bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First live sighting of Deraniyagala's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula) or ginkgo‐toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens) in the western Pacific (South China Sea) with preliminary data on coloration, natural markings, and surfacing patterns
Authors: ROSSO Massimiliano , LIN Mingli , CARUSO Francesco , LIU Mingming , DONG Lijun , BORRONI Anna , LIN Wenzhi , TANG Xiaoming , BOCCONCELLI Alessandro , LI Songhai
Published: December 2020

Beaked whales represent around 25% of known extant cetacean species, yet they are the least known of all marine mammals. Identification of many Mesoplodon species has relied on examination of a few stranded individuals. Particularly, the ginkgo‐toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens) and Deraniyagala's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula) are among the least‐known of beaked whale species, without confirmed sightings of living individuals to date. We present a sighting of 3 free‐ranging individuals of M. ginkgodens/hotaula whale from a dedicated marine mammal vessel survey carried out in the South China Sea in April and May 2019. Photographic data (301 photographs) from the sighting were compared to photos of fresh stranded ginkgo‐toothed beaked whale and Deraniyagala's beaked whale from both historical and unpublished records. We found that free‐ranging M. ginkgodens and M. hotaula individuals can be easily distinguished from other Mesoplodon species due to differences in melon and gape shapes and coloration patterns. However, accurate at‐sea differentiation of M. ginkgodens and M. hotaula may not be possible due to high similarity in both coloration and scarring patterns. In addition to our photo‐identification data, we collected what we believe to be the first preliminary descriptions of surfacing behavior and diving patterns of one of these species. Finally, the presence of scars possibly caused by fishing gear or marine litter raises concerns about anthropogenic impacts and conservation of these poorly known species.
Major ascaroside pheromone component asc‐C5 influences reproductive plasticity among isolates of the invasive species pinewood nematode
Authors: ZHAO Meiping , WICKHAM Jacob D. , ZHAO Lilin , SUN Jianghua
Published: December 2020

Pheromones are communication chemicals and regulatory signals used by animals and represent unique tools for organisms to mediate behaviors and make “decisions” to maximize their fitness. Phenotypic plasticity refers to the innate capacity of a species to tolerate a greater breadth of environmental conditions across which it adapts to improve its survival, reproduction, and fitness. The pinewood nematode,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, an invasive nematode species, was accidentally introduced from North America into Japan, China, and Europe; however, few studies have investigated its pheromones and phenotypic plasticity as a natural model. Here, we demonstrated a novel phenomenon, in which nematodes under the condition of pheromone presence triggered increased reproduction in invasive strains (JP1, JP2, CN1, CN2, EU1, and EU2), while it simultaneously decreased reproduction in native strains (US1 and US2). The bidirectional effect on fecundity, mediated by presence/absence of pheromones, is henceforth termed pheromone‐regulative reproductive plasticity (PRRP). We further found that synthetic ascaroside asc‐C5 (ascr#9), the major pheromone component, plays a leading role in PRRP and identified 2 candidate receptor genes,Bxydaf‐38andBxysrd‐10, involved in perceiving asc‐C5. These results suggest that plasticity of reproductive responses to pheromones in pinewood nematode may increase its fitness in novel environments following introduction. This opens up a new perspective for invasion biology and presents a novel strategy of invasion, suggesting that pheromones, in addition to their traditional roles in chemical signaling, can influence the reproductive phenotype among native and invasive isolates. In addition, this novel mechanism could broadly explain, through comparative studies of native and invasive populations of animals, a potential underlying factor behind of the success of other biological invasions.
Effect of durvalumab on local control after concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer in comparison with chemoradiotherapy alone
Authors: Abe Takanori , Saito Satoshi , Iino Misaki , Aoshika Tomomi , Ryuno Yasuhiro , Ohta Tomohiro , Igari Mitsunobu , Hirai Ryuta , Kumazaki Yu , Miura Yu , Kaira Kyoichi , Kagamu Hiroshi , Noda Shin‐ei , Kato Shingo
Published: December 2020

Background

Durvalumab after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (LA‐NSCLC) has been found to significantly improve overall survival (OS). However, the effect of durvalumab on local control remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the effect of the durvalumab on local control in comparison with the clinical result of patients treated with CCRT alone.

Methods

A total of 120 LA‐NSCLC patients including 76 patients with CCRT alone and 44 patients with CCRT followed by durvalumab were analyzed. Baseline patient characteristics of CCRT alone cohort and durvalumab cohort were compared with student's t test or Mann–Whitney U test for continuous variables and with chi‐squared test for categorical variables. Local control (LC), progression free survival (PFS) and OS rates were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared with the log‐rank test.

Results

There were 19 patients with stage II disease and 101 patients with stage III disease. Age, sex, histopathological type, T classification, N classification, clinical stage, tumor volume and dose fractionation schedule were not significantly different between the CCRT alone and durvalumab cohorts. The one‐year LC rate was significantly higher in the durvalumab cohort (86%) compared with the CCRT alone cohort (62%) (P = 0.005), whereas no significant difference was observed in either PFS (P = 0.864) or OS (P = 0.443) between the CCRT and durvalumab cohorts.

Conclusions

The one‐year LC rate was significantly higher in the durvalumab cohort compared with the CCRT alone cohort. Although the follow‐up period was too short to draw definitive conclusions, the study revealed that durvalumab might have a significant effect on LC.

