bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective enrichment of stem cells in regenerating Xenopus laevis tadpole tails using the side population method
Authors: Kato Sumika , Kubo Takeo , Fukazawa Taro
Published: July 2022

Xenopus laevis tadpoles have a strong regenerative ability and can regenerate their whole tails after tail amputation. Lineage‐restricted tissue stem cells are thought to provide sources for the regenerating tissues by producing undifferentiated progenitor cells in response to tail amputation. However, elucidating the behavioral dynamics of tissue stem cells during tail regeneration is difficult because of their rarity, and there are few established methods of isolating these cells in amphibians. Here, to detect and analyze rare tissue stem cells, we attempted to enrich tissue stem cells from tail regeneration buds. High Hoechst dye efflux capacity is thought to be a common characteristic of several types of mammalian tissue stem cells; these stem cells, designated as the “side population (SP),” may be enriched by flow cytometry (SP method). To evaluate the effectiveness of stem cell enrichment using the SP method in regenerating X. laevis tadpole tails, we performed single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) of SP cells from regeneration buds and analyzed the frequency of satellite cells, which are muscle stem/progenitor cells expressing pax7. The pax7‐expressing cells were enriched in the SP compared with whole normal tails and regeneration buds. Furthermore, hes1‐expressing cells, which are assumed to be neural stem/progenitor cells, were also enriched in the SP. Our findings suggest that the SP method is efficient for successfully enriching tissue stem cells in regenerating X. laevis tadpole tails, indicating that the combination of the SP method and scRNA‐seq is useful for studying tissue stem cells that contribute to tail regeneration.
Hoof morphometry in a population of lame and nonlame working donkeys in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Raja Zabeeh Ullah , Rosanowski Sarah M. , Parkes Rebecca Sarah Victoria
Published: July 2022

Background

Hoof morphometry, conformation and shoeing practices have all been associated with lameness in horses. Hoof morphometry in working donkeys in Pakistan has not been objectively measured.

Objectives

To quantitatively assess hoof morphology in donkeys, to identify factors underlying hoof morphology, and interrelationships between conformation, lameness, and shoeing status.

Study design

Cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Donkeys were assessed in‐harness using a modified five‐point lameness scale by two veterinarians and digital photographs of front hooves taken alongside a grid. Factor analysis was used to examine the interrelationships among morphometric data. Associations between conformation, shoeing, age and lameness were assessed.

Results

Sixty‐one donkeys were examined; 28 were unshod. There were significant left–right hoof asymmetries between heel height (0.27, SD 0.92 cm; p = 0.02), toe‐heel angle (2.97°, SD 8.85°; p = 0.03) and medio‐lateral symmetry (0.5, SD 1.75 cm; p = 0.05). Ten percent of donkeys (n = 6) were sound and 64% donkeys (n = 39) were consistently lame. Conformational defects were seen in 41% (n = 25) of donkeys. Eleven factors were extracted, accounting for 83% of the variance encountered in the original variables. Shoeing, and asymmetry between or within feet were not associated with lameness in donkeys; older donkeys were more likely to be lame (p = 0.02).

Main limitations

As a convenience sample of draught donkeys, most of which were lame, the study may not reflect nonpathological hoof morphology in working donkeys. There are no validated objective lameness measures for donkeys and donkeys were in harness when assessed.

Conclusion

This study represents a snapshot of hoof morphology and lameness in a single population and under various limitations. Further work should use larger datasets and more homogenous samples to discriminate between ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ feet and how these might contribute to lameness. Factor analysis highlighted the clustering of hoof morphometric features in donkeys, suggesting the potential for targeted studies in the future.
Hearing from First Nations Dads: Qualitative yarns informing service planning and practice in urban Australia
Authors: Clifford‐Motopi Anton , Fisher Ike , Kildea Sue , Hickey Sophie , Roe Yvette , Kruske Sue
Published: July 2022

Objective

This qualitative study explores the experiences and perceptions of new and expectant First Nations fathers in an urban setting in Australia.

Background

Little is known about the experiences of First Nations men as fathers, including their transition to fatherhood and their strengths and challenges as fathers.

Method

Eight First Nations men who were expectant or new fathers participated in individual yarning interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive phenomenological analysis.

Results

Men perceived a father to be a protector, provider and someone who reflects on how to be a better father. To be a better father, men were trying to heal and learn from their past and build their identity as a father, while managing the stress of fatherhood.

Conclusion

The study identified four strategies to support new First Nations fathers: (a) create gathering places for men to connect with and learn from other dads, (b) maternity and early childhood services should be inclusive of men and their role as fathers, (c) clinical intervention and supportive pathways into fatherhood, and (d) promote and celebrate the strengths and roles of First Nations fathers.

