bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Enzymatic quantification of total serum bile acids as a monitoring strategy for women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy receiving ursodeoxycholic acid treatment: a cohort study
Authors: Manna LB , Ovadia C , Lövgren‐Sandblom A , Chambers J , Begum S , Seed P , Walker I , Chappell LC , Marschall H‐U , Williamson C 
Published: September 2019

ObjectiveTo evaluate enzymatic total serum bile acid quantification as a monitoring strategy for women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA).DesignCohort.SettingOne UK university hospital.Population29 ICP cases treated with UDCA.MethodsSerial samples were collected prospectively throughout gestation. Total serum bile acids were measured enzymatically and individual bile acids by high‐performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. Data were log‐transformed and analysed with random effects generalised least square regression.Main outcome measuresThe relationship between enzymatic total bile acid measurements and individual bile acid concentrations after UDCA treatment.ResultsIn untreated women, cholic acid was the principal bile acid (51%) and UDCA concentrations were <0.5%, whereas UDCA constituted 60% (IQR 43–69) of serum bile acids following treatment and cholic acid fell to <20%. Changes in the total bile acid measurement reflected similar alterations in the concentrations of the pathologically elevated bile acids, e.g. a two‐fold increase in enzymatic total bile acids is accompanied by approximately a two‐fold increase in cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid at most UDCA doses (P < 0.001). Most of the effects of UDCA on cholic acid occur in the first week of treatment (60% relative reduction, P = 0.025, 95% CI 0.2–0.9, from 10 micromol/l (4.7–17.6) to 3.5 micromol/l (1.4–7.5).ConclusionUrsodeoxycholic acid becomes the main component of the bile acid measurement after treatment. Enzymatic total bile acid assays are good predictors of both cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid, the primary bile acids that are raised prior to treatment.Tweetable abstractUrsodeoxycholic acid constitutes approximately 60% of the bile acid measurement and reduces pathological cholic acid in treated women.
Electronic monitoring at work: The role of attitudes, functions, and perceived control for the acceptance of tracking technologies
Authors: Abraham Martin , Niessen Cornelia , Schnabel Claus , Lorek Kerstin , Grimm Veronika , Möslein Kathrin , Wrede Matthias 
Published: September 2019

AbstractOrganisations increasingly adopt tracking technologies that allow managers to continuously collect highly detailed records of employee, performance, and health. On the basis of the theory of planned behaviour, we aim to identify attitudes, functions of monitoring, and control perceptions that should strengthen or lower employees' acceptance of these technologies. Our experimental vignette study among 800 respondents in Germany reveals that acceptance is more likely if employees have positive attitudes towards surveillance in general and towards monitoring in private life and if the technologies enhance labour productivity. The tendency to reject the technology increases if it is to be used for monitoring health and performance. The results indicate that these new technologies will not be accepted unconditionally and may be subject to bargaining and conflicts. In the implementation process, human resources departments will have to take account of employee interests and well‐being, which in turn may improve acceptance and performance.
A chromosome‐level genome assembly reveals the genetic basis of cold tolerance in a notorious rice insect pest, Chilo suppressalis
Authors: Ma Weihua , Zhao Xianxin , Yin Chuanlin , Jiang Fan , Du Xiaoyong , Chen Taiyu , Zhang Qinghua , Qiu Lin , Xu Hongxing , Joe Hull J. , Li Guoliang , Sung Wing‐Kin , Li Fei , Lin Yongjun 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThe rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, is one of the most damaging insect pests to rice production worldwide. Although C. suppressalis has been the focus of numerous studies examining cold tolerance and diapause, plant–insect interactions, pesticide targets and resistance, and the development of RNAi‐mediated pest management, the absence of a high‐quality genome has limited deeper insights. To address this limitation, we generated a draft C. suppressalis genome constructed from both Illumina and PacBio sequences. The assembled genome size was 824.35 Mb with a contig N50 of 307 kb and a scaffold N50 of 1.75 Mb. Hi‐C scaffolding assigned 99.2% of the bases to one of 29 chromosomes. Based on universal single‐copy orthologues (BUSCO), the draft genome assembly was estimated to be 97% complete and is predicted to encompass 15,653 protein‐coding genes. Cold tolerance is an extreme survival strategy found in animals. However, little is known regarding the genetic basis of the winter ecology of C. suppressalis. Here, we focused our orthologous analysis on those gene families associated with animal cold tolerance. Our finding provided the first genomic evidence revealing specific cold‐tolerant strategies in C. suppressalis, including those involved in glucose‐originated glycerol biosynthesis, triacylglycerol‐originated glycerol biosynthesis, fatty acid synthesis and trehalose transport‐intermediate cold tolerance. The high‐quality C. suppressalis genome provides a valuable resource for research into a broad range of areas in molecular ecology, and subsequently benefits developing modern pest control strategies.
