bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of urinary tract infections in children: Causative bacteria and antimicrobial therapy
Authors: Tanaka Yuhei , Oishi Tomohiro , Ono Sahoko , Kono Mina , Kato Atsushi , Miyata Ippei , Ohno Naoki , Ouchi Kazunobu
Published: February 2021

Background

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infections in children. This study aimed to review characteristics of causative bacteria and the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy in children with febrile UTIs.

Methods

Clinical records of 108 patients (130 episodes) with febrile UTIs admitted to the Kawasaki Medical School Hospital between July 2009 and October 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The characteristics of the causative bacteria, antibacterial therapy, and therapeutic effect were verified.

Results

Patients were aged between 0 and 183 months (median age: 3 months). Seventy‐three (67.6%) were males. Sixty‐three episodes (48.5%) were diagnosed with complicated UTIs. Forty‐seven episodes (36.2%) were observed in patients aged <3 months; 15 of them had complicated UTIs. Escherichia coli (E. coli) was the most common pathogen, followed by Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis). Blood cultures were positive in three episodes. Among the 130 episodes, 62 (47.7%) were treated with a combination of ampicillin and third‐generation cephalosporins, followed by third‐generation cephalosporins (31 episodes, 23.8%) and sulbactam sodium / ampicillin sodium (15 episodes, 11.5%). In case of patients with uncomplicated/complicated UTIs and patients aged <3 and ≥3 months, the most common pathogen was E. coli, followed by E. faecalis. There was no difference in therapeutic effects between “combination ampicillin and third‐generation cephalosporins” and “third‐generation cephalosporin monotherapy” administered for the treatment of UTIs caused by E. coli.

Conclusions

Escherichia coli is the most common pathogen among pediatric UTIs. For antibacterial therapy, third‐generation cephalosporin monotherapy is effective and may not require combination therapy with ampicillin.
Loneliness across cultures with different levels of social embeddedness: A qualitative study
Authors: Heu Luzia C. , Hansen Nina , van Zomeren Martijn , Levy Aharon , Ivanova Tsvetina T. , Gangadhar Aiswarya , Radwan Mahmoud
Published: February 2021

Valid theorizing and quantitative comparisons of loneliness across cultures require cross‐culturally similar meanings of loneliness. However, we know little about whether this is the case: Influential conceptualizations of loneliness mostly come from North America or Europe, where individuals tend to have relatively few stable social relationships and social interactions (i.e., less socially embedded cultures). We thus compare selected conceptualizations of loneliness from the literature to loneliness experiences that are reported in 42 semi‐structured interviews from countries with different levels of social embeddedness (Austria, Bulgaria, Israel, Egypt, India). Encouragingly, our thematic analysis does not suggest fundamental qualitative differences in loneliness definitions, perceived causes, or remedies. Nevertheless, we noticed and discuss aspects that may not be sufficiently considered in previous literature.
Exogenous hydrogen sulphide alleviates copper stress impacts in Artemisia annua L.: Growth, antioxidant metabolism, glandular trichome development and artemisinin biosynthesis
Authors: Nomani L. , Zehra A. , Choudhary S. , Wani K. I. , Naeem M. , Siddiqui M. H. , Khan M. M. A. , Aftab T.
Published: February 2021

A supply of plant micronutrients (some of which are metals) is necessary to regulate many plant processes; their excess, however, can have detrimental consequences and can hamper plant growth, physiology and metabolism.

Artemisia annua is an important crop plant used in the treatment of malaria. In this investigation, the physio‐biochemical mechanisms involved in exogenous hydrogen sulphide‐mediated (H2S) alleviation of copper (Cu) stress in A. annua were assessed..

Two different levels of Cu (20, 40 mg·kg−1), one H2S treatment (200 µm) and their combinations were introduced while one set of plants was retained as control.

Results showed that the presence of excess Cu in the soil reduced growth and biomass, photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll content and fluorescence, gas exchange parameters and induced antioxidant enzyme activity. Copper stress enhanced the production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and increased Cu content in both roots and shoots of affected plants. Exogenous application of H2S restored the physio‐biochemical characteristics of Cu‐treated A. annua plants by reducing lipid peroxidation and enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes in Cu‐stressed plants as compared with the controls.

Hydrogen sulphide also reduced the Cu content in different plant parts, increased photosynthetic efficiency, trichome density, average area of trichomes and artemisinin content. Therefore, our results provide a comprehensive assessment of the defensive role of H2S in Cu‐stressed A. annua.
The Effects of Auction‐based Pricing Mechanisms and Social Characteristics on Microloan Performance
Authors: Luo Sirong , Mookerjee Radha , Liu Dengpan
Published: February 2021

