bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychopathic traits and reinforcement learning under acute stress
Authors: Carvalheiro Joana , Conceição Vasco A. , Mesquita Ana , Seara‐Cardoso Ana
Published: September 2021

Objective

Individuals with high levels of psychopathic traits are often characterized by aberrant reinforcement learning. This type of learning, which implicates making choices that maximize rewards and minimize punishments, may be affected by acute stress. However, how acute stress affects reinforcement learning in individuals with different levels of psychopathic traits is not well‐understood. Here, we investigated whether and how individual differences in psychopathic traits modulated the impact of acute stress on reward and punishment learning.

Method

Sixty‐two male participants from a university sample completed the Self‐Report Psychopathy‐Short Form scale and performed a reinforcement‐learning task involving monetary gains and losses whilst under acute stress and control conditions.

Results

Individual differences in psychopathic traits modulated the impact of acute stress on behavioral performance toward obtaining gains, but not toward avoiding losses. As levels of psychopathic traits increased, the impairing effect of acute stress on reward learning decreased. Specifically, acute stress impaired performance toward seeking gains to a larger extent in individuals with lower levels of psychopathic traits than in individuals with higher levels of these traits.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that psychopathic traits modulate the impact of acute stress on reward learning.
Safety hazards in patient seclusion events in psychiatric care: A video observation study
Authors: Varpula Jaakko , Välimäki Maritta , Lantta Tella , Berg Johanna , Soininen Päivi , Lahti Mari
Published: September 2021

Accessible Summary

What is known on the subject?

Coercive measures such as seclusion are used to maintain the safety of patients and others in psychiatric care.

The use of coercive measures can lead to harm among patients and staff.

What the paper adds to existing knowledge?

This study is the first of its kind to rely on video observation to expose safety hazards in seclusion events that have not been reported previously in the literature.

The actions that both patients and staff take during seclusion events can result in various safety hazards.

Implications for practice?

Constant monitoring of patients during seclusion is important for identifying safety hazards and intervening to prevent harm.

Nursing staff who use seclusion need to be aware of how their actions can contribute to safety hazards and how they can minimize their potential for harm

Introduction

Seclusion is used to maintain safety in psychiatric care. There is still a lack of knowledge on potential safety hazards related to seclusion practices.

Aim

To identify safety hazards that might jeopardize the safety of patients and staff in seclusion events in psychiatric hospital care.

Method

A descriptive design with non‐participant video observation was used. The data consisted of 36 video recordings, analysed with inductive thematic analysis.

Results

Safety hazards were related to patient and staff actions. Patient actions included aggressive behaviour, precarious movements, escaping, falling, contamination and preventing visibility. Staff actions included leaving hazardous items in a seclusion room, unsafe administration of medication, unsecured use of restraints and precarious movements and postures.

Discussion

This is the first observational study to identify safety hazards in seclusion, which may jeopardize the safety of patients and staff. These hazards were related to the actions of patients and staff.

Implications for Practice

Being better aware of possible safety hazards could help prevent adverse events during patient seclusion events. It is therefore necessary that nursing staff are aware of how their actions might impact their safety and the safety of the patients. Video observation is a useful method for identifying safety hazards. However, its use requires effort to safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of those included in the videos.
Improvement of simplified inclined plane test for evaluation of thickened liquids by using optical sensor
Authors: Yasuda Toshitaka
Published: September 2021

The thickening management index for food for dysphagia is important in enabling recognition of the rheological properties of thickened liquids, including their static and dynamic properties. One of the static properties of these liquids is the yield stress. An improvement to the simplified inclined plane test is proposed here that involves use of an automatic system for measurement of the displacements of thickened liquids on an inclined plate. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the displacements of the thickened liquids and the variable thickener concentrations using an optical sensor. To measure the displacement of each thickened liquid on a clear inclined plate, an optical sensor that has a 12‐mm‐long light receiving surface is selected to form a one‐dimensional position‐sensitive detector (1D‐PSD) under the clear inclined plate. The relationship between the angle of inclination of the plate θ at which the maximum voltage occurred in the 1D‐PSD and five thickener (xanthan gum) concentrations c, ranging from 1.0 to 3.0 wt% in steps of 0.5 wt%, was investigated. It was confirmed that an approximately linear plot was obtained under the condition that θ = 8.24 c + 0.18, with the correlation R = .99 (for n = 7). This result indicated that the optical sensor composed of the 1D‐PSD can measure the displacements of thickened liquids with various thickener concentrations on the clear inclined plate automatically.
An investigation into the pathogenesis of blue catfish alloherpesvirus in ictalurid catfish
Authors: Dharan Vandana , Khoo Lester , Phelps Nicholas B. D. , Kumar Ganesh , Steadman James , Bosworth Brian , Aarattuthodi Suja
Published: September 2021

