bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HCV viraemia associates with NK cell activation and dysfunction in antiretroviral therapy‐treated HIV/HCV‐co‐infected subjects
Authors: Papasavvas E. , Azzoni L. , Yin X. , Liu Q. , Joseph J. , Mackiewicz A. , Ross B. , Lynn K. M. , Jacobson J. M. , Mounzer K. , Kostman J. R. , Montaner L. J.
Published: April 2017

The impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels on immune status in chronically HCV mono‐infected when compared to HIV/HCV co‐infected on antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains poorly understood. A total of 78 African American subjects HCV viraemic/naïve to HCV treatment (33 HCV genotype 1 mono‐infected, 45 ART‐treated HIV/HCV genotype 1 co‐infected) were studied. Clinical and liver enzyme measurements were performed. Whole blood was analysed for immune subset changes by flow cytometry. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were used for same‐day constitutive and in vitro Interferon (IFN)‐α‐induced signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) phosphorylation, K562 target cell lysis and K562 target cell recognition‐mediated IFN‐γ production. Statistical analysis was performed using R (2.5.1) or JMP Pro 11. While both groups did not differ in the level of liver enzymes, HIV/HCV had higher T‐cell activation/exhaustion, and constitutive STAT‐1 phosphorylation compared to HCV. In contrast, CD4+FoxP3+CD25+ frequency, IFN‐αR expression on NK cells, as well as constitutive and IFN‐α‐induced direct cytotoxicity were lower in HIV/HCV. Linear regression models further supported these results. Finally, increase in HCV viral load and CD4+ T‐cell count had an opposite effect between the two groups on NK cell activity and T‐cell activation, respectively. HCV viral load in ART‐treated HIV/HCV co‐infection was associated with greater immune activation/exhaustion and NK dysfunction than HCV viral load alone in HCV mono‐infection. The more pronounced immune modulation noted in ART‐treated HIV‐co‐infected/untreated HCV viraemic subjects may impact HCV disease progression and/or response to immunotherapy.
Distribution of the tick Dermacentor reticulatus in the United Kingdom
Authors: MEDLOCK J. M. , HANSFORD K. M. , VAUX A. G. C. , CULL B. , ABDULLAH S. , PIETZSCH M. E. , WALL R. , JOHNSON N. , PHIPPS L. P.
Published: April 2017

The recent implication of Dermacentor reticulatus (Ixodida: Ixodidae) in the transmission of canine babesiosis in the U.K. has highlighted the lack of accurate published data on its distribution in this country. This paper aims to collate and appraise historical data for D. reticulatus, to supplement such data with more recent surveillance data and to report on field sampling conducted during 2009–2016. These updated data facilitate better understanding of the current distribution of this tick in the U.K., which will better inform disease risk assessments. There appear to be four known regions of the U.K. in which D. reticulatus currently occurs, including western Wales, North and South Devon, and Essex. The majority of foci are located in coastal sand dunes and maritime grasslands, including grazing marsh. However, more recently the tick has been detected in urban greenspace in Essex. The emergence of this tick as a vector of babesiosis in the U.K. and its recent apparent spread in Essex into urban greenspace highlight the need for continued surveillance and for further research into its status as a vector of human and veterinary pathogens.
Cerebellopontine angle meningioma diagnosed based on symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia in late pregnancy and showing spontaneous reduction in the early postpartum period: A case report
Authors: Morinaga Yusuke , Yamamoto Haruaki , Kawaguchi Misato , Asato Junya , Hanada Hayatsura , Eto Ayumu , Mitsutake Takafumi , Hiraoka Fumihiro , Inoue Ritsurou , Sakamoto Kimiya , Iko Minoru , Nii Kouhei , Tsutsumi Masanori , Aikawa Hiroshi , Kazekawa Kiyoshi
Published: April 2017

We describe a case of cerebellopontine angle meningioma, diagnosed by the initial symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia in late pregnancy, that showed spontaneous tumor volume reduction in the puerperal period. A 28‐year‐old woman developed left facial pain at 30 weeks of pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a left cerebellopontine angle tumor. She decided to undergo gamma knife treatment at her local hospital. Fifty‐five days postpartum, magnetic resonance imaging was repeated to plan for this treatment. Gadolinium‐enhanced T1‐weighted imaging showed that the tumor had decreased, with no mass effect. The tumor was considered a low‐grade meningioma present before pregnancy, which grew as a result of hypervascular changes or hormone‐induced cellular proliferation in late pregnancy, and subsequently decreased in volume because of blood flow normalization or hormone normalization. The differential diagnosis and treatment of cerebellopontine meningioma during puerperium require careful observation, as the tumor can spontaneously decrease in size despite being symptomatic.
Novel mutation in the membrane metalloendopeptidase gene in a patient with the autosomal recessive form of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease
Authors: Ishiura Hiroyuki , Mitsui Jun , Yoshimura Jun , Doi Koichiro , Morishita Shinichi , Hamada Masashi , Goto Jun , Tsuji Shoji
Published: April 2017

Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease is a heterogeneous group of hereditary neuropathies. Diagnosis of the autosomal recessive form of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease is challenging because of its genetic heterogeneity. Recently, mutations in the MME gene, which encodes neprilysin, have been shown to cause the autosomal recessive form of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease 2T. Here, we present a female patient with the autosomal recessive form of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease 2T carrying a novel mutation in MME (c.340_345delCTAGAA [p.(Leu113_Glu114del)]). She started to show numbness and weakness of her distal extremities from her 40 s. An electrophysiological study revealed sensorimotor neuropathy associated with preserved motor conduction velocity in the median nerve (45 m/s), whereas the compound muscle action potentials and sensory nerve action potentials of the lower limbs were markedly decreased. These findings further support the recent report that mutations in MME cause the autosomal recessive form of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease 2T.
Neural correlates of cognitive processing in monolinguals and bilinguals
Authors: Grundy John G. , Anderson John A.E. , Bialystok Ellen
Published: April 2017

Here, we review the neural correlates of cognitive control associated with bilingualism. We demonstrate that lifelong practice managing two languages orchestrates global changes to both the structure and function of the brain. Compared with monolinguals, bilinguals generally show greater gray matter volume, especially in perceptual/motor regions, greater white matter integrity, and greater functional connectivity between gray matter regions. These changes complement electroencephalography findings showing that bilinguals devote neural resources earlier than monolinguals. Parallel functional findings emerge from the functional magnetic resonance imaging literature: bilinguals show reduced frontal activity, suggesting that they do not need to rely on top‐down mechanisms to the same extent as monolinguals. This shift for bilinguals to rely more on subcortical/posterior regions, which we term the bilingual anterior‐to‐posterior and subcortical shift (BAPSS), fits with results from cognitive aging studies and helps to explain why bilinguals experience cognitive decline at later stages of development than monolinguals.
ZO‐2, a tight junction protein involved in gene expression, proliferation, apoptosis, and cell size regulation
Authors: González‐Mariscal Lorenza , Miranda Jael , Raya‐Sandino Arturo , Domínguez‐Calderón Alaide , Cuellar‐Perez Francisco
Published: April 2017

ZO‐2 is a peripheral tight junction protein that belongs to the membrane‐associated guanylate kinase protein family. Here, we explain the modular and supramodular organization of ZO‐2 that allows it to interact with a wide variety of molecules, including cell–cell adhesion proteins, cytoskeletal components, and nuclear factors. We also describe how ZO proteins evolved through metazoan evolution and analyze the intracellular traffic of ZO‐2, as well as the roles played by ZO‐2 at the plasma membrane and nucleus that translate into the regulation of proliferation, cell size, and apoptosis. In addition, we focus on the impact of ZO‐2 expression on male fertility and on maladies like cancer, cholestasis, and hearing loss.
Endocytosis of tight junction proteins and the regulation of degradation and recycling
Authors: Stamatovic Svetlana M. , Johnson Allison M. , Sladojevic Nikola , Keep Richard F. , Andjelkovic Anuska V.
Published: April 2017

Internalization of tight junction (TJ) proteins from the plasma membrane is a pivotal mechanism regulating TJ plasticity and function in both epithelial and endothelial barrier tissues. Once internalized, the TJ proteins enter complex vesicular machinery, where further trafficking is directly dependent on the initiating stimulus and downstream signaling pathways that regulate the sorting and destiny of TJ proteins, as well as on cell and barrier responses. The destiny of internalized TJ proteins is recycling to the plasma membrane or sorting to late endosomes and degradation. This review highlights recent advances in our knowledge of endocytosis and vesicular trafficking of TJ proteins in both epithelial and endothelial cells. A greater understanding of these processes may allow for the development of methods to modulate barrier permeability for drug delivery or prevent barrier dysfunction in disease states.
Coordinated responses of soil communities to elevation in three subarctic vegetation types
Authors: Veen G. F. (Ciska) , De Long Jonathan R. , Kardol Paul , Sundqvist Maja K. , Snoek L. Basten , Wardle David A.
Published: April 2017

Global warming has begun to have a major impact on the species composition and functioning of plant and soil communities. However, long‐term community and ecosystem responses to increased temperature are still poorly understood. In this study, we used a well‐established elevational gradient in northern Sweden to elucidate how plant, microbial and nematode communities shift with elevation and associated changes in temperature in three highly contrasting vegetation types (i.e. heath, meadow and Salix vegetation). We found that responses of both the abundance and composition of microbial and nematode communities to elevation differed greatly among the vegetation types. Within vegetation types, changes with elevation of plant, microbial and nematode communities were mostly linked at fine levels of taxonomic resolution, but this pattern disappeared when coarser functional group levels were considered. Further, nematode communities shifted towards more conservative nutrient cycling strategies with increasing elevation in heath and meadow vegetation. Conversely, in Salix vegetation microbial communities with conservative strategies were most pronounced at the mid‐elevation. These results provide limited support for increasing conservative nutrient cycling strategies at higher elevation (i.e. with a harsher climate). Our findings indicate that climate‐induced changes in plant community composition may greatly modify or counteract the impact of climate change on soil communities. Therefore, to better understand and predict ecosystem responses to climate change, it will be crucial to consider vegetation type and its specific interactions with soil communities.
Effects of dispersal mode on the environmental and spatial correlates of nestedness and species turnover in pond communities
Authors: Hill Matthew J. , Heino Jani , Thornhill Ian , Ryves David B. , Wood Paul J.
Published: April 2017

