bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FVIII/VWF complex displays a greater pro‐haemostatic activity than FVIII preparations devoid of VWF: Study in plasma and cell‐based models
Authors: Ammollo Concetta T. , Semeraro Fabrizio , Vitulli Antonia , Dirienzo Lavinia , Mezzasoma Anna M. , Semeraro Nicola , Gresele Paolo , Colucci Mario
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Plasma‐derived FVIII/VWF complex was reported to be less sensitive to inhibitors than FVIII preparations devoid of VWF.

Aim

To compare the efficacy of FVIII/VWF complex (Fanhdi) and five different VWF‐free FVIII preparations in restoring thrombin generation and activation of thrombin‐activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) in haemophilic plasma, with and without inhibitor, and in cell‐based models.

Methods

Experiments were performed in haemophilic plasma supplemented with inhibitory IgG or in plasma samples obtained from haemophilia A patients without (n = 11) and with inhibitor (n = 12). Thrombin generation was evaluated by calibrated automated thrombography (CAT) under standard conditions, in the presence of activated protein C (APC) or thrombomodulin (TM), and in cell‐based models including endothelial cells, either alone or in combination with platelets or tissue factor‐expressing blood mononuclear cells. The kinetics of TAFI activation was determined by a two‐stage functional assay in the absence and in the presence of APC.

Results

In haemophilic plasma without inhibitor, Fanhdi enhanced thrombin generation and TAFI activation as well as recombinant (2nd‐4th generation) and plasma‐derived FVIII preparations devoid of VWF. On the contrary, in plasma with inhibitor, Fanhdi displayed a greater ability to restore thrombin generation and TAFI activation under all tested conditions. Notably, in cell‐based models including endothelial cells, Fanhdi proved more efficient than all other preparations in improving thrombin generation even in the absence of inhibitor.

Conclusion

The greater pro‐haemostatic activity of FVIII/VWF complex, either in haemophilic plasma with inhibitor or in the presence of endothelial cells, may offer therapeutic advantages.
Children’s drawing as a measurement of dental anxiety in paediatric dentistry
Authors: Guner Onur Sirin , Tonguc Altin Kubra , Demetgul Yurtseven Bersu , Haznedaroglu Eda , Sandalli Nuket
Published: April 2020

Background

Drawings can be used as a method of communication that represents an individual's self‐concept, anxiety, attitude or conflict.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to evaluate children's drawing as a measure of dental anxiety in a dental setting.

Design

Seventy‐eight children, aged 6‐12 years, were enrolled in this study. Pulp therapy and/or restorative treatment was performed during the first therapeutic session for all participants. Sound, Eye and Motor (SEM) and Frankl scales were used as an objective assessment of behaviour during treatment. After the treatment session, the children were instructed to draw a picture of a person at a dental clinic. Children's drawings were scored by a paediatric dentist and a psychologist using Child Drawing: Hospital (CD: H) scale and emotional indicators of Human Figure Drawings (HFD). The findings were compared with Frankl and SEM scores.

Results

There was a significant negative correlation between Frankl and CD: H scores (P = .017), and a significant negative correlation was found between HFD and Frankl scores (P = .048).

Conclusion

Drawings can reveal a considerable amount of information about children's emotional status, and children's drawing can be a useful non‐verbal self‐report measure to evaluate anxiety in a paediatric dental setting.
Effect of two‐week heat stress during grain filling on stem reserves, senescence, and grain yield of European winter wheat cultivars
Authors: Schittenhelm Siegfried , Langkamp‐Wedde Tina , Kraft Martin , Kottmann Lorenz , Matschiner Katja
Published: April 2020

To examine the extent to which heat stress during grain filling impacts on the development and yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a 3‐year field experiment was conducted on a loess soil with high water holding capacity in the North German Plain. Thirty‐two mostly European winter wheat cultivars were exposed to heat stress in a mobile foil tunnel with maximum air temperatures of 45.7, 45.4, and 47.2°C in 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively. The 14‐day post‐anthesis heat stress treatment caused an average 57.3% grain yield reduction compared to a close‐by non‐stressed control. The proportion of green crop area after the heat stress phase varied from 7% to 98% in 2016 and from 37% to 94% in 2017. The green crop area percentage did not significantly correlate with grain yield, indicating that the delayed senescence of stay‐green phenotypes offers no yield advantage under terminal heat stress. The water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentration of the stems at crop maturity varied between 6 and 92 g/kg dry matter, showing that the genotypes differed in their efficiency at using the stem carbohydrate reserves for grain filling under heat stress. The stem WSC concentration correlated positively with the beginning of anthesis (r = 0.704; p < .001) but negatively with the grain yield (r = −0.431; p < .05). For heat tolerance breeding, the stem reserve strategy, i. e. the rapid and full exhaustion of the temporary carbohydrate storage therefore seems more promising than the stay‐green strategy.
GRHL2 induces liver fibrosis and intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease via microRNA‐200 and the MAPK pathway
Authors: Wang Ying , Zeng Zishu , Guan Lin , Ao Ran
Published: April 2020

