bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated With Postoperative Confusion and Prolonged Hospital Stay Following Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery for Parkinson Disease
Authors: Abboud Hesham , Genc Gencer , Saad Saira , Thompson Nicolas , Oravivattanakul Srivadee , Alsallom Faisal , Yu Xin Xin , Floden Darlene , Gostkowski Michal , Ahmed Anwar , Ezzeldin Ayman , Marouf Hazem M , Mansour Ossama Y , Fernandez Hubert H
Published: July 2019

BACKGROUND

Several patient and disease characteristics are thought to influence DBS outcomes; however, most previous studies have focused on long-term outcomes with only a few addressing immediate postoperative course.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate predictors of immediate outcomes (postoperative confusion and length of postoperative hospitalization) following deep brain stimulation surgery (DBS) in Parkinson disease (PD) patients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of PD patients who underwent DBS at our institution from 2006 to 2011. We computed the proportion of patients with postoperative confusion and those with postoperative hospitalization longer than 2 d. To look for associations, Fisher's exact tests were used for categorical predictors and logistic regression for continuous predictors.

RESULTS

We identified 130 patients [71% male, mean age: 63 ± 9.1, mean PD duration: 10.7 ± 5.1]. There were 7 cases of postoperative confusion and 19 of prolonged postoperative hospitalization. Of the 48 patients with tremors, none had postoperative confusion, whereas 10.1% of patients without tremors had confusion (P = .0425). Also, 10.2% of patients with preoperative falls/balance-dysfunction had postoperative confusion, whereas only 1.6% of patients without falls/balance-dysfunction had postoperative confusion (P = .0575). For every one-unit increase in score on the preoperative on-UPDRS III/MDS-UPDRS III score, the odds of having postoperative confusion increased by 10% (P = .0420). The following factors were noninfluential: age, disease duration, dyskinesia, gait freezing, preoperative levodopa-equivalent dose, number of intraoperative microelectrode passes, and laterality/side of surgery.

CONCLUSION

Absence of tremors and higher preoperative UPDRS III predicted postoperative confusion after DBS in PD patients. Clinicians’ awareness of these predictors can guide their decision making regarding patient selection and surgical planning.
Why are some African countries succeeding in their democratic transitions while others are failing?
Authors: Coulibaly Dramane , Omgba Luc Désiré
Published: July 2019

This paper investigates the determinants of the disparities in the levels of democracy in Africa. Taking the end of the Cold War as a quasi-natural experiment for African countries, we find a robust positive relationship between the share of the emigrant population in the 1970s–1980s and the outcome of democratic transitions in the countries of origin of emigrants. Additionally, the effect of emigration on democracy decreases according to the duration of the migrant population in the host countries: the longer the duration of the migrant population, the greater the impact on democracy, ceteris paribus. The supportive evidence demonstrates that a larger population of emigrants enabled citizens to develop an independent civil society. In contrast, a small emigrant population during autocratic rule did not allow such development. In this case, the incumbents retained their bargaining power and determined the agenda of the transitions; consequently, institutional changes were less likely to occur.
Microbrook, Mesobrook, Macrobrook
Authors: Jilke Sebastian , Olsen Asmus Leth , Resh William , Siddiki Saba
Published: July 2019

This article assesses the field of public administration from a conceptual and methodological perspective. We urge public administration scholars to resolve the ambiguities that mire our scholarship due to the inadequate treatment of levels of analysis in our research. Overall, we encourage methodological accountability through a more explicit characterization of one’s research by the level of analysis to which it relates. We argue that this particular form of accountability is critical for effective problem solving for advancing theory and practice.
Responsiveness and Minimal Important Change for Pain and Disability Outcome Measures in Pregnancy-Related Low Back and Pelvic Girdle Pain
Authors: Ogollah Reuben , Bishop Annette , Lewis Martyn , Grotle Margreth , Foster Nadine E
Published: July 2019

Background

Pregnancy-related low back pain and pelvic girdle pain (LBP/PGP) are common and negatively impact the lives of many pregnant women. Several patient-based outcome instruments measure treatment effect, but there is no consensus about which measure to use with women who have these pain presentations.

Objective

The objective was to compare the responsiveness of 3 outcome measures in LBP/PGP: Oswestry Disability Index-version 2.0 (ODI), Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire (PGQ), and 0 to 10 numerical rating scale for pain severity (NRS); and to estimate a minimal important change (MIC) for these measures in pregnancy-related LBP/PGP.

Design

This was a methodology study using data from a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Women (N = 124) with pregnancy-related LBP/PGP were recruited to a pilot randomized controlled trial evaluating the benefit of adding acupuncture to standard care, of whom 90 completed an 8-week follow-up. Responsiveness was evaluated by examining correlation between change score and the external anchor (6-point global perceived effect scale) and by using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. MIC was estimated using anchor-based methods.

Results

All measures showed good responsiveness, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranging from 0.77 to 0.90. The estimated MICs were 3.1, 11.0, 9.4, 13.3, and 1.3 for the ODI, PGQ-total, PGQ-activity, PGQ-symptoms, and NRS, respectively. All the measures, apart from ODI, had MICs larger than the measurement error.

