bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Children with acute pyelonephritis need medical re‐evaluation when home‐treated with oral antibiotics
Authors: Sehested Line Thousig , Kamperis Konstantinos , Winding Louise , Bjerre Charlotte Kjær , Neland Mette , Hagstrøm Søren , Wilms Line Kønig , Andersen Marie Louise Elkjær , Kuhne‐Qvist Linda , Hoffmann‐Petersen Jette Skjøde , Nørgaard Hanne , Cortes Dina
Published: May 2021

Aim

To investigate the efficacy and safety of home‐treatment with oral piv‐mecillinam or amoxicillin‐clavulanate in children with acute pyelonephritis.

Methods

Children aged over 6 months diagnosed with culture confirmed pyelonephritis at Danish Paediatric Departments were home‐treated with piv‐mecillinam (tablets) or amoxicillin‐clavulanate (liquid or tablets). Follow‐up was performed by phone (second treatment day) and clinical review of the patients in the hospital (day three).

Results

Four hundred eighteen children were included. In total, 333/418 (80%) responded well to the initial oral antibiotic treatment. 85/418 (20%) were changed to another treatment of these 47/418 (11%) to a second‐line oral antibiotic and 38/418 (9%) to intravenous antibiotics due to insufficient clinical improvement or bacterial resistance. Bacterial resistance was similar for piv‐mecillinam and amoxicillin‐clavulanate: 4/74 (5%) versus 33/333 (10%) (p = 0.22). Insufficient clinical improvement, despite no resistance, primarily occurred in children treated with piv‐mecillinam: 16/74 (22%) versus 28/344 (8%) (p < 0.001), and predominantly occurred in piv‐mecillinam treated children <5 years: 7/20 (35%) versus 9/54 (17%) (p < 0.05), potentially because of problems with piv‐mecillinam tablets. In the study population no cases of death or septicemia developed after start of initial oral treatment.

Conclusion

A home‐treatment regime for pyelonephritis in children >6 months is safe; however, during treatment, clinical re‐evaluation is required as in 20% of cases a change in treatment was necessary.
From bioethics to biopolitics: “Playing the Nazi card” in public health ethics—the case of Israel
Authors: Boas Hagai , Davidovitch Nadav , Filc Dani , Zalashik Rakefet
Published: May 2021

While bioethicist Arthur Caplan claims that “The Nazi analogy is equivalent to dropping a nuclear bomb in ethical battles about science and medicine”, we claim that such total exclusion of this analogy is equally problematic. Our analysis builds on Roberto Esposito’s conceptualization of immunitas and communitas as key elements of biopolitics. Within public health theories and practices there is an inherent tension between exclusion (immunitas) and inclusion (communitas) forces. Taking the immunitas logic to the extreme, as National Socialist medicine did in the name of securing the German race, is a constant danger that needs to be taken seriously into consideration when discussing public health policies. The tension between the silencing of the Holocaust in bioethical debates on one side, and the persistent use of National Socialist medicine metaphors, on the other hand, is the focus of this paper. By delving into the meanings and the implications of this two‐edged discourse, we argue that comparing post‐war bioethics with pre‐war medical practices from a biopolitical perspective has the potential to depict a more nuanced account of continuities and discontinuities in bioethics.
The role of nucleus of the solitary tract glucagon‐like peptide‐1 and prolactin‐releasing peptide neurons in stress: anatomy, physiology and cellular interactions
Authors: Holt Marie K. , Rinaman Linda
Published: May 2021

Neuroendocrine, behavioural and autonomic responses to stressful stimuli are orchestrated by complex neural circuits. The caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNTS) in the dorsomedial hindbrain is uniquely positioned to integrate signals of both interoceptive and psychogenic stress. Within the cNTS, glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) and prolactin‐releasing peptide (PrRP) neurons play crucial roles in organising neural responses to a broad range of stressors. In this review we discuss the anatomical and functional overlap between PrRP and GLP‐1 neurons. We outline their co‐activation in response to stressful stimuli and their importance as mediators of behavioural and physiological stress responses. Finally, we review evidence that PrRP neurons are downstream of GLP‐1 neurons and outline unexplored areas of the research field. Based on the current state‐of‐knowledge, PrRP and GLP‐1 neurons may be compelling targets in the treatment of stress‐related disorders.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue on GLP1 receptor ligands (BJP 75th Anniversary). To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.4/issuetoc
Doing fieldwork the Ghanaian way: The dilemma of conducting research in rural Ghana
Authors: Dosu Benjamin
Published: May 2021

This paper describes the fieldwork experience in rural Ghana of a Ghanaian student studying in Canada. It provides a background of self‐reflections that juxtapose the need to pay attention to the researcher's positionality and personality and how that can impact fieldwork and research outcomes. Recognizing that researchers' personalities have received less consideration in geographical qualitative research methodologies, this paper focuses on how both the researcher's positionality and personality can contribute to building rapport and sustaining relationships with the researched. I argue that while researchers' positionalities can influence access to research participants, personal traits form a backbone for building trust and sustaining relationships. I conclude that the research process can be rewarding if a common ground between the researcher and research participants is established. This can be created by building partnerships in the research process.
Lysosomal storage disorders as an etiology of nonimmune hydrops fetalis: A systematic review
Authors: Iyer Neel S. , Gimovsky Alexis C. , Ferreira Carlos R. , Critchlow Elizabeth , Al‐Kouatly Huda B.
Published: May 2021

