bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peritonsillar infiltration of lidocaine with adrenaline is associated with increased risk of secondary post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage
Authors: Tolska H K , Takala A J , Jero J
Published: October 2018

Objectives

In order to evaluate the safety of tonsillectomy among children, we retrospectively studied the incidence of post-operative complications, adverse events and their association with peri-operative medication.

Methods

Data were collected from the medical records of 691 patients aged 1–16 years, including details of post-operative complications (any unplanned contact with the hospital), analgesics, dexamethasone, 5-HT3 antagonists, local anaesthetic and haemostatic agents.

Results

Recovery was complicated in 13.6 per cent of patients, of whom 8.4 per cent were re-admitted to the ward. The most common complication was post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage, experienced by 7.1 per cent of patients. Re-operation under general anaesthesia (for grade III post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage) was required by 4.2 per cent of patients. Peritonsillar infiltration of lidocaine with adrenaline increased the risk of post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage (odds ratio = 4.1; 95 per cent confidence interval = 2.1 to 8.3).

Conclusion

Every seventh paediatric patient experienced a complicated recovery after tonsillectomy, caused by post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage in most cases. Local peritonsillar infiltration of lidocaine with adrenaline was associated with an increased risk of post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage.
COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERVENTIONS BASED ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
Authors: Guillon Marlène , Rochaix Lise , Dupont Jean-Claude K.
Published: October 2018

Objectives:

The aim of this study is to review evidence on the cost-effectiveness of exercise-based interventions in the treatment of chronic conditions a decade after the publication of Roine et al. in 2009 (Roine E, Roine RP, Räsänen P, et al. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2009;25:427–454).

Methods:

We carried out a review of published articles in PUBMED and JSTOR between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2016. Full economic evaluations of exercise programs targeting patients with a chronic condition were eligible for inclusion. Data on program, design, and economic characteristics were extracted using a predefined extraction form. The quality of the economic evaluations was appraised using the adjusted Consensus Health Economic Criteria List.

Results:

A total of 426 articles were identified and thirty-seven studies were selected. Eleven studies dealt with musculoskeletal and rheumatologic disorders, ten with cardiovascular diseases, six with neurological disorders, three with mental illnesses, three with cancers, and four with diabetes, respiratory diseases, or pelvic organ prolapse. In total, 60 percent of exercise programs were dominant or cost-effective. For musculoskeletal and rheumatologic disorders, 72 percent of programs were dominant or cost-effective while this was the case for 57 percent of programs for cardiovascular diseases using a nonsurgical comparator.

Conclusions:

There is clear evidence in favor of exercise-based programs for the treatment of musculoskeletal and rheumatologic disorders and, to a lesser extent, for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. More research is needed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of physical activity in the treatment of neurological disorders, mental illnesses, cancers, respiratory diseases, and diabetes/obesity.
A Novel Similarity Measure for Clustering Vessel Trajectories Based on Dynamic Time Warping
Authors: Zhao Liangbin , Shi Guoyou
Published: October 2018

Clustering methods that use a similarity measurement for evaluating vessel trajectories are important for mining spatial distribution information in water transportation. To better measure the similarity of vessel trajectories, a novel similarity measure is proposed based on the dynamic time warping distance, which considers the course change of track points and the meaning at the route level. Parallel experiments were conducted based on a month of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data collected from the Zhoushan Islands area, China. After evaluation of the accuracy and the cluster degree, the novel measure demonstrated its capabilities for distinguishing different vessel trajectories and detecting similar vessel trajectories with high accuracy and has a better performance compared to some existing methods.
Who Is (Still) Looking After Mom and Dad? Few Improvements in Care Aides’ Quality-of-Work Life
Authors: Chamberlain Stephanie A. , Hoben Matthias , Squires Janet E. , Cummings Greta G. , Norton Peter , Estabrooks Carole A.
Published: October 2018

Les aides-soignants non réglementés fournissent la majorité des soins directs dans les résidences pour personnes âgées. Nos travaux précédents ont rapporté un premier profil démographique des aides-soignants de l’ouest du Canada par le programme de recherche Translating Research in Elder Care (TREC; 2007-2022) visant les services de santé appliqués. Dans cette étude, nous présentons les caractéristiques démographiques, liées à la santé et à la vie professionnelle d’aides-soignants provenant de 91 résidences pour personnes âgées de l’ouest du Canada. Les données démographiques et liées au travail ont significativement varié selon les régions et les modèles de propriété ou d’opération. Notre cohorte longitudinale de l’Alberta et de Winnipeg présentait davantage d’épuisement émotionnel (attribut négatif), d’efficacité professionnelle (attribut positif) et d’expérience avec les comportements réactifs liés à la démence chez les résidents. En général, les résultats indiquent peu d’amélioration ou de détérioration de la santé des aides-soignants et de la qualité de la vie professionnelle. Étant donné que les initiatives provinciales et nationales pour la planification et la formation de la main-d’œuvre dans ce domaine sont limitées, ceci indique que le système des soins de longue durée n’est pas préparé pour soigner efficacement la population canadienne vieillissante.
The Impact of Irrational Beliefs on Paranoid Thoughts
Authors: Soflau Radu , David Daniel O.
Published: October 2018

