bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statistical optimisation of the exopolysaccharide production by Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2 and analysis of its chemical composition
Authors: Ale Elisa C. , Batistela Virginia A. , Correa Olivar Gabriela , Ferrado Joana B. , Sadiq Sohaib , Ahmed Hafiz I. , Reinheimer Jorge A. , Vera‐Candioti Luciana , Laws Andrew P. , Binetti Ana Griselda
Published: August 2019

Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2 produces high amounts of exopolysaccharides (EPS) (~1 g/L) with demonstrated functional and technological roles when applied as a food ingredient in dairy matrices, properties that made these EPS interesting in comparison with other similar molecules from lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Those characteristics encouraged us to optimise the production. The EPS extract is composed of a high molecular mass β‐glucan and a medium molecular mass heteroglycan. In the present work, the optimal conditions that doubled the EPS yield using a semidefined medium (SDM, 0.63% yeast nitrogen base, 0.53% bacto casitone, 0.53% ammonium citrate, 6.25% sucrose, pH 6.5) were found by means of response surface methodology (RSM). The chemical characterisation indicated that under optimised conditions the synthesis of the heteroglycan was favoured compared with that of the β‐glucan.
Diversity of traditional Caciocavallo cheeses produced in Italy
Authors: Uzun Pinar , Serrapica Francesco , Masucci Felicia , Assunta Barone Carmela Maria , Yildiz Hilal , Grasso Fernando , Di Francia Antonio
Published: August 2019

This paper presents the results of a survey carried out in 68 dairies in southern Italy on the manufacturing processes of traditional Italian Caciocavallo cheese varieties. Following a study of the relevant literature, the various cheesemaking processes were analysed and the implications of different cheesemaking procedures were explored. The manufacturing variations able to influence the organoleptic characteristics of Caciocavallo cheese were milk and rennet types, procedures for curd acidification and stretching, salting and ripening conditions, and smoking treatment. This survey is designed to guide producers and consumers alike with respect to the perceivable effects of manufacturing variants on cheese quality.
Rapid Assessment, Planning, Investigations and Discharge: Piloting the introduction of a senior doctor at triage model in an Australian paediatric emergency department
Authors: Andrews Sarah L , Lewena Stuart , Cheek John A
Published: August 2019

Objective

We implemented a senior doctor at triage (SDT) pilot programme at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. We examined the impact on ED length of stay, seen on time and fail to wait (FTW) rates.

Methods

A SDT model was piloted on Monday and Tuesday afternoons (pilot period) for 10 weeks, and compared with equivalent shifts for the preceding 10 weeks (pre‐pilot period). We determined the differences between the proportions of patients seen on time, length of stay in the ED of less than 4 h and FTW rate, as well as the medians of time to clinician and length of stay in ED.

Results

A total of 2736 patients presented in the pilot period, and 2889 in the pre‐pilot. The percentage of patients who were seen on time improved from 52.3% to 68.7% (absolute difference 16.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 13.6–19.2%, P < 0.001), the percentage of patients who had an ED length of stay of <4 h improved from 58.2% to 72.0% (absolute difference 13.8%, 95% CI 11.1–16.5%, P < 0.001) and the FTW rate reduced from 12.5% to 7.1% (absolute difference 5.4%, 95% CI 3.8–7.0%, P < 0.001) when the SDT model was operational.

Conclusion

Implementation of a SDT model in a tertiary paediatric ED resulted in an increased proportion of patients being seen on time, having shorter length of stays in the ED and reduced the number of patients who FTW. Further studies are required to determine whether these improvements are sustained over time.
Cobble community DNA as a tool to monitor patterns of biodiversity within kelp forest ecosystems
Authors: Shum Peter , Barney Bryan T. , O’Leary Jennifer K. , Palumbi Stephen R.
Published: August 2019

Kelp forest ecosystems dominate 150,000 km of global temperate coastline, rivalling the coastal occurrence of coral reefs. Despite the astounding biological diversity and productive ecological communities associated with kelp forests, patterns of species richness and composition are difficult to monitor and compare. Crustose coralline algae are a critically important substrate for propagule settlement for a range of kelp forest species. Coralline‐covered cobbles are home to hundreds of species of benthic animals and algae and form a replicable unit for ecological assays. Here, we use DNA metabarcoding of bulk DNA extracts sampled from cobbles to explore patterns of species diversity in kelp forests of the central California coast. The data from 97 cobbles within kelp forest ecosystems at three sites in Central California show the presence of 752 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) and 53 MOTUs assigned up to the species level with >95% similarity to current databases. We are able to detect spatial patterns of important management targets such as abalone recruits, and localized abundance of sea stars in 2012. Comparison of classic ecological surveys of these sites reveals large differences in species targets for these two approaches. In order to make such comparisons more quantitative, we use Presence/Absence Metabarcoding, using the fraction of replicate cobbles showing a species as a measure of its local abundance. This approach provides a fast and repeatable survey method that can be applied for biodiversity assessments across systems to shed light on the impact of different ecological disturbances and the role played by marine protected areas.
The association between epidural analgesia and mortality in emergency abdominal surgery: A population‐based cohort study
Authors: Vester‐Andersen Morten , Lundstrøm Lars Hyldborg , Møller Morten Hylander ,   the Danish Anaesthesia Database
Published: August 2019

Background

Emergency abdominal surgery carries a considerable risk of mortality and post‐operative complications, including pulmonary complications. In major elective surgery, epidural analgesia reduces mortality and pulmonary complications. We aimed to evaluate the association between epidural analgesia and mortality in emergency abdominal surgery.

