bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Affecting the Health of Caregivers of Children Who Have an Intellectual/Developmental Disability
Authors: Marquis Sandra , Hayes Michael V. , McGrail Kimberlyn
Published: January 2019

There are a growing number of children with an ID/developmental disability. As well, there is evidence of poor health in the caregivers of these children. This article describes a narrative review of the literature regarding the mental and physical health of caregivers of children with ID/developmental disability. The review examined 162 papers. Twenty‐three different factors were identified that may have an effect on the health of these caregivers. Social determinants, individual caregiver variables, characteristics of the child with the disability, family characteristics, and support factors can all affect caregiver health. These variables are inter‐related and illustrate the need to account for complexity when studying the health of caregivers of children with ID/developmental disability.
What and Who Works: Strategies for Facilitating Work Experience Opportunities for Students Enrolled in Postsecondary Education Programs
Authors: Scheef Andrew R.
Published: January 2019

When compared to the general population, employment rates for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) are poor. This discrepancy is concerning, especially when considering the multitude of benefits associated with employment. To improve employment outcomes for this population, many postsecondary education (PSE) programs provide career development services for students with IDDs. As engagement in paid work experience is a predictor of improved postschool outcomes for individuals with disabilities, this is a common career development program component. A study was conducted to better understand strategies utilized by PSE programs to facilitate paid work experiences for their students. To identify these strategies, information from PSE program personnel was sought. The study involved two phases, including a nationwide survey and subsequent follow‐up interviews. Strategies most frequently identified by respondents included: (1) soliciting employer feedback, (2) relationship building with employers, (3) aligning placements with student interests, (4) job customization, (5) providing training and support at the job site, (6) developing natural supports, and (7) aligning curricular activities with job site needs. The findings from this research will support practitioners who are tasked with supporting employment goals for young adults with IDDs. By understanding effective strategies, more students may be able to engage in paid work experience to increase likelihood of employment.
Fragmentary myoclonus in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder
Authors: Nepozitek Jiri , Dostalova Simona , Kemlink David , Friedrich Latica , Prihodova Iva , Ibarburu Lorenzo y Losada Veronika , Dusek Petr , Bezdicek Ondrej , Nikolai Tomas , Perinova Pavla , Dall'Antonia Irene , Dusek Pavel , Ruml Martin , Ruzicka Evzen , Sonka Karel
Published: January 2019

Summary

Fragmentary myoclonus is a result of muscle activity consisting of brief potentials in surface electromyography during polysomnography. Excessive fragmentary myoclonus is defined by increased intensity of the potentials. A few studies report excessive fragmentary myoclonus occurrence in neurodegenerative diseases. Because idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is considered as an early stage of neurodegeneration with involvement of the brainstem, we charted the prevalence and quantified the intensity of excessive fragmentary myoclonus in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. Twenty‐nine patients (one woman, 28 men, mean age 68 years, SD 6.2) and 29 controls (two women, 27 men, mean age 65.6 years, SD 8.6) underwent polysomnography. Fragmentary myoclonus potentials were identified and counted according to internationally used criteria. Fragmentary myoclonus intensity was quantified by the fragmentary myoclonus index. Excessive fragmentary myoclonus was diagnosed in 75.9% (22 subjects) in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, while in 34.5% (10 subjects) among the controls (p = 0.003). Quantitative analysis showed a wide‐range fragmentary myoclonus index in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (4.0–632.4; median 60.7) and in the controls (0.8–938.1; median 34.3). The overall difference in fragmentary myoclonus index was not significant between the groups; however, patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder showed trends for higher fragmentary myoclonus index scores in wakefulness (p = 0.027), N1 (p = 0.032), N3 (p = 0.046) and R (p = 0.007). Fragmentary myoclonus index does not correlate with age, idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder duration or R stage atonia deficiency. The prevalence of excessive fragmentary myoclonus is higher in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder compared with the controls, so fragmentary myoclonus should be taken into account in future research of rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and motor control in sleep.
The Agrobacterium VirD5 protein hyperactivates the mitotic Aurora kinase in host cells
Authors: Zhang Xiaorong , Hooykaas Paul J. J.
Published: January 2019

Aided by translocated virulence proteins, Agrobacterium tumefaciens transforms plant cells with oncogenic T‐DNA. In the host cells the virulence protein VirD5 moves to the nucleus, where it becomes localized at the kinetochores, and disturbs faithful chromosome segregation, but the molecular mechanism underlying this remains unknown.

To gain more insight, we screened amongst the kinetochore proteins for VirD5 interactors using bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, and tested chromosome segregation in yeast cells.

We found that VirD5 interacts with the conserved mitotic Aurora kinase Ipl1 in yeast and likewise with plant Aurora kinases. In vitro VirD5 was found to stimulate the activity of Ipl1. Phosphorylation of substrates by Ipl1 in vivo is known to result in the detachment between kinetochore and spindle microtubule. This is necessary for error correction, but increased Ipl1/Aurora kinase activity is known to cause spindle instability, explaining enhanced chromosome mis‐segregation seen in the presence of VirD5. That activation of the Ipl1/Aurora kinase at least partially underlies the toxicity of VirD5 became apparent by artificial boosting the activity of the specific counteracting phosphatase Glc7 in vivo, which relieved the toxicity.