Key points

Significant findings of the study

Effect of durvalumab on local control after chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer is unclear

What this study adds

The one‐year local control rate of chemoradiotherapy followed by durvalumab was significantly higher compared with chemoradiotherapy alone.
Outsourcing Patriarchy To and Within India: Intersectional and Decolonial Gender Politics Across Scales
Authors: Gilbertson Amanda
Published: December 2020

Young caste‐class privileged gender justice workers in Delhi navigate several relations of power—with Euro‐American feminisms, and with less privileged feminisms and recipients of development work within India. Their experiences reveal that decolonial politics in India cannot be conceptualised without consideration of other axes of inequality including caste and religion. There is thus a need to broaden decolonial and intersectional analyses to include multiple spatial scales, from the transnational to the most granular interpretations of the local. By bringing intersectional analyses into greater dialogue with postcolonial feminist theory, this paper demonstrates that patterns of “outsourcing patriarchy” are observable at many scales, and that these patterns at different scales are co‐produced, each in turn shaping the other. Such a framework also explains how young caste‐class privileged gender justice workers outsource patriarchy and reproduce “mainstream” feminisms even as they seek to avoid doing so.
Long‐term fuel and understorey vegetation response to fuel treatments in oak and chaparral stands of northern California
Authors: Martorano Caroline A. , Kane Jeffrey M. , Engber Eamon A. , Gibson Jennifer
Published: December 2020

Aims

Fuel reduction treatments are broadly implemented to reduce the risk of extreme wildfire, but research on the long‐term effectiveness and impacts of these treatments is lacking. In this study, we examined short‐ and long‐term (two and 15 years) changes in fuels and understorey vegetation after treatment in chaparral and oak‐dominated stands.

Location

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, California, USA.

Methods

Treatments, including hand thinning, mastication only, burn only, and mastication + burning, were applied randomly to one or two units within each of 10 blocks across two vegetation types (chaparral and oak‐dominated). Vegetation data were initially measured two years after treatment and remeasured 15 years later with additional sampling of dead surface fuels and shrubs. Fuel and vegetation data were analyzed to examine the effect of treatment, time, and vegetation type.

Results

In chaparral stands, shrub height and cover in the hand‐thinning, mastication, and mastication + burning treatments were still lower than in the control after 15 years. However, only the hand‐thinning treatment reduced fine woody fuels. Hand thinning and mastication + burning increased native species richness after two years, but this was also associated with an increase in exotic species richness and cover that persisted after 15 years. In oak‐dominated stands, treatments had varied and relatively fewer changes to fuels and vegetation. Shrub height was reduced in both the hand‐thinning and Burn‐only treatments, but only mastication reduced shrub cover. Species richness and vegetative cover were largely unaffected by treatment in oak‐dominated stands, except for lower native plant cover in mastication and mastication + burning treatments.

Conclusion

Treatments varied in their level of effectiveness and most involved trade‐offs between their impacts on fuels and vegetation responses that differed by vegetation type and time. Our findings provide insights for managers interested in balancing these trade‐offs when making fuel treatment decisions and emphasize the importance of examining longer‐term effectiveness of fuels treatments.
Prevalence of drink‐driving in Thimphu, Bhutan: Targeted surveillance at sentinel sites
Authors: Tenzin Tashi , Karki Roma , Duba Tashi , Jamphel Kinga , Dhendup Sonam , Subba Dil Kumar , Dorji Gampo , Miller Peter G. , Connor Jennie , Barker Daniel , O'Brien Kerry S. , Kypri Kypros
Published: December 2020

Introduction and Aims

Bhutan has a high incidence of alcohol‐related disease. With economic development, motorised transport is proliferating, increasing the potential for traffic injury. We investigated drink‐driving in the country's largest urban environment.

Methods

Working with police, we set up checkpoints at major thoroughfares in Thimphu, on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights, from May to July 2017. Police directed cars to testing bays where drivers were breathalysed and interviewed.

Results

All 1596 drivers stopped by police were breathalysed, and 212 (13%) tested positive. Blood alcohol of >0.02 g/dL (which we defined as ‘probable impairment’) was detected in 178 drivers (11%), while 67 (4.2%) exceeded the legal limit of 0.08 g/dL. Probable impairment was more common in men, older drivers, on Tuesdays (versus Fridays or Saturdays) and later at night.

Conclusion

Drink‐driving is very common at night‐time in Bhutan. Routine roadside random breath‐testing, and media campaigns emphasising the risk of apprehension and consequent serious financial and social penalties, should be considered to deter drink‐driving.
First‐episode psychosis in the Ferrara Mental Health Department: Incidence and clinical course within the first 2 years
Authors: Belvederi Murri Martino , Bertelli Raffaella , Carozza Paola , Berardi Lorenzo , Cantarelli Luca , Croce Enrico , Antenora Fabio , Curtarello Eleonora Maria Alfonsina , Simonelli Gabriele , Recla Elisabetta , Girotto Barbara , Grassi Luigi ,   Ferrara Working Group on First‐Episode Psychosis,   The Ferrara Working Group on First‐Episode Psychosis in Ferrara includes: IDMHPA coordinating team:
Published: December 2020

Aim

To examine the incidence of with first‐episode psychosis (FEP) in the Integrated Department of Mental Health and Pathological Addictions in Ferrara, Italy, and to examine the association between the Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) and the clinical course.

