bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of ultrasound to assess aortic biomechanics: Implications for aneurysm and dissection
Authors: Mantella Laura E. , Chan Winnie , Bisleri Gianluigi , Hassan Syed M. Ali , Liblik Kiera , Benbarkat Hanane , Rival David E. , Johri Amer M.
Published: September 2020

Arterial stiffening, which occurs when conduit arteries thicken and lose elasticity, has been associated with cardiovascular disease and increased risk for future cardiovascular events. Specifically, aortic stiffening plays a large role in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases, such as aneurysm formation and dissection. Current parameters used to assess risk of aortic rupture include absolute diameter and growth rate. However, these properties lack the reliability required to accurately risk‐stratify patients. As with any elastic conduit, it is important to assess the biomechanical properties of the aorta in order to assess cardiovascular risk and prevent disease progression. There are several invasive and noninvasive methods by which stiffness of the large arteries can be assessed. Of particular interest are ultrasound‐based methods, such as tissue Doppler imaging and speckle‐tracking echocardiography, due to their noninvasive and feasible nature. In this review, we summarize studies demonstrating utility of noninvasive ultrasound imaging methods for measuring aortic biomechanics for the assessment and management of aortic aneurysms.
Assessment of coronary artery abnormalities and variability of Z‐score calculation in the acute episode of Kawasaki disease—A retrospective study from China
Authors: Liu Hui Hui , Qiu Zhen , Fan Guo Zhen , Jiang Qi , Li Rui Xue , Chen Wei Xia , Liu Fei Fei , Wu Yue , Wang Jing Jing , Wu Yang Fang , Luo Huang Huang , Zhang Dong Dong , Hu Peng
Published: September 2020

Background

Accurate classification of coronary artery abnormalities (CAAs) is essential for clinical decision‐making and long‐term management in Kawasaki disease (KD) patients. To date, there are several echocardiographic criteria of CAA assessment.

Materials and methods

The Japanese Ministry of Health (JMH) criteria and the Z‐score criteria from 2004 American Heart Association guidelines were adopted and their detective efficacies for CAAs were compared in 251 Chinese patients with KD Z scores were calculated by 6 published methods.

Results

According to the JMH criteria, 19 (7.57%) KD patients were classified as CAAs during the acute KD episode. However, the detective number of CAAs was highest and had a 0.68‐fold increase by the Dallaire et al method with a Z‐score cut point of ≥2.5 as compared with the JMH criteria; in contrast, more than 78.95% of patients with CAAs identified by the JMH criteria had a coronary artery Z score ≥2.5. All 6 different Z‐score methods had satisfactory accuracies with a range from 93.23% to 97.61% in screening CAAs. For the 19 patients with CAAs identified by the JMH criteria, their Z scores presented the widest variation calculated by the McCrindle et al method.

Conclusions

The JMH criteria underestimate the prevalence of CAAs as compared with the Z‐score criteria. Quantitative assessment of coronary artery luminal dimensions, normalized as Z scores adjusted for body surface, should be recommended. The larger coronary artery luminal dimensions vary, the more heterogeneous Z scores calculated by different methods have.
Genetic variation in the behavioural mechanisms involved in the response of the egg parasitoid Trissolcus brochymenae to contact chemical cues left by the pest Murgantia histrionica
Authors: Sevarika Milos , Foti Maria Cristina , Peri Ezio , Colazza Stefano , Wajnberg Eric
Published: September 2020

The ability of parasitoid females to perceive chemical traces left by their hosts is of utmost importance in the host location process. The behaviours involved in such ability have thus most likely been promoted by natural selection in the course of the evolutionary time. For this to happen, however, there must be significant genetic variation in natural populations on which natural selection could act.

Using the isofemale line method and motion analysis, we detected significant intra‐population genetic variation for several walking behaviour traits of the egg parasitoid Trissolcus brochymenae (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) females responding to chemical traces left by its host Murgantia histrionica (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae).

Besides opening new avenues of research on the reproductive strategies, behaviour, and biological control potential of parasitoid wasps, these results also have implications for understanding their life‐history evolution in general.
Reasoning and grasping objects
Authors: Golan Rea
Published: September 2020

There is a pervasive view that inference—as opposed, notably, to a grasp of objects—is an intralinguistic process that does not draw on extralinguistic resources. The present paper aims to show that this dichotomy between inferring and grasping objects can be resisted. Specifically, I offer an alternative view: a phenomenological account according to which our most basic inferences draw on our grasp of objects. I motivate this account on the grounds that, although it is restricted to such basic inferences, it has significant implications for the general question of whether inference involves taking one's premises to support one's conclusion. The proposed account implies that basic inferences need not involve corresponding “takings,” (even though such inferences involve conceptual content), but it leaves open the possibility that non‐basic inferences do involve corresponding “takings,” while relying on basic inferences. It will turn out that such a disjunctive view, according to which non‐basic reasoning is somewhat parasitic on basic reasoning, manages to avoid many of the problems with which the literature on the “taking condition” deals.
Instrumental activities of daily living and neuropsychological functioning among patients with different types of cancer
Authors: Megari K.
Published: September 2020

Background and objectives

The ability to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) is important for maintaining independent living, and optimal health‐related quality of life and well‐being. Neuropsychological measures are predictors of IADL ratings. The aims of the present study were to measure ability to perform IADL in patients with cancer and to explore the relationship between IADL and neuropsychological functioning.