Background:Although the ABC model proposed by cognitive behavioral theory has strong empirical support for a wide range of psychological problems, little is known about the role of irrational beliefs (IBs), a central concept of the ABC model, in the aetiology of paranoid thoughts, one of the most common psychotic symptoms.Aims:The present study aimed to investigate the impact of IBs on paranoid thoughts and people's perceptions of others.Method:Eighty-one non-clinical participants (mage = 21.21 years,SD= 2.72, range 18–33; 83.95% female) recruited for this study were randomly assigned to one of the two conditions: IBs or rational beliefs (RBs). In a role-play paradigm, subjects were asked to imagine holding a list of IBs or RBs, respectively, while being exposed to a neutral social context in a virtual reality environment.Results:In line with the ABC model, results indicate that IBs lead to significantly higher levels of state paranoid thoughts and more negative perceptions of others than RBs, even after controlling for participants’ baseline irrationality and trait paranoia [F(5,68) = 11.23,p< .001, Wilk's λ = .54, partial η2= .45].Conclusions:The findings of this paper suggest that IBs might play an aetiological role in the occurrence of paranoid thoughts. Practical and theoretical implications of these results are also considered.
The methodological approaches of Colin Rowe: the multifaceted, intellectual connoisseur at La Tourette
Authors: Martínez Raúl Martínez
Published: October 2018

In England, the establishment of art history as a professional discipline was consolidated by the foundation of the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932, and the Warburg Library's move from Hamburg to London the following year due to the rise of the Nazi régime; a political situation that caused the emigration of German-speaking scholars such as Fritz Saxl, Ernst Gombrich and Rudolf Wittkower. Colin Rowe, an influential member of the second generation of historians of modern architecture, was educated as part of this cultural milieu in the postwar period, studying at the Warburg Institute in London. In the ‘Addendum 1973’ to his first published article ‘The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa’ (1947), Rowe acknowledged the Wölfflinian origins of his analysis – Saxl and Wittkower had studied under Heinrich Wölfflin – and the validity of his inherited German formal methods. This assumption, in the opinion of one of Rowe's students, the architectural historian and critic Anthony Vidler, indicated the ‘still pervasive force of the late nineteenth century German school of architectural history in England in the years after the Second World War’.
Assessment of the knowledge of Brazilian Community Health Workers regarding prenatal care
Authors: Bonifácio Lívia P. , Marques João M. A. , Vieira Elisabeth M.
Published: October 2018

Aim

To evaluate prenatal care knowledge of Brazilian community health workers (CHWs).

Background

Routine prenatal care is critical for reducing health risks in women and their children. One of the responsibilities of primary healthcare providers is the provision of prenatal care. The CHWs, with their frequent contact with populations, work to improve health outreach efforts and therefore may be key role players in prenatal care.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was developed to ascertain the degree of knowledge regarding prenatal care of CHWs, including: (1) general responsibilities of CHWs; (2) the initial contact with a pregnant woman; (3) examinations and vaccinations recommended for pregnant women; (4) pregnancy complications and signs of labor; and (5) lifestyle considerations for pregnant women. Responses were categorized into levels for knowledge. Demographic data were also collected. Descriptive analyses were conducted. Proportions of subjects with different levels of knowledge were compared according to each demographic variable, separately for each block of knowledge, using the χ2 and Fisher’s exact tests.

Findings

In total, 194 CHWs were interviewed. Overall, the majority of the CHWs presented high levels of knowledge in blocks 1 (43%), 2 (59%) and 5 (83%). However, in block 3 the proportions of subjects with high levels of knowledge regarding examinations and vaccinations were 35 and 40%, respectively. Only 24% of the participants presented a high level of knowledge in block 4. Stratified data analyses suggest that females were statistically more likely to have high levels of knowledge, whereas no statistically significant differences were found for the other demographic variables. Health services are already routinely using the questionnaire.

Conclusion

The results suggest that CHWs, especially female CHWs, have an important role in assisting pregnant women in the community. The study indicates the areas of knowledge that require more specific attention from training providers.
The Progressive Era Body Project: Calorie-Counting and “Disciplining the Stomach” in 1920s America
Authors: Jou Chin
Published: October 2018

Although the scientific origins of the calorie date back to the 1820s, calorie counting for weight loss only became popular in the late 1910s and 1920s. Placing this development in the broader context of the Progressive Era, this article considers how calorie counting and the reconstitution of food as calories reflected the period's fixation with science, rationalization, and quantification. This article also situates calorie counting within shifting bodily ideals among white women in the 1920s, and the ways in which class and race informed the promotion of the slender body as the feminine ideal. The second half of this article focuses on exchanges between Lulu Hunt Peters, a syndicated newspaper columnist and the author of a best-selling calorie-counting guide, and advice-seeking readers of her column. While Peters presented calorie counting as empowering for dieters and a way for them to seize control over their weight, her calorie-restriction program facilitated a new form of bodily discipline and self-regulation during a period that saw enhanced forms of surveillance in other areas of life.
Bringing Party Ideology Back In: Do Left-Wing Parties Enhance the Share of Women MPs?
Authors: Santana Andrés , Aguilar Susana
Published: October 2018

