bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contrecoup Head Injury
Authors: BV Sandeep , Roy Kaushik , Saha Suniti Kumar , Dixit Sourabh , Ghosh Partha , Banga Manpreet Singh
Published: April 2017

Contrecoup injuries comprise a group of focal brain injuries that occur at areas distant from the point of impact. It has been hypothesized that patients with contrecoup injuries would have a worse outcome because of the diffuse nature of injury. At Nilratan Sircar Medical College, Kolkata, 74 patients presenting with contrecoup injuries over a period of 1 year were prospectively analyzed. Site of primary impact was determined by clinical and CT scan criteria. The age, modes of injury, Glasgow coma scale (GCS), site of injury, pattern of injury, and mortality were analyzed. Delayed presentation of contrecoup injury in patients who deteriorated over time was also noted in imaging. The presence of contrecoup injury implies that the traumatic forces have dissipated into the brain, and from the biomechanisms explained, the brain is likely to have suffered greater damage than the case in coup injury alone. The present study shows that the presence of contrecoup contusions is associated with a poor prognosis across all GCS and age categories.
Fully Endoscopic Minimally Invasive Transrectus Capitis Posterior Muscle Triangle Approach to the Posterolateral Condyle and Jugular Tubercle
Authors: Mingdong Wang , Mathias Roger , Wang Eric , Gardner Paul , Wang Hong , Fernandez-Miranda Juan
Published: April 2017

Background We evaluated a transrectus capitis posterior muscle triangle approach to the posterolateral foramen magnum, occipital condyles, jugular tubercle, and the fourth ventricle. We also assessed factors that affect the amount of bone removal required.

Objective To evaluate if the proposed approach is as effective as standard open approaches to expose the lateral portion of the foramen magnum.

Methods The proposed minimally invasive fully endoscopic approach was performed in 15 cadaveric specimens using 4-mm (0- and 45-degree) endoscopes.

Results Using a 5-cm straight paramedian incision, the rectus capitis posterior minor and major muscles were partially removed unilaterally, providing a corridor through the muscles to reach the foramen magnum region. After meticulous soft tissue dissection, key anatomical landmarks can be identified such as the greater occipital nerve, the vertebral artery that wraps around the atlanto-occipital joint, and the bony protuberance that heralds the occipital condyle. A suboccipital craniotomy associated with the transcondylar, supracondylar or paracondylar approach is performed depending on the amount of bone removal desired to maximize the surgical view. By doing so, the jugular foramen can be exposed laterally as well as the fourth ventricle medially.

Conclusion The proposed endoscopic approach can provide access through the transrectus capitis posterior muscle triangle leading directly to the occipital condyle. A stepwise approach is critical to gain a surgical corridor to the inferolateral petroclival region and the fourth ventricle.
An Unusual Orthopaedic Disease: Sarcoidosis—A Case Report
Authors: Kemah Bahattin , Özturan Burak , Bilgic Bilge , Özkan Korhan , Akpınar Fuat , Kılıc Bulent
Published: April 2017

Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic, noncaseating granulomatous disorder with wide systemic involvement. It is encountered widely around the world and it affects both sexes, all the races in all age groups. Lungs, eyes, and skin are the organs most commonly affected. Constitutional features such as weight loss, fatigue, and myalgia are the most common symptoms. Bone involvement, which is very rare, was reported as present in 3 to 13% of effected cases, and it is most commonly seen in hands and feet, compared with long bone involvement, which is extremely rare. We hereby present a case with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis and multiple bone involvement emphasizing the importance of differential diagnosis.
A Method of Locating the Dehiscence during Middle Fossa Approach for Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence Surgery
Authors: Beckett Joel , Chung Lawrance , Lagman Carlito , Voth Brittany , Jacky Chen Cheng , Gaonkar Bilwaj , Gopen Quinton , Yang Isaac
Published: April 2017

Objectives Superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD) results from a defect in the middle cranial fossa floor. One challenge during SSCD repair is the lack of a consistent landmark. This study proposes a reference point above the external auditory canal at the level of the zygoma as the inferior craniectomy edge during surgery.

Design This is a retrospective review of patients with SSCD.

Setting/Participants A total of 72 cases of SSCD in 60 patients were repaired via a middle fossa approach at a single institution.

Main Outcome Measures The distance from the proposed reference point to the dehiscence was statistically analyzed using Shapiro–Wilk's goodness-of-fit test and Student's t-test.

Results Average distance for all patients was 28.84 ± 2.22 mm (range: 22.96–33.43). Average distance for females was 29.08 mm (range: 24.56–33.43) versus 28.26 mm (range: 22.96–32.36) for males. There was no difference in distance by sex (p = 0.174). The distance measurements followed a normal distribution with 95% of the patients between 24.49 and 33.10 mm.