Implications

Maternity and early childhood services can better support First Nations men in their transition to fatherhood by being more responsive to their needs and inclusive of their important role in child development and strengthening the family unit.
Ecosystem benefits of adopting a whole‐site approach to MPA management
Authors: Davies Bede Ffinian Rowe , Holmes Luke , Attrill Martin J. , Sheehan Emma V.
Published: July 2022

Globally, nations are designating marine protected areas to recover and protect habitats and species. With targets to protect 30% of marine areas by 2030, the effectiveness of MPAs to protect designated space is important. In Lyme Bay (south‐west UK), two co‐located MPAs have each adopted different management styles to exclude mobile demersal fishing: a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) protecting the known extent of sensitive reef habitat and an area including a mosaic of reef and sedimentary habitats where the whole site is protected from mobile demersal fishing under a statutory instrument (SI). Underwater videography, both towed (individuals m−2) and baited (MaxN), was used to enumerate change over time of reef species (number of taxa, total abundance, functional richness and functional redundancy) in the MPAs and nearby control areas (2008–2019). Total abundance and functional redundancy of sessile taxa and functional richness of mobile taxa increased, while the number of sessile or mobile taxa, functional richness of sessile taxa, total abundance of mobile taxa or functional redundancy of mobile taxa did not differ from nearby control sites. Over time, both management styles did result in increases in sessile and sedentary taxa diversity relative to open controls, with increases in total abundance of 15% and 95% in the “feature‐based” and whole‐site MPAs, respectively, alongside increases in the number of sessile taxa of 44% over time in the “feature‐based” MPA. However, the mobile taxa in the whole‐site MPA showed levels of functional redundancy 7% higher than the “feature‐based” MPA, indicative of a higher community resilience inside the whole‐site MPA to perturbations, such as storms or biological invasions. Increases seen in the diversity of sessile taxa were expected only in areas where mobile demersal fishing was excluded (~46.8% of its areas). Therefore, if the whole “feature‐based” MPA was consistently protected, we expected to see similar levels of increase in the functional extent of reef. While the “feature‐based” MPA showed similar results over time to that of the “whole site,” the “whole site” showed higher levels of diversity, both taxonomical and functional.
Quantification of perception towards facial skin ideal complexion in multiple ethnic populations from clinical imaging cues
Authors: Wu Ziqi , Qu Di , Whitehead Sarah , Wang Xiaojuan , Liu Jianwei
Published: July 2022

Objective

Ideal complexion is a perceptual skin quality that is strongly influenced by cultural and ethnic background. The objectives of this study are to quantitatively characterise skin ideal complexion based on clinical image cues and to compare the perceptions of ideal complexion among multiple ethnicities.

Methods

Facial images of Indian, Chinese, Caucasian and Latino females collected using VISIA®‐CR were presented to naïve panels of the same ethnicity following a two‐alternative forced choice design and responses on skin ‘ideal complexion’ were obtained from 336 panellists. Panel perception was transformed logistically (d′) and projected onto a continuum (ω) following Bradley‐Terry model. Image cues including skin colour and unevenness, skin shine and surface smoothness and pigmentary blotches and spots were computed using image analysis, and their relationship with ω was evaluated through multiple regression analysis. A novel skin index, namely ideal complexion score (ICS), was developed and correlated against age using linear regression. Finally, ICS was applied to evaluate treatment efficacy of a skin brightening kit on 35 female Caucasian subjects.

Results

Panel perceptiond′showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) correlation with the contrast of image cues for all ethnic panels (R2 = 0.74, 0.76, 0.62 and 0.46 for Indian, Chinese, Caucasian and Latino respectively) and strong correlations between perception ω and linear combinations of image cues were observed (R2 > 0.88 for all). Main effects of facial image visual cues on ideal complexion were compared: contrast of skin redness and pigmented spots and visual smoothness were important in determining ICS for all ethnicities; skin colour unevenness was more pronounced for Indian and Caucasian; skin lightness was important for Indian and Chinese; skin shine was critical for Chinese and Latino; and skin hue angle ranked higher for Caucasian. Correlations between ICS and age were observed for Indian and Caucasian (R2 = 0.55) in which ICS decreased as age increased. Twenty‐nine percent improvement on ICS was observed after 12 weeks' treatment using the brightening kit compared with the baseline.

Conclusion

Mathematical models were successfully established to describe subjective perception towards skin ideal complexion based on objectively measured image cues for multiple ethnicities.
Sintering behavior of the Ti(C,N)‐based cermets with graphite or diamond additives
Authors: Zhou Haojun , Tao Hongliang , Wu Ning , Li Yimin , Yin Yuhang , Luo Fenghua
Published: July 2022

Combining DSC/TG–QMS analysis and dilatometry experiments at constant heating rates, the sintering behaviors of the Ti(C,N)‐based cermets with carbon additives were studied. It is found that the additives of diamond or graphite could promote the interactions among raw powders during solid‐state sintering. The outgassing behavior and endothermic effect were enhanced, thereby resulting in the increasing densification activation energy. The negative activation energy during the liquid phase sintering indicates that the dissolution–precipitation process occurs easily and provides a rapid densification path. The dissolution–precipitation process for cermets with .6‐wt% graphite or .6‐wt% diamond additive became more efficient than for cermets without additional carbon additive. The white‐core/gray‐rim grains were clustered together in the cermets with .6‐wt% graphite additive, whereas they were distributed evenly in the cermets with .6‐wt% diamond additive. Moreover, the average sizes of ceramic grains in the cermets without additional carbon additive, and with .6‐wt% graphite or .6‐wt% diamond additives, were .453, and .517, or .525 μm, respectively.
Metabolic phenotyping of acquired ampicillin resistance using microbial volatiles from Escherichia coli cultures
Authors: Dixon Breanna , Ahmed Waqar M. , Mohamed Abubaker A. , Felton Tim , Fowler Stephen J.
Published: July 2022

