bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Comparison of Etomidate and Propofol Anesthesia in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ye Limin , Xiao Xiangyang , Zhu Liyi
Published: January 2017

Introduction:

Etomidate and propofol played an important role in the sedation of patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare their efficacy and safety.

Materials and Methods:

PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases were systematically searched. Randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of etomidate versus propofol for the anesthesia of patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy were included. Two investigators independently searched articles, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. The primary outcomes were anesthesia duration and recovery time. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effect model.

Results:

Six randomized controlled trials involving 1115 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with propofol, etomidate resulted in comparable anesthesia duration [standard mean difference (Std. MD)=−0.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), −0.16 to 0.10; P=0.66], recovery time (Std. MD=0.25; 95% CI, −0.42 to 0.92; P=0.47), mean arterial pressure at intubation (Std. MD=0.44; 95% CI, −0.26 to 1.15; P=0.21), heart pulse at intubation (Std. MD=0.93; 95% CI, −0.69 to 2.55; P=0.26), SPO2 at intubation (Std. MD=−0.52; 95% CI, −1.04 to 0.01; P=0.05), patient satisfaction [odds risk (OR)=0.42; 95% CI, 0.11-1.66; P=0.22], hypotension (OR=0.14; 95% CI, 0.02-1.22; P=0.07), changes of heart rate (OR=0.97; 95% CI, 0.61-1.53; P=0.88), nausea-vomiting (OR=2.02; 95% CI, 0.73-5.57; P=0.17), and the reduction in apnea or hyoxemia (OR=0.39; 95% CI, 0.24-0.64; P=0.0002), and injection pain (OR=0.03; 95% CI, 0.01-0.08; P<0.00001), but the increase in myoclonus (OR=8.54; 95% CI, 3.14-23.20; P<0.0001).

Conclusions:

Between etomidate and propofol, no significant difference was revealed regarding anesthesia duration, recovery time, mean arterial pressure at intubation, heart pulse at intubation, SPO2 at intubation, patient satisfaction, hypotension, changes of heart rate and nausea-vomiting. Compared with propofol, etomidate showed reduced apnea or hyoxemia, and injection pain, but with an increased myoclonus.
Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on the Cognitive Control of Emotion
Authors: Lantrip Crystal , Gunning Faith M. , Flashman Laura , Roth Robert M. , Holtzheimer Paul E.
Published: January 2017

Depression negatively impacts quality of life and is associated with high mortality rates. Recent research has demonstrated that improvement in depression symptoms with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) may involve changes in the cognitive control network, a regulatory system modulating the function of cognitive and emotional systems, composed of the DLPFC, dorsal anterior cingulate, and posterior parietal cortices. Transcranial magnetic stimulation to the DLPFC node of the cognitive control network may have antidepressant efficacy via direct effects on cognitive control processes involved in emotion regulation. This review provides a review of the impact of TMS on cognitive control processes, especially those related to emotion regulation, and posits that these effects are critical to the mechanism of action of TMS for depression. Treatment implications and future directions for study are discussed.
Serum Oxytocin Concentration in Patients Receiving Electroconvulsive Therapy
Authors: Barhale Chinmay , Raju M.S.V.K. , Pawar Alka V. , Kadam Krishna , De Sousa Avinash , Andrade Chittaranjan
Published: January 2017

Background

Neuroendocrine biomarkers have long been studied in the context of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). We prospectively assessed serum oxytocin change and moderators thereof in an exploratory study of patients receiving ECT.

Methods

Serum oxytocin concentrations were assessed immediately before and 1 to 3 minutes after the first ECT in 33 patients with schizophrenia (n = 14), other nonaffective psychosis (n = 6), mania (n = 10), and depression (n = 3) who received 6 to 7 bitemporal, brief-pulse ECTs. Change in serum oxytocin was assessed in the sample as a whole, and as a function of age, sex, diagnosis, and treatment response. The primary outcome was change in serum oxytocin in the overall sample.

Results

There was much variation across patients; oxytocin concentrations increased marginally by a mean (standard deviation) (M [SD]) of 6.4 (82.7) pg/mL (P = 0.43). The M (SD) change was −8.2 (85.0) pg/mL in patients with schizophrenia and other nonaffective psychoses (P = 0.84). There was no significant correlation between change in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores and change in oxytocin concentrations in patients with schizophrenia, other nonaffective psychoses, and mania (ρ = 0.10, P = 0.61). Serum oxytocin rose in men, after ECT, and fell in women (P = 0.01).

