bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fluorescent and Iodized Emulsion for Preoperative Localization of Pulmonary Nodules
Authors: Rho Jiyun , Lee Jae Wook , Quan Yu Hua , Choi Byeong Hyeon , Shin Bong Kyung , Han Kook Nam , Kim Beop-Min , Choi Young Ho , Yong Hwan Seok , Kim Hyun Koo
Published: April 2019

Objective:

This study was conducted to develop a fluorescent iodized emulsion comprising indocyanine green (ICG) solution and lipiodol (ethiodized oil) and evaluate its feasibility for use in a clinical setting.

Background:

ICG use for the preoperative localization of pulmonary nodules is limited in terms of penetration depth and diffusion.

Methods:

First, fluorescent microscopy was used to investigate the distribution of ICG-lipiodol emulsions prepared using different methods. The emulsions were injected in 15 lung lobes of 3 rabbits under computed tomography fluoroscopy guidance; evaluation with imaging and radiography was conducted after thoracotomy. Subsequently, the emulsions were used to preoperatively localize 29 pulmonary nodules in 24 human subjects, and wedge resections were performed using fluorescent imaging and C-arm fluoroscopy.

Results:

The optimal emulsion of 10% ICG and 90% lipiodol mixed through 90 passages had even distribution and the highest signal intensity under fluorescent microscopy; it also had the best consistency in the rabbit lungs, which persisted for 24 hours at the injection site. In human subjects, the mean diameter of pulmonary nodules was 0.9 ± 0.4 cm, and depth from the pleura was 1.2 ± 0.8 cm. All emulsion types injected were well localized around the target nodules without any side effects or procedure-related complications. Wedge resection with minimally invasive approach was successful in all pulmonary nodules with a free resection margin.

Conclusions:

A fluorescent iodized emulsion prepared by mixing ICG with lipiodol enabled accurate localization and resection of pulmonary nodules.
Disruption of membrane cholesterol organization impairs the concerted activity of PIEZO1 channel clusters
Authors: Ridone P. , Pandzic E. , Vassalli M. , Cox C. D. , Macmillan A. , Gottlieb P.A. , Martinac B.
Published: April 2019

The human mechanosensitive ion channel PIEZO1 is gated by membrane tension and regulates essential biological processes such as vascular development and erythrocyte volume homeostasis. Currently, little is known about PIEZO1 plasma membrane localization and organization. Using a PIEZO1-GFP fusion protein, we investigated whether cholesterol enrichment or depletion by methyl-β-Cyclodextrin (MBCD) and disruption of membrane cholesterol organization by dynasore affects PIEZO1-GFP’s response to mechanical force. Electrophysiological recordings in the cell-attached configuration revealed that MBCD caused a rightward shift in the PIEZO1-GFP pressure-response curve, increased channel latency in response to mechanical stimuli and markedly slowed channel inactivation. The same effects were seen in native PIEZO1 in N2A cells. STORM super-resolution imaging revealed that, at the nano-scale, PIEZO1-GFP channels in the membrane associate as clusters sensitive to membrane manipulation. Both cluster distribution and diffusion rates were affected by treatment with MBCD (5 mM). Supplementation of poly-unsaturated fatty acids appeared to sensitize the PIEZO1-GFP response to applied pressure. Together, our results indicate that PIEZO1 function is directly dependent on the membrane mechanical properties and lateral organization of membrane cholesterol domains which coordinates the concerted activity of PIEZO1 channels.

The essential mammalian mechanosensitive channel PIEZO1 organizes in the plasma membrane into nanometric clusters which depend on the integrity of cholesterol domains to rapidly detect applied force and especially inactivate syncronously, the most commonly altered feature of PIEZO1 in pathology.
Social information drives ecological outcomes among competing species
Authors: Gil M.A. , Baskett M.L. , Schreiber S.J.
Published: April 2019

Through its behavior, an organism intentionally or unintentionally produces information. Use of this ‘social information’ by surrounding conspecifics or heterospecifics is a ubiquitous phenomenon that can drive strong correlations in fitness-associated behaviors, such as predator avoidance, enhancing survival within and among competing species. By eliciting indirect positive interactions between competing individuals or species, social information might alter overall competitive outcomes. To test this potential, we present new theory that quantifies the effect of social information, modeled as predator avoidance signals/cues, on the outcomes from intraspecific and interspecific competition. Our analytical and numerical results reveal that social information can rescue populations from extinction and can shift the long-term outcome of competitive interactions from mutual exclusion to coexistence, or vice versa, depending on the relative strengths of intraspecific and interspecific social information and competition. Our findings highlight the importance of social information in determining ecological outcomes.
Bayesian Estimation of Population Size Changes by Sampling Tajima’s Trees
Authors: Palacios Julia A. , Véber Amandine , Cappello Lorenzo , Wang Zhangyuan , Wakeley John , Ramachandran Sohini
Published: April 2019

