bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blood supply and arteriography of the pelvic limb of the Southern caracara (Caracara plancus) and great egret (Ardea alba)
Authors: Oliveira Elton Luís Ritir , Pacifico Pereira Keylla H. N. , Felippi Daniel Angelo , Franco Paolla Nicole , de Oliveira Fabrício Singaretti , Baldissera Gonçalves Raphael A. , Rolim Luna Scarpari , Schimming Bruno Cesar
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study was to compare the arterial vascularization of the pelvic limb between southern caracara (Caracara plancus) and great egret (Ardea alba) by dissection and radiographic examinations. Five specimens of caracaras (three males and two females), and seven great egrets (five males and two females) were used. Barium sulphate and latex suspension were injected into the left ventricle of the birds. The radiographs were taken with the pelvic limbs in the ventrodorsal, dorsoplantar, mediolateral and lateromedial recumbency. Thereafter, the material was fixed in a 10% solution of formaldehyde and dissected. The pelvic limb received its arterial supply from two main vessels, the ischiatic and external iliac arteries. The ischiatic artery presented to be the principal artery of pelvic limb in the caracara and great egret. Several branches arised from the ischiatic and external iliac arteries were described. No gender differences were observed in both species. The caracara and great egret showed arteries similar to those reported for the ostrich and domestic fowl. According to the results of this study, it is suggested that the caracara has a pelvic limb with more arterial branches and larger arterial diameter than the great egret, which is probably related to the specific behaviour of these birds, since the caracara is a bird that exercise more their pelvic limbs to capture its prey when compared with the great egret.
External validation of risk prediction model M4 in an Australian population: Rationalising the management of pregnancies of unknown location
Authors: Nadim Batool , Leonardi Mathew , Stamatopoulos Nicole , Reid Shannon , Condous George
Published: June 2020

Background

The prediction model M4 can successfully classify pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) into a low‐ or high‐risk group in developing ectopic pregnancy. M4 was validated in UK centres but in very few other countries outside UK.

Aim

To validate the M4 model’s ability to correctly classify PULs in a cohort of Australian women.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective analysis of women classified with PUL, attending a Sydney‐based teaching hospital between 2006 and 2018. The reference standard was the final characterisation of PUL: failed PUL (FPUL) or intrauterine pregnancy (IUP; low risk) vs ectopic pregnancy (EP) or persistent PUL (PPUL; high risk). Each patient was entered into the M4 model calculator and an estimated risk of FPUL/IUP or EP/PPUL was recorded. Diagnostic accuracy of the M4 model was evaluated.

Results

Of 9077 consecutive women who underwent transvaginal sonography, 713 (7.9%) classified with a PUL. Six hundred and seventy‐seven (95.0%) had complete study data and were included. Final outcomes were: 422 (62.3%) FPULs, 150 (22.2%) IUPs, 105 (15.5%) EPs and PPULs. The M4 model classified 455 (67.2%) as low‐risk PULs of which 434 (95.4%) were FPULs/IUPs and 21 (4.6%) were EPs or PPULs. EPs/PPULs were correctly classified with sensitivity of 80.0% (95% CI 71.1–86.5%), specificity of 75.9% (95% CI 72.2–79.3%), positive predictive value of 37.8% (95% CI 33.8–42.1%) and negative predictive value of 95.3% (95% CI 93.1–96.9%).

Conclusions

We have externally validated the prediction model M4. It classified 67.2% of PULs as low risk, of which 95.4% were later characterised as FPULs or IUPs while still classifying 80.0% of EPs as high risk.
Frailty is independently associated with mortality in 11 001 patients with inflammatory bowel diseases
Authors: Kochar Bharati , Cai Winston , Cagan Andrew , Ananthakrishnan Ashwin N.
Published: June 2020

Background

The prevalence of older adults with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is increasing. Frailty is an important predictor of outcomes in many chronic disease states. The implications of frailty have not been well‐delineated in IBD.

Aims

To report the prevalence of a frailty‐associated diagnosis and determine the association between frailty and mortality in a cohort of IBD patients.

Methods

In a cohort of 11 001 IBD patients, we applied a validated definition of frailty using International Classification of Disease codes. We compared frail IBD patients to those without a frailty‐related code (“fit”). We constructed multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for clinically pertinent confounders (age, gender, race, IBD type, follow‐up, IBD‐related surgery, ≥1 comorbidity in the Charlson comorbidity index [CCI], and immunosuppression use) to determine whether frailty predicts mortality.

Results

A total of 675 (6%) IBD patients had a frailty‐related diagnosis. The prevalence of frailty increased with age, rising from 4% in 20‐29 year olds to 25% in patients 90 years or older. The most prevalent frailty diagnosis was protein‐energy malnutrition. The strongest predictors of frailty were non‐IBD comorbidity, all‐cause and IBD‐related, hospitalisations. Frailty remained independently associated with mortality after adjusting for age, sex, duration of follow‐up, comorbidity, need for IBD‐related surgery and immunosuppression (OR: 2.90, 95% CI: 2.29‐3.68).

