bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Renal Function, Albuminuria, and the Risk of Cardiovascular Events After Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Lam Ngan N. , Klarenbach Scott , Quinn Robert R. , Hemmelgarn Brenda , Tonelli Marcello , Ye Feng , Ravani Pietro , Bello Aminu K. , Brennan Daniel C. , Lentine Krista L.
Published: September 2018

Background

The risk of mortality and graft loss is higher in kidney transplant recipients with reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. It is unclear whether these markers are also associated with cardiovascular events.

Methods

We examined linked healthcare databases in Alberta, Canada to identify kidney transplant recipients between 2002 and 2013 who had at least 1 outpatient serum creatinine and albuminuria measurement at 1-year posttransplant. We determined the relationship between categories of eGFR and albuminuria and the risk of subsequent cardiovascular events.

Results

Among 1069 eligible kidney transplant recipients, the median age was 52 years, 37% were female, and 52% had eGFR ≥60 mL/min per 1.73 m2. Over a median follow-up of 6 years, the adjusted rate of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events was 2.7-fold higher for recipients with eGFR 15-29 mL/min per 1.73 m2 and heavy albuminuria compared to recipients with eGFR ≥60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 and normal albuminuria (rate ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-5.7). Similarly, recipients with heavy albuminuria had a threefold increased risk of all-cause mortality and heart failure compared with recipients with eGFR ≥60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 and normal albuminuria.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that eGFR and albuminuria should be used together to determine the risk of cardiovascular outcomes in transplant recipients.
Hypothermic Oxygenated Machine Perfusion of the Human Donor Pancreas
Authors: Leemkuil Marjolein , Lier Grietje , Engelse Marten A. , Ploeg Rutger J. , de Koning Eelco J. P. , ‘t Hart Nils A. , Krikke Christina , Leuvenink Henri G. D.
Published: September 2018

Background

Transplantation of beta cells by pancreas or islet transplantation is the treatment of choice for a selected group of patients suffering from type 1 diabetes mellitus. Pancreata are frequently not accepted for transplantation, because of the relatively high vulnerability of these organs to ischemic injury. In this study, we evaluated the effects of hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) on the quality of human pancreas grafts.

Methods

Five pancreata derived from donation after circulatory death (DCD) and 5 from donation after brain death (DBD) donors were preserved by oxygenated HMP. Hypothermic machine perfusion was performed for 6 hours at 25 mm Hg by separate perfusion of the mesenteric superior artery and the splenic artery. Results were compared with those of 10 pancreata preserved by static cold storage.

Results

During HMP, homogeneous perfusion of the pancreas could be achieved. Adenosine 5′-triphosphate concentration increased 6,8-fold in DCD and 2,6-fold in DBD pancreata. No signs of cellular injury, edema or formation of reactive oxygen species were observed. Islets of Langerhans with good viability and in vitro function could be isolated after HMP.

Conclusions

Oxygenated HMP is a feasible and safe preservation method for the human pancreas that increases tissue viability.
Beyond Bonferroni Revisited: Concerns over inflated false positives in conservation genetics, genetics, and neuroscience
Authors: White Tonya , van der Ende Jan , Nichols Thomas E.
Published: September 2018

In 2006, Narum published a paper in Conservation Genetics that was motivated by the stringent nature of the Bonferroni approach for family wise error correction. That work suggested that the approach of Benjamini and Yekutieli in 2001 provided adequate correction and was more biologically relevant. However, there are crucial differences between the original Benjamini and Yekutieli procedure and that described by Narum. After carefully reviewing both papers, we believe that the Narum procedure is both different than the Benjamini and Yekutieli procedure and does not adequately control for family wise error. We provide an overview of approaches for FWE correction as well as evidence for the faulty implementation of the Benjamini and Yekutieli procedure by Narum using the equations from the respective papers, data from both papers, and the results of simulation.
A cell atlas of the adult Drosophila midgut
Authors: Hung Ruei-Jiun , Hu Yanhui , Kirchner Rory , Li Fangge , Xu Chiwei , Comjean Aram , Tattikota Sudhir Gopal , Song Wei Roc , Sui Shannan Ho , Perrimon Norbert
Published: September 2018

Studies of the adult Drosophila midgut have provided a number of insights on cell type diversity, stem cell regeneration, tissue homeostasis and cell fate decision. Advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provide opportunities to identify new cell types and molecular features. We used inDrop to characterize the transcriptome of midgut epithelial cells and identified 12 distinct clusters representing intestinal stem cells (ISCs), enteroblasts (EBs), enteroendocrine cells (EEs), enterocytes (ECs) from different regions, and cardia. This unbiased approach recovered 90% of the known ISCs/EBs markers, highlighting the high quality of the dataset. Gene set enrichment analysis in conjunction with electron micrographs revealed that ISCs are enriched in free ribosomes and possess mitochondria with fewer cristae. We demonstrate that a subset of EEs in the middle region of the midgut expresses the progenitor marker esg and that individual EEs are capable of expressing up to 4 different gut hormone peptides. We also show that the transcription factor klumpfuss (klu) is expressed in EBs and functions to suppress EE formation. Lastly, we provide a web-based resource for visualization of gene expression in single cells. Altogether, our study provides a comprehensive resource for addressing novel functions of genes in the midgut epithelium.
Regulation of KIF1A motility via polyglutamylation of tubulin C-terminal tails
Authors: Lessard Dominique V. , Zinder Oraya J. , Hotta Takashi , Verhey Kristen J. , Ohi Ryoma , Berger Christopher L.
Published: September 2018

