bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of norepinephrine on right ventricular afterload and function in septic shock—a strain echocardiography study
Authors: Dalla Keti , Bech‐Hanssen Odd , Ricksten Sven‐Erik
Published: July 2019

Background

In this observational study, the effects of norepinephrine‐induced changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) on right ventricular (RV) systolic function, afterload and pulmonary haemodynamics were studied in septic shock patients. We hypothesised that RV systolic function improves at higher doses of norepinephrine/MAP levels.

Methods

Eleven patients with septic shock requiring norepinephrine after fluid resuscitation were included <24 hours after ICU arrival. Study enrolment and insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter was performed after written informed consent from the next of kin. Norepinephrine infusion was titrated to target mean arterial pressures (MAP) of 60, 75 and 90 mmHg in a random sequential order. At each target MAP, strain—and conventional echocardiographic—and pulmonary haemodynamic variables were measured. RV afterload was assessed as effective pulmonary arterial elastance, (Epa) and pulmonary vascular resistance index, (PVRI). RV free wall peak strain was the primary end‐point.

Results

At highest compared to lowest norepinephrine dose/MAP level, RV free wall peak strain increased from −19% to −25% (32%, P = .003), accompanied by increased tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (22%, P = .01). At the highest norepinephrine dose/MAP, RV end‐diastolic area index (16%, P < .001), central venous pressure (38%, P < .001), stroke volume index (7%, P = .001), mean pulmonary artery pressure (19%, P < .001) and RV stroke work index (15%, P = .045) increased, with no effects on PVRI or Epa. Cardiac index did not change, assessed by thermodilution (P = .079) and echocardiography (P = .054).

Conclusions

Higher doses of norepinephrine to a target MAP of 90 mm Hg improved RV systolic function while RV afterload was not affected.
Variance components for PIMD‐2π estimation of the optic nerve head and consequences in clinical measurements of glaucoma
Authors: Sandberg Melin Camilla , Yu Zhaohua , Söderberg Per G.
Published: July 2019

Purpose

To estimate the sources of variation for Pigment epithelium central limit‐Inner limit of the retina Minimal Distance averaged over 2π (PIMD‐2π), and further to analyse their consequences for clinical measurements of glaucoma.

Methods

Forty subjects with early to moderate stage glaucoma were included. Three SD‐OCT volumes of the optic nerve head (ONH) were captured at two occasions. Each volume was segmented three times for PIMD‐2π. The magnitude of the sources of variation for PIMD‐2π measurements was estimated with an analysis of variance.

Results

A 95% confidence interval for mean PIMD‐2π was estimated to 215 ± 12 μm (df = 38). The estimated variance for subjects was 1280 μm2. The within‐subject estimated variance for occasions, volumes and segmentations was 10 μm2, 30 μm2 and 40 μm2, respectively. The within‐subject variances were used to model follow‐up of PIMD‐2π over time. A linear loss rate of 0.05 of baseline PIMD‐2π/year was assumed. A significant PIMD‐2π change could be detected in approximately 16–18 months with evenly spaced visits every 4 or 6 months.

Conclusions

Due to the small within‐subject estimated variances, a clinically undesirable PIMD‐2π change from baseline can be detected in approximately 18 months. Detection of significant PIMD‐2π loss in a subject requires knowledge of normal age loss and measurement variability.
Current follow‐up practices often fail to detect metabolic and neurological adverse reactions in children treated with second‐generation antipsychotics
Authors: Kakko Kirsi , Pihlakoski Leena , Keskinen Päivi , Salmelin Raili , Puura Kaija
Published: July 2019

Aim

This study examined the use and adverse reactions of second‐generation antipsychotics (SGAs), alone or combined with other psychotropic medication, to identify areas for standardising prescribing and monitoring practices.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study at Tampere University Hospital, Finland, involving 128 patients (81% boys) who were under 13 years old at SGA initiation and had SGA treatment between October 2013 and October 2014.

Results

The median age at baseline was 9.4 years. Weight gain was reported as an adverse reaction in 33%, but an increase in standardised body mass index, adjusted for age and sex (BMI z‐score), was detected in 75% of patients with sufficient data. The statistically significant median changes during the study were an increase of 0.46 in BMI z‐score, a reduction of 0.25 mmol/L in fasting plasma high‐density lipoprotein and an increase of 0.28 mmol/L in triglyceride values. The weight gain was most apparent in patients treated with just an SGA or SGA plus melatonin. Patients treated with an SGA plus medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were less likely to gain weight.