Conclusions

Frailty is prevalent in IBD patients and increases with age. Frailty nearly triples the odds of mortality for IBD patients. Risk stratifying patients by frailty may improve outcomes.
Long‐distance fluid migration defines the diagenetic history of unique Ediacaran sediments in the East European Craton
Authors: Derkowski Arkadiusz , Środoń Jan , Goryl Magdalena , Marynowski Leszek , Szczerba Marek , Mazur Stanisław
Published: June 2020

The diagenetic history of the Ediacaran sedimentary rocks in the East European Craton (EEC) over the area extending from Arkhangelsk (Russia) in the north to Podolia (Ukraine) in the south was revealed by means of the XRD characterization and K–Ar dating of clay fractions, mudstone porosity measurements and organic geochemistry investigations. Mudstone porosity measurements produced direct evidence of shallow maximum burial of the Ediacaran sediments on the craton (Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Volyn), not exceeding 1.5 km, and much deeper burial at the cratonic margin, in Podolia and Poland. In general, illitization of smectite and biomarker indices indicates more advanced diagenesis at the cratonic margin.

K–Ar dating of authigenic illite–smectite and aluminoceladonite revealed the Palaeozoic age of mineral diagenesis (ca. 450–300 Ma) both on the craton and its margin, with older ages generally observed in the north. When the maximum palaeotemperatures were evaluated from illite–smectite and biomarkers, based on the calibrations from the conventional burial diagenetic sections, a major mismatch was detected for the cratonic area: 100°C–130°C from illite––smectite and tens of oC lower from the lipid biomarkers. This diagenetic pattern was interpreted as the result of short‐lasting (in ky scale) pulses of potassium‐bearing hot fluids migrating from the Caledonian and Variscan orogens deep in the craton interior, effectively promoting illitization in porous rocks without altering the organic matter. Analogous short pulses of fluids were responsible for numerous diagenetic phenomena, including Mississippi Valley‐Type ore deposits, in the American Midwest, in front of the Appalachians. K–Ar dating indicates that the entire Proterozoic sedimentary cover of the Great Unconformity on the EEC remained untouched by measureable post‐sedimentary changes until the early Palaeozoic, thus for over 1000 My, which is an unprecedented finding.
Correlates of bird collisions with buildings across three North American countries
Authors: Elmore Jared A. , Hager Stephen B. , Cosentino Bradley J. , O'Connell Timothy J. , Riding Corey S. , Anderson Michelle L. , Bakermans Marja H. , Boves Than J. , Brandes David , Butler Eric M. , Butler Michael W. , Cagle Nicolette L. , Calderón‐Parra Rafael , Capparella Angelo P. , Chen Anqi , Cipollini Kendra , Conkey April A.T. , Contreras Thomas A. , Cooper Rebecca I. , Corbin Clay E. , Curry Robert L. , Dosch Jerald J. , Dyson Karen L. , Fraser Erin E. , Furbush Ross A. , Hagemeyer Natasha D. G. , Hopfensperger Kristine N. , Klem Daniel , Lago Elizabeth A. , Lahey Ally S. , Machtans Craig S. , Madosky Jessa M. , Maness Terri J. , McKay Kelly J. , Menke Sean B. , Ocampo‐Peñuela Natalia , Ortega‐Álvarez Rubén , Pitt Amber L. , Puga‐Caballero Aura , Quinn John E. , Roth Amber M. , Schmitz Ryan T. , Schnurr Jaclyn L. , Simmons Matthew E. , Smith Alexis D. , Varian‐Ramos Claire W. , Walters Eric L. , Walters Lindsey A. , Weir Jason T. , Winnett‐Murray Kathy , Zuria Iriana , Vigliotti Jesse , Loss Scott R.
Published: June 2020

Collisions with buildings cause up to 1 billion bird fatalities annually in the United States and Canada. However, efforts to reduce collisions would benefit from studies conducted at large spatial scales across multiple study sites with standardized methods and consideration of species‐ and life‐history‐related variation and correlates of collisions. We addressed these research needs through coordinated collection of data on bird collisions with buildings at sites in the United States (35), Canada (3), and Mexico (2). We collected all carcasses and identified species. After removing records for unidentified carcasses, species lacking distribution‐wide population estimates, and species with distributions overlapping fewer than 10 sites, we retained 269 carcasses of 64 species for analysis. We estimated collision vulnerability for 40 bird species with ≥2 fatalities based on their North American population abundance, distribution overlap in study sites, and sampling effort. Of 10 species we identified as most vulnerable to collisions, some have been identified previously (e.g., Black‐throated Blue Warbler [Setophaga caerulescens]), whereas others emerged for the first time (e.g., White‐breasted Nuthatch [Sitta carolinensis]), possibly because we used a more standardized sampling approach than past studies. Building size and glass area were positively associated with number of collisions for 5 of 8 species with enough observations to analyze independently. Vegetation around buildings influenced collisions for only 1 of those 8 species (Swainson's Thrush [Catharus ustulatus]). Life history predicted collisions; numbers of collisions were greatest for migratory, insectivorous, and woodland‐inhabiting species. Our results provide new insight into the species most vulnerable to building collisions, making them potentially in greatest need of conservation attention to reduce collisions and into species‐ and life‐history‐related variation and correlates of building collisions, information that can help refine collision management.
Using ensemble modeling to predict the impacts of assisted migration on recipient ecosystems
Authors: Peterson Katie , Bode Michael
Published: June 2020