Methods

Participants recruited in 2013–2019 were assessed with the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (HoNOS) every 6 months for 24 months. Hierarchical growth models analysed changes of global severity (HoNOS total scores) and symptom dimensions. Regression modelled factors associated with remission (HoNOS < 8) and clinical improvement (<12).

Results

The incidence of FEP was 21.5 (95%CI: 21.2–21.9) cases per 100 000 person year. Among participants (n = 86, mean age 23, 76% males), baseline HoNOS scores were higher for those with a longer DUP. More than half subjects reached clinical remission (61.6%) or improvement (82.6%), while very few (2.3%) were re‐hospitalized. HoNOS total scores decayed with a mixed linear/quadratic trend, with a slower decay among migrants. A longer DUP was associated with reduced improvements of positive symptoms and lower likelihood of clinical improvement (OR: 0.84; 95%CI: 0.73–0.96).

Conclusions

Patients from the FEP program of Ferrara reached good clinical outcomes. Nonetheless, individuals with a longer DUP may need additional clinical attention. Systematic monitoring of clinical outcomes may be an optimal strategy to improve the outcomes of FEP in the real world.
Overcoming the gap between child and adult mental health services: The Reggio Emilia experience in an early intervention in psychosis program
Authors: Poletti Michele , Pelizza Lorenzo , Azzali Silvia , Paterlini Federica , Garlassi Sara , Scazza Ilaria , Chiri Luigi Rocco , Pupo Simona , Raballo Andrea
Published: December 2020

Aim

Early intervention in psychosis (EIP) can reduce severity and persistence of illness. From September 2012, the Reggio Emilia Department of Mental Health developed the ‘Reggio Emilia At‐Risk Mental States’ (ReARMS) protocol as a specific EIP infrastructure in all its adult and child/adolescent mental health services. Aims of this study were (a) to describe the ReARMS macroscopic organization and (b) to analyse some specific process indicators (i.e., the amount of individuals referred to the ReARMS program, the number of subjects who met defined diagnostic criteria of early psychosis and accepted the intervention, and the 1‐year drop‐out rate) during the first 5 years of its clinical activity, in order to examine feasibility and quality of its procedures on the adolescent help‐seeking subgroup.

Methods

Adolescent participants (n = 125), aged 13–18 years, completed the Comprehensive Assessment of At‐Risk Mental States (CAARMS) to investigate the clinical status. Descriptive quantitative analyses were then used.

Results

Fifty (40%) individuals did not meet early psychosis‐defined criteria, while 75 (60%: i.e., 44 Ultra‐High Risk [UHR] and 31 First Episode Psychosis [FEP] subjects) were offered an EIP dedicated care protocol: of them, 66 (88%) were enrolled in the program and 9 (12%) dropped out during the first year of treatment). Adolescents enrolled in the ReARMS protocol were mainly referred by general practitioners (32%), family members (16%), or school/social services (15.2%). Seventy (56%) participants had a history of previous specialist contact (especially for learning and anxiety disorders).

Conclusions

An EIP program for adolescents with early psychosis in Italian child/adolescent mental health services are feasible, clinically relevant and recommended, specifically in this age group with a high risk of falling through the child/adult service gap.
Increases in forage legume biomass as a response to nitrogen input depend on temperature, soil characters and planting system: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Gao Limin , Su Jing , Chen Chun , Tian Qian , Shen Yixin
Published: December 2020

Although the effects of nitrogen (N) on forage legume productivity have been well‐studied, there is still some debate as to whether the supply of additional N is essential to support higher forage legume yields. Here, a meta‐analysis was conducted to synthesize the effects of N fertilization on forage legume biomass across different climates, soil types and planting system. The results showed that forage legume biomass in pure stands generally increased after N addition and was positively correlated with plant accumulation of N, phosphorus and potassium. The direction and magnitude of forage legume biomass responses in pure stands were influenced by accumulated temperature during growth stage and soil characters including organic matter, pH and N availability. Soil pH was positively correlated while other factors were negatively correlated with forage legume biomass response. Increases in forage legume biomass were greater at sites where accumulated temperatures were lower than 2,000°C. N addition did not contribute to higher forage legume biomass in acidic soil and when soil N availability was high (e.g. soil total N content higher than 0.9 g/kg and N addition rate higher than 200 kg/ha). Moreover, forage legume biomass was negatively affected in mixed systems which was independent of N application rate. In conclusion, this meta‐analysis highlights the importance of considering temperature, soil characters and planting system when evaluating the necessity of N application during forage legume production.
COVID‐19 in older adults: What are the differences with younger patients?
Authors: Gómez‐Belda Ana B , Fernández‐Garcés Mar , Mateo‐Sanchis Elisabeth , Madrazo Manuel , Carmona Mar , Piles‐Roger Laura , Artero Arturo
Published: December 2020

Aim

The present study aimed both to gain knowledge on the distinctive clinical characteristics of older adults with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), in comparison with those of younger patients, and to identify risk factors for mortality.

