bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using structural equation modeling: patterns and trends of publications in Brazilian journals
Authors: Rivera Jorge Ramón D’Acosta , Jacomossi Rafael Ricardo , Barrichello Alcides , Morano Rogerio Scabim
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze patterns and trends of articles that present the use of structural equation modeling (SEM) and that were published in several Brazilian journals. In addition, this paper maps the institutions where the authors of the identified articles are affiliated, and discusses aspects of searching the articles in journals’ archives and other scientific databases.

Design/methodology/approach

The work used bibliometrics, which is one of the forms of evaluation and measurement of information flows in scientific knowledge, using mathematical and statistical methods.

Findings

The study showed an exponential growth in using SEM in several areas in recent years, with predominance in marketing. Most of the publications were produced by authors from institutions such as USP, FGV and UFRGS, but most authors published only one article using SEM. Almost all published articles used one of the three most common software, especially AMOS®. Surprisingly, many articles did not mention the software used, indicating methodological flaw.

Practical implications

Weaknesses were found regarding the search for articles in the different sources used, indicating that, for literature reviews, the research should be conducted in several databases in a complementary way and not alternatively. This fact becomes critical especially when expressions in languages other than Portuguese were used. This situation suggests an aggravating lack of visibility for the Brazilian scientific community since the articles are less likely to be found.

Originality/value

The paper shows that among the various techniques of multivariate data analysis used in the field of administration, SEM has gained prominence being operationalized using specific software.
Excessive social networking sites use and online compulsive buying in young adults: the mediating role of money attitude
Authors: Pahlevan Sharif Saeed , Yeoh Ken Kyid
Published: June 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the effect of excessive use of social networking sites on online compulsive buying, and whether this effect is mediated by the dimensions of money attitude (i.e. power-prestige, distrust and anxiety) in young Malaysian adults.

Design/methodology/approach

A correlational cross-sectional, questionnaire-based design was adopted. A total of 1,155 university students completed an online survey. A parallel multiple mediator model was then developed and tested using covariance-based structural equation modeling.

Findings

Excessive use of social media had a positive effect on money attitude dimensions and online compulsive buying. Also, power-prestige and anxiety dimensions of money attitude mediated the positive effect of excessive use of social networking sites on online compulsive buying.

Practical implications

Several implications for the parents of young adults, institutions of higher learning as well as banks that provide services to these youths have been suggested.

Originality/value

Little is known about the effect of excessive use of social media on compulsive online buying and the mechanisms behind it. This study contributes to the literature by testing the mediating role of money attitude in the effect of use of social networking sites on online compulsive buying.
Establishment of COS‐JC cells persistently producing archetype JC polyomavirus
Authors: Nukuzuma Souichi , Nukuzuma Chiyoko , Kameoka Masanori , Sugiura Shigeki , Nakamichi Kazuo , Tasaki Takafumi , Hidaka Koushi , Takegami Tsutomu
Published: June 2018

JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) is the causative agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system in immunocompromised patients. Archetype JCPyV circulates in the human population. There have been several reports of archetype JCPyV replication in cultured cells, in which propagation was not enough to produce high titers of archetype JCPyV. In this study, we carried out cultivation of the transfected cells with archetype JCPyV DNA MY for more than 2 months to establish COS‐7 cells (designated COS‐JC cells) persistently producing archetype JCPyV. Moreover, JCPyV derived from COS‐JC cells was characterized by analyzing the viral propagation, size of the viral genome, amount of viral DNA, production of viral protein, and structure of the non‐coding control region (NCCR). Southern blotting using a digoxigenin‐labeled JCPyV probe showed two different sizes of the JCPyV genome in COS‐JC cells. For molecular cloning, four of five clones showed a decrease in the size of complete JCPyV genome. Especially, clone No. 10 was generated the large deletion within the Large T antigen. On the other hand, the archetype structure of the NCCR was maintained in COS‐JC cells, although a few point mutations occurred. Quantitative PCR analysis of viral DNA in COS‐JC cells indicated that a high copy number of archetype JCPyV DNA was replicated in COS‐JC cells. These findings suggest that COS‐JC cells could efficiently propagate archetype JCPyV MY and offer a useful tool to study persistent infection of archetype JCPyV in a kidney‐derived system.
Climate change and functional traits affect population dynamics of a long‐lived seabird
Authors: Jenouvrier Stéphanie , Desprez Marine , Fay Remi , Barbraud Christophe , Weimerskirch Henri , Delord Karine , Caswell Hal
Published: June 2018

Recent studies unravelled the effect of climate changes on populations through their impact on functional traits and demographic rates in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, but such understanding in marine ecosystems remains incomplete.

Here, we evaluate the impact of the combined effects of climate and functional traits on population dynamics of a long‐lived migratory seabird breeding in the southern ocean: the black‐browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris, BBA). We address the following prospective question: “Of all the changes in the climate and functional traits, which would produce the biggest impact on the BBA population growth rate?”

