bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The structural basis for signal promiscuity in a bacterial chemoreceptor
Authors: Gavira José Antonio , Matilla Miguel A. , Fernández Matilde , Krell Tino
Published: October 2020

Signalling through chemosensory pathways is typically initiated by the binding of signal molecules to the chemoreceptor ligand binding domain (LBD). The PcaY_PP chemoreceptor from Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is characterized by an unusually broad signal range, and minimal requisites for signal binding are the presence of a C6‐membered ring and that of a carboxyl group. Previous studies have shown that only some of the multiple signals recognized by this chemoreceptor are of apparent metabolic value. We report here high‐resolution structures of PcaY_PP‐LBD in the absence and presence of four cognate chemoeffectors and glycerol. The domain formed a four‐helix bundle (4HB), and both ligand binding sites of the dimer were occupied with the high‐affinity ligands protocatechuate and quinate, whereas the lower‐affinity ligands benzoate and salicylate were present in only one site. Ligand binding was verified by microcalorimetric titration of site‐directed mutants revealing important roles of an arginine and number of polar residues that establish an extensive hydrogen bonding network with bound ligands. The comparison of the apo and holo structures did not provide evidence for this receptor employing a transmembrane signalling mechanism that involves piston‐like shifts of the final helix. Instead, ligand binding caused rigid‐body scissoring movements of both monomers of the dimer. Comparisons with the 4HB domains of the Tar and Tsr chemoreceptors revealed significant structural differences. Importantly, the ligand binding site in PcaY_PP‐LBD is approximately 8 Å removed from that of the Tar and Tsr receptors. Data indicate a significant amount of structural and functional diversity among 4HB domains.

Databases

The coordinates and structure factors have been deposited in the protein data band with the following IDs: 6S1A (apo form), 6S18 (bound glycerol), 6S33 (bound protocatechuate), 6S38 (bound quinate), 6S3B (bound benzoate) and 6S37 (bound salicylate).
New insights into the activities and toxicities of the old anticancer drug doxorubicin
Authors: van der Zanden Sabina Y. , Qiao Xiaohang , Neefjes Jacques
Published: October 2020

The anthracycline drug doxorubicin is among the most used—and useful—chemotherapeutics. While doxorubicin is highly effective in the treatment of various hematopoietic malignancies and solid tumours, its application is limited by severe adverse effects, including irreversible cardiotoxicity, therapy‐related malignancies and gonadotoxicity. This continues to motivate investigation into the mechanisms of anthracycline activities and toxicities, with the aim to overcome the latter without sacrificing the former. It has long been appreciated that doxorubicin causes DNA double‐strand breaks due to poisoning topoisomerase II. More recently, it became clear that doxorubicin also leads to chromatin damage achieved through eviction of histones from select sites in the genome. Evaluation of these activities in various anthracycline analogues has revealed that chromatin damage makes a major contribution to the efficacy of anthracycline drugs. Furthermore, the DNA‐damaging effect conspires with chromatin damage to cause a number of adverse effects. Structure–activity relationships within the anthracycline family offer opportunities for chemical separation of these activities towards development of effective analogues with limited adverse effects. In this review, we elaborate on our current understanding of the different activities of doxorubicin and their contributions to drug efficacy and side effects. We then offer our perspective on how the activities of this old anticancer drug can be amended in new ways to benefit cancer patients, by providing effective treatment with improved quality of life.
Real‐world efficacy and safety of 12‐week sofosbuvir/velpatasvir treatment for patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Takaoka Yoshinari , Miura Kouichi , Morimoto Naoki , Ikegami Tadashi , Kakizaki Satoru , Sato Ken , Ueno Takashi , Naganuma Atsushi , Kosone Takashi , Arai Hirotaka , Hatanaka Takeshi , Tahara Toshiyuki , Tano Shigeo , Ohtake Takaaki , Murohisa Toshimitsu , Namikawa Masashi , Asano Takeharu , Kamoshida Toshiro , Horiuchi Katsuhiko , Nihei Takeshi , Soeda Atsuko , Kurata Hidekazu , Fujieda Takeshi , Ohtake Toshiya , Fukaya Yukimura , Iijima Makoto , Watanabe Shunji , Isoda Norio , Yamamoto Hironori ,   Liver Investigators in the Northern Kanto Study (LINKS) group
Published: October 2020

Aim

This study aimed to evaluate the real‐world efficacy and safety of 12‐week sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) treatment for patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methods

A total 72 of patients with Child–Pugh (CP) class B or C were enrolled. We evaluated the sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12), adverse events (AEs), and changes in the liver function.

Results

All participants had genotype 1 or 2 HCV infection. At baseline, the numbers of patients with CP class B and C were 59 and 13, respectively. The overall SVR12 rate was 95.8% (69/72); 94.9% (56/59) in CP class B and 100% (13/13) in CP class C. The serum albumin level, prothrombin time and ascites were significantly improved (P < 0.01); however, the serum bilirubin level and encephalopathy did not improve. Among patients who achieved SVR12, 75.0% showed an improvement in their CP score, while 5.9% showed a worsening. The presence of large portosystemic shunt (diameter ≥6 mm) and hyperbilirubinemia (≥2.0 mg/dL) were independent factors that interfered with the improvement in the CP score (P < 0.05). The most common AEs were encephalopathy (15.3%) and skin symptoms (7.9%). Two patients discontinued SOF/VEL due to AEs.