Methods

A retrospective observational study was carried out of patients consecutively admitted to Doctor Peset University Hospital, Valencia (Spain) for COVID‐19 from 11 March to 28 April 2020. Every case was diagnosed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or by serology test to detect antibodies. Demographic details, clinical characteristics, laboratory findings on admission and complications of each case were collected from electronic medical records.

Results

The dataset comprised 340 patients. Of them, 152 (44.6%) were aged >70 years. Comorbidities were more common in the older groups. Confusion was more common in older adults, whereas typical symptoms of COVID‐19, such as fever, cough and myalgia, were less common. Oxygen saturation ≤93% on room air, neutrophilia, D‐dimer >0.5 μg/mL, creatinine >1.5 mg/dL, lactate dehydrogenase ≥250 U/L and elevation of creatine kinase were higher in the older adult groups.

Complications during hospitalization, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (53.3% vs 33.2%, P < 0.001), acute kidney injury (11.8% vs 5.3%; P = 0.030) and mortality (28.9% vs 6.5%; P < 0.001) were more common in patients aged >70 years. Oxygen saturation ≤93% on room air on admission was a predictor of mortality (odds ratio 11.65, 95% confidence interval 3.26–41.66, P < 0.001) in patients aged >70 years.

Conclusions

Older adults with COVID‐19 have more atypical presentation, more complications and higher mortality. Oxygen saturation ≤93% on room air on admission is a predictive factor of death. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 60–65.
Author‐ize me to write: Going back to writing with ourfingers
Authors: Mandalaki Emmanouela
Published: December 2020

To the fe/male author, to write is to feel, to think, to touch, to sense, to learn, to experience, to relate, and to perform the body in the text with the fingers.
Bumble bee communities in power‐line clearings: Effects of experimental management practices
Authors: Steinert Mari , Eldegard Katrine , Sydenham Markus A. K. , Moe Stein R.
Published: December 2020

Bumble bees fill an important function in temperate, boreal and alpine ecosystems as pollinators of wild plants and cultivated crops. Global declines in population size of many bumble bee species call for knowledge about how habitats influenced by human land use can be managed to accommodate diverse bumble bee communities.

We carried out a field experiment to study effects on bumble bee communities in power‐line clearings in response to different vegetation clearing practices: (i) cutting, (ii) cutting and removing, and (iii) not cutting the woody vegetation, whilst simultaneously assessing the effect of environmental variables, both individually and in interaction with treatment.

Cutting the woody vegetation improved habitat quality for bumble bees relative to the uncut treatment, whereas removal of woody debris provided no additional benefit. The treatment effect on bee richness, diversity, abundance, and the abundance of generalist bees depended on local forb species richness. Increasing functional variation of forbs and cover of forbs with nectar tubes were positively related to species richness and abundance of bees, irrespective of treatment.

The abundance of specialized long‐tongued and late emerging bumble bees – which are of special conservation interest – were higher in the cut and cut‐remove treatments and increased with functional variation of forb species irrespective of treatments.

Management to improve habitat conditions for bumble bees in power‐line clearings does not require costly removal of woody debris after cutting, but more frequent cutting can benefit specialized bumble bee species of particular conservation interest.
BUSINESS CYCLES, TREND ELIMINATION, AND THE HP FILTER
Authors: Phillips Peter C. B. , Jin Sainan
Published: December 2020

Trend elimination and business cycle estimation are analyzed by finite sample and asymptotic methods. An overview history is provided, operator theory is developed, limit theory as the sample sizeis derived, and filtered series properties are studied relative to smoothing parameter () behavior. Simulations reveal that limit theory withdelivers excellent approximations to the HP filter for common sample sizes but fails to remove stochastic trends, contrary to standard thinking in macroeconomics and thereby explaining “spurious cycle” effects of the HP filter. The findings are related to the long run effects of the global financial crisis.
From Distant Horizon to the ‘Uncoercive Rearrangement of Desire’: Institutional Pedagogy and Collaborative Learning in an Instance of Arts and Curatorial Education
Authors: Faramelli Anthony , Graham Janna
Published: December 2020

In politics and philosophy, the question of horizons, the vanishing point that is always out of reach, but provides direction and guidance, underpins utopic thinking. This is a strange phenomenon since, as Jodi Dean suggests, horizons are ‘real’ insofar as they exist both spatially and temporally. Dean invokes the Lacanian concept of the real to demonstrate how horizons are omnipresent, even when we are unable to see them. Here, we disagree with Dean. Rather than view them as a fixed and constant entity, with Deleuze & Guattari we agree that horizons, understood as spaces of possibility, must be constructed through communal enunciations of desire. Following Dean's (re)formulation of horizons alongside of Deleuze & Guattari's concept of desire, we propose that Foucault's idea of ‘heterotopia’, a real, but inverted and potentially uncomfortable counter‐site, is a better schema for thinking the possibilities of arts education's horizon. This article thinks through the construction of other, emancipated, spaces of learning in arts education through the methodological approach of institutional analysis and the work done by the Institutional Pedagogy movement in post‐war France. Drawing from this movement, the work of Fernand Oury and Aïda Vasquez and Félix Guattari, ‘institution’ here is understood loosely as anything that institutes forms of sociability. As such, institutional analysis seeks to radically transform institutions from within and without by creating spaces to facilitate the reconfiguration of desire. Our analysis will be grounded in our own pedagogical practices in universities where we have made use of the techniques of Institutional Pedagogy.
Telomere length in relation to colour polymorphism across life stages in the tawny owl
Authors: Morosinotto Chiara , Bensch Staffan , Karell Patrik
Published: December 2020

