bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic review with meta‐analysis: COVID‐19 outcomes in patients receiving anti‐TNF treatments
Authors: Kokkotis Georgios , Kitsou Konstantina , Xynogalas Ioannis , Spoulou Vana , Magiorkinis Gkikas , Trontzas Ioannis , Trontzas Panagiotis , Poulakou Garyphallia , Syrigos Konstantinos , Bamias Giorgos
Published: December 2021

Background

Accumulating evidence suggests a beneficial effective of tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) inhibitors on the outcomes of COVID‐19 disease, which, however is not validated by all studies.

Aims

To perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis of existing reports to investigate the impact of anti‐TNF treatments on the clinical outcomes of COVID‐19 patients.

Methods

A systematic search at PubMed and SCOPUS databases using specific keywords was performed. All reports of COVID‐19 outcomes for patients receiving anti‐TNF therapy by September 2021 were included. Pooled effect measures were calculated using a random‐effects model. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale for observational studies was used to assess bias. Studies that were not eligible for meta‐analysis were described qualitatively.

Results

In total, 84 studies were included in the systematic review, and 35 were included in the meta‐analysis. Patients receiving anti‐TNF treatment, compared to non‐anti‐TNF, among COVID‐19 cases had a lower probability of hospitalisation (eight studies, 2555 patients, pooled OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.42‐0.67, I2 = 0) and severe disease defined as intensive care unit admission or death (two studies, 1823 patients, pooled OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.41‐0.96, I2 = 0), after adjustment for validated predictors of adverse disease outcomes. No difference was found for the risk for hospitalisation due to COVID‐19 in populations without COVID‐19 for patients receiving anti‐TNF treatment compared to non‐anti‐TNF (three studies, 5 994 958 participants, pooled risk ratio = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.68‐1.39, I2 = 20) adjusted for age, sex and comorbidities.

Conclusions

TNF‐α inhibitors are associated with a lower probability of hospitalisation and severe COVID‐19 when compared to any other treatment for an underlying inflammatory disease.
The bronze cup from Dohnsen in the light of old and new evidence
Authors: Suchowska‐Ducke Paulina , Stos‐Gale Zofia Anna , Pernicka Ernst , Nørgaard Heide W. , Ducke Benjamin
Published: December 2021

The bronze cup found in Dohnsen (Lower Saxony, Northern Germany) in the 1950s is an enigmatic artefact that bears striking similarities with the metalwork of the Late Aegean Bronze Age. We provide an accurate review of the primary sources of information on the cup's find history and context, and present the results of previously unpublished chemical and Pb isotope analyses. The latter suggest that the vessel might have been produced from Central European ores, but it represents the metalworking skills of a travelling smith with knowledge of foreign shapes and styles.
From the State to the Streets: The Debate over the Civil Union Bill and Conservative Strategic Change in Peru
Authors: Sosa‐Villagarcia Paolo , Rozas Urrunaga Lucila
Published: December 2021

The adoption of SOGI policies depends on the strategies activists choose to support or oppose them. Nevertheless, the conditions that explain why some strategies are prioritised over others are not evident. In Peru, the 2013 debate over civil unions prompted a strategic shift in which the conservative wing started to benefit from intensive street mobilisation strategies. Why did this change occur? We argue that a deeply divided electoral competition and the decay of the Catholic Church's moral authority favoured this outcome. This article analyses the trajectory of these strategies over time to identify the conditions that contributed to the shift.
Development of chimeric receptor activator of nuclear factor‐kappa B with glutathione S‐transferase in the extracellular domain: Artificial switch in a membrane receptor
Authors: Kawashima Kanako , Hirota‐Tsukimachi Mayuko , Toma Tsugumasa , Koga Ryoko , Iwamaru Kana , Kanemaru Yosuke , Yanae Misato , Ahagon Ami , Nakamura Yurine , Anraku Kensaku , Tateishi Hiroshi , Gohda Jin , Inoue Jun‐ichiro , Otsuka Masami , Fujita Mikako
Published: December 2021

Various chimeric receptors have been developed and used for biological experiments. In the present study, we constructed three types of chimeric receptor activator of nuclear factor‐kappa B (RANK) with the glutathione S‐transferase (GST) protein in the extracellular domain, and stimulated them using newly synthesized chemical trimerizers with three glutathiones. Although this stimulation did not activate these proteins, we unexpectedly found that the chimera named RANK‐GST‐SC, in which GST replaced a major part of the RANK extracellular domain, activated nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) signaling approximately sixfold more strongly than wild‐type RANK without the ligand. The dimerization of extracellular GST is considered to function as a switch outside the cell, and signal transduction then occurs. GST has been widely employed as a tag for protein purification; GST‐fusion protein can be conveniently captured by glutathione‐conjugated beads and easily purified from impurity. The present study is a pioneering example of the novel utility of GST and provides information for the development of new chemical biology systems.
How much does it take to be old? Modelling the time since the last harvesting to infer the distribution of overmature forests in France
Authors: Thompson Lucie , Cateau Eugénie , Debaive Nicolas , Bray Frédéric , Torre André , Vallet Patrick , Paillet Yoan
Published: December 2021

Aim

The distribution of overmature forests in metropolitan France is poorly known, with only a few well‐studied prominent sites, and has never been evaluated countrywide. Here, we modelled French forest reserves' time since the last harvesting operation—a proxy for forest maturity—then inferred the current statistical distribution of overmature forests (i.e., forests over 50 years without harvesting) in France.

