bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical and Mental Health Screening in a New York City HIV Cohort During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Preliminary Report
Authors: Pizzirusso Maria , Carrion-Park Cira , Clark Uraina S. , Gonzalez Jairo , Byrd Desiree , Morgello Susan
Published: November 2020

Background:

Mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been observed. Psychiatric symptoms in people living with HIV, and their relationship to physical symptomatology and prior psychopathology, are not yet reported.

Setting:

An HIV cohort sheltering-in-place in New York City.

Methods:

Forty-nine participants in a longitudinal study were contacted by telephone in April 2020. A structured interview queried COVID-19-associated physical symptoms, and mental health screens were performed with the generalized anxiety disorder-2 (GAD-2) and patient health questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2). Prior medical and neuropsychiatric data were obtained from preceding study visits. Post-hoc analyses were performed.

Results:

The mean age of respondents was 62.1 years, 39% were women, and 35% African American, 37% Latinx, and 28% Caucasian. COVID-19-indicator symptoms were present in 69%; 41% had respiratory and 61% extra-pulmonary symptoms. Mental health symptoms were endorsed in 45% with PHQ-2 and 43% with GAD-2, although threshold for major depression was met in only 4% and for GAD in 14%. Higher PHQ scores were associated with respiratory symptoms, but not prior mood or anxiety disorders. GAD-2 scores were higher with past mood disorders, but not with prior anxiety disorders or respiratory symptoms.

Conclusions:

Physical symptoms were frequent and mild psychiatric symptoms were common, but serious anxiety and depression were not often endorsed by this group of people living with HIV at the acute height of the New York City COVID-19 pandemic. Reasons for this are unclear, as this preliminary report is descriptive in nature. Short- and long-term consequences of acute mental health symptoms require further study.
Lysine 164 is critical for SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1 inhibition of host gene expression
Authors: Shen Zhou , Zhang Guangxu , Yang Yilin , Li Mengxia , Yang Siqi , Peng Guiqing
Published: November 2020

The emerging pathogen severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused social and economic disruption worldwide, infecting over 9.0 million people and killing over 469 000 by 24 June 2020. Unfortunately, no vaccine or antiviral drug that completely eliminates the transmissible disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been developed to date. Given that coronavirus nonstructural protein 1 (nsp1) is a good target for attenuated vaccines, it is of great significance to explore the detailed characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 nsp1. Here, we first confirmed that SARS-CoV-2 nsp1 had a conserved function similar to that of SARS-CoV nsp1 in inhibiting host-protein synthesis and showed greater inhibition efficiency, as revealed by ribopuromycylation and Renilla luciferase (Rluc) reporter assays. Specifically, bioinformatics and biochemical experiments showed that by interacting with 40S ribosomal subunit, the lysine located at amino acid 164 (K164) was the key residue that enabled SARS-CoV-2 nsp1 to suppress host gene expression. Furthermore, as an inhibitor of host-protein expression, SARS-CoV-2 nsp1 contributed to cell-cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase, which might provide a favourable environment for virus production. Taken together, this research uncovered the detailed mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 nsp1 K164 inhibited host gene expression, laying the foundation for the development of attenuated vaccines based on nsp1 modification.
The incubation period of 2019-nCoV from publicly reported confirmed cases: estimation and application
Authors: Lauer Stephen A. , Grantz Kyra H. , Bi Qifang , Jones Forrest K. , Zheng Qulu , Meredith Hannah , Azman Andrew S. , Reich Nicholas G , Lessler Justin
Published: November 2020

A novel human coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was identified in China in December, 2019. There is limited support for many of its key epidemiologic features, including the incubation period, which has important implications for surveillance and control activities. Here, we use data from public reports of 101 confirmed cases in 38 provinces, regions, and countries outside of Wuhan (Hubei province, China) with identifiable exposure windows and known dates of symptom onset to estimate the incubation period of 2019-nCoV. We estimate the median incubation period of 2019-nCoV to be 5.2 days (95% CI: 4.4, 6.0), and 97.5% of those who develop symptoms will do so within 10.5 days (95% CI: 7.3, 15.3) of infection. These estimates imply that, under conservative assumptions, 64 out of every 10,000 cases will develop symptoms after 14 days of active monitoring or quarantine. Whether this risk is acceptable depends on the underlying risk of infection and consequences of missed cases. The estimates presented here can be used to inform policy in multiple contexts based on these judgments.
Microstructural degeneration underlies executive dysfunction after stroke
Authors: Veldsman Michele , Werden Emilio , Egorova Natalia , Khlif Mohamed Salah , Brodtmann Amy
Published: November 2020

Objective

Executive dysfunction affects 40% of stroke patients and is associated with poor quality of life. Stroke severity and lesion volume rarely predict whether a patient will have executive dysfunction. Stroke typically occurs on a background of cerebrovascular burden, which impacts cognition and brain network structural integrity. We investigated whether measures of white matter microstructural integrity and cerebrovascular risk factors better explain executive dysfunction than markers of stroke severity.