Axonal transport is a highly regulated cellular process responsible for site-specific neuronal cargo delivery. This process is mediated in part by KIF1A, a member of the kinesin-3 family of molecular motors. It is imperative that KIF1A’s highly efficient, superprocessive motility along microtubules is tightly regulated as misregulation of KIF1A cargo delivery is observed in many neurodegenerative diseases. However, the regulatory mechanisms responsible for KIF1A’s motility, and subsequent proper spatiotemporal cargo delivery, are largely unknown. One potential regulatory mechanism of KIF1A motility is through the posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of axonal microtubules. These PTMs, often occurring on the C-terminal tails of the microtubule tracks, act as molecular “traffic signals” helping to direct kinesin motor cargo delivery. Occurring on neuronal microtubules, C-terminal tail polygutamylation is known to be important for KIF1A cargo transport. KIF1A’s initial interaction with microtubule C-terminal tails is facilitated by the K-loop, a positively charged surface loop of the KIF1A motor domain. However, the K-loop’s role in KIF1A motility and response to perturbations in C-terminal tail polyglutamylation is underexplored. Using single-molecule imaging, we present evidence of KIF1A’s previously unreported pausing behavior on multiple microtubule structures. Further analysis revealed that these pauses link multiple processive segments together, contributing to KIF1A’s characteristic superprocessive run length. We further demonstrate that KIF1A pausing is mediated by a K-loop/polyglutamylated C-terminal tail interaction and is a regulatory mechanism of KIF1A motility. In summary, we introduce a new mechanism of KIF1A motility regulation, providing further insight into KIF1A’s role in axonal transport.
Late greenhouse gas mitigation has heterogeneous effects on European caddisfly diversity patterns
Authors: Januchowski-Hartley Stephanie R , Lauzeral Christine , Schmidt-Kloiber Astrid , Graf Wolfram , Brosse Sebastien
Published: September 2018

Little remains known about how the timing of mitigation of current greenhouse gas emissions will influence freshwater biodiversity patterns. Using three general circulation models, we evaluate the response of 260 broad-ranging European caddisfly species to climate conditions in 2080 under two scenarios: business as usual (A2A) and mitigation (A1B). If implemented effectively, recent government commitments established under COP21, to mitigate current greenhouse gas emissions, would result in future climatic conditions similar to the mitigation scenario we explored. Under the Cgcm circulation model, which we found to be the most conservative model, suitable environmental conditions were predicted to shift 3° more to the east under the mitigation scenario compared to business as usual. The majority of broad-ranging European caddisfly species will benefit from mitigation, but 5 to 15% of species that we evaluated will be bigger losers under the mitigation scenario compared to business as usual. Under the mitigation scenario, caddisfly species that will retain less of their current range and experience lower predicted range expansion are those that currently have relatively limited distributions. Continental-scale assessments such as the ones that we present are needed to identify species at greatest risk of range loss under changing climatic conditions.
OLIVER: A Tool for Visual Data Analysis on Longitudinal Plant Phenomics Data
Authors: Tessmer Oliver L , Kramer David M , Chen Jin
Published: September 2018

There is a critical unmet need for new tools to analyze and understand “big data” in the biological sciences where breakthroughs come from connecting massive genomics data with complex phenomics data. By integrating instant data visualization and statistical hypothesis testing, we have developed a new tool called OLIVER for phenomics visual data analysis with a unique function that any user adjustment will trigger real-time display updates for any affected elements in the workspace. By visualizing and analyzing omics data with OLIVER, biomedical researchers can quickly generate hypotheses and then test their thoughts within the same tool, leading to efficient knowledge discovery from complex, multi-dimensional biological data. The practice of OLIVER on multiple plant phenotyping experiments has shown that OLIVER can facilitate scientific discoveries. In the use case of OLIVER for large-scale plant phenotyping, a quick visualization identified emergent phenotypes that are highly transient and heterogeneous. The unique circular heat map with false-color plant images also indicates that such emergent phenotypes appear in different leaves under different conditions, suggesting that such previously unseen processes are critical for plant responses to dynamic environments.
Optimal features for auditory categorization
Authors: Liu Shi Tong , Montes-Lourido Pilar , Wang Xiaoqin , Sadagopan Srivatsun
Published: September 2018

