bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cross‐sectional comparisons of gut microbiome and short‐chain fatty acid levels among children with varied weight classifications
Authors: Gyarmati Peter , Song Yajing , Dotimas James , Yoshiba Grace , Christison Amy
Published: November 2020

Background

Limited studies associate changes in microbiota composition and metabolites among children and adolescents with obesity. Decreases in compositional diversity, increases in the proportion of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes (F/B ratio) and increases in short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have been proposed as contributing factors in the pathophysiology of obesity.

Objectives

The aim of the current study was to characterize the faecal microbiota composition, diversity, F/B ratio and SCFA levels in different weight categories (lean, overweight, obesity classes 1‐3) of children ages 5 to 12 years.

Methods

We collected and processed 83 samples from different weight categories (27.7% lean, 11% overweight, 15%, 17% and 17% of obesity classes 1, 2, and 3, respectively). Microbiota content was determined by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, and SCFA content was analyzed.

Results

Microbiota compositions showed no significant differences in diversity or F/B ratios between weight categories. However, a relative abundance of Proteobacteria and lack of Verrucomicrobia were demonstrated when comparing severe obesity to the leaner groups. Faecal butyrate, propionate and isopentanoate concentrations increased progressively with weight category demonstrating significance in the class 3 obesity group.

Conclusions

Our results show that severe childhood obesity in our study population was associated with changes in gut microbiome composition correlated to previously reported cardiometabolic disease states in obesity. Increased SCFA levels correlate with obesity‐related microbiome metabolic function without a reduction in diversity characterized at a phyla level. Further characterization of these specimens at a species level and longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate these relationships.
Assessing the epidemiology and seasonality of influenza among children under two hospitalized in Amman, Jordan, 2010‐2013
Authors: Rolsma Stephanie L. , Rankin Danielle A. , Haddadin Zaid , Hamdan Lubna , Rahman Herdi K. , Faouri Samir , Shehabi Asem , Williams John V. , Khuri‐Bulos Najwa , Halasa Natasha B.
Published: November 2020

Background

The disease burden of influenza‐associated hospitalizations among children in Jordan is not well established. We aimed to characterize hospitalizations attributed to influenza in a pediatric population.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional study from our viral surveillance cohort in children under 2 years hospitalized with acute respiratory symptoms and/or fever from March 2010 to March 2013. We collected demographic and clinical characteristics, and calculated the frequency of children who met the severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) criteria. Nasal specimens were tested using real‐time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction to detect influenza A, B, or C. Further subtyping for influenza A‐positive isolates was conducted.

Results

Of the 3168 children enrolled in our study, 119 (4%) were influenza‐positive. Influenza types and subtypes varied by season but were predominantly detected between December and February. Codetection of multiple respiratory pathogens was identified in 58% of children with the majority occurring among those <6 months. Bronchopneumonia and rule‐out sepsis were the most common admission diagnoses, with influenza A accounting for over 2/3 of children with a rule‐out sepsis admission status. One‐third of children under 6 months compared to 3/4 of children 6‐23 months met the SARI criteria.

Conclusions

Influenza was an important cause of acute respiratory illness in children under 2 years. Children <6 months had the highest burden of influenza‐associated hospitalizations and were less likely to meet the SARI global surveillance case definition. Additional surveillance is needed in the Middle East to determine the true influenza burden on a global scale.
The effect of physical exercise on rheumatoid arthritis: An overview of systematic reviews and meta‐analysis
Authors: Hu Huiling , Xu Anqi , Gao Chao , Wang Zhenqing , Wu Xue
Published: November 2020

Aims

To determine which outcomes will be improved by different exercise interventions and the evidence quality for each intervention.

Design

Overview of systematic reviews and meta‐analysis.

Data Sources

PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Embase. Published from the establishment of the database to 3 September 2019.

Review methods

AMSTAR 2 and PRISMA were used to evaluate methodological and reporting quality. Evidence quality of the effect of each intervention was assessed according to GRADE guidelines. Meta‐analysis of original studies was conducted for comparison of systematic reviews and to explore the effect of different exercise interventions on the same outcome.

Results

Ten systematic reviews were included in the overview. A significant improvement was seen in: aerobic exercise for aerobic capacity; strength training for erythrocyte sedimentation rate and 50‐foot walking time; aerobic exercise combined with strength training for aerobic capacity, physical function, and fatigue; hand exercise for hand function.

Conclusions

For the maximum benefit of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, different exercise methods should be selected according to the symptoms. For RA patients, any exercise is better than no exercise, but the intensity, frequency, and period of exercise for better results are not determined.