We develop a structured matrix population model that includes the effect of climate and functional traits on the complete BBA life cycle. A detailed sensitivity analysis is conducted to understand the main pathway by which climate and functional trait changes affect the population growth rate.

The population growth rate of BBA is driven by the combined effects of climate over various seasons and multiple functional traits with carry‐over effects across seasons on demographic processes. Changes in sea surface temperature (SST) during late winter cause the biggest changes in the population growth rate, through their effect on juvenile survival. Adults appeared to respond to changes in winter climate conditions by adapting their migratory schedule rather than by modifying their at‐sea foraging activity. However, the sensitivity of the population growth rate to SST affecting BBA migratory schedule is small. BBA foraging activity during the pre‐breeding period has the biggest impact on population growth rate among functional traits. Finally, changes in SST during the breeding season have little effect on the population growth rate.

These results highlight the importance of early life histories and carry‐over effects of climate and functional traits on demographic rates across multiple seasons in population response to climate change. Robust conclusions about the roles of various phases of the life cycle and functional traits in population response to climate change rely on an understanding of the relationships of traits to demographic rates across the complete life cycle.
On the ecological insights provided by a long‐term study on an even longer‐lived bird
Authors: Bouwhuis Sandra
Published: June 2018

In Focus: Weimerskirch, H. (2018). Linking demographic processes and foraging ecology in wandering albatross—Conservation implications. Journal of Animal Ecology, 87, 945–955. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12817

Long‐term individual‐based studies are extremely valuable resources to study how life histories are shaped by selection on between‐individual variation in the acquisition and allocation of resources. In this issue, Weimerskirch (2018) synthesises a 50‐year study, uniquely including 20 years of individual‐based movement tracking, of the majestic wandering albatross. The synthesis shows how variation in foraging distribution and efficiency in relation to sex and age is reflected in physiology, fitness and population dynamics, and how understanding of such patterns and processes can aid conservation efforts. It thereby exemplifies why long‐term individual‐based studies are especially productive and informative and require maintenance and safeguarding.
Diversity in form and function: Vertical distribution of soil fauna mediates multidimensional trait variation
Authors: Ellers Jacintha , Berg Matty P. , Dias André T. C. , Fontana Simone , Ooms Astra , Moretti Marco
Published: June 2018

It has been widely recognized that species show extensive variation in form and function. Based on species’ attributes, they can be positioned along major axes of variation, which are often defined by life‐history traits, such as number of offspring, age at maturity or generation time. Less emphasis has been given in this respect to tolerance traits, especially to resistance to abiotic stress conditions, which often determine community (dis)assembly and distribution.

Soil fauna species distribution is governed to a large extent by environmental conditions that filter communities according to functional traits, such as abiotic stress tolerance, morphology and body size. Trait‐based approaches have been successfully used to predict soil biota responses to abiotic stress. It remains unclear, though, how these traits relate to life‐history traits that determine individual performance, that is, reproduction and survival.

Here, we analyse patterns in multidimensional trait distribution of dominant groups of soil fauna, that is, Isopoda, Gastropoda and Collembola, known to be important to the functioning of ecosystems. We compiled trait information from existing literature, trait databases and supplementary measurements. We looked for common patterns in major axes of trait variation and tested if vertical distribution of species in the soil explained trait variation based on three components of trait diversity (trait richness, evenness and divergence).

Our results showed that two to three axes of variation structured the trait space of life‐history and tolerance traits in each of the taxonomic groups and that vertical distribution in soil explained the main axis of trait variation. We also found evidence of environmental filtering on soil fauna along the vertical soil distribution, with lower trait richness and trait divergence in soil‐dwelling than in surface‐living species.

Our study was partially limited by the lack of detailed trait measurements for the selected taxonomic groups. In this regard, there is an urgent need for standardized trait databases across invertebrate groups to improve trait‐based diversity analysis and fill gaps in the mechanistic understanding behind trait distribution, trait filtering and the link with species fitness and performance.
Divergent temporal trends of net biomass change in western Canadian boreal forests
Authors: Luo Yong , Chen Han Y. H. , McIntire Eliot J. B. , Andison David W.
Published: June 2018

Forests play a strong role in the global carbon cycle by absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide through increasing forest biomass. Understanding temporal trends of forest net above‐ground biomass change (ΔAGB) can help infer how forest carbon sequestration responds to ongoing climate changes. Despite wide spatial variation in the long‐term average of climate moisture availability (CMIaverage) across forest ecosystems, temporal trends of ΔAGB associated with CMIaverage remain unclear.

We tested the hypothesis that the negative impacts of climate change on ΔAGB would decrease with CMIaverage using the data from permanent sample plots, monitored from 1958 to 2011, with stand ages varying from 17 to 210 years, in western boreal forests of Canada.

We found that ΔAGB on average increased with CMIaverage. Temporally, ΔAGB declined sharply between 1958 and 2011 in plots with low CMIaverage owing to increased biomass loss from mortality accompanied by little growth gain, whereas ΔAGB changed little in plots with high CMIaverage. The temporal decrease of ΔAGB in drier areas was attributable to its negative responses to warming‐induced temporal decreases in climate moisture availability.

