bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The determinant of Chinese foreign direct investments in oil exporting African countries
Authors: Gold Kafilah Lola
Published: March 2022

The observed presence of China in the top 18 oil/minerals exporting countries in Africa warrants special interest, as the engagement has extended considerably to appear as an influential, hitherto questionable, South–South cooperation. In this study, the determinants of China's Foreign direct investment (FDI) stock and flow from 2003 to 2017 is examined using Ordinary least squares (OLS), generalized least squares (GLS) and Instrumental Variable 2‐Stage Least Squares techniques. The results indicate that oil/minerals and agricultural imports facilitate more FDI, and political instability spurs more FDI. Overall, this study recommends that policymakers should enhance trade policies to improve the sustainability of China–Africa engagement.
Previously unrecognized risk factors for severe hypoglycaemia requiring emergency medical care in insulin‐treated type 2 diabetes: Results from a real‐world nested case‐control study
Authors: Settles Julie , Kan Hong , Child Christopher J. , Gorritz Magdaliz , Multani Jasjit K. , McGuiness Catherine B. , Wade Rolin L. , Frier Brian M.
Published: March 2022

Aim

Several risk factors for severe hypoglycaemia (SH) are associated with insulin‐treated diabetes. This study explored potential risk factors in adults with insulin‐treated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Materials and Methods

In this case‐control study, adults with T2DM initiating insulin were identified in the IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus database. The index date was the date of the first SH event (cases). Using incidence‐density sampling, controls were selected from those who had been exposed ‘at risk’ of SH for the same amount of time as each case. After exact‐matching on the well‐established factors, previously unreported risk factors were evaluated through conditional logistic regression.

Results

In 3153 case‐control pairs, pregnancy [odds ratios (OR) = 3.20, p = .0003], alcohol abuse (OR = 2.43, p < .0001), short‐/rapid‐acting insulin (OR = 2.22/1.47, p < .0001), cancer (OR = 1.87, p < .0001), dementia/Alzheimer′s disease (OR = 1.73, p = .0175), peripheral vascular disease (OR = 1.59, p < .0001), antipsychotics (OR = 1.59; p = .0059), anxiolytics (OR = 1.51, p = .0012), paralysis/hemiplegia/paraplegia (OR = 1.51, p = .0416), hepatitis (OR = 1.50, p = .0303), congestive heart failure (OR = 1.47, p = .0002), adrenergic‐corticosteroid combinations (OR = 1.45, p = .0165), β‐adrenoceptor agonists (OR = 1.40, p = .0225), opioids (OR = 1.38, p < .0001), corticosteroids (OR = 1.35, p = .0159), cardiac arrhythmia (OR = 1.29. p = .0065), smoking (OR = 1.28, p = .005), Charlson Comorbidity Index score 2 (OR = 1.28, p = .0026), 3 (OR = 1.41, p = .0016) or ≥4 (OR = 1.57, p = .0002), liver/gallbladder/pancreatic disease (OR = 1.26, p = .0182) and hypertension (OR = 1.19, p = .0164) were independently associated with SH.

Conclusions

Although all people with insulin‐treated diabetes are at risk of SH, these results have identified some previously unrecognized risk factors and sub‐groups of insulin‐treated adults with T2DM at greater risk. Scrutiny of current therapies and comorbidities are advised as well as additional glucose monitoring and education, when identifying and managing SH in vulnerable populations.
Examining the effect of IMF conditionality on natural resource policy
Authors: Goes Iasmin
Published: March 2022

Can International Monetary Fund (IMF) lending improve natural resource governance in borrowing countries? While most IMF agreements mandate policy reforms in exchange for financial support, compliance with these reforms is mixed at best. The natural resource sector should be no exception. After all, resource windfalls enable short‐term increases in discretionary spending, and office‐seeking politicians are often unwilling to forgo this discretion by reforming the oil, gas, or mining sector. I investigate how and when borrowers go against their political interests and establish natural resource funds—a tool often promoted by the IMF—in the wake of a loan agreement. Using text analysis, statistical models, and qualitative evidence from natural resource policy and IMF conditionality for 74 countries between 1980 and 2019, I show that borrowers under an IMF agreement are more likely to create or regulate a resource fund, particularly if the agreement includes binding conditions that highlight the salience of natural resource reforms. This study contributes to extant research by proposing a new method to extract information from IMF conditions, by introducing a novel dataset on country‐level natural resource policy, and by identifying under what circumstances international reform efforts can help combat the resource curse.
Systematic review of hematuria and acute renal failure with tranexamic acid
Authors: Lee Stephanie G. , Fralick John , Wallis Christopher J. D. , Boctor Monica , Sholzberg Michelle , Fralick Michael
Published: March 2022

Objectives

To conduct a systematic review of tranexamic acid (TXA) and the risk of renal failure from urinary clots in adult patients with hematuria.

Methods

A systematic review of Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, www.clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar were searched. Randomized control trials (RCTs) and observational studies that assessed the risk of renal failure with use of TXA among adults with hematuria were included. The primary outcome was renal failure due to urinary tract clots with TXA compared to no TXA (or placebo) or comparator.