Chromosome‐level genome assembly of the razor clam Sinonovacula constricta (Lamarck, 1818)
Authors: Ran Zhaoshou , Li Zhenzhen , Yan Xiaojun , Liao Kai , Kong Fei , Zhang Lin , Cao Jiayi , Zhou Chengxu , Zhu Peng , He Shan , Huang Wanlong , Xu Jilin 
Published: September 2019

AbstractBivalves, a highly diverse and the most evolutionarily successful class of invertebrates native to aquatic habitats, provide valuable molecular resources for understanding the evolutionary adaptation and aquatic ecology. Here, we reported a high‐quality chromosome‐level genome assembly of the razor clam Sinonovacula constricta using Pacific Bioscience single‐molecule real‐time sequencing, Illumina paired‐end sequencing, 10X Genomics linked‐reads and Hi‐C reads. The genome size was 1,220.85 Mb, containing scaffold N50 of 65.93 Mb and contig N50 of 976.94 Kb. A total of 899 complete (91.92%) and seven partial (0.72%) matches of the 978 metazoa Benchmarking Universal Single‐Copy Orthologs were determined in this genome assembly. And Hi‐C scaffolding of the genome resulted in 19 pseudochromosomes. A total of 28,594 protein‐coding genes were predicted in the S. constricta genome, of which 25,413 genes (88.88%) were functionally annotated. In addition, 39.79% of the assembled genome was composed of repetitive sequences, and 4,372 noncoding RNAs were identified. The enrichment analyses of the significantly expanded and contracted genes suggested an evolutionary adaptation of S. constricta to highly stressful living environments. In summary, the genomic resources generated in this work not only provide a valuable reference genome for investigating the molecular mechanisms of S. constricta biological functions and evolutionary adaptation, but also facilitate its genetic improvement and disease treatment. Meanwhile, the obtained genome greatly improves our understanding of the genetics of molluscs and their comparative evolution.
Enhancing DNA metabarcoding performance and applicability with bait capture enrichment and DNA from conservative ethanol
Authors: Gauthier Mailys , Konecny‐Dupré Lara , Nguyen Agnès , Elbrecht Vasco , Datry Thibault , Douady Christophe , Lefébure Tristan 
Published: September 2019

AbstractMetabarcoding is often presented as an alternative identification tool to compensate for coarse taxonomic resolution and misidentification encountered with traditional morphological approaches. However, metabarcoding comes with two major impediments which slow down its adoption. First, the picking and destruction of organisms for DNA extraction are time and cost consuming and do not allow organism conservation for further evaluations. Second, current metabarcoding protocols include a PCR enrichment step which induces errors in the estimation of species diversity and relative biomasses. In this study, we first evaluated the capacity of capture enrichment to replace PCR enrichment using controlled freshwater macrozoobenthos mock communities. Then, we tested if DNA extracted from the fixative ethanol (etDNA) of the same mock communities can be used as an alternative to DNA extracted from pools of whole organisms (bulk DNA). We show that capture enrichment provides more reliable and accurate representation of species occurrences and relative biomasses in comparison with PCR enrichment for bulk DNA. While etDNA does not permit to estimate relative biomasses, etDNA and bulk DNA provide equivalent species detection rates. Thanks to its robustness to mismatches, capture enrichment is already an efficient alternative to PCR enrichment for metabarcoding and, if coupled to etDNA, is a time‐saver option in studies where presence information only is sufficient.