This article analyzes the relationship between parties and the representation of women in Spanish subnational legislatures. We argue that studies on party ideology and gender have generally failed to (a) acknowledge the effect of electoral time: the left started to recruit women earlier, when their number was low and they were mainly perceived as liabilities; and (b) distinguish between two different party mechanisms: parties can be gate openers and ease the access of newcomers to the legislature, and they can be career promoters, which facilitate the parliamentary continuity of incumbents. Drawing on a database containing comprehensive information about the population of regional members of parliament (MPs) (N = 5,353) in 138 elections and focusing on the two most prominent parties, the conservative People's Party and the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party), we test the hypothesis that left-wing parties outperform right-wing parties concerning gender representation. Our statistical analyses show that electoral time blurs the effect of ideology on the share of women MPs. Once time is controlled for, the socialists emerge as systematically recruiting more women. Concerning the two mechanisms, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party fares better as a gate opener, while the People's Party, unexpectedly, excels as a career promoter.
The Central Role of Morality in Perceived Humanness and Unselfish	Behaviors
Authors: Prati Francesca , Moscatelli Silvia , Van Lange Paul A. M. , Van Doesum Niels J. , Rubini Monica
Published: October 2018

Abstract. There is ample evidence for the central role of morality in social judgments. However, research has not examined whether perceived morality of others also drives perceived humanness, nor has it extensively considered its behavioral consequences. These issues were addressed across two studies. Study 1 revealed that information about a target person’s morality increased his/her perceived humanness, which in turn explained positive behavioral intentions toward him/her. Study 2 pointed out that information about a target person’s morality increased unselfish behaviors toward him/her. This effect was explained by perceived humanness of the target. Implications of the relationship between morality, perceived humanness, and unselfish behaviors are discussed.
Wireless Frequency Sharing May Impede Weather Satellite Signals
Authors: Gerth Jordan
Published: October 2018

The delivery of weather satellite imagery is reliable today, but will it stay that way in the future?
Loss of TNFAIP3 enhances MYD88L265P-driven signaling in non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Wenzl Kerstin , Manske Michelle K. , Sarangi Vivekananda , Asmann Yan W. , Greipp Patricia T. , Schoon Hanna R. , Braggio Esteban , Maurer Matthew J. , Feldman Andrew L. , Witzig Thomas E. , Slager Susan L. , Ansell Stephen M. , Cerhan James R. , Novak Anne J.
Published: October 2018

MYD88 mutations are one of the most recurrent mutations in hematologic malignancies. However, recent mouse models suggest that MYD88L265P alone may not be sufficient to induce tumor formation. Interplay between MYD88L265P and other genetic events is further supported by the fact that TNFAIP3 (A20) inactivation often accompanies MYD88L265P. However, we are still lacking information about the consequence of MYD88L265P in combination with TNFAIP3 loss in human B cell lymphoma. Review of our genetic data on diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM), found that a large percentage of DLBCL and WM cases that have a MYD88 mutation also harbor a TNFAIP3 loss, 55% DLBCL and 28% of WM, respectively. To mimic this combination of genetic events, we used genomic editing technology to knock out TNFAIP3 in MYD88L265P non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) cell lines. Loss of A20 expression resulted in increased NF-κB and p38 activity leading to upregulation of the NF-κB target genes BCL2 and MYC. Furthermore, we detected the increased production of IL-6 and CXCL10 which led to an upregulation of the JAK/STAT pathway. Overall, these results suggest that MYD88L265P signaling can be enhanced by a second genetic alteration in TNFAIP3 and highlights a potential opportunity for therapeutic targeting.
Differences in genomic abnormalities among African individuals with monoclonal gammopathies using calculated ancestry
Authors: Baughn Linda B. , Pearce Kathryn , Larson Dirk , Polley Mei-Yin , Elhaik Eran , Baird Michael , Colby Colin , Benson Joanne , Li Zhuo , Asmann Yan , Therneau Terry , Cerhan James R. , Vachon Celine M. , Stewart A. Keith , Bergsagel P. Leif , Dispenzieri Angela , Kumar Shaji , Rajkumar S. Vincent
Published: October 2018

