bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sleepy but creative? How affective commitment, knowledge sharing and organizational forgiveness mitigate the dysfunctional effect of insomnia on creative behaviors
Authors: De Clercq Dirk , Pereira Renato
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This study investigates how employees' experience of suffering from insomnia might reduce the likelihood that they perform creative activities, as well as how this negative relationship might be buffered by employees' access to resources at three levels: an individual resource (affective commitment), a relational resource (knowledge sharing with peers) and an organizational resource (climate of organizational forgiveness).

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative data came from a survey of employees in the banking sector.

Findings

Insomnia reduces creativity, but this effect is weaker when employees feel a strong emotional bond to their organization, openly share knowledge with colleagues and believe that their organization forgives errors.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this research include its relatively narrow scope by focusing on one personal stressor only, its cross-sectional design, its reliance on subjective measures of insomnia and creativity and its single-industry, single-country design.

Practical implications

The findings indicate different, specific ways in which human resource managers can overcome the challenges associated with sleep-deprived employees who avoid productive work behaviors, including creativity.

Originality/value

This study adds to extant scholarship by specifying how employees' persistent sleep deprivation might steer them away from undertaking creative behaviors, with a particular focus on how several pertinent resources buffer this process.
Fourth-graders' reading, thinking, and writing about historical sources
Authors: Bickford John H. , Clabough Jeremiah , Taylor Tim N.
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Elementary classroom teachers can infuse social studies into the curriculum by integrating history, civics and English/language arts. Elementary teachers can bundle close reading, critical thinking and text-based writing within historical inquiries using accessible primary sources with engaging secondary sources.

Design/methodology/approach

This article reports the successes and struggles of one fourth-grade teacher's theory-into-practice interdisciplinary unit. The month-long, history-based inquiry integrated close readings of primary and secondary sources to scaffold and refine students' text-based writing about the oft-ignored interconnections between two Civil Rights icons who never met.

Findings

Findings included the import of historical inquiries within the elementary grades, students' abilities to scrutinize and extract meaning from dozens of sources and the value of revision for text-based writing, particularly its impact on the clarity, criticality and complexity of students' writing.

Originality/value

The inquiry's length, use of repeated readings, bulk of curricular resources and integration of revision are each comparably unique within the elementary social studies research literature.
Service quality of student services and student satisfaction: the mediating effect of cross-functional collaboration
Authors: Alsheyadi Anwar Khamis , Albalushi Jawaher
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the interaction of tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy dimensions of the service quality (SERVQUAL) and student satisfaction (SS), and second, to explore the mediating role of cross-functional collaboration (CFC) on these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

The structural equation modelling was used to examine the direct and mediated effect models using data collected through a survey of 352 students from 18 higher education institutes (HEIs) in Oman.

Findings

The statistical analysis confirms our main hypotheses. First, the centrality of tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy dimensions of the service quality was established in the direct effect model, while the importance of tangibles and responsiveness was not confirmed in the mediated effect model. Second, it approved the partial mediation effect of CFC on the five dimensions of SERVQUAL and satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

Service quality, level of CFC and relative SS in higher education could be subjected to contextual verification and evaluation of these internal and external contextual factors should be considered.

Practical implications

Several implications are highlighted for the effective development of the service quality of student affairs departments (SADs), the development of CFC for effective management, development and deployment of various student affairs initiatives.

Originality/value

This paper satisfies the need to validate the SERVQUAL model in different contexts such as SADs, and the need to investigate the possible mediating effect of other factors on SERVQUAL dimensions and satisfaction to show how the latter can be achieved.
Impacts of global environmental change drivers on non‐structural carbohydrates in terrestrial plants
Authors: Du Ying , Lu Ruiling , Xia Jianyang
Published: April 2020

Non‐structural carbohydrates (NSCs, including soluble sugars and starch) are essential to support the growth and survival of terrestrial plants. Starch and sugars play different roles in multiple plant ecological functions such as drought tolerance, growth and plant defence, and several other processes which are being rapidly shaped by global environmental change. However, it is uncertain whether soluble sugars and starch show different responses across plant functional types, tissue types and treatment conditions (i.e. the intensity and duration of environmental variability) to global‐change drivers.

Here based on a database of 275 plants (including 17 plant functional types), we conducted a meta‐analysis to examine the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2concentration (eCO2), nitrogen (N) addition, drought and warming on NSCs and its components.

We found NSCs responses to global environmental change were mainly driven by (a) soluble sugar changes in response to N addition and drought, as well as (b) starch changes in response to eCO2and warming. The different responses between soluble sugars and starch were more evident under eCO2and drought, especially in herbs or leaves. Interactive effects of multiple environmental change drivers on soluble sugars and starch were mainly additive. The divergent main and interactive effects on soluble sugars and starch depend on experimental conditions. For example, the starch responses to eCO2and its interaction with N addition were the strongest in short‐term experiments.

Overall, our study shows the divergent responses of soluble sugars and starch in terrestrial plants to different global environmental change drivers, suggesting a changed carbon sink–source balance in plants under future global changes. The findings also highlight that predicting plant functional changes into the future requires a mechanistic understanding of how NSCs and its components are linked to specific environmental change drivers.

