bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A macrophage-pericyte axis directs tissue restoration via Amphiregulin-induced TGFβ activation
Authors: Modak Rucha V. , Minutti Carlos M. , Macdonald Felicity , Li Fengqi , Smyth Danielle J. , Dorward David A. , Blair Natalie , Husovsky Connor , Muir Andrew , Dobie Ross , Maizels Rick , Kendall Timothy J. , Griggs David W. , Kopf Manfred , Henderson Neil C. , Zaiss Dietmar M.
Published: July 2018

The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor ligand Amphiregulin has a well-documented role in the restoration of tissue homeostasis following injury; however, the mechanism by which Amphiregulin contributes to wound repair remains unknown. Here we show that Amphiregulin functions by releasing bio-active TGFb from latent complexes via integrin-αv activation. Using acute injury models in two different tissues, we found that by inducing TGFb activation on mesenchymal stromal cells (aka pericytes), Amphiregulin induced their differentiation into myo-fibroblasts, thereby selectively contributing to the restoration of vascular barrier function within injured tissue. Furthermore, we identified macrophages as a critical source of Amphiregulin, revealing a direct effector mechanism by which these cells contribute to tissue restoration following acute injury. Combined, these observations expose a so far under-appreciated mechanism of how cells of the immune system selectively control the differentiation of tissue progenitor cells during tissue repair and inflammation.
High-frequency temperature variability mirrors fixed differences in thermal limits of the massive coralPorites lobata(Dana, 1846)
Authors: Barshis DJ , Birkeland C , Toonen RJ , Gates RD , Stillman JH
Published: July 2018

Spatial heterogeneity in environmental characteristics can drive adaptive differentiation when contrasting environments exert divergent selection pressures. This environmental and genetic heterogeneity can substantially influence population and community resilience to disturbance events. Here, we investigated corals from the highly variable back reef habitats of Ofu Island in American Samoa that thrive in thermal conditions known to elicit widespread bleaching and mortality elsewhere. To investigate the hypothesis that thermal variability is the driving force shaping previously observed differences in coral tolerance limits in Ofu, specimens of the common Indo-Pacific coralPorites lobata(Dana, 1846) from locations with differing levels of thermal variability were acclimated to low and high thermal variation in controlled common garden experimental aquaria. Overall, there was minimal effect of the acclimation exposure. Corals native to the site with the highest level of daily variability grew fastest, regardless of acclimation treatment. When exposed to lethal thermal stress, corals native to both variable sites contained elevated levels of heat shock proteins and maintained photosynthetic performance for 1–2 days longer than corals from the stable environment. Despite being separated by < 5 km, there was significant genetic differentiation among coral colonies (FST= 0.206, p < 0.0001; nuclear ribosomal DNA), whileSymbiodiniumphylotypes were all ITS2-type C15. Our study demonstrates consistent signatures of adaptation in growth and stress resistance in corals from naturally thermally variable habitats, emphasizing that existing genetic diversity of corals is an important asset in strategies to protect and manage coral reef ecosystems in the face of global change.

Summary Statement

Corals native to highly variable habitats demonstrate greater thermal tolerance than corals from less variable habitats after 36-days of acclimation to thermally stable or variable common garden treatments.
Screening of candidate substrates and coupling ions of transporters by thermostability shift assays
Authors: Majd Homa , King Martin S. , Palmer Shane M. , Smith Anthony C. , Elbourne Liam D.H. , Paulsen Ian T. , Sharples David , Henderson Peter J. F. , Kunji Edmund R. S.
Published: July 2018

Substrates of most transport proteins have not been identified, limiting our understanding of their role in physiology and disease. Traditional identification methods use transport assays with radioactive compounds, but they are technically challenging and many compounds are unavailable in radioactive form or are prohibitively expensive, precluding large-scale trials. Here, we present a high-throughput screening method that can identify candidate substrates from libraries of unlabeled compounds. The assay is based on the principle that transport proteins recognize substrates through specific interactions, which lead to enhanced stabilization of the transporter population in thermostability shift assays. Representatives of three different transporter (super)families were tested, which differ in structure as well as transport and ion coupling mechanisms. In each case, the substrates were identified correctly from a large set of chemically related compounds, including stereo-isoforms. In some cases, stabilization by substrate binding was enhanced further by ions, providing testable hypotheses on energy coupling mechanisms.
An Efficient Strategy to Estimate Thermodynamics and Kinetics of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Activation Using Metadynamics and Maximum Caliber
Authors: Meral Derya , Provasi Davide , Filizola Marta
Published: July 2018

