bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biology, diagnosis and treatment ofMalasseziadermatitis in dogs and cats Clinical Consensus Guidelines of the World Association for Veterinary Dermatology
Authors: Bond Ross , Morris Daniel O. , Guillot Jacques , Bensignor Emmanuel J. , Robson David , Mason Kenneth V. , Kano Rui , Hill Peter B.
Published: January 2020

Background

The genusMalasseziais comprised of a group of lipophilic yeasts that have evolved as skin commensals and opportunistic cutaneous pathogens of a variety of mammals and birds.

Objectives

The objective of this document is to provide the veterinary community and other interested parties with current information on the ecology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of skin diseases associated withMalasseziayeasts in dogs and cats.

Methods and material

The authors served as a Guideline Panel (GP) and reviewed the literature available prior to October 2018. The GP prepared a detailed literature review and made recommendations on selected topics. The World Association of Veterinary Dermatology (WAVD) Clinical Consensus Guideline committee provided guidance and oversight for this process. The document was presented at two international meetings of veterinary dermatology societies and one international mycology workshop; it was made available for comment on the WAVD website for a period of six months. Comments were shared with the GP electronically and responses incorporated into the final document.

Conclusions and clinical importance

There has been a remarkable expansion of knowledge onMalasseziayeasts and their role in animal disease, particularly since the early 1990's.Malasseziadermatitis in dogs and cats has evolved from a disease of obscurity and controversy on its existence, to now being a routine diagnosis in general veterinary practice. Clinical signs are well recognised and diagnostic approaches are well developed. A range of topical and systemic therapies is known to be effective, especially when predisposing factors are identified and corrected.
Transposition of the common carotid artery in standing cattle
Authors: Munsterman Amelia S. , Arriola Apelo Sebastian I. , Nelson Kathryn M.
Published: January 2020

Objective

To describe a method for permanent transposition of the common carotid artery (CCA) in standing cattle.

Study design

Experimental study.

Animals

Eight healthy, adult, lactating Holstein‐Friesian cows.

Methods

Cows were restrained with the head and neck extended by using halters, head catch, and squeeze chute. Surgery was performed under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. The right CCA was approached through a skin incision dorsal and parallel to the jugular vein. The skin incision was extended through the brachiocephalicus and longus capitus muscles. When the vessel was present, ligation of accessory vessels of the CCA and internal jugular vein was performed to facilitate exposure. The artery was sharply dissected from the carotid sheath and elevated by using Penrose drains. The muscles were closed in two layers, leaving the artery in a subcutaneous position. The incision was protected with a tie‐over bandage for 1 week. Sampling from the CCA was initiated approximately 6 weeks after surgery.

Results

The CCA was successfully transposed and used for repeated arterial blood sampling in all eight cows. No cows had intraoperative complications or evidence of surgical site infection. One cow had a postoperative suture reaction at the site of a suture used for maintaining the tie‐over bandage. All arteries remained patent for use in subsequent studies.

Conclusion

Permanent translocation of the CCA was successful in all cows in this study and consistently allowed serial arterial blood sampling.

Clinical significance

Common carotid artery translocation is possible without general anesthesia in adult cattle and is useful in studies requiring serial sampling of arterial blood.
Relationship between cardiorespiratory phase coherence during hypoxia and genetic polymorphism in humans
Authors: Lancaster Gemma , Debevec Tadej , Millet Gregoire P. , Poussel Mathias , Willis Sarah J. , Mramor Minca , Goričar Katja , Osredkar Damjan , Dolžan Vita , Stefanovska Aneta
Published: January 2020

Key points

High altitude‐induced hypoxia in humans evokes a pattern of breathing known as periodic breathing (PB), in which the regular oscillations corresponding to rhythmic expiration and inspiration are modulated by slow periodic oscillations.

The phase coherence between instantaneous heart rate and respiration is shown to increase significantly at the frequency of periodic breathing during acute and sustained normobaric and hypobaric hypoxia.

It is also shown that polymorphism in specific genes, NOTCH4 and CAT, is significantly correlated with this coherence, and thus with the incidence of PB.

Differences in phase shifts between blood flow signals and respiratory and PB oscillations clearly demonstrate contrasting origins of the mechanisms underlying normal respiration and PB.

These novel findings provide a better understanding of both the genetic and the physiological mechanisms responsible for respiratory control during hypoxia at altitude, by linking genetic factors with cardiovascular dynamics, as evaluated by phase coherence.