We empirically investigate the effects of a borrower’s choice of auction‐based pricing mechanisms and her social characteristics on listing outcomes and loan performance in online lending. Analyzing data from a leading online lending platform, we find that the borrower’s choice of borrower pricing mechanism and being affiliated with a group are both associated with higher funding probability; thus, the lenders may interpret them as positive signals of creditworthiness of the borrower. However, these signals are misleading to the lenders as they are actually both associated with higher default risk and greater credit loss (in case of default). In addition, we find that the positive effect of the borrower’s social characteristics on funding probability is smaller when she chooses the borrower pricing mechanism. Moreover, we find that although exerting a positive (negative) effect on loan performance, the number of friends (group affiliation) of the borrower aggravates (reduces) the effect of the group affiliation (number of friends) on loan default risk. Another interesting finding is that, despite having an adverse effect on loan performance, a borrower’s group affiliation, can mitigate the negative effects of the borrower’s requested amount on listing outcomes and loan performance. Our analysis also shows that, in the context of online microloan lending, a borrower’s choice of auction‐based pricing mechanisms is a better predictor of loan performance than some other traditional credit‐related information.
Functional analysis of MYB alleles from Solanum chilense and Solanum lycopersicum in controlling anthocyanin levels in heterologous tobacco plants
Authors: Subban Patharajan , Prakash Shanmugam , Bootbool Mann Amir , Kutsher Yaarit , Evenor Dalia , Levin Ilan , Reuveni Moshe
Published: February 2021

Flavonoids are natural pigments occurring in plants and are present in fruits, leaves, stems, roots, and flowers. Tobacco plants transformed with an MYB regulatory gene from either Solanum chilense (Sc) or S. lycopersicum (Sl) demonstrate that ScANT1 induces a higher level of anthocyanin accumulation in comparison to SlANT1 and that this gene is sufficient to promote increased anthocyanin levels. We compared the aptitude of ScANT1 protein to induce anthocyanin accumulation to that of SlANT1 protein in tobacco plants. We also tested the effect of amino acid substitutions in ScANT1 and SlANT1. We examined these synthetic alleles' effect following the over‐expression of additional anthocyanin synthesis regulators, such as the tomato bHLH (SlJAF13) protein. Our results show that the amino acid changes that differentiate ScANT1 from SlANT1 are the main contributors to the advantage that ScANT1 has over SlANT1 in anthocyanin accumulation per transcript unit. We further demonstrated that altering the amino acid composition of SlANT1 could increase anthocyanin accumulation, while reciprocally modifying ScANT1 lowers the anthocyanin level. These results confirm the increased anthocyanin level in tobacco is attributed to the amino acid differences between ScANT1 and SlANT1. We also show that the co‐expression of SlJAF13 with SlANT1 in tobacco plants represses the anthocyanin production.
Clothing and body modification in the Hebrew Bible
Authors: Liebermann Rosanne
Published: February 2021

Descriptions of clothing and body modification in the Hebrew Bible often communicate information about the wearers' identities, emotions, and changes of status. Dress studies is an interdisciplinary pursuit that has expanded greatly since the 1980s as part of a wider academic recognition that the human body is a primary site of cultural construction. Hebrew Bible scholars have increasingly recognized the value of this approach with regard to biblical texts and continue to explore its multifaceted dimensions. The studies to date include examinations of permanent body modifications in the Hebrew Bible: circumcision, scarification, tattooing, and piercing. Scholars have also analyzed temporary body modifications, such as styling or cutting the hair and applying cosmetics. Additionally, there are studies of the supplements added to the body, most notably clothing and jewelry. When examined in their social context, biblical descriptions of clothing and body modification reveal important information about the figures involved, the development of a narrative, and the ideologies of biblical writers.
Long‐Term Effects of Fine Particles on Mortality: Insights from 1984
Authors: Kinney Patrick L.
Published: February 2021

I review an important study that Professor Evans published early in his career examining the role of cross‐sectional mortality studies in air pollution risk assessment. At a time when both risk assessment and particle effects on mortality were controversial, John's thoughtful analysis of the issues and data relevant to assessing long‐term mortality risks from airborne particles provides a comprehensive primer that is still relevant today. The paper includes a critical literature review, a meta‐analysis of published particle effect estimates, and a reanalysis of landmark cross‐sectional mortality data set. EPA criteria documents and related literature had largely discounted the cross‐sectional mortality findings on the basis of criticisms about exposure assessment and control for confounding. John's analysis reached a different conclusion, that is, “we are of the opinion that the cross‐sectional studies reflect a causal relationship between exposure to airborne particles and premature mortality. From our point of view it is as likely that parameters have been underestimated … as that they are overestimated due to confounding.” The paper acknowledged the impossibility of precisely quantifying the long‐term mortality effect of particle air pollution, and that there is a need for further research utilizing alternative approaches. These conclusions foreshadow the emergence, a decade later, of the influential particulate matter (PM) mortality findings from the Harvard Six Cities and American Cancer Society cohort studies. I conclude by suggesting that well designed cross‐sectional studies could play a role in identifying exposure–response associations in resource‐poor settings where there is a paucity of local evidence to support air pollution regulations.
Effectiveness of a self‐management program in enhancing quality of life, self‐care, and self‐efficacy in patients with hemodialysis: A quasi‐experimental design
Authors: Lee Mei‐Chen , Wu Shu‐Fang Vivienne , Lu Kuo‐Cheng , Liu Chieh‐Yu , Liang Shu‐Yuan , Chuang Yeu‐Hui
Published: February 2021

