bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal evolution and spatial relevance of urban resilience: Evidence from cities of China
Authors: Shi Tao , Qiao Yurong , Zhou Qian
Published: September 2021

Based on 2012–2017 panel data of 282 China’s cities, this paper uses the entropy method to calculate an urban resilience index, uses spatial cold–hot spots model to explore spatial characteristics of urban resilience, uses revised the gravity model to construct urban resilience spatial network characteristics, and uses the social network analysis method to analyze spatial network characteristics of urban resilience. The results show that: (1) Urban resilience of China’s cities has been gradually improved, and there is a geographical aggregation effect, with significant changes in hot spots and insignificant changes in cold spots. (2) Urban resilience has obvious spatial correlation and linkage effects and strong temporal fluctuation. The cities with higher degree centrality and closeness centrality are consistent in spatial distribution, mostly located in Bohai Rim, Pan‐Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and some central regions. The centrality obviously shows non‐equilibrium in spatial distribution. The cities with high centrality are mostly provincial capitals. (3) The “club effect” has not yet been reflected in the urban resilience spatial network, and the advantages of different regions are obviously different. Therefore, it is necessary to face up to the spatial difference of urban development and enhance the diversity and pertinence of urban resilience construction.
Evidence‐based clinical practice guidelines for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis 2020
Authors: Tokushige Katsutoshi , Ikejima Kenichi , Ono Masafumi , Eguchi Yuichiro , Kamada Yoshihiro , Itoh Yoshito , Akuta Norio , Yoneda Masato , Iwasa Motoh , Yoneda Masashi , Otsuka Motoyuki , Tamaki Nobuharu , Kogiso Tomomi , Miwa Hiroto , Chayama Kazuaki , Enomoto Nobuyuki , Shimosegawa Tooru , Takehara Tetsuo , Koike Kazuhiko
Published: September 2021

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a serious public health issue not only in Western countries but also in Japan. Within the wide spectrum of NAFLD, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive form of disease that often develops into liver cirrhosis and increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While a definite diagnosis of NASH requires liver biopsy to confirm the presence of hepatocyte ballooning, hepatic fibrosis is the most important prognostic factor in NAFLD. With so many NAFLD patients, it is essential to have an effective screening method for NAFLD with hepatic fibrosis. As HCC with non‐viral liver disease has increased markedly in Japan, effective screening and surveillance of HCC are also urgently needed. The most common death etiology in NAFLD patients is cardiovascular disease event. Gastroenterologists must, therefore, pay close attention to CVD when examining NAFLD patients. In the updated guidelines, we propose screening and follow‐up methods for hepatic fibrosis, HCC, and CVD in NAFLD patients. Several drug trials are ongoing for NAFLD/NASH therapy, however, there is currently no specific drug therapy for NAFLD/NASH. In addition to vitamin E and thiazolidinedione derivatives, recent trials have focused on sodium glucose co‐transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) analogues, and effective therapies are expected to be developed. These practical guidelines for NAFLD/NASH were established by the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology in conjunction with the Japan Society of Hepatology. Clinical evidence reported internationally between 1983 and October 2018 was collected, and each clinical and background question was evaluated using the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. This English summary pro‐ vides the core essentials of these clinical practice guidelines, which include the definition and concept, screening systems for hepatic fibrosis, HCC and CVD, and current therapies for NAFLD/NASH in Japan.
Association between the albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) score and severity of portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH): A data‐mining analysis
Authors: Kawaguchi Takumi , Honda Akihiro , Sugiyama Yoichi , Nakano Dan , Tsutsumi Tsubasa , Tahara Nobuhiro , Torimura Takuji , Fukumoto Yoshihiro
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) is a severe complication of chronic liver disease. We aimed to investigate the etiology of chronic liver disease and the factors associated with the severity of PoPH.

Subjects and Methods

Echocardiography was undergone in 833 patients with chronic liver disease during 2005–2019 and 13 patients (1.6%) were diagnosed with PoPH in this observational study. At the diagnosis of PoPH, liver function was evaluated by albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) score. Severe PoPH was defined as (1) mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥50 mmHg or (2) mPAP: 35–49 mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistance ≥400 dyne/s/cm5. Factors associated with severe PoPH were evaluated by decision‐tree analysis.

Results

In patients with PoPH, the leading etiology of chronic liver disease was hepatitis C virus (HCV) (46.2% [sustained virological response (SVR): 23.1% and non‐SVR: 15.4%]). Severe PoPH was observed in 53.8% of patients and the 5‐year survival rate was 48.1%. There was a significant correlation of mPAP with ALBI score (r = 0.6456, p = 0.0171). In the decision‐tree and random forest analyses, the most impacted classifier for severe PoPH was the ALBI score. In patients with ALBI score ≥−1.45, all patients showed severe PoPH, while the prevalence of severe PoPH was 25.0% in patients with ALBI score <−1.45.

