bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate and the Vaginal Microbiome as Modifiers of Tenofovir Diphosphate and Lamivudine Triphosphate Concentrations in the Female Genital Tract of Ugandan Women: Implications for Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Lamivudine in Preexposure Prophylaxis
Authors: Nicol Melanie R , Eneh Prosperity , Nakalega Rita , Kaiser Thomas , Kabwigu Samuel , Isingel Esther , Beksinska Mags , Sykes Craig , Fowler Mary Glenn , Brown Todd T , Staley Christopher , Kiweewa Matovu Flavia
Published: May 2019

Background

Effective concentrations of antiretrovirals in the female genital tract (FGT) are critical for suppression of viral shedding or effective preexposure prophylaxis. The disposition of tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) and emtricitabine triphosphate (FTC-TP) in the FGT have been previously described. Despite widespread use, however, lamivudine triphosphate (3TC-TP) exposure in the FGT is unknown. Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) and vaginal dysbiosis have been implicated in increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition, but whether they alter TFV-DP or 3TC-TP exposure, and therefore compromise prevention efficacy, is unknown.

Methods

Fifty premenopausal women living with HIV in Kampala, Uganda, and receiving daily tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/lamivudine were recruited. Ectocervical biopsies were obtained for quantification of TFV-DP and 3TC-TP using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was performed on DNA extracted from vaginal swabs. Wilcoxon rank-sum was used to test for differences between contraceptive groups.

Results

3TC-TP concentrations were on average 17-fold greater than TFV-DP concentrations in cervical tissues. TFV-DP concentrations in cervical biopsies were 76% greater in DMPA users compared with women using nonhormonal contraception (n = 23 per group). Abundance of Lactobacillus in vaginal swabs was correlated with 3TC-TP concentrations in cervical tissues.

Conclusions

We found that TFV-DP concentrations were significantly greater in DMPA users compared with women using nonhormonal contraception, suggesting that prevention efficacy is unlikely to be compromised by DMPA use. Similar to reports of FTC-TP, 3TC-TP exposure was significantly greater than TFV-DP in cervical tissue and was correlated with abundance of Lactobacillus. These data support lamivudine as an option for preexposure prophylaxis.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT03377608.
A case report: stent implantation to treat coarctation of persistent 5th aortic arch associated with interrupted 4th aortic arch
Authors: Kato Atsuko , Ohashi Naoki , Nishikawa Hiroshi
Published: May 2019

Background

Persistent 5th aortic arch is a rare cardiac anomaly that is usually surgically corrected during infancy or early childhood if it is associated with coarctation of the aorta. Here, we report an adult with coarctation of the 5th aortic arch who was successfully treated by stent implantation.

Case summary

An asymptomatic 32-year-old woman presented with hypertension and a significant arm–leg difference in pressure. On suspicion of coarctation of the aorta, a chest computed tomography was performed, leading to a diagnosis of an interrupted 4th aortic arch with coarctation of a persistent 5th aortic arch. Percutaneous catheter intervention using a PALMAZ large stent dilated to 12 mm resulted in a minimal peak-to-peak pressure gradient. The patient was discharged home after a 2-day monitoring without hypertension and arm–leg blood pressure difference. She remained normotensive with a patent aortic arch on echocardiography performed 10 months after treatment.

Discussion

As for simple coarctation of the aorta, stent implantation was feasible and effective in an adult patient with coarctation of the 5th aortic arch.
Functional assessment of tandem coronary artery stenosis by intracoronary optical coherence tomography-derived virtual fractional flow reserve: a case series
Authors: Okuya Yoshiyuki , Seike Fumiyasu , Yoneda Kohei , Takahashi Takefumi , Kishi Koichi , Hiasa Yoshikazu
Published: May 2019

Background

Optical coherence tomography (OCT)-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR)—which may be calculated using fluid dynamics—demonstrated an excellent correlation with the wire-based FFR. However, the applicability of the OCT-derived FFR in the assessment of tandem lesions is currently unclear.

Case summary

We present two cases of tandem lesions in the mid segment of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery which could have assessed accurately by OCT-derived FFR. The first patient underwent wire-based FFR at the far distal site of LAD, showed a value of 0.66. The OCT-derived FFR was calculated, yielding a value of 0.64. In the absence of stenosis at the proximal lesion, the OCT-derived FFR was calculated as 0.79, which was as same as the wire-based FFR obtained after stenting to the proximal lesion. Thus, additional stenting was performed at the distal lesion. The second patient underwent wire-based FFR at the far distal site of LAD, showed a value of 0.76 which was as same vale as OCT-derived FFR. Considering the absence of stenosis in the proximal lesion, the OCT-derived FFR was estimated as 0.88. After coronary stenting in the proximal lesion, the wire-based FFR yielded a value of 0.90. Therefore, additional intervention to the distal lesion was deferred.