A freePlain Language Summarycan be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Prioritizing conservation actions for Pacific salmon in Canada
Authors: Walsh Jessica C. , Connors Katrina , Hertz Eric , Kehoe Laura , Martin Tara G. , Connors Brendan , Bradford Michael J. , Freshwater Cameron , Frid Alejandro , Halverson Jessica , Moore Jonathan W. , Price Michael H. H. , Reynolds John D.
Published: April 2020

Current investment in conservation is insufficient to adequately protect and recover all ecosystems and species. The challenge of allocating limited funds is acute for Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. in Canada, which lack a strategic approach to ensure that resources are spent on actions most likely to cost‐effectively recover diminished populations.

We applied the Priority Threat Management framework to prioritize strategies most likely to maximize the number of thriving Pacific salmon populations on the Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada. These included 79 genetically, ecologically and spatially distinct population groups called conservation units (CUs) for five salmon species. This region has high salmon biodiversity and spans the territories of four First Nations: the Heiltsuk, Nuxalk, Kitasoo/Xai'xais and Wuikinuxv.

Using structured expert elicitation of Indigenous and other experts, we quantified the estimated benefits, costs and feasibility of implementing 10 strategies. Under a business‐as‐usual scenario (i.e. no additional investments in salmon conservation or management), experts predicted that only one in four CUs would have >50% chance of achieving a thriving status within 20 years. Limiting future industrial development in salmon habitats, which was predicted to safeguard CUs from future declines, was identified as the most cost‐effective strategy. Investment in three strategies: (a) removal of artificial barriers to fish migration, (b) watershed protection and (c) stream restoration—at 11.3M CAD per year—was predicted to result in nearly half (34 of 79) of the CUs having a >60% chance of meeting the conservation objective.

If all conservation strategies were implemented, experts estimated a >50% probability of achieving a thriving status for 78 of 79 CUs, at an annual cost of 17.3M CAD. However, even with the implementation of all strategies, most sockeye salmon CUs were unlikely to achieve higher probability targets of reaching the objective.

Policy implications. We illustrate how Priority Threat Management can incorporate the perspectives and expertise of Indigenous peoples and other experts to prioritize conservation strategies based on their cost, benefit and feasibility. Implementation of this framework can help safeguard and recover Pacific salmon in Canada, and could also be used to prioritize actions for other conservation issues globally.
Heidegger's Theory of Truth and its Importance for the Quality of Qualitative Research
Authors: Huttunen Rauno , Kakkori Leena
Published: April 2020

When reliability and validity were introduced as validation criteria for empirical research in the human sciences, quantitative research methods prevailed, and theory of science relied on neopositivism (Vienna Circle) or postpositivism (scientific realism). Within this worldview, notions of reliability and validity as criteria of scientific goodness were introduced. Reliability and validity were associated with the correspondence theory of truth, which is mostly ill-suited to the needs of qualitative research. For that reason, qualitative research must look for other kinds of validation criteria. The article elaborates the problems arising when the correspondence theory of truth is used as an ultimate criterion in evaluating qualitative research and proposes Heidegger's hermeneutical or alethetical idea of truth as a more suitable approach.
Integrative demographic study of the Iberian painted frog (Discoglossus galganoi): inter‐annual variation in the effective to census population size ratio, with insights on mating system and breeding success
Authors: OLARTE Óscar , SÁNCHEZ‐MONTES Gregorio , MARTÍNEZ‐SOLANO Íñigo
Published: April 2020

In the face of worldwide amphibian declines, integrative studies combining individual‐based information and genetic data represent a powerful approach to produce robust, reliable, and comparable assessments of demographic dynamics. The Iberian painted frog (Discoglossus galganoi) is endemic to Spain and Portugal and shows decreasing population trends across its range, but few studies have attempted to estimate census sizes or assess genetic diversity in wild populations, and little is known about their reproductive biology. We applied an integrative approach based on the combination of capture‐mark‐recapture data and multilocus genotypes to monitor a breeding population of D. galganoi in central Spain during two consecutive breeding seasons, focusing on the estimation of demographic parameters and their temporal variation. Specifically, we estimated the number of adults (Na), the effective population size (Ne), and the effective number of breeders (Nb), as well as survival and migration rates. We documented a >50% decrease in the estimated number of adults of both sexes between the breeding seasons of 2018 and 2019, probably associated with reduced rainfall in the latter. Estimates of Nb and the Nb/Na ratio were low in both seasons, with a 20–30% decrease in Nb and a 47% increase in the Nb/Na ratio in 2019. Based on the reconstruction of pedigrees from larval and adult genotypes, we provide the first genetic evidence of polygamy in males and females of D. galganoi and the first estimates of breeding success in the species.
Ultrasound applications in poultry meat processing: A systematic review
Authors: Al‐Hilphy Asaad R. , Al‐Temimi Ammar B. , Al Rubaiy Hassan Hadi Mehdi , Anand Uttpal , Delgado‐Pando Gonzalo , Lakhssassi Naoufal
Published: April 2020

