bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Conventional methods for enhancing connectivity in conservation planning do not always maintain gene flow
Authors: Hanson Jeffrey O. , Fuller Richard A. , Rhodes Jonathan R. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractProtected area systems need to conserve species in places with suitable habitat that are configured to facilitate gene flow. Since genetic data require considerable resources to obtain, many proxy methods have been developed to generate plans for protected area systems (prioritizations) that facilitate gene flow without needing genetic data. However, the effectiveness of such methods—such as minimising fragmentation or enforcing contiguity among priority areas—remains largely untested.We investigated the ability of prioritizations to maintain gene flow when they are generated using conventional methods for promoting connectivity. Using existing environmental, genetic, and occurrence datasets, we created maps of habitat suitability and resistance to gene flow for nine alpine plant species. Next, we generated multispecies prioritizations that secured 10% of the suitable habitat for each species and attempted to maintain gene flow by (a) penalizing fragmentation, (b) representing species in contiguous areas of suitable habitat, and (c) representing species in contiguous areas with minimal resistance to gene flow as modelled from genetic data.We found that prioritizations generated using fragmentation penalties failed to represent seven of the nine species in areas that would maintain high levels of gene flow. Similarly, prioritizations that represented species in contiguous areas of suitable habitat were unable to maintain high levels of gene flow for six species—potentially because a few areas with high resistance can disrupt gene flow throughout an entire prioritization. Although prioritizations generated using genetic data successfully maintained gene flow, they also selected over three times more land than other prioritizations, suggesting that failing to account for gene flow when setting priorities may underestimate the scale of conservation action required.Synthesis and applications. We found that conventional methods for enhancing connectivity in conservation planning, such as spatially clustering priority areas or providing connected sections of suitable habitat, were generally unable to maintain high levels of gene flow. Our results suggest that conservation plans could be substantially improved by directly using genetic data, although whether this is a good choice for a particular situation will also depend on the costs of obtaining these data.
Prebiotic, Immunomodulating, and Antifatigue Effects of Konjac Oligosaccharide
Authors: Zeng Yan , Zhang Jiangang , Zhang Ying , Men Yan , Zhang Bo , Sun Yuanxia 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIrregular and long time work schedules not only makes people feel fatigue, but also brings great risks of diseases, due to gastrointestinal disorder and immune dysfunction. Therefore, it has positive significance to help challenged people stay energetic and healthy with food supplement. Konjac oligosaccharide has shown various physiological benefits and been recommended in the fortification of functional foods. However, there have been few reports on its application aimed to simultaneously relieve physical fatigue and keep body healthy. In this paper, the potential prebiotic, immunoregulatory, and antifatigue activities of konjac oligosaccharide were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that konjac oligosaccharide could promote probiotics growth and short chain fatty acids production in mice cecum. At the concentration of 50 to 200 μg/mL, konjac oligosaccharide could activate murine macrophage RAW 264.7 to secret NO and cytokines of IL‐10 and IL‐6. Moreover, this oligosaccharide could alleviate physical fatigue by prolonging exhaustive time, improving the level of superoxide dismutases and glutathione peroxidase, increasing the content of blood glucose, and decreasing the content of blood urea nitrogen. The results suggested that konjac oligosaccharide had prebiotic, immunoregulatory, and antifatigue effects, providing its application potential in functional food aimed at people with irregular and long time work.
Intracranial pressure during hemodialysis in patients with acute brain injury
Authors: Lund Anton , Damholt Mette B. , Wiis Jørgen , Kelsen Jesper , Strange Ditte G. , Møller Kirsten 
Published: December 2018

