bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vertebroplasty for acute painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: An update
Authors: Lamanna Anthony , Maingard Julian , Kok Hong Kuan , Ranatunga Dinesh , Looby Seamus T , Brennan Paul , Chua Michelle , Owen Andrew , Brooks Duncan Mark , Chandra Ronil V , Asadi Hamed
Published: May 2019

Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are a common cause of back pain and disability and are usually osteoporotic in nature. Therapy aims to adequately control pain and allow early mobilisation and return of function while preventing additional fractures. A proportion of patients do not achieve adequate pain relief using conservative measures alone. Unwanted adverse effects from medications may also ensue. Vertebroplasty represents an alternative treatment option forVCFs. Patients with acuteVCFs (≤6 weeks old) may gain the most benefit from vertebroplasty as healed fractures are not as amenable to cement injection. High‐quality studies have reported conflicting results regarding the use of vertebroplasty in the treatment of acuteVCFs. Despite high‐quality evidence, varying study designs and heterogenous patient cohorts make interpretation of this data difficult. Only one sham‐controlled randomised controlled trial (RCT) has evaluated vertebroplasty exclusively in patients with acuteVCFs, reporting favourable results. Pooled data fromRCTs also suggest vertebroplasty to be safe. This article provides a concise and critical review of the current literature regarding vertebroplasty for the treatment of acuteVCFs.
Personal Data and the GDPR: Providing a Competitive Advantage for U.S. Companies
Authors: Voss W. Gregory , Houser Kimberly A.
Published: May 2019

The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became applicable in May 2018. Due to the GDPR's extraterritorial scope, which could result in massive fines for U.S. companies, comparative data privacy law is of great current interest. In June 2018, California passed its own Consumer Privacy Act, echoing some of the provisions of the GDPR. Despite the many articles comparing the two schemes of law, little attention has been given to the foundation of these laws, that is, what exactly encompasses the data referred to by these laws? By understanding how the term “personal data” or “personal information” is defined in both jurisdictions, and why these definitions and the treatment of protected data are so different, companies can strategize to take advantage of these developments in the European Union. After explaining the differences in how data is treated in the United States and the European Union by exploring the definitions, regulations, and court cases, we will explore the five legal strategy pathways that companies might pursue with respect to the legal aspects of data transfer and privacy law compliance. While these strategies range from ignoring the law to adopting the European model worldwide, this analysis of legal strategy reveals a means for companies to gain a competitive advantage through their adoption of a worldwide compliance scheme.
The olfactory subgenome and specific odor recognition in forest musk deer
Authors: Bu P. , Jian Z. , Koshy J. , Shen Y. , Yue B. , Fan Z.
Published: May 2019

Olfactory receptors (ORs) are encoded by OR genes. The OR genes in forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii), which rely on olfaction for reproductive and social communication, are poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the genome sequence of the forest musk deer to obtain its olfactory subgenome and compared it to other species. A total of 1378 OR‐related sequences were detected in the forest musk deer genome including 864 functional genes, 366 pseudogenes and 148 partial genes. These OR genes were classified into Class I and Class II and were further classified into 18 families and 244 subfamilies through sequence identity. Comparative analyses of the OR genes’ protein sequences in species from different orders (forest musk deer, human, mouse and dog) showed that 12 clusters were specific to forest musk deer. However, when compared to other Artiodactyl species (i.e. cattle, yak and pig) only two clusters were specific to forest musk deer. The odor identification potential of the OR genes in the forest musk deer was focused mainly on floral, woody, lemon, sweet and fatty odors. We also found that OR genes specific to forest musk deer were involved in the identification of spearmint and caraway. Our work is the first genome‐wide analysis of OR genes in forest musk deer. These findings will assist with better understanding the relationship between behavior and olfaction in the forest musk deer and the characteristics of the olfactory subgenome in Artiodactyl mammals.
Populism and British Stories of Decline
Authors: Murphy Joshua
Published: May 2019

The British Empire reached its territorial peak less than a century ago in 1920 when one could walk from South Africa to Kuwait and not set foot in a country in which English was not the language of government. By 1959, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Egypt, Sudan, and other countries were no longer within Britain's imperial fold. In the space of little more than 30 years, the British Empire suffered a precipitous decline and collapse that left the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland little more than the rump successor state of a once great empire. Yet, imperial attitudes lingered and have an undue influence on British life, culture, and politics up to the present day. Through the lens of pivotal moments in the world since World War II, this article examines the breakup of the British Empire and how the vision of empire lives on in the context of global populism.
The Nevada Water Law of 1913: A Populist Response to Progressivism
Authors: McFarlane Richard A.
Published: May 2019

During the latter half of the 19thcentury, Americans who settled the arid West needed to compromise with their populist notions of individualism derived from the Jeffersonian ethic of the early 19thcentury and adopt progressive communitarian practices in order to provide water by means of irrigation. The struggle to deal with water rights in Nevada, culminating in passage of the Nevada Water Law of 1913, particularly illustrated this conflict between individualism and communitarianism.
Selection of antimicrobial frog peptides and temporin‐1DRa analogues for treatment of bacterial infections based on their cytotoxicity and differential activity against pathogens
Authors: Gaiser Rogier A. , Ayerra Mangado Jaione , Mechkarska Milena , Kaman Wendy E. , van Baarlen Peter , Conlon J. Michael , Wells Jerry M.
Published: May 2019

