bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overexpression of integrin α11 induces cardiac fibrosis in mice
Authors: Romaine A. , Sørensen I. W. , Zeltz C. , Lu N. , Erusappan P. M. , Melleby A. O. , Zhang L. , Bendiksen B. , Robinson E. L. , Aronsen J. M. , Herum K. M. , Danielsen H. E. , Sjaastad I. , Christensen G. , Gullberg D.
Published: August 2017

Aim

To understand the role of the collagen‐binding integrin α11 in vivo, we have used a classical approach of creating a mouse strain overexpressing integrin α11. A transgenic mouse strain overexpressing α11 in muscle tissues was analysed in the current study with special reference to the heart tissue.

Methods

We generated and phenotyped integrin α11 transgenic (TG) mice by echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging and histology. Wild‐type (WT) mice were subjected to aortic banding (AB) and the expression of integrin α11 was measured in flow cytometry‐sorted cardiomyocytes and non‐myocytes.

Results

TG mice developed left ventricular concentric hypertrophy by 6 months, with increased collagen deposition and reactivation of mRNA encoding foetal genes associated with cardiovascular pathological remodelling compared to WT mice. Masson's trichrome staining revealed interstitial fibrosis, confirmed additionally by magnetic resonance imaging and was found to be most prominent in the cardiac septum of TG but not WT mice. TG hearts expressed increased levels of transforming growth factor‐β2 and transforming growth factor‐β3 and upregulated smooth muscle actin. Macrophage infiltration coincided with increased NF‐κB signalling in TG but not WT hearts. Integrin α11 expression was increased in both cardiomyocytes and non‐myocyte cells from WT AB hearts compared to sham‐operated animals.

Conclusion

We report for the first time that overexpression of integrin α11 induces cardiac fibrosis and left ventricular hypertrophy. This is a result of changes in intracellular hypertrophic signalling and secretion of soluble factors that increase collagen production in the heart.
Population pharmacokinetics of oxcarbazepine and its monohydroxy derivative in epileptic children
Authors: Rodrigues Christelle , Chiron Catherine , Rey Elisabeth , Dulac Olivier , Comets Emmanuelle , Pons Gérard , Jullien Vincent
Published: August 2017

Aims

Oxcarbazepine is an antiepileptic drug with an activity mostly due to its monohydroxy derivative metabolite (MHD). A parent‐metabolite population pharmacokinetic model in children was developed to evaluate the consistency between the recommended paediatric doses and the reference range for trough concentration (Ctrough) of MHD (3–35 mg l–1).

Methods

A total of 279 plasma samples were obtained from 31 epileptic children (age 2–12 years) after a single dose of oxcarbazepine. Concentration‐time data were analysed with Monolix 4.3.2. The probability to obtain Ctrough between 3–35 mg l–1 was determined by Monte Carlo simulations for doses ranging from 10 to 90 mg kg–1 day–1.

Results

A parent‐metabolite model with two compartments for oxcarbazepine and one compartment for MHD best described the data. Typical values for oxcarbazepine clearance, central and peripheral distribution volume and distribution clearance were 140 l h–1 70 kg–1, 337 l 70 kg–1, 60.7 l and 62.5 l h–1, respectively. Typical values for MHD clearance and distribution volume were 4.11 l h–1 70 kg–1 and 54.8 l 70 kg–1 respectively. Clearances and distribution volumes of oxcarbazepine and MHD were related to body weight via empirical allometric models. Enzyme‐inducing antiepileptic drugs (EIAEDs) increased MHD clearance by 29.3%. Fifty‐kg children without EIAEDs may need 20–30 mg kg–1 day–1 instead of the recommended target maintenance dose (30–45 mg kg–1 day–1) to obtain Ctrough within the reference range. By contrast, 10‐kg children with EIAEDs would need 90 mg kg–1 day–1 instead of the maximum recommended dose of 60 mg kg–1 day–1.

Conclusion

This population pharmacokinetic model of oxcarbazepine supports current dose recommendations, except for 10‐kg children with concomitant EIAEDs and 50‐kg children without EIAEDs.
MED12 mutations and NOTCH signalling in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Authors: Wu Bian , Słabicki Mikołaj , Sellner Leopold , Dietrich Sascha , Liu Xiyang , Jethwa Alexander , Hüllein Jennifer , Walther Tatjana , Wagner Lena , Huang Zhiqin , Zapatka Marc , Zenz Thorsten
Published: August 2017

Mutations in the N‐terminus of MED12 protein occur at high frequency in uterine leiomyomas and breast fibroepithelial tumours, and are frequently found in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). MED12 mutations have been previously linked to aberrant Cyclin C‐CDK8 kinase activity, but the exact oncogenic function in CLL is unknown. Here, we characterized MED12 mutations in CLL and identified recurrent mutations in 13 out of 188 CLL patients (6·9%), which clustered in the N‐terminus. MED12 mutations were associated with unmutated IGHV (P = 0·024). Protein analysis of NOTCH1 in primary CLL samples revealed increased levels of NOTCH1 intracellular domain (NICD), the active form of NOTCH1, in the context of MED12 mutations. We found evidence that NICD is the target of Cyclin C‐CDK8 kinase using a specific CDK8 inhibitor. In line with these findings, MED12 mutations were mutually exclusive to mutations in NOTCH1 in CLL, based on a meta‐analysis of 1429 CLL patients (P = 0·011). Our results suggest that MED12 mutations may contribute to CLL pathogenesis by activating NOTCH signalling.
ACSL3 promotes intratumoral steroidogenesis in prostate cancer cells
Authors: Migita Toshiro , Takayama Ken‐ichi , Urano Tomohiko , Obinata Daisuke , Ikeda Kazutaka , Soga Tomoyoshi , Takahashi Satoru , Inoue Satoshi
Published: August 2017

