bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Excess iodine intake: sources, assessment, and effects on thyroid function
Authors: Farebrother Jessica , Zimmermann Michael B. , Andersson Maria
Published: March 2019

Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone synthesis. High iodine intakes are well tolerated by most healthy individuals, but in some people, excess iodine intakes may precipitate hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, goiter, and/or thyroid autoimmunity. Individuals with preexisting thyroid disease or those previously exposed to iodine deficiency may be more susceptible to thyroid disorders due to an increase in iodine intake, in some cases at intakes only slightly above physiological needs. Thyroid dysfunction due to excess iodine intake is usually mild and transient, but iodine‐induced hyperthyroidism can be life‐threatening in some individuals. At the population level, excess iodine intakes may arise from consumption of overiodized salt, drinking water, animal milk rich in iodine, certain seaweeds, iodine‐containing dietary supplements, and from a combination of these sources. The median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of a population reflects the total iodine intake from all sources and can accurately identify populations with excessive iodine intakes. Our review describes the association between excess iodine intake and thyroid function. We outline potential sources of excess iodine intake and the physiological responses and consequences of excess iodine intakes. We provide guidance on choice of biomarkers to assess iodine intake, with an emphasis on the UIC and thyroglobulin.
The social brain and heart rate variability: Implications for psychotherapy
Authors: Petrocchi Nicola , Cheli Simone
Published: March 2019

Purpose

Humans evolved within the mammalian line as a highly social species. Indeed, sociality has been a major driver of human social intelligence. From birth, social relationships have emotional and self‐regulating properties and operate through different body systems. This paper will explore how heart rate variability (HRV), an index of the vagal regulation of the heart and a central element of the physiological underpinnings of sociality, is related to mental health problems, with important implications for psychotherapy.

Methods

We conducted a narrative review of the literature on the bi‐directional links between prosocial motivations, HRV, and psychophysiological functioning.

Results

HRV is associated not only with the ability to downregulate physiological arousal, but also with a variety of psychological and behavioural variables which are usually the target of psychotherapeutic interventions. A modern neurovisceral integration model can be employed to explain the complex intercorrelation between HRV and psychophysiological functioning. In particular, the link between HRV, the experience of inter‐ and intrapersonal safeness, and the inhibitory function of the prefrontal cortex will be explored in the context of prosocial motives, such as compassion, that alleviate and help prevent mental health difficulties.

Conclusions

Our knowledge of the social brain and its physiological underpinnings might influence important elements of a therapeutic intervention, from the initial assessment of patient's difficulties to the evaluation of therapy outcomes.

Practitioner points

Social relationships have emotional and self‐regulating properties.

The experience of inter‐ and intrapersonal safeness is connected to prosocial motives, such as compassion, and the inhibitory function of the prefrontal cortex.

Social relationships and compassion influence different body systems, such as the vagus nerve.

Many forms of psychopathology represent the activation of evolved, defensive strategies especially in contexts where there are few stimuli indicating safeness and social support.

Heart rate variability predicts psychotherapy outcome.
Origin of early maturing pigeonpea germplasm and its impact on adaptation and cropping systems
Authors: Saxena Kulbhushan , Choudhary Arbind K. , Srivastava Rakesh K. , Bohra Abhishek , Saxena Rachit K. , Varshney Rajeev K.
Published: March 2019

Pigeonpea breeding activities started about a century ago and for decades only late maturing cultivars dominated the global cultivation. Historically, no early maturing cultivar was available for a very long time and breeding of such varieties started in the third quarter of 20th century but at a low key. From these efforts, some pigeonpea varieties maturing in 90–150 days were bred. Information gathered from various sources revealed that the first few early maturing genotypes originated through spontaneous mutations in the late maturing field‐grown landraces. In other cases, transgressive segregation and induced mutations also produced early maturing varieties. At present, the high yielding early maturing cultivars are contributing significantly towards widening the adaption barriers and in the diversification of some age‐old cropping systems. In this paper, the authors, besides discussing the importance of early maturing cultivars in present agricultural systems, also summarize information related to the origin of primary sources of earliness.
Isolated abdominal nocardiosis in a pediatric renal transplant recipient
Authors: Acharya Ratna , Amin Krina , Rajderkar Dhanashree , Washam Matthew , Pekkucuksen Nailee , Mannemuddhu Sudha , Upadhyay Kiran
Published: March 2019