Background: Taiwan has the world's highest prevalence of end‐stage kidney disease, as well as the world's third highest incidence. The study investigated the effectiveness of a self‐management program for enhancing health‐related quality of life, self‐care behaviors, and self‐efficacy in patients with end‐stage kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis.Methods: This was a quasi‐experimental design with convenient sampling, and allocated 32 participants in the control group (conventional program) and 32 participants in the experimental group (self‐management program). The self‐management program intervention lasted 4 weeks, and a posttest was administered 3 months later. The questionnaire included the 36‐Item Short Form Health Survey, a Chronic Kidney Disease Self‐Care Instrument, and a Chronic Kidney Disease Self‐Efficacy Instrument.Results: Three months after the intervention, the self‐management program had improved patients’ health‐related quality of life in the mental health components (p < .001), but not in the physical health components. The program also promoted patients’ self‐care behaviors (p < .001) and self‐efficacy (p < .05).Conclusions: This study's findings confirmed that self‐management programs should be promoted in clinical practice where they will provide clinical care personnel with an alternative to conventional health education.
Spring origin of Eocene carbonate mounds in the Green River Formation, Northern Bridger Basin, Wyoming, USA
Authors: Jagniecki Elliot Andrew , Lowenstein Tim K. , Demicco Robert V. , Baddouh M'bark , Carroll Alan R. , Beard Brian L. , Johnson Clark M.
Published: February 2021

Modern and ancient lacustrine carbonate build‐ups provide uniquely sensitive sedimentary and geochemical records for understanding the interaction between tectonics, past climates, and local and regional scale basin hydrology. Large (metre to decametre), well‐developed carbonate mounds in the Green River Formation have long been recognized along the margins of an Eocene lake, known as Lake Gosiute. However, their mode of origin and significance with respect to palaeohydrology remain controversial. Here, new sedimentological, Sr isotope data and structural evidence show that significant spring discharge led to the formation of a decametre size complex of shoreline carbonate mounds in the upper Wilkins Peak Member of the Green River Formation at Little Mesa and adjacent areas in the Bridger Basin, Wyoming, USA. Sedimentological evidence indicates that spring discharge was predominantly subaqueous but was, at times, also subaerial, which produced tufa cascades and micro‐rimstone dam structures. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios measured from these subaerial spring deposits are less radiogenic (87Sr/86Sr = 0.71040 to 0.71101) than contemporaneous palaeolake carbonates (87Sr/86Sr = 0.71195 to 0.71561) because their parent groundwaters likely interacted with less‐radiogenic Palaeozoic carbonate. Calcite‐cemented sandstone cones and spires (87Sr/86Sr = 0.71037 to 0.71057) in the Wasatch Formation directly below the spring deposits suggest that groundwaters derived from Palaeozoic carbonates preferentially flowed along thrust faults. These results imply that high spring discharge coincided with lake high stands of the upper Wilkins Peak Member, suggesting that recharge at the north‐west margin of the Bridger Basin contributed to Lake Gosiute’s water budget and lowered the salinity of an underfilled, evaporative lake basin. The findings of this study provide criteria for the recognition of groundwater discharge in palaeolake systems which may lead to the discovery of palaeospring systems in other ancient lake deposits.
Free Access to a Broad Contraceptive Method Mix and Women's Contraceptive Choice: Evidence from Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Chang Wei , Tumlinson Katherine
Published: February 2021

Financial barriers may restrict women's ability to use their preferred contraceptive methods, especially long‐acting reversible contraceptives (LARC). Providing free access to a broad contraceptive method mix, including both LARC and short‐acting reversible contraceptives (SARC), may increase contraceptive use, meet women's various fertility needs, and increase their agency in contraceptive decisions. Linking facility and individual data from eight countries in sub‐Saharan Africa, we use a propensity score approach combined with machine learning techniques to examine how free access to a broad contraceptive method mix affects women's contraceptive choice. Free access to both LARC and SARC was associated with an increase of 3.2 percentage points (95 percent confidence interval: 0.006, 0.058) in the likelihood of contraceptive use, driven by greater use of SARC. Among contraceptive users, free access did not prompt women to switch to LARC and had no effect on contraceptive decision‐making. The price effects were larger among older and more educated women, but free access was associated with lower contraceptive use among adolescents. While free access to contraceptives is associated with a modest increase in contraceptive use for some women, removing user fees alone does not address all barriers women face, especially for the most vulnerable groups of women.
Memory complaints and cognitive performance in fibromyalgia and chronic pain: The key role of depression
Authors: Castel Antoni , Cascón‐Pereira Rosalia , Boada Sergi
Published: February 2021

To explore the relationship between perceived cognitive problems and cognitive performance in three different samples, taking into account the possible influence of depression, catastrophizing, pain intensity, or medication. Seventy individuals with fibromyalgia, 74 with non‐malignant chronic pain and 40 pain‐free controls, completed measures of verbal episodic memory, sustained attention, response inhibition, depression, catastrophizing, and pain intensity. Fibromyalgia and chronic pain patients performed worse than controls in verbal memory and sustained attention, but these differences disappeared when depressed participants were excluded from the analyses. Memory complaints were related with depression in all pain patients. However, in the case of fibromyalgia, memory complaints were also related by pain intensity and inversely related by short‐term episodic memory. This case‐control study shows the importance of jointly assessing cognitive performance and memory complaints and of controlling for variables such as depression, catastrophizing, pain intensity and medication in the studied samples. Accordingly, this study highlights the differences in memory complaints, between the patients with fibromyalgia and the patients with other chronic pain conditions. Finally, it has highlighted the important role played by depression in cognitive performance and memory complaints considering the Neurocognitive Model of Attention to pain.
Developing a non‐verbal, self‐report assessment tool of action tendencies: The Depicted Action Tendencies (DAT) instrument
Authors: OToole Mia S. , Mikkelsen Mai B.
Published: February 2021