Methods

In this population‐based cohort study with prospective data collection, we included adults undergoing emergency abdominal laparotomy or laparoscopy between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2010 at 13 Danish hospitals. Appendectomies were excluded. The primary outcome was 90‐day mortality. Secondary outcomes included 30‐day mortality and serious adverse events. We used binary logistic regression analyses (odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)).

Results

We included 4920 patients, of whom 1134 (23.0%) died within 90 days. Overall, 27.9% of the patients were treated with epidural analgesia perioperatively. This increased to 34.0% among patients undergoing major laparotomy. The crude and adjusted association between epidural analgesia and 90‐day mortality was OR 0.99 (95%CI: 0.86‐1.15, P = .94) and OR 0.80 (95%CI: 0.67‐0.94; P = .01), respectively. For 30‐day mortality the corresponding estimates were OR 0.90 (95% CI: 0.76‐1.06, P = .21) and OR 0.75 (95% CI: 0.62‐0.90, P < .01), respectively. No serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusion

In this population‐based cohort study of adult patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery, we found that the use of epidural analgesia perioperatively was associated with a decreased risk of mortality in the adjusted analysis.
Motivational factors modulate left frontoparietal network during cognitive control in cocaine addiction
Authors: Barrós‐Loscertales Alfonso , Costumero Víctor , Rosell‐Negre Patricia , Fuentes‐Claramonte Paola , Llopis‐Llacer Juan‐José , Bustamante Juan Carlos
Published: August 2019

Cocaine addiction is characterized by alterations in motivational and cognitive processes involved in goal‐directed behavior. Recent studies have shown that addictive behaviors can be attributed to alterations in the activity of large functional networks. The aim of this study was to investigate how cocaine addiction affected the left frontoparietal network during goal‐directed behavior in a stop‐signal task (SST) with reward contingencies by correct task performance. Twenty‐eight healthy controls (HC) and 30 abstinent cocaine‐dependent patients (ACD) performed SST with monetary reward contingencies while undergoing a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. The results showed that the left frontoparietal network (FPN) displayed an effect of cocaine addiction depending on reward contingencies rather than inhibition accuracy; and, second, we observed a negative correlation between dependence severity and the modulation of the left FPN network by the monetary reward in ACD. These findings highlight the role of the left FPN in the motivational effects of cocaine dependence.
A strategy for designing of customized electromechanical actuators of blood pumps
Authors: de Souza Rogerio Lima , Chabu Ivan Eduardo , Drigo da Silva Evandro , de Andrade Aron Jose Pazin , Leao Tarcisio Fernandes , Bock Eduardo Guy Perpetuo
Published: August 2019

Congestive heart failure is a pathology of global incidence that affects millions of people worldwide. When the heart weakens and fails to pump blood at physiological rates commensurate with the requirements of tissues, two main alternatives are cardiac transplant and ventricular assist devices (VADs). This article presents the design strategy for development of a customized VAD electromagnetic actuator. Electromagnetic actuator is a brushless direct current motor customized to drive the pump impeller by permanent magnets located in rotor–stator coupling. In this case, ceramic pivot bearings support the VAD impeller. Electronic circuitry controls rotation switching current in stator coils. The proposed methodology consisted of analytical numerical design, tridimensional computational modeling, numerical simulations using Maxwell software, actuator prototyping, and validation in the dynamometer. The axial flow actuator was chosen by its size and high power density compared to the radial flow type. First step consisted of estimating the required torque to drive the pump. Torque was estimated at 2100 rpm and mean current of 0.5 A. Numerical analysis using finite element method mapped vectors and fields to build stator coils and actuator assemblage. After tests in the dynamometer, experimental results were compared with numerical simulation and validated the proposed model. In conclusion, the proposed methodology for designing of VAD electromechanical actuator was considered satisfactory in terms of data consistency, feasibility, and reliability.
Randomised clinical trial: safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of single and multiple oral doses of tegoprazan (CJ‐12420), a novel potassium‐competitive acid blocker, in healthy male subjects
Authors: Han Sungpil , Choi Hee Youn , Kim Yo Han , Nam Ji Yeon , Kim Bongtae , Song Geun Seog , Lim Hyeong‐Seok , Bae Kyun‐Seop
Published: August 2019

Background

Tegoprazan (CJ‐12420) is a potassium‐competitive acid blocker (P‐CAB) with therapeutic potential for gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by reversibly suppressing gastric H+/K+‐ATPase.

Aims

To investigate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of tegoprazan

Methods

A phase I, randomised, double‐blind and placebo‐controlled clinical trial was conducted in 56 healthy male subjects without Helicobacter pylori infection. In the single ascending dose study, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg tegoprazan were administered to 32 subjects. In the multiple ascending dose study, 100 and 200 mg tegoprazan were administered every 24 hours to each of the eight subjects for 7 days. In the comparative pharmacodynamics study, 40 mg esomeprazole was administered to eight subjects every 24 hours for 7 days. The assessment included safety, tolerability, pharmacodynamics through monitoring of 24‐hour gastric pH and pharmacokinetics of tegoprazan in plasma and urine.