Methods

We used structural equation modelling to examine multivariate relationships between cerebrovascular risk, white matter microstructural integrity (fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity), stroke characteristics and executive dysfunction in 126 stroke patients (mean age 68.4 years), three months post-stroke, and compared to 40 age- and sex-matched control participants. Executive function was measured using the Trail Making Tests, Clock Drawing task and Rey Complex Figure copy task. Microstructural integrity was estimated using a standard pipeline to process diffusion weighted images.

Results

Executive function was below what would be expected for age and education level in stroke patients (t-test compared to controls t(79)=5.75, p<0.001). A multivariate structural equation model illustrated the complex relationship between executive function, white matter integrity, stroke characteristics and cerebrovascular risk. Pearson’s correlations confirmed a stronger relationship between executive dysfunction and white matter integrity, than executive dysfunction and stroke severity. Mediation analysis showed the relationship between executive function and white matter integrity is mediated by cerebrovascular burden.

Interpretation

White matter microstructural degeneration of the superior longitudinal fasciculus in the executive control network better explains executive dysfunction than markers of stroke severity.
Crystal structure of a calcium(II)–pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) complex outside a protein environment
Authors: Lumpe Henning , Mayer Peter , Daumann Lena J.
Published: November 2020

Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is an important cofactor of calcium- and lanthanide-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases, and has been known for over 30 years. Crystal structures of Ca–MDH enzymes (MDH is methanol dehydrogenase) have been known for some time; however, crystal structures of PQQ with biorelevant metal ions have been lacking in the literature for decades. We report here the first crystal structure analysis of a Ca–PQQ complex outside the protein environment, namely, poly[[undecaaquabis(μ-4,5-dioxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-f]quinoline-2,7,9-tricarboxylato)tricalcium(II)] dihydrate], {[Ca3(C14H3N2O8)2(H2O)11]·2H2O}
n
. The complex crystallized as Ca3PQQ2·13H2O with Ca2+ in three different positions and PQQ3−, including an extensive hydrogen-bond network. Similarities and differences to the recently reported structure with biorelevant europium (Eu2PQQ2) are discussed.
Social accounting in the context of profound political, social and economic crisis: the case of the Arab Spring
Authors: Al Mahameed Muhammad , Belal Ataur , Gebreiter Florian , Lowe Alan
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This paper explores how social accounting operates in the context of profound political, social and economic crises. Specifically, it examines how companies constructed strategies of action to produce and organise social accounting practices under different sociopolitical and economic contexts prior to and after the Arab Spring.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on Swidler's theory of “Culture Toolkit” and 43 semi-structured interviews with 17 firms and their stakeholders in the Arab region.

Findings

The study argues that context influences social accounting practices by shaping a cultural toolkit of habits, skills and styles from which companies develop their social accounting related strategies of action. During “settled” periods, companies draw on resources to develop their social accounting practices whilst they seek knowledge and feedback on boundaries and expectations of the socio-political and economic contexts. During “unsettled” periods, companies begin to adopt highly organised meaning systems (i.e. ideologies) from which new ways and methods of social accounting practices are deployed.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the extant literature by providing insights into social accounting practices in the under-explored context of the profound political, social and economic crises that followed the Arab Spring. In addition, we introduce Swidler's Culture Toolkit theory to the accounting literature.
Forest depletion in Ghana: the empirical evidence and associated driver intensities
Authors: Amoah Anthony , Korle Kofi
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study seeks to provide a robust piece of evidence of forest depletion in Ghana and its associated driver intensities to inform national policy decisions towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 and beyond.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a representative sample size of 733 households, which was obtained with the aid of a structured questionnaire, a descriptive analysis is used to show the evidence of forest depletion. For robustness purposes, the geographic information system (GIS) is used to provide a piece of remote sensing evidence to substantiate the claim. In addition, an ordered probit regression model is estimated given the ranked nature of the responses to determine the drivers of forest depletion.

Findings

The results provide evidence that the urban forests in the Greater Accra Region (GAR) of Ghana have been depleted. Overall, 44% argued that the depletion of the forests is high, 30% indicated that the depletion is moderate, while 26% indicated that the depletion is low. Consistent with the literature, the ordered probit regression results show that human behaviour, climate change and institutional failure are the driver intensities of forest depletion in the Region. Besides, the authors find an increasing order effect for all three drivers. Using a descriptive analysis, majority of the respondents posited that human behaviour is the main driver intensity, followed by climate change and then institutional failure. This study recommends the need for education and advocacy, community participation, law enforcement, resource mobilization, modern adaptation strategies and internalization of externalities as a way of controlling the drivers of forest depletion.

