bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maternal characteristics and causes associated with refractory postpartum haemorrhage after vaginal birth: a secondary analysis of the WHO CHAMPION trial data
Authors: Widmer M , Piaggio G , Hofmeyr GJ , Carroli G , Coomarasamy A , Gallos I , Goudar S , Gülmezoglu AM , Lin SL , Lumbiganon P , Mugerwa K , Owa O , Qureshi Z , Althabe F
Published: December 2019

Objective

To assess the maternal characteristics and causes associated with refractory postpartum haemorrhage (PPH).

Design

Secondary analysis of the WHO CHAMPION trial data.

Setting

Twenty‐three hospitals in ten countries.

Population

Women from the CHAMPION trial who received uterotonics as first‐line treatment of PPH.

Methods

We assessed the association between sociodemographic, pregnancy and childbirth factors and refractory PPH, and compared the causes of PPH between women with refractory PPH and women responsive to first‐line PPH treatment.

Main outcome measures

Maternal characteristics; causes of PPH.

Results

Women with labour induced or augmented with uterotonics (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.35; 95% CI 1.07–1.72), with episiotomy or tears requiring suturing (aOR 1.82; 95% CI 1.34–2.48) and who had babies with birthweights ≥3500 g (aOR 1.33; 95% CI 1.04–1.69) showed significantly higher odds of refractory PPH compared with the reference categories in the multivariate analysis adjusted by centre and trial arm. While atony was the sole PPH cause in 53.2% (116/218) of the women in the responsive PPH group, it accounted for only 31.5% (45/143) of the causes in the refractory PPH group. Conversely, tears were the sole cause in 12.8% (28/218) and 28% (40/143) of the responsive PPH and refractory PPH groups, respectively. Placental problems were the sole cause in 11 and 5.6% in the responsive and refractory PPH groups, respectively.

Conclusion

Women with refractory PPH showed a different pattern of maternal characteristics and PPH causes compared with those with first‐line treatment responsive PPH.

Tweetable abstract

Women with refractory postpartum haemorrhage are different from those with first‐line treatment responsive PPH.
A missed opportunity to improve practice around the use of restraints and consent in residential aged care: Limitations of the Quality of Care Amendment (Minimising the Use of Restraints) Principles 2019
Authors: Peisah Carmelle , Jessop Tiffany , Breen Juanita
Published: December 2019

Objective

To explore the meaning and potential role of new Quality of Care Amendment (Minimising the Use of Restraints) Principles 2019, (Principles) which amend Quality of Care Principles 2014 in improving practice around physical and chemical restraint.

Methods

We examined both Principles and accompanying Explanatory Statement in light of best practices around consent and use of chemical and physical restraint.

Results

The chemical restraint definition is problematic by exclusion of medications for treating mental disorders, physical illness or physical conditions, which is not considered restraint. Inexplicably, physical restraint requirements are more rigorous than chemical restraint requirements, where assessment is optional, and consent sometimes obtained, after use, and from the person's “representative,” rather than the person first, followed by their proxy decision‐maker.

Conclusions

Although a start in promoting best practice around physical restraint, the Principles do not address the status quo of poor practice around chemical restraint and may instead codify it.
Primates are an important food resource for leopards (Panthera pardus) in Mahale, Tanzania
Authors: Nakazawa Nobuko
Published: December 2019

Leopard diets in the Kasoje area of the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania, were analysed by inspecting prey remains in 256 scats. This area is unique as leopard density is high despite a relatively low density of medium‐sized ungulates, regarded as the most preferred prey of leopards. At least eleven prey mammal species were confirmed in the scats. Small prey mammals up to 10 kg comprised 91.4% of the relative biomass consumed; the mean prey biomass in each scat was 7.6 kg. Blue duiker (31.2%) was the most dominant prey species, followed by the red colobus (29.2%), semi‐terrestrial Cercopithecinae (the vervet monkey and yellow baboon combined) (10.5%) and the red‐tailed monkey (9.9%). At the order level, the most consumed prey taxon was Primates (53.8%), followed by Cetartiodactyla (39.6%) and Rodentia (5.8%). Among primates, the blue monkey was the most preferred prey species, followed by the red colobus and semi‐terrestrial Cercopithecinae. High consumption of primates is a unique characteristic of the leopards in Mahale. This trend exemplifies the flexibility of leopards in their choices of prey, and such flexibility may be one of the underlying reasons for leopards exhibiting the broadest global distribution among all wild felid species.
Dietary patterns associated with dental caries in adults in the United States
Authors: Blostein Freida A. , Jansen Erica C. , Jones Andrew D. , Marshall Teresa A. , Foxman Betsy
Published: December 2019

Objectives

Dental caries experience, which affects 91% of US adults, is a consequence of a carious process influenced by diet. Although individual foods have been implicated, we hypothesized that dietary patterns might be important predictors of caries presence.

