bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rate of kidney function decline and factors predicting progression of kidney disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with reduced kidney function: A nationwide retrospective cohort study
Authors: Kaewput Wisit , Thongprayoon Charat , Chewcharat Api , Rangsin Ram , Satirapoj Bancha , Kaewput Chalermrat , Suwannahitatorn Picha , Bathini Tarun , Mao Michael A. , Cato Liam D. , Harrison Andrew M. , Vaitla Pradeep , Cheungpasitporn Wisit
Published: January 2020

Currently, the data on independent risk factors for the progression of kidney disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with CKD are limited. This study aimed to investigate CKD progression in T2DM patients who have reduced kidney function with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFRs) between 15 and 59 mL/min/1.73 m2. This study was composed of a nationwide retrospective cohort of adult T2DM patients from 831 public hospitals in Thailand during the year 2015. T2DM patients with CKD stages 3 and 4 were followed up, until development of CKD stage 5, requirement of chronic dialysis, loss to follow‐up, death, or 31 May 2018, whichever came first. Cox proportional hazard regression was utilized for analysis. A total of 8464 participants were included; 30.4% were male. The mean age was 69 ± 10 years. The mean eGFR was 45 ± 11 mL/min/1.73 m2. The incidence of CKD stage 5 or the need for chronic dialysis was 16.4 per 1000 person‐years. The annual rate of eGFR decline during a mean follow‐up of 29 months was −2.3 mL/min/1.73 m2; 14.4% had a rapid decline in eGFR. The risk factors associated with progression to CKD stage 5 or the need for chronic dialysis were diabetes duration, systolic blood pressure, serum uric acid, albuminuria, and baseline eGFR. Conversely, older age and the use of renin‐angiotensin aldosterone system blockade were associated with decreased risks for rapid CKD progression and incidence CKD stage 5 or dialysis. This study identifies multiple predictive risk factors that support a multifaceted approach to prevent progression of advanced CKD.
Extraction of phycocyanin—A natural blue colorant from dried spirulina biomass: Influence of processing parameters and extraction techniques
Authors: Li Ying , Zhang Zhong , Paciulli Maria , Abbaspourrad Alireza
Published: January 2020

Phycocyanin, a natural blue colorant, is typically extracted from liquid biomass of Arthrospira platensis, a blue–green algae called spirulina. In this study, we developed a scalable process to extract phycocyanin from dried spirulina biomass. First, we established the optimal ionic strength and pH for the extraction buffer. The results showed that a minimum ionic strength (>5 g/L NaCl) must be maintained to minimize the co‐extraction of the green chlorophyll. The optimal pH of the phosphate buffer (100 mM) for phycocyanin extraction is 7.5; however, the pH should be immediately adjusted to 6.0 to 6.5 after the extraction to keep phycocyanin stable. Second, we also investigated three processing techniques, that is, high‐pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric field (PEF), and ultrasonication, to break the cell walls of spirulina and facilitate the release of phycocyanins into extraction buffers. HPP and PEF do not lead to the release of phycocyanin into the extraction buffer. However, ultrasonication breaks down the spirulina into fine particles and releases most of the phycocyanin, along with other impurities, immediately after the treatment. Last, it has been revealed that most of the phycocyanin can be extracted from biomass within 3 hr by phosphate buffer only (pH 7.5, 100 mM) at room temperature. It is concluded that there is no need to treat the rehydrated biomass solution by HPP, PEF, or ultrasonication due to the minimal benefits they brought for the extraction. Based on these results, we proposed an extraction process for the plant production of phycocyanin starting from dried spirulina biomass.

Practical Applications

Limited information can be found on the extraction of phycocyanin from dried spirulina biomass, especially how to better preserve the natural blue color of phycocyanin during extraction. We have investigated the method and presented a different view from previous processes. Pulsed electric field, high‐pressure processing, and ultrasonication were employed to accelerate the extraction of phycocyanin from dried biomass. However, it was found that, unlike the extraction from live wet biomass, these techniques do not help with the extraction from dried biomass. Based on investigations, we have proposed a process that can be easily scaled up for the commercial production of phycocyanin from dried spirulina biomass.
Evaluation of structural and physicochemical properties of octenyl succinic anhydride modified sweet potato starch with different degrees of substitution
Authors: Guo Jieli , Tang Weimin , Quek Siew Young , Liu Zhe , Lu Shengmin , Tu Kang
Published: January 2020

Octenyl succinic anhydride modified sweet potato starch (OSA‐SPS) were synthesized in different degrees of substitution (DS) from 0.0073 to 0.0153. Unlike sweet potato starch (SPS), two additional characteristic peaks were detected at 1,572 and 1,724 cm−1 from the Fourier Transform‐Infrared spectroscopy in OSA‐SPS and their intensities were generally increased with the elevation in DS. Scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction analyses revealed that the esterification did not alter the initial shape of starch granules and mainly occurred on the surface of starch pellets. In addition, OSA‐SPS possessed higher transmittance, viscosity and stability, lower gelatinization temperature, and shorter gelatinization time than SPS. The changes of these properties of SPS after the esterification with OSA would be more conducive to its application in food and other fields.