Originality/value

The study uses remote sensing techniques to provide empirical evidence of protected forest depletion in the GAR, Ghana. In addition, an ordered probit regression is used to identify the driver intensities that explain the depleted protected forests in the region.
Bilingual education, Aboriginal self-determination and Yolŋu control at Shepherdson College, 1972–1983
Authors: Thomas Archie
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Self-determination policies and the expansion of bilingual schooling across Australia's Northern Territory (NT) in the 1970s and 1980s provided opportunities for Aboriginal educators and communities to take control over schooling. This paper demonstrates how this occurred at Shepherdson College, a mission school turned government bilingual school, at Galiwin'ku on Elcho Island in North East, Arnhem Land, in the early years of the policies between 1972 and 1983. Yolŋu staff developed a syncretic vision for a Yolŋu-controlled space of education that prioritised Yolŋu knowledges and aimed to sustain Yolŋu existence.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses archival data as well as oral histories, focusing on those with a close involvement with Shepherdson College, to elucidate the development of a Yolŋu vision for schooling.

Findings

Many Yolŋu school staff and their supporters, encouraged by promises of the era, pushed for greater Yolŋu control over staffing, curriculum, school spaces and governance. The budgetary and administrative control of the NT and federal governments acted to hinder possibilities. Yet despite these bureaucratic challenges, by the time of the shift towards neoliberal constraints in the early 1980s, Yolŋu educators and their supporters had envisioned and achieved, in a nascent way, a Yolŋu schooling system.

Originality/value

Previous scholarship on bilingual schooling has not closely examined the potent link between self-determination and bilingual schooling, largely focusing on pedagogical debates. Instead, this paper argues that Yolŋu embraced the “way in” offered by bilingual schooling to develop a new vision for community control through control of schooling.
Never married and earnings: evidence from Russia
Authors: Tovar-García Edgar Demetrio
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of civil status on wage earnings in post-Soviet Russia. Education and work experience are the key explanatory variables according to the Mincer function. In view of that, here, an extension of the Mincer equation is estimated, focusing on never married individuals versus other civil status (married people). Thus, testing the female wage penalty and the male wage premium hypotheses.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on dynamic panel data models, underlining the autoregressive nature of earnings, controlling for time-invariant independent variables and adding marriage as an explanatory variable. The models are estimated using longitudinal data over the years 2000–2017, taken from the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey.

Findings

The results indicate that never married Russians do not obtain higher levels of wage earnings in comparison with those who are married or correspond to other civil status. However, there is evidence supporting a wage premium for men and weak evidence of a penalty for women. That is, the regression results indicate a wage penalty for never married men and a wage premium for never married women, yet this last finding is not robust. Therefore, the general findings of this research only partially agree with the most recent evidence in developed countries, where marriage is not anymore associated with wages.

Originality/value

These findings are highly relevant for public policies related to family development, a major concern for the Russian Government during the last two decades. There is a common idea that avoiding marriage is associated with intentions to obtain higher levels of earnings, but this is a problem of myopia.
The Englishisation of higher education, between naturalisation and resistance
Authors: Cabral-Cardoso Carlos
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to shed additional light on the Englishisation process in higher education (HE), by exploring the contentious and divisive nature of language changes and the different ways in which individual academics experience that process and craft ways of resisting institutional attempts to naturalise the use of the English language in teaching and scholarly writing.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a self-ethnographic insider study in a Portuguese university setting, the data were gathered from multiple sources and over an extended period of time and presented as stories selected as illustrative examples of resistance.

Findings

The Englishisation process goes beyond language issues and tends to be associated with increasing competitive pressures and the implementation of international standards that might challenge the cultural mind-set and long-established practices; by exacerbating old political divisions and tensions, the Englishisation process uncovers a confrontation between different visions of the role and nature of the university that seems to co-exist and compete in the same setting – the community of scholars and the market-led university.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the debate on the implications of the Englishisation process in HE showing that resistance to the growing use of the English language might not be about the language after all. It is the full package that comes with the Englishisation process that really seems to matter.
Strategy maps: the middle management perspective
Authors: Goldstein James C.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The second major step in the development of the balanced scorecard was the introduction of strategy maps. Although much has been written about the benefits of strategy maps, there have been relatively few empirical studies that explore their use in a real-world setting. Additionally, the studies that have been done do not focus on the perspective of middle managers and employees who execute the strategy on a daily basis. This study addresses these gaps through observing the construction of strategy maps in two main business lines of a commercial bank. The participating managers are then asked if they agree that the resulting strategic performance measurement system assist organizations in the three ways most discussed in the literature: translating and operationalizing strategy, communicating the strategy and measuring the strategy. This study also provides some additional insights regarding the construction and use of strategy maps in organizations. The findings provide evidence to management that strategy maps are beneficial and guidance on how these could be implemented. The purpose of this study is to examine the implementation of strategy maps in a real-world setting. Strategy maps are an extension of the well-known and adopted balanced scorecard, but have received little attention in empirical studies.

