bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship between dental caries and metabolic syndrome among 13 998 middle‐aged urban Chinese
Authors: Cao Xia , Wang Dongliang , Zhou Jiansong , Yuan Hong , Chen Zhiheng
Published: May 2016

Background

The association between dental caries and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is inconsistent. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between dental caries and MetS and its components in a middle‐aged Chinese population.

Methods

A cross‐sectional analysis was performed of 13 998 participants aged 45–65 years undergoing a health check during 2013–14. An index variable of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) was calculated. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) after adjustment for sex, age, education level, dietary habits, alcohol use, smoking, physical activity, and periodontitis.

Results

Of the 13 998 participants, 6164 had dental caries and 7834 did not; 3571 had MetS, whereas 10 427 did not. Participants with severe caries showed a higher prevalence of MetS, abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia than those with mild or no caries (all P < 0.01). Adjusted ORs for MetS for those with two or more dental caries and those with two or more DMFT were 1.12 (95 % CI 1.14–1.74) and 1.09 (95 % CI, 0.89–1.21), respectively (P
trend < 0.001). Stratified analysis by individual MetS components showed that caries were associated with MetS among subjects with hyperglycemia (OR 1.14 [95%CI, 0.98–1.34]; P < 0.001). However, there was no significant relationship between caries and abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and elevated blood pressure (adjusted ORs [95 % CIs] 0.98 [0.82–1.16], 1.01 [0.85–1.19], 0.84 [0.70–1.00], and 0.96 [0.86–1.13], respectively; all P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Dental caries were associated with MetS among middle‐aged Chinese in the present study.
Clinical outcomes of video‐assisted thoracic surgery and stereotactic body radiation therapy for early‐stage non‐small cell lung cancer: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Ma Longfei , Xiang Jiaqing
Published: May 2016

Background

We compared video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SABR) to explore clinical outcomes in the treatment of patients with early stage NSCLC.

Methods

Major medical databases were systematically searched to identify studies on VATS and SBRT published between January 2010 and October 2015. English publications of stage I and II NSCLC with adequate patients and SBRT doses were included. A multivariate random effects model was used to perform meta‐analysis to compare overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) between VATS and SBRT, adjusting for median age and operable patient numbers.

Results

Thirteen VATS (3436 patients) and 24 SBRT (4433) studies were eligible. The median age and follow‐up duration was 68 years and 42 months for VATS and 74 years and 29.4 months for SBRT patients. After adjusting for the proportion of operable patients and median age, the estimated OS rates at one, two, three, and five years with VATS were 94%, 89%, 84%, and 69% compared with 96%, 94%, 89%, and 82% for SBRT. The estimated DFS rates at one, two, three, and five years with VATS were 97%, 93%, 87%, and 77% compared with 86%, 80%, 73%, and 58% for SBRT.

Conclusion

Before adjustment, patients treated with SBRT had poorer clinical outcomes compared to those treated with VATS. A substantial difference between median age and operability exists between patients treated with SBRT and VATS. After adjusting for these differences, OS and DFS did not differ significantly between the two techniques.
Macrosomia and haemodynamic instability may represent risk factors for subcutaneous fat necrosis in asphyxiated newborns treated with hypothermia
Authors: Courteau C , Samman K , Ali N , Riley P , Wintermark P
Published: May 2016

Aim

To identify additional risk factors other than asphyxia and hypothermia in newborns developing subcutaneous fat necrosis (SCFN).

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study of all term asphyxiated newborns treated with hypothermia from 2008 to 2015. The presence and location of SCFN were recorded at the time of discharge or at follow‐up visits. To identify the risk factors for developing SCFN, we compared the perinatal characteristics of those newborns who developed SCFN with those who did not.

Results

The newborns developing SCFN had significantly higher birthweights compared with those newborns who did not develop SCFN. Among the newborns with a birthweight equal or superior to the 90th percentile, those who developed SCFN had a significantly higher use of inotropic support and higher maximum troponin levels during their initial hospitalisation.

Conclusion

A higher birthweight represented an independent risk factor for developing SCFN in asphyxiated newborns treated with hypothermia. When macrosomia is present, other risk factors related to haemodynamic instability during the initial hospitalisation may also increase the risk of developing SCFN.
Prescribing trends of attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications in UK primary care, 1995–2015
Authors: Renoux Christel , Shin Ju‐Young , Dell'Aniello Sophie , Fergusson Emma , Suissa Samy
Published: May 2016

Aim

The aim of the present study was to describe the prescription of medications for attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the UK between 1995 and 2015.

Methods

Using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), we defined a cohort of all patients aged 6–45 years, registered with a general practitioner between January 1995 and September 2015. All prescriptions of methylphenidate, dexamphetamine/lisdexamphetamine and atomoxetine were identified and annual prescription rates of ADHD were estimated using Poisson regression.