Practical Application

Octenyl succinic anhydride modified starch (OSAS), as a relatively novel amphiphilic surfactant, have been applied to the processing of many products due to its special hydrophilicity and lipophilicity. The structural and physicochemical properties of sweet potato starch (SPS) and octenyl succinic anhydride modified sweet potato starch (OSA‐SPS) with different degrees of substitution (DS) were systematically analyzed in this research. The findings give fundamental understanding of OSA‐SPS and provide a basic reference for its application in industries including food, cosmetics, textiles, and so on.
Investigating above‐ground biomass in old‐growth and secondary montane forests of the Cameroon Highlands
Authors: Ngute Alain Senghor K. , Sonké Bonaventure , Nsanyi Sainge Moses , Calders Kim , Marchant Rob , Cuni‐Sanchez Aida
Published: January 2020

Tropical montane forests can store and sequester substantial amounts of carbon in above‐ground biomass (AGB), but variations in this storage related to location or degradation have not been quantified in the Cameroon Highlands. We established 25 permanent plots (20 m × 40 m) and sampled all trees ≥10 cm diameter following standard RAINFOR protocols. We estimated AGB and investigated variations related to taxonomic and structural forest attributes, including the height–diameter allometry in five forest types (four old‐growth dominated by different species and one secondary forest). Secondary forests had significantly lower AGB than old‐growth forests (49.4 ± 2.5 vs. >476.3 ± 168.7 Mg/ha, respectively), mostly related to lower basal area and tree height. Significant differences in species composition but not in forest structure or AGB were found between the four types of old‐growth forests studied, located at different altitudes and mountains. We discuss the importance of these montane forests for carbon storage and, considering their high diversity and current threats, their potential for carbon finance mechanisms related to both avoided deforestation and forest restoration.
Variables affecting the presence of mesenchymal stromal cells in peripheral blood and their relationship with apheresis products
Authors: Jain Ankur , Khadwal Alka , Sachdeva Man Updesh Singh , Bose Praveen , Lad Deepesh , Bhattacharya Shalmoli , Prakash Gaurav , Malhotra Pankaj , Varma Neelam , Varma Subhash
Published: February 2020

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) demonstrate the properties of self‐renewal, multipotentiality, and immunosuppression, which are responsible for their widespread clinical applications in tissue repair and regeneration. MSCs have been isolated from bone marrow, adipose tissue, and cord blood using culture in specialised media. Their presence in peripheral blood (PB) is debatable. We studied the presence of MSCs at baseline (PB) and following mobilisation with growth factors [PB and apheresis product (AP)] in patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation and healthy donors using flow cytometry. We conclude that both mobilised PB and AP are potential sources of MSCs. Given their small numbers in PB/AP, clinical use is feasible following ex‐vivo expansion. Variables affecting the presence of MSCs in PB and AP are also discussed.
Protective effect of cilastatin against diclofenac‐induced nephrotoxicity through interaction with diclofenac acyl glucuronide via organic anion transporters
Authors: Huo Xiaokui , Meng Qiang , Wang Changyuan , Wu Jingjing , Wang Chong , Zhu Yanna , Ma Xiaodong , Sun Huijun , Liu Kexin
Published: January 2020

Background and Purpose

Diclofenac is a widely used nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug. However, adverse effects in the kidney limit its clinical application. The present study was aimed to evaluate the potential effect of cilastatin on diclofenac‐induced acute kidney injury and to clarify the potential roles of renal organic anion transporters (OATs) in the drug‐drug interaction between cilastatin and diclofenac.

Experimental Approach

The effect of cilastatin was evaluated in diclofenac‐induced acute kidney injury in mice. Human OAT1/3‐transfected HEK293 cells and renal primary proximal tubule cells (RPTCs) were used to investigate OAT1/3‐mediated transport and the cytotoxicity of diclofenac.

Key Results

Cilastatin treatment decreased the pathological changes, renal dysfunction and elevated renal levels of oxidation products, cytokine production and apoptosis induced by diclofenac in mice. Moreover, cilastatin increased the plasma concentration and decreased the renal distribution of diclofenac and its glucuronide metabolite, diclofenac acyl glucuronide (DLF‐AG). Similarly, cilastatin inhibited cytotoxicity and mitochondrial damage in RPTCs but did not change the intracellular accumulation of diclofenac. DLF‐AG but not diclofenac exhibited OAT‐dependent cytotoxicity and was identified as an OAT1/3 substrate. Cilastatin inhibited the intracellular accumulation and decreased the cytotoxicity of DLF‐AG in RPTCs.