Impact

What problem did the study address is which outcomes will be improved by different exercise interventions. For maximum benefit for RA patients, different exercise methods should be selected according to symptoms. The research summarized the evidence of exercise rehabilitation of RA and will help RA patients or their caregivers choose the appropriate type of exercise, which will play a positive role on the rehabilitation of patients with RA.
Intraspecific differentiation: Implications for niche and distribution modelling
Authors: Collart Flavien , Hedenäs Lars , Broennimann Olivier , Guisan Antoine , Vanderpoorten Alain
Published: November 2020

Aim

Mounting evidence suggests that failure of species distribution models to integrate local adaptation hinders our ability to predict distribution ranges, raising the question of whether modelling should be performed at the level of species (clade models) or intraspecific lineages (subclade models), characterized by the restricted availability of occurrence points. While Ensembles of Small Models (ESMs) offer an attractive framework for small datasets, their evaluation remains critical. We address these issues in the case of very small datasets inherent to subclade models and discuss which modelling strategy should be applied based on niche overlap among lineages.

Location

Sweden.

Taxon

Mosses.

Methods

Ensembles of Small Models were evaluated by null models built from randomly sampled presence points. We compared the extent of suitable area predicted by the projections of clade and subclade models. Niche overlap was quantified using Schoener's D and Hellinger'sImetrics, and the significance of these metrics in terms of niche conservatism or divergence was assessed by similarity tests.

Results

We introduced a simple procedure for evaluating ESMs based on the pooling of the statistics used to assess model accuracy from the replicates. Despite fairly high AUC and TSS values, 2 of the 23 subclade models did not perform better than null models and should be discarded. Combined predictions from subclade models contributed, on average, five times more than clade models to the total suitable area predicted by the combination of subclade and clade models. The D and I metrics averaged 0.45 and 0.71, with evidence for niche conservatism in half of the species and no signal for niche divergence.

Main conclusions

In addition to the assessment of ESM accuracy based on the simple procedure described here, we recommend that ESMs should be systematically evaluated against null models. Lumping or splitting occurrence data at the intraspecific level substantially impacted model projections. Given the poor performance of models based on small datasets, even when employing ESMs, we pragmatically suggest that, in the absence of evidence for niche divergence during diversification of closely related intraspecific lineages, SDMs should be based on all available occurrence data at the species level.
Natural language markers of social phenotype in girls with autism
Authors: Song Amber , Cola Meredith , Plate Samantha , Petrulla Victoria , Yankowitz Lisa , Pandey Juhi , Schultz Robert T. , Parish‐Morris Julia
Published: November 2020

Background

Girls with autism spectrum condition (ASC) are chronically underdiagnosed compared to boys, which may be due to poorly understood sex differences in a variety of domains, including social interest and motivation. In this study, we use natural language processing to identify objective markers of social phenotype that are easily obtained from a brief conversation with a nonexpert.

Methods

87 school‐aged children and adolescents with ASC (17 girls, 33 boys) or typical development (TD; 15 girls, 22 boys) were matched on age (mean = 11.35 years), IQ estimates (mean = 107), and – for ASC participants – level of social impairment. Participants engaged in an informal 5‐min ‘get to know you’ conversation with a nonexpert conversation partner. To measure attention to social groups, we analyzed first‐person plural pronoun variants (e.g., ‘we’ and ‘us’) and third‐person plural pronoun variants (e.g., ‘they’ and ‘them’).

Results

Consistent with prior research suggesting greater social motivation in autistic girls, autistic girls talked more about social groups than did ASC boys. Compared to TD girls, autistic girls demonstrated atypically heightened discussion of groups they were not a part of (‘they’, ‘them’), indicating potential awareness of social exclusion. Pronoun use predicted individual differences in the social phenotypes of autistic girls.

Conclusions

Relatively heightened but atypical social group focus is evident in autistic girls during spontaneous conversation, which contrasts with patterns observed in autistic boys and TD girls. Quantifying subtle linguistic differences in verbally fluent autistic girls is an important step toward improved identification and support for this understudied sector of the autism spectrum.
Is an 8‐week regimen of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir sufficient for all hepatitis C virus infected patients in the real‐world experience?
Authors: Zarębska‐Michaluk Dorota , Jaroszewicz Jerzy , Pabjan Paweł , Łapiński Tadeusz W , Mazur Włodzimierz , Krygier Rafał , Dybowska Dorota , Halota Waldemar , Pawłowska Małgorzata , Janczewska Ewa , Buczyńska Iwona , Simon Krzysztof , Dobracka Beata , Citko Jolanta , Laurans Łukasz , Tudrujek‐Zdunek Magdalena , Tomasiewicz Krzysztof , Piekarska Anna , Sitko Marek , Białkowska‐Warzecha Jolanta , Klapaczyński Jakub , Sobala‐Szczygieł Barbara , Horban Andrzej , Berak Hanna , Deroń Zbigniew , Lorenc Beata , Socha Łukasz , Tronina Olga , Flisiak Robert
Published: November 2020

Background and Aims

The revolution of the antiviral treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection resulting in higher effectiveness came with the introduction of direct‐acting antivirals with pangenotypic regimens as a final touch. Among them, the combination of glecaprevir (GLE) and pibrentasvir (PIB) provides the opportunity for shortening therapy to 8 weeks in the majority of patients. Because of still insufficient evaluation of this regimen in the real‐world experience, our study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of 8‐week GLE/PIB in chronic hepatitis C patients depending on liver fibrosis and genotype (GT).