Assisted migration is a controversial conservation measure that aims to protect threatened species by moving part of their population outside its natural range. Although this could save species from extinction, it also introduces a range of risks. The magnitude of the threat to recipient ecosystems has not been investigated quantitatively, despite being the most common criticism leveled at the action. We used an ensemble modeling framework to estimate the risks of assisted migration to existing species within ecosystems. With this approach, we calculated the consequences of an assisted migration project across a very large combination of translocated species and recipient ecosystems. We predicted the probability of a successful assisted migration and the number of local extinctions would result from establishment of the translocated species. Using an ensemble of simulated 15‐species recipient ecosystems, we estimated that translocated species will successfully establish in 83% of cases if introduced to stable, high‐quality habitats. However, assisted migration projects were estimated to cause an average of 0.6 extinctions and 5% of successful translocations triggered 4 or more local extinctions. Quantifying the impacts to species within recipient ecosystems is critical to help managers weigh the benefits and negative consequences of assisted migration.
Private rhino conservation: Diverse strategies adopted in response to the poaching crisis
Authors: Clements Hayley S. , Knight Mike , Jones Pelham , Balfour Dave
Published: June 2020

Private landowners in South Africa conserve roughly 40% of white rhinos globally. Given concerns that escalating poaching has caused private‐rhino owners to disinvest, we used a national survey to assess 171 private‐rhino owners’ responses to the crisis. Twenty‐eight percent of rhino owners are disinvesting in rhino, 57% are pursuing business‐as‐usual (largely ecotourism), and 15% are investing in more rhinos. It is currently unclear whether this diversity in private‐rhino owners’ responses to the crisis is increasing the resilience of the rhino population to poaching. Some rhino investors show signs of financial stress. Most owners support rhino‐horn trade to fund conservation, yet international trade remains banned. By contrast, a recent national policy amendment allows rhinos to be managed as livestock, risking a shift from rhino‐for‐conservation to rhino‐for‐production on private land. Our findings highlight an urgent need to ensure policies keep pace with dynamic socioeconomic environments that influence the sustainability of wildlife use.
Insulin glargine 300 U/mL versus first‐generation basal insulin analogues in insulin‐naïve adults with type 2 diabetes: 12‐month outcomes of ACHIEVE Control, a prospective, randomized, pragmatic real‐life clinical trial
Authors: Meneghini Luigi , Blonde Lawrence , Gill Jasvinder , Dauchy Arnaud , Bacevicius Andrius , Strong Jodi , Bailey Timothy S.
Published: June 2020

Aim

To report the effectiveness and safety of insulin glargine 300 U/mL (Gla‐300) versus standard‐of‐care basal insulin analogues (SOC‐BI) at 12 months in the ACHIEVE Control trial, which is a prospective pragmatic randomized real‐life study in insulin‐naïve adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods

A total of 3304 insulin‐naïve adults with T2D and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) concentration of 64 to 97 mmol/mol (8.0% to 11.0%) after ≥1 year of treatment with two or more antihyperglycaemic agents were randomized to Gla‐300 or SOC‐BI. Key secondary endpoints included HbA1c target attainment without documented symptomatic (≤3.9 mmol/L [≤70 mg/dL]) or severe hypoglycaemia at 12 months.

Results

At 12 months, 26.1% (Gla‐300) and 23.7% (SOC‐BI) of adults achieved HbA1c targets without documented symptomatic (≤3.9 mmol/L [≤70 mg/dL]) or severe hypoglycaemia (odds ratio [OR] 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97–1.35); 33.0% and 29.5%, respectively, achieved HbA1c targets without documented symptomatic (<3.0 mmol/L [<54 mg/dL]) or severe hypoglycaemia (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.02–1.38). The OR for HbA1c target achievement was 1.15 (95% CI 0.99–1.34), and favoured Gla‐300 versus SOC‐BI for absence of documented symptomatic or severe hypoglycaemia at 12 months for both ≤3.9 mmol/L (≤70 mg/dL; OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.05–1.40) and < 3.0 mmol/L (<54 mg/dL; OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.07–1.48).

Conclusion

Gla‐300 tended to be associated with lower hypoglycaemia risk than SOC‐BI in real‐world clinical practice during the 12‐month follow‐up.
Semaglutide once weekly in people with type 2 diabetes: Real‐world analysis of the Canadian LMC diabetes registry (SPARE study)
Authors: Brown Ruth E , Bech Peter G , Aronson Ronnie
Published: June 2020

Aims

To investigate real‐world short‐term clinical outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who initiated semaglutide in a specialist endocrinology practice in Canada.

Materials and methods

This study was a retrospective observational study using data from the Canadian LMC Diabetes Registry. Adults with T2D who were naïve to glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist (GLP‐1RA) therapy, initiated semaglutide therapy as usual standard of care between February 2018 and February 2019, and maintained semaglutide therapy during follow‐up, were eligible for analysis. The primary outcome was mean change in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at 3‐ to 6‐month follow‐up.

Results

In the final analytical cohort (n = 937), there was a statistically significant mean ± SD reduction in HbA1c of −1.03 ± 1.24% (11.3 ± 13.6 mmol/mol, P < 0.001) and weight of −3.9 ± 4.0 kg (P < 0.001), with no significant change in self‐reported incidence of hypoglycaemia. There was a significant reduction in HbA1c and weight regardless of number of co‐therapies or semaglutide dose. However, adults using the 1.0‐mg dose had a significantly greater reduction in HbA1c compared to adults using the 0.25‐ to 0.5‐mg dose (between‐group difference − 0.24 ± 0.06%, 2.6 ± 0.7 mmol/mol; P < 0.001). Adults using basal‐bolus therapy required a significantly lower median total daily dose of insulin after adding semaglutide (0.82 vs. 0.93 U/kg; P < 0.001).