Ultrasound (US) is classified as a nonthermal treatment and it is used in food processing at a frequency range between 20 kHz and 1 MHz. Cavitation bubbles occur when the US strength is high enough to generate rarefaction that exceeds the intermolecular attraction forces in the medium. Currently, US is widely used in meat industries to enhance procedures, such as meat tenderization, emulsification mass transfer, marination, freezing, homogenization, crystallization, drying, and microorganism inactivation. In addition, combining ultrasonic energy with a sanitizing agent has a synergistic effect on microbial reduction. When poultry meat is treated using US, the expected quality is often better than the traditional methods, such as sanitization and freezing. US can be considered as a novel green technology for tenderizing and decontamination of poultry meat since both Escherichia coli and Salmonella are sensible to US. US improves the physical and chemical properties of meat proteins and can lead to a decrease in the α‐helix in intramuscular protease complex in addition to a reduction in the viscosity coefficients. Therefore, ultrasonic treatment can be applied to enhance the textural properties of chicken meat. US can also be used to improve the drying rate when used under vacuum, compared with other traditional techniques. This review focuses on the potential of US applications in the management of poultry industries as the demand for good quality meat proteins is increasing worldwide.
Innovation and Corporate Tax Planning: The Distinct Effects of Patents and R&D*
Authors: Cheng C. S. Agnes , Guo Peng , Weng Chia‐Hsiang , Wu Qiang
Published: April 2020

Using a large US sample, we find a significant and positive relation between patents and corporate tax planning, and the effect is incremental to the effect of R&D on tax planning. We employ a quasi‐natural experiment based on staggered industry‐level innovation shocks to identify the positive causal effect of patents on corporate tax planning. We also find that patents are not associated with tax planning for domestic firms, but their association with tax planning is concentrated in multinational firms, which have the ability to shift domestic income to low‐tax countries. Moreover, we find that the identified effect mainly exists in the post–check‐the‐box (CTB) rule period when shifting income among affiliates becomes more flexible and convenient. Finally, we use two income‐shifting models and find that patents, rather than R&D, facilitate tax planning through an income‐shifting channel. Overall, our results suggest that R&D and patents facilitate firms' tax planning in distinct ways: R&D facilitates tax planning as intended through tax credits and deductions, whereas patents are used by taxpayers to avoid taxes aggressively through income shifting.
Chronic Binge Alcohol Exposure During Pregnancy Alters mTOR System in Rat Fetal Hippocampus
Authors: Lee Jehoon , Lunde‐Young Raine , Naik Vishal , Ramirez Josue , Orzabal Marcus , Ramadoss Jayanth
Published: April 2020

Background

Gestational alcohol exposure can contribute to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), an array of cognitive, behavioral, and physical developmental impairments. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays a key role in regulating protein synthesis in response to neuronal activity, thereby modulating synaptic plasticity and long‐term memory formation in the brain. Based on our previous quantitative mass spectrometry proteomic studies, we hypothesized that gestational chronic binge alcohol exposure alters mTOR signaling and downstream pathways in the fetal hippocampus.

Methods

Pregnant Sprague‐Dawley rats were assigned to either a pair‐fed control (PF‐Cont) or a binge alcohol (Alcohol) treatment group. Alcohol dams were acclimatized via a once‐daily orogastric gavage of 4.5 g/kg alcohol (peak BAC, 216 mg/dl) from GD 5–10 and progressed to 6 g/kg alcohol (peak BAC, 289 mg/dl) from GD 11–21. Pair‐fed dams similarly received isocaloric maltose dextrin.

Results

In the Alcohol group, following this exposure paradigm, fetal body weight and crown‐rump length were decreased. The phosphorylation level of mTOR (P‐mTOR) in the fetal hippocampus was decreased in the Alcohol group compared with controls. Alcohol exposure resulted in dysregulation of fetal hippocampal mTORC1 signaling, as evidenced by an increase in total 4E‐BP1 expression. Phosphorylation levels of 4E‐BP1 and p70 S6K were also increased following alcohol exposure. P‐mTOR and P‐4E‐BP1 were exclusively detected in the dentate gyrus and oriens layer of the fetal hippocampus, respectively. DEPTOR and RICTOR expression levels in the fetal hippocampus were increased; however, RAPTOR was not altered by chronic binge alcohol exposure.

Conclusion

We conclude that chronic binge alcohol exposure during pregnancy alters mTORC1 signaling pathway in the fetal hippocampus. We conjecture that this dysregulation of mTOR protein expression, its activity, and downstream proteins may play a critical role in FASD neurobiological phenotypes.
Estimated televised alcohol advertising exposure in the past year and associations with past 30‐day drinking behavior among American adults: results from a secondary analysis of large‐scale advertising and survey data
Authors: Niederdeppe Jeff , Avery Rosemary J. , Tabor Emmett , Lee Nathaniel W. , Welch Brendan , Skurka Christofer
Published: April 2020

Aims

To estimate the volume of past‐year televised alcohol advertising exposure by product category and demographic group among adults living in the United States and test associations between estimated alcohol advertising exposure and past 30‐day drinking behavior.

