bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subtypes of delirium after ischaemic stroke—predisposing factors and outcomes: a prospective observational study (PROPOLIS)
Authors: Czyzycki Mateusz , Klimiec‐Moskal Elzbieta , Chrobak Adrian A. , Pera Joanna , Slowik Agnieszka , Dziedzic Tomasz
Published: October 2021

Background and purpose

Delirium is a serious complication after stroke. It remains unclear whether different motor subtypes of delirium are associated with diverse risk factors and outcomes. The aim was to investigate if delirium subtypes differ in predisposing factors, clinical characteristics and outcomes.

Methods

In all, 698 patients with ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (median age 73 years; 53.7% female) were prospectively included. Core features of delirium during the first 7 days after admission were examined. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM‐5) criteria for delirium were used. Pre‐stroke characteristics were compared between different delirium subtypes and logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models were used to explore the association between delirium, functional outcome and death.

Results

Hyperactive, hypoactive and mixed delirium were diagnosed in 28, 75 and 66 patients, respectively. Patients with hyperactive delirium had less severe neurological deficit on admission and more often had transient ischaemic attack compared with patients with hypoactive and mixed delirium. Compared with patients with hypoactive delirium, those with hyperactive delirium more often suffered from irritability/lability prior to stroke. Hyperactive and hypoactive delirium did not differ in age, sex, comorbidities, pre‐stroke dependency, cognitive decline and severity of delirium. Hyperactive, hypoactive and mixed delirium were associated with an increased risk of poor 3‐ and 12‐month functional outcome compared with patients without delirium. Moreover, patients with hypoactive and mixed delirium had an elevated risk of death.

Conclusions

Hyperactive delirium is associated with less severe stroke and higher scores of pre‐existing irritability/lability. All three motor subtypes of delirium are associated with poor outcome, although hyperactive delirium seems to have a less unfavourable prognosis.
Flies getting filthy: The precopulatory mating behaviours of three mud‐dwelling species of Australian Lispe (Diptera: Muscidae)
Authors: Butterworth Nathan J. , Wallman James F.
Published: October 2021

Lispe (Diptera: Muscidae) is a cosmopolitan genus of predatory flies that inhabit the muddy and sandy surrounds of water bodies. There are more than 163 described species worldwide, many of which are known to exhibit cursorial courtship displays which involve complex visual and vibratory signals. Despite the widespread distribution of these flies and their remarkable courtship displays, the biology and behaviour of most species are entirely unknown. Here, for the first time, we describe the precopulatory mating behaviours of three widespread and common Australian species: Lispe sydneyensis, Lispe albimaculata and Lispe xenochaeta. We demonstrate that all three species exhibit entirely unique courtship displays, consisting of complex behavioural repertoires. Importantly, we highlight intra‐sexual competition in L. sydneyensis, where males engage in competitive dances and combat. We also report female–male aggression in L. albimaculata and L. xenochaeta where females charge and display towards males. These novel mating systems provide unique opportunities to test ecological and evolutionary hypotheses.
Genotype‐by‐environment interactions drive the maintenance of genetic variation in a Salmo trutta L. hybrid zone
Authors: Folio Dorinda Marie , Gil Jordi , Caudron Arnaud , Labonne Jacques
Published: October 2021

Allopatric gene pools can evolve in different directions through adaptive and nonadaptive processes and are therefore a source of intraspecific diversity. The connection of these previously isolated gene pools through human intervention can lead to intraspecific diversity loss, through extirpation of native populations or hybridization. However, the mechanisms leading to these situations are not always explicitly documented and are thus rarely used to manage intraspecific diversity. In particular, genotype‐by‐environment (GxE) interactions can drive postzygotic reproductive isolation mechanisms that may result in a mosaic of diversity patterns, depending on the local environment. We test this hypothesis using a salmonid species (Salmo trutta) in the Mediterranean (MED) area, where intensive stocking from non‐native Atlantic (ATL) origins has led to various outcomes of hybridization with the native MED lineage, going from MED resilience to total extirpation via full hybridization. We investigate patterns of offspring survival at egg stage in natural environments, based on parental genotypes in interaction with river temperature, to detect potential GxE interactions. Our results show a strong influence of maternal GxE interaction on embryonic survival, mediated by maternal effect through egg size, and a weak influence of paternal GxE interaction. In particular, when egg size is large and temperature is cold, the survival rate of offspring originating from MED females is three times higher than that of ATL females’ offspring. Because river temperatures show contrast at small scale, this cold adaptation for MED females’ offspring constitutes a potent postzygotic mechanism to explain small‐scale spatial heterogeneity in diversity observed in MED areas where ATL fish have been stocked. It also indicates that management efforts could be specifically targeted at the environments that actively favor native intraspecific diversity through eco‐evolutionary processes such as postzygotic selection.
When to branch: seasonal control of shoot architecture in trees
Authors: Singh Rajesh Kumar , Bhalerao Rishikesh P. , Maurya Jay P.
Published: October 2021

