bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
HLA‐DQA1‐HLA‐DRB1 polymorphism is a major predictor of azathioprine‐induced pancreatitis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Wilson A. , Jansen L. E. , Rose R. V. , Gregor J. C. , Ponich T. , Chande N. , Khanna R. , Yan B. , Jairath V. , Khanna N. , Sey M. , Beaton M. , McIntosh K. , Teft W. A. , Kim R. B. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryBackgroundAzathioprine (AZA)‐induced pancreatitis is an unpredictable and dose‐independent adverse event affecting 2%‐7% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients treated with AZA. There are no tools in clinical practice to identify at‐risk individuals; however, a genome wide association study (GWAS) identified a strong association between the Class II HLA gene region polymorphism (rs2647087) and thiopurine‐induced pancreatitis.AimTo independently confirm the findings of the GWAS in an IBD cohort, to evaluate its utility in clinical practice and to offer a novel AZA treatment algorithm for IBD based on pharmacogenomic principles.MethodsA retrospective cohort study evaluated 373 AZA‐exposed IBD patients from a tertiary care academic centre in London, Canada. Due to the limited number of patients taking mercaptopurine (MP), such patients were not included this cohort. All subjects underwent screening for the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2647087 mapped to the HLA‐DQA1*02:01‐HLA‐DRB1*07:01 haplotype and were sub‐divided based on the presence (n = 13) or absence (n = 360) of an AZA‐induced pancreatitis diagnosis. The risk of AZA‐induced pancreatitis was assessed based on rs2647087 genotype.ResultsThe risk of pancreatitis during AZA‐therapy was highly predictable and genotype dependent: 0.53% for wild type (A/A), 4.25% (OR = 4.19, 95% CI 1.02‐36.45, P = 0.044) for heterozygous (A/C), and 14.63% (OR = 15.83, 95% CI 3.80‐145.26, P = 0.0001) for homozygous variant (C/C) patients.ConclusionsThe class II HLA region (at rs2647087) is an important marker of AZA‐induced pancreatitis risk. We propose a simple and clinically implementable algorithm based on rs2647087 and TPMT genotypes for AZA selection and dosing for patients with IBD.
G protein‐coupled receptor gpr34l mutation affects thrombocyte function in zebrafish
Authors: Kim Seongcheol , Alsrhani Abdullah , Zafreen Lala , Khandekar Gauri , Marlow Florence L , Abrams Elliott W. , Mullins Mary C. , Jagadeeswaran Pudur 
Published: December 2017

SummaryHaemostasis is a defence mechanism that has evolved to protect organisms from losing their circulating fluid. We have previously introduced zebrafish as a model to study the genetics of haemostasis to identify novel genes that play a role in haemostasis. Here, we identify a zebrafish mutant that showed prolonged time to occlusion (TTO) in the laser injury venous thrombosis assay. By linkage analysis and fine mapping, we found a mutation in the orphan G protein‐coupled receptor 34 like gene (gpr34l) causing a change of Val to Glu in the third external loop of Gpr34l. We have shown that injection of zebrafish gpr34l RNA rescues the prolonged TTO defect. The thrombocytes from the mutant showed elevated levels of cAMP that supports the defective thrombocyte function. We also have demonstrated that knockdown of this gene by intravenous Vivo‐Morpholino injections yielded a phenotype similar to the gpr34l mutation. These results suggest that the lack of functional Gpr34l leads to increased cAMP levels that result in defective thrombocyte aggregation.