Conclusion This study analyzed a potential reference point during a middle fossa approach for SSCD surgery. The distance from this reference point to the SSCD was found to be consistent and may serve as a readily identifiable landmark in localizing the dehiscence.
Energy band offsets of dielectrics on InGaZnO4
Authors: Hays David C. , Gila B. P. , Pearton S. J. , Ren F.
Published: April 2017

Thin-film transistors (TFTs) with channels made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) are used extensively in the display industry. Amorphous silicon continues to dominate large-format display technology, but a-Si:H has a low electron mobility, μ ∼ 1 cm2/V s. Transparent, conducting metal-oxide materials such as Indium-Gallium-Zinc Oxide (IGZO) have demonstrated electron mobilities of 10–50 cm2/V s and are candidates to replace a-Si:H for TFT backplane technologies. The device performance depends strongly on the type of band alignment of the gate dielectric with the semiconductor channel material and on the band offsets. The factors that determine the conduction and valence band offsets for a given material system are not well understood. Predictions based on various models have historically been unreliable and band offset values must be determined experimentally. This paper provides experimental band offset values for a number of gate dielectrics on IGZO for next generation TFTs. The relationship between band offset and interface quality, as demonstrated experimentally and by previously reported results, is also explained. The literature shows significant variations in reported band offsets and the reasons for these differences are evaluated. The biggest contributor to conduction band offsets is the variation in the bandgap of the dielectrics due to differences in measurement protocols and stoichiometry resulting from different deposition methods, chemistry, and contamination. We have investigated the influence of valence band offset values of strain, defects/vacancies, stoichiometry, chemical bonding, and contamination on IGZO/dielectric heterojunctions. These measurements provide data needed to further develop a predictive theory of band offsets.
Adapt to more wildfire in western North American forests as climate changes
Authors: Schoennagel Tania , Balch Jennifer K. , Brenkert-Smith Hannah , Dennison Philip E. , Harvey Brian J. , Krawchuk Meg A. , Mietkiewicz Nathan , Morgan Penelope , Moritz Max A. , Rasker Ray , Turner Monica G. , Whitlock Cathy
Published: April 2017

Wildfires across western North America have increased in number and size over the past three decades, and this trend will continue in response to further warming. As a consequence, the wildland–urban interface is projected to experience substantially higher risk of climate-driven fires in the coming decades. Although many plants, animals, and ecosystem services benefit from fire, it is unknown how ecosystems will respond to increased burning and warming. Policy and management have focused primarily on specified resilience approaches aimed at resistance to wildfire and restoration of areas burned by wildfire through fire suppression and fuels management. These strategies are inadequate to address a new era of western wildfires. In contrast, policies that promote adaptive resilience to wildfire, by which people and ecosystems adjust and reorganize in response to changing fire regimes to reduce future vulnerability, are needed. Key aspects of an adaptive resilience approach are (
i
) recognizing that fuels reduction cannot alter regional wildfire trends; (
ii
) targeting fuels reduction to increase adaptation by some ecosystems and residential communities to more frequent fire; (
iii
) actively managing more wild and prescribed fires with a range of severities; and (
iv
) incentivizing and planning residential development to withstand inevitable wildfire. These strategies represent a shift in policy and management from restoring ecosystems based on historical baselines to adapting to changing fire regimes and from unsustainable defense of the wildland–urban interface to developing fire-adapted communities. We propose an approach that accepts wildfire as an inevitable catalyst of change and that promotes adaptive responses by ecosystems and residential communities to more warming and wildfire.
Contractile and chiral activities codetermine the helicity of swimming droplet trajectories
Authors: Tjhung Elsen , Cates Michael E. , Marenduzzo Davide
Published: April 2017

Significance

Active fluids include bacterial suspensions, biological tissues, and the cytoskeleton. They are far from equilibrium because the fluid is continuously stirred by constituent particles themselves. A model droplet of active fluid can show swimming or crawling motilities resembling those in real biological cells despite the simplifications entailed. Here, we consider the effects of microscopic chirality on the motility of these active droplets. We find a rich phase diagram including oscillatory dynamics, run and tumble, and helical swimming with either the same or opposite sign to the microscopic one.
Bisulfite-converted duplexes for the strand-specific detection and quantification of rare mutations
Authors: Mattox Austin K. , Wang Yuxuan , Springer Simeon , Cohen Joshua D. , Yegnasubramanian Srinivasan , Nelson William G. , Kinzler Kenneth W. , Vogelstein Bert , Papadopoulos Nickolas
Published: April 2017

Significance

The detection of rare mutations in clinical samples is essential to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. Although next-generation sequencing has greatly enhanced the sensitivity of detecting mutations, the relatively high error rate of these platforms limits their overall clinical utility. The elimination of sequencing artifacts could facilitate the detection of early-stage cancers and provide improved treatment recommendations tailored to the genetic profile of a tumor. Here, we report the development of BiSeqS, a bisulfite conversion-based sequencing approach that allows for the strand-specific detection and quantification of rare mutations. We demonstrate that BiSeqS eliminates nearly all sequencing artifacts in three common types of mutations and thereby considerably increases the signal-to-noise ratio for diagnostic analyses.
Neurophysiological dynamics of phrase-structure building during sentence processing
Authors: Nelson Matthew J. , El Karoui Imen , Giber Kristof , Yang Xiaofang , Cohen Laurent , Koopman Hilda , Cash Sydney S. , Naccache Lionel , Hale John T. , Pallier Christophe , Dehaene Stanislas
Published: April 2017

