bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification and clinical role of choroidal neovascularization characteristics based on optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Sulzbacher Florian , Pollreisz Andreas , Kaider Alexandra , Kickinger Stefan , Sacu Stefan , Schmidt‐Erfurth Ursula ,   the Vienna Eye Study Center
Published: January 2017

Purpose

To suggest a novel classification of neovascular age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) based on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to correlate morphological characteristics based on optical coherence tomography (OCT)/OCTA with clinical criteria of disease activity.

Methods

A total of 88 eyes with neovascular AMD (14 treatment‐naïve, 74 eyes following anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor treatment (VEGF)) were examined using the AngioVue OCTA system (Optovue, Inc., Fremont, CA, USA) and evaluated based on vascular morphology. Choroidal neovascularization (CNV)‐vessel morphology based on OCTA and associations with retinal layers were described and correlated with clinical markers of disease activity.

Results

In treatment‐naïve CNV, CNV‐vessel morphology based on OCTA showed a dense‐net configuration (DN) in 12 of 14 eyes, a loose‐net configuration (LN) in one of 14 eyes and an unidentifiable CNV pattern in one of 14 eyes, whereas in treated CNV, DN was registered in 43.2% (32/74), LN in 27% (20/74), DN with additional LN (mixed type) in 14.9% (11/74) and an unidentifiable CNV pattern in 14.9% (11/74). Clinical correlations revealed a significantly longer disease duration for LN with a median value of 4.3 years compared to DN with 2.0 years (p = 0.009) and for CNV involving the outer retina with 3.1 years compared to CNV not involving the outer retina with 1.9 years (p = 0.051).

Conclusion

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) allows identification of distinct CNV‐specific vascular patterns at the level of the outer retinal layer and choriocapillaris. Correlation with clinical and functional parameters may be useful to better understand pathophysiological mechanisms and guide efficient therapeutic strategies.
Stapling an extracorporeal Billroth‐I anastomosis by the complete double stapling technique after laparoscopy‐assisted distal gastrectomy
Authors: Tanaka Chie , Fujiwara Michitaka , Kanda Mitsuro , Murotani Kenta , Iwata Naoki , Hayashi Masamichi , Kobayashi Daisuke , Yamada Suguru , Nakayama Goro , Sugimoto Hiroyuki , Koike Masahiko , Fujii Tsutomu , Kodera Yasuhiro
Published: January 2017

Introduction

Laparoscopy‐assisted distal gastrectomy is one of the major treatments for early stage gastric cancer, particularly in the East Asia. In this method, extracorporeal anastomosis is performed via a small laparotomy wound, but excessive tissue traction may be encountered during the anastomotic procedure. Therefore, we developed an original procedure for extracorporeal Billroth‐I reconstruction: end‐to‐end stapling gastroduodenostomy with complete double stapling technique. This procedure aims to reduce the problems related to maneuvers through a small laparotomy.

Methods

An end‐to‐end anastomosis is constructed on the transection line using a circular stapler inserted from the distal end of the greater curvature of the remnant stomach. Short‐term outcomes were reviewed in 218 consecutive patients who underwent complete double stapling technique reconstruction after laparoscopy‐assisted distal gastrectomy between 2002 and 2012. Findings from GI endoscopy were reviewed in 110 patients.

Results

The mean operative time was 216 min, and mean blood loss was 163 mL. There was no conversion to the open surgery and no operative death. Eight patients (3.6%) had anastomosis‐related postoperative complications. In follow‐up endoscopic examinations 1 year after surgery, grade 3 or higher residual food was seen in 17.2% of patients. Gastritis extending to the entire remnant stomach was observed in 8.2% of patients, and grade 3 gastritis was seen in 2.7%. Los Angeles classification grade A or higher reflux esophagitis was found in 10.9%.

Conclusions

Billroth‐I reconstruction by the complete double stapling technique is a safe and feasible procedure. This method provides satisfactory short‐term outcomes, including the incidence of reflex remnant gastritis and esophagitis.
Crosstalk between sphingolipids and vitamin D3: potential role in the nervous system
Authors: Garcia‐Gil Mercedes , Pierucci Federica , Vestri Ambra , Meacci Elisabetta
Published: January 2017

Sphingolipids are both structural and bioactive compounds. In particular, ceramide and sphingosine 1‐phosphate regulate cell fate, inflammation and excitability. 1‐α,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) is known to play an important physiological role in growth and differentiation in a variety of cell types, including neural cells, through genomic actions mediated by its specific receptor, and non‐genomic effects that result in the activation of specific signalling pathways. 1,25(OH)2D3 and sphingolipids, in particular sphingosine 1‐phosphate, share many common effectors, including calcium regulation, growth factors and inflammatory cytokines, but it is still not known whether they can act synergistically. Alterations in the signalling and concentrations of sphingolipids and 1,25(OH)2D3 have been found in neurodegenerative diseases and fingolimod, a structural analogue of sphingosine, has been approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. This review, after a brief description of the role of sphingolipids and 1,25(OH)2D3, will focus on the potential crosstalk between sphingolipids and 1,25(OH)2D3 in neural cells.
Pharmacological inhibition of complement C5a‐C5a1 receptor signalling ameliorates disease pathology in the hSOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Lee John D , Kumar Vinod , Fung Jenny N T , Ruitenberg Marc J , Noakes Peter G , Woodruff Trent M
Published: January 2017

Background and Purpose

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal and rapidly progressing motor neuron disease without effective treatment. The complement system is up‐regulated in ALS, with recent studies indicating that the activation product C5a accelerates disease progression via the C5a1 receptor (C5aR1). We therefore examined the therapeutic effect of C5a1 receptor antagonism in hSOD1G93A mice, the most widely used preclinical model of ALS.