Conclusion and Implications

Cilastatin alleviated diclofenac‐induced acute kidney injury in mice by restoring the redox balance, suppressing inflammation, and reducing apoptosis. Cilastatin inhibited OATs and decreased the renal distribution of diclofenac and DLF‐AG, which further ameliorated the diclofenac‐induced nephrotoxicity in mice. Cilastatin can be potentially used in the clinic as a therapeutic agent to alleviate the adverse renal reaction to diclofenac.
Cisplatin‐induced programmed cell death ligand‐2 expression is associated with metastasis ability in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Sudo Shunichi , Kajiya Hiroshi , Okano Shinji , Sasaki Mina , Katsumata Yuri , Ohno Jun , Ikebe Tetsuro , Hiraki Akimitsu , Okabe Koji
Published: February 2020

Programmed cell death ligands (PD‐Ls) are expressed in tumor cells where they bind to programmed cell death‐1, an immunocyte co–receptor, resulting in tumor cell evasion from the immune system. Chemotherapeutic drugs have been recently reported to induce the expression of PD‐L, such as PD‐L1, in some cancer cells. However, little is known regarding PD‐L2 expression and its role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In this study, we examined the effect of cisplatin on the expression and regulation of PD‐L2 in OSCC cell lines and analyzed malignant behavior in PD‐L2‐expressing cells using colony, transwell and transformation assays. In addition, we examined PD‐L2 expression in the tumor tissues of OSCC patients using cytology and tissue microarray methods. In OSCC cell lines, cisplatin treatment upregulated PD‐L2 expression, along with that of the drug efflux transporter ABCG2, via signal transducers and activator of transcription (STAT) 1/3 activation. Moreover, PD‐L2‐positive or PD‐L2‐overexpressing cells demonstrated upregulation in both invasion and transformation ability but not in proliferation compared with PD‐L2‐negative or PD‐L2‐silencing cells. PD‐L2 expression was also observed in OSCC cells of cytology samples and tissue from OSCC patients. The intensity of PD‐L2 expression was correlated with more malignant morphological features in the histological appearance and an invasive pattern. Our findings indicate that cisplatin‐upregulated PD‐L2 expression in OSCC via STAT1/3 activation and the expression of PD‐L2 are likely to be associated with malignancy in OSCC. The PD‐L2 expression in cisplatin‐resistant OSCC cells may be a critical factor in prognosis of advanced OSCC patients.
Mesenchymal stem cell‐derived CXCL16 promotes progression of gastric cancer cells by STAT3‐mediated expression of Ror1
Authors: Ikeda Taro , Nishita Michiru , Hoshi Kyoka , Honda Takashi , Kakeji Yoshihiro , Minami Yasuhiro
Published: February 2020

Bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSC) have been shown to be recruited to various types of tumor tissues, where they interact with tumor cells to promote their proliferation, survival, invasion and metastasis, depending on the type of the tumor. We have previously shown that Ror2 receptor tyrosine kinase and its ligand, Wnt5a, are expressed in MSC, and Wnt5a‐Ror2 signaling in MSC induces expression of CXCL16, which, in turn, promotes proliferation of co–cultured MKN45 gastric cancer cells via the CXCL16‐CXCR6 axis. However, it remains unclear how CXCL16 regulates proliferation of MKN45 cells. Here, we show that knockdown of CXCL16 in MSC by siRNA suppresses not only proliferation but also migration of co–cultured MKN45 cells. We also show that MSC‐derived CXCL16 or recombinant CXCL16 upregulates expression of Ror1 through activation of STAT3 in MKN45 cells, leading to promotion of proliferation and migration of MKN45 cells in vitro. Furthermore, co–injection of MSC with MKN45 cells in nude mice promoted tumor formation in a manner dependent on expression of Ror1 in MKN45 cells, and anti–CXCL16 neutralizing antibody suppressed tumor formation of MKN45 cells co–injected with MSC. These results suggest that CXCL16 produced through Ror2‐mediated signaling in MSC within the tumor microenvironment acts on MKN45 cells in a paracrine manner to activate the CXCR6‐STAT3 pathway, which, in turn, induces expression of Ror1 in MKN45 cells, thereby promoting tumor progression.
Mediating role of screen media use on adolescents' total sleep time: A cluster‐randomized controlled trial for physical activity and sedentary behaviour
Authors: Knebel Margarethe Thaisi Garro , Borgatto Adriano Ferreti , Lopes Marcus Vinicius Veber , dos Santos Priscila Cristina , Matias Thiago Sousa , Narciso Fernanda Veruska , Silva Kelly Samara
Published: February 2020

Background

The present study aimed to analyse the effect of an intervention for increasing physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary time on adolescents' total sleep time (TST) and to examine whether the effect on adolescents' TST was mediated by the intervention changes on screen‐based sedentary time.

Methods

This study was a school‐based cluster‐randomized controlled trial conducted with Brazilian adolescents in Grades 7 to 9 (in 2017). Three schools participated in each of the intervention group (IG) and control group (CG). The intervention involved the following three strategies designed to increase PA and reduce sedentary time: (a) teacher training, (b) environmental improvements, and (c) health educational component. TST and screen‐based sedentary time (television use, cell phone use, playing on computer/video game, and computer use that is not for gaming purposes) on weekdays and weekends were assessed using a standardized questionnaire. Generalized linear mixed models were conducted to verify the effect of the intervention on TST. Mediation analyses were used to examine the mediator role of changes in screen‐based sedentary time in the relationship between the intervention and TST.

Results

Overall, 597 students participated in this study (mean age: 13.0 ± 1.0 years; IG: n = 351; CG: n = 246). The intervention had no effect on TST on weekdays and weekends. Adolescents in the IG were more likely to report ≤2 hr of television viewing per day on weekdays at follow‐up. Mediated effects by screen media use were not significant.