Advances in metacommunity theory have made a significant contribution to understanding the drivers of variation in biological communities. However, there has been limited empirical research exploring the expression of metacommunity theory for two fundamental components of beta diversity: nestedness and species turnover. In this paper, we examine the influence of local environmental and a range of spatial variables (hydrological connectivity, proximity and overall spatial structure) on total beta diversity and the nestedness and turnover components of beta diversity for the entire macroinvertebrate community and active and passively dispersing taxa within pond habitats. High beta diversity almost entirely reflects patterns of species turnover (replacement) rather than nestedness (differences in species richness) in our dataset. Local environmental variables were the main drivers of total beta diversity, nestedness and turnover when the entire community was considered and for both active and passively dispersing taxa. The influence of spatial processes on passively dispersing taxa, total beta diversity and nestedness was significantly greater than for actively dispersing taxa. Our results suggest that species sorting (local environmental variables) operating through niche processes was the primary mechanism driving total beta diversity, nestedness and turnover for the entire community and active and passively dispersing taxa. In contrast, spatial factors (hydrological connectivity, proximity and spatial eigenvectors) only exerted a secondary influence on the nestedness and turnover components of beta diversity.
Differences in intraoperative hemodynamics between spinal and general anesthesia in infants undergoing pyloromyotomy
Authors: Ing Caleb , Sun Lena S. , Friend Alexander F. , Kim Minjae , Berman Mitchell F. , Paganelli William , Li Guohua , Williams Robert K.
Published: April 2017

Background

Hypotension and bradycardia are known side effects of spinal anesthesia in pregnant women undergoing cesarean section and adults undergoing other surgical procedures. Whether children experience similar hemodynamic changes is unclear.

Aims

The purpose of this study is to evaluate hemodynamic effects of spinal anesthesia compared to general anesthesia in a cohort of healthy infants.

Methods

The University of Vermont Medical Center almost exclusively used spinal anesthesia for infant pyloromyotomy surgery between 2008 and 2013, while Columbia University Medical Center relied on general anesthesia. The primary outcome assessed was the percentage change in intraoperative heart rate and blood pressure (systolic [SBP] and mean [MAP] blood pressure) from baseline. Analysis was performed using t‐tests for continuous variables, followed by linear regression to account for differences in demographic and clinical covariates.

Results

The study sample consisted of 51 infants with spinal anesthesia at the University of Vermont and 52 infants with general anesthesia at Columbia University. The decrease from baseline for mean intraoperative SBP was −8.2 ± 16.8% for spinal anesthesia and −24.2 ± 17.2% for general anesthesia (difference between means: 16.2% [95% confidence interval (CI), 9.5–22.9]), while the decrease from baseline for mean intraoperative MAP was −16.3 ± 19.9% for spinal anesthesia and −24.6 ± 19.3% for general anesthesia (difference between means: 8.4% [95% CI, 0.8–16]). Spinal anesthesia patients also had smaller drops in minimum intraoperative MAP and SBP. These blood pressure differences persisted even after adjusting for covariates. No differences in heart rate were seen between spinal and general anesthesia.

Discussion

Our findings show that spinal anesthesia performed in healthy infants undergoing pyloromyotomy results in reduced intraoperative blood pressure changes from baseline, significantly higher blood pressure readings, and no increased bradycardia compared to general anesthesia. Further research is needed to assess whether any clinical impact of these hemodynamic differences between spinal and general anesthesia exists.
Relativism, Disagreement and Testimony
Authors: Dinges Alexander
Published: April 2017

This article brings together two sets of data that are rarely discussed in concert; namely, disagreement and testimony data. I will argue that relativism yields a much more elegant account of these data than its major rival, contextualism. The basic idea will be that contextualists can account for disagreement data only by adopting principles that preclude a simple account of testimony data. I will conclude that, other things being equal, we should prefer relativism to contextualism. In making this comparative point, I will also defend self‐standing relativist accounts of disagreement and testimony data.
Cognitive component of psychomotor retardation in unipolar and bipolar depression: Is verbal fluency a relevant marker? Impact of repetitive transcranial stimulation
Authors: Thomas‐Ollivier Véronique , Foyer Emmanuelle , Bulteau Samuel , Pichot Anne , Valriviere Pierre , Sauvaget Anne , Deschamps Thibault
Published: April 2017

Aims

In the literature, psychomotor retardation (PMR) is increasingly highlighted as a relevant marker for depression. Currently, we chose to focus on the fluency capacities as an evaluation of the frontal lobes functioning to reach a better understanding of cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms involved in PMR in depression. The aims of this study were: (i) to explore the cognitive component of PMR through the analysis of verbal fluency (VF) performance in unipolar and bipolar depression; and (ii) to examine whether a repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment could improve concomitantly the PMR and VF capacities, as a relevant marker characteristic of the cognitive component of PMR.