Methods

We analysed data from 4467 people ≥18 years old participating in the 2013‐2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally representative sample of the US population. Data from 24‐hour dietary recalls were classified into standard food categories and reduced to three dietary patterns using principal components (PCs) analysis. We used regression to model the log‐transformed decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) score and the prevalence of any caries experience by quartiles of PC scores, controlling for potential confounders. Dietary patterns differed by age with respect to dental caries so 18‐30‐year‐olds (n = 1074) and >30‐year‐olds (n = 3393) were analysed separately.

Results

Similar dietary patterns existed among individuals aged 18‐30 and >30 years, but the prevalence of DMFT score >0 and the median of DMFT was greater in those >30:78.7% (95% CI: 76.1, 81.3) vs 92.6% (95% CI: 91.4, 93.7) and 4 (95% CI: 4, 5) vs 12 DMFT (95% CI: 11, 13), respectively. In those 18‐30, no dietary pattern was associated with greater prevalence or severity of dental caries experience. Among those >30, the prevalence of DMFT>0 was higher by 2% for those in each subsequent quartile of a diet high in sugar‐sweetened beverages and sandwiches (adjusted PR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.001, 1.03)—thus, the prevalence of dental caries experience was 6% higher among those in the uppermost quartile than in the lowest quartile. For every subsequent quartile in the same pattern, there was a 1.98% higher (95% CI: 0.15, 3.85) DMFT score. However, analysis using the two strongest loading food groups from any of the PCs did not identify any predictors of caries experience.

Conclusions

Dietary patterns were associated with the prevalence of dental caries experience, with differing findings by age. Although effect sizes were small, the population impact may be substantial. While food groups high in sugar were associated with caries prevalence and severity, associations were more apparent in the context of overall diet. Prospective studies are needed to confirm whether particular dietary patterns are causally related to the development of dental caries.
Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the COPD exercise self‐regulatory efficacy scale
Authors: Ünal Aslan Kevser Sevgi , Çetinkaya Funda
Published: December 2019

Introduction

The concept of self‐efficacy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the development of self‐efficacy in individuals are extremely significant. Increasing the self‐efficacy level in individuals with COPD will contribute to the effective management of symptoms. Moreover, exercise is essential in COPD management and nursing care.

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the results of the validity and reliability study of the Turkish version of the COPD Exercise Self‐Regulatory Efficacy Scale (Ex‐SRES) developed by Davis et al.

Methods

This is a methodological study conducted with 160 patients diagnosed with COPD. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form and COPD Ex‐SRES. Moreover, the Cronbach's α value was calculated, and the test‐retest reliability was performed for reliability analysis.

Results

The item total correlation scores of the Turkish version were between 0.608 and 0.853 points. The total score correlation coefficients of all the items in the scale were over 0.30. In this respect, the item total correlation values of the Turkish version of the Ex‐SRES were at an appropriate level of reliability. In addition, the total Cronbach's α coefficient of the scale was calculated as 0.96.

Conclusion

The Turkish version of the Ex‐SRES was found to have high validity and reliability and to be a precise tool that specifically measures exercise self‐efficacy in the COPD patient group.
Functional morphogenesis from embryos to adults: Late development shapes trophic niche in coral reef damselfishes
Authors: James Cooper W. , VanHall Rachel , Sweet Elly , Milewski Holly , DeLeon Zoey , Verderber Amy , DeLeon Adrian , Galindo Demi , Lazono Orissa
Published: December 2019

The damselfishes are one of the dominant coral reef fish lineages. Their ecological diversification has involved repeated transitions between pelagic feeding using fast bites and benthic feeding using forceful bites. A highly‐integrative approach that combined gene expression assays, shape analyses, and high‐speed video analyses was used to examine the development of trophic morphology in embryonic, larval, juvenile, and adult damselfishes. The anatomical characters that distinguish pelagic‐feeding and benthic‐feeding species do not appear until after larval development. Neither patterns of embryonic jaw morphogenesis, larval skull shapes nor larval bite mechanics significantly distinguished damselfishes from different adult trophic guilds. Analyses of skull shape and feeding performance identified two important transitions in the trophic development of a single species (the orange clownfish; Amphiprion percula): (a) a pronounced transformation in feeding mechanics during metamorphosis; and (b) more protracted cranial remodeling over the course of juvenile development. The results of this study indicate that changes in postlarval morphogenesis have played an important role in damselfish evolution. This is likely to be true for other fish lineages, particularly if they consist of marine species, the majority of which have planktonic larvae with different functional requirements for feeding in comparison to their adult forms.
Seasonal variation in growth, consumption and growth efficiency in overwintering juvenile steelhead
Authors: Myrvold Knut Marius , Kennedy Brian Patrick
Published: December 2019