Discussion

The described reports are the first two cases which performed physiological assessment using OCT in tandem lesions. The OCT-derived FFR might be able to estimate the wire-based FFR and the severity of each individual lesion in patients with tandem lesions.
Cell Biology of Coral Symbiosis: Foundational Study Can Inform Solutions to the Coral Reef Crisis
Authors: Weis Virginia M
Published: May 2019

Coral reefs are faced with almost complete destruction by the end of the century due to global warming unless humanity can cap global temperature rise. There is now a race to develop a diverse set of solutions to save coral reefs. In this perspective, a case is made for understanding the cell biology of coral–dinoflagellate symbiosis to help inform development of solutions for saving reefs. Laboratory model systems for the study of coral symbiosis, including the sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida, are featured as valuable tools in the fight to save corals. The roles of host innate immunity and inter-partner nutrient dynamics in the onset, ongoing maintenance, and dysregulation of symbiosis are reviewed and discussed. Key innate immune genes and pathways, such as glycan–lectin interactions, the sphingosine rheostat, and the cytokine transforming growth factor beta are shown to modulate a host immune response in the symbiotic state. An upset in the homeostatic inorganic nutrient balance during heat stress and high exogenous nutrient availability is credited with driving the partnership toward dysregulation and coral bleaching. Specific examples are given where knowledge of the cell biology of symbiosis is informing the development of solutions, including studies showing clear limitations in the value of partner switching and acclimatization protocols. Finally, emphasis is placed on rapid advancement of knowledge to try to meet the urgent need for solutions. This includes real-time open communication with colleagues on successes and failures, sharing of resources and information, and working together in the spirit of a collective mission to save coral reefs.
Long-term Assessment of Healthcare Utilization 5 Years After Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in US Infants
Authors: Simões Eric A F , Chirikov Viktor , Botteman Marc , Kwon Youngmin , Kuznik Andreas
Published: May 2019

Background

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the primary cause of respiratory tract infections in infants; however, current burden estimates report only the short-term effects of acute infection.

Methods

Infants with RSV infection and ≥24 months of continuous enrollment were retrospectively identified from the Truven MarketScan database (1 January 2004–30 September 2015). Exposed infants (n = 38 473) were propensity score matched to nonexposed controls (n = 76 825) by baseline characteristics and gestational age. Five-year cumulative all-cause, asthma/wheezing, and respiratory event–related hospitalization rates and physician and emergency department healthcare-resource utilization rates were assessed.

Results

During follow-up, RSV-infected cohorts had higher average all-cause cumulative hospitalization rates, compared with controls, with values of 79.9 hospitalizations/100 patient-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 41.7–118.2) for 213 early premature infants (P < .001), 18.2 hospitalizations/100 patient-years (95% CI, .8–35.7) for 397 premature infants (P = .04), 34.2 hospitalizations/100 patient-years (95% CI, 29.1–39.2) for 4446 late premature infants (P < .001), and 16.1 hospitalizations/100 patient-years (95% CI, 14.9–17.4) for 33 417 full-term infants (P < .001). Cumulative rates of physician and emergency department visits were also higher for RSV-infected infants. Asthma/wheezing accounted for 10%–18% of total 5-year physician visits.

Conclusions

Infant RSV infection has a significant long-term healthcare-resource utilization impact across gestational ages for at least 5 years after infection, most of it in the first 2 years. Systematically collecting healthcare-resource utilization data will be important for cost-effectiveness evaluations of RSV interventions in planned or ongoing trials.
Systematics of Haloniscus Chilton, 1920 (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Philosciidae), with description of four new species from threatened Great Artesian Basin springs in South Australia
Authors: Stringer Danielle N , King Rachael A , Taiti Stefano , Guzik Michelle T , Cooper Steven J B , Austin Andrew D
Published: May 2019

Recent surveys of Australian arid-zone groundwater ecosystems have uncovered considerable species diversity and extreme endemism for the oniscidean isopod genus Haloniscus Chilton, 1920. Phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses have recognised several distinct species from the Great Artesian Basin springs in South Australia, inspiring a morphological reassessment of the genus and examination of specimens from the iconic Lake Eyre and Dalhousie Springs. We present a revised diagnosis of Haloniscus, transfer the genus from the family Scyphacidae to Philosciidae and describe four new species, H. fontanus Stringer, King & Taiti n. sp., H. microphthalmus Stringer, King & Taiti n. sp., H. rotundus Stringer, King & Taiti n. sp., and H. yardiyaensis Stringer, King & Taiti n. sp., based on combined morphological and molecular evidence. We compare the results of molecular-based species delimitation analyses with morphological data, provide distribution information, and present a key to the described species of Haloniscus. Two species presently included in Andricophiloscia Vandel, 1973, A. stepheni (Nicholls & Barnes, 1926) and A. pedisetosa Taiti & Humphreys, 2001, from Western Australia are also transferred to Haloniscus.
Microcystic Adnexal Carcinoma: A Rare, Commonly Misdiagnosed Malignancy
Authors: Gerall Claire D , Sippel Michael R , Yracheta Jaclyn L , Hogan Fawn S
Published: May 2019

