bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A-49 To Nap or Not to Nap? The Influence of Napping on Recovery Outcomes Following Concussion
Authors: Zynda A J , Petit K M , Anderson M , Tomczyk C P , Covassin T
Published: June 2020

Objective

To determine the influence of nap frequency on daily symptom severity and recovery time following concussion in college students.

Method

A prospective study of college students within 72 hours of a diagnosed concussion was performed. Participants reported nap occurrence (yes/no) and daily concussion symptoms using the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) for six days. Participants were categorized into frequent (>2 naps) and infrequent (<3 naps) nap groups. Recovery time was defined as total days from injury to unrestricted medical clearance. A mixed between-within ANOVA evaluated changes in daily symptom severity between nap groups, while Spearman’s Rank Correlation assessed the relationship between the number of days napping and recovery time.

Results

Thirty-four participants (23 female, 11 male; age = 19.91 ± 1.38 years) were included, with 22 in the infrequent nap group and 12 in the frequent nap group. Average recovery time for the infrequent nap group was 13.85 days compared to 18.8 days in the frequent nap group. There was no significant group x time interaction for daily symptom severity (Wilks’ λ = 0.85, F(5,24) = 0.85, p = 0.53, η2 = 0.15). There was a significant main effect for time, with daily symptom severity improving following concussion (Wilks’ λ = 0.31, F(5,24) = 10.66, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.69), but there was no significant group effect (F(1,28) = 0.79, p = 0.38, η2 = 0.03). Overall, the more naps taken, the longer the recovery time (Rs = 0.46, p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Findings from the present study suggest that frequent napping does not affect symptom severity following concussion. Further research is needed to elucidate the association between the number of naps and recovery time.
Group Lies and Reflections on the Purpose of Social Epistemology
Authors: Bright Liam Kofi
Published: June 2020

Jennifer Lackey (2020) makes the case that non-summativist accounts of group belief cannot adequately account for an important difference between group lies (or, separately, group bullshit) and group belief. Since non-summativist accounts fail to do this, she argues that they ought be rejected and that we should seek an account of group belief which can do better by this standard. I briefly summarize Lackey’s argument, to give a sense of the role I see the central desideratum playing, and outline her arguments for that desideratum. I then critique one of the positive arguments she offers for the desideratum, briefly outlining the notion of explication and why I think it would not license the appeal to the Group Lie Desideratum that Lackey’s argument depends upon. This leads me to reflections on the broader project of analysing notions of group belief, and the role I think such endeavours can or ought to play in social epistemology more broadly.
Juvenile social dynamics reflect adult reproductive strategies in bottlenose dolphins
Authors: Galezo Allison A , Foroughirad Vivienne , Krzyszczyk Ewa , Frère Céline H , Mann Janet
Published: June 2020

The juvenile period is a challenging life-history stage, especially in species with a high degree of fission–fusion dynamics, such as bottlenose dolphins, where maternal protection is virtually absent. Here, we examined how juvenile male and female bottlenose dolphins navigate this vulnerable period. Specifically, we examined their grouping patterns, activity budget, network dynamics, and social associations in the absence of adults. We found that juveniles live in highly dynamic groups, with group composition changing every 10 min on average. Groups were generally segregated by sex, and segregation was driven by same-sex preference rather than opposite-sex avoidance. Juveniles formed strong associations with select individuals, especially kin and same-sex partners, and both sexes formed cliques with their preferred partners. Sex-specific strategies in the juvenile period reflected adult reproductive strategies, in which the exploration of potential social partners may be more important for males (which form long-term alliances in adulthood) than females (which preferentially associate with kin in adulthood). Females spent more time alone and were more focused on foraging than males, but still formed close same-sex associations, especially with kin. Males cast a wider social net than females, with strong same-sex associations and many male associates. Males engaged in more affiliative behavior than females. These results are consistent with the social bonds and skills hypothesis and suggest that delayed sexual maturity in species with relational social complexity may allow individuals to assess potential associates and explore a complex social landscape without the risks associated with sexual maturity (e.g., adult reproductive competition; inbreeding).
Integrative, normalization-insusceptible statistical analysis of RNA-Seq data, with improved differential expression and unbiased downstream functional analysis
Authors: Fanidis Dionysios , Moulos Panagiotis
Published: June 2020

The study of differential gene expression patterns through RNA-Seq comprises a routine task in the daily lives of molecular bioscientists, who produce vast amounts of data requiring proper management and analysis. Despite widespread use, there are still no widely accepted golden standards for the normalization and statistical analysis of RNA-Seq data, and critical biases, such as gene lengths and problems in the detection of certain types of molecules, remain largely unaddressed. Stimulated by these unmet needs and the lack of in-depth research into the potential of combinatorial methods to enhance the analysis of differential gene expression, we had previously introduced the PANDORA P-value combination algorithm while presenting evidence for PANDORA’s superior performance in optimizing the tradeoff between precision and sensitivity. In this article, we present the next generation of the algorithm along with a more in-depth investigation of its capabilities to effectively analyze RNA-Seq data. In particular, we show that PANDORA-reported lists of differentially expressed genes are unaffected by biases introduced by different normalization methods, while, at the same time, they comprise a reliable input option for downstream pathway analysis. Additionally, PANDORA outperforms other methods in detecting differential expression patterns in certain transcript types, including long non-coding RNAs.
A survey on predicting microbe-disease associations: biological data and computational methods
Authors: Wen Zhongqi , Yan Cheng , Duan Guihua , Li Suning , Wu Fang-Xiang , Wang Jianxin
Published: June 2020

