bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Amazon soil charcoal: Pyrogenic carbon stock depends of ignition source distance and forest type in Roraima, Brazil
Authors: da Silva Carvalho Lidiany C. , Fearnside Philip M. , Nascimento Marcelo T. , Barbosa Reinaldo I.
Published: April 2018

Pyrogenic carbon (PyC) derived from charcoal particles (paleo + modern) deposited in the soil column has been little studied in the Amazon, and our understanding of the factors that control the spatial and vertical distribution of these materials in the region's forest soils is still unclear. The objective of this study was to test the effect of forest type and distance from the ignition source on the PyC stocks contained in macroscopic particles of soil charcoal (≥2 mm; 1 m depth) dispersed in ecotone forests of the northern Brazilian Amazon. Thirty permanent plots were set up near a site that had been occupied by pre‐Columbian and by modern populations until the late 1970s. The sampled plots represent seasonal and ombrophilous forests that occur under different hydro‐edaphic restrictions. Our results indicate that the largest PyC stock was spatially dependent on distance to the ignition source (<3 km), occurring mainly in flood‐free ombrophilous forests (3.46 ± 5.22 Mg PyC/ha). The vertical distribution of PyC in the deeper layers of the soil (> 50 cm) in seasonal forests was limited by hydro‐edaphic impediments that restricted the occurrence of charcoal. These results suggest that PyC stocks derived from macroscopic charcoal particles in the soil of this Brazilian Amazon ecotone region are controlled by the distance from the ignition source of the fire, and that forest types with higher hydro‐edaphic restrictions can inhibit formation and accumulation of charcoal. Making use of these distinctions reduces uncertainty and improves our ability to understand the variability of PyC stocks in forests with a history of fire in the Amazon.
Dominance of bacterial ammonium oxidizers and fungal denitrifiers in the complex nitrogen cycle pathways related to nitrous oxide emission
Authors: Lourenço Késia S. , Dimitrov Maurício R. , Pijl Agata , Soares Johnny R. , do Carmo Janaína B. , van Veen Johannes A. , Cantarella Heitor , Kuramae Eiko E.
Published: April 2018

Organic compounds and mineral nitrogen (N) usually increase nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Vinasse, a by‐product of bio‐ethanol production that is rich in carbon, nitrogen, and potassium, is recycled in sugarcane fields as a bio‐fertilizer. Vinasse can contribute significantly to N2O emissions when applied with N in sugarcane plantations, a common practice. However, the biological processes involved in N2O emissions under this management practice are unknown. This study investigated the roles of nitrification and denitrification in N2O emissions from straw‐covered soils amended with different vinasses (CV: concentrated and V: nonconcentrated) before or at the same time as mineral fertilizers at different time points of the sugarcane cycle in two seasons. N2O emissions were evaluated for 90 days, the period that occurs most of the N2O emission from fertilizers; the microbial genes encoding enzymes involved in N2O production (archaeal and bacterial amoA, fungal and bacterial nirK, and bacterial nirS and nosZ), total bacteria, and total fungi were quantified by real‐time PCR. The application of CV and V in conjunction with mineral N resulted in higher N2O emissions than the application of N fertilizer alone. The strategy of vinasse application 30 days before mineral N reduced N2O emissions by 65% for CV, but not for V. Independent of rainy or dry season, the microbial processes were nitrification by ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea and denitrification by bacteria and fungi. The contributions of each process differed and depended on soil moisture, soil pH, and N sources. We concluded that amoA‐AOB was the most important gene related to N2O emissions, which indicates that nitrification by AOB is the main microbial‐driven process linked to N2O emissions in tropical soil. Interestingly, fungal nirK was also significantly correlated with N2O emissions, suggesting that denitrification by fungi contributes to N2O emission in soils receiving straw and vinasse application.
Phylogenetic uniqueness, not latitude, explains the diversity of avian blood parasite communities worldwide
Authors: Clark Nicholas J.
Published: April 2018

Aim

Characterizing macroecological patterns in biodiversity is key to improve our understanding of community assembly. Global biodiversity for many taxa follows a latitudinal gradient, with increased diversity in tropical latitudes. Less is known about global parasite biodiversity, inhibiting our ability to predict how global change will impact parasitic disease emergence. Using distribution and phylogenetic data for 2,386 avian haemosporidian blood parasites (genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon), I assessed how contemporary and historical drivers influence the composition of parasite communities worldwide.

Location

Global.

Time period

Current.

Major taxa studied

Haemosporidian blood parasites.

Methods

Parasite distribution and cytochrome b sequence data were accessed from an open‐source database. Bayesian phylogenetic tree distributions were constructed for each parasite genus using two substitution models to capture uncertainty. Hierarchical regressions assessed effects of environmental variation, latitude and phylogenetic β‐diversity (βdiv; a proxy for phylogenetic uniqueness) on the diversity and asymmetry of parasite communities around the globe.

Results

I uncovered biodiversity hotspots and identified broad variation in global diversity patterns among parasite genera. Community diversity increased with increasing phylogenetic uniqueness for all three parasite genera; however, these diverse and unique regions did not consistently occur in the tropics. I found no evidence of a latitudinal diversity gradient, and support for a latitudinal gradient in community phylogenetic asymmetry was weak.

