bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Large‐scale genome‐wide association study identifies HLA class II variants associated with chronic HBV infection: a study from Taiwan Biobank
Authors: Huang Yu‐Han , Liao Shu‐Fen , Khor Seik‐Soon , Lin Yu‐Ju , Chen Hsuan‐Yu , Chang Ya‐Hsuan , Huang Yi‐Hsiang , Lu Sheng‐Nan , Lee Hye‐Won , Ko Wen‐Ya , Huang Claire , Liu Po‐Chun , Chen Yen‐Ju , Wu Ping‐Feng , Chu Hou‐Wei , Wu Pei‐Ei , Tokunaga Katsushi , Shen Chen‐Yang , Lee Mei‐Hsuan
Published: June 2020

Background

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a great health burden with geographical variations.

Aims

To explore genetic variants associated with chronic HBV infection.

Methods

The study included 15 352 participants seropositive for HBV core antibodies in Taiwan Biobank. Among them, 2591 (16.9%) seropositive for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) were defined as having chronic HBV infection. All participants were examined for whole‐genome genotyping by Axiom‐Taiwan Biobank Array. The human leucocyte antigen (HLA) imputation was performed after identification of the variants within the region. Logistic regressions were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals. Correlations of different HLA allele frequencies with HBsAg seroprevalence were evaluated across worldwide populations by Pearson correlation coefficients. Epitope prediction was performed for HLA alleles using NetMHCIIpan method.

Results

Located within a cluster of 450 single nucleotide polymorphisms in HLA class II, rs7770370 (P = 2.73 × 10−35) was significantly associated with HBV chronicity (Pcorrected < 8.6 × 10−8). Imputation analyses showed that HLA‐DPA1*02:02 and HLA‐DPB1*05:01 were associated with chronic HBV, with adjusted ORs of 1.43 (1.09‐1.89) and 1.61 (1.29‐2.01). These allele frequencies were positively correlated with global HBsAg seroprevalence, with R of 0.75 and 0.62 respectively (P < 0.05). HLA‐DRB1*13:02, HLA‐DQA1* 01:02 and HLA‐DQB1*06:09 associated with HBV chronicity negatively, with adjusted ORs of 0.31 (0.17‐0.58), 0.70 (0.56‐0.87) and 0.33 (0.18‐0.63). These HLA alleles had various binding affinities to the predicted epitopes derived from HBV nucleocapsid protein.

Conclusions

HLA class II variants are relevant for chronicity after HBV acquisition.
Single‐incision laparoscopic repair for a Morgagni hernia: A case report
Authors: Furukawa Haruna , Wakasugi Masaki , Yoshikawa Yukihiro , Sueda Toshinori , Matsumura Tae , Koga Chikato , Miyagaki Hiromichi , Tei Mitsuyoshi , Kawabata Ryohei , Tsujie Masanori , Hasegawa Junichi
Published: June 2020

A Morgagni hernia is a rare type of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Here, a case of a Morgagni hernia repaired by SILS is presented. A 78‐year‐old woman was admitted to our hospital with nausea and vomiting. On CT, the transverse colon and antrum of the stomach were prolapsed into the right thoracic cavity. The herniated stomach was repositioned by emergency endoscopy, and SILS repair was performed electively. Laparoscopy showed the hernial orifice, which was 75 × 50 mm in diameter, on the right side and behind the sternum. Although the transverse colon had herniated through the defect into the right diaphragm, it was easily reduced into the abdominal cavity. Composite mesh was sutured to cover the hernial orifice. No perioperative complications or hernia recurrence have been observed in the 8 months since the surgery.
The importance of (shared) human values for containing the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Wolf Lukas J. , Haddock Geoffrey , Manstead Antony S. R. , Maio Gregory R.
Published: June 2020

The COVID‐19 pandemic poses an exceptional challenge for humanity. Because public behaviour is key to curbing the pandemic at an early stage, it is important for social psychological researchers to use their knowledge to promote behaviours that help manage the crisis. Here, we identify human values as particularly important in driving both behavioural compliance to government guidelines and promoting prosocial behaviours to alleviate the strains arising from a prolonged pandemic. Existing evidence demonstrates the importance of human values, and the extent to which they are shared by fellow citizens, for tackling the COVID‐19 crisis. Individuals who attach higher importance to self‐transcendence (e.g., responsibility) and conservation (e.g., security) values are likely to be more compliant with COVID‐19 behavioural guidelines and to help others who are struggling with the crisis. Further, believing that fellow citizens share one's values has been found to elicit a sense of connectedness that may be crucial in promoting collective efforts to contain the pandemic. The abstract nature of values, and cross‐cultural agreement on their importance, suggests that they are ideally suited to developing and tailoring effective, global interventions to combat this pandemic.
A prospective, matched comparison of ultra‐low and standard‐dose computed tomography for assessment of renal colic
Authors: Roberts Matthew J. , Williams Julia , Khadra Sam , Nalavenkata Sunny , Kam Jonathan , McCombie Steve P. , Arianayagam Mohan , Canagasingham Bertram , Ferguson Richard , Khadra Mohamed , Varol Celi , Winter Matthew , Sanaei Fardin , Loh Han , Thakkar Yogesh , Dugdale Piers , Ko Raymond
Published: June 2020

Objective

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of ultra‐low‐dose computed tomography (ULDCT) compared with standard‐dose CT (SDCT) in the evaluation of patients with clinically suspected renal colic, in addition to secondary features (hydroureteronephrosis, perinephric stranding) and additional pathological entities (renal masses).

