bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolation and characterization of Pseudomonas syringae isolates affecting stone fruits and almond in Montenegro
Authors: Popović Tamara , Menković Jelena , Prokić Anđelka , Zlatković Nevena , Obradović Aleksa
Published: January 2021

In Montenegro, stone fruit species are grown on intensive and semi-intensive commercial plantations. However, almond production is mainly organized on family gardens and for household consumption. During two seasons (2017–2018), we surveyed apricot, peach, nectarine, sweet cherry, Japanese plum, and almond orchards for the presence of bacterial diseases at different geographical locations in Montenegro. From leaf, petiole and fruit lesions, branch or twig cankers, and necrotizing buds, a total of 29 isolates were obtained and subjected to identification based on their morphological, pathogenic, biochemical, and molecular characteristics. Pathogenicity of the isolates was confirmed by reproducing the symptoms on leaves, fruits, and twigs of the corresponding host plants. The biochemical tests indicated that the isolates belong to Pseudomonas syringae. However, isolates’ characterization showed variation in their phenotypic and molecular features. The presence of the syrB gene and ice nucleation activity grouped most of the isolates within pathovar syringae. The results of rep-PCR using the BOX primer revealed high genetic diversity of isolates. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA), using four housekeeping genes, showed that 27 isolates belong to the genomic species 1, P. syringae sensu stricto, corresponding to P. syringae phylogroup 2. However, isolates from the same phylogroup 2 did not form a monophyletic group. One strain isolated from apricot was most distinct and similar to members of genomic species 2, phylogroup 3. All tested isolates showed significant levels of resistance to copper sulfate and high level of sensitivity to streptomycin sulfate in vitro.
Psychological and Sexual Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Egypt: Are Women Suffering More?
Authors: Omar Salma Samir , Dawood Waleed , Eid Noha , Eldeeb Dalia , Munir Amr , Arafat Waleed
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic include pandemic triggered feelings of fear, uncertainty, and anxiety added to the effects of restricting the population's activities in lockdown.

Aim

We aimed to study the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on sexual satisfaction of females and males in Egypt and to evaluate possible predictive factors.

Methods

Married men and females in Egypt were invited to respond to an online questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed medical history, socioeconomic status, sexual performance satisfaction before and during the lockdown in addition to validated Arabic questionnaires for depression, sexual function in males and females, and sexual satisfaction (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Female Sexual Function Index, International Index of Erectile Function-5, Index of Sexual Satisfaction, respectively).

Main outcome measure

The main outcome measures were frequency of depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, and sexual satisfaction in males and females during COVID-19 lockdown.

Results

A total of 479 females and 217 males completed the questionnaire. Sexual satisfaction was significantly higher before (91.2%, 73.5%) than during lockdown (70.5%, 56.2%) in both males and females, respectively. During lockdown, significantly more males (70.5%) reported being satisfied with their sexual performance than females (56.2%) (P < .001). More than half of the male subjects (68.2%) had no erectile dysfunction while 97.3% females scored ≤26.5 on the Female Sexual Function Index scale suggestive of sexual difficulties. Sexual stress was significantly greater in females (70.8%) than males (63.1%). Educational level, occupation, anxiety, and erectile dysfunction were independently associated with sexual stress in males. Being a housewife or unemployed, husband's age >35 years, marriage duration of 5-10 years, anxiety, and female sexual dysfunction were predictors of sexual relation stress in females.

Conclusion

COVID-19 pandemic was associated with lower sexual satisfaction in both genders. Females however suffered more anxiety and depression and thereby greater risk of sexual function difficulties and sexual dissatisfaction. Intervention strategies in order to lessen the suffering of affected individuals particularly after the pandemic are recommended.
Correlation of Sexual Behavior Change, Family Function, and Male-Female Intimacy Among Adults Aged 18-44 Years During COVID-19 Epidemic
Authors: Feng Yi-Jin , Fan Yu-Jun , Su Zhen-Zhen , Li Bing-Bing , Li Bo , Liu Nan , Wang Pei-Xi
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been declared a global pandemic. In this unprecedented situation, the intimate relationship, sexual behavior, and family functions of partners have also undergone unique changes. There are few reports on whether sexual behavior and family function affect intimate relationships between partners, especially among people aged 18 to 44 years.

Aim

To analyze the influence of sociodemographic characteristics, family function, and changes in sexual behavior on male-female intimacy, the independent contributions of the aforementioned factors in this population group are required to be further investigated.

Methods

In the present study, 284 Chinese citizens aged 18-44 years completed the online questionnaire. The univariate analysis and cluster multiple linear regression were used to analyze the associations between sociodemographic factors, sexual-behavior changes, family function, and male-female intimacy.

Main Outcome Measure

Family adaptation, partnership, growth, affection, resolve (APGAR) Scale and Relationship Assessment Scale were used to evaluate participants' family function and their intimacy. Details of the participants (sociodemographic and sexual factors) were obtained.