Conclusions

This retrospective observational study demonstrated that GLP‐1RA‐naïve adults with T2D initiating semaglutide in a real‐world clinical practice had a statistically and clinically significant reduction in HbA1c and body weight after 3 to 6 months, regardless of semaglutide dose or order of semaglutide therapy, with no significant change in reported incidence of hypoglycaemia.
Semantic reversal anomalies under the microscope: Task and modality influences on language‐associated event‐related potentials
Authors: Kyriaki Louise , Schlesewsky Matthias , Bornkessel‐Schlesewsky Ina
Published: June 2020

Semantic reversal anomalies (SRAs)—sentences where an implausibility is created by reversing participant roles—have attracted much attention in the literature on the electrophysiology of language. In spite of being syntactically well formed but semantically implausible, these sentences unexpectedly elicited a monophasic P600 effect in English and Dutch rather than an N400 effect. Subsequent research revealed variability in the presence/absence of an N400 effect to SRAs depending on the language examined and the choice of verb type in English. However, most previous studies employed the same presentation modality (visual) and task (acceptability judgement). Here, we conducted two experiments and three statistical analyses to investigate the influence of stimulus modality, task demand and statistical choices on event‐related potential (ERP) response patterns to SRAs in English. We reproduced a previous study's procedure and analysis (N. Bourguignon et al. (2012) Brain and Language, 122, 179–189) and further introduced between‐subjects factors of task type and modality, using mixed‐effects modelling to analyse the data. We observed an N400 effect to typical English SRAs (agent subject verbs, e.g. “the fries will eat the boys”), which contrasts existing literature and was not predicted by existing theories that account for SRA processing. Task demand modulated the ERPs elicited by SRAs, while auditory presentation led to increased comprehension accuracy and a more broadly distributed ERP. Finally, the statistical methods used influenced the presence/absence of ERP effects. Our results suggest a sensitivity of language‐related ERP patterns to methodological parameters, and we conclude that future experiments should take this into careful consideration.
Designing optimal human‐modified landscapes for forest biodiversity conservation
Authors: Arroyo‐Rodríguez Víctor , Fahrig Lenore , Tabarelli Marcelo , Watling James I. , Tischendorf Lutz , Benchimol Maíra , Cazetta Eliana , Faria Deborah , Leal Inara R. , Melo Felipe P. L. , Morante‐Filho Jose C. , Santos Bráulio A. , Arasa‐Gisbert Ricard , Arce‐Peña Norma , Cervantes‐López Martín J. , Cudney‐Valenzuela Sabine , Galán‐Acedo Carmen , San‐José Miriam , Vieira Ima C. G. , Slik J.W. Ferry , Nowakowski A. Justin , Tscharntke Teja
Published: June 2020

Agriculture and development transform forest ecosystems to human‐modified landscapes. Decades of research in ecology have generated myriad concepts for the appropriate management of these landscapes. Yet, these concepts are often contradictory and apply at different spatial scales, making the design of biodiversity‐friendly landscapes challenging. Here, we combine concepts with empirical support to design optimal landscape scenarios for forest‐dwelling species. The supported concepts indicate that appropriately sized landscapes should contain ≥ 40% forest cover, although higher percentages are likely needed in the tropics. Forest cover should be configured with c. 10% in a very large forest patch, and the remaining 30% in many evenly dispersed smaller patches and semi‐natural treed elements (e.g. vegetation corridors). Importantly, the patches should be embedded in a high‐quality matrix. The proposed landscape scenarios represent an optimal compromise between delivery of goods and services to humans and preserving most forest wildlife, and can therefore guide forest preservation and restoration strategies.
Definitive confirmation of establishment of Parasaissetia nigra (Nietner) (Hemiptera, Coccidae) in Sicily (Italy), with notes on its association with a new host, Syzygium myrtifolium Walp.
Authors: Mazzeo G. , Nucifora S. , Longo S.
Published: June 2020

The nigra scale, Parasaissetia nigra (Hemiptera, Coccidae), has occurred for a long time on many ornamental plants in continental Italy. Records of the presence of this polyphagous scale in the island of Sicily have remained unconfirmed. This study confirms the establishment of this damaging insect in Sicily, where the scale has been found on a new host, Syzygium myrtifolium.
An improved model for sentiment analysis on luxury hotel review
Authors: Chang Victor , Liu Lian , Xu Qianwen , Li Taiyu , Hsu Ching‐Hsien
Published: June 2020