Significance

According to most linguists, the syntactic structure of sentences involves a tree-like hierarchy of nested phrases, as in the sentence [happy linguists] [draw [a diagram]]. Here, we searched for the neural implementation of this hypothetical construct. Epileptic patients volunteered to perform a language task while implanted with intracranial electrodes for clinical purposes. While patients read sentences one word at a time, neural activation in left-hemisphere language areas increased with each successive word but decreased suddenly whenever words could be merged into a phrase. This may be the neural footprint of “merge,” a fundamental tree-building operation that has been hypothesized to allow for the recursive properties of human language.
Integrin extension enables ultrasensitive regulation by cytoskeletal force
Authors: Li Jing , Springer Timothy A.
Published: April 2017

Significance

There are competing conceptual models of integrin activation. Recent measurements of conformational equilibria and intrinsic affinities of integrins on the cell surface enable quantitative evaluation of these models. We show that among these models, only the combination of adaptor binding and cytoskeletal force provides ultrasensitive regulation of integrin activation and occurs in a range of force experienced by most ligand-bound integrins. Switch-like activation by force relies on the large change in length in integrin extension and explains why integrins extend and why their domain organization is so conserved.
On the treatment, control and elimination of ovine footrot: a comparative review.
Authors: Clifton R. , Green L. E.
Published: April 2017

Ovine footrot is detrimental to sheep health, welfare and production worldwide. Strategies for management of footrot have varied between countries and regions due to differences in climate, production systems and proportion of positive flocks. Recent research from Great Britain, where >90% flocks have footrot has highlighted that treatment of individual lame sheep within 3 days with parenteral and topical antibiotics, and without foot trimming, results in rapid recovery. This benefits both animal welfare and productivity. Recent evidence indicates that foot trimming into sensitive tissue during routine foot trimming is associated with higher prevalence of lameness, and careful routine foot trimming is not associated with lower prevalence of lameness, rendering this practice void for control of footrot. Fifty percent of farmers in England are now no longer practising routine foot trimming. The lowest prevalence of footrot without elimination is achieved by treatment of sheep with footrot within 3 days of onset of lameness, separation of lame sheep until recovered and rapid footbathing of a flock when an outbreak of interdigital dermatitis occurs. Vaccination and selection of breeding replacements from non-lame ewes contribute to further reducing the prevalence of lameness. Improving control of footrot has occurred between 2004 and 2013: the global mean prevalence of lameness in sheep has halved from 10 to 5%. Flock elimination of footrot has been successful in flocks across the world through treatment of diseased sheep, culling all non-respondents and persistently lame sheep, targeted vaccination (including mono and bivalent vaccines) and regular footbathing of healthy sheep in periods of non-transmission until no further disease is detected, even in a period of disease transmission. This has been most successful when initiated when climatic conditions are regularly unfavourable to transmission of footrot and where the percentage of flocks with footrot is low and flock level biosecurity can be maintained to prevent re-introduction of footrot to a naïve flock. Both control and elimination strategies are successful to reduce the global burden of footrot. Success is dependent on choosing the correct strategy for the flock given climate, biosecurity and force of infection and commitment to the programme.
Feeding of high-yielding bovines during transition phase.
Authors: Bakshi M. P. S. , Wadhwa M. , Makkar H. P. S.
Published: April 2017

Appropriate feeding during the pregnancy and post-pregnancy period determines both the milk production in the ensuing lactation as well as the reproductive efficiency of the animal. During this period, 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after parturition are very important because dramatic physiological and metabolic adaptations take place during this phase - called as the transition phase. Nutritional imbalances, caused by the low quality of desired nutritious rations, reduced appetite and low ingestion are responsible for depressed performance specifically during the transition period. The lack of knowledge and skill of farmers in feeding-management during this phase exacerbate the situation. The metabolic changes, metabolic adaptations and the nutritional-management strategies to ease out this phase are discussed in this review paper. With the advancement of gestation, the dry matter intake (DMI) of dairy cows declines and is at its lowest (1.7-2.0% of body weight) at parturition. The body condition score (BCS) parallels the DMI, but the aim should be not to lose more than one BCS (in the scale of 1-5) after calving. Simultaneously, with the growth of foetus the nutrient requirements increase and are at their peak before parturition as well as immediately after parturition. The milk production reaches its peak in about 5-8 weeks postpartum, while the diet consumption peaks at 10-14 weeks postpartum. Thus, dairy cows will typically suffer a 6-8-week period of negative energy balance during the postpartum period. The mammary energy requirements at 4-day postpartum are more than three times than that of uterus, with simultaneous increase in requirement of metabolizable protein, especially of methionine and lysine. The high incidence of metabolic and infectious diseases is responsible for the high incidence of inflammatory conditions, mostly immediately after calving. To prevent these diseases pro-inflammatory cytokine release should be avoided in postpartum. The mobilization of body reserves especially fat and protein; and hepatic gluconeogenesis takes place immediately after parturition leading to increased levels of ÃÂ²-hydroxy butyric acid and non-esterified fatty acids, which act as a gateway for a number of metabolic diseases. The transition phase can be eased by increasing DMI, feed conversion efficiency, density of ration, and protein supplements rich in rumen undegradable protein; by using anionic mineral mixture, optimizing roughage to concentrate (R:C) ratio, optimum physically effective fibre length of forages/silage/hay, dietary buffers, feed additives such as inflammation modulators, protected nutrients, glucogenic precursors and direct fed microbials/probiotics; and by following phased feeding programme.
Challenges of managing disease in tall orchard trees - pecan scab, a case study.
Authors: Bock C. H. , Brenneman T. B. , Wood B. W. , Stevenson K. L.
Published: April 2017