Intensive aquaculture production systems often encounter infectious viral disease outbreaks causing substantial fish mortalities and associated economic losses. Blue catfish alloherpesvirus (BCAHV) is an Ictalurid herpesvirus with limited information on pathogenesis. To determine the host‐specificity and potential host range of BCAHV, the virus was inoculated onto various fish cell lines belonging to families Ictaluridae, Cyprinidae, Centrarchidae, and Clariidae. Viral replication and exhibition of cytopathic effects (CPEs) were restricted to cell lines from the family Ictaluridae indicating the host preference of BCAHV. Subsequently, fish challenges were conducted to evaluate intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing BCAHV infection. Mortality because of BCAHV infection was significantly higher in blue catfish and least in channel catfish further specifying the host preference of the virus. Histopathological assessment of the BCAHV infected fish revealed splenitis with severe erythrophagia. Host susceptibility to BCAHV differed with age with fish at 60 days post hatch being more susceptible. Temperature had a significant role in the activation and pathogenesis of BCAHV. Fish exposed to BCAHV at a sustained high temperature had significantly low mortality suggesting the likelihood of virus inactivation. Virus exposure in tanks with high stocking density resulted in significantly high fish mortalities indicating horizontal transmission is a key element in BCAHV pathogenesis. The heightened pathogenicity of BCAHV in blue and hybrid catfish as observed in this study validates its potential to be a significant pathogen in catfish production.
Social justice for young readers: advocating for access, choice and time to read
Authors: Mackey Margaret
Published: September 2021

In a socially just world, everyone would have an equal chance to become an enthusiastic reader. This article presents a detailed ‘asset map’ of a successful reading life and investigates three necessary components for creating readers: access, choice and time to read. Access to books, the chance and the requisite knowledge to choose reading materials of genuine interest, and time to read and thus to develop reading stamina are all vital to reading success. Although they sound simple enough to supply, access, choice and time to read are all currently under attack. The provision of public and school libraries is threatened in many countries; in the absence of easy access to libraries, young people consequently have much less opportunity to practice book selection in a low‐stakes environment; and many classroom activities ironically limit reading time in favour of exercises and seatwork. Those working for socially just literacy options and affordances must decide on the most productive use of energy and resources to pursue a more level playing field; access, choice and time to read are necessary conditions of reading success.
Identification of Gip as a novel phage‐encoded gyrase inhibitor protein of Corynebacterium glutamicum
Authors: Kever Larissa , Hünnefeld Max , Brehm Jannis , Heermann Ralf , Frunzke Julia
Published: September 2021

By targeting key regulatory hubs of their host, bacteriophages represent a powerful source for the identification of novel antimicrobial proteins. Here, a screening of small cytoplasmic proteins encoded by the CGP3 prophage of Corynebacterium glutamicum resulted in the identification of the gyrase‐inhibiting protein Cg1978, termed Gip. Pull‐down assays and surface plasmon resonance revealed a direct interaction of Gip with the gyrase subunit A (GyrA). The inhibitory activity of Gip was shown to be specific to the DNA gyrase of its bacterial host C. glutamicum. Overproduction of Gip in C. glutamicum resulted in a severe growth defect as well as an induction of the SOS response. Furthermore, reporter assays revealed an RecA‐independent induction of the cryptic CGP3 prophage, most likely caused by topological alterations. Overexpression of gip was counteracted by an increased expression of gyrAB and a reduction of topA expression at the same time, reflecting the homeostatic control of DNA topology. We postulate that the prophage‐encoded Gip protein plays a role in modulating gyrase activity to enable efficient phage DNA replication. A detailed elucidation of the mechanism of action will provide novel directions for the design of drugs targeting DNA gyrase.
Population structure of North Pacific gray whales in light oftrans‐Pacificmovements
Authors: Lang Aimée R. , Weller David W. , Burdin Alexander M. , Robertson Kelly , Sychenko Olga , Urbán Jorge , Martínez‐Aguilar Sergio , Pease Victoria L. , LeDuc Richard G. , Litovka Dennis I. , Burkanov Vladimir N. , Brownell Robert L.
Published: September 2021

Recent findings that some gray whales that feed off Sakhalin Island (SI), Russia, in the western North Pacific (WNP) overwinter in the eastern North Pacific (ENP) indicate that population structure in this species is more complex than originally thought. We generated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences and microsatellite genotypes (n = 12 loci) from 156 whales sampled off SI and compared them to available data from 106 ENP whales. Significant mitochondrial and nuclear genetic differentiation between the SI and ENP whales was found. Genetic cluster analysis identified two groups among the SI whales, one of which was genetically similar to ENP whales. Photographs collected from the biopsied SI whales showed that both groups comprised whales known to migrate to the ENP, suggesting that the clustering pattern was not reflective of some SI whales interbreeding while overwintering in the WNP. Instead, the genetic differentiation observed between the SI and ENP whales may be due to assortative mating of SI whales while west of eastern migratory routes. The rare but continued reports of gray whales off the coasts of Japan and China, however, confirm that some gray whales overwinter in the WNP and highlight the need to collect additional data from these whales.
Diagnosis of fungal opportunistic infections in people living with HIV from Guatemala and El Salvador
Authors: Forno Diana , Samayoa Blanca , Medina Narda , Arathoon Eduardo , Mejia Carlos Rodolfo , Gordillo Remei , Cedillos Rolando , Rodas Jose , Ahlquist Cleveland Angela , Chiller Tom , Caceres Diego H.
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis are important public health problems in people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Central America. Conventional laboratory tests, such as culture and microscopy, are not optimal; however, antigen (Ag) tests are rapid, highly sensitive, and specific for diagnosis of fungal opportunistic infections (OI). The aim of this study was to describe the results of a laboratory‐based surveillance system for histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis.

