bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Associations of area deprivation and urban/rural traits with the incidence of type 1 diabetes: analysis at the municipality level in North Rhine‐Westphalia, Germany
Authors: Castillo‐Reinado K. , Maier W. , Holle R. , Stahl‐Pehe A. , Baechle C. , Kuss O. , Hermann J. , Holl R. W. , Rosenbauer J. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractAimTo analyse the associations of area deprivation and urban/rural traits with the incidence of type 1 diabetes in the German federal state of North Rhine‐Westphalia.MethodsData of incident type 1 diabetes cases in children and adolescents aged <20 years between 2007 and 2014 were extracted from a population‐based diabetes register. Population data, indicators of area deprivation and urban/rural traits at the municipality level (396 entities) were obtained from official statistics. Area deprivation was assessed in five groups based on quintiles of an index of multiple deprivation and its seven deprivation domains. Poisson regression accounting for spatial dependence was applied to investigate associations of area deprivation and urban/rural traits with type 1 diabetes incidence.ResultsBetween 2007 and 2014, 6143 incident cases were reported (99% completeness); the crude incidence was 22.3 cases per 100 000 person‐years. The incidence decreased with increasing employment and environmental deprivation (relative risk of the most vs. the least deprived municipalities: 0.905 [95% CI: 0.813, 1.007] and 0.839 [0.752, 0.937], respectively) but was not associated with the composite deprivation index. The incidence was higher in more peripheral, rural, smaller and less densely populated municipalities, and the strongest association was estimated for the location trait (relative risk of peripheral/very peripheral compared with very central location: 1.231 [1.044, 1.452]).ConclusionsThe results suggest that the type 1 diabetes risk is higher in more remote, more rural, less densely populated and less deprived areas. Urban/rural traits were stronger predictors of type 1 diabetes risk than area deprivation indicators.
Is Neuregulin‐4 a predictive marker of microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus?
Authors: Kocak Mehmet Zahid , Aktas Gulali , Atak Burcin M. , Duman Tuba T. , Yis Ozgur Mehmet , Erkus Edip , Savli Haluk 
Published: January 2020

AbstractBackground and AimsNeuregulin‐4 (Nrg‐4) is a new adipokine released from brown adipose tissue. It plays pivotal role in regulating systemic energy balance, glucose and lipid metabolism and in reducing chronic inflammation. We aimed to investigate the relation between diabetic microvascular complications (DMC) and serum (Nrg‐4) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.MethodsPatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were divided into DMC and diabetic patients without microvascular complications (non‐DMC). Nrg‐4 levels of the patients were compared.ResultsFifty and 29 patients enrolled to the DMC and non‐DMC groups, respectively. Nrg‐4 was 1.23 (0.02‐5.1) ng/mL and 2.5 (0.21‐6.01) ng/mL in DMC and in non‐DMC groups, respectively (P < .001). In patients with DMC, FPG was 189.5 (89‐446) mg/ dL, whereas it was 128 (95‐278) mg/dL in non‐DMC diabetic patients (P < .001). HbA1c was also significantly higher in the DMC group than in the non‐DMC group (P < .001). Negative correlation was found between Nrg‐4 and FPG (r = −0.231, P = .03), HBA1c (r = −0.312, P = .003) and microalbuminuria (r = −0.277, P = .009). Logistic regression analysis showed a 1‐unit decrease in Nrg‐4 to increase the presence of DMC by 1.9 times. The best cut‐off value of Nrg‐4 was 1.56 ng/mL with 82.1% sensitivity and 64% specificity, in predicting DMC.ConclusionIn patients with diabetes, Nrg‐4 levels may be a good predictor of early detection of one or more DMC, as microvascular dysfunction in an organ system is considered to be an initial onset of subclinical systemic damage.
Scaling‐up biodiversity‐ecosystem functioning research
Authors: Gonzalez Andrew , Germain Rachel M. , Srivastava Diane S. , Filotas Elise , Dee Laura E. , Gravel Dominique , Thompson Patrick L. , Isbell Forest , Wang Shaopeng , Kéfi Sonia , Montoya Jose , Zelnik Yuval R. , Loreau Michel 
Published: January 2020