Long‐chain acyl‐coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase 3 (ACSL3) is an androgen‐responsive gene involved in the generation of fatty acyl‐CoA esters. ACSL3 is expressed in both androgen‐sensitive and castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, its role in prostate cancer remains elusive. We overexpressed ACSL3 in androgen‐dependent LNCaP cells and examined the downstream effectors of ACSL3. Furthermore, we examined the role of ACSL3 in the androgen metabolism of prostate cancer. ACSL3 overexpression led to upregulation of several genes such as aldo‐keto reductase 1C3 (AKR1C3) involved in steroidogenesis, which utilizes adrenal androgen dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) as substrate, and downregulated androgen‐inactivating enzyme UDP‐glucuronosyltransferase 2 (UGT2B). Exposure to DHEAS significantly increased testosterone levels and cell proliferative response in ACSL3‐overexpressing cells when compared to that in control cells. A public database showed that ACSL3 level was higher in CRPC than in hormone‐sensitive prostate cancer. CRPC cells showed an increased expression of ACSL3 and an expression pattern of AKR1C3 and UGT2B similar to ACSL3‐overexpressing cells. DHEAS stimulation significantly promoted the proliferation of CRPC cells when compared to that of LNCaP cells. These findings suggest that ACSL3 contributes to the growth of CRPC through intratumoral steroidogenesis (i.e. promoting androgen synthesis from DHEAS and preventing the catabolism of active androgens).
L'Arche, Learning Disability, and Domestic Citizenship: Dependent Political Belonging in a Contemporary British City
Authors: MCKEARNEY PATRICK
Published: August 2017

This paper compares two ways of providing care for adults with learning disabilities in a British city. It explores how different ways of supporting those who are particularly dependent affect the kind of political belonging these individuals can achieve. Most care providers in Endsleigh see caring relationships as merely instrumental to enabling people with learning disabilities to be independent in their local ‘community’. In this respect, they see the relationship between bodily needs and political belonging similarly to Hannah Arendt, who argues that citizenship is achieved by mastering dependence. As a counterpoint to this mode of care, I delineate ethnographically a contrasting form of urban citizenship enabled by a Christian care provider called L'Arche. L'Arche builds a religious sociality around and in the care home. In doing so, it creates an urban community in which dependence on others is not an obstacle to, but a vehicle of political recognition. I argue that this alternative form of care challenges us to reconsider the relation between domestic dependence and public political belonging, and to investigate the diverse forms of urban citizenship that disability, dependence, and cognitive conditions require and enable.
At Home on the Margins: Care Giving and the ‘Un‐homely’ among Casablanca's Working Poor
Authors: STRAVA CRISTIANA
Published: August 2017

In this article I examine some of the ways in which giving and receiving care on the margins of Casablanca become ambivalently constituted acts inscribed in a context of historical trauma and growing economic insecurity. Within this context I explore the usefulness of “un‐homely” as a conceptual tool for discussing forms of domestic care on the margins of a growing urban center. Drawing on fieldwork material gathered during 2013–2014 in a marginalized and criminalized neighborhood in Casablanca, I use an ethno‐historical approach to unpack the production of marginalization and poverty, and explore which forms of care are available to urban lower class women in particular. With the help of my closest interlocutor, Amina, I offer a discussion on the labor of caring, for oneself and of others, as well as the particular affect associated with this labor. I suggest that such skilled routines of caregiving do not only function as a coping mechanism for women in precarious situations, but they reproduce affects of un‐homeliness as much as they contain them. I argue that it is this ambivalent weaving, between containment and acceptance, that ultimately serves to help make precarious homes and uncertain futures livable.
The Otology Questionnaire Amsterdam: a generic patient reported outcome measure about the severity and impact of ear complaints. A cross‐sectional study on the development of this questionnaire
Authors: Bruinewoud E.M. , Kraak J.T. , van Leeuwen L.M. , Kramer S.E. , Merkus P.
Published: August 2017

Objective

Development of the ‘Otology Questionnaire Amsterdam’ (OQUA), a patient reported outcome measure (PROM), measuring the severity and impact of ear complaints of patients visiting an ENT surgeon.

Design

Multicenter, cross‐sectional study. Phase 1: qualitative research. In‐depth interviews (N = 16) to identify relevant types of ear complaints and to formulate items. Pilot study of the first and second draft of the OQUA (N = 32, N = 39). Phase 2: quantitative research. Field‐testing of the OQUA (N = 352). Item reduction based on inter‐item correlation, factor analysis and expert opinion.

Setting

Two secondary and two tertiary ENT clinics.

Participants

Patients over the age of sixteen visiting an ENT surgeon with an ear complaint.

Main outcome measures

Phase 1: meaning units and frequency of selected descriptions. Phase 2: inter‐item correlation, factor loading and Cronbach's Alpha (α).

Results

Phase 1: eight relevant types of ear complaints were identified: earache, pressure in ear, hearing loss, tinnitus, otorrhoea, itch, dizziness and loss of taste. Phase 2: factor analysis generated a factor ‘impact’ (α = 0.913). The current version of the OQUA consists of 34 items, covers eight types of ear complaints and consists of two constructs: complaints and impact.