This article proposes a heuristic model for sentiment analysis on luxury hotel reviews to analyse and explore marketing insights from attitudes and emotions expressed in reviews. We make several significant contributions to visual and multimedia analytics. This research will develop the practical application of visual and multimedia analytics as the research foundation is based on information analytics, geospatial analytics, statistical analytics and data management. Large amounts of data are generated by hotel customers on the Internet, which provides a good opportunity for managers and analysts to explore the hidden information. The analysis of luxury hotels involves different types of data, including real‐world scale data, high‐dimensional data and geospatial data. The diversity of data increases the difficulty of processing computational visual analytics. It leads to that some classical classification methods, which cost too much time and have high requirements for hardware, are excluded. The goal is to achieve a compromise between performance and cost. An experiment of this model is operated using data extracted from Booking.com. The entire framework of this experiment includes data collection, data preprocessing, feature engineering consisting of term frequency‐inverse document frequency and Doc2Vec based feature generation and feature selection, Random Forest classification, data analysis and data visualization. The whole process combines statistical analysis, review sentiment analysis and visual analysis to make full use of this dataset and gain more decision‐making information to improve luxury hotels' service quality. Compared with simple sentiment analysis, this integrated analytics in social media is expected to be used in practice to gain more insights. The result shows that luxury hotels should focus on staff training, cleanness of rooms and location choice to improve customer satisfaction. The sentiment distribution shows that scores are consistent with the emotion they show in reviews. Hotels in Spain have a much better average score than hotels in the other five countries. In the experiment, the sentiment analysis model is evaluated by receiver operating characteristic and precision‐recall curve. It is proved that this model performs well. Twenty most essential features have been listed for future adjustments to the model.
Assessing spillover from marine protected areas and its drivers: A meta‐analytical approach
Authors: Di Lorenzo Manfredi , Guidetti Paolo , Di Franco Antonio , Calò Antonio , Claudet Joachim
Published: June 2020

Overfishing may seriously impact fish populations and ecosystems. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are key tools for biodiversity conservation and fisheries management, yet the fisheries benefits remain debateable. Many MPAs include a fully protected area (FPA), restricting all activities, within a partially protected area (PPA) where potentially sustainable activities are permitted. An effective tool for biodiversity conservation, FPAs, can sustain local fisheries via spillover, that is the outward export of individuals from FPAs. Spillover refers to both: “ecological spillover”: outward net emigration of juveniles, subadults and/or adults from the FPA; and “fishery spillover”: the fraction of ecological spillover that directly benefits fishery yields and revenues through fishable biomass. Yet, how common is spillover remains controversial. We present a meta‐analysis of a unique global database covering 23 FPAs worldwide, using published literature and purposely collected field data, to assess the capacity of FPAs to export biomass and whether this response was mediated by specific FPA features (e.g. size, age) or species characteristics (e.g. mobility, economic value). Results show fish biomass and abundance outside FPAs was higher: (a) in locations close to FPA borders (<200 m) than further away (>200 m); (b) for species with a high commercial value; and (c) in the presence of PPA surrounding the FPA. Spillover was slightly higher in FPAs that were larger and older and for more mobile species. Based on the broadest data set compiled to date on marine species ecological spillover beyond FPAs' borders, our work highlights elements that could guide strategies to enhance local fishery management using MPAs.
Development and Validation of the Family Relationship Assessment Scale in Korean College Students’ Families
Authors: Kim Suk‐Sun , Gil Minji , Kim‐Godwin Yeounsoo
Published: June 2020

The nature of family relationships is a critical measure for healthcare professionals who work with families. In particular, non‐Western cultural groups display a higher level of collectivism that emphasizes relationships between family members. This paper reports the development and psychometric testing of a new scale, the Korean Family Relationship Assessment Scale (FRAS). Using DeVellis’ Guidelines in Scale Development, a pool of 40 items was created after a review of the literature, followed by an assessment for content validity by six experts. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted with data from a sample of 217 Korean family triads (father, mother, and college‐aged offspring) (N = 651). The final evaluation yielded three factors with 15 items: family support, family conflict, and family togetherness. Since the FRAS demonstrated good internal consistency and validity, it would be able to facilitate research on the relationships between family support, conflict, togetherness, and health. Applying this new instrument in theory‐based research may contribute to knowledge about the role of the family in the health and well‐being of family members within a Korean context. For clinical practice, this culturally sensitive and valid instrument has the potential to measure changes in family relationships after family therapy or interventions.
Accelerated terrestrial ecosystem carbon turnover and its drivers
Authors: Wu Donghai , Piao Shilong , Zhu Dan , Wang Xuhui , Ciais Philippe , Bastos Ana , Xu Xiangtao , Xu Wenfang
Published: June 2020

The terrestrial carbon cycle has been strongly influenced by human‐induced CO2 increase, climate change, and land use change since the industrial revolution. These changes alter the carbon balance of ecosystems through changes in vegetation productivity and ecosystem carbon turnover time (τeco). Even though numerous studies have drawn an increasingly clear picture of global vegetation productivity changes, global changes in τeco are still unknown. In this study, we analyzed the changes of τeco between the 1860s and the 2000s and their drivers, based on theory of dynamic carbon cycle in non‐steady state and process‐based ecosystem model. Results indicate that τeco has been reduced (i.e., carbon turnover has accelerated) by 13.5% from the 1860s (74 years) to the 2000s (64 years), with reductions of 1 year of carbon residence times in vegetation (rveg) and of 9 years in soil (rsoil). Additionally, the acceleration of τeco was examined at biome scale and grid scale. Among different driving processes, land use change and climate change were found to be the major drivers of turnover acceleration. These findings imply that carbon fixed by plant photosynthesis is being lost from ecosystems to the atmosphere more quickly over time, with important implications for the climate‐carbon cycle feedbacks.
Verifying and Exploring Settlement Selection Rules and Variables for Small‐Scale Maps Using Decision Tree‐Based Models
Authors: Lisiewicz Maciej , Karsznia Izabela
Published: June 2020