Food availability and thermal regimes can largely govern growth opportunities in fishes. In temperate regions, streams can exhibit summer temperatures that exceed the optima for coolwater‐adapted species relative to the amount of available food, and therefore, spring and fall may confer better growing conditions, especially for larger size classes. We examined the relationship between growth, consumption and growth efficiency across seasons in juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in their natal streams in Idaho, USA. Subyearling (0+) growth rates were higher in summer, whereas yearlings exhibited no statistically significant difference in growth between seasons. Consumption rates were overall lower in winter–spring but constituted a higher proportion of maximum consumption compared with summer and fall, indicating better food availability relative to metabolic demands. Net growth efficiencies were higher in winter–spring, but substantially more so than the proportion of maximum consumption. This suggests that overwinter growth performance was driven at least partly by higher growth efficiency, and the effect was most pronounced for yearling steelhead. The low proportions of maximum consumption for both age classes suggest that food was an overall limiting factor to growth, especially in summer when metabolic demands were highest. We discuss how temperature‐based models can overestimate growth in the warmest parts of the year and develop a simple conceptual model for the seasonal timing of juvenile growth. In anadromous populations, the outmigration of presmolts in spring can reduce the level of competition. For the individuals that remain in the river, growth in this period can be particularly important.
Spatial variation in branch size promotes metapopulation persistence in dendritic river networks
Authors: Ma Chaoqun , Shen Yang , Bearup Daniel , Fagan William F. , Liao Jinbao
Published: December 2019

Despite years of attention, the dynamics of species constrained to disperse within riverine networks are not well captured by existing metapopulation models, which often ignore local dynamics within branches.

We develop a modelling framework, based on traditional metapopulation theory, for patch occupancy dynamics subject to local colonisation–extinction dynamics within branches and regional dispersal between branches in size‐structured, bifurcating riverine networks. Using this framework, we investigate whether and how spatial variation in branch size affects species persistence for dendritic systems with directional dispersal, including one‐way (up‐ or downstream only) and two‐way (both up‐ and downstream) dispersal.

Variation in branch size generally promotes species persistence more obviously at higher relative extinction rate, suggesting that previous studies ignoring differences in branch size in real riverine systems might overestimate species extinction risk.

Two‐way dispersal is not always superior to one‐way dispersal as a strategy for metapopulation persistence especially at high relative extinction rate. The type of dispersal that maximises species persistence is determined by the hierarchical level of the largest, and hence most influential, branch within the network. When considering the interactive effects of up‐ and downstream dispersal, we find that moderate upstream‐biased dispersal maximises metapopulation viability, mediated by spatial branch arrangement.

Overall, these results suggest that both branch‐size variation and species traits interact to determine species persistence, theoretically demonstrating the ecological significance of their interplay.
Firm employment growth in China: The role of marketization and regional economic factors
Authors: Bin Peng , Chen Xiaolan , Fracasso Andrea , Tomasi Chiara
Published: December 2019

Very heterogeneous patterns of firm employment growth characterize the Chinese provinces, suggesting the existence of a relationship between these and regional factors. This empirical work explores this topic by providing novel evidence of the role played by regional institutional and regional factors in firm employment growth in China during the decade 1998–2007, an important period in the Chinese transition towards a market economy. The results show that controlling for the internal determinants of firm performance, the firms located in provinces converging faster towards a market economy, exhibiting relatively better patterns (in terms of agglomeration, endowment of human capital, innovation and environmental protection) tend to expand their employment relatively more. These findings confirm the existence of a macro–micro‐connection as to what firm heterogeneity is concerned, as they reveal a differential growth channel along the regional dimension. In particular, local progress in government–market relationships appears as the most relevant dimension of marketization process. Given the regionally decentralized institutional system in China and considering its process of transformation, these findings inform local authorities concerned with the promotion of regional employment.
Individual reproductive strategy of Stipa breviflora under different grazing pressures
Authors: Liu Wenting
Published: December 2019

Analyzing the ecological strategies of reproductive individuals under grazing stress is a key factor in understanding the adaptation and maintenance mechanisms of populations in grassland ecosystems. In this study, a Stipa breviflora population with reproductive individuals of different ages and individual traits in the desert steppe of the Mongolian Plateau was systematically analyzed in response to heavy grazing, moderate grazing and non‐grazing treatments. The results showed that grazing reduced the density and biomass of the population and reproductive individuals but did not reduce the proportion of reproductive branch biomass. Grazing reduced the proportion of individuals in the young stage and increased the proportion in the adult stage. In addition, grazing reduced the width, length and weight of the foliage branches at each growth stage. The largest numbers of seeds in the heavy grazing, moderate grazing and non‐grazing treatments were in the adult stage, the pre‐aging stage and the aging stage, respectively. Grazing weakened the potential relationships between foliage branch traits and reproductive branch traits and between growth stage and reproductive branch traits, especially under heavy grazing. Our study suggested that under long‐term grazing stress, S. breviflora completed its life cycle by sacrificing some of the growth stage individuals, changing phenotypes and reducing the age of individuals with high‐yielding seeds to maintain resource allocation to reproductive branches in reproductive individuals.
Recycling of waste flat glass in the fabrication of Si3N4 powder by the carbo‐thermal reduction and nitridation
Authors: Topateş Gülsüm
Published: December 2019