Results

Within a cohort of 7 432 735 patients, we identified 698 148 prescriptions of ADHD medications during 41 171 528 person‐years of follow‐up. Usage was relatively low until 2000, during which the prescription rate was 42.7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 20.9, 87.2] prescriptions per 10 000 persons, increasing to 394.4 (95% CI 296.7, 524.2) in 2015, corresponding to an almost 800% increase (rate ratio 8.87; 95% CI 7.10, 11.09). The increase was seen in all age groups and in both sexes but was steepest in boys aged 10–14 years. The prescription rate in males was almost five times that of females. Methylphenidate remained the most prescribed drug during the 20‐year study period, representing 88.9% of all prescriptions in the 6–24‐year‐old group, and 63.5% of all prescriptions in adults (25–45 years of age).

Conclusions

Prescription rates of ADHD medications have increased dramatically in the past two decades. This may be due, at least in part, to both an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with ADHD over time and a higher percentage of those patients treated with medication.
Adapting and evaluating a tree of life group for women with learning disabilities
Authors: Randle‐Phillips Cathy , Farquhar Sarah , Thomas Sally
Published: May 2016

Accessible summary

The tree of life group is based on ideas from narrative therapy.

Narrative therapy is about using stories about ourselves to understand how we make sense of our lives.

We ran a tree of life group for women with learning disabilities.

In the group, people drew trees to show different things that were important in their lives.

People liked hearing about each others' lives and hearing what other people liked about their trees.

Background: This study describes how a specific narrative therapy approach called ‘the tree of life’ was adapted to run a group for women with learning disabilities. The group consisted of four participants and ran for five consecutive weeks.

Materials and Methods: Participants each constructed a tree to represent their lives and presented their tree to the group who responded with positive feedback and affirming statements. This led to discussion about overcoming the storms of life and a celebration of the journey the group had been through together.

Key Results: Although no change was found on quantitative measures of well‐being and self‐esteem, participants reported benefitting from the peer support and social connectedness that the group offered, particularly in relation to themes of loss and change in their lives.

Conclusions: ‘The tree of life’ approach has potential value as an intervention for people with learning disabilities. The benefits and challenges of this approach within the context of working with people with learning disabilities are discussed.
Is a mid‐level dental provider model acceptable to potential patients?
Authors: Phillips Elizabeth , Shaefer H. Luke , Aksu Mert N. , Lapidos Adrienne
Published: May 2016

Objective

This study aims to assess patient attitudes toward mid‐level dental providers, known as dental therapists (DTs), by surveying those likely to be their patients. The recent adoption of accreditation standards by the Commission on Dental Accreditation has reignited a debate surrounding the state‐by‐state legalization of DTs in the United States; while the dental profession is divided on DTs, it is important to understand how potential patients may view the DT model.

Methods

A questionnaire that asks about oral health experience, and comfort with the model of a dually trained dental therapist–hygienist, based on a provided definition, was administered to 600 patients and their waiting room companions at a large urban university‐based dental clinic.

Results

Forty percent of respondents indicated they would be comfortable being treated by a DT for all 7 of the procedures referenced, and over 75% were comfortable with each of 5 procedures. Having caps or crowns placed was the only treatment about which respondents were evenly divided. Factors associated with greater odds of comfort with various procedures include being uninsured and being under the age of 65. Uninsured patients were 1.5 to 2 times more likely than privately insured patients to accept a DT.

Conclusions

The introduction of mid‐level dental providers is a strategy that those lacking regular care appear on the whole to be comfortable with.
Endogenous interleukin-22 protects against inflammatory bowel disease but not autoimmune cholangitis in dominant negative form of transforming growth factor beta receptor type II mice
Authors: Yang G-X , Sun Y , Tsuneyama K , Zhang W , Leung P S C , He X-S , Ansari A A , Bowlus C , Ridgway W M , Gershwin M E
Published: May 2016

During chronic inflammation, interleukin (IL)-22 expression is up-regulated in both CD4 and CD8 T cells, exerting a protective role in infections. However, in autoimmunity, IL-22 appears to have either a protective or a pathogenic role in a variety of murine models of autoimmunity and, by extrapolation, in humans. It is not clear whether IL-22 itself mediates inflammation or is a by-product of inflammation. We have taken advantage of the dominant negative form of transforming growth factor beta receptor type II (dnTGF-βRII) mice that develop both inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune cholangitis and studied the role and the biological function of IL-22 by generating IL-22–/– dnTGF-βRII mice. Our data suggest that the influence of IL-22 on autoimmunity is determined in part by the local microenvironment. In particular, IL-22 deficiency exacerbates tissue injury in inflammatory bowel disease, but has no influence on either the hepatocytes or cholangiocytes in the same model. These data take on particular significance in the previously defined effects of IL-17A, IL-12p40 and IL-23p19 deficiency and emphasize that, in colitis, there is a dominant role of IL-23/T helper type 17 (Th17) signalling. Furthermore, the levels of IL-22 are IL-23-dependent. The use of cytokine therapy in patients with autoimmune disease has significant potential, but must take into account the overlapping and often promiscuous effects that can theoretically exacerbate inflammation.
Identification and characterization of 20 novel pathogenic variants in 60 unrelated Indian patients with mucopolysaccharidoses type I and type II
Authors: Uttarilli A. , Ranganath P. , Matta D. , Md Nurul Jain J. , Prasad K. , Babu A.S. , Girisha K.M. , Verma I.C. , Phadke S.R. , Mandal K. , Puri R.D. , Aggarwal S. , Danda S. , Sankar V.H. , Kapoor S. , Bhat M. , Gowrishankar K. , Hasan A.Q. , Nair M. , Nampoothiri S. , Dalal A.
Published: May 2016