Microcystic adnexal carcinoma (MAC) is a rare, malignant cutaneous neoplasm that often presents as an inconspicuous, benign appearing lesion. Patients most commonly are asymptomatic and present for improved cosmesis, however perineural invasion may result in local numbness, paresthesia or pruritus. Although distant metastasis is rare, MAC has an increased propensity for local invasion, often resulting in significant morbidity as late presentation and misdiagnosis are common. A high index of suspicion is imperative, and deep tissue biopsy with defining histologic characteristics is required for diagnosis. Mohs micrographic surgery is currently the standard of care, providing the highest possibility for long-term cure. We present a case report of a 43-year-old male Air Force U-2 pilot with a benign presentation and initial clinical misdiagnoses of MAC, who underwent Mohs micrographic surgery followed by cervicofacial flap reconstruction of a 5.5 × 3.5 cm defect. We also identify increased radiation exposure of U-2 pilots as a potential risk factor for the early development of MAC, emphasizing the importance of exploring patient risk factors while having a high index of suspicion to aid in early diagnosis.
Beta-Lactam/Beta-Lactamase Inhibitor Therapy for Potential AmpC-Producing Organisms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cheng Matthew P , Lee Robyn S , Cheng Alexandre P , De L’étoile-Morel Samuel , Demir Koray , Yansouni Cedric P , Harris Patrick , McDonald Emily G , Lee Todd C
Published: May 2019

The optimal treatment for potential AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae, including Serratia, Providencia, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, and Morganella species, remains unknown. An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors with carbapenems in the treatment of bloodstream infections with these pathogens found no significant difference in 30-day mortality (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.58 – 2.20).
Factors related to the increasing number of seriously injured cyclists and pedestrians in a Swedish urban region 2003–17
Authors: Värnild Astrid , Tillgren Per , Larm Peter
Published: May 2019

Background

The number of seriously injured unprotected road users has increased during implementation of a road safety policy Vision Zero. The aim of the study is to identify factors associated with the increase in serious injuries among cyclists and pedestrians (even single pedestrian accidents) that occurred in an urban road space in a Swedish region 2003–17. The urban road space includes roads, pavements and tracks for walking and cycling.

Methods

Data were retrieved from STRADA (Swedish Traffic Accident Data Acquisition) and NVDB (National Road Database). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression with odds ratios for sex, age and part of road space were assessed.

Results

The number of seriously injured cyclists and pedestrians more than doubled from 2003 to 2017, with the greatest increase for pedestrians. Older age increased the probability of serious injury since 2012 for the group ≥ 80 years and since 2015 for the group 65–79 years. No significant effect of sex. Most injuries occur in areas not transformed by Vision Zero.

Conclusions

An increasing number of elderly persons in the generation born in the 1940s and increased life expectancy are important factors. There is a need to increase road safety measures that also promote active mobility.
Microbe Profile: Listeria monocytogenes: a paradigm among intracellular bacterial pathogens
Authors: Pizarro-Cerdá Javier , Cossart Pascale
Published: May 2019

Listeria monocytogenes

is a food-borne bacterial pathogen that is responsible for listeriosis, a disease characterized by occasional febrile gastroenteritis in immunocompetent individuals, abortions in pregnant women, meningitis in the newborn and fatal bacteraemia in immunocompromised individuals or the elderly. The ability of

L. monocytogenes

to produce disease is intimately associated with its potential to traverse several human barriers (including the intestinal, placental and blood/brain barriers), to promote its internalization within diverse populations of epithelial cells and to proliferate in the intra-ic environment while escaping host immune responses.

L. monocytogenes

is often regarded as a paradigm for intracellular parasitism.
Effects of Large-Scale Oceanic Phenomena on Non-Cholera Vibriosis Incidence in the United States: Implications for Climate Change
Authors: Logar-Henderson Chloë , Ling Rebecca , Tuite Ashleigh R. , Fisman David N.
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Epidemics of diarrhea caused by toxigenic strains of Vibrio cholerae are of global public health concern, but non-cholera Vibrio (NCV) species are also important causes of disease. These pathogens are thermophilic, and climate change could increase the risk of NCV infection. The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a “natural experiment” that may presage ocean warming effects on disease incidence.

Method

We obtained vibriosis case counts in the United States by digitizing annual reports from the U.S. Cholera and Other Vibrio Illness Surveillance system. Trends and environmental impacts (of ENSO and the North Atlantic Oscillation) were evaluated using negative binomial and distributed nonlinear lag models. Associations between latitude and changing risk were evaluated with meta-regression.

Results

Trend models demonstrated significant seasonality (P < 0.001) and a 7% annual increase in disease risk from 1999 to 2014 (annual IRR 1.071, 95% CI 1.061-1.081). Distributed lag models demonstrated increased vibriosis risk following ENSO conditions over the subsequent 12 months (integrated RR 1.940, 95% CI 1.298-2.901). The rate of change in vibriosis risk increased with state latitude (RR per 10° increase 1.066, 95% CI 1.027-1.107).