Design/methodology/approach

The researcher introduced middle managers and operational staff to strategy maps and assisted them in the construction of a map for their business unit. The participants were then interviewed as to whether they agree with the benefits outlined in literature.

Findings

Participants agreed with the three main benefits outlined in literature and also provided additional feedback on the use of strategy maps from the perspective of their role as middle managers and those who had not used strategy maps in the past.

Research limitations/implications

This study should be replicated in a larger setting. It would be particularly helpful to involve multiple departments across one organization or replicate the research in different organizations in the industry.

Practical implications

It would be helpful to guide business units through the construction of strategy maps and then survey employees at different levels throughout the business units to obtain their feedback concerning the resulting product.

Social implications

Because this study involves middle managers and operational level employees, it provides insight on the use of strategy maps, which could be extrapolated to other strategic performance management tools. This is a level of management that has not been involved to a large extent in previous research.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to observe middle managers in their development of a strategy map, which puts it in the unique position to note the opinions of this group on the benefits of the tool.
The impact of corruption on the export intensity of SMEs in Tunisia: moderating effects of political instability and regulatory obstacles
Authors: Bahri Moujib , Sakka Ouafa , Kallal Rahim
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the moderating effect of political instability and regulatory obstacles on the relationship between corruption and export intensity in the context of Tunisian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES). The sample consists of 537 Tunisian SMEs. The partial least squares method was used to analyse the data.

Findings

The direct effect of corruption on export intensity was found to be non-significant. It was significantly negative when corruption was combined with regulatory obstacles, whereas it was positive when corruption coexisted with political instability. Additional analyses revealed that results were sensitive to firm size (small versus medium) and sector of activity (service versus manufacturing).

Research limitations/implications

This paper has some limitations related to the use of secondary data. Enhanced variable measurements and more detailed data collection are recommended for future studies.

Practical implications

This paper is useful to researchers and policymakers who are interested in understanding the effects of a poor institutional environment on SME exports in developing countries.

Originality/value

This paper considers the impact of corruption on the export intensity of SMEs in the presence of political instability and regulatory obstacles in Tunisia. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the joint effect of these institutional variables on the exports of firms has not been examined in previous research.
The future of auditing research in the public sector
Authors: Hay David C. , Cordery Carolyn J.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review opportunities for future research about auditing in the public sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents the viewpoints of two researchers, supported by research that is cited in the paper.

Findings

Public sector auditing research has grown considerably. The authors expect further growth. The authors debunk some myths about public sector auditing. The authors suggest areas where there are opportunities for research. In particular, researchers can examine a broader range of jurisdictions, investigate differences among countries and develop suggestions about what works best.

Research limitations/implications

The paper presents the views of the authors.

Practical implications

There are opportunities for further research across different jurisdictions.

Originality/value

The paper makes a contribution by outlining research opportunities.
Sensory and physiological assessment of spatial transient thermal environment changes at a tropical university campus
Authors: Dahlan Nur Dalilah , Ghaffarianhoseini Amirhosein , Hassan Norhaslina
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Recent studies have found that the high demand for air-conditioning usage in tropical countries has affected the thermal adaptability of building occupants to hot weather, and increased building energy consumption. This pilot study aims to investigate the effects of transient thermal environment changes on participants' sensory and physiological responses.

Design/methodology/approach

The change of thermal perceptions, skin temperatures and core temperatures when exposed to transient thermal environments (cool-warm-cool) from 10 college-aged female participants during a simulated daily commute by foot to class in a tropical university campus were investigated. Subjective measurements were collected in real-time every 5 min.

Findings

The main finding suggests that participants were acclimatised to cool air-conditioned indoor environments, despite exhibiting significant mean skin temperature differences (p < 0.05). In addition, exposure to uniform air conditioning from 17 to 18°C for 20 min was thermally unacceptable and reduced concentration during given tasks.

Research limitations/implications

The study focused on thermal comfort conditions in a uniform air-conditioned lecture hall, and the findings may not be applicable for residential and other private building spaces. The distinct temperature difference between indoor and outdoor in the tropical built environment resulted in high dependence on air-conditioning usage. The building occupants' well-being and energy conservation implications of the findings are discussed.

Practical implications

This study provides the platform for discussion on the dynamics of occupants' comfort level and adopting a more variable thermal environment in tropical spatial transient thermal environments among architects and building management system managers. The findings from this study may contribute to the Malaysian Standards for Energy Efficiency and Use of Renewable Energy for Non-Residential Buildings (MS1525).

