bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring women’s priorities for the potential consequences of a gestational diabetes diagnosis: A pilot community jury
Authors: Thomas Rae , Scott Anna Mae , Sims Rebecca , Craig Louise , Claase Leigh‐Anne , Lowe Julia , Heal Clare , Hardiman Leah , Glasziou Paul
Published: February 2020

Background

There is no international diagnostic agreement for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In 2014, Australia adopted a new definition and testing procedure. Since then, significantly more women have been diagnosed with GDM but with little difference in health outcomes. We explored the priorities and preferences of women potentially impacted by a GDM diagnosis.

Method

We recruited 15 women from the Gold Coast, Australia, to participate in a pilot community jury (CJ). Over two days, the women deliberated on the following: (a) which important consequences of a diagnosis of GDM should be considered when defining GDM?; (b) what should Australian health practitioners call the condition known as GDM?

Results

Eight women attended the pilot CJ, and their recommendations were a consensus. Women were surprised that the level of risk for physical harms was low but emotional harms were high. The final ranking of important consequences (high to low) was as follows: women's negative emotions; management burden of GDM; overmedicalized pregnancy; minimizing infant risks; improving lifestyle; and macrosomia. To describe the four different clinical states of GDM, the women chose three different labels. One was GDM.

Conclusions

The women from this pilot CJ prioritized the consequences of a diagnosis of GDM differently from clinicians. The current glucose threshold for GDM in Australia is set at a cut‐point for adverse risks including macrosomia and neonatal hyperinsulinaemia. Definitions and guideline panels often fail to ask the affected public about their values and preferences. Community voices impacted by health policies should be embedded in the decision‐making process.
Sin and the Limits of Theology: A Reflection in Conversation with Julian of Norwich and Martin Luther
Authors: McFarland Ian A.
Published: February 2020

While the confession of divine transcendence entails that all theological speech faces intrinsic limits, the problem of sin brings theology’s limits into focus in a very particular way. For while Christians confess that God has been uniquely and unsurpassably revealed in Jesus Christ, insofar as they do not claim that even this revelation explains the place of sin in the divine economy, the ongoing mystery of sin and evil presents the theologian with a stark alternative. On the one hand, if the grace of God revealed in Christ is emphasized, less attention will be given to the mystery of sin that remains hidden in God; on the other, if theologians emphasize what is hidden, the light of Christ will be obscured. This article explores the tension between these two alternatives with reference to the Showings of Julian of Norwich and Martin Luther’s Bondage of the Will.
Factors that predict glycaemic response to sodium‐glucose linked transporter (SGLT) inhibitors
Authors: Harding Amy L. , Bediaga Naiara , Galligan Anna , Colman Peter G. , Fourlanos Spiros , Wentworth John M.
Published: February 2020

Aim

To determine the clinical and biochemical variables associated with change in HbA1c in patients with type 2 diabetes who start sodium‐glucose linked transporter (SGLT) inhibitor therapy.

Methods

We performed a prospective cohort study (ACTRN12616000833460) of 48 adults (30 male, 18 female) with type 2 diabetes who attended a tertiary hospital diabetes clinic. Fasting serum and urine samples, collected during clinic visits prior to and at 1, 12 and 24 weeks after commencing SGLT inhibitor treatment, were analysed for HbA1c, electrolytes, urea, creatinine and glucose.

Results

After 12 weeks, SGLT inhibitor therapy was associated with respective median (97% CI) decreases in weight, blood pressure, HbA1c and urine albumin/creatinine ratio of 3.0 (1.7–3.4) kg, 8 (2–16)/4 (3–9) mmHg, 6 (3–14) mmol/mol and 0.69 (0.18–1.8) mg/mmol. These effects persisted to 24 weeks. Urinary frequency and genitourinary infection were common adverse effects. Baseline HbA1c and eGFR independently predicted ΔHbA1c at 12 weeks whereas only baseline HbA1c independently predicted ΔHbA1c at 24 weeks. Urinary fractional glucose excretion and change in fasting glucose 1 week after starting SGLT inhibitor did not contribute to prediction of glycaemic response.

Conclusions

SGLT inhibitor therapy in a hospital clinic setting was associated with clinical improvements comparable to those observed in clinical trials but with higher incidence of genitourinary side‐effects. Baseline HbA1c and eGFR, but not urine fractional glucose excretion, predicted glycaemic response.
Waterbirth in low‐risk pregnancy: An exploration of women’s experiences
Authors: Carlsson Tommy , Ulfsdottir Hanna
Published: February 2020

Aims

To explore retrospective descriptions about benefits, negative experiences and preparatory information related to waterbirths.

Design

A qualitative study.

Methods

Women who gave birth in water with healthy pregnancies and low‐risk births were consecutively recruited between December 2015–October 2018 from two birthing units in Sweden. All who gave birth in water during the recruitment period were included (N = 155) and 111 responded to the survey. Women were emailed a web‐based survey six weeks postpartum. Open‐ended questions were analysed with qualitative content analysis.

