bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive insulin receptor phosphorylation dynamics profiled by mass spectrometry
Authors: Liao Zhongping , Zhang Chen , Ding Liyun , Moyers Julie S. , Tang Jason X. , Beals John M.
Published: November 2021

Insulin receptor (IR) phosphorylation is critical for the assessment of the extent of IR agonism and nuances in the downstream signaling cascade. A thorough identification and monitoring of the phosphorylation events is important for understanding the process of insulin signaling transduction and regulation. Although IR phosphorylation has been studied extensively in the past decades, only a handful of phosphorylation sites can be identified by either traditional antibody‐based assays or recent large‐scale mass spectrometry‐based phosphoproteomics approaches. In the present study, the most exhaustive assessment of the IR phosphorylation was conducted using nano‐liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry, in which 13 IR phosphorylation sites and 22 combinations thereof were analyzed. The kinetic analysis included Y965, Y972, S968/969, and S974/976 in the juxtamembrane region; Y1158, Y1162, and Y1163 in the kinase domain; and Y1328, Y1334, S1278, S1320, S1321, and T1348 in the C‐terminal region. Employing two different receptor agonists (i.e. insulin and an IR peptide agonist), the data revealed contrasting phosphorylation kinetics across these sites with dynamics far more diverse than expected for known IR agonists. Notably, cell trafficking experiments revealed that the IR peptide agonist was incapable of inducing IR to the early endosome, which is probably linked to a difference in IR phosphorylation. The present study provides a powerful tool for investigating IR signaling and trafficking that will benefit the design of IR agonists with improved therapeutic utility.
On the kinetic formulation of fracture fatigue entropy of metals
Authors: Moghanlou Mohammad Rouhi , Khonsari M. M.
Published: November 2021

The kinetic concept of the strength of solids is used to determine the fatigue life of stress‐controlled cyclic loading and evaluate the fracture fatigue entropy. Unlike the traditional stress or strain‐based models, this theory uses the applied stress amplitude and the specimen's surface temperature to determine the lifetime. The degradation fraction in each cycle is used to calculate the life cycle. Then the material parameters of the final life equation are obtained for two materials: low carbon steel 1018 and aluminum 7075‐T6. The number of cycles to fracture and the cyclic plastic strain energy (
) are used to calculate the fracture fatigue entropy (FFE). It is shown that the life cycle prediction of the proposed model agrees well with the experimental results from the literature. Results provide further evidence for the constancy of FFE.
Cascading effects of sand stabilization on pathogen communities: Connecting global and local processes
Authors: Halle Snir , Garrido Mario , Noy Klil , Messika Irit , Kedem Hadar , Cohen Carmit , Ytzhak Koren , Siegal Zehava , Shenbrot Georgy , Abramsky Zvika , Ziv Yaron , Karnieli Arnon , Hawlena Hadas
Published: November 2021

Aim

To advance our understanding of the mechanisms that mediate the relationships between global climatic and anthropogenic processes and pathogen occurrence, it is crucial to evaluate the exact pathways connecting the ecological mediators and the pathogen responses across spatial and temporal heterogeneities at various scales. We investigated the pathways connecting these two types of heterogeneities in sand stabilization that were created by contrasting forces of various human activities and long‐term droughts, and pathogen occurrence in host populations. The considered candidate ecological mediators were various components of host community structure, arthropod vector traits, and the pathogen occurrence in these vectors.

Location

North‐western Negev Desert's sands in Israel.

Time period

1982–2018.

Major taxa studied

Gerbillus andersoni, Gerbillus floweri, Gerbillus gerbillus, Mycoplasma, Bartonella, Synosternus cleopatrae.

Methods

We combined information from satellite images, 36 years of rodent censuses, a natural experiment, and causal modelling.

Results

We found evidence that the spatial heterogeneity in sand biocrusts is largely correlated with structural differences between host communities, especially at medium spatial scales. Pathogen sampling, followed by causal modelling, suggested that the cascading effect of sand stabilization on pathogen occurrence is mainly mediated through changes in host community structure and vector burdens. Importantly, we found that structural changes in the same host community can simultaneously amplify and dilute different pathogens.

Main conclusions

These findings suggest that global processes can translate into local processes, where the importance of the mediation effects depend on the magnitude of environmental heterogeneity. These mediation effects can benefit some organisms while adversely affecting others.
Extreme temperatures help in identifying thresholds in phenological responses
Authors: Askeyev Oleg , Askeyev Arthur , Askeyev Igor , Sparks Tim
Published: November 2021

Aim

The aim was to investigate temperature drivers of the spring phenology of 12 flowering events and six leafing events. Boreal phenology has previously exhibited only a modest response to temperature, but record‐breaking temperatures in March 2020 led to some extreme phenological timing and provided the opportunity for a more rigorous look at the nature and complexity of the relationship between temperature and phenology.

Location

Boreal habitat in the Tatarstan Republic of Russia.

Time period

1989–2020.

Major taxa studied

Eighteen plant species.

Methods

We examined changes over time in the timing of phenological events and the relationship with temperature drivers using a range of regression techniques. Extreme temperatures caused some extreme phenology and visually suggested temperature thresholds, which were investigated using segmented regression (broken stick models). The performance of these models was subsequently compared with more complex alternatives based on accumulated daily temperatures.