The recycle rate of waste flat glass is quite low in spite of higher SiO2 content and its pre‐melted characteristic. This study searched a novel approach for the fabrication of Si3N4 powder by carbo‐thermal reduction and nitridation from waste glass. For comparison, starting powder mixtures were prepared from silica and waste SLS (soda‐lime‐silica) glass. Carbo‐thermal reduction and nitridation process was conducted using two temperatures and different atmospheres. The results showed that equiaxed, micron size β‐Si3N4 particle could be synthesized from waste glass. The use of waste glass reduced the amount of fiber‐like Si3N4 particles and SiC phase by increasing the amount of the liquid phase formed. This study proved the utilization of waste flat glass as a low cost and environment friendly SiO2 source.
Junior doctor training: has the pendulum swung too far?
Authors: Friedman N. Deborah
Published: December 2019

The current Australian Medical Association doctors in training enterprise agreement dictates that hours beyond 38 or 43 ordinary hours per week incur overtime. Costly overtime has led to strict adherence to ordinary hours with dramatically reduced rostered and unrostered overtime. The stringent regulation over ordinary hours may protect doctors at a cost to training and potentially patient safety. Reduced shift duration adds to the number of clinical handovers, while reduced exposure to patients and training opportunities may prolong training time. Now is the time for renegotiation of working hours, which are most favourable for doctor training and well‐being.
Impact of the implementation of the safewards model on the social climate on adolescent psychiatric wards
Authors: Hottinen Anja , Rytilä‐Manninen Minna , Laurén Jenny , Autio Silva , Laiho Tero , Lindberg Nina
Published: December 2019

The Safewards model was created to reduce conflict and containment in psychiatric inpatient units. The model suggests alternative methods for containment and aims to create a safer hospital experience for both patients and staff. The evaluation of this model has provided evidence that it might be implemented on adolescent psychiatric wards. This study evaluated the impact of the implementation process of the Safewards model on the social climate of adolescent psychiatric inpatient wards by using the Essen Climate Evaluation Schema questionnaire. The study was carried out on six closed wards of one Finnish hospital district. Data were collected at baseline (42 adolescent inpatients and 134 staff members) and after the implementation of the model (39 inpatients and 115 staff members). The data were analysed using the Mann–Whitney U‐test. The findings of this preliminary study indicate that inpatients' experience of patient cohesion and therapeutic hold and staff members' experience of safety on adolescent psychiatric wards might be improved by the implementation of the Safewards model on adolescent psychiatric wards.
The long‐term consequences of peer victimization on physical and psychological health: A longitudinal study
Authors: Iyer‐Eimerbrink Priya A. , Jensen‐Campbell Lauri A.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This study examined whether social and physical peer victimization in adolescence led to changes in psychological and physical health outcomes.

Methods

One hundred and twenty adolescents (boys = 54) and a parent completed measures of peer victimization and health approximately 2 years apart.

Results

Results indicated that both social and physical victimization were related to increases in the frequency and severity of health problems over the assessment period.

Conclusions

Increases in social, but not physical victimization, were related to more internalizing problems as well as greater frequency and severity of health problems at the second assessment. Anxious depression and severity of health problems at the first assessment were related to increases in social, but not physical forms of victimization over the 2‐year period. These results continue to shed light on the notion that being peer victimized is not a normal part of life and is not necessarily something that adolescents will reconcile with time.
What Makes for a Contribution? Elaborating on Our Publication Expectations at JBL
Authors: Goldsby Thomas J. , Zinn Walter
Published: December 2019

This editorial elaborates on the expectations for research destined for publication in the Journal of Business Logistics (JBL). We explore the dimensions of topical coverage, theory, methods, and research implications. The purpose of expounding these expectations is twofold: (1) to inform prospective authors on how to best position their work for submission, and (2) to initiate our reviewers and associate editors (AEs) of the expectations for the evaluation of research. By better illuminating our expectations, authors will have a better experience with the journal, associated with higher levels of success. Also, reviewers and AEs will be better prepared to express their opinions in a constructive fashion, helping to nurture more impactful papers. The editorial concludes by introducing the articles appearing in the current issue of the journal.
Anatomy of the left atrial ridge (coumadin ridge) and possible clinical implications for cardiovascular imaging and invasive procedures
Authors: Piątek‐Koziej Katarzyna , Hołda Jakub , Tyrak Kamil , Bolechała Filip , Strona Marcin , Koziej Mateusz , Lis Maciej , Jasińska Katarzyna A. , Hołda Mateusz K.
Published: December 2019

Background

The left atrial ridge is a structure located in the left atrium between the left‐sided pulmonary veins ostia and the orifice of the left atrial appendage. Since it was commonly misdiagnosed as a thrombus, the ridge is also known as the "coumadin" or "warfarin" ridge. The left atrial ridge is a potential source of arrhythmias and can be an obstacle in ablation procedures. This study aimed to provide information about the occurrence and spatial morphometric characteristics of the left atrial ridge.

