bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pravastatin for Preventing and Treating Preeclampsia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Esteve-Valverde Enrique , Ferrer-Oliveras Raquel , Gil-Aliberas Natàlia , Baraldès-Farré Antònia , Llurba Elisa , Alijotas-Reig Jaume
Published: January 2018

Importance

We have performed a systematic search to summarize the role of statins for preventing and treating severe preeclampsia.

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine whether pravastatin is a useful and safe alternative for treating preeclampsia during pregnancy.

Evidence Acquisition

A systematic MEDLINE (PubMed) search was performed (1979 to June 2017), which was restricted to articles published in English, using the relevant key words of “statins,” “pregnancy,” “preeclampsia,” “obstetrical antiphospholipid syndrome,” and “teratogenicity.”

Results

The initial search provided 296 articles. Finally, 146 articles were related to the use of statins during pregnancy, regarding their effect on the fetus and the treatment of preeclampsia. Ten studies were related to in vitro studies, 25 in animals, and 24 in humans (13 case report series and 11 cohort studies). We found 84 studies on reviews of such guidelines on cardiovascular disease (35 studies), use of statins in the antiphospholipid syndrome (25 studies), statin's specific use during pregnancy (13 studies), or preeclampsia treatment (11 studies).

Conclusions

Although the studies are of poor quality, the rate of major congenital abnormalities in the newborn exposed to statins during pregnancy is no higher than the expected when compared with overall risk population. The review shows a potential beneficial role of statins in preventing and treating severe preeclampsia that needs to be evaluated through well-designed clinical trials.

Relevance

This update could influence positively the clinical practice, giving an alternative therapy for clinicians who treat preeclampsia, particularly in severe cases.

Target Audience

Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians.

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, the learner should be better able to recall that statins exert a useful number of pleiotropic effects related to their antiproliferative and immunosuppressive actions; describe the potential role of statins as beneficial and safe drugs during pregnancy, thereby preventing and treating early and severe preeclampsia; and list the properties that make pravastatin the best statin to treat preeclampsia.
Promethazine and Oral Midazolam Preanesthetic Children Medication
Authors: Nadri Sedigheh , Mahmoudvand Hormoz , Taee Nadereh , Anbari Khatereh , Beiranvand Siavash
Published: January 2018

Aims

Several kinds of drugs have been investigated in preschool children as a preanesthetic sedation after various routes of administration for surgeries. This study aims to compare the efficacy of promethazine and oral midazolam for premedication in children aged 3 to 9 years who were scheduled for surgeries.

Methods

This is a double-blind randomized controlled study conducted on 93 patients between the age of 3 and 9 years at Loresten University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Khoramabad, Iran. The subjects were grouped into P (promethazine), M (midazolam), and C (control). About 0.3 mg/kg of oral promethazine was administered to patients in group P, 0.5 mg/kg of oral midazolam was administered to patients in group M, and 3 mL of normal saline as placebo was administered to patients in group C. Patient satisfaction, sedation and emotional score, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate (RR), and heart rate (HR) were recorded.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference among the 3 groups. However, the period after medication, it was observed that SBP, diastolic blood pressure, RR, and HR in group C were statistically significantly higher than those in groups M and P. These 2 groups are similar in terms of SBP, RR, and HR. The emotional scores were comparable for the 2 groups. It was between 3.97 ± 0.6 to 1.7 ± 0.5 in group M and from 3.45 ± 1.17 to 2.745 ± 0.997 in group P in a Kruskal-Wallis test.

Conclusions

This study shows that both test groups reduce stress at the time of anesthetic induction and separation from their parents with similar effect. Both of the anesthetics are easily administered without the necessity of an additional equipment. A shorter period to maximal sedation for midazolam is an advantage, thus, making the drug helpful, mostly in the outpatient setting.
Fever as a Presenting Symptom in Children Evaluated for Ileocolic Intussusception
Authors: Levinson Hila , Rimon Ayelet , Scolnik Dennis , Amarilyio Gil , Glatstein Miguel
Published: January 2018

Background

Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in young children, and delayed diagnosis may lead to bowel perforation. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of fever in patients with ileocolic intussusception and to determine its utility as a predictive symptom.

Methods

This was a 3-year retrospective study, at a tertiary care center, of children aged 1 month to 6 years, presenting with possible intussusception. Charts were reviewed for clinical signs and symptoms at presentation, and all diagnostic studies were retrieved. A pediatric radiologist reviewed all ultrasounds.