Results

Temperatures in March 2020 were the warmest for this month in a record covering 200 years and were 5.9°C above the 1989–2020 average. Significant advances over time were detected for only seven of the events, but all events demonstrated significant relationships with temperature variables. Segmented regression identified significant temperature thresholds for 13 of the events with substantially stronger temperature relationships above these thresholds. Segmented regressions outperformed models based on accumulated daily temperatures for 12 of 18 events.

Main conclusions

The threshold models were a significant improvement over a linear response to temperature for 13 of the 18 events. The presence of thresholds explains, in part, why the response of boreal phenology to temperature previously seemed lower than in, for example, Western Europe. Responses to temperature above the identified thresholds were closer to those widely published from milder locations.
Evolutionary assembly of the Arctic flora
Authors: Qian Hong , Deng Tao , Ricklefs Robert E.
Published: November 2021

Aim

The Arctic is the coldest inhabited region on Earth, and it supports few terrestrial species. The tropical‐climate origin of many angiosperm clades, along with strong phylogenetic niche conservatism, likely constrained colonization of cold environments for many plants. However, invasion of the Arctic by many lineages might also have opened up a new adaptive landscape that facilitated subsequent diversification. We might, therefore, expect species in this biome to be descendants of a few cold‐tolerant lineages. Here, we explore the assembly of the Arctic flora using data on the relationships and distributions of > 80,000 species.

Location

The Northern Hemisphere.

Time period

Current.

Taxon

Flowering plants.

Methods

The Arctic was divided into five bioclimate subzones. We assembled a species pool for flowering plants in the Northern Hemisphere, and determined which species of the species pool are distributed in the Arctic and each of its subzones. We used two metrics (the standardized effect sizes of mean pairwise distance and Faith’s phylogenetic diversity; MPDses and PDses, respectively) to quantify phylogenetic dispersion of flowering plant assemblages.

Results

When the Arctic species were compared to all the species in the Northern Hemisphere, MPDses and PDses were −12.85 and −27.17, respectively, indicating that the Arctic flora is a phylogenetically clustered subset of the Northern Hemisphere species pool. In general, MPDses and PDses decreased from the south to the north within the Arctic, indicating that some lineages are further filtered stepwise into more northerly Arctic subzones.

Main conclusions

The species of the Arctic flora comprise a phylogenetically clustered subset of the broader Northern Hemisphere flora. The more negative value for PDses compared to MPDses indicates that clustering is stronger towards the tips of the phylogenetic tree. We suggest that the majority of Arctic species are nested within clades having attributes that enabled adaptation to cold climates.
Adverse childhood experiences in relation to comorbid cardiovascular diseases and diabetes among middle‐aged and old adults in China
Authors: Zhang Keqing , Wu Bei , Zhang Wei
Published: November 2021

Aim

To examine whether various aspects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with comorbid cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and diabetes among middle‐aged and old adults in China.

Methods

Using the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study survey and the 2014 Life History survey, in total, 17 115 respondents aged ≥45 years were included. Logistic regressions were applied to estimate the relationship between aspects of ACEs and diagnosis of both CVDs and diabetes while adjusting for adulthood demographics, health and health behaviors.

Results

Childhood hunger (OR = 1.75, P < 0.01), childhood socioeconomic status (OR = 1.45, P < 0.05) and abuse from father (OR = 1.50, P < 0.05) were significantly associated with greater odds of comorbid CVDs and diabetes above and beyond adulthood characteristics. In addition, the effects of these ACEs on comorbidity were stronger than their effects on the single chronic condition.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that, for middle‐aged and old Chinese adults, ACEs could have long‐lasting impacts on multiple chronic conditions in later life. Public health interventions should focus on the early life stage as the protective childhood conditions might help in warning of later clustering chronic diseases. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 12–18.
Joined by remoteness: An exploratory comparison of regional board networks in Sweden
Authors: Dahlin Peter , Patel Pankaj C.
Published: November 2021

Studies of the global corporate elite have shown how networks of board interlocks form among large companies around the world. With interest in the conditions for businesses in the periphery, this exploratory study describes differences in regional board networks by comparing remote and central regions in Sweden. The regions share national culture, language and legislation and have similar demographics. We study business contexts far from the international spotlight and include all companies, not just the very largest, to capture the diversity of geographically dispersed business communities in Sweden. Findings suggest that being peripheral in a geographical sense can prove beneficial in terms of board network structure. The regional board networks in the remote regions are more inclusive and less fragmented, thus showing structural characteristics associated with the more effective spread of information. The regional networks formed in the geographic periphery thus appear to be beneficial for business. The findings in this exploratory story indicate that companies in the geographic periphery can be joined by remoteness.
Comorbidities and co‐medications among 28 089 people living with HIV: A nationwide cohort study from 2009 to 2019 in Japan
Authors: Naito Toshio , Suzuki Mai , Fukushima Shinichi , Yuda Mayumi , Fukui Nobuyuki , Tsukamoto Shotaro , Fujibayashi Kazutoshi , Goto‐Hirano Keiko , Kuwatsuru Ryohei
Published: November 2021

Objectives

Comorbidities are associated with a high burden of disease in people living with HIV (PLWH). The objective was to investigate the prevalence of chronic comorbidities and use of co‐medications in PLWH in Japan.

