bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is community social capital associated with subjective symptoms of dementia among older people? A cross‐sectional study in Japan
Authors: Murayama Hiroshi , Sugiyama Mika , Inagaki Hiroki , Okamura Tsuyoshi , Miyamae Fumiko , Ura Chiaki , Edahiro Ayako , Motokawa Keiko , Awata Shuichi
Published: September 2018

Aim

Many studies have reported the preventive effects of community social capital on health outcomes, such as mortality and incidence of diseases. However, evidence on the association between community social capital and dementia‐related outcomes remains sparse. The present study examined the contextual association of social capital with subjective symptoms of dementia among community‐dwelling older adults in Japan, using a population‐based, large‐scale questionnaire survey.

Methods

Data were used from a cross‐sectional survey for all community‐dwelling individuals aged ≥65 years in Adachi Ward, Tokyo (n = 132 005). Subjective dementia symptoms were assessed using a self‐administered dementia checklist, which was validated by the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale. Social capital was assessed by neighborhood cohesion (neighborhood trust, neighborhood attachment and sense of belonging to the neighborhood) and neighborhood network (i.e. social relationships with neighbors). Individual responses from each district were aggregated to create indicators of district‐level social capital.

Results

A total of 75 338 questionnaires were analyzed (covering 260 districts). The average age of participants was 73.8 ± 6.0 years (45.0% men). A multilevel binomial logistic regression analysis by sex showed that a denser neighborhood network in a district was associated with a lower likelihood of subjective dementia symptoms (odds ratio 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.83–0.96) among women. No association was found for men between district‐level social capital and subjective dementia symptoms.

Conclusions

Fostering structural aspects of social capital in a community is a potential dementia‐prevention strategy, and policymakers should focus on such community‐based approaches as well as on approaches that target individuals. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1537–1542.
Coronary artery calcium and intima‐media thickness are associated with level of cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G in HIV‐infected patients
Authors: Knudsen A , Kristoffersen US , Panum I , Hansen YB , Skottrup PD , Hasbak P , Kjaer A , Lebech A‐M
Published: September 2018

Coinfection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) may be involved in cardiovascular disease in HIV‐infected patients. We found that higher level of CMV immunoglobulin G (IgG) was independently associated with an increased risk of coronary artery calcium and higher intima‐media thickness in HIV‐infected patients but not in healthy controls after adjustment for other cardiovascular risk factors and levels of herpes viridae IgG.
Mammalian meat allergy
Authors: Wong Xin L. , Sebaratnam Deshan F.
Published: September 2018

Mammalian meat allergy is an allergic reaction mediated by IgE antibodies directed against the mammalian oligosaccharide epitope galactose‐α‐1,3‐galactose. Clinically, it is characterized by a range of symptoms including urticaria, angioedema, gastroenteritis, and anaphylaxis hours following ingestion of red meat. It is an emergent allergy in tick endemic areas across the world. As a recently described disease with a cutaneous presentation, dermatologists should be familiar with this entity and recognize it as a differential diagnosis for urticarial and anaphylaxis reactions.
Phenoloxidases are required for the pea aphid's defence against bacterial and fungal infection
Authors: Xu L. , Ma L. , Wang W. , Li L. , Lu Z.
Published: September 2018

The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, has an incomplete immune system compared to those of other insect species; some conserved components and pathways in other species are missing in its genome. As a core component of the insect immune system, prophenoloxidase (PPO) genes are retained in the pea aphid. Early studies have also shown the presence of phenoloxidase activity in specific tissues or cells in the pea aphid and suggested its involvement in response to immune challenges. In this study, we knocked down the expression of PPO genes in the pea aphid using double‐stranded RNA‐based interference, and quantitative PCR analysis and an enzyme activity assay confirmed our success in the PPO gene knockdown. In bacterial and fungal infection experiments, we observed that the knockdown of PPO resulted in more live bacterial cells and fungal spores in the body of the aphids and higher mortality of the aphids after infection. Our study provides evidence supporting a critical role of PPO in the defence of the pea aphid.
Phosphate nephropathy: an avoidable complication of bowel preparation for colonoscopy
Authors: Davies Matthew R. P. , Williams David , Niewiadomski Olga D.
Published: September 2018

It is known that oral sodium phosphate, used as bowel preparation for colonoscopy, can cause acute phosphate nephropathy, a potentially severe and irreversible form of acute kidney injury. Due to these safety concerns, guidelines have advised against the routine use of this agent for a decade. We present a case report and biopsy series that demonstrate that oral sodium phosphate is still being used and that cases of APN are still occurring, in Australia.
A review of the hours dedicated to oral health education in medical programmes across Australia
Authors: Abbott Bronwyn , Zybutz Cian , Scott Karen M. , Eberhard Joerg , Widmer Richard
Published: September 2018

Background

Oral health is an important predictor for general health, and poor oral health is interrelated with the manifestations of systemic disease.

Aim

To determine the extent of oral health education in medical schools across Australia.

Methods

A survey of Australian medical schools was conducted (September 2013 to June 2014). Participants were administrators and curricula coordinators of medical programmes. The main outcome measures were teaching hours of specific areas of oral health education. Data were descriptively analysed.