Results

Two themes were identified related to benefits: (a) physical benefits: the water eases labour progression while offering buoyancy and pain relief; and (b) psychological benefits: improved relaxation and control in a demedicalized and safe setting. Two themes were identified related to negative experiences: (a) equipment‐related issues due to the construction of the tub and issues related to being immersed in water; and (b) fears and worries related to waterbirth. In regard to preparatory information, respondents reported a lack of general and specific information related to waterbirths, even after they contacted birthing units to ask questions. Supplemental web‐based information was sought, but the trustworthiness of these sources was questioned and a need for trustworthy web‐based information was articulated.

Conclusion

Women who give birth in water experience physical and psychological benefits, but need better equipment and sufficient information. There is room for improvement with regard to prenatal and intrapartum care of women who give birth in water.

Impact

Judging from women's recounts, midwives and nurses should continue advocating waterbirth in low‐risk pregnancies. The lack of adequate equipment in Swedish birthing units articulated by women challenge current routines and resources. The findings illustrate unfulfilled needs for preparatory information about waterbirth, further strengthening that midwives should discuss the possibility of waterbirth when meeting expectant parents in the antenatal setting.
Revisiting the prevalence and diversity of localized thinning of the left ventricular apex
Authors: Yamamoto Kyoko , Mori Shumpei , Fukuzawa Koji , Miyamoto Koji , Toba Takayoshi , Izawa Yu , Tanaka Hidekazu , Kono Atsushi K. , Hirata Ken‐ichi
Published: February 2020

Background

The left ventricular apex commonly has a paper‐thin structure. However, available data about its structure are limited to variable samples, methodologies, and results.

Objective

To investigate the structural anatomy of the left ventricular apex using living heart datasets with the latest computed tomography scanner.

Methods

One hundred thirty‐one consecutive patients (median age, 73 years; 58% men) who underwent cardiac computed tomography were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with severe aortic stenosis were analyzed separately. Thickness and diameters of the thinnest part of the left ventricular apex during mid‐diastole were measured using orthogonal multiplanar reconstruction images. The area of thinning was estimated using the formula for the ellipse.

Results

In 88 patients without severe aortic stenosis, the median thickness of the thinnest area of the left ventricular apex was only 0.9 mm. Among them, 74%, 99%, and 100% of cases displayed a left ventricular apex thinner than 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 mm, respectively. The median area of the thinnest region was 5.6 mm2. In 43 patients with severe aortic stenosis, the median thickness of the thinnest area of the left ventricular apex was 1.2 mm. Among them, 51%, 93%, and 100% of cases displayed a left ventricular apex thinner than 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 mm, respectively. The median area of the thinnest region was 3.9 mm2.

Conclusions

Localized thinning of the left ventricular apex is unexceptional, regardless of aortic stenosis with concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, thus highlighting the need for a reappreciation of this feature to avoid inadvertent catastrophic complications.
Patterns of hypertension management in France in 2015: The ESTEBAN survey
Authors: Vallée Alexandre , Gabet Amélie , Grave Clémence , Sorbets Emmanuel , Blacher Jacques , Olié Valérie
Published: February 2020

The purposes of this study were to describe the hypertensive population and therapeutic management of hypertension in adults between 18 and 74 years of age in France in 2015. Esteban survey is a cross‐sectional survey with a clinical examination conducted in a representative sample of French adults aged 18‐74 years between 2014 and 2016. Esteban was entirely public‐funded. Blood pressure (BP) was measured during clinical examination with a standardized protocol, and pharmacological treatment was collected through the exhaustive Système National des Données de Santé (SNDS) database. Hypertension was defined by systolic BP (SBP)> 140 mm Hg, diastolic BP (DBP)> 90 mm Hg or treatment with BP‐lowering drugs. The therapeutic control of treated hypertensive patients was defined by SBP < 140 mm Hg and DBP < 90 mm Hg. Adherence to drug treatment was defined as more than 80% of days covered by BP‐lowering drug per year. The prevalence of hypertension was 31.3%. 74.7% of aware hypertensive participants taking an antihypertensive drug, and 57.7% of them were treated with a single antihypertensive pharmacological class. Overall, among hypertensives, 24.3% had a satisfactory BP control. Only 49.7% of treated hypertensives participants were controlled, and 33.6% of them were adherent to their drug treatment. The prevalence of hypertension in France remains high, with only 74.7% of the aware hypertensive participants receiving pharmacological therapy and only 48.9% of aware hypertensives with a BP at goal. More effective measures are needed to improve clinical management of hypertension in France.
Strategic shirking in competitive labor markets: A general model of multi‐task promotion tournaments with employer learning
Authors: DeVaro Jed , Gürtler Oliver
Published: February 2020

In a multitask, market‐based promotion tournament model, under different environments concerning employer learning about worker ability, it is shown that: (a) asymmetric learning in multitask jobs is a necessary condition for “strategic shirking” (i.e., underperforming on certain tasks to increase the promotion probability); (b) when learning becomes increasingly symmetric on one task, the effort allocated to that task could increase or decrease, but effort on the other task increases; (c) strategic shirking does not occur in equilibrium in single‐task models; and (d) promotions signal worker ability even when there is symmetric learning on one task, if learning is asymmetric on another.
Life cycle assessment of side stream removal and recovery of nitrogen from wastewater treatment plants
Authors: van Zelm Rosalie , Seroa da Motta Raquel de Paiva , Lam Wan Yee , Menkveld Wilbert , Broeders Eddie
Published: February 2020

