bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetics and physiologic/behavioral effects of buprenorphine administered sublingually and intravenously to neonatal foals
Authors: Grubb Tamara L. , Kurkowski Danielle , Sellon Deborah C. , Seino Kathy K. , Coffey Todd , Davis Jennifer L. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractBuprenorphine is absorbed following sublingual administration, which would be a low‐stress delivery route in foals. However, the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics are not described in foals. Six healthy foals <21 days of age participated in a blinded, randomized, 3‐period, 5‐sequence, 3‐treatment crossover prospective study. Foals received 0.01–0.02 mg/kg buprenorphine administered SL or IV with an equivalent volume of saline administered by the opposite route. Blood was collected from the cephalic vein for pharmacokinetic analysis. Physiologic parameters (HR, RR, body temperature, GI sounds), locomotion (pedometer), and behavioral data (activity level, nursing time, response to humans) were recorded. Plasma concentration of buprenorphine exceeded a presumed analgesic level (0.6 ng/ml) in five foals in the IV group and one in the SL group but only for a very brief time. Pharmacokinetic analysis following IV administration demonstrated a short elimination half‐life (t1/2β 1.95 ± 0.7 hr), large volume of distribution (6.46 ± 1.54 L/kg), and a high total clearance (55.83 ± 23.75 ml/kg/min), which differs from adult horses. Following SL administration, maximum concentrations reached were 0.61 ± 0.11 ng/ml and bioavailability was 25.1% ± 10.9%. In both groups, there were minor statistical differences in HR, RR, body temperature, locomotion, and time spent nursing. However, these differences were clinically insignificant in this single dose study, and excitement, sedation, or colic did not occur.
Pharmacokinetics of harpagoside in horses after intragastric administration of a Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) extract
Authors: Axmann Sonja , Hummel Karin , Nöbauer Katharina , Razzazi‐Fazeli Ebrahim , Zitterl‐Eglseer Karin 
Published: September 2018

AbstractDevil's claw is used for the treatment of inflammatory symptoms and degenerative disorders in horses since many years, but without the substantive pharmacokinetic data. The pharmacokinetic parameters of harpagoside, the main active constituent of Harpagophytum procumbens DC ex Meisn., were evaluated in equine plasma after administration of Harpagophytum extract FB 8858 in an open, single‐dose, two‐treatment, two‐period, randomized cross‐over design. Six horses received a single dose of Harpagophytum extract, corresponding to 5 mg/kg BM harpagoside, and after 7 days washout period, 10 mg/kg BM harpagoside via nasogastric tube. Plasma samples at certain time points (before and 0–24 hr after administration) were collected, cleaned up by solid‐phase extraction, and harpagoside concentrations were determined by LC‐MS/MS using apigenin‐7‐glucoside as internal standard. Plasma concentration‐time data and relevant parameters were described by noncompartmental model through PKSolver software. Harpagoside could be detected up to 9 hr after administration. Cmax was found at 25.59 and 55.46 ng/ml, t1/2 at 2.53 and 2.32 hr, respectively, and tmax at 1 hr in both trials. AUC0–inf was 70.46 and 117.85 ng hr ml−1, respectively. A proportional relationship between dose, Cmax and AUC was observed. Distribution (Vz/F) was 259.04 and 283.83 L/kg and clearance (CL/F) 70.96 and 84.86 L hr−1 kg−1, respectively. Treatment of horses with Harpagophytum extract did not cause any clinically detectable side effects.
Improved Imaging of Zebrafish Motility
Authors: Rich Adam 
Published: September 2018

AbstractZebrafish larvae are transparent and the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract is easily visualized. Application of a new image analysis technique is reported in this issue of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (Neurogastroenterol Motil., 2018, volume 30, e13351). The technique quantifies movement in images collected in a timed sequence, and characterizes smooth muscle contractions based on contraction distance and frequency. The technique also reports the contraction amplitude, or the distance moved. This technique, and current spatiotemporal mapping techniques, are essential tools enabling characterization of GI motility patterns in intact physiological settings. Advances and development of transgenic zebrafish that lack pigmentation, with calcium reporters expressed in specific cell types, or with inactivation of specific genes contribute to our understanding of the generation, and regulation of GI motility at the molecular, cellular, and systemic level. Finally, development of chambers that immobilize zebrafish larvae for long‐duration imaging will contribute to our technique toolbox, and will provide an increased experimental throughput.
Increased autumn productivity permits temperate trees to compensate for spring frost damage
Authors: Zohner Constantin M. , Rockinger Alexander , Renner Susanne S. 
Published: September 2018