Aims

This study sought to assess the volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles of ampicillin-resistant and -susceptible Escherichia coli to evaluate whether VOC analysis may be utilized to identify resistant phenotypes.

Methods and Results

An E. coli BL21 (DE3) strain and its pET16b plasmid transformed ampicillin-resistant counterpart were cultured for 6 h in drug-free, low- and high-concentrations of ampicillin. Headspace analysis was undertaken using thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results revealed distinct VOC profiles with ampicillin-resistant bacteria distinguishable from their susceptible counterparts using as few as six compounds. A minimum of 30 compounds (fold change >2, p ≤ 0.05) were differentially expressed between the strains across all set-ups. Furthermore, three compounds (indole, acetoin and 3-methyl-1-butanol) were observed to be significantly more abundant (fold change >2, p ≤ 0.05) in the resistant strain compared to the susceptible strain both in the presence and in the absence of drug stress.

Conclusions

Results indicate that E. coli with acquired ampicillin resistance exhibit an altered VOC profile compared to their susceptible counterpart both in the presence and in the absence of antibiotic stress. This suggests that there are fundamental differences between the metabolisms of ampicillin-resistant and -susceptible E. coli which may be detected by means of VOC analysis.

Significance and Impact of the Study

Our findings suggest that VOC profiles may be utilized to differentiate between resistant and susceptible bacteria using just six compounds. Consequently, the development of machine-learning models using VOC signatures shows considerable diagnostic applicability for the rapid and accurate detection of antimicrobial resistance.
Supporting parenting among Syrian refugees in Lebanon: a randomized controlled trial of the caregiver support intervention
Authors: Miller Kenneth E. , Chen Alexandra , Koppenol‐Gonzalez Gabriela V. , Bakolis Ioannis , Arnous Maguy , Tossyeh Fadila , El Hassan Ahmad , Saleh Ahmad , Saade Joy , Nahas Nayla , Abboud Marianne , Jawad Lya , Jordans Mark J.D.
Published: July 2022

Background

Parenting interventions in humanitarian settings have prioritized the acquisition of parenting knowledge and skills, while overlooking the adverse effects of stress and distress on parenting—a key mediator of refugee children's mental health. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Caregiver Support Intervention (CSI), which emphasizes caregiver wellbeing together with training in positive parenting.

Methods

We conducted a two‐arm randomized controlled trial of the CSI with Syrian refugees in Lebanon, with an intent‐to‐treat design, from September 2019–December 2020. A total of 480 caregivers from 240 families were randomized to the CSI or a waitlist control group (1:1). Retention from baseline to endline was 93%. Data on parenting and caregiver psychological wellbeing were collected at baseline, endline, and three‐month follow‐up. Prospective trial registration: ISRCTN22321773.

Results

We did not find a significant change on overall parenting skills at endline (primary outcome endpoint) (d = .11, p = .126) or at follow‐up (Cohen's d = .15, p = .054). We did find a significant effect on overall parenting skills among participants receiving the full intervention—the sub‐sample not interrupted by (COVID‐19) (d = 0.25, p < .05). The CSI showed beneficial effects in the full sample at endline and follow‐up on harsh parenting (d = −.17, p < .05; d = .19, p < .05), parenting knowledge (d = .63, p < .001; d = .50, p < .001), and caregiver distress (d = −.33, p < .001; d = .23, p < .01). We found no effects on parental warmth and responsiveness, psychosocial wellbeing, stress, or stress management. Changes in caregiver wellbeing partially mediated the impact of the CSI on harsh parenting, accounting for 37% of the reduction in harsh parenting.

Conclusions

The CSI reduced harsh parenting and caregiver distress, and demonstrated the value of addressing caregiver wellbeing as a pathway to strengthening parenting in adversity. These effects were achieved despite a pandemic‐related lockdown that impacted implementation, a severe economic crisis, and widespread social unrest. Replication under less extreme conditions may more accurately demonstrate the intervention's full potential.
In‐river behaviour and freshwater return rates of sea trout, Salmo truttaL., from two coastal river populations
Authors: Kennedy Richard James , Barry James , Roche William , Rosell Robert , Allen Michelle
Published: July 2022