In the light of a circular economy, the Nijhuis Ammonia Recovery system (AECO‐NAR) was developed to not only remove nitrogen from wastewater streams, but also produce ammonium sulfate (AS), used as fertilizer, in a single plant. The goal of this paper was to quantify the environmental impacts of side stream ammonia recovery with the AECO‐NAR system and compares them with the impacts of side stream nitrogen removal combined SHARON (partly nitrification)‐anammox plant. For this, an environmental life cycle assessment was performed with a functional unit (FU) of the treatment of 1 kg of total dissolved nitrogen inflow. Since AS obtained by the AECO‐NAR is a by‐product of the ammonia removal process, allocation was based on system expansion. Foreground inventory data were obtained from a full‐scale plant. ReCiPe2016 was used to determine human health and biodiversity impacts. Results show that due to the production of AS in an integrated water treatment and production system, the AECO‐NAR avoids impacts of current AS production, leading to negative impact scores. Impacts per FU decrease with increasing inflow concentrations of ammonia. Main improvement options are the use of renewable energy and the replacement of the cleaning chemical citric acid with a sustainable alternative. Total impacts of the AECO‐NAR system diminish when comparing the system to the biological SHARON‐Anammox system, due to production of AS fertilizer product. Due to the fertilizer production step being integrated in the side stream treatment, the complete system is beneficial over ammonia recovery and wastewater treatment as separate systems.
Ameliorative effects of quercetin on the preimplantation embryos development in diabetic pregnant mice
Authors: Bolouki Ayeh , Zal Fatemeh , Alaee Sanaz
Published: February 2020

Aim

Maternal diabetes adversely retards the development of preimplantation embryos. Quercetin is a flavonoid belonging to phytoestrogens family and may be useful in treatment of reproductive disorders. The aim of this study was investigation of the ameliorative effects of quercetin administration on preimplantation embryo development in diabetic pregnancy.

Methods

Diabetic and healthy female mice were treated with 30 mg/kg/day quercetin 4 weeks before conception. Blastocysts were recovered at the 4th day of pregnancy for protein and mRNA expression changes. Plasma sex‐steroid levels were also analyzed.

Results

Quercetin significantly decreased blood glucose levels in diabetic mice. Embryos retrieved from diabetic mice exhibited a considerable delay in morphological development. In diabetic mice with quercetin treatment, morphological distribution was shifted considerably to the well‐developed stages. Serum estradiol level reduced in diabetic mice but, treatment with quercetin significantly increased serum estradiol level. While IGF1R, integrin αvβ3, and Cox2 mRNA expression in the blastocyst of diabetic mice decreased significantly, quercetin treatment caused increasing expression levels of these genes. Expression of the Caspase3 gene increased dramatically in the collected blastocysts from diabetic mice and reduced following quercetin treatment. Besides, the inactive β‐catenin protein level in the blastocysts of diabetic mice was higher than that in normal mice, while treatment with quercetin decreased the level of inactive β‐catenin protein in the blastocyst of diabetic mice.

Conclusion

Quercetin protects preimplantation embryos from destructive effects of diabetes. The amelioration of sex hormones disturbance in early pregnancy may help to treat reproductive disorders in diabetic women. Quercetin can be considered as a novel solution to the improvement of reproductive disorders in the diabetic females.
Do spotted hyaenas outcompete the big cats in a small, enclosed system in South Africa?
Authors: Comley J. , Joubert C. J. , Mgqatsa N. , Parker D. M.
Published: February 2020

Carnivores are adapted to kill, meaning sympatric carnivores can have particularly aggressive and harmful competitive interactions. The co‐existence of multiple carnivores in an ecosystem could be restricted by their similarity in ecological niches (e.g. dietary overlap); however, high prey abundances could facilitate their co‐existence. Although the development of small, enclosed reserves (<400 km2) in South Africa has reduced human–carnivore conflict, these systems may increase the likelihood of carnivore intra‐guild competition due to the clumping of competing carnivores into these restricted spaces. Using carnivore scat and kill site analyses, we determined the dietary preferences and overlap of sympatric large carnivores in a small, enclosed reserve, Selati Game Reserve (Selati). Large carnivores in Selati (lions (Panthera leo), spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta) and leopards (Panthera pardus)) preferentially selected for varying combinations of prey size classes. Lions selected for large prey, leopards selected for small prey and spotted hyaenas did not prefer any particular prey size. Additionally, lions had the largest dietary breadth and the diet of leopards and spotted hyaenas overlapped considerably. Coupled with high prey densities in Selati, the predation strategies of the large carnivores could be facilitating their co‐existence. On the other hand, the high degree of dietary overlap among large carnivores suggests that there is strong potential for exploitation competition, particularly between spotted hyaenas and leopards as their diet overlapped extensively (91% and 93% for prey species and size class, respectively). Although spotted hyaenas are potentially outcompeting leopards in Selati, lions were the most dominant large carnivore. Our study reiterates the complexity of carnivore guild interactions and emphasizes how these interactions are subject to variation due to site‐specific circumstances (e.g. composition of prey and carnivore populations). We therefore encourage site‐specific, multi‐carnivore research throughout protected areas in southern Africa.
Midfacial pain
Authors: Lukic N. , Ettlin D.
Published: February 2020

