bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Innovating in less developed regions: What drives patenting in the lagging regions of Europe and North America
Authors: Rodríguez‐Pose Andrés , Wilkie Callum
Published: December 2018

Not all economically disadvantaged—“less developed” or “lagging”—regions are the same. They are, however, often bundled together for the purposes of innovation policy design and implementation. This paper attempts to determine whether such bundling is warranted by conducting a regional level investigation for Canada, the United States, on the one hand, and Europe, on the other, to (a) identify the structural and socioeconomic factors that drive patenting in the less developed regions of North America and Europe, respectively; and (b) explore how these factors differ between the two contexts. The empirical analysis, estimated using a mixed‐model approach, reveals that, while there are similarities between the drivers of innovation in North America's and Europe's lagging regions, a number of important differences between the two continents prevail. The analysis also indicates that the territorial processes of innovation in North America's and Europe's less developed regions are more similar to those of their more developed counterparts than to one another.
Establishment of forage kochia in seeding mixtures with perennial grasses
Authors: Aryal Parmeshwor , Islam M. Anowarul
Published: December 2018

Forage kochia (Bassia prostrata L.) can persist in disturbed areas and provide high‐quality forage even during fall and winter months. However, information is needed on the effect of planting time and subsequent environmental conditions on forage kochia establishment. A field study was initiated in 2014 in Wyoming to determine the optimum planting time for successful forage kochia establishment and examine its performance in seeded mixtures with perennial cool‐season grasses in areas dominated by annual weeds. The experiment was carried out using split‐plot in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The main plots consisted of three planting times (late winter, early spring and summer), and subplots included eight seeding mixture treatments. Species included in mixtures were forage kochia, four native grasses and two nonnative grasses. The summer (May) planting failed completely, and early spring (April) planting resulted in greater plant density for forage kochia and grasses than late winter (March) planting. Although, forage kochia monoculture had greater forage kochia density than other treatments, forage kochia stands were satisfactory when seeded in mixtures with perennial grasses. By the year after planting, plant density of forage kochia and grasses was reduced to about one‐third of 2014 density. During initial establishment stage, it is thought that forage kochia and perennial grasses were affected by dense cover of annual weeds. However, greater plant density was observed for April compared to March plantings, and forage kochia monoculture had good stands despite dense stands of annual weeds, even in 2015. The results suggest that successful establishment of forage kochia is possible when it is planted in early spring under conditions of this study. However, monitoring stands the following years is needed to determine the persistence and forage production of different seeding mixtures of forage kochia and perennial grasses.
Relation Between Fracture Stability and Gas Leakage into Deep Aquifers in the North Perth Basin in Western Australia
Authors: Mullen F. , Boogaerdt H. , Archer R.
Published: December 2018

The Kockatea Shale is a proposed target for unconventional gas development in the North Perth Basin in Western Australia. This research is concerned with correlating the extent of thermogenic gas leakage into deep aquifers overlying the Kockatea Shale with an assessment of how close the formation is to mechanical failure. Data from two petroleum exploration wells located approximately 20 km apart were considered. Both have comparable stratigraphy; however, they differ by their local tectonic setting. The stress regime is strike slip at Arrowsmith 2 well and for an assumed hydrostatic pressure the Kockatea Shale is not close to frictional limits. Minor amounts of methane and trace amounts of short chain alkanes are leaking into deep aquifers pre‐development. In contrast, the stress regime is strike slip/normal at Woodada Deep well and the Kockatea Shale is close to frictional limits. Significant volumes of gas including methane and condensate are leaking into deep aquifers. The sealing capacity of the Kockatea Shale as evidenced by the variation in gas concentration in aquifers at the two sites indicates the formation is sensitive to stress. Additionally given the low permeability of the regional Kockatea Shale seal, it is assumed that at both locations gas leakage is via critically stressed faults. Deep aquifers proximal to the shale gas target are low salinity (<5000 ppm NaCl eq.) at Woodada Deep well and are saline at Arrowsmith 2 well. Based on this assessment, it is suggested that hydraulic fracture stimulation at the Woodada Deep well poses a significant environmental risk.
Progression from Cafeteria toà la carteOffending: Scottish Organised Crime Narratives
Authors: DENSLEY JAMES , McLEAN ROBERT , DEUCHAR ROSS , HARDING SIMON
Published: December 2018

This article presents insights from qualitative research into organised crime (OC) in Glasgow, Scotland. Interviews were conducted with a sample of 42 current and former offenders with a history of group offending in an attempt to understand variation in the onset, maintenance, and cessation of OC careers. Offending narratives revealed different OC trajectories. Drug dealing was the primary modus operandi of OC groups, but some offenders exhibited versatility and progression to wider criminal activity or a mix of illegitimate activity and legitimate business. Implications for future policing strategies and suggested additional research are outlined in response to these findings.
Guidelines for reporting the quality of clinical case reports in Endodontics: a development protocol
Authors: Nagendrababu V. , Chong B. S. , McCabe P. , Shah P. K. , Priya E. , Jayaraman J. , Pulikkotil S. J. , Dummer P. M. H.
Published: December 2018

