LOI to SOC using soil from two long‐term agricultural field experiments and one arable field with different contents of SOC, clay and particles <20 μm (Fines20). Clay‐, silt‐ and sand‐sized fractions were isolated from the arable soil. Samples were analysed for texture, LOI (500°C for 4 hours) and SOC by dry combustion. For a topsoil with 2 g C and 30 g clay 100 g−1 soil, converting LOI to SOC by the conventional factor 0.58 overestimated the SOC stock by 45 Mg C ha−1. The error increased with increasing contents of clay and Fines20. Converting LOI to SOC by a regression model underestimated the SOC stock by 5 Mg C ha−1 at small clay and Fines20 contents and overestimated the SOC stock by 8 Mg C ha−1 at large contents. This was due to losses of structural water from clay minerals. The best model to convert LOI to SOC incorporated clay content. Evaluating this model against an independent dataset gave a root mean square error and mean error of 0.295 and 0.125 g C 100 g−1, respectively. To avoid misleading accounts of SOC stocks in agricultural soils, we recommend re‐analysis of archived soil samples for SOC using high‐temperature dry combustion methods. Where archived samples are not available, accounting for clay content improves conversion of LOI to SOC considerably. The use of the conventional conversion factor 0.58 is antiquated and provides misleading estimates of SOC stocks.

Highlights

Assessment of SOC contents is often based on less accurate methods such as LOI.

Reliable accounts of changes in SOC stocks remain high on the agenda (4‰ initiative).

Conversion of LOI to SOC is considerably improved by accounting for clay content.

Converting LOI to SOC by the conventional factor 0.58 leads to grossly overestimated SOC stocks.
Seasonal dynamics of bacterial communities in aBetula albosinensisforest
Authors: Du C. , Xu C.‐Y. , Jian J.‐S. , He W.‐X. , Hou L. , Geng Z.‐C.
Published: May 2018

Soil bacteria play a key role in nutrient cycling, but the mechanisms behind seasonal variation of bacterial communities in different types of soil remain unclear. In this study, the bacterial composition during four seasons and at four soil depths (0–10, 10–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm) in aBetula albosinensisforest of the Qinling Mountains (southern Shaanxi Province, China) was investigated. Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyse soil bacterial diversity and communities. The soil properties, including temperature, pH, water content, organic carbon and total nitrogen content, were determined. Soil bacterial diversity did not decrease with increasing depth, indicating that the bacterial communities in the top‐ and sub‐soil had adapted to the availability of different substrates at different depths. The Chao1 richness and Shannon diversity indices at the four depths typically decreased by 54.43–86.87% and 13.31–33.91%, respectively, from warm summer to cold winter, which was probably a result of the decrease in soil temperature. Moreover, the abundance ofAcidobacteriaincreased with soil temperature, whereas the abundance ofBacteroidetesdecreased with increasing temperature. Soil temperature accounted for 49% of the total variation among the bacterial taxa. Overall, the results suggested that changes in the bacterial communities were attributable to physiological adaptation, which was controlled by soil temperature.

Highlights

We assessed the effects of soil depth and season on soil bacterial community structure.

We used Illumina 16S rRNA sequencing to study bacterial diversity and community composition.

Changes in bacterial Shannon index with soil depth were influenced by carbon type, not quantity.

Soil temperature had important effects on bacterial communities and abundance.
Fatigue crack initiation assessment of welded joints accounting for residual stress
Authors: Dong Y. , Garbatov Y. , Guedes Soares C.
Published: May 2018

The impact of residual stresses on the fatigue crack initiation life of welded joints is evaluated by the finite element method. The residual stresses of nonload‐carrying cruciform joints, induced by welding and ultrasonic impact treatment, are modelled by initial stresses, using the linear superposition principle. An alternative approach of using modified stress‐strain curves in the highly stressed zone is also proposed to account for the residual stress effect on the local stress‐strain history. An evaluation of the fatigue crack initiation life of welded joints based on the local strain approach is carried out. The predicted results show the effect of residual stresses and agree well with published experimental results of as‐welded and ultrasonic impact treated specimens, demonstrating the applicability of both approaches. The proposed approaches may provide effective tools to evaluate the residual stress effect on the fatigue crack initiation life of welded joints.
Mef2 induction of the immediate early gene Hr38/Nr4a is terminated by Sirt1 to promote ethanol tolerance
Authors: Adhikari P. , Orozco D. , Randhawa H. , Wolf F. W.
Published: May 2018