Conclusion

SGA‐induced metabolic disturbances remained partly unrecognised in children under 13 years of age and more systematic monitoring is needed.
Letter: when to withhold anti‐TNF agents prior to abdominal surgery in patients with Crohn's disease—the jury might still be out
Authors: Gates Rebecca , Fogel Sandy , Nguyen Vu Q. , Sorrentino Dario
Published: July 2019

Linked Content

This article is linked to Lin et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15184 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15398.
Editorial: determinants of diagnostic delay in autoimmune atrophic gastritis–a salutary lesson. Authors' reply
Authors: Lenti Marco Vincenzo , Miceli Emanuela , Corazza Gino Roberto , Di Sabatino Antonio
Published: July 2019

Linked Content

This article is linked to Lenti et al and Walker papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15317 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15394.
Mobility and diet in the Iron Age Pontic forest‐steppe: A multi‐isotopic study of urban populations at Bel'sk
Authors: Ventresca Miller A. R. , Johnson J. A. , Makhortykh S. , Litvinova L. , Taylor T. , Rolle R. , Makarewicz C. A.
Published: July 2019

High mobility among Scythian populations is often cited as the driving force behind pan‐regional interactions and the spread of new material culture c.700–200 bce, when burgeoning socioeconomic interactions between the Greeks, Scythian steppe pastoralists and the agro‐pastoral tribes of the forest‐steppe played out across the region. While interregional mobility central to warrior lifestyles is assumed to have been a defining feature of Scythian populations, strikingly few studies have investigated human mobility among communities located along the steppe and forest‐steppe boundary zone. Here, we document movement and dietary intake of individuals interred at Bel'sk, a large urban settlement in Ukraine, through strontium, oxygen and carbon isotope analyses of human tooth enamel. The results provide direct evidence for limited mobility among populations from Bel'sk, demonstrating the movement into, and out of, urban complexes. Strontium and oxygen isotope analyses reveal that groups at Bel'sk remained local to the urban complex. Dietary intake, reflected in carbon isotopes, was based on domesticated crops and livestock herding. The combination of low mobility alongside dietary evidence suggests local groups engaged in sedentary agro‐pastoral subsistence strategies that contrast sharply with the picture of highly mobile Scythian herders dependent on livestock portrayed in historical sources.
Critical research impact: On making space for alternatives
Authors: Machen Ruth
Published: July 2019

This paper argues for greater dialogue between critical research and research impact. With demands to demonstrate impact increasingly woven into the funding architectures of higher education, concerns have been raised that the UK Research Excellence Framework's impact agenda could adversely affect critical research, favouring instead research that more easily lends itself to societal uptake. Arguing that the threat to critical research is real but not inevitable, this paper draws from a review of impact case studies submitted to REF2014 to provide a perspective on what impact from critical research could look like, and the support required to encourage critical research within the UKREF Impact Agenda. Building on previous provocations to think about research impact differently, it is argued that impact can be conceptualised in ways that support critical agendas. Specifically, the paper identifies five modes of critical research impact: challenging policy; empowering resistances; platforming voices; nurturing new critical publics; and envisioning alternatives. These five modes signal potential for thinking about research impact in ways that support critical goals.
Papering, arranging, and depositing: Learning from working with an Istanbul archive
Authors: Hammond Timur
Published: July 2019

In this paper, I describe a method of learning to work with an Istanbul archive. This archive, containing the papers of the Council for the Preservation of Antiquities, provided a crucial resource for understanding one part of Istanbul's 20th‐century urban transformation. This archive felt exceptionally accessible, without the mediating staff and distance that typically define archival fieldwork in Istanbul. However, this accessibility in fact presented a methodological problem. In the absence of any documentation on how this archive was formed, I realised that apart from a handful of examples, the archive seemed to be a disorganised collection of paper that told me very little about the city. Building on recent discussions about archival fieldwork, I explain how I learned to work with this in a different way. This involved using the multiple materialities of the archive as a starting point to identify three linked practices generating the archive and shaping the relationships between its various objects: papering, arranging, and depositing. This methodological argument draws on recent interventions that ask us to follow “archives in formation,” but extends this scholarship by focusing on an archive whose formation was not documented and could not be observed. This paper's identification of the practices of papering, arranging, and depositing thus seeks to provide a model for other scholars interested in using the materialities of archives as a way to reconstruct their contexts of use and transformation.
Effects of performance goals and social norms on academic dishonesty in a test
Authors: Daumiller Martin , Janke Stefan
Published: July 2019

Background

Previous research has shown that achievement goals affect the frequency of academic dishonesty. However, mixed findings suggest that especially the effect of performance goals might depend on contextual factors.

Aims

We wanted to investigate whether crucial aspects of the achievement situation influence the magnitude of the effect of performance goals (here: focused on appearance) on dishonesty. Specifically, we propose that social norms regarding the acceptance of dishonesty moderate the positive effect of performance goals on academic dishonesty.

Sample

We sampled 105 German university students. They were teacher trainees, mostly in their first year at university and on average 20.6 (SD = 3.6) years old (72.4% female).

Method

We conducted a 2 (induced appearance goals vs. no goal induction) × 2 (cheating confederate vs. no observable cheating behaviour by this person) experiment. A manipulation check confirmed that the manipulation of appearance goals was successful. Cheating behaviour was observed by a confederate student and subsequently classified by two raters. Additionally, participants’ dishonesty in self‐presentation questions was measured using deviations from baseline measures.