The objectives of this series of studies were to develop and evaluate a visual self‐report measure, the Depicted Action Tendencies (DAT), for the assessment of action tendencies, and to examine relations between action tendencies and emotions. In three independent studies, 938 participants evaluated drawings depicting individuals engaged in actions, reflecting four classes of action tendencies; the tendency to approach reward, approach threat, avoid threat, and avoid reward. The DAT instrument showed specificity in terms of associations with emotions and verbal action‐tendency items with minimal overlap between drawings (Study 1). The specificity of the drawings extended to settings in which participants recalled events from their lives (Study 2 and 3). The findings suggest that the drawings can capture different action tendencies in contexts labeled with the same emotion and provide initial support for the DAT instrument as a valid and reliable measure of action tendencies. We believe the DAT instrument offers potential value both in experimental and clinical settings. Given its pictorial format, the DAT is easy to comprehend and may represent a valuable instrument for assessing action tendencies in a quick manner at the momentary level. It may also be useful to individuals with limited linguistic skills or difficulties in verbalizing sensations and feelings.
Public sciences, public enemies. Boundary work and cultural hegemony in public controversies between evolutionists and feminists
Authors: Ruck Nora
Published: February 2021

Social conflicts are often discussed in the form of public scientific controversies in knowledge societies. This paper analyzes several public controversies tackling issues of gender inequalities between evolutionists (evolutionary psychologists and evolutionary psychologically oriented journalists) and feminists (feminist scientists and journalists) in US media between the early 1980s and the early 2000s. The inquiry focuses on rhetorical strategies of “boundary work” participants used to make their point and strengthen their public authority on the issues discussed. By practicing boundary work, scientists distance themselves from ideology. It is suggested that Antonio Gramsci's works on hegemony and the intellectuals allows to think about intellectual's roles in ideological struggles in a different way: the public scientific controversies analyzed occurred at a time when “traditional” gender and family models had lost their hegemonic role and gender relations were rather thoroughly rearranged. They can thus be understood as part of a larger social struggle for cultural hegemony on issues of gender and sexuality.
The novel HLA‐DQB1*05:02:24 allele, identified in a Russian bone marrow donor
Authors: Cheranev Valery , Loginova Maria , Jankevic Tatjana , Kutyavina Svetlana , Korostin Dmitriy
Published: February 2021

The new allele HLA‐DQB1*05:02:24 showed one synonymous nucleotide difference with HLA‐DQB1*05:02:01:01 in codon 140.
Akbarian Scepticism in Islam: Qūnawī's Sceptical Arguments from Relativity and Disagreement
Authors: Daşdemir Yusuf
Published: February 2021

This study deals with the sceptical arguments by one of the most important figures in the philosophical Sufi tradition (the Akbarian school) and the foremost disciple of Ibn ʿArabī, Ṣadr al‐Dīn al‐Qūnawī. Though not a sceptic in the strict sense, Qūnawī employs sceptical arguments from relativity of rational knowledge and disagreement among philosophers to prove inefficacy of reason and rational procedures of knowledge in terms of achieving certain knowledge of metaphysical matters, namely of God and the ultimate principles of things. The paper questions Qūnawī's implicit assumption that, if there is disagreement on a propositionp, thenp is relative and thus cannot provide certain knowledge. It aims to philosophically analyse and assess his scepticism as well as to shed light on the largely unknown terrain of scepticism in the mediaeval Islamic world.
Availability, cost and affordability of selected antibiotics and antiviral medicines against infectious diseases from 2013 to 2019 in Nanjing, China
Authors: Zhu Yulei , Xu Xinglu , Fang Wenqing , Wang Ying , Dai Huizhen , Li Xin
Published: February 2021

Objectives

As economic globalisation develops in‐depth, infectious diseases that occur in a country or region no longer remains a regional issue. Antibiotics and antiviral medicines are essential medicines for the therapy of infectious diseases. This study aims to evaluate their availability, cost and affordability of AaAMs against infectious diseases in 41 public hospitals from 2013 to 2019 in Nanjing, China.

Methods

Data on the availability and price of 17 antibiotics and 6 antiviral medicines in 41 public hospitals were obtained from the Jiangsu Institute of Medicine Information. We adopted the WHO/Health Action International method to measure the availability, cost and affordability of these medicines.

Results

The availability of selected medicines against infectious diseases was relatively low; the median availability of originator brands was near‐zero and that of lowest‐priced generics during the survey period less than 50%. The total availability of medicines was poor in primary hospitals as compared to secondary and tertiary hospitals. The median daily‐defined dose cost of originator brands was expensive (range from 66.11 RMB to 107.83 RMB), whereas that of lowest price generics was fairly acceptable at < 8 RMB. The affordability of most surveyed medicines was reasonable, which showed significant improvement over time, but the daily cost of a few medicines for originator brands exceeded the average daily wage.