The midface anatomy includes a variety of structures and pain may therefore originate from different tissues. Several medical specialties are often involved in its management. Criteria that define a specific pathology guide the diagnostic process. Namely, reported symptoms require careful verification by the clinical examination. Where appropriate, imaging can offer supplemental information. However, there is mostly no image correlate for myogenic and neuropathic pain. Hence, the medical images need to be interpreted with caution to avoid an inadequate attribution of pain aetiology. The mnemonic “DAMN‐ODD” may serve for remembering the more common differential diagnoses. Specific entities such as migraine, cluster headache, nose and sinus disorders, and cardiovascular disorders are discussed.
Polyploidization‐driven differentiation of freezing tolerance in Solidago canadensis
Authors: Lu Huan , Xue Lifang , Cheng Jiliang , Yang Xianghong , Xie Hongjie , Song Xiaoling , Qiang Sheng
Published: February 2020

Solidago canadensis, originating from the temperate region of North America, has expanded southward to subtropical regions through polyploidization. Here we investigated whether freezing tolerance of S. canadensis was weakened during expansion. Measurement of the temperature causing 50% ruptured cells (LT50) in 35 S. canadensis populations revealed ploidy‐related differentiation in freezing tolerance. Freezing tolerance was found to decrease with increasing ploidy. The polyploid populations of S. canadensis had lower ScICE1 gene expression levels but more ScICE1 gene copies than the diploids. Furthermore, more DNA methylation sites in the ScICE1 gene promoter were detected in the polyploids than in the diploids. The results suggest that promoter methylation represses the expression of multi‐copy ScICE1 genes, leading to weaker freezing tolerance in polyploid S. canadensis compared to the diploids. The study provides empirical evidence that DNA methylation regulates expression of the gene copies and supports polyploidization‐driven adaptation to new environments.
Canine semen cryoconservation: Emerging data over the last 20 years
Authors: Bencharif Djemil , Dordas‐Perpinya Marta
Published: February 2020

Canine semen cryoconservation was used since 1969, and this process is still nowadays in progress. This review aims to have an overview of two factors leading to a successful freezing–thawing semen. The success and efficiency of freezing process can be measured by the post‐thawing sperm mobility. The first factor is the best extender used as a cryoprotectant to have a similar osmolarity and pH compared to the seminal plasma to enable sperm survival. Historically, chicken egg yolk was used since 1940, but due to microbial risks and to the presence of granules (which interfere with counting dead spermatozoa and inhibits a spermatozoal respiration), despite these disadvantages, egg yolk is considered an excellent cryoprotectant for sperm of different animal species. The low‐density lipoproteins (LDL), contained in EY, when used at a concentration of 6% in a freezing medium associated with 20 mM of glutamine, show a mobility up to 54.5%, which is the best combination found. However, the sperm protection mechanism by LDL during freezing–thawing process only begins to be decrypted. But extraction protocols of LDL are not efficient for an industrial use. Therefore, egg yolk plasma is used within liquid or lyophilized state, and offering similar efficiency as the 6% LDL middle. The equilibration step, in which the diluted sperm is placed for a variable period of time at a temperature of +4°C, before freezing it. The studies show that 6 hr is the optimal duration for the canine sperm equilibration. The future of canine sperm cryopreservation is expected in liposome use and synthetic substances, which mimics LDL role.
Development of tumour peptide vaccines: From universalization to personalization
Authors: Ma Minjun , Liu Jingwen , Jin Shenghang , Wang Lan
Published: February 2020

In recent years, relying on the human immune system to kill tumour cells has become an effective means of cancer treatment. The development of peptide vaccines, which not only break the immune tolerance of a tumour but also attack malignant cells via specific antitumour immunity, has received increased attention in tumour immunization therapy due to their safety and easy preparation. The use of large‐scale sequencing technology enables the continuous discovery of new tumour antigens. With improved accuracy of epitope prediction by computer simulation and the usage of a tetramer assay, cytotoxic lymphocyte epitopes can be screened and identified more easily. Transmembrane peptide and nanoparticle technologies promote more effective intake and delivery of antigens. Consequently, considerable evolution from universal to personalized peptide vaccines has taken place, and such vaccines induce an efficient and specific immune response targeting tumour neoantigens. Recently, genomic analysis and bioinformatics approaches have greatly facilitated the breakthrough of personalized peptide vaccines targeting neoantigens, resulting in a renewed interest in this field. Further, the combination of tumour peptide vaccines with checkpoint blockades may improve patient outcomes. In this review, we discuss the development of tumour peptide vaccines and the new technological progress, from universalization to personalization, to highlight the substantial promise of tumour peptide vaccines in clinical cancer immunotherapy.
National Politics, Neighborly Politics: How Trump’s Election Impacted a Black and White Detroit Community
Authors: Cornelissen Sharon
Published: February 2020