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) serves as the most common subtype of liver diseases and cause of liver dysfunction, which is closely related to obesity and insulin resistance. In our study, we sought to investigate effect of transcription factor grainyhead‐like 2 (GRHL2) on NAFLD and the relevant mechanism. NAFLD mouse model was established with a high‐fat feed. Then, serum was extracted from NAFLD patients and mice, followed by ectopic expression and depletion experiments in NAFLD mice and L02 cells. Next, the correlation between GRHL2 and microRNA (miR)‐200 and between miR‐200 and sirtuin‐1 (SIRT1) was evaluated. The observations demonstrated that miR‐200 and GRHL2 were overexpressed in the serum of NAFLD patients and mice, while SIRT1 was poorly expressed. GRHL2 positively regulated miR‐200 by binding to miR‐200 promoter region, which negatively targeted SIRT1. The inhibition of miR‐200 and GRHL2 or SIRT1 overexpression lowered HA and LN in mouse liver tissue, occludin and ZO‐1 in mouse small intestine tissue, TNF‐α and IL‐6 in mouse serum, glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in mouse serum, and also inhibited liver fibrosis and intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction. Meanwhile, GRHL2 induced activation of MAPK signalling pathway in NAFLD mice. Collectively, GRHL2 played a contributory role in NAFLD by exacerbating liver fibrosis and intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction with the involvement of miR‐200‐dependent SIRT1 and the MAPK signalling pathway.
Establishment of immortalised cell lines derived from female Shiba goat KNDy and GnRH neurones
Authors: Suetomi Yuta , Tatebayashi Ryoki , Sonoda Shuhei , Munetomo Arisa , Matsuyama Shuichi , Inoue Naoko , Uenoyama Yoshihisa , Takeuchi Yukari , Tsukamura Hiroko , Ohkura Satoshi , Matsuda Fuko
Published: April 2020

Kisspeptin plays a critical role in governing gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone (GnRH)/gonadotrophin secretion and subsequent reproductive function in mammals. The hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) kisspeptin neurones, which co‐express neurokinin B (NKB) and dynorphin A (Dyn) and are referred to as KNDy neurones, are considered to be involved in GnRH generation. The present study aimed to establish cell lines derived from goat KNDy and GnRH neurones. Primary‐cultured cells of female Shiba goat foetal hypothalamic ARC and preoptic area (POA) tissues were immortalised with the infection of lentivirus containing the simian virus 40 large T‐antigen gene. Clones of the immortalised cells were selected by the gene expression of a neuronal marker, and then the neurone‐derived cell clones were further selected by the gene expression of KNDy or GnRH neurone markers. As a result, we obtained a KNDy neurone cell line (GA28) from the ARC, as well as two GnRH neurone cell lines (GP11 and GP31) from the POA. Immunocytochemistry revealed the expression of kisspeptin, NKB and Dyn in GA28 cells, as well as GnRH in GP11 and GP31 cells. GnRH secretion from GP11 and GP31 cells into the media was confirmed by an enzyme immunoassay. Moreover, kisspeptin challenge increased intracellular Ca2+ levels in subsets of both GP11 and GP31 cells. Kisspeptin mRNA expression in GA28 cells, which expressed the oestrogen receptor alpha gene, was significantly reduced by 17β‐oestradiol treatment. Furthermore, the transcriptional core promoter and repressive regions of the goat NKB gene were detected using GA28 cells. In conclusion, we have established goat KNDy and GnRH neurone cell lines that could be used to analyse molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating KNDy and GnRH neurones in vitro, facilitating the clarification of reproductive neuroendocrine mechanisms in ruminants.
Understanding the role of configural processing in face emotion recognition in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Cousins Rosanna , Pettigrew Anne , Ferrie Olivia , Hanley J. Richard
Published: April 2020

This investigation examined whether impairment in configural processing could explain deficits in face emotion recognition in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Stimuli from the Radboud Faces Database were used to compare recognition of four negative emotion expressions by older adults with PD (n = 16) and matched controls (n = 17). Participants were tasked with categorizing emotional expressions from upright and inverted whole faces and facial composites; it is difficult to derive configural information from these two types of stimuli so featural processing should play a larger than usual role in accurate recognition of emotional expressions. We found that the PD group were impaired relative to controls in recognizing anger, disgust and fearful expressions in upright faces. Then, consistent with a configural processing deficit, participants with PD showed no composite effect when attempting to identify facial expressions of anger, disgust and fear. A face inversion effect, however, was observed in the performance of all participants in both the whole faces and facial composites tasks. These findings can be explained in terms of a configural processing deficit if it is assumed that the disruption caused by facial composites was specific to configural processing, whereas inversion reduced performance by making it difficult to derive both featural and configural information from faces.
Nonpharmacological Clinical Effective Interventions in Constipation: A Systematic Review
Authors: Pinto Cristina Freitas Carvalho Sousa , Oliveira Palmira da Conceição Martins , Fernandes Olga Maria Freitas Simões de Oliveira , Padilha José Miguel dos Santos Castro , Machado Paulo Alexandre Puga , Ribeiro Ana Leonor Alves , Ramos José Luis Nunes
Published: April 2020

Purpose

To identify nonpharmacological clinically effective interventions for constipation in adults.