Echocardiographic features of post−transcatheter aortic valve implantation thrombosis and endocarditis
Authors: Spartera Marco , Ancona Francesco , Barletta Marta , Rosa Isabella , Stella Stefano , Marini Claudia , Italia Leonardo , Montorfano Matteo , Latib Azeem , Alfieri Ottavio , Margonato Alberto , Colombo Antonio , Agricola Eustachio 
Published: December 2017

BackgroundTranscatheter heart valve thrombosis (THV‐t) and endocarditis (THV‐e) are relevant complications after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Transcatheter heart valve (THV) dysfunction definition is mostly based on Doppler (stenosis/regurgitation) without considering leaflets characteristics.PurposeTo evaluate the additional diagnostic value of leaflets echocardiographic features over Doppler when prosthetic valve complication is suspected.MethodsAmong 621 post‐TAVI patients, 128 cases with probable valve complication were identified. THV‐t was finally diagnosed in 13 patients (10%) and THV‐e in 8 (6%), while the remaining 107 (84%) had no definitive diagnosis of thrombosis/endocarditis (THV‐no). We analyzed at 2 time points (baseline and follow‐up) both traditional Doppler parameters and leaflets morpho‐functional features.ResultsBoth Doppler and leaflets parameters showed high sensitivity (sensitivity 92%) and low specificity (ranging from specificity 32% to 74%) in detecting THV‐t. Interestingly, the combination of mean aortic pressure gradient ≥20 mm Hg and leaflet thickening significantly improved the specificity of echocardiography for diagnosis of THV thrombosis (specificity 94%). On the other hand, echocardiographic diagnosis of THV endocarditis remained limited by very low sensitivity despite showing high specificity.ConclusionsThe combination of Doppler and leaflets parameters can improve the echocardiographic diagnosis of THV thrombosis in post‐TAVI patients with suspicious symptoms, via a significant increase in the overall test specificity. This would potentially allow more rational gatekeeping to more expensive/invasive diagnostic examinations (eg, CT scan) or therapeutic trials (eg, unnecessary anticoagulation).
Antioxidant plant metabolites affect leaching of mineral elements from Callovo‐Oxfordian clays
Authors: Ubersfeld D. , Leyval C. , Redon P. O. , Mustin C. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryMinerals excavated during industrial activities are stored on the soil surface, exposed to weathering, which leads to the initial development of soil. Plants contribute to soil mineral weathering, mainly by producing acidic or complexing root exudates. In addition, many plants produce antioxidant compounds and phenolic substances that could also contribute to mineral transformation processes, but have rarely been considered in relation to mineral weathering. An incubation experiment was carried out for 2 months under controlled conditions to assess the effects of antioxidant plant metabolites on the weathering processes of a clay mineral. A freshly excavated, sulphur‐rich Callovo‐Oxfordian argillite (COx) sample was artificially leached with three concentrations of three antioxidant compounds (linalool, thymol and carvacrol) or water as a control. The weathering of COx was followed by the analysis of amounts of anions and cations in the leachates. Chlorine, sulphate, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, magnesium and potassium were found in the leachates, whereas iron and aluminium were close to the detection limits. Sulphate leaching reflected oxidation of the pyritic matter contained in COx (mainly fine pyrite particles) by air. Water alone was enough to cause notable leaching of elements such as S and P, but the percentage of leached sulphate increased in the presence of two antioxidant compounds, carvacrol and thymol, and increased to 38% with thymol at 2 mg l−1 compared with the antioxidant‐free control. Thus, antioxidant compounds could contribute to the leaching of elements from COx, depending on their nature and concentration.Highlights

We assessed the effects of leaching with antioxidant plant metabolites on COx clay weathering
Sulphate leaching reflected the oxidation of pyritic matter (mainly fine pyrite particles) by air
Percentage of sulphate leaching increased to 38% with thymol at 2 mg l−1
Antioxidant compounds contribute to the leaching of elements from COx
Historical cropland expansion and abandonment in the continental U.S. during 1850 to 2016
Authors: Yu Zhen , Lu Chaoqun 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAimLand use and land cover changes (LCLUC) are among the most important driving forces that alter terrestrial ecosystem functions and their feedbacks to climate systems, but reliable, spatially explicit datasets over century‐long periods are still lacking for fine‐scale earth system modeling. We aimed to combine multiple data sources and reconstruct long‐term land use history in the continental U.S., examining cropland expansion and abandonment since 1850.LocationConterminous U.S.Time period1850 to 2016.Major taxa studiedCropland.MethodsCropland density maps, displaying the distribution and percentage of cultivated land each year (excluding summer idle/fallow, cropland pasture), were reconstructed by harmonizing multiple sources of inventory data and high‐resolution satellite images. The cropland data are freely available to the public.ResultsIn total, national cropland expansion was 104 million hectares (Mha) from 1850 to 2016 and peaked at about 127 Mha in 1920. Forests and shrublands were the dominant land cover types that croplands were converted from during 1850 to 1880, which may be primarily attributed to agriculture development in the northeast U.S. Croplands began to expand into grasslands from 1870 onwards and the encroached area dramatically increased, mainly due to cultivation development in the Great Plain and midwestern areas. In comparison, the area of abandoned cropland in the U.S. was 65 Mha during the study period. We found cropland abandonment mostly occurred in the central and southeast U.S., while cropland expansion was centered upon the midwestern states, central California, and the Mississippi Alluvial Plain.Main conclusionsNationally, cultivated lands shifted from the eastern to midwestern U.S. during the study period, contributing to the increasingly important role of the Midwest in the rise of food and biofuel production, enhanced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and high nitrogen loads into the Gulf of Mexico. Our cropland database is essential for modeling assessments of LCLUC impacts, crop production estimation and socioeconomic analysis.