Computational strategies aimed at unveiling the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of G Protein-Coupled Receptor (GPCR) activation require extensive molecular dynamics simulations of the receptor embedded in an explicit lipid-water environment. A possible method for efficiently sampling the conformational space of such a complex system is metadynamics (MetaD) with path collective variables (CV). Here, we applied well-tempered MetaD with path CVs to one of the few GPCRs for which both inactive and fully active experimental structures are available, the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), and assessed the ability of this enhanced sampling method to estimate thermodynamic properties of receptor activation in line with those obtained by more computationally expensive adaptive sampling protocols. While n-body information theory (nBIT) analysis of these simulations confirmed that MetaD can efficiently characterize ligand-induced allosteric communication across the receptor, standard MetaD cannot be used directly to derive kinetic rates because transitions are accelerated by a bias potential. Applying the principle of Maximum Caliber (MaxCal) to the free-energy landscape of morphine-bound MOR reconstructed from MetaD, we obtained Markov State Models (MSMs) that yield kinetic rates of MOR activation in agreement with those obtained by adaptive sampling. Taken together, these results suggest that the MetaD-MaxCal combination creates an efficient strategy for estimating thermodynamic and kinetic properties of GPCR activation at an affordable computational cost.
Prediction and final temporal errors are used for trial-to-trial motor corrections
Authors: López-Moliner Joan , Vullings Cécile , Madelain Laurent , van Beers Robert J.
Published: July 2018

Many daily life situations (e.g. dodging an approaching object or hitting a moving target) require people to correct planning of future movements based on previous temporal errors. However, the actual temporal error can be difficult to perceive: imagine a baseball batter that swings and misses a fastball. Here we show that in such situations people can use an internal error signal to make corrections in the next trial. This signal is based on the discrepancy between the actual and the planned action onset time: the prediction error. In this study, we used three interception tasks: reaching movements, saccadic eye movements and a button press that released a cursor moving ballistically for a fixed time. We found that action onset depended on the previous temporal error in the arm movement experiment only and not in the saccadic and button press experiments. However, this dependency was modulated by the movement time: faster arm movements depended less on the previous actual temporal error. An analysis using a Kalman filter confirmed that people used the prediction error rather than the previous temporal error for trial-by-trial corrections in fast arm movements, saccades and button press.
Plant 24-nt reproductive phasiRNAs from intramolecular duplex mRNAs in diverse monocots
Authors: Kakrana Atul , Mathioni Sandra M. , Huang Kun , Hammond Reza , Vandivier Lee , Patel Parth , Arikit Siwaret , Shevchenko Olga , Harkess Alex E. , Kingham Bruce , Gregory Brian D. , Leebens-Mack James H. , Meyers Blake C.
Published: July 2018

In grasses, two pathways that generate diverse and numerous 21-nt (premeiotic) and 24-nt (meiotic) phased siRNAs are highly enriched in anthers, the male reproductive organs. These “phasiRNAs” are analogous to mammalian piRNAs, yet their functions and evolutionary origins remain largely unknown. The 24-nt meiotic phasiRNAs have only been described in grasses, wherein their biogenesis is dependent on a specialized Dicer (DCL5). To assess how evolution gave rise to this pathway, we examined reproductive phasiRNA pathways in nongrass monocots: garden asparagus, daylily, and lily. The common ancestors of these species diverged approximately 115–117 million years ago (MYA). We found that premeiotic 21-nt and meiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs were abundant in all three species and displayed spatial localization and temporal dynamics similar to grasses. The miR2275-triggered pathway was also present, yielding 24-nt reproductive phasiRNAs, and thus originated more than 117 MYA. In asparagus, unlike in grasses, these siRNAs are largely derived from inverted repeats (IRs); analyses in lily identified thousands of precursor loci, and many were also predicted to form foldback substrates for Dicer processing. Additionally, reproductive phasiRNAs were present in female reproductive organs and thus may function in both male and female germinal development. These data describe several distinct mechanisms of production for 24-nt meiotic phasiRNAs and provide new insights into the evolution of reproductive phasiRNA pathways in monocots.
A common pattern of DNase I footprinting throughout the human mtDNA unveils clues for a chromatin-like organization
Authors: Blumberg Amit , Danko Charles G. , Kundaje Anshul , Mishmar Dan
Published: July 2018

Human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is believed to lack chromatin and histones. Instead, it is coated solely by the transcription factor TFAM. We asked whether mtDNA packaging is more regulated than once thought. To address this, we analyzed DNase-seq experiments in 324 human cell types and found, for the first time, a pattern of 29 mtDNA Genomic footprinting (mt-DGF) sites shared by ∼90% of the samples. Their syntenic conservation in mouse DNase-seq experiments reflect selective constraints. Colocalization with known mtDNA regulatory elements, with G-quadruplex structures, in TFAM-poor sites (in HeLa cells) and with transcription pausing sites, suggest a functional regulatory role for such mt-DGFs. Altered mt-DGF pattern in interleukin 3-treated CD34+ cells, certain tissue differences, and significant prevalence change in fetal versus nonfetal samples, offer first clues to their physiological importance. Taken together, human mtDNA has a conserved protein–DNA organization, which is likely involved in mtDNA regulation.
Farmers’ attitudes toward land titling and its potential effects on rural development in China
Authors: Huang Zhonghua , Du Xuejun
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate farmers’ attitudes and behavior toward land titling and to study its potential effects on rural development.

