bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High performance biocompatible cellulose‐based microcapsules encapsulating gallic acid prepared by inverse microsuspension polymerization
Authors: Tangsongcharoen Wichsuda , Punyamoonwongsa Patchara , Chaiyasat Preeyaporn
Published: December 2018

In this study, the preparation of biocompatible cellulose‐based microcapsules encapsulating gallic acid (GA), an important antioxidant of Bambara groundnut extracts, by water‐in‐oil inverse microsuspension polymerization was studied. GA and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were selected as core and shell materials, respectively. For high encapsulation efficiency, CMC was firstly modified (modified‐CMC (m‐CMC)) with 3‐(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (MPS) as a silane coupling agent. It was subsequently polymerized with methacrylic acid (MAA) monomer through a radical route, forming a PMAA grafted m‐CMC (m‐CMC‐g‐PMAA) biocompatible polymer shell. Using CMC:MPS in a ratio of 75:25 (w/w %), highly water‐soluble m‐CMC containing a C=C bond for further radical polymerization was obtained. After inverse microsuspension polymerization at various ratios of m‐CMC:MAA, highly stable spherical m‐CMC‐g‐PMAA microcapsules encapsulating GA were formed in all ratios. It was observed that the encapsulation efficiency increased with increase in MAA content. m‐CMC:MAA in a ratio of 33:67 (w/w%) presented the highest encapsulation efficiency which may due to the increase of hydrophilicity of the aqueous phase. It also presented rapid release and non‐cytotoxic characteristics, suited for use in cosmetic products. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Several phased siRNA annotation methods can frequently misidentify 24 nucleotide siRNA‐dominated PHAS loci
Authors: Polydore Seth , Lunardon Alice , Axtell Michael J.
Published: December 2018

Small RNAs regulate key physiological functions in land plants. Small RNAs can be divided into two categories: microRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs); siRNAs are further subdivided into transposon/repetitive region‐localized heterochromatic siRNAs and phased siRNAs (phasiRNAs). PhasiRNAs are produced from the miRNA‐mediated cleavage of a Pol II RNA transcript; the miRNA cleavage site provides a defined starting point from which phasiRNAs are produced in a distinctly phased pattern. 21–22 nucleotide (nt)‐dominated phasiRNA‐producing loci (PHAS) are well represented in all land plants to date. In contrast, 24 nt‐dominated PHAS loci are known to be encoded only in monocots and are generally restricted to male reproductive tissues. Currently, only one miRNA (miR2275) is known to trigger the production of these 24 nt‐dominated PHAS loci. In this study, we use stringent methodologies in order to examine whether or not 24 nt‐dominated PHAS loci also exist in Arabidopsis thaliana. We find that highly expressed heterochromatic siRNAs were consistently misidentified as 24 nt‐dominated PHAS loci using multiple PHAS‐detecting algorithms. We also find that MIR2275 is not found in A. thaliana, and it seems to have been lost in the last common ancestor of Brassicales. Altogether, our research highlights the potential issues with widely used PHAS‐detecting algorithms which may lead to false positives when trying to annotate new PHAS, especially 24 nt‐dominated loci.
Admission Pentraxin‐3 Level Predicts Severity of Community‐Acquired Pneumonia Independently of Etiology
Authors: Luo Qiongzhen , He Xinwei , Ning Pu , Zheng Yali , Yang Donghong , Xu Yu , Shang Ying , Gao Zhancheng
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Pentraxin‐3 (PTX3) is a nonspecific marker of disease severity; however, PTX3 data from community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients are lacking.

Experimental design

An observational, prospective study of CAP patients was conducted in 2016. Plasma PTX3 levels are determined with quantitative ELISA. The primary endpoint is diagnosis of severe CAP (SCAP); the secondary endpoint is hospital mortality or discharge from the hospital.

Results

Among 188 enrolled patients, 88 are diagnosed with SCAP, and 17 died during the hospital stay. Admission PTX3 levels are higher in patients with high CURB‐65 (confusion, uremia, respiratory rate, blood pressure, age ≥65 years) or Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) scores (p < 0.0001 for both) and are unaffected by etiology. PTX3 demonstrate good performance in predicting both SCAP in CAP patients (AUC = 0.847) and 30‐day mortality of CAP patients (AUC = 0.796). PTX3 combined with CURB‐65 improve prediction performance (p = 0.0379). Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis confirm ≥33.52 ng mL−1 PTX3 as an independent predictor of 30‐day survival.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Admission levels of PTX3 are useful for predicting severity of CAP, independent of possible pathogens. PTX3 can improve prognostic accuracy of severity scores. Detection of PTX3 on admission might be useful for clinical judgment.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03093220, Date of registration: March 28, 2017 (retrospectively registered)
A novel triple amino acid substitution in the EPSPS found in a high‐level glyphosate‐resistant Amaranthus hybridus population from Argentina
Authors: Perotti Valeria E , Larran Alvaro S , Palmieri Valeria E , Martinatto Andrea K , Alvarez Clarisa E , Tuesca Daniel , Permingeat Hugo R
Published: December 2018

Background

The evolution of herbicide‐resistant weeds is one of the most important concerns of global agriculture. Amaranthus hybridus L. is a competitive weed for summer crops in South America. In this article, we intend to unravel the molecular mechanisms by which an A. hybridus population from Argentina has become resistant to extraordinarily high levels of glyphosate.