Case reports are used to communicate interesting, new or rare condition/s, innovative treatment approaches or novel techniques. Apart from informing readers, such information has the potential to contribute towards further scientific studies and the development of newer management modalities. In that context, it is important that case reports are presented accurately and deliver all the necessary and pertinent information to the reader. Reporting guidelines are used to inform authors of the quality standards required to ensure their manuscripts are accurate, complete and transparent. The aim of this project is to develop and disseminate new guidelines – Preferred Reporting Items for Case reports in Endodontics (PRICE). The primary aim is to aid authors when constructing case reports in the field of Endodontics to ensure the highest possible reporting standards are adopted. The project leaders (PD and VN) formed a steering committee comprising six additional members. Subsequently, a five‐phase consensus process will be used. The steering committee will develop the PRICE guidelines (PRICE checklist and flow chart) by identifying relevant items (quality standards) derived from the CAse REport guidelines and Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publications principles, focussing on the content of case reports. Following this, the steering committee will identify a PRICE Delphi Group (PDG) consisting of 30 members including academicians, practitioners, and members of the public. The individual items (components) of the PRICE checklist will be evaluated by the PDG based on a 9‐point Likert scale. Only items scored between 7 and 9 by 70% or more members will be included in the draft checklist. The Delphi process will be continued until a consensus is reached and a final set of items agreed by the PDG members. Following this, a PRICE Face‐to‐Face meeting group (PFMG) will be formed with 20 members to achieve a final consensus. The final consensus‐based checklist and flow chart will be evaluated and approved by selected members of the PDG and PFMG. The approved PRICE guidelines will be published in relevant journals and disseminated via contacts in academic institutions and national endodontic societies, as well as being presented at scientific/clinical meetings.
Global perspectives for the management of onychomycosis
Authors: Gupta Aditya K. , Mays Rachel R. , Versteeg Sarah G. , Piraccini Bianca Maria , Takwale Anita , Shemer Avner , Babaev Meir , Grover Chander , Di Chiacchio Nilton G. , Taborda Paulo R. O. , Taborda Valeria B. A. , Shear Neil H. , Piguet Vincent , Tosti Antonella
Published: December 2018

Onychomycosis is a fungal nail infection caused by dermatophytes, nondermatophyte molds, and yeasts. This difficult‐to‐treat chronic infection has a tendency to relapse despite treatment. This paper aims to offer a global perspective on onychomycosis management from expert physicians from around the world. Overall, the majority of experts surveyed used systemic, topical, and combination treatments approved in their countries and monitored patients based on the product insert or government recommendations. Although the basics of treating onychomycosis were similar between countries, slight differences in onychomycosis management between countries were found. These differences were mainly due to different approaches to adjunctive therapy, rating the severity of disease and use of prophylaxis treatment. A global perspective on the treatment of onychomycosis provides a framework of success for the committed clinician with appreciation of how onychomycosis is managed worldwide.
Epidemiology, risk factors, and outcomes of adult cutaneous non‐tuberculous mycobacterial infection over a 10‐year period in Singapore
Authors: Yeo Pei‐Ming , Lee Shan‐Xian , Tan Yen‐Ee , Sng Li‐Hwei , Ang Chia‐Chun
Published: December 2018

Background

Unfamiliarity with the presentation, diagnostic process, and treatment of cutaneous non‐tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) infection leads to poorer outcomes. We describe our experience with managing cutaneous NTM infection in a regional hospital in Singapore from 2005 to 2014.

Methods

Adult patients with cutaneous NTM infections were identified through positive skin tissue cultures in this retrospective case series. We excluded patients younger than 21 years of age, patients whose care was transferred to another hospital, and patients with catheter‐related infections. Data including demographic variables, as well as disease and treatment outcomes, were collected. We compared the data between patients with and without risk factors for immunosuppression to look for any significant difference.

Results

Fifty‐eight cases were reviewed. Mycobacterium abscessus was the commonest organism isolated (51.7%), and abscesses or inflamed cysts were the most common presentation. Nineteen specimens (57.6%) showed suppurative or necrotizing granulomatous dermatitis on biopsy and acid‐fast bacilli were identified in 2 of 21 histologic specimens (9.5%) stained for mycobacterium. Treatment included systemic antibiotics, surgery, or both. In total, 33 cases had clinical resolution while 25 cases were lost to follow‐up. Our study was limited by the under‐reporting of cases, bias due to data from a single center, and high dropout rates, thereby precluding a detailed assessment of treatment outcomes.