Design

Secondary analysis of data from two national‐level US data sets: Kantar data on appearances of televised alcohol advertisements and data from the Simmons National Consumer Survey (NCS), a large national mail survey on television viewing patterns and consumer behavior.

Setting

United States.

Participants

A total of 54 671 adults, aged 21 years and older, who were randomly selected to participate in the Simmons NCS.

Measurements

Estimated exposure to televised advertisements for beer, wine and spirits, self‐reported alcohol use in the past year and number of drinks consumed in the past 30 days.

Findings

The average respondent was exposed to an estimated 576 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 570–582] televised alcohol advertisements in the year preceding their survey. Exposure was higher among males versus females and African Americans versus whites. A 1% increase in the estimated volume of advertisement exposure was associated with a 0.11 (95% CI = 0.08–0.13) percentage point increase in the odds of having at least one drink in the last 30 days and, among past 30‐day drinkers, a 0.05 (95% CI = 0.04–0.07) per cent increase in the number of alcoholic drinks consumed. Associations were consistent across product categories and demographics.

Conclusions

There appears to be a small but consistent positive association between alcohol advertising exposure and drinking behavior among American adults.
Nitrous Oxide Inhalant Use Disorder Preceding Symptoms Concerning for Primary Psychotic Illness
Authors: Roberts Daniel , Farahmand Pantea , Wolkin Adam
Published: April 2020

Background and Objective

Nitrous oxide has long been used recreationally for its ability to induce euphoria and other deliriant effects. In modern times, it remains a popular, legal, and widely available option for those seeking altered states. Though substance‐induced psychotic symptoms have been mentioned in the literature, the potential long‐term negative neuropsychiatric effects related to its use have not been well established.

Methods and Results

This is a patient case report of a young man (N = 1) who initially presented with acute neurological symptoms requiring hospitalization due to heavy nitrous oxide inhalant use, and went on to present with symptoms concerning for a primary psychotic illness over multiple inpatient admissions. He provided both verbal and written consent to share his story for this case report.

Discussion and Conclusions

It is important to consider nitrous oxide use as a possible contributing factor to the development of primary psychotic illness.

Scientific Significance

Current literature suggests that psychosis associated with nitrous oxide use is transient and resolves upon cessation and treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency. Here, we present a patient with risk factors for psychotic illness developing psychotic illness following extensive nitrous oxide use. This report offers a unique perspective of longitudinal follow‐up (often not provided with reports on this topic), and illustrates the importance of healthcare providers inquiring about nitrous oxide abuse in patients presenting with early psychotic symptoms. (Am J Addict 2020;29:525–527)
Very short cervix in low‐risk asymptomatic singleton pregnancies: Outcome according to treatment and cervical length at diagnosis
Authors: Souka Athena P. , Papamihail Maria , Pilalis Athanasios
Published: April 2020

Introduction

The aim of this study was to explore the outcome of low‐risk singleton pregnancies with very short cervical length (CL ≤15 mm) according to method of treatment and CL at diagnosis.

Material and methods

Retrospective study on singleton pregnancies devoid of risk factors for spontaneous preterm delivery identified in the course of universal screening programs by vaginal sonography at 20‐24 weeks of gestation to have very short CL ≤ 15 mm.

Results

The study group consisted of 233 pregnancies with CL ≤ 15 mm of which 88 had cervical cerclage inserted and the remaining 145 were treated with vaginal progesterone. Mean CL at diagnosis was significantly shorter in the cerclage group (5 mm) compared with the progesterone group (12 mm). Regardless of treatment there was no difference in the rate of spontaneous preterm delivery at <32 weeks of gestation in women with CL ≥ 9 mm at screening (11% and 12% in the cerclage and progesterone groups, respectively). In contrast, in the subgroup with CL ≤ 8 mm cervical cerclage resulted in significantly lower rates of spontaneous preterm delivery at <32 weeks of gestation compared with progesterone treatment (20% and 45%, respectively, P = .009) and the median gestational age at birth was significantly greater (37 weeks vs 36 weeks, respectively, P = .013).

Conclusions

The majority of asymptomatic singleton pregnancies with short CL will remain undelivered until 32 weeks of gestation whether treated with progesterone or cerclage. Women with extreme cervical shortening appear to benefit more from cervical cerclage.
Diagnostic ability of spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness to discriminate glaucoma patients from controls in an elderly population (The MONTRACHET study)
Authors: Arnould Louis , De Lazzer Aurélie , Seydou Alassane , Binquet Christine , Bron Alain M. , Creuzot‐Garcher Catherine
Published: April 2020

Purpose

To evaluate the capacity of retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness measured by SD‐OCT to discriminate glaucoma patients from controls in an elderly population.

Methods

The MONTRACHET (Maculopathy, Optic Nerve, nuTRition, neurovAsCular and HEarT diseases) Study is a population‐based study including participants aged 75 years and over. All participants underwent a complete eye examination with optic nerve photographs, visual field testing and OCT peripapillary RNFL thickness measurement. Glaucoma was defined according to the ISGEO (International Society for Epidemiologic and Geographical Ophthalmology) classification. Performance indicators were calculated including area under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUC), likelihood ratios (LR) and diagnostic odds ratios (DOR).