Results

The summary scores, with Relationship Assessment Scale and APGAR scales, were 27.19 ± 4.49 and 6.76 ± 2.28, respectively. About 43.3% of participants reported a decrease in sexual frequency. There were considerable differences among age, education level, sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, quality of sexual life, family function with male-female intimacy (P < .05). The sexual satisfaction and intimacy demonstrated a significant positive correlation (P < .05) by cluster multiple linear regression analysis. Compared with those who had a sexual life of mediocre quality, respondents who experienced a good quality sexual life had relatively higher scores in intimacy. The independent contributions of sociodemographic factors, sexual behavior factors, and family function in male-female intimacy were 13.0%, 38.2%, and 48.8%, respectively.

Conclusions

Sexual behavior factors and family function were important independent determinants of partner intimacy among people aged 18-44 years. It can provide supportive information for health care to develop intervention plans and services to promote the harmonious development of intimate relationship.
Reconstitution of Oseltamivir Capsules for Pediatric Use on a Long-Term Cruise: A Treatment Option
Authors: Aoki Yoshihiro , Amaya Dimas Liliana del Carmen , Kitazawa Katsuhiko , Mizushiro Naoto
Published: January 2021

Influenza is a concerning disease in terms of risk management for cruise passengers during a voyage. Currently, cruise passengers include children in addition to elderly people. Oral oseltamivir can be used to treat pediatric influenza. In addition, early antiviral treatment may reduce the spread of influenza on board. However, the capsule form of oseltamivir is not of the recommended dosage for children. In this report, we describe 2 siblings who acquired influenza during travel on a world cruise ship and were treated with decapsulated oseltamivir. The siblings’ mother was instructed to decapsulate a 75 mg oseltamivir capsule, suspend the powder in 15 mL of water (5 mg·mL-1), stir well, and administer the required amount of medicine orally to each patient using a syringe. Both patients recovered successfully with no complications. The presented case suggests that suspending decapsulated oseltamivir in water and measuring the required amount with a syringe for orally administration to children with influenza can be a safe treatment strategy in resource-limited settings.
Screening strategy and time points for newborn hearing re‐screening with high risk factors
Authors: Zeng Qing‐Xiang , Luo Ren‐Zhong , Yan Sheng‐Bao , Tang Yi‐Quan , Wen Rui‐Jin , Liu Wen‐Long
Published: January 2021

Objective

To compare and analyze the pass rate and screening strategy of hearing rescreening for newborns with high risk factors.

Methods

Retrospective chart review of high‐risk newborns who failed their initial newborn hearing screen and subsequently underwent secondary hearing tests from June 2011 to June 2018 in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center were performed.

Results

Eight hundred and sixty‐eight newborns with high risk factors were included in the study. The 57‐70 days (83.5%) and 71‐84 days (83.4%) group had the highest pass rate compared with 42‐56 days (75.8%) and < 42 days (68.3%) group. As for different screening strategies, the pass rate of OAE(otoacoustic emissions), AABR (auto auditory brainstem response) and OAE + AABR was the highest in 57–70 days group and 71‐84 days group, respectively. The OAE + AABR had the lowest pass rate compared to the other two modalities. When the pass rate was compared as different risk factors, the 57–70 days and 71–84 days group also had the highest pass rate compared with 42–56 days and < 42 days group and the pass rate had no significant differences among various risk factors group.

Conclusion

Our results showed that all the pass rate of OAE, AABR and OAE + AABR was the highest in 57–70 days group and 71–84 days group with significant difference, suggesting that the delayed screening time (>57 days) may increase the re‐screening pass rate and reduce anxiety of parents, which is of great significance for clinical work.
Routine saliva testing for the identification of silent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in healthcare workers
Authors: Zhang Kevin , Shoukat Affan , Crystal William , Langley Joanne M. , Galvani Alison P. , Moghadas Seyed M.
Published: January 2021

Objective:

Current COVID-19 guidelines recommend symptom-based screening and regular nasopharyngeal (NP) testing for healthcare personnel in high-risk settings. We sought to estimate case detection percentages with various routine NP and saliva testing frequencies.

Design:

Simulation modeling study.

Methods:

We constructed a sensitivity function based on the average infectiousness profile of symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases to determine the probability of being identified at the time of testing. This function was fitted to reported data on the percent positivity of symptomatic COVID-19 patients using NP testing. We then simulated a routine testing program with different NP and saliva testing frequencies to determine case detection percentages during the infectious period, as well as the presymptomatic stage.

Results:

Routine biweekly NP testing, once every 2 weeks, identified an average of 90.7% (SD, 0.18) of cases during the infectious period and 19.7% (SD, 0.98) during the presymptomatic stage. With a weekly NP testing frequency, the corresponding case detection percentages were 95.9% (SD, 0.18) and 32.9% (SD, 1.23), respectively. A 5-day saliva testing schedule had a similar case detection percentage as weekly NP testing during the infectious period, but identified ~10% more cases (mean, 42.5%; SD, 1.10) during the presymptomatic stage.

