bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recovery Assessment Scale‐Domains and Stages: Measurement capacity, relevance, acceptability and feasibility of use with young people
Authors: Hancock Nicola , Scanlan Justin N. , Kightley Michelle , Harris Anthony
Published: July 2019

Aim

The Recovery Assessment Scale‐Domains and Stages (RAS‐DS) is a self‐rated measure of mental health recovery. While this instrument has demonstrated good measurement properties and acceptability to clinicians and consumers in adult mental health services, it has not been evaluated in the context of youth‐focused mental health services. This study was established to evaluate the measurement properties, feasibility and acceptability of the RAS‐DS in a youth mental health service context.

Methods

Young people accessing a youth mental health service were invited to complete the RAS‐DS and both young people and clinicians provided feedback about its usefulness. Analyses of the measurement properties of the RAS‐DS were completed using Rasch analysis. Usability feedback was analysed using descriptive statistics and constant comparative analysis.

Results

Fifty‐eight consumer‐clinician dyads participated. Analyses revealed that items on the RAS‐DS generally demonstrated good fit with the expectations of the Rasch model and clinician and consumer feedback was generally positive. Ninety‐one percent of young people completed the RAS‐DS in less than 15 minutes. Thirty‐four percent of young people had measure scores above the level of the “hardest” item on the RAS‐DS, suggesting that measurement precision is lower for individuals at more advanced stages of recovery.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that the RAS‐DS has acceptable measurement properties and was acceptable to young people and clinicians. Future research should explore the use of the RAS‐DS by young people in other contexts as well as explore whether additional items could be added to capture the later stages of recovery for young people.
Emotional, physical and sexual violence against female students undergoing medical, dental and psychology courses in South Brazil
Authors: Magrin Juliana V. , Franco Ademir , Makeeva Irina , Paranhos Luiz Renato , Rigo Lilian
Published: July 2019

Violence against women is a hot topic in the spotlight of contemporary science. In the academy, most of the courses are structured in a hierarchical system, in which students—especially female—become potentially vulnerable to emotional, physical and even sexual harm. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and the study‐associated factors of emotional, physical and sexual violence against female students in medical, dental and psychological courses in South Brazil. A questionnaire‐based survey was performed combining two previously validated tools for the investigation of workplace violence. The questionnaires were digitally provided to women undergoing medicine, dentistry and psychology courses in South Brazil. The study was conducted between April and July, 2018. The final sample consisted of 241 students (57 medical students; 91 dental students and 93 psychology students). Reports of general violence reached a prevalence rate of 45.2%. In particular, emotional violence reached 78.9% of the cases, whilst physical and sexual violence reached 4.6% and 8.3%, respectively. Amongst the identified offenders, professors figured as the most prevalent (18.4%). Alarming rates of violence against women were detected in this study. Institutional preventive strategies must be designed to protect female students in their study/workplace and enable a safe routine of academic activities.
Visuomotor control of ankle joint using position vs. force
Authors: Farjadian Amir Bahador , Nabian Mohsen , Hartman Amber , Yen Sheng‐Che , Nasseroleslami Bahman
Published: July 2019

Ankle joint plays a critical role in daily activities involving interactions with environment using force and position control. Neuromechanical dysfunctions (e.g., due to stroke or brain injury), therefore, have a major impact on individuals’ quality of life. The effective design of neuro‐rehabilitation protocols for robotic rehabilitation platforms relies on understanding the control characteristics of the ankle joint in interaction with external environment using force and position, as the findings in upper limb may not be generalizable to the lower limb. This study aimed to characterize the skilled performance of ankle joint in visuomotor position and force control. A two‐degree‐of‐freedom (DOF) robotic footplate was used to measure individuals’ force and position. Healthy individuals (n = 27) used ankle force or position for point‐to‐point and tracking control tasks in 1‐DOF and 2‐DOF virtual game environments. Subjects’ performance was quantified as a function of accuracy and completion time. In contrast to comparable performance in 1‐DOF control tasks, the performance in 2‐DOF tasks was different and had characteristic patterns in the position and force conditions, with a significantly better performance for position. Subjective questionnaires on the perceived difficulty matched the objective experimental results, suggesting that the poor performance in force control was not due to experimental set‐up or fatigue but can be attributed to the different levels of challenge needed in neural control. It is inferred that in visuomotor coordination, the neuromuscular specialization of ankle provides better control over position rather than force. These findings can inform the design of neuro‐rehabilitation platforms, selection of effective tasks and therapeutic protocols.
Nysius cymoides (Heteroptera, Lygaeidae), an emerging insect pest in Tunisia
Authors: Haouas D. , Glida‐Gnidez H. , Hafsi C. , Nhaili H. , Matocq A.
Published: July 2019