Methods

An observational cross‐sectional study based on laboratory surveillance, was carried out in two hospitals in Guatemala and one hospital in El Salvador, between July 2012 and December 2014. Diagnosis of histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis in PLHIV were performed by culture and Ag test.

Results

A total of 160 PLHIV were diagnosed with fungal OI, of which, 96 (60%) were diagnosed with histoplasmosis, 62 (39%) were with cryptococcosis, and two patients (1%) were diagnosed with both fungal diseases. Of the 160 patients analysed in this study, 94 (59%) were diagnosed using only an Ag assay. CD4 cell count data were available for 136 (85%) patients; 127 (93%) patients had a CD4 count <200; and 90 (66%) had counts <50 CD4 cells per µl. Antiretroviral therapy utilisation at diagnosis was low (33%). Seventy‐one out of 160 (44%) were co‐infected with tuberculosis or other OIs.

Conclusion

More than half of the patients in this study were diagnosed only by rapid laboratory Ag tests. A high per cent of the patients had advanced HIV disease.
An echocardiography‐derived calcium score as a predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events in peritoneal dialysis patients—A prospective cohort study
Authors: Sin Ho‐Kwan , Wong Ping‐Nam , Lo Kin‐Yee , Lo Man‐Wai , Chan Shuk‐Fan , Lo Kwok‐Chi , Wong Yuk‐Yi , Ho Lo‐Yi , Kwok Wing‐Tung , Chan Kai‐Chun , Wong Andrew Kui‐Man , Mak Siu‐Ka
Published: September 2021

Background

An echocardiography‐derived calcium score (ECS) has been shown to predict cardiovascular (CV) mortality in the general population but has not been utilized in the dialysis population.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study including 125 prevalent PD patients. Two blinded and independent echocardiographers determined the ECS for each subject at baseline. The primary outcome was the three‐point major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) which is a composite outcome comprising CV death, non‐fatal myocardial infarction and non‐fatal stroke. The secondary outcome was all‐cause mortality.

Results

The mean age was 61 ± 13 years. The median follow‐up duration was 40 months (range 1–50). Seventy six (60.8%) of the subjects had diabetes mellitus (DM). The median duration of dialysis was 32 (IQR 16–54) months. The incidences of MACE and all‐cause mortality were 13.0 per 100 patient‐years and 18.3 per 100 patient‐years. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified the following three independent predictors of MACE: ECS (HR 1.253/unit increase in ECS, 95% CI 1.014–1.547, p = .036), DM (HR 2.467, 95% CI 1.014–6.005, p = .047) and pre‐existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) (HR 2.441, 95% CI 1.261–4.728, p = .008); and the following two predictors of all‐cause mortality: pre‐existing CVD (HR 2.156, 95% CI 1.251–3.714, p = .006) and serum albumin (HR 0.887/g/L increase in serum albumin, 95% CI 0.839–0.937, p < .001).

Conclusion

The ECS appears to be a significant predictor of MACE in PD patients independently of DM and pre‐existing CVD.
Integrative effects of transcutaneous electrical acustimulation on abdominal pain, gastrointestinal motility, and inflammation in patients with early‐stage acute pancreatitis
Authors: Xuan Jia‐lei , Zhu Ying‐wei , Xu Wen‐hui , Zhao Han , Chen Jiande D. Z. , Wu Gao‐jue , Gong Lei
Published: September 2021

Background/Aims

Gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility in acute pancreatitis (AP) aggravates inflammation and results in severe complications. This study aimed to explore effects and possible mechanisms of transcutaneous electrical acustimulation (TEA) on abdominal pain, GI dysmotility, and inflammation in AP patients.

Methods

Forty‐two AP patients were blindly randomized to receive TEA (n = 21) at acupoints PC6 and ST36 or Sham‐TEA (n = 21) at sham points for 2 days. Symptom scores, gastric slow waves, autonomic functions (assessed by spectral analysis of heart rate variability), circulatory levels of motilin, ghrelin, and TNF‐α were measured before and after the treatment. Sixteen healthy controls (HCs) were also included without treatment for the assessment of gastric slow waves and biochemistry.

Key Results

Compared with Sham‐TEA, TEA decreased abdominal pain score (2.57 ± 1.78 vs. 1.33 ± 1.02,p < 0.05), bloating score (5.19 ± 1.21 vs. 0.76 ± 0.99,p < 0.001), the first defecation time (65.79 ± 19.51 h vs. 51.38 ± 17.19 h,p < 0.05); TEA, but not Sham‐TEA, improved the percentage of normal gastric slow waves by 41.6% (p < 0.05), reduced AP severity score (5.52 ± 2.04 vs. 3.90 ± 1.90,p < 0.05) and serum TNF‐α (7.59 ± 4.80 pg/ml vs. 4.68 ± 1.85 pg/ml,p < 0.05), and upregulated plasma ghrelin (0.85 ± 0.96 ng/ml vs. 2.00 ± 1.71 ng/ml,p = 0.001) but not motilin (33.08 ± 22.65 pg/ml vs. 24.12 ± 13.95 pg/ml,p > 0.05); TEA decreased sympathetic activity by 15.0% and increased vagal activity by 18.3% (bothp < 0.05).