Periodic breathing (PB) occurs in most humans at high altitudes and is characterised by low‐frequency periodic alternation between hyperventilation and apnoea. In hypoxia‐induced PB the dynamics and coherence between heart rate and respiration and their relationship to underlying genetic factors is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate, through novel usage of time–frequency analysis methods, the dynamics of hypoxia‐induced PB in healthy individuals genotyped for a selection of antioxidative and neurodevelopmental genes. Breathing, ECG and microvascular blood flow were simultaneously monitored for 30 min in 22 healthy males. The same measurements were repeated under normoxic and hypoxic (normobaric (NH) and hypobaric (HH)) conditions, at real and simulated altitudes of up to 3800 m. Wavelet phase coherence and phase difference around the frequency of breathing (approximately 0.3 Hz) and around the frequency of PB (approximately 0.06 Hz) were evaluated. Subjects were genotyped for common functional polymorphisms in antioxidative and neurodevelopmental genes. During hypoxia, PB resulted in increased cardiorespiratory coherence at the PB frequency. This coherence was significantly higher in subjects with NOTCH4 polymorphism, and significantly lower in those with CAT polymorphism (HH only). Study of the phase shifts clearly indicates that the physiological mechanism of PB is different from that of the normal respiratory cycle. The results illustrate the power of time‐evolving oscillatory analysis content in obtaining important insight into high altitude physiology. In particular, it provides further evidence for a genetic predisposition to PB and may partly explain the heterogeneity in the hypoxic response.
La Bible, l’homosexualité et les sciences cognitives: Vers une approche interdisciplinaire de l’homosexualité
Authors: Pérez Alejandro
Published: January 2020

Le titre de cette étude suggère de traiter trois termes, à premier vue, sans aucun lien. En effet, quel peut être le lien entre l’homosexualité et la Bible? Ou celui entre l’homosexualité et les sciences cognitives? Et finalement, quel lien peut-il y avoir entre ces trois termes à première vue juxtaposés? Il y a une réponse à chacune de ces trois questions et nous proposons d’explorer ces réponses dans le cadre de cette étude. Notre thèse consiste à défendre que les sciences et plus précisément les sciences cognitives peuvent contribuer à la discussion sur l’homosexualité dans un cadre théologique (et/ou ecclésial).
Trazos pedagógicos del Maestro Eckhart en la conducción del ser humano hacia la unión en Dios
Authors: Mafla Terán Nelson , González Bernal Edith , Torres Muñoz José Santos
Published: January 2020

El Maestro Eckhart introduce la enseñanza sobre la “unión en Dios” apelando al modelo de la pedagogía divina que aparece en la Biblia, en particular en las enseñanzas de Jesús. El modelo presenta tres elementos: el recurso a la interpretaciónanalógica que tiende puentes entre el sentido obvio y el oculto: los dichos y las parábolas parten de lo cotidiano y remiten a lo trascendente; la misteriosa relación entre Dios y las criaturas bajo el símbolo del negocio justo: Dios en nosotros y nosotros en Dios; el diálogo con Dios que conduce al conocimiento interior: la mejor manera de acercarnos a Dios y conocernos a nosotros mismos. Entonces, la pedagogía divina nos mueve de lo obvio a lo misterioso, de la mera idea de Dios a la experiencia de unión en él, del soliloquio devocional al diálogo espiritual.
Mapping SysML Diagrams Into Bayesian Networks: A Systems Engineering Approach for Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Melani Arthur Henrique de Andrade , de Souza Gilberto Francisco Martha
Published: January 2020

The growing complexity of equipment and systems has motivated the search for automated methods of fault diagnosis. Fault diagnosis represents the process of identifying the origin of a fault through the observation of a series of effects that it causes in the system. The method proposed in this paper for system fault diagnosis takes advantage of two very different techniques: Bayesian networks (BN) and systems modeling language (SysML). SysML allows the modeling of requirements, structure, behavior and parameters to provide a robust description of a system, its components, and its environment. This system model is used, in the proposed method, to obtain the BN graph in a novel structured procedure. The BN graph obtained must, in turn, present the components that are most likely responsible for a certain fault of the system under study. The BN model uses components reliabilities to solve the diagnosis problem. A case study of a water storage system is presented and it shows how the method can contribute to an assessment of the monitoring process of a system even in the early stages of its design. With this kind of information, the designer can assess the need for changes in the system to make it more reliable or better monitored.
A Simple Approach for Vortex Core Visualization
Authors: Li Jiajia , Carrica Pablo M.
Published: January 2020

We propose a method to visualize vortex cores based on manipulation of the pressure field produced by isolated vortices in incompressible flow. Under ideal conditions, the function D=2|∇p|/∇2p yields an approximate distance to vortex centerlines. As opposed to local methods to identify coherent structures, isosurfaces of D produce a field of vortex tubes equidistant to the vortex core center which, ideally, are independent of vortex intensity or size. In contrast to other line-vortex identification methods, which typically rely on algorithms to detect vortex core lines and frequently need complex implementations, the proposed method can be computed from the local Eulerian velocity and pressure fields as easily as vortex identification methods such as the Q and λ2 criteria. D=2|∇p|/∇2p results in the exact distance to the core center for a Rankine vortex and is in general valid for the region of a vortex where there is pure rotation, yielding an approximation to the distance farther from the core in other simple one-dimensional vortex models. The methodology performs well in all tests we attempted, though limitations are presented and discussed. The method is demonstrated for a canonical Burgers vortex, a Bodewadt vortex, homogeneous isotropic turbulent flow, the wake of a propeller, a heaving plate, and a turning containership. The proposed method helps to better visualize vortical flow fields by displaying vortex cores, complementing methods like Q and λ2 which display vortical volumes.
An Innovative Laser Metasurface Fabrication Technique for Highly Flexible Optoelectronic Devices
Authors: Wang Qinghua , You Haoxuan , Lowery Zach , Li Songwei , Fu Hao , Wang Ruoxing , Lamuta Caterina , Toor Fatima , Wu Wenzhuo , Ratner Albert , Ding Hongtao
Published: January 2020