Methods and Results

The macroscopic morphology of the left atrial ridge was assessed in 200 autopsied human hearts. The ridge was observed in 59.5% of specimens and was absent in the remaining 40.5% of cases. The mean length of the ridge was 22.4 ± 5.1 mm. It was wider at its inferior sector when compared to its superior sector (9.1 ± 5.0 vs 7.9 ± 3.2 mm; P = .028). The total wall thickness measured at the cross section of the ridge was significantly larger in the inferior than in superior sector (6.2 ± 3.5 vs 4.3 ± 1.8 mm; P < .001), although the myocardial thickness was significantly larger at the superior sector (3.1 ± 1.4 vs 1.9 ± 0.9 mm in inferior sector, P < .001).

Conclusion

The left atrial ridge is a variable structure, present in 59.5% of humans. The ridge is significantly wider and thicker at its inferior sector, although the actual myocardial layer present within the ridge is thinner at this location. Knowledge about the left atrial ridge morphology is key in avoiding unnecessary interventions or complications during invasive procedures.
Outcome of rescue ablation in patients with refractory ventricular electrical storm requiring mechanical circulation support
Authors: Chung Fa‐Po , Liao Ying‐Chieh , Lin Yenn‐Jiang , Chang Shih‐Lin , Lo Li‐Wei , Hu Yu‐Feng , Tuan Ta‐Chuan , Chao Tze‐Fan , Liao Jo‐Nan , Lin Chin‐Yu , Chang Ting‐Yung , Vicera Jennifer Jeanne B. , Chin Chye‐Gen , Wu Cheng‐I , Liu Chih‐Min , Lee Po‐Tseng , Huang Ting‐Chun , Lugtu Isaiah C. , Chen Shih‐Ann
Published: December 2019

Background

The management of refractory electrical storm (ES) requiring mechanical circulation support (MCS) remains a clinical challenge in structural heart disease (SHD).

Objective

The study sought to explore the 30‐day and 1‐year outcome of rescue ablation for refractory ES requiring MCS in SHD.

Methods

A total of 81 patients (mean age: 55.3 ± 18.9, 73 men [90.1%]) undergoing ablation were investigated, including 26 patients with ES requiring MCS (group 1) and 55 patients without (group 2). The 30‐day and 1‐year outcome, including mortality and recurrent ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VAs) receiving appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillators therapies, were assessed.

Results

The patients in group 1 were characterized by older age, more ischemic cardiomyopathies, worse left ventricular ejection fraction, and more comorbidities. Thirty days after ablation, overall events were seen in 15 patients (mortality in 10 and recurrent VA in 7), including pumping failure‐related mortality in 6 (60%). During a 30‐day follow‐up, higher mortality was noted in group 1. After a 1‐year follow‐up, in spite of the higher mortality in group 1 (P < .001), the overall events and VA recurrences were similar between these two groups (P = .154 and P = .466, respectively). There was a significant reduction of VA burden in both groups and two patients had recurrent ES.

Conclusion

Higher 30‐day mortality was observed in patients undergoing rescue ablation for refractory ES requiring MCS, and pumping failure was the major cause of periprocedural death. Rescue ablation successfully prevented VA recurrences and resulted in a comparable 1‐year prognosis between ES with and without MCS.
Perceptions of social support: comparisons between fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder and fathers of children without developmental disabilities
Authors: Seymour M. , Giallo R. , Wood C. E.
Published: December 2019

Background

Research highlights the need for ongoing social support of mothers of children with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Despite recognised differences between mothers and fathers, little is known about the particular social support needs of fathers of children with ASD. Broadly, this study aimed to explore the support needs of fathers of children with ASD compared with fathers of children without a disability (W/OD) and the relation between social support, psychological distress and sociodemographic factors.

Method

Drawing from a large, nationally representative community sample of children, 159 fathers of children with ASD were identified, where 6578 fathers of children W/OD were used as a comparison sample.

Results

Over 70% of fathers of children with ASD reported that support was inaccessible and were significantly more likely to report so compared with fathers of children W/OD. Emotional/informational social support was the strongest social support domain associated with fathers' experiences of psychological distress.

Conclusions

This study provided important insight into the social support needs of fathers of children with ASD.
Cognitive integration of personal or public events affects mental health: Examining memory networks in a case of natural flooding disaster
Authors: Philippe Frederick L. , Houle Iliane
Published: December 2019

Objective

The purpose of this research was to examine whether memories of personal or public events could affect mental health through the way those memories are integrated in memory networks.

Method

Participants from the general population (N = 224, age mean = 36.62 years, 74% female) were either directly or indirectly personally affected by a natural flooding disaster with moderate consequences or had simply learned about it. A prospective design (during the floods and two months later) was used to examine the impact that such a personal or public event memory could have on their mental health.

Results

Results showed that flood‐affected individuals reported poorer mental health compared to the unaffected. However, both affected and unaffected individuals who had encoded a current floods‐related event in memory as need satisfying or who had embedded such an event in need satisfying memory networks showed better mental health over time. These results held after controlling for the effect of various demographics and dispositional emotion regulation styles.