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS), a subgroup of lysosomal storage disorders, are caused due to deficiency of specific lysosomal enzyme involved in catabolism of glycosaminoglycans. To date more than 200 pathogenic variants in the alpha‐l‐iduronidase (IDUA) for MPS I and ∼500 pathogenic variants in the iduronate‐2‐sulphatase (IDS) for MPS II have been reported worldwide. The mutation spectrum of MPS type I and MPS type II disorders in Indian population is not characterized yet. In this study, we carried out clinical, biochemical, molecular and in silico analyses to establish the mutation spectrum of MPS I and MPS II in the Indian population. We conducted molecular analysis for 60 MPS‐affected patients [MPS I (n = 30) (Hurler syndrome = 17, Hurler–Scheie syndrome = 13), and MPS II (n = 30) (severe = 18, attenuated = 12)] and identified a total of 44 [MPS I (n = 22) and MPS II (n = 22)] different pathogenic variants comprising missense, nonsense, frameshift, gross deletions and splice site variants. A total of 20 [MPS I (n = 14), and MPS II (n = 6)] novel pathogenic sequence variants were identified in our patient cohort. We found that 32% of pathogenic variants detected in IDUA were recurrent and 25% in MPS II. This is the first study revealing the mutation spectrum of MPS I and MPS II patients in the Indian population.
SNOT‐22 in a control population
Authors: Erskine S.E. , Hopkins C. , Clark A. , Anari S. , Kumar N. , Robertson A. , Sunkaraneni S. , Wilson J.A. , Carrie S. , Kara N. , Ray J. , Smith R. , Philpott C.M. ,   the CRES Group
Published: May 2016

Objectives

To assess SNOT‐22 and its subscales in a non‐rhinosinusitis UK‐wide population.

Design

Self‐reported questionnaire.

Setting

Based from 30 ENT departments around the UK.

Participants

250 Non‐rhinosinusitis adults – no self‐reported nasal problems in the past, no chronic conditions undergoing active treatment and no hospital admissions in the preceding 12 months.

Main outcome measures

SNOT‐22, SF‐36.

Results

The mean SNOT‐22 total score overall was 12.0. The mean was 10.2 for males with a median of 6.5 and a mean of 13.2 for females with a median of 9. Females scored significantly more highly than males on the sleep/fatigue and facial domains.

Conclusions

Our data demonstrate differences in SNOT‐22 amongst males and females. These data can be used in future studies for comparison with different disease populations with rhinosinusitis.
The role of an activity monitor in the objective evaluation of patients with pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Okumus Gulfer , Aslan Goksen Kuran , Arseven Orhan , Ongen Gul , Issever Halim , Kiyan Esen
Published: May 2016

Introduction

Patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) show no symptoms at rest, but symptoms are triggered by physical activities.

Objectives

The primary aim of our study was to assess physical activity of patients with PH by using an activity monitor. The secondary aim was to evaluate the correlation between the activity monitor parameters and 6‐min walk distance (6MWD), activity of daily living (ADL), quality of life, WHO functional class and PH classification.

Methods

Thirty‐eight patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and seven patients with chronic thromboembolic PH were included in the study. Physical activity was assessed using a SenseWear arm band. A 6‐min walk test was performed. Daily living activities were assessed using the ‘nottingham extended activity of daily living index’ (NEADL). For quality of life assessments, ‘Minnesota living with heart failure’ (MLHF) and ‘Short form‐36’ (SF‐36) surveys were used.

Results

Physical activity, exercise capacity, quality of life and contribution to ADL were lower in patients with PH. These data were associated with the 6MWD, quality of life and ADL index scores. We also found weak and moderate correlations between activity monitor data and SF‐36 sub‐group scores, MLHF and NEADL scores (P < 0.05). For the group with PAH, idiopathic PAH patients had more exercise capacity and total energy expenditure compared with patients with scleroderma‐associated PAH.

Conclusion

Correlation between activity monitor data and 6MWD, most of SF‐36 sub‐group scores, MLHF scores and NEADL index scores suggest that activity monitor can be used in the evaluation of patients with PH.
Outcomes of kidney transplants and risk of infection transmission from increased infectious risk donors
Authors: Limkemann Ashley J. , Wolfe Luke , Sharma Amit , King Anne L. , Behnke Martha , Shah Mili Jay , Posner Marc P. , Cotterell Adrian H. , Bhati Chandra S. , Gupta Ankur , Kumar Dhiren , Gupta Gaurav
Published: May 2016