Humans and vocal animals use vocalizations (human speech or animal ‘calls’) to communicate with members of their species. A necessary function of auditory perception is to generalize across the high variability inherent in the production of these sounds and classify them into perceptually distinct categories (‘words’ or ‘call types’). Here, we demonstrate using an information-theoretic approach that production-invariant classification of calls can be achieved by detecting mid-level acoustic features. Starting from randomly chosen marmoset call features, we used a greedy search algorithm to determine the most informative and least redundant set of features necessary for call classification. Call classification at >95% accuracy could be accomplished using only 10 – 20 features per call type. Most importantly, predictions of the tuning properties of putative neurons selective for such features accurately matched some previously observed responses of superficial layer neurons in primary auditory cortex. Such a feature-based approach succeeded in categorizing calls of other species such as guinea pigs and macaque monkeys, and could also solve other complex classification tasks such as caller identification. Our results suggest that high-level neural representations of sounds are based on task-dependent features optimized for specific computational goals.
Deconstructing cell-free extract preparation forin vitroactivation of transcriptional genetic circuitry
Authors: Silverman Adam D. , Kelley-Loughnane Nancy , Lucks Julius B. , Jewett Michael C.
Published: September 2018

Recent advances in cell-free gene expression (CFE) systems have enabled their use for a host of synthetic biology applications, particularly for rapid prototyping of genetic circuits designed as biosensors. Despite the proliferation of cell-free protein synthesis platforms, the large number of currently existing protocols for making CFE extracts muddles the collective understanding of how the method by which an extract is prepared affects its functionality. Specifically, a key goal toward developing cell-free biosensors based on native genetic regulators is activating the transcriptional machinery present in bacterial extracts for protein synthesis. However, protein yields from genes transcribedin vitroby the nativeEscherichia coliRNA polymerase are quite low in conventional crude extracts originally optimized for expression by the bacteriophage transcriptional machinery. Here, we show that cell-free expression of genes under bacterial σ70promoters is constrained by the rate of transcription in crude extracts and that processing the extract with a ribosomal run-off reaction and subsequent dialysis can alleviate this constraint. Surprisingly, these processing steps only enhance protein synthesis in genes under native regulation, indicating that the translation rate is unaffected. We further investigate the role of other common process variants on extract performance and demonstrate that bacterial transcription is inhibited by including glucose in the growth culture, but is unaffected by flash-freezing the cell pellet prior to lysis. Our final streamlined protocol for preparing extract by sonication generates extract that facilitates expression from a diverse set of sensing modalities including protein and RNA regulators. We anticipate that this work will clarify the methodology for generating CFE extracts that are active for biosensing and will encourage the further proliferation of cell-free gene expression technology for new applications.
Inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DosRST two-component regulatory system signaling by targeting response regulator DNA binding and sensor kinase heme
Authors: Zheng Huiqing , Aleiwi Bilal , Ellsworth Edmund , Abramovitch Robert B.
Published: September 2018

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) possesses a two-component regulatory system, DosRST, that enables Mtb to sense host immune cues and establish a state of non-replicating persistence (NRP). NRP bacteria are tolerant to several anti-mycobacterial drugs and are thought to play a role in the long course of tuberculosis (TB) therapy. Therefore, small molecules that inhibit Mtb from establishing or maintaining NRP could reduce the reservoir of drug tolerant bacteria and function as an adjunct therapy to reduce treatment time. Previously, we reported the discovery of six novel chemical inhibitors of DosRST, named HC101A-106A, from a whole cell, reporter-based phenotypic high throughput screen. Here, we report functional and mechanism of action studies of HC104A and HC106A. RNAseq transcriptional profiling shows that the compounds downregulate genes of the DosRST regulon. Both compounds reduce hypoxia-induced triacylglycerol synthesis by ~50%. HC106A inhibits Mtb survival during hypoxia-induced NRP, however, HC104A did not inhibit survival during NRP. An electrophoretic mobility assay shows that HC104A inhibits DosR DNA binding in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that HC104A may function by directly targeting DosR. In contrast, UV-visible spectroscopy studies suggest HC106A directly targets the histidine kinase heme, via a mechanism that is distinct from the oxidation and alkylation of heme previously observed with artemisinin (HC101A). Synergistic interactions were observed when DosRST inhibitors were examined in pair-wise combinations with the strongest potentiation observed between artemisinin paired with HC102A, HC103A, or HC106A. Our data collectively show that the DosRST pathway can be inhibited by multiple distinct mechanisms.
MAPS: model-based analysis of long-range chromatin interactions from PLAC-seq and HiChIP experiments
Authors: Juric Ivan , Yu Miao , Abnousi Armen , Raviram Ramya , Fang Rongxin , Zhao Yuan , Zhang Yanxiao , Yang Yuchen , Li Yun , Ren Bing , Hu Ming
Published: September 2018