Experimental Approach

The selective and orally active C5a1 receptor antagonist, PMX205, was administered to hSOD1G93A mice in drinking water, both pre‐ and post‐disease onset. Blood, brain and spinal cord pharmacokinetics were performed using LC–MS/MS methods. Effects of PMX205 on hSOD1G93A disease progression was determined using body weight, hindlimb grip strength, survival time and blood analysis.

Key Results

PMX205 entered the intact CNS at pharmacologically active concentrations, with increased entry observed in hSOD1G93A mice as the disease progressed, in line with augmented blood–brain barrier breakdown. hSOD1G93A mice treated with PMX205 before disease onset had significantly improved hindlimb grip strength, slower disease progression and extended survival, compared with vehicle treatment. These improvements were associated with reductions in pro‐inflammatory monocytes and granulocytes and increases in T‐helper lymphocytes in peripheral blood. PMX205 treatment beginning 3 weeks following disease onset also attenuated disease progression, significantly extending survival.

Conclusion and Implications

These results confirm that C5a1 receptors play a pathogenic role in hSOD1G93A mice, further validating the C5a‐C5a1 receptor signalling axis as a potential therapeutic target to slow disease progression in ALS.
Sharing different perspectives to understand asbestos‐induced carcinogenesis: A comment to Jiang et al. (2016)
Authors: Gualtieri Alessandro Francesco
Published: January 2017

This letter reports some constructive observations on the recent findings by Jiang et al. Cancer Sci (2016) that have inspired a more general comment on how the research on asbestos should take advantage of the different existing multidisciplinary perspectives so to flow into a final comprehensive model of asbestos‐induced carcinogenesis.
The Journey to Children's Mindsets—and Beyond
Authors: Dweck Carol S.
Published: January 2017

My career has been devoted to understanding the nature, workings, and development of children's motivation. Starting with research on motivation in animals, I went on to study the motivational impact of children's attributions, achievement goals, and mindsets about their abilities. I have explored how socialization practices affect these mindsets, as well as how interventions that change children's mindsets can enhance their motivation and learning. I am now developing a broad theory that puts motivation and the formation of mindsets (or beliefs) at the heart of social and personality development. It is hoped that this will attract even more young scholars in developmental psychology to the study of motivation.
Retinal prosthesis that incorporates the organization of the nerve fibre layer
Authors: FitzGibbon Thomas
Published: January 2017

Recent efforts to restore partial vision in blind patients have made significant progress. Currently, prosthetic design concentrates on stimulating as many foveal retinal ganglion cells as possible but is hampered by stimulation of the nerve fibre layer. This results in a nonvisuotopic arrangement of phosphenes (stimulation percepts). This article suggests that by extending the stimulation area well beyond the fovea and stimulating the nerve fibre layer, axons from any remaining ganglion cells in more peripheral regions of the retina (low acuity) can be used to generate a visuotopic map. Stimulation of the fibre layer will generate a large number of stimulation percepts; however, it is unlikely that these will have sufficient topographic order to be immediately useful to the patient. Thus, it will be necessary to recreate an ordered visuotopic map by using appropriate computer algorithms and interactions between the patient and the clinician.
Community sidelined: The loss of community focus in differential response
Authors: Delaye Ashleigh , Sinha Vandna
Published: January 2017

Differential response (DR) first emerged as one component of a child welfare paradigm that emphasized the need to engage communities in supporting families and children. However, the role of community in differential response has received little attention in recent literature. We examine the intellectual history of these ideas, tracing changes in the framing of community engagement in relation to DR over time. We find that attention to community has been sidelined by an increasingly narrow definition of DR that focuses on the existence of an alternative approach to engaging with screened in families, rather than the building of community support networks. There is currently no clear and explicit theoretical framework connecting community engagement to DR. We find that the absence of such a framework has given rise to a series of conceptual debates about the definition and purpose of DR. The development of a literature that elucidates the topic of community engagement in DR may serve to resolve some of these debates.
Expanding the mutation spectrum in ICF syndrome: Evidence for a gender bias in ICF2
Authors: van den Boogaard M.L. , Thijssen P.E. , Aytekin C. , Licciardi F. , Kıykım A.A. , Spossito L. , Dalm V.A.S.H. , Driessen G.J. , Kersseboom R. , de Vries F. , van Ostaijen‐ten Dam M.M. , Ikinciogullari A. , Dogu F. , Oleastro M. , Bailardo E. , Daxinger L. , Nain E. , Baris S. , van Tol M.J.D. , Weemaes C. , van der Maarel S.M.
Published: January 2017

Background

Immunodeficiency, centromeric instability, and facial anomalies (ICF) syndrome is a rare, genetically heterogeneous, autosomal recessive disorder. Patients suffer from recurrent infections caused by reduced levels or absence of serum immunoglobulins. Genetically, 4 subtypes of ICF syndrome have been identified to date: ICF1 (DNMT3B mutations), ICF2 (ZBTB24 mutations), ICF3 (CDCA7 mutations), and ICF4 (HELLS mutations).