Methods

We evaluated IADL in 182 patients with four different types of cancer (thyroid, colorectal, breast and prostate cancer) and examined the relationship between IADL and neuropsychological functioning 6 months after chemotherapy treatment.

Results

Our results showed that patients with breast cancer had significantly greater difficulty in performing IADL compared to patients with other types of cancer. There were no differences in IADL performance among the other three study groups. In addition, we found that neuropsychological score was a predictor of IADL; the greater the patients' disability, the lower their performance on neuropsychological measures. This is in accordance with the literature that suggests neuropsychological measures to be predictors of IADL ratings.

Conclusions

The present findings are important because, although many researchers have studied the relationship between IADL and neuropsychological functioning in cancer, few studies have investigated IADL in different types of cancer. Optimal neuropsychological functioning is connected with better ability with regard to IADL.
Recovering the market risk premium from higher‐order moment risks
Authors: Chalamandaris George , Rompolis Leonidas S.
Published: September 2020

We propose a consistent approach for the estimation of the market risk premium. As a first step, we define the broadest possible set of ex ante estimators from the viewpoint of a power utility optimiser holding the market portfolio. We then employ an evaluation framework to optimise the parametrisation of the methodology. We show that this theoretical framework can still produce reasonable market risk premium estimates, even when the representative agent is not a power utility optimiser. Our results show that the inclusion of higher‐order moment risk premia improves the accuracy of the method.
Involvement of subdomain II in the recognition of acetyl‐CoA revealed by the crystal structure of homocitrate synthase from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
Authors: Suzuki Tomohiro , Tomita Takeo , Hirayama Kenta , Suzuki Michio , Kuzuyama Tomohisa , Nishiyama Makoto
Published: September 2020

Homocitrate synthase (HCS) catalyzes the aldol condensation of α‐ketoglutarate and acetyl coenzyme A to form homocitrate, which is the first committed step of lysine biosynthesis through the α‐aminoadipate pathway in yeast, fungi, and some prokaryotes. We determined the crystal structure of a truncated form of HCS from a hyperthermophilic acidophilic archaeon, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, which lacks the RAM (Regulation of amino acid metabolism) domain at the C terminus serving as the regulatory domain for the feedback inhibition by lysine, in complex with α‐ketoglutarate, Mg2+, and CoA. This structure coupled with mutational analysis revealed that a subdomain, subdomain II, connecting the N‐terminal catalytic domain and C‐terminal RAM domain is involved in the recognition of acetyl‐CoA. This is the first structural evidence of the function of subdomain II in the related enzyme family, which will lead to a better understanding of the catalytic mechanism of HCS.

Databases

Structural data are available in the RCSB PDB database under the accession number 6KTQ.
Spage2vec: Unsupervised representation of localized spatial gene expression signatures
Authors: Partel Gabriele , Wählby Carolina
Published: September 2020

Investigations of spatial cellular composition of tissue architectures revealed by multiplexed in situ RNA detection often rely on inaccurate cell segmentation or prior biological knowledge from complementary single‐cell sequencing experiments. Here, we present spage2vec, an unsupervised segmentation‐free approach for decrypting the spatial transcriptomic heterogeneity of complex tissues at subcellular resolution. Spage2vec represents the spatial transcriptomic landscape of tissue samples as a graph and leverages a powerful machine learning graph representation technique to create a lower dimensional representation of local spatial gene expression. We apply spage2vec to mouse brain data from three different in situ transcriptomic assays and to a spatial gene expression dataset consisting of hundreds of individual cells. We show that learned representations encode meaningful biological spatial information of re‐occurring localized gene expression signatures involved in cellular and subcellular processes.

Database

Spatial gene expression data are available in Zenodo database at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3897401. Source code for reproducing analysis results and figures is available in Zenodo database at http://www.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4030404.
Coccolith volume of the Southern Ocean coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi as a possible indicator for palaeo‐cell volume
Authors: Müller Marius N. , Brandini Frederico P. , Trull Thomas W. , Hallegraeff Gustaaf M.
Published: September 2020