Conclusions

Change in serum oxytocin immediately after the first ECT in a course may not be a useful biomarker of ECT action. This is the first report on the subject in a sample comprising mostly patients with nonaffective psychosis and mania rather than depression. We discuss our findings in the light of previous research and offer general conclusions about the field.
Orbital angular momentum: a personal memoir
Authors: Allen L.
Published: January 2017

A definitive statement of the model used to describe orbital angular momentum is essentially now available. Its early history, and the interaction of those who played key roles in its development over 20 years ago in its development, is outlined in this Memoir.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Optical orbital angular momentum’.
Snaptron: querying and visualizing splicing across tens of thousands of RNA-seq samples
Authors: Wilks Christopher , Gaddipati Phani , Nellore Abhinav , Langmead Ben
Published: January 2017

As more and larger genomics studies appear, there is a growing need for comprehensive and queryable cross-study summaries. Snaptron is a search engine for summarized RNA sequencing data with a query planner that leverages R-tree, B-tree and inverted indexing strategies to rapidly execute queries over 146 million exon-exon splice junctions from over 70,000 human RNA-seq samples. Queries can be tailored by constraining which junctions and samples to consider. Snaptron can also rank and score junctions according to tissue specificity or other criteria. Further, Snaptron can rank and score samples according to the relative frequency of different splicing patterns. We outline biological questions that can be explored with Snaptron queries, including a study of novel exons in annotated genes, of exonization of repetitive element loci, and of a recently discovered alternative transcription start site for the ALK gene. Web app and documentation are athttp://snaptron.cs.jhu.edu. Source code is athttps://github.com/ChristopherWilks/snaptronunder the MIT license.
Multiplex PCR method for MinION and Illumina sequencing of Zika and other virus genomes directly from clinical samples
Authors: Quick Josh , Grubaugh Nathan D , Pullan Steven T , Claro Ingra M , Smith Andrew D , Gangavarapu Karthik , Oliveira Glenn , Robles-Sikisaka Refugio , Rogers Thomas F , Beutler Nathan A , Burton Dennis R , Lewis-Ximenez Lia Laura , Goes de Jesus Jaqueline , Giovanetti Marta , Hill Sarah , Black Allison , Bedford Trevor , Carroll Miles W , Nunes Marcio , Alcantara Luiz Carlos , Sabino Ester C , Baylis Sally A , Faria Nuno , Loose Matthew , Simpson Jared T , Pybus Oliver G , Andersen Kristian G , Loman Nicholas J
Published: January 2017

Genome sequencing has become a powerful tool for studying emerging infectious diseases; however, genome sequencing directly from clinical samples without isolation remains challenging for viruses such as Zika, where metagenomic sequencing methods may generate insufficient numbers of viral reads. Here we present a protocol for generating coding-sequence complete genomes comprising an online primer design tool, a novel multiplex PCR enrichment protocol, optimised library preparation methods for the portable MinION sequencer (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) and the Illumina range of instruments, and a bioinformatics pipeline for generating consensus sequences. The MinION protocol does not require an internet connection for analysis, making it suitable for field applications with limited connectivity. Our method relies on multiplex PCR for targeted enrichment of viral genomes from samples containing as few as 50 genome copies per reaction. Viral consensus sequences can be achieved starting with clinical samples in 1-2 days following a simple laboratory workflow. This method has been successfully used by several groups studying Zika virus evolution and is facilitating an understanding of the spread of the virus in the Americas.
Utilization of network graph connectivity to evaluate complications of inpatient medical and surgical populations as a method to prioritize quality improvement efforts
Authors: Bear-Pfaffendorf Kattie
Published: January 2017

Network graphs can provide a quantitative framework for identifying complications with significant volumes and strong relationships to other complications, as a method for prioritization of quality improvement work. Here we examine the application of network graphing techniques to acute care inpatient complications on acute care medical-surgical units of a quaternary care center. The 3M PPC software identified 66 complications among 106 unique patients with two or more complications during an inpatient hospital stay. The network graph highlighted renal failure without dialysis and septicemia and severe infections as highly connected complications in this population.
JDINAC: joint density-based non-parametric differential interaction network analysis and classification using high-dimensional sparse omics data
Authors: Ji Jiadong , He Di , Feng Yang , He Yong , Xue Fuzhong , Xie Lei
Published: January 2017

Motivation

A complex disease is usually driven by a number of genes interwoven into networks, rather than a single gene product. Network comparison or differential network analysis has become an important means of revealing the underlying mechanism of pathogenesis and identifying clinical biomarkers for disease classification. Most studies, however, are limited to network correlations that mainly capture the linear relationship among genes, or rely on the assumption of a parametric probability distribution of gene measurements. They are restrictive in real application.

Results

We propose a new Joint density based non-parametric Differential Interaction Network Analysis and Classification (JDINAC) method to identify differential interaction patterns of network activation between two groups. At the same time, JDINAC uses the network biomarkers to build a classification model. The novelty of JDINAC lies in its potential to capture non-linear relations between molecular interactions using high-dimensional sparse data as well as to adjust confounding factors, without the need of the assumption of a parametric probability distribution of gene measurements. Simulation studies demonstrate that JDINAC provides more accurate differential network estimation and lower classification error than that achieved by other state-of-the-art methods. We apply JDINAC to a Breast Invasive Carcinoma dataset, which includes 114 patients who have both tumor and matched normal samples. The hub genes and differential interaction patterns identified were consistent with existing experimental studies. Furthermore, JDINAC discriminated the tumor and normal sample with high accuracy by virtue of the identified biomarkers. JDINAC provides a general framework for feature selection and classification using high-dimensional sparse omics data.