Drug naïve animals given a single dose of ethanol show changed responses to subsequent doses, including the development of ethanol tolerance and ethanol preference. These simple forms of behavioral plasticity are due in part to changes in gene expression and neuronal properties. Surprisingly little is known about how ethanol initiates changes in gene expression or what the changes do. Here we demonstrate a role in ethanol plasticity for Hr38, the sole Drosophila homolog of the mammalian Nr4a1/2/3 class of immediate early response transcription factors. Acute ethanol exposure induces transient expression of Hr38 and other immediate early neuronal activity genes. Ethanol activates the Mef2 transcriptional activator to induce Hr38, and the Sirt1 histone/protein deacetylase is required to terminate Hr38 induction. Loss of Hr38 decreases ethanol tolerance and causes precocious but short‐lasting ethanol preference. Similarly, reduced Mef2 activity in all neurons or specifically in the mushroom body α/β neurons decreases ethanol tolerance; Sirt1 promotes ethanol tolerance in these same neurons. Genetically decreasing Hr38 expression levels in Sirt1 null mutants restores ethanol tolerance, demonstrating that both induction and termination of Hr38 expression are important for behavioral plasticity to proceed. These data demonstrate that Hr38 functions as an immediate early transcription factor that promotes ethanol behavioral plasticity.
Can Circadian Dysregulation Exacerbate Migraines?
Authors: Ong Jason C. , Taylor Hannah L. , Park Margaret , Burgess Helen J. , Fox Rina S. , Snyder Sarah , Rains Jeanetta C. , Espie Colin A. , Wyatt James K.
Published: May 2018

Objective

This observational pilot study examined objective circadian phase and sleep timing in chronic migraine (CM) and healthy controls (HC) and the impact of circadian factors on migraine frequency and severity.

Background

Sleep disturbance has been identified as a risk factor in the development and maintenance of CM but the biological mechanisms linking sleep and migraine remain largely theoretical.

Methods

Twenty women with CM and 20 age‐matched HC completed a protocol that included a 7 day sleep assessment at home using wrist actigraphy followed by a circadian phase assessment using salivary melatonin. We compared CM vs HC on sleep parameters and circadian factors. Subsequently, we examined associations between dim‐light melatonin onset (DLMO), the midpoint of the sleep episode, and the phase angle (time from DLMO to sleep midpoint) with the number of migraine days per month and the migraine disability assessment scale (MIDAS).

Results

CM and HC did not differ on measures of sleep or circadian phase. Within the CM group, more frequent migraine days per month was significantly correlated with DLMO (r = .49, P = .039) and later sleep episode (r = .47, P = .037). In addition, a greater phase angle (ie, circadian misalignment) was significantly correlated with more severe migraine‐related disability (r = .48, P = .042). These relationships remained significant after adjusting for total sleep time.

Conclusions

This pilot study revealed that circadian misalignment and delayed sleep timing are associated with higher migraine frequency and severity, which was not better accounted for by the amount of sleep. These findings support the plausibility and need for further investigation of a circadian pathway in the development and maintenance of chronic headaches. Specifically, circadian misalignment and delayed sleep timing could serve as an exacerbating factor in chronic migraines when combined with biological predispositions or environmental factors.
Transjugular diagnostics in acute liver failure including measurements of hepatocentral venous biomarker gradients
Authors: Wang Martin Chong , Wandrer Franziska , Schlué Jerome , Voigtländer Torsten , Lankisch Tim Oliver , Manns Michael Peter , Bantel Heike , von Hahn Thomas
Published: May 2018

Aim

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a syndrome of severe liver injury that may need urgent liver transplantation and is associated with significant risk of death. Early outcome prediction and further possibilities to increase accuracy of prognosis scores are important.

Methods

We examined 30 patients with ALF, according to the novel criteria of the Intractable Hepato‐Biliary Diseases Study Group, who underwent transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) and investigated the relevance of histology for correct diagnosis and etiology. We assessed the suitability of necrosis (%), hepatic venous pressure gradients (HVPG), and hepatocentral venous gradients of serum biomarkers for outcome prediction. For this purpose, we calculated the difference of biomarker levels between hepatic vein (HV) and superior vena cava (SVC) blood samples.

