bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examining the effects of early patient care and biomedical science integration on predoctoral dental student competence and confidence
Authors: Novak Rachel Tomco , Blinsky Bethany D. , Soffe Burke W. , Dana Clark A. , Bailey Elizabeth G. , Tilley Edgar J. , Judd Gary S. , Hinkle Ashley K. , Licari Frank W. , Winden Duane R. , Ferguson Aaron , Jensen Jamie L.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Our study investigates early experiential learning as a method of curricular integration by allowing students to begin their clinical experience in the first year of the programme, as well as distributing biomedical classes throughout the predoctoral dental school curriculum.

Materials and Methods

This study utilises a quasi‐experimental design with two different groups, Standard Curriculum Group and Integrated Curriculum Group, n = 87. Data were collected from 2017 to 2021.

Results

We found that, on average, it took 608 h less for the participants in an integrated curriculum group to reach clinical competence in comparison to peers who did not experience the same methods of integration in their programme. These data were collected through daily faculty evaluations of students' progression as well as participants' own self‐assessment. Our results indicate that participants in the Integrated Curriculum Group also experienced a positive effect on their confidence in their ability to apply the biomedical sciences to patient care.

Discussion/Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that predoctoral dental programmes may be able to bring about positive outcomes for students' clinical confidence and competence by providing patient care opportunities early in the programme and sequencing the biomedical sciences throughout the curriculum. As such, it appears that early experiential learning may be a viable option for curricular integration that can have a positive effect on both students' confidence in their clinical abilities and their progression to clinical competence.
LP2, a stable lanthipeptide derived from cAng‐(1‐7), exerts myeloprotective action in mice
Authors: Namsolleck P. , Rodgers K. E. , Franklin R. , Moll G. N.
Published: January 2023

Objectives

Linear unstable angiotensins stimulate hematopoiesis. Here we address: (1) Is cyclic angiotensin‐(1‐7) myeloprotective in mice? (2) Is cyclic angiotensin‐(1‐7) stable in rat? (3) Does LP2, a cyclic angiotensin‐(1‐7) with an N‐terminal d‐lysine, exert myeloprotective action in tumor‐bearing mice?

Materials and Methods

Cyclic angiotensin‐(1‐7)'s capacity to restore levels of blood platelets and white blood cells was studied in gemcitabine‐treated mice. The stability of cyclic angiotensin‐(1‐7) in rat was measured in blood samples taken after injection or infusion. The capacity of LP2 to restore total bone marrow cell levels in mice after treatment with 5‐fluoruracil was measured. In addition, the capacity of LP2 to counter anemia in tumor‐bearing mice treated with erlotinib was measured.

Results

Cyclic angiotensin‐(1‐7) dose‐dependently restored blood platelet levels in gemcitabine‐treated mice, whereas its capacity to restore levels of white blood cells was less. In vivo aminoterminal breakdown of cyclic angiotensin‐(1‐7) yielded cyclic angiotensin‐(2‐7) and cyclic angiotensin‐(3‐7). LP2 significantly (p < .0001 at 100 μg/kg/day) restored bone marrow cell counts in mice after treatment with 5‐fluoruracil. LP2 also significantly (p < .05) countered anemia in tumor‐bearing mice treated with erlotinib.

Conclusions

LP2 exerts myeloprotective action with perspectives for continuation of its clinical development.
Loss of parkin causes endoplasmic reticulum calcium dyshomeostasis by upregulation of reticulocalbin 1
Authors: Rybarski Max , Mrohs David , Osenberg Katharina , Hemmersbach Maren , Pfeffel Katharina , Steinkamp Joy , Schmidt David , Violou Karina , Schäning Ruth , Schmidtke Katja , Bader Verian , Andriske Michael , Bohne Pauline , Mark Melanie D. , Winklhofer Konstanze F. , Lübbert Hermann , Zhu Xin‐Ran
Published: January 2023

Increasing evidence suggests that astrocytes play an important role in the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous studies on our parkin knockout mouse demonstrated a higher accumulation of damaged mitochondria in astrocytes than in surrounding dopaminergic (DA) neurons, suggesting that Parkin plays a crucial role regarding their interaction during PD pathogenesis. In the current study, we examined primary mesencephalic astrocytes and neurons in a direct co‐culture system and discovered that the parkin deletion causes an impaired differentiation of mesencephalic neurons. This effect required the parkin mutation in astrocytes as well as in neurons. In Valinomycin‐treated parkin‐deficient astrocytes, ubiquitination of Mitofusin 2 was abolished, whereas there was no significant degradation of the outer mitochondrial membrane protein Tom70. This result may explain the accumulation of damaged mitochondria in parkin‐deficient astrocytes. We examined differential gene expression in the substantia nigra region of our parkin‐KO mouse by RNA sequencing and identified an upregulation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+‐binding protein reticulocalbin 1 (RCN1) expression, which was validated using qPCR. Immunostaining of the SN brain region revealed RCN1 expression mainly in astrocytes. Our subcellular fractionation of brain extract has shown that RCN1 is located in the ER and in mitochondria‐associated membranes (MAM). Moreover, a loss of Parkin function reduced ATP‐stimulated calcium‐release in ER mesencephalic astrocytes that could be attenuated by siRNA‐mediated RCN1 knockdown. Our results indicate that RCN1 plays an important role in ER‐associated calcium dyshomeostasis caused by the loss of Parkin function in mesencephalic astrocytes, thereby highlighting the relevance of astrocyte function in PD pathomechanisms.
Multivariate decoding methods reveal how speaking two dialects affects executive functions
Authors: Wu Yan Jing , Dang Qinpu , Zhang Zhaoqi , Zhang Haoyun , Guo Taomei
Published: January 2023