Multiple myeloma (MM) is two- to three-fold more common in African Americans (AAs) compared to European Americans (EAs). This striking disparity, one of the highest of any cancer, may be due to underlying genetic predisposition between these groups. There are multiple unique cytogenetic subtypes of MM, and it is likely that the disparity is associated with only certain subtypes. Previous efforts to understand this disparity have relied on self-reported race rather than genetic ancestry, which may result in bias. To mitigate these difficulties, we studied 881 patients with monoclonal gammopathies who had undergone uniform testing to identify primary cytogenetic abnormalities. DNA from bone marrow samples was genotyped on the Precision Medicine Research Array and biogeographical ancestry was quantitatively assessed using the Geographic Population Structure Origins tool. The probability of having one of three specific subtypes, namely t(11;14), t(14;16), or t(14;20) was significantly higher in the 120 individuals with highest African ancestry (≥80%) compared with the 235 individuals with lowest African ancestry (<0.1%) (51% vs. 33%, respectively, p value = 0.008). Using quantitatively measured African ancestry, we demonstrate a major proportion of the racial disparity in MM is driven by disparity in the occurrence of the t(11;14), t(14;16), and t(14;20) types of MM.
Gene expression imputation identifies candidate genes and susceptibility loci associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Ioannidis Nilah M. , Wang Wei , Furlotte Nicholas A. , Hinds David A. ,   23andMe Research Team, Agee Michelle , Alipanahi Babak , Auton Adam , Bell Robert K. , Bryc Katarzyna , Elson Sarah L. , Fontanillas Pierre , Huber Karen E. , Kleinman Aaron , Litterman Nadia K. , McCreight Jennifer C. , McIntyre Matthew H. , Mountain Joanna L. , Noblin Elizabeth S. , Northover Carrie A. M. , Pitts Steven J. , Sathirapongsasuti J. Fah , Sazonova Olga V. , Shelton Janie F. , Shringarpure Suyash , Tian Chao , Tung Joyce Y. , Vacic Vladimir , Wilson Catherine H. , Bustamante Carlos D. , Jorgenson Eric , Asgari Maryam M. , Whittemore Alice S.
Published: October 2018

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a common skin cancer with genetic susceptibility loci identified in recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) using imputed gene expression levels can identify additional gene-level associations. Here we impute gene expression levels in 6891 cSCC cases and 54,566 controls in the Kaiser Permanente Genetic Epidemiology Research in Adult Health and Aging (GERA) cohort and 25,558 self-reported cSCC cases and 673,788 controls from 23andMe. In a discovery-validation study, we identify 19 loci containing 33 genes whose imputed expression levels are associated with cSCC at false discovery rate < 10% in the GERA cohort and validate 15 of these candidate genes at Bonferroni significance in the 23andMe dataset, including eight genes in five novel susceptibility loci and seven genes in four previously associated loci. These results suggest genetic mechanisms contributing to cSCC risk and illustrate advantages and disadvantages of TWAS as a supplement to traditional GWAS analyses.
The fungal peptide toxin Candidalysin activates the NLRP3 inflammasome and causes cytolysis in mononuclear phagocytes
Authors: Kasper Lydia , König Annika , Koenig Paul-Albert , Gresnigt Mark S. , Westman Johannes , Drummond Rebecca A. , Lionakis Michail S. , Groß Olaf , Ruland Jürgen , Naglik Julian R. , Hube Bernhard
Published: October 2018

Clearance of invading microbes requires phagocytes of the innate immune system. However, successful pathogens have evolved sophisticated strategies to evade immune killing. The opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans is efficiently phagocytosed by macrophages, but causes inflammasome activation, host cytolysis, and escapes after hypha formation. Previous studies suggest that macrophage lysis by C. albicans results from early inflammasome-dependent cell death (pyroptosis), late damage due to glucose depletion and membrane piercing by growing hyphae. Here we show that Candidalysin, a cytolytic peptide toxin encoded by the hypha-associated gene ECE1, is both a central trigger for NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent caspase-1 activation via potassium efflux and a key driver of inflammasome-independent cytolysis of macrophages and dendritic cells upon infection with C. albicans. This suggests that Candidalysin-induced cell damage is a third mechanism of C. albicans-mediated mononuclear phagocyte cell death in addition to damage caused by pyroptosis and the growth of glucose-consuming hyphae.
Pregnancy duration and breast cancer risk
Authors: Husby Anders , Wohlfahrt Jan , Øyen Nina , Melbye Mads
Published: October 2018

Full-term pregnancies reduce a woman’s long-term breast cancer risk, while abortions have been shown to have no effect. The precise minimal duration of pregnancy necessary to lower a woman’s breast cancer risk is, however, unknown. Here we provide evidence which point to the protective effect of pregnancy on breast cancer risk arising precisely at the 34th pregnancy week. Using a cohort of 2.3 million Danish women, we found the reduction in breast cancer risk was not observed for pregnancies lasting 33 weeks or less, but restricted to those pregnancies lasting 34 weeks or longer. We further found that parity, socioeconomic status, and vital status of the child at birth did not explain the association, and also replicated our finding in data from 1.6 million women in Norway. We suggest that a distinct biological effect introduced around week 34 of pregnancy holds the key to understand pregnancy-associated breast cancer protection.
Skin-touch-actuated textile-based triboelectric nanogenerator with black phosphorus for durable biomechanical energy harvesting
Authors: Xiong Jiaqing , Cui Peng , Chen Xiaoliang , Wang Jiangxin , Parida Kaushik , Lin Meng-Fang , Lee Pooi See
Published: October 2018