Hi-C and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) have been combined to identify long-range chromatin interactions genome-wide at reduced cost and enhanced resolution, but extracting the information from the resulting datasets has been challenging. Here we describe a computational method, MAPS, Model-based Analysis of PLAC-seq and HiChIP, to process the data from such experiments and identify long-range chromatin interactions. MAPS adopts a zero-truncated Poisson regression framework to explicitly remove systematic biases in the PLAC-seq and HiChIP datasets, and then uses the normalized chromatin contact frequencies to identify significant chromatin interactions anchored at genomic regions bound by the protein of interest. MAPS shows superior performance over existing software tools in analysis of chromatin interactions centered on cohesin, CTCF and H3K4me3 associated regions in multiple cell types. MAPS is freely available at https://github.com/ijuric/MAPS.
Interpretable Convolution Methods for Learning Genomic Sequence Motifs
Authors: Ploenzke MS , Irizarry RA
Published: September 2018

The first-layer filters employed in convolutional neural networks tend to learn, or extract, spatial features from the data. Within their application to genomic sequence data, these learned features are often visualized and interpreted by converting them to sequence logos; an information-based representation of the consensus nucleotide motif. The process to obtain such motifs, however, is done through post-training procedures which often discard the filter weights themselves and instead rely upon finding those sequences maximally correlated with the given filter. Moreover, the filters collectively learn motifs with high redundancy, often simply shifted representations of the same sequence. We propose a schema to learn sequence motifs directly through weight constraints and transformations such that the individual weights comprising the filter are directly interpretable as either position weight matrices (PWMs) or information gain matrices (IGMs). We additionally leverage regularization to encourage learning highly-representative motifs with low inter-filter redundancy. Through learning PWMs and IGMs directly we present preliminary results showcasing how our method is capable of incorporating previously-annotated database motifs along with learning motifs de novo and then outline a pipeline for how these tools may be used jointly in a data application.
Rapid responses of winter aphid-parasitoid communities to climate warming
Authors: Tougeron K. , Damien M. , Le Lann C. , Brodeur J. , van Baaren J.
Published: September 2018

Consequences of environmental fluctuations, including those associated with climate changes, can have a knock-on effect from individual to community scale. In particular, changes in species seasonal phenology can modify the structure and composition of communities, with potential consequences on their functioning and the provision of ecosystem services. In mild climate areas, aphids can be present in cereal fields throughout the winter, which allows aphid parasitoids to remain active. Using a nine-year dataset of aphid-parasitoid winter trophic webs in cereal fields of Western France, we report that the community structure and composition that prevailed before 2011 have recently shifted toward a more diversified community, with the presence of two new braconid parasitoid species (Aphidius erviandAphidius avenae), a few hyperparasitoid species and one aphid species (Metopolophium dirhodum). Increases in minimal winter temperatures and the frequency of frost events across the years partially explain observed community changes. Strong bottom-up effects from the relative abundances of aphid species also determine the relative abundance of parasitoid species each winter. Strong compartmentalization in parasitoid preference for host is reported. We suggest the recent modifications in parasitoid community composition to be linked to shifts in diapause expression (reduction or arrest of the use of winter diapause) and to host availability throughout the year. We highlight the implications for natural biological control in cereal fields. Perspectives are proposed to predict the composition of future host-parasitoid communities in the climate change context.
Numerical optimization of surface texture for improved tribological performance of journal bearing at varying operating conditions
Authors: Usman Ali , Park Cheol Woo
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Journal bearings are used in numerous rotary machines. The load carrying capacity and friction of a bearing have been major concerns in design. Recent developments in surface texturing have showed potential outcomes to improve the tribological characteristics of mating surfaces. This study aims to investigate surface textures, which are transverse to the sliding direction, for frictional response of the journal bearing.

Design/methodology/approach

A hydrodynamic lubrication model is considered to evaluate the effect of surface texturing on the performance of a journal bearing at varying operating conditions. The two-dimensional generalized Reynolds equation, coupled with mass-conserving Elrod cavitation algorithm, is solved to evaluate texture-induced variations in tribological performance parameters.

Findings

Results have showed remarkable improvements in frictional response. Moreover, micro-textures on the journal surface alter the cavitation response and film-reformation in the hydrodynamic conjunction of the plain bearing.

Originality/value

Operating condition-based comprehensive exhaustive optimization of texture geometry is performed to generate widespread conclusion.
Examining the role of leadership inspiration, rewards and its relationship with contribution to knowledge sharing
Authors: Al Dari Taghreed , Jabeen Fauzia , Papastathopoulos Avraam
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of leadership and rewards on the contribution to knowledge sharing in public organizations of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 154 employees from various organizational units of a law enforcement organization in the UAE, and structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

Leadership inspiration was found to be positively effective in enhancing the contribution of knowledge sharing in terms of solving problems, increasing opportunity and improving the productivity of the workforce. Furthermore, it was found that the reward system had no impact on the contribution to knowledge sharing.

