bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serum anti‐LRPAP1 is a common biomarker for digestive organ cancers and atherosclerotic diseases
Authors: Sumazaki Makoto , Shimada Hideaki , Ito Masaaki , Shiratori Fumiaki , Kobayashi Eiichi , Yoshida Yoichi , Adachi Akihiko , Matsutani Tomoo , Iwadate Yasuo , Mine Seiichiro , Machida Toshio , Kamitsukasa Ikuo , Mori Masahiro , Sugimoto Kazuo , Uzawa Akiyuki , Kuwabara Satoshi , Kobayashi Yoshio , Ohno Mikiko , Nishi Eiichiro , Maezawa Yoshiro , Takemoto Minoru , Yokote Koutaro , Takizawa Hirotaka , Kashiwado Koichi , Shin Hideo , Kishimoto Takashi , Matsushita Kazuyuki , Kobayashi Sohei , Nakamura Rika , Shinmen Natsuko , Kuroda Hideyuki , Zhang Xiao‐Meng , Wang Hao , Goto Ken‐ichiro , Hiwasa Takaki
Published: September 2020

Some cancers are related to atherosclerotic diseases; therefore, these two types of disease may share some antibody biomarkers in common. To investigate this, a first screening of sera was performed from patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) or acute ischemic stroke (AIS) for serological identification of antigens using recombinant cDNA expression cloning (SEREX). The amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay‐linked immunosorbent assay (AlphaLISA) method, which incorporates glutathione donor beads and anti‐human IgG acceptor beads, was used to evaluate serum antibody levels. SEREX screening identified low‐density lipoprotein receptor–related protein–associated protein 1 (LRPAP1) as a target antigen of serum IgG antibodies in the sera of patients with ESCC or AIS. Antigens, including recombinant glutathione S‐transferase–fused LRPAP1 protein, were prepared to examine serum antibody levels. AlphaLISA revealed significantly higher antibody levels against the LRPAP1 protein in patients with solid cancers such as ESCC and colorectal carcinoma and some atherosclerosis‐related diseases such as AIS and diabetes mellitus compared with healthy donors. Correlation analysis revealed that the elevated serum antibody levels against LRPAP1 were associated with smoking, a well‐known risk factor for both cancer and atherosclerosis. Serum LRPAP1 antibody is therefore a common marker for the early diagnosis of some cancers and atherosclerotic diseases and may reflect diseases caused by habitual smoking.
Flexing Gender Perception: Brain Potentials Reveal the Cognitive Permeability of Grammatical Information
Authors: Sato Sayaka , Casaponsa Aina , Athanasopoulos Panos
Published: September 2020

A growing body of recent research suggests that verbal categories, particularly labels, impact categorization and perception. These findings are commonly interpreted as demonstrating the involvement of language on cognition; however, whether these assumptions hold true for grammatical structures has yet to be investigated. In the present study, we investigated the extent to which linguistic information, namely, grammatical gender categories, structures cognition to subsequently influence categorical judgments and perception. In a nonverbal categorization task, French–English bilinguals and monolingual English speakers made gender‐associated judgments about a set of image pairs while event‐related potentials were recorded. The image sets were composed of an object paired with either a female or male face, wherein the object was manipulated for their conceptual gender relatedness and grammatical gender congruency to the sex of the following target face. The results showed that grammatical gender modulated the N1 and P2/VPP, as well as the N300 exclusively for the French–English bilinguals, indicating the inclusion of language in the mechanisms associated with attentional bias and categorization. In contrast, conceptual gender information impacted the monolingual English speakers in the later N300 time window given the absence of a comparable grammatical feature. Such effects of grammatical categories in the early perceptual stream have not been found before, and further provide grounds to suggest that language shapes perception.
The efficacy and safety of therapeutic lung lavage for exogenous lipoid pneumonia: A systematic review
Authors: Shang Lianhan , Gu Xiaoying , Du Sisi , Wang Yimin , Cao Bin , Wang Chen ,   for CAP‐China Network
Published: September 2020

Introduction and objectives

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) is a lung inflammatory disease with low prevalence and has the feature of external lipid substances presented in the alveoli. Therapeutic lung lavage (segmental bronchoalveolar lavage and whole lung lavage) has been gradually recognized as an important therapy for the disease. There was no comprehensive summary on its efficacy and safety.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang Database, clinicaltrials.gov, and the references of included studies. After study selection, data extraction and quality assessment, we performed a qualitative description of current data.

Results

We included 90 ELP patients from 25 case reports and 8 case series studies. Eighty‐four (93.3%) patients received segmental bronchoalveolar lavage and six (6.7%) patients received whole lung lavage. Eighty‐seven (96.7%) patients got clinical improvement after lavages, while three (3.3%) patients had no improvement and eventually died. The follow‐up status was reported in 29 patients, of whom 24 patients remained well without any use of drugs and 4 patients remained well with some periods of corticosteroids. One patient endured recurrence. The radiological change was reported in 72 patients, of whom 41 (56.9%) patients had full resolution until the last follow‐up. Two studies reported acute pulmonary edema and transient hypoxemia during lavages.