Long‐lived perennial plants optimize their shoot architecture by responding to seasonal cues. The main strategy used by plants of temperate and boreal regions with respect to surviving the extremely unfavourable conditions of winter comprises the protection of their apical and lateral meristematic tissues. This involves myriads of transcriptional, translational and metabolic changes in the plants because shoot architecture is controlled by multiple pathways that regulate processes such as bud formation and flowering, small RNAs, environmental factors (especially light quality, photoperiod and temperature), hormones, and sugars. Recent studies have begun to reveal how these pathways are recruited for the seasonal adaptation and regulation of shoot architecture in perennial plants, including the role of a regulatory module consisting of antagonistic players terminal flower 1 (TFL1) and like‐ap1 (LAP1) in the hybrid aspen. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of the genetic control of shoot architecture in perennials compared to in annuals.
Cellular senescence as a source of SARS‐CoV‐2 quasispecies
Authors: Karakasiliotis Ioannis , Lagopati Nefeli , Evangelou Konstantinos , Gorgoulis Vassilis G.
Published: October 2021

In‐depth analysis of SARS‐CoV‐2 biology and pathogenesis is rapidly unraveling the mechanisms through which the virus induces all aspects of COVID‐19 pathology. Emergence of hundreds of variants and several important variants of concern has focused research on the mechanistic elucidation of virus mutagenesis. RNA viruses evolve quickly either through the error‐prone polymerase or the RNA‐editing machinery of the cell. In this review, we are discussing the links between cellular senescence, a natural aging process that has been recently linked to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, and virus mutagenesis through the RNA‐editing enzymes APOBEC. The action of APOBEC, enhanced by cellular senescence, is hypothesized to assist the emergence of novel variants, called quasispecies, within a cell or organism. These variants when introduced to the community may lead to the generation of a variant of concern, depending on fitness and transmissibility of the new genome. Such a mechanism of virus evolution may highlight the importance of inhibitors of cellular senescence during SARS‐CoV‐2 clinical treatment.
Cellular senescence in the tumor microenvironment and context‐specific cancer treatment strategies
Authors: Yasuda Tadahito , Baba Hideo , Ishimoto Takatsugu
Published: October 2021

Cellular senescence in cancer development is known to have tumor‐suppressive and tumor‐promoting roles. Recent studies have revealed numerous molecular mechanisms of senescence followed by senescence‐associated secretory phenotype induction and showed the significance of senescence on both sides. Cellular senescence in stromal cells is one of the reasons for therapeutic resistance in advanced cancer; thus, it is an inevitable phenomenon to address while seeking an effective cancer treatment strategy. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms regarding cellular senescence, focusing on the dual roles played by senescence, and offers some direction toward successful treatments targeting harmful senescent cells.
Arctic freshwater biodiversity: Establishing baselines, trends, and drivers of ecological change
Authors: Culp Joseph M. , Goedkoop Willem , Christensen Tom , Christoffersen Kirsten S. , Fefilova Elena , Liljaniemi Petri , Novichkova Anna A. , Ólafsson Jón S. , Sandøy Steinar , Zimmerman Christian E. , Lento Jennifer
Published: October 2021

Climate change is predicted to have dramatic effects on Arctic freshwater ecosystems through changes to the abiotic template that are expected to influence biodiversity. Changes are already ongoing in Arctic systems, but there is a lack of coordinated monitoring of Arctic freshwaters that hinders our ability to assess changes in biodiversity.

To address the need for coordinated monitoring on a circumpolar scale, the Arctic Council working group, Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna, established the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program, which is an adaptive monitoring program for the Arctic centred around four ecosystem themes (i.e., Freshwater, Terrestrial, Coastal, Marine). The freshwater theme developed a monitoring plan for Arctic freshwater biodiversity and recently completed the first assessment of status and trends in Arctic freshwater biodiversity.

Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program–Freshwater has compiled and analysed a database of Arctic freshwater monitoring data to form the first report of the state of circumpolar Arctic freshwater biodiversity. This special issue presents the scientific analyses that underlie the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program–Freshwater report and provides analyses of spatial and temporal diversity patterns and the multiple‐stressor scenarios that act on the biological assemblages and biogeochemistry of Arctic lakes and rivers.

This special issue includes regional patterns for selected groups of organisms in Arctic rivers and lakes of northern Europe, Russia, and North America. Circumpolar assessments for benthic diatoms, macrophytes, plankton, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish demonstrate how climate change and associated environmental drivers affect freshwater biodiversity. Also included are papers on spatial and temporal trends in water chemistry across the circumpolar region, and a systematic review of documented Indigenous Knowledge that demonstrates its potential to support assessment and conservation of Arctic freshwaters.