Conclusions

A high index of suspicion is required to diagnose cutaneous NTM infection. Education of both patients and physicians will help to raise the level of awareness and reduce treatment delays.
Public opinion towards workfare policies in Europe: Polarisation of attitudes in times of austerity?
Authors: Buss Christopher
Published: December 2018

Increasing wage inequality, strong labour market divides and welfare retrenchment are widely believed to result in more polarised public opinion towards the welfare state. The present study examined if attitudes towards workfare policies have become more polarised in Europe over recent decades. To achieve this aim, the study analysed public opinion data from the European Value Study (EVS) from 23 European countries in the years 1990–2008, using multi‐level regression analysis. It is found that individuals who are most affected by workfare – the unemployed, the poor and the young – most strongly oppose workfare concepts. Against expectations, there was no evidence of an increasing polarisation of attitudes in Europe. Attitudinal cleavages based on employment status, income and education have remained stable. Differences between age groups have even dissolved because younger cohorts increasingly favour strict workfare policies. The results suggest that warnings of increasing social conflicts and an erosion of solidarity in European societies are exaggerated.
CR6‐interacting factor 1 controls autoimmune arthritis by regulation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway and T helper type 17 cells
Authors: Park Jin‐Sil , Choi Si‐Young , Hwang Sun‐Hee , Kim Sung‐Min , Choi JeongWon , Jung Kyung‐Ah , Kwon Ji Ye , Kong Young‐Yun , Cho Mi‐La , Park Sung‐Hwan
Published: December 2018

CR6‐interacting factor 1 (CRIF1) is a nuclear protein that interacts with other nuclear factors and androgen receptors, and is implicated in the regulation of cell cycle progression and cell growth. In this study, we examined whether CRIF1 exerts an immunoregulatory effect by modulating the differentiation and function of pathogenic T cells. To this end, the role of CRIF1 in rheumatoid arthritis, a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by hyperplasia of synovial tissue and progressive destruction of articular cartilage structure by pathogenic immune cells [such as T helper type 17 (Th17) cells], was investigated. p3XFLAG‐CMV‐10‐CRIF1 was administered to mice with collagen‐induced arthritis 8 days after collagen type II immunization and the disease severity and histologic evaluation, and osteoclastogenesis were assessed. CRIF1 over‐expression in mice with collagen‐induced arthritis attenuated the clinical and histological signs of inflammatory arthritis. Furthermore, over‐expression of CRIF1 in mice with arthritis significantly reduced the number of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3‐mediated Th17 cells in the spleen as well as osteoclast differentiation from bone marrow cells. To investigate the impact of loss of CRIF1 in T cells, we generated a conditional CRIF1 gene ablation model using CD4‐cre transgenic mice and examined the frequency of Th17 cells and regulatory T cells. Deficiency of CRIF1 in CD4+ cells promoted the production of interleukin‐17 and reduced the frequency of regulatory T cells. These results suggest a role for CRIF1 in modulating the activities of Th17 cells and osteoclasts in rheumatoid arthritis.
The Signal in the Noise: The Visual Ecology of Parents' Object Naming
Authors: Suanda Sumarga H. , Barnhart Meagan , Smith Linda B. , Yu Chen
Published: December 2018

The uncertainty of reference has long been considered a key challenge for young word learners. Recent studies of head camera wearing toddlers and their parents during object play have revealed that from toddlers' views, the referents of parents' object naming are often visually quite clear. Although these studies have promising theoretical implications, they were all conducted in stripped‐down laboratory contexts. The current study examines the visual referential clarity of parents' object naming during play in the home. Results revealed patterns of visual referential clarity that resembled previous laboratory studies. Furthermore, context analyses show that such clarity is largely a product of manual activity rather than the object naming context. Implications for the mechanisms of early word learning are discussed.
Structural and optical properties of 2D Ruddlesden‐Popper perovskite (BA)2(FA)n−1PbnI3n+1 compounds for photovoltaic applications
Authors: Lan Chunfeng , Liang Guangxing , Zhao Shuai , Fan Bo , Lan Huabin , Peng Huanxin , Sun Huibin , Zhang Dongping , Luo Jingting , Fan Ping
Published: December 2018

2D‐3D–structured formamidine perovskite composites are highlighted due to their enhanced stability in solar cell applications. However, the structural and optical properties of 2D formamidine perovskites remain unclear. In this work, we developed new formamidine‐based Ruddlesden‐Popper perovskite compounds (BA)2(FA)n−1PbnI3n+1 (n ≤ 4) using hot‐spin coating. Orthorhombic 2D‐layered perovskites were formed with a mixture of 3D formamidine perovskite from (BA)2(FA)n−1PbnI3n+1 precursors. Their formation highly depended on the solvent used in the precursors, in which dimethyl sulfoxide benefited from the b‐axis oriented growth and improved the crystallization of the compounds. The formamidine‐based Ruddlesden‐Popper perovskites were direct bandgap materials, with the experimental bandgaps of over 1.7 eV, and whose average photoluminescence lifetimes were affected by their chemical components and crystal structures. In addition, planar perovskite solar cells were fabricated by employing these films as absorbing layers. The initial devices from the (BA)2(FA)3Pb4I13 precursors exhibited an efficiency of 2.88% and an open voltage of 0.93 V. These results indicated that the formation and stability of 2D‐structured perovskites were strongly related to the A‐site cations, thus offering new insights into the structures of 2D perovskites and their applications for 2D‐3D–structured perovskite solar cells.
The “values journey” of nursing and midwifery students selected using multiple mini interviews; year two findings
Authors: Callwood Alison , Groothuizen Johanna E. , Allan Helen Therese
Published: December 2018

Aim

To explore how adult, child, mental health nursing and midwifery students describe their “values journey” after completing their second year following exposure to the clinical practice environment.