Conclusions

Therapeutic lung lavage might be an effective and safe therapy with long‐term benefits for ELP. Current studies were all case reports and case series with relatively high risk of bias. Prospective controlled studies are needed to explore the actual efficacy, safety, individualized indications, and optimized treatment procedures of therapeutic lung lavage for ELP.
Estimating North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) location uncertainty following visual or acoustic detection to inform dynamic management
Authors: Johnson Hansen D. , Baumgartner Mark F. , Taggart Christopher T.
Published: September 2020

The United States and Canada employ dynamic management strategies to improve conservation outcomes for the endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis). These strategies rely on near real‐time knowledge of whale distribution generated from visual surveys and opportunistic sightings. Near real‐time passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) systems have been operational for many years but acoustic detections of right whales have yet to be incorporated in dynamic management because of concerns over uncertainty in the location of acoustically detected whales. This rationale does not consider whale movement or its contribution to location uncertainty following either visual or acoustic detection. The goal of this study was to estimate uncertainties in right whale location following acoustic and visual detection and identify the timescale at which the uncertainties become similar owing to post‐detection whale movement. We simulated whale movement using an autocorrelated random walk model parameterized to approximate three common right whale behavioral states (traveling, feeding, and socializing). We then used a Monte Carlo approach to estimate whale location over a 96‐hr period given the initial uncertainty from the acoustic and visual detection methods and the evolving uncertainties arising from whale movement. The results demonstrated that for both detection methods the uncertainty in whale location increases rapidly following the initial detection and can vary by an order of magnitude after 96 hr depending on the behavioral state of the whale. The uncertainties in whale location became equivalent between visual and acoustic detections within 24–48 hr depending on whale behavior and acoustic detection range parameterization. These results imply that using both visual and acoustic detections provides enhanced information for the dynamic management of this visually and acoustically cryptic and highly mobile species.
Clarifying the effect of refractive errors and stereopsis on traumatic dental injuries in childhood
Authors: Kiziltan Eliacik Basak , Eliacik Mustafa
Published: September 2020

Background/Aim

Visual acuity and stereopsis both play an important role in developing posture and balance in children. The aim of this study was to investigate whether children with traumatic dental injuries (TDI) have abnormal stereopsis, due to a reduction in visual acuity, compared to children with good dental health.

Material and Methods

A total of 140 participants (75 with traumatic dental injuries resulting from falls and crashes, and 65 age‐matched controls without dental trauma) were enrolled in this prospective, cross‐sectional study. The participants underwent complete dental and ophthalmologic examinations. After the ophthalmologic examination, the stereo acuities were assessed by a Titmus stereo test at 40 cm.

Results

Titmus test scores were significantly worse in the TDI group (mean score 252.46 ± 629.12 seconds of arc) compared to the control group (mean score 56 ± 27.39 seconds of arc) (P < .05). The percentage of subjects with abnormal Titmus test scores was higher in the TDI group (28%) than in the control group (3.1%). The mean anisometropia value was 3.03 ± 2.37 D and 0.55 ± 0.41 D in the TDI group and the control group, respectively (P < .001). The severity of anisometropia correlated with the degree of stereopsis (r = .83, P < .01).

Conclusions

The presence of abnormal stereopsis may lead to postural instability which can lead to traumatic dental injuries. The prevalence of abnormal stereopsis in children with TDI was higher than in children with good binocular vision and stereopsis.
Variability of radiation use efficiency in mixed pastures under varying resource availability, defoliation and time scale
Authors: Grigera Gonzalo , Oesterheld Martín
Published: September 2020

Forage productivity is the product between incident radiation, the fraction of radiation absorbed by the canopy (fAPAR) and radiation use efficiency (RUE). The extent to which forage productivity may be estimated through remote sensing depends on the relative effects of stress and defoliation on fAPAR and RUE. In a mixed pasture, we determined the relative impact of resource availability and defoliation on forage productivity, fAPAR and RUE, and we evaluated the impact of time scale on fAPAR and RUE under stress conditions. We conducted a one‐year experiment in a temperate‐mixed pasture subjected to different resource availability treatments and defoliation management. We measured RUE and fAPAR with different temporal windows. RUE was less responsive than fAPAR to changes in resource availability and defoliation intensity. However, RUE slightly decreased under water stress and increased under severe defoliation. Additionally, RUE variability during regrowth and among treatments depended on the temporal scale of observation: RUE was more variable for 12‐day periods than 45‐ or 90‐day periods. Our results reinforce the value of fAPAR as an explanatory variable of the variations in forage productivity due to changes in resource availability and management. In addition, the temporal scale of observation affects RUE variability. Thus, most variations of forage productivity may be captured by monitoring systems based on remote sensing of fAPAR provided that the time scale is coarse enough. However, the contrasting response of RUE and fAPAR to defoliation indicates a potential weakness of such a system when situations with contrasting defoliation regime are compared.
The societal burden of haemophilia A. III – The potential impact of emicizumab on costs of haemophilia A in Australia
Authors: Brown Laurie J. , La Hai A. , Li Jinjing , Brunner Matthias , Snoke Martin , Kerr Annette M.
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Emicizumab is a humanized monoclonal modified IgG4 antibody with bispecific antibody structure bridging Factor IXa and Factor X. Emicizumab has demonstrated efficacy and safety in adults, adolescents and paediatrics with HA, with or without inhibitors to Factor VIII (FVIII). There is currently no evidence that reports on the potential impact of the introduction of emicizumab on the societal costs of haemophilia A (HA). The purpose of this study was to explore the cost impact associated with the introduction of emicizumab on the current societal costs of people with HA (PwHA) in Australia.