Conclusions & Inferences

TEA at PC6 and ST36 administrated at early stage of AP reduces abdominal pain, improves GI motility, and inhibits inflammatory cytokine, TNF‐α, probably mediated via the autonomic and ghrelin mechanisms.
Irritable bowel syndrome is strongly associated with the primary and idiopathic mast cell disorders
Authors: Kurin Michael , Elangovan Abbinaya , Alikhan Muhammed Mustafa , Al Dulaijan Basmah , Silver Eli , Kaelber David C. , Cooper Gregory
Published: September 2021

Background

Mounting evidence supports a mechanistic association between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and mast cell hyperactivity. Yet, association between IBS and mast cell disorders (MCDs) has not been studied. We examined this association using two large databases and verified with manual chart review.

Methods

The IBM Watson Health Explorys database (Somers, NY), an aggregate of electronic health record (EHR) data from over two dozen US healthcare systems, and Epic's SlicerDicer tool, a self‐service tool containing de‐identified data from the Epic EHR, were used to identify patients with IBS and MCDs. Patients with organic gastrointestinal disease or diseases associated with secondary mast cell hyperproliferation were excluded. Results were verified with manual chart review from two academic centers.

Key Results

Up to 4% of IBS patients had a comorbid MCD. IBS was strongly associated with all MCDs. The strongest association was between IBS and mast cell activation syndrome (OR 16.3; 95% CI 13.1–20.3). Odds ratios for IBS+urticaria, IBS+idiopathic urticaria, IBS+non‐malignant mastocytosis, and IBS+mast cell malignancy ranged from 4.5 to 9.9. Patients from each of these overlap cohorts were predominantly female, and the overlap occurred with all IBS subtypes. Thorough endoscopic evaluation and comorbid mood disorders and migraines are more common in the overlap cohorts than in IBS alone.

Conclusions/Inferences

In a large US database encompassing >53 million patients over >20 years, patients with IBS are at least 4 times more likely to have a MCD than the general population. Further study of mast cell involvement in the pathogenesis of IBS is warranted.
Evidence for efficient nonevaporative leaf‐to‐air heat dissipation in a pine forest under drought conditions
Authors: Muller Jonathan D. , Rotenberg Eyal , Tatarinov Fyodor , Oz Itay , Yakir Dan
Published: September 2021

The drier climates predicted for many regions will result in reduced evaporative cooling, leading to leaf heat stress and enhanced mortality. The extent to which nonevaporative cooling can contribute to plant resilience under these increasingly stressful conditions is not well known at present.

Using a novel, high accuracy infrared system for the continuous measurement of leaf temperature in mature trees under field conditions, we assessed leaf‐to‐air temperature differences (ΔTleaf–air) of pine needles during drought.

On mid‐summer days, ΔTleaf–air remained < 3°C, both in trees exposed to summer drought and in those provided with supplemental irrigation, which had a more than 10‐fold higher transpiration rate. The nonevaporative cooling in the drought‐exposed trees must be facilitated by low resistance to heat transfer, generating a large sensible heat flux, H. ΔTleaf–air was weakly related to variations in the radiation load and mean wind speed in the lower part of the canopy, but was dependent on canopy structure and within‐canopy turbulence that enhanced the H.

Nonevaporative cooling is demonstrated as an effective cooling mechanism in needle‐leaf trees which can be a critical factor in forest resistance to drying climates. The generation of a large H at the leaf scale provides a basis for the development of the previously identified canopy‐scale ‘convector effect’.
The macroecology of plant populations from local to global scales
Authors: Buckley Yvonne M. , Puy Javier
Published: September 2021

Population ecologists develop theoretical and pragmatic knowledge of how and why populations change or remain stable, how life histories evolve and devise management strategies for populations of concern. However, forecasting the effects of global change or recommending management strategies is often urgent, requiring ecologists to work without detailed local evidence while using data and models from outside the focal location or species. Here we explore how the comparative ecology of populations, population macroecology, can be used to develop generalisations within and between species across different scales, using available demographic, environmental, life history, occurrence and trait data. We outline the strengths and weaknesses of using broad climatic variables and suitability inferred from probability of occupancy models to represent environmental variation in comparative analyses. We evaluate the contributions of traits, environment and their interaction as drivers of life history strategy. We propose that insights from life history theory, together with the adaptive capacity of populations and individuals, can inform on ‘persist in place’ vs ‘shift in space’ responses to changing conditions. As demographic data accumulate at landscape and regional scales for single species, and throughout plant phylogenies, we will have new opportunities for testing macroecological generalities within and across species.
Conceptual representation of real‐world surface material: Early integration with linguistic‐labels indicated in the N400‐component
Authors: Dudschig Carolin , Kaup Barbara , Leuthold Hartmut , Mackenzie Ian Grant
Published: September 2021