Conclusions

We found that HCV including SVR was the major etiology of chronic liver disease in patients with PoPH. Moreover, we revealed that the ALBI score was the most impacted factor associated with severe PoPH. Thus, ALBI score may be useful for the estimation of pulmonary vascular resistance.
When a threatened species becomes a threat: a key to reading the Habitats Directive based on occurrence and distribution of Cerambyx cerdo L. in Mediterranean urban and peri‐urban areas
Authors: Mannu Roberto , Torres‐Vila Luis M. , Olivieri Maurizio , Lentini Andrea
Published: September 2021

Cerambyx cerdo is a large saproxylic species included in the Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive as a ‘priority species’.

Although C. cerdo populations have shown a significant decline in size and distribution in central and northern European forests, in the Mediterranean basin it is often considered as a pest in urban and peri‐urban areas.

Based on European legislations currently in use, we propose a simplified decision‐making flowchart that should be followed regarding the adoption of different control measures against severe C. cerdo infestations.
The role of Bruton's tyrosine kinase in the immune system and disease
Authors: McDonald Charlotte , Xanthopoulos Charalampos , Kostareli Efterpi
Published: September 2021

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a TEC kinase with a multifaceted role in B‐cell biology and function, highlighted by its position as a critical component of the B‐cell receptor signalling pathway. Due to its role as a therapeutic target in several haematological malignancies including chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, BTK has been gaining tremendous momentum in recent years. Within the immune system, BTK plays a part in numerous pathways and cells beyond B cells (i.e. T cells, macrophages). Not surprisingly, BTK has been elucidated to be a driving factor not only in lymphoproliferative disorders but also in autoimmune diseases and response to infection. To extort this role, BTK inhibitors such as ibrutinib have been developed to target BTK in other diseases. However, due to rising levels of resistance, the urgency to develop new inhibitors with alternative modes of targeting BTK is high. To meet this demand, an expanding list of BTK inhibitors is currently being trialled. In this review, we synopsize recent discoveries regarding BTK and its role within different immune cells and pathways. Additionally, we discuss the broad significance and relevance of BTK for various diseases ranging from haematology and rheumatology to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Overall, BTK signalling and its targetable nature have emerged as immensely important for a wide range of clinical applications. The development of novel, more specific and less toxic BTK inhibitors could be revolutionary for a significant number of diseases with yet unmet treatment needs.
The effects of changes in temperature and salinity on the quality of shells selected by the hermit crab Pagurus longicarpus
Authors: Gilliand Sarah , Pechenik Jan A. , Clark Daria
Published: September 2021

Intertidal zones are highly dynamic environments. At low tide, temperatures and salinities in intertidal tide pools can change substantially and quickly, depending on the weather conditions on a given day and the volume of water in the pools. As we begin to feel the effects of climate change more strongly, conditions in tide pools will likely become even more extreme. The long‐wristed hermit crab Pagurus longicarpus can be found intertidally and subtidally along the Atlantic coast of North America from Nova Scotia to Florida, as well as along the Gulf coast. At low tide, they can often be found in tide pools. We tested the effects of temperature, salinity and their combination on the ability of hermit crabs to select high‐quality shells of appropriate size over relatively small shells and shells that had been drilled by predatory snails. Exposing hermit crabs to a temperature of 33°C and a salinity of 40 ppt after a gradual increase from 21°C and 30 ppt had the greatest effect on the quality of shells occupied by the hermit crabs over the next 24 h, compared with shells occupied by hermit crabs that remained at the control temperature and salinity of 21°C and 30 ppt. Changing the temperature and salinity to 30°C and 40 ppt also had a noticeable effect on shell choice, as did increasing the temperature alone to 33°C. Our results suggest that as the planet warms and precipitation patterns change, intertidal hermit crabs of the species P. longicarpus will likely more often be found occupying shells that are damaged or not of an appropriate size, leaving the hermit crabs more exposed to predation, desiccation and other stressors.
Population structure, habitat preferences, feeding strategies, and diet of the brittle star Ophiopholis aculeata in nearshore and offshore habitats of the northwest Atlantic
Authors: Volage Fanny , Hamel Jean‐François , Mercier Annie
Published: September 2021

Ophiopholis aculeata is a ubiquitous brittle star (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) known to occur from the upper subtidal to the bathyal zone. Individuals from shallow inshore habitats (rhodolith beds and rock fields) and deeper offshore locations in eastern Canada were studied to assess the population structure, habitat selection, diet, and feeding strategies of this species through use of stable isotope analyses, gut contents, and laboratory experiments. Potential drivers of habitat selection such as depth, light conditions, body size, sex, intraspecific competition, and presence of predators were examined. This study highlighted variable population size structures and abundances as well as diversified food sources and feeding strategies (i.e., suspension and deposit feeding, scavenging, predation on live organisms, and even cannibalism) as a function of native depth and habitat. It also revealed that studies on the feeding biology of brittle stars must carefully consider sex and life stage as driving factors.
Embedded Bilateralism, Integration Theory, and European Crisis Politics: France, Germany, and the Birth of the EU Corona Recovery Fund*
Authors: Krotz Ulrich , Schramm Lucas
Published: September 2021