Results

We identified three RCTs (N = 466 patients) and three retrospective cohort studies (N=220 patients), and a total of 342 patients that had hematuria and received TXA. The patient population of the six studies included medical and surgical patients, with two of the three RCTs comprised patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy, and the third RCT comprised patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate. Documentation of renal function before and after TXA administration was documented in only two studies (N = 28 patients), and neither identified worsening renal function in those exposed to TXA.

Conclusions

There are limited studies evaluating the risk of renal failure in patients with hematuria who were exposed to TXA, and the available data does not suggest an increased risk.
Machine learning approaches for imaging‐based prognostication of the outcome of surgery for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Sinclair Benjamin , Cahill Varduhi , Seah Jarrel , Kitchen Andy , Vivash Lucy E. , Chen Zhibin , Malpas Charles B. , O'Shea Marie F. , Desmond Patricia M. , Hicks Rodney J. , Morokoff Andrew P. , King James A. , Fabinyi Gavin C. , Kaye Andrew H. , Kwan Patrick , Berkovic Samuel F. , Law Meng , O'Brien Terence J.
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Around 30% of patients undergoing surgical resection for drug‐resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) do not obtain seizure freedom. Success of anterior temporal lobe resection (ATLR) critically depends on the careful selection of surgical candidates, aiming at optimizing seizure freedom while minimizing postoperative morbidity. Structural MRI and FDG‐PET neuroimaging are routinely used in presurgical assessment and guide the decision to proceed to surgery. In this study, we evaluate the potential of machine learning techniques applied to standard presurgical MRI and PET imaging features to provide enhanced prognostic value relative to current practice.

Methods

Eighty two patients with drug resistant MTLE were scanned with FDG‐PET pre‐surgery and T1‐weighted MRI pre‐ and postsurgery. From these images the following features of interest were derived: volume of temporal lobe (TL) hypometabolism, % of extratemporal hypometabolism, presence of contralateral TL hypometabolism, presence of hippocampal sclerosis, laterality of seizure onset volume of tissue resected and % of temporal lobe hypometabolism resected. These measures were used as predictor variables in logistic regression, support vector machines, random forests and artificial neural networks.

Results

In the study cohort, 24 of 82 (28.3%) who underwent an ATLR for drug‐resistant MTLE did not achieve Engel Class I (i.e., free of disabling seizures) outcome at a minimum of 2 years of postoperative follow‐up. We found that machine learning approaches were able to predict up to 73% of the 24 ATLR surgical patients who did not achieve a Class I outcome, at the expense of incorrect prediction for up to 31% of patients who did achieve a Class I outcome. Overall accuracies ranged from 70% to 80%, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of .75–.81. We additionally found that information regarding overall extent of both total and significantly hypometabolic tissue resected was crucial to predictive performance, with AUC dropping to .59–.62 using presurgical information alone. Incorporating the laterality of seizure onset and the choice of machine learning algorithm did not significantly change predictive performance.

Significance

Collectively, these results indicate that "acceptable" to "good" patient‐specific prognostication for drug‐resistant MTLE surgery is feasible with machine learning approaches utilizing commonly collected imaging modalities, but that information on the surgical resection region is critical for optimal prognostication.
Noninvasive mobile EEG as a tool for seizure monitoring and management: A systematic review
Authors: Biondi Andrea , Santoro Viviana , Viana Pedro F. , Laiou Petroula , Pal Deb K. , Bruno Elisa , Richardson Mark P.
Published: March 2022

In the last two decades new noninvasive mobile electroencephalography (EEG) solutions have been developed to overcome limitations of conventional clinical EEG and to improve monitoring of patients with long‐term conditions. Despite the availability of mobile innovations, their adoption is still very limited. The aim of this study is to review the current state‐of‐the‐art and highlight the main advantages of adopting noninvasive mobile EEG solutions in clinical trials and research studies of people with epilepsy or suspected seizures. Device characteristics are described, and their evaluation is presented. Two authors independently performed a literature review in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A combination of different digital libraries was used (Embase, MEDLINE, Global Health, PsycINFO and https://clinicaltrials.gov/). Twenty‐three full‐text, six conference abstracts, and eight webpages were included, where a total of 14 noninvasive mobile solutions were identified. Published studies demonstrated at different levels how EEG recorded via mobile EEG can be used for visual detection of EEG abnormalities and for the application of automatic‐detection algorithms with acceptable specificity and sensitivity. When the quality of the signal was compared with scalp EEG, many similarities were found in the background activities and power spectrum. Several studies indicated that the experience of patients and health care providers using mobile EEG was positive in different settings. Ongoing trials are focused mostly on improving seizure‐detection accuracy and also on testing and assessing feasibility and acceptability of noninvasive devices in the hospital and at home. This review supports the potential clinical value of noninvasive mobile EEG systems and their advantages in terms of time, technical support, cost, usability, and reliability when applied to seizure detection and management. On the other hand, the limitations of the studies confirmed that future research is needed to provide more evidence regarding feasibility and acceptability in different settings, as well as the data quality and detection accuracy of new noninvasive mobile EEG solutions.
SARS‐CoV‐2 infection induces soluble platelet activation markers and PAI‐1 in the early moderate stage of COVID‐19
Authors: Al‐Tamimi Abaher O. , Yusuf Ayesha M. , Jayakumar Manju N. , Ansari Abdul W. , Elhassan Mona , AbdulKarim Fatema , Kannan Meganathan , Halwani Rabih , Ahmad Firdos
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Coagulation dysfunction and thromboembolism emerge as strong comorbidity factors in severe COVID‐19. However, it is unclear when particularly platelet activation markers and coagulation factors dysregulated during the pathogenesis of COVID‐19. Here, we sought to assess the levels of coagulation and platelet activation markers at moderate and severe stages of COVID‐19 to understand the pathogenesis.