Various microbes have proved to be closely related to the pathogenesis of human diseases. While many computational methods for predicting human microbe-disease associations (MDAs) have been developed, few systematic reviews on these methods have been reported. In this study, we provide a comprehensive overview of the existing methods. Firstly, we introduce the data used in existing MDA prediction methods. Secondly, we classify those methods into different categories by their nature and describe their algorithms and strategies in detail. Next, experimental evaluations are conducted on representative methods using different similarity data and calculation methods to compare their prediction performances. Based on the principles of computational methods and experimental results, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of those methods and propose suggestions for the improvement of prediction performances. Considering the problems of the MDA prediction at present stage, we discuss future work from three perspectives including data, methods and formulations at the end.
The ontogeny of sea turtle hatchling swimming performance
Authors: Gatto Christopher R , Reina Richard D
Published: June 2020

Sea turtle hatchlings experience high mortality rates during dispersal. To minimize time spent in predator-dense waters, hatchlings typically undergo a period of hyperactivity termed the ‘frenzy’, characterized by almost continuous swimming for ~24 h. Research has focused on swimming performance during the frenzy, but our understanding of changes in swimming performance post-frenzy is limited. Thus, we measured green turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchling swimming performance during the frenzy and post-frenzy when the turtles were 4, 12 and 24 weeks old. Using load cells, we recorded thrust production, stroke rates and the time turtles spent performing various swimming gaits. We found that the proportion of time spent powerstroking and the thrust generation per powerstroke were the main determinants of overall swimming performance. Older, larger turtles generated more thrust per stroke, but the proportion of time spent powerstroking throughout the entire swimming trial did not differ among age groups. Hatchlings have been thought mainly to use currents to reach nursery foraging grounds, and our findings suggest that hatchling swimming might also play an important role in directing hatchlings to optimal nursery habitats, supporting recent studies. Additionally, turtle size is positively related to swimming performance in post-frenzy turtles, suggesting that faster-growing turtles might have fitness advantages over slower-growing turtles.
Use of Baricitinib in Patients With Moderate to Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Titanji Boghuma K , Farley Monica M , Mehta Ashish , Connor-Schuler Randi , Moanna Abeer , Cribbs Sushma K , O’Shea Jesse , DeSilva Kathryn , Chan Bonnie , Edwards Alex , Gavegnano Christina , Schinazi Raymond F , Marconi Vincent C
Published: June 2020

Hyperinflammation is associated with increased mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this retrospective, uncontrolled patient cohort with moderate -severe COVID-19, treatment with baricitinib plus hydroxychloroquine was associated with recovery in 11 of 15 patients. Baricitinib for the treatment of COVID-19 should be further investigated in randomized, controlled clinical trials.
Long-term outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation in failed bioprosthetic valves
Authors: Bleiziffer Sabine , Simonato Matheus , Webb John G , Rodés-Cabau Josep , Pibarot Philippe , Kornowski Ran , Windecker Stephan , Erlebach Magdalena , Duncan Alison , Seiffert Moritz , Unbehaun Axel , Frerker Christian , Conzelmann Lars , Wijeysundera Harindra , Kim Won-Keun , Montorfano Matteo , Latib Azeem , Tchetche Didier , Allali Abdelhakim , Abdel-Wahab Mohamed , Orvin Katia , Stortecky Stefan , Nissen Henrik , Holzamer Andreas , Urena Marina , Testa Luca , Agrifoglio Marco , Whisenant Brian , Sathananthan Janarthanan , Napodano Massimo , Landi Antonio , Fiorina Claudia , Zittermann Armin , Veulemans Verena , Sinning Jan-Malte , Saia Francesco , Brecker Stephen , Presbitero Patrizia , De Backer Ole , Søndergaard Lars , Bruschi Giuseppe , Franco Luis Nombela , Petronio Anna Sonia , Barbanti Marco , Cerillo Alfredo , Spargias Konstantinos , Schofer Joachim , Cohen Mauricio , Muñoz-Garcia Antonio , Finkelstein Ariel , Adam Matti , Serra Vicenç , Teles Rui Campante , Champagnac Didier , Iadanza Alessandro , Chodor Piotr , Eggebrecht Holger , Welsh Robert , Caixeta Adriano , Salizzoni Stefano , Dager Antonio , Auffret Vincent , Cheema Asim , Ubben Timm , Ancona Marco , Rudolph Tanja , Gummert Jan , Tseng Elaine , Noble Stephane , Bunc Matjaz , Roberts David , Kass Malek , Gupta Anuj , Leon Martin B , Dvir Danny
Published: June 2020

Aims

Due to bioprosthetic valve degeneration, aortic valve-in-valve (ViV) procedures are increasingly performed. There are no data on long-term outcomes after aortic ViV. Our aim was to perform a large-scale assessment of long-term survival and reintervention after aortic ViV.