Results

A total of 488 ultrasounds were performed on suspicion of intussusception. In 30 patients with confirmed ileocolic intussusception, mean age was 27 months and all were successfully reduced by air enema. Of 118 patients with fever, 2 had confirmed intussusception, 1 with pneumonia and 1 with acute otitis media, compared with 116 febrile patients with negative ultrasounds (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Traditional teaching is that intussusception presents as intermittent colicky abdominal pain, red currant jelly stool, vomiting, and a palpable abdominal mass, but it is important to remember that this classic triad is a very late finding and this condition should be recognized before the development of these findings. The concurrence of fever can help to rule out the possibility of intussusception and prompt the health care professional to search diligently for alternative infectious etiologies but cannot eliminate the possibility, especially when other findings suggestive of intussusception are present.
Reflections on telomere dynamics and ageing-related diseases in humans
Authors: Aviv Abraham , Shay Jerry W.
Published: January 2018

Epidemiological studies have principally relied on measurements of telomere length (TL) in leucocytes, which reflects TL in other somatic cells. Leucocyte TL (LTL) displays vast variation across individuals—a phenomenon already observed in newborns. It is highly heritable, longer in females than males and in individuals of African ancestry than European ancestry. LTL is also longer in offspring conceived by older men. The traditional view regards LTL as a passive biomarker of human ageing. However, new evidence suggests that a dynamic interplay between selective evolutionary forces and TL might result in trade-offs for specific health outcomes. From a biological perspective, an active role of TL in ageing-related human diseases could occur because short telomeres increase the risk of a category of diseases related to restricted cell proliferation and tissue degeneration, including cardiovascular disease, whereas long telomeres increase the risk of another category of diseases related to increased proliferative growth, including major cancers. To understand the role of telomere biology in ageing-related diseases, it is essential to expand telomere research to newborns and children and seek further insight into the underlying causes of the variation in TL due to ancestry and geographical location.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics’.
Experimental manipulation of telomere length: does it reveal a corner-stone role for telomerase in the natural variability of individual fitness?
Authors: Criscuolo F. , Smith S. , Zahn S. , Heidinger B. J. , Haussmann M. F.
Published: January 2018

Telomeres, the non-coding ends of linear chromosomes, are thought to be an important mechanism of individual variability in performance. Research suggests that longer telomeres are indicative of better health and increased fitness; however, many of these data are correlational and whether these effects are causal are poorly understood. Experimental tests are emerging in medical and laboratory-based studies, but these types of experiments are rare in natural populations, which precludes conclusions at an evolutionary level. At the crossroads between telomere length and fitness is telomerase, an enzyme that can lengthen telomeres. Experimental modulation of telomerase activity is a powerful tool to manipulate telomere length, and to look at the covariation of telomerase, telomeres and individual life-history traits. Here, we review studies that manipulate telomerase activity in laboratory conditions and emphasize the associated physiological and fitness consequences. We then discuss how telomerase's impact on ageing may go beyond telomere maintenance. Based on this overview, we then propose several research avenues for future studies to explore how individual variability in health, reproduction and survival may have coevolved with different patterns of telomerase activity and expression. Such knowledge is of prime importance to fully understand the role that telomere dynamics play in the evolution of animal ageing.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics’.
In medio stat virtus
: unanticipated consequences of telomere dysequilibrium
Authors: Harrington Lea , Pucci Fabio
Published: January 2018

The integrity of chromosome ends, or telomeres, depends on myriad processes that must balance the need to compact and protect the telomeric, G-rich DNA from detection as a double-stranded DNA break, and yet still permit access to enzymes that process, replicate and maintain a sufficient reserve of telomeric DNA. When unable to maintain this equilibrium, erosion of telomeres leads to perturbations at or near the telomeres themselves, including loss of binding by the telomere protective complex, shelterin, and alterations in transcription and post-translational modifications of histones. Although the catastrophic consequences of full telomere de-protection are well described, recent evidence points to other, less obvious perturbations that arise when telomere length equilibrium is altered. For example, critically short telomeres also perturb DNA methylation and histone post-translational modifications at distal sites throughout the genome. In murine stem cells for example, this dysregulated chromatin leads to inappropriate suppression of pluripotency regulator factors such as
Nanog
. This review summarizes these recent findings, with an emphasis on how these genome-wide, telomere-induced perturbations can have profound consequences on cell function and fate.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics’.
The relationship between telomere length and mortality risk in non-model vertebrate systems: a meta-analysis
Authors: Wilbourn Rachael V. , Moatt Joshua P. , Froy Hannah , Walling Craig A. , Nussey Daniel H. , Boonekamp Jelle J.
Published: January 2018

Telomere length (TL) has become a biomarker of increasing interest within ecology and evolutionary biology, and has been found to predict subsequent survival in some recent avian studies but not others. Here, we undertake the first formal meta-analysis to test whether there is an overall association between TL and subsequent mortality risk in vertebrates other than humans and model laboratory rodents. We identified 27 suitable studies and obtained standardized estimates of the hazard ratio associated with TL from each. We performed a meta-analysis on these estimates and found an overall significant negative association implying that short telomeres are associated with increased mortality risk, which was robust to evident publication bias. While we found that heterogeneity in the hazard ratios was not explained by sex, follow-up period, maximum lifespan or the age group of the study animals, the TL–mortality risk association was stronger in studies using qPCR compared to terminal restriction fragment methodologies. Our results provide support for a consistent association between short telomeres and increased mortality risk in birds, but also highlight the need for more research into non-avian vertebrates and the reasons why different telomere measurement methods may yield different results.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics’.
The role of telomeres in the mechanisms and evolution of life-history trade-offs and ageing
Authors: Young Andrew J.
Published: January 2018