Design/methodology/approach

Using household survey data collected from five provinces of China in 2010, this paper assesses farmer’s attitudes toward land titling and examines the potential effects of land titling on rural land transferring and labor migration.

Findings

Rural residential land titling has significant effects on farmers’ attitudes toward land transferring and their migration intention. Farmers who have more non-agricultural development opportunities are more likely to welcome land titling. The titling of rural residential land could provide secure property rights for farmers, and thus stimulate them to trade, mortgage their rural residential property, and migrate to urban areas.

Research limitations/implications

Land titling in rural China will probably affect rural land transferring and encourage rural labor migrate to urban, and thus promote rural development.

Originality/value

This paper investigates farmers’ attitudes and behavior toward land titling, and examines its potential effects on rural land transferring and labor migration, based on national survey data. This paper sheds new lights on farmers’ demand for types of land tenure reforms and how these reforms would affect the perceived opportunities available for farmers.
The relationship between teachers’ perceptions of transformational leadership practices and the social ecological model
Authors: Shapira-Lishchinsky Orly , Litchka Peter R.
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine an integrative model combining teachers’ perceptions of transformational leadership practices (TLPs) and different subsystems of the social ecological model (SEM) within the context of country culture (US vs Israel).

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative study was conducted among 615 Israeli teachers and 541 US teachers. The leadership practices inventory (LPI) questionnaire was used, and analyses focused on the interaction effects of ecological subsystems and country on teachers’ perceptions of TLP.

Findings

Results indicated that some universal leadership aspects appear in both the USA and Israel, with modeling the way being most dominant and Challenging the Process least dominant. However, the findings also indicated some specific national leadership aspects. For example, Israeli teachers perceive their school principals’ TLP to be significantly higher than do US teachers in all five dimensions. In addition, the study indicated significant differences between Israel and the USA regarding aspects of TLP, after taking school level into account. The results are explained by Hofstede’s culture dimensions.

Originality/value

This study focuses on teachers’ perceptions of TLP in relation to SEM, which has been largely ignored in educational leadership studies. The findings may help to develop an integrative policy related to both TLP and SEM, which will enhance the impact that school leadership may have in both countries, taking the cultural context into consideration.
Academics’ perception of knowledge sharing in higher education
Authors: Annansingh Fenio , Howell Kerry E. , Liu Shaofeng , Baptista Nunes Miguel
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Higher education (HE) institutions create, disseminate, share and exchange knowledge through relationships among people, processes and technologies. Knowledge sharing (KS) in academia enables people within the institute to develop practices which allow them to collect and share what they know. This often leads to actions that improve services and outcomes. Despite the opportunities, this sharing is not without implications as it exposes the knowledge sharer and recipient to a number of vulnerabilities and risks, which hinders the knowledge-sharing process. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopted a constructivist approach, which utilised focus group discussions within three UK universities. These were identified to improve the usefulness and effectiveness of the knowledge-sharing process.

Findings

The paper concluded by purporting that by developing an understanding of the risks and opportunities of sharing HE, institutions will continue to grow, regenerate and develop knowledge. The results highlighted the plethora of risks and opportunities resulting from KS. These were further grouped into the political, social and organisational culture.

Originality/value

This paper addresses the gap of risks perceptions of KS in HE institutions.
Dynamic clustering to evaluate satisfaction with teaching at university
Authors: Bassi Francesca
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure students’ satisfaction with the didactics in a large Italian university, that of Padua, giving special attention to its evolution over time in consecutive academic years. The overall level of the quality of the didactics is examined and its change over time is modeled. Moreover, the effect of courses’ and teachers’ variables on it is estimated.

Design/methodology/approach

Latent cluster class models and mixture latent class Markov models are estimated in order to identify groups of courses that are homogeneous for the level of the quality of the didactics. Evolution over the three academic years of satisfaction is monitored. The effect on the clustering and its dynamics of potential covariates is also examined.

Findings

Results of model estimation reveal some interesting evidences that are important indications for the university management to define targeted strategies to elevate teaching quality.

Originality/value

The paper gives its original contribution both on the side of methods applied to analyze data collected with students evaluation of teaching and on the evidences obtained for a large university.
Religiosity and students’ examination cheating: evidence from Ghana
Authors: Mensah Christopher , Azila-Gbettor Edem M.
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Academic misconduct has become an albatross on the management of higher education institutions with long-term ramification on developmental agenda of countries. The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between religiousness of students and examination cheating tendencies. Further, this paper explored the cheating methods, reasons for cheating and the relationship between perception of peer cheating and examination cheating propensity among students in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study using questionnaires to collect data from 355 students in a three-year higher national diploma awarding technical university in Ghana. Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests were the main data analytical tools.