Methods and results

A total of 1006 aortic ViV procedures performed more than 5 years ago [mean age 77.7 ± 9.7 years; 58.8% male; median STS-PROM score 7.3% (4.2–12.0)] were included in the analysis. Patients were treated with Medtronic self-expandable valves (CoreValve/Evolut, Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) (n = 523, 52.0%), Edwards balloon-expandable valves (EBEV, SAPIEN/SAPIEN XT/SAPIEN 3, Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) (n = 435, 43.2%), and other devices (n = 48, 4.8%). Survival was lower at 8 years in patients with small-failed bioprostheses [internal diameter (ID) ≤ 20 mm] compared with those with large-failed bioprostheses (ID > 20 mm) (33.2% vs. 40.5%, P = 0.01). Independent correlates for mortality included smaller-failed bioprosthetic valves [hazard ratio (HR) 1.07 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.13)], age [HR 1.21 (95% CI 1.01–1.45)], and non-transfemoral access [HR 1.43 (95% CI 1.11–1.84)]. There were 40 reinterventions after ViV. Independent correlates for all-cause reintervention included pre-existing severe prosthesis–patient mismatch [subhazard ratio (SHR) 4.34 (95% CI 1.31–14.39)], device malposition [SHR 3.75 (95% CI 1.36–10.35)], EBEV [SHR 3.34 (95% CI 1.26–8.85)], and age [SHR 0.59 (95% CI 0.44–0.78)].

Conclusions

The size of the original failed valve may influence long-term mortality, and the type of the transcatheter valve may influence the need for reintervention after aortic ViV.
Purchases of psychotropic drugs among the migrant population in Finland: a nationwide register-based cohort study
Authors: Lehti Venla , Suvisaari Jaana , Gissler Mika , Markkula Niina
Published: June 2020

Background

Migrant populations may have different mental health service needs when compared with native populations. One indicator of service use is the use of psychotropic medication. The aim of this study was to compare the purchases of psychotropic drugs among different migrant populations with the native population in Finland.

Methods

Foreign-born participants (n = 184 805) and their Finnish-born controls (n = 185 183) were identified from the Finnish Central Population Register. Information on their purchases of psychotropic drugs in 2011–15 was collected from the National Prescription Register. A washout period of 2009–10 was used to define incident purchases. Cox regression analysis was the statistical method used.

Results

At least one incident purchase of a psychotropic drug was identified for 11.1% of migrant women, 11.4% of Finnish-born women, 8.7% of migrant men and 9.8% of Finnish-born men. When controlled for age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status and social assistance, migrants were less likely to purchase psychotropic drugs (adjusted hazard ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.93–0.98), but there was variation between different drug categories. Recent migrants and migrants from Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa were least likely to purchase drugs. Migrants from Nordic countries and other Western countries most closely resembled the Finnish-born controls.

Conclusions

Recent migrants in Finland appear to use fewer psychotropic drugs than native Finns. It is important to analyze the reasons for this pattern, as they may indicate delays in access to care or benefits. The heterogeneity of migrant populations must also be considered when developing services to better address their needs.
Insights into dryland biocrust microbiome: geography, soil depth and crust type affect biocrust microbial communities and networks in Mojave Desert, USA
Authors: Pombubpa Nuttapon , Pietrasiak Nicole , De Ley Paul , Stajich Jason E
Published: June 2020

Biocrusts are the living skin of drylands, comprising diverse microbial communities that are essential to desert ecosystems. Despite there being extensive knowledge on biocrust ecosystem functions and lichen and moss biodiversity, little is known about factors structuring diversity among their microbial communities. We used amplicon-based metabarcode sequencing to survey microbial communities from biocrust surface and subsurface soils at four sites located within the Mojave Desert. Five biocrust types were examined: Light-algal/Cyanobacteria, Cyanolichen, Green-algal lichen, Smooth-moss and Rough-moss crust types. Microbial diversity in biocrusts was structured by several characteristics: (i) central versus southern Mojave sites displayed different community signatures, (ii) indicator taxa of plant-associated fungi (plant pathogens and wood saprotrophs) were identified at each site, (iii) surface and subsurface microbial communities were distinct and (iv) crust types had distinct indicator taxa. Network analysis ranked bacteria–bacteria interactions as the most connected of all within-domain and cross-domain interaction networks in biocrust surface samples. Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Ascomycota functioned as hubs among all phyla. The bacteria Pseudonocardia sp. (Pseudonocardiales, Actinobacteria) and fungus Alternaria sp. (Pleosporales, Ascomycota) were the most connected had the highest node degree. Our findings provide crucial insights for dryland microbial community ecology, conservation and sustainable management.
The bacterioplankton community composition and a host genotype dependent occurrence of taxa shape the Daphnia magna gut bacterial community
Authors: Callens Martijn , De Meester Luc , Muylaert Koenraad , Mukherjee Shinjini , Decaestecker Ellen
Published: June 2020

