bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structures of ligand-occupied β-Klotho complexes reveal a molecular mechanism underlying endocrine FGF specificity and activity
Authors: Kuzina Ekaterina S. , Ung Peter Man-Un , Mohanty Jyotidarsini , Tome Francisco , Choi Jungyuen , Pardon Els , Steyaert Jan , Lax Irit , Schlessinger Avner , Schlessinger Joseph , Lee Sangwon
Published: April 2019

The three members of the endocrine fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family designated FGF19, FGF21, and FGF23 mediate their pleiotropic cellular effects by binding to and activating binary complexes composed of an FGF receptor (FGFR) bound to either α-Klotho or β-Klotho receptors. Structural analyses of ligand-occupied Klotho extracellular domains have provided important insights concerning mechanisms underlying the binding specificities of FGF21 and FGF23 to β-Klotho or α-Klotho, respectively. They have also demonstrated that Klotho proteins function as primary high-affinity receptors while FGFRs function as the catalytic subunits that mediate intracellular signaling. Here we describe the crystal structure the C-terminal tail of FGF19 (FGF19
CT
) bound to sKLB and demonstrate that FGF19
CT
and FGF21
CT
bind to the same binding site on sKLB, via a multiturn D-P motif to site 1 and via a S-P-S motif to the pseudoglycoside hydrolase region (site 2). Binding affinities to sKLB and cellular stimulatory activities of FGF19
CT,
FGF21
CT
, and a variety of chimeric mutants to cells expressing β-Klotho together with FGFR1c or FGFR4 were also analyzed. These experiments as well as detailed comparison of the structures of free and ligand-occupied sKLB to the structure of ligand-occupied sKLA reveal a general mechanism for recognition of endocrine FGFs by Klotho proteins and regulatory interactions with FGFRs that control their pleiotropic cellular responses.
Papain-like cysteine proteases prepare plant cyclic peptide precursors for cyclization
Authors: Rehm Fabian B. H. , Jackson Mark A. , De Geyter Ewout , Yap Kuok , Gilding Edward K. , Durek Thomas , Craik David J.
Published: April 2019

Significance

Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides are natural products that hold great promise for a range of medical and biotechnological applications. However, the cost-effective heterologous production of these peptides is hampered by a poor understanding of their biosynthesis. Cyclotides, plant-derived, disulfide-knotted, head-to-tail cyclic peptides, exhibit exceptional stability and great amenability for amino acid substitutions and insertions. Although much effort has been invested toward understanding cyclotide biosynthesis, details of the key proteolytic step before cyclization remained elusive for two decades. We used an activity-guided approach to discover the enzymes involved. Our characterization of these enzymes will enable efficient approaches for heterologous cyclotide production.
Expression profile analysis of microRNAs during hair follicle development in the sheep foetus
Authors: Yang Han-Yu-Lu , Yang Hua , Shi Guo-Qing , Shen Min , Yang Jing–Quan , Yang Yong-Lin , Liu Xiao-Jun
Published: April 2019

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the development and growth cycle of hair follicles (HFs). The molecular mechanism by which miRNAs determine the development of HFs in the sheep foetus remains elusive. In this study, the expression profiles of miRNAs at 11 development periods (45, 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, 115, 125, 135 and 145 d) in sheep foetus skin were analysed by high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. A total of 72 conserved miRNAs, 44 novel miRNAs and 32 known miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed. qRT-PCR results for 18 miRNAs were consistent with the sequencing data. 85 d of foetal development was the starting point for secondary hair follicle (SF) development according to tissue morphology and cluster analysis. In SF development, the prolactin signalling pathway and platelet activation played important roles, and 10 miRNAs were potential candidate miRNAs in SF initiation.
Size and electron density of open-air plasmas diagnosed by optical imaging
Authors: Feng B W , Zhong X X , Zhang Q , Chen Y F , Sheng Z M , Ostrikov Kostya (Ken)
Published: April 2019

A method for accurate measurements of the size and electron density of open-air plasmas by optical imaging is developed. The plasma size is determined by the intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) imaging and is related to the plasma inductance. The plasma density is then derived from the plasma inductance in open air. The electron densities measured by the ICCD imaging agree well with the reliable Stark broadening method, in stark contrast with the commonly used current–voltage I–

method. These shortcomings of the I–

method arise because of its heavy reliance on electron mobility values which are uncertain in complex gas mixtures such as air. This work thus presents a new way of using the ICCD imaging to determine the plasma size and electron density and as such contributes to the development of next-generation plasma diagnostic methods.
Future prospects for elastocaloric devices
Authors: Engelbrecht Kurt
Published: April 2019

Elastocaloric cooling (EC) is an alternative cooling technology that has been identified as having the potential to be more efficient than vapor compression systems. It is based on the elastocaloric effect, which is a change in temperature coupled to an applied uniaxial strain in materials such as NiTi alloys. Although EC is a promising technology for energy savings in the future, there are still challenges to be addressed if it is to be commercially successful. This paper gives a summary of the state of the art and recent developments in the area as well as perspectives on the most important challenges that must be met to make the technology commercial.
The Public’s Perception of Interventions for Migraine Headache Disorders: A
Crowdsourcing Population-Based Study
Authors: Shauly Orr , Gould Daniel J , Patel Ketan M
Published: April 2019

Background

Migraine disorders are a leading cause of morbidity and decreased economic productivity in the United States among both men and women. As such, it is important to consider patient opinions, and have an accurate representation of the burden and sentiment toward currently available interventions among those suffering from migraines.