Synthesis. Our results indicate that large‐scale changes in forest carbon functioning associated with climate change depend on the long‐term average of climate moisture availability. Our finding suggests a possible retreat of boreal biome at the drier distribution limits with predicted declines in water availability in the 21st century.
Pseudomonas sp. ST4 produces variety of active compounds to interfere fungal sexual mating and hyphal growth
Authors: Liu Shiyin , He Fei , Lin Nuoqiao , Chen Yumei , Liang Zhibin , Liao Lisheng , Lv Mingfa , Chen Yufan , Chen Shaohua , Zhou Jianuan , Zhang Lian‐Hui
Published: June 2018

Sexual mating of compatible sporida is essential for Sporisorium scitamineum to form dikaryotic mycelia and then cause infection on sugarcane. Our previous work identified a Pseudomonas sp. ST4 from a soil sample, which showed a promising biocontrol potential by inhibiting the mating of S. scitamineum sporida and hyphal growth. In this study, we set to isolate the active compounds from Pseudomonas sp. ST4 through solid fermentation. High‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation coupling with bioassay showed that Pseudomonas sp. ST4 produced a range of antimicrobial compounds. Two of the major components were purified following acetate extraction, silica gel and HPLC separation. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) analysis identified these active compounds are 4‐hydroxybenzaldehyde and indole‐3‐carbaldehyde respectively. Further analysis showed that the former compound only inhibited the hyphal growth of the fungus at a concentration of 3 mM, while the latter interfered the fungal sexual mating at a concentration of 0.6 mM and affected hyphal growth at a concentration of 2 mM. Treatment of corn plants with 3 mM indole‐3‐carbaldehyde significantly inhibited corn smut infection, with a control rate up to 94%. Further analysis of the structure and activity relationship revealed that indole has a much stronger inhibitory activity against the fungal sexual mating than indole‐3‐carbaldehyde. The results from this study provide new agents for control and prevention of the sugarcane smut disease, and the active compounds could also be used to probe the molecular mechanisms of fungal sexual mating.
Feasibility of an eight‐week outpatient‐based pulmonary rehabilitation program for advanced lung cancer patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy in Korea
Authors: Park Young Sik , Lee Jinwoo , Keum Bhumsuk , Oh Byung‐Mo
Published: June 2018

The scientific evidence supporting pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) for lung cancer patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy is accumulating; however, the feasibility of outpatient‐based PR in these patients has not yet been evaluated in Korea. We conducted an eight‐week outpatient‐based PR feasibility study in a tertiary referral hospital setting. Patients with advanced lung cancer (non‐small cell lung cancer IIIB–IV and small‐cell lung cancer extensive disease) scheduled to undergo first‐line cytotoxic chemotherapy underwent PR consisting of 60‐minute sessions twice a week under the guidance and supervision of a physical therapist, for a total of eight weeks. Feasibility was assessed based on completion of the PR program. In total, 12 patients (median age 68 years) were enrolled; 11 (91.7%) were male with a history of smoking. Among these 12 patients, 9 (75%) completed the eight‐week outpatient‐based PR program. Three patients could not complete the PR program: two were unwilling and one died from complications of lung cancer. This study showed a 75% completion rate of an eight‐week outpatient‐based PR program for advanced lung cancer patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy, which supports its feasibility.
Effect of requiring a general practitioner at scenes of serious injury: A systematic review
Authors: Straumann G. S. H. , Austvoll‐Dahlgren A. , Holte H. H. , Wisborg T.
Published: June 2018

Background

In Norway, each municipality is responsible for providing first line emergency healthcare, and it is mandatory to have a primary care physician/general practitioner on call continuously. This mandate ensures that a physician can assist patients and ambulance personnel at the site of severe injuries or illnesses. The compulsory presence of the general practitioner at the scene could affect different parts of patient treatment, and it might save resources by obviating resources from secondary healthcare, like pre‐hospital anaesthesiologists and other specialized resources. This systematic review aimed to examine how survival, time spent at the scene, the choice of transport destination, assessment of urgency, the number of admissions, and the number of cancellations of specialized pre‐hospital resources were affected by the presence of a general practitioner at the scene of a suspected severe injury.

Methods

We searched for published and planned systematic reviews and primary studies in the Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, OpenGrey, GreyLit and trial registries. The search was completed in December 2017. Two individuals independently screened the references and assessed the eligibility of all potentially relevant studies.

Results

The search for systematic reviews and primary studies identified 5981 articles. However, no studies met the pre‐defined inclusion criteria.