Results

Tegoprazan was generally well tolerated. Most adverse events reported in the study were mild in intensity and resolved without any sequelae. Exposure to tegoprazan increased in a dose‐proportional manner. Multiple dosing with tegoprazan showed no accumulation in plasma on day 7. The pharmacodynamic analysis revealed that tegoprazan showed rapid, dose‐dependent gastric acid suppression.

Conclusions

Tegoprazan was well tolerated and showed rapid and potent gastric acid suppression. This supports the further development of tegoprazan as a treatment for acid‐related disorders.
Aging Workforce, Firm Productivity and Labor Costs in Korea: Are Older Workers Costly to Firms?
Authors: Kim Joobong
Published: August 2019

Are older workers costly to firms? This study aims to investigate the relationship between an aging workforce on firm productivity and labor costs using a unique Korean firm‐level panel dataset (WPS) covering the period from 2007 to 2011. The primary results show no evidence of a negative relationship between the proportion of older workers and firm productivity, and no significant relationship between the proportion of older workers and labor costs. In addition, the findings of this study implies that failure to account for unobserved firm heterogeneity and endogeneity of changes in age structure biases the results toward finding a correlation between the age structure of workers and firm productivity and labor costs. Consequently, there is a tendency to underestimate the true value of older workers for firms.
Rethinking the Legacies of Bandung Conference: Global Decolonization and the Making of Modern International Order
Authors: Umar Ahmad Rizky Mardhatillah
Published: August 2019

This article aims to investigate the extent to which the Bandung Conference affected the international order after the Second World War. By locating the Bandung Conference in the international order transition between 1945 until 1970, I argue that the Bandung Conference should not be treated as merely a milestone of historic anti‐colonial struggles but also a site for the emergence of a modern international order. The Bandung Conference played a key role in shaping the Westphalian interstate system that acknowledges equal sovereignty among states in world politics. From this viewpoint, this article argues that the legacy of the Bandung Conference lies in its role to mediate the transition from colonial order before the Second World War to the modern international order, which is based on sovereignty and equal status among states as the primary members. It does so by putting forward an agenda for global decolonization and delegitimizes the practices of colonialism. The diplomatic struggle after the Bandung Conference continued until the UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples in 1960, which further locates the contribution of the Bandung Conference to the making of the modern international order as we know it in the present day.
Multiple roles and regulatory mechanisms of the transcription factor GATA6 in human cancers
Authors: Sun Zhaoqing , Yan Bo
Published: August 2019

Cancer is a common type of non‐communicable disease, and its morbidity and mortality are rapidly increasing. It is expected to become the largest obstacle to the promotion of global human health in the future. Some transcription factors that play important regulatory roles in embryogenesis and subsequent tissue maintenance can be selectively amplified during tumorigenesis. Due to its high expression in the embryonic endoderm and mesoderm, GATA6 plays a crucial role in the normal development of early human heart, lung, digestive system, adrenal glands, breasts, ovaries, retina, skin, and nervous system. Up to now, overexpression of the GATA6 gene has been shown to play an important role in several cancers, including lung cancer, digestive system tumors, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. However, the human body is a complex organism, which causes the transcription factor GATA6 to have multiple roles in cancer. In this review, we summarize the multiple roles of transcription factor GATA6 in various cancers and its regulatory mechanisms. The aim is to better understand the relationship between GATA6 gene expression and cancer development and to provide new insights for exploring potential therapeutic targets.
Artificial intelligence‐based versus manual assessment of prostate cancer in the prostate gland: a method comparison study
Authors: Mortensen Mike A. , Borrelli Pablo , Poulsen Mads Hvid , Gerke Oke , Enqvist Olof , Ulén Johannes , Trägårdh Elin , Constantinescu Caius , Edenbrandt Lars , Lund Lars , Høilund‐Carlsen Poul Flemming
Published: August 2019

Aim

To test the feasibility of a fully automated artificial intelligence‐based method providing PET measures of prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods

A convolutional neural network (CNN) was trained for automated measurements in 18F‐choline (FCH) PET/CT scans obtained prior to radical prostatectomy (RP) in 45 patients with newly diagnosed PCa. Automated values were obtained for prostate volume, maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean standardized uptake value of voxels considered abnormal (SUVmean) and volume of abnormal voxels (Volabn). The product SUVmean × Volabn was calculated to reflect total lesion uptake (TLU). Corresponding manual measurements were performed. CNN‐estimated data were compared with the weighted surgically removed tissue specimens and manually derived data and related to clinical parameters assuming that 1 g ≈ 1 ml of tissue.

Results

The mean (range) weight of the prostate specimens was 44 g (20–109), while CNN‐estimated volume was 62 ml (31–108) with a mean difference of 13·5 g or ml (95% CI: 9·78–17·32). The two measures were significantly correlated (r = 0·77, P<0·001). Mean differences (95% CI) between CNN‐based and manually derived PET measures of SUVmax, SUVmean, Volabn (ml) and TLU were 0·37 (−0·01 to 0·75), −0·08 (−0·30 to 0·14), 1·40 (−2·26 to 5·06) and 9·61 (−3·95 to 23·17), respectively. PET findings Volabn and TLU correlated with PSA (P<0·05), but not with Gleason score or stage.