Conclusion

The OQUA is a generic, otologic PROM designed to evaluate the severity of ear complaints and their impact on patients lives.
Diffusion kurtosis imaging in identifying the malignancy of lymph nodes during the primary staging of rectal cancer
Authors: Yu J. , Dai X. , Zou H.‐H. , Song J.‐C. , Li Y. , Shi H.‐B. , Xu Q. , Shen H.
Published: August 2017

Aim

The aim was to assess the diagnostic value of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) for discriminating between benign and malignant lymph nodes in patients with rectal carcinoma.

Method

ighty‐five patients with rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent total mesorectal excision of the rectum were studied. A total of 273 lymph nodes were harvested and subjected to histological analysis. Quantitative parameters [apparent diffusion parameter Dapp of the Gaussian distribution, apparent kurtosis coefficient Kapp and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)] of lymph nodes were derived from DKI. Differences and the diagnostic performance of these parameters were calculated by using the independent‐samples t test and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses.

Results

The median Dapp and ADC values of metastatic lymph nodes were significantly greater than those of benign lymph nodes, whereas the median Kapp of metastatic lymph nodes was statistically less than that of normal lymph nodes. Dapp had the relatively highest area under the curve of 0.774. When 1126.15 × 10−6 mm2/s was used as a Dapp threshold value, the sensitivity and specificity were 96.97% and 41.82%, respectively.

Conclusion

DKI can help differentiate metastatic vs benign lymph nodes during the primary staging of rectal cancer.
A New Opportunity to Recover Native Forests in China
Authors: Hua Fangyuan , Xu Jianchu , Wilcove David S.
Published: August 2017

Despite unprecedented efforts at reforestation in recent decades, China's native forests continue to be displaced by plantations. Collective forest land (CFL)—land owned by rural households/communities—accounts for 60% of China's total forest land and harbors nearly half of its remaining native forests. However, China's existing policy structure for native forests suffers from considerable deficiencies with regard to CFL, most notably because policies provide no mechanism for restoring native forests on CFL. Rectifying these deficiencies requires that China's management approach toward CFL forests recognize the value of forests, especially native forests, for things other than tree crop production. In particular, policies must account for biodiversity in assessing the ecological conditions and values of forests and must provide incentives to protect and restore native forests. An opportunity has arisen to incentivize native forest recovery on CFL through the newly announced “mechanism of compensation for ecological protection” (MCEP), introduced in May 2016 and on track to become China's umbrella policy for ecosystem protection. Currently, however, MCEP does not explicitly target CFL, and it contains no incentives for restoring native forests. Adding these elements to MCEP could herald a renaissance for China's diminishing native forests and associated biodiversity. The Chinese government should not let this opportunity slip away.
Changes in symptom content from a clinical high‐risk state to conversion to psychosis
Authors: Marshall Catherine , Lu Yun , Lyngberg Kristina , Deighton Stephanie , Cadenhead Kristin S. , Cannon Tyrone D. , Cornblatt Barbara A. , McGlashan Thomas H. , Perkins Diana O. , Seidman Larry J. , Tsuang Ming T. , Walker Elaine F. , Woods Scott W. , Bearden Carrie E. , Mathalon Daniel , Addington Jean
Published: August 2017

Aim

There is an interest in the transition to psychosis for those at clinical high risk of developing psychosis. This transition is typically determined by a change in severity of the attenuated symptoms as they reach a psychotic level. However, any concomitant change in the content of such symptoms has not been examined. The current study aimed to examine potential qualitative changes in the symptom content from a clinical high‐risk state to a first episode of psychosis.

Methods

Sixty‐seven individuals, who had been identified as meeting the attenuated psychotic syndrome based on the Structured Interview of Psychosis‐Risk Syndromes and who later developed a full‐blown psychosis were included in the study. Comprehensive clinical vignettes were written and raters were trained using the Content of Attenuated Psychotic Symptoms codebook to code for the presence of specific symptom content found within the attenuated psychotic symptoms of unusual thought content, suspicious ideas, grandiose ideas and perceptual abnormalities.

Results

Two main changes in symptom content from baseline to conversion were observed. First, content that was vague and lacked intensity progressed to being more specific, concrete and severe. Second, new symptoms appeared whose onset occurred for the first time at conversion.

Conclusion

A change in symptom content should be monitored by clinicians, as changes in content may be indications of a possible transition to psychosis.
The effects of multiple anaesthetic episodes on equine recovery quality
Authors: Platt J. P. , Simon B. T. , Coleman M. , Martinez E. A. , Lepiz M. A. , Watts A. E.
Published: August 2017

Background

Although rare, 70% of equine fatalities during recovery from general anaesthesia (GA) are due to catastrophic fractures from poor recovery quality.

Objective

To determine the effect of repeatedGArecovery onGArecovery quality.

Study design

Experimental blinded trial.

Methods

Eight adult horses underwent sixGAevents on sevoflurane for distal limbMRIexamination over a 14‐week period. Prior toGArecovery, xylazine was administered. Randomly ordered video‐recordedGArecoveries were scored by three blinded board certified veterinary anaesthesiologists, unaware of patient identity orGAevent number, for nine parameters using a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS) where 0 = worst and 100 = best. The number of attempts to stand, duration of lateral and sternal recumbency, total recovery duration and physiologic parameters during eachGAevent were recorded. Repeated measuresANOVAwere used to detect differences. Agreement between observerVASscores was determined via inter‐rater reliability using an intraclass correlation.