Methods

A systematic review of experimental studies of nonpharmacological interventions addressing participants’ management of constipation using samples of adults over 18 years of age was conducted. In evaluating the methodological quality of the eligible studies, we used the assumptions of the Cochrane Collaboration, and for the reporting of items in the systematic review we used the Model of Preferential Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses. The protocol of this review was recorded in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews of the University of York under number 43693.

Results

This review included 12 randomized controlled trials. Nonpharmacological effective interventions for the resolution of constipation were identified: individualized intervention based on the participant’s modifiable risk factors of constipation promoting literacy in health; educational measures in dietary modification and lifestyle; and abdominal massage.

Conclusions

Specific nonpharmacological interventions are crucial for nurses’ clinical practice and of major importance for clients and families. Evidence on these interventions in resolving constipation is still scarce and fails to provide evidence‐based data to support nursing clinical practice.

Clinical Relevance

Personal lifestyles, comorbidities, medication, and sedentary habits are likely to be risk factors in constipation. Thus, it is important to invest in nonpharmacological interventions that promote changes in behavior regarding prevention or resolution of constipation. Moreover, nursing researchers worldwide should conduct research for clinical practice regarding the fundamentals of care.
Follicular unit extraction as a valuable method for the restoration of beard: Retrospective case series study
Authors: Civaş Ekrem , Aksoy Berna , Aksoy Hasan Mete , Çalıkoğlu Emel
Published: April 2020

Background

Beard and mustache are important components of body image. Beard transplantation is the procedure to restore congenital absence or inefficient growth of beard and mustache.

Objectives

The aim of the study is to report our results and experience in beard transplantation.

Methods

Patients with a demand for beard restoration who were treated with follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplantation method were included in this retrospective, case series study. Patients’ birth date, race, presence of eunuchoidism, hair color, type and shaft thickness, and treatment details were retrieved from medical records. Patients were evaluated at least one year after the operation, and defect closure rates were calculated. At the follow‐up examination, patients were asked to evaluate their satisfaction from the procedure.

Results

Ten patients were consecutively treated between May 2007 and June 2016. The mean age of the patients was 29.6 years. Three of our patients were eunuchoid and the others wanted beard transplantation to have a more masculine look. Follow‐up period was median of 39 months. Four patients were satisfied and four patients were very satisfied with the procedure with a mean 53% closure rate. Better closure rates were associated with brown and red hair color, medium and fine hair thickness, and absence of eunuchoidism. Patients with straight hair were satisfied with the procedure significantly.

Conclusion

Beard reconstruction by using the FUE method is a safe and effective method with high patient satisfaction rates.
Trajectories of care in congenital heart disease – the long arm of disease in the womb
Authors: Marelli A.
Published: April 2020

Our understanding of the development of congenital heart disease (CHD) across the lifespan has evolved. These include the evidence for the change in demographics of CHD, the observations that lifelong complications of CHD result in CHD as a lifespan disease, and the concept of long windows of exposure to risk that start in foetal life and magnify the expression of risk in adulthood. These observations set the stage for trajectories as an emerging construct to target health‐service interventions. The lifelong cardiovascular and systemic complications of CHD make the long‐term care of these patients challenging for cardiologists and internists alike. A life‐course approach is thus required to facilitate our understanding of the natural history and to orient our clinical efforts. Three specific examples are illustrated: neurocognition; cancer resulting from exposure to low‐dose ionizing radiation; and cardiovascular disease acquired in ageing adults. As patients grow, they do not just want to live longer, they want to live well. With the need to move beyond the mortality outcome, a shift in paradigm is needed. A life‐course health development framework is developed for CHD. Trajectories are used as a complex construct to illustrate the patient’s healthcare journey. There is a need to define disease trajectories, wellness trajectories and ageing trajectories in this population. Disease trajectories for repaired tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of the great arteries and the Fontan operation are hypothetically constructed. For clinicians, the life‐course horizon helps to frame the patient’s history and plan for the future. For researchers, life‐course epidemiology offers a framework that will help increase the relevance of clinical enquiry and improve study design and analyses. A health‐service policy framework is proposed for a growing number of conditions that start in the before birth and extend as long as contemporary survival now permits. Ultimately, the goal is the precision delivery of health services that enables lifelong health management, organization of developmental health services, and integration of vertical and horizontal health‐service delivery.
Effect of sodium ascorbyl phosphate on osteoblast viability and differentiation
Authors: Okajima Luciana Satie , Martinez Elizabeth Ferreira , Pinheiro Ivanei Ferreira , Fonseca Silva Almenara Souza , Demasi Ana Paula Dias
Published: April 2020

Objectives and Background

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) is a hydrophilic and stable L‐ascorbic acid derivative, being converted by the cell phosphatases into free ascorbic acid (AA), which allows its sustained release in the medium. AA participates in the maintenance and healing of the periodontium. It presents a regulatory role of the osteoblastic activity, stimulating the deposition of collagen extracellular matrix followed by the induction of genes associated with the osteoblastic phenotype. It also acts in the elimination of reactive oxygen species, abundantly produced by defense cells in periodontal disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of SAP on osteoblast viability and differentiation.