What explains the creation of the EU corona recovery fund? Why did the Union agree on a large‐scale financial response to the corona pandemic, despite member states' very different immediate reactions to the crisis and their opposing attitudes towards common debt? This article argues for the decisiveness of France and Germany's role within the Union and their tight bilateral political cooperation. The ‘embedded bilateralism’ approach to European integration and EU politics explains how and why France and Germany, starting from different poles, came together and established joint positions, paving the way for an overall European compromise. Focusing on these two countries' particular leadership role advances the theoretical debate about the actors most crucial for driving European integration, especially in times of severe crisis.
Synergistic association of the copper/zinc ratio under inflammatory conditions with diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes: The Asahi Diabetes Complications Study
Authors: Takao Toshiko , Yanagisawa Hiroyuki , Suka Machi , Yoshida Yoko , Onishi Yukiko , Tahara Tazu , Kikuchi Takako , Kushiyama Akifumi , Anai Motonobu , Takahashi Kazuyuki , Wakabayashi Sugawa Sayaka , Yamazaki Hiroki , Kawazu Shoji , Iwamoto Yasuhiko , Noda Mitsuhiko , Kasuga Masato
Published: September 2021

Aims/Introduction

We aimed to study the relationships among the copper (Cu)/zinc (Zn) ratio, inflammatory biomarkers, and the prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

A cross‐sectional study was performed on 651 patients with type 2 diabetes. DKD was defined as a urinary albumin‐to‐creatinine ratio of ≥30 mg/g creatinine and/or an estimated glomerular filtration rate using cystatin C of < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Areas under the curves (AUCs), cutoff values, and thresholds for detecting DKD were determined for the Cu/Zn ratio, soluble tumor necrosis factor‐α receptor 1 (sTNFαR1), and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP). Patients were categorized by each cutoff value of sTNFαR1 and the Cu/Zn ratio. Odds ratios (ORs) and biological interactions for the prevalence of DKD were determined.

Results

DKD was identified in 220 patients. AUC/optimal cutoff values were 0.777/1300 pg/mL for sTNFαR1, 0.603/1.1648 for the Cu/Zn ratio, and 0.582/305 ng/mL for hsCRP. The ORs for DKD were higher, but not significantly, in the sTNFαR1 < 1300 and Cu/Zn ≥ 1.1648 group, significantly higher in the sTNFαR1 ≥ 1300 and Cu/Zn < 1.1648 group (P < 0.0001), and further synergistically elevated in the sTNFαR1 ≥ 1300 and Cu/Zn ≥ 1.1648 group (P < 0.0001) compared with the sTNFαR1 < 1300 and Cu/Zn < 1.1648 group after multivariable adjustment. Levels of sTNFαR1 were significantly higher in the sTNFαR1 ≥ 1300 and Cu/Zn ≥ 1.1648 group than in the sTNFαR1 ≥ 1300 and Cu/Zn < 1.1648 group (P = 0.0006).

Conclusions

Under an inflammatory initiation signal of elevated serum sTNFαR1 levels, an increase in the Cu/Zn ratio may further exacerbate inflammation and is synergistically associated with a high prevalence of DKD in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Species divergence and repeated ancient hybridization in a Sulawesian lake system
Authors: Mandagi Ixchel F. , Kakioka Ryo , Montenegro Javier , Kobayashi Hirozumi , Masengi Kawilarang W. A. , Inomata Nobuyuki , Nagano Atsushi J. , Toyoda Atsushi , Ansai Satoshi , Matsunami Masatoshi , Kimura Ryosuke , Kitano Jun , Kusumi Junko , Yamahira Kazunori
Published: September 2021

An increasing volume of empirical studies demonstrated that hybridization between distant lineages may have promoted speciation in various taxa. However, the timing, extent and direction of introgressive hybridization remain unknown in many cases. Here, we report a possible case in which repeated hybridization promoted divergence of Oryzias ricefishes (Adrianichthyidae) on Sulawesi, an island of Wallacea. Four Oryzias species are endemic to the Malili Lake system in central Sulawesi, which is composed of five tectonic lakes; of these, one lake is inhabited by two species. Morphological and population genomic analyses of genome‐wide single‐nucleotide polymorphisms revealed that these two sympatric species are phylogenetically sister to but substantially reproductively isolated from each other. Analyses of admixture and comparison of demographic models revealed that the two sympatric species experienced several substantial introgressions from outgroup populations that probably occurred soon after they had secondary contact with each other in the lake. However, the ratio of migrants from the outgroups was estimated to be different between the two species, which is consistent with the hypothesis that these introgressions aided their divergence or prevented them from forming a hybrid swarm. Repeated lake fragmentations and fusions may have promoted diversification of this freshwater fish species complex that is endemic to this ancient lake system.
The benefit of being public: Evidence from survival analysis of corporate financing
Authors: Yoshida Takashi
Published: September 2021

This study empirically investigates the most typical benefit of being public (i.e., having listed firm status), namely, ease of financing. Applying the Cox proportional hazards model to the data of Japanese public and private firms from 1999 to 2011, I find that being public enhances a firm's responsiveness of debt issuance, debt retirement, and equity increase to the deviation of the actual leverage from the estimated target leverage. I argue that the enhancement in the responsiveness of these financing decisions provides evidence on the ease of financing that results from being public.
Moisture diffusivity, hardness, gelatinization temperature, and thermodynamic properties of ultrasound assisted soaking process of cowpea
Authors: Yıldırım Ali
Published: September 2021