Methods

The analysis included patients who received GLE/PIB for 8 weeks selected from the EpiTer‐2 database, large retrospective national real‐world study evaluating antiviral treatment in 12 584 individuals in 22 Polish hepatology centers.

Results

A total of 1034 patients with female predominance (52%) were enrolled in the analysis. The majority of them were treatment naïve (94%), presented liver fibrosis (F) of F0–F3 (92%), with the most common GT1b, followed by GT3. The overall sustained virologic response after exclusion of nonvirologic failures was achieved in 95.8% and 98%, respectively (P = 0.19). In multivariate logistic regression HCV GT‐3 (beta = 0.07, P = 0.02) and HIV infection (beta = −0.14, P < 0.001) were independent predictors of nonresponse.

Conclusions

We demonstrated high effectiveness of 8‐week GLE/PIB treatment in a non‐GT3 population irrespective of liver fibrosis stage. Comparable efficacy was achieved in non‐cirrhotic patients regardless of the genotype, including GT3 HCV.
Independent risk factors for acute hospital patients' reduced ability to hear electronic axillary thermometer alarms
Authors: Koyano Yuiko , Noguchi Hiroshi , Hatoya Ayumi , Sanada Hiromi
Published: November 2020

Aim

Hearing loss prevalence increases dramatically with age. However, no prior studies exist regarding the prevalence and factors related to reduced ability to hear alarm sounds using electronic axillary thermometers. This study aimed to investigate the number of individuals with a reduced ability to hear the alarm sound of the electronic axillary thermometers among participants over 20 and 65 years old (Objective 1) and to identify the factors associated with reduced ability to hear the alarm sound (Objective 2).

Methods

In this 5‐month cross‐sectional study, the participants, aged ≥20 years, were recruited from samples of patients at an acute hospital. The outcome measured was the average number of seconds for each participant between the axillary placement of a thermometer tip and their report of hearing the alarm, performed three times per patient.

Results

Complete data were obtained from 107 participants, with 58 (54.2%) showing a reduced ability to hear the alarm. The prevalence of reduced ability to hear the alarm was 69.5% (>65 years older). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that age was the factor most significantly associated with reduced hearing ability. Age 70 was determined as the cut‐off point for ability to hear the alarm.

Conclusions

This is a serious issue, as many individuals with the inability to hear the alarm sound use the electronic axillary thermometer with the alarm sound. For a reliable measurement of body temperature, digital thermometers need alternative alarm signals, (e.g., vibration) for self‐use by adults ≥70 years to correctly measure body temperature.
Clinical effectiveness of metacognitive training as a transdiagnostic program in routine clinical settings: A prospective, multicenter, single‐group study
Authors: Tanoue Hiroki , Yoshinaga Naoki , Hayashi Yuta , Ishikawa Ryotaro , Ishigaki Takuma , Ishida Yasushi
Published: November 2020

Aim

To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of metacognitive training (MCT) as a transdiagnostic program, on a diverse population with mental disorders in routine Japanese day‐care settings.

Methods

This study employed a prospective, multicenter, single‐group pre‐post design. Participants diagnosed with various mental disorders received 10 MCT group sessions. We set transdiagnostic outcomes to assess quality of life, global functioning, cognitive insight, and depressive symptoms. At the end of the MCT, we also evaluated participants' satisfaction with treatment. Assessments were conducted at baseline (Pre), Week 5 (Mid), Week 10 (Post), and Week 14 (follow‐up: FU).

Results

Thirty‐four participants enrolled in the study and received MCT (schizophrenia = 22, non‐schizophrenia = 12). Intent‐to‐treat analyses revealed significant improvements in quality of life/global functioning during the intervention period, and further improvements were observed during the follow‐up (all p < .05). The Pre–FU treatment effect sizes for quality of life and global functioning were small (Hedge's g = 0.44 and 0.47, respectively). Significant improvements were also found in depressive symptoms during both the intervention and follow‐up periods (all p < .05), but not in cognitive insight. Overall, participants were highly satisfied with the MCT content and format. Scores on almost all outcomes (except for depression) at each assessment point were not significantly different between the schizophrenic and non‐schizophrenic sub‐groups.

Conclusions

Despite several limitations, mainly due to small sample size and having no control conditions, our results suggest that MCT for a diverse population with mental disorders is a potentially effective approach in improving quality of life/global functioning and other clinical outcomes in routine day‐care settings.
Psychometric examination of the Japanese translation of the Satter eating competence Inventory‐2.0™ for parents of fifth and sixth grade students
Authors: Yasuzato Maiko , Kikuchi Ryota , Kawahara Tae , Nakayama Yuichi , Yamazaki Akemi
Published: November 2020

Aim

To verify the reliability and validity of a Japanese translation of the Satter eating competence Inventory‐2.0™ (ecSI‐2.0™) for parents of fifth and sixth grade elementary school students.

