bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Defect minimization and process improvement in SMT lead-free solder paste printing: a comparative study
Authors: Asghar Rafiq , Rehman Faisal , Aman Ali , Iqbal Kashif , Nawaz Agha Ali
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and minimize the printing-related defects in the surface mount assembly (SMA) process.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses an experimental approach to explore process parameter and printing defects during the SMA process. Increasing printing performance, various practices of solder paste (Ag3.0/Cu0.5/Sn) storage and handling are suggested. Lopsided paste problem is studied by varying squeegee pressure and the results are presented. Unfilled pads problems are observed for ball grid array (BGA) and quad flat package (QFP) which is mitigated by proper force tuning. In this paper, a comparative study is conducted which evaluates the manifestation of printing offset due to low-grade stencil. The input/output (I/O) boards were oxidized when the relative humidity was maintained beyond 70 per cent for more than 8 h. This pad oxidation problem is overcome by proper printed circuit board (PCB) handling procedures. When the unoptimized line is used, the paste wedged in the stencil and influences the performance of the screen printer, for this reason, an optimized line is proposed that minimize the printing defects.

Findings

The key findings are as follows: in the SMA process, printing quality is directly associated with solder paste quality. Experimentally, it is observed that a considerable variance in solder deposition occurred when the front and rear squeegee have different configurations. High-grade and unsoiled stencil results in superior paste deposition and less distinction. Insufficient solder paste and bridge problems also occur in printing when PCB pads are oxidized. Optimized line resolves solder paste clog issues, associated with stencil’s aperture. The cooling arrangement on the conveyor, after reflow, explicates hot jig problem. Control environmental conditions minimized static charges and printing defects.

Originality/value

The preceding studies emphasis mostly on the squeegee pressure, while other important parameters are not completely investigated. Moreover, it is very imperative to concurrently measure all parameters while varying the environmental conditions. This study highlights and provides an experimental approach to various PCB printing defects, and a comparative study has been conducted that concurrently measure all process parameters.
Complex associations between cross‐kingdom microbial endophytes and host genotype in ash dieback disease dynamics
Authors: Griffiths Sarah M. , Galambao Marciana , Rowntree Jennifer , Goodhead Ian , Hall Jeanette , O’Brien David , Atkinson Nick , Antwis Rachael E.
Published: October 2019

Tree pathogens are a major threat to forest ecosystems. Conservation management strategies can exploit natural mechanisms of resistance, such as tree genotype and host‐associated microbial communities. However, fungal and bacterial communities are rarely looked at in the same framework, particularly in conjunction with host genotype. Here, we explore these relationships and their influence on ash dieback disease, caused by the pathogenHymenoscyphus fraxineus, in European common ash trees.

We collected leaves from UK ash trees and used microsatellite markers to genotype trees, quantitative PCR to quantifyH. fraxineusinfection load and ITS and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to identify fungal and bacterial communities, respectively.

There was a significant association betweenH. fraxineusinfection intensity and ash leaf fungal and bacterial community composition. Higher infection levels were positively correlated with fungal community alpha‐diversity, and a number of fungal and bacterial genera were significantly associated with infection presence and intensity. Under higher infection loads, leaf microbial networks were characterized by stronger associations between fewer members than those associated with lower infection levels. Together these results suggest thatH. fraxineusdisrupts stable endophyte communities after a particular infection threshold is reached, and may enable proliferation of opportunistic microbes. We identified three microbial genera associated with an absence of infection, potentially indicating an antagonistic relationship withH. fraxineusthat could be utilized in the development of anti‐pathogen treatments.

Host genotype did not directly affect infection, but did significantly affect leaf fungal community composition. Thus, host genotype could have the potential to indirectly affect disease susceptibility through genotype × microbiome interactions, and should be considered when selectively breeding trees.

Synthesis. We show that the diversity, composition and network structure of ash leaf microbial communities are associated with the severity of infection from ash dieback disease, with evidence of disease‐induced dysbiosis. We also show that host genotype influences leaf fungal community composition, but does not directly influence tree infection. These findings help to elucidate relationships between host genetics, the microbiome and a tree pathogen, highlighting potential resistance mechanisms and possible co‐infection concerns that could inform ash tree management.
Temperature dependence of parasitic infection and gut bacterial communities in bumble bees
Authors: Palmer‐Young Evan C. , Ngor Lyna , Burciaga Nevarez Rodrigo , Rothman Jason A. , Raffel Thomas R. , McFrederick Quinn S.
Published: October 2019