Results

Participants from 8 of 18 universities responded to the questionnaire. The total hours dedicated to oral health in the medical programmes were: zero in one school; less than 2 h in three schools, 6–10 h in three schools and 30 h in one school. Only four schools taught the correlation between oral health and overall health, two schools taught about dental diseases (caries and periodontal disease), three schools taught dental trauma management and six schools taught oral anatomy. Only five schools taught about oral cancer: two of these taught about cancer for 10–15 min. No school reported hands‐on training in an oral health setting.

Conclusions

The results indicate that Australian medical school graduates have little, if any, foundational knowledge of oral health (dental caries, bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease, oral cancer and dental emergencies). The recognition of poor oral health plays a significant part in the early detection and care of chronic diseases. The teaching of fundamental oral health to medical students is crucial and should be integrated into medical school curricula.
Australian driving restrictions: how well do neurologists know them?
Authors: Caruana Patricia , Hughes Andrew R. , Lea Rodney A. , Lueck Christian J.
Published: September 2018

Driving regulations are complex, particularly for neurological conditions, but accurate application of restrictions is important. This study was designed to investigate knowledge of the Austroads guidelines in medical students, neurological trainees and consultant neurologists using a questionnaire addressing both private and commercial licence restrictions related to five common neurological conditions, namely transient ischaemic attack (TIA), vasovagal episode, unwitnessed blackout, first epileptic seizure and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. In total, 118 of the 120 returned responses could be analysed. Overall, 50% of all responses were correct. Respondents performed better for private than commercial licences, and consultants performed better than trainees and students. The highest proportion of correct answers was seen for vasovagal attack, and the lowest for TIA. In summary, knowledge of driving restrictions was relatively poor, and regular consultation of the guidelines is recommended. A larger study is warranted and increased education at both medical school and postgraduate levels should be considered.
Multiple discrimination and intersectionality: issues of equality and liberty
Authors: Mercat‐Bruns Marie
Published: September 2018

Kimberle Crenshaw was the first to identify the challenges of intersectional claims in law. On the European level, the term most often used is multiple discrimination. After 50 years of implementation of civil rights legislation, the United States offers a unique critique of the scope and the limits of anti‐discrimination law. The interpretation of concepts like disparate treatment and disparate impact discrimination in employment reveals the complexity of individual and systemic discrimination. American empirical studies of the grounds of discrimination reflect issues of equality and liberty. The transatlantic comparison allows us to revisit the analysis of the intersections between forms or systems of oppression, domination, or discrimination in law from a different standpoint in Europe.
Impact of using interactive devices in Spanish early childhood education public schools
Authors: Martín Estefanía , Roldán‐Alvarez David , Haya Pablo A. , Fernández‐Gaullés Cristina , Guzmán Cristian , Quintanar Hermelinda
Published: September 2018

The adoption of Information and Communication Technologies in early childhood education is crucial for adapting traditional classrooms to the digital era. Over time, young children are increasingly using touch screen technologies such as tablets at home and in early childhood settings. However, the literature shows that there is a significant gap in knowledge of using this technology in early childhood education. Most researchers have focused on the pedagogical theory behind using touch screen devices, but there have not been many empirical studies about how these technologies affect students' learning processes. This paper presents three learning experiences where early childhood students perform educational activities using tablet computers, interactive whiteboards, and paper cards. The results show that students who used the technology were more motivated and achieved better results that those who used paper cards.
Multiplex polymerase chain reaction detection of Shiga toxin genes and antibiotic sensitivity of Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolated from beef meat in Quetta, Pakistan
Authors: Samad Abdul , Abbas Ferhat , Ahmad Zafar , Tanveer Zunera , Ahmad Irshad , Patching Simon G. , Nawaz Nighat , Asmat Muhammad Tauseef , Raziq Abdul , Asadullah  , Naeem Muhammad , Akhtar Muhammad Aleem , Pokryshko Olena , Mustafa Mohammad Zahid
Published: September 2018

The objective of this study was to conduct a qualitative analysis of raw beef meat sold in the city of Quetta, Pakistan for presence and drug sensitivity of the potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli strain O157:H7. The study used 200 raw beef meat samples collected from retail butcher shops. Conventional and rapid biochemical tests, latex agglutination and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers designed for the rfb
O157 and flic
H7 genes were used to detect E. coli O157:H7. All O157:H7 isolates were also tested for Shiga toxin genes stx
1 and stx
2. The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in collected beef meat samples was 10%. Detection through PCR was found more sensitive than detection of O and H antigens. The quantity of E. coli O157:H7 isolates positive for Shiga toxins was 50% (20% for stx
1, 45% for stx
2 and 10% for both stx
1 and stx
2). Season wise variation showed highest E. coli O157:H7 prevalence during summer months. A further concern is that E. coli O157:H7 isolates were resistant to a range of common antibiotics. The results indicate an urgent need for applying proper food hygiene practices in the Quetta region to reduce incidence of foodborne diseases and they also emphasize the global problem of antimicrobial resistance.

