bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a framework for agile manufacturing
Authors: Kumar Rahul , Singh Kanwarpreet , Jain Sanjiv Kumar
Published: July 2019

Purpose

In the past, the insufficiency of the traditional business practices to meet vibrant customer demands in continuously changing business environment has severely affected organizational competitiveness. The purpose of this paper is to develop and propose a new framework for smoother and effective implementation of agile manufacturing by identifying and integrating a set of significant agility principles and techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

The present work proposed a framework for agile manufacturing by deploying the comparative analysis of 17 frameworks published in peer-reviewed journals.

Findings

The proposed conceptual framework constitutes of eight pillars for agile manufacturing implementation. The proposed framework relies on a strong foundation of leadership support. The roof of the proposed framework of agile manufacturing is supported by the pillars constituted of seven elements, an industry must deploy for successfully implementing agile manufacturing, namely, human resource-related issues, organizational culture-related issues, supplier-related issues, customer-related issues, innovation, concurrent engineering and information technology.

Originality/value

This work is the first attempt, in the best knowledge of the authors, to employ comparative analysis for critically analyzing a wide range of agile manufacturing frameworks. The findings of this study will assist researchers and managers in agile manufacturing implementation in more a smoother and effective way in manufacturing industries.
Seeing‐good‐gene‐based mate choice: From genes to behavioural preferences
Authors: Sun Li , Zhou Tong , Stone Graham N. , Wan Qiu‐Hong , Fang Sheng‐Guo
Published: July 2019

Although vertebrates have been reported to gain higher reproductive outputs by choosing mates, few studies have been conducted on threatened species. However, species recovery should benefit if natural mate choice could improve reproductive output (i.e. pair performance related to offspring number, such as increased clutch size, numbers of fertilized egg and fledglings). We assessed the evidence for major histocompatibility complex (MHC)‐based mate preference in the endangered crested ibis (Nipponia nippon) and quantified the impacts of such choice on reproductive output.

We tested the hypothesis that crested ibis advertise “good genes” through external traits, by testing whether nuptial plumage characteristics and body morphology mediate mate choice for underlying genetic MHC variation.

We found differences between males and females in preferred MHC genotypes, external traits used in mate choice and contributions to reproductive outputs. Females preferred MHC‐heterozygous males, which had darker [i.e. lower total reflectance and ultraviolet (UV) reflectance] nuptial plumage. Males preferred females lacking the DAB*d allele at the MHC class II DAB locus, which had higher average body mass. DAB*d‐free females yielded heavier eggs and more fledglings, while MHC‐heterozygous males contributed to more fertilized eggs and fledglings. Fledging rate was highest when both parents had the preferred MHC genotypes (i.e. MHC‐heterozygous father and DAB*d‐free mother). Comparisons showed that free‐mating wild and semi‐natural pairs yielded more fertilized eggs and more fledglings, with a higher fledging rate, than captive pairs matched artificially based on pedigree.

Conservation programmes seldom apply modern research results to population management, which could hinder recovery of threatened species. Our results show that mate choice can play an important role in improving reproductive output, with an example in which an endangered bird selects mates using UV visual capability. Despite the undoubted importance of pedigree‐based matching of mates in conservation programmes, we show that free mating can be a better alternative strategy.
Glutathione peroxidase‐1 gene rescues cocaine‐induced conditioned place preference in mice by inhibiting σ‐1 receptor expression
Authors: Pham Duc Toan , Chung Yoon Hee , Mai Huynh Nhu , Sharma Naveen , Yun Jaesuk , Kim Hee Jin , Cheong Jae Hoon , Jeong Ji Hoon , Kim Dae‐Joong , Shin Eun‐Joo , Kim Hyoung‐Chun
Published: July 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the glutathione peroxidase‐1 gene (GPx‐1) affects cocaine‐induced conditioned place preference (CPP) using a mouse model. Cocaine‐induced CPP was accompanied by an increase in the level of σ‐1 receptor in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). This phenomenon was more pronounced in the GPx‐1 gene knockout (GPx‐1 KO) than in wild type (WT) mice. In contrast, the CPP and expression of σ‐1 receptor were much less pronounced in GPx‐1‐overexpressing transgenic (GPx‐1 TG) mice than non‐transgenic (non‐TG) mice. Treatment of the mice with BD1047, a σ‐1 receptor antagonist, significantly attenuated both cocaine‐induced CPP and c‐Fos‐immunoreactivity (c‐Fos‐IR) in WT and GPx‐1 KO mice, although the effects were more evident in the latter group. Despite the protective effects of BD1047 on cocaine‐induced CPP and c‐Fos in non‐TG mice, there were no additional protective effects in cocaine‐treated GPx‐1 TG mice, indicating that the σ‐1 receptor is a critical target for GPx‐1‐mediated psychoprotective activity. Overall, our results suggest that GPx‐1 attenuates cocaine‐induced CPP via inhibition of σ‐1 receptor expression.
Aggregate and distributional impacts of China’s household responsibility system
Authors: Gibson John
Published: July 2019