Flexible optoelectronic devices have attracted considerable attention due to their low weight, portability, and ease of integration with other devices. However, major issues still exist: they are subject to repeated stresses, which often leads to damage; and the current fabrication methods such as photolithography and nano-imprint lithography can be very time-consuming or costly. This work aims to develop a novel cost-effective and time-efficient laser metasurface fabrication (LMF) technique for production of flexible optoelectronic devices. The experimental results have shown that the laser patterned flexible surfaces exhibit high visible transmittance, low sheet resistance, and extraordinary mechanical durability under repeated bending cycles. The laser patterned flexible surfaces have also demonstrated the potential to be utilized as heaters, which renders them new de-icing or de-fogging applications. This innovative laser patterning method will provide a new avenue for fabrication of multifunctional optoelectronic devices.
Scanning Micro-Electrochemical Machining Process for V-Shaped Grooves
Authors: Zhong Hao , Tong Hao , Wang Zhiqiang , Li Yong , Pu Yubin
Published: January 2020

Microstructures determine flow properties of microfluidic chip. Micromold forming is an effective method to realize mass manufacturing of microfluidic chips. This requires to machine some kind of special microstructure of high surface quality on a metal/alloy workpiece. Micro V-shaped grooves are the typical microstructures of the chip micromolds used for controlling microfluid or weld packaging. In this research, a scanning micro-electrochemical machining (ECM) process of V-shaped grooves is proposed using a tool electrode fabricated by micro–electrical discharge machining (EDM) on-machine. Theoretical and experimental research was conducted for achieving the V-shaped grooves with a given angle on die steel. A long-distance V-shaped groove with the given angle of 67 deg and the depth of 125 μm was successfully machined.
Scaling Anomaly in the Mechanical Response in Microscale Reverse Extrusion of Copper
Authors: Zhang Bin , Meng W. J.
Published: January 2020

The continuing trend of device miniaturization brings increasing demand for small metal parts and, consequently, significant interest in microscale metal forming technologies. In this work, the influence of grain size on mechanical response in microscale axisymmetric reverse extrusion of Cu 110 alloy was investigated in detail. A characteristic plastic strain associated with material deformation in the extrusion process was, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, defined, measured, and used to evaluate the material's bulk flow stress at this corresponding strain. This flow stress was then used to scale measured mechanical response in reverse extrusion and help identify deviations from scaling behavior expected in continuum plasticity. A scaling anomaly was indeed observed, indicating a dependence of mechanical response on both the initial grain size and the characteristic dimension of microforming operations. Detailed microstructural examination of grains in extruded Cu parts was conducted, and points to directions for future study to better understand mechanisms behind the observed scaling anomaly.
Geological Uncertainty and Poetic Creativity: The Material Agency of Findlinge for Droste-Hülshoff and Goethe
Authors: DeMair Jilian
Published: January 2020

This essay isolates the geological phenomenon of Findlinge (erratic rocks) in literary works by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Annette von Droste-Hülshoff in order to examine these authors’ shared recognition of the agency of the material world. Rather than depicting anthropocentric poetic subjects that idealistically project their inner visions onto the natural world, these authors read the earth as endowed with a creative force and portray the poetic subject as but one component among many entangled in natural historical processes. This essay relies on the insights of material ecocriticism to demonstrate that Droste-Hülshoff and Goethe take a unique literary approach by reading geological phenomena, such as the yet unexplained movement of Findlinge across the earth, as processes that can be scientifically examined and which contain their own potential, rather than as mere objects of nature poetry. Close readings of Droste-Hülshoff’s poem “Die Mergelgrube” (“The Marl Pit”) and an excerpt from Goethe’s Faust II reveal the two authors’ related approaches. Both depict human characters uncertain about how their existence relates to non-human matter and vast environmental process, but both also reflect on the overlapping potential of natural processes and poetic creativity. The present analysis also considers the cultural and historical context of the two authors’ works, offering insight into contemporary theories on natural history, each author’s personal scientific pursuits in this field, the tension these developments created with prevalent religious views, and the role of women in natural science in the nineteenth century.Keywords: materialism, ecocriticism, literary criticism, agency, geology, natural history
Material Ecocriticism and Peter Handke's Versuch über den Pilznarren
Authors: Kost Kiley M.
Published: January 2020