Nocardia infection after RT is uncommon. The most common modes of exposure are inhalation of dust containing nocardia or contaminated soil/water and surgical instruments. Isolated abdominal nocardiosis following RT has not been reported. We report an 11‐year‐old female who developed nocardia abscesses of the abdomen post‐RT. ESRD was secondary to FSGS and she had received multiple immunosuppressive agents prior to transplant. Induction immunosuppression consisted of thymoglobulin and maintenance was with tacrolimus, mycophenolate, and prednisone. There were construction activities in the hospital ward during her hospital stay. Due to immediate recurrence of FSGS in the allograft, she received plasma exchange, rituximab, and IVIG. Anti‐infective prophylaxis consisted of TMP‐SMX, valganciclovir, and nystatin. She developed multiple loculated fluid collections in the abdomen 6 weeks later. Histology of lesions demonstrated suppurative caseating granulomatous inflammation and the AFB culture showed Nocardia farcinica. With the reduction of immunosuppressive agents along with usage of TMP‐SMX, imipenem‐cilastatin, and linezolid, she had a partial recovery after 9 months with persistent small abscesses but remained asymptomatic clinically. There was no evidence of nocardia infection in lungs and brain. Repeat AFB culture from the lesions was negative. Allograft function remained stable throughout. She remains on oral TMP‐SMX therapy. We postulated that she could have acquired nocardia either from the contaminated air particles in the hospital from the construction activities or reactivation of nocardia from prior colonization. Nocardia infection should be suspected in immunocompromised patients with unexplained fever and abdominal pain.
Play and games: An opinionated introduction
Authors: Ridge Michael
Published: March 2019

Philosophy has a schizophrenic relationship with games. On the one hand, philosophers love using games as model, arguing that phenomena as diverse as linguistic meaning, meta‐ethics, normative ethics, applied ethics, law, and aesthetics can be illuminated via an analogy with games. On the other hand, there is scant focused discussion of the concept of a game as such. This is problematic; the appeal to games as a model to clarify philosophically puzzling questions has limited utility if games themselves (and the concept of a game) are poorly understood. Moreover, playing games plausibly is an important element in a good life; anyone interested in the theory of welfare, a traditional philosophical topic, should be interested in games. We play games, but if anything, play itself has been more neglected by philosophers than games. This neglect is unwarranted. Historically, philosophy has investigated foundational questions about human nature, and a disposition to play plausibly is a deep part of human nature. Moreover, play is an important concept in evolutionary biology and psychology, yet those working in those fields struggle to define the concept to their own satisfaction. E.O. Wilson went so far as to remark that “no behavioural concept has proved more ill‐defined, elusive, controversial, and even unfashionable than play.” One might have hoped philosophers could help here. In this paper, I provide an opinionated introduction to the philosophy of play and games.
Full‐field deformation measurement by videogrammetry using self‐adaptive window matching
Authors: Gao Sa , Tong Xiaohua , Chen Peng , Ye Zhen , Hu Ouling , Wang Benkang , Zhao Cheng , Liu Shijie , Xie Huan , Jin Yanmin , Xu Xiong , Liu Sicong , Wei Chao
Published: March 2019

Full‐field deformation measurement of specific materials is an important issue in civil engineering materials testing. This paper presents a flexible videogrammetric scheme to measure full‐field deformation of an artificial rock‐like material under uniaxial compression. In this scheme, two high‐speed cameras were used to measure the spatial morphological changes of the material surface, which was sprayed with a speckle pattern. A robust self‐adaptive window matching strategy is then proposed to extract accurate displacements of tracking points. Finally, three‐dimensional (3D) point clouds and full‐field deformation can be calculated by photogrammetric and spatiotemporal analysis. Simulation and empirical tests demonstrated that the self‐adaptive window matching strategy used with high‐speed videogrammetric speckle image sequences can detect more subtle deformation and avoid more mismatches than a fixed‐window matching strategy.
Development of a new dual‐pattern fringe projection scanner
Authors: Abzal Ali , Saadatseresht Mohammad , Varshosaz Masood
Published: March 2019

This paper proposes a new fringe projection scanner that uses a dual pattern to prevent phase retrieval errors or complications. The pattern comprises two horizontal and vertical patterns, however, just one of them is involved in computing the coordinates of an object point. To define the pattern, a photometric stereo component is used to extract the geometric properties of the object. The extracted data is employed to form a decision mask, each pixel of which defines the best pattern (horizontal, vertical or both) related to one of the object points. In this way, the scanner determines which pattern to use to obtain the most accurate results. Experiments suggest not only the avoidance of phase retrieval problems, but also an increase in the accuracy of the measurements (by 56% in this test).
Nonsurgical therapy for teeth and implants—When and why?
Authors: Lang Niklaus P. , Salvi Giovanni E. , Sculean Anton
Published: March 2019

As periodontal and peri‐implant diseases represent opportunistic infections, antiinfective therapy is the method of choice. Correctly performed, the treatment outcomes will include resolution of the inflammation concomitant with shrinkage of the tissues, reflected in reduced probing depths. Depending on the patient data obtained after initial antiinfective therapy, further – mostly surgical – treatment may be rendered to reach the goals of a healthy periodontium and peri‐implant tissues. Patient compliance is as important as operator skills for optimal treatment outcomes. Regenerative therapy may be applied in compliant patients and for appropriate defects. This article depicts the historical development of periodontal therapy during the 20th century and addresses the various outcome parameters to be used in daily decision making. Obviously, nonsurgical therapy has gained clinical relevance, resulting in highly satisfactory treatment outcomes in many cases. The critical probing depth above which positive attachment gain is registered varies from one treatment modality to another. It is a concept that helps facilitate decision making for additional therapeutic measures after initial therapy. Treatment of peri‐implant mucositis prevents development of peri‐implantitis. Hence, nonsurgical treatment of mucositis is frequently performed during the continuous monitoring of oral implants. This chapter of Periodontology 2000 presents evidence for the prevention and therapy of peri‐implant diseases.
Periodontal herpesvirus morbidity and treatment
Authors: Slots Jørgen , Slots Henrik
Published: March 2019