In June 2018 a serious infestation of chilli pepper plants and tomato seedlings was observed which caused major crop losses. This infestation was caused by Nysius cymoides (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae: Orsillinae). The insect was also seen nearby on barley and oilseed rape as well as on newly planted olive trees, acacia and some weeds. This is the first observation of such insect damage in Tunisia. A brief description of its morphology and the damage caused is given. The false chinch bug was treated with an imidacloprid‐based insecticide.
A novel cell‐based sensor detecting the activity of individual basic proprotein convertases
Authors: Löw Karin , Hardes Kornelia , Fedeli Chiara , Seidah Nabil G. , Constam Daniel B. , Pasquato Antonella , Steinmetzer Torsten , Roulin Alexandre , Kunz Stefan
Published: July 2019

The basic proprotein convertases (PCs) furin, PC1/3, PC2, PC5/6, PACE4, PC4, and PC7 are promising drug targets for human diseases. However, developing selective inhibitors remains challenging due to overlapping substrate recognition motifs and limited structural information. Classical drug screening approaches for basic PC inhibitors involve homogeneous biochemical assays using soluble recombinant enzymes combined with fluorogenic substrate peptides that may not accurately recapitulate the complex cellular context of the basic PC–substrate interaction. Herein we report basic PC sensor (BPCS), a novel cell‐based molecular sensor that allows rapid screening of candidate inhibitors and their selectivity toward individual basic PCs within mammalian cells. BPCS consists ofGaussialuciferase linked to a sortilin‐1 membrane anchor via a cleavage motif that allows efficient release of luciferase specifically if individual basic PCs are provided in the same membrane. Screening of selected candidate peptidomimetic inhibitors revealed that BPCS can readily distinguish between general and selective PC inhibitors in a high‐throughput screening format. The robust and cost‐effective assay format of BPCS makes it suitable to identify novel specific small‐molecule inhibitors against basic PCs for therapeutic application. Its cell‐based nature will allow screening for drug targets in addition to the catalytically active mature enzyme, including maturation, transport, and cellular factors that modulate the enzyme's activity. This broadened ‘target range’ will enhance the likelihood to identify novel small‐molecule compounds that inhibit basic PCs in a direct or indirect manner and represents a conceptual advantage.
New light on ancient enzymes – in vitro CO2 Fixation by Pyruvate Synthase of Desulfovibrio africanus and Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
Authors: Witt Andreas , Pozzi Roberta , Diesch Stephan , Hädicke Oliver , Grammel Hartmut
Published: July 2019

Two variants of the enzyme family pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR), derived from the anaerobic sulfate‐reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio africanus and the extremophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, respectively, were evaluated for their capacity to fixate CO2 in vitro. PFOR reversibly catalyzes the conversion of acetyl‐CoA and CO2 to pyruvate using ferredoxin as redox partner. The oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate is thermodynamically strongly favored, and most previous studies only considered the oxidative direction of the enzyme. To assay the pyruvate synthase function of PFOR during reductive carboxylation of acetyl‐CoA is more challenging and requires to maintain the reaction far from equilibrium. For this purpose, a biochemical assay was established where low‐potential electrons were introduced by photochemical reduction of EDTA/deazaflavin and the generated pyruvate was trapped by chemical derivatization with semicarbazide. The product of CO2 fixation could be detected as pyruvate semicarbazone by HPLC‐MS. In a combinatorial approach, both PFORs were tested with ferredoxins from different sources. The pyruvate semicarbazone product could be detected with low‐potential ferredoxins of the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium tepidum and of S. acidocaldarius whereas CO2 fixation was not supported by the native ferredoxin of D. africanus. Methylviologen as an artificial electron carrier also allowed CO2 fixation. For both enzymes, the results are the first demonstration of CO2 fixation in vitro. Both enzymes exhibited high stability in the presence of oxygen during purification and storage. In conclusion, the employed PFOR enzymes in combination with non‐native ferredoxin cofactors might be promising candidates for further incorporation in biocatalytic CO2 conversion.

Enzymes

EC1.2.7.1. Pyruvate:Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase
Future ocean climate homogenizes communities across habitats through diversity loss and rise of generalist species
Authors: Colossi Brustolin Marco , Nagelkerken Ivan , Moitinho Ferreira Camilo , Urs Goldenberg Silvan , Ullah Hadayet , Fonseca Gustavo
Published: July 2019

Predictions of the effects of global change on ecological communities are largely based on single habitats. Yet in nature, habitats are interconnected through the exchange of energy and organisms, and the responses of local communities may not extend to emerging community networks (i.e., metacommunities). Using large mesocosms and meiofauna communities as a model system, we investigated the interactive effects of ocean warming and acidification on the structure of marine metacommunities from three shallow‐water habitats: sandy soft‐bottoms, marine vegetation, and rocky reef substrates. Primary producers and detritus—key food sources for meiofauna—increased in biomass under the combined effect of temperature and acidification. The enhanced bottom‐up forcing boosted nematode densities but impoverished the functional and trophic diversity of nematode metacommunities. The combined climate stressors further homogenized meiofauna communities across habitats. Under present‐day conditions metacommunities were structured by habitat type, but under future conditions they showed an unstructured random pattern with fast‐growing generalist species dominating the communities of all habitats. Homogenization was likely driven by local species extinctions, reducing interspecific competition that otherwise could have prevented single species from dominating multiple niches. Our findings reveal that climate change may simplify metacommunity structure and prompt biodiversity loss, which may affect the biological organization and resilience of marine communities.
Autumn bird migration phenology: A potpourri of wind, precipitation and temperature effects
Authors: Haest Birgen , Hüppop Ommo , van de Pol Martijn , Bairlein Franz
Published: July 2019

