bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association between age at first childbirth and type 2 diabetes in Chinese women
Authors: Qu Xueqi , Wang Hanyu , Zhou Shiyuan , Fang Zhe , Li Jingyuan , Tang Kun 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAims/IntroductionThe present study aims to explore the relationship between age at first childbirth and developing type 2 diabetes, and analyze potential modifiers of its relationship.Materials and MethodsThe data were obtained from the baseline survey of a large‐scale cohort study in 10 diverse areas of China. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze the association between developing type 2 diabetes and the age at first childbirth. Adjustments were made in each model on sociodemographic, socioeconomic and reproductive covariates. Subgroup analyses were further carried out to investigate the effects of reproductive factors, body mass index at 25 years of age and hypertension on the above‐mentioned association.ResultsWomen who have their first child at age <20 years (odds ratio [OR] 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22–1.44) and between the ages of 20 and 24 years (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.10–1.23) were more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes compared with those who have their first child between the ages of 25 and 29 years; equal to or more than three parities (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.30–1.60), premenopausal status (OR 1.58, 95% CI 0.99–2.54), overweight at age 25 years (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.37–1.93) and hypertension (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.22–1.53) are all conditions found to increase the odds of developing type 2 diabetes in those who have their their first child at an early age (<20 years).ConclusionsThe study concluded that having the first child at an early age is associated with an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes later in life; reproductive factors, overweight at age 25 years and status of hypotension could modify such an association.
The profile of cytokines (IL‐2, IFN‐γ, IL‐4, IL‐10, IL‐17A, and IL‐23) in active alopecia areata
Authors: Gautam Ram Kishan , Singh Yogita , Gupta Aastha , Arora Pooja , Khurana Ananta , Chitkara Anubhuti 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBackgroundAlopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease due to aberrant T‐cell response against hair follicle self‐antigens. Previous studies support the role of Th1 cytokines in pathogenesis of AA, but the role of Th2, Th17, and Treg cytokines remains to be fully elucidated.ObjectivesTo assess the serum levels of cytokines secreted by Th1 (IL‐2, IFN‐γ), Th2 (IL‐4), Th17 (IL‐23, IL‐17A), and Treg (IL‐10) pathways in patients of active AA and to correlate their levels with the severity of the disease.Material and methodsForty patients with untreated active AA of the scalp and forty age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls were included. Serum levels of cytokines IL‐2, IFN‐γ, IL‐17A, IL‐23, IL‐4, and IL‐10 were measured using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsSerum levels of cytokines IL‐2, IFN‐γ, IL‐17A, and IL‐10 were significantly raised while serum levels of IL‐23 were nonsignificantly raised in AA patients as compared to controls. The levels of IL‐4 were significantly lower in AA patients as compared to controls. (P < 0.05). Also, significant positive correlation was found between increase in SALT Score and serum levels of IL‐2, IL‐17A, and IL‐23. (P < 0.05).ConclusionTh1 and Th17 pathways play a central role in the initiation and progression of AA, while Th2 pathway is suppressed in active AA. Treg pathway may be opposing Th1 and Th17 pathway and causes disease localization. The instant study lays the groundwork for understanding the pathogenesis of AA and suggests the role of implicated cytokines as potential therapeutic targets and as biomarkers of disease activity.
Roadmap to functional cure of chronic hepatitis B: An expert consensus
Authors: Ning Qin , Wu Di , Wang Gui-Qiang , Ren Hong , Gao Zhi-Liang , Hu Peng , Han Mei-Fang , Wang Yan , Zhang Wen-Hong , Lu Feng-Min , Wang Fu‐Sheng 
Published: May 2019

AbstractHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to be a major public health issue worldwide. HBsAg loss is associated with functional remission and improved long‐term outcome, and is considered to be a ‘functional cure’ (also referred to as clinical or immunologic cure) for chronic hepatitis B. This ideal goal of therapy can be achieved using optimized combination regimens with direct‐acting antivirals [eg nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs)] and immunomodulators [eg pegylated interferon alpha2a (Peg‐IFN)] in selected patients with chronic hepatitis B. Among different combination therapies currently available, those with NA lead‐in followed by Peg‐IFN in virally suppressed patients has been demonstrated to be effective. This review provides an updated overview of the evidence supporting the use of combination therapies and summarizes expert consensus on the roadmap to attain functional cure for chronic hepatitis B patients.
Soil seed banks in the floodplain of a large river: A test of hypotheses on seed bank composition in relation to flooding and established vegetation
Authors: Greulich Sabine , Chevalier Richard , Villar Marc 
Published: May 2019

AbstractQuestionsThis study investigates soil seed banks in relation to established vegetation in the floodplain of a large river with high‐energy floods. It addresses the composition of seed banks and extant vegetation over a wide flooding and succession gradient. Tested hypotheses were: (a) species richness and seed bank density are highest in mid‐succession habitats; (b) seed bank variability increases with succession; (c) the proportion of species in the established vegetation with permanent seed banks declines with succession; and (d) similarity between vegetation and seed bank declines with succession.LocationMareau‐aux‐Prés, the Loire River, close to Orléans, France.MethodsSeed banks and vegetation were sampled in five habitats from a succession series: (a) Pioneer vegetation of shores and sandbanks; (b) softwood shrubs; (c) softwood forest; (d) mature forest; and (e)Elytrigia‐dominated grasslands. Sample units were 5 m × 5 m plots. Soil samples were taken from the upper 6 cm. Seed banks were studied via the seedling emergence method, followed by screening of sediment for remaining seeds. Composition of seed banks was compared to that of vegetation using the Sørenson similarity index.ResultsSeed bank density varied between 260 and 11,260 seeds/m2. Clear differences between habitats existed in the composition of species in seed banks and established vegetation. Seeds of most dominant species were distributed across the whole range of floodplain habitats but species were more restricted in the vegetation. Species richness and seed bank densities did not vary with succession as expected, but the proportion of species that produce persistent seed banks did decline with succession.ConclusionsFloodplains of large rivers provide an excellent context to test hypotheses about the processes that influence the links between seed banks and standing vegetation. In the case of high‐energy floods and high sediment dynamics, the methods commonly used to study seed banks can, however, be questioned.
The effects of impacts on the cooling rates of iron meteorites
Authors: Lyons Richard J. , Bowling Timothy J. , Ciesla Fred J. , Davison Thomas M. , Collins Gareth S. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractIron meteorites provide a record of the thermal evolution of their parent bodies, with cooling rates inferred from the structures observed in the Widmanstätten pattern. Traditional planetesimal thermal models suggest that meteorite samples derived from the same iron core would have identical cooling rates, possibly providing constraints on the sizes and structures of their parent bodies. However, some meteorite groups exhibit a range of cooling rates or point to uncomfortably small parent bodies whose survival is difficult to reconcile with dynamical models. Together, these suggest that some meteorites are indicating a more complicated origin. To date, thermal models have largely ignored the effects that impacts would have on the thermal evolution of the iron meteorite parent bodies. Here we report numerical simulations investigating the effects that impacts at different times have on cooling rates of cores of differentiated planetesimals. We find that impacts that occur when the core is near or above its solidus, but the mantle has largely crystallized can expose iron near the surface of the body, leading to rapid and nonuniform cooling. The time period when a planetesimal can be affected in this way can range between 20 and 70 Myr after formation for a typical 100 km radius planetesimal. Collisions during this time would have been common, and thus played an important role in shaping the properties of iron meteorites.
Genome‐scale sampling suggests cryptic epigenetic structuring and insular divergence in Canada lynx
Authors: Meröndun Justin , Murray Dennis L. , Shafer Aaron B. A. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractDetermining the molecular signatures of adaptive differentiation is a fundamental component of evolutionary biology. A key challenge is to identify such signatures in wild organisms, particularly between populations of highly mobile species that undergo substantial gene flow. The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is one species where mainland populations appear largely undifferentiated at traditional genetic markers, despite inhabiting diverse environments and displaying phenotypic variation. Here, we used high‐throughput sequencing to investigate both neutral genetic structure and epigenetic differentiation across the distributional range of Canada lynx. Newfoundland lynx were identified as the most differentiated population at neutral genetic markers, with demographic modelling suggesting that divergence from the mainland occurred at the end of the last glaciation (20–33 KYA). In contrast, epigenetic structure revealed hidden levels of differentiation across the range coincident with environmental determinants including winter conditions, particularly in the peripheral Newfoundland and Alaskan populations. Several biological pathways related to morphology were differentially methylated between populations, suggesting that epigenetic modifications might explain morphological differences seen between geographically peripheral populations. Our results indicate that epigenetic modifications, specifically DNA methylation, are powerful markers to investigate population differentiation in wild and non‐model systems.
Virus perception at the cell surface: revisiting the roles of receptor‐like kinases as viral pattern recognition receptors
Authors: Teixeira Ruan M. , Ferreira Marco Aurélio , Raimundo Gabriel A. S. , Loriato Virgílio A. P. , Reis Pedro A. B. , Fontes Elizabeth P. B. 
Published: May 2019