Methods

We conducted an analysis of the impact of emicizumab on societal costs, based on changes in the direct and indirect costs incurred by PwHA. Potential impacts of emicizumab on outcomes in PwHA were modelled based on HAVEN 1, HAVEN 2 and HAVEN 3 studies. We assumed that eligible PwHA commenced use of emicizumab on 1 January 2018. The impact of emicizumab on costs of HA in Australia males was then estimated for the 12‐month period to 31 December 2018.

Results

Overall, uptake of emicizumab in its first year of use reduces annual costs associated with moderate/severe HA by AUD$69.197M (62.3%). This reflects 64.2% reduction in the cost of FVIII blood products and 92% reduction in cost of bypassing agents.

Conclusion

The cost of emicizumab is likely to offset some or all of the projected reductions in treatment costs. However, we also found 30.7% reduction in non‐treatment direct costs (AUD$3.771M) and 19.1% reduction in indirect costs (AUD$2.732M).
Application of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS)‐based metabolomics for the study of fermented cereal and legume foods: A review
Authors: Adebo Oluwafemi Ayodeji , Oyeyinka Samson Adeoye , Adebiyi Janet Adeyinka , Feng Xi , Wilkin Jonathan D. , Kewuyemi Yusuf Olamide , Abrahams Adrian Mark , Tugizimana Fidele
Published: September 2020

A new era of cutting‐edge technologies and advancements in analytical platforms and omics sciences is disruptively bringing a paradigm shift in fundamental and translational research. Metabolomics is one of the omics strategies that yields big data and has gained popularity in a wide spectrum of applications. Among various analytical platforms used in metabolomics, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) allows the measurement of thermally stable (volatiles and semi‐volatiles) metabolites, with an advantage of spectral reproducibility. Cereal‐ and legume‐based fermented foods are part of the food culture in various countries throughout the world. Thus, this review provides an overview of recent applications of GC‐MS‐based metabolomics in the food fermentation field, specifically cereal‐ and legume‐based fermented foods. This emerging use of metabolomics in food fermentation studies illustrates the potentials of this omics science to elucidate metabolome landscapes of fermented foods. Such insights would advance our predictive understanding of fermentation processes and molecular descriptions of resultant food products, a necessary step for improvements and sustainability in food industry. Furthermore, the review echoes the current need of collaborative efforts in the scientific community (in this field) to harness and maximise the potentials of metabolomics in food fermentation studies.
Gluten‐free cookies added with fibre and bioactive compounds from blackcurrant residue
Authors: Gagneten Maite , Archaina Diego A. , Salas M. Paula , Leiva Graciela E. , Salvatori Daniela M. , Schebor Carolina
Published: September 2020

A blackcurrant by‐product of juice production was dehydrated and added to a gluten‐free chocolate cookies formulation as a source of dietary fibre and antioxidants. The blackcurrant ingredient showed high bioactive compounds content: total phenolics (TPC) = 37.5 ± 0.9 mg GAE per g d.b., total monomeric anthocyanins = 18.0 ± 0.4 mg cyanidin‐3‐glucoside per g d.b., antioxidant activity (AA) = 22.1 ± 0.3 mg GAE per g d.b. and total dietary fibre (TDF) = 32.3 ± 0.4% d.b. The cookie formulation was added with 3.75% blackcurrant powder without causing severe organoleptic changes. The cookies presented 62% and 70% increase of TPC and AA, respectively. The in vitro digestion showed that a relevant level of AA could reach the large intestine. Also, the TDF increased 2.5 times, reaching a final content that would enable the use of the claim 'source of dietary fibre' in the labelling according to the Codex Alimentarius. The obtained cookies showed a high level of acceptance among coeliac and non‐coeliac consumers in the sensory analysis.
By‐products of the classification of chickpea as an alternative in the production of hummus
Authors: Losano Richard Pedro , Steffolani M. Eugenia , Allende María José , Carreras Julia , León Alberto Edel
Published: September 2020