Four billion individuals worldwide have a history of periodontitis, with the poorest people in society most affected. Periodontitis can lead to unsightly drifting of teeth and tooth loss that may interfere with the wellbeing of daily living and has also been linked to at least 57 medical diseases and disabilities. The etiology of severe periodontitis includes active herpesviruses, specific bacterial pathogens, and destructive immune responses, but herpesviruses seem to be the major pathogenic determinant. Periodontal herpesviruses that disseminate via the systemic circulation to nonoral sites may represent a major link between periodontitis and systemic diseases. Current treatment of periodontitis focuses almost exclusively on bacterial biofilm and will require revision. Periodontal therapy that targets both herpesviruses and bacterial pathogens can provide long‐term clinical improvement and potentially reduces the risk of systemic diseases. Molecular diagnostic tests for periodontal pathogens may enable early microbial identification and preemptive therapy. This review details an efficient and reliable anti‐infective treatment of severe periodontitis that can be carried out in minimal time with minimal cost.
Treatment trends in periodontics
Authors: Caffesse Raúl G. , Echeverría Josė J.
Published: March 2019

This volume of Periodontology 2000, entitled “Treatment Trends in Periodontics”, evaluates the importance of nonsurgical periodontal therapy and defines its role as the key etiologic treatment of the disease. The need for scaling and root planing is mandatory step during the initial phase of therapy, as is self‐care by the patient. Only after reevaluation of the outcome achieved by nonsurgical procedures should surgery be considered, and the concept of “critical probing depth” is emphasized. The chapters in this volume discuss different aspects of periodontal surgery, including regeneration and plastic periodontal procedures, and, looking toward the future, cell therapy in periodontics is explored. The impact of periodontal therapy on systemic diseases is reviewed, and the role of occlusion in periodontal disease is revisited and discussed. Topics on implants include their placement in fresh extraction sockets, socket healing with or without implant placement, and research on osseointegration. The important topic of maintenance care of teeth and implants for long‐term therapeutic success is thoroughly evaluated, as is the efficacy of dentifrices in oral hygiene. The editors convey a nutshell review of the concepts of what periodontal treatment should entail, based on scientific evidence generated during half‐a‐century of work in periodontics.
The concepts of evidence‐based periodontal plastic surgery: Application of the principles of evidence‐based dentistry for the treatment of recession‐type defects
Authors: Chambrone Leandro , de Castro Pinto Rodrigo Carlos Nahas , Chambrone Luiz Armando
Published: March 2019

The decision‐making process for the treatment of recession‐type defects is based on translation of the outcomes from randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews to clinical practice. Such an approach is capable of assisting researchers, clinicians, and patients to understand the mechanisms and effects of the treatment of different root‐coverage procedures, as well as turning treatment options into usable and predictable tools to be applied in dental practice. This review explores: (a) the aspects related to the etiology of gingival recession; (b) the history of periodontal plastic surgery procedures used to achieve root coverage; (c) the main findings, implications of research, and practice of root‐coverage procedures described from the current base of systematic reviews; (d) the role of the evidence produced in Latin American research centers; and (e) the outcomes of an individual patient data meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating the role of root coverage and restorative procedures in achieving complete root coverage of noncarious cervical lesions. The findings of the current base of evidence clearly indicate that all of the main periodontal plastic surgery procedures lead to improvements in initial clinical parameters, but subepithelial connective tissue grafts, either alone or associated with coronally advanced flaps, result in superior complete root coverage, long‐term stability, and greater increase of keratinized tissue. Nonetheless, coronally advanced flaps, either associated with biomaterials (acellular dermal matrix grafts, enamel derivative proteins and xenogeneic collagen matrix) or used alone, provide satisfactory results and are suitable for use as secondary/alternative procedures to subepithelial connective tissue grafts.
Cellular therapy in periodontal regeneration
Authors: Nuñez Javier , Vignoletti Fabio , Caffesse Raul G. , Sanz Mariano
Published: March 2019

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition leading to destruction of the tooth supporting tissues, which if left untreated may cause tooth loss. The treatment of periodontitis mainly aims to arrest the inflammatory process by infection control measures, although in some specific lesions a limited periodontal regeneration can also be attained. Current regenerative approaches are aimed to guide the cells with regenerative capacity to repopulate the lesion and promote new cementum and new connective tissue attachment. The first phase in periodontal tissue regeneration involves the differentiation of mesenchymal cells into cementoblasts to promote new cementum, thus facilitating the attachment of new periodontal ligament fibers to the root and the alveolar bone. Current regenerative approaches limit themselves to the confines of the lesion by promoting the self‐regenerative potential of periodontal tissues. With the advent of bioengineered therapies, several studies have investigated the potential use of cell therapies, mainly the use of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells combined with different scaffolds. The understanding of the origin and differentiation patterns of these cells is, therefore, important to elucidate their potential therapeutic use and their comparative efficacy with current technologies. This paper aims to review the in vitro and experimental studies using cell therapies based on application of cementoblasts and mesenchymal stem cells isolated from oral tissues when combined with different scaffolds.
Role of occlusion in periodontal disease
Authors: Passanezi Euloir , Sant'Ana Adriana Campos Passanezi
Published: March 2019