The large state space of gene genealogies is a major hurdle for inference methods based on Kingman’s coalescent. Here, we present a new Bayesian approach for inferring past population sizes which relies on a lower resolution coalescent process we refer to as “Tajima’s coalescent”. Tajima’s coalescent has a drastically smaller state space, and hence it is a computationally more efficient model, than the standard Kingman coalescent. We provide a new algorithm for efficient and exact likelihood calculations for data without recombination, which exploits a directed acyclic graph and a correspondingly tailored Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. We compare the performance of our Bayesian Estimation of population size changes by Sampling Tajima’s Trees (BESTT) with a popular implementation of coalescent-based inference in BEAST using simulated data and human data. We empirically demonstrate that BESTT can accurately infer effective population sizes, and it further provides an efficient alternative to the Kingman’s coalescent. The algorithms described here are implemented in theRpackagephylodyn, which is available for download athttps://github.com/JuliaPalacios/phylodyn.
RhoA mediates epithelial cell shape changes via mechanosensitive endocytosis
Authors: Cavanaugh Kate E. , Staddon Michael F. , Munro Ed , Banerjee Shiladitya , Gardel Margaret L.
Published: April 2019

Morphogenetic movements require tight spatiotemporal control over cell-cell junction lengths. Contractile forces, acting at adherens junctions, alter cell-cell contact lengths in a cyclic fashion as a mechanical ratchet. Pulsatile RhoA activity is thought to drive ratcheting through acute periods of junction contraction followed by stabilization. Currently, we lack a mechanistic understanding of if and how RhoA activity governs junction length and subsequent cell shape within epithelia. In this study we use optogenetics to exogenously control RhoA activity in model Caco-2 epithelium. We find that at short timescales, RhoA activation drives reversible junction contraction. Sustained RhoA activity drives irreversible junction shortening but the amount of shortening saturates for a single pulse. To capture these data, we develop a vertex model modified to include strain-dependent junction length and tension remodeling. We find that, to account for experimental data, tension remodeling requires a strain-dependent threshold. Our model predicts that temporal structuring of RhoA activity allows for subsequent tension remodeling events to overcome the limited shortening within a single pulse and this is confirmed by our experimental data. We find that RhoA-mediated junction remodeling requires activities of formin and dynamin, indicating the closely inter-connected activities of contractility, E-cadherin clustering, and endocytosis. Junction length is therefore regulated by the coordinated action of RhoA-mediated contractility, membrane trafficking, and adhesion receptor remodeling. Altogether these data provide insights into the underlying molecular and biophysical mechanisms of RhoA-mediated regulation of epithelial cell shape.
Neuropilin-1 regulates the secondary CD8 T cell response to virus infection
Authors: Hwang Ji Young , Sun Yanbo , Carroll Christopher R. , Usherwood Edward J
Published: April 2019

Neuropilin-1 plays important roles in axonal guidance in neurons, and in the growth of new blood vessels. There is also a growing appreciation for roles played by neuropilin-1 in the immune response. This molecule is important for the function of regulatory T cells, however roles in other T cell populations have not been identified. Here we show that neuropilin-1 is expressed during the peak of the antiviral CD8 T cell response during murine gammaherpesvirus infection. Using a conditional knockout model, we deleted Nrp1 either before infection, or after CD8 T cell memory had been established. We found deletion of Nrp1 skewed the acute CD8 T cell response toward a memory precursor-like phenotype, however the ensuing resting memory response was similar regardless of Nrp1 expression. Interestingly Nrp1 deletion had differing effects on the recall response depending on the timing of deletion. When deleted before infection, Nrp1 deficiency inhibited the secondary response. Deletion just prior to re-exposure to virus lead to an enhanced secondary response. Interestingly these effects were observed only in mice infected with a persistent strain of murine gammaherpesvirus, and not a non-persistent mutant strain. These data highlight a multifaceted role for neuropilin-1 in memory CD8 T cell differentiation, dependent upon the stage of the T cell response and characteristics of the infectious agent. Several therapeutic anti-cancer therapies focus on inhibition of Nrp1 to restrict tumor growth, so knowledge of how Nrp1 blockade may affect the CD8 T cell response will provide a better understanding of treatment consequences.

Importance

CD8 T cell responses are critical to control both virus infections and tumors. The ability of these cells to persist for long periods of time can result in lifelong immunity, as relatively small populations of cell can expand rapidly to counter re-exposure to the same insult. Understanding the molecules necessary for this rapid secondary expansion is critical if we are to develop therapies that can provide lifelong protection. This report shows an important and complex role for the molecule neuropilin-1 in the secondary response. Several cancer therapies targeting neuropilin-1 are in development, and this work will lead to better understanding of the effect these therapies could have upon the protective CD8 T cell response.
A novel mutant allele uncouples brassinosteroid-dependent and independent functions of BRI1
Authors: Holzwart Eleonore , Glöckner Nina , Höfte Herman , Harter Klaus , Wolf Sebastian
Published: April 2019