AbstractA rich body of knowledge links biodiversity to ecosystem functioning (BEF), but it is primarily focused on small scales. We review the current theory and identify six expectations for scale dependence in the BEF relationship: (1) a nonlinear change in the slope of the BEF relationship with spatial scale; (2) a scale‐dependent relationship between ecosystem stability and spatial extent; (3) coexistence within and among sites will result in a positive BEF relationship at larger scales; (4) temporal autocorrelation in environmental variability affects species turnover and thus the change in BEF slope with scale; (5) connectivity in metacommunities generates nonlinear BEF and stability relationships by affecting population synchrony at local and regional scales; (6) spatial scaling in food web structure and diversity will generate scale dependence in ecosystem functioning. We suggest directions for synthesis that combine approaches in metaecosystem and metacommunity ecology and integrate cross‐scale feedbacks. Tests of this theory may combine remote sensing with a generation of networked experiments that assess effects at multiple scales. We also show how anthropogenic land cover change may alter the scaling of the BEF relationship. New research on the role of scale in BEF will guide policy linking the goals of managing biodiversity and ecosystems.
Prevalence of visual snow syndrome in the UK
Authors: Kondziella D. , Olsen M. H. , Dreier J. P. 
Published: January 2020

Background and purposeVisual snow syndrome is a recently described condition of unknown prevalence. We investigated the prevalence in a representative population sample from the UK and tested the hypothesis that visual snow syndrome is associated with young age, headache, tinnitus and mood impairment.MethodsUsing a crowdsourcing platform, we recruited a representative sample of 1015 adult laypeople from the UK, matched for age, gender and ethnicity according to national census data. Participants were unprimed, i.e. were inquired about the ‘frequency of certain medical conditions’ but not ‘visual snow syndrome’.ResultsA total of 38 of 1015 participants reported symptoms compatible with visual snow [3.7%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.7–5.2] and 22/1015 met criteria for visual snow syndrome (2.2%; 95% CI, 1.4–3.3). The female‐to–male ratio for visual snow syndrome was 1.6:1. Subjects with visual snow syndrome were older (50.6 ± 14 years) than the population mean (44.8 ± 15 years), although this was not statistically different (P = 0.06). Of 22 participants with visual snow syndrome, 16 had mood symptoms (72.7%; P = 0.01), 12 had headache (54.5%; P = 0.06), including five with visual migraine aura (22.7%; P = 0.15) and 13 had tinnitus (59.1%; P < 0.001). No participant had diabetes or a cleft lip (control questions). Following a multivariable regression analysis to adjust for age and gender, only the association between visual snow syndrome and tinnitus remained significant (odds ratio, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.63–9.9; P = 0.003).ConclusionsThe UK prevalence of visual snow syndrome is around 2%. We confirmed an association with tinnitus, but unprimed laypeople with visual snow syndrome are on average older than those seeking medical attention.
Serious infections in patients with myasthenia gravis: population‐based cohort study
Authors: Kassardjian C. D. , Widdifield J. , Paterson J. M. , Kopp A. , Nagamuthu C. , Barnett C. , Tu K. , Breiner A. 
Published: January 2020