High temperatures (e.g., fever) and gut microbiota can both influence host resistance to infection. However, effects of temperature‐driven changes in gut microbiota on resistance to parasites remain unexplored. We examined the temperature dependence of infection and gut bacterial communities in bumble bees infected with the trypanosomatid parasiteCrithidia bombi. Infection intensity decreased by over 80% between 21 and 37°C. Temperatures of peak infection were lower than predicted based on parasite growthin vitro, consistent with mismatches in thermal performance curves of hosts, parasites and gut symbionts. Gut bacterial community size and composition exhibited slight but significant, non‐linear, and taxon‐specific responses to temperature. Abundance of total gut bacteria and of Orbaceae, both negatively correlated with infection in previous studies, were positively correlated with infection here. Prevalence of the bee pathogen‐containing family Enterobacteriaceae declined with temperature, suggesting that high temperature may confer protection against diverse gut pathogens. Our results indicate that resistance to infection reflects not only the temperature dependence of host and parasite performance, but also temperature‐dependent activity of gut bacteria. The thermal ecology of gut parasite‐symbiont interactions may be broadly relevant to infectious disease, both in ectothermic organisms that inhabit changing climates, and in endotherms that exhibit fever‐based immunity.
Weaving value: Selling carpets in the liminal space of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar
Authors: SCALCO PATRICIA
Published: October 2019

All around the world, places of trade are typically conceived as places of deceit, if not outright danger: the plight of the carpet seller in Istanbul might be likened to that of the used car salesman in the West, for instance. But Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is a particularly well‐known centre of (perceived) deceit – the home of the trickster par excellence – and carpet sellers are the iconic bearers of this reputation. As a threshold of thresholds, the bazaar is a global crossroads, where a huge diversity of cultures and histories intersect, and carpets are objects that express this perhaps the most magnificently.
Self‐Assembled Carbohydrate Polymers for Food Applications: A Review
Authors: Valencia Germán Ayala , Zare Ehsan Nazarzadeh , Makvandi Pooyan , Gutiérrez Tomy J.
Published: October 2019

The self‐assembled natural and synthetic polymers are booming. However, natural polymers obtained from native or modified carbohydrate polymers (CPs), such as celluloses, chitosan, glucans, gums, pectins, and starches, have had special attention as raw material in the manufacture of self‐assembled polymer composite materials having several forms: films, hydrogels, micelles, and particles. The easy manipulation of the architecture of the CPs, as well as their high availability in nature, low cost, and being sustainable and green polymers have been the main positive points in the use of them for different applications. CPs have been used as building blocks for composite structures, and their easy orientation and ordering has given rise to self‐assembled CPs (SCPs). These macromolecules have been little studied for food applications. Nonetheless, their research has grown mainly in the last 5 years as encapsulated food additive wall materials, food coatings, and edible films. The multifaceted properties (systems sensitive to pH, temperature, ionic strength, types of ions, mechanical force, and enzymes) of these devices are leading to the development of advanced food materials. This review article focused on the analysis of SCPs for food applications in order to encourage other research groups for their preparation and implementation.
Association Between Body Composition and Glomerular Hyperfiltration Among Chinese Adults
Authors: Gong Xiaojie , Liang Liming , Chen Qinlan , Jia Xiaoyan , Tang Lijun , Zhang Lei , Li Wenbin , Wang Zunsong , Kong Xianglei , Xu Dongmei
Published: October 2019

High body mass index (BMI) is the most common parameter to assess excess adiposity, and has been linked to glomerular hyperfiltration (GH). However, BMI may be misleading in the estimation of body fat content due to its inability to discriminate between body fat and lean mass. In recent years, the convenient biological impedance analysis has made prediction of certain diseases somewhat feasible and accessible using body composition (BC). Accordingly, we conducted a cross‐sectional study to explore the association between BC and GH among Chinese adult population. A total of 6902 adults (aged 38.6 ± 8.3 years, 70.1% males) who consecutively visited the Health Checkup Clinic were enrolled. BC including fat mass and lean body mass (LBM) was evaluated by biological impedance analysis. The upper quartile of eGFR which exceeded 117.3 mL/min/1.73 m2 was defined as GH, in comparison with the lower three quartiles (control group). As a categorical outcome, GH subjects had higher fat/LBM than the control group, which was 34.7 ± 10.9 (%) vs. 34.0 ± 10.5 (%), P = 0.01; however, the BMI in GH group was lower than in the control group, which was 24.5 ± 3.7 (%) vs. 24.9 ± 3.6 (%), P < 0.001. Fat/height and Fat/BSA were not significantly different between the two groups. Moreover, after adjusting for potential confounders, fat/LBM significantly correlated with GH (OR = 2.09, 95% CI, 1.11 to 3.93). The study revealed that fat/LBM significantly correlated with GH among Chinese adult population, which highlights that adiposity might be an important and potentially modifiable determinant of GH.
Using lorelograms to measure and model correlation in binary data: Applications to ecological studies
Authors: Iannarilli Fabiola , Arnold Todd W. , Erb John , Fieberg John R.
Published: October 2019

Tools for describing correlation structures in binary data are underrepresented in the ecological literature, and methods commonly applied to continuous data are inappropriate because of intrinsic features of binary data (e.g. variance dependent on the mean). Describing how correlation changes in time and space, or in response to different stimuli, can provide insights into the ecological processes generating observed patterns. Moreover, proper modelling of correlation structures is necessary for reliably estimating covariate effects.

We introduce ecologists to the lorelogram (Heagerty & Zeger, 1998), a tool used to identify and describe dependency structures in binary data. Lorelograms can help guide data aggregation efforts to facilitate independence, or alternatively, to inform appropriate structures for modelling correlated data.