Textiles that are capable of harvesting biomechanical energy via triboelectric effects are of interest for self-powered wearable electronics. Fabrication of conformable and durable textiles with high triboelectric outputs remains challenging. Here we propose a washable skin-touch-actuated textile-based triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting mechanical energy from both voluntary and involuntary body motions. Black phosphorus encapsulated with hydrophobic cellulose oleoyl ester nanoparticles serves as a synergetic electron-trapping coating, rendering a textile nanogenerator with long-term reliability and high triboelectricity regardless of various extreme deformations, severe washing, and extended environmental exposure. Considerably high output (~250–880 V, ~0.48–1.1 µA cm−2) can be attained upon touching by hand with a small force (~5 N) and low frequency (~4 Hz), which can power light-emitting diodes and a digital watch. This conformable all-textile-nanogenerator is incorporable onto cloths/skin to capture the low output of 60 V from subtle involuntary friction with skin, well suited for users’ motion or daily operations.
BRCA1/2-negative, high-risk breast cancers (BRCAX) for Asian women: genetic susceptibility loci and their potential impacts
Authors: Lee Joo-Yeon , Kim Jisun , Kim Sung-Won , Park Sue K. , Ahn Sei Hyun , Lee Min Hyuk , Suh Young Jin , Noh Dong-Young , Son Byung Ho , Cho Young Up , Lee Sae Byul , Lee Jong Won , Hopper John L. , Sung Joohon
Published: October 2018

“BRCAX” refers breast cancers occurring in women with a family history predictive of being a BRCA1/2 mutation carrier, but BRCA1/2 genetic screening has failed to find causal mutations. In this study, we report the findings of the genetic architecture of BRCAX with novel and redefined candidate loci and their potential impacts on preventive strategy. We performed a genome-wide association study involving 1,469 BRCAX cases from the Korean Hereditary Breast Cancer study, and high-risk breast cancer cases (1,482 Asians and 9,902 Europeans) from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. We also evaluated the previously reported susceptibility loci for their roles in the high-risk breast cancers. We have identified three novel loci (PDE7B, UBL3, and a new independent marker in CDKN2B-AS1) associated with BRCAX, and replicated previously reported SNPs (24 of 92) and moderate/high-penetrance (seven of 23) genes for Korean BRCAX. For the novel candidate loci, evidence supported their roles in regulatory function. We estimated that the common low-penetrance loci might explain a substantial part of high-risk breast cancer (39.4% for Koreans and 24.0% for Europeans). Our study findings suggest that common genetic markers with lower penetrance constitute a part of susceptibility to high-risk breast cancers, with potential implications for a more comprehensive genetic screening test.
Multiple dimensions of biodiversity drive human interest in tide pool communities
Authors: Fairchild Tom P. , Fowler Mike S. , Pahl Sabine , Griffin John N.
Published: October 2018

Activities involving observation of wild organisms (e.g. wildlife watching, tidepooling) can provide recreational and learning opportunities, with biologically diverse animal assemblages expected to be more stimulating to humans. In turn, more diverse communities may enhance human interest and facilitate provisioning of cultural services. However, no experimental tests of this biodiversity-interest hypothesis exist to date. We therefore investigated the effects of different dimensions of animal biodiversity (species richness, phyletic richness and functional diversity) on self-reported interest using tide pools as a model system. We performed two experiments by manipulating: (1) the richness of lower (species) and higher taxonomic levels (phyla) in an image based, online survey, and (2) the richness of the higher taxonomic level (phyla) in live public exhibits. In both experiments, we further quantified functional diversity, which varied freely, and within the online experiment we also included the hue diversity and colourfulness arising from the combination of organisms and the background scenes. Interest was increased by phyletic richness (both studies), animal species richness (online study) and functional diversity (online study). A structural equation model revealed that functional diversity and colourfulness (of the whole scene) also partially mediated the effects of phyletic richness on interest in the online study. In both studies, the presence of three of four phyla additively increased interest, supporting the importance of multiple, diverse phyla rather than a single particularly interesting phylum. These results provide novel experimental evidence that multiple dimensions of biodiversity enhance human interest and suggest that conservation initiatives that maintain or restore biodiversity will help stimulate interest in ecosystems, facilitating educational and recreational benefits.
Irisin inhibits pancreatic cancer cell growth via the AMPK-mTOR pathway
Authors: Liu Jiayu , Song Nannan , Huang Yibing , Chen Yuxin
Published: October 2018

Irisin, a recently identified myokine that is released from skeletal muscle following exercise, regulates body weight and influences various metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. In this study, human recombinant nonglycosylated P-irisin (expressed in Escherichia coli prokaryote cell system) or glycosylated E-irisin (expressed in Pichia pastoris eukaryote cell system) were compared to examine the role of recombinant irisin against pancreatic cancer (PC) cells lines, MIA PaCa-2 and Panc03.27. MTT [3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-di phenyltetrazolium bromide] and cell colony formation assays revealed that irisin significantly inhibited the growth of MIA PaCa-2 and Panc03.27 in a dose-dependent manner. Irisin also induced G1 arrest in both cell lines. Scratch wound healing and transwell assays revealed that irisin also inhibited the migration of PC cells. Irisin reversed the activity of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) while increasing E-cadherin expression and reducing vimentin expression. Irisin activated the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway and suppressed the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Besides, our results suggest that irisin receptors exist on the surface of human MIA PaCa-2 and Panc03.27 cells. Our results clearly demonstrate that irisin suppressed PC cell growth via the activation of AMPK, thereby downregulating the mTOR pathway and inhibiting EMT of PC cells.
Hearing impairment and the risk of neurodegenerative dementia: A longitudinal follow-up study using a national sample cohort
Authors: Kim So Young , Lim Jae-Sung , Kong Il Gyu , Choi Hyo Geun
Published: October 2018