This special issue includes the first circumpolar assessment of trends in Arctic freshwater biodiversity and provides important baseline information for future assessments and studies. It represents the largest compilation and assessment of Arctic freshwater biodiversity data to date and strives to provide a holistic view of ongoing change in these ecosystems to support future monitoring efforts. By identifying gaps in monitoring data across the circumpolar region, as well as identifying best practices for monitoring and assessment, this special issue presents an important resource for researchers, policy makers, and Indigenous and local communities that can support future assessments of ecosystem change.
Land‐based measures to mitigate climate change: Potential and feasibility by country
Authors: Roe Stephanie , Streck Charlotte , Beach Robert , Busch Jonah , Chapman Melissa , Daioglou Vassilis , Deppermann Andre , Doelman Jonathan , Emmet‐Booth Jeremy , Engelmann Jens , Fricko Oliver , Frischmann Chad , Funk Jason , Grassi Giacomo , Griscom Bronson , Havlik Petr , Hanssen Steef , Humpenöder Florian , Landholm David , Lomax Guy , Lehmann Johannes , Mesnildrey Leah , Nabuurs Gert‐Jan , Popp Alexander , Rivard Charlotte , Sanderman Jonathan , Sohngen Brent , Smith Pete , Stehfest Elke , Woolf Dominic , Lawrence Deborah
Published: October 2021

Land‐based climate mitigation measures have gained significant attention and importance in public and private sector climate policies. Building on previous studies, we refine and update the mitigation potentials for 20 land‐based measures in >200 countries and five regions, comparing “bottom‐up” sectoral estimates with integrated assessment models (IAMs). We also assess implementation feasibility at the country level. Cost‐effective (available up to $100/tCO2eq) land‐based mitigation is 8–13.8 GtCO2eq yr−1between 2020 and 2050, with the bottom end of this range representing the IAM median and the upper end representing the sectoral estimate. The cost‐effective sectoral estimate is about 40% of available technical potential and is in line with achieving a 1.5°C pathway in 2050. Compared to technical potentials, cost‐effective estimates represent a more realistic and actionable target for policy. The cost‐effective potential is approximately 50% from forests and other ecosystems, 35% from agriculture, and 15% from demand‐side measures. The potential varies sixfold across the five regions assessed (0.75–4.8 GtCO2eq yr−1) and the top 15 countries account for about 60% of the global potential. Protection of forests and other ecosystems and demand‐side measures present particularly high mitigation efficiency, high provision of co‐benefits, and relatively lower costs. The feasibility assessment suggests that governance, economic investment, and socio‐cultural conditions influence the likelihood that land‐based mitigation potentials are realized. A substantial portion of potential (80%) is in developing countries and LDCs, where feasibility barriers are of greatest concern. Assisting countries to overcome barriers may result in significant quantities of near‐term, low‐cost mitigation while locally achieving important climate adaptation and development benefits. Opportunities among countries vary widely depending on types of land‐based measures available, their potential co‐benefits and risks, and their feasibility. Enhanced investments and country‐specific plans that accommodate this complexity are urgently needed to realize the large global potential from improved land stewardship.
A roadmap for future research on insularity effects on plant–herbivore interactions
Authors: Moreira Xoaquín , Abdala‐Roberts Luis
Published: October 2021

State of the art

Theory predicts that herbivore pressure should be weaker on islands than on the mainland, owing to lower herbivore abundance and diversity because of dispersal constraints and environmental filtering. As a result, plants on islands should invest less in defences against herbivory. Although early empirical studies supported these predictions, recent systematic island–mainland comparisons have questioned this paradigm, with some studies reporting either no difference between islands and mainland or higher herbivory and plant defences on islands. Current data therefore appear to be unsupportive of predictions on insularity effects on plant–herbivore interactions, calling for more research to reassess predictions and to test underlying mechanisms for observed patterns.

Research opportunities

To meet this challenge, a renewed research programme based on the accrual of studies with specific features is needed. These should include more robust experimental designs with replication within and across systems, integrative and more nuanced assessments of plant defensive phenotypes and herbivory, a food web approach that considers the multi‐trophic context in which plant–herbivore interactions are embedded, and a consideration of historical factors (e.g., island origin and biogeographical factors, defensive anachronisms).

Outlook

This new research programme will require integration of evolutionary ecology research on plant–herbivore interactions with island biogeography, palaeoecology and community ecology to understand the influence of factors acting at different scales, from local factors driving herbivory and plant defences to historical processes and regional drivers of species composition determining species traits and their interactions.
Association of dietary protein intake with skeletal muscle mass in older adults: A systematic review
Authors: Yaegashi Akinori , Kimura Takashi , Hirata Takumi , Tamakoshi Akiko
Published: October 2021

Protein supplementation has been shown to be effective in attenuating the loss of lean body mass and muscle mass in older adults; however, its benefits as dietary protein remain unclear. This systematic review of observational studies aimed to investigate the association of dietary protein intake with skeletal muscle mass (SM). Observational studies that investigated the association of dietary protein intake with SM in older adults were retrieved from MEDLINE, Web of Science and Cochrane‐CENTRAL databases. Of the 26 analyses in the 17 studies, 18 showed a significant positive association. In cohort studies, 55.6% (five of nine analyses) showed a significant positive association. Of these, four analyses were adjusted for well‐known confounding factors, used energy‐adjusted protein intake, and used the amount of change of SM between baseline and follow‐up as the outcome, with two of them showing a significant positive association. Although 69.2% (18 of 26 analyses) of the 17 studies showed a significant positive association between dietary protein intake and SM in older adults, most studies were cross‐sectional and had at least one important methodological limitation. Therefore, we could not draw any conclusions. Thus, well‐designed cohort studies are needed in future to identify the association between dietary protein intake and SM in older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 1077–1083.
A qualitative study of the impact of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) on psychological and financial wellbeing and engagement in care among men who have sex with men living with HIV in Thailand
Authors: Nitpolprasert Chattiya , Anand Tarandeep , Phanuphak Nittaya , Reiss Peter , Ananworanich Jintanat , Peay Holly Landrum
Published: October 2021

