bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of leaf water potential in the temperature response of mesophyll conductance
Authors: Li Yong , Song Xin , Li Si , Salter William T. , Barbour Margaret M.
Published: September 2019

Variation in temperature (T) is usually accompanied by changes in leaf water potential (Ψleaf), which may influence mesophyll conductance (gm). However, the effects of Ψleaf on gm have not yet been considered in models of the gm response to temperature.

Temperature responses of gm and Ψleaf and the response of gm to Ψleaf were studied in rice (Oryza sativa) and wheat (Triticum aestivum), and then an empirical model of Ψleaf was incorporated into an existing gm–T model.

In wheat, Ψleaf was dramatically decreased with increasing T, whereas in rice Ψleaf was less sensitive or insensitive to T. Without taking Ψleaf into account, gm for wheat showed no response to T. However, at a given Ψleaf, gm was significantly higher at high temperature compared with low. After incorporating the function of Ψleaf into the gm–T model, we suggest that the gm–T relationship can be influenced by the activation and deactivation energy for membrane permeability, Ψleaf gradient between temperatures, and the sensitivity of gm to Ψleaf, below a threshold (Ψleaf,0).

The data presented here suggest that Ψleaf plays an important role in the gm–T relationship and should be considered in future studies related to the temperature response of gm and photosynthesis.
Challenges in the control of acanthocephalosis in aquaculture: special emphasis on Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae
Authors: Valladão Gustavo Moraes Ramos , Gallani Sílvia Umeda , Jerônimo Gabriela Tomas , Seixas Arthur Tavares de
Published: September 2019

Acanthocephalans are endoparasites of several vertebrate species. These parasites are able to attach the host intestine, which culminates in low nutrient utilization and severe economic losses. This review discusses the impact of acanthocephalosis for aquaculture and demonstrates promising control and treatment measures against this parasitosis. Echinorhynchus truttae was considered one of the main parasites affecting salmonids; however, there are currently no scientific data on relevant outbreaks of this parasitosis. It is emphasized that, currently, the disease caused by Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae in tambaqui Colossoma macropomum is the fish acanthocephalosis with the strongest impact, besides being one of the most important acanthocephalosis affecting animal production worldwide. It has been noted that this disease has direct correlation with an environment replete with contaminated zooplankton and biosafety failures. Amongst revised synthetic chemotherapeutics, carbon tetrachloride and loperamide are described as being strongly efficient against E. truttae, and levamisole has been the most studied molecule for N. buttnerae. Considering the demand for alternative molecules, studies have shown that thyme, garlic and peppermint are promising against acanthocephalans. It must be emphasized a great need for standardization of in vitro and in vivo tests, as well as the need for studies on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. As prospects to control acanthocephalosis, we highlight the need for development of innovative aquaculture environments (biofloc and recirculation systems) that can prevent or extinguish the intermediate host, new methods of drug inclusion in the diet and genetic studies aiming improvement of resistant fish lineage and even the genome description of the parasite.
The effects of growth factors on proliferation of spermatogonial stem cells from Guangxi Bama mini‐pig
Authors: Zhao Huimin , Li Tingting , Yang Huan , Mehmood Muhammad Usman , Lu Yangqing , Liang Xingwei , Yang Xiaogan , Xu Huiyan , Lu Kehuan , Lu Shengsheng
Published: September 2019

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different growth factors on the proliferation of Bama mini‐pig spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in vitro. The growth factors glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), GDNF family receptor alpha‐1 (GFRα1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were investigated. The SSCs were seeded on SIM mouse embryo‐derived thioguanine‐ and ouabain‐resistant (STO) feeder layers. Cultivation of the cells were subjected to a factorial design of the growth factors GDNF + bFGF, GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1, LIF + bFGF and LIF + bFGF + GFRα1. The SSCs could propagate for 25 passages in the medium adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1, 22 passages in the medium adding GDNF + bFGF, 6 passages in the medium adding LIF + bFGF, or LIF + bFGF + GFRα1. qRT‐PCR analysis showed that the highest mRNA expression levels of NANOG, POU5F, DDX4, GFRα1 and UCHL1 were detected in the group adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1. The SSCs from the group adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1 also showed UCHL1‐, DBA‐ and CDH1‐positive staining. Moreover, Stra8 and Scp3 expression, and haploid peak were detected after induction of the SSCs from the group adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1. In conclusion, pig SSCs could be maintained for long term in the presence of GDNF, bFGF, and GFRα1.
Measurement of membrane integrity in canine spermatozoa using a fluorescent computer‐assisted spermatozoal quantification method and manual counting after eosin‐nigrosin staining compared with manual counting after CFDA/PI staining
Authors: Watts John
Published: September 2019

