bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Completed Suicide Among Methamphetamine Users: A National Study
Authors: Darke Shane , Kaye Sharlene , Duflou Johan , Lappin Julia
Published: February 2018

All Australian cases of methamphetamine‐related suicide (2009–2015) retrieved from the National Coronial Information System were examined to determine crude mortality rates, characteristics and circumstances of death, and blood toxicology. There were 300 cases, 18.2% of all methamphetamine‐related deaths, and 1.6% of all completed suicides. The mean age was 33.1 years, and 77.0% were male. The crude mortality rate was 1.9 per 106, with males having a significantly higher rate than females (2.9 vs. 0.9 per 106). A quarter were known to have previous suicide attempts, and a history of psychosis was noted in 12.3%. In 40.7% of cases, witnesses described the decedent as having been agitated and/or aggressive immediately prior to the incident. The vast majority (85.3%), and of both sexes (males 87.0%, females 79.7%), used violent methods. Hanging (70.3%) was overwhelmingly the most frequent method among both males (70.1%) and females (71.0%). Prescription medications were frequently present: hypnosedatives (23.6%), antidepressants (19.5%), and antipsychotics (8.4%). Self‐poisoning cases were significantly more likely to have antidepressants (odds ratio: 4.2) and opioids (4.9) present, but less likely to have cannabis (0.3). Methamphetamine‐related suicide makes a large contribution to methamphetamine‐related death and represents a substantial clinical and public health problem.
Practicing Gender and Race in Online Activism to Improve Safe Public Space in Sweden
Authors: Coe Anna‐Britt
Published: February 2018

This article aims to locate the social practices of activist groups online and clarify how they collectively practice gender and race. It draws upon a qualitative study of two locale‐oriented groups that sought to improve safe public space in their respective cities in Sweden. Using Grounded Theory method, I observed and analyzed each group's public Facebook site from initiation until decline or maintenance. The findings captured five routine behaviors done by the groups in a tacit manner: responding to a concrete incident, creating meaningful participation, fostering substantive debate, formulating a long‐term vision, and questioning social hierarchies. Working with theories of social, gendered, and racialized practices, I analyze these behaviors as practices available to the activist groups to do, yet open for social change through their performance. Although all five practices were detected among both groups, the two groups performed them differently and this had consequences for their maintenance as well as their ability to challenge gender and racial hierarchies. The analysis makes an important contribution to social movement scholarship by showing how tacit and routine behavior forms the backbone of any collective action and is a crucial site for the (re)construction of social hierarchies.
Bringing the client back in: A comparison between political rationality and the experiences of the unemployed
Authors: Danneris Sophie , Herup Nielsen Mathias
Published: February 2018

Categorizing the job readiness of unemployed clients is a task of the utmost importance for active labor market policies. Scholarly attention on the topic has mostly focused either on questions of political legitimacy or on how categories are practically negotiated in meetings between the welfare system and the client. This article proposes a comparative methodology, in which the political rationality of job readiness is contrasted with findings from a qualitative longitudinal study into the lived experience of recent welfare reforms. A group of 25 vulnerable Danish unemployed welfare claimants were interviewed repeatedly from 2013 to 2015 in the qualitative longitudinal study, and their accounts were compared to the political rationality on job readiness. Our analysis presents four striking areas of discrepancy between political rationality, on the one hand, and the logic of job readiness found in the vast amount of qualitative material, on the other hand. It is concluded that the specific comparative perspective is fruitful because: (i) it critically addresses the gap between the experiences of some unemployed people and the political rationality; and (ii) it adds the perspective of the targeted individuals themselves to the analysis of political categorization, thereby avoiding the well‐known risk of reducing welfare clients to mere manipulable objects.
Psychological stress‐induced cerebrovascular dysfunction: the role of metabolic syndrome and exercise
Authors: Brooks Steven , Brnayan Kayla W. , DeVallance Evan , Skinner Roy , Lemaster Kent , Sheets J. Whitney , Pitzer Christopher R. , Asano Shinichi , Bryner Randall W. , Olfert I. Mark , Frisbee Jefferson C. , Chantler Paul D.
Published: February 2018

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

How does chronic stress impact cerebrovascular function and does metabolic syndrome accelerate the cerebrovascular adaptations to stress? What role does exercise training have in preventing cerebrovascular changes to stress and metabolic syndrome?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Stressful conditions lead to pathological adaptations of the cerebrovasculature via an oxidative nitric oxide pathway, and the presence of metabolic syndrome produces a greater susceptibility to stress‐induced cerebrovascular dysfunction. The results also provide insight into the mechanisms that may contribute to the influence of stress and the role of exercise in preventing the negative actions of stress on cerebrovascular function and structure.