The assembly of host-associated bacterial communities is influenced by a multitude of biotic and abiotic factors. It is essential to gain insight in the impact and relative strength of these factors if we want to be able to predict the effects of environmental change on the assembly of host-associated bacterial communities, or deliberately modify them. The environmental pool of bacteria, from which the host is colonized, and the genetic background of the host are both considered to be important in determining the composition of host-associated bacterial communities. We experimentally assessed the relative importance of these two factors and their interaction on the composition of Daphnia magna gut bacterial communities. Bacterioplankton originating from natural ponds or a laboratory culture were used to inoculate germ-free Daphnia of different genotypes. We found that the composition of the environmental bacterial community has a major influence on the Daphnia gut bacterial community, both reflected by the presence or absence of specific taxa as well as by a correlation between abundances in the environment and on the host. Our data also indicate a consistent effect of host genotype on the occurrence of specific bacterial taxa in the gut of Daphnia over different environments.
Nutrient enrichment increases size of Zostera marina shoots and enriches for sulfur and nitrogen cycling bacteria in root-associated microbiomes
Authors: Wang Lu , Tomas Fiona , Mueller Ryan S
Published: June 2020

Seagrasses are vital coastal ecosystem engineers, which are mutualistically associated with microbial communities that contribute to the ecosystem services provided by meadows. The seagrass microbiome and sediment microbiota play vital roles in belowground biogeochemical and carbon cycling. These activities are influenced by nutrient, carbon and oxygen availability, all of which are modulated by environmental factors and plant physiology. Seagrass meadows are increasingly threatened by nutrient pollution, and it is unknown how the seagrass microbiome will respond to this stressor. We investigated the effects of fertilization on the physiology, morphology and microbiome of eelgrass (Zostera marina) cultivated over 4 weeks in mesocosms. We analyzed the community structure associated with eelgrass leaf, root and rhizosphere microbiomes, and of communities from water column and bulk sediment using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Fertilization led to a higher number of leaves compared with that of eelgrass kept under ambient conditions. Additionally, fertilization led to enrichment of sulfur and nitrogen bacteria in belowground communities. These results suggest nutrient enrichment can stimulate belowground biogeochemical cycling, potentially exacerbating sulfide toxicity in sediments and decreasing future carbon sequestration stocks.
Differences in the expression of cell envelope proteinases (CEP) in two Lactobacillus paracasei probiotic strains
Authors: Coll-Marqués José María , Bäuerl Christine , Zúñiga Manuel , Pérez-Martínez Gaspar
Published: June 2020

Proteinase PrtP (EC:3.4.21.96) is a cell envelope proteinase (CEP) highly expressed in the probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei BL312(VSL#3) that accounts for its anti-inflammatory properties. The main aim of this work is to understand differences in CEP expression between this strain and L. paracasei BL23. Hence, differences in the regulation by amino acid sources of four proteinase related genes (prtP, prsA, prtR1 and prtR2) were determined by RT-qPCR in BL312(VSL#3) and BL23 using as a reference BL368, a BL23 derepressed mutant lacking the response regulator (RR) PrcR. BL312(VSL#3) showed greater expression of prtP (2- to 3-fold) than BL23, and prtP was highly repressed by peptone in both strains. Two other putative CEP genes, prtR1 and prtR2, showed a low expression profile. Interestingly, when the prsA-prtP promoter region from both strains, and deleted mutants, were cloned in vector pT1GR, expression of the gfp and mrfp fluorescent reporters was always repressed in BL23 (high or low peptone) and derepressed in BL368, revealing an interesting mechanism of regulation affecting specifically to this promoter. In conclusion, BL312(VSL#3) has higher expression of prtP and other CEP related genes than BL23, that could respond to a natural deregulation in this strain, possibly independent from the RR PrcR.
The relationship between volume increment and stand density in Norway spruce plantations
Authors: Allen Micky , Brunner Andreas , Antón-Fernández Clara , Astrup Rasmus
Published: June 2020

An understanding of the relationship between volume increment and stand density (basal area, stand density index, etc.) is of utmost importance for properly managing stand density to achieve specific management objectives. There are two main approaches to analyse growth–density relationships. The first relates volume increment to stand density through a basic relationship, which can vary with site productivity, age, and potentially incorporates treatment effects. The second is to relate the volume increment and density of thinned experimental plots relative to that of an unthinned experimental plot on the same site. Using a dataset of 229 thinned and unthinned experimental plots of Norway spruce, a growth model is developed describing the relationship between gross or net volume increment and basal area. The models indicate that gross volume increases with increasing basal area up to 50 m2 and thereafter becomes constant out to the maximum basal area. Alternatively, net volume increment was maximized at a basal area of 43 m2 and decreased with further increases in basal area. However, the models indicated a wide range where net volume increment was essentially constant, varying by less than 1 m3 ha−1 year−1. An analysis of different thinning scenarios indicated that the relative relationship between volume increment and stand density was dynamic and changed over the course of a rotation.
Lineage and Parent-of-Origin Effects in DNA Methylation of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) Revealed by Reciprocal Crosses and Whole-Genome Bisulfite Sequencing
Authors: Wu Xin , Galbraith David A , Chatterjee Paramita , Jeong Hyeonsoo , Grozinger Christina M , Yi Soojin V
Published: June 2020

