bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of endoscopic improvement and remission according to patient‐reported outcomes in ulcerative colitis
Authors: Dulai Parambir S. , Singh Siddharth , Jairath Vipul , Ma Christopher , Narula Neeraj , Vande Casteele Niels , Peyrin‐Biroulet Laurent , Vermeire Severine , D’Haens Geert , Feagan Brian G. , Sandborn William J.
Published: November 2019

Background

Treatment targets for ulcerative colitis are evolving towards achievement of endoscopic improvement and remission in addition to symptom resolution. It remains to be accurately quantified what proportion of patients with symptom resolution have residual endoscopic activity that might warrant treatment modification.

Aim

To quantify the prevalence of endoscopic improvement and remission amongst ulcerative colitis patients with various permutations of patient‐reported outcomes.

Methods

Individual participant data from active intervention and placebo arms of clinical trials of infliximab, golimumab, vedolizumab and tofacitinib were pooled to estimate the prevalence of endoscopic improvement (Mayo endoscopic sub‐score [MES] 0 or 1) and remission (MES 0) scores with various permutations of the rectal bleeding sub‐score (RBS) and stool frequency sub‐score (SFS) of the Mayo score, following induction (6‐8 weeks) and maintenance (30‐54 weeks) therapy. Subgroup analyses were performed by year of publication and centrally read endoscopy scoring.

Results

Data from 2586 trial participants were analysed. Using locally scored endoscopy, the prevalence of endoscopic improvement and remission was highest among participants with a RBS 0 + SFS 0 post‐induction (MES 0/1:81%, [95% CI 78‐84]; MES 0:29% [26‐33]) and during maintenance (MES 0/1:91% [87‐93]; MES 0:57% [52‐62]). Prevalence estimates were lower for more recently performed trials (P < .01). In comparison to locally scored endoscopy, when using central endoscopy scoring, the prevalence of endoscopic improvement and remission was lower post‐induction (MES 0/1 57% [50‐64], P < .001; MES 0 15% [11‐21], P = .09) and during maintenance (MES 0/1 74% [67‐81], P = .001; MES 0 31% [24‐38], P = .001) for participants achieving a RBS 0 + SFS 0.

Conclusions

Approximately 8 of 10 patients with normalisation of rectal bleeding and stool frequency have improvement in endoscopic disease activity, whereas approximately only half of these patients have endoscopic remission.
Forms, interactions, and responses to social support: A qualitative study of support and adherence to photoprotection amongst patients with Xeroderma Pigmentosum
Authors: Walburn Jessica , Anderson Rebecca , Morgan Myfanwy
Published: November 2019

Objectives

Social support influences adherence to treatment in chronic illness, but there is uncertainty about its facilitators and constraints. This study explored the forms, processes, and responses associated with mobilization of informal support across three life contexts amongst patients with Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), a condition requiring rigorous photoprotection to reduce cancer risks.

Design

Qualitative interview study.

Methods

A total of 25 adults with XP participated in semi‐structured interviews conducted face to face. An inductive thematic analysis was applied using a framework approach.

Results

Practical support, involving both assistance with recommended photoprotection and adjusting daily activities to reduce exposure, was the key form of support provided by family and friends. However, responses to this support differed with two groups identified based on the relative priority given to photoprotection in daily life and processes of disclosure. For ‘positive responders’, support aligned with their own priorities to photoprotect, conveyed feelings of being cared‐for and was facilitated by talking openly. In contrast, for ‘negative responders’ support conflicted with their priority of living ‘normally’ and their limited disclosure hindered receipt of helpful support in personal, clinic, and work interactions. Fears of workplace stigma also reduced disclosure amongst participants open in other contexts.

Conclusions

Practical support conveyed psychosocial support with positive effects on adherence. This suggests the traditional separation into practical and emotional support is overly simplistic, with measures potentially missing important aspects. Interactional processes contribute to the effects of support, which can be addressed by targeting disclosure, stigma, and other barriers at individual and organizational levels.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Social support can be both a facilitator and a hindrance to treatment adherence.

Practical support is identified as the most important form of support in the context of adherence.

The processes of support underpinning its relationship to adherence are unclear.

What does this study add?

Variations in the provision and impacts of support are influenced by participants’ disclosure and attitudes to photoprotection, with two key groups comprising ‘positive responders’ and ‘negative responders’.

The influence of emotional support on adherence may be underestimated through neglect of the ways in which practical support often conveys feelings of being valued and cared‐for.

Barriers to mobilizing effective adherence support extends across life spheres, with fears of stigma and discrimination in work settings highlighting the need to intervene at individual and organizational levels.
A national study of artificial urinary sphincter and male sling implantation after radical prostatectomy in England
Authors: Dosanjh Amandeep , Baldwin Simon , Mytton Jemma , King Dominic , Trudgill Nigel , Belal Mohammed , Patel Prashant
Published: November 2019

Objectives

To consider the provision of post‐radical prostatectomy (RP) continence surgery in England.

Materials and Methods

Patients with an Office of Population Census and Surveys Classification of Interventions and Procedures, version 4 code for an artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) or male sling between 1 January 2010 and 31 March 2018 were searched for within the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) dataset. Those without previous RP were excluded. Multivariable logistic regressions for repeat AUS and sling procedures were built in stata. Further descriptive analysis of provision of procedures was performed.