Results

In total, 1061 participants were included in the study, of whom 89 were classified as having glaucoma and 972 were classified as normal. The mean (SD) age of the population was 82.3 (3.7) years. The average RNFL thickness was significantly lower in the glaucoma group than in controls 64.0 (14.9) µm versus 88.9 (12.4) µm, respectively, p < 0.001) and in all sectors compared with controls. The average RNFL thickness had the highest AUC (0.901) followed by the temporal‐inferior (0.879) and temporal‐superior sectors (0.862). When RNFL thickness was classified as abnormal by SD‐OCT, the average RNFL thickness had the best sensitivity (83.75%) followed by the temporal‐inferior sector (75.64%). The specificity for these two parameters was 87.34% and 91.08%, respectively. The highest DOR was 28.70 for average RNFL thickness and reached 34.84 when using the reference database of the OCT manufacturer.

Conclusion

This study confirms that SD‐OCT could be useful as an additional test to discriminate glaucoma patients from controls in an elderly population.
The Role of Self‐Connection in the Relationship between Mindfulness and Meaning: A Longitudinal Examination
Authors: Klussman Kristine , Nichols Austin Lee , Langer Julia
Published: April 2020

Background

Researchers have rarely examined mindfulness and meaning in a way that informs the causality and directionality of this relationship. The current research examines this relationship across time, further validates the Self‐Connection Scale (SCS), and examines the role of self‐connection in both moderating and mediating this relationship. This allows for researchers and practitioners alike to utilise self‐connection to help increase their own and others’ well‐being.

Methods

One hundred and fifty‐four participants completed measures of mindfulness, self‐connection, and meaning over 4 weeks. We also included various measures related to well‐being to further examine the nomological network of the SCS.

Results

Multi‐level models examined a total of 432 observations across 108 participants. Mindfulness predicted an increase in the presence of but not search for meaning. Self‐connection partially mediated the effect on the presence of meaning and moderated the effect on the search for meaning. Furthermore, the SCS demonstrated good validity and reliability across time.

Conclusions

Self‐connection, as measured by the SCS, has an important role in positive psychology, and those with a deficit are likely to benefit the most from increased mindfulness. Together, this provides several implications for using mindfulness and self‐connection research in personal and professional practice.
Weighted regression analysis to correct for informative monitoring times and confounders in longitudinal studies
Authors: Coulombe Janie , Moodie Erica E. M. , Platt Robert W.
Published: April 2020

We address estimation of the marginal effect of a time‐varying binary treatment on a continuous longitudinal outcome in the context of observational studies using electronic health records, when the relationship of interest is confounded, mediated, and further distorted by an informative visit process. We allow the longitudinal outcome to be recorded only sporadically and assume that its monitoring timing is informed by patients' characteristics. We propose two novel estimators based on linear models for the mean outcome that incorporate an adjustment for confounding and informative monitoring process through generalized inverse probability of treatment weights and a proportional intensity model, respectively. We allow for a flexible modeling of the intercept function as a function of time. Our estimators have closed‐form solutions, and their asymptotic distributions can be derived. Extensive simulation studies show that both estimators outperform standard methods such as the ordinary least squares estimator or estimators that only account for informative monitoring or confounders. We illustrate our methods using data from the Add Health study, assessing the effect of depressive mood on weight in adolescents.
A hypothesis for pathobiology and treatment of COVID‐19: The centrality of ACE1/ACE2 imbalance
Authors: Sriram Krishna , Insel Paul A.
Published: April 2020

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme2 is the cell surface binding site for the coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2, which causes COVID‐19. We propose that an imbalance in the action of ACE1‐ and ACE2‐derived peptides, thereby enhancing angiotensin II (Ang II) signalling is primary driver of COVID‐19 pathobiology. ACE1/ACE2 imbalance occurs due to the binding of SARS‐CoV‐2 to ACE2, reducing ACE2‐mediated conversion of Ang II to Ang peptides that counteract pathophysiological effects of ACE1‐generated ANG II. This hypothesis suggests several approaches to treat COVID‐19 by restoring ACE1/ACE2 balance: (a) AT receptor antagonists; (b) ACE1 inhibitors (ACEIs); (iii) agonists of receptors activated by ACE2‐derived peptides (e.g. Ang (1–7), which activates MAS1); (d) recombinant human ACE2 or ACE2 peptides as decoys for the virus. Reducing ACE1/ACE2 imbalance is predicted to blunt COVID‐19‐associated morbidity and mortality, especially in vulnerable patients. Importantly, approved AT antagonists and ACEIs can be rapidly repurposed to test their efficacy in treating COVID‐19.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue on The Pharmacology of COVID‐19. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v177.21/issuetoc
World steel production: A new monthly indicator of global real economic activity
Authors: Ravazzolo Francesco , Vespignani Joaquin
Published: April 2020