Summary

Climate warming is leading to earlier budburst and therefore an increased risk of spring frost injury to young leaves. But to what extent are second‐cohort leaves, which trees put out after leaf‐killing frosts, able to compensate incurred losses?

To investigate whether second‐cohort leaves behave differently from first‐cohort leaves, we exposed saplings of beech (Fagus sylvatica), oak (Quercus robur), and honeysuckle (Lonicera xylosteum) to experimental treatments mimicking either a warm spring or a warm spring with a leaf‐killing frost.

Refoliation took 48, 43, and 36 d for beech, oak and honeysuckle, respectively. In beech and oak, autumn Chl content and photosynthesis rates were higher in second‐ than in first‐cohort leaves, senescence in second‐cohort leaves occurred c. 2‐wk‐later, and autumn bud growth in beech was elevated 66% in frost‐damaged plants compared with the warm spring treatment. No differences in autumn phenology and growth were observed for honeysuckle.

Overall, in beech and oak, delayed Chl breakdown in second‐cohort leaves mitigated 31% and 25%, respectively, of the deficit in growing‐season length incurred by spring frost damage. These results reveal an unexpected ability of second‐cohort leaves of beech and oak to compensate for spring frost damage, and demonstrate that long‐lived trees vary their autumnal phenology depending on preceding productivity.
The validity of optimal leaf traits modelled on environmental conditions
Authors: Bloomfield Keith J. , Prentice I. Colin , Cernusak Lucas A. , Eamus Derek , Medlyn Belinda E. , Rumman Rizwana , Wright Ian J. , Boer Matthias M. , Cale Peter , Cleverly James , Egerton John J. G. , Ellsworth David S. , Evans Bradley J. , Hayes Lucy S. , Hutchinson Michael F. , Liddell Michael J. , Macfarlane Craig , Meyer Wayne S. , Togashi Henrique F. , Wardlaw Tim , Zhu Lingling , Atkin Owen K. 
Published: September 2018

Summary

The ratio of leaf intercellular to ambient CO2 (χ) is modulated by stomatal conductance (gs). These quantities link carbon (C) assimilation with transpiration, and along with photosynthetic capacities (Vcmax and Jmax) are required to model terrestrial C uptake. We use optimization criteria based on the growth environment to generate predicted values of photosynthetic and water‐use efficiency traits and test these against a unique dataset.

Leaf gas‐exchange parameters and carbon isotope discrimination were analysed in relation to local climate across a continental network of study sites. Sun‐exposed leaves of 50 species at seven sites were measured in contrasting seasons.

Values of χ predicted from growth temperature and vapour pressure deficit were closely correlated to ratios derived from C isotope (δ13C) measurements. Correlations were stronger in the growing season. Predicted values of photosynthetic traits, including carboxylation capacity (Vcmax), derived from δ13C, growth temperature and solar radiation, showed meaningful agreement with inferred values derived from gas‐exchange measurements. Between‐site differences in water‐use efficiency were, however, only weakly linked to the plant's growth environment and did not show seasonal variation.