We developed the r‐package, lorelogram, for estimating and plotting lorelograms and show how it can be used to identify various dependency structures using simulated data. We analyse data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey and camera trap data from a carnivore study in Minnesota to demonstrate how the lorelogram can describe spatial and temporal dependencies, respectively. In the latter case, we show how the lorelogram can identify short‐term dependencies (e.g. individuals that linger at the camera site for several minutes), longer‐term dependencies (i.e. diel activity patterns) and effects of site‐specific covariates such as attractants. We then illustrate how this information can be incorporated in a modelling framework that accounts for these correlation structures (e.g. when modelling daily activity patterns).

The lorelogram is a promising tool for quantifying correlation in binary data over space or time. In addition to the applications presented in our paper, it could be used to identify independent sampling units for occupancy modelling or to quantify behavioural responses to covariates such as anthropogenic stressors or recent presence of prey, predators or competitors.
AquaFlux: Rapid, transparent and replicable analyses of plant transpiration
Authors: Speckman Heather , Ewers Brent E. , Beverly Daniel P.
Published: October 2019

Plant transpiration is the largest evaporative flux from most vegetated ecosystems, playing a dominant role in energy balance, water and element cycling, ecosystem services and water security. Quantification of plant‐level transpiration, for example sap flux, is essential to land managers and scientists. Thermal dissipation probes (TDP) are reliable and affordable tools for measuring sap flux, but difficulties in replicable data processing often serve as a barrier to their use and interpretation of data.

AquaFlux is an r package designed to efficiently process and analyse TDP data. This program maximizes data collection by continually importing raw TDP values and alerting the user of any malfunctioning sensors. Data processing is expedited through a user‐friendly graphical interface, predictive algorithms and data recovery options. AquaFlux's post‐processing options address gapfilling, radial trends in sap flux across sapwood and rescaling from points to whole stems.

To ensure reproducibility and transparency, all data processing steps are automatically documented, highlighting the impact of user decisions. AquaFlux confirms to emerging best practices in data science and TDP data processing and analyses.

Understanding spatiotemporal patterns of sap flux and how they relate to plant traits is essential for enhancing agricultural productivity, optimizing land management planning, ecological studies and improving climate modelling. AquaFlux provides a robust tool to facilitate predictive understanding of plant transpiration.
Can banks monitor small business borrowers effectively using hard information?
Authors: Tsuruta Daisuke
Published: October 2019

We investigate whether banks rely on hard information to monitor small business borrowers and to what extent hard information is credible. Using Japanese firm‐level data, we show that banks reduce the amount of lending to defaulting firms if the firms are financially distressed and suffer operating losses. In contrast, banks do not significantly reduce the amount of lending to defaulting firms with low levels of leverage and high profitability. This implies that banks mitigate type II errors if they receive default signals using the hard information of informationally opaque small businesses.
External and digestive system morphology of the Tamandua tetradactyla
Authors: Firmino Milena de Oliveira , Pereira Helder Camilo da Silva , Carvalho Lucas Rannier Ribeiro Antonino , Guerra Ricardo Romão
Published: October 2019

Collared anteater is present throughout the Brazilian territory, but its morphology is little known. This study aimed to trace its external biometric profile and its digestive system. Six cadavers (4 ± 0.16 kg) from Paraíba, Brazil, were used. The thoracic limbs were more robust when compared to pelvic. The length of the tail is below that described in specimens from south‐eastern Brazil, probably due to the greater use of the tail suspension function in the leafier forests in this region. The tongue had no papillae and had keratinized squamous epithelium. The oesophagus was tubular with keratinized squamous epithelium. The stomach was single‐chambered with simple prismatic epithelium and presence of tubular glands in the lamina propria. The pyloric region was thicker and had larger folds of mucosa; the greater curvature was approximately three times greater than the smaller. The small intestine was larger than that found in other Xernathra species such as sloth, an herbivore animal; in the large intestine, the caecum was small. The colon was subdivided ascending, transverse and descending, with simple prismatic epithelium. This study is the first to bring the description of the external and digestive system morphometrics of collared anteater adult and pup. The anatomical characteristics of the digestive system show that the digestion of the anteaters, although not using the fermentation, is not as rapid as in other Xenarthras, probably due to the material of the exoskeleton of the insects by them consumed. The data generate subsidies for the clinic, surgery, preservation and nutrition of this species.
Quantitative and descriptive histological aspects of jaguar (Panthera onca Linnaeus, 1758) ear skin as a step towards formation of biobanks
Authors: Praxedes Érika A. , de Queiroz Neta Luiza B. , Borges Alana A. , Silva Maria B. , Santos Maria V. O. , Ribeiro Leandro R. , Silva Herlon V. R. , Pereira Alexsandra F.
Published: October 2019