Telomere erosion has been proposed to be tightly associated with senescence, environmental stressors and life history trade‐offs. How telomere dynamics vary across life stages and especially in relation to (heritable) phenotypic traits is still unclear. The tawny owlStrix alucodisplay a highly heritable melanin‐based colour polymorphism, a grey and a brown morph, linked to several fitness traits including morph‐specific telomere dynamics. As adults, brown tawny owls have shorter relative telomere length (RTL) and exhibit faster telomere shortening rate than grey owls. Here we test if these morph‐specific telomere dynamics emerge already during growth, or if they are induced only in adult life through differential physiological costs associated with the life history of the morphs. We analysed RTL from 287 tawny owl offspring and 81 first breeding adults to evaluate at what life stage morph‐specific patterns emerge. We found no differences in RTL between the two morphs during the nestling period nor at the first breeding attempt. Sex, brood size or size rank in the nest did not affect offspring RTL. Among first‐breeders, females had shorter telomeres than males suggesting a sampling‐time dependent difference in reproductive costs between sexes, due to the prominent sex roles in tawny owls in the early nestling period. The probability to return to breed after the first breeding attempt was not affected by RTL, sex or colour morph. The lack of morph‐specific difference in RTL among nestlings and first breeders suggests that previously observed morph‐specific differences in RTL dynamics in adults emerge at the onset of the breeding career and is likely due to different physiological profiles and life‐history strategies adopted by adults. We conclude that different telomere dynamics and senescence patterns among highly heritable phenotypes (colour morphs) are likely to be a result of differential costs of reproduction and self‐maintenance.
Strongylocentrotusnudos Egg Polysaccharide induces autophagy and apoptosis in leukaemia cells by regulating mitochondrial function
Authors: Wang Chong , Li Mengya , Li Lingling , Shen Xiaohui , Liu Yanfang , Wang Shujuan
Published: December 2020

In this study, we investigated the ability of the Polysaccharide from the Eggs of Strongylocentrotus nudus (SEP) to regulate cellular autophagy and apoptosis in leukaemia cells. Human acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cells (HL60) and murine AML cells (L1210) treated with SEP were used to assess viability using Cell Counting Kit‐8, cytotoxicity by measuring lactate dehydrogenase release, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by DCFH‐DA staining. In addition, we utilized a mouse model of leukaemia in which L1210 cells were injected into DBA/2 mice by sub‐axillary injection. Treatment with SEP decreased cell viability, increased in cytotoxicity and increased the release of ROS in a dose‐dependent manner. SEP treatment was also associated with the activation of pro‐apoptotic proteins cleaved caspase‐3, cleaved caspase‐9 and cleaved poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP). Activation of the apoptotic pathway led to the release of cytochrome C (CytoC) into the cytosol of the cell resulting in decreased membrane potential. The effect of SEP treatment was depended on the activation of the nuclear factor kappa‐B (NF‐κB) signalling pathway as SEP treatment led to an increase in NF‐κB phosphorylation, and inhibition of NF‐κB signalling using PDTC blocked SEP‐mediated activation of apoptosis. Treatment with SEP also prolonged survival time in our leukaemia mouse model and was associated with diminished tumour volume, increased leucocyte and lymphocyte proliferation, promoted pro‐inflammatory factor release in serum and enhanced immune function. Taken together, these data suggest that SEP inhibits the progression of leukaemia by initiating mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy, and apoptosis via the NF‐κB signalling pathway.
Circular RNA hsa_circ_0000658 inhibits osteosarcoma cell proliferation and migration via the miR‐1227/IRF2axis
Authors: Jiang Xin , Chen Dong
Published: December 2020

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most frequently occurring bone cancer. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been shown to exert pivotal impact in modulation of gene expression, but their roles in OS are still not fully understood. In this study, we analysed the role ofcirc‐0000658in OS. Thereafter, molecular techniques such as Western blot, qRT‐PCR, RNA‐binding protein immunoprecipitation and Dual‐Luciferase reporter assays were implemented to investigate the role ofcirc‐0000658/miR‐1227/interferon regulatory factor‐2(IRF2) axis in OS. Eventually, the impact ofcirc‐0000658on tumour growth and metastasis was observed in a xenograft mouse model. The results of this study revealed thatcirc‐0000658exhibits low levels in OS tissues and cell lines. Moreover,circ‐0000658repression promoted cell cycle, proliferation, invasion and migration but inhibited the apoptosis of OS cells. Researches have previously shown thatcirc‐0000658contains a binding site for miR‐1227 and thus can abundantly sponge miR‐1227 to up‐regulate the expression of its target geneIRF2. Moreover, both inhibition of miR‐1227 and overexpression ofIRF2reversed cell proliferation and invasion, which was triggered bycirc‐0000658repression. Conclusively,circ‐0000658modulates biological function of OS cells through the miR‐1227/IRF2axis. Therefore,circ‐0000658might act as a possible novel therapeutic target for the treatment of OS.
Screening of undiagnosed hyperglycaemia in the dental setting: The DiabetRisk study. A field trial
Authors: Montero Eduardo , Matesanz Paula , Nobili Antonio , Luis Herrera‐Pombo José , Sanz Mariano , Guerrero Adrián , Bujaldón Antonio , Herrera David ,   the SEPA Research Network of Dental Clinics
Published: December 2020

Aim

To evaluate the efficacy of different screening protocols for undiagnosed hyperglycaemia in a Research Network of Dental Clinics coordinated by the Spanish Society of Periodontology (SEPA).