This study aimed to explore the risk of dementia in a middle- and older-aged population with severe or profound hearing impairments. Data were collected for the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort from 2002 to 2013. Participants aged 40 or older were selected. The 4,432 severely hearing-impaired participants were matched 1:4 with 17,728 controls, and the 958 profoundly hearing-impaired participants were matched 1:4 with 3,832 controls who had not reported any hearing impairment. Age, sex, income, region of residence, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia histories were matched between hearing-impaired and control groups. The crude (simple) and adjusted (age, sex, income, region of residence, dementia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and depression) hazard ratios (HRs) of hearing impairment on dementia were analyzed using Cox-proportional hazard models. The severe hearing impairment group showed an increased risk of dementia (adjusted HR = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04–1.31, P = 0.010). The profound hearing impairment group also showed an increased risk of dementia (adjusted HR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.14–2.00, P = 0.004). Both severe and profound hearing impairments were associated with elevated the risk of dementia in middle- and older-aged individuals.
Finite-resource teleportation stretching for continuous-variable systems
Authors: Laurenza Riccardo , Braunstein Samuel L. , Pirandola Stefano
Published: October 2018

We show how adaptive protocols of quantum and private communication through bosonic Gaussian channels can be simplifed into much easier block versions that involve resource states with finite energy. This is achieved by combining an adaptive-to-block reduction technique devised earlier, based on teleportation stretching and relative entropy of entanglement, with a recent finite-resource simulation of Gaussian channels. In this way, we derive weak converse upper bounds for the secret-key capacity of phase-insensitive Gaussian channels which approximate the optimal limit for infinite energy. Our results apply to both point-to-point and repeater-assisted private communications.
Caring for infants is associated with increased reproductive success for male mountain gorillas
Authors: Rosenbaum Stacy , Vigilant Linda , Kuzawa Christopher W. , Stoinski Tara S.
Published: October 2018

Socioecological theory predicts that male parenting among mammals should be rare due to the large payoffs of prioritizing mating effort over parenting. Although these predictions are generally met, in some promiscuous primate species males overcome this by identifying their offspring, and providing benefits such as protection and resource access. Mountain gorillas, which often organize into multi-male groups, are an intriguing exception. Males frequently affiliate with infants despite not discriminating their own from other males’ offspring, raising questions about the function of this behavior. Here we demonstrate that, independent of multiple controls for rank, age, and siring opportunities, male gorillas who affiliated more with all infants, not only their own, sired more offspring than males who affiliated less with young. Predictive margins indicate males in the top affiliation tertile can expect to sire approximately five times more infants than males in the bottom tertile, across the course of their reproductive careers. These findings establish a link between males’ fitness and their associations with infants in the absence of kin discrimination or high paternity certainty, and suggest a strategy by which selection could generate more involved male parenting among non-monogamous species.
Photo-catalytic Killing of HeLa Cancer Cells Using Facile Synthesized Pure and Ag Loaded WO3 Nanoparticles
Authors: AbuMousa Rasha A. , Baig Umair , Gondal Mohammed A. , AlSalhi Mohamad S. , Alqahtani Fulwah Yahya , Akhtar Sultan , Aleanizy Fadilah Sfouq , Dastageer Mohamed A.
Published: October 2018

Chemotherapy, the most commonly used therapeutic method for cancer, has the inherent constraint of low bioavailability. A number of physical cancer therapeutic treatments like radiation, ultrasound, photo-acoustic/photo thermal, microwave therapies are based on locating the afflicted sites with the help of imaging, but the serious drawbacks of these treatment options are that they damage the neighboring normal tissues and/or induce undesired cancer metastasis. In addition, these methods of treatment are very expensive and not in the reach of a common man especially in the developing countries. Therefore, innovative, less invasive and cost effective treatment methods with the help of less toxic drugs have been sought for treating cancer. In this work, photo-catalytic method of killing cancer cells, using the nanostructured silver loaded tungsten oxide (Ag/WO3) as photo-catalysts, in conjunction with broadband UV radiation is presented. Ag/WO3with two different mass ratios of Ag and WO3 (1% Ag/WO3 and 3% Ag/WO3) were synthesized, characterized and these nanostructured materials served as photo-catalysts in the process of killing cancer cells by photo-catalytic method. The advantage of loading Ag in WO3 is quite evident from the observed increase in the photo-catalytic killing of the HeLa cells. This photo-catalytic enhancement was effectively caused by the development of Schottky junction between Ag in WO3, which led to a substantial inhibition of photo-generated charge recombination and also by the stimulation of surface plasmon resonance in silver nanoparticles, which led to the enhanced visible light absorption by the material.
Seasonal difference in temporal transferability of an ecological model: near-term predictions of lemming outbreak abundances
Authors: Kleiven Eivind Flittie , Henden John-André , Ims Rolf Anker , Yoccoz Nigel Gilles
Published: October 2018