Conclusions

In general, the affordability of medicines surveyed was acceptable, while the availability was too low. There should be a great concern for improving the reserve system of anti‐infective medicines in healthcare institutions. Policy should focus on improving the availability of generic drugs in hospitals and encouraging preferentially prescribed.
Alleles of a wall‐associated kinase gene account for three of the major northern corn leaf blight resistance loci in maize
Authors: Yang Ping , Scheuermann Daniela , Kessel Bettina , Koller Teresa , Greenwood Julian R. , Hurni Severine , Herren Gerhard , Zhou Shenghui , Marande William , Wicker Thomas , Krattinger Simon G. , Ouzunova Milena , Keller Beat
Published: February 2021

Northern corn leaf blight, caused by the fungal pathogen Setosphaeria turcica (anamorph Exserohilum turcicum), is one of the most devastating foliar diseases of maize (Zea mays). Four genes Ht1, Ht2, Ht3 and Htn1 represent the major sources of genetic resistance against the hemibiotrophic fungus S. turcica. Differential maize lines containing these genes also form the basis to classify S. turcica races. Here, we show that Ht2 and Ht3 are identical and allelic to the previously cloned Htn1 gene. Using a map‐based cloning approach and Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING), we demonstrate that Ht2/Ht3 is an allele of the wall‐associated receptor‐like kinase gene ZmWAK‐RLK1. The ZmWAK‐RLK1 variants encoded by Htn1 and Ht2/Ht3 differ by multiple amino acid polymorphisms that particularly affect the putative extracellular domain. A diversity analysis in maize revealed the presence of dozens of ZmWAK‐RLK1 alleles. Ht2, Ht3 and Htn1 have been described over decades as independent resistance loci with different race spectra and resistance responses. Our work demonstrates that these three genes are allelic, which has major implications for northern corn leaf blight resistance breeding and nomenclature of S. turcica pathotypes. We hypothesize that genetic background effects have confounded the classical description of these disease resistance genes in the past.
A conservative pathway for coordination of cell wall biosynthesis and cell cycle progression in plants
Authors: Shi Jiewei , Zhang Qunxia , Yan Xu , Zhang Delin , Zhou Qin , Shen Yuxiao , Anupol Nachaisin , Wang Xiuqing , Bao Manzhu , Larkin Robert M. , Luo Hong , Ning Guogui
Published: February 2021

The mechanism that coordinates cell growth and cell cycle progression remains poorly understood; in particular, whether the cell cycle and cell wall biosynthesis are coordinated remains unclear. Recently, cell wall biosynthesis and cell cycle progression were reported to respond to wounding. Nonetheless, no genes are reported to synchronize the biosynthesis of the cell wall and the cell cycle. Here, we report that wounding induces the expression of genes associated with cell wall biosynthesis and the cell cycle, and that two genes, AtMYB46 in Arabidopsis thaliana and RrMYB18 in Rosa rugosa, are induced by wounding. We found that AtMYB46 and RrMYB18 promote the biosynthesis of the cell wall by upregulating the expression of cell wall‐associated genes, and that both of them also upregulate the expression of a battery of genes associated with cell cycle progression. Ultimately, this response leads to the development of curled leaves of reduced size. We also found that the coordination of cell wall biosynthesis and cell cycle progression by AtMYB46 and RrMYB18 is evolutionarily conservative in multiple species. In accordance with wounding promoting cell regeneration by regulating the cell cycle, these findings also provide novel insight into the coordination between cell growth and cell cycle progression and a method for producing miniature plants.
Wordplay, world‐play, and interdisciplinary imaginations
Authors: Hayes Emily
Published: February 2021

By mapping examples of geographical portmanteau words, this paper aims to elucidate several interdisciplinary imaginative practices. It presents examples of verbal invention in the publications and rhetorical practices of three geographers, Francis Galton, John Frederick Heyes, and Halford Mackinder, which demonstrate individual words, especially neologisms and portmanteau words, can reflect concepts of space and disciplinary spaces. The paper traces perceptions of the relations between word‐making and world‐making via examples of re‐scaling, including magnification and shrinkage of words, as well as the moving, subtraction, and addition of syllables or letters in certain words, including geography, philosophy, and geosophy. In drawing on the wordplay of these figures, it argues that portmanteau words evidence parallels between late 19th‐century and early 20th‐century chemical and geographical practices that have important implications for 20th‐century geographies and languages of knowledge‐making.
Neoliberal policy refugia: The death and life of biodiversity offsetting in the European Union and its member states
Authors: Corbera Esteve , Lave Rebecca , Robertson Morgan , Maestre‐Andrés Sara
Published: February 2021