Despite Peter Handke’s frequent focus on landscape and nature, his writing has rarely been considered by ecocritics as environmental. His recent fictional work, Versuch über den Pilznarren (Essay about the Mushroom Fool), details one man’s increasingly intense fascination with mushrooms, his eventual disappearance, and ultimate transformation into a “mushroom fool.” This essay examines the role of the mushrooms in Handke’s 2013 work as commentary on the reciprocal relationship between humans and nonhumans that warrants serious consideration, rather than theme or metaphor. In this article, I employ the lens of material ecocriticism to explore the dynamic material interplays and shared agencies between the mushroom, mushroom hunter, and the space of mushroom collecting. The analysis focuses in particular on border regions—of the human body and the forest in particular—to trace the mushroom’s role in the narrative and meaning in making. Key words: mushrooms, material ecocriticism, trans-corporeality, Peter Handke, Austrian studies
Biology and fertility life table of Oligonychus punicae Hirst (Acari: Tetranychidae) associated with eucalyptus in a clonal minigarden

Authors: Ferraz José Cláudio Barros , Silva Paulo Roberto Ramalho , Amaranes Matheus Pinheiro , Melo José Wagner da Silva , Lima Debora Barbosa de , França Solange Maria de
Published: January 2020

The mite Oligonychus punicae has potential for development in Eucalyptus spp. in clonal minigardens. However, there is no information on its biological and reproductive parameters on eucalyptus species. The objective of this study is to evaluate the biological and reproductive performance of O. punicae on different species of eucalyptus cultivated in a clonal minigarden. Development time, survival, longevity, fecundity and life table parameters of O. punicae were determined on six species of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla, Eucalyptus brassiana, Eucalyptus grandis, Eucalyptus tereticorinis, Eucalyptus pellita and Corymbia citriodora). All eggs of O. punicae originated females and completed the cycle in all hosts. Differences were observed in development, longevity, pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition, and fecundity of females of O. punicae when different eucalyptus species were used as hosts for O. punicae. The best performance of O. punicae was observed on E. tereticornis, while the worst performance was observed on C. citriodora, on which the net reproductive rates (R0) ranged from 5.09 to 44.85, the intrinsic rate of population increase (rm) ranged from 0.09 to 0.19, the finite rate of population increase (λ) ranged from 1.10 to 1.21, and the mean generation time (T) ranged from 0.09 to 0.19. These results suggest that E. tereticornis is an excellent host for O. punicae.
The Beneficial Influence of Combining Motor Imagery and Coach’s Feedback on Soccer Pass Accuracy in Intermediate Players
Authors: Robin Nicolas , Toussaint Lucette , Joblet Eric , Roublot Emmanuel , Coudevylle Guillaume R.
Published: January 2020

This study compared the effects of motor imagery, feedback, and feedback+imagery interventions on soccer pass performance in non-elite players (intermediate, regional level). Participants were randomly divided into Control, Feedback, Imagery, and Feedback+Imagery groups, within a pre- post- intervention design. The intervention lasted 7 weeks, and the task consisted of passing the ball to a target 20-meters away. In each intervention session, the participants performed 3 blocks of four physical trials. The participants of the Feedback and Feedback+Imagery groups received expert feedback, given by the coach, after each block and then, all the participants realized a mental task (countdown or motor imagery). Results showed that the Feedback+Imagery group had the greatest pre- to post-test improvement compared to the other groups, and highlight the beneficial effect of combining verbal feedback and motor imagery to improve soccer passing accuracy. It is suggested to coaches or physical education teachers to adapt their training by incorporating feedback and imagery.
Phylosymbiosis across Deeply Diverging Lineages of Omnivorous Cockroaches (Order Blattodea)
Authors: Tinker Kara A. , Ottesen Elizabeth A.
Published: January 2020

The gut microbiome plays a key role in host health. Therefore, it is important to understand the evolution of the gut microbiota and how it impacts, and is impacted by, host evolution. In this study, we explore the relationship between host phylogeny and gut microbiome composition in omnivorous, gregarious cockroaches within the Blattodea order, an ancient lineage that spans 300 million years of evolutionary divergence. We demonstrate a strong relationship between host species identity and gut microbiome composition and found a weaker but significant role for host phylogeny in determining microbiome similarity over extended periods of evolutionary time. This study advances our understanding of the role of host phylogeny in shaping the gut microbiome over different evolutionary distances.
Interactions between Biotite and the Mineral-Weathering Bacterium
Pseudomonas azotoformans
F77
Authors: Wang Yuan-Li , Sun Li-Jing , Xian Chun-Mei , Kou Feng-Lian , Zhu Ying , He Lin-Yan , Sheng Xia-Fang
Published: January 2020

Bacteria play important roles in mineral weathering and soil formation, although the molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between bacteria and silicate minerals are poorly understood. In this study, the interactions between biotite and the highly effective mineral-weathering bacterium
P. azotoformans
F77 were characterized. Our results showed that the genes involved in gluconic acid metabolism and pilus formation play important roles in mineral weathering by F77. The presence of biotite could promote the expression of these genes in F77, and a distinctive effect of these genes on mineral weathering by F77 was observed in this study. Our results provide new knowledge and promote better understanding regarding the interaction between silicate minerals and mineral-weathering bacteria, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved in these processes.
Site-Specific Profiling of the Dental Mycobiome Reveals Strong Taxonomic Shifts during Progression of Early-Childhood Caries
Authors: O’Connell Lauren M. , Santos Ryan , Springer Garrett , Burne Robert A. , Nascimento Marcelle M. , Richards Vincent P.
Published: January 2020