Patients and methods

A prospective, comparative cohort study was conducted amongst patients presenting to the emergency department with signs and symptoms suggestive of renal or ureteric colic. Patients underwent both SDCT and ULDCT. Single‐blinded review of the image sets was performed independently by three board‐certified radiologists.

Results

Among 21 patients, the effective radiation dose was lower for ULDCT [mean (SD) 1.02 (0.16) mSv] than SDCT [mean (SD) 4.97 (2.02) mSv]. Renal and/or ureteric calculi were detected in 57.1% (12/21) of patients. There were no significant differences in calculus detection and size estimation between ULDCT and SDCT. A higher concordance was observed for ureteric calculi (75%) than renal calculi (38%), mostly due to greater detection of calculi of <3 mm by SDCT. Clinically significant calculi (≥3 mm) were detected by ULDCT with high specificity (97.6%) and sensitivity (100%) compared to overall detection (specificity 91.2%, sensitivity 58.8%). ULDCT and SDCT were highly concordant for detection of secondary features, while ULDCT detected less renal cysts of <2 cm. Inter‐observer agreement for the ureteric calculi detection was 93.9% for SDCT and 87.8% for ULDCT.

Conclusion

ULDCT performed similarly to SDCT for calculus detection and size estimation with reduced radiation exposure. Based on this and other studies, ULDCT should be considered as the first‐line modality for evaluation of renal colic in routine practice.
Current status and legal/ethical problems in the research use of the tissues of aborted human fetuses in Japan
Authors: Kawasaki Hidenori , Yamada Takahiro , Wada Takahito , Kosugi Shinji
Published: June 2020

To date, there is no law regulating the research use of human aborted fetuses in Japan. The aim was to review the current status with historical background and legal/ethical problems limiting the research use of the tissues of aborted human fetuses. We reviewed literature via PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Japana Centra Revuo Medicina and CiNii, reports from various committees and research groups from Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), and domestic books. Aborted human fetal tissues used for research purposes were first documented in the 1920s. The first guideline, the Peel Code was released in 1972. Since then, in Western countries, the research use of aborted fetuses has been less restricted compared with that of embryos, due to the following guidelines outlined by expert groups. Currently, aborted fetal tissues are commercially available for research purposes in the United States. In Japan, only four indications are presented in “a public statement permitting research use of deceased fetuses' and ‘neonates’ organs, etc.” (1987). In the 2000s, expert committees of the MHLW concluded that research use of human aborted fetuses should be discontinued, and that comprehensive rules and independent regulations should be implemented. This issue has not been discussed in the Japanese legislature since 2003. Establishment of laws and guidelines for this issue is insufficient not only in Japan but also in other countries. It is important to secure transparency for making laws and guidelines and in obtaining public understanding.
An evidence‐based assessment of the past distribution of Golden and White‐tailed Eagles across Wales
Authors: Williams Sophie‐lee , Perkins Sarah E. , Dennis Roy , Byrne James P. , Thomas Robert J.
Published: June 2020

Two species of eagles (Golden and White‐tailed) bred in Wales during prehistoric and historic times and became regionally extinct as breeding species in the mid‐1800s. They are iconic and charismatic, and discussions about reintroducing them back into the Welsh landscape have been ongoing for years. Reintroductions, however, can be risky, costly and/or contentious. To address these concerns, and to judge whether it is appropriate to reintroduce a regionally extinct species; the “International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)” have produced criteria by which a proposed reintroduction can be assessed. A key criterion is that the potential reintroduction location lies within the former range of the species. In this study, we addressed this criterion by assessing the past distributions of Golden and White‐tailed Eagles within Wales. Using historic observational data, fossil/archaeological records and evidence from place‐names in the Welsh language, we demonstrated strong evidence for the presence of both of these eagle species in Wales in pre‐historic and historic times. We used kernel density functions to model the likely core distributions of each species within Wales. The resulting core distributions encompassed much of central and west‐north Wales for both species, with the White‐tailed Eagle exhibiting a wider core distribution extending into south Wales. Our results fill knowledge gaps regarding the historic ranges of both species in Britain, and support the future restoration of either or both species to Wales.
Persistent hypogammaglobulinemia in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients
Authors: Pellett Madan Rebecca , Penkert Rhiannon R. , Surman Sherri L. , Jones Bart G. , Houston James , Lamour Jacqueline M. , Del Rio Marcela , Herold Betsy C. , Hurwitz Julia L.
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Hypogammaglobulinemia has not been well studied in pediatric solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. We evaluated plasma immunoglobulin (Ig) and lymphocyte phenotypes among 31 pediatric heart and kidney recipients for two years post‐transplant and from 10 non‐transplanted children.