Skin of mammals vulnerable to extinction, such as the jaguar, is used as a source of material in conservation strategies. The composition of skin is not uniform among species, and the ability to distinguish similarities in skin morphology in animal groups is fundamental in the application of skin tissue for use in biobanks. The aim of our study was to evaluate the structure, composition and capacity for culture of ear skin from the yellow and black jaguars. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used, focusing on skin thickness, cell quantification and distribution, collagen density, proliferative activity and viability. Histomorphometrical study of the skin showed a total thickness of 273.2 and 274.6 µm for the yellow and black jaguars, respectively. Melanocytes and fibroblasts were, respectively, 9.7 and 23.0 for the yellow jaguar and 11.3 and 26.8 for the black jaguar. A collagen density of 67.0% and 49.0% was observed for yellow and black jaguars, respectively. Both animals presented a proliferative activity varying between 1.20 and 1.30. All tissues could promote cellular detachment, reaching subconfluence in 10–15 days. This kind of information from histomorphometrical features and cell cultures can be essential for a more targeted application of ear skin cryopreservation in this species, as such information will enable understanding the action of substances on tissues during the conservation process.
The Throwaway Culture in the Economy of Exclusion: Pope Francis and Economists on Waste
Authors: Clark Charles M. A. , Alford Helen
Published: October 2019

An essential part of Pope Francis’s critique of the “economy of exclusion” is the concept of the “throwaway culture,” which is an attitude and a reality that goes beyond mere exclusion. Francis is building on critiques of consumerism (what John Paul II called “economism”) that noted both the environmental impacts of unnecessary waste and the social and human impact of reducing humans to mere consumers—the idea that happiness is shopping. Francis adds to this a concern for the people on the margins of society who are treated as disposable and for the consequences of climate change, both of which are connected to the throwaway attitude. This article looks at Francis’s views within the tradition of Catholic social thought and at how economists, especially Adam Smith, who provided the foundation for modern economics, looked at waste and consumerism.
The association of allogeneic blood transfusion and the recurrence of hepatic cancer after surgical resection
Authors: Tai Y. H. , Wu H. L. , Mandell M. S. , Tsou M. Y. , Chang K. Y.
Published: October 2019

There is conflicting evidence whether allogeneic blood transfusion influences survival or cancer recurrence after resection of hepatocellular cancer. We followed up 1469 patients who had undergone hepatocellular resection for a median (IQR [range]) of 45 (21–78 [0–162]) months, of whom 626 (43%) had had blood transfusion within 7 days of surgery. Both disease‐free survival and patient survival were measured using a proportional hazards regression model and inverse probability of treatment weighting. We used restricted cubic splines for the association of the number of packed red blood cell units transfused with cancer recurrence and survival. We found that peri‐operative blood transfusion was independently associated with survival and cancer recurrence after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Adjusted hazard ratios (95%CI) for the association of blood transfusion with cancer recurrence and all‐cause mortality were 1.3 (1.1–1.4) and 1.9 (1.6–2.3), p < 0.001 for both. With more units transfused cancer recurrence was more likely and survival was shorter. The association of the number of transfused units was non‐linear for cancer recurrence and linear response for all‐cause mortality.
Repetitive syncopal episodes in a child with documented ventricular tachycardia, early repolarization pattern in leads I an aVL, Brugada syndrome, and fever
Authors: Rodriguez-Reyes Humberto , Pérez-Riera Andrés , López Brenda Lucia , Salinas Maria del Refugio , Muñoz Luz Ma Mayela , Laguna Cesar Ivan , Kjell Nikus
Published: October 2019

We present a small child with febrile peaks and syncopal episodes secundary to ventricular tachycardia, in whom it was eventually possible to demostrate the Brugada Syndrome with a special presentation in the ECG; early repolarization pattern in lead I and a aVL and Brugada pattern during fever in V1‐V2. This is, to our knowledge, tha first case with this special ECG presentation in a small child.
Minimally invasive Venetian blinds ventral hernia repair with botulinum toxin chemical component separation
Authors: Chan Daniel L. , Ravindran Praveen , Fan Howard S. , Elstner Kristen E. , Jacombs Anita S. W. , Ibrahim Nabeel , Talbot Michael L.
Published: October 2019

Background

Laparoscopic ventral repair is safe, with lower wound infection rates compared with open repair. ‘Venetian blinds’ technique of plication in combination with mesh reinforcement, is totally intra‐corporeal, with hernia defect and sac plication to reduce seroma formation. While laparoscopic suturing of the abdominal wall can represent a technical challenge, pre‐operative botulinum toxin A (BTA) injections as an adjunct can assist. This study aims to demonstrate feasibility and efficacy of this technique in abdominal wall hernia repair, with BTA adjunct in midline hernias.

Methods

A single‐centre case series was conducted using minimally invasive ‘Venetian blinds’ technique for repair of complex ventral abdominal hernias. Twelve patients (seven midline, five non‐midline) underwent repair (11 laparoscopic; one robotic). Midline hernias received BTA (200–300 units Botox) 4–6 weeks prior to surgery. Repairs were mesh‐reinforced following fascial closure.

Results

Twelve (10 female, two male) patients, with a median age 72 years (range 31–83) and body mass index of 27.3 kg/m2 (range 22.8–61.7) were included. The median length of operation was 133 min (range 45–290) and length of hospital stay 3 days (range 1–28). To date there has been no recurrence of hernia. A single symptomatic seroma was treated with antibiotics and did not require mesh removal. One patient developed hospital‐acquired pneumonia and pseudomembranous colitis.