Evolutionary biology and biomedicine have seen a surge of recent interest in the possibility that telomeres play a role in life-history trade-offs and ageing. Here, I evaluate alternative hypotheses for the role of telomeres in the mechanisms and evolution of life-history trade-offs and ageing, and highlight outstanding challenges. First, while recent findings underscore the possibility of a proximate causal role for telomeres in current–future trade-offs and ageing, it is currently unclear (i) whether telomeres ever play a causal role in either and (ii) whether any causal role for telomeres arises via shortening or length-independent mechanisms. Second, I consider why, if telomeres do play a proximate causal role, selection has not decoupled such a telomere-mediated trade-off between current and future performance. Evidence suggests that evolutionary constraints have not rendered such decoupling impossible. Instead, a causal role for telomeres would more plausibly reflect an adaptive strategy, born of telomere maintenance costs and/or a function for telomere attrition (e.g. in countering cancer), the relative importance of which is currently unclear. Finally, I consider the potential for telomere biology to clarify the constraints at play in life-history evolution, and to explain the form of the current–future trade-offs and ageing trajectories that we observe today.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics’.
The fetal programming of telomere biology hypothesis: an update
Authors: Entringer Sonja , de Punder Karin , Buss Claudia , Wadhwa Pathik D.
Published: January 2018

Research on mechanisms underlying fetal programming of health and disease risk has focused primarily on processes that are specific to cell types, organs or phenotypes of interest. However, the observation that developmental conditions concomitantly influence a diverse set of phenotypes, the majority of which are implicated in age-related disorders, raises the possibility that such developmental conditions may additionally exert effects via a common underlying mechanism that involves cellular/molecular ageing–related processes. In this context, we submit that telomere biology represents a process of particular interest in humans because, firstly, this system represents among the most salient antecedent cellular phenotypes for common age-related disorders; secondly, its initial (newborn) setting appears to be particularly important for its long-term effects; and thirdly, its initial setting appears to be plastic and under developmental regulation. We propose that the effects of suboptimal intrauterine conditions on the initial setting of telomere length and telomerase expression/activity capacity may be mediated by the programming actions of stress-related maternal–placental–fetal oxidative, immune, endocrine and metabolic pathways in a manner that may ultimately accelerate cellular dysfunction, ageing and disease susceptibility over the lifespan. This perspectives paper provides an overview of each of the elements underlying this hypothesis, with an emphasis on recent developments, findings and future directions.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics’.
The mitochondrial genome, paternal age and telomere length in humans
Authors: Aviv Abraham
Published: January 2018

Telomere length (TL) in humans is highly heritable and undergoes progressive age-dependent shortening in somatic cells. By contrast, sperm donated by older men display comparatively long telomeres, presumably because in the male germline, telomeres become longer with age. This puzzling phenomenon might explain why TL in the offspring correlates positively with paternal age. The present communication proposes that mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms and heteroplasmy cause variation in the production of reactive oxygen species, which, in turn, mediate age-dependent selection of germ stem cells with long telomeres and hence sperm with long telomeres. These long telomeres are then inherited by the offspring. The effect of paternal age on the offspring TL might be an evolutionarily driven mechanism that helps regulate TL across the human population.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics’.
GWAS on family history of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: E. Marioni Riccardo , Harris Sarah E. , McRae Allan F. , Zhang Qian , Hagenaars Saskia P. , David Hill W. , Davies Gail , Ritchie Craig W. , Gale Catharine , Starr John M. , Goate Alison M. , Porteous David J. , Yang Jian , Evans Kathryn L. , Deary Ian J. , Wray Naomi R. , Visscher Peter M.
Published: January 2018

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a public health priority for the 21st century. Risk reduction currently revolves around lifestyle changes with much research trying to elucidate the biological underpinnings. Using self-report of parental history of Alzheimer’s dementia for case ascertainment in a genome-wide association study of over 300,000 participants from UK Biobank (32,222 maternal cases, 16,613 paternal cases) and meta-analysing with published consortium data (n=74,046 with 25,580 cases across the discovery and replication analyses), six new AD-associated loci (P<5x10−8) are identified. Three contain genes relevant for AD and neurodegeneration: ADAM10, ADAMTS4, and ACE. Suggestive loci include drug targets such as VKORC1 (warfarin dose) and BZRAP1 (benzodiazepine receptor). We report evidence that association of SNPs and AD at the PVR gene is potentially mediated by both gene expression and DNA methylation in the prefrontal cortex. Our discovered loci may help to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying AD and, given that many are existing drug targets for other diseases and disorders, warrant further exploration for potential precision medicine applications.
Integration and analysis of CPTAC proteomics data in the context of cancer genomics in the cBioPortal
Authors: Wu Pamela , Heins Zachary J , Muller James T , Abeshouse Adam A , Sun Yichao , Schultz Nikolaus , Fenyö David , Gao Jianjiong
Published: January 2018

The Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) has produced extensive mass spectrometry based proteomics data for selected breast, colon and ovarian tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We have incorporated the CPTAC proteomics data into the cBioPotal to support easy exploration and integrative analysis of these proteomic datasets in the context of the clinical and genomics data from the same tumors. cBioPortal is an open source platform for exploring, visualizing, and analyzing multi-dimensional cancer genomics and clinical data. The public instance of the cBioPortal (http://cbioportal.org/) hosts more than 100 cancer genomics studies including all of the data from TCGA. Its biologist-friendly interface provides many rich analysis features, including a graphical summary of gene-level data across multiple platforms, correlation analysis between genes or other data types, survival analysis, and network visualization. Here, we present the integration of the CPTAC mass spectrometry based proteomics data into the cBioPortal, consisting of 77 breast, 95 colorectal, and 174 ovarian tumors that already have been profiled by TCGA for mutations, copy number alterations, gene expression, and DNA methylation. As a result, the CPTAC data can now be easily explored and analyzed in the cBioPortal in the context of clinical and genomics data. By integrating CPTAC data into cBioPortal, limitations of TCGA proteomics array data can be overcome while also providing a user-friendly web interface, a web API and an R client to query the mass spectrometry data together with genomic, epigenomic, and clinical data.
Correlation Detection with and without the Theories of Conditionals: A model update of Hattori & Oaksford (2007)
Authors: Takahashi Tatsuji , Oyo Kuratomo , Tamatsukuri Akihiro , Higuchi Kohki
Published: January 2018

We view observational causal induction as a statistical independence test under rarity assumption. This paper complements the two-stage theory of causal induction proposed by Hattori and Oaksford (2007) with a computational analysis. We show that their dual-factor heuristic (DFH) model has a rational account as the square root of the index of (non-)independence under extreme rarity assumption, contrary to the criticism that the DFH model is non-normative (e.g., Lu et al., 2008). We introduce a model that considers the proportion of assumed-to-be rare instances (pARIs), which is the probability of biconditionals (according to several theories of compound conditionals) and can be seen as a simplified version of the DFH model. While being a single conditional probability, pARIs approximates the non-independence measure, the square of DFH. In reproducing the meta-analysis in Hattori and Oaksford (2007), we confirm that pARIs and DFH have the same level of descriptive adequacy, and that the two models have the highest fit among more than 40 models. Then, we critically examine the computer simulations which were central to the rational analysis in Hattori and Oaksford (2007). We point out two problems in their simluations: samples in some of the simulations being restricted to generative ones, and in-definite values of models because of the small samples. In the light of especially the latter problem of definability, pARIs shows higher applicability.
Microbial biogeography of 1,000 geothermal springs in New Zealand
Authors: Power J.F. , Carere C.R. , Lee C.K. , Wakerley G.L.J. , Evans D.W. , Button M. , White D. , Climo M.D. , Hinze A.M. , Morgan X.C. , McDonald I.R. , Cary S.C. , Stott M.B.
Published: January 2018

Geothermal springs are model ecosystems to systematically investigate microbial biogeography as they i) represent discrete, homogenous habitats; ii) are abundantly distributed across multiple geographical scales; iii) span broad geochemical gradients; and iv) have simple community structures with reduced metazoan interactions. Taking advantage of these traits, we undertook the largest known consolidated study of geothermal ecosystems (http://1000springs.org.nz) to determine factors that influence biogeographical patterns. Rigorously standardised methodologies were used to measure microbial communities, 46 physicochemical parameters, and metadata from 1,019 hotspring samples across New Zealand. pH was found to be the primary influence on diversity in springs < 70 °C with community similarity decreasing with geographic distance. Surprisingly, community composition was dominated by two genera (VenenivibrioandAcidithiobacillus) in both average relative abundance (11.2 and 11.1 %) and prevalence (74.2 and 62.9 % respectively) across physicochemical spectrums of 13.9 – 100.6 °C and pH < 1 – 9.7. This study provides an unprecedented insight into the ecological conditions that drive community assembly in geothermal springs, and can be used as a foundation to improve the characterisation of global microbial biogeographical processes.
Combining high-throughput micro-CT-RGB phenotyping and genome-wide association study to dissect the genetic architecture of tiller growth in rice
Authors: Wu Di , Guo Zilong , Ye Junli , Liu Jianxiao , Chen Guoxing , Zheng Jingshan , Yan Dongmei , Yang Xiaoquan , Xiong Xiong , Liu Qian , Niu Zhiyou , Xiong Lizhong , Yang Wanneng
Published: January 2018