Research in perception in the visual and auditory domains has traditionally focused on investigating highly controlled artificial stimulus material. However, a key feature of our perceptual system is the ease with which the input of a wide set of naturalistic co‐occurring information is dealt with. This study investigated whether, during perception of real‐world surface material, a conceptual representation is built that has the potential to interact with a linguistic description of the material directly. Short sentences were presented (e.g., This surface is smooth) followed by a matching or mismatching picture of a real‐world surface material. The results showed early cross‐modal integration effects during material surface perception in an N400‐like potential, originating approximately 280 ms after stimulus presentation. Overall, these findings suggest a rather early influence of linguistic information on material perception, suggesting that in line with object representation, real‐world materials are represented in the brain in a format that allows interaction with non‐visual information.
Cortical activation by a salient sound modulates visual temporal order judgments: An electrophysiological study of multisensory attentional processes
Authors: Simal Amour , Jolicoeur Pierre
Published: September 2021

Previous event‐related potential (ERP) studies show that a salient lateral sound activates the visual cortex more strongly contralateral to the sound, observed as an auditory‐evoked contralateral occipital positivity (ACOP). Studies showed that this activation enhances the early cortical processing of co‐localized visual stimuli presented after, reflected by better detection rates, better discrimination, and sharper perceived contrast. We replicated the ACOP, using earphones, and tested whether auditory cuing can influence temporal order judgments (TOJ) for two visual stimuli (horizontal arrangement) as well as if the ACOP would predict the amplitude of this influence. A lateral salient sound was followed, after 150 or 630 ms, by the visual presentation of a pair of disks, one in left and one in right hemifield, with variable SOA. The TOJ task was to indicate which disk appeared first or which disk appeared second (controlling for response bias). We observed an ACOP at posterior electrode sites and confirmed our hypothesis that the lateral sound influenced TOJ by accelerating the perception of the disk presented on the cued side, even though the sound was irrelevant to the task. Furthermore, the ACOP amplitude was correlated to this visual perceptual change, indicating that a larger change in brain activity was associated with a faster processing of co‐localized visual stimuli.
Your Competitive Side Is Calling: An Analysis of Florida Contract Performance
Authors: Brunjes Benjamin M.
Published: September 2021

Competition over the allocation of scarce resources motivates many public policy choices, and increasingly influences the management of public organizations. With the rise of the business‐like approach espoused by adherents of “new public management,” competitive mechanisms are increasingly used in the public sector to improve organization and program performance. Despite the wide acceptance of competition as a viable method to improve public management, little large n empirical work has been done to determine whether competition improves performance, especially in the networked, cross‐sectoral setting of modern governance. Analyzing nearly 20,000 Florida contracts over a three‐year period, this research explores whether competitive sourcing procedures lead to improved contractor performance. Results show that competitive sourcing may be associated with higher contract spending and undesirable contract outcomes. Other factors, including experience, existing relationships, and lower transaction costs, are more likely to lead to better performance.

Practitioner Points

Competition is theorized to drive down costs, encourage innovation, and help hold contractors accountable for their work.

Competitively sourced contracts are more likely to experience cost overruns and to terminate early than noncompetitive contracts, suggesting that competition may not always be the best approach.

Instead, agency‐contractor relationships and goal alignment are better predictors of good performance.
Putting Big Data to Work in Government: The Case of the United States Border Patrol
Authors: Coulthart Stephen , Riccucci Ryan
Published: September 2021

Investigating how the public sector adopts technologies to process and analyze very large datasets is crucial for understanding governance in the digital age. The authors of this article examine a large government agency, the United States Border Patrol (USBP), an organization that is in the early phases of building big data capabilities. They argue the wide‐scale adoption of big data analytics will require trial‐and‐error processes coordinated by organizational leadership in partnership with front‐line employees who make the technology relevant to their needs in the field. Absent engagement from both levels, organizations like USBP that face significant barriers to adoption (e.g., limited data science expertise) will struggle to leverage data at scale. The authors also extend the literature on big data in the public sector and provide a rich description of how factors, such as organizational leadership and resources, impact the innovation process.
Who captures whom? Regulatory misperceptions and the timing of cognitive capture
Authors: Rilinger Georg
Published: September 2021

To explain cognitive capture, economic sociologists often examine the structure of relationships between regulators and market participants. This paper argues that the nature of regulators' misperception should be subject to analysis as well. Different types of misperceptions develop over timelines of varying lengths. Depending on the misperception, different sets of relationships and parties may therefore be the cause of regulators' capture. The paper illustrates this point with a case study of regulators' failure to detect pervasive market power in California's electricity markets between 1998 and 2001. Existing explanations focus on sellers' short‐term attempts to distract regulators from widespread evidence of market power. Using data from three archives and in‐depth interviews, I show that the regulators did not fall prey to such “information problems.” Instead, their misperception resulted from a more foundational “worldview problem.” This error affects regulators' basic conception of the marketplace and can be traced to earlier and more gradual forms of influence exerted by utilities that, ironically, would become the victims of market power.
Intradialytic periodized exercise improves cardiopulmonary fitness and respiratory function: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Andrade Francini Porcher , Borba Gabrielle Costa , da Silva Kacylen Costa , Ferreira Tatiane de Souza , de Oliveira Samantha Gonçalves , Antunes Verônica Verleine Hörbe , Veronese Francisco Veríssimo , Rovedder Paula Maria Eidt
Published: September 2021

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a factor that predisposes to gradual physical deconditioning from its early stages leading to cardiorespiratory fitness and musculoskeletal system impairment. We evaluated the effects of combined and periodized intradialytic exercise training on cardiopulmonary fitness and respiratory function in HD subjects.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial with HD subjects was allocated into two groups: exercise group (EXG) and usual care group (UCG). EXG performed a 12‐week combined and periodized intradialytic training. UCG maintained the HD routine.