Chronic unresolvable stress leads to the development of depression and cardiovascular disease. There is a high prevalence of depression with the metabolic syndrome (MetS), but to what extent the MetS concurrent with psychological stress affects cerebrovascular function is unknown. We investigated the differential effect of MetS on cerebrovascular structure/function in rats (16–17 weeks old) following 8 weeks of unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) and whether exercise training could limit any cerebrovascular dysfunction. In healthy lean Zucker rats (LZR), UCMS decreased (28%, P < 0.05) ex vivo middle cerebral artery (MCA) endothelium‐dependent dilatation (EDD), but changes in MCA remodelling and stiffness were not evident, though cerebral microvessel density (MVD) decreased (30%, P < 0.05). The presence of UCMS and MetS (obese Zucker rats; OZR) decreased MCA EDD (35%, P < 0.05) and dilatation to sodium nitroprusside (20%, P < 0.05), while MCA stiffness increased and cerebral MVD decreased (31%, P < 0.05), which were linked to reduced nitric oxide and increased oxidative levels. Aerobic exercise prevented UCMS impairments in MCA function and MVD in LZR, and partly restored MCA function, stiffness and MVD in OZR. Our data suggest that the benefits of exercise with UCMS were due to a reduction in oxidative stress and increased production of nitric oxide in the cerebral vessels. In conclusion, UCMS significantly impaired MCA structure and function, but the effects of UCMS were more substantial in OZR vs. LZR. Importantly, aerobic exercise when combined with UCMS prevented the MCA dysfunction through subtle shifts in nitric oxide and oxidative stress in the cerebral microvasculature.
Biphasic voltage‐dependent inactivation of human NaV1.3, 1.6 and 1.7 Na+ channels expressed in rodent insulin‐secreting cells
Authors: Godazgar Mahdieh , Zhang Quan , Chibalina Margarita V. , Rorsman Patrik
Published: February 2018

Key points

Na+ current inactivation is biphasic in insulin‐secreting cells, proceeding with two voltage dependences that are half‐maximal at ∼−100 mV and −60 mV.

Inactivation of voltage‐gated Na+ (NaV) channels occurs at ∼30 mV more negative voltages in insulin‐secreting Ins1 and primary β‐cells than in HEK, CHO or glucagon‐secreting αTC1‐6 cells.

The difference in inactivation between Ins1 and non‐β‐cells persists in the inside‐out patch configuration, discounting an involvement of a diffusible factor.

In Ins1 cells and primary β‐cells, but not in HEK cells, inactivation of a single NaV subtype is biphasic and follows two voltage dependences separated by 30–40 mV.

We propose that NaV channels adopt different inactivation behaviours depending on the local membrane environment.

Pancreatic β‐cells are equipped with voltage‐gated Na+ channels that undergo biphasic voltage‐dependent steady‐state inactivation. A small Na+ current component (10–15%) inactivates over physiological membrane potentials and contributes to action potential firing. However, the major Na+ channel component is completely inactivated at −90 to −80 mV and is therefore inactive in the β‐cell. It has been proposed that the biphasic inactivation reflects the contribution of different NaV α‐subunits. We tested this possibility by expression of TTX‐resistant variants of the NaV subunits found in β‐cells (NaV1.3, NaV1.6 and NaV1.7) in insulin‐secreting Ins1 cells and in non‐β‐cells (including HEK and CHO cells). We found that all NaV subunits inactivated at 20–30 mV more negative membrane potentials in Ins1 cells than in HEK or CHO cells. The more negative inactivation in Ins1 cells does not involve a diffusible intracellular factor because the difference between Ins1 and CHO persisted after excision of the membrane. NaV1.7 inactivated at 15‐­20 mV more negative membrane potentials than NaV1.3 and NaV1.6 in Ins1 cells but this small difference is insufficient to solely explain the biphasic inactivation in Ins1 cells. In Ins1 cells, but never in the other cell types, widely different components of NaV inactivation (separated by 30 mV) were also observed following expression of a single type of NaV α‐subunit. The more positive component exhibited a voltage dependence of inactivation similar to that found in HEK and CHO cells. We propose that biphasic NaV inactivation in insulin‐secreting cells reflects insertion of channels in membrane domains that differ with regard to lipid and/or membrane protein composition.
Different role of TTX‐sensitive voltage‐gated sodium channel (NaV1) subtypes in action potential initiation and conduction in vagal airway nociceptors
Authors: Kollarik M. , Sun H. , Herbstsomer R. A. , Ru F. , Kocmalova M. , Meeker S. N. , Undem B. J.
Published: February 2018

Key points

The action potential initiation in the nerve terminals and its subsequent conduction along the axons of afferent nerves are not necessarily dependent on the same voltage‐gated sodium channel (NaV1) subunits.

The action potential initiation in jugular C‐fibres within airway tissues is not blocked by TTX; nonetheless, conduction of action potentials along the vagal axons of these nerves is often dependent on TTX‐sensitive channels.

This is not the case for nodose airway Aδ‐fibres and C‐fibres, where both action potential initiation and conduction is abolished by TTX or selective NaV1.7 blockers.

The difference between the initiation of action potentials within the airways vs. conduction along the axons should be considered when developing NaV1 blocking drugs for topical application to the respiratory tract.