Results

The glyphosate‐resistant population (A) exhibited particularly high parameters of resistance (GR50 = 20 900 g ai ha−1, Rf = 314), with all plants completing a normal life cycle even after 32X dose application. No shikimic acid accumulation was detected in the resistant plants at any of the glyphosate concentrations tested. Molecular and genetic analyses revealed a novel triple substitution (TAP‐IVS: T102I, A103V, and P106S) in the 5‐enol‐pyruvylshikimate‐3‐phosphate synthase (EPSPS) enzyme of population A and an incipient increase on the epsps relative copy number but without effects on the epsps transcription levels. The novel mechanism was prevalent, with 48% and 52% of the individuals being homozygous and heterozygous for the triple substitution, respectively. In silico conformational studies revealed that TAP‐IVS triple substitution would generate an EPSPS with a functional active site but with an increased restriction to glyphosate binding.

Conclusion

The prevalence of the TAP‐IVS triple substitution as the sole mechanism detected in the highly glyphosate resistant population suggests the evolution of a new glyphosate resistance mechanism arising in A. hybridus. This is the first report of a naturally occurring EPSPS triple substitution and the first glyphosate target‐site resistance mechanism described in A. hybridus. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Enhancing the performance of the EWMA control chart for monitoring the process mean using auxiliary information
Authors: Adegoke Nurudeen A. , Abbasi Saddam Akber , Dawod Abdaljbbar B.A. , Pawley Matthew D.M.
Published: December 2018

When using control charts to monitor manufacturing processes, the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart is useful for detecting persistent shifts in the process parameter. This paper proposes enhancements to the applications of the EWMA control chart for those scenarios where the exact measurement of process units is difficult and expensive, but the visual ordering of the units can be done easily. The proposed charts use an auxiliary variable that is correlated with the process variable to provide efficient monitoring of shifts in the process mean and are formulated based on ranked set sampling (RSS) and median RSS schemes (MRSS). Simulation results showed that the proposed charting schemes are more efficient in detecting a shift in the process mean than the classical EWMA control chart and its modification. An example is provided to show the application of the proposed charts using a simulated benchmark process: the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR).
Systematic review of ganciclovir pharmacodynamics during the prevention of cytomegalovirus infection in adult solid organ transplant recipients
Authors: Wong Diana D. , van Zuylen Wendy J. , Craig Maria E. , Rawlinson William D.
Published: December 2018

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) represents the most common infection among recipients of solid organ transplants (SOTs). Previous meta‐analysis showed 0.8% of SOT recipients developed CMV disease whilst receiving valganciclovir (ValGCV) prophylaxis. However, the clinical utility of monitoring ganciclovir (GCV) blood concentrations is unclear. We systematically reviewed the association between GCV concentrations during prophylaxis and the incidence of CMV. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for studies between 1946 and 2018, where GCV pharmacokinetics and incidence of CMV viraemia or disease in SOT were available. Research designs included randomised trials, comparative, prospective cohort, retrospective, or case report studies. Only human adult studies were included, with English language restriction. The 11 studies that met the eligibility criteria included 610 participants receiving GCV or ValGCV prophylaxis. Quality assessment showed 2/4 randomised trials, 4/6 cohort studies, and 1/1 case report were of high quality. Despite dose adjustments for renal impairment, mean GCV exposures for patients were heterogeneous and ranged between 28 and 53.7 μg·h/mL across three randomised trials. The incidence of CMV infection and disease ranged from 0% to 50% and 0% to 3.1%, respectively, with follow up between 3 to 9 months. One study showed statistical power in determining relationship, where GCV exposure at 40 to 50 μg·h/mL in high‐risk SOT recipients was associated with a reduced risk of viraemia. Clinical monitoring for GCV exposure can be applied to high‐risk SOT recipients during ValGCV prophylaxis; however, further studies are needed to determine the utility of monitoring in all SOT recipients.
Microstructural and in‐depth electrochemical characterization of Zn diffusion layers on aluminum 3xxx alloy
Authors: Lanzutti Alex , Andreatta Francesco , Magnan Michele , Fedrizzi Lorenzo
Published: December 2018

AA 3XXX alloys are widely used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) field. Diffusion joining using a filler metal together with flux is employed in some applications as for heat exchangers. In this work, the effect of diffusion of a Zn‐based flux on both microstructure and electrochemical behavior has been investigated. In particular, an AA3xxx was coated with a Zn‐rich flux and subjected to controlled atmosphere brazing (CAB). Glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES) composition profiles were acquired in order to determine the Zn distribution in the diffusion layer. The GDOES was also employed to produce a controlled erosion of the surface in order to obtain craters with defined depths in the Zn diffusion layer, in which electrochemical analyses could be performed. The Volta potential maps at different depths in the Zn diffusion layer were obtained by scanning Kelvin probe force microscope (SKPFM). The Zn diffusion layer was also investigated by means of Scanning Electron Microscope‐Energy Dispersive X‐ray Spectroscopy (SEM‐EDXS) and the chemical composition of the phases present in the regions was investigated by SKPFM. Finally, the electrochemical microcell was used in the produced craters in order to determine the electrochemical behavior along the Zn diffusion profile. SKPFM and microcell results showed a correlation between the Zn content and the electrochemical properties. In particular, a higher Zn content in the diffusion layer leads to an increase of the Volta potential difference between the intermetallic particles and the matrix. The electrochemical measurements also showed that the Zn diffusion layer provides galvanic protection to the underlaying aluminum alloy.
Porous Triazine Containing Covalent Organic Polymer Supported Pd Nanoparticles: A Stable and Efficient Heterogeneous Catalyst for Sonogashira Cross‐Coupling and the Reduction of Nitroarenes
Authors: Sadhasivam Velu , Mariyappan Mathappan , Siva Ayyanar
Published: December 2018

Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of palladium nanoparticles immobilized on (Pd@DASs) triazine containing covalent organic polymer prepared through solvothermal method to the formation of Schiff base polymer condensation reaction between 1,4‐diaminobenzene and 4,4′,4′′‐(1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4,6‐triyl)tribenzaldehyde, respectively. The synthesized Pd@DASs was thoroughly characterized by various techniques including FT‐IR, UV‐DRS, EDAX, powder XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Furthermore, the prepared Pd@DASs potential catalytic performance was evaluated for Sonogashira cross‐coupling of various aryl halides with phenylacetylene, K2CO3 as a base in water/DMF (2:1) solvent for about 3 h and the same catalyst was used for reduction of nitroarenes using hydrazine hydrate (Hydrogen source) in methanol/water (1:2) mixture of solvent for about 1.30 h under mild reaction conditions. Neither copper and nor ligand and additives are required in the reaction medium, which exhibits high catalytic activity and excellent to good yield (upto 96% and 99%), the catalyst can be separated easily and recycle for several times.
Solution‐Phase Synthesis of Silica Fibers and Their Use in Making Transparent High‐Strength Silica‐Polymer Composites
Authors: Spence Daron , Park Jaehyung , Cullen David A. , Ho Hoi Chun , Polizos Georgios , Sharma Jaswinder
Published: December 2018

A solution‐phase synthesis of silica fibers is demonstrated. Silica fibers with length up to 50 μm and diameter ≈ 300 nm were synthesized. Fiber structure was characterized by using scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) surface area analysis, and Barrett‐Joyner‐Halenda (BJH) pore size and volume analysis. Fiber reinforced polymer composite films were made and investigated to demonstrate the use of these fibers as a reinforce material. A polymer composite film having 6% of silica fibers showed 38% and 16% increase in the Young's modulus and the yield point, respectively, when compared to the Young's modulus and yield point of the polymer alone. Composite films had quite good visible transmittance (>90%).
A New Resin Containing Aminopropylphosphonate Chelating Ligand for High‐Performance Mitigation of Heavy Metal Ions
Authors: Kazi Izzat W. , Ullah Nisar , Ali Shaikh A.
Published: December 2018

Cyclopolymerization, initiated by t‐butylhydroperoxide, of an aqueous solution of N‐(3‐phosphonopropyl)diallylammonium hydrochloride and cross‐linker tetraallylpiperazinium dichloride in 9:1 mol ratio, led to a pH‐responsive cross‐linked resin (80% yield). The resin showed exceptional efficiency for entrapping toxic metal ions from aqueous systems. Using Langmuir adsorption isotherm, the respective maximum uptake (Qm) of Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions was determined to be 7.18 and 6.76 mmol g−1. The very impressive performance accorded the resin a prestigious place among many sorbents in recent works. The adsorption data fitted second‐order kinetics with respective Ea of 35.5 and 31.1 kJ mol−1 for Pb2+and Cu2+ ions. While the initial rapid adsorption of metal ions was due to film diffusion, the slower adsorption followed intraparticle diffusion. SEM and EDX analyses confirmed the metal ions’ adsorption onto sorbent. The negative ΔG° and positive ΔH° values demonstrated the endothermic adsorption as a favorable process. The sorbent is recyclable as evinced by the excellent adsorption/desorption process.
Phase Transitions in Confinements: Controlling Solid to Fluid Transitions of Xenon Atoms in an On‐Surface Network
Authors: Ahsan Aisha , Mousavi S. Fatemeh , Nijs Thomas , Nowakowska Sylwia , Popova Olha , Wäckerlin Aneliia , Björk Jonas , Gade Lutz H. , Jung Thomas A.
Published: December 2018

This study reports on “phase” transitions of Xe condensates in on‐surface confinements induced by temperature changes and local probe excitation. The pores of a metal‐organic network occupied with 1 up to 9 Xe atoms are investigated in their propensity to undergo “condensed solid” to “confined fluid” transitions. Different transition temperatures are identified, which depend on the number of Xe atoms in the condensate and relate to the stability of the Xe clustering in the condensed “phase.” This work reveals the feature‐rich behavior of transitions of confined planar condensates, which provide a showcase toward future “phase‐transition” storage media patterned by self‐assembly. This work is also of fundamental interest as it paves the way to real space investigations of reversible solid to fluid transitions of magic cluster condensates in an array of extremely well‐defined quantum confinements.
Evaluation of morphometric parameters using geographic information system coupled with digital elevation model: A case study from Gumara watershed, Ethiopia
Authors: Ahmad Imran , Dar Mithas Ahmad
Published: December 2018