These findings reveal a novel mechanism by which a pathogenic bacterium manipulates host cells.
Harnessed viruses in the age of metagenomics and synthetic biology: an update on infectious clone assembly and biotechnologies of plant viruses
Authors: Pasin Fabio , Menzel Wulf , Daròs José‐Antonio
Published: January 2019

Recent metagenomic studies have provided an unprecedented wealth of data, which are revolutionizing our understanding of virus diversity. A redrawn landscape highlights viruses as active players in the phytobiome, and surveys have uncovered their positive roles in environmental stress tolerance of plants. Viral infectious clones are key tools for functional characterization of known and newly identified viruses. Knowledge of viruses and their components has been instrumental for the development of modern plant molecular biology and biotechnology. In this review, we provide extensive guidelines built on current synthetic biology advances that streamline infectious clone assembly, thus lessening a major technical constraint of plant virology. The focus is on generation of infectious clones in binary T‐DNA vectors, which are delivered efficiently to plants by Agrobacterium. We then summarize recent applications of plant viruses and explore emerging trends in microbiology, bacterial and human virology that, once translated to plant virology, could lead to the development of virus‐based gene therapies for ad hoc engineering of plant traits. The systematic characterization of plant virus roles in the phytobiome and next‐generation virus‐based tools will be indispensable landmarks in the synthetic biology roadmap to better crops.
Economic conditions during pregnancy and preterm birth: A maternal fixed‐effects analysis
Authors: Margerison Claire E. , Luo Zhehui , Li Yu
Published: January 2019

Background

Making causal inference regarding impacts of macrolevel economic conditions during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes is hampered by the presence of unmeasured variables that may influence women's probability of giving birth under certain economic conditions (ie, exposure) as well as her pregnancy outcomes. Maternal fixed‐effects (FE) analyses, in which the association between exposure and outcomes is estimated within mothers who had discordant outcomes, can control for such unmeasured variables when they are invariant across pregnancies.

Methods

We utilised a maternally linked data set of all singleton births in Michigan from 1990 to 2012 (n = 2 657 272 for full sample; n = 269 943 for FE analytic sample) to examine the relationship between state‐level unemployment rates during pregnancy and preterm birth (PTB, <37 weeks’ gestation). Measured maternal characteristics that change across pregnancies, for example, age, marital status, education, parity, and infant sex, were included as covariates in the model.

Results

Using an FE approach, we found that each one percentage point increase in state unemployment in the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with a modest 3% increase in odds of PTB. Our results were consistent with previously published results in a national sample and held across random‐ versus fixed‐effect models, analytic samples, and outcome measures.

Conclusions

Our findings provide further evidence that economic downturn during early pregnancy may be associated with modest increases in PTB.
Towards a unified perinatal theory: Reconciling the births‐based and fetus‐at‐risk models of perinatal mortality
Authors: Joseph K.S.
Published: January 2019

Background

There is a need to reconcile the opposing perspectives of the births‐based and fetuses‐at‐risk models of perinatal mortality and to formulate a coherent and unified perinatal theory.

Methods

Information on births in the United States from 2004 to 2015 was used to calculate gestational age‐specific perinatal death rates for low‐ and high‐risk cohorts. Cubic splines were fitted to the fetuses‐at‐risk birth and perinatal death rates, and first and second derivatives were estimated. Births‐based perinatal death rates, and fetuses‐at‐risk birth and perinatal death rates and their derivatives, were examined to identify potential inter‐relationships.

Results

The rate of change in the birth rate dictated the pattern of births‐based perinatal death rates in a triphasic manner: increases in the first derivative of the birth rate at early gestation corresponded with exponential declines in perinatal death rates, the peak in the first derivative presaged the nadir in perinatal death rates, and late gestation declines in the first derivative coincided with an upturn in perinatal death rates. Late gestation increases in the first derivative of the fetuses‐at‐risk perinatal death rate matched the upturn in births‐based perinatal death rates. Differences in birth rate acceleration/deceleration among low‐ and high‐risk cohorts resulted in intersecting perinatal mortality curves.