Managing disease in tall orchard trees presents unique issues not found in relatively shorter horticultural and agronomic crops, simply due to height Pecan scab (caused by
Venturia effusa
[G. Winter] Rossman & W.C. Allen) is used as an example of a major disease of one of the tallest orchard crops in the world (up to ∼44 m). This disease is a major issue for pecan (
Carya illinoinensis
[Wangenh.] K. Koch) notwithstanding ∼120 years of research aimed at improving management approaches. The historic and current use of host resistance, ground and aerial application of fungicides (and issues associated with their use) and possible benefits of tree management tools are discussed. The problems in obtaining maximum scab control are presented, and the research needs and the possibilities offered by new technologies, including use of unmanned aerial vehicles and genomics tools are presented. Better utilization of existing scab management options, applying new orchard management tools and incorporating new technologies should help ensure that pecan scab has less impact on pecan production in the coming decades.
Efficacy of an Acoustic Tag with Predation Detection Technology
Authors: Schultz Andrew A. , Afentoulis Virginia B. , Yip Curtis J. , Johnson Michele N.
Published: April 2017

One of the most important assumptions in the use of data from an acoustically tagged fish is that the data are indeed from the fish that was originally tagged. However, there is likely to be some level of predation on the tagged subjects used in acoustic telemetry studies. When an acoustically tagged fish is consumed, the tag continues to emit the same signal even though the tagged fish is no longer alive. To assist in addressing this issue, a predation detection acoustic tag (PDAT) was developed to provide the functions of a typical acoustic tag with the added ability to indicate when a tagged fish has been consumed by a predator. Our goal was to test the efficacy and precision of this new technology. We implanted PDATs into live juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and fed them to adult Striped Bass Morone saxatilis under controlled conditions. Identifying when the PDATs “triggered” (i.e., changed their signal, indicating that the tag had been consumed) proved to be a simple process. The PDAT that we tested was effective 90% of the time in verifying that a tagged fish had been consumed. The mean elapsed time from the feeding event to the time of triggering (trigger time) was 59.2 h (SD = 28.1, range = 22.3–140.0). The PDAT has great potential to assist in more accurately interpreting acoustic data in the study of fish behavior and survival. Further testing of this technology is warranted and should include a broader range of the environmental factors likely to have a major influence on trigger time as well as trials under more natural conditions.

Received September 28, 2016; accepted January 27, 2017 Published online April 18, 2017
Safe and Competent Opioid Prescribing Education: Increasing Dissemination with a Train-The-Trainer Program
Authors: Zisblatt Lara , Hayes Sean M. , Lazure Patrice , Hardesty Ilana , White Julie L. , Alford Daniel P.
Published: April 2017

Background: Due to the high prevalence of prescription opioid misuse, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandated a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) requiring manufacturers of extended-release/long-acting (ER/LA) opioids to fund continuing education based on an FDA curricular Blueprint. This paper describes the Safe and Competent Opioid Prescribing Education ( SCOPE of Pain) train-the-trainer program and its impact on (1) disseminating the SCOPE of Pain curriculum and (2) knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and performance of the participants of trainer-led compared with expert-led meetings. Methods: SCOPE of Pain is a 3-hour ER/LA opioid REMS education. In addition to expert-led live statewide meetings, a 2-hour train-the-trainer (TTT) workshop was developed to increase dissemination nationally. The trainers were expected to conduct SCOPE of Pain meetings at their institutions. Participants of both the trainer-led and expert-led SCOPE of Pain programs were surveyed immediately post and 2 months post meetings to assess improvements in knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and self-reported safe opioid prescribing practices. Results: During 9 months (May 2013 to February 2014), 89 trainers were trained during 9 TTT workshops in 9 states. Over 24 months (May 2013 to April 2015), 33% of the trainers conducted at least 1 SCOPE of Pain training, with a total of 79 meetings that educated 1419 participants. The average number of meetings of those who conducted at least 1 meeting was 2.8 (range: 1–19). The participants of the trainer-led programs were significantly more likely to be practicing in rural settings than those who participated in the expert-led meetings (39% vs. 26%, P < .001). At 2 months post training, there were no significant differences in improvements in participant knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and performance between expert-led and trainer-led meetings. Conclusions: The SCOPE of Pain TTT program holds promise as an effective dissemination strategy to increase guideline-based safe opioid prescribing knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and self-reported practices.
Quinolone resistance-associated amino acid substitutions affect enzymatic activity of Mycobacterium leprae DNA gyrase
Authors: Yamaguchi Tomoyuki , Yokoyama Kazumasa , Nakajima Chie , Suzuki Yasuhiko
Published: April 2017