Results

WithGArecovery experience,VASscores for balance and coordination, knuckling, and overall quality of recovery were improved and the duration of lateral recumbency was increased. There were no differences in total recovery duration, number of attempts to stand, physiologic parameters other than heart rate duringGA, orVASscores for activity in lateral recumbency, move to sternal, move to stand, or strength.

Main limitations

EachGAevent was relatively short and there was no surgical stimulation. The same results may not occur if there was surgical stimulation and pain during eachGAevent.

Conclusion

Recovery fromGAimproves with multiple anaesthetic episodes in horses. Clinicians can advise clients that horses are likely to have betterGArecovery on repeatedGArecovery due to improved balance and coordination and reduced knuckling. Additionally, there is no change in anaesthetic morbidity with six repeatedGAevents over a 14‐week period.
Prevalence and determinants of frailty and associated comorbidities among older Gurkha welfare pensioners in Nepal
Authors: Devkota Sirjana , Anderson Bruce , Soiza Roy L. , Myint Phyo K.
Published: August 2017

Aim

Population aging is increasing in low‐income countries. Despite this, there is distinct lack of knowledge about the prevalence of comorbidities and determinants of frailty among older people in these countries.

Methods

We examined data from “Health and Social Care Needs Assessment Survey of the Gurkha Welfare Pensioners” carried out in 2014. Participants were aged ≥60 years from the Gorakha, Lamjung and Tanahu districts of Nepal. Face‐to‐face interviews were carried out using validated questionnaires. Demographic data, socioeconomic status, and self‐reported symptoms and illnesses were collected. Frailty was assessed using the Canadian Study of Health and Aging scale. Univariable and multivariable regression models were constructed to identify the determinants of frailty defined as Canadian Study of Health and Aging scale ≥4.

Results

A total of 253 participants (32.0% men) were included in the present study. Most (82.2%) participants were from the Janajati ethnic background. Men who were ex‐servicemen had higher educational attainment than women, most of whom (95.3%) were widows of ex‐servicemen (P < 0.01). A total of 48.5% of women lived with their sons, whereas 43% of the male participants lived with their wives. Women reported a higher prevalence of mental health issues, such as anxiety and insomnia, compared with men. The prevalence of frailty was 46.2% (46.3% in men and 46.1% in women). In this population, frailty was significantly associated with older age, smoking, living with son, breathing problems, unspecified pain and fatigue, poor dental health, and history of falls and fracture (P < 0.001 for all) after controlling for potential confounders.

Conclusions

The present study highlights the growing nature of the comorbidity burden, and frailty and its determinants in a low‐income setting. Concerted efforts should be made with regard to how best to tackle this globally. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2493–2499.
Altered glutamine metabolism in breast cancer; subtype dependencies and alternative adaptations
Authors: El Ansari Rokaya , McIntyre Alan , Craze Madeleine L , Ellis Ian O , Rakha Emad A , Green Andrew R
Published: August 2017

Cancer cells must alter their metabolism in order to satisfy the demands of necessary energy and cellular building blocks. These metabolic alterations are mediated by many oncogenic changes that affect cellular signalling pathways, which result in sustained cell growth and proliferation. Recently, metabolomics has received great attention in the field of cancer research, and as the essential metabolic pathways that drive tumour growth and progression are determined the possibilities of new targets for therapeutic intervention are opened. More specifically, as breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, there is growing evidence that differences in metabolic changes exist between molecular subtypes. In this review, the most recent findings in breast cancer cell metabolism are discussed, with particular emphasis on glutamine and its transporters, which is considered one of the key amino acids fuelling cancer growth. Furthermore, the metabolic differences between the molecular subtypes of breast cancer are examined, highlighting the clinical utility for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Lessons learned from the management of adults who have undergone augmentation for spina bifida and bladder exstrophy: Incidence and management of the non‐lethal complications of bladder augmentation
Authors: Husmann Douglas A
Published: August 2017

The present review provides clinical insights and makes recommendations regarding patient management garnered by the long‐term follow up of patients undergoing enteric bladder augmentation for the management of congenital anomalies. A prospectively maintained database on 385 patients that have experienced an enteric bladder augmentation, using either the ileum or colon, was reviewed. Evaluations included methods used to prevent bladder calculi formation and recurrence, the incidence and etiology of renal calculi development, the incidence and treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency, and the complications and need for surgical revisions for continent catheterizable stomas. A significantly increased risk for continent catheterizable stomal complications occurred after Monti–Yang tube formation, 70% (21/30 patients), compared with appendicovesicostomy, 41% (27/66 patients), P = 0.008. Both procedures had significantly more complications than continent catheterizable stomas using tapered ileum with a reinforced ileal–cecal valve, 21% (13/63 patients), P < 0.0001 and P < 0.013, respectively. Approximately 50% of the patient population developed a body mass index ≥30 during adulthood. The onset of obesity resulted in significantly more complications developing in patients with a Monti–Yang tube (87%; 13/15 patients) or appendicovesicostomy (55%; 18/33 patients) compared with a tapered ileum with a reinforced ileal‐cecal valve (27%, 8/30 patients), P < 0.00015 and P < 0.025, respectively, with a median follow‐up interval of 16 years, range 10–25 years. Long‐term follow‐up evaluations on patients undergoing an enteric bladder augmentation are necessary to prevent the long‐term sequela of this procedure. The key to improving patient prognosis is the nutritional management of the patient as they mature, especially if a continent abdominal stoma is going to be carried out.
Selected signalling proteins recruited to the T‐cell receptor–CD3 complex
Authors: Ngoenkam Jatuporn , Schamel Wolfgang W. , Pongcharoen Sutatip
Published: August 2017