Delivering a MOOC for literature searching in health libraries: evaluation of a pilot project
Authors: Young Gil , McLaren Lisa , Maden Michelle 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn an era when library budgets are being reduced, Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC's) can offer practical and viable alternatives to the delivery of costly face‐to‐face training courses. In this study, guest writers Gil Young from Health Care Libraries Unit ‐ North, Lisa McLaren from Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Liverpool University PhD student Michelle Maden describe the outcomes of a funded project they led to develop a MOOC to deliver literature search training for health librarians. Funded by Health Education England, the MOOC was developed by the Library and Information Health Network North West as a pilot project that ran for six weeks. In particular, the MOOC target audience is discussed, how content was developed for the MOOC, promotion and participation, cost‐effectiveness, evaluation, the impact of the MOOC and recommendations for future development.H. S.
Assessment of thermo‐oxidative rancidity in sunflower oil and fried potato chips stabilised with oleoresin sage (Salvia officinalis L.) and ascorbyl palmitate by altered triglycerides and electronic nose
Authors: Sehwag Sneha , Upadhyay Rohit , Mishra Hari N. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryOleoresin sage (Salvia officinalis) (SAG) (200–1500 mg kg−1), ascorbyl palmitate (AP) (100–300 mg kg−1) and TBHQ (200 mg kg−1) were assessed for delaying the thermo‐oxidation in sunflower oil (SO) during 18 h of frying (180 °C). Electronic nose compared the global aroma fingerprints of potato chips fried in oils. The chemical rancidity indices viz., fatty acids, total polar compounds (TPC), altered triglycerides (dimers, polymers, oxidised monomers, diglycerides), free fatty acids, conjugated dienes and induction periods were monitored along with physical indices viz., viscosity and colour. SOSAG+AP (1309.62 + 270.71 mg kg−1) outperformed SOTBHQ by preserving polyunsaturated fatty acids (60.48% vs. 56.23%), retarding TPCs (28.16% vs. 29.91%), triglyceride dimers (90.24 vs. 95.82 mg g−1) and polymers (25.40 vs. 26.98 mg g−1) concomitantly extending the oil disposal time (basis 25% TPC) (15.9 vs. 14.7 h). The postfrying viscosity, colour values and global aroma fingerprints of fried chips indicate a close match between SOSAG+AP and SOTBHQ.
Improving rates of overweight, obesity and extreme obesity in New Zealand 4‐year‐old children in 2010–2016
Authors: Shackleton N. , Milne B. J. , Audas R. , Derraik J. G. B. , Zhu T. , Taylor R. W. , Morton S. M. B. , Glover M. , Cutfield W. S. , Taylor B. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryBackgroundPrevalence of childhood obesity is high in developed countries, and there is a growing concern regarding increasing socio‐economic disparities.ObjectivesTo assess trends in the prevalence of overweight, obesity and extreme obesity among New Zealand 4‐year olds, and whether these differ by socio‐economic and ethnic groupings.MethodsA national screening programme, the B4 School Check, collected height and weight data for 75–92% of New Zealand 4‐year‐old children (n = 317 298) between July 2010 and June 2016. Children at, or above, the 85th, 95th and 99.7th percentile for age and sex adjusted body mass index (according to World Health Organization standards) were classified as overweight, obese and extremely obese, respectively. Prevalence rates across 6 years (2010/11 to 2015/16) were examined by sex, across quintiles of socio‐economic deprivation, and by ethnicity.ResultsThe prevalence of overweight, obesity and extreme obesity decreased by 2.2 [95% CI, 1.8–2.5], 2.0 [1.8–2.2] and 0.6 [0.4–0.6] percentage points, respectively, between 2010/2011 and 2015/2016. The downward trends in overweight, obesity and extreme obesity in the population persisted after adjustment for sex, ethnicity, deprivation and urban/rural residence. Downward trends were also observed across sex, ethnicity and deprivation groups.ConclusionsThe prevalence of obesity appears to be declining in 4‐year‐old children in New Zealand across all socio‐economic and ethnic groups.