Traditional phenotyping of rice tillers is time consuming and labor intensive and lags behind the rapid development of rice functional genomics. Thus, dynamic phenotyping of rice tiller traits at a high spatial resolution and high-throughput for large-scale rice accessions is urgently needed. In this study, we developed a high-throughput micro-CT-RGB (HCR) imaging system to non-destructively extract 730 traits from 234 rice accessions at 9 time points. We used these traits to predict the grain yield in the early growth stage, and 30% of the grain yield variance was explained by 2 tiller traits in the early growth stage. A total of 402 significantly associated loci were identified by GWAS, and dynamic and static genetic components were found across the nine time points. A major locus associated with tiller angle was detected at nine time points, which contained a major gene TAC1. Significant variants associated with tiller angle were enriched in the 3'-UTR of TAC1. Three haplotypes for the gene were found and tiller angles of rice accessions containing haplotype H3 were much smaller. Further, we found two loci contained associations with both vigor-related HCR traits and yield. The superior alleles would be beneficial for breeding of high yield and dense planting.

Highlight

Combining high-throughput micro-CT-RGB phenotyping facility and genome-wide association study to dissect the genetic architecture of rice tiller development by using the indica subpopulation.
Simulations of higher-order protein assemblies using a fuzzy framework
Authors: Tüű-Szabó B. , Kóczy L. , Fuxreiter M.
Published: January 2018

Spatiotemporal regulation of the biochemical information is often linked to supramolecular organizations proteins and nucleic acids, which generate membraneless cellular organelles. Owing to difficulties in high-resolution structural studies, the driving forces of assembling these low-complexity polymers have yet to be elucidated. Polymer physics approaches captured the experimentally demonstrated critical role of binding element multivalency and highlighted the importance of linker solvation. Here we present a simulation method based on a fuzzy mathematical framework. This approach is suitable to handle the heterogeneity of interactions pattern generated by redundant binding motifs and the resulted multiplicity of conformational states. Using a hypothetical polymer, fuzzy simulations recapitulate the experimental observations on valency-dependence and are more efficient than the one-to-one binding model. Systematic studies on binding element affinity and linker dynamics demonstrate that these two factors present alternative scenarios to promote polymerization: stronger binding result in more ordered states, whereas increasing dynamics contributes to heterogeneity and a more favorable entropy of the assembly. We propose that the fuzzy framework could be employed to characterize/predict mutations leading to pathological aggregates.
Systems pathology analysis identifies neurodegenerative nature of age-related retinal diseases
Authors: Öhman Tiina , Tamene Fitsum , Göös Helka , Loukovaara Sirpa , Varjosalo Markku
Published: January 2018

Aging is a phenomenon associated with profound medical implications. Idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iEMR) and macular hole (MH) are the major vision-threatening vitreoretinal diseases affecting millions of aging people globally, making these conditions an important public health issue. The iERM is characterized by fibrous tissue developing on the surface of the macula, leading to biomechanical and biochemical macular damage. MH is a small breakage in the macula associated with many ocular conditions. Although several individual factors and pathways are suggested, a systems pathology level understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders is lacking. Therefore, we performed mass spectrometry based label-free quantitative proteomics analysis of the vitreous proteomes from patients with iERM (n=26) and MH (n=21) to identify the key proteins as well as the multiple interconnected biochemical pathways contributing to the development of these diseases. We identified a total of 1014 unique proteins, of which many were linked to inflammation and complement cascade, revealing the inflammational processes in retinal diseases. Additionally, we detected a profound difference in proteomes of the iEMR and MH compared to the non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. A large number of neuronal proteins were present at higher levels in iERM and MH vitreous, including neuronal adhesion molecules, nervous system development proteins and signalling molecules. This points toward the important role of neurodegeneration component in the pathogenesis of age-related vitreoretinal diseases. Despite of marked similarities, several unique vitreous proteins were identified in both iERM and MH conditions, providing a candidate targets for diagnostic and new therapeutic approaches. Identification of previously reported and novel proteins in human vitreous humor from patient with iERM and MH provide renewed understanding of the pathogenesis of age-related vitreoretinal diseases.
Evolution of sexually-transferred steroids inAnophelesmosquitoes
Authors: Pondeville Emilie , Puchot Nicolas , Lang Michael , Cherrier Floriane , Schaffner Francis , Dauphin-Villemant Chantal , Bischoff Emmanuel , Bourgouin Catherine
Published: January 2018