Objectives

The coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic is an unprecedented event with massive global health and socio‐economic impacts on vulnerable populations, especially people living with HIV. The epidemic has severely affected Thailand’s economy and potentially impacted the financial and psychological wellbeing of Thai HIV‐positive men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods

Between 15 June and 10 December 2020, we conducted qualitative interviews with 26 MSM living with HIV in Thailand who participate in an Adam’s Love We Care Study. We intentionally recruited individuals who may have experienced a greater impact of COVID‐19. Interviews explored worry, stigma and stress surrounding COVID‐19, and multiple domains of potential COVID‐19 impact: financial/employment, HIV service delivery and antiretroviral (ART) adherence during the first 10 months of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Results

Participants perceived themselves as immunocompromised and susceptible, and feared contracting COVID‐19. Participants worried that contracting COVID‐19 would lead to HIV status disclosure and stigmatization. Participants had considerable worry about job loss as a result of the economic downturn, and some shared challenges associated with relocation and re‐engaging with HIV care. Financial stress and lack of basic necessities caused by job losses were commonly reported. Participants reported optimal ART adherence as a consequence of local HIV service delivery responses, convenient ART refills and Adam’s Love online support interventions.

Conclusions

Our study highlights that the COVID‐19 pandemic produced high levels of anxiety and concerns about additional stigma among MSM living with HIV. It had a significant negative effect on the daily lives of our participants. These findings indicate a need for the provision of confidential COVID‐19 diagnosis and care, relief programmes, vaccination roll‐out equity, and addressing employment needs of vulnerable populations.
Mapping women's involvement in family firms: A review based on bibliographic coupling analysis
Authors: Maseda Amaia , Iturralde Txomin , Cooper Sarah , Aparicio Gloria
Published: October 2021

Despite advances in recognizing women's influence in all spheres of life, society has not fully acknowledged women's role and influence in business. To address this gap, this review aims to map research on women's involvement in family firms (WIFF), the most common form of business entity worldwide, which appears to provide an enabling environment for women to act as leaders and entrepreneurs. First, through a systematic process, we select 225 papers identified from the Web of Science database and perform a bibliographic coupling analysis that explores the WIFF dataset with the support of clustering algorithms. The results of the review reveal five thematic clusters: (1) female entrepreneurs and family firms; (2) women in family‐firm governance; (3) family–business dynamics; (4) women in business succession; and (5) temporal and spatial dimensions of women's involvement. Second, we supplement the bibliometric analysis with a review of the literature, which enhances understanding of the research topics and theoretical perspectives adopted, helping to develop an integrative framework and formulate new research questions that support the development of this promising field of research. Thus, this review provides a robust roadmap for further investigation of key issues in the field, which can help academics, policymakers and practitioners.
A novel raffinose biological pathway is observed by symbionts of cotton≡Verticillium dahliae to improve salt tolerance genetically on cotton
Authors: Cui Ruifeng , Lu Xuke , Chen Xiugui , Malik Waqar Afzal , Wang Delong , Wang Junjuan , Wang Shuai , Guo Lixue , Chen Chao , Wang Xiaoge , Wang Xinlei , Dai Maohua , Ye Wuwei
Published: October 2021

Verticillium dahliae is a soil‐borne, phytopathogenic fungus that causes Verticillium wilt in cotton. Salt tolerance of cotton plants suffering from Verticillium wilt was significantly improved, but the mechanism is unknown. In this study, we built a symbiont named Cotton≡VD by immersing cotton plant roots into Verticillium dahliae liquid for four days. This resulted in a strong interaction between hyphae and the cotton roots. Under NaCl treatment for 24 h, the Cotton≡VD displayed less leaf wilting and improved root growth compared with the control. Biochemical tests of SOD, POD and CAT showed significant overexpression in Cotton≡VD compared with CK. RNA‐seq data analysis of Cotton≡VD indicated a novel ‘galactose metabolism pathway’ in the KEGG database, in which two key genes, GolS2 and RFS5, were significantly differentially expressed. Symbiotic metabolites inositol galactosyl could be transformed into raffinose to scavenge free radicals and participate in plant osmotic regulation to alleviate salt stress in Cotton≡VD. Functional analysis indicated that silencing of the target gene GhRFS (RFS5) led to a decrease of raffinose content and salt tolerance as compared with CK. Cotton≡VD can significantly improve cotton seedling salt tolerance through improving raffinose content, providing new insights into the salt tolerance mechanism and new salt‐tolerant material in the future.
Multiple‐generation seed maturity effects on seedling vigour in a production environment
Authors: Song Yangyang , Tseng Yu‐Chien , Rowland Diane L. , Tillman Barry L. , Wilson Chris H. , Sarnoski Paul J. , Zurweller Brendan A.
Published: October 2021