Cationic, amphipathic, α‐helical host‐defense peptides (HDPs) that are naturally secreted by certain species of frogs (Anura) possess potent broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity and show therapeutic potential as alternatives to treat infections by multidrug‐resistant pathogens. Fourteen amphibian skin peptides and twelve analogues of temporin‐1DRa were studied for their antimicrobial activities against clinically relevant human or animal skin infection‐associated pathogens. For comparison, antimicrobial potencies of frog skin peptides against a range of probiotic lactobacilli were determined. We used the VITEK 2 system to define a profile of antibiotic susceptibility for the bacterial panel. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the naturally occurring temporin‐1DRa, CPF‐AM1, alyteserin‐1c, hymenochirin‐2B, and hymenochirin‐4B for pathogenic bacteria were threefold to ninefold lower than the values for the tested probiotic strains. Similarly, temporin‐1DRa and its [Lys4], [Lys5], and [Aib8] analogues showed fivefold to 6.5‐fold greater potency against the pathogens. In the case of PGLa‐AM1, XT‐7, temporin‐1DRa and its [D‐Lys8] and [Aib13] analogues, no apoptosis or necrosis was detected in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells at concentrations below or above the MIC. Given the differential activity against commensal bacteria and pathogens, some of these peptides are promising candidates for further development into therapeutics for topical treatment of skin infections.
Vesicular swelling in the cervical region with lymph sac formation in human embryos
Authors: Ohga Ayako , Sakamoto Rino , Yamada Shigehito , Takakuwa Tetsuya
Published: May 2019

Vesicular swelling in the cervical region (VSC) is occasionally observed among human embryos around Carnegie stage (CS) 21. However, its mechanism and significance in fetal development are unclear. The present study aimed to analyze the relation of development of VSC with jugular lymph sac (JLS) formation. Serial histological sections that were digitalized from 14 embryos at CS20 and CS21 stored at the Kyoto Collection were used for the analysis. Subcutaneous edema and enlargement of the subarachnoid space were found to cause VSC. No obvious abnormalities in cranial regions that may be related to the VSC were detected on histological sections. Three‐dimensional reconstructions revealed the following: (a) the JLS was located bilaterally at the levels between the first and fourth cervical vertebrae; (b) the JLS was pyramidal in shape; and (c) no severe deformity and/or malformation was found in all samples. The JLS was not connected to the subcutaneous tissue and subarachnoid space in all samples. The mean volume of the JLS increased nine‐times from CS20 (0.02 mm3 in VSC [−] group) to CS21 (0.18 mm3 in VSC [−] group). The mean volume of the JLS was comparable between the VSC [−] and VSC (+) groups at both CS20 and CS21. A moderate correlation was observed between VSCd and the mean volume of the JLS in both groups at CS20 (R2 = 0.75) and CS21 (R2 = 0.56). In conclusion, the dynamics of the lymphatic system at the cervical region may contribute to VSC observed around CS21. © 2019 Japanese Teratology Society
Community Entitativity and Civic Engagement
Authors: Whitham Monica M.
Published: May 2019

This study applies the social psychological concept of entitativity to communities of place. Entitativity is the property of a collectivity that differentiates a coherent social group from an aggregate of individuals. This concept, which considers aspects of group life such as boundaries, interaction, shared goals, proximity, and similarity, provides a framework for understanding communities of place as a special type of social group. Using survey data from 9,962 residents of 99 Iowa communities, this study assesses how community entitativity relates to forms of civic engagement (e.g., voluntary citizen participation) in small, rural towns. Results indicate community–level components of entitativity—including rurality, residential stability, sociability, and shared goals—are associated with greater individual–level resident civic engagement. These findings suggest community entitativity can impact resident motivations and attitudes, with the potential to activate local social capital and contribute to successful community outcomes. Implications for the study of social capital, neighborhood effects, place attachment, and sense of community are discussed.
An evolutionary‐based approach for dealing with numerical and categorical attributes in ILP
Authors: Muñoz‐Texzocotetla Orlando , MacKinney‐Romero René
Published: May 2019

Inductive logic programming (ILP) induces concepts from a set of positive examples, a set of negative examples, and background knowledge. ILP has been applied on tasks such as natural language processing, finite element mesh design, network mining, robotics, and drug discovery. These data sets usually contain numerical and multivalued categorical attributes; however, only a few relational learning systems are capable of handling them in an efficient way. In this paper, we present an evolutionary approach, called Grouping and Discretization for Enriching the Background Knowledge (GDEBaK), to deal with numerical and multivalued categorical attributes in ILP. This method uses evolutionary operators to create and test numerical splits and subsets of categorical values in accordance with a fitness function. The best subintervals and subsets are added to the background knowledge before constructing candidate hypotheses. We implemented GDEBaK embedded in Aleph and compared it to lazy discretization in Aleph and discretization in Top‐down Induction of Logical Decision Trees (TILDE) systems. The results obtained showed that our method improves accuracy and reduces the number of rules in most cases. Finally, we discuss these results and possible lines for future work.
Intra‐abdominal infections in solid organ transplant recipients: Guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice
Authors: Haidar Ghady , Green Michael ,   the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice
Published: May 2019