Findings

Results of the study revealed that “fear of failure” was the leading reason driving students’ examination cheating behaviours. Perception of peer cheating was related to levels of self-reported cheating whereas religious inclination of students was uncorrelated with the self-reported cheating behaviour of students.

Practical implications

The findings of the study provide implication for management of higher education institutions. The academic counselling unit of higher education institutions should work to dispel students’ overly sensitivity to end-of-semester examinations. Teachings of religious groups should highlight examination cheating as constituting violations of religious values and norms.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the pioneers of examination cheating and religiosity relationship in Ghana’s higher education settings. This study makes an additional contribution to the literature on the religiosity examination cheating nexus.
Using mobile devices to support cognitive apprenticeship in clinical nursing practice – a case study
Authors: Lai Chin-Yuan , Yen Yung-Chin
Published: July 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to illustrate how mobile devices could be applied to substantiate cognitive apprenticeship model to optimize nursing students’ learning experiences in clinical settings.

Design/methodology/approach

Eight female students from a nursing college in Taiwan were recruited in this study. They enrolled in a three-week nursing clinical practicum session in the area of psychiatric nursing.

Findings

Analysis of interview data from students and instructor showed that use of the mobile technology could promote the effectiveness of cognitive apprenticeship model, especially for processes of reflection, coaching, scaffolding and articulation.

Originality/value

The present study intended to bridge the gap between mobile technologies and cognitive apprenticeship. This study explores students’ experiences and expectations of using mobile technology in clinical nursing courses and clarifies how the cognitive apprenticeship model fits students’ experiences during using mobile technology in the clinical nursing course.
Conflicting perspectives in a housing association
Authors: Kjærbeck Susanne , Lundholt Marianne Wolff
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate employees’ conflicting perspectives on the business strategy in a Danish housing association through a narrative approach, in order to gain insight into the relation between master- and counter-narratives. The authors discuss the possibility of integrating counter-narratives as a resource in strategy processes. Finally, the usefulness and challenges of the applied narrative approach are addressed.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was undertaken as a case study of strategy communication in a private housing association. The empirical material consists of 16 qualitative interviews from all levels of the organization as well as recordings of meetings where management presents a new strategy to the employees. The study adopts a mixed methods interpretivist approach using focus groups and interviews as data and with a focus on narratives as sense-making resources. The applied method of analysis is based on narratology, sociological action analysis and the concept of “framing.”

Findings

Employees’ counter-narratives focus on practical problems regarding the implementation of the business strategy. They materialize through temporal structures and framing strategies through which employees’ perspectives are presented indirectly and with great care. In spite of their oppositional content, these counter-perspectives cannot be considered to be resistance; on the contrary, employees take great interest in solving the reported problems. Counter-narratives are seemingly useful resources in a form of “reality check” in the organization, in order to elucidate the implementation of the business strategy and make necessary adjustments. The research furthermore points to a more dialogical strategy communication where employees are involved earlier in the process rather than marginalized to “resistant bystanders.”

Originality/value

These findings give insight into the use of narratives as practical meaning construction in an organizational context, and in relation to strategy communication and change.
M&A effects on innovation and profitability in large European firms
Authors: Fernández Sara , Triguero Ángela , Alfaro-Cortés Esteban
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) on innovation and profitability in large European firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Using information from a unique micro-longitudinal database of top European R&D investors and information from the European Commission (EC) Merger Control Authority, dynamic panel estimations with firm-level fixed effects are performed. Moreover, the paper presents a qualitative case study of a merger in the European electronic and electrical equipment industry.

Findings

The analysis of a sample of 562 M&As authorized by the EC Merger Control Authority shows that mergers positively influence the R&D intensity and profitability of top companies in the European Union over the period 2004–2012. Furthermore, empirical evidence shows that the timing and magnitude of these effects differs. In particular, the positive effect of mergers on R&D intensity is found for the short and large term while they influence profitability only in the large term.

Originality/value

This paper makes several contributions. First, unlike other studies on this topic, it investigates the effects of M&As using firm-level panel data on the top 1,000 European R&D companies instead of only examining a case study. Second, a unique data set has been used, which collects information on large European firms from the European Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard and the EC antitrust authority. Finally, the paper accounts for the casual link between innovation effort and profitability when evaluating the potential effect of M&As on the R&D intensity and profitability of large European firms.
Local clientele: geography and comovement of stock returns
Authors: Uysal Vahap , Hoelscher Seth
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Local investors have the ability to impact the stock prices and returns of local firms. However, the impact of news made by a firm on local investors and neighboring companies is absent from the academic literature. The purpose of this paper is to fill that void and examine how a local investor clientele affects the stock market reactions of firms located within the same geographic proximity as a news-generating firm.