Location

Metropolitan France.

Methods

We used inventories from forest reserves and managed forests to calibrate a generalised linear mixed model explaining the time since the last harvesting with selected structural attributes and environmental variables. We then projected this model on the independent National Forest Inventory dataset. We thus obtained an updated estimation of the proportion and a rough distribution of overmature forest stands in metropolitan France.

Results

We found that high basal area of very large trees, high volumes of standing and downed deadwood, high diversity of tree‐related microhabitats and more marginally diversity of decay stages best characterised the time since the last harvesting. Volumes of stumps and high density of coppices translating legacy of past forest management also distinguished more overmature plots. Our projection yielded an estimated 3% of French forests over 50 years without harvesting mostly located in more inaccessible areas (i.e., mountainous areas).

Main conclusions

Our study showed that the time since the last harvesting could be derived from a combination of key structural attributes characterising overmature temperate forests. It gives the first robust statistical estimate of the proportion of overmature forests in France and may serve to report on their status. Our method could be extended in countries with accessible National Forest Inventory and calibration data, thus producing indicators at an international level.
Glacier influence on bird assemblages in habitat islands of the high Bolivian Andes
Authors: Cardenas Tatiana , Naoki Kazuya , Landivar Carlos Miguel , Struelens Quentin , Gómez Maria Isabel , Meneses Rosa Isela , Cauvy‐Fraunié Sophie , Anthelme Fabien , Dangles Olivier
Published: December 2021

Aim

Climate projections for the upcoming decades predict a significant loss of ice mass particularly critical for glaciers in tropical mountains. In the dry landscapes of the southern Andes (from Southern Peru to Chile), this global trend has strong ecological impacts on high‐altitude wetlands that support a unique avifauna for feeding, roosting and nesting. As glacier runoffs are expected to affect the area and the quality of wetland habitats, these changes may potentially affect bird communities. To address this issue, we studied the structural and functional diversity of bird assemblages in glacier‐fed high‐altitude wetlands (>4500 m).

Location

Five valleys of the Cordillera Real, Bolivia.

Methods

We surveyed bird communities during dry, wet and intermediate seasons in 40 wetlands (total of 27,720 observations of birds and habitats from 540 transects) showing different degrees of dependence on glacial meltwater. We examined the potential effect of glacier retreat on bird communities through changes in wetland area and environmental quality and heterogeneity.

Results

We found strong relationship between wetland area and taxonomic and functional diversity, but not on phylogenetic diversity. Generalized additive models revealed that avian diversity was influenced by wetland's productivity and elevation and maximized at intermediate levels of glacier influence. Multivariate analysis further showed that habitat productivity and humidity, both potentially influenced by future glacial retreat trends, are the main drivers of bird community composition, with the wettest habitats being crucial for aquatic birds and uncommon species.

Main conclusions

Glacier retreat may significantly affect bird community diversity and composition through changes in both area and quality of high‐altitude wetlands, with a particular concern for aquatic birds.
Foreign Direct Investment and Air Pollution in China: Evidence from the Global Financial Crisis
Authors: Liu Shenglong , Zhang Penglong
Published: December 2021

China has been notable for both its rapidly growing foreign direct investment (FDI) and environmental pollution in recent decades. Using the exogenous shock of the 2008 financial crisis as a natural experiment, we construct instrumental variables for FDI by distinguishing between the decrease in FDI in coastal cities and non‐coastal cities. Based on panel data from Chinese prefecture‐level cities, we study the impact of FDI on air pollution in China. The results show that FDI has significantly worsened air quality in China and that the effect is more significant in big cities. FDI in China worsens air quality through increased pollution emissions and resource depletion.
Rural mechanization for equitable development: Disarray, disjuncture, and disruption
Authors: Lewis David , Biggs Stephen , Justice Scott E.
Published: December 2021

Motivation

Agricultural mechanization was once a mainstream issue. From the 1990s onwards it received less priority, as public policy concern for equitable economic development in rural areas faded. Despite recent signs of renewed interest, questions of rural mechanization require more systematic attention. After a long period of neglect, our knowledge is in disarray.

Purpose

This article traces the evolution of thinking about rural mechanization. It examines how three increasingly important factors affect or potentially affect mechanization: (1) expansion of capital goods markets; (2) evolving urban–rural linkages; and (3) climate crisis.

Methods and approach

The article reviews the literature that documents long‐standing debates, and that which records changes in the rural areas of the global south in the 2010s.

Findings

Public policy for rural mechanization was often seen in the 1960s as central to rural development. When neoliberal economics rose in the 1980s, it was thought issues of mechanization could be left to the suppliers and customers in the market. In the meantime, and especially in Asia, many rural operations have been mechanized, but these changes have attracted relatively little attention from either researchers or policy‐makers.