Methods

Mouse preosteoblastic cells of the MC3T3‐E1 strain were used. Cell viability was assessed by the trypan blue dye exclusion assay and the expression of genes related to osteoblast differentiation by quantitative PCR. Collagen I secretion was evaluated by ELISA, and mineralized matrix formation was assayed by Alizarin red S staining.

Results

The results showed that SAP at concentrations from 50 to 500 µmol/L does not influence preosteoblast cell viability, but stimulates their differentiation, observed by the induction of RUNX2, COL1A1, and BGLAP2; by the higher secreted levels of collagen I; and also by the increase in the mineralization of the extracellular matrix in cells exposed to this agent at 200 or 400 µmol/L, compared with those not exposed.

Conclusion

By its stability and capacity to induce preosteoblastic cell differentiation, our results indicate that the incorporation of SAP into local release devices, membranes/scaffolds or biomaterials, could favor bone tissue formation and therefore periodontal healing.
Effect of breed as a risk factor for humeral condylar fracture in skeletally immature dogs
Authors: Smith M. A. J. , Jenkins G. , Dean B. L. , O'Neill T. M. , Macdonald N. J.
Published: April 2020

Objectives

To investigate the effect of breed as a risk factor associated with humeral condylar fracture in skeletally immature dogs in the UK.

Materials and Methods

Retrospective study of dogs under 12 months of age that were presented with humeral condylar fracture to three specialist referral centres between 2015 and 2018. Data retrieved from medical records included breed, age, gender, neuter status, affected limb, fracture configuration and aetiology of the fracture. Breed population percentages were compared with those recorded by the UK Kennel Club.

Results

Of the 115 dogs with 118 fractures, French bulldogs (41%) and English springer spaniels (15%) were overrepresented: humeral condylar fractures were more commonly diagnosed in French bulldogs (odds ratio = 5.86) and English springer spaniels (odds ratio = 5.66) compared with mixed‐breed dogs. Lateral condylar fractures occurred in 70% of cases, with medial condylar fractures and Y/T fractures accounting for 9% and 21%, respectively. Median age at the time of fracture was 4 months (range 2 to 10 months).

Clinical Significance

French bulldogs and English springer spaniels were identified as being at potentially increased risk of humeral condylar fracture in skeletally immature dogs.
Environmental factors driving the distribution of the tropical coral Pavona varians: Predictions under a climate change scenario
Authors: Rodriguez Laura , García Juan José , Tuya Fernando , Martínez Brezo
Published: April 2020

Climate change causes shifts in the geographical distribution boundaries of many organisms. Modelling techniques predict the distribution of species by relating climatic and physical factors with species' presence records, including potential extinction areas and new potential areas of colonization, under predicted climatic scenarios. In this study, we initially explored which environmental variables most influenced the distribution of Pavona varians, a hermatypic coral from the equatorial Indian and the Pacific Ocean, which is categorized as ‘Least Concern’ by the UICN. The most influential variables were the minimum and maximum sea surface temperature, the diffuse water attenuation and the cloud cover. These variables were used to predict habitat suitability of P. varians under a current and a future (A1B IPPC) scenario using MaxEnt. Despite P. varians is an opportunistic species, with a well‐known resistance to environmental stress, the model predicted a massive decline in the suitability of its habitat in all areas by the year 2100. The information obtained by this study can be used to support the conservation decision making process to improve the preservation of the species.
Investigating the genetic and environmental architecture of interpack aggression in North American grey wolves
Authors: Schell Christopher J.
Published: April 2020

Aggression confers several fitness benefits including increased breeding opportunities and resource acquisition. Determining the relative contributions of genetic and environmental components to shaping aggression is essential for advancing our understanding of how selection affects the distribution of aggressive phenotypes in a population. In a From the Cover article in this issue of Molecular Ecology, vonHoldt et al. (2020) used RAD‐seq methods to obtain genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to estimate heritability of interpack aggression of 141 North American grey wolves (Canis lupus) surveyed from 1995–2018. The authors inferred heritability using both a SNP‐based genetic relationship matrix (GRM) and a consensus pedigree informed by: (a) previously obtained microsatellite data; (b) past observations of parentage; and (c) statistical reconstruction of parent‐offspring pairs. SNP‐based (i.e., GRM) and pedigree‐based (i.e., consensus pedigree) heritability estimates were 37% and 14%, respectively, with an additional 14%–16% explained by natal pack effects. The study confirmed the previously discovered strong effects of relative pack size and breeding status on interpack aggression, illustrating how social dynamics and density‐dependent factors induce variance in aggressive behaviours. Finally, the authors found associations between average individual aggression scores (IAS) and specific candidate genes (MY09A and TRAK1). In sum, vonHoldt et al. (2020) provides an unprecedented and nuanced synthesis that not only suggests gene‐aggression associations, but also emphasizes how additive genetic variance and density‐dependent factors interact to maintain phenotypic variance in aggression over time.
Online faculty development using cognitive apprenticeship in response to COVID‐19
Authors: Eltayar Ayat Nabil , Eldesoky Noha Ibrahim , Khalifa Hoda , Rashed Soha
Published: April 2020