Results

Histology of TJLB specimens contributed to finding the etiology in 83%. Necrosis (%) and HVPGs were not significantly different between outcome groups. In gradient measurements, caspase 3/7 activity and total cytokeratin 18 (CK‐18) (M65) had significant and relevant levels different from zero. Although they were not accurate for outcome prediction, differences between outcome groups were detected in caspase activation: levels of caspase 3/7 activity in the HV and caspase‐cleaved CK‐18 (M30) in the SVC were significantly higher in spontaneously recovered patients.

Conclusions

Our results underline the role of caspase activation in spontaneous recovery from ALF. Furthermore, the calculation of hepatocentral venous biomarker gradients could represent a new diagnostic tool whose clinical potential needs to be further investigated.
Does the delivery of diagnostic news affect the likelihood of whether or not patients ask questions about the results? A conversation analytical study
Authors: Murtagh Ged M. , Thomas Anne L. , Furber Lynn
Published: May 2018

Background

Asymmetries in knowledge and competence in the medical encounter often mean that doctor‐patient communication can be compromised. This study explores this issue and examines whether the likelihood of patient question asking is increased following the delivery of diagnostic test results. It also examines whether that likelihood is related to the way in which the test results are delivered.

Objective

To examine when and how patients initiate questions following diagnostic news announcements.

Methods

We audio‐recorded oncology consultations (n = 47) consisting of both first consultations and follow‐up consultations with patients with different types of cancer, at a leading UK teaching hospital. From the primary sample, we identified 30 consultations based on a basic count of the frequency of patient questions and their positioning in relation to diagnostic announcements. This subset of 30 consultations consisted of a mix of first and follow‐up consultations.

Results

Our data demonstrate how the design and delivery of diagnostic news announcements can either discourage or provide the opportunity for a patient‐initiated question in the next turn of talk. We identified two types of announcement. Q+ generally provided for a patient‐initiated question as a relevant next turn following the news announcement, whereas Q− did not. Q+ was sometimes followed up with the explanation of test results, which appeared to encourage further patient questions.

Conclusion

The design and delivery of diagnostic news announcements can make a patient‐initiated question more or less appropriate, in the next turn of talk. In addition, showing and explaining test results can encourage further opportunities for patients’ questions.
The siege of Acre (1189–1191) in the historiographical tradition
Authors: Hosler John D.
Published: May 2018

The siege of Acre (1189–1191) was the first and principal engagement of the Third Crusade. Although Christian forces successfully besieged the city, the losses they suffered in the process significantly limited continuing crusade operations and contributed to Richard the Lionheart's inability to besiege Jerusalem. Featuring dozens of battles, skirmishes, and naval actions, Acre was one of the longest sieges of the middle ages and provides a snapshot of the practice of both western and eastern warfare in the 12th century. Unfortunately, the actual military operations of the siege have been chronically understudied in the last two centuries. This essay examines the historiography on the siege of Acre and argues that it deserves more concerted attention from military and Crusades historians alike.
Socioeconomic inequalities in the use of dental care services during early childhood: an epidemiological survey
Authors: Souza João Gabriel Silva , Sampaio Aline Araújo , Costa Oliveira Bárbara Emanoele , Jones Kimberly Marie , Martins Andréa Maria Eleutério De Barros Lima
Published: May 2018

Background

The use of dental care services contributes to the improvement of children's healthy behaviors, reducing the prevalence of future dental problems. In this way, the purpose of this study was to describe the use of dental care service during early childhood and the possible socioeconomic inequalities in this use.

Design

Data from the Brazilian Oral Health Survey (SB Brasil, 2010) were used. Interviews with the children's parents and clinical examinations with the children were conducted in a 5‐year‐old representative sample. Descriptive, bivariate and multiple hierarchical statistical analyses were applied.