Conclusion

The first derivative of the birth rate links a cohort's fetuses‐at‐risk perinatal death rate to its births‐based perinatal death rate, and cohort‐specific differences in birth rate acceleration/deceleration are responsible for the intersecting perinatal mortality curves paradox. This mechanistic explanation unifies extant models of perinatal mortality and provides diverse insights.
Why Are Cross‐Sectoral Forums Important to Actors? Forum Contributions to Cooperation, Learning, and Resource Distribution
Authors: Fischer Manuel , Maag Simon
Published: January 2019

Actors within an ecology of games in a polycentric governance system have to choose from a large number of forums they could participate in. This article analyzes why given types of forums are important to actors, as compared to other forums. It shows that functions of an ecology of games, such as cooperation, learning, and resource distribution, influence the importance that actors attribute to forums. The empirical analysis focuses on cross‐sectoral forums, a particular type of forum that is specialized in coordination among actors from different societal sectors, such as government, private interest, or science. Analysis of survey data from eight cross‐sectoral forums in Swiss habitat and land use governance and their 159 members shows that cross‐sectoral forums are comparatively important to actors that perceive their forum to contribute to learning and resource distribution.
Factors influencing hospital admission among patients with autopsy‐confirmed dementia
Authors: Matsuoka Tamami , Manabe Toshie , Akatsu Hiroyasu , Hashizume Yoshio , Yamamoto Sakon , Ogawa Norihiro , Kanesaka Takeshi , Taniguchi Chie , Yamamoto Takayuki , Mizukami Katsuyoshi
Published: January 2019

Background

The symptoms of geriatric syndromes and the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), in addition to clinical conditions, are associated with hospital admission among dementia patients. However, the principal factors that necessitate hospital admission among dementia patients have not been fully elucidated.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the data in the medical and autopsy reports of patients who had been treated at a hospital in Toyohashi, Japan. Each patient had been hospitalized sometime between 2012 and 2016 and underwent a brain autopsy. Dementia and the subtypes of dementia were diagnosed neuropathologically. Information about patients’ general backgrounds, clinical conditions at the time of admission, and the geriatric syndrome symptoms and BPSD before admission was collected; comparisons were then made between patients with and without dementia and among those with the different major subtypes of dementia. Then, the factors relating to hospital admission of dementia patients were comprehensively evaluated by using principle component analysis.

Results

Of the 128 eligible patients, 100 (78.1%) had dementia. In the comparison of patients with and without dementia, patients without dementia were younger at both admission (P = 0.034) and death (P = 0.003). Among the patients with dementia with Lewy bodies, delusions had a significantly high prevalence (P = 0.014). Principal component analysis identified nine components (disinhibition, irritability/lability, agitation/aggression, anxiety, delusions, sleep/night‐time behaviour disorders, hallucinations, aberrant motor behaviour, and speech impairment) as the principal factors related to hospital admission among dementia patients. Thus, BPSD were identified as principal factors.

Conclusions

Compared to other factors, BPSD are more likely to cause dementia patients to be admitted to hospital. The present results indicate that measures should be taken to ameliorate the difficulties associated with caring for patients with BPSD at home.
Evaluating efficacy of environmental education programming
Authors: Brandl Rayelynn , Alvarado Arlene , Peltomaa Abigail
Published: January 2019

The Clark Fork Watershed Education Program (CFWEP) goals are: (a) increasing students’ understanding of the nature of ecological impacts within their watershed as related to historic mining damage; and (b) increasing students’ sense of stewardship of newly restored landscapes. Data from 2012 to 2016 were evaluated for student knowledge gains (46 trials representing 2,395 student pre‐surveys; 2,409 student post‐surveys). Data from 2013 to 2016 were evaluated for students’ attitudes toward science and disposition toward caring for the environment (38 trials representing 1,479 pre‐surveys; 1,460 post‐surveys). The results of this study support that the program’s goals are being achieved. Students achieved statistically significant gains on knowledge surveys with a 33.4% overall gain pre‐ to posttest (p < 0.0001). Students also moved toward greater positive responses in both attitudes toward science and disposition toward caring for the environment with Cohen’s d effect sizes of “medium effect” for caring toward the environment (d = 0.52) and “small effect” of positive disposition toward science (d = 0.24).
Proactive maintenance therapy of canine atopic dermatitis with the anti‐IL‐31 lokivetmab. Can a monoclonal antibody blocking a single cytokine prevent allergy flares?
Authors: Tamamoto‐Mochizuki Chie , Paps Judy S. , Olivry Thierry
Published: January 2019

Background

Once the signs of canine atopic dermatitis (AD) are controlled, the proactive application of topical glucocorticoids can delay disease flares.

Objectives

We wished to determine if the proactive administration of the anti‐IL‐31 lokivetmab would prevent or delay flares of canine AD.

Animals

We tested this strategy in four Maltese‐beagle atopic dogs before enrolling 21 dogs with spontaneous AD.

Methods and materials

In our acute AD model, house dust mite (HDM)‐sensitized dogs were injected once with lokivetmab. After seven days, an HDM suspension was applied epicutaneously, and both skin lesions and pruritus manifestations were quantified for 24 h. In a second study, 21 dogs with spontaneous AD controlled with anti‐allergic drugs were treated with lokivetmab per manufacturer's recommendations; all anti‐allergic drugs were discontinued within four weeks after the first injection. All dogs were followed prospectively for at least one year and the time‐to‐flare (TTF) of AD after the last day of anti‐allergic treatment was determined.

Results

In the experimental study, one injection of lokivetmab prevented nearly all expected allergen‐induced pruritus manifestations but not skin lesion development. In dogs with spontaneous AD, the median TTF after lokivetmab proactive therapy was 63 days. One‐fourth of dogs did not exhibit a flare for at least one year while receiving lokivetmab monotherapy.