With this issue we begin print publishing the responses received in our call for Medical Education Adaptations: Lessons learned from educators' experiences rapidly transforming practice on account of COVID‐19 related disruption.
Kodamaea ohmeri infections in humans: A systematic review
Authors: Ioannou Petros , Papakitsou Ioanna
Published: April 2020

Background

Kodamaea ohmeri, previously known as Pichia ohmeri or Yamadazyma ohmeri, belongs to the Saccharomycetaceae family and the Ascomycetae class, is the telomorphic form of C guilliermondii var. membranaefaciens and is frequently mistaken for Candida, as they belong to the same family. It has been isolated from environmental sources, such as sand, pools, seawater and fruits, while the last decades it is recognised as a rare pathogen that causes life‐threatening infections in humans. The purpose of this study was to systemically review all published cases of K ohmeri infections in the literature and describe the epidemiology, microbiology, antimicrobial susceptibility, treatment and outcomes of these infections in humans.

Methods

Systematic review of PubMed (through 27th December 2019) for studies providing epidemiological, clinical, microbiological as well as treatment data and outcomes of K ohmeri infections.

Results

A total of 35 studies, containing data of 44 patients, were included in the analysis. The most common K ohmeri infections were those of the bloodstream, infective endocarditis and onychomycosis. Previous antibiotic use, presence of a central venous catheter, parenteral nutrition and cancer were very common among patients. Mortality was high in the case of fungemias but low for other types of infections. Amphotericin B and fluconazole are the most common agents used for treatment, even though alarming MICs for fluconazole were noted.

Conclusions

This systematic review thoroughly describes infections by K ohmeri and provides information on their epidemiology, clinical presentation, microbiology, antibiotic resistance patterns, treatment and outcomes.
Destiny’s child
Authors: Yamashita Masano
Published: April 2020

In Marivaux's La vie de Marianne (1731–1742), the classical concept of destiny is deployed to convey the singularity of the protagonist's existence and as a tool that allows for a critical articulation of the determinants of female existence. Common to both explorations is the underlying importance of accidents and other events of non‐choosing that engage with feminine agency as modalities of affordances. I argue that La vie de Marianne reveals another dimension of agentless destiny, pertaining this time to the primacy of an emerging economic logic, wherein, as Florence Magnot‐Ogilvy has recently shown, persons run the potential risk of becoming replaceable. Building on Magnot‐Ogilvy's and René Démoris's analyses of repetition and the doubling of female characters in La vie de Marianne, I show that social and economic fatum is combatted by Marianne, who distinguishes herself from other women, such as Mademoiselle Varthon and Tervire, by presenting herself not only as a singular voice whose power is enacted through storytelling, but as someone who has a greater destin, possessing worth and narrative interest. Marianne records her romanesque story in order to open a doorway into the contingencies of women's lives, while also taking ownership of herself as a product of literary self‐fashioning.
Why is pulmonary vein isolation not enough for vagal denervation in all cases?
Authors: Aksu Tolga , Guler Tumer Erdem , Bozyel Serdar , Yalin Kivanc , Gopinathannair Rakesh
Published: April 2020

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) may cause vagal response during radiofrequency application or increase on heart rate after ablation. All those responses are related to inadvertent ablation effect on ganglionated plexi. In the present case, we aimed to explain why vagal response effects of PVI are not same in all cases.
Analysis of Factors Influencing the Willingness of Taiwanese Students to Work on Mainland China: An Example of “31 Preferential Policies for Taiwan”
Authors: Wang Chia‐Chou , Lee Liang‐Cheng
Published: April 2020

In the Xi Jinping era, a key focus of the Communist Party of China (CPC), in terms of exchanges with Taiwan, is to attract young Taiwanese people to mainland China, and various policies exist to encourage their willingness to integrate. The “31 Preferential Policies for Taiwan” (“31 Measures”) is an influential guiding policy for this focus. Given that the negative impact of China's “sharp power” on liberal democracy has become an international point of focus, issues such as the impact of these policies on Taiwanese youths' willingness to seek employment (or entrepreneurship) opportunities on mainland China, and factors influencing this willingness, have become major concerns for supporters of democracy globally. In order to address these questions, this study proposes four hypotheses based on theories of rational choice and political socialization. An analysis of surveys of Taiwanese students found that the mean value of students' willingness to work on mainland China was 3.22, indicating that the overall willingness of students had shifted from “neutral” towards “willing.” Students perceived favor‐granting benefits and comparative benefits significantly enhanced their willingness to work on mainland China, while the life risks involved in doing so significantly reduced such willingness.
Molecular and immunological characterization of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) parvalbumin Cten i 1: A major fish allergen in Hong Kong
Authors: Leung Nicki Yat Hin , Leung Agnes Sze Yin , Xu Kary Jia Ying , Wai Christine Yee Yan , Lam Cheuk Yin , Wong Gary Wing Kin , Leung Ting Fan
Published: April 2020

Background

Grass carp is the most commonly consumed fish species in Hong Kong. The allergenicity of grass carp and its allergen content are yet to be reported. This study characterized the major allergen in grass carp and investigated its allergenicity.