Originality/value

A knowledge gap in adaptive thermal comfort due to exposure from transient conditions in tropical university campus for energy efficiency revision has been investigated.
Efficacy and safety of romiplostim in refractory aplastic anaemia: a Phase II/III, multicentre, open‐label study
Authors: Jang Jun Ho , Tomiyama Yoshiaki , Miyazaki Koji , Nagafuji Koji , Usuki Kensuke , Uoshima Nobuhiko , Fujisaki Tomoaki , Kosugi Hiroshi , Matsumura Itaru , Sasaki Ko , Kizaki Masahiro , Sawa Masashi , Hidaka Michihiro , Kobayashi Naoki , Ichikawa Satoshi , Yonemura Yuji , Enokitani Kouki , Matsuda Akira , Ozawa Keiya , Mitani Kinuko , Lee Jong Wook , Nakao Shinji
Published: November 2020

A previous dose‐finding study has suggested that romiplostim is effective in patients with refractory aplastic anaemia (AA) and 10 µg/kg once weekly was recommended as a starting dose. In this Phase II/III, multicentre, open‐label study, romiplostim was administered subcutaneously at a fixed dose of 10 µg/kg once weekly for 4 weeks (weeks 1–4) followed by weekly doses (5, 10, 15 and 20 µg/kg) titrated by platelet response for up to 52 weeks (weeks 5–52). A total of 31 patients with AA who were refractory to immunosuppressive therapy (IST) and thrombocytopenia (platelet count of ≤30 × 109/l) were enrolled. The primary efficacy endpoint of the proportion of patients achieving any haematological (platelet, neutrophil and erythrocyte) response at week 27 was 84% [95% confidence interval (CI) 66–95%]. Trilineage response was 39% (95% CI 22–58%) at week 53. The most common treatment‐related adverse events (AEs) were headache and muscle spasms (each 13%). All AEs were mild or moderate except for three patients with Grade 3 hepatic AEs; no AEs necessitated romiplostim discontinuation. Two patients developed cytogenetic abnormalities, of whom one returned to normal karyotype at last follow‐up. High‐dose romiplostim is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of patients with AA refractory to IST.
MADAGASCAR: A BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT STILL REVEALING ITS BOTANICAL TREASURES
Authors: Clubbe Colin , Cable Stuart , Ralimanana Hélène
Published: November 2020

The status of Madagascar's plant diversity is briefly reviewed, together with a consideration of the key threats and approaches used in conserving this unique flora. The role of the Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre is reviewed in relation to species discovery and conservation.
957. UNCARINA GRANDIDIERI
Authors: Rakotoarisoa Solofo E.
Published: November 2020

Uncarina grandidieri (Baill.) Stapf (Pedaliaceae) is a shrub or small tree endemic to Madagascar, restricted to the southern region in dry spiny forest and bush. It is a very attractive plant due to its habit and its remarkable flower which makes it prized by horticulturists and plant enthusiasts. It is described and illustrated here. An overview of the family and the genus is given, with information about its habitat, phenology, cultivation, conservation status and traditional medicinal uses.
Effects of temperature on life histories of three endangered Japanese diving beetle species
Authors: Ohba Shin‐ya , Fukui Mizuki , Terazono Yasuhide , Takada Sho
Published: November 2020

To elucidate population‐increasing factors in the diving beetle Cybister tripunctatus lateralis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) in Japan in recent years, life histories and oviposition patterns were compared among three endangered diving beetle species, Cybister brevis Aubé (qualified by the Japanese Red Data List as ‘near threatened’), Cybister chinensis Motschulsky (vulnerable), and C. tripunctatus lateralis (vulnerable). Oviposition in C. brevis, C. chinensis, and C. tripunctatus lateralis was observed from late April to mid‐June, from late April to early July, and from late May to mid‐August, respectively, under semi‐outdoor conditions. There were no interspecies differences in total hatchling production during the reproductive season. In rearing experiments at various temperatures (20, 23, 25, 28, and 30 °C), the mortality of C. tripunctatus lateralis larvae was higher at 20 °C, and gradually lower with increasing temperature up to 30 °C. Adult body size of females in C. tripunctatus lateralis is larger than that of males but there were no significant differences among temperatures (25–30 °C). Cybister brevis had a higher emergence rate at 23–28 °C than at 20 and 30 °C. In C. brevis, the body size of adults reared at 25 or 28 °C was significantly larger than at other temperatures. Cybister chinensis did not differ in emergence rate and adult body size among the five temperature conditions. The developmental zero (i.e., the lower developmental threshold) from the first instar to adult emergence was 11.1 °C for C. brevis, 8.7 °C for C. chinensis, and 16.8 °C for C. tripunctatus lateralis. We speculate how the influence of global warming may have a positive impact on the growth and survival of C. tripunctatus lateralis.
Antinociception and less gastric injury with the dexketoprofen‐tapentadol combination in mice
Authors: Franco de la‐Torre Lorenzo , Alonso‐Castro Ángel Josabad , Zapata‐Morales Juan Ramón , Rivas‐Carrillo Jorge David , Vidaurrazaga‐Lugo José , Partida‐Castellanos Elsa Maria , Granados‐Soto Vinicio , Isiordia‐Espinoza Mario Alberto
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive interaction between dexketoprofen and tapentadol in three different dose ratios, as well as the ulcerogenic activity of this combination. Dose–response curves were carried out for dexketoprofen, tapentadol, and dexketoprofen–tapentadol combinations in the acetic acid‐induced writhing test in mice. On the other hand, the gastric damage of all treatments was assessed after the surgical extraction of the stomachs. Intraperitoneal administration of dexketoprofen and tapentadol induced a dose‐dependent antinociceptive effect, reaching a maximal effect of about 58% and 99%, respectively. Isobolographic analysis and the interaction index showed that the three proportions produced an analgesic potentiation (synergistic interaction). Interestingly, the 1:1 and 1:3 ratios of the drugs combination produced minor gastric injury in comparison with the 3:1 proportion. Our data suggest that all proportions of the dexketoprofen–tapentadol combination produced a synergistic interaction in the acetic acid‐induced visceral pain model in mice with a low incidence of gastric injury.
Climate change drives spatial mismatch and threatens the biotic interactions of the Brazil nut
Authors: Sales Lilian P. , Rodrigues Lucirene , Masiero Rômulo
Published: November 2020