Every year during the monsoons, water‐activated soil erosion poses serious spatial–environmental tribulations, causing heavy damage to agricultural lands and sedimentation in reservoirs, creating water quality problems in nearby surface water bodies. A digital elevation model (DEM) and geographic information system (GIS) are coupled to investigate the various morphometric parameters and their hydrological implications. The software used to perform the overall analysis is the ESRI ArcGIS v10.3.1 with the ESRI Spatial Analyst and ArcHydro extension. Morphometric examination plays a vital role in watershed planning. For example, stream power index (SPI) analysis helps in delineating the areas prone to erosion. The zones with high values of SPI demand conservation measures in the Gumara watershed, Ethiopia. The general outcomes demonstrate that the use of DEM combined with GIS provide potentially powerful tools to analyze morphometric parameters for watershed management.
New psychoactive substances—Synthetic stimulants
Authors: Varì M. Rosaria , Pichini Simona , Giorgetti Raffaele , Busardò Francesco P.
Published: December 2018

The expression “New Synthetic Stimulants” include classes of psychoactive compounds that share subjective effects in humans such as boosted mood or euphoria, feelings of empathy or compassion, increased sociability and sex drive, perceived increased ability to learn and focus, increased energy and alertness, with unpleasant outcomes like increased blood pressure and heart rate, paranoia or aberrations, decreased appetite, raised body temperature, clenched jaw or grinding teeth, dry mouth, insomnia, hallucinations, and aggressive or violent behavior. Synthetic stimulants act in the brain by increasing concentrations of neurotransmitters, mainly dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine is involved in attention, reward, and motivation whereas serotonin is involved in generating feelings of happiness and pleasure. Synthetic stimulants act on the two brain systems to different extents, accounting for their range of effects. Noradrenaline release is also stimulated by these compounds, but to a minor degree. In any case, long‐term use of synthetic stimulants exhausts dopamine and serotonin systems in the brain. The nerve cells become desensitized to the drugs, which makes them resistant to the brain's own signaling molecules. This leads to tolerance and dependence, which can easily turn into addiction. Like classic stimulants (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamine), new synthetic stimulants can be highly addictive.

This article is categorized under:

Toxicology > New Psychoactive Substances
The problem of genetic code misreading during protein synthesis
Authors: Joshi Kartikeya , Cao Ling , Farabaugh Philip J.
Published: December 2018

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been an important model for determining the frequency of translational misreading events, those in which a tRNA pairs incorrectly to the mRNA and inserts an amino acid not specified by the codon in the mRNA. Misreading errors have been quantified in vivo using reporter protein systems or mass spectrometry with both approaches converging on a simple model for most misreading. The available data show that misreading tRNAs must form stereotypical base mismatches that correspond to those that can mimic Watson–Crick base pairs when formed in the ribosomal A site. Errors involving other mismatches occur significantly less frequently. This work debunks the idea of an average misreading frequency of 5 × 10−4 per codon that extends across the genetic code. Instead, errors come in two distinct classes—high frequency and low frequency events—with most errors being of the low frequency type. A comparison of misreading errors in S. cerevisiae and Escherichia coli suggests the existence of a mechanism that reduces misreading frequency in yeast; this mechanism may operate in eukaryotes generally.
Generic bifurcations in fractional thermo‐mechanics with peridyamic effects
Authors: Béda Péter B.
Published: December 2018

In dynamic stability analysis, mathematical aspects of non‐locality are studied by using the theory of dynamical systems. The set of basic equations describing the behavior of continua is transformed to an abstract dynamical system. Such approach results in conditions for cases, when the differential operators have critical eigenvalues of zero real‐parts (dynamic stability or instability conditions). When the critical eigenvalues have nontrivial eigenspace, the way of loss of stability can be classified as a generic bifurcation. Our experiences show that material non‐locality and the generic nature of bifurcation at instability are connected, and the basic functions of the non‐trivial eigenspace can be used to determine internal length quantities of non‐local mechanics. In the paper, non‐local effects are introduced via fractional stress and strain into the equation of motion and into constitutive relations. Then, by defining dynamical systems, stability and bifurcation are studied for states of thermo‐mechanic solids. Conditions for stability and generic bifurcation are presented for constitutive relations under consideration.
Holographic fermions in striped phases
Authors: Cremonini Sera , Li Li , Ren Jie
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We examine the fermionic response in a holographic model of a low temperature striped phase, working for concreteness with the setup we studied in [1, 2], in which a U(1) symmetry and translational invariance are broken spontaneously at the same time. We include an ionic lattice that breaks translational symmetry explicitly in the UV of the theory. Thus, this construction realizes spontaneous crystallization on top of a background lattice. We solve the Dirac equation for a probe fermion in the associated background geometry using numerical techniques, and explore the interplay between spontaneous and explicit breaking of translations. We note that in our model the breaking of the U(1) symmetry doesn’t play a role in the analysis of the fermionic spectral function. We investigate under which conditions a Fermi surface can form and focus in particular on how the ionic lattice affects its structure. When the ionic lattice becomes sufficiently strong the spectral weight peaks broaden, denoting a gradual disappearance of the Fermi surface along the symmetry breaking direction. This phenomenon occurs even in the absence of spontaneously generated stripes. The resulting Fermi surface appears to consist of detached segments reminiscent of Fermi arcs.
Devonian bryozoans from Argentina: new cosmopolitan components of Southwestern Gondwanan basins
Authors: Carrera Marcelo G. , Ernst Andrej , Rustán Juan José
Published: December 2018