This new guideline from the AST IDCOP reviews intra‐abdominal infections (IAIs), which cause substantial morbidity and mortality among abdominal SOT recipients. Each transplant type carries unique risks for IAI, though peritonitis occurs in all abdominal transplant recipients. Biliary infections, bilomas, and intra‐abdominal and intrahepatic abscesses are common after liver transplantation and are associated with the type of biliary anastomosis, the presence of vascular thrombosis or ischemia, and biliary leaks or strictures. IAIs after kidney transplantation include renal and perinephric abscesses and graft‐site candidiasis, which is uncommon but may require allograft nephrectomy. Among pancreas transplant recipients, duodenal anastomotic leaks can have catastrophic consequences, and polymicrobial abscesses can lead to graft loss and death. Intestinal transplant recipients are at the highest risk for sepsis, infection due to multidrug‐resistant organisms, and death from IAI, as the transplanted intestine is a contaminated, highly immunological, pathogen‐rich organ. Source control and antibiotics are the cornerstone of the management of IAIs. Empiric antimicrobial regimens should be tailored to local susceptibility patterns and pathogens with which the patient is known to be colonized, with subsequent optimization once the results of cultures are reported.
Consciences bound and liberated
Authors: Hopgood Miles
Published: May 2019

A hallmark of Martin Luther's theology was his persistent concern for the individual's conscience before God. Nowhere were these concerns felt more deeply than in Luther's understanding of church reform, where he sought to introduce change in a way that did not introduce doubt or impede faith. Among Lutherans in North America, respect for conscience has found a second home in how early Lutherans attempted to establish an American identity for themselves and reconsider their ecumenical relations. After briefly outlining Luther's use of the appeal to conscience, this paper looks at its use in early North American Lutheranism in the thought of Samuel Simon Schmucker before finally considering its use in the twenty‐first century.
Mechanisms structuring host–parasitoid networks in a global warming context: a review
Authors: Thierry Mélanie , Hrček Jan , Lewis Owen T.
Published: May 2019

1. In natural communities, multiple host and parasitoid species are linked to form complex networks of trophic and non‐trophic interactions. Understanding how these networks will respond to global warming is of wide relevance for agriculture and conservation.

2. This study synthesises the emerging evidence surrounding host–parasitoid networks in the context of global warming. The suite of direct and indirect interaction types within host–parasitoid networks is summarised, as well as their sensitivity to temperature changes. The study also compiles and reviews studies investigating the responses of whole host–parasitoid networks to increasing temperatures or proxy variables. The findings reveal there is limited evidence overall for the prediction that parasitism will be reduced under global warming: approximately equal numbers of studies show elevated and reduced parasitism.

3. Increasingly, endosymbiotic bacteria are recognised as influential mediators of host–parasitoid interactions. These endosymbionts can change how individual species respond to global warming, and their effects can cascade to affect whole host–parasitoid networks. The evidence that symbiotic bacteria are likely to affect the response of host–parasitoid networks to global warming is reviewed. Symbionts can protect hosts from their parasitoids or influence thermal tolerance of their host species. Furthermore, the symbionts themselves can be impacted by global warming.

4. Finally, the study considers the most promising avenues for future research into the mechanisms structuring host–parasitoid networks in the context of global warming. Alongside the increasing availability of modern molecular methods to document the structure of real, species‐rich host–parasitoid networks, the study highlights the utility of manipulative experiments and mathematical models.
Anticipating the Next Half‐Century of Geographical Analysis
Authors: Murray Alan T.
Published: May 2019

Prompted by a series of panel sessions at a recent American Association of Geographers annual meeting entitled “A Globe‐Shaped Crystal Ball: The Next Fifty Years of Geographical Analysis,” participants were asked to speculate on the future of the journal, which of course has broader implications for spatial and geographic analytics. In what follows, I provide my thoughts on the journal as a reader, contributor, referee, and former editor of Geographical Analysis. The major points touched upon include the following. First, application to address substantive concerns will come to dominate the field. Second, the spatial data deluge will continue unabated, but will lead to important advances because of better detail and less abstraction of reality. Third, analytical methods will evolve specifically for big data. Fourth, the point‐and‐click revolution will result in ever more use of spatial analytics, but also will lend itself to greater and more widespread abuse of these methods. Fifth, addressing assumptions and theoretical foundations of long utilized approaches will revolutionize a new generation of spatial analytics. Sixth, geographic uncertainty and bias will be more than an afterthought, and methods will emerge to support meaningful analysis. Finally, spatial optimization will have increased prominence in fundamental analysis, particularly associated with establishing and evaluating significance.
Acoustic activity across a seabird colony reflects patterns of within‐colony flight rather than nest density
Authors: Arneill Gavin E. , Critchley Emma Jane , Wischnewski Saskia , Jessopp Mark J. , Quinn John L.
Published: May 2019