Material and Methods

A total of 1143 patients were included in the study. Participants filled a questionnaire considering diabetes risk factors (FINDRISC) and received a periodontal screening examination. Patients with a slightly elevated score according to the Findrisc (≥7), received a point‐of‐care HbA1c and were eventually referred to their physician for confirmatory diagnosis. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the performance of various predictive models with confirmed hyperglycaemia as outcome.

Results

From this population, 97 (8.5%) were finally diagnosed of diabetes (n = 28; 2.5%) or prediabetes (n = 69; 6.0%). When only including the results from the FINDRISC questionnaire, the model reported an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.866 (95% confidence interval ‐ CI [0.833; 0.900]). This model significantly improved when a basic periodontal examination (EPB Code; AUC = 0.876; 95% CI [0.845: 0.906]; p = .042) or a point‐of‐care HbA1c were added (AUC = 0.961; 95% CI [0.941; 0.980]; p < .001).

Conclusions

The tested protocol, combining the FINDRISC questionnaire and a point‐of‐care HbA1c, showed to be feasible when carried out in a dental clinic setting and was efficient to identify subjects with undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes.
Commentary: The need for research on PTSD in Children and adolescents – a commentary on Elliot et al. (2020)
Authors: Cloitre Marylène , Brewin Chris R. , Kazlauskas Evaldas , Lueger‐Schuster Brigitte , Karatzias Thanos , Hyland Philip , Shevlin Mark
Published: December 2020

The recent release of the 11th version of The International Classification of Diseases (ICD‐11: WHO, 2018) marked a significant departure from the previous similarities between it and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM‐5; APA, 2013) in terms of their conceptualization of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The ICD‐11 proposed a reduced symptom set for PTSD and a sibling disorder called Complex PTSD. There have been numerous studies that have provided support for the integrity of, and distinction between, PTSD and CPTSD diagnoses in adult samples. Elliot and colleagues (2020) have added to the research literature by providing a valuable examination of the differences between ICD and DSM PTSD/CPTSD in a sample of youth aged 8 to 17 years. This commentary reviews this study and reflects on the need for greater understanding of developmental changes in the presentation of PTSD and Complex PTSD.
FGF23, Frailty, and Falls in SPRINT
Authors: Jovanovich Anna , Ginsberg Charles , You Zhiying , Katz Ronit , Ambrosius Walter T. , Berlowitz Dan , Cheung Alfred K. , Cho Monique , Lee Alexandra K. , Punzi Henry , Rehman Shakaib , Roumie Christianne , Supiano Mark A. , Wright Clinton B. , Shlipak Michael , Ix Joachim H. , Chonchol Michel
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with frailty. Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is elevated in CKD and associated with frailty among non‐CKD older adults and individuals with human immunodeficiency virus. Whether FGF23 is associated with frailty and falls in CKD is unknown.

DESIGN

Cross‐sectional and longitudinal observational study.

SETTING

Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), a randomized trial evaluating standard (systolic blood pressure [SBP] <140 mm Hg) versus intensive (SBP <120 mm Hg) blood pressure lowering on cardiovascular and cognitive outcomes among older adults without diabetes mellitus.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 2,376 participants with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] <60 mL/min/1.73 m2).

MEASUREMENTS

The exposure variable was intact FGF23. We used multinomial logistic regression to determine the cross‐sectional association of intact FGF23 with frailty and Cox proportional hazards analysis to determine the longitudinal association with incident falls. Models were adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, randomization group, antihypertensives, eGFR, mineral metabolism markers, and frailty.

RESULTS

After adjustment, the odds ratio for prevalent frailty versus non‐frailty per twofold higher FGF23 was 1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01–1.77). FGF23 levels in the highest quartile versus the lowest quartile demonstrated more than a twofold increased fall risk (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.32; 95% CI = 1.26–4.26), and the HR per twofold higher FGF23 was 1.99 (95% CI = 1.48–2.68).

CONCLUSION

Among SPRINT participants with CKD, FGF23 was associated with prevalent frailty and falls.
α‐synuclein abnormalities trigger focal tau pathology, spreading to various brain areas in Parkinson disease
Authors: Hadi Fatemeh , Akrami Hassan , Totonchi Mehdi , Barzegar Abdolrazagh , Nabavi Seyed Massood , Shahpasand Koorosh
Published: December 2020

Parkinson disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, whose prevalence is 2~3% in the population over 65. α‐Synuclein aggregation is the major pathological hallmark of PD. However, recent studies have demonstrated enhancing evidence of tau pathology in PD. Despite extensive considerations, thus far, the actual spreading mechanism of neurodegeneration has remained elusive in a PD brain. This study aimed to further investigate the development of α‐synuclein and tau pathology. We employed various PD models, including cultured neurons treated with either 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) or with recombinant α‐synuclein. Also, we studied dopaminergic neurons of cytokine Interferon‐β knock‐out. Moreover, we examined rats treated with 6‐hydroxydopamine, Rhesus monkeys administrated with MPTP neurotoxin, and finally, human post‐mortem brains. We found the α‐synuclein phosphorylation triggers tau pathogenicity. Also, we observed more widespread phosphorylated tau than α‐synuclein with prion‐like nature in various brain areas. We optionally removed P‐tau or P‐α‐synuclein from cytokine interferon‐β knock out with respective monoclonal antibodies. We found that tau immunotherapy suppressed neurodegeneration more than α‐synuclein elimination. Our findings indicate that the pathogenic tau could be one of the leading causes of comprehensive neurodegeneration triggered by PD. Thus, we can propose an efficient therapeutic target to fight the devastating disorder.

