bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A mouse model of seizures in anti–N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor encephalitis
Authors: Taraschenko Olga , Fox Howard S. , Pittock Sean J. , Zekeridou Anastasia , Gafurova Maftuna , Eldridge Ember , Liu Jinxu , Dravid Shashank M. , Dingledine Raymond
Published: February 2019

Objective

Seizures develop in 80% of patients with anti–N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis, and these represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Anti‐NMDAR antibodies have been linked to memory loss in encephalitis; however, their role in seizures has not been established. We determined whether anti‐NMDAR antibodies from autoimmune encephalitis patients are pathogenic for seizures.

Methods

We performed continuous intracerebroventricular infusion of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or purified immunoglobulin (IgG) from the CSF of patients with anti‐NMDAR encephalitis or polyclonal rabbit anti‐NMDAR IgG, in male C57BL/6 mice. Seizure status during a 2‐week treatment was assessed with video‐electroencephalography. We assessed memory, anxiety‐related behavior, and motor function at the end of treatment and assessed the extent of neuronal damage and gliosis in the CA1 region of hippocampus. We also performed whole‐cell patch recordings from the CA1 pyramidal neurons in hippocampal slices of mice with seizures.

Results

Prolonged exposure to rabbit anti‐NMDAR IgG, patient CSF, or human IgG purified from the CSF of patients with encephalitis induced seizures in 33 of 36 mice. The median number of seizures recorded in 2 weeks was 13, 39, and 35 per mouse in these groups, respectively. We observed only 18 brief nonconvulsive seizures in 11 of 29 control mice (median seizure count of 0) infused with vehicle (n = 4), normal CSF obtained from patients with noninflammatory central nervous system (CNS) conditions (n = 12), polyclonal rabbit IgG (n = 7), albumin (n = 3), and normal human IgG (n = 3). We did not observe memory deficits, anxiety‐related behavior, or motor impairment measured at 2 weeks in animals treated with CSF from affected patients or rabbit IgG. Furthermore, there was no evidence of hippocampal cell loss or astrocyte proliferation in the same mice.

Significance

Our findings indicate that autoantibodies can induce seizures in anti‐NMDAR encephalitis and offer a model for testing novel therapies for refractory autoimmune seizures.
Experimental study on effects of freeze‐thaw fatigue damage on the cracking behaviors of sandstone containing two unparallel fissures
Authors: Zhou Xiao‐Ping , Niu Yong , Zhang Jian‐Zhi , Shen Xue‐Cheng , Zheng Yu , Berto Filippo
Published: February 2019

This paper investigates the effects of freeze‐thaw (FT) fatigue damage on the cracking behaviors of sandstone specimens containing two unparallel fissures under uniaxial compression. First, the effects of FT fatigue damage and fissure angle on the mechanical properties of sandstone specimens are analyzed. Second, the real‐time cracking process of sandstone specimens is captured by a high‐speed digital video camera system. Seven crack coalescence patterns are observed in this experiment. Local strong fatigue‐damaged zones, which are visualized as white zones, are observed in the specimens subjected to FT cycles during loading. Finally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations show that the local strong fatigue‐damaged zones mainly consisted of microcracks and micropores induced by the FT fatigue damage. These experimental results are helpful for improving the understanding of the cracking process in cold‐region engineering.
Elephants limit aboveground carbon gains in African savannas
Authors: Davies Andrew B. , Asner Gregory P.
Published: February 2019

Understanding the drivers of vegetation carbon dynamics is essential for climate change mitigation and effective policy formulation. However, most efforts focus on abiotic drivers of plant biomass change, with little consideration for functional roles performed by animals, particularly at landscape scales. We combined repeat airborne Light Detection and Ranging with measurements of elephant densities, abiotic factors, and exclusion experiments to determine the relative importance of drivers of change in aboveground woody vegetation carbon stocks in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Despite a growing elephant population, aboveground carbon density (ACD) increased across most of the landscape over the 6‐year study period, but at fine scales, bull elephant density was the most important factor determining carbon stock change, with ACD losses recorded only where bull densities exceeded 0.5 bulls/km2. Effects of bull elephants were, however, spatially restricted and landscape dependent, being especially pronounced along rivers, at mid‐elevations, and on steeper slopes. In contrast, elephant herds and abiotic drivers had a comparatively small influence on the direction or magnitude of carbon stock change. Our findings demonstrate that animals can have a substantive influence on regional‐scale carbon dynamics and warrant consideration in carbon cycling models and policy formulation aimed at carbon management and climate change mitigation.
The Poetics of the Combat Zone: Erich Maria Remarque's Im Westen nichts Neues
Authors: Tatar Maria
Published: February 2019

How can the carnage of war inspire poetry, and how do writers make sense of the combat zone when they are plunged into the fog of war? Erich Maria Remarque's Im Westen nichts Neues (1929) remains, even after ninety years, a touchstone for writers caught in the paradox of creating art from injury, bloodshed, and loss. Remarque's anti‐war novel challenged fantasies about war as a process of purification and rejuvenation, but it also brought back (and regenerated, as it were) a soldier from the dead to tell his story. In a cascading series of crises ranging from the linguistic to the existential, Remarque's protagonist, Paul Bäumer, tries to tell a “true” war story by drawing on a new aesthetic register affiliated with the grotesque, one that values fragmentation and deformation in its representational practices.
The oral health status of residents with different cognitive and dental‐related functions in three North Carolina assisted living facilities
Authors: Chen Xi , D’Souza Violet , Yu Lixi
Published: February 2019

Introduction

The aim of the study was to describe the oral health status of persons with different cognition and dental‐related functions (DRFs).