Results

A total of 1414 patients had received index AUS, 10.3% of whom had undergone prior radiotherapy; their median follow‐up was 3.55 years. The sling cohort contained 816 patients; 6.7% of these had received prior radiotherapy and the median follow‐up was 3.23 years. Whilst the number of AUS devices implanted had increased each year, male slings peaked in 2014/2015. AUS redo/removal was performed in 11.2% of patients. Patients in low‐volume centres were more likely to require redo/removal (odds ratio [OR] 2.23 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–4.86; P = 0.045). A total of 12.0% patients with a sling progressed to AUS implantation and 1.3% had a second sling. Patients with previous radiotherapy were more likely to require a second operation (OR 2.03 95% CI 1.01–4.06; P = 0.046). Emergency re‐admissions within 30 days of index operation were 3.9% and 3.6% fewer in high‐volume centres, for AUS and slings respectively. The median time to initial continence surgery from RP was 2.8 years. Increased time from RP conferred no reduced risk of redo surgery for either procedure.

Conclusion

There is a volume effect for outcomes of AUS procedures, suggesting that they should only be performed in high‐volume centres. Given the known impact of incontinence on quality of life, patients should be referred sooner for post‐prostatectomy continence surgery.
The state must compete: Optimal pricing of legal cannabis
Authors: Childs Jason , Stevens Jason
Published: November 2019

We examine the socially optimal pricing strategy for the legal cannabis industry that faces significant competition from an illicit market. We explore the impact of different preferences for legal and illicit cannabis using a constant elasticity of substitution utility function. We find that under a range of policy objectives and other circumstances, the socially optimal pricing strategy is for the legal market price to be dramatically lower than the illicit market price. This contradicts the approach taken across Canada in the year since legalization. These findings suggest that governments should adopt policies to reduce the price of legal cannabis.
A prospective cohort study of immediate implant placement into posterior compromised sockets with or without primary wound closure of reactive soft tissue
Authors: Liu Yeyu , Chen Yilin , Chu Chenyu , Qu Yili , Xiang Lin , Man Yi
Published: November 2019

Background

Conventional wisdom states that reactive soft tissue consisting of granulation tissue and long junctional epithelium in compromised sites should be curetted completely, while others approve of its preservation in implant surgeries.

Purpose

To evaluate the presence of reactive soft tissue as wound closure for immediate implantation in posterior compromised sockets.

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐three implants were included in this study: (a) experimental group (EG), the reactive soft tissue was raised as the primary wound closure for the implant; (b) control group (CG), the reactive soft tissue was also elevated but failed to cover the site. Implants were inserted immediately after the tooth extraction. The bone dimensional changes were observed instantly after surgery (T1) and 6 months later (T2) by cone beam computed tomography. Soft tissue alterations were evaluated before tooth extraction (T0), at prosthesis delivery and at 1‐year follow‐up (T3). Measurements of marginal bone level (MBL) was obtained at the time of prosthesis placement and at T3.

Results

In all, 100% implant survival was reported during the study period. The buccal bone height and width of keratinized mucosa decreased less in the EG compared to the CG. At the 1‐year follow‐up, MBL and soft tissue changes were not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusions

Within the limitations of this study, the presence of reactive soft tissue as primary closure may contribute to hard‐soft tissue augmentation during immediate implants into posterior compromised sockets.
Optimization of material removal rate in wire EDM by polynomial neural network models
Authors: Dutta Prasenjit , Majumder Mrinmoy , Panja Subhash Chandra
Published: November 2019

Maximization of material removal rate may yield impractical results if the cost for generation of removal rate is not included in the optimization. Presently, there are many studies which have applied different linear, nonlinear, and metaheuristics optimization techniques to maximize material removal rate but none of the approaches have the capability of self‐adaptation. In none of these studies impact of cost on removal rate was considered. That is why, in the present study, the Group Method of Data Handling which is a technique to develop polynomial neural network (PNN) models was utilized for the first time to maximize material removal rate with the help of the on‐ and off‐stage current as the design variables constrained by the operating costs. The PNN architecture is widely used in many fields of technology and science. However, application of this architecture is scarce in case of optimization of material removal rate. According to the results the accuracy level and time of convergence in case of PNN was found to be better compared to that from artificial neural network and linear models both of which were utilized for estimation of the output variable.
Deletion of Ck2β gene causes germ cell development arrest and azoospermia in male mice
Authors: Liang Qiu‐Xia , Wang Zhen‐Bo , Lei Wen‐Long , Lin Fei , Qiao Jing‐Yi , Filhol‐Cochet Odile , Boldyreff Brigitte , Schatten Heide , Sun Qing‐Yuan , Qian Wei‐Ping
Published: November 2019

Objectives

In humans, non‐obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a major cause of male infertility. However, the aetiology of NOA is largely unknown. Previous studies reported that protein CK2β was abundantly and broadly expressed in spermatogenic cells. Here, we investigate whether protein CK2β participates in spermatogenesis.

Materials and Methods

In this study, we separated spermatogenic cells using STA‐PUT velocity sedimentation, analysed the expression pattern of protein CK2β by immunoblotting, specifically deleted Ck2β gene in early‐stage spermatogenic cells by crossing Ck2βfl mice with Stra8‐Cre+ mice and validated the knockout efficiency by quantitative RT‐PCR and immunoblotting. The phenotypes of Ck2βfl/Δ;SCre+ mice were studied by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The molecular mechanisms of male germ cell development arrest were elucidated by immunoblotting and TUNEL assay.