Conclusions

Although lokivetmab seems more effective to prevent pruritus than skin lesions in dogs with experimental AD' it also can delay disease flares in some dogs with the spontaneous disease. Studies are needed to identify those patients most likely to respond to such a proactive regimen.
Use of a temporalis fascia transposition flap for ventral orbital stabilization after ventral orbitectomy in a dog
Authors: Dent Brian , Wavreille Vincent A. , Selmic Laura E.
Published: January 2019

Objective

To describe a novel surgical technique for ventral orbital reconstruction after ventral orbitectomy by using a temporalis fascia transposition flap.

Study design

Case report.

Methods

A 7‐year‐old, spayed female Boston terrier was treated for multilobular osteochondrosarcoma arising from the cranial aspect of the left zygomatic arch, causing asymmetry of the face and mild exophthalmos of the left eye. A ventral orbitectomy with a wide surgical excision (including the cranial aspect of the zygomatic bone, the medial aspect of the lacrimal bone, and the dorsal aspect of the maxilla) was performed with preservation of the left eye. To support and maintain the left eye in a normal position, a temporalis fascia transposition flap was elevated and used. No complications occurred during the procedure.

Results

Thirteen days after surgery, the referring veterinarian reported no complications. Complete excision was confirmed on histopathology. Eighty‐three days after surgery, the dog remained asymptomatic with only mild epiphora of the left eye. Follow‐up information from the owner 11 months after surgery indicated that the dog was asymptomatic with minimal ventral globe deviation.

Conclusion

Additional ventral support of the globe after ventral orbitectomy via a temporalis fascia transposition flap resulted in an excellent functional and cosmetic outcome.

Clinical significance

A temporalis fascia transposition flap can be used to reconstruct the ventral aspect of the orbit in dogs.
Understanding Ebola virus and other zoonotic transmission risks through human–bat contacts: Exploratory study on knowledge, attitudes and practices in Southern Cameroon
Authors: Baudel Helene , De Nys Helene , Mpoudi Ngole Eitel , Peeters Martine , Desclaux Alice
Published: January 2019

The ecology of Ebola virus (EBV) remains largely unknown, but the previous detection of viral RNA and anti‐EBV antibodies in African bats suggests that they might play a role in the EBV reservoir. Moreover, African bats also carry other potentially zoonotic agents such as Henipah‐like viruses, coronaviruses and lyssaviruses. Today only little information is available on interactions between humans and bats. The objective of our exploratory study was to describe the extent and modes of contacts between humans and bats in southern Cameroon, considered as an area at risk for future EBV outbreaks. The survey was conducted in 11 villages of four distinct rural areas in southern Cameroon. A total of 135 respondents were interviewed using semi‐structured questionnaires, between February and May 2017. The study showed that direct contacts between bats and humans are relatively common. Bat bushmeat appeared to be an occasional meat resource; 40% of respondents consume bats with a median annual consumption of three, and 28% of respondents hunt them. About 22% of the respondents reported children catching bats. Indirect contact also appeared to be common; 55% of hunters use caves as shelters and 67% of interviewees eat fruits previously chewed by bats. Bat consumption varied significantly between regions (from 0% to 87%) and between pygmies and bantus in the extreme south‐east of Cameroon. The study revealed considerable diversity in practices among interviewees, most of them being subsistence cultivators and relying on self‐hunted bushmeat. Geographical diversity of contacts and perceptions regarding bats in Cameroon emphasizes the need to adjust zoonotic pathogen surveillance and education campaigns to the specificities of the communities and their context of interaction with wildlife.
In Service of Two Masters
Authors: Jones Cameron D.
Published: January 2019

By the early 1700s, the vast scale of Spanish empire led crown authorities to rely on local institutions to carry out their political agenda, including religious orders like the Franciscan mission of Santa Rosa de Ocopa in the Peruvian Amazon. This book follows the Ocopa missions throughout the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, a period marked by events such as the indigenous Juan Santos Atahualpa Rebellion and the 1746 Lima earthquake. Caught between the directives of the Spanish crown and the challenges of missionary work on the Amazon frontier, the missionaries of Ocopa found themselves at the center of a struggle over the nature of colonial governance. This book examines the changes that Spain’s far-flung empire experienced from borderland Franciscan missions in Peru to the court of the Bourbon monarchy in Madrid, arguing that the Bourbon clerical reforms that broadly sought to bring the empire under greater crown control were shaped in turn by groups throughout the Americas, including Ocopa friars, the Amerindians and Africans in their missions, and bureaucrats in Lima as well as Madrid. Far from isolated local incidents, the book argues, these conflicts were representative of the political struggles over clerical reform occurring throughout Spanish America on the eve of Independence.
Multicomponent Topology Optimization for Additive Manufacturing With Build Volume and Cavity Free Constraints
Authors: Zhou Yuqing , Nomura Tsuyoshi , Saitou Kazuhiro
Published: January 2019