Conclusions

Treatment with SOF/VEL for 12 weeks was relatively safe and effective for patients with decompensated cirrhosis. An SVR provided an improvement of the liver function in the majority of patients. However, large portosystemic shunt and hyperbilirubinemia were independent factors that interfered with the improvement in the CP score.
Freedom of expression and the palladium of British liberties, 1650–2000: A review essay
Authors: Shaw Caroline
Published: October 2020

London has a reputation for being the “libel capital of the world.” Seemingly arcane defamation laws continue to constrain free speech. At the same time, Britain has long been celebrated as a pioneer of freedom, being one of the first to eliminate censorship and enshrine the liberty of the press. This article surveys the extensive literature on freedom of speech, newspapers, and censorship from the late‐17th century through the 20th. By drawing this scholarship together, the author emphasizes long‐standing continuities in debates over freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and the place of defamation law in determining the limits of these dearly held liberties. It is in this context that the notorious libel laws begin to look less obscure and, indeed, more central to negotiations over civil liberty since the 18th century. When examined in this light, Britain looks far less exceptional; its struggles over the boundaries of free speech are at the core of public debates across the globe.
Field margin floral enhancements increase pollinator diversity at the field edge but show no consistent spillover into the crop field: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Zamorano Jorge , Bartomeus Ignasi , Grez Audrey A. , Garibaldi Lucas Alejandro
Published: October 2020

Conventional intensification of agriculture has reduced the availability of resources for pollinators, reducing their diversity and affecting plant pollination, both in natural habitats and croplands. Field margin floral enhancements such as flower strips or restored field margins could counteract these negative effects.

The approaches to assess the success of these management measures generally evaluate separately the pollinator response at the edge and within the crop, as proxies for pollinator conservation and pollination services, respectively.

We performed a meta‐analysis to understand the influence of field margin floral enhancements on the abundance and richness of pollinators at the edge and within the field, and on crop yield.

We estimated 137 effect sizes from 40 studies, all from the northern hemisphere. Overall, the field margin floral enhancements increased the abundance and richness of pollinators at the field edge but had no consistent effect in the interior of the crop fields. Few studies evaluated crop yield, and in these studies no effects were observed.

These results suggest that field margin floral enhancements can constitute a positive conservation action for pollinators but not necessarily associated with pollination ecosystem service.
REDUCING INEQUALITIES AMONG UNEQUALS
Authors: Faure Mathieu , Gravel Nicolas
Published: October 2020

This article establishes an equivalence between four incomplete rankings of distributions of income among agents who are vertically differentiated with respect to some nonincome characteristic (health, household size, etc.). The first ranking is the possibility of going from one distribution to the other by a finite sequence of income transfers from richer and more highly ranked agents to poorer and less highly ranked ones. The second ranking is the unanimity among utilitarian planners who assume that agents' marginal utility of income is decreasing with respect to both income and the source of vertical differentiation. The third ranking is the Bourguignon (Journal of Econometrics, 42 (1989), 67–80) Ordered Poverty Gap dominance criterion. The fourth ranking is a new dominance criterion based on cumulative lowest incomes.
A meta‐analysis of change in applicants' perceptions of fairness
Authors: Konradt Udo , Oldeweme Martina , Krys Sabrina , Otte Kai‐Philip
Published: October 2020

Using an event‐triggered multi‐stage framework, this random‐effects meta‐analysis examined the changes in applicants' perceptions of fairness between consecutive stages and throughout the entire personnel selection process. We integrated findings of studies with at least two measurement points, resulting in 45 effect sizes (overall N = 3,038). Trajectories of perceptions of fairness decreased nonlinearly across the process, with a steeper decrease for people who held high levels of initial fairness expectations. Unjust treatment produced a decrease in perceptions of fairness from pretest to posttest and an increase from posttest to postdecision. Furthermore, the length of the time interval moderated the changes in fairness perceptions between the posttest and postdecision stage. Practical implications and an agenda for future research are discussed.
Does rater job position matter in training needs assessment? A study of municipal employees in the USA
Authors: Cigularov Konstantin P. , Dillulio Phillip
Published: October 2020

Organizational investments in employee training and development have steadily increased over the past decade. Yet, training needs assessment (TNA) remains an understudied topic in the training literature. This study used a large sample of municipal employees in the USA to examine the effects of rater and their job/organizational position on TNA ratings. Results indicated that supervisors tended to rate their own training needs higher than how non‐supervisors rated their supervisors’ training needs. The opposite was found for non‐supervisor self‐ratings – they tended to be lower than the supervisors’ ratings of their subordinates. We also found initial validity evidence for inferences made from TNA self‐ratings of managerial competencies, which distinguished between employees in supervisory and non‐supervisory positions. Practical and theoretical implications, as well as study limitations and directions for future research, are discussed.
Recognition of Prior Learning for Highly Skilled Refugees’ Labour Market Integration
Authors: Andersson Per
Published: October 2020