Methods

The present study was a secondary analysis of data collected for a cross‐sectional study of residents in three assisted living facilities in North Carolina. The participants were aged 50 years or older, had normal to severely impaired cognition and spoke English. Upon obtaining informed consent, an oral assessment was completed by a trained geriatric dentist. A research team member who was blind to the oral examination outcomes then used the Minimum Data Set Cognition Scale to assess participants’ cognition and the dental activities test to evaluate oral self‐care and other DRFs. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the demographic, cognitive, functional and oral health status of the study participants. The impacts of cognitive and functional status on oral health measures were examined using simple linear regression models, negative binomial and zero‐inflated negative binomial models.

Results

A total of 91 long‐term residents from three long‐term care facilities participated in the study. Oral hygiene and gingival health were significantly associated with cognition (P = 0.056 and P = 0.017, respectively) and DRFs (P = 0.013 and P = 0.008, respectively). Residents with poor cognitive and dental‐related function also presented with poor oral hygiene and gingival health.

Conclusion

The study results suggest that oral hygiene and gingival health were significantly associated with cognition and DRFs.
Natal origins and timing of migration of two passerine species through the southern Alps: inferences from multiple stable isotopes (δ2H,δ13C,δ15N,δ34S) and ringing data
Authors: Franzoi Alessandro , Bontempo Luana , Kardynal Kevin J. , Camin Federica , Pedrini Paolo , Hobson Keith A.
Published: February 2019

Understanding spatial linkages between areas used by migratory animals during the annual cycle is fundamental to their conservation. Stable isotope measurements of animal tissues can be a valuable tool in understanding spatial connectivity and migration phenology of migratory wildlife. We inferred natal origins of two migratory passerines, European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleucaand European RobinErithacus rubecula, captured during autumn migration in the Italian Alps, by combining featherδ2H (δ2Hf) and ring recovery data. We used a spatially explicit likelihood‐based method to assign individuals to a precipitationδ2H surface calibrated to represent featherδ2H, together with the directional probability of origin from ring recoveries. The highest probabilities of origin for most individuals of both species were in central and north‐eastern Europe. Seasonal trends inδ2Hf, which described the species’ migratory phenology through the Italian Alps, were correlated with featherδ13C,δ15N andδ34S values, indicating strong spatial discrimination related to continental patterns for these isotopes. We demonstrate how this combined information can define catchment areas and migratory connectivity of birds intercepted in the Alps. We highlight the importance of ringing data in defining directional priors to define Bayesian‐based probability surfaces using continentalδ2Hfisoscapes, and how such information can be used to inform estimates of migratory connectivity.
The Support for New Mums Project: A protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial designed to test a postnatal psychoeducation smartphone application
Authors: Fealy Shanna , Chan Sally , Wynne Olivia , Dowse Eileen , Ebert Lyn , Ho Roger , Zhang Melvyn W. B. , Jones Donovan
Published: February 2019

Aim

To report a pilot trial protocol for testing the effectiveness of the Support for New Mums smartphone application in a cohort of first‐time mothers.

Design

A pilot/feasibility randomized controlled trial using a two‐group pre‐test and repeated post‐test design.

Method

This protocol follows the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Intervention Trials (SPIRIT) guidelines. The Intervention group will receive access to the smartphone application for 6 weeks post birth. Both Intervention and control groups will receive standardized institutional postnatal care services. Trial funding was gained from respective grant sponsors in May and November 2016.

Discussion

The Support for New Mums smartphone application could be a novel method for addressing the gap in provision of postpartum care services providing psychoeducation and improving maternal parental self‐efficacy for Australian childbearing women.

Trial registration

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618001580268.
Effectiveness of technology‐based educational interventions on the empowerment related outcomes of children and young adults with cancer: A quantitative systematic review
Authors: Lim Natalie L. Y. , Shorey Shefaly
Published: February 2019

Aim

To determine the effectiveness of technological‐based educational interventions on the empowerment‐related outcomes of children and young adults with cancer.

Design

Quantitative systematic review.

Data sources

Six electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, and PsycINFO, were searched to identify eligible randomized controlled trials from each database's point of inception to December 2017. Grey literature was also searched from ProQuest and MedNar.

Review methods

A narrative summary of the results was undertaken owing to the small number of eligible studies and high heterogeneity across the studies.

Results

Five studies were included in the review. Five empowerment‐related outcomes under the domain “patient states” were identified at differing time points of 3‐month postintervention, immediate postintervention, and during treatment: (a) self‐efficacy; (b) cancer knowledge; (c) health locus of control; (d) emotional well‐being; and (e) quality of life. At 3‐month postintervention, health locus of control was found to be significant in two studies and self‐efficacy and cancer knowledge were found to be significant in one study. No difference in quality of life was found. At immediate postintervention, a beneficial indication was observed. During treatment, no statistical significance was found regarding the effectiveness of a technological‐based cognitive behavioural package.