This study describes the combined effect of ultrasound and temperature on water absorption of cowpea kernel during soaking process. The process was made at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90°C in water absorption conditions named control (without ultrasound) and ultrasound treatment (40 kHz, 200 W; 50% and 100% amplitude). Fick's second diffusion model for water absorption and asymptotic first order texture model for hardness together with Arrhenius and Eyring–Polanyi approaches were successfully used to evaluate effective moisture diffusivity coefficient (Deff), texture degradation coefficient (kF), gelatinization temperature, and thermodynamic properties of cowpea during soaking process. The models fitted the experimental data satisfactorily with R2 > 0.99, RMSE < 0.09 and X2 < 0.0137. Ultrasound treatment (50% and 100% amplitudes) and temperature increased significantly (p ≤ .05) the Deff and kF of cowpeas during soaking process. Average gelatinization temperature of cowpea from the Fick's and Asymptotic first order texture models together with Arrhenius equations was found as 68.5°C. Negative values of enthalpy, entropy, and increase of Gibbs free energy changes with increasing temperature and ultrasound treatment confirming the effect of temperature and ultrasound on effective moisture diffusivity of cowpea during soaking. Moisture content, harness, Deff, kF and thermodynamic properties of cowpea during soaking process were affected by both the temperature and ultrasound amplitude, which means shortening the soaking and cooking time of cowpea.

Practical applications

The results of this study could be assisted to industrial producers of cowpea in understanding of heat and mass transfer phenomena during ultrasound‐assisted hydration process of cowpea kernel in soaking, cooking, wet milling, fermentation, formulation of meals, and storage processes.
Similar mortality risk in incident cognitive impairment and dementia: Evidence from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial
Authors: Lin Xiaoping , Banaszak‐Holl Jane , Xie Jing , Ward Stephanie A. , Brodaty Henry , Storey Elsdon , Shah Raj C. , Murray Anne , Ryan Joanne , Orchard Suzanne G. , Fitzgerald Sharyn M. , McNeil John J.
Published: September 2021

Background

This study examined the risk of mortality in older adults with newly detected cognitive impairment or dementia.

Methods

Data from the Australian cohort of the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial were examined. The ASPREE clinical trial compared daily low‐dose aspirin to a placebo and involved 16,703 individuals aged 70 years and over, who were without major cognitive impairment, physical disability, or cardiovascular disease at recruitment. During the trial, evidence of cognitive impairment, based on cognitive testing and medical record information, triggered dementia adjudication of participants using DSM‐IV criteria. Cox proportional hazard models were used to compare mortality rates across the dementia, trigger‐only, and no‐trigger groups.

Results

Over a median 4.7‐year follow‐up period, 806 participants triggered dementia adjudication, with 485 (60.2%) judged to have dementia. Following recruitment, mortality risks were 32.9, 33.6, and 10.8 events per 1000 person‐years in the dementia, trigger‐no‐dementia, and no‐trigger groups, respectively. In the fully adjusted model, mortality risks remained higher in the dementia and trigger‐no‐dementia groups, with hazard ratios of 1.7 (95% CI: 1.3–2.1) and 1.9 (95% CI: 1.5–2.6), respectively. There was no discernible difference between the dementia and trigger‐no‐dementia groups in mortality rates following recruitment, or following a dementia trigger. These two groups were more likely to die from sepsis, respiratory disease, and dementia, but less likely to die from cancer than the no‐trigger group, χ2 = 161.5, p < 0.001.

Conclusion

ASPREE participants who triggered for a dementia evaluation experienced a substantially higher mortality rate than those who remained cognitively intact. The increase was indistinguishable among persons who met DSM‐IV criteria for dementia vs. those who triggered for a dementia evaluation but failed to meet DSM‐IV criteria. Future work should investigate whether earlier detection of cognitive decline can be used to identify and prevent early mortality.
Integrating vehicle‐to‐grid technology into energy system models: Novel methods and their impact on greenhouse gas emissions
Authors: Wang Zongfei , Jochem Patrick , Yilmaz Hasan Ümitcan , Xu Lei
Published: September 2021

The electrification of the transport sector plays a key role in the global energy transition and it is of great necessity to assess emissions induced by electric vehicles in the long term for effective policy‐making. Typical life cycle assessment may not consider the impact of electric vehicle integration in future electricity systems adequately, or the time‐dependent characteristics of electricity generation mix and EV charging patterns. The solution requires modeling methods to integrate electric vehicle into energy system models, especially with vehicle‐to‐grid option. However, relevant methods have not been evaluated, yet. This integration is mathematically ambitious especially for huge and heterogeneous fleets of electric vehicles and brings energy system models to their computational limits. So far, current studies have proposed several aggregation methods for the load from electric vehicle charging, which simplify the original problem but may provoke bias. In our contribution, we propose a novel method of integrating vehicle‐to‐grid compliant electric vehicles into energy system models and demonstrate its feasibility by comparing it with two recent others from the literature. Taking the performance of the individual modeling method as the benchmark, we improve one of the two methods from the literature with updated parameters and additional constraints. We apply all three aggregation methods in a simple energy system model for comparing and analyzing their performances from multiple aspects, that is, solution accuracy, computational complexity, parameter requirement, and their impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, we discuss the reasons behind the differences and give recommendations for further research.
The Power of Phenotype: Toward an Ethnography of Pigmentocracy in Andean Bolivia
Authors: Ravindran Tathagatan
Published: September 2021