Conclusion:

Our findings highlight the utility of routine noninvasive saliva testing for frontline healthcare workers to protect vulnerable patient populations. A 5-day saliva testing schedule should be considered to help identify silent infections and prevent outbreaks in nursing homes and healthcare facilities.
Successful multimodal measures preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks without universal frequent testing within long-term care units in the Midwestern Veterans’ Health Care Network
Authors: Goto Michihiko , Ueckert Nicole , Meiches Robert K. , Perencevich Eli N.
Published: January 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a serious threat for long-term care facilities, and frequent screening of employees and residents places a substantial burden on those facilities. We report our successful multimodal prevention measures without frequent testing, which resulted in no cases within 20 nursing home units over the first 6 months of the pandemic.
A cluster-control approach to a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on a stroke ward with infection control considerations for dementia and vascular units
Authors: Lesho Emil P. , Walsh Edward E. , Gutowski Jennifer , Reno Lisa , Newhart Donna , Yu Stephanie , Bress Jonathan , Bronstein Melissa Z.
Published: January 2021

Objective:

We sought to contain a healthcare-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, to evaluate contributory factors, and to prevent future outbreaks.

Design:

Quasi-experimental cluster-control outbreak evaluation.

Methods:

All patients and staff on the outbreak ward (case cluster), and randomly selected patients and staff on COVID-19 wards (positive control cluster) and a non-COVID-19 wards (negative control cluster) underwent reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing. Hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance, detection of environmental SARS-COV-2 RNA, patient behavior, and SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody prevalence were assessed.

Results:

In total, 145 staff and 26 patients were exposed, resulting in 24 secondary cases. Also, 4 of 14 (29%) staff and 7 of 10 (70%) patients were asymptomatic or presymptomatic. There was no difference in mean cycle threshold between asymptomatic or presymptomatic versus symptomatic individuals. None of 32 randomly selected staff from the control wards tested positive. Environmental RNA detection levels were higher on the COVID-19 ward than on the negative control ward (OR, 19.98; 95% CI, 2.63–906.38; P < .001). RNA levels on the COVID-19 ward (where there were no outbreaks) and the outbreak ward were similar (OR, 2.38; P = .18). Mean monthly hand hygiene compliance, based on 20,146 observations (over preceding year), was lower on the outbreak ward (P < .006). Compared to both control wards, the proportion of staff with detectable antibodies was higher on the outbreak ward (OR, 3.78; 95% CI, 1.01–14.25; P = .008).

Conclusion:

Staff seroconversion was more likely during a short-term outbreak than from sustained duty on a COVID-19 ward. Environmental contamination and PPE use were similar on the outbreak and control wards. Patient noncompliance, decreased hand hygiene, and asymptomatic or presymptomatic transmission were more frequent on the outbreak ward.
CLASSIFICATION OF TETRAVALENT
-TRANSITIVE NONNORMAL CAYLEY GRAPHS OF FINITE SIMPLE GROUPS
Authors: FANG XIN GUI , WANG JIE , ZHOU SANMING
Published: January 2021

A graph

$\Gamma $
is called

$(G, s)$
-arc-transitive if

$G \le \text{Aut} (\Gamma )$
is transitive on the set of vertices of

$\Gamma $
and the set of s-arcs of

$\Gamma $
, where for an integer

$s \ge 1$
an s-arc of

$\Gamma $
is a sequence of

$s+1$
vertices

$(v_0,v_1,\ldots ,v_s)$
of

$\Gamma $
such that

$v_{i-1}$
and

$v_i$
are adjacent for

$1 \le i \le s$
and

$v_{i-1}\ne v_{i+1}$
for

$1 \le i \le s-1$
. A graph

$\Gamma $
is called 2-transitive if it is

$(\text{Aut} (\Gamma ), 2)$
-arc-transitive but not

$(\text{Aut} (\Gamma ), 3)$
-arc-transitive. A Cayley graph

$\Gamma $
of a group G is called normal if G is normal in

$\text{Aut} (\Gamma )$
and nonnormal otherwise. Fang et al. [‘On edge transitive Cayley graphs of valency four’, European J. Combin.25 (2004), 1103–1116] proved that if

$\Gamma $
is a tetravalent 2-transitive Cayley graph of a finite simple group G, then either

$\Gamma $
is normal or G is one of the groups

$\text{PSL}_2(11)$
,

${\rm M} _{11}$
,

$\text{M} _{23}$
and

$A_{11}$
. However, it was unknown whether

$\Gamma $
is normal when G is one of these four groups. We answer this question by proving that among these four groups only