It is 40 years since China started to abandon collective farming, with initial rural reforms in 1978 that culminated in adoption of the household responsibility system (HRS). Existing studies of impacts of these reforms do not consider nonrandom spread of the HRS, spillovers from early adopters, or distributional effects. In this paper, the synthetic control method and spatial autoregressive panel models with autoregressive errors are used to estimate impacts of the HRS that account for these features. The HRS had a significant positive effect on grain output and food supply in China, while also helping to reduce regional inequality.
The place of therapy: between lab and field in the psychoanalytic office
Authors: Craciun Mariana
Published: July 2019

This article builds on recent scholarship in medicine, science and technology illuminating the role of place and materiality in medical work. Drawing on ethnographic observations and qualitative interviews withUSpsychiatrists, psychologists and clinical social workers, I examine how the therapy office shapes psychoanalytic psychotherapists’ efforts to understand their patients’ unconscious conflicts. The concepts of ‘laboratory’ and ‘field’ frame my discussion of the material set up of the clinical room and the relational practices it fosters. I show that psychoanalytic practitioners try to approximate ‘laboratory conditions’ that insulate patients’ problems from their everyday contexts and ensure a sense of stability. I also demonstrate that these clinicians’ work depends on revealing personal preferences in the therapy room and fostering therapeutic relationships that resemble those in patients’ everyday lives, making the office akin to the ‘field’. The office thus becomes epistemically productive through therapists’ management of the paradoxical relationship between laboratory and field.
Diagnostic accuracy of the partograph alert and action lines to predict adverse birth outcomes: a systematic review
Authors: Bonet M , Oladapo OT , Souza JP , Gülmezoglu AM
Published: July 2019

Background

There are questions about the use of the ‘one‐centimetre per hour rule’ as a valid benchmark for assessing the adequacy of labour progress.

Objectives

To determine the accuracy of the alert (1‐cm/hour) and action lines of the cervicograph in the partograph to predict adverse birth outcomes among women in first stage of labour.

Search strategy

PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, POPLINE, Global Health Library, and reference lists of eligible studies.

Selection criteria

Observational studies and other study designs reporting data on the correlation between the alert line status of women in labour and the occurrence of adverse birth outcomes.

Data collection and analysis

Two reviewers at a time independently identified eligible studies and independently abstracted data including population characteristics and maternal and perinatal outcomes.

Main results

Thirteen studies in which 20 471 women participated were included in the review. The percentage of women crossing the alert line varied from 8 to 76% for all maternal or perinatal outcomes. No study showed a robust diagnostic test accuracy profile for any of the selected outcomes.

Conclusions

This systematic review does not support the use of the cervical dilatation over time (at a threshold of 1 cm/h during active first stage) to identify women at risk of adverse birth outcomes.

Tweetable abstract

Alert line of partograph does not identify women at risk of adverse birth outcomes.
Improvement of the Sensory Characteristics of Goat Milk Yogurt
Authors: De Santis Diana , Giacinti Giuseppina , Chemello Giulia , Frangipane Maria Teresa
Published: July 2019

The sensory characteristics of goat yogurt could be greatly improved by integrating to a culture typical of yogurt starters, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii spp. bulgaricus, with cultures of Leuconostoc lactis. The addition of L. lactis requires the use of the definition of  “fermented milk” to the product, although it is prepared according to the same technology. The experimental plan has designed the use of inoculation with a bacterial concentration of at least 109, for each microbial species considered, with the aim of increasing the probiotic effect of yogurt and fermented milk. Descriptive analysis of the samples was conducted using the profile sheet obtained applying the consensus profiling method (UNI EN ISO 13299:2010) by a trained panel. The acceptability of our products was evaluated by 62 consumers through 7‐points hedonic scale. The results of this study indicated that the addition of L. lactis to the traditional yogurt starter produced a noticeable improvement to the sensory characteristics of fermented goat milk.

Practical Application

To improve the sensory characteristics of goat's yogurt to make it more acceptable to the consumer and increase market demand we tested the integration of Leuconostoc lactis to typical starter cultures. The experimentation carried out tested different combinations of fermenting microorganisms with the aim of developing a better flavor as compared to that of traditional yogurt, which is often unpleasant to consumers. The addition of L. lactis to the starter culture of the goat's milk results in less aggressive aromatic notes and greater appreciation as confirmed by consumers who tested the product.
Occurrence of Human Enteric Adenoviruses in Fresh Tropical Seafood from Retail Markets and Landing Centers
Authors: Ghosh Subal Kumar , Lekshmi Manjusha , Das Oishi , Kumar Sanath , Nayak Binaya Bhusan
Published: July 2019