Early-childhood caries is one of the most prevalent diseases in children worldwide and, while preventable, remains a global public health concern. Untreated cavities are painful and expensive and can lead to tooth loss and a lower quality of life. Caries are driven by acid production via microbial fermentation of dietary carbohydrates, resulting in enamel erosion. While caries is a well-studied disease, most research has focused on bacterial impacts, even though fungi are commensal organisms living within the plaque biofilm. There is very little known about how fungi impact caries pathogenicity. The elucidation of fungal taxa involved in caries disease progression is necessary for a more holistic view of the human oral microbiome. Data from this study will improve our understanding of how the fungal community changes as disease progresses and provide insight into the complex etiology of dental caries, which is necessary for the development of treatment plans and preventative measures.
Freshwater Cyanobacterium
Synechococcus elongatus
PCC 7942 Adapts to an Environment with Salt Stress via Ion-Induced Enzymatic Balance of Compatible Solutes
Authors: Liang Yajing , Zhang Mingyi , Wang Min , Zhang Wei , Qiao Cuncun , Luo Quan , Lu Xuefeng
Published: January 2020

Most microbes
de novo
synthesize compatible solutes for adaptation to salt stress or fluctuating salinity environments. However, to date, one of the core questions involved in these physiological processes, i.e., the regulation of salt-induced compatible solute biosynthesis, is still not well understood. Here, this issue was systematically investigated by employing the model freshwater cyanobacterium
Synechococcus elongatus
PCC 7942. A novel mechanism for cyanobacterial adaption to salt stress and fluctuating salinity, i.e., the ion-induced synergistic modulation of key synthesizing and degrading enzymes of compatible solutes, is proposed. Because the ion-induced activation/inhibition of enzymes is a fast and efficient process, it may represent a common strategy of microbes for adaptation to environments with fluctuating salinity.
A Zeaxanthin-Producing Bacterium Isolated from the Algal Phycosphere Protects Coral Endosymbionts from Environmental Stress
Authors: Motone Keisuke , Takagi Toshiyuki , Aburaya Shunsuke , Miura Natsuko , Aoki Wataru , Ueda Mitsuyoshi
Published: January 2020

Occupying less than 1% of the seas, coral reefs are estimated to harbor ∼25% of all marine species. However, the destruction of coral reefs has intensified in the face of global climate changes, such as rising seawater temperatures, which induce the overproduction of reactive oxygen species harmful to corals. Although reef-building corals form complex consortia with bacteria and photosynthetic endosymbiotic algae of the family
Symbiodiniaceae
, the functional roles of coral-associated bacteria remain largely elusive. By manipulating the
Symbiodiniaceae
bacterial community, we demonstrated that a bacterium that produces an antioxidant carotenoid could mitigate thermal and light stresses in cultured
Symbiodiniaceae
isolated from a reef-building coral. Therefore, this study illuminates the unexplored roles of coral-associated bacteria under stressful conditions.
The Integrity of the Cell Wall and Its Remodeling during Heterocyst Differentiation Are Regulated by Phylogenetically Conserved Small RNA Yfr1 in
Nostoc
sp. Strain PCC 7120
Authors: Brenes-Álvarez Manuel , Vioque Agustín , Muro-Pastor Alicia M.
Published: January 2020

Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) are important players affecting the regulation of essentially every aspect of bacterial physiology. The cell wall is a highly dynamic structure that protects bacteria from their fluctuating environment. Cell envelope remodeling is particularly critical for bacteria that undergo differentiation processes, such as spore formation or differentiation of heterocysts. Heterocyst development involves the deposition of additional layers of glycolipids and polysaccharides outside the outer membrane. Here, we show that a cyanobacterial phylogenetically conserved small regulatory RNA, Yfr1, coordinates the expression of proteins involved in cell wall-related processes, including peptidoglycan metabolism and transport of different molecules, as well as expression of several proteins involved in heterocyst differentiation.
CRISPR Interference of a Clonally Variant GC-Rich Noncoding RNA Family Leads to General Repression of
var
Genes in Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Barcons-Simon Anna , Cordon-Obras Carlos , Guizetti Julien , Bryant Jessica M. , Scherf Artur
Published: January 2020

Plasmodium falciparum
is the deadliest malaria parasite species, accounting for the vast majority of disease cases and deaths. The virulence of this parasite is reliant upon the mutually exclusive expression of cytoadherence proteins encoded by the 60-member
var
gene family. Antigenic variation of this multigene family serves as an immune evasion mechanism, ultimately leading to chronic infection and pathogenesis. Understanding the regulation mechanism of antigenic variation is key to developing new therapeutic and control strategies. Our study uncovers a novel layer in the epigenetic regulation of transcription of this family of virulence genes by means of a multigene-targeting CRISPR interference approach.
Influenza Virus Infection Induces a Narrow Antibody Response in Children but a Broad Recall Response in Adults
Authors: Meade Philip , Kuan Guillermina , Strohmeier Shirin , Maier Hannah E. , Amanat Fatima , Balmaseda Angel , Ito Kimihito , Kirkpatrick Ericka , Javier Andres , Gresh Lionel , Nachbagauer Raffael , Gordon Aubree , Krammer Florian
Published: January 2020