Methods

This study retrospectively analysed clinical information from PLWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) between April 2009 and March 2019. Demographic characteristics, numbers and types of chronic comorbidities, and numbers and types of non‐ART co‐medications, were described by age groups. The source of data was the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB).

Results

Overall, 28 089 PLWH (male 91.9%) who used ART were identified. Out of 28 089 PLWH, 81.5% had at least one chronic comorbidity. The numbers of AIDS‐defining cancers and non‐AIDS‐defining cancers in this Japanese cohort were 2432 (8.7%) and 2485 (8.8%), respectively. The cumulative burden of comorbidities including non‐AIDS‐defining cancer increased with age. Changes in trend between 2009 and 2019 were observed, including a higher proportion of PLWH diagnosed at ≥ 70 years old [2019 (4.7%) vs. 2009 (2.4%)] and a decreasing percentage of patients with AIDS‐defining cancers (down from 6.3% to 4.8% between 2009 and 2019). The most common co‐medications during the most recent 3‐month period were lipid‐regulating/anti‐atheroma preparations (11.3%), antacids, antiflatulents and anti‐ulcerants (9.6%), and agents acting on the renin–angiotensin system (8.1%). The three most common therapeutic categories of co‐medications during the study period were antacids, antiflatulents and anti‐ulcerants (35.0%), systemic antihistamines (33.7%) and psycholeptics (27.1%). More than 30% of PLWH aged > 40 years used at least one co‐medication in a 3‐month period, while more than half of PLWH aged > 30 years had at least one co‐medication prescribed concomitantly for a total of ≥ 90 days during the study period, and the numbers of co‐medications used were greater in the older age groups.

Conclusions

The burden of chronic comorbidities and co‐medication were found to be greater in older, as compared to younger patients, among 28 089 PLWH in a nationwide study in Japan. This finding suggests the need to identify elderly PLWH and to appropriately manage their HIV and comorbidities.
Leprosy: what is new
Authors: Randhawa Avneet , Kapila Rajendra , Schwartz Robert A.
Published: November 2021

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is an age‐old chronic granulomatous infection characterized by prominent cutaneous and neurologic findings. Long known to be caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a new etiologic species was identified and linked in 2008, Mycobacterium lepromatosis. The BCG vaccine with highly variable efficacy may soon be replaced by the first leprosy‐specific subunit vaccine LepVax, which has recently moved forward in human trials. Recent evidence supporting theories of zoonotic transmission from armadillos and the less‐discussed Eurasian red squirrels has emerged. Knowledge on genetic polymorphisms that may increase leprosy susceptibility, such as the newly uncovered mitochondrial ribosomal protein S5 (MRPS5) polymorphism in the Chinese population, has provided a fresh perspective and direction. Further, we will delineate the latest information on leprosy, including the possible effects of leprosy coinfection with COVID‐19, HIV, and HTLV‐1, and the shift to newer leprosy therapies and treatment regimens.
America’s Changing God: The Fading of Psychological Trinitarianism in America
Authors: Todd Obbie Tyler
Published: November 2021

The Trinity was a fundamental yet fluid doctrine in the new republic. Three primary movements contributed to the decline of psychological trinitarianism in America: (1) the rise of Unitarianism, (2) the dominance of Scottish Common Sense Realism, (3) and a new‐found resistance to the doctrine of self‐love. These theological, philosophical and moral factors profoundly shaped the way Americans viewed the tri‐unity of God in their post‐Puritan world, explaining why so many theologians departed from the traditional understanding of the Trinity in the Western church.
Imaging the different timescales of germinal center selection*
Authors: Pae Juhee , Jacobsen Johanne T. , Victora Gabriel D.
Published: November 2021

Germinal centers (GCs) are the site of antibody affinity maturation, a fundamental immunological process that increases the potency of antibodies and thereby their ability to protect against infection. GC biology is highly dynamic in both time and space, making it ideally suited for intravital imaging. Using multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM), the field has gained insight into the molecular, cellular, and structural changes and movements that coordinate affinity maturation in real time in their native environment. On the other hand, several limitations of MPLSM have had to be overcome to allow full appreciation of GC events taking place across different timescales. Here, we review the technical advances afforded by intravital imaging and their contributions to our understanding of GC biology.
International Council of Nurses President Annette Kennedy reflects on her 4‐year tenure as president
Authors: Kennedy Annette
Published: November 2021

Annette Kennedy's four year term as President of the International Council of Nurses ended during the organisation's virtual Congress in November. Here she writes about her time in office and the state of the world's nursing after 2 years of the pandemic. She acknowledges the strains that COVID‐19 has put on nursing but affirms that nurses and nursing have come through the pandemic as a stronger, more influential and more cohesive profession.
Unionization and CEO turnover
Authors: Ursel Nancy D. , Zhong Ligang
Published: November 2021