A Conceptual Framework of Arctic Economies for Policy‐making, Research, and Practice
Authors: Vammen Larsen Sanne , Bors Eleanor K. , Jóhannsdóttir Lára , Gladun Elena , Gritsenko Daria , Nysten‐Haarala Soili , Tulaeva Svetlana , Sformo Todd 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThe Arctic currently holds a prominent place in global policy. It is a sparsely populated region experiencing major consequences of global change, such as climate change, shifting demographics, and globalization. These substantial and rapid changes create both opportunities and risks for economic development. Informed policy‐making for sustainable development in the Arctic will require an understanding of the specific structures of arctic economies, with a focus on the existence of mixed economies that contain both subsistence and market aspects, the interplay among different economic systems, and the broader contexts in which they function. This paper presents a conceptual framework that allows for comparative analysis of arctic economies within their institutional, social, cultural, and environmental contexts. Utilization of the conceptual framework will enable more complete system‐level analyses by helping to describe the complex relationships among apparently disparate parts of the Arctic's diverse economic systems. The framework can be used across the social and natural sciences, practice, and policy‐making. Furthermore, this framework is applicable to regions outside of the Arctic that also have distinct mixed subsistence and market economies.
Societal costs of Borderline Personality Disorders: a matched‐controlled nationwide study of patients and spouses
Authors: Hastrup L. H. , Jennum P. , Ibsen R. , Kjellberg J. , Simonsen E. 
Published: September 2019

ObjectiveInformation on societal cost of patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and spouses is limited. The aim was to investigate factual societal costs before and after initial BPD diagnosis.MethodA register‐based cohort study of 2756 patients with incident BPD (ICD F60.3) with spouses and 11 024 matched controls, during 2002–2016.ResultsTotal direct healthcare costs and lost productivity costs amounted €40 441 for patients with BPD, which was more than 16 times higher than the matched controls. Somatic and psychiatric health care costs and costs of lost productivity were increased during 5 years before initial diagnosis of BPD. Before and after initial diagnosis, health care costs and lost productivity were increased among spouses of patients with BPD.ConclusionPatients with BPD differed substantially from the general population with respect to all included costs. The study documented a significant burden on their spouses. Besides the early onset of BPD, which implies that patients are affected before they finish school and enter labor market, the neurocognitive impairment and fundamental symptoms of BPD, e.g. unstable, intense relationships, impulsivity, and lack of stable sense of self together with psychiatric and somatic comorbidity are part of explanation of the excess costs of BPD.
Clearing and staining small vertebrates for demonstrating ossification of the skeletal system using the KOH and glycerine clearing method
Authors: Reed Robert B. , Kendall Christy R. , Tsangarides Nicholas , Evans Howard E. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractPreparing articulated skeletons of small vertebrates is extremely difficult due to the presence of vast amounts of cartilage and/or the extremely small size of skeletal components. Clearing the tissues surrounding small skeletons and staining the bones in toto reveals the skeletal system without the risk of displacing the bony components. The specimens are first fixed and bleached which renders the tissues preserved and transparent. These specimens may then be exposed to alizarin red S which stains bone a pink to red colour making them visible through the transparent soft tissues. Toluidine blue may also be used to stain cartilage a blue colour. The Spalteholz staining method is cited, though the focus will be on the KOH and glycerine clearing method for macroscopic observation.
Use of Guanfacine for Cannabis Use Disorder and Related Symptomology
Authors: Holst Manuela , Mathai David S. , Patel Marguerite M. , Rodgman Christopher , Keller Jake , Hussain Mariyah Z. , De La Garza Richard , Kosten Thomas R. , Verrico Christopher D. 