Aim

To study the mutation spectrum in ICF syndrome.

Materials and methods

Genetic studies were performed in peripheral blood lymphocyte DNA from suspected ICF patients and family members.

Results

We describe 7 ICF1 patients and 6 novel missense mutations in DNMT3B, affecting highly conserved residues in the catalytic domain. We also describe 5 new ICF2 patients, one of them carrying a homozygous deletion of the complete ZBTB24 locus. In a meta‐analysis of all published ICF cases, we observed a gender bias in ICF2 with 79% male patients.

Discussion

The biallelic deletion of ZBTB24 provides strong support for the hypothesis that most ICF2 patients suffer from a ZBTB24 loss of function mechanism and confirms that complete absence of ZBTB24 is compatible with human life. This is in contrast to the observed early embryonic lethality in mice lacking functional Zbtb24. The observed gender bias seems to be restricted to ICF2 as it is not observed in the ICF1 cohort.

Conclusion

Our study expands the mutation spectrum in ICF syndrome and supports that DNMT3B and ZBTB24 are the most common disease genes.
North American Trade Policy for Agriculture and Forestry: Can Economics Trump Politics?
Authors: Veeman Michele
Published: January 2017

Despite overwhelming evidence of benefits overall from lower barriers to trade in goods and services, the number of trade restrictions continues to grow. In some nations, nationalistic politicians who threaten to build walls between nations and reject both new and established trade treaties have gained considerable public support by fanning the resentment and anger of those left behind in a globalizing world. Trade and immigration have incorrectly been blamed. Instead, it should be recognized that economic growth has been fueled by technological and institutional changes that have been accelerated by trade and investment. While these changes improve standards of living overall and create new job opportunities, they also displace workers in high cost regions and industries. Perceptions of the fairness of distribution of gains from trade are likely to be improved where public policy effectively assists labor adjustment and mandates socially acceptable employment standards and safety nets. Possible ways to encourage improvements in communication of the benefits of growth that arise from trade and globalization are suggested.

Malgré des preuves accablantes démontrant les avantages généraux provenant de la réduction des barrières au commerce de biens et services, le nombre de ces restrictions continue d'augmenter. Certaines nations oú des politiciens nationalistes menacent la construction de murs frontaliers et rejettent les accords de commerce, autant nouveaux que déjà en vigueur, reçoivent un soutien public considérable en encourageant l'animosité et la colère de ceux qui se sentent exclus de la mondialisation. Le commerce et l'immigration portent sans raison le blâme. Il faut plutôt reconnaître la croissance économique nourrie par les changements technologiques et institutionnels, ces derniers accélérés par le commerce et l'investissement. Alors que ces changements améliorent, en général, les niveaux de vie et créent de nouvelles possibilités d'emplois, ils délogent aussi les travailleurs au sein d'industries à coût élevé. La perception de justice dans la répartition des gains de commerce pourrait s'améliorer là où les politiques publiques appuient efficacement les ajustements à la main‐d'œuvre et mandatent des normes de travail et des dispositions de soutien acceptables pour la société. L'article propose des moyens pour encourager des améliorations à la communication des avantages de la croissance provoquée par le commerce et la mondialisation.
A defined mix of cytokines mimics conditioned medium from cultures of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells and elicits bone regeneration
Authors: Katagiri Wataru , Sakaguchi Kohei , Kawai Takamasa , Wakayama Yukiko , Osugi Masashi , Hibi Hideharu
Published: January 2017

Objectives

We previously reported that conditioned medium from cultures of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells have strong potential to accelerate bone regeneration. We now examine in vitro and in vivo a defined cytokine cocktail that mimics the effects of conditioned medium on bone regeneration.

Materials and methods

A cocktail of recombinant human insulin‐like growth factor‐1, vascular endothelial growth factor‐A and transforming growth factor‐β1 was prepared at concentrations similar to those in conditioned medium. Conversely, these cytokines were depleted from conditioned medium, and the effects of the cocktail, the conditioned medium and the cytokine‐depleted conditioned medium on bone regeneration were evaluated in vitro and in vivo.

Results

The cytokine cocktail and conditioned medium enhanced cell migration, tube formation, and expression of osteogenic and angiogenic genes. Depletion of cytokines significantly decreased the effects of conditioned medium in vitro. Similarly, the cytokine cocktail and conditioned medium, but not cytokine‐depleted medium, increased bone regeneration in damaged rat calvarial bone. Immunohistochemistry indicated that the cytokine cocktail and conditioned medium strongly enhanced recruitment of endogenous stem cells and endothelial cells.