Most research on right‐wing populism has tried to explain the rise of populist movements and parties. While some have studied how neighborhood contexts and histories shape voting patterns, few have examined what happens locally after votes are cast. This article draws on three years of ethnographic research while the author lived in Brightmoor, a majority black, minority white poor depopulated Detroit neighborhood, to show how Trump’s politics shaped local expressions and experiences of racism. First, I show how white Trump supporters expressed distinct approaches to xenophobic ethnonationalism and racial politics. Trump’s surge empowered many to broadcast anti‐immigrant sentiments, while they continued to put interactional and discursive work into not being seen as racist. Many also applied a “Trump lens” to local interactions and geographies and rendered minorities salient under Trump politics hypervisible. Second, I show how black residents equated xenophobic ethnonationalism with antiblack racism: seeing through pro‐Trump whites’ attempts to separate these. Some also applied a new “Trump lens” to interactions and geographies, using the category of Trump voter and a sense of the voting map to anticipate and make sense of racist interactions. This article offers new insights into the local impacts of a national surge in right‐wing populism.
Evaluating social investment in disability policy
Authors: Reinders Folmer Christopher P. , Mascini Peter , Van der Veen Romke J.
Published: February 2020

Disability policy in European countries is displaying a shift towards social investment: increasing human capital and access to the labour market. The reasoning that underlies this transition is that disabled persons would benefit from mainstream employment, but are impeded in traditional policy by deficiencies in labour supply and demand. However, the shift towards more activating policies in many countries is accompanied by a decline in social protection. It is unclear whether social investment may effectively promote the employment chances of disabled persons within this context. The present research examines this question through a quantitative, cross‐sectional, multilevel analysis on microdata from 22 EU countries. Our findings suggest greater activation to predict lower employment chances, while reducing passive support shows mixed effects. Conversely, measures for facilitation in daily life predict greater employment chances, as do measures for sheltered work. These findings raise questions over the value of social investment for disabled persons—and underline the need to overcome broader barriers in the labour market and in society.
Mathematical, Artistic and Literary Traces in Reason/Heart (Razón/Co‐razón) Transitions
Authors: Zalamea Fernando
Published: February 2020

This article studies some mathematical concepts which may be ramified in cultural environments, particularly in music and literature. The notions of definability (What may we capture with language, what escapes us?), representation (Which archetypes may be projected onto the world, which types arise from such projections?) and categoricity (Which unitary concepts govern the multiplicity of languages and images?) are narrowly linked with the essential issue of the trans, perhaps the crucial problem of our fleeting times.
A survey of work‐related musculoskeletal disorders associated with performing laparoscopic veterinary surgery
Authors: Jones Andrew R. E.
Published: February 2020

Objective

To assess the prevalence of work‐related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMD) associated with laparoscopy in veterinary surgery.

Study design

Cross‐sectional survey.

Sample population

Veterinary surgeons who perform laparoscopy.

Methods

Responses were collected with data regarding laparoscopic activities and experience as well as whether the respondents experienced pain as a result of laparoscopy and, if so, additional information on this topic. Variables associated with the risk of experiencing pain were determined by using χ2 tests and odds ratios (OR).

Results

There were 149 respondents, an estimated 6% response proportion. Forty percent experienced pain that they attributed to the use of laparoscopic instruments during or after laparoscopic surgery. Surgeons who perform laparoscopic surgery frequently (at least monthly) were more likely to experience pain as a result of laparoscopic surgery compared with those who perform laparoscopic surgery infrequently (OR 2.25; 95% confidence interval 1.07‐4.75; P = .033). Pain during or after laparoscopic surgery was most often experienced in the neck (81%), back (77%), and shoulders (75%), with 90% of respondents reporting that surgery exacerbated their pain. Fifty‐four percent of respondents experienced the pain at home, 64% had taken painkillers for the pain, and 46% had sought other treatment for the pain such as physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment, or seeing a doctor.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic surgery was a potential source of pain in a proportion of surgeons. Surgeons who frequently perform laparoscopic surgery were more likely to experience a WRMD.