Published: September 2019

Background and ObjectivesNo medication has Food and Drug Administration approval for cannabis use disorder (CUD), and most medication development focuses on the withdrawal syndrome. We evaluated the effects of short‐term treatment using the α‐2A‐adrenergic receptor agonist, guanfacine, on withdrawal symptoms in volunteers with CUD and a history of early onset of cannabis use.MethodsNon‐treatment‐seeking healthy volunteers (n = 7) who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition criteria for CUD participated in a two‐phase, within‐subjects study. Volunteers received placebo or guanfacine (3 mg/day) for the first 8‐day inpatient study and the alternative medication for the second 8‐day inpatient study. On day 1 of both treatment periods, participants received 30 mg of synthetic Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol for standardization of abstinence onset. On days 2 to 7, participants received study medication. Cannabis withdrawal symptoms, sleep, craving, and physiology were assessed on all inpatient days.ResultsCompared with placebo, guanfacine did not show significant effects on withdrawal, craving, or sleep, although there were trends for guanfacine to increase positive mood symptoms and decrease craving‐associated compulsivity.Discussion and ConclusionsCompared with former studies, we could not prove significant improvement in sleep or decrease of negative symptoms, but we found trends for increased positive mood symptoms. Our data did not show significant effects of guanfacine on withdrawal symptoms or craving. Due to early and longer cannabis use, our subjects indicate a great severity of illness increasing the likelihood of treatment resistance.Scientific SignificanceOn the basis of trends demonstrated here and other lines of evidence, further investigation is warranted regarding the utility of guanfacine as a potential treatment for CUD. (Am J Addict 2019;00:1–10)
Resveratrol treatment in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome decreased pro‐inflammatory and endoplasmic reticulum stress markers
Authors: Brenjian Samaneh , Moini Ashraf , Yamini Nazila , Kashani Ladan , Faridmojtahedi Maryam , Bahramrezaie Mojdeh , Khodarahmian Mahshad , Amidi Fardin 
Published: September 2019

AbstractProblemPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and pro‐inflammatory condition. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of resveratrol treatment on pro‐inflammatory and ER stress markers in patients with PCOS.Method of studyCumulus cells were obtained from 40 patients with PCOS who were divided into two groups: placebo and resveratrol treatment (receiving 800 mg/d for 40 days) groups. Blood samples were obtained from all patients before and after the procedure to evaluate interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐1β, IL‐18, TNF‐α, NF‐κB, and C‐reactive protein (CRP). Total RNA was extracted from cumulus cells, and cDNA was synthesized by reverse transcription. Expressions of five genes in ER stress response pathway (ATF4, ATF6, CHOP, GRP78, and XBP1s) were assessed with quantitative real‐time PCR. Statistical analysis was performed with Student's t test.ResultsAfter treatment with resveratrol, it was found that serum levels of IL‐6, IL‐1β, TNF‐α, IL‐18, NF‐κB, and CRP decreased in the treatment group. In addition, gene expression results showed that the expression levels of ATF4 (P < .05) and ATF6 (P < .001) significantly increased in the resveratrol treatment group, while the expression levels of CHOP, GRP78, and XBP1 (P < .001 for all) significantly decreased.ConclusionResults demonstrated that resveratrol has anti‐inflammatory effects through the suppression of NF‐κB and NF‐κB–regulated gene products. On the other hand, resveratrol can modulate ER stress in granulosa cells (GCs) by altering the expression of genes involved in unfolding protein response (UPR) process. Our findings suggest that ER stress is a potential therapeutic target for patients with PCOS.