It is known since Thomas Francis, Jr. published his first paper on original antigenic sin in 1960 that the first infection(s) with influenza virus leaves a special immunological imprint which shapes immune responses to future infections with antigenically related influenza virus strains. Imprinting has been implicated in both protective effects as well as blunting of the immune response to vaccines. Despite the fact that this phenomenon was already described almost 60 years ago, we have very little detailed knowledge of the characteristics and breadth of the immune response to the first exposure(s) to influenza virus in life and how this compares to later exposure as adults. Here, we investigate these immune responses in detail using an influenza virus protein microarray. While our findings are mostly descriptive in nature and based on a small sample size, they provide a strong basis for future large-scale studies to better understand imprinting effects.
MICOM: Metagenome-Scale Modeling To Infer Metabolic Interactions in the Gut Microbiota
Authors: Diener Christian , Gibbons Sean M. , Resendis-Antonio Osbaldo
Published: January 2020

The bacterial communities that live within the human gut have been linked to health and disease. However, we are still just beginning to understand how those bacteria interact and what potential interventions to our gut microbiome can make us healthier. Here, we present a mathematical modeling framework (named MICOM) that can recapitulate the growth rates of diverse bacterial species in the gut and can simulate metabolic interactions within microbial communities. We show that MICOM can unravel the ecological rules that shape the microbial landscape in our gut and that a given dietary or probiotic intervention can have widely different effects in different people.
Impacts of the Plateau Environment on the Gut Microbiota and Blood Clinical Indexes in Han and Tibetan Individuals
Authors: Jia Zhilong , Zhao Xiaojing , Liu Xiaoshuang , Zhao Le , Jia Qian , Shi Jinlong , Xu Xiao , Hao Lijun , Xu Zhenguo , Zhong Qin , Yu Kang , Cui Saijia , Chen Huining , Guo Jianying , Li Xiang , Han Yang , Song Xinyu , Zhao Chenghui , Bo Xiaochen , Tian Yaping , Wang Weidong , Xie Guotong , Feng Qiang , He Kunlun
Published: January 2020

The data presented in the present study demonstrate that the hypoxic plateau environment has a profound impact on the gut microbiota and blood clinical indexes in Han and Tibetan individuals. The plateau-changed signatures of the gut microbiota and blood clinical indexes were not restored to the nonplateau status in the Han cohorts, even when the individuals returned to the plain from the plateau for several months. Our study will improve the understanding of the great impact of hypoxic environments on the gut microbiota and blood clinical indexes as well as the adaptation mechanism and intervention targets for plateau adaptation.
Methicillin-sensitiveStaphylococcusaureusbacterial endarteritis associated with vascular closure device
Authors: Alves Rosa , Judas Tiago , Vieira João Valença , Delerue Francisca
Published: January 2020

Percutaneous endovascular procedures (PEPs) are increasingly common in clinical practice. Percutaneous closure devices (PCD) ensure safe and immediate haemostasis, reducing the length of hospitalisation and improving patient comfort. Infectious complications are rare. We present the case of a 65-year-old man who was admitted to hospital because of fever and weight loss. He had a history of carotid arterial disease, having been submitted to a PEP 3 weeks before. On admission, he presented feverishly. Anaemia and elevated inflammatory parameters were detected on basic chemistry. Blood cultures isolated methicillin-sensitiveStaphylococcus aureusand antibiotic therapy was started. He maintained fever and developed signs of right lower limb ischemia. Bacterial endocarditis was ruled out. Positron emission tomography (PET)-scan revealed inflammatory activity involving the right femoral artery (RFA). Bacterial femoral endarteritis was confirmed on surgical exploration, which documented the presence of infected PCD and occlusion of RFA. After surgery, apyrexia and improvement of ischaemic signs were achieved.
Cost-effectiveness of a patient-centred approach to managing multimorbidity in primary care: a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: Thorn Joanna , Man Mei-See , Chaplin Katherine , Bower Peter , Brookes Sara , Gaunt Daisy , Fitzpatrick Bridie , Gardner Caroline , Guthrie Bruce , Hollinghurst Sandra , Lee Victoria , Mercer Stewart W , Salisbury Chris
Published: January 2020

Objective

Patients with multiple chronic health conditions are often managed in a disjointed fashion in primary care, with annual review clinic appointments offered separately for each condition. This study aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of the 3D intervention, which was developed to improve the system of care.

Design

Economic evaluation conducted alongside a pragmatic cluster-randomised trial.

Setting

General practices in three centres in England and Scotland.

Participants

797 adults with three or more chronic conditions were randomised to the 3D intervention, while 749 participants were randomised to receive usual care.