Quinolones are important antimicrobials for treatment of leprosy, a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Although it is well known that mutations in DNA gyrase are responsible for quinolone resistance, the effect of those mutations on the enzymatic activity is yet to be studied in depth. Hence, we conducted in vitro assays to observe supercoiling reactions of wild type and mutated M. leprae DNA gyrases. DNA gyrase with amino acid substitution Ala91Val possessed the highest activity among the mutants. DNA gyrase with Gly89Cys showed the lowest level of activity despite being found in clinical strains, but it supercoiled DNA like the wild type does if applied at a sufficient concentration. In addition, patterns of time-dependent conversion from relaxed circular DNA into supercoiled DNA by DNA gyrases with clinically unreported Asp95Gly and Asp95Asn were observed to be distinct from those by the other DNA gyrases.
Alignment of dynamic networks
Authors: Vijayan V , Critchlow D , Milenković T
Published: April 2017

Motivation

Network alignment (NA) aims to find a node mapping that conserves similar regions between compared networks. NA is applicable to many fields, including computational biology, where NA can guide the transfer of biological knowledge from well- to poorly-studied species across aligned network regions. Existing NA methods can only align static networks. However, most complex real-world systems evolve over time and should thus be modeled as dynamic networks. We hypothesize that aligning dynamic network representations of evolving systems will produce superior alignments compared to aligning the systems’ static network representations, as is currently done.

Results

For this purpose, we introduce the first ever dynamic NA method, DynaMAGNA ++. This proof-of-concept dynamic NA method is an extension of a state-of-the-art static NA method, MAGNA++. Even though both MAGNA++ and DynaMAGNA++ optimize edge as well as node conservation across the aligned networks, MAGNA++ conserves static edges and similarity between static node neighborhoods, while DynaMAGNA++ conserves dynamic edges (events) and similarity between evolving node neighborhoods. For this purpose, we introduce the first ever measure of dynamic edge conservation and rely on our recent measure of dynamic node conservation. Importantly, the two dynamic conservation measures can be optimized with any state-of-the-art NA method and not just MAGNA++. We confirm our hypothesis that dynamic NA is superior to static NA, on synthetic and real-world networks, in computational biology and social domains. DynaMAGNA++ is parallelized and has a user-friendly graphical interface.

Availability and implementation

http://nd.edu/∼cone/DynaMAGNA++/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
MetaLIMS, a simple open-source laboratory information management system for small metagenomic labs
Authors: Heinle Cassie Elizabeth , Gaultier Nicolas Paul Eugène , Miller Dana , Purbojati Rikky Wenang , Lauro Federico M.
Published: April 2017

Background: As the cost of sequencing continues to fall, smaller groups increasingly initiate and manage larger sequencing projects and take on the complexity of data storage for high volumes of samples. This has created a need for low-cost laboratory information management systems (LIMS) that contain flexible fields to accommodate the unique nature of individual labs. Many labs do not have a dedicated information technology position, so LIMS must also be easy to setup and maintain with minimal technical proficiency. Findings: MetaLIMS is a free and open-source web-based application available via GitHub. The focus of MetaLIMS is to store sample metadata prior to sequencing and analysis pipelines. Initially designed for environmental metagenomics labs, in addition to storing generic sample collection information and DNA/RNA processing information, the user can also add fields specific to the user's lab. MetaLIMS can also produce a basic sequencing submission form compatible with the proprietary Clarity LIMS system used by some sequencing facilities. To help ease the technical burden associated with web deployment, MetaLIMS options the use of commercial web hosting combined with MetaLIMS bash scripts for ease of setup. Conclusions: MetaLIMS overcomes key challenges common in LIMS by giving labs access to a low-cost and open-source tool that also has the flexibility to meet individual lab needs and an option for easy deployment. By making the web application open source and hosting it on GitHub, we hope to encourage the community to build upon MetaLIMS, making it more robust and tailored to the needs of more researchers.
Infections in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Atzeni Fabiola , Masala Ignazio Francesco , di Franco Manuela , Sarzi-Puttini Piercarlo
Published: April 2017

Purpose of review

The purpose of this review is to provide an update concerning recent advances in the evidence- based study of serious infections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with biological drugs or conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), concentrating on studies published in the last 18 months.