Lower to probably Middle Devonian bryozoans from western Argentina are reported. Five genera of trepostomes:Leptotrypa,Leptotrypella,Eridotrypella,Cyphotrypa,Boardmanella, and the cryptostome ?Pseudonematoporaare described and figured. The paleobiogeographical significance of these bryozoans was analyzed in the context of Southern Gondwana during the Devonian. The group was considered as nearly absent from southwestern marine basins. In contrast with highly endemic groups, supporting the recognition of the Malvinokaffric Realm in this region, bryozoans reported are nearly cosmopolitan. The presence of those genera typical of warm-temperate, carbonate settings from low paleolatitudes, such as the Laurentian-EuropeanEridotrypella,Leptotrypa, andLeptotrypella, or the EurasiansBoardmanellaand ?Pseudonematopora, implies that these taxa were euritopic with remarkable capabilities for dispersion to reach high-latitude siliciclastic environments of the Southwestern Gondwanan basins.
The Weight of the Continuous Past: Transitional (In)Justice and Impunity States in Central America
Authors: Bowen Rachel E.
Published: December 2018

Central America’s Northern Triangle is infamous for high levels of violent crime and human rights abuses, producing “impunity states” in which violence typically goes unpunished. That violence reflects the broader impunity or “transitional injustice” that has persisted since the peace accords and transitions to democracy of the 1980s and 1990s. Several “posttransitional” trials for past human rights violations in recent years in Guatemala were made possible by institutional strengthening efforts in the prosecutorial agency, led by a unique United Nations commission. Significant progress away from broad impunity may also be seen in the 2015 “Guatemalan Spring,” in which a sitting president was forced to resign and submit to prosecution in connection with a corruption scandal. Comparisons of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras suggest that institutional strengthening is necessary before “posttransitional justice,” or an end to impunity more generally, can be possible.
Death of the King: The Introduction of Vaccination into Nepal in 1816
Authors: Heydon Susan
Published: December 2018

This article explores the introduction of smallpox vaccination into Nepal in 1816 at the request of the Nepalese government; the king, however, was not vaccinated, contracted the disease and died. British hopes that vaccination would be extended throughout the country did not eventuate. The article examines the significance of this early appearance of vaccination in Nepal for both Nepalese and British, and relates it to the longer history of smallpox control and eventual eradication. When the Nepalese requested World Health Organization (WHO) assistance with communicable disease control in the mid-twentieth century little had changed for most Nepalese. We know about the events in 1816 through the letters of the newly imposed British Resident after Nepal’s military defeat in the Anglo-Nepal War (1814–16). By also drawing on other sources and foregrounding Nepal, it becomes possible to build up a more extensive picture of smallpox in Nepal that shows not only boundaries and limits to colonial authority and influence but also how governments may adopt and use technologies on their own terms and for their own purposes. Linking 1816 to the ultimately successful global eradication programme 150 years later reminds us of the need to think longer term as to why policies and programmes may or may not work as planned.
In the Camp and on the March: Military Manuals as Sources for Studying Premodern Public Health
Authors: Geltner G.
Published: December 2018

Historians tend to view public health as a quintessentially modern phenomenon, enabled by the emergence of representative democracies, centralised bureaucracies and advanced biomedicine. While social, urban and religious historians have begun chipping away at the entrenched dichotomy between pre/modernity that this view implies, evidence for community prophylactics in earlier eras also emerges from a group of somewhat unexpected sources, namely military manuals. Texts composed for (and often by) army leaders in medieval Latin Europe, East Rome (Byzantium) and other premodern civilisations reflect the topicality of population-level preventative healthcare well before the nineteenth century, thereby broadening the path for historicising public health from a transregional and even global perspective. Moreover, at least throughout the Mediterranean world, military manuals also attest the enduring appeal of Hippocratic and Galenic prophylactics and how that medical tradition continued for centuries to shape the routines and material culture of vulnerable communities such as armies.
Hypophosphataemia in severe acute malnutrition: a prospective observational study
Authors: Chanchal Rana , Gupta Sarika , Kanta Chandra , Singh Kalpana , Koonwar Sciddhartha
Published: December 2018