Conclusion

Simply learning about public events can impact mental health through the way those events are integrated in memory, which appears as a critical individual difference.
Circadian regulation and molecular role of the Bsx homeobox gene in the adult pineal gland
Authors: Carstensen Mikkel B. , Hertz Henrik , Bering Tenna , Møller Morten , Rohde Kristian , Klein David C. , Coon Steven L. , Rath Martin F.
Published: December 2019

The pineal gland is a neuroendocrine organ responsible for production of the nocturnal hormone melatonin. A specific set of homeobox gene‐encoded transcription factors govern pineal development, and some are expressed in adulthood. The brain‐specific homeobox gene (Bsx) falls into both categories. We here examined regulation and function of Bsx in the mature pineal gland of the rat. We report that Bsx is expressed from prenatal stages into adulthood, where Bsx transcripts are localized in the melatonin‐synthesizing pinealocytes, as revealed by RNAscope in situ hybridization. Bsx transcripts were also detected in the adult human pineal gland. In the rat pineal gland, Bsx was found to exhibit a 10‐fold circadian rhythm with a peak at night. By combining in vivo adrenergic stimulation and surgical denervation of the gland in the rat with in vitro stimulation and transcriptional inhibition in cultured pinealocytes, we show that rhythmic expression of Bsx is controlled at the transcriptional level by the sympathetic neural input to the gland acting via adrenergic stimulation with cyclic AMP as a second messenger. siRNA‐mediated knockdown (>80% reduction) in pinealocyte cultures revealed Bsx to be a negative regulator of other pineal homeobox genes, including paired box 4 (Pax4), but no effect on genes encoding melatonin‐synthesizing enzymes was detected. RNA sequencing analysis performed on siRNA‐treated pinealocytes further revealed that downstream target genes of Bsx are mainly involved in developmental processes. Thus, rhythmic Bsx expression seems to govern other developmental regulators in the mature pineal gland.
A review of maternal behaviour in dogs and potential areas for further research
Authors: Santos N. R. , Beck A. , Fontbonne A.
Published: December 2019

Here we review information on maternal behaviour in dogs, defined as a combination of all the acts of the mother towards her offspring, which begins before parturition and continues until weaning. In dogs, maternal care is measured using the most commonly observed behaviours, such as the time spent in contact, licking/grooming and nursing of the puppies. Since newborn puppies have a very limited capacity for movement, maternal interaction is essential to their survival, nourishment and protection. It is also an important element of the bonding process between puppies and the bitch and is thought to play a role in the social development of the puppies. Nevertheless, some questions still need to be clarified, such as the best way to quantify factors that may interfere with maternal behaviour. In recent studies, maternal care, or maternal style, was measured using a scoring system and found to be influenced by factors such as litter size, breed and parity, or even human interaction. However, the impact of the emotional state of the bitch and the quality of maternal behaviour on puppy survival and development remain unclear. The long‐lasting effects of mother–puppy interactions on puppy behaviour during their adult life are still poorly understood, despite their importance for breeders who wish to prevent future problem behaviours.
Diet and foraging opportunism of the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) in the Abrolhos Bank, Brazil
Authors: Rodrigues Vitor Leonardo A. , Wedekin Leonardo L. , Marcondes Milton César C. , Barbosa Lupércio , Farro Ana Paula C.
Published: December 2019

Diet analysis allows exploring how coastal dolphins interact with the environment and their role in the marine food webs. We studied the diet and feeding ecology of the Guiana dolphin,Sotalia guianensis, through analysis of stomach content from 42 animals stranded on the eastern coast of Brazil. A total of 1,336 semidigested prey items (fish, otoliths, cephalopod beaks, and crustaceans) were identified. Teleost fish comprised the most frequent food item (92% of the total), followed by cephalopods, and crustaceans. Prey belonged to 34 taxa and richness in individual stomachs varied from 1 to 15 prey taxa. Prey were generally small, but showed a significant trend to increase in size with dolphin length. The main prey of Guiana dolphins were demersal, estuarine, and sound‐making fish such as catfish and sciaenids. No sex‐related differences in diet were found. Diet composition varied seasonally and occurrence of prey items was coherent with breeding or high abundance periods of some fish species and squids. Our study shows the importance of demersal prey from estuarine and soft‐sediment habitats to Guiana dolphin in the Abrolhos Bank and reveals that feeding habits are generalist and opportunistic, with diet reflecting the seasonal abundance and availability of prey.
A developmental view of mentoring talented students in academic and nonacademic domains
Authors: Subotnik Rena F. , Olszewski‐Kubilius Paula , Khalid Maha , Finster Heather
Published: December 2019