Limitations

The lack of an optimal “gold standard” or external criterion for assessing responsiveness and MIC was a limitation of this study.

Conclusion

All 3 outcome measures demonstrated good responsiveness. MICs were derived for each instrument. The PGQ at 8 weeks postrandomization was identified as an appropriate outcome measure for pregnancy-related LBP/PGP because it is specific to these pain presentations and assesses both activity limitations and symptoms. The NRS is an efficient, shorter alternative.
Acoustomicrofluidic separation of tardigrades from raw cultures for sample preparation
Authors: Afzal Muhammad , Park Jinsoo , Destgeer Ghulam , Ahmed Husnain , Iqrar Syed Atif , Kim Sanghee , Kang Sunghyun , Alazzam Anas , Yoon Tae-Sung , Sung Hyung Jin
Published: July 2019

Tardigrades are microscopic animals widely known for their ability to survive in extreme conditions. They are the focus of current research in the fields of taxonomy, biogeography, genomics, proteomics, development, space biology, evolution and ecology. Tardigrades, such as Hypsibius exemplaris, are being advocated as a next-generation model organism for genomic and developmental studies. The raw culture of H. exemplaris usually contains tardigrades themselves, their eggs, faeces and algal food. Experimentation with tardigrades often requires the demanding and laborious separation of tardigrades from raw samples to prepare pure and contamination-free tardigrade samples. In this paper, we propose a two-step acoustomicrofluidic separation method to isolate tardigrades from raw samples. In the first step, a passive microfluidic filter composed of an array of traps is used to remove large algal clusters in the raw sample. In the second step, a surface acoustic wave-based active microfluidic separation device is used to deflect tardigrades continuously from their original streamlines inside the microchannel and thus isolate them selectively from algae and eggs. The experimental results demonstrated the efficient separation of tardigrades, with a recovery rate of 96% and an impurity of 4% algae on average in a continuous, contactless, automated, rapid and biocompatible manner.
Botryosphaeriaceae Fungi as Causal Agents of Dieback and Corky Bark in Rambutan and Longan
Authors: Serrato-Diaz L. M. , Aviles-Noriega A. , Soto-Bauzó A. , Rivera-Vargas L. I. , Goenaga R. , Bayman P.
Published: July 2019

Fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae family cause dieback, fruit rots, and stem cankers in many tropical fruit trees. To identify which species of Botryosphaeriaceae were present in tropical fruit in Puerto Rico and the symptoms they cause in rambutan and longan, a disease survey was conducted throughout the island from 2008 to 2016. Diseased organs of rambutan, longan, mango, and tangerine were collected and 39 isolates belonging to the Botryosphaeriaceae family were isolated and identified. Phylogenetic analysis of three nuclear genes identified nine species: six Lasiodiplodia spp. and three Neofusicoccum spp. All 39 isolates were inoculated on healthy 1-year-old rambutan and longan seedlings to confirm their pathogenicity. Dieback on both rambutan and longan was observed at 14 days after inoculation (DAI). Fourteen isolates from seven Botryosphaeriaceae species (Lasiodiplodia brasiliensis, L. hormozganensis, L. iraniensis, L. pseudotheobromae, L. theobromae, Neofusicoccum batangarum, and N. parvum) caused dieback in rambutan. Five of these pathogenic isolates were collected from rambutan, four from longan, two from mango, and three from tangerine. Ten isolates of four Lasiodiplodia spp. caused dieback in longan: L. hormozganensis, L. iraniensis, L. pseudotheobromae and L. theobromae,. Of these, three were collected from rambutan, three from longan, one from mango, and three from tangerine. Abundant development of pycnidia on branches, called corky bark, were observed on both rambutan and longan 60 DAI. Cross-inoculations showed that pathogenicity is wide in spectrum, indicating that different planting alternatives should be considered for better crop management.
Effect of Application Rate and Timing on Residual Efficacy of Pyraclostrobin in the Control of Pepper Anthracnose
Authors: Gao Y. Y. , Li X. X. , He L. F. , Li B. X. , Mu W. , Liu F.
Published: July 2019

Anthracnose is a devastating disease that seriously affects pepper production worldwide. Anthracnose management is currently a major problem because of the widespread and long period of infection of this disease. Therefore, determination of the optimal fungicide application timing is important for controlling anthracnose in a timely manner . In vitro sensitivity tests showed no significant difference in the pyraclostrobin sensitivity of Colletotrichum scovillei collected from 2016 and 2017, with mean half maximal effective concentration values of 0.349 to 0.542 and 0.0475 to 0.0639 mg/liter for the inhibition of mycelial growth and spore germination, respectively. Fungicide application initiated at the full-bloom stage could significantly delay anthracnose disease onset, decrease anthracnose incidence and development (23.67 to 89.80%), and increase pepper yield by 10.7 to 29.2%. In addition, the application dosage was decreased by >50%. BF-500-3, the main metabolite of pyraclostrobin, was detected in pepper fruit and exhibited high inhibitory activity against C. scovillei. The final residues of all fungicides at different application timing were below maximum residue limits. Moreover, structural equation modeling indicated that application timing plays the most important role in anthracnose disease inhibition. The tank mixtures of pyraclostrobin with tebuconazole and fludioxonil showed more satisfactory efficacy (69.87 to 78.36%) against anthracnose than did pyraclostrobin alone under field conditions. This study is the first to determine the best fungicide application timing for anthracnose management. These results establish the basis for sustainable development of the pepper industry.
Occurrence and Diversity of Black-Foot Disease Fungi in Symptomless Grapevine Nursery Stock in Spain
Authors: Berlanas Carmen , Ojeda Sonia , López-Manzanares Beatriz , Andrés-Sodupe Marcos , Bujanda Rebeca , del Pilar Martínez-Diz María , Díaz-Losada Emilia , Gramaje David
Published: July 2019