Results

Ablation of Ck2β gene triggered excessive germ cell apoptosis, germ cell development arrest, azoospermia and male infertility. Inactivation of Ck2β gene caused distinctly reduced expression of Ck2α′ gene and CK2α′ protein.

Conclusions

Ck2β is a vital gene for germ cell survival and male fertility in mice.
The evaluation of right ventricular systolic function in patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot by conventional echocardiographic methods and speckle tracking echocardiography: Compared with the gold standard cardiac mangenetic resonance
Authors: Kavurt Ahmet Vedat , Paç Feyza Ayşenur , Koca Serhat , Mutlu Mıhçıoğlu Ajda , Yiğit Hasan
Published: November 2019

Background

Right ventricular (RV) function is one of the important prognostic factors in patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). We aimed to assess RV function by conventional echocardiography and two‐dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D‐STE) in patients with repaired TOF.

Methods

Twenty‐seven (male 17) adolescents and young adult patients (mean age 22.7 ± 6.7 years) operated on for TOF and age‐ and gender‐matched healthy controls were included. RV systolic function in both groups were evaluated by fractional area change (FAC), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), RV myocardial performance index (RVMPI) and tricuspid annular peak systolic velocity by pulsed tissue Doppler (tricuspid S'), and also RV global longitudinal strain (RV GLS) obtained from STE. These results were compared with RV ejection fraction (RVEF) measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) performed within 3 months in patient group.

Results

Systolic RVGLS values were significantly lower in patients compared to controls (−17.4 ± 3.1% vs −25.6 ± 3%). Among the echocardiographic parameters, RVGLS had the best correlation with RV EF derived from CMRI (r: −.6). By receiver operating characteristics analysis (ROC), an RV GLS cutoff value of −17.4% had 75% sensitivity and 68.4% specificity in identifying RVEF <45% with an area under curve 0.743 (P < .05). The intra‐ and inter‐observer agreement for RV GLS was excellent.

Conclusion

RVGLS is an easy, effective, feasible, and reproducible tool in the evaluation of RV systolic function. So, RVGLS measurement by STE may be one of the routine echocardiographic parameters in the evaluation of RV systolic function in patients with repaired TOF.
The evaluation of diastolic function and myocardial performance index during pregnancy: A tissue Doppler echocardiography study
Authors: Gungoren Fatih , Tanriverdi Zulkif , Besli Feyzullah , Barut Mert Ulas , Tascanov Mustafa Begenc
Published: November 2019

Background

The pregnancy process is characterized by several changes in the cardiovascular system, especially in left ventricle (LV) systolic and diastolic function. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is a useful tool to evaluate global LV function. This study investigated changes in LV functions using TDI in third‐trimester pregnant women.

Methods

A total of 86 consecutive third‐trimester healthy pregnant women and 40 age‐matched nonpregnant healthy women (control group) were enrolled in this cross‐sectional study. LV diameter, standard Doppler and tissue Doppler parameters, and myocardial performance index (MPI) were measured for all patients.

Results

There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between the pregnant and control groups. However, the cardiac chamber diameter was larger, the Am velocity was higher, and the E velocity, Em velocity, and E/A ratio were lower in the pregnant group. In addition, the MPI was significantly higher in the pregnant group compared to the control group (0.57 ± 0.11 vs 0.42 ± 0.02, P < .001). Correlation analysis showed that gestational week was positively correlated with the MPI (r = .407, P = .003).

Conclusions

Detailed assessment of cardiac function is important during pregnancy. We demonstrated that pregnancy was associated with a significantly increased MPI, as well as structural and functional changes.
Congenital aneurysm of the left atrium associated with double‐outlet right ventricle in a trisomy‐18 fetus: Case report and literature review
Authors: Wang Yi‐Bin , Fu Yi‐Mei
Published: November 2019

Congenital aneurysm of the left atrium is a rare cardiac anomaly, most commonly detected between the 2nd and 4th decades of life in a symptomatic patient. We report a congenital aneurysm of the left atrium diagnosed at 24 weeks of gestational age, associated with other congenital heart diseases and 47XY, +18 karyotype. The literature of the left atrial aneurysm diagnosed by fetal echocardiography is also reviewed in this report.
Carotid artery blood velocity decreases in patients with coronary slow flow: A manifestation of systemic arteriosclerosis
Authors: Dong Rui , Lv Qian , Gao Yannan , He Caiyun , Tan Siyuan , Zhang Mingyu , Zhou Tao
Published: November 2019

Objectives

Coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) could be a manifestation of systemic arteriosclerosis, as coronary and carotid arteries have similar intimal thickening. However, as an initial cause of arteriosclerosis, hemodynamic changes in carotid arteries have rarely been studied.

Methods

Twenty patients with angiography‐proven CSFP and 39 patients with normal coronary flow (NCF) were enrolled. TIMI frame counts (CTFC) were investigated. Carotid intima‐media thickness (CIMT), peak systolic velocity (PSV), and end‐diastolic velocity (EDV) were measured by ultrasonography, and shear rate (SR) and resistance index (RI) were calculated.