Intervention

The 3D approach: comprehensive 6-monthly general practitioner consultations, supported by medication reviews and nurse appointments.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary economic evaluation assessed the cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained from the perspective of the National Health Service (NHS) and personal social services (PSS). Costs were related to changes in a range of secondary outcomes (QALYs accrued by both participants and carers, and deaths) in a cost–consequences analysis from the perspectives of the NHS/PSS, patients/carers and productivity losses.

Results

Very small increases were found in both QALYs (adjusted mean difference 0.007 (−0.009 to 0.023)) and costs (adjusted mean difference £126 (£−739 to £991)) in the intervention arm compared with usual care after 15 months. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was £18 499, with a 50.8% chance of being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of £20 000 per QALY (55.8% at £30 000 per QALY).

Conclusions

The small differences in costs and outcomes were consistent with chance, and the uncertainty was substantial; therefore, the evidence for the cost-effectiveness of the 3D approach from the NHS/PSS perspective should be considered equivocal.

Trial registration number

ISCRTN06180958
Burnout in consultants in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in Ireland: a cross-sectional study
Authors: McNicholas Fiona , Sharma Sonita , Oconnor Cliodhna , Barrett Elizabeth
Published: January 2020

Physician burnout has reached epidemic levels in many countries, contributing to adverse personal, patient and service outcomes. Adverse socioeconomic conditions, such as the economic downturn in the Ireland post 2008, contribute to a situation of increased demand but inadequate resources. Given a recent unprecedented increase in referrals to Irish child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), coupled with a fragmented and poorly resourced service, it is important to reflect on consultant child psychiatrists’ well-being.

Objectives

To report on the level of burnout among consultants working in CAMHS in Ireland using a cross-sectional design.

Setting

Community CAMHS in Ireland.

Participants

An online questionnaire was sent to all consultant child psychiatrists registered with the Irish Medical Council (n=112). Fifty-two consultants replied (46% response rate).

Primary outcome measures

Questions assessed demographic and occupational details, career satisfaction and perceived management, government and public support. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory measured personal, work and patient-related burnout.

Results

The prevalence of moderate or higher levels of work-related and personal burnout was 75% and 72.3%, respectively. Fewer (n=14, 26.9%) experienced patient-related burnout. There was a strong correlation between work burnout and personal (r=0.851, n=52, p<0.001) and patient-related burnout (r=0.476, n=52, p<0.001). Lack of confidence in government commitment to investment in CAMHS (p<0.001) and perceived ineffective management by health authorities (p=0.002) were associated with higher burnout scores. Few consultants (n=11, 21%) felt valued in their job. The majority (n=36, 69%) had seriously considered changing jobs, and this was positively associated with higher burnout (p<0.001). Higher burnout scores were present in those (n=15, 28.8%) who would not retrain in child psychiatry (p=0.002).

Conclusion

The high level of burnout reported by respondents in this study, and ambivalence about child psychiatry as a career choice has huge professional and service implications. Urgent organisational intervention to support consultant psychiatrists’ well-being is required.
Knowledge level and motivation of Hong Kong young adults towards blood donation: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Suen Lorna Kwai Ping , Siu Judy Yuen-man , Lee Yik Mun , Chan Engle Angela
Published: January 2020

Objectives

This study aimed to (1) determine the knowledge level of young adults towards blood donation, and (2) to understand their donor identity and the meanings of blood donation to them.

Design

A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey.

Setting and participants

Undergraduate students of a university in Hong Kong recruited by convenience sampling, at public facilities in campus such as student canteens and the Campus Blood Donor Centre of the university.

Outcome measures

The questionnaire which consisted of three parts was used for data collection. Part 1 collected sociodemographic information and items associated with blood donation; part 2 related to knowledge on blood donation and part 3 focused on blood donor identity. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the OR and identify the predictors for blood donation.

Results

Among the 542 respondents, 274 were non-blood donors and 268 were blood donors. Blood donors generally have a better knowledge towards blood donation than non-blood donors. The results of univariate analyses indicated that being a female (OR=1.99, p<0.001), aged 22 years or above (OR=234, p<0.001), studying at year 4 or 5 (OR=2.12, p=0.003), studying health-related programmes (OR=1.96, p<0.001), being registered as an organ donor (OR=6.59, p<0.001), had prior experience of receiving blood (OR=7.60, p<0.001) or prior experience of being refused for blood donation (OR=5.14, p<0.001) were significantly associated with being a blood donor. Having prior experience of receiving blood was the strongest predictor for being a blood donor, followed by being registered as an organ donor, after controlling for all other factors in the logistic regression model.

Conclusions

The findings are consistent with self-determination theory, which hypothesises that people are more likely to abide with blood donation behaviours that are internally rather than externally motivated.
Does chronic hyperglycaemia increase the risk of kidney stone disease? results from a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Geraghty Robert , Abdi Abdihakim , Somani Bhaskar , Cook Paul , Roderick Paul
Published: January 2020

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies was performed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for studies reporting on diabetes mellitus (DM) or metabolic syndrome (MetS) and kidney stone disease (KSD).