Passive acoustic monitoring is increasingly being used as a cost‐effective way to study wildlife populations, especially those that are difficult to census using conventional methods. Burrow‐nesting seabirds are among the most threatened birds globally, but they are also one of the most challenging taxa to census, making them prime candidates for research into such automated monitoring platforms. Passive acoustic monitoring has the potential to determine presence/absence or quantify burrow‐nesting populations, but its effectiveness remains unclear. We compared passive acoustic monitoring, tape‐playbacks andGPStracking data to investigate the ability of passive acoustic monitoring to capture unbiased estimates of within‐colony variation in nest density for the Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinus. Variation in acoustic activity across 12 study plots on an island colony was examined in relation to burrow density and environmental factors across 2 years. As predicted fewer calls were recorded when wind speed was high, and on moon‐lit nights, but there was no correlation between acoustic activity and the density of breeding birds within the plots as determined by tape‐playback surveys. Instead, acoustic indices correlated positively with spatial variation in the in‐colony flight activity of breeding individuals detected byGPS. Although passive acoustic monitoring has enormous potential in avian conservation, our results highlight the importance of understanding behaviour when using passive acoustic monitoring to estimate density and distribution.
CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated knockout of the eye pigmentation gene white leads to alterations in colour of head spots in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis
Authors: Bai X. , Zeng T. , Ni X. ‐Y. , Su H. ‐A. , Huang J. , Ye G. ‐Y. , Lu Y. ‐Y. , Qi Y. ‐X.
Published: May 2019

The intensely studied white gene is widely used as a genetic marker in Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we cloned and characterized the white gene in an important pest of the fruit industry, Bactrocera dorsalis, to understand its functional role in pigmentation. We obtained BdWhite knockout strains, based on the wild‐type strain, using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system, and found that mutants lost pigmentation in the compound eye and their black head spots. We then examined differences in the expression levels of genes associated with melanin pigmentation between mutants and the wild‐type strain using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. We found that transcription levels of the Bd‐yellow1 were lower in the head of mutants than in the wild‐type strain, and there were no significant differences in expression of the other six genes between mutants and the wild type. Since yellow is critical for melanin biosynthesis (Heinze et al., Scientific Reports. 2017;7:4582), the lower levels of expression of Bd‐yellow1 in mutants led to reduced dark pigmentation in head spots. Our results provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, that white may play a functional role in cuticle pigmentation by affecting the expression of yellow.
Tailoring the microstructure of high porosity Si3N4 foams by direct foaming with mixed surfactants
Authors: Du Zhongpei , Yao Dongxu , Xia Yongfeng , Zuo Kaihui , Yin Jinwei , Liang Hanqing , Zeng Yu‐Ping
Published: May 2019

The mixed surfactants were successfully applied to fabricate the highly porous Si3N4 ceramic foams by the direct foaming method. The oppositely charged surfactants mixed in slurries could combined into catanionic surfactant by the electrostatic attraction and facilitate the formation of ultra‐stable foams. The microstructure of the Si3N4 ceramic foams, including pore structure, mean pore size, pore size distribution and porosity were tailored by varying the mixing ratio of surfactant, mixed surfactants concentration and solid content of the initial slurries. Si3N4 ceramic foams with porosity of 92%‐97%, mean pore size of 140‐240 µm and compressive strength of 0.85‐5.38 MPa were obtained by adjusting mixed surfactants between 0.1 and 0.4 wt% and solid content between 22 and 30 vol%. The compressive strength of Si3N4 ceramic foams in current work was much higher than most reported results.
The pricing accuracy of alternative equity valuation models: Scandinavian evidence
Authors: Anesten Sebastian , Möller Niclas , Skogsvik Kenth , Skogsvik Stina
Published: May 2019

In many decision contexts, there is a need for benchmark equity valuations, based on simplified modeling and publicly available information. Prior research on U.S. data however shows that the accuracy of such valuation models can be low and sensitive to the choice of model specifications and value driver predictions. In this paper, we test the applicability and pricing accuracy of three fundamental valuation (dividend discount, residual income, and abnormal earnings growth) models, all based on forecasts of company dividends, earnings, and/or equity book values. Extending prior research, we apply these models to Scandinavian firms with accounting data from the period 2005–2014, explicitly testing two approaches for the prediction of the value drivers—exogenously forecasted numbers versus projected historical numbers. Given access to the forecasted value drivers, the dividend discount model comes out as the most accurate valuation model. In particular, this holds in a comparison between the most parsimonious model specifications. The residual income valuation model generates the best pricing accuracy given the prediction of value drivers based on historical financial numbers. Notably, we observe pricing errors that in general are lower than what has been reported in prior U.S.‐based research for the dividend discount and the residual income valuation models. The pricing accuracy of the abnormal earnings growth models is surprisingly weak in the Scandinavian setting. However, these models improve somewhat after a couple of complexity adjustments, in particular with value driver predictions based on the projected history setting.
The impact of behavioural skills training on the knowledge, skills and well‐being of front line staff in the intellectual disability sector: a clustered randomised control trial
Authors: Gormley L. , Healy O. , O'Sullivan B. , O'Regan D. , Grey I. , Bracken M.
Published: May 2019

Background

Staff with varying backgrounds and educational qualifications can be effectively trained to implement procedures in line with evidence‐based practice. Behavioural skills training (BST) is a competency‐based training model used to effectively educate a broad selection of professionals, including front line staff, in a range of work‐related skills. However, BST has yet to be evaluated in a large group‐based experiment.