Results

The induction of appearance goals only led to increased cheating when the social norm suggested that cheating behaviour was an acceptable way to increase performance (i.e., cheating confederate condition). For deceiving, we found a positive main effect of appearance goals. Appearance goals mediated these effects from goal manipulation on academic dishonesty.

Conclusions

Taken together, our results highlight that the mixed findings on the effect of performance goals on academic dishonesty might be due to uninvestigated moderators such as social norms. Future research should build on these findings to identify additional moderators.
Chemoprevention of colorectal cancer: Past, present, and future
Authors: Umezawa Shotaro , Higurashi Takuma , Komiya Yasuhiko , Arimoto Jun , Horita Nobuyuki , Kaneko Takeshi , Iwasaki Motoki , Nakagama Hitoshi , Nakajima Atsushi
Published: July 2019

Chemoprevention began to be considered as a potential strategy for lowering the incidence of cancer and cancer‐related deaths in the 1970s. For clinical chemoprevention trials against cancer, including colorectal cancer (CRC), well‐established biomarkers are necessary for use as reliable endpoints. Difficulty in establishing validated biomarkers has delayed the start of CRC chemoprevention development. Chemoprevention trials for CRC have only recently been initiated thanks to the identification of reliable biomarkers, such as colorectal adenomas and aberrant crypt foci. Some promising agents have been developed for the prevention of CRC. The chemopreventive effect of selective cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors has been shown, although these inhibitors are associated with cardiovascular toxicity as a crucial adverse effect. Aspirin, which is a unique agent among non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) showing minimal gastrointestinal toxicity and no cardiovascular risk, has prevented adenoma recurrence in some randomized controlled trials. More recently, metformin, which is a first‐line oral medicine for type 2 diabetes, has been shown to be safe and to prevent adenoma recurrence. A recommendation of the United States Preventive Services Task Force published in 2016 provides a Grade B recommendation for the use of aspirin for chronic prophylaxis against diseases, including CRC, in certain select populations. However, the roles of other agents have yet to be determined, and investigations to identify novel “post‐aspirin” agents are also needed. The combined use of multiple drugs, such as aspirin and metformin, is another option that may lead not only to stronger CRC prevention, but also to improvement of other obesity‐related diseases.
CXCL12 expression in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is associated with metastasis and poor prognosis
Authors: Miyata Tatsunori , Yamashita Yo‐Ichi , Yoshizumi Tomoharu , Shiraishi Masayuki , Ohta Masayuki , Eguchi Susumu , Aishima Shinichi , Fujioka Hikaru , Baba Hideo
Published: July 2019

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a rare malignant biliary neoplasm that causes a poor prognosis even after curative hepatectomy. Liver metastasis is the major recurrence pattern of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma; therefore, the prevention of liver metastasis is a desirable objective. The aim of this study is to identify gene(s) related to liver metastasis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and to examine the inhibitory effects on metastasis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by controlling such gene(s). We collected 3 pairs of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma frozen samples, and 36 pairs (primary and metastatic lesions) of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded samples, from patients who underwent surgical resection at hospitals related to the Kyushu Study Group of Liver Surgery between 2002 and 2016. We carried out cDNA microarray analyses and immunohistochemistry to identify candidate genes, and evaluated one of them as a therapeutic target using human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines. We identified 4 genes related to liver metastasis using cDNA microarray, and found that CXCL12 was the only gene whose expression was significantly higher in liver metastasis than in primary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by immunohistochemistry (P = .003). In prognosis, patients in the high CXCL12 group showed a significantly poor prognosis in disease‐free (P < .0001) and overall survival (P = .0004). By knockdown of CXCL12, we could significantly suppress the invasive and migratory capabilities of 2 human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines. Therefore, CXCL12 might be associated with metastasis and poor prognosis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
“Helping teenagers in care flourish: What parenting research tells us about foster care”
Authors: Coleman John
Published: July 2019

In this article, I review a range of theoretical and practical issues that are relevant to the foster care of teenagers. I argue that topics such as the recent research evidence from neuroscience regarding brain development in adolescence, as well as control, the promotion of autonomy, and resilience, all have major implications for the provision of appropriate care for teenagers. I outline some of the key conclusions reached by researchers on these pertinent topics and then go on to consider the implications from this evidence for the training of foster carers.
Teenagers in foster care: Issues, themes, and debates from and for practice and policy
Authors: Shuker Lucie , Sebba Judy , Höjer Ingrid
Published: July 2019

The task of fostering adolescents is unique, requiring skills, qualities, and information that acknowledge each young person's particular needs. This editorial summarises a range of research in this special issue covering parenting styles, transitions out of care, child sexual exploitation, and the needs of LGBTQ and separated teenagers. Three themes emerging from the papers are discussed: autonomy and control; risk, resilience, and trauma; and relationships, identity, and stigma.
Providing a secure base for LGBTQ young people in foster care: The role of foster carers
Authors: Schofield Gillian , Cossar Jeanette , Ward Emma , Larsson Birgit , Belderson Pippa
Published: July 2019