How speaking two languages affects executive functions has been a long‐standing debate and the mechanisms underlying the observed cognitive advantages of bilingualism remain unspecified. Here, using multivariate pattern classification methods, we decoded spatial patterns of neural signals associated with Flanker task performance in mono‐dialectal and bi‐dialectal speakers of Chinese. While univariate approach to even‐related potentials (ERPs) showed no between‐group difference, decoding accuracy of ERPs was reduced in bi‐dialectal as compared to mono‐dialectal speakers in both congruent‐neutral and incongruent‐neutral classifications. There was no effect of bidialectalism, however, on decoding accuracy of alpha‐band oscillations, an electrophysiological index implicated in inhibition. Behavioural data analysed using the Drift Diffusion Model (DDM) showed facilitating effects of bidialectalism on non‐decision times but no effect on drift rates. These findings demonstrate that using two dialects on a daily basis enhances general attentional deployment rather than affecting specific component of executive functions such as inhibitory control. Given that the two dialects of Chinese differed almost exclusively in phonology, the bidialectalism effect was most likely motivated by resolving phonological competition at lexical processing level.
Rapid and large changes in coastal wetland structure in China's four major river deltas
Authors: Wang Xinxin , Xiao Xiangming , Zhang Xi , Wu Jihua , Li Bo
Published: January 2023

Coastal wetlands provide essential ecosystem goods and services but are extremely vulnerable to sea‐level rise, extreme climate, and human activities, especially the coastal wetlands in large river deltas, which are regarded as “natural recorders” of changes in estuarine environments. In addition to the area (loss or gain) and quality (degradation or improvement) of coastal wetlands, the information on coastal wetland structure (e.g., patch size and number) are also major metrics for coastal restoration and biodiversity protection, but remain very limited in China's four major river deltas. In this study, we quantified the spatial–temporal dynamics of total area (TA) and patch number (PN) of coastal wetlands with different sizes in the four deltas and the protected areas (PAs) and assessed the effects of major driving factors during 1984–2020. We also investigated the effectiveness of PAs through the comparison of TA and PN of coastal wetlands before and after the years in which PAs were listed as Ramsar Sites. We found both TA and PN experienced substantial losses in the Liaohe River Delta and Yellow River Delta but recent recoveries in the Yangtze River Delta. The coastal wetlands had a relatively stable and variable trend in TA but had a continually increasing trend in PN in the Pearl River Delta. Furthermore, reduced coastal reclamation, ecological restoration projects, and rapid expansion of invasive plants had great impacts on the coastal wetland structure in various ways. We also found that PAs were effective in halting the decreasing trends in coastal wetland areas and slowing the expansion of reclamation, but the success of PAs is being counteracted by soaring exotic plant invasions. Our findings provide vital information for the government and the public to address increasing challenges of coastal restoration, management, and sustainability in large river deltas.
Cryptophytes: An emerging algal group in the rapidly changing Antarctic Peninsula marine environments
Authors: Mendes Carlos Rafael Borges , Costa Raul Rodrigo , Ferreira Afonso , Jesus Bruno , Tavano Virginia Maria , Dotto Tiago Segabinazzi , Leal Miguel Costa , Kerr Rodrigo , Islabão Carolina Antuarte , Franco Andréa de Oliveira da Rocha , Mata Mauricio M. , Garcia Carlos Alberto Eiras , Secchi Eduardo Resende
Published: January 2023

The western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) is a climatically sensitive region where foundational changes at the basis of the food web have been recorded; cryptophytes are gradually outgrowing diatoms together with a decreased size spectrum of the phytoplankton community. Based on a 11‐year (2008–2018) in‐situ dataset, we demonstrate a strong coupling between biomass accumulation of cryptophytes, summer upper ocean stability, and the mixed layer depth. Our results shed light on the environmental conditions favoring the cryptophyte success in coastal regions of the WAP, especially during situations of shallower mixed layers associated with lower diatom biomass, which evidences a clear competition or niche segregation between diatoms and cryptophytes. We also unravel the cryptophyte photo‐physiological niche by exploring its capacity to thrive under high light stress normally found in confined stratified upper layers. Such conditions are becoming more frequent in the Antarctic coastal waters and will likely have significant future implications at various levels of the marine food web. The competitive advantage of cryptophytes in environments with significant light level fluctuations was supported by laboratory experiments that revealed a high flexibility of cryptophytes to grow in different light conditions driven by a fast photo‐regulating response. All tested physiological parameters support the hypothesis that cryptophytes are highly flexible regarding their growing light conditions and extremely efficient in rapidly photo‐regulating changes to environmental light levels. This plasticity would give them a competitive advantage in exploiting an ecological niche where light levels fluctuate quickly. These findings provide new insights on niche separation between diatoms and cryptophytes, which is vital for a thorough understanding of the WAP marine ecosystem.
Aridity‐dependent sequence of water potentials for stomatal closure and hydraulic dysfunctions in woody plants
Authors: Jin Ying , Hao Guangyou , Hammond William M. , Yu Kailiang , Liu Xiaorong , Ye Qing , Zhou Zhenghu , Wang Chuankuan
Published: January 2023