Climate change has caused a clear and univocal trend towards advancement in spring phenology. Changes in autumn phenology are much more diverse, with advancement, delays, and ‘no change' all occurring frequently. For migratory birds, patterns in autumn migration phenology trends have been identified based on ecological and life‐history traits. Explaining interspecific variation has nevertheless been challenging, and the underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. Radar studies on non‐species‐specific autumn migration intensity have repeatedly suggested that there are strong links with weather. In long‐term species‐specific studies, the variance in autumn migration phenology explained by weather has, nevertheless, been rather low, or a relationship was even lacking entirely. We performed a spatially explicit time window analysis of weather effects on mean autumn passage of four trans‐Saharan and six intra‐European passerines to gain insights into this apparent contradiction. We analysed data from standardized daily captures at the Heligoland island constant‐effort site (Germany), in combination with gridded daily temperature, precipitation and wind data over a 55‐year period (1960–2014), across northern Europe. Weather variables at the breeding and stopover grounds explained up to 80% of the species‐specific interannual variability in autumn passage. Overall, wind conditions were most important. For intra‐European migrants, wind was even twice as important as either temperature or precipitation, and the pattern also held in terms of relative contributions of each climate variable to the temporal trends in autumn phenology. For the trans‐Saharan migrants, however, the pattern of relative trend contributions was completely reversed. Temperature and precipitation had strong trend contributions, while wind conditions had only a minor impact because they did not show any strong temporal trends. As such, understanding species‐specific effects of climate on autumn phenology not only provides unique insights into each species' ecology but also how these effects shape the observed interspecific heterogeneity in autumn phenological trends.
Long‐term nitrogen addition modifies microbial composition and functions for slow carbon cycling and increased sequestration in tropical forest soil
Authors: Tian Jing , Dungait Jennifer A. J. , Lu Xiankai , Yang Yunfeng , Hartley Iain P. , Zhang Wei , Mo Jiangming , Yu Guirui , Zhou Jizhong , Kuzyakov Yakov
Published: July 2019

Nitrogen (N) deposition is a component of global change that has considerable impact on belowground carbon (C) dynamics. Plant growth stimulation and alterations of fungal community composition and functions are the main mechanisms driving soil C gains following N deposition in N‐limited temperate forests. In N‐rich tropical forests, however, N deposition generally has minor effects on plant growth; consequently, C storage in soil may strongly depend on the microbial processes that drive litter and soil organic matter decomposition. Here, we investigated how microbial functions in old‐growth tropical forest soil responded to 13 years of N addition at four rates: 0 (Control), 50 (Low‐N), 100 (Medium‐N), and 150 (High‐N) kg N ha−1 year−1. Soil organic carbon (SOC) content increased under High‐N, corresponding to a 33% decrease in CO2 efflux, and reductions in relative abundances of bacteria as well as genes responsible for cellulose and chitin degradation. A 113% increase in N2O emission was positively correlated with soil acidification and an increase in the relative abundances of denitrification genes (narG and norB). Soil acidification induced by N addition decreased available P concentrations, and was associated with reductions in the relative abundance of phytase. The decreased relative abundance of bacteria and key functional gene groups for C degradation were related to slower SOC decomposition, indicating the key mechanisms driving SOC accumulation in the tropical forest soil subjected to High‐N addition. However, changes in microbial functional groups associated with N and P cycling led to coincidentally large increases in N2O emissions, and exacerbated soil P deficiency. These two factors partially offset the perceived beneficial effects of N addition on SOC storage in tropical forest soils. These findings suggest a potential to incorporate microbial community and functions into Earth system models considering their effects on greenhouse gas emission, biogeochemical processes, and biodiversity of tropical ecosystems.
The oral health‐related section of the interRAI: Evaluation of test content validity by expert rating and assessment of potential reasons for inaccurate assessments based on focus group discussions with caregivers
Authors: Krausch‐Hofmann Stefanie , De Almeida Mello Johanna , Declerck Dominique , Declercq Anja , De Lepeleire Jan , Tran Trung Dung , Lesaffre Emmanuel , Duyck Joke
Published: July 2019

Objectives

To explore the failure of the oral health‐related section of the interRAI (ohr‐interRAI), this study investigated test content validity (A.) and reasons for inaccurate assessments (B.).

Background

Poor oral health negatively affects quality of life and is associated with a number of systemic diseases. The interRAI instruments, internationally used for geriatric assessment, should accurately detect oral conditions that require care. Previous research showed that the ohr‐interRAI and related precursor versions do not achieve this goal.

Materials and Methods

(A.) A group of 12 experts rated completeness, relevance, clarity of wording and feasibility of the ohr‐interRAI. Content validity indices were calculated per item (threshold 0.78). (B.) Focus group discussions with 23 caregivers were organized. A semi‐structured question guide made sure that all topics of interest were covered. Qualitative content structuring analysis was applied after transcription.