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are the foodborne enteric pathogens transmitted by the consumption of contaminated shellfish. In this study, the occurrence of enteric adenoviruses in finfish and shellfish was investigated by virus concentration and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Total plate count, total coliform, and fecal coliform levels were determined and correlated with the presence of adenovirus. Samples of fish, bivalve mollusks, crustaceans, and cephalopods were collected from supermarkets, landing centers, and retail fish markets of Mumbai, India for the study. Overall, the adenovirus DNA was detected in 21.27% of all the samples analyzed. The highest incidence was detected in clams (14.89%), followed by oysters, shrimps, and finfish (2.13% each). High prevalence of enteric adenovirus in filter‐feeding bivalves, such as clams and oysters, as well as in fish suggests persistent fecal contamination of coastal waters in the region of study. The occurrence of adenoviruses in samples showed a positive correlation with the bacteriological indicators of fecal contamination, suggesting that fecal indicator bacteria may be used to monitor the presence of adenoviruses in seafood.

Practical Application

This research demonstrates the occurrence of human adenoviruse (HAdV) in fresh seafood and the utility of fecal coliforms as indicators of HAdV presence in seafood. The study emphasizes the need to identify HAdV in seafood as a human health hazard and implement measures to prevent sewage pollution of fish and shellfish harvesting areas in India.
Practical uses of contrast‐enhanced spectral mammography in daily work: A pictorial review
Authors: Alexander Sweeka , Dulku Gurjeet , Hashoul Sharbell , Taylor Donna B
Published: July 2019

Contrast‐enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) has a number of uses including the work‐up of inconclusive findings on mammography, assessment of breast symptoms, cancer staging, evaluation of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and recently as an alternative to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in high‐risk screening. CESM can be swiftly incorporated into the workflow of busy breast clinics. We share our experiences with CESM at a large breast assessment centre in Western Australia.
Advancing the integration of multi‐marker metabarcoding data in dietary analysis of trophic generalists
Authors: da Silva Luís P. , Mata Vanessa A. , Lopes Pedro B. , Pereira Paulo , Jarman Simon N. , Lopes Ricardo J. , Beja Pedro
Published: July 2019

The application of DNA metabarcoding to dietary analysis of trophic generalists requires using multiple markers in order to overcome problems of primer specificity and bias. However, limited attention has been given to the integration of information from multiple markers, particularly when they partly overlap in the taxa amplified, and vary in taxonomic resolution and biases. Here, we test the use of a mix of universal and specific markers, provide criteria to integrate multi‐marker metabarcoding data and a python script to implement such criteria and produce a single list of taxa ingested per sample. We then compare the results of dietary analysis based on morphological methods, single markers, and the proposed combination of multiple markers. The study was based on the analysis of 115 faeces from a small passerine, the Black Wheatears (Oenanthe leucura). Morphological analysis detected far fewer plant taxa (12) than either a universal 18S marker (57) or the plant trnL marker (124). This may partly reflect the detection of secondary ingestion by molecular methods. Morphological identification also detected far fewer taxa (23) than when using 18S (91) or the arthropod markers IN16STK (244) and ZBJ (231), though each method missed or underestimated some prey items. Integration of multi‐marker data provided far more detailed dietary information than any single marker and estimated higher frequencies of occurrence of all taxa. Overall, our results show the value of integrating data from multiple, taxonomically overlapping markers in an example dietary data set.
Neuronal‐specific proteasome augmentation via Prosβ5 overexpression extends lifespan and reduces age‐related cognitive decline
Authors: Munkácsy Erin , Chocron E. Sandra , Quintanilla Laura , Gendron Christi M. , Pletcher Scott D. , Pickering Andrew M.
Published: July 2019

Cognitive function declines with age throughout the animal kingdom, and increasing evidence shows that disruption of the proteasome system contributes to this deterioration. The proteasome has important roles in multiple aspects of the nervous system, including synapse function and plasticity, as well as preventing cell death and senescence. Previous studies have shown neuronal proteasome depletion and inhibition can result in neurodegeneration and cognitive deficits, but it is unclear if this pathway is a driver of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in aging. We report that overexpression of the proteasome β5 subunit enhances proteasome assembly and function. Significantly, we go on to show that neuronal‐specific proteasome augmentation slows age‐related declines in measures of learning, memory, and circadian rhythmicity. Surprisingly, neuronal‐specific augmentation of proteasome function also produces a robust increase of lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster. Our findings appear specific to the nervous system; ubiquitous proteasome overexpression increases oxidative stress resistance but does not impact lifespan and is detrimental to some healthspan measures. These findings demonstrate a key role of the proteasome system in brain aging.
Intended rural career modalities of final‐year James Cook University medical students
Authors: Woolley Torres
Published: July 2019

Objective

Geographic mal‐distribution towards urban over rural medical practice exists worldwide. The James Cook University medical school has focused its selection and curriculum on selecting and training students to address medical workforce needs for local regional, rural and remote areas. This study investigates final‐year James Cook University medical students' intended rural practice modality and association with rurality of upbringing.