In the 2010s, the pattern of mechanization has been influenced by changes in the production of machinery and the way that suppliers try to sway policy‐makers towards favouring their products; by changes in the relations between urban and rural areas, including the emergence of rural labour shortage and the availability of remittances for capital investment; and by the challenges posed to farmers by global heating and the climate crisis.

Each of these trends is potentially disruptive, risking disjuncture between our understandings of the changing realities of “real world" rural livelihoods and wider political economy on the one hand, and the need to ensure the relevance of research agendas to policy priorities on the other.

Policy implications

Policy‐makers need to embrace a more holistic view of mechanization based on evidence from multi‐disciplinary research. Policy needs rebalancing to enable a more integrated view of national economies; a greater recognition of the realities of mechanization for smaller farmers and small to medium entrepreneurs; and improved data collection, including experimenting with public–private partnerships for data collection.
The future of EU Foreign, Security and Defence Policy: Assessing legal options for improvement
Authors: Wessel Ramses A. , Anttila Elias , Obenheimer Helena , Ursu Alexandru
Published: December 2021

The EU's Common Foreign, Security and Defence Policy found its way into the Treaty 30 years ago, but it is still confronted with ‘specific rules and procedures’ that seem to stand in the way of its effectiveness. Against the background of the Conference on the Future of Europe, this contribution aims to identify ways to improve the CFSP's functionality, on the basis of both existing scholarly work and an empirical assessment of the last 10 years of the Union's foreign policy. By focusing on legal rather than political solutions, it aims to contribute to ongoing debates on the effectiveness of CFSP. Making use of the gradually accepted “normalisation” of CFSP, we have identified a number of legal tools that could be used to improve CFSP and to allow it to meet its Treaty brief to ‘cover all areas of foreign policy and all questions relating to the Union's security’.
Sexual orientation, gender identity, and foster care: What can social science offer in a case like Fulton v. City of Philadelphia?
Authors: Patterson Charlotte J. , Farr Rachel H.
Published: December 2021

Are empirical data and results of research by social scientists relevant to court decisions in foster care cases, and if so, how? How should they be brought to the court's attention? These questions arose in the context of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia (2021), a recent U.S. Supreme Court case that posed the question of whether a religiously based foster care agency could refuse to provide service to LGBTQ+ prospective foster parents on the grounds of religious beliefs, and still accept public funds. Empirical evidence is relevant to the evaluation of at least three propositions related to foster care that were raised in Fulton: (1) There is a need for qualified prospective foster parents; (2) LGBTQ+ adults are at least as likely as others to be interested in becoming foster parents and they are likely to become competent foster parents; and (3) If sufficient numbers of qualified prospective foster parents cannot be found, children are likely to suffer. Consideration of the evidence reveals that each of these three propositions is supported by factual evidence. In the United States today, there is a definite need for competent foster parents, and competence as a foster or adoptive parent is not associated with parental sexual orientation. Moreover, LGBTQ+ adults may be more likely to show interest in becoming foster parents, on average, than their heterosexual peers. If LGBTQ+ adults are not permitted to become foster parents, some children are very likely to remain without homes, and in this way, will suffer. If the best interests of children are to prevail, then child welfare agencies should search out, welcome, and support LGBTQ+ prospective foster parents, rather than turning them away. Ways of bringing the findings from research to the attention of the court are also discussed.
The effects of Mediterranean diet on hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation in adolescents with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Yurtdaş Gamze , Akbulut Gamze , Baran Maşallah , Yılmaz Canan
Published: December 2021

Background

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common liver disease in children and adolescents. The optimal dietary strategy to improve hepatic stetatosis and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in adolescents is unknown.

Objective

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Mediterranean diet (MD) versus low‐fat diet (LFD) on hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in adolescents with obesity and NAFLD.

Methods

Adolescents diagnosed with NAFLD between the ages of 11–18 years were randomized to either a MD or conventional LFD (control diet) for 12 weeks. Dietary status, anthropometry, body composition, and biochemical parameters were evaluated. Hepatic steatosis was determined by ultrasonography.

Results

A total of 44 participants completed the study. At the end of the study, severity of hepatic steatosis, serum transaminase levels, and insulin resistance decreased significantly in both groups with no significant differences between groups except for aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The amount of decrease in AST levels in the MD group was greater than the LFD group (p < 0.05). In the MD group, serum total antioxidant capacity, paraoxanase‐1, and glutathione peroxidase levels increased (p < 0.05); it did not change in the LFD group compared to baseline (p > 0.05). C‐Reactive Protein (CRP) levels decreased only in the MD group (p = 0.008), interleukine‐6 decreased only in the LFD group (p = 0.031).

Conclusion

Consumption of MD and LFD for 12 weeks in adolescents with obesity and NAFLD reduced BMI, fat mass, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance, improved high transaminase levels, and had positive effects on inflammation and oxidative stress.

Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier no. NCT04845373.
Growth, inequality and poverty in Vietnam: How did trade liberalisation help the poor, 2002–2008
Authors: Le Nga Van T. , Hoang Trung Xuan , Tran Tuyen Quang
Published: December 2021

Using the Vietnamese Living Standards Surveys for 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008, we explore how provinces with differential access to trade liberalisation reforms differ in their pro‐poor growth performance in Vietnam. Using both non‐parametric and parametric estimation, we find strong, robust evidence of pro‐poor growth in provinces with greater exposure to trade liberalisation. Using censored and uncensored regressions, the study also shows that increased wages play a critical role in this outcome. Our analysis enables identification of the core mechanisms through which the poor materialise their gains from trade‐driven growth in a transition economy.
Ileal conduit versus neobladder: A propensity score‐matched analysis of the effect on renal function
Authors: Iqbal Umar , Houenstein Holly A , Elsayed Ahmed S , Jing Zhe , James Gaybrielle , Hussein Ahmed A , Guru Khurshid A
Published: December 2021

Objectives

To analyze the long‐term effects of continent (neobladder) compared with incontinent (ileal conduit) urinary diversion.

Methods

We carried out a retrospective review of our departmental database. Estimated glomerular filtration rate was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Neobladder and ileal conduit patients were matched in a 1:2 ratio and a propensity score‐matched analysis was carried out. Data were summarized using descriptive analysis. Trend plots were generated using baseline and follow‐up creatinine values to compare estimated glomerular filtration rate at 3 months, then annually for 5 years. Variables associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate were assessed using multivariate linear analysis.

Results

Our cohort consisted of 137 patients (neobladder n = 50 and ileal conduit n = 87) with a median follow‐up time of 3 years (interquartile range 1–7 years). The ileal conduit group had shorter operative times (352 vs 444 min, P < 0.01), intracorporeal diversions were more common (66% vs 44%, P = 0.01), had prior abdominal surgery (66% vs 38%, P < 0.01) and had radiation (9% vs 0%, P = 0.03). The neobladder group more commonly had recurrent urinary tract infections (22% vs 3%, P < 0.01) and a steeper decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate in the first year. On multivariate linear analysis, age/year (−0.59), body mass index per kg/m2 (−0.52), preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate per unit (0.51), recurrent urinary tract infections (−14.03) and time versus day 90 (year 1, −7.52; year 2, −9.06; year 3, −10.78) were significantly associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Conclusion

Ileal conduits and neobladders showed a similar effect on the estimated glomerular filtration rate up to 5 years after robot‐assisted radical cystectomy. Recurrent urinary tract infections were associated with a worse estimated glomerular filtration rate.
The relationship between overactive bladder, metabolic syndrome and shift work: A literature review
Authors: Rosa Debora , Villa Giulia , Bonetti Loris , Togni Serena , Destrebecq Anne , Montanari Emanuele , Terzoni Stefano
Published: December 2021

Could shift nurses develop overactive bladder (OAB) as a result of metabolic syndrome (MetS)? Shift work and consequent sleep disorders are risk factors of developing MetS. The aim of this literature review was to describe the correlation between MetS OAB and shift work. Search terms (free terms, MeSH): ‘metabolic syndrome’, ‘urologic diseases’; papers published in the last 10 years (2009–2019) were searched in major medical databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase and Cochrane Database of Systematic Review). We included all randomized controlled trials, observational studies, reviews and we included papers studying MetS and OAB. Quality assessment of the papers was conducted according to the Dixon‐Woods checklist. Seven articles were analysed. The literature review pointed out that insulin resistance, hypertension, obesity, high‐density lipoproteins (HDL), cholesterol and triglycerides have a relationship with MetS. The prevalence of obesity and insulin resistance increases the risk of urolithiasis especially in women. Nurses are an occupational category at risk for MetS, due mainly to shift work. All this could therefore put nurses in a position to develop OAB, but studies are needed that analyse the urinary habits of this professional category to prevent bad habits and reduce absenteeism.
Spatial determinates of effector and memory CD8+ T cell fates*
Authors: Duckworth Brigette C. , Qin Raymond Z. , Groom Joanna R.
Published: December 2021

The lymph node plays a critical role in mounting an adaptive immune response to infection, clearance of foreign pathogens, and cancer immunosurveillance. Within this complex structure, intranodal migration is vital for CD8+ T cell activation and differentiation. Combining tissue clearing and volumetric light sheet fluorescent microscopy of intact lymph nodes has allowed us to explore the spatial regulation of T cell fates. This has determined that short‐lived effector (TSLEC) are imprinted in peripheral lymph node interfollicular regions, due to CXCR3 migration. In contrast, stem‐like memory cell (TSCM) differentiation is determined in the T cell paracortex. Here, we detail the inflammatory and chemokine regulators of spatially restricted T cell differentiation, with a focus on how to promote TSCM. We propose a default pathway for TSCM differentiation due to CCR7‐directed segregation of precursors away from the inflammatory effector niche. Although volumetric imaging has revealed the consequences of intranodal migration, we still lack knowledge of how this is orchestrated within a complex chemokine environment. Toward this goal, we highlight the potential of combining microfluidic chambers with pre‐determined complexity and subcellular resolution microscopy.
Racial and ethnic differences in the improvement in daily activities during a nursing home stay
Authors: Mathuba Warona , Deer Rachel , Downer Brian
Published: December 2021