Results

(A.) Experts agreed on the relevance of the items on chewing, pain, gingival inflammation and damaged teeth. They regarded none of the items as worded clearly and only prosthesis use and pain were considered to be assessable by untrained caregivers. All experts agreed that the ohr‐interRAI was incomplete. (B.) Focus group discussions revealed that in the care environment oral health had low priority. Aspects related to the ohr‐interRAI itself and aspects related to the assessment situation impeded the oral health assessment. The approach of the caregivers to complete the ohr‐interRAI was inappropriate to accurately detect oral care needs.

Conclusions

Findings challenge test content validity of the ohr‐interRAI and reveal reasons for inaccurate assessments.
Sociodemographic determinants of edentulism in the elderly population: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Roberto Luana L. , Crespo Thaisa S. , Monteiro‐Junior Renato S. , Martins Andréa M. E. B. L. , De Paula Alfredo M. B. , Ferreira Efigênia F. , Haikal Desirée S.
Published: July 2019

Objective

To provide a systematic review on the demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with edentulism among older persons.

Background

Edentulism (complete loss of the natural teeth) is one of the main problems affecting the oral health of the elderly individuals. Many unfavourable socioeconomic factors are considered important predictors of edentulism.

Materials and methods

This review was performed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses (PRISMA). The search for published studies was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, SciELO, Google and Google Scholar. Only observational epidemiological studies published in either English or Portuguese prior to June 2018 were included in our study. The bibliographic and methodological characteristics of the selected studies were evaluated. The Review Manager 5.3 software was used in the meta‐analysis.

Results

We identified 343 articles, 24 of which met all the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Unfavourable demographic and socioeconomic conditions were associated with the highest proportion of edentulous individuals. Age, level of education, and socioeconomic status were the main factors that were found to influence edentulism among elderly individuals. The meta‐analysis results showed a lower risk of edentulism in men (OR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.90‐0.96) and no significant differences in the risk of developing edentulism among different races/ethnicities or skin colours (OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.45‐1.01).

Conclusion

Better socioeconomic conditions and male sex were identified as protective factors against edentulism among older individuals. Thus, public policies aimed at helping the most vulnerable populations must be implemented.
Cause of death among HIV patients in London in 2016
Authors: Croxford S , Miller RF , Post FA , Harding R , Lucas SB , Figueroa J , Harrison I , Delpech VC , Dhoot S , Sullivan AK
Published: July 2019

Objectives

Since 2013, the London HIV Mortality Review Group has conducted annual reviews of deaths among people with HIV to reduce avoidable mortality.

Methods

All London HIV care Trusts reported data on 2016 patient deaths in 2017. Deaths were submitted using a modified Causes of Death in HIV reporting form and categorized by a specialist HIV pathologist and two HIV clinicians.

Results

There were 206 deaths reported; 77% were among men. Median age at death was 56 years. Cause was established for 82% of deaths, with non‐AIDS‐related malignancies and AIDS‐defining illnesses being the most common causes reported. Risk factors in the year before death included: tobacco smoking (37%), excessive alcohol consumption (19%), non‐injecting drug use (10%), injecting drug use (7%) and opioid substitution therapy (6%). Thirty‐nine per cent of patients had a history of depression, 33% chronic hypertension, 27% dyslipidaemia, 17% coinfection with hepatitis B virus and/or hepatitis C virus and 14% diabetes mellitus. At the time of death, 81% of patients were on antiretroviral therapy (ART), 61% had a CD4 count < 350 cells/μL, and 24% had a viral load ≥ 200 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL. Thirty‐six per cent of deaths were unexpected; 61% of expected deaths were in hospital. Two‐thirds of expected deaths had a prior end‐of‐life care discussion documented.

Conclusions

In 2016, most deaths were attributable to non‐AIDS‐related conditions and the majority of patients were on ART and virally suppressed. However, several potentially preventable deaths were identified and underlying risk factors were common. As London HIV patients are not representative of people with HIV in the UK, a national mortality review is warranted.
Gestational diabetes exposure and adiposity outcomes in childhood and adolescence: An analysis of effect modification by breastfeeding, diet quality, and physical activity in the EPOCH study
Authors: Sauder Katherine A. , Bekelman Traci A. , Harrall Kylie K. , Glueck Deborah H. , Dabelea Dana
Published: July 2019

Background

Intrauterine exposure to gestational diabetes (GDM) is associated with increased adiposity; however, not all offspring exposed to GDM exhibit excess adiposity.

Objectives

Examine whether optimal diet and activity behaviours in infancy, childhood, and adolescence modify the association between GDM exposure and adiposity.

Methods

In 564 offspring (84 exposed to GDM), we assessed breastfeeding (maternal recall), dietary intake (food frequency questionnaire), physical activity (3‐day recall), and adiposity (BMI, waist‐to‐height ratio, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, and subscapular‐to‐triceps skinfold ratio) at 10.4 (SD, 1.5) and 16.7 (SD, 1.2) years. Optimal behaviours were defined as >6 breastmilk months, Healthy Eating Index score >60, and daily vigorous activity >1 hour. Linear mixed models assessed the association between GDM exposure and adiposity among those with optimal versus suboptimal health behaviours, adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, age, and pubertal status.