Topology optimization for additive manufacturing has been limited to the design of single-piece components that fit within the printer's build volume. This paper presents a gradient-based multicomponent topology optimization method for structures assembled from components built by powder bed additive manufacturing (MTO-A), which enables the design of multipiece assemblies larger than the printer's build volume. Constraints on component geometry for powder bed additive manufacturing are incorporated in a density-based topology optimization framework, with an additional design field governing the component partitioning. For each component, constraints on the maximum allowable build volume (i.e., length, width, and height) and the elimination of enclosed cavities are imposed during the simultaneous optimization of the overall topology and component partitioning. Numerical results of the minimum compliance designs revealed that manufacturing constraints, previously applied to single-piece topology optimization, can unlock richer design exploration space when applied to multicomponent designs.
Properties of Twofold Tape Loops: The Influence of the Subtended Angle
Authors: de Jong Marinus G. , van de Sande Werner W. P. J. , Herder Just L.
Published: January 2019

Tape springs are thin-walled structures with zero longitudinal and constant transverse curvature. Folding them twice and connecting both ends creates a tape loop which acts as a linear guide. At this time, there is insufficient understanding of the influence of the tape spring's cross section on its behavior. This study investigates the influence of the subtended angle on the tape spring's behavior, especially the energy distribution and the fold radius. First, some key aspects in the design of a twofold tape loop are discussed. By performing a curvature analysis of this folded geometry, the different regions within a tape spring are identified. This information is used to identify the influence of the subtended angle on the geometry and energy state of the tape loop. The fold radius and fold angle are determined by analyzing the geometry of the fold region. The analysis showed that the energy within the transition regions cannot be neglected. The energy within these regions and the length of the transition regions both increase with the subtended angle. It is also shown that the fold radius is not constant when the subtended angle is small. The subtended angle should be above 100 deg to ensure a constant radius.
Special Environments: Altitude and Heat
Authors: Saunders Philo U. , Garvican-Lewis Laura A. , Chapman Robert F. , Périard Julien D.
Published: January 2019

High-level athletes are always looking at ways to maximize training adaptations for competition performance, and using altered environmental conditions to achieve this outcome has become increasingly popular by elite athletes. Furthermore, a series of potential nutrition and hydration interventions may also optimize the adaptation to altered environments. Altitude training was first used to prepare for competition at altitude, and it still is today; however, more often now, elite athletes embark on a series of altitude training camps to try to improve sea-level performance. Similarly, the use of heat acclimation/acclimatization to optimize performance in hot/humid environmental conditions is a common practice by high-level athletes and is well supported in the scientific literature. More recently, the use of heat training to improve exercise capacity in temperate environments has been investigated and appears to have positive outcomes. This consensus statement will detail the use of both heat and altitude training interventions to optimize performance capacities in elite athletes in both normal environmental conditions and extreme conditions (hot and/or high), with a focus on the importance of nutritional strategies required in these extreme environmental conditions to maximize adaptations conducive to competitive performance enhancement.
Fueling for the Field: Nutrition for Jumps, Throws, and Combined Events
Authors: Sygo Jennifer , Kendig Glass Alicia , Killer Sophie C. , Stellingwerff Trent
Published: January 2019

Athletes participating in the athletics (track and field) events of jumps, throws, and combined events (CEs; seven-event heptathlon and 10-event decathlon) engage in training and competition that emphasize speed and explosive movements, requiring optimal power–weight ratios. While these athletes represent a wide range of somatotypes, they share an emphasis on Type IIa and IIx muscle fiber typing. In general, athletes competing in jumps tend to have a lower body mass and may benefit from a higher protein (1.5–1.8 g PRO·kg−1·day−1) and lower carbohydrate (3–6 g CHO·kg−1·day−1) diet. Throwers tend to have a higher body mass, but with considerable differences between events. Their intense, whole-body training program suggests higher PRO requirements (1.5–2.2 g PRO·kg−1·day−1), while CHO needs (per kg) are similar to jumpers. The CE athletes must strike a balance between strength and muscle mass for throws and sprints, while maintaining a low enough body mass to maximize performance in jumps and middle-distance events. CE athletes may benefit from a higher PRO (1.5–2 g PRO·kg−1·day−1) and moderate CHO (5–8 g CHO·kg−1·day−1) diet with good energy availability to support multiple daily training sessions. Since they compete over 2 days, well-rehearsed competition-day fueling and recovery strategies are imperative for CE athletes. Depending on their events’ bioenergetic demands, athletes in throws, jumps, and CE may benefit from the periodized use of ergogenic aids, including creatine, caffeine, and/or beta-alanine. The diverse training demands, physiques, and competitive environments of jumpers, throwers, and CE athletes necessitate nutrition interventions that are periodized throughout the season and tailored to the individual needs of the athlete.
Sedentary Time, Physical Activity, Fitness, and Physical Function in Older Adults: What Best Predicts Sleep Quality?
Authors: Ramos Vera , Carraça Eliana V. , Paiva Teresa , Baptista Fátima
Published: January 2019