In this study, 3,426 grafted grapevines ready to be planted from 15 grapevine nursery fields in Northern Spain were inspected from 2016 to 2018 for black-foot causing pathogens. In all, 1,427 isolates of black-foot pathogens were collected from the asymptomatic inner tissues of surface sterilized secondary roots and characterized based on morphological features and DNA sequence data of the nuclear ribosomal DNA-internal transcribed spacer region, histone H3, translation elongation factor 1-alpha and β-tubulin genes. Eleven species belonging to the genera Dactylonectria, Ilyonectria, Neonectria, and Thelonectria were identified, including Dactylonectria alcacerensis, D. macrodidyma, D. novozelandica, D. pauciseptata, D. torresensis, Ilyonectria liriodendri, I. pseudodestructans, I. robusta, Neonectria quercicola, Neonectria sp. 1, and Thelonectria olida. In addition, two species are newly described, namely D. riojana and I. vivaria. Twenty-four isolates representing 13 black-foot species were inoculated onto grapevine seedlings cultivar ‘Tempranillo’. The pathogenicity tests detected diversity in virulence among fungal species and between isolates within each species. The most virulent species was D. novozelandica isolate BV-0760, followed by D. alcacerensis isolate BV-1240 and I. vivaria sp. nov. isolate BV-2305. This study improves our knowledge on the etiology and virulence of black-foot disease pathogens, and opens up new perspectives in the study of the endophytic phase of these pathogens in grapevines.
Floral Colonization Dynamics and Specificity of Aureobasidium pullulans Strains Used to Suppress Fire Blight of Pome Fruit
Authors: Temple T. N. , Thompson E. C. , Uppala S. , Granatstein D. , Johnson K. B.
Published: July 2019

Aureobasidium pullulans is used as a biocontrol agent for fire blight protection in organic apple and pear production. We assessed colonization of pome flowers by A. pullulans in orchards located near Corvallis, OR and Wenatchee, WA. Blossom Protect, a mix of A. pullulans strains CF10 and CF40, and its citrate-based companion, Buffer Protect, were sprayed at 70% bloom. Later in bloom, the population size of putative A. pullulans on flowers was estimated by dilution plating; plate scrapings of putative A. pullulans were then sampled and subjected to a PCR analysis. Sequenced PCR amplicons of the internal transcribed spacer region and the elongase gene confirmed the presence of A. pullulans, whereas a multiplex PCR with primers specific to CF10 and CF40 was used to determine the presence of the introduced strains. At Corvallis, a wet spring environment, A. pullulans, was recovered from most (>90%) Bartlett pear and Golden Delicious apple flowers sampled from experimental trees, regardless of whether the trees were treated with Blossom Protect. Nevertheless, population size estimates of A. pullulans on the flowers were correlated with the number of times Blossom Protect was sprayed on the trees. At Wenatchee, an arid spring environment, A. pullulans was detected on most flowers from trees treated with Blossom Protect, but only on a minority of flowers from nontreated controls. In both locations, the combined incidence of strains CF10 and CF40 on flowers averaged 89% on Blossom Protect–treated trees, but only 27% on adjacent, nontreated trees. During subsequent trials, the efficacy of Blossom Protect for fire blight control was compared with alternative yeast isolates, with each applied with Buffer Protect; local isolates of A. pullulans and Cryptococcus neoformans and a postharvest biocontrol strain of Cystofilobasidium infirmominiatum were used All yeast strains suppressed fire blight to a degree; however, in each of four trials, the level of suppression was highest with Blossom Protect, and it was significantly superior (P ≤ 0.05) to other yeast isolates in two of the trials. Because A. pullulans strains CF10 and CF40 were detected primarily on flowers on trees treated with Blossom Protect, and because they were detected much less frequently on nearby nontreated tress, we recommend treating every tree row with Blossom Protect at least once for organic fire blight suppression.
Artificial intelligence
Authors: McGrow Kathleen
Published: July 2019

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformational technology that will affect all healthcare providers. This article offers an overview of basic AI concepts and the role of nurses in embracing this technology in healthcare settings.
Exploring the Construct of Psychological Safety in Medical Education
Authors: Tsuei Sian Hsiang-Te , Lee Dongho , Ho Charles , Regehr Glenn , Nimmon Laura
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Psychological safety (PS) is recognized as key in health professions education. However, most studies exploring PS in medical education have focused on mistreatment, thus focusing on what PS is not. The authors set out to explicitly explore learners’ concept of PS in the context of medical education to better understand and define PS and its educational consequences for medical students.