Methods

This study involved a parallel cluster randomised control trial. Six service sites, with a total of 54 participants, were randomised to the intervention condition using the ‘coin toss’ method. The intervention condition used BST to coach intellectual disability staff in reinforcement, systematic prompting, functional communication training and task analysis. Six service sites, with a total of 50 participants, were also randomised to a control condition in which generalised training in behavioural interventions was restricted.

Recruited service sites were randomly assigned to the intervention condition (N = 6, n = 54) or the control condition (N = 6, n = 50) at one point in time, immediately after recruitment and before baseline testing took place. Allocations were stratified by service type (residential or day) and geographical region. One member of the research team allocated service sites using the ‘coin toss’ method, and another member, blind to the allocations, decided which experimental arm would receive the intervention and which would be designated as control. It was not possible to mask the intervention from participants, but they were recruited prior to randomisation.

Results

Participants in the intervention condition demonstrated statistically significant improvements in their knowledge scores over the study period. Participants in the control condition showed no change or a statistically significant decrease in their knowledge scores. No statistically significant changes to well‐being were observed for either group. There was clear evidence of knowledge maintenance, as well as skill acquisition and subsequent generalisation to the workplace environment, among participants in the intervention condition. Participants also evaluated the BST intervention positively.

Conclusions

Results support BST as a method for disseminating evidence‐based practice to front line staff working with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
What White Mental Health Professionals Need to Understand About Whiteness: A Delphi Study
Authors: Baima Timothy , Sude Michael E.
Published: May 2019

This Delphi study surveyed an interdisciplinary panel of diversity expert trainers (N=20) about what white mental health professionals need to understand about whiteness. The panel endorsed 162 items that included what white mental health professionals need to understand about historical and contemporary whiteness within the mental health fields and larger social systems, self of the therapist work for white therapists, as well as challenges to understanding whiteness in clinical training and practice. More specifically, the panel provided guidance on the cognitive and emotional transformations necessary for white mental health professionals to address whiteness, as well as the challenges to those transformations. The researchers provide clinical training implications for marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and other clinicians based on the results.
Sex differences in the brain expression of steroidogenic molecules under basal conditions and after gonadectomy
Authors: Giatti Silvia , Diviccaro Silvia , Garcia‐Segura Luis Miguel , Melcangi Roberto Cosimo
Published: May 2019

The brain is a steroidogenic tissue. It expresses key molecules involved in the synthesis and metabolism of neuroactive steroids, such as steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO), cytochrome P450 cholesterol side‐chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (3β‐HSD), 5α‐reductases (5α‐R) and 3α‐hydroxysteroid oxidoreductases (3α‐HSOR). Previous studies have shown that the levels of brain steroids are different in male and female rats under basal conditions and after gonadectomy. In the present study, we assessed gene expression of key neurosteroidogenic molecules in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of gonadally intact and gonadectomised adult male and female rats. In the cerebellum, the basal mRNA levels of StAR and 3α‐HSOR were significantly higher in females than in males. By contrast, the mRNA levels of TSPO and 5α‐R were significantly higher in males. In the cerebral cortex, all neurosteroidogenic molecules analysed showed similar mRNA levels in males and females. Gonadectomy increased the expression of 5α‐R in the brain of both sexes, although it affected the brain expression of StAR, TSPO, P450scc and 3α‐HSOR in females only and with regional differences. Although protein levels were not investigated in the present study, our findings indicate that mRNA expression of steroidogenic molecules in the adult rat brain is sexually dimorphic and presents regional specificity, both under basal conditions and after gonadectomy. Thus, local steroidogenesis may contribute to the reported sex and regional differences in the levels of brain neuroactive steroids and may be involved in the generation of sex differences in the adult brain function.
Combined treatment of recalcitrant papulopustular rosacea involving pulsed dye laser and fractional microneedling radiofrequency with low‐dose isotretinoin
Authors: Kwon Hyuck Hoon , Jung Jae Yoon , Lee Won‐Yong , Bae Youin , Park Gyeong‐Hun
Published: May 2019

Background

While a considerable number of cases with papulopustular rosacea (PPR) are resistant to conventional medications, therapeutic regimens are not currently established. Pulsed dye laser (PDL) and fractional microneedling radiofrequency (FMR) have previously demonstrated satisfactory results for anti‐angiogenesis, anti‐inflammation, and dermal remodeling.

Aims

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of novel combination regimen with low‐dose oral isotretinoin, PDL, and FMR in the treatment of recalcitrant PPR.

Patients and methods

A retrospective study was undertaken for recalcitrant PPR patients to evaluate the clinical course of novel combination regimen. Twenty‐five PPR patients who had failed in previous first‐line therapies were enrolled. They were treated with three sessions of PDL and FMR consecutively at 4‐week intervals, maintaining daily oral administration of 10 mg isotretinoin for 8 weeks. Objective assessments, erythema index measurement, and patients’ subjective satisfaction were evaluated at each visit and 16 weeks after the final treatment.