In the integration of highly skilled refugees, recognition of their prior learning is a key factor. One concern is the object of the recognition process, the formal and the actual competence of the individual. Another concern is the subject of the process, the refugee. Starting from the individual and her/his experience and competence entails a different process and results than starting from professional regulations and labour market needs. A final concern is the process of recognition. Recognition processes could be seen solely as a matter of classification and assessment, but this misses that fact that the recognition process also means a learning process for the individual. This article discusses problems and opportunities relating to the recognition of prior learning targeting highly skilled refugees in relationship with these three concerns of object, subject and process of recognition.
Angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers and prognosis of hypertensive patients hospitalised with COVID‐19
Authors: Covino Marcello , De Matteis Giuseppe , Burzo Maria Livia , Santoro Michele , Fuorlo Mariella , Sabia Luca , Sandroni Claudio , Gasbarrini Antonio , Franceschi Francesco , Gambassi Giovanni ,   Gemelli Against COVID‐19 Group
Published: October 2020

Background

Among hypertensive patients, the association between treatment with angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) and the clinical severity of COVID‐19, remains uncertain.

Aims

To determine whether hypertensive patients hospitalised with COVID‐19 are at risk of worse outcomes if on treatment with ACEI or ARB compared to other anti‐hypertensive medications.

Methods

This is a retrospective study conducted at a single academic medical centre (Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy) from 1 to 31 March 2020. We compared patients on treatment with an ACEI/ARB (ACEI/ARB group) to patients receiving other anti‐hypertensive medications (No‐ACEI/ARB group). The end‐points of the study were the all‐cause in‐hospital death and the combination of in‐hospital death or need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

Results

The sample included 166 COVID‐19 patients; median age was 74 years and 109 (66%) were men. Overall, 111 (67%) patients were taking an ACEI or ARB. Twenty‐nine (17%) patients died during the hospital stay, and 51 (31%) met the combined end‐point. After adjustment for comorbidities, age and degree of severity at the presentation, ACEI or ARB treatment was an independent predictor neither of in‐hospital death nor of the combination of in‐hospital death/need for ICU. No differences were documented between treatment with ACEI compared to ARB.

Conclusions

Among hypertensive patients hospitalised for COVID‐19, treatment with ACEI or ARB is not associated with an increased risk of in‐hospital death.
Teacher as Conceptual Artist
Authors: Bremmer Melissa , Heijnen Emiel , Kersten Sanne
Published: October 2020

Teachers in arts education frequently struggle with their professional identity. When asked, arts teachers often answer that they believe that their main responsibility is education at the expense of understanding themselves as artists. The Mexican‐American artist and teacher Jorge Lucero questions whether an occupation as teacher necessarily impedes a creative practice. The finding that both progressive pedagogy and conceptual art share certain characteristics forms the basis for his concept of ‘teacher as conceptual artist’. In short, Lucero proposes that a teacher’s practice, in and beyond the classroom, simultaneously can be his or her creative practice. This qualitative intervention study explored whether or not the concept of teacher as conceptual artist holds the possibility to narrow down the gap between teacher and artist identities. The intervention consisted of a three‐day project led by Lucero in which nine arts teacher students were familiarised with modes of operation as a conceptual artist. In the three following months, these students implemented lessons in primary and secondary education based on those modes. Prior to the project, ‘elicitation‐interviews’ were used to explore how students perceived their professional identity and at the end of project semi‐structured interviews were conducted. The findings suggest that through the modes of operation as a conceptual artist, students who mainly identified as an artist were able to integrate a teacher identity in their artist identity, but the modes of operation also gave students who withheld their artist identity from the classroom an opportunity to live their artist identity in the classroom.
A school‐based intervention can promote insights into future parenting in students with intellectual disabilities—A Swedish interview study
Authors: Randell Eva , Janeslätt Gunnel , Höglund Berit
Published: October 2020

Background

Few studies have focused on how youth with intellectual disability (ID) can be facilitated in reasoning about future parenthood. This study aimed to explore an intervention using the Toolkit “Childrenwhat does it involve?” and the Real‐Care‐Baby (RCB) simulator among students with ID.

Method

Sixteen students with ID who participated in an intervention with 13 educational sessions, with adapted knowledge and a three‐day caring session with the RCB simulator, were individually interviewed after the intervention. Qualitative content analysis was used.

Results

Participants reported that the intervention provided important thoughts and insights on future parenting, providing a basis for informed decisions. The ability to be responsible and have autonomy in life and in caring for a future child were described as important.

Conclusion

After an intervention, with structured and adapted knowledge and experiences of the RCB simulator, students with ID reported an understanding of the importance of informed decisions about future parenthood.
Riddle on the riffle: Miocene diversification and biogeography of endemic mountain loaches in the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot
Authors: Sidharthan Arya , Raghavan Rajeev , Anoop Vasudevan Komalavally , Philip Siby , Dahanukar Neelesh
Published: October 2020

Aim

The Western Ghats Hotspot in peninsular India harbours remarkable diversity and endemism of freshwater fish. However, the ichthyofauna's evolutionary histories and biogeography are poorly known. Here, we investigate (a) the diversity, evolutionary history and biogeography of endemic mountain loaches and (b) the potential influence of the physiography of hill ranges, geological barriers and river systems on the diversification and cladogenesis of loaches, in the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot.