Conclusions

The data indicate that the cytokine cocktail and conditioned medium enhance the migration of stem cells and endothelial cells to damaged bone, and elicit osteogenesis and angiogenesis.
Floods affect the abundance of invasive Impatiens glandulifera and its spread from river corridors
Authors: Čuda Jan , Rumlerová Zuzana , Brůna Josef , Skálová Hana , Pyšek Petr
Published: January 2017

Aim

Riparian habitats are amongst the most invaded ecosystems world‐wide. The great abundance of invasive species in river corridors is attributed to the efficient transport of alien species’ propagules and reduced competition from native plants due to regular flooding. Once an invasive species has become established, river corridors can serve as stepping stones for spread into other habitats. We have chosen the Himalayan balsam Impatiens glandulifera Royle, highly invasive annual in riparian areas, as a model for spread of invasive species from linear river corridors.

Location

Central Europe.

Methods

We mapped its distribution and recorded its abundance in over 1200 patches along four rivers in central Europe, differing in the time of balsam's introduction (1900–1995). The patches were characterized in terms of the distance from the riverbank, height above the river surface, degree of soil disturbance and flooding regime.

Results

The patches at sites subject to flooding had twice as many individuals as those that were not subject to flooding, regardless of their distance from the riverbank and height above the river surface. There was a strong effect of the river identity, with river invaded 20 years ago being less infested than those invaded earlier. The distance from the riverbank at which the populations occurred differed and did not depend on river identity/residence time. The patches in tributaries were on average two times further from the bank of the main river than those located elsewhere.

Main conclusions

Flooding is an important factor affecting the abundance of I. glandulifera, and accounts for its spread and dominance along river corridors probably due to spreading the seeds, increasing nutrient availability and disturbing native vegetation. It is likely that the number of I. glandulifera populations will increase in the future, especially along small water courses.
Leadership, Dominance, and Preeminence in a Channel Structure with a Common Retailer
Authors: Fang Fang , Gurnani Haresh , Natarajan Harihara Prasad
Published: January 2017

As firms embrace collaborative principles, partners of varying strengths and standing are coming together to deliver products effectively to consumers. In a two‐tier collaborative channel, a partner's relative standing is manifest in the order in which wholesale and retail prices are determined; in turn, standing influences a partner's ability to achieve profits. We propose a framework, based on two factors that specify the strength of partners across channel tiers (channel leadership) and within a tier (echelon dominance) and together determine a partner's standing in the pricing process, to effectively study various channel strength scenarios. Our analysis of Stackelberg games corresponding to these scenarios reveals interesting insights regarding the impact of channel leadership and echelon dominance, both individually and jointly. For instance, we show that the presence of a dominant player in the upstream manufacturing tier benefits both the dominant and the weak manufacturers. The leadership‐dominance framework also allows us to study the effect of a retailer's sequencing of its pricing of the two manufacturers’ products. By embedding the retailer's timing choices in channel strength scenarios, we find that both the retailer and weak manufacturer prefer that the retailer set prices for the two products simultaneously; in contrast, the echelon‐dominant manufacturer benefits from the retailer sequentially pricing the manufacturers’ products. Our analysis also covers preeminent channel leaders that control both wholesale and retail prices, finding that preeminent partners achieve significant gains and consumers benefit from low retail prices. Moreover, the weak manufacturer benefits from the presence of a preeminent manufacturer.
Superstorm Sandy and the academic achievement of university students
Authors: Doyle Matthew D. , Lockwood Brian , Comiskey John G.
Published: January 2017

Much of the literature on the consequences of natural disasters has focused on their physical and psychological ramifications. Few researchers have considered how the impacts of a natural disaster can influence academic achievement. This study analyses data collected from nearly 300 students at a mid‐sized, private university in the northeast United States to determine if the effects of Cyclone Sandy in 2012 are associated with measures of academic achievement. The findings reveal that experiencing headaches after the event resulted in a higher likelihood of students suffering a loss of academic motivation. In addition, experiencing headaches and a loss of academic motivation were correlated with a lower grade point average (GPA) during the semester in which Sandy made landfall. However, the more direct effects of the superstorm, including displacement and a loss of power, did not have a significant bearing on academic achievement. Lastly, the paper examines the implications for higher education policy and future research.
Intensive upper‐ and lower‐extremity training for children with bilateral cerebral palsy: a quasi‐randomized trial
Authors: Bleyenheuft Yannick , Ebner‐Karestinos Daniela , Surana Bhavini , Paradis Julie , Sidiropoulos Alexis , Renders Anne , Friel Kathleen M , Brandao Marina , Rameckers Eugene , Gordon Andrew M
Published: January 2017

Aim

An approach that simultaneously engages both the upper and lower extremities, hand–arm bimanual intensive therapy including lower extremity (HABIT‐ILE), has recently demonstrated improvements in upper and lower extremities in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). It is not known whether children with bilateral CP would benefit from this approach. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of HABIT‐ILE in children with bilateral CP.