The effective management of anadromous Salmo trutta resources is challenging because long‐term data on life history, phenology and survival are sparse and most stocks across the range are highly diverse and data‐limited. The current study employed acoustic telemetry to tag 448 sea trout across three life stages, to describe the phenology, spawning behaviour and return rates of smolts, finnock (0+ sea age) and adult (≥1+ sea age) sea trout in two Irish river systems during 2018–2021. Tagged smolts (n = 206) exhibited river to sea transition rates of 78%–92% and a number of surviving smolts returned to their natal river as 0+ sea age finnock, exhibiting overall smolt to finnock return rates of between 6% and 17%. Short‐term vagrancy occurred among smolts, and 14 individuals were detected in adjacent non‐natal rivers. Finnock tagged during the late summer (n = 205) exhibited a range of behaviours with a minority (<30%) ascending upstream to spawning areas. Tagged adult sea trout (n = 37) ascended upstream to the spawning grounds and between 50% and 80% successfully returned to sea as kelts after spawning. Subsequent return rates of kelts back to the river in the following year ranged from 9% to 40%. The current study indicated that body size was an influential predictor of behaviour and survival across all three life stages. Increased body size was positively associated with marine transition success in smolts, long‐term marine survival in kelts and spawning behaviour in finnock. This work further demonstrates the complexity of sea trout life‐history dynamics and provides a comparative perspective across different age classes. An understanding of life‐history variation, behaviour and survival is fundamental for the successful management and conservation of sea trout stocks.
Materials footprint of household consumption in China
Authors: Liu Jingru , Wu Haotong , Tian Xin , Wang Heming , Wu Yinglei
Published: July 2022

China has been witnessing profound changes in the consumption behaviors of its population during the last several decades. To better gauge the current consumption structure of Chinese households and investigate the burden exerted by consumption on resources, we calculated the household material footprint (HMF) in China within the individual consumption classification framework developed by the United Nations. HMF is the only life‐cycle‐based indicator adopted into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Four types of raw materials and 15 representative consumption divisions were analyzed in this research. The total HMF in China increased by 103% from 1992 to 2017, although the per capita HMF remains lower than the global average. The per capita HMF growth in rural and urban areas differs, with urban citizens consuming 2.8 more metric tons of resources than rural residents as of 2017. The HMF of all materials studied shows a rising trend, especially for metal ores, which underpins the real estate and auto industries. Food‐related consumption is the main contributor to the HMF in China, while consumption of housing and transportation has less proportion yet more growth potential compared with developed countries. This study adds to the literature of studies on the consumption behaviors and domestic demands of China and has further methodologically significant meaning for similar studies in other countries and practical value for policymakers. Overall, this study demonstrates that despite an upsurge in consumption behaviors and gratifying economic records, the incurred resource and environmental burden may fuel risks for sustainable development.
Independent APOE4 knock‐in mouse models display reduced brain APOE protein, altered neuroinflammation, and simplification of dendritic spines
Authors: Sepulveda Jordy , Luo Nancy , Nelson Matthew , Ng Christi Anne S. , Rebeck George William
Published: July 2022

APOE is an immunomodulator in the brain and the major genetic risk factor for late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Targeted replacement APOE mice (APOE‐TR) have been a useful tool to study the effects of APOE isoforms on brain neurochemistry and activity prior to and during AD. We use newly available APOE knock‐in mice (JAX‐APOE) to compare phenotypes associated with APOE4 across models. Similar to APOE4‐TR mice, JAX‐E4 mouse brains showed 27% lower levels of APOE protein compared with JAX‐E3 (p < 0.001). We analyzed several neuroinflammatory molecules that have been associated with APOE genotype. SerpinA3 was much higher in APOE4‐TR mice to APOE3‐TR mice, but this effect was not seen in JAX‐APOE mice. There were higher levels of IL‐3 in JAX‐E4 brains compared with JAX‐E3, but other neuroinflammatory markers (IL6, TNFα) were not affected by APOE genotype. In terms of neuronal structure, basal dendritic spine density in the entorhinal cortex was 39% lower in JAX‐E4 mice compared with JAX‐E3 mice (p < 0.001), again similar to APOE‐TR mice. One‐week treatment with ibuprofen significantly increased dendritic spine density in the JAX‐E4 mice, consistent with our previous finding in APOE‐TR mice. Behaviorally, there was no effect of APOE genotype on Barnes Maze learning and memory in 6‐month‐old JAX‐APOE mice. Overall, the experiments performed in JAX‐APOE mice validated findings from APOE‐TR mice, identifying particularly strong effects of APOE4 genotype on lower APOE protein levels and simplified neuron structure. These data demonstrate pathways that could promote susceptibility of APOE4 brains to AD pathological changes.