Main conclusions

Global variation in avian haemosporidian phylogenetic diversity does not reflect a latitudinal gradient. Instead, parasite biogeography may reflect fundamental differences in host‐switching tendencies or the timing of avian evolutionary radiations. Examining the interplay between shared evolutionary history and phylogenetic diversity can provide important insights into the drivers of parasite biodiversity at global scales.
Baicalein disturbs the morphological plasticity and motility of breast adenocarcinoma cells depending on the tumor microenvironment
Authors: Terabayashi Takeshi , Hanada Katsuhiro , Motani Kou , Kosako Hidetaka , Yamaoka Mami , Kimura Toshihide , Ishizaki Toshimasa
Published: April 2018

During tumor invasion, cancer cells change their morphology and mode of migration based on communication with the surrounding environment. Numerous studies have indicated that paracrine interactions from non‐neoplastic cells impact the migratory and invasive properties of cancer cells. Thus, these interactions are potential targets for anticancer therapies. In this study, we showed that the flavones member baicalein suppresses the motility of breast cancer cells that is promoted by paracrine interactions. First, we identified laminin‐332 (LN‐332) as a principle paracrine factor in conditioned medium from mammary epithelium‐derived MCF10A cells that regulates the morphology and motility of breast adenocarcinoma MDA‐MB‐231 cells. Then, we carried out a morphology‐based screen for small compounds, which showed that baicalein suppressed the morphological changes and migratory activity of MDA‐MB‐231 cells that were induced by conditioned medium from MCF10A cells and LN‐332. We also found that baicalein caused narrower and incomplete lamellipodia formation in conditioned medium‐treated MDA‐MB‐231 cells, although actin dynamics downstream of Rho family small GTPases were unaffected. These results suggest the importance of mammary epithelial cells in the cancer microenvironment promoting the migratory activity of breast adenocarcinoma cells and show a novel mechanism through which baicalein inhibits cancer cell motility.
The outlet patch: gastric heterotopia of the colorectum and anus
Authors: Mannan Abul A S R , Vieth Michael , Khararjian Armen , Khandakar Binny , Lam‐Himlin Dora , Heydt David , Bhaijee Feriyl , Venbrux Henry J , Byrnes Kathleen , Voltaggio Lysandra , Barker Norman , Yuan Songyang , Montgomery Elizabeth A
Published: April 2018

Aims

Gastric heterotopia (GH) has been described throughout the gastrointestinal tract. However, the colorectal region is an extremely rare location for it. We describe the clinicopathological features of GH of the colon, rectum and anus.

Methods and results

We identified 33 cases in 20 males and 13 females (median age = 54 years; range = 4 months–73 years). Sites included the rectum (n = 26), anus (n = 4), ileocaecal junction (n = 1), ascending colon (n = 1) and descending colon (n = 1). Presenting symptoms (n = 27) included haematochezia (41%) and altered bowel habits (4%); 15 patients (55%) were asymptomatic. On colonoscopy (n = 31), all appeared as solitary lesions (median size = 6.5 mm, range = 2–55 mm), either as polyps (61%), raised erythematous patches (23%), an ulcer (10%), within a rectal diverticulum (3%) or a haemorrhoid (3%). Patients were managed by polypectomy. One with an associated carcinoma in the area of GH underwent resection. No morbidity related to GH itself was reported following excision. Histologically, heterotopic gastric mucosa was oxyntic (85%), mixed oxyntic and non‐oxyntic (12%) and not specified (3%) types. In five patients a pyloric gland adenoma (PGA) arose from heterotopic gastric mucosa, two of which contained a focus of invasive adenocarcinoma. One case had associated surface foveolar‐type low‐grade dysplasia. Another had associated adenocarcinoma arising from the heterotopic mucosa. One example harboured Helicobacter pylori organisms.

Conclusions

We highlight the features of GH in the distal GIT – the ‘outlet patch’. Association with PGA, surface dysplasia and adenocarcinoma suggests that lower tract GH can undergo neoplastic transformation.
Variation in the TEK gene is not associated with asthma but with allergic conjunctivitis
Authors: Fodor L. E. , Gézsi A. , Gál Z. , Nagy A. , Kiss A. , Bikov A. , Szalai C.
Published: April 2018

The Tie2 receptor is an important player in angiogenesis. The Tie2 mRNA and protein are abundantly expressed in the lungs and the associated pathway also has an important role in the development and function of the eye. Tie2 is encoded by the TEK gene in humans. Recently, variations in the TEK gene have been found associated with asthma. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether variations in the TEK gene influenced the susceptibility to pediatric asthma and/or associated phenotypes like GINA status, viral‐ or exercise‐induced asthma, allergic asthma, indoor, outdoor, inhalative allergies, IgE and eosonophil levels, allergic rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, rs3780315, rs581724 and rs7876024) in the TEK gene were genotyped in 1189 unrelated individuals, out of which 435 were asthmatic children and 754 healthy controls. Different types of asthma, allergies and co‐morbidities were defined in 320 patients. Among the fully phenotyped 320 asthmatic patients 178 (55.6%) also had allergic rhinitis and 100 (31.3%) had conjunctivitis. Among the rhinitis patients 98 (55.1%) also had conjunctivitis. Two patients had conjunctivitis without rhinitis. The genotyped SNPs showed no association with asthma. However, SNP rs581724 was significantly associated with allergic conjunctivitis in a recessive way (p=0.007; OR=2.3 (1.3‐4.4)) within the asthmatic population. The risk remained significant when the whole population (asthmatics and healthy controls) was included in the calculation (p = 0.003; OR = 2.1 (1.3‐3.6)). The minor allele of the rs581724 SNP which is associated with the increased risk to conjunctivitis is also associated with reduced Tie2 expression. There was a significant association between SNP rs581724 and the occurrence of allergic conjunctivitis in asthmatic children. If additional studies can confirm the role of the Tie2 pathway in allergic conjunctivitis, it can be a potential novel therapeutic target in the disease.
Shoulder stiffness, back pain, and wrist pain: Are older primiparas more vulnerable?
Authors: Iwata Hiroko , Mori Emi , Maehara Kunie , Sakajo Akiko , Aoki Kyoko , Tamakoshi Koji
Published: April 2018