Recent findings

New studies have further strengthened existing evidence relating the use of biological drugs to serious infections. The risk does not seem to be any different with short-term or long-term use. There is still a lack of conclusive studies identifying biomarkers, but it is plausible that the drugs have direct effects on cytokines and cell activity and then serious infections.

The frequent infections of patients with RA may be due to the disease itself (altered immunological function, disability, immobility, joint surgery), extra-articular manifestations or DMARDs, immunosuppressants and steroids. The use of biological drugs lead to the development of serious infections including tuberculosis. Patients should be informed of their increased risk, and physicians need to be aware of these complications and how to treat them.
Prenatal fluoxetine modifies the behavioral and hormonal responses to stress in male mice: role for glucocorticoid insensitivity
Authors: Avitsur Ronit
Published: April 2017

Women with major depressive disorder during pregnancy often use selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) antidepressants. These drugs readily cross the placental barrier and impact the developing fetal brain. Recently, we reported that prenatal fluoxetine (FLX), an SSRI antidepressant drug, altered corticosterone and behavioral responses to stress in female mouse offspring. The present study assessed the effects of prenatal FLX on these responses in males. The results showed that prenatal FLX significantly augmented the corticosterone response to acute stress in young prepubescent mice. The corticosterone response to continuous stress was not affected by prenatal FLX irrespective of age. In addition, continuous stress reduced general activity, and anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors in adult animals prenatally exposed to FLX, but not in controls. The dexamethasone suppression test showed that prenatal FLX induced a state of glucocorticoid insensitivity in adult males, indicating that the negative feedback control of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis response to stress was disrupted. Together, these findings indicate that prenatal FLX altered hormonal and behavioral responses to stress and suggest a role for the development of glucocorticoid insensitivity in these effects. These findings may aid understanding of the limitations and precautions that should be taken in the use of SSRIs by pregnant women.
Response rate decreasing effects of naloxone during chronic sucrose availability
Authors: Kroll Cindy , Fischer Bradford D.
Published: April 2017

Studies in animal models suggest that sugar deprivation following excessive intake elicits some opioid-like withdrawal signs. In the present study, opioid-like effects of excessive sucrose intake were further characterized in C57BL/6 mice by comparing the effects of the opioid antagonist naloxone on food-reinforced responding before and during sucrose availability and, in parallel experiments, following chronic morphine administration. Results show that naloxone produced time-dependent and dose-dependent decreases in operant response rates after 4 weeks of excessive sucrose consumption, and that these effects were comparable with those produced by chronic morphine injections. These findings extend the observation that excessive sucrose consumption may produce opioid-like withdrawal signs, and suggest that operant assays of withdrawal-suppressed behaviors may be useful for further study of excessive sucrose consumption.
Randomized Trial of Machine Perfusion Versus Cold Storage in Recipients of Deceased Donor Kidney Transplants With High Incidence of Delayed Graft Function
Authors: Tedesco-Silva Helio , Mello Offerni Juliano Chrystian , Ayres Carneiro Vanessa , Ivani de Paula Mayara , Neto Elias David , Brambate Carvalhinho Lemos Francine , Requião Moura Lúcio Roberto , Pacheco e Silva Filho Alvaro , de Morais Cunha Mirian de Fátima , Francisco da Silva Erica , Miorin Luiz Antonio , Demetrio Daniela Priscila , Luconi Paulo Sérgio , da Silva Luconi Waldere Tania , Bobbio Savina Adriana , kuschnaroff Liz Milstein , Noronha Irene Lourdes , Braga Sibele Lessa , Barsante Renata Cristina , Mendes Moreira João Cezar , Fernandes-Charpiot Ida Maria Maximina , Abbud-Filho Mario , Modelli de Andrade Luis Gustavo , Dalsoglio Garcia Paula , Tanajura Santamaria Saber Luciana , Fernandes Laurindo Alan , Chocair Pedro Renato , Cuvello Neto Américo Lourenço , Zanocco Juliana Aparecida , Duboc de Almeida Soares Filho Antonio Jose , Ferreira Aguiar Wilson , Medina Pestana Jose
Published: April 2017

Background

This study compared the use of static cold storage versus continuous hypothermic machine perfusion in a cohort of kidney transplant recipients at high risk for delayed graft function (DGF).

Methods

In this national, multicenter, and controlled trial, 80 pairs of kidneys recovered from brain-dead deceased donors were randomized to cold storage or machine perfusion, transplanted, and followed up for 12 months. The primary endpoint was the incidence of DGF. Secondary endpoints included the duration of DGF, hospital stay, primary nonfunction, estimated glomerular filtration rate, acute rejection, and allograft and patient survivals.