Conclusion

No studies met our inclusion criteria; consequently, it remains uncertain how the presence of a general practitioner at the injury scene might affect the selected outcomes.
Two MC1R loss‐of‐function alleles in cream‐coloured Australian Cattle Dogs and white Huskies
Authors: Dürig N. , Letko A. , Lepori V. , Hadji Rasouliha S. , Loechel R. , Kehl A. , Hytönen M. K. , Lohi H. , Mauri N. , Dietrich J. , Wiedmer M. , Drögemüller M. , Jagannathan V. , Schmutz S. M. , Leeb T.
Published: June 2018

Loss‐of‐function variants in the MC1R gene cause recessive red or yellow coat‐colour phenotypes in many species. The canine MC1R:c.916C>T (p.Arg306Ter) variant is widespread and found in a homozygous state in many uniformly yellow‐ or red‐coloured dogs. We investigated cream‐coloured Australian Cattle Dogs whose coat colour could not be explained by this variant. A genome‐wide association study with 10 cream and 123 red Australian Cattle Dogs confirmed that the cream locus indeed maps to MC1R. Whole‐genome sequencing of cream dogs revealed a single nucleotide variant within the MITF binding site of the canine MC1R promoter. We propose to designate the mutant alleles at MC1R:c.916C>T as e1 and at the new promoter variant as e2. Both alleles segregate in the Australian Cattle Dog breed. When we considered both alleles in combination, we observed perfect association between the MC1R genotypes and the cream coat colour phenotype in a cohort of 10 cases and 324 control dogs. Analysis of the MC1R transcript levels in an e1/e2 compound heterozygous dog confirmed that the transcript levels of the e2 allele were markedly reduced with respect to the e1 allele. We further report another MC1R loss‐of‐function allele in Alaskan and Siberian Huskies caused by a 2‐bp deletion in the coding sequence, MC1R:c.816_817delCT. We propose to term this allele e3. Huskies that carry two copies of MC1R loss‐of‐function alleles have a white coat colour.
Chemoradiotherapy versus chemotherapy for locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Ng Ivy Weishan , Soon Yu Yang , Chen Desiree , Tey Jeremy Chee Seong
Published: June 2018

Purpose

To determine the benefit of adding radiotherapy (RT) to chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAUPC).

Methods

We searched MEDLINE for comparative studies comparing chemoradiotherapy with chemotherapy for patients with LAUPC. We performed the meta‐analysis with random effects model. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS); secondary outcomes include progression‐free survival (PFS) and adverse events (AE).

Results

We found five randomized (RCT) and three observational studies (OBS) including 830 patients. For RCTs, the addition of radiotherapy did not improve PFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74–1.10; P = 0.30; I2  =  11%,) or OS (HR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.63–1.21; P = 0.41; I2 = 67%,) and was associated with increased grade 3 or 4 gastrointestinal AE. In contrast, OBS reported an improvement in PFS (HR 0.58; 95% CI, 0.37–0.92; P = 0.02; I2 = 32%) and OS (HR 0.48; 95% CI, 0.35–0.60; P < 0.0001; I2 = 6%).

Conclusion

The addition of radiotherapy did not improve the OS and PFS in RCTs. The divergence in results seen in OBS may be due to imbalance in baseline characteristics. Further research incorporating biomarkers may help to better select patients who will benefit from RT.
Potential issues with complementary medicines commonly used in the cancer population: A retrospective review of a tertiary cancer center's experience
Authors: Brooks Sally L. , Rowan Gail , Michael Michael
Published: June 2018

Aim

Complementary medicine (CAM) use in the cancer population is higher than the general population: some studies estimate up to 70%. Our Medicines Information Centre, in a tertiary cancer institution, receives many enquiries regarding use and safety of CAM with conventional cancer therapies (chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery). This project aims to review the CAM most commonly enquired about with an emphasis on potential interactions with conventional cancer therapies.

Methods

An audit and review of CAM enquiries from patients or medical professionals at our center, over a 2‐year period (July 2011–June 2013), was conducted. The most commonly enquired about CAM, excluding vitamins and minerals, were identified, reviewed and potential interactions described.

Results

Enquiries were received from 462 patients involving 330 different CAMs. The 10 CAMs most commonly enquired about were fish oil (3.54%), turmeric (3.24%), coenzyme Q10 (2.63%), milk thistle (2.44%), green tea (2.38%), ginger (2.14%), lactobacillus (2.08%), licorice (1.83%), astragalus (1.77%) and reishi mushroom (1.59%). All were found to have predicted or potential drug interactions or therapeutic issues when combined with conventional therapies. Human studies are lacking and potential drug interactions are often predicted using in vitro or in vivo animal data.

Conclusions

While many CAMs may be safe when taken by themselves, there is theoretically a potential for interactions and/or increased risk of serious adverse effects when taken concurrently with conventional anticancer therapies. The paucity of human data implies that their clinical significance is difficult to quantify and hence caution is required.
Treating melanoma in situ and lentigo maligna with Mohs micrographic surgery in Australia
Authors: Foxton Glen C , Elliott Timothy G , Litterick Kelly A
Published: June 2018

Background/Objectives

There is a paucity of Australian data on the use of Mohs micrographic surgery for treating melanoma in situ and lentigo maligna. We share an Australian centre's experience with the technique.