Design, setting & participants

Cross‐sectional survey of final‐year James Cook University medical students in 2018 (n = 147; response rate = 76%).

Main outcome measure

Association between students’ rurality of hometown at entry to medical school and self‐reported intentions for rural practice.

Results

Overall, final‐year students' preferred rural practice modality was “for a specific number of years” (38, 25%), followed by “periodic short‐term locum” (33, 23%), “permanently based” (26, 18%), “orbiting” (21, 14%), “none” (14, 10%), “long‐term shared position” (9, 6%) and “specialist outreach clinics” (6, 4%). Urban hometown at entry to medical school was associated with students preferring periodic rural practice, with rural‐origin students contrastingly preferring more permanent rural practice.

Conclusion

Only 10% of James Cook University medical students did not want a rural career in any form, suggesting the majority, regardless of urban or rural hometown, are open to some type of rural practice. Urban‐origin medical students around Australia might be a significant, untapped resource for periodic and more permanent rural practice if they can be provided with extended, immersive rural placements experiences. Government funding models should provide increased funding for immersive rural placements, and promotion of orbiting and longer‐term job share practice modalities.
Imminent birth education for rural and remote settings: An evaluation study
Authors: Connell Jane , Kelly Jenny , Nagle Cate
Published: July 2019

Objective

To describe the development and evaluation of an educational resource that aimed to provide the non‐midwifery workforce in rural and remote health facilities with basic knowledge and skills to assist women who present when birth is imminent.

Design

Descriptive methods using surveys were employed to evaluate the resource named the Imminent Birth Education Program.

Participants

Health professionals employed in Queensland Health rural and remote non‐birthing facilities.

Intervention

An evidence‐based, blended educational program comprising an online component, a face‐to‐face workshop and an education package for midwives to facilitate the workshop in their health service.

Results

More than 600 participants completed the online course component, and the majority of these participants were employed in non‐birthing facilities. Throughout the project, two project officers facilitated face‐to‐face workshops, training participants to facilitate the workshop in their own health services. The reach of the Imminent Birth Education Program was statewide with clinical staff from all 16 Hospital and Health Services participating.

Conclusion

The uptake of the Imminent Birth Education Program has been widespread across the state and positively evaluated by the rural and remote non‐midwifery workforce in non‐birthing facilities. This evidence‐based program is an effective way to provide the knowledge, skills and confidence to assist health professionals to care for women who present to these facilities when birth is imminent.
Planned resettlement to avoid climatic hazards: What prospects for just outcomes in China?
Authors: Wilmsen Brooke , Rogers Sarah
Published: July 2019

Planned resettlement is being widely considered as a response to the impacts of climate change. As many millions of people are expected to be displaced in the coming decades, scholars and policymakers are searching for precedence to inform their research and planning, particularly from experiences of Development‐Induced Displacement and Resettlement (DIDR). Nowhere in the world is DIDR and other closely related forms of planned resettlement more prevalent than in China: an estimated 78 million people have been displaced by development projects over the last six decades. While planned resettlement has consistently been shown to cause impoverishment, the Chinese state views it as the answer to a multitude of social ills including poverty, environmental damage, low levels of domestic consumption, and most recently, climate change, providing impetus to the normalisation of resettlement as adaptation. This paper examines the prospects for just outcomes in resettlement projects by examining distributive justice at multiple scales in existing resettlement practice in China. It finds that due to the interplay between resettlement and questions of procedural justice, prospects for just outcomes are quite limited, and that in order to achieve fair adaptation, alternatives to planned resettlement should be emphasised.
Successful resection of cellular angiofibroma in the retroperitoneum by using laparoscopic approach
Authors: Tamura Taichi , Matsuda Takeru , Yamashita Kimihiro , Hasegawa Hiroshi , Kanaji Shingo , Oshikiri Taro , Nakamura Tetsu , Suzuki Satoshi , Fukumoto Takumi , Kakeji Yoshihiro
Published: July 2019

Retroperitoneal cellular angiofibroma (RCA) is very rare, and the optimal treatment for RCA has not been established. We report the case of RCA in a 58‐year‐old man who underwent curative laparoscopy‐assisted resection. Preoperative computed tomography showed heterogeneous enhancement of the 7 cm diameter tumor in the pelvis. A smaller (2.3 cm) mass was also detected in the small intestine. The preoperative diagnosis was peritoneal metastasis of the gastrointestinal tumor of the small intestine. The pelvic tumor was laparoscopically mobilized from the rectum, the left ureter, and the left internal iliac vessels. The tumor was excised by detachment from the urinary bladder in laparotomy. The pathological diagnosis was RCA. The tumor had not recurred by the 1‐year follow‐up. The laparoscopic approach thus might be useful for resection of RCA.
Supporting and challenging learners through pedagogical agents: Addressing ethical issues through designing for values
Authors: Richards Deborah , Dignum Virginia
Published: July 2019