Method

This descriptive exploratory study was conducted in the context of a pilot peer-assisted learning (PAL) program. The program brought together residents and medical students for 16 semiformal learning sessions. Eight medical students from a PAL program were recruited for semistructured interviews to explore their experiences of PS. Transcripts were thematically analyzed using an inductive approach, and social ecological theory was integrated in the later stages of analysis.

Results

Students described PS as not feeling judged. Having supportive relationships with peers and mentors improved PS. Students’ sense of PS appeared to free them to focus on learning in the present moment without considering the consequences for their image in the eyes of others. Feeling safe also seemed to facilitate relationship building with the mentors.

Conclusions

A sense of PS appears to free learners from constantly being self-conscious about projecting an image of competence. This enables learners to be present in the moment and concentrate on engaging with the learning task at hand. The authors propose that the term “educational safety” be used to describe a relational construct that can capture the essence of what constitutes PS for learners.
Pediatric, Surgery, and Internal Medicine Program Director Interpretations of Letters of Recommendation
Authors: Saudek Kris , Treat Robert , Goldblatt Matthew , Saudek David , Toth Heather , Weisgerber Michael
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Literature describing program director (PD) perceptions of letters of recommendation (LORs) and “code” used by letter writers is limited. In 2016, a survey instrument was distributed nationally to pediatric PDs asking them to rate their interpretations of components of LORs. The results confirmed that letter phrases convey code, but these results were not known to be generalizable outside of pediatrics. The purpose of this study was to expand the survey to surgery and internal medicine (IM) PDs looking for areas of agreement or variation between the 3 specialties.

Method

The survey was sent nationally to surgery and IM PDs asking them to rate LORs in 3 areas on a 5-point Likert scale: 14 commonly used phrases, 13 letter features, and 10 applicant abilities. The LOR phrases were grouped using principal component analysis (PCA). Mean scores of components were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Results

Response rates: pediatrics 43% (486 of 1079), surgery 55% (151 of 277), and IM 42% (170 of 408). PCA generated groups of positive, neutral, and negative phrases with moderate to strong correlation with each other for all 3 specialties. There were significant differences between the mean Likert scores of the positive, neutral, and negative groups of phrases for all 3 specialties (all P < .001). “Showed improvement” was rated the most negative phrase by all 3 specialties.

Conclusions

Key elements of LORs include distinct phrases depicting different degrees of endorsement of candidates. Pediatric, surgery, and IM PDs interpret letter components differently.
Effects of Moving the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 After Core Clerkships on Step 2 Clinical Knowledge Performance
Authors: Jurich Daniel , Santen Sally A. , Paniagua Miguel , Fleming Amy , Harnik Victoria , Pock Arnyce , Swan-Sein Aubrie , Barone Michael A. , Daniel Michelle
Published: July 2019

Purpose

To investigate the effect of a change in the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 timing on Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores, the effect of lag time on Step 2 CK performance, and the relationship of incoming Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score to Step 2 CK performance pre and post change.

Method

Four schools that moved Step 1 after core clerkships between academic years 2008–2009 and 2017–2018 were analyzed. Standard t tests were used to examine the change in Step 2 CK scores pre and post change. Tests of differences in proportions were used to evaluate whether Step 2 CK failure rates differed between curricular change groups. Linear regressions were used to examine the relationships between Step 2 CK performance, lag time and incoming MCAT score, and curricular change group.

Results

Step 2 CK performance did not change significantly (P = .20). Failure rates remained highly consistent (pre change: 1.83%; post change: 1.79%). The regression indicated that lag time had a significant effect on Step 2 CK performance, with scores declining with increasing lag time, with small but significant interaction effects between MCAT and Step 2 CK scores. Students with lower incoming MCAT scores tended to perform better on Step 2 CK when Step 1 was after clerkships.

Conclusions

Moving Step 1 after core clerkships appears to have had no significant impact on Step 2 CK scores or failure rates, supporting the argument that such a change is noninferior to the traditional model. Students with lower MCAT scores benefit most from the change.
Factors Associated With Response to Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Ponsford Jennie , Lee Nicole K. , Wong Dana , McKay Adam , Haines Kerrie , Downing Marina , Alway Yvette , Furtado Christina , O'Donnell Meaghan L.
Published: July 2019

Background:

Given the high frequency and significance of anxiety and depression following traumatic brain injury (TBI), there is a need to evaluate the efficacy of psychological interventions and to understand factors influencing response to such interventions. The present study investigated factors associated with positive response to cognitive behavioral therapy adapted for cognitive impairments (CBT-ABI) for individuals with anxiety and depression following TBI, including demographic and injury-related factors, pretreatment levels of anxiety and depression, working alliance, and change expectancy as predictors.

Methods:

Participants were 45 individuals enrolled in an active treatment condition within a randomized controlled trial, examining the efficacy of a 9-session CBT-ABI program for anxiety and depression following TBI. These participants completed all CBT sessions.