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a valuable source of protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols, dietary fibre, vitamins and complex carbohydrates, such as oligosaccharides with prebiotic activity. This study evaluates the use of by‐products derived from the classification of chickpea as functional ingredients in food production. The chemical content and thermal properties of by‐products (discard and split) were determined and compared to whole grains for export. Split grains had a higher protein content, lower water hydration capacity (WHC) and lower fibre. The content of oligosaccharides was lower in discard grains. For further studies, hummus was prepared with three samples, and texture and sensory analyses were performed. The results of texture and sensory analyses show no significant differences between discard and whole grains. Chemical contents of by‐products show advantages for the food industry. Discard grains can be used to prepare hummus with the same technology and sensory quality as whole grains.
Association between erectile dysfunction and fibromyalgia in male patients: A Taiwanese nationwide population‐based cohort study
Authors: Ou Shi‐Chen , Lin Mei‐Chen , Lin Hung‐Jen , Huang Chi‐Ping , Huang Sheng‐Teng
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To investigate the association between erectile dysfunction and fibromyalgia, and to clarify related comorbidities and treatment modalities.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study was carried out using 1 million records in the National Health Insurance Research Database. From 2001 to 2012, a total of 53 678 male patients newly diagnosed with fibromyalgia were recruited as the fibromyalgia cohort, and the same number of the non‐fibromyalgia cohort was enrolled and matched with propensity score with age, income, comorbidities, and prescribed medications. All records were followed up until the end of 2013. The Cox proportional hazards model was carried out to assess the risk of erectile dysfunction among fibromyalgia patients.

Results

The incidence rates of erectile dysfunction were 36.86 and 21.15 (per 10 000 person‐years) in the fibromyalgia and non‐fibromyalgia cohorts, respectively, and a significantly increased risk of erectile dysfunction in fibromyalgia patients was noted (adjusted hazard ratio 1.69, 95% confidence interval 1.55–1.85, P < 0.001). The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed increased risk of erectile dysfunction in the fibromyalgia cohort regardless of treatment prescriptions of tramadol, antidepressants, gabapentin and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs.

Conclusions

Fibromyalgia was found to be an independent risk factor for the incidence of erectile dysfunction.
Digital enforcement: Rethinking the pursuit of a digitally‐enabled society
Authors: Díaz Andrade Antonio , Techatassanasoontorn Angsana A.
Published: September 2020

In this article, we aim to sensitise the information systems community about the dispossession of choice that the extended reliance on Internet technology creates for individuals. The overemphasis of digital inclusion as a solution to the digital divide problem frames Internet use as desirable in a progressive society but labels non‐use as problematic or a deficiency that needs to be remedied. This situation, we argue, creates a new modality of inequality that we termdigital enforcement, defined as the process of dispossession that reduces choices for individuals who prefer to minimise their reliance on the Internet if given the opportunity or those who want to live their lives offline altogether. We present digital enforcement as an ethical problem and draw on the concepts of governmentality and technologies of power to explain how practices around Internet use in society result in digital enforcement. We conclude with a hopeful perspective to call for an ethical agenda to develop desirable futures.
A multiple case study investigating changes in organizations serving residents with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviours
Authors: Olivier‐Pijpers Vanessa Charissa , Cramm Jane Murray , Landman Wouter , Nieboer Anna Petra
Published: September 2020

Background

the present authors examined changes made in disability service organizations supporting residents with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviours, because these changes may influence residents’ support and subsequently their challenging behaviours.

Method

In this multiple case study, the present authors collected and qualitatively analysed data (organizational documents, meetings records and focus group reports) on organizational changes made in two specialized Dutch disability service organizations, using ecological theory as a sensitizing framework and the constant comparative method.

Results

Themes describing organizational changes in this context were as follows: a messy start to the transition; staff, professionals and managers remain at a distance; staff members’ ability to change; clear boundaries between formal and informal caregivers; and staff’s feelings of being unheard.

Conclusions

Organizational changes can enhance, but also limit, the quality of residential support services provided to people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviours. The change process and impact of organizational changes on residents must be examined closely.
Prognostic significance of extensive versus limited induction protocol during catheter ablation of scar‐related ventricular tachycardia
Authors: Campbell Timothy , Bennett Richard G. , Garikapati Kartheek , Turnbull Samual , Bhaskaran Ashwin , De Silva Kasun , Kumar Saurabh
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Testing for inducible ventricular tachycardia (VT) pre‐ and postablation forms the cornerstone of contemporary scar‐related VT ablation procedures. There is significant heterogeneity in reported VT induction protocols. We examined the utility of an extensive induction protocol (up to 4 extra‐stimuli [ES] ± burst ventricular pacing) compared to the current guideline‐recommended protocol (up to 3ES, defined as limited induction protocol) in patients with scar‐related VT.

Methods and Results

Sixty‐two patients (age: 64 ± 14 years; left ventricular ejection fraction: 37 ± 13%, ischemic cardiomyopathy: 31, nonischemic cardiomyopathy: 31) with at least one inducible VT were included. An extensive testing protocol induced 11%–17% more VTs, compared to the limited induction protocol before, and after the final ablation. VT recurred in 48% of patients during a mean follow up of 566 ± 428 days. Patients who were noninducible for any VT using the limited induction protocol had worse ventricular arrhythmia (VA)‐free survival (12 months, 43% vs. 82%; p = .03) and worse survival free of VA, transplantation and mortality (12 months 46% vs. 82%; p = .02), compared to patients who were noninducible for any VT using the extensive induction protocol.