Results

Of the 7241 children included, 3812 (53.2%) had used dental care services at least once in their lifetimes, and 1872 (48.8%) had used services for check‐up/prevention. The use of dental services was greater among children with a higher family income (P < 0.05). The use of check‐ups was lower among children with non‐White skin color (Black and Browns) and among those who did not live in state capitals (P < 0.05). Clinical conditions and self‐perception were also associated with the use (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Socioeconomic differences in the general use of dental care and in its use for check‐ups were identified during early childhood, indicating the presence of inequalities.
An Explicit Mapping of Currency Target Zone Models to Option Prices*
Authors: Lera Sandro Claudio , Sornette Didier
Published: May 2018

Currency target zones have been under scrutiny for the past three decades, which led to the development of two broad classes of quantitative models: Phenomenological ones that explicitly take into consideration the market's perception of the bounded exchange rate, and more mechanical ones that rely on put and call options. Until now, the two models have only been compared qualitatively. Here, we derive, for the first time, a quantitative link between these two approaches. Specifically, we show how the former approach has to be generalized in order to recover the second one. This mapping lets us relate the phenomenological parameter of the first approach to economically well‐known quantities.
Development of a short course on management of critically ill patients with acute respiratory infection and impact on clinician knowledge in resource‐limited intensive care units
Authors: Diaz Janet V. , Ortiz Justin R. , Lister Paula , Shindo Nahoko , Adhikari Neill K.J. ,   WHO Critical Care Training Short Course collaborators
Published: May 2018

Background

The 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic caused surges of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) in resource‐limited settings. Several Ministries of Health requested clinical management guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), which had not previously developed guidance regarding critically ill patients.

Objective

To assess the acceptability and impact on knowledge of a short course about the management of critically ill patients with acute respiratory infections complicated by sepsis or acute respiratory distress syndrome delivered to clinicians in resource‐limited ICUs.

Methods

Over 4 years (2009‐2013), WHO led the development, piloting, implementation and preliminary evaluation of a 3‐day course that emphasized patient management based on evidence‐based guidelines and used interactive adult‐learner teaching methodology. International content experts (n = 35) and instructional designers contributed to development. We assessed participants’ satisfaction and content knowledge before and after the course.

Results

The course was piloted among clinicians in Trinidad and Tobago (n = 29), Indonesia (n = 38) and Vietnam (n = 86); feedback from these courses contributed to the final version. In 2013, inaugural national courses were delivered in Tajikistan (n = 28), Uzbekistan (n = 39) and Azerbaijan (n = 30). Participants rated the course highly and demonstrated increased immediate content knowledge after (vs before) course completion (P < .001).

Conclusions

We found that it was feasible to create and deliver a focused critical care short course to clinicians in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Collaboration between WHO, clinical experts, instructional designers, Ministries of Health and local clinician‐leaders facilitated course delivery. Future work should assess its impact on longer‐term knowledge retention and on processes and outcomes of care.
Impact of nursing interventions on adherence to treatment with antituberculosis drugs in children and young people: A nonrandomized controlled trial
Authors: Guix‐Comellas Eva Maria , Rozas‐Quesada Librada , Velasco‐Arnaiz Eneritz , Ferrés‐Canals Ariadna , Estrada‐Masllorens Joan Maria , Force‐Sanmartín Enriqueta , Noguera‐Julian Antoni
Published: May 2018

Aim

To evaluate the association of a new nursing intervention on the adherence to antituberculosis treatment in a paediatric cohort (<18 years).

Background

Tuberculosis remains a public health problem worldwide. The risk of developing tuberculosis after primary infection and its severity are higher in children. Proper adherence to antituberculosis treatment is critical for disease control.

Design

Nonrandomized controlled trial; Phase 1, retrospective (2011–2013), compared with Phase 2, prospective with intervention (2015–2016), in a referral centre for paediatric tuberculosis in Spain (NCT03230409).

Methods

A total of 359 patients who received antituberculosis drugs after close contact with a smear‐positive patient (primary chemoprophylaxis) or were treated for latent tuberculosis infection or tuberculosis disease were included, 261 in Phase 1 and 98 in Phase 2.

In Phase 2, a new nurse‐led intervention was implemented in all patients and included two educational steps (written information in the child's native language and follow‐up telephone calls) and two monitoring steps (Eidus–Hamilton test and follow‐up questionnaire) that were exclusively carried out by nurses.