Conclusion

Minimally invasive ‘Venetian blinds’ technique has promising early results with both midline and non‐midline ventral hernias. The addition of BTA is a novel and feasible combination for repair of midline ventral hernias.
Surgical treatment results of hepatocellular carcinoma in non‐cirrhotic liver in southern Chile: case series with follow‐up
Authors: Manterola Carlos , Grande Luis , Otzen Tamara , Duque Galo
Published: October 2019

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most frequent primary tumour of the liver. Although often associated with chronic liver disease, it can also occur in non‐cirrhotic livers. The aim of this study was to describe post‐operative morbidity (POM), and survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in non‐cirrhotic liver treated surgically, and to identify variables associated with prognosis.

Methods

Case series of patients who underwent surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma in non‐cirrhotic liver at Clínica RedSalud Mayor de Temuco, Chile (2001–2017), were studied. The minimum follow‐up time considered was 12 months. Principal outcomes were development of POM and survival. Other variables of interest were age, sex, tumour diameter, surgical time, hospital stay, follow‐up time, need for surgical re‐intervention, mortality, vascular and lymph node invasion and staging. Descriptive and analytic statistics were calculated.

Results

A total of 32 patients were studied. They were characterized by a mean age of 67.3 ± 7.2 years, 62.5% of whom were men. Averages of tumour diameter, surgical time and hospitalization were 12.0 ± 2.6 cm, 114.4 ± 32.3 min and 7.2 ± 2.9 days, respectively. POM was 31.3%. There was no mortality and there were no re‐interventions. The overall actuarial survival at 1, 2 and 3 years was 96.8%, 73.4% and 17.3%, respectively. Lower survival was verified in patients with vascular invasion, lymph node infiltration and stages III and IVa.

Conclusion

Despite the tumour diameter and extent of the resections, POM in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in non‐cirrhotic liver is moderate. However, its prognosis is poor. Vascular invasion, lymph node invasion and advances stages were associated with worse survival.
The evolving role of next generation sequencing in myelodysplastic syndromes
Authors: Spaulding Travis P. , Stockton Shannon S. , Savona Michael R.
Published: October 2019

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are clonal haematological disorders characterized by haematopoietic cell dysplasia, peripheral blood cytopenias, and a predisposition for developing acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Cytogenetics have historically been important in diagnosis and prognosis in MDS, but the growing accessibility of next generation sequencing (NGS) has led to growing research in the roles of molecular genetic variation on clinical decision‐making in these disorders. Multiple genes have been previously studied and found to be associated with specific outcomes or disease types within MDS and knowledge of mutations in these genes provides insight into previously defined MDS subtypes. Knowledge of these mutations also informs development of novel therapies in the treatment of MDS. The precise role of NGS in the diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of MDS remains unclear but the improvements in NGS technology and accessibility affords clinicians an additional practice tool to provide the best care for patients.
Rethinking Power, Strategy and Renewal: Members and Unions in Crisis
Authors: Ellem Bradon , Goods Caleb , Todd Patricia
Published: October 2019

Why are some unions unable to rebuild membership and bargaining coverage despite significant changes in strategy? We examine the trajectory of a key union in a vital sector, the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union, calling into question aspects of the union renewal literature. Much scholarship sees members’ associational power as a power resource that can cover the loss of other power resources, but we show that this assumption does not necessarily hold. To explain why members are not necessarily a resource in renewal, we argue that studies of renewal must more fully consider the interplay between different forms of power resources — institutional, structural and societal — and locate union strategies within that dynamic. Critically, this interplay also shapes members’ perceptions of their power, which may further limit a union's options as it responds to external threats.
Akt inhibition synergizes with polycomb repressive complex 2 inhibition in the treatment of multiple myeloma
Authors: Rizk Mohamed , Rizq Ola , Oshima Motohiko , Nakajima‐Takagi Yaeko , Koide Shuhei , Saraya Atsunori , Isshiki Yusuke , Chiba Tetsuhiro , Yamazaki Satoshi , Ma Anqi , Jin Jian , Iwama Atsushi , Mimura Naoya
Published: October 2019