These results support the general hypothesis that many key parameters required by Earth system models are adaptive and predictable from plants’ growth environments.
Living the intensive order: Common sense and schizophrenia in Deleuze and Guattari
Authors: Van der Wielen Julie 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIn Anti‐Oedipus, Deleuze and Guattari aim to describe schizophrenia in a positive manner. According to them, the schizophrenic lives on the intensive order. To fully comprehend what this means, it is key to address some of Deleuze's insights regarding the notion of intensity in relation to experience and cognition. This is why I will combine ideas from Anti‐Oedipus with theory from Difference and Repetition, in order to explain Deleuze and Guattari's conception of intensity in its relation to common sense and to schizophrenia. According to this conception (a), intensity is the condition of possibility and limit for the sensible; (b) it becomes covered over by the organizing principles of common sense, which make our affects more workable and recognizable; and (c) this process of organization must hang together with the codification of desire through Oedipus, the main organizational principle of the socius. On the back of these theoretical considerations, I will explain what it means to say that the schizophrenic lives amongst intensities: (a) this involves a lack of codification of desire and thus of common sense, meaning an absence of organizational principles; and (b) this perspective leads to a different understanding of the schizophrenic's experience and expression, with very concrete implications for a clinical approach to schizophrenia.
Single incision technique for implantation of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillators
Authors: Darrat Yousef H. , Benn Francis , Salih Mohsin , Shah Jignesh , Parrott Kevin , Morales Gustavo X. , Gurley John C. , Elayi Claude‐Samy 
Published: September 2018

AbstractBackgroundSubcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillators (S‐ICDs) have gained increasing popularity because of certain advantages over transvenous ICDs. However, while conventional ICDs require a single surgical incision to implant, S‐ICDS need two or three incisions, making them less appealing.ObjectiveThis study sought out to investigate the feasibility of using a single‐incision technique to implant S‐ICDs.MethodsPatients qualifying for S‐ICDs were considered for a single incision. A single incision is performed by making a left inframammary incision and then the subcutaneous tissue is dissected medially toward the lower sternum. Two sutures are placed in the fascia in the xiphoid area to anchor the lead and a tunneling tool is used to dissect the tissue to place the lead parallel to the sternum. Then subcutaneous tissues are dissected down the lateral chest wall over the muscle fascia to create the pulse generator pocket in the vicinity of the fifth and sixth intercostal spaces and near the mid‐axillary line.ResultsEleven patients (six males and five females) successfully underwent S‐ICD implantation with a single incision without acute complications (64% for primary prevention). The mean age is 47.4 ± 15.8 years. There were no lead dislodgements, inappropriate shocks, or any other issues during a median follow‐up of 10 months (interquartile range 5–17). One patient had a successful appropriate shock for ventricular fibrillation about one year after device implant.ConclusionsA single incision for subcutaneous ICDs is feasible and safe in our early experience.
Complementation studies of the Arabidopsis fc1 mutant substantiate essential functions of ferrochelatase 1 during embryogenesis and salt stress
Authors: Fan Tingting , Roling Lena , Meiers Anna , Brings Lea , Ortega‐Rodés Patricia , Hedtke Boris , Grimm Bernhard 
Published: September 2018

AbstractFerrochelatase (FC) is the final enzyme for haem formation in the tetrapyrrole biosynthesis pathway and encoded by two genes in higher plants. FC2 exists predominantly in green tissue, whereas FC1 is constitutively expressed. We intended to substantiate the specific roles of FC1. The embryo‐lethal fc1–2 mutant was used to express the two genomic FC‐encoding sequences under the FC1 and FC2 promoter and explore the complementation of the FC1 deficiency. Apart from the successful complementation with FC1, expression of FC2 under control of the FC1 promoter (pFC1::FC2) compensates for missing FC1 but not by FC2 promoter expression. The complementing lines pFC1FC2(fc1/fc1) succeeded under standard growth condition but failed under salt stress. The pFC1FC2(fc1/fc1) line exhibited symptoms of leaf senescence, including accelerated loss of haem and chlorophyll and elevated gene expression for chlorophyll catabolism. In contrast, ectopic FC1 expression (p35S::FC1) resulted in increased chlorophyll accumulation. The limited ability of FC2 to complement fc1 is explained by a faster turnover of FC2 mRNA during stress. It is suggested that FC1‐produced haem is essential for embryogenesis and stress response. The pFC1::FC2 expression readily complements the fc1–2 embryo lethality, whereas higher FC1 transcript content contributes essentially to stress tolerance.
Extraction of building roof planes with stratified random sample consensus
Authors: Carrilho André C. , Galo Mauricio 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThis paper describes a consensus‐set estimation for building roof‐plane detection using a stratified random sample consensus (sRANSAC) algorithm applied to point clouds acquired by laser scanning systems. The main idea is to use one initial classification to generate consensus‐set candidates to optimise the sampling mechanism compared to the original RANSAC. The initial classification is performed using mathematical morphology to filter ground returns and estimate local variance information to detect potential planar regions. Thus, the algorithm can prioritise points within planar segments and the number of iterations can be estimated dynamically from available data. The results based on experiments using five different lidar datasets indicate that the proposed method reduces the number of computations for building roof‐plane detection and also improves accuracy compared to RANSAC.
Tuning the Triplet–Triplet Energy Transfer Between Phthalocyanine and Carotenoid by Methyl Groups on the Conjugated Chain
Authors: Polívka Tomáš 
Published: September 2018

