bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of ventilation tube insertion on long‐term language outcomes at 6 and 10 years of age: A prospective pregnancy cohort study
Authors: Alenezi Eman M. A. , Robinson Monique , McKinnon Elizabeth J. , Calder Samuel D. , Veselinović Tamara , Richmond Peter C. , Eikelboom Robert H. , Brennan‐Jones Christopher G.
Published: November 2023

Objective

Investigating the impact of early childhood ventilation tube insertion (VTI) on long‐term language outcomes.

Design

Longitudinal cohort study.

Setting

A total of 2900 pregnant women participated in the Raine Study between 1989 and 1991 in Western Australia, and 2868 children have been followed up.

Participants

Based on parental reports, 314 children had a history of recurrent otitis media but did not undergo VTI (rOM group); another 94 received VTI (VTI group); while 1735 had no history of rOM (reference group) in the first 3 years of childhood. Children with data on outcomes and confounders were included in analyses of PPVT‐R at ages 6 (n = 1567) and 10 years (n = 1313) and CELF‐III at 10 years (n = 1410) (approximately 5% in the VTI group and 15% in the rOM group).

Main Outcome Measures

Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test‐Revised edition and Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals® Preschool‐3.

Results

At 6 years, mean PPVT‐R scores were significantly lower in the VTI group than the reference group (β = −3.3; 95% CI [−6.5 to −0.04], p = .047). At 10 years, while the difference between the VTI and reference groups was less pronounced for PPVT‐R scores, there was a small but consistent trend of lower measures, on average, across CELF‐III scores (expressive: β = −3.4 [−7.1 to 0.27], p = .069; receptive: β = −4.1 [−7.9 to −0.34], p = .033; total: β = −3.9 [−7.5 to −0.21], p = .038). There was no evidence to suggest that language outcomes in the rOM group differed from the reference group.

Conclusion

Lower scores of language outcomes in school‐aged children who received VTI in early childhood may suggest a long‐term risk which should be considered alongside the potential benefits of VTI.
The slow emergence of gaze‐ and point‐following: A longitudinal study of infants from 4 to 12 months
Authors: Tang Yueyan , Gonzalez Marybel Robledo , Deák Gedeon O.
Published: November 2023

Acquisition of visual attention‐following skills, notably gaze‐ and point‐following, contributes to infants' ability to share attention with caregivers, which in turn contributes to social learning and communication. However, the development of gaze‐ and point‐following in the first 18 months remains controversial, in part because of different testing protocols and standards. To address this, we longitudinally tested N = 43 low‐risk, North American middle‐class infants' tendency to follow gaze direction, pointing gestures, and gaze‐and‐point combinations. Infants were tested monthly from 4 to 12 months of age. To control motivational differences, infants were taught to expect contingent reward videos in the target locations. No‐cue trials were included to estimate spontaneous target fixation rates. A comparison sample (N = 23) was tested at 9 and 12 months to estimate practice effects. Results showed gradual increases in both gaze‐ and point‐following starting around 7 months, and modest month‐to‐month individual stability from 8 to 12 months. However, attention‐following did not exceed chance levels until after 6 months. Infants rarely followed cues to locations behind them, even at 12 months. Infants followed combined gaze‐and‐point cues more than gaze alone, and followed points at intermediate levels (not reliably different from the other cues). The comparison group's results showed that practice effects did not explain the age‐related increase in attention‐following. The results corroborate and extend previous findings that North American middle‐class infants' attention‐following in controlled laboratory settings increases slowly and incrementally between 6 and 12 months of age.

Research Highlights

A longitudinal experimental study documented the emergence and developmental trajectories of North American middle‐class infants' visual attention‐following skills, including gaze‐following, point‐following, and gaze‐and‐point‐following.

A new paradigm controlled for factors including motivation, attentiveness, and visual‐search baserates. Motor development was ruled out as a predictor or limiter of the emergence of attention‐following.

Infants did not follow attention reliably until after 6 months, and following increased slowly from 7 to 12 months.

Infants' individual trajectories showed modest month‐to‐month stability from 8 to 12 months of age.
Comparative analysis of PDZ‐binding motifs in the diacylglycerol kinase family
Authors: Zambo Boglarka , Gogl Gergo , Morlet Bastien , Eberling Pascal , Negroni Luc , Moine Hervé , Travé Gilles
Published: November 2023

Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) control local and temporal amounts of diacylglycerol (DAG) and phosphatidic acid (PA) by converting DAG to PA through phosphorylation in cells. Certain DGK enzymes possess C‐terminal sequences that encode potential PDZ‐binding motifs (PBMs), which could be involved in their recruitment into supramolecular signaling complexes. In this study, we used two different interactomic approaches, quantitative native holdup (nHU) and qualitative affinity purification (AP), both coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) to investigate the PDZ partners associated with the potential PBMs of DGKs. Complementing these results with site‐specific affinity interactomic data measured on isolated PDZ domain fragments and PBM motifs, as well as evolutionary conservation analysis of the PBMs of DGKs, we explored functional differences within different DGK groups. All our results indicate that putative PBM sequences of type II enzymes, namely DGKδ, DGKη, and DGKκ, are likely to be nonfunctional. In contrast, type IV enzymes, namely DGKζ and DGKι, possess highly promiscuous PBMs that interact with a set of PDZ proteins with very similar affinity interactomes. The combination of various interactomic assays and evolutionary analyses provides a useful strategy for identifying functional domains and motifs within diverse enzyme families.
Horizon scanning of potential threats to high‐Arctic biodiversity, human health and the economy from marine invasive alien species: A Svalbard case study
Authors: Cottier‐Cook Elizabeth J. , Bentley‐Abbot Jude , Cottier Finlo R. , Minchin Dan , Olenin Sergej , Renaud Paul E.
Published: November 2023