SummaryActivation of antiviral innate immune responses depends on the recognition of viral components or viral effectors by host receptors. This virus recognition system can activate two layers of host defence, pathogen‐associated molecular pattern (PAMP)‐triggered immunity (PTI) and effector‐triggered immunity (ETI). While ETI has long been recognized as an efficient plant defence against viruses, the concept of antiviral PTI has only recently been integrated into virus–host interaction models, such as the RNA silencing‐based defences that are triggered by viral dsRNA PAMPs produced during infection. Emerging evidence in the literature has included the classical PTI in the antiviral innate immune arsenal of plant cells. Therefore, our understanding of PAMPs has expanded to include not only classical PAMPS, such as bacterial flagellin or fungal chitin, but also virus‐derived nucleic acids that may also activate PAMP recognition receptors like the well‐documented phenomenon observed for mammalian viruses. In this review, we discuss the notion that plant viruses can activate classical PTI, leading to both unique antiviral responses and conserved antipathogen responses. We also present evidence that virus‐derived nucleic acid PAMPs may elicit the NUCLEAR SHUTTLE PROTEIN‐INTERACTING KINASE 1 (NIK1)‐mediated antiviral signalling pathway that transduces an antiviral signal to suppress global host translation.
The role of leaf width and conductances to CO2 in determining water use efficiency in C4 grasses
Authors: Cano Francisco Javier , Sharwood Robert E. , Cousins Asaph B. , Ghannoum Oula 
Published: May 2019

Summary

C4 plants achieve higher photosynthesis (An) and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) than C3 plants, but processes underpinning the variability in An and iWUE across the three C4 subtypes remain unclear, partly because we lack an integrated framework for quantifying the contribution of diffusional and biochemical limitations to C4 photosynthesis.

We exploited the natural diversity among C4 grasses to develop an original mathematical approach for estimating eight key processes of C4 photosynthesis and their relative limitations to An. We also developed a new formulation to estimate mesophyll conductance (gm) based on actual hydration rates of CO2 by carbonic anhydrases.

We found a positive relationship between gm and iWUE and an inverse correlation with gsw among C4 grasses. We also revealed subtype‐specific regulatory processes of iWUE that may be related to known anatomical traits characterising each C4 subtype. Leaf width was an important determinant of iWUE and showed significant correlations with key limitations of An, especially among NADP‐ME species.