We performed a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the incidence and types of lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) in case series of nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF). PubMed, Ovid, and clinicaltrials.gov were reviewed for case series evaluating the workup of NIHF diagnosed in utero or in the neonatal period in human subjects from 1979 to August 2020. Retrospective case series with at least five cases of fetal and/or neonatal NIHF with its workup mentioned were identified. Idiopathic NIHF was defined as NIHF without an apparent cause after initial standard‐of‐care workup. In total, 22 case series with 2678 total cases of NIHF were identified. The overall incidence of LSD was 6.6% (177/2663) in NIHF cases that were tested for any LSD, and 8.2% (177/2151) in idiopathic NIHF cases. The most common LSD identified in cases of NIHF were mucopolysaccharidosis type VII, galactosialidosis, infantile sialic acid storage disease, Gaucher disease, GM1 gangliosidosis, and sialidosis. More than 40% of the most common LSD causes of NIHF have a potential postnatal treatment. LSD testing for NIHF allows for early diagnosis, better counseling and appropriate management, planning for possible early treatment, and counseling for recurrence risk.
Incorporation of anterior iliac crest or calvarial bone grafts in reconstructed atrophied maxillae: A randomized clinical trial with histomorphometric and micro‐CT analyses
Authors: Wortmann Dagmar E. , Klein‐Nulend Jenneke , van Ruijven Leo J. , Schortinghuis Jurjen , Vissink Arjan , Raghoebar Gerry M.
Published: May 2021

Background

Autologous bone grafts have been applied successfully to severely atrophied maxilla via a preimplant procedure. Differences in graft incorporation at the microscopic level can be the decisive factor in the choice between anterior iliac crest and calvarial bone.

Purpose

To compare conversion of anterior iliac crest bone and calvarial bone 4 months after grafting of the edentulous maxilla.

Materials and methods

Twenty consecutive patients were randomly assigned to either anterior iliac crest (n = 10) or calvarial (n = 10) bone harvesting to reconstruct their atrophied maxillae. Biopsies were taken from both fresh bone grafts and reconstructed maxillae after 4 months healing, at time of implant placement. Micro‐CT, histomorphometric and histological analyses were performed.

Results

Micro‐CT analysis revealed that both the anterior iliac crest and calvarial bone grafts retained their volume and bone mass after being incorporated in the maxilla, but with a favor for calvarial bone grafts: calvarial bone grafts had a higher mineral density before and after incorporation. Both bone grafts types were well incorporated after 4 months of healing with preservation of bone volume and mineral density. Although the fresh bone biopsies were similar histomorphometrically, after 4 months of graft incorporation, the osteoid percentage and osteocyte count remained higher in the anterior iliac crest bone whereas the percentage of bone was higher in the calvarial bone grafts compared to the anterior iliac crest bone grafts.

Conclusions

Both donor sites, that is, anterior iliac crest and calvarial bone, are well suited to provide a reliable and stable basis for implant placement 4 months after grafting with mineral density, porosity, and resorption rate in favor of calvarial bone grafts.
Effects of urban greenspace configuration and native vegetation on bee and wasp reproduction
Authors: Turo Katherine J. , Gardiner Mary M.
Published: May 2021

Pollinator welfare is a recognized research and policy target, and urban greenspaces have been identified as important habitats. Yet, landscape‐scale habitat fragmentation and greenspace management practices may limit a city's conservation potential. We examined how landscape configuration, composition, and local patch quality influenced insect nesting success across inner‐city Cleveland, Ohio (U.S.A.), a postindustrial legacy city containing a high abundance of vacant land (over 1600 ha). Here, 40 vacant lots were assigned 1 of 5 habitat treatments (T1, vacant lot; T2, grass lawn; T3, flowering lawn; T4, grass prairie; and T5, flowering prairie), and we evaluated how seeded vegetation, greenspace size, and landscape connectivity influenced cavity‐nesting bee and wasp reproduction. Native bee and wasp larvae were more abundant in landscapes that contained a large patch (i.e., >6 ha) of contiguous greenspace, in habitats with low plant biomass, and in vacant lots seeded with a native wildflower seed mix or with fine‐fescue grass, suggesting that fitness was influenced by urban landscape features and habitat management. Our results can guide urban planning by demonstrating that actions that maintain large contiguous greenspace in the landscape and establish native plants would support the conservation of bees and wasps. Moreover, our study highlights that the world's estimated 350 legacy cities are promising urban conservation targets due to their high abundance of vacant greenspace that could accommodate taxa's habitat needs in urban areas.
The virtue of compassion in compassionate conservation
Authors: Bobier Christopher , Allen Benjamin
Published: May 2021