Conclusion

Vibriosis risk in the United States appears to be impacted by irregular large-scale ocean warming and exhibits a north-south gradient in rate of change as would be expected if changing disease incidence is attributable to ocean warming. Vulnerable populations, which include high-income countries with well-developed public health systems, may experience increased risk of this disease as a result of climate change.
Human iPSC gene signatures and X chromosome dosage impact response to WNT inhibition and cardiac differentiation fate
Authors: D’Antonio-Chronowska Agnieszka , Donovan Margaret K. R. , Benaglio Paola , Greenwald William W. , Ward Michelle C. , Matsui Hiroko , Fujita Kyohei , Hashem Sherin , Soncin Francesca , Parast Mana , Adler Eric , Smith Erin N. , D’Antonio Matteo , Frazer Kelly A.
Published: May 2019

Non-genetic variability in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines impacts their differentiation outcome, limiting their utility for genetic studies and clinical applications. Despite the importance of understanding how non-genetic molecular variability influences iPSC differentiation outcome, large-scale studies capable of addressing this question have not yet been conducted. Here, we performed 258 directed differentiations of 191 iPSC lines using established protocols to generate iPSC-derived cardiovascular progenitor cells (iPSC-CVPCs). We observed cellular heterogeneity across the iPSC-CVPC samples due to varying fractions of two cell types: cardiomyocytes (CMs) and epicardium-derived cells (EPDCs). Analyzing the transcriptomes of CM-fated and EPDC-fated iPSCs discovered that 91 signature genes and X chromosome dosage differences influence WNT inhibition response during differentiation and are associated with cardiac fate. Analysis of an independent set of 39 iPSCs differentiated to the cardiac lineage confirmed shared sex and transcriptional differences that impact cardiac fate outcome. The scale and systematic approach of our study enabled novel insights into how iPSC transcriptional and X chromosome gene dosage differences influence WNT signaling during differentiation and hence cardiac cell fate.
Condensin facilitates sister chromatid separation in actively transcribed DNA regions by relieving the obstructive effect of transcription
Authors: Nakazawa Norihiko , Arakawa Orie , Yanagida Mitsuhiro
Published: May 2019

The evolutionarily conserved protein complex, condensin, is central to chromosome dynamics, including mitotic chromosome condensation and segregation. Genome-wide localization of condensin is correlated with transcriptional activity; however, the significance of condensin accumulation in transcribed regions remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that condensin relieves the obstructive effect of mitotic transcription on sister chromatid separation in fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Time-lapse visualization of sister chromatid DNA separation revealed that mutant condensin causes delayed segregation specifically at mitotically transcribed, condensin-bound gene locus, ecm33+. Contrarily, the delay was abolished by transcriptional shut-off of the actively transcribed gene. We also showed that delayed separation at a heat shock-inducible gene locus, ssa1+, in condensin mutants was significantly alleviated by deletion of the gene. Since condensin has ability to remove ssDNA-binding proteins and RNA from unwound ssDNAs or DNA-RNA hybrids in vitro, we propose a model that condensin-mediated removal of mitotic transcripts from chromosomal DNA is the primary mechanism of sister chromatid separation.
MBOAT7-Driven Phosphatidylinositol Remodeling Promotes the Progression of Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma
Authors: Neumann Chase K. A. , Zhang Renliang , Silver Daniel J. , Venkaleshwari Varadharajan , Traughber C. Alicia , Przybycin Christopher , Bayik Defne , Smith Jonathan D. , Lathia Justin D. , Rini Brian I. , Brown J. Mark
Published: May 2019

The most common kidney cancer, clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) is closely associated with obesity. In fact, the “clear cell” variant of RCC is given this name due to large lipid droplets within the tumor cells. Although it is well appreciated that renal lipid metabolism is altered in ccRCC, the mechanisms driving this are not well understood. Leveraging a shotgun lipidomics approach we have identified a lipid signature for ccRCC that includes an increase in arachidonic acid-enriched phosphatidylinositols (AA-PI). In parallel, we found that ccRCC tumors have increased expression of the acyltransferase enzyme membrane bound O-acyltransferase domain containing 7 (MBOAT7) that contributes to AA-PI synthesis. In ccRCC patients,MBOAT7expression increases with tumor grade, and increasedMBOAT7expression correlates with poor survival. Genetic deletion of MBOAT7 in ccRCC cells decreases proliferation and induces cell cycle arrest, and MBOAT7−/−cells fail to form tumorsin vivo. RNAseq of MBOAT7−/−cells identified alterations in cell migration and extracellular matrix organization, which were functionally validated in migration assays. Our work highlights the accumulation of AA-PI in ccRCC and demonstrate a novel way to decrease the AA-PI pool in ccRCC by limiting MBOAT7. Our data reveal that metastatic ccRCC is associated with altered AA-PI metabolism, and identify MBOAT7 as a novel target in advanced ccRCC.
Crystal structures of butyl 2-amino-5-hydroxy-4-(4-nitrophenyl)benzofuran-3-carboxylate and 2-methoxyethyl 2-amino-5-hydroxy-4-(4-nitrophenyl)benzofuran-3-carboxylate
Authors: Diana Rosita , Tuzi Angela , Panunzi Barbara , Carella Antonio , Caruso Ugo
Published: May 2019