The aim of this study was to compare measurement of spermatozoal membrane status using computer‐assisted spermatozoal quantification (CASQ) and eosin‐nigrosin (EN) staining with manual counting after CFDA/PI staining. Analysis was performed on both fresh and thawed cryopreserved canine semen. Membrane‐disrupted spermatozoa (MDS) were counted using CASQ (n = 311) in an untreated sample and a completely membrane‐disrupted sample, and the percentage of membrane‐intact spermatozoa (MIS) calculated: (Total count − Untreated sample count) ÷ Total count × 100. Spermatozoa were stained with a one‐step EN stain (n = 501), and then, at least 100 spermatozoa were manually examined under ×1,000 magnification and classified as MDS (stained with eosin) or MIS (non‐stained). Spermatozoa from the same samples were also stained with CFDA/PI, and then, at least 200 spermatozoa were manually examined under ×1,000 magnification and classified as MIS (completely stained by CFDA) or MDS. The percentage of progressively motile spermatozoa (PMS) was determined by both computer‐assisted semen analysis (CASA) and subjective methodologies, and the data were subsequently analysed to measure the agreement between the CASQ and EN methods with the CFDA/PI technique using Bland–Altman methodology. Pearson's correlation was measured between the MIS and PMS percentage samples and correlation coefficients compared. The mean MIS percentage was lower for CASQ and higher for EN than in CFDA/PI for all comparisons. The agreement of MIS percentage between CASQ and CFDA/PI was −20.2% to 32.0%, and between EN and CFDA/PI was −32.9% to 14.9%. In all methods, the MIS and PMS percentages were correlated (p < .001). Measurement of CFDA/PI appeared to be the most reliable and accurate method of determining MIS percentage in dogs. Further investigation is required to determine whether the CASQ technique can be improved. Eosin‐nigrosin staining also appeared to be unreliable at MIS <80% and overestimated the MIS percentage.
Expertise Across Disciplines: Establishing Common Ground in Interdisciplinary Disaster Research Teams
Authors: Gilligan Jonathan M.
Published: September 2019

Hazards and disasters arise from interactions between environmental and social processes, so interdisciplinary research is crucial in understanding and effectively managing them. Despite support and encouragement from funding agencies, universities, and journals and growing interest from researchers, interdisciplinary disaster research teams face significant obstacles, such as the difficulty of establishing effective communication and understanding across disciplines. Better understanding of interdisciplinary teamwork can also have important practical benefits for operational disaster planning and response.

Social studies of science distinguish different kinds of expertise and different modes of communication. Understanding these differences can help interdisciplinary research teams communicate more clearly and work together more effectively. The primary role of a researcher is in contributory expertise (the ability to make original contributions to a discipline); but interactional expertise in other disciplines (the ability to understand their literature and communicate with their practitioners) can play an important role in interdisciplinary collaborations. Developing interactional expertise requires time and effort, which can be challenging for a busy researcher, and also requires a foundation of trust and communication among team members. Three distinct aspects of communication play important roles in effective interdisciplinary communication: dialects, metaphors, and articulation. There are different ways to develop interactional expertise and effective communication, so researchers can pursue approaches that suit their circumstances. It will be important for future research on interdisciplinary disaster research to identify best practices for building trust, facilitating communication, and developing interactional expertise.
Power output, cadence, and torque are similar between the forward standing and traditional sprint cycling positions
Authors: Merkes Paul F. J. , Menaspà Paolo , Abbiss Chris R.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Compare power output, cadence, and torque in the seated, standing, and forward standing cycling sprint positions.

Methods

On three separated occasions (ie, one for each position), 11 recreational male road cyclists performed a 14 seconds sprint before and directly after a high‐intensity lead‐up. Power output, cadence, and torque were measured during each sprint.

Results

No significant differences in peak and mean power output were observed between the forward standing (1125.5 ± 48.5 W and 896.0 ± 32.7 W, respectively) and either the seated or standing positions (1042.5 ± 46.8 W and 856.5 ± 29.4 W; 1175.4 ± 44.9 W and 927.5 ± 28.9 W, respectively). Power output was higher in the standing, compared with the seated position. No difference was observed in cadence between positions. At the start of the sprint before the lead‐up, peak torque was higher in the standing position vs the forward standing position; and peak torque occurred later in the pedal revolution for both the forward standing and standing positions when compared with the seated position. At the start of the sprint after the lead‐up, peak torque occurred later in the forward standing position when compared with both the seated and standing position. At the end of the sprint, no difference in torque was found between the forward standing and standing position either before or after the lead‐up.

Conclusion

Sprinting in the forward standing sprint position does not impair power output, cadence, and torque when compared with the seated and standing sprint positions.
In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy for evaluating common facial hyperpigmentation
Authors: Zeng Xiaofang , Qiu Yu , Xiang Wenzhong
Published: September 2019

Background

In clinical settings, atypical facial hyperpigmentation such as nevus of Ota, acquired bilateral nevus of Ota‐like macules (ABNOM), melasma, and café‐au‐lait spots are often missed and misdiagnosed. Summarizing in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) features of the hyperpigmentation is helpful in the diagnosis of ambiguous lesions.

Methods

We recruited 196 patients referred for unequivocal facial hyperpigmentation, including 55 patients with nevus of Ota, 45 patients with ABNOM, 62 patients with melasma, and 34 patients with café‐au‐lait spots. The RCM images were evaluated at the epidermis, the dermis‐epidermis junction (DEJ), and the upper papillary dermis from both hyperpigmented patches and normal skin.