Pedagogical Agents (PAs) that would guide interactions in intelligent learning environments were envisioned two decades ago. These early animated characters had been shown to deliver learning benefits. However, little was understood regarding what aspects were beneficial for learning and what sort of learning PAs were suitable for. This article considers the current and future use of PAs to support and challenge learners from three perspectives. Firstly, we look at PAs from a practical perspective to consider what Intelligent Virtual Agents are, the roles they play in education and beyond and the underlying technologies and theories driving them. Next we take a pedagogical perspective to consider the vision, pedagogical approaches supported and new possible uses of PAs. This leads us to the political perspective to consider the values, ethics and societal impacts of PAs. Drawing all three perspectives together we present a design for values approach to designing ethical and socially responsible PAs.
A novel simultaneous clot‐fibrinolysis waveform analysis for assessing fibrin formation and clot lysis in haemorrhagic disorders
Authors: Nogami Keiji , Matsumoto Tomoko , Sasai Kana , Ogiwara Kenichi , Arai Nobuo , Shima Midori
Published: July 2019

Simultaneous evaluation of coagulation and fibrinolysis facilitates an overall understanding of normal and pathological haemostasis. We established an assay for assessing clot formation and fibrinolysis simultaneously using clot waveform analysis by the trigger of a mixture of activated partial thromboplastin time reagent and an optimized concentration of tissue‐type plasminogen activator (0·63 μg/ml) to examine the temporal reactions in a short monitoring time (<500 s). The interplay between clot formation and fibrinolysis was confirmed by analysing the effects of argatroban, tranexamic acid and thrombomodulin. Fibrinogen levels positively correlated with coagulation and fibrinolytic potential and initial fibrin clot formation was independent of plasminogen concentration. Plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1‐deficient (‐def) and α2‐antiplasmin‐def plasmas demonstrated different characteristic hyper‐fibrinolytic patterns. For the specificity of individual clotting factor‐def plasmas, factor (F)VIII‐def and FIX‐def plasmas in particular demonstrated shortened fibrinolysis lag‐times (FLT) and enhanced endogenous fibrinolysis potential in addition to decreased maximum coagulation velocity, possibly reflecting the fragile formation of fibrin clots. Tranexamic acid depressed fibrinolysis to a similar extent in FVIII‐def and FIX‐def plasmas. We concluded that the clot‐fibrinolysis waveform analysis technique could sensitively monitor both sides of fibrin clot formation and fibrinolysis, and could provide an easy‐to‐use assay to help clarify the underlying pathogenesis of bleeding disorders in routine clinical practice.
Feasibility and acceptability of a home‐based intervention to promote nurturing interactions and healthy behaviours in early childhood: The Amagugu Asakhula pilot study
Authors: Draper Catherine E. , Howard Steven J. , Rochat Tamsen J.
Published: July 2019

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a home‐based intervention—Amagugu Asakhula—to promote nurturing interactions and healthy behaviours with the caregivers of preschool children. Amagugu Asakhula means “treasures that are still growing” and focuses on children's cognitive development, physical activity, screen time, diet and sleep while also promoting the caregiver–child relationship.

Methods

This study took place in a low‐income setting in Cape Town, South Africa. The 6‐week intervention was implemented by community health workers (CHWs) with 20 caregivers of preschool children. CHWs provided written feedback on intervention sessions, and two focus groups were conducted, one with the CHWs involved (n = 4) and another with caregivers (n = 6), to obtain their feedback on the intervention and its implementation. Data were collated according to themes relating to implementation. In this pilot study, training and recruitment proved feasible and were facilitated by partnership with a community‐based organization.

Results

The intervention was generally implemented as intended, in terms of dose and delivery. Family support and active engagement of caregivers' preschool children in intervention activities were reported by CHWs and caregivers, and CHWs also reported mostly positive interactions with caregivers. CHWs and caregivers perceived the intervention to have benefits relating to the following: caregivers' awareness and knowledge of health behaviours, awareness of their role, changes in behaviours, and connection between the caregiver and child. The only change to the intervention suggested was the inclusion of some group sessions to promote support amongst intervention participants and sustain engagement in the intervention.

Conclusions

The findings of this pilot study indicate that Amagugu Asakhula was both feasible and acceptable with caregivers of preschool children in a low‐income urban setting. Further research is needed to assess the extent to which this intervention has an objective and measurable effect on intended outcomes.
Patterns of practice: An exploratory factor analysis of child and family social worker skills
Authors: Forrester Donald , Killian Mike , Westlake David , Sheehan Lucy
Published: July 2019