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a major cause of child mortality and morbidity. Children treated for SAM are at risk of refeeding hypophosphataemia (HP). The study was done to find out the incidence and various predictors of moderate/severe HP in SAM among North Indian children. This prospective observational study was conducted from August 2014 to July 2015 in the inpatients’ department of Department of Paediatrics at King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, North India, a tertiary care teaching hospital. Before inclusion, ethical approval and written informed consent was obtained. Included in the study were sixty-five children aged 6–59 months of age, who were admitted to the hospital with SAM as per the WHO guidelines. SAM was defined as a mid-upper arm circumference <115 mm and/or weight-for-height/length <–3z-scores of the WHO growth standards and/or have bilateral oedema. Serum P levels were measured on admission and for five consecutive days after starting feed. HP was defined as mild, moderate and severe with a cut-off of 1·19–0·65, 0·65–0·32 and <0·32 mmol/l, respectively. About 60 % children had HP, with 20 % having moderate/severe HP at admission. The proportion of HP increased to 83·1 %, with 38·5 % having moderate/severe HP on day 3 after feeding. It was concluded that HP is a common biochemical abnormality in SAM. Considering its impact on the health of the child, serum P levels should be monitored in patients with SAM who are treated with enteral feeding.
Muscle mass to visceral fat ratio is an important predictor of the metabolic syndrome in college students
Authors: Ramírez-Vélez Robinson , Garcia-Hermoso Antonio , Prieto-Benavides Daniel Humberto , Correa-Bautista Jorge Enrique , Quino-Ávila Aura Cristina , Rubio-Barreto Claudia Maritza , González-Ruíz Katherine , Carrillo Hugo Alejandro , Correa-Rodríguez María , González-Jiménez Emilio , Rio-Valle Jacqueline Schmidt
Published: December 2018

This study aimed to evaluate the associations between the muscle mass to visceral fat (MVF) ratio and cardiometabolic risk factors in a large population of college students in Colombia and to propose cut-off points of this index for the metabolic syndrome (MetS). A total of 1464 young adults recruited from the FUPRECOL (Asociación de la Fuerza Prensil con Manifestaciones Tempranas de Riesgo Cardiovascular en Jóvenes y Adultos Colombianos) study were categorised into four groups based on their MVF ratio. Muscle mass and visceral fat level of the participants were measured using a bioelectrical impedance analysis. Cardiometabolic risk factors including lifestyle characteristics, anthropometry, blood pressure and biochemical parameters were assessed. The prevalence of moderate to severe obesity, hypertension and the MetS was higher in subjects in quartile (Q)1 (lower MVF ratio) (P<0·001). ANCOVA revealed that the subjects in Q1 had higher cardiometabolic disturbances, including altered anthropometry, blood pressure, muscle strength and biochemical parameters after adjusting for age and sex compared with young adults in higher MVF ratio quartiles (P<0·001). Muscular mass and physical activity levels were significantly lower in subjects with a lower MVF ratio (P<0·001). The receiver operating characteristic curve analyses indicated that in men the best MVF ratio cut-off point for detecting the MetS was 18·0 (AUC 0·83, sensitivity 78 % and specificity 77 %) and for women, the MVF ratio cut-off point was 13·7 (AUC 0·85, sensitivity 76 % and specificity 87 %). A lower MVF ratio is associated with a higher risk cardiometabolic profile in early adulthood, supporting that the MVF ratio could be used as a complementary screening tool that may help clinicians identify young adults at high cardiometabolic risk.
Impact of three different daily doses of vitamin D3supplementation in healthy schoolchildren and adolescents from North India: a single-blind prospective randomised clinical trial
Authors: Marwaha Raman K. , Garg Mahendra K. , Sethuraman Gomathy , Gupta Nandita , Mithal Ambrish , Dang Navin , Kalaivani Mani , Ashraf Ganie Mohd , Narang Archana , Arora Preeti , Singh Annie , Chadha Aditi , Manchanda Raj Kumar
Published: December 2018

In India, there is a lack of information about the adequate daily dose of vitamin D3supplementation in school children. Hence, we undertook this study to evaluate the adequacy and efficacy of different doses of vitamin D3in schoolchildren. A total of 1008 vitamin D-deficient (VDD) children, aged 6–16 years with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels <50nmol/l, were cluster randomised into three groups (A-344, B-341 and C-232) for supplementation (600, 1000 and 2000 IU daily) of vitamin D3under supervision for 6 months. Of the 1008 subjects who completed the study, 938 (93 %) were compliant. Baseline and post-supplementation fasting blood and urine samples were evaluated for Ca, phosphates, alkaline phosphatase, 25(OH)D and parathormone and urine Ca:creatinine ratio. The mean age of the subjects was 11·7 (sd2·4) years, and the overall mean baseline serum 25(OH)D level was 24·3 (SD9·5)nmol/l. Post-supplementation rise in serum 25(OH)D in compliant group was maximum with 2000 IU (70·0 (SD30·0)nmol/l), followed by 1000 IU (46·8 (SD22·5)nmol/l) and 600 IU (36·5 (SD18·5)nmol/l), and serum 25(OH)D levels of ≥50nmol/l were achieved in 71·5, 81·8 and 92·9 % by groups A, B and C, respectively. Secondary hyperparathyroidism decreased from 31·7 to 8·4 % post-supplementation. Two participants developed hypercalciuria, but none developed hypercalcaemia. Children with VDD benefit maximum with the daily supplementation of 2000 IU of vitamin D3. Whether recommendations of 400 IU/d by Indian Council of Medical Research or 600 IU by Indian Academy of Pediatrics or Institute of Medicine would suffice to achieve vitamin D sufficiency in children with VDD remains debatable.
Integrated pest management of plant sucking bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae) in Australian cotton: back to the future
Authors: Sequeira Richard V.
Published: December 2018