This article investigates whether unions have power to influence turnover of poorly performing chief executive officers (CEOs). Employing the transparency coalition framework, we develop hypotheses regarding CEO tenure given unionization, performance‐turnover sensitivity, and firm performance following CEO turnover. We use Cox regression and a data set of US firms from 1993 to 2013 to show that CEO turnover is accelerated at firms that unionize. Discontinuity analysis suggests that the relationship is causal. Overall, the results show the significance of unions in the key corporate governance event of CEO turnover and suggest that, though they may proceed independently and for their own traditional goals of good pay and job conditions for their members, unions can be allies of investors and boards or directors when it comes to removing underperforming CEOs.
Efficiency evaluation of healthcare services in China based on stochastic multicriteria acceptability analysis and directional distance function
Authors: Wei Fangqing , Zhang Xiaoqi , Song Jiayun , Yang Feng
Published: November 2021

Evaluating the efficiency of healthcare services accurately can help in analyzing the rationality of inputs and outputs in such services. Considering the consistency and equity of assessment criteria, this study conducts the stochastic multicriteria acceptability analysis (SMAA‐2) with a directional distance function to evaluate the efficiency of healthcare services in 31 provincial administrative regions of mainland China, as observed in 2018. We use SMAA‐DDF to explore all the projection directions to the efficient frontier instead of a certain projection direction. We measure the maximum and average efficiencies for each of the 31 provincial healthcare services. Our empirical findings show that only seven provinces achieve optimal healthcare service efficiency; the eastern area performed the best, followed by the central, western, and northeast areas. Furthermore, the path along the projection directions is provided to help inefficient provinces improve their efficiency and obtain the best possible positions.
Interaction between the introduction strategy of the third‐party online channel and the choice of online sales format
Authors: Shi Guoqiang , Jiang Lin , Wang Yong
Published: November 2021

On the online platform of e‐tailers (e.g., Amazon), there are many third‐party retailers who can resell products by paying e‐tailers a platform usage fee. When e‐tailers sell manufacturers’ products through the agency selling or reselling format, manufacturers may also sell the products via the third‐party retailers, i.e., the third‐party online channel. Therefore, in an online retailing supply chain composed of a manufacturer, an e‐tailer ad a third‐party retailer, this paper employs game theory to study the interaction between the introduction strategy of such channel and the choice of online sales format. The results show that under the agency selling format, the manufacturer should always introduce the channel to reduce the loss caused by platform usage fee and the low sales efficiency; under the reselling format, if the platform fee rate is small, the manufacturer will introduce such channel because of benefiting from downstream competition brought by the channel, otherwise, vice versa. When the channel is introduced under both sales formats and the sales efficiency of the manufacturer is not very high or very low, with the discount factor of consumer utility in this channel being large, the e‐tailer should choose the reselling format even if the platform fee rate is large. In case the channel is introduced only under the agency selling format and the sales efficiency of the manufacturer is not very high or very low, even if the platform fee rate is very large, the e‐tailer should also choose the reselling format. These choices always benefit the manufacturer (i.e., two win‐win situations). Under the agency selling format, the third‐party retailer should always improve the utility gained from purchasing from this channel, but it should keep the utility at an appropriate level under the reselling format.
Ablation Index‐guided point‐by‐point ablation versus Grid annotation‐guided dragging for pulmonary vein isolation: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Mulder Mark J. , Kemme Michiel J. B. , Hopman Luuk H. G. A. , Hagen Amaya M. D. , van de Ven Peter M. , Hauer Herbert A. , Tahapary Giovanni J. M. , van Rossum Albert C. , Allaart Cornelis P.
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Radiofrequency (RF) atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation using a catheter dragging technique may shorten procedural duration and improve durability of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) by creating uninterrupted linear ablation lesions. We compared a novel AF ablation approach guided by Grid annotation allowing for “drag lesions” with a standard point‐by‐point ablation approach in a single‐center randomized study.

Methods

Eighty‐eight paroxysmal or persistent AF patients were randomized 1:1 to undergo RF‐PVI with either a catheter dragging ablation technique guided by Grid annotation or point‐by‐point ablation guided by Ablation Index (AI) annotation. In the Grid annotation arm, ablation was visualized using 1 mm³ grid points coloring red after meeting predefined stability and contact force criteria. In the AI annotation arm, ablation lesions were created in a point‐by‐point fashion with AI target values set at 380 and 500 for posterior/inferior and anterior/roof segments, respectively. Patients were followed up for 12 months after PVI using ECGs, 24‐h Holter monitoring and a mobile‐based one‐lead ECG device.

Results

Procedure time was not different between the two randomization arms (Grid annotation 71 ± 19 min, AI annotation 72 ± 26 min, p = .765). RF time was significantly longer in the Grid annotation arm compared with the AI annotation arm (49 ± 8 min vs. 37 ± 8 min, respectively, p < .001). Atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence was documented in 10 patients (23%) in the Grid annotation arm compared with 19 patients (42%) in the AI annotation arm with time to recurrence not reaching statistical significance (p = .074).