Maturity is not only critical for vigour and other seed quality characteristics but also impacts the subsequent plant performance. If these impacts on the subsequent plant are long lasting, the potential to produce vigorous, mature seed may also be affected. This scenario lends itself to the concept of seed maturity memory (SMM) – an understanding of how seed maturity may impact subsequent generations of plants and the vigour of the seeds with different maturity they produce. This study aimed to assess the existence and perpetuation of SMM in peanut, with an emphasis on early seedling vigour. Field physiological measurements and bioassay assessments were carried out on the second generation (G2) and third generation (G3) of peanut seeds with distinct parental maturity backgrounds. Our results suggested maintaining mature seed in both prior and offspring generations helped maintain high seed vigour in subsequent generations. The SMM effects varied between cultivars, with TUFRunner™ ‘727’ exhibiting SMM, whereas FloRun™ ‘107’ did not show SMM in the effects from first generation (G1) to G2 maturities. Overall, a seed resulting from parental plants established from immature seed somewhere in their pedigree was less vigorous than that maintained mature seeds in their pedigree. However, patterns of possible SMM were not always consistent, which could be partially attributed to differing environmental conditions each generation of seed experienced during development. These results highlight the importance of maintaining mature seeds in agricultural production and bring up the issue of ensuring seed maturity consistency during stress memory research assessing vigour characteristics.
Feather traits in four southern populations of the Eurasian blackcapSylvia atricapilla: do altitudinal movements explain the differences?
Authors: Hernández‐Téllez Irene , Aguirre José I. , de la Hera Iván , Onrubia Alejandro , Tellería José Luis
Published: October 2021

Moult of birds is shaped by environmental and genetic drivers whose relative contribution to the structure of feathers may differ within and between populations. In this study, we compare some traits of tail feathers (growth bars, mass, rachis width and barb length) between four populations of the Eurasian blackcapSylvia atricapillabreeding at different elevations within the southwestern Palaearctic. We tested if these traits were related to the primary productivity of habitats (a surrogate of food availability) or were better explained as an adaptation to altitudinal movements. The distribution of primary productivity was positively related to blackcap abundance suggesting that the species tracked the most productive areas to breed. In this environmental setting, wing morphology (wing length, concavity and pointedness) suggested that lowland blackcaps were sedentary while blackcaps from highland areas were involved in altitudinal movements. The feathers of blackcaps inhabiting the highlands showed wider growth bars and rachis than those of the most productive lowland areas but did not differ in feather mass and barb length. Fast feather growth has been related to time constraints to moult and wider rachis to improve flight efficiency in migratory birds. Our results therefore suggest that differences in feather characteristics between southern populations of the Eurasian blackcap are better interpreted as an adaptive response to altitudinal migration than as a consequence of regional food availability.
Comparison of myonuclear domain in phylogenetically paired tropical and temperate bird species
Authors: Jimenez Ana Gabriela , De Jesus Aliyah D.
Published: October 2021

The life‐history theory of evolution posits that organisms are maximized for reproductive success through the processes of natural selection. Though believed to impact nearly every aspect of an organism, the life‐history theory of evolution shines little attention on the cellular aspects of organismal physiology. Tropical bird species, compared with temperate birds, are typically placed on the ‘slow' pace‐of‐life spectrum, and demonstrate a ‘slow' pace of life across every level of organization. Previously, we demonstrated that phylogenetically paired tropical birds have significantly smaller muscle fiber diameters than their temperate counterparts. No other muscle‐related properties have been addressed and correlated to life‐histories in the literature. Myonuclear domain (MND), the cytoplasmic volume that each myonucleus serves, is an under‐appreciated skeletal muscle property that has been largely ignored in bird muscle literature. Here, we measured MND in muscle cross‐sections in phylogenetically paired species of tropical and temperate birds. We found that tropical bird species had significantly higher numbers of nuclei per mm of fiber as compared with temperate bird species. This may be due to the fact that tropical birds could have a higher population of slow‐ oxidative fiber and/or due to developing in warmer climates, as compared with temperate birds. In both tropical and temperate birds, we found significantly positive associations between muscle fiber diameter and MND and between muscle cross‐sectional areas and number of nuclei per mm of fiber in tropical birds and temperate birds, as previously noted in other bird species.
miR‐363‐3p induces EMT via the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway in glioma cells by targeting CELF2
Authors: Fan Bo , Su Bolun , Song Guoqiang , Liu Xin , Yan Zhongjie , Wang Shuai , Hu Fuguang , Yang Jiankai
Published: October 2021