Objectives

The aim of the study was to assess patient options regarding adverse outcomes of the various treatment options available for migraine headaches.

Methods

A prospective cross-sectional study of volunteers recruited through an internet crowdsourcing service, Amazon Mechanical Turk©, was conducted. Surveys were administered to collect patient-reported opinions regarding adverse outcomes of both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for migraine headaches.

Results

The prevalence of migraine headache across all study participants was 15.6% and varied slightly across participant demographics. Individuals ages 35–44 (2.73 migraines per month) experienced the fewest migraine and with the lowest severity. Those individuals ages 45+ experienced the most severe headaches (Visual Analog Scale = 44.23 mm). Additionally, the greatest migraine frequency and severity existed among those households with yearly income of $75,000–$100,000. The lowest injection therapy utility scores were obtained for adverse outcomes of hematoma (47.60 mm) and vertigo (54.40 mm).

Conclusions

Migraine headaches remains a significant problem among the US population, with an overall prevalence of 15.6% (approximately 50 million Americans). Additionally, physicians interesting in offering minimally invasive or surgical treatment for migraine headaches should focus on mitigating patient fears regarding clinical outcomes and cost of care.
Prenatal exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and high-fat diet synergistically disrupts mouse fetal oogenesis and affects folliculogenesis†
Authors: Mirihagalle Supipi , You Tianming , Suh Lois , Patel Chintan , Gao Liying , Rattan Saniya , Qiao Huanyu
Published: April 2019

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a chemical that is widely used as a plasticizer. Exposure to DEHP has been shown to alter ovarian function in humans. Additionally, foods high in fat content, regularly found in the western diet, have been shown to be another potential disruptor of fetal ovarian function. Due to DEHP’s lipophilicity, high-fat foods can be easily contaminated. Therefore, exposure to DEHP and a high-fat diet are both health concerns, especially in pregnant women, and the effects of these exposures on fetal oocyte quality and quantity should be elucidated. In this study, our goal was to determine if there are synergistic effects of DEHP exposure at an environmentally relevant level (20 μg/kg body weight/day) and high-fat diet on oogenesis and folliculogenesis. Dams were fed with a high-fat diet (45 kcal% fat) or a control diet (10 kcal% fat) 1 week before mating and during pregnancy and lactation. The pregnant mice were dosed with DEHP (20 μg/kg body weight/day) or vehicle control from E10.5 to litter birth. We found that treatment with an environmentally relevant dosage of DEHP and consumption of high-fat diet significantly increases synapsis defects in meiosis and affects folliculogenesis in the F1 generation.
A method for filamentous fungal growth and sample preparation aimed at more consistent MALDI-TOF MS spectra despite variations in growth rates and/or incubation times
Authors: Reeve Michael A , Bachmann Denise
Published: April 2019

Matrix-assisted laser-desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry can be used for the characterization and identification of filamentous fungi, for which it is desirable to have a means of growth in which the resulting spectra remain as consistent as possible over time. To this end, we initially opted for growth in oil-overlaid small-volume liquid culture, using a medium (Czapek Dox) not containing significant amount of proteins or peptides, and with protein extraction from the entire culture volume. For both 3-week and 10-day time courses, however, we observed marked spectral changes over growth time, along with lower peak richness compared to agar-plate controls. Guided by the above, we next employed a more nutrient-rich MALDI-TOF MS-compatible liquid-culture medium, now used without an oil overlay. For a 10-day time course, we again observed marked spectral changes over growth time, along with lower peak richness compared to agar-plate controls. Finally, we opted for a method employing filter-paper-supported growth in the same MALDI-TOF MS-compatible rich medium within sealed 1.5 ml Eppendorf tubes, again with protein extraction from the entire culture volume. Using this final method, while we observed significant spectral changes between 2 days and 3 days, from 3 days to 10 days the spectra remained very consistent, with comparable peak richness to agar-plate controls. This method gave slightly better identifications and lower spectral variance compared to agar-plate controls, and the use of this method for the construction of growth-time-point-specific databases for fungal identification is discussed.
Matched case–control data with a misclassified exposure: what can be done with instrumental variables?
Authors: Manuel Christopher M , Sinha Samiran , Wang Suojin
Published: April 2019