Location

Southern Western Ghats mountain ranges (8–13°N latitudes), Western Ghats‐Sri Lanka Biodiversity Hotspot.

Taxa

Mountain loaches Bhavania annandalei and B. australis (Cypriniformes: Balitoridae).

Methods

We carried out a multigene phylogenetic analysis with mitochondrial and nuclear markers using Bhavania specimens collected throughout the genus' range. The Automated Barcode Gap Analysis, Poisson Tree Process and Generalized Mixed Yule‐Coalescent Model were used to delimit species. A Bayesian chronogram was constructed to estimate the time elapsed since the most recent common ancestor of the distinct lineages of Bhavania. Ancestral ranges of distinct lineages of Bhavania were reconstructed using the dispersal–extinction–cladogenesis model.

Results

Phylogenetic analysis of combined mitochondrial and nuclear data, as well species delimitation using the Poisson Tree Process and Generalized Mixed Yule‐Coalescent Model analyses supported eight distinct lineages, which included the narrowly distributed B. annandalei and widely distributed B. australis. The Barcode Gap Analysis, however, supported only seven lineages. Bayesian divergence time dating suggests that the genus originated early in the Neogene and diversified in the Miocene. Ancestral state reconstruction indicated Bhavania diversifed as a result of sympatric, subset and vicariant speciation with five dispersal and one vicariant events across biogeographic barriers and river systems.

Main conclusions

Bhavania australis is a ‘species complex’. Miocene‐associated climatic changes including intensification of the south‐west monsoon likely triggered dispersal and range expansion; subsequent aridification would have led to drying up of riverine connections, formation of land barriers and fragmentation of streams, resulting in cladogenesis. Our results also provide preliminary evidence that Cauvery, one of the largest east flowing rivers of Western Ghats, facilitates an east‐west pathway for dispersal and diversification of endemic lineages of the region.
The impact of smoking on non‐surgical periodontal therapy: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Chang Jennifer , Meng Hsiu‐Wan , Lalla Evanthia , Lee Chun‐Teh
Published: October 2020

Aim

Smoking is a risk factor for periodontitis. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of smoking on clinical outcomes of non‐surgical periodontal therapy.

Materials and Methods

Electronic databases were searched to screen studies published before May 2020. The included studies had to have two groups: smokers (S) and non‐smokers (NS) with periodontitis. The outcomes evaluated were differences between groups in probing depth (PD) reduction and clinical attachment level (CAL) gain after non‐surgical periodontal therapy. Meta‐regressions were conducted to evaluate correlations between outcomes and other contributing factors.

Results

Seventeen studies were included. The post‐treatment PD reduction in the S group was smaller than in the NS group (weighted mean difference in PD reduction: −0.33 mm, 95% confidence interval (CI): [−0.49, −0.17], p < .01). The CAL gain in the S group was also smaller than in the NS group (weighted mean difference in CAL gain: −0.20 mm, CI: [−0.39, −0.02], p < .01). Additionally, baseline PD significantly affected the difference in PD reduction between two groups.

Conclusions

Smoking negatively impacts clinical responses to non‐surgical periodontal therapy. Smokers with periodontitis have significantly less PD reduction and CAL gain than non‐smokers.
Influence of drying temperature on drying kinetics, energy consumption, bioactive compounds and cooking quality of pasta enriched with spinach
Authors: Vimercati Wallaf Costa , da Silva Araújo Cintia , Macedo Leandro Levate , Maradini Filho Antonio Manoel , Saraiva Sérgio Henriques , Teixeira Luciano José Quintão
Published: October 2020

The influence of drying temperature on drying kinetics, energy consumption, bioactive compounds, and cooking quality of the pasta enriched with spinach was studied. Pasta enriched with spinach were dried at 35, 45, 55, 65 and 75°C. The drying kinetics, energy consumption, water activity, moisture content, total carotenoids, antioxidant activity, total chlorophyll, total phenolic, hardness, and cooking quality parameters were evaluated. Mathematical models were fitted to predict the drying kinetics, energy consumption and bioactive compounds of pasta. A generalized model to predict the moisture content and energy consumption of pasta in function of drying time and temperature was proposed. The effective moisture diffusivity (Deff) and activation energy were calculated. The Page model, exponential and polynomial performed best to represent drying kinetics, energy consumption, and bioactive compounds, respectively. The drying time decreased and theDeffincreased as the drying temperature increased. The drying temperature influenced the energy consumption, carotenoid content, and antioxidant activity, while the total chlorophyll content, total phenolic, hardness, and quality parameters of the pasta cooking were not affected. The optimum condition obtained by the desirability function for drying of pasta enriched with spinach was 45°C.