Methods

Participants were parents who prepared meals for their children aged 10–12 years. A preliminary study was conducted with 11 parents using semi‐structured interviews and questionnaires, followed by a main study of 2,825 parents. Internal consistency and test–retest methods were used to verify reliability. Face and content validity were confirmed in the preliminary study, and feasibility was examined by the valid response rate and response time. Construct validity was verified using factor validity and known population validity.

Results

Of the 2,825 persons surveyed, 626 returned valid responses, and among the 60 persons who received the re‐survey, 48 returned valid responses. The average score of the Japanese translation of the ecSI‐2.0™ was 33.1 (SD ± 7.8) points. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole scale was .87 and ranged from .67–.79 for the four subscales. The test–retest method confirmed the scale's stability. Factor analysis confirmed that reproducibility of the four factors was similar to the original version. In the examination of known population validity, the same correlation as the original edition was confirmed.

Conclusions

The Japanese translation of the ecSI‐2.0™ may be reliable and valid for understanding eating competence related to behavior of parents of school‐age children.
The relationships among alarm fatigue, compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction in critical care and step‐down nurses
Authors: Storm Jessica , Chen Hsiu‐Chin
Published: November 2020

Aims and Objectives

The study purpose was to investigate if compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction and personal characteristics are associated with alarm fatigue and predict alarm fatigue in critical care nurses.

Background

The phenomena of alarm fatigue, compassion fatigue and burnout place nurses, patients and the healthcare environment in potentially harmful situations and represent the opposite of the foundation of caring and compassion satisfaction in nursing. It has been noted that healthcare organisations should address alarm fatigue as mandated by the Joint Commission based on the higher number of alarms sounding in the critical care environment and based on factors influencing nurses to respond to the alarm.

Design

This was a correlational and predictive quantitative study.

Methods

The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist for research reporting of observational studies was followed in this study. Nurses working in the step‐down and intensive care units from three hospitals in a selected healthcare network in Pennsylvania were recruited using convenience sampling (n = 52). Observation, the ProQOL and demographic surveys were used to collect data on alarm fatigue, compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction and personal characteristics of critical care nurses. Methods of data analyses included descriptive statistics, chi‐square, Spearman's ρ and binary logistic regression.

Results

The study results revealed that the participating critical care nurses showed alarm fatigue, were at risk for compassion fatigue and were near risk for burnout.

Conclusions

This study illuminated the significant relationships among alarm fatigue and the characteristics of gender, nursing unit, nurse‐to‐patient ratio and age in critical care nurses.

Relevance to clinical practice

The study results can help critical care nurses take the initiative to not only help themselves prevent or overcome alarm fatigue, compassion fatigue and burnout, but also help their coworkers in this area.
INTEREST RATE PASS‐THROUGH: A META‐ANALYSIS OF THE LITERATURE
Authors: Gregor Jiří , Melecký Aleš , Melecký Martin
Published: November 2020

The interest rate pass‐through describes how changes in a reference rate (the monetary policy, money market or T‐bill rate) transmit to bank lending rates. We review the empirical literature on the interest rate pass‐through and systematize it by means of meta‐analysis and meta‐regressions. Using the pass‐through to corporate lending rates as the baseline, we find systematically lower estimated pass‐through coefficients in studies that focus on the pass‐through to consumer lending rates and rates on long‐term loans. Also studies estimating the pass‐through by averaging all lending rates into one category report a lower pass‐through. Importantly, the interest rate pass‐through is significantly influenced by the country's macro‐financial environment. In economies with deepening stock markets, the estimated pass‐through strengthens significantly. Interestingly, after the global financial crisis, the pass‐through weakened across the board, including because of growing trade openness and supply chain financing, rising volatility and stock market turnovers, as well as declining central bank independence. Inflation targeting frameworks, if in place, helped diminish this pass‐through weakening.
A SURVEY OF THE HOLD‐UP PROBLEM IN THE EXPERIMENTAL ECONOMICS LITERATURE
Authors: Yang Yadi
Published: November 2020

This paper reviews experimental studies on the so‐called “hold‐up problem.” Common features in the experimental design and results are summarized. Most experimental studies show evidence of the hold‐up problem, but to an extent less severe than what standard self‐interest model predicts. Hold‐up occurs at the individual level, but exhibits a less severe pattern than theoretically predicted at the aggregate level. A positive correlation is found between the investment stage decisions and subsequent bargaining behavior. Social preferences largely influence the results in hold‐up games. Remedies that enhance the effect of social preferences can effectively alleviate the hold‐up problem. These laboratory findings are also relevant to real‐life hold‐up situations, but differences in the specific institution and environment may require more variations in the experimental design.
Intraprocedural Back Pain Associated with Awake Neuroendovascular Procedures
Authors: Qureshi Adnan I. , Jahngir Muhammad Umair , Akinci Yasemin , Gao Xiaoyu , Akhtar Iqra Naveed , Kraus Jacqueline , Singh Baljinder , Lobanova Iryna , Uzun Guven , Balasetti Vamshi K.S. , Liaqat Jahanzeb , French Brandi R. , Siddiq Farhan , Gomez Camilo R.
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The prevalence and characteristics of intraprocedural back pain is not well studied in awake patients undergoing neuroendovascular procedures.