In conclusion, incorporating leaf width in breeding trials may unlock new opportunities for C4 crops because the revealed negative relationship between leaf width and iWUE may translate into higher crop and canopy WUE.
Sex differences in sympathetic activity in obesity and its related hypertension
Authors: Fu Qi 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing in the United States, particularly among women. Approximately 60−70% of hypertension in adults may be directly attributed to obesity. In addition, maternal obesity is a major risk factor for hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. The underlying mechanisms for the association between obesity and cardiovascular risk are multifactorial, but activation of the sympathetic nervous system is one significant contributing factor. This brief review summarizes the current knowledge on sex differences in sympathetic activity in obesity and its related hypertension, with a focus on studies in humans. Evidence suggests that abdominal visceral fat, rather than subcutaneous fat, is related to augmented sympathetic activity regardless of sex. Race/ethnicity may affect the relationship between obesity and sympathetic activity. Obesity‐related hypertension has an important neurogenic component, which is characterized by sympathetic overactivity. However, sex may influence the association between hypertension and sympathetic overactivity in obese people. Finally, both body weight and sympathetic overactivity seem to be involved in the development of gestational hypertensive disorders in women. Chronic hyperinsulinemia due to insulin resistance, high plasma levels of leptin, and/or obstructive sleep apnea may be responsible for sympathetic overactivity in obesity‐related hypertension.
Online sunscreen purchases: Impact of product characteristics and marketing claims
Authors: Prado Giselle , Ederle Ashley E. , Shahriari Shawhin R.K. , Svoboda Ryan M. , Farberg Aaron S. , Rigel Darrell S. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBackgroundSunscreens, unlike prescription medications, are purchased by consumers directly from retailers. The proportion of online sunscreen sales is increasing. It is therefore important for dermatologists to know what factors influence online sunscreen purchases to optimize appropriate recommendations.MethodsData on the top 100 best‐selling sunscreens from an online retailer were collected. Variables included cost, formulation, product claims, ingredients, consumer ratings, and number of reviews. Ordinal logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of collected variables on position on the best‐seller list.ResultsNinety‐six of the 100 search results could be defined as actual sunscreens with a total of 41 788 reviews. The median price per ounce was $3.02 (range $0.34‐$309.18). The most popular formulations were lotions. The most common unregulated claim was “non‐greasy” found in 57.3% of sunscreens. For 26 unregulated product claims analyzed, the mean number of claims per sunscreen was 5.2. Using an ordinal regression model, the following factors were found to significantly influence sunscreen sales: number of reviews, the claim “decreases the risk of skin cancer and early aging,” and the presence of six or more unregulated claims.ConclusionsMultiple sunscreen options exist for consumers with varying price points, active ingredients, and formulations. Consumers who purchase online prefer sunscreens with a higher number of reviews and more unregulated marketing claims. FDA‐regulated claims such as “decreases the risk of skin cancer and early aging” are not as impactful in this purchasing cohort. To facilitate usage, dermatologists should be cognizant of factors that influence sunscreen selection among this group.
Services liberalization and global value chain participation: New evidence for heterogeneous effects by income level and provisions
Authors: Lee Woori 
Published: May 2019

AbstractParticipation in global value chains (GVCs) is a key element in the industrialization strategies of many developing nations. This paper investigates the role of services liberalization in promoting participation in GVCs. Using the gravity framework, I examine the impact of services trade agreements on gross trade and GVC trade (backward and forward participation) in goods. I find that services trade agreements promote both, but especially GVC trade, although the effects are heterogeneous: the impact is bigger for developing nation exporters. Moreover, services agreements that allow the export of services without local presence (nonestablishment rights) are particularly important in fostering GVC participation.
Molecular matching for patients with haematological diseases expressing altered RHD‐RHCE genotypes
Authors: Cruz Bruno Ribeiro , de Souza Silva Thamy Caroline , de Souza Castro Bianca , Chiba Akemi Kuroda , Moritz Elyse , Braga Josefina Pellegrini , Figueiredo Maria Stella , Bordin José O 
Published: May 2019