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Description of a patient cohort with Hereditary Sensory Neuropathy type 1 without retinal disease Macular Telangiectasia type 2 ‐ implications for retinal screening in HSN1
Authors: Rodrigues Filipa Gomes , Pipis Menelaos , Heeren Tjebo F.C. , Fruttiger Marcus , Gantner Mari , Vermeirsch Sandra , Okada Mali , Friedlander Martin , Reilly Mary M , Egan Catherine
Published: July 2022

Pathogenic variants in the genes encoding serine palmitoyl transferase (SPTLC1 or SPTLC2) are the most common causes of the rare peripheral nerve disorder Hereditary Sensory Neuropathy Type 1 (HSN1). Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel), a retinal disorder associated with disordered serine‐glycine metabolism, has been described in some patients with HSN1. This study aims to further investigate this association in a cohort of people with HSN1. Fourteen patients with a clinically and genetically confirmed diagnosis of HSN1 from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom) were recruited to the MacTel Registry, between July 2018 and April 2019. Two additional patients were identified from the dataset of the international clinical registry study (www.lmri.net). Ocular examination included fundus autofluorescence, blue light and infrared reflectance, macular pigment optical density mapping and optical coherence tomography. Twelve patients had a pathogenic variant in the SPTLC1 gene, with p.Cys133Trp in 11 cases (92%) and p.Cys133Tyr in one case (8%). Four patients had a variant in the SPTLC2 gene. None of the patients showed clinical evidence of MacTel. The link between HSN1 and MacTel seems more complex than can solely be explained by the genetic variants. An extension of the spectrum of SPTLC1/2‐related disease with phenotypic pleiotropy is proposed. HSN1 patients should be screened for visual symptoms and referred for specialist retinal screening, but the association of the two diseases is likely to be variable and remains unexplained.
The evolution of narrative identity in a “returning home” man: The psychological and cultural place of farming in the Chinese psyche
Authors: Guo Ruitong , Zhang Yancui , Zemmelman Steve Eliezer , Li Xianghui
Published: July 2022

Objective

This study attempts to illustrate the process of reconstructing adaptive self‐identity by tracking the development of imagery in Mr. Z's dreams and sandtrays.

Method

The authors adopted amplification and Narrative Identity Process Analysis methods, and developed an Imagery NPCS tool to analyze the farming images in therapy sessions.

Results

It provided insights into Chinese culture from an applied, non‐Western lens on identity theory. The subject of the study was a Chinese man who had lost his social identity due to stressful events, the results of which were reflected in the interplay between his personal narrative related to farming images and their cultural narrative framework.

Conclusions

The authors propose a practical mode of developing narrative identity based on the dynamic organizing principle of opposites which are united in a persona‐shadow personality system. Development of an integrated narrative identity can be facilitated by the dialectic between the cultural narrative offered by the psychotherapist and the client's personal narrative.
Outsider at home: Reading Babasaheb Ambedkar as a radical, decolonial psychologist
Authors: Bhatia Sunil , Ram Anjali
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Known primarily as the architect of the constitution of India, Babasaheb Ambedkar was also a human rights lawyer, an economist, a social justice advocate, and a polymath. Yet his story is often overlooked in favor of national leaders such as Gandhi. This study highlights Ambedkar as a visionary who called for a radical and new psychology of self that was anchored in ideas of social justice, equity and full participation. Furthermore this study fills the gap in the field of psychobiography which rarely reflects the cultural lives and experiences of the Global South.

Methods

This study follows the psychobiographical method and uses memoirs, essays, speeches, and biographies as data.

Results

Three “turning points” in Ambedkar's life are examined: (1) Early childhood experiences of being an “untouchable”; (2) Returning to India for employment after completing his doctorate in the U.S.; (3) Converting to Buddhism in later life. Using a decolonial theoretical lens, we analyze the multiple ways that he experienced being colonized and dehumanized.

Conclusion

As he defied the caste structures within his own culture and resisted colonialism, Ambedkar developed a syncretic politics of resistance that emphasized the creation of a decolonized Dalit self and community.
Dispositional forgiveness buffers paranoia following interpersonal transgression
Authors: Ellett Lyn , Foxall Anna , Wildschut Tim , Chadwick Paul
Published: July 2022

Objective

To test a novel proposition that dispositional forgiveness has the unrecognized benefit of buffering feelings of paranoia following negative interpersonal experiences and interpersonal transgressions.

Methods

In Study 1 (N = 128), we used an experimental paradigm, the Prisoner's Dilemma Game (PDG), to test the premise that an interpersonal transgression increases state paranoia. Study 2 (N = 180) used a longitudinal design to test the central proposition that dispositional forgiveness buffers state paranoia following naturally occurring difficult (vs pleasant) interpersonal events. Study 3 (N = 102) used a novel experimental paradigm to determine the causal effect of manipulating forgiveness on paranoia.

Results

In Study 1, interpersonal transgressions in the PDG increased paranoia. In Study 2, paranoia was higher following difficult (rather than pleasant) events, and higher levels of dispositional forgiveness moderated the negative effect of difficult events on paranoia. In Study 3, there was a causal effect of forgiveness on (reduced) paranoia.