The sequence of physiological events during drought strongly impacts plants' overall performance. Here, we synthesized the global data of stomatal and hydraulic traits in leaves and stems of 202 woody species to evaluate variations in the water potentials for key physiological events and their sequence along the climatic gradient. We found that the seasonal minimum water potential, turgor loss point, stomatal closure point, and leaf and stem xylem vulnerability to embolism were intercorrelated and decreased with aridity, indicating that water stress drives trait co‐selection. In xeric regions, the seasonal minimum water potential occurred at lower water potential than turgor loss point, and the subsequent stomatal closure delayed embolism formation. In mesic regions, however, the seasonal minimum water potential did not pose a threat to the physiological functions, and stomatal closure occurred even at slightly more negative water potential than embolism. Our study demonstrates that the sequence of water potentials for physiological dysfunctions of woody plants varies with aridity, that is, xeric species adopt a more conservative sequence to prevent severe tissue damage through tighter stomatal regulation (isohydric strategy) and higher embolism resistance, while mesic species adopt a riskier sequence via looser stomatal regulation (anisohydric strategy) to maximize carbon uptake at the cost of hydraulic safety. Integrating both aridity‐dependent sequence of water potentials for physiological dysfunctions and gap between these key traits into the hydraulic framework of process‐based vegetation models would improve the prediction of woody plants' responses to drought under global climate change.
Cross‐sectional and longitudinal study of the relationship between phase angle and physical function in older adults
Authors: Asano Yujiro , Tsuji Taishi , Kim Mijin , Nagata Koki , Shibuya Kyohei , Tateoka Korin , Okura Tomohiro
Published: January 2023

Aim

Although the validity of the assessment in older adults has been supported by several studies, cross‐sectional and longitudinal relationships between phase angle (PhA) and physical function by sex have not been clarified. This study aimed to examine (i) cross‐sectional relationships and (ii) longitudinal relationships between PhA and physical function in older adults.

Methods

A total of 816 and 445 community‐dwelling older adults were included in cross‐sectional and longitudinal analyses, respectively. We evaluated their physical function using grip strength, 5‐repetition sit‐to‐stand test (5‐STS), 5‐meter habitual walk, Timed Up and Go test (TUG), single‐leg balance with eyes open, and sit‐and‐reach test. A multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer was used to determine the PhA at 50 kHz as well as the participants' body composition.

Results

In the cross‐sectional analysis, a higher PhA was significantly associated with higher grip strength, sit‐and‐reach, single‐leg balance with eyes open, 5‐STS and lower TUG in women, as well as higher grip strength, single‐leg balance with eyes open, lower 5‐STS and TUG in men, adjusting for age, body mass index and muscle mass. In the longitudinal analysis, there was a significant interaction between PhA and year in the TUG test (B = −0.08; 95% CI, −0.136 to −0.025; P = 0.005) in men. There was no significant interaction between the PhA value and year for the other physical functions.

Conclusions

The PhA is a useful indicator for assessing physical function in both older men and women. Furthermore, the PhA may be able to predict mobility limitation in older men. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 141–147.
Cognitive frailty increases the risk of long‐term care dependency in community‐dwelling older adults: A nationwide cohort study in South Korea
Authors: Yi Jinseon , Yoon Ju Young
Published: January 2023

Aim

To investigate whether cognitive frailty, compared with physical frailty or cognitive impairment alone, substantially increased the risk of long‐term care (LTC) initiation in community‐dwelling older adults.

Methods

Subjects comprised a total of 39 148 participants aged 66 years from the Korean National Health Insurance–Senior cohort database. Cognitive frailty was defined as the coexistence of physical frailty and cognitive impairment, which was measured by the Timed Up and Go test and the Korean Dementia Screening Questionnaire–Prescreening, respectively. A stratified Cox model was estimated to explore the association of frailty status with LTC initiation.

Results

The baseline prevalence of cognitive frailty was 8.7%. During a mean follow‐up of 5.3 years, 646 older adults started receiving LTC services. Compared with the robust group, older adults with cognitive frailty showed the highest risk of LTC initiation (hazard ratio [HR], 2.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.08–3.35), followed by those with cognitive impairment (HR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.26–2.07) and physical frailty (HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.25–1.81). Furthermore, cognitive frailty in depressed older adults (HR, 3.16; 95% CI, 2.31–4.33) showed a higher risk of LTC initiation than in nondepressed older adults (HR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.46–3.04).

Conclusions

Cognitive frailty was a significant predictor of LTC initiation among community‐dwelling older adults, particularly if they are depressed. Early detection and timely intervention may help to delay LTC initiation in older adults with concurrent cognitive frailty and depression. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 117–123.
Successful pediatric liver transplantation case with a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 test at the time of transplant
Authors: Shimizu Seiichi , Sakamoto Seisuke , Yamada Masaki , Funaki Takanori , Fukuda Akinari , Uchida Hajime , Okada Noriki , Nakao Toshimasa , Kodama Tasuku , Komine Ryuji , Shoji Kensuke , Baba Chiaki , Suzuki Yasuyuki , Nakagawa Satoshi , Ogimi Chikara , Kasahara Mureo
Published: January 2023

Aim

We report a successful liver transplantation (LT) in a child with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection.