Coccolithophores are a key functional phytoplankton group and produce minute calcite plates (coccoliths) in the sunlit layer of the pelagic ocean. Coccoliths significantly contribute to the sediment record since the Triassic and their geometry have been subject to palaeoceanographic and biological studies to retrieve information on past environmental conditions. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of coccolith, coccosphere and cell volume data of the Southern Ocean Emiliania huxleyi ecotype A, subject to gradients of temperature, irradiance, carbonate chemistry and macronutrient limitation. All tested environmental drivers significantly affect coccosphere, coccolith and cell volume with driver‐specific sensitivities. However, a highly significant correlation emerged between cell and coccolith volume with Vcoccolith = 0.012 ± 0.001 * Vcell + 0.234 ± 0.066 (n = 23, r2 = .85, p < .0001, σest = 0.127), indicating a primary control of coccolith volume by physiological modulated changes in cell volume. We discuss the possible application of fossil coccolith volume as an indicator for cell volume/size and growth rate and, additionally, illustrate that macronutrient limitation of phosphorus and nitrogen has the predominant influence on coccolith volume in respect to other environmental drivers. Our results provide a solid basis for the application of coccolith volume and geometry as a palaeo‐proxy and shed light on the underlying physiological reasons, offering a valuable tool to investigate the fossil record of the coccolithophore E. huxleyi.
Introducing the National Headache Fellowship Opportunities Website
Authors: Zhang Niushen , Armand Cynthia E. , Berk Thomas , Rosen Noah
Published: September 2020

Objective

To build a national Headache Medicine fellowship opportunities website that promotes a unified application timeline and a more transparent application process.

Background

In July 2019, the Consortium of Academic Headache Program Directors unanimously accepted the recommendations of the American Academy of Neurology Fellowship Application Timing Position Statement. To implement the unified application timeline, the American Headache Society agreed to host a fellowship opportunities website with information on the application process and resources for each fellowship program.

Methods

We designed a main landing page that features the unified timeline for applications and offers. The page also features icons for all participating US fellowship programs (identified using the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties certification database). The icons serve as links to each fellowship program’s individual webpage. We sent an electronic form to each fellowship program director, asking them to submit program information to be included on each fellowship program’s individual webpage. Key contents on each program webpage include an image of the program, brief program description, names of applicants who have filled positions, and open positions. Each institution webpage also includes an electronic form that allows applicants to directly send their name, contact, and a brief message to the program director.

Results

We launched the website on May 15, 2020. As of June 19, 2020, the website featured 24 participating headache fellowship programs, including 5 pediatric programs and 19 adult training programs, from all regions of the US.

Conclusion

The website serves as a central resource for Headache Medicine fellowship applicants and promotes a unified application timeline and a more transparent application process.
Cardiac chamber volumes and left ventricular mass in people living with HIV and matched uninfected controls
Authors: Krebs‐Demmer L , Ronit A , Sigvardsen PE , Lebech A‐M , Gerstoft J , Knudsen AD , Fuchs A , Kühl JT , Nordestgaard BG , Kofoed KF , Nielsen SD
Published: September 2020

Objectives

People living with HIV (PLWH) have increased risk of cardiovascular diseases compared with uninfected populations. We assessed structural cardiac abnormalities and their associated risk factors in well‐treated PLWH and uninfected controls using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT).

Methods

People living with HIV and age‐ and sex‐matched uninfected controls underwent MDCT to determine left atrial volume (LAV), left ventricular diastolic volume (LVDV), right ventricular diastolic volume (RVDV) and left ventricular mass (LVM). All outcomes were indexed to body surface area (BSA) (LAVi, LVDVi, RVDVi and LVMi).

Results

A total of 592 PLWH and 1184 uninfected controls were included in the study. PLWH had smaller mean (SD) LAVi [40 (8) vs. 41 (9) mL/m2; P = 0.002] and LVDVi [61 (13) vs. 65 (14) mL/m2; P < 0.001] but larger RVDVi [89 (18) vs. 86 (17) mL/m2; P < 0.001] than uninfected controls. HIV was independently associated with 7 mL (95% CI: −10 to −3) smaller LVDV, and with 12 mL (95% CI: 8–16) larger RVDV, and 4 g (95% CI: 1–6) larger LVM after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and BSA. Large RVDV in PLWH was not associated with obstructive lung function.

Conclusions

HIV was independently associated with smaller LVDV and larger RVDV and LVM. Alterations in cardiac chamber volumes in PLWH were mainly minor. The clinical impact of these findings is uncertain, but it seems unlikely that alterations in cardiac chamber volumes explain the increased burden of cardiovascular disease previously observed in PLWH.
Effect of preoperative oral administration of steroids in comparison to an anti‐inflammatory drug on postoperative pain following single‐visit root canal treatment – a double‐blind, randomized clinical trial
Authors: Suresh N. , Nagendrababu V. , Koteeswaran V. , Haritha J. S. , Swetha S. D. , Varghese A. , Natanasabapathy V.
Published: September 2020

Aim

This randomized, double‐blinded, clinical trial evaluated the effect of oral premedication of piroxicam, prednisolone, dexamethasone or placebo on postoperative pain after single‐visit root canal treatment in teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis and symptomatic apical periodontitis.