Background

Where student nurses and midwives are selected using multiple mini interviews, in a values‐based recruitment process, the conservancy and or development of their personal values remains unclear.

Design

A hermeneutic, cross‐professional longitudinal study was commenced at one university in England in 2016 with data collection points at the end of years one (DC1), two (DC2) and three (DC3). From the 42 participants recruited in year one, 28 went on to participate in data collection at DC2 (3 adult, 6 child, 3 mental health nurses and 16 midwifery students).

Methods

Four semi‐structured focus groups were conducted. Data analysis incorporated inductive and deductive approaches in a hybrid synthesis.

Findings

Participants did not feel their values had changed fundamentally since year one. However, the prioritization of their values and how they were “put into practice” had changed. Key themes identified were: “changed sense of self as a healthcare practitioner”; “influences on values in practice” and “reflection on values.”

Conclusion

Reframing of personal values is an integral part of learning across clinical and academic settings. Critical reflective practice should be integrated into pre‐registration health education programmes to support student nurses and midwives sustain their learning around values; to maintain “good” values in the face of observed “bad” values.
Using technology to support the social and emotional well‐being of nurses: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Webster Natalie , Oyebode Jan , Jenkins Catharine , Smythe Analisa
Published: December 2018

Aims

(a) To review the published literature on the use of technology to provide social or emotional support to nurses, (b) to evaluate and identify gaps in the research, (c) to assess whether a systematic review would be valuable, (d) to make recommendations for future developments.

Design

The protocol for the scoping review has been developed in accordance with recommendations from several methodological frameworks, as no standardized protocol currently exists for this purpose.

Methods

Our protocol incorporates information about the aims and objectives of the scoping review, inclusion criteria, search strategy, data extraction, quality appraisal, data synthesis, and plans for dissemination. Funding for this project was approved by Burdett Trust for Nursing in December 2016.

Discussion

Technology to support patient emotional and social well‐being has seen a rapid growth in recent years and is offered in a variety of formats. However, similar support for nursing staff remains under‐researched with no literature review undertaken on this topic to date. This is despite nurses working in emotionally demanding environments which can be socially isolating. The scoping review will map current evidence on the use of technology to support nursing staff and explore the range, extent, and nature of this activity. It will also give a basis for deciding if a full systematic review would be desirable.

Impact

It is important that the psychological well‐being of nurses is seriously addressed as more nurses are now leaving than joining the profession. This is an international concern. High staff turnover has an interpersonal cost and is associated with reduced quality of patient care. Financial implications are also important to consider as healthcare providers employ costly agency staff to address the workforce deficit. Online technology may offer a sustainable and accessible means of providing support for nurses who find it difficult to communicate in person due to time pressures at work.
Effect of parenting stress in Korean mothers of children with disabilities on life satisfaction: Moderating effect of intrinsic religious orientation
Authors: You Sukkyung , Lee Yunoug , Kwon Minkyung
Published: December 2018

Background

With growing interest in parenting stress among mothers of children with disabilities, the current study examined the multidimensional aspects of parenting stress and their impact on life satisfaction among Korean mothers of children with disabilities. Based on the suggestions of prior findings concerning the potential role of intrapersonal resources on moderating parenting stress, the study focused on intrinsic religious orientation as one of the intrapersonal resources.

Method

Participants completed measures of three types of parenting stress (parental distress, parent–child dysfunctional interaction and difficult child), life satisfaction and religious orientation.

Results

Two subscales of parenting stress (i.e., parental distress and difficult child) had negative associations with life satisfaction. Intrinsic religious orientation weakened the relationship between parental distress and life satisfaction, especially among individuals who held moderate and high levels of intrinsic religious orientation.