Results:

Mixed-effects regressions controlling for baseline anxiety and depression indicated that for anxiety, older age at injury, as well as higher level of baseline anxiety, was associated with greater symptom reduction. For depression, longer time since injury and higher expectancy for change, as well as higher baseline level of depression, were significantly associated with a greater reduction in depression symptoms.

Conclusions:

This study paves the way for more detailed studies of the therapeutic processes involved in alleviating anxiety and depression following TBI.
RECURRENCES OF RETINAL DETACHMENT AFTER RETINECTOMY
Authors: Beuste Thomas , Rebollo Olivier , Parrat Eric , Guigou SÉBASTIEN , Mérité Pierre-Yves , Meyer Franck , Rouhette HervÉ , Lorenzi Umberto , Soler Vincent , Le Piffer Anne-Laure , Matonti FrÉdÉric , Denion Eric
Published: July 2019

Purpose:

To evaluate the different mechanisms of retinal detachment recurrence after retinectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD) complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) and to study its outcome and prognosis.

Methods:

Retrospective, multicenter study conducted between January 2009 and November 2016. Retrospective review of 56 patients with recurrent RD (RRD) after a first relaxing retinectomy.

Results:

The secondary retinal attachment rate was 58.9% (33/56 cases). The various mechanisms of RRD were mainly related to PVR (52/56 cases: 93%). This PVR was anterior in 10 cases (21%), posterior in 31 cases (60%), and combined anterior and posterior in 11 cases (21%). The RRD mechanism was not PVR in 4 of the 56 cases. Some of the RRD mechanisms were specific to retinectomy: fibrosis of the edge of the retinectomy (26 cases: 46.4%), beyond-the-edge proliferation (8 cases: 14.3%), and severe inferior retinal folding (2 cases: 3.6%). In the 2 cases of severe inferior retinal folding, the retina could not be reattached. The anatomical outcome and the mechanism of RRD (anterior PVR, posterior PVR, or combined anterior and posterior PVR) were not correlated (P = 0.12). Visual acuity was significantly better only in patients with complete secondary success, that is, having an attached retina after silicone oil removal: mean preoperative visual acuity was 2.01 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution versus 1.01 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution postoperatively (P = 0.019).

Conclusion:

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy caused most of the recurrences, and the anatomical outcome did not depend on the type of PVR involved. Only complete secondary success (attached retina after silicone oil removal) was accompanied by visual acuity improvement.
Fatty acid suppression of glial activation prevents central neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury
Authors: Georgieva Marieta , Wei Yuting , Dumitrascuta Maria , Pertwee Roger , Finnerup Nanna B. , Huang Wenlong
Published: July 2019

About half of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) develop debilitating central neuropathic pain (CNP), with no effective treatments. Thus, effective, safe, and novel therapies are needed urgently. Previously, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was reported to confer neuroprotection in preclinical SCI models. However, its therapeutic potential on SCI-CNP remains to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrated for the first time that intravenous DHA administrations with 3-day intervals (250 nmol/kg; starting 30 minutes after injury and maintained for 6 weeks) effectively prevented SCI-CNP development in a clinically relevant rat contusion model. SCI-CNP was assessed by a novel sensory profiling approach combining evoked pain measures and pain-related ethologically relevant rodent behaviours (burrowing, thigmotaxis, and place/escape avoidance) to mimic those for measuring human (sensory, affective, cognitive, and spontaneous) pain. Strikingly, already established SCI-CNP could be abolished partially by similar DHA administrations, starting from the beginning of week 4 after injury and maintained for 4 weeks. At spinal (epicenter and L5 dorsal horns) and supraspinal (anterior cingulate cortex) levels, both treatment regimens potently suppressed microglial and astrocyte activation, which underpins SCI-CNP pathogenesis. Spinal microgliosis, a known hallmark associated with neuropathic pain behaviours, was reduced by DHA treatments. Finally, we revealed novel potential roles of peroxisome proliferator–activated and retinoid X receptors and docosahexaenoyl ethanolamide (DHA's metabolite) in mediating DHA's effects on microglial activation. Our findings, coupled with the excellent long-term clinical safety of DHA even in surgical and critically ill patients, suggest that systemic DHA treatment is a translatable, effective, safe, and novel approach for preventing and managing SCI-CNP.
The Association Between Mutuality, Anxiety, and Depression in Heart Failure Patient-Caregiver Dyads
Authors: Dellafiore Federica , Chung Misook L. , Alvaro Rosaria , Durante Angela , Colaceci Sofia , Vellone Ercole , Pucciarelli Gianluca
Published: July 2019

Background

Heart failure (HF) patient-caregiver dyads experience severe psychological problems, such as anxiety and depression. A variable that has been found to be associated with anxiety and depression in patients and caregivers in severe chronic conditions is mutuality. However, this association has not been explored in HF patient-caregiver dyads to date.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations among mutuality, anxiety, and depression in HF patient-caregiver dyads.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study. Mutuality, anxiety, and depression in HF patient-caregiver dyads were assessed using the Mutuality Scale (MS) total and 4 dimension scores and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, respectively. Data were analyzed using the actor-partner interdependence model to examine how mutuality of patients and caregivers was associated with both the patients' own (actor effect) and their partners' anxiety and depression (partner effect).