The role of ethics is becoming an increasingly important feature of biodiversity conservation dialogue and practice. Compassionate conservationists argue for a prohibition of, or at least a strong presumption against, the adoption of conservation policies that intentionally harm animals. They assert that to be compassionate is to care about animals and that it is antithetical to caring for animals to intentionally harm them. Compassionate conservationists thus criticize many existing conservation practices and policies. Two things together challenge the philosophical foundation of compassionate conservation. First, compassionate conservationists ground their theory in virtue ethics, yet virtue ethics permits exceptions to moral rules, so there cannot be an in‐principle prohibition on adopting intentional harm‐inducing policies and practices. But not all compassionate conservationists advocate for a prohibition on intentionally harming animals, only a strong presumption against it. This leads to the second point: compassion can motivate a person to adopt a harm‐inducing conservation policy or practice when doing so is the best available option in a situation in which animals will be harmed no matter what policy or practice is adopted. Combining these insights with the empirical observation that conservationists regularly find themselves in tragic situations, we arrive at the conclusion that conservationists may regularly advocate for harm‐inducing policies and practices from a position of compassion.

Article Impact Statement: Compassionate conservationists should accept that the virtuously compassionate person may adopt harm‐causing conservation policies.
Insect threats and conservation through the lens of global experts
Authors: Miličić Marija , Popov Snežana , Branco Vasco Veiga , Cardoso Pedro
Published: May 2021

While several recent studies have focused on global insect population trends, all are limited in either space or taxonomic scope. As global monitoring programs for insects are currently not implemented, inherent biases exist within most data. Expert opinion, which is often widely available, proves to be a valuable tool where hard data are limited. Our aim is to use global expert opinion to provide insights on the root causes of potential insect declines worldwide, as well as on effective conservation strategies that could mitigate insect biodiversity loss. We obtained 753 responses from 413 respondents with a wide variety of spatial and taxonomic expertise. The most relevant threats identified through the survey were agriculture and climate change, followed by pollution, while land management and land protection were recognized as the most significant conservation measures. Nevertheless, there were differences across regions and insect groups, reflecting the variability within the most diverse class of eukaryotic organisms on our planet. Lack of answers for certain biogeographic regions or taxa also reflects the need for research in less investigated settings. Our results provide a novel step toward understanding global threats and conservation measures for insects.
Can “Concerted” Macroprudential Policies Mitigate Cross‐border Contagion of Financial Risks? Evidence from China and Its Financially Connected Economies
Authors: Liu Xiaoyu , Chen Xiaoli
Published: May 2021

We construct a connected network between China and the economies that are financially linked to it, based on the network topology of variance decompositions, and measure the cross‐border contagion of financial risks among these economies. We then examine whether the concerted use of macroprudential policies mitigates the cross‐border contagion of financial risks. The empirical results show that the tightening of macroprudential policies, especially counter‐cyclical capital buffers and limits on credit growth, in economies with net spillover risk (e.g. the US and China), can reduce the cross‐border spillover of domestic financial risks to other economies. The concerted use of macroprudential policies can contribute to global financial stability. However, the tightening of “capital” macroprudential policy tools will increase domestic cross‐border absorption of financial risks. Hence, macroprudential regulation of cross‐border capital flows must be strengthened.
Development of a TaqMan qPCR assay for the detection and quantification of Gnomoniopsis castaneae in chestnut tissues
Authors: Turco Silvia , Bastianelli Giorgia , Morales‐Rodrìguez Carmen , Vannini Andrea , Mazzaglia Angelo
Published: May 2021

A novel real‐time PCR assay based on the TaqMan probe was developed for the detection of Gnomoniopsis castaneae, causal agent of brown rot of chestnut kernels, and responsible for leaf necrosis, shoot blight and bark canker. A part of the pathogen life cycle is endophytic, colonizing all tissues of chestnut and additional hosts, which is suspected to play a key role in its epidemiology. Thus, a molecular tool for sensitive detection and quantification of G. castaneae in symptomatic and asymptomatic host tissues is urgently required to better understand G. castaneae ecology, biology and epidemiology. Primers and a species‐specific probe for G. castaneae were designed based on the sequence of the single‐copy elongation factor 1 alpha (EF1α) gene. The amplification efficiency of target DNA was 105.3% and the limit of detection of the assay was calculated at approximately 40 fg of pure fungal DNA. The pathogen was consistently detected in artificial mixtures of plant and pathogen DNAs with the same Limit of Detection (LOD) as pure fungal DNA. In naturally infected samples, the assay rapidly revealed the presence of the pathogen in all symptomatic specimens, as well as in asymptomatic tissues. Notably, a significant relationship between the results of a metagenomic HTS analysis and the qPCR assay on DNAs extracted from bulk fruit was found. This molecular tool will be of substantial aid in detecting and quantifying G. castaneae, even in the endophytic state, and in different host tissues.
The influence of the resin‐based cement layer on ceramic‐dentin bond strength
Authors: Aker Sagen Mina , Dahl Jon Einar , Matinlinna Jukka Pekka , Tibballs John E. , Rønold Hans Jacob
Published: May 2021