Practical applications

E. coli O157:H7 is as a potentially threatening foodborne pathogen. A significant prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 detected in raw beef meat from retail outlets in the city of Quetta indicates an urgent need for applying proper food hygiene practices in the Quetta region to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases. Furthermore, resistance of the E. coli O157:H7 isolates to a range of commonly used antibiotics emphasizes the global problem of antimicrobial resistance. The multiplex PCR method used here is a reliable, sensitive, and relatively rapid technique for detecting E. coli O157:H7 in food and environmental samples and important for ongoing surveillance to minimize contamination of raw meat products and associated cross contamination by E. coli O157:H7.
A nurse‐led FibroScan®outreach clinic encourages socially deprived heavy drinkers to engage with liver services
Authors: Matthews Karen , MacGilchrist Alastair , Coulter‐Smith Margaret , Jones Jacklyn , Cetnarskyj Roseanne
Published: September 2018

Aims and objectives

To determine whether a portable FibroScan®device can be an acceptable screening tool for chronic liver disease in a community alcohol support service, through recording uptake, determining apparent prevalence of undiagnosed fibrosis/cirrhosis in participants and report engagement following referral to specialist liver services of those individuals referred because of a FibroScan®reading ≥ 7.1 kilopascals (kPa).

Background

Alcohol‐related liver disease, including cirrhosis, is a major cause of death in theUK. Liver disease is silent and usually presents late. Socially deprived patients with alcohol‐related liver disease are a “hard to engage” population and at higher risk of death than less deprived. A FibroScan®device is a non‐invasive tool for measuring liver stiffness. A result of ≥7.1 kPa can indicate possible chronic liver disease.

Design

Prospective observational study.

Method

Individuals who self‐identified as harmful drinkers were recruited. Consented individuals attended for a liver FibroScan®. Those with a reading ≥7.1 kPa were referred to a nurse‐led liver clinic for further investigations, results of which determined referral to a liver specialist in secondary care. Participants referred were monitored for compliance over a 6‐month period.

Results

Seventy‐nine consented individuals participated, an uptake of 67% of those informed of the study. Of the 79 scans performed, three were unreliable leaving 76 participants. After scanning, 20/76 (26%) had a FibroScan®≥7.1 kPa requiring referral on to the nurse‐led clinic. All 20 (100%) engaged in further assessment. Of those, 12 required onward referral to specialist services. Subsequent compliance with specialist services in this sample (n = 12) was ≥90%.

Conclusion

A nurse‐led FibroScan®outreach clinic encourages socially deprived drinkers to engage with liver services.

Relevance to clinical practice

A 67% uptake suggests a nurse‐led FibroScan®service in a community alcohol service is acceptable. High engagement gives potential for early intervention and improved health outcomes.
Variation of d′ estimates in two versions of the A‐Not A task
Authors: Hautus M. J. , van Hout D. , Lee H.‐S. , Stocks M. A. , Shepherd D.
Published: September 2018

The pairwise A‐Not A design involves two stimuli presented multiple times in a block of trials: a reference stimulus (A) and a comparison stimulus (B). The combined A‐Not A design employs A and several levels of B in a block of trials. Both designs were compared using ice tea with five levels of sucrose. Six judges were assessed for sensitivity using the same number of trials in each design; including their overall sensitivity, their average sensitivity across four replicated blocks, and the variability in sensitivity across those blocks. The pairwise design gave higher mean sensitivity, but also higher variability, than the combined design. A secondary analysis considered fewer trials in the combined design, such that sensitivity estimates were based on the same number of trials as for the pairwise design. The pattern for sensitivity within each design did not change, but variability was now comparable. This suggests the combined design yields lower variation for an equivalent expenditure of resource, or that the combined design yields similar levels of variation with reduced resourcing. The trade‐off is getting slightly lower estimates of sensitivity. Additionally, the combined design produced sensitivity estimates significantly above chance performance levels when test stimuli were identical. However, the magnitudes of these estimates were small.

Practical applications

The A‐Not A test is used in industrial research and development for a range of purposes. The results, expressed in sizes of difference between products, d′, and the variance of d′, give guidance for business decisions on whether products are similar enough to be distinguishable, or if they are perceivably different. The variance of d′ is typically predicted from theoretical models, but these do not consider real‐life variation. To study the difference between the real‐life variance and the variance predicted from the theoretical models, an empirical study was conducted in which many A‐Not A data were collected from a small group of subjects under controlled conditions. The results showed that the real‐life variance is larger than predicted, so it might be that small but significant differences in tests might not really be significant anymore if we take into account this real‐life variance. The comparison of paired versus combined designs generated insights on the effect of test design on the outcome. The combined design, which is more efficient when there is more than one prototype to be compared, produces smaller d′ values and variance than the paired design for the same number of collected trials. In this sense the study gives insights on how results from one test design can be translated to another.
Tidal height and sand as potential drivers of the ecological interaction of the two intertidal mussels Perumytilus purpuratus and Semimytilus algosus
Authors: Pinochet Javier , Domínguez Joaquín , Neira Evelyn , Rojas Camila , Acuña Esteban , Cancino Juan M. , Brante Antonio
Published: September 2018