Anti‐Indigenous racism has predominantly been understood in Latin America through the lens of culture, epistemology, and embodied nonphenotypical traits. Phenotype‐based discrimination is an underemphasized aspect of race in the region, especially in spaces with a high Indigenous population. This article ethnographically captures the distinct forms in which Indigenous people are racialized for phenotypical traits in Andean Bolivia, with a special focus on three interrelated spheres: the labor market, everyday social interactions, and intimate relations/kinship. It reveals how phenotype‐based racialization generates representations, structures access to resources, and influences processes of socioeconomic mobility. Moreover, the fluidity of systems of racial classification in Latin America leads to phenotype‐based discrimination receding in some contexts but resurfacing in others, thereby making it more formidable. The article also highlights the intersection of race and gender in the pigmentocratic structuring of the social order.
Serum beta‐secretase 1 (BACE1) activity increases in patients with mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Zuliani Giovanni , Trentini Alessandro , Brombo Gloria , Rosta Valentina , Guasti Patrizia , Romagnoli Tommaso , Polastri Michele , Marabini Lisa , Pedrini Dario , Pistolesi Chiara , Pacifico Salvatore , Guerrini Remo , Seripa Davide , Cervellati Carlo
Published: September 2021

Beta‐secretase 1 (BACE1) is considered as the key enzyme in amyloid‐β formation. Previous works suggest that high BACE1 activity may be present in brain, cerebrospinal fluid and serum of patients with late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) as well as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Therefore, we evaluated whether serum BACE1 activity increases in MCI patients and is associated with the progression from MCI to dementia. BACE1 activity was measured in the serum of 259 MCI patients (162 amnestic—aMCI, 97 non‐amnestic—naMCI) and 204 healthy Controls. After a median follow‐up of 32 months (range: 10–153), 116 MCI progressed to dementia (87 aMCI and 29 naMCI). Serum BACE1 activity was higher in MCI compared with Controls (p < 0.001), and in aMCI with brain atrophy compared with naMCI without brain atrophy (p = 0.04). No difference in BACE1 activity emerged between converter and non‐converter MCI, and this was true for both aMCI and naMCI. However, among aMCI with better cognitive performance (n. 163, MMSE score ≥24/30) those converting to dementia had higher BACE1 activity compared to stable ones (p = 0.05). This was not associated with an increased risk to develop dementia (hazard ratio: 1.65; 95% confidence interval: 0.67–4.01). In conclusion, serum BACE1 activity significantly increased in MCI patients (both amnestic and non‐amnestic) compared with Controls. Moreover, higher serum BACE1 activity was observed only among aMCI with a better cognitive performance who progressed to dementia, suggesting that a dysregulation of this enzyme might be an early event primarily associated with neurodegeneration.

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Assessment of apathy in neurological patients using the Apathy Motivation Index caregiver version
Authors: Klar Verena S. , Ang Yuen‐Siang , Lockwood Patricia , Attaallah Bahaaeddin , Dickson Shannon , Drew Daniel , Kienast Annika , Maio Maria R. , Plant Olivia , Slavkova Elitsa , Toniolo Sofia , Zambellas Rhea , Irani Sarosh R. , Husain Masud
Published: September 2021

Apathy is a common, disabling neuropsychiatric syndrome that occurs across many brain disorders and may be associated with diminished motivation in behavioural, cognitive, emotional and social domains. Assessment is complicated by the variability of symptoms across apathy domains and self‐report from patients, which can be misleading due to their lack of insight. Independent evaluation by clinicians also has limitations though if it has to be performed with limited time. Caregiver reports are a viable alternative, but current assessments for them either do not distinguish between different apathy domains or are interview‐based and take long to administer. In this study, we developed a brief caregiver questionnaire version of the recently developed Apathy Motivation Index (AMI), which is a self‐report tool. We confirmed three apathy factors in this new caregiver measure (AMI‐CG) that were also present in the AMI: Behavioural Activation, Emotional Sensitivity and Social Motivation. Furthermore, we validated the scores against more extensive caregiver interviews using the established Lillle apathy rating scale as well as patient self‐reports of apathy, measures of depression, anhedonia, cognition, activities of daily living and caregiver burden across four different neurological conditions: Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, subjective cognitive impairment and limbic encephalitis. The AMI‐CG showed good internal reliability, external validity and diagnostic accuracy. It also uncovered cases of social apathy overlooked by traditional instruments. Crucially, patients who under‐rated their apathy compared to informants were more likely to have difficulties performing everyday activities and to be a greater burden to caregivers. The findings provide evidence for a multidimensional conceptualization of apathy and an instrument for efficient detection of apathy based on caregiver reports for use in clinical practice.
Whole genome sequencing reveals a complex introgression history and the basis of adaptation to subarctic climate in wild sheep
Authors: Upadhyay Maulik , Kunz Elisabeth , Sandoval‐Castellanos Edson , Hauser Andreas , Krebs Stefan , Graf Alexander , Blum Helmut , Dotsev Arsen , Okhlopkov Innokentiy , Shakhin Alexey , Bagirov Vugar , Brem Gottfried , Fries Ruedi , Zinovieva Natalia , Medugorac Ivica
Published: September 2021