Methods

To understand this, hospitalized COVID‐19 patients with (severe cases that required intensive care) or without pneumonia (moderate cases) were recruited. Phenotypic and molecular characterizations were performed employing basic coagulation tests including prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), D‐Dimer, and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI). The flow cytometry‐based multiplex assays were performed to assess FXI, anti‐thrombin, prothrombin, fibrinogen, FXIII, P‐selectin, sCD40L, plasminogen, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1), and D‐Dimer.

Results

The investigations revealed induction of plasma P‐selectin and CD40 ligand (sCD40L) in moderate COVID‐19 cases, which were significantly abolished with the progression of COVID‐19 severity. Moreover, a profound reduction in plasma tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and FXIII were identified particularly in the severe COVID‐19. Further analysis revealed fibrinogen induction in both moderate and severe patients. Interestingly, an elevated PAI‐1 more prominently in moderate, and tPA particularly in severe COVID‐19 cases were observed. Particularly, the levels of fibrinogen and tPA directly correlated with the severity of the disease.

Conclusions

In summary, induction of soluble P‐selectin, sCD40L, fibrinogen, and PAI‐1 suggests the activation of platelets and coagulation system at the moderate stage before COVID‐19 patients require intensive care. These findings would help in designing better thromboprophylaxis to limit the COVID‐19 severity.
NK‐cell exhaustion, B‐cell exhaustion and T‐cell exhaustion—the differences and similarities
Authors: Roe Kevin
Published: March 2022

T‐cell exhaustion has been extensively researched, compared with B‐cell exhaustion and NK‐cell exhaustion, which have received considerably less attention; and there is less of a consensus on the precise definitions of NK‐cell and B‐cell exhaustion. NK‐cell exhaustion, B‐cell exhaustion and T‐cell exhaustion are examples of lymphocyte exhaustion, and they have several differences and similarities. Lymphocyte exhaustion is also frequently confused with anergy, cellular senescence and suppression, because these conditions can have significant overlapping similarities with exhaustion. An additional source of confusion is due to the fact that lymphocyte exhaustion is not a binary state, but instead has a spectrum of severity induced by different levels and duration of continuous antigenic stimulation. Concurrent multiple types of lymphocyte exhaustion are possible, and this situation is herein called poly‐lymphocyte exhaustion. Poly‐lymphocyte exhaustion for the same cancer or pathogen would be especially dangerous. As there are significant advantages for a pathogen by inducing poly‐lymphocyte exhaustion in an immune system, there are pathogens with an evolved capability to induce poly‐lymphocyte exhaustion. These pathogens may include certain manipulative viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoan parasites.
Investigation of Nd3+incorporation in Ce‐rhabdophane: Insight from structural flexibility and occupation mechanism
Authors: Liu Hang , Zhao Xiaofeng , Teng Yuancheng , Li Yuxiang , Zheng Xiayu , Wang Shanlin , Wu Lang , Panda Pritam Kumar , Ahuja Rajeev
Published: March 2022

LnPO4·0.667H2O rhabdophane has been considered as a potential material for the precipitation of actinides from radioactive waste liquid, owing to its outstanding characteristics of high actinide bearing and easy synthesis in acid solutions. However, a comprehensive understanding of the actinide occupation and the precipitation response of rhabdophane to remove actinides has yet to be established. In this study, the effect of ions concentration and pH values on the detailed precipitation reaction of CexNd1‐xPO4·0.667H2O rhabdophane in acid solutions are systematically investigated. Some specific issues such as structural distortion and flexibility, and occupation mechanism are discussed by combining with experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The results reveal that ions concentration and pH values have a significant impact on the crystallization nucleation step before 12 h. The obtained removal rate of Nd3+is more than 99% in pH 1–5 solutions with the ions concentration of 0.05–0.1 mol/L. Moreover, incorporating Nd in CePO4·0.667H2O rhabdophane will easily result in the lattice distortion inb‐axis. DFT calculation and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results reveal that Nd is preferentially incorporated in nonhydrated site to form a weaker binding energy of NdO8polyhedron.
Amphibious mudskipper populations are genetically connected along coastlines, but differentiated across water
Authors: Corush Joel B. , Pierson Todd W. , Shiao Jen‐Chieh , Katayama Yukitoshi , Zhang Jie , Fitzpatrick Benjamin M.
Published: March 2022

Aim

Specialized life histories can restrict the way that organisms move through the landscape. Some fishes, such as mudskippers in the family Gobiidae, are obligately amphibious and require a terrestrial phase in which adults build burrows and lay eggs in mudflats. To evaluate whether this restricted, out‐of‐water phase might influence population structure in one such mudskipper, we tested whether populations separated by water are more differentiated than those connected along a coastline.