Conclusion

Automated CNN segmentation provided in seconds volume and simple PET measures similar to manually derived ones. Further studies on automated CNN segmentation with newer tracers such as radiolabelled prostate‐specific membrane antigen are warranted.
Efficacy and safety of tacrolimus in de novo pediatric transplant recipients randomized to receive immediate‐ or prolonged‐release tacrolimus
Authors: Vondrak Karel , Parisi Francesco , Dhawan Anil , Grenda Ryszard , Webb Nicholas J. A. , Marks Stephen D. , Debray Dominique , Holt Richard C. L. , Lachaux Alain , Kelly Deirdre , Kazeem Gbenga , Undre Nasrullah
Published: August 2019

Background and aims

This multicenter trial compared immediate‐release tacrolimus (IR‐T) vs prolonged‐release tacrolimus (PR‐T) in de novo kidney, liver, and heart transplant recipients aged <16 years. Each formulation had similar pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles. Follow‐up efficacy and safety results are reported herein.

Materials and methods

Patients, randomized 1:1, received once‐daily, PR‐T or twice‐daily, IR‐T within 4 days of surgery. After a 4‐week PK assessment, patients continued randomized treatment for 48 additional weeks. At Year 1, efficacy assessments included the number of clinical acute rejections, biopsy‐confirmed acute rejection (BCAR) episodes (including severity), patient and graft survival, and efficacy failure (composite of death, graft loss, BCAR, or unknown outcome). Adverse events were assessed throughout.

Results

The study included 44 children. At Year 1, mean ± standard deviation tacrolimus trough levels were 6.6 ± 2.2 and 5.4 ± 1.6 ng/mL, and there were 2 and 7 acute rejection episodes in the PR‐T and IR‐T groups, respectively. No cases of graft loss or death were reported during the study. The overall efficacy failure rate was 18.2% (PR‐T n = 1; IR‐T n = 7).

Conclusions

In pediatric de novo solid organ recipients, the low incidence of BCAR and low efficacy failure rate suggest that PR‐T‐based immunosuppression is effective and well tolerated to 1‐year post‐transplantation.
A novel therapy for an unusual problem: IL‐1 receptor antagonist for recurrent post‐transplant pericarditis
Authors: Parizo Justin T. , Moayedi Yasbanoo , Nieman Koen , Town Kathy , Teuteberg Jeffrey J. , Khush Kiran K.
Published: August 2019

Heart transplant (HTx) recipients are at increased risk of pericardial disease. Idiopathic recurrent pericarditis has not been previously described following HTx. We describe a 35‐year‐old male who was admitted with pericarditis and moderate pericardial effusion 10 months after HTx. Two weeks before his admission, his prednisone had been tapered off. A thorough infectious workup and endomyocardial biopsy was unrevealing. He was started on colchicine with the addition of tapering prednisone regimen of 40 mg daily due to unresolved pain. Over the next several years, he had three recurrent episodes of pericarditis requiring re‐initiation of prednisone with extensive investigations negative for rejection, autoimmune, and infectious causes. Cardiac MRI confirmed pericardial inflammation. Due to his recurrent course and inability to wean off prednisone, anakinra, an IL‐1 receptor antagonist, was started at 100 mg sc daily. This allowed successful discontinuation of prednisone. He is now 34 months post‐transplant without recurrence on anakinra and colchicine maintenance. Due to the overlap between idiopathic recurrent pericarditis and auto‐inflammatory diseases, there is growing evidence for utilizing IL‐1 receptor antagonists in this condition. While pericarditis is common in the HTx population, this is the first report of successful use of an IL‐1 receptor blocker for pericarditis in this population.
S2k‐Leitlinie zur Therapie der Psoriasis bei Kindern und Jugendlichen – Kurzfassung Teil 1
Authors: Eisert Lisa , Augustin Matthias , Bach Sabine , Dittmann Martin , Eiler Renate , Fölster‐Holst Regina , Gerdes Sascha , Hamm Henning , Höger Peter , Horneff Gerd , von Kiedrowski Ralph , Philipp Sandra , Pleimes Marc , Schlaeger Martin , Schuster Volker , Staubach Petra , Weberschock Tobias , Werner Ricardo Niklas , Nast Alexander , Sticherling Michael
Published: August 2019

Diese Leitlinie richtet sich an Assistenz‐ und Fachärzte der Dermatologie, Pädiatrie, Kinderdermatologie und Kinderrheumatologie sowie an Kostenträger und politische Entscheidungsgremien. Die Leitlinie wurde im formellen Konsensusverfahren (S2k) von Dermatologen und Kinderdermatologen unter Einbindung von Kinderrheumatologen erstellt.