Methods

Plasma IgM, IgG, and IgA were quantified by immunoturbidimetric assays, IgG subclasses were quantified by bead‐based multiplex immunoassay, and lymphocyte phenotypes were assessed by flow cytometry.

Results

Median age at transplant for SOT recipients was similar to that of the control cohort (15 vs. 12.5 years, respectively; P = .61). Mean plasma IgG and IgM levels for SOT recipients fell significantly below the control cohort means by 1 month post‐transplant (P < .001 for both) and remained lower than control levels at 12‐18 months post‐transplant. Heart recipients had lower frequencies of a CD4+ naïve T lymphocytes relative to kidney recipients.

Conclusions

Hypogammaglobulinemia was prevalent and persistent among pediatric SOT recipients and may be secondary to immunosuppressive medications, as well as loss of thymus tissue and CD45RA+  CD4+ T cells in heart recipients. Limitations of our study include but are not limited to small sample size from a single center, lack of samples for all participants at every time point, and lack of peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples for the non‐transplanted cohort.
Financial impact of delayed graft function in kidney transplantation
Authors: Kim Daniel W. , Tsapepas Demetra , King Kristen L. , Husain S. Ali , Corvino Frank A. , Dillon Allison , Wang Weiying , Mayne Tracy J. , Mohan Sumit
Published: June 2020

Increased utilization of suboptimal organs in response to organ shortage has resulted in increased incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) after transplantation. Although presumed increased costs associated with DGF are a deterrent to the utilization of these organs, the financial burden of DGF has not been established. We used the Premier Healthcare Database to conduct a retrospective analysis of healthcare resource utilization and costs in kidney transplant patients (n = 12 097) between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/2018. We compared cost and hospital resource utilization for transplants in high‐volume (n = 8715) vs low‐volume hospitals (n = 3382), DGF (n = 3087) vs non‐DGF (n = 9010), and recipients receiving 1 dialysis (n = 1485) vs multiple dialysis (n = 1602). High‐volume hospitals costs were lower than low‐volume hospitals ($103 946 vs $123 571, P < .0001). DGF was associated with approximately $18 000 (10%) increase in mean costs ($130 492 vs $112 598, P < .0001), 6 additional days of hospitalization (14.7 vs 8.7, P < .0001), and 2 additional ICU days (4.3 vs 2.1, P < .0001). Multiple dialysis sessions were associated with an additional $10 000 compared to those with only 1. In conclusion, DGF is associated with increased costs and length of stay for index kidney transplant hospitalizations and payment schemes taking this into account may reduce clinicians’ reluctance to utilize less‐than‐ideal kidneys.
Research ethics and Indigenous Peoples: Repercussions of returning Yanomami blood samples
Authors: Guedes Cristiano , Guimarães Silvia
Published: June 2020

This work presents the case of the Yanomami indigenous people from Brazil that were the object of US ethnography initiated in the 1960s. The research brought harmful repercussions to the life of the Indigenous people of Brazil for several decades, and it took more than 40 years until the beginning of a process of reparation involving the Brazilian government and American universities.

Objective: to discuss the meaning of the return of Yanomami blood samples, as well as contributions from the epistemologies of traditional Indigenous knowledge to the debate about research ethics and the structuring of means for the social control of researchers and the protection of participants in scientific studies, having as an example the Yanomami indigenous people from Brazil, subjected to noxious ethnography in the 1960s and the 1970s. This work used data reports recorded in secondary sources. In this article we argue that Bioethics needs to further diversify its epistemological foundations and to consider epistemologies and cosmologies beyond the frontiers of Western science, as the case of the abusive research involving the Yanomami indigenous people in Brazil reveals. We argue that traditional knowledge, such as those of indigenous and quilombolas, with their epistemologies and cosmologies, are fundamental for the election of less colonized and more efficient principles of research ethics, regarding the protection of the participants' rights in scientific studies. Traditional indigenous populations can teach us a great deal about doing research.
Analysis of spontaneous, user‐generated data about gestational diabetes on online forums: implications for diabetes prevention
Authors: Eades C. E. , Clarke K. M. , Cameron D. M. , Coulson N. , Evans J. M. M.
Published: June 2020

Aims

To explore the experiences and perceptions of gestational diabetes mellitus reported by women within online parental‐support forums and, specifically, to analyse what women say about a diagnosis of gestational diabetes, their future risk of type 2 diabetes, and lifestyle behaviour for management of gestational diabetes and prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Methods

The discussion boards of two parenting websites (Mumsnet and Netmums) were searched using the search term 'gestational diabetes or GD' in February 2019. Relevant posts made by users with gestational diabetes on or after 1 January 2017 were retained for analysis. Framework analysis using pre‐existing framework from a previous study was used to organize and analyse the data.