Results

In the superficial and middle dermis, 41 of 55 patients (74.5%) with nevus of Ota were characterized by a cord‐like or lumpy structure between the collagen fibers. And there was no melanin deposition detected in the dermis in 14 of 55 (25.5%) patients. In ABNOM, 37 of 45 (82.2%) patients were characterized by a cord‐like or lumpy structure in the superficial dermis and 8 of 45 patients (17.8%) was no melanin deposition detected in the dermis. The epidermis was no difference between nevus of Ota, ABNOM, and the normal skin. Melasma was detected increased cobblestone pattern in the epidermis of all patients, branching architecture in 21 of 62 patients (33.9%), and focally aggregated round to triangular cells in the upper dermis of 18 of 62 patients (29.0%). In all patients with afé‐au‐lait spots, increased cobblestone pattern in the epidermis and regular and increased density of ringed pattern in the DEJ were visualized.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that RCM may be useful in the auxiliary diagnosis of nevus of Ota, ABNOM, melasma, and café‐au‐lait spots.
An Empirical Test of the Comey Effect on the 2016 Presidential Election
Authors: Halcoussis Dennis , Lowenberg Anton D. , Phillips G. Michael
Published: September 2019

Objectives

The contentious 2016 U.S. presidential election was marked by acrimonious televised debates between the two major candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, federal investigations of Clinton's emails that were sent from a personal server when she held office as Secretary of State, and the release of a videotape of lewd remarks by Trump about his behavior toward women. Financial market uncertainty also played in role in the election campaign. The objective of the article is to examine the impact of these different factors on the election.

Method

The present article uses a popular vote prediction market to test the impact of these factors on the probability of Trump winning the election.

Results

Results indicate that the debates and videotape release were not statistically significant, but that a letter to Congress released by FBI Director James B. Comey on October 28, 2016, substantially decreased Clinton's probability of winning the popular vote and simultaneously increased Trump's probability. Financial market uncertainty is found to have some marginal positive effect on Trump's probability of winning.

Conclusion

Trump's probability of winning the election received a substantial boost from FBI Director James B. Comey's “last‐minute” announcement on October 28, 2016.
Clinical, ultrasonographic, and histopathologic findings in seven horses with Descemet's membrane detachment: A case series
Authors: Slenter Inge J. M. , Hermans Hanneke , Ensink Jos M. , Willems Dorien S. , Veraa Stefanie , Grinwis Guy C. M. , Boevé Michael H.
Published: September 2019

Objective

To describe ultrasonography as a diagnostic method of in vivo Descemet's membrane detachment (DMD) in horses. Animals studied: Seven horses (three Icelandic horses, two Dutch Warmblood horses, one Appaloosa, and one Welsh Pony), presenting with moderate‐to‐severe focal or diffuse corneal edema, in whom DMD was suspected on ultrasonographic examination and confirmed with histopathology, were studied.

Procedure

A retrospective analysis of case records of horses with suspected DMD was performed.

Results

Median age at presentation was 14 years (range 11‐24). Clinical signs in eyes with DMD were unilateral in all horses and included blepharospasm and epiphora (6/7), buphthalmos (5/7), moderate‐to‐severe focal or diffuse corneal edema (7/7), corneal epithelial bullae (4/7), corneal neovascularization (4/7), Haab's striae (2/7), corneal endothelial precipitates (1/7), fibrin in the anterior chamber (1/7), focal cataract (2/7), and pigment deposits on the anterior lens capsule (1/7). During transpalpebral ultrasonography, a distinct linear echogenic structure was noted in the anterior chamber, initially diverging from, and later running parallel to, the posterior lining of the cornea in all eyes studied. In all cases, the cornea was severely thickened and echogenic, consistent with edema, and DMD was suspected. In all horses, the clinical signs progressed and the affected eye was eventually enucleated. Histopathology revealed DMD (7/7), spindle cell proliferation (4/7), Descemet's membrane reformation (3/7), and inflammation of the anterior uvea (5/7). Overall incidence was 1.04%.

Conclusions

Ultrasonography is an adequate tool in diagnosing DMD in horses. Descemet's membrane detachment should be included in the differential diagnosis in horses with dense focal or diffuse corneal edema.
Deviant Group Membership – Joining, Leaving, and Behavior in Criminal Groups
Authors: Berger Raqota
Published: September 2019

Each year across the United States hundreds of thousands of individuals become involved in deviant groups, the most common being street gangs. Joining a deviant group is associated with higher rates of criminal offending, serious bodily injury, victimization, and even death. This study collected data from 124 individuals that have joined criminally-based groups at some point in their lives. These groups were identified by respondents as street gangs, crews, biker gangs, prison gangs, drug gangs, and car gangs. Most members joined their groups as teenagers ( = 15), and most left their groups during their early adult years. The average time spent in their respective groups was 6 years. The most common reasons for joining their groups was for friendship, family, respect, money, and protection. All respondents were involved in some sort of harmful behaviors while in their groups, the most common being drug and alcohol use, graffiti, vandalism, theft, and violence. Most of the study’s respondents had already left their respective groups (n = 70, 56.5%). The top reasons for leaving involved maturity, family responsibilities, parental responsibilities, legal problems, and employment. Generally, members from all types of groups studied stated that the group and lifestyle had a significant impact on their life and development (77%). Out of the major deviant groups analyzed in the study, it appears that belonging to a street gang may have largest overall impact, t(113) = 2.32, sig. = .002. This study provides further insight and information that could be of use for those working across a range of professions dealing with youth violence, behavioral problems, mental health issues, and education.
Nanoscale details of liquid drops on 1D patterned surfaces revealed by etching
Authors: Wang Xuemei , Faria-Briceno Juan J. , Busani Tito , Brueck S. R. J.
Published: September 2019