Die Leitlinie stellt einen Überblick über Schweregrad, Lebensqualität und Therapieziele mit Erläuterung der Off‐Label‐Problematik im Kindesalter dar. Es werden Diagnosestellung und Triggerfaktoren erläutert. Der Schwerpunkt der Leitlinie liegt auf der Darstellung der verschiedenen topischen Therapien, UV‐Therapien und systemischen Therapieoptionen mit Abbildung der Empfehlungen zur Anwendung der Therapien sowie Therapiealgorithmen. Darüber hinaus wird im Kontext auf Impfungen bei Psoriasis im Kindesalter sowie auf verschiedene Sonderformen wie Psoriasis guttata, Windelpsoriasis, Psoriasis pustulosa und Psoriasis‐Arthritis eingegangen. Auch werden Empfehlungen zu Tuberkulosediagnostik und Röntgenuntersuchung vor Systemtherapie gegeben.
Assessing the potential for assisted gene flow using past introduction of Norway spruce in southern Sweden: Local adaptation and genetic basis of quantitative traits in trees
Authors: Milesi Pascal , Berlin Mats , Chen Jun , Orsucci Marion , Li Lili , Jansson Gunnar , Karlsson Bo , Lascoux Martin
Published: August 2019

Norway spruce (Picea abies) is a dominant conifer species of major economic importance in northern Europe. Extensive breeding programs were established to improve phenotypic traits of economic interest. In southern Sweden, seeds used to create progeny tests were collected on about 3,000 trees of outstanding phenotype (‘plus’ trees) across the region. In a companion paper, we showed that some were of local origin but many were recent introductions from the rest of the natural range. The mixed origin of the trees together with partial sequencing of the exome of >1,500 of these trees and phenotypic data retrieved from the Swedish breeding program offered a unique opportunity to dissect the genetic basis of local adaptation of three quantitative traits (height, diameter and bud‐burst) and assess the potential of assisted gene flow. Through a combination of multivariate analyses and genome‐wide association studies, we showed that there was a very strong effect of geographical origin on growth (height and diameter) and phenology (bud‐burst) with trees from southern origins outperforming local provenances. Association studies revealed that growth traits were highly polygenic and bud‐burst somewhat less. Hence, our results suggest that assisted gene flow and genomic selection approaches could help to alleviate the effect of climate change on P. abies breeding programs in Sweden.
Bilateral ovariectomy as a treatment for chronic pyometra in four horses
Authors: Jones A. R. E. , Ragle C. A. , Huggons N. A. , Tibary A. A.
Published: August 2019

The objective of this retrospective study was to describe the use of bilateral laparoscopic ovariectomy without hysterectomy for chronic pyometra in horses. Four client‐owned horses were included, each having chronic pyometra that was unresponsive to treatment. Bilateral laparoscopic ovariectomy was performed on the horses under standing sedation. A final uterine lavage was performed either 24 hours before or after surgery, with no further treatment of the uterus. No complications were encountered during surgery or post‐operatively, and each horse had resolution of the pyometra without recurrence of clinical signs over at least 3 years. All owners were satisfied with the procedure. Following histopathology, one horse was found to be a true hermaphrodite, with one vestigial testis and one ovotestis. Ovariectomy alone was an effective treatment for four horses with chronic pyometra, without complications. Ovarian steroids and abnormal uterine or cervical conformation are important influences in the pathogenesis of pyometra, and removal of the hormone source via ovariectomy should be considered to avoid a more invasive surgery and the potential complications associated with ovariohysterectomy in horses.
Culture‐independent and dependent evaluation of the equine paranasal sinus microbiota in health and disease
Authors: Beste K. J. , Lawhon S. D. , Chamoun‐Emanuelli A. M. , Duff A. H. , Coleman M. C. , Griffin C. E. , Hardy J. , Whitfield‐Cargile C. M.
Published: August 2019

Background

Horses with bacterial sinusitis frequently undergo empirical treatment with antimicrobials, however, in some cases bacterial culture of the affected sinus is used to direct therapy. Data regarding which organisms are part of the commensal microbiota of the equine sinus are lacking making it difficult to interpret culture results and guide empiric antimicrobial selection.

Objectives

Our objectives were to describe the bacterial and fungal microbiota of the paranasal sinuses in clinically normal horses using culture‐dependent and independent approaches and to compare the bacterial culture and susceptibility patterns of normal horses with those from horses affected with primary and secondary sinusitis.

Study design

Experimental study and descriptive retrospective review of case records.

Methods

Sinus washes were collected from 23 healthy horses. Washes were submitted for routine culture and susceptibility testing and DNA was isolated for next generation sequencing of bacterial and fungal marker genes. For clinical cases of sinusitis, medical records from 2010 to 2017 were reviewed and horses diagnosed with primary and/or secondary sinusitis were included.

Results

The paranasal sinus cavity hosts multiple bacterial and fungal organisms. The bacterial microbiota of healthy horses consists largely of uncultivable, aerobic bacteria. While few anaerobes were isolated from normal horses, the majority of clinical cases resulted in growth of anaerobic organisms with no difference in the proportion of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria isolated from clinical cases.

Main limitations

Small sample size in both populations of horses and heterogeneity of the population prevent a more in‐depth analysis.