Results

The results showed that PSV, EDV, SR, and RI were significantly lower in patients with CSFP (p＜0.01), but CIMT was significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01). PSV, EDV, SR, and RI were negatively correlated with CTFC, while CIMT was positively correlated with CTFC. Logistic regression analysis revealed that PSV (OR = 0.95, P < 0.01) could be an independent protective factor against CSFP, but CIMT (OR = 1.10, P ＜ 0.05) and male gender (OR = 9.89, P ＜ 0.01) could be risk factors for CSFP.

Conclusions

The slow flow phenomenon was observed in both coronary and carotid arteries, which could be a characteristic manifestation of systemic arteriosclerosis in CSFP; the lower wall shear stress may be the underlying mechanism. Carotid ultrasound could be applied in the noninvasive diagnosis of CSFP in the future.
Myocardial deformation and acute cellular rejection after heart transplantation: Impact of inter‐vendor variability in diagnostic effectiveness
Authors: Ruiz‐Ortiz Martín , Rodriguez‐Diego Sara , Delgado Mónica , Kim Jiwon , Weinsaft Jonathan W. , Ortega Rosa , Carnero Lucía , Sánchez José J. , Carrasco Francisco , López‐Aguilera José , López‐Granados Amador , Arizón José M. , Paredes Nick , Oneto‐Fernandez Jesús , Pan Manuel , Mesa Dolores
Published: November 2019

Purpose

Our objective was to investigate the impact of inter‐vendor variability in the ability of myocardial strain analysis to detect acute cellular rejection (ACR) in heart transplant recipients.

Methods

We performed serial echocardiographic examinations in 18 consecutive adult heart transplanted patients, in their first year post‐transplantation, within 3 hours of the routine surveillance endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) in a single center. Myocardial strain was analyzed using two software in two different institutions, and inter‐vendor variability of strain values and its association with ACR (any grade or grade ≥2R) was investigated. The parameter of comparison was the peak value of the average curve of strain during the entire cardiac cycle.

Results

A total of 147 pairs of EMB‐echocardiogram were performed, 65 with no ACR, 63 with ACR grade 1R, and 19 with ACR grade ≥2R. Intra‐class correlation coefficients for left ventricle longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain were 0.38, 0.39, and 0.77, respectively, and 0.32 for right ventricular longitudinal strain. Neither software found significant association of left ventricular longitudinal strain with rejection. Grade ≥2R ACR was associated with left ventricular circumferential strain measured with the first software and with left ventricular radial strain with the other; and ACR of any grade was only significantly associated with right ventricle longitudinal strain measured with the first software.

Conclusions

Inter‐vendor reproducibility of strain values was low in this study. Some strain parameters were associated to ACR, although these results were inconsistent between two commercially available software. Specific validation of each software is warranted for this clinical indication.
Rapid decreases in relative testes mass among monogamous birds but not in other vertebrates
Authors: Baker Joanna , Humphries Stuart , Ferguson‐Gow Henry , Meade Andrew , Venditti Chris
Published: November 2019

Larger testes produce more sperm and therefore improve reproductive success in the face of sperm competition. Adaptation to social mating systems with relatively high and low sperm competition are therefore likely to have driven changes in relative testes size in opposing directions. Here, we combine the largest vertebrate testes mass dataset ever collected with phylogenetic approaches for measuring rates of morphological evolution to provide the first quantitative evidence for how relative testes mass has changed over time. We detect explosive radiations of testes mass diversity distributed throughout the vertebrate tree of life: bursts of rapid change have been frequent during vertebrate evolutionary history. In socially monogamous birds, there have been repeated rapid reductions in relative testes mass. We see no such pattern in other monogamous vertebrates; the prevalence of monogamy in birds may have increased opportunities for investment in alternative behaviours and physiologies allowing reduced investment in expensive testes.
Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase‐1 depletion enhances the severity of inflammation in an imiquimod‐induced model of psoriasis
Authors: Kiss Borbála , Szántó Magdolna , Hegedűs Csaba , Antal Dóra , Szödényi Annamária , Márton Judit , Méhes Gábor , Virág László , Szegedi Andrea , Bai Péter
Published: November 2019

Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase‐1 (PARP1) is a pro‐inflammatory protein, whose pro‐inflammatory properties were demonstrated in human. The pro‐inflammatory properties of PARP1 were shown in Th1‐ and Th2‐mediated inflammatory pathologies, but not Th17‐mediated inflammation. Thus, we studied the role of PARP1 in the imiquimod‐induced model of psoriasis. To our surprise, in imiquimod‐induced psoriasis, PARP1 acted as an anti‐inflammatory factor and its genetic deletion exacerbated symptoms. We showed that in the absence of PARP1, the epidermis thickened and the number of TUNEL‐positive cells decreased in the epidermis. These data indicate programmed cell death is decreased in keratinocytes. Changes in involucrin expression suggest that keratinocyte differentiation is hampered. Furthermore, epidermal expression of IL6 increased in the psoriasiform lesions of PARP1 knockout mice, suggesting that the inflammatory response is also derailed in the absence of PARP1. Finally, we showed that PARP1 expression is reduced in human psoriatic lesions compared with control skin samples. In imiquimod‐treated HPV‐KER keratinocytes, PARP inhibition recapitulated the in vivo findings, namely keratinocyte hyperproliferation; furthermore, the mRNA expression of psoriasis‐associated cytokines (IL6, IL1β, IL8, IL17 and IL23A) was also induced. The inhibition of TRPV1 abrogated the effects of the combined imiquimod + PARP inhibitor treatment.
Living with Uncertainty: Perceptions of Well‐being Among Latinx Young Adults in Immigrant Family Systems
Authors: Daftary Ashley‐Marie Hanna
Published: November 2019

Objective

To examine how the citizenship and immigrant statuses of Latinx young adults and their families affect their experience.