Perilla extract improves frequent urination in spontaneously hypertensive rats with enhancement of the urothelial presence and anti‐inflammatory effects
Authors: Kitamura Naoya , Nishino Machiko , Fujii Akihiko , Hashizume Kohjiro , Nakamura Junji , Kondo Hidehiko , Ohuchi Atsushi , Hase Tadashi , Murase Takatoshi 
Published: December 2017

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of perilla extract on urinary symptoms in spontaneously hypertensive rats as a model of spontaneous overactive bladder.MethodsSpontaneously hypertensive rats were randomly divided into two groups and fed either a control diet or a perilla extract‐containing diet. Cystometry, gene expression and histological analyses were carried out to evaluate the effects of perilla extract after 2‐week feeding of either the control or the perilla extract diet. The expression of inflammation‐related genes in the human urothelial cell line HT‐1376 and the normal human bladder epithelial cell was measured after the treatment with perillaldehyde, the main component of perilla extract, or perillic acid, the final metabolite of perillaldehyde.ResultsA significant 27% increase in the micturition interval and decreased expression of nerve growth factor, tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐1β and transient receptor potential V1 were observed in the perilla group compared with the control group. The level of uroplakin 3A was 40% higher in the perilla group than in the control group. The urothelium in the control group was thin or defective, but it was almost completely intact in the perilla group. Perillaldehyde and perillic acid suppressed the induction of nerve growth factor and tumor necrosis factor‐α by interleukin‐1β in HT‐1376 and normal human bladder epithelial cells.ConclusionsThe present findings suggest that perilla extract improves frequent urination, and this improvement seems to be mediated, at least in part, by enhancement of the urothelial presence and by the anti‐inflammatory effects of perilla.
Human bocavirus and human metapneumovirus in hospitalized children with lower respiratory tract illness in Changsha, China
Authors: Zhou Jie‐ying , Peng Ying , Peng Xiao‐you , Gao Han‐chun , Sun Ya‐ping , Xie Le‐yun , Zhong Li‐li , Duan Zhao‐jun , Xie Zhi‐ping , Cao You‐de 
Published: December 2017

BackgroundLower respiratory tract illness is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide, however, information about the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of LRTIs caused by HMPV and HBoV in China is limited.ObjectivesHuman bocavirus (HBoV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) are two important viruses for children with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). We aimed to assay the correlation between viral load and clinical characteristics of HBoV and HMPV with LRTI in Changsha, China.MethodsNasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) from children with LRTI were collected. Real‐time PCR was used to screen HBoV and HMPV. Analyses were performed using SPSS 16.0 software.ResultsPneumonia was the most frequent diagnosis. There was no significant difference between HBoV‐ and HMPV‐positive patients in age (P = .506) or hospitalization duration (P = .280); 24.1% and 18.2% were positive for HBoV and HMPV. HBoV infections peaked in summer (32.2%), and HMPV infections peaked in winter (28.9%). The HBoV‐positive patients had a shorter hospitalization duration than the HBoV‐negative patients (P = .021), and the HMPV‐positive patients had a higher prevalence of fever than the HMPV‐negative patients (P = .002). The HBoV viral load was significantly higher among patients aged <1 year (P = .006). The mean HBoV and HMPV viral loads were not significantly different between patients with single infections and coinfections. Patients infected with HBoV only were older than those coinfected with HBoV and other respiratory viruses (P = .005). No significant difference was found in the clinical characteristics of patients infected with HMPV only and those coinfected with HMPV and other respiratory viruses.ConclusionPneumonia was the most frequent diagnosis caused by HBoV and HMPV. Neither HBoV nor HMPV viral load was correlated with disease severity.