The role of mentors for talented students varies according to developmental level and domain. Domains differ as to when they begin, peak, and end. Therefore, mentoring at the beginning of a talent trajectory may take place in middle school for a science student and in elementary school for a violinist. In the later stages of talent development, mentors are more likely to select their protégés than to be organizationally matched with mentees. As mentees gain the requisite skills and knowledge, mentors place more emphasis on modeling and coaching for psychosocial skills and insider knowledge (access to networks of information, attitudes, and behaviors rewarded by gatekeepers) that allow their mentees to stand out and, if necessary, endure pushback derived from proposing creative ideas or performances that challenge the status quo. The conclusions reported here are derived from studies of mentoring talented students, with an emphasis on identifying similarities across domains, and recognition that mentors’ provision of insider knowledge is particularly important for low‐income children and youth.
A developmental cascade perspective of paediatric obesity: A systematic review of preventive interventions from infancy through late adolescence
Authors: St. George Sara M. , Agosto Yaray , Rojas Lourdes M. , Soares Mary , Bahamon Monica , Prado Guillermo , Smith Justin D.
Published: December 2019

The goals of this systematic review were to identify and describe paediatric obesity prevention interventions from infancy to late adolescence and to provide recommendations for future intervention research in light of a recently proposed developmental cascade (DC) model of paediatric obesity. We conducted an electronic search of randomized controlled trials with a minimum 6‐month postintervention follow‐up published between 1995 and 2019. We included 74 interventions: prenatal/infancy (n = 4), early childhood (n = 11), childhood (n = 38), early to mid‐adolescence (n = 18), and late adolescence (n = 3). Infancy and early childhood trials targeted early feeding and positive parenting skills. Half of the childhood and adolescence trials were school based and used universal prevention strategies; those classified as selective or indicated prevention tended to involve the family for more intensive lifestyle modification. Less than 10% of studies followed participants over long periods of time (greater than or equal to 5 years), and only 16% and 31% of studies assessed intervention mediators and moderators, respectively. We recommend that future interventions focus on early prevention, assess long‐term intervention effects, use a standardized taxonomy for defining intervention behavioural strategies, assess underlying mechanisms of action and intervention moderators, target parent and family management strategies across development, and increase scientific equity. We also provide specific recommendations regarding intervention targets for each developmental stage.
Global‐flash mfERG responses to local differences in spherical and astigmatic defocus across the human retina
Authors: Turnbull Philip R K , Goodman Lucy K , Phillips John R
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Emmetropisation is essentially a visually guided, within‐eye process. We investigated differences in global‐flash multifocal electroretinogram (gmfERG) responses to naturally occurring differences in spherical and astigmatic defocus across the retina, which might provide a basis for guiding eye growth.

Methods

Experiment 1: The gmfERG responses (direct, DC, and induced, IC, amplitudes and latencies) recorded simultaneously from six retinal areas (15° eccentricity, spaced at 60°, areas 3.2°2) were correlated with the uncorrected retinal defocus measured at the six corresponding retinal locations in 20 adults with foveal refractive errors (−4.75 to +1.25D). No correcting lenses were used to avoid introduction of lens‐induced aberrations and magnification. Experiment 2 investigated the effect of superimposing astigmatic defocus (+2.00/−4.00D Jackson Cross Cylinder presented at four orientations) on gmfERG responses.

Results

Experiment 1: DC and IC response amplitudes were greater in retinal regions naturally exposed to more hyperopic spherical defocus (DC: rho = 0.26, p = 0.005; IC: rho = 0.29, p = 0.001), but response latencies were unaffected by sign or magnitude of spherical defocus (DC: p = 0.34; IC: p = 0.40). Response amplitudes and latencies were unaffected by astigmatic defocus. Experiment 2: Rotating the JCC axis to four different orientations had no effect on the gmfERG responses (DC amplitude, p = 0.39; DC latency, p = 0.10; IC amplitude, p = 0.51; IC latency, p = 0.64).

Conclusion

The gmfERG responses from discrete retinal areas varied with the sign and magnitude of local spherical defocus, but we found no evidence that retinal responses were affected by astigmatic defocus. Therefore, local astigmatism is unlikely to provide cues for controlling eye growth, whereas differences in response to spherical defocus between different retinal regions could potentially provide cues for controlling eye growth in emmetropisation.
Factors influencing GH and IGF‐I gene expression on growth in teleost fish: how can aquaculture industry benefit?
Authors: Triantaphyllopoulos Kostas A. , Cartas Dimitris , Miliou Helen
Published: December 2019

Growth is a polygenic and environmentally controlled trait with the most influential genes being those of growth hormone (GH) and insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I), as they consist the core of the hypothalamic–pituitary–somatotropic (HPS) axis. As a result, the influence of environmental and dietary conditions on GH and IGF‐I gene expression has a great potential in planning to optimize fish health and production, as growth rate of fish is a key factor in aquaculture. In this review, we provide a molecular and physiological overview of GH and IGF‐I gene expression as well as all the participating factors regulating GH/IGF‐I axis in growth. We further discuss the genetic, dietary and environmental factors affecting growth rate. More importantly, how external factors in combination with diet such as temperature, photoperiod, salinity, pollutants and stocking density affect GH and IGF‐I expression and growth rate. In addition, there is evidence that photoperiod effect varies among species by altering the seasonal cycle of GH and IGF‐I gene expression and biological cycle of fish. Pollution has also a variable effect on GH, IGF‐I and fish growth rate, depending on the pollutant, species and sex. Finally, increased stocking density influences the HPS axis and growth, dependent on species, temperature and the stage of growth. Notably, interactions among these factors were observed by the reported importance, primarily feeding‐related stress one of the most important factors, while environmental would add or subtract on each other’s optimal or suboptimal conditions in a hierarchy of significance, as further discussed.
Influence of vitamin E and vitamin E‐selenium combination on arginase activity, nitric oxide level and some spermatological properties in ram semen
Authors: Ozer Kaya Seyma , Gur Seyfettin , Erisir Mine , Kandemir Fatih Mehmet , Benzer Fulya , Kaya Emre , Turk Gaffari , Sonmez Mustafa
Published: December 2019