Conclusion

Weak evidences led to inconclusive findings on the effectiveness of technological‐based educational interventions on the empowerment‐related outcomes of children and young adults with cancer. Future research will benefit from well‐designed clinical trials that use a common outcome measurement to provide more information regarding the effectiveness of such interventions.
Outcomes of ulcerative colitis‐associated dysplasia patients referred for potential endoscopic submucosal dissection
Authors: Yang Dong‐Hoon , Kim Jihun , Song Eun Mi , Chang Kiju , Lee Sun‐Ho , Hwang Sung Wook , Park Sang Hyoung , Ye Byong Duk , Byeon Jeong‐Sik , Myung Seung‐Jae , Yang Suk‐Kyun
Published: February 2019

Background and Aim

The feasibility of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) as a treatment option for dysplasia in ulcerative colitis (UC) has been reported, but the associated therapeutic decision‐making and clinical outcomes have not been extensively investigated.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 25 UC patients who were referred for potential ESD of non‐polypoid or sessile dysplasia. We analyzed the treatment decisions and the ESD and colectomy outcomes for this patient group.

Results

All lesions were located at the colitic segments. The median UC duration was 13.4 years. A colectomy was recommended for 10 patients because of ulceration with indistinct borders (one patient), non‐ulceration with indistinct borders (two patients), and non‐lifting signs (seven patients). The remaining 15 patients underwent ESD. The en bloc and R0 resection rates were 93.3% and 80%, respectively. The median hospitalization periods were 1 (range, 1–2) day after ESD and 7 (range, 5–30) days after colectomy. No procedure‐related complications occurred after ESD, but early and late postoperative complications occurred in two (22.2%) and six (66.7%) of the colectomized patients, respectively. Fourteen ESD cases were followed endoscopically for a median period of 24.7 (range, 5.2–64.8) months. Local recurrence occurred in 2 (14.3%) patients, and metachronous recurrence was identified in two separate patients (14.3%).

Conclusions

Endoscopic submucosal dissection is a feasible endoscopic treatment option for UC‐associated dysplasia showing noninvasive pit or vascular patterns, no surface ulceration, distinct borders, and appropriate lifting after submucosal injection. Meticulous endoscopic surveillance is essential to monitor for local or metachronous recurrence of dysplasia after ESD.
Liquidity Risk and the Dynamics of Arbitrage Capital
Authors: KONDOR PÉTER , VAYANOS DIMITRI
Published: February 2019

We develop a continuous‐time model of liquidity provision in which hedgers can trade multiple risky assets with arbitrageurs. Arbitrageurs have constant relative risk‐aversion (CRRA) utility, while hedgers' asset demand is independent of wealth. An increase in hedgers' risk aversion can make arbitrageurs endogenously more risk‐averse. Because arbitrageurs generate endogenous risk, an increase in their wealth or a reduction in their CRRA coefficient can raise risk premia despite Sharpe ratios declining. Arbitrageur wealth is a priced risk factor because assets held by arbitrageurs offer high expected returns but suffer the most when wealth drops. Aggregate illiquidity, which declines in wealth, captures that factor.
Current knowledge of and attitudes toward human papillomavirus‐related disease prevention among Japanese: A large‐scale questionnaire study
Authors: Suzuki Yukio , Sukegawa Akiko , Nishikawa Aya , Kubota Kazumi , Motoki Yoko , Asai‐Sato Mikiko , Ueda Yutaka , Sekine Masayuki , Enomoto Takayuki , Hirahara Fumiki , Yamanaka Takeharu , Miyagi Etsuko
Published: February 2019

Aim

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rate in Japan fell to nearly 0% following widespread coverage of possible adverse events. Developing a next approach to promote the effective prevention of HPV‐related diseases including cervical cancer (CC) in Japan requires comprehensive understanding of knowledge and attitudes regarding CC prevention, HPV infection and HPV vaccination among the population including laypersons and medical professions in Japan.

Methods

A questionnaire survey was administered in a wide variety of settings in Japan. The questionnaire contained items on knowledge about CC, HPV infection and HPV vaccination; awareness of the HPV vaccine's effectiveness and associated adverse events; and attitudes toward the HPV vaccination for their daughters and for men/boys.

Results

Of 3033 targeted people, complete survey responses were received from 1182 men and 1602 women (total: 2784). The male laypersons’ group had significantly lower knowledge than did the female laypersons’ group (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 3.86, P < 0.001). Compared with the male laypersons’ group, the female laypersons’ group tended to have less positive attitudes toward HPV vaccination for their daughters (aOR = 0.78, P = 0.006), but the female laypersons’ group showed more positive attitudes toward vaccinating men/boys (aOR = 1.93, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The survey results indicated that men in Japan generally lacked knowledge and awareness of HPV‐related diseases and their prevention. However, women had more negative attitudes toward HPV vaccination for their daughters than did men. Increasing male involvement in HPV prevention and changing women's perceptions of the HPV vaccine are essential steps to increase the HPV vaccination rate.
Children and Young People “In Care” Participating in a Peer‐Mentoring Relationship: An Exploration of Resilience
Authors: Mantovani Nadia , Gillard Steve , Mezey Gill , Clare Fiona
Published: February 2019