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) components, EZH2 and its homolog EZH1, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway are focal points as therapeutic targets for multiple myeloma. However, the exact crosstalk between their downstream targets remains unclear. We herein elucidated some epigenetic interactions following Akt inhibition and demonstrated the efficacy of the combined inhibition of Akt and PRC2. We found that TAS‐117, a potent and selective Akt inhibitor, downregulated EZH2 expression at the mRNA and protein levels via interference with the Rb‐E2F pathway, while EZH1 was compensatively upregulated to maintain H3K27me3 modifications. Consistent with these results, the dual EZH2/EZH1 inhibitor, UNC1999, but not the selective EZH2 inhibitor, GSK126, synergistically enhanced TAS‐117‐induced cytotoxicity and provoked myeloma cell apoptosis. RNA‐seq analysis revealed the activation of the FOXO signaling pathway after TAS‐117 treatment. FOXO3/4 mRNA and their downstream targets were upregulated with the enhanced nuclear localization of FOXO3 protein after TAS‐117 treatment. ChIP assays confirmed the direct binding of FOXO3 to EZH1 promoter, which was enhanced by TAS‐117 treatment. Moreover, FOXO3 knockdown repressed EZH1 expression. Collectively, the present results reveal some molecular interactions between Akt signaling and epigenetic modulators, which emphasize the benefits of targeting PRC2 full activity and the Akt pathway as a therapeutic option for multiple myeloma.
A genetic risk score predicts coronary artery disease in familial hypercholesterolaemia: enhancing the precision of risk assessment
Authors: Ellis Katrina L. , Hooper Amanda J. , Pang Jing , Chan Dick C. , Burnett John R. , Bell Damon A. , Schultz Carl J. , Moses Eric K. , Watts Gerald F.
Published: October 2019

Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD); however, risk prediction and stratification remain a challenge. Genetic risk scores (GRS) may have utility in identifying FH patients at high CAD risk. The study included 811 patients attending the lipid disorders clinic at Royal Perth Hospital with mutation‐positive (n = 251) and mutation‐negative (n = 560) FH. Patients were genotyped for a GRS previously associated with CAD. Associations between the GRS, clinical characteristics, and CAD were assessed using regression analyses. The average age of patients was 49.6 years, and 44.1% were male. The GRS was associated with increased odds of a CAD event in mutation‐positive [odds ratio (OR) = 3.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3‐8.2; P = .009] and mutation‐negative FH patients (OR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.0‐3.3; P = .039) after adjusting for established predictors of CAD risk. The GRS was associated with greater subclinical atherosclerosis as assessed by coronary artery calcium score (P = .039). A high GRS was associated with CAD defined clinically and angiographically in FH patients. High GRS patients may benefit from more intensive management including lifestyle modification and aggressive lipid‐lowering therapy. Further assessment of the utility of the GRS requires investigation in prospective cohorts, including its role in influencing the management of FH patients in the clinic.
Mutational spectrum by phenotype: panel‐based NGS testing of patients with clinical suspicion of RASopathy and children with multiple café‐au‐lait macules
Authors: Castellanos Elisabeth , Rosas Inma , Negro Alex , Gel Bernat , Alibés Andreu , Baena Neus , Pineda Mercè , Pi Graciela , Pintos Guillem , Salvador Hector , Lázaro Conxi , Blanco Ignacio , Vilageliu Lluïsa , Brems Hilde , Grinberg Daniel , Legius Eric , Serra Eduard
Published: October 2019

Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) may exhibit an incomplete clinical presentation, making difficult to reach a clinical diagnosis. A phenotypic overlap may exist in children with other RASopathies or with other genetic conditions if only multiple café‐au‐lait macules (CALMs) are present. The syndromes that can converge in these inconclusive phenotypes have different clinical courses. In this context, an early genetic testing has been proposed to be clinically useful to manage these patients. We present the validation and implementation into diagnostics of a custom NGS panel (I2HCP, ICO‐IMPPC Hereditary Cancer Panel) for testing patients with a clinical suspicion of a RASopathy (n = 48) and children presenting multiple CALMs (n = 102). We describe the mutational spectrum and the detection rates identified in these two groups of individuals. We identified pathogenic variants in 21 out of 48 patients with clinical suspicion of RASopathy, with mutations in NF1 accounting for 10% of cases. Furthermore, we identified pathogenic mutations mainly in the NF1 gene, but also in SPRED1, in more than 50% of children with multiple CALMs, exhibiting an NF1 mutational spectrum different from a group of clinically diagnosed NF1 patients (n = 80). An NGS panel strategy for the genetic testing of these two phenotype‐defined groups outperforms previous strategies.
The Materialisation of School in Families' Everyday Lives
Authors: Dannesboe Karen Ida
Published: October 2019

This article explores how school is materialised within Danish families and the significance for both children and parents. Based on ethnographic research and inspired by materiality studies and by family and childhood studies, the analysis describes how school‐related objects, such as schoolbags, actualise school within the family and create intensive ‘school parenting’. The article also illustrates how the materialisation of school both entangles with family routines, becoming part of being a family and feeds into processes of demarcation and ways of reducing the importance of school in family routines.
Collected Reflections
Authors: Drake Campbell , Gilbert Jock , Mehzoud Sven , Pearce Sophia
Published: October 2019

This article offers four reflective commentaries on Interpretive Wonderings*, an intercultural community engagement, art and exhibition project. It consists of three interrelated events: the Mapping Culpra Station Workshop, the Interpretive Wonderings exhibition and the Migratory Wonderings exhibition. All were shaped by the coming together of community and creative practitioners on the land of Culpra Station, New South Wales, Australia, in order to work beside local Aboriginal people to learn and share, and to generate creative responses from this experience. The four personal reflections included in this compilation offer multiple perspectives on the Interpretive Wonderings project and draw on the four project leaders’ roles as well as various disciplinary and cultural backgrounds. They include a collaborator’s indigenous viewpoint, transformational experiences that brought about a different understanding of landscape, and observations on the project’s curatorial and exhibition processes and practices.