To predict species responses to anthropogenic disturbances and climate change, it is reasonable to use species with high sensitivity to such factors. Snow sheep (Ovis nivicola) could represent a good candidate for this; as the only large herbivore species adapted to the cold and alpine habitats of northeastern Siberia, it plays a crucial role in its ecosystem. Despite having an extensive geographical distribution among all ovine species, it is one of the least studied. In this study, we sequenced and analysed six genomes of snow sheep in combination with all other wild sheep species to infer key aspects of their evolutionary history and unveil the genetic basis of their adaptation to subarctic environments. Despite their large census population size, snow sheep genomes showed remarkably low heterozygosity, which could reflect the effect of isolation and historical bottlenecks that we inferred using the pairwise sequential Markovian coalescent and runs of homozygosity. F4‐statistics indicated instances of introgression involving snow sheep with argali (Ovis ammon) and Dall (Ovis dalli) sheep, suggesting that these species might have been more widespread during the Pleistocene. Furthermore, the introgressed segments, which were identified using mainly minimum relative node depth, covered genes associated with immunity, adipogenesis and morphology‐related traits, representing potential targets of adaptive introgression. Genes related to mitochondrial functions and thermogenesis associated with adipose tissue were identified to be under selection. Overall, our data suggest introgression as a mechanism facilitating adaptation in wild sheep species and provide insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying cold adaptation in snow sheep.
Pelvic floor biofeedback is an effective treatment for severe bloating in disorders of gut‐brain interaction with outlet dysfunction
Authors: Iovino Paola , Neri Maria Cristina , D'Alba Lucia , Santonicola Antonella , Chiarioni Giuseppe
Published: September 2021

Background

The pathophysiology of bloating is partially understood. We investigated in patients with disorders of gut‐brain interaction (DGBI) the relationship between severity of bloating, abdominal girth changes and defecation pattern, and the efficacy of pelvic floor biofeedback treatment on bloating.

Methods

Disorders of gut‐brain interaction patients with severe bloating as the main complaint were prescribed 2 weeks dietary advice and underwent abdominal girth measurements. At the first visit, all patients underwent a questionnaire on the subjective improvement of bloating, a (0–100) VAS abdominal bloating, and abdominal girth measurement. Patients reporting inadequate bloating relief underwent a standardized balloon expulsion test. Furthermore, they were invited to undergo pelvic floor electromyography and biofeedback treatment previously used for constipation due to dyssynergic defecation. The primary outcome was bloating improvement on a 5‐point Likert scale. The secondary outcomes were the effect of diet intervention and pelvic floor biofeedback treatment on bloating severity and quality of life changes as well as the effect of pelvic floor biofeedback treatment on BET and EMG on straining.

Key results

One hundred and fifty six patients (129 F, 39.3 ± 11.7 mean age) completed the 2‐week run‐in period. 105 patients were diet non‐responder and underwent balloon expulsion test, with the vast majority (64%) failing the test. Patients who scored higher bloating on VAS had a significant association with failed balloon expulsion test (adjusted B 0.4 [95% CI 10.8–25.7], p < 0.0001). 63% agreed to perform pelvic floor biofeedback treatment at Verona center, 54% became responders reporting fair or major improvement/cure (ITT analysis, McNemar test, p < 0.0001), and all of them showed a 50% decrease in bloating severity.

Conclusions and Inferences

Disordered defecation is a prevalent etiology in DGBI patients with bloating unresponsive to conservative measures; pelvic floor biofeedback treatment to improve the defecation effort significantly relieved bloating (http://www.isrctn.com, ISRCTN17004079).
Corneal power values for use with keratoprostheses and intraocular lenses
Authors: Simpson Michael J
Published: September 2021

Purpose

To specify a keratoprosthesis (KPro) power value for use with an intraocular lens (IOL).

Methods

Raytracing software was used to determine the imaging properties of both the natural cornea and conceptual KPro designs, and IOL power calculation methods were reviewed. Traditional calculations use ‘thick lens’ models for the overall eye, while also using ‘thin lens’ approximations for the cornea and IOL. The power of the natural cornea acts approximately at the apex, although this is unlikely to be the case for a KPro. The IOL location is determined using an empirical adjustment that is calculated from clinical results for natural eyes.