The aim of this study was to explore how a 1‐year peer‐mentoring relationship contributed to change in young women “in care.” Twenty semistructured, one‐to‐one interviews were conducted with mentors (n = 11) and mentees (n = 9) recruited from two different London local authorities. Participants’ accounts were interpreted through a developmental lens to uncover developmental aspects and locus mechanisms through which transformative change took place. Resilience as a healthy outcome was the result of the dual function the mentoring relationship performed. The mentoring relationship was protective against the risks associated with transitioning to independent living and/or adulthood, and promoted internal assets and competencies whereby the mentees’ ability to resist them was enhanced. Establishing a trustworthy connection with a role model promoted developmental domains within mentees.
Pono Choices: Lessons for School Leaders From the Evaluation of a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program
Authors: Manaseri Holly , Roberts Kelly D. , Barker Linda Toms , Tom Tammy
Published: February 2019

BACKGROUND

The US Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) funded studies of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention programs in 2010. The results of a 5‐year OAH study conducted in the state of Hawai‘i with middle school youth has implications for school leaders in the selection and implementation of comprehensive sex education curricula yielding positive outcomes for youth.

METHODS

A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted across 34 middle school in the state of Hawai‘i with 1783 student participants in pre‐, post‐, and 1‐year follow‐up surveys to determine effectiveness of a culturally responsive teen pregnancy prevention curriculum, called Pono Choices, specifically developed for youth in Hawai‘i.

RESULTS

Students receiving the Pono Choices curriculum had significantly higher rates of knowledge gains than students in control schools, although there were no statistically significant differences in initiation of sexual activity between the groups at the 1‐year follow‐up. Teachers implemented the curriculum at high rates of adherence to fidelity making this a model for implementation.

CONCLUSIONS

Knowledge and retention of medically accurate teen pregnancy and STI prevention information can be attributed to implementation of a comprehensive program with attention to factors such as fidelity, program quality, engagement, and dosage.
The Implementation of Mental Health Policies and Practices in Schools: An Examination of School and State Factors
Authors: Guerra Laura A. , Rajan Sonali , Roberts Katherine J.
Published: February 2019

BACKGROUND

Poor mental health outcomes persist among adolescent youth. Secondary schools play a critical role in fostering positive mental health by implementing policies and practices grounded in evidence. The factors associated with implementation, however, are unclear. This study examines which school‐ and state‐level factors are associated with improved implementation of mental health policies and practices at secondary schools across the United States.

METHODS

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data stemming from 3 datasets (School Health Policies and Practices, School Health Profiles, and Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System) surveys were integrated and analyzed.

RESULTS

Health educator certification, school use of data during school improvement planning, presence of a health/safety coordinator, presence of a health council and state‐provided health educator professional development in mental health and suicide prevention were each significantly positively associated with schools' implementation of mental health policies and practices.

CONCLUSIONS

To promote improved implementation of mental health policies and practices in schools and provide better support for youth mental health outcomes, the use of certified health educators and health‐related supports should be considered. State health and education agencies should undertake evaluations of its mental health practices to ensure the assistance they offer to schools is evidence based.
Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors: A Statewide Longitudinal Study of Childhood Obesity
Authors: Rouse Heather , Goudie Anthony , Rettiganti Mallik , Leath Katherine , Riser Quentin , Thompson Joseph
Published: February 2019

BACKGROUND

We examined prevalence, incidence, and trajectory of obesity from kindergarten through grade 8 in one of the first states to implement annual surveillance.

METHODS

Participants included 16,414 children enrolled in kindergarten in Arkansas in 2004 with complete body mass index (BMI) measurements in kindergarten and eighth grade. Repeated measures of weight status were entered in multiple linear and logistic regression models with demographics and family poverty status.

RESULTS

The prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 95th percentile) was lowest in kindergarten (14.9%), with subsequent incidence rates consistent at 4%. Prevalence and incidence peaked in eighth grade (24.5% and 4.9%, respectively), with 33.8% of children measuring obese at least once by eighth grade. Kindergarten obesity was a significant predictor of eighth grade obesity (odds ratio, 17.5; 95% confidence interval, 15.8‐19.3). We found statistically significant 3‐way interactions for sex, race, and time, suggesting unique patterns for Hispanic boys and black girls.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study documents unique longitudinal patterns of obesity from kindergarten through eighth grade that expand our understanding of risk. It demonstrates the value of public school health systems that collect routine administrative data about student BMI that is integrated with education records to foster program and policy discussions.
Air Quality in Association With Rural Coal Mining and Combustion in New South Wales Australia
Authors: Hendryx Michael , Higginbotham Nicholas , Ewald Benjamin , Connor Linda H.
Published: February 2019

Purpose

Rural areas may face under‐recognized threats to air quality. We tested 2 hypotheses that 1) rural areas in New South Wales, Australia, would have better air quality than metropolitan Sydney, and that 2) the rural Upper Hunter region characterized by coal mining and coal combustion would have worse air quality than other rural areas of the state.