Conclusion

These findings indicate the existence of differential associations between parenting stress type and life satisfaction in Korean mothers of children with disabilities. The current findings also identified the interrelationships between the religious resources and maternal parenting stress of children with disabilities. Intrapersonal religious resources have the potential to counterbalance the negative impact of maternal distress.
Optimizing female allocation to reproductive technologies considering merit, inbreeding and cost in nucleus breeding programmes with genomic selection
Authors: Granleese Tom , Clark Samuel A. , Kinghorn Brian P. , van der Werf Julius H. J.
Published: December 2018

Female reproductive technologies such as multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) and juvenile in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (JIVET) have been shown to accelerate genetic gain by increasing selection intensity and decreasing generation interval. Genomic selection (GS) increases the accuracy of selection of young candidates which can further accelerate genetic gain. Optimal contribution selection (OCS) is an effective method of keeping the rate of inbreeding at a sustainable level while increasing genetic merit. OCS could also be used to selectively and optimally allocate reproductive technologies in mate selection while accounting for their cost. This study uses stochastic simulation to simulate breeding programmes that use a combination of artificial insemination (AI) or natural mating (N), MOET and JIVET with GS. OCS was used to restrict inbreeding to 1.0% increase per generation and also to optimize use of reproductive technologies, considering their effect on genetic gain as well as their cost. Two Australian sheep breeding objectives were used as an example to illustrate the methodology—a terminal sire breeding objective (A) and a dual‐purpose self‐replacing breeding objective (B). The objective function used for optimization considered genetic merit, constrained inbreeding and cost of technologies where costs were offset by a premium paid to the seedstock breeder investing in female reproductive technologies. The premium was based on the cumulative discounted expression of genetic merit in the progeny of a commercial tier in the breeding programme multiplied by the proportion of that benefit received by the breeder. With breeding objective B, the highest premium of 64% paid to the breeder resulted in the highest allocation of reproductive technologies (4%–10% for MOET and 19%–54% for JIVET) and hence the highest annual genetic gain. Conversely, breeding objective A, which had a lower dollar value of the breeding objective and a maximum of 5% mating types for JIVET and zero for MOET were optimal, even when highest premiums were paid. This study highlights that the level of investment in breeding technologies to accelerate genetic gain depends on the investment of genetic improvement returned to the breeder per index point gain achieved. It also demonstrates that breeding programmes can be optimized including allocation of reproductive technologies at the individual animal level. Accounting for revenue to the breeder and cost of the technologies can facilitate more practical decision support for beef and sheep breeders.
Lead perforation extending beyond the pericardium: Can we treat it percutaneously? Poke, pause, pray, and perform
Authors: Sabbag Avi , Deshmukh Abhishek J.
Published: December 2018

Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) are utilized in increasing number and in heterogeneous populations. With excellent training, checklists, and “muscle memory,” the implantation procedure is generally very safe and efficient. Nevertheless, significant and potentially life‐threatening complications can occur.
Unattended versus attended automated office blood pressure: Systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies using the same methodology for both methods
Authors: Kollias Anastasios , Stambolliu Emelina , Kyriakoulis Konstantinos G. , Gravvani Areti , Stergiou George S.
Published: December 2018

There is increasing interest in unattended automated office blood pressure (OBP) measurement, which gives lower blood pressure values than the conventional auscultatory OBP. Whether unattended automated OBP differs from standardized attended automated OBP performed using the same device and measurement protocol remains uncertain. A systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies (aggregate data) comparing unattended vs attended automated OBP using the same device and measurement protocol (conditions, number of measurements, visits) was performed. Ten eligible studies (n = 1004, weighted age 60.8 ± 4.2 [SD] years, 55% males) were analyzed. Unattended OBP (pooled systolic/diastolic 133.9 [95% CI: 129.7, 138]/80.6 [95% CI: 77, 84.2] mm Hg) did not differ from attended OBP (135.3 [95% CI: 130.9, 139.6]/81 [95% CI: 77.6, 84.3] mm Hg); pooled systolic OBP difference −1.3, 95% CI: −4.3, 1.7 mm Hg and diastolic −0.4, 95% CI: −1.2, 0.3 mm Hg. Nine of ten studies achieved high quality score and no publication bias was identified. Meta‐regression analysis did not reveal any effect of age, gender, or attended systolic OBP on the unattended‐attended systolic OBP difference (P = NS for all). However, there was a trend toward higher attended than unattended OBP at higher OBP levels. These data suggest that, when the same device and measurement protocol are used, attended automated OBP provides similar blood pressure values as unattended automated OBP. Although unattended automated OBP is theoretically advantageous as it ensures that standardized conditions and measurement protocol are used, attended automated OBP, if carefully performed, appears to be a reasonable and practical alternative.
Pex11a deficiency causes dyslipidaemia and obesity in mice
Authors: Chen Congcong , Wang Hongwei , Chen Bicheng , Chen Deyuan , Lu Chaosheng , Li Haiyan , Qian Yan , Tan Yi , Weng Huachun , Cai Lu
Published: December 2018