Location

South and East China Seas.

Taxon

Periophthalmus modestus (family: Gobiidae, subfamily: Oxudercinae) (Cantor 1842).

Methods

We collected 236 individuals from 10 locations around the East and South China Seas. We used a targeted capture sequencing method, RADcap, to call SNPs from 365 loci. We used multiple spatial and population genetics analyses and coalescent models to address the contemporary and historic biogeography of the species.

Results

The observed levels of genetic variation and population structure show populations of P. modestus are connected across large distances of continuous coastline and small spans of water. Restricted long‐distance dispersal across deep water has resulted in fragmentation of populations. We recovered no signal of isolation by distance, but instead, found genetic differentiation associated with regional groupings separated by large expanses of water.

Main conclusions

A limited dispersal phase significantly affects population structure in this amphibious fish. The restrictive amphibious life history may be a key factor in the present‐day distribution and population structure of P. modestus. Interactions between organismal life history and geography are critical for explaining the population genetic structure of a species.
The interactive e‐book and video feedback in a multimedia learning environment: Influence on performance, cognitive, and motivational outcomes
Authors: Yorganci Serpil
Published: March 2022

Background

Continuous advances in mobile and multimedia technologies have increased interest in the use of e‐books in educational settings.

Objectives

The current study investigated how the e‐book technology and different types of feedback influenced the learning, motivation, and cognitive load of students within the differentiation unit of mathematics class.

Methods

Participants targeted for this study consisted of 125 first‐year students randomly assigned into one of four experimental conditions formed by a 2 (interactive e‐book vs. static PDF book) x 2 (simple feedback vs. video feedback) factorial design.

Results and Conclusions

The findings showed that there is a significant main interaction effect between the use of interactive e‐book and video feedback when students' achievement scores are measured. While no interaction effects on intrinsic motivation between the type of e‐book and type of feedback were found, the findings revealed interactive e‐book and video feedback separately increased intrinsic motivation. With regard to cognitive load, the results revealed that the use of interactive e‐book that delivered video feedback significantly reduced students' extraneous and intrinsic cognitive load.
LncRNA‐miRNA network analysis across the Th17 cell line reveals biomarker potency of lncRNA NEAT1 and KCNQ1OT1 in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Karimi Elham , Azari Hanieh , Tahmasebi Ahmad , Nikpoor Amin Reza , Negahi Ahmad Agha , Sanadgol Nima , Shekari Mohammad , Mousavi Pegah
Published: March 2022

Differentiation of CD4+ T cells into Th17 cells is an important factor in the onset and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) and Th17/Treg imbalance. Little is known about the role of lncRNAs in the differentiation of CD4+ cells from Th17 cells. This study aimed to analyse the lncRNA‐miRNAs network involved in MS disease and its role in the differentiation of Th17 cells. The lncRNAs in Th17 differentiation were obtained from GSE66261 using the GEO datasets. Differential expression of lncRNAs in Th17 primary cells compared to Th17 effector cells was investigated by RNA‐seq analysis. Next, the most highlighted lncRNAs in autoimmune diseases were downloaded from the lncRNAs disease database, and the most critical miRNA was extracted by literature search. Then, the lncRNA‐miRNA interaction was achieved by the Starbase database, and the ceRNA network was designed by Cytoscape. Finally, using the CytoHubba application, two hub lncRNAs with the most interactions with miRNAs were identified by the MCODE plug‐in. The expression level of genes was measured by qPCR, and the plasma level of cytokines was analysed by ELISA kits. The results showed an increase in the expression of NEAT1, KCNQ1OT1 and RORC and a decrease in the expression of FOXP3. In plasma, an upregulation of IL17 and a downregulation of TGFB inflammatory cytokines were detected. The dysregulated expression of these genes could be attributed to relapsing‐remitting MS (RR‐MS) patients and help us understand MS pathogenesis better.
Feeling the Heat: Emotions, Politicization, and the European Union
Authors: Gellwitzki C. Nicolai L. , Houde Anne‐Marie
Published: March 2022

For over a decade, scholars of European studies have been studying a phenomenon referred to as the politicization of the European Union, usually defined as the intensification of a political debate, the polarization of opinions, and public resonance. This article extends existing explanatory models by offering a systematic theorization of the role of emotions in EU politicization to establish that emotions are integral to every step of the process. First, they are prerequisites as actors and audiences need to be emotionally invested in an issue to engage in a debate about it. Second, they are drivers since they fuel debates and allow them to get heated and polarized. Third, they are outcomes since politicization will engender new emotional investments and sensitivities. The analytical added value of integrating emotions into explanatory models is illustrated through the case of the Brexit campaign.
Onset and stepwise extensions of recombination suppression are common in mating‐type chromosomes of Microbotryum anther‐smut fungi
Authors: Duhamel Marine , Carpentier Fantin , Begerow Dominik , Hood Michael E. , Rodríguez de la Vega Ricardo C. , Giraud Tatiana
Published: March 2022