Conclusions

The school‐based intervention for increasing PA and reducing sedentary time had no effect on adolescents' TST.
State ownership and securities fraud: A political governance perspective
Authors: Shi Wei , Aguilera Ruth , Wang Kai
Published: January 2020

Research question/issue

This study attempts to shed new light on how the state as a controlling shareholder can affect the interests of minority shareholders by investigating the role of state ownership in deterring securities fraud commission.

Research findings/insights

Using archival data from a large sample of Chinese publicly traded firms, we uncover that state ownership is negatively associated with the likelihood of securities fraud commission. Further, CEO political background reinforces this negative relationship. We also uncover that firms with high state ownership are more likely to dismiss CEOs than those with low or no state ownership upon securities fraud detection.

Theoretical/academic implications

Departing from agency theory‐centric research on state ownership and corporate governance, this study introduces a political governance perspective to unpack the role of state ownership in corporate governance. Political governance refers to organizational control mechanisms deployed by political actors to achieve their objectives.

Practitioner/policy implications

Studying how political governance systems influence managerial behaviors is critical to gaining a complete insight into the implications of state ownership on corporate governance.
The Dark Sides of Social Policy: From Neoliberalism to Resurgent Right‐wing Populism
Authors: Fischer Andrew M.
Published: February 2020

This Forum Debate explores the confluence of neoliberal, populist, conservative and reactionary influences on contemporary ideologies and practices of social policy, with a focus on the poorer peripheries of global capitalism. Several fundamental tensions are highlighted, which are largely overlooked by the social policy and development literatures. First, many recent social policy innovations have been discredited by their association with neoliberalism. The rising political Right has been much more successful than the Left at exploiting this discontent, despite simultaneously deepening many aspects of neoliberalism once in power. At the same time, right‐wing movements have proactively used social policy as a political tool to fashion the social order along lines deemed amenable for their interests and ideologies, expressed along nationalist, racialized, ethnicized, nativist, religious, patriarchal or other lines, and to innovate practices of segregation, exclusion and subordination. While these synergies of neoliberal and right‐wing populism are observed globally, they need to be carefully and differentially interpreted from the perspective of late industrializing (or late welfare state) peripheral countries. Nonetheless, common themes occurring across both centres and peripheries, as identified by the invited contributions to this Debate section, include exclusionary identity politics, hierarchical and subordinating inclusions, and patriarchal familialism. In this context, segregationism is an ominous possibility of post‐neoliberal social policy.
Higher education segregation in Spain: Gender constructs and social background
Authors: Garcia‐Andreu Hugo , Acebal Fernandez Alejandro , Aledo Antonio
Published: January 2020

The waning influence of ascriptive factors on occupational status has been related to the expansion of higher education systems and economic modernisation. The theory of Effectively Maintained Inequality observes that the horizontal stratification of university degrees is a strategy of social differentiation used mainly by the most advantaged social class to access the occupations that are better valued in the labour market. This article verifies the effectively maintained inequality theory by means of a statistical analysis of selected degrees, differentiated by gender and social class, carried out in a Spanish university during the period of expansion and consolidation of the higher education system. The results confirm the theory, but they are partially conditioned by the vertical stratification that alters the composition by gender of the contingent of students of less advantaged social class, in which women present a greater tendency to choose degrees that are less valued by the market.
A Randomized Comparison of Two Psychosocial Interventions on Family Functioning in Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder
Authors: O’Donnell Lisa A. , Weintraub Marc J. , Ellis Alissa J. , Axelson David A. , Kowatch Robert A. , Schneck Christopher D. , Miklowitz David J.
Published: February 2020

Impairments in family functioning are associated with more severe depressive and manic symptoms, earlier recurrences, and more suicidal behaviors in early‐onset bipolar disorder. This study examined whether family‐focused treatment for adolescents (FFT‐A) with BD I or II disorder led to greater increases in family cohesion and adaptability and decreases in conflict over 2 years compared to a briefer psychoeducational treatment (enhanced care, EC). Participants were 144 adolescents (mean age: 15.6 ± 1.4 years) with BD I or II with a mood episode in the previous 3 months. Adolescents and parents were randomized to either FFT‐A (21 sessions) or EC (three sessions). Patients received guideline‐based pharmacotherapy throughout the 2‐year study. Trajectories of adolescent‐ and parent‐rated family cohesion, adaptability, and conflict were analyzed over 2 years. FFT‐A had greater effects on adolescent‐rated family cohesion compared to EC over 2 years. Participants in FFT‐A and EC reported similar improvements in family conflict across the 2 years. In the FFT‐A group, low‐conflict families had greater adolescent‐rated family cohesion throughout the study compared to high‐conflict families. High‐conflict families in both treatment groups tended to show larger reductions in conflict over 2 years than low‐conflict families. Family psychoeducation and skills training may improve family cohesion in the early stages of BD. Measuring levels of family conflict at the start of treatment may inform treatment responsiveness among those receiving FFT‐A.
Shear and extensional rheology of selected polysaccharides
Authors: Evageliou Vasiliki
Published: February 2020