Peroxisomes play a central role in lipid metabolism. We previously demonstrated that Pex11a deficiency impairs peroxisome abundance and fatty acid β‐oxidation and results in hepatic triglyceride accumulation. The role of Pex11a in dyslipidaemia and obesity is investigated here with Pex11a knockout mice (Pex11a−/−). Metabolic phenotypes including tissue weight, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels, fatty acid profile, oxygen consumption, physical activity were assessed in wild‐type (WT) and Pex11a−/− fed with a high‐fat diet. Molecular changes and peroxisome abundance in adipose tissue were evaluated through qRT‐PCR, Western blotting, and Immunofluorescence. Pex11a−/− showed increased fat mass, decreased skeletal muscle, higher cholesterol levels, and more severely impaired glucose and insulin tolerance. Pex11a−/− consumed less oxygen, indicating a decrease in fatty acid oxidation, which is consistent with the accumulation of very long‐ and long‐chain fatty acids. Adipose palmitic acid (C16:0) levels were elevated in Pex11a−/−, which may be because of dramatically increased fatty acid synthase mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, Pex11a deficiency increased ventricle size and macrophage infiltration, which are related to the reduced physical activity. These data demonstrate that Pex11a deficiency impairs physical activity and energy expenditure, decreases fatty acid β‐oxidation, increases de novo lipogenesis and results in dyslipidaemia and obesity.
Granulocytic myeloid‐derived suppressor cell population increases with the severity of alcoholic liver disease
Authors: Gao Miaomiao , Huang Ang , Sun Zijian , Sun Ying , Chang Binxia , Zhang Ji‐yuan , Zou Zheng‐sheng
Published: December 2018

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a progressive liver disease that can cause a series of complications, including cirrhosis, liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. Granulocytic myeloid‐derived suppressor cell (gMDSC) populations have been observed to expand in various liver diseases and to inhibit innate and adaptive immunity in patients with liver disease. However, the characteristics of gMDSCs in patients with ALD have not been studied. We studied 24 healthy controls (HCs) and 107 patients with ALD and found an accumulation of gMDSCs in the peripheral blood of patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC). Furthermore, ALC patients with a poor prognosis displayed a significant increase in peripheral gMDSCs and showed an increased capacity for arginase I production compared to HCs. In contrast, plasma arginase I levels in ALC patients were negatively correlated with total bilirubin and international normalized ratio, two key parameters of liver damage. Importantly, gMDSCs accumulated in the livers of ALC patients, and the frequency of liver gMDSCs significantly correlated with that of peripheral gMDSCs. In addition, gMDSC enrichment in vitro significantly inhibited the function of natural killer (NK) cells, perhaps preventing the NK‐induced apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells. In summary, increased peripheral and intrahepatic gMDSC populations are present in patients with ALC and may contribute to enhancing the severity of liver cirrhosis.
Conditioned medium from amniotic cells protects striatal degeneration and ameliorates motor deficits in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease
Authors: Giampà Carmela , Alvino Alessandra , Magatti Marta , Silini Antonietta R. , Cardinale Antonella , Paldino Emanuela , Fusco Francesca R. , Parolini Ornella
Published: December 2018

Inflammation significantly impacts the progression of Huntington's disease (HD) and the mutant HTT protein determines a pro‐inflammatory activation of microglia. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) from the amniotic membrane (hAMSC), and their conditioned medium (CM‐hAMSC), have been shown to possess protective effects in vitro and in vivo in animal models of immune‐based disorders and of traumatic brain injury, which have been shown to be mediated by their immunomodulatory properties.

In this study, in the R6/2 mouse model for HD we demonstrate that mice treated with CM‐hAMSC display less severe signs of neurological dysfunction than saline‐treated ones. CM‐hAMSC treatment significantly delayed the development of the hind paw clasping response during tail suspension, reduced deficits in rotarod performance, and decreased locomotor activity in an open field test. The effects of CM‐hAMSC on neurological function were reflected in a significant amelioration in brain pathology, including reduction in striatal atrophy and the formation of striatal neuronal intranuclear inclusions. In addition, while no significant increase was found in the expression of BDNF levels after CM‐hAMSC treatment, a significant decrease of microglia activation and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels were observed. These results support the concept that CM‐hAMSC could act by modulating inflammatory cells, and more specifically microglia.
Properties of soy protein isolate/nano‐silica bilayer films during storage
Authors: Xu Lina , Liu Yuanyuan , Yang Mingming , Cao Wenhui , Zhang Huajiang , Xia Ning , Li Tong , Zhao Xiaotong
Published: December 2018

The development of bionanocomposite materials for packages has received increasing attention due to environmental pollution issues. However, storage results in many undesirable properties in films. This study evaluated the effects of storage on simple layer and bilayer soy protein isolate/nano‐silica (SPI/nano‐SiO2) films, which may reduce the migration of nanoparticles, and on the properties (mechanical, barrier, and optical) and parameters (moisture content, sulfhydryl content, and glycerol migration rate) of the films. Compared to SPI films, SPI/nano‐SiO2 films had a higher moisture content, higher sulfhydryl content, lower glycerol migration rate and better properties after storage. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that hydrogen bonding existed between SPI and nano‐SiO2 and that α‐helix, β‐sheet, β‐turn, and random coil structures transformed due to bond breaking and formation during storage. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that SS‐3‐2 film had better morphologies after storage. In conclusion, bilayer films are safer and may replace simple layer films in food packaging.