This article deals with establishing a new link between trauma from occlusion and periodontal pockets based on the know‐how and background gradually developed. To provide a better understanding to the reader, a historical perspective is firstly presented. The main features on the controversy of the role played by trauma from occlusion on the physiologic behavior of the periodontal structures are shown, together with how deviations from the normal characteristics of this relationship itself affect the integrity of the periodontal tissues when or associated with dental biofilm in the presence or not of periodontal pockets have arisen. The literature provides evidence showing that the very first publication to establish a strong correlation between trauma from occlusion and periodontal pockets in humans was of Latin‐American origin. However, subsequently, trauma from occlusion was mostly evaluated by an American group, followed by a Scandinavian group, yet with some contributions from the Latin‐American group. Basically trauma from occlusion has been correlated with periodontal pockets in view of the fact that these would render the periodontal supporting tissues more amenable to the spread of inflammation of biofilm‐related periodontal pockets. This would facilitate the fast deepening of periodontal pockets, influencing the generation of infrabony periodontal pockets or suprabony periodontal pockets that are deeper than in areas without trauma from occlusion. The factors related to these different behaviors are discussed. Several clinical cases are presented showing evidence that corroborates the possibility of an actual interrelationship between trauma from occlusion and periodontitis. Theoretical evaluations based on recent advances of the mechanisms involving molecular modulation in physiological and altered occlusal functions, as well as on research data, and evaluations from data of clinical cases, support the assumption that trauma from occlusion and periodontitis may embrace the unique pathologic condition of the associated lesion trauma from occlusion plus periodontitis or act independently even if both co‐exist simultaneously in a particular case. The link between both conditions that was emphasized as definitively necessary in order for an associated lesion to develop is that both lesions, namely trauma from occlusion and periodontitis, occur in their destructive stage at exactly the same time. This involvement would explain why so many different data are presented in the literature and hopefully will shed some light for development of new methodologies of research. Clinical cases were selected to present a treatment philosophy on the subject.
Maintenance therapy for teeth and implants
Authors: Mombelli Andrea
Published: March 2019

Maintenance care is mandatory for the long‐term success of periodontal and implant treatment. As it is frequently necessary to treat recurrent or persisting disease, maintenance therapy goes beyond a true prophylaxis. During this lifelong therapy, both the patient and the dental team need to be working closely together. It is imperative to combine efforts to have the build‐up of biofilm under control during maintenance and to reduce, as much as possible, the influence that risk factors may play in plaque accumulation as well as in the tissue inflammatory response. Guidelines to evaluate periodontal tissue response are described, and a maintenance protocol is outlined. The management of residual pockets is stressed, and a variety of treatment approaches are considered and evaluated. How to evaluate peri‐implant tissues during maintenance is discussed, as is the protocol of the cumulative interceptive supportive therapy.
Focal infection of periodontal origin
Authors: Slots Jørgen
Published: March 2019

Periodontology has evolved from a predominantly mechanical to a sophisticated infectious disease‐based discipline. Research has paved the way for a greater understanding of the periodontal microbiome, improvement in periodontal diagnostics and therapies, and the recognition of periodontitis being associated with more than 50 systemic diseases. The etiopathology of progressive periodontitis includes active herpesviruses, specific bacterial pathogens, and proinflammatory immune responses. This article points to a role of periodontal herpesviruses in the development of systemic diseases and proposes treatment of severe periodontitis not only to avoid tooth loss, but also to reduce the risk for systemic diseases. An efficient, safe, and reliable anti‐infective treatment of severe periodontitis is presented, which targets both herpesviruses and bacterial pathogens and which can be carried out in minimal time with minimal cost.
Responses of phytoplankton species to diel temperature fluctuation patterns
Authors: Zhang Min , Guan Yue , Qin Baoli , Wang Xulin
Published: March 2019

Diel temperature fluctuation might promote the dominance of cyanobacteria and result in the advance of bloom onset timing in spring. However, knowledge of how temperature fluctuations impact phytoplankton shift and then favor cyanobacterial growth in spring is limited. In this study, we analyzed photosynthesis and growth responses of phytoplankton species to different temperature fluctuation patterns in the laboratory. We also performed daily monitoring to detect the relationship between phytoplankton groups and diel temperature fluctuations. The results of the laboratory experiments suggested that the photosynthetic performance and growth rate of Microcystis aeruginosa were better adapted to temperature fluctuations than those of Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Cyclotella meneghiniana. Temperature fluctuations slowed the proliferation of Ch. pyrenoidosa and Cy. meneghiniana, while promoting M. aeruginosa. Moreover, the response dynamics of different phytoplankton species to diel temperature fluctuations depended on the mean temperature. The results from the field also indicated that there was a positive relationship between cyanobacterial biomass and diel temperature fluctuations. Our study offers further understanding of the effect of temperature fluctuation on phytoplankton composition shift and the formation of cyanobacterial dominance in spring.
Policy Feedback in a Racialized Polity
Authors: Michener Jamila
Published: March 2019