BackgroundBecause osmotic fluid shifts may occur over the blood‐brain barrier, patients with acute brain injury are theoretically at risk of surges in intracranial pressure (ICP) during hemodialysis. However, this remains poorly investigated. We studied changes in ICP during hemodialysis in such patients.MethodsWe performed a retrospective study of patients with acute brain injury admitted to Rigshospitalet (Copenhagen, Denmark) from 2012 to 2016 who received intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) or continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) while undergoing ICP monitoring. Data from each patient's first dialysis session were collected. Area under the curve divided by time (AUC/t) for ICP was calculated separately before and during dialysis.ResultsThirteen patients were included. During dialysis, ICP increased from a baseline of 11.9 mm Hg (median; interquartile range 6.3‐14.7) to a maximum of 21 mm Hg (18‐27) (P = 0.0024), and AUC/t for ICP was greater during dialysis (15.2 (13.4‐18.8) vs 11.7 mm Hg (6.4‐15.1), P = 0.042). The maximum ICP increase was independent of dialysis modality, but peak values were reached earlier in patients treated with IHD (N = 4) compared to CRRT (N = 9) (75 [30‐90] vs 375 min [180‐420] after start of treatment, P = 0.0095). The maximum ICP increase correlated positively to the baseline plasma urea concentration (Spearman's r = 0.69, P = 0.017).ConclusionHemodialysis is associated with increased ICP in neurocritically ill patients, and the magnitude of the increase may be related to initial plasma urea levels.
Illicit fentanyls in the opioid street market: desired or imposed?
Authors: Mars Sarah G. , Rosenblum Daniel , Ciccarone Daniel 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBackgroundIllicitly manufactured fentanyl and its analogues are appearing in countries throughout the world, often disguised as heroin or counterfeit prescription pills, with resulting high overdose mortality. Possible explanations for this phenomenon include reduced costs and risks to heroin suppliers, heroin shortages, user preferences for a strong, fast‐acting opioid and the emergence of Dark Web cryptomarkets. This paper addresses these potential causes and asks three questions: (1) can users identify fentanyl; (2) do users desire fentanyl; and (3) if users want fentanyl, can they express this demand in a way that influences the supply?Argument/analysisExisting evidence, while limited, suggests that some users can identify fentanyl, although not reliably, and some desire it, but because fentanyl is frequently marketed deceptively as other drugs, users lack information and choice to express demand effectively. Even when aware of fentanyl's presence, drug users may lack fentanyl‐free alternatives. Cryptomarkets, while difficult to quantify, appear to offer buyers greater information and competition than offline markets. However, access barriers and patterns of fentanyl‐related health consequences make cryptomarkets unlikely sources of user influence on the fentanyl supply. Market condition data indicate heroin supply shocks and shortages prior to the introduction of fentanyl in the United States and parts of Europe, but the much lower production cost of fentanyl compared with heroin may be a more significant factorConclusionCurrent evidence points to a supply‐led addition of fentanyl to the drug market in response to heroin supply shocks and shortages, changing prescription opioid availability and/or reduced costs and risks to suppliers. Current drug users in affected regions of the United States, Canada and Europe appear largely to lack both concrete knowledge of fentanyl's presence in the drugs they buy and access to fentanyl‐free alternatives.
Racial or Spatial Voting? The Effects of Candidate Ethnicity and Ethnic Group Endorsements in Local Elections
Authors: Boudreau Cheryl , Elmendorf Christopher S. , MacKenzie Scott A. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWith the growth of Latino and Asian American populations, candidates frequently must appeal to diverse electorates. Strategies for doing so include emphasizing candidates’ racial/ethnic identity and securing endorsements from racial/ethnic groups. While many scholars focus on candidates’ racial/ethnic attributes, ethnic group endorsements are understudied. Whether such endorsements induce voters to choose ideologically similar candidates (spatial voting), or choose based on race/ethnicity (racial voting) is unclear. We address this question by examining elections in multiethnic local settings. Using original surveys and exit polls, we create comparable measures of candidate and voter ideology, and examine how race/ethnicity and ideology affect voters’ choices. We also embed experiments that manipulate ethnic group endorsements. We find that ideology influences voters’ choices, but that ethnic group endorsements weaken spatial voting. The latter effect among whites is driven by racial/ethnic stereotypes. These reactions explain why some candidates seek such endorsements and why others might prefer to avoid them.
Cognitive and emotional challenges in children with reading difficulties
Authors: Nachshon Ohad , Horowitz‐Kraus Tzipi 
Published: December 2018

AbstractAimDyslexia is characterised by a primary difficulty in both reading and cognitive control. Children with reading difficulties also experience a broad range of social and emotional difficulties, such as low self‐esteem, anxiety and depression. The aim of the study was to determine whether there is a linkage between emotional and cognitive‐control difficulties and challenges in reading in children with reading difficulties compared to typical readers.MethodsChildren eight years to 12 years of age (N = 98) either with reading difficulties or typical readers participated in the current study. Cognitive control, specifically executive functions, and emotional and reading abilities were compared between the two groups and correlated.ResultsChildren with reading difficulties showed significantly lower executive functions and emotional abilities compared to typical readers. Decreased reading ability was related to decreased executive functions and emotional abilities.ConclusionThe results provide insight regarding the relationship between cognitive, emotional and reading abilities: executive functions difficulties may cause emotional stress, which in turn decreases the ability to monitor, inhibit and pay attention to the written material, which impair reading to a greater degree. Results support the need for an emotional evaluation in children with reading difficulties that can be performed in a paediatrician's consulting room.
Introduction of rotavirus vaccination in a Swedish region: assessing parental decision‐making, obtained vaccination coverage and resulting hospital admissions
Authors: Oldin Carin , Golsäter Marie , Schollin Ask Lina , Fredriksson Sara , Stenmarker Margaretha 
Published: December 2018

