bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The evolution of bite force in horned lizards: the influence of dietary specialization
Authors: Meyers Jay J. , Nishikawa Kiisa C. , Herrel Anthony 
Published: November 2017

AbstractDietary specialization is an important driver of the morphology and performance of the feeding system in many organisms, yet the evolution of phenotypic specialization has only rarely been examined within a species complex. Horned lizards are considered primarily myrmecophagous (ant eating), but variation in diet among the 17 species of horned lizards (Phrynosoma) makes them an ideal group to examine the relationship between dietary specialization and the resultant morphological and functional changes of the feeding system. In this study, we perform a detailed analysis of the jaw adductor musculature and use a biomechanical model validated with in vivo bite force data to examine the evolution of bite force in Phrynosoma. Our model simulations demonstrate that bite force varies predictably with respect to the gape angle and bite position along the tooth row, with maximal bite forces being attained at lower gape angles and at the posterior tooth positions. Maximal bite forces vary considerably among horned lizards, with highly myrmecophagous species exhibiting very low bite forces. In contrast, members of the short‐horned lizard clade are able to bite considerably harder than even closely related dietary generalists. This group appears to be built for performing crushing bites and may represent a divergent morphology adapted for eating hard prey items. The evolutionary loss of processing morphology (teeth, jaw and muscle reduction) and bite force in ant specialists may be a response to the lack of prey processing rather than a functional adaptation per se.
Smoking cessation leads to changes in survivin expression in oral mucosa
Authors: Lima Celina F. , Crastechini Erica , dos Santos Nathalia C. , Prado Ribeiro Ana Carolina , Brandão Thais B. , Castro Félix C. F. , Issa Jaqueline S. , Almeida Janete D. 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundSurvivin is an inhibitor protein of apoptosis and plays a role in oral carcinogenesis mechanism.MethodsThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of smoking in survivin expression of oral mucosa of chronic smokers with and without oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The study was composed of three groups: Group 1—26 patients smoking more than 20 cigarettes/day/10 years without either history of oral malignant neoplasia or visible clinical signs in the examined site; Group 2—26 patients with OSCC; Group 3—22 patients surgically treated for OSCC for at least 1 month. The immunohistochemistry was performed with 1 smear for each group and analyzed by microscopy regarding extension, intensity of positive cells for survivin, and intracellular location.ResultsThe survivin expression was observed in 100% of the cases in Group 1, 88.5% in Group 2, and 100% in Group 3. Concerning to Groups 1 and 3, the survivin expression with cytoplasmic location occurred in 100%, while in Group 2 occurred in 87.5%. The cytoplasmic and nuclear expression was observed only in Group 2, with 7.69%. The results were correlated with clinical‐pathological data by Fischer's exact test with significant relation between smoking cessation and intensity (P = .015) for Group 2.ConclusionsThe extension and intensity of survivin expression in the cytological smears were related to the smoking cessation in the group with OSCC. However, the smoking history (packs/years) did not influence the survivin expression.
Three‐Dimensional Accuracy of Digital Static Interocclusal Registration by Three Intraoral Scanner Systems
Authors: Wong Kuan Yee , Esguerra Roxanna Jean , Chia Vanessa Ai Ping , Tan Ying Han , Tan Keson Beng Choon 
Published: November 2017