Conclusions

The microbiota of the paranasal sinuses of horses consists primarily of aerobic bacteria and fungal organisms, the majority of which are uncultivable via common clinical methods. Anaerobic bacteria are found in the majority of horses with clinical sinusitis. These findings suggest anaerobic bacteria are associated with sinusitis and their presence should be considered when treating horses with sinusitis.
Perceptions of a Father's Role during a Couple's First Pregnancy
Authors: Greenhill Emma , Vollmer Rachel L.
Published: August 2019

The objective of this study was to explore the first‐time pregnant couples’ perception of the father's role in relation to a pregnant woman's food and activity behavior during pregnancy. Eleven first‐time pregnant, cohabitating couples across the United States completed a one‐on‐one semi‐structured phone interview for the study. Couples shared similar expectations of a father's role during pregnancy. Fathers were also important in setting and achieving health behavior goals of the pregnant mother. Family and Consumer Sciences professionals might consider including fathers in programs for expecting mothers. Maintaining functional social support from an equally as motivated partner might improve health during pregnancy and after pregnancy as well.
Towards comparable assessment of the soil nutrient status across scales—Review and development of nutrient metrics
Authors: Van Sundert Kevin , Radujković Dajana , Cools Nathalie , De Vos Bruno , Etzold Sophia , Fernández‐Martínez Marcos , Janssens Ivan A. , Merilä Päivi , Peñuelas Josep , Sardans Jordi , Stendahl Johan , Terrer César , Vicca Sara
Published: August 2019

Nutrient availability influences virtually every aspect of an ecosystem, and is a critical modifier of ecosystem responses to global change. Although this crucial role of nutrient availability in regulating ecosystem structure and functioning has been widely acknowledged, nutrients are still often neglected in observational and experimental synthesis studies due to difficulties in comparing the nutrient status across sites. In the current study, we explain different nutrient‐related concepts and discuss the potential of soil‐, plant‐ and remote sensing‐based metrics to compare the nutrient status across space. Based on our review and additional analyses on a dataset of European, managed temperate and boreal forests (ICP [International Co‐operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests] Forests dataset), we conclude that the use of plant‐ and remote sensing‐based metrics that rely on tissue stoichiometry is limited due to their strong dependence on species identity. The potential use of other plant‐based metrics such as Ellenberg indicator values and plant‐functional traits is also discussed. We conclude from our analyses and review that soil‐based metrics have the highest potential for successful intersite comparison of the nutrient status. As an example, we used and adjusted a soil‐based metric, previously developed for conifer forests across Sweden, against the same ICP Forests data. We suggest that this adjusted and further adaptable metric, which included the organic carbon concentration in the upper 20 cm of the soil (including the organic fermentation‐humus [FH] layer), the C:N ratio and of the FH layer, can be used as a complementary tool along with other indicators of nutrient availability, to compare the background nutrient status across temperate and boreal forests dominated by spruce, pine or beech. Future collection and provision of harmonized soil data from observational and experimental sites is crucial for further testing and adjusting the metric.
Contrasting resistance and resilience to extreme drought and late spring frost in five major European tree species
Authors: Vitasse Yann , Bottero Alessandra , Cailleret Maxime , Bigler Christof , Fonti Patrick , Gessler Arthur , Lévesque Mathieu , Rohner Brigitte , Weber Pascale , Rigling Andreas , Wohlgemuth Thomas
Published: August 2019

Extreme climate events (ECEs) such as severe droughts, heat waves, and late spring frosts are rare but exert a paramount role in shaping tree species distributions. The frequency of such ECEs is expected to increase with climate warming, threatening the sustainability of temperate forests. Here, we analyzed 2,844 tree‐ring width series of five dominant European tree species from 104 Swiss sites ranging from 400 to 2,200 m a.s.l. for the period 1930–2016. We found that (a) the broadleaved oak and beech are sensitive to late frosts that strongly reduce current year growth; however, tree growth is highly resilient and fully recovers within 2 years; (b) radial growth of the conifers larch and spruce is strongly and enduringly reduced by spring droughts—these species are the least resistant and resilient to droughts; (c) oak, silver fir, and to a lower extent beech, show higher resistance and resilience to spring droughts and seem therefore better adapted to the future climate. Our results allow a robust comparison of the tree growth responses to drought and spring frost across large climatic gradients and provide striking evidence that the growth of some of the most abundant and economically important European tree species will be increasingly limited by climate warming. These results could serve for supporting species selection to maintain the sustainability of forest ecosystem services under the expected increase in ECEs.
Vicariant events in the montane hummingbird genera Augastes and Schistes in South America
Authors: Chaves Anderson V. , Vasconcelos Marcelo F. , Freitas Guilherme H. S. , Santos Fabrício R.
Published: August 2019

We assessed the evolutionary histories of two hummingbirds, Augastes scutatus and Augastes lumachella, endemic to the highlands of the Espinhaço Range in Brazil. These hummingbirds are considered relictual taxa with phylogenetic affinities to members of the genus Schistes from the Andean region. We reconstructed phylogenetic relationships of Augastes through the use of mitochondrial DNA and nuclear sequences within the Polytminae hummingbird clade, and found that the inferred phylogenetic reconstructions placed A. scutatus as the sister species of A. lumachella and Augastes as sister to Schistes geoffroyi from the northern Andes, as previously suggested by similarities found in plumage and morphology. Our results are consistent with an initial divergence of Augastes and Schistes lineages in the Late Miocene, associated with geological and climatic changes across the South American landscape. A Late Pliocene vicariant event between A. scutatus and A. lumachella may be associated with climatically distinct environmental conditions influencing the local differentiation and adaptation of ancestral Augastes populations. Our findings represent additional important evidence of vicariant events between east and west in southern South America, and between north and south within the Espinhaço Range of Brazil.
Exploring health and wellness among Native American adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their family caregivers
Authors: Williamson Heather J. , Brennan Alissa C. , Tress Samantha F. , Joseph Darold H. , Baldwin Julie A.
Published: August 2019