Methods

We analyzed 2017 daily mean values for New South Wales, Australia, for particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and NOx (sum of NO and NO2). Forty‐six air monitoring stations were grouped into 6 rural and urban regional areas. Linear regression models examined pollution levels in association with rural and urban regions and meteorological covariates.

Results

Findings show that daily mean pollutant levels in the rural Upper Hunter were the highest of all regions, and were significantly higher than metropolitan Sydney, with and without control for weather conditions, for every pollutant. For example, daily mean PM2.5 was 8.64 µg/m3 in the rural Upper Hunter, compared to 7.23 µg/m3 in metropolitan Sydney.

Conclusions

Results highlight the need to consider both urban and rural sources of pollution in air quality studies, and appropriate policy steps to address likely rural air pollution from coal mining.
Eubacterial fluorescence in situ hybridisation and histologic features in 25 dogs with gallbladder mucocele
Authors: Wennogle S. A. Jablonski , Randall E. K. , Priestnall S. L. , Twedt D. C. , Simpson K. W.
Published: February 2019

Objectives

To detect and localise bacteria in gallbladder mucoceles using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). To report clinical signs, clinicopathologic abnormalities, sonographic findings and histopathological findings in FISH+ and FISH− dogs with gallbladder mucoceles.

Materials and Methods

Retrospective review of signalment, clinical signs, clinicopathologic and sonographic findings of 25 cases of histopathologically confirmed gallbladder mucocele. Histopathological sections of gallbladder mucocele were evaluated for cystic mucinous hyperplasia, cystic mucinous hyperplasia with cholecystitis and rupture. The number and spatial distribution of bacteria was determined by eubacterial FISH. Gallbladder contents were cultured in 21 dogs.

Results

Bacteria were detected within or adherent to the gallbladder wall in eight of 25 (32%) cases. Bacterial culture was positive in one dog. Cystic mucinous hyperplasia with concurrent cholecystitis was found in 17 of 25 (68%) of dogs with gallbladder mucocele.

Clinical Significance

FISH was more sensitive for detection of bacteria in gallbladder mucoceles when compared to bacterial culture of bile. Cholecystitis was common in dogs with gallbladder mucocele. Further study is required to elucidate the relationship of cystic mucinous hyperplasia, bacteria and cholecystitis in the aetiopathogenesis and progression of gallbladder mucocele.
Trait‐like characteristics of sleep EEG power spectra in adolescents across sleep opportunity manipulations
Authors: Ong Ju Lynn , Lo June C. , Patanaik Amiya , Chee Michael W. L.
Published: February 2019

The electroencephalographic power spectra of non‐rapid eye movement sleep in adults demonstrate trait‐like consistency within participants across multiple nights, even when prior sleep deprivation is present. Here, we examined the extent to which this finding applies to adolescents who are habitually sleep restricted on school‐days and sleep longer on weekends. We evaluated 78 adolescents across three sleep restriction groups who underwent different permutations of adequate sleep (9 hr time‐in‐bed), sleep restriction (5 hr time‐in‐bed), afternoon naps (1 hr afternoon) and recovery sleep (9 hr time‐in‐bed) that simulate behaviour on school‐days and weekends. The control group comprised a further 22 adolescents who had 9 hr of sleep opportunity each night. Intra‐class correlation coefficients showed moderate to almost perfect within‐subject stability in electroencephalographic power spectra across multiple nights in both sleep restriction and control groups, even when changes to sleep macrostructure were observed. While nocturnal intra‐class correlation metrics were lower in the low‐frequency and spindle frequency bins in the sleep restriction compared with the control group, hierarchical clustering measures could still identify multi‐night electroencephalographic spectra as originating from the same individual. The trait‐like characteristics of electroencephalographic spectra from an adolescent remain identifiable despite the disruptive effects of multi‐night sleep restriction to sleep architecture.
Use of targeted memory reactivation enhances skill performance during a nap and enhances declarative memory during wake in healthy young adults
Authors: Johnson Brian P. , Scharf Steven M. , Verceles Avelino C. , Westlake Kelly P.
Published: February 2019

Sleep is an important component of motor memory consolidation and learning, providing a critical tool to enhance training and rehabilitation. Following initial skill acquisition, memory consolidation is largely a result of non‐rapid eye movement sleep over either a full night or a nap. Targeted memory reactivation is one method used to enhance this critical process, which involves the pairing of an external cue with task performance at the time of initial motor skill acquisition, followed by replay of the same cue during sleep. Application of targeted memory reactivation during sleep leads to increased functional connectivity within task‐related brain networks and improved behavioural performance in healthy young adults. We have previously used targeted memory reactivation throughout the first two slow‐wave sleep cycles of a full night of sleep to enhance non‐dominant arm throwing accuracy in healthy young adults. Here, we aimed to determine whether application of targeted memory reactivation throughout a 1‐hr daytime nap was sufficient to enhance performance on the same non‐dominant arm throwing task in healthy young adults. Participants were allocated to either nap or no nap, and within those groups half received targeted memory reactivation throughout a 1‐hr between‐session period, leading to four groups. Only participants who slept between sessions while receiving targeted memory reactivation enhanced their throwing accuracy upon beginning the second session. Future studies will aim to use this technique as an adjunct to traditional physical rehabilitation with individuals with neurologic diagnoses such as stroke.
Extending the Limits of Backtesting via the ‘Vanishing p’‐Approach
Authors: Hoga Yannick
Published: February 2019