Method

A quasi‐randomized trial design was used, whereby 20 participants (age 6–15y, Gross Motor Function Classification System levels II–IV, Manual Ability Classification System levels I–III) were assigned to a treatment (HABIT‐ILE) or a comparison group in the order in which they were enrolled. Children in the HABIT‐ILE group were assessed before and after 84 hours of intervention over 13 days, as well as at 3 months’ follow‐up. Children in the comparison group were assessed at the same time points. Children in both groups were assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM‐66) and ABILHAND‐Kids (primary measures), and six secondary measures.

Results

A group×test session interaction indicated significant improvements in the HABIT‐ILE group as assessed by the GMFM‐66, lower‐extremity performance (6‐Minute Walk Test; Pediatric Balance Scale), functional upper‐extremity abilities (ABILHAND‐Kids/Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory), and the dexterity of the less affected upper extremity.

Conclusion

HABIT‐ILE is efficacious for improving both upper‐ and lower‐extremity function in children with bilateral CP.
Perampanel in refractory epilepsies: what real‐life experience tells us
Authors: Rubboli Guido
Published: January 2017

This commentary is on the original article by Heyman et al. on pages 441–444 of this issue.
The emerging role of metformin in gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Gray Susan G. , McGuire Treasure M. , Cohen Neale , Little Peter J.
Published: January 2017

Metformin use during pregnancy is controversial and there is disparity in the acceptance of metformin treatment in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Australia. Despite short term maternal and neonatal safety measures, the placental transfer of metformin during GDM treatment and the absence of long‐term safety data in offspring has regulators and prescribers cautious about its use. To determine the current role in GDM management, this literature review describes the physiological changes that occur in GDM and other forms of diabetes in pregnancy (DIP) and international changes in guidelines for GDM diagnosis. Management options are considered, with a focus on the evolving evidence for metformin, its mechanism of action, the maternal, foetal and neonatal outcomes associated with its use and benefit vs risk when compared with the current gold standard, insulin. Investigation reveals a favourable balance of evidence to support the safety and long‐term benefits, to mother and child, of using metformin as an alternate to insulin for treatment of GDM. Recent findings of the gastrointestinal‐directed action of metformin are at least as important as the hepatic effect and the availability of a novel delayed‐release metformin dose form to exploit this new information provides a product and therapeutic strategy ideally suited to the use of metformin in GDM.
Impact of insulin sensitivity, beta‐cell function and glycaemic control on initiation of second‐line glucose‐lowering treatment in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes
Authors: Rathmann Wolfgang , Strassburger Klaus , Bongaerts Brenda , Bobrov Pavel , Kuss Oliver , Müssig Karsten , Markgraf Daniel F. , Szendroedi Julia , Herder Christian , Roden Michael ,   for the GDS Group
Published: January 2017

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate whether insulin sensitivity, beta‐cell function or glycaemic control at diagnosis predict initiation of second‐line treatment in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

Research design and methods

Type 2 diabetes patients (n = 138) undergoing initial metformin monotherapy (age [mean ± SD], 52 ± 10 years; 67% males; BMI, 32 ± 6 kg/m2) from the prospective German Diabetes Study cohort (n = 398) were included. Patients remained under care of their general practitioners, yet underwent detailed metabolic characterization after diabetes diagnosis for study purposes (hyperinsulinemic‐euglycemic clamp,
M
value; i.v. glucose tolerance test, incremental C‐peptide area under the curve0‐60 minutes, CP iAUC). The associations of baseline
M
value, CP iAUC, fasting glucose and HbA1c with time to second‐line therapy were assessed using parametric survival analysis, accounting for interval‐censoring.

Results

Second‐line treatment was initiated in 26% of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients within the first 3.3 years after diagnosis, using mostly DPP‐4 inhibitors or GLP‐1 receptor agonists (64%). In age‐, sex‐ and BMI‐adjusted survival models, higher baseline HbA1c and fasting glucose values were associated with earlier treatment intensification. Lower baseline
M
value and C‐peptide secretion (CP iAUC) were also related to an earlier initiation of second‐line treatment. In the best multivariable model, baseline HbA1c ≥ 7% (hazard ratio, HR; 95% CI: 3.18; 1.35‐7.50) and fasting glucose ≥140 mg/dL (HR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.04‐5.78) were associated with shorter time to second‐line therapy, adjusting for age, sex and BMI.

Conclusions

Baseline hyperglycaemia is a strong predictor of requirement of early intensification of glucose‐lowering therapy in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.
Non‐random patterns of invasion and extinction reduce phylogenetic diversity in island bird assemblages
Authors: Baiser Benjamin , Valle Dennis , Zelazny Zoe , Burleigh J. Gordon
Published: January 2017