The past decade has been a dynamic one for biodiversity offsetting policy. Efforts to incorporate offsetting into the Convention on Biological Diversity as a compliance mechanism did not succeed. The expansion of offsetting outside of the Natura 2000 network in the European Union (EU), which looked all but inevitable in the early 2010s, was withdrawn in the face of unexpectedly strong opposition from environmental groups and the business sector. Highly publicised offsetting programmes in some EU countries have had mixed outcomes, and many observers describe offsetting as a failed policy. And yet four years of interviews and policy analysis in Brussels, Spain, and England suggest that reports of offsetting's death may be exaggerated. While the possibility of an overarching EU Directive aimed at harmonising offsetting policy and practice across the region's countries seems unlikely, in Spain, offsetting has returned to the national policy arena via adoption as an implementation tool within the national Green Infrastructure Strategy. Offsetting in England persists in a handful of counties as a locally situated development strategy, and seems to have returned at the national level despite its spectacular flame‐out in 2014. This is not, after all, a high‐profile failure of neoliberal environmental policy. Rather, we see offsetting's persistence as a result of policy refugia: the retreat to small but amenable jurisdictions where offsetting policies can wait out inclement policy conditions and then emerge to recolonise the policy landscape when conditions improve.
Intraoperative findings and postoperative results associated with cataract surgery performed after retinal reattachment surgery in dogs—36 cases (41 eyes)
Authors: Hartrum Bianca J. , Nadelstein Brad , Mancuso Laura A.
Published: February 2021

Objective

To report intraoperative findings and complications associated with cataract surgery performed after retinal reattachment surgery (RR) via pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) using perfluoro‐n‐octane (PFO), laser retinopexy, and silicone oil tamponade in dogs.

Animals Studied

Retrospective record review of dogs that underwent post‐RR cataract surgery. Signalment, time between RR and cataract surgery, type of lens extraction, postoperative visual status, and intra‐ and postoperative complications were recorded. Cataract formation or progression after RR was categorized as early (≤12 months) or late (>12 months).

Results

A total of 36 dogs (41 eyes) were included. Average time between RR and cataract surgery was 665 days (median: 546). Early postoperative incidence of cataracts occurred in 19 eyes (46.3%). Types of lens extraction included phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (86.1%, 31/36 dogs), phacoemulsification alone (11.1%, 4/36 dogs), and intracapsular lens extraction (2.8%, 1/36 dogs). Visual improvement occurred in 95.1% of eyes (39/41) immediately postoperatively. Long term, 93.9% of eyes (31/33) maintained vision at 1 month, 85.2% of eyes (23/27) at 3 months, 77.3% of eyes (17/22) at 6 months, and 60% (12/20) at 12 months postoperatively. The most common postoperative complications were glaucoma (29.3%, 12/41 eyes), corneal ulceration (24.4%, 10/36 eyes), fibrin formation (21.9%, 9/41 eyes), and silicone oil migration into the anterior chamber (19.5%, 8/41 eyes).

Conclusion

Post‐RR cataract surgery should be considered in dogs with vision loss from cataracts after RR. In most eyes, vision was maintained up to 1 year postoperatively.
Transfusion‐associated circulatory overload and high blood pressure: A multicentre retrospective study in Japan
Authors: Tanaka Asashi , Yokohama Akihiko , Fujiwara Shin‐ichiro , Fujii Yasuhiko , Kaneko Makoto , Ueda Yasunori , Abe Takashi , Kato Yoko , Hasegawa Yuichi , Ikeda Kazuhiko , Fujino Keizo , Matsumoto Mayumi , Makino Shigeyoshi , Kino Shuichi , Takeshita Akihiro , Muroi Kazuo
Published: February 2021

Background

Transfusion‐associated circulatory overload (TACO) is an adverse reaction associated with a high risk of mortality. The actual incidence of TACO and hypertension associated with transfusion in Japan is unknown.

Methods

A multicentre retrospective observational study was conducted across 23 institutions during the 1‐year period of 2016. Patients were included if they developed TACO or their blood pressure (either systolic or diastolic) increased by at least 30 mmHg during the transfusion. TACO was confirmed by the primary physicians and transfusion medicine teams and recorded in the data on passive surveillance, and additional data were extracted from electronic medical records.

Results

In our patient cohort of 31 384 patients who underwent transfusion, the incidence of TACO and hypertension was 0·03% and 0·2%, respectively. However, 43% of the participating institutions didn't report any cases. When comparing risk factors between the TACO and hypertension groups, there were significant differences in comorbidities, such as abnormal findings on chest x‐ray. Significant differences between the two groups were observed post‐transfusion pulse rate, body temperature and oxygen saturation (P < 0·01). In the group of patients with hypertension, the level of BNP increased significantly after transfusion in 45% (5/11) of the patients. We identified 4 patients in the hypertension group who met the new ISBT’s TACO criteria.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that more attention should be given to TACO in Japan, particularly in terms of improving surveillance systems. For the early diagnosis of TACO, it is crucial to carefully monitor vital signs including blood pressure.
Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on blood supply and demand in the WHO African Region
Authors: Loua André , Kasilo Ossy Muganga Julius , Nikiema Jean Baptiste , Sougou Aissatou Sarassa , Kniazkov Stanislav , Annan Edith Andrews
Published: February 2021

Background and Objectives

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) affected millions of people worldwide and caused disruptions at the global level including in healthcare provision. Countries of the WHO African region have put in place measures for the COVID‐19 pandemic containment that may adversely affect blood system activities and subsequently reduce the supply and demand of blood and blood components. This study aims to assess the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on blood supply and demand in the WHO African Region and propose measures to address the challenges faced by countries.

