bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Retinal Signs and Association With Cognitive Status: The ARIC Neurocognitive Study
Authors: Lee Moon Jeong , Deal Jennifer A. , Ramulu Pradeep Y. , Sharrett A. Richey , Abraham Alison G. 
Published: February 2019

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of retinal microvascular signs and associations between retinal signs and cognitive status.DesignCross‐sectional analysis of visit 5 (2011‐2013) of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort. Data analysis took place November 30, 2017, to May 1, 2018.SettingBiracial population‐based cohort from four US communities.ParticipantsA total of 2624 participants with a mean age of 76 years (SD = 5 years) (19% African American) with data on cognitive status and complete retinal examination.MeasurementsRetinal signs measured with fundus photography. Cognitive status: normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI)/dementia with a primary diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD) without cerebrovascular disease (CVD), and MCI/dementia with a primary or secondary diagnosis of CVD (irrespective of AD).ResultsOverall, 6% of the cohort had mild retinopathy and 2% had moderate/severe retinopathy. Of the cohort, 7% had microaneurysms, 6% had retinal hemorrhages, and 8% had arteriovenous (AV) nicking. There was a low prevalence of soft exudates (1%) and focal narrowing (1%). In weighted fully adjusted models, individuals with retinal hemorrhages had a two‐fold higher odds of all‐cause MCI/dementia (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3‐3.0; P = .001) and a 2.5‐fold higher odds (95% CI = 1.6‐3.9; P < .001) of MCI/dementia with CVD compared to individuals with no retinal hemorrhages. Individuals with AV nicking had a 1.6‐fold higher odds of MCI/dementia with CVD (95% CI = 1.0‐2.4) compared to individuals with no AV nicking (P < .05). There were no associations between retinal signs and MCI/dementia without CVD.ConclusionOur findings are confirmatory of recent research, and suggest that retinal microvascular signs may reflect microvascular pathology in the brain, potentially contributing to dementia and earlier MCI. The low prevalence of retinal signs and modest associations with cognitive status, however, limit the current clinical utility of these findings. Further work is needed to determine whether more sophisticated imaging may detect more subtle retinal signs with higher sensitivity to identify individuals at risk of dementia.
Financial Shocks and Corporate Investment in Emerging Markets
Authors: LI DELONG , MAGUD NICOLAS E. , VALENCIA FABIAN 
Published: February 2019

AbstractWe examine how cross‐firm and cross‐country heterogeneity shapes the responses of corporate investment in emerging markets to changes in U.S. monetary policy and financial‐market volatility, the latter proxying for uncertainty. We find that in response to increases in U.S monetary policy rates or financial‐market volatility, financially weaker firms reduce investment by more than financially strong firms. We also show that firms with stronger balance sheets delay investment voluntarily when faced with higher uncertainty. Finally, we find that stronger macroeconomic fundamentals (lower public debt or higher international reserves) help to buffer corporate investment from increases in U.S. monetary policy rates.
Reversing the Translation Flow: Moving Organizational Practices from Japan to the U.S.
Authors: Westney D. Eleanor , Piekkari Rebecca 
Published: February 2019

AbstractBuilding on the neo‐institutional organizational translation approach and on interlingual translation studies, we undertake an historical case study of the movement of Japanese organizational practices to the USA from the 1970s through the mid‐1990s. Both American and Japanese translators struggled to bring Japanese management models into the USA, reversing the dominant translation flow and bridging wide differences between the sending and receiving contexts. We use the translation ecology approach to look at the interactions over time between translators, translations, and translation processes studied separately in much translation research. Our paper makes two contributions to research on organizational translation. First, it develops more precise and theoretically‐based categorizations of the elements of translation ecology – translators, translations, and translation processes. Second, it challenges the generalizability of the decontextualization/disembedding and recontextualization/re‐embedding processes that are widely accepted as a necessary process in moving management models and practices across contexts.
MicroRNA‐let‐7c suppresses hepatitis C virus replication by targeting Bach1 for induction of haem oxygenase‐1 expression
Authors: Chen Wei‐Chun , Wei Chih‐Ku , Lee Jin‐Ching 
Published: February 2019

SummaryMicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that are central factors between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and host cellular factors for viral replication and liver disease progression, including liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In the present study, we found that overexpressing miR‐let‐7c markedly reduced HCV replication because it induced haem oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) expression by targeting HO‐1 transcriptional repressor Bach1, ultimately leading to stimulating an antiviral interferon response and blockade of HCV viral protease activity. In contrast, the antiviral actions of miR‐let‐7c were attenuated by miR‐let‐7c inhibitor treatment, exogenously expressing Bach1 or suppressing HO‐1 activity and expression. A proposed model indicates a key role for miR‐let‐7c targeting Bach1 to transactivate HO‐1–mediated antiviral actions against HCV. miR‐let‐7c may serve as an attractive target for antiviral development.
l‐Rhamnose catabolism in archaea
Authors: Reinhardt Andreas , Johnsen Ulrike , Schönheit Peter 
Published: February 2019

SummaryThe halophilic archaeon Haloferax volcanii utilizes l‐rhamnose as a sole carbon and energy source. It is shown that l‐rhamnose is taken up by an ABC transporter and is oxidatively degraded to pyruvate and l‐lactate via the diketo‐hydrolase pathway. The genes involved in l‐rhamnose uptake and degradation form a l‐rhamnose catabolism (rhc) gene cluster. The rhc cluster also contains a gene, rhcR, that encodes the transcriptional regulator RhcR which was characterized as an activator of all rhc genes. 2‐keto‐3‐deoxy‐l‐rhamnonate, a metabolic intermediate of l‐rhamnose degradation, was identified as inducer molecule of RhcR. The essential function of rhc genes for uptake and degradation of l‐rhamnose was proven by the respective knockout mutants. Enzymes of the diketo‐hydrolase pathway, including l‐rhamnose dehydrogenase, l‐rhamnonolactonase, l‐rhamnonate dehydratase, 2‐keto‐3‐deoxy‐l‐rhamnonate dehydrogenase and 2,4‐diketo‐3‐deoxy‐l‐rhamnonate hydrolase, were characterized. Further, genes of the diketo‐hydrolase pathway were also identified in the hyperthermophilic crenarchaeota Vulcanisaeta distributa and Sulfolobus solfataricus and selected enzymes were characterized, indicating the presence of the diketo‐hydrolase pathway in these archaea. Together, this is the first comprehensive description of l‐rhamnose catabolism in the domain of archaea.
Gastroparesis syndromes: Response to electrical stimulation
Authors: Abell Thomas L. , Kedar Archana , Stocker Abigail , Beatty Karen , McElmurray Lindsay , Hughes Michael , Rashed Hani , Kennedy William , Wendelschafer‐Crabb Gwen , Yang Xiu , Fraig Mostafa , Omer Endashaw , Miller Ed , Griswold Michael , Pinkston Christina 
Published: February 2019

AbstractBackground and AimsFactors underlying gastroparesis are not well defined, nor is the mechanism of action of gastric electrical stimulation (GES). We hypothesized that GES acts via several mechanisms related to underlying disordered pathophysiology.MethodsWe studied 43 consecutive eligible patients with gastroparetic symptoms, previously evaluated by two methods in each of five core areas: inflammatory, autonomic, enteric, electrophysiologic, and hormonal; and also categorized by GI symptoms, metabolic status, illness quantification, and gastric physiology. We then studied 41 patients who underwent temporary GES for 5‐7 days. Thirty‐six of those patients were implanted and 30 were followed up at 6 months after permanent GES.ResultsIn previous but separately reported work, patients had similar GI symptoms regardless of baseline gastric emptying or diabetic/idiopathic status and all patients demonstrated abnormalities in each of the five areas studied. After GES, patients showed early and late effects of electrical stimulation with changes noted in multiple areas, categorized by improvement status.ConclusionPatients with symptoms of gastroparesis have multiple abnormalities, including systemic inflammation and disordered hormonal status. GES affects many of these abnormalities. We conclude electrical stimulation improves symptoms and physiology with (a) an early and sustained anti‐emetic effect; (b) an early and durable gastric prokinetic effect in delayed emptying patients; (c) an early anti‐arrhythmic effect that continues over time; (d) a late autonomic effect; (e) a late hormonal effect; (f) an early anti‐inflammatory effect that persists; and (g) an early and sustained improvement in health‐related quality of life.This study is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov under study # NCT03178370 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03178370).
Chemical convergence between plants and insects: biosynthetic origins and functions of common secondary metabolites
Authors: Beran Franziska , Köllner Tobias G. , Gershenzon Jonathan , Tholl Dorothea 
Published: February 2019