Creontiades dilutus (green mirid) and C. pacificus (brown mirid) are major hemipteran pests of transgenic (Bt) cotton in Australia. Current integrated pest management (IPM) guidelines for mirids in Australian cotton, based on economic thresholds and sampling recommendations, were developed and disseminated to industry at the start of the 2005–06 growing season and have remained largely unchanged since then. However, adoption of mirid IPM guidelines by industry has been highly variable and generally well below expectation. Annual surveys of crop protection practices across the Australian cotton industry, from 2010 to 2017, indicate that a third of all mirid sprays are applied below the recommended thresholds each year. More than half of all survey respondents in the 2017 survey indicated lack of confidence in the mirid thresholds due to highly variable and disproportionate damage, a phenomenon best described as the ‘mirid enigma’. A critical review of RD&E outputs since 1998 shows that potential contributors to the mirid enigma include but are not limited to biological, ecological and methodological factors. Mirid feeding damage is likely to vary with developmental stage, gender and reproductive status. Ecological factors including trophic effects and multiple host plant usage are potential modifiers of mirid feeding damage. Methodological and technological constraints and shortcomings are evident in the threshold research done to date. Inadequate commercial sampling that results in unreliable estimates of pest density in the crop is a major contributor to the mirid enigma. Failure to account for the complexity of factors that can influence the nature and severity of mirid damage to cotton often results in fruit loss due to non-mirid related factors being incorrectly attributed to mirids. An alternative approach to mirid management based on modelling the dynamics of net fruit load (production–loss) proposed over 15 years ago is discussed.
On how the nature of early retirement is related to post-retirement life conditions from a citizenship perspective
Authors: Jensen Per H. , Kongshøj Kristian , de Tavernier Wouter
Published: December 2018

The aim of this paper is to analyse how the nature of retirement is related to post-retirement life conditions among early retirees. As to the nature of retirement, we make use of the concepts of push, pull and jump to describe why individuals retire early. Push is analysed as an outcome of poor health and firings, pull as a mechanical (reflective) response to economic and symbolic signals of the welfare state, while jump is described as a reflexive process; jumpers strive for new experiences (a new life project) and/or social gains (to be more together with grandchildren). Post-retirement life conditions are analysed in a four-dimensional citizenship perspective: (a) economic, (b) social and (c) political citizenship, as well as the feeling of having (d) ‘equal social worth’vis-à-visfellow citizens. Results show that role transitions are strongly affected by the nature of retirement. Jumpers largely seem to be shielded from low levels of citizenship in old age. Those pushed out of the labour market indeed run a rather high risk of lacking citizenship, epitomised as loss of economic and social citizenship as well as a low sense of having equal social worthvis-á-visfellow citizens. No conclusive results were found for older workers subject to pull. Pullers made up a rather small proportion of total sample.
Intimate partner violence as a mechanism underlying the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment among economically disadvantaged mothers and their adolescent daughters
Authors: Adams Tangeria R. , Handley Elizabeth D. , Manly Jody Todd , Cicchetti Dante , Toth Sheree L.
Published: December 2018

Child maltreatment represents a pervasive societal problem. Exposure to maltreatment is predictive of maladjustment across development with enduring negative effects found in adulthood. Compelling evidence suggests that some parents with a history of child abuse and neglect are at elevated risk for the maltreatment of their own children. However, a dearth of research currently exists on mediated mechanisms that may underlie this continuity. Ecological and transactional theories of child maltreatment propose that child maltreatment is multiply determined by various risk factors that exist across different ecological systems. Intimate partner violence (IPV) often co-occurs with child maltreatment and may represent a pathway through which risk for child abuse and neglect is transmitted across generations within a family. Informed by theories on the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment and utilizing a community-based, cross-sectional sample of 245 racially and ethnically diverse, low-income mothers and daughters, the objective of this study was to investigate IPV as a propagating process through which risk of child abuse and neglect is conferred from parent to child. We found evidence suggesting that mothers’ history of maltreatment is associated with both their IPV involvement and their adolescent daughters’ maltreatment victimization (with exposure to IPV as a maltreatment subtype excluded for clarity). Maternal IPV also partially accounted for the continuity of maltreatment victimization from mother to adolescent. A secondary analysis that included the adolescent's own engagement in dating violence provided compelling but preliminary evidence of the emergence of a similar pattern of relational violence, whereby adolescent girls with maltreatment histories were likewise involved in abusive intimate relationships. Future directions and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
From Durkheim to Czarnowski: Sociological Universalism and Polish Politics in the Interwar Period
Authors: Wawrzyniak Joanna
Published: December 2018

The Durkheimian School of sociology was one of the most comprehensive programmes ever developed in the social sciences. This article contributes to those accounts of the School that discuss its intergenerational, interdisciplinary and international transformations after the Great War. From this perspective, the article presents the case of a Polish scholar, Stefan Czarnowski (1879–1937), whose early work on the cult of St. Patrick in Ireland became one of the Durkheimian classics on social integration. In the interwar period Czarnowski argued against race studies and anti-social concepts of culture and called for sociologically grounded comparative world history ordered around the notions of class and work. More generally, Czarnowski’s reconfiguration of Durkheimian universal principles in the specific location of East Central Europe calls for a deeper historicisation of the Durkheimian School as a movement in international social sciences.
Population and geography do matter for sustainable development
Authors: La Torre Davide , Liuzzi Danilo , Marsiglio Simone
Published: December 2018