The purpose of the study was to measure the cement thickness obtained when ceramic rods were luted to dentin and to analyze the relation between cement thickness and the previously published tensile bond strength of similar test specimens. In addition, the ISO standard 4049:2019 method was used to determine the film thickness of the used cements. Zirconia (n = 100) and lithium disilicate (n = 50) rods were cemented to bovine dentin using one of five different resin‐based cements. The ceramic‐dentin test specimens were cut into two slices and the cement thickness was measured using a scanning electron microscope and compared to the bond strength values of similar specimens already published. The mean cement thickness recorded for ceramic rods cemented to dentin was in the range 20–40 μm, which was larger than the cement film thickness found by the ISO method. The cement film thickness determined according to ISO standard methods did not concur with the results obtained when cementing ceramic rods to dentin. For cementing ceramic restorations, a cement thickness in the range 25–35 μm seems to be favorable for the bond strength.
Deep digital flexor tendon lesions in the pastern are associated with the presence of distal tendinopathy
Authors: Acutt Elizabeth V. , Contino Erin K. , Frisbie David D. , Barrett Myra F.
Published: May 2021

Background

Correct diagnosis and characterisation of deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) lesions in equine athletes allows targeted treatment and improved prognostication.

Objectives

To assess the prevalence and character of pathological change within the DDFT in the pastern with concurrent tendon injury distally. It is hypothesised that tendon lesions in the pastern will be associated with tendinopathy within the hoof capsule.

Study design

Retrospective descriptive case series.

Methods

Cases with DDFT lesions in the pastern and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasonography of the foot were evaluated retrospectively. Lesion location and type were recorded. Odds ratios were calculated to determine the associations between more distal tendinopathy and the presence of different DDFT lesion types in the pastern.

Results

Thirty‐four MRI scans of 33 horses and 64 ultrasonographic exams of 58 horses were analysed. Lesion location and type were recorded. Distal DDFT lesions were found in 75% (95% CI: 66.0‐84.0) of total cases of pastern DDF tendinopathy and in 97% (95% CI: 91.6‐100.0) of cases with core lesions of the DDFT in the pastern. A core lesion in the pastern was significantly more likely (OR = 20.7, 95% CI: 2.2‐191.0; P = .008) to be associated with injury in the foot than other types of pastern lesion.

Main limitations

MRIs of the foot were not obtained on all included limbs which did not allow for fully inclusive evaluation of DDFT lesions distal to the navicular bone.

Conclusions

DDFT pathological change in the pastern, particularly core lesions, is associated with additional tendinopathy within the hoof capsule. When a DDFT lesion is found in the pastern, further imaging of the tendon within the foot is indicated to direct appropriate treatment and improve prognostication.
Location matters: Overlooked ethnic‐geographic effect in China and Austria on propofol/cisatracurium sex differences among a population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PopPK/PD) covariate analysis in men, women, and one transgender subject
Authors: Dahaba Ashraf A. , Xiao Zhaoyang , Zhu Xiaoling , Oettl Karl , Dong Hailong , Xiong Lize , Zelzer Sieglinde , Zhao Shuiyu , Reibnegger Gilbert
Published: May 2021

A quick literature search using “sex/gender” vs. the commonly used hypnotic propofol or neuromuscular‐blocking agent cisatracurium will reveal numerous contradictory sex difference publications depending on the ethnic‐geographic location of where these studies were conducted. We induced anesthesia with cisatracurium besylate (GlaxoSmithKline) 100 μg kg−1 administered exactly 1 minute following propofol (AstraZeneca) 2 mg kg−1. In 20 male and 20 female ethnic Han‐Chinese test set patients (Xi'an China), and in similar ethnic white Austrian validation set patients (Graz Austria), we quantified propofol/cisatracurium pharmacodynamic parameters namely propofol onset time, lag time, plasma concentrations (Cp) at loss‐of‐behavioral response (LOBR) using bispectral index (BIS); cisatracurium onset time, lag time, and Cp at T1% (first twitch of train‐of‐four) complete twitch suppression using mechanomyography (MMG). Serial arterial blood samples were collected for population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) analysis of all demographic and biological covariates (region, sex, age, weight, and height) versus volumes of distribution and clearances pharmacokinetic parameters. In Chinese women (but not in white women), propofol Cp at LOBR was 33.60% lower than men and cisatracurium Cp at T1% complete twitch suppression was 21.49% lower than men, a clear pharmacodynamic assertion. Region and weight were significant PopPK covariates. We demonstrated that sex differences are influenced by ethnic‐geographic location as only in Chinese women (but not in white women) propofol Cp at LOBR and cisatracurium Cp at T1% complete twitch suppression were lower than in men. When defining sex differences, ethnic‐geographic location should be taken into consideration as a predictive factor for optimizing propofol/cisatracurium initial loading recommended dosages.
Hidden talents: Poly (I:C)‐induced maternal immune activation improves mouse visual discrimination performance and reversal learning in a sex‐dependent manner
Authors: Zhao Xin , Tran Hieu , DeRosa Holly , Roderick Ryland C. , Kentner Amanda C.
Published: May 2021