Research limitations

The method of data collection focused on the employees who were attending a training workshop in the department. This survey raises concerns related to non-response bias and common method bias, which describes the measurement error that is compounded by the sociability of the respondents who wanted to provide positive answers.

Practical implications

This research focuses on the implementation of certain practices related to knowledge sharing in public organizations. The model was constructed to assess the impact of leadership and rewards on the contribution to knowledge sharing through knowledge sharing practices as a mediation. The study is a modest attempt to assist the organizational leaders to embark on the right steps to foster knowledge sharing behavior among employees.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature on knowledge sharing, particularly on the relationship between leadership inspiration, rewards and contribution to knowledge sharing in the law enforcement organizations in the UAE.
Why modern slavery thrives in multinational corporations’ global value chains
Authors: Stringer Christina , Michailova Snejina
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Modern slavery, one of the most abhorrent crimes against humanity, is a profitable international business (IB). It often operates in a hidden form in the global value chains (GVCs) governed by multinational corporations (MNCs). The purpose of this paper is to examine why slavery exists in GVCs and what this means for MNCs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper borrows insights from the GVC literature to conceptually link MNCs and modern slavery. Different from the IB literature that predominantly focusses on the MNC as a single firm, the paper emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the MNC value chains and their complexity and fragmentation.

Findings

Three factors which help explain modern slavery in GVCs are examined: the complexity of GVCs and the challenges this poses to their governance, the business case for slavery and the conditions that enable modern slavery. These factors, taken together, provide an explanation why modern slavery can creep into, persist and thrive in MNCs’ GVCs.

Research limitations/implications

The argument is put forward for the need for IB scholars to borrow from the GVC literature to help understand why slavery can exist in the GVCs of MNCs. This opens the opportunity for examining the MNC in ways not considered by IB scholars so far.

Originality/value

The paper addresses an issue long ignored in IB research and issues a call for IB scholars to study MNCs in a new way, namely, linking MNCs’ activities with modern slavery.
Patient‐Centered Insights: Using Health Care Complaints to Reveal Hot Spots and Blind Spots in Quality and Safety
Authors: GILLESPIE ALEX , READER TOM W.
Published: September 2018

Policy Points:

Health care complaints contain valuable data on quality and safety; however, there is no reliable method of analysis to unlock their potential.

We demonstrate a method to analyze health care complaints that provides reliable insights on hot spots (where harm and near misses occur) and blind spots (before admissions, after discharge, systemic and low‐level problems, and errors of omission).

Systematic analysis of health care complaints can improve quality and safety by providing patient‐centered insights that localize issues and shed light on difficult‐to‐monitor problems.

Context

The use of health care complaints to improve quality and safety has been limited by a lack of reliable analysis tools and uncertainty about the insights that can be obtained. The Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool, which we developed, was used to analyze a benchmark national data set, conceptualize a systematic analysis, and identify the added value of complaint data.

Methods

We analyzed 1,110 health care complaints from across England. “Hot spots” were identified by mapping reported harm and near misses onto stages of care and underlying problems. “Blind spots” concerning difficult‐to‐monitor aspects of care were analyzed by examining access and discharge problems, systemic problems, and errors of omission.

Findings

The tool showed moderate to excellent reliability. There were 1.87 problems per complaint (32% clinical, 32% relationships, and 34% management). Twenty‐three percent of problems entailed major or catastrophic harm, with significant regional variation (17%‐31%). Hot spots of serious harm were safety problems during examination, quality problems on the ward, and institutional problems during admission and discharge. Near misses occurred at all stages of care, with patients and family members often being involved in error detection and recovery. Complaints shed light on 3 blind spots: (1) problems arising when entering and exiting the health care system; (2) systemic failures pertaining to multiple distributed and often low‐level problems; and (3) errors of omission, especially failure to acknowledge and listen to patients raising concerns.

Conclusions

The analysis of health care complaints reveals valuable and uniquely patient‐centered insights on quality and safety. Hot spots of harm and near misses provide an alternative data source on adverse events and critical incidents. Analysis of entry‐exit, systemic, and omission problems provides insight on blind spots that may otherwise be difficult to monitor. Benchmark data and analysis scripts are downloadable as supplementary files.
POLICE CULTURE AND OFFICER BEHAVIOR: APPLICATION OF A MULTILEVEL FRAMEWORK
Authors: INGRAM JASON R. , TERRILL WILLIAM , PAOLINE EUGENE A.
Published: September 2018