Results

GDM exposure was associated with increased skinfold ratio, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue among those with <6 breastmilk months (all Ps < .05), but only associated with increased skinfold ratio among those with >6 breastmilk months (P = .01). GDM exposure was associated with increases in all adiposity measures among those with Healthy Eating Index scores <60 (P < .01), but not those with scores >60 (P > .10). GDM exposure was associated with increased BMI and subcutaneous adipose tissue among those with >1 hour of vigorous activity (P < .05) but not among those with <1 hour of vigorous activity (P > .30).

Conclusions

The association of GDM exposure with excess adiposity is attenuated in offspring with more optimal diet and activity behaviours in infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
Extended duration of thromboprophylaxis for medically ill patients: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Zayed Yazan , Kheiri Babikir , Barbarawi Mahmoud , Banifadel Momen , Abdalla Ahmed , Chahine Adam , Obeid Michele , Haykal Tarek , Yelangi Anitha , Malapati Sindhu , Bachuwa Ghassan , Seedahmed Elfateh
Published: July 2019

Background

The benefit of extended‐duration thromboprophylaxis in patients hospitalised for acute medical illness beyond hospital stay remains controversial.

Aims

To perform a meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCT) in order to examine the efficacy and safety of extended‐duration anticoagulation for venous‐thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in this high‐risk population.

Methods

An electronic database search was conducted to include all RCT comparing between extended‐duration versus short‐duration prophylactic anticoagulation in medically ill patients. The primary efficacy outcome was the composite events of asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT), symptomatic VTE and death from VTE‐related causes.

Results

Five RCT were included totalling 40 124 patients, with a mean age of 71 years and 51% were male. In comparison to standard‐duration therapy, extended‐duration thromboprophylaxis was associated with a significant reduction in the primary efficacy outcome (risk ratio (RR) 0.75; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67–0.85; P < 0.01), symptomatic VTE (RR 0.53; 95% CI 0.33–0.84; P < 0.01) and asymptomatic DVT (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.71–0.94; P < 0.01). However, there were no significant differences between both groups with regard to VTE‐related death (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.60–1.10; P = 0.18) or all‐cause death (RR 0.97; 95% CI 0.88–1.08; P = 0.64). In contrast, extended‐duration thromboprophylaxis was associated with an increased risk of major bleeding (RR 2.04; 95% CI 1.42–2.91; P < 0.01) and non‐major clinically relevant bleeding (RR 1.81; 95% CI 1.29–2.53; P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Among hospitalised medically ill patients, prolonging venous thromboprophylaxis was associated with a decreased risk of composite events of the primary efficacy outcome and increased risk of bleeding with no significant difference in VTE‐related death.
Nicotinic acid suppresses sebaceous lipogenesis of human sebocytes via activating hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2)
Authors: Markovics Arnold , Tóth Kinga Fanni , Sós Katalin Eszter , Magi József , Gyöngyösi Adrienn , Benyó Zoltán , Zouboulis Christos C. , Bíró Tamás , Oláh Attila
Published: July 2019

Nicotinic acid (NA) activates hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2), and it is widely used in treating dyslipidaemias. Since its side effects include skin dryness, whereas its deficiency can be accompanied by dyssebacia, characterized by sebaceous gland enlargement, we asked if HCA2 is expressed on human sebocytes, and if NA influences sebocyte functions. By using human immortalized SZ95 sebocytes, we found that non‐cytotoxic (≤100 μmol/L; MTT‐assay) concentrations of NA had no effect on the homeostatic sebaceous lipogenesis (SLG; Nile Red), but normalized excessive, acne‐mimicking SLG induced by several lipogenic agents (arachidonic acid, anandamide, linoleic acid + testosterone; Nile Red; 48‐hr treatments). Moreover, it exerted significant anti‐proliferative actions (CyQUANT‐assay), and increased [Ca2+]IC (Fluo‐4 AM‐based Ca2+‐measurement). Although NA did not prevent the lipopolysaccharide‐induced pro‐inflammatory response (up‐regulation [Q‐PCR] and release [ELISA] of several pro‐inflammatory cytokines) of the sebocytes, collectively, these data support the concept that NA may be effective in suppressing sebum production in vivo. While exploring the mechanism of the sebostatic actions, we found that sebocytes express HCA2 (Q‐PCR, immunofluorescent labelling), siRNA‐mediated silencing of which prevented the NA‐induced Ca2+‐signal and the lipostatic action. Collectively, our data introduce NA, and HCA2 activators in general, as novel, potent and most likely safe sebostatic agents, with possible anti‐acne potential.
The impact of maternity training on knowledge, confidence, and empowerment: A mixed method pilot evaluation
Authors: Jomeen Julie , Jones Catriona , Martin Colin R. , Ledger Sara , Hindle Grace , Lambert Carol
Published: July 2019