The aim of this study was to identify the best predictor of sleep quality (SQ) among physical behavior or capacity-related variables, namely physical activity, sedentary time, fitness, and physical function (activities of daily living) of independent elders using a representative sample of Portuguese aged 65 years and older (N = 437). SQ and activities of daily living were evaluated by a questionnaire, sedentary time, and physical activity through accelerometry, and physical fitness by means of the Senior Fitness Test. The logistic regression analysis revealed that activities of daily living measured by the Composite Physical Function was the only explanatory variable discriminating between poor SQ and good SQ. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the best trade-off between sensitivity and specificity to discriminate older adults with poor SQ and good SQ was 20 points in the Composite Physical Function (sensitivity = 57.9%; specificity = 60.9%; area under the curve = 0.600, 95% confidence interval [0.536, 0.665], p = .003). Better physical function seems to be associated with better SQ in independent elders.
The Peer Experience for Older People Encouraging Other Older People to Engage in Resistance Training: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Watkins Paige M. , Burton Elissa , Hill Anne-Marie
Published: January 2019

Resistance training (RT) can maintain and improve physical and mental health in older adults, but this population has low levels of RT participation. Linking older people participating in RT (i.e., peers) with those who have not may promote and maintain adherence. This qualitative study explored the experience of peers in encouraging RT participation among older adults. Data were collected using focus groups, researcher observations, and semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted. Older people (n = 8) who engaged in RT prior to recruitment, participated as peers. Each provided peer support for between one and four RT participants for 6 weeks. The peer role was perceived by peers as potentially leading to a relationship which benefitted both parties. Peers reported that helping and supporting others was a positive experience and raised their self-efficacy. Difficulty initiating contact and differing expectations of peers and RT participants were viewed as challenges. Peer mentoring could help promote RT participation among older adults.
Associations Between Latent Classes of Perceived Neighborhood Destination Accessibility and Walking Behaviors in Older Adults of a Low-Density and a High-Density City
Authors: Boakye-Dankwa Ernest , Barnett Anthony , Pachana Nancy A. , Turrell Gavin , Cerin Ester
Published: January 2019

To examine associations between perceived destination accessibility within different distances from home and self-reported overall amounts of walking for different purposes among older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) in Brisbane, Australia (N = 793) and Hong Kong, China (N = 484). Perceived neighborhood destination accessibility types were derived from latent class analysis using comparable measures of perceived distance to 12 destinations from epidemiological studies in the two cities. Associations of perceived destination accessibility with measures of within-neighborhood walking were also estimated in Hong Kong participants. Better perceived destination accessibility was positively associated with the likelihood of walking in Brisbane participants only. Perceived destination accessibility within a short distance from home (5-min walk) was negatively related to the amount of within-neighborhood walking for transport in Hong Kong residents who walked. Our findings suggest that providing moderate-to-high, but not extreme, levels of destination accessibility may be optimal for the promotion of walking in older community dwellers.
Y-Balance Test: A Valid and Reliable Assessment in Older Adults
Authors: Sipe Cody L. , Ramey Kevin D. , Plisky Phil P. , Taylor James D.
Published: January 2019

Testing balance and fall risk with older adults of varying abilities is of increasing importance. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the lower quarter Y-balance test (YBT-LQ) in older adults. A secondary aim was to provide estimates of reliability with this population. A total of 30 male (n = 15) and female (n = 15) subjects (66.8 ± 6.5 years) performed the YBT-LQ, 30-s chair stand test, 8-foot up and go test, timed up and go test, single-leg stance, and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale questionnaire. The YBT-LQ was performed on two separate occasions by two investigators in random order. YBT-LQ was significantly correlated with age (p < .01), timed up and go test (p = .003), 8-foot up and go test (p < .001), 30-s chair stand test (p < .001), Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (p = .002), and single-leg stance (p = .005) performance. The intraclass correlation coefficient(3,1) score for the reliability of the YBT-LQ was .95 (95% confidence interval [.89, .97]). The YBT-LQ appears to be a valid and reliable assessment to use with older adults.
Is Exercise Prescription in Cardiac Rehabilitation Influenced by Physical Capacity or Cardiac Intervention?
Authors: Price Kym Joanne , Gordon Brett Ashley , Gray Kim , Gergely Kerri , Bird Stephen Richard , Benson Amanda Clare
Published: January 2019

This study investigated the influence of cardiac intervention and physical capacity of individuals attending an Australian outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program on the initial exercise prescription. A total of 85 patients commencing outpatient cardiac rehabilitation at a major metropolitan hospital had their physical capacity assessed by an incremental shuttle walk test, and the initial aerobic exercise intensity and resistance training load prescribed were recorded. Physical capacity was lower in surgical patients than nonsurgical patients. While physical capacity was higher in younger compared with older surgical patients, there was no difference between younger and older nonsurgical patients. The initial exercise intensity did not differ between surgical and nonsurgical patients. This study highlights the importance of preprogram exercise testing to enable exercise prescription to be individualized according to actual physical capacity, rather than symptoms, comorbidities and age, in order to maximize the benefit of cardiac rehabilitation.
Delivery of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur to the silicate Earth by a giant impact
Authors: Grewal Damanveer S. , Dasgupta Rajdeep , Sun Chenguang , Tsuno Kyusei , Costin Gelu
Published: January 2019