Results

Thirty‐nine HD subjects were analyzed (EXG = 20; UCG = 19). The EXG in comparison with the UCG showed improvements in peak oxygen consumption (Δ3.1[0.4–5.5] vs. −0.2[−2.0–1.5] ml/kg/min; p = 0.003), forced expiratory volume in the first second (Δ0.1[−0.0–0.1] vs. −0.0[−0.1–0.0] L; p = 0.022), forced vital capacity (Δ0.1[0.0–0.2] vs. −0.1[−0.2–0.0] L; p = 0.005), peak expiratory flow (Δ0.4[−0.7–1.2] vs. −0.1[−0.5–0.2] L; p = 0.046), and maximal inspiratory pressure (Δ7.35[−8.5–17.5] vs. −4.0[−18.0–12.0] cmH2O; p = 0.028). The EXG, different from the UCG, did not worsen the maximal expiratory pressure (Δ0.1[−8.8–7.5] vs. −2.5[−15.0–9.0] cmH2O; p = 0.036). Besides, EXG showed a significant improvement in quadriceps strength (32.05 ± 10.61 vs. 33.35 ± 11.62 kg; p = 0.042).

Conclusions

The combined and periodized intradialytic exercise training improved cardiopulmonary fitness, respiratory function, inspiratory muscle strength, and quadriceps strength, beyond maintaining the expiratory muscle strength in HD subjects.
Intraperitoneal vancomycin‐induced immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Murt Ahmet , Ozkan Tekin Tuba , Guzel Suleyman Sami , Olcar Sercan , Salihoglu Ayse , Ataman Muveddet Rezzan
Published: September 2021

Vancomycin is one of the drugs used in the peritonitis treatment regimen of peritoneal dialysis patients. Intraperitoneal route is generally preferred to provide rapid elimination of infective agents. Systemic toxicities of certain drugs after intraperitoneal administration are not very clear. The same also applies to vancomycin, although it has a considerable amount of systemic absorption after intraperitoneal administration. We herein report a case of severe thrombocytopenia, which was seen during the treatment of a peritonitis attack in a peritoneal dialysis patient. Culture studies revealed methicillin resistant staphylococci as the causative agent and the patient received intraperitoneal vancomycin per sensitivity analysis. Thrombocyte levels dropped abruptly to 3,900/μl after 10 days of vancomycin treatment. Clinical criteria pointed out to vancomycin‐related immune thrombocytopenia. Platelet levels did not recover with initial dexamethasone treatment and platelet transfusions. In the meantime, the clinical course was also complicated with intracranial bleeding. Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment was applied and dexamethasone was switched to high‐dose methylprednisolone. This latter treatment generated a response and platelet levels gradually increased to normal levels. The patient could be discharged without any sequelae. There have been two previous intraperitoneal vancomycin‐related immune thrombocytopenia cases in the literature. Previous cases were reviewed, and the present case was given in comparison with the previous cases.
Six methods for classifying lower‐limb dominance are not associated with asymmetries during a change of direction task
Authors: McFadden Ciarán , Daniels Katherine A. J. , Strike Siobhán
Published: September 2021

Quantifying asymmetries between dominant and non‐dominant limbs is a common research objective aimed at identifying systematic differences between limbs and establishing normative ranges of asymmetry. Multiple methods for classifying limb dominance exist, and it is unclear how different methods relate to directional asymmetries during change of direction (CoD). This study aimed to determine whether different methods of classifying limb dominance, including a novel CoD task‐specific method, identified significant inter‐limb asymmetries during a 90° CoD task. Fifty participants completed a testing battery consisting of jumping, hopping, CoD, and isokinetic dynamometry. Limb dominance was classified for each participant according to preferred kicking limb, vertical jump height, horizontal hop distance, initial force plate contact during landing, max isokinetic knee extensor strength, and turning velocity. Asymmetries in whole‐body and joint‐level mechanics were defined using each method. No method for classifying limb dominance was associated with consistent inter‐limb biomechanical asymmetries during CoD, and no method was related to any other method. The magnitude of asymmetry relative to the magnitude of absolute asymmetry present within the cohort suggests that using these tasks to classify the dominant limb in this CoD is akin to assigning dominance to a randomly selected limb. Previous observations of group symmetry during CoD may be statistical artifacts as opposed to a true indication of normative movement. Until an appropriate means of classifying limbs during CoD is established, quantifying normative asymmetry based on limb dominance should be done with caution.
High‐speed stretch‐shortening cycle exercises as a strategy to provide eccentric overload during resistance training
Authors: Hernández‐Davó Jose Luis , Sabido Rafael , Blazevich Anthony J.
Published: September 2021