Results

A sample of 366 dyads of patients with HF (mean age, 72 years; 56% male) and caregivers (mean age, 54 years; 73.3% female) was enrolled. Regarding patient anxiety, we observed only an actor effect between the MS dimension scores of “love and affection” and “reciprocity” and anxiety in patients (B = −1.108, P = .004 and B = −0.826, P = .029, respectively). No actor and partner effects were observed concerning caregiver anxiety. Regarding depression, we observed that only the MS dimension of “love and affection” in patients had both an actor (patient: B = −0.717, P = .032) and a partner (caregiver: B = 0.710, P = .040) effect on depression.

Conclusions

The assessment of MS in HF patient-caregiver dyads is important to formulate interventions aimed at improving anxiety and depression in patients and caregivers.
Differences between experienced and recalled breathlessness: a review
Authors: Sandberg Jacob , Ekström Magnus
Published: July 2019

Purpose of review

Experienced breathlessness and recalled breathlessness are two different entities, which may be associated with different factors and might have different impacts on function for the individual. The aim was to review the knowledge from the last 2 years concerning experienced breathlessness and recalled breathlessness and related factors.

Recent findings

Experienced breathlessness was most often induced or measured during exercise testing in a lab environment using a modified Borg scale. It was associated with both psychological factors, such as social rejection, presence of others, psychosocial stress and prenatal exposure to stress, as well as physical factors, such as hypoxia and frequent exacerbations.

Recalled breathlessness was most often measured in epidemiological studies, most commonly using the modified Medical Research Council scale. It was associated with lung volumes, overweight, exercise training, frailty, smoking, personality traits, behavior and marital and occupational status.

No studies during the review period had directly compared experienced breathlessness and recalled breathlessness. Several factors were related to either experienced breathlessness or recalled breathlessness but no clear differences between factors were found in this review. There is a need for comparative studies using the same measurement methods and in the same settings in order to examine their relation.
Age-structure and transient dynamics in epidemiological systems
Authors: Magpantay F. M. G. , King A. A. , Rohani P.
Published: July 2019

Mathematical models of childhood diseases date back to the early twentieth century. In several cases, models that make the simplifying assumption of homogeneous time-dependent transmission rates give good agreement with data in the absence of secular trends in population demography or transmission. The prime example is afforded by the dynamics of measles in industrialized countries in the pre-vaccine era. Accurate description of the transient dynamics following the introduction of routine vaccination has proved more challenging, however. This is true even in the case of measles which has a well-understood natural history and an effective vaccine that confers long-lasting protection against infection. Here, to shed light on the causes of this problem, we demonstrate that, while the dynamics of homogeneous and age-structured models can be qualitatively similar in the absence of vaccination, they diverge subsequent to vaccine roll-out. In particular, we show that immunization induces changes in transmission rates, which in turn reshapes the age distribution of infection prevalence, which effectively modulates the amplitude of seasonality in such systems. To examine this phenomenon empirically, we fit transmission models to measles notification data from London that span the introduction of the vaccine. We find that a simple age-structured model provides a much better fit to the data than does a homogeneous model, especially in the transition period from the pre-vaccine to the vaccine era. Thus, we propose that age structure and heterogeneities in contact rates are critical features needed to accurately capture transient dynamics in the presence of secular trends.
Statistical properties of defect-dependent detachment strength in bioinspired dry adhesives
Authors: Booth Jamie A. , Tinnemann Verena , Hensel René , Arzt Eduard , McMeeking Robert M. , Foster Kimberly L.
Published: July 2019

Dry adhesives using surface microstructures inspired by climbing animals have been recognized for their potentially novel capabilities, with relevance to a range of applications including pick-and-place handling. Past work has suggested that performance may be strongly dependent on variability in the critical defect size among fibrillar sub-contacts. However, it has not been directly verified that the resulting adhesive strength distribution is well described by the statistical theory of fracture used. Using
in situ
contact visualization, we characterize adhesive strength on a fibril-by-fibril basis for a synthetic fibrillar adhesive. Two distinct detachment mechanisms are observed. The fundamental, design-dependent mechanism involves defect propagation from within the contact. The secondary mechanism involves defect propagation from fabrication imperfections at the perimeter. The existence of two defect populations complicates characterization of the statistical properties. This is addressed by using the mean order ranking method to isolate the fundamental mechanism. The statistical properties obtained are subsequently used within a bimodal framework, allowing description of the secondary mechanism. Implications for performance are discussed, including the improvement of strength associated with elimination of fabrication imperfections. This statistical analysis of defect-dependent detachment represents a more complete approach to the characterization of fibrillar adhesives, offering new insight for design and fabrication.
Regulation of reaction fluxes via enzyme sequestration and co-clustering
Authors: Hinzpeter Florian , Tostevin Filipe , Gerland Ulrich
Published: July 2019