Practical Application

The use of ingredients that improve nutritional content of pasta is a good alternative for the manufacture of an attractive product. However, drying conditions in pasta processing can affect the technological and nutritional quality of the products. Therefore, it is extremely important to know the drying process conditions and the pasta properties, in order to obtain a better quality control of the product and to optimize the desired variables of the process.
A method for direct imaging of x–z cross‐sections of fluorescent samples
Authors: KATIYAR A. , ANTANI J.D. , MCKEE B.P. , GUPTA R. , LELE P.P. , LELE T.P.
Published: October 2020

The x–z cross‐sectional profiles of fluorescent objects can be distorted in confocal microscopy, in large part due to mismatch between the refractive index of the immersion medium of typical high numerical aperture objectives and the refractive index of the medium in which the sample is present. Here, we introduce a method to mount fluorescent samples parallel to the optical axis. This mounting allows direct imaging of what would normally be an x–z cross‐section of the object, in the x–y plane of the microscope. With this approach, the x–y cross‐sections of fluorescent beads were seen to have significantly lower shape‐distortions as compared to x–z cross‐sections reconstructed from confocal z‐stacks. We further tested the method for imaging of nuclear and cellular heights in cultured cells, and found that they are significantly flatter than previously reported. This approach allows improved imaging of the x–z cross‐section of fluorescent samples.

Lay description

Optical distortions are common in confocal microscopy. In particular, the mismatch between the refractive index of the immersion medium of the microscope objective and the refractive index of the sample medium distorts the shapes of fluorescent objects in the x–z plane of the microscope. Here, we introduced a method to eliminate the shape‐distortion in the x–z cross‐sections. This was achieved by mounting fluorescent samples on vertical glass slides such that the cross‐sections orthogonal to the glass surface could be imaged in the x–y plane of the microscope. Our method successfully improved the imaging of nuclear and cellular heights in cultured cells and revealed that the heights were significantly flatter than previously reported with conventional approaches.
Subcutaneous tissue stiffness of cesarean incision scar by elastography as a predictor of intra‐abdominal adhesions
Authors: Seven Banu , Yorgancı Ayçağ , Alkan Mihriban , Gündüz Özlem , Keskin H. Levent , Engin‐Üstün Yaprak
Published: October 2020

Aim

This study aimed to investigate whether subcutaneous tissue stiffness of the previous cesarean section (CS) skin incision could predict the severity of the intra‐abdominal adhesions at a repeat CS.

Methods

In this prospective cross‐sectional study, pregnant women with at least one prior cesarean delivery were included. The subcutaneous tissue stiffness of the previous CS skin scar was measured by shear wave elastography (SWE) on the day of the repeat CS and the intra‐abdominal adhesions were recorded by an adhesion classification scheme specific for CS. Total adhesion score was classified as mild adhesion between 1 and 4, moderate adhesion between 5 and 12, and severe adhesion if ≥13.

Results

Of the 102 women, 41 (40.2%) had no adhesions, 18 (17.6%) had mild adhesions, 26 (25.5%) had moderate adhesions and 17 (16.7%) had severe adhesions. The mean SWE measurements were significantly higher in the moderate and severe adhesion group than the non‐adhesion and mild adhesion group (51.5 ± 25.3 vs 36.8 ± 22.6, P = 0.003). There was a statistically significant correlation between the preoperative SWE measurements and total adhesion scores (correlation coefficient [r] = 0.397, P < 0.001). In receiver–operator characteristics curve analysis, the cut‐off value for moderate or severe adhesions was found to be 36.5 (area under curve = 0.710, %95 confidence interval 0.606–0.815; P < 0.001). With the cut‐off point of ≥36.5, the sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of mild and severe adhesions were 74.4% and 40.5%, respectively.

Conclusion

Elastographic evaluation of the subcutaneous tissue stiffness of the cesarean incision scar might show the degree of intra‐abdominal adhesions at a repeat CS.
Dietary patterns in relation to gestational depression and sleep disturbance in Chinese pregnant women
Authors: Zhan Yongle , Ma Haihui , Feng Yahui , Wang Yawen , Wu Sansan , Cai Shuya , Shi Yingjie , Chen Yunli , Ma Liangkun , Jiang Yu
Published: October 2020

Aim

To investigate the association of dietary patterns with gestational depression and sleep disturbance.

Methods

Women in early pregnancy were recruited from the Chinese Pregnant Women Cohort Study (CPWCS) through July 25th, 2017 to November 26th, 2018, and eventually 7615 participants were included in this study. The qualitative food frequency questionnaire (Q‐FFQ), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to assess dietary, depression and sleep quality during pregnancy, respectively. Dietary patterns were derived by factor analysis. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of each outcome according to quartiles of each dietary pattern.

Results

Five dietary patterns were identified. Participants with the highest quartile in plant‐based pattern had a significantly lower likelihood of mental problems (OR: 95% CI for depression: 0.66, 0.55–0.79; sleep disturbance: 0.80, 0.68–0.93); Similar results were observed in vitamin‐rich pattern (OR: 95% CI for depression: 0.46, 0.38–0.55; sleep disturbance: 0.76, 0.65–0.89); However, contrary results were found in high‐fat pattern (OR: 95% CI for depression: 2.15, 1.25–1.85; sleep disturbance: 1.43, 1.22–1.67); In animal protein‐rich pattern, participants with the highest quartile had a decreased likelihood of depression (OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67–0.96). As for bean products pattern, participants with the highest quartile had an increased risk of depression (OR: 1.28, 95% CI:1.06–1.53). Interactions of dietary patterns and lifestyles on mental disorders were observed.