Methodology

The trial is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for RAndomized Trials in Endodontics (PRIRATE) 2020 guidelines. The protocol was registered at the clinical trial registry (India) (CTRI/2019/06/019818). In total, 160 patients, assigned to four groups, received orally either 20 mg piroxicam, 20 mg prednisolone, 4 mg dexamethasone or a placebo 60 min before root canal treatment. Patients recorded their postoperative pain intensity at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h using a 10‐cm visual analogue scale. Intergroup comparison was performed using Kruskal–Wallis tests with post hoc analysis using Dunns test. Incidence of pain was analysed using chi‐square tests. APvalue < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the odds of postoperative pain, with incidence of pain as the dependent variable and intervention groups, gender, age and type of tooth as independent variables.

Results

In total, 156 patients were analysed in the trial, since four patients dropped out during follow‐up. All drugs were associated with a significantly lower incidence of postoperative pain compared to the placebo at 6 h (P = 0.009), 12 h (P = 0.003) and 24 h (P = 0.008). Mean intensity of pain was significantly more intense at 6, 12 and 24 h with the use of placebo in comparison to the other three intervention groups (P < 0.05). Intensity of pain was not significantly different between the premedications used (P > 0.05). One patient in the piroxicam group reported gastritis, whereas no adverse effects were recorded in other groups.

Conclusion

Preoperative oral administration of a single dose of 4 mg dexamethasone, 20 mg piroxicam or 20 mg prednisolone reduced the incidence and severity of postoperative pain following single‐visit root canal treatment compared to a placebo in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis and symptomatic apical periodontitis up to 24 h. The odds of postoperative pain at 24 h for patients premedicated with 4 mg dexamethasone or 20 mg piroxicam or 20 mg prednisolone were 5.3 times, 3.4 times and 2.5 times less compared to the placebo, respectively.
Adiposity and cardiovascular outcomes in three‐year‐old children of participants inUPBEAT, anRCTof a complex intervention in pregnant women with obesity
Authors: Dalrymple Kathryn V. , Tydeman Florence A. S. , Taylor Paul D. , Flynn Angela C. , O'Keeffe Majella , Briley Annette L. , Santosh Paramala , Hayes Louise , Robson Stephen C. , Nelson Scott M. , Sattar Naveed , Whitworth Melissa K. , Mills Harriet L. , Singh Claire , Seed CStat Paul T. , White Sara L. , Lawlor Deborah A. , Godfrey Keith M. , Poston Lucilla ,   UPBEAT consortium
Published: September 2020

Background

Maternal obesity is associated with offspring cardiometabolic risk. UPBEAT was a randomised controlled trial of an antenatal diet and physical activity intervention in 1555 women with obesity. The intervention was associated with lower gestational weight gain, healthier diet and metabolic profile in pregnancy, and reduced infant adiposity at six months.

Objective

We have investigated whether the UPBEAT intervention influenced childhood cardiometabolic outcomes or was associated with sustained improvements in maternal lifestyle 3‐years after delivery.

Methods

In UPBEAT mother‐child dyads at the 3‐year follow‐up, we assessed childhood blood pressure, resting pulse rate, and adiposity (body mass index, skinfold thicknesses, body fat, waist and arm circumferences) and maternal diet, physical activity, and anthropometry.

Results

514 three‐year‐old children attended the appointment (49% intervention, 51% standard care). There was no difference in the main outcome of interest, subscapular skinfold thickness, between the trial arms (−0.30 mm, 95% confidence interval: −0.92, 0.31). However, the intervention was associated with a lower resting pulse rate (−5 bpm [−8.41, −1.07]). There was also a non‐significant lower odds of overweight/obesity (OR 0.73; 0.50, 1.08). Maternal dietary improvements observed in the UPBEAT trial, including glycaemic load and saturated fat were maintained 3‐years postpartum.

Conclusion

This study has demonstrated that an antenatal dietary and physical activity intervention in women with obesity is associated with lower offspring pulse rate and sustained improvement in maternal diet. Whilst larger than previous cohorts, there remains potential for bias from attrition and these findings require validation in future cohorts.
Human resource development practices supporting creativity in Finnish growth organizations
Authors: Collin Kaija , Lemmetty Soila , Riivari Elina
Published: September 2020

Creativity can be enhanced through appropriate Human Resource Development (HRD) practices that support employees’ learning and competence development. The aim of this study is to increase our understanding of HRD practices that enhance creativity in Finnish growth companies. To achieve this aim, we searched for creativity requirements based on employees’ experiences expressed in interviews, and we studied HRD practices used in organizations that respond to the requirements of creativity. We gathered 98 interviews from personnel in technology, industrial and artistic design organizations and utilized them for a theory‐driven content analysis to identify the variety of requirements for creativity. We found that various HRD practices aligned with the requirements of creativity, including job design, teamwork, career development and everyday supervision and leadership. Thus, our findings indicate that HRD plays an important role in increasing creativity in the workplace and that it can best support creativity by taking the form of shared responsibilities in teams, clear career paths and everyday fair leadership.
Victorian Lung Cancer Service Redesign Project: impacts of a quality improvement collaborative on timeliness and management in lung cancer
Authors: Largey Geraldine , Briggs Peter , Davies Heather , Underhill Craig , Ross Cara , Harvey Kellie , Blum Robert , Parker Carol , Guthrie Christal , Parente Phillip , Trevorah Brooke , Torres Javier , Mott Carole , Lancaster Cheryl , Brand Margaret , Earnest Arul , Pellegrini Breanna , Reed Marita , Zalcberg John , Stirling Rob
Published: September 2020

Background

Lung cancer management is characterised by a high disease burden, poor survival and substantial variation in management and outcomes. Service redesign provides opportunities for quality improvement (QI) and this improvement may be leveraged across multiple sites using QI collaboration.