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Sphincter muscle activity before and after delivery: Does it depend on the type of birth?
Authors: Začesta Vita , Rācene Laura , Cescon Corrado , Plaudis Haralds , Rezeberga Dace
Published: December 2020

Aim

There are ongoing discussions whether cesarean section is the safest mode of childbirth to prevent pelvic floor disorders. Pelvic floor electromyography (EMG) allows the analysis of external anal sphincter (EAS) function during voluntary contractions. The primary objective of this study was the evaluation of EMG amplitude of external anal sphincter in women who had vaginal delivery, compared to women who had cesarean section. The secondary objective was to evaluate the anal incontinence score changes before and after delivery between the groups, and to look for any relationship between the clinical and EMG findings.

Methods

Multichannel surface EMG was detected during maximal contractions in three sessions: (i) during pregnancy, (ii) 6 weeks after delivery and (iii) 1 year after delivery. Women were divided into two groups: cesarean section and vaginal delivery.

Results

External anal sphincter EMG amplitude decreases 6 weeks after vaginal deliveries from 10.1 to 8.6 μV with effect size of 0.4, but returns to baseline after 1 year. No differences were observed between groups in all other variables.

Conclusion

No differences were observed after 1 year in EMG activity between the two groups; however, a slight decrease of sphincter muscle amplitude was noted 6 weeks after vaginal delivery. The delivery mode does not have effect on the EAS amplitude 1 year after delivery. Incontinence score slightly increased in both groups after delivery, with no significant differences between the two groups. No association was observed between the increase of incontinence score and the decrease of EMG signal amplitude.
From Naturalized Suffering to Futile Ownership—A Genealogy of the Depressed Lifeworld
Authors: Sik Domonkos
Published: December 2020

While several separate researches focus on either the phenomenological description of depression, or on the modernization theoretical analysis of the structural transformations responsible for its emergence, the combination of both perspectives is still rare. The article aims at filling this gap by analysing modernization from the perspective of the phenomenological preconditions of depression. A depressed lifeworld is characterized by burdensome embodiment, disorganization of linear time, existential hopelessness and guilt, loss of agency and disturbed intersubjectivity. The ideal‐typical late medieval and early modern constellations are described according to these dimensions in order to identify the structural transformations resulting in the increased prevalence of depression. Even if the medieval era is characterized by the naturalization of suffering, limited agency and lacking worldly hope, these experiences are counterbalanced by an eschatological horizon of time providing a transcendental framework for resolving guilt, and, furthermore, a continuous presence of other persons around preventing complete isolation and consequent despair. During early modernity, such formula has changed: the gradual expansion of agency promising control over suffering and enjoyment lead to the emergence of a parallel horizon of worldly time and ambiguities of intersubjectivity. In order to handle these ambiguities and improve worldly control, the modern notion of property as absolute dominion was born, which by linking the potential of control to the detachment from the others resulted in a dangerous compound. Being deprived from property or being failed by it, renders the subject helpless: as the totality of the lifeworld dependent on ownership collapses, depression emerges.
Diagnosis and treatment of gastro‐oesophageal junction abnormalities in dogs with brachycephalic syndrome
Authors: Vangrinsven Emilie , Broux Olivier , Massart Laurent , Claeys Stephanie , Clercx Cécile , Billen Frédéric
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To determine whether there is a benefit of using pre‐ and postoperative antacid treatment in dogs undergoing surgery for brachycephalic syndrome. To assess the use of an obstruction manoeuvre during endoscopy for the detection of dynamic gastro‐oesophageal junction abnormalities.

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐six client‐owned brachycephalic dogs were prospectively included in a randomised trial. Antacid treatment was randomly prescribed in 18 dogs before and after surgery while the other 18 dogs did not receive any gastrointestinal medical treatment. At presentation, at the time of surgery and at recheck, digestive clinical signs and gastro‐oesophageal junction abnormalities were assessed using specific scores. Gastro‐oesophageal junction abnormalities were assessed during endoscopy in standard conditions as well as during endotracheal tube obstruction. This manoeuvre was also applied in an unrelated control group.

Results

The results suggest a beneficial effect of antacid treatment on the improvement of digestive clinical signs and lesions in dogs with brachycephalic syndrome undergoing surgery. At postsurgical control 83% of dogs had a digestive clinical score ≤1 in the treated group in contrast to 44% in the non‐treated group and 39% of dogs had a gastro‐oesophageal abnormalities score (during obstruction manoeuvre) ≤1 in the treated group in contrast to 16.7% in the non‐treated group. The use of the obstruction manoeuvre during endoscopic assessment in a control group revealed that gastro‐oesophageal junction movements are negligible in healthy animals.