Methods

A total of 62 patients with 62 lesions of melanoma in situ and lentigo maligna referred for treatment between 2015 and 2017 comprised the study group. All melanomas were excised with Mohs micrographic surgery utilising melanoma‐associated antigen recognised by T‐cells (MART‐1) immunostaining.

Results

Follow up ranged from 3 to 30 months with no reported recurrences or melanoma‐related deaths. 94% (58/62) of lesions were primary melanomas and 6% were locally recurrent. 89% of lesions involved head and neck sites with 11% involving trunk or limbs. In total 55% (12/62) of lesions were cleared with 3‐mm clinical margins, 68% with 6 mm, 92% with 9 mm and 100% with 12‐mm. The mean clinical excision margin was 6.7 mm. All lesions with a tumour diameter greater than 2.2 cm required a 9‐mm clinical margin or greater for excision. The mean clinical excision margin for recurrent tumours was 9 mm.

Conclusion

We provide the first Australian data on the use of Mohs micrographic surgery for melanoma.
US Travel Writer E. G. Squier and the Construction of Racialised Geographies in Nineteenth Century Honduras
Authors: LARA JOSE
Published: June 2018

This article examines the ideological foundations of American diplomat Ephraim George Squier's Notes on Central America (1855), and its effect on the formation of Honduran identity. I detail the type of racial constructions and judgments Squier made of the distinct ethnic populations, and contextualise them within the nineteenth‐century transnational debate on the origins of mankind and the surge of imperialism. I also argue that Squier's writings played a role in the employment of a series of state‐initiated civilising projects and legislative actions that clearly demonstrate how Honduras was defined both racially and spatially.
The evolution of molluscs
Authors: Wanninger Andreas , Wollesen Tim
Published: June 2018

Molluscs are extremely diverse invertebrate animals with a rich fossil record, highly divergent life cycles, and considerable economical and ecological importance. Key representatives include worm‐like aplacophorans, armoured groups (e.g. polyplacophorans, gastropods, bivalves) and the highly complex cephalopods. Molluscan origins and evolution of their different phenotypes have largely remained unresolved, but significant progress has been made over recent years. Phylogenomic studies revealed a dichotomy of the phylum, resulting in Aculifera (shell‐less aplacophorans and multi‐shelled polyplacophorans) and Conchifera (all other, primarily uni‐shelled groups). This challenged traditional hypotheses that proposed that molluscs gradually evolved complex phenotypes from simple, worm‐like animals, a view that is corroborated by developmental studies that showed that aplacophorans are secondarily simplified. Gene expression data indicate that key regulators involved in anterior–posterior patterning (the homeobox‐containing Hox genes) lost this function and were co‐opted into the evolution of taxon‐specific novelties in conchiferans. While the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)/decapentaplegic (Dpp) signalling pathway, that mediates dorso‐ventral axis formation, and molecular components that establish chirality appear to be more conserved between molluscs and other metazoans, variations from the common scheme occur within molluscan sublineages. The deviation of various molluscs from developmental pathways that otherwise appear widely conserved among metazoans provides novel hypotheses on molluscan evolution that can be tested with genome editing tools such as the CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats‐associated protein9) system.
UNC119 is a binding partner of tumor suppressor Ras‐association domain family 6 and induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by MDM2 and p53
Authors: Iwasa Hiroaki , Sarkar Aradhan , Shimizu Takanobu , Sawada Takeru , Hossain Shakhawoat , Xu Xiaoyin , Maruyama Junichi , Arimoto‐Matsuzaki Kyoko , Withanage Kanchanamala , Nakagawa Kentaro , Kurihara Hidetake , Kuroyanagi Hidehito , Hata Yutaka
Published: June 2018

Ras‐association domain family 6 (RASSF6) is a tumor suppressor that interacts with MDM2 and stabilizes p53. Caenorhabditis elegans unc‐119 encodes a protein that is required for normal development of the nervous system. Humans have 2 unc‐119 homologues, UNC119 and UNC119B. We have identified UNC119 as a RASSF6‐interacting protein. UNC119 promotes the interaction between RASSF6 and MDM2 and stabilizes p53. Thus, UNC119 induces apoptosis by RASSF6 and p53. UNC119 depletion impairs DNA repair after DNA damage and results in polyploid cell generation. These findings support that UNC119 is a regulator of the RASSF6‐MDM2‐p53 axis and functions as a tumor suppressor.
Pharmacodynamic analysis of eribulin safety in breast cancer patients using real‐world postmarketing surveillance data
Authors: Kawamura Takahisa , Kasai Hidefumi , Fermanelli Valentina , Takahashi Toshiaki , Sakata Yukinori , Matsuoka Toshiyuki , Ishii Mika , Tanigawara Yusuke
Published: June 2018