Availability:

R scripts available athttps://github.com/jijiadong/JDINAC

Contact:

lxie@iscb.org

Supplementary information:

Supplementary data are available at bioRxiv online.
Tris(2-methoxyphenyl)phosphine selenide
Authors: Raymundo Melina , Padgett Clifford W. , Lynch Will E.
Published: January 2017

The title compound C21H21O3PSe, is comprised of a P atom in a distorted tetrahedral environment, attached to the selenium atom and three carbons from the phenyl rings. The phosphorus–selenium bond length is 2.1194 (11) Å. All three methoxy groups are nearly co-planar with their respective phenyl rings, with the angles between the phenyl ring and the C—O bond of the methoxy groups being 6.2 (2), 3.1 (2), and 5.7 (2)°. The torsion angles of the phenyl rings relative to the P=Se bond are 55.84 (19), 176.18 (16), and 63.9 (2)°. No strong interactions were observed, but in addition to van der Waals forces, there are close contacts between C—H...π and C—H...Se.
Interaction of Whey Proteins with Phenolic Derivatives Under Neutral and Acidic pH Conditions
Authors: Cao Yanyun , Xiong Youling L.
Published: January 2017

Integration of gallic acid (GA) and its derivative epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG; 20, 120, and 240 μmol/g, protein basis) into whey protein isolate (WPI) at room temperature and pH 3.0 and pH 7.0 was investigated. At pH 7.0, both phenolics caused significant structural changes and EGCG induced greater digestibility of WPI. Total sulfhydryl in WPI decreased from 28.6 to 7.6 μmol/g and surface hydrophobicity declined by nearly 50% with 240 μmol/g EGCG at pH 7.0. Similar but less appreciable changes were produced by GA and at pH 3.0. Isothermal titration and fluorescence quenching tests showed moderately weak binding of WPI with GA but strong binding with EGCG at pH 7.0. Both phenolics at high concentrations lowered the thermal transition temperature of β‐lactoglobulin by 0.5 °C to 1.4 °C and promoted its digestion. The phenolics also displayed a remarkable synergism with peptides in the WPI digest exerting radical scavenging activity.
Thermal Stability Improvement of Rice Bran Albumin Protein Incorporated with Epigallocatechin Gallate
Authors: Zhou Zhongkai , Xu Jingjing , Liu Yuqian , Meng Demei , Sun Xiaoli , Yi Hong , Gao Yunjing , Sun Guoyu , Strappe Padraig , Blanchard Chris , Yang Rui
Published: January 2017

Rice bran albumin protein (RAP) is sensitive to thermal changes and tends to degrade when exposed to high‐temperature processing. In this work, RAP–epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) complex (RAPE) was prepared and the thermal stability was evaluated. Fluorescence results showed that EGCG could interact with RAP with a binding number n of 0.0885:1 (EGCG:RAP, w/w) and a binding constant K of 1.02 (± 0.002) ×104/M, suggesting both hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces played an important role. FTIR analysis demonstrated that EGCG could induce secondary structural changes in RAP above a ratio of 1.6:1 (EGCG:RAP, w/w). Interestingly, the secondary structure changes of RAPE at different temperatures (25, 50, 60, 70, and 80 °C) were inhibited compared with that for RAP, suggesting RAPE was more resistant and stable to the heat treatment. In addition, a dense porous structure of RAPE was achieved due to the EGCG binding after thermal treatment. Furthermore, the Tpeak temperature of RAPE increased significantly from 64.58 to 74.16 °C and the enthalpy also increased from 85.53 to 138.52 J/g with a mass ratio increasing from 0 to 3.2 (EGCG:RAP, w/w), demonstrating the thermal stability of RAPE. In addition, the valine, methionine, and lysine content in RAPE were significantly higher than RAP following 80 °C treatment for 20 min (P < 0.05), exhibiting enhanced amino acid profiles, which might be due to EGCG–RAP interactions and microenvironment changes around relevant amino acids. These findings demonstrate that EGCG has the potential to improve the thermal stability of sensitive proteins and is beneficial for usage in the food industry.
Differential Scanning Calorimetry Analysis of the Effects of Heat and Pressure on Protein Denaturation in Soy Flour Mixed with Various Types of Plasticizers
Authors: Kweon Meera , Slade Louise , Levine Harry
Published: January 2017

The effects of heat and pressure on protein denaturation in soy flour were explored by an experimental design that used pressure (atmospheric to 600 MPa), temperature (room to 90 °C), time (1 to 60 min), and type of aqueous plasticizer (NaCl, sucrose, betaine, and lactobionic acid (LBA)) as factors. When 50% (w/w) soy flour‐water paste was high hydrostatic pressure (HHP)‐treated for 20 min at 25 °C, the treatment at 200 MPa showed a small effect on denaturation of only the 7S soy globulin, but the treatment at 600 MPa showed a significant effect on denaturation of both the 7S and 11S soy globulins. The treatment at 60 °C showed a less‐pronounced effect on denaturation of the 11S globulin, even at 600 MPa, but that at 90 °C showed a similar extent of denaturation of the 11S globulin at 600 MPa to that at 25 °C. Chaotropic 2N NaCl, 50% sucrose‐, 50% betaine‐, or 50% LBA‐water solutions showed protective effects on protein denaturation during HHP treatment at 25 °C. Although LBA enhanced the extent of thermostability of soy protein less than did 2N NaCl, LBA exhibited better stabilization against pressure. The results from DSC analysis demonstrated that thermostable soy proteins were not always barostable.
Effects of Catechol O‐Methyl Transferase Inhibition on Anti‐Inflammatory Activity of Luteolin Metabolites
Authors: Ha Sang Keun , Lee Jin‐Ah , Cho Eun Jung , Choi Inwook
Published: January 2017