In the presented research, the main aim is the assessment of machine learning (ML) techniques usage in the process of acquiring and formalizing generalization rules and variables, understood as settlement features, in settlement generalization. The research specifically addresses the problem of automated settlement selection for 1:1,000,000 scale. We focus on two processes of cartographic knowledge formalization: first, the extraction of semantic and structural knowledge through data enrichment, and second, automated acquisition and application of procedural cartographic knowledge with the use of ML models. This work contributes to extending the toolbox for small‐scale mapping and we concentrate specifically on decision tree‐based models. The main achievements of our research are as follows. First, we verify the existing settlement’s selection rules and variables proposed for 1:1,000,000 detail level by comparing the selection results with the well‐elaborated reference map. Second, with the use of DT‐based models, we make the part of the cartographic knowledge hidden in maps explicit, and show how these models can be used to explore and formulate additional generalization rules and variables important in settlement selection. The research is carried out for the area of Poland but we believe it can be validated and extended to other National Mapping Agencies.
TETRA‐EU 1.0: A species‐level trophic metaweb of European tetrapods
Authors: Maiorano Luigi , Montemaggiori Alessandro , Ficetola Gentile Francesco , O’Connor Louise , Thuiller Wilfried
Published: June 2020

Motivation

Documenting potential interactions between species represents a major step towards understanding and predicting the spatial and temporal structure of multi‐trophic communities and their functioning. The metaweb concept summarizes the potential trophic (and non‐trophic) interactions in a given species pool. As such, it generalizes the regional species pool of community ecology by incorporating the potential relationships between species from different trophic levels along with their functional characteristics. However, although this concept is very attractive theoretically, it has rarely been used to understand the structure of an ecological network, mostly because of data availability. Here, we provide a continental‐scale, species‐level metaweb for all tetrapods (mammals, breeding birds, reptiles and amphibians) occurring in Europe and in the Northern Mediterranean basin. This metaweb is based on data extracted from the scientific literature, including published papers, books and grey literature.

Main type of variable contained

For each species considered, we built the network of potential two‐way trophic interactions.

Spatial location and grain

We considered all species occurring in the entire European subcontinent, from Macaronesia (including only the islands belonging politically to Spain and Portugal) to the Ural Mountains (west to east) and from Fennoscandia and U.K. islands to the Mediterranean (north to south). We included Turkey, geographically part of Asia, to provide a complete picture of the north‐eastern Mediterranean coast.

Time period

The data represent information published and/or collected during the last 50 years.

Major taxa studied and level of measurement

We focused our metaweb on terrestrial tetrapods occurring in the study area. Only species introduced in historical times and currently naturalized were considered; new introductions were excluded. In total, we included 288 mammals, 509 regularly breeding birds, 250 reptiles and 104 amphibians.

Software format

Data are supplied as semicolon‐separated text files.
Impact of increasing shade levels on the dry‐matter yield and botanical composition of multispecies forage stands
Authors: Mercier Kelly M. , Teutsch Christopher D. , Fike John H. , Munsell John F. , Tracy Benjamin F. , Strahm Brian D.
Published: June 2020

Botanical diversity has been linked to increased biomass production of grasslands, but these relationships have not been explored as extensively in silvopasture systems where shade impacts on forage mass are variable due to the unique structure and environment of each system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of multiple artificial shade levels on the DM yield and botanical composition of three cool‐season forage mixtures near Blackstone, Virginia, USA. Mixtures were as follows: simple = tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons.] and white clover (Trifulium repens L.); intermediate = simple + orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerate L.) and red clover (Trifolium pretense L.); and complex = intermediate + Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Slatted structures created conditions of 30%, 50% and 70% shade relative to a full sun control. Forages were harvested mechanically (no grazers present). Annual yield (DM kg/ha) did not differ among mixtures. As compared to full sun, annual yield was no different at 30% shade, but was reduced by 22 and 36% at 50 and 70% shade respectively. In contrast to other species in the mixtures, orchardgrass increased in proportion when grown beneath all shade levels and is recommended for silvopasture use. Orchardgrass is not particularly well‐adapted to the transition zone between the northern temperate and southern subtropical United States; therefore, these results indicate that silvopastures may be an effective way to integrate marginally adapted, shade‐tolerant cool‐season forages into transition zone grazing systems.
Diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) resulting from coronavirus disease 2019 Infection is Morphologically Indistinguishable from Other Causes of DAD
Authors: Konopka Kristine E , Nguyen Teresa , Jentzen Jeffrey M , Rayes Omar , Schmidt Carl J , Wilson Allecia M , Farver Carol F , Myers Jeffrey L
Published: June 2020

Aims

Diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) is a ubiquitous finding in inpatient coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19)‐related deaths, but recent reports have also described additional atypical findings, including vascular changes. An aim of this study was to assess lung autopsy findings in COVID‐19 inpatients, and in untreated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2)‐positive individuals who died in the community, in order to understand the relative impact of medical intervention on lung histology. Additionally, we aimed to investigate whether COVID‐19 represents a unique histological variant of DAD by comparing the pathological findings with those of uninfected control patients.

Methods and results

Lung sections from autopsy cases were reviewed by three pulmonary pathologists, including two who were blinded to patient cohort. The cohorts included four COVID‐19 inpatients, four cases with postmortem SARS‐CoV‐2 diagnoses who died in the community, and eight SARS‐CoV‐2‐negative control cases. DAD was present in all but one SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive patient, who was asymptomatic and died in the community. Although SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive patients were noted to have more focal perivascular inflammation/endothelialitis than control patients, there were no significant differences in the presence of hyaline membranes, fibrin thrombi, airspace organisation, and ‘acute fibrinous and organising pneumonia’‐like intra‐alveolar fibrin deposition between the cohorts. Fibrinoid vessel wall necrosis, haemorrhage and capillaritis were not features of COVID‐19‐related DAD.