Results

Adherence to antituberculosis treatment increased from 74.7% in Phase 1% to 87.8% in Phase 2 (p = 0.014; Chi‐square test), after the implementation of the nurse‐led intervention. In Phase 2, nonadherence was only associated with being born abroad (28.6% vs. 7.8%; p = 0.019; Chi‐square test) and with foreign origin families (27.3% vs. 0%; p < 0.0001; Chi‐square test).

Conclusion

The nurse‐led intervention was associated to an increase in adherence to antituberculosis treatment. Immigrant‐related variables remained major risk factors for sub‐optimal adherence in a low‐endemic setting.
Cold/Warm stenothermic freshwater macroinvertebrates along altitudinal and latitudinal gradients in Western South America: A modern approach to an old hypothesis with updated data
Authors: Dos Santos Daniel A. , Molineri Carlos , Nieto Carolina , Zuñiga María C. , Emmerich Daniel , Fierro Pablo , Pessacq Pablo , Rios‐Touma Blanca , Márquez Javier , Gomez Daniela , Salles Frederico F. , Encalada Andrea C. , Príncipe Romina , Gómez Graciela C. , Valdovinos Zarges Claudio , Domínguez Eduardo
Published: May 2018

Aim

Traditionally, South American aquatic insects have been divided into cold and warm adapted forms. Cold‐adapted forms inhabit freshwater systems from higher latitudes, or higher altitudes even around the Equator. Warm‐adapted groups are defined as those found in lower latitudes and altitudes. This work aims to answer the questions: Are mayfly assemblages geographically segregated according to geographical (latitude) and topographical (altitude) surrogates of temperature? If so, where is this transition located?

Location

South America.

Methods

We compiled a data set about the relative incidence of 52 mayfly genera in 326 sampled communities. They span from 0 to 4,320 m and from 47.77° S to 5.74° N latitude. By virtue of the compositional nature of the data set, we applied the statistical procedures behind the Aitchison compositional data analysis. We delimited groups of assemblages based on their Aitchison distances and projected the data points onto a biplot obtained through Principal Component Analysis adjusted to compositions (Aitchison PCA).

Results

A strong correspondence among biological and geographical information was detected, with mayfly assemblages clearly segregated in space. Andesiops and Meridialaris are typical cold‐adapted forms; Baetodes, Leptohyphes and Thraulodes represent the warm group. Thermal groups can be separated by a curved line of altitude in function of latitude expressed in terms of a superellipse arc.

Main conclusions

The classical ecological bipartition of mayflies into warm and cold freshwater groups is formalized quantitatively. The dividing line between warm and cold assemblages levels off at high altitudes (c. 3,300 m) around the Equator and falls to sea level at southern latitudes. The community bipartition line is useful for tracking global change through records of altitudinal displacement below and above of the warm/cold line of involved ecological groups.
Metformin's antitumour and anti‐angiogenic activities are mediated by skewing macrophage polarization
Authors: Wang Ji‐Chang , Sun Xin , Ma Qiang , Fu Gui‐Feng , Cong Long‐Long , Zhang Hong , Fan De‐Fu , Feng Jun , Lu Shao‐Ying , Liu Jian‐Lin , Li Guang‐Yue , Liu Pei‐Jun
Published: May 2018

Beneficial effects of metformin on cancer risk and mortality have been proved by epidemiological and clinical studies, thus attracting research interest in elucidating the underlying mechanisms. Recently, tumour‐associated macrophages (TAMs) appeared to be implicated in metformin‐induced antitumour activities. However, how metformin inhibits TAMs‐induced tumour progression remains ill‐defined. Here, we report that metformin‐induced antitumour and anti‐angiogenic activities were not or only partially contributed by its direct inhibition of functions of tumour and endothelial cells. By skewing TAM polarization from M2‐ to M1‐like phenotype, metformin inhibited both tumour growth and angiogenesis. Depletion of TAMs by clodronate liposomes eliminated M2‐TAMs‐induced angiogenic promotion, while also abrogating M1‐TAMs‐mediated anti‐angiogenesis, thus promoting angiogenesis in tumours from metformin treatment mice. Further in vitro experiments using TAMs‐conditioned medium and a coculture system were performed, which demonstrated an inhibitory effect of metformin on endothelial sprouting and tumour cell proliferation promoted by M2‐polarized RAW264.7 macrophages. Based on these results, metformin‐induced inhibition of tumour growth and angiogenesis is greatly contributed by skewing of TAMs polarization in microenvironment, thus offering therapeutic opportunities for metformin in cancer treatment.
Expanding roles for pectins in plant development
Authors: Saffer Adam M.
Published: May 2018