While there is a strong focus on the negative consequences of maternal immune activation (MIA) on developing brains, very little attention is directed towards potential advantages of early life challenges. In this study, we utilized a polyinosine‐polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) MIA model to test visual pairwise discrimination (PD) and reversal learning (RL) in mice using touchscreen technology. Significant sex differences emerged in that MIA reduced the latency for males to make a correct choice in the PD task while females reached criterion sooner, made fewer errors, and utilized fewer correction trials in RL compared to saline controls. These surprising improvements were accompanied by the sex‐specific upregulation of several genes critical to cognitive functioning, indicative of compensatory plasticity in response to MIA. In contrast, when exposed to a 'two‐hit' stress model (MIA + loss of the social component of environmental enrichment [EE]), mice did not display anhedonia but required an increased number of PD and RL correction trials. These animals also had significant reductions of CamK2a mRNA in the prefrontal cortex. Appropriate functioning of synaptic plasticity, via mediators such as this protein kinase and others, are critical for behavioral flexibility. Although EE has been implicated in, delaying the appearance of symptoms associated with certain brain disorders, these findings are in line with evidence that it also makes individuals more vulnerable to its loss. Overall, with the right 'dose', early life stress exposure can confer at least some functional advantages, which are lost when the number or magnitude of these exposures become too great.
Dog and cat owners’ use of online Facebook groups for pet health information
Authors: Kogan Lori R. , Little Susan , Oxley James
Published: May 2021

Background

Facebook is a frequently used social media platform and is often used for human health information, yet little research has been conducted on how pet owners use Facebook pet groups to obtain and share pet health information.

Method

This study was designed to assess how pet owners use dog and cat Facebook groups to provide and receive pet health advice and their perception of these groups' trustworthiness. Two comparable questionnaires (dog and cat owners) were developed and distributed through an online survey platform.

Results

Results suggest that Facebook groups are a common source of pet health information, with 56.2% of dog owners and 51.8% of cat owners reporting receiving health information through Facebook groups. Similar numbers report giving health information through Facebook groups: 55.0% of dog owners and 57.9% of cat owners. Dog health information most commonly exchanged related to dermatology, gastroenterology and orthopaedics and the most common cat health information focused on gastroenterology, renal and urinary‐related issues. While the majority of Facebook users report feeling that Facebook groups are not a trustworthy source of pet health information, a substantial minority of users do appear to be influenced by these groups.

Conclusion

Approximately 50% of cat and dog owning respondents either give or receive pet health advice through Facebook groups. These results suggest that many owners deem Facebook groups as useful, but not entirely trustworthy, sources of information.
An updated survey of beliefs and practices related to faking in individual assessments
Authors: Robie Chet , Risavy Stephen D. , Jacobs Rick R. , Christiansen Neil D. , König Cornelius J. , Speer Andrew B.
Published: May 2021

The present study is an updated survey examining individual assessor beliefs and practices related to faking in the individual assessment context. The responses from a mix of quantitative and qualitative survey questions were compared across individual assessors from the original 2005 sample (n = 77) and an updated 2020 sample (n = 78). Results suggest that single stimulus personality assessments are still the predominant form of personality assessment in use, but many individual assessors employ other types of personality assessments such as forced‐choice. In 2020, individual assessors do not appear to be heavily concerned about the effects of faking on their recommendations, do not believe that a large number of candidates fake, and believe that even fewer candidates successfully fake.
Hospital volume and postoperative survival for three urological cancers: Prostate, kidney, and bladder
Authors: Sugimoto Kazuma , Tabuchi Takahiro , Okawa Sumiyo , Morishima Toshitaka , Koyama Shihoko , Nakayama Masashi , Nishimura Kazuo , Miyashiro Isao
Published: May 2021

Objective

To examine the association between hospital volume and postoperative 5‐year survival for patients with prostate, kidney, and bladder cancer.

Method

Using Osaka Cancer Registry data, we identified 9285 patients who were diagnosed as having prostate, kidney, or bladder cancer and who underwent surgery between 2007 and 2011 in Osaka, Japan. The surgical hospital volume of each hospital was calculated and then divided into quartiles (high, medium, low, very low). We estimated the hazard ratios of hospital volume (quartiles) for 5‐year survival using Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

For all three cancer sites, the mortality hazard of hospitals with the lowest hospital volume was significantly higher than that of hospitals with the highest volume. The difference in adjusted 5‐year survival rates between hospitals with the highest and lowest hospital volume was 3.6% for prostate cancer, 6.6% for kidney cancer, and 13.3% for bladder cancer.