Aim

To describe changes in prevalence of shoulder stiffness, back pain, and wrist pain during the first 6 months postpartum, and to examine the association of these symptoms with maternal age and parity.

Methods

Participants were recruited from 13 Japanese hospitals between 2012 and 2013. A total of 2709 (response rate 71.9%) women provided longitudinal data, using self‐report questionnaires at 5 time points: during their hospital stay, and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 months postpartum. Shoulder stiffness, back pain, and wrist pain were measured, using checklists with yes‐no responses. The effects of age and parity were assessed in 4 groups of younger (<35 years) and older (≥35 years) mothers: 983 younger primiparas, 481 older primiparas, 649 younger multiparas, and 596 older multiparas. Chi‐square tests and Cochran's Q tests were used to assess effects of group and time.

Results

Prevalence of shoulder stiffness, back pain, and wrist pain during the hospital stay significantly increased up to 1 month postpartum for older primiparas, who were also the most vulnerable to back pain and wrist pain at 1 month postpartum.

Conclusion

Special attention should be given to older primiparas in assessing and providing nursing care for physical symptoms, especially during the first month postpartum.
Predatory publishing and cybercrime targeting academics
Authors: Umlauf Mary Grace , Mochizuki Yuki
Published: April 2018

The purpose of this report is to inform and warn academics about practices used by cybercriminals who seek to profit from unwary scholars and undermine the industry of science. This report describes the signs, symptoms, characteristics, and consequences of predatory publishing and related forms of consumer fraud. Methods to curb these cybercrimes include educating scholars and students about tactics used by predatory publishers; institutional changes in how faculty are evaluated using publications; soliciting cooperation from the industries that support academic publishing and indexing to curb incorporation of illegitimate journals; and taking an offensive position by reporting these consumer fraud crimes to the authorities. Over and above the problem of publishing good science in fraudulent journals, disseminating and citing poor‐quality research threaten the credibility of science and of nursing.
Refugees and Elections: The Effects of Syrians on Voting Behavior in Turkey
Authors: Fisunoğlu Ali , Sert Deniz Ş.
Published: April 2018

In the wake of the Syrian civil war, more than three million people have fled to Turkey, which now hosts the largest refugee population on earth. Making up 4.42 per cent of the total population in Turkey as of February 2018, Syrian refugees are nevertheless spread unevenly within its borders. The ratio of refugees to the local population ranges from as high as 99per cent in the city of Kilis to as low as 0.05per cent in Sinop. This article presents findings from the empirical study of the effect of this geographical variation on election outcomes in Turkey, after the arrival of major refugee populations in 2012. Drawing on a unique subnational dataset and ordinary least squares (OLS), generalized least squares (GLS), and difference‐in‐differences (DiD) regressions, the study compares cities hosting few refugees (control group) with cities with large refugee populations (treatment group) to determine whether significant differences in voting patterns emerged. Our findings show a negative, but insignificant, impact on the incumbent party. The findings have policy implications for Turkey as well as any country that experiences a considerable flow of refugees.
Sharing power in criminal justice: The potential of co‐production for offenders experiencing mental health and addictions in New Zealand
Authors: Thom Katey , Burnside Dave
Published: April 2018

Co‐production has begun to make inroads into research, policy, and practice in mental health and addictions. Little is known, however, about the role co‐production has or could have in shaping how the criminal justice system responds to mental health and addictions. Given that a large majority of prisoners in Aotearoa New Zealand have been diagnosed with either a mental health or substance use disorder within their lifetime, it is imperative alternative approaches are considered if we are to reduce the high imprisonment rates and contribute positively to health, safety, and well‐being of all New Zealanders. In this study, we explore how co‐production has been conceptualized and used in criminal justice systems internationally, and offer an experiential account of our first steps into co‐production both in service delivery and research. We conclude by proposing a way forward to expand partnerships between those who have experience‐based expertise and researchers within the criminal justice context, offering a small‐ and large‐scale project as potential examples of what co‐production may look like in this space.
Genomic variation of the great apes and the application to conservation
Authors: Marques‐Bonet T. , Hvilsom C.
Published: April 2018