Postmarketing surveillance is useful to collect safety data in real‐world clinical settings. In this study, we applied postmarketing real‐world data on a mechanistic model analysis for neutropenic profiles of eribulin in patients with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer. Demographic and safety data were collected using an active surveillance method from eribulin‐treated recurrent or metastatic breast cancer patients. Changes in neutrophil counts over time were analyzed using a mechanistic pharmacodynamic model. Pathophysiological factors that might affect the severity of neutropenia were investigated, and neutropenic patterns were simulated for different treatment schedules. Clinical and laboratory data were collected from 401 patients (5199 neutrophil count measurements) who had not received granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor and were eligible for pharmacodynamic analysis. The estimated mean parameters were as follows: mean transit time = 104.5 h, neutrophil proliferation rate constant = 0.0377 h−1, neutrophil elimination rate constant = 0.0295 h−1, and linear coefficient of drug effect = 0.0413 mL/ng. Low serum albumin levels and low baseline neutrophil counts were associated with severe neutropenia. The probability of grade ≥3 neutropenia was predicted to be 69%, 27%, and 27% for patients on standard, biweekly, and triweekly treatment scenarios, respectively, based on virtual simulations using the developed pharmacodynamic model. In conclusion, this is the first application of postmarketing surveillance data to a model‐based safety analysis. This analysis of safety data reflecting authentic clinical settings will provide useful information on the safe use and potential risk factors of eribulin.
Using Gradient Forests to summarize patterns in species turnover across large spatial scales and inform conservation planning
Authors: Stephenson Fabrice , Leathwick John R. , Geange Shane W. , Bulmer Richard H. , Hewitt Judi E. , Anderson Owen F. , Rowden Ashley A. , Lundquist Carolyn J.
Published: June 2018

Aim

Producing quantitative descriptions of large‐scale biodiversity patterns is challenging, particularly where biological sampling is sparse or inadequate. This issue is particularly problematic in marine environments, where sampling is both difficult and expensive, often resulting in patchy and/or uneven coverage. Here, we evaluate the ability of Gradient Forest (GF) modelling to describe broad‐scale marine biodiversity patterns, using a large dataset that also provided opportunity to investigate the effects of sample size on model stability.

Location

New Zealand's Extended Continental Shelf to depths of 2,000 m.

Methods

GF models were used to analyse and predict spatial patterns of demersal fish species turnover (beta diversity) using an extensive demersal fish dataset (>27,000 research trawls) and high‐resolution environmental data layers (1 km2 grid resolution). GF models were fitted using various sized, mutually exclusive subsets of the demersal fish data to explore the effect of variation in numbers of training observations on model performance and stability. A final GF model using 13,917 samples was used to transform the environmental layers, which were then classified to produce 30 spatial groups; the ability of these groups to identify fish samples with similar composition was evaluated using independent sample data.

Results

Model fitting using varying sized subsets of the data indicated only minimal changes in model outcomes when using >7,000 observations. A multiscale spatial classification of marine environments created using results from a final GF model fitted using ~14,000 samples was highly effective at summarizing spatial variation in both fish assemblage composition and species turnover.

Main conclusions

The hierarchical nature of the classification supports its use at varying levels of classification detail, which is advantageous for conservation planning at differing spatial scales. This approach also facilitates the incorporation of information on intergroup similarities into conservation planning, allowing greater protection of distinctive groups likely to support unusual assemblages of species.
Impact of macronutrient content of meals on postprandial glucose control in the context of closed‐loop insulin delivery: A randomized cross‐over study
Authors: Gingras Véronique , Bonato Lisa , Messier Virginie , Roy‐Fleming Amélie , Smaoui Mohamed R. , Ladouceur Martin , Rabasa‐Lhoret Rémi
Published: June 2018

The aim of this randomized four‐way cross‐over study was to examine the effect of added protein and/or fat in standard meals with a fixed carbohydrate content on postprandial glucose control with closed‐loop insulin delivery in adults with type 1 diabetes. Participants (n = 15) consumed breakfast meals with a fixed carbohydrate content (75 ± 1 g) and added protein and/or fat (35 ± 2 g): (1) carbohydrate‐only (standard), (2) high protein (HP), (3) high fat (HF) and (4) high fat + protein (HFHP). The closed‐loop insulin delivery algorithm generated insulin bolus and infusion rates. The addition of fat, protein or both did not impact 5‐hour post‐meal sensor glucose area under the curve (AUC) (main outcome), mean sensor glucose or glycaemic peak as compared with a standard meal (P > 0.05). However, time to glycaemic peak was delayed by 40 minutes (P = 0.03) and 5‐hour post‐meal basal insulin requirements were 39% higher (P = 0.04) with an HFHP meal compared with a standard meal. In conclusion, in the context of closed‐loop insulin delivery, protein and/or fat meal content affects the timing of postprandial glycaemic peak, insulin requirements and late glycaemic excursion, without impacting overall 5‐hour AUC.
The role of neutrophils in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease
Authors: Segal Anthony W.
Published: June 2018