Rheology is used for the elucidation of the flow properties of polysaccharide solutions. For a given polysaccharide, both shear and extensional rheological experiments should be performed for the full characterisation of its flow properties. The provided information will facilitate the efficient exploitation of a polysaccharide in various applications. Although shear rheology is widely used in polysaccharides’ characterisation, there are only limited extensional rheology studies due to lack of reliable techniques in the formation of pure extensional flow. However, recently, several commercial extensional rheometers have been developed and thus, accurate extensional experiments can now be performed. The present work initially presents the principles and concepts of both shear and extensional rheology and then reports rheological findings for solutions of various polysaccharides and their derivatives. Xanthan and various members of the galactomannan, cellulose and alginate families were selected.
Establishment and validation of a delirium prediction model for neurosurgery patients in intensive care
Authors: Wang Jun , Ji Yuanyuan , Wang Ning , Chen Wenjin , Bao Yuehong , Qin Qinpu , Ma Chunmei , Xiao Qian , Li Shulan
Published: February 2020

Background

Neurosurgical intensive care unit patients are at high risk for delirium. A risk prediction model could help the staff screen for patients at high risk for delirium. On the basis of this risk, preventive measures could be taken to reduce the undesired effects of delirium.

Objectives

To establish a delirium prediction model for neurosurgical intensive care unit patients and to verify the sensitivity and specificity of this model.

Design

A prospective, observational, single‐centre study.

Methods

Data were collected from a total of 310 patients admitted to the neurosurgery intensive care unit between January 2017 and February 2018. A risk factor prediction model was then created using multivariate logistic regression. Further data were collected from another 60 patients between March 2018 and June 2018 to validate the model.

Results

The model consisted of six predictors, namely, cognitive dysfunction on admission, fever, hypoalbuminaemia, abnormal liver function, sedative use four or more times, and physical restraint. The area under the curve of the model was 0.80, with sensitivity and specificity of 0.68 and 0.83, respectively.

Conclusions

This study established a delirium prediction model for neurosurgical intensive care unit patients, which we believe would help focused prevention of delirium in intensive care unit patients.
Nursing stress factors affecting turnover intention among hospital nurses
Authors: Lee Eun‐Kyoung , Kim Ji‐Soo
Published: January 2020

Aims

This study aimed to identify the nursing stress factors, which affect turnover intention in hospital nurses.

Background

Nursing stress is known to be an important predictor of turnover intention in nurses. Although nurses experience various sources of stress across work environments, cultures, and generations, little is known about the stress factors affecting turnover intention in nurses.

Design

A descriptive cross‐sectional design was employed.

Methods

A total of 329 nurses were recruited through convenience sampling from 27 hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected from May to November 2018 using a questionnaire.

Results

Among the stress factors, stress from patients and their families, workload stress, stress from conflicts with supervisors, and stress from conflicts with peers were associated with turnover intention in hospital nurses. These variables explained 40.0% of the variance in turnover intention among hospital nurses.

Conclusions

Stress from interpersonal relationships with patients and their families, supervisors, and peers may have a considerable impact on turnover intention. To reduce nursing turnover intention, coping strategies to reduce stress from patients and their families should be established. It is necessary to provide programmes that foster interpersonal relationship skills in the workplace. Nurse managers may encourage communication among nurses to establish positive relationships.
Colonization history of the Canary Islands endemic Lavatera acerifolia, (Malvaceae) unveiled with genotyping‐by‐sequencing data and niche modelling
Authors: Villa‐Machío Irene , Fernández de Castro Alejandro G. , Fuertes‐Aguilar Javier , Nieto Feliner Gonzalo
Published: February 2020

Aim

Differentiation of island lineages from mainland relatives and radiation after initial colonization are two important processes generating island diversity. Both of these processes are influenced by colonization dynamics and contemporary connections between island species and their source populations. The classic island progression rule model, that is dispersal from mainland to older islands and subsequently to younger islands, can be considered a null hypothesis, particularly for islands that are geographically aligned perpendicular to the mainland coast with ages inversely proportional to distance from the mainland. Alterations to this pattern have been reported, particularly in archipelagos that are geographically closely adjacent to mainland source populations. Here we aim to integrate genomic and environmental niche data to infer the colonization history of a Canary endemic species and to understand its current diversity patterns.

Location

Canary Islands.

Taxon

Lavatera acerifolia (Malvaceae).

Methods

We used high‐throughput genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) combined with species distribution modelling (SDM) projected onto past conditions. Genetic structure (clustering methods), relatedness (coalescent and ML trees), nucleotide diversity and differentiation (population genetics) were assessed based on SNPs obtained from three alternative bioinformatics pipelines. The influence of environmental variables over time was assessed with a generalized linear model in which the response variable was amount of heterozygous sites per individual.

Results

Four genetic groups were identified arranged along a longitudinal gradient, and the earliest diverging coincides with the older, and easternmost, islands (Lanzarote and Fuerteventura). Genetic diversity is reduced in the westernmost islands, which are more distant from the mainland, host few populations and yet apparently offer more suitable habitats.