Plants depend on an array of cell surface receptors to integrate extracellular signals with developmental programs. One of the best-studied receptors is BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1 (BRI1), which upon binding of its hormone ligands forms a complex with shape-complimentary co-receptors and initiates a signal transduction cascade leading to a wide range of responses. BR biosynthetic and receptor mutants have similar growth defects on the macroscopic level, which had initially led to the assumption of a largely linear signalling pathway. However, recent evidence suggests that BR signalling is interconnected with a number of other pathways through a variety of different mechanisms. We recently described that feedback information from the cell wall is integrated at the level of the receptor complex through interaction with RLP44. Moreover, BRI1 is required for a second function of RLP44, the control of procambial cell fate. Here, we report on a BRI1 mutant, bri1cnu4, which differentially affects canonical BR signalling and RLP44 function in the vasculature. While BR signalling is only mildly impaired, bri1cnu4 mutants show ectopic xylem in the position of procambium. Mechanistically, this is explained by an increased association of RLP44 and the mutated BRI1 protein, which prevents the former from acting in vascular cell fate maintenance. Consistent with this, the mild BR response phenotype of bri1cnu4 is a recessive trait, whereas the RLP44-mediated xylem phenotype is semi-dominant. Our results highlight the complexity of plant plasma membrane receptor function and provide a tool to dissect BR signalling-related roles of BRI1 from its non-canonical functions.

One sentence summary

A novel mutant allows to dissect brassinosteroid signalling related and non-canonical functions of the receptor-like kinase BRI1.
How many samples are needed to infer truly clonal mutations from heterogenous tumours?
Authors: Opasic Luka , Zhou Da , Werner Benjamin , Dingli David , Traulsen Arne
Published: April 2019

Background

Modern cancer treatment strategies aim to target tumour specific genetic (or epigenetic) alterations. Treatment response improves if these alterations are clonal, i.e. present in all cancer cells within tumours. However, the identification of truly clonal alterations is impaired by the tremendous intra-tumour genetic heterogeneity and unavoidable sampling biases.

Methods

Here, we investigate the underlying causes of these spatial sampling biases and how the distribution and sizes of biopsies in sampling protocols can be optimized to minimize such biases.

Results

We find that in the ideal case, less than a handful of samples can be enough to infer truly clonal mutations. The frequency of the largest sub-clone at diagnosis is the main factor determining the accuracy of truncal mutation estimation in structured tumours. If the first sub-clone is dominating the tumour, higher spatial dispersion of samples and larger sample size can increase the accuracy of the estimation. In such an improved sampling scheme, fewer samples will enable the detection of truly clonal alterations with the same probability.

Conclusions

Taking spatial tumour structure into account will decrease the probability to misclassify a sub-clonal mutation as clonal and promises better informed treatment decisions.
Deciphering interaction fingerprints from protein molecular surfaces
Authors: Gainza P , Sverrisson F , Monti F , Rodolà E , Bronstein MM , Correia BE
Published: April 2019

Predicting interactions between proteins and other biomolecules purely based on structure is an unsolved problem in biology. A high-level description of protein structure, the molecular surface, displays patterns of chemical and geometric features thatfingerprinta protein’s modes of interactions with other biomolecules. We hypothesize that proteins performing similar interactions may share common fingerprints, independent of their evolutionary history. Fingerprints may be difficult to grasp by visual analysis but could be learned from large-scale datasets. We presentMaSIF, a conceptual framework based on a new geometric deep learning method to capture fingerprints that are important for specific biomolecular interactions. We showcase MaSIF with three prediction challenges: protein pocket-ligand prediction, protein-protein interaction site prediction, and ultrafast scanning of protein surfaces for prediction of protein-protein complexes. We anticipate that our conceptual framework will lead to improvements in our understanding of protein function and design.
Genome-wide developed microsatellites reveal a weak population differentiation in the hoverflyEupeodes corollae(Diptera: Syrphidae) across China
Authors: Liu Meng-Jia , Wang Xiao-qiang , Ma Ling , Cao Li-Jun , Liu Hong-Ling , Pu De-Qiang , Wei Shu-Jun
Published: April 2019

The hoverfly,Eupeodes corollae,is a worldwide natural enemy of aphids and a plant pollinator. To provide insights into the biology of this species, we examined its population genetic structure by obtaining 1.15-GB random genomic sequences using next-generation sequencing and developing genome-wide microsatellite markers. A total of 79,138 microsatellite loci were initially isolated from the genomic sequences; after strict selection and further testing of 40 primer pairs in eight individuals, 24 polymorphic microsatellites with high amplification rates were developed. These microsatellites were used to examine the population genetic structure of 96 individuals from four field populations collected across southern to northern China. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 5 to 13 with an average of 8.75; the observed and expected heterozygosity varied from 0.235 to 0.768 and from 0.333 to 0.785, respectively. Population genetic structure analysis showed weak genetic differentiation among the four geographical populations ofE. corollae, suggesting a high rate of gene flow reflecting likely widespread migration ofE. corollaein China.
Twist2 amplification in rhabdomyosarcoma represses myogenesis and promotes oncogenesis by redirecting MyoD DNA binding
Authors: Li Stephen , Chen Kenian , Zhang Yichi , Barnes Spencer D. , Jaichander Priscilla , Zheng Yanbin , Hassan Mohammed , Malladi Venkat S. , Skapek Stephen X. , Xu Lin , Bassel-Duby Rhonda , Olson Eric N. , Liu Ning
Published: April 2019