Conclusions

This study shows that a Grid annotation‐guided dragging approach provides an alternative to point‐by‐point RF‐PVI using AI annotation.
Pharmacist‐led transitions of care between hospitals, primary care clinics, and community pharmacies
Authors: Cossette Benoit , Ricard Geneviève , Poirier Rolande , Gosselin Suzanne , Langlois Marie‐France , Imbeault Philippe , Breton Mylaine , Couturier Yves , Sirois Caroline , Lessard‐Beaudoin Mélissa , Rodrigue Claudie , Teasdale Julie , Turcotte Jean‐Philippe , Mallet Louise
Published: November 2021

Background

Pharmacist‐led transitions of care (TOC) interventions have been described as some of the most promising interventions to reduce medication‐related harm (MRH) in older adults. This study analyzed the feasibility of pharmacist‐led TOC interventions between hospitals, multidisciplinary primary care clinics (PCC), and community pharmacies.

Methods

Adults aged 65 years and older at risk of MRH in three regions of Quebec, Canada, with contrasting contexts of care based on university affiliation were recruited in this multicenter, single arm, and prospective intervention cohort. The hospital pharmacist developed the pharmaceutical care plan in collaboration with the hospital physician and transferred this plan with the hospitalization summary, at hospital discharge, to the PCC family physician and to the community and PCC pharmacists. A consultation with the community pharmacist was scheduled within seven days of hospital discharge and with the PCC pharmacist when appropriate. Feasibility outcomes included the time to complete the interventions and their location.

Results

The 123 eligible patients had a mean age of 78.5 years, and 63.4% were females. The most frequent inclusion criterion was 10 medications or more, including one high‐risk medication for 90 patients (73%). Recruitment in one region was stopped after three months due to unsuccessful recruitment of key PCC. The hospital pharmacist interventions took a median of 165 min. The first consultations of the PCC and community pharmacists took a median of 15 and 50 min. Among the 96 patients with a post‐discharge pharmacist follow‐up, 23 (24.0%) had a consultation with a PCC pharmacist, with 65.2% of the consultations conducted at the PCC. The community pharmacists conducted a consultation with 88 patients (93%), with more than 70% of consultations conducted by phone.

Conclusion

Our study showed the feasibility of pharmacist‐led TOC interventions between hospitals, PCC, and community pharmacies and detailed the novel role that PCC pharmacists played in optimizing TOC interventions.
Effect of intensive blood pressure control on subtypes of mild cognitive impairment and risk of progression from SPRINT study
Authors: Gaussoin Sarah A. , Pajewski Nicholas M. , Chelune Gordon , Cleveland Maryjo L. , Crowe Michael G. , Launer Lenore J. , Lerner Alan J. , Martindale‐Adams Jennifer , Nichols Linda O. , Ogrocki Paula K. , Sachs Bonnie C. , Sink Kaycee M. , Supiano Mark A. , Wadley Virginia G. , Wilson Valerie M. , Wright Clinton B. , Williamson Jeff D. , Reboussin David M. , Rapp Stephen R.
Published: November 2021

Background

To examine the effect of intensive blood pressure control on the occurrence of subtypes of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and determine the risk of progression to dementia or death.

Methods

Secondary analysis of a randomized trial of community‐dwelling adults (≥50 years) with hypertension. Participants were randomized to a systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal of <120 mm Hg (intensive treatment; n = 4678) or <140 mm Hg (Standard treatment; n = 4683). Outcomes included adjudicated MCI, MCI subtype (amnestic, non‐amnestic, multi‐domain, single domain), and probable dementia. Multistate survival models were used to examine transitions in cognitive status accounting for the competing risk of death.

Results

Among 9361 randomized participants (mean age, 67.9 years; 3332 women [35.6%]), 640 participants met the protocol definition for MCI, with intensive treatment reducing the risk of MCI overall (hazard ratio [HR], 0.81 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.69–0.94]), as previously reported. This effect was largely reflected in amnestic subtypes (HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.66–0.92]) and multi‐domain subtypes (HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.65–0.93]). An adjudication of MCI, as compared with normal cognitive function, substantially increased the probability of progressing to probable dementia (5.9% [95% CI: 4.5%–7.7%] vs. 0.6% [95% CI: 0.3%–0.9%]) and to death (10.0% [95% CI: 8.3%–11.9%] vs. 2.3% [95% CI: 2.0%–2.7%]) within 2 years.

Conclusions

Intensive treatment reduced the risk for amnestic and multi‐domain subtypes of MCI. An adjudication of MCI was associated with increased risk of progression to dementia and death, highlighting the relevance of MCI as a primary outcome in clinical and research settings.
Mentoring of nursing students—A comparative study of Japan and five European countries
Authors: Mikkonen Kristina , Utsumi Momoe , Tuomikoski Anna‐Maria , Tomietto Marco , Kaučič Boris Miha , Riklikiene Olga , Vizcaya‐Moreno Flores , Nakaoka Akiko , Yamakawa Miyae , Inoue Mitsuyo , Yayama So , Pérez‐Cañaveras Rosa M. , Filej Bojana , Kääriäinen Maria
Published: November 2021

Aims

This study aimed to explore mentoring competence in nursing student mentors during clinical practice by identifying different mentor profiles and connections between different competence areas among five European countries and Japan.