Aim

This initiative targeted Quality Improvement (QI) in lung cancer management, engaging a QI collaborative using service redesign methodologies in five Victorian hospitals. QI targets included timeliness from referral and diagnosis to treatment, multi‐disciplinary meeting (MDM) presentation and supportive care screening. Redesign strategies targeted process sustainability through enhanced team capability.

Methods

This study engaged a prospective quality improvement cohort design targeting newly diagnosed tissue confirmed lung cancer with 6‐month pre‐intervention period and 6‐month redesign implementation period, between September 2016 and August 2017, evaluated using Interrupted Time Series Analysis. Hospital sites included three regional and two metropolitan hospitals in Victoria. QI redesign targeted time intervals from referral to first specialist appointment (FSA), referral to diagnosis, diagnosis to first treatment (any intent), MDM documented in medical records and Supportive Care Screening Tool documented in medical records.

Results

There was a marked reduction in referral to FSA interval across all sites, with median (interquartile range) falling from 6 (0–15) to 4 (1–10) days, and proportion seen by a specialist within 14 days increased from 74.3% to 84.2%. The interval between diagnosis and treatment was not substantively changed in the 6‐month implementation period. The proportion of subjects with documented presentation to the MDM increased from 61% to 67%. The proportion for which Supportive Care Screening documentation remained low at 26.3% post‐intervention.

Conclusions

Data‐driven redesign initiatives enable identification and analysis of clinical practice variation and may be utilised to enhance timeliness of cancer care and improve local data service capabilities.
“Just see the person who is still a person (…) they still have feelings”: Qualitative description of the skills required to establish therapeutic alliance with patients with a diagnosis of dementia
Authors: McKenzie Ellen L. , Brown Patricia M.
Published: September 2020

Establishing a relationship is considered the foundation of providing person‐centred care (PCC) when working with a person who has a diagnosis of dementia. Currently, there is a lack of consensus about the how to develop this relationship. This aim of this study was to explore the key skills adopted by clinicians to establish an effective care relationship, referred to as therapeutic alliance, specific to working with patients who have dementia. Participants were clinicians (nursing and allied health professionals) from two older person’s mental health service teams (inpatient and community) who routinely provided clinical care to patients with a diagnosis of dementia. Participants self‐selected from a purposive sample to complete a semi‐structured interview about their provision of care to, and strategies used to engage with, people with a diagnosis of dementia. Exploratory qualitative thematic analysis was conducted using mixed inductive and deductive procedures. Five themes were identified as the interpersonal skills used to develop relationships with patients including the following: empathy, unconditional positive regard, congruence, psychological flexibility, and communication. Findings from this study provide direction for training of clinicians employed in a dementia setting and can also be generalized to other non‐specific clinical settings where clinicians may incidentally provide treatment to patients with a diagnosis of dementia.
Integrating nursing informatics into undergraduate nursing education in Africa: A scoping review
Authors: Harerimana A. , Wicking K. , Biedermann N. , Yates K.
Published: September 2020

Background

Information and communication technologies have become omnipresent in healthcare systems globally, and since nurses comprise the majority of the health sector workforce, they are expected to be adequately skilled to work in a technology‐mediated environment. Integrating nursing informatics into undergraduate nursing education is a cornerstone to nursing education and practice in Africa.

Aim

This scoping review aimed to evidence the integration of nursing informatics into undergraduate nursing education in Africa.

Methods

A scoping review of the literature used electronic databases including CINAHL Plus databases; EmCare; MEDLINE Ovid; Scopus; ERIC ProQuest; Web of Science; Google; and Google Scholar to locate papers specific to the African context. From a total of 8723 articles, 19 were selected for critique and synthesis.

Results

Selected studies indicated that nursing students used several information and communication technologies tools primarily for academic purposes, and rarely for clinical practice. In Africa, the challenges for teaching informatics in nursing education included: limited information and communication technologies skills among faculty and students; poor teaching strategies; and a lack of standardization of nursing informatics competencies. Successful integration of nursing informatics into undergraduate nursing education in African countries depends on restructuring nursing informatics content and teaching strategies, capacity building of the faculty and students in information and communication technologies, political commitment, and collaborative partnership.

Conclusion

Nursing informatics is scarce in undergraduate nursing education in Africa due to the implementation and adoption challenges. Responding to these challenges requires a multi‐sectoral approach in the revision of undergraduate nursing curricula.