The T‐cell receptor (TCR)–CD3 complex, expressed on T cells, determines the outcome of a T‐cell response. It consists of the TCR‐αβ heterodimer and the non‐covalently associated signalling dimers of CD3εγ, CD3εδ and CD3ζζ. TCR‐αβ binds specifically to a cognate peptide antigen bound to an MHC molecule, whereas the CD3 subunits transmit the signal into the cytosol to activate signalling events. Recruitment of proteins to specialized localizations is one mechanism to regulate activation and termination of signalling. In the last 25 years a large number of signalling molecules recruited to the TCR–CD3 complex upon antigen binding to TCR‐αβ have been described. Here, we review knowledge about five of those interaction partners: Lck, ZAP‐70, Nck, WASP and Numb. Some of these proteins have been targeted in the development of immunomodulatory drugs aiming to treat patients with autoimmune diseases and organ transplants.
Mental health nurse prescribing: A qualitative, systematic review
Authors: Cleary Michelle , Kornhaber Rachel , Sayers Jan , Gray Richard
Published: August 2017

The aim of the present qualitative, systematic review was to identify and summarize qualitative research that focussed on mental health nurse prescribing, synthesize findings, and outline key themes discerned. In November 2016, a systematic search was conducted for primary studies of the electronic databases PubMed, Excerpta Medica, (Embase), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, and PsycINFO. Of the 101 papers identified through the search strategy, 12 qualitative studies met the review inclusion criteria. These studies included perspectives from nurses, doctors, and patients/clients regarding their attitudes about, and experiences of, nurse prescribing. Three themes emerged from the review: (i) patient‐centred care; (ii) professional role; and (iii) professional support. Nurse prescribers embrace a patient‐centred approach, providing timely and effective medication management. Adequate education and continuing professional development inclusive of clinical supervision enable competency development in nurse prescribing, supportive professional relationships, and patient safety. Further research is necessary to establish safety and demonstrate enhanced clinical outcomes from mental health nurse prescribing.
Electronic traps for detection and population monitoring of adult fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Shaked B. , Amore A. , Ioannou C. , Valdés F. , Alorda B. , Papanastasiou S. , Goldshtein E. , Shenderey C. , Leza M. , Pontikakos C. , Perdikis D. , Tsiligiridis T. , Tabilio M. R. , Sciarretta A. , Barceló C. , Athanassiou C. , Miranda M. A. , Alchanatis V. , Papadopoulos N. , Nestel D.
Published: August 2017

During the last decades, the economic importance of tephritid fruit flies (FF) has increased worldwide because of recurrent invasions and expansions into new areas, and reduced control capabilities of current control systems. Efficient monitoring systems, thus, are required to provide fast information to act promptly. With this aim in mind, we developed two electronic trap (e‐trap) versions for adult FF: one with specific volatiles for male and female adult Ceratitis capitata, and the second, based on the attraction of adult FF to yellow colour, targeting Dacus ciliatus, Rhagoletis cerasi and Bactrocera oleae. In the case of B. oleae, the female pheromone and ammonium bicarbonate were added as synergists. In the two versions, attracted FF were retained in the trap on glued surfaces. Real‐time images of the surfaces were automatically taken and transmitted to a server. We tested the two e‐trap versions in insect‐proof cages, where flies were released and recaptured, and in commercial orchards throughout the Mediterranean: C. capitata in peach orchards in Italy; R. cerasi in cherry orchards in Greece; B. oleae in olive orchards in Spain and in Greece; and D. ciliatus in melons in plastic tunnels in Israel. The e‐trap showed excellent abilities to transmit real‐time images of trapped FF and a high specificity for trapping different FF species. The ability of the entomologist to correctly classify FF from images in the office was >88%. In addition, average number of flies/trap in e‐trap grids did not differ from numbers reported on grids of conventional traps that were operating simultaneously. The e‐traps developed and tested in this study provide the basis for the real‐time monitoring of FF were no olfactory attractants are available, and for the surveillance of alien FF incursions where generic, but not specific, olfactory attractants exists.
Efficacy of liquid nitrogen cryotherapy for Barrett's esophagus after endoscopic resection of intramucosal cancer: A multicenter study
Authors: Trindade Arvind J , Pleskow Douglas K , Sengupta Neil , Kothari Shivangi , Inamdar Sumant , Berkowitz Joshua , Kaul Vivek
Published: August 2017

Background and Aim

Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy (LNC) allows increased depth of ablation compared with radiofrequency ablation in Barrett's esophagus (BE). Expert centers may use LNC over radiofrequency ablation to ablate Barrett's esophagus after endoscopic resection of intramucosal cancer (IMCA). The aim of our study was to (1) evaluate the safety and efficacy of LNC ablation in patients with BE and IMCA and (2) to evaluate the progression to invasive disease despite therapy.

Methods

This was a multicenter, retrospective study of consecutive patients with BE who received LNC following endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) of IMCA. The outcomes evaluated were complete eradication of dysplasia and intestinal metaplasia and development of invasive cancer during follow up. The follow‐up period was at least 1 year from initial LNC.