Materials and Methods

A survey questionnaire was sent to all 47 countries in the WHO African Region to collect information on blood supply and demand for the first 5 months of 2019 and 2020, respectively, and on COVID‐19 Convalescent Plasma therapy in September 2020.

Results

Thirty‐seven countries provided responses. The total number of blood donations dropped in 32 countries while it increased in five countries. The proportion of blood drives also decreased in 21 countries and increased in nine countries. The blood requested and issued for transfusion decreased for blood demand and for blood issued for transfusion in 30 countries. Ten countries reported some activities of convalescent plasma. However, very few units of this product collected have been transfused to COVID‐19 patients.

Conclusion

The COVID‐19 pandemic has led to a reduction of blood related activities in the region, including the supply and demand. Countries preparedness plans for health emergencies need more emphasis to maintaining blood stock.
Association of the ABO blood group with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in a community with low infection rate
Authors: Kotila Taiwo R. , Alonge Temitope O. , Fowotade Adeola , Famuyiwa Olufisayo I. , Akinbile Adebola S.
Published: February 2021

Background and objectives

Reports on the association of the ABO phenotypes with infection by the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus have mostly come from countries with high infection rates. This study examined the possible association between SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and the ABO phenotype in Black Africa.

Materials and methods

This report is from a single centre where both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients were quarantined. At the time of this report, Oyo State, Nigeria had carried out 15 733 tests of which 3119 were positive for the virus with 1952 recoveries and 37 deaths. The ABO distribution of patients was compared with that of a blood donor population.

Results

Of the 302 participants, 297 (98%) had their blood group determined, asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals were 123 (40·7%) and 179 (59·3%) respectively. Blood group O was significantly less represented among the patients (P < 0·01) while blood groups B and AB were significantly more represented (P < 0·01, P = 0·03 respectively). Patients with anti‐B (groups A and O) were significantly less represented than those without anti‐B (B and/or AB): B and AB (P < 0·001), B (P = 0·002), AB (P = 0·01). There was no difference in the blood group distribution of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (χ2 (3, N = 302) = 2·29; P = 0·51), but symptomatic patients with anti‐A (groups B and O) were more represented than asymptomatic patients with anti‐A (χ2 4·89; P = 0·03).

Conclusion

The higher prevalence of blood group O and more potent beta haemolysins (anti‐B antibodies) are likely reasons for the lower infectivity by the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus and severity of COVID‐19 disease in the community.
Staged mandibular lip flap for closure of a large palatal defect after maxillectomy in a dog
Authors: Chambers Aidan R. , Skinner Owen T. , Reeves Lauren A. , Rau Meagan B. , Luther Jill K.
Published: February 2021

Objective

To report closure of an oronasal defect secondary to maxillectomy with a staged mandibular lip flap.

Study design

Case report

Animals

One 9‐year‐old female spayed golden retriever.

Methods

A combined dorsolateral and intraoral approach was used to perform a central maxillectomy to excise a 2.4‐ × 2‐ × 2.7‐cm oral osteosarcoma with 1‐cm margins. A buccal mucosal flap was used to close the palatal defect but the site subsequently dehisced. A staged mandibular lip flap was performed to close the defect. An incision was made on the mandible at the intersection of the buccal mucosa and gingiva from the mandibular canine to the level of the commissure. A second incision was made 3 cm ventral to the lip margin. The flap pedicle was based at the commissure. The flap was rotated to cover the palatal defect from rostral to the canine tooth to the fourth premolar. A second procedure was performed 4 weeks after flap placement to desquamate the haired skin and transect the flap pedicle.

Results

Partial dehiscence at the caudal aspect of the flap occurred after the first revision. The defect was closed after pedicle transection on day 41, with acceptable cosmesis. The dog was eating canned food with no evidence of discomfort 159 days after the maxillectomy. Recurrence was noted on day 270 postoperatively.

Conclusion

Closure of a large palatal defect with a staged mandibular lip flap led to good cosmesis and function.
Implementation and Evaluation of a Standardized Nurse‐Administered Assessment of Functional and Psychosocial Issues for Patients in Acute Care
Authors: Peel Nancye M. , Hornby‐Turner Yvonne C. , Osborne Sonya R. , Henderson Amanda , Hubbard Ruth E. , Gray Leonard C.
Published: February 2021

Background

Increasingly, adults presenting to healthcare facilities have multiple morbidities that impact medical management and require initial and ongoing assessment. The interRAI Acute Care (AC), one of a suite of instruments used for integrated care, is a nurse‐administered standardized assessment of functional and psychosocial domains that contribute to complexity of patients admitted to acute care.

Aim

This study aimed to implement and evaluate the interRAI AC assessment system using a multi‐strategy approach based on the integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (i‐PARIHS) framework.

Methods

This nurse‐led quality improvement study was piloted in a 200‐bed public hospital in Brisbane, Australia, over the period 2017 to 2018. The interRAI AC is a set of clinical observations of functional and psychosocial domains, supported by software to derive diagnostic and risk screeners, scales to measure and monitor severity, and alerts to assist in care planning. Empirical data, surveys, and qualitative feedback were used to measure process and impact outcomes using the RE‐AIM evaluation framework (Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance).