Background

Scholarship suggests that U.S. policies negatively impact the financial, academic, relational, and emotional well‐being of unauthorized immigrants and their entire family.

Method

Eighteen Latinx young adults (18–29 years of age) living in immigrant families described their experience through a semi‐structured interview process. Responses were analyzed using thematic analysis at the semantic level.

Results

An overarching level of uncertainty in relation to immigration status negatively impacted participants' emotional well‐being. These uncertainties were most related to changes in immigration status, the unpredictability of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, and the potential for the detention or deportation of unauthorized immigrant family members.

Conclusion

Immigrant status is often accompanied by a level of unpredictability that negatively impacts emotional well‐being.

Implications

To minimize this uncertainty, immigration reform should include a pathway toward U.S. citizenship. Future research related to immigrant families should consider the immigration status of nuclear family members when exploring outcomes for well‐being.
Molecular epidemiologic and clinical analysis of Helicobacter cinaedi bacteremia in Japan
Authors: Nukui Yoko , Chino Takashi , Tani Chihiro , Sonobe Kazunari , Aiso Yoshibumi , Tohda Shuji , Koike Ryuji , Saito Ryoichi
Published: November 2019

Background

Helicobacter cinaedi is an important pathogen that causes bloodstream infections. Owing to the challenges in its culture and identification, its clinical and bacterial characteristics remain unknown. Our study aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of H cinaedi.

Materials and Methods

From 2003 to 2016, we analyzed 16 non‐repetitive H cinaedi strains, isolated from blood, at the medical hospital of Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Multilocus sequence typing was performed to analyze the genetic relationship across the different isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of antibiotics were determined by the agar dilution method.

Results

The median age of subjects in this study was 61 years (range, 18‐84 years). The most common risk factors included the use of steroids (75.0%) and immunosuppressant drugs (37.5%). In addition, the most common symptoms of H cinaedi bacteremia included colitis (37.5%) and cellulitis (31.3%). The infection recurred in three of seven cases (42.8%) that underwent antibiotic therapy for <10 days. The strains were classified into five sequence types (ST), of which, ST 10 (43.8%) and ST 4 (31.3%) were predominant. The MIC90 values of amoxicillin, gentamycin, imipenem, ciprofloxacin, and clarithromycin were 4, 0.5, 0.25, 64, and 128 mg/L, respectively.

Conclusions

Since there is no recommended guideline yet for the choice or duration of antibiotic therapy and antimicrobial break points, our results suggested, for the first time, that prolonged antibiotic therapy, except with ciprofloxacin and clarithromycin, would be required to ensure resolution of symptoms and prevention of recurrence.
Effect of the presence of ethyl lauroyl arginate on the technological properties of edible fish gelatin films
Authors: Otero‐Tuárez Victor , Fernández‐Pan Idoya , Ignacio Maté Juan
Published: November 2019

Physical, chemical and antimicrobial properties of fish gelatin films with different concentrations of ethyl lauroyl arginate (LAE) were studied. Optical properties of film‐forming solution did not vary with increased LAE content. However, pH and surface tension increased. The incorporation of LAE into the formulation increased moisture and solubility of the films. In addition, the presence of LAE affected mechanical properties, making films stronger and more flexible; it had no effect on water vapour permeability. Finally, films with LAE significantly increased antimicrobial properties against Listeria innocua, Shewanella putrefaciens and Pseudomonas fluorescens, but not against Aeromonas hydrophila. These antimicrobial films could be used as an alternative technology for extending shelf‐life of fresh fish products.
FinTech, BigTech, and the Future of Banks
Authors: Stulz René M.
Published: November 2019

Banks are unique financial institutions in that they combine the production of liquid claims—that is, demand deposits—with loans. Though banks can replicate most of what FinTech firms can do, FinTech firms benefit from an uneven playing field in that they are less regulated than banks. The uneven playing field enables nonbank FinTech firms to challenge banks in specific product areas where success is not tied to what makes banks unique—namely, their deposit‐gathering abilities and the potential for synergies with borrowers provided by deposits. And although banks’ responses to FinTech have also been hampered by their legacy IT systems and by internal frictions inherent in large diversified firms, FinTech's narrow product offerings and lack of established “franchises” appear to put clear limits on Fintech's ability to displace banks.