In our previous study, we reported that CELF2 has a tumour‐suppressive function in glioma. Here, we performed additional experiments to elucidate better its role in cancer. The expression profile of CELF2 was analysed by the GEPIA database, and Kaplan–Meier curves were used to evaluate the overall survival rates. Four different online databases were used to predict miRNAs targeting CELF2, and the luciferase assay was performed to identify the binding site. The biological effects of miR‐363‐3p and CELF2 were also investigated in vitro using MTT, Transwell, and flow cytometry assays. Western blotting, qPCR, and TOP/FOP flash dual‐luciferase assays were performed to investigate the impact of miR‐363‐3p and CELF2 on epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway. The effect of miR‐363‐3p was also tested in vivo using a xenograft mouse model. We observed an abnormal expression pattern of CELF2 in glioma cells, and higher CELF2 expression correlated with better prognosis. We identified miR‐363‐3p as an upstream regulator of CELF2 and confirmed its direct binding to the 3′‐untranslated region of CELF2. Cell function experiments showed that miR‐363‐3p affected multiple aspects of glioma cells. Suppressing miR‐363‐3p expression inhibited glioma cell proliferation and invasion, as well as promoted cell death via attenuating EMT and blocking the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway. These effects could be abolished by the downregulation of CELF2. Treatment with ASO‐miR‐363‐3p decreased tumour size and weight in nude mice. In conclusion, miR‐363‐3p induced the EMT, which resulted in increased migration and invasion and reduced apoptosis in glioma cell lines, via the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway by targeting CELF2.
Ascertaining minimal clinically meaningful changes in symptoms of depression rated by the 15‐item Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
Authors: Haase Ingo , Winkeler Markus , Imgart Hartmut
Published: October 2021

Rationale, aims and objectives

In clinical practise and in clinical studies on depression it is important to estimate whether changes in symptomatology measured by self‐rating instruments are, in fact, clinically relevant. Therefore, the aim of the study was to estimate the clinical relevance of changes on the 15‐item version of the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D‐15) based on the concept of the minimal clinically important difference (MCID).

Methods

Data was acquired from 4781 patients with depression symptoms from a German psychosomatic hospital who have been assessed using the CES‐D‐15 before and after treatment. Threshold values representing the MCID were estimated on the basis of mean change scores and sensitivity/specificity analyses. Patients' global impression of change, clinical (therapists') global impression of change and change in impairment severity were used as external anchor criteria.

Results

On average, the MCID was represented by a reduction of approximately 11 points in the CES‐D‐15, irrespective of age, gender, type of treatment and first or secondary diagnosis. However, higher baseline scores in the CES‐D‐15 required larger changes of raw values to represent a clinically important difference.

Conclusions

Anchor‐based values are suggested here as an estimation of the clinical relevance of changes in the CES‐D‐15. Thus, instead of relying solely on effect sizes, the evaluation of treatment outcomes should be supplemented by reporting the percentage of patients who have reached the MCID. Further examinations to verify our results in other patient populations and with other types of anchor criteria will be needed.
Workplace interventions to prevent or reduce post‐traumatic stress disorder and symptoms among hospital nurses: A scoping review
Authors: Liyanage Sugee , Addison Sonja , Ham Elke , Hilton N. Zoe
Published: October 2021

Objectives

The aim of this study was to identify literature on evaluated workplace interventions to prevent or reduce the prevalence or impact of work‐related post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and PTSD symptoms among hospital nurses. A second objective was to summarise and compare the characteristics and effectiveness of these interventions.

Background

A substantial proportion of nurses report PTSD symptoms. Previous reviews have synthesised interventions to address PTSD in military and other high‐risk populations, but similar work focusing on nurses has yet to be conducted.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review with the question: What interventions have been studied to prevent or treat PTSD symptoms or PTSD among nurses working in hospitals? We followed the PRISMA Scoping Review Checklist using an unregistered protocol. We searched in twelve academic and grey literature databases (e.g. MedLine, CINAHL) with no language restrictions. We included publications reporting on interventions which were evaluated for measurable impacts on PTSD and PTSD symptoms among nursing staff working in inpatient settings from 1980 to 2019, and charted study characteristics in a spreadsheet.

Results

From 7746 results, 63 studies moved to full‐text screening, and six studies met inclusion criteria. Methodologies included three randomised controlled studies, one quasi‐experimental study, one pre‐post feasibility study and one descriptive correlational study. Four studies reported a significant reduction in PTSD scores in intervention groups compared with baseline or comparison, when using debriefing, guided imagery or mindfulness‐based exercises.

Conclusions

This review identified six studies evaluating hospital‐based interventions to reduce PTSD and PTSD symptoms among hospital nurses, with some positive effects reported, contributing to a preliminary evidence base on reducing workplace trauma. Larger studies can compare nurse subpopulations, and system‐level interventions should expand the focus from individuals to organisations.