The experiences and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) young people in care have been overlooked in England, in both policy and research. This paper reports on findings from the first study of LGBTQ young people in care in England and focuses on the nature of foster carers' experiences and perspectives on caring for LGBTQ young people. Qualitative interviews regarding the fostering role in caring for LGBTQ young people were conducted with a sample of foster carers (n = 26) and analysed thematically. Foster carers described the importance of offering LGBTQ young people not only the nurturing relationships that all children in care need but also availability, sensitivity and acceptance to help young people manage stigma and other challenges associated with minority sexual orientation and gender identity. The Secure Base caregiving model provided a framework for analysing the different dimensions of these relationships. Understanding caregiving roles and relationships for LGBTQ young people in care has important implications for recruiting, training, matching and supporting foster carers to care for LGBTQ young people effectively.
Flexible SVBRDF Capture with a Multi‐Image Deep Network
Authors: Deschaintre Valentin , Aittala Miika , Durand Fredo , Drettakis George , Bousseau Adrien
Published: July 2019

Empowered by deep learning, recent methods for material capture can estimate a spatially‐varying reflectance from a single photograph. Such lightweight capture is in stark contrast with the tens or hundreds of pictures required by traditional optimization‐based approaches. However, a single image is often simply not enough to observe the rich appearance of real‐world materials. We present a deep‐learning method capable of estimating material appearance from a variable number of uncalibrated and unordered pictures captured with a handheld camera and flash. Thanks to an order‐independent fusing layer, this architecture extracts the most useful information from each picture, while benefiting from strong priors learned from data. The method can handle both view and light direction variation without calibration. We show how our method improves its prediction with the number of input pictures, and reaches high quality reconstructions with as little as 1 to 10 images ‐ a sweet spot between existing single‐image and complex multi‐image approaches.
Glint Rendering based on a Multiple‐Scattering Patch BRDF
Authors: Chermain Xavier , Claux Frédéric , Mérillou Stéphane
Published: July 2019

Rendering materials such as metallic paints, scratched metals and rough plastics requires glint integrators that can capture all micro‐specular highlights falling into a pixel footprint, faithfully replicating surface appearance. Specular normal maps can be used to represent a wide range of arbitrary micro‐structures. The use of normal maps comes with important drawbacks though: the appearance is dark overall due to back‐facing normals and importance sampling is suboptimal, especially when the micro‐surface is very rough. We propose a new glint integrator relying on a multiple‐scattering patch‐based BRDF addressing these issues. To do so, our method uses a modified version of microfacet‐based normal mapping [SHHD17] designed for glint rendering, leveraging symmetric microfacets. To model multiple‐scattering, we re‐introduce the lost energy caused by a perfectly specular, single‐scattering formulation instead of using expensive random walks. This reflectance model is the basis of our patch‐based BRDF, enabling robust sampling and artifact‐free rendering with a natural appearance. Additional calculation costs amount to about 40% in the worst cases compared to previous methods [YHMR16, CCM18].
Scalable Virtual Ray Lights Rendering for Participating Media
Authors: Vibert N. , Gruson A. , Stokholm H. , Mortensen T , Jarosz W. , Hachisuka T. , Nowrouzezahrai D.
Published: July 2019

Virtual ray lights (VRL) are a powerful representation for multiple‐scattered light transport in volumetric participating media. While efficient Monte Carlo estimators can importance sample the contribution of a VRL along an entire sensor subpath, render time still scales linearly in the number of VRLs. We present a new scalable hierarchial VRL method that preferentially samples VRLs according to their image contribution. Similar to Lightcuts‐based approaches, we derive a tight upper bound on the potential contribution of a VRL that is efficient to compute. Our bound takes into account the sampling probability densities used when estimating VRL contribution. Ours is the first such upper bound formulation, leading to an efficient and scalable rendering technique with only a few intuitive user parameters. We benchmark our approach in scenes with many VRLs, demonstrating improved scalability compared to existing state‐of‐the‐art techniques.
Global Illumination Shadow Layers
Authors: Desrichard François , Vanderhaeghe David , Paulin Mathias
Published: July 2019

Computer graphics artists often resort to compositing to rework light effects in a synthetic image without requiring a new render. Shadows are primary subjects of artistic manipulation as they carry important stylistic information while our perception is tolerant with their editing. In this paper we formalize the notion of global shadow, generalizing direct shadow found in previous work to a global illumination context. We define an object's shadow layer as the difference between two altered renders of the scene. A shadow layer contains the radiance lost on the camera film because of a given object. We translate this definition in the theoretical framework of Monte‐Carlo integration, obtaining a concise expression of the shadow layer. Building on it, we propose a path tracing algorithm that renders both the original image and any number of shadow layers in a single pass: the user may choose to separate shadows on a per‐object and per‐light basis, enabling intuitive and decoupled edits.
The effects of board independence on busy directors and firm value: Evidence from regulatory changes in Sweden
Authors: Moursli Reda M.
Published: July 2019

Research Question/Issue

This paper examines the impact of changes in board independence on the market valuation of Swedish firms. I exploit an exogenous change to the rules of corporate governance in 2005, which requires large firms to have majority independent boards, as a quasi‐experimental setting.