The mussels Perumytilus purpuratus and Semimytilus algosus are two dominant species of intertidal rocky shores of central Chile. These species have marked differences in their distribution patterns with P. purpuratus dominating the mid‐intertidal zone and S. algosus dominating the lower intertidal zone usually in habitats influenced by sand. Although it has been suggested that differences in tolerance to environmental conditions, such as air exposure and presence of sand, can explain the distribution of these species, there are currently no experimental studies to support such hypotheses. Here, we evaluated the growth and survival rate in the field of both mussel species at four different tidal heights: 25, 75, 135, and 175 cm above the zero tide. In addition, filtration rates were estimated for both species in the presence and absence of sand in laboratory conditions. The results showed that shell and wet weight growth rates of P. purpuratus were highest in mid‐ and medium‐high tidal heights, whereas the growth rate of S. algosus was highest in the medium‐low level. Similar pattern was observed for survival percentage. Furthermore, small S. algosus individuals cultivated with sand in suspension had significantly higher filtration rates than P. purpuratus. In large individuals, no differences were observed between the two species nor between treatments (presence and absence of sand). These results indicate that the differences in the distribution patterns of P. purpuratus and S. algosus in the intertidal can be explained by differences in physiological tolerances to both air exposure and to the presence of sand.
Identification of a conserved DNA sulfur recognition domain by characterizing the phosphorothioate‐specific endonuclease SprMcrA from Streptomyces pristinaespiralis
Authors: Yu Hao , Liu Guang , Zhao Gong , Hu Wenyue , Wu Geng , Deng Zixin , He Xinyi
Published: September 2018

Streptomyces species have been valuable models for understanding the phenomenon of DNA phosphorothioation in which sulfur replaces a non‐bridging oxygen in the phosphate backbone of DNA. We previously reported that the restriction endonuclease ScoMcrA from Streptomyces coelicolor cleaves phosphorothioate DNA and Dcm‐methylated DNA at sites 16–28 nucleotides away from the modification sites. However, cleavage of modified DNA by ScoMcrA is always incomplete and accompanied by severe promiscuous activity on unmodified DNA. These features complicate the studies of recognition and cleavage of phosphorothioate DNA. For these reasons, we here characterized SprMcrA from Streptomyces pristinaespiralis, a much smaller homolog of ScoMcrA with a rare HRH motif, a variant of the HNH motif that forms the catalytic center of these endonucleases. The sulfur‐binding domain of SprMcrA and its phosphorothioation recognition site were determined. Compared to ScoMcrA, SprMcrA has higher specificity in discerning phosphorothioate DNA from unmodified DNA, and this enzyme generally cuts both strands at a distance of 11–14 nucleotides from the 5′ side of the recognition site. The HRH/HNH motif has its own sequence specificity in DNA hydrolysis, leading to failure of cleavage at some phosphorothioated sites. An R248N mutation of the central residue in HRH resulted in 30‐fold enhancement in cleavage activity of phosphorothioate DNA and altered the cleavage efficiency at some sites, whereas mutation of both His residues abolished restriction activity. This is the first report of a recognition domain for phosphorothioate DNA and phosphorothioate‐dependent and sequence‐specific restriction activity.
The role of medical mycology societies in combating invasive fungal infections in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A Nigerian model
Authors: Oladele Rita O. , Osaigbovo Iriagbonse I. , Ayanlowo Olusola O. , Otu Akaninyene A. , Hoenigl Martin , Cornely Oliver A. , Chakrabarti Arunaloke , Denning David W.
Published: September 2018

The discipline of medical mycology has become increasingly relevant in the face of the rising incidence of invasive fungal infections (IFI), which pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for contemporary medical practice. While firmly established in developed countries, medical mycology remains obscure in many low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). With a teeming vulnerable populace and an incidence rate of 11.8%, Nigeria has one of the highest estimated burdens of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) in the world. Regardless, the scourge of IFIs has remained silent due to a combination of factors principal amongst which are a lack of awareness and dearth in personnel skilled in diagnosis. The present narrative examines the status of medical mycology practice in Nigeria and chronicles the journey to change the status quo spurred by the Leading International Fungal Education (LIFE)‐facilitated burden estimate paper and culminating in the birth of the Medical Mycology Society of Nigeria (MMSN), the pioneer national medical mycology society in Africa. The prospects of tackling the IFI challenge are highlighted from the perspective of the nascent society.
Detection of early‐stage changes in people with chronic diseases: A telehome monitoring‐based telenursing feasibility study
Authors: Kamei Tomoko , Yamamoto Yuko , Kanamori Takuya , Nakayama Yuki , Porter Sarah E.
Published: September 2018