This paper reports the wetting properties and spatially dependent etch rate variation on the interaction of a dilute potassium hydroxide (KOH):water droplet with a nanopatterned one-dimensional, 500-nm period, grooved photoresist surface. The KOH liquid drop showed a hydrophilic contact angle both along and perpendicular to the grooves and a more significant elongation distortion as compared to a deionized water drop. From the etching of the photoresist lines by the KOH solution, monitored by SEM after the drop was removed, the droplet was in a Cassie–Baxter state with the liquid excluded from the grooves and was pinned at the edge of the grating lines. The etch rate varied with the evaporation rate of the droplet and showed a dependence on the local contact angle with faster etching for smaller contact angles.
Doravirine Exposure and HIV-1 Suppression after Switching from an Efavirenz-Based Regimen to Doravirine-Lamivudine-Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
Authors: Greaves Wayne , Wan Hong , Yee Ka Lai , Kandala Bhargava , Vaddady Pavan , Hwang Carey
Published: September 2019

Doravirine is a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that has been approved for the treatment of HIV-1. In a phase 1 trial, doravirine exposure was transiently decreased when treatment was started immediately after the cessation of efavirenz treatment.
Interspecies and Intraspecies Signals Synergistically Regulate Lysobacter enzymogenes Twitching Motility
Authors: Feng Tao , Han Yong , Li Bingqing , Li Zhiqiang , Yu Yameng , Sun Qingyang , Li Xiaoyu , Du Liangcheng , Zhang Xiao-Hua , Wang Yan
Published: September 2019

The mechanism underlying bacterial twitching motility is an important research area because it is closely related to social and pathogenic behaviors. The mechanism mediating cell-to-cell perception of twitching motility is largely unknown. Using
Lysobacter
as a model, we found in this study that the interspecies signal indole caused
Lysobacter
to exhibit irregular, random twitching motility via activation of gene cluster

pilE1-pilY
1
1-pilX1-pilW1-pilV1-fimT1

. In addition, population-dependent behavior induced by 13-methyltetradecanoic acid, a quorum-sensing signaling molecule designated
Le
DSF, was involved in twitching motility by indirectly regulating gene clusters
pilM-pilN-pilO-pilP-pilQ
and
pilS1-pilR-pilA-pilB-pilC
. The results demonstrate that the twitching motility of
Lysobacter
is regulated by these two signaling molecules, offering novel clues for exploring the mechanisms of twitching motility and population-dependent behaviors of bacteria.
Escherichia coli Clonobiome: Assessing the Strain Diversity in Feces and Urine by Deep Amplicon Sequencing
Authors: Shevchenko Sofiya G. , Radey Matthew , Tchesnokova Veronika , Kisiela Dagmara , Sokurenko Evgeni V.
Published: September 2019

Bacterial species in the microbiome are often represented by multiple genetically and phenotypically different strains, making insight into subspecies diversity critical to a full understanding of the microbiome, especially with respect to opportunistic pathogens. However, methods allowing efficient high-throughput clonal typing are not currently available. This study combines a conventional
E. coli
typing method with deep amplicon sequencing to allow analysis of many samples concurrently. While our method was developed for
E. coli
, it may be adapted for other species, allowing microbiome researchers to assess clonal strain diversity in natural samples. Since assessment of subspecies diversity is particularly important for understanding the spread of antibiotic resistance, we applied our method to the study of a pandemic multidrug-resistant
E. coli
clone. The results we present suggest that this clone could be highly competitive in healthy carriers and that the mechanisms of colonization by such clones need to be studied.
Functional Identification and Characterization of the Nuclear Egress Complex of a Gammaherpesvirus
Authors: Lv Ying , Shen Sheng , Xiang Lingjiao , Jia Xing , Hou Yanjie , Wang Dacheng , Deng Hongyu
Published: September 2019

Increasing amounts of knowledge indicate that the nuclear egress complex (NEC) is critical for the nuclear egress of herpesvirus capsids, which can be viewed as a vesicle-mediated transport pathway through the nuclear membrane. In this study, we identified open reading frame 67 (ORF67) and ORF69 as components of the NEC in murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) and demonstrated that they efficiently induce virion-like vesicles from the nuclear membrane in mammalian cells. This is the first time that the NEC of a gammaherpesvirus has been found to demonstrate such an essential characteristic. In addition, we identified amino acids critical for mediating the interaction between ORF67 and ORF69 as well as nuclear egress. Notably, these amino acids are conserved in Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), providing a structural basis to design antigammaherpesvirus drugs.
Resistance Evolution against Phage Combinations Depends on the Timing and Order of Exposure
Authors: Wright Rosanna C. T. , Friman Ville-Petri , Smith Margaret C. M. , Brockhurst Michael A.
Published: September 2019