Conclusions

Between 11% and 17% of inducible VTs may be missed if 4ES and burst pacing are not performed in induction protocols before and after ablation. Noninducibility for any VT after an extensive induction protocol after the final ablation portends more favorable prognostic outcomes when compared with the current guideline‐recommended induction protocol of up to 3ES. This data suggests that the adoption of an extensive induction protocol is of prognostic benefit after VT ablation.
Efficacy of a formalin‐inactivated Lactococcus garvieae vaccine in farmed grey mullet (Mugil cephalus)
Authors: Rao S , Byadgi O , Pulpipat T , Wang P‐C , Chen S‐C
Published: September 2020

Lactococcosis [Lactococcus garvieae (LG)] is one of the most prevalent bacterial diseases affecting grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) aquaculture. Therefore, the present research evaluated the efficacy of formalin‐killed LG vaccine with an oil‐based adjuvant in grey mullet under laboratory and field trials. The laboratory evaluation for LG vaccine and its cross‐protection upon challenge in grey mullet found that single‐dose immunization of formalin‐killed LG with adjuvant resulted in 91.4% and 100% relative per cent survival (RPS) when challenged with homologous and heterologous strains. The levels of specific antibody titre and lysozyme activity increased significantly in the vaccinated group. Immune gene expression at 24 hr after challenge showed an increase in levels of pro‐inflammatory and anti‐inflammatory cytokines. A parallel field trial experiment was conducted to investigate the long‐term effectiveness of the LG vaccine. Results demonstrated that at one month and three months post‐immunization with heterologous strain, 100% RPS was recorded in the vaccinated group. The findings suggested that the formalin‐inactivated LG vaccine strain (S3) protected grey mullet against LG infection for a period of three months.
Instagram and body image: Motivation to conform to the “Instabod” and consequences on young male wellbeing
Authors: Chatzopoulou Elena , Filieri Raffaele , Dogruyol Shannon Arzu
Published: September 2020

The current paper explores how male Instagram users' (MIU) perceptions of body image and behavior are affected by the exposure to fitness hashtags, and the consequences on their wellbeing. For this purpose, in‐depth interviews were conducted with #fitfam MIU with different levels of engagement. Low‐engagement MIU with low body‐esteem long for the “instabod” and engage in body transformation efforts to follow the fitness trend popularized by Instagram, to emulate peers and Instagram celebrities, to gain popularity and to appear successful. Instagram community members use positive and negative reinforcements to strengthen body internalization. The body transformation effort motivates low‐engagement MIU to engage more, which has various effects on wellbeing: on one side, they feel anxious and in competition with other peers which often leads to muscle dysmorphia symptoms; on the other side, they feel more masculine with higher self‐confidence, they have higher motivation to stay fit and to eat healthily.
Accuracy of predicting neonatal distress using a five‐level classification of fetal heart rate monitoring
Authors: Furuya Natsumi , Hasegawa Junichi , Imai Haruka , Homma Chika , Kurasaki Akiko , Kondo Haruhiro , Suzuki Nao
Published: September 2020

Aim

To assess the accuracy of neonatal distress prediction using the five‐level classification of fetal heart rate (FHR) and management protocol of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG).

Methods

A case–control study was conducted. Vertex singleton pregnant women who delivered after 37 weeks' gestation from 2013 to 2015 were enrolled. The participants were categorized into two groups; controls were levels 1–3 (n = 1184), whereas cases were levels 4–5 (n = 117) group. Neonatal distress was defined as Apgar score < 8 points at 5 min or umbilical cord artery pH < 7.1.

Results

There were 117 cases (9.0%). The frequency of the neonatal distress was observed in 1.3% controls and 6.8% cases (P < 0.01). Diagnostic accuracy of neonatal distress for cases showed a 6.8% positive‐predictive value, 34.8% sensitivity, 91.5% specificity and 98.7% negative‐predictive value. Among various obstetrical conditions, high sensitivity (100%) for prediction of neonatal distress was observed in women with chromosome abnormalities, placental abruption, umbilical cord abnormalities and excessive labor pain. Conversely, relatively low specificity (<50%) was observed in cases with oligohydramnios and excessive labor pain.

Conclusion

The five‐level classification scheme was efficient for neonatal distress prediction. However, depending on the obstetric condition, the FHR findings and neonatal condition might be independent.
Effect of 10‐Methacryloyloxydecyl Dihydrogen Phosphate Concentrations in Primers on Bonding Resin Cements to Zirconia
Authors: Yoshida Keiichi
Published: September 2020

Purpose

To investigate the effect of 10‐methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP) concentration in primers on bonding of resin cements to zirconia.

Materials and methods

Highly translucent partially stabilized zirconia plates were bonded to stainless steel rods using one of 3 commercially available resin cements without adhesive functional monomers and without air‐abrasion. Ten specimens of each resin cement group were pretreated with one of the primers containing 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, or 5.0 wt% of MDP dissolved in ethanol, or one of 3 commercial ceramic primers containing MDP and silane coupling agents. Untreated specimens were used as controls. The tensile bond strength was measured after 24 hours (TC0) and after thermal cycling at 4 to 60°C (TC3,500). Data were statistically analyzed using 1‐ or 2‐way ANOVA and Tukey‐Kramer post‐hoc tests (α = 0.05).