Ecological models have been criticized for a lack of validation of their temporal transferability. Here we answer this call by investigating the temporal transferability of a dynamic state-space model developed to estimate season-dependent biotic and climatic predictors of spatial variability in outbreak abundance of the Norwegian lemming. Modelled summer and winter dynamics parametrized by spatial trapping data from one cyclic outbreak were validated with data from a subsequent outbreak. There was a distinct difference in model transferability between seasons. Summer dynamics had good temporal transferability, displaying ecological models’ potential to be temporally transferable. However, the winter dynamics transferred poorly. This discrepancy is likely due to a temporal inconsistency in the ability of the climate predictor (i.e. elevation) to reflect the winter conditions affecting lemmings both directly and indirectly. We conclude that there is an urgent need for data and models that yield better predictions of winter processes, in particular in face of the expected rapid climate change in the Arctic.
Lrig1 marks a population of gastric epithelial cells capable of long-term tissue maintenance and growth in vitro
Authors: Schweiger Pawel J. , Clement Ditte L. , Page Mahalia E. , Schepeler Troels , Zou Xiangang , Sirokmány Gabor , Watt Fiona M. , Jensen Kim B.
Published: October 2018

The processes involved in renewal of the epithelium that lines the mouse stomach remain unclear. Apart from the cells in the isthmus, several other populations located deeper in the gastric glands have been suggested to contribute to the maintenance of the gastric epithelium. Here, we reveal that Lrig1 is expressed in the basal layer of the forestomach and the lower part of glands in the corpus and pylorus. In the glandular epithelium of the stomach, Lrig1 marks a heterogeneous population comprising mainly non-proliferative cells. Yet, fate-mapping experiments using a knock-in mouse line expressing Cre specifically in Lrig1+ cells demonstrate that these cells are able to contribute to the long-term maintenance of the gastric epithelium. Moreover, when cultured in vitro, cells expressing high level of Lrig1 have much higher organoid forming potential than the corresponding cellular populations expressing lower levels of Lrig1. Taken together, these observations show that Lrig1 is expressed primarily by differentiated cells, but that these cells can be recruited to contribute to the maintenance of the gastric epithelium. This confirms previous observations that cells located in the lower segments of gastric glands can participate in tissue replenishment.
NTnC-like genetically encoded calcium indicator with a positive and enhanced response and fast kinetics
Authors: Barykina Natalia V. , Doronin Danila A. , Subach Oksana M. , Sotskov Vladimir P. , Plusnin Viktor V. , Ivleva Olga A. , Gruzdeva Anna M. , Kunitsyna Tatiana A. , Ivashkina Olga I. , Lazutkin Alexander A. , Malyshev Aleksey Y. , Smirnov Ivan V. , Varizhuk Anna M. , Pozmogova Galina E. , Piatkevich Kiryl D. , Anokhin Konstantin V. , Enikolopov Grigori , Subach Fedor V.
Published: October 2018

The NTnC genetically encoded calcium indicator has an advantageous design because of its smaller size, GFP-like N- and C-terminal ends and two-fold reduced number of calcium binding sites compared with widely used indicators from the GCaMP family. However, NTnC has an inverted and modest calcium response and a low temporal resolution. By replacing the mNeonGreen fluorescent part in NTnC with EYFP, we engineered an NTnC-like indicator, referred to as YTnC, that had a positive and substantially improved calcium response and faster kinetics. YTnC had a 3-fold higher calcium response and 13.6-fold lower brightness than NTnC in vitro. According to stopped-flow experiments performed in vitro, YTnC had 4-fold faster calcium-dissociation kinetics than NTnC. In HeLa cells, YTnC exhibited a 3.3-fold lower brightness and 4.9-fold increased response to calcium transients than NTnC. The spontaneous activity of neuronal cultures induced a 3.6-fold larger ΔF/F response of YTnC than previously shown for NTnC. On patched neurons, YTnC had a 2.6-fold lower ΔF/F than GCaMP6s. YTnC successfully visualized calcium transients in neurons in the cortex of anesthetized mice and the hippocampus of awake mice using single- and two-photon microscopy. Moreover, YTnC outperformed GCaMP6s in the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum of cultured HeLa and neuronal cells.
Small heterodimer partner negatively regulates C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2 in hepatocytes during liver inflammation
Authors: Noh Jung-Ran , Kim Yong-Hoon , Kim Don-Kyu , Hwang Jung Hwan , Kim Kyoung-Shim , Choi Dong-Hee , Lee Seon-Jin , Lee Hee Gu , Lee Tae Geol , Weng Hong-Lei , Dooley Steven , Choi Hueng-Sik , Lee Chul-Ho
Published: October 2018

