bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rapid improvements in health‐related quality of life and itch with ixekizumab treatment in randomized phase 3 trials: results from UNCOVER‐2 and UNCOVER‐3
Authors: Leonardi C.L. , Blauvelt A. , Sofen H.L. , Gooderham M. , Augustin M. , Burge R. , Zhu B. , Reich K. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractBackgroundPatients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis report impaired health‐related quality of life (HRQoL).ObjectiveTo assess speed of onset of ixekizumab‐induced clinically relevant improvement in HRQoL.MethodsThis post hoc analysis used pooled data from patients randomized in UNCOVER‐2 and UNCOVER‐3, and treated with 80 mg ixekizumab every 2 weeks (IXEQ2W), 80 mg ixekizumab every 4 weeks (IXEQ4W), 50 mg etanercept (ETN) twice weekly or placebo (PBO) for 12 weeks. HRQoL and pruritus were assessed using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Itch Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), respectively. Minimally clinical important differences (MCID) in DLQI and Itch NRS were defined as ≥5‐point and ≥4‐point improvements from baseline, respectively. Time to response from randomization was estimated using Kaplan–Meier methodology and the log‐rank test. Hazard ratios between treatments were calculated using a Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusting for studies.ResultsA total of 2570 patients were included: 361 PBO; 740 ETN; 733 IXEQ4W and 736 IXEQ2W. Significantly greater differences in time to DLQI ≥5 point or Itch NRS ≥4 point improvement for IXEQ2W or IXEQ4W compared with ETN and PBO (P < 0.001) were observed. The median time when 50% of patients reached a ≥5‐point reduction in DLQI was shorter for ixekizumab‐treated patients (2 weeks, both schedules) compared with ETN‐ (4 weeks) or PBO‐treated (>12 weeks) patients. Likewise, the median time when 50% of patients reached a ≥4‐point reduction in Itch NRS was shorter for ixekizumab‐treated patients (2 weeks, both schedules) compared with ETN‐ (8 weeks) or PBO‐treated (>12 weeks) patients. Significantly more ixekizumab‐treated patients were likely to achieve MCIDs in DLQI or itch reduction compared with ETN or PBO after 12 weeks of treatment.ConclusionIxekizumab‐treated patients achieved more rapid improvements both in HRQoL and itch compared with patients treated with ETN and PBO.
Impaired Orthostatic Blood Pressure Recovery Is Associated with Unexplained and Injurious Falls
Authors: Finucane Ciarán , O'Connell Matthew D. L. , Donoghue Orna , Richardson Kathryn , Savva George M. , Kenny Rose Anne 
Published: March 2017