SummaryDespite the phylogenetic distance between plants and insects, these two groups of organisms produce some secondary metabolites in common. Identical structures belonging to chemical classes such as the simple monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, iridoid monoterpenes, cyanogenic glycosides, benzoic acid derivatives, benzoquinones and naphthoquinones are sometimes found in both plants and insects. In addition, very similar glucohydrolases involved in activating two‐component defenses, such as glucosinolates and cyanogenic glycosides, occur in both plants and insects. Although this trend was first noted many years ago, researchers have long struggled to find convincing explanations for such co‐occurrence. In some cases, identical compounds may be produced by plants to interfere with their function in insects. In others, plant and insect compounds may simply have parallel functions, probably in defense or attraction, and their co‐occurrence is a coincidence. The biosynthetic origin of such co‐occurring metabolites may be very different in insects as compared to plants. Plants and insects may have different pathways to the same metabolite, or similar sequences of intermediates, but different enzymes. Further knowledge of the ecological roles and biosynthetic pathways of secondary metabolites may shed more light on why plants and insects produce identical substances.
Wood structure and function change with maturity: Age of the vascular cambium is associated with xylem changes in current‐year growth
Authors: Rodriguez‐Zaccaro F. Daniela , Valdovinos‐Ayala Jessica , Percolla Marta I. , Venturas Martin D. , Pratt R. Brandon , Jacobsen Anna L. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractXylem vessel structure changes as trees grow and mature. Age‐ and development‐related changes in xylem structure are likely related to changes in hydraulic function. We examined whether hydraulic function, including hydraulic conductivity and vulnerability to water‐stress‐induced xylem embolism, changed over the course of cambial development in the stems of 17 tree species. We compared current‐year growth of young (1–4 years), intermediate (2–7 years), and older (3–10 years) stems occurring in series along branches. Diffuse and ring porous species were examined, but nearly all species produced only diffuse porous xylem in the distal branches that were examined irrespective of their mature xylem porosity type. Vessel diameter and length increased with cambial age. Xylem became both more conductive and more cavitation resistant with cambial age. Ring porous species had longer and wider vessels and xylem that had higher conductivity and was more vulnerable to cavitation; however, these differences between porosity types were not present in young stem samples. Understanding plant hydraulic function and architecture requires the sampling of multiple‐aged tissues because plants may vary considerably in their xylem structural and functional traits throughout the plant body, even over relatively short distances and closely aged tissues.
Telling adults about one's plight as a victim of bullying: Student‐ and context‐related factors predicting disclosure
Authors: Blomqvist Katri , Saarento‐Zaprudin Silja , Salmivalli Christina 
Published: February 2019

We examined student‐ and context‐related factors related to whether bullied students tell adults about their plight at school or at home. The sample included 1,266 students in primary (Grades 4–6) and lower secondary (Grades 8–9) schools, who had answered an online questionnaire at two measurement points about 5 months apart and were identified as victims of bullying on the basis of the latter. Only 55.4% of the bullied students had told their situation to someone, and much fewer had told an adult. Telling an adult at home was more common (34.0%) than telling a teacher (20.6%) or some other adult at school (12.7%). In a longitudinal structural equation model (SEM), factors related to increased likelihood of telling an adult were female gender, lower grade level, the chronicity of victimization, perceived negative teacher attitude towards bullying (teacher not tolerating bullying), and perceived peer support for victims (classmates’ tendency to defend students who are victimized).
Equine eosinophilic keratoconjunctivitis in California: retrospective study of 47 eyes from 29 cases (1993‐2017)
Authors: Knickelbein Kelly E. , Luethy Daniela , Thomasy Sara M. , Reilly Christopher , Strom Ann R. , Lassaline Mary E. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractObjective(a) To evaluate the epidemiology of equine eosinophilic keratoconjunctivitis (EK) in the western United States, (b) to ascertain the efficacy of keratectomy and diamond burr debridement vs medical management alone, (c) to determine the efficacy of various medical therapies, and (d) to further characterize the histopathologic findings of the disease in horses.Animals studiedTwenty‐nine horses (47 eyes) diagnosed withEKfrom 1993 to 2017.ProcedureRetrospective medical record review; owner questionnaire.ResultsAverage age of presentation was 11 ± 4 years. Warmbloods were significantly overrepresented (P = 0.024). Twenty horses were treated with medical therapy alone, five were treated with superficial lamellar keratectomy, and four were treated with diamond burr debridement. Follow‐up data were available for 38 eyes of 23 horses. Median time to resolution for horses treated with either superficial keratectomy or diamond burr debridement (62 days) was not statistically significantly different from those that underwent medical therapy alone (46 days;P = 0.33). Eyes treated with topical steroids had a statistically significant longer median time to resolution (61 days) compared to those that did not receive topical steroid (44 days;P = 0.023). Common histopathologic findings in keratectomy samples included the presence of eosinophils, vascularization, and an eosinophilic membrane spanning areas of ulceration.ConclusionIn this population, time toEKresolution was similar for horses treated with medical and surgical management. The use of topical steroids was associated with a prolonged time to resolution. Keratectomy samples from horses withEKhad similar findings to those reported in other species.
Phacoemulsification cataract surgery in the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta): surgical technique and outcomes in 10 cases
Authors: Westermeyer Hans D. , Cook Anne G. , Harms Craig , Boylan Shane 
Published: February 2019