The title benzofuran derivatives 2-amino-5-hydroxy-4-(4-nitrophenyl)benzofuran-3-carboxylate (BF1), C19H18N2O6, and 2-methoxyethyl 2-amino-5-hydroxy-4-(4-nitrophenyl)benzofuran-3-carboxylate (BF2), C18H16N2O7, recently attracted attention because of their promising antitumoral activity. BF1 crystallizes in the space group P\overline{1}. BF2 in the space group P21/c. The nitrophenyl group is inclined to benzofuran moiety with a dihedral angle between their mean planes of 69.2 (2)° in BF1 and 60.20 (6)° in BF2. A common feature in the molecular structures of BF1 and BF2 is the intramolecular N—H...Ocarbonyl hydrogen bond. In the crystal of BF1, the molecules are linked head-to-tail into a one-dimensional hydrogen-bonding pattern along the a-axis direction. In BF2, pairs of head-to-tail hydrogen-bonded chains of molecules along the b-axis direction are linked by O—H...Omethoxy hydrogen bonds. In BF1, the butyl group is disordered over two orientations with occupancies of 0.557 (13) and 0.443 (13).
Meeting up for management control: bracketing interaction in innovation development
Authors: Bürkland Sirle , Zachariassen Frederik , Oliveira João
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine meetings as a form of meta-practice and investigate their role related to management control of innovation development.

Design/methodology/approach

This research draws on case studies of two biotechnology firms operating in pharmaceuticals and medicine, which represent different contexts regarding the uncertainty and complexity of innovation development.

Findings

The study suggests two distinct roles of meetings in the context of innovation development: meetings as regulating and ordering; and meetings as a resource. In the first role, meetings serve as a regulative mechanism that brings together multiple elements of control into a system. Meetings as a meta-practice regulate and order by bracketing elements of innovation in time and space, rendering the innovation process more manageable and allowing actors to handle the complexity of knowledge. In the second role, meetings are used as a resource, sporadically intervening in the ongoing activities of innovation projects. The study explains how these two roles relate to the uncertainty and complexity of innovation development and have different implications for management control.

Originality/value

The study challenges the instrumental view of meetings by taking a closer look at their structuring potential in the organization. Understanding the roles of meetings provides another perspective on the functioning of management control and opens new avenues for studying the practices of control and decision-making.
Investor attention using the Google search volume index – impact on stock returns
Authors: Swamy Vighneswara , Dharani Munusamy
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the investor attention using the Google search volume index (GSVI) can be used to forecast stock returns. The authors also find the answer to whether the “price pressure hypothesis” would hold true for the Indian stock market.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employ a more recent fully balanced panel data for the period from July 2012 to Jun 2017 (260 weeks) of observations for companies of NIFTY 50 of the National Stock Exchange in the Indian stock market. The authors are motivated by Tetlock (2007) and Bijl et al. (2016) to employ regression approach of econometric estimation.

Findings

The authors find that high Google search volumes lead to positive returns. More precisely, the high Google search volumes predict positive and significant returns in the subsequent fourth and fifth weeks. The GSVI performs as an useful predictor of the direction as well as the magnitude of the excess returns. The higher quantiles of the GSVI have corresponding higher excess returns. The authors notice that the domestic investor searches are correlated with higher excess returns than the worldwide investor searches. The findings imply that the signals from the search volume data could be of help in the construction of profitable trading strategies.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors knowledge, no paper has examined the relationship between Google search intensity and stock-trading behavior in the Indian stock market. The authors use a more recent data for the period from 2012 to 2017 to investigate whether search query data on company names can be used to predict weekly stock returns for individual firms. This study complements the prior studies by investigating the relationship between search intensity and stock-trading behavior in the Indian stock market.
Individual investors’ sophistication and expectations of risk and return
Authors: Stålnacke Oscar
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between individual investors’ level of sophistication and their expectations of risk and return in the stock market.

Design/methodology/approach

The author combines survey and registry data on individual investors in Sweden to obtain 11 sophistication proxies that previous research has related to individuals’ financial decisions. These proxies are related to a survey measure regarding individual investors’ expectations of risk and return in an index fund using linear regressions.

Findings

The findings in this paper indicate that sophisticated investors have lower risk and higher return expectations that are closer to objective measures than those of less-sophisticated investors.

Originality/value

These results are important, since they enhance the understanding of the underlying mechanisms through which sophistication can influence financial decisions.
Shedding new light on the (in)compatibility of chronic disease management with everyday life – social practice theory, mobile technologies and the interwoven time‐spaces of teenage life
Authors: Harries Tim , Rettie Ruth , Gabe Jonathan
Published: May 2019

This article uses a socio‐material approach, social practice theory, to provide new insights into the self‐management of chronic illness. It demonstrates how this theory can bridge arguments about the respective roles of social and individual influences, and how it can foreground an oft‐overlooked aspect of the issue – the demands of self‐care technologies and consequences for participation in social life. Drawing on interviews and focus groups with 25 young type‐1 diabetes outpatients in London, UK, the study points to the conflicts that occur when disease management technologies compete for time and space with the social practices of everyday life, and when self‐care tasks threaten to interrupt the flow of social life and make people feel ‘left behind’. The paper concludes that young people are disabled by the contingent position of self‐care activities in daily life, which oblige them to compromise either their physical health or their immersion in the social world. This disabling effect would be mitigated if social practices were reorganised to make them more amenable to the time‐space requirements of disease management. A social practice theory lens can help throw light onto this issue and make a valuable contribution to the study of the self‐management of chronic illness.
Cross‐boundary working: Implications forHRMtheory, methods, and practice
Authors: Kinnie Nicholas , Swart Juani
Published: May 2019