American public policy is and has always been profoundly racialized. Yet, the literature on policy feedback lacks cohesive theorization of how race matters for feedback processes. This article offers a conceptual road map for studying policy feedback in the context of racialized politics. Drawing together the substantial (but largely disconnected) work that already exists in the fields of public policy and racial politics, I develop the racialized feedback framework to provide theoretical guidance on (i) when race should be a core focus of policy feedback research and (ii) how race structures the relationship between policy and polity. I argue that both the scope of the questions that scholars ask and the nature of the answers they find are altered when race is afforded an appropriately central role in research on policy feedback.
Probabilistic Multiple Hazard Resilience Model of an Interdependent Infrastructure System
Authors: Kong Jingjing , Simonovic Slobodan P.
Published: March 2019

Multiple hazard resilience is of significant practical value because most regions of the world are subject to multiple natural and technological hazards. An analysis and assessment approach for multiple hazard spatiotemporal resilience of interdependent infrastructure systems is developed using network theory and a numerical analysis. First, we define multiple hazard resilience and present a quantitative probabilistic metric based on the expansion of a single hazard deterministic resilience model. Second, we define a multiple hazard relationship analysis model with a focus on the impact of hazards on an infrastructure. Subsequently, a relationship matrix is constructed with temporal and spatial dimensions. Further, a general method for the evaluation of direct impacts on an individual infrastructure under multiple hazards is proposed. Third, we present an analysis of indirect multiple hazard impacts on interdependent infrastructures and a joint restoration model of an infrastructure system. Finally, a simplified two‐layer interdependent infrastructure network is used as a case study for illustrating the proposed methodology. The results show that temporal and spatial relationships of multiple hazards significantly influence system resilience. Moreover, the interdependence among infrastructures further magnifies the impact on resilience value. The main contribution of the article is a new multiple hazard resilience evaluation approach that is capable of integrating the impacts of multiple hazard interactions, interdependence of network components (layers), and restoration strategy.
A Modular Bayesian Salmonella Source Attribution Model for Sparse Data
Authors: Mikkelä Antti , Ranta Jukka , Tuominen Pirkko
Published: March 2019

Several statistical models for salmonella source attribution have been presented in the literature. However, these models have often been found to be sensitive to the model parameterization, as well as the specifics of the data set used. The Bayesian salmonella source attribution model presented here was developed to be generally applicable with small and sparse annual data sets obtained over several years. The full Bayesian model was modularized into three parts (an exposure model, a subtype distribution model, and an epidemiological model) in order to separately estimate unknown parameters in each module. The proposed model takes advantage of the consumption and overall salmonella prevalence of the studied sources, as well as bacteria typing results from adjacent years. The latter were used for a smoothed estimation of the annual relative proportions of different salmonella subtypes in each of the sources. The source‐specific effects and the salmonella subtype‐specific effects were included in the epidemiological model to describe the differences between sources and between subtypes in their ability to infect humans. The estimation of these parameters was based on data from multiple years. Finally, the model combines the total evidence from different modules to proportion human salmonellosis cases according to their sources. The model was applied to allocate reported human salmonellosis cases from the years 2008 to 2015 to eight food sources.
Cavity‐filling dolomite speleothems and submarine cements in the Ediacaran Dengying microbialites, South China: Responses to high‐frequency sea‐level fluctuations in an ‘aragonite–dolomite sea’
Authors: Ding Yi , Chen Daizhao , Zhou Xiqiang , Guo Chuan , Huang Taiyu , Zhang Gongjing
Published: March 2019

Speleothems, mostly composed of calcium carbonate, are widely present in modern karst‐originated caves, but have rarely been reported in palaeokarst systems. This study presents a novel type of dolomite speleothem and subsequent submarine dolomite cement, which are widely present in the upper Ediacaran Dengying Formation in the upper Yangtze area. These precipitated materials occur in the cavity system that cuts across several peritidal cycles. The interconnected cavity networks with irregular shapes, embayed walls, internal breccias on cavity floor and their preferential development in the shallower cycle tops (for example, tepee‐deformed beds) suggest that they were initially generated by subaerial dissolution. As the earliest infills, the hemispherical protrusions, icicle‐like pendants and ground‐up columns show similar morphological features and occurrence patterns to the cave popcorn, stalactites and stalagmites, respectively. Thus, these earliest infills are speleothems resulting from associated meteoric precipitation during subaerial exposure. The isopachous growth pattern of subsequent more extensive fibrous dolomite cements points to a submarine diagenetic environment in which they were precipitated. Microscopically, the micritic to micro‐crystalline dolomite, acicular dolomite in speleothems and the subsequent fibrous dolomite share similar crystal fabrics to metastable precursors (for example, Mg‐calcite). Meanwhile, the carbon‐oxygen isotope compositions of the speleothem and fibrous dolomite, although partly altered by burial diagenesis, share a large overlap with host rock and coeval marine carbonates all over the Yangtze Platform. For these reasons, these speleothems and fibrous cements are considered to have been initially precipitated as metastable carbonate precursors in meteoric and submarine environments, respectively, and stabilized during submarine mimetic dolomitization. The cyclic occurrence of cavity systems filled with speleothems and submarine cements reflects periodic subaerial exposure and marine flooding of broad tidal flat in the upper Yangtze area, driven by high‐frequency sea‐level fluctuations. Furthermore, the Neoproterozoic seawater chemistry that favoured early dolomitization of carbonate precursor mineralogies was an advantage for the preservation of fabrics from metastable precursor minerals.
A lost Tethyan evaporitic basin: Evidence from a Cretaceous hemipelagic meta‐selenite – red chert association in the Eastern Mediterranean realm
Authors: Scheffler Franziska , Immenhauser Adrian , Pourteau Amaury , Natalicchio Marcello , Candan Osman , Oberhänsli Roland
Published: March 2019