Research Findings/Insights

I use a regression discontinuity design and a difference‐in‐differences approach to capture the reaction of the market to the new governance rules, taking advantage of the fact that only large firms are required to comply with the code. The results indicate that (a) the market reacts negatively to the enactment of the new governance rules and (b) target firms that complied with the independence requirement witnessed larger decreases in their market valuation compared with the rest of the firms in the sample. The busyness of independent directors is a potential explanation for the estimated negative effect of the increased board independence on the market valuation of target firms. For instance, I find that independent directors in target firms experienced a larger increase in their busyness compared with their peers in nontarget firms. This increase in busyness is also more pronounced for independent directors of complying target firms.

Theoretical/Academic Implications

The findings of this paper are in line with theoretical models that find that imposing quotas on the number of independent directors might not be optimal for all firms.

Practitioner/Policy Implications

This paper identifies board busyness as an important consequence of requiring board independence in the Swedish context. The results of the paper have implications for corporate governance policies that impose quotas on board independence without limiting board busyness, especially when the supply of directors is limited.
Expert Decisions
Authors: Dobra Matthew , Tombazos Christis G.
Published: July 2019

National Research Assessments are used by countries to improve their research quality. They rely on experts to evaluate research, and use their assessments to reward publications. It is widely assumed that experts bring to the process the kind of judgment and knowledge that transcends their observable characteristics. We show that, for the most part, they do not. Using a unique uncensored dataset of expert deliberations, we find that 90% of expert decisions can be inferred from publicly available information, notably experts’ CVs. We also find that about half of their decisions are driven by objective quality standards and the other half by cognitive biases.
Prospective multicenter study of the esophageal triamcinolone acetonide‐filling method in patients with subcircumferential esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection
Authors: Shibagaki Kotaro , Yuki Takafumi , Taniguchi Hideaki , Aimi Masahito , Miyaoka Yoichi , Yuki Mika , Ishimura Norihisa , Oshima Naoki , Mishiro Tsuyoshi , Tamagawa Yuji , Mikami Hironobu , Izumi Daisuke , Yamashita Noritsugu , Sato Shuichi , Ishihara Shunji , Kinoshita Yoshikazu
Published: July 2019

Background and Aim

The esophageal triamcinolone acetonide (TA)‐filling method is a novel local approach for stenosis prevention after extensive esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). We evaluated this method after subcircumferential ESD.

Methods

We enrolled 20 patients with esophageal cancer requiring subcircumferential ESD in a prospective multicenter study. Esophageal TA filling was carried out 1 day and 1 week after ESD, with follow‐up endoscopy every 2 weeks. We treated severe stenosis preventing endoscope passage with endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD) and additional TA filling, and mild stenosis allowing endoscope passage with additional TA filling only. Primary endpoint was incidence of severe stenosis; secondary endpoints were total number of EBD, rate of additional TA filling, time to stenosis and complete re‐epithelialization, dysphagia score, and adverse events. Horizontal resection grade was divided into grades 1 (≥ 9/12 and <10/12 of the circumference), 2 (≥ 10/12 and <11/12), and 3 (≥ 11/12 but not circumferential) and analyzed statistically for correlation with endpoints.

Results

Incidence of severe stenosis was 5.0% (1/20; 0.1–24.8%) and was treated with three EBD. Six patients showed mild stenosis. Additional TA filling was carried out in these seven patients: 0% (0/9) for grade 1 resection, 40% (2/5) for grade 2, and 83% (5/6) for grade 3 (P < 0.05). Median time to stenosis and re‐epithelialization was 3 and 7 weeks, respectively. Dysphagia score deteriorated in one patient. No adverse events occurred.

Conclusions

The esophageal TA‐filling method prevented stenosis after subcircumferential ESD. Grade ≥2 resection showed a high risk for stenosis, but additional TA filling for mild stenosis inhibited stenosis progression (UMIN000024384).
Establishment of knockout adult sea urchins by using a CRISPR‐Cas9 system
Authors: Liu Daming , Awazu Akinori , Sakuma Tetsushi , Yamamoto Takashi , Sakamoto Naoaki
Published: July 2019

