bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SrcA is a chaperone for the Salmonella SPI-2 type three secretion system effector SteD
Authors: Godlee Camilla , Cerny Ondrej , Durkin Charlotte H. , Holden David W.
Published: November 2018

Effector proteins of type three secretion systems (T3SS) often require cytosolic chaperones for their stabilization, to interact with the secretion machinery and to enable effector delivery into host cells. We found that deletion of srcA, previously shown to encode a chaperone for the Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI-2) T3SS effectors SseL and PipB2, prevented the reduction of mature Major Histocompatibility Complex class II (mMHCII) from the surface of antigen-presenting cells during Salmonella infection. This activity was shown previously to be caused by the SPI-2 T3SS effector SteD. Since srcA and steD are located in the same operon on the Salmonella chromosome, this suggested that the srcA phenotype might be due to an indirect effect on SteD. We found that SrcA is not translocated by the SPI-2 T3SS but interacts directly and forms a stable complex with SteD in bacteria with a 2 : 1 stoichiometry. We found that SrcA was not required for SPI-2 T3SS-dependent, neutral pH-induced secretion of either SseL or PipB2 but was essential for secretion of SteD. SrcA therefore functions as a chaperone for SteD, explaining its requirement for the reduction in surface levels of mMHCII.
Evaluating Improvements to Exposure Estimates from Fate and Transport Models by Incorporating Environmental Sampling Effort and Landscape-level Contaminant Use
Authors: Rumschlag Samantha L. , Bessler Scott M. , Rohr Jason R.
Published: November 2018

ABSTRACT

The Pesticide in Water Calculator (PWC) is a fate and transport model used by the Environmental Protection Agency and Health Canada to estimate pesticide exposures in lentic freshwater ecosystems and make pesticide registration decisions. We leverage over 600,000 field measurements of 31 common insecticides and herbicides to test whether incorporating environmental sampling effort (number of times a pesticide is sampled) and landscape-level contaminant use (national application amount) can improve PWC validation and prediction, respectively. We found that maximum measured concentrations of 38% of herbicides and 42% of insecticides exceeded maximum estimated environmental concentrations (EECs) generated by the PWC, suggesting that EECs often do not represent worst-case exposure. For lentic systems, variance in pesticide field measurements explained by EECs increased by 50% when sampling effort was included. For lotic systems, variance explained increased by only 4%, most likely because lotic systems are sampled over 4.9 times as much as lentic systems. Including landscape-level use more than doubled the ability of the PWC to predict maximum pesticides concentrations in lentic systems. Exposure characterization in risk assessment can be improved by including sampling effort in model validation and landscape-level use in predictions, thus providing more defensible environmental standards and regulations.
A spatial map in the somatosensory cortex
Authors: Long Xiaoyang , Zhang Sheng-Jia
Published: November 2018

Spatially selective firing in the forms of place cells, grid cells, boundary vector/border cells and head direction cells are the basic building blocks of a canonical spatial navigation system centered on the hippocampal-entorhinal complex. While head direction cells can be found throughout the brain, spatial tuning outside the hippocampal formation are often non-specific or conjunctive to other representations such as a reward. Although the precise mechanism of spatially selective activities is not understood, various studies show sensory inputs (particularly vision) heavily modulate spatial representation in the hippocampal-entorhinal circuit. To better understand the contribution from other sensory inputs in shaping spatial representation in the brain, we recorded from the primary somatosensory cortex in foraging rats. To our surprise, we were able to identify the full complement of spatial activity patterns reported in the hippocampal-entorhinal network, namely, place cells, head direction cells, boundary vector/border cells, grid cells and conjunctive cells. These newly identified somatosensory spatial cell types form a spatial map outside the hippocampal formation and support the hypothesis that location information is necessary for body representation in the somatosensory cortex, and may be analogous to spatially tuned representations in the motor cortex relating to the movement of body parts. Our findings are transformative in our understanding of how spatial information is used and utilized in the brain, as well as functional operations of the somatosensory cortex in the context of rehabilitation with brain-machine interfaces.
Efforful verb recollection drives beta suppression in mesial frontal regions involved in action initiation
Authors: Pavlova Anna A. , Butorina Anna V. , Nikolaeva Anastasia Y. , Prokofyev Andrey O. , Ulanov Maxim A. , Bondarev Denis P. , Stroganova Tatiana A.
Published: November 2018