Ancient evaporite deposits are geological archives of depositional environments characterized by a long‐term negative precipitation balance and bear evidence for global ocean element mass balance calculations. Here, Cretaceous selenite pseudomorphs from western Anatolia (‘Rosetta Marble’) — characterized by their exceptional morphological preservation — and their ‘marine’ geochemical signatures are described and interpreted in a process‐oriented context. These rocks recorded Late Cretaceous high‐pressure/low‐temperature, subduction‐related metamorphism with peak conditions of 1·0 to 1·2 GPa and 300 to 400°C. Metre‐scale, rock‐forming radiating rods, now present as fibrous calcite marble, clearly point to selenitic gypsum as the precursor mineral. Stratigraphic successions are recorded along a reconstructed proximal to distal transect. The cyclical alternation of selenite beds and radiolarian ribbon‐bedded cherts in the distal portions are interpreted as a two type of seawater system. During arid intervals, shallow marine brines cascaded downward into basinal settings and induced precipitation. During more humid times, upwelling‐induced radiolarian blooms caused the deposition of radiolarite facies. Interestingly, there is no comparable depositional setting known from the Cenozoic world. Meta‐selenite geochemical data (δ13C, δ18O and 87Sr/86Sr) plot within the range of reconstructed middle Cretaceous seawater signatures. Possible sources for the 13C‐enriched (mean 2·2‰) values include methanogenesis, gas hydrates and cold seep fluid exhalation. Spatially resolved component‐specific analysis of a rock slab displays isotopic variances between meta‐selenite crystals (mean δ13C 2·2‰) and host matrix (mean δ13C 1·3‰). The Cretaceous evaporite‐pseudomorphs of Anatolia represent a basin wide event coeval with the Aptian evaporites of the Proto‐Atlantic and the pseudomorphs share many attributes, including lateral distribution of 600 km and stratigraphic thickness of 1·5 to 2·0 km, with the evaporites formed during the younger Messinian salinity crisis. The Rosetta Marble of Anatolia may represent the best‐preserved selenite pseudomorphs worldwide and have a clear potential to act as a template for the study of meta‐selenite in deep time.
Methodological Challenges in Social Vulnerability and Resilience Research: Reflections on Studies in the Canterbury and Tohoku Disasters*
Authors: Uekusa Shinya
Published: March 2019

Objective

This article discusses the methodological challenges in social vulnerability and resilience research I encountered while conducting qualitative research on immigrants’ and refugees’ experiences in disasters.

Methods

These challenges and issues will be critically analyzed based on my reflections and social capital theory.

Results

This article highlights the institutional practices, linguistic barriers, timing, and issues of overstudying and overrepresentation. These challenges led to a critical methodological and theoretical question: Are we really reaching out to the socially vulnerable? Notably, those with higher social capital demonstrate stronger resilience. Such “success stories” are widely known, which raises a concern for disaster researchers: Is this because researchers typically have limited access channels and more easily connect with these resilient communities?

Conclusion

Due to their and researchers’ own lack of social capital, some groups and individuals are relatively understudied, despite the fact that researchers could learn a great deal from their disaster experience.
A first‐year leadership programme for medical students
Authors: Wagenschutz Heather , McKean Erin L , Mangrulkar Rajesh , Zurales Katie , Santen Sally
Published: March 2019

Background

The established medical hierarchy, dramatic expansion of scientific knowledge and emphasis on value‐based health care means that graduating physicians need to know how to manage and lead positive change. There is a critical gap in the teaching of these skills in undergraduate medical education.

Methods

Our medical school developed a first‐year medical student competency‐based leadership curriculum that focused on: leading yourself; teams and teamwork; influence and communication; problem solving; and systems thinking. The course used four methods of teaching leadership: experiential learning; targeted development; reflection; and feedback. The formal curriculum included topics such as developing a leadership agenda, challenging conversations and negotiations. The informal curriculum (learning outside of the structured curriculum) included applying leadership in co‐curricular and extracurricular activities (e.g. in a student‐run free clinic). Students recorded leadership experiences using a novel reflective assessment tool, obtained multi‐source feedback and then articulated a plan for improvement.