The action potential (AP) initiation in the nerve terminals and its subsequent AP conduction along the axons do not necessarily depend on the same subtypes of voltage‐gated sodium channels (NaV1s). We evaluated the role of TTX‐sensitive and TTX‐resistant NaV1s in vagal afferent nociceptor nerves derived from jugular and nodose ganglia innervating the respiratory system. Single cell RT‐PCR was performed on vagal afferent neurons retrogradely labelled from the guinea pig trachea. Almost all of the jugular neurons expressed the TTX‐sensitive channel NaV1.7 along with TTX‐resistant NaV1.8 and NaV1.9. Tracheal nodose neurons also expressed NaV1.7 but, less frequently, NaV1.8 and NaV1.9. NaV1.6 were expressed in ∼40% of the jugular and 25% of nodose tracheal neurons. Other NaV1 α subunits were only rarely expressed. Single fibre recordings were made from the vagal nodose and jugular nerve fibres innervating the trachea or lung in the isolated perfused vagally‐innervated preparations that allowed for selective drug delivery to the nerve terminal compartment (AP initiation) or to the desheathed vagus nerve (AP conduction). AP initiation in jugular C‐fibres was unaffected by TTX, although it was inhibited by NaV1.8 blocker (PF‐01247324) and abolished by combination of TTX and PF‐01247324. However, AP conduction in the majority of jugular C‐fibres was abolished by TTX. By contrast, both AP initiation and conduction in nodose nociceptors was abolished by TTX or selective NaV1.7 blockers. Distinction between the effect of a drug with respect to inhibiting AP in the nerve terminals within the airways vs. at conduction sites along the vagus nerve is relevant to therapeutic strategies involving inhaled NaV1 blocking drugs.
Globalización: quimera y religión
Authors: Román Hernández Carlos Eduardo
Published: February 2018

La globalización es una forma económica, política e ideológica que asume la sociedad contemporánea en conjunto. Aquí se analizan estas tres dimensiones de manera crítica, sopesando diversos juicios en torno del fenómeno y buscando evidenciar su sustrato religioso e inhumano. Se busca, por último, indicar algunos referentes alternativos para la construcción de una sociedad más justa.
Analysis of Autonomic Indexes on Drivers' Workload to Assess the Effect of Visual ADAS on User Experience and Driving Performance in Different Driving Conditions
Authors: Ariansyah Dedy , Caruso Giandomenico , Ruscio Daniele , Bordegoni Monica
Published: February 2018

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADASs) allow information provision through visual, auditory, and haptic signals to achieve multidimensional goals of mobility. However, processing information from ADAS requires operating expenses of mental workload that drivers incur from their limited attentional resources. The change in driving condition can modulate drivers' workload and potentially impair drivers' interaction with ADAS. This paper shows how the measure of cardiac activity (heart rate and the indexes of autonomic nervous system (ANS)) could discriminate the influence of different driving conditions on drivers' workload associated with attentional resources engaged while driving with ADAS. Fourteen drivers performed a car-following task with visual ADAS in a simulated driving. Drivers' workload was manipulated in two driving conditions: one in monotonous condition (constant speed) and another in more active condition (variable speed). Results showed that drivers' workload was similarly affected, but the amount of attentional resources allocation was slightly distinct between both conditions. The analysis of main effect of time demonstrated that drivers' workload increased over time without the alterations in autonomic indexes regardless of driving condition. However, the main effect of driving condition produced a higher level of sympathetic activation on variable speed driving compared to driving with constant speed. Variable speed driving requires more adjustment of steering wheel movement (SWM) to maintain lane-keeping performance, which led to higher level of task involvement and increased task engagement. The proposed measures appear promising to help designing new adaptive working modalities for ADAS on the account of variation in driving condition.
Pelletization of Refuse-Derived Fuel Fluff to Produce High Quality Feedstock
Authors: Sprenger Charley J. , Tabil Lope G. , Soleimani Majid , Agnew Joy , Harrison Amie
Published: February 2018

Municipal solid waste (MSW) may be a suitable feedstock for thermochemical conversion. Current technologies process the MSW into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) fluff before conversion. Bench- and pilot-scale densification trials were conducted to determine the parameters required to produce a high quality feedstock from the MSW-RDF material in pellet form. The RDF was densified, as well as the biodegradable (paper and wood) fraction of the RDF stream to compare quality of pellets for the two material compositions. A single pelleting trial was conducted to examine the compaction parameters that would produce high quality pellets: sample material, grind size, moisture content, temperature, and pelleting pressure. It was determined that quality pellets, for both materials, were formed at a grind size of 6.35 mm at 16% moisture under pelleting conditions of 90 °C and 4000 N applied load. Pilot-scale pelleting was then completed to emulate industrial pelleting process utilizing the parameters from the single pelleting trials that were deemed to produce quality pellets. All of the samples produced durable pellets (88–94%), with the ash content around 20%. A techno-economic feasibility study determined that 6.35 mm diameter pellets could be produced for an average cost of $38/Mg, although the aggressive process of the size reduction required indicates that it may not be a technically feasible option.
Effect of Biochar Addition and Temperature on Hydrogen Production From the First Phase of Two-Phase Anaerobic Digestion of Carbohydrates Food Waste
Authors: Sunyoto Nimas Mayang Sabrina , Zhu Mingming , Zhang Zhezi , Zhang Dongke
Published: February 2018