Results

Twenty‐seven patients were identified. The median Prague score was C3M5 (range C0M1–C14M14). After EMR+LNC, the median Prague score was C0M1 (range C0M0–C9M10); 22/27 patients (82%) achieved complete eradication of dysplasia after cryotherapy, and 19/27 patients (70%) achieved complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia. One out of 27 patients (4%) developed invasive cancer (disease beyond IMCA) over the study period.

Conclusion

Cryotherapy is an effective endoscopic tool for eradication of BE dysplasia after EMR for IMCA. Development of invasive cancer is low for this high‐risk group.
A curious case of agreement between conventional thermobarometry and phase equilibria modelling in granulites: New constraints on P–T estimates in the Antarctica segment of the Musgrave–Albany–Fraser–Wilkes Orogen
Authors: Morrissey Laura J. , Hand Martin , Kelsey David E.
Published: August 2017

The Windmill Islands region in Wilkes Land, east Antarctica, preserves granulite facies metamorphic mineral assemblages that yield seemingly comparable P–T estimates from conventional thermobarometry and mineral equilibria modelling. This is uncommon in granulite facies terranes, where conventional thermobarometry and phase equilibria modelling generally produce conflicting P–T estimates because peak mineral compositions tend to be modified by retrograde diffusion processes. In situ U–Pb monazite geochronology and calculated metamorphic phase diagrams show that the Windmill Islands experienced two phases of high thermal gradient metamorphism during the Mesoproterozoic. The first phase of metamorphism is recorded by monazite ages in two widely separated samples and occurred at c. 1,305 Ma. This event was regional in extent, involved crustally derived magmatism and reached conditions of ~3.2–5 kbar and 690–770°C corresponding to very high thermal gradients of >150°C/kbar. The elevated thermal regime is interpreted to reflect a period of extension or increased extension in a back‐arc setting that existed prior to c. 1,330 Ma. The first metamorphic event was overprinted by granulite facies metamorphism at c. 1,180 Ma that was coeval with the intrusion of charnockite. This event involved peak temperatures of ~840–850°C and pressures of ~4–5 kbar. A phase of granitic magmatism at c. 1,250–1,210 Ma, prior to the intrusion of the charnockite, is interpreted to reflect a phase of compression within an overall back‐arc setting. Existing conventional thermobarometry suggests conditions of ~4 kbar and 750°C for M1 and 4–7 kbar and 750–900°C for M2. The apparent similarities between the phase equilibria modelling and existing conventional thermobarometry may suggest either that the terrane cooled relatively quickly, or that the P–T ranges obtained from conventional thermobarometry are sufficiently imprecise that they cover the range of P–T conditions obtained in this study. However, without phase equilibria modelling, the veracity of existing conventional P–T estimates cannot be evaluated. The calculated phase diagrams from this study allow the direct comparison of P–T conditions in the Windmill Islands with phase equilibria models from other regions in the Musgrave–Albany–Fraser–Wilkes Orogen. This shows that the metamorphic evolution of the Wilkes Land region is very similar to that of the eastern Albany–Fraser Orogen and Musgrave Province in Australia, and further demonstrates the remarkable consistency in the timing of metamorphism and the thermal gradients along the ~5,000 km strike length of this system.
MicroRNA‐212 inhibits oligodendrocytes during maturation by down‐regulation of differentiation‐associated gene expression
Authors: Wang Chih‐Yen , Deneen Benjamin , Tzeng Shun‐Fen
Published: August 2017

MicroRNA‐212 (mir‐212) has been reported to regulate neuronal development and functioning. However, its expression and function in glia are not yet known. Here, we demonstrate that the level of microRNA‐212 (mir‐212) was reduced in spinal cord lesion site at 1 week and 1 month after a contusive spinal cord injury. In addition to its expression in neurons, mir‐212 expression was detected in oligodendrocytes (OLGs) and glial progenitor cells (GPCs) in adult CNS. The addition of antagomir‐212 to reduce mir‐212 expression enabled to improve the cell process outgrowth of OLGs along with the up‐regulation of the genes associated with OLG differentiation and maturation, including OLIG1, SOX10, myelin basic protein (MBP), and proteolipid protein 1 (PLP1). In contrast, these genes were significantly down‐regulated by an increased expression of mir‐212 in GPCs or in OLG progenitor cells (OPCs) through lentivirus‐mediated gene delivery approach. Moreover, we found that PLP1 was the direct target molecule of mir‐212. Furthermore, mir‐212 over‐expression diminished the protein production of OLGs markers including 2′,3′‐cyclic‐nucleotide 3′‐phosphodiesterase (CNPase), MBP, and PLP. Additionally, mir‐212 over‐expression decreased the number of mature OLGs expressing MBP, and the expression of galactocerebroside (GC). Complementary studies in a hippocampal neuron‐OLG co‐culture model and an ex vivo cerebellar slice system indicated that OLGs derived from GPCs with mir‐212 over‐expression exhibited decreased ability to interact with neuronal axons. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that mir‐212 repressed the expression of OLG maturation‐associated proteins and inhibited OLG cell process extension, indicating that mir‐212 has negative regulatory effect on OLG lineage progression.

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Obesity‐risk behaviours and their associations with body mass index (BMI) in Korean American children
Authors: Jang Myoungock , Grey Margaret , Sadler Lois , Jeon Sangchoon , Nam Soohyun , Song Hee‐Jung , Whittemore Robin
Published: August 2017

Aims and objectives

To describe obesity‐risk behaviours (diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour) and examine the relationships of the obesity‐risk behaviours with body mass index (BMI) in school‐aged Korean American children.