*Editorial note: The Interpretive Wonderings Portfolio comprises a set of interrelated writings that attempt to provide a distinctive, multi‐perspectival account of this creative research project. In addition to this research piece, other articles include: a co‐authored contextual overview which situates the project in theoretical and practical terms (Drake et al. 2019a, this issue) and associated research‐led articles by Gilbert (2019, this issue) and Mehzoud (2019,this issue). Read individually, each designated article presents a focused inquiry (depth); taken together as a curated series, they provide the reader with the opportunity to gain a comprehensive overview (breadth) and appreciation of the project’s guiding aspirations, objectives and outcomes that amounts to more than the sum of its discrete parts.
Atypicalities in sleep and semantic consolidation in autism
Authors: Fletcher Fay E. , Knowland Victoria , Walker Sarah , Gaskell M. Gareth , Norbury Courtenay , Henderson Lisa M.
Published: October 2019

Sleep is known to support the neocortical consolidation of declarative memory, including the acquisition of new language. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often characterized by both sleep and language learning difficulties, but few studies have explored a potential connection between the two. Here, 54 children with and without ASD (matched on age, nonverbal ability and vocabulary) were taught nine rare animal names (e.g., pipa). Memory was assessed via definitions, naming and speeded semantic decision tasks immediately after learning (pre‐sleep), the next day (post‐sleep, with a night of polysomnography between pre‐ and post‐sleep tests) and roughly 1 month later (follow‐up). Both groups showed comparable performance at pre‐test and similar levels of overnight change on all tasks; but at follow‐up children with ASD showed significantly greater forgetting of the unique features of the new animals (e.g., pipa is a flat frog). Children with ASD had significantly lower central non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) sigma power. Associations between spindle properties and overnight changes in speeded semantic decisions differed by group. For the TD group, spindle duration predicted overnight changes in responses to novel animals but not familiar animals, reinforcing a role for sleep in the stabilization of new semantic knowledge. For the ASD group, sigma power and spindle duration were associated with improvements in responses to novel and particularly familiar animals, perhaps reflecting more general sleep‐associated improvements in task performance. Plausibly, microstructural sleep atypicalities in children with ASD and differences in how information is prioritized for consolidation may lead to cumulative consolidation difficulties, compromising the quality of newly formed semantic representations in long‐term memory.
Two‐dimensional systolic speckle tracking echocardiography provides a noninvasive aid in the identification of acute pediatric heart transplant rejection
Authors: Engelhardt Kevin , Das Bibhuti , Sorensen Matthew , Malik Sadia , Zellers Thomas , Lemler Matthew
Published: October 2019

Background

Acute rejection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric heart transplant (HT) population. A reliable noninvasive method for diagnosis of clinical rejection could substantially reduce these negative outcomes.

Objective

Evaluate left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS), and global circumferential strain (GCS) as early noninvasive indicators of acute pediatric HT rejection.

Methods

An 18‐month prospective cohort study involving 61 patients evaluated absolute change in peak global systolic strain (GLS and GCS) from enrollment (baseline) to next planned clinical encounter (follow‐up) or rejection. Acute rejection defined as a biopsy of grade ≥ 2R or treatment with enhanced immunosuppression by the transplant team, blinded to strain analysis. Two patient cohorts three months post HT without evidence of rejection at enrollment were identified. The study cohort experienced rejection. The control cohort remained free from rejection on follow‐up. Two‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) models evaluated change in GLS and GCS by cohort group and time.

Results

Applying exclusion criteria, 51 patients enrolled in the control cohort and 10 in the study cohort. The study cohort's mean GLS declined 33% from baseline to rejection (P < .001) and mean GCS declined 16.6% (P = .021). No significant change from baseline to follow‐up was seen in the control cohort. A threshold absolute GLS value of 16.1% identified acute rejection with 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity (Likelihood Ratio, [LR] 51).

Conclusion

Noninvasive global longitudinal strain was sensitive and specific in the identification of acute clinical rejection in pediatric HT recipients.
Manifestation of coronary subclavian steal phenomenon using reactive hyperemia in the ipsilateral forearm
Authors: Iino Takako , Yamanaka Takayuki , Sato Wakana , Iino Kenji , Watanabe Hiroyuki
Published: October 2019

Coronary subclavian steal syndrome (CSSS) is a coronary steal phenomenon secondary to subclavian artery stenosis in patients who have undergone coronary bypass surgery with the internal thoracic artery. Most commonly, CSSS is diagnosed angiographically. Our case emphasizes that stress ultrasound assessment using reactive hyperemia in the ipsilateral arm elicits a functional diagnosis of CSSS.
Self‐reported visual dysfunction in Parkinson disease: the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe
Authors: Hamedani A. G. , Willis A. W.
Published: October 2019

Background and purpose

Visual dysfunction is a non‐motor symptom of Parkinson disease (PD), but its prevalence is unknown as population‐based data on the epidemiology of visual symptoms in PD are lacking. The objective was to determine the prevalence of visual dysfunction in PD.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional analysis of data from adults ≥50 years old in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), a multinational population‐based health survey of adults living in one of 27 European countries and Israel. PD diagnosis was self‐reported. Impairment in overall, distance or near eyesight was defined as a score of 4 or 5 on a 1–5 scale. Adjusted logistic regression was used to determine the association between PD and self‐reported vision.