Sex chromosomes and mating‐type chromosomes can display large genomic regions without recombination. Recombination suppression often extended stepwise with time away from the sex‐ or mating‐type‐determining genes, generating evolutionary strata of differentiation between alternative sex or mating‐type chromosomes. In anther‐smut fungi of the Microbotryum genus, recombination suppression evolved repeatedly, linking the two mating‐type loci and extended multiple times in regions distal to the mating‐type genes. Here, we obtained high‐quality genome assemblies of alternative mating types for four Microbotryum fungi. We found an additional event of independent chromosomal rearrangements bringing the two mating‐type loci on the same chromosome followed by recombination suppression linking them. We also found, in a new clade analysed here, that recombination suppression between the two mating‐type loci occurred in several steps, with first an ancestral recombination suppression between one of the mating‐type locus and its centromere; later, completion of recombination suppression up to the second mating‐type locus occurred independently in three species. The estimated dates of recombination suppression between the mating‐type loci ranged from 0.15 to 3.58 million years ago. In total, this makes at least nine independent events of linkage between the mating‐type loci across the Microbotryum genus. Several mating‐type locus linkage events occurred through the same types of chromosomal rearrangements, where similar chromosome fissions at centromeres represent convergence in the genomic changes leading to the phenotypic convergence. These findings further highlight Microbotryum fungi as excellent models to study the evolution of recombination suppression.
Anti‐TNFα antibody versus non‐anti‐TNFα molecular agents for ulcerative colitis patients who failed initial anti‐TNFα therapy
Authors: Kanayama Kengo , Kato Jun , Shiratori Wataru , Nagashima Ariki , Ohta Yuki , Taida Takashi , Saito Keiko , Goto Chihiro , Takahashi Satsuki , Horio Ryosuke , Kurosugi Akane , Ishikawa Tsubasa , Kaneko Tatsuya , Akizue Naoki , Okimoto Kenichiro , Matsumura Tomoaki , Kato Naoya
Published: March 2022

Background and Aim

Anti‐tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α antibody (ATA) and biologics/molecular targeted agents with other mechanisms (non‐ATA) are currently available for refractory ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the knowledge about optimal drug selection after the initial treatment with ATA failure is lacking. This study assessed whether the response to the initial ATA could be a basis for selecting subsequent agents in UC patients.

Methods

Ulcerative colitis patients treated with ATA or non‐ATA as the subsequent biologic after the failure of initial ATA were retrospectively analyzed. The efficacy at 14 weeks was examined according to the response to initial ATA.

Results

Of 163 patients treated with the first ATA, the efficacy of subsequent ATA and non‐ATA was evaluated in 63 and 36, respectively. Remission and response to subsequent‐line therapy, regardless of ATA or non‐ATA, were lower in patients with primary nonresponse (PNR) to initial ATA than in patients with efficacy to initial ATA (33.3% vs 69.2%, P < 0.01). In patients with PNR to initial ATA, the remission rate with subsequent ATA was significantly lower than with subsequent non‐ATA (4.3% vs 26.3%, P = 0.04). In patients who showed efficacy to initial ATA, the remission rate with subsequent ATA was also lower than that with subsequent non‐ATA (30.6% vs 56.3%, P = 0.08). PNR with initial ATA was the predictor of PNR to subsequent ATA (odds ratio: 5.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.50–21.7).

Conclusion

Non‐ATA may be suitable in UC patients as the subsequent biologics regardless of the outcome of the first ATA.
Attitudes toward deprescribing among older adults with dementia in the United States
Authors: Growdon Matthew E. , Espejo Edie , Jing Bocheng , Boscardin W. John , Zullo Andrew R. , Yaffe Kristine , Boockvar Kenneth S. , Steinman Michael A.
Published: March 2022

Background

People with dementia (PWD) take medications that may be unnecessary or harmful. This problem can be addressed through deprescribing, but it is unclear if PWD would be willing to engage in deprescribing with their providers. Our goal was to investigate attitudes toward deprescribing among PWD.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study of 422 PWD aged ≥65 years who completed the medications attitudes module of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) in 2016. Proxies provided responses when a participant was unable to respond due to health or cognitive problems. Attitudinal outcomes comprised responses to two statements from the patients' attitudes toward deprescribing questionnaire and its revised version (representing belief about the necessity of one's medications and willingness to deprescribe); another elicited the maximum number of pills that a respondent would be comfortable taking.