$\text{M} _{11}$
produces connected tetravalent 2-transitive nonnormal Cayley graphs. We prove further that there are exactly two such graphs which are nonisomorphic and both are determined in the paper. As a consequence, the automorphism group of any connected tetravalent 2-transitive Cayley graph of any finite simple group is determined.
Low selenium intake is associated with postpartum weight retention in Chinese women and impaired physical development of their offspring
Authors: Han Feng , Liu Yiqun , Pang Xuehong , Wang Qin , Liu Liping , Chai Yingjuan , Zhang Jie , Wang Shijin , Lu Jiaxi , Sun Licui , Zhan Shuo , Huang Zhenwu
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between daily Se intake and postpartum weight retention (PPWR) among Chinese lactating women, and the impact of their Se nutritional status on infants’ physical development. Se contents in breast milk and plasma collected from 264 lactating Chinese women at the 42nd day postpartum were analysed with inductively coupled plasma MS. Daily Se intake was calculated based on plasma Se concentration. The dietary data of 24-h records on three consecutive days were collected. Infant growth status was evaluated with WHO standards by Z-scores. Linear regression analyses and multinomial logistic regression were conducted to examine the impact of Se disequilibrium (including other factors) on PPWR and growth of infants, respectively. The results indicated that: (1) the daily Se intake of the subjects was negatively associated with their PPWR (B = −0·002, 95 % CI − 0·003, 0·000, P = 0·039); (2) both insufficient Se daily intake (B = −0·001, OR 0·999, 95 % CI 0·998, 1·000, P = 0·014) and low level of Se in milk (B = −0·025, OR 0·975, 95 % CI 0·951, 0·999, P = 0·021) had potential associations with their infants’ wasting, and low level of Se in milk (B = −0·159, OR 0·853, 95 % CI 0·743, 0·980, P = 0·024) had a significant association with their infants’ overweight. In conclusion, the insufficient Se nutritional status of lactating Chinese women was first found as one possible influencing factor of their PPWR as well as low physical development of their offspring.
Rapsodia Ibero-Indiana: Transoceanic creolization and the mando of Goa
Authors: KABIR ANANYA JAHANARA
Published: January 2021

The mando is a secular song-and-dance genre of Goa whose archival attestations began in the 1860s. It is still danced today, in staged rather than social settings. Its lyrics are in Konkani, their musical accompaniment combine European and local instruments, and its dancing follows the principles of the nineteenth-century European group dances known as quadrilles, which proliferated in extra-European settings to yield various creolized forms. Using theories of creolization, archival and field research in Goa, and an understanding of quadrille dancing as a social and memorial act, this article presents the mando as a peninsular, Indic, creolized quadrille. It thus offers the first systematic examination of the mando as a nineteenth-century social dance created through processes of creolization that linked the cultural worlds of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans—a manifestation of what early twentieth-century Goan composer Carlos Eugénio Ferreira called a ‘rapsodia Ibero-Indiana’ (‘Ibero-Indian rhapsody’). I investigate the mando's kinetic, performative, musical, and linguistic aspects, its emergence from a creolization ofmentalitésthat commenced with the advent of Christianity in Goa, its relationship to other dances in Goa and across the Indian and Atlantic Ocean worlds, as well as the memory of inter-imperial cultural encounters it performs. I thereby argue for a new understanding of Goa through the processes of transoceanic creolization and their reverberation in the postcolonial present. While demonstrating the heuristic benefit of theories of creolization to the study of peninsular Indic culture, I bring those theories to peninsular India to develop further their standard applications.
The neoliberal university, social work and personalised care for older adults
Authors: Carey Malcolm
Published: January 2021

This article critically examines the impact of the neoliberal university upon social work education, research and practice relating to older people. The article appraises market-led pedagogical reforms, including of the training of social workers who go on to work with older adults, such as in support of policies including personalisation. Influence is drawn from the work of Nancy Fraser: specifically, her understanding of ‘progressive neoliberalism’, or the improbable fusion of free market ideals with the politics of recognition to create a rejuvenated hegemonic bloc. This theoretical framework is utilised to analyse the prevalence of emancipatory constructs such as empowerment, participation, anti-oppression, equality, choice and independence within the acutely underfunded, bureaucratic and risk-averse fields of social care and social work. While benefiting some older ‘service users’, it is argued that personalisation policy regularly disadvantages or excludes older people within fragmented adult social care sectors. Progressive neoliberalism has helped to promote supplyled training and policies which envisage participative and asset-based self-care whilst more often excluding or objectifying older adults, especially those with higher-level needs.
ON THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NESTED LOGIT MODEL
Authors: Galichon Alfred
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we give a two-line proof of a long-standing conjecture of Ben-Akiva in his 1973 PhD thesis regarding the random utility representation of the nested logit model, thus providing a renewed and straightforward textbook treatment of that model. As an application, we provide a closed-form formula for the correlation between two Fréchet random variables coupled by a Gumbel copula.
Pregnancy as a period of risk, adaptation, and resilience for mothers and infants
Authors: Davis Elysia Poggi , Narayan Angela J.
Published: January 2021

