bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stratigraphic evolution and karstification of a Cretaceous Mid‐Pacific atoll (Resolution Guyot) resolved from core‐log‐seismic integration and comparison with modern and ancient analogues
Authors: El‐Yamani Mahmoud S. , John Cédric M. , Bell Rebecca
Published: April 2022

Atolls are faithful recorders helping us understand eustatic variations, the evolution of carbonate production through time, and changes in magmatic hotspots activity. Several early Cretaceous Mid‐Pacific atolls were previously investigated through ocean drilling, but due to the low quality of vintage seismic data available, few spatial constraints exist on their stratigraphic evolution and large‐scale diagenesis. Here, we present results from an integrated core‐log‐seismic study at Resolution Guyot and comparison with modern and ancient analogues. We identify six seismic‐stratigraphic units: (1) platform initiation with aggradation and backstepping through the Hauterivian which ended by platform emersion; (2) reflooding of the platform with progradation and aggradation through the Barremian till the early‐Aptian when ocean anoxic event 1a resulted in incipient drowning; (3) platform backstepping till the mid‐Aptian when the platform shifted to progradation and aggradation till the mid‐Albian; (4) platform emersion; (5) reflooding with backstepping ending at the latest‐Albian by platform emersion; and (6) final drowning. The stratigraphic surfaces bounding these units are coeval with some of the Cretaceous eustatic events, which suggest an eustatic control on the evolution of this atoll and confirm that several previously reported sea‐level variations in the early Cretaceous are driven by eustasy. Changes in subsidence and carbonate production rates and suspected later magmatism have also impacted the stratigraphic evolution. The suspected later magmatism could lead to environmental perturbations and potentially platform demise. Contrary to previous studies, we identify two emersion events during the mid‐ and late‐Albian which resulted in intensive meteoric dissolution and karstification. The platform margin syndepositional fractures interacted with the subaerial exposure events by focusing the dissolution which formed vertically stacked flank‐margin fracture‐cave system. The study gives a unique insight into the interplay between eustasy, subsidence, and volcanic activity(ies) on long‐term evolution of early Cretaceous shallow‐marine carbonates. It also documents the impact and distribution of hypogenic and epigenic fluid‐flow in atolls serving as an analogue for isolated carbonate platforms.
Cover Image
Authors: Arnal Helene M. , Angioni Charles D. , Gaultier Frederick , Urbinelli Renaud , Urban Istvan A.
Published: April 2022

The cover image is based on the Research Article Horizontal guided bone regeneration on knife‐edge ridges: A retrospective case‐control pilot study comparing two surgical techniques by Helene Arnal et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/cid.13073.

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A decrease in peripheral thyroid hormone conversion efficiency in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and L‐T3 as a possible alternative therapeutic escape option
Authors: Verelst Faro R. , Beyens Michiel Marcel Jozef , Vandenbroucke Elke , Forceville Katheleen , (Th. B) Twickler Marcel
Published: April 2022

Hypothyroidism is a frequently occurring side effect in patients under treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Actually, the origin of hypothyroidism with ICI use is classified as a primary (thyroid) or as secondary/tertiary hypothyroidism (hypothalamus‐pituitary). Treatment consists of levothyroxine (L‐T4) substitution. Recently, we were rarely confronted with a clinically overt hypothyroidism in three patients under treatment with ICIs who were non‐responsive to T4 therapy. As a therapeutical escape, liothyronine (L‐T3) was started with a significant clinical and/or biochemical improvement suggesting an underlying functional defect in the peripheral free T4 (fT4) to free T3 (fT3) conversion (as supported by calculation of SPINA‐GD). Against this background, we discussed our three patients along an extended review of this clinical topic.
Precise functional connections between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and areas recruited for physical inference
Authors: Navarro‐Cebrián Ana , Fischer Jason
Published: April 2022

Recent work has identified brain areas that are engaged when people predict how the physical behaviour of the world will unfold—an ability termed intuitive physics. Among the many unanswered questions about the neural mechanisms of intuitive physics is where the key inputs come from: Which brain regions connect up with intuitive physics processes to regulate when and how they are engaged in service of our goals? In the present work, we targeted the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) for study based on characteristics that make it well‐positioned to regulate intuitive physics processes. The dACC is richly interconnected with frontoparietal regions and is implicated in mapping contexts to actions, a process that would benefit from physical predictions to indicate which action(s) would produce the desired physical outcomes. We collected resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data in 17 participants and used independent task‐related runs to find the pattern of activity during a physical inference task in each individual participant. We found that the strongest resting state functional connections of the dACC not only aligned well with physical inference‐related activity at the group level, it also mirrored individual differences in the positioning of physics‐related activity across participants. Our results suggest that the dACC might be a key structure for regulating the engagement of intuitive physics processes in the brain.
Electrophysiological, histopathological, and biochemical evaluation of the protective effect of probiotic supplementation against pentylenetetrazole‐induced seizures in rats
Authors: Aygun Hatice , Akin