Unlike Fintech, however, BigTech firms have some advantages that banks will find it harder to replicate, and so they present a much stronger challenge to established banks in two main areas: consumer finance and loans to small firms. And FinTech as well as BigTech are contributing to a trend in which banks are losing a comparative advantage that has derived from having more immediate access to information about parties seeking credit. The extent to which banks succeed in warding off such threats will depend on (1) their ability to make effective—and possibly even better—use of the same information technology now being used by its new competitors, and (2) their success in realizing economies of scale and scope that their nonbank competitors will find hard to match.
miR‐148a suppresses inflammation in lipopolysaccharide‐induced endometritis
Authors: Jiang Kangfeng , Yang Jing , Yang Chao , Zhang Tao , Shaukat Aftab , Yang Xiaoyan , Dai Ailing , Wu Haichong , Deng Ganzhen
Published: November 2019

Endometritis is a postnatal reproductive disorder disease, which leads to great economic losses for the modern dairy industry. Emerging evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a pivotal role in a variety of diseases and have been identified as critical regulators of the innate immune response. Recent miRNome profile analysis revealed an altered expression level of miR‐148a in cows with endometritis. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the regulatory role of miR‐148a in the innate immune response involved in endometritis and estimate its potential therapeutic value. Here, we found that miR‐148a expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐stimulated endometrial epithelial cells was significantly decreased. Our results also showed that overexpression of miR‐148a using agomiR markedly reduced the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, such as IL‐1β and TNF‐α. Moreover, overexpression of miR‐148a also suppressed NF‐κB p65 activation by targeting the TLR4‐mediated pathway. Subsequently, we further verified that miR‐148a repressed TLR4 expression by binding to the 3′‐UTR of TLR4 mRNA. Additionally, an experimental mouse endometritis model was employed to evaluate the therapeutic value of miR‐148a. In vivo studies suggested that up‐regulation of miR‐148a alleviated the inflammatory conditions in the uterus as evidenced by H&E staining, qPCR and Western blot assays, while inhibition of miR‐148a had inverse effects. Collectively, pharmacologic stabilization of miR‐148a represents a novel therapy for endometritis and other inflammation‐related diseases.
IL‐10 induces MC3T3‐E1 cells differentiation towards osteoblastic fate in murine model
Authors: Xiong Yuan , Yan Chenchen , Chen Lang , Endo Yori , Sun Yun , Zhou Wu , Hu Yiqiang , Hu Liangcong , Chen Dong , Xue Hang , Mi Bobin , Liu Guohui
Published: November 2019

Interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) displays well‐documented anti‐inflammatory effects, but its effects on osteoblast differentiation have not been investigated. In this study, we found IL‐10 negatively regulates microRNA‐7025‐5p (miR‐7025‐5p), the down‐regulation of which enhances osteoblast differentiation. Furthermore, through luciferase reporter assays, we found evidence that insulin‐like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) is a miR‐7025‐5p target gene that positively regulates osteoblast differentiation. In vivo studies indicated that the pre‐injection of IL‐10 leads to increased bone formation, while agomiR‐7025‐5p injection delays fracture healing. Taken together, these results indicate that IL‐10 induces osteoblast differentiation via regulation of the miR‐7025‐5p/IGF1R axis. IL‐10 therefore represents a promising therapeutic strategy to promote fracture healing.
Increased diagnosis of autoimmune childhood‐onset Japanese type 1 diabetes using a new glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kit, compared with a previously used glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody radioimmunoassay kit
Authors: Sugihara Shigetaka , Yokota Ichiro , Mukai Tokuo , Mochizuki Takahiro , Nakayama Masashi , Tachikawa Emiko , Kawada Yasumasa , Minamitani Kinship , Kikuchi Nobuyuki , Urakami Tatsuhiko , Kawamura Tomoyuki , Kawasaki Eiji , Kikuchi Toru , Amemiya Shin ,   The Japanese Study Group of Insulin Therapy for Childhood, Adolescent Diabetes (JSGIT)
Published: November 2019

Aims/Introduction

We compared the results of testing for glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GADAb) using a radioimmunoassay (RIA) and an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in individuals with childhood‐onset type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Materials and Methods

Serum specimens were collected from 1,024 Japanese children (426 boys and 598 girls) in 2013. The median age at diagnosis was 7 years (0–18 years). The blood specimens were obtained at a median age of 13 years (2–22 years).

Results

Among the 628 children whose serum specimens were collected within 5 years after diagnosis, the rate of GADAb positivity was 47.9% using RIA and 69.4% using ELISA. The participants were divided into four groups according to their RIA and ELISA results for GADAb as follows: group I (RIA+/ELISA+), group II (RIA+/ELISA−), group III (RIA−/ELISA+) and group IV (RIA−/ELISA−). The clinical and genetic characteristics of group I and group III were quite similar in terms of age at diagnosis, male/female ratio, relatively high positive rates for both autoantibody to protein tyrosine phosphatase IA‐2 and autoantibody to the cation efflux transporter zinc transporter 8, and human leukocyte antigen genotype. Group II contained just five patients, and was characterized by a younger age at diagnosis, low positive rates for both autoantibody to protein tyrosine phosphatase IA‐2 and autoantibody to the cation efflux transporter zinc transporter 8, and a unique human leukocyte antigen genotype. If the positive rates of either autoantibody to protein tyrosine phosphatase IA‐2 or autoantibody to the cation efflux transporter zinc transporter 8 or both were added to the GADAb results using RIA, the percentage of autoimmune type 1 diabetes increased from 47.9% to 78.5%.