Globally rising rates of antibiotic resistance have renewed interest in phage therapy where combinations of phages have been successfully used to treat multidrug-resistant infections. To optimize phage therapy, we first need to understand how bacteria evolve resistance against combinations of multiple phages. Here, we use simple laboratory experiments and genome sequencing to show that the timing and order of phage exposure determine the strength, cost, and mutational basis of resistance evolution in the opportunistic pathogen
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. These findings suggest that phage combinations can be optimized to limit the emergence and persistence of resistance, thereby promoting the long-term usefulness of phage therapy.
The Long Noncoding RNAHEALRegulates HIV-1 Replication through Epigenetic Regulation of the HIV-1 Promoter
Authors: Chao Ti-Chun , Zhang Qiong , Li Zhonghan , Tiwari Shashi Kant , Qin Yue , Yau Edwin , Sanchez Ana , Singh Gatikrushna , Chang Kungyen , Kaul Marcus , Karris Maile Ann Young , Rana Tariq M.
Published: September 2019

Despite our increased understanding of the functions of lncRNAs, their potential to develop HIV/AIDS cure strategies remains unexplored. A genome-wide analysis of lncRNAs in HIV-1-infected primary monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) was performed, and 1,145 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified. An lncRNA namedHIV-1-enhancedlncRNA (HEAL) is upregulated by HIV-1 infection and promotes HIV replication in T cells and macrophages.HEALforms a complex with the RNA-binding protein FUS to enhance transcriptional coactivator p300 recruitment to the HIV promoter. Furthermore,HEALknockdown and knockout prevent HIV-1 recrudescence in T cells and microglia upon cessation of azidothymidine treatment, suggestingHEALas a potential therapeutic target to cure HIV-1/AIDS.
Nipah Virus-Like Particle Egress Is Modulated by Cytoskeletal and Vesicular Trafficking Pathways: a Validated Particle Proteomics Analysis
Authors: Johnston Gunner P. , Bradel-Tretheway Birgit , Piehowski Paul D. , Brewer Heather M. , Lee Bom Nae Rin , Usher Nicholas T. , Zamora J. Lizbeth Reyes , Ortega Victoria , Contreras Erik M. , Teuton Jeremy R. , Wendler Jason P. , Matz Keesha M. , Adkins Joshua N. , Aguilar Hector C.
Published: September 2019

Nipah virus is a zoonotic biosafety level 4 agent with high mortality rates in humans. The genus to which Nipah virus belongs,
Henipavirus
, includes five officially recognized pathogens; however, over 20 species have been identified in multiple continents within the last several years. As there are still no vaccines or treatments for NiV infection, elucidating its process of viral particle production is imperative both for targeted drug design as well as for particle-based vaccine development. Developments in high-throughput technologies make proteomic analysis of isolated viral particles a highly insightful approach to understanding the life cycle of pathogens such as Nipah virus.
Characterization of the Pig Gut Microbiome and Antibiotic Resistome in Industrialized Feedlots in China
Authors: Wang Chunlai , Li Peng , Yan Qiulong , Chen Liping , Li Tiantian , Zhang Wanjiang , Li He , Chen Changming , Han Xiuyan , Zhang Siyi , Xu Miao , Li Bo , Zhang Xiaoxuan , Ni Hongbo , Ma Yufang , Dong Bo , Li Shenghui , Liu Siguo
Published: September 2019

The gut microbiota is believed to be closely related to many important physical functions in the host. Comprehensive data on mammalian gut metagenomes has facilitated research on host-microbiome interaction mechanisms, but less is known about pig gut microbiome, especially the gut microbiome in industrialized feedlot pigs, compared with human microbiome. On the other hand, pig production, as an important source of food, is believed to exacerbate the antibiotic resistance in humans due to the abuse of antibiotics in pig production in various parts of the world. This study delineates an intricate picture of swine gut microbiome and antibiotic resistome in industrialized feedlots and may provide insight for the pig producing industry.
Simultaneous Tracking of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Motility in Liquid and at the Solid-Liquid Interface Reveals Differential Roles for the Flagellar Stators
Authors: Hook Andrew L. , Flewellen James L. , Dubern Jean-Frédéric , Carabelli Alessandro M. , Zaid Irwin M. , Berry Richard M. , Wildman Ricky D. , Russell Noah , Williams Paul , Alexander Morgan R.
Published: September 2019

We have established a methodology to enable the movement of individual bacterial cells to be followed within a 3D space without requiring any labeling. Such an approach is important to observe and understand how bacteria interact with surfaces and form biofilm. We investigated the swimming behavior of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, which has two flagellar stators that drive its swimming motion. Mutants that had only either one of the two stators swam slower and were unable to adjust to the near-surface environment as effectively as the wild type. These results are consistent with the
mot
stators playing key roles in responding to the near-surface environment and could be used by bacteria to sense via their flagella when they are near a surface.
Towards universal health coverage: governance and organisational change in ministries of health
Authors: Berman Peter , Azhar Azrina , Osborn Elizabeth J
Published: September 2019

Countries have implemented a range of reforms in health financing and provision to advance towards universal health coverage (UHC). These reforms often change the role of a ministry of health (MOH) in traditionally unitary national health service systems. An exploratory comparative case study of four upper middle-income and high-income countries provides insights into how these reforms in pursuit of UHC are likely to affect health governance and the organisational functioning of an MOH accustomed to controlling the financing and delivery of healthcare. These reforms often do not result in simple transfers of responsibility from MOH to other actors in the health system. The resulting configuration of responsibilities and organisational changes within a health system is specific to the capacities within the health system and the sociopolitical context. Formal prescriptions that accompany reform proposals often do not fully represent what actually takes place. An MOH may retain considerable influence in financing and delivery even when reforms appear to formally shift those powers to other organisational units. MOHs have limited ability to independently achieve fundamental system restructuring in health systems that are strongly subject to public sector rules and policies. Our comparative study shows that within these constraints, MOHs can drive organisational change through four mechanisms: establishing a high-level interministerial team to provide political commitment and reduce institutional barriers; establishing an MOH ‘change team’ to lead implementation of organisational change; securing key components of systemic change through legislation; and leveraging emerging political change windows of opportunity for the introduction of health reforms.
Iridoplasty for plateau iris syndrome: a systematic review
Authors: Bourdon Hugo , Aragno Vittoria , Baudouin Christophe , Labbé Antoine
Published: September 2019