Main conclusions

The inferred colonization scenario generally fits the progression rule model, but suggests a more complex pattern for the central islands. For the westernmost islands, the contrast between high availability of suitable habitats and reduced genetic diversity and number of populations suggests a colonization front moving at a slow pace, rather than local extinctions, as an explanation for the scarcity of populations in those islands. Historical projections of SDM lend support to this interpretation.
Compliance with EU Law in Times of Disintegration: Exploring Changes in Transposition and Enforcement in the EU Member States between 1997 and 2016
Authors: Pircher Brigitte , Loxbo Karl
Published: January 2020

This article explores whether disintegration, in the form of increased non‐compliance with EU law, has occurred in the EU Member States between 1997 and 2016. The contribution is twofold. First, we develop hypotheses to test the argument that non‐compliance with EU law increases when Member States experience growing economic constraints and political turbulence. However, the hypotheses are conclusively rejected. Second, while we demonstrate distinct differences between Member States' compliance by the end of the 1990s, our time‐series analyses demonstrate that these disparities disappeared over time. Taken together, our findings not only suggest that economic factors, government capacity, and, above all, domestic politics become gradually decoupled from the European integration process but also that cultural differences in law observance become increasingly irrelevant to explain the behaviour of governments. We conclude by arguing that the strong trend towards harmonization probably is explained by a changed culture of EU transposition and enforcement.
Historical distribution and current drivers of guppy occurrence in Brazil
Authors: Dias Murilo S. , de Faria Ian F. , Guarido Paula C. P. , Teresa Fabrício B. , de Aquino Pedro de Podestà Uchôa , Quimbayo Juan P.
Published: January 2020

Humans introduce non‐native species by means such as the deliberate release of fish into fresh waters and through commercial trade. The guppy Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859, is commonly kept in aquaria and controls disease vectors, and now it occurs in many areas outside its natural distribution. Its initial habitat in Brazil was identified, and a study was performed to determine whether the density of guppies can be explained by the density of human population, per‐capita gross domestic product, level of human impact on the areas where guppies have been found and fish‐sampling effort. A total of 1402 guppy records were found; the southeastern region had the oldest records; and the southeastern, northeastern and central‐western regions had the maximum records. Low tolerance to the colder climate may be the reason for the lack of guppy records in the southernmost states. It was also observed that the occurrence of this fish is positively, yet weakly, related to the density of human population, indicating that improved regulations regarding its use in controlling disease vectors, the aquarium trade and education of aquarium hobbyists could help prevent the spread of this species and its potential impacts in Brazil.
Dispersion‐assisted extraction of guarana processing wastes on the obtaining of polyphenols and alkaloids
Authors: Santana Ádina L. , Zanini Júlia A. , Macedo Gabriela A.
Published: February 2020

This is the first work to evaluate the effects of high shear mixing (HSM) on the recovery of valuable polar compounds from guarana processing wastes (peels and depleted seeds), which results may server to support researches on the valorization of guarana. Under the optimum condition, the HSM was led to extract catechin (11.11–42.93 g/100 g raw material), epicatechin (7.83–24.78 g/100 g raw material) and caffeine (9.99–28.80 g/100 g raw material) from guarana products, which contents were comparable with those obtained with ultrasound assisted extraction and maceration, and significantly higher than those obtained with infusion and decoction. Besides the relatively low reducing sugar content (0.02–0.23 g glucose equivalent/100 g raw material), HSM extracts also presented high antioxidant capacity (25–533 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g raw material) and phenolic compounds (0.5–45 g catechin equivalent/100 g raw material and 0.1–66.38 g gallic acid equivalent/100 g raw material). The use of pectinase enhanced the HSM to recover target compounds in depleted seeds.

Practical applications

The use of guarana has emerged as a source of antioxidants, associated to enhancement of cognitive function, to prevent cancer‐related symptoms, and to control the weight. This paper is the first research to use high‐shear mixing (HSM) to maximize the recovery of bioactive compounds from the peels and depleted seeds of guarana, the wastes derived from the Brazilian carbonated beverage industry. The extraction efficiency of HSM for 1 min to recover polyphenols and alkaloids was like those of ultrasound assisted assisted and maceration, performed for 30 min. Our results confirm that HSM is an environmentally friendly, rapid and low‐cost method to extract bioactive compounds from guarana. Our results are expected to support further researches on the use of HSM as an extraction protocol for analysis and to evaluate the multipurpose potential of guarana processing wastes for food and non‐food formulations.
Toward sustainable climate change adaptation
Authors: Yang Yi , Liu Beibei , Wang Peng , Chen Wei‐Qiang , Smith Timothy M.
Published: January 2020

Industrial ecology (IE) has made great contributions to climate change mitigation research, in terms of its systems thinking and solid methodologies such as life cycle assessment, material flow analysis, and environmentally extended input–output analysis. However, its potential contribution to climate change adaptation is unclear. Adaptation has become increasingly urgent in a continuously changing climate, especially in developing countries, which are projected to bear the brunt of climate‐change‐related damages. On the basis of a brief review of climate change impacts and adaptation literature, we suggest that IE can play an important role in the following two aspects. First, with the emphasis on a systems perspective, IE can help us determine how climate change interacts with our socio‐economic system and how the interactions may aggravate (or moderate) its direct impacts or whether they may shift burden to other environmental impacts. Second, IE methodologies can help us quantify the direct and indirect environmental impacts of adaptation activities, identify mitigation opportunities, and achieve sustainable adaptation. Further, we find that substantial investment is needed to increase the resilience of infrastructure (e.g., transport, energy, and water supply) and agriculture in developing countries. Because these sectors are also the main drivers of environmental degradation, how to achieve sustainable climate‐resilient infrastructure and agriculture in developing countries deserves special attention in future IE studies. Overall, IE thinking and methodologies have great potential to contribute to climate change adaptation research and policy questions, and exploring this growing field will, in turn, inspire IE development.
How Unsecured Credit Policies Influence Mortgage and Unsecured Loan Defaults
Authors: KIM JISEOB
Published: January 2020