Methods

The study implemented a cross‐sectional design in Finland, Italy, Lithuania, Slovenia, Spain, and Japan during 2016 and 2019. In total, 6208 mentors were invited, and 1862 participated from 58 healthcare organizations. The data were collected with a survey questionnaire by including background question items with the Mentor Competence Instrument. K‐clustering and structural equation modeling were used for data analysis.

Results

Four mentor profiles, A (43%), B (30%), C (18%), and D (9%), were identified according to the seven mentoring competence areas with high statistical significance (p < 0.001). Higher mentoring competence (mean >3.50) was observed among Finnish, Lithuanian, and Slovenian mentors with university education in nursing, older ages, more work experience, and previous education in mentoring. Lower competence (mean <2.49) was observed among Japanese and Italian mentors with diplomas in nursing, younger ages, less work experience, and no previous education in mentoring.

Conclusion

Mentoring requires motivated, highly competent mentors since mentoring is a critical aspect of nursing education. Mentoring roles should be given to nurses with higher education and mentoring training. Younger, less experienced nurses without formal mentoring training may need support from senior nurses when performing mentoring roles and could also facilitate a more balanced workload between patient care and mentoring for senior nurses.
Apolipoprotein C‐III predicts cardiovascular events and mortality in individuals with type 1 diabetes and albuminuria
Authors: Jansson Sigfrids Fanny , Stechemesser Lars , Dahlström Emma H. , Forsblom Carol M. , Harjutsalo Valma , Weitgasser Raimund , Taskinen Marja‐Riitta , Groop Per‐Henrik ,   the FinnDiane Study Group
Published: November 2021

Objectives

We studied apolipoprotein C‐III (apoC‐III) in relation to diabetic kidney disease (DKD), cardiovascular outcomes, and mortality in type 1 diabetes.

Methods

The cohort comprised 3966 participants from the prospective observational Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study. Progression of DKD was determined from medical records. A major adverse cardiac event (MACE) was defined as acute myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, stroke, or cardiovascular mortality through 2017. Cardiovascular and mortality data were retrieved from national registries.

Results

ApoC‐III predicted DKD progression independent of sex, diabetes duration, blood pressure, HbA1c, smoking, LDL‐cholesterol, lipid‐lowering medication, DKD category, and remnant cholesterol (hazard ratio [HR] 1.43 [95% confidence interval 1.05–1.94], p = 0.02). ApoC‐III also predicted the MACE in a multivariable regression analysis; however, it was not independent of remnant cholesterol (HR 1.05 [0.81–1.36, p = 0.71] with remnant cholesterol; 1.30 [1.03–1.64, p = 0.03] without). DKD‐specific analyses revealed that the association was driven by individuals with albuminuria, as no link between apoC‐III and the outcome was observed in the normal albumin excretion or kidney failure categories. The same was observed for mortality: Individuals with albuminuria had an adjusted HR of 1.49 (1.03–2.16, p = 0.03) for premature death, while no association was found in the other groups. The highest apoC‐III quartile displayed a markedly higher risk of MACE and death than the lower quartiles; however, this nonlinear relationship flattened after adjustment.

Conclusions

The impact of apoC‐III on MACE risk and mortality is restricted to those with albuminuria among individuals with type 1 diabetes. This study also revealed that apoC‐III predicts DKD progression, independent of the initial DKD category.
Negotiating Linguistic Disruptions and Connections in Migratory Contexts: Language Practices among Child Migrants in an Urban Market in Ghana
Authors: Ansah Gladys Nyarko
Published: November 2021

This article employs ethnographic methods to investigate communicative practices that shape the linguistic repertoires of child migrants in Agbogbloshie, an urban market in Ghana. Similar studies discuss the relationship between language and migration by focusing on language shift and loss among migrants; this article argues that migrants in complex linguistically diverse spaces—motivated by both social and economic dynamics of their space—make linguistic choices while negotiating their daily lives that lead to the development of complex, heterogeneous linguistic repertoires and practices. Data were gathered from interactions at childcare centers, where child migrants spend the day with peers and caregivers, and migrant homes, where child migrants spend the evenings and weekends with their families. The data reveal that while migrant parents negotiate their own multilingual practices with their migrant children, child migrants expand their linguistic repertoires through relationships and interactions with caregivers and peers in childcare centers and neighborhoods, leading to the development of heterogeneous language practices that neither their parents nor caregivers necessarily possess. The article concludes that migration may lead to complex linguistic diversity. The study contributes to Indigenous perspectives on linguistic diversity and our understanding of the structure and nature of super‐diversification.
Melatonin and verteporfin synergistically suppress the growth and stemness of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics
Authors: Shin Ye Young , Seo Yoojin , Oh Su‐Jeong , Ahn Ji‐Su , Song Min‐hye , Kang Min‐Jung , Oh Jung‐Min , Lee Dongjun , Kim Yun Hak , Sung Eui‐Suk , Kim Hyung‐Sik
Published: November 2021