Experimental observations suggest that cells change the intracellular localization of key enzymes to regulate the reaction fluxes in enzymatic networks. In particular, cells appear to use sequestration and co-clustering of enzymes as spatial regulation strategies. These strategies should be equally useful to achieve rapid flux regulation in synthetic biomolecular systems. Here, we leverage a theoretical model to analyse the capacity of enzyme sequestration and co-clustering to control the reaction flux in a branch of a reaction–diffusion network. We find that in both cases, the response of the system is determined by two dimensionless parameters, the ratio of total activities of the competing enzymes and the ratio of diffusion to reaction timescales. Using these dependencies, we determine the parameter range for which sequestration and co-clustering can yield a biologically significant regulatory effect. Based on the known kinetic parameters of enzymes, we conclude that sequestration and co-clustering represent a viable regulation strategy for a large fraction of metabolic enzymes, and suggest design principles for reaction flux regulation in natural or synthetic systems.
Four new deep-sea provannid snails (Gastropoda: Abyssochrysoidea) discovered from hydrocarbon seep and hydrothermal vents in Japan
Authors: Chen Chong , Watanabe Hiromi Kayama , Sasaki Takenori
Published: July 2019

Recently, the species richness of provannid gastropods inhabiting chemosynthetic ecosystems in the northwestern Pacific has been reassessed, revealing a much higher diversity than previously realized. Here, we describe four further new species, two in the genus
Desbruyeresia
and two in the genus
Provanna.
Their generic placement was confirmed by both shell and radula morphology, as well as phylogenetic reconstruction using the mitochondrial cytochrome
c
oxidase subunit I gene.
Desbruyeresia armata
n. sp. from vent fields in the Izu-Ogasawara Arc is characterized by a stout shell with numerous tubercles or short spines and marginal teeth coarsely serrated into only four denticles.
Desbruyeresia costata
n. sp. from Okinawa Trough vents is distinguished from other congeners by an elongate shell with strong axial ribs and obsolete spiral ribs. These represent the first
Desbruyeresia
species from Japanese waters.
Provanna fenestrata
n. sp. discovered from two vent fields in the Okinawa Trough is instantly recognizable from its uniquely regular rectangular lattice sculpture;
Provanna stephanos
n. sp. is a surprising new discovery from the supposedly well-explored ‘Off Hatsushima’ hydrocarbon seep site in Sagami Bay, and is highly distinctive with two characteristic rows of strongly spinous spiral ribs. The discovery of these new species in relatively well-explored chemosynthetic ecosystems in Japan indicates that the biodiversity of such systems remains poorly documented.
Nanodiamonds enable adaptive-optics enhanced, super-resolution, two-photon excitation microscopy
Authors: Johnstone Graeme E. , Cairns Gemma S. , Patton Brian R.
Published: July 2019

Particles of diamond in the 5–100 nm size range, known as nanodiamond (ND), have shown promise as robust fluorophores for optical imaging. We demonstrate here that, due to their photostability, they are not only suitable for two-photon imaging, but also allow significant resolution enhancement when combined with computational super-resolution techniques. We observe a resolution of 42.5 nm when processing two-photon images with the Super-Resolution Radial Fluctuations algorithm. We show manipulation of the point-spread function of the microscope using adaptive optics. This demonstrates how the photostability of ND can also be of use when characterizing adaptive optics technologies or testing the resilience of super-resolution or aberration correction algorithms.
Decline towards extinction of Mexico's vaquita porpoise (
Phocoena sinus
)
Authors: Jaramillo-Legorreta Armando M. , Cardenas-Hinojosa Gustavo , Nieto-Garcia Edwyna , Rojas-Bracho Lorenzo , Thomas Len , Ver Hoef Jay M. , Moore Jeffrey , Taylor Barbara , Barlow Jay , Tregenza Nicholas
Published: July 2019

The vaquita (
Phocoena sinus
) is a small porpoise endemic to Mexico. It is listed by IUCN as Critically Endangered because of unsustainable levels of bycatch in gillnets. The population has been monitored with passive acoustic detectors every summer from 2011 to 2018; here we report results for 2017 and 2018. We combine the acoustic trends with an independent estimate of population size from 2015, and visual observations of at least seven animals in 2017 and six in 2018. Despite adoption of an emergency gillnet ban in May 2015, the estimated rate of decline remains extremely high: 48% decline in 2017 (95% Bayesian credible interval (CRI) 78% decline to 9% increase) and 47% in 2018 (95% CRI 80% decline to 13% increase). Estimated total population decline since 2011 is 98.6%, with greater than 99% probability the decline is greater than 33% yr
−1
. We estimate fewer than 19 vaquitas remained as of summer 2018 (posterior mean 9, median 8, 95% CRI 6–19). From March 2016 to March 2019, 10 dead vaquitas killed in gillnets were found. The ongoing presence of illegal gillnets despite the emergency ban continues to drive the vaquita towards extinction. Immediate management action is required if the species is to be saved.
Reverting ontogeny: rapid phenotypic plasticity of colour vision in cichlid fish
Authors: Härer Andreas , Karagic Nidal , Meyer Axel , Torres-Dowdall Julián
Published: July 2019