Matched case–control studies are used for finding the association between a disease and an exposure after controlling the effect of important confounding variables. It is a known fact that the disease–exposure association parameter estimators are biased when the exposure is misclassified, and a matched case–control study is of no exception. Any bias correction method relies on validation data that contain the true exposure and the misclassified exposure value, and in turn the validation data help to estimate the misclassification probabilities. The question is what we can do when there are no validation data and no prior knowledge on the misclassification probabilities, but some instrumental variables are observed. To answer this unexplored and unanswered question, we propose two methods of reducing the exposure misclassification bias in the analysis of a matched case–control data when instrumental variables are measured for each subject of the study. The significance of these approaches is that the proposed methods are designed to work without any validation data that often are not available when the true exposure is impossible or too costly to measure. A simulation study explores different types of instrumental variable scenarios and investigates when the proposed methods work, and how much bias can be reduced. For the purpose of illustration, we apply the methods to a nested case–control data sampled from the 1989 US birth registry.
Selection of Oral Antifungals for Initial Maintenance Therapy in Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis: A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Tashiro Masato , Takazono Takahiro , Saijo Tomomi , Yamamoto Kazuko , Imamura Yoshifumi , Miyazaki Taiga , Kakeya Hiroshi , Ando Tsunehiro , Ogawa Kenji , Kishi Kazuma , Tokimatsu Issei , Hayashi Yuta , Fujiuchi Satoru , Yanagihara Katsunori , Miyazaki Yoshitsugu , Ichihara Kiyoshi , Mukae Hiroshi , Kohno Shigeru , Izumikawa Koichi
Published: April 2019

Background

There are limited data for direct comparisons of the efficacy of oral itraconazole (ITCZ) and oral voriconazole (VRCZ) therapy in the treatment of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective, follow-up, observational study of CPA patients enrolled in 2 previous multicenter trials.

Results

Of the 273 CPA patients, 59 and 101 patients started maintenance therapy with oral ITCZ and oral VRCZ, respectively, just after the end of acute intravenous therapy in each trial. At the end of the observation period in this follow-up study (median observation period, 731 days), the percentage of patients who showed improvement was lower in the ITCZ group than in the VRCZ group (18.2% vs 40.0%). However, after including stable patients, the percentages were 50.9% and 52.6%, respectively, in the ITCZ and VRCZ groups, which were not significantly different (P = .652). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed no significant influence of the choice of initial maintenance treatment (ITCZ or VRCZ) on overall mortality as well as CPA-associated mortality. Multivariable logistic regression showed that oral ITCZ selection for initial maintenance therapy was an independent risk factor for hospital readmission and switching to other antifungal agents (odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3–7.5 and OR, 5.7; 95% CI, 2.0–15.7, respectively).

Conclusions

Oral VRCZ for initial maintenance therapy showed better effectiveness than oral ITCZ for clinical improvement in CPA patients. There was no difference in crude mortality between initial maintenance therapy with VRCZ and ITCZ, especially in elderly CPA patients.

Clinical Trials Registration

UMIN000007055
Analysis of perioperative outcome and long-term survival rate of thoracic endovascular aortic repair in uncomplicated type B dissection: single-centre experience with 751 patients
Authors: Gao Hui-Qiang , Xu Shang-Dong , Ren Chang-Wei , Yang Sheng , Liu Chao-Liang , Zhen Jun , Liu Yong-Min , Zhu Jun-Ming , Huang Lian-Jun , Sun Li-Zhong
Published: April 2019

OBJECTIVES

To study the perioperative outcomes and long-term survival rates in patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for uncomplicated type B dissection.

METHODS

A total of 751 patients with uncomplicated type B dissection who underwent TEVAR at our centre between May 2001 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age of all patients (619 males and 132 females) was 52.8 ± 10.9 years. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 170 months (median 70 months).

RESULTS

Five patients died during the perioperative period (mortality rate 0.7%). Four patients (0.5%) developed retrograde type A dissection. Two patients (0.3%) developed paraplegia and 1 patient developed incomplete paralysis (0.1%). There were no postoperative cerebral infarctions. The 5- and 10-year survival rates were 96.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) 95.0–98.0%] and 83.0% (95% CI 77.9–88.4%), respectively. The 5- and 10-year reintervention rates were 4.6% (95% CI 3.0–6.2%) and 7.9% (95% CI 5.3–10.5%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the application of TEVAR for patients with uncomplicated dissection is still under debate, many patients who have undergone TEVAR have benefitted substantially from the treatment. Our data showed that TEVAR had low mortality and complication rates both in the short- and long-term follow-up periods. TEVAR may be considered as a first choice for patients with uncomplicated type B dissection.
The Fine-Scale Landscape of Immunity and Parasitism in a Wild Ungulate Population
Authors: Albery Gregory F , Becker Daniel J , Kenyon Fiona , Nussey Daniel H , Pemberton Josephine M
Published: April 2019