Chronic diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and diabetes mellitus, require long‐term management, which daily telenurse monitoring can provide. The aim of the present feasibility study was to determine if using a telenursing protocol with home monitoring during a 12 week implementation could also identify early signs of deterioration and factors correlated with participants' change in status, while attaining patient acceptance and satisfaction. The purposive sample of 43 participants provided 4533 combined days of monitoring. Outcome feasibility indicators were the range of triggering protocol alerts (70~100%) and diagnoses with exacerbations (20~29.3%). Highly correlated were participants' activity limitation and palpitations with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, activity limitation and ineffective sputum clearance with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and fatigue with diabetes. Acceptance and adherence were high with daily monitoring, including “feelings of safety,” and “understanding own condition”. Telenursing with home monitoring indicated a trend to accurately detect early‐stage changes. Participant acceptance was acceptable. It would be feasible to conduct a randomized, controlled trial using this model with some modifications.
Relationships among symptoms of spotted wilt disease of peanut and their potential impact on crop productivity and resistance breeding
Authors: Tillman Barry L. , McKinney Justin Lee
Published: September 2018

Symptoms of spotted wilt of peanut were evaluated in a field experiment over three years (2010–2012) near Marianna, Florida. Assessment included three visual measures of disease and ImmunoStrip (a form of ELISA) testing of root crowns for the presence of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), the causal agent of spotted wilt in peanut. Foliar symptoms of spotted wilt on a 1 to 10 scale and on a disease incidence rating (DIR) were highly correlated (r = 0.88; p < 0.001). Foliar symptoms were moderately correlated (0.45 < r < 0.54; p < 0.001) with TSWV infection. However, symptoms on the testa were highly correlated with TSWV infection (r = 0.78; p < 0.001). These results indicate that foliar symptomology is less reliable in assessing TSWV infection than testa symptomology. Regression analysis showed that foliar symptoms underestimated the proportion of plants infected by TSWV. Seed inspection may be a good predictor of plant infection and therefore useful in breeding programmes because it is much less expensive than ELISA. Resistance to TSWV infection is characteristic of some resistant peanut genotypes and a lack of testa symptomology could help to identify those genotypes.
Species‐specific differences in water uptake depth of mature temperate trees vary with water availability in the soil
Authors: Brinkmann N. , Eugster W. , Buchmann N. , Kahmen A.
Published: September 2018

Temperate tree species differ in their physiological sensitivity to declining soil moisture and drought. Although species‐specific responses to drought have often been suggested to be the result of different water uptake depths, empirical evidence for such a mechanism is scarce.

Here we test if differences in water uptake depths can explain previously observed species‐specific physiological responses of temperate trees to drought and if the water uptake depth of different species varies in response to declining soil moisture. For this purpose, we employed stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of soil and xylem water that we collected over the course of three growing seasons in a mature temperate forest in Switzerland.

Our data show that all investigated species utilise water from shallow soil layers during times of sufficient soil water supply. However, Fraxinus excelsior, Fagus sylvatica and Acer pseudoplatanus were able to shift their water uptake to deeper soil layers when soil water availability decreased in the topsoil. In contrast, Picea abies, was not able to shift its water uptake to deeper soil layers.

We conclude from our data that more drought‐resistant tree species are able to shift their water uptake to deeper soil layers when water availability in the topsoil is becoming scarce. In addition, we were able to show that water uptake depth of temperate tree species is a trait with high plasticity that needs to be characterised across a range of environmental conditions.
A Scandal in Letters: Nina Berberova and the Nazi Occupation of France
Authors: FRANK SIGGY
Published: September 2018

This article focuses on the scandal around the Russian émigré writer Nina Berberova in post‐war France, when she was accused of having been a Nazi sympathizer and collaborator. Rumours about her alleged Nazi collaboration during the German occupation of France started emerging from 1941 onwards and proliferated after the liberation of Paris in a complex exchange of letters between writers, journalists and political figures of the Russian emigration in France and the United States. In September 1945, Berberova defended herself against these allegations in an open letter to leading figures of the Russian émigré establishment. Yet, rather than putting the matter to rest, this public declaration of innocence only fuelled intense discussions among Russian émigré writers in the autumn of 1945 about Berberova’s role during the Nazi occupation of France. Berberova was by no means the only Russian émigré writer accused of collaboration with the Nazis, but she commanded a disproportionally large amount of space in the correspondence of the literary and cultural elite during and after the Second World War. Berberova ascribed the accusations of Nazi collaboration to personal “jalousie,” yet the distinctly public nature of the discourse about her suggests that her alleged transgressions had a wider symbolic significance for the Russian intellectual emigration. In this article, I argue that the Berberova scandal was a symptom of the deepening fault lines between Russian and Russian‐Jewish writers in the Russian émigré community in post‐war France. While émigré discourse tended to ignore this emerging rift or the distinct identities and divergent experience of Russian‐Jewish writers during the German occupation, the Berberova scandal marks a moment in émigré history when a small group of influential intellectuals tried to put the suffering of Russian‐Jewish writers during the war years and the covert anti‐Semitism in parts of the Russian emigration on the agenda. To this end, Berberova came to stand in for those Russian émigré writers who were seen to have been indifferent to the suffering of their Russian‐Jewish colleagues during the occupation. This article therefore looks beyond the issue of Berberova’s guilt or innocence and instead examines the function of the scandal and its underlying ideological conflicts within the complex process by which the Russian emigration negotiated its own demise as a culturally distinct group with a shared purpose during and after the Second World War.
Margarita's Orgasms: Reading the Erotic in Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita
Authors: JOHNSON ZACHARY
Published: September 2018