Queering Development? The Unsettling Geographies of South–South Cooperation
Authors: Mawdsley Emma 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThis paper deploys queer theory as a way of approaching South–South Cooperation (SSC). It examines the ways in which Southern development partners are not simply up‐ending the long‐standing spatialities, imaginaries and identities (re)produced through the mainstream international development regime, but queering terminologies and definitions, while presenting themselves in fluid ways, enrolling different identities and attributes in different places and to different audiences. At the same time, a queer lens reveals the (re)inscription of gendered, sexualised and racialised identities and hierarchies through the relationships, intimacies and practices of SSC. The paper proposes that queer theory can offer productive insights into the complex and compelling phenomenon of SSC, and the transgressive challenges to the postcolonial hierarchies and binaries of “traditional” international development.
Increased hypothalamic hydrogen sulphide contributes to endotoxin tolerance by down‐modulating PGE2 production
Authors: Santos Bruna M. , Francescato Heloísa D. C. , Turcato Flávia C. , Antunes‐Rodrigues José , Coimbra Terezila M. , Branco Luiz G. S. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractAimWhereas some patients have important changes in body core temperature (Tb) during systemic inflammation, others maintain a normal Tb, which is intrinsically associated to immune paralysis. One classical model to study immune paralysis is the use of repeated administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the so‐called endotoxin tolerance. However, the neuroimmune mechanisms of endotoxin tolerance remain poorly understood. Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is a gaseous neuromodulator produced in the brain by the enzyme cystathionine β‐synthase (CBS). The present study assessed whether endotoxin tolerance is modulated by hypothalamic H2S.MethodsRats with central cannulas (drug microinjection) and intraperitoneal datalogger (temperature record) received a low‐dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100 µg kg−1) daily for four consecutive days. Hypothalamic CBS expression and H2S production rate were assessed, together with febrigenic signalling. Tolerant rats received an inhibitor of H2S synthesis (AOA, 100 pmol 1 µL−1 icv) or its vehicle in the last day.ResultsAntero‐ventral preoptic area of the hypothalamus (AVPO) H2S production rate and CBS expression were increased in endotoxin‐tolerant rats. Additionally, hypothalamic H2S inhibition reversed endotoxin tolerance reestablishing fever, AVPO and plasma PGE2 levels without altering the absent plasma cytokines surges.ConclusionEndotoxin tolerance is not simply a reflection of peripheral reduced cytokines release but actually results from a complex set of mechanisms acting at multiple levels. Hypothalamic H2S production modulates most of these mechanisms.
Outcomes of deprescribing interventions in older patients with life‐limiting illness and limited life expectancy: A systematic review
Authors: Shrestha Shakti , Poudel Arjun , Steadman Kathryn , Nissen Lisa 
Published: September 2019

AimsOlder patients with life‐limiting illness (LLI) and limited life expectancy (LLE) continue to receive potentially inappropriate medicines, consequently deprescribing is often necessary. However, deprescribing in this population can be complex and challenging. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the evidence for outcomes of deprescribing interventions in older patients with LLI and LLE.MethodsStudies on deprescribing intervention and their outcomes in age ≥65 years with LLI and LLE were searched using PubMed, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO and Google Scholar. Medication appropriateness was primary outcome, while clinical and cost‐related outcomes were secondary. Eligibility, data extraction and quality assessment were followed by a narrative synthesis of data.ResultsOf 9 studies (1375 participants), 3 reported on primary outcome. One study showed a significant reduction in medication inappropriateness by 34.9% (P < .001) from admission to close‐out, the second achieved 29.4% (P < .001) and 15.1% (P = .003) reduction at 12 and 24 months, respectively. The third reported that their intervention stopped (17.2%) and altered the dose (2.6%) of high‐risk medications. Commonly reported clinical outcomes were mortality (n = 3), quality of life (n = 2) and falls (n = 2). Outcomes in terms of cost were reported as overall cost (n = 2), medication cost (n = 1) and health care expenditure (n = 1).ConclusionOur findings suggest that deprescribing in older patients with LLI and LLE can improve medication appropriateness, and has potential for enhancement of several clinical outcomes and cost savings, but the evidence needs to be better established.