Implication for nursing education, practice, policy and research

This study highlights the importance of nursing informatics in undergraduate nursing education, with its challenges and success. Nursing education policies should support the development of well‐standardized nursing informatics content and appropriate teaching strategies to deliver it. Further research is needed to establish which aspects of nursing informatics are integrated into undergraduate nursing education and nursing practice, implementation process, challenges and possible solutions. Collaborative partnerships are vital to developing nursing informatics policies to better prepare graduate nurses for the African healthcare workforce in the digital era.
Elasticity of nanocrystalline kyanite at high pressure and temperature from ultrasonic and synchrotron X‐ray techniques
Authors: Gaida Nico A. , Gréaux Steeve , Kono Yoshio , Ohfuji Hiroaki , Kuwahara Hideharu , Nishiyama Norimasa , Beermann Oliver , Sasaki Takuya , Niwa Ken , Hasegawa Masashi
Published: September 2020

Material properties, such as elasticity data at wide‐ranging conditions of pressure and temperature, attract increasing attention for material and earth sciences. In particular, polycrystalline ceramics for next‐generation photonic applications are nowadays fabricated by advanced syntheses techniques operating under elevated pressures and temperatures. Herein, the elastic properties of a synthetic transparent and reinforced aluminosilicate nanoceramic composed of triclinic kyanite with minor amounts of trigonal α‐alumina crystals are investigated using in situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction and ultrasonic techniques at high‐pressure (up to 11 GPa) and high‐temperature (300‐1500 K) conditions. This not only enables the determination of the equation of state (EoS) parameters by applying the pressure‐volume‐temperature (P‐V‐T) data to the high‐temperature Birch‐Murnaghan EoS but also yields the elastic moduli together with their P and T derivatives from the fit of the compressional and shear wave velocities to a finite strain EoS: KS0,300 = 186(2) GPa, K′S0,300 = 7.2(6), (∂KS0,300/∂T)P = −0.023(2) GPa K−1, G0,300 = 125(1) GPa G′0,300 = 2.3(2), (∂G0,300/∂T)P = −0.017(1) GPa K−1. On the basis of our acquired results, we propose to predict the elastic moduli of aluminosilicate ceramics by a linear function of the ratio of AlO6 octahedra and SiO4 tetrahedra within the constituting phases.
Dissensus, Street Art and School Change
Authors: Low Bronwen , Proietti Melissa
Published: September 2020

This article draws upon Rancière’s concepts of the ‘distribution of the sensible’ and ‘dissensus’ in order to explore some of the tensions and processes at work in a multi‐year school change project that sought to transform a school through the ‘urban arts’. Building on student interest in extracurricular Hip‐Hop and street art programming, the school tried to integrate the urban arts across the curriculum through a partnership with local arts organisations and university researchers. While there were a number of project successes, the project also faced significant resistance, which in Rancière’s terms might be inevitable since the project tried to transform the dominant ways of doing and making in the school, displacing those who no longer saw themselves reflected. We understand the tensions in light of the disruptive power of street art and Hip‐Hop culture, but also as manifestations of antiblackness in education. Using data from a three‐year critical ethnography, we share a series of narrative vignettes which unpack the role of the visual arts in challenging the distribution of the sensible at the school, and offer insight into how teachers might have been better invited in as participants in dissensus.
Improving access to care through Advanced Practice Registered Nurses: Focus on perinatal patients with Opioid Use Disorder
Authors: Ramage Melinda , Tak Casey , Goodman Daisy , Johnson Elisabeth , Barber Chasity , Jones Hendrée E.
Published: September 2020

Perinatal substance use disorders, and all of the associated sequelae, continue to be a national health crisis that is further impacted by shifts in access to obstetrical care, particularly in rural areas. Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) specifically presents as a medical condition for which evidence‐based guidelines support the use of medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in the form of Methadone or Buprenorphine for both non‐pregnant and pregnant women. However, the overall rates of access for those treatment modalities remain sparse. There is a public call to increase access to MOUD in the pregnant population affected by OUD. This article discusses the history of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and how across legislative differences, these professionals are perfectly positioned to answer this call.
Painlessly Killing Predators
Authors: Bramble Ben
Published: September 2020

Animals suffer harms not only in human captivity but in the wild as well. Some of these latter harms are due to humans, but many of them are not. Consider, for example, the harms of predation, i.e. of being hunted, killed, and eaten by other animals. Should we intervene in nature to prevent these harms? In this article, I consider two possible ways in which we might do so: (1) by herbivorising predators (i.e. genetically modify them so that their offspring gradually evolve into herbivores) and (2) by painlessly killing predators. I argue that, among these options, painlessly killing predators would be preferable to herbivorising them. I then argue that painlessly killing predators, despite its costs to predators, might under certain circumstances be justifiable.
Evidence for recombination variability in purebred swine populations
Authors: Lozada‐Soto Emmanuel A. , Maltecca Christian , Wackel Hanna , Flowers William , Gray Kent , He Yuqing , Huang Yijian , Jiang Jicai , Tiezzi Francesco
Published: September 2020