Background

Improving independence in daily activities is an important outcome of postacute nursing home care. We investigated racial and ethnic differences in the improvement in activities of daily living (ADL) during a skilled nursing facility (SNF) stay among Medicare fee‐for‐service beneficiaries with a hip fracture, joint replacement, or stroke.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of Medicare beneficiaries admitted to a SNF between 01/01/2013 and 9/30/2015. The final sample included 428,788 beneficiaries admitted to a SNF within 3 days of hospital discharge for a hip fracture (n = 118,790), joint replacement (n = 245,845), or stroke (n = 64,153). Data from residents' first and last Minimum Data Set were used to calculate ADL total scores for self‐performance in dressing, personal hygiene, toileting, locomotion on the unit, transferring, bed mobility, and eating. Residents were dichotomized according to having had any improvement in the ADL total score. Multivariable logistic regression models that included a random intercept for the facility were used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios for any improvement in ADL function among black and Hispanic residents compared to white residents.

Results

A total of 299,931 residents (69.9%) had any improvement in ADL function. Black residents (OR:0.94; 95% CI: 0.91–0.98) but not Hispanic residents (OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.94–1.03) had significantly lower odds to have any improvement in ADL function. Analyses stratified by the reason for prior hospitalization indicated that black residents discharged for hip fracture (OR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.80–0.93) and stroke (OR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.83–0.93), but not joint replacement (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.97–1.06) had significantly lower odds for any ADL improvement compared to white residents.

Conclusions

Our findings are evidence for racial disparities in the improvement in ADL function during a SNF stay. Future research should investigate systemic factors that may contribute to disparities in the improvement in ADL function during a SNF stay.
The Lexical Basis of Second Language Reading Comprehension: From (Sub)Lexical Knowledge to Processing Efficiency
Authors: Alshehri Mona G. , Zhang Dongbo
Published: December 2021

This study compared how distinct lexical competences, including lexical knowledge as well as processing skills at both word/lexical and sublexical/morphological levels, collectively and relatively predict reading comprehension in adult learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). The participants were 220 Arabic‐speaking EFL learners in a Saudi university. A battery of paper‐ and computer‐based tests was administered to measure the participants’ lexical competences, reading comprehension ability, and working memory. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that over and above working memory, both lexical and sublexical knowledge were significant and unique predictors of reading comprehension, and sublexical processing efficiency, as opposed to lexical processing efficiency, predicted reading comprehension significantly. In addition, among the measured lexical competences, lexical knowledge was the strongest predictor, and the two knowledge variables collectively had a far greater influence on reading comprehension than did the two processing efficiency variables. These findings are discussed in light of the lexical basis of text comprehension.
Metabolically healthy obesity is associated with increased risk of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia: A cohort study of Chinese elderly males
Authors: Chen Weinan , Man Sailimai , Wang Bo , Kadeerhan Gaohaer , Huang Xiaobo
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Obesity and metabolic status are both modifiable risk factors of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). However, the association between metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and LUTS/BPH is largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the risk of LUTS/BPH among different metabolic syndrome‐body mass index (MetS‐BMI) phenotypes in a cohort of Chinese males.

Methods

A total of 3321 males from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) without history of LUTS/BPH at baseline were included into the analyses. Participants were categorized into six mutually exclusive groups according to presence or absence of MetS combined with BMI status: metabolically healthy normal weight/overweight/obesity (MHN/MHOW/MHO) and metabolically unhealthy normal weight/overweight/obesity (MUN/MUOW/MUO). Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI of LUTS/BPH across MetS‐BMI categories were estimated with multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

A total of 394 (11.86%) participants developed LUTS/BPH during the follow‐up. After adjusting for age, educational level, smoking status, drinking status, and BMI change, the multivariable‐adjusted OR (95% CI) for incident LUTS/BPH comparing MUO, MHO, MUOW, MHOW, and MUN with MHN were 1.99 (1.23‐3.22), 2.04 (1.14‐3.66), 1.61 (1.11‐2.34), 1.45 (1.02‐2.05), and 0.91 (0.54‐1.56), respectively.

Conclusions

MHO and MHOW were risk populations of LUTS/BPH, suggesting that overweight and obesity can independently contribute to LUTS/BPH, even among metabolically healthy individuals. These findings emphasize metabolically healthy individuals may still benefit from maintaining normal body weight to prevent LUTS/BPH. Our findings also support that those recommendations for LUTS/BPH should highlight the importance of maintaining metabolic health across all BMI groups among Chinese males.
Intestinal complications are common in patients with acquired diaphragmatic hernia after pediatric living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Seda Neto João , M. Costa Carolina , Fonseca Eduardo A. , Vincenzi Rodrigo , Pugliese Renata , Rocha João Ivo X. , Roda Karina , Benavidez Marcel R. , Oliveira Caio Márcio V. , Pereira Fabio Payão , Assis André Moreira , Feier Flavia H. , Chapchap Paulo
Published: December 2021

Background

Acquired diaphragmatic hernia (DH) following liver transplantation (LT) is usually considered a surgical emergency. Interplay of contributing elements determines its occurrence but, in children, LT with partial liver grafts seems to be the most important causative factor.