Results

The weighted sample represented over 1.8 million PWD; 39% were 75 to 84 years old and 38% were 85 years or older, 60% were female, and 55% reported six or more regular medications. Proxies provided responses for 26% of PWD. Overall, 22% believed that they may be taking one or more medicines that they no longer needed, 87% were willing to stop one or more of their medications, and 50% were uncomfortable taking five or more medications. Attitudinal outcomes were similar across sociodemographic and clinical factors. PWD taking ≥6 medications were more likely to endorse a belief that at least one medication was no longer necessary compared to those taking <6 (adjusted probability 29% [95% confidence interval (CI), 22%–38%] vs. 13% [95% CI, 8%–20%]; p = 0.004); the same applied for willingness to deprescribe (92% [95% CI, 87%–95%] vs. 83% [95% CI, 76%–89%]; p = 0.04).

Conclusions

A majority of PWD are willing to deprescribe, representing an opportunity to improve quality of life for this vulnerable population.
How does bone microanatomy and musculature covary? An investigation in the forelimb of two species of martens (Martes foina, Martes martes)
Authors: Bader Camille , Böhmer Christine , Abou Maroua , Houssaye Alexandra
Published: March 2022

The long bones and associated musculature play a prominent role in the support and movement of the body and are expected to reflect the associated mechanical demands. But in addition to the functional response to adaptive changes, the conjoined effects of phylogenetic, structural and developmental constraints also shape the animal's body. In order to minimise the effect of the aforementioned constraints and to reveal the biomechanical adaptations in the musculoskeletal system to locomotor mode, we here study the forelimb of two closely related martens: the arboreal pine marten (Martes martes) and the more terrestrial stone marten (Martes foina), focusing on their forelimb muscle anatomy and long bone microanatomy; and, especially, on their covariation. To do so, we quantified muscle data and bone microanatomical parameters and created 3D and 2D maps of the cortical thickness distribution for the three long bones of the forelimb. We then analysed the covariation of muscle and bone data, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Our results reveal that species‐specific muscular adaptations are not clearly reflected in the microanatomy of the bones. Yet, we observe a global thickening of the bone cortex in the radius and ulna of the more arboreal pine marten, as well a stronger flexor muscle inserting on its elbow. We attribute these differences to variation in their locomotor modes.

Analyses of our 2D maps revealed a shift of cortical thickness distribution pattern linked to ontogeny, rather than species‐specific patterns. We found that although intraspecific variation is not negligible, species distinction was possible when taking muscular and bone microanatomical data into consideration. Results of our covariation analyses suggest that the muscle‐bone correlation is linked to ontogeny rather than to muscular strength at zones of insertion. Indeed, if we find a correlation between cortical thickness distribution and the strength of some muscles in the humerus, that is not the case for the others and in the radius and ulna. Cortical thickness distribution appears rather linked to bone contact zones and ligament insertions in the radius and ulna, and to some extent in the humerus. We conclude that inference on muscle from bone microanatomy is possible only for certain muscles in the humerus.
Insurance literacy among older people in Japan: The role of socio‐economic status
Authors: Kadoya Yoshihiko , Rabbani Naheed , Khan Mostafa Saidur Rahim
Published: March 2022

Insurance literacy has received little attention in academic research despite its role in risk management, particularly among older people, a population most in need of a secure income and coverage for health care expenses after retirement. Using data from the Survey on the Economic Status of the Japanese Elderly conducted by Hiroshima University, we examined how the socio‐economic status of older people in Japan was related to the attainment of insurance literacy. We found that the overall level of insurance literacy was quite low among older people in Japan, particularly among the oldest subgroup and women. Our regression results show that older people who are men, married, relatively younger, moderately educated, have a higher balance of financial assets, and those who have work experience in management, business, or finance are more likely to be insurance literate. Our results indicate that social learning plays an important role in insurance literacy.
Frontline love: Romantic partners of frontline doctors and nurses during the New York City COVID‐19 outbreak
Authors: Siegel Alana , Dekel Rachel
Published: March 2022

Objective

This qualitative study's aim was to learn how the spouses and romantic partners of frontline doctors and nurses dealt with the acute stress of the outbreak; the kinds of support they provided when the frontliners had to navigate COVID‐19 at their hospitals; and, according to their perceptions, how this crisis impacted their relationship.

Background

This study focused on the partners of frontliners working in hospitals during the crisis of the coronavirus outbreak in New York City (NYC)—one of the earliest epicenters of the COVID‐19 pandemic in the United States. This study expanded upon the Family Stress Model—which examines how economic problems can affect marital quality and stability.

Method

Interviews were conducted with 29 partners of frontliners who had been treating COVID‐19 patients in NYC hospitals during the pandemic outbreak from February 29 to June 1, 2020. Partners were recruited via snowball sampling, interviewed via Zoom or telephone, and results were analyzed using thematic content analysis.

Results

The following themes were found in the narratives: The burden of running the home independently; providing various kinds of support (concrete, emotional, and refraining from sexual and physical closeness); and the effects of the pandemic on the relationship via writing a will and discussing the possibility of death, the lack of relationship‐ending threats, and emerging from the crisis with a strengthened relationship.