METHODS

We performed a prospective study as part of quality improvement initiative in which all patients who underwent neuroendovascular procedures in awake state were inquired regarding presence, severity (using a numeric rating scale score ranging from 0 [no pain] to 10 [worst pain possible]), and location (using anatomical chart) of back pain immediately after the procedure. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with moderate to severe pain (score of ≥3).

RESULTS

A total of 100 (41.3%) of 242 patients reported intraprocedural back pain with a median severity of 5/10 (range 1‐10). The mean age was 58.7 ± 16.2 years. The mean duration of the procedure was 82.3 minutes (range 15‐410 minutes). The pain was classified as moderate to severe in 86 of 100 patients. The locations of pain were identified in lumbar (n = 77), thoracic (n = 6), cervical (n = 7), cervical and lumbar (n = 8), and cervical with thoracolumbar (n = 2) regions. There was a significant relationship between patients’ history of the previous neck and/or back surgery and frequency of moderate to severe back pain (P = .02). No significant relationship was observed between frequency of none to mild and moderate to severe back pain among the strata by patients’ age, body mass index, or duration of procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

The relatively high prevalence of intraprocedural back pain in patients undergoing neuroendovascular procedures in awake state must be recognized, and strategies to reduce the occurrence need to be identified.
Impact of ineffective esophageal motility on secondary peristalsis: Studies with high‐resolution manometry
Authors: Lei Wei‐Yi , Liu Tso‐Tsai , Wang Jen‐Hung , Yi Chih‐Hsun , Hung Jui‐Sheng , Wong Ming‐Wun , Gyawali Chandra Prakash , Chen Chien‐Lin
Published: November 2020

Background/Aim

The aim was to investigate whether there is a difference in secondary peristalsis on high‐resolution manometry (HRM) among gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients with and without ineffective esophageal motility (IEM), and healthy individuals.

Methods

Twenty‐eight GERD patients and seventeen healthy controls were included. Secondary peristalsis was stimulated by a rapid injection of 20 ml air in mid‐esophagus. We compared HRM metrics and the response and effective rate of triggering secondary peristalsis between patients with and without IEM and healthy controls.

Results

Sixteen patients had IEM, and the remaining 12 had normal manometry. By triggering of secondary peristalsis, patients without IEM and healthy controls had significantly higher distal contractile integral (DCI) values than IEM patients (p = 0.006). A successful secondary peristalsis was triggered more frequently in healthy controls than in GERD patients with normal peristalsis or IEM (56.9% vs. 20.2% vs. 9.1%, all p < 0.001). The effective rate which determined as DCI > 450 mm Hg.cm.s was higher in healthy controls compared to patients with normal peristalsis (36.5% vs. 19.4%, p < 0.001) and IEM (36.5% vs. 6.3%, p < 0.001). Patients with IEM had lower successful triggering response (9.1% vs. 20.2%) and effective secondary peristalsis (6.3% vs. 19.4%) compared with patients without IEM (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our work has demonstrated that GERD patients, in particular those with IEM, have significant defects in the triggering of secondary peristalsis on HRM. HRM helps characterize esophageal secondary peristalsis which exhibits differently in patients with and without IEM.
Phage–antibiotic combinations: a promising approach to constrain resistance evolution in bacteria
Authors: North Olesia I. , Brown Eric D.
Published: November 2020

Antibiotic resistance has reached dangerously high levels throughout the world. A growing number of bacteria pose an urgent, serious, and concerning threat to public health. Few new antibiotics are available to clinicians and only few are in development, highlighting the need for new strategies to overcome the antibiotic resistance crisis. Combining existing antibiotics with phages, viruses the infect bacteria, is an attractive and promising alternative to standalone therapies. Phage–antibiotic combinations have been shown to suppress the emergence of resistance in bacteria, and sometimes even reverse it. Here, we discuss the mechanisms by which phage–antibiotic combinations reduce resistance evolution, and the potential limitations these mechanisms have in steering microbial resistance evolution in a desirable direction. We also emphasize the importance of gaining a better understanding of mechanisms behind physiological and evolutionary phage–antibiotic interactions in complex in‐patient environments.
Seeking the “point of no return” in the sequence of events leading to mortality of mature trees
Authors: Preisler Yakir , Tatarinov Fedor , Grünzweig José M. , Yakir Dan
Published: November 2020

Drought‐related tree mortality is increasing globally, but the sequence of events leading to it remains poorly understood. To identify this sequence, we used a 2016 tree mortality event in a semi‐arid pine forest where dendrometry and sap flow measurements were carried out in 31 trees, of which seven died. A comparative analysis revealed three stages leading to mortality. First, a decrease in tree diameter in all dying trees, but not in the surviving trees, 8 months “prior to the visual signs of mortality” (PVSM; e.g., near complete canopy browning). Second, a decay to near zero in the diurnal stem swelling/shrinkage dynamics, reflecting the loss of stem radial water flow in the dying trees, 6 months PVSM. Third, cessation of stem sap flow 3 months PVSM. Eventual mortality could therefore be detected long before visual signs were observed, and the three stages identified here demonstrated the differential effects of drought on stem growth, water storage capacity and soil water uptake. The results indicated that breakdown of stem radial water flow and phloem function is a critical element in defining the “point of no return” in the sequence of events leading to mortality of mature trees.
“To Speak the Law”: Contested Jurisdictions, Legal Legibility, and Sovereignty in Guatemala
Authors: Sieder Rachel
Published: November 2020