Spatial heterogeneity in susceptibility and exposure to parasites is a common source of confounding variation in disease ecology studies. However, it is not known whether spatial autocorrelation acts on immunity at small scales, within wild animal populations, and whether this predicts spatial patterns in infection. Here we used a well-mixed wild population of individually recognized red deer (Cervus elaphus) inhabiting a heterogeneous landscape to investigate fine-scale spatial patterns of immunity and parasitism. We noninvasively collected 842 fecal samples from 141 females with known ranging behavior over 2 years. We quantified total and helminth-specific mucosal antibodies and counted propagules of three gastrointestinal helminth taxa. These data were analyzed with linear mixed models using the Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation, using a Stochastic Partial Differentiation Equation approach to control for and quantify spatial autocorrelation. We also investigated whether spatial patterns of immunity and parasitism changed seasonally. We discovered substantial spatial heterogeneity in general and helminth-specific antibody levels and parasitism with two helminth taxa, all of which exhibited contrasting seasonal variation in their spatial patterns. Notably, Fasciola hepatica intensity appeared to be strongly influenced by the presence of wet grazing areas, and antibody hotspots did not correlate with distributions of any parasites. Our results suggest that spatial heterogeneity may be an important factor affecting immunity and parasitism in a wide range of study systems. We discuss these findings with regards to the design of sampling regimes and public health interventions, and suggest that disease ecology studies investigate spatial heterogeneity more regularly to enhance their results, even when examining small geographic areas.
Three-dimensional printing, muscles, and skeleton: mechanical functions of living wood
Authors: Thibaut Bernard
Published: April 2019

Wood is well defined as an engineering material. However, living wood in the tree is often regarded only as a passive skeleton consisting of a sophisticated pipe system for the ascent of sap and a tree-like structure made of a complex material to resist external forces. There are two other active key roles of living wood in the field of biomechanics: (i) additive manufacturing of the whole structure by cell division and expansion, and (ii) a ‘muscle’ function of living fibres or tracheids generating forces at the sapwood periphery. The living skeleton representing most of the sapwood is a mere accumulation of dead tracheids and libriform fibres after their programmed cell death. It keeps a record of the two active roles of living wood in its structure, chemical composition, and state of residual stresses. Models and field experiments define four biomechanical traits based on stem geometry and parameters of wood properties resulting from additive manufacturing and force generation. Geometric parameters resulting from primary and secondary growth play the larger role. Passive wood properties are only secondary parameters, while dissymmetric force generation is key for movement, posture control, and tree reshaping after accidents.
Calcium modulates leaf cell-specific phosphorus allocation in Proteaceae from south-western Australia
Authors: Hayes Patrick E , Clode Peta L , Guilherme Pereira Caio , Lambers Hans
Published: April 2019

Over 650 Proteaceae occur in south-western Australia, contributing to the region’s exceptionally high biodiversity. Most Proteaceae occur exclusively on severely nutrient-impoverished, acidic soils (calcifuge), whilst only few also occur on young, calcareous soils (soil-indifferent), higher in calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). The calcifuge habit of Proteaceae is explained by Ca-enhanced P toxicity, putatively linked to the leaf cell-specific allocation of Ca and P. Separation of these elements is essential to avoid the deleterious precipitation of Ca-phosphate. We used quantitative X-ray microanalysis to determine leaf cell-specific nutrient concentrations of two calcifuge and two soil-indifferent Proteaceae grown in hydroponics at a range of Ca and P concentrations. Calcium enhanced the preferential allocation of P to palisade mesophyll (PM) cells under high P conditions, without a significant change in whole leaf [P]. Calcifuges showed a greater PM [P] compared with soil-indifferent species, corresponding to their greater sensitivity. This study advances our mechanistic understanding of Ca-enhanced P toxicity, supporting the proposed model, and demonstrating its role in the calcifuge distribution of Proteaceae. This furthers our understanding of nutrient interactions at the cellular level and highlights its importance to plant functioning.
Metabolic acclimation—a key to enhancing photosynthesis in changing environments?
Authors: Herrmann Helena A , Schwartz Jean-Marc , Johnson Giles N
Published: April 2019

Plants adjust their photosynthetic capacity in response to their environment in a way that optimizes their yield and fitness. There is growing evidence that this acclimation is a response to changes in the leaf metabolome, but the extent to which these are linked and how this is optimized remain poorly understood. Using as an example the metabolic perturbations occurring in response to cold, we define the different stages required for acclimation, discuss the evidence for a metabolic temperature sensor, and suggest further work towards designing climate-smart crops. In particular, we discuss how constraint-based and kinetic metabolic modelling approaches can be used to generate targeted hypotheses about relevant pathways, and argue that a stronger integration of experimental and in silico studies will help us to understand the tightly regulated interplay of carbon partitioning and resource allocation required for photosynthetic acclimation to different environmental conditions.
Changing patterns of household decision-making and the education of rural migrant children: comparing Shenzhen and Mumbai
Authors: Goodburn Charlotte
Published: April 2019