Plateau iris syndrome (PIS) is a frequent cause of angle closure. Argon laser peripheral iridoplasty (ALPI) has been proposed in PIS to widen the iridocorneal angle. The objective of the present study was to perform a systematic review of the available studies evaluating the efficacy of ALPI on intraocular pressure (IOP), iridocorneal angle opening and the number of medications in patients with chronic angle-closure associated with PIS. One prospective and seven retrospective studies with a minimum 1 month of follow-up were included. Although ALPI seemed to lower IOP, to decrease the number of topical antiglaucoma medications and widen the iridocorneal angle shortly after the procedure, there is no current evidence of long-term efficacy. To date, there is no robust scientific evidence to advocate ALPI as a treatment for chronic angle-closure caused by PIS.
Incidence of inpatient venous thromboembolism in treated patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the association with switching biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in the real-world setting
Authors: Liang Huifang , Danwada Raghava , Guo Dianlin , Curtis Jeffrey R , Kilpatrick Ryan D , Hendrickson Barbara , Islam Syed S
Published: September 2019

Objectives

To assess incidence rates (IRs) of VTE in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on different DMARDs and DMARD switchers.

Methods

Adults with RA on a DMARD between 2007 and 2017 were studied in a US claims database. Conventional synthetic DMARD (csDMARD) users, first biologic/targeted synthetic DMARD (b/tsDMARD) users and b/tsDMARD switchers (from a b/tsDMARD to another b/tsDMARD) were followed for inpatient VTE (pulmonary embolism (PE)/deep vein thrombosis (DVT)). Crude and adjusted IR and 95% CIs of VTE were estimated. HRs for VTE were estimated via Cox regression. VTE risk was also evaluated by number of switches between b/tsDMARDs and in patients without a VTE history.

Results

The age and sex standardised IR (95% CI) of VTE (per 100 person-years) was 0.86 (0.70 to 1.03), 0.60 (0.52 to 0.68) and 0.58 (0.51 to 0.65) for b/tsDMARD switchers, first b/tsDMARD users and csDMARD users, respectively. After adjustment, b/tsDMARD switchers had an increased risk of VTE, compared with csDMARD users, HRadj(95% CI) being 1.36 (1.16 to 1.58), 1.36 (1.13 to 1.63) and 1.47 (1.18 to 1.83) for VTE, DVT and PE, respectively. Compared with first b/tsDMARD users, the HRadj(95% CI) for VTE was 1.35 (1.15 to 1.60) for first b/tsDMARD switchers and 1.48 (1.19 to 1.85) for second b/tsDMARD switchers.

Conclusions

In RA, b/tsDMARD switchers have a higher VTE risk compared with csDMARD users and first b/tsDMARD users. Switching b/tsDMARDs may be a proxy for higher disease severity or poorly controlled RA and an important confounder to consider in obtaining unbiased estimates of VTE risk in observational RA safety studies.
Management of Takayasu arteritis: a systematic literature review informing the 2018 update of the EULAR recommendation for the management of large vessel vasculitis
Authors: Águeda Ana F , Monti Sara , Luqmani Raashid Ahmed , Buttgereit Frank , Cid Maria , Dasgupta Bhaskar , Dejaco Christian , Mahr Alfred , Ponte Cristina , Salvarani Carlo , Schmidt Wolfgang , Hellmich Bernhard
Published: September 2019

Objective

To collect available evidence on management of large vessel vasculitis to inform the 2018 update of the EULAR management recommendations.

Methods

Two independent systematic literature reviews were performed, one on diagnosis and monitoring and the other on drugs and surgical treatments. Using a predefined PICO (population, intervention, comparator and outcome) strategy, Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were accessed. Eligible papers were reviewed and results condensed into a summary of findings table. This paper reports the main results for Takayasu arteritis (TAK).

Results

A total of 287 articles were selected. Relevant heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis. Males appear to have more complications than females. The presence of major complications, older age, a progressive disease course and a weaker inflammatory response are associated with a more unfavourable prognosis. Evidence for details on the best disease monitoring scheme was not found. High-quality evidence to guide the treatment of TAK was not found. Glucocorticoids are widely accepted as first-line treatment. Conventional immunosuppressive drugs and tumour necrosis factor inhibitors were beneficial in case series and uncontrolled studies. Tocilizumab failed the primary endpoint (time to relapse) in a randomised controlled clinical trial; however, results still favoured tocilizumab over placebo. Vascular procedures may be required, and outcome is better when performed during inactive disease.