AbstractCataract removal using phacoemulsification was performed in 10 loggerhead turtles being rehabilitated after stranding. All turtles had significant systemic abnormalities and had cataracts either at the time of rescue or developed them during rehabilitation. Surgical difficulties encountered included an extremely soft globe that did not allow for a partial thickness corneal incision, incomplete topical anesthesia of the ocular surface with proparacaine, inability to dilate the pupil pharmacologically, a markedly shallow anterior chamber, a thick posterior capsular plaque in most cases, and difficulty creating a watertight closure with sutures. Minimal to no intraocular inflammation was seen in all cases following surgery, but all cases in which corneal sutures were used developed a marked inflammatory reaction surrounding the sutures and appeared uncomfortable until sutures were removed or sloughed. All turtles appeared to have improved vision following surgery and were eventually released. Two turtles were re‐encountered a year or more after release. Both showed signs of normal growth and the ability to capture prey in the wild. This report documents successful outcomes associated with cataract surgery in loggerhead turtles, but also presents significant surgical challenges that should be taken into account before attempting this procedure in this species.
Rapid early rise in heart rate on treadmill exercise in patients with asymptomatic moderate or severe aortic stenosis: a new prognostic marker?
Authors: Chambers John B , Rajani Ronak , Parkin Denise , Saeed Sahrai 
Published: February 2019

ObjectiveTo examine the clinical significance and prognostic value of an early rapid rise in heart rate (RR-HR) in asymptomatic patients with moderate or severe aortic stenosis (AS).MethodsWe retrospectively assessed the prospectively collected data from 306 patients (age 65±12 years, 33% women) with moderate (n=204) or severe AS (n=102) with a median follow-up of 25 months (mean 34.9±34.6 months). All had echocardiography and modified Bruce exercise treadmill tests (ETT). RR-HR was defined as achieving 85% target HR or ≥50% increase from baseline in the first 6 min. The outcome measures were revealed symptoms during ETT, aortic valve replacement (AVR) and all-cause mortality.ResultsRR-HR occurred in 77 (25%) and 64% developed revealed symptoms (postive predictive value 64% and negative predictive value 84%). On univariate Cox regression analyses in patients with severe AS, RR-HR was associated with AVR (HR 3.32, 95% CI 2.03 to 5.45, p<0.001) but not with all-cause mortality (HR 0.04, 95% CI 0.13 to 9.21, p=0.798). In patients with moderate AS, RR-HR was associated with all-cause mortality (HR 2.67, 95% CI 1.09 to 6.56, p=0.032), but not with AVR (HR 1.35, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.98, p=0.127). These associations remained significant in multivariate Cox regression analyses after adjustment for age, sex, hypertension, coronary artery disease, abnormal blood pressure response, Doppler stroke volume and mean pressure gradient (both p<0.001).ConclusionsRR-HR was associated with the development of revealed symptoms. It predicted revealed symptoms on serial ETT, AVR in severe AS and all-cause mortality in moderate AS. RR-HR may be a useful new measure to define risk in AS.
Acute hyperkalaemia in a captive Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) immobilised with a ketamine‐medetomidine combination
Authors: Diez Bernal Sabina , Hoby Stefan , Levionnois Olivier Louis Raymond 
Published: February 2019