Conclusions

The diagnosis of autoimmune childhood‐onset Japanese type 1 diabetes increased when GADAb results were obtained using a new ELISA method, compared with a previously utilized RIA method.
Impact of physical activity and sedentary time on glycated hemoglobin levels and body composition: Cross‐sectional study using outpatient clinical data of Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Nakanishi Shuhei , Hirukawa Hidenori , Shimoda Masashi , Tatsumi Fuminori , Kohara Kenji , Obata Atsushi , Okauchi Seizo , Katakura Yukino , Sanada Junpei , Fushimi Yoshiro , Nishioka Momoyo , Kan Yuki , Tomita‐Mizoguchi Akiko , Isobe Hayato , Iwamoto Hideyuki , Takahashi Kaio , Mune Tomoatsu , Kaku Kohei , Kaneto Hideaki
Published: November 2019

Aims/Introduction

This study examined the association among sedentary time (ST), physical activity (PA), glycated hemoglobin and body composition in Japanese type 2 diabetes patients.

Materials and Methods

Patients with type 2 diabetes who visited the outpatient clinic at Kawasaki Medical School Hospital, Okayama, Japan, comprised the study’s participants. Self‐administered International Physical Activity Questionnaire short forms were obtained and analyzed for 1,053 patients, including 158 patients for whom waist circumference and visceral fat accumulation were measured. From the questionnaire, three categorical data (low, moderate, high) and continuous data (METs/h/week) regarding PA and ST (min/day), respectively, were obtained.

Results

The patients categorized as having low PA had significantly higher body mass index than those categorized as having high levels, after adjustment was made for confounders. Continuous data of PA were negatively associated with waist circumference and visceral fat accumulation. ST was positively associated with body mass index. After dividing the participants into four groups according to medians of ST and PA, the following categories were established: long ST and low PA, long ST but high PA, short ST but low PA and short ST and high PA. In terms of body mass index, short ST and high PA measured significantly lower than long ST and low PA. For waist circumference and visceral fat accumulation, short ST but low PA and short ST and high PA measured significantly lower than long ST and low PA and long ST but high.

Conclusions

These results imply that the combination of avoiding sedentary behavior and increasing PA might be important in the prevention bodyweight gain and in the avoidance of central obesity, respectively, in Japanese type 2 diabetes patients.
The Global Dominance of European Competition Law Over American Antitrust Law
Authors: Bradford Anu , Chilton Adam , Linos Katerina , Weaver Alexander
Published: November 2019

The world's biggest consumer markets—the European Union and the United States—have adopted different approaches to regulating competition. This has not only put the European Union and the United States at odds in high‐profile investigations of anticompetitive conduct, but also made them race to spread their regulatory models. Using a novel dataset of competition statutes, we investigate this race to influence the world's regulatory landscape and find that E.U. competition laws have been more widely emulated than the U.S. antitrust laws. We then argue that both “push” and “pull” factors explain the appeal of the E.U. competition regime: the European Union actively promotes its model through preferential trade agreements and has an administrative template that is easy to emulate. As E.U. and U.S. regulators offer competing regulatory models in domains as diverse as privacy, finance, and environmental protection, our study sheds light on how global regulatory races are fought and won.
Exploring the feasibility of bitterness reduction in palmyrah young shoot for its effective utilization
Authors: Thivya Perumal , Durgadevi Manoharan , Rawson Ashish , Vadakkepulppara Ramachandran Nair Sinija , Rangarajan Jaganmohan
Published: November 2019

Palmyrah young shoot is an underutilized seasonal product of palmyrah palm. It has been reported to improve digestibility, prevent constipation, and maintain blood sugar level, as it is rich in fiber and starch. However, it contains some bitter compounds, which limits their acceptability of the products developed from them. Present study identified the components responsible for bitterness and the debittering process has been optimized. The optimum conditions for debittering included solvent ratio of 90 ml, extraction temperature at 65°C and 1 hr of processing time which led to significant decrease in the bitter compounds namely spirosterol and the flabelliferin‐ II (F‐II). Moreover, the optimized condition led to decrease in the total phenolic and saponin content from 320 to 131.651 mg/g and 2.04 to 0.106 mg/g, and simultaneously favored the yield of the fiber and starch from 4.1 to 11.889 g and 43.65 to 85.349 g, respectively. The debittered flour was incorporated into traditional Indian sweet (gulabjamun) which improved the protein content by 28.855%, and fiber content by 4.01% than commercial sample. The current study also increased the line scale of commercialization of the underutilized palmyrah young shoot as well as its scope for potential use as a fortificant or thickening agent.