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is an aggressive pediatric cancer composed of myoblast-like cells. Recently, we discovered a unique muscle progenitor marked by the expression of the Twist2 transcription factor. Genomic analyses of 258 RMS patient tumors uncovered prevalent copy number amplification events and increased expression of TWIST2 in fusion-negative RMS. Knockdown of TWIST2 in RMS cells results in up-regulation of MYOGENIN and a decrease in proliferation, implicating TWIST2 as an oncogene in RMS. Through an inducible Twist2 expression system, we identified Twist2 as a reversible inhibitor of myogenic differentiation with the remarkable ability to promote myotube dedifferentiation in vitro. Integrated analysis of genome-wide ChIP-seq and RNA-seq data revealed the first dynamic chromatin and transcriptional landscape of Twist2 binding during myogenic differentiation. During differentiation, Twist2 competes with MyoD at shared DNA motifs to direct global gene transcription and repression of the myogenic program. Additionally, Twist2 shapes the epigenetic landscape to drive chromatin opening at oncogenic loci and chromatin closing at myogenic loci. These epigenetic changes redirect MyoD binding from myogenic genes toward oncogenic, metabolic, and growth genes. Our study reveals the dynamic interplay between two opposing transcriptional regulators that control the fate of RMS and provides insight into the molecular etiology of this aggressive form of cancer.
Multiple institutional logics and their impact on accounting in higher education
Authors: Conrath-Hargreaves Annemarie , Wüstemann Sonja
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how an Higher Education Institution’s (HEI) choice of undergoing a voluntary reorganisation, motivated by its own interest of increasing its autonomy, whilst also having to satisfy the government in order to maintain the level of public funding, impacts on the HEI’s accounting.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on the institutional logics perspective to present a single case study of a German HEI that chose to be reorganised from a public into a foundation university. Data were obtained using multiple data collection methods.

Findings

The findings suggest that organisational characteristics, which act as filters for institutional logics, play an important role for HEIs’ ability to increase not only theirde jure, but also theirde factoautonomy through self-motivated, rather than government imposed, reform processes.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is based on a single case study in a country-specific context, limiting the empirical generalisability of the findings.

Originality/value

Germany is not only one of the main nations exporting higher education, but its economy has also been recognised for its stability and development over the last decades. Nevertheless, Germany struggles in its transition to become a knowledge-based economy. Yet, research has so far tended to neglect educational reforms in Continental European countries, such as Germany. By addressing this gap in the literature, this paper is among the first to explore how reform processes shape accounting in German HEIs.
Probability of change orders and the effect on cost and schedule for new public school buildings
Authors: Shrestha Pramen P. , Shrestha Kabindra Kumar , Zeleke Haileab B.
Published: April 2019

Purpose

Change orders (COs) adversely affect the cost and schedule of projects, specifically during the construction phase. COs of 95 new public school building projects contracted by the Clark County School District (CCSD) of Nevada were analyzed to quantify the cost and schedule growth as well as to determine the effect of COs on cost and schedule growth. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from CCSD through questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics and statistical tests were conducted to determine the effect of COs on cost and schedule growth.

Findings

It was found that the average amount of COs as well as cost and schedule overruns were 5.9, 3.0 and 7.4 percent, respectively. Statistical tests showed that the amount of COs had an adverse effect on schedule growth; schedule overruns in projects with less than 4 percent COs were significantly lower than projects with more than 4 percent COs. Cost overruns did not significantly differ in those two types of projects. The primary contribution of this study is that it provides the tools and the framework for school district engineers to determine the probability of the occurrence of COs as well as the optimum percentage of COs for a minimum effect on cost and schedule growth of new public school buildings. Probability curves were also developed to determine the likelihood of the occurrence of COs, cost growth and schedule growth in these projects. These findings could be used by school districts to avoid or reduce COs in future projects, minimizing the effect on cost and schedule growth during the construction phase.

Research limitations/implications

The findings and the probabilities curves developed in this study should be used carefully in other cases. These data were specific to the owner, location and types of buildings and generalizing these findings may have negative consequences.

Practical implications

The practical implications are that this study could provide a tool to school building administrators to determine the probability of having COs as well as cost and schedule overruns and the effects of COs on cost and schedule overruns. To the authors’ best knowledge, no other studies of this type have been conducted previously.

Social implications

The social implication of this study is it will help to efficiently use the tax payers’ money while building new school buildings.