Results

Course evaluations noted that only one‐third of first‐year students responded that the curriculum developed skills in communication, and the ability to problem‐solve, apply systems thinking and build teams. Students self‐reported that they were often building, leading and managing productive teams, and applying influence and communication. The multi‐source feedback assessment revealed that students, on average, were rated as competent to proficient.

Discussion

Creating a robust curriculum for medical students in the first year is challenging. Student reactions ranged from affirming to critical. The next steps will focus on increasing interactive teaching and on helping students understand why, where and how leadership is important.
Risk of opportunistic infection in kidney transplant recipients with cytomegalovirus infection and associated outcomes
Authors: Jorgenson Margaret R. , Descourouez Jillian L. , Cardinale Brianna , Lyu Beini , Astor Brad C. , Garg Neetika , Saddler Christopher M. , Smith Jeannina A. , Mandelbrot Didier A.
Published: March 2019

Background

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in kidney transplant recipients has been anecdotally observed with concomitant or subsequent opportunistic infections (OI), but this association has yet to be defined or quantified.

Methods

Patients who received a renal transplant between 1/1/2005 and 6/30/2014 and developed CMV infection were matched to controls in a ratio of 1:2 and the rates of opportunistic co‐infection were calculated within pre‐specified time frames (−30 days to +90 days and −30 days to +180 days). The primary outcome was composite OI rate, and secondary outcomes included time to OI and patient and graft outcomes. CMV‐OI association rates were estimated via conditional logistic regression.

Results

There were 2405 patients who received a renal transplant during the study period; 394 cases of CMV infection were identified. These cases were matched to 783 controls for a total of 805 participants. OI occurred in 14 patients in the CMV case group (CMV+) and in 5 patients in the control group (CMV‐) in the −30 to +90 day time period (3.55% vs 0.64%, OR = 5.60, 95% CI: 2.02‐12.55). When considering 180‐day follow‐up, OI occurred in 17 CMV+ patients and 8 CMV‐ patients (4.3% vs 1%, OR = 4.25, 95% CI: 1.83‐9.85). Mean time from CMV diagnosis to OI was 33 ± 64 days (median 7 days). Mortality was 3 times more likely in the group with concomitant OI (CMV+/OI+) as compared to a matched cohort of patients with CMV infection without OI (CMV+/OI‐) (unadjusted HR 3.02, 1.64‐5.55, Tables 6 and 7). Cumulative survival for CMV+/OI+ patients was significantly worse than CMV+/OI‐ patients (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

CMV is associated with a significantly increased risk of co‐infection with OI, particularly fungal infections. Clinical suspicion for concomitant OI should drive further workup after a CMV diagnosis. Future studies are needed to better define those patients at highest risk to elucidate subpopulations where the benefits of prophylaxis outweigh the potential risks associated with these therapies.
A comprehensive time‐course metabolite profiling of the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 under diurnal light:dark cycles
Authors: Werner Allison , Broeckling Corey D. , Prasad Ashok , Peebles Christie A. M.
Published: March 2019

Cyanobacteria are a model photoautotroph and a chassis for the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals. Knowledge of photoautotrophic metabolism in the natural environment of day/night cycles is lacking, yet has implications for improved yield from plants, algae and cyanobacteria. Here, a thorough approach to characterizing diverse metabolites—including carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, pigments, cofactors, nucleic acids and polysaccharides—in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (S. 6803) under sinusoidal diurnal light:dark cycles was developed and applied. A custom photobioreactor and multi‐platform mass spectrometry workflow enabled metabolite profiling every 30–120 min across a 24‐h diurnal sinusoidal LD (‘sinLD’) cycle peaking at 1600 μmol photons m−2 sec−1. We report widespread oscillations across the sinLD cycle with 90%, 94% and 40% of the identified polar/semi‐polar, non‐polar and polymeric metabolites displaying statistically significant oscillations, respectively. Microbial growth displayed distinct lag, biomass accumulation and cell division phases of growth. During the lag phase, amino acids and nucleic acids accumulated to high levels per cell followed by decreased levels during the biomass accumulation phase, presumably due to protein and DNA synthesis. Insoluble carbohydrates displayed sharp oscillations per cell at the day‐to‐night transition. Potential bottlenecks in central carbon metabolism are highlighted. Together, this report provides a comprehensive view of photosynthetic metabolite behavior with high temporal resolution, offering insight into the impact of growth synchronization to light cycles via circadian rhythms. Incorporation into computational modeling and metabolic engineering efforts promises to improve industrially relevant strain design.
HIV‐1/2 screening in blood centers: implementing a two‐step serological screening assay approach to reduce donor deferral
Authors: Stoyanov Evgeniy , Gozlan Yael , Wax Marina , Levin Evelina , Shvartz Lea , Shinar Eilat , Mendelson Ella , Mor Orna
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

Screening blood donations for human immunodeficiency virus 1/2 (HIV‐1/2) infection in blood centers is often done with a highly sensitive 3rd‐generation immunoassay which may cause false‐positive results. Donations found repeatedly reactive (RR) are discarded regardless of negative HIV‐1/2 nucleic acid testing (NAT) and confirmatory assays results. These donors are notified and deferred if RR in a subsequent donation. We evaluated the introduction of a secondary 4th‐generation serological assay to the overall algorithm performance.