The high Arctic is considered a pristine environment compared with many other regions in the northern hemisphere. It is becoming increasingly vulnerable to invasion by invasive alien species (IAS), however, as climate change leads to rapid loss of sea ice, changes in ocean temperature and salinity, and enhanced human activities. These changes are likely to increase the incidence of arrival and the potential for establishment of IAS in the region. To predict the impact of IAS, a group of experts in taxonomy, invasion biology and Arctic ecology carried out a horizon scanning exercise using the Svalbard archipelago as a case study, to identify the species that present the highest risk to biodiversity, human health and the economy within the next 10 years. A total of 114 species, currently absent from Svalbard, recorded once and/or identified only from environmental DNA samples, were initially identified as relevant for review. Seven species were found to present a high invasion risk and to potentially cause a significant negative impact on biodiversity and five species had the potential to have an economic impact on Svalbard. Decapod crabs, ascidians and barnacles dominated the list of highest risk marine IAS. Potential pathways of invasion were also researched, the most common were found associated with vessel traffic. We recommend (i) use of this approach as a key tool within the application of biosecurity measures in the wider high Arctic, (ii) the addition of this tool to early warning systems for strengthening existing surveillance measures; and (iii) that this approach is used to identify high‐risk terrestrial and freshwater IAS to understand the overall threat facing the high Arctic. Without the application of biosecurity measures, including horizon scanning, there is a greater risk that marine IAS invasions will increase, leading to unforeseen changes in the environment and economy of the high Arctic.
Beitrag zur Biologie des mexikanischen Spießhirsches Mazama sartorii (Saussure)*
Authors: Wagner Helmuth O.
Published: November 2023

Spießhirsche leben in Mexiko in den flachen Küstenregionen und aufwärts bis über 2000 m Höhe sowohl im Trocken‐ wie im Nebelwald. Zum Lager brauchen sie dichtes Buschwerk, zur Nahrung Jungtriebe von Schlingpflanzen, die niederes Gestrüpp überspannen, Wasserpflanzen und Früchte. So leben Spießhirsche bis auf die Region des Nebelwaldes immer da, wo Dickungen vorherrschen.

Sie sind ausgesprochene Schlüpfer. Die Hinterhand ist stark überbaut. Das Geweih kann mehrere Jahre getragen werden.

Die Satzzeit umfaßt alle Jahreszeiten; mancherorts beschränken die Lebensbedingungen diese auf bestimmte Monate. Das Kitz trägt zwei Längs‐reihen weißer Flecke, deren obere am Hals in einen weißen Streifen ausläuft.

Überrascht, verharren sie am Ort oder versuchen, sich heimlich zu verdrücken. Die Fluchtdistanz beträgt etwa 15 m.

Spießhirsche passen sich weitgehend der Kulturlandschaft an. Sie bewohnen in ihr mehrjährige, dicht bewachsene Brachfelder.
Weitere Dressurversuche mit Delphinen und anderen Walen
Authors: Hediger Heini
Published: November 2023

Seit 1951 wurden die Anlagen zur Haltung kleinerer Zahnwale, namentlich in Nordamerika, wesentlich vermehrt und dadurch auch eine wachsende Zahl von Arten der Beobachtung zugänglich gemacht. Verschiedene werden in kommerziell geführten Unternehmungen zirkusmäßig vorgeführt. Einige neuere Dressurleistungen werden kurz geschildert und diskutiert, ebenso die Methoden der herkömmlichen Dressur und derjenigen mit intracerebraler Reizung, von der einzelne Autoren wohl zu viel erwarten in bezug auf die Etablierung eines interspezifischen Dialoges auf Grund der bei einigen Delphiniden angeblich hochentwickelten Fähigkeit zur Imitation der menschlichen Sprache.

Since 1951 the number of installations for keeping smaller species of Odontoceti has increased remarkably especially in the USA. The possibilities for observing more and more species have grown correspondingly. Some species are performed in a circuslike manner by commercial enterprises. Some of the new performances are described and discussed as well as the methods of conventional training versus intracerebral stimulation. Some authors seem to expect too much of the electrode method in respect to the establishment of an interspecific dialogue on the basis of the alleged highly developed faculty for imitating (mimicking) the human language.
Vergleichende Verhaltensstudien zum Paarungsschwarm der Hummeln (Bombus) und Schmarotzerhummeln (Psithyrus) I. Teil*
Authors: Haas Adolf
Published: November 2023

Die ♂♂ von Bombus lucorum legen die höchsten und verborgensten der bei Hummeln bisher bekannten Schwarmbahnen an.

Nach diesen in der Blütezeit des lucorum‐Staates angelegten Höhenbahnen werden Tiefenbahnen an Blüten und Kräutern bis zum Ende der Vegetationsperiode beflogen. Man kann also bei lucorum‐♂♂ von einem Saison‐Dimorphismus des Schwärmens sprechen.