Design/methodology/approach

After accounting for firm, industry, and geographic characteristics, this study examines how a firm’s dividend initiation announcement (positive news) influences stock prices of seemingly unrelated firms within the same metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

Findings

Dividend-paying firms located in areas with a higher percentage of dividend clientele experience a positive comovement reaction when a seemingly unrelated firm within the same MSA announces a dividend initiation. The positive reactions are specifically for dividend-paying firms, while non-dividend payers exhibit no significant response. These results are robust to numerous regression methods and alternative explanations.

Practical implications

These findings are consistent with the positive-investor-attention hypothesis, suggesting positive spillover effects from news announcements for other local firms in the presence of individual investor clientele.

Originality/value

This is the first study to link how news generated by one firm can influence other geographically local firms, providing evidence on the impact of individual investor clientele on stock returns of local non-news firms.
Artificial light at night causes top‐down and bottom‐up trophic effects on invertebrate populations
Authors: Bennie Jonathan , Davies Thomas W. , Cruse David , Inger Richard , Gaston Kevin J.
Published: July 2018

Globally, many ecosystems are exposed to artificial light at night. Nighttime lighting has direct biological impacts on species at all trophic levels. However, the effects of artificial light on biotic interactions remain, for the most part, to be determined.

We exposed experimental mesocosms containing combinations of grassland plants and invertebrate herbivores and predators to illumination at night over a 3‐year period to simulate conditions under different common forms of street lighting.

We demonstrate both top‐down (predation‐controlled) and bottom‐up (resource‐controlled) impacts of artificial light at night in grassland communities. The impacts on invertebrate herbivore abundance were wavelength‐dependent and mediated via other trophic levels.

White LED lighting decreased the abundance of a generalist herbivore mollusc by 55% in the presence of a visual predator, but not in its absence, while monochromatic amber light (with a peak wavelength similar to low‐pressure sodium lighting) decreased abundance of a specialist herbivore aphid (by 17%) by reducing the cover and flower abundance of its main food plant in the system. Artificial white light also significantly increased the food plant's foliar carbon to nitrogen ratio.

We conclude that exposure to artificial light at night can trigger ecological effects spanning trophic levels, and that the nature of such impacts depends on the wavelengths emitted by the lighting technology employed.

Policy implications. Our results confirm that artificial light at night, at illuminance levels similar to roadside vegetation, can have population effects mediated by both top‐down and bottom‐up effects on ecosystems. Given the increasing ubiquity of light pollution at night, these impacts may be widespread in the environment. These results underline the importance of minimizing ecosystem disruption by reducing light pollution in natural and seminatural ecosystems.
Digital health – a new medical cosmology? The case of 23andMe online genetic testing platform
Authors: Saukko Paula
Published: July 2018

This article argues that commercial digital health platforms and devices commodify participatory features of the digital creating a new medical cosmology. Drawing on sociology on medical cosmologies, research on digital media and marketing and an analysis of the 23andMe online genetic testing platform, I identify three features of this cosmology. First, digital health seeks to foment ‘flow’ or enjoyable, continuous immersion in health. Second, digital health configures its consumers as ‘co‐creators’ of health data and knowledge together with companies and other consumers. Third, digital health frames medical knowledge as tentative, up for revision and scepticism by expert and lay science. The way in which digital health configures consumers as immersed, creative and sceptical gives it an open‐ended and participatory air. However, the conceptual discussion and the analysis of the 23andMe platform highlight that these features represent commercial capture of the lifeworld, even if they appear radical against classical medical cosmologies.
Linking Consumers’ Food Choice Motives to their Preferences for Insect‐based Food Products: An Application of Integrated Choice and Latent Variable Model in an African Context
Authors: Alemu Mohammed H. , Olsen Søren B.
Published: July 2018

Consumers’ attitudes, perceptions, personalities and motives play important roles in shaping their food choices. These factors are not fully observed by analysts, so they should be treated as latent variables. A number of economic studies treat such variables as direct measures of consumers’ food choice behaviour, even though this might introduce measurement error and endogeneity bias. We investigate the latent link between consumers’ preferences and food choice motives (FCMs) in an African context. We use an integrated choice and latent variable (ICLV) model specification for data analysis to recognise the latent nature of the FCMs and address the measurement and bias problems. The data originate from an incentivised discrete choice experiment conducted in Kenya to elicit consumers’ preferences for insect‐based foods. Our findings show that consumers’ preferences and choices are influenced by their latent motivational orientation. The results illustrate the benefit of the ICLV approach in accounting for consumers’ latent preference constructs in food choice and valuation research.
Comparative histomorphological and ultrastructural study of the luminal epithelium of the isthmus in laying and moulting domestic fowls (Gallus domesticus)
Authors: Mpango Mike M. , Madekurozwa Mary‐Cathrine
Published: July 2018