The pregnancy period represents a unique window of opportunity to identify risks to both the fetus and mother and to deter the intergenerational transmission of adversity and mental health problems. Although the maternal–fetal dyad is especially vulnerable to the effects of stress during pregnancy, less is known about how the dyad is also receptive to salutary, resilience-promoting influences. The present review adopts life span and intergenerational perspectives to review four key areas of research. The first part describes how pregnancy is a sensitive period for both the mother and fetus. In the second part, the focus is on antecedents of maternal prenatal risks pertaining to prenatal stress response systems and mental health. The third part then turns to elucidating how these alterations in prenatal stress physiology and mental health problems may affect infant and child outcomes. The fourth part underscores how pregnancy is also a time of heightened fetal receptivity to maternal and environmental signals, with profound implications for adaptation. This section also reviews empirical evidence of promotive and protective factors that buffer the mother and fetus from developmental and adaptational problems and covers a sample of rigorous evidence-based prenatal interventions that prevent maladaptation in the maternal–fetal dyad before babies are born. Finally, recommendations elaborate on how to further strengthen understanding of pregnancy as a period of multilevel risk and resilience, enhance comprehensive prenatal screening, and expand on prenatal interventions to promote maternal–fetal adaptation before birth.
Parental buffering in the context of poverty: positive parenting behaviors differentiate young children's stress reactivity profiles
Authors: Brown Samantha M. , Schlueter Lisa J. , Hurwich-Reiss Eliana , Dmitrieva Julia , Miles Elly , Watamura Sarah Enos
Published: January 2021

Experiencing poverty increases vulnerability for dysregulated hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis functioning and compromises long-term health. Positive parenting buffers children from HPA axis reactivity, yet this has primarily been documented among families not experiencing poverty. We tested the theorized power of positive parenting in 124 parent–child dyads recruited from Early Head Start (Mage = 25.21 months) by examining child cortisol trajectories using five samples collected across a standardized stress paradigm. Piecewise latent growth models revealed that positive parenting buffered children's stress responses when controlling for time of day, last stress task completed, and demographics. Positive parenting also interacted with income such that positive parenting was especially protective for cortisol reactivity in families experiencing greater poverty. Findings suggest that positive parenting behaviors are important for protecting children in families experiencing low income from heightened or prolonged physiologic stress reactivity to an acute stressor.
Differential brain activity as a function of social evaluative stress in early adolescence: Brain function and salivary cortisol
Authors: Herzberg Max P. , Hunt Ruskin H. , Thomas Kathleen M. , Gunnar Megan R.
Published: January 2021

Understanding individual differences in neural responses to stressful environments is an important avenue of research throughout development. These differences may be especially critical during adolescence, which is characterized by opportunities for healthy development and increased susceptibility to the development of psychopathology. While the neural correlates of the psychosocial stress response have been investigated in adults, these links have not been explored during development. Using a new task, the Minnesota Imaging Stress Test in Children (MISTiC), differences in activation are found in fusiform gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, insula, and anterior cingulate cortex when comparing a stressful math task to a nonstressful math task. The MISTiC task successfully elicits cortisol responses in a similar proportion of adolescents as in behavioral studies while collecting brain imaging data. Cortisol responders and nonresponders did not differ in their perceived stress level or behavioral performance during the task despite differences in neuroendocrine function. Future research will be able to leverage the MISTiC task for many purposes, including probing associations between individual differences in stress responses with environmental conditions, personality differences, and the development of psychopathology.
Early adversity and children's emotion regulation: Differential roles of parent emotion regulation and adversity exposure
Authors: Milojevich Helen M. , Machlin Laura , Sheridan Margaret A.
Published: January 2021

Exposure to early life adversity (ELA) is associated with increased rates of psychopathology and poor physical health. The present study builds on foundational work by Megan Gunnar identifying how ELA results in poor long-term outcomes through alterations in the stress response system, leading to major disruptions in emotional and behavioral regulation. Specifically, the present study tested the direct effects of ELA against the role of parent socialization to shed light on the mechanisms by which ELA leads to emotion regulation deficits. Children ages 4–7 years (N = 64) completed interviews about their experiences of deprivation and threat, a fear conditioning and extinction paradigm, and an IQ test. Parents of the children completed questionnaires regarding their own emotion regulation difficulties and psychopathology, their children's emotion regulation, and child exposure to adversity. At the bivariate level, greater exposure to threat and parental difficulties with emotion regulation were associated with poorer emotion regulation in children, assessed both via parental report and physiologically. In models where parental difficulties with emotion regulation, threat, and deprivation were introduced simultaneously, regression results indicated that parental difficulties with emotion regulation, but not deprivation or threat, continued to predict children's emotion regulation abilities. These results suggest that parental socialization of emotion is a robust predictor of emotion regulation tendencies in children exposed to early adversity.
Parenting matters: Parents can reduce or amplify children's anxiety and cortisol responses to acute stress
Authors: Parenteau Anna M. , Alen Nicholas V. , Deer LillyBelle K. , Nissen Adam T. , Luck Alison T. , Hostinar Camelia E.
Published: January 2021