Bei terrestris‐♂♂ gibt es 3 Bahntypen, nämlich Tiefenbahnen an Kräutern, Gebüschbahnen und Höhenbahnen an Bäumen. Die bisher unbekannten Gebüsch‐ und Höhenbahnen werden beschrieben.

Die Schwarmbahnen von terrestris‐♂♂ in hochalpinem Gelände unterscheiden sich in mehrfacher Hinsicht von denen im Tal: a) Sie sind aus‐gedehnter und die Duftpunkte liegen in alien möglichen Höhen (zwischen 0,50 m und über 30 m). b) Dem täglichen Schwarmflug gehen ungezielte Erkundungsflüge voraus. c) Die Duftlegungen sind zahlreicher und verteilen sich über den ganzen Vormittag. Es werden häufig nur Teilstrecken mit Duft belegt. Die Punkte ergänzen sich aber, so daß schließlich die ganze Bahn frisch beduftet ist.

Die Duftpunkte der terrestris‐♂♂ liegen nicht beliebig urn den ganzen Baum herum, sondern in bestimmten Sektoren. Das ♂ befliegt von unten nach oben Äste, die im Süd‐Ost‐Sektor liegen.

Der Bahnflug beginnt, wenn der angeflogene Sektor am Baum in voller Sonne (oder bei bedecktem Himmel in vollem Licht) liegt. Der Schwarmflug endet, wenn der Schatten in den Flugsektor eintritt, z. B. im August auf gut 2200 m Höhe gegen 13.30 Uhr, so auch bei schönstem Wetter.

Der Schwarmflug der Gartenhummeln ist sehr wetterabhängig. Vom Beginn der Schwarmzeit (Ende Juni) bis zum Ende (September) verschiebt sich schrittweise der Termin für die 1. Duftlegung um etwa 90 Min. gegen Mittag, für das Flugende um etwa 1 Std. Das Anlegen einer gerichteten Duftspirale wird beschrieben.

Entfühlerte hortorum‐♂♂ versuchen ihre Bahnpunkte dauernd mit Duftspuren zu belegen. Aus ihrem alten Schwarmgebiet verpflanzte entfühlerte ♂♂ finden keinen Anschluß mehr an ein im neuen Gebiet vorhandenes Bahnen‐Netz und legen eine kleine Futterplatzbahn an, wie sie solitären Apiden eigentümlich ist.

Das Schwarmverhalten von B. variabilis in alpiner Situation wird beschrieben. Auf die Bedeutung des Flugniveaus wird zum erstenmal aufmerksam gemacht.

Die zu den Gartenhummeln (Hortobombus Vogt 1911) gehörige alpine B. gerstaeckeri M. legt im Gegensatz zu B. hortorum L. Gebüschbahnen an.
Patterns of Maternal Care in Lemurs
Authors: Klopfer P. H. , Dugard J.
Published: November 2023

Lemur fulvus, L. catta, and L. variegatus differ markedly in the details of mother‐infant relations. Do these differences account for those seen in adult life? We hope to determine this through interspecific cross‐fostering. Here we describe the normal pattern of rearing of 5 infants among two groups of 2 and 5 adult L. variegatus, reared in the laboratory. The descriptions cover the first 7 months of life, and include the effects of maternal separation at 150 days of age, when estrus normally disrupts maternal care. The principal finding is that in the mother's absence young turn more to other adults than to their siblings, who are, apparently, not adequate social substitutes for adults.
MIDDLE AMERICAN FOLK SOIL TAXONOMY*
Authors: WILLIAMS BARBARA J. , ORTIZ‐SOLORIO CARLOS A.
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT Middle American folk soil taxonomies exhibit structures similar to those of folk biological taxonomies, but nomenclature patterns are quite unlike those found in other domains. Although many of the properties that differentiate technical soil taxa are recognized also in folk taxonomies, there is a low level of correspondence between technical and folk taxa because of differences in perception of the classificatory unit. To Spanish‐speaking campesinos, soil individuals are two‐ rather than three‐dimensional. Nevertheless, field studies indicate that folk taxa represent scientifically measurable and statistically valid discontinuities in the surface soil.
LAND AND FAMILY IN RURAL IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES
Authors: OSTERGREN ROBERT C.
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT The maintenance of rural immigrant communities in the American Middle West depended upon the transmission of landed wealth within the family. An examination of land transfer practices in seven Swedish communities in Minnesota shows that there was variation in behavior between communities. These differences are related to the social and institutional character of the settlements and to land transfer patterns in migration‐linked districts in Sweden.
THE EMPLOYMENT RELATION AND SPATIAL DIVISION OF LABOR: A HYPOTHESIS*
Authors: CLARK GORDON L.
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT The relationship between labor and capital is one of mutual antagonism and interdependence. Conflict occurs between labor and capital over control of the production process and conditions of employment. However, both classes need one another in order to produce and sustain a livelihood. Spatial decentralization of production and the division of labor can be interpreted as an explicit bargaining strategy of the firm designed to control the power of labor and reinforce the authority of capital. Firms prefer to externalize their labor markets although local conditions, skill requirements, and union power may force internalization and consequently higher costs. Small and relatively depressed local labor markets are favored locations for firms producing standardized commodities. Firms that require specific skills and technical expertise are, on the other hand, more dependent upon the locational preferences of labor. Spatial concentration and agglomeration of production involving both skilled and unskilled workers may not be in the best interests of a firm because of their different labor market strategies related to their preferred employment relations.
R&D Project Selection Models: An Assessment
Authors: BAKER NORMAN R.
Published: November 2023