Results

There were 115 240 age‐eligible participants in the SHARE study (mean age 64.3 years, 54% female), of whom 1438 (1.25%) reported a diagnosis of PD. In adjusted logistic regression models, PD was associated with increased odds of impaired overall [odds ratio (OR) 2.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.91–3.72], distance (OR 2.55, 95% CI 2.04–3.19) and near (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.69–2.55) eyesight. Individuals with PD were also less likely to report having an eye examination within the previous 2 years (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.38–0.92), but this did not remain statistically significant after adjusting for confounders (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.47–1.24).

Conclusions

Visual dysfunction is significantly more common in PD than in the general adult population. Visual symptoms are a potentially under‐recognized and under‐treated source of reduced quality of life in PD patients that require further attention and study.
Ex vivo characterization of neuroinflammatory and neuroreceptor changes during epileptogenesis using candidate positron emission tomography biomarkers
Authors: Bascuñana Pablo , Gendron Thibault , Sander Kerstin , Jahreis Ina , Polyak Andras , Ross Tobias L. , Bankstahl Marion , Arstad Erik , Bankstahl Jens P.
Published: October 2019

Objective

Identification of patients at risk of developing epilepsy before the first spontaneous seizure may promote the development of preventive treatment providing opportunity to stop or slow down the disease.

Methods

As development of novel radiotracers and on‐site setup of existing radiotracers is highly time‐consuming and expensive, we used dual‐centre in vitro autoradiography as an approach to characterize the potential of innovative radiotracers in the context of epilepsy development. Using brain slices from the same group of rats, we aimed to characterise the evolution of neuroinflammation and expression of inhibitory and excitatory neuroreceptors during epileptogenesis using translational positron emission tomography (PET) tracers; 18F‐flumazenil (18F‐FMZ; GABAA receptor), 18F‐FPEB (metabotropic glutamate receptor 5; mGluR5), 18F‐flutriciclamide (translocator protein; TSPO, microglia activation) and 18F‐deprenyl (monoamine oxidase B, astroglia activation). Autoradiography images from selected time points after pilocarpine‐induced status epilepticus (SE; baseline, 24 and 48 hours, 5, 10 and 15 days and 6 and 12‐14 weeks after SE) were normalized to a calibration curve, co‐registered to an MRI‐based 2D region‐of‐interest atlas, and activity concentration (Bq/mm2) was calculated.

Results

In epileptogenesis‐associated brain regions, 18F‐FMZ and 18F‐FPEB showed an early decrease after SE. 18F‐FMZ decrease was maintained in the latent phase and further reduced in the chronic epileptic animals, while 18F‐FPEB signal recovered from day 10, reaching baseline levels in chronic epilepsy. 18F‐flutriciclamide showed an increase of activated microglia at 24 hours after SE, peaking at 5‐15 days and decreasing during the chronic phase. On the other hand, 18F‐deprenyl autoradiography showed late astrogliosis, peaking in the chronic phase.

Significance

Autoradiography revealed different evolution of the selected targets during epileptogenesis. Our results suggest an advantage of combined imaging of inter‐related targets like glutamate and GABAA receptors, or microglia and astrocyte activation, in order to identify important interactions, especially when using PET imaging for the evaluation of novel treatments.
Considerations for an Inclusive Global Theological Education
Authors: Mombo Esther
Published: October 2019

This article considers the role of theological education in developing the ministry of the church and the need for it to be relevant to the realities and needs of the people it is to serve. The article considers three factors – racism, imperialism, and tribalism – that influence theological education in different ways. It then turns to a consideration of African‐American womanist theology and African women's theology – as reflected in the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians – and the similarities between these two approaches as expressions of liberation theology and their relevance for inclusive global theological education.
Pan‐African Women's Voices across Borders
Authors: Adamavi‐Aho Ekué Amélé
Published: October 2019

This article is structured from the epistemological vantage point of framing theological education within the context of Pan‐African women's experiences of migration, where theological education is defined in the widest sense of creating knowledge, ethos, and practices from within different versions of Christian tradition, as opposed to transmitting a static corpus of knowledge. It begins by examining the deconstructive potential of Pan‐African female migrants, particularly with regard to gendered patterns and projections of theological education. It then describes and analyzes the impact of Pan‐African female migrants on the project of contextual theological education as an act of birthing and bringing to life the dimensions of seeing and interpreting the one life‐giving story through the lenses of the lamenting, celebrating, and transforming stories of many. The article concludes by presenting Pan‐African female migration as an opportunity to revisit theological education as a creative, ecumenical, and intercultural enterprise, seeing the empirical location of Pan‐African female migrants as a paradigmatic lens for revisiting theological education as intercultural enterprise, and not (exclusively) as a contextual – and hence exceptional – historic experience.