This paper reports an experimental study of the effect of biochar addition and temperature on hydrogen production in the first phase of the two-phase anaerobic digestion (TPAD) of carbohydrates food waste. Anaerobic digestion (AD) experiments using white bread representing carbohydrate food wastes were conducted in bench scale 100 ml reactors. The cultures with biochar addition were placed in the reactors and incubated at different temperatures (18, 35, and 52 °C) over a period of 8 days. The biochar addition ratio was varied from 0 to 18.6 g l−1. The daily volumetric hydrogen production was measured, and the cumulative yield (YH) and daily production rate (RH) of hydrogen were calculated. Both biochar addition and temperature affected hydrogen production significantly. YH and maximum RH increased as the biochar addition ratio increased from 0 to 10 g l−1 then decreased as the biochar addition ratio further increased up to 18.6 g l−1. At different temperatures, YH varied significantly, increasing from 846 ± 18 ml l−1 at 18 °C to 1475 ± 53 ml l−1 at 35 °C and dropped to 1149 ± 26 ml l−1 at 52 °C. The maximum RH also peaked at 35 °C, reaching 858 ± 57.1 ml l−1 day−1. The effect of biochar addition was more profound under mesophilic conditions. The results of this study confirmed the beneficial effect of biochar addition in hydrogen production of carbohydrate food waste in the TPAD process.
Incidence-Angle- and Wavelength-Resolved Ray-Tracing Simulations of a Linear Fresnel Collector Using the In-House Software otsun
Authors: Hertel Julian D. , Bonnín-Ripoll Francesc , Martínez-Moll Víctor , Pujol-Nadal Ramón
Published: February 2018

The set of optical models that is implemented in ray-tracing software determines the accuracy of its output. A sensitivity analysis was carried out using a powerful in-house program, which provides a large number of surface reflectance and scattering models and in addition, can also run spectral simulations. A linear Fresnel collector was selected as a test case together with the most accurate data that can be found in the literature for the optical properties of its components. The test results indicate that simulations based on constant values, such as mostly provided by the manufacturer, are generally inaccurate and a spectral simulation is not essential for thermal applications.
The Mechanical Analysis of an All-Glass Solar Evacuated Tube With Spiral Inner Tube for Seawater Desalination
Authors: Kuang Rao , Song Yankun , Li Zijie , Gu Qiuzi
Published: February 2018

Solar desalination is an important way to obtain fresh water. Nowadays, the all-glass evacuated tube with only one open end (blind pipe) is widely used in hot-water system, and the glass-metal evacuated tube is commonly used in solar trough concentrating system in medium temperature area. But both of them have drawbacks for seawater desalination. The former cannot quickly heat seawater to 100 °C, and the latter is expensive and fails to make full use of its high temperature advantage. A new design of a medium-temperature full-glass evacuated tube whose inner tube is wound by a spiral structure is proposed in to achieve a more cost-effective solar trough concentrating system for solar desalination. The sealing stress between inner and outer tube is analyzed and the thermal performance is tested. The results showed that the evacuated tube could withstand temperature of 250 °C, quickly heat seawater, and has good corrosion resistance and can keep a long-term vacuum. Such a tube enables seawater to flow directly without oil heat-exchange system, so it is a more promising solution for seawater desalination.
Short-Term Mechanical Analysis of Polyethylene Pipe Reinforced by Winding Steel Wires Using Steel Wire Spiral Structural Model
Authors: Shi Jun , Shi Jianfeng , Chen Hanxin , He Yibin , Wang Qingjun , Zhang Yue , Li Guangzhong
Published: February 2018

Polyethylene pipe reinforced by winding steel wires (PSP) is a new type of polymer–matrix composite pipe that is widely used in petroleum, chemical engineering, and water supply, etc. PSP is composed of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) core pipe, an outer cover layer (HDPE), and a steel wire skeleton sandwiched in the middle. The steel wire skeleton is formed by crossly winding steel wires integrated with HDPE matrix by cohesive resin. In traditional models, components of PSP are considered linear elastic and the steel wire skeleton is assumed to be an orthotropic composite layer based on classical laminated plate theory. Although satisfactory results can be achieved, traditional models neglect the material nonlinearity of the steel wires and HDPE matrix, which is an important consideration to failure analysis. In this study, a new finite element model was constructed based on the actual steel wire spiral structure of PSP. The steel wires and the HDPE matrix were modeled separately and were represented by solid elements. The steel wires were not in contact with each other, and the interaction between the steel wires and the HDPE matrix was characterized by tie constraint. Experimental result of short-term burst pressure of PSP was used to validate the nonlinear model. The calculation results of the nonlinear model agreed well with the experimental result. The effects of the nonlinear material property of components on the calculation results were investigated, and the short-term mechanical responses of PSP were analyzed through the nonlinear model.
Constraint Assessment for Specimens Tested Under Uniaxial and Biaxial Loading Conditions
Authors: Cao Yupeng , Qian Guian , He Yinbiao , Niffenegger Markus , Chao Yuh J.
Published: February 2018