There is relatively little research on the communication skills that social workers use in direct practice with families. This study explores patterns of practice skill found in child and family social work home visits. The study analysed 127 practice interactions in family homes, coding for seven dimensions of worker skill using a coding framework drawn from motivational interviewing. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to establish patterns of skill within the data and to group key dimensions of skill. The findings make two contributions. First, three fundamental dimensions of good practice emerged, which we characterize as care and engagement, good authority, and support for behaviour change. Second, in exploring the relationship between “care” and “control” elements of social work, skilled social workers were able to combine good authority and empathic engagement, whereas those who were less skilled in use of authority were also less good at engagement. This contributes to debates about care and control in social work. The usefulness of these dimensions for conceptualizing practice in child and family social work is discussed and directions for further research are suggested.
Serum deprivation response functions as a tumor suppressor gene in papillary thyroid cancer
Authors: Wang Qing‐Xuan , Chen En‐Dong , Cai Ye‐Feng , Zhou Yi‐Li , Dong Si‐Yang , Zhang Xiao‐Hua , Wang Ou‐Chen , Li Quan
Published: July 2019

The mechanism of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has shown numerous recurrently mutated genes, but the discovery of abnormal expression of novel tumor suppressor genes has been slow. The aim of our study is to explore the biological functions of SDPR in thyroid cancer. We reanalyzed the RNA‐Seq data of PTC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and found that serum deprivation response (SDPR) was significantly downregulated in PTC. Quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) was performed to assess the expression of SDPR. Both loss‐ and gain‐of‐function experiments, and flow cytometry were performed to investigate the functions. SDPR was significantly downregulated in PTC. Reduced expression of SDPR was associated with larger tumor size, more serious lymph node metastasis, and advanced American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage. Patients with lower SDPR expression had a shorter recurrence‐free survival. SDPR expression and AJCC stage were independent predictors of poor recurrence‐free survival (RFS). Moreover, cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration were inhibited after SDPR overexpression, whereas knockdown of SDPR exerted an oncogenic effect. SDPR induction also initiated the mesenchymal‐epithelial transition, alongside suppressing AKT signaling and cyclin family expression. Apart from DNA methylation, LOC105373813, may also co‐regulate SDPR expression by forming a stable hybrid with SDPR messenger RNA. Our study indicated that SDPR may function as a potential prognostic marker in PTC.
Hard tissue changes after guided bone regeneration of peri‐implant defects comparing block versus particulate bone substitutes: 6‐month results of a randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Benic Goran I. , Eisner Barbara M. , Jung Ronald E. , Basler Tobias , Schneider David , Hämmerle Christoph H. F.
Published: July 2019

Objectives

To test whether block bone substitute used for guided bone regeneration (GBR) of peri‐implant defects leads to different thickness of the augmented hard tissue than particulate bone substitute.

Material and methods

In 24 patients, 24 two‐piece dental implants were placed >4 months after tooth extraction. Following random allocation, 12 peri‐implant bone dehiscences were grafted with an individually shaped block of deproteinized bovine‐derived bone mineral (DBBM) and 12 bone dehiscences with particulate DBBM. All the sites were covered with a collagen membrane stabilized with resorbable pins. Immediately after wound closure and after 6 months, the horizontal thickness (HT) of the augmented hard tissue was measured at the level of implant shoulder using cone beam‐computed tomography.

Results

After wound closure, the median HT measured 3.35 mm (mean: 3.38) in the block group and 2.85 mm (mean: 2.73) in the particulate group. At 6 months, the median HT decreased to 2.90 mm (mean: 2.71) in the block group and to 0.2 mm (mean: 0.52) in the particulate group. This difference was statistically significant (p < .001).

Conclusions

Block bone substitute used for GBR of peri‐implant defects was superior to particulate bone substitute regarding the dimension of the augmented hard tissue after 6 months of healing.
Research progress on adenosine in central nervous system diseases
Authors: Liu Ying‐Jiao , Chen Jiao , Li Xun , Zhou Xin , Hu Yao‐Mei , Chu Shi‐Feng , Peng Ye , Chen Nai‐Hong
Published: July 2019

As an endogenous neuroprotectant agent, adenosine is extensively distributed and is particularly abundant in the central nervous system (CNS). Under physiological conditions, the concentration of adenosine is low intra‐ and extracellularly, but increases significantly in response to stress. The majority of adenosine functions are receptor‐mediated, and primarily include the A1, A2A, A2B, and A3 receptors (A1R, A2AR, A2BR, and A3R). Adenosine is currently widely used in the treatment of diseases of the CNS and the cardiovascular systems, and the mechanisms are related to the disease types, disease locations, and the adenosine receptors distribution in the CNS. For example, the main infarction sites of cerebral ischemia are cortex and striatum, which have high levels of A1 and A2A receptors. Cerebral ischemia is manifested with A1R decrease and A2AR increase, as well as reduction in the A1R‐mediated inhibitory processes and enhancement of the A2AR‐mediated excitatory process. Adenosine receptor dysfunction is also involved in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), depression, and epilepsy. Thus, the adenosine receptor balance theory is important for brain disease treatment. The concentration of adenosine can be increased by endogenous or exogenous pathways due to its short half‐life and high inactivation properties. Therefore, we will discuss the function of adenosine and its receptors, adenosine formation, and metabolism, and its role for the treatment of CNS diseases (such as cerebral ischemia, AD, depression, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and sleep disorders). This article will provide a scientific basis for the development of novel adenosine derivatives through adenosine structure modification, which will lead to experimental applications.
A Bayesian hierarchical approach to quantifying stakeholder attitudes toward conservation in the presence of reporting error
Authors: Vasudev Divya , Goswami Varun R.
Published: July 2019