Conclusion

Hospital surgical volume seems to affect 5‐year survival for patients with urological cancers, especially kidney and bladder cancer.
Using eye movement modelling examples to guide visual attention and foster cognitive performance: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Xie Heping , Zhao Tingting , Deng Sue , Peng Ji , Wang Fuxing , Zhou Zongkui
Published: May 2021

Eye movement modelling examples (EMME) are computer‐based videos displaying the visualized eye gaze behaviour of a domain expert person (model) while carefully executing the learning or problem‐solving task. The role of EMME in promoting cognitive performance (i.e., final scores of learning outcome or problem solving) has been questioned due to the mixed findings from empirical studies. This study tested the effects of EMME on attention guidance and cognitive performance by means of meta‐analytic procedures. Data for both experimental and control groups and both posttest and pretest were extracted to calculate the effect sizes. The EMME group was treated as the experimental group and the non‐EMME group was treated as the control group. Twenty‐five independent articles were included. The overall analysis showed a significant effect of EMME on time to first fixation (d = −0.83), fixation duration (d = 0.74), as well as cognitive performance (d = 0.43), but not on fixation count, indicating that using EMME not only helped learners attend faster and longer to the task‐relevant elements, but also fostered their final cognitive performance. Interestingly, task type significantly moderated the effect of EMME on cognitive performance. Moderation analyses showed that EMME was beneficial to learners' performance when non‐procedural tasks (rather than procedural tasks) were used. These findings show contributions for future research as well as practical application in the field of computers and learning regarding videos displaying a model's visualized eye gaze behaviour.
This Time Wasn't Different: Responsiveness and Responsibility in the Eurozone between 2007 and 2019
Authors: Karremans Johannes
Published: May 2021

This article investigates the balance between responsiveness and responsibility in France, Germany and Spain between 2017 and 2019. Based on the party‐politics literature, the article argues that during crises responsibility may temporarily increase, but that subsequently governments need to base their actions on responsive policy criteria in order to maintain citizens' trust. Yet, given the dominance of austerity ideas during this decade and the introduction of a more stringent European fiscal framework, it is questionable whether responsiveness increased after the Eurozone crisis. Analysing original data from the yearly budget speeches of ministers of finance, the article finds that responsibility dominated budgetary policy‐making in the early 2010s and that since 2014 responsiveness has increased, regardless of a country's financial situation. Furthermore, during the crisis responsibility tended to be higher under centre‐right cabinets. The article portrays the early 2010s as an episode of ‘politics in hard times’ during which governments chose their policy response based on their ideas.
Development of a machine learning model to predict bleed in esophageal varices in compensated advanced chronic liver disease: A proof of concept
Authors: Agarwal Samagra , Sharma Sanchit , Kumar Manoj , Venishetty Shantan , Bhardwaj Ankit , Kaushal Kanav , Gopi Srikanth , Mohta Srikant , Gunjan Deepak , Saraya Anoop , Sarin Shiv Kumar
Published: May 2021

Background and Aim

Risk stratification beyond the endoscopic classification of esophageal varices (EVs) to predict first episode of variceal bleeding (VB) is currently limited in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD). We aimed to assess if machine learning (ML) could be used for predicting future VB more accurately.

Methods

In this retrospective analysis, data from patients of cACLD with EVs, laboratory parameters and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were used to generate an extreme‐gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm to predict the risk of VB. The performance characteristics of ML and endoscopic classification were compared in internal and external validation cohorts. Bleeding rates were estimated in subgroups identified upon risk stratification with combination of model and endoscopic classification.

Results

Eight hundred twenty‐eight patients of cACLD with EVs, predominantly related to non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (28.6%), alcohol (23.7%) and hepatitis B (23.1%) were included, with 455 (55%) having the high‐risk varices. Over a median follow‐up of 24 (12–43) months, 163 patients developed VB. The accuracy of machine learning (ML) based model to predict future VB was 98.7 (97.4–99.5)%, 93.7 (88.8–97.2)%, and 85.7 (82.1–90.5)% in derivation (n = 497), internal validation (n = 149), and external validation (n = 182) cohorts, respectively, which was better than endoscopic classification [58.9 (55.5–62.3)%] alone. Patients stratified high risk on both endoscopy and model had 1‐year and 3‐year bleeding rates of 31–43% and 64–85%, respectively, whereas those stratified as low risk on both had 1‐year and 3‐year bleeding rates of 0–1.6% and 0–3.4%, respectively. Endoscopic classification and LSM were the major determinants of model's performance.

Conclusion

Application of ML model improved the performance of endoscopic stratification to predict VB in patients with cACLD with EVs.
Role of the inflammasome, gasdermin D, and pyroptosis in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Rodríguez‐Antonio Itzayana , López‐Sánchez Guillermo N. , Uribe Misael , Chávez‐Tapia Norberto C. , Nuño‐Lámbarri Natalia
Published: May 2021

Pyroptosis is a type of programmed cell death mediated by a multiprotein complex called the inflammasome through the pro‐inflammatory activity of gasdermin D. This study aimed to recognize the final biological product that leads to pore formation in the cell membrane, lysis, pro‐inflammatory cytokines release, and the establishment of an immune response. An exhaustive search engine investigation of an elevated immune response can induce a sustained inflammation that directly links this mechanism to non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease and its progression to non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis. Clinical studies and systematic reviews suggest that gasdermin D is a critical molecule between the immune response and the disease manifestation, which could be considered a therapeutic target for highly prevalent diseases characterized by presenting perpetuated inflammatory processes. Both basic and clinical research show evidence on the expression and regulation of the inflammasome–gasdermin D–pyroptosis trinomial for the progression of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease to non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis.
Increased mucin‐degrading bacteria by high protein diet leads to thinner mucus layer and aggravates experimental colitis
Authors: Chen Lulu , Wang Jingyan , Yi Jun , Liu Yajun , Yu Zheng , Chen Shuijiao , Liu Xiaowei
Published: May 2021

Background and Aim

Westernized high‐fat diet increases the risk for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), yet with insufficient understanding of the role of high‐protein diet. We aimed to identify the effect of high‐protein diets from different dietary proteins (casein, whey protein, soy protein) on experimental colitis and its impact on microbiota, structure and function of colonic mucus layer.