Abstract— The R&D project selection decision is described as a process by which an intermittent stream of changes are made to lists of currently active and proposed projects. It includes generating alternatives, determining when a decision is required, collecting data, specifying constraints and criteria, and recycling. The decision is viewed as imbedded within a hierarchical, diffuse budgeting and planning process. Process characteristics such as multiple criteria whose relative importance varies over time, inherent uncertainty, and parameter interrelationships result in a highly complex decision problem. The existing normative R&D benefit measurement and project selection literature is assessed and the limitations inherent in the proposed models are determined. A number of research opportunities are identified for both methodological and empirical studies.
Clinical, immunological and microbiological evaluation of experimental peri‐implant mucositis and gingivitis in subjects with Grade C, stage III/IV periodontitis background
Authors: Dutra Tamires Pereira , Freitas Monteiro Mabelle , França‐Grohmann Isabela Lima , Casarin Renato Corrêa Viana , Casati Márcio Zaffalon , Silvério Ruiz Karina Gonzalez , Kumar Purnima S. , Sallum Enílson Antônio
Published: November 2023

Aim

To compare individuals with a periodontitis background (Grade C, stage III/IV—formerly generalized aggressive periodontitis) (H‐GAP) with periodontally healthy subjects (H‐Health) in terms of molecular changes (immunological/microbiological) accompanying experimental peri‐implant mucositis and gingivitis.

Materials and Methods

H‐GAP and control (H‐Health) subjects were recruited, and experimental mucositis/gingivitis was induced around a single screw‐retained implant and one contralateral tooth. Participants refrained from oral hygiene for 21 days in the selected areas, followed by professional prophylaxis and hygiene instructions for 21 days. Clinical parameters, immunological markers (multiplex analysis) and microbial data (16S rRNA gene sequencing) were collected at baseline, during induction (7, 14 and 21 days) and following remission (42 days).

Results

Clinically, no significant differences were observed between the groups (n = 10/each group) (H‐GAP vs. H‐Health) (p > .05, Mann–Whitney test) and the type of site (tooth vs. implant) (p > .05, Wilcoxon test) at the time of onset and resolution, or severity of gingival/mucosal inflammation. H‐GAP displayed lower concentrations of the cytokines interleukin (IL)‐1B, IL‐4, IL‐17, tumor necrosis factor‐α and interferon‐γ around implants than H‐Health at baseline and during induction of mucositis (p < .05, Mann–Whitney test). In both groups, implants showed significantly higher inflammatory background at baseline and all subsequent visits when compared with teeth (p < .05, Wilcoxon test). Alpha and β‐diversity metrics showed a significant shift in the microbiome composition and abundances of core species during induction and resolution of peri‐implant mucositis and gingivitis (p < .05, restricted maximum likelihood method of Shannon and Bray–Curtis indices, respectively). Differences were not significant for these parameters between the H‐Health and H‐GAP groups when the periodontal and peri‐implant microbiomes were compared separately; however, at each time point, the peri‐implant microbiome differed significantly from the periodontal microbiome.

Conclusions

Within the limitations of this pilot study (e.g. low power), it can be concluded that different microbial shifts contribute to the onset and progression of inflammatory responses around teeth and implants and that history of periodontal disease experience plays an additional role in modulating the immune response of peri‐implant and periodontal tissues to biofilm accumulation.
Shedding light on the problem: Proficiency and maintenance practices of light‐curing units among dental assistants
Authors: Ismail Eman H. , Al‐Zain Afnan O. , Alghaith Lamya S. , Alsenan Dana , Ageel Fatin
Published: November 2023

Background

Proper light curing is crucial for the success of restorative dentistry and to bond brackets to teeth, yet the responsibility is often delegated to dental assistants (DAs). This study assessed the proficiency and maintenance protocols of DAs when using light‐curing units (LCUs) in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

Self‐administered questionnaires were distributed to practicing DAs. The questionnaire contained sections on knowledge, adherence to best practices, and how to maintain the LCU. Demographic data were collected as well. Descriptive statistics and linear regressions at a significance level of (p = 0.05) were conducted to identify any relationships that influenced the DAs' LCU knowledge, practice, and maintenance protocols.

Results

Among the surveyed DAs, 66% were responsible for using the LCU during treatment, 16% used their fingers for support when light curing, 50% held the LCU tip 1–2 mm from the restoration during curing, and 51% did not have a specific maintenance protocol at their workplace. 70% did not know the output from the LCU, and their educational background correlated with knowledge (b = −14.42, p < 0.001). The type of institution type correlated with adherence to best practices (b = −13.65, p = 0.011), and level of knowledge and adherence to maintenance protocols showed a direct correlation (b = 0.002, p = 0.041).

Conclusions

The findings revealed that a significant percentage of the DAs who replied had insufficient knowledge and did not follow the best practices and maintenance protocols for the LCUs they were using. Their educational background and workplace factors influenced this knowledge gap, while the absence of a maintenance protocol and suboptimal practices were associated with the type of institution.