Whether the motor cortex activation accompanying concrete verbs comprehension is necessary for verbs conceptual processing is still a hotly debated topic in the literature. Answering this question, we examined to what extent the more difficult access to verb semantics requires an additional engagement of cortical motor system in verb generation task. Using power suppression of MEG beta oscillations (15-30 Hz) as an index of sensorimotor activation, we presented to our participants the noun cues which either were strongly associated with a single verb and prompted the fast and effortless verb retrieval, or were weakly associated with multiple verbs and were more difficult to respond to. A whole-brain analysis of beta suppression revealed that the only cortical regions sensitive to the difficulty of semantic access were the higher order motor areas on the medial and lateral surfaces of the frontal lobe. This differential activation of cortical motor system accompanied effortful verb retrieval and preceded the preparation of vocal response for more than 500 milliseconds. Since the mid-frontal frontal brain areas are involved in maintaining abstract representations of actions during their initiating and planning, we argue that our finding supports the view that motor associations contribute to retrieval of verb semantics.
Prospective real-time metagenomic sequencing during norovirus outbreak reveals discrete transmission clusters
Authors: Casto Amanda M. , Adler Amanda L. , Makhsous Negar , Crawford Kristen , Qin Xuan , Kuypers Jane M. , Huang Meei-Li , Zerr Danielle M. , Greninger Alexander L.
Published: November 2018

Background

Norovirus outbreaks in hospital settings are a common challenge for infection prevention teams. Given the high burden of norovirus in most communities, it can be difficult to distinguish between on-going in-hospital transmission of virus and new introductions from the community and challenging to understand the long-term impacts of outbreak-associated viruses within medical systems using traditional epidemiological approaches alone.

Methods

Real-time metagenomic sequencing during an on-going norovirus outbreak associated with a retrospective cohort study.

Results

We describe a hospital-associated norovirus outbreak that affected 13 patients over a 27-day period in a large tertiary pediatric hospital and was chronologically associated with a spike in self-reported gastrointestinal symptoms among staff. Real-time metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of norovirus genomes demonstrated that 10 chronologically overlapping hospital-acquired norovirus cases were partitioned into three discrete transmission clusters. Sequencing data also revealed close genetic relationships between some hospital-acquired and some community-acquired cases. Finally, this data was used to demonstrate chronic viral shedding by an immunocompromised hospital-acquired case patient. Analysis of serial samples from this patient provided novel insights into the evolution of norovirus within an immunocompromised host.

Conclusions

This study documents one of the first applications of real-time mNGS during a hospital-associated viral outbreak. Given its demonstrated ability to detect transmission patterns within outbreaks and elucidate the long-term impacts of outbreak-associated viral strains on patients and medical systems, mNGS constitutes a powerful resource to help infection control teams understand, prevent, and respond to viral outbreaks.

Summary Statement

Real-time metagenomic sequencing performed during a hospital-associated norovirus outbreak identified genetically-distinct, chronologically-overlapping case clusters. After the epidemiologically-defined outbreak had ceased, on-going transmission and shedding of outbreak-associated virus was also detected. These findings illustrate the value of genomics as a tool for infection control.
Rewiring of Th-memory-associated gene co-expression networks underlie immunotherapy-induced changes in symptom expression in mite-sensitised atopics
Authors: Jones Anya C. , Anderson Denise , Troy Niamh M. , Mallon Dominic , Hartmann Rochelle , Serralha Michael , Holt Barbara , Bosco Anthony , Holt Patrick G.
Published: November 2018

Background

Multiple regulatory mechanisms have been identified employing conventional hypothesis-driven approaches as contributing to allergen-specific immunotherapy outcomes, but understanding of how these integrate to maintain immunological homeostasis is incomplete.

Objective

To explore the potential for unbiased systems-level gene co-expression network analysis to advance understanding of immunotherapy mechanisms.

Methods

We profiled genome-wide allergen-specific Th-memory responses prospectively across 24mths of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) in 25 rhinitics, documenting changes in immunoinflammatory pathways and associated co-expression networks and their relationships to symptom scores to 36mths.

Results

Prior to immunotherapy, mite-specific Th-memory response networks involved multiple discrete co-expression modules including those related to Th2-, Type1-IFN-, Inflammation-, and FOXP3/IL2-associated signalling. A signature comprising 109 genes correlated with symptom scores, and these mapped to cytokine signalling/T-cell activation-associated pathways, with upstream drivers including hallmark Th1/Th2-and inflammation-associated genes. Reanalysis after 3.5mths SCIT updosing detected minimal changes to pathway/upstream regulator profiles despite 32.5% reduction in symptoms, however network analysis revealed underlying merging of FOXP3/IL2-with Inflammation-and Th2-associated modules. By 12mths on SCIT, symptoms had reduced by 41% without further significant changes to pathway/upstream regulator or network profiles. Continuing SCIT to 24mths stabilised symptoms at 47% of baseline, accompanied by upregulation of the Type1-IFN-associated network module and its merging into the Th2/FOXP3/IL2/Inflammation module.

Conclusions

SCIT stimulates progressive integration of Th-memory-associated Th2-,FOXP3/IL2-, Inflammation-, and Type1-IFN-signalling subnetworks, forming a single highly integrated co-expression network module, maximising potential for stable homeostatic control of allergen-specific Th2 responses via cross-regulation. Th2-anatogonistic Type1-IFN signalling may play a key role in stabilising clinical effects of SCIT.