Clinical significance

Work‐related musculoskeletal disorders may occur as a result of performing laparoscopic surgery.
Ultrasound Imaging For Lateral Gastrocnemius Muscle Injury: Tennis leg revisited
Authors: Doğan Yahya , Özçakar Levent
Published: February 2020

.
A Point Mutation in
carR
Is Involved in the Emergence of Polymyxin B-Sensitive Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor Biotype by Influencing Gene Transcription
Authors: Samanta Prosenjit , Mandal Rahul Shubhra , Saha Rudra Narayan , Shaw Sreeja , Ghosh Priyanka , Dutta Shanta , Ghosh Amit , Imamura Daisuke , Morita Masatomo , Ohnishi Makoto , Ramamurthy Thandavarayan , Mukhopadhyay Asish Kumar
Published: February 2020

Antimicrobial peptides play an important role in host defense against
Vibrio cholerae
. Generally, the
V. cholerae
O1 classical biotype is polymyxin B (PB) sensitive and El Tor is relatively resistant. Detection of classical biotype traits like the production of classical cholera toxin and PB sensitivity in El Tor strains has been reported in recent years, including in the devastating Yemen cholera outbreak during 2016-2018. To investigate the factor(s) responsible for the shift in the trend of sensitivity to PB, we studied the two-component system encoded by
carRS
, regulating the lipid A modification of El Tor vibrios, and found that only
carR
contains a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in recently emerged PB-sensitive strains.
Fighting Persistence: How Chronic Infections with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Evade T Cell-Mediated Clearance and New Strategies To Defeat Them
Authors: Ankley Laurisa , Thomas Sean , Olive Andrew J.
Published: February 2020

Chronic bacterial infections are caused by pathogens that persist within their hosts and avoid clearance by the immune system. Treatment and/or detection of such pathogens is difficult, and the resulting pathologies are often deleterious or fatal. There is an urgent need to develop protective vaccines and host-directed therapies that synergize with antibiotics to prevent pathogen persistence and infection-associated pathologies. However, many persistent pathogens, such as
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, actively target the very host pathways activated by vaccination.
Role of Plasmodium falciparum Kelch 13 Protein Mutations in P. falciparum Populations from Northeastern Myanmar in Mediating Artemisinin Resistance
Authors: Siddiqui Faiza Amber , Boonhok Rachasak , Cabrera Mynthia , Mbenda Huguette Gaelle Ngassa , Wang Meilian , Min Hui , Liang Xiaoying , Qin Junling , Zhu Xiaotong , Miao Jun , Cao Yaming , Cui Liwang
Published: February 2020

Artemisinin resistance has emerged in Southeast Asia, endangering the substantial progress in malaria elimination worldwide. It is associated with mutations in the PfK13 protein, but how PfK13 mediates artemisinin resistance is not completely understood. Here we used a new antibody against PfK13 to show that the PfK13 protein is expressed in all stages of the asexual intraerythrocytic cycle as well as in gametocytes and is partially localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. By introducing four PfK13 mutations into the 3D7 strain and reverting these mutations in field parasite isolates, we determined the impacts of these mutations identified in the parasite populations from northern Myanmar on the ring stage using the
in vitro
ring survival assay. The introduction of the N458Y mutation into the 3D7 background significantly increased the survival rates of the ring-stage parasites but at the cost of the reduced fitness of the parasites. Introduction of the F446I mutation, the most prevalent PfK13 mutation in northern Myanmar, did not result in a significant increase in ring-stage survival after exposure to dihydroartemisinin (DHA), but these parasites showed extended ring-stage development. Further, parasites with the F446I mutation showed only a marginal loss of fitness, partially explaining its high frequency in northern Myanmar. Conversely, reverting all these mutations, except for the C469Y mutation, back to their respective wild types reduced the ring-stage survival of these isolates in response to
in vitro
DHA treatment.
Social Cooperativity of Bacteria during Reversible Surface Attachment in Young Biofilms: a Quantitative Comparison of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 and PAO1
Authors: Lee Calvin K. , Vachier Jérémy , de Anda Jaime , Zhao Kun , Baker Amy E. , Bennett Rachel R. , Armbruster Catherine R. , Lewis Kimberley A. , Tarnopol Rebecca L. , Lomba Charles J. , Hogan Deborah A. , Parsek Matthew R. , O’Toole George A. , Golestanian Ramin , Wong Gerard C. L.
Published: February 2020

The initial pivotal phase of bacterial biofilm formation known as reversible attachment, where cells undergo a period of transient surface attachment, is at once universal and poorly understood. What is more, although we know that reversible attachment culminates ultimately in irreversible attachment, it is not clear how reversible attachment progresses phenotypically, as bacterial surface-sensing circuits fundamentally alter cellular behavior. We analyze diverse observed bacterial behavior one family at a time (defined as a full lineage of cells related to one another by division) using a unifying stochastic model and show that our findings lead to insights on the time evolution of reversible attachment and the social cooperative dimension of surface attachment in PAO1 and PA14 strains.
The
Plasmodium falciparum
Artemisinin Susceptibility-Associated AP-2 Adaptin μ Subunit is Clathrin Independent and Essential for Schizont Maturation
Authors: Henrici Ryan C. , Edwards Rachel L. , Zoltner Martin , van Schalkwyk Donelly A. , Hart Melissa N. , Mohring Franziska , Moon Robert W. , Nofal Stephanie D. , Patel Avnish , Flueck Christian , Baker David A. , Odom John Audrey R. , Field Mark C. , Sutherland Colin J.
Published: February 2020