METHODS

All donations collected between January 2016 and May 2018 (574,338) were screened using 3rd‐generation immunoassay (PRISM HIV O Plus) and NAT (Procleix Ultrio/Ultrio Elite). Serology RR donations were tested with 4th‐generation Architect HIV Ag/Ab Combo and Vidas HIV Duo Ultra and a confirmatory assay (Geenius HIV‐1/2).

RESULTS

The two 4th‐generation assays found that 86% (179/209 on Architect) and 94% (182/193 on Vidas) of the 3rd‐generation immunoassay RR were negative for HIV‐1/2, which were also negative by confirmatory assay. Only 14% (30/209 on Architect) and 6% (11/193 on Vidas) that were 3rd‐generation HIV‐1/2 RR required confirmation, of which eight donors were confirmed as HIV positive. The probability of missing an HIV‐1 infected donor by this algorithm is one in a million RR cases.

CONCLUSION

The introduction of a two‐step serological screening algorithm in blood centers whereby 4th‐generation assay will be performed for all 3rd‐generation RR blood donors will reduce the number of donations requiring confirmation, save time and money, and most importantly, reduce the number of discarded blood donations and allow re‐entry processes.
Recipient's effects on stored red blood cell performance: the case of uremic plasma
Authors: Georgatzakou Hara T. , Tzounakas Vassilis L. , Velentzas Athanassios D. , Papassideri Issidora S. , Kokkalis Apostolos C. , Stamoulis Konstantinos E. , Kriebardis Anastasios G. , Antonelou Marianna H.
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

Despite universal administration of erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents, patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) are at high risk for presenting persistent anemia. Due to ambiguities in optimal hemoglobin targets and evidence of recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO)‐related toxicity, an increase in blood transfusions has been observed in chronic renal disease over the past years. The probable effects of uremic plasma on the performance of stored red blood cells (RBCs) after transfusion have not been investigated.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Leukoreduced RBCs after short or long storage in CPD‐SAGM (n = 5) were assessed for hemolysis, surface removal signaling, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and shape distortions before and after reconstitution with healthy (n = 10) or uremic plasma from ESRD patients (n = 20) for 24 hours at physiologic temperature, by using a previously reported in vitro model of transfusion.

RESULTS

Temperature and cell environment shifts from blood bag to plasma independently and in synergy affected the RBC physiology. Outcome measures at transfusion‐simulating conditions might not be analogous to timing of storage lesion. The uremic plasma ameliorated the susceptibility of stored RBCs to hemolysis, phosphatidylserine externalization, and ROS generation after stimulation by oxidants, but negatively affected shape homeostasis versus healthy plasma. Creatinine, uric acid, and EPO levels had correlations with the performance of stored RBCs in ESRD plasma.

CONCLUSION

Renal insufficiency and EPO supplementation likely affect the recovery of donor RBCs and the reactivity of RBCs after transfusion by exerting both toxic and cytoprotective influences on them. ESRD patients constitute a specific recipient group that deserves further examination.
Signs consistent with syringobulbia may be detected in dogs undergoing MRI
Authors: Williamson Baye , Davies Emma , Epperly Erin , Roynard Patrick , Scrivani Peter V.
Published: March 2019

Syringobulbia is a pathologic condition characterized by one or more fluid‐filled cavities within the brainstem. This retrospective case series describes observations in eight dogs with syringobulbia diagnosed during MRI. All dogs were adult, small‐breed dogs with concurrent syringomyelia and neurologic deficits localized to sites rostral to the spinal cord, which cannot be explained by syringomyelia (eg, six dogs had vestibular signs). On MRI, the fluid‐filled cavities had signal intensity characteristics like cerebrospinal fluid, were in the medulla oblongata, and were solitary in each dog. Initially, the shape of the cavity was a slit in five dogs and bulbous in two dogs. Magnetic resonance imaging was repeated in five dogs (6‐55 months of age). One dog had progression of syringobulbia from slit‐like to bulbous, and four dogs had unchanged slit‐like syringobulbia. One dog developed slit‐like syringobulbia after cranioplasty. A variety of medical and surgical treatments were performed with improvement of some but not all clinical signs. One dog died following surgery due to cardiopulmonary failure and the other seven dogs were alive at least 1 year after the initial diagnosis, which was the least time of follow‐up. One surviving dog developed a unilateral hypoglossal nerve deficit 2 months after the initial diagnosis and megaesophagus 14 months later. In conclusion, detecting a fluid‐filled cavity in the medulla oblongata consistent with syringobulbia is possible in dogs undergoing MRI. The cavity is likely acquired, slit‐like or bulbous, progressive, or static, and might be associated with breed size and neurologic signs localized to the medulla oblongata.