In both China and India, migrant families face difficult decisions about education and livelihoods. In China, migrant children have limited access to urban schools, because of high documentary barriers to enrolment. In India, administrative barriers are fewer, but other structural factors, including households’ need for child labour, restrict opportunities. Although much research globally has explored household negotiations leading to migration, we know little about livelihoods decision-making processes after initial migration. How is decision-making affected by changes in household dynamics as a result of moving to the city? Drawing on over 300 interviews with migrants in Shenzhen and Mumbai from 2007 to 2016, this article compares the ways that Chinese and Indian rural-migrant households negotiate their children’s limited access to education, and demonstrates significant shifts within families after the initial rural–urban movement in both countries. Mothers in particular gain greater roles in developing household strategies, and more attention is paid to the voices of (some, mostly male) children. However, contrary to existing literature on non-migrant populations, increased maternal and child autonomy within the migrant household does not necessarily result in educational gains. Instead, the exercise of agency outside the household remains highly constrained by structural factors including poverty and marginalisation, education policies, and gendered social relations.
Acute Calcific Periarthritis of the Hand: A Case Report in an Active Duty Soldier
Authors: Reifsnyder Jeremy W
Published: April 2019

Acute calcific periarthritis of the hand is a condition that can easily be misdiagnosed resulting in unnecessary diagnostic studies and treatment. The condition is thought to be benign with a self-resolving course. The author presents a case of an active duty 29-year-old male who presented to a military emergency department with severe atraumatic hand pain developing overnight with initial concern for flexor tenosynovitis. Following orthopedic consultation, he was determined to have acute calcific periarthritis of the small finger (metacarpophalangeal) MCP joint with resolution over approximately 3 weeks without recurrence over a 5-month period. This case report reviews the natural history of acute calcific deposits of the hand and its correct identification through clinical exam and plain radiographs to avoid unnecessary diagnostic testing and invasive surgical interventions.
Mass–redshift degeneracy for the gravitational-wave sources in the vicinity of supermassive black holes
Authors: Chen Xian , Li Shuo , Cao Zhoujian
Published: April 2019

Retrieving the mass of a gravitational-wave (GW) source is a fundamental but difficult problem because the mass is degenerate with redshift. In astronomy, three types of redshift exist, namely cosmological, Doppler, and gravitational redshift, but the latter two are normally too weak to affect the observation. In this Letter, we show that the current astrophysical models allow binary black holes (BBHs) to merge within 10 Schwarzschild radii of a supermassive black hole (SMBH). We find that in this case both the Doppler and gravitational redshift are significant, and in the most extreme condition they could increase the ‘apparent’ black-hole mass and distance by a factor of 1.9–3.4. We show that such a factor is consistent with the distribution in the distance-mass diagram of the 10 BBHs detected so far by LIGO/Virgo. We also discuss the difficulties of this redshift scenario caused by the low event rate predicted by the current models, as well the potential solutions.
The EMBL-EBI search and sequence analysis tools APIs in 2019
Authors: Madeira Fábio , Park Young mi , Lee Joon , Buso Nicola , Gur Tamer , Madhusoodanan Nandana , Basutkar Prasad , Tivey Adrian R N , Potter Simon C , Finn Robert D , Lopez Rodrigo
Published: April 2019

The EMBL-EBI provides free access to popular bioinformatics sequence analysis applications as well as to a full-featured text search engine with powerful cross-referencing and data retrieval capabilities. Access to these services is provided via user-friendly web interfaces and via established RESTful and SOAP Web Services APIs (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/seqdb/confluence/display/JDSAT/EMBL-EBI+Web+Services+APIs+-+Data+Retrieval). Both systems have been developed with the same core principles that allow them to integrate an ever-increasing volume of biological data, making them an integral part of many popular data resources provided at the EMBL-EBI. Here, we describe the latest improvements made to the frameworks which enhance the interconnectivity between public EMBL-EBI resources and ultimately enhance biological data discoverability, accessibility, interoperability and reusability.
Lumbosacral Radiculopathy: Inciting Events and Their Association with Epidural Steroid Injection Outcomes
Authors: Engle Alyson Marie , Chen Yian , Marascalchi Bryan , Wilkinson Indy , Abrams Winfred B , He Cathy , Yao Ada Lyn , Adekoya Peju , Cohen Zared Orion , Cohen Steven Paul
Published: April 2019

Objective

Low back pain is the leading cause of worldwide disability, with lumbosacral radiculopathy accounting for over one-third of these cases. There are limited data on the relationship between etiologies and lumbosacral radiculopathy, and it is unknown whether specific causes predict treatment outcomes.

Design, Setting, and Subjects

This study explores patient-reported etiologies for lumbosacral radiculopathy in a chronic pain clinic between January 2007 and December 2015 and examines whether these causes affected epidural steroid injection outcomes.

Methods

We reviewed the medical records of 1,242 patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy who received epidural steroid injections. The recording of an inciting event was done contemporaneously based on note templates. A positive outcome following an epidural steroid injection was defined as ≥30% pain relief sustained for six or more weeks without additional intervention. Factors associated with epidural steroid injection outcome were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Fifty point seven percent reported an inciting event, and 59.9% of patients experienced a positive epidural steroid injection outcome. The most commonly reported causes were falls (13.1%), motor vehicle collisions (10.7%), and lifting (7.8%). Individuals with a herniated disc (56.3%) were more likely to report a precipitating cause than those with stenosis (44.7%) or degenerative discs (47.8%, P = 0.012). An inciting event did not predict treatment outcome. Factors associated with negative treatment outcome included opioid consumption (odds ratio [OR] = 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.39–0.95, P = 0.027), secondary gain (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.50–0.96, P = 0.030), and baseline pain score (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.84–0.97, P = 0.006). The number of levels injected was associated with a positive outcome (OR = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.28–6.47, P = 0.008).