Concern over transmission of viral infections has been reported to result in higher discard rates of high infectious risk kidneys (HIR) although data on actual viral transmission rates are lacking. At our center, we performed 89 HIR and 533 non‐HIR kidney transplants (KTs) between 2004 and 2011. Follow‐up screening labs in recipients of HIR kidneys tested for human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis B virus did not reveal any cases of viral transmission over median follow‐up of 4.3 years. Patient and graft outcomes were similar at 5 years between HIR and non‐HIR KTs. An updated analysis of the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN) registry of deceased‐donor kidney transplants between 2008 and 2012 included 57 526 transplants was performed. Retrospective calculation of KDRI (kidney donor risk index) differed (P<.001) between all groups with median KDRI of 0.99 for HIR kidneys, 1.07 for non‐HIR standard criteria donor kidneys, and 1.81 for non‐HIR expanded criteria donor (ECD) kidneys. This was reflected in the significantly improved 5‐year graft survival for HIR KTs when compared with non‐HIR ECD KTs (84% vs 78%; P<.001). Our data can guide counseling of KT candidates about the safety and benefits of HIR kidneys.
A novel anatomical ceramic root canal simulator for endodontic training
Authors: Robberecht L. , Chai F. , Dehurtevent M. , Marchandise P. , Bécavin T. , Hornez J.‐C. , Deveaux E.
Published: May 2016

Introduction

Endodontic therapy is often complicated and technically demanding. The aim of this study was to develop a reproducible biomimetic root canal model for pre‐clinical and postgraduate endodontic training.

Material and Methods

A specific ceramic shaping technique (3D printing and slip casting of a root canal mould) was developed to reproduce canal systems with the desired shape and complexity using a microporous hydroxyapatite (HAp)‐based matrix. The microstructural morphology, pore size and porosity, as well as the Vickers microhardness of the ceramic simulators (CS) were assessed and were compared with natural dentin and commercial resin blocks. The reproducibility of the root canal shapes was assessed using the Dice–Sørensen similarity index. Endodontic treatments, from refitting the access cavity to obturation, were performed on the CS. Each step was controlled by radiography.

Results

Many properties of the CS were similar to those of natural dental roots, including the mineral component (HAp), porosity (20%, porous CS), pore size (3.4 ± 2.6 μm) and hardness (120.3 ± 18.4 HV).

Discussion

We showed that it is possible to reproduce the radio‐opacity of a tooth and variations in root canal morphology. The endodontic treatments confirmed that the CS provided good tactile sensation during instrumentation and displayed suitable radiological behaviour.

Conclusions

This novel anatomic root canal simulator is well suited for training undergraduate and postgraduate students in endodontic procedures.
Factors That Promote Innovativeness and Being An Innovative Learner At Work – Results From PIAAC
Authors: Anne Støren Liv
Published: May 2016

In this article, innovative activity is considered in the light of broader conceptualisations of innovativeness and what it means to be innovative. Central to the definition of innovativeness used in the analysis is that the worker actively seeks new knowledge and uses it for work‐related tasks. This is based on previous research emphasising learning‐by‐doing, taking new knowledge into use and learning organisations. Innovativeness is analysed for Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands and Norway. Data from the PIAAC survey of adult skills are examined to identify key factors involved in promoting innovative behaviours at work. Significant country differences are found. Findings suggest that the work profiles of the workers, the work environment and the intensity of training and learning are very important for the innovative capabilities of the workforce.
Pembrolizumab in classical Hodgkin's lymphoma
Authors: Maly Joseph , Alinari Lapo
Published: May 2016

Pembrolizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1), a key immune‐inhibitory molecule expressed on T cells and implicated in CD4+ T‐cell exhaustion and tumor immune‐escape mechanisms. Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) is a unique B‐cell malignancy in the sense that malignant Reed–Sternberg (RS) cells represent a small percentage of cells within an extensive immune cell infiltrate. PD‐1 ligands are upregulated on RS cells as a consequence of both chromosome 9p24.1 amplification and Epstein–Barr virus infection and by interacting with PD‐1 promote an immune‐suppressive effect. By augmenting antitumor immune response, pembrolizumab and nivolumab, another monoclonal antibody against PD‐1, have shown significant activity in patients with relapsed/refractory cHL as well as an acceptable toxicity profile with immune‐related adverse events that are generally manageable. In this review, we explore the rationale for targeting PD‐1 in cHL, review the clinical trial results supporting the use of checkpoint inhibitors in this disease, and present future directions for investigation in which this approach may be used.
Costs of reproduction can explain the correlated evolution of semelparity and egg size: theory and a test with salmon
Authors: Kindsvater Holly K. , Braun Douglas C. , Otto Sarah P. , Reynolds John D.
Published: May 2016