Methods

This retrospective study describes the clinical scenario and outcomes of 11 patients with acquired DH following LDLT.

Results

During the study period, 1109 primary pediatric LDLT were performed (0.8% DH). The median age and BW of the recipients with DH at transplantation were 17 months and 11.1 kg, respectively; 63.7% of the cases had a weight/age Z‐score of less than −2 at transplantation. The median interval between transplantation and diagnosis of DH was 114 days (32–538 days). A total of 6 (54.5%) of the patients had bowel obstruction due to bowel migration into the hemithorax. Ten defects were right‐sided. Three patients required enterectomy and enterorrhaphy. Two patients required a new bilioenteric anastomosis, and one of them had complete necrosis of the Roux‐in‐Y limb. The patient with left‐side DH presented gastroesophageal perforation.

Conclusion

Most defects necessitate primary closure as the first treatment, and recurrence is rare. The associated problems encountered, especially related to intestinal complications, can determine increased morbidity following DH repair. Early diagnosis and intervention are required for achieving better outcomes.
Use of narrative methods in rehabilitation and palliative care in Scandinavian countries: A scoping review
Authors: Roikjær Stine Gundtoft , Gärtner Henriette Søby , Timm Helle
Published: December 2021

Background

Although narratives—including an ill person's life story, life situation and future perspectives—seem to lie at the core of rehabilitation and palliative care in Scandinavian countries, we lack a scope of how, when and where narrative methods are used. Such a scope could provide knowledge and inspiration on a practical as well as a policy level. The objective of this study is to explore the literature on the use of systematic, narrative methods in rehabilitative and palliative care for people with life‐threatening illness in Scandinavian countries.

Method

We conducted a scoping review in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) where applicable. We performed a systematic search in CINAHL, Medline, PsychInfo, SOCIndex and SveMed+using the search terms ‘life threatening illness’, ‘narratives’, ‘rehabilitation’, ‘palliative care’ and ‘Scandinavia’, followed by a search for grey literature. We found 42 records to be eligible for this scope and extracted the data via piloted extraction tables.

Results

We identified 17 narrative methods and present findings concerning four themes: (1) a record of the narrative methods used; (2) an objective and theoretical framework for the narrative methods; (3) the content and form of the narrative methods; and (4) the significance of the narrative methods used.

Conclusion

Narrative methods are used in systematic ways in rehabilitation and palliative care in Scandinavian countries and cover a wide variety of objectives, theoretical frames, forms and outcomes. Further development may benefit from more elaboration on definitions and the relationships between objectives, theoretical frameworks and outcomes.
The spatial and temporal dynamics of voter preference determinants in four U.S. presidential elections (2008–2020)
Authors: Li Ziqi , Fotheringham A. Stewart
Published: December 2021

Political and social processes that shape people's voting preferences might be linked to geographical location, varying from place to place, and operating at local, regional, and national scales. Here, we use a local modeling technique, multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR), to examine spatial and temporal variations in the influences of county‐level socio‐economic factors on voter preference during the 2008–2020 U.S. presidential elections. We argue that the local intercept in the MGWR model is an indicator of the effect of spatial context on voter preference and not only can this be separated from the effect of other socio‐economic factors, but it needs to be in order to prevent misspecification bias in the indicators of these other factors. We also identify strong and consistent divisions across the country in how context shapes election results.
High‐pressure sprayed siRNAs influence the efficiency but not the profile of transitive silencing
Authors: Uslu Veli Vural , Dalakouras Athanasios , Steffens Victor A. , Krczal Gabi , Wassenegger Michael
Published: December 2021

In plants, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are a quintessential class of RNA interference (RNAi)‐inducing molecules produced by the endonucleolytic cleavage of double‐stranded RNAs (dsRNAs). In order to ensure robust RNAi, siRNAs are amplified through a positive feedback mechanism called transitivity. Transitivity relies on RNA‐DIRECTED RNA POLYMERASE 6 (RDR6)‐mediated dsRNA synthesis using siRNA‐targeted RNA. The newly synthesized dsRNA is subsequently cleaved into secondary siRNAs by DICER‐LIKE (DCL) endonucleases. Just like primary siRNAs, secondary siRNAs are also loaded into ARGONAUTE proteins (AGOs) to form an RNA‐induced silencing complex reinforcing the cleavage of the target RNA. Although the molecular players underlying transitivity are well established, the mode of action of transitivity remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the influence of primary target sites on transgene silencing and transitivity using the green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐expressing Nicotiana benthamiana 16C line, high‐pressure spraying protocol, and synthetic 22‐nucleotide (nt) long siRNAs. We found that the 22‐nt siRNA targeting the 3ʹ of the GFP transgene was less efficient in inducing silencing when compared with the siRNAs targeting the 5ʹ and middle region of the GFP. Moreover, sRNA sequencing of locally silenced leaves showed that the amount but not the profile of secondary RNAs is shaped by the occupancy of the primary siRNA triggers on the target RNA. Our findings suggest that RDR6‐mediated dsRNA synthesis is not primed by primary siRNAs and that dsRNA synthesis appears to be generally initiated at the 3ʹ‐end of the target RNA.
Interaural-time-difference thresholds for broad band-limited pulses are affected by relative bandwidth not temporal envelope sharpness
Authors: Mayo Paul G. , Saunders Philip C. , Goupell Matthew J.
Published: December 2021