Sea urchins are used as a model organism for research on developmental biology and gene regulatory networks during early development. Gene knockdown by microinjection of morpholino antisense oligonucleotide (MASO) has been used to analyze gene function in early sea urchin embryos. However, as the effect of MASO is not long lasting, it is impossible to perturb genes expressed during late development by MASO. Recent advances in genome editing technologies have enabled gene modification in various organisms. We previously reported genome editing in the sea urchin Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus using zinc‐finger nuclease (ZFN) and transcription activator‐like effector nuclease (TALEN); however, the efficiencies of these technologies were not satisfactory. Here, we applied clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)‐CRISPR‐associated nuclease 9 (Cas9) technology to knock out the Pks1 gene in H. pulcherrimus. When sgRNAs targeting Pks1, which is required for the biosynthesis of larval pigment, were microinjected into fertilized eggs with SpCas9 mRNA, high‐efficiency mutagenesis was achieved within 24 hr post fertilization and SpCas9/sgRNA‐injected pluteus larvae had an albino phenotype. One of the sgRNAs yielded 100% mutagenesis efficiency, and no off‐target effect was detected. In addition, the albino phenotype was maintained in juvenile sea urchins after metamorphosis, and the knockout sea urchins survived for at least one year and grew to albino adult sea urchins. These findings suggest that knockout adult sea urchins were successfully established and the CRISPR‐Cas9 system is a feasible method for analyzing gene functions from late developmental to adult stage.
Does experimental evolution produce better biological control agents? A critical review of the evidence
Authors: Lirakis Manolis , Magalhães Sara
Published: July 2019

Biological control of crop pests is considered a good alternative or complement to the use of pesticides. However, legislation restricts the importation of natural enemies of pests. A potential way to circumvent this limitation is by using experimental evolution and/or artificial selection to improve native biological control agents. Here, we review studies that have used these methodologies and evaluate their success. Experimental evolution or artificial selection has been used on a wide range of traits, with most focusing on improving the performance of natural enemies in ecologically relevant environments, such as in the presence of pesticides or at different temperatures. Although most studies were poorly replicated, the selected traits generally improved following the selection process. However, correlated responses (often in the form of trade‐offs) with other traits of interest were common. We suggest that the selection procedure can be improved by increasing replication and performing experimental evolution under more semi‐natural environments, to ensure that the most useful traits are being selected.
Come to the dark side! The role of functional traits in shaping dark diversity patterns of south‐eastern European hoverflies
Authors: Miličić Marija , Popov Snežana , Vujić Ante , Ivošević Bojana , Cardoso Pedro
Published: July 2019

1. Dark diversity represents the set of species that can potentially inhabit a given area under particular ecological conditions, but are currently ‘missing’ from a site. This concept allows characterisation of the mechanisms determining why species are sometimes absent from an area that seems ecologically suitable for them.

2. The aim of this study was to determine the dark diversity of hoverflies in south‐eastern Europe and to discuss the role of different functional traits that might increase the likelihood of species contributing to dark diversity. Based on expert opinion, the Syrph the Net database and known occurrences of species, the study estimated species pools, and observed and dark diversities within each of 11 defined vegetation types for 564 hoverfly species registered in south‐eastern Europe. To detect the most important functional traits contributing to species being in dark diversity across different vegetation types, a random forest algorithm and respective statistics for variable importance were used.

3. The highest dark diversity was found for southwest Balkan sub‐Mediterranean mixed oak forest type, whereas the lowest was in Mediterranean mixed forest type. Three larval feeding modes (saproxylic, and phytophagous on bulbs or roots) were found to be most important for determining the probability of a species contributing to hoverfly dark diversity, based on univariate correlations and random forest analysis.

4. This study shows that studying dark diversity might provide important insights into what drives community assembly in south‐eastern European hoverflies, especially its missing components, and contributes to more precise conservation prioritisation of both hoverfly species and their habitats.
Faith and Order from Today into Tomorrow
Authors: Mateus Odair Pedroso
Published: July 2019

This article is an edited version of the director’s report given to the meeting of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission in Nanjing, China, 12 to 19 June 2019. After looking at the significance of meeting in China, and Chinese perspectives on ecumenism, the text reviews the work undertaken by three study groups set up following the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan, Korea, on ecclesiology, pilgrimage and ecclesial communion, and the understanding of disagreement on moral issues. It concludes by exploring a proposal to hold a World Conference on Faith and Order in 2025 to coincide with the 1700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council at Nicea.
“I Stand in the Middle of the Ocean”
Authors: Kaunda Chammah J. , Timon Tioti
Published: July 2019

The challenge of climate change for the South Pacific Island of Kiribati demands a 21st‐century missional vision to help respond effectively to the hopes and fears of islanders. This article employs a “coconut theology” embedded within an Indigenous knowledge thought‐system and the daily cultural experiences of the Kiribati people. Using coconut theology as a qualitative method, this study views climate songs as a source of primary data. The songs are collected and analyzed through a thematic approach. The findings demonstrate that songs play a critical role in the Kiribati people’s culture, keeping their voice alive and helping them make sense of their experiences of climate change. Based on the findings, the article argues that climate change songs embody critical theologies that could help the church embrace Indigenous imagination in its search for contextual relevance and effective response to climate change.
Ownership ties, conflict of interest, and the tone of news
Authors: Bajo Emanuele , Bigelli Marco , Raimondo Carlo
Published: July 2019

This paper investigates the tone newspapers use in reporting information on a company that it is linked with through an ownership tie. Our empirical setting is Italy, a country characterized by dominant national industrial groups’ high ownership of newspapers. Based on a sample of about 123,000 articles, we document that newspapers’ coverage of firms in conflict of interest is greater, with significantly fewer negative and uncertain words. We also document that the slant increases with ownership stakes and decreases with the newspaper's reputation.
Hybrid cluster proteins in a photosynthetic microalga
Authors: van Lis Robert , Brugière Sabine , Baffert Carole , Couté Yohann , Nitschke Wolfgang , Atteia Ariane
Published: July 2019