Although luteolin is known to have potent anti‐inflammatory activities, much less information has been provided on such activities of its hepatic metabolites. Luteolin was subjected to hepatic metabolism in HepG2 cells either without or with catechol O‐methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitor. To identify hepatic metabolites of luteolin without (luteolin metabolites, LMs) or with COMT inhibitor (LMs+CI), metabolites were treated by β‐glucuronidase and sulfatase, and found that they were composed of glucuronide and sulfate conjugates of diosmetin in LMs or these conjugates of luteolin in LMs+CI. LMs and LMs+CI were examined for their anti‐inflammatory activities on LPS stimulated Raw 264.7 cells. Expression of iNOS and production of nitric oxide and pro‐inflammatory cytokines such as TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐6 were suppressed more effectively by the treatment with LMs+CI than LMs.

Our data provide a new insight on possible improvement in functional properties of luteolin on target cells by modifying their metabolic pathway in hepatocytes.
Influence of Fermentation Process on the Anthocyanin Composition of Wine and Vinegar Elaborated from Strawberry
Authors: Hornedo‐Ortega Ruth , Álvarez‐Fernández M. Antonia , Cerezo Ana B. , Garcia‐Garcia Isidoro , Troncoso Ana M. , Garcia‐Parrilla M. Carmen
Published: January 2017

Anthocyanins are the major polyphenolic compounds in strawberry fruit responsible for its color. Due to their sensitivity, they are affected by food processing techniques such as fermentation that alters both their chemical composition and organoleptic properties. This work aims to evaluate the impact of different fermentation processes on individual anthocyanins compounds in strawberry wine and vinegar by UHPLC‐MS/MS Q Exactive analysis. Nineteen, 18, and 14 anthocyanin compounds were identified in the strawberry initial substrate, strawberry wine, and strawberry vinegar, respectively. Four and 8 anthocyanin compounds were tentatively identified with high accuracy for the 1st time to be present in the beverages obtained by alcoholic fermentation and acetic fermentation of strawberry, respectively. Both, the total and the individual anthocyanin concentrations were decreased by both fermentation processes, affecting the alcoholic fermentation to a lesser extent (19%) than the acetic fermentation (91%). Indeed, several changes in color parameters have been assessed. The color of the wine and the vinegar made from strawberry changed during the fermentation process, varying from red to orange color, this fact is directly correlated with the decrease of anthocyanins compounds.
Comparing Costs of Onsite Best Management Practices to Nutrient Credits for Stormwater Management: A Case Study in Virginia
Authors: Nobles Alicia L. , Goodall Jonathan L. , Fitch G. Michael
Published: January 2017

Best management practices (BMPs) are widely used to mitigate impacts of increased impervious surfaces on stormwater runoff. However, there is limited detailed and up‐to‐date information available on the cost of designing, constructing, and maintaining BMPs over their lifetime. The objective of this study is to analyze BMPs recently constructed by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to quantify their total cost per pound of phosphorus removed annually. A motivating factor for the study is recent changes to regulatory guidelines in Virginia which allow for full or partial substitution of purchased nutrient credits in lieu of constructing onsite BMPs to achieve compliance with stormwater quality regulations. Results of the analysis of nine BMPs found their cost ranged from $20,100 to $74,900, in 2014 dollars, per pound ($44,313‐$165,126 per kg) of phosphorus removed. Based on these results and assuming current credit prices procured by VDOT, purchasing nutrient credits is a cost‐effective option for the agency, especially when factoring in the cost of additional right of way for the BMP. Based on this finding, we expect compliance with stormwater quality regulations through credit purchases to become more widely used in Virginia. Moving forward, we suggest more direct tracking of BMP costs to support comparisons between BMP costs across a range of types and conditions to credit purchases for meeting stormwater regulations.
Flow‐Biology Relationships Based on Fish Habitat Guilds in North Carolina
Authors: Patterson Lauren , Phelan Jennifer , Goudreau Chris , Dykes Robert
Published: January 2017

The health of freshwater biota is dependent on streamflow, yet identification of the flow regimes required to maintain ecological integrity remains challenging to states in the United States seeking to establish ecological flows. We tested the relationship between decreases in streamflow and Shannon‐Weaver diversity index of fish species for four flow‐based habitat guilds: riffle, riffle‐run, pool‐run, and pool in North Carolina. We found species that prefer shallow habitats, such as riffles and riffle‐runs were the most sensitive to decreases in streamflow; whereas no significant relationships were found for pool or pool‐run species. The sensitivity to decreases in streamflow was greatest during summer and fall, when streams are naturally lower. When all fish habitat guilds were included in the assessment of flow‐biology relationships, there were no significant relationships to decreases in streamflow. As the sensitivity of fish to reductions in streamflow is not constant across habitat guilds, combining all fish species together for flow‐biology analyses may greatly underestimate the response of fish species to decreases in flow and should be acknowledged when establishing ecological flows.
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: Indications, complications, survival and its use as a bridging therapy to liver transplant in Western Australia
Authors: Pateria Puraskar , Jeffrey Gary P , Garas George , Tibballs Jonathan , Ferguson John , Delriviere Luc , Huang Yi , Adams Leon A , MacQuillan Gerry
Published: January 2017

Introduction

Insertion of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an established therapeutic option to treat the complications of portal hypertension. The purpose of this study is to review the experience of a single Australian institute with TIPS and evaluation of result to emphasize the indication, aetiology of portal hypertension, prognostic factors, complications and survival. Use of TIPS as a bridge to liver transplantation was also analysed.