Conclusions

This is the first evidence that (1) interpersonal transgressions increase paranoia, (2) high dispositional forgiveness moderates the deleterious effect of interpersonal transgression on paranoia, and (3) dispositional forgiveness is causally related to less paranoia.
The Relationship Between Fear of Isolation and Thinking Ability about Social Issues1
Authors: Hayashi Mikiya , Ideno Takashi , Takemura Kazuhisa
Published: July 2022

The fear of spending time alone (isolation) may be closely related to dysfunction in decision‐making. This study tested the prediction that people who strongly fear isolation have a reduced ability to think about social issues. The authors polled Japanese respondents via an online survey (N = 824). The results revealed that fear of isolation, measured by self‐report, was negatively correlated with the ability to detect inappropriate agendas, inconsistent with a meeting's purpose. Additionally, fear of isolation was negatively correlated with a capacity to detect less relevant propositions addressing the causes of social issues and their solutions. These results showed that the more people feared isolation, the lower their ability to think about social issues. Based on these findings, the authors argue that fear of isolation is a good predictor of a lower ability for contemplating social issues.
Prescribing habits for the use of omeprazole as a gastroprotectant in dogs in a veterinary teaching hospital
Authors: Bodnarova T. , Hall E. , Duplan F.
Published: July 2022

Objectives

To examine the prescribing habits for omeprazole in a veterinary teaching hospital and to evaluate the effect of a clinical audit on omeprazole prescription.

Material and Methods

Observational study with retrospective clinical audit followed by a prospective study. The evaluated data about omeprazole prescription included the dose, frequency and indication. These were assessed according to published guidelines. A seminar about the audit and current guidelines on the use of omeprazole was organised for all members of clinical staff. Prospective data collection was conducted after the seminar. A comparison of the collected data before and after the clinical audit was made.

Results

A total of 301 dogs were prescribed omeprazole in the veterinary teaching hospital during the study period (including the retrospective and prospective parts). Complete data were acquired from 240 patients. The prescribed frequency of omeprazole was inappropriate in 23 (16.5%) of the prescriptions in the retrospective section but in only five (5.0%) in the prospective study. Inappropriate indications were reported in 12 (8.6%) patients in the retrospective section and in two patients (2.0%) in the prospective study. Overall inappropriate omeprazole prescription was identified in 34 (24.5%) patients in the retrospective part and in seven (6.9%) patients in the prospective part. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in frequency, indication and overall prescription of omeprazole.

Clinical Significance

This study details the frequency of inappropriate prescription of omeprazole in a veterinary teaching hospital and provides some evidence that dissemination of guidelines based on clinical audit can improve prescribing habits.
Disability inclusion in medical education: Towards a quality improvement approach
Authors: Singh Satendra , Meeks Lisa M.
Published: July 2022

The Issue

The shift to a more diverse workforce that includes physicians with disabilities has gained considerable international traction. Indeed, disability inclusion is experiencing a renaissance in medical education. However, the philosophy of disability inclusion must be adjusted from one where disabled trainees are viewed as problematic and having to ‘overcome’ disability to one where institutions anticipate and welcome disabled trainees as a normative part of a diverse community.

Observations

Most trainees with disabilities will enter an unregulated, uninformed system leaving them vulnerable to under‐accommodation, systems barriers and lack of informed support. Further, the perception of the super human good doctor creates disincentives for candidates to disclose their disability, creating structural barriers that the system needs to address. A less often discussed contributor to health care inequities is the inadequate training of health professional educators on disability rights and disability competencies. Indeed, the lack of education, coupled with minimal exposure to disability outside of the hierarchical patient‐provider relationship, perpetuates to stereotypes and biases that impact clinical care.

Approach

Disability inclusion has not been reviewed through the lens of quality improvement. To close this gap, we examine the state of the science through the lens of disability inclusion and offer considerations for a quality improvement approach in medical education that addresses the global revised trilogy of World Federation for Medical Education standards of quality improvement at all three levels of education, training and practice.

Conclusion

We propose a vision of systems‐based disability‐inclusive, accessible and equitable medical education using 9 of Deming's 14 points as applicable to medical education.
Protection, energetic assistance, or social perks: How do beluga offspring benefit from allocare?
Authors: Aubin Jaclyn A. , Michaud Robert , Wal Eric Vander
Published: July 2022

Allocare, care for offspring from nonparents, can carry important benefits for offspring. We investigated the potential benefits of allocare to offspring by examining contexts associated with allocare among St. Lawrence belugas in Sainte‐Marguerite Bay, a high‐residency area, and the Saguenay Fjord, a transit area. We hypothesized that calves receive similar benefits from mothers and alloparents, namely, protection and energetic benefits, while juveniles associate with alloparents for social purposes. As such, we expected that calves would associate with mothers and alloparents more frequently when exposed to potential dangers, such as adult males and vessel traffic, and in energetically costly contexts, such as the flood tide and during travel, while juveniles would associate with alloparents more frequently during social behavior. We found no trends between allocare and any variables tested. However, we found that calf maternal care in the fjord decreased significantly during socialization, particularly calf‐calf socialization. We also found that juvenile maternal care in the fjord decreased significantly when males were present, possibly because juveniles sought associations with males. These findings emphasize the importance of socialization for beluga offspring of all ages. Both maternal care and allocare persisted across contexts in Sainte‐Marguerite Bay, highlighting its possible importance as an offspring‐rearing ground.
A gene dosage‐dependent effect unveils NBS1 as both a haploinsufficient tumour suppressor and an essential gene for SHH‐medulloblastoma
Authors: Petroni Marialaura , Fabretti Francesca , Di Giulio Stefano , Nicolis di Robilant Vittoria , La Monica Veronica , Moretti Marta , Belardinilli Francesca , Bufalieri Francesca , Coppa Anna , Paci Paola , Corsi Alessandro , De Smaele Enrico , Coni Sonia , Canettieri Gianluca , Di Marcotullio Lucia , Wang Zhao‐Qi , Giannini Giuseppe
Published: July 2022