Results

At the final follow‐up visit, the number of papules and pustules decreased by 71%, and erythema index by 54% compared with baseline (P < 0.05 for both). Physician’s global assessment based on rosacea severity score and patients’ subjective assessments paralleled with these results. No serious side effect was observed during whole study periods.

Conclusion

This novel combination regimen demonstrated satisfactory efficacy with reasonable safety profiles for the treatment of recalcitrant PPR.
Brain Diffusion Imaging Findings May Predict Clinical Outcome after Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Oren Nisa Cem , Chang Edwina , Yang Carina Wei‐Yee , Lee Seon‐Kyu
Published: May 2019

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

We aim to correlate the patterns of brain diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map in post cardiac arrest (PCA) patients with clinical outcomes.

METHODS

Thirty‐eight adult patients with PCA (mean age, 52.8 years; range 18–87 years) whose DWI obtained within 5 days of PCA were retrospectively reviewed. The visual DWI/ADC map categories include: Group 1: Normal; Group 2a: Mild [restricted diffusion (RD) < 1/3 cortical involvement (CI)]); Group 2b: Moderate (RD 1/3 > and < 2/3 CI); Group 2c: Severe (RD > 2/3 CI); and Group 3: Embolic (scattered, discrete foci of RD). Clinical outcomes were categorized according to cerebral performance categories (CPC) and modified Rankin scale (mRS).

RESULTS

The most common DWI/ADC map pattern was Group 1 (28.9%, n = 11). The incidence of other DWI patterns such as Group 2a, 2b, 2c, and 3 were 21% (n = 8), 10.5% (n = 4), 21% (n = 8), and 18.4% (n = 7), respectively. Twenty‐seven patients (71%) were CPC‐5/mRS‐6 and died or were category CPC‐4/mRS‐5, and 4 patients were CPC‐1/mRS 0–1 (10.5%). Interobserver agreement for visual classification of DWI/ADC map patterns was excellent (kappa = .8795). There was moderate positive correlation between clinical outcomes and visual DWI classification (r = .461, P = .00358). The positive predictive value of this qualitative classification on DWI/ADC in predicting a poor clinical outcome (CPC‐4/mRS‐5 and CPC‐5/mRS‐6) was 81.4 % in the presence of restricted diffusion.

CONCLUSION

Simple visual categorization system using DWI/ADC map may be helpful and practical in estimating the clinical outcome of PCA patients.
Gallium‐68 DOTATATE PET in the Evaluation of Intracranial Meningiomas
Authors: Ivanidze Jana , Roytman Michelle , Lin Eaton , Magge Rajiv S. , Pisapia David J. , Liechty Benjamin , Karakatsanis Nicolas , Ramakrishna Rohan , Knisely Jonathan , Schwartz Theodore H. , Osborne Joseph R. , Pannullo Susan C.
Published: May 2019

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors, typically treated with surgery and adjuvant radiation in cases of subtotal resection and/or higher histopathologic grade. Contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard for postoperative assessment and adjuvant treatment planning. However, MRI can have limited accuracy particularly in the presence of posttreatment change. [68Ga]‐DOTATATE is a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radiotracer targeting somatostatin receptor 2A (SSTR2A). SSTR2A is a reliable biomarker of meningiomas. We report a consecutive case series of 20 patients evaluated with [68Ga]‐DOTATATE PET/MRI, propose a novel approach to quantitative analysis, and discuss clinical implications.

METHODS

We present a consecutive case series of 20 patients with clinically suspected or pathology‐proven meningioma evaluated between July 2018 and February 2019. [68Ga]‐DOTATATE PET/MRI was obtained in order to confirm the diagnosis or determine tumor recurrence/progression to help guide surgical and/or radiation therapy management in cases in which MRI findings were indeterminate or equivocal.

RESULTS

Seventeen (85%) patients had undergone prior surgery and 11 (55%) underwent adjuvant radiation therapy. In 17 patients [68Ga]‐DOTATATE confirmed the presence of recurrent meningioma. A total of 49 meningiomas were identified (median: 2 meningiomas/patient, range 0‐14). There was excellent differentiation between meningioma and posttreatment change based on our approach of target lesion/superior sagittal sinus maximum standardized uptake values ratio (16.6 vs. 1.6, P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

[68Ga]‐DOTATATE PET/MRI is a promising tool in the assessment of both treatment naïve and resected/irradiated meningiomas, allowing improved diagnosis and extent of disease evaluation. Future prospective studies are needed to determine utility of [68Ga]‐DOTATATE PET/MRI in treatment response assessment.
Pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic relationship of marbofloxacin for Escherichia coli and Pasturella multocida following repeated intramuscular administration in goats
Authors: Bhardwaj Pallavi , Sidhu Pritam K. , Saini Simrat Pal Singh , M.B. Dinesh , Rampal Satyavan
Published: May 2019

The pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of marbofloxacin (MBF) were determined in six healthy female goats of age 1.00–1.25 years after repeated administration of MBF. The MBF was administered intramuscularly (IM) at 2 mg kg−1 day−1 for 5 days. Plasma concentrations of MBF were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography, and PK parameters were obtained using noncompartmental analysis. The MBF concentrations peaked at 1 hr, and peak concentration (Cmax) was 1.760 µg/ml on day 1 and 1.817 µg/ml on day 5. Repeated dosing of MBF caused no significant change in PK parameters except area under curve (AUC) between day 1 (AUC0–∞D1 = 7.67 ± 0.719 µg × hr/ml) and day 5 (AUC0‐∞D5 = 8.70 ± 0.857 µg × hr/ml). A slight difference in mean residence time between 1st and 5th day of administration and accumulation index (AI = 1.13 ± 0.017) suggested lack of drug accumulation following repeated IM administration up to 5 days. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) demonstrated that Escherichia coli (MIC = 0.04 µg/ml) and Pasturella multocida (MIC = 0.05 µg/ml) were highly sensitive to MBF. Time‐kill kinetics demonstrated rapid and concentration‐dependent activity of MBF against these pathogens. PK/PD integration of data for E. coli and P. multocida, using efficacy indices: Cmax/MIC and AUC0–24hr/MIC, suggested that IM administration of MBF at a dose of 2 mg kg−1 day−1 is appropriate to treat infections caused by E. coli. However, a dose of 5 mg kg−1 day−1 is recommended to treat pneumonia caused by P. multocida in goats. The study indicated that MBF can be used repeatedly at dosage of 2 mg/kg in goats without risk of drug accumulation up to 5 days.
Bacteriological water quality of recirculating aquatic systems for maintenance of yellowtail amberjack Seriola lalandi
Authors: Garcia‐Mendoza Miriam Esther , Cáceres‐Martínez Jorge , Vásquez‐Yeomans Rebeca , Cruz‐Flores Roberto
Published: May 2019

The bacteriological water quality associated with marine fish farming systems can be a determining factor in the development of disease, and understanding this quality is fundamental for the prevention and control of possible disease outbreaks. In the present study, the bacteriological water quality of a yellowtail amberjack Seriola lalandi broodstock maintenance system, composed of two units of a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS 1 and RAS 2), was determined. From February 2016 to January 2017, monthly samples of surface water were taken at six points in the two RAS systems: (a) from the water reception tank and (b) from filter 1 and (c) tank 1 (in RAS 1) and (d) filter 2 and (e) tank 2 (in RAS 2) and from a joint (f) discharge point. The bacteriological quality was determined by counting total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) and by molecular identification (16S rRNA gene). The number of THB showed a tendency to decrease in filters 1 and 2, to increase in tanks 1 and 2, and again increase in the discharge. The fluctuation of THB, in general, was from 1.0 × 103 to 2.9 × 105 CFU/mL. In total, 102 colonies were isolated, corresponding to nine orders and 52 species, and Vibrionales and Alteromonadales were the most abundant orders. The bacterium Vibrio harveyi, a pathogen of S. lalandi, was identified, as were other bacterial species that are known pathogens; however, no signs of disease or mortality events were recorded during the study. These results suggest that the bacterial community contributed to the maintenance of a balance in the RAS, which prevented the development of infectious diseases. Furthermore, the physicochemical parameters (temperature, oxygen, nitrogen compounds, and alkalinity) were maintained within the optimum range required by S. lalandi. Some zoonotic bacteria were found, as well as bacteria with probiotic and industrial uses. These results represent the first report on bacteriological quality in RAS for S. lalandi.
Patterns of morphological divergence in fruit fly: response to nutritional variations through changes in allometric relationships and trait sizes
Authors: Bhumika  , Singh A. K.
Published: May 2019

The morphological structures of organisms may be subject to divergence when exposed to varied nutritive conditions, due to the occurrence of developmental plasticity and its fixation due to the process of genetic accommodation. The allometric relationship of traits with respect to each other and to the whole body defines the shape of an individual. Developmental plasticity in different nutritional regimes affects the absolute value of traits and its relative scaling with respect to body size. We investigated the diversification in wing dimensions and body size in Drosophila ananassae by utilizing isofemale lines of Bilaspur and karyotypically characterized stocks of Varanasi, by rearing flies in nutritional regimes having differences in protein and carbohydrate compositions. The effect of dietary protein variations on plasticity of absolute size of body and wing dimensions was found to be highly genotype‐dependent as compared to sucrose, in both the sexes and in both the populations. This suggests that variation in proteins in natural environment may induce greater selective pressure on traits and may lead to diversification in morphological structures due to the process of genetic accommodation. We found highly significant genetic variation in plasticity for allometric relationship in Bilaspur population for variations in protein as well as carbohydrate in dietary media. However, constraints in plasticity of allometric slopes for wing dimensions in karyotypic stocks of Varanasi were found in response to both the nutritional variations. The analysis of reaction norms also suggested that there is involvement of alpha inversion present in 2L chromosome of Varanasi population, in adapting to different nutritional environmental conditions due to changes in static allometry of different wing dimensions. Overall, this study reveals that the nutritional ecology and evolutionary allometry govern the morphological divergence of traits size and shape in a genotypic‐dependent manner, thereby resulting in morphological evolutions.
Biases with the Generalized Euclidean Distance measure in disparity analyses with high levels of missing data
Authors: Lehmann Oscar E. R. , Ezcurra Martín D. , Butler Richard J. , Lloyd Graeme T.
Published: May 2019