Parent-of-origin methylation arises when the methylation patterns of a particular allele are dependent on the parent it was inherited from. Previous work in honey bees has shown evidence of parent-of-origin-specific expression, yet the mechanisms regulating such pattern remain unknown in honey bees. In mammals and plants, DNA methylation is known to regulate parent-of-origin effects such as genomic imprinting. Here, we utilize genotyping of reciprocal European and Africanized honey bee crosses to study genome-wide allele-specific methylation patterns in sterile and reproductive individuals. Our data confirm the presence of allele-specific methylation in honey bees in lineage-specific contexts but also importantly, though to a lesser degree, parent-of-origin contexts. We show that the majority of allele-specific methylation occurs due to lineage rather than parent-of-origin factors, regardless of the reproductive state. Interestingly, genes affected by allele-specific DNA methylation often exhibit both lineage and parent-of-origin effects, indicating that they are particularly labile in terms of DNA methylation patterns. Additionally, we re-analyzed our previous study on parent-of-origin-specific expression in honey bees and found little association with parent-of-origin-specific methylation. These results indicate strong genetic background effects on allelic DNA methylation and suggest that although parent-of-origin effects are manifested in both DNA methylation and gene expression, they are not directly associated with each other.
Evolutionary History of the Globin Gene Family in Annelids
Authors: Belato Flávia A , Coates Christopher J , Halanych Kenneth M , Weber Roy E , Costa-Paiva Elisa M
Published: June 2020

Animals depend on the sequential oxidation of organic molecules to survive; thus, oxygen-carrying/transporting proteins play a fundamental role in aerobic metabolism. Globins are the most common and widespread group of respiratory proteins. They can be divided into three types: circulating intracellular, noncirculating intracellular, and extracellular, all of which have been reported in annelids. The diversity of oxygen transport proteins has been underestimated across metazoans. We probed 250 annelid transcriptomes in search of globin diversity in order to elucidate the evolutionary history of this gene family within this phylum. We report two new globin types in annelids, namely androglobins and cytoglobins. Although cytoglobins and myoglobins from vertebrates and from invertebrates are referred to by the same name, our data show they are not genuine orthologs. Our phylogenetic analyses show that extracellular globins from annelids are more closely related to extracellular globins from other metazoans than to the intracellular globins of annelids. Broadly, our findings indicate that multiple gene duplication and neo-functionalization events shaped the evolutionary history of the globin family.
Sex, Race, and Age Differences in Prevalence of Dementia in Medicare Claims and Survey Data
Authors: Zhu Yingying , Chen Yi , Crimmins Eileen M , Zissimopoulos Julie M
Published: June 2020

Objectives

This study provides the first comparison of trends in dementia prevalence in the U.S. population using 3 different dementia ascertainments/data sources: neuropsychological assessment, cognitive tests, and diagnosis codes from Medicare claims.

Methods

We used data from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study and Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study, and a 20% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries. We compared dementia prevalence across the 3 sources by race, gender, and age. We estimated trends in dementia prevalence from 2006 to 2013 based on cognitive tests and diagnosis codes utilizing logistic regression.

Results

Dementia prevalence among older adults aged 70 and older in 2004 was 16.6% (neuropsychological assessment), 15.8% (cognitive tests), and 12.2% (diagnosis codes). The difference between dementia prevalence based on cognitive tests and diagnosis codes diminished in 2012 (12.4% and 12.9%, respectively), driven by decreasing rates of cognitive test-based and increasing diagnosis codes-based dementia prevalence. This difference in dementia prevalence between the 2 sources by sex and for age groups 75–79 and 90 and older vanished over time. However, there remained substantial differences across measures in dementia prevalence among blacks and Hispanics (10.9 and 9.8 percentage points, respectively) in 2012.

Discussion

Our results imply that ascertainment of dementia through diagnosis may be improving over time, but gaps across measures among racial/ethnic minorities highlight the need for improved measurement of dementia prevalence in these populations.
Does Testosterone Influence Young Adult Romantic Partners' Accommodation During Conversations About Stressors?
Authors: Dhillon Anuraj , Denes Amanda , Crowley John P , Ponivas Ambyre , Winkler Kara L , Bennett Margaret
Published: June 2020

The present study contributes to a growing line of research exploring the associations between physiology and communication behavior. Specifically, this study investigated the influence of testosterone (T) on perceptions of partners' accommodative and nonaccommodative behaviors during a conversation about a relational stressor, and their subsequent association with satisfaction with the conversation. One hundred individuals participated in the study, which included a pre-survey, lab visit, and post-survey. Results revealed that for women, T was negatively associated with perceived partner accommodation and satisfaction with the conversation. Findings uncovered significant mediation effects of women's perceived partner (non)accommodation, while revealing several partner effects. Furthermore, the study found that satisfaction with the conversation was positively predicted by partner accommodation and negatively predicted by partner nonaccommodation for both women and men. These results indicate the utility of communication accommodation theory in examining conflict conversations and imply that T may influence communicative behaviors during conversation about a relational stressor.
The capability approach as a bridging framework across health promotion settings: theoretical and empirical considerations
Authors: Frahsa Annika , Abel Thomas , Gelius Peter , Rütten Alfred
Published: June 2020