Methods

Female BALB/c mice were fed by standard diet, high‐casein diet (HCD), high whey protein diet or high soy protein diet for 4 weeks. The susceptibility of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced colitis in mice and thickness of colonic mucus layer were compared after different dietary interventions, associated with the identification of the reversal effect of broad‐spectrum antibiotic intervention (0.5 g/L of vancomycin and 1 g/L of neomycin sulfate, metronidazole and ampicillin in drinking water). Further analysis was performed on the synthesis of mucin, microbiota and sialidase involved in degradation of mucus layer.

Results

High‐protein diets aggravated acute DSS‐induced colitis independent of protein composition, while broad‐spectrum antibiotics reversed this effect. HCD significantly altered the composition of bacteria in the colonic mucus layer, especially Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and total mucin‐degrading bacteria; besides, it increased sialidase concentration and reduced the thickness of mucus layer. However, it exhibited no significant effect on the synthesis of Muc2. Broad‐spectrum antibiotics decreased the abundance of mucin‐degrading bacteria and sialidase concentration while increased the thickness of mucus layer.

Conclusion

High‐protein diet shifts microbial composition and thickness of colonic mucus layer, leading to the aggravation of acute DSS‐induced colitis.
Consumer expectation and responses to environmental sustainability initiatives and their impact in foodservice operations: A systematic review
Authors: Sullivan Vanessa S. , Smeltzer Madison E. , Cox Gregory R. , MacKenzie‐Shalders Kristen L.
Published: May 2021

Background

With increasing pressure on the Earth's finite resources, there is significant demand for environmentally sustainable practices in foodservice. A shift to sustainable foodservice operations can decrease its environmental impact and may align with consumer expectations. This systematic review explored consumer expectations (attitudes pre‐intervention) and responses (behaviour, cognitive attitudes and affective attitudes post‐intervention) towards environmentally sustainable initiatives of foodservice operations.

Methods

A systematic search following PRISMA guidelines was conducted across MEDLINE, EMABASE, CINAHL and Web of Science databases. English and full‐text research articles published up to November 2019 were identified. Consumers’ expectations and responses to interventions were extracted. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT).

Results

Thirty‐three studies were included and, given the heterogeneity of the studies, the results were synthesised narratively. The main outcomes analysed included changes in behaviour and attitudes (cognitive and affective), including knowledge and satisfaction. Intervention strategies were interpreted and categorised into three groups: food waste reduction, single‐use item and packaging waste reduction, and initiatives related to menu, messaging and labelling. Most studies resulted in significant pro‐environmental changes towards decreasing food waste, decreasing single use‐item and packaging waste, as well as engaging consumers in sustainable eating.

Conclusions

There are a range of successful environmentally sustainable strategies that when implemented by foodservices can have a mostly positive impact on consumer attitudes and responses. However, positive consumer attitudes did not always translate to changes in behaviour. Foodservices should carefully consider implementing interventions that support changes in consumer behaviour.
Micro‐CT of the human ossicular chain: Statistical shape modeling and implications for otologic surgery
Authors: Bartling Mandolin L. , Rohani Seyed A. , Ladak Hanif M. , Agrawal Sumit K.
Published: May 2021

The ossicular chain is a middle ear structure consisting of the small incus, malleus and stapes bones, which transmit tympanic membrane vibrations caused by sound to the inner ear. Despite being shown to be highly variable in shape, there are very few morphological studies of the ossicles. The objective of this study was to use a large sample of cadaveric ossicles to create a set of three‐dimensional models and study their statistical variance. Thirty‐three cadaveric temporal bone samples were scanned using micro‐computed tomography (μCT) and segmented. Statistical shape models (SSMs) were then made for each ossicle to demonstrate the divergence of morphological features. Results revealed that ossicles were most likely to vary in overall size, but that more specific feature variability was found at the manubrium of the malleus, the long process and lenticular process of the incus, and the crura and footplate of the stapes. By analyzing samples as whole ossicular chains, it was revealed that when fixed at the malleus, changes along the chain resulted in a wide variety of final stapes positions. This is the first known study to create high‐quality, three‐dimensional SSMs of the human ossicles. This information can be used to guide otological surgical training and planning, inform ossicular prosthesis development, and assist with other ossicular studies and applications by improving automated segmentation algorithms. All models have been made publicly available.
Attitudes toward legal actors among dual system youth
Authors: Cavanagh Caitlin , LaBerge Alyssa , Cauffman Elizabeth
Published: May 2021