Results

A total of 646 posts generated by 282 unique users were included in the analysis. Analysis of the online content identified three important implicit messages that may be being conveyed to readers. The first is that gestational diabetes is not a serious diagnosis that warrants undue concern. Secondly, few users recognized the importance of their own behaviours or lifestyle, with others minimizing personal responsibility or attributing gestational diabetes to non‐modifiable factors. Finally, there was a lack of acknowledgment of heightened risk of type 2 diabetes. These three messages will all directly mitigate against the efforts of clinicians (and others) to encourage women with gestational diabetes to improve their lifestyle behaviours in the longer term.

Conclusions

These findings highlight messages that are being widely disseminated and that are unlikely to support prevention of type 2 diabetes.
Comparing temporal patterns in body condition of ringed seals living within their core geographic range with those living at the edge
Authors: Ferguson Steven H. , Yurkowski David J. , Young Brent G. , Fisk Aaron T. , Muir Derek C. G. , Zhu Xinhua , Thiemann Gregory W.
Published: June 2020

Ecological theory suggests that demographic responses by populations to environmental change vary depending on whether individuals inhabit central or peripheral regions within the species’ geographic range. Here, we tested this prediction by comparing a population of ringed sealsPusa hispidalocated at high latitudes as part of their core range (core) with a population located at the southern extremity of their range (peripheral). First, we compared the two regions’ environmental trends in timing of sea‐ice breakup and freeze‐up, open‐water duration and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). We found that the core region shifted to progressively warmer conditions in the early 1990s; whereas, in the peripheral region, the warming trend shifted in 1999 to one with no warming trend but high inter‐annual variability. Next, we examined how body condition, inferred from blubber depth, responded to temporal changes in sea‐ice and climatic variables – variables that have been shown to influence ringed seal demography. Core seals displayed minimal seasonal changes in body condition; whereas peripheral seals displayed a 20–60% amplitude seasonal change in body condition with a phase shift to earlier initiation of fat accumulation and loss. Finally, we tested for interannual differences and found that both core and peripheral seals responded similarly with decreased body condition following more positive NAO. Environmental variables influenced body condition in opposite directions between the two regions with core seals declining in body condition with later spring breakup and shorter open‐water duration, whereas peripheral seals showed opposite relationships. Seals living at the core likely benefit from an evolved match between adaptation and environmental variation resulting in dampened seasonal and interannual fluctuations in body condition. Knowledge of how different populations respond to environmental change depending on geographic location within a species range can assist in anticipating population specific responses to climate warming.
Why do students leave university? Qualitative research at an Italian higher education institution
Authors: Romito Marco , Pilutti Silvia , Contini Dalit
Published: June 2020

In this article, we discuss the results of qualitative research carried out at an Italian university for shedding light on the transition students undergo on entry to university, and for understanding associated difficulties that lead to student drop out. We use Vincent Tinto's and Pierre Bourdieu's theoretical apparatuses for analysing drop out in higher education as a process in which inequalities are expressed and reproduced. The intertwined social and institutional mechanisms, and flawed decision‐making processes, that precede entry to university are explored. Particular attention is given to student perceptions of their experiences at university and the factors leading to progressive disengagement and drop out. The empirical material analysed shows that, although access to university is relatively easy within the Italian context, hurdles to the pursuit of a university education are largely hidden. Students who withdraw are those who are unable to embody the codes, rules and functioning of higher education: those who do not manage to internalise the type of disciplined autonomy needed for responding to academic demands. Personal characteristics and background resources are key for enabling students to fit in the academic environment. The ways in which higher education institutions regulate access and structure university life contribute to drop out processes and unequal pathways based on the social background of students. Following Coulon, we conclude by arguing that higher education institutions should develop systemic approaches that commit their structure and personnel to the goal of developing a “pedagogy of affiliation” aimed at fostering—particularly among students from underprivileged backgrounds—the cognitive, social and practical skills needed to prosper in higher education.
A population‐based study on serious inpatient bacterial infections in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and their impact on survival
Authors: Steingrímsson Vilhjálmur , Gíslason Gauti K. , Aspelund Thor , Turesson Ingemar , Björkholm Magnus , Landgren Ola , Kristinsson Sigurdur Y.
Published: June 2020

Objective

Infections in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have been thoroughly investigated in the setting of clinical trials and single‐center studies. However, large cohort studies on real‐world data and studies on temporal trends are lacking. We performed a nationwide study on serious bacterial infections in CLL.

Methods

Using high‐quality Swedish government‐based registries, 13 009 CLL patients diagnosed in 1982‐2013 and their 49 380 matched controls were included.

Results

Overall, CLL patients had an increased risk of serious inpatient bacterial infections with a hazard ratio (HR) 5.32 and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 5.11‐5.53, and the highest risk was observed for septicemia (HR 6.91, 95% CI 6.46‐7.39) and lung infections (5.91, 5.64‐6.18). The risk of serious inpatient bacterial infections decreased overtime with HR 0.87 (0.81‐0.94) and HR 0.76 (0.70‐0.82) in 1993‐2002 and 2003‐2013, respectively, compared to 1982‐1992. CLL patients had an increased risk of death following a serious inpatient bacterial infection compared to matched CLL patients, and the risk was highest in the first 12 months after the infection (HR 5.48, 95% CI 5.11‐5.90).