This paper proposes world steel production as an indicator of global real economic activity. World steel production data is published with only a one‐month delay, thereby providing timely information for world real GDP forecasters. We find that world steel production and Lutz Kilian's (2009) index of global real economic activity generate large gains in forecasting world real GDP, relative to an autoregressive benchmark. A forecast combination of world steel production, Kilian's (2009) index of global real economic activity and an index of the industrial production of OECD countries plus six non‐OECD emerging economies produces significant gains in forecasting world real GDP, relative to an autoregressive benchmark
Expanding the clinical spectrum of Fowler syndrome: Three siblings with survival into adulthood and systematic review of the literature
Authors: De Luca Chiara , Crow Yanick J. , Rodero Mathieu , Rice Gillian I. , Ahmed Melek , Lammens Martin , De Cock Paul , Van Esch Hilde , Lagae Lieven , Rochtus Anne
Published: April 2020

Proliferative vasculopathy and hydranencephaly‐hydrocephaly syndrome (PVHH, OMIM 225790), also known as Fowler syndrome, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of brain angiogenesis. PVHH has long been considered to be prenatally lethal. We evaluated the phenotypes of the first three siblings with survival into adulthood, performed a systematic review of the Fowler syndrome literature and delineated genotype‐phenotype correlations using a scoring system to rate the severity of the disease. Thirty articles were included, describing 69 individual patients. To date, including our clinical reports, 72 patients have been described with Fowler syndrome. Only 6/72 (8%) survived beyond birth. Although our three patients carry the same mutations (c.327T>A‐p.Asn109Lys and c.887C>T‐p.Ser296Leu) in FLVCR2, only two of them presented with the same cerebral features, ventriculomegaly and cerebral calcifications, as affected fetuses. The third sibling has a surprisingly milder clinical and radiological phenotype, suggesting intrafamilial variability. Although no clear phenotype‐genotype correlation exists, some variants appear to be associated with a less severe phenotype compatible with life. As such, it is important to consider Fowler syndrome in patients with gross ventriculomegaly, cortical malformations and/or cerebral calcifications on brain imaging.
Hyperkeratotic hand eczema: Eczema or not?
Authors: Politiek Klaziena , Loman Laura , Pas Hendri H. , Diercks Gilles F.H. , Lemmink Henny H. , Jan Sabrina Z. , van den Akker Peter C. , Bolling Maria C. , Schuttelaar Marie L.A.
Published: April 2020

Background

Hyperkeratotic hand eczema (HHE) is a typical clinical hand eczema subtype with a largely unknown pathophysiology.

Objective

To investigate histopathology, expression of keratins (K), epidermal barrier proteins, and adhesion molecules in HHE.

Methods

Palmar skin biopsies (lesional and perilesional) were obtained from seven HHE patients and two healthy controls. Moreover, 135 candidate genes associated with palmoplantar keratoderma were screened for mutations.

Results

Immunofluorescence staining showed a significant reduction of K9 and K14 in lesional skin. Upregulation was found for K5, K6, K16, and K17 in lesional skin compared with perilesional and healthy palmar skin. Further, upregulation of involucrin and alternating loricrin staining, both in an extracellular staining pattern, was found. Filaggrin expression was similar in lesional, perilesional, and control skin. No monogenetic mutations were found.

Conclusion

Currently, the phenotype of HHE is included in the hand eczema classification system; however, it can be argued whether this is justified. The evident expression of filaggrin and involucrin in lesional skin does not support a pathogenesis of atopic eczema. The upregulation of K6, K16, and K17 and reduction of K9 and K14 might contribute to the underlying pathogenesis. Unfortunately, comparison with hand eczema studies is not possible yet, because similar protein expression studies are lacking.
Feasibility of laparoscopic endoscopic cooperative surgery for non‐ampullary superficial duodenal neoplasms: Single‐arm confirmatory trial
Authors: Kanaji Shingo , Morita Yoshinori , Yamazaki Yuta , Otowa Yasunori , Takao Toshitatsu , Tanaka Shinwa , Urakawa Naoki , Yamamoto Masashi , Matsuda Takeru , Oshikiri Taro , Nakamura Tetsu , Suzuki Satoshi , Toyonaga Takashi , Kodama Yuzo , Kakeji Yoshihiro
Published: April 2020

Objective

Laparoscopic endoscopic cooperative surgery for duodenal tumors (D‐LECS) has been developed to prevent duodenal leakage by reinforcing the endoscopic submucosal dissection site. However, there has been no prospective trial showing the feasibility of D‐LECS. Herein, we conducted a single‐arm confirmatory trial to evaluate the safety of D‐LECS for non‐ampullary superficial duodenal neoplasms.

Methods

This prospective single‐center single‐arm confirmatory trial analyzed patients with non‐ampullary superficial duodenal neoplasms who underwent D‐LECS. The primary endpoint was the incidence of any postoperative leakage occurring on the duodenal wall within 1 month postoperatively. The planned sample size was 20 patients, considering a threshold of 28% and one‐sided alpha value of 5%.