In structural integrity analysis of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs), a postulated shallow crack is subjected to biaxial far-field stresses. However, the fracture toughness Kc or Jc, which is an important material property for the structural integrity assessment of RPVs, is usually obtained from testing deeply cracked compact tension (C(T)) or single-edged bending (SE(B)) specimens under uniaxial loading. Thus, the fracture toughness data do not reflect the biaxial loading state that cracks in a RPV are subjected to. Cruciform bending specimen was therefore developed to simulate the biaxial stress state. In this paper, a series of finite element (FE) simulations of the cruciform specimens containing different crack geometries and of different material properties are conducted. The crack tip stress fields are analyzed, and the constraint is investigated using the J–A2 theory. The results show that the biaxial effect is material property dependent which could be useful for the optimization of the test method and the better design of cruciform specimens. The trends about the biaxial loading effect revealed in this study would also be helpful in estimating the safe operating life of RPVs.
Microenvironmental regulation of the IL-23R/IL-23 axis overrides chronic lymphocytic leukemia indolence
Authors: Cutrona Giovanna , Tripodo Claudio , Matis Serena , Recchia Anna Grazia , Massucco Carlotta , Fabbi Marina , Colombo Monica , Emionite Laura , Sangaletti Sabina , Gulino Alessandro , Reverberi Daniele , Massara Rosanna , Boccardo Simona , de Totero Daniela , Salvi Sandra , Cilli Michele , Pellicanò Mariavaleria , Manzoni Martina , Fabris Sonia , Airoldi Irma , Valdora Francesca , Ferrini Silvano , Gentile Massimo , Vigna Ernesto , Bossio Sabrina , De Stefano Laura , Palummo Angela , Iaquinta Giovanni , Cardillo Martina , Zupo Simonetta , Cerruti Giannamaria , Ibatici Adalberto , Neri Antonino , Fais Franco , Ferrarini Manlio , Morabito Fortunato
Published: February 2018

An autocrine/paracrine loop involving IL-23 and the IL-23R complex drives CLL cell expansion and represents a potential therapeutic target.
pSTM6-275, a Conjugative IncHI2 Plasmid of Salmonella enterica That Confers Antibiotic and Heavy-Metal Resistance under Changing Physiological Conditions
Authors: Billman-Jacobe Helen , Liu Yuhong , Haites Ruth , Weaver Tom , Robinson Lily , Marenda Marc , Dyall-Smith Mike
Published: February 2018

Detailed annotation of an IncHI2 plasmid, pSTM6-275, from
Salmonella enterica
serotype 1,4,5,12:i:- strain TW-Stm6 revealed a composite structure, including antimicrobial resistance genes on mobile genetic elements. The plasmid was thermosensitive for transfer to
Escherichia coli
and conferred reduced susceptibility to antibiotics, copper sulfate, and silver nitrate. Metal ion susceptibility was dependent on physiological conditions, giving an insight into the environments where this trait might confer a fitness advantage.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Rice hoja blanca tenuivirus
Isolated from a Susceptible Rice Cultivar in Colombia
Authors: Jimenez Jenyfer , Carvajal-Yepes Monica , Leiva Ana Maria , Cruz Maribel , Romero Luz Elena , Bolaños Carmen A. , Lozano Ivan , Cuellar Wilmer J.
Published: February 2018

We describe here the complete genome of
Rice hoja blanca tenuivirus
. The sequenced isolate was obtained by insect vector transmission from a symptomatic rice sample grown in Colombia. Sequence data from the four RNA components were obtained by deep sequencing (Illumina), and infections were confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Sanger sequencing.
Antibiotics with Interleukin-15 Inhibition Reduce Joint Inflammation and Bone Erosions but Not Cartilage Destruction in Staphylococcus aureus-Induced Arthritis
Authors: Bergmann Berglind , Jirholt Pernilla , Henning Petra , Lindholm Catharina , Ohlsson Claes , McInnes Iain B. , Lerner Ulf H. , Gjertsson Inger
Published: February 2018

Staphylococcus aureus-induced arthritis causes rapid joint destruction, often leading to disabling joint damage despite antibiotics. We have previously shown that interleukin-15 (IL-15) inhibition without antibiotics is beneficial inS. aureus-induced arthritis. We therefore hypothesized that the inhibition of IL-15, in combination with antibiotics, might represent a useful therapy that would reduce inflammation and joint destruction but preserve the host's ability to clear the infection. Female wild-type C57BL/6 mice were intravenously inoculated with the toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1)-producing LS-1 strain ofS. aureuswith 0.8 × 108CFUS. aureusLS-1/mouse. Three days later, treatment consisting of cloxacillin, followed by flucloxacillin, together with either anti-IL-15 antibodies (aIL-15ab) or control antibodies, was started. Studied outcomes included survival, weight change, bacterial clearance, and joint damage. The addition of aIL-15ab to antibiotics inS. aureus-induced arthritis reduced synovitis and bone erosions compared to controls. The number of bone-resorbing osteoclasts in the joints was reduced, whereas cartilage destruction was not significantly altered. Importantly, the combination therapy did not adversely affect the clinical outcome ofS. aureus-induced arthritis, such as survival or weight change, or compromise the host's ability to clear the infection. Since the clinical outcome ofS. aureus-induced arthritis was not affected, the addition of aIL-15ab to antibiotics ought to be safe. Taken together, the combination of aIL-15ab and antibiotics is a beneficial, but not optimal, treatment ofS. aureus-induced arthritis since it reduces synovitis and bone erosions but has a limited effect on cartilage destruction.
Transcriptional Landscape and Regulatory Roles of Small Noncoding RNAs in the Oxidative Stress Response of the Haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii
Authors: Gelsinger Diego Rivera , DiRuggiero Jocelyne
Published: February 2018