Conclusion

We have, in this nationwide study, characterized the risk of serious bacterial infections in CLL patients and, importantly, depicted that the risk has decreased overtime.
The use of progestins in equine medicine: A review
Authors: Fedorka C. E. , Troedsson M. H. T.
Published: June 2020

Progesterone is in constant fluctuation throughout the lifespan of the horse. As a key regulator of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, progesterone is involved in numerous aspects of reproduction. Synthetic analogs of progesterone, deemed progestins, are widely available to industry to act as progestogenic within the reproductive tract, although few are bioactive in the horse. Utilised to suppress oestrous, delay ovulation, maintain pregnancy, and for behavioural modifications, progestins are a commonly administered class of pharmaceuticals in veterinary medicine. In this review, we discuss the progestins available to equine industry, in addition to assessing efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and potential side effects following administration of each.
Favorable outcomes of surgical resection for extrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Midorikawa Yutaka , Takayama Tadatoshi , Nakayama Hisashi , Moriguchi Masamichi , Aramaki Osamu , Yamazaki Shintaro , Teramoto Kenichi , Yoshida Nao , Kobayashi Naoya , Tsuji Shingo , Higaki Tokio
Published: June 2020

Aim

Repeat resection for intrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is effective for the long‐term survival of patients; however, little is known about the surgical outcomes of extrahepatic nodules. The aim of this study is to investigate whether resection can contribute to the survival of patients with extrahepatic recurrent HCC.

Methods

Under the conditions that intrahepatic recurrent HCC was absent or controlled by locoregional therapies, patients who had resectable extrahepatic recurrent HCC in the lymph nodes, adrenal gland, peritoneum, lung, or brain were included in this study. The survival of patients who did (Surgical group) and did not (Non‐surgical group, underwent other therapies) undergo resection for extrahepatic recurrent HCC was compared.

Results

Thirty‐eight and 26 patients were included in the Surgical and Non‐surgical groups, respectively. No patient had severe postoperative complications. After a median follow‐up of 1.2 (range, 0.2–8.8) years, the median cumulative incidence of extrahepatic recurrent HCC was 1.2 years (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4–3.5) in the Surgical group. The median overall survival was 5.3 (95% CI, 2.5–8.8) and 1.1 (0.8–2.3) years in the Surgical and Non‐surgical groups, respectively (P < 0.001). The 5‐year rates of survival were 60.5% and 9.1% in the Surgical and Non‐surgical groups, respectively. Surgical resection, α‐fetoprotein, disease‐free interval, and metastasis at the adrenal gland were the independent factors for overall survival.

Conclusions

Due to the favorable surgical outcomes, resection should be considered as one of the therapeutic choices for patients with extrahepatic recurrent HCC if intrahepatic recurrent HCC can be controlled by locoregional therapies.
Early changes in bone turnover and inflammatory biomarkers and clinically significant bone mineral density loss over 48 weeks among HIV‐infected patients with virological failure of a standard first‐line antiretroviral therapy regimen in the SECOND‐LINE study
Authors: Mwasakifwa GE , Amin J , White CP , Center JR , Kelleher A , Boyd MA
Published: June 2020

Objectives

We assessed whether changes at week 12 in markers of bone turnover, inflammation, and immune activation were associated with clinically important (≥ 5%) bone mineral density (BMD) loss from baseline to week 48 at the proximal femur (hip) and lumbar spine in the SECOND‐LINE study.

Methods

We measured concentrations of procollagen type 1 pro‐peptide (P1NP), carboxyl‐terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX), high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), D‐dimer, interleukin (IL)‐6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), neopterin, and soluble CD14 and 163 at weeks 0, 12, and 48 in 123 SECOND‐LINE dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) substudy participants. Linear regression was used to compare changes in biomarkers. Predictors of ≥ 5% BMD loss were examined using multivariable regression.

Results

The mean age was 38 years, the mean CD4 T‐cell count was 252 cells/µL and the mean viral load was 4.2 log HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL; 56% of participants were female and 47% were randomized to receive a nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor [N(t)RTI]‐based regimen [91% (53/58) were randomized to receive a tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)‐containing regimen]. Over 48 weeks, 71% in the N(t)RTI arm experienced ≥ 5% hip BMD loss vs. 29% in the raltegravir arm (P = 0.001). Week 12 changes in P1NP and CTX were significantly greater among patients experiencing ≥ 5% hip BMD loss, patients randomized to N(t)RTI, and male patients. Predictors of ≥ 5% hip BMD loss at week 48 were P1NP increase [odds ratio (OR) 5.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–27; P < 0.043]; N(t)RTI randomization (OR 6.7; 95% CI 2.0–27.1; P < 0.003), being African, higher baseline CD4 T cell count , and smoking.