Clinical Significance

To maintain the best practice, clinicians and institutions should improve the education and training of DAs. Otherwise, inadequate light curing by the DAs may jeopardize the long‐term success of many dental procedures.
Rhabdamoeba marina is a heterotrophic relative of chlorarachnid algae
Authors: Shiratori Takashi , Ishida Ken‐ichiro
Published: November 2023

Rhabdamoeba marina is a unique and poorly reported amoeba with an uncertain phylogenetic position. We successfully cultured R. marina from coastal seawater in Japan and performed a molecular phylogenetic analysis using the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequence. Our phylogenetic analysis showed that R. marina branched as a basal lineage of Chlorarachnea, a group of marine photosynthetic algae belonging to the phylum Cercozoa within the supergroup Rhizaria. By comparing the ecological and morphological characteristics of R. marina with those of photosynthetic chlorarachneans and other cercozoans, we gained insight into the evolution and acquisition of plastids in Chlorarachnida.
Biological information on a rare pelagic fish, black ruff Centrolophus niger, caught in Icelandic waters: Distribution, feeding, and otoliths
Authors: Kennedy James , Ólafsdóttir Anna Heiða , Aradóttir Svandís Eva , Egilsdóttir Svanhildur , Pampoulie Christophe
Published: November 2023

Black ruff (Centrolophus niger) is a rare and poorly studied species found in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and also in the Mediterranean Sea. It is sporadically caught south of Iceland during the annual International Ecosystem Summer Survey of the Nordic Seas. In total, 43 specimens were caught from 2009 to 2021, of which 41 specimens were caught during 2017–2021. All specimens, except one, were caught using a pelagic trawl (cod‐end mesh‐size: 50 mm) close to the surface (trawl depth: 0–35 m) with in situ temperature ranging from 9 to 13°C. The area south of Iceland is characterized by having warmer temperatures than other areas around the island, which might be indicative of a northern limit for the distribution of black ruff. The fish were primarily in the range of 29–46 cm with a few larger individuals up to 71 cm. Fourteen fish, caught in 2017 and 2021, were dissected to gather biological information on this species. These fish were all juveniles with no obvious sign of gonad development. Correlations between total length, fork length, and standard length are presented. Otoliths were thin and delicate with a length of ~13–16 mm, and otolith size (length, width, and area) was correlated with fish size. Much of the stomach content was at an advanced stage of digestion, but some contents could be identified and consisted of invertebrates, primarily of the orders Amphipoda and Calanoida with some unidentified fish also present.
Scaling of fast‐start performance and its thermal dependence in mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus
Authors: Collar David C. , Hobbs Trevor J. , Thompson Jessica S.
Published: November 2023

Fast‐start predator‐escape performance and its sensitivity to temperature (24, 30, and 36°C) were evaluated in mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus across a range of body sizes spanning YOY to adult (35–68 mm standard length). Mummichogs exhibit isometry of body dimensions and areas of the dorsal and anal fins but negative allometry of the caudal fin area. These scaling relationships are consistent with observed decreases in fast‐start angular velocities with increasing body size. Linear velocity, on the contrary, does not vary with size, and both large and small mummichogs are capable of traversing similar distances in a given amount of time. In addition, temperature influences fast‐start performance in similar ways over the size range, though the magnitude of the effect varies with size for some performance measures. In general, fast‐start performance increases with test temperature, but mummichogs acclimated to warmer temperatures exhibit lower performance at each test temperature. Altogether, our results suggest that mummichogs across the adult size range may suffer decreases in their predator‐escape performance as increasing sea temperatures combine with short‐term temperature fluctuations in the estuaries these fish occupy.
Proving the Geriatrician's worth
Authors: Reuben David B.
Published: November 2023

This Editorial comments on the article by Vandergrift et al in this issue.
Feasibility and relevance of an immersive virtual reality cancellation task assessing far space in unilateral spatial neglect
Authors: Guilbert A. , Bara T.‐G. , Bouchara T. , Gaffard M. , Bourlon C.
Published: November 2023

Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) is a highly prevalent neuropsychological syndrome. However, its assessment in clinical practice, mainly based on paper‐and‐pencil tests, encounters limits as only near space, called peripersonal, is assessed. However, USN is a multicomponent syndrome that can also affect far space, called extrapersonal. This space is not assessed in current clinical assessment although it can be more impacted than peripersonal space. Immersive virtual reality (VR) allows developing tasks in far space to assess this heterogeneity. This study aimed to test the feasibility and the relevance of an immersive VR task to assess far space. A cancellation task, the Bells test, was used in its original paper‐and‐pencil version and was also adapted into a far immersive VR version. Ten patients with left USN and sixteen age‐matched healthy participants were included. A single‐case method was performed to investigate the performance of each patient. Although five patients showed very similar results between both versions, the five others exhibited a dissociation with a more severe impairment in the VR version. Three of these five patients significantly differed from the healthy participants only on the VR version. As USN in far space is not brought to light by paper‐and‐pencil tests, immersive VR appears as a promising tool to detect USN affecting this space.
11β‐Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and the brain: Not (yet) lost in translation
Authors: Seckl Jonathan
Published: November 2023