Humans are sensitive to interaural time differences (ITDs) conveyed by slow modulations on high-frequency carrier signals. Sensitivity appears to be affected by temporal envelope sharpness, but it is unclear if there is a limit to which sharpness affects sensitivity. Pulse trains were varied in relative bandwidth (re: critical bandwidths) and center frequency. ITD sensitivity increased with increasing bandwidth. There was no effect of center frequency when relative bandwidths were analyzed, suggesting that the temporal envelope sharpness (concomitantly absolute bandwidth in Hz) did not affect performance. Rather, sensitivity was most easily explained by recruitment of additional auditory channels.
Perceptions of the South African 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Birth to 5 Years: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Draper Catherine E. , Silubonde Takana M. , Mukoma Gudani , van Sluijs Esther M.F.
Published: December 2021

Background: South Africa launched 24-hour movement guidelines for birth to 5 years in 2018. Perceptions of these guidelines were assessed as part of the dissemination process with community-based organizations in 2019. Methods: Fifteen dissemination workshops were held with community-based organization representatives and a range of stakeholders. Discussions were held with workshop attendees (n = 281) to obtain qualitative feedback on the guidelines and workshop. Six follow-up focus groups (n = 28) were conducted to obtain additional feedback on the guidelines and their dissemination. Discussions and focus groups were thematically analyzed. Results: Participants recognized the importance of the guidelines for the health and development of young South African children. Participants’ perceptions of the guidelines were consistently positive. The participants acknowledged the alignment of the guidelines with other South African programs and initiatives, and that they addressed gaps. Screen time and sleep were identified as the behaviors needing particular attention among young South African children. The negative impact of COVID-19 on young children’s movement behaviors was acknowledged, especially regarding screen time. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence of stakeholders’ positive perceptions of the South African guidelines and support the dissemination and implementation of these guidelines for the promotion of early childhood health and development in South Africa.
Arthrogenic Muscle Inhibition: Best Evidence, Mechanisms, and Theory for Treating the Unseen in Clinical Rehabilitation
Authors: Norte Grant , Rush Justin , Sherman David
Published: December 2021

Context: Arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) impedes the recovery of muscle function following joint injury, and in a broader sense, acts as a limiting factor in rehabilitation if left untreated. Despite a call to treat the underlying pathophysiology of muscle dysfunction more than three decades ago, the continued widespread observations of post-traumatic muscular impairments are concerning, and suggest that interventions for AMI are not being successfully integrated into clinical practice. Objectives: To highlight the clinical relevance of AMI, provide updated evidence for the use of clinically accessible therapeutic adjuncts to treat AMI, and discuss the known or theoretical mechanisms for these interventions. Evidence Acquisition: PubMed and Web of Science electronic databases were searched for articles that investigated the effectiveness or efficacy of interventions to treat outcomes relevant to AMI. Evidence Synthesis: 122 articles that investigated an intervention used to treat AMI among individuals with pathology or simulated pathology were retrieved from 1986 to 2021. Additional articles among uninjured individuals were considered when discussing mechanisms of effect. Conclusion: AMI contributes to the characteristic muscular impairments observed in patients recovering from joint injuries. If left unresolved, AMI impedes short-term recovery and threatens patients’ long-term joint health and well-being. Growing evidence supports the use of neuromodulatory strategies to facilitate muscle recovery over the course of rehabilitation. Interventions should be individualized to meet the needs of the patient through shared clinician–patient decision-making. At a minimum, we propose to keep the treatment approach simple by attempting to resolve inflammation, pain, and effusion early following injury.
Nuclear pores dilate and constrict in cellulo
Authors: Zimmerli Christian E. , Allegretti Matteo , Rantos Vasileios , Goetz Sara K. , Obarska-Kosinska Agnieszka , Zagoriy Ievgeniia , Halavatyi Aliaksandr , Hummer Gerhard , Mahamid Julia , Kosinski Jan , Beck Martin
Published: December 2021

Mechanosensitive nuclear pores

The nucleus of eukaryotic cells is enclosed by the nuclear envelope, a double membrane punctuated with nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). These giant channels in the nuclear envelope mediate nucleocytoplasmic exchange. Zimmerli
et al
. show that the mechanical status of the nuclear membranes controls their nuclear pore diameter. Pulling forces imposed through nuclear membranes lead to stretching of NPCs and dilation of their diameter, whereas relief of such forces causes NPC constriction. Thus, the control of nuclear size and shape is functionally linked with NPC conformation and nucleocytoplasmic transport activity. —SMH
Mouse and human share conserved transcriptional programs for interneuron development
Authors: Shi Yingchao , Wang Mengdi , Mi Da , Lu Tian , Wang Bosong , Dong Hao , Zhong Suijuan , Chen Youqiao , Sun Le , Zhou Xin , Ma Qiang , Liu Zeyuan , Wang Wei , Zhang Junjing , Wu Qian , Marín Oscar , Wang Xiaoqun
Published: December 2021