Method

A retrospective cohort study of patients treated with TIPS at The Western Australian Liver Transplant Unit, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, over a period of 12 years. Kaplan–Meier method was used for survival analysis and cox‐regression analysis was used to analyse the predictors of survival.

Results

Fifty‐three patients underwent TIPS between January 2000 and March 2012. The cumulative survival at 1 month, 1 year and 5 years was 90%, 70.9% and 43.9%, respectively. The predictors of survival were indication (variceal bleeding versus ascites, hazard ratio 3.19, CI 95%: 1.164–8.794, P = 0.024) and Model of End Stage Liver Disease score (Hazard ratio 2.513, CI 95%: 1.087–5.810, P = 0.031). Patients who underwent TIPS as a bridge to liver transplant had a 5‐year survival of 71% that is comparable to the overall survival of Western Australian liver transplant unit.

Conclusion

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt is a safe and effective method of treatment of complications of portal hypertension. TIPS can be safely used as a bridging therapy to liver transplant. Despite small number of TIPS being performed at our institute, our technical results are comparable to the institutes with bigger number of patients.
Pilot study of mobile phone technology in allergic rhinitis in European countries: the MASK‐rhinitis study
Authors: Bousquet J. , Caimmi D. P. , Bedbrook A. , Bewick M. , Hellings P. W. , Devillier P. , Arnavielhe S. , Bachert C. , Bergmann K. C. , Canonica G. W. , Chavannes N.H. , Cruz A. A. , Dahl R. , Demoly P. , De Vries G. , Mathieu‐Dupas E. , Finkwagner A. , Fonseca J. , Guldemond N. , Haahtela T. , Hellqvist‐Dahl B. , Just J. , Keil T. , Klimek L. , Kowalski M. L. , Kuitunen M. , Kuna P. , Kvedariene V. , Laune D. , Pereira A. M. , Carreiro‐Martins P. , Melén E. , Morais‐Almeida M. , Mullol J. , Muraro A. , Murray R. , Nogueira‐Silva L. , Papadopoulos N. G. , Passalacqua G. , Portejoie F. , Price D. , Ryan D. , Samolinski B. , Sheikh A. , Siroux V. , Spranger O. , Todo Bom A. , Tomazic P. V. , Valero A. , Valovirta E. , Valiulis A. , VandenPlas O. , van der Meulen S. , van Eerd M. , Wickman M. , Zuberbier T.
Published: January 2017

Background

The use of Apps running on smartphones and tablets profoundly affects medicine. The MASK‐rhinitis (MACVIA‐ARIA Sentinel NetworK for allergic rhinitis) App (Allergy Diary) assesses allergic rhinitis symptoms, disease control and impact on patients’ lives. It is freely available in 20 countries (iOS and Android platforms).

Aims

To assess in a pilot study whether (i) Allergy Diary users were able to properly provide baseline characteristics (ii) simple phenotypic characteristics based upon data captured by the Allergy Diary could be identified and (iii) information gathered by this study could suggest novel research questions.

Methods

The Allergy Diary users were classified into six groups according to the baseline data that they entered into the App: (i) asymptomatic; (ii) nasal symptoms excluding rhinorrhea; (iii) rhinorrhea; (iv) rhinorrhea plus 1–2 nasal/ocular symptoms; (v) rhinorrhea plus ≥3 nasal/ocular symptoms; and (vi) rhinorrhea plus all nasal/ocular symptoms.

Results

By 1 June 2016, 3260 users had registered with the Allergy Diary and 2710 had completed the baseline questionnaire. Troublesome symptoms were found mainly in the users with the most symptoms. Around 50% of users with troublesome rhinitis and/or ocular symptoms suffered work impairment. Sleep was impaired by troublesome symptoms and nasal obstruction.

Conclusions

This is the first App (iOS and Android) to have tested for allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis. A simple questionnaire administered by cell phones enables the identification of phenotypic differences between a priori defined rhinitis groups. The results suggest novel concepts and research questions in allergic rhinitis that may not be identified using classical methods.
Novel roles of oligodendrocyte precursor cells in the developing and damaged brain
Authors: Maki Takakuni
Published: January 2017

Recent research advances have been gradually revealing that oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC) have more diverse and crucial roles in the brain than previously recognized, actively participating in the control of brain homeostasis. OPC are uniformly distributed in both gray and white matter, showing robust proliferative and migratory potential with constant surveillance capacity in the adult brain. In addition to the well‐known role of a reservoir for mature oligodendrocytes, which form myelin sheaths and promote saltatory nerve conduction, OPC have been shown to regulate neuronal, glial and vascular systems in a direct and reciprocal fashion. Although the exact functions of “reactive” OPC after central nervous system injury remain poorly defined, they could have dual opposing “detrimental” and “beneficial” effects, responding to various types of injury in different locations. The developmental processes that regulate oligodendrogenesis are partly reproduced after the damage of oligodendrocytes, providing some insights for understanding the regenerative responses of OPC after injury. However, OPC might also acquire new properties under pathological conditions. In the present mini‐review, I will try to introduce novel roles of OPC in the developing and damaged brain, focusing on the reciprocal crosstalk between OPC and vascular cells, as well as neurons.
Case of anti‐myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody‐associated demyelinating disease with atopic dermatitis
Authors: Takei Kentarou , Sato Mineshige , Nakamura Masashi , Shimizu Hiroshi , Nakashima Ichiro
Published: January 2017

Background

Anti‐myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies occur in a small group of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. However, the clinical significance of this autoantibody has not been fully established.