Introduction: Reflecting on the human right to social security
Authors: Hujo Katja , Behrendt Christina , McKinnon Roddy 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 asserts that social security is an inalienable human right. Realizing this human right is often considered, simply, as a matter of political will and of administrative aptitude. In these terms, the progressive realization of the human right to social security may be viewed as the outcome of an appropriately‐resourced political and bureaucratic process. Such a perspective, however, is clearly inadequate. Characteristically, bureaucracies are designed to cater to the needs of all, based on common procedures and common deliverables designed for the “typical” case. Yet such approaches often lack the necessary flexibility and resources to make a distinction between individuals, which acknowledge their respective differences and needs. To meet the international commitment to progressively realize universal social security coverage, social security administrations are key actors. However imperative this role may be, if the pursuit of this commitment fails to respect people's differences this will put at risk the meeting in full of what is envisioned by the human right to social security. To this end, this special issue aims to foster an understanding that the goal of universal coverage must necessarily also respect and respond to the individual needs of each and every person.
Approaches to social protection for informal workers: Aligning productivist and human rights‐based approaches
Authors: Alfers Laura , Lund Francie , Moussié Rachel 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThere has been increasing recognition of the growth of informal employment in the global South and North. Most informal work is precarious and low paid, with workers having little or no access to social protection. It is sometimes suggested that an approach that moves away from productivism – the idea of work as a pathway to access social protection – and towards a universal human rights‐based approach is important. However, this article argues that a large and growing informal economy does not provide justification for abandoning certain key productivist ideas. Key ideas that should not be abandoned include the focus that this approach has on establishing a link between workers and capital and the importance of social services within a social protection discourse that is presently dominated by cash grants. Also important, productivist ideas emphasize the economic contributions of informal workers as a means by which to complement a human rights‐based argument for the extension of workplace protection to all workers, regardless of employment status. Overall, the hard binary that is sometimes drawn between human rights‐based approaches and productivist (or “instrumentalist”) arguments may not always be as definitively delineated as some might suggest.
Disseminated Penicillium marneffei infection in an HIV‐positive female from Thailand in Germany
Authors: Rimek Dagmar , Zimmermann T. , Hartmann M. , Prariyachatigul C. , Kappe R. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryWe report the case of a 33 year old Thai female, who was married in Germany for eight years and used to travel to Thailand every year for several weeks. She presented with abdominal and back pain, prolonged fever, generalized lymphadenopathy, and a recent history of oral thrush. She was diagnosed HIV positive with initial CD4 counts of 18/μl and an HI virus load of 59.000 copies/ml. Antiviral therapy was installed with zidovudin, lamivudin, and efavirenz. Abdominal CT scans revealed greatly enlarged abdominal lymphnodes. Fine needle aspirates of cervical and retroperitoneal lymphnodes, sputum samples, blood samples, and a bone marrow biopsy were microscopically positive for Penicillium marneffei and grew P. marneffei. The isolates were sensitive to amphotericin B, flucytosine, itraconazole, and fluconazole. Both universal and specific fungal polymerase chain reaction assays were positive in various samples. Serum Aspergillus galactomannan antigen, which is known to crossreact with P. marneffei, was elevated and subsequently used for monitoring of therapy. With antifungal treatment (intravenous amphotericin B 0.6 mg/kg/d for two weeks, oral itraconazole 400 mg/d for 10 weeks and 200 mg/d as maintenance therapy), the fever declined in 6 days, the size of the enlarged lymphnodes gradually decreased in the CT scans, and the initial abdominal and back pain vanished.
Caco‐2 monolayer as a model for transepithelial migration of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans
Authors: Weide M. R. , Ernst J. F. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryA model for transepithelial migration of human fungal pathogens was established, in which Candida albicans was shown to migrate across a monolayer of Caco‐2 intestinal cells in a two‐chamber system. Electron microscopy revealed typical stages of epithelial penetration by C. albicans including phagocytosis at the apical side, intra‐ and intercellular migration and exit on the basolateral side of the monolayer. Hyphal growth forms appeared particularly involved in penetration of the Caco‐2 monolayer. The model was examined using defined C. albicans mutants defective in hyphal development (efg1/efg1) or growth (ura3/ura3). Transmigration of the efg1/efg1 mutant strain was reduced, while transmigration of the ura3/ura3 strain was blocked completely in the absence of uridine. Because these results parallel virulence characteristics of the mutants the Caco‐2 monolayer system appears a useful model for the study of fungal‐human host cell interactions.