Conclusions

DAD is the primary histological manifestation of severe lung disease in COVID‐19 patients who die both in hospital and in the community, suggesting no contribution of hyperoxaemic mechanical ventilation to the histological changes. There are no distinctive morphological features with which to confidently differentiate COVID‐19‐related DAD from DAD due to other causes.
Home as a Site of State‐Corporate Violence: Grenfell Tower, Aetiologies and Aftermaths
Authors: TOMBS STEVE
Published: June 2020

Focusing on the aftermaths and consequences of the Grenfell Tower fire, this article reveals the factors which combined to produce a fire that could have such devastating effects. Further, it delineates the discrete ways in which distinct types of harms – physical, emotional and psychological, cultural and relational, and financial and economic – continue to be produced by a combination of State and corporate acts and omissions. Some of these harms are readily apparent, others are opaque and obscured. It concludes by showing how failures to mitigate these factors constitute one manifestation of the more general phenomenon of ‘social murder’.
Improved radical scavenging activity and stabilised colour of nipa palm syrup after ultrasound‐assisted glycation with glycine
Authors: Tamprasit Pornpimon , Panpipat Worawan , Chaijan Manat
Published: June 2020

The effects of ultrasound‐assisted glycation with 1 m glycine at room temperature in comparison with thermal glycation on the colour and radical scavenging activity of nipa palm (Nypa fruticans Wurmb.) syrup were investigated. The pH of both treatments decreased with increasing reaction time. The browning development occurred after induction period of 10 min for thermal glycation and 60 min for ultrasound‐assisted glycation. A shorter time of ultrasound rendered the syrup light brown to amber in colour with some green. With long‐term ultrasound, the syrup turned brighter, yellower and greener. The increased DPPH· scavenging activity of the thermal syrup was due to the brown pigments as shown by a marked increase in the A420 and a* value. The scavenging activity of ultrasound‐treated syrup was improved by 53–57% due to the accumulation of UV‐intermediate products as shown by a higher A294/A420. Thus, ultrasonication for 30–60 min was recommended in order to prevent dark colour development of the final syrup.
Efficacy of cassava starch blending with gelling agents and palm oil coating in improving egg shelf life
Authors: Homsaard Nattagarn , Kodsangma Araya , Jantrawut Pensak , Rachtanapun Pornchai , Leksawasdi Noppol , Phimolsiripol Yuthana , Seesuriyachan Phisit , Chaiyaso Thanongsak , Sommano Sarana Rose , Rohindra David , Jantanasakulwong Kittisak
Published: June 2020

An egg coating was developed to preserve the internal quality of eggs by mixing cassava starch (CS), gelling agents and fatty acids. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were used as gelling agents. Palm oil fatty acid (PO) was incorporated. Coated and non‐coated eggs were evaluated over a period of 4 weeks at 28 °C by the yolk colour, weight loss, albumen pH and Haugh unit testing. The quality of non‐coated eggs deteriorated from AA to B grade after 3 weeks, with values below the detection limit at 4 weeks. The optimum coating was 6/1/3 w/v% (CS/CMC/PO3). Contact angle, solubility and swelling in the water of the coating materials indicated the improvement of water resistance by addition of CMC and PO. Weight loss of the coated eggs was 4.9% lower than that of the non‐coated eggs (6.5%) after 4 weeks. The CS/CMC/PO3 emulsion coating significantly extended egg shelf life due to the high compatibility and water resistance of CMC as well as the hydrophobic property of PO.
Mechanical and thermal properties of light weight boron‐mullite Al5BO9
Authors: Ren Yixiao , Dai Fu‐Zhi , Xiang Huimin , Wang Xiaohui , Sun Luchao , Zhou Yanchun
Published: June 2020

Al5BO9 is a promising thermal sealing material for hypersonic vehicles due to its low density, theoretically predicted low shear modulus, and low thermal conductivity. However, experimental investigations on the mechanical and thermal properties of bulk Al5BO9 have not been carried out. Herein, we report the mechanical and thermal properties of bulk Al5BO9 prepared by spark plasma sintering of solid‐state reaction synthesized Al5BO9 powders. The bulk (B), shear (G), and Young's (E) moduli are 148 GPa, 85 GPa, and 214 GPa, respectively, which are close to the theoretical values. The Pugh's ratio G/B is 0.574, indicating its intrinsic damage tolerance, which is also revealed by Hertzian contact test. The Vickers hardness (Hv) is 10.8 GPa, being lower than mullite. The flexural strength, compressive strength, and fracture toughness are, respectively, 277 ± 35 MPa, 814 ± 75 MPa, and 2.4 ± 0.3 MPa·m1/2, which are close to those of mullite. Al5BO9 has anisotropic coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) in three crystallographic directions, ie αa = (4.40 ± 0.21) × 10−6 K−1, αb = (7.11 ± 0.18) × 10−6 K−1, αc = (6.70 ± 0.29) × 10−6 K−1 from Debye temperature to 1473 K, which are underpinned by its structural feature, ie lower αa is resulted from the edge‐shared AlO6 octahedron chains along the [100] direction. The average CTE is (6.05 ± 0.06) × 10−6 K−1. The thermal conductivity declines with temperature as κ = 1336.39/T + 1.97, consisting with predicted trend from Slack's model. The low thermal conductivity and low density guarantee Al5BO9 a promising candidate as ceramic wafer in the seal structure for hypersonic vehicles.
CVD synthesis and characterization of thin Mo2C crystals
Authors: Turker Furkan , Caylan Omer R. , Mehmood Naveed , Kasirga Talip S. , Sevik Cem , Cambaz Buke Goknur
Published: June 2020