Case Presentation

A 3‐year‐old female patient with decompensated cirrhosis due to Alagille syndrome underwent a split LT with a left lateral segment graft. She had a history of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection 4 months before LT. She was exposed to SARS‐CoV‐2 after the decision for organ acceptance. We repeatedly confirmed the negative SARS‐CoV‐2 test by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) before LT. Liver transplantation was carried out in the negative pressure operational theater with full airborne, droplet, and contact precautions as the patient was considered to be within the incubation period of SARS‐CoV‐2. The SARS‐CoV‐2 PCR test became positive in the nasopharyngeal swab specimen at the operation. Remdesivir, the antiviral treatment, was held off due to potential hepatotoxicity and no exacerbation of COVID‐19. She received tacrolimus and low‐dose steroids per protocol. She remained SARS‐CoV‐2 positive on postoperative days (PODs) 1, 2, and 5. The presence of antibodies for SARS‐CoV‐2 at LT was confirmed later. On POD 53, she was discharged without any symptomatic infection.

Conclusion

This case demonstrated that a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 result was not an absolute contraindication for a life‐saving LT. Liver transplantation could be safely performed in a pediatric patient with asymptomatic COVID‐19 and S‐immunoglobulin G antibodies for SARS‐CoV‐2.
Pyroptosis in neutrophils: Multimodal integration of inflammasome and regulated cell death signaling pathways
Authors: Dubyak George R. , Miller Brandon A. , Pearlman Eric
Published: January 2023

Pyroptosis is a proinflammatory mode of lytic cell death mediated by accumulation of plasma membrane (PM) macropores composed of gasdermin‐family (GSDM) proteins. It facilitates two major functions in innate immunity: (i) elimination of intracellular replicative niches for pathogenic bacteria; and (ii) non‐classical secretion of IL‐1 family cytokines that amplify host‐beneficial inflammatory responses to microbial infection or tissue damage. Physiological roles for gasdermin D (GSDMD) in pyroptosis and IL‐1β release during inflammasome signaling have been extensively characterized in macrophages. This involves cleavage of GSDMD by caspase‐1 to generate GSDMD macropores that mediate IL‐1β efflux and progression to pyroptotic lysis. Neutrophils, which rapidly accumulate in large numbers at sites of tissue infection or damage, become the predominant local source of IL‐1β in coordination with their potent microbiocidal capacity. Similar to macrophages, neutrophils express GSDMD and utilize the same spectrum of diverse inflammasome platforms for caspase‐1‐mediated cleavage of GSDMD. Distinct from macrophages, neutrophils possess a remarkable capacity to resist progression to GSDMD‐dependent pyroptotic lysis to preserve their viability for efficient microbial killing while maintaining GSDMD‐dependent mechanisms for export of bioactive IL‐1β. Rather, neutrophils employ cell‐specific mechanisms to conditionally engage GSDMD‐mediated pyroptosis in response to bacterial pathogens that use neutrophils as replicative niches. GSDMD and pyroptosis have also been mechanistically linked to induction of NETosis, a signature neutrophil pathway that expels decondensed nuclear DNA into extracellular compartments for immobilization and killing of microbial pathogens. This review summarizes a rapidly growing number of recent studies that have produced new insights, unexpected mechanistic nuances, and some controversies regarding the regulation of, and roles for, neutrophil inflammasomes, pyroptosis, and GSDMs in diverse innate immune responses.
Midwifery Students’ Traumatic Childbirth Experiences, Traumatic Childbirth Perceptions, and Levels of Fear of Childbirth
Authors: Yilmaz Sezer Neslihan , Aker Menekşe Nazlı , Öz Beyza , Eren Dilara
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Although childbirth is generally seen as a positive phenomenon, negative childbirth events can be experienced as well. Midwifery students are at risk of encountering traumatic events throughout their education. The primary aim of this research was to reveal midwifery students’ experiences of witnessing traumatic events at childbirth. The secondary aim was to determine the effects of traumatic childbirth experiences witnessed by midwifery students on their traumatic childbirth perceptions and levels of fear of childbirth.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was conducted between January 1 and June 30, 2021. The study sample consisted of 517 midwifery students in Turkey. Data were collected using a descriptive information form, the Traumatic Childbirth Perception Scale (TCPS), and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for measuring fear of childbirth.

Results

The majority (88%) of students witnessed a traumatic event at childbirth. The mean (SD) TCPS score was 59.7 (26.1), and the level of fear of childbirth measured with VAS was 5.1 (2.7). A moderate positive correlation was found between the VAS score and TCPS scores (r = .63; P < .001). Although the mean TCPS scores of students who witnessed a traumatic event were not signficiantly different from those who did not, their mean VAS score was higher than those who did not (P = .001). Among students who experiences traumatic events at childbirth, 35.8% stated that the traumatic events negatively affected their education, and 65.6% reported that they thought it would negatively affect their future professional life.