Methods

Fifteen unipolar and 15 bipolar patients were compared to 15 healthy adults. Before treatment, the results showed VF deficits, particularly marked in the bipolar group. The investigation of the interplay between PMR, VF performance, Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores showed that the deficits in these various dimensions were not homogeneous.

Results

The absence of correlation between the psychomotor retardation scale (the French Retardation Rating Scale for Depression) and VF, and the correlation with MoCA raise the hypothesis of a more global cognitive impairment associated with PMR in the BD group. The repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment had a positive impact on depression, PMR, and fluency scores.

Conclusion

Correlations between the Retardation Rating Scale for Depression and VF performances appeared after treatment, showing the cognitive role of psychomotor functioning in depression. Further analyses, including other cognitive measures in an objective evaluation of PMR, are required for a better understanding of these complex relationships.
Deep Granuloma Annulare Mimicking Inflamed Cysts in a Teenager
Authors: Guo Emily L. , Degesys Catherine A. , Jahan‐Tigh Richard , Chan Audrey
Published: April 2017

We describe deep granuloma annulare (DGA) of the forehead mimicking inflamed cysts. Reactive inflammation and sterile purulent drainage may be an underrecognized feature of DGA.
Oral injuries in children presenting to a Japanese pediatric emergency room
Authors: Inoue Nobuaki
Published: April 2017

Background

Oral injuries are common among children, but studies on oral injury according to the presence of foreign objects in the mouth are limited. The aim of this study was to compare injury patterns and their effects in children presenting to a Japanese pediatric emergency room (ER) with and without foreign objects in the mouth.

Methods

Children who were brought to the ER at Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center with oral injuries between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2012, were included. Information regarding mechanism of injury, object related to injury, required procedure, and disposition (i.e. placement after ER evaluation: hospitalization or discharge) was collected. Injured subjects with and without foreign objects in the mouth were compared.

Results

Three hundred and nineteen subjects were included in analysis. Median age was 26 months. Labial mucosa, tongue, buccal mucosa, and teeth were major locations of injury. Tumble (i.e. fall from standing) was the leading mechanism of injury (50%). Seventy‐one subjects (22%) were holding foreign objects in the mouth when injury occurred. A toothbrush was the most common object (31%). Subjects with foreign objects in the mouth were more likely to injure the posterior parts of the mouth, and to require imaging (P = 0.04) and hospital admission (P < 0.001). This was also the case for children with injury due to tumble.

Conclusions

Tumble (i.e. fall from standing) was the most common mechanism of injury. Furthermore, requirement for medical resources increased if children had foreign objects in their mouth. Preventive measures should focus on educating parents about the dangers associated with children moving around while holding objects in the mouth.
Comparative transcriptomics support evolutionary convergence of diapause responses across Insecta
Authors: Ragland Gregory J. , Keep Evan
Published: April 2017

Diapause is a common phenotype that is broadly phylogenetically dispersed across Insecta and appears to have multiple evolutionary origins. Nevertheless, there are clear commonalities in diapause regulation across insect taxa. In the present study, we report a meta‐analysis of diapause whole transcriptomic data sets from 11 different insect species that addresses three questions: (i) how similar are whole‐transcriptome diapause responses across species within and across different diapause life‐cycle stages; (ii) do the most closely‐related species demonstrate the most similar diapause responses within and across diapause life‐cycle stages (the existence of phylogenetic signal); and (iii) is there a core set of regulatory genes that universally associate with insect diapause at the transcript level? The included species are mostly Dipterans (n = 9), plus one species each from Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera. The group includes multiple species that enter diapause as either larvae, pupae or adults. We establish a set of 4791 orthologous transcript sequences with expression data acquired from published studies of diapause transcriptomes. We find no support for phylogenetic signal. Transcriptomic responses of nondipterans clustered within rather than outside of Dipteran responses. However, expression profiles do tend to cluster with the diapause stage of developmental arrest, although this pattern is only moderately supported. We identify a statistically significant set of 542 orthologues (11% of all orthologues) that are commonly differentially regulated during diapause across all included species. From this core set, we identify candidate genes participating in circadian rhythmicity, insulin signalling and Wnt signalling, which are pathways previously associated with insect diapause development. Clustering relationships among species are most consistent with evolutionary convergence of the shared transcriptomic response, although we are unable to determine whether this reflects convergence of the diapause initiation, maintenance or termination phases.
The effect of a faith community nurse network and public health collaboration on hypertension prevention and control
Authors: Cooper Jennifer , Zimmerman Wendy
Published: April 2017

Background

As part of the Association of State and Territorial Health Official's Million Hearts State Learning Collaborative in 2014 and 2015, Washington County, Maryland formed a collaboration between the local health department, health system and faith community nurse network to address the undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension in the county.

Objectives

Data were analyzed to determine the effect of a faith community nursing intervention of teaching blood pressure self‐monitoring and coaching blood pressure and lifestyle changes in the at‐risk and hypertensive population.