Practical applications

Based on an EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) scientific opinion, SiO2 is approved in the European Union. However, nanoparticles have been reported to process certain characteristics that pose a health hazard. To reduce the migration of nano‐SiO2, the contact area between the food and films with nano‐SiO2 must be reduced. SPI film is a biodegradable packaging material and has been widely studied due to its biodegradable properties, which are attributed to the lack of repeating units in peptides compared to petroleum synthetic polymers. However, the properties of SPI film change during storage, which limits its application. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of storage on the properties of simple layer and bilayer SPI/nano‐SiO2 films.
Evaluating food safety knowledge, practices, and microbial profile of meat in abattoirs and butchery shops in Lahore, Pakistan
Authors: Mallhi Iftikhar Younis , Sohaib Muhammad , Khan Azmat Ullah , Nawaz Muhammad , Abdullah
Published: December 2018

The current study envisaged to assess food safety knowledge and practices of abattoirs and butchery shops workers to handle meat and to determine bacterial load in meat available in Lahore, Pakistan. Accordingly, descriptive survey was used via questionnaire to access status of food hygiene and sanitation practices by interviewing workers. The bacterial load of meat samples was accessed by determining total plate count (TPC) and Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella were detected in collected meat samples. The findings indicate poor food safety practice as 94.8% of workers had no health certificate and nonavailability of sanitizers at premises. Also, 80% butchers do not use protective clothes during meat handling that can be a major source of contamination. Mean values of total plate count for beef, mutton, and chicken were 6.25 × 10, 3.87 × 107and 4.27 × 107 cfu/g, respectively that also indicates higher values as compared to those set by the Punjab Food Authority which is regulatory body of Pakistan. Study concludes meat handlers have poor knowledge regarding food safety and practices as well as microbial load in samples was also higher compared to standards of world health organization. Therefore, it is highly recommended that regulatory authorities should pay attention to improve food safety situation for meat in Lahore city.

Practical applications

Foodborne diseases are rampant in developing countries mainly due to poor handling and sanitation practices that can lead to development of contaminated food products. Pakistani being meat loving peoples prefer to consume fresh meat sold in butchery shops and retail outlets. However, the fresh meat could be a source for foodborne disease due to lack of poor safety practices at the abattoirs, butchery, shops, and retail outlets. In this context, present study was conducted to assess food safety knowledge, practices of workers, and to determine microbial level of meat sold in Lahore. The findings of this study are useful for regulatory bodies to devise effective strategies to improve prevailing poor food safety knowledge and practices and to reduce bacterial load especially of pathogenic microbes to protect consumer's health.
A Patient‐Centered Approach to Comparative Effectiveness Research Focused on Older Adults: Lessons From the Patient‐Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Authors: Mason Noah R. , Sox Harold C. , Whitlock Evelyn P.
Published: December 2018

The mission of the Patient‐Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is to fund the production of high‐quality evidence that will enable patients and clinicians to make informed, personalized healthcare decisions. Since 2012, the PCORI has invested $177 million in patient‐centered comparative effectiveness research (CER) that specifically targets the health needs of older adults, with additional relevant studies in its broader portfolio. Developing the PCORI's research portfolio has provided us with significant insights into what factors to consider when conducting CER in older adult populations. When comparing the net benefit of two or more interventions for older adults, investigators should consider the following: absolute risk difference, competing risks, life expectancy, the difference between chronologic and physiologic age, the importance of patient preferences, and other potential drivers of variable treatment effects. Investigators should also engage older adults and their caregivers as partners throughout the research process. Their input helps to identify key outcomes of interest and insights about the conduct of the research. As the PCORI continues to support research that addresses the healthcare decisions of the rapidly growing older adult population, it needs to partner with patients and researchers to identify the most important questions to address. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:21–28, 2019.
Asymmetry, Complementarities, and State Dependence in Federal Reserve Forecasts
Authors: CAUNEDO JULIETA , DICECIO RICCARDO , KOMUNJER IVANA , OWYANG MICHAEL T.
Published: December 2018

Forecasts are a central component of policymaking; the Federal Reserve's forecasts are published in a document called the Greenbook. Previous studies of the Greenbook's inflation forecasts have found them to be rationalizable but asymmetric if considering particular subperiods, for example, before and after the Volcker appointment. In these papers, forecasts are analyzed in isolation, assuming policymakers value them independently. We analyze the Greenbook forecasts in a framework in which the forecast errors for different variables are allowed to interact. We find that allowing the losses to interact makes the unemployment forecasts virtually symmetric, the output forecasts symmetric prior to the Volcker appointment, and the inflation forecasts symmetric after the onset of the Great Moderation.
Maternal photoperiodic programming enlightens the internal regulation of thyroid‐hormone deiodinases in tanycytes
Authors: Sáenz de Miera Cristina
Published: December 2018