Species’ life history traits, including maturation age, number of reproductive bouts, offspring size and number, reflect adaptations to diverse biotic and abiotic selection pressures. A striking example of divergent life histories is the evolution of either iteroparity (breeding multiple times) or semelparity (breed once and die). We analysed published data on salmonid fishes and found that semelparous species produce larger eggs, that egg size and number increase with salmonid body size among populations and species and that migratory behaviour and parity interact. We developed three hypotheses that might explain the patterns in our data and evaluated them in a stage‐structured modelling framework accounting for different growth and survival scenarios. Our models predict the observation of small eggs in iteroparous species when egg size is costly to maternal survival or egg number is constrained. By exploring trait co‐variation in salmonids, we generate new hypotheses for the evolution of trade‐offs among life history traits.
Identification of landscape features influencing gene flow: How useful are habitat selection models?
Authors: Roffler Gretchen H. , Schwartz Michael K. , Pilgrim Kristy L. , Talbot Sandra L. , Sage George K. , Adams Layne G. , Luikart Gordon
Published: May 2016

Understanding how dispersal patterns are influenced by landscape heterogeneity is critical for modeling species connectivity. Resource selection function (RSF) models are increasingly used in landscape genetics approaches. However, because the ecological factors that drive habitat selection may be different from those influencing dispersal and gene flow, it is important to consider explicit assumptions and spatial scales of measurement. We calculated pairwise genetic distance among 301 Dall's sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) in southcentral Alaska using an intensive noninvasive sampling effort and 15 microsatellite loci. We used multiple regression of distance matrices to assess the correlation of pairwise genetic distance and landscape resistance derived from an RSF, and combinations of landscape features hypothesized to influence dispersal. Dall's sheep gene flow was positively correlated with steep slopes, moderate peak normalized difference vegetation indices (NDVI), and open land cover. Whereas RSF covariates were significant in predicting genetic distance, the RSF model itself was not significantly correlated with Dall's sheep gene flow, suggesting that certain habitat features important during summer (rugged terrain, mid‐range elevation) were not influential to effective dispersal. This work underscores that consideration of both habitat selection and landscape genetics models may be useful in developing management strategies to both meet the immediate survival of a species and allow for long‐term genetic connectivity.
Analysing patterns of spatial and niche overlap among species at multiple resolutions
Authors: Cardillo Marcel , L. Warren Dan
Published: May 2016

Aim

Analyses of spatial overlap in species distributions are frequently used to test a range of ecological and evolutionary hypotheses, from the role of competition in community assembly to the geography of speciation. Most studies quantify overlap at one spatial resolution. Here we explore the effects of measuring spatial and niche overlap patterns for the same clade (Banksia) at multiple resolutions.

Location

Australia.

Methods

We quantify overlap among species using broad overlap of species range polygons, proximity of occurrence points and co‐occurrence within small survey plots. We compare overlap patterns with null models using age–range correlations and the frequency of sympatric sister species. We then use similar methods to examine patterns of overlap in environmental niche dimensions.

Results

Banksia species show a wide range of overlap values based on range polygons and point proximities, but very low levels of co‐occurrence at the local scale. Intercepts of age–range correlations point to higher levels of overlap among recently diverged species than expected. However, comparing the frequency of sympatric sister species with an evolutionary null model supports a prevailing allopatric mode of speciation. In many cases, niche overlap between species exceeds that expected from phylogenetic relatedness or spatial overlap alone.

Main conclusions

Patterns of broad geographical overlap among Banksia species support a predominantly allopatric mode of speciation, combined with post‐speciation range drift. There is more evidence for niche conservatism than for rapid niche divergence among closely related species. This pattern is consistent with broad‐scale geomorphic and landscape complexity as a driver of plant speciation in south‐west Australia. It is less consistent with finer‐scale mechanisms of species divergence such as fire mosaics, or with ecological divergence in sympatry. Analysis of species overlap patterns at different resolutions is a useful approach for revealing the multiple ecological and historical factors that influence species distributions.
A global synthesis of seasonal temperature–size responses in copepods
Authors: Horne Curtis R. , Hirst Andrew G. , Atkinson David , Neves Aitana , Kiørboe Thomas
Published: May 2016

Aim

Body size is a master trait with significant ecological importance. Seasonal changes in body size within diverse ectothermic species can result from different environmental conditions experienced during ontogeny in subsequent generations. Whilst intraspecific changes in adult size have been well studied under controlled experimental conditions and across geographical ranges, comprehensive analyses of temporal changes are lacking, and there remains considerable unexplained variation in body size responses within aquatic taxa. Using planktonic copepods as an exemplar taxon, we quantify variation in adult body mass within seasonally varying marine and freshwater environments. We describe how size variation relates to temperature, food concentration (chlorophyll‐a) and life‐history characteristics, including feeding strategy.

Location

Global.

Methods

Using a meta‐analytic approach we extract quantitative data from published literature on seasonal size responses of copepods. We analyse competing models to determine the best predictors of these responses, and compare the relative importance of temperature and chlorophyll‐a concentration in explaining variation in body size.

Results

We quantify 140 seasonal size responses from 33 different global locations, representing 48 planktonic copepod species from four taxonomic orders. We find that temperature (r2 = 0.50), rather than food (r2 = 0.22), is the dominant explanatory variable of changes in adult body size across seasons. A striking outcome is that calanoid copepods, which utilize feeding currents to capture prey, exhibit a four‐fold greater reduction in adult body mass per  °C (−3.66%) compared with cyclopoid copepods (−0.91%), which are ambush feeders. By contrast, species body size or reproductive strategy did not explain variation in the seasonal temperature–size response.