Clinical Significance

The addition of antacid treatment during the pre‐ and postoperative period for brachycephalic dogs undergoing surgery may result in a faster and greater improvement in treated dogs. The obstruction manoeuvre is an interesting technique to improve detection of gastro‐oesophageal junction abnormalities.
Advancing and reversing succession as a function of time since fire and insect outbreaks: An 18 year in situ remeasurement of changes in forest composition
Authors: Leduc Albanie , Leduc Alain , Kneeshaw Daniel , Maleki Kobra , Bergeron Yves
Published: December 2020

Aims

In the boreal mixedwood, fire initiates forest succession; however, over time other disturbances such as insect outbreaks cause pulses of mortality and opportunities for recruitment of shade‐intolerant species.

Questions

What are the respective roles of time since fire and insect outbreaks in driving directional, vs cyclical and retrogressive succession? Do assessments from direct measurements and chronosequence approaches converge? We hypothesise that the chronosequence approach will accurately characterise large‐scale compositional patterns especially in younger stands and that direct measurements will better describe small‐scale, non‐directional changes in succession.

Location

Boreal mixed wood of northwestern Quebec (79°1′ W, 48°30′ N).

Methods

We sampled 469 plots over an 18‐year interval (in 1991 and 2009) in mixed hardwood/conifer forests to observe in situ the changes in stands having originated from seven fires covering a 249‐year chronosequence.

Results

The combination of the remeasurement and chronosequence analyses validates predictions of forest succession. Our results indicate that time since last fire is the dominant factor explaining forest succession for the first 150 years after fire and globally at the scale of the entire forest, although smaller‐scale disturbances such as spruce budworm outbreaks can change the course of forest succession, especially at stand scales.

Conclusion

While time since fire is the dominant driver of forest succession in younger forests, secondary disturbances, such as spruce budworm outbreaks, can advance or reverse forest succession in older forests. This study also serves as a validation of the overall patterns described in spatial chronosequence approaches at the landscape level in fire‐dominated systems but highlights that local succession may deviate from the overall pattern especially in older forests or in forests affected by non‐stand re‐initiating intermediate disturbances.
Machine learning for semi‐automated meteorite recovery
Authors: Anderson Seamus , Towner Martin , Bland Phil , Haikings Christopher , Volante William , Sansom Eleanor , Devillepoix Hadrien , Shober Patrick , Hartig Benjamin , Cupak Martin , Jansen‐Sturgeon Trent , Howie Robert , Benedix Gretchen , Deacon Geoff
Published: December 2020

We present a novel methodology for recovering meteorite falls observed and constrained by fireball networks, using drones and machine learning algorithms. This approach uses images of the local terrain for a given fall site to train an artificial neural network, designed to detect meteorite candidates. We have field tested our methodology to show a meteorite detection rate between 75% and 97%, while also providing an efficient mechanism to eliminate false positives. Our tests at a number of locations within Western Australia also showcase the ability for this training scheme to generalize a model to learn localized terrain features. Our model training approach was also able to correctly identify three meteorites in their native fall sites that were found using traditional searching techniques. Our methodology will be used to recover meteorite falls in a wide range of locations within globe‐spanning fireball networks.
Catastrophes, connectivity and Allee effects in the design of marine reserve networks
Authors: White Easton R. , Baskett Marissa L. , Hastings Alan
Published: December 2020

Catastrophic events, like oil spills and hurricanes, occur in many marine systems. One potential role of marine reserves is buffering populations against disturbances, including the potential for disturbance‐driven population collapses under Allee effects. This buffering capacity depends on reserves in a network providing rescue effects, setting up a tradeoff where reserves need to be connected to facilitate rescue, but also distributed in space to prevent simultaneous extinction. We use a set of population models to examine how dispersal ability and the disturbance regime interact to determine the optimal reserve spacing. We incorporate fishing in a spatially‐explicit model to understand the effect of objective choice (e.g. conservation versus fisheries yield) on the optimal reserve spacing. We show that the optimal spacing between reserves increases when accounting for catastrophes with larger spacing needed when Allee effects interact with catastrophes to increase the probability of extinction. We also show that classic tradeoffs between conservation and fishing objectives disappear in the presence of catastrophes. Specifically, we found that at intermediate levels of disturbance, it is optimal to spread out reserves in order to increase both population persistence and to maximize spillover into non‐reserve areas.
Bifunctional Carbon Dots Derived From an Anaerobic Bacterium of Porphyromonas gingivalis for Selective Detection of Fe3+ and Bioimaging
Authors: Liu Lijuan , Qin Kunhao , Yin Shuang , Zheng Xiaodan , Li Hongmei , Yan Hui , Song Pengfei , Ji Xiuling , Zhang Qi , Wei Yunlin , Zhao Limin
Published: December 2020

In this study, for the first time, Porphyromonas gingivalis, an anaerobic bacterium, was selected to synthesize carbon dots. The achieved P. gingivalis–carbon dots (Pg‐CDs) exhibited strong fluorescence and high stability with capability for dual function as Fe3+ sensor and intracellular imaging agent. The detection limit for Fe3+ was as low as 1.85 µm. On the other hand, the prepared Pg‐CDs were an excellent candidate for biosensor with high biocompatibility.