Relevance to clinical practice

This review can inform nursing and hospital leaders developing evidence‐based interventions for PTSD among nurses.
The proper role of history in evolutionary explanations
Authors: Reydon Thomas A. C.
Published: October 2021

Evolutionary explanations are not only common in the biological sciences, but also widespread outside biology. But an account of how evolutionary explanations perform their explanatory work is still lacking. This paper develops such an account. I argue that available accounts of explanations in evolutionary science miss important parts of the role of history in evolutionary explanations. I argue that the historical part of evolutionary science should be taken as having genuine explanatory force, and that it provides how‐possibly explanations sensu Dray. I propose an account of evolutionary explanations as comparative‐composite explanations consisting of two distinct kinds of explanations, one processual and one historical, that are connected via the explanandum's evolvability to show how the explanandum is the product of its evolutionary past. The account is both a reconstruction of how evolutionary explanations in biology work and a guideline specifying what kind of explanations evolutionary research programs should develop.
Dietary polyphenol and microbiota interactions in the context of prostate health
Authors: Piwowarski Jakub P. , Stanisławska Iwona , Granica Sebastian
Published: October 2021

Recent data strongly indicate a relationship between prostate health and gut microbiota, in which composition and physiological function strictly depend on dietary patterns. The bidirectional interplay of foods containing polyphenols, such as ellagitannins, condensed tannins, lignans, isoflavones, and prenylated flavonoids with human gut microbiota, has been proven to contribute to their impact on prostate health. Considering the attributed role of dietary polyphenols in the prevention of prostate diseases, this paper aims to critically review the studies concerning the influence of polyphenols’ postbiotic metabolites on processes associated with the pathophysiology of prostate diseases. Clinical, in vivo, and in vitro studies on polyphenols have been juxtaposed with the current knowledge regarding their pharmacokinetics, microbial metabolism, and potential interactions with microbiota harboring different niches of the human organism. Directions of future research on dietary polyphenols regarding their interaction with microbiota and prostate health have been indicated.
Adaptive body awareness predicts fewer central sensitization‐related symptoms and explains relationship between central sensitization‐related symptoms and pain intensity: A cross‐sectional study among individuals with chronic pain
Authors: Colgan Dana Dharmakaya , Eddy Ashley , Green Kaylie , Oken Barry
Published: October 2021

Background

Central sensitization (CS), defined as the amplification of neural signaling within the CNS that elicits pain hypersensitivity, is thought be a characteristic of several chronic pain conditions. Maladaptive body awareness is thought to contribute and maintain CS. Less is known about the relationship between CS and adaptive body awareness.

Purpose

This cross‐sectional study investigated relationships among self‐reported adaptive body awareness (Multidimensional Interoceptive Awareness Scale‐2; MAIA‐2), CS‐related symptoms (Central Sensitization Inventory; CSI), and pain intensity and further delineate potential direct and indirect links among these constructs.

Methods

Online surveys were administered to 280 individuals with chronic pain reporting elevated CSI scores. Strategic sampling targeted respondents to reflect the 2010 census. Pearson's correlations characterized overall relationship between variables. Multiple regression analyses investigated potential direct links. A path analysis assessed mediational effects of CS‐related symptoms on the relationship between adaptive body awareness and pain intensity.

Results

CSI demonstrated strong, inverse correlations with some MAIA‐2 subscales, but positive correlations with others. Higher CSI scores predicted greater pain intensity (b = 0.049,p ≤ 0.001). Two MAIA‐2 subscales,Not‐Distracting(b = −0.56,p ≤ 0.001) andNot‐Worrying(b = −1.17,p ≤ 0.001) were unique predictors of lower CSI.Not‐Distracting(b = −0.05,p = 0.003)and Not‐Worrying(b = −0.06,p = 0.007) uniquely predicted lower pain intensity. CSI completely mediated the relationship between adaptive body awareness and pain intensity [point estimate = −0.04; 95% bootstrap confident intervals (CI) = −0.05 to −0.02].

Conclusions

Findings also support future research to explore causal relationships of variables. Findings suggest that frequency of attention to bodily sensations is distinct from cognitive‐affective appraisal of bodily sensation, and the two distinct higher order processes may have divergent influences on perceived pain and CS‐related symptoms. Results also support future research to explore causal relationships of variables.
Restrictive dermopathy: Three new patients with ZMPSTE24 mutations and a review of the literature
Authors: Scott Jennifer B. , Yanes Arianna F. , Vivar Karina L. , Yun Duri , Wagner Annette , Kruse Lacey , Mancini Anthony J.
Published: October 2021

Restrictive dermopathy (RD) is a rare and lethal laminopathy caused by mutations in LMNA or ZMPSTE24. This series reports 3 patients with RD and reviews the literature of the 113 previously reported cases, including highlights of the unique constellation of clinical findings in RD, as well as histologic, radiographic, and genetic features. Early recognition of these characteristic features is vital to establish a prompt diagnosis and provide adequate family counseling for this terminal condition.
Deprotonation Dynamics of Guanine Radical Cations†
Authors: Balanikas Evangelos , Banyasz Akos , Baldacchino Gérard , Markovitsi Dimitra
Published: October 2021