Crohn's disease (CD) is caused by a trigger, almost certainly enteric infection by one of a multitude of organisms that allows faeces access to the tissues, at which stage the response of individuals predisposed to CD is abnormal. In CD the failure of acute inflammation results in the failure to recruit neutrophils to the inflammatory site, as a consequence of which the clearance of bacteria from the tissues is defective. The retained faecal products result in the characteristic chronic granulomatous inflammation and adaptive immune response. Impaired of digestion of bacteria and fungi by CGD neutrophils can result in a similar pathological and clinical picture. The neutrophils in CD are normal and their inadequate accumulation at sites of inflammation generally results from diminished secretion of proinflammatory cytokines by macrophages consequent upon disordered vesicle trafficking.
A complex network approach to clinical science
Authors: Hofmann Stefan G. , Curtiss Joshua
Published: June 2018

Contemporary classification systems assume that psychiatric disorders are expressions of latent disease entities. However, some critics point to the comorbidity problem and other issues that question the validity of the latent disease model. An alternative to this traditional view is the complex network approach. This approach assumes that disorders exist as systems of inter‐connected elements, without requiring that the elements are expressions of latent disease entities. Depending on the structure of the network, change can occur abruptly once the network reaches a tipping point. A dynamic complex network approach could be used to develop a functional analytic case conceptualization that may predict treatment change, relapse and recovery, thereby linking nosology and treatment. In conclusion, the complex network perspective offers an alternative and less restrictive approach to the latent disease model, while offering exciting new directions for future research in psychiatry.
Multiple sclerosis and epilepsy: much more than a coincidence
Authors: Calabrese M.
Published: June 2018

Click here to view the accompanying paper in this volume.
European Association of Nuclear Medicine and European Academy of Neurology recommendations for the use of brain 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in neurodegenerative cognitive impairment and dementia: Delphi consensus
Authors: Nobili F. , Arbizu J. , Bouwman F. , Drzezga A. , Agosta F. , Nestor P. , Walker Z. , Boccardi M. ,   the EANM‐EAN Task Force for the Prescription of FDG‐PET for Dementing Neurodegenerative Disorders
Published: June 2018

Background and purpose

Recommendations for using fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET) to support the diagnosis of dementing neurodegenerative disorders are sparse and poorly structured.

Methods

Twenty‐one questions on diagnostic issues and on semi‐automated analysis to assist visual reading were defined. Literature was reviewed to assess study design, risk of bias, inconsistency, imprecision, indirectness and effect size. Critical outcomes were sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive/negative predictive value, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, and positive/negative likelihood ratio of FDG‐PET in detecting the target conditions. Using the Delphi method, an expert panel voted for/against the use of FDG‐PET based on published evidence and expert opinion.

Results

Of the 1435 papers, 58 papers provided proper quantitative assessment of test performance. The panel agreed on recommending FDG‐PET for 14 questions: diagnosing mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB); diagnosing atypical AD and pseudo‐dementia; differentiating between AD and DLB, FTLD or vascular dementia, between DLB and FTLD, and between Parkinson's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy; suggesting underlying pathophysiology in corticobasal degeneration and progressive primary aphasia, and cortical dysfunction in Parkinson's disease; using semi‐automated assessment to assist visual reading. Panellists did not support FDG‐PET use for pre‐clinical stages of neurodegenerative disorders, for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington disease diagnoses, and for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Huntington‐disease‐related cognitive decline.

Conclusions

Despite limited formal evidence, panellists deemed FDG‐PET useful in the early and differential diagnosis of the main neurodegenerative disorders, and semi‐automated assessment helpful to assist visual reading. These decisions are proposed as interim recommendations.
Success of aphid parasitoids and their hosts varies with ant attendance: A field study
Authors: Sadeghi‐Namaghi Hussein , Amiri‐Jami Alireza
Published: June 2018

Aphid–ant associations are often described as mutually beneficial interactions in which honeydew is traded for protection from predators and parasitoids. The aim of the present study was to determine parasitization avoidance in ant‐tended aphid colonies. Field experiments were carried out on two host plants: hoary cress Lepidium draba (Brassicaceae) and Canadian teasel Cirsium arvense (Asteraceae). Lepidium was host to Acyrthosiphon gossypii (Aphididae) tended by the ant Lasius turcicus (Formicidae) and attacked by two parasitoids, Trioxys asiaticus (Braconidae) and Lysiphlebus fabarum (Braconidae). Cirsium was host to Brachycaudus cardui tended by Crematogaster sordidula and attacked by L. fabarum and Aphidius colemani (Braconidae). The per capita population growth rate of A. gossypii was significantly higher in the presence of ants, while B. cardui was negatively affected, albeit non‐significantly. The parasitism rate of A. gossypii decreased significantly when tended by Lasius turcicus, but the presence of Crematogaster sordidula in colonies of B. cardui significantly increased parasitism. Our results indicate that the effects of ant attendance vary between different aphid–ant interactions. Moreover, parasitoids can benefit from the presence of ants under some conditions.
Claspin – checkpoint adaptor and DNA replication factor
Authors: Smits Veronique A. J. , Cabrera Elisa , Freire Raimundo , Gillespie David A.
Published: June 2018