Conclusion

The pandemic crisis unified the partners and frontliners, even in the face of multiple stressors.
Sovereign debt, fiscal policy, and macroeconomic instability
Authors: Carli Francesco , Modesto Leonor
Published: March 2022

We study the relation between capital accumulation, fiscal policy, and sovereign debt dynamics in a small open economy. The government maximizes spending, facing borrowing constraints and a conditionality requirement. Debt dynamics are forward looking, being driven by the endogenous borrowing constraint. Current debt is determined by expectations about the government's ability to finance itself in the future, opening the room for indeterminacy. If the government believes it may issue more debt next period, the borrowing constraint relaxes, and current debt increases. The government invests more in productive activities, generating a boom which increases tax revenues. However, as this increase does not repay the additional debt, the government will issue more debt next period, confirming initial expectations. To exclude explosive trajectories, tax revenues must increase enough to repay the outstanding debt and reduce future debt emission. This is possible only with a sufficiently procyclical tax rate. In this case, if productive externalities are large enough, the economy exhibits local and global indeterminacy, as steady‐state multiplicity is also obtained. Avoiding sufficiently procyclical tax rates, the government can prevent local and global fluctuations driven by self‐fulfilling volatile expectations. This differs from the general wisdom that procyclical tax rates should be used for stabilization.
Correlation of lipoprotein lipase gene polymorphism and mRNA expression with intramuscular fat content in Baicheng‐Oil chicken
Authors: Wang Yong , Chen Hongwei , Hang Chao , Chen Ying , Gao Jun , Qiu Dexin
Published: March 2022

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) was often taken as a candidate gene for investigating fat metabolism. However, there are few studies on the effect of LPL on intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition in Baicheng oil chicken (BOC) and Three‐yellow Chicken (TYC). In this study, we studied the relationship between polymorphism and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of LPL with IMF deposition in the chest muscle (CM) and leg muscle (LM) of TYC and BOC. Sixty TYCs and 60 BOCs were raised from 1 d and slaughtered by avascularization at their slaughtering age. IMF contents of the CM and LM in the BOC were markedly higher than those in the TYC. Three genotypes following AA, AB and BB were found by the method of polymerase chain reaction‐single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR‐SSCP). The synonymous mutation C12315T was detected. The content of IMF with the AA genotype was significantly higher than the AB genotype in the LM of TYC. The mRNA expression both of CM and LM in BOC was prominently higher than those in TYC, and there was a positive significant correlation between LM and CM in both BOC and TYC. These results suggested that the SNPs polymorphism and mRNA expression of the LPL gene might be helpful for selective breeding in IMF of the chicken.
Effect of a neodymium‐doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser on the physicochemical properties of contaminated titanium surfaces and macrophage polarization
Authors: Li Ruiqi , Wan Lei , Zhang Xueyang , Liu Wenjing , Rong Mingdeng , Li Xiaoling , Lu Haibin
Published: March 2022

Aim(s)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in the physical and chemical properties of titanium surfaces contaminated by a Nd:YAG laser with different levels of energy and the regulation of macrophage polarization.

Materials and Methods

The titanium specimens were divided into four groups. The blank control group consisted of the above‐mentioned contaminated titanium specimens, and the conditioned control group consisted of sandblasted and acid‐etched (SLA) titanium surfaces. The blank control and condition control groups were sealed and preserved in a sterile dark box. There were two experimental groups treated with the Nd:YAG laser—one with 0.5 W and the second with 1.0 W. Surface characteristics were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, surface profilometry, and contact angle assays. The macrophage viability and proliferation of mouse RAW246.7 were analysed, and the macrophage surface markers, macrophage cytokines, and inflammatory and anti‐inflammatory genes were expressed.

Results

The Nd:YAG laser increased the hydrophilicity and roughness of the titanium surface after decontamination. Fewer RAW264.7 cells were observed on the titanium surface after Nd:YAG decontamination than on the contaminated titanium surface expressing the M1‐type macrophage marker CCR7, whereas more cells were observed after decontamination than on the contaminated titanium surface expressing the M2‐type macrophage marker CD206. Following Nd:YAG laser treatment, the secretion of the inflammatory cytokines IL‐1β and TNF‐α by RAW264.7 cells on the titanium surface was decreased, whereas the secretion of the anti‐inflammatory cytokines IL‐4 and IL‐10 was increased. RAW264.7 cells cultured for 3 days on the titanium surface after Nd:YAG decontamination treatment expressed significantly reduced levels of the inflammation‐related genes IL‐1β, TNF‐α, IL‐6 and iNOS. The expression of the anti‐inflammatory genes Arg‐1, IL‐4, IL‐10 and TGF‐β by RAW264.7 cells was significantly up‐regulated after 3 days of incubation on the titanium surface after Nd:YAG decontamination treatment.