Pectins are complex cell wall polysaccharides important for many aspects of plant development. Recent studies have discovered extensive physical interactions between pectins and other cell wall components, implicating pectins in new molecular functions. Pectins are often localized in spatially‐restricted patterns, and some of these non‐uniform pectin distributions contribute to multiple aspects of plant development, including the morphogenesis of cells and organs. Furthermore, a growing number of mutants affecting cell wall composition have begun to reveal the distinct contributions of different pectins to plant development. This review discusses the interactions of pectins with other cell wall components, the functions of pectins in controlling cellular morphology, and how non‐uniform pectin composition can be an important determinant of developmental processes.
A case of active incomplete biliary cirrhosis in an aged female Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata)
Authors: Ryu Bokyeong , Eo Kyung‐Yeon , Jang Ja‐Jun , Kim C‐Yoon , Lee Ji Min , Oh Hanseul , Kim Ukjin , Kim Jin , Lee Hyun‐Ho , Jung Young‐Mok , Park Jae‐Hak
Published: May 2018

We describe the first case of biliary cirrhosis in Japanese macaque. Clinical signs had not been detected. The liver was nodular. Histopathologically, portal‐to‐portal pattern of fibrosis might have indicated chronic cholestasis. Fibrotic septa were infiltrated with inflammatory cells. Therefore, this case could be diagnosed as active incomplete biliary cirrhosis.
High‐fluence 1064‐nm Q‐Switched Nd:YAG laser: Safe and effective treatment of café‐au‐lait macules in Asian patients
Authors: Baek Jin Ok , Park Il‐Joong , Lee Kyung Real , Ryu Ha Ryeong , Kim Jeongsoo , Lee Seulki , Kim Yu Ri , Hur Hoon
Published: May 2018

Objectives

Café‐au‐lait macules (CALMs) are benign cutaneous hyperpigmentary disorders. Usually, laser therapies for cosmetic concerns result in more severe side effects in the people of Asian descent than that of Caucasians. Unfortunately, there is no gold standard for the laser treatment of CALMs in skin of people of Asian descent.

To investigate the efficacy and safety of a high‐fluence 1064‐nm Q‐switched neodymium‐doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser treatment of CALMs in Asian patients.

Study design

The medical records of 35 Korean patients (age range: 1 to 40 years old, mean age: 18.5 years) diagnosed with isolated CALMs were reviewed retrospectively.

Methods

The patients were treated with a 1064‐nm Q‐switched Nd:YAG laser. The parameters were a spot size of 7 mm, a fluence of 2.2‐2.4 J/cm2 with a slow single sliding‐stacking pass, and a pulse rate of 10 Hz with a 1‐week interval for 20‐50 sessions.

Results

At the week of the final treatment, all treated CALMs showed considerable pigmentation removal without any permanent side effects, such as scaring, mottled hypopigmentation and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). All treated CALMs showed more than 50% clinical improvement. No recurrence was observed in any of the patients after 12 months of follow‐up.