AbstractAimThis study evaluated the introduction of rotavirus vaccination in Jönköping County, Sweden, starting in 2014. This project explored the parental factors that influenced the decision to vaccinate and studied the obtained vaccination coverage and its potential influence on hospital admissions due to acute gastroenteritis.MethodsThis was a descriptive, cross‐sectional study based on a study‐specific questionnaire (n = 356) and regional statistical data on vaccination coverage and hospital admissions in Jönköping County, Sweden.ResultsCentral aspects when deciding on vaccination were vaccine efficacy and safety, that the vaccine was offered to all children, and recommended by healthcare professionals. One in five parents expressed uncertainty about whether they had sufficient information to make a decision. However, the rotavirus vaccination coverage was elevated from 76.1% to 81.0% and the hospital admissions due to acute gastroenteritis decreased by approximately 60%.ConclusionThe results highlight the necessity for Child Health Services to have solid knowledge regarding vaccinations, to understand individual parental issues and to support uncertain parents. The high vaccination coverage achieved is an indication of the trust in healthcare professionals and is considered to be a major contributing factor to the substantial reduction of hospital admissions due to acute gastroenteritis.
Effect of anticholinergic burden on treatment modification, delirium and mortality in newly diagnosed dementia patients starting a cholinesterase inhibitor: A population‐based study
Authors: Ah Young‐Mi , Suh Yewon , Jun Kwanghee , Hwang Sunghee , Lee Ju‐Yeun 
Published: December 2018

AbstractFew studies have evaluated the association between anticholinergic burden and treatment modification after starting a cholinesterase inhibitor in clinical practice. We aimed to evaluate the effect of anticholinergic burden on anti‐dementia treatment modification, delirium and mortality. We retrospectively analysed older adults (n = 25 825) who started a cholinesterase inhibitor during 2003–2011 from Korean National Health Insurance Service Senior Cohort Database. High anticholinergic burden was defined as an average daily Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) score of >3 during the first 3 months. We investigated the impact of high anticholinergic burden on the rate of treatment modification, delirium and mortality in comparison with minimal ACB (ACB score ≤1) in propensity‐matched cohorts (N = 7438). Approximately 6.0% of patients with dementia were exposed to a high anticholinergic burden within the first three months of treatment. In high anticholinergic burden cohorts, significantly more patients experienced treatment modification (34.9% vs. 32.1%) or delirium (5.6% vs. 3.6%) and the mortality rate was also higher (16.8% vs. 14.1%) than controls. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that an average ACB score >3 within the first three months significantly increased the risk of treatment modification (hazard ratio (HR): 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02‐1.24), delirium (HR: 1.52, CI: 1.17‐1.96) and mortality (HR: 1.23, CI: 1.06‐1.41). This study showed that high anticholinergic burden negatively affected the treatment response to cholinesterase inhibitors and that an average ACB score >3 was an independent prognostic factor for delirium or mortality in dementia patients.
Non‐therapeutic male genital cutting and harm: Law, policy and evidence from U.K. hospitals
Authors: Fox Marie , Thomson Michael , Warburton Joshua 
Published: December 2018

AbstractFemale genital cutting (FGC) is generally understood as a gendered harm, abusive cultural practice and human rights violation. By contrast, male genital cutting (MGC) is held to be minimally invasive, an expression of religious identity and a legitimate parental choice. Yet scholars increasingly problematize this dichotomy, arguing that male and female genital cutting can occasion comparable levels of harm. In 2015 this academic critique received judicial endorsement, with Sir James Munby's acknowledgement that all genital cutting can cause ‘significant harm’. This article investigates the harm occasioned by MGC. It is informed by a Freedom of Information (FoI) study which provides some empirical evidence of the nature and frequency of physical harm caused by MGC in U.K. hospitals. While acknowledging the challenges and limitations of FoI research, we outline important lessons that this preliminary study contains for medical ethics, law and policy. It provides some empirical evidence to support claims regarding the risks which accompany the procedure and the obligation of health professionals to disclose them, and reveals the paucity of measures in place to ensure that harms are recorded, disclosed and monitored.
Changes in Cortical Sensitivity to Infant Facial Cues From Pregnancy to Motherhood Predict Mother–Infant Bonding
Authors: Dudek Joanna , Colasante Tyler , Zuffianò Antonio , Haley David W. 
Published: December 2018

The transition to motherhood triggers changes in human brain structure that may facilitate mother–infant bonding. Although much research on maternal cortical responses to infant faces has focused on the postpartum period, no previous study has examined whether longitudinal functional changes in the maternal cortex during pregnancy and postpartum are associated with mother–infant bonding. Using electroencephalography, prenatal to postnatal changes in cortical sensitivity (P1, P2, late positive potential, N170 event‐related potentials) to infant and adult faces were examined in relation to reported mother–infant bonding in 40 mothers (Mage = 30.5 years). Prenatal to postnatal increases in P1 and P2 responses to infant faces predicted stronger bonding. Findings suggest that cortical changes in attention allocation rather than in face‐specific encoding enhance bonding.
Bilingual Children Adapt to the Needs of Their Communication Partners, Monolinguals Do Not
Authors: Gampe Anja , Wermelinger Stephanie , Daum Moritz M. 
Published: December 2018