Clinical Implication

Stabilisation of the clinical effectiveness of SCIT involves recruitment of Th2-antagonistic Type 1 IFN-dependent signalling into the overall gene co-expression network underlying the allergen-specific Th-memory response, and this does not occur until the 2ndyear of treatment.

Capsule summary

SCIT-induced rewiring of the gene network governing allergen-specific Th2-memory, as opposed to selective upregulation of genes associated with regulatory functions, underlies the clinical effectiveness of immunotherapy.
Multiplexed pooled library screening with Cpf1
Authors: Liu Jintan , Srinivasan Sanjana , Li Chieh-Yuan , Ho I-Lin , Wang Gang , Yao Wantong , Deem Angela Kay , Bristow Chris , Hart Traver , Draetta Giulio
Published: November 2018

RNA interference and CRISPR/Cas9-based pooled library screens have revolutionized the field of functional genomics. However, currently available pooled library screens face a trade-off between library effectiveness and library complexity. We developed a multiplexed, high-throughput screening strategy based on an optimized AsCpf1 nuclease that minimizes library size without sacrificing gene targeting efficiency. Our AsCpf1-based multiplexed library performed similarly well compared to currently available CRISPR/Cas9 libraries, but with a single polycistronic crRNA clone targeting each gene. With this strategy, we constructed the smallest whole-genome knock-out library available, “Mini-human” for the human genome, which is one-fourth the size of the smallest CRISPR library currently available.
Trypanosoma bruceiPex13.2 is an accessory peroxin that functions in the import of PTS2 proteins and localizes to subdomains of the glycosome
Authors: Crowe Logan P. , Nicholson Kathleen R. , Wilkinson Christina L. , Morris Meredith T.
Published: November 2018

Kinetoplastid parasites includingTrypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruziandLeishmaniaharbor unique organelles known as glycosomes, which are evolutionarily related to peroxisomes. Glycosome/peroxisome biogenesis is mediated by proteins called peroxins that facilitate organelle formation, proliferation and degradation, and import of proteins housed therein. Import of matrix proteins occurs via one of two pathways that are dictated by their peroxisome targeting sequence (PTS). In PTS1 import, a C-terminal tripeptide sequence, most commonly SKL, is recognized by the soluble receptor Pex5. In PTS2 import, a less conserved N-terminal sequence is recognized by Pex7. The soluble receptors deliver their cargo to the import channel consisting minimally of Pex13 and Pex14. While much of the import process is conserved, kinetoplastids are the only organisms to have two Pex13s,TbPex13.1 andTbPex13.2. In previous studies, GFP-taggedTbPex13.1 localized to glycosomes and silencing either protein in the stage of the parasite that lives in the mammalian bloodstream impaired glycosome protein import and slowed parasite growth. While these findings suggest Pex13s are involved in protein import, the mechanisms by which they function are unknown and it is unclear why kinetoplastids would require two Pex13s. In this work, we demonstrate thatTbPex13.2 is associated with the glycosome membrane with its N-terminus facing the cytoplasm. Super-resolution microscopy reveals thatTbPex13.2 localizes to a few (1-3) foci per glycosome and import of PTS2 proteins was disrupted inTbPex13.2-deficient cells suggesting it may be an accessory factor for PTS2 import.
Decomposition of cohort, age and time effects in Iranian households’ cigarette consumption
Authors: Keshavarz Haddad GholamReza , Habibi Nader , Rafiee Sajad
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine cigarette consumption behavior of younger cohorts in the urban and rural areas of Iran. The authors use Iran’s annual Household Income and Expenditures Surveys (HIES) database over 2007–2013 for the statistical analysis. In order to control for a large number of households with zero expenditure on cigarette consumption, the authors have used the double-hurdle modeling approach for counting the outcomes of interest. The authors have also limited the sample to cases in which the head of household is between the ages of 21 and 45 and all children are younger than 18.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the authors have conducted a multivariate econometric analysis to identify the impact of age and birth year cohort on the demand for cigarettes among Iranian households. The authors have used the HIES data for multiple years in the analysis. The ideal data set for the analysis is a panel data that include information on cigarette consumption of various age cohorts over a long period of time. Since no suitable panel data are available, the authors have constructed a multi-year cohort data by extracting cohort data from the annual HIES data set. Due to the unique properties of cigarette consumption, the authors have used the double-hurdle econometric model with appropriate diagnostics.

Findings

After controlling for price and demographic factors, which affect the demand for cigarettes, the authors find that the younger cohorts in rural areas, who smoke, tend to consume fewer cigarettes than the older ones; however, the opposite is true among urban households. The probability of being a non-smoker is larger for younger cohorts in both rural and urban areas. Among smokers, the authors observe an inverse U-shape relation between age and quantity of cigarettes consumed per day. The trend is positive up to age 45, but diminishes for older smokers because of health concerns.