Methods

Thirty‐nine faith community nurses offered a 3‐month blood pressure self‐monitoring and coaching intervention in 2014 and 2015 to 119 participants. A secondary data analysis using a repeated measure ANOVA to assess the differences in pre‐ and post‐intervention systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings and a paired t‐test to compare pre‐ and post‐lifestyle scores was completed.

Results

A total of 109 participants completed the program and were included in the analysis and were showing decreased blood pressure readings and improved lifestyle satisfaction scores in six out of seven areas across the program period.

Conclusion

Coaching by faith community nurses creates an environment of sustained support that can promote improved lifestyles and blood pressure changes over time.
Factors influencing beliefs about intimate partner violence among adults in South Korea
Authors: Han Young Ran , Jeong Geum Hee , Kim Shin‐Jeong
Published: April 2017

Objectives

This study aimed to identify factors influencing beliefs about intimate partner violence among Korean adults.

Design and Sample

This is a cross‐sectional descriptive study that analyzed data from 466 adults.

Measures

Beliefs about intimate partner violence were measured using a self‐report questionnaire with a total of 28 items consisting of four subscales: perpetrator's justification for beating women, blaming women for violence against them, perpetrator's responsibility for violence, and giving help to victims.

Results

Men and women had significantly different beliefs about intimate partner violence (t = −7.19, p < .001). Some characteristics were identified that led to unhealthy beliefs about intimate partner violence. Four variables—gender, age, educational level, and witnessing parental violence—had an explanatory power of 20% with regard to beliefs about IPV (F = 10.50, p = .000).

Conclusions

In South Korea, men, older individuals, and those with less formal education or who have witnessed parental violence need education to foster healthier beliefs about intimate partner violence. Nurses can play a vital role in efforts to decrease intimate partner violence.
Characteristics and related factors of Japanese mothers who have faced difficulties with childrearing
Authors: Yoshioka‐Maeda Kyoko , Kuroda Mariko
Published: April 2017

Objective

To identify characteristics of mothers who face difficulties with childrearing.

Design and Sample

Cross‐sectional study. During 2014, 221 mothers and 248 children living in City A within the Tokyo metropolis were registered as requiring help with childrearing. Nursing records of 205 mothers (92.8%) and their 227 children (91.5%) were available. We excluded 29 mothers and children owing to incomplete data for a final sample of 176 mothers (79.6%) and 198 children (79.8%).

Measures

Difficulties with childrearing were assessed by self‐reported questionnaires at the newborn child's 4‐month health checkups. Data on maternal and child variables were collected from nursing records.

Results

The “Difficulties group” included 59 mothers (35.4%) and their 70 children. Logistic regression analysis showed that mothers who were aged 40 years or older, who had a total score on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale of 9 or greater, who used more child‐care support services, and who were monitored more frequently by public health nurses had a high risk of facing difficulties with childrearing.

Conclusions

Periodic monitoring by PHNs is a key strategy to improve the impact of the difficulties of childrearing for mothers of yoshien jido and their children.
Intrinsic neural activity differences among psychotic illnesses
Authors: Hudgens‐Haney Matthew E. , Ethridge Lauren E. , Knight Justin B. , McDowell Jennifer E. , Keedy Sarah K. , Pearlson Godfrey D. , Tamminga Carol A. , Keshavan Matcheri S. , Sweeney John A. , Clementz Brett A.
Published: April 2017

Individuals with psychosis have been reported to show either reduced or augmented brain responses under seemingly similar conditions. It is likely that inconsistent baseline‐adjustment methods are partly responsible for this discrepancy. Using steady‐state stimuli during a pro/antisaccade task, this study addressed the relationship between nonspecific and stimulus‐related neural activity, and how these activities are modulated as a function of cognitive demands. In 98 psychosis probands (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder with psychosis), neural activity was assessed during baseline and during a 5‐s period in preparation for the pro/antisaccade task. To maximize the ability to identify meaningful differences between psychosis subtypes, analyses were conducted as a function of subgrouping probands by standard clinical diagnoses and neurobiological features. These psychosis “biotypes” were created using brain‐based biomarkers, independent of symptomatology (Clementz et al., ). Psychosis probands as a whole showed poor antisaccade performance and diminished baseline oscillatory phase synchrony. Psychosis biotypes differed on both behavioral and brain measures, in ways predicted from Clementz et al. (). Two biotype groups showed similarly deficient behavior and baseline synchrony, despite diametrically opposed neural activity amplitudes. Another biotype subgroup was more similar to healthy individuals on behavioral and brain measures, despite the presence of psychosis. This study provides evidence that (a) consideration of baseline levels of activation and synchrony will be essential for a comprehensive understanding of neural response differences in psychosis, and (b) distinct psychosis subgroups exhibit reduced versus augmented intrinsic neural activity, despite cognitive performance and clinical similarities.
Intertrial interval duration affects error monitoring
Authors: Compton Rebecca J. , Heaton Elizabeth , Ozer Emily
Published: April 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of varying intertrial interval (ITI) durations on neural signals of error monitoring, given the importance of the ITI as a time window for engaging in self‐evaluation and cognitive control. In a between‐subjects design, 35 participants were assigned to one of three ITI durations (short: 768 ms; medium: 1,280 ms; long: 1,792 ms) in a standard Stroop task while EEG was recorded. Participants in the short‐ITI group demonstrated lower performance accuracy, a reduced error‐related negativity (even when correcting for frequency of errors), lower error‐related alpha suppression during the ITI, and increased post‐error slowing. Results indicate that fast‐paced trial timing can be disruptive to self‐monitoring, perhaps due to capacity limitations or bottlenecks in processing.
An oligogalacturonide‐derived molecular probe demonstrates the dynamics of calcium‐mediated pectin complexation in cell walls of tip‐growing structures
Authors: Mravec Jozef , Kračun Stjepan K. , Rydahl Maja G. , Westereng Bjørge , Pontiggia Daniela , De Lorenzo Giulia , Domozych David S. , Willats William G. T.
Published: April 2017