AbstractPurposePrior studies have defined the accuracy of intraoral scanner (IOS) systems but the accuracy of the digital static interocclusal registration function of these systems has not been reported. This study compared the three‐dimensional (3D) accuracy of the digital static interocclusal registration of 3 IOS systems using the buccal bite scan function.Materials and MethodsThree IOS systems compared were 3MTM True Definition Scanner (TDS), TRIOS Color (TRC), and CEREC AC with CEREC Omnicam (CER). Using each scanner, 7 scans (n = 7) of the mounted and articulated SLA master models were obtained. The measurement targets (SiN reference spheres and implant abutment analogs) were in the opposing models at the right (R), central (C), and left (L) regions; abutments #26 and #36, respectively. A coordinate measuring machine with metrology software compared the physical and virtual targets to derive the global 3D linear distortion between the centroids of the respective target reference spheres and abutment analogs (dRR, dRC, dRL, and dRM) and 2D distances between the pierce points of the abutment analogs (dXM, dYM, dZM), with 3 measurement repetitions for each scan.ResultsMean 3D distortion ranged from –471.9 to 31.7 μm for dRR, –579.0 to –87.0 μm for dRC, –381.5 to 69.4 μm for dRL, and –184.9 to –23.1 μm for dRM. Mean 2D distortion ranged from –225.9 to 0.8 μm for dXM, –130.6 to ‐126.1 μm for dYM, and –34.3 to 26.3 μm for dZM. Significant differences were found for interarch distortions across the three systems. For dRR and dRL, all three test groups were significantly different, whereas for dRC, the TDS was significantly different from the TRC and CER. For 2D distortion, significant differences were found for dXM only.ConclusionsInterarch and global interocclusal distortions for the three IOS systems were significantly different. TRC performed overall the best and TDS was the worst. The interarch (dRR, dRC, dRL) and interocclusal (dXM) distortions observed will affect the magnitude of occlusal contacts of restorations clinically. The final restoration may be either hyperoccluded or infraoccluded, requiring compensations during the CAD design stage or clinical adjustments at issue.
Crystalline structure of pulverized dental calculus induces cell death in oral epithelial cells
Authors: Ziauddin S. M. , Yoshimura A. , Montenegro Raudales J. L. , Ozaki Y. , Higuchi K. , Ukai T. , Kaneko T. , Miyazaki T. , Latz E. , Hara Y. 
Published: November 2017

Background and ObjectiveDental calculus is a mineralized deposit attached to the tooth surface. We have shown that cellular uptake of dental calculus triggers nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain‐like receptor family pyrin domain‐containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, leading to the processing of the interleukin‐1β precursor into its mature form in mouse and human phagocytes. The activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome also induced a lytic form of programmed cell death, pyroptosis, in these cells. However, the effects of dental calculus on other cell types in periodontal tissue have not been investigated. The aim of this study was to determine whether dental calculus can induce cell death in oral epithelial cells.Material and MethodsHSC‐2 human oral squamous carcinoma cells, HOMK107 human primary oral epithelial cells and immortalized mouse macrophages were exposed to dental calculus or 1 of its components, hydroxyapatite crystals. For inhibition assays, the cells were exposed to dental calculus in the presence or absence of cytochalasin D (endocytosis inhibitor), z‐YVAD‐fmk (caspase‐1 inhibitor) or glyburide (NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor). Cytotoxicity was determined by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and staining with propidium iodide. Tumor necrosis factor‐α production was quantified by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Oral epithelial barrier function was examined by permeability assay.ResultsDental calculus induced cell death in HSC‐2 cells, as judged by LDH release and propidium iodide staining. Dental calculus also induced LDH release from HOMK107 cells. Following heat treatment, dental calculus lost its capacity to induce tumor necrosis factor‐α in mouse macrophages, but could induce LDH release in HSC‐2 cells, indicating a major role of inorganic components in cell death. Hydroxyapatite crystals also induced cell death in both HSC‐2 and HOMK107 cells, as judged by LDH release, indicating the capacity of crystal particles to induce cell death. Cell death induced by dental calculus was significantly inhibited by cytochalasin D, z‐YVAD‐fmk and glyburide, indicating NLRP3 inflammasome involvement. In permeability assays, dental calculus attenuated the barrier function of HSC‐2 cell monolayers.ConclusionDental calculus induces pyroptotic cell death in human oral epithelial cells and the crystalline structure plays a major role in this process. Oral epithelial cell death induced by dental calculus might be important for the etiology of periodontitis.
Computing sleep deficiency
Authors: Erren Thomas C. , Groß J. Valerie , Lewis Philip 
Published: November 2017