The great apes all share the same fate of being threatened by extinction within the present century. Therefore innovative conservation genetics efforts are needed in order to gain in‐depth knowledge about the gene dynamics of our closest living relatives, and to help find ways to avoid their extinction. Recently, novel technologies have made it possible to exploit whole genome sequences and we now have access to full genome variation at the population scale, which should result in novel applications for conservation genetics. In this review, some of the main findings from the last 5 years of intense research on great ape genomic variation will be summarized, and current and future endeavours to apply this knowledge to assist global great ape conservation efforts will be discussed.
Hollow MgNi1.4Zn0.6/CaCu2.79Fe4.21O12 nanocomposite synthesis via ultrasonic high‐temperature spray pyrolysis
Authors: Karunakaran Gopalu , Jagathambal Matheswaran , Kumar Govindan Suresh , Venkatesh Manickam , Kolesnikov Evgeny , Kuznetsov Denis
Published: April 2018

In this study, a distinctive hollow MgNi1.4Zn0.6/CaCu2.79Fe4.21O12 nanocomposite was synthesized for the first time using ultrasonic high‐temperature spray pyrolysis method controlled at 1200°C. Effect of various concentrations (0.01, 0.1, and 1 mol L−1) of the precursor solution on particle size and crystalline phase of nanocomposites was also analyzed. XRD and SEM results confirmed the difference in the particle size and crystalline pattern of the synthesized nanocomposite arisen due to the difference in concentrations. The results of antibacterial and antioxidant studies showed that the nanocomposites possessed remarkable antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Thus, the prepared hollow MgNi1.4Zn0.6/CaCu2.79Fe4.21O12 metal oxide nanocomposite via ultrasonic high‐temperature spray pyrolysis can be an excellent material in various biomedical applications.
True deception during extra‐pair courtship feeding: cheating whiskered ternChlidonias hybridafemales perform better
Authors: Ledwoń Mateusz , Neubauer Grzegorz
Published: April 2018

Males of many bird species feed their mates during the pre‐incubation period. The food provisioned by males during these courtship feedings (CFs) represents the key source of energy for the female during egg formation. Non‐pair males may trade food for extra pair copulations (EPC) with females during extra pair courtship feeding (EPCF), while females may trade copulations for food with non‐pair males to obtain additional resources. Because EPCs can be costly to the females, they are expected to behave in ways that will deceive non‐pair males to obtain additional resources at no cost to themselves. We investigated EPCFs in whiskered ternsChlidonias hybridabreeding in food‐rich conditions, on carp ponds in southern Poland. Almost all CFs (n = 2751) took place during the female's fertile period and peaked just before clutch initiation. 10% of all CFs were performed by non‐pair males. Females tried to obtain food from the non‐pair male during 39% of EPCFs, by swindling (the female solicits a non‐social male for copulation and tries to swindle food with no cloacal contact) or by snatching (the female tries to take the gift without engaging in copulation). In the remaining 61% of EPCFs, females did not react or chased the visiting male away. The probability of a female's obtaining food during EPCF was much higher (0.69, 95% CI: 0.47–0.85) if she swindled rather than snatched (0.08, 95% CI: 0.02–0.22). Only 0.7% of EPCFs were followed by EPCs. The high availability of food in the study area allows males to perform frequent EPCFs, despite the very low probability of obtaining EPCs. This is the first time that ‘true deception’ during EPCFs has been reported in birds: swindling females obtain food from non‐pair males at no immediate detectable cost to themselves.
Gingival shade guides: Colorimetric and spectral modeling
Authors: Ghinea Razvan , Herrera Luis Javier , Pérez María M. , Ionescu Ana M. , Paravina Rade D.
Published: April 2018

Objective

To design colorimetric and spectral models of gingival shade guides that adequately represent the color of human gingiva.

Materials and Methods

A previously compiled database on the spectral reflectance of healthy keratinized gingiva was used for optimization. Coverage Error (CE) and Maximal Error (ME) were optimized using CIELAB and CIEDE2000 color difference formulas. A two‐phase process included an FCM algorithm and a nonlinear optimization. A t test was used to compare the performance of the different numbers of clusters/tabs in gingival shade guide models (α = .05).

Results

CIELAB CE and ME for shade guide models with 3 to 6 clusters ranged from 3.1 to 3.9 (P = .028 for 3 vs. 4; and P = .033 for 5 vs. 6 cluster/tab comparison), while the corresponding CIEDE2000 range was from 2.1 to 2.8 (P < .001 for 3 vs. 4 tabs; P < .025 for 4 vs. 5; and P = 0.029 for 5 vs. 6 tab comparisons). The percentage of data points exhibiting a CIELAB color difference lower than the acceptability threshold ranged from 48.7% to 71.4%, and from 52.9% to 82.4%. for CIEDE2000.

Conclusions

An increase in the number of clusters in the gingival shade guide models was associated with a decrease in coverage error (better match) to human gingiva. Gingival shade guide models with only 4 tabs provided a CIELAB and CIEDE2000 coverage error lower than the acceptability threshold for gingival color. Spectral clustering of human gingiva was determined to be valid. CIEDE2000 color difference formula outperformed the CIELAB formula in the optimization process.