Rationale, aims, and objectives

Maternity training is a critical global issue. In the United Kingdom (UK), the need for safer care and patient safety is emphasized through NHS policy. Health Education England (HEE) recommends that training should support a culture of continuous learning and improvement, particularly in the area of reducing the rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternity deaths, and other adverse outcomes, such as intrapartum brain injuries. Training has been shown to play a crucial role in improving quality of care and reducing maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. This evaluation was undertaken to determine both the immediate and sustained impact of multiprofessional training in cardiotocograph (CTG) interpretation and community‐based simulation training in obstetric emergencies: childbirth emergencies in the community (CEC). The impact was measured in terms of practitioner knowledge, confidence, and empowerment immediately pretraining and posttraining and at 12 weeks following training.

Methods

A longitudinal mixed methods design was used. Attendees to maternity training sessions on cardiotocograph interpretation and management of childbirth emergencies in the community provided the sample. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires to assess knowledge, confidence, and empowerment. Qualitative data were collected using open‐ended questions embedded in the questionnaires. Quantitative data were analysed using within‐subject t test to compare differences in the dependent variable measures. Qualitative data analysis was guided by Braun and Clarke (2013) method thematic analysis.

Results

The combined qualitative and quantitative results lucidly highlight that training positively impacts upon knowledge, confidence, and empowerment, an impact which is observed across three time points.

Conclusions

Training in CTG and CEC is effective in improving knowledge, confidence, and empowerment across all groups. Furthermore, the provision of training packages in these subject areas facilitates improvements in the longer term.
The metabolism of U.S. cities 2.0
Authors: Chini Christopher M. , Stillwell Ashlynn S.
Published: July 2019

In the fifty years since Abel Wolman first published an estimate of U.S. urban metabolism, the field of urban metabolism has begun to thrive, with cities outside the United States being much of the focus. As cities attempt to meet local and international sustainability goals, it is time to revisit the metabolism of cities within the United States. Using existing empirical databases for material flows (the Freight Analysis Framework) and a published database on urban water flux, we provide a revised estimate of urban metabolism for the typical U.S. city. We estimate median values of metabolism for a city of one million people, considering water resources, food, fuel, and construction materials. Food consumption and waste production increased substantially to 3,800 metric tons per day and 4,900 metric tons per day, respectively. To facilitate a second generation of urban metabolism, we extend traditional analyses to include the embedded energy required to facilitate material consumption with important implications in determining sustainable urban metabolism. We estimate that a city of one million people requires nearly 4,000 gigajoules of primary energy per day to facilitate its metabolism. Our results show high heterogeneity of urban metabolism across the United States. As a result of the study, we conclude that there is a distinct need to promote policies at the regional or city scale that collect data for urban metabolism studies. Urban metabolism is an important educational and decision‐making tool that, with an increase in data availability, can provide important information for cities and their sustainability goals.
Drug testing complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor chip reveals drug modulation of transmitter release for potential therapeutic applications
Authors: Huang Meng , Rathore Shailendra S. , Lindau Manfred
Published: July 2019

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Huntington’s disease, are considered incurable and significantly reduce the quality of life of the patients. A variety of drugs that modulate neurotransmitter levels have been used for the treatment of the neurodegenerative diseases but with limited efficacy. In this work, an amperometric complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (CMOS) chip is used for high‐throughput drug testing with respect to the modulation of transmitter release from single vesicles using chromaffin cells prepared from bovine adrenal glands as a model system. Single chromaffin cell amperometry was performed with high efficiency on the surface‐modified CMOS chip and follow‐up whole‐cell patch‐clamp experiments were performed to determine the readily releasable pool sizes. We show that the antidepressant drug bupropion significantly increases the amount of neurotransmitter released in individual quantal release events. The antidepressant drug citalopram accelerates rapid neurotransmitter release following stimulation and follow‐up patch‐clamp experiments reveal that this is because of the increase in the pool of readily releasable vesicles. These results shed light on the mechanisms by which bupropion and citalopram may be potentially effective in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. These results demonstrate that the CMOS amperometry chip technology is an excellent tool for drug testing to determine the specific mechanisms by which they modulate neurotransmitter release.

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Adenosine A1 and A2A receptors differently control synaptic plasticity in the mouse dorsal and ventral hippocampus
Authors: Reis Sara L. , Silva Henrique B. , Almeida Margarida , Cunha Rodrigo A. , Simões Ana P. , Canas Paula M.
Published: July 2019

The hippocampus is a brain region involved in processing both memory and emotions, through a preferential involvement of the dorsal hippocampus (DH) and ventral hippocampus (VH), respectively. Adenosine A1 and A2A receptors (A1R and A2AR) control both mood and memory, but it is not known if there is a different adenosine modulation of synaptic plasticity along the hippocampal axis. Using adult, C57BL/6 male mice, we show that both A1R and A2AR were more abundant in DH compared with VH. However, recordings of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials at Schaffer collaterals‐CA1 pyramidal synapses revealed that A1R were equi‐effective to inhibit basal excitatory synaptic transmission in DH and VH, but endogenous A1R activation was more effective to depress the probability of release in VH. In contrast, the selective A2AR antagonist (SCH58261, 50 nM) controlled both long‐term potentiation (induced by a high frequency stimulation protocol) and long‐term depression (induced by a low frequency stimulation protocol) selectively in DH rather than VH, whereas the selective A1R antagonist (DPCPX, 100 nM) revealed a similar tonic inhibition of long‐term depression in DH and VH. These findings show a different control of synaptic plasticity by the adenosine modulation system in the dorsal and ventral poles of the hippocampus, which may underlie a different efficiency of the adenosine system to control mood and memory.