SummarySleep deficiency is a major public health concern. Since epidemiological studies play an important role in public health evaluations, this theoretical paper pursues answers to the question: ‘How can we compute sleep deficiency as informative measures of exposures or doses in observational research?’ Starting from the social jetlag concept and based on the chronodisruption rationale, we illustrate and discuss five approaches (one established and four untested, each with unique strengths and limitations) to quantify sleep deficiency by focusing on the timing and duration of sleep. Hitherto, social jetlag and chronodisruption rationale were neither explicitly proposed nor developed as assessments of sleep deficiency but, as we suggest, could potentially be utilized to this end. This first foray into computing sleep deficiency in epidemiological studies makes clear that laboratory, field and epidemiological collaboration is pre‐requisite to elucidating potential (co‐)causal roles of sleep deficiency in disease endpoints.
Trends in hepatitis C‐related mortality in Switzerland
Authors: Keiser O. , Giudici F. , Müllhaupt B. , Junker C. , Dufour J. ‐F. , Moradpour D. , Bruggmann P. , Terziroli B. , Semela D. , Brezzi M. , Bertisch B. , Estill J. , Negro F. , Spoerri A. ,   the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study and the Swiss National Cohort
Published: November 2017

SummaryIn order to accurately assess the burden of hepatitis C (HCV) and develop effective interventions, we must understand the magnitude and trends of mortality related to the disease. In the United States, HCV‐related mortality is continuously increasing. We have no comparable data for Switzerland and other European countries, although a modelling study predicted a similar increase. We analysed time trends (1 January 1995‐31 December 2014) in HCV‐specific mortality rates in the Swiss general population using the death registry of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (SFSO). We compared HCV‐related mortality to HIV‐related and hepatitis B (HBV)‐related mortality. To determine potential under‐reporting in HCV‐related mortality, we probabilistically linked the SFSO data to persons who died in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study (SCCS). SFSO data showed that HCV‐related mortality more than doubled between 1995 and 2003, but has since stabilized at ~2.5/100 000 person‐years. Since 2000, HCV‐related mortality has been higher than HIV‐related mortality and was about fivefold higher in 2014. HBV‐related mortality remained low at ~0.5/100 000 person‐years. Of 4556 persons in the SCCS, 421 have died and 86.2% could be linked to the death registry. According to the SCCS, 133 deaths were HCV‐related. HCV was not mentioned on the SFSO death certificate of 45% of these (n = 60/133). In conclusion, HCV‐related mortality remained constant, possibly because quality of care was high, or because of under‐reporting or because mortality has not yet increased. However, HCV‐related mortality is now much higher than HIV‐ and HBV‐related mortality, and under‐reporting was common.
On the Value of Monitoring Information for the Structural Integrity and Risk Management
Authors: Thöns Sebastian 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis article introduces an approach and framework for the quantification of the value of structural health monitoring (SHM) in the context of the structural risk and integrity management for systems. The quantification of the value of SHM builds upon the Bayesian decision and utility theory, which facilitates the assessment of the value of information associated with SHM. The principal approach for the quantification of the value of SHM is formulated by modeling the fundamental decision of performing SHM or not in conjunction with their expected utilities. The expected utilities are calculated accounting for the probabilistic performance of a system in conjunction with the associated structural integrity and risk management actions throughout the life cycle, the associated benefits, structural risks, and costs and when performing SHM, the SHM information, their probabilistic outcomes, and costs. The calculation of the expected utilities necessitates a comprehensive and rigorous modeling, which is introduced close to the original formulations and for which analysis characteristics and simplifications are described and derived. The framework provides the basis for the optimization of the structural risk and integrity management based on utility gains including or excluding SHM and inspection information. Studies of fatigue deteriorating structural systems and their characteristics (1) provide decision support for the performance of SHM, (2) explicate the influence of the structural component and system characteristics on the value of SHM, and (3) demonstrate how an integral optimization of SHM and inspection strategies for an efficient structural risk and integrity management can be performed.
Family and Social Context Contributes to the Interplay of Economic Insecurity, Food Insecurity, and Health
Authors: HIGASHI ROBIN T. , LEE SIMON CRADDOCK , PEZZIA CARLA , QUIRK LISA , LEONARD TAMMY , PRUITT SANDI L. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIn this study, we show how household health, economic instability, and food insecurity are inextricably linked and how disruptions in individual health or income create cumulative and interdependent challenges faced by multiple household members. Drawing upon semistructured focus groups with English‐ and Spanish‐speaking clients of an urban food pantry, we demonstrate: (1) the impact of economic scarcity on health, (2) the impact of one household member's health on the health and food security of all household members, and (3) food‐sharing behaviors among family and social networks, including multigenerational families and nonkin individuals. We identify the gap in the literature between household‐level assessments of food insecurity and individual‐level health reports, which may obscure poor health among other household members. Understanding the social and family context of health and food insecurity may inform future interventions that address the interrelated challenges of diverse and disadvantaged households and communities.
Wearable gait sensors to measure ataxia due to spinocerebellar degeneration
Authors: Terayama Keiichiro , Sakakibara Ryuji , Ogawa Akihiro 
Published: November 2017