Health promotion research has increasingly called for transdisciplinary approaches. Such calls ask for bridging frameworks that define comprehensive sets of health determinants and appropriately conceptualize the roles of population groups as well as other relevant actor groups in the co-production of health. This article aims to present the seminal capability approach by Sen and Nussbaum as a potentially suitable framework for such bridging endeavors to guide health promotion research. It highlights domains of the capability approach that appear to be particularly relevant to bridging diverse disciplines and settings. Such domains particularly refer to the agency of decisive actor groups (population groups, professionals, policymakers and researchers) as well as to the differentiation of personal, social and environmental conversion factors that disciplines define within their specific epistemologies and ontologies. The article uses empirical examples from a German research consortium that aimed to promote physical activity in five different settings while fostering cooperation and conceptual alignment between several academic disciplines and sub-disciplines to highlight benefits and challenges of using the capability approach as a bridging framework for transdisciplinary health promotion. We conclude that the capability approach might serve as bridging framework to guide future transdisciplinary research if partners involved continuously exchange to develop a shared understanding of the issues to be researched.
Implicit bias against the Romas in Hungarian healthcare: taboos or unrevealed areas for health promotion?
Authors: Marek Erika , Nemeth Timea , Orsos Zsuzsa
Published: June 2020

The Roma or Gipsy population is the largest ethnic minority both in Europe and Hungary with a 10–15 years lower life expectancy and significantly worse health indicators than majority populations. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate a sensitive and controversial topic: the perspectives of healthcare staff about the presence and impacts of implicit bias in the Hungarian healthcare system towards Roma patients. Therefore, between June 2017 and May 2018 semi-structured interviews were conducted involving 13 healthcare professionals. Interview transcripts were coded and thematically analysed. The presence and occasional manifestation of prejudices against the Romas were noted by the interviewees, most commonly in the form of longer waiting time, comments or other meta-communicative tools. Study participants appeared to exclude a direct relationship between health providers’ implicit bias and the lower quality of health services or the worse health status of Roma patients. However, as reported, indirect negative effects may occur in cases where a patient refrains from seeking care due to previous perceived or experienced discrimination. As barriers to effective patient–provider communication and cooperation, differences in culture, health-seeking behaviour and gaps between health literacy levels were emphasized. In terms of prevention, enhancing anti-discriminatory attitudes from early childhood within the families, the role of media in conveying unbiased information, increasing health awareness of the Roma people as well as educating healthcare providers on culture-related issues may be beneficial. Stress and burnout of healthcare professionals also need to be addressed as these may impact on the enactment of unconscious biases.
The impact of deunionization on the growth and dispersion of productivity and pay
Authors: Dosi Giovanni , Freeman Richard B , Pereira Marcelo C , Roventini Andrea , Virgillito Maria Enrica
Published: June 2020

This article presents an Agent-Based Model (ABM) that seeks to explain the concordance of sluggish growth of productivity and of real wages found in macroeconomic statistics, and the increased dispersion of firm productivity and worker earnings found in micro level statistics in advanced economies at the turn of the 21st century. It shows that a single market process unleashed by the decline of unionization can account for both the macro- and micro-economic phenomena, and that deunionization can be modeled as an endogenous outcome of competition between high wage firms seeking to raise productive capacity and low productivity firms seeking to cut wages. The model highlights the antipodal competitive dynamics between a “winner-takes-all economy” in which corporate strategies focused on cost reductions lead to divergence in productivity and wages and a “social market economy” in which competition rewards the accumulation of firm-level capabilities and worker skills with a more egalitarian wage structure.
Understanding variation in reported covid-19 deaths with a novel Shewhart chart application
Authors: Perla Rocco J , Provost Shannon M , Parry Gareth J , Little Kevin , Provost Lloyd P
Published: June 2020

Objective

Motivated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) pandemic, we developed a novel Shewhart chart to visualize and learn from variation in reported deaths in an epidemic.

Context

Without a method to understand if a day-to-day variation in outcomes may be attributed to meaningful signals of change—rather than variability we would expect—care providers, improvement leaders, policy-makers, and the public will struggle to recognize if epidemic conditions are improving.

Methods

We developed a novel hybrid C-chart and I-chart to detect within a geographic area the start and end of exponential growth in reported deaths. Reported deaths were the unit of analysis owing to erratic reporting of cases from variability in local testing strategies. We used simulation and case studies to assess chart performance and define technical parameters. This approach also applies to other critical measures related to a pandemic when high-quality data are available.