Conclusion

A high‐fluence 1064‐nm Q‐switched Nd:YAG laser treatment of CALMs in Asian patients is a safe and effective method without side effects and recurrence.
MicroV Technology to Improve Transcranial Color Coded Doppler Examinations
Authors: Malferrari Giovanni , Pulito Giuseppe , Pizzini Attilia Maria , Carraro Nicola , Meneghetti Giorgio , Sanzaro Enzo , Prati Patrizio , Siniscalchi Antonio , Monaco Daniela
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this review is to provide an update on technology related to Transcranial Color Coded Doppler Examinations. Microvascularization (MicroV) is an emerging Power Doppler technology which can allow visualization of low and weak blood flows even at high depths, thus providing a suitable technique for transcranial ultrasound analysis. With MicroV, reconstruction of the vessel shape can be improved, without any overestimation. Furthermore, by analyzing the Doppler signal, MicroV allows a global image of the Circle of Willis. Transcranial Doppler was originally developed for the velocimetric analysis of intracranial vessels, in particular to detect stenoses and the assessment of collateral circulation. Doppler velocimetric analysis was then compared to other neuroimaging techniques, thus providing a cut‐off threshold. Transcranial Color Coded Doppler sonography allowed the characterization of vessel morphology. In both Color Doppler and Power Doppler, the signal overestimated the shape of the intracranial vessels, mostly in the presence of thin vessels and high depths of study. In further neurosonology technology development efforts, attempts have been made to address morphology issues and overcome technical limitations. The use of contrast agents has helped in this regard by introducing harmonics and subtraction software, which allowed better morphological studies of vessels, due to their increased signal‐to‐noise ratio. Having no limitations in the learning curve, in time and contrast agent techniques, and due to its high signal‐to‐noise ratio, MicroV has shown great potential to obtain the best morphological definition.
Diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders: Diagnostic accuracy for general dentistry procedure without mandatory commands regarding myalgia, arthralgia and headache attributed to temporomandibular disorder
Authors: Österlund C. , Berglund H. , Åkerman M. , Nilsson E. , Petersson H. , Lam J. , Alstergren P.
Published: May 2018

The clinical examination in diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD) is a strict procedure and comprises mandatory commands. However, learning and using these mandatory commands in general practice have proven to be difficult and their use of DC/TMD is minimal. To investigate whether reliability on a diagnostic level for DC/TMD diagnoses differs between examiners using the mandatory commands or not. Six examiners were divided into two groups: one using the mandatory commands in DC/TMD for the clinical examination and one who did not use the mandatory commands. A reliability assessment was performed twice, one occasion for each group of examiners. The assessment was performed according to the guidelines from the International Network for Orofacial Pain and Related Disorders Methodology. Each group of examiners thereby examined 16 subjects (11 TMD patients and 5 healthy individuals) each, and the diagnostic agreement (reliability) as compared to diagnoses derived by a reference standard examiner was calculated with Cohen’ s kappa coefficient. The DC/TMD diagnoses myalgia, arthralgia and headache attributed to TMD were included in the reliability assessment. There was no significant difference regarding diagnostic agreement reliability between the examiners using or not using the mandatory DC/TMD commands. This study indicates that not using the mandatory commands in DC/TMD in general practice does not impair the diagnostic reliability regarding the diagnoses myalgia, arthralgia and headache attributed to TMD compared to including the commands.
Sequential choice of sharing rules in collective contests
Authors: Balart Pau , Flamand Sabine , Gürtler Oliver , Troumpounis Orestis
Published: May 2018

Groups competing for a prize need to determine how to distribute it among their members in case of victory. Considering competition between two groups of different size, we show that the small group's sharing rule is a strategic complement to the large group's sharing rule in the sense that if the small group chooses a more meritocratic sharing rule, the large group wishes to choose a more meritocratic rule as well. On the contrary, the large group's sharing rule is a strategic substitute to the small group's sharing rule, hence the timing of choice is crucial. For sufficiently private prizes, a switch from a simultaneous choice to the small group being the leader consists in a Pareto improvement and reduces aggregate effort. On the contrary, when the large group is the leader, aggregate effort increases. As a result, the equilibrium timing is such that the small group chooses its sharing rule first. If the prize is not private enough, the small group retires from the competition and switching from a simultaneous to a sequential timing may reverse the results in terms of aggregate effort. The sequential timing also guarantees that the small group never outperforms the large one.
“I will never play the Dane”: Shakespeare and the performer's failure
Authors: O'Brien Richard
Published: May 2018

The cultural prestige accorded to Shakespeare's great roles has made them high watermarks for ‘great acting’ in general. They are therefore also uniquely capable of channelling a performer's sense of his own failure. The 1987 film Withnail & I famously ends with its title character, an out‐of‐work actor and self‐destructive alcoholic, delivering Hamlet's “What a piece of work is a man” to an audience of unresponsive wolves. And in 2014's The Trip to Italy, Steve Coogan plays a fictionalised version of himself: a comedian who fears he will never be remembered as a serious artist. On a visit to Pompeii, Coogan's delivery of Hamlet's speech to Yorick's skull similarly becomes a way of channelling the series's wider reflections on fame, mortality, and the value of the actor's art. Drawing on Marvin Carlson's argument that the role of Hamlet is unusually densely ghosted by its previous occupants, this article will explore how these two contemporary depictions of struggling performers evoke the received idea of the great Shakespearean role as the pinnacle of the actor's art to respond to the dilemma of how to cope with creative failure.
Feather mites play a role in cleaning host feathers: New insights fromDNAmetabarcoding and microscopy
Authors: Doña Jorge , Proctor Heather , Serrano David , Johnson Kevin P. , Oploo Arnika Oddy‐van , Huguet‐Tapia Jose C. , Ascunce Marina S. , Jovani Roger
Published: May 2018