Clinical Significance

Providing a shade guide model with a small number of tabs and a coverage error lower than the 50:50% acceptability threshold would be an optimal solution for shade matching in dentistry. However, no actual gingival or tooth shade guide complies with this. The clustering method, with optimization of both Coverage Error and Maximal Error and spectral clustering that enables more reliable color formulation of cluster representatives of shade guide models, represents an advance when it comes to computer modeling in dentistry.
Medical Marijuana Use in Older Adults
Authors: Briscoe Joshua , Casarett David
Published: April 2018

Symptom management in older adults, including pain and distressing non‐pain symptoms, can be challenging. Medications can cause side effects that worsen quality of life or create other symptoms, and polypharmacy itself can be detrimental in older adults. Cannabinoids may offer a way of managing selected symptoms with fewer side effects. Medical marijuana is an important area of study for older adults because of the side effects of other medications. It is also important for Baby Boomers, who are likely to have more experience with marijuana than older adults of previous generations. Therefore, geriatricians should understand medical marijuana's clinical indications, adverse effects, and legal context. This article reviews the evidence regarding indications for and risks of medical marijuana use in older adults.
Cognitive Decline and Older Driver Crash Risk
Authors: Fraade‐Blanar Laura A. , Ebel Beth E. , Larson Eric B. , Sears Jeanne M. , Thompson Hilaire J. , Chan Kwun Chuen G. , Crane Paul K.
Published: April 2018

Objectives

To examine automobile crash risk associated with cognition in older drivers without dementia.

Design

Retrospective secondary analysis of longitudinal cohort study.

Setting

Our study used data from the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) Study merged with Washington State crash reports and licensure records. Data were available from 2002 to 2015.

Participants

Group Health enrollees from Washington State aged 65 and older with active driver's licenses (N=2,615).

Measurements

Cognitive function was assessed using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument scored using item response theory (CASI‐IRT). The study outcome was police‐reported motor vehicle crash. We used a negative binomial mixed‐effects model with robust standard errors clustered on the individual and considered associations between crash risk, level of cognition, and amount of decline since the previous study visit. Covariates included age, sex, education, alcohol, depression, medical comorbidities, eyesight, hearing, and physical function. Individuals were censored at dementia diagnosis, death, or failure to renew their license.

Results

Over an average of 7 years of follow‐up, 350 (13%) people had at least one crash. A 1‐unit lower CASI‐IRT score was associated with a higher adjusted incidence rate ratio of crash of 1.26 (95% confidence interval=1.08–1.51). Beyond level of cognition, amount of cognitive decline between study visits was not associated with crash risk.

Conclusion

This study suggests that, in older drivers, poorer performance on the CASI‐IRT may be a risk factor for motor vehicle crashes, even in individuals without diagnosed dementia. Further research is needed to understand driving behavior and inform driving decisions for older adults with poor cognitive function.
State corporatism and environmental harm: Tax farming and desertification in northwestern China
Authors: Mao KuoRay , Hanley Eric A.
Published: April 2018

Research on environmental governance in China has shown that centre–local relations often influence the implementation and efficacy of environmental regulations. By examining changes in resource allocation and rural development between 1982 and 2005 in the region worst affected by desertification in China—the Minqin oasis in Gansu—we argue that changes in macro‐level fiscal and commodity grain policies contributed to severe regional disparity and a reduction in local state capacity in hinterland China. Intergovernmental competition over fiscal revenue encouraged cash cropping and land reclamation, and the continuous decline of the oasis ecology further reduced legitimacy in rural governance. These institutional and ecological constraints shaped the behaviour of grassroots cadres and formed the conflicting interests of the state in resource distribution and environmental conservation that continued to exist until the implementation of a centralized conservation program in 2006. The data came from 157 interviews and 628 policy documents from local archives in Gansu.
Feasibility and clinical outcomes of rotational atherectomy for heavily‐calcified side branches of complex coronary bifurcation lesions in the real‐world practice of the drug‐eluting stent era
Authors: Chen Yu‐Wei , Su Chieh‐Shou , Chang Wei‐Chun , Liu Tsun‐Jui , Liang Kae‐Woei , Lai Chih‐Hung , Liu Hong‐Xu , Lee Wen‐Lieng
Published: April 2018

Objectives

To evaluate the outcomes of rotational atherectomy for heavily‐calcified side branches of coronary bifurcation lesions.

Background

Side‐branch (SB) preservation is clinically important but technically challenging in heavily‐calcified non‐left main true bifurcation lesions. SB rotational atherectomy (SB RA) is sometimes mandatory but the clinical outcomes are not well studied.

Methods

We retrospectively studied the outcomes of patients who underwent RA at our institute for heavily calcified, balloon‐uncrossable or—undilatable SB lesions over an approximately 5‐year period (January 2011 to September 2016).

Results

Two hundred and forty‐four patients underwent main vessel only RA (SB−MV + RA group) and another 48 patients underwent SB RA (SB + MV ± RA group) for 49 side branches. The demographic variables were comparable between the two groups. However, patients underwent SB RA experienced more SB perforations and greater acute contrast‐induced nephropathy (CIN). Among the SB RA patients, 30 (62.5%) underwent RA for both SB and MV (SB + MV + RA subgroup), whereas the other 18 underwent SB only RA (SB + MV−RA subgroup). Patients in these two subgroups could be completed with similar procedural, fluoroscopic durations, and contrast doses. The long‐term MACE rate of SB RA was 27.1% over a mean follow‐up period of 25.1 months with no differences between the two subgroups.