Main conclusions

Our findings lead us to suggest that feeding strategies may play a significant role in dictating the magnitude of seasonal temperature–size responses in copepods, with potential implications for other ectotherms with diverse feeding methods. Seasonal temperature–size responses were typically much more variable than responses in laboratory studies that provided excess food, suggesting that field conditions modify the temperature–size response.
Hemodialysis in a patient with severe hemophilia A and factor VIII inhibitor
Authors: Gopalakrishnan Natarajan , Usha Thiruvengadam , Thopalan Balasubramaniyan , Dhanapriya Jeyachandran , Dineshkumar Thanigachalam , Thirumalvalavan Kaliaperumal , Sakthirajan Ramanathan
Published: May 2016

Hemophilia A is a hereditary X‐linked recessive disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding factor VIII (FVIII), occurring in 1 out of 10,000 persons. Life expectancy and quality of life have dramatically improved recently in patients with hemophilia. Chronic kidney disease and need for renal replacement therapy in these patients are rare. The development of inhibitors to FVIII is the most serious complication of hemophilia and makes treatment of bleeds very challenging. We describe here a 28‐year‐old male patient with severe hemophilia A with presence of factor VIII inhibitor, who had end stage renal disease. Central venous access device was inserted along with infusion of factor eight inhibitor bypass activity before and after the procedure. He is currently on thrice weekly hemodialysis and doing well for 6 months without bleeding episodes. To our knowledge, hemophilia A with factor VIII inhibitor managed with hemodialysis has not been reported so far.
Threatened or harmful? Opportunism across spatial scales apparently leads to success during extralimital colonisation
Authors: Horák Jakub
Published: May 2016

Various parts of the world face invasion of alien organisms. Nevertheless, the evidence for expansion of species that were close to extinction is close to zero. This story of the rose chafer beetle Oxythyrea funesta appears to be somewhat reminiscent of how in mythology the Phoenix rose from the ashes.

Regarding this interesting situation, I struggled to find the drivers that were responsible for the abundance of this beetle across three spatial scales. This study, perhaps, reveals why a formerly relictual and threatened animal is able to colonise and increase its abundance in present landscapes.

The study of the vegetation structure of the O. funesta microhabitat showed that it visited high plants in preference. Visitations of O. funesta took place on 20 plant species from ten families with four blossom colours with no specific preference. No difference was found among categories of adult behaviour at the patch level. Only rising flowering intensity of plants promoted species abundance at the regional level. Furthermore, the species was associated with generalist insects and reached higher abundance than some of them.

Therefore, the studied beetle appeared to be a habitat opportunist rather than generalist and this made it an unexpected winner that thrives from present land use. Its visitation of flowering patches can be considered as a use of stepping stones. Unfortunately, rising amounts of flower damage by this species appears to be problematic for its conservation. Furthermore, the presence of this species on legally protected species lists highlights the need to determine its actual situation.
Hepatitis C virus‐induced myeloid‐derived suppressor cells regulate T‐cell differentiation and function via the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway
Authors: Ren Jun P. , Zhao Juan , Dai Jun , Griffin Jeddidiah W. D. , Wang Ling , Wu Xiao Y. , Morrison Zheng D. , Li Guang Y. , El Gazzar Mohamed , Ning Shun B. , Moorman Jonathan P. , Yao Zhi Q.
Published: May 2016

T cells play a pivotal role in controlling viral infection; however, the precise mechanisms responsible for regulating T‐cell differentiation and function during infections are incompletely understood. In this study, we demonstrated an expansion of myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), in particular the monocytic MDSCs (M‐MDSCs; CD14+ CD33+ CD11b+ HLA‐DR−/low), in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Notably, HCV‐induced M‐MDSCs express high levels of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3) and interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) compared with healthy subjects. Blocking STAT3 signalling reduced HCV‐mediated M‐MDSC expansion and decreased IL‐10 expression. Importantly, we observed a significant increase in the numbers of CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells following incubation of healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with MDSCs derived from HCV‐infected patients or treated with HCV core protein. In addition, depletion of MDSCs from PBMCs led to a significant reduction of Foxp3+ Treg cells developed during chronic HCV infection. Moreover, depletion of MDSCs from PBMCs significantly increased interferon‐γ production by CD4+ T effector (Teff) cells derived from HCV patients. These results suggest that HCV‐induced MDSCs promote Treg cell development and inhibit Teff cell function, suggesting a novel mechanism for T‐cell regulation and a new strategy for immunotherapy against human viral diseases.
Nurses' communication with patients who are mechanically ventilated in intensive care: the Botswana experience
Authors: Dithole K.S. , Sibanda S. , Moleki M.M. , Thupayagale‐Tshweneagae G.
Published: May 2016

Background

Communication is an integral part of nursing practice not just only for therapeutic reasons but also for sharing information. Nurses working in intensive care experience challenges when communicating with patients who are mechanically ventilated due to lack of knowledge and skill. These challenges infringe on the patients' rights to receive information and as such they may impact negatively on the patients' outcomes.