Parents serve important functions in regulating children's responses to stress and challenge. However, the parental characteristics that modulate the effectiveness of parents as stress buffers remain to be fully characterized. To address this gap, this study examined parental characteristics and behaviors that may explain variation in parents’ ability to buffer cortisol responses to acute stress of 180 children (ages 9–11 years old, M = 9.9 years, SD = .58). Children were randomly assigned to either participate in a public speaking task, the Trier Social Stress Test – modified for children (TSST-M) or a control condition. Children in the TSST-M condition were randomly assigned to prepare for the public speaking task either with their parent (N = 59) or alone (N = 60), whereas 61 children were assigned to the control condition (no TSST-M). We found that parental education moderated the effect of condition on children's responses to acute stress. Children whose parents had lower levels of education exhibited reduced cortisol responses in the parent condition compared to the alone condition, showing a buffered pattern of reactivity. In contrast, children of parents with high levels of education displayed higher cortisol reactivity in the parent condition compared to the alone and control conditions. Parental education was also positively associated with higher levels of state anxiety within the parent condition. These results suggest that highly educated parents may emphasize performance over comfort, amplifying their children's state anxiety and cortisol responses to a public performance.
Associations between multisystem stress reactivity and peer nominated aggression in early childhood vary by sex
Authors: Hagan Melissa J. , Roubinov Danielle S. , Boyce W. Thomas , Bush Nicole R.
Published: January 2021

There is emerging evidence that the development of problematic aggression in childhood may be associated with specific physiological stress response patterns, with both biological overactivation and underactivation implicated. This study tested associations between sex-specific patterns of stress responses across the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and peer nominations of aggression among 271 kindergarten children (Mean age = 5.32 years; 52% Female; 44% White). Upon entry to kindergarten, children participated in a multidomain standardized stress paradigm. Changes in pre-ejection period (PEP) and salivary cortisol were assessed. On a separate day, children provided peer ratings of physical and relational aggression in a standardized interview. As expected, there was a significant three-way interaction between PEP, cortisol reactivity, and sex, but only for physical aggression. Among boys, cortisol reactivity was positively associated with physical aggression only for those with higher SNS reactivity. Findings suggest that for boys, asymmetrical and symmetrical HPA/SNS reactivity may be associated with lower and higher risk for peer-directed physical aggression, respectively. Understanding the complex associations between multisystem physiology, child sex and peer-directed aggression in early childhood may offer insight into individual differences underlying the emergence of behavioral dysregulation in early peer contexts.
Urbs in rure: race-grounds, grandstands and the commercialized consumption of urban leisure, 1750–1805
Authors: Huggins Mike
Published: January 2021

This article brings together three aspects of early modern urban life: the later stages of the urban renaissance, the consumer revolution and horse racing. Those towns identified as having an effectively commercialized ‘race week’ between 1750 and 1805 challenge notions of any trickle-down effect from London. Successful organization and funding came largely from co-operation rather than division between the county aristocracy and gentry and the urban middling sort. Both groups attended, while race weeks were sufficiently popular for many rural and urban workers to sacrifice production time for the allure of their leisure experiences. Racecourse consumer space, with its booths, tents and stands, allowed spectators to enjoy either cross-class mixing or increased social differentiation, the latter most especially on the permanent stone grandstands, an innovation of the period.
Parent–child resemblance in BMI and obesity status and its correlates in China
Authors: Ma Lu , Ding Yixin , Wen Xiaozhong , Gao Liwang , Zhao Li , Xue Bo , Wang Yun , Wang Youfa
Published: January 2021

Objective:

Examine mother–son, mother–daughter, father–son and father–daughter resemblance in weight status, and potential modifying effects of socio-demographic and childcare characteristics.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

School.

Participants:

1973 school-age children and their parents from five mega-cities across China in 2017.

Results:

Pearson correlation coefficients (r) for BMI of father–son, father–daughter, mother–son and mother–daughter pairs were 0·16, 0·24, 0·26 and 0·24, respectively, while their weighted kappa coefficients (k) were 0·09, 0·14, 0·04 and 0·15, respectively. Children aged 6–9 years (r ranged from 0·30 to 0·35) had larger BMI correlation with their parents than their counterparts aged 10–14 years or 15–17 years (r ranged from 0·15 to 0·24). Children residing at home (r ranged from 0·17 to 0·27) had greater BMI correlations with their parents than children residing at school/other places. BMI correlation coefficients were significant if children were mainly cared for by their mothers (r ranged from 0·17 to 0·29) but non-significant if they were mainly cared for by others. Only children who ate the same meal as their parents ‘most times’ (r ranged from 0·17 to 0·27) or had dinner with their parents ‘at most times’ (r ranged from 0·21 to 0·27) had significant BMI correlation with their parents. Similarly, children who had dinner with their parents ‘most times’ but not ‘sometimes,’ had significant BMI correlation coefficients.

Conclusions:

Parent–child resemblance in weight status was modest and varied by child age, gender, primary caregiver, whether having similar food or dinner with parents in China.
Game bird consumption in Dene communities of the Northwest Territories, Canada
Authors: Ratelle Mylène , Haig Laurie , Laird Brian D , Skinner Kelly
Published: January 2021

Objective:

Game bird consumption is an important part of the diet of Indigenous populations in Canada and, as part of country food consumption, is associated with improved nutritional status. The objective of this project was to document the consumption of game birds for Dene First Nations in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada.