Aim

Climate change and deforestation will redistribute biodiversity in the next century. Species‐specific differences in the response to these stressors will lead to distribution decoupling of interacting species. However, consequences for ecosystem services are poorly known. Here, we assess the potential effects of future distribution mismatch on a key ecosystem service mediated by seed dispersal and pollination interactions: the sustainable exploitation of Brazil nuts.

Location

The Amazon.

Major taxa studied

Woody plants, medium‐sized mammals, and insects.

Time period

Present day, end of the 21st century.

Methods

Combining ecological niche models to simulations of tree cover loss and dispersal constraints, we compare the forecasted distribution of the plant to that of its interacting fauna of pollinators and seed dispersers.

Results

Our projections indicate that climate change itself could have no or even slightly positive effects on the distribution of the Brazil nut tree, expected to increase by up to 6% by the year 2090. However, the pollinators of this tree were forecasted lose nearly 50% of their suitable distribution in the future, leading to an almost 80% reduction in co‐occurrence potential. In addition, local pollinator richness was predicted to diminish by 20%, with likely consequences for pollination redundancy and resilience to subsequent environment changes. Although range contractions were also forecasted for some seed dispersers in the future, the overall patterns of potential co‐occurrence between the Brazil nut tree and seed dispersers, as well as local richness of seed dispersers. were mostly unabated.

Main conclusions

The forecasted declines in pollinator diversity may reduce ecosystem functional redundancy and threaten the long‐term resilience of the services provided by Brazil nut trees. Such pervasive and indirect effects of climate change, often neglected and unaccounted for in most conservation assessments, may have cascading effects upon into economies and human well‐being worldwide.
Enhanced thermal stability of the lepidocrocite‐type titanates by intercalation of large alkaline ions
Authors: Yang Daoyuan , Liu Ruichao , Liu Hao , Niu Chunyao , Cui Junyan , Gao Jinxing , Yuan Huiyu , Ma Chengliang , Jia Quanli , Zhang Shaowei
Published: November 2020

Layered materials are promising candidates to serve for thermal insulation coatings because of their low out‐of‐plane thermal conductivity. The thin film preparation of the layered materials in layer‐by‐layer fashion can be realized by several solution processes. However, the layered materials suffer low thermal stability after the solution processes. Herein, we report a strategy to improve the thermal stability of the layered materials processed in solution. In this work, we studied the thermal stability of the lepidocrocite‐type titanate with various interlayer ions (Li+, Na+, K+, and Cs+) at elevated temperatures. We proved that the thermal stability of the titanate increased with the increase of the ionic radius. The Cs+ intercalated titanate can remain in its layered structure up to 1000°C, while the Li+ interacted titanate loses its structural stability at ~280°C. Our work suggests that increasing the size of the interlayer ions is an effective strategy to enhance the structural stability of layered titanates.
Efficacy of drug and endoscopic treatment of Crohn's disease strictures: A systematic review
Authors: Schulberg Julien D , Wright Emily K , Holt Bronte A , Wilding Helen E , Hamilton Amy L , Ross Alyson L , Kamm Michael A
Published: November 2020

Background and Aims

Strictures are the commonest complication in Crohn's disease. Surgery and endoscopic dilation are the mainstays of treatment, while drug therapy has often been considered contraindicated. The benefit of nonsurgical treatments, particularly drug and endoscopic therapy, need to be defined.

Methods

Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library (inception until August 30, 2019) were searched. Studies with ≥ 10 patients with Crohn's disease strictures, reporting on outcomes following medication or endoscopic treatment, were included.