Case presentation

An 18‐year‐old woman with a history of depression and atopic disease developed left‐side dominant diffuse muscle weakness and numbness with bilateral ankle pseudoclonus along with deterioration of atopic dermatitis, which suggested the possibility of central nerve system damage, although there were no abnormal findings on magnetic resonance imaging. During hospitalization, her neurological symptoms naturally improved, so a wait‐and‐see approach was chosen. After discharge, she developed temporal blurred vision, and then a modest elevation in anti‐MOG antibodies (1:128) was observed. We subsequently diagnosed the patient with possible anti‐MOG antibody‐associated disease. After intravenous methylprednisolone therapy was started, her pseudoclonus and gait disturbance were improved.

Conclusions

This case suggests that atopic dermatitis is possibly a trigger for developing anti‐MOG antibody‐associated disorder, and that some instances of possible central nerve system‐demyelinating disease associated with anti‐MOG antibodies could be poorly identifiable using magnetic resonance imaging. Anti‐MOG antibody test might be worthwhile when a patient develops neurological symptoms without apparent magnetic resonance imaging lesions.
Progressive dyspnea and signs of right heart dysfunction
Authors: Staubach Stephan , Strohm Henning , Mudra Harald
Published: January 2017

A 40‐year‐old woman was admitted due to dyspnea and fever. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed signs of right heart volume overload and vegetations on the tricuspid valve with insufficiency. Transesophageal echocardiography showed a sinus venosus defect (SVD) with significant left‐to‐right shunt. Computed tomography scanning was primarily performed to rule out pulmonary embolism; however, it showed interatrial communication. Due to the concomitant tricuspid insufficiency with additional volume overload, the diagnosis of SVD was more challenging. Usually, transthoracic echocardiography remains the initial diagnostic imaging modality; however, detection rates are very low. Therefore, further imaging is mandatory in unexplained substantial right heart dilatation.
High‐temperature fracture toughness of mullite with monoclinic zirconia
Authors: Glymond Daniel , Vick Michael J. , Giuliani Finn , Vandeperre Luc J.
Published: January 2017

Reactive sintering of zircon and alumina and zirconia additions to mullite are well‐established methods for improving the poor fracture toughness of mullite. While it is clear that transformation toughening is responsible for the improved toughness by addition of partially stabilized zirconia, it is not clear why adding unstabilized zirconia increases the toughness although microcracking and crack deflection have been suggested. Therefore, the fracture toughness of a mullite composite with 20 vol% unstabilized zirconia and a monolithic mullite were investigated at ambient conditions and at temperatures up to 1225°C. It was found that monoclinic zirconia increases the toughness at ambient conditions from the monolithic mullite value of 1.9 to 3.9 MPa·m1/2. The toughness of the composite with zirconia remains relatively constant from ambient to 600°C but then decreases rapidly. The mechanism for the toughness enhancement as well as the reason for its variation with temperature are explained using changes in residual stress state as deduced using the sphere in shell model from the measured thermal expansion behavior.
The difficulties experienced by nurses and healthcare staff involved in the process of breaking bad news
Authors: Warnock Clare , Buchanan Jean , TOD Angela Mary
Published: January 2017

Aims

The aim of this study was to explore the difficulties experienced by nurses and healthcare professionals when engaging in the process of breaking bad news.

Background

The challenges faced by staff when breaking bad news have previously been researched in relation to particular settings or participants. This study involved staff from diverse settings and roles to develop broader insights into the range of difficulties experienced in clinical practice.

Design

The study used a descriptive survey design involving self‐reported written accounts and framework analysis.

Methods

Data were collected using a structured questionnaire containing a free text section that asked participants to describe a difficult experience they had encountered when involved in the process of breaking bad news. Data were collected from healthcare staff from hospital, community, hospice and care home settings attending training days on breaking bad news between April 2011 and April 2014.

Findings

Multiple inter‐related factors presented challenges to staff engaging in activities associated with breaking bad news. Traditional subjects such as diagnostic and treatment information were described but additional topics were identified such as the impact of illness and care at the end of life. A descriptive framework was developed that summarizes the factors that contribute to creating difficult experiences for staff when breaking bad news.

Conclusion

The framework provides insights into the scope of the challenges faced by staff when they engage in the process of breaking bad news. This provides the foundation for developing interventions to support staff that more closely matches their experiences in clinical practice.
The experience of adult children of mothers with intellectual disability: A qualitative retrospective study from Poland
Authors: Wołowicz‐Ruszkowska Agnieszka , McConnell David
Published: January 2017

Background

Little is known about the experience of growing up with a mother with intellectual disability. The aim of this study was to explore this experience from the perspective of adult children.