Originality/value

This study has collected the hard data of COs, cost and schedule data of CCSD new school building projects. Therefore, the data are from the projects completed by CCSD. So, the paper is written from the original data received from CCSD.
Implicit occupational gender stereotypes: a research among Turkish university students
Authors: Basfirinci Cigdem , Cilingir Uk Zuhal , Karaoglu Sernur , Onbas Kadriye
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reveal implicit occupational gender stereotypes for 12 different occupations in Turkey.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 954 Turkish university students, this study aimed to explore which jobs are implicitly perceived to be masculine and which jobs are implicitly perceived to be feminine. The role of the respondents’ sex, the place where they grew up (metropolitan or rural) and the information level about the occupation (job title or job description) on occupational gender stereotypes were also tested. Gender stereotypes were assessed using a hypothetical scenario method, which provides an opportunity to reveal implicit information processing. Chi Square andt-test were used in hypothesis testing.

Findings

Consistent with the circumscription and compromise and the social role theory, as expected, the findings of the current study provided additional support about occupational gender stereotypes showing that job titles are strongly effective vehicles to communicate gender stereotypes for Turkish university students.

Originality/value

Using implicit measures of information processing and offering findings from a completely different cultural background (Turkey) constitutes the original contribution of this work.
Evolution of the social structure of hospitality management literature: 1960-2016
Authors: Koseoglu Mehmet Ali
Published: April 2019

Purpose

This study aims to address how the social structure of the hospitality management field has evolved from 1960 to 2016.

Design/methodology/approach

The informal social structure of the hospitality management literature was analyzed by collecting authorship data from seven hospitality management journals. Co-authorship analyses via network analysis were conducted.

Findings

According to the findings, throughout the history of hospitality management, international collaboration levels are relatively low. Based on social network analysis, the research community is only loosely connected, and the network of the community does not fit with the small-world network theory. Additional findings indicate that researchers in the hospitality management literature are ranked via degree centrality, closeness centrality and betweenness centrality. Cliques, which contain at least five researchers, and core researchers are identified.

Practical implications

This study helps both scholars and practitioners improve the informal structure of the field. Scholars must generate strong ties to strengthen cross-fertilization in the field; hence, they collaborate with authors who have strong positions in the field. Specifically, this provides a useful performance analysis. To the extent that institutions and individuals are rewarded for publications, this study demonstrates the performance and connectivity of several key researchers in the field. This finding could be interesting to (post)graduate students. Hospitality managers looking for advisors and consultants could benefit from the findings. Additionally, these are beneficial for journal editors, junior researchers and agencies/institutions.

Originality/value

As one of the first study in the field, this research examines the informal social structure of hospitality management literature in seven journals.
Utilising digital media as enabling technologies for effective correctional rehabilitation
Authors: Chan Joyce P.S. , Yeung Jessie H.Y. , Wong Nicholas C.Q. , Tan Richie C.H. , Musa N.
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how digital media technologies can enhance offender rehabilitation in correctional institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was adopted for this study involving young prisoners who had been incarcerated for at least six months. In total, 16 participants who fulfilled the criteria of listening to at least 30 of the podcasts were eventually selected for face-to-face interview.

Findings

This study focuses on how the radio podcast impacted the rehabilitation process of the 16 young inmates. From data collected through the interviews, three major themes emerged from the study, namely, reflective thinking, increased motivation to change and structured routines. The participants highlighted how these factors are essential in moving them towards successful rehabilitation upon their release.

Research limitations/implications

A convenient sample was used as there was a lack of a more diverse sample to better represent the prison population in Singapore. The number of participants who took part in the study were limited and only young inmates. Thus, the outcome of the research may not be directly applicable to the general prison population. Another issue is that media has short-lived effects and does not encourage persistent learning, it would be prudent to explore other options that can complement the radio podcasts.

Originality/value

The study indicated that the use of digital media technology can effectively aid the rehabilitation of offenders in Singapore. It enhanced work efficiency since fewer resources were required as inmates can have podcast access within their cells. The content of the podcasts complements the overall framework of rehabilitation for young inmates when they are serving their sentences in the institutions.
A theory of return‐seeking firms
Authors: Murray Cameron K. , Markey‐Towler Brendan
Published: April 2019

We introduce a theory of return‐seeking firms to study the differences between this and profit‐maximising models. A return‐seeking objective takes into account the opportunity cost of each additional resource input to a firm's production as being a potential capital input choice in an alternative project. We find that firm supply curves cease to exist in perfectly competitive markets, that supply curves may slope up as well as down, that economies of scale are necessary for any production to occur and that firms always produce on a decreasing portion of their cost curve.
The compositional properties, proteolytic–lipolytic maturation parameters and volatile compositions of commercial enzyme‐modified cheeses with different cheese flavours
Authors: Salum Pelin , Erbay Zafer , Selli Serkan
Published: April 2019

Eight different commercial enzyme‐modified cheeses (EMCs) were analysed, and the distinctive/common features of the products and production methods were investigated. Results showed that the total free fatty acid contents of EMC samples were 10 to 100 times higher than the values reported for the related cheese varieties. A total of 37 volatile compounds were identified, and acids were found as the most dominant group in all EMC samples. While furan compounds and 2‐acetylpyrrole were most intensively detected in the goat cheese EMC, methyl ketones were found in the highest amounts in Blue cheese EMC.
All‐ceramic single crowns supported by zirconia implants: 5‐year results of a prospective multicenter study
Authors: Spies Benedikt C. , Balmer Marc , Jung Ronald E. , Sailer Irena , Vach Kirstin , Kohal Ralf‐Joachim
Published: April 2019

Objectives

To assess survival/success rates and patient‐reported outcome of zirconia‐based posterior single crowns (SCs) supported by zirconia implants in a prospective two‐center study after five years of observation.