Although recent advancements have been made in the understanding and studying of police culture, several significant gaps remain, including deficiencies in theoretical development and the lack of research on culture's influence on police practice. In the current study, we apply a multilevel theoretical framework to the examination of officers’ cultural attitudes and behavior to help bridge these gaps. In doing so, police culture is treated as a collective feature of patrol groups as opposed to as an individual‐level attribute. Furthermore, we extend previous work by introducing the concept of culture strength as a moderator of the culture–behavior relationship. After drawing on survey and behavioral data from a national multimethod project, we then test this framework with two empirical examples from each of the primary work environments (i.e., street and organization) in which police culture originates and operates. The findings reveal that workgroup culture is associated with officers’ behaviors, representing a collective effect, and that the relationship between culture and behavior may not always be linear. The results provide support for incorporating a multilevel approach to the study of police culture and officer behavior.
neogen: A tool to predict genetic effective population size (Ne) for species with generational overlap and to assist empirical Ne study design
Authors: Blower Dean C. , Riginos Cynthia , Ovenden Jennifer R.
Published: September 2018

Molecular genetic estimates of population effective size (Ne) lose accuracy and precision when insufficient numbers of samples or loci are used. Ideally, researchers would like to forecast the necessary power when planning their project. neogen (genetic Ne for Overlapping Generations) enables estimates of precision and accuracy in advance of empirical investigation and allows exploration of the power available in different user‐specified age‐structured sampling schemes. neogen provides a population simulation and genetic power analysis framework that simulates the demographics, genetic composition, and Ne, from species‐specific life history, mortality, population size, and genetic priors. neogen guides the user to establish a tractable sampling regime and to determine the numbers of samples and microsatellite or SNP loci required for accurate and precise genetic Ne estimates when sampling a natural population. neogen is useful at multiple stages of a study's life cycle: when budgeting, as sampling and locus development progresses, and for corroboration when empirical Ne estimates are available. The underlying model is applicable to a wide variety of iteroparous species with overlapping generations (e.g., mammals, birds, reptiles, long‐lived fishes). In this paper, we describe the neogen model, detail the workflow for the point‐and‐click software, and explain the graphical results. We demonstrate the use of neogen with empirical Australian east coast zebra shark (Stegostoma fasciatum) data. For researchers wishing to make accurate and precise genetic Ne estimates for overlapping generations species, neogen facilitates planning for sample and locus acquisition, and with existing empirical genetic Ne estimates neogen can corroborate population demographic and life history properties.
Characteristics and prescribing practices of clinicians recently waivered to prescribe buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder
Authors: Jones Christopher M. , McCance‐Katz Elinore F.
Published: September 2018

Background and Aims

Expanding access to medication‐assisted treatment with buprenorphine is a cornerstone of the opioid crisis response, yet buprenorphine remains underutilized. Research has identified multiple barriers to prescribing buprenorphine. This study aimed to examine clinician characteristics, prescribing practices and barriers and incentives to prescribing buprenorphine among clinicians with a federal Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA) waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment.

Design

Electronic survey of 4225 clinicians conducted between March and April 2018.

Setting

United States.

Participants

Clinicians obtaining an initial federal DATA waiver or an increase in authorized patient limit to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment in 2017.

Measurements

Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression examined clinician characteristics, prescribing practices and primary barriers and incentives to prescribing buprenorphine or prescribing at or near the authorized patient limit.

Findings

Among respondents, 75.5% had prescribed buprenorphine since obtaining a DATA waiver; the mean (standard deviation) number of patients treated in the past month was 26.6 (40.3), and 13.1% of providers were prescribing at or near their patient limit in the past month. Lack of patient demand, cited by 19.4% of clinicians, was the most common primary barrier to prescribing buprenorphine or prescribing to the authorized patient limit, followed by time constraints in practice (14.6%) and insurance reimbursement, prior authorization or other insurance requirements (13.2%). Increased patient demand (22.2%), institutional support for buprenorphine treatment (12.5%) and increased reimbursement (12.2%) were the most endorsed primary incentives for buprenorphine prescribing. Multivariable logistic regression models identified multiple clinician characteristics associated with buprenorphine prescribing and prescribing at or near the authorized patient limit.

Conclusions

US clinicians recently waivered to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment appear to prescribe well below their patient limit, and many do not prescribe at all.
Estimating the benefits of public plant breeding: beyond profits
Authors: Shew Aaron Michael , Durand‐Morat Alvaro , Nalley Lawton Lanier , Moldenhauer Karen Ann‐Kuenzel
Published: September 2018

In this study, we estimate increases in producer revenue, total exports, and welfare effects from the genetic gains of the rice breeding program at the University of Arkansas System (UofA) Division of Agriculture from 1983 to 2016. Rice producers are paid based on both the quantity and quality of rice. Therefore, we implement a cluster‐specific fixed‐effects model based on location and year to identify the contributions of the UofA breeding program for both paddy yields (quantity) and head rice yields (quality attribute) over time. Additionally, the estimated increased yield was imputed into the RiceFlow trade model to estimate price and export effects. Including spillover benefits from UofA varieties, we find that on average U.S. rice producers gain 30.9 million USD annually. The expansion of U.S. long grain rice exports facilitated by the UofA is estimated to be 53,000 milled metric tons annually, which is enough to lower rice prices by over 1% in low‐income countries such as Haiti, Panama, and Nicaragua. Overall, the public breeding program at the UofA contributes to (1) positive genetic gains, (2) additional revenue in the Mid‐South, and (3) increased trade between the U.S. and rice‐consuming countries.
Pilot study shows right ventricular diastolic function impairment in young children with obstructive respiratory disease
Authors: Manti S , Parisi G F , Giacchi V , Sciacca P , Tardino L , Cuppari C , Salpietro C , Chikermane A , Leonardi S
Published: September 2018

Aim

This study determined cardiovascular impairment in young children with obstructive respiratory disease who were assessed using the opening interrupter technique (RINT).