Methods

Sixty‐nine subjects with history of IgE‐mediated allergic reaction to grass carp were recruited. The protein content in steamed grass carp extract was resolved by SDS‐PAGE, and the major allergen was identified by immunoblotting with serum from subjects allergic to grass carp. The identity of allergen was elucidated by mass spectrometry and amino acid sequence obtained by amplifying the specific gene from cDNA library of grass carp. The cross‐reactivity between parvalbumins from grass carp and other phylogenetically close (common carp) or commercially important (cod and salmon) species was investigated by competitive inhibition ELISA.

Results

A major IgE‐binding protein was found at approximately 9 kDa and identified as parvalbumin by immunoblotting and mass spectrometry. Grass carp parvalbumin was more allergenic than common carp, salmon, and cod parvalbumins despite sharing high sequence homology. This newly identified major allergenic parvalbumin isoform from grass carp was registered as Cten i 1 in the World Health Organization and International Union of Immunological Societies allergen database.

Conclusions

Grass carp parvalbumin is identified as the major fish allergen in Hong Kong. The strong allergenicity of Cten i 1 contributes to the high IgE reactivity of grass carp. Grass carp, among other fish species, should be considered when managing fish‐allergic patients.
Molecular underpinnings of methyl jasmonate‐induced resistance in Norway spruce
Authors: Mageroy Melissa H. , Wilkinson Samuel W. , Tengs Torstein , Cross Hugh , Almvik Marit , Pétriacq Pierre , Vivian‐Smith Adam , Zhao Tao , Fossdal Carl Gunnar , Krokene Paal
Published: April 2020

In response to various stimuli, plants acquire resistance against pests and/or pathogens. Such acquired or induced resistance allows plants to rapidly adapt to their environment. Spraying the bark of mature Norway spruce (Picea abies) trees with the phytohormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) enhances resistance to tree‐killing bark beetles and their associated phytopathogenic fungi. Analysis of spruce chemical defenses and beetle colonization success suggests that MeJA treatment both directly induces immune responses and primes inducible defenses for a faster and stronger response to subsequent beetle attack. We used metabolite and transcriptome profiling to explore the mechanisms underlying MeJA‐induced resistance in Norway spruce. We demonstrated that MeJA treatment caused substantial changes in the bark transcriptional response to a triggering stress (mechanical wounding). Profiling of mRNA expression showed a suite of spruce inducible defenses are primed following MeJA treatment. Although monoterpenes and diterpene resin acids increased more rapidly after wounding in MeJA‐treated than control bark, expression of their biosynthesis genes did not. We suggest that priming of inducible defenses is part of a complex mixture of defense responses that underpins the increased resistance against bark beetle colonization observed in Norway spruce. This study provides the most detailed insights yet into the mechanisms underlying induced resistance in a long‐lived gymnosperm.
Primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma treated with doxycycline in a pediatric patient
Authors: Jothishankar Balaji , Di Raimondo Cosimo , Mueller Lisa , Zain Jasmine , Parekh Vishwas , Abdulla Farah
Published: April 2020

We present the third reported case of a primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma (PCMZL) treated with doxycycline in a pediatric patient with negative serology for Borrelia burgdorferi. A 14‐year‐old boy presented with multiple asymptomatic erythematous papules and nodules on his extremities and trunk which biopsy confirmed to be PCMZL. He was started on doxycycline and experienced a near‐complete response. Given the favorable side effect profile of doxycycline and the indolent nature of PCMZL, we believe doxycycline is a possible therapy for PCMZL pediatric patients who have widely disseminated cutaneous disease.
Percutaneous removal of biliary stones post‐liver transplant in a pediatric patient: Case report and review of the literature
Authors: Rohringer Taryn J. , Hannick Jessica H. , Lorenzo Armando , Avitzur Yaron , Temple Michael , Parra Dimitri A.
Published: April 2020

This case report describes an 8‐year‐old girl who underwent a segmental LT for a primary diagnosis of citrullinemia at the age of 12 months. She presented with cholangitis secondary to stenosis of the biliary‐enteric anastomosis. MRI revealed dilatation of intrahepatic bile ducts associated with multiple stones. An endoscopic approach failed to decompress the bile ducts and remove the stones. A percutaneous approach was then undertaken. After placement of a temporary external biliary drain for 12 days, a 26 French sheath was placed to access the bile ducts. Using a 14Fr flexible cystoscope, 80%‐90% of the biliary stones were removed. This was followed by antegrade balloon dilatation of the biliary‐enteric anastomosis. Two months later, the procedure was repeated, resulting in complete clearance of the biliary stones. An internal‐external biliary drain was maintained in placed for 10 months. The patient has been asymptomatic, with no evidence of stone recurrence for 13 months after drain removal. Percutaneous biliary stone removal is commonly performed in adults with non‐transplanted livers, especially in complex cases, and has also been shown to be successful in the pediatric population. However, it is rarely reported in transplanted livers in adults, and to the best of our knowledge, no pediatric cases have been reported. This case illustrates that this technique can be successfully utilized in pediatric LT patients.
Neural correlations of the influence of self‐relevance on moral decision‐making involving a trade‐off between harm and reward
Authors: Zhan Youlong , Xiao Xiao , Tan Qianbao , Li Jin , Fan Wei , Chen Jie , Zhong Yiping
Published: April 2020