We examine in detail the AP-2 adaptin complex from the malaria parasite
Plasmodium falciparum
. In most studied organisms, AP-2 is involved in bringing material into the cell from outside, a process called endocytosis. Previous work shows that changes to the μ subunit of AP-2 can contribute to drug resistance. Our experiments show that AP-2 is essential for parasite development in blood but does not have any role in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. This suggests that a specialized function for AP-2 has developed in malaria parasites, and this may be important for understanding its impact on drug resistance.
Synechococcus
sp. Strain PCC7002 Uses Sulfide:Quinone Oxidoreductase To Detoxify Exogenous Sulfide and To Convert Endogenous Sulfide to Cellular Sulfane Sulfur
Authors: Liu Daixi , Zhang Jiajie , Lü Chuanjuan , Xia Yongzhen , Liu Huaiwei , Jiao Nianzhi , Xun Luying , Liu Jihua
Published: February 2020

Cyanobacteria are a major force for primary production via oxygenic photosynthesis in the ocean. A marine cyanobacterium, PCC7002, is actively involved in sulfide metabolism. It uses SQR to detoxify exogenous sulfide, enabling it to survive better than its Δ
sqr
mutant in sulfide-rich environments. PCC7002 also uses SQR to oxidize endogenously generated sulfide to S
0
, which is required for the proper expression of key genes involved in photosynthesis. Thus, SQR has at least two physiological functions in PCC7002. The observation provides a new perspective for the interplays of C and S cycles.
Length of maternal schooling and children’s risk of malaria infection: evidence from a natural experiment in Uganda
Authors: Masuda Kazuya
Published: February 2020

Introduction

An estimated 216 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide every year. Cross-sectional studies have reported negative association between maternal education and child malaria risks; however, no randomised trial or quasi-experimental study using a natural experiment has confirmed a causal relationship between these two factors. I used the free primary education reform in Uganda to assess the causal effects of maternal schooling on children’s risk of malaria infection.

Methods

Malaria biomarkers of children aged <5 years were collected from the 2009 and 2014 Uganda Malaria Indicator Surveys (n=5316). In 1997, the government eliminated tuition requirements in primary schools, which increased the educational attainment of the affected cohorts. Using exposure to the reform as an instrumental variable, I used a two-stage least squares approach to estimate the causal effects of maternal year of education on the probability that a child would contract malaria at the time of the survey. I also evaluated the cost-effectiveness of primary schooling as a malaria control intervention.

Results

One extra year of maternal education reduced children’s risk of malaria infection by 7.5 percentage points (p=0.057) from baseline (34.9%). The length of maternal education was also positively associated with insecticide-treated bednet usage by their children. The results were robust to a variety of sensitivity tests. Primary schooling for women was a cost-effective intervention to reduce children’s malaria infection.

Conclusion

Improving access to primary education could be a cost-effective measure to reduce malaria prevalence among children of educated mothers aged <5 years in malaria-endemic countries.
Lessons from a multidisciplinary partnership involving women parliamentarians to address the overuse of caesarean section in Italy
Authors: Montilla Pilar , Merzagora Francesca , Scolaro Elisa , Requejo Jennifer , Ricciardi Walter , Meli Elena , Bazzi Adriana , Vittori Giorgio , Bustreo Flavia , Boldi Rosanna , Rizzoti Maria , Merialdi Mario , Betran Ana Pilar
Published: February 2020

The increase of caesarean sections (CS) represents a global concern. Interventions tested to reduce unnecessary caesareans have shown limited success to date, partly because they have focused on medical perspectives or on single faceted interventions targeting only one group of stakeholders. Limited attention has been given to examining multidisciplinary and advocacy activities that could reduce unnecessary CS by raising awareness and engaging the media, advocacy groups, healthcare professionals and politicians. In 2009 in Italy, the national CS rate was the highest in Europe and momentum was building for action.

This case study includes a description of the activities conducted in Italy during 2009–2012 by a partnership that included the non-governmental organisation Osservatorio Nazionale sulla Salute della Donna, a bipartisan group of Italian women parliamentarians and the WHO. The objectives were to generate awareness about the increase and overuse of CS in Italy, to foster political actions to reverse this trend, to engage with the media and journalists and to better understand women’s birth preferences and needs.

A reduction of the CS rate has been observed in Italy following the activities of the initiative from 38.4% in 2009 to 34.2% in 2015 according to the Ministry of Health. Although we cannot infer a casual association between the Partnership and the CS decrease, it did contribute to political momentum and specific actions that should, in theory, have contributed to this reduction. These include the engagement of women parliamentarians for policy change, improved understanding of the local drivers of increases of CS including women’s needs and preferences, raising awareness and working with the media to convey appropriate information and an inclusive strategy giving the opportunity to local stakeholders to make their voices heard.