Major changes have taken place in work organisation, which originate predominantly from working across organisational boundaries. This paper argues for a more sophisticated approach to HRM that includes three types of cross‐boundary working, that is, intraorganisational, interorganisational, and transorganisational. Herein lies the contribution of our paper; we argue that we cannot assume a transition from one type of working to another because cross‐boundary forms of working coexist. We also need to understand the tensions of this simultaneity at the levels of the organisation/network, HRM systems, and the individual. We consider the impact of the simultaneous existence of these types of cross‐boundary working for the following: (a) theory, especially the development of HRM systems; (b) methods, including an activity‐based unit of analysis; and (c) practice, where we pay attention to the challenges of control, collaboration, and consistency.
Validation of 2017 classification criteria for adult and juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies proposed by EULAR/ACR in Chinese patients
Authors: Zhang Xiaohui , Yang Xinlei , Ji Lanlan , Zhang Zhuoli
Published: May 2019

Objectives

To evaluate the ability of 2017 European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) classification criteria for adult and juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) to classify IIM in comparison with the 1975 Bohan and Peter criteria in Chinese patients.

Methods

Two hundred and twenty‐one inpatients with suspected IIM (including 40 children) were retrospectively included in this study. The performance of the 2017 EULAR/ACR criteria was evaluated by sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and classification rate, in comparison to the 1975 criteria, with clinical diagnosis as the gold standard.

Results

The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value of the 2017 EULAR/ACR criteria in IIM classification were 92.7%, 87.0%, 90.1% and 90.4%, respectively, in contrast to the 1975 Bohan and Peter criteria of 84.0%, 52.2%, 61.8%, and 77.9%. The classification rate of the 2017 criteria was also much better than that of the 1975 criteria (90.2% vs 67.4%). The performance of the new criteria in general, as well as the new criteria with muscle biopsy was better. Most IIM patients were correctly further sub‐classified by the classification tree. The positive rate of myogenic lesions in electromyography, muscular inflammatory edema in magnetic resonance imaging and specific antibodies of myositis were significantly higher in the IIM group than those in the control group (P < 0.001, all).

Conclusions

The 2017 EULAR/ACR criteria exhibited high sensitivity, specificity, classification rate in the Chinese IIM patients, which was superior to the 1975 criteria. The new criteria showed potential as clinical classification criteria in the future.
Anacapa Toolkit: An environmental DNA toolkit for processing multilocus metabarcode datasets
Authors: Curd Emily E. , Gold Zack , Kandlikar Gaurav S. , Gomer Jesse , Ogden Max , O'Connell Taylor , Pipes Lenore , Schweizer Teia M. , Rabichow Laura , Lin Meixi , Shi Baochen , Barber Paul H. , Kraft Nathan , Wayne Robert , Meyer Rachel S.
Published: May 2019

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is a promising method to monitor species and community diversity that is rapid, affordable and non‐invasive. The longstanding needs of the eDNA community are modular informatics tools, comprehensive and customizable reference databases, flexibility across high‐throughput sequencing platforms, fast multilocus metabarcode processing and accurate taxonomic assignment. Improvements in bioinformatics tools make addressing each of these demands within a single toolkit a reality.

The new modular metabarcode sequence toolkit Anacapa (https://github.com/limey-bean/Anacapa/) addresses the above needs, allowing users to build comprehensive reference databases and assign taxonomy to raw multilocus metabarcode sequence data. A novel aspect of Anacapa is its database building module, “Creating Reference libraries Using eXisting tools” (CRUX), which generates comprehensive reference databases for specific user‐defined metabarcoding loci. The Quality Control and ASV Parsing module sorts and processes multiple metabarcoding loci and processes merged, unmerged and unpaired reads maximizing recovered diversity. DADA2 then detects amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and the Anacapa Classifier module aligns these ASVs to CRUX‐generated reference databases using Bowtie2. Lastly, taxonomy is assigned to ASVs with confidence scores using a Bayesian Lowest Common Ancestor (BLCA) method. The Anacapa Toolkit also includes an r package, ranacapa, for automated results exploration through standard biodiversity statistical analysis.

Benchmarking tests verify that the Anacapa Toolkit effectively and efficiently generates comprehensive reference databases that capture taxonomic diversity, and can assign taxonomy to both MiSeq and HiSeq‐length sequence data. We demonstrate the value of the Anacapa Toolkit in assigning taxonomy to seawater eDNA samples collected in southern California.