Originality/value

In comparison to previous studies of tobacco consumption in Iran, the authors have used a more comprehensive household income and expenditure survey data set with a large number of observations. Furthermore, the authors have applied an econometric method (the double-hurdle model), which is suitable for the analysis of the determinants of demand for cigarettes when a subset of households report no cigarette consumption.
Stigmata, Prophecies, and Politics: Louise Lateau in the German and Belgian Culture Wars of the Late Nineteenth Century
Authors: Van Osselaer Tine
Published: November 2018

This article focuses on the political meaning and transnational appeal of the Belgian stigmatic Louise Lateau. It examines the reception and construction of her as a Catholic celebrity in the late nineteenth century and how these changed over time and space. For although Louise Lateau seems to have been a point of reference for European Catholics, this does not mean that her image, or what she represented to the faithful, was the same in the various countries or even within one country. Focus is on her appeal in Belgium, her home country, and in Germany where she seems to have had a special meaning for the beleaguered Catholics. In these countries Louise figured as a symbol of “Catholicism” to the faithful and their anti‐Catholic opponents. In a later phase of her life however, her public image changed as she got caught up in intra‐Catholic battles and turned into the prophetic type of mystic. She became a point of tension between the liberal and ultramontane Catholics.
Assessing ecological and physiological costs of melanism in North American Papilio glaucus females: two decades of dark morph frequency declines
Authors: Scriber J. Mark
Published: November 2018

Polymorphisms for melanic form of insects may provide various selective advantages. However, melanic alleles may have significant/subtle pleiotrophic “costs.” Several potential pleiotrophic effects of the W (=Y)‐linked melanism gene in Papilio glaucus L. (Lepidoptera) showed no costs for melanic versus yellow in adult size, oviposition preferences, fecundity, egg viability, larval survival/growth rates, cold stress tolerance, or postdiapause emergence times. Sexual selection (males choosing yellow rather than mimetic dark females) had been suggested to provide a balanced polymorphism in P. glaucus, but spermatophore counts in wild females and direct field tethering studies of size‐matched pairs of virgin females (dark and yellow), show that male preferences are random or frequency‐dependent from Florida to Michigan, providing no yellow counter‐advantages. Recent frequency declines of dark (melanic/mimetic) females in P. glaucus populations are shown in several major populations from Florida (27.3°N latitude) to Ohio (38.5° N). Summer temperatures have increased significantly at all these locations during this time (1999–2018), but whether dark morphs may be more vulnerable (in any stage) to such climate warming remains to be determined. Additional potential reasons for the frequency declines in mimetic females are discussed: (i) genetic introgression of Z‐linked melanism suppressor genes from P. canadensis (R & J) and the hybrid species, P. appalachiensis (Pavulaan & Wright), (ii) differential developmental incompatibilities, or Haldane effects, known to occur in hybrids, (iii) selection against intermediately melanic (“dusty”) females (with the W‐linked melanic gene, b+) which higher temperatures can cause.
Development of A Comprehensive Biological Hazard‐Proof Packaging Film with Insect‐Repellent, Antibacterial, and Antifungal Activities
Authors: Park Min A , Chang Yoonjee , Choi Inyoung , Bai Jaewoo , Ja‐hyun Na , Han Jaejoon
Published: November 2018

A multifunctional film with insect‐repellent and antimicrobial activities was developed. Star anise (Illicium verum Hook. f.) oil (SO) proved to be effective in repelling Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae and was selected as an insect‐repellent agent. Thymol, a compound that demonstrated strong growth inhibition activities against both Staphylococcus aureus and Penicillium roqueforti, was selected as an antimicrobial agent. Based on the release profile test of SO using various plastic films, polypropylene (30 μm; PP 30) and low‐density polyethylene (20 μm; LDPE 20) were selected as laminated films for sustainable insect‐repellent and strong antimicrobial effects, respectively. Further, polyethylene terephthalate (12 μm; PET 12) was selected as an intermediate barrier layer. Finally, structure of the multilayer film was designed as PP 30/SO/PET 12/thymol/LDPE 20. The developed film demonstrated insect‐repellent activity for >3 weeks, antibacterial activity for >2 weeks, and antifungal activity for 1 week. The results indicated that the developed multilayer film structure possessed strong, sustained insect‐repellent and antimicrobial effects, providing a new possibility for the industrial applications to food packaging.

Practical Application

A multifunctional active packaging film with insect‐repellent and antimicrobial activities was developed. Star anise oil and thymol that showed insect‐repellent and antimicrobial activities (antibacterial and antifungal activities), respectively, were added in coating layers in the multilayer film structure. The developed multilayer film proved an efficient insect‐repellent activity against Plodia interpunctella for >3 weeks. Also, strong antibacterial and antifungal activities of the developed multilayer film were proved against Staphylococcus aureus and Penicillium roqueforti, respectively. The developed film has a potential for the industrial use to the food packaging material.
Turbulent dislocations in central Australia:
Authors: HINKSON MELINDA
Published: November 2018