Background and purposeTo characterize the frequency and risk of serious infections in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) relative to age/sex/area‐matched comparators.MethodsThis was a population‐based cohort study in Ontario, Canada of patients with newly‐diagnosed MG and 1:4 age/sex/area‐matched general population comparators accrued from 1 April 2002 to 31 December 2015. The main outcome was a serious infection, defined by a primary diagnosis code on a hospitalization or emergency department record. We computed crude overall and sex‐specific rates of infection among patients with MG and comparators, and the frequency of specific types of infection. Adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using Cox regression.ResultsAmong 3823 patients with MG, 1275 (33.4%) experienced a serious infection compared with 2973/15 292 (19.4%) of comparators over a mean follow‐up of over 5 years. Crude infection rates among patients with MG were twice those in comparators (72.5 vs. 35.0 per 1000 person‐years, respectively). The most common infection types were respiratory infections, particularly bacterial pneumonia. After adjustment for potential confounders, MG was associated with a 39% increased infection risk (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% confidence intervals, 1.28–1.51).ConclusionsPatients with MG are at a significantly higher absolute and relative risk of serious infections compared with age/sex/area‐matched comparators. This needs to be considered when selecting MG treatments and when planning vaccination/prophylaxis. Determining whether this risk is due to the use of immunosuppressive medications (vs. MG itself) is an important area for future research.
Should posterior cerebral artery occlusions be recanalized? Insights from the Trevo Registry
Authors: Clarençon F. , Baronnet F. , Shotar E. , Degos V. , Rolla‐Bigliani C. , Bartolini B. , Veznedaroglu E. , Budzik R. , English J. , Baxter B. , Liebeskind D. S. , Krajina A. , Gupta R. , Miralbes S. , Lüttich A. , Nogueira R. G. , Samson Y. , Alamowitch S. , Sourour N.‐A. 
Published: January 2020

Background and purposeThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in patients with acute ischaemic stroke related to isolated and primary posterior cerebral artery (PCA) occlusions amongst the patients enrolled in the multicentre post‐market Trevo Registry.MethodAmongst the 2008 patients enrolled in the Trevo Registry with acute ischaemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion treated by MT, 22 patients (1.1%) [10 females (45.5%), mean age 66.2 ± 14.3 years (range 28–91)] had a PCA occlusion [17 P1 (77.3%) and five P2 occlusions (22.7%)]. Recanalization after the first Trevo (Stryker, Fremont, CA, USA) pass and at the end of the procedure was rated using the modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) score. Procedure‐related complications (i.e. groin puncture complication, perforation, symptomatic haemorrhage, embolus in a new territory) were also recorded. The modified Rankin Scale at 90 days was assessed.ResultsMedian National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at admission was 14 (interquartile range 8–16). Stroke aetiology was cardio‐embolic in 68.2% of cases. Half of the patients (11/22) received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator. 54.5% of the patients were treated under general anaesthesia. Reperfusion (i.e. mTICI 2b or 3) after first pass was obtained in 65% of cases. Final mTICI 2b–3 reperfusion was obtained in all cases. Only one (4.5%) procedure‐related complication was recorded (puncture site) that resolved after surgery. At 90‐day follow‐up, modified Rankin Scale 0–2 was obtained in 59% of the patients and 9.1% died within the first 3 months after MT.ConclusionMechanical thrombectomy for PCA occlusions seems to be safe (<5% procedure‐related complications) and effective. Larger repository datasets are needed.
The school social environment and oral health‐related quality of life in children: a multilevel analysis
Authors: Pauli Laís A. , Correa Marcos B. , Demarco Flávio F. , Goettems Marília L. 
Published: January 2020

This study aimed to explore the association between schoolchildren's oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) and the school‐related social environment (contextual factors). A cross‐sectional study was performed with 1,211 children, aged 8–12 yr, from 20 private and public schools. Sociodemographic information was collected from a questionnaire given to parents, and children were interviewed using the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ) and examined for oral health conditions. Contextual variables were obtained from school coordinators regarding the social environment. Data analysis was performed through multilevel Poisson regression. A high negative impact on OHRQoL was found for participants who were girls, older, had very severe malocclusion, had dental trauma and caries, and had mothers with less schooling. A negative impact on OHRQoL was also found for children who attended schools in which police security was required (rate ratios [RR] = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01–1.22) and in which violence among students occurred in the last year (RR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.02–1.35). The need for police security was associated with a negative impact on the emotional well‐being domain, and violence among students was associated with negative impact on the oral symptoms, functional limitations, and social well‐being domains. Children in healthier environments have better OHRQoL.
Amikacin induces rapid dose‐dependent apoptotic cell death in equine chondrocytes and synovial cells in vitro
Authors: Pezzanite Lynn , Chow Lyndah , Soontararak Sirikul , Phillips Jennifer , Goodrich Laurie , Dow Steven 
Published: January 2020