Conclusions

In a diverse cohort of viraemic HIV‐infected patients, switching to second‐line antiretroviral therapy (ART) was associated with clinically significant BMD loss, which was correlated with an early increase in P1NP. Measurement of P1NP may facilitate timely interventions to reduce rapid BMD loss among at‐risk patients.
Design of sustainable lip gloss formulation with biosurfactants and silica particles
Authors: Drakontis Constantina Eleni , Amin Samiul
Published: June 2020

Objective

The main objective of this study was to design a sustainable lip gloss from water‐in‐oil emulsions by understanding the rheology of combining biosurfactants (rhamnolipids and sophorolipids) with silica particles (Aerosil powders). The different parameters consisted of the silica particle diameter size, the concentration of the particles within the formulation, alongside the different types of biosurfactant and oils used. The experimental results could provide information on the formulation design of cosmetic emulsions such as lip products and foundations.

Methods

One parameter was varied each time, while the rest were kept constant in order to determine their effect on the viscosity profile of the formulations. A traditional mechanical rheometer was used in order to measure the bulk viscosity profiles of the different formulations, over a wide range of shear stress applied.

Results

The larger silica particle diameter size indicated an increase in the viscosity of the formulations, as yield stress was also generated for the specific diameter of 14 nm. It was also found that as the particle concentration increased, the viscosity increased as well. Rhamnolipids and sophorolipids indicated very similar behaviour, meaning that the biosurfactant acts as an emulsifier and does not impact the system’s rheological behaviour. The replacement of silicone oil with other natural oils was only successful with canola, and castor oil, since jojoba, squalene and mineral oil were not stabilized.

Conclusion

The lip gloss was designed by water‐in‐oil emulsions which were stabilized by biosurfactants and the rheology of the oil phase was enhanced by silica particles. The formulation rheology gave a stable emulsion, the shear‐thinning effect ensured easy applicability, whereas the viscosity and elasticity provided nice hold on the lips.
Historying Tragedy through an Object of Empathy: Hon Xuan’s Violin
Authors: Garnet Dustin
Published: June 2020

Objects with difficult histories present profound opportunities for learning and teaching alike because of their authenticity, relatability and quite often their ability to inspire empathy. The following article constructs a multivalenced account of a student’s vandalised violin by utilising a narrative framework to layer various perspectives into an educational history. Recent theory in historiography, oral history and material culture will help to navigate the ethics of telling sensitive and difficult stories from the past. The version of history I present positions the student’s violin as the central character in the lives of its caretakers. As a result, we see the instrument not a as static object, but as a piece of material culture in a constant state of becoming. This article offers its readers an opportunity to reflect on the meaning we give to classroom objects, the agency these objects possess, and the necessity to pursue new ways to teach empathy.
In‐Place and In‐Time
Authors: Macken Marian , Harrisson Fiona
Published: June 2020

This article presents parallel and collaborative research and teaching practices that expand approaches to encountering site through the lenses of observation and performative drawing. These drawing practices record phenomena, whilst in their presence, through a designed temporal framework. This asks the drawer to observe over a duration of time and to record the world in motion. By spending an extended period of time in the presence of the phenomenon of our study, with active receptivity, our capacity to see shifts. Rather than the drawn outcomes of this observation recording a past time, the notion of experiential time – and an expanded present – is embedded in the act of drawing. These processes of observation and performative drawing allude to Edmund Husserl’s expression of a ‘thickened present’. The outcomes of this drawing practice demonstrate that observational techniques are embodied, relational, temporal and generative and so offer an alternative approach to site analysis. How this approach sits within the larger domain of spatial temporal relationships and forms of drawing are also considered.
Hybrid solar dryer for sugar‐palm vermicelli drying
Authors: Suherman Suherman , Hadiyanto Hadiyanto , Susanto Evan Eduard , Utami Iftitania Ardita Putri , Ningrum Tri
Published: June 2020

Sugar palm is an abundant palm in Indonesia and widely used for various foods, one of which is vermicelli. During vermicelli production, local farmers still implement open‐sun drying, which reduces the quality of vermicelli, requires long periods of time, and cannot be performed during poor weather. Therefore, in this study, a new method of vermicelli drying is introduced using a hybrid solar dryer, which consists of a solar dryer and an additional heater powered by liquefied natural gas. Hybrid solar drying is conducted at 40, 60, 80, and 100°C. With 2 hr of drying time, the final moisture contents of vermicelli dried using hybrid solar dryer have satisfy the standard limit, while the open‐sun drying and natural solar drying do not, indicating that hybrid solar drying is faster and more effective. Vermicelli drying occurs at the falling‐rate period and increasing drying temperature from 40 to 100°C increases dryer efficiency, energy utilization ratio, and exergy efficiency, from 13.02 to 17.02%, from 0.18 to 0.32, and from 67.4 to 83.6%, respectively. Although the overall quality of dried vermicelli is acceptable, increasing drying temperature from 40 to 100°C result in the damaged vermicelli surface as evident from SEM analysis and degradation of vermicelli whiteness value from 87.2 to 82.5.

Practical applications

The drying process is playing an important role in heat sensitive products dehydration. The present study provides an investigation of potential use of solar energy for drying of vermicelli which combine with the natural gas heating process. The results show that hybrid drying system could enhance the product quality of vermicelli and also reduce the drying process. During drying, proximate components of vermicelli essentially do not change but it alters the color of product.
Hygienic and cosmetic care habits in polish women during COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Mościcka Patrycja , Chróst Natalia , Terlikowski Robert , Przylipiak Mateusz , Wołosik Katarzyna , Przylipiak Andrzej
Published: June 2020

Background

COVID‐19 pandemic influences a lot of aspects of human life. Particularly, hygienic habits are affected.