Results

Between January 2015 and September 2018, 20 eligible patients were enrolled. Sixteen tumors were located in the second portion, three in the first portion, and one in the third portion of the duodenal region. The median operative time was 225 (134–361) min and the median blood loss was 0 (0–150) mL. Curative resection (R0) with negative margins was achieved in 19 cases. One case of postoperative leakage and one case of bleeding of grade 2 according to the Clavien–Dindo classification were observed in this series. The median duration of postoperative hospital stay was 9 (5–12) days. No local recurrence was observed in any patient during the median follow‐up of 15.0 (12.0–38.0) months.

Conclusions

This trial confirmed the safety and feasibility of D‐LECS for non‐ampullary superficial duodenal neoplasms with respect to the low incidence of postoperative duodenal leakage.
Managing People with Diabetes Fasting for Ramadan During the COVID‐19 Pandemic: A South Asian Health Foundation Update
Authors: Hanif S. , Ali S. N. , Hassanein M. , Khunti K. , Hanif W.
Published: April 2020

The month of Ramadan forms one of the five pillars of the Muslim faith. Adult Muslims are obligated to keep daily fasts from dawn to sunset, with exceptions. This year Ramadan is due to begin on 23 April 2020 and the longest fast in the UK will be approximately 18 hours in length. In addition, due to the often high‐calorie meals eaten to break the fast, Ramadan should be seen as a cycle of fasting and feasting. Ramadan fasting can impact those with diabetes, increasing the risk of hypoglycaemia, hyperglycaemia and dehydration. This year, Ramadan will occur during the global COVID‐19 pandemic. Reports show that diabetes appears to be a risk factor for more severe disease with COVID‐19. In addition, the UK experience has shown diabetes and COVID‐19 is associated with dehydration, starvation ketosis, diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state. This makes fasting in Ramadan particularly challenging for those Muslims with diabetes. Here, we discuss the implications of fasting in Ramadan during the COVID‐19 pandemic and make recommendations for those with diabetes who wish to fast.
Bacterial and archaeal taxa are reliable indicators of soil restoration across distributed calcareous grasslands
Authors: Armbruster Melanie , Goodall Tim , Hirsch Penny R. , Ostle Nick , Puissant Jeremy , Fagan Kate C. , Pywell Richard F. , Griffiths Robert I.
Published: April 2020

Land‐use intensification can reduce soil carbon stocks and changes microbial community biodiversity and functionality. However, there is a lack of consensus on whether management consistently affects microbial biodiversity across geographic scales, and how this relates to altered soil function. From a regulatory and monitoring perspective, there is a need to identify functionally relevant indicators of land use in order to evaluate the progress of soil restoration approaches. We performed a landscape‐scale survey of unimproved calcareous grasslands paired with local arable contrasts, and assessed the consistency of responses in a variety of soil, biotic and functional measures. In addition, adjacent grasslands undergoing restoration were assessed to identify soil microbial indicators of recovery. Organic matter content was consistently larger in grasslands than in arable fields, and increased with time in the restoring sites. Molecular comparisons of grassland versus arable soils revealed numerous bacterial, archaeal and fungal indicators, with more representatives of Ca. Xiphinematobacter, DA101, Bradyrhizobium, Rhodoplanes, Mycobacteria and Mortierella in old grassland soils, whereas Nitrososphaera, Sporosarcina and Alternaria infectoria were more abundant in arable soils. Extracellular enzymatic responses were more variable, with none of the eight investigated enzymes being consistent indicators of grassland or arable soils. Correlation analyses, incorporating the molecular and enzymatic responses across all surveyed soils, revealed that molecular indicators were more strongly correlated with soil organic matter increases with restoration of arable soils. Our results highlight that microbial taxa are among the most sensitive indicators of soil restoration, and we identify consistent responses of specific taxa to management across geographic scales. This discovery will be important for both the instigation and monitoring of soil restoration.

Highlights

Soil microbes are key drivers of soil ecosystem services and are affected by management

Calcareous grassland exhibited abundant Verrucomicrobia; cropping increased Nitrososphaera

These taxa responded to SOM increases with grassland restoration, more so than enzymes and fungi

Microbes provide consistent, site‐independent indicators for calcareous grassland soil function restoration
Compensating for climate change–induced cue‐environment mismatches: evidence for contemporary evolution of a photoperiodic reaction norm in Colias butterflies
Authors: Nielsen Matthew E. , Kingsolver Joel G.
Published: April 2020

Anthropogenic climate change alters seasonal conditions without altering photoperiod and can thus create a cue‐environment mismatch for organisms that use photoperiod as a cue for seasonal plasticity. We investigated whether evolution of the photoperiodic reaction norm has compensated for this mismatch in Colias eurytheme. This butterfly’s wing melanization has a thermoregulatory function and changes seasonally. In 1971, Hoffmann quantified how larval photoperiod determines adult wing melanization. We recreated his experiment 47 years later using a contemporary population. Comparing our results to his, we found decreased melanization at short photoperiods but no change in melanization at long photoperiods, which is consistent with the greater increase in spring than summer temperatures recorded for this region. Our study shows that evolution can help correct cue‐environment mismatches but not in the same way under all conditions. Studies of contemporary evolution may miss important changes if they focus on only a limited range of conditions.
MRP4/ABCC4 expression is regulated by histamine in acute myeloid leukemia cells, determining cAMP efflux
Authors: Rodríguez González Angela , Sahores Ana , Díaz‐Nebreda Antonela , Yaneff Agustín , Di Siervi Nicolás , Gómez Natalia , Monczor Federico , Fernández Natalia , Davio Carlos , Shayo Carina
Published: April 2020