Results

The mean tensile bond strength in the unpretreated group was significantly lower compared to that in the pretreated groups with MDP‐containing primers regardless of the resin cement used (p < 0.0001). The tensile bond strengths increased with an increase in MDP concentration from 0.5 wt% to 3.0 wt% or 4.0 wt%. Pretreated groups with 4.0‐wt% MDP‐containing primer showed significantly higher tensile bond strengths than pretreated groups with commercial ceramic primers regardless of the resin cement used and thermal cycling (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Primers containing 4.0‐wt% MDP achieved higher bond strengths of resin cements to zirconia compared to commercial ceramic primers containing MDP and silane coupling agent.
First fossil fruits of Elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpaceae) in East Asia: Implications for phytogeography and paleoecology
Authors: Liu Xiao‐Yan , Manchester Steven R. , Rozefelds Andrew C. , Quan Cheng , Jin Jian‐Hua
Published: September 2020

The genus Elaeocarpus contains approximately 360 species and occurs in mesic forest communities from India, through to China, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, and New Caledonia. Elaeocarpus fossils are best known from the Eocene to the Miocene of Australia and the late Pliocene–early Pleistocene of India, but have not been documented from East Asia before. Here we describe six new species of Elaeocarpus, E. nanningensis sp. nov. from the late Oligocene Yongning Formation of the Nanning Basin, E. presikkimensis sp. nov. from the Miocene Erzitang Formation of the Guiping Basin, E. prerugosus sp. nov., E. prelacunosus sp. nov., E. preserratus sp. nov., and E. preprunifolioides sp. nov. from the late Miocene Foluo Formation of the Nankang Basin in Guangxi, South China. This is the first reliable report for the genus occurring in East Asia, and the fossils indicate that Elaeocarpus had colonized this region by the late Oligocene and represented by a morphologically diverse group of species by the late Miocene. This sheds new insights into the timing and migration patterns of the genus in East Asia. Elaeocarpus is typically a rainforest genus occurring in mesic forests. Based on the habitat of their morphologically similar modern relatives we propose that these three sedimentary basins were warm and wet adjacent to mountainous regions with the evergreen or rain forests during the late Oligocene to Miocene.
Precision medicine identifies a pathogenic variant of the ITGA2B gene responsible for Glanzmann's thrombasthenia in a cat
Authors: Li Ronald H. L. , Ontiveros Eric , Nguyen Nghi , Stern Joshua A. , Lee Elizabeth , Hardy Brian T. ,   the 99 Lives Cat Genome Consortium
Published: September 2020

Background

A nonpedigreed male cat presented with epistaxis, severe bladder hemorrhage, and secondary urethral obstruction after cystocentesis.

Objectives

To characterize the phenotype of a cat with bleeding diathesis and use a precision medicine approach to identify the molecular genetic defect by whole genome sequencing.

Methods

Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and arachidonic acid (AA)‐induced whole blood platelet aggregometry was performed in the affected cat and a healthy cat. Platelet activation, measured by P‐selectin expression, and surface integrin subunit β3 expression were evaluated by flow cytometry in the affected cat and healthy control. Total integrin subunit αIIb expression was assessed by western blot. Whole genome sequencing at 30× coverage was used to identify genetic variants that segregated in the affected cat compared to 194 cats from the 99 Lives Sequencing Consortium.

Results

Platelet aggregometry identified significant impairment in platelet aggregation in response to ADP and AA compared to the control cat. Targeted protein expression analyses by flow cytometry and immunoblot analysis determined that the surface expression and total expression of the integrin, αIIbβ3, was absent. Whole genome sequencing identified a homozygous c.1986delC frameshift variant in the integrin subunit αIIb (ITGA2B) gene that was not detected in the control population. The p.Pro662fs (ITGA2B P662X) variant terminates translation of the protein at the extracellular domain of the integrin prematurely, which is predicted to affect expression of the β3 unit.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

This novel ITGA2B variant and the associated phenotype closely resemble Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, which has never been reported in cats.
Limited divergent adaptation despite a substantial environmental cline in wild pea
Authors: Hellwig Timo , Abbo Shahal , Sherman Amir , Coyne Clarice J , Saranga Yehoshua , Lev‐Yadun Simcha , Main Dorrie , Zheng Ping , Ophir Ron
Published: September 2020

Isolation by environment (IBE) is a widespread phenomenon in nature. It is commonly expected that the degree of difference among environments is proportional to the level of divergence between populations in their respective environments. It is therefore assumed that a species' genetic diversity displays a pattern of IBE in the presence of a strong environmental cline if gene flow does not mitigate isolation. We tested this common assumption by analysing the genetic diversity and demographic history of Pisum fulvum, which inhabits contrasting habitats in the southern Levant and is expected to display only minor migration rates between populations, making it an ideal test case. Ecogeographical and subpopulation structure were analysed and compared. The correlation of genetic with environmental distances was calculated to test the effect of isolation by distance and IBE and detect the main drivers of these effects. Historical effective population size was estimated using stairway plot. Limited overlap of ecogeographical and genetic clustering was observed, and correlation between genetic and environmental distances was statistically significant but small. We detected a sharp decline of effective population size during the last glacial period. The low degree of IBE may be the result of genetic drift due to a past bottleneck. Our findings contradict the expectation that strong environmental clines cause IBE in the absence of extensive gene flow.
Nopal fiber (Opuntia ficus‐indica) improves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome in the short term: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Remes‐Troche Jose M. , Taboada‐Liceaga Héctor , Gill Samantha , Amieva‐Balmori Mercedes , Rossi Megan , Hernández‐Ramírez Gildardo , García‐Mazcorro José F , Whelan Kevin
Published: September 2020