11‐beta‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (11β‐HSDs) catalyse the conversion of active 11‐hydroxy glucocorticoids (cortisol, corticosterone) and their inert 11‐keto forms (cortisone, 11‐dehydrocorticosterone). They were first reported in the body and brain 70 years ago, but only recently have they become of interest. 11β‐HSD2 is a dehydrogenase, potently inactivating glucocorticoids. In the kidney, 11β‐HSD2 generates the aldosterone‐specificity of intrinsically non‐selective mineralocorticoid receptors. 11β‐HSD2 also protects the developing foetal brain and body from premature glucocorticoid exposure, which otherwise engenders the programming of neuropsychiatric and cardio‐metabolic disease risks. In the adult CNS, 11β‐HSD2 is confined to a part of the brain stem where it generates aldosterone‐specific central control of salt appetite and perhaps blood pressure. 11β‐HSD1 is a reductase, amplifying active glucocorticoid levels within brain cells, notably in the cortex, hippocampus and amygdala, paralleling its metabolic functions in peripheral tissues. 11β‐HSD1 is elevated in the ageing rodent and, less certainly, human forebrain. Transgenic models show this rise contributes to age‐related cognitive decline, at least in mice. 11β‐HSD1 inhibition robustly improves memory in healthy and pathological ageing rodent models and is showing initial promising results in phase II studies of healthy elderly people. Larger trials are needed to confirm and clarify the magnitude of effect and define target populations. The next decade will be crucial in determining how this tale ends – in new treatments or disappointment.
Asymmetry of thalamic hypometabolism on FDG‐PET/CT in neurofibromatosis type 1: Association with peripheral tumor burden
Authors: Özden Cansu , Mautner Victor‐Felix , Farschtschi Said , Molwitz Isabel , Ristow Inka , Bannas Peter , Well Lennart , Klutmann Susanne , Adam Gerhard , Apostolova Ivayla , Buchert Ralph
Published: November 2023

Background and Purpose

Thalamic hypometabolism is a consistent finding in brain PET with F‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). However, the pathophysiology of this metabolic alteration is unknown. We hypothesized that it might be secondary to disturbance of peripheral input to the thalamus by NF1‐characteristic peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs). To test this hypothesis, we investigated the relationship between thalamic FDG uptake and the number, volume, and localization of PNSTs.

Methods

This retrospective study included 22 adult NF1 patients (41% women, 36.2 ± 13.0 years) referred to whole‐body FDG‐PET/contrast‐enhanced CT for suspected malignant transformation of PNSTs and 22 sex‐ and age‐matched controls. Brain FDG uptake was scaled voxelwise to the individual median uptake in cerebellar gray matter. Bilateral mean and left‐right asymmetry of thalamic FDG uptake were determined using a left‐right symmetric anatomical thalamus mask. PNSTs were manually segmented in contrast‐enhanced CT.

Results

Thalamic FDG uptake was reduced in NF1 patients by 2.0 standard deviations (p < .0005) compared to controls. Left‐right asymmetry was increased by 1.3 standard deviations (p = .013). Thalamic hypometabolism was higher in NF1 patients with ≥3 PNSTs than in patients with ≤2 PNSTs (2.6 vs. 1.6 standard deviations, p = .032). The impact of the occurrence of paraspinal/paravertebral PNSTs and of the mean PNST volume on thalamic FDG uptake did not reach statistical significance (p = .098 and p = .189). Left‐right asymmetry of thalamic FDG uptake was not associated with left‐right asymmetry of PNST burden (p = .658).

Conclusions

This study provides first evidence of left‐right asymmetry of thalamic hypometabolism in NF1 and that it might be mediated by NF1‐associated peripheral tumors.
Do voxel size and filter application on CBCT images improve the diagnosis of condylar morphological alterations? An ex vivo study
Authors: de Oliveira Reis Larissa , Santos‐Corvini João Pedro Antunes , Gaêta‐Araujo Hugo , Sampaio‐Oliveira Matheus , Oliveira Matheus L. , Freitas Deborah Queiroz
Published: November 2023

Background

There is no established protocol for the low doses of cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) acquisition and filter application on the diagnosis of condylar morphological alterations.

Objectives

The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of voxel size and filter application on the diagnosis of condylar morphological alterations in CBCT using an ex vivo model.

Methods

CBCT scans of 36 temporomandibular joints were acquired using OP300 Maxio with voxel sizes of 0.085, 0.125 and 0.280 mm. Three radiologists evaluated the condyles in the CBCT volumes under three filter modes: no filter, ‘1x’ sharpen filter and ‘2x’ sharpen filter. The area under the ROC curve, sensitivity and specificity were calculated by comparing the evaluators' responses with the reference standard and compared among experimental groups using analysis of variance (ANOVA) (α = 5%).

Results

The area under the ROC curve, sensitivity and specificity were not affected by voxel size and filter application (p > .05). For osteophyte and flattening, there were more true‐positive responses in smaller voxel size. For erosion, the increase of true‐ and false‐positive responses occurred with a larger voxel size. Overall, there was a tendency to decrease true positives for osteophyte and erosion and increase false positives for flattening with the ‘2x’ sharpen filter.