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The winding paths of peripheral proletarianization: Local labour, world hegemonies, and crisis in rural Colombia
Authors: Hough Phillip A.
Published: July 2019

This paper analyses the spatial and temporal patterning of Colombia's rural coffee, banana, and coca‐producing labour regimes. The violent labour repression and endemic crises of labour control characterizing these regimes challenge the market despotism paradigm that predominates in scholarly analysis of 21st century labour and agrarian struggles. Instead, I draw from early and later writings of Giovanni Arrighi and his collaborators to develop a new labour regime framework that is sensitive to the experiences of capitalist development in “hostile environments” (i.e., peripheral market conditions) and “hostile times” (periods of world hegemonic decline). In doing so, I highlight the deep social contradictions—crises, violence, and labour militancy—that result from processes of peripheral proletarianization and the ways that these contradictions were mitigated and/or exacerbated by the rise of U.S. global hegemony, Colombian developmental policy, and local agrarian struggle.
“Such elements do not belong in an ordered society”: Managing rural–urban resettlement in democratic South Africa
Authors: Levenson Zachary
Published: July 2019

In South Africa, the scale of rural–urban resettlement after apartheid continues to overwhelm the capacity of the government to house city dwellers in need of shelter. But the legitimacy of the postapartheid government rests on its ability to secure the rights of citizens who enjoy constitutional guarantees, including the right to housing. Because the government cannot simply repress this unhoused surplus population, it seeks instead to delegitimize some portion of it. It does so by developing a number of moralizing discourses, the subject of this paper, which distinguish between patient, deserving citizens, and unruly queue jumpers perceived to threaten the democratic project itself. Housing officials misrecognize squatters as a cause, rather than a consequence, of the state's failure to deliver, policing new land occupations with a draconian severity. They justify such repression in the name of protecting the democratic order, which is assumed to require waiting instead of improvisation.
Pen to the tiller: Land reform and social mobility across the 1979 Iranian revolution
Authors: Harris Kevan , Kalb Zep
Published: July 2019

Giovanni Arrighi joined together questions of agrarian political economy with questions concerning the livelihoods of rural migrants and the fate of peasant communities as they dissipated. In this article, we apply Arrighi's concerns to the case of Iran to examine how processes of agrarian transformation link with trends in social stratification and upward mobility. First, we argue that land reform implemented during the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi contributed to a heterogenous social differentiation of the Iranian peasantry. Second, we claim that the widening of access to credentials fostered by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's Islamic Republic laid the tracks by which peasants and rural households could convert landholding assets into newly accessible forms of cultural capital. The benefits of these transformational processes, however, fell disproportionately to the rural middle strata created under the Pahlavi monarchy. Through the use of a new survey dataset, we show how pre‐1979 land reform in Iran favoured segments of the peasantry, not for those who remained in rural agricultural production, but instead for those who utilized landholdings as a means to transfer status and opportunities to their children after the 1979 Iranian revolution.
English as a medium of instruction and the discursive construction of elite identity
Authors: Jahan Iffat , Hamid M. Obaidul
Published: July 2019

Debates over medium of instruction, as ideological skirmishes, showcase discursive identity construction, reproduction, and contestation by different social groups. Drawing on such debates in letters to the editor and internet‐based newsgroup posts written by Bangladeshi English‐medium (EM) and Bangla‐medium (BM) educated writers, this article examines the construction of elite identity by the EM educated group. It illustrates how this group drew on changing discourses of elitism, language ideologies, and other identity resources to construct self‐identity that emphasized theachievementof qualifications and attributes rather thanunearnedsocial privilege, and how the territorially bound elite identity was transformed into deterritorialized cosmopolitan identity in the process. The article contributes to our understanding of the relationship between language, identity, and society by illustrating struggles for identity and status maintenance in education that is increasingly being dominated by English and English as a medium of instruction under the influence of neoliberal globalization. It also suggests how English and national languages may relate to (post)colonialism, nationalism, national identity, and social class in a globalized world.
AMPK-SIRT1-independent inhibition of ANGPTL3 gene expression is a potential lipid-lowering mechanism of metformin
Authors: Lin Li , Burke Jamie , Venkatesh Sahana , Sadana Prabodh
Published: July 2019

Objectives

Hypertriglyceridaemia enhances cardiovascular disease risk in patients with diabetes. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) regulates plasma triglyceride levels by hydrolysing chylomicrons and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). Metformin, an antidiabetic drug, improves plasma lipids including triglycerides. We examined metformin's regulation of angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3), a liver-derived secretory protein with LPL inhibitory property.