Conclusions

Evidence to guide monitoring and treatment of patients with TAK is predominantly derived from observational studies with low level of evidence. Therefore, higher-quality studies are needed in the future.
Opioid stewardship after emergency laparoscopic general surgery
Authors: Nahanni Celina , Nadler Ashlie , Nathens Avery B
Published: September 2019

Background

Opioid administration in postoperative patients has contributed to the opioid crisis by increasing the load of opioids available in the community. Implementation of evidence-based practices is key to optimizing the use of opioids for acute pain control. This study aims to characterize the administration and prescribing practices after emergency laparoscopic general surgery procedures with the goal of identifying areas for improvement.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of 200 patients undergoing emergency laparoscopic appendectomies and cholecystectomies was conducted for a 2-year period at a single institution. Eligible patients were opioid-naïve adults admitted through the emergency department. Opioid administration and discharge prescriptions were converted to oral morphine equivalents (OME), and analyzed and compared with published literature and local guidelines.

Results

Opioid analgesia was provided as needed to 69% of patients in hospital with average dosing of 26.7 OME/day; comparatively, 99.5% of patients received prescriptions for opioids on discharge at an average dosing of 61.7 OME/day. The average dosing in the discharge prescriptions was not correlated with in-hospital needs (Pearson=−0.04; p=0.56); and higher narcotic doses were associated with combination opioid prescriptions compared with separate opioid prescriptions (73.8 (1.90) vs. 50.1 (1.90) OME/day; p<0.01). This difference was driven by the combination medication, Percocet.

Conclusions

In the immediate postoperative period, most patients were managed in hospital with opioid analgesia dosages that fell within guidelines. Nearly all patients were provided with prescriptions for opioids on discharge, these prescriptions both exceeded local guidelines and were not correlated with in-hospital narcotic needs or pain scores.

Level of evidence

Level 3 retrospective cohort study.
Effects of somatostatin, curcumin, and quercetin on the fatty acid profile of breast cancer cell membranes
Authors: Hanikoglu Aysegul , Kucuksayan Ertan , Hanikoglu Ferhat , Ozben Tomris , Menounou Georgia , Sansone Anna , Chatgilialoglu Chrys , Di Bella Giuseppe , Ferreri Carla
Published: September 2019

Breast cancer is a worldwide commonly found malignancy in women and effective treatment is regarded as a huge clinical challenge even in the presence of several treatment options. Extensive literature is available demonstrating polyphenols as phytopharmaceutical anticancer agents. Among the polyphenols, quercetin and curcumin have been reported to have a strong potential against breast cancer. However, so far, no comprehensive study has been performed to demonstrate the anticarcinogenic effects of curcumin, quercetin, and their combinations with somatostatin on the fatty acid profile of breast cancer cell membranes. We used MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells incubated with curcumin and quercetin for 24 h, in the absence and presence of somatostatin, at their EC50 concentrations to evaluate membrane fatty acid based functional lipidomics together with the followup of EGFR and MAPK signaling pathways. The two cell lines gave different membrane free fatty acid reorganization. In MCF-7 cells, the following changes were observed: an increase of ω6 linoleic acid in the cells incubated with somatostatin + quercetin and quercetin and a decrease of ω3 acids in the cells incubated with somatostatin + curcumin compared to somatostatin and significant increases of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), mono-trans arachidonic acid levels and docosapentaenoic acid for the cells incubated with somatostatin + quercetin compared to the control cells. In MDA-MB231 cells, incubations with curcumin, quercetin, and somatostatin + quercetin induced the most significant membrane remodeling with the increase of stearic acid, diminution of ω6 linoleic, arachidonic acids, and ω3 (docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids). Distinct signaling pathway changes were found for these cell lines. In MCF-7 cells, separate or combined incubations with somatostatin and quercetin, significantly decreased EGFR and incubation with curcumin decreased MAPK signaling. In MDA-MB231 cells, incubation with curcumin decreased AKT1 and p-AKT1 (Thr308) levels. Incubation with curcumin and quercetin decreased the EGFR levels. Our results showed that cytostatic and antioxidant treatments can be combined to induce membrane fatty acid changes, including lipid isomerization as specific free radical driven process, and to influence signaling pathways. This study aimed to contribute to the literature on these antioxidants in the treatment of breast cancer to clarify the effects and mechanisms in combination with somatostatin.
Determinants of Financial Reporting Quality in the Public Sector: Evidence from Indonesia
Authors: Rakhman Fuad , Wijayana Singgih
Published: September 2019

Most studies addressing the issue of financial reporting quality (FRQ) focus on corporations. This study investigates the determinants of FRQ in the public sector. We use the type of audit opinion as a proxy for reporting quality, with an unqualified opinion representing the best reporting quality while a disclaimer of opinion represents the worst quality. Using manually collected data from 3018 financial reports of local governments in Indonesia from 2008 to 2014, we find that a high proportion of capital expenditures in the total budget is associated with low FRQ. Further, we find that larger and wealthier local governments are associated with higher FRQ. Finally, we find that local governments under more experienced mayors have higher reporting quality. Our results are robust to different measures of FRQ. This study contributes to the reporting quality literature by providing empirical evidence on the determinants of FRQ in the public sector, which has been relatively underexplored. We conclude that certain characteristics of local governments and of mayors are associated with the types of audit opinion and that financial incentives accelerate the improvement of reporting quality.
Assessing Neural Network Scene Classification from Degraded Images
Authors: Tadros Timothy , Cullen Nicholas C. , Greene Michelle R. , Cooper Emily A.
Published: September 2019