Anthropogenically driven changes in bird communities on oceanic islands exemplify the biotic upheaval experienced by island floras and faunas. While the influence of invasions and extinctions on species richness and beta‐diversity of island bird assemblages has been explored, little is known about the impact of these invasions and extinctions on phylogenetic diversity. Here we quantify phylogenetic diversity of island bird assemblages resulting from extinctions alone, invasions alone, and the combination of extinctions and invasions in the historic time period (1500 CE to the current), and compare it to the expected phylogenetic diversity that would result if these processes involved randomly selected island bird species. We assessed phylogenetic diversity and structure at the scale of the island (n = 152), the archipelago containing the islands (n = 22), and the four oceans containing the archipelagos using three measures. We found that extinction, invasion, and the combination of invasion and extinction generally resulted in lower phylogenetic diversity than expected, regardless of the spatial scale examined. We conclude that extinction and invasion of birds on islands are non‐random with respect to phylogeny and that these processes generally leave bird assemblages with lower phylogenetic diversity than we would expect under random invasion or extinction.
Viral encephalitis after haplo‐identical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Causative viral spectrum, characteristics, and risk factors
Authors: Zhang Xiao‐Hui , Zhang Jia‐Min , Han Wei , Chen Huan , Chen Yu‐Hong , Wang Feng‐Rong , Wang Jing‐Zhi , Zhang Yuan‐Yuan , Mo Xiao‐Dong , Chen Yao , Wang Yu , Chang Ying‐Jun , Xu Lan‐Ping , Liu Kai‐Yan , Huang Xiao‐Jun
Published: January 2017

Objective

To retrospectively identify characteristics and risk factors of viral encephalitis (VE) in patients who underwent a haplo‐identical hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).

Methods

A nested case‐control study was designed. Cases with VE and controls were identified from a cohort composed of 1274 patients who underwent a haplo‐identical HSCT from 2012 to 2015.

Results

VE was identified in 30 patients (2.4%). The median time from HSCT to diagnosis was 144.5 days. The viruses detected included RSV‐B (43.3%), BKV (23.3%), more than one virus (10%), cytomegalovirus (CMV) (6.7%), RSV‐A (6.7%), HSV (3.3%), HHV‐6 (3.3%), and CVB3 (3.3%). Alterations of consciousness and seizures were the most frequently presented symptoms. Neuroimaging detected abnormalities in 19 (76%) patients. The cerebral spinal fluid cell count, protein, and glucose concentration were elevated in eight (26.7%), 18(60%), and nine (30%) patients, respectively. The treatment efficacy and prognoses varied considerably based on the different causative viruses. Multivariate analyses revealed that acute graft‐versus‐host disease (grade III‐IV), CMV viremia, and engraftment syndrome were significantly and independently associated with VE. The cumulative mortality rate was significantly higher in patients suffering from VE than in the controls.

Conclusion

Characteristics, such as onset time, response to treatment, and outcome, varied based on the different causative viruses.
Multi‐mode fluctuating selection in host–parasite coevolution
Authors: Ashby Ben , Boots Mike
Published: January 2017

Understanding fluctuating selection is important for our understanding of patterns of spatial and temporal diversity in nature. Host–parasite theory has classically assumed fluctuations either occur between highly specific genotypes (matching allele: MA) or from specialism to generalism (gene‐for‐gene: GFG). However, while MA can only generate one mode of fluctuating selection, we show that GFG can in fact produce both rapid ‘within‐range’ fluctuations (among genotypes with identical levels of investment but which specialise on different subsets of the population) and slower cycling ‘between ranges’ (different levels of investment), emphasising that MA is a subset of GFG. Our findings closely match empirical observations, although sampling rates need to be high to detect these novel dynamics empirically. Within‐range cycling is an overlooked process by which fluctuating selection can occur in nature, suggesting that fluctuating selection may be a more common and important process than previously thought in generating and maintaining diversity.
Global exposure of carnivores to roads
Authors: Ceia‐Hasse Ana , Borda‐de‐Água Luís , Grilo Clara , Pereira Henrique M.
Published: January 2017

Aim

Land‐use change is a major threat to biodiversity globally. Roads cause direct mortality and limitation of individual movements, which may isolate populations and affect their viability in the long term. Here we provide the first comprehensive global assessment of the exposure of terrestrial mammalian carnivores to roads using an integrated modelling framework.

Location

Global.

Methods

We estimated critical road densities and critical patch sizes for each species based on a spatially explicit model and life‐history traits. We calculated the distribution of landscape fragment sizes for each carnivore species by intersecting global road density with each species range. The proportion of a species’ geographical range with fragments below the critical patch size is used as an index of the vulnerability to roads.

Results

We found that the carnivores expected to be most exposed to roads belong to families Felidae, Ursidae, Mustelidae, Canidae and Procyonidae. Approximately one‐third of the species most affected have not been identified by the IUCN as threatened by roads. Our model projects time to extinction that may be as low as one century for some species, such as the endangered Iberian lynx. Species are expected to be more exposed in areas with medium to high road density but, surprisingly, also in areas where road density is relatively low. Hotspots of the number of species locally endangered by roads occur in North America and Asia.

Main conclusions

Our results suggest the need to reassess the status and threats of those species that have not been previously recognized as strongly affected by roads. Our framework can be applied at different spatial scales, to assess the effects of the development of the road network and inform prioritization schemes for road building, and to identify areas for conservation, and species requiring particular mitigation and restoration measures.
The indirect role of species‐level factors in biological invasions
Authors: Peoples Brandon K. , Goforth Reuben R.
Published: January 2017

Aim

Biological invasions are driven by factors related to species, locations and events. Species‐level factors (namely functional traits) often distinguish successful invaders from other groups of species in trait‐only analyses. However, traits are routinely found to be much less important than event‐level (e.g. propagule pressure) or location‐level (e.g. abiotic or congeneric effects) factors when included in the same model. We hypothesized that this rift exists largely because traits have (often overlooked) indirect effects that affect invasion success by influencing other mechanisms.