Conclusions

RA for SB preservation in complex and heavily‐calcified bifurcation lesions was feasible with high success rate and quite favorable long‐term outcomes in the drug‐eluting stent (DES) era. Given the higher rates in SB perforation and acute CIN, we recommend that SB RA should be conducted by experienced operators.
Offspring Migration and Parents' Emotional and Psychological Well‐being in Mexico
Authors: Yahirun Jenjira J. , Arenas Erika
Published: April 2018

In Mexico, offspring migration disrupts familial norms of coresidence and geographic proximity. This article examines how an adult child's migration, both domestically and to the United States, affects the emotional and psychological well‐being of parents who remain in the place of origin. Using nationally representative longitudinal data from the Mexican Family Life Survey (N = 4,718), the authors found limited evidence that parents whose offspring emigrated to the United States experience worse outcomes than parents of offspring who did not migrate. Although they found that offspring U.S. migration was not associated with changes in parents' overall depressive syndrome, a child's U.S. migration increased the likelihood of experiencing loneliness and led to a lower likelihood of recovery from parental sadness over time. Children's domestic migration did not affect parental well‐being. These findings add to a growing body of literature that should be considered when assessing the broader impact of migration on family members who remain behind.
The trends and prevalence of obesity and morbid obesity among Australian school‐aged children, 1985–2014
Authors: Xu Joshua , Hardy Louise L , Guo Cici Z , Garnett Sarah P
Published: April 2018

Aim

Children with obesity have a greater risk of adverse social and physical health outcomes. We examined temporal changes in body mass index (BMI) z‐scores and the prevalence obesity and morbid obesity in children from 1985 to 2014.

Methods

Secondary data analysis of BMI data for children aged 7–15 years from five cross‐sectional Australian datasets. Changes in age‐ and gender‐adjusted BMI (BMI z‐scores) and nutritional status were categorised using the International Obesity Task Force cut‐off points.

Results

The percentage of children who were obese tripled between 1985 and 1995 from 1.6 to 4.7%, before plateauing between 1995 and 2014. The percentage of morbidly obese children was <1% in 1985 and 1995, increasing to 2% between 1995 and 2007, with no further increase between 2007 and 2014. The proportion of obese children classified as morbidly obese was 12% in 1985–1995, 24% in 2007–2012 and 28% in 2014. Between 1985 and 2012, the mean BMI z‐score increased in children categorised as obese from 1.94 (standard deviation 0.15) to 2.03 (0.22), and then plateaued. For morbidly obese children, the mean BMI z‐score was 2.4 (0.13) and remained similar over the study period.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the relative fatness of children with morbid obesity, as measured by BMI z‐score, has remained stable. The proportion of obese and morbidly obese children has also plateaued between 2007 and 2014. However, the prevalence of obesity remains high, and more dedicated resources are required to treat children with obesity to reduce the short‐ and long‐term health impact.
Procalcitonin and C‐reactive protein as biomarkers for neonatal bacterial infection
Authors: Quadir Ashfaque F , Britton Philip N
Published: April 2018

Aim

Neonates are predisposed to bacterial infection which are an important cause of early childhood morbidity and mortality globally. It has been proposed that procalcitonin has significant utility as a diagnostic marker for bacterial infection in febrile neonates when compared to C‐reactive protein (CRP). The aim of this study is to conduct a literature search to find the best available evidence to answer the clinical question of the utility of procalcitonin when compared to CRP as a predictor of bacterial infection in febrile neonates.

Methods

Medline/PubMed was searched using the terms ‘procalcitonin’, ‘C‐reactive protein’, ‘bacterial infection’ and ‘neonatal sepsis’. Three systematic reviews relevant to the clinical question were identified and the key article selected for critical appraisal was the systematic review by Yu et al. (2010).

Results

The appraised literature concludes that procalcitonin has moderate accuracy in diagnosing neonatal sepsis, but suggests it should be considered only within the context of other clinical parameters and other relevant investigations. The studies included in the systematic review were of variable quality, showed considerable heterogeneity in their methods and evidence of possible publication bias.

Conclusion

Further research is required before definitive recommendations can be made about the utility of procalcitonin compared with CRP as a diagnostic marker for neonatal sepsis and bacterial infection in clinical practice.
Removing Task‐Induced Superficial‐Tissue Hemodynamics and Head Motion‐Induced Artifacts in Functional Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Nakamura Hiroki , Sato Takanori , Nambu Isao , Wada Yasuhiro
Published: April 2018

Functional near‐infrared spectroscopy, a neuroimaging tool used to measure brain activity, is associated with two different types of artifacts: (a) task‐induced superficial‐tissue hemodynamic artifacts derived from the scalp; and (b) motion artifacts caused by head motions. Recently, a simple and easy‐to‐use method, based on a general linear model incorporating superficial hemodynamics model estimated from short‐probe distance channels using principal component analysis, was proposed to remove task‐induced superficial‐tissue artifacts. In the present study, we examined the effectiveness of this method in removing task‐induced and head motion‐induced superficial‐tissue hemodynamics. Thus, we conducted a motor experiment where participants were asked to perform grasping movements. During some sessions, head motions were generated in order to introduce motion artifacts. Although the removal of motion artifacts was not perfect, we found that analyses including the first and second principal component (estimated from short‐channels) showed a tendency to provide accurate detection of brain activity. This finding demonstrated the possibility of conducting effective analysis of functional near‐infrared spectroscopy using general linear model and short‐channels.
Effect of Enterococcus faecium SF68 on serum cobalamin and folate concentrations in healthy dogs
Authors: Lucena R. , Olmedilla A. B. , Blanco B. , Novales M. , Ginel P. J.
Published: April 2018

Objective

To study the effect of a 14‐day administration of the probiotic Enterococcus faecium SF68 on serum concentrations of cobalamin and folate in healthy dogs.