This article explores The Master and Margarita’s orientation to erotic themes, asking why do readers not think of this novel as erotic. Margarita is “nagaia i nevidimaia” (naked and invisible) during her flight in chapter 21, “Polet.” This description invites a potentially erotic visualization of Margarita, but this invitation is immediately withdrawn by the second description of her as invisible: the erotic reading is immediately subverted by the impossibility of visualizing the invisible. Beginning with this emblematic example, this article shows how Bulgakov’s novel repeatedly raises and disavows the potential for reading it through a prism of sexual desire. This article argues that the acquisition of Margarita’s supernatural power is figured as a sexual climax, and then shows how Bulgakov erotically figures Margarita’s reading of the Master’s novel. Inscribing Bulgakov’s novel into a broader tradition of the European novel’s poetics of intimacy, this article concludes by suggesting that Margarita’s erotic activities play an integral role in the formation of her subjectivity, a formation that is paradoxically disrupted by these erotic activities. As a result, Margarita’s subject formation can be understood as subverting the subjugating power that forms her as subject.
The effect of red‐blood‐cell transfusion on fatigue in hospitalized patients with anaemia
Authors: Prochaska Micah T. , Newcomb Richard , Jiang David , Meltzer David O.
Published: September 2018

Background and Objective

Guidelines suggest that red‐blood‐cell transfusion decisions for most hospitalized patients be based on haemoglobin (Hb) concentration and the presence of symptoms of anaemia, including fatigue. However, studies differ in whether transfusion is associated with improvements in fatigue. One explanation is that the benefit of transfusion varies by baseline fatigue levels, which existing studies have not examined. The objective of this study was to determine whether the association between transfusion during hospitalization and improvements in fatigue 30 days postdischarge varies by baseline fatigue level.

Methods

A prospective observational study of hospitalized general medicine patients with any Hb <9 g/dl. Patients with sickle cell anaemia and gastrointestinal bleeding were excluded since these diagnoses have alternative transfusion practices. Patients with depression were excluded because their fatigue is not primarily due to anaemia. Fatigue was measured during an in‐person interview and a 30‐day postdischarge phone interview. Hb values and receipt of a transfusion were collected from hospital administrative data. Linear regression was used to test associations between ‘change in fatigue’, Hb concentration and receipt of a transfusion.

Results

Transfusion interacted with nadir Hb was associated with reduced fatigue postdischarge for patients with higher baseline fatigue (20% most fatigued: β = 12, P = 0·02; 10% most fatigued: β = 17, P = 0·02). Patients <50 years old with high baseline fatigue had large reductions in fatigue from transfusion (20%: β = 23, P = 0·02; 10%: β = 29, P = 0·03).

Conclusions

Transfusion during hospitalization is associated with reduced fatigue 30 days postdischarge in patients with higher levels of baseline fatigue.
Enhanced insulin production and reprogramming efficiency of mesenchymal stem cells derived from porcine pancreas using suitable induction medium
Authors: Lee Song , Moon Soobin , Oh Ju Yun , Seo Eun Ha , Kim Yang Hee , Jun Eunsung , Shim In Kyoung , Kim Song Cheol
Published: September 2018

Background

Genetic reprogramming is a powerful method for altering cell properties and inducing differentiation. However, even if the same gene is reprogrammed, the results vary among cells. Therefore, a better possible strategy involves treating cells with factors that further stimulate differentiation while using stem cells with the same tissue origin. This study aimed to increase induction efficiency and insulin production in reprogrammed cells using a combination of factors that promote cell differentiation.

Methods

Porcine pancreatic cells were cultured to obtain mesenchymal stem cells expressing pancreatic cell‐specific markers through sequential passages. The characteristics of these cells were identified, and the M3 gene (Pdx1, Ngn3, MafA) was reprogrammed to induce differentiation into insulin‐producing cells. Additionally, the differentiation efficiency of insulin‐producing cells was compared by treating reprogrammed cells with a differentiation‐promoting factor.

Results

Mesenchymal stem cells isolated from porcine pancreatic tissues expressed exocrine cell markers, including amylase and cytokeratin 18, and most cells continuously expressed the beta cell transcription factors Ngn3 and NeuroD. Reprogramming of the M3 gene resulted in differentiation into insulin‐producing cells. Moreover, significantly increased insulin and glucagon expressions were observed in the suitable induction medium, and the characteristic beta cell transcription factors Pdx1, Ngn3, and MafA were expressed at levels as high as those in pancreatic islet cells.