Before the global financial crisis, the proportion of households defaulting on the mortgage while remaining current on the unsecured loan was almost the same as the proportion of households current on the mortgage but defaulting on the unsecured loan. After the crisis, the former ratio became higher than the latter. By using a heterogeneous agent model with the mortgage and the unsecured loan, I examine how the order of defaults changed before and after the crisis. I then analyze the impacts of unsecured credit policies on households' mortgage and unsecured loan defaults. My quantitative exercise shows that both default rates can decrease as the cost for unsecured loan defaults increases.
Noncultured epidermal suspensions obtained from partial‐thickness epidermal cuts and suction blister roofs for vitiligo treatment: A prospective comparative study
Authors: Anbar Tag S. , El‐ Ammawi Tarek S. , Mohammed Sahar S. , Abdel‐Rahman Amal T.
Published: January 2020

Background

The treatment options for vitiligo are either nonsurgical, including medical treatments and phototherapy, or surgical, including autologous transplantation methods. Noncultured epidermal suspension transplantation is indicated for the treatment of stable vitiligo not responding to either medical treatment or phototherapy. Variable results have been reported for the various techniques used for the preparation of this suspension.

Aim

To compare the outcome between suction blister roof grafts and partial‐thickness epidermal cuts for the preparation of noncultured epidermal suspensions for the treatment of stable vitiligo.

Patients and Methods

Forty patients with localized stable vitiligo lesions resistant to conventional therapy were included in the study. They were randomly divided into two groups for treatment with noncultured epidermal suspension grafting. The suspensions in groups I and II were obtained from suction blister roofs and partial‐thickness epidermal cuts, respectively. Repigmentation grade, color match with the surrounding skin, and any side effects were compared between the groups.

Results

In group I, complete repigmentation was achieved in 6 cases while repigmentation was considered excellent in 8 cases; very good, 4 cases; and no response, 2 cases. In group II, complete repigmentation was achieved in 4 cases, and repigmentation was considered excellent in 16 cases. The color of the repigmented area matched the normal surrounding skin in 70% of the cases in group I and 40% of the cases in group II.

Conclusion

Both techniques yielded comparable repigmentation results with advantages and disadvantages of both techniques.
Serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations and lipoprotein profiles in dogs with naturally occurring pancreatitis and healthy control dogs
Authors: Xenoulis Panagiotis G. , Cammarata Paul J. , Walzem Rosemary L. , Suchodolski Jan S. , Steiner Jörg M.
Published: February 2020

Background

Previous studies have reported an association between hyperlipidemia and pancreatitis in dogs, but details of this association remain poorly defined.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To compare serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations and lipoprotein profiles between dogs with naturally occurring pancreatitis and healthy dogs.

Animals

Seventeen dogs with a clinical diagnosis of pancreatitis (Group 1) and 53 healthy control dogs (Group 2).

Methods

Prospective case‐control study.

Results

In Group 1, 3/17 dogs (18%) had hypertriglyceridemia whereas in Group 2, 4/53 dogs (7.5%) had hypertriglyceridemia (odds ratio [OR], 2.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52‐13.14;P= .35). A significant difference was found in serum triglyceride concentrations between Group 1 (median, 67 mg/dL) and Group 2 (median, 54 mg/dL;P= .002). In Group 1, 4/17 dogs (24%) had hypercholesterolemia, whereas 1/53 (1.9%) dogs in Group 2 had hypercholesterolemia (OR, 16; 95% CI, 1.64‐155.5;P= .01). No significant difference was found in serum cholesterol concentrations between Group 1 (median, 209 mg/dL) and Group 2 (median, 227 mg/dL;P= .56). Lipoprotein profiles were significantly different between Group 1 and Group 2 dogs (Eigenvalues, 0.6719;R2= 1.0;P= .001).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Most dogs with pancreatitis (>70%) had serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations within reference intervals. In the small percentage of dogs that had hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, or both, increases were mild. Important differences were identified in lipoprotein profiles between dogs with pancreatitis and healthy control dogs. Dogs with pancreatitis had higher low‐density lipoprotein fractions and lower triglyceride‐rich lipoprotein and high‐density lipoprotein fractions than healthy dogs.
Flow resistive forces index (QRF): Development and clinical applicability assessment of a novel measure of bladder outlet resistance, aiming to enhance the diagnostic performance of uroflowmetry
Authors: Spyropoulos Evangelos , Galanakis Ioannis , Deligiannis Dimitrios , Spyropoulou Aikaterini , Kotsiris Dimitrios , Panagopoulos Aggelos , Mavrikos Stamatios
Published: January 2020

Background

Currently, the diagnostic ability of uroflowmetry, the most widely used urodynamic test available for initial assessment of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), is considered limited by its inability to accurately discriminate between the underlying mechanisms of this condition. To improve the diagnostic accuracy of uroflow, we developed a mathematical formula that calculates the flow resistive forces index (QRF), a novel measure of bladder outflow/urethral resistance, and assessed its clinical applicability compared to the maximum flow rate (Qmax).