Stakeholder support is vital for achieving conservation success, yet there are few reliable mechanisms to monitor stakeholder attitudes toward conservation. Approaches used to assess attitudes rarely account for bias arising from reporting error, which can lead to falsely reporting a positive attitude toward conservation (false‐positive error) or not reporting a positive attitude when the respondent has a positive attitude toward conservation (false‐negative error). Borrowing from developments in applied conservation science, we used a Bayesian hierarchical model to quantify stakeholder attitudes as the probability of having a positive attitude toward wildlife notionally (or in abstract terms) and at localized scales while accounting for reporting error. We compared estimates from our model, Likert scores, and naïve estimates (i.e., proportion of respondents reporting a positive attitude in at least 1 question that was only susceptible to false‐negative error) with true stakeholder attitudes through simulations. We then applied the model in a survey of tea estate staff on their attitudes toward Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in the Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong landscape of northeast India. In simulations, Bayesian model estimates of stakeholder attitudes toward wildlife were less biased than naïve estimates or Likert scores. After accounting for reporting errors, we estimated the probability of having a positive attitude toward elephants notionally as 0.85 in the Kaziranga landscape, whereas the proportion of respondents who had positive attitudes toward elephants at a localized scale was 0.50. In comparison, without accounting for reporting errors, naïve estimates of proportions of respondents with positive attitudes toward elephants were 0.69 and 0.23 notionally and at local scales, respectively. False (positive and negative) reporting probabilities were consistently not 0 (0.22–0.68). Regular and reliable assessment of stakeholder attitudes–combined with inference on drivers of positive attitudes–can help assess the success of initiatives aimed at facilitating human behavioral change and inform conservation decision making.
Campesino hunting and conservation in Latin America
Authors: Petriello Michael A. , Stronza Amanda L.
Published: July 2019

Hunting presents a paradox for biodiversity conservation. It is both a problem and a solution to species declines and poverty. Yet, conservation scientists hold different assumptions about the significance and sustainability of hunting based on the cultures and identities of hunters. In Latin America, conservationists largely sort hunters as either indigenous orcampesino. Indigenous hunters are often characterized as culturally driven stewards of wildlife sustainability. Campesino hunters, by contrast, are described as peasants—cultureless, uneducated, and uncaring toward wildlife sustainability. Although such ethnically fueled hunting discourse promotes hunting research, campesino hunters remain underrepresented in most comparative hunting reviews. Moreover, there are no targeted syntheses on the current state of knowledge about campesino hunting, nothing to guide conservation research and practice with and for the largest group of hunters in Latin America. We reviewed 334 articles published from 1937 to 2018 in English (55%) and Spanish (45%)—mostly published in 145 peer‐reviewed journals—on the meanings, motivations, and sustainability of campesino hunting in Latin America. Although studies spanned 17 countries, 7 ecosystems, and >75 indigenous and nonindigenous demographics in 30 research contexts, they predominantly focused on nonindigenous campesinos for species‐specific conservation and protected area management in tropical broadleaf forests of Mexico, Peru, and Colombia. Authors used 12 methods to collect campesino hunting data, primarily interviews, surveys, and questionnaires, and drew from 10 local and traditional knowledge themes about wildlife trends and uses. Eighteen drivers, 14 constraints, and 10 conflicts—mainly subsistence, income, ethics, regulations, and crop or livestock protection—shaped whether campesino hunters pursued 799 species, 70% of which were least concern species. Yet, only 25 studies (8%) empirically assessed sustainability. Our results show the need for increased interdisciplinary and geographic engagement with campesino hunting across Latin America.
Intolerance to early oral feeding in enhanced recovery after colorectal surgery: an early red flag?
Authors: Slim K. , Reymond T. , Joris J. , Paul S. , Pereira B. , Cotte E.
Published: July 2019

Aim

Enhanced recovery programmes (ERPs) involve early postoperative oral feeding. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that intolerance to early feeding was associated with a complicated postoperative course.

Method

A retrospective cohort analysis of the prospective multicentre database developed by the Francophone Group for Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (GRACE) was undertaken. Seventy‐one centres in Belgium, France and Switzerland participated in the study. All patients were encouraged to eat within 24 h after surgery. Patients were separated into two groups according to whether early feeding was well tolerated (WT) or poorly tolerated (PT). The primary outcome measure was overall postoperative complications. Secondary outcome measures were unplanned reoperation, early mobilization rate and duration of postoperative hospital stay.