Background

Korean American children have a risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing obesity‐related complications; however, there is limited research about obesity‐risk behaviours in Korean American children.

Design

A cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Obesity‐risk behaviours of children were assessed with well‐validated self‐report questionnaires (i.e., Elementary‐level School‐based Nutrition Monitoring Questionnaire) from children and their mothers. Height and weight of children were measured. Data were analysed with bivariate and multivariate analyses using mixed effects models to incorporate the correlation within siblings.

Results

A total of 170 Korean American children (mean age 10.9 [2.0] years; 52.4% girls; mean BMI 19.3 [3.2]; 28.7% ≥85 percentiles) participated in the study. Only 38.3% of Korean American children met established recommendations of five fruits/vegetables per day; 56.5% met recommendations for more than 3 days per week of vigorous physical activity; and 40.8% met recommendations for <2 hr of recreational screen time per day. Sixty per cent and 88.8% of children met the recommendation of sleep on a weekday and weekend, respectively. Only screen time was positively associated with child BMI z‐score (β = 0.08; p < .03).

Conclusion

Healthcare providers need to be aware of the increased rate of overweight and obesity in Korean American children and initiate clinical interventions to improve obesity‐risk behaviours, especially sedentary behaviour, in Korean American children.

Relevance to clinical practice

Clinical assessment and management of the risk of developing overweight and obesity as well as obesity‐related behaviours are important to improve obesity‐related complications in overall Korean Americans.
“I was yelled at, intimidated and treated unfairly”: Nursing students' experiences of being bullied in clinical and academic settings
Authors: Courtney‐Pratt Helen , Pich Jacqueline , Levett‐Jones Tracy , Moxey Annette
Published: August 2017

Aims and objectives

To present findings from a study that explored nursing students' experiences of bullying in clinical and academic settings, the strategies used to negotiate bullying and recommendations for empowering future students.

Background

Nursing students are identified as a group who are at particular risk of bullying. Numerous studies have examined students' experiences of bullying in clinical contexts by qualified nurses; however, there has been far less attention to the bullying that occurs in academic settings where the perpetrators are university staff and other students.

Design

The qualitative findings presented in this paper form one component of a mixed‐methods, multisite study that examined the nature and extent of bullying in one cohort of nursing students.

Methods

A convenience sample of 29 first‐, second‐ and third‐year undergraduate nursing students from one semimetropolitan Australian university was recruited for semistructured interviews in 2014. Interview data were analysed using NVivo.

Findings

Participants described multiple examples of bullying occurring in both clinical and academic settings. Perpetrators included clinicians, facilitators, academics and fellow students. Bullying ranged from incivility to physical attacks. The impact of the bullying was profound; it caused many of the participants to feel anxious and distressed, it undermined their confidence and perception of competence, and it often led them to question their career choice.

Strategies described by participants to cope with or manage the bullying included avoidance, trying to “just survive” and seeking support from trusted academic staff, family and friends. No episodes of bullying were formally reported.

Conclusion

Bullying remains a pervasive phenomenon occurring in both clinical and academic settings. Students are, in many respects, a vulnerable and disempowered population who often fear the consequences of making a formal complaint. Thus, reporting structures and support strategies need to be re‐examined, and resilience training is imperative.

Relevance to clinical practice

Bullying remains a continuing concern in undergraduate nursing degrees. Efforts must be made in clinical and academic settings to heed the advice of undergraduates using broader strategies to address the issues.
The role of cognitions in short‐term temporal changes in dental fear among Australian adults
Authors: Armfield Jason M. , Crego Antonio , Schuch Helena S. , Luzzi Liana
Published: August 2017

Objectives

To determine if temporal changes in dental fear over a 4‐month period are predicted by changed cognitive vulnerability‐related perceptions of going to the dentist.

Methods

Australian adults (n = 484) completed mailed questionnaires at baseline and follow‐up, containing measures of dental fear, cognitive vulnerability‐related perceptions, dental services received, and possible aversive experiences during the study period. Change in dental fear was the main outcome measure, categorized as decreased (Fear−), unchanged (Fear0), and increased (Fear+).

Results

Across the study period, 15.5 percent of people had Fear−, 73.4 percent had Fear0, and 11.1 percent had Fear+. In a multinomial logistic regression, after controlling for participant gender, income, time since last dental visit at baseline, dental fear at baseline and experiencing an aversive event, increased vulnerability‐related perceptions were significantly associated with Fear+ (OR = 2.83, P < 0.001) while decreased vulnerability‐related perceptions were associated with Fear− (OR = 0.17, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

This study found, across a relatively short 4‐month period, that increased vulnerability‐related perceptions of visiting the dentist predicted increased dental fear while decreased vulnerability‐related perceptions predicted decreased dental fear. More appropriate study designs, such as longitudinal designs, and longer follow‐up periods are needed to determine the possible causal nature of these associations.
Influence of l‐carnitine and l‐arginine on protein synthesis and maturation of the semitendinosus muscle of lightweight piglets
Authors: Madsen J. G. , Seoni E. , Kreuzer M. , Silacci P. , Bee G.
Published: August 2017