High pressure-temperature experiments suggest late delivery of life-essential elements to Earth by a large differentiated body.
Volatile element depletion of the Moon—The roles of precursors, post-impact disk dynamics, and core formation
Authors: Righter K.
Published: January 2019

Lunar volatile elements were inherited from Earth via impact and then redistributed in the protolunar disk and metallic core.
Cell-based screen identifies a new potent and highly selective CK2 inhibitor for modulation of circadian rhythms and cancer cell growth
Authors: Oshima Tsuyoshi , Niwa Yoshimi , Kuwata Keiko , Srivastava Ashutosh , Hyoda Tomoko , Tsuchiya Yoshiki , Kumagai Megumi , Tsuyuguchi Masato , Tamaru Teruya , Sugiyama Akiko , Ono Natsuko , Zolboot Norjin , Aikawa Yoshiki , Oishi Shunsuke , Nonami Atsushi , Arai Fumio , Hagihara Shinya , Yamaguchi Junichiro , Tama Florence , Kunisaki Yuya , Yagita Kazuhiro , Ikeda Masaaki , Kinoshita Takayoshi , Kay Steve A. , Itami Kenichiro , Hirota Tsuyoshi
Published: January 2019

We discovered a new CK2 inhibitor and revealed its mechanism of action, connecting the circadian clock and cancer regulation.
Multiplexed enrichment and genomic profiling of peripheral blood cells reveal subset-specific immune signatures
Authors: Reyes Miguel , Vickers Dwayne , Billman Kianna , Eisenhaure Thomas , Hoover Paul , Browne Edward P. , Rao Deepak A. , Hacohen Nir , Blainey Paul C.
Published: January 2019

A single microscale system integrates multiplexed subset purification and gene expression profiling.
Rapamycin and Alzheimer’s disease: Time for a clinical trial?
Authors: Kaeberlein Matt , Galvan Veronica
Published: January 2019

In this Perspective, the authors propose that clinical testing of rapamycin in patients with Alzheimer’s disease is long overdue.
A recombinant human protein targeting HER2 overcomes drug resistance in HER2-positive breast cancer
Authors: Yang Lu , Li Yun , Bhattacharya Arup , Zhang Yuesheng
Published: January 2019

HER2 remains a therapeutic target in drug-resistant HER2-positive breast cancer, and a recombinant human protein overcomes the drug resistance.
The Research on Strength and Deformation Behaviors of Buffer/Backfill Material under High‐Temperature and High‐Pressure Conditions
Authors: Chen Hao , Lv Hai-Bo , Chen Zheng-han , Li Yu-han
Published: January 2019

By using the high‐temperature and high‐pressure triaxial apparatus, 81 undrained triaxial shearing tests of GMZ bentonite were carried out, and the effects of temperature, confining pressure, water content, and dry density on the deformation and strength characteristics of GMZ bentonite were systematically analyzed. Five results are presented in this paper: (1) confining pressure and dry density have a great influence on the failure forms of GMZ bentonite; under the nonconfined pressure condition, the failure forms of the specimen are brittle failure, and it is the same with high dry density, but the specimens with low dry density and high confining pressure exhibit plastic failure; (2) the strength of GMZ bentonite decreases with increasing water content; the position of the deviator stress‐axial strain curve under low dry density rises with the increase of temperature, whereas the location of the curve under high dry density decreases with the rise of temperature; (3) initial Young’s modulus rises with increasing temperature under low dry density, but it is on the contrary under high dry density; with rising water content, initial Young’s modulus generally decreases; (4) Poisson’s ratio rises with rising temperature. The effect of dry density and water content on Poisson’s ratio is insignificant; and (5) the formulae of cohesion and internal friction angle of GMZ bentonite with the changing dry density, water content, and temperature are proposed, respectively. The research results of this paper provide a scientific basis for analyzing the thermo‐hydro‐mechanical coupling characteristics of buffer materials.
Markov Approximation for Task Offloading and Computation Scaling in Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Zhou Wenchen , Fang Weiwei , Li Yangyang , Yuan Bo , Li Yiming , Wang Tian
Published: January 2019

Mobile edge computing (MEC) provides cloud-computing services for mobile devices to offload intensive computation tasks to the physically proximal MEC servers. In this paper, we consider a multiserver system where a single mobile device asks for computation offloading to multiple nearby servers. We formulate this offloading problem as the joint optimization of computation task assignment and CPU frequency scaling, in order to minimize a tradeoff between task execution time and mobile energy consumption. The resulting optimization problem is combinatorial in essence, and the optimal solution generally can only be obtained by exhaustive search with extremely high complexity. Leveraging the Markov approximation technique, we propose a light-weight algorithm that can provably converge to a bounded near-optimal solution. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is able to generate near-optimal solutions and outperform other benchmark algorithms.
IDO1 and Kynurenine Pathway Metabolites Activate PI3K-Akt Signaling in the Neoplastic Colon Epithelium to Promote Cancer Cell Proliferation and Inhibit Apoptosis
Authors: Bishnupuri Kumar S. , Alvarado David M. , Khouri Alexander N. , Shabsovich Mark , Chen Baosheng , Dieckgraefe Brian K. , Ciorba Matthew A.
Published: January 2019