AbstractBackground and AimLimited attention has been paid to the relationship between wearable gait sensors in cerebellar ataxia.ObjectiveWe aimed to correlate a bed‐side ataxia measure with wearable gait sensor parameters in patients with spinocerebellar degeneration (SCD).MethodsWe recruited 14 SCD patients capable of walking independently: six men and eight women, mean age 59.4 years, disease duration 5.3 years, pure cerebellar type 10, cerebellar‐plus type 4, but with few symptoms other than cerebellar ataxia. All patients were assessed by the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) and the Gait‐Kun system, a wearable gait sensor with triple‐axial accelerometers. Statistical analysis was performed by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient test and multiple regression analysis test. Significance was estimated as P < 0.05.ResultsWe found that (i) the Gait‐Kun system can be used easily in cerebellar ataxia patients; (ii) Spearman's rank correlation coefficient test showed a close relationship between SARA gait subcategory and (a) converted number of steps (indicating shorter stride) (P < 0.01) and (b) step‐width variation (indicating staggering) (P < 0.01); and (iii) multiple regression analysis showed a close relationship between SARA gait and converted number of steps (indicating shorter stride) (P = 0.001).ConclusionUsing the Gait‐Kun system (wearable sensors), there was a close relationship between SARA gait subcategory and both converted number of steps and step‐width variation, indicating that not only step‐width variability but also shorter stride is a feature of ataxic gait abnormalities.
Fusarium graminearum: pathogen or endophyte of North American grasses?
Authors: Lofgren Lotus A. , LeBlanc Nicholas R. , Certano Amanda K. , Nachtigall Jonny , LaBine Kathryn M. , Riddle Jakob , Broz Karen , Dong Yanhong , Bethan Bianca , Kafer Christopher W. , Kistler H. Corby 
Published: November 2017

Summary

Mycotoxin‐producing Fusarium graminearum and related species cause Fusarium head blight on cultivated grasses, such as wheat and barley. However, these Fusarium species may have had a longer evolutionary history with North American grasses than with cultivated crops and may interact with the ancestral hosts in ways which are biochemically distinct.

We assayed 25 species of asymptomatic native grasses for the presence of Fusarium species and confirmed infected grasses as hosts using re‐inoculation tests. We examined seed from native grasses for the presence of mycotoxin‐producing Fusarium species and evaluated the ability of these fungi to produce mycotoxins in both native grass and wheat hosts using biochemical analysis.

Mycotoxin‐producing Fusarium species were shown to be prevalent in phylogenetically diverse native grasses, colonizing multiple tissue types, including seeds, leaves and inflorescence structures. Artificially inoculated grasses accumulated trichothecenes to a much lesser extent than wheat, and naturally infected grasses showed little to no accumulation.

Native North American grasses are commonly inhabited by Fusarium species, but appear to accommodate these toxigenic fungi differently from cultivated crops. This finding highlights how host identity and evolutionary history may influence the outcome of plant–fungal interactions and may inform future efforts in crop improvement.
Clinical and histopathologic features of antibody‐mediated rejection among pediatric renal transplant recipients with preformed vs de novo donor‐specific antibodies
Authors: Steggerda Justin A. , Kim Irene K. , Haas Mark , Zhang Xiaohai , Kang Alexis , Pizzo Helen , Kamil Elaine , Jordan Stanley , Puliyanda Dechu 
Published: November 2017