Methods

Using HepG2 cells, a human hepatocyte cell line, the effects of metformin on ANGPTL3 gene and protein expression were determined. The role of AMPK-SIRT1 pathway in metformin regulation of ANGPTL3 was determined using pharmacological, RNAi and reporter assays. Metformin regulation of ANGPTL3 expression was also examined in sodium palmitate-induced insulin resistance.

Key findings

Metformin and pharmacological activators of AMPK and SIRT1 inhibited the expression of ANGPTL3 in HepG2 cells. Pharmacological or RNAi-based antagonism of AMPK or SIRT1 failed to affect metformin inhibition of ANGPTL3. AMPK-SIRT1 activators and metformin exhibited distinct effects on the expression of ANGPTL3 gene luciferase reporter. Sodium palmitate-induced insulin resistance in cells resulted in increased ANGPTL3 gene expression which was suppressed by pretreatment with metformin.

Conclusions

Metformin inhibits ANGPTL3 expression in the liver in an AMPK-SIRT1-independent manner as a potential mechanism to regulate LPL and lower plasma lipids.
Constructional Processing in a Second Language: The Role of Constructional Knowledge in Verb‐Construction Integration
Authors: Kim Hyunwoo , Rah Yangon
Published: July 2019

The constructionist approach holds that an argument structure construction, a conventionalized form–meaning correspondence of a sentence, allows language users to efficiently access sentential information. This study investigated whether increased sensitivity to constructional information would enable second language learners to efficiently fuse information from a verb and a construction during real‐time sentence processing. Based on their performance in an English sentence sorting task, we divided Korean‐speaking learners of English into construction‐centered and verb‐centered groups depending on their degree of reliance on constructional information in sorting. These groups were then administered a self‐paced reading task where learners read English constructions in a word‐by‐word fashion. Results showed that learners’ reading time was contingent upon constructional sensitivity such that the construction‐centered group was faster than the verb‐centered group at integrating argument roles between a verb and a construction. These findings provide new evidence that constructional information can facilitate second language sentence processing.
miR‐26b‐5p helps in EpCAM+cancer stem cells maintenance via HSC71/HSPA8 and augments malignant features in HCC
Authors: Khosla Ritu , Hemati Hamed , Rastogi Archana , Ramakrishna Gayatri , Sarin Shiv K. , Trehanpati Nirupma
Published: July 2019

Background

Targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is difficult because of their similarities with normal stem cells (NSCs). EpCAM can identify CSCs from EpCAM+AFP+HCC cases, but is also expressed on NSCs. We aimed to distinguish the two using integrated protein, mRNA and miRNA profiling.

Methods

iTRAQ based protein profiling and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) was performed on EpCAM+/EpCAM− cells isolated from HCC (Ep+CSC, Ep−HCC) and EpCAM+ cells from non‐cancerous/non‐cirrhotic control liver tissues (Ep+NSC). Validations were done using qRT‐PCR, flowcytometry and western blotting followed by in vitro and in vivo functional studies.

Results

11 proteins were overexpressed (>3 fold) in Ep+CSCs compared to Ep−HCC and Ep+NSC cells. However, RNA‐sequencing confirmed the Ep+CSC specific up‐regulation of only HSPA8, HNRNPC, MPST and GAPDH mRNAs among these. Database search combined with miRNA profiling revealed Ep+CSC specific down‐regulation of 29 miRNAs targeting these four genes. Of these, only miR‐26b‐5p was found to target both HSPA8 and EpCAM. Validation of HSPA8 overexpression and miR‐26b‐5p down‐regulation followed by linear regression analysis established a negative correlation between the two. Functional studies demonstrated that reduced miR‐26b‐5p expression increased the spheroid formation, migration, invasion and tumourigenicity of Ep+CSCs. Furthermore, anti‐miR‐26b‐5p increased the number of Ep+CSCs with a concomitant overexpression of stemness genes and reduction of proapoptotic protein BBC3, which is a known substrate of HSPA8.

Conclusion

miR‐26b‐5p imparts metastatic properties and helps in maintenance of Ep+CSCs via HSPA8. Thus, miR‐26b‐5p and HSPA8 could serve as molecular targets for selectively eliminating the Ep+CSC population in human HCCs.
Prolegomenon to a Theory of Philosophical Transposition, with Reference to Confucianism in America
Authors: Crane Sam
Published: July 2019

What factors shape the movement of systems of thought from one historical‐cultural context to another? This paper provides a preliminary answer to this question by constructing an analytic framework drawn from the sociology of philosophy, and it uses this framework to consider the prospects for the contemporary transposition of Confucianism from China to America. The central, though still provisional, conclusion is that while global power dynamics matter, the particular conditions of the “philosophical fields” of both the original and the recipient locations are of primary importance in determining the extent and significance of any particular case of philosophical transposition. Therefore, due to the dynamics of the philosophical fields in both countries, it is unlikely that Confucianism will gain greater intellectual and political influence in the United States.