The Anacapa Toolkit improves the functionality of eDNA and streamlines biodiversity assessment and management by generating metabarcode specific databases, processing multilocus data, retaining a larger proportion of sequencing reads and expanding non‐traditional eDNA targets. All the components of the Anacapa Toolkit are open and available in a virtual container to ease installation.
Allergy…No more fear of needles!
Authors: Traina Giovanni , Martelli Alberto G. , Fiocchi Alessandro Giovanni , Franco Valentina , Ronchi Barbara , Betti Federica
Published: May 2019

Needleless injection systems are nowadays widespread and are mainly used to overcome the common problems of needle injection systems, such as pain, hematoma, scar tissue formation, infection or abscess, possibility of accidentally injecting into a venous vessel, and transmission of infectious diseases. All these problems are independent of the type of drug injected and are exclusively related to the needle devices. Current needleless injection systems are a valuable tool, which is especially available for the administration of vaccines to large numbers of patients. Our experience focused in particular on the so‐called "jet injectors," of which one of the most valid representatives is Injex®. Our patent essentially concerns a medical needleless device, suitable to inject a subcutaneous AIT (allergy immunotherapy). The mechanism at the base of our device works with compressed air by means of a spring: It is very simple and similar to that of compressed air guns. Once the syringe has been filled, it is placed perpendicular to the skin, and then, the device is activated. The pressure vaporizes the drug, without changing or altering its chemical structure; it makes it pass through the epidermis, until it quickly reaches the subcutaneous layer, at a depth between 3.2 and 9.1 mm, without the patient feeling any pain. The entrance hole made by the needleless device in the epidermis is 0.17 mm rather than 0.39 mm of a normal needle. This type of administration also allows a uniform and spray diffusion of the drug, without causing localized inflammation, as it sometimes happens with normal syringe.
Fresh frozen cadaver workshops for general surgical training
Authors: Chai Debbi Q. , Naunton‐Morgan Richard , Hamdorf Jeffrey
Published: May 2019

Background

The technical proficiency of a surgeon is intricately linked to training and experience. Reduction in working hours, decreased operating time and ethical imperatives to protect patients have all resulted in a decrease in hands‐on experience. The introduction of laparoscopic procedures has also decreased trainees' exposure to open operative procedures not routinely performed in the current era.

Methods

The Clinical Training and Evaluation Centre at The University of Western Australia introduced the Core Skills Workshop for general surgical trainees in 2007. The workshop provides cadaveric dissection time for a range of open procedures. We describe in this article the logistics of setting up and running a cadaveric workshop, the performance and report our trainees' evaluation of the workshop.

Results

The Clinical Training and Evaluation Centre has hosted 26 General Surgery Core Skills Workshops since 2007. There were 227 participants with 196 evaluations returned (response rate 86%). Feedback was strongly positive for the course meeting the participants' expectations as well as its contribution to their skillset. Participants value the use of cadavers and high instructor:student ratios along with performance of a large number of open procedures in the setting of a stress‐free workshop and looked forward to more similar courses in the future.

Conclusions

Fresh frozen cadaver workshops are of value in the face of current surgical training challenges in providing an efficient, effective and safe environment.
Recycled Blessings: An Investigative Case Study of a Rewrapped Egyptian Votive Mummy Using Novel and Established 3D Imaging Techniques
Authors: Raymond C. A. , Bevitt J. J. , Tristant Y. , Power R. K. , Lanati A. W. , Davey C. J. , Magnussen J. S. , Clark S. M.
Published: May 2019

This case study was the first of its kind, where neutron computed tomography (CT) was applied to a wrapped mummified animal. Conventional X‐ray CT was also used to allow for meaningful comparison, and complementary data for a comprehensive investigation. Previous applications of both techniques are limited to metallic objects, such as bronze Buddhas. The mummy used in this study (IA.2402) is dated between the Third Intermediate Period (1069–664 bce) to Late Period (664–332 bce) according to the wrapping style, and was originally believed to contain a complete skeleton of a feline. However, precise date and provenance were unknown. Our results prove the presence of only partial juvenile feline remains, and provide a date range for artefact creation (900–804 bce ± 30) and alteration (367–204 bce ± 30). Therefore, this study implements an established imaging technique (neutron CT) in a novel way, while preserving and conserving the intrinsic value of the artefact through non‐destructive investigation.
Trial of labor versus elective repeat cesarean delivery in twin pregnancies after a previous cesarean delivery—A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Shinar Shiri , Agrawal Swati , Hasan Haroon , Berger Howard
Published: May 2019

Objective

To perform a systematic review of success rates of trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) and maternal and neonatal outcomes in twin pregnancy versus elective repeat cesarean delivery (ERCD).

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science from data inception to May 2018 with no language or regional restrictions, to identify all studies that compared twin TOLAC and ERCD for maternal and/or neonatal outcomes. The Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. We assessed the pooled relative risk and mean difference using a random‐effects model. The pooled event rates for successful VBAC, cesarean delivery for twin B after vaginal delivery of twin A, and uterine rupture were determined.

Results

Of the 841 citations identified, 10 were eligible for analysis (2336 TOLAC cases and 5763 ERCD cases). The pooled event rates for successful VBAC and uterine rupture during TOLAC were 72.2% (95% CI 59.7%‐83.2%) and 0.87% (95% CI 0.51%‐1.31%), respectively. TOLAC was associated with a significantly higher risk of neonatal death (RR 3.02 [95% CI 1.07‐8.54]) with no significant differences in mean gestational age at birth, NICU admission rates, or 5‐minute Apgar <7. Although the risk for maternal infectious morbidity was significantly lower with TOLAC (RR 0.48 [95% CI 0.25‐0.90]), risks of uterine dehiscence, blood transfusions, and hysterectomy were comparable.