Surveying brain interneuron development

As transient structures in early brain development, the ganglionic eminences generate dozens of different types of interneurons that go on to migrate throughout and weave together the developing brain. Shi
et al
. analyzed human fetal ganglionic eminences. Single-cell transcriptomics revealed unexpected diversity in the types of progenitor cells involved. The human ganglionic eminence depends more heavily on intermediate progenitor cells as workhorses than does the developing neocortex, with its greater reliance on radial glial cells. —PJH
X-ray telescope to study how magnetic objects sculpt light
Authors: Clery Daniel
Published: December 2021

NASA mission could reveal engines driving black hole jets
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of hyponatraemia associated with oral water intake in adults: a systematic review
Authors: Rangan Gopala K , Dorani Nilofar , Zhang Miranda M , Abu-Zarour Lara , Lau Ho Ching , Munt Alexandra , Chandra Ashley N , Saravanabavan Sayanthooran , Rangan Anna , Zhang Jennifer Q J , Howell Martin , Wong Annette TY
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Excessive water intake is rarely associated with life-threatening hyponatraemia. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of hyponatraemia associated with excess water intake.

Methods

This review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. All studies (case reports, observational or interventional studies) reporting excess water intake and hyponatraemia in adults (1946–2019) were included.

Results

A total of 2970 articles were identified and 177 were included (88.7% case reports), consisting of 590 patients. The mean age was 46±16 years (95% CI 44 to 48 years), 47% female, 52% had a chronic psychiatric disorder and 31% had no underlying condition. The median volume of water consumed and serum sodium at presentation was 8 L/day (95% CI 8.9 to 12.2 L/day) and 118 mmol/L (95% CI 116 to 118 mmol/L), respectively. The motivator for increased water consumption was psychogenic polydipsia (55%); iatrogenic (13%); exercise (12%); habitual/dipsogenic polydipsia (7%) and other reasons (13%). The clinical features on presentation were severe in 53% (seizures, coma); moderate in 35% (confusion, vomiting, agitation) and mild in 5% (dizziness, lethargy, cognitive deficit) and not reported in 5% of studies. Treatment was supportive in 41% of studies (fluid restriction, treatment of the underlying cause, emergency care), and isotonic and hypertonic saline was used in 18% and 28% of cases, respectively. Treatment-related complications included osmotic demyelination (3%) and rhabdomyolysis (7%), and death occurred in 13% of cases.

Conclusion

Water intoxication is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and requires daily intake to substantially exceed population-based recommendations. The limitations of this analysis are the low quality and high risk of bias of the included studies.

PROSPERO registration number

A pre-existing protocol in the international prospective register of systematic reviews was updated to incorporate any new amendments and reregistered athttp://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO(registration no. CRD42019129809).
Association of long-term exposure to PM2.5with hypertension prevalence and blood pressure in China: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Song Jiali , Gao Yan , Hu Shuang , Medda Emanuela , Tang Guigang , Zhang Di , Zhang Wenbo , Li Xi , Li Jing , Renzi Matteo , Stazi Maria Antonietta , Zheng Xin
Published: December 2021

Objective

Evidence of the effects of long-term fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure on hypertension and blood pressure is limited for populations exposed to high levels of PM2.5. We aim to assess associations of long-term exposure to PM2.5with hypertension prevalence and blood pressure, and further explore the subpopulation differences and effect modification by participant characteristics in these associations in China.

Methods

We analysed cross-sectional data from 883 827 participants aged 35–75 years in the China Patient-Centred Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events Million Persons Project. Data from the monitoring station were used to estimate the 1-year average concentration of PM2.5. The associations of PM2.5exposure with hypertension prevalence and blood pressure were investigated by generalised linear models, with PM2.5included as either linear or spline functions.

Results

The 1-year PM2.5exposure of the study population ranged from 8.8 to 93.8 µg/m3(mean 49.2 µg/m3). The adjusted OR of hypertension prevalence related to a 10 μg/m3increase in 1-year PM2.5exposure was 1.04 (95% CI, 1.02 to 1.05). Each 10 μg/m3increment in PM2.5exposure was associated with increases of 0.19 mm Hg (95% CI, 0.10 to 0.28) and 0.13 mm Hg (95% CI, 0.08 to 0.18) in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, respectively. The concentration–response curves for hypertension prevalence and systolic blood pressure showed steeper slopes at higher PM2.5levels; while the curve for diastolic blood pressure was U-shaped. The elderly, men, non-current smokers and obese participants were more susceptible to the exposure of PM2.5.

Conclusions

Long-term exposure to PM2.5is associated with higher blood pressure and increased risk of hypertension prevalence. The effects of PM2.5on hypertension prevalence become more pronounced at higher PM2.5levels. These findings emphasise the need to reduce air pollution, especially in areas with severe air pollution.