Although economists have suggested that humans generally prioritize maximizing their own self‐interest rather than others’ when distributing rewards, recent psychological studies have shown that people are hyperaltruistic when allocating physical harm to themselves and others during moral decision‐making. However, little is known about how the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying self‐relevance modulate this behavioral tendency under different degrees of physical harm. This study adopted a moral decision‐making task to investigate behavioral and neural processes during moral decision‐making involving different levels of self‐relevance and physical harm. Event‐related potentials were measured while participants made trade‐offs of different monetary gains for themselves against painful electric shocks experienced by the receivers (self, friend, or stranger). These results suggest that early anterior N1, indexing fast and automatic moral intuitional process, decreased during the strong conflict trade‐off decisions involving strong painful electric shocks and much monetary gains. Lower self‐relevance enhanced the aversive experience and increased the mental cost of resolving moral conflict, reflected by a larger P260‐LPP (300–450 ms) effect during weaker conflict decisions toward strangers than themselves and friends. However, this effect was weaker during strong conflict decisions. When making decisions about whether to shock others to gain money for themselves, participants were hyperaltruistic, foregoing greater self‐interest to restrain harm directed toward strangers than themselves or friends. These findings shed light on the neural basis of the tension between egoistic and altruistic tendencies during moral decision‐making integrating benefits and harms.
Quercetin supports bovine preimplantation embryo development under oxidative stress condition via activation of the Nrf2 signalling pathway
Authors: Khadrawy Omar , Gebremedhn Samuel , Salilew‐Wondim Dessie , Rings Franca , Neuhoff Christiane , Hoelker Michael , Schellander Karl , Tesfaye Dawit
Published: April 2020

Nrf2 is a master regulator for antioxidant machinery against oxidative stress in bovine preimplantation embryos. The endogenous or exogenous modulation of Nrf2‐KEAP1 system in bovine embryos may contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms behind the response of embryos to stress conditions. Therefore, here we aimed to investigate the protective effect of quercetin on bovine preimplantation embryos exposed to higher atmospheric oxygen concentration. For that, blastocysts, which were developed from zygotes cultured in media supplemented with or without quercetin under high oxygen level (20%), were subjected intracellular ROS level and mitochondrial analysis, and determining blastocyst formation rate and total cell number. Moreover, mRNA and protein expression level of Nrf2 and selected downstream antioxidant genes were investigated in the resulting blastocysts. Quercetin supplementation in vitro culture did not affect cleavage and blastocyst rate until day 7. However, quercetin supplementation resulted in higher blastocyst total cell number and reduction of intracellular ROS level accompanied by increasing mitochondrial activity compared with control group in both day 7 and day 8 blastocysts. Moreover, quercetin supplementation induced mRNA and protein of Nrf2 with subsequent increase in the expression of downstream antioxidants namely: NQO1, PRDX1, CAT and SOD1 antioxidants. In conclusion, quercetin protects preimplantation embryos against oxidative stress and improves embryo viability through modulation of the Nrf2 signalling pathway.
'Positive Christianity': Theological rationales and legacies
Authors: Buesnel Ryan
Published: April 2020

In response to the 1933 election of Adolf Hitler as German Chancellor, the various German Christian movements set about the task of constructing a national Reich Church which would complement Nazi policy – an effort that required removing the legacy of Judaism from both dogma and ecclesial tradition. To achieve this, the German Christians were able to draw on an established legacy of 'Positive Christianity' in order to offer a theological rationale for Nazi ideology. This paper traces the development of Positive Christianity and examines key themes as they are expressed in two of its representative works: Ludwig Müller's What is Positive Christianity? and Cajus Fabricius's Positive Christianity in the New State. The paper will close an analysis of contemporary debates relating to Positive Christianity's influence on Nazism and the Church.
Conversation analysis, cyberpsychology and online interaction
Authors: Meredith Joanne
Published: April 2020

In this paper, I explore how conversation analysis (CA) can be used as a method for analysing online interaction. As the number and quantity of online communication platforms have proliferated, there has been a growing interest in social psychology about the impact and effectiveness of online, text‐based communication. A number of theories have been used and developed to explain how online communication might impact upon relationships and effective communication. However, this paper argues that in order to explore the differences between online and offline interaction an analysis of online behaviour is needed. CA allows for an in‐depth, sequential and discursive analysis of real‐life online interactions. It can explore the ways in which the affordances of the interactional platforms are oriented to or made relevant in the interaction. The utility of CA is demonstrated through a number of examples, highlighting how this method can be used to broaden our understanding of how online communication works in practise.
The histone methylation readers MRG1/MRG2 and the histone chaperones NRP1/NRP2 associate in fine‐tuning Arabidopsis flowering time
Authors: An Zengxuan , Yin Liufan , Liu Yuhao , Peng Maolin , Shen Wen‐Hui , Dong Aiwu
Published: April 2020