Materials and Methods

A cross‐sectional observational study was conducted in a cohort of 61 adult men presenting with voiding dysfunction symptoms, who all underwent free uroflowmetry followed by pressure flow study. The development of the mathematical formula which contains five key uroflowmetry variables (voided volume, flow time, Qmax, average flow rate, and peak flow time) was based on the assumption that urine volume momentum changes during voiding, the concept of diphasic uroflow pattern (acceleration/deceleration), and the urethral resistance factor (URA) equation. Study subjects were classified either as obstructed or nonobstructed according to established urodynamic criteria (linearized passive urethral resistance relation, LinPURR; Abrams‐Griffiths number, AGN [also called bladder outlet obstruction index, BOOI]; and URA). Univariate linear correlations, binary logistic regression model, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve statistical analysis were employed (SPSS‐22, MedCalc, GraphPad [P < .05]).

Results

Outflow obstruction was diagnosed in 50.8% (1 in 2) patients. Univariate analysis, and bivariate linear correlation, binary logistic regression, and ROC curve analyses showed that the QRF was a strong independent predictor of bladder outlet/outflow obstruction (BOO), significantly outperforming Qmax.

Conclusions

QRF index accurately predicts BOO, significantly outperforming the currently widely used bladder outlet obstruction estimator Qmax. Despite potential study limitations (mainly small cohort size and lack of control group), we anticipate that with further study and proper clinical validation, QRF could become a valuable complement to uroflowmetry.
A measurement scale to assess responsive feeding among Cambodian young children
Authors: Sall Ndèye S. , Bégin France , Dupuis Jérémie B. , Bourque Jimmy , Menasria Lylia , Main Barbara , Vong Lenin , Hun Vannary , Raminashvili David , Chea Chhorvann , Chiasson Lucie , Blaney Sonia
Published: January 2020

The caregiver–child interaction during mealtime, which refers to responsive feeding (RF), influences child's dietary intake. In Cambodia, given the level of malnutrition, getting better knowledge of RF among young children is essential, but to do so, using an appropriate assessment tool is necessary. We aim to develop and to validate a measurement tool to assess RF in two different situations (before and after an intervention) among children 6–23 months old. This research is part of a larger trial assessing the impact of nutrition education combined or not with the provision of complementary foods on child nutritional status. The “Opportunistic Observation Form” from the Process for the Promotion of Child Feeding package was used to collect data on RF through direct observations of child's meal episodes. Data were used to define an initial scale composed of four constructs and 15 indicators. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) and Hancock and Mueller'sHreliability indices were computed to assess the validity and reliability of the scale. The final tool was applied to baseline and endline data. At baseline, the sample included 243 pairs and, at endline, 248 pairs. The final scale included two latent constructs (RF and active feeding) that comprise three indicators for active feeding and five for RF. Criteria for fit indices of CFA were met for both constructs though better at baseline. Reliability coefficients were above 0.80 for each construct at baseline and endline. This research proposes a scale that could be used to assess active feeding and RF. Further validation is warranted in different contexts.
Are glacial refugia hotspots of speciation and cytonuclear discordances? Answers from the genomic phylogeography of Spanish common frogs
Authors: Dufresnes Christophe , Nicieza Alfredo G. , Litvinchuk Spartak N. , Rodrigues Nicolas , Jeffries Daniel L. , Vences Miguel , Perrin Nicolas , Martínez‐Solano Íñigo
Published: February 2020

Subdivided Pleistocene glacial refugia, best known as “refugia within refugia”, provided opportunities for diverging populations to evolve into incipient species and/or to hybridize and merge following range shifts tracking the climatic fluctuations, potentially promoting extensive cytonuclear discordances and “ghost” mtDNA lineages. Here, we tested which of these opposing evolutionary outcomes prevails in northern Iberian areas hosting multiple historical refugia of common frogs (Ranacf.temporaria), based on a genomic phylogeography approach (mtDNA barcoding and RAD‐sequencing). We found evidence for both incipient speciation events and massive cytonuclear discordances. On the one hand, populations from northwestern Spain (Galicia and Asturias, assigned to the regional endemicR. parvipalmata), are deeply‐diverged at mitochondrial and nuclear genomes (~4 My of independent evolution), and barely admix with northeastern populations (assigned toR. temporariasensu stricto) across a narrow hybrid zone (~25 km) located in the Cantabrian Mountains, suggesting that they represent distinct species. On the other hand, the most divergent mtDNA clade, widespread in Cantabria and the Basque country, shares its nuclear genome with otherR. temporarias. s. lineages. Patterns of population expansions and isolation‐by‐distance among these populations are consistent with past mitochondrial capture and/or drift in generating and maintaining this ghost mitochondrial lineage. This remarkable case study emphasizes the complex evolutionary history that shaped the present genetic diversity of refugial populations, and stresses the need to revisit their phylogeography by genomic approaches, in order to make informed taxonomic inferences.