Claspin was discovered as a Chk1‐interacting protein necessary for Chk1 phosphorylation and activation by the upstream kinase, ATR, in response to DNA synthesis inhibition in Xenopus oocyte extracts. Subsequent investigations have defined a molecular model in which Claspin acts as an adaptor or scaffold protein to facilitate activation of Chk1 by ATR within a multiprotein complex that forms on single‐stranded DNA at stalled replication forks and sites of DNA damage. Interestingly, Claspin is an unstable protein whose degradation via the proteasome is tightly regulated via ubiquitination and controlled by multiple ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases. As a result, Claspin levels fluctuate during the cell cycle, contributing to the regulation of checkpoint proficiency and playing a key role in terminating checkpoint‐mediated cell cycle arrest. In addition to its role in signalling genotoxic stress, Claspin is required to maintain normal rates of replication fork progression during unperturbed DNA replication and may contribute to the regulation of replication origin firing. Consistent with this, Claspin can bind directly to DNA, with particular affinity for branched or forked molecules, and it interacts with multiple protein components of the replisome. As expected for a protein with key roles in checkpoint signalling and genome duplication, aberrations of Claspin expression and structure have been observed in cancer. Claspin is furthermore targeted to facilitate viral replication and plays a role in suppressing cellular DNA synthesis in response to nongenotoxic endoplasmic reticulum stress. Here, we review the functions and regulation of Claspin with a focus on areas of active research.
Using the same fish with different rules: A science‐based approach for improving management of recreational fisheries in a biodiversity hotspot of the Western South Atlantic
Authors: Garrone‐Neto Domingos , Sanches Eduardo Antonio , Daros Felippe Alexandre Lisboa de Miranda , Imanobu Cleber Mikio Rosa , Moro Pietro Simon
Published: June 2018

In this study we tested the hypothesis that Centropomus parallelus Poey moves between areas where fishing tourism is important, but the management rules for recreational fisheries are different. Fieldwork was conducted from May 2014 to June 2017 in an estuary located in the border between the states of São Paulo and Paraná, South‐Southeastern Brazil. Through a mark and recapture experiment, 2.000 individuals were tagged, of which 42 were recaptured. Among these, six fish were recaptured in Paraná, after being tagged in São Paulo, and a fish was recaptured in São Paulo, after being tagged in Paraná. These results support the hypothesis tested and indicate an uneven use of C. parallelus by anglers in both states. Thus, the use of the species and the recreational fisheries regulations need to be reviewed in the study area, taking into account the ability of C. parallelus to move across political boundaries and the importance of a fish‐oriented fisheries management regime.
The potential of informal institutions for marine fisheries management—A case study of a coastal commune in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Dang Bach , Momtaz Salim , Pham Nhung Thi Hong
Published: June 2018

The potential of informal institutions for sustainable management of marine fisheries was examined. The study is based on both primary data collected through two group discussions and interviews and secondary information, including material related to fishing gear operation and whale worship. It shows that informal institutions, including fisher groups, fishing community norms, fisher's knowledge and whale worship have potential to strengthen institutional, ecological, social and community aspects of sustainable fisheries development. Although these informal institutions are not able to fix completely all the problems faced by formal institutions, they are able to complement and consolidate formal institutions to manage marine fisheries effectively. The findings of this study suggest it is imperative that formal institutions should be improved simultaneously with informal institutions to enhance current management for sustainable marine fisheries development.
Effects of differing ground‐truth data, transect design and statistical analysis on the repeatability of hydroacoustic assessments of pollan Coregonus autumnalis pollan
Authors: Morrissey‐McCaffrey Emma , Rocks Kieran , Kelly Fiona L. , Kelly‐Quinn Mary
Published: June 2018

Pollan, Coregonus autumnalis pollan Thompson, requires an appropriate standardised sampling protocol for conservation assessments. The suitability of hydroacoustics with gillnetting was evaluated, and the effects of sampling design, effort and statistical analysis on the repeatability of results were tested. Summer hydroacoustic surveys appear appropriate as pollan were not abundant in acoustically unsampled areas. However, pollan density estimates were significantly affected by the gillnet sampling design used to ground‐truth the acoustic data. Density estimates from the >12‐ m layer were more robust to gillnet design than estimates from the 3‐ to 12‐ m layer. Estimates from different transect designs yielded some statistically significant results. Comparison of transects common to both transect designs suggests that observed differences reflect temporal changes rather than transect design effects. The reduction in the systematic parallel transect effort by half significantly affected target strength distributions but not pollan density estimates. Density estimates were affected by statistical analysis method where pollan density was highest, with geostatistical analysis providing higher estimates than the arithmetic mean. Hydroacoustic assessments may provide a reliable index of pollan abundance over time and between lakes but future research should investigate the effects of temporal and abiotic factors.