Haloarchaea in their natural environment are exposed to hypersalinity, intense solar radiation, and desiccation, all of which generate high levels of oxidative stress. Previous work has shown that haloarchaea are an order of magnitude more resistant to oxidative stress than most mesophilic organisms. Despite this resistance, the pathways haloarchaea use to respond to oxidative stress damage are similar to those of nonresistant organisms, suggesting that regulatory processes might be key to their robustness. Recently, small regulatory noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) were discovered in
Archaea
under a variety of environmental conditions. We report here the transcriptional landscape and functional roles of sRNAs in the regulation of the oxidative stress response of the model haloarchaeon
Haloferax volcanii
. Thousands of sRNAs, both intergenic and antisense, were discovered using strand-specific sRNA sequencing (sRNA-seq), comprising 25 to 30% of the total transcriptome under no-challenge and oxidative stress conditions, respectively. We identified hundreds of differentially expressed sRNAs in response to hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in
H. volcanii
. The targets of a group of antisense sRNAs decreased in expression when these sRNAs were upregulated, suggesting that sRNAs are potentially playing a negative regulatory role on mRNA targets at the transcript level. Target enrichment of these antisense sRNAs included mRNAs involved in transposon mobility, chemotaxis signaling, peptidase activity, and transcription factors.

IMPORTANCE
While a substantial body of experimental work has been done to uncover the functions of small regulatory noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) in gene regulation in
Bacteria
and
Eukarya
, the functional roles of sRNAs in
Archaea
are still poorly understood. This study is the first to establish the regulatory effects of sRNAs on mRNAs during the oxidative stress response in the haloarchaeon
Haloferax volcanii
. Our work demonstrates that common principles for the response to a major cellular stress exist across the 3 domains of life while uncovering pathways that might be specific to the
Archaea
. This work also underscores the relevance of sRNAs in adaptation to extreme environmental conditions.
Accuracy of High-Throughput Nanofluidic PCR-Based Pneumococcal Serotyping and Quantification Assays Using Sputum Samples for Diagnosing Vaccine Serotype Pneumococcal Pneumonia: Analyses by Composite Diagnostic Standards and Bayesian Latent Class Models
Authors: Kakiuchi Satoshi , Suzuki Motoi , Dhoubhadel Bhim Gopal , Furumoto Akitsugu , Ito Hiroyuki , Matsuki Kei , Tsuchihashi Yoshiko , Asoh Norichika , Yasunami Michio , Ariyoshi Koya , Morimoto Konosuke
Published: February 2018

The lack of reliable diagnostic tests for detecting vaccine serotype pneumococcal pneumonia (VTPP) remains a challenging issue in pneumococcal vaccine studies. This study assessed the performances of high-throughput nanofluidic PCR-based pneumococcal serotyping and quantification assay methods using sputum samples (the nanofluidic sputum quantitative PCR [Sp-qPCR] assay) to diagnose 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate VTPP compared with the performance of the serotype-specific urinary antigen detection (UAD) assay using urine samples. Adult pneumonia patients from Japan were enrolled in this study between September 2012 and August 2014. Sputum samples were subjected to the nanofluidic Sp-qPCR assay, quantitatively cultured, and serotyped by the Quellung reaction (SpQt). Urine samples were tested by the UAD method. The diagnostic performances of these tests were assessed using composite reference standards and Bayesian latent class models (BLCMs). Among 244 total patients, 27 (11.1%) tested positive with the UAD assay, while 16 (6.6%) and 34 (13.9%) tested positive with the SpQt and nanofluidic Sp-qPCR assays, respectively, with a cutoff value of ≥10
4
DNA copies/ml, which showed the maximum value of the Youden index. Using BLCMs, the estimated prevalence for VTPP was 12.9%, and the nanofluidic Sp-qPCR assay demonstrated the best performance (sensitivity, 90.2%; specificity, 96.9%), followed by UAD (sensitivity, 75.6%; specificity, 97.9%) and SpQt (sensitivity, 45.8%; specificity, 99.5%). However, when a higher cutoff value of ≥10
7
DNA copies/ml was applied, the performance of UAD became comparable to that of Sp-qPCR. The vaccine serotype-specific pneumococcal DNA load in sputum among UAD-positive patients was 3 logs higher than that among UAD-negative patients (
P
= 0.036). The nanofluidic Sp-qPCR assay may be accurate and useful for detecting VTPP among adults.
Number of incident cases of the main eye diseases of ageing in the UK Biobank cohort, projected over a 25-year period from time of recruitment
Authors: Desai Parul , Minassian Darwin C , Reidy Angela , Allen Naomi , Sudlow Cathie
Published: February 2018

Objectives

To estimate the number of new cases of age-related macular degeneration, cataract and glaucoma accruing in the UK Biobank cohort, over a period of 25 years from time of recruitment. Our secondary objective was to assess the statistical power of nested case–control studies of these eye diseases. We aimed to provide quantitative information relevant to UK Biobank’s eye disease case ascertainment efforts and to the potential for UK Biobank-based research into the causes of eye disease.

Methods

We constructed a Markov discrete-time state transition model to simulate the population dynamics of the eye disorders within the UK Biobank cohort, using prevalence data from population-based epidemiological studies to derive incidence, and Office for National Statistics data on mortality and migration overseas.

Results

By 2023, >900 new cases of each of ‘wet’ (neovascular) and ‘dry’ age-related macular degeneration, >1200 cases of primary open angle glaucoma and almost 15 000 cases of cataracts are expected to have accrued in the subcohort of 68 500 participants who had ocular assessment at baseline, with around seven times as many cases of each disease in the whole cohort of 500 000 participants. These predicted incident case numbers generate good or substantial statistical power for a range of nested case–control studies of potential genetic, lifestyle and environmental determinants of disease.