Human malaria, which remains a major public health problem, is transmitted by a subset ofAnophelesmosquitoes belonging to only three out of eight subgenera:Anopheles, CelliaandNyssorhynchus. Unlike almost every other insect species, it was shown that males of someAnophelesspecies produce and transfer steroid hormones to females during copulation and that this transfer mediates reproductive changes. Steroids are consequently seen as a potential target for malaria vector control. Here, we analysed the evolution of sexually-transferred steroids and their effects on female reproductive traits acrossAnophelesby using a set of 16 mosquito species (5Anopheles, 8Cellia, and 3Nyssorhynchus), including malaria vector and non-vector species. We show that male steroid production and transfer are specific to theCelliasubgenus and that there is no correlation between mating-induced effects in females and sexually-transferred steroids. In the light of our results, male steroid production, transfer and post-mating effects in females do not correlate with their ability to transmit human malaria, which overturns the suggestion from previous studies and suggests that manipulation of steroid-response pathways in the field should be considered with caution in order to benefit malaria vector control strategies.
FANCM-family branchpoint translocases remove co-transcriptional R-loops
Authors: Hodson Charlotte , O’Rourke Julienne J , Twest Sylvie van , Murphy Vincent J , Dunn Elyse , Deans Andrew J
Published: January 2018

Co-transcriptional R-loops arise from physiological or aberrant stalling of RNA polymerase, leading to formation of stable DNA:RNA hybrids. Unresolved R-loops can promote genome instability. Here, we show that the Fanconi anemia- and breast cancer-associated FANCM protein can directly unwind DNA-RNA hybrids from co-transcriptional R-loopsin vitro. FANCM processively unwinds both short and long R-loops, irrespective of sequence, topology or coating by replication protein A. R-loops can also be unwound in the same assay by the yeast and bacterial orthologs of FANCM, Mph1 and RecG, indicating an evolutionary conserved function. Consistent with this biochemical activity of FANCM, we show that FANCM deficient cells are sensitive to drugs that stabilize R-loop formation.Our work reveals a mechanistic basis for R-loop metabolism that is critical for genome stability.
Quantifying the performance of MEG source reconstruction using resting state data
Authors: Little Simon , Bonaiuto James , Meyer Sofie S , Lopez Jose , Bestmann Sven , Barnes Gareth
Published: January 2018

Resting state networks measured with magnetoencephalography (MEG) form transiently stable spatio-temporal patterns in the subsecond range, and therefore fluctuate more rapidly than previously appreciated. These states populate and interact across the whole brain, are simple to record, and possess the same dynamic structure of task related changes. They therefore provide a generic, heterogeneous, and plentiful functional substrate against which to test different MEG recording and reconstruction approaches. Here we validate a non-invasive method for quantifying the resolution of different inversion assumptions under different recording regimes (with and without head-casts) based on resting state MEG. Spatio-temporally partitioning of data into self-similar periods confirmed a rich and rapidly dynamic temporal structure with a small number of regularly reoccurring states. To test the anatomical precision that could be resolved through these transient states we then inverted these data onto libraries of systematically distorted, subject specific, cortical meshes and compared the quality of the fit using Cross Validation and a Free Energy metric. This revealed which inversion scheme was able to best support the least distorted (most accurate) anatomical models. Both datasets showed an increase in model fit as anatomical models moved towards the true cortical surface. In the head-cast MEG data, the Empirical Bayesian Beamformer (EBB) algorithm showed the best mean anatomical discrimination (3.7 mm) compared with Minimum Norm / LORETA (6.0 mm) and Multiple Sparse priors (9.4 mm). This pattern was replicated in the second (conventional dataset) although with a marginally poorer prediction of the missing (cross-validated) data. Our findings suggest that the abundant resting state data now commonly available could be used to refine and validate MEG source reconstruction methods or recording paradigms.
Influence of learning strategy on response time during complex value-based learning and choice
Authors: Farashahi Shiva , Rowe Katherine , Aslami Zohra , Gobbini M Ida , Soltani Alireza
Published: January 2018

Measurements of response time (RT) have long been used to infer neural processes underlying various cognitive functions such as working memory, attention, and decision making. However, it is currently unknown if RT is also informative about various stages of value-based choice, particularly how reward values are constructed. To investigate these questions, we analyzed the pattern of RT during a set of multi-dimensional learning and decision-making tasks that can prompt subjects to adopt different learning strategies. In our experiments, subjects could use reward feedback to directly learn reward values associated with possible choice options (object-based learning). Alternatively, they could learn reward values of options’ features (e.g. color, shape) and combine these values to estimate reward values for individual options (feature-based learning). We found that RT was slower when the difference between subjects’ estimates of reward probabilities for the two alternative objects on a given trial was smaller. Moreover, RT was overall faster when the preceding trial was rewarded or when the previously selected object was present. These effects, however, were mediated by an interaction between these factors such that subjects were faster when the previously selected object was present rather than absent but only after unrewarded trials. Finally, RT reflected the learning strategy (i.e. object-based or feature-based approach) adopted by the subject on a trial-by-trial basis, indicating an overall faster construction of reward value and/or value comparison during object-based learning. Altogether, these results demonstrate that the pattern of RT can be informative about how reward values are learned and constructed during complex value-based learning and decision making.
Does sleep facilitate the consolidation of allocentric or egocentric representations of implicitly learned visual-motor sequence learning?
Authors: Viczko Jeremy , Sergeeva Valya , Ray Laura B. , Owen Adrian M. , Fogel Stuart M.
Published: January 2018