Aim

This study determined the existing knowledge and skills of intensive care nurses working with mechanically ventilated patients in Botswana.

Methods

A retrospective descriptive and explorative research design with a quantitative approach was used to audit patients' records. This was augmented by further interviewing nurses for their knowledge and skills when communicating with ventilated patients within the two intensive care units in Botswana. The American Association of Critical Nurses Synergy Model was used to guide the study. One hundred and fifty‐nine (159) patients' files were audited and 50 nurses chosen by purposive sampling completed a self‐administered 42‐item questionnaire. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 10 and Microsoft Excel were used to analyse the data.

Results

Assessment of patients' ability to communicate was recorded in more than 90% of files audited. Four per cent (4%) of the respondents only communicated essential information and no other strategies or devices were used to aid communication.

Conclusion

Communication with ventilated patients can be quite challenging to nurses working in the intensive care unit. There is a need for communication skills training to ensure that all nurses working with mechanically ventilated patients are properly trained, equipped and capable of communicating effectively with the patient.

Implications for nursing and health policy

A greater understanding of communication dynamics with the intensive care unit with patients who are mechanically ventilated is crucial to enable nurses to improve their care and improve patients' comfort. Incorporating communication in the nursing standards would ensure that patients are treated with dignity which would help improve patient outcomes.
Viral co‐infections in farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., displaying myocarditis
Authors: Wiik‐Nielsen J , Alarcón M , Jensen B Bang , Haugland Ø , Mikalsen A B
Published: May 2016

Several different viruses have been associated with myocarditis‐related diseases in the Atlantic salmon aquaculture industry. In this study, we investigated the presence of PMCV, SAV, PRV and the recently identified Atlantic salmon calicivirus (ASCV), alone and as co‐infections in farmed Atlantic salmon displaying myocarditis. The analyses were performed at the individual level and comprised qPCR and histopathological examination of 397 salmon from 25 farms along the Norwegian coast. The samples were collected in 2009 and 2010, 5–22 months post‐sea transfer. The study documented multiple causes of myocarditis and revealed co‐infections including individual fish infected with all four viruses. There was an overall correlation between lesions characteristic of CMS and PD and the presence of PMCV and SAV, respectively. Although PRV was ubiquitously present, high viral loads were with a few exceptions, correlated with lesions characteristic of HSMI. ASCV did not seem to have any impact on myocardial infection by PMCV, SAV or PRV. qPCR indicated a negative correlation between PMCV and SAV viral loads. Co‐infections result in mixed and atypical pathological changes which pose a challenge for disease diagnostic work.
Heat Capacity Prediction During Pork Meat Thawing: Application of Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Arjona‐Román J.L. , Hernández‐García R.P. , Navarro‐Limón I. , Coria‐Hernández J. , Rosas‐Mendoza M.E. , Meléndez‐Pérez R.
Published: May 2016

Current models based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) constitute an application for recognizing nonlinear patterns in biological processes and are useful tools for process control. A property that is used to evaluate the behavior of solid foods exposed to heating or cooling processes is their heat capacity (Cp), which is estimated through empirical or semi‐theoretical equations. The aim of this study is to develop an ANN model that is based on backpropagation error, to determine Cp during the pork meat thawing with frost formation. Two neural networks were trained with nonassociated variables, such as statistical texture parameters, image analysis, color parameters for tristimulus space and surface temperature. The Cp supervising agent was obtained through modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC). The observed error for the neural network with five variables was 0.0082 (R2 = 0.9992), and the error with seven variables was 0.00079 (R2 = 0.9989) when predicting the Cp.

Practical Applications

Temperature variations during transportation or even storage can cause changes in the final product due to continued thawing and water recrystallization. This uncontrolled condition, which is common in the meat industry, affects thermodynamic properties, such as heat capacity (Cp), structure and meat product quality. Cp is typically estimated using empirical data or by expensive equipment such as modulated differential scanning calorimetry; it represents the structural changes that are caused by the formation, growth and size of ice crystals that damage meat muscle fibers. In this study, the Cp was predicted with an unusual methodology while thawing meat, based on easily measurable variables, such as changes in the color and texture, measurements obtained by image analysis, and temperature, using a trained artificial neural network. Frost formation on the meat surface during thawing is a variable that has not been studied in depth in the food area.
Midlife Occupational Physical Activity and Risk of Disability Later in Life: National Health and Aging Trends Study
Authors: Missikpode Celestin , Michael Yvonne L. , Wallace Robert B.
Published: May 2016

Objectives

To determine whether midlife occupational physical activity (PA) is associated with disability in older adults and to test disease as a mediating variable.

Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Setting

National Health and Aging Trends Study.

Participants

Individuals aged 65 and older (N = 7,307).

Measurements

Participants were classified as to occupational PA levels by linking information from the Occupational Information Network database using standard occupation codes. Disability outcomes and covariates were obtained through in‐person interviews. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between occupational PA and disability. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was fitted to examine the mediating effect of disease.