Aims

Inherited or somatic mutations in the MRE11, RAD50 and NBN genes increase the incidence of tumours, including medulloblastoma (MB). On the other hand, MRE11, RAD50 and NBS1 protein components of the MRN complex are often overexpressed and sometimes essential in cancer. In order to solve the apparent conundrum about the oncosuppressive or oncopromoting role of the MRN complex, we explored the functions of NBS1 in an MB‐prone animal model.

Materials and methods

We generated and analysed the monoallelic or biallelic deletion of the Nbn gene in the context of the SmoA1 transgenic mouse, a Sonic Hedgehog (SHH)‐dependent MB‐prone animal model. We used normal and tumour tissues from these animal models, primary granule cell progenitors (GCPs) from genetically modified animals and NBS1‐depleted primary MB cells, to uncover the effects of NBS1 depletion by RNA‐Seq, by biochemical characterisation of the SHH pathway and the DNA damage response (DDR) as well as on the growth and clonogenic properties of GCPs.

Results

We found that monoallelic Nbn deletion increases SmoA1‐dependent MB incidence. In addition to a defective DDR, Nbn+/− GCPs show increased clonogenicity compared to Nbn+/+ GCPs, dependent on an enhanced Notch signalling. In contrast, full NbnKO impairs MB development both in SmoA1 mice and in an SHH‐driven tumour allograft.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that Nbn is haploinsufficient for SHH‐MB development whereas full NbnKO is epistatic on SHH‐driven MB development, thus revealing a gene dosage‐dependent effect of Nbn inactivation on SHH‐MB development.
Differential oral microbiome in nonhuman primates from periodontitis‐susceptible and periodontitis‐resistant matrilines
Authors: Ebersole Jeffrey L. , Kirakodu Sreenatha , Gonzalez Octovio
Published: July 2022

Rhesus monkeys (n = 36) exhibiting a healthy periodontium at baseline were used to induce progressing periodontitis through ligature placement around premolar/molar teeth. Bacterial samples were collected at baseline, 0.5, 1, and 3 months of disease and at 5 months for disease resolution. The animals were distributed into two groups (18/group): 3–7 years (young) and 12–23 years (adult) and stratified based upon matriline susceptibility to periodontitis (PDS, susceptible; PDR, resistant). A total of 444 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with 100 microbes representing a core microbiome present in ≥75% of the samples were identified. Only 48% of the major phylotypes overlapped in the PDS and PDR samples. Different OTU abundance patterns were seen in young animals from the PDS and PDR matrilines, with qualitative similarities during disease and the relative abundance of phylotypes becoming less diverse. In adults, 23 OTUs were increased during disease in PDS samples and 24 in PDR samples; however, only five were common between these groups. Greater diversity of OTU relative abundance at baseline was observed with adult compared to young oral samples from both the PDS and PDR groups. With disease initiation (2 weeks), less diversity of relative abundance and some distinctive increases in specific OTUs were noted. By 1 month, there was considerable qualitative homogeneity in the major OTUs in both groups; however, by 3 months, there was an exacerbation of both qualitative and quantitative differences in the dominant OTUs between the PDS and PDR samples. These results support that some differences in disease expression related to matriline (familial) periodontitis risk may be explained by microbiome features.
Non‐reassuring fetal status and anesthetic impact on cesarean section‐delivered very‐low‐birthweight infants
Authors: Kim Min Soo , Kim HyoYun , Seo Yumi , Yum Sook Kyung
Published: July 2022

Background

There is limited evidence concerning the impact on neonatal outcomes of different types of anesthesia used for cesarean delivery due to non‐reassuring fetal status (NRFS). We aimed to assess the impact of NRFS and general anesthesia (GA) on neonatal outcomes in very‐low‐birthweight (VLBW) infants delivered by cesarean section.

Methods

Data were collected relating to VLBW infants admitted to our institution. Infants were grouped into no‐NRFS and NRFS groups and further subcategorized into GA and regional anesthesia (RA) subgroups. Neonatal outcomes were evaluated based on the presence of NRFS and the type of anesthesia.

Results

A total of 356 infants were included. The GA subgroup in the no‐NRFS group had higher requirements for respiratory support. However, GA was not associated with adverse neonatal outcomes based on the multivariable logistic regression analysis except for 5 min Apgar score <5. On the other hand, NRFS was associated with an increased risk of 5 min Apgar score <5 [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.062, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.064–3.997], use of high‐frequency ventilation (aOR: 2.891, 95% CI: 1.477–5.658), and pulmonary hypertension (aOR: 2.890, 95% CI: 1.436–5.819).