Conclusion

Dietary patterns were associated with gestational depression and sleep disturbance. Relevant departments and maternal and child health personnel should conduct health education for pregnant women and guide them to eat properly.
A workforce survey of critical care nurses in the National Health Service
Authors: Cutler Lee , Berry Andrea , Horsfield Claire
Published: October 2020

Aim

To measure key aspects of the critical care nursing workforce across the National Health Service (NHS) and compare these with recommended standards where they exist.

Background

The provision of high‐quality and safe critical care services is dependent on adequate numbers of highly skilled nurses. Understanding the issues and challenges within critical care services across the NHS is key to future planning and policy in this area.

Design

A stakeholder‐driven consensus development approach was adopted to design a workforce survey by members of the Critical Care National Network Nurse Leads (CC3N) Forum.

Methods

The survey was conducted across all the critical care units in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. Data were collated to enable presentation of descriptive statistics.

Results

Data returns were received from 240 of the 272 units in England and Northern Ireland. Scotland and Wales data were excluded from analysis and reporting. Differences in the sample and data returns limited comparison with the previous survey in some aspects. Stability was seen in vacancy and sickness rates. Improvements were seen in safe nurse: patient ratios, supernumerary “nurse in charge,” critical care outreach service cover, use of national competency framework, and agency use. Dependency on overseas nurses in some units remains high. Specialist critical care training levels in many units do not meet current required standards.

Conclusion

Clear improvements have been made. There is significant stability. Some challenges remain. Continued review of resource allocation is important in the coming years, as is policy and strategy to ensure recruitment, appropriate training, and support for staff well‐being.

Relevance to clinical practice

The reader will gain insight into the critical care nursing workforce in the NHS in England and Northern Ireland. The results are useful for nurses, nurse managers, and policymakers.
A major quantitative trait locus on chromosome A9, BnaPh1, controls homoeologous recombination in Brassica napus
Authors: Higgins Erin E. , Howell Elaine C. , Armstrong Susan J. , Parkin Isobel A. P.
Published: October 2020

Ensuring faithful homologous recombination in allopolyploids is essential to maintain optimal fertility of the species. Variation in the ability to control aberrant pairing between homoeologous chromosomes in Brassica napus has been identified. The current study exploited the extremes of such variation to identify genetic factors that differentiate newly resynthesised B. napus, which is inherently unstable, and established B. napus, which has adapted to largely control homoeologous recombination.

A segregating B. napus mapping population was analysed utilising both cytogenetic observations and high‐throughput genotyping to quantify the levels of homoeologous recombination.

Three quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified that contributed to the control of homoeologous recombination in the important oilseed crop B. napus. One major QTL on BnaA9 contributed between 32 and 58% of the observed variation. This study is the first to assess homoeologous recombination and map associated QTLs resulting from deviations in normal pairing in allotetraploid B. napus.

The identified QTL regions suggest candidate meiotic genes that could be manipulated in order to control this important trait and further allow the development of molecular markers to utilise this trait to exploit homoeologous recombination in a crop.
An evolutionary account of intermodality differences in statistical learning
Authors: Ordin Mikhail , Polyanskaya Leona , Samuel Arthur G.
Published: October 2020

The cognitive mechanisms underlying statistical learning are engaged for the purposes of speech processing and language acquisition. However, these mechanisms are shared by a wide variety of species that do not possess the language faculty. Moreover, statistical learning operates across domains, including nonlinguistic material. Ancient mechanisms for segmenting continuous sensory input into discrete constituents have evolved for general‐purpose segmentation of the environment and been readopted for processing linguistic input. Linguistic input provides a rich set of cues for the boundaries between sequential constituents. Such input engages a wider variety of more specialized mechanisms operating on these language‐specific cues, thus potentially reducing the role of conditional statistics in tokenizing a continuous linguistic stream. We provide an explicit within‐subject comparison of the utility of statistical learning in language versus nonlanguage domains across the visual and auditory modalities. The results showed that in the auditory modality statistical learning is more efficient with speech‐like input, while in the visual modality efficiency is higher with nonlanguage input. We suggest that the speech faculty has been important for individual fitness for an extended period, leading to the adaptation of statistical learning mechanisms for speech processing. This is not the case in the visual modality, in which linguistic material presents a less ecological type of sensory input.
What is the impact of food reformulation on individuals' behaviour, nutrient intakes and health status? A systematic review of empirical evidence
Authors: Gressier Mathilde , Swinburn Boyd , Frost Gary , Segal Alexa B. , Sassi Franco
Published: October 2020