This study aimed to investigate interpopulation variation due to sex, breed and age, and the intrapopulation variation in the form of genetic variance for recombination in swine. Genome‐wide recombination rate and recombination occurrences (RO) were traits studied in Landrace (LR) and Large White (LW) male and female populations. Differences were found for sex, breed, sex‐breed interaction, and age effects for genome‐wide recombination rate and RO at one or more chromosomes. Dams were found to have a higher genome‐wide recombination rate and RO at all chromosomes than sires. LW animals had higher genome‐wide recombination rate and RO at seven chromosomes but lower at two chromosomes than LR individuals. The sex‐breed interaction effect did not show any pattern not already observable by sex. Recombination increased with increasing parity in females, while in males no effect of age was observed. We estimated heritabilities and repeatabilities for both investigated traits and obtained the genetic correlation between male and female genome‐wide recombination rate within each of the two breeds studied. Estimates of heritability and repeatability were low (h2 = 0.01–0.26; r = 0.18–0.42) for both traits in all populations. Genetic correlations were high and positive, with estimates of 0.98 and 0.94 for the LR and LW breeds, respectively. We performed a GWAS for genome‐wide recombination rate independently in the four sex/breed populations. The results of the GWAS were inconsistent across the four populations with different significant genomic regions identified. The results of this study provide evidence of variability for recombination in purebred swine populations.
Landscape of associations between long non‐coding RNAs and infiltrating immune cells in liver hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Li Li , Song Xiaowei , Lv Yanju , Jiang Qiuying , Fan Chengjuan , Huang Dayong
Published: September 2020

Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) can be detected by the immune system; however, it acquires features for evasion of immune surveillance during its origin and development. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are critical as immune regulators in cancers; nevertheless, the biological functions and mechanisms of lncRNAs in evasion of immune system by LIHC remain unclear. In this study, an integrated and computational approach was developed to identify immune‐related lncRNAs and to divide LIHC patients into diverse immune‐related risk groups based on the expression profiles of coding genes and lncRNAs. LIHC‐specific genes and lncRNAs in 17 immune cell populations were identified and analysed. Gene and lncRNA co‐expressing networks for diverse immune cell populations were constructed and analysed. Some imported immune‐related lncRNAs, such as MIR9‐3HG, were also identified. The LIHC patients comprised three different groups based on immune‐related risk. LIHC patients possessing a greater diversity of immune cell populations had better survival prognosis. The collective data are evidence of a credible computational model that can prioritize novel immune‐related lncRNAs and depict the atlas of immune‐related lncRNAs in LIHC. These findings will further the understanding of lncRNA function and advance the identification of immunotherapy targets in LIHC.
Knockdown of circ_0060745 alleviates acute myocardial infarction by suppressing NF‐κB activation
Authors: Zhai Changlin , Qian Gang , Wu Huajun , Pan Haihua , Xie Shuoyin , Sun Zhewei , Shao Pingyang , Tang Guanmin , Hu Huilin , Zhang Song
Published: September 2020

It has been shown that circRNAs are involved in the development of heart diseases. However, few studies explored the role of circRNAs in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The present study aims to investigate the role of circ_0060745 in the pathogenesis of AMI. We found that the expression of circ_0060745 was significantly increased in the myocardium of AMI mice and was mainly expressed in myocardial fibroblasts. The knockdown of circ_0060745 decreased myocardial infarct size and improved systolic cardiac functions after AMI. The knockdown of circ_0060745 in cardiac fibroblasts inhibited the migration of peritoneal macrophage, the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes and the expressions of IL‐6, IL‐12, IL‐1β, TNF‐α and NF‐κB under hypoxia. Overexpression of circ_0060745 caused an increase in infarct size and worsened cardiac functions after AMI. In summary, our findings showed that knockdown of circ_0060745 mitigates AMI by suppressing cardiomyocyte apoptosis and inflammation. These protective effects could be attributed to inhibition of NF‐κB activation.
Depletion of multidrug‐resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli BC1 by ebselen and silver ion
Authors: Wang Peng , Wang Jun , Xie Zonglan , Zhou Jingxuan , Lu Qianqian , Zhao Ying , Dong Chuanjiang , Zou Lili
Published: September 2020

Ebselen, an organo‐selenium compound with well‐characterized toxicology and pharmacology, recently exhibited potent antibacterial activity against glutathione (GSH)‐negative bacteria by disrupting redox homeostasis. In this paper, we show that ebselen and silver ion in combination exert strong bactericidal activity against multidrug‐resistant (MDR) uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) BC1, a model MDR GSH‐positive bacterium. The mechanisms were found to involve consumption of total intracellular GSH and inhibition of thioredoxin reductase activity, which was highly related to reactive oxygen species up‐regulation. Furthermore, the therapeutic efficacy of ebselen and silver ion against UPEC‐induced cystitis was assessed in a mouse model. Treatment with ebselen and silver ion significantly reduced bacterial loads, down‐regulated the expression levels of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) on‐site and decreased white/red blood cell counts in mild cystitis model mice, which demonstrated the anti‐inflammatory property of these agents. In addition, ebselen and silver ion also exhibited significantly high protective ability (100%) against acute cystitis infections. These results together may lay the foundation for further analysis and development of ebselen and silver ion as antibacterial agents for treatment of MDR UPEC infections.
Repeatable social network node‐based metrics across populations and contexts in a passerine
Authors: Plaza Mireia , Burke Terry , Cox Tara , Flynn‐Carroll Alexander , Girndt Antje , Halford Georgina , Martin Dominic A. , Sanchez‐Fortún Moises , Sánchez‐Tójar Alfredo , Somerville Jasmine , Schroeder Julia
Published: September 2020