The Generalized Euclidean Distance (GED) measure has been extensively used to conduct morphological disparity analyses based on palaeontological matrices of discrete characters. This is in part because some implementations allow the use of morphological matrices with high percentages of missing data without needing to prune taxa for a subsequent ordination of the data set. Previous studies have suggested that this way of using the GED may generate a bias in the resulting morphospace, but a detailed study of this possible effect has been lacking. Here, we test whether the percentage of missing data for a taxon artificially influences its position in the morphospace, and if missing data affects pre‐ and post‐ordination disparity measures. We find that this use of the GED creates a systematic bias, whereby taxa with higher percentages of missing data are placed closer to the centre of the morphospace than those with more complete scorings. This bias extends into pre‐ and post‐ordination calculations of disparity measures and can lead to erroneous interpretations of disparity patterns, especially if specimens present in a particular time interval or clade have distinct proportions of missing information. We suggest that this implementation of the GED should be used with caution, especially in cases with high percentages of missing data. Results recovered using an alternative distance measure, Maximum Observed Rescaled Distance (MORD), are more robust to missing data. As a consequence, we suggest that MORD is a more appropriate distance measure than GED when analysing data sets with high amounts of missing data.
Minimal amount of tissue‐based pH measurement to improve quality control in neuropsychiatric post‐mortem brain studies
Authors: Ono Chiaki T. , Yu Zhiqian , Kikuchi Yoshie , Kunii Yasuto , Hino Mizuki , Matsumoto Junya , Nagaoka Atsuko , Ito Junko , Iwasaki Yasushi , Hagihara Hideo , Miyakawa Tsuyoshi , Yoshida Mari , Saito Yuko , Niwa Shin‐ichi , Yabe Hirooki , Kakita Akiyoshi , Tomita Hiroaki
Published: May 2019

Aim

Tissue pH and RNA integrity are crucial quality‐control indicators of human post‐mortem brain tissues in the identification of the pathogeneses of neuropsychiatric disorders, but pH has not been measured as often due to limitations in the amount of tissue available. This study was designed to develop and validate a protocol for tissue pH evaluation using a minimal amount of human post‐mortem tissues.

Methods

A procedure that included a proper ratio of brain tissue weight to water for homogenization and the duration of homogenization was designed based on preliminary experiments using mouse brain tissues. The minimal (10 mg) and typical (100 mg) amounts of post‐mortem brain tissue from 52 subjects were homogenized in 5 volumes (50 μL/10 mg tissue) and 10 volumes (1000 μL/100 mg tissue) of nuclease‐free water and subjected to pH measurements using an InLab Ultra micro pH electrode.

Results

The pH values based on the new protocol using a minimal amount of tissue significantly correlated with measurements of the standard protocol (r2 = 0.86). The correlation coefficients of the pH values between gray and white matter of the same brain region, and the values between different brain regions were 0.73 and 0.54, respectively.

Conclusion

The proposed protocol used one‐tenth of the tissue amount of current standard protocol and enabled us to evaluate the exact quality of post‐mortem brain tissue subjected to subsequent analyses. The application of this protocol may improve the detection of biological phenomena of interest in post‐mortem brain studies by diminishing confounding factors.
Reliability and validity of the Japan Ijime Scale and estimated prevalence of bullying among fourth through ninth graders: A large‐scale school‐based survey
Authors: Osuka Yuko , Nishimura Tomoko , Wakuta Manabu , Takei Nori , Tsuchiya Kenji J.
Published: May 2019

Aim

The present study aimed at developing a novel scale, the Japan Ijime Scale (JaIS), to measure bullying in Japan with substantial reliability and validity, with which we estimated the prevalence of bullying among children and adolescents of school age.

Methods

The JaIS is a self‐report questionnaire and consists of three parts: subscales measuring victimization and witnessing, and an item measuring perpetration. To test the reliability and validity of the two subscales, the authors analyzed responses to the JaIS from 2334 school students (Grades 4–9) in six elementary and three junior high schools in a middle‐sized industrial city in central Japan, using exploratory factor analysis, item response theory, and examination of the external validity of the items. The prevalence of bullying victimization, witnessing, and perpetration was estimated.

Results

Item response theory models revealed that both the Victimization and Witness subscales have sufficient discrimination power and measurement precision, and the external validity of each scale has been confirmed. Using the JaIS, we found that 35.8% of students had been victims of bullying every 2–3 months (27.6% were solely victims and 8.3% were bully/victims), 32.8% had witnessed some type of bullying act, and 11.8% had perpetrated some type of bullying (3.5% as perpetrators, and 8.3% as bully/victims).

Conclusion

The JaIS is a reliable and valid measure. Using this scale, we found a high prevalence of bullying victimization in Japanese schools.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa cross‐infection: Is this important in bronchiectasis and COPD?
Authors: King Paul T.
Published: May 2019

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