Results

In comparison to usual practice, the interRAI assessment system and supporting software was able to improve the integrity and compliance of nurse assessments, identifying key risk domains to facilitate management of care. Pre‐implementation documentation (630 items in 45 patient admissions) had 39% missing data compared with 1% missing data during the interRAI implementation phase (9,030 items in 645 patient admissions). Qualitative feedback from nurses in relation to staff engagement and behavioral intention to use the new technology was mixed.

Linking Evidence to Action

Despite challenges to implementing a system‐wide change, evaluation results demonstrated considerable efficiency gains in the nursing assessment system. For successful implementation of the interRAI AC, study findings suggest the need for interoperability with other information systems, access to training, and continued leadership support.
Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells derived from porcine exocrine pancreas improve insulin secretion from juvenile porcine islet cell clusters
Authors: Montanari Elisa , Szabó Luca , Balaphas Alexandre , Meyer Jeremy , Perriraz‐Mayer Nadja , Pimenta Joel , Giraud Marie‐Noelle , Egger Bernhard , Gerber‐Lemaire Sandrine , Bühler Leo , Gonelle‐Gispert Carmen
Published: February 2021

Neonatal and juvenile porcine islet cell clusters (ICC) present an unlimited source for islet xenotransplantation to treat type 1 diabetes patients. We isolated ICC from pancreata of 14 days old juvenile piglets and characterized their maturation by immunofluorescence and insulin secretion assays. Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells derived from exocrine tissue of same pancreata (pMSC) were characterized for their differentiation potential and ability to sustain ICC insulin secretion in vitro and in vivo. Isolation of ICC resulted in 142 ± 50 × 103 IEQ per pancreas. Immunofluorescence staining revealed increasing presence of insulin‐positive beta cells between day 9 and 21 in culture and insulin content per 500IEC of ICC increased progressively over time from 1178.4 ± 450 µg/L to 4479.7 ± 1954.2 µg/L from day 7 to 14, P < .001. Highest glucose‐induced insulin secretion by ICC was obtained at day 7 of culture and reached a fold increase of 2.9 ± 0.4 compared to basal. Expansion of adherent cells from the pig exocrine tissue resulted in a homogenous CD90+, CD34−, and CD45− fibroblast‐like cell population and differentiation into adipocytes and chondrocytes demonstrated their multipotency. Insulin release from ICC was increased in the presence of pMSC and dependent on cell‐cell contact (glucose‐induced fold increase: ICC alone: 1.6 ± 0.2; ICC + pMSC + contact: 3.2 ± 0.5, P = .0057; ICC + pMSC no‐contact: 1.9 ± 0.3; theophylline stimulation: alone: 5.4 ± 0.7; pMSC + contact: 8.4 ± 0.9, P = .013; pMSC no‐contact: 5.2 ± 0.7). After transplantation of encapsulated ICC using Ca2+‐alginate (alg) microcapsules into streptozotocin‐induced diabetic and immunocompetent mice, transient normalization of glycemia was obtained up to day 7 post‐transplant, whereas ICC co‐encapsulated with pMSC did not improve glycemia and showed increased pericapsular fibrosis. We conclude that pMSC derived from juvenile porcine exocrine pancreas improves insulin secretion of ICC by direct cell‐cell contact. For transplantation purposes, the use of pMSC to support beta‐cell function will depend on the development of new anti‐fibrotic polymers and/or on genetically modified pigs with lower immunogenicity.
Advanced practice nurse professional advancement programs: a scoping review
Authors: Hankins Alisia , Palokas Michelle , Christian Robin
Published: February 2021

Objective:

The objective of this review was to explore existing literature related to advanced practice nurse professional advancement programs, to examine and map the evidence, and to identify any gaps in the literature.

Introduction:

Internationally, there is literature regarding the implementation and benefits of professional advancement programs for staff nurses, but there is scant literature addressing professional advancement programs for advanced practice nurses. Professional advancement programs may enhance workplace engagement and foster retention by empowering employees to grow and excel.

Inclusion criteria:

This scoping review considered studies that included advanced practice nurses in direct patient care roles participating in professional advancement programs. The concept of the review was advanced practice nurse professional advancement programs and related criteria and characteristics (eg, length of service, performance review, educational preparation) and outcomes (eg, improved recruitment, retention, employee satisfaction). Studies conducted in any setting and geographical location where advanced practice nurses were employed were included.

Methods:

Studies published in English from 1965 to search date were included. The databases searched included PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and PsycINFO. The search for unpublished evidence and gray literature included ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, MedNar, and various hospital websites. Retrieval of full-text studies and data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers. The extracted data is presented in diagrammatic or tabular form with an accompanying narrative summary.

Results:

Nine descriptive studies were included in this review. All nine studies detailed the names of advancement programs, and provided characteristics and criteria for advancement for those participating in the programs. In addition, six studies described benefits of advancement, two studies described outcomes associated with advancement, and two studies described outcomes and benefits.

Conclusion:

There are few advanced practice nurse professional advancement programs discussed in the literature. In the included studies detailing these programs, there were wide variations in the names, criteria, and characteristics. There is also limited data available regarding outcomes associated with advanced practice nurse professional advancement programs.