Conclusions

The hybrid chart detected the start of exponential growth and identified early signals that the growth phase was ending. During a pandemic, timely reliable signals that an epidemic is waxing or waning may have mortal implications. This novel chart offers a practical tool, accessible to system leaders and frontline teams, to visualize and learn from daily reported deaths during an epidemic. Without Shewhart charts and, more broadly, a theory of variation in our epidemiological arsenal, we lack a scientific method for a real-time assessment of local conditions. Shewhart charts should become a standard method for learning from data in the context of a pandemic or epidemic.
Two Fatalities Involving Mebroqualone
Authors: Woods K M
Published: June 2020

Mebroqualone is an analogue of methaqualone, and there is a very little published information regarding the toxicity of this designer drug. We describe two cases with non-lethal levels of mebroqualone in blood collected at autopsy. Case 1 was an accidental death that involved a house fire, and the decedent was found to have a blood mebroqualone concentration of 10,228 ng/mL. Case 2 was a completed suicide by train, and the decedent was found to have a blood concentration of 115 ng/mL. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the scientific literature to compare two postmortem blood concentrations of mebroqualone. Mebroqualone was extracted from postmortem blood using a simple liquid–liquid extraction procedure and analyzed via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry.
A Dragging-Down Effect: Consumer Decisions in Response to Price Increases
Authors: Zhang Shirley , Sussman Abigail B , Hsee Christopher K
Published: June 2020

Four studies, across a range of domains, find a dragging-down effect in which consumers purchase fewer units of a product when a discount applies to more units. For example, consumers buy fewer peaches when each customer can buy up to three peaches at a discount than when each customer can buy only one peach at a discount or when there is no discount at all. In contrast to basic economic principles, this dragging-down effect implies that consumers purchase less (more) when the per-unit price is lower (higher). We propose and our results support an acceptability account: consumers will adopt the price-increase point (i.e., maximum discounted quantity) as their purchase quantity if that point falls within an acceptable range, and will ignore that point and purchase their initially preferred quantity instead if the price-increase point falls below the acceptable range. The current work enriches existing research on anchoring and pricing and carries implications for consumers, marketers, and policy-makers.
The power of marvellous objects
Authors: Ciulisová Ingrid
Published: June 2020

This paper explores the interest of Charles IV of Luxembourg (1316–1378), King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, in collecting gemstones, which has hitherto been little studied. It analyses this interest in connection with the fourteenth-century French royal court, and especially with the collecting activities of Charles V of Valois (1338–1380), King of France. Both of these sovereigns had an interest in ancient gems and they used them in the same manner; their practices prove to have been inspired by the reinvented traditions of the saintly Capetian monarch Louis IX, King of France, and of the ancient Roman Empire. This study shows how Charles of Luxembourg and Charles of Valois sought out and used precious and semi-precious stones as instruments of their royal self-images and claims to power.
Effects of leaf age, elevation and light conditions on photosynthesis and leaf traits in saplings of two evergreen conifers, Abies veitchii and A. mariesii
Authors: Suzuki Rina , Takahashi Koichi
Published: June 2020

Aims

Subalpine coniferous species are distributed over a wide range of elevations in which they must contend with stressful conditions, such as high elevations and extended periods of darkness. Two evergreen coniferous species, Abies veitchii and Abies mariesii, dominate at low and high elevations, respectively, in the subalpine zone, central Japan. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of leaf age, elevation and light conditions on photosynthetic rates through changes in morphological and physiological leaf traits in the two species.

Methods

We here examined effects of leaf age, elevation and light conditions on photosynthesis, and leaf traits in A. veitchii and A. mariesii. Saplings of the two conifers were sampled in the understory and canopy gaps at their lower (1600 m) and upper (2300 m) distribution limits.

Important Findings

The two species showed similar responses to leaf age and different responses to elevation and light conditions in photosynthesis and leaf traits. The maximum photosynthetic rate of A. veitchii is correlated negatively with leaf mass per area (LMA) and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentration. LMA increased at high elevations in the two species, whereas NSC concentrations increased only in A. veitchii. Therefore, the maximum photosynthetic rate of A. veitchii decreased at high elevations. Furthermore, maximum photosynthetic rates correlate positively with nitrogen concentration in both species. In the understory, leaf nitrogen concentrations decreased and increased in A. veitchii and A. mariesii, respectively. LMA decreased and the chlorophyll-to-nitrogen ratio increased in understory conditions only for A. mariesii, suggesting it has a higher light-capture efficiency in dark conditions than does A. veitchii. This study concluded that A. mariesii has more shade-tolerant photosynthetic and leaf traits and its photosynthetic rate is less affected by elevation compared with A. veitchii, allowing A. mariesii to survive in the understory and to dominate at high elevations.
Reconstruction of the chest wall with a latissimus dorsi muscle flap after an infection of alloplastic material: a case report
Authors: Borisov Vladislav , Stieltjes Bram , Wiese Mark , Lardinois Didier
Published: June 2020