Recently, we reported that orphan nuclear receptor small heterodimer partner (SHP) is involved in neutrophil recruitment through the regulation of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CXCL2) expression in a concanavalin A (ConA)-induced hepatitis model. In the present study, we examined the mechanisms underlying CXCL2 regulation by SHP and the cell types involved in liver inflammation. To this end, eitherShpknockout (KO) or wild-type (WT) bone marrow cells were transferred into sublethally-irradiated WT (KO → WT or WT → WT) orShpKO (KO → KO or WT → KO) recipients, followed by intravenous injection of ConA (20–30 mg/kg) 8 weeks later. The KO recipient groups showed higher ConA-induced lethality than the WT recipient groups. Accordingly, plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, and inflammatory cytokine expressions were significantly higher in the KO recipients than in the WT recipients regardless of donor genotype. Massively increased hepatocyte death in KO recipients, as determined by H&E and TUNEL staining, was observed after ConA challenge. Bone marrow chimera experiments andin vitrochemotaxis assay also showed that SHP-deficient hepatocytes have an enhanced ability to recruit neutrophils to the injured liver.In vitropromoter assays showed that SHP is a negative regulator ofCxcl2transcription by interfering with c-Jun binding to the AP-1 site within theCxcl2promoter. Collectively, SHP regulatesCxcl2transcription in hepatocytes, playing a pivotal role in the recruitment of neutrophils. SHP-targeting strategies may represent alternative approaches to control fulminant hepatitis.
Host-pathogen biotic interactions shaped vitamin K metabolism in Archaeplastida
Authors: Cenci U. , Qiu H. , Pillonel T. , Cardol P. , Remacle C. , Colleoni C. , Kadouche D. , Chabi M. , Greub G. , Bhattacharya D. , Ball S. G.
Published: October 2018

Menaquinone (vitamin K2) shuttles electrons between membrane-bound respiratory complexes under microaerophilic conditions. In photosynthetic eukaryotes and cyanobacteria, phylloquinone (vitamin K1) participates in photosystem I function. Here we elucidate the evolutionary history of vitamin K metabolism in algae and plants. We show that Chlamydiales intracellular pathogens made major genetic contributions to the synthesis of the naphthoyl ring core and the isoprenoid side-chain of these quinones. Production of the core in extremophilic red algae is under control of a menaquinone (Men) gene cluster consisting of 7 genes that putatively originated via lateral gene transfer (LGT) from a chlamydial donor to the plastid genome. In other green and red algae, functionally related nuclear genes also originated via LGT from a non-cyanobacterial, albeit unidentified source. In addition, we show that 3–4 of the 9 required steps for synthesis of the isoprenoid side chains are under control of genes of chlamydial origin. These results are discussed in the light of the hypoxic response experienced by the cyanobacterial endosymbiont when it gained access to the eukaryotic cytosol.
Raman micro-spectroscopy monitors acquired resistance to targeted cancer therapy at the cellular level
Authors: Hammoud Mohamad K. , Yosef Hesham K. , Lechtonen Tatjana , Aljakouch Karim , Schuler Martin , Alsaidi Wissam , Daho Ibrahim , Maghnouj Abdelouahid , Hahn Stephan , El-Mashtoly Samir F. , Gerwert Klaus
Published: October 2018

Monitoring the drug efficacy or resistance in vitro is usually carried out by measuring the response of single few proteins. However, observation of single proteins instead of an integral cell response may lead to results that are not consistent with patient’s response to a drug. We present a Raman spectroscopic method that detects the integral cell response to drugs such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutations develop acquired resistance to first (erlotinib)- and third (osimertinib)-generation TKIs. Large erlotinib-induced differences were detected by Raman micro-spectroscopy in NSCLC cells without T790M EGFR mutation but not in cells with this mutation. Additionally, Raman difference spectra detected the response of NSCLC cells with T790M EGFR mutation to second- (neratinib) and third-generation (osimertinib) TKIs, and the resistance of cells with T790M/C797S EGFR mutation to osimertinib. Thus, the in vitro Raman results indicated that NSCLC cells with T790M and T790M/C797S EGFR mutations are resistant to erlotinib- and osimertinib, respectively, consistent with the observed responses of patients. This study shows the potential of Raman micro-spectroscopy to monitor drug resistance and opens a new door to in vitro companion diagnostics for screening personalized therapies.
Investigating the potential use of an Antarctic variant of Janthinobacterium lividum for tackling antimicrobial resistance in a One Health approach
Authors: Baricz Andreea , Teban Adela , Chiriac Cecilia Maria , Szekeres Edina , Farkas Anca , Nica Maria , Dascălu Amalia , Oprișan Corina , Lavin Paris , Coman Cristian
Published: October 2018

The aim of this paper is to describe a new variant of Janthinobacterium lividum - ROICE173, isolated from Antarctic snow, and to investigate the antimicrobial effect of the crude bacterial extract against 200 multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria of both clinical and environmental origin, displaying various antibiotic resistance patterns. ROICE173 is extremotolerant, grows at high pH (5.5–9.5), in high salinity (3%) and in the presence of different xenobiotic compounds and various antibiotics. The best violacein yield (4.59 ± 0.78 mg·g−1 wet biomass) was obtained at 22 °C, on R2 broth supplemented with 1% glycerol. When the crude extract was tested for antimicrobial activity, a clear bactericidal effect was observed on 79 strains (40%), a bacteriostatic effect on 25 strains (12%) and no effect in the case of 96 strains (48%). A very good inhibitory effect was noticed against numerous MRSA, MSSA, Enterococci, and Enterobacteriaceae isolates. For several environmental E. coli strains, the bactericidal effect was encountered at a violacein concentration below of what was previously reported. A different effect (bacteriostatic vs. bactericidal) was observed in the case of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from raw vs. treated wastewater, suggesting that the wastewater treatment process may influence the susceptibility of MDR bacteria to violacein containing bacterial extracts.