A Warlpiri woman is exiled from her community in Australia's Central Desert and pursues a new life in metropolitan Adelaide. The state promises that Aboriginal people will have better life prospects beyond their remote territories, but the grueling disruptions of their relationships to place shows otherwise. To be caught between alternate and transforming subjectivities associated with the desert and the city is to inhabit a particular kind of exile. Under contemporary conditions, exile acquires new ambiguities and intensities, as anxious mobility and digital communication enable people to participate in aspects of life from which they have been physically separated, albeit in attenuated ways. Exile is a contradictory experience of liberation and entrapment that generates, but ultimately withholds, new possible selves and lives.
Advancing the social psychology of rapid societal change
Authors: Smith Laura G. E. , Livingstone Andrew G. , Thomas Emma F.
Published: November 2018

In this introduction to the special section on rapid societal change, we highlight the challenges posed by rapid societal changes for social psychology and introduce the seven papers brought together in this special section. Rapid societal changes are qualitative transformations within a society that alter the prevailing societal state. Recent such changes include the election of right‐wing populist governments, the Arab Spring revolutions, and devastating civil wars in the Middle East. Conceptually, such events require consideration of how societal‐level events relate to more proximal psychological processes to bring about the often abrupt, non‐linear (as opposed to incremental and linear) nature of rapid societal change. They also require empirical approaches that allow such qualitative transformations to be captured and studied. This is true both in terms of directly addressing rapidly unfolding societal events in research, and in terms of how rapid, discontinuous change can be analysed. The papers in the special section help to address these issues through introducing novel theoretical and methodological approaches to studying rapid societal change, offering multiple perspectives on how macro‐level changes can both create, and be created by, micro‐level social psychological phenomena.
Four priorities for new links between conservation science and accounting research
Authors: Feger Clément , Mermet Laurent , Vira Bhaskar , Addison Prue F.E. , Barker Richard , Birkin Frank , Burns John , Cooper Stuart , Couvet Denis , Cuckston Thomas , Daily Gretchen C. , Dey Colin , Gallagher Louise , Hails Rosemary , Jollands Stephen , Mace Georgina , Mckenzie Emily , Milne Markus , Quattrone Paolo , Rambaud Alexandre , Russell Shona , Santamaria Marta , Sutherland William J.
Published: November 2018

Article impact statement: New collaborations with accounting research can improve conservation impact of ecosystem‐based information systems.
Global patterns of the double mutualism phenomenon
Authors: Fuster Francisco , Kaiser‐Bunbury Christopher , Olesen Jens M. , Traveset Anna
Published: November 2018

A double mutualism (DM) occurs when two interacting species benefit each other in two different functions, e.g. when an animal species acts both as pollinator and seed disperser of the same plant. Besides the double benefit, a DM also imposes a larger risk to both functions if the performance of one partner declines. We conducted the first global review of DMs involving pollinators and seed dispersers, aiming to: 1) assess their prevalence across ecosystems and biogeographical regions; 2) identify the main plant and animal taxa, and their traits, implicated in DMs; and 3) evaluate the conservation status of double mutualist species. We compiled published and unpublished DM records using specific search terms, noting the species involved, their conservation status and geographic location, as well as the type of study (species vs community‐level) in which the DM was detected. We identified 302 DM cases involving 207 plant and 92 animal species from 16 mainland and 17 island areas. Most records come from tropical regions and islands. Animals included birds (62%), mammals (22%), and reptiles (16%), mostly opportunist species; only 18% were nectarivores. Plants were mainly fleshy‐fruited shrub or tree species (59%) with actinomorphic flowers that were visited by several or many pollinator species (87%). Most (56%) DMs were detected in community‐level studies. DMs are mostly prevalent in ecosystems with limited food resources and mutualist partners, and with high generalization levels. Nearly 30% of the species involved in DMs are threatened according to IUCN criteria, 68% of which are found on islands. The high prevalence of DM on islands paired with the threat status of island species suggest that the loss of a double mutualists and its cascading consequences may have a severe impact on community composition and functioning of fragile island ecosystems.
Prevalence and clinicians’ awareness of psychiatric comorbidities among first–episode schizophrenia
Authors: Siu Man–wah , Chong Catherine Shiu–yin , Lo William Tak–lam
Published: November 2018

Background

To explore the prevalence and clinicians’ awareness of psychiatric comorbidities, and to identify factors associated with current psychiatric comorbidities in first–episode schizophrenia (FES) patients.

Method

In this cross–sectional study, 128 patients with FES, who were in symptomatic remission, were consecutively recruited from a local early intervention clinic. All patients were interviewed using the Chinese bilingual version of the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Axis I Disorders, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scales, Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder, Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, Simpson–Angus Scale, Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale and Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate factors associated with psychiatric comorbidities in FES patients.

Results

The lifetime and point prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities among FES patients were 47.7% and 27.3%, respectively. Current psychiatric comorbidities were documented on the medical records of 39.3% of the patients. The FES patients with current psychiatric comorbidities had a lower level of functioning. Depression in FES was also associated with akathisia.