Indigenous claims “to speak the law” in Guatemala extend far beyond late twentieth‐century statist proposals for multicultural legal orders based on recognition of legal pluralism. Drawing on collaborative research with the Indigenous Mayoralty of Santa Cruz del Quiché and examination of public debates in the media, this article analyzes attempts to ensure the legibility of Indigenous law, including disputes over constitutional reforms in 2016 and 2017. It suggests how different conceptual framings shape methodological approaches and representations of law. While opponents of Indigenous jurisdiction frame Mayan law as violent and illegal, and thus radically incommensurable with the national legal order, for Indigenous authorities “speaking the law” is not about seeking recognition from the nation‐state. Rather, “speaking the law” is about communitarian forms of sovereignty and legality rooted in Mayan languages and cosmologies. Countering racialized tropes, Mayan authorities’ representations allude to understandings of justice and forms of legitimacy that existed prior to the sovereign state and national and international laws. In this way they highlight not only the historical violence of the Guatemalan state but also the foundational violence of law itself, pointing to temporalities and ontologies of justice beyond modernist legal frames.
Pandemic Planning in the United States: An Examination ofCOVID‐19 Data
Authors: Menifield Charles E. , Clark Cal
Published: November 2020

In the early months of 2020, news spread that a coronavirus (COVID‐19) had been detected in Wuhan, China. The virus quickly spread across the country and to other continents. As deaths mounted in the United States, evidence indicated that some states experienced a higher rate of COVID‐19 deaths than other states and that African American communities were hit harder by the virus than other racial groups. Hence, we pose two questions in this research: Are COVID‐19 deaths spread equally across different states and regions of the United States? Secondly, are African Americans more likely to die from COVID‐19 than other racial groups? Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and APM Research Lab, we show that some states witnessed significant loss of life due to the virus and that African Americans were more likely to die from the virus when compared with White residents.
Defensive Resource Allocation: The Roles of Forecast Information and Risk Control
Authors: Dong Yucheng , Chen Xia , Hunt Kyle , Zhuang Jun
Published: November 2020

In defensive resource allocation problems, the defender usually collects some forecast information about the attacker. However, the forecast information may be incorrect, which means that there could be a risk associated with the defender using it in their decision making. In this article, we propose a forecast and risk control (FRC) framework to manage the risk in defensive resource allocation with forecast information. In the FRC framework, we introduce a new measure of risk and three types of defense plans: riskless defense plan, risky defense plan, and risk‐control defense plan. Several desirable properties based on the concepts of reward and penalty show that the risk‐control defense plan is a general form to support defensive resource allocation. Subsequently, we study a specific defensive allocation problem with forecast information and develop an optimization model that considers the forecast information and the defender's risk tolerance level in order to obtain the risk‐control defense plan with maximum reward. Furthermore, we provide some numerical analysis to illustrate the effects of forecast information and risk tolerance level on the risk‐control defense plan. Finally, a numerical case study is presented to demonstrate the usability of a risk‐control defense plan.
Learning to Manage the Multirisk World
Authors: Wiener Jonathan B.
Published: November 2020

Risk assessment, perception, and management tend to focus on one risk at a time. But we live in a multirisk world. This essay in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) and the journal Risk Analysis suggests that we can—and have already begun to—strengthen risk analysis and policy outcomes by moving from a focus on the single to the multiple—multiple stressors, multiple impacts, and multiple decisions. This evolution can improve our abilities to assess actual risks, to confront and weigh risk‐risk trade‐offs and innovate risk‐superior moves, and to build learning into adaptive regulation that adjusts over time. Recognizing the multirisk reality can help us understand complex systems, foresee unintended consequences, design better policy solutions, and learn to improve.
Use and Misuse of MCDA to Support Decision Making Informed by Risk
Authors: Keisler Jeffrey M. , Linkov Igor
Published: November 2020