Method

In‐depth interviews with 23 adult children brought up by mothers with moderate‐to‐severe intellectual disability. The interview data were analysed using grounded theory methods.

Results

The childhood experiences of the interviewees and the role their mothers played in their upbringing varied, depending in part on the involvement of extended family. It was the stigma of maternal intellectual disability, rather than their mother's functional limitations, that posed the greatest challenge.

Conclusion

Interviewees characterized their mothers and childhoods as different, yet ordinary. Understanding the social context, including but not limited to the availability of informal support, is critical to understanding the experience of children growing up with mothers with intellectual disability.
The European Union as an Inadvertent Great Power: EU Actorness and the Ukraine Crisis
Authors: Gehring Thomas , Urbanski Kevin , Oberthür Sebastian
Published: January 2017

We examine how the EU can act as a great power in its own right even in the absence of military capability and how its institutional structure conditions this ability. We first theorize EU great power politics. Based on theories of corporate action, the EU constitutes a strong market power in its own right and a weak security power. While it is institutionally ill‐equipped to purposefully mobilize its market power to pursue high‐politics goals, its communitarized external relations may inadvertently challenge important security interests of other great powers. Second, we show that the EU acted as an inadvertent great power vis‐à‐vis Russia in its Ukraine policy which was primarily driven by the supranational decision‐making apparatus and low‐politics considerations, but engendered a bipolar power struggle with Russia over Ukraine. The risks inherent in EU inadvertent great power politics are deeply engrained in the EU's institutional structure and therefore difficult to mitigate.
Molecular Profiling of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell‐Derived Hypothalamic Neurones Provides Developmental Insights into Genetic Loci for Body Weight Regulation
Authors: Yao L. , Liu Y. , Qiu Z. , Kumar S. , Curran J. E. , Blangero J. , Chen Y. , Lehman D. M.
Published: January 2017

Recent data suggest that common genetic risks for metabolic disorders such as obesity may be human‐specific and exert effects via the central nervous system. To overcome the limitation of human tissue access for study, we have generated induced human pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)‐derived neuronal cultures that recapture many features of hypothalamic neurones within the arcuate nucleus. In the present study, we have comprehensively characterised this model across development, benchmarked these neurones to in vivo events, and demonstrate a link between obesity risk variants and hypothalamic development. The dynamic transcriptome across neuronal maturation was examined using microarray and RNA sequencing methods at nine time points. K‐means clustering of the longitudinal data was conducted to identify co‐regulation and microRNA control of biological processes. The transcriptomes were compared with those of 103 samples from 13 brain regions reported in the Genotype‐Tissue Expression database (GTEx) using principal components analysis. Genes with proximity to body mass index (BMI)‐associated genetic variants were mapped to the developmentally expressed genesets, and enrichment significance was assessed with Fisher's exact test. The human neuronal cultures have a transcriptional and physiological profile of neuropeptide Y/agouti‐related peptide arcuate nucleus neurones. The neuronal transcriptomes were highly correlated with adult hypothalamus compared to any other brain region from the GTEx. Also, approximately 25% of the transcripts showed substantial changes in expression across neuronal development and potential co‐regulation of biological processes that mirror neuronal development in vivo. These developmentally expressed genes were significantly enriched for genes in proximity to BMI‐associated variants. We confirmed the utility of this in vitro human model for studying the development of key hypothalamic neurones involved in energy balance and show that genes at loci associated with body weight regulation may share a pattern of developmental regulation. These data support the need to investigate early development to elucidate the human‐specific central nervous system pathophysiology underlying obesity susceptibility.
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND EMPLOYMENT IN DERIVED LABOUR DEMAND MODELS: A HIERARCHICAL META‐REGRESSION ANALYSIS
Authors: Ugur Mehmet , Awaworyi Churchill Sefa , Solomon Edna
Published: January 2017

The effect of technological innovation on employment is of major concern for workers and their unions, policy makers and academic researchers. We meta‐analyse 570 estimates from 35 primary studies that estimate a derived labour demand model. We contribute to existing attempts at evidence synthesis by addressing the risks of selection bias and that of data dependence in observational studies. Our findings indicate that: (i) hierarchical meta‐regression models are sufficiently versatile for addressing both selection bias and data dependence in observational data; (ii) innovation's effect on employment is positive but small and highly heterogeneous; (iii) only a small part of residual heterogeneity is explained by moderating factors; (iv) selection bias tends to reflect preference for upholding prevalent hypotheses on the employment effects of process and product innovations; (v) country‐specific effect‐size estimates are related to labour market and product market regulation in six OECD countries in a U‐shaped fashion; and (vi) OLS estimates reflect upward bias whereas those based on time‐differenced or within estimators reflect a downward bias. Our findings point out to a range of data quality and modelling issues that should be addressed in future research.
Radiopacity of Composite Luting Cements Using a Digital Technique
Authors: Dukic Walter
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the radiopacity of 20 common dental composite luting materials using a digital technique.

Materials and Methods

A 1‐mm‐thick specimen of each material with a human tooth slice and aluminium step wedge were tested using digital radiographs under four combinations of exposure and voltage. The radiopacity in pixels was determined using computer software. The equivalent thickness of aluminium for each material was then calculated based on the calibration curve.