AbstractBackgroundEquine veterinarians frequently inject aminoglycoside antibiotics intra‐articularly, either to treat septic arthritis or for prophylaxis with other medications when injecting joints for osteoarthritis. Although aminoglycosides have been demonstrated to be toxic to equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), their effects on resident joint cells have not been previously investigated. Moreover, safe and effective intra‐articular doses have not been defined.ObjectivesTo determine effects of concentration, duration of exposure, pH and the presence of synovial fluid on the cytotoxic effects of amikacin on equine chondrocytes, synoviocytes and bone marrow– and adipose‐derived MSC.Study designIn vitro experimental study.MethodsFour cell types were harvested from three donor horses and plated in triplicate wells for 48 hours prior to the addition of amikacin. The effects of amikacin on cell viability were assessed for different exposure times, concentrations and with pH buffered or unbuffered in media, as well as in the presence of synovial fluid. Cell metabolism/viability was assessed by colorimetric MTT assay. Cell proliferation was assessed by live cell imaging. Cell viability was assessed using trypan blue and dimeric cyanine nucleic acid stain (yoyo‐1). To determine the mechanism of cell death, apoptosis was evaluated using Annexin V and 7AAD staining with flow cytometric quantification. Induction of apoptotic cell death pathways was assessed using caspase‐3 expression.ResultsAmikacin is cytotoxic to equine joint cells and MSC in a rapid, dose‐dependent, pH‐independent manner, which occurs primarily by apoptosis. Amikacin cytotoxicity was not mitigated by the addition of synovial fluid in vitro.Main limitationsFurther studies are necessary to determine whether these in vitro results predict joint injury in live animal models.ConclusionsAmikacin at clinically applied doses induces rapid, pronounced cell death of equine joint cells. These findings suggest that amikacin doses currently used intra‐articularly should be reconsidered pending in vivo joint titration studies.
Local secretion of stress hormones increases in alopecia areata lesions after treatment with UVA‐1 phototherapy
Authors: Cuellar‐Barboza Adrian , Cardenas‐de la Garza Jesus Alberto , Cruz‐Gómez Luis Gerardo , Barboza‐Quintana Oralia , Flores‐Gutiérrez Juan Pablo , Gómez‐Flores Minerva , Welsh Oliverio , Ocampo‐Candiani Jorge , Herz‐Ruelas Maira E. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractAlopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease of the hair follicle. Keratinocytes of the hair follicle generate an immunosuppressive environment by the local secretion of hormones of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis of the skin (skin HPA analog). Our objective was to measure the local production of corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and α‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone (α‐MSH) in the scalp tissue of patients with AA before and after ultraviolet A1 (UVA‐1) phototherapy to determine their role in the pathogenesis of AA and the effect of UVA‐1 on the AA hormonal environment. This was a retrospective and descriptive study of skin samples from 22 patients with AA before and after UVA‐1 treatment. We compared the changes in the local hormonal environment by measuring CRH, ACTH, type 2 melanocortin receptor (ACTH receptor) and α‐MSH with immunohistochemical stains. The positivity of MSH was significantly higher (P = .037) in the post‐treatment samples compared with the baseline value. ACTH was significantly higher in intensity (P = .032) in the post‐treatment samples compared with the initial value. CRH was significantly higher in intensity (P = .013) in baseline samples compared with the final biopsies. The positivity of the ACTH receptor MC2R was not different between the two groups (P = .626). In AA, an interruption in the signalling of CRH could decrease the local concentration of ACTH and MSH, and consequently, the immunosuppressive effect of these hormones. This phenomenon is normalized in the skin treated with UVA‐1. A defective signalling system in the cutaneous HPA axis may be involved in the pathogenesis of AA.
Nucleotide‐induced folding of cell division protein FtsZ from Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Huecas Sonia , Canosa‐Valls Alejandro J. , Araújo‐Bazán Lidia , Ruiz Federico M. , Laurents Douglas V. , Fernández‐Tornero Carlos , Andreu José M. 
Published: January 2020