ObjectivesCardiovascular disorders are recognized as important modifiable risk factors for falls. However, the association between falls and orthostatic hypotension (OH) remains ambivalent, particularly because of poor measurement methods of previous studies. The goal was to determine for the first time to what extent OH (and variants) are risk factors for incident falls, unexplained falls (UF), injurious falls (IF) and syncope using dynamic blood pressure (BP) measurements in a population study.DesignNationally representative longitudinal cohort study–The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)–wave 1 (2009–2011) with 2‐year follow‐up at wave 2 (2012–2013).SettingCommunity‐dwelling adults.ParticipantsFour thousand one hundred twenty‐seven participants were randomly sampled from the population of older adults aged ≥50 years resident in Ireland.MeasurementsContinuous BP recordings measured during active stands were analyzed. OH and variants (initial OH and impaired orthostatic BP stabilization OH(40)) were defined using dynamic BP measurements. Associations with the number of falls, UF, IF, and syncope reported 2 years later were assessed using negative binomial and modified Poisson regression as appropriate.ResultsParticipants had a mean age of 61.5 (8.2) years (54.2% female). OH(40) was associated with increased relative risk of UF (RR: 1.52 95% CI: 1.03–2.26). OH was associated with all‐cause falls (IRR: 1.40 95% CI: 1.01–1.96), UF(RR: 1.81 95% CI: 1.06–3.09), and IF(RR: 1.58 95% CI: 1.12–2.24). IOH was not associated with any outcome.ConclusionWith the exception of initial orthostatic hypotension, beat‐to‐beat measures of impaired orthostatic BP recovery (delayed recovery OH (40) or sustained orthostatic hypotension OH) are independent risk factors for future falls, unexplained falls, and injurious falls.
Prevalence, types and associations of medically unexplained symptoms and signs. A cross‐sectional study of 1023 adults with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Osugo M. , Morrison J. , Allan L. , Kinnear D. , Cooper S.‐A. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractBackgroundMedically unexplained symptoms and signs are common in the general population and can respond to appropriate managements. We aimed to quantify the types and prevalence of unexplained symptoms and signs experienced by adults with ID and to determine the associated factors.MethodIn a population‐based study, 1023 adults with ID aged 16 and over had a detailed health assessment, which systematically considered symptoms and signs. Descriptive data were generated on their symptoms and signs. Backwards stepwise logistic modelling was undertaken to determine the factors independently associated with the unexplained symptoms.ResultsMedically unexplained symptoms and signs were present in 664 (64.9%), 3.8 times higher than in the general population, and 470 (45.9%) had multiple unexplained symptoms or signs. Some were similar to those reported in the general population, such as dyspnoea, dyspepsia, headache, nausea and dizziness. However, others are not commonly reported in the general population, including dysphagia, ataxia, polyuria, oedema and skin rash. Having unexplained symptoms and signs was independently associated with older age, female gender, not having Down syndrome, extent of ID and more GP visits in the last 12 months. It was not associated with living in deprived areas, type of living/support arrangements, number of hospital visit in the last 12 months, smoking, autism, problem behaviours or mental disorders.ConclusionsPeople with ID have substantial additional unexplained symptoms and signs, some of which are painful or disabling. These findings should inform the content of health checks undertaken for adults with intellectual disabilities, which should not just focus on management of their long‐term conditions and health promotion.
Comparative assessment of 6‐[18F]fluoro‐L‐m‐tyrosine and 6‐[18F]fluoro‐L‐dopa to evaluate dopaminergic presynaptic integrity in a Parkinson's disease rat model
Authors: Becker Guillaume , Bahri Mohamed Ali , Michel Anne , Hustadt Fabian , Garraux Gaëtan , Luxen André , Lemaire Christian , Plenevaux Alain 
Published: March 2017

AbstractBecause of the progressive loss of nigro‐striatal dopaminergic terminals in Parkinson's disease (PD), in vivo quantitative imaging of dopamine (DA) containing neurons in animal models of PD is of critical importance in the preclinical evaluation of highly awaited disease‐modifying therapies. Among existing methods, the high sensitivity of positron emission tomography (PET) is attractive to achieve that goal. The aim of this study was to perform a quantitative comparison of brain images obtained in 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) lesioned rats using two dopaminergic PET radiotracers, namely [18F]fluoro‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl‐L‐alanine ([18F]FDOPA) and 6‐[18F]fluoro‐L‐m‐tyrosine ([18F]FMT). Because the imaging signal is theoretically less contaminated by metabolites, we hypothesized that the latter would show stronger relationship with behavioural and post‐mortem measures of striatal dopaminergic deficiency. We used a within‐subject design to measure striatal [18F]FMT and [18F]FDOPA uptake in eight partially lesioned, eight fully lesioned and ten sham‐treated rats. Animals were pretreated with an L‐aromatic amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor. A catechol‐O‐methyl transferase inhibitor was also given before [18F]FDOPA PET. Quantitative estimates of striatal uptake were computed using conventional graphical Patlak method. Striatal dopaminergic deficiencies were measured with apomorphine‐induced rotations and post‐mortem striatal DA content. We observed a strong relationship between [18F]FMT and [18F]FDOPA estimates of decreased uptake in the denervated striatum using the tissue‐derived uptake rate constant Kc. However, only [18F]FMT Kc succeeded to discriminate between the partial and the full 6‐OHDA lesion and correlated well with the post‐mortem striatal DA content. This study indicates that the [18F]FMT could be more sensitive, with respect of [18F]FDOPA, to investigate DA terminals loss in 6‐OHDA rats, and open the way to in vivo L‐aromatic amino acid decarboxylase activity targeting in future investigations on progressive PD models.
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The impact of EU Objective 1 funds on regional development: Evidence from the U.K. and the prospect of Brexit
Authors: Di Cataldo Marco 
Published: March 2017