AbstractPreformed and de novo donor specific antibodies (pDSA and dnDSA) are risk factors for ABMR. This study compares the effects of pDSA vs dnDSA in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. Sixteen pediatric patients with biopsy‐proven ABMR were evaluated. Strong DSA (MFI >10 000) was recorded at transplant, rejection, and follow‐up. DSAs with the highest MFI were termed iDSAs. Allograft biopsies were scored according to Banff 2013 criteria. Seven of 16 (44%) patients had pDSA at transplant; 9 (56%) developed dnDSA. Patients with pDSA developed ABMR earlier (median = 63 vs 1344 days, P = .017), while patients with dnDSA were more likely to have strong Class II iDSA (100% vs 28%, P = .009). Viral infection or non‐adherence was more common in patients developing dnDSA (88.8% vs 28.6%, P < .01). Pathology in those with pDSAs demonstrated worse transplant glomerulitis (g score 1.57 ± 0.98 vs 0.56 ± 0.73, P = .031); however, those with dnDSAs exhibited higher C4d+ ABMR (P = .013). Patients developing dnDSAs showed ABMR later post‐transplant with predominance of HLA‐Class II iDSAs. Inadequate immunosuppression likely contributes to dnDSA formation. Patients with no DSA who have unprotocolized decreases in immunosuppression should be screened for dnDSA as it could lead to early intervention and potentially better outcomes.
Ageing impairs parasite‐specific antibody responses in cystic echinococcosis
Authors: Mourglia‐Ettlin G. , Miles S. , Hernández A. , Dematteis S. 
Published: November 2017

SummaryHumoral immunity wanes during healthy ageing, increasing susceptibility to infections in the elderly. In this sense, information about parasite infections and human immunosenescence is scarce. Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is an infectious disease caused by the larval stage of the cestode parasite Echinococcus granulosus, whose prevalence in humans shows an increase with host age. Susceptibility to human CE has been associated with humoral immunity to some extent, and, therefore, we have here analysed the influence of host age on the serological profile of young, middle‐aged and aged patients. Our results highlighted the detrimental influence of ageing on the intensity and quality of the antiparasite antibody response. Remarkable differences in serological profiles between young and aged individuals were observed. In this sense, through Principal Components Analysis, we identified aged patients as those exhibiting overall less intense antibody responses, mainly in isotypes/subclasses supposed to exert efficient antiparasite activities (eg IgE and IgG1). Thus, these humoral defects could at least partially explain the reported increase in CE prevalence among older individuals, as a weaker immune response in the elderly might facilitate the establishment and maintenance of the parasite infection. Finally, a possible association between age‐dependent susceptibility to CE and host immunosenescence is discussed.
Failures to further developing orphan medicinal products after designation granted in Europe: an analysis of marketing authorisation failures and abandoned drugs
Authors: Giannuzzi Viviana , Landi Annalisa , Bosone Enrico , Giannuzzi Floriana , Nicotri Stefano , Torrent-Farnell Josep , Bonifazi Fedele , Felisi Mariagrazia , Bonifazi Donato , Ceci Adriana 
Published: November 2017

ObjectivesThe research and development process in the field of rare diseases is characterised by many well-known difficulties, and a large percentage of orphan medicinal products do not reach the marketing approval.This work aims at identifying orphan medicinal products that failed the developmental process and investigating reasons for and possible factors influencing failures.DesignDrugs designated in Europe under Regulation (European Commission) 141/2000 in the period 2000–2012 were investigated in terms of the following failures: (1) marketing authorisation failures (refused or withdrawn) and (2) drugs abandoned by sponsors during development.Possible risk factors for failure were analysed using statistically validated methods.ResultsThis study points out that 437 out of 788 designations are still under development, while 219 failed the developmental process. Among the latter, 34 failed the marketing authorisation process and 185 were abandoned during the developmental process. In the first group of drugs (marketing authorisation failures), 50% reached phase II, 47% reached phase III and 3% reached phase I, while in the second group (abandoned drugs), the majority of orphan medicinal products apparently never started the development process, since no data on 48.1% of them were published and the 3.2% did not progress beyond the non-clinical stage.The reasons for failures of marketing authorisation were: efficacy/safety issues (26), insufficient data (12), quality issues (7), regulatory issues on trials (4) and commercial reasons (1). The main causes for abandoned drugs were efficacy/safety issues (reported in 54 cases), inactive companies (25.4%), change of company strategy (8.1%) and drug competition (10.8%). No information concerning reasons for failure was available for 23.2% of the analysed products.ConclusionsThis analysis shows that failures occurred in 27.8% of all designations granted in Europe, the main reasons being safety and efficacy issues. Moreover, the stage of development reached by drugs represents a specific risk factor for failures.