Conclusions

Differentiation into insulin‐producing cells represents an alternative therapy for insufficient pancreatic islet cells when treating diabetes. Therefore, cells with the characteristics of the target cell should be used to improve differentiation efficiency by creating an environment that promotes reprogramming and differentiation.
Coagulation biomarkers in healthy male Cynomolgus macaque monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)
Authors: Rhu Jinsoo , Lee Kyo Won , Kim Kyeong Sik , Lee Ji Soo , Kim Sung Joo , Park Jae Berm
Published: September 2018

We designed this study to define reference values of the cynomolgus monkey coagulation system, as the normal range of values has not been established. Measurement of coagulation function was determined by testing plasma samples from 30 healthy male cynomolgus monkeys. Prothrombin time (PT), PT activity, PT international normalized ratio (INR), activated prothrombin time (aPTT), antithrombin III activity, factor II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII, protein C activity, protein S activity, and d‐dimer were measured using standardized techniques. Mean age and body weight were 69.5 ± 11.8 months and 5.3 ± 0.8 kg, respectively. The mean PT, PT activity, PT INR, aPTT, and antithrombin III activities were 11.72 seconds (95% CI = 10.55‐12.88), 143.4% (95% CI = 102.0‐184.9), 0.85 (95% CI = 0.74‐0.96), 28.2 seconds (95% CI = 23.24‐33.09), and 99.7% (95% CI = 79.2‐120.3), respectively. The mean activities of factors II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII were 110.2% (95% CI = 88.8‐131.5), 134.1% (95% CI = 73.0‐195.2), 318.9% (95% CI = 185.0‐452.9) 160.2% (95% CI = 96.9‐261.3), 38.0% (95% CI = 20.9‐55.1), 85.7% (95% CI = 61.4‐110.0), 155.0% (95% CI = 81.4‐228.6), and 353.7% (95% CI = 246.7‐460.6), respectively. The mean activities of protein C and protein S were 195.7% (95% CI = 133.4‐258.0) and 122.7% (95% CI = 83.2‐162.3), respectively. The mean level of d‐dimer was 1.80 μg/mL (95% CI = 0.27‐3.33). Factors V (P = 0.008), IX (P = 0.002), and XI (P = 0.002), and protein S activity (P = 0.025) were positively correlated with age. Our study presented the baseline values of coagulation biomarkers of cynomolgus monkeys. Despite the similarity to previous published studies, more data are required to elucidate the age effect on coagulation biomarkers.
Differences Between Expert and Novice Tennis Coaches’ Perceptual Capacities
Authors: Schempp Paul G. , Woorons Sophie
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine analytic perceptions of expert and novice tennis coaches. Four expert and four novice tennis coaches volunteered as study participants. Both a video analysis and a recall test provided data for this investigation. In the video analysis protocol, participants were asked to describe what they observed while viewing a 10-minute video of a tennis practice session. In the recall test, a series of 10 tennis related slides were viewed by each of the coaches. After viewing each slide for five seconds, the coaches were asked what they recalled from the slide. The completed written accounts from the video analysis and the recall test audiotapes were transcribed and served as the primary data. The researchers looked for recurring themes and categories using the generic qualitative study technique. Data analysis revealed six themes: (a) the quantity of cues perceived, (b) attention to critical features, (c) analytic depth, (d) recognizing meaningful patterns, (e) anticipating the future, and (f) from description to prescription. These findings, while new to the coaching literature, supported previous research in other fields regarding the importance and domain specificity of experts’ superior perceptual capacities.
Ancient genome-wide analyses infer kinship structure in an Early Medieval Alemannic graveyard
Authors: O’Sullivan Niall , Posth Cosimo , Coia Valentina , Schuenemann Verena J. , Price T. Douglas , Wahl Joachim , Pinhasi Ron , Zink Albert , Krause Johannes , Maixner Frank
Published: September 2018

Reconstruction of relatedness and ancestry from ancient DNA from Medieval burial provides new insights into kinship behavior.
Cutting choline conversion in commensals to treat cardiovascular disease
Authors: Cohen Louis J.
Published: September 2018

A strategy to selectively target a microbial enzyme reduces the production of a metabolite linked to the development of cardiovascular disease.
Primary Role of Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 in Mycobacterium bovis BCG Infection
Authors: Soma Shogo , Kawai Satoru , Inada Hiroyasu , Watanabe Kenta , Mizuno Satoru , Kato Seiichi , Matsuo Kazuhiro , Yasutomi Yasuhiro
Published: September 2018

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) is a negative regulator of JAK/STAT signaling and is induced by mycobacterial infection. To understand the major function of SOCS1 during infection, we established a novel system in which recombinantMycobacterium bovisbacillus Calmette-Guérin expressed dominant-negative SOCS1 (rBCG-SOCS1DN) because it would not affect the function of SOCS1 in uninfected cells.
Lung cancer risk and occupational exposures in crop farming: results from the AGRIculture and CANcer (AGRICAN) cohort
Authors: Boulanger Mathilde , Tual Séverine , Lemarchand Clémentine , Guizard Anne-Valérie , Delafosse Patricia , Marcotullio Elisabeth , Pons Romain , Piel Clément , Pouchieu Camille , Baldi Isabelle , Clin Bénédicte , Lebailly Pierre
Published: September 2018

Objectives

Farmers are considered at lower risk of lung cancer. However, specific tasks can expose them to hazardous air contaminants such as pesticides, diesel exhaust and mineral dust. This study aimed to assess the associations between various crops and related tasks and the risk of lung cancer, overall and by histological subtypes.