A 12‐year‐old captive male Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) required general anaesthesia for examination and treatment of a recurrent oral fistula. Medetomidine (0.065 mg/kg) and ketamine (3.6 mg/kg) administered intramuscularly by blowpipe darting effectively immobilised the animal that was maintained under general anaesthesia with inhaled isoflurane. In absence of clinical signs, acute hyperkalaemia (7.26 mmol/l) was incidentally recognised by the end of anaesthesia. Factors that might have played a role in hyperkalaemia development, such as the use of α2‐adrenoceptor agonists, stress response, acidosis or dopamine administration, are discussed. Hyperkalaemia should be considered as a potential complication while anaesthetising large non‐domestic felids.
QUANTITATIVE EASING POLICY, EXCHANGE RATES AND BUSINESS ACTIVITY BY INDUSTRY IN JAPAN FROM 2001 TO 2006
Authors: IJIRI HIROYUKI , MATSUBAYASHI YOICHI 
Published: February 2019

This study empirically investigates the dynamic effects of Japan’s quantitative easing (QE) policy on industry-specific business activity using a time-varying parameter model and monthly data spanning 2001–2006. This model yields more reliable and precise results than earlier fixed effects models using quarterly data. The first major finding is that the effect of QE on yen–dollar exchange rates varied during the sampled period and is most evident in the final phases, whereas its effect on stock prices persisted almost continuously. Second, QE’s effect on Japan’s real economy — i.e., on industrial production — varies by industry and over time. Most notably, QE raised production via yen–dollar depreciation in the machinery sector (e.g., general and transport machinery) and the sector including chemicals, non-ferrous metals and iron and steel during its latter phases. This study is the first to investigate how unconventional monetary policy influences Japan’s real economy by analyzing the real exchange rate during the second half of QE implementation in Japan.
Sex differences in cerebral autoregulation are unaffected by menstrual cycle phase in young, healthy women
Authors: Favre Michelle E. , Serrador Jorge M. 
Published: February 2019

Sex is known to affect the prevalence of conditions such as stroke. However, effects of sex on cerebral blood flow regulation are still not well understood. Critical to this understanding is how fluctuations in hormones across the menstrual cycle affect cerebral autoregulation. We measured autoregulation in the early follicular, late follicular, and midluteal phases during spontaneous and induced blood pressure oscillations in 26 young, healthy individuals (13 women and 13 men, age: 26 ± 4 yr). Men participated three times, ~1–3 wk apart. Beat-by-beat blood pressure, heart rate, end-tidal CO2, and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography of the middle (MCA) and anterior (ACA) cerebral arteries were obtained. We did not find a difference in cerebral autoregulation across the menstrual cycle in women but found significantly improved autoregulation in the MCA and ACA of women compared with men. Women demonstrated significantly lower MCA gain (0.97 ± 0.13 vs. 1.17 ± 0.14%/mmHg, P = 0.001), higher MCA phase (46.1 ± 12.6 vs. 35.8 ± 7.9°, P = 0.019), and higher ACA phase (40.5 ± 10.8 vs 31.5 ± 8.5°, P = 0.040) during repeated squat-to-stand maneuvers. Women also had lower MCA gain (1.50 ± 0.11 vs. 1.72 ± 0.30%/mmHg, P = 0.029) during spontaneous fluctuations in pressure while standing and less of a decrease in MCA flow velocity (−18.7 ± 2.7 vs. −23.2 ± 6.0%, P = 0.014) during sit-to-stand maneuvers. Our results suggest that young women have improved cerebral autoregulation compared with young men regardless of menstrual cycle phase and that autoregulation is relatively robust to acute fluctuations in female sex hormones. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to investigate thoroughly the effects of menstrual cycle phase and sex differences in cerebral autoregulation in young, healthy individuals. Cerebral autoregulation was unaffected by menstrual cycle phase during both repeated squat-to-stand and sit-to-stand maneuvers. However, women demonstrated significantly improved cerebral autoregulation in the middle and anterior cerebral arteries, suggesting women were able to maintain cerebral blood flow during changes in blood pressure more efficiently than men.