Food reformulation aimed at improving the nutritional properties of food products has long been viewed as a promising public health strategy to tackle poor nutrition and obesity. This paper presents a review of the empirical evidence (i.e., modelling studies were excluded) on the impact of food reformulation on food choices, nutrient intakes and health status, based on a systematic search of Medline, Embase, Global Health and sources of grey literature. Fifty‐nine studies (in 35 papers) were included in the review. Most studies examined food choices (n = 27) and dietary intakes (n = 26). The nutrients most frequently studied were sodium (n = 32) and trans fatty acids (TFA, n = 13). Reformulated products were generally accepted and purchased by consumers, which led to improved nutrient intakes in 73% of studies. We also conducted two meta‐analyses showing, respectively, a −0.57 g/day (95%CI, −0.89 to −0.25) reduction in salt intake and an effect size for TFA intake reduction of −1.2 (95% CI, −1.79 to −0.61). Only six studies examined effects on health outcomes, with studies on TFA reformulation showing overall improvement in cardiovascular risk factors. For other nutrients, it remains unclear whether observed improvements in food choices or nutrient intakes may have led to an improvement in health outcomes.
An integrative analysis of genome‐wide methylation and expression in ameloblastoma: A pilot study
Authors: Pongpanich Monnat , Sanguansin Sirima , Kengkarn Sudaporn , Chaiwongkot Arkom , Klongnoi Boworn , Kitkumthorn Nakarin
Published: October 2020

Objective

DNA methylation regulates the expression of various genes involved in tumorigenesis. Ameloblastoma is a benign odontogenic jaw tumor. It is locally aggressive with a high level of recurrence. A delay in treatment can lead to severe facial disfigurement. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first integrated analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression in ameloblastoma with the aim to identify genes that may be regulated by DNA methylation.

Materials and Methods

We used an Infinium MethylationEPIC array to measure genome‐wide methylation and the Illumina HiSeq platform to obtain gene expression data in ameloblastoma tissues from five patients and dental follicles from three healthy subjects. An integration analysis was performed using City of Hope CpG Island Analysis Pipeline software.

Results

We identified 25,255 differentially methylated CpG sites and 17 differentially methylated CpG islands; six of the islands were negatively correlated with the expression of BAIAP2, DUSP6, FGFR2, FOXF2, NID2, and PAK6. Pyrosequencing and immunostaining techniques were further used to validate FGFR2, NID2, and PAK6.

Conclusions

This analysis identifies a group of novel genes that may be regulated by DNA methylation and will possibly lead to new insights into the pathology and invasion mechanism of ameloblastoma.
The use of omega‐3 fatty acids in the treatment of oral diseases
Authors: Azuma Mariane Maffei , Cardoso Carolina de Barros Morais , da Silva Cristiane Cantiga , de Oliveira Pedro Henrique Chaves , Jacinto Rogério de Castilho , Andrada Ana Cristina , Cintra Luciano Tavares Angelo
Published: October 2020

Omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω‐3 PUFAs) have been reported to exert important roles in the inflammatory response. There are many inflammatory diseases in dentistry which support the administration of ω‐3 PUFAs as an adjunct therapy during the treatment of these diseases. The aim of this review was to evaluate the use of ω‐3 PUFAs as an adjuvant therapy during the treatment of buccal diseases. The review showed that supplementation with ω‐3 PUFAs was used for treatment of gingivitis, periodontal diseases, apical periodontitis, stomatitis, and orthodontic tooth movement. The results indicate that ω‐3 PUFAs decreased the number of pro‐inflammatory mediators in the gingival tissues of individuals with gingivitis and periodontitis. In apical periodontitis, the supplementation suppressed bone resorption and promoted bone formation in the periapical area of rats. During orthodontic movement, the supplementation showed a decrease of bone resorption in rats. It also showed that painful symptoms of recurrent aphthous stomatitis were alleviated in supplemented patients. In conclusion, the ω‐3 PUFAs may be used as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of inflammatory diseases that affect the oral cavity. However, more studies are required to elucidate the role of ω‐3 PUFAs in decreasing oral cavity inflammatory processes.
Treadmill exercise testing improves diagnostic accuracy in children with concealed congenital long QT syndrome
Authors: Patel Trisha M. , Kamande Stanley M. , Jarosz Elizabeth , Bost James E. , Hanumanthaiah Sridhar , Berul Charles I. , Sherwin Elizabeth D. , Moak Jeffrey P.
Published: October 2020

Background

Resting electrocardiogram (ECG) identification of long QT syndrome (LQTS) has limitations. Uncertainty exists on how to classify patients with borderline prolonged QT intervals. We tested if exercise testing could help serve to guide which children with borderline prolonged QT intervals may be gene positive for LQTS.

Methods

Pediatric patients (n = 139) were divided into three groups: Controls (n = 76), gene positive LQTS with borderline QTc (n = 21), and gene negative patients with borderline QTc (n = 42). Borderline QTc was defined between 440‐470 (male) and 440‐480 (female) ms. ECGs were recorded supine, sitting, and standing. Patients then underwent treadmill stress testing with Bruce protocol followed by a 9‐minute recovery phase.