Design:

Participants were invited to complete a FFQ using an iPad to document the types of country foods consumed, as well as consumption frequency and preparation methods, including thirteen types of game birds.

Setting:

The project was implemented in nine communities in the Dehcho and Sahtú regions of the NWT, Canada.

Participants:

A total of 237 children and adult participants from Dene First Nations in the Mackenzie Valley region of the NWT took part in the current study.

Results:

FFQ findings indicated that game birds were frequently consumed in both Dehcho and Sahtú communities. Canada goose and mallard were found to be consumed by the largest number of participants. Five different species (including Canada goose and mallard) were found to be consumed by at least 25 % of participants over the last year. When consuming game birds, most participants reported consuming the meat as well as most, if not all, other parts of the bird.

Conclusions:

Differences were observed since the last country food assessment in the 1990s in the same regions. These findings increase knowledge of the current Dene diet patterns and support the understanding of diet transition.
Applying the socio-ecological model to understand factors associated with sugar-sweetened beverage behaviours among rural Appalachian adolescents
Authors: McCormick Brittany A , Porter Kathleen J , You Wen , Yuhas Maryam , Reid Annie L , Thatcher Esther J , Zoellner Jamie M
Published: January 2021

Objective:

The objective of the current study was to identify factors across the socio-ecological model (SEM) associated with adolescents’ sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake.

Design:

This cross-sectional study surveyed adolescents using previously validated instruments. Analyses included descriptive statistics, ANOVA tests and stepwise nonlinear regression models (i.e., two-part models) adjusted to be cluster robust. Guided by SEM, a four-step model was used to identify factors associated with adolescent SSB intake – step 1: demographics (i.e., age, gender), step 2: intrapersonal (i.e., theory of planned behaviour (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, behavioural intentions), health literacy, media literacy, public health literacy), step 3: interpersonal (i.e., caregiver’s SSB behaviours, caregiver’s SSB rules) and step 4: environmental (i.e., home SSB availability) level variables.

Setting:

Eight middle schools across four rural southwest Virginia counties in Appalachia.

Participants:

Seven hundred ninety seventh grade students (55·4 % female, 44·6 % males, mean age 12 (sd0·5) years).

Results:

Mean SSB intake was 36·3 (sd42·5) fluid ounces or 433·4 (sd493·6) calories per day. In the final step of the regression model, seven variables significantly explained adolescent’s SSB consumption: behavioural intention (P< 0·05), affective attitude (P< 0·05), perceived behavioural control (P< 0·05), health literacy (P< 0·001), caregiver behaviours (P< 0·05), caregiver rules (P< 0·05) and home availability (P< 0·001).

Conclusions:

SSB intake among adolescents in rural Appalachia was nearly three times above national mean. Home environment was the strongest predictor of adolescent SSB intake, followed by caregiver rules, caregiver behaviours and health literacy. Future interventions targeting these factors may provide the greatest opportunity to improve adolescent SSB intake.
Partial recall: differences between actual and self-reported annuitization decisions in Sweden
Authors: Hagen Johannes
Published: January 2021

This paper reports the results from a large telephone survey of 1,000 retiring white-collar workers in Sweden. Shortly before the interview, the participants at age 65 had a choice of receiving a life annuity by default or opting for a fixed-term payout, with a minimum payout length of 5 years. Large monetary amounts were at stake in the payout decision of the survey participants; the average monthly pension payment under the life annuity amounted to US $280. Comparing the survey responses with administrative records on actual payout choices, I find that a majority of retiring white-collar workers fail to recall their payout decision. The recollection rate is much lower among annuitants (those who chose the default option); only 40% of the annuitants accurately recalled their payout decision compared to 77% of those who opted for a fixed-term payout. Beyond payout choice, few individual characteristics predict successful recollection.
Evaluation of an acceleration-based assistive strategy to control a back-support exoskeleton for manual material handling
Authors: Lazzaroni Maria , Tabasi Ali , Toxiri Stefano , Caldwell Darwin G. , De Momi Elena , van Dijk Wietse , de Looze Michiel P. , Kingma Idsart , van Dieën Jaap H. , Ortiz Jesús
Published: January 2021

To reduce the incidence of occupational musculoskeletal disorders, back-support exoskeletons are being introduced to assist manual material handling activities. Using a device of this type, this study investigates the effects of a new control strategy that uses the angular acceleration of the user’s trunk to assist during lifting tasks. To validate this new strategy, its effectiveness was experimentally evaluated relative to the condition without the exoskeleton as well as against existing strategies for comparison. Using the exoskeleton during lifting tasks reduced the peak compression force on the L5S1 disc by up to 16%, with all the control strategies. Substantial differences between the control strategies in the reductions of compression force, lumbar moment and back muscle activation were not observed. However, the new control strategy reduced the movement speed less with respect to the existing strategies. Thanks to improved timing in the assistance in relation to the typical dynamics of the target task, the hindrance to typical movements appeared reduced, thereby promoting intuitiveness and comfort.
Hypertension trials update
Authors: Al Ghorani Hussam , Kulenthiran Saarraaken , Lauder Lucas , Böhm Michael , Mahfoud Felix
Published: January 2021