Conclusions

Twin TOLAC is associated with a relatively high rate of successful vaginal delivery and a low risk of uterine rupture. The finding of higher neonatal mortality rates may be influenced by prematurity, but requires further investigation.
A cross‐cultural approach to the adoption of open educational resources in higher education
Authors: Jung Insung , Lee Jihyun
Published: May 2019

The factors affecting the adoption of open educational resources (OER) in higher education have become a research topic of great interest as OER continue to be widely used in universities, affecting the quality of teaching and learning. The reasons for OER adoption are diverse, across both individual educators and cultural environments. This study explored determinants of OER adoption by university educators in three cultural contexts utilizing the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2). Data on educators' behavioral intention to adopt OER were collected from 152 educators in three countries, Korea, Japan and the United States. In every culture, habit was the strongest determinant of this behavioral intention. Other highly significant factors affecting OER adoption by educators varied by culture. In Korea, the strongest determinant was performance expectancy, in Japan it was social influence and in the United States it was price value. The moderating effect of culture was significant on three paths of the model, and the cultural specificity affecting OER adoption was substantial. Theoretical and practical implications related to the UTAUT2 model and OER policy are discussed.
Ca2+ signalling plays a role in celastrol‐mediated suppression of synovial fibroblasts of rheumatoid arthritis patients and experimental arthritis in rats
Authors: Wong Vincent Kam Wai , Qiu Congling , Xu Su‐Wei , Law Betty Yuen Kwan , Zeng Wu , Wang Hui , Michelangeli Francesco , Dias Ivo Ricardo De Seabra Rodrigues , Qu Yuan Qing , Chan Tsz Wai , Han Yu , Zhang Ni , Mok Simon Wing Fai , Chen Xi , Yu Lu , Pan Hudan , Hamdoun Sami , Efferth Thomas , Yu Wen Jing , Zhang Wei , Li Zheng , Xie Yuesheng , Luo Riqiang , Jiang Quan , Liu Liang
Published: May 2019

Background and Purpose

Celastrol exhibits anti‐arthritic effects in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the role of celastrol‐mediated Ca2+ mobilization in treatment of RA remains undefined. Here, we describe a regulatory role for celastrol‐induced Ca2+ signalling in synovial fibroblasts of RA patients and adjuvant‐induced arthritis (AIA) in rats.

Experimental Approach

We used computational docking, Ca2+ dynamics and functional assays to study the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase pump (SERCA). In rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs)/rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast‐like synoviocytes (RAFLS), mechanisms of Ca2+‐mediated autophagy were analysed by histological, immunohistochemical and flow cytometric techniques. Anti‐arthritic effects of celastrol, autophagy induction, and growth rate of synovial fibroblasts in AIA rats were monitored by microCT and immunofluorescence staining. mRNA from joint tissues of AIA rats was isolated for transcriptional analysis of inflammatory genes, using siRNA methods to study calmodulin, calpains, and calcineurin.

Key Results

Celastrol inhibited SERCA to induce autophagy‐dependent cytotoxicity in RASFs/RAFLS via Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent kinase kinase‐β–AMP‐activated protein kinase–mTOR pathway and repressed arthritis symptoms in AIA rats. BAPTA/AM hampered the in vitro and in vivo effectiveness of celastrol. Inflammatory‐ and autoimmunity‐associated genes down‐regulated by celastrol in joint tissues of AIA rat were restored by BAPTA/AM. Knockdown of calmodulin, calpains, and calcineurin in RAFLS confirmed the role of Ca2+ in celastrol‐regulated gene expression.

Conclusion and Implications

Celastrol triggered Ca2+ signalling to induce autophagic cell death in RASFs/RAFLS and ameliorated arthritis in AIA rats mediated by calcium‐dependent/‐binding proteins facilitating the exploitation of anti‐arthritic drugs based on manipulation of Ca2+ signalling.
Synthesis and photophysical properties of meso‐aminophenyl‐substituted heptamethine dyes as potential leads to new contrast agents
Authors: Okoh Okoh Adeyi , Critchley Megan E. , Bisby Roger H. , Lawrence Clare L. , Wainwright Mark , Smith Robert B.
Published: May 2019

The series of rigid meso‐aminophenyl‐substituted heptamethine dyes presented herein exhibit surprising fluorescence properties, demonstrating larger Stokes shifts when compared with both structurally similar rigid meso‐chlorophenyl and linear heptamethine dyes. Based on their photophysical properties, these are of considerable importance to the development of contrast agents, within biology and medicine.
Infantile digital fibromatosis: Clues and pitfalls for cytological diagnosis
Authors: Agarwal Harshita , Singh Lavleen , Sengar Mamta
Published: May 2019

Infantile digital fibromatosis is usually limited to digits, and a conservative approach is advised because of its propensity for spontaneous regression. Age of the presentation and clinical profile is important in formulating diagnosis as eosinophilic inclusions may not be evident on cytology.