The tryptophan-metabolizing enzyme indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is frequently overexpressed in epithelial-derived malignancies, where it plays a recognized role in promoting tumor immune tolerance. We previously demonstrated that the IDO1–kynurenine pathway (KP) also directly supports colorectal cancer growth by promoting activation of β-catenin and driving neoplastic growth in mice lacking intact adaptive immunity. In this study, we sought to delineate the specific role of epithelial IDO1 in colon tumorigenesis and define how IDO1 and KP metabolites interact with pivotal neoplastic signaling pathways of the colon epithelium. We generated a novel intestinal epithelial–specific IDO1 knockout mouse and utilized established colorectal cancer cell lines containing β-catenin–stabilizing mutations, human colorectal cancer samples, and human-derived epithelial organoids (colonoids and tumoroids). Mice with intestinal epithelial–specific knockout of IDO1 developed fewer and smaller tumors than wild-type littermates in a model of inflammation-driven colon tumorigenesis. Moreover, their tumors exhibited reduced nuclear β-catenin and neoplastic proliferation but increased apoptosis. Mechanistically, KP metabolites (except kynurenic acid) rapidly activated PI3K-Akt signaling in the neoplastic epithelium to promote nuclear translocation of β-catenin, cellular proliferation, and resistance to apoptosis. Together, these data define a novel cell-autonomous function and mechanism by which IDO1 activity promotes colorectal cancer progression. These findings may have implications for the rational design of new clinical trials that exploit a synergy of IDO1 inhibitors with conventional cancer therapies for which Akt activation provides resistance such as radiation.

Significance: This study identifies a new mechanistic link between IDO1 activity and PI3K/AKT signaling, both of which are important pathways involved in cancer growth and resistance to cancer therapy.
Insights into Molecular Classifications of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Improving Patient Selection for Treatment
Authors: Garrido-Castro Ana C. , Lin Nancy U. , Polyak Kornelia
Published: January 2019

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains the most challenging breast cancer subtype to treat. To date, therapies directed to specific molecular targets have rarely achieved clinically meaningful improvements in outcomes of patients with TNBC, and chemotherapy remains the standard of care. Here, we seek to review the most recent efforts to classify TNBC based on the comprehensive profiling of tumors for cellular composition and molecular features. Technologic advances allow for tumor characterization at ever-increasing depth, generating data that, if integrated with clinical–pathologic features, may help improve risk stratification of patients, guide treatment decisions and surveillance, and help identify new targets for drug development.

Significance:

TNBC is characterized by higher rates of relapse, greater metastatic potential, and shorter overall survival compared with other major breast cancer subtypes. The identification of biomarkers that can help guide treatment decisions in TNBC remains a clinically unmet need. Understanding the mechanisms that drive resistance is key to the design of novel therapeutic strategies to help prevent the development of metastatic disease and, ultimately, to improve survival in this patient population.
Whey Protein Complexes with Green Tea Polyphenols: Antimicrobial, Osteoblast-Stimulatory, and Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Carson Matthew , Keppler Julia K. , Brackman Gilles , Dawood Daniel , Vandrovcova Marta , Fawzy El-Sayed Karim , Coenye Tom , Schwarz Karin , Clarke Susan A. , Skirtach Andre G. , Douglas Timothy E.L.
Published: January 2019

Polyphenols are known for their antimicrobial activity, whilst both polyphenols and the globular protein β-lactoglobulin (bLG) are suggested to have antioxidant properties and promote cell proliferation. These are potentially useful properties for a tissue-engineered construct, though it is unknown if they are retained when both compounds are used in combination. In this study, a range of different microbes and an osteoblast-like cell line (human fetal osteoblast, hFOB) were used to assess the combined effect of: (1) green tea extract (GTE), rich in the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and (2) whey protein isolate (WPI), rich in bLG. It was shown that approximately 20–48% of the EGCG in GTE reacted with WPI. GTE inhibited the growth of Gram-positive bacteria, an effect which was potentiated by the addition of WPI. GTE alone also significantly inhibited the growth of hFOB cells after 1, 4, and 7 days of culture. Alternatively, WPI significantly promoted hFOB cell growth in the absence of GTE and attenuated the effect of GTE at low concentrations (64 µg/mL) after 4 and 7 days. Low concentrations of WPI (50 µg/mL) also promoted the expression of the early osteogenic marker alkaline phosphatase (ALP) by hFOB cells, whereas GTE inhibited ALP activity. Therefore, the antioxidant effects of GTE can be boosted by WPI, but GTE is not suitable to be used as part of a tissue-engineered construct due to its cytotoxic effects which negate any positive effect WPI has on cell proliferation.