Pectic homogalacturonan (HG) is one of the main constituents of plant cell walls. When processed to low degrees of esterification, HG can form complexes with divalent calcium ions. These macromolecular structures (also called egg boxes) play an important role in determining the biomechanics of cell walls and in mediating cell‐to‐cell adhesion. Current immunological methods enable only steady‐state detection of egg box formation in situ. Here we present a tool for efficient real‐time visualisation of available sites for HG crosslinking within cell wall microdomains. Our approach is based on calcium‐mediated binding of fluorescently tagged long oligogalacturonides (OGs) with endogenous de‐esterified HG. We established that more than seven galacturonic acid residues in the HG chain are required to form a stable complex with endogenous HG through calcium complexation in situ, confirming a recently suggested thermodynamic model. Using defined carbohydrate microarrays, we show that the long OG probe binds exclusively to HG that has a very low degree of esterification and in the presence of divalent ions. We used this probe to study real‐time dynamics of HG during elongation of Arabidopsis pollen tubes and root hairs. Our results suggest a different spatial organisation of incorporation and processing of HG in the cell walls of these two tip‐growing structures.
Growth rate correlates negatively with protein turnover in Arabidopsis accessions
Authors: Ishihara Hirofumi , Moraes Thiago Alexandre , Pyl Eva‐Theresa , Schulze Waltraud X. , Obata Toshihiro , Scheffel André , Fernie Alisdair R. , Sulpice Ronan , Stitt Mark
Published: April 2017

Previous studies with Arabidopsis accessions revealed that biomass correlates negatively to dusk starch content and total protein, and positively to the maximum activities of enzymes in photosynthesis. We hypothesized that large accessions have lower ribosome abundance and lower rates of protein synthesis, and that this is compensated by lower rates of protein degradation. This would increase growth efficiency and allow more investment in photosynthetic machinery. We analysed ribosome abundance and polysome loading in 19 accessions, modelled the rates of protein synthesis and compared them with the observed rate of growth. Large accessions contained less ribosomes than small accessions, due mainly to cytosolic ribosome abundance falling at night in large accessions. The modelled rates of protein synthesis resembled those required for growth in large accessions, but were up to 30% in excess in small accessions. We then employed 13CO2 pulse‐chase labelling to measure the rates of protein synthesis and degradation in 13 accessions. Small accessions had a slightly higher rate of protein synthesis and much higher rates of protein degradation than large accessions. Protein turnover was negligible in large accessions but equivalent to up to 30% of synthesised protein day−1 in small accessions. We discuss to what extent the decrease in growth in small accessions can be quantitatively explained by known costs of protein turnover and what factors may lead to the altered diurnal dynamics and increase of ribosome abundance in small accessions, and propose that there is a trade‐off between protein turnover and maximisation of growth rate.
Obstetrics and gynecology physician knowledge of Rh immune globulin prophylaxis
Authors: Yu Amy , Morris Erin , Adams Richard , Fung Mark K.
Published: April 2017

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that more than 20% of laboratories would have recommended inaccurate doses of Rh immune globulin (RhIG) in hypothetical cases. Efforts have been made in educating laboratories in correct dosing calculations; however, obstetricians are most often responsible for ordering RhIG. The objective of this study was to assess knowledge of RhIG indications and dosing among obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) physicians in the United States.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

An anonymous 17‐ question online survey was distributed to all OB/GYN resident and attending physicians affiliated with US residency training programs.