Location

Global.

Methods

We developed a conceptual path diagram hypothesizing indirect effects on invasion success of species traits directly affecting (1) native range size, (2) propagule pressure, and (3) climate matching between native and non‐native ranges. We used structural equation modelling to evaluate our hypothesis using open‐access datasets on: (1) the naturalization success of non‐nativePinusin New Zealand (McGregoret al., 2012,Diversity and Distributions,18, 1013–1023), and (2) the global establishment success of non‐native reptiles (Mahoneyet al., 2015,Diversity and Distributions,21, 64–74). Both these studies found little to no direct importance of traits on invasion success.

Results

Our analyses revealed indirect effects of species traits and native range size on invasion success. Traits indirectly affectedPinusnaturalization success and reptile establishment success by affecting introduction effort and native range size. Consistent with the original analyses, traits had little measurable direct effect on invasion success.

Main conclusions

Species‐level factors have both direct and indirect roles in biological invasions. Consideration of the indirect effects of functional traits may help to reconcile disparities in findings on the relative role of traits versus other contributors to the invasion process.
Exploring the literary map: An analytical review of online literary mapping projects
Authors: Luchetta Sara
Published: January 2017

With the improvement in digital mapping technologies and their accessibility, a great potential for the mapping of new things is emerging, as is the case with literary mapping. Drawing from a manifold theoretical framework, this article aims to involve readers from different fields of study in the complexity of literary cartography in the digital era. Starting from recent studies regarding the relationships between literature and cartography and from the ontogenetic turn in map studies, the article examines digital literary mapping projects where cartographic representations are produced by readers as analytical tools and/or as reading practices for literary texts. In order to uncover the trends of literary mappings, the paper focuses on three different processes/elements of the practice: projects' processes of data collection, the tools used to map out texts, and the developers of the projects. Beyond involving the reader with the state of this practice, the paper aims at providing hints for future literary mapping practices.
Ablation resistance of SiC‐modified ZrC coating prepared by SAPS for SiC‐coated carbon/carbon composites
Authors: Jia Yujun , Li Hejun , Sun Jiajia , Li Lu , Fu Qiangang
Published: January 2017

This study evaluated the ablation resistance of ZrC/SiC coating for carbon/carbon (C/C) composites at different temperatures and heat fluxes, which improved the researches on ultra‐high temperature oxidation of ZrC/SiC system. Results showed that the protection of coating depended on temperature and heat flux. Ablation test for 120 seconds under heat flux of 2.4 MW/m2 at 2270°C revealed a good ablation resistance, with the linear ablation rate reduced by 96.4% and the mass gain rate increased by 383.3% compared with those of pure ZrC coating. The good ablation resistance was attributed to the formation of dense oxide scale surface. SiC could improve the compactness of the oxide scale at this temperature by forming SiO2. A dense scale could not form at 2105°C after ablation for 120 seconds, resulting in a dissatisfactory ablation resistance of the coating. After ablation for 120 seconds at 1738°C, the coating was integrated due to the protection of glassy SiO2 encapsulated ZrO2. The coating could not resist the strong shear force from the flame at heat flux of 4.2 MW/m2 and was severely damaged after ablation for 60 seconds.
Audit Quality, Earnings Management, and Cost of Equity Capital: Evidence from India
Authors: Houqe Muhammad Nurul , Ahmed Kamran , van Zijl Tony
Published: January 2017

This study examines the effect of audit quality on earnings management and cost of equity capital of listed companies in India. Our results show that companies employing a high‐quality auditor have a lower degree of earnings management and lower cost of equity capital. The results also show that companies belonging to business groups have a lower degree of earnings management and lower cost of equity capital than do stand‐alone companies but that they benefit less from employing a high‐quality auditor. Our results are based on a large sample of 7,303 firm‐year observations on listed companies in India and are robust to alternative measures for our main variables – audit quality, earnings management, and cost of capital – and to tests for endogeneity and the impact of the global financial crisis (GFC). Given the distinctive and unique institutional features of the Indian market such as the dominant role of family business groups in the national economy, large market share of domestic audit firms, less litigious environment, and less effective professional accounting bodies in checking audit failure, our findings make a significant contribution to the literature on the role of audit quality as a corporate governance monitoring mechanism as reflected in the impact on earnings management and cost of equity capital.
Anti‐retroviral antibody FcγR‐mediated effector functions
Authors: Bournazos Stylianos , Ravetch Jeffrey V.
Published: January 2017