Conclusions

Over the next few years, UK Biobank is expected to generate sufficient numbers of new cases for statistically well-powered studies of the determinants of the major causes of sight loss: age-related macular degeneration, vision-impairing cataract and glaucoma.
Type 2 choroidal neovascularisation in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: a retrospective case series
Authors: Liang Shuting , Shi Xuan , Rosenfeld Philip J , Li Xiaoxin
Published: February 2018

Background and objective

To demonstrate the coexistence of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) with type 2 neovascularisation (NV), we used multimodal imaging, including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD-OCTA), to identify both types of lesions in the same eye.

Study design

This retrospective case series reviewed patients with PCV diagnosed with indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), fluorescein angiography (FA), SD-OCT and SD-OCTA.

Results

15 eyes of 14 patients were imaged and diagnosed with PCV by ICGA. ICGA identified polyps in all these eyes, while SD-OCTA imaging identified polypoidal lesions in only 11 (73%) of these eyes with PCV. Branching vascular networks (BVNs) were detected in 12 eyes (80%) by ICGA and SD-OCTA. Type 2 NV was detected in four eyes (27%) by FA and SD-OCTA. In these eyes, a combination of polyps, BVNs and type 2 NV were detected using FA, ICGA and SD-OCTA.

Conclusion

BVN and type 2 NV can coexist in the same PCV eye and communicate with each other. This suggests that polyps may represent a structural variant of neovascular tissue rather than a distinct pathogenic process in NV.
Statistical approaches in published ophthalmic clinical science papers: a comparison to statistical practice two decades ago
Authors: Zhang Harrison G , Ying Gui-shuang
Published: February 2018

The aim of this study is to evaluate the current practice of statistical analysis of eye data in clinical science papers published in British Journal of Ophthalmology (BJO) and to determine whether the practice of statistical analysis has improved in the past two decades. All clinical science papers (n=125) published in BJO in January–June 2017 were reviewed for their statistical analysis approaches for analysing primary ocular measure. We compared our findings to the results from a previous paper that reviewed BJO papers in 1995. Of 112 papers eligible for analysis, half of the studies analysed the data at an individual level because of the nature of observation, 16 (14%) studies analysed data from one eye only, 36 (32%) studies analysed data from both eyes at ocular level, one study (1%) analysed the overall summary of ocular finding per individual and three (3%) studies used the paired comparison. Among studies with data available from both eyes, 50 (89%) of 56 papers in 2017 did not analyse data from both eyes or ignored the intereye correlation, as compared with in 60 (90%) of 67 papers in 1995 (P=0.96). Among studies that analysed data from both eyes at an ocular level, 33 (92%) of 36 studies completely ignored the intereye correlation in 2017, as compared with in 16 (89%) of 18 studies in 1995 (P=0.40). A majority of studies did not analyse the data properly when data from both eyes were available. The practice of statistical analysis did not improve in the past two decades. Collaborative efforts should be made in the vision research community to improve the practice of statistical analysis for ocular data.
Overestimation of hyperopia with autorefraction compared with retinoscopy under cycloplegia in school-age children
Authors: Hashemi Hassan , Khabazkhoob Mehdi , Asharlous Amir , Yekta Abbasali , Emamian Mohammad Hassan , Fotouhi Akbar
Published: February 2018

Aim

To compare sphere and cylinder refraction values using retinoscopy and autorefraction under cycloplegic conditions in children.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was carried out using multistage cluster sampling. The target population was children aged 6–12 years in Shahroud, a northern city in Iran. Examinations included measurements of visual acuity, subjective refraction and objective refraction. Objective refraction was measured with and without cycloplegia with a retinoscope and an autorefractometer.

Results

After applying the exclusion criteria, data from 5053 children were analysed. Spherical refraction results with autorefraction were significantly higher than results with retinoscopy (P<0.001). Refraction overestimation was significant in all age groups (P<0.0001). Comparison of differences in different spherical ametropia subgroups also showed a significant intermethod difference in all refractive states (P<0. 01). Overall, autorefraction tended to over plus hyperopics and under minus myopic cases compared with retinoscopy. The 95% limits of agreement for spherical values measured with the two techniques were −0.35 Diopter (D) to 0.50 D. The values of J0and J45vectors with autorefraction were significantly higher than those with retinoscopy (P<0.001). The 95% limits of agreement between the two methods for vectors J0and J45were −0.12 D to 0.15 D and −0.10 D to 0.11 D, respectively.

Conclusion

Since the observed differences in spherical refraction and the cylindrical components obtained through retinoscopy and autorefraction are statistically significant, but clinically insignificant, and the two methods have a strong correlation and agreement, it can be concluded that autorefraction can be a suitable substitute for retinoscopy in children under cycloplegic conditions.
Meta-analysis of self-reported health symptoms in 1990–1991 Gulf War and Gulf War-era veterans
Authors: Maule Alexis L , Janulewicz Patricia A , Sullivan Kimberly A , Krengel Maxine H , Yee Megan K , McClean Michael , White Roberta F
Published: February 2018

Objectives

Across diverse groups of Gulf War (GW) veterans, reports of musculoskeletal pain, cognitive dysfunction, unexplained fatigue, chronic diarrhoea, rashes and respiratory problems are common. GW illness is a condition resulting from GW service in veterans who report a combination of these symptoms. This study integrated the GW literature using meta-analytical methods to characterise the most frequently reported symptoms occurring among veterans who deployed to the 1990–1991 GW and to better understand the magnitude of ill health among GW-deployed veterans compared with non-deployed GW-era veterans.