Background

Clinical guidelines provide limited and conflicting recommendations regarding dietary fiber supplementation in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Nopal (Opuntia ficus‐indica) is a cactus plant fiber containing both insoluble and soluble fibers that may have therapeutic potential in IBS. Our aim was to evaluate the dose–response effect of extracted nopal fiber powder on symptoms in IBS.

Methods

We performed a 4‐arm, double‐blind, parallel, randomized controlled trial in 60 patients fulfilling Rome IV criteria for IBS. Patients were randomized and blindly allocated to receive either nopal fiber (10, 20, or 30 g/day) or placebo (30 g/day dextrose) for one week and to keep their usual diet. Symptom severity (Global Symptom Question, IBS‐SSS, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale), stool frequency and consistency (Bristol Stool Form Scale), breath hydrogen response, and stool short‐chain fatty acids (SCFA) were measured at baseline and follow‐up.

Key results

Significantly more patients reported adequate relief of symptoms after 20 g/day (87%, p = 0.008) and 30 g/day (80%, p = 0.025) of nopal fiber compared to placebo (33%). More patients receiving 20 g/day nopal fiber (67%) had a > 50% reduction in IBS‐SSS compared to placebo (20%, p = 0.027), whereas the 30 g/day dose induced more loose stools (p = 0.027). Response rates were similar among IBS subtypes. There were no differences in breath hydrogen or stool SCFA between groups.

Conclusions and inferences

Nopal fiber supplementation at doses of 20 and 30 g/day was associated with short‐term improvement in IBS symptoms, warranting a fully powered clinical trial of longer duration with symptomatic, physiological, and microbiological endpoints.
Spino‐Pelvic Thresholds for Prevention of Proximal Junctional Kyphosis Following Combined Anterior Column Realignment and Short Posterior Spinal Fusion in Degenerative Lumbar Kyphosis
Authors: Lee Ki Young , Lee Jung‐Hee , Kang Kyung‐Chung , Im Sang‐Kyu , Chang Dong‐Gune , Choi Sun Hwan
Published: September 2020

Objective

To analyze ideal indication for combined anterior column realignment (ACR) with short posterior spinal fusion (PSF) and posterior column osteotomy (PCO) for preventing proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) in adult spinal deformity (ASD) patients with lower lumbar kyphosis and compensatory thoracolumbar lordosis.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted. This study included 27 ASD patients (average age of 66.6 years; one male and 26 females) with lower lumbar kyphosis and compensated thoracolumbar lordosis who underwent short PSF with PCO following ACR from 2006 to 2010. The minimum follow‐up period was 5 years. The patients were divided into two groups based on the sagittal vertical axis (SVA) of the last follow‐up radiographs, and a comparative analysis was performed evaluating spino‐pelvic parameters and clinical outcomes including the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and complications.

Results

The mean follow‐up time of included patients was 109.7 months, and the mean number of fused segments was 3.7. The uppermost instrumented vertebra was L2 in 18 patients or L3 in nine patients, and lowermost instrumented vertebra was sacrum in all patients. The mean lumbar lordosis (LL) values in the optimal SVA and suboptimal SVA groups were 4.4° and 4.2° preoperatively (P = 0.639), −48.1° and −35° postoperatively (P = 0.007), and −45.2° and −20.7° at the last follow‐up (P < 0.05). Overcorrection was seen in seven patients in the optimal SVA group, whereas all of the patients of the suboptimal SVA group were in the category of undercorrection (P = 0.021). Pelvic incidence (PI) of optimal SVA group (<50 mm, n = 16) and suboptimal SVA group (≥50 mm, n = 11) was 44.1° and 53.8° (P = 0.009). The prevalence of PJK was significantly higher in the suboptimal SVA group (P = 0.008), and last follow‐up VAS for back pain (P < 0.05), and postoperative and last follow‐up ODI (P = 0.002 and P < 0.05) were statistically larger for the suboptimal group than the optimal group.