The essential bacterial division protein FtsZ uses GTP binding and hydrolysis to assemble into dynamic filaments that treadmill around the Z‐ring, guiding septal wall synthesis and cell division. FtsZ is a structural homolog of tubulin and a target for discovering new antibiotics. Here, using FtsZ from the pathogen S. aureus (SaFtsZ), we reveal that, prior to assembly, FtsZ monomers require nucleotide binding for folding; this is possibly relevant to other mesophilic FtsZs. Apo‐SaFtsZ is essentially unfolded, as assessed by nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism. Binding of GTP (≥ 1 mm) dramatically shifts the equilibrium toward the active folded protein. Supportingly, SaFtsZ refolded with GDP crystallizes in a native structure. Apo‐SaFtsZ also folds with 3.4 m glycerol, enabling high‐affinity GTP binding (KD 20 nm determined by isothermal titration calorimetry) similar to thermophilic stable FtsZ. Other stabilizing agents that enhance nucleotide binding include ethylene glycol, trimethylamine N‐oxide, and several bacterial osmolytes. High salt stabilizes SaFtsZ without bound nucleotide in an inactive twisted conformation. We identified a cavity behind the SaFtsZ‐GDP nucleotide‐binding pocket that harbors different small compounds, which is available for extended nucleotide‐replacing inhibitors. Furthermore, we devised a competition assay to detect any inhibitors that overlap the nucleotide site of SaFtsZ, or Escherichia coli FtsZ, employing osmolyte‐stabilized apo‐FtsZs and the specific fluorescence anisotropy change in mant‐GTP upon dissociation from the protein. This robust assay provides a basis to screening for high‐affinity GTP‐replacing ligands, which combined with structural studies and phenotypic profiling should facilitate development of a next generation of FtsZ‐targeting antibacterial inhibitors.
Transition modelling of surface flaws to through cracks
Authors: Satin Morris , Johnson W. Steven , Neu Richard W. , Annigeri Balkrishna , Ziegler Brett , Kersey Raymond Keith 
Published: January 2020

AbstractCracks starting at surfaces will grow under fatigue loading conditions both along the surface and in the thickness directions of the component geometry. In those cases where the crack grows through the thickness, the fatigue crack may transition to a corresponding through crack geometry. While the fatigue crack growth behaviour of both the surface flaws and complete through cracks are well understood, the method for modelling the process by which they transition from one to the other is not. This paper seeks to bring greater clarity and understanding to the transition process by implementing a transition method and developing the associated codes and equations to do so based on careful consideration of boundary conditions, experimental data, and finite element simulations.
Polygenic score for neuroticism is related to sleep difficulties
Authors: Stephan Yannick , Sutin Angelina R. , Luchetti Martina , Terracciano Antonio 
Published: January 2020

AbstractNeuroticism, a broad trait measure of the tendency to experience negative emotions and vulnerability to stress, is consistently related to poor sleep quality. Less is known about potential pleiotropy in the genetic risk for high neuroticism and poor sleep. Therefore, the present study examined whether polygenic score (PGS) for neuroticism is related to sleep quality in two large samples of adults. In addition, depressive symptoms, anxiety and phenotypical neuroticism were tested as mediators in both samples. Participants were 8316 individuals aged from 50 to 101 years (mean age = 68.29, SD = 9.83) from the Health and Retirement Study, and 4973 individuals aged from 63 to 67 years (mean age = 64.30, SD = 0.68) from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. Participants from both samples were genotyped and answered questions on sleep quality. A higher PGS for neuroticism was related to lower sleep quality concurrently and over time in both samples. Anxiety, depressive symptoms and neuroticism mediated these relationships in the two samples. Although effect sizes were small, the present study provides replicable evidence that individuals with a higher genetic predisposition to experience negative emotions and distress are at risk of sleep difficulties.