Discussion

Witnessing traumatic events at childbirth is associated with increased perception of childbirth as traumatic and fear of childbirth in midwifery students. Traumatic experiences can affect midwifery students’ educational and professional lives. Educators in the field of midwifery should support students in coping with traumas.
Perspectives of family‐centred care at the end of life during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Bloomer Melissa J. , Yuen Eva , Williams Ruth , Bouchoucha Stephane , Poon Peter , Runacres Fiona , Mooney Christine , Hutchinson Alison M.
Published: January 2023

Aim

To explore nurses' and family members' perspectives of family care at the end of life, during restricted visitation associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Background

To minimise the transmission of COVID‐19, stringent infection prevention and control measures resulted in restricted hospital access for non‐essential workers and visitors, creating challenges for the provision of family‐centred care at the end of life.

Design

Qualitative descriptive approach based on naturalistic inquiry.

Methods

At a large public hospital in Melbourne, Australia, individual semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with 15 registered nurses who cared for patients who died during restricted visitation associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic, and 21 bereaved family members. COREQ guidelines informed analysis and reporting.

Results

Five themes developed from the data: (i) impact of visitor restrictions, which describes uncertain, ambiguous and arbitrary rules, onerous and inconsistent requirements; (ii) nurse‐family communication; (iii) family‐centred care and interrupted connections; (iv) well‐being and negative emotions; and (v) suggestions for a better way, such as moving away from the black and whiteness of the rules, prioritising communication, compassion and advocacy.

Conclusions

Negative consequences for communication and the patient‐family connection at the end of life were felt deeply. The evolving COVID‐19 rules that were frequently revised and applied at short notice, and the subsequent consequences for clinical practices and care were felt deeply.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Technology‐facilitated communication, innovation and increased resources must be prioritised to overcome the challenges described in this study. A family‐centred approach to care and emphasising the patient‐family connection at the end of life is fundamental to minimising trauma and distress associated with future public health emergencies.

Patient or Public Contribution

Bereaved family members contributed their first‐hand experience. Members of the health service's patient experience team ensured the research was conducted in accordance with health service guidelines for patient and public contribution.
A brief report on the COVID‐19 pandemic and ideal family size in the United States
Authors: Behrman Julia
Published: January 2023

Objective

This brief report explores whether the COVID‐19 Pandemic impacted ideal family size in the United States.

Background

Although COVID‐19 negatively impacted short‐term fertility expectations, preferences, and behaviors in the United States, it remains unknown whether the pandemic contributed to changes in family size ideals more broadly.

Method

The sample consists of 1823 respondents from the General Social Survey (GSS) who were originally interviewed before the COVID‐19 pandemic (in 2016 and 2018) and were re‐interviewed in the first 6 months of the COVID‐19 pandemic (in August/September 2020), a period when pandemic‐related stress and uncertainty was particularly pronounced. A within‐person fixed effects approach is utilized.

Results

Findings from within‐person fixed effects analyses suggested that the pandemic had no impact on the quantum of ideal family size responses. These findings were robust to alternative specifications and were similar to what was observed in a parallel analysis of how the Great Recession impacted ideal family size.

Conclusion

Findings pointed to stability in ideal family size in the first 6 months of the COVID‐19 pandemic in the US.

Implications

Future work should explore the disjuncture between short‐term fertility intentions and behaviors and longer‐term family size ideals.
Diarrhoea‐associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome and Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli infections in New Zealand children: Clinical features and short‐term complications from a 23‐year cohort study
Authors: Wong William , Prestidge Chanel , Dickens Amanda , Ronaldson Jane
Published: January 2023

Background

Diarrhoea‐associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome (D+HUS) is an important cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in young children and it is most commonly associated with Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Gastrointestinal infections caused by STEC have been increasing in New Zealand over the past two decades, but little is known regarding the acute and short‐term outcomes of New Zealand children who develop D+HUS.

Aim

To describe the clinical characteristics, complications and short‐term outcomes of New Zealand children with D+HUS identified between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2020.

Methods

The New Zealand Paediatric Surveillance Unit sends out a monthly survey to all practising paediatricians regarding conditions under active surveillance. Paediatricians caring for a child aged 0–15 years of age with D+HUS over the prior month were requested to report their patient. Reporting clinicians were then contacted by the principal investigator and sent a questionnaire requesting patient clinical and laboratory information.

Results

Two hundred and twenty‐six children had D+HUS; median age 2.8 years (interquartile range 1.7–4.9). Acute dialysis was required in 128/226 (56.2%) of children for a median of 9 days (range 1–38). Children with shorter diarrhoeal prodrome, higher neutrophil count and haemoglobin had a longer duration of dialysis. Seizures occurred in 31/226 (13.7%) and were not associated with a greater HUS severity score. Acute mortality was 1.3%, all resulting from thrombotic microangiopathic cerebral injury.

Conclusion

D+HUS is a major cause of AKI in previously healthy young children. Earlier recognition of STEC infections in young children may reduce the need for dialysis and other extra‐renal complications. The New Zealand incidence of acute dialysis, other major complications and mortality are consistent with other reported studies.
Effects of climate change on life‐history traits in hibernating mammals
Authors: Findlay‐Robinson Rachel , Deecke Volker B. , Weatherall Andrew , Hill Davina L.
Published: January 2023

Animals can respond to climate change through changes in behaviour, morphology or life‐history traits. Changes in life‐history traits do not occur independently, as they trade off or co‐evolve with other traits.

Hibernation is a life‐history trait used to cope with periods of low resource availability. The energetic and survival benefits of hibernation depend on environmental conditions. Climate change‐induced changes in hibernation patterns are therefore likely to affect other life‐history traits through trade‐offs.