Results

Mean cold ischemia time was high but not different between the 2 groups (25.6 ± 6.6 hours vs 25.05 ± 6.3 hours, 0.937). The incidence of DGF was lower in the machine perfusion compared with cold storage group (61% vs. 45%, P = 0.031). Machine perfusion was independently associated with a reduced risk of DGF (odds ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-0.95). Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate tended to be higher at day 28 (40.6 ± 19.9 mL/min per 1.73 m2 vs 49.0 ± 26.9 mL/min per 1.73 m2; P = 0.262) and 1 year (48.3 ± 19.8 mL/min per 1.73 m2 vs 54.4 ± 28.6 mL/min per 1.73 m2; P = 0.201) in the machine perfusion group. No differences in the incidence of acute rejection, primary nonfunction (0% vs 2.5%), graft loss (7.5% vs 10%), or death (8.8% vs 6.3%) were observed.

Conclusions

In this cohort of recipients of deceased donor kidneys with high mean cold ischemia time and high incidence of DGF, the use of continuous machine perfusion was associated with a reduced risk of DGF compared with the traditional cold storage preservation method.
Alterations in cortical thickness and structural connectivity are associated with symptom severity in bulimia nervosa
Authors: Westwater Margaret L. , Seidlitz Jakob , Diederen Kelly M.J. , Fischer Sarah , Thompson James C.
Published: April 2017

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious psychiatric illness defined by preoccupation with weight and shape, episodic binge-eating and compensatory behaviors. Although diagnosed BN has been associated with diffuse grey matter volume reductions, characterization of brain structure alterations in women with a range of BN symptoms has yet to be made. This study examined whether changes in cortical thickness (CT) scaled with BN symptom severity in a sample of 33 adult women (n = 10 BN; n = 5 EDNOS-BN). Our second objective was to assess global structural connectivity (SC) of CT and to determine if individual differences in global SC relate to BN symptom severity. We used the validated Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q; Fairburn & Beglin, 1994) as a continuous measure of BN symptom severity. Increased EDE-Q score was negatively related to global CT and local CT in the left middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus and bilateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and temporoparietal regions. Moreover, analysis of global SC indicated that BN-related cortical thinning preferentially occurred in regions with high global connectivity. Finally, we showed that individuals’ contribution to global SC at the group level were significantly related to EDE-Q score, where increased EDE-Q score correlated with reduced connectivity of the left OFC and middle temporal cortex and increased connectivity of the right superior parietal lobule. Our findings offer novel insight into CT alterations in BN and further suggest that the combination of CT and structural connectivity measures may be sensitive to individual differences in BN symptom severity.
The causal effect of educational attainment on Alzheimer’s disease: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Anderson Emma L , Wade Kaitlin H , Hemani Gibran , Bowden Jack , Korologou-Linden Roxanna , Smith George Davey , Ben-Shlomo Yoav , Howe Laura D , Stergiakouli Evie
Published: April 2017

Background

Observational evidence suggests that higher educational attainment is protective for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is unclear whether this association is causal or confounded by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. We examined the causal effect of educational attainment on AD in a two-sample MR framework.

Methods

We extracted all available effect estimates of the 74 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with years of schooling from the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) of educational attainment (N=293,723) and the GWAS of AD conducted by the International Genomics of Alzheimer’s Project (n=17,008 AD cases and 37,154 controls). SNP-exposure and SNP-outcome coefficients were combined using an inverse variance weighted approach, providing an estimate of the causal effect of each SD increase in years of schooling on AD. We also performed appropriate sensitivity analyses examining the robustness of causal effect estimates to the various assumptions and conducted simulation analyses to examine potential survival bias of MR analyses.

Findings

With each SD increase in years of schooling (3.51 years), the odds of AD were, on average, reduced by approximately one third (odds ratio= 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.48 to 0.83, p<0.001). Causal effect estimates were consistent when using causal methods with varying MR assumptions or different sets of SNPs for educational attainment, lending confidence to the magnitude and direction of effect in our main findings. There was also no evidence of survival bias in our study.

Interpretation

Our findings support a causal role of educational attainment on AD, whereby an additional ∼3.5 years of schooling reduces the odds of AD by approximately one third.
Capturing in vivo RNA transcriptional dynamics from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Painter Heather J. , Carrasquilla Manuela , Llinás Manuel
Published: April 2017