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐six healthy dogs were randomly allocated between probiotic and control groups. Enterococcus faecium SF68 was administered to the probiotic group for 14 days whereas the control group did not receive any product. A blood sample was taken from all dogs when starting the administration (day 1), when the administration ended (day 14) and 14 days later (day 28). Serum cobalamin and folate concentrations and the canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index scores were determined at each time point.

Results

There was a progressive reduction of mean serum cobalamin in the probiotic group during the 28‐day study, with significantly lower concentration at day 28 compared to baseline and day 14 concentrations. Moderate hypocobalaminaemia was observed in eight dogs at day 28. Probiotic administration was associated with a non‐significant increase in mean serum folate concentration at day 14, and a significant decrease at day 28 compared with day 1. The canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index score remained unaltered during the study.

Clinical Significance

Short‐term Enterococcus faecium SF68 administration caused a significant reduction of mean cobalamin concentration and moderate hypocobolaminaemia in eight of 18 dogs. Monitoring serum folate appears unnecessary because the probiotic caused a non‐significant increase that returned to baseline values after administration was discontinued.
Patience and the Trinity
Authors: Jones Paul Dafydd
Published: April 2018

This article commends the motif of patience for thinking about the Trinity. It opens with an analysis of Church Dogmatics I/1, worrying about a spare account of intratrinitarian relations but finding promise in Barth's treatment of the Spirit. It then proposes that Barth's remarks about patience could nourish constructive reflection. The divine life itself involves the exercise of patience: each Person bears the distinctions and relations basic to God's being. To nuance this claim, work by Brian Leftow, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Linn Tonstad is analyzed. A conclusion considers social trinitarianism and the “modestly speculative” character of trinitarian reflection.
Immutability or Faithfulness?
Authors: Chalamet Christophe
Published: April 2018

Much in twentieth‐century Protestant theology amounts to a massive attempt, by many different thinkers, to overcome theistic notions of God. How should this endeavor be pursued in relation with the attribute of divine immutability? In the last century, several significant theologians have preferred to speak of divine “faithfulness,” because of the fixity and rigidity which seems to be implied in the notion of immutability. Rather than simply pit “immutability” and “faithfulness” against each other, this article seeks to show that, whereas faithfulness is a much more adequate way of expressing God's constancy, immutability, too, deserves our consideration.
Evidence for a specific and critical role of mitogen‐activated protein kinase 20 in uni‐to‐binucleate transition of microgametogenesis in tomato
Authors: Chen Lifei , Yang Dandan , Zhang Youwei , Wu Limin , Zhang Yaoyao , Ye Lei , Pan Changtian , He Yanjun , Huang Li , Ruan Yong‐Ling , Lu Gang
Published: April 2018

Mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) regulate diverse aspects of plant growth. However, their potential role in reproductive development remains elusive.

Here, we discovered an unique role of SlMPK20, a plant‐specific group D MAPK, in pollen development in tomato. RNAi‐mediated suppression of SlMPK20 or its knockout using CRISPR/Cas9 significantly reduced or completely abolished pollen viability, respectively, with no effects on maternal fertility. Cell biology and gene expression analyses established that SlMPK20 exerts its role specifically at the uni‐to‐binucleate transition during microgametogenesis. This assertion is based on the findings that the transgenic pollen was largely arrested at the binucleate stage with the appearance of subcellular abnormality at the middle uninucleate microspore stage; and SlMPK20 mRNA and SlMPK20‐GUS signals were localized in the tetrads, uninuclear microspores and binuclear pollen grains but not in microspore mother cells or mature pollen grains.

Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed that knockout of SlMPK20 significantly reduced the expression of a large number of genes controlling sugar and auxin metabolism and signaling in anthers. Finally, protein–protein interaction assays identified SlMYB32 as a putative target protein of SlMPK20.

We conclude that SlMPK20 specifically regulates post‐meiotic pollen development through modulating sugar and auxin metabolism and signaling.
Metagenomic analysis of oral microbiome in young children aged 6–8 years living in a rural isolated Chinese province
Authors: Xu Y , Jia YH , Chen L , Huang WM , Yang DQ
Published: April 2018

Background

The mixed dentition is an important transition period from primary teeth to permanent teeth. However, the caries prevalence of first permanent molar in mixed dentitions was about 30%, which almost represent the caries rate of permanent teeth in this period of time. Therefore, we assessed the oral bacterial profiles in young children (age 6–8) with mixed dentition with or without first molar caries for providing the research basis of caries etiology.

Methods

We collected samples of supragingival plaque and saliva from the children living in Guizhou, a rural isolated province in China. Then, we performed DNA extraction and purification followed by 454 pyrosequencing of the V1–V3 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA and compared our results with those of previous research.