Conclusion

Psychiatric comorbidities are prevalent among community FES patients. In addition to achieving symptomatic remission in schizophrenia, both treating psychiatric comorbidities and minimizing the side–effects of treatment, particularly akathisia, are fundamental for supporting FES patients in their journey to recovery.
A need for a paradigm shift in focus: From Kt/Vurea to appropriate removal of sodium (the ignored uremic toxin)
Authors: Twardowski Zbylut J. , Misra Madhukar
Published: November 2018

Hemodialysis for chronic renal failure was introduced and developed in Seattle, WA, in the 1960s. Using Kiil dialyzers, weekly dialysis time and frequency were established to be about 30 hours on 3 time weekly dialysis. This dialysis time and frequency was associated with 10% yearly mortality in the United States in 1970s. Later in 1970s, newer and more efficient dialyzers were developed and it was felt that dialysis time could be shortened. An additional incentive to shorten dialysis was felt to be lower cost and higher convenience. Additional support for shortening dialysis time was provided by a randomized prospective trial performed by National Cooperative Dialysis Study (NCDS). This study committed a Type II statistical error rejecting the time of dialysis as an important factor in determining the quality of dialysis. This study also provided the basis for the establishment of the Kt/Vurea index as a measure of dialysis adequacy. This index having been established in a sacrosanct randomized controlled trial (RCT), was readily accepted by the HD community, and led to shorter dialysis, and higher mortality in the United States. Kt/Vurea is a poor measure of dialysis quality because it combines three unrelated variables into a single formula. These variables influence the clinical status of the patient independent of each other. It is impossible to compensate short dialysis duration (t) with the increased clearance of urea (K), because the tolerance of ultrafiltration depends on the plasma‐refilling rate, which has nothing in common with urea clearance. Later, another RCT (the HEMO study) committed a Type III statistical error by asking the wrong research question, thus not yielding any valuable results. Fortunately, it did not lead to deterioration of dialysis outcomes in the United States. The third RCT in this field (“in‐center hemodialysis 6 times per week versus 3 times per week”) did not bring forth any valuable results, but at least confirmed what was already known. The fourth such trial (“The effects of frequent nocturnal home hemodialysis”) too did not show any positive results primarily due to significant subject recruitment issues leading to inappropriate selection of patients. Comparison of the value of peritoneal dialysis and HD in RCTs could not be completed because of recruitment problems. Randomized controlled trials have therefore failed to yield any meaningful information in the area of dose and or frequency of hemodialysis.
Identification of symptom clusters and their synergistic effects on quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis patients
Authors: Oh HyunSoo , Park JiSuk , Seo WhaSook
Published: November 2018

Aims

To examine the presence of symptom clusters and synergistic effects of symptom clusters on quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis patients frequently experience multiple concurrent symptoms of pain, fatigue, and depression.

Design

A nonexperimental, cross‐sectional correlation design.

Methods

The study participants were 179 rheumatoid arthritis patients. Data were collected between August and December 2016. A hypothetical model was developed based on the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms Model: physiological antecedents included disease activity and obesity; symptoms of pain, fatigue, and depression were hypothesized as being clustered, and quality of life was taken as the outcome variable.

Results

Disease activity had significant direct effects on pain, fatigue, and depression and indirect effects on fatigue and depression, whereas obesity had a significant direct effect on fatigue alone. Three symptom clusters, namely, pain fatigue, fatigue depression, and pain‐fatigue depression were identified and found to have significant synergistic effects on quality of life.

Conclusions

Our findings support the importance of managing clusters of symptoms simultaneously, that is, collective symptom management. Inter‐cluster dynamics between symptoms should be considered when nurses develop symptom management strategies or self‐management programs to improve the quality of life of rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Decreased nematode clearance and anti‐phosphorylcholine‐specific IgM responses in mannose‐binding lectin‐deficient mice
Authors: Ahmed Rubina , Cadman Emma T , Snapper Clifford M , Lawrence Rachel A
Published: November 2018

Brugia malayi is a nematode that causes human lymphatic filariasis. Previously, we showed that mannose‐binding lectin (MBL)‐A is necessary for clearance of B. malayi microfilariae in mice and presence of MBL‐A is linked with maximal levels of parasite‐specific IgM. Common human MBL gene polymorphisms result in low MBL expression and lead to recurring bacterial infections. Furthermore, these low‐expressing human MBL polymorphisms result in greatly increased susceptibility to lymphatic filarial infection. Indeed, gain of new filarial infections over a 30‐year period are 10‐fold higher in people with low, compared to high, MBL‐expression phenotypes. Human MBL closely resembles mouse MBL‐C, rather than MBL‐A; therefore, we examined the role of mouse MBL‐C in clearance of microfilariae. Absence of MBL‐C alone, or both MBL‐A and ‐C, resulted in delayed clearance of microfilariae and reduced parasite‐specific IgM in mice. There were few profound changes in B cell sub‐populations or in the ability of MBL‐deficient mice to respond to T‐dependent or T‐independent antigens. However, absence of MBL‐A and/or MBL‐C resulted in reduced IgM to phosphorylcholine, a constituent of filarial and bacterial antigens, suggesting that inability to form proficient antibody responses to this moiety leads to lack of microfilarial clearance and overall susceptibility to filariasis.
Low‐frequency dielectric dispersion in polymer‐derived amorphous silicon carbonitride ceramics
Authors: Ma Baisheng , Cao Yejie , Zhu Yan , Li Xuqin , Cheng Zhongyang
Published: November 2018