The effects of vitamin E and vitamin E‐selenium combination on seminal plasma arginase activity and nitric oxide level and some spermatological properties in rams were investigated in this study. For control group, animals were injected intramuscularly with physiological saline. For vitamin E group, rams were injected intramuscularly with 300 mg/ram vitamin E. For vitamin E + selenium group, animals were injected intramuscularly with 5 ml/ram vitamin E + selenium. The semen was collected by artificial vagina at 1st, 4th, 24th, 48th and 72nd hr after administration in each group. Significant decreases in seminal plasma arginase activity (at 1st, 24th and 48th hr), nitric oxide level (at 72nd hr) and abnormal sperm rate (at 1st, 24th and 72nd hr), and significant increases in semen volume (at 24th hr), semen mass activity (at 24th and 48th hr), sperm motility (at 24th, 48th and 72nd hr) and concentration (at 1st hr) were observed in vitamin E group compared with control group. Similarly, significant increase in semen volume (at 1st, 24th and 48th hr), mass activity, (at 48th hr), motility (at 48th and 72nd hr) and concentration (at 4th, 24th and 48th hr), and significant decrements in abnormal sperm rate (at 1st, 24th, 48th and 72nd hr), seminal plasma nitric oxide level (at 1st, 4th, 24th and 48th hr) and semen pH (at 24th and 48th hr) were detected in vitamin E + selenium group in comparison to the control group. As a result, it is suggested that vitamin E and/or vitamin E + selenium applications may improve reproductive performance.
Oral health behavior and its association with the Caries Index in visually impaired children
Authors: Puteri Mega Moeharyono , Ruslan Fadila Kemala Dwi Ramadhani , Wibowo Teguh Budi
Published: December 2019

Aim

To assess the correlation between oral health behavior and the Caries Index (CI) among visually impaired children.

Methods and Results

An analytical cross‐sectional study was conducted from September to October 2017 in four schools in Surabaya, Indonesia. A total of 34 visually impaired and 34 nonvisually impaired children were selected and included in the study using a total sampling method. The oral health knowledge of, attitude towards, and practice of subjects were assessed by means of questionnaire. The author subsequently performed an intraoral examination of all subjects. The presence and extent of dental caries were recorded using dmft and DMFT scoring and categorized according to WHO classification. Visually impaired children were shown to have a low confidence of interval [CI] of 1.5. A Spearman's statistical test showed that, while knowledge significantly affected the CI of visually impaired children (P < .05), attitude (P = .98), or practice (P = .42) did not.

Conclusion

A correlation clearly exists between oral health knowledge relating to CI in visually impaired children. However, there appeared to be no relationship between attitudes towards and actions in maintaining dental health through a CI in visually impaired children.
Optimized soil inversion in the headlands with a novel section‐controlled mouldboard ploughing system
Authors: Nielsen Søren Kirkegaard , Carstensen Hans Christian , Munkholm Lars J. , Nørremark Michael , Rasmussen Jesper , Bertl Johanna , Labouriau Rodrigo , Green Ole
Published: December 2019

In inversion tillage systems, the mouldboard plough is fundamental for producing a desirable seedbed. The desired ploughing quality is achieved when the plough layer is inverted homogeneously. This is, however, difficult to obtain in the main‐headland intersection zone where the plough is lowered and elevated, as ploughed and unploughed triangles are formed. This results in zones where the soil is inverted twice, which may result in poor residue and weed incorporation and a poor seedbed quality. The design of the three‐point linkage‐attached mouldboard plough has not changed since the 1950s, but the number of furrows has increased, which has increased the size of the aforementioned triangles. A novel ploughing system was introduced to meet these headland challenges, where each plough section can be lowered and elevated independently. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of using a section‐controlled mouldboard plough. Two similarly designed, randomized, field plot experiments were conducted on two different soil types (sandy loam and loamy sand) on a stubble field and grass field. The study showed that the section‐controlled plough reduced the main‐headland overlap area by ~98%. The results of a range of soil physical properties measurements and seedbed quality analyses showed that the section‐controlled plough created a homogeneous loosened seedbed quality, improving the incorporation of crop residues and leaving fewer residues on the soil surface. Furthermore, the section‐controlled plough showed additional benefits, for example wedge operations and visual line marking.