Methods

AGRIculture and CANcer is a prospective French cohort of individuals affiliated to the agricultural health insurance scheme. Incident lung cancers (n=897) were identified by cancer registries from enrolment (2005–2007) to 2013. Data on crop and livestock exposure during lifetime were obtained from the enrolment questionnaire. We used a Cox model with attained age as timescale, adjusted for gender, smoking history and exposure to cattle and horses. Effects of duration and surface were assessed and analyses stratified on gender and smoking status were performed.

Results

Winegrowers were at higher risk of adenocarcinoma (HR=1.27 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.72)). We also found an association between pea growing and small cell lung cancer: significant effect of duration (ptrend=0.04) and the suggestion of a surface–effect relationship (ptrend=0.06); increased risk (HR=2.38 (95% CI 1.07 to 5.28)) for pesticide users; and significant effect of duration (ptrend=0.01) for harvesters. The risk of squamous cell carcinoma was increased for sunflower growing (HR=1.59 (95% CI 0.97 to 2.62), fruit-tree pruning (HR=1.44 (95% CI 0.92 to 2.27)) and pesticide use on beets (HR=1.47 (95% CI 0.92 to 2.34)). Corn and/or wheat/barley growers were at lower risk of lung cancer.

Conclusions

Our results suggest associations between lung cancer and several crop-related tasks, even if we cannot rule out some chance findings due to multiple comparisons.
Prognostic value of routinely available data in patients with stable coronary heart disease. A 10-year follow-up of patients sampled at random times during their disease course
Authors: Winkel Per , Jakobsen Janus Christian , Hilden Jørgen , Jensen Gorm , Kjøller Erik , Sajadieh Ahmad , Kastrup Jens , Kolmos Hans Jørn , Larsson Anders , Ärnlöv Johan , Gluud Christian
Published: September 2018

Objective

To characterise the long-term prognosis of patients with stable coronary artery heart disease by means of ‘standard predictors’ defined as demographic, clinical and biochemical quantities routinely available in general practices and ascertained at an interview not prompted by renewed cardiac complaints.

Methods

This is an observational study based on data from 2199 Copenhagen placebo patients from the ‘clarithromycin for patients with stable coronary heart disease’ trial of patients with stable coronary heart disease. In the trial, we compared the effects of 14 days of clarithromycin treatment versus placebo. The predictors were based on the interview forms and blood samples collected at entry, along with demographic information from hospital files.

We studied ‘standard predictors’ of a composite outcome (myocardial infarction, unstable angina, cerebrovascular disease or all-cause death) and of all-cause death. Using Cox regression, we compared predictions of status at 3, 6 and 9 years without and with the use of ‘standard predictors’ and used receiver operating characteristic statistic.

Results

Few ‘standard predictors’ were associated (p<0.01) with the composite outcome or with all-cause death. When no ‘standard predictors’ were included, 63.2% of the model-based predictions of the composite outcome and 79.9% of death predictions were correct. Including all ‘standard predictors’ in the model increased the figures to 68.4% and 83.4%, respectively.Cindices were low, except when all-cause death was assessed as a single outcome whereCwas 0.79.

Conclusion

‘Standard predictors’ routinely available in general practices contribute only modestly to risk assessment in consecutively sampled patients with stable coronary heart disease as ascertained at a contact not prompted by renewed cardiac complaints. Novel biomarkers may improve the assessment.

Trial registration number

NCT00121550.
Hearing loss
Authors: Lee Jennifer W , Bance Manohar L
Published: September 2018

Hearing loss affects one in six people in the UK and is a significant disease burden. In addition to communication problems, there is also an association with depression and dementia. Clinical assessment with targeted history and examination can identify the characteristics and cause of hearing loss, and complementary audiological testing can confirm its type and severity. Retrocochlear screening is recommended for sudden, rapidly progressive or asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss. Medical or surgical therapies may be indicated in cases of conductive hearing loss, while hearing assistive devices and hearing aids are the mainstay of rehabilitation for sensorineural hearing loss.
Nonlinear elastoplastic formulation for tunneling effects on superstructures
Authors: Elkayam Itai , Klar Assaf
Published: September 2018

The paper presents a formulation for evaluating the effect of tunneling on existing buildings. The formulation involves the matrix condensation method to represent the response of a linear elastic building and macroelements to represent the nonlinear elastoplastic soil behavior. The formulation includes new features that allow interaction between macroelements, both through the soil continuum and the structure, to result in the final displacements of the foundations due to tunneling. One of the advantages of the formulation is its ability to incorporate a general input of a greenfield field displacement for the interaction analysis, allowing consideration of various tunneling scenarios. The formulation is evaluated by a comparison with a continuum-based solution obtained using the finite difference method. The formulation is then used to conduct a parametric analysis of tunneling–soil–superstructure interaction, considering three different approaches: (i) the suggested elastoplastic formulation, (ii) purely elastic analysis, and (iii) simplified analysis in which the foundations are forced to displace as a greenfield. It is shown that the vertical settlements of the foundations, due to tunneling, are the greatest when the first approach is considered. This is an outcome of the combined vertical and horizontal yielding, depicted in the formulation by the coupled yield function and plastic flow potential. Yet damage, which relates to differential settlement, appears to be smaller in the elastoplastic formulation.