Background

Adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) experience health inequities, and those who also identify as a member of an ethnic minority group face additional health inequities. In the United States, a majority of adults with IDD continue to be supported by family caregivers making their health equity also important. The purpose of this study was to explore how Native American adults with IDD and their family caregivers experience health and wellness.

Method

This community‐engaged research was guided by a Community Advisory Board (CAB) with study participants completing a Photovoice project.

Results

Participants identified individual, family and community level influences on health and wellness including the importance of participation in meaningful activities and connection to culture.

Conclusions

In order to address health inequities, more research is needed to understand health and wellness from the unique perspectives of individuals with IDD and those from racial and ethnic minority groups.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT: THE ROLE OF CALIBRATION, SHARPNESS, AND UNCERTAINTY
Authors: Wan Shui Ki
Published: August 2019

I evaluate the out‐of‐sample predictability of several major indicators for bull and bear markets in monthly S&P 500 series with three quadratic probability score components: calibration, sharpness, and uncertainty. I find that uncertainty limits the trend characterization and thus provides a new perspective from which to identify bull and bear markets. I also find that sharpness plays a key role in determining portfolio returns. Trading strategies that capitalize on sharpness generate higher Sharpe ratios and portfolio returns. The Aruoba–Diebold–Scotti business conditions index is the most profitable indicator for both medium‐ and long‐term trends.
INSIDER DEMAND AND INDUSTRY TRENDS
Authors: Gilstrap Collin , Petkevich Alex , Wang Kainan
Published: August 2019

We investigate the time‐series patterns in industry return predictability conditioned on insider demand from 1996 to 2016. Current insider demand within an industry is positively associated with higher future industry returns. This relation is primarily driven by the buy side of insider trades and is more pronounced during periods of economic recession and high market volatility where uncertainty and information asymmetry are relatively high. Our results are consistent with the notion that corporate insiders have an informational advantage that can be used as an indicator for industry portfolio selection.
Improving the quality of hospital care for Indigenous adolescents: Experiences from the Top End
Authors: Buckley Rachel L
Published: August 2019

A recent Lancet publication reported the substantial and largely unmet health needs of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) adolescents; needs that we have been working tirelessly to address in the Northern Territory. In order to improve health outcomes for Indigenous adolescents, we must create health systems responsive to their needs. This paper focuses on changes made at Royal Darwin Hospital, which continue to improve the quality of care for this group. We describe these changes here, to celebrate the gains made and ultimately, we hope, to help address the health of Indigenous adolescents more broadly.
The Marginal Density of a TMA(1) Process
Authors: Li Dong , Qiu Jiaming
Published: August 2019

This note reconsiders the marginal density of a threshold moving average process and proposes a simple yet effective numerical algorithm to implement that by solving an associated integral equation. This algorithm can also be applied to calculate stationary probability density or distribution functions of a few other types of nonlinear stationary stochastic processes numerically.
Long‐term outcomes of endoscopic treatment for duct‐to‐duct anastomotic strictures after living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Sato Tatsuya , Kogure Hirofumi , Nakai Yousuke , Hamada Tsuyoshi , Takahara Naminatsu , Mizuno Suguru , Kawaguchi Yoshikuni , Akamatsu Nobuhisa , Kaneko Junichi , Hasegawa Kiyoshi , Tada Minoru , Tsujino Takeshi , Isayama Hiroyuki , Koike Kazuhiko
Published: August 2019

Background and aims

The anastomotic biliary stricture is a clinically important complication after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with a duct‐to‐duct anastomosis. Although endoscopic management of post‐LDLT biliary strictures using balloon dilation (BD) and plastic stents (PSs) has provided acceptable short‐term outcomes, long‐term outcomes and prognostic factors for treatment success remain unclear.

Methods

We included 96 patients with post‐LDLT biliary strictures who were endoscopically managed between 2003 and 2016. BD was utilized as a first‐line treatment strategy, and PS placement was carried out for refractory cases. Potential prognostic factors for biliary stricture resolution were analysed using logistic regression analyses.

Results

Endoscopic treatment was technically successful in 84 patients (87.5%). The overall rate of biliary stricture resolution was 44.8% (43 of 96 patients) with a median follow‐up duration of 90.9 months (interquartile range, 30.9‐122.3 months). Bile duct kinking was associated with a lower rate of biliary stricture resolution (odds ratio, 0.33; 95% confidence interval, 0.13‐0.87). After successful endoscopic treatment, biliary strictures recurred in 22 patients (57.9%) after BD, and in one patient (4%) after PS treatment.