Results

(i) We analyzed 48,320 unique sequences that represented 18 phyla, 29 classes, 44 orders, 74 families, 129 genera, 15,003 species‐level OUT in plaque and saliva samples; (ii) longitudinally, there was the “healthy core microbiome” between healthy deciduous dentition and early mixed dentition, for example, Neisseria, Porphyromonas, Selenomonas etc.; (iii) horizontally, there also existed the “healthy core microbiome” in early mixed dentition, for example, Neisseria, Streptococcus, Prevotella etc.; (iv) the dominant bacteria detected by Lefse in caries group including Actinomycetaceae, Streptobacillus (p < 0.05) and those in caries‐free group including Gammaproteobacteria, Pasteurellaceae, Aggregatibacter, Chloroflexi, (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The oral cavity is a highly heterogeneous ecosystem with the “healthy core microbiome” in children, although microbial composition shifts along with aging. In addition, the abundance and diversity of microbiota vary between caries and caries‐free groups verify the ecological plaque hypothesis.
Plant life history stage and nurse age change the development of ecological networks in an arid ecosystem
Authors: Losapio Gianalberto , Pugnaire Francisco I. , O'Brien Michael J. , Schöb Christian
Published: April 2018

Understanding how ecological networks are organised over the course of an organism's lifetime is crucial for predicting the dynamics of interacting populations and communities across temporal scales. However, most studies so far considered only one life history stage at a time, such as adult, when studying networks of interacting species. Therefore, knowledge about how multiple life history stages affect the development and stability of plant–plant association networks is lacking. We measured the understory adult plant community and the soil seed bank across a plant age gradient of the nurse shrub Retama sphaerocarpa in an arid ecosystem in Spain. Using a multilayer network approach, we built adult understory–nurse and seed bank–nurse networks and analysed how network nestedness, species’ role, and species specificity varied between them and with nurse plant age. We found that seed bank and adult understory networks changed depending on nurse plant age in two different ways. With increasing nurse plant age, adult understory networks became significantly more nested than seed bank networks. The nested architecture of seed bank networks was therefore a poor predictor of adult understory network nestedness. The contribution and specificity of species to network nestedness increased with increasing nurse plant age more in the adult understory than in seed bank networks, despite high species turnover. Our data show that life history and ontogeny affect the development of plant–plant association networks. Niche construction and environmental filtering along nurse ontogeny seem pivotal mechanisms structuring adult understory networks while the assembly of seed bank networks seems rather stochastic. We highlight the importance of mature plant communities for maintaining rare species populations and supporting the stability of ecological communities through time.
Exploring concussion awareness in hockey with a First Nations community in Canada
Authors: Hunt Cindy , Michalak Alicja , Lefkimmiatis Chrissy , Johnston Elaine , Macumber Leila , Jocko Tony , Ouchterlony Donna
Published: April 2018

Objective

The purpose of this pilot study was twofold: (1) to begin to understand concussion in youth hockey in a First Nations community in Canada and (2) to determine the impact of a novel concussion education workshop.

Design

A one‐group quasiexperimental time series study was undertaken.

Sample

A total of 41 participants consented, with 71% (n = 29) completing data collection at all three study time points.

Measurement and Interventions

Two nurses one from the First Nations community and one from the tertiary care center collaborated to develop and deliver the intervention on concussion specifically general, hockey and symptom knowledge. The primary outcome was Total Knowledge Score (TKS), whereby correct responses to a self‐reported questionnaire were summed and then converted to a percentage.

Results

The TKS were similar across study time points; preworkshop 71.7%, postworkshop 71.8%, and 6‐month follow‐up 72%.

Conclusions

Nurses worked collaboratively with cultural experts from a First Nations community to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing into concussion awareness and safety for First Nations youth playing hockey.
Photosynthesis is differently regulated during and after copper‐induced nutritional stress in citrus trees
Authors: Hippler Franz W.R. , Dovis Veronica L. , Boaretto Rodrigo M. , Quaggio Jose A. , Azevedo Ricardo A. , Williams Lorraine E. , Mattos-Jr Dirceu
Published: April 2018

Antioxidant enzymatic responses in citrus leaves under Cu‐induced stress depend on rootstock genotypes. However, there is a lack of information about how woody plants recover growth capacity after exposure to elevated Cu and if growth is affected by the redistribution of the metal to new vegetative parts and consequently whether photosynthesis is affected. Therefore, the biomass of plants and Cu concentrations in new leaf flushes were determined in young citrus trees grafted onto contrasting rootstocks [Swingle citrumelo (SW) and Rangpur lime (RL)]. Photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence and antioxidant enzymatic systems were evaluated in plants previously grown in nutrient solution with Cu varying from low to high levels and with no added Cu. Both rootstocks exhibited reduced plant growth under Cu toxicity. However, trees grafted onto RL exhibited better growth recovery after Cu excess, which was dependent on the modulation of antioxidant enzyme activities in roots and leaves that maintained the integrity of the photosynthetic apparatus. In contrast, plants grafted onto SW exhibited a lower photosynthetic rate at the lowest available Cu concentration. Although the highest accumulation of Cu occurred in citrus roots, the redistribution of the nutrient to new vegetative parts was proportional to the Cu concentration in the roots.