The dielectric response of polymer‐derived amorphous silicon carbonitride (PDC‐SiCN) material was studied over a wide frequency range from 1 mHz to 10 MHz. Aside from presenting a relaxation process over 105 to 0.03 Hz frequency range, the material showed a strong low‐frequency dielectric dispersion (LFDD), which resulted in extremely high permittivities (up to 105) at frequencies lower than 0.03 Hz. It is identified that this LFDD resulted from relaxation process was not induced by conductivity. Therefore, PDC‐SiCN material showed two relaxation processes. Based on its microstructure, two polarization mechanisms were proposed for PDC‐SiCN: a mechanism based on polarons generated by unpaired electrons present in the material and an interfacial polarization mechanism as a result of different properties of SiCxN4−x matrix and free‐carbon clusters. Interfacial polarization process was simulated based on a parallel plate model involving two different materials. The result indicated that the relaxation time of an interfacial polarization can be distributed over a broad time range in the material.
UV‐C treatment on the safety of skim milk: Effect on microbial inactivation and cytotoxicity evaluation
Authors: Ward Danielle M. , Patras Ankit , Kilonzo‐Nthenge Agnes , Yannam Sudheer K. , Pan Che , Xiao Hang , Sasges Michael
Published: November 2018

The efficacy of UV‐C irradiation as a nonthermal processing method for skim milk (SM) was investigated. SM inoculated with two surrogate viruses (MS2 and T1UV), and three bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 13311, and Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115) was treated with Deanflow UV‐C irradiation, a spiral reactor with the fluid pumped around a central low‐pressure mercury UV lamp (40 W) emitting at 254 nm wave‐length. A series of known UV doses (0–168.33 mJ·cm2) were delivered to the samples. The microbial loads of MS2, T1UV, E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria were reduced by more than 5 log10. The inactivation kinetics of all microorganisms were best described by log linear models with a low RMSE and higher coefficient of determination (R2 > 0.95). This study demonstrated that high levels of inactivation of pathogenic particles can be achieved in SM.

Practical applications

This scientific study provides evidence based data on the advantages of UV‐C light in achieving microbial reduction in skim milk. The irradiated skim milk did not show any toxicity on mice liver and intestinal cells. UV‐C irradiation is an efficient food preservation technology and offers opportunities for dairy and food processing industries to meet the growing demand from consumers for safer foods. This exploration would provide methodological evidence for commercialization of UV‐C processing of milk and dairy based beverages.
Effect of açaí pulp, cheese whey, and hydrolysate collagen on the characteristics of dairy beverages containing probiotic bacteria
Authors: da Mata Rigoto Jéssica , Ribeiro Taís Helena Santos , Stevanato Natália , Sampaio Anderson Reginaldo , Ruiz Suelen Pereira , Bolanho Beatriz Cervejeira
Published: November 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydrolysate collagen (HC), cheese whey (CW), and açaí pulp (AP) content on the characteristics of probiotic dairy beverages. Higher levels of CW and AP decreased beverage ash and protein content, and increased lipid and carbohydrate content and energy values. HC and AP positively affected the viscosity of the formulations, which exhibited pseudoplastic behavior. In terms of quality parameters, higher levels of CW and AP increased both the syneresis (2.56–5.74%) and sedimentation index values (1.80–1.87%) of the formulations. The beverages presented adequate stability of physicochemical and microbiological parameters during 28 days storage. Formulations containing average levels of CW (22.5%), AP (30%), and HC (1.0%) achieved the best results regarding sensory analysis, with acceptability index values above 70% for most parameters.

Practical applications

Demand for probiotic foods is currently increasing due to their potential health benefits. Although the utilization of cheese whey in dairy beverage development is a challenge to the food industry because of the viscosity of the final product, this situation can be improved via the use of selected ingredients. Açaí pulp, hydrolyzed collagen, and cheese whey, when used in the production of probiotic dairy beverages, offer to the market a new functional product of adequate quality and acceptability.
The impact of atrial fibrillation on transcatheter mitral valve repair outcomes: A propensity‐matched analysis
Authors: Subahi Ahmed , Munir Ahmad , Abubakar Hossam , Akintoye Emmanuel , Yassin Ahmed S. , Adegbala Oluwole , Alraies Mohamed Chadi , Elder Mahir , Mohamad Tamam , Kaki Amir , Schreiber Theodore
Published: November 2018

Background

The concomitant presence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the setting of Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVR) represents a clinical challenge. Despite the high AF burden in patients presenting for the TMVR procedure, there are no studies that evaluate the impact of AF on in‐hospital outcomes of TMVR in a nationally representative United States sample reflecting real practice. Therefore, we sought to study the outcomes of AF patients undergoing TMVR.