Material and methods

Forty‐five patients were restored with 45 zirconia implant‐supported posterior SCs composed of zirconia frameworks hand‐layered with a leucite‐reinforced feldspathic ceramic. Survival rates of SCs were assessed and technical success was evaluated according to modified United States Public Health Care (USPHS) criteria. Furthermore, patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) were assessed by applying visual analog scales (VAS). Wilcoxon matched‐pairs signed‐rank test, mixed‐effects ordered logistic regression, and linear mixed models were used to evaluate time effects on response variables.

Results

Forty patients were available after a mean observation period of 61.0 ± 1.4 months. One SC had to be replaced, resulting in a Kaplan–Meier (KM) survival estimate for the SCs of 97.5 ± 2.47%. Since nine reconstructions showed at least in one category a major deviation from the ideal (five major chippings, four with increased occlusal roughness, one significant crevice, and one pronounced over‐contouring), the KM success estimate was 79.3 ± 5.8%. Incidence of chipping (n = 19) and occlusal roughness (n = 35) was frequent (p < 0.001). All PROMs at prosthetic delivery except for speech (p = 0.139) showed significantly improved VAS scores (81%–94%; p < 0.001) compared to pre‐treatment evaluations. Thereafter, no decrease in satisfaction could be observed until the 5‐year follow‐up (93%–97%).

Conclusion

Veneered zirconia‐based SCs supported by zirconia implants showed high survival rates and highly satisfied patients' needs. However, significant incidence of technical complications is compromising the clinical long‐term outcome for this indication.
The use of povidone‐iodine and sugar solution in surgical wound dehiscence in the head and neck following radio‐chemotherapy
Authors: Di Stadio Arianna , Gambacorta Valeria , Cristi Maria Cristina , Ralli Massimo , Pindozzi Simona , Tassi Luigi , Greco Antonio , Lomurno Giuseppe , Giampietro Ricci
Published: April 2019

Povidone‐iodine is known for successfully treating surgical wounds; the combination between povidone‐iodine and sugar, also called Knutson's formula, has been proposed to improve wound healing. Currently, no studies have investigated the effects of Knutson's formula to treat defects in wound closure following radio‐chemotherapy in the head and neck region. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Knutson's formula in improving the wound‐healing process in patients who underwent radio‐chemotherapy after surgery for head and neck cancer. The study, conducted from August 2013 to January 2017, included a sample of 34 patients (25 males and 9 females; age range: 60‐75 years) treated with radio‐chemotherapy after head and neck cancer surgery. All patients suffered from defect of wound regeneration. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: patients in the study group (n = 18) were treated with Knutson's formula; patients in the control group (n = 16) were treated with traditional topical drugs. In the study group, 16 of 18 (88.9%) patients reached complete wound closure 1 month after treatment, with no wound infections. In the control group, only three patients (18.7%) showed complete wound closure within a month; in addition, one patient required systemic antibiotic treatment because of supra‐bacterial infection of the wound. In our sample, the combination of povidone‐iodine and sugar had a higher success rate compared with traditional topical treatment in the treatment of wound defect closure in oncological patients who underwent radio‐chemotherapy.
Pleistocene extinctions as drivers of biogeographical patterns on the easternmost Canary Islands
Authors: García‐Verdugo Carlos , Caujapé‐Castells Juli , Illera Juan Carlos , Mairal Mario , Patiño Jairo , Reyes‐Betancort Alfredo , Scholz Stephan
Published: April 2019

Subtropical islands are often viewed as refuges where Quaternary climatic shifts driving global episodes of extinction were buffered. Island biodiversity, however, may have been impacted by climatic fluctuations at local scales, particularly in spatially heterogeneous island systems. In this study, we generated a conceptual framework for predicting the potential impact of Pleistocene extinctions on the biogeographical pattern of the Canarian spermatophyte flora, with a focus on the easternmost Canarian islands (ECI). Then, we performed an exhaustive bibliographic revision (270 studies) to examine whether taxonomic, phylogenetic and phylogeographical data support our predictions. Although molecular information is limited for many lineages, the available data suggest that the majority of extant ECI plant taxa may be the result of relatively recent (<1 Ma) dispersal from surrounding insular and mainland areas. Different lines of evidence are compatible with the idea of a Pleistocene period of frequent lineage extirpation on ECI. Extinction may thus have provided new ecological opportunities for recent (re)colonization, with some cases of recent establishment mediated by facilitation. Considering background extinction on ECI, we describe five general patterns of colonization for Canarian plant lineages. In addition to factors related to island ontogeny and long‐distance dispersal, we suggest that Pleistocene extinctions may have significantly contributed to extant biogeographical patterns in the Canarian archipelago, such as the biased distribution ranges of island plants and the low endemic richness on ECI. This new scenario provides testable hypotheses for future studies dealing with the phylogeography, taxonomy and conservation of terrestrial biodiversity on the Canarian islands, and possibly, on other near‐shore islands.
Variants in the BACH2 and CLEC16A gene might be associated with susceptibility to insulin‐triggered type 1 diabetes
Authors: Onuma Hiroshi , Kawamura Ryoichi , Tabara Yasuharu , Yamashita Masakatsu , Ohashi Jun , Kawasaki Eiji , Imagawa Akihisa , Yamada Yuya , Chujo Daisuke , Takahashi Kenji , Suehiro Tadashi , Takata Yasunori , Osawa Haruhiko , Makino Hideichi
Published: April 2019