We derive backtests of value‐at‐risk and expected shortfall forecasts for levels that vanish as a function of the sample size n. In the standard case, the level of the forecasts is assumed to be fixed, leading to χ
2‐limiting distributions of the Portmanteau‐type backtests. We show that for levels vanishing at the order of n
−1/2, Poisson‐type limits arise instead. These mimic key features of the test statistics, such as discreteness. Simulations demonstrate that for forecast levels and sample sizes of practical interest, using the Poisson‐type limits leads to much improved size vis‐à‐vis the standard χ
2‐limits.
Increased drug permeability of a stiffened mycobacterial outer membrane in cells lacking MFS transporter Rv1410 and lipoprotein LprG
Authors: Hohl Michael , Remm Sille , Eskandarian Haig A. , Dal Molin Michael , Arnold Fabian M. , Hürlimann Lea M. , Krügel Andri , Fantner Georg E. , Sander Peter , Seeger Markus A.
Published: February 2019

The major facilitator superfamily transporter Rv1410 and the lipoprotein LprG (Rv1411) are encoded by a conserved two‐gene operon and contribute to virulence in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Rv1410 was originally postulated to function as a drug efflux pump, but recent studies suggested that Rv1410 and LprG work in concert to insert triacylglycerides and lipoarabinomannans into the outer membrane. Here, we conducted microscopic analyses of Mycobacterium smegmatis lacking the operon and observed a cell separation defect, while surface rigidity measured by atomic force microscopy was found to be increased. Whereas Rv1410 expressed in Lactococcus lactis did not confer drug resistance, deletion of the operon in Mycobacterium abscessus and M. smegmatis resulted in increased susceptibility toward vancomycin, novobiocin and rifampicin. A homology model of Rv1410 revealed a periplasmic loop as well as a highly conserved aspartate, which were found to be essential for the operon’s function. Interestingly, influx of the fluorescent dyes BCECF‐AM and calcein‐AM in de‐energized M. smegmatis cells was faster in the deletion mutant. Our results unambiguously show that elevated drug susceptibility in the deletion mutant is caused by increased drug influx through a defective mycobacterial cell envelope and not by drug efflux mediated by Rv1410.
Modulation of calcineurin activity in Aspergillus nidulans: the roles of high magnesium concentrations and of transcriptional factor CrzA
Authors: Manoli Maria‐Tsampika , Espeso Eduardo A.
Published: February 2019

A proper response to elevated extracellular calcium levels helps to most organisms to keep this secondary messenger under strict control, thereby preventing inadequate activation or inhibition of many regulatory activities into cells. In fungi, the calcineurin responsive zinc‐finger Crz1/CrzA transcription factor transduces calcium signaling to gene expression. In Aspergillus nidulans, absence of CrzA activity leads to alkaline pH sensitivity and loss of tolerance to high levels of extracellular calcium. Disruption of calcium uptake mechanisms or the presence of high levels of Mg2+ partially suppresses this calcium‐sensitive phenotype of null crzA strain. The effects of Mg2+ on CrzA phosphorylation and perturbations that reduce calcineurin phosphatase activity on CrzA demonstrate that the calcium sensitive phenotype of null crzA strain is a consequence of up‐regulated calcineurin activity under calcium‐induced conditions.
Differential responses of stomatal kinetics and steady‐state conductance to abscisic acid in a fern: comparison with a gymnosperm and an angiosperm
Authors: Grantz David A. , Linscheid Brandon S. , Grulke Nancy E.
Published: February 2019

Origins of abscisic acid (ABA)‐mediated metabolic control of stomatal conductance have been suggested to be recent, based on a gradualistic model of stomatal evolution. In ferns, steady‐state stomatal conductance (gs) was unresponsive to ABA in some studies, supporting this model. Stomatal kinetic responses to ABA have not been considered.

We used dynamic gas exchange methods to characterise half times of stomatal opening and closing in response to step changes in light, across a range of ABA exposures in three diverse taxa.

All taxa had asymmetric kinetics, with closure slower than opening in fern and cedar, but faster than opening in soybean. Closing was fastest in soybean but opening was slowest. Stomatal kinetics, particularly for closure, responded to ABA in all three taxa. Steady‐state gs did not respond significantly to ABA in fern or cedar but responded strongly in soybean. Stomatal kinetics were responsive to ABA in fern. This finding supports a contrasting, single origin model, with ABA‐mediated regulation of stomata arising early, in conjunction with stomata themselves.

Stomatal kinetics are underutilised. Differential responses of opening and closing rates to environmental and hormonal stimuli may provide insights into phylogeny and stomatal regulatory strategies with potential application to selection for crop improvement.
Seat belts‐related behaviors in car drivers with cardiac implantable electronic devices
Authors: Niewinski Piotr , Jagielski Dariusz , Josiak Krystian , Nowak Krzysztof , Biel Bartosz , Tubek Stanislaw , Walczak Tomasz , Szemplinska Iwona , Siennicka Agnieszka , Banasiak Waldemar , Ponikowski Piotr
Published: February 2019

Background

Seat belt use is the single most effective means of reducing fatal injuries in road traffic accidents. The presence of a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) might influence seat belt‐related behaviors due to the physical proximity of the seat belt and left subclavian area in which the device is usually implanted. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of improper seat belt use may improve safety of these patients.