Sleep facilitates the consolidation (i.e., enhancement) of simple, explicit (i.e., conscious) motor sequence learning (MSL). MSL can be dissociated into egocentric (i.e., motor) or allocentric (i.e., spatial) frames of reference. The consolidation of the allocentric memory representation is sleep-dependent, whereas the egocentric consolidation process is independent of sleep or wake for explicit MSL. However, it remains unclear the extent to which sleep contributes to the consolidation of implicit (i.e., unconscious) MSL, nor is it known what aspects of the memory representation (egocentric, allocentric) are consolidated by sleep. Here, we investigated the extent to which sleep is involved in consolidating implicit MSL, specifically, whether the egocentric or the allocentric cognitive representations of a learned sequence are enhanced by sleep, and whether these changes support the development of explicit sequence knowledge across sleep but not wake. Our results indicate that egocentric and allocentric representations can be behaviorally dissociated for implicit MSL. Neither representation was preferentially enhanced across sleep nor were developments of explicit awareness observed. However, after a 1-wk interval performance enhancement was observed in the egocentric representation. Taken together, these results suggest that like explicit MSL, implicit MSL has dissociable allocentric and egocentric representations, but unlike explicit sequence learning, implicit egocentric and allocentric memory consolidation is independent of sleep, and the time-course of consolidation differs significantly.
Sleep-dependent reductions in reality-monitoring errors arise from more conservative decision criteria
Authors: Westerberg Carmen E. , Hawkins Christopher A. , Rendon Lauren
Published: January 2018

Reality-monitoring errors occur when internally generated thoughts are remembered as external occurrences. We hypothesized that sleep-dependent memory consolidation could reduce them by strengthening connections between items and their contexts during an afternoon nap. Participants viewed words and imagined their referents. Pictures of the referents also accompanied half of the words. After a 2-h break filled with sleep (n = 31) or wakefulness (n = 32), participants indicated if they previously viewed a picture of each word. Nap participants made fewer reality-monitoring errors than wake participants by adopting more stringent response criteria, suggesting that sleep reduces reality-monitoring errors primarily by influencing post-retrieval decision processes.
An analysis of household cooking fuel choice: a case of Bauchi State, Nigeria
Authors: Danlami Abubakar Hamid , Applanaidu Shri Dewi , Islam Rabiul
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The primary purpose of this study is to assess the factors that influence households’ choice of cooking fuel in Bauchi State, Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 750 samples were selected using multistage area cluster sampling, of which 539 responses were analysed. Multinomial logit model was used to estimate the factors that determine a household’s main cooking fuel choice in Bauchi State, Nigeria.

Findings

The result has shown that income, location, price of firewood, hours of electricity supply and home ownership are among the factors that have a significant impact on influencing the type of cooking fuel to be adopted by households.

Research limitations/implications

The study cannot offer any explanation about the influence of time dimension on the pattern of household cooking fuel choice in the study area.

Practical implications

Implementation of policies to increase the income of households, ensuring the availability of clean cooking fuel source and the increase in the price of firewood will encourage households to switch from using firewood to using cleaner fuel sources such as kerosene, electricity and gas.

Originality/value

This study has contributed to the existing literature on household energy choice by conducting a micro-level analysis of households’ cooking fuel choice in Bauchi State where a similar study has not been conducted. The study developed approximately 13 hypotheses (out of which two were found to be irrelevant) and added one new variable to test the impact of the neighbourhood’s source of cooking fuel on households’ cooking fuel choice.
Corporate governance: mapping the change
Authors: Srivastava Varnita , Das Niladri , Pattanayak Jamini Kanta
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the relationship of corporate governance attributes with cost of capital and firm performance. This paper also tries to find some widely discussed corporate governance attributes that hold importance in Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on literature survey of 241 research papers, both conceptual and empirical, which covers literature published over a period of three decades, ranging from 1986 to 2016. The literature includes those papers that studied the relation of corporate governance with cost of capital and firm performance, also it includes those research papers which discuss the evolution and development of corporate governance as a concept.

Findings

This study finds that the idea of corporate governance has shifted from the protection of shareholders’ rights to a firm’s need for survival. There is a dearth of literature studying the relation between corporate governance and cost of capital in India. It is observed that cost of capital is a better measure than Tobin’s q in Indian context.

Research limitations/implications

This paper mainly focuses on themes like cost of capital and firm performance therefore, some other firm-related measures which are also influenced by corporate governance may have been ignored.