Objectives

Changes in washing and cosmetic standards during the pandemic toward the past are in the focus of our interest.

Material and Methods

The questionnaire study was conducted anonymously in 140 women. The examination concerned pre‐ and during‐pandemic routine hygiene activities such as hands washing, hair washing, bathing, the use of disinfectants, and use of specific type of cosmetics.

Results and Discussion

Compared were data before and during pandemic. Responders declared increased handwashing and taking shower after coming back home and after using local city transportation. We found also that increased use of disinfectants during COVID‐19 pandemic. In contrary to that, number of people washing their hair decreased slightly. Work documents that profile of used cosmetics was changed; increasing hand cream use and decreasing in makeup cosmetics. Nearly, half of the respondents declare that they will maintain new habits also after the pandemic has ended.
Smartphone‐assisted tele‐gynepathology: A pilot study
Authors: Kumar Harresh , Tanveer Nadeem , Dixit Sonali , Diwan Himanshi , Naz Farhat
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Traditional telepathology techniques like whole slide imaging require expensive equipment and are currently out of reach of the developing countries. However, the improvements in smartphone camera resolution and availability of faster internet have made smartphone‐assisted telepathology possible.

Methods

A total of 186 cases pertaining to gynecologic pathology reported by single consultant (NT) were retrieved from the records of the histopathology department. A trained histopathologist then photographed representative areas of each case by using the smartphone camera. After a wash off period of 6 months, the images along with the clinical details were sent by Whatsapp Messenger to the same reporting pathologist. The reporting pathologist replied with the diagnosis of each case by using Whatsapp.

Results

The smartphone diagnosis was concordant in 179/186 (96.2%) cases. The intraobserver concordance rates varied with the organ involved – it was highest for endometrial and myometrial pathology (123/126, 97.6%) lowest for ovarian lesions (08/10, 80%). For cervical pathology, it was 97.2% (35/36) and for fallopian tube pathology it was 92.9% (13/14).

Conclusion

Although the initial results of this pilot study are encouraging, there is a long way to go before smartphone‐assisted telepathology can be put to routine use for the second opinion. More experience of the pathologists with this technique and faster internet and better smartphone cameras will further improve the concordance of smartphone‐assisted telepathology diagnosis with conventional microscopy diagnosis.
Shape variation and functional adaptation in a structure involved in the feeding system of gobiid fishes
Authors: Iranmanesh M. , Askari Hesni M. , Lashkari M. , Teimori A.
Published: June 2020

Fish are observed in different aquatic environments, including freshwater, marine and also intertidal zones. It is suggested that the urohyal bone is involved in the feeding function of fish. Information about the urohyal bone in different fish groups, including gobiids is rare. In the present study, changes in the shape of the urohyal bone were studied in seven gobiid fish from the intertidal environments of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman by applying shape analysis and geometric morphometric analyses. The results revealed that the shape of the urohyal bone in each species was distinct, which is almost consistent with their phylogenetic relationships. Periophthalmus waltoni inhabits often terrestrial habitats and requires a system to obtain food. The specific shape of the urohyal bone in this species probably results from a functional adaptation to obtain food from the terrestrial environment. Moreover, our results indicated that the shape variation in the urohyal bone of the studied species is linked to their feeding because the calculation of E index categorized those species with similar feeding regimes into one group. In conclusion, we assumed that the urohyal shape variation in the studied gobiid species is the result of compatibility to the various feeding regimes, and it is likely controlled by genetic factors. Furthermore, the results support the usefulness of the urohyal bone morphology in differentiating the studied gobiid species and highlighting the taxonomic value of the urohyal bone.
Women and the book in Britain's long eighteenth century
Authors: Levy Michelle
Published: June 2020

This survey synthesizes and examines existing scholarship on women's practices and positions within eighteenth‐century British book culture. Since feminist scholarship began in the 1980s, the recovery of women's literary history has been largely focused on recovering their written contributions in print. However, more recently, eighteenth centuryists have noticed the interconnections between oral, written and print cultures; engaged in bibliographical studies on the significance of the expansion of print and the book trades; and considered how rising literacy rates and diverse reading practices shaped culture. Women, as writers and readers, and as intermediaries in the production and circulation of culture, played a critical role in shaping these developments. This essay reviews the considerable scholarship that addresses women's various engagements with book culture, research that collectively has generated a more capacious understanding of the history of books in the long eighteenth century and the women who produced, shared and read them.
Stepping into the past to conserve the future: Archived skin swabs from extant and extirpated populations inform genetic management of an endangered amphibian
Authors: Rothstein Andrew P. , Knapp Roland A. , Bradburd Gideon S. , Boiano Daniel M. , Briggs Cheryl J. , Rosenblum Erica Bree
Published: June 2020