In this study, we present an investigation on the growth of thin Mo2C crystals via chemical vapor deposition using CH4. Optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy(AFM), and Raman spectroscopy studies show that the morphology and the thickness of Mo2C crystals are strongly affected by the impurities in the system, the thickness of the copper substrate, and the graphene presence on Cu surface prior to Mo2C formation. Our studies show that during the CVD process, orthorhombic Mo2C crystals grow along the [100] direction on two different regions: directly on Cu surface or on graphene covered regions. Mo2C crystals that form on graphene are found to be thinner and less defective compared to the ones formed on the Cu surface. This is attributed to graphene acting as an additional diffusion barrier for Mo atoms diffusing through the copper. In addition to the graphene beneath the Mo2C crystal, Raman studies indicate that graphene may grow also on top of the Mo2C crystal, forming a graphene/Mo2C/graphene sandwich structure which may offer interesting properties for electronic applications.
Effects of extracorporeal magnetic stimulation on urinary incontinence: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Hou Wen‐Hsuan , Lin Pi‐Chu , Lee Pi‐Hsia , Wu Jeng‐Cheng , Tai Ting‐En , Chen Su‐Ru
Published: June 2020

Aims

To examine the effectiveness of extracorporeal magnetic stimulation for treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

Design

Systematic review and meta‐analysis.

Data resources

Four electronic databases from inception to 18 May 2019.

Review methods

Two authors independently performed the search, assessed the methodological quality, and extracted data. The final studies included in the analysis were selected after reaching consensus with the third author.

Results

A total of 20 studies were included in the systematic review and 12 of these in the meta‐analysis. Quality assessment indicated that only 8 of 17 randomized controlled trials had low risk in overall risk of bias, whereas all controlled trials had serious risk of bias. The weighted mean effect size of magnetic stimulation on quality of life, number of leakages, pad test outcomes, and number of incontinence events was 1.045 (95% CI: 0.409–1.681), −0.411 (95% CI: 0.178–0.643), −0.290 (95% CI: 0.025–0.556), and −0.747 (95% CI: −1.122 to −0.372), respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed a significant difference in the type of quality of life measurement used. Sensitivity analyses revealed that a high degree of heterogeneity persisted even after omitting studies individually.

Conclusions

Extracorporeal magnetic stimulation may be effective in treating urinary incontinence and improving quality of life without major safety concerns. However, because of a high degree of heterogeneity among studies, inferences from the results must be made with caution.

Impact

We recommend that clinical nurses apply extracorporeal magnetic stimulation to treat stress urinary incontinence among female patients and encourage researchers to conduct further qualitative and quantitative studies to develop consistent content and dosage for the intervention.

Study registration

The review protocol was registered a priori and published online in the PROSPERO database of systematic reviews (www.crd.york.ac.uk/Prospero with the registration number #CRD42019138835).
Clustering clinical learning environment and mentoring perceptions of nursing and midwifery students: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Saukkoriipi Mari , Tuomikoski Anna‐Maria , Sivonen Pirkko , Kärsämänoja Taina , Laitinen Arja , Tähtinen Tanja , Kääriäinen Maria , Kuivila Heli‐Maria , Juntunen Jonna , Tomietto Marco , Mikkonen Kristina
Published: June 2020

Aims

This study aimed to explore nursing and midwifery students’ evaluation of the clinical learning environment and mentoring and to identify distinct student profiles relating to their perceptions.

Design

This study employed a cross‐sectional design.

Settings

The study population included nursing and midwifery students in a university hospital in Finland.

Participants

All nursing and midwifery students who completed their clinical placement were invited to take part in the study in the academic year 2017–2018.

Methods

The data (N = 2,609) were gathered through an online survey using the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale. The data were analysed using a K‐mean cluster algorithm to identify nursing and midwifery students’ profiles.

Results

The findings from this study indicate four distinct profiles (A, B, C, & D) of nursing and midwifery students in relation to the clinical learning environment and mentoring. Profile A (N = 1,352) students evaluated their clinical learning environment and mentoring to the highest level (mean varied from 9.44–8.38); and Profile D (N = 151)‐ to the lowest (mean varied from 5.93–4.00).

Conclusion

The findings highlight that nursing and midwifery students evaluate their clinical learning environment and mentoring more highly when: they have a named mentor, student and mentor discuss learning goals, there is a final assessment in clinical learning, the mentor's guidance skills support student learning, the clinical learning supports the student's professional development and pre‐clinical teaching in an educational institution supports learning in the clinical placement.

Impact

Clinical learning plays an important role in nurse and midwifery education. Mentoring of clinical practice was shown to have a great influence on students’ perceptions of their success in clinical learning. We suggest that clinical practice should be strengthened by the building of collaboration between nursing teachers and registered nurses.