Results

Supine resting QTc, age, and Schwartz score for the three groups were: (a) gene positive: 446 ± 23 ms, 12.4 ± 3.4 years old, 3.2 ± 1.8; (b) gene negative: 445 ± 20 ms, 12.1 ± 2 years old, 2.0 ± 1.2; and (c) control: 400 ± 24 ms, 15.0 ± 3 years old. The three groups could be differentiated by their QTc response at two time points: standing and recovery phase at 6 minutes. Standing QTc ≥460 ms differentiated borderline prolonged QTc patients (gene positive and gene negative) from controls. Late recovery QTc ≥480 ms distinguished gene positive from gene negative patients.

Conclusion

Exercise stress testing can be useful to identify children who are gene positive borderline LQTS from a normal population and gene negative borderline QTc children, allowing for selective gene testing in a higher risk group of patients with borderline QTc intervals and intermediate Schwartz scores.
Sovereign default, political instability and political fragmentation
Authors: Cusato Novelli Antonio
Published: October 2020

This paper studies sovereign borrowing and default in an economy in which self‐interested political parties bargain over the budget and there is political turnover. The model generates an endogenous distribution of resources that depends on borrowing decisions, and policymakers become short‐sighted. The party in power, as well as the coalition members, obtain a higher share of aggregate consumption as leverage increases. Very small changes in these shares generate non‐negligible shifts in the default/repayment sets. This mechanism provides an explanation for why governments increase their leverage and default more frequently, in comparison to a model with a constant distribution of resources.
Business Cycles Synchronisation and Symmetries in the Transition to East African Monetary Union
Authors: Garang Aweng Peter Majok , Erkekoglu Hatice
Published: October 2020

Our paper explores the prospects for the proposed East African Monetary Union (EAMU) by employing rigorous empirical tools to analyse business cycles synchronisation, structural cross‐correlations, spectral decomposition and regional clusters to identify different cyclical episodes, periodicities and characterise the economic cycles of East African countries. We find that cyclical movements reflect various idiosyncratic, common, historical and external shocks in the region. Secondly, all countries appear to be structurally correlated with each other except for South Sudan and Burundi. Our results also observe that the contemporaneous co‐movements of East African Community (EAC) cycles with those of Kenya and Tanzaniaare procyclical with coincidental path shift, while the same EAC cycles appear to be acyclical with those of Burundi. Additionally, from the spectral decomposition, Kenyan cycles take 10 years to complete, while those of Tanzania and Rwanda take 8 years. Ugandan and Burundian cycles take approximately 5 years, while the cyclical frequency for South Sudan corresponds to 3.3 years. Finally, the cluster characterisation of countries reveals that South Sudan, Burundi and Rwanda form a group, while Kenya and Tanzania from a group distinct from the rest. We urge the member countries to prioritise policies on regional risk‐sharing and adjustment mechanisms, in addition to establishing credible institutional infrastructure that ensures surveillance and enforcement of convergence conditions adopted in EAMU protocol.
Family members’ expressions of dignity in palliative care: a qualitative study
Authors: Sandgren Anna , Axelsson Lena , Bylund‐Grenklo Tove , Benzein Eva
Published: October 2020

Living and dying with dignity are fundamental values in palliative care, not only for the patient but also for family members. Although dignity has been studied from the different perspectives of patients in need of palliative care and their family members, family members’ thoughts and feelings of dignity have not been given sufficient attention. Therefore, the aim was to describe family members’ expressions of dignity in palliative care. The study had a qualitative design; semi‐structured individual interviews were conducted with 15 family members of patients in palliative care in a county with a specialist palliative advisory team. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. The results showed that family members’ expressions of dignity are multifaceted and complex. For family members in palliative care, dignity means living as a respected human being in relation to oneself and others. Dignity also includes being able to maintain one’s identity, feeling connected to significant others, and being comfortable with the new situation. Two contextual aspects affect family members’ dignity: the two‐headed paradox and reciprocal impact. The two‐headed paradox means that family members want to stay close to and care for the ill person, at the same time want to escape the situation, but when they escape, they want to be close again. Reciprocal impact means that family members’ feelings and experiences of the situation are closely intertwined with those of the ill person. These results may increase healthcare professionals’ understanding and be used in dignified care practices that do not threaten, but instead aim to preserve family members’ sense of dignity.
A points of interest matching method using a multivariate weighting function with gradient descent optimization
Authors: Zhou Yang , Wang Mingjun , Zhang Chen , Ren Fu , Ma Xiangyuan , Du Qingyun
Published: October 2020

Volunteered geographic information contains abundant valuable data, which can be applied to various spatiotemporal geographical analyses. While the useful information may be distributed in different, low‐quality data sources, this issue can be solved by data integration. Generally, the primary task of integration is data matching. Unfortunately, due to the complexity and irregularities of multi‐source data, existing studies have found it difficult to efficiently establish the correspondence between different sources. Therefore, we present a multi‐stage method to match multi‐source data using points of interest. A spatial filter is constructed to obtain candidate sets for geographical entities. The weights of non‐spatial characteristics are examined by a machine learning‐related algorithm with artificially labeled random samples. A case study on Fuzhou reveals that an average of 95% of instances are accurately matched. Thus, our study provides a novel solution for researchers who are engaged in data mining and related work to accurately match multi‐source data via knowledge obtained by the idea and methods of machine learning.