Practical applications

Palmyarh young shoot is rich in fiber and recommended for diabetics, however the crop is under‐utilized due to its bitter taste. We have now optimized conditions for obtaining debittered flour. This debittered flour has high potential in food processing industry as a fortificant, as a thickening agent and as a good source of starch and fiber. Debittering could be pivotal to increase the utilization of Palmyarh young shoot flour in foods.
The importance of being edgy: cell geometric edges as an emerging polar domain in plant cells
Authors: ELLIOTT L. , KIRCHHELLE C.
Published: November 2019

Polarity is an essential feature of multicellular organisms and underpins growth and development as well as physiological functions. In polyhedral plant cells, polar domains at different faces have been studied in detail. In recent years, cell edges (where two faces meet) have emerged as discrete spatial domains with distinct biochemical identities. Here, we review and discuss recent advances in our understanding of cell edges as functional polar domains in plant cells and other organisms, highlighting conceptual parallels and open questions regarding edge polarity.
Intranasal pregnenolone increases acetylcholine in frontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala—Preferentially in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the injected nostril
Authors: Fazari Benedetta , Decheva Cvetana Ilieva , González García Victoria , Abdel‐Hafiz Laila , Nikolaus Susanne , Hollenberg Cornelis P. , Huston Joseph P. , de Souza Silva Maria A. , Mattern Claudia
Published: November 2019

This study determined the effects of intranasal pregnenolone (IN‐PREG) on acetylcholine (ACh) levels in selected areas of the rat brain, using in vivo microdialysis. Previous studies showed that PREG rapidly reaches the rodent brain after intranasal administration and that direct infusion of PREG and PREG‐S into the basal forebrain modulates ACh release in frontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. In the present study, we investigated the effects of IN‐PREG on the cholinergic system in the rat brain. In the first experiment, IN‐PREG (5.6 and 11.2 mg/ml) or vehicle was applied bilaterally, and we hypothesized that IN‐PREG would increase ACh levels in amygdala, hippocampus, and frontal cortex, relative to baseline and vehicle. Dialysate was collected for 100 min, based on pilot data of duration of effect. Bilateral IN‐PREG (5.6 and 11.2 mg/ml) increased frontal cortex and hippocampal ACh relative to both baseline and vehicle. Moreover, 11.2 mg/ml PREG increased ACh in the amygdala relative to baseline, the lower dose, and vehicle. Therefore, in the second experiment, IN‐PREG (11.2 mg/ml) was applied only into one nostril, with vehicle applied into the other nostril, in order to determine whether ACh is predominantly increased in the ipsilateral relative to the contralateral amygdala. Unilateral application of IN‐PREG increased ACh in the ipsilateral amygdala, whereas no effect was observed on the contralateral side, suggesting that PREG was transported from the nostrils to the brain via the olfactory epithelial pathway, but not by circulation. The present data provide additional information on IN‐PREG action in the cholinergic system of frontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. This may be relevant for therapeutic IN application of PREG in neurogenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.

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Peg‐interferon and nucleos(t)ide analogue combination at inception of antiviral therapy improves both anti‐HBV efficacy and long‐term survival among HBV DNA‐positive hepatocellular carcinoma patients after hepatectomy/ablation
Authors: Qi Wenqian , Zhang Qian , Xu Yan , Wang Xu , Yu Fan , Zhang Yonggui , Zhao Ping , Guo Honghua , Zhou Changyu , Wang Zhe , Sun Yu , Liu Lin , Xuan Wei , Wang Jiangbin
Published: November 2019

Antiviral therapy has been shown to improve the prognosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA‐positive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radical treatment, but antiviral treatments require further optimization. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacies of different antiviral strategies with HCC patients after hepatectomy/ablation. This prospective, randomized, controlled and multi‐centre trial enrolled HBV DNA‐positive primary HCC patients after hepatectomy/ablation between January 2007 and January 2009. Patients were divided into four groups: early combination (entecavir plus Peg‐interferon [IFN]α‐2a co‐administration during year 1); late combination (addition of Peg‐IFNα‐2a for 48 weeks after 1 year of entecavir); nucleos(t)ide analogue[NA] monotherapy; and non‐antiviral treatment. Primary endpoints included recurrence‐free survival and overall survival. A total of 447 patients were enrolled. The 2‐year and 8‐year recurrence‐free survival and 8‐year overall survival rates were significantly higher in the early combination group than in the other two antiviral groups (P < .05). After 48‐week treatment, more patients achieved an HBsAg reduction >1500 IU/mL and the mean HBsAg level was significantly lower in the early combination group compared with the late combination and NA monotherapy groups (P < .05). Multivariate analysis showed that early combination therapy and a reduction in HBsAg by >1500 IU/mL after 48 weeks of therapy correlated with reduced mortality and disease recurrence. Early introduction of combination antiviral treatment may represent a more effective therapeutic strategy for patients with HBV DNA‐positive HCC after hepatectomy/ablation. A reduction in HBsAg by >1500 IU/mL after 48‐week treatment is associated with reduced mortality and disease recurrence of HBV DNA‐positive HCC patients after hepatectomy/ablation.
Regulatory Pragmatism, Legal Knowledge and Compliance with Law in Areas of State Weakness
Authors: Ostermann Susan L.
Published: November 2019

The literature suggests that compliance with law is unlikely in areas of state weakness absent additional state capacity. Utilizing three novel data sets collected in adjacent districts in India and Nepal, this article demonstrates that weak states can significantly increase compliance by fostering accurate legal knowledge—something the literature often assumes is widespread. This assumption is problematic because principal–agent problems prevent many weak states from behaving consistently; target populations often lack education and competent legal advice and struggle to learn about the law via observation. States that employ regulatory pragmatism, however, may overcome this challenge; they do so by designing implementation strategies for on-the-ground realities. I investigate two such efforts—delegated enforcement and information dissemination through local leaders. The data indicate that strategies consistent with regulatory pragmatism, in contrast to those that are legally doctrinaire or deterrence based significantly increase legal knowledge and compliance, even where the state is locally weak.