Parasites and other symbionts are crucial components of ecosystems, regulating host populations and supporting food webs. However, most symbiont systems, especially those involving commensals and mutualists, are relatively poorly understood. In this study, we have investigated the nature of the symbiotic relationship between birds and their most abundant and diverse ectosymbionts: the vane‐dwelling feather mites. For this purpose, we studied the diet of feather mites using two complementary methods. First, we used light microscopy to examine the gut contents of 1,300 individual feather mites representing 100 mite genera (18 families) from 190 bird species belonging to 72 families and 19 orders. Second, we used high‐throughput sequencing (HTS) andDNAmetabarcoding to determine gut contents from 1,833 individual mites of 18 species inhabiting 18 bird species. Results showed fungi and potentially bacteria as the main food resources for feather mites (apart from potential bird uropygial gland oil). Diatoms and plant matter appeared as rare food resources for feather mites. Importantly, we did not find any evidence of feather mites feeding upon bird resources (e.g., blood, skin) other than potentially uropygial gland oil. In addition, we found a high prevalence of both keratinophilic and pathogenic fungal taxa in the feather mite species examined. Altogether, our results shed light on the long‐standing question of the nature of the relationship between birds and their vane‐dwelling feather mites, supporting previous evidence for a commensalistic–mutualistic role of feather mites, which are revealed as likely fungivore–microbivore–detritivore symbionts of bird feathers.
Singular thoughts andde reattitude reports
Authors: Openshaw James
Published: May 2018

It is widely supposed that if there is to be a plausible connection between the truth of ade reattitude report about a subject and that subject's possession of a singular thought, then “acquaintance”‐style requirements on singular thought must be rejected. I show that this belief rests on poorly motivated claims about how we talk about the attitudes. I offer a framework for propositional attitude reports, which provides both attractive solutions to recalcitrant puzzle cases and the key to preserving acquaintance constraints. The upshot is that there is an independently motivated response to the principal argument against acquaintance.
Comparative genomics of Pseudomonas syringae reveals convergent gene gain and loss associated with specialization onto cherry (Prunus avium)
Authors: Hulin Michelle T. , Armitage Andrew D. , Vicente Joana G. , Holub Eric B. , Baxter Laura , Bates Helen J. , Mansfield John W. , Jackson Robert W. , Harrison Richard J.
Published: May 2018

Genome‐wide analyses of the effector‐ and toxin‐encoding genes were used to examine the phylogenetics and evolution of pathogenicity amongst diverse strains of Pseudomonas syringae causing bacterial canker of cherry (Prunus avium), including pathovars P. syringae pv morsprunorum (Psm) races 1 and 2, P. syringae pv syringae (Pss) and P. syringae pv avii.

Phylogenetic analyses revealed Psm races and P. syringae pv avii clades were distinct and were each monophyletic, whereas cherry‐pathogenic strains of Pss were interspersed amongst strains from other host species.

A maximum likelihood approach was used to predict effectors associated with pathogenicity on cherry. Pss possesses a smaller repertoire of type III effectors but has more toxin biosynthesis clusters than Psm and P. syringae pv avii. Evolution of cherry pathogenicity was correlated with gain of genes such as hopAR1 and hopBB1 through putative phage transfer and horizontal transfer respectively. By contrast, loss of the avrPto/hopAB redundant effector group was observed in cherry‐pathogenic clades. Ectopic expression of hopAB and hopC1 triggered the hypersensitive reaction in cherry leaves, confirming computational predictions.

Cherry canker provides a fascinating example of convergent evolution of pathogenicity that is explained by the mix of effector and toxin repertoires acting on a common host.