Results

Occupations with high physically demands were associated with greater decline in functional capacity later in life. Individuals with occupations with high and very high PA were less likely to be able to perform activities of daily living than those with occupations with low PA. SEM showed that occupational PA has a very strong direct effect on disability (P < .001) and has an indirect effect on disability through disease (P = .003). The population attributable fraction for high occupational PA was 11%.

Conclusion

Higher midlife occupational PA levels were significantly associated with poorer ability to perform activities of daily living in older age. Performing the optimal level of occupational PA may be instrumental in reducing disability later in life.
Evaluating the Potential for Harmonized Prediction and Comparison of Disposal‐Stage Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Biomaterial Products
Authors: Glew David , Stringer Lindsay C. , Acquaye Adolf , McQueen‐Mason Simon
Published: May 2016

The carbon footprint (CF) of biofuels and biomaterials is a barrier to their acceptance, yet the greenhouse gas emissions associated with disposing of biomaterials are frequently omitted from analyses. This article investigates whether harmonization is appropriate for calculating the importance of biomaterials’ disposal. This research shows that disposal stages could double a biomaterial's CF, or reduce it to the point that it could claim to be zero carbon. Incineration with combined heat and power coupled with on‐site energy production in the biorefinery are identified as prerequisites to being zero carbon. The article assesses the current UK waste infrastructure's ability to support a low‐carbon bio‐based future economy, and finds that presently it only achieves marginal net reductions when compared to landfill and so cannot be said to support low‐carbon biomaterials, though the article challenges the polluter pays principle where low‐carbon disposal infrastructure are not available. Reuse and recycling are shown to have the potential to offset all the emissions caused by landfill of biomaterials. However, the savings are not so great as to offset the biomaterial's upstream emissions. The study explores the ability to overcome the barriers to incorporating disposal into life cycle assessment while identifying limitations of using harmonization as an assessment method. Specifically, data availability and industry consensus are flagged as major barriers. The study also uses sensitivity analysis to investigate the influence of methodological choices, such as allowing additional reuse and recycling stages, classifying biomaterials into different types, and choosing between opposing allocation methods.
Ship Breaking and the Steel Industry in Bangladesh: A Material Flow Perspective
Authors: Sujauddin Mohammad , Koide Ryu , Komatsu Takahiro , Hossain Mohammad Mosharraf , Tokoro Chiharu , Murakami Shinsuke
Published: May 2016

Bangladesh has emerged as a leading ship breaking nation. We conducted a material flow analysis of steel in Bangladesh with an emphasis on the ship breaking industry (SBI). The total aggregate domestic steel consumption in fiscal year (FY) 2010 was 2,930,000 tonnes (t) in Bangladesh; SBI met approximately 51% of the demand for raw materials and 37% of the demand for finished steel products. Rolling industries output in FY2010 was 1,451,000 t; 23% of the input for this production was from ship breaking sources. Dismantled ships also generate high‐quality reusable steel scraps. SBI was found to be the sole source of scraps for small rerolling industries in Bangladesh, and their output in 2008 more than doubled as compared to 2005. Larger rolling industries fulfilled their input needs for steel scraps by using both SBI and imported materials. We found a sharp increase in input imports during the global ship breaking recession in 2003–2007 and when Bangladesh's SBI faced a temporary ban in 2010. Induction furnaces in Bangladesh in FY2010 produced a total of 787,000 t of billets; more than 40% was from ship‐sourced scraps. In 2008, the country's steel consumption was 3,220,000 t, that is, 22 kilograms per person, and the intensity of steel use was 40 grams per U.S. dollar, which was much higher than that of other developing countries with a similar per capita gross domestic product (GDP). The country exhibited a high level of steel consumption relative to its GDP, which is indicative of the contribution of SBI.
STEM study of Li4Ti5O12 anode material modified with Ag nanoparticles
Authors: ANDRZEJCZUK M. , ROGUSKA A. , MICHALSKA M. , LIPIŃSKA L. , CZERWIŃSKI A. , CANTONI M. , KRAWCZYŃSKA A.T. , LEWANDOWSKA M.
Published: May 2016

Comprehensive scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) analysis of Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) powder modified by deposited Ag nanoparticles was performed. Nanocomposite powders with Ag content of 1 wt.%, 4 wt.%, 10 wt.% were fabricated in a chemical process from suspensions of Ag and LTO. Apart from the STEM results, the presence of pure silver on the surface of the ceramic powder was confirmed by XRD and XPS analyses. The silver particles deposited on the LTO particles were characterized using the EDS mapping technique. The quantified results of the EDS mapping showed a relatively homogenous distribution of silver nanoparticles on the powder surface for every metal content. The mean diameter of the nanoparticles deposited on the LTO powder was about 4 nm in all cases. An increase in the Ag content during chemical surface modification did not cause changes in the microstructure. Focusing on an analysis of the metallic nanoparticles on the ceramic powder, electron tomography was used as an investigative technique. A very precise analysis of three‐dimensional nanostructures is desirable for a comprehensive analysis of complex materials. The quantified analysis of the Ag nanoparticles visualized using electron tomography confirmed the results of the size measurements taken from the two‐dimensional EDS maps.