The prevalence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has continued to rise for decades. However, drug resistance to chemotherapeutics and relapse, mediated by cancer stem cells (CSCs), remains a significant impediment in clinical oncology to achieve successful treatment. Therefore, we focused on analyzing CSCs in HNSCC and demonstrated the effect of melatonin (Mel) and verteporfin (VP) on SCC‐25 cells. HNSCC CSCs were enriched in the reactive oxygen species‐low state and in sphere‐forming cultures. Combination treatment with Mel and VP decreased HNSCC viability and increased apoptosis without causing significant damage to normal cells. Sphere‐forming ability and stem cell population were reduced by co‐treatment with Mel and VP, while mitochondrial ROS level was increased by the treatment. Furthermore, the expression of mitophagy markers, parkin and PINK1, was significantly decreased in the co‐treated cells. Mel and VP induced mitochondrial depolarization and inhibited mitochondrial function. Parkin/TOM20 was localized near the nucleus and formed clusters of mitochondria in the cells after treatment. Moreover, Mel and VP downregulated the expression of markers involved in epithelial‐mesenchymal transition and metastasis. The migration capacity of cells was significantly decreased by co‐treatment with Mel and VP, accompanied by the down‐regulation of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 expression. Taken together, these results indicate that co‐treatment with Mel and VP induces mitochondrial dysfunction, resulting in the apoptosis of CSCs. Mel and VP could thus be further investigated as potential therapies for HNSCC through their action on CSCs.
Melatonin induces apoptotic cell death through Bim stabilization by Sp1‐mediated OTUD1 upregulation
Authors: Woo Seon Min , Seo Seung Un , Min Kyoung‐jin , Kwon Taeg Kyu
Published: November 2021

Melatonin, secreted by the pineal gland, regulates the circadian rhythms and also plays an oncostatic role in cancer cells. Previously, we showed that melatonin induces the expression of Bim, a pro‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 protein, at both the transcriptional and post‐translational levels. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the melatonin‐mediated Bim upregulation through post‐translational regulation. We found that ovarian tumor domain‐containing protein 1 (OTUD1), a deubiquitinase belonging to the OTU protein family, is upregulated by melatonin at the mRNA and protein levels. OTUD1 knockdown inhibited melatonin‐induced Bim upregulation and apoptosis in cancer cells. OTUD1 directly interacted with Bim and inhibited its ubiquitination. Melatonin‐induced OTUD1 upregulation caused deubiquitination at the lysine 3 residue of Bim, resulting in its stabilization. In addition, melatonin‐induced activation of Sp1 was found to be involved in OTUD1 upregulation at the transcriptional level, and pharmacological inhibition and genetic ablation of Sp1 (siRNA) interrupted melatonin‐induced OTUD1‐mediated Bim upregulation. Furthermore, melatonin reduced tumor growth and induced upregulation of OTUD1 and Bim in a mouse xenograft model. Notably, Bim expression levels correlated with OTUD1 levels in patients with renal clear cell carcinoma. Thus, our results demonstrated that melatonin induces apoptosis by stabilizing Bim via Sp1‐mediated OTUD1 upregulation.
Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis response to exogenous corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) is attenuated in men with chronic insomnia
Authors: Vgontzas Alexandros N. , Fernandez‐Mendoza Julio , Lenker Kristina Puzino , Basta Maria , Bixler Edward O. , Chrousos George P.
Published: November 2021

Although insomnia is by far the most common sleep disorder, our understanding of its neurobiology is limited. Insomnia, particularly when associated with objective sleep disturbance, has been associated with activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. The objective of this experimental study was to compare the response of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis to ovine corticotropin‐releasing hormone, a stress test, in men with insomnia versus controls. Circulating adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels were assayed before (−30 min, −15 min), at (0 min) and after (+5 min, +15 min, +30 min, +60 min, +90 min, +120 min) exogenous ovine corticotropin‐releasing hormone administration in 23 men (11 insomnia, 12 controls), who underwent four consecutive nights of in‐lab polysomnography. Men with insomnia compared with controls demonstrated markedly and significantly shorter total sleep time (368.4 ± 8.99 min versus 411.61 ± 8.61 min; p < 0.01) and lower sleep efficiency (76.77 ± 1.80% versus 86.04 ± 1.72%; p < 0.01) on polysomnography, and showed decreased adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels after ovine corticotropin‐releasing hormone administration. Adrenocorticotropic hormone levels at 15 min and 30 min were significantly lower in men with insomnia than in controls (p < 0.05). Similarly, the peak levels of cortisol at +60 min, and the total and net area under the curve levels of this hormone were significantly lower in men with insomnia than controls (all p < 0.01). Adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol response to ovine corticotropin‐releasing hormone administration was attenuated in men with insomnia associated with objective sleep disturbance, suggesting that objectively defined insomnia subtypes have a disrupted hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis function and highlight the need to develop treatments targeting the underlying hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis dysregulation.
Born‐Again Versus Evangelical: Does the Difference Make a Difference?
Authors: Smidt Corwin E.
Published: November 2021