This study describes ciliated, nonciliated and mitochondrial luminal epithelial cells of the isthmus in laying and moulting domestic fowls using histological and ultrastructural techniques. The ciliated cells were nonsecretory, while numerous electron‐dense secretory granules were present in the nonciliated cells of laying birds. Mitochondrial cells, occurring in two morphologically distinct forms, constituted the third type of epithelial cell present in the isthmus. The SEM study showed that the luminal epithelium was dominated by ciliated cells, the cilia of which partially obscured adjacent nonciliated cells. The involution of the luminal epithelium in moulting birds occurred via autophagy, apoptosis and necrosis. Autophagic inclusions, which included autophagosomes and autolysosomes, were present in the early degenerative phases of ciliated, nonciliated and mitochondrial cells. Nonciliated cells underwent degeneration via apoptosis, which was characterized by nuclear and cytoplasmic condensation. Apoptotic and necrotic ciliated cells were evident during the intermediate and advanced stages of regression. The presence of apoptotic cell death was confirmed using the TUNEL assay. Loss of cilia via the formation of cilia packets was observed using TEM and SEM. Necrotic cell death occurred in mitochondrial cells during the intermediate and late stages of degeneration. In conclusion, the findings of the study on isthmus involution in moulting birds suggest that autophagy is a process confined to the early stages of degeneration, while apoptosis and/or necrosis occur in the terminal stages of regression.
Probiotics promoted head growth in extremely low birthweight infants in a double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Wejryd Erik , Marchini Giovanna , Frimmel Veronica , Jonsson Baldvin , Abrahamsson Thomas
Published: July 2018

Aim

This study evaluated if oral supplementation with the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 improved enteral feeding tolerance and growth rates in extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants.

Method

A randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial comprising 134 ELBW (<1000 g) infants born before gestational week 28 + 0. Daily supplementation of L. reuteri (1.25 × 108 bacteria/day) or placebo started within 3 days and continued until gestational week 36 + 0. Primary outcome was feeding tolerance and secondary outcome growth rate calculated as z‐score development.

Results

Feeding tolerance was similar in the probiotic and placebo group. Time to full enteral feeds was 15 days in both groups. The z‐score of the head circumference decreased in both groups from birth to day 28 of life, but it decreased less in the L. reuteri group compared to the placebo group: −1.2 SD (95% CI: −1.4 to −1.0) versus −1.7 SD (95% CI: −2.0 to −1.5; p = 0.001). Other growth parameters were similar in the study groups.

Conclusion

Lactobacillus reuteri did not reduce time to reach full enteral feeds in ELBW infants. The L. reuteri supplemented infants, however, had a better growth rate of the head during the first month of life.
Intestinal macrophages and their interaction with the enteric nervous system in health and inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Meroni Elisa , Stakenborg Nathalie , Viola Maria Francesca , Boeckxstaens Guy E.
Published: July 2018

Over the past decades, there has been an increasing understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate modulation of the immune system by the autonomic nervous system. The discovery that vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) attenuates endotoxin‐induced experimental sepsis paved the way for further studies investigating neuro‐immune interaction. In particular, great attention is now given to intestinal macrophages: several studies report the existence of both intrinsic and extrinsic neural mechanisms by which intestinal immune homoeostasis can be regulated in different layers of the intestine, mainly by affecting macrophage activation through neurotransmitter release. Given the important role of inflammation in numerous disease processes, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cholinergic anti‐inflammatory mechanisms are under intense investigation both from a basic and clinical science perspective in immune‐mediated diseases such as IBD. This review discusses recent insights on the cross‐talk between enteric neurons and the immune system, especially focusing on macrophages, and provides an overview of basic and translational aspects of the cholinergic anti‐inflammatory response as therapeutic alternative to reinstall immune homoeostasis in intestinal chronic inflammation.
Editorial: ustekinumab and Crohn's disease—what can we learn from long‐term extension studies?
Authors: Gearry R. B. , Daker C.
Published: July 2018

Linked Content

This article is linked to Sandborn et al paper. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14794.
Electronic assessment of cardiovascular potentially inappropriate medications in an administrative population database
Authors: Ivanova Ivana , Elseviers Monique , Wettermark Bjorn , Schmidt Mende Katharina , Vander Stichele Robert , Christiaens Thierry
Published: July 2018

Aim

To explore the feasibility of the electronic assessment of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) criteria in a large administrative database and to explore the validity of the cardiovascular subset of PIM criteria, by studying the association with relevant outcome.

Method

A cohort study using administrative data from Stockholm County, Sweden (VAL database). Eligible for inclusion were community‐dwelling older people (≥65 years), alive in Stockholm County on 31 December 2015. We applied PIM criteria pertaining to the cardiovascular medication group (first‐level ATC C group), and we assessed the association between PIM use and mortality and hospitalisation.