Seasonal rhythms in physiology are widespread among mammals living in temperate zones. These rhythms rely on the external photoperiodic signal being entrained to the seasons, although they persist under constant conditions, revealing their endogenous origin. Internal long‐term timing (circannual cycles) can be revealed in the laboratory as photoperiodic history‐dependent responses, comprising the ability to respond differently to similar photoperiodic cues based on prior photoperiodic experience. In juveniles, history‐dependence relies on the photoperiod transmitted by the mother to the fetus in utero, a phenomenon known as “maternal photoperiodic programming” (MPP). The response to photoperiod in mammals involves the nocturnal pineal hormone melatonin, which regulates a neuroendocrine network including thyrotrophin in the pars tuberalis and deiodinases in tanycytes, resulting in changes in thyroid hormone in the mediobasal hypothalamus. This review addresses MPP and discusses the latest findings on its impact on the thyrotrophin/deiodinase network. Finally, commonalities between MPP and other instances of endogenous seasonal timing are considered, and a unifying scheme is suggested in which timing arises from a long‐term communication between the pars tuberalis and the hypothalamus and resultant spontaneous changes in local thyroid hormone status, independently of the pineal melatonin signal.
A unifying hypothesis for control of body weight and reproduction in seasonally breeding mammals
Authors: Helfer Gisela , Barrett Perry , Morgan Peter J.
Published: December 2018

Animals have evolved diverse seasonal variations in physiology and reproduction to accommodate yearly changes in environmental and climatic conditions. These changes in physiology are initiated by changes in photoperiod (daylength) and are mediated through melatonin, which relays photoperiodic information to the pars tuberalis of the pituitary gland. Melatonin drives thyroid‐stimulating hormone transcription and synthesis in the pars tuberalis, which, in turn, regulates thyroid hormone and retinoic acid synthesis in the tanycytes lining the third ventricle of the hypothalamus. Seasonal variation in central thyroid hormone signalling is conserved among photoperiodic animals. Despite this, different species adopt divergent phenotypes to cope with the same seasonal changes. A common response amongst different species is increased hypothalamic cell proliferation/neurogenesis in short photoperiod. That cell proliferation/neurogenesis may be important for seasonal timing is based on (i) the neurogenic potential of tanycytes; (ii) the fact that they are the locus of striking seasonal morphological changes; and (iii) the similarities to mechanisms involved in de novo neurogenesis of energy balance neurones. We propose that a decrease in hypothalamic thyroid hormone and retinoic acid signalling initiates localised neurodegeneration and apoptosis, which leads to a reduction in appetite and body weight. Neurodegeneration induces compensatory cell proliferation from the neurogenic niche in tanycytes and new cells are born under short photoperiod. Because these cells have the potential to differentiate into a number of different neuronal phenotypes, this could provide a mechanistic basis to explain the seasonal regulation of energy balance, as well as reproduction. This cycle can be achieved without changes in thyroid hormone/retinoic acid and explains recent data obtained from seasonal animals held in natural conditions. However, thyroid/retinoic acid signalling is required to synchronise the cycles of apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. Thus, hypothalamic neurogenesis provides a framework to explain diverse photoperiodic responses.
Steroid profiles in quail brain and serum: Sex and regional differences and effects of castration with steroid replacement
Authors: Liere Philippe , Cornil Charlotte A. , de Bournonville Marie Pierre , Pianos Antoine , Keller Matthieu , Schumacher Michael , Balthazart Jacques
Published: December 2018

Both systemic and local production contribute to the concentration of steroids measured in the brain. This idea was originally based on rodent studies and was later extended to other species, including humans and birds. In quail, a widely used model in behavioural neuroendocrinology, it was demonstrated that all enzymes needed to produce sex steroids from cholesterol are expressed and active in the brain, although the actual concentrations of steroids produced were never investigated. We carried out a steroid profiling in multiple brain regions and serum of sexually mature male and female quail by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The concentrations of some steroids (eg, corticosterone, progesterone and testosterone) were in equilibrium between the brain and periphery, whereas other steroids (eg, pregnenolone (PREG), 5α/β‐dihydroprogesterone and oestrogens) were more concentrated in the brain. In the brain regions investigated, PREG sulphate, progesterone and oestrogen concentrations were higher in the hypothalamus‐preoptic area. Progesterone and its metabolites were more concentrated in the female than the male brain, whereas testosterone, its metabolites and dehydroepiandrosterone were more concentrated in males, suggesting that sex steroids present in quail brain mainly depend on their specific steroidogenic pathways in the ovaries and testes. However, the results of castration experiments suggested that sex steroids could also be produced in the brain independently of the peripheral source. Treatment with testosterone or oestradiol restored the concentrations of most androgens or oestrogens, respectively, although penetration of oestradiol in the brain appeared to be more limited. These studies illustrate the complex interaction between local brain synthesis and the supply from the periphery for the steroids present in the brain that are either directly active or represent the substrate of centrally located enzymes.