Aim/Introduction

Insulin administration was found to trigger type 1 diabetes in six Japanese type 2 diabetes patients with type 1 diabetes high‐risk human leukocyte antigen class II and the class I allele of the insulin gene variable number tandem repeat genotype. The objective of the present study was to assess the contribution of non‐human leukocyte antigen single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to the risk of developing insulin‐triggered type 1 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

We genotyped 13 type 1 diabetes susceptible SNPs in six patients and compared them with those in Japanese controls (Hap Map3‐JPT). The SNPs that showed statistically significant results were further analyzed using non‐diabetic control participants and participants with type 2 diabetes at the Ehime University Hospital.

Results

The risk allele frequency of BACH2 rs3757247 in the six patients was significantly more frequent than that in 86 Japanese controls (P = 0.038). No significant difference in the allele frequency was observed in the other SNPs. This result was confirmed by the findings that the risk allele frequency of BACH2 in the six patients was significantly higher than that in the non‐diabetic control participants (n = 179) and type 2 diabetes with or without insulin treatment (n = 154 or n = 152; P = 0.035, 0.034 or 0.037, respectively). Despite being statistically not significant, the six patients were all homozygous for the CLEC16A rs12708716 risk allele and five were homozygous for the CLEC16A rs2903692 risk allele.

Conclusions

In addition to type 1 diabetes high‐risk human leukocyte antigen class II and the class I allele of the insulin gene variable number tandem repeat genotype, the possibility that the risk variants of BACH2 and CLEC16A could contribute to the development of insulin‐triggered type 1 diabetes cannot be excluded.
No selection for change in polyandry under experimental evolution
Authors: Sutter Andreas , Travers Laura M. , Weedon Melanie , Oku Keiko , Price Thomas A. R. , Wedell Nina
Published: April 2019

What drives mating system variation is a major question in evolutionary biology. Female multiple mating (polyandry) has diverse evolutionary consequences, and there are many potential benefits and costs of polyandry. However, our understanding of its evolution is biased towards studies enforcing monandry in polyandrous species. What drives and maintains variation in polyandry between individuals, genotypes, populations and species remains poorly understood. Genetic variation in polyandry may be actively maintained by selection, or arise by chance if polyandry is selectively neutral. In Drosophila pseudoobscura, there is genetic variation in polyandry between and within populations. We used isofemale lines to found replicate populations with high or low initial levels of polyandry and tracked polyandry under experimental evolution over seven generations. Polyandry remained relatively stable, reflecting the starting frequencies of the experimental populations. There were no clear fitness differences between high versus low polyandry genotypes, and there was no signature of balancing selection. We confirmed these patterns in direct comparisons between evolved and ancestral females and found no consequences of polyandry for female fecundity. The absence of differential selection even when initiating populations with major differences in polyandry casts some doubt on the importance of polyandry for female fitness.
Imagining Animal Rights in Nineteenth‐century New York: Satire and Strategy in the Animal Protection Movement
Authors: Ingram Darcy
Published: April 2019

In 1866, America's most widely circulating newspaper the New York Herald published an extended satire directed at Henry Bergh and his newly established American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the first animal protection organization to be established in the United States. This article takes the Herald authors' decision to satirize the animal protection movement by framing it in terms of animal ‘rights’ as an opportunity to consider the challenges associated with that frame. Weighing the ease with which the movement could be ridiculed through the concept of rights and the broader discursive landscape connected to the rights of blacks and of women in the wake of the Civil War, it argues that animal rights was far more useful as a framing strategy to the critics of the animal protection movement than it was to its proponents. In turn, the article suggests that the challenges associated with the concept of animal rights that are revealed in this satire help to explain the dominance for much of the movement's history of the animal welfare frame over that of animal rights.
White striping prevalence and its effect on meat quality of broiler breast fillets under commercial conditions
Authors: Golzar Adabi Shahram , Demirok Soncu Eda
Published: April 2019