Originality/value

This study enhances the literature on corporate governance especially in Indian context. Empirically testing the framework developed in this study will help in identifying the significance of various corporate governance attributes in Indian context.
Study on the Method Used to Display Self‐fading Lines and Erasable Lines
Authors: Li Biao , Ouyang Guoliang , Yao Lijuan
Published: January 2018

Two new kinds of writing tools are popular in China's market. One is a self‐fading pen, and another is an erasable pen. The ink of the two kinds of writing tools has a remarkable characteristic that it can gradually fade or disappear under heat or be rubbed off. How to reveal the disappeared written lines is a very important question for document examiners. In this article, three series of ink line samples were made with five types of self‐fading pens, 18 types of erasable pens, and three types of papers. Temperature, humidity, and lighting are known as influential factors of the process, and the effect of fading was examined. Luminescence, ultraviolet (UV), sidelight, electrostatic indentation development,low temperature, and solution revealing methods are found to be effective methods used to reveal the disappeared written lines. The best operating conditions for each method were obtained from the conducted experiments.
Metric Assessment of the Pubic Bone Using Known and Novel Data Points for Sex Estimation,
Authors: Blake Kathleen A. S. , Hartnett‐McCann Kristen
Published: January 2018

Biological sex estimation of skeletal remains is essential in forensic and archaeological analyses. Anthropologists most often use the pelvis, which is the most sexually dimorphic element both morphologically and metrically. While nonmetric pubic bone features have been studied extensively, few metric studies have examined this individual bone for dimorphism. For this study, three observers examined three previously identified and ten novel measurements of the pubic body on a modern sample of isolated pubic bones from the Maricopa County Forensic Science Center (FSC), in Phoenix, Arizona (n = 400). A relationship between pubic body measurements and biological sex was demonstrated, with significant correlations. Discriminant function analyses found that five measurements, four of which were novel, discriminated between males (89%) and females (86%). Observer experience level did not significantly impact the results. These five measurements were reliable and show promise for inclusion in metric methods for assessment of sex.
Replenishment of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) in Dietary n‐3‐Deficient Mice Fed DHA in Triglycerides or Phosphatidylcholines After Weaning
Authors: Wang Dan‐dan , Wu Fang , Wen Min , Ding Lin , Du Lei , Xue Chang‐hu , Xu Jie , Wang Yu‐ming
Published: January 2018

Previous studies have shown that DHA in triglyceride (TG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) forms are different in their bioavailability. The aim of this study was to investigate the comparative effects of DHA‐TG and DHA‐PC on tissue DHA accretion in dietary n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid deficient (n‐3 Def) mice. The mice were fed with n‐3 Def diet containing DHA‐TG or DHA‐PC (5 g/kg diet) for 2, 4, 7, or 14 d after weaning, respectively. The DHA levels in the cortex, liver, testis, and erythrocytes were analyzed by gas chromatography. For liver, DHA mainly existed in hepatic phospholipids relative to triglycerides. Both DHA‐TG and DHA‐PC could recover the hepatic DHA to a normal level. Interestingly, DHA‐TG was more effective in increasing the DHA level in hepatic triglycerides, and DHA‐PC was more effective in increasing the DHA level in hepatic phospholipids. For erythrocytes, during the first 7 d, no difference was observed after dietary DHA‐TG and DHA‐PC but a significantly higher DHA percentage was detected in the DHA‐PC group after 14 d. For cortex, the DHA‐TG group showed a higher cortical DHA level at the 4th day, but the DHA‐PC group showed a higher cortical DHA level with a greater slope from Day 7 to Day 14, and the same trend was observed in testis. But unexpectedly, the DHA level in testis showed a downtrend from Day 7 to Day 14. This study suggests that, under dietary n‐3‐deficient condition, both DHA‐TG and DHA‐PC could recover the DHA level in tissues after weaning, and DHA‐PC showed a better supplemental effect.

Practical Application

Dietary DHA is essential for neurodevelopment which is usually accompanied by large amounts of DHA accretion in the brain. Our present study showed that DHA‐PC had a better efficiency for DHA accretion in the brain and other tissues compared with DHA‐TG. The findings are supposed to pave the way for the DHA in phospholipids as a novel nutrient added into the infant formula and assisted food for neurodevelopment.
Moderate hypofractionation for prostate cancer: A user's guide
Authors: Pryor David I , Turner Sandra L , Tai Keen Hun , Tang Colin , Sasso Giuseppe , Dreosti Marcus , Woo Henry H , Wilton Lee , Martin Jarad M
Published: January 2018

Three large randomised controlled trials have been published in the last year demonstrating the non‐inferiority of moderate hypofractionation compared to conventional fractionation for localised prostate cancer with respect to both disease control and late toxicity at 5 years. Furthermore, no clinically significant differences in patient‐reported outcomes have emerged. More mature follow‐up data are now also available from phase 2 studies confirming that moderate hypofractionation is associated with low rates of significant toxicity at 10 years. Moving forward it is likely that appropriate patient selection, integration of androgen deprivation and attention to optimising technique will play a more important role than modest differences in dose‐fractionation schedules. Here we briefly review the evidence, discuss issues of patient selection and provide an approach to implementing moderately hypofractionated radiation therapy for prostate cancer in clinical practice.