We systematically reviewed the literature to: 1) identify studies testing for associations between climatic variables and life‐history traits in mammalian hibernators; and 2) assess variation in responses between species.

Air temperature was the most commonly measured climatic variable, and phenology of hibernation emergence was the most commonly studied life‐history trait. In most studies and species, emergence date became earlier, litter size increased and the number of interbout arousals increased with increasing air temperature.

Despite being considered key life‐history traits due to their potential to influence population dynamics, our search returned no studies on the effects of climatic variables on the age of primiparity or on the age distribution of reproduction.

Directions of associations between climatic variables and life‐history traits often differed between species, and both species‐ and sex‐specific variations occurred in response to climatic variables for some traits.

We highlight the importance of long‐term, species‐specific research, and the need for further studies on indirect effects of climatic cues on co‐adapted traits to understand the potential for mammalian hibernators to respond to ongoing and future climate change.
Mom and dad are not that different after all: Immune modulation as a prerequisite for the evolution of pregnancy
Authors: Monteiro Nuno
Published: January 2023

Pregnancy, the post‐fertilization period when embryos are incubated within the body, is a dynamic multistage process that has convergently evolved in many vertebrates. To increase independence from environmental fluctuations and protect offspring from predation, challenges had to be initially overcome. The most obvious, when considering such an intimate relationship between the parent and its semi‐allogenic offspring, was the pressing need to dodge immunity‐associated embryo rejection. In mammals, immunological tolerance was found to be dependent on the active modulation of the immune system. Even though supporting much of the current knowledge on vertebrate pregnancy, mammals lack extant transitional stages that could help reconstruct the evolutionary pathway of this fascinatingly complex reproduction mode. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Parker et al. selected an untraditional model—the seahorse and pipefish family, whose species evolved male pregnancy across an almost continuous gradient of complexity, from external oviparity to internal gestation. By contrasting gene expression profiles of syngnathids with distinct brooding architectures, this study allowed for the observation of subtle evolutionary adaptations, while confirming the existence of remarkable similarities to “female” pregnancy (e.g., the evolution of male pregnancy in pouched species occurred alongside immune downregulation, and inflammation seems vital during early pregnancy stages). In a world where the debate on sex‐roles takes centre stage, Parker et al.'s appeasing results hint at the fact that the strongly convergent evolution of vertebrate pregnancy was seemingly unaffected by which sex carries the burden of gestation.
Tinea versicolor in a premature infant
Authors: Musicante Meryl , Bembry Raina , Wright Teresa S.
Published: January 2023

Tinea versicolor (TV) is a fungal skin infection that classically affects adolescents and young adults. Occasionally, it may be seen on the face of infants. We report an unusual case of widespread cutaneous TV in a premature infant.
Assessment of vascular patterns during the treatment of psoriatic patients using narrow‐band ultraviolet B phototherapy by the dermoscope
Authors: El Sayed Mahira , Lotfi Ranya , Hossam Dalia , Onsy Pola , Elhawatky Ahmed
Published: January 2023

Background

Phototherapy is a traditional treatment for psoriasis and patients using it for a long time may be exposed to cumulative toxicity, so dermatologists need continuously diagnostic tools that help in monitoring the disease progression.

Objectives

To detect dermoscopic changes with the improvement of skin in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis on narrow‐band ultraviolet B phototherapy and evaluate the role of dermoscopy in monitoring the patients.

Methods

Narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy was prescribed to thirty (30) patients with chronic plaque psoriasis for three months according to their disease condition. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI score) were calculated, and dermoscopic evaluation was done at the first visit (W0), after 6 weeks, and after 12 weeks of beginning the phototherapy.

Results

According to PASI score calculations, a significant correlation was found between changes in the vessel patterns and the improvement that occurred during the treatment sessions in psoriatic lesions, whereas the patients with globular blood vessels were significantly associated with weak clinical results.

Conclusion

Dermoscopy is a rapid, simple tool to predict the response of psoriatic patients to phototherapy using vascular pattern assessment.
The role of the host gut microbiome in the pathophysiology of schistosomiasis
Authors: Stark Klara A. , Rinaldi Gabriel , Cortés Alba , Costain Alice , MacDonald Andrew S. , Cantacessi Cinzia
Published: January 2023

The pathophysiology of schistosomiasis is linked to the formation of fibrous granulomas around eggs that become trapped in host tissues, particularly the intestines and liver, during their migration to reach the lumen of the vertebrate gut. While the development of Schistosoma egg‐induced granulomas is the result of finely regulated crosstalk between egg‐secreted antigens and host immunity, evidence has started to emerge of the likely contribution of an additional player—the host gut microbiota—to pathological processes that culminate with the formation of these tissue lesions. Uncovering the role(s) of schistosome‐mediated changes in gut microbiome composition and function in granuloma formation and, more broadly, in the pathophysiology of schistosomiasis, will shed light on the mechanisms underlying this three‐way parasite–host–microbiome interplay. Such knowledge may, in turn, pave the way towards the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and control strategies.
Comparación de la riqueza generada por el mercado minorista en Brasil: antes y después de la crisis económica brasileña empezada en 2014
Authors: Pedrosa do Nascimento Ceila Maria , Aparecida de Campos Josiane , Pelucio-Grecco Marta Cristina , Lopes da Silva Fabiana , Silva Cota Isamara
Published: January 2023