Background and ObjectivesThe high homology and the inverted orientation of RHD and RHCE may give rise to non‐functional and aberrant RH alleles. RH genotyping is used to screen RH matched donors to African descent patients. This study aimed to define a strategy for testing RHD and RHCE variants in blood donors to provide compatible units for transfusion of patients with haematological diseases.Materials and MethodsSamples from 132 patients [101 Sickle cell disease (SCD), 14 myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), 17 acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML)] and 198 Brazilian donors were studied. Major blood group alleles, RHD, RHCE alleles and RHD zygosity were determined by the blood‐MLPA assay. Sequencing was performed to determine RHD and RHCE variant subtypes. A match was an RH genotype that did not encode Rh antigens absent in the patient, along with matching for ABO, MNS, KEL, FY, JK and DI antigens.ResultsOverall, 7·6% of blood donors and 17.4% of patients presented RH genotypes that predict expression of partial Rh antigens or lack of high prevalence Rh antigens. From 23 patients with clinically relevant RH genotypes, 15 had available matched donors.ConclusionWe report the presence of clinically relevant RH genotypes in SCD and in non‐SCD patients. In our admixed population, many patients carry variant RHCE alleles in heterozygosity with normal RHCE alleles. Thus, our results suggest that donors could be selected based on the normal RH allele.
Acute spatial spread of NO‐mediated potentiation during hindpaw ischaemia in mice
Authors: Onishi Takeshi , Watanabe Tatsunori , Sasaki Mika , Kamiya Yoshinori , Horie Masao , Tsukano Hiroaki , Hishida Ryuichi , Kohno Tatsuro , Takebayashi Hirohide , Baba Hiroshi , Shibuki Katsuei 
Published: May 2019

Key points
Neuropathic pain spreads spatially beyond the injured sites, and the mechanism underlying the spread has been attributed to inflammation occurring in the spinal cord.
However, the spatial spread of spinal/cortical potentiation induced by conduction block of the peripheral nerves can be observed prior to inflammation.
In the present study, we found that spreading potentiation and hypersensitivity acutely induced by unilateral hindpaw ischaemia are nitric oxide (NO)‐dependent and that NO is produced by ischaemia and quickly diffuses within the spinal cord.
We also found that NO production induced by ischaemia is not observed in the presence of an antagonist for group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and that neuronal NO synthase‐positive dorsal horn neurons express group II mGluRs.
These results suggest strongly that NO‐mediated spreading potentiation in the spinal cord is one of the trigger mechanisms for neuropathic pain.
AbstractCortical/spinal responses to hindpaw stimulation are bilaterally potentiated by unilateral hindpaw ischaemia in mice. We tested the hypothesis that hindpaw ischaemia produces nitric oxide (NO), which diffuses in the spinal cord to induce spatially spreading potentiation. Using flavoprotein fluorescence imaging, we confirmed that the spreading potentiation in hindpaw responses was induced during ischaemia in the non‐stimulated hindpaw. This spreading potentiation was blocked by spinal application of l‐NAME, an inhibitor of NO synthase (NOS). Furthermore, no spreading potentiation was observed in neural NOS (nNOS) knockout mice. Spinal application of an NO donor was enough to induce cortical potentiation and mechanical hypersensitivity. The spatial distribution of NO during unilateral hindpaw ischaemia was visualized using 4‐amino‐5‐methylamino‐2′,7′‐difluorofluorescein (DAF‐FM). An increase in fluorescence derived from the complex of DAF‐FM with NO was observed on the ischaemic side of the spinal cord. A similar but smaller increase was also observed on the contralateral side. Somatosensory potentiation after hindpaw ischaemia is known to be inhibited by spinal application of LY354740, an agonist of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). We confirmed that the spinal DAF‐FM fluorescence increases during hindpaw ischaemia were not observed in the presence of LY354740. We also confirmed that approximately half of the nNOS‐positive neurons in the superficial laminae of the dorsal horn expressed mGluR2 mRNA. These results suggest that disinhibition of mGluR2 produces NO which in turn induces a spreading potentiation in a wide area of the spinal cord. Such spreading, along with the consequent non‐specific potentiation in the spinal cord, may trigger neuropathic pain.