Results

Patients’ (n = 315 120) mean age was 74.0 years (range 65‐114), and 54.7% were women. There were 111 cardiovascular PIM criteria in the repository, from which 44 were not registered or prescribed in our population. We excluded another 43 requiring information not available in the database, or duplicates, resulting in 24 applicable criteria. The prevalence of polypharmacy (≥ five medications) was 25.5% and the prevalence of at least one PIM use was 8.3%, including 2.8% underuse and 5.3% misuse. Patients with intake of ≥10 medications had 38% increased mortality risk compared to those with 0‐4 medications. Unplanned hospitalisation and emergency department visits were positively associated with underuse (12% and 25%, respectively) and misuse (13% and 12%, respectively).

Conclusion

It was feasible to select a subset of cardiovascular PIM criteria originating from different PIM lists and to apply this subset in an administrative database. Additionally, by applying this subset, we showed significant associations with clinical outcome.
Brief group‐based acceptance and commitment therapy for stroke survivors
Authors: Majumdar Sarah , Morris Reg
Published: July 2018

Objectives

To date, the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for stroke survivors has not been established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of group‐based ACT for stroke survivors in comparison with treatment as usual (TAU) controls.

Methods

Fifty‐three participants were randomly assigned either to group‐based ACT (ACTivate Your Life after Stroke) or to a TAU control group (60% male; mean age: 63 years). The ACT intervention consisted of four weekly 2‐hr didactic group sessions. Therapeutic effects were measured by examining changes in depression (primary outcome), anxiety, hope, health‐related quality of life, self‐rated health status, and mental well‐being. Measures were completed at pre‐treatment, post‐treatment, and 2‐month follow‐up. A mixed‐design repeated‐measures multivariate ANOVA was conducted to analyse the findings.

Results

Analysis based on intention to treat found that compared to participants in the TAU control, group‐based ACT significantly reduced depression and increased self‐rated health status and hopefulness in stroke survivors, with medium effect sizes. Significantly more participants reached clinically significant change of depression in the ACT intervention in comparison with the control group.

Conclusions

The results correspond with previous studies of group‐based ACT with other long‐term conditions. The findings from this current study suggest group‐based ACT may have promising utility and could offer a suitable low‐intensity psychological intervention for stroke survivors. However, further large‐scale research is required.

Practitioner points

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), delivered didactically to groups of stroke survivors, proved feasible and acceptable.

ACT had benefits, relative to treatment as usual, for depression, health status, and hope.

Several secondary outcome variables did not show dependable benefit for ACT: anxiety; health‐related quality of life; and mental well‐being.

Results should be treated as preliminary as the sample size was small, blinding was not possible, concomitant treatments were not monitored, and there was no attention control condition.

Despite these limitations, group‐based ACT merits further study as a potentially effective intervention.
Early Cognitive Precursors of Children's Mathematics Learning Disability and Persistent Low Achievement: A 5‐Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Zhang Xiao , Räsänen Pekka , Koponen Tuire , Aunola Kaisa , Lerkkanen Marja‐Kristiina , Nurmi Jari‐Erik
Published: July 2018

Mathematical difficulties have been distinguished as mathematics learning disability (MLD) and persistent low achievement (LA). Based on 1,880 Finnish children who were followed from kindergarten (age 6) to fourth grade, this study examined the early risk factors for MLD and LA. Distinct groups of MLD (6.0% of the sample) and LA (25.7%) children were identified on the basis of their mathematics performance between first and fourth grades with latent class growth modeling. Impairment in the same set of cognitive skills, including language, spatial, and counting skills, was found to underlie MLD and LA. The finding highlights the importance of monitoring mathematical development across the early grades and identifying early cognitive precursors of MLD and LA for screening and intervention efforts.
Electronic Clinical Decision Support System for allergic rhinitis management: MASK e‐CDSS
Authors: Courbis Anne‐Lise , Murray Ruth Brigid , Arnavielhe Sylvie , Caimmi Davide , Bedbrook Anna , Van Eerd Michiel , De Vries Govert , Dray Gerard , Agache Ioana , Morais‐Almeida Mario , Bachert Claus , Bergmann Karl Christian , Bosnic‐Anticevich Sinthia , Brozek Jan , Bucca Caterina , Camargos Paulo , Canonica Giorgio Walter , Carr Warner , Casale Thomas , Fonseca Joao A. , Haahtela Tari , Kalayci Omer , Klimek Ludger , Kuna Piotr , Kvedariene Violeta , Larenas Linnemann Desiree , Lieberman Phil , Mullol Joaquim , Ohehir Robyn , Papadopoulos Nikolaos , Price David , Ryan Dermot , Samolinski Boleslaw , Simons F. Estelle , Tomazic Peter , Triggiani Massimo , Valiulis Arunas , Valovirta Erkka , Wagenmann Martin , Wickman Magnus , Yorgancioglu Arzu , Bousquet Jean
Published: July 2018

Background

Allergic rhinitis (AR) management has changed in recent years following the switch from the concept of disease severity to the concept of disease control, publication of the AR clinical decision support system (CDSS) and development of mobile health (m‐health) tools for patients (eg Allergy Diary). The Allergy Diary Companion app for healthcare providers is currently being developed and will be launched in 2018. It incorporates the AR CDSS to provide evidence‐based treatment recommendations, linking all key stakeholders in AR management.