Conclusions

Reported inciting events are common in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy but are not associated with outcome following epidural steroid injection, and their occurrence is not always consistent with the purported mechanism of injury.
URANIUM, THORIUM AND RARE EARTH ELEMENTS DISTRIBUTION IN FUKUSHIMA SOIL SAMPLES
Authors: Kasar S , Sahoo S K , Arae H , Mishra S , Tokonami S , Aono T
Published: April 2019

Uranium, thorium and rare earth elements (REEs) in soil samples contaminated by Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident was determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This information provides knowledge about concentration levels of REEs in soil samples as a background data after FDNPP accident. Chondrite-normalised REEs pattern does not show enrichment in concentrations of REEs, which could be related to FDNPP accident. The high concentration of these elements at few sampling points may be due to soil formation process from granitic rocks.
Are obesity indices derived by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry capable of identifying postmenopausal females with high risk for coronary heart disease?
Authors: Manios George E. , Perisinakis Kostas , Zacharis Evangelos A. , Simantirakis Emmanouel N. , Damilakis John
Published: April 2019

Objective:

The aim of the study was to evaluate the predictive ability of obesity indices derived by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) regarding coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods:

DXA total body scans were performed on 71 consecutive postmenopausal women who were referred for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Twenty-four women with CHD diagnosed by MPI were considered as cases, whereas the remaining 47 women with normal MPI results were considered as controls. Biochemical markers, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were also recorded for all women and correlated to DXA adiposity indices. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the ability of DXA and anthropometrically obtained obesity indices on predicting CHD.

Results:

Participants with CHD were found to have increased fat mass in the trunk (P < 0.01), in the android area (P < 0.01), and in the total body (P < 0.05) in agreement with the anthropometric indices WC (P < 0.01) and BMI (P < 0.05). Strong correlation was observed between BMI and fat mass in total body (R = 0.835), trunk (R = 0.731), and android (R = 0.796) and between WC and fat mass in android (R = 0.713). DXA-derived central fat indices were found to have higher potential for identification of individuals at high risk for CHD than BMI and WC but differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

DXA central fat indices were found to have the power to identify individuals with CHD; however, the superiority of DXA indices over the commonly used anthropometric indices (BMI, WC) in identifying women with CHD did not reach statistical significance.
MORPHOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AT THE ONSET OF EXUDATIVE CONVERSION IN AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
Authors: Hu Xiaofeng , Waldstein Sebastian M. , Klimscha Sophie , Sadeghipour Amir , Bogunovic Hrvoje , Gerendas Bianca S. , Osborne Aaron , Schmidt-Erfurth Ursula
Published: April 2019

Purpose:

To characterize retinal morphology differences among different types of choroidal neovascularization and visual function changes at the onset of exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Methods:

In a post hoc analysis of a prospective clinical study, 1,097 fellow eyes from subjects with choroidal neovascularization in the study eye enrolled in the HARBOR trial were evaluated. The onset of exudation was diagnosed on monthly optical coherence tomography by two masked graders. At conversion as well as 1 month earlier, pigment epithelial detachment, intraretinal cystoid fluid, subretinal fluid, subretinal hyperreflective material, as well as ellipsoid zone and external limiting membrane loss were quantitatively analyzed. Hyperreflective foci, retinal pigment epithelial defects, haze and vitreoretinal interface status were evaluated qualitatively. Main outcome measures included visual acuity and rates of morphologic features at conversion and 1 month earlier.

Results:

New-onset exudation was detected in 92 eyes. One month before conversion, hyperreflective foci, pigment epithelial detachment, retinal pigment epithelial defects, and haze were present in the majority of eyes. At the onset of exudation, the volumes of intraretinal cystoid fluid, subretinal fluid, subretinal hyperreflective material and pigment epithelial detachment, and the areas of external limiting membrane and ellipsoid zone loss significantly increased. The mean vision loss was −2.2 letters. Pathognomonic patterns of the different choroidal neovascularization types were already apparent 1 month before conversion.

Conclusion:

Characteristic choroidal neovascularization–associated morphological changes are preceding disease conversion, while vision loss at the onset of exudation is minimal. Individual lesion types are related to specific changes in optical coherence tomography morphology already before the time of conversion. Our findings may help to elucidate the pathophysiology of neovascular age-related macular degeneration and support the diagnosis of imminent disease conversion.
Self-Management Through Social Support Among Emerging Adults With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Kamp Kendra J. , Luo Zhehui , Holmstrom Amanda , Given Barbara , Wyatt Gwen
Published: April 2019

Background

Emerging adulthood is a unique developmental stage, which may affect individuals’ self-management behaviors, social support, and the relationship between these two constructs. Among older adults, social support has been shown to improve self-management behaviors for individuals with chronic conditions; however, this relationship has not been examined with emerging adults (age 18–29 years) who have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Objectives

The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between two conceptualizations of social support (received and perceived availability of social support) and IBD-related self-management behaviors among emerging adults with IBD.