Lightweight (LW) piglets from large litters display impaired growth performance compared with heavier littermates. This study investigated the growth performance and muscle development of early‐weaned LW piglets (birthweight <1.2 kg) from large litters (17.3 ± 3.0 total born per litter), fed ad libitum a milk replacer supplemented with either l‐carnitine (CAR) or l‐arginine (ARG) from day 7 to day 28 of age. In total, 36 female and entire male Swiss Large White piglets, weaned on day 7 of age, were artificially reared in pairs in rescue decks. They were allocated to one of three dietary treatments: unsupplemented control (CON), 0.48 g l‐carnitine·piglet−1·day−1 (CAR) or 1.20 g l‐arginine·kg body weight−1·day−1 (ARG). Milk replacer was prepared daily in a 1:4 powder‐to‐water ratio and fed ad libitum. Piglets were weighed at birth and on days 7, 14, 21 and 28. Feed intake was assessed daily. Piglets were euthanized on day 28. The entire semitendinosus muscle (STM) was collected, and organs were weighed. Subsequently, the STM was divided into the light (STMl) and dark (STMd) portion, and contractile and metabolic traits were analysed by ATP histochemistry, enzyme activities and gene expression. No differences in growth performance, organ and STM weight and on contractile traits were found between groups. A tendency (p < .10) for an elevated lipid oxidation enzyme activity in the STMl and STMd and greater (p < .05) phosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway in the STMl of CAR compared with CON piglets was found. Despite these metabolic responses, the lack of effect of CAR and ARG supplementation on growth performance suggests that providing the milk replacer ad libitum in combination with added CAR and ARG is insufficient for eliciting faster growth of LW piglets.
Inverse relationship between hepatic steatosis and hepatitis B viremia: Results of a large case‐control study
Authors: Hui R. W. H. , Seto W.‐K. , Cheung K.‐S. , Mak L.‐Y. , Liu K. S. H. , Fung J. , Wong D. K.‐H. , Lai C.‐L. , Yuen M.‐F.
Published: August 2017

The potential interaction between chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), two of the most prevalent liver diseases worldwide, has not been well defined. We performed liver stiffness (LS) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) measurements using transient elastography in 1202 CHB patients. Of these, 601 steatotic patients were matched with nonsteatotic controls in a 1:1 ratio by age, gender, nucleoside analogue treatment status, and treatment duration. Severe fibrosis was defined according to EASL‐ALEH criteria, and steatosis was defined as CAP ≥222 dB m−1. Anthropometric measurements and metabolic‐related parameters were recorded. The mean age of the 1202 patients (51.4% male) was 51.8 years. 696 patients (57.9%) were on nucleoside analogues for a median duration of 76.2 months. Among treatment‐naïve patients, median serum HBV DNA was lower in steatotic individuals than in controls (3.0 vs 3.4 log IU mL−1, P < .05), with this inverse relationship remaining significant in multivariate analysis (odds ratio 0.859, 95% CI 0.743‐0.994, P < .05). With increased steatosis severity, there was a stepwise decrease in median HBV DNA levels (3.1 and 2.6 log IU mL−1 in no steatosis and severe steatosis, respectively, P = .032). Steatosis was associated with a higher median LS (5.4 kPa vs 5.0 kPa, P < .001). Severe steatosis, when compared to mild/moderate steatosis, was associated with an increased percentage of severe fibrosis (23.2% and 12.6%, respectively, P = .005). We conclude that severe steatosis was associated with increased fibrosis in CHB patients. Increasing steatosis was independently associated with lower serum HBV DNA levels, suggesting its potential negative effects on viral replication.
Ciprofloxacin Pharmacokinetics in Clinical Canine Patients
Authors: Papich M.G.
Published: August 2017

Background

Ciprofloxacin generic tablets approved for human use frequently are administered to dogs for treatment of bacterial infections because they are inexpensive and readily available. However, previous work indicated low and variable oral absorption in healthy research dogs.

Objective

To examine orally administered ciprofloxacin in a group of clinical canine patients using population pharmacokinetics in order to identify minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) that potentially could be achieved with orally administered ciprofloxacin in dogs.

Animals

Thirty‐four clinical canine patients; mean weight, 22.95 kg (range, 4.6–57 kg).

Methods

Ciprofloxacin generic tablets intended for human use were administered to dogs in a prospective study (mean dose, 23.5 mg/kg). Sparse blood sampling was used to obtain population pharmacokinetic results with nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling. These data were used to estimate a breakpoint for susceptible bacteria. Monte Carlo simulations were used to determine the probability of target attainment (PTA) for an area under the curve (AUC)/MIC ratio of ≥100, the pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic target for fluoroquinolones.

Results

The values for volume of distribution, peak concentration, and half‐life were 10.7 L/kg (11.7%), 1.9 μg/mL (11.66%), and 4.35 hours (7.62%), respectively (mean, % coefficient of variation [CV]). The size of the dog was an important covariate with larger dogs achieving lower plasma drug concentrations than smaller dogs, despite a similar mg/kg dose. Ninety percent PTA was obtained for a MIC ≤ 0.06 μg/mL.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

A breakpoint (susceptible) of ≤0.06 μg/mL should be considered when ciprofloxacin tablets are administered to dogs at a dose of 25 mg/kg once daily, which is much lower than the breakpoint of ≤1 μg/mL in humans.
Trump Is The Right Leader To Achieve Peace With North Korea
Authors: Hong Seok‐Hyun
Published: August 2017

If he treads carefully and follows these steps, he may be the US president to turn the tables on this conflict.