Resistance exercises eliciting eccentric overload (EO) are considered to strongly promote muscular hypertrophy and broad neuromuscular adaptations but typically require specialized equipment. The aims of these experiments were to assess whether EO is achieved during common high‐speed stretch‐shortening cycle (SSC) exercises (rebound bench press throw [RBPT] and squat jump [SJ]), and to test the effect of the external load on the EO achieved. Twenty‐nine under 18 handball players and fifteen physically active males (24.9 ± 3.2 years) took part in the experiments. Testing consisted of a single set of 6 repetitions with light (25%–30% 1‐RM), moderate (50% 1‐RM), and heavy (70%–75% 1‐RM) loads. Eccentric and concentric force near the zero‐velocity point (50–200 ms) as well as eccentric‐concentric force ratio (EO; %) were calculated. In RBPT, higher EO values were found at 50% 1‐RM than 70% 1‐RM in the time interval 50 ms before and after the zero‐velocity point. Higher EO values were also found at 50% 1‐RM than both 30% 1‐RM and 70% 1‐RM 100 ms before and after the zero‐velocity point. For the SJ, higher EO values were found at 50% 1‐RM and 75% 1‐RM than 25% 1‐RM 100 ms before and after the zero‐velocity point. Higher EO values were found at 50% 1‐RM than 25% 1‐RM 200 ms before and after the zero‐velocity point. However, the higher EO values in the SJ were found far from the zero‐velocity point. High‐speed SSC resistance training provides similar EO to other methods and thus should promote muscle hypertrophy and other neuromuscular adaptations.
Development of accelerometer‐based light to vigorous physical activity in fitness profiles of school‐aged children
Authors: Gråstén Arto , Huhtiniemi Mikko , Hakonen Harto , Jaakkola Timo
Published: September 2021

This study examined the developmental trajectories of light (LPA) and moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in fitness profiles derived from motor competence, perceived motor competence, health‐related fitness, and MVPA behavior. Locomotor, stability, and object control skills, muscular and cardiovascular fitness, and physical activity were assessed in 510 (girls 285 and boys 225) Finnish school‐aged children (Mage = 11.26 ± 33 years) over three years. Physical activity was measured using hip‐mounted accelerometers. Fitness profiles were identified using latent profile analysis, and the development of physical activity levels across four assessments was analyzed with latent growth curve models. Results showed that (1) three homogeneous profiles were identified: At‐risk, Intermediate, and Desirable; (2) the Desirable group was more physically active than the other groups, the Intermediate group was more physical active than the At‐risk group; and (3) LPA decreased similarly over time, while MVPA remained stable in all three profiles. Initial more advanced motor competence, perceived motor competence, health‐related fitness, and higher MVPA behavior were associated with higher levels of long‐term LPA and MVPA. This finding supports the importance of motor competence skills acquisition in the early school years. Attention should also be paid to increasing engagement in light physical activities, especially in inactive or insufficiently active children with low motor competence skills.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐DPA1 allele, HLA‐DPA1*01:86
Authors: Ingrassia Francesco , Pecoraro Alice , Blando Maria , Cappuzzo Valentina
Published: September 2021

HLA‐DPA1*01:86 differs from DPA1*01:03:01:05 by a single nucleotide change in codon 94 (AAG>GAG).
Secretion of a low‐molecular‐weight species of endogenous GRP94 devoid of the KDEL motif during endoplasmic reticulum stress in Chinese hamster ovary cells
Authors: Samy Andrew , Yamano‐Adachi Noriko , Koga Yuichi , Omasa Takeshi
Published: September 2021

GRP94 (glucose‐regulated protein 94) is a well‐studied chaperone with a lysine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and leucine (KDEL) motif at its C‐terminal, which is responsible for GRP94 localization in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). GRP94 is upregulated during ER stress to help fold unfolded proteins or direct proteins to ER‐associated degradation. In a previous study, engineered GRP94 without the KDEL motif stimulated a powerful immune response in vaccine cells. In this report, we show that endogenous GRP94 is naturally secreted into the medium in a truncated form that lacks the KDEL motif in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The secretion of the truncated form of GRP94 was stimulated by the induction of ER stress. These truncations prevent GRP94 recognition by KDEL receptors and retention inside the cell. This study sheds light on a potential trafficking phenomenon during the unfolded protein response that may help understand the functional role of GRP94 as a trafficking molecule.
Fear is associated with attrition of first‐time whole blood donors: A longitudinal examination of donor confidence and attitude as potential mediators
Authors: France Christopher R. , France Janis L. , Himawan Lina K. , Duffy Louisa , Kessler Debra A. , Rebosa Mark , Rehmani Shiraz , Frye Victoria , Shaz Beth H.
Published: September 2021

Background

Elevated fear and anxiety regarding donation‐related stimuli (e.g., needles, pain, blood, fainting) has been associated with reduced blood donor recruitment and retention. The present longitudinal study tests the notion that this inverse relationship may be accounted for by lower donation confidence and more negative donation attitudes among fearful first‐time donors.

Study Design and Methods

In a sample of 1479 first‐time whole blood donors [67.9% female; mean age = 19.3 (standard deviation (SD) = 2.5) years], path analyses were conducted to examine relationships among donor ratings of fear of blood draw and donation anxiety obtained approximately 1 week after donation, donation confidence and attitudes assessed approximately 6 weeks later, and donation attempts over the 14 months following the original donation.