Methods

A convenience sample of emerging adult IBD individuals (currently prescribed medication to manage IBD) were recruited through ResearchMatch, Facebook, and word of mouth. The study was guided by key elements of the individual and family self-management theory. Participants responded to demographic and condition-specific questionnaires: the Inventory of Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood, the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors, the Medical Outcomes: Social Support Survey, the Medication Adherence Report Scale, and the Dietary Screener Questionnaire.

Results

Emerging adults with high received informational support reported greater medication adherence compared to those with low received informational support when controlling for biological medications, time since diagnosis, symptom frequency, and feeling in-between adolescence and adulthood. Neither type of social support was associated with diet modification.

Discussion

Received informational social support, medication type, time since diagnosis, symptoms, and emerging adulthood factors have the potential to influence medication adherence. Received informational social support interventions, such as patient-to-patient or group-based mentoring, may serve to improve medication adherence among emerging adults with IBD.
Evaluation of New Bone Formation Using Autogenous Tooth Bone Graft Combined with Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Calvarial Defects
Authors: Kizildağ Alper , Taşdemir Ufuk , Arabaci Taner , Özmen Özlem , Kizildağ Canan Aksu , Iyilikci Berrin
Published: April 2019

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the contributions of autogenous tooth bone graft (ATBG) combined with platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) on new bone formation and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 in rabbit calvarial defects. Twelve male New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. Three circular bone defects were prepared in each rabbit with a drill. These defects were divided into 3 groups: control, treated with ATBG, and treated with ATBG+PRF. The animals were sacrificed at 28 days. Samples were evaluated by histomorphometric analyses and total augmented area, new bone area and bone density were calculated. In addition, expression of BMP-2 was determined by immunohistochemical staining. The total augmented area, new bone area and bone density were significantly greater in the ATBG group than in the control group (P <0.05). Also, these values were significantly higher in the ATBG+PRF group than the ATBG group (P <0.05). Test groups demonstrated significantly increased BMP-2 levels compared with the control group (P <0.05). The present study suggested that ATBG combined with PRF significantly increased the new bone formation and enhanced bone healing in cranial defects.
Does Septoplasty Affect Hemoglobin and Erythropoietin Levels in Patients With Nasal Septal Deviation?
Authors: Karataş Mehmet , Olt Serdar
Published: April 2019

Aim:

To investigate the effect of septoplasty in patients with nasal septum deviation (NSD) on erythropoietin (EPO) and hemoglobin (Hgb) levels.

Methods:

Between 2017 December and 2018 May, 47 patients with NSD who underwent septoplasty in Adiyaman University Medical Faculty Department of Otorhinolaryngology included in this prospective study. The changes in EPO and Hgb levels were studied before and 3 months after the surgery.

Results:

The mean age of the patients studied was 30.7 ± 9.9. 31 of the patients were male and 16 were female. Pre- and post-operative 3rd month mean EPO levels of the patients were 11.45 ± 4.9 Mu/mL and 11.39 ± 6.02 Mu/mL, respectively. When these values were analyzed, no statistically significant difference was found (P = .93). Pre- and post-operative 3rd month mean Hgb levels were 14.6 g/dL, and 14.6 g/dL, in turn. When these values were analyzed, no statistically significant difference was found (P = .68).

Conclusion:

According to these results, the author can say there is no statistically significant relationship between NSD and EPO or Hgb. Therefore, this issue will be enlightened with future studies including more patients and objective tests evaluating nasal patency.
How low can you go: Achieving postoperative outpatient pain control without opioids
Authors: Sim Vasiliy , Hawkins Samuel , Gave Asaf A. , Bulanov Alex , Elabbasy Fady , Khoury Leen , Panzo Melissa , Sim Elizabeth , Cohn Stephen
Published: April 2019

BACKGROUND

Postoperative outpatient narcotic overprescription plays a significant role in the opioid epidemic. Outpatient opioid prescription ranges from 150 to 350 oral morphine equivalent (OME) for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy or appendectomy, with 75 OME (10 pills of 5 mg of oxycodone) being the lowest recommendation (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). We hypothesized that the addition of nonopioid medications to the outpatient pain control regimen would decrease the need for narcotics.

METHODS

In this prospective, observational pilot study, we prescribed a 3-day regimen of ibuprofen and acetaminophen to patients after uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomies and appendectomies. An additional opioid prescription for 5 pills of 5 mg of oxycodone (37.5 OME) was written for breakthrough pain. During their postoperative visit, we evaluated patients' adherence to the pain control regime, their postdischarge opioid use, and the adequacy of their pain control.