RESULTS

A total of 165 surveys were collected, with 139 fully completed. Ninety‐two percent of respondents correctly recognized the need for RhIG in D– patients with negative antibody screens. In a scenario of a fetomaternal hemorrhage (FMH) of 45 mL, only 22% of respondents correctly chose the appropriate RhIG dosage. Of those who were correct, 10% had correctly identified 30 mL as the amount of fetal whole blood covered by one dose of RhIG, while 48% incorrectly identified 15 mL (n = 31). A total of 49.3% of respondents reported residency as the most recent formal training on RhIG dosing and 35% reported never (n = 140).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study found that OB/GYN physicians are knowledgeable regarding indications for RhIG immunoprophylaxis but were insufficient at calculating dosages in cases of FMH. More standardized education and training among OB/GYN physicians may decrease the risk of maternal alloimmunization, in part because RhIG dosage recommendations from laboratories are not standard practice.
Method comparison and generation of plasma biochemistry RIs for the White rhinoceros on a point‐of‐care and wet chemistry analyzer
Authors: Hooijberg Emma H. , Steenkamp Gerhard , Buss Peter , Goddard Amelia
Published: April 2017

Background

Plasma biochemistry analysis may aid the management of White rhinoceros with poaching or other injuries. Analyzer‐ and species‐specific RIs are necessary to evaluate health status and identify abnormalities.

Objectives

The purpose of the study was to perform a comparison study between the IDEXX VetTest and Roche Cobas Integra 400 Plus, and to generate analyzer‐specific RIs for White rhinoceros according to published guidelines.

Methods

Comparison was carried out using White rhinoceros plasma samples from healthy and diseased animals. Reference intervals for albumin, ALT, AST, CK, creatinine, GGT, globulins, glucose, phosphorus, total proteins, and urea were determined from a sample group of chemically immobilized healthy adult White rhinoceros from the Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Results

There was a significant analytic bias for all analytes between the 2 analyzers. Results for glucose and total protein were clinically equivalent based on total allowable error limits. Reference intervals were generated from 51 individuals (26 male, 25 female) for all analytes except ALT on the VetTest.

Discussion

The type, direction, and magnitude of bias between the VetTest and Cobas appeared to be species‐ and analyzer‐specific, when compared to other studies. These measures of bias may be used for comparability testing. Reference intervals for total proteins (VetTest 77–108 g/L, Cobas 77–110 g/L) and globulins (VetTest 47–79 g/L, Cobas 51–87 g/L) were high compared to other uneven‐toed ungulates.

Conclusion

Plasma samples from White rhinoceros can be evaluated on both the VetTest and Cobas. Results from this study will aid conservation efforts directed toward this species.
Canine histiocytic sarcoma presenting as a target lesion on brain magnetic resonance imaging and as a solitary pulmonary mass
Authors: Hicks Jill , Barber Renee , Childs Bronwen , Kirejczyk Shannon GM , Uhl Elizabeth W
Published: April 2017

A 6‐year‐old spayed female miniature schnauzer presented with generalized seizures and progressive multifocal intracranial neurologic disease. Thoracic radiographs and computed tomography (CT) revealed a large solitary pulmonary mass within the right cranial lung lobe. On brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a solitary intraparenchymal mass within the left piriform lobe had a “target” appearance on both pre‐ and postcontrast sequences. Cerebrospinal fluid was unremarkable and histopathology indicated both masses represented histiocytic sarcoma. This case represents an uncommonly reported MRI appearance of histiocytic sarcoma in the canine brain and a large, solitary—appearing pulmonary histiocytic sarcoma in the same dog.
A new approach to clinical research: Integrating clinical care, quality reporting, and research using a wound care network‐based learning healthcare system
Authors: Serena Thomas E. , Fife Caroline E. , Eckert Kristen A. , Yaakov Raphael A. , Carter Marissa J.
Published: April 2017

The disparity between ideal evidence from randomized controlled trials and real‐world evidence in medical research has prompted the United States Food and Drug Administration to consider the use of real‐world data to better understand safety and effectiveness of new devices for a broader patient population and to prioritize real‐world data in regulatory decision making. As the healthcare system transitions from volume‐ to value‐based care, there is a growing need to harness the power of real‐world data to change the paradigm for wound care clinical research and enable more generalizable clinical trials. This paper describes the implementation of a network‐based learning healthcare system by a for‐profit consortium of wound care clinics that integrates wound care management, quality improvement, and comparative effectiveness research, by harnessing structured real‐world data within a purpose‐built electronic health record at the point of care. Centers participating in the consortium submit their clinical data and quality measures to a qualified clinical data registry for wound care, enabling benchmarking of their data across this national network. The common definitional framework of the purpose‐built electronic health record and the 21 wound‐specific quality measures help to standardize the potential sources of bias in real‐world data, making the consortium data useful for comparative effectiveness research. This consortium can transform wound care clinical research and raise the standards of care, while helping physicians achieve success with the Merit‐Based Incentive Payment System.
Dissemination of
mcr-1
-Carrying Plasmids among Colistin-Resistant Salmonella Strains from Humans and Food-Producing Animals in Taiwan
Authors: Chiou Chien-Shun , Chen Ying-Tsong , Wang You-Wun , Liu Yen-Yi , Kuo Hung-Chih , Tu Yeuh-Hua , Lin Ann-Chi , Liao Ying-Shu , Hong Yu-Ping
Published: April 2017