Hypertension is one of the most prevalent cardiovascular diseases and its treatment requires multimodal therapeutic approaches. This review aims to provide a summary and update on relevant evidence in hypertension research published in 2019/2020. These include trials dealing with the prognostic effect of systolic and diastolic blood pressure values, the association between hypertension and valve disease, reproducibility of masked and white-coat hypertension, and the prognostic importance of ambulatory and night-time blood pressure measurements. Treatment of hypertension focusing on elderly patients but also the potential cancer risk of thiazide diuretics, the valsartan recall, chronotherapy, and device-based hypertension therapy are discussed.
Matrix metalloproteinase-10 protects against acute kidney injury by augmenting epidermal growth factor receptor signaling
Authors: Hu Chengxiao , Zuo Yangyang , Ren Qian , Sun Xiaoli , Zhou Shan , Liao Jinlin , Hong Xue , Miao Jinhua , Zhou Lili , Liu Youhua
Published: January 2021

Matrix metalloproteinase-10 (MMP-10) is a zinc-dependent endopeptidase involved in regulating a wide range of biologic processes, such as apoptosis, cell proliferation, and tissue remodeling. However, the role of MMP-10 in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury (AKI) is unknown. In this study, we show that MMP-10 was upregulated in the kidneys and predominantly localized in the tubular epithelium in various models of AKI induced by ischemia/reperfusion (IR) or cisplatin. Overexpression of exogenous MMP-10 ameliorated AKI, manifested by decreased serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, tubular injury and apoptosis, and increased tubular regeneration. Conversely, knockdown of endogenous MMP-10 expression aggravated kidney injury. Interestingly, alleviation of AKI by MMP-10 in vivo was associated with the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its downstream AKT and extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1 and 2 (ERK1/2) signaling. Blockade of EGFR signaling by erlotinib abolished the MMP-10-mediated renal protection after AKI. In vitro, MMP-10 potentiated EGFR activation and protected kidney tubular cells against apoptosis induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation or cisplatin. MMP-10 was colocalized with heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) in vivo and activated it by a process of proteolytical cleavage in vitro. These studies identify HB-EGF as a previously unrecognized substrate of MMP-10. Our findings also underscore that MMP-10 can protect against AKI by augmenting EGFR signaling, leading to promotion of tubular cell survival and proliferation after injury.
Period1 mediates rhythmic metabolism of toxins by interacting with CYP2E1
Authors: Ge Wenhao , Wang Tao , Zhao Yang , Yang Yunxia , Sun Qi , Yang Xiao , Gao Yan , Xu Xi , Zhang Jianfa
Published: January 2021

The biological clock is an endogenous biological timing system, which controls metabolic functions in almost all organs. Nutrient metabolism, substrate processing, and detoxification are circadian controlled in livers. However, how the clock genes respond to toxins and influence toxicity keeps unclear. We identified the clock gene Per1 was specifically elevated in mice exposed to toxins such as carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Mice lacking Per1 slowed down the metabolic rate of toxins including CCl4, capsaicin, and acetaminophen, exhibiting relatively more residues in the plasma. Liver injury and fibrosis induced by acute and chronic CCl4 exposure were markedly alleviated in Per1-deficient mice. These processes involved the binding of PER1 protein and hepatocyte nuclear factor-1alpha (HNF-1α), which enhances the recruitment of HNF-1α to cytochrome P450 2E1 (Cyp2e1) promoter and increases Cyp2e1 expression, thereby promoting metabolism for toxins in the livers. These results indicate that PER1 mediates the metabolism of toxins and appropriate suppression of Per1 response is a potential therapeutic target for toxin-induced hepatotoxicity.
The DDX39B/FUT3/TGFβR-I axis promotes tumor metastasis and EMT in colorectal cancer
Authors: He Chengcheng , Li Aimin , Lai Qiuhua , Ding Jian , Yan Qun , Liu Side , Li Qingyuan
Published: January 2021

DDX39B is a member of the DEAD box (DDX) RNA helicase family required for nearly all cellular RNA metabolic processes. The exact role and potential molecular mechanism of DDX39B in the progression of human colorectal cancer (CRC) remain to be investigated. In the present study, we demonstrate that DDX39B expression is higher in CRC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. Gain- and loss-of-function assays revealed that DDX39B facilitates CRC metastasis in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation-sequencing (RIP-seq) showed that DDX39B binds directly to the FUT3 pre-mRNA and upregulates FUT3 expression. Splicing experiments in vitro using a Minigene assay confirmed that DDX39B promotes FUT3 pre-mRNA splicing. A nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA separation assay indicates that DDX39B enhances the mRNA export of FUT3. Upregulation of FUT3 accelerates the fucosylation of TGFβR-I, which activates the TGFβ signaling pathway and eventually drives the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) program and contributes to CRC progression. These findings not only provide new insight into the role of DDX39B in mRNA splicing and export as well as in tumorigenesis, but also shed light on the effects of aberrant fucosylation on CRC progression.