Conclusions

The diagnosis of condylar morphological alterations assessed in this ex vivo analysis is not influenced by the voxel size and the application of the filters. However, attention is needed with the occurrence of false‐positive diagnosis with a larger voxel size for erosion and ‘2x’ sharpen filter for flattening.
Distinct patterns of inheritance shape life‐history traits in steelhead trout
Authors: Beulke Anne K. , Abadía‐Cardoso Alicia , Pearse Devon E. , Goetz Laura C. , Thompson Neil F. , Anderson Eric C. , Garza John Carlos
Published: November 2023

Life‐history variation is the raw material of adaptation, and understanding its genetic and environmental underpinnings is key to designing effective conservation strategies. We used large‐scale genetic pedigree reconstruction of anadromous steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from the Russian River, CA, USA, to elucidate sex‐specific patterns of life‐history traits and their heritability. SNP data from adults returning from sea over a 14‐year period were used to identify 13,474 parent–offspring trios. These pedigrees were used to determine age structure, size distributions and family sizes for these fish, as well as to estimate the heritability of two key life‐history traits, spawn date and age at maturity (first reproduction). Spawn date was highly heritable (h2 = 0.73) and had a cross‐sex genetic correlation near unity. We provide the first estimate of heritability for age at maturity in ocean‐going fish from this species and found it to be highly heritable (h2 from 0.29 to 0.62, depending on sex and method), with a much lower genetic correlation across sexes. We also evaluated genotypes at a migration‐associated inversion polymorphism and found sex‐specific correlations with age at maturity. The significant heritability of these two key reproductive traits in these imperiled fish, and their patterns of inheritance in the two sexes, is consistent with predictions of both natural and sexually antagonistic selection (sexes experience opposing selection pressures). This emphasizes the importance of anthropogenic factors, including hatchery practices and ecosystem modifications, in shaping the fitness of this species, thus providing important guidance for management and conservation efforts.
Social overhead public infrastructure in a Lewis development framework
Authors: Fernandes Carlândia Brito Santos , de Oliveira Guilherme
Published: November 2023

This study explores the interaction between private and public physical capital accumulation within a Lewis development framework, in which public infrastructure is subject to congestion. The model shows that when both levels of capital are relatively low, a crowding‐out of private investment creates the necessary conditions for the emergence of a development trap, from which a surplus labor economy, if left to the free play of its structural forces, may never escape. Once caught in such a trap, the economy can potentially be released through a big push of public or private capital or a sufficiently balanced combination of both.
Long duration of atrial high‐rate episode is more favorable in predicting ischemic stroke than high CHA2DS2‐VASc score
Authors: Ding Xue‐Fang , Ding Wan‐Xuan , Chen Ying , Dai Bai‐ling , Zhao Yan‐Ni , Duo‐Duo Zhang , Yang Yi‐Heng , Gao Lian‐Jun , Xia Yun‐Long , Dong Ying‐Xue
Published: November 2023

Objective

This study aimed to explore the roles of duration and burden of atrial high‐rate episode (AHRE) on ischemic stroke in patients with pacemaker implantation.

Methods

Patients with pacemaker implantation for bradycardia from 2013 to 2017 were consecutively enrolled. Data such as gender, age, combined diseases, type of AF, left atrial size, left ventricular size, left ventricular ejection fraction, CHA2DS2‐VASc score, and anticoagulants were collected. The burden and duration of AHRE based on different interval partition were also recorded in detail to evaluate the impacts on ischemic stroke. Cox regression analysis with time‐dependent covariates was conducted.

Results

A total of 220 patients with AHRE were enrolled. The average follow‐up time was 48.42 ± 17.20 months. Univariate regression analysis showed that diabetes (p = .024), high CHA2DS2‐VASc score (≥ 2) (p = .021), long mean AHRE burden (p = .011), long maximal AHRE burden (p = .015), long AHRE duration lasting≥48 h (p = .001) or 24 h (p = .001) or 12 h (p = .005) were prone to ischemic stroke. Further multivariate regression analysis showed that long duration of AHRE (≥48 h) (HR 10.77; 95% CI 3.22–55.12; p = .030) were significantly correlated with stroke in patients with paroxysmal AF. There was no significant correlation between the type of AF and stroke (p = .927).

Conclusion

The longer duration of AHRE (≥48 h) was more favorable in predicting ischemic stroke than high CHA2DS2‐VASc score (≥2).
Pulsed field ablation for atrial fibrillation – Lessons from magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Fink Thomas , Sciacca Vanessa , Neven Kars , Didenko Maxim , Sommer Philipp , Sohns Christian
Published: November 2023

Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a promising technology for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). Due to its unique tissue selectivity, PFA potentially bears superior characteristics as compared to established thermal energy sources in AF ablation procedures. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) is an established tool in the analysis of myocardial fibrosis representing atrial cardiomyopathy as well as ablation‐induced atrial scar formation following catheter ablation with thermal energy. Mechanisms of atrial lesion formation differ between thermal ablation and electroporation and its impact on results of CMR imaging are not fully understood until now. In this review article, the potential of CMR imaging for PFA lesion assessment and available data are discussed. Further, additional needs to adopt imaging approaches to the cellular mechanisms of electroporation are considered.
Just between us…: The role of sharing and receiving secrets in friendship across time
Authors: Bedrov Alisa , Gable Shelly L.
Published: November 2023