To capture the transcriptional dynamics within proliferating cells, methods to differentiate nascent transcription from preexisting mRNAs are desired. One approach is to label newly synthesized mRNA transcripts in vivo through the incorporation of modified pyrimidines. However, the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is incapable of pyrimidine salvage for mRNA biogenesis. To capture cellular mRNA dynamics during Plasmodium development, we engineered parasites that can salvage pyrimidines through the expression of a single bifunctional yeast fusion gene, cytosine deaminase/uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (FCU). We show that expression of FCU allows for the direct incorporation of thiol-modified pyrimidines into nascent mRNAs. Using developmental stage-specific promoters to express FCU-GFP enables the biosynthetic capture and in-depth analysis of mRNA dynamics from subpopulations of cells undergoing differentiation. We demonstrate the utility of this method by examining the transcriptional dynamics of the sexual gametocyte stage transition, a process that is essential to malaria transmission between hosts. Using the pfs16 gametocyte-specific promoter to express FCU-GFP in 3D7 parasites, we found that sexual stage commitment is governed by transcriptional reprogramming and stabilization of a subset of essential gametocyte transcripts. We also measured mRNA dynamics in F12 gametocyte-deficient parasites and demonstrate that the transcriptional program required for sexual commitment and maturation is initiated but likely aborted due to the absence of the PfAP2-G transcriptional regulator and a lack of gametocyte-specific mRNA stabilization. Biosynthetic labeling of Plasmodium mRNAs is incredibly versatile, can be used to measure transcriptional dynamics at any stage of parasite development, and will allow for future applications to comprehensively measure RNA-protein interactions in the malaria parasite.
Mutation of neuron-specific chromatin remodeling subunit BAF53b: rescue of plasticity and memory by manipulating actin remodeling
Authors: Vogel Ciernia Annie , Kramár Enikö A. , Matheos Dina P. , Havekes Robbert , Hemstedt Thekla J. , Magnan Christophe N. , Sakata Keith , Tran Ashley , Azzawi Soraya , Lopez Alberto , Dang Richard , Wang Weisheng , Trieu Brian , Tong Joyce , Barrett Ruth M. , Post Rebecca J. , Baldi Pierre , Abel Ted , Lynch Gary , Wood Marcelo A.
Published: April 2017

Recent human exome-sequencing studies have implicated polymorphic Brg1-associated factor (BAF) complexes (mammalian SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes) in several intellectual disabilities and cognitive disorders, including autism. However, it remains unclear how mutations in BAF complexes result in impaired cognitive function. Post-mitotic neurons express a neuron-specific assembly, nBAF, characterized by the neuron-specific subunit BAF53b. Subdomain 2 of BAF53b is essential for the differentiation of neuronal precursor cells into neurons. We generated transgenic mice lacking subdomain 2 of Baf53b (BAF53bΔSB2). Long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP) and long-term memory, both of which are associated with phosphorylation of the actin severing protein cofilin, were assessed in these animals. A phosphorylation mimic of cofilin was stereotaxically delivered into the hippocampus of BAF53bΔSB2 mice in an effort to rescue LTP and memory. BAF53bΔSB2 mutant mice show impairments in phosphorylation of synaptic cofilin, LTP, and memory. Both the synaptic plasticity and memory deficits are rescued by overexpression of a phosphorylation mimetic of cofilin. Baseline physiology and behavior were not affected by the mutation or the experimental treatment. This study suggests a potential link between nBAF function, actin cytoskeletal remodeling at the dendritic spine, and memory formation. This work shows that a targeted manipulation of synaptic function can rescue adult plasticity and memory deficits caused by manipulations of nBAF, and thereby provides potential novel avenues for therapeutic development for multiple intellectual disability disorders.
The impact of human resources practices on consumers’ investment intentions
Authors: Ferreira Aristides I. , Martinez Luis F. , Rodrigues Rosa I. , Ilhéu Carla
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Research has shown that corporate policies affect customers’ decisions. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the influence of human resources (HR) practices on investment intentions in the financial sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from 548 managers and management students. Participants were presented real news regarding two banks with contrasting HR practices. Subsequently, they had to choose – from a given virtual amount – their investment allocations.

Findings

Results primarily showed that participants decided to invest more money in the bank which was more profitable to them, regardless of that bank’s HR practice. But, most importantly, when the news was specifically addressed to the in-group (managers), participants decided to invest more money in the bank with the HR practice by which they identified more, although being less profitable to them.

Originality/value

The findings demonstrate the urgency for organizations to manage effectively their HR practices, as they serve as a vehicle to corporate reputation, thus affecting the relationship with the stakeholders and investors’ decisions.
Evolution of modularity literature: a 25-year bibliometric analysis
Authors: Frandsen Thomas
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review and analyze the modularity literature to identify the established and emerging perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature search and review was conducted through the use of bibliometrics and network analysis. The analysis identified structure within the literature, which revealed how the research area evolved between 1990 and 2015. Based on this search, the paper establishes the basis for analyzing the structure of modularity literature.

Findings

Factors were identified within the literature, demonstrating how it has evolved from a primary focus on the modularity of products to a broader view of the applicability of modularity. Within the last decade, numerous research areas have emerged within the broader area of modularity. Through core-periphery analysis, eight emerging sub-research areas are identified, of which one is the study of modularity in the context of services.

Research limitations/implications

Although bibliographic methods are limited as they are based on common citations within the field, they enable systematic analysis and the identification of structure within an emergent field of research. Such analysis has implications by for a growing and inter-disciplinary field like modularity by providing overview and suggesting future directions.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by conducting a systematic review based on the citation structure within modularity and identifies the established and emerging areas of research on modularity.