The role of contact with the child welfare system (CWS) in legal socialization is not well understood. This is particularly true of youth who have contact with both the juvenile justice system and the CWS, known as dual system (DS) youth. Furthermore, much of the legal socialization research excludes Latinx youth, for whom legal socialization may function differently. Is CWS contact, compared to—and in addition to—juvenile justice system contact, associated with Latinx youths’ attitudes toward police and judges? The present study addresses this research question among a sample of 417 Latinx youth who had been arrested for the first time, 74 of whom were DS youth. Results indicated that DS youth perceive police as less biased, and both police and judges as more legitimate, than their juvenile justice system‐only counterparts. CWS contact was not associated with perceptions of situational procedural justice for police or judges, suggesting that CWS contact colors general attitudes toward legal actors’ bias and legitimacy, but not specific interactions with legal actors. The results suggest that CWS contact, above and beyond juvenile justice system contact, has a nuanced impact on children's legal socialization.
Genealogies of sociolinguistics in India
Authors: Satyanath Shobha
Published: May 2021

The paper reports on the changing phase of sociolinguistics in India. The early phase of sociolinguistically oriented research is located within the philological tradition of India which ruled the early phase of the modern linguistics activities. The next phase was led by Gumperz and Pandit, who were deeply influenced by Emeneau, particularly with reference to outcomes of stable bi/multilingualism. Post Pandit, sociolinguistics in India took a major applied turn which lasted for nearly three decades. Beginning 2000 saw a variationist wave in sociolinguistics in India which has got stronger over the years. The paper analyses the factors that were responsible for the various turns that Sociolinguistics took over time.
Performance of remote health education via WeChat to improve the pre‐operative nutritional status of infants with non‐restrictive ventricular septal defects: A prospective randomised controlled study
Authors: Lin Ze‐Wei , Liu Jian‐Feng , Xie Wen‐Peng , Zhang Qi‐Liang , Cao Hua , Chen Qiang
Published: May 2021

Aim

This study aimed to explore the effect of performing remote health education via WeChat to improve the pre‐operative nutritional status of non‐restrictive ventricular septal defects (VSD).

Methods

A prospective randomised controlled study was conducted in a provincial maternity and child hospital in China. Participants were randomised regarding education to the intervention group (WeChat) and the control group (leaflets). The nutritional status and complications of the patients were compared after intervening for 1 month.

Results

Nutrient status comparison at 1 month after intervention showed that the body weight, head circumference, haemoglobin, albumin and pre‐albumin of the WeChat group were significantly higher than those of the leaflet group (P < 0.05). The STRONGkids score of the WeChat group was significantly lower than that of the leaflet group (P < 0.05). The incidence of feeding intolerance and respiratory tract infection in the WeChat group was significantly lower than that found in the leaflet group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of liver insufficiency and jaundice between the two groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Providing pre‐operative feeding and care guidance for parents of infants with non‐restrictive VSD, via remote health education through WeChat, can effectively improve nutritional status and reduce the risk of malnutrition and feeding complications.
Long‐term exposure to cigarette smoke influences characteristics in human gingival fibroblasts
Authors: Tatsumi Mari , Yanagita Manabu , Yamashita Motozo , Hasegawa Shiori , Ikegami Kuniko , Kitamura Masahiro , Murakami Shinya
Published: May 2021

Background

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by periodontopathic bacteria accumulated in the gingival sulcus and periodontal pocket. Cigarette smoking is a well‐established risk factor for periodontal disease, and periodontal tissues in smokers are chronically exposed to cigarette smoke on a long‐term basis.

Objective

In this study, we investigated the effects of long‐term exposure to nicotine or cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) on cellular functions of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs).

Methods

In vitro‐maintained HGFs were divided into two groups. The HGFs of the short‐term and the long‐term culture groups were cultured for 4 and 25 days, respectively, in the presence or absence of nicotine, which is one of the main components of cigarette smoke, or CSC. The cellular proliferation and migration capacities of HGFs exposed to nicotine or CSC were evaluated by WST‐1 and wound healing assays. The effects of exposure to nicotine or CSC on the expression of various extracellular matrix (ECM) components, inflammatory cytokines, and senescence‐related genes were examined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The cellular senescence of HGFs exposed to nicotine or CSC was detected by the senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase (SA‐β‐gal) assay. To explore the senescence‐associated microRNA (miRNA), we extracted miRNA from the HGFs and the expression profiles were examined by miRNA array.

Results

In short‐term culture, no significant changes were observed. Long‐term exposure of HGFs to nicotine or CSC significantly suppressed their cellular proliferation and migration and upregulated type Ⅰ collagen, type Ⅲ collagen, interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐8, p16, p21, and p53 mRNA expression, and IL‐6 and IL‐8 protein expression. Furthermore, long‐term nicotine or CSC exposure significantly increased the percentage of SA‐β‐gal‐positive HGFs. In addition, long‐term nicotine or CSC exposure reduced miR‐29b and miR‐199a expression to less than 50% of that in the unstimulated HGFs.

Conclusion

These data suggest that long‐term smoking habits may reduce wound healing ability, modulate ECM protein homeostasis, stimulate the inflammatory response, and accelerate cellular senescence in HGFs, and consequently accelerate the progression of periodontal diseases.