AbstractBrexit means that regions of the United Kingdom will lose access to the EU Cohesion Policy. Have EU funds been effective, and what might be the consequences of an interruption of EU financial support? This paper studies the impact of “Objective 1” funding—the highest form of EU aid—in Cornwall and South Yorkshire, two of the U.K.’s most subsidized regions. Counterfactual methodologies assessing their labor market and economic performance provide evidence of a positive effect of EU Objective 1 funds. When in 2006 South Yorkshire lost Objective 1 eligibility, this massively reduced its share of EU funds and the region was unable to sustain the gains obtained in previous years. This suggests that while Structural Funds may be effectively improving socio‐economic conditions of poorer regions, the performance of subsidized areas could be deeply affected by a reduction (or worse, an interruption) of EU aid.
Integral occurrence probability: combining cover and relative shoot frequencies based on bounded point‐to‐plant distances
Authors: Van Calster Hans , Damgaard Christian 
Published: March 2017

AbstractAimsTo introduce a new distance‐based field method for (herbaceous, terrestrial) plant species that relates cover to relative shoot frequency as a continuous process of occurrence probabilities and to explain how these data can be analysed.MethodsWe propose to measure shortest distances from a sample of sampling points to the nearest above‐ground part of plant species (up to a maximum search distance). We show how, after appropriate transformation of the point‐to‐plant distances to a 0–1 interval scale, cover as well as relative shoot frequency at any area up to the searched area can be read from the same curve. This leads to the notion of an integral occurrence probability, which we propose as a new species abundance measure. For estimation and regression modelling we make use of the zero‐and‐one inflated beta distribution. We supply all code required for these analyses.ResultsSimulations of plant distribution patterns showed that the integral occurrence probability is able to differentiate between plant abundance patterns that differed in terms of relative cover, density and type of spatial distribution pattern. It is more sensitive to these differences than either cover or relative shoot frequency alone. The method allows summing occurrence probabilities over species to predict expected species richness as a function of the area searched. Aggregation across species, while accounting for overlap in species spatial distributions, is a simple matter of taking the minimum among the point‐to‐plant distances at each sampling point. The latter was demonstrated with data from a field trial in Nardetea grassland.ConclusionsThe method could be a viable alternative for currently employed field methods, such as visual cover estimates, point‐intercept sampling and recording the frequency of plant species in equal‐area plots. Applications include, but are not limited to, conservation management monitoring and ground‐truthing of remote sensing data.
Optimising sampling methods for small mammal communities in Neotropical rainforests
Authors: Bovendorp Ricardo S. , MCCleery Robert A. , Galetti Mauro 
Published: March 2017

Abstract

Quantifying mammalian biodiversity is a critical yet daunting challenge, particularly in species‐rich ecosystems. Non‐volant small mammals account for >60% of the mammalian diversity and often require several survey methods to estimate their species richness and abundance, because of differences in their size and behaviour.

Using 117 studies at 278 sites in a species‐rich biome, the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, we determined the influence of trap configuration, trap type, and sampling effort on measures of species richness and abundance.

We used generalised linear mixed‐effects models to determine which methodological approaches influenced estimates of species richness and abundance at the sampling sites. We used estimates of beta (β) to determine which methods improved species richness and abundance estimates, and generated predicted values for the overall species richness as a function of trap configuration (line transect, grid, or both), trap type (pitfall traps, live‐traps or both), and sampling effort (number of trap‐nights).

Our results indicated that sites in which pitfall traps alone were used generated higher estimates of the overall small mammal species richness and abundance, and rodent abundance, than sites in which only live‐traps were used. Sites in which pitfall traps alone were used also produced higher estimates of species richness and abundance, and rodent species richness and abundance, than sites in which both trap types were used. Increased sampling effort led to increased estimates of species richness, but sites in which pitfall traps were used alone or together with live‐traps had higher estimates of species richness with less sampling effort than sites in which live‐traps only were used. Using pitfall traps greatly reduced the number of trap‐nights necessary to obtain a good estimate of small mammal species richness in a community.