AbstractMimicking light‐harvesting and photoprotective processes of natural photosynthesis by artificial supramolecular systems is of considerable interest for artificial photosynthesis. The authors of the highlighted paper report on synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of a novel Pd‐phthalocyanine–carotenoid dyads that allow to directly follow the triplet–triplet energy transfer between Pd‐phthalocyanine and carotenoid. Unexpectedly, the T‐T energy transfer does not follow the dependence on conjugation length of the acceptor carotenoid. Instead, the donor–acceptor coupling and resulting T‐T energy transfer rate is controlled by the presence or absence of a methyl groups on the conjugated chain in the vicinity of the carotenoid keto‐oxygen. This reveals yet another level of tuning the spectroscopic properties of carotenoids having a conjugated keto group in their structure, underlining their potential for tailoring specific supramolecular complexes carrying out either light‐harvesting or photoprotective functions.
The Impact of Health Information Exchanges on Emergency Department Length of Stay
Authors: Ayer Turgay , Ayvaci Mehmet U. S. , Karaca Zeynal , Vlachy Jan 
Published: September 2018

Health information exchanges (HIEs) are expected to improve poor information coordination in emergency departments (EDs); however, whether and when HIEs are associated with better operational outcomes remains poorly understood. In this work, we study HIE and length of stay (LOS) relationship using a large dataset from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project consisting of about 7.4 million treat‐and‐release visits made to 63 EDs in Massachusetts. Overall, we find that HIE adoption is associated with a 10.2% reduction in LOS and the percentage reduction increases to 14.8% when the hospital is part of an integrated health system or to 21.0% when a patient has a previous visit to an HIE‐carrying hospital. We further find that (i) teaching hospitals benefit more from HIE adoption compared with non‐teaching hospitals, (ii) patients with severe or multiple comorbid conditions spend less time in the ED under HIE presence. Together, these results imply that (i) HIE adoption reduces overall ED LOS, (ii) wider HIE adoption would scale up the benefits for individual hospitals, (iii) magnitude of the association between HIE and LOS is higher when financial incentives for HIE adoption are stronger (e.g., integrated health systems), and (iv) the size of the reduction depends on certain contextual moderating factors. Given that HIEs are a key component of healthcare delivery and ongoing reforms, we believe that our findings have important implications and may inform policymakers regarding the nationwide HIE adoption.
The metabolic regulation of dietary L‐carnitine in aquaculture nutrition: present status and future research strategies
Authors: Li Ling‐Yu , Limbu Samwel M. , Ma Qiang , Chen Li‐Qiao , Zhang Mei‐Ling , Du Zhen‐Yu 
Published: September 2018

AbstractL‐carnitine is a multi‐functional nutrient which plays a leading role in fatty acid metabolism in mammals and other eukaryotes. Its main physiological function is to promote fatty acid β‐oxidation to produce energy, which reduces body fat content and improves body weight without affecting moisture content in whole body and muscle. In recent years, its dietary supplementation in aquaculture nutrition has been studied in different cultured species. It has been proved that L‐carnitine can improve growth and increase lipid utilization rate in some aquatic animals. However, such beneficial effects of dietary L‐carnitine are limited or absent in other species. The reasons for the conflicting results obtained on L‐carnitine functions in aquatic animals need to be elucidated. This review explores comprehensively the different physiological functions of L‐carnitine in various aquatic animals. In the end, research strategies are provided to elucidate the existing conflicts on dietary L‐carnitine application in aquaculture nutrition in order to promote its utilization in aquatic feed industry.
Emerging therapies in adult and paediatric bronchiectasis
Authors: Regan Kate H. , Hill Adam T. 
Published: September 2018

ABSTRACTBronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disorder characterized by persistent productive cough and recurrent chest infections secondary to permanent structural airway damage. The current treatment strategies for this debilitating disorder are limited to prompt antibiotic treatment of infective exacerbations and regular airway clearance techniques. Despite its high morbidity and associated mortality across all age groups, it has been a neglected area of research in respiratory medicine and there remain no licensed disease‐modifying therapies. In this review, we have explored the numerous potential therapeutic targets to break the vicious cycle of infection and inflammation seen in these patients and the novel therapeutic agents that have been developed to target them. We have reviewed the role of novel anti‐inflammatory agents designed to target the persistent neutrophilic inflammatory infiltrate seen in bronchiectatic airways, including neutrophil elastase inhibitors, CXCR2 (CXC chemokine receptor 2) antagonists, DPP‐1 (dipeptidyl peptidase 1) inhibitors, PDE4 (phosphodiesterase 4) inhibitors and statins. Furthermore, we have explored novel targets to improve mucociliary clearance, namely ENaC (epithelial sodium channel) inhibitors, and discussed the potential of alternative antimicrobial strategies such as inhaled phages. Our review highlights the importance of a multi‐faceted approach to bronchiectasis management, which aims not only to eradicate or suppress bronchial infection but also to break the cycle of persistent airway inflammation that results in progressive lung damage in these patients.
Environmental Surveillance System Characteristics and Impacts on Confidence About No Undetected Serotype 1 Wild Poliovirus Circulation
Authors: Kalkowska Dominika A. , Duintjer Tebbens Radboud J. , Thompson Kimberly M. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractSurveillance for poliovirus during the polio endgame remains uncertain. Building on prior modeling of the potential for undetected poliovirus transmission for conditions like those in Pakistan and Afghanistan, we use a hypothetical model to explore several key characteristics of the poliovirus environmental surveillance (ES) system (e.g., number and quality of sites, catchment sizes, and sampling frequency) and characterize their impacts on the time required to reach high (i.e., 95%) confidence about no circulation (CNC95%) following the last detected case of serotype 1 wild poliovirus. The nature and quality of the existing and future acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance and ES system significantly impact the estimated CNC95% for places like Pakistan and Afghanistan. The analysis illustrates the tradeoffs between number of sites, sampling frequency, and catchments sizes, and suggests diminishing returns of increasing these three factors beyond a point that depends on site quality and the location of sites. Limitations in data quality and the hypothetical nature of the model reduce the ability to assess the extent to which actual ES systems offer benefits that exceed their costs. Thus, although poliovirus ES may help to reduce the time required to reach high confidence about the absence of undetected circulation, the effect strongly depends on the ability to establish effective ES sites in high‐risk areas. The costs and benefits of ES require further analysis.
When Is a Risk Assessment Deficient According to an Uncertainty‐Based Risk Perspective?
Authors: Røyksund Marie , Flage Roger 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA‐N) has recently adopted a new definition of risk: “the consequences of an activity with the associated uncertainty.” The PSA‐N has also been using “deficient risk assessment” for some time as a basis for assigning nonconformities in audit reports. This creates an opportunity to study the link between risk perspective and risk assessment quality in a regulatory context, and, in the present article, we take a hard look at the term “deficient risk assessment” both normatively and empirically. First, we perform a conceptual analysis of how a risk assessment can be deficient in light of a particular risk perspective consistent with the new PSA‐N risk definition. Then, we examine the usages of the term “deficient” in relation to risk assessments in PSA‐N audit reports and classify these into a set of categories obtained from the conceptual analysis. At an overall level, we were able to identify on what aspects of the risk assessment the PSA‐N is focusing and where deficiencies are being identified in regulatory practice. A key observation is that there is a diversity in how the agency officials approach the risk assessments in audits. Hence, we argue that improving the conceptual clarity of what the authorities characterize as “deficient” in relation to the uncertainty‐based risk perspective may contribute to the development of supervisory practices and, eventually, potentially strengthen the learning outcome of the audit reports.