RESULTS

Sixty-five patients were included in the study (52% male). The majority (80%) of surgeries were performed urgently or emergently. The visual analog scale pain score at home was significantly better than upon discharge (3.7 vs. 5.5, p = 0.001). The average number of oxycodone pills taken postdischarge was 1.8 pills. Half (51%) of the patients did not take any opioids. All but four patients reported that their pain was adequately controlled. No patient required additional opioid prescriptions or visited the emergency department.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that opioids can be eliminated in at least half of the patients and that five pills of 5 mg of oxycodone (37.5 OME) is sufficient for outpatient pain control when a 3-day course of ibuprofen and acetaminophen is prescribed.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic study, level V.
John Thomas Finch. 28 February 1930—5 December 2017
Authors: Crowther R. A. , Holmes K. C.
Published: April 2019

John Finch was a gifted experimentalist who used X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy to elucidate the structures of important biological assemblies, particularly viruses and chromatin. When he started research in the 1950s, little was known about the structure of viruses, and the methods for investigating them were fairly limited. His early work on crystals of viruses was important in establishing their symmetry, and later with the electron microscope he mapped out the molecular structure of many virus coats. His observations on negatively stained preparations demonstrated that images of particles prepared in this way represented projections of fully stained embedded particles, not merely one-sided footprints. This was very relevant to the development of methods for making three-dimensional maps of specimens from electron micrographs. Later, besides further studies of viruses, he worked on many other systems, including chromatin, nucleosomes and tRNA. John was very much a team player and held an important place as the key experimentalist in many influential collaborations, investigating a diverse range of biological specimens.
Endemic plant species are more palatable to introduced herbivores than non-endemics
Authors: Cubas Jonay , Irl Severin D. H. , Villafuerte Rafael , Bello-Rodríguez Víctor , Rodríguez-Luengo Juan Luis , del Arco Marcelino , Martín-Esquivel José Luís , González-Mancebo Juana María
Published: April 2019

Islands harbour a spectacular diversity and unique species composition. This uniqueness is mainly a result of endemic species that have evolved
in situ
in the absence of mammal herbivores. However, island endemism is under severe threat by introduced herbivores. We test the assumption that endemic species are particularly vulnerable to generalist introduced herbivores (European rabbit) using an unprecedented dataset covering an entire island with enormous topographic, climatic and biological diversity (Tenerife, Canary Islands). With increasing endemism, plant species are more heavily browsed by rabbits than non-endemic species with up to 67% of endemics being negatively impacted by browsing, indicating a dramatic lack of adaptation to mammal herbivory in endemics. Ecosystems with high per cent endemism are most heavily browsed, suggesting ecosystem-specific vulnerability to introduced herbivores, even within islands. Protection of global biodiversity caused by disproportionally high endemism on oceanic islands via ecosystem-specific herbivore control and eradication measures is of utmost importance.
Stochastic processes drive rapid genomic divergence during experimental range expansions
Authors: Weiss-Lehman Christopher , Tittes Silas , Kane Nolan C. , Hufbauer Ruth A. , Melbourne Brett A.
Published: April 2019

Range expansions are crucibles for rapid evolution, acting via both selective and neutral mechanisms. While selection on traits such as dispersal and fecundity may increase expansion speed, neutral mechanisms arising from repeated bottlenecks and genetic drift in edge populations (i.e. gene surfing) could slow spread or make it less predictable. Thus, it is necessary to disentangle the effects of selection from neutral mechanisms to robustly predict expansion dynamics. This is difficult to do with expansions in nature, as replicated expansions are required to distinguish selective and neutral processes in the genome. Using replicated microcosms of the red flour beetle (
Tribolium castaneum
), we identify a robust signature of stochastic, neutral mechanisms in genomic changes arising over only eight generations of expansion and assess the role of standing variation and
de novo
mutations in driving these changes. Average genetic diversity was reduced within edge populations, but with substantial among-replicate variability in the changes at specific genomic windows. Such variability in genomic changes is consistent with a large role for stochastic, neutral processes. This increased genomic divergence among populations was mirrored by heightened variation in population size and expansion speed, suggesting that stochastic variation in the genome could increase unpredictability of range expansions.
Slower senescence in a wild insect population in years with a more female-biased sex ratio
Authors: Rodríguez-Muñoz Rolando , Boonekamp Jelle J. , Fisher David , Hopwood Paul , Tregenza Tom
Published: April 2019

Life-history theories of senescence are based on the existence of a trade-off in resource allocation between body maintenance and reproduction. This putative trade-off means that environmental and demographic factors affecting the costs of reproduction should be associated with changes in patterns of senescence. In many species, competition among males is a major component of male reproductive investment, and hence variation in the sex ratio is expected to affect rates of senescence. We test this prediction using nine years of demographic and behavioural data from a wild population of the annual field cricket
Gryllus campestris.
Over these generations, the sex ratio at adulthood varied substantially, from years with an equal number of each sex to years with twice as many females as males. Consistent with the predictions of theory, we found that in years with a greater proportion of females, both sexes experienced a slower increase in mortality rate with age. Additionally, phenotypic senescence in males was slower in years when there were more females. Sex ratio did not affect the baseline mortality rate in males, but females suffered higher age-independent mortality rates when males were in short supply.