Objective

To produce an electronic version of the AR CDSS (e‐CDSS) for incorporation into the Allergy Diary Companion, to describe the app interfaces used to collect information necessary to inform the e‐CDSS and to summarize some key features of the Allergy Diary Companion.

Methods

The steps involved in producing the e‐CDSS and incorporating it into the Allergy Diary Companion were (a) generation of treatment management scenarios; (b) expert consensus on treatment recommendations; (c) generation of electronic decisional algorithms to describe all AR CDSS scenarios; (d) digitization of these algorithms to form the e‐CDSS; and (e) embedding the e‐CDSS into the app to permit easy user e‐CDSS interfacing.

Results

Key experts in the AR field agreed on the AR CDSS approach to AR management and on specific treatment recommendations provided by Allergy Diary Companion. Based on this consensus, decision processes were developed and programmed into the Allergy Diary Companion using Titanium Appcelerator (JavaScript) for IOS tablets. To our knowledge, this is the first time the development of any m‐health tool has been described in this transparent and detailed way, providing confidence, not only in the app, but also in the provided management recommendations.

Conclusion

The Allergy Diary Companion for providers provides guideline and expert‐endorsed AR management recommendations. [MASK paper No 32].
Effects of howler monkey reintroduction on ecological interactions and processes
Authors: Genes Luísa , Fernandez Fernando A. S. , Vaz‐de‐Mello Fernando Z. , da Rosa Patrícia , Fernandez Eduardo , Pires Alexandra S.
Published: July 2018

Rewilding has been an increasingly popular tool to restore plant–animal interactions and ecological processes impaired by defaunation. However, the reestablishment of such processes has seldom been assessed. We investigated the restoration of ecological interactions following the reintroduction of the brown howler monkey (Alouatta guariba) to a defaunated Atlantic forest site. We expected the reintroduction to restore plant–animal interactions and interactions between howlers and dung beetles, which promote secondary seed dispersal. We estimated the number of interactions expected to be restored by the reintroduction to provide the baseline interaction richness that could be restored. We followed the reintroduced howler monkeys twice a week for 24 months (337 hours total) to assess their diet. We used howler monkey dung in secondary seed dispersal experiments with 2484 seed mimics to estimate the removal rates by dung beetles and collected the beetles to assess community attributes. We compared the potential future contribution of howler monkeys and other frugivores to seed dispersal based on the seed sizes they disperse in other areas where they occur. In 2 years, howler monkeys consumed 60 animal‐dispersed plant species out of the 330 estimated. Twenty‐one dung beetle species were attracted to experimentally provided dung; most of them were tunnelers, nocturnal, and large‐sized (>10 mm). On average 30% (range 0–100%) of the large seed mimics (14 mm) were moved by dung beetles. About 91% of the species consumed by howlers (size range 0.3–34.3 mm) overlapped in seed size with those removed by dung beetles. In our study area, howler monkeys may consume more large‐seeded fruit species than most other frugivores, highlighting their potential to affect forest regeneration. Our results show reintroductions may effectively restore ecological links and enhance ecological processes.
Elevated ST2 levels are associated with antibody‐mediated rejection in heart transplant recipients
Authors: Grupper Avishay , AbouEzzeddine Omar F. , Maleszewski Joseph J. , Grupper Ayelet , Geske Jennifer R. , Kremers Walter K. , Kushwaha Sudhir S. , Pereira Naveen L.
Published: July 2018

Soluble ST2 (sST2) is a novel biomarker of inflammation and fibrosis. Elevated sST2 levels (≥35 ng/mL) are associated with worse outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). There are sparse data regarding the significance of sST2 levels after heart transplantation (HTx). The study aims were to evaluate trends in soluble ST2 levels after the resolution of HF status with HTx and association between post‐HTx sST2 levels and outcomes. Plasma sST2 levels were measured at baseline (median [IQR] of 118 days pre‐HTx) and 12 months post‐HTx in 62 subjects who were stratified into two groups by post‐HTx sST2 levels < or ≥35 ng/mL: “Group 1” or “Group 2,” respectively. Plasma sST2 levels were elevated in 58% of patients pre‐HTx and in 50% of patients post‐HTx. There was no association between elevated sST2 levels before and after HTx, and no significant differences in baseline characteristics between Group 1 and Group 2 patients. Group 2 as compared to Group 1 HTx recipients had significantly higher incidence of antibody‐mediated rejection (AMR) for the entire post‐transplant follow‐up period (32% vs 4%, P = 0.006). There was no association between post‐HTx sST2 level status and other post‐HTx outcomes including survival. In conclusion, elevated plasma sST2 levels after HTx are associated with increased risk for AMR.