Alloplastic material is often used for thoracic wall reconstruction following extended resection bringing the risk of infection, especially after chemotherapy and/or radiation. We present the case of a 66-year-old male with lung adenocarcinoma of the right lower lobe. After extended lobectomy, a partial resection of the sixth to eighth ribs followed by chest wall reconstruction with Mersilene mesh and osteosynthesis for sixth and seventh rib was performed. One month postoperatively, he developed pleural empyema. The alloplastic material was removed, extensive surgical debridement was performed and a latissimus dorsi muscle flap was used to cover the chest wall defect and fill out the remnant space supradiaphragmatically. Three years later, the patient has fully recovered with no local pain or relapse of the tumour. This case shows that rigid chest wall reconstruction with a soft autologous muscle flap is a valuable salvage option in case of infection, making alloplastic material highly risky.
The Significance of the Division of Linguistic Labor
Authors: Wagner Henri
Published: June 2020

This essay aims to explore the significance of Hilary Putnam’s reflections on the division of linguistic labor by putting them into contrast with those of Gareth Evans. Whereas Putnam’s reflections purport to uncover neglected aspects of the contribution of social environment to the meaning and the reference-fixing of conceptual terms, Evans’s reinterpretation of the division of linguistic labor results in obliterating its antisubjectivist and instrumentalist dimension. The crux of the disagreement between Putnam and Evans on the significance of the division of linguistic labor lies in Evans endorsing, while Putnam rejects, the principle of discrimination—a generalization of what Evans calls “Russell’s principle.”
Clinical trial of proton craniospinal irradiation for leptomeningeal metastases
Authors: Yang T Jonathan , Wijetunga Neil A , Yamada Josh , Wolden Suzanne , Mehallow Michelle , Goldman Debra A , Zhang Zhigang , Young Robert J , Kris Mark G , Yu Helena A , Seidman Andrew D , Gavrilovic Igor T , Lin Andrew , Santomasso Bianca , Grommes Christian , Piotrowski Anna F , Schaff Lauren , Stone Jacqueline B , DeAngelis Lisa M , Boire Adrienne , Pentsova Elena
Published: June 2020

Background

Leptomeningeal metastases (LM) are associated with limited survival and treatment options. While involved-field radiotherapy is effective for local palliation, it lacks durability. We evaluated the toxicities of proton craniospinal irradiation (CSI), a treatment encompassing the entire central nervous system (CNS) compartment, for patients with LM from solid tumors.

Methods

We enrolled patients with LM to receive hypofractionated proton CSI in this phase I prospective trial. The primary endpoint was to describe treatment-related toxicity, with dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) defined as any radiation-related grade 3 non-hematologic toxicity or grade 4 hematologic toxicity according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events that occurred during or within 4 weeks of completion of proton CSI. Secondary endpoints included CNS progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

We enrolled 24 patients between June 2018 and April 2019. Their median follow-up was 11 months. Twenty patients were evaluable for protocol treatment–related toxicities and 21 for CNS PFS and OS. Two patients in the dose expansion cohort experienced DLTs consisted of grade 4 lymphopenia, grade 4 thrombocytopenia, and/or grade 3 fatigue. All DLTs resolved without medical intervention. The median CNS PFS was 7 months (95% CI: 5–13) and the median OS was 8 months (95% CI: 6 to not reached). Four patients (19%) were progression-free in the CNS for more than 12 months.

Conclusion

Hypofractionated proton CSI using proton therapy is a safe treatment for patients with LM from solid tumors. We saw durable disease control in some patients.
Acculturation, education, and gender roles: evidence from Canada
Authors: Kessler Anke S , Milligan Kevin
Published: June 2020

This article studies the influence of cultural norms on economic outcomes. We combine detailed information on second-generation female immigrants with historical data from their ancestral source countries to see how the cultural endowment affects current decisions on work and fertility. We show that results using the standard approach are somewhat sensitive to context and specification. We then extend to reveal an education gradient for cultural assimilation: lower-educated women exhibit a strong influence of cultural variables while higher-educated women show no influence at all. We gather and present evidence on several potential mechanisms for the education gradient.
CodonAdjust: a software for in silico design of a mutagenesis library with specific amino acid profiles
Authors: Nguyen Thuy Duong , Saito Yutaka , Kameda Tomoshi
Published: June 2020

In protein engineering, generation of mutagenesis libraries is a key step to study the functions of mutants. To generate mutants with a desired composition of amino acids (AAs), a codon consisting of a mixture of nucleotides is widely applied. Several computational methods have been proposed to calculate a codon nucleotide composition for generating a given amino acid profile based on mathematical optimization. However, these previous methods need to manually tune weights of amino acids in objective functions, which are time-consuming and, more importantly, lack publicly available software implementations. Here, we develop CodonAdjust, a software to adjust a codon nucleotide composition for mimicking a given amino acid profile. We propose different options of CodonAdjust, which provide various customizations in practical scenarios such as setting a guaranteeing threshold for the frequencies of amino acids without any manual tasks. We demonstrate the capability of CodonAdjust in the experiments on the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of antibodies and T-cell receptors (TCRs) as well as millions of amino acid profiles from Pfam. These results suggest that CodonAdjust is a productive software for codon design and may accelerate library generation. CodonAdjust is freely available at https://github.com/tiffany-nguyen/CodonAdjust. Paper edited by Dr. Jeffery Saven, Board Member for PEDS.