White striping (WS), characterized by white striations on the Pectoralis major muscle, is an emerging problem for the broiler industry. Thus, the impact of WS on meat quality has become a current research topic. In this context, a 2‐year follow‐up study, to reveal the prevalence of WS in broiler integrations, was undertaken. Additionally, a laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the oxidative quality during storage and the differences in proximate composition, colour and fatty acid and amino acid profiles of broiler breast fillets scored visually as normal, moderate and severe. In integrations, the WS incidence increased with increasing broiler age and more than 50% of breast fillets obtained from 32‐ to 35‐day‐old broilers and 36‐ to 39‐day‐old broilers had stripes with different scores. Lower protein and higher fat contents were measured in the moderate and severe scored fillets than the normal fillets (p < 0.001). Severe score stripes induced the formation of less redness on the ventral surface (p < 0.05) and a darker colour on the dorsal surface (p < 0.01). The lowest histidine, arginine and tryptophan amounts were determined in severe fillets (p < 0.05). Moderate and severe scored fillets were rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids implying that they were sensitive to lipid oxidation. That suggestion was further proven by the higher TBARS values. Freeze‐thawing induced the formation of carbonyl compounds, but it did not cause differences in sulphydryl groups. Briefly, we suggest that different WS scores may affect the physicochemical and oxidative quality of breast fillets; however, more studies are needed to assert an accurate and explicit judgement.
Incidence and risk factors for recurrence of endocrinopathic laminitis in horses
Authors: de Laat Melody A. , Reiche Dania B. , Sillence Martin N. , McGree James M.
Published: April 2019

Background

Endocrinopathic laminitis is common in horses and ponies, but the recurrence rate of the disease is poorly defined.

Objectives

To determine the incidence of, and risk factors for, the recurrence of endocrinopathic laminitis.

Animals

Privately owned horses and ponies with acute laminitis (n = 317, of which 276 cases with endocrinopathic laminitis were followed up to study completion).

Methods

This prospective cohort study collected data on veterinary‐diagnosed cases of acute laminitis for 2 years. Each case was classified on acceptance to the study as endocrinopathic or non‐endocrinopathic using data collected in a questionnaire completed by the animal's veterinarian. Follow‐up data were collected at regular intervals to determine whether the laminitis recurred in the 2‐year period after diagnosis.

Results

The recurrence rate for endocrinopathic laminitis was 34.1%. The risk of recurrence during the 2‐year study period increased with basal, fasted serum insulin concentration (P ≤ .05), with the probability of recurrence increasing markedly as the insulin concentration increased beyond the normal range (0‐20 μIU/mL) to over the threshold for normal (up to approximately 45 μIU/mL). Being previously diagnosed with laminitis (before the study; P = .05) was also a risk factor for recurrent laminitis. Cases with a higher Obel grade of laminitis were likely (P = .05) to recur sooner.

Conclusions and clinical importance

Knowing that hyperinsulinemia and being previously diagnosed with laminitis are significant risk factors for recurrence will enable clinicians to proactively address these factors, thereby potentially reducing the risk of recurrence of laminitis.
Drought‐responsive genes, late embryogenesis abundant group3 (LEA3) and vicinal oxygen chelate, function in lipid accumulation in Brassica napus and Arabidopsis mainly via enhancing photosynthetic efficiency and reducing ROS
Authors: Liang Yu , Kang Kai , Gan Lu , Ning Shaobo , Xiong Jinye , Song Shuyao , Xi Lingzhi , Lai Senying , Yin Yongtai , Gu Jianwei , Xiang Jun , Li Shisheng , Wang Baoshan , Li Maoteng
Published: April 2019

Drought is an abiotic stress that affects plant growth, and lipids are the main economic factor in the agricultural production of oil crops. However, the molecular mechanisms of drought response function in lipid metabolism remain little known. In this study, overexpression (OE) of different copies of the drought response genes LEA3 and VOC enhanced both drought tolerance and oil content in Brassica napus and Arabidopsis. Meanwhile, seed size, membrane stability and seed weight were also improved in OE lines. In contrast, oil content and drought tolerance were decreased in the AtLEA3 mutant (atlea3) and AtVOC‐RNAi of Arabidopsis and in both BnLEA‐RNAi and BnVOC‐RNAi B. napus RNAi lines. Hybrids between two lines with increased or reduced expression (LEA3‐OE with VOC‐OE, atlea3 with AtVOC‐RNAi) showed corresponding stronger trends in drought tolerance and lipid metabolism. Comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed the mechanisms of drought response gene function in lipid accumulation and drought tolerance. Gene networks involved in fatty acid (FA) synthesis and FA degradation were up‐ and down‐regulated in OE lines, respectively. Key genes in the photosynthetic system and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism were up‐regulated in OE lines and down‐regulated in atlea3 and AtVOC‐RNAi lines, including LACS9, LIPASE1, PSAN, LOX2 and SOD1. Further analysis of photosynthetic and ROS enzymatic activities confirmed that the drought response genes LEA3 and VOC altered lipid accumulation mainly via enhancing photosynthetic efficiency and reducing ROS. The present study provides a novel way to improve lipid accumulation in plants, especially in oil production crops.