Results

Of 3480 records, 85 studies met inclusion criteria and formed the basis of this analysis. Twenty‐five studies assessed drug therapy; none were randomized trials. Despite study heterogeneity anti‐tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy appeared effective, with 50% of patients avoiding surgery after 4 years of follow up. No other drug therapy was of demonstrable benefit. Sixty studies assessed endoscopic therapy including 56 on endoscopic balloon dilation, two assessed needle knife stricturotomy, and two stent insertion. Dilation was equally effective for de novo and anastomotic strictures ≤ 5 cm in length, with most studies reporting a subsequent surgical rate of 30% to 50%. Repeat dilation was required in approximately half of all patients.

Conclusions

Anti‐TNF drug therapy and endoscopic balloon dilation are effective strategies for avoiding surgery in patients with stricturing Crohn's disease. Additional endoscopic therapies require further evaluation. Early data suggest that combining these therapies may provide greater benefit than individual therapies. Optimization of current drug and endoscopic therapy, and the incorporation of newer therapies, are needed for stricturing Crohn's disease.
A Multi‐Phase Quality Improvement Initiative for the Treatment of Active Delirium in Older Persons
Authors: Friedman Joseph I. , Li Lihua , Kirpalani Sapina , Zhong Xiaobo , Freeman Robert , Cheng Yim Tan , Alfonso Francis L. , McAlpine George , Vakil Aditi , Macon Bernard , Francaviglia Paul , Cassara Margherita , LoPachin Vicki , Reina Katherine , Davis Kenneth , Reich David , Craven Catherine K. , Mazumdar Madhu , Siu Albert L.
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

The Hospital Elder Life Program emerged 20 years ago as the reference model for delirium prevention in hospitalized older patients. However, implementation has been achieved at only 200 hospitals worldwide over the last 20 years. Among the barriers to implementation for some institutions is an unwillingness of hospital administration to assume the costs associated with implementing programs that service all hospitalized older patients at risk for delirium. Facing such a situation, we implemented a unique and self‐evolving model of care of older hospitalized patients who had already developed delirium.

DESIGN

Hypothesis testing was carried out using a pretest‐posttest design on program administrative data.

SETTING

Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, a tertiary‐care teaching facility.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 9,214 consecutively admitted older patients to non–intensive care (ICU) inpatient units over a 5.5‐year period, regardless of the suspected presence of delirium or risk status for developing delirium.

INTERVENTION

A delirium intervention program targeting patients in whom delirium has already developed, with a modified delirium team supported by extensive workflow automation with custom tools in our electronic medical records system.

MEASUREMENTS

Length of stay (LOS) for delirious and non‐delirious patients on units where this program was piloted. Benzodiazepine, opiate, and antipsychotic use on the same units.

RESULTS

There was a significant drop in LOS by 1.98 days (95% confidence interval = .24–3.71), a decrease in the average morphine dose equivalents administered from .38 mg to .21 mg per patient hospital day, diazepam dose equivalents from .22 mg to .15 mg per patient hospital day, and quetiapine administered from .17 mg to .14 mg per patient hospital day for delirious patients on the program pilot units.

CONCLUSION

Elements of our unique active delirium treatment program may provide some direction to other program developers working on improving the care of older hospitalized delirious patients. However, the supporting evidence presented is limited, and a more rigorous prospective study is needed.
A new synapomorphy in the pelvic girdle reinforces a close relationship of Zanobatus and Myliobatiformes (Chondrichthyes: Batoidea)
Authors: Capretz Batista da Silva João Paulo , Silva Loboda Thiago , de Souza Rosa Ricardo
Published: November 2020

The rays of the order Myliobatiformes present several diagnostic characters, the most striking one being the presence of a serrated sting on the dorsal region of the tail. Although several morphological hypotheses have been proposed supporting the monophyly and interrelationships of its members, few characters of the appendicular skeleton were employed. In the present study, we analyzed comparatively the pelvic girdle morphology across all the groups of rays to investigate the distribution of the ischial process. To understand its significance, we tested this character of the pelvic girdle as a potential synapomorphy for the Myliobatiformes plus Zanobatus. Accordingly, the phylogenetic position of Zanobatus as a sister taxon to Myliobatiformes is reinforced and its pelvic girdle morphology reinterpreted in relation to previous morphological studies.
Colonialism, “efficiency” and development: Re‐examining Puerto Rico's land reform, 1935–1945
Authors: Ayala‐McCormick Diego
Published: November 2020

Existing historiography on Puerto Rico's agrarian reform programme in the early 1940s fails to explain why the reform resulted in the nationalization of sugar cane plantations and the formation of “Proportional Profit Farms” rather than land redistribution. This analysis examines the interplay between the New Deal and Puerto Rican political forces in the 1930s to help answer this question. It concludes that land redistribution was preferred among local forces and that the Proportional Profit Farms were a result of federal intervention by the New Deal, embodied most clearly in the figure of Rexford Tugwell, Puerto Rico's appointed governor from 1941 to 1946. This intervention calls for a re‐examination of the New Deal's role in Puerto Rico's long‐term economic development in the 20th century, particularly in laying down a model of dependent development and industrialization.
Efficacy of topical antioxidants in the skin hyperpigmentation control: A clinical study by reflectance confocal microscopy
Authors: D'Angelo Costa Gabriela Maria , Maia Campos Patrícia Maria Berardo Gonçalves
Published: November 2020

Background

Some in vitro studies have reported the potential of antioxidants for the reduction of melanogenesis. However, it is important to assess the clinical efficacy of these substances in reducing skin hyperpigmentation. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of dermocosmetic formulations based on antioxidants using Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM).