Methods

We performed a prospective study using a structured questionnaire with 120 CIED recipients (age, 63.9 ± 10.9 years) attending a pacing outpatient clinic. All study participants were active drivers and predominantly male. The majority of patients (79%) had undergone high‐energy device implantation.

Results

We found that 18% of study participants do not fasten seat belts on a regular basis or use the seat belt in an atypical fashion (such as under the armpit). Moderate or high level of discomfort from the interaction between seat belt and CIED was present in 27%, while more than half (51%) were afraid of seat belt‐induced CIED damage. In multifactorial analysis, we found the following independent predictors of improper seat belt use: (1) at least moderate level of discomfort at the CIED site (P = 0.02); (2) fear of CIED damage (P = 0.009); and (3) irregular seat belt use prior to CIED implantation (P = 0.037).

Conclusions

Improper seat belt‐related behaviors are common in CIED recipients. They arise from previous habits and from CIED‐related physical and psychological factors. Patients’ education regarding the importance and safety of proper seat belt use is a priority.
Diagnosing and managing allergic conjunctivitis in childhood: The allergist’s perspective
Authors: Fauquert Jean‐Luc
Published: February 2019

Allergic conjunctivitis in childhood often poses problems of diagnosis and management for the allergist. We present the salient points concerning the diagnosis and treatment of ocular allergy emerging from a large cohort survey conducted jointly in the departments of ophthalmology and paediatric allergy in a French teaching hospital. Seasonal acute conjunctivitis is a common disorder and not overly difficult to diagnose and treat when associated with rhinitis leading to allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. An ophthalmologist should be consulted when conjunctivitis occurs alone and if another form of conjunctivitis is suspected, such as perennial allergic conjunctivitis, vernal keratoconjunctivitis or atopic keratoconjunctivitis. When IgE‐mediated hypersensitivity assessment does not establish aetiological diagnosis, a conjunctival allergen provocation test can be performed. The principal non‐IgE‐mediated allergy is chronic blepharoconjunctivitis. The main problem for differential diagnosis is the presence of signs suggestive of dry eye. Management includes non‐pharmacological treatments, such as lacrimal substitutes, avoidance measures and protection of the ocular surface. Second‐line treatment consists of eye drops, preferably single dose or without additives and with dual local action, mast cell stabilizer action and antihistaminic action. Third‐line treatment is reserved for severe forms. Short‐lasting local steroid therapy can control flare‐ups of allergic keratoconjunctivitis, which should have specialized follow‐up. Cyclosporine is a disease‐modifying treatment, which is both effective and well tolerated.
Female employees’ perception of breastfeeding‐friendly support in a public university in Spain
Authors: Leon‐Larios Fatima , Pinero‐Pinto Elena , Arnedillo‐Sanchez Socorro , Ruiz‐Ferron Cecilia , Casado‐Mejia Rosa , Benitez‐Lugo Marisa
Published: February 2019

Objective

To explore women's experience with continuing breastfeeding when they returned to work.

Design and Sample

A cross‐sectional study was conducted. Participants were female employees at the University of Seville who gave birth in the last 10 years while working at University.

Measures

A questionnaire in Spanish was used to collect information on sociodemographic variables, employment characteristics, continued breastfeeding behavior after returning to work and the dimensions of the validated scale the Workplace Breastfeeding Support Scale (WBSS).

Results

A total of 197 women responded, consisting of 53.8% faculty and 46.2% administrative staff. Almost all the women had breastfed their children (92.9%). The proportion of women who continued to breastfeed after they returned to work was 51.3%. The main reason given for interrupting lactation was the challenge of reconciling family and work (53.1%). Faculty members took more breaks for breastfeeding (p = 0.002) and were able to arrange their breaks more easily (p < 0.001). Since it was easier for them to find a quiet place to pump breast milk (p = 0.025), they were more likely to continue breastfeeding after returning to work than were administrative staff (59.8% vs. 41.1%, p < 0.009).

Conclusion

A designated lactation space and amenities should be provided in order to extend the duration of breastfeeding.
Comparative analysis of plastocyanin–cytochrome f complex formation in higher plants, green algae and cyanobacteria
Authors: Fedorov Vladimir A. , Kovalenko Ilya B. , Khruschev Sergei S. , Ustinin Dmitry M. , Antal Taras K. , Riznichenko Galina Y. , Rubin Andrei B.
Published: February 2019