Behavioural traits are considered animal personality traits when individuals differ consistently in their expression across time and across context. Here, we test this idea on three metrics derived from social interaction networks (strength, betweenness and closeness). Using experimental data from house sparrows in captive populations, and observational data from house sparrows in a wild population, we show that all three metrics consistently exhibit repeatability across both study populations and two methods of recording interactions. The highest repeatability values were estimated in male‐only captive groups, whereas repeatabilities estimated in single‐sex networks subsetted from mixed‐sex groups showed no sex specificity. We also show that changes in social group composition led to a decrease in repeatability for up to six months. This work provides substantial and generalizable support for the notion that social network node‐based metrics can be considered animal personalities. Our work suggests that social network traits may be heritable and thus could be selected for.
Factors associated with older patients' misunderstandings of medication dosage regimen instructions after consultation in primary care in Brazil
Authors: Amorim Welma W. , Passos Luiz C. , Gama Romana S. , Souza Renato M. , Oliveira Marcio G.
Published: September 2020

Rationale, aims, and objectives

Misunderstanding medication dosage regimen instructions can lead to unintentional misuse of a prescribed medicine, non‐adherence to providers' instructions, and other treatment‐related issues. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of and factors associated with older patients' misunderstanding of medication dosage regimen instructions after consultation with a general practitioner.

Method

This cross‐sectional study was conducted in 22 primary‐care facilities in Brazil. Data were collected from September 2016 to December 2017 using a multidimensional questionnaire. Patients who were 60 years old or older who visited primary care units were included in the study (n = 416).

Results

Of the older patients interviewed, 38.2% had a misunderstanding of medication dosage regimen instructions; being female was a protective factor against the misunderstanding of medication dosage regimen instructions (prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.45‐0.89). In relation to other factors with an important association, misunderstanding medication dosage regimen instructions was 71% higher among illiterate participants (PR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.25‐2.35), 39% higher among people who considered their memory to be poor (PR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.01‐1.91), 49% higher in those who did not have a job at the time of the interview (PR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.01‐2.19), and 50% higher in patients who had been prescribed five or more medications (PR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.02‐2.20).

Conclusions

The results showed that older people's misunderstandings of medication dosage regimen instructions after consultation with a general practitioner was greater than expected due to a range of factors, especially polypharmacy, poor literacy, poor memory, and having a job at the time of the interview. Health services and professionals should implement strategies to increase the quality of the guidance given to elderly individuals and to ensure their adherence to the regimen instructions of their medications.
Determinants that influence knowledge brokers' and opinion leaders' role to close knowledge practice gaps in rehabilitation: A realist review
Authors: Gaid Dina , Ahmed Sara , Alhasani Rehab , Thomas Aliki , Bussières André
Published: September 2020

Rationale

Despite the available evidence to support optimal practices in rehabilitation, significant knowledge practice gaps persist. Opinion leaders (OLs) and knowledge brokers (KBs) can enhance the success of knowledge translation (KT) interventions and improve uptake of best practices among clinicians. However, the literature on the mechanisms underpinning OLs'/KBs' activities, and guidance on the type of support needed for successful implementation of these roles in rehabilitation contexts is scarce. This research aimed to highlight the differences and similarities between OLs and KBs with respect to context, mechanism, and outcomes as well as describe the common patterns of OLs and KBs by creating a context‐mechanism‐outcomes configuration.

Methods

We conducted a realist review to synthesize the available evidence on OLs/KBs as active KT strategies. A search was conducted across five databases up to November 2019. Two independent reviewers extracted the data using a structured form. A context‐mechanism‐outcome configuration was used to conceptualize a cumulative portrait of the features of OLs/KBs roles.

Results

The search identified 3282 titles after removing duplicates. Seventeen studies (reported in 20 articles) were included in the review. Findings suggest a number of desirable features of OLs/KBs roles that may maximize the achievement of targeted outcomes namely being (a) embedded within their organization as “insiders”; (b) adequately skilled to perform their role; (c) identified as able to fulfil the role; (d) appropriately trained; and (e) able to use different KT interventions.

Conclusion

Findings of this realist review converge to create a context‐mechanism‐outcomes configuration with suggestions to optimally utilize OLs/KBs in rehabilitation. The configurations suggest desirable features that can lead to a greater potential to achieve targeted goals. It is preferable that OLs/KBs be embedded in the organization and that they are adequately skilful and well‐trained. Also, OLs/KBs should perform the required roles using KT interventions adapted to the local context.