We found no influence of trap configuration (line transects or grids) on estimates of species richness, but the abundance of rodents was estimated to be higher in sites where both line transects and grids were used, than in sites where only one trap configuration was used.

Our review shows the importance of using pitfall traps in research, monitoring, and environmental impact studies on species‐rich small mammal communities.
HIV‐positive Malawian women with young children prefer overweight body sizes and link underweight body size with inability to exclusively breastfeed
Authors: Croffut Samantha E. , Hamela Gloria , Mofolo Innocent , Maman Suzanne , Hosseinipour Mina C. , Hoffman Irving F. , Bentley Margaret E. , Flax Valerie L. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractBefore the prevention of mother‐to‐child transmission (PMTCT) program was widely implemented in Malawi, HIV‐positive women associated exclusive breastfeeding with accelerated disease progression and felt that an HIV‐positive woman could more successfully breastfeed if she had a larger body size. The relationship between breastfeeding practices and body image perceptions has not been explored in the context of the Option B+ PMTCT program, which offers lifelong antiretroviral therapy. We conducted in‐depth interviews with 64 HIV‐positive women in Lilongwe District, Malawi to investigate body size perceptions, how perceptions of HIV and body size influence infant feeding practices, and differences in perceptions among women in PMTCT and those lost to follow‐up. Women were asked about current, preferred, and healthy body size perceptions using nine body image silhouettes of varying sizes, and vignettes about underweight and overweight HIV‐positive characters were used to elicit discussion of breastfeeding practices. More than 80% of women preferred an overweight, obese, or morbidly obese silhouette, and most women (83%) believed that an obese or morbidly obese silhouette was healthy. Although nearly all women believed that an HIV‐positive overweight woman could exclusively breastfeed, only about half of women thought that an HIV‐positive underweight woman could exclusively breastfeed. These results suggest that perceptions of body size may influence beliefs about a woman's ability to breastfeed. Given the preference for large body sizes and the association between obesity and risk of noncommunicable diseases, we recommend that counseling and health education for HIV‐positive Malawian women focus on culturally sensitive healthy weight messaging and its relationship with breastfeeding practices.
Warm–cold colonization: response of oaks to uplift of the Himalaya–Hengduan Mountains
Authors: Meng Hong‐Hu , Su Tao , Gao Xiao‐Yang , Li Jie , Jiang Xiao‐Long , Sun Hang , Zhou Zhe‐Kun 
Published: March 2017

AbstractClarifying the relationship between distribution patterns of organisms and geological events is critical to understanding the impact of environmental changes on organismal evolution. Quercus sect. Heterobalanus is now distributed across the Himalaya–Hengduan Mountains (HHM) and warm lowland in East China, yet how the distribution patterns of this group changed in response to the HHM uplift remains largely unknown. This study examines the effect of tectonic events in the HHM region on the oaks, providing a biological perspective on the geological history of this region. Fifty‐six populations of Quercus sect. Heterobalanus were genotyped using four chloroplast DNA regions and nine nuclear simple sequence repeat loci to assess population structure and diversity, supplemented by molecular dating and ancestral area reconstructions. The underlying demographic dynamics were compared using ecological niche models of the species distributions during the last glacial maximum and the present. These analyses illustrate that Quercus sect. Heterobalanus diversified as the HHM uplifted and climatic cooling during the mid‐Miocene, colonizing the cold habitats from warm broadleaf mixed forests. Lineages in cold highlands and warm lowlands have diverged as a consequence of local adaptation to diverging climates since the late Miocene. Our results suggest that continuous uplift of the HHM in the late Miocene to early Pliocene accompanied by simultaneous cooling triggered the differentiation of oaks. The biogeography of Quercus sect. Heterobalanus illuminates the geological events responsible for the modern‐day HHM.
Paracoccidioidomycosis infection in domestic and wild mammals by Paracoccidioides lutzii
Authors: Mendes Josiara F. , Klafke Gabriel B. , Albano Ana Paula N. , Cabana Ângela L. , Teles Alessandra J. , de Camargo Zoilo P. , Xavier Melissa O. , Meireles Mário Carlos A. 
Published: March 2017

SummaryParacoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis that occurs in several Latin American countries, especially in Brazil. It is caused by the thermo‐dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides spp. Serological studies to detect animal infection represent an excellent strategy for data on the agent's ecology. Although the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) is an endemic area for PCM in humans, there is scarce information available on the ecology of the agent in the region. This study aimed to investigate the infection by Paracoccidioides lutzii in animals living in RS, Brazil. A total of 85 wild mammals, 200 horses and 196 domestic dogs, previously tested for infection by P. brasiliensis, were included in this study. Serum samples from the animals were tested by ELISA to detect anti‐ P. lutzii antibodies. From the 481 animals tested, 105 (21.8%) were seropositive for IgG anti‐P. lutzii. Of these, 54 were also positive for P. brasiliensis. A total of 11 horses (10.5%), 30 dogs (28.8%) and 10 wild mammals (9.5%) were positive only for P. lutzii (n=51). The detection of anti‐P. lutzii antibodies in animals of RS suggests that the fungus can be found in southern Brazil, despite being described mainly in the midwest and southeast of the country.
Single‐frequency and multi‐frequency bioimpedance analysis: What is the difference?
Authors: Yalin Serkan Feyyaz , Gulcicek Sibel , Avci Suna , Erkalma Senates Banu , Altiparmak Mehmet Riza , Trabulus Sinan , Alagoz Selma , Yavuzer Hakan , Doventas Alper , Seyahi Nurhan 
Published: March 2017

AbstractAimBioelectrical impedance analysis is a promising method in determining the body compartments in haemodialysis patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the agreement between two widely used methods: the single‐frequency and multi‐frequency bioelectrical impedance analyses.MethodsMaintenance haemodialysis patients were enrolled in the study. Single‐frequency and multi‐frequency bioelectrical impedance analyses were performed consecutively before haemodialysis. A second bioelectrical impedance analysis was performed right after the haemodialysis session. A third bioelectrical impedance analysis was performed one hour after haemodialysis. We used weight change as a measure of fluid removal during haemodialysis session.ResultsBioelectrical impedance analysis estimates from both devices had significant differences. Best agreement was observed between single frequency and multifrequency devices’ extracellular water estimates immediately after haemodialysis (mean difference 0.076 L). We found the best agreement between weight change and extracellular water change using single‐frequency bioimpedance analysis. Moreover, one hour waiting time did not improve the agreement between weight and extracellular water changes for both devices. Different estimates seem to be caused by different raw impedance data measured by both devices and device‐specific equations.ConclusionThere are significant differences among bioelectrical impedance measurements performed with different bioelectrical impedance analyzers. Using open source software might be an important step forward in the development of standardized measurements.
Physiological and structural tradeoffs underlying the leaf economics spectrum
Authors: Onoda Yusuke , Wright Ian J. , Evans John R. , Hikosaka Kouki , Kitajima Kaoru , Niinemets Ülo , Poorter Hendrik , Tosens Tiina , Westoby Mark 
Published: March 2017

SummaryThe leaf economics spectrum (LES) represents a suite of intercorrelated leaf traits concerning construction costs per unit leaf area, nutrient concentrations, and rates of carbon fixation and tissue turnover. Although broad trade‐offs among leaf structural and physiological traits have been demonstrated, we still do not have a comprehensive view of the fundamental constraints underlying theLEStrade‐offs.Here, we investigated physiological and structural mechanisms underpinning theLESby analysing a novel data compilation incorporating rarely considered traits such as the dry mass fraction in cell walls, nitrogen allocation, mesophyllCO2diffusion and associated anatomical traits for hundreds of species covering major growth forms.The analysis demonstrates that cell wall constituents are major components of leaf dry mass (18–70%), especially in leaves with high leaf mass per unit area (LMA) and long lifespan. A greater fraction of leaf mass in cell walls is typically associated with a lower fraction of leaf nitrogen (N) invested in photosynthetic proteins; and lower within‐leafCO2diffusion rates, as a result of thicker mesophyll cell walls.The costs associated with greater investments in cell walls underpin theLES: long leaf lifespans are achieved via higherLMAand in turn by higher cell wall mass fraction, but this inevitably reduces the efficiency of photosynthesis.