Methods

Thirty‐two healthy females aged 39‐55 years were enrolled and divided into four groups: Vehicle (V), V with ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate (ATIP), V with Spirulina sp., and V with hydroxytyrosol‐titrated olive extract. Imaging analyses by high‐resolution methods and RCM were performed in the malar region of the face before and after a 42‐day period of application of the studied formulations.

Results

Reflectance confocal microscopy imaging analyses showed a significant reduction of number of hyperreflective pixels and basal layer brightness after 42 days of application of formulations containing the antioxidants compared to vehicle and baseline values, suggesting an improvement of the skin pigmentation pattern.

Conclusion

Reflectance confocal microscopy permitted the identification of skin hyperpigmentation and the assessment of the clinical efficacy of dermocosmetic formulations based on antioxidants in a noninvasive way. All formulations containing antioxidants significantly reduced skin hyperpigmentation after the period of application.
Paths taken towards NK cell–mediated immunotherapy of human cancer—a personal reflection
Authors: Ljunggren Hans‐Gustaf
Published: November 2020

The discovery that NK cells are able to specifically recognize cells lacking the expression of self‐MHC class I molecules provided the first insight into NK cell recognition of tumour cells. It started a flourishing field of NK cell research aimed at exploring the molecular nature of NK cell receptors involved in tumour cell recognition. While much of the important early work was conducted in murine experimental model systems, studies of human NK cells rapidly followed. Over the years, human NK cell research has swiftly progressed, aided by new detailed molecular information on human NK cell development, differentiation, molecular specificity, tissue heterogeneity and functional capacity. NK cells have also been studied in many different diseases aside from cancer, including viral diseases, autoimmunity, allergy and primary immunodeficiencies. These fields of research have all, indirectly or directly, provided further insights into NK cell‐mediated recognition of target cells and paved the way for the development of NK cell‐based immunotherapies for human cancer. Excitingly, NK cell‐based immunotherapy now opens up for novel strategies aimed towards treating malignant diseases, either alone or in combination with other drugs. Reviewed here are some personal reflections of select contributions leading up to the current state‐of‐the‐art in the field, with a particular emphasis on contributions from our own laboratory. This review is part of a series of articles on immunology in Scandinavia, published in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Scandinavian Society for Immunology.
Elevated adenomatous polyposis coli in goblet cells is associated with inflammation in mouse and human colon
Authors: Gomez Christian L. , Neufeld Kristi L.
Published: November 2020

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

What is the localization and distribution pattern of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) in intestinal epithelial cells? Does this distribution change in different regions of the colon or in the condition of inflammation?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Colonic epithelia from mice and humans contain a subset of goblet cells displaying high APC levels. The number of APChigh goblet cells increases in inflamed tissue, which also displays increased GRP78, indicating potential stress from mucin production. In cultured human colon cells, expression of interleukin 1 pathway components (inducers of MUC2 expression) is reduced upon APC depletion raising the potential for APC participation in an inflammatory response.

Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) serves as a gatekeeper of intestinal homeostasis by promoting cellular differentiation and maintaining crypt architecture. Although appreciated as a critical colon tumour suppressor, roles for APC in disease states such as inflammation have yet to be fully delineated. This study aimed to characterize the localization of APC protein in gastrointestinal tissues from human patients with active inflammatory bowel disease and mice with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)‐induced colitis. Fluorescence immunohistochemistry revealed a subset of goblet cells with elevated Apc staining intensity in the small intestines and proximal/medial colons of mice. Upon induction of colitis with DSS, these ‘APChigh’ goblet cells remained in the proximal and medial colon, but now were also observed in the distal colon. This phenotype was recapitulated in humans, with APChigh goblet cells observed only in the descending colons of patients with active ulcerative colitis. In cultured human colon cells derived from normal tissue, APC depletion reduced expression of mRNAs encoding the interleukin 1 (IL1) signalling pathway components IL1β and interleukin‐1 receptor (IL1R), known regulators of Muc2 expression. Treating cancer cells lacking wild‐type APC with IL1β, or induction of full‐length APC in these cells led to increases in IL1R and MUC2 expression. Combining IL1β treatment with APC induction led to an increase of MUC2 expression greater than expected for additive affects, suggesting that APC sensitizes cells to IL1 signalling. These findings suggest that APC has novel roles in maintaining proper goblet cell function, thus providing further evidence for APC as an important factor in intestinal tissue homeostasis and disease.