Secrets are prominent in close relationships. Most research has examined people's general tendencies to share secrets or single instances of secret‐keeping or secret‐sharing. These methods limit what we know about how keeping and sharing secrets across time in established close relationships is associated with important relationship characteristics. This research focused on the role that secret exchanges play in how people assess relational closeness and social utility (i.e., being a valuable social connection) in friendships. Across 10 weeks, participants (N = 126) reported bi‐weekly on sharing and receiving personal and secondhand secrets (i.e., third‐party secrets) with three friends. We found that sharing and receiving more personal secrets were robustly associated with higher closeness and social utility. The findings on secondhand secret‐sharing were more complex, suggesting that receiving secondhand secrets from friends and sharing secondhand secrets with friends were differentially associated with closeness and social utility when comparing short‐term versus cumulative effects. Results are discussed in terms of how secret‐sharing behaviors are dynamically associated with close relationship qualities.
Influence of biotic and abiotic factors on the virulence of Puccinia triticina population in southern Russia
Authors: Kudinova Olga , Agapova Valeria , Vaganova Olga , Volkova Galina , Kosman Evsey
Published: November 2023

Wheat leaf rust, caused by Puccinia triticina, is reported annually in southern Russia, the main wheat production region in Russia. The effect of biotic (types of cultivar resistance) and abiotic (northern, central and southern agro‐ecological zones) factors on virulence variability of the pathogen was analysed with 43 Lr differentials. Virulence frequencies to Lr genes 1, 2c, 3, 3bg, 11, 14a, 14b, 16, 17, 18, 23, 25, 26, 33, 34, 40 and Kanr exceeded 50% in all populations. A total of 81 virulence phenotypes (based on the standard set of 20 differentials) were identified among 108 isolates. The most common phenotypes were PHSTQ, THTTR, PHTTR and TKTTR. The minimum genetic distance (the highest similarity) was established between the P. triticina populations from susceptible cv. Krasnodarskaya 99 and cv. Brigada with race‐specific resistance. P. triticina populations from the susceptible cultivar in the three agro‐ecological zones were less variable and more similar than the cultivar‐specific and natural pathogen populations. Resistance types of host cultivars seem to have a greater effect on the pathogen population than abiotic factors. Nevertheless, abiotic factors need to be considered when making decisions about deployment of wheat varieties. Our results support the paradigm of a shift in the population of an obligate parasite towards increased virulence in response to the selection pressure of cultivars with race‐specific resistance.
Can patentee preference in patent infringement dispute resolution impact innovation?
Authors: Ma Biyu , Yu Dingming
Published: November 2023

Evaluating the impact of intellectual property protection on innovation should include multiple perspectives, of which the impact of patent infringement remedies is an indispensable perspective. The two options for resolving patent infringement disputes in China include civil litigation (CL) and administrative adjudication (AA). Despite the fact that the judicial system has been emphasized as playing the leading role in intellectual property protection, patentees have shown a strong preference for AA since 2015. The general application of AA had been criticized by scholars. Does the patentee's preference bring inappropriate protection and stifled innovation? This study used regression models and 2008–2020 data on the choice of patent dispute resolution mode in China. The number of invention patent applications was the dependent variable, and choices for CL or AA were the independent variables. The choice of AA and the invention patent application were found to have a significant and positive association, implying that AA provides an appropriate level of intellectual property protection to incentivize innovation. Characteristics derived from AA should be valued and used as a reference to improve innovation policies.
Revenue losses from corporate tax avoidance: Estimations from the UNUWIDER Government Revenue Dataset
Authors: Chiari Alessandro
Published: November 2023

Corporate profit shifting to tax havens negatively impacts corporate tax revenue, particularly in low‐income countries. Two studies published in 2016 and 2018 have proven this correlation using data from 2013. In this paper, I use the 2021 version of the UNU‐WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (GRD) to estimate government revenue losses in 2019 and to observe possible changes associated with the release of the new dataset. My estimations indicate that global tax revenue losses in 2019 are around USD 480 billion if estimated using statutory tax rates, compared to USD 500 billion in 2013. The volume of tax revenue losses in 2019 increases to USD 600 billion if estimated using effective tax rates. In terms of GDP percentage, my estimations confirm the presence of a higher share of losses in low‐income, and more generally, in non‐OECD countries, and they show a higher intensity of tax avoidance practices in those countries. The results also suggest that the total level of tax revenue losses has plateaued, with no increase in losses occurring since 2013 if estimated using statutory tax rates, while an increasing trend is visible for estimates using effective tax rates, although not with the same magnitudes with respect to others recent studies.
Effect of Lumenato a Tomato derived oral supplement on improving skin barrier strength
Authors: Tarshish Elizabeth , Hermoni Karin , Muizzuddin Neelam
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Improvement of skin barrier strength could lead to healthy and youthful appearance. “Beauty inside‐out” approach using nutraceuticals such as tomato derived carotenoids to support skin barrier strength could be of benefit to the ageing population.

Method

A panel of 60 female subjects were provided with the Lumenato capsules (containing carotenoids) or placebo capsules as nutritional supplements for 3 months. Skin health and barrier function were observed using evaporimeter which measures trans epidermal water loss (TEWL). Barrier strength was determined by study of the number of strippings required to disrupt skin barrier and barrier repair was observed in terms of TEWL a few hours after barrier disruption. Cutometer was used to observe skin firmness and elasticity. Measurements were obtained before treatment and after 4 and 12 weeks of use.

Results

Results indicated a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.05) in skin barrier strength; a higher number of strippings were required to disrupt skin barrier after 12 weeks of supplement use. There was also a significant improvement in skin firmness and elasticity as observed with a cutometer.

Conclusion

Based on the confines and conditions of this study, oral supplementation with Lumenato resulted in significant improvement in skin barrier as well as skin firmness and elasticity.