Objective

To examine the association between chronic hyperglycaemia, in the form of DM and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in the context of MetS and KSD.

Setting

Population-based observational studies. Databases searched: Ovid MEDLINE without revisions (1996 to June 2018), Cochrane Library (2018), CINAHL (1990 to June 2018), ClinicalTrials.gov, Google Scholar and individual journals including the Journal of Urology, European Urology and Kidney International.

Participants

Patients with and without chronic hyperglycaemic states (DM and MetS).

Main outcome measures

English language articles from January 2001 to June 2018 reporting on observational studies. Exclusions: No comparator group or fewer than 100 patients. Unadjusted values were used for meta-analysis, with further meta-regression presented as adjusted values. Bias was assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

Results

2340 articles were screened with 13 studies included for meta-analysis, 7 DM (three cohort) and 6 MetS. Five of the MetS studies provided data on IGT alone. These included: DM, n=28 329; MetS, n=31 767; IGT, n=12 770. Controls: DM, n=5 89 791; MetS, n=1 78 050; IGT, n=2 93 852 patients. Adjusted risk for DM cohort studies, RR=1.23 (0.94 to 1.51) (p<0.001). Adjusted ORs for: DM cross-sectional/case-control studies, OR=1.32 (1.21 to 1.43) (p<0.001); IGT, OR=1.26 (0.92 to 1.58) (p<0.0001) and MetS, OR=1.35 (1.16 to 1.54) (p<0.0001). There was no significant difference between IGT and DM (cross-sectional/case-control), nor IGT and MetS. There was a moderate risk of publication bias. Statistical heterogeneity remained significant in adjusted DM cohort values and adjusted IGT (cross-sectional/case-control), but non-signficant for adjusted DM (cross-sectional/case-control).

Conclusion

Chronic hyperglycaemia increases the risk of developing kidney stone disease. In the context of the diabetes pandemic, this will increase the burden of stone related morbidity and mortality.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018093382
Cancer caregivers’ experiences of prognosis in Australia: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Lewis Sophie , Broom Alex , Kenny Katherine , Kirby Emma
Published: January 2020

Objectives

Forecasting survival in cancer is a particularly challenging facet of oncological work and can involve complex interactions with patients and their families. While there is considerable research on patient experiences of being provided with, or becoming aware of, their prognosis, there has been much less emphasis placed on the experiences of caregivers. The aim of this paper was to examine caregivers’ experiences of prognosis.

Design

This study used semistructured interviews; transcripts were analysed thematically using the framework approach. These data are part of a larger research project focused on experiences of cancer survivorship.

Setting

Recruitment was from two metropolitan hospitals in Queensland, Australia.

Participants

50 caregivers of patients living with cancer and receiving treatment at two metropolitan hospitals (32% male, 68% female) participated in this study.

Results

Four main themes were identified: (1) caregivers’ uncertainty around the meaning and implications of prognosis, (2) caregivers’ sense of exclusion in prognostic conversations, (3) the practice of situating prognosis within a context of hope and (4) the precarious balance between realism, optimism and strategic ‘ignorance’.

Conclusions

Caregivers are in many respects the unseen third party of prognostic communication. Developing a better understanding of caregivers’ perceptions of prognosis, including how this may be challenged, accepted or otherwise, is important in engaging caregivers in the process of communicating prognostic information. Facilitating greater participation by caregivers in prognostic conversations could potentially address evident complexities and even improve the experiences of all stakeholders in cancer care settings.
Children’s neighbourhood physical environment and early development: an individual child level linked data study
Authors: Bell Megan F , Turrell Gavin , Beesley Bridget , Boruff Bryan , Trapp Gina , Zubrick Stephen R , Christian Hayley E
Published: January 2020

Background

Identification of features of the neighbourhood physical environment that have a causal association with positive child development is important for promoting long-term developmental health. Previous research on these associations have been conducted at the neighbourhood level, and do not account for individual variation in exposure to these features.

Methods

This cross-sectional study utilised de-identified linked administrative data. Neighbourhood features were measured with Geographic Information Systems and identified within a 1600 m service area around the child’s home address. The study population included a random selection of 5024 Western Australian children who participated in the 2012 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC; median age 5 years, 5 months). Multi-level logistic regressions modelled the odds of children scoring in the bottom 10% on the physical, social or emotional AEDC domains as an outcome of neighbourhood features.

Results

After adjustment for individual and neighbourhood sociodemographic factors, lower odds of physical vulnerability were associated with increased neighbourhood residential density, presence of railway station, and higher counts of playgroups and kindergartens. Larger areas of neighbourhood home-yard space were associated with increased odds of physical and social vulnerability. Presence of high-quality green spaces was associated with lower odds of social vulnerability. Increased road traffic exposure was associated with higher odds of social and emotional vulnerability.

Conclusions

The neighbourhood physical environment has a weak but significant association with early childhood development. Future research should consider the interplay between the neighbourhood environment and proximal influences, including parenting attributes and socioeconomic status, and how they influence early child development.