Phenotypic plasticity, particularly during development, allows organisms to rapidly adjust to different environmental conditions. Yet, it is often unclear whether the extent and direction of plastic changes are restricted by an individual's ontogeny. Many species of cichlid fishes go through ontogenetic changes in visual sensitivity, from short to long wavelengths, by switching expression of cone opsin genes crucial for colour vision. During this progression, individuals often exhibit phenotypic plasticity to the ambient light conditions. However, it is commonly assumed that once an adult visual phenotype is reached, reverting to an earlier ontogenetic state with higher sensitivity at shorter wavelengths is not common. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate that four-month-old Midas cichlid fish (
Amphilophus astorquii
) show plasticity in single cone opsin expression after experiencing drastic changes in light conditions. Resulting shifts of visual sensitivity occurred presumably in an adaptive direction—towards shorter or longer wavelengths when exposed to short- or long-wavelength light, respectively. Single cone opsin expression changed within only a few days and went through a transitional phase of co-expression. When the environment was experimentally enriched in long-wavelength light, the corresponding change occurred gradually along a dorsoventral gradient within the retina. This plasticity allowed individuals to revert earlier ontogenetic changes and return to a more juvenile visual phenotype demonstrating previously unrecognized insights into temporal and spatial dynamics of phenotypic plasticity of the visual system in response to ambient light.
Change in color and tocopherol content during heating of soybean oil in the presence of different antioxidants
Authors: Kim Young-Min , Shin Jung-Ah , Lee Ki-Teak
Published: July 2019

In this study, the thermal oxidation of soybean oil (SBO) was investigated in the presence of 200 ppm of antioxidants, namely, caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), caffeic acid (CA), ascorbyl palmitate (AP), and α-tocopherol (α-TO). 1H-NMR analysis shows that the addition of CAPE into SBO resulted in a smaller area of ​​aldehydes peak as compared with the addition of AP, CA, and α-tocopherol. Thus, the addition of CAPE could reduce the thermal oxidation of SBO to some extent. The L* values (brightness) of SBO with CAPE, α-tocopherol, and AP were significantly higher than that in the absence of antioxidants (blank) after 32 h of thermal oxidation, but ΔE of the overall color change was not significantly different among these. During the thermal oxidation, the decrease in the α- and γ-tocopherol contents was greater than that in the δ-tocopherol content. CA, the most polar antioxidant used in this experiment, showed no significant effect on the loss of γ-tocopherol as compared with CAPE and AP. However, CAPE synthesized from CA was the most effective in retaining the tocopherol isomers during the initial heating stage than any other antioxidants used herein.
Physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of commercial orange juice and grapefruit juice
Authors: Lee Jin-Ju , Kim Eun-Jeong , Kim Ja-Min , Yoon Kyung-Young
Published: July 2019

Thee physicochemical properties, functional ingredient content, and antioxidant activities of the commercial orange and grapefruit juice were investigated. Three types of orange (OJ1, OJ2, and OJ3) and grapefruit (GJ1, GJ2, and GJ3) juices were purchased from the market. Antioxidant activities of the commercial juices were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, and reducing power assays. The pH of orange juice was higher than grapefruit juice and the acidity of grapefruit juice was higher than orange juice. The soluble solid and reducing sugar contents of the juices were in the range of 9.30-13.60 °Brix and 45.02-71.52 mg/mL, respectively. The total free sugar and organic acid contents of juices were 61.84-98.67 mg/mL and 1.14-1.60 mg/mL, respectively. The major free sugars were sucrose, fructose, and glucose, and six types of organic acids were detected in the commercial juices. The total polyphenol content was the highest in OJ2 (910.7 μg/mL), and the lowest in GJ3 (630.7 μg/mL). The total flavonoid content in grapefruit juices was higher than orange juices. OJ2 showed the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging assays and the reducing power assay. Our results indicate that the functional ingredient content and antioxidant activities were different even in the same type of juice.
Antioxidant activities of B. campestris var. chinensis and B. juncea L. Czern var. Laciniata Makino baby leaf extracts
Authors: Kwon Hee-Yeon , Lee Su-Mi , Choi Sun-Il , Cho Bong-Yeon , Choi Seung-Hyun , Sim Wan-Sup , Xionggao Han , Jang Gill-Woong , Lee Ok-Hwan , Park Duck-Hwan
Published: July 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate antioxidant activities of B. campestris var. chinensis and B. juncea L. Czern var. Laciniata Makino baby leaf extract. We studied DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity, ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total phenol contents, the total chlorophylls contents, total carotenoid contents and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Our results showed that antioxidant activities (DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity, FRAP) of the B. campestris var. chinensis baby leaf extract were significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner. Also, these baby leaf extracts had the highest total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents (9.26±0.09 μg/mL and 1.62±0.01 μg/mL). However, B. juncea L. Czern var. Laciniata Makino baby leaf extract showed higher in total phenol content (15.92±0.29 mg GAE/g) and ORAC value (987.18 μM TE/g) than those (14.66±0.11 mg GAE/g and 928.39 μM TE/g) of B. campestris var. chinensis baby leaf extract. Our study provide a basic data for the development of functional foods using two kinds of sprouts by analyzing the antioxidant and physiological activities of these extracts. These results suggest that functional foods can be developed using two kinds of baby leaf.