Histones are highly basic proteins involved in packaging DNA into chromatin, and histone modifications are fundamental in epigenetic regulation in eukaryotes. Among the numerous chromatin modifiers identified in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), MORF‐RELATED GENE (MRG)1 and MRG2 have redundant functions in reading histone H3 lysine 36 trimethylation (H3K36me3). Here, we show that MRG2 binds histone chaperones belonging to the NUCLEOSOME ASSEMBLY PROTEIN 1 (NAP1) family, including NAP1‐RELATED PROTEIN (NRP)1 and NRP2. Characterization of the loss‐of‐function mutants mrg1 mrg2, nrp1 nrp2 and mrg1 mrg2 nrp1 nrp2 revealed that MRG1/MRG2 and NRP1/NRP2 regulate flowering time through fine‐tuning transcription of floral genes by distinct molecular mechanisms. In particular, the physical interaction between NRP1/NRP2 and MRG1/MRG2 inhibited the binding of MRG1/MRG2 to the transcription factor CONSTANS (CO), leading to a transcriptional repression of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) through impeded H4K5 acetylation (H4K5ac) within the FT chromatin. By contrast, NRP1/NRP2 and MRG1/MRG2 act together, likely in a multiprotein complex manner, in promoting the transcription of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) via an increase of both H4K5ac and H3K9ac in the FLC chromatin. Because the expression pattern of FLC represents the major category of differentially expressed genes identified by genome‐wide RNA‐sequencing analysis in the mrg1 mrg2, nrp1 nrp2 and mrg1 mrg2 nrp1 nrp2 mutants, it is reasonable to speculate that the NRP1/NRP2‐MRG1/MRG2 complex may be involved in transcriptional activation of genes beyond FLC and flowering time control.
Investigation of an Energy Source Temperature for NH3 + NaSCN and NH3 + LiNO3 Absorption Refrigeration Systems
Authors: Modi Nishant , Pandya Bhargav , Patel Jatin
Published: April 2020

This paper evaluates the energy source temperature for novel salts based ammonia/sodium thiocyanate (NH3 + NaSCN) and ammonia/lithium nitrate (NH3 + LiNO3) absorption refrigeration systems. Minimum energy source temperature (cutoff) required to initiate the cooling, critical energy source temperature for optimized thermodynamic performance and possible maximum energy source temperature to avoid crystallization have been determined, and empirical correlations are developed to facilitate continuous operation of the system. A comparison of cutoff energy source temperature depicts that the NH3 + NaSCN pair requires averagely 6 –7 °C higher cutoff temperature compared with the NH3 + LiNO3 pair. Contradictory to this, the maximum coefficient of performance (COP) of the NH3 + NaSCN pair is 7.02% higher than that the NH3 + LiNO3 pair. However, NH3 + NaSCN pair operates in a very narrow range of energy source temperature. From the P − T − X diagram, the crystallization phenomenon is clarified and the maximum energy source temperature has been determined beyond which the system would not function due to crystallization problems. For −10 °C evaporator temperature, the energy source temperature should be controlled between 87 °C and 115 °C for the NH3 + NaSCN pair and between 80 °C and 147 °C for the NH3 + LiNO3 pair.
Experimental Study of a Bulb Turbine Model During Start-Up and at Speed-No-Load Conditions, Based on the Measurement of Unsteady Pressure
Authors: Coulaud Maxime , Lemay Jean , Deschenes Claire
Published: April 2020

Experimental analysis of a bulb turbine during the start-up sequence and in speed-no-load (SNL) operating conditions was performed in a closed-loop circuit. This study focuses on pressure fluctuations across the machine. The turbine was equipped with 26 pressure sensors on one runner blade and 16 in the stationary reference frame. Strain measurements were also performed on two other runner blades. The first section of this analysis focuses on SNL operating conditions using standard Fourier data processing. The results show that three rotating flow phenomena are only present close to the runner. One of them corresponds to the interblade vortex at f/fr=4.00, whereas the two others, which have subsynchronous runner frequencies, are consistent with a possible rotating stall. These phenomena, which exist predominantly on the suction side, have a strong influence on runner blade strain. The second section of the study concentrates on a time-frequency analysis using the Morlet wavelet transform. It reveals that the two subsynchronous flow structures appear at the end of the start-up and exhibit bistable behavior. As well, each of these phenomena acts differently on the blade. These phenomena also interact with the interblade vortex.
A Quantitative Structure Tribo-Ability Relationship Model for Predicting the Antiwear Properties of Ionic Liquids as Lubricant Additives in Dimethyl Sulfoxide
Authors: Zhao Jiang , Gao Xinlei , Chen Tao , Wang Tingting , Li Yang
Published: April 2020

The structural parameters of 23 ionic liquids were calculated by the Hartree–Fock ab initio method. The relationship between the antiwear properties of ionic liquids dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide and the structural parameters of the ionic liquids was studied using multiple linear regression analysis. A quantitative structure tribo-ability relationship model with good fitting and prediction ability was established. The results show that entropy is the most important structural parameter affecting the antiwear performance of ionic liquid-dimethyl sulfoxide systems. The entropy of the ionic liquid is related to the hydrogen bonding in the system, and an orderly arrangement of this hydrogen bonding is beneficial in terms of improving antiwear performance.