Results

Among the cohort of 3034 patients, early feeding was WT in 2614 patients (WT group) and PT in 420 patients (PT group). There were significantly more postoperative complications in the PT group than in the WT group (52.1% vs 17.0%, respectively; P = 0.001), namely more unplanned reoperations, less early mobilization and longer postoperative hospital stay. Multivariate analyses confirmed that PT early feeding was the main and dominant independent factor for postoperative complications [OR 4.47 (95% CI3.49–5.72); P < 0.001], more unplanned reoperations and longer hospital stay.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a close relationship between intolerance to early feeding and a complicated postoperative course. Whenever this simple very early red flag is observed, discharge should not be planned until postoperative complications have been ruled out.
Small GTPase RHOE/RND3, a new critical regulator of NF‐κB signalling in glioblastoma multiforme?
Authors: Sun Qian , Dong Huimin , Li Yuntao , Yuan Fan'en , Xu Yang , Mao Shanping , Xiong Xiaoxing , Chen Qianxue , Liu Baohui
Published: July 2019

Objectives

Abnormal activation of NF‐κB signalling is a major mechanism of apoptosis resistance in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Therefore, better understanding of the regulation of NF‐κB signalling has a significant impact for GBM therapy. Here, we uncovered a critical role of the small GTPase RND3 in regulating the p65 subunit of NF‐κB and NF‐κB signalling in GBM.

Materials and methods

Human GBM samples, GBM cells and a human orthotopic GBM‐xenografted animal model were used. The mechanisms of RND3 in regulation of NF‐κB signalling and GBM cell apoptosis were examined by luciferase assay, quantitative PCR, immunostaining, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, coimmunoprecipitation, TUNEL staining, JC‐1 analysis and flow cytometry.

Results

Overexpression of RND3 led to reduced p65 activity in GBM‐cultured cells and a GBM animal model, indicating that the NF‐κB pathway is negatively regulated by RND3 in GBM. Mechanistically, we found that RND3 bound p65 and promoted p65 ubiquitination, leading to decreased p65 protein levels. Furthermore, RND3 enhanced cleaved caspase 3 levels and promoted apoptosis in GBM cells, and RND3 expression was positively correlated with cleaved caspase 3 and IL‐8 in human GBM samples. The effect of RND3 on promoting apoptosis disappeared when p65 ubiquitination was blocked by protease inhibitor carfilzomib or upon co‐expression of ectopic p65.

Conclusions

RND3 binds p65 protein and promotes its ubiquitination, resulting in reduced p65 protein expression and inhibition of NF‐κB signalling to induce GBM cell apoptosis.
Capital assets framework for analysing household vulnerability during disaster
Authors: Zhang Huafeng , Zhao Yandong , Pedersen Jon
Published: July 2019

This paper examines the vulnerability of households to disasters, using an asset vulnerability framework to represent livelihoods. Such frameworks are widely employed to analyse household poverty and focus on living conditions and well‐being rather than money‐metric measures of consumption and income. The conceptualisation of household vulnerability is a challenge in current studies on coping with disasters. The paper considers whether a capital assets framework is useful in identifying and assessing household vulnerability in the context of the Wenchuan earthquake in China in 2008. The framework has five categories of assets (financial, human, natural, physical, and social capital) and attempts to measure the resilience and vulnerability of households. When applied to a major disaster, asset‐based methods face the problem of heterogeneity of the population, such as with regard to livelihood type or residence. Moreover, the effect of external interventions, such as the provision of relief assistance, must be taken into account.
Effects of upper extremity surgery on activities and participation of children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review
Authors: Louwers Annoek , Warnink‐Kavelaars Jessica , Daams Joost , Beelen Anita
Published: July 2019

Aim

To evaluate and synthesize the evidence for effects of upper extremity surgery (UES) on activities and participation of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method

The databases MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched for publications up to September 2018. Studies included were comparative studies with or without concurrent comparison groups or case series with pretest/posttest outcomes with a minimal sample size of 10 participants; those that reported the effects of UES with a follow‐up time of at least 5 months; those including patients diagnosed with CP aged up to 20 years; and those that used a validated activity‐based instrument. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS‐I (Risk Of Bias In Non‐randomised Studies ‐ of Interventions) tool and quality assessment was performed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation.

Results

Twelve studies, involving 310 children and adolescents, were included. The ability and perception of the patient to use the hand(s) and perform activities (measured with the Shriners Hospital Upper Extremity Evaluation, Assisting Hand Assessment, and House Functional Classification) improved significantly after UES. The quality of evidence was very low for each of the activity outcomes of interest.

Interpretation

The very low evidence prohibits recommendations on the use of UES to guide clinical practice. More high‐quality comparative studies are needed to obtain better insight into the effects of UES on activities and participation.

What this paper adds

Low quality of evidence for effects of upper extremity surgery (UES) on activities and participation.

Limited evidence for improvement in activities and participation after UES.