Intracellular cAMP (i‐cAMP) levels play an important role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell proliferation and differentiation. Its levels are the result of cAMP production, degradation, and exclusion. We have previously described histamine H2 receptors and MRP4/ABCC4 as two potential targets for AML therapy. Acting through histamine H2 receptors, histamine increases cAMP production/synthesis, while MRP4/ABCC4 is responsible for the exclusion of this cyclic nucleotide. In this study, we show that histamine treatment induces MRP4/ABCC4 expression, augmenting cAMP efflux, and that histamine, in combination with MRP inhibitors, is able to reduce AML cell proliferation. Histamine, through histamine H2 receptor, increases i‐cAMP levels and induces MRP4 transcript and protein levels in U937, KG1a, and HL‐60 cells. Moreover, histamine induces MRP4 promoter activity in HEK293T cells transfected with histamine H2 receptor (HEK293T‐H2R). Our results support that the cAMP/Epac‐PKA pathway, and not MEK/ERK nor PI3K/AKT signaling cascades, is involved in histamine‐mediated upregulation of MRP4 levels. Finally, the addition of histamine potentiates the inhibition of U937, KG1a, and HL‐60 cell proliferation induced by MRP4 inhibitors. Our data highlight that the use of a poly‐pharmacological approach aimed at different molecular targets would be beneficial in AML treatment.
The relationship between overall happiness and perceived transportation services relative to other individual and environmental variables
Authors: Gim Tae‐Hyoung Tommy
Published: April 2020

Studies on happiness determinants have mainly focused on individual characteristics, but recently, the focus was extended to public services. Regarding the role of transportation services, however, few discussions exist on the overall happiness beyond the transitory happiness from a single trip, which differs by the mechanical characteristics of the transportation means, and particularly, those in non‐Western areas are very few. This study analyses the perceived transportation services‐happiness relationship using a social survey of 46 thousand citizens in Seoul, South Korea. How transportation services contribute to happiness is discussed in relation to the auxiliary travel utility through activities/non‐activities on the way to the destination and to the intrinsic utility, which is generated by satisfying mobility instincts, in addition to the derived utility by those activities that are conducted at the destination, the traditional focus in the transportation literature. An analytical model based on partial least squares structural equation modeling estimates the relationship between happiness and the factor of perceived transportation services while controlling for seven factors. Analytical findings are that except for gender, the significance and magnitude of each of the indicators are comparable to those reported in previous studies and as expected, perceived transportation services significantly encourage happiness. Specifically, satisfaction with the pedestrian environment turns out to be more important in increasing happiness than that with other transportation services and between the two pedestrian environment indicators, satisfaction in the residential neighborhood is found to be more important than that in urban centers.
Intratumoral CD103‐positive tumour‐infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with favourable prognosis in patients with triple‐negative breast cancer
Authors: Park Min H , Kwon Sun Y , Choi Jung E , Gong Gyungyub , Bae Young K
Published: April 2020

Aims

Cluster of differentiation 103 (CD103), a marker of tissue resident memory T cells, is expressed on subsets of CD8+ T lymphocytes. We investigated the prognostic significance of CD103+ intra‐epithelial tumour‐infiltrating lymphocytes (iTILs) in invasive breast cancer (IBC).

Methods and results

Immunohistochemistry was performed for CD103, CD8 and TGF‐β isoforms (1, 2 and 3) on tissue microarrays of 1187 IBC samples. CD103+ and CD8+ iTILs were present in 904 (76.2%) and 854 (74%) cases with an overall mean ± standard deviation of 38.2 ± 100.2/mm2 and 30.4 ± 89.7/mm2, respectively. The numbers of CD103+ and CD8+ iTILs were positively correlated, and CD103+ iTILs outnumbered CD8+ iTILs in HER2‐positive and triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC). CD103+ and CD8+ iTIL densities were significantly higher in tumours of histological grade 3, absence of lymphovascular invasion, high Ki‐67 index, high stromal TIL density or TGF‐β3 expression. High CD103+ iTIL density was associated with better disease‐free survival (DFS, P = 0.007), but no significant association was observed for overall survival (OS). Subgroup analysis by cancer molecular subtype showed that CD103+ iTIL count was prognostic only for TNBC (OS, P = 0.035; DFS, P = 0.009). CD8+ iTIL density was significant for DFS, but not for OS, in the entire cohort and TNBC. In multivariate analysis, CD103+ iTIL density was an independent prognostic factor of OS (P = 0.02) and DFS (P = 0.007) in TNBC, while CD8+ iTIL density was not significant for survival.

Conclusions

CD103 iTIL density can serve as a predictor of good prognosis in patients with TNBC.