En el cuatrienio 2014-2017, Brasil experimentó una crisis económica con una reducción del 1,5 % en el Producto Interior Bruto (PIB), en comparación con el período anterior de cuatro años (2010-2013), en el que creció un 4 %. Por otro lado, los ingresos netos minoristas continuaron creciendo, pero a niveles 50 % más bajos en comparación con el período anterior de cuatro años (2010-2013). El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar y discutir el comportamiento de la distribución de la riqueza generada por las empresas minoristas que figuran en B3 (Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão –la Bolsa de Valores de Brasil–) entre el cuatrienio antes de la crisis económica y el cuatrienio durante la crisis. Analizamos el Estado de Valor Añadido (DVA) de 2010 a 2017 de trece compañías en cada cuatro años, enfocándonos en los cuatro agentes (empleados, gobierno, terceros y socios) que contribuyen a la generación de esta riqueza. Los resultados revelaron que en ambos períodos la mayor distribución de riqueza fue a los empleados, y la más baja, a los accionistas. En el centro del análisis, el segundo y tercer lugar de los receptores de riqueza fueron el Gobierno y terceros. Además, la investigación encontró que el mercado minorista creció un 25 % antes de la crisis, pero cayó un 3 % durante el cuatrienio de crisis.
Escolhas contábeis e características determinantes na neutralidade tributária das companhias brasileiras de capital aberto após a adoção das Normas Contábeis Internacionais (IFRS)
Authors: Everton da Silveira Farias  , Diogo Cabeda  , Marco Antônio dos Santos Martins  , Mauro Mastella
Published: January 2023

Este artigo investiga, por meio da Taxa Tributária Efetiva (Effective Tax Rate - ETR), os fatores que podem determinar a neutralidade tributária das companhias brasileiras de capital aberto após a adoção das Normas Contábeis Internacionais (IFRS) e do subsequente Regime Tributário Definitivo (RTD) da Lei nº 12.973 de 2014. A pesquisa compreende dados de 1088 empresas-ano, de capital aberto e listadas na Brasil Bolsa Balcão (B3) do período de 2015 a 2018. Os dados foram extraídos da Economática® e das demonstrações contábeis das empresas analisadas no estudo; as estimações foram realizadas por meio da técnica de dados em painel. A partir das evidências encontradas na literatura, foram elaboradas 5 (cinco) hipóteses para confirmação utilizando dois diferentes modelos de Análise de Regressão Multivariável. Os resultados revelam que características das companhias tais como tamanho, endividamento, lucratividade não respondem pelas possíveis causas na redução da ETR, a partir do início do RTD. No entanto, o estudo identifica que algumas escolhas contábeis, especificamente o pagamento de Juros Sobre o Capital Próprio (JSCP), podem explicar a ETR das companhias nacionais de capital aberto. Por fim, este artigo busca contribuir nos estudos relacionados às caraterísticas das firmas e suas escolhas contábeis que geram efeitos sobre a tributação efetiva.
Animalidad y fisiología en la estética campesina de la Revolución mexicana
Authors: Sánchez Téllez Ingrid
Published: January 2023

Este artículo estudia las representaciones literarias, fotográficas y musicales del campesino en la Revolución mexicana (1910 y 1917). Los objetivos son analizar las figuras de la animalidad en las representaciones campesinas. A su vez, problematizar la fisiología literaria como operación estética en algunas expresiones artísticas de la Revolución mexicana. La metodología utilizada es una aproximación crítico-hermenéutica de textos literarios, canciones populares y fotografías de la época para articular una relación entre texto, contexto y representación estética. Se trata, principalmente, de una metodología de crítica literaria instrumentada a objetos visuales y sonoros. Para ello, el primer apartado destaca los elementos centrales de la representación animal del campesino a lo largo del siglo XIX y el segundo analiza cómo en la cultura popular se configuraron las representaciones del campesino como animal. Los resultados sugieren que una de las formas que ofrece mayor rendimiento epistemológico para el análisis estético del campesinado es el estudio de la tropología de la animalidad. En conclusión, se estudia la representación animal del campesino como proceso estético en la construcción de la nación y en el proceso de la identidad nacional mexicana.
El bullerengue en María La Baja: construcción de un relato folklorístico
Authors: Domínguez Acosta Gustavo
Published: January 2023

Para abordar el bullerengue en la actualidad, es necesario repensar algunas de las ideas estandarizadas de lo que entendemos por “ancestral”, “auténtico” o “folklórico”. Esta práctica, como todas las de la Costa Caribe de Colombia, ha sufrido una serie de modificaciones para adaptarse al presente, suscitando reflexiones sobre el concepto de tradición. Por ello, este artículo tiene como objetivo reflexionar sobre los procesos generadores de sociabilidad primigenios del bullerengue y su práctica en María La Baja (Bolívar), a la luz del concepto de folklorismo. La metodología empleada consta del análisis bibliográfico de al- gunas de las publicaciones más recientes, así como de la valoración de distintos testimonios y la comunicación personal con Wilman Orozco, uno de los persona- jes clave del bullerengue en la región. Esto ha permitido obtener conclusiones que estriban en que el bullerengue en María La Baja es una representación “an- cestral” que sobrepasa el debate de lo tradicional como algo puro e inalterado a una reproducción folklorística construida a través del relato de sus propios hacedores. Con todo lo anterior, este artículo plantea una forma distinta de lo ya conocido sobre el bullerengue en María La Baja como un producto derivado del concepto de folklore, lo cual abre paso a un presupuesto no tan nuevo, aunque poco trabajado en relación con el significado de los procesos de transformación de las tradiciones musicales en Bolívar y la Costa Caribe.
Ecocine situado y soberanía alimentaria: creadores mayas y activismo campesino en Yucatán
Authors: García Saiz Loreto , Moya Jorge Tamara
Published: January 2023