Results

The use of a KPro has a similar optical effect to corneal refractive surgery, where the cornea no longer matches the original eye. A modification of the ‘double‐K’ calculation method can be used by specifying the KPro effective power at the original corneal apex, but still estimating the postoperative IOL location using the original corneal power. The KPro power is measured by assembling the KPro with fluid and a window to simulate the way it is used, recording the best focus power at room temperature with a 3 mm diameter aperture, rescaling to the in situ power at 35°C using refractive index changes, and then rescaling again to the power expected relative to the original corneal apex. When expressed as a K value, a keratometer refractive index of 1.332 is proposed. If necessary, clinical results may be used later to make empirical adjustments to the calculation method.

Conclusions

A KPro power can be specified relative to the expected location of the original corneal apex using a keratometer index of 1.332. A double‐K calculation can then be used to determine the correct KPro and IOL power values for a pseudophakic eye.
Retirement intention of older workers: The influences of high‐involvement work practices, individual characteristics, and economic environment
Authors: Jiang Kaifeng , Zhang Zhen , Hu Jia , Liu Guangjian
Published: September 2021

Research on retirement decisions has invited studies to examine how personal, work‐related, and environmental factors interplay to affect older workers’ retirement decisions. Drawing upon the person‐environment fit framework, we proposed a negative relationship between high‐involvement work practices (HIWPs) and older workers’ retirement intention. We further developed hypotheses regarding the moderating effects of gender, age, educational level, managerial status, and external economic environment on the relationship between HIWPs and retirement intention. We tested the hypotheses using a sample of 754,856 employees aged 50 and over from 360 U.S. government agencies participating in the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey from 2006 to 2015. The results, based on mixed effect logit regressions and cross‐classified modeling, indicated that older workers’ experience of HIWPs had a negative relationship with their retirement intention, and the negative relationship was stronger for older male workers, older workers aged 50–59 years, older workers without a bachelor's degree, and non‐managerial older workers than for older female workers, those aged 60 years or over, those with a bachelor's degree, and those with managerial responsibilities, respectively. Moreover, the results showed that the negative HIWPs‐retirement intention relationship has become stronger since the Great Recession of 2008. We discussed the theoretical and practical implications of older workers’ retirement decisions by considering the interactions between human resource management practices and personal and environmental factors.
Responsibility, Recognition, and Representation: The Ethical Bases of Truth Evaluation in Political Narrative Analysis
Authors: Nesbitt‐Larking Paul
Published: September 2021

Just as even the most personal of our narratives can ultimately be traced back to our communal pasts, so they are worked up, told, and retold through complex chains of sharing: Situated utterances, partial hearings, and fractured representations circulate meanings and interpretations through relays of retelling as social agents listen to and tell their own and each other's stories. Narrative political psychologists explore how the storied lives of political actors are both shaped by their historical and structured circumstances and reproduce their ongoing political agency. In such contexts, how do narrative political psychologists assess truth claims? Guided by a critical‐realist theoretical approach, the article sets out a series of considerations for the assessment of truth and facts. Three interrelated characteristics underpin the search for truth and meaning in political storytelling: responsibility, recognition, and representation, applied to the scientific community, research participants, and the broader polity, respectively. The article explores the ethical and practical implications of the three characteristics in the evaluation of truth claims across political narratives, highlighting both the quest for verifiable facts and the complexity and indeterminacy of the historical and cultural contexts in which truths emerge and are contested. Reference is made throughout to an empirical study of the narratives of members of a declining fraternal organization.
Residential Property Price Indexes: Spatial Coordinates Versus Neighborhood Dummy Variables
Authors: Diewert W. Erwin , Shimizu Chihiro
Published: September 2021

This paper addresses the following question: can satisfactory residential property price indexes be constructed using hedonic regression techniques where location effects are modeled using local neighborhood dummy variables or is it necessary to use spatial coordinates to model location effects. Hill and Scholz (2018) addressed this question and found, using their hedonic regression model, that it was not necessary to use spatial coordinates to obtain satisfactory property price indexes for Sydney. However, their hedonic regression model did not estimate separate land and structure price indexes for residential properties. To construct national balance sheet estimates, it is necessary to have separate land and structure price indexes. The present paper addresses the Hill and Scholz question in the context of providing satisfactory residential land price indexes. The spatial coordinate model used in the present paper is a modification of Colwell’s (1998) spatial interpolation method. The modification can be viewed as a general nonparametric method for estimating a function of two variables.
Why do Redistributive Policies Differ across Countries? Analyzing the Multiple Dimensions of Preferences for Redistribution
Authors: Kambayashi Ryo , Lechevalier Sébastien
Published: September 2021

Why are some countries characterized by more income redistribution than others? Based mainly on Trans‐Atlantic comparisons, the literature has referred to dissimilarities in preferences for redistribution. In this article, we extend this literature by focusing on multiple dimensions of redistributive preferences and adding Japan to the comparison. More precisely, using data for France, the US, and Japan from ISSP 2009, we apply cross‐sectional regression models and the Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition technique to address two distinct questions about preferences for redistribution—the role of government in reducing income gaps and tax progressivity. We find that each of these dimensions are related to different mechanisms: i.e. one depends more on individuals’ specific situations, such as income/wealth and social beliefs, as stressed in the literature, whereas the other depends more on an unobservable but common factor within a country, such as the historical and cultural background of each society.
“Driving Down a Road and Not Knowing Where You're At”: Navigating the Loss of Physical and Social Infrastructure After the Camp Fire*
Authors: Brown Adrienne R.
Published: September 2021