Methods

This pilot study enrolled 41 children who had been referred to pulmonology and allergology specialists at the University of Catania, Italy, from March to July 2017: 23 (mean age 4.13 ± 0.62 years) had chronic coughs and wheezing and 18 controls (mean age 4.27 ± 0.66 years) had obstructive chest disease, but were otherwise healthy. Airway resistance was evaluated using RINT and cardiac function by studying the ejection fraction, pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and tricuspid flow propagation velocity (TFPV).

Results

The RINT and PASP values were significantly higher in the patient group when compared to the controls, but the TFPV values were lower. A direct and significant Spearman's correlation coefficient (r) between RINT and PASP values was observed (r = 0.81). We found a significant inverse correlation between RINT and TFPV (r = −0.83), as well as TFPV and PASP (r = −0.78).

Conclusion

This study showed that children with obstructive respiratory diseases had a major risk of cardiovascular impairment. Impaired diastolic function of the right ventricle occurred very early when airway resistance was abnormally increased.
Review article: an analysis of safety profiles of treatments for diarrhoea‐predominant irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Lacy Brian E.
Published: September 2018

Background

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is multifactorial in nature, and a wide range of therapies is available to manage symptoms of this common disorder.

Aim

To provide an overview of the safety of interventions that may be used to manage patients with diarrhoea‐predominant IBS (IBS‐D).

Methods

Medline and Embase database searches (through 02 May 2018) to identify clinical studies that evaluated treatment safety and/or efficacy in adults with IBS‐D.

Results

IBS‐D treatments include dietary modification, probiotics, serotonin receptor antagonists, opioid receptor agonists and antagonists, nonsystemic antibiotics, bile acid sequestrants, antidepressants, and complementary and alternative therapies. These treatments vary in administration frequency (eg, daily; short‐course therapy) and target various pathophysiologic factors. Safety profiles vary considerably by treatment among IBS‐D therapies. The number needed to harm (defined as the number of patients treated to encounter an adverse event) was lowest (worse) for antidepressants (8.5) and highest (best) for probiotics (35), and the number needed to harm (defined as the number of patients who discontinued due to an adverse event) was lowest for tricyclic antidepressants (9) and highest for rifaximin (8971). Notable safety concerns with IBS‐D treatments include pancreatitis with eluxadoline, ischaemic colitis and serious complications of constipation with alosetron, and cardiac adverse events with loperamide and tricyclic antidepressants. Treatment decisions need to account for medication risks and adverse events for each patient.

Conclusions

Multiple treatment options are now available for patients with IBS‐D. However, the safety profiles of these agents vary widely by number needed to harm value. Providers should consider both safety and efficacy of a specific intervention when determining how best to manage patients’ IBS‐D symptoms.
Vegetation on mesic loamy and sandy soils along a 1700‐km maritime Eurasia Arctic Transect
Authors: Walker Donald A. , Epstein Howard E. , Šibík Jozef , Bhatt Uma , Romanovsky Vladimir E. , Breen Amy L. , Chasníková Silvia , Daanen Ronald , Druckenmiller Lisa A. , Ermokhina Ksenia , Forbes Bruce C. , Frost Gerald V. , Geml Jozsef , Kaärlejarvi Elina , Khitun Olga , Khomutov Artem , Kumpula Timo , Kuss Patrick , Matyshak Georgy , Moskalenko Natalya , Orekhov Pavel , Peirce Jana , Raynolds Martha K. , Timling Ina
Published: September 2018

Questions

How do plant communities on zonal loamy vs. sandy soils vary across the full maritime Arctic bioclimate gradient? How are plant communities of these areas related to existing vegetation units of the European Vegetation Classification? What are the main environmental factors controlling transitions of vegetation along the bioclimate gradient?

Location

1700‐km Eurasia Arctic Transect (EAT), Yamal Peninsula and Franz Josef Land (FJL), Russia.

Methods

The Braun‐Blanquet approach was used to sample mesic loamy and sandy plots on 14 total study sites at six locations, one in each of the five Arctic bioclimate subzones and the forest–tundra transition. Trends in soil factors, cover of plant growth forms (PGFs) and species diversity were examined along the summer warmth index (SWI) gradient and on loamy and sandy soils. Classification and ordination were used to group the plots and to test relationships between vegetation and environmental factors.