Recent guidelines for risk‐informed decision making (RIDM) provide a gold‐standard for how to incorporate probabilistic risk models in conjunction with other considerations in a decision process. Nevertheless, risk quantification using probabilistic and statistical methods is difficult in situations where threat, vulnerability, and consequences are highly uncertain and risk quantification. In such situations a wider variety of methods could be employed, which we call decision making informed by risk (DMIR) combining risk and decision analytics. Risk informed decision making (RIDM) can be considered as a special case of DMIR. Multi criteria decision analysis (MCDA) often serves as a basis for DMIR in order to flexibly accommodate different levels of analytical detail. DMIR often involves artful use of proxy variables that correlate with, and are more measurable than, underlying factors of interest. This article introduces the notion of DMIR and discusses the use of MCDA in its application in the context of risk‐based problems. MCDA‐based risk analyses identify metrics associated with threats of concern and system vulnerabilities, characterize the way in which alternative actions can affect these threats and vulnerabilities, and ultimately synthesize this information to compare, prioritize, or select alternative mitigation strategies. Simple linear additive MCDA models often integrate these inputs, but the same simplicity can limit such approaches and create pitfalls and more advanced models including multiplicative relationships can be warranted. This essay qualitatively explores the critical practitioner questions of how and when the use of linear multicriteria models creates significant problems, and how to avoid them.
Export quality and patent protection: Stage‐dependent effects in development
Authors: Liu Yan , Park Walter G. , Fu Dahai
Published: November 2020

This paper provides empirical evidence on the effects of patent protection on the vertical innovation of developing country exporters. We find that the relationship between export quality upgrading and patent protection is dependent on the technological stage of an economy. Specifically, patent protection promotes quality growth if an economy's product quality is sufficiently close to the world frontier level. We characterize the density of the distribution of country products, determining the share of country–product combinations that fall under or pass a threshold, and draw some implications for patent policy design. While a majority of combinations exceed the critical threshold, the results nevertheless call for differentiation in the strength of patent protection by income group and product class. To establish these findings, we employ a very extensive index of export product quality at the four‐digit SITC level and utilize a country‐level measure of effective patent protection for the period 1990–2010.
Linkage-Data Linear Regression
Authors: Zhang Li-Chun , Tuoto Tiziana
Published: November 2020

Data linkage is increasingly being used to combine data from different sources with the aim of identifying and bringing together records from separate files, which correspond to the same entities. Usually, data linkage is not a trivial procedure and linkage errors, false and missed links, are unavoidable. In these cases, standard statistical techniques may produce misleading inference. In this paper, we propose a method for secondary linear regression analysis, where the linked data have to be prepared by someone else, and neither the match-key variables nor the unlinked records are available to the analyst. We develop also a diagnostic test for the assumption of non-informative linkage errors, which is required for all existing secondary analysis adjustment methods. Our approach provides important advantages: it relies on the realistic assumption that the probabilities of correct linkage vary across the records but it does not assume that one is able to estimate the probability of correct linkage for each individual record. Moreover, it accommodates in a simple manner the general situation where the files are of different sizes and none of them is a subset of another. The proposed methodology of adjustment and testing is studied by simulation and applied to real data.
Ladder relations for a class of matrix valued orthogonal polynomials
Authors: Deaño Alfredo , Eijsvoogel Bruno , Román Pablo
Published: November 2020

Using the theory introduced by Casper and Yakimov, we investigate the structure of algebras of differential and difference operators acting on matrix valued orthogonal polynomials (MVOPs) on, and we derive algebraic and differential relations for these MVOPs. A particular case of importance is that of MVOPs with respect to a matrix weight of the formon the real line, whereis a scalar polynomial of even degree with positive leading coefficient andis a constant matrix.
Organ recovery from deceased donors with prior COVID‐19: A case series
Authors: Neidlinger Nikole A. , Smith Jeannina A. , D’Alessandro Anthony M. , Roe David , Taber Tim E. , Pereira Marcus R. , Friedman Amy L.
Published: November 2020

Although guidance documents have been published regarding organ donation from individuals with a prior history of COVID‐19 infection, no data exist regarding successful recovery and transplantation from deceased donors with a history of or positive testing suggesting a prior SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Here, we report a case series of six deceased donors with a history of COVID‐19 from whom 13 organs were recovered and transplanted through several of the nation's organ procurement organizations (OPOs). In addition, at least two potential donors were authorized for donation but with no organs were successfully allocated and did not proceed to recovery. No transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 was reported from the six donors to recipients, procurement teams, or hospital personnel. Although more studies are needed, organ donation from deceased donors who have recovered from COVID‐19 should be considered.
Toxoplasmosis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Impact of serostatus‐based management
Authors: Amikura Takahito , Kikuchi Taku , Kato Jun , Koda Yuya , Sakurai Masatoshi , Yamazaki Rie , Mikita Kei , Saburi Masuho , Nakazato Tomonori , Mori Takehiko
Published: November 2020

Toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a serious infectious complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The incidence of toxoplasmosis varies widely because of the variabilities of seroprevalence among patient populations. The incidence and the optimal management of toxoplasmosis after allogeneic HSCT in a patient population with a low seroprevalence have not been fully evaluated. We conducted a single‐center retrospective study evaluating toxoplasmosis in Japanese patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT. Of the 728 evaluable patients, only 5 developed toxoplasmosis with a median onset of day 60 post‐transplant (range, day 55‐393). The cumulative incidence was 0.7% (95% CI: 0.3%‐1.5%) at day 500 post‐transplant. Four of the five patients succumbed due to toxoplasmosis. The more recently treated 220 patients (not the earlier 508 patients) were screened for the T. gondii serostatus, and prophylactic treatment with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was applied. All five patients with toxoplasmosis were in the unscreened group, and there was no case of toxoplasmosis after the introduction of the screening and prophylactic treatment. Our results suggest that toxoplasmosis after allogeneic HST is rare but can develop as a life‐threatening complication even in the populations with low seroprevalence, and that prophylactic treatment for seropositive patients could effectively prevent toxoplasmosis.
Kinetics of Torque Teno virus DNA in stools may predict occurrence of acute intestinal graft versus host disease early after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Bueno Felipe , Albert Eliseo , Piñana José Luis , Pérez Ariadna , Úbeda Carlos , Gómez María Dolores , Hernández‐Boluda Juan Carlos , Gonzalez‐Barberá Eva María , Montoro Juan , Giménez Estela , Guerreiro Manuel , Balaguer‐Roselló Aitana , Hernani Rafael , Sanz Jaime , Solano Carlos , Navarro David
Published: November 2020

Torque Teno virus (TTV) DNA load in blood may act as a marker of immune competence after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients (allo‐HSCT). Conflicting data have been reported as to the value of this biomarker for anticipating acute Graft versus host disease (aGvHD) occurrence. Here, we hypothesized that quantitation of TTV DNA load in stool specimens early after allo‐HSCT could be used to identify patients at high risk of acute intestinal graft versus host disease (aIGvHD). In this prospective two‐center study, we recruited a total of 83 nonconsecutive adult patients undergoing allo‐HSCT. The study period comprised the first 120 days after allo‐HSCT. TTV DNA was quantitated in paired stool samples collected at a median of 2 days prior to cell infusion and at a median of 14 days after allo‐HSCT by real‐time PCR. Thirty‐seven patients developed aGVHD, of whom 25 had aIGVHD (diagnosed at a median of 42 days after allo‐HSCT). Median TTV DNA load values in posttransplant stools specimens were comparable (P = .34) in patients with or without subsequent aIGvHD; nevertheless, a falling trajectory (decrease in TTV DNA load >0.5 log10 copies/0.1 g) in paired pretransplant and posttransplant specimens was independently associated with the occurrence of aIGvHD (OR, 5.2; 95% CI, 1.3‐21.3; P = .02). Notably, displaying a rising trajectory had a negative predictive value of 87.5% for aIGvHD. In summary, in this hypothesis‐generating study, we suggest that the decrease in TTV DNA load from baseline in stool specimens may identify patients at risk of aIGVHD.
Genes related to flooding tolerance during germination and early growth of weedy rice
Authors: Kaspary Tiago Edu , Cutti Luan , Rafaeli Rafael Schwalm , Delatorre Carla Andrea , Merotto Aldo
Published: November 2020

Evolution of flooding tolerance in weedy rice has occurred in several rice‐growing regions, but the genes related to this process and the environmental effects are unknown. The objective of this study was to analyse the expression of genes related to flooding tolerance in response to temperature and flooding during the initial establishment of weedy rice. The experiments were carried out with rice cultivars IRGA 417 and Nipponbare, which are sensitive to flooding, and weedy rice ITJ03 and AV04 genotypes that have high and intermediate tolerance to flooding, respectively. The expression of genes related to reserve mobilisation, anaerobic respiration, escape and quiescence strategies was analysed at periods up to 24 days after sowing. The flooding tolerance of weedy rice genotype ITJ03 was associated with the expression of RAmy3D and OsTPP7 , which are involved in the mobilisation of carbohydrate reserves, ADH1 and ADH2, which participate in anaerobic respiration, and SNRKL1 that triggers rapid elongation of the coleoptile and emergence. Although the genes PDC1, SUS3 and SUB1 are important for flooding tolerance in cultivated rice, their expression was not directly related to flooding tolerance in weedy rice. A temperature of 20°C reduced levels of expression of the RAmy3D, ADH2 and SNRKL1 genes and low temperature had a negative effect on the establishment of weedy rice. Breeding of rice genotypes with tolerance of low temperatures and anaerobic conditions may be a viable strategy to improve the control of weedy rice in paddy fields.
GBT440 Increases Hematocrit and Improves Biventricular Function in Berkeley Sickle Cell Disease Mice
Authors: Gassner Ryan , Schreier David , Hacker Timothy , Tabima Diana M. , Chesler Naomi
Published: November 2020

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary blood disorder affecting millions of people in which red blood cells (RBCs) become sickled and lyse easily driven by polymerization of hemoglobin. Chronically, SCD causes anemia and biventricular dysfunction. GBT440 is an experimental treatment for SCD that prevents hemoglobin polymerization. We hypothesized that 17-month-old Berkeley SCD mice treated with GBT440 would have increased hematocrit (Hct) and better biventricular function compared to vehicle treated SCD mice. Our results demonstrate that 3 weeks of GBT440 treatment eliminated chronic anemia, increased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and stroke volume index, and improved right ventricular function. Overall, our findings support a therapeutic effect of GBT440 in vivo in a small animal model of SCD. Next steps in investigating mechanisms of improved cardiac function are warranted.