Climate‐related disasters are becoming increasingly frequent and destructive. These events result in extensive material losses, but also more abstract disruptions, such as those to identity, well‐being, and community. Using transcripts from 24 qualitative interviews with residents of Paradise, California after a wildfire destroyed their town; I consider the changes to residents' physical and social infrastructure. Physical places provide a structure for social life to play out, and their familiarity offers feelings of belonging and security. But, relationships, routines, and personal histories also inscribe meaning and value on these spaces. After disaster, the loss of physical landmarks hinders residents' ability to navigate their community and inhibits social connections that would otherwise offer important supports. At the same time, new meanings become inscribed on existing places, through trauma reminders (which constrain social life) and positive cues from the natural world (which shift meanings from destruction‐ to recovery‐oriented). Because physical places are imbedded in social context, and vice versa, I examine these processes in tandem.
Survival and kidney recovery among recipients of continuous renal replacement therapy
Authors: Wald Ron , Siew Edward D.
Published: September 2021

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is widely used in the care of critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Despite hopeful trends suggested by recent studies, mortality among CRRT recipients with severe AKI remains extremely high. Moreover, CRRT does not confer a reduction in mortality in trials comparing CRRT to intermittent RRT modalities. Among AKI survivors, some preliminary studies suggest a higher likelihood of kidney recovery and dialysis independence in CRRT recipients. AKI survivors are at risk for a broad array of adverse outcomes; strategies that may mitigate these risks are discussed.
Analysis of hand environment factors contributing to the hand surface infection barrier imparted by lactic acid
Authors: Hayashi Kaori , Mori Ichiro , Takeda Kouske , Okada Yasuhiro , Hayase Atsuko , Mori Takuya , Nishioka Yuki , Manabe Kenji
Published: September 2021

Background

Organic acids on the surface of human hands contribute to the barrier against transient pathogens. This is the first study to explore the synergistic contribution of lactic acid and other hand environment‐related features on the antibacterial properties of the hand surface.

Materials and Methods

We estimated the contribution of fingerprint depth, skin pH, stratum corneum water content, skin temperature, and sweat rate of the hands to the infection barrier using an observational survey of 105 subjects. The relationship between each factor and the antibacterial activity of the hands was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. We performed molecular dynamics simulations to study the interaction between lactic acid and bacterial membranes.

Results

The amount of lactic acid on the hands and skin temperature contributed positively to the antimicrobial activity (r = 0.437 and P = 3.18 × 10−6, r = 0.500 and P = 5.66 × 10−8, respectively), while the skin pH contributed negatively (r = −0.471, P = 3.99 × 10−7). The predicted value of the combined antimicrobial effect of these parameters was [antimicrobial activity] = 0.21 × [lactic acid] − 0.25 × [skin pH] + 0.26 × [skin temperature] + 0.98. The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.50.

Conclusion

The increase in the amount of non‐ionic lactic acid due to lower pH and improvement in the fluidity of the cell membrane due to higher temperatures enable the efficient transport of lactic acid into cells and subsequent antimicrobial activity. The proposed mechanism could help to develop an effective hand infection barrier technology.
Effect of storage on survival of infectious Treponema pallidum spiked in whole blood and platelets
Authors: Tamrakar Pratistha , Bett Cyrus , Molano Ruth Damaris , Ayub Amna , Asher David M. , Gregori Luisa
Published: September 2021

Background

Blood donations must be tested for evidence of syphilis, a transfusion‐transmitted infection. Screening blood for syphilis‐related antibodies greatly reduced the risk of transfusion‐transmitted syphilis (TTS). It is commonly believed that Treponema pallidum (Tp), the bacterium causing syphilis, does not survive in blood during cold storage—suggested as one reason why no cases of TTS have been recognized in the United States for many years. Some have suggested that routine syphilis screening of blood donations is no longer needed. To address the effect of storage, we investigated the survival of Tp experimentally spiked into blood and platelets stored under conventional conditions.

Study design and methods

We spiked fresh human blood products with high concentrations of Tp and inoculated samples at intervals into rabbits, a sensitive assay detecting infectious Tp. We tested whole blood (WB) stored refrigerated (1–6°C) for 9 days and platelets stored at room temperature for 7 days or refrigerated for 14 days. We assayed sera of the rabbits collected at intervals for seroconversion using two different tests and assessed orchitis. Rabbits were considered infected if one or both serological test results became positive.

Results

Viable Tp survived 7 days in WB and 6 days in platelets stored at both ambient and cold temperatures.

Discussion

Tp at concentrations much higher than those possibly present in an infected blood unit survived in cold blood products longer than previously reported and, thus, storage conditions cannot be relied upon to eliminate T. pallidum from blood or platelets. TTS remains a topic of concern for public health.