Design

Meta-analysis.

Methods

Literature databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies published from January 1990 to May 2017 reporting health symptom frequencies in GW-deployed veterans and GW-era control veterans. Self-reported health symptom data were extracted from 21 published studies. A binomial-normal meta-analytical model was used to determine pooled prevalence of individual symptoms in GW-deployed veterans and GW-era control veterans and to calculate combined ORs of health symptoms comparing GW-deployed veterans and GW-era control veterans.

Results

GW-deployed veterans had higher odds of reporting all 56 analysed symptoms compared with GW-era controls. Odds of reporting irritability (OR 3.21, 95% CI 2.28 to 4.52), feeling detached (OR 3.59, 95% CI 1.83 to 7.03), muscle weakness (OR 3.19, 95% CI 2.73 to 3.74), diarrhoea (OR 3.24, 95% CI 2.51 to 4.17) and rash (OR 3.18, 95% CI 2.47 to 4.09) were more than three times higher among GW-deployed veterans compared with GW-era controls.

Conclusions

The higher odds of reporting mood-cognition, fatigue, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal and dermatological symptoms among GW-deployed veterans compared with GW-era controls indicates these symptoms are important when assessing GW veteran health status.
Interprofessional Teamwork Innovation Model (ITIM) to promote communication and patient-centred, coordinated care
Authors: Li Jing , Talari Preetham , Kelly Andrew , Latham Barbara , Dotson Sherri , Manning Kim , Thornsberry Lisa , Swartz Colleen , Williams Mark V
Published: February 2018

Background

Despite recommendations and the need to accelerate redesign of delivery models to be team-based and patient-centred, professional silos and cultural and structural barriers that inhibit working together and communicating effectively still predominate in the hospital setting. Aiming to improve team-based rounding, we developed, implemented and evaluated the Interprofessional Teamwork Innovation Model (ITIM).

Methods

This quality improvement (QI) study was conducted at an academic medical centre. We followed the system’s QI framework, FOCUS-PDSA, with Lean as guiding principles. Primary outcomes included 30-day all-cause same-hospital readmissions and 30-day emergency department (ED) visits. The intervention group consisted of patients receiving care on two hospitalist ITIM teams, and patients receiving care from other hospitalist teams were matched with a control group. Outcomes were assessed using difference-in-difference analysis.

Results

Team members reported enhanced communication and overall time savings. In multivariate modelling, patients discharged from hospitalist teams using the ITIM approach were associated with reduced 30-day same-hospital readmissions with an estimated point OR of 0.56 (95% CI 0.34 to 0.92), but there was no impact on 30-day same-hospital ED visits. Difference-in-difference analysis showed that ITIM was not associated with changes in average total direct costs nor average cost per patient day, after adjusting for all other covariates in the models, despite the addition of staff resources in the ITIM model.

Conclusion

The ITIM approach facilitates a collaborative environment in which patients and their family caregivers, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, case managers and others work and share in the process of care.
Ambulatory blood pressure and long-term risk for atrial fibrillation
Authors: Tikhonoff Valérie , Kuznetsova Tatiana , Thijs Lutgarde , Cauwenberghs Nicholas , Stolarz-Skrzypek Katarzyna , Seidlerová Jitka , Malyutina Sofia , Gilis-Malinowska Natasza , Swierblewska Ewa , Kawecka-Jaszcz Kalina , Filipovský Jan , Narkiewicz Krzysztof , Lip Gregory Y H , Casiglia Edoardo , Staessen Jan A
Published: February 2018

Objective

Data on the contribution of ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) components to the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) are limited. We prospectively tested the hypothesis that ABP may represent a potentially modifiable risk factor for the development of AF in a European population study.

Methods

We recorded daytime blood pressure (BP) in 3956 subjects randomly recruited from the general population in five European countries. Of these participants, 2776 (70.2%) underwent complete 24-hour ABP monitoring. Median follow-up was 14 years. We defined daytime systolic BP load as the percentage BP readings above 135 mm Hg. The incidence of AF was assessed from ECGs obtained at baseline and follow-up and from records held by general practitioners and/or hospitals.

Results

Overall, during 58 810 person-years of follow-up, 143 participants experienced new-onset AF. In adjusted Cox models, each SD increase in baseline 24 hours, daytime and night-time systolic BP was associated with a 27% (P=0.0056), 22% (P=0.023) and 20% (P=0.029) increase in the risk for incident AF, respectively. Conventional systolic BP was borderline associated with the risk of AF (18%; P=0.06). As compared with the average population risk, participants in the lower quartile of daytime systolic BP load (<3%) had a 51% (P=0.0038) lower hazard for incident AF, whereas in the upper quartile (>38%), the risk was 46% higher (P=0.0094).

Conclusions

Systolic ABP is a significant predictor of incident AF in a population-based cohort. We also observed that participants with a daytime systolic BP load >38% had significantly increased risk of incident AF.