The antiviral activity of antibodies reflects the bifunctional properties of these molecules. While the Fab domains mediate highly specific antigenic recognition to block virus entry, the Fc domain interacts with diverse types of Fcγ receptors (FcγRs) expressed on the surface of effector leukocytes to induce the activation of distinct immunomodulatory pathways. Fc‐FcγR interactions are tightly regulated to control IgG‐mediated inflammation and immunity and are largely determined by the structural heterogeneity of the IgG Fc domain, stemming from differences in the primary amino acid sequence of the various subclasses, as well as the structure and composition of the Fc‐associated N‐linked glycan. Engagement of specific FcγR types on effector leukocytes has diverse consequences that affect several aspects of innate and adaptive immunity. In this review, we provide an overview of the complexity of FcγR‐mediated pathways, discussing their role in the in vivo protective activity of anti‐HIV‐1 antibodies. We focus on recent studies on broadly neutralizing anti‐HIV‐1 antibodies that revealed that Fc‐FcγR interactions are required to achieve full therapeutic activity through clearance of IgG‐opsonized virions and elimination of HIV‐infected cells. Manipulation of Fc‐FcγR interactions to specifically activate distinct FcγR‐mediated pathways has the potential to affect downstream effector responses, influencing thereby the in vivo protective activity of anti‐HIV‐1 antibodies; a strategy that has already been successfully applied to other IgG‐based therapeutics, substantially improving their clinical efficacy.
Genetic and structural analyses of affinity maturation in the humoral response to HIV‐1
Authors: Kepler Thomas B. , Wiehe Kevin
Published: January 2017

Most broadly neutralizing antibodies (BNAbs) elicited in response to HIV‐1 infection are extraordinarily mutated. One goal of HIV‐1 vaccine development is to induce antibodies that are similar to the most potent and broad BNAbs isolated from infected subjects. The most effective BNAbs have very high mutation frequencies, indicative of the long periods of continual activation necessary to acquire the BNAb phenotype through affinity maturation. Understanding the mutational patterns that define the maturation pathways in BNAb development is critical to vaccine design efforts to recapitulate through vaccination the successful routes to neutralization breadth and potency that have occurred in natural infection. Studying the mutational changes that occur during affinity maturation, however, requires accurate partitioning of sequence data into B‐cell clones and identification of the starting point of a B‐cell clonal lineage, the initial V(D)J rearrangement. Here, we describe the statistical framework we have used to perform these tasks. Through the recent advancement of these and similar computational methods, many HIV‐1 ancestral antibodies have been inferred, synthesized and their structures determined. This has allowed, for the first time, the investigation of the structural mechanisms underlying the affinity maturation process in HIV‐1 antibody development. Here, we review what has been learned from this atomic‐level structural characterization of affinity maturation in HIV‐1 antibodies and the implications for vaccine design.
How IT executives create organizational benefits by translating environmental strategies into Green IS initiatives
Authors: Loeser Fabian , Recker Jan , Brocke Jan vom , Molla Alemayehu , Zarnekow Ruediger
Published: January 2017

Organizations increasingly recognize that environmental sustainability is an urgent problem. Green information systems (Green IS) initiatives can assist organizations in reaching their environmental goals by providing the ability to reduce the environmental impacts of information technology (IT) manufacturing, operations and disposal; facilitate transparency and enhance the efficiency of organizational resources and business processes; and foster eco‐products through technological innovation. However, the nature and type of benefits such initiatives can accrue remain poorly understood, and accordingly, IT executives struggle to integrate environmental aspects in the corporate strategy and to launch Green IS initiatives. This paper clarifies the mechanisms that link organizational beliefs about environmental sustainability to Green IT and Green IS actions undertaken, and the organizational benefits that accrue from these actions. Using data from a global survey of 118 senior‐level IT executives, we find that Green IS strategies mediate the relationship between environmental orientation and the implementation of Green IT practices and Green IS practices, which in turn lead to organizational benefits in the form of cost reductions, corporate reputation enhancement and Green innovation capabilities. Our findings have implications for the potential of IS to enable organizations' environmental sustainability and also for the differentiation of Green IT and Green IS practices.
Nutritional stimulation of commensal oral bacteria suppresses pathogens: the prebiotic concept
Authors: Slomka Vera , Hernandez‐Sanabria Emma , Herrero Esteban Rodriguez , Zaidel Lynette , Bernaerts Kristel , Boon Nico , Quirynen Marc , Teughels Wim
Published: January 2017

Aim

To identify potential oral prebiotics that selectively stimulate commensal, albeit beneficial bacteria of the resident oral microbial community while suppressing the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

Material and Methods

Using Phenotype MicroArrays as a high‐throughput method, the change in respiratory activity of 16 oral bacteria in response to 742 nutritional compounds was screened. Most promising prebiotic compounds were selected and applied in single species growth and biofilm formation assays, as well as dual species (beneficial‐pathogen) competition assays.

Results

Increased respiratory activity could not always be related to an increase in growth or biofilm formation. Six compounds were used in dual species competition assays to directly monitor if selective nutritional stimulation of the beneficial bacterium results in the suppression of the pathogenic bacterium. Two compounds, beta‐methyl‐d‐galactoside and N‐acetyl‐d‐mannosamine, could be identified as potential oral prebiotic compounds, triggering selectively beneficial oral bacteria throughout the experiments and shifting dual species biofilm communities towards a beneficial dominating composition at in vitro level.

Conclusion

Our observations support the hypothesis that nutritional stimulation of beneficial bacteria by prebiotics could be used to restore the microbial balance in the oral cavity and by this promote oral health.