Conclusions

Despite a high technical success rate, endoscopic treatment only provided a low rate of resolution of anastomotic biliary strictures among LDLT patients and required prolonged treatment duration. Alternative strategies including the use of a covered metal stent should be evaluated to further improve the treatment outcomes of post‐LDLT biliary strictures, particularly in those accompanied by the bile duct kinking.
The complexity of intercellular localisation of alkaloids revealed by single‐cell metabolomics
Authors: Yamamoto Kotaro , Takahashi Katsutoshi , Caputi Lorenzo , Mizuno Hajime , Rodriguez‐Lopez Carlos E. , Iwasaki Tetsushi , Ishizaki Kimitsune , Fukaki Hidehiro , Ohnishi Miwa , Yamazaki Mami , Masujima Tsutomu , O'Connor Sarah E. , Mimura Tetsuro
Published: August 2019

Catharanthus roseus is a medicinal plant well known for producing bioactive compounds such as vinblastine and vincristine, which are classified as terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs). Although the leaves of this plant are the main source of these antitumour drugs, much remains unknown on how TIAs are biosynthesised from a central precursor, strictosidine, to various TIAs in planta.

Here, we have succeeded in showing, for the first time in leaf tissue of C. roseus, cell‐specific TIAs localisation and accumulation with 10 μm spatial resolution Imaging mass spectrometry (Imaging MS) and live single‐cell mass spectrometry (single‐cell MS).

These metabolomic studies revealed that most TIA precursors (iridoids) are localised in the epidermal cells, but major TIAs including serpentine and vindoline are localised instead in idioblast cells. Interestingly, the central TIA intermediate strictosidine also accumulates in both epidermal and idioblast cells of C. roseus. Moreover, we also found that vindoline accumulation increases in laticifer cells as the leaf expands.

These discoveries highlight the complexity of intercellular localisation in plant specialised metabolism.
Evaluation of prevention and disruption of biofilm in contact lens cases
Authors: Cho Pauline , Boost Maureen V
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The presence of biofilm in the lens case has been shown to be a risk factor for contamination of lenses and consequently microbial keratitis. This study aimed to evaluate effectiveness of solutions for rigid contact lenses in prevention and disruption of biofilm in lens cases and methods for biofilm detection.

Method

This study adopted a stepwise approach to evaluate effectiveness of four rigid lens disinfecting solutions against biofilm. These included two polyhexamethylene bigiuanide (PHMB) solutions and a chlorhexidine/PHMB‐based solution, as well as a novel povidone‐iodine formulation. The presence of biofilm following exposure to the solutions was assessed using both crystal violet (CV) staining and MTT (3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) viability assay, taking into account the effect of lens case design. Three lens case designs, conventional flat, large bucket type, and cylindrical cases, were investigated for the ability to trap stain and allow biofilm formation.

Results

Considerable differences were noted between solutions in their ability to prevent and disrupt biofilm (p < 0.001). Lens case design greatly influenced optical density (OD) measurements even in negative controls, as cylindrical cases trapped more stain, increasing OD readings. Correcting for this factor reduced variations, but could not differentiate between residues and biofilm. MTT assay revealed that both povidone‐iodine and chlorhexidine‐containing solutions could effectively kill > 95% of organisms, whilst PHMB‐based solutions were less effective with up to 55% of staphylococci and 41% of Pseudomonas surviving at 24 h.

Conclusion

Biofilm can rapidly form in lens cases and may not be killed by disinfecting solutions. Of the solutions tested, none were able to prevent biofilm formation or disrupt established biofilm, but those containing chlorhexidine or povidone iodine were able to penetrate the biofilm and kill organisms. Assessment of biofilm by CV assay may be confounded by lens case design. Whilst CV assay can demonstrate presence of biofilm, this technique should be accompanied by viability assay to determine bactericidal activity.
From limb to fin: an Eocene protocetid forelimb from Senegal sheds new light on the early locomotor evolution of cetaceans
Authors: Vautrin Quentin , Lihoreau Fabrice , Sambou Bernard , Thiam Moustapha , Martin Jeremy E. , Tabuce Rodolphe , Adnet Sylvain , Lebrun Renaud , Charruault Anne‐Lise , Sarr Raphaël , Hautier Lionel
Published: August 2019

Cetaceans constitute a textbook example of the secondary adaptation of tetrapods to aquatic life. This major event in the evolutionary history of mammals is often linked in the literature to the limb‐to‐fin transition. Paradoxically, limb bones are scarce in the fossil record of early cetaceans, and the transition from a limb‐adapted morphology for an amphibious life in shallow water to a fin‐adapted morphology for a pelagic lifestyle remains poorly documented. Here, we describe new protocetid remains from the upper Lutetian of Senegal, including a nearly complete articulated forelimb. A cladistic analysis including 24 taxa and 137 morphological characters recovers the new African specimen close to Carolinacetus. It also confirms that cetacean dispersal to the New World was not the result of a single colonization event. A 3D model of the forelimb was reconstructed. Anatomical comparisons suggest that it is unlikely that the Senegalese forelimb was used as a rigid pectoral flipper for steering as in basilosaurids and modern cetaceans. Instead, we suggest that the hand was actively used during swimming. This challenges previous reconstructions of protocetids as mainly foot‐powered swimmers, and suggests that swimming specializations of early cetaceans were probably more diverse than previously considered.