Hybrid cluster proteins (HCPs) are metalloproteins characterized by the presence of an iron‐sulfur‐oxygen cluster. These proteins occur in all three domains of life. In eukaryotes, HCPs have so far been found only in a few anaerobic parasites and photosynthetic microalgae. With respect to all species harboring an HCP, the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii stands out by the presence of four HCP genes. The study of the gene and protein structures as well as the phylogenetic analyses strongly support a model in which the HCP family in the alga has emerged from a single gene of alpha proteobacterial origin and then expanded by several rounds of duplications. The spectra and redox properties of HCP1 and HCP3, produced heterologously in Escherichia coli, were analyzed by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy on redox‐titrated samples. Both proteins contain a [4Fe‐4S]‐cluster as well as a [4Fe‐2O‐2S]‐hybrid cluster with paramagnetic properties related to those of HCPs from Desulfovibrio species. Immunoblotting experiments combined with mass spectrometry‐based proteomics showed that both nitrate and darkness contribute to the strong upregulation of the HCP levels in C. reinhardtii growing under oxic conditions. The link to the nitrate metabolism is discussed in the light of recent data on the potential role of HCP in S‐nitrosylation in bacteria.
Fatigue crack closure: A myth or a misconception?
Authors: Tong Jie , Alshammrei Shaher , Lin Bing , Wigger Tim , Marrow Thomas
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we have extended our previous study on fatigue crack closure to examine the phenomenon of crack opening displacement (COD) and its impact on the crack tip fields in both 2D and 3D specimen geometries using full‐field experimental measurements and integrated finite element modelling. Digital image correlation (DIC) and digital volume correlation (DVC) were used to measure the near‐tip material responses on the surfaces (DIC) and the interior (DVC) of the specimens. Materials with elastic‐plastic and large plastic characteristics were chosen for the study, where plasticity‐induced premature contact between the crack flanks is known to occur. Displacement maps around the cracks were obtained using DIC and DVC at selected load increments and were introduced as boundary conditions into the finite element (FE) models to obtain the “effective” crack driving force in terms of J‐integral, and the results were compared with those “nominal” from the standard FE analysis. Both visual observation and compliance curves were used to determine the “crack opening” levels; whilst the impacts of the crack opening on the crack driving forceJand the normal strains ahead of the crack tip were evaluated in 2D and 3D. The results from the study indicate that, crack closure, although clearly identifiable in the compliance curves, does not appear to impact on global crack driving force, such as J‐integral, or strains ahead of the crack tip; hence, it may well be a misconception.
Low blood pressure is associated with acute kidney injury development and mortality in octogenarians admitted to the emergency room
Authors: Abu Alfeilat Mohsen , Slotki Itzchak , Shavit Linda
Published: July 2019

Aim

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, clinical characteristics and outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in octogenarians admitted to the emergency room, and to compare these parameters with those in a younger group of patients admitted in the same period.

Methods

This is a prospective, observational, single‐center study that enrolled adult patients admitted to the emergency room of Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. Patients were stratified by age (≥80 years or <80 years) and followed up prospectively until discharge. The incidence of AKI, in‐hospital mortality and duration of hospital stay were recorded.

Results

Of 319 patients, 128 were octogenarians (mean age 86.7 years, range 80–105 years) and 191 were younger (mean age 60.6 years, range 18–79 years). The incidence of AKI and in‐hospital mortality was significantly higher in octogenarians (16.4% vs 12.6%, P = 0.039 and 15.6% vs 3.1%, P = 0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, only low systolic blood pressure at admission in octogenarians (P = 0.002), and a history of chronic kidney disease (P < 0.001) and hypoalbuminemia (P = 0.001) in the younger patients were independent risk factors for AKI.

Conclusion

The present results confirm the observation that AKI is common in octogenarians. We identified systolic blood pressure as the only independent variable associated with AKI in octogenarians. However, the role of therapeutic strategies aimed to increase systolic blood pressure and diminish complications in octogenarians remains to be elucidated. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 874–878.
Combined effect between WT1 methylation and Helicobacter pylori infection, smoking, and alcohol consumption on the risk of gastric cancer
Authors: Zhou Haibo , Sun Hongru , Liu Xinyan , Chen Jie , Zhang Lei , Lin Shangqun , Han Xu , Nie Chuang , Liu Yupeng , Tian Wenjing , Zhao Yashuang
Published: July 2019

Background

Peripheral blood leukocyte DNA methylation status has been proposed to be a surrogate marker for evaluating susceptibility to gastric cancer (GC). Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection, smoking, and alcohol consumption are known to induce gene methylation. A case‐control study was performed to investigate the interactions between the methylation of two candidate genes and H pylori infection, smoking, and alcohol consumption in the risk of GC.