Although it has long been recognized that treating “born‐again” and “evangelical” as equivalents is problematic, little scholarly effort has been made to assess whether the difference makes a difference. This study seeks to do so, assessing, in part, the extent to which the “born‐again or evangelical Christian” survey question captures evangelical identities and whether the question has merit for capturing evangelical respondents. By analyzing surveys in which respondents were asked separate questions related to a “born‐again” and an evangelical identity, this study addresses several issues related to such identities, including whether “born‐again” and evangelical identities are the same, and, if not, whether the difference makes a difference. In the end, significant political differences emerge between those who identify as evangelicals and those who identify as “born‐again,” suggesting that scholars and surveys would be better served to ask separate “born‐again” and evangelical identity questions than to merge the two into one.
Bullying, cyberbullying, and youth health behaviors
Authors: Nikolaou Dimitrios
Published: November 2021

This paper examines the impact of bullying and cyberbullying victimization on youth health behaviors (smoking, drinking, drugs, sexual intercourse) since the literature has not evaluated within the same framework whether bullying on school grounds and cyberbullying have distinct effects on such behaviors. Using within law heterogeneity in anti‐(cyber)bullying laws during 2011–2019, I jointly estimate the decision to adopt a health (dis)accumulating behavior along with a multivariate treatment into four victimization groups: no victimization, bullying only at school, only cyberbullying, both bullying and cyberbullying. Identification of students who face one of the four distinct victimization types reveals heterogeneous effects: cyberbullying has stronger deleterious effects than bullying, and students who experience both accumulate even less health capital. Interestingly, female students respond to victimization by increasing their participation in addictive health behaviors (smoking, excess drinking, marijuana, other illicit drugs), whereas male students are prone to engaging in riskier sexual behaviors (multiple sex partners, unprotected sex). These effects remain even after accounting for mediating effects of student depression and truancy suggesting that public policies should invest in strategies to educate the student's social environment (peers, teachers, parents) about their role in preventing (cyber)bullying and in providing effective counseling for victimized students.
Using young adult fiction to interrogate raciolinguistic ideologies in schools
Authors: Cushing Ian , Carter Anthony
Published: November 2021

This article reports on an UKLA funded study which is working with young readers to explore the use of fictional texts to interrogate raciolinguistic ideologies in schools. We draw on data generated from workshops where young students read and responded to Front Desk, a 2018 novel by the Chinese writer Kelly Yang, which centres around a young immigrant girl who is the target of systemic language discrimination. We describe how literary texts might serve as an entry point into examining the pervasive, intersectional, institutional and systemic nature of language discrimination, focusing on how schools can be hostile spaces for speakers deemed to not conform with ‘standard’ language practices amidst raciolinguistic ideologies which construct racialised speakers as inferior, deficient and unwelcome. We show how students used Front Desk and the workshops as a space for (a) describing the surveillance, stigmatisation and erasure of their own language practices through tracing raciolinguistic contours between fictional and real worlds; (b) interrogating the raciolinguistic ideologies and punitive listening practices of white authoritative subjects; and (c) conceptualising language discrimination as intersectional and institutional.
Inter‐sexual comparison of body biomass, proximate biochemical composition, and fatty acid profiles of new juvenile squat lobsters (Pleuroncodes monodon) in the Southeast Pacific Ocean
Authors: Guzmán‐Rivas Fabián , Quispe‐Machaca Marco , Olavarría Luis , Zilleruelo Maximiliano , Urzúa Ángel
Published: November 2021

In the wide distribution range of the red squat lobster Pleuroncodes monodon in the Southeast Pacific Ocean, there is an important nursery area on the southern coast of Chile. The new juvenile individuals from this nursery area are directly recruited into the adult squat lobster population, which is exploited by industrial fisheries. Despite the importance of new P. monodon juveniles for recruitment estimations in fishery management models, their bioenergetic condition and/or nutritional status at the onset of their benthic phase remain unknown, as are the differences in the biochemical composition and energy reserves of the two sexes, which could help explain the cost of the first breeding event in females. Therefore, in new juvenile squat lobsters with the same degree of immaturity, we quantified and compared between the sexes (female vs. male): the size (cephalothorax length, CL), body biomass (dry weight and organic matter), biochemical composition (proteins, glucose, and lipids), and fatty acid profiles (FAs). The results indicate that the CL of new juveniles was similar between the sexes, while the dry weight and organic matter presented significant differences, with higher values in new juvenile females (NJF) than new juvenile males (NJM). Similarly, the NJF had a higher content of proteins, glucose, and lipids than NJM. The FAs also showed significant differences between the sexes; the NJF had a higher content than NJM in all fatty acid classes (i.e., saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated), with the FAs DHA (C22:6n‐3), EPA (C20:5n‐3), oleic (C18:1n‐9), palmitic (C16:0), and eicosatrienoic (C20:3n‐3) significantly contributing to the differentiation of FA profiles between the sexes. All of the aforementioned differences among the multiple variables of the bioenergetic condition can indicate biochemical adaptations in the storage capacity of energy reserves, particularly among NJF that must support the high energy cost of the first reproductive event (characterized by embryo production and incubation), which occurs during the austral winter, a period predominated by cold‐water temperatures and scarce food availability in the habitat. Overall, our findings have significant implications in fishery management models. In this case, defining the bioenergetic condition of the new juvenile squat lobsters can aid in predicting the density and stability of the adult population, which is exploited by commercial fisheries.