Conclusions

In our cohort of VLBW infants, NRFS was a significant risk factor for a low 5 min Apgar score, increased respiratory support requirement, and pulmonary hypertension. Accurate assessment of fetal well‐being, timely delivery, and presence of a resuscitation team fully aware of perinatal conditions and anesthetic impact is important.
Use and adequacy of non‐pregnancy diagnosis in cow. Which future?
Authors: Gnemmi Giovanni Maria , Maraboli Cristina Vittoria A. , Gnemmi Benedetta , Saleri Roberta , De Rensis Fabio
Published: July 2022

In cattle, early detection of gestation is very important from an economic and management point of view in all types of farming. However, due to the poor efficiency of oestrous detection, it is essential to determine non‐pregnant cows as early as possible, in order to minimize the inter‐insemination interval, thus de facto, reducing herd open days. Direct and indirect gestation diagnostic methods have been developed with the aim of improving the reproductive performance of the herd. Today, the most accurate method for making an early diagnosis of gestation from 28 to 30 days post‐insemination is B‐mode ultrasound. In recent years, indirect methods have included techniques that allow non‐pregnant cows to be identified with a minimum margin of error, the most widely utilized of which is the colour Doppler. This technique is rapidly becoming established for the diagnosis of non‐pregnancy, which allows for the identification of non‐pregnant animals earlier compared with the pregnancy diagnosis. Some limitations of this technique in dairy cow have been presented.
Risk of Legionellosis in residential areas around farms irrigating with municipal wastewater
Authors: Mori Jameson , Smith Rebecca L.
Published: July 2022

The conservation of freshwater is of both global and national importance, and in the United States, agriculture is one of the largest consumers of this resource. Reduction of the strain farming puts on local surface or groundwater is vital for ensuring resilience in the face of climate change, and one possible option is to irrigate with a combination of freshwater and reclaimed water from municipal wastewater treatment facilities. However, this wastewater can contain pathogens that are harmful to human health, such as Legionella pneumophila, which is a bacterium that can survive aerosolization and airborne transportation and cause severe pneumonia when inhaled. To assess an individual adult's risk of infection with L. pneumophila from a single exposure to agricultural spray irrigation, a quantitative microbial risk assessment was conducted for a scenario of spray irrigation in central Illinois, for the growing seasons in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The assessment found that the mean risk of infection for a single exposure exceeded the safety threshold of 10–6 infections/exposure up to 1 km from a low‐pressure irrigator and up to 2 km from a high‐pressure irrigator, although no median risk exceeded the threshold for any distance or irrigator pressure. These findings suggest that spray irrigation with treated municipal wastewater could be a viable option for reducing freshwater consumption in Midwest farming, as long as irrigation on windy days is avoided and close proximity to the active irrigator is limited.
Invasion analysis of a two‐species Lotka–Volterra competition model in an advective patchy environment
Authors: Chen Shanshan , Liu Jie , Wu Yixiang
Published: July 2022

In this paper, we study a two‐species Lotka–Volterra competition patch model over a stream, where the individuals are subject to both random and directed movements and the two species are assumed to be identical except for the movement rates. We treat one species as the resident species and the other one as a mutant/invading species and study whether the resident species can be invaded. We also obtain the global dynamics of the model for certain parameter ranges.
Initial boundary value problem for a class of wave equations of Hartree type
Authors: Zhang Hongwei , Su Xiao
Published: July 2022

In this paper, we consider a class of wave equations of Hartree type on a bounded smooth convex domain with Dirichlet boundary condition. By applying the standard semigroup theory, we get the local existence result. Using potential well theory, we derive the condition of global existence of weak solutions. With the help of potential well theory and convexity method, we give blowup results for solutions when the initial energy is nonnegative or negative.
Peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion techniques by the nephrologist
Authors: Goh Bak Leong , Lim Christopher T. S.
Published: July 2022

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter is the lifeline of PD patients, and despite the overall strength of the PD program in many countries, PD catheter survival remains the major weakness of the program. The prompt and effective implantation of the PD catheter, as well as speedy management of complications arising from catheter insertion, remains crucial for the success of the program.
Where is the Land of Hope and Glory? The geography of intergenerational mobility in England and Wales*
Authors: Bell Brian , Blundell Jack , Machin Stephen
Published: July 2022

We present a new analysis of intergenerational mobility across three cohorts in England and Wales using linked decennial census microdata, focusing on occupation, homeownership, and education. Four main results emerge. First, area‐level differences in upward occupational mobility are highly persistent over time. Second, measures of absolute and relative mobility tend to be spatially positively correlated. Third, there is a robust relationship between upward educational and upward occupational mobility. Last, there is a small negative relationship between upward homeownership mobility and upward occupational mobility, revealing that social mobility comparisons based on different outcomes can have different trends.