Scene recognition is an essential component of both machine and biological vision. Recent advances in computer vision using deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have demonstrated impressive sophistication in scene recognition, through training on large datasets of labeled scene images (Zhou et al. 2018, 2014). One criticism of CNN-based approaches is that performance may not generalize well beyond the training image set (Torralba and Efros 2011), and may be hampered by minor image modifications, which in some cases are barely perceptible to the human eye (Goodfellow et al. 2015; Szegedy et al. 2013). While these “adversarial examples” may be unlikely in natural contexts, during many real-world visual tasks scene information can be degraded or limited due to defocus blur, camera motion, sensor noise, or occluding objects. Here, we quantify the impact of several image degradations (some common, and some more exotic) on indoor/outdoor scene classification using CNNs. For comparison, we use human observers as a benchmark, and also evaluate performance against classifiers using limited, manually selected descriptors. While the CNNs outperformed the other classifiers and rivaled human accuracy for intact images, our results show that their classification accuracy is more affected by image degradations than human observers. On a practical level, however, accuracy of the CNNs remained well above chance for a wide range of image manipulations that disrupted both local and global image statistics. We also examine the level of image-by-image agreement with human observers, and find that the CNNs’ agreement with observers varied as a function of the nature of image manipulation. In many cases, this agreement was not substantially different from the level one would expect to observe for two independent classifiers. Together, these results suggest that CNN-based scene classification techniques are relatively robust to several image degradations. However, the pattern of classifications obtained for ambiguous images does not appear to closely reflect the strategies employed by human observers.
BMP1 inhibitor UK383,367 attenuates renal fibrosis and inflammation in CKD
Authors: Bai Mi , Lei Juan , Wang Shuqin , Ding Dan , Yu Xiaowen , Guo Yan , Chen Shuang , Du Yang , Li Deyi , Zhang Yue , Huang Songming , Jia Zhanjun , Zhang Aihua
Published: September 2019

Renal fibrosis is a key pathological phenomenon of chronic kidney disease (CKD) contributing to the progressive loss of renal function. UK383,367 is a procollagen C proteinase inhibitor that has been selected as a candidate for dermal antiscarring agents, whereas its role in renal fibrosis is unclear. In the present study, UK383,367 was applied to a CKD mouse model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and cell lines of renal tubular epithelial cells (mouse proximal tubular cells) and renal fibroblast cells (NRK-49F cells) challenged by transforming growth factor-β1. In vivo, bone morphogenetic protein 1, the target of UK383,367, was significantly enhanced in UUO mouse kidneys and renal biopsies from patients with CKD. Strikingly, UK383,367 administration ameliorated tubulointerstitial fibrosis as shown by Masson’s trichrome staining in line with the blocked expression of collagen type I/III, fibronectin, and α-smooth muscle actin in the kidneys from UUO mice. Similarly, the enhanced inflammatory factors in obstructed kidneys were also blunted. In vitro, UK383,367 pretreatment inhibited the induction of collagen type I/III, fibronectin, and α-smooth muscle actin in both mouse proximal tubular cells and NRK-49F cells treated with transforming growth factor-β1. Taken together, these findings indicate that the bone morphogenetic protein 1 inhibitor UK383,367 could serve as a potential drug in antagonizing CKD renal fibrosis by acting on the maturation and deposition of collagen and the subsequent profibrotic response and inflammation.
Profiling solute-carrier transporters in key metabolic tissues during the postpartum evolution of mammary epithelial cells from nonsecretory to secretory
Authors: Patel Osman V. , Casey Theresa , Plaut Karen
Published: September 2019

Modifications in the abundance of solute-carrier (SLC) transcripts in tandem with adjustments in genes-associated with energy homeostasis during the postpartum transition of the mammary epithelial cells (MEC) from nonsecretory to secretory is pivotal for supporting milk synthesis. The goal of this study was to identify differentially expressed SLC genes across key metabolic tissues between late pregnancy and onset of lactation. Total RNA was isolated from the mammary, liver, and adipose tissues collected from rat dams on day 20 of pregnancy (P20) and day 1 of lactation (L1) and gene expression was measured with Rat 230 2.0 Affymetrix GeneChips. LIMMA was utilized to identify the differential gene expression patterns between P20 and L1 tissues. Transcripts engaged in conveying anions, cations, carboxylates, sugars, amino acids, metals, nucleosides, vitamins, and fatty acids were significantly increased ( P < 0.05) in MEC during the P20 to L1 shift. Downregulated ( P < 0.05) genes in the mammary during the physiological transition included GLUT8 and SLC45a3. In the liver, SLC genes encoding for anion, carbonyl, and nucleotide sugar transporters were upregulated ( P < 0.05) at L1. while genes facilitating transportation of anions and hexose were increased ( P < 0.05), from P20 to L1 in the adipose tissue. GLUT1 and GLUT4 in the liver, along with GLUT4 and SGLT2 in the adipose tissue, were repressed ( P < 0.05) at L1. Our results illustrate that MEC exhibit dynamic molecular plasticity during the nonsecretory to secretory transition and increase biosynthetic capacity through a coordinated tissue specific SLC transcriptome modification to facilitate substrate transfer.