El pueblo maya yucateco ha sido conformado como una alteridad histórica dentro de la emergencia y consolidación del Estado nación mexicano. Abundantemente representado en el ámbito audiovisual desde posiciones discursivas colonialistas y miradas exógenas, sus realidades contemporáneas han quedado invisibilizadas en la gran pantalla como consecuencia de la denegación de la coetaneidad a los pueblos indígenas y campesinos de América Latina. Este trabajo propone, sin embargo, un acercamiento a las creaciones audiovisuales contemporáneas de los propios realizadores mayas que hacen aflorar epistemologías del sentir situadas en el propio territorio rural mediante lo que se ha denominado ecocine. En concreto, estudia el caso del realizador Robin Canul y el documental ¿Qué les pasó a las abejas? (2018), que sigue el proceso de defensa del territorio por parte de los apicultores de la península de Yucatán y su lucha contra la empresa Monsanto por la siembra de soya transgénica. Los métodos de investigación empleados en el trabajo han sido la revisión filmográfica, el análisis fílmico y la entrevista personal con sus creadores. Entre los resultados, se presta atención a cómo se codifica el discurso del buen vivir en la película, así como las estrategias descolonizadoras desde el punto de vista de la representación de la ruralidad. Como conclusión, se observa la importancia de la creación cinematográfica desde un conocimiento situado como parte de un movimiento político contemporáneo más amplio de defensa de la vida campesina en la península yucateca en el contexto del impulso de macroproyectos turísticos.
Design of a 3-Degrees-of-Freedom Cable-Driven Parallel Robot for Automated Construction Based on Workspace and Kinematic Sensitivity
Authors: McDonald Ethan , Arsenault Marc , Beites Steven
Published: January 2023

In recent years, there has been an increased interest in automating construction tasks to produce more affordable houses at an increased production rate. With this in mind, this article explores the design of a suspended cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) used as an automated platform for in situ construction. The selected robot topology arranges pairs of cables in parallel to connect the frame and mobile platform. This forms a series of parallelograms that restrict the mobile platform to a pure translational motion so long as the cables are maintained in tension. Contrary to previous works, the CDPR is parameterized to allow more freedom in the definition of the orientation of the parallelograms. The CDPR is designed based on workspace and kinematic sensitivity requirements, while avoiding singularities and mechanical interferences throughout the robot’s desired workspace. The result is an optimal CDPR based on the targeted 3D printing and pick-and-place tasks. It is shown that the parallelogram’s orientation can be selected to improve the robot’s kinematic sensitivity.
“On the Edge” Obstacle Surmounting Method Using Hybrid Locomotion
Authors: Yeldan Alper , Arora Abhimanyu , Soh Gim Song
Published: January 2023

This paper presents on the edge obstacle surmounting method for QuadRunner, a hybrid quadruped robot, to overcome obstacles using hybrid locomotion where both legged and wheel configurations are utilized. When obstacle heights exceed the workspace of its leg, QuadRunner becomes quasi-statically mismatched, meaning the robot’s kinematic constraints are not satisfied, and it fails to achieve the climbing task quasi-statically. By incorporating its body as contact support, the center of gravity (COG) of QuadRunner can be successfully shifted on top of the obstacle to perform surmounting task. The unique design of the QuadRunner leg allows it to behave as a four-bar or slider-crank mechanism depending on the leg’s configuration. Here, we detail the sub-state strategy for its surmount task, where QuadRunner goes through the sub-states {L}EAN, {H}OOK, {F}OUR-BAR, {S}LIDE, {G}ET-UP to climb obstacles. In addition, limitations of the operation are analyzed and the requirements for climbing are identified. With our proposed method, QuadRunner can surmount obstacles of heights between 10 cm and 22 cm (higher than its kinematic max height of 16 cm) within 25 s. Lastly, a reliability test shows that the robot can climb the obstacle with a 70% success rate.
Spin-down by dynamo action in simulated radiative stellar layers
Authors: Petitdemange Ludovic , Marcotte Florence , Gissinger Christophe
Published: January 2023

The evolution of a star is influenced by its internal rotation dynamics through transport and mixing mechanisms, which are poorly understood. Magnetic fields can play a role in transporting angular momentum and chemical elements, but the origin of magnetism in radiative stellar layers is unclear. Using global numerical simulations, we identify a subcritical transition from laminar flow to turbulence caused by the generation of a magnetic dynamo. Our results have many properties of the theoretically proposed Tayler-Spruit dynamo mechanism, which strongly enhances transport of angular momentum in radiative zones. The dynamo generates deep toroidal fields that are screened by the stellar outer layers. This mechanism could produce strong magnetic fields inside radiative stars without an observable field on their surface.