Conclusions

Combined ACR with short PSF and PCO could effectively prevent sagittal decompensation of PJK and help achieve sagittal balance in the treatment of ASD patients with lower lumbar kyphosis, compensatory thoracolumbar lordosis, and especially low PI (<50°).
The tumour immune landscape and its implications in cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Attrill Grace H. , Ferguson Peter M. , Palendira Umaimainthan , Long Georgina V. , Wilmott James S. , Scolyer Richard A.
Published: September 2020

The field of tumour immunology has rapidly advanced in the last decade, leading to the advent of effective immunotherapies for patients with advanced cancers. This highlights the critical role of the immune system in determining tumour development and outcome. The tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) is highly heterogeneous, and the interactions between tumours and the immune system are vastly complex. Studying immune cell function in the TIME will provide an improved understanding of the mechanisms underpinning these interactions. This review examines the role of immune cell populations in the TIME based on their phenotype, function and localisation, as well as contextualising their position in the dynamic relationship between tumours and the immune system. We discuss the function of immune cell populations, examine their impact on patient outcome and highlight gaps in current understanding of their roles in the TIME, both in cancers in general and specifically in melanoma. Studying the TIME by evaluating both pro‐tumour and anti‐tumour effects may elucidate the conditions which lead to tumour growth and metastasis or immune‐mediated tumour regression. Moreover, an in‐depth understanding of these conditions could contribute to improved prognostication, more effective use of current immunotherapies and guide the development of novel treatment strategies and therapies.
Predictors of in‐school and out‐of‐school sport injury prevention: A test of the trans‐contextual model
Authors: Lee Alfred S. Y. , Standage Martyn , Hagger Martin S. , Chan Derwin K. C.
Published: September 2020

The current study aimed to predict secondary school students’ motivation toward sport injury prevention in “in‐school” and “out‐of‐school” contexts, and their sport injury prevention behavior at 3‐month follow‐up using the trans‐contextual model (TCM). Hong Kong secondary school students (N = 1566; mean age = 13.34 years, range = 11 to 19; female = 49.42%) were recruited. Participants were asked to complete a survey comprising previously validated scales measuring TCM constructs at baseline and a measure of sport injury prevention behavior at follow‐up three months later. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the hypothesized paths among TCM constructs. A SEM specifying hypothesized paths among TCM variables showed acceptable fit with the data (χ2(29) = 418.55, CFI = .93, TLI = .90, and RMSEA = .09, 90% CI [.09, .10], and SRMR = .05). Findings supported tenets of the TCM: the effects of perceived autonomy support from PE teachers on in‐school autonomous motivation toward injury prevention, the trans‐contextual relationship between students' “in‐school” and “out‐of‐school” autonomous motivation toward injury prevention, and the effects of autonomous motivation toward injury prevention on social cognitive variables and subsequent sport injury prevention behaviors. Results supported the tenets proposed within the TCM in predicting students' “in‐school” and “out‐of‐school” autonomous motivation toward sport injury prevention. Findings underscore the potential importance of autonomy support from PE teachers in facilitating students’ sport injury prevention behaviors. Further longitudinal and intervention research is warranted to establish temporal and causal effects of TCM variables in sport injury prevention.
Is Populism Bad For Business? Assessing The Reputational Effect Of Populist Incumbents
Authors: de Sousa Luís , Fernandes Daniel , Weiler Florian
Published: September 2020

This article seeks to assess whether populist incumbents affect their country’s perceived political stability and business climate. Existing evidence contends that populist governments in European democracies produce more moderate policy outcomes than their agendas would suggest. However, populist parties are still regarded as disruptive, as they are perceived to not conforming to the politics of negotiation and compromise that are central to liberal democracies. Therefore, their presence in government may generate political uncertainty and negatively affect the business climate. Drawing on a sample of 26 European democracies between 1996 and 2016, we find that populist incumbency initially generates market uncertainty, but after about two years in office, the negative effect on the business climate vanishes.
Mechanical sensitivity of red blood cells improves in individuals with hemochromatosis following venesection therapy
Authors: Richardson Kieran J. , McNamee Antony P. , Simmonds Michael J.
Published: September 2020

Background

Individuals with hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) receive frequent blood withdrawals (ie, venesections) as part of their primary treatment to assist in normalizing blood iron levels. It remains unclear whether this source of blood is suitable for use in blood product development, as current data indicate that red blood cell (RBC) deformability, both before and after shear stress exposure, is impaired in individuals with HH, relative to healthy controls. Given that venesection therapy is known to significantly reduce circulating iron levels in individuals with HH, the current study examined whether venesection therapy is effective at improving RBC mechanical properties, both before and after shear stress exposure, in individuals with HH.

Study Design and Methods

Blood samples were initially collected from untreated HH patients (age, 61 ± 9 years; 14% female) undergoing their first venesection, and then again during their second (approx. 9 weeks later) and third (approx. 16 weeks later) venesections. RBC deformability was measured at each time point with a commercial ektacytometer. Moreover, to determine cell responses to mechanical stimuli, the mechanical sensitivity of blood samples was determined at each time point.

Results

The salient findings indicate that venesection therapy used for managing plasma ferritin concentration significantly improves the cellular deformability of RBC in individuals with HH. Further, the sensitivity of RBC to supraphysiological mechanical stress is decreased (ie, improved) in a dose‐response fashion with routine venesection.

Conclusion

While cellular mechanics of RBC from individuals with HH are impaired when untreated, venesection therapy significantly improves cellular properties of RBC, supporting the use of venesections in blood product development from individuals with well‐managed HH.