We analyze the spatio-temporal dynamics of a simple model of macroeconomic geography in which demography and pollution dynamics mutually affect each other. Pollution, by reducing the carrying capacity of the natural environment – which determines the maximum amount of people a given location can effectively bear – crucially affects labor force dynamics which in turn alter the amount of resources available for abatement activities aiming to reduce pollution. Such mutual links determine the eventual sustainability of the development process in different locations and economies, and spatial interactions further complicate the picture. We show that neglecting the existence of mutual feedback between population and pollution leads to misleading conclusions about the eventual sustainability of a specific location. We also show that even neglecting the existence of spatial externalities can lead to misleading conclusions about the sustainability of different regions in the spatial economy. This suggests thus that both the nature of the population and pollution relationship and geographical factors may play a critical role in the process of sustainable development.
Maternal undernutrition results in altered renal pro-inflammatory gene expression concomitant with hypertension in adult male offspring that is ameliorated following pre-weaning growth hormone treatment
Authors: Zhang X. D. , Reynolds C. M. , Gray C. , Li M. , Vickers M. H.
Published: December 2018

An adverse early life environment is associated with increased cardiovascular disease in offspring. Work in animal models has shown that maternal undernutrition (UN) during pregnancy leads to hypertension in adult offspring, with effects thought to be mediated in part via altered renal function. We have previously shown that growth hormone (GH) treatment of UN offspring during the pre-weaning period can prevent the later development of cardiometabolic disorders. However, the mechanistic basis for these observations is not well defined. The present study examined the impact of GH treatment on renal inflammatory markers in adult male offspring as a potential mediator of these reversal effects. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a chow diet fed ad libitum (CON) or at 50% of CON intake (UN) during pregnancy. All dams were fed the chow diet ad libitum during lactation. CON and UN pups received saline (CON-S/UN-S) or GH (2.5 µg/g/day; CON-GH/UN-GH) from postnatal day 3 until weaning (p21). Post-weaning males were fed a standard chow diet for the remainder of the study (150 days). Histological analysis was performed to examine renal morphological characteristics, and gene expression of inflammatory and vascular markers were assessed. There was evidence of renal hypotrophy and reduced nephron number in the UN-S group. Tumour necrosis factor-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), intercellular adhesion molecular-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 gene expression was increased in UN-S offspring and normalized in the UN-GH group. These findings indicate that pre-weaning GH treatment has the potential to normalize some of the adverse renal and cardiovascular sequelae that arise as a consequence of poor maternal nutrition.
Translating the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease concept to improve the nutritional environment for our next generations: a call for a reflexive, positive, multi-level approach
Authors: McKerracher L. , Moffat T. , Barker M. , Williams D. , Sloboda D. M.
Published: December 2018

Evidence supporting the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis indicates that improving early life environments can reduce non-communicable disease risks and improve health over the lifecourse. A widespread understanding of this evidence may help to reshape structures, guidelines and individual behaviors to better the developmental conditions for the next generations. Yet, few efforts have yet been made to translate the DOHaD concept beyond the research community. To understand why, and to identify priorities for DOHaD Knowledge Translation (KT) programs, we review here a portion of published descriptions of DOHaD KT efforts and critiques thereof. We focus on KT targeting people equipped to apply DOHaD knowledge to their everyday home or work lives. We identified 17 reports of direct-to-public DOHaD KT that met our inclusion criteria. Relevant KT programs have been or are being initiated in nine countries, most focusing on secondary school students or care-workers-in-training; few target parents-to-be. Early indicators suggest that such programs can empower participants. Main critiques of DOHaD KT suggest it may overburden mothers with responsibility for children’s health and health environments, minimizing the roles of other people and institutions. Simultaneously, though, many mothers-to-be seek reliable guidance on prenatal health and nutrition, and would likely benefit from engagement with DOHaD KT. We thus recommend emphasizing solidarity, and bringing together people likely to one day become parents (youth), people planning pregnancies, expecting couples, care workers and policymakers into empowering conversation about DOHaD and about the importance and complexity of early life environments.
Die klinische Beurteilung von Zwangssymptomen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen
Authors: Goletz Hildegard , Döpfner Manfred
Published: December 2018

Zusammenfassung. Fragestellung: Die Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) stellt international das meist angewandte Instrument zur Erfassung der Zwangssymptomatik im Kindes- und Jugendalter dar. In vorliegender Studie werden erstmals, insbesondere auch mit Fokus auf die Untersuchung von Zwangssymptomdimensionen, die psychometrischen Eigenschaften einer deutschen Version der CY-BOCS (CY-BOCS-D) an einer Stichprobe von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Zwangsstörungen (n = 169; Alter 11–18 Jahre) untersucht. Methodik: Überprüft werden die faktorielle Struktur, interne Konsistenzen, konvergente und divergente Validität. Ergebnisse: Die explorativen Faktorenanalysen bestätigen die ursprünglich von den Autoren der Originalversion a priori zugrunde gelegte zweifaktorielle Struktur der CY-BOCS-D-Ratingskala und zeigen eine vierfaktorielle Struktur der CY-BOCS-D-Checkliste auf. Die internen Konsistenzen erweisen sich als adäquat bis sehr gut, konvergente und divergente Validität lassen sich bestätigen. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Ergebnisse untermauern den „Goldstandard“-Status des Verfahrens auch für den deutschen Sprachraum.