This partnership initiative illustrates a model for generating dialogue, reflection and action in countries showing signs of readiness to address escalating CS.
Close-up on a bacterial informational war in the geocaulosphere
Authors: Chane Andrea , Bourigault Yvann , Bouteiller Mathilde , Konto-Ghiorghi Yoan , Merieau Annabelle , Barbey Corinne , Latour Xavier
Published: February 2020

The geocaulosphere is home to microbes that establish communication between themselves and others that disrupt them. These cell-to-cell communication systems are based on the synthesis and perception of signaling molecules, of which the best known belong to the N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) family. Among indigenous bacteria, certain Gram-positive actinobacteria can sense AHLs produced by soft-rot Gram-negative phytopathogens and can degrade the quorum-sensing AHL signals to impair the expression of virulence factors. We mimicked this interaction by introducing dual-color reporter strains suitable for monitoring both the location of the cells and their quorum-sensing and -quenching activities, in potato tubers. The exchange of AHL signals within the pathogen’s cell quorum was clearly detected by the presence of bright green fluorescence instead of blue in a portion of Pectobacterium-tagged cells. This phenomenon in Rhodococcus cells was accompanied by a change from red fluorescence to orange, showing that the disappearance of signaling molecules is due to rhodococcal AHL degradation rather than the inhibition of AHL production. Rhodococci are victorious in this fight for the control of AHL-based communication, as their jamming activity is powerful enough to prevent the onset of disease symptoms.
On the design of structural wing members for an unmanned weight-shift aircraft
Authors: Lanteigne Eric , McLeod Justin , Vadsola Mayank , Liu Shilong
Published: February 2020

This paper describes a parametric study on the design of the structural wing members of a weight-shift aircraft for the conversion from piloted to unmanned cargo delivery operations. Ultralight weight-shift aircraft wings are designed for both pilot control and structural stability. These wings have evolved over decades without much formal engineering, and there is little scientific literature describing their design. Since modifications to the structural members of the wing are required to replace the pilot with an enclosed cargo bay, a parametric study on the wing design was conducted. The loads on each member of the wing were modelled, and nonlinear buckling simulations were performed to determine the minimum structural member tube sizes.
New texture-based pansharpening method using wavelet packet transform and PCA
Authors: Abdolahpoor Asma , Kabiri Peyman
Published: February 2020

Image fusion is an important concept in remote sensing. Earth observation satellites provide both high-resolution panchromatic and low-resolution multispectral images. Pansharpening is aimed on fusion of a low-resolution multispectral image with a high-resolution panchromatic image. Because of this fusion, a multispectral image with high spatial and spectral resolution is generated. This paper reports a new method to improve spatial resolution of the final multispectral image. The reported work proposes an image fusion method using wavelet packet transform (WPT) and principal component analysis (PCA) methods based on the textures of the panchromatic image. Initially, adaptive PCA (APCA) is applied to both multispectral and panchromatic images. Consequently, WPT is used to decompose the first principal component of multispectral and panchromatic images. Using WPT, high frequency details of both panchromatic and multispectral images are extracted. In areas with similar texture, extracted spatial details from the panchromatic image are injected into the multispectral image. Experimental results show that the proposed method can provide promising results in fusing multispectral images with high-spatial resolution panchromatic image. Moreover, results show that the proposed method can successfully improve spectral features of the multispectral image.
Reanalysis of Alzheimer’s brain sequencing data reveals absence of purported HHV6A and HHV7
Authors: Chorlton Samuel D.
Published: February 2020

Readhead et al. recently reported in Neuron the detection and association of human herpesviruses 6A (HHV6A) and 7 (HHV7) with Alzheimer’s disease by shotgun sequencing. I was skeptical of the specificity of their modified Viromescan bioinformatics method and subsequent analysis for numerous reasons. Using their supplementary data, the prevalence of variola virus, the etiological agent of the eradicated disease smallpox, can be calculated at 97.5% of their Mount Sinai Brain Bank dataset. Reanalysis of Readhead et al.’s data using highly sensitive and specific alternative methods finds no HHV7 reads in their samples; HHV6A reads were found in only 2 out of their top 15 samples sorted by reported HHV6A abundance. Finally, recreation of Readhead et al.’s modified Viromescan method identifies reasons for its low specificity.
An approach to computer analysis of the ligand binding assay data on example of radioligand assay data
Authors: Fedotov S. N.
Published: February 2020

As a rule, receptor-ligand assay data are fitted by logistic functions (4PL model, 5PL model, Feldman’s model). The preparation of the initial estimates for parameters of these functions is an important problem for processing receptor-ligand interaction data. This study represents a new mathematical approach to calculate the initial estimates more closely to the true values of parameters. The main idea of this approach is in using the modified linear least squares method for calculations of the parameters for the 4PL model and the Feldman’s model. In this study, the convergence of model parameters to true values is verified for the simulated data with different statistical scatter. Also, the results of processing real data for the 4PL model and the Feldman’s model are presented. A comparison is made of the parameter values calculated by the presented and a nonlinear method. The developed approach has demonstrated its efficiency in calculating the parameters of the complex Feldman”s models up to 4 ligands and 4 sites.
Crowdsourcing moral machines
Authors: Awad Edmond , Dsouza Sohan , Bonnefon Jean-François , Shariff Azim , Rahwan Iyad
Published: February 2020

A platform for creating a crowdsourced picture of human opinions on how machines should handle moral dilemmas.
Spotify guilds
Authors: Smite Darja , Moe Nils Brede , Floryan Marcin , Levinta Georgiana , Chatzipetrou Panagiota
Published: February 2020

When the value increases engagement, engagement increases the value.