Methods

A total of 400 GC cases and 402 controls were included in this study. The methylation status of WT1 and IGF2 was semiquantitatively determined by using methylation‐sensitive high‐resolution melting assays. H pylori IgG antibodies were detected by ELISA method.

Results

Based on the area under the curve (AUC), 0% methylated DNA and 0.5% methylated DNA were used as the cutoff values for WT1 and IGF2, respectively. WT1 methylation was significantly associated with increased GC risk (OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.09‐2.51, P = .019), especially in males (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.10‐2.95, P = .019) and older individuals (≥60 years) (OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.15‐3.57, P = .014). A significant combination was observed between WT1 methylation and H pylori infection, alcohol consumption, and smoking for the risk of GC (ORc = 2.28, 95% CI = 1.47‐3.55, P = .003, ORc = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.37‐3.51, P = .001, ORc = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.39‐3.51, P = .001, respectively). However, no association between IGF2 methylation and the risk of GC was found in this study.

Conclusions

WT1 methylation may serve as a new potential biomarker for GC susceptibility and can combine with H pylori infection, smoking, and alcohol consumption to influence GC risk.
Dispensation of antiretroviral therapy and methadone maintenance therapy at the same facility in a low‐barrier setting linked to optimal adherence to HIV treatment
Authors: Mohd Salleh NA , Fairbairn N , Nolan S , Barrios R , Shoveller J , Richardson L , Milloy M‐J
Published: July 2019

Objectives

We sought to examine the association between dispensation of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the same facility, across multiple low‐barrier dispensing outlets, and achieving optimal adherence to ART among people who use illicit drugs (PWUD).

Methods

We used data from the AIDS Care Cohort to Evaluate Exposure to Survival Services (ACCESS) study, a long‐running study of a community‐recruited cohort of HIV‐positive PWUD, linked to comprehensive HIV clinical records in Vancouver, Canada, a setting of no‐cost, universal access to HIV care. The longitudinal relationship between MMT‐ART dispensation at the same facility and the odds of ≥ 95% ART adherence was analysed using multivariable generalized linear mixed‐effects modelling. We conducted a further analysis using a marginal structural mode with inverse probability of treatment weights as a sensitivity analysis.

Results

This study included data on 1690 interviews of 345 ART‐ and MMT‐exposed participants carried out between June 2012 and December 2017. In the final multivariable model, MMT‐ART dispensation, compared with nondispensation at the same facility, was associated with greater odds of achieving ≥ 95% adherence [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26–1.96]. A marginal structural model estimated a 1.48 (95% CI 1.15–1.80) greater odds of ≥ 95% adherence among participants who reported MMT‐ART dispensation at the same facility compared with those who did not.

Conclusions

The odds of achieving optimal adherence to ART were 56% higher during periods in which MMT and ART medications were dispensed at the same facility, in a low‐barrier setting. Our findings highlight the need to consider a simpler integrated approach with medication dispensation at the same facility in low‐threshold settings.
Ergodic chaos for non‐expansive economic models**
Authors: Yano Makoto , Sato Kenji
Published: July 2019

Ergodic chaos is one of the most important concepts in the theory of nonlinear economics. Due to the lack of appropriate sufficient conditions, its reach has not been fully understood. In this paper a sufficient condition for ergodic chaos that covers non‐expansive dynamical systems is examined. By analyzing an endogenous growth model as an example, we discuss the breadth of models in which ergodic chaos can emerge.
Multiple test batteries as predictors for pilot performance: A meta‐analytic investigation
Authors: ALMamari Khalid , Traynor Anne
Published: July 2019

Test Batteries (TBs) have a long history of use in pilot selection. The extent to which TBs predict future pilot performance has important implications. The existing pilot‐related psychometric meta‐analyses have focused primarily on scores of individual ability tests, rather than the combined scores composited from multiple ability tests. The objective of this study was to investigate the predictive validity of TBs' composite scores for several criteria of pilot performance. Informed by the Cattell–Horn–Carroll theory, we proposed a classification scheme of six categories representing the most common composite scores in selection assessment:Acquired Knowledge, Perceptual Processing, Motor Abilities, Controlled Attention, General Ability,andWork Sample. For overall pilot performance, based on 267 correlations from 118 independent samples, results showed that the six categories of TBs are valid predictors (Meanr= .10–.34), and at least five of them have validity that is likely to generalize across selection contexts.
A Public Atonement: The Public Nature of Sin and Salvation in the American Moral Governmental Theory of the Atonement
Authors: Todd Obbie Tyler
Published: July 2019

The American moral governmental theory of the atonement was distinct from other Protestant views in several ways, but truly unique in one. Its definition of forgiveness as a pardon instead of a debt paid, its insistence that Christ died for the good of the moral universe, and its rejection of the distributive understanding of penal substitution all stemmed from its relentless commitment to view both God and humanity in terms of public life. It is the purpose of this article to demonstrate that the most foundational element in the American moral governmental theory of the atonement was the idea of publicity, namely the public nature it ascribed to sin, salvation and the glory of God.