Moving animals on a landscape through translocations and reintroductions is an important management tool used in the recovery of endangered species, particularly for the maintenance of population genetic diversity and structure. Management of imperiled amphibian species rely heavily on translocations and reintroductions, especially for species that have been brought to the brink of extinction by habitat loss, introduced species, and disease. One striking example of amphibian declines and associated management efforts is in California's Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks with the mountain yellow‐legged frog species complex (Rana sierrae/muscosa). Mountain yellow‐legged frogs have been extirpated from more than 93% of their historic range, and limited knowledge of their population genetics has made long‐term conservation planning difficult. To address this, we used 598 archived skin swabs from both extant and extirpated populations across 48 lake basins to generate a robust Illumina‐based nuclear amplicon data set. We found that samples grouped into three main genetic clusters, concordant with watershed boundaries. We also found evidence for historical gene flow across watershed boundaries with a north‐to‐south axis of migration. Finally, our results indicate that genetic diversity is not significantly different between populations with different disease histories. Our study offers specific management recommendations for imperiled mountain yellow‐legged frogs and, more broadly, provides a population genetic framework for leveraging minimally invasive samples for the conservation of threatened species.
Homozygous mutation in murine retrovirus integration site 1 gene associated with a non‐syndromic form of isolated familial achalasia
Authors: Koehler Katrin , Hmida Dorra , Schlossmann Jens , Landgraf Dana , Reisch Nicole , Schuelke Markus , Huebner Angela
Published: June 2020

Background

Achalasia is a condition characterized by impaired function of esophageal motility and incomplete relaxation of the lower esophagus sphincter, causing dysphagia and regurgitation. Rare cases of early‐onset achalasia appear often in combination with further symptoms in a syndromic form as an inherited disease.

Methods

Whole genome sequencing was used to investigate the genetic basis of isolated achalasia in a family of Tunisian origin. We analyzed the function of the affected protein with immunofluorescence and affinity chromatography study.

Key Results

A homozygous nonsense mutation was detected in murine retrovirus integration site 1 (MRVI1) gene (Human Genome Organisation Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) approved gene symbol: IRAG1) encoding the inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor 1 (IP3R1)‐associated cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) kinase substrate (IRAG). Sanger sequencing confirmed co‐segregation of the mutation with the disease. Sequencing of the entire MRVI1 gene in 35 additional patients with a syndromic form of achalasia did not uncover further cases with MRVI1 mutations. Immunofluorescence analysis of transfected COS7 cells revealed GFP‐IRAG with the truncating mutation p.Arg112* (transcript variant 1) or p.Arg121* (transcript variant 2) to be mislocalized in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Co‐transfection with cGMP‐dependent protein kinase 1 isoform β (cGK1β) depicted a partial mislocalization of cGK1β due to mislocalized truncated IRAG. Isolation of protein complexes revealed that the truncation of this protein causes the loss of the interaction domain of IRAG with cGK1β.

Conclusions & Inferences

In individuals with an early onset of achalasia without further accompanying symptoms, MRVI1 mutations should be considered as the disease‐causing defect.
Butterfly–plant interaction ‐ A dicey ménage à trois?
Authors: Jezek Mareike
Published: June 2020

This article comments on: Plant responses to insect eggs are not induced by egg‐associated microbes, but by a secretion attached to the eggs
The EU’s 2030 Climate and Energy Policy Framework: How net metering slips through its net
Authors: Iliopoulos Theodoros G. , Fermeglia Matteo , Vanheusden Bernard
Published: June 2020

Net metering is a support scheme for the promotion of renewable energy sources (RES) that is linked with state‐of‐the‐art trends, especially in the field of electricity, such as distributed generation, self‐consumption and energy communities. Whilst the European Union (EU) Clean Energy Package has established a more coherent and comprehensive regime for RES support schemes in general, it makes no explicit reference to net metering schemes. This raises questions as to how and under which terms net metering schemes are compatible with EU law. Against this background, this article aims to analyse the relevant EU law provisions and conduct a comparative analysis of net metering regimes in four Member States to demonstrate that the national schemes enacted and applied have significantly different design features. The article argues that a more coordinated and specific approach on net metering at the EU level should emerge.
The 4‐min mile and supplemental oxygen in IPF
Authors: Swigris Jeffrey J.
Published: June 2020

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Well‐being in parents of children with cancer: The impact of parental personality, coping, and the child's quality of life
Authors: Bürger Lazar Martina , Musek Janek
Published: June 2020

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of parental personality, coping, and the child's quality of life on the well‐being of parents of children treated for cancer. The study included 99 parents (63 mothers and 36 fathers), 41 parents during child's intensive treatment, 23 parents whose child completed intensive treatment, and 25 parents of children who completed treatment at least five years ago. The results of multivariate study have confirmed the predictive role of parental personality (especially Neuroticism); emotion‐focused coping styles, and the child's quality of life (especially physical functioning) on parental well‐being. About 60% of the variance in parental well‐being can be attributed to the predictors. Assessing parental personality functioning and coping styles can help us identify those parents who are less emotionally stable, more prone to emotionally focused coping styles, and most likely to experience poorer well‐being. Improved assessment may contribute to the development of further psychological interventions.