Methods and Results

The study included 1026 patients from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) registry. Patients (age ≥18 years) who had undergone TAVR as a primary procedure from 2011 to 2014 were included, using the ICD‐9‐CM diagnostic codes. We examined patient characteristics and in‐hospital outcomes. To account for patient and hospital‐level baseline differences, we performed propensity score‐matched analysis. The prevalence of AF was approximately 56%. After adjusting for patient‐level and hospital‐level characteristics, there was no statistical difference regarding in‐hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.72, 95%CI 0.29‐1.80, P = 0.487), post‐TMVR complications, length of stay (OR 1.15, 95%CI 0.97‐1.38, P = 0.111), and cost of hospitalization (OR 1.04, 95%CI 0.94‐1.14, P = 0.475) between the group with AF versus without AF. However, patients with AF were more likely to have non‐routine hospital discharge (42.94% vs 35.48% P = 0.02).

Conclusion

AF is a frequently encountered arrhythmia among patients undergoing TMVR with MitraClip. However, TMVR can be performed safely in the vast majority of patients, irrespective of their baseline rhythm.
Standardized extract of Erythrina velutina Willd. attenuates schizophrenia-Like behaviours and oxidative parameters in experimental animal models
Authors: Dias Katia Cilene Ferreira , de Almeida Jamily Cunha , Vasconcelos Luna Costa , Patrocínio Marianna Letícia Vasconcelos , Barbosa Talita Matias , Ximenes Naiara Coelho , Leitão Ana Paula de Azevedo , Louchard Bianca Oliveira , Pimenta Antônia Torres Ávila , Pinto Francisco das Chagas Lima , Leal Luzia Kalyne Almeida Moreira , Honório Junior José Eduardo Ribeiro , Vasconcelos Silvânia Maria Mendes
Published: November 2018

Objectives

To study the effects of the standardized extract from the leaves of Erythrina velutina in behavioural and oxidative parameters in the ketamine-induced schizophrenia model.

Methods

Mice received ketamine (KET) or saline for 7 days. From 8th to 14th day, the animals received Erythrine (Eryt) (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg) or olanzapine (Olanz), 1 h after KET administration. At 14th day, 30 min after the last administration of KET, the open-field and pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) tests were performed. Then, the animals were sacrificed and the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus (HC) and striatum (ST) were dissected for the oxidative tests.

Key findings

Ketamine increased spontaneous locomotor activity and grooming. KET decreased the PPI, which was reversed by combining it with Eryt or olanzapine. KET decreased GSH concentration in PFC and ST this was reversed by Eryt. KET increased MDA concentration in PFC and HC this was reversed by Eryt. Eryt and Olanzapine reduced MDA concentration in ST when compared to KET group. Nitrite concentration was reduced by administration of KET in the PFC.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that the standardized extract of E. velutina can prevent behavioural symptoms and oxidative stress induced by repeated doses of KET.
After Empire: Karl Renner's Danubian model of pluralism
Authors: von Busekist Astrid
Published: November 2018

This article argues that Karl Renner's multinational model for the Austrian‐Hungarian Empire is an alternative model for contemporary a‐territorial, multinational and federal arrangements. Nations, in his view, should act as intermediary bodies between the relevant communities and the state. His concept of ‘subjective public law’ combines principles that most authors find mutually exclusive: individual rights, choice over one's national cultural membership, non‐territorial administration of national communities and overseeing of equal collective rights by the state. Neither Staatsnation nor Kulturnation, the model is a combination of the two under the auspices of a federal state combined with a strong theory of individual and collective rights. I provide the reader with a comprehensive intellectual biography of Karl Renner, as I argue that an understanding of the man himself, his political pragmatism and his statism are crucial to comprehending this theoretical position. Throughout his life, Renner was a German nationalist, held a strong nostalgia for the Habsburg Empire and voted in favour of the Anschluß. His concurrent careers as a scholar and as a politician account for a series of contradictions. I argue however that these can be reconciled and explained by a careful comparative reading of his scholarly work and his political statements.
A family with both X‐linked dominant Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease and myotonic dystrophy type 1 mutations with phenotypic variations
Authors: Mori Chiaki , Nakatani Rie , Nakamori Masayuki , Matsumura Tsuyoshi , Takahashi Masanori P. , Fujimura Harutoshi , Mochizuki Hideki , Sakoda Saburo
Published: November 2018

We report 2 members of a family with gene mutations for both X‐linked dominant Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease and myotonic dystrophy type 1. The father shows symptoms of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, while his daughter has symptoms of myotonic dystrophy. Detailed clinical manifestations in both cases are described.