Mechanisms of the complex formation between plastocyanin and cytochrome f in higher plants (Spinacia oleracea and Brassica rapa), green microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and two species of cyanobacteria (Phormidium laminosum and Nostoc sp.) were investigated using combined Brownian and molecular dynamics simulations and hierarchical cluster analysis. In higher plants and green algae, electrostatic interactions force plastocyanin molecule close to the heme of cytochrome f. In the subsequent rotation of plastocyanin molecule around the point of electrostatic contact in the vicinity of cytochrome f, copper (Cu) atom approaches cytochrome heme forming a stable configuration where cytochrome f molecule behaves as a rather rigid body without conformational changes. In Nostoc plastocyanin molecule approaches cytochrome f in a different orientation (head‐on) where the stabilization of the plastocyanin–cytochrome f complex is accompanied by the conformational changes of the G188E189D190 loop that stabilizes the whole complex. In cyanobacterium P. laminosum, electrostatic preorientation of the approaching molecules was not detected, thus indicating that random motions rather than long‐range electrostatic interactions are responsible for the proper mutual orientation. We demonstrated that despite the structural similarity of the investigated electron transport proteins in different photosynthetic organisms, the complexity of molecular mechanisms of the complex formation increases in the following sequence: non‐heterocystous cyanobacteria – heterocystous cyanobacteria – green algae – flowering plants.
A survey of doctors on diagnosis and treatment of dementia with Lewy bodies: examination and treatment of behavioural and psychological symptoms
Authors: Odawara Toshinari , Manabe Yuta , Konishi Osamu
Published: February 2019

Background

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a progressive form of dementia, accompanied by a range of behavioural and psychological symptoms. The aim of this study was to identify current clinical practice for the treatment of DLB in Japan.

Methods

We conducted a survey of medical doctors engaged in the management of dementia in Japan. Participants were divided into two groups: psychiatrists (Group P) and neurologists or neurosurgeons (Group NS). Doctors completed a questionnaire and we analysed their responses to compare the two groups with regard to diagnosis and treatment of DLB, and in particular the treatment of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).

Results

Responses suggested that Group P conducted biomarker examinations less frequently and decided on their own therapeutic strategies more frequently than did Group NS. Both groups most frequently selected hallucinations/delusions as the symptoms given highest treatment priority. More than 70% of respondents in both groups reported having difficulties in treating BPSD. Atypical antipsychotics were more frequently prescribed by Group P, but were also prescribed in 70% of patients in Group NS. A third of patients received atypical antipsychotics for more than 1 year.

Conclusions

The responses to this survey highlighted the difficulties faced by clinicians managing patients with DLB and identified the need to effectively treat BPSD in such patients.
Bidirectional association between tuberculosis and sarcoidosis
Authors: Wang Sheng‐Huei , Chung Chi‐Hsiang , Huang Tsai‐Wang , Tsai Wen‐Chiuan , Peng Chung‐Kan , Huang Kun‐Lun , Perng Wann‐Cherng , Chian Chih‐Feng , Chien Wu‐Chien , Shen Chih‐Hao
Published: February 2019

Background and objective

Tuberculosis (TB) and sarcoidosis are both granulomatous diseases with potential interassociations. However, much uncertainty remains; thus, the present study aimed to clarify the association between these diseases.

Methods

We established two cohorts in this retrospective longitudinal cohort study using data obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database from 2000 to 2015. One cohort, which comprised 31 221 patients with TB and 62 442 age‐, sex‐ and index year‐matched controls, was used to analyse the risk of sarcoidosis; the other cohort comprised 2442 patients with sarcoidosis and 9688 controls and was used to assess the risk of TB. A Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for potential confounders was used in each cohort.

Results

Patients with TB showed an 8.09‐fold higher risk of developing sarcoidosis than non‐TB subjects (95% CI = 3.66–17.90), whereas patients with sarcoidosis showed a 1.85‐fold higher risk of developing TB than non‐sarcoidosis subjects (95% CI = 1.36–2.50). The TB subtype analysis revealed the highest risk of developing sarcoidosis in patients with extrapulmonary TB, and the highest risk of developing extrapulmonary TB was observed in patients with sarcoidosis compared with non‐sarcoidosis subjects. Patients with TB showed a higher risk of developing sarcoidosis throughout the follow‐up period, but patients with sarcoidosis only showed a higher risk of developing TB within the first year.

Conclusion

TB is a risk factor for developing sarcoidosis. The results of this bidirectional cohort study also highlight the clinical difficulty of diagnosing sarcoidosis and TB.
Null Hypothesis Testing ≠ Scientific Inference: A Critique of the Shaky Premise at the Heart of the Science and Values Debate, and a Defense of Value‐Neutral Risk Assessment
Authors: MacGillivray Brian H.
Published: February 2019

Many philosophers and statisticians argue that risk assessors are morally obligated to evaluate the probabilities and consequences of methodological error, and to base their decisions of whether to adopt a given parameter value, model, or hypothesis on those considerations. This argument is couched within the rubric of null hypothesis testing, which I suggest is a poor descriptive and normative model for risk assessment. Risk regulation is not primarily concerned with evaluating the probability of data conditional upon the null hypothesis, but rather with measuring risks, estimating the consequences of available courses of action and inaction, formally characterizing uncertainty, and deciding what to do based upon explicit values and decision criteria. In turn, I defend an ideal of value‐neutrality, whereby the core inferential tasks of risk assessment—such as weighing evidence, estimating parameters, and model selection—should be guided by the aim of correspondence to reality. This is not to say that value judgments be damned, but rather that they should be accounted for within a structured approach to decision analysis, rather than embedded within risk assessment in an informal manner.