We detected the colistin resistance gene
mcr-1
in four
Salmonella
serovars isolated from humans and animals with diarrhea. The resistance gene was carried on different plasmids. One
mcr-1
-carrying conjugative plasmid, a variant of pHNSHP45, was disseminated among
Salmonella
isolates recovered from humans, pigs, and chickens.
Pazopanib-associated posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome with intracerebral haemorrhage
Authors: Miller-Patterson Cameron , Fehnel Corey R
Published: April 2017

Pazopanib is a tyrosine kinase receptor antagonist used for renal cell carcinoma and soft tissue sarcoma that inhibits tumour growth and angiogenesis. A common side effect of pazopanib is hypertension. We report a case of a 69-year-old woman with clear cell renal cell carcinoma who developed a large right occipital intracerebral haemorrhage 3 weeks after initiating pazopanib. Although this was initially suspected to be a haemorrhagic metastasis, MRI revealed bi-occipital oedema, supporting a diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES). A craniectomy was required. Immunohistochemical stains for renal cell carcinoma antigen, CA IX and PAX8 were negative. This case suggests that PRES and intracerebral haemorrhage may result from pazopanib use and are important complications to consider prior to initiating this agent.
Oesophageal cancer presenting as Lemierre’s syndrome caused byStreptococcus anginosus
Authors: Osman Mohammed , Hasan Saqib , Bachuwa Ghassan
Published: April 2017

A 59-year-old man presented to the emergency department with complaints of dysphagia, right-sided neck swelling, fever and chills. Physical examination was remarkable for fever and tender swelling over the right side of the neck. Laboratory investigations revealed leucocytosis with neutrophilia. CT of the neck showed right internal jugular vein thrombosis with an overlying abscess and a nodular opacity in the right lung apex with air locules. He underwent surgical drainage of the neck abscess. Aerobic cultures from the drainage and blood cultures grewStreptococcus anginosus. Given his initial complaint of dysphagia, upper endoscopy was performed which showed a mass in the upper oesophagus. Histopathology confirmed squamous cell carcinoma. The patient received 6 weeks of antibiotics therapy.
Accounting for detection gaps when evaluating reef fish habitat use in an acoustic array
Authors: Farmer Nicholas A. , Ault Jerald S.
Published: April 2017

Understanding the relationship between habitats and the distribution of fishes is critical to effective survey design and spatial management. Determining reef fish habitat utilization patterns from passive acoustic arrays is challenging for the following reasons: (i) habitat classifications must be meaningful to the species, (ii) the array must contain the species’ home range, and (iii) the probability of detection may differ among habitats within the array. We conducted a multi-year tracking study in the marine protected areas (MPAs) of Dry Tortugas, Florida, using a calibrated passive acoustic array deployed over habitats classified by type (reef, rubble, sand), rugosity (high, medium, low relief), and patchiness (contiguous, spur-and-groove, isolated). Our design controlled for differences between individuals, diel and edge effects, and detection gaps resulting from the nonlinear relationship between acoustic tag detection probabilities as a function of distance from the receiver. We found red and black groupers preferred high-relief reef habitats, whereas mutton and yellowtail snappers preferred low-relief contiguous reef habitats. By identifying critical habitats for exploited species, our analysis may facilitate more efficient fishery-independent sampling and MPA designs.
Distinct distribution patterns of proteobacterial nirK- and nirS-type denitrifiers in the Yellow River estuary, China
Authors: Li Fenge , Li Mingcong , Shi Wenchong , Li Han , Sun Zhongtao , Gao Zheng
Published: April 2017

Denitrification is considered to be the critical process in removing reactive nitrogen in estuarine ecosystems. In the present study, the abundance, diversity, and community structure of nirK- and nirS-type denitrifiers were compared in sediments from the Yellow River estuary. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that the 2 types of denitrifiers exhibited different distribution patterns among the samples, indicating their distinct habitat preference. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most of the sequences from clusters I, III, IV, and V for nirK-type denitrifiers were dominant and were distributed at sites where dissolved oxygen (DO) was lower, and the sequences in the other clusters were dominant at sites with higher DO. However, there was no spatially heterogeneous distribution for the nirS-type denitrifier community. Canonical correlation analysis and correlation analysis demonstrated that the community structure of nirK was more responsive to environmental factors than was that of nirS. Inversely, the abundance and α-diversity targeting nirS gene could be more easily influenced by environmental parameters. These findings can extend our current knowledge about the distribution patterns of denitrifying bacteria and provide a basic theoretical reference for the dynamics of denitrifying communities in estuarine ecosystem of China.
Effect of landslides on the structural characteristics of land-cover based on complex networks
Authors: He Jing , Tang Chuan , Liu Gang , Li Weile
Published: April 2017

Landslides have been widely studied by geologists. However, previous studies mainly focused on the formation of landslides and never considered the effect of landslides on the structural characteristics of land-cover. Here we define the modeling of the graph topology for the land-cover, using the satellite images of the earth’s surface before and after the earthquake. We find that the land-cover network satisfies the power-law distribution, whether the land-cover contains landslides or not. However, landslides may change some parameters or measures of the structural characteristics of land-cover. The results show that the linear coefficient, modularity and area distribution are all changed after the occurence of landslides, which means the structural characteristics of the land-cover are changed.