Results

Clear, mostly non‐linear, trends occurred for soil factors, vegetation structure and species diversity along the climate gradient. Cluster analysis revealed seven groups with clear relationships to subzone and soil texture. Clusters at the ends of the bioclimate gradient (forest–tundra and polar desert) had many highly diagnostic taxa, whereas clusters from the Yamal Peninsula had only a few. Axis 1 of a DCA was strongly correlated with latitude and summer warmth; Axis 2 was strongly correlated with soil moisture, percentage sand and landscape age.

Conclusions

Summer temperature and soil texture have clear effects on tundra canopy structure and species composition, with consequences for ecosystem properties. Each layer of the plant canopy has a distinct region of peak abundance along the bioclimate gradient. The major vegetation types are weakly aligned with described classes of the European Vegetation Checklist, indicating a continuous floristic gradient rather than distinct subzone regions. The study provides ground‐based vegetation data for satellite‐based interpretations of the western maritime Eurasian Arctic, and the first vegetation data from Hayes Island, Franz Josef Land, which is strongly separated geographically and floristically from the rest of the gradient and most susceptible to on‐going climate change.
The influence of heart failure on the pharmacokinetics of cardiovascular and non‐cardiovascular drugs: a critical appraisal of the evidence
Authors: Mangoni Arduino A. , Jarmuzewska Elzbieta A.
Published: September 2018

Prescribing in heart failure (HF), a common disease state that predominantly affects the older population, is often a challenging task because of the dynamic nature of the condition, requiring frequent monitoring and medication review, the presence of various comorbidities, and the frailty phenotype of many patients. The significant alterations in various organs and tissues occurring in HF, particularly the reduced cardiac output with peripheral hypoperfusion and the structural and functional changes of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidney, might affect the pharmacokinetics of several drugs. This review critically appraises the results of published studies investigating the pharmacokinetics of currently marketed cardiovascular and selected non‐cardiovascular drugs in HF patients and control groups, identifies gaps in the current knowledge, and suggests avenues for future research in this complex patient population.
Impact of hydration status on haemodynamics, effects of acute blood pressure‐lowering treatment, and prognosis after stroke
Authors: Billington Charlotte K. , Appleton Jason P. , Berge Eivind , Sprigg Nikola , Glover Mark , Bath Philip M. W.
Published: September 2018

Aims

Although high blood pressure (BP) is common in acute stroke and associated with poor outcome, the Efficacy of Nitric Oxide in Stroke (ENOS) trial showed no beneficial effect of antihypertensive treatment in this situation. Antihypertensive agents have accentuated effects in dehydrated patients. We assessed the impact of dehydration on haemodynamics, the effects of antihypertensive treatment, and prognosis in the ENOS trial.

Methods

ENOS randomized 4011 patients with acute stroke and raised systolic BP to a glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) patch or no GTN patch, and to continue or to stop existing antihypertensive treatment within 48 h of onset. The primary outcome was functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale, mRS) at day 90. Blood markers of dehydration at baseline were collected at two sites (n = 310) and their relationship with haemodynamics and outcome was assessed.

Results

There were no significant associations between dehydration markers and fall in blood pressure from baseline to day 1, and no significant interaction with allocated treatment. Overall, increasing urea was associated with an unfavourable shift in mRS [odds ratio 3.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.42, 8.32; P = 0.006] and increased risk of death at day 90 (hazard ratio 4.55, 95% CI 1.51, 13.66; P = 0.007).

Conclusions

Blood pressure‐lowering treatment was safe in dehydrated patients, with no precipitous changes in BP, thus supporting its use in acute stroke prior to blood markers of dehydration becoming available. Increased baseline urea was associated with poor prognosis after stroke.
Cosmetic dentistry: A socioethical evaluation
Authors: Holden Alexander C. L.
Published: September 2018

Cosmetic dentistry is a divisive discipline. Within discourses that raise questions of the purpose of the dental profession, cosmetic dentistry is frequently criticised on the basis of it being classified as a non‐therapeutic intervention. This article re‐evaluates this assertion through examination of ethics of care of the self, healthcare definitions and the social purpose of dentistry, finding the traditional position to be wanting in its conclusions. The slide of dentistry from a healthcare vocation towards being a predominantly business‐focused interaction between clinician and consumer conflicts with traditional notions of dentistry as a profession. Whilst it is undeniable that cosmetic dental treatment particularly lends itself to the commercial paradigm, this is not exclusive to this area of professional practice. The cultural basis of dental appearance and the potential of the dental profession to exert coercive pressure upon the public to undergo treatment that is based upon social norms is discussed. This essay concludes that cosmetic dentistry is undeniably part of the professional purpose of 21st Century dentistry. However, the caveat that may be placed upon this, is that this status is conditional upon the professional conduct of dental practitioners remaining resilient to commercial practices not compatible with professional obligations.