We explored the ability of children to adapt their communication to the needs of their communication partner. Monolingual and bilingual 3‐year‐old children (N = 110) observed two puppets looking for puzzle pieces. One puppet showed its appreciation of the children's help, the other puppet wanted to solve the puzzle on its own. The children's communicative acts were coded in terms of level of ostension (how obviously they indicated the hiding place of the puzzle piece) and level of information (how clearly they indicated the location). Monolinguals and bilinguals were equally helpful and informative. In contrast, only bilingual children adapted their level of ostension selectively between the two puppets. These findings point to the greater skills of bilinguals to adapt their communication accordingly.
An integrated framework using high‐dimensional mass cytometry and fluorescent flow cytometry identifies discrete B cell subsets in patients with red meat allergy
Authors: Cox Kelly M. , Commins Scott P. , Capaldo Brian J. , Workman Lisa J. , Platts‐Mills Thomas A. E. , Amir El‐ad D. , Lannigan Josephine A. , Schuyler Alexander J. , Erickson Loren D. 
Published: December 2018

SummaryBackgroundB cells play a critical role in the development and maintenance of food allergy by producing allergen‐specific IgE. Despite the importance of B cells in IgE‐mediated food allergy, the identity of sIgE‐producing human B cells and how IgE is regulated are poorly understood.ObjectiveTo identify the immunophenotypes of circulating B cells associated with the production of galactose‐alpha‐1,3‐galactose‐specific IgE production in patients with red meat allergy.MethodsB cells in PBMC samples obtained from 19 adults with physician‐diagnosed red meat allergy and 20 non‐meat allergic healthy controls were assessed by mass cytometry along with a bioinformatics analysis pipeline to identify discrete B cell phenotypes that associated with serum sIgE. Fluorescent flow cytometry was then applied to sort purify discrete B cell subsets, and B cells were functionally evaluated on an individual cell level for the production of sIgE by ELISPOT.ResultsDiscrete B cell phenotypes abundant in meat allergic subjects compared to non‐meat allergic controls were found in peripheral blood that do not share typical characteristics of classical isotype‐switched memory B cells that express high levels of CD27. These B cell subsets shared higher IgD and lower IgM expression levels coupled with CXCR4, CCR6 and CD25 expression. In vitro polyclonal stimulation of purified B cell subsets from meat allergic subjects demonstrated that these subsets were enriched for cells induced to secrete sIgE.Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceCirculating B cells display increased abundance of discrete B cell subsets in meat allergic subjects. This observation, coupled with the capacity of individual B cell subsets to produce sIgE following activation, implicates these novel B cell phenotypes in promoting IgE in meat allergy.
Rush desensitization with a single antigen induces subclinical activation of mast cells and protects against bystander challenge in dually sensitized mice
Authors: Killoran Kristin E. , Kropp Laura E. , Lindrose Alyssa R. , Curtis Holly E. , Cook David , Mitre Edward 
Published: December 2018

SummaryBackgroundRush desensitization can provide short‐term tolerance to individuals who are allergic to certain medications in instances where other therapeutic interventions are limited. While rush desensitization (DS) is typically successful in preventing adverse type I hypersensitivity reactions, the mechanism of allergic protection remains unknown. Given the rise in prevalence of individuals displaying multiple allergies, understanding the impact of rush DS on “bystander” allergens, or additional allergens to which an individual is sensitized, could help inform clinical recommendations.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of rush DS on bystander sensitization.Materials and MethodsWe used a murine model of rush DS, whereby BALB/c mice were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) and desensitized through repeated intraperitoneal injections of OVA. Using a local anaphylaxis assay, we measured ear swelling by Evans blue extravasation following intradermal challenge. In studies to measure the impact on bystander antigens, a modified protocol was used in which mice were dually sensitized to OVA and Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), and densensitized to either OVA or KLH prior to allergic challenge.ResultsThe immunological effects of rush DS were independent of changes in Th1 and Th2 cytokine production and circulating OVA‐IgE levels. Instead, rush DS resulted in subclinical degranulation of mast cells prior to challenge. In our dual sensitization model, rush DS with a single antigen conferred protection against allergic challenge to a secondary antigen. Bystander protection required prior sensitization, as DS with an irrelevant antigen did not impact allergic responsiveness.Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceWe reveal that a key mechanism of rush DS protection against allergic responsiveness may be the subclinical degranulation of mast cells. Therefore, performing rush DS to a single antigen to which one is IgE‐sensitized may be sufficient to desensitize to multiple allergens. Future studies could lead to streamlined protocols of rush DS for patients with multiple allergies.