Results

Path analyses indicated that both fear of blood draws and donation anxiety were associated with fewer attempted donations, and that these effects were indirectly mediated by a combination of lower donor confidence and more negative donation attitudes.

Conclusion

Because retention of new blood donors is essential to maintain a healthy blood supply, the results of the present study suggest that first‐time donors should be assessed for fear and anxiety so that appropriate strategies can be provided to address their concerns, bolster their confidence and attitudes, and ultimately promote their long‐term retention.
Intersurgeon agreement in determining 3 cm surgical margins of subcutaneous tumors in dogs
Authors: Ranganathan Bharadhwaj , Milovancev Milan , Mehrkens Lea , Townsend Katy L.
Published: September 2021

Objective

To evaluate intersurgeon agreement in performing a 3 cm wide surgical excision for subcutaneous malignancies in dogs.

Study design

Prospective, blinded, randomized, clinical study.

Animals

Client‐owned dogs with subcutaneous tumors undergoing curative‐intent, wide surgical excision between April 2019 to March 2020.

Methods

Four surgeons, instructed to perform a 3 cm wide excision, each sequentially indicated their proposed skin incision locations around subcutaneous tumors, without knowledge of the other surgeons' proposed incisions. A tripod‐mounted camera and laser positioning system were used to photograph each surgeon's proposed margin length. A random‐effects model was used to estimate the standard deviation of margin lengths that would be expected from a random sample of surgeons.

Results

Each of the four surgeons provided 33 independent radial measurements from 11 tumors (six soft tissue sarcomas and five mast cell tumors), for a total of 132 radial measurements. No individual surgeon consistently proposed longer or shorter margin incision locations. The prediction interval for a future margin measurement was 6 mm, implying that the 95% confidence interval of an individual surgeon's margin length would be within ±6 mm of the mean margin length from a random sample of surgeons.

Conclusion

Ninety‐five percent of surgeons would be expected to deliver a surgical dose between 2.4–3.6 cm, for a theoretically uniform surgical dose of 3 cm wide margins.

Clinical significance

Surgical doses are likely to vary at clinically relevant levels among surgeons, complicating design and interpretation of studies attempting to identify an ideal surgical dose.
Extracting ‘legacy loci’ from an invertebrate sequence capture data set
Authors: Miller Caroline D. , Forthman Michael , Miller Christine W. , Kimball Rebecca T.
Published: September 2021

Sequence capture studies result in rich data sets comprising hundreds to thousands of targeted genomic regions that are superseding Sanger‐based data sets comprised of a few well‐known loci with historical uses in phylogenetics (‘legacy loci’). However, integrating sequence capture and Sanger‐based data sets is of interest as legacy loci can include different types of loci (e.g. mitochondrial and nuclear) across a potentially larger sample of species from past studies. Sequence capture data sets include nontargeted sequences, and there has been recent interest in extracting legacy loci from invertebrate data sets. Here, we use published legacy data from leaf‐footed bugs (Hemiptera: Coreoidea) to recover 15 mitochondrial and seven nuclear legacy loci from off‐target sequences in a sequence capture data set, explore approaches to improve legacy locus recovery, and combine these loci with sequence capture data for phylogenetic analysis. Two nuclear loci were determined to already be targeted by sequence capture baits. Most of the remaining loci were successfully recovered from off‐target sequences, but this recovery varied greatly. Additionally, complementing complete mitogenomes with additional reference mitochondrial sequences from a genetic depository did not offer improvement for most of our taxa; however, supplementing these reference sequences with extracted legacy loci offered ≥6% improvement across taxa for a given mitochondrial locus (negligible improvement for nuclear loci). Phylogenetic analysis of legacy and sequence capture data produced a topology generally congruent with recent studies, but support was lower. Thus, future studies may employ the approaches used in this study to integrate legacy data with newly generated sequence capture data sets without added expenses.
Study of generalized cylindrical polytropes with complexity factor
Authors: Khan Shiraz , Mardan S. A. , Rehman M. A.
Published: September 2021

In this paper, complexity factor is used with generalized polytropic equation of state to develop two consistent systems of three differential equations and a general frame work is established for modify form of Lane-Emden equations. For this purpose anisotropic fluid distribution is considered in cylindrical static symmetry with two cases of generalized polytropic equation of state (i) mass density $$\mu _{o}$$

μ
o

and (ii) energy density $$\mu $$
μ
. A graphical analysis will be carried out for the numerical solution of these systems of three differential equations.
Tully–Fisher relations and retardation theory for galaxies
Authors: Yahalom Asher
Published: September 2021

Galaxies are huge physical systems having dimensions of many tens of thousands of light years. Thus any change at the galactic center will be noticed at the rim only tens of thousands of years later. Those retardation effects seem to be neglected in present day galactic modeling used to calculate rotational velocities of matter in the rims of the galaxy. The significant differences between the predictions of Newtonian theory and observed velocities are usually explained by either assuming dark matter or by modifying the laws of gravity (MOND). In this essay, we will show that taking retardation effects into account one can explain the azimuthal velocities of galactic matter and the well known Tully–Fisher relations of galaxies.