Results

All tested materials except one had higher radiopacity than dentin (p > α; α  =  0.01), and 80% of the materials had radiopacity above enamel value (p > α; α  =  0.01). Moreover, 40% of tested materials had radiopacity of three times above the minimal International Organization for Standardization (ISO) values for composite luting cements. At all exposure values, the highest radiopacity was for Solocem and Multilink groups of materials, at three to six times above dentin radiopacity. Only Variolink Veneer showed radiopacity below dentin and enamel.

Conclusions

Composite luting materials should have radiopacity above ISO values or greater than the dentin or enamel equivalent. The highest radiopacity values were for the Solocem and Multilink family composite luting cements. Clinicians should choose materials with high radiopacity values, and manufacturers should be aware of the radiopacity values when introducing materials on the market.
LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICES COSTS AND THE GEOGRAPHY OF DEVELOPMENT: EVIDENCE FROM FLORIDA COUNTIES
Authors: Ihlanfeldt Keith , Willardsen Kevin
Published: January 2017

ABTRACT

Theory suggests that the spatial distribution of development within a local jurisdiction affects the costs of providing local public services. We use GINI coefficients to characterize these distributions at the county level and estimate the effects on real per capita expenditures from reductions in the spatial concentration of all buildings and nine alternative types of development. We also estimate the effect on expenditures from expansions in the developed area of a county. The results obtained from a panel of Florida counties confirm our theory and suggest that the geography of development within a county affects public services costs.
The Role of Conventional and Right‐Sided ECG Screening for Subcutaneous ICD in a Tetralogy of Fallot Population
Authors: ALONSO PAU , OSCA JOAQUÍN , CANO OSCAR , PIMENTA PEDRO , ANDRÉS ANA , YAGÜE JAIME , MILLET JOSÉ , RUEDA JOAQUÍN , SANCHO‐TELLO MARÍA JOSÉ
Published: January 2017

Background

Information regarding suitability for subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (S‐ICD) implant in tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) population is scarce and needs to be further explored. The aims of our study were: (1) to determine the proportion of patients with ToF eligible for S‐ICD, (2) to identify the optimal sensing vector in ToF patients, (3) to test specifically the eligibility for S‐ICD with right‐sided screening, and (4) to compare with the proportion of eligible patients in a nonselected ICD population.

Methods

We recruited 60 consecutive patients with ToF and 40 consecutive nonselected patients. Conventional electrocardiographic screening was performed as usual. Right‐sided alternative screening was studied by positioning the left arm and right arm electrodes 1 cm right lateral to the xiphoid midline. The Boston Scientific electrocardiogram (ECG) screening tool was utilized.

Results

We found a higher proportion of patients with right‐sided positive screening in comparison with standard screening (77 ± 0.4% vs. 67 ± 0.4%; P < 0.0001) and a trend to higher number of appropriate leads in right‐sided screening (1.3 ± 1 vs. 1.1 ± 1 ms; P = 0.07). Patients who failed the screening had a longer QRS duration and longer QT interval. Standard and right‐sided screening showed a higher percent of positive patients in the control group compared to ToF patients (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Right‐sided screening was associated with a significant 10% increase in S‐ICD eligibility in ToF patients. When comparing with an acquired cardiomyopathies group, ToF showed a lower eligibility for S‐ICD. The most appropriate ECG vector was the alternate vector in contrast to what is observed in the general population.
Nitrogen‐, water‐ and radiation‐use efficiencies affected by sugarcane breeding in Argentina
Authors: Acreche Martín M.
Published: January 2017

This study aimed to identify whether and how sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) breeding in Argentina modified nitrogen‐use efficiency (NUE), water‐use efficiency (WUE) and radiation‐use efficiency (RUE). Thirteen varieties were grown in two consecutive seasons. Trends in different traits were estimated by fitting the data to linear or bilinear regression models. There was a linear increase in NUE and WUE with the year of release throughout the 70‐year span, whereas water use was not modified by sugarcane breeding. There was a positive and strong (r > 0.90; P < 0.01) association between NUE and WUE and between sugar yield and NUE or WUE. Although RUE was not modified by sugarcane breeding, the amount of radiation intercepted by the crop increased with the year of release. Modern varieties had a higher maximum interception and needed fewer days to reach maximum interception than old varieties. This study suggests that applying ecophysiological knowledge would be instrumental in sugarcane breeding programmes in order to develop varieties with high resource‐use efficiency and capable to adapt to global climate change.
Relative Affluence and Child Labor—Explaining a Paradox
Authors: Dwibedi Jayanta Kumar , Marjit Sugata
Published: January 2017

Some micro level empirical studies found child labor incidence increasing even with improvement in the economic conditions of the poor. This paper provides a possible explanation as to why increase in absolute income may not be sufficient to solve the problem of child labor. We argue that people in general are not just concerned about their own consumption; they are very much affected by the consumption of their peers. While taking decisions regarding the time allocation of their children between work and leisure, parents do keep an eye on their relative position in the society. We develop a theoretical model of household decision making to show that child labor supply from a poor family can increase even with improvements in its economic conditions, if the family's relative position in the society deteriorates and if the relative status effect is sufficiently strong.