This review is dedicated to guanine radical cations (G+)· that are precursors to oxidatively generated damage to DNA. (G+)· are unstable in neutral aqueous solution and tend to lose a proton. The deprotonation process has been studied by time‐resolved absorption experiments in which (G+)· radicals are produced either by an electron abstraction reaction, using an external oxidant, or by low‐energy/low‐intensity photoionization of DNA. Both the position of the released proton and the dynamics of the process depend on the secondary DNA structure. While deprotonation in duplex DNA leads to (G‐H1)· radicals, in guanine quadruplexes the (G‐H2)· analogs are observed. Deprotonation in monomeric guanosine proceeds with a time constant of ~60 ns; in genomic DNA, it is completed within 2 µs; and in guanine quadruplexes, it spans from at least 30 ns to over 50 µs. Such a deprotonation dynamics in four‐stranded structures, extended over more than three decades of times, is correlated with the anisotropic structure of DNA and the mobility of its hydration shell. In this case, commonly used second‐order reaction models are inappropriate for its description.
High genetic diversity and low structure in an endemic long‐lived tree, Yucca capensis (Asparagaceae)
Authors: Luna‐Ortiz A. , Arteaga M. C. , Bello‐Bedoy R. , Gasca‐Pineda J. , León de la Luz J. L. , Domínguez‐Cadena R. , Medel‐Narváez A.
Published: October 2021

Endemic species distributed in fragmented habitats are highly vulnerable to extinction because they may have low genetic diversity. However, some life‐history traits can mitigate the effect of genetic drift on populations. We analysed the level and distribution of genetic variation and ancestral population size of Yucca capensis, a long‐lived endemic plant of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. Its populations are scattered across a habitat that is suffering accelerated transformation.

We used six nuclear microsatellites to genotype 224 individuals from 17 locations across the entire species' geographic range. We estimated polymorphisms, heterozygosity and genetic structure. We also evaluated the ancestral and recent effective size and time since the population started to change.

We found high heterozygosity, high polymorphism and low differentiation among locations, suggesting a panmictic population across the range. We also detected a large ancestral effective population size, which suffered a strong reduction in the Mid‐Holocene.

Despite changes in environmental conditions caused by habitat modification, the high diversity and low differentiation in Y. capensis may result from its large ancestral effective size and life‐history traits, such as plant longevity, clonal growth and mating system, which reduce the rate of loss of genetic variation. However, the dependence on a specialist pollinator that displays short flight range can reduce gene flow among the plant populations and could, shortly, lead them into an extinction vortex.
Dose‐dependent association between xerostomia and number of medications among older adults
Authors: Storbeck Tanner , Qian Fang , Marek Cindy , Caplan Daniel , Marchini Leonardo
Published: October 2021

Purpose/Aim

To investigate factors associated with self‐reported dry mouth (xerostomia) among older adults seeking dental care at a University clinic.

Materials and Methods

A query was performed in the electronic records database and de‐identified data were collected from patients aged 65 + recorded on the date that the initial health history was entered. Among these patients, data about patients’ medications, gender, age, BMI, tobacco use, alcohol addiction, diabetes, heart disease, joint replacement, allergies to medications, hypertension, and mental disorders were obtained. Evaluation of potential risk factors for dry mouth was performed using univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyzes (alpha = 0.05).

Results

A total of 11,061 subjects were included in the analysis, 51.5% of whom were women. The mean age in years was 74.2 ± 7.0, the median number of medications was 7 (IQR = 4–11), and 38.5% of the participants reported dry mouth. The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of xerostomia for subjects who took 11 +, 7–10, or 4–6 medications were 3.34, 2.07, or 1.38 times those of subjects who had took 0–3 medications, respectively.

Conclusion

Number of medications showed a strong and dose‐dependent association with xerostomia.
Identification of sequence motifs in Lhcx proteins that confer qE‐based photoprotection in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum
Authors: Buck Jochen M. , Kroth Peter G. , Lepetit Bernard
Published: October 2021

Photosynthetic organisms in nature often experience light fluctuations. While low light conditions limit the energy uptake by algae, light absorption exceeding the maximal rate of photosynthesis may go along with enhanced formation of potentially toxic reactive oxygen species. To preempt high light‐induced photodamage, photosynthetic organisms evolved numerous photoprotective mechanisms. Among these, energy‐dependent fluorescence quenching (qE) provides a rapid mechanism to dissipate thermally the excessively absorbed energy. Diatoms thrive in all aquatic environments and thus belong to the most important primary producers on earth. qE in diatoms is provided by a concerted action of Lhcx proteins and the xanthophyll cycle pigment diatoxanthin. While the exact Lhcx activation mechanism of diatom qE is unknown, two lumen‐exposed acidic amino acids within Lhcx proteins were proposed to function as regulatory switches upon light‐induced lumenal acidification. By introducing a modified Lhcx1 lacking these amino acids into a Phaeodactylum tricornutum Lhcx1‐null qE knockout line, we demonstrate that qE is unaffected by these two amino acids. Based on sequence comparisons with Lhcx4, being incapable of providing qE, we perform domain swap experiments of Lhcx4 with Lhcx1 and identify two peptide motifs involved in conferring qE. Within one of these motifs, we identify a tryptophan residue with a major influence on qE establishment. This tryptophan residue is located in close proximity to the diadinoxanthin/diatoxanthin‐binding site based on the recently revealed diatom Lhc crystal structure. Our findings provide a structural explanation for the intimate link of Lhcx and diatoxanthin in providing qE in diatoms.