Conclusion(s)

The Nd:YAG laser increased the hydrophilicity and roughness of the titanium surface after decontamination, and this change inhibited M1‐type macrophage polarization and promoted M2‐type macrophage polarization.
First report of suspected glycogen storage disease type 1a occurring in an adult dog
Authors: Rolph K. E. , Cavanaugh S. M. , Wilson H. E.
Published: March 2022

A 4‐year‐old female border collie was presented with haemoabdomen following the rupture of a hepatocellular carcinoma. After referral for ongoing elevation of alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase, the dog was found to have marked vacuolar hepatopathy due to glycogen accumulation within the liver, fasting hypoglycaemia and hyperlactataemia, and a negative response to glucagon stimulation testing. These changes were strongly suggestive of glycogen storage disease type 1a. Based on our literature search, this report documents the first adult canine to be diagnosed with suspected glycogen storage disease type 1a.
Six nights of sleep extension increases regional cerebral oxygenation without modifying cognitive performance at rest or following acute aerobic exercise
Authors: Clark Cayla , Rivas Eric , Gonzales Joaquin U.
Published: March 2022

Long sleep durations (≥540 min) are associated with poor cognitive performance in ageing adults, but the underlying cause is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of extended sleep on cognitive performance and cerebral vascular function before and then after aerobic exercise. In all, 12 adults completed 6 nights of 8‐ (control) and 10+‐h (sleep extension) time in bed in a randomised, crossover experiment. Sleep was measured using wrist actigraphy. On the last day of each time in bed protocol, participants performed three bouts of brisk walking. Sustained attention, spatial rotation ability, mental flexibility, and working memory were assessed, while prefrontal oxygen saturation index (ΔTSI) was measured using near‐infrared spectroscopy. A two‐way repeated‐measures analysis of variance (time in bed × before/after exercise) was used for statistical analysis. Average sleep duration was longer following sleep extension as compared to control, at a mean (SD) of 551 (16) versus 428 (20) min (p < 0.001). Sleep extension did not alter cognitive performance as compared to control, but increased ΔTSI during tests of spatial rotation ability (main effect for time in bed, p = 0.03), mental flexibility (p = 0.04), and working memory (p < 0.01). Cognitive performance was improved (main effect for exercise, p < 0.05) following brisk walking for all cognitive domains except sustained attention with no interaction with time in bed. In summary, 6 nights of extended time in bed accompanied by long sleep durations does not impair cognitive performance at rest or alter the positive effect of acute aerobic exercise on cognition but may increase frontal cerebral oxygenation during cognitive functioning.
Corporatising compassion? A contemporary history study of English NHS Trusts' nursing strategy documents
Authors: Ramsey Sarah M. , Brooks Jane , Briggs Michelle , Hallett Christine E.
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this contemporary history study is to analyse nursing strategy documents produced by NHS Trusts in England in the period 2009–2013, through a process of discourse analysis. In 2013 the Francis Report on the Mid‐Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust was published. The Report highlighted the full range of organisational failures in a Trust that valued financial efficiency over patient care. The analysis that followed, however, dwelt heavily on the failings of the nurses. Nursing strategy documents at that time served to set the future direction for NHS Trusts, prescribing specific value frameworks for each nursing workforce. However, the values chosen frequently conflicted with each other pitting nursing values against a managerial trope. It is argued that documents provided a response to wider NHS concerns and high‐profile failures in care, particularly the Francis Report, paying lip service to staff engagement whilst maintaining a corporate focus. Nursing values were placed firmly within a managerialist discourse, one that has needed to be re‐evaluated in the current Covid‐19 pandemic. Wider implications of the research suggest discussion of value conflict may be beneficial within nursing education and a truly local approach to strategy creation would potentially promote staff buy‐in to strategy documents.
Floristic composition and phytogeographical spectrum of Pistacia vera L. woodland remnants in northeastern Iran
Authors: Atashgahi Zohreh , Memariani Farshid , Jafari Polgerd Vahid , Joharchi Mohammad Reza
Published: March 2022

The xerophilic woodlands of wild pistachio Pistacia vera L. remnants occur as several isolated stands in Central Asia. The Kopet Dagh mountain range, northeastern Iran, is the westernmost distribution range of wild pistachio. In this research, we present the annotated checklist of vascular plants of two remnants of P. vera woodlands along the Iran–Turkmenistan borders. We provide the life‐forms, phytogeographical spectrum, endemism and conservation status of the flora. The field surveys were conducted through several field collection efforts during 2018–2020. A map showing the boundaries of the woodlands was prepared. We recorded 348 plant species distributed in 214 genera and 48 families. The richest families were Asteraceae (33 genera with 59 species), Poaceae (22 with 41), Brassicaceae (24 with 28) and Fabaceae (11 with 27), and the two richest genera were Astragalus (ten species) and Galium (nine species). The dominant life‐forms were therophytes (54%) and hemicryptophytes (24%), which confirm a xeric climate condition. Irano–Turanian elements (195 species, 56%) were the most common plants, followed by bi‐regional (21%) elements. Based on our samplings, the Khorassan‐Kopet Dagh endemics represented only four percent of the flora. We recorded 34 endemics/sub‐endemics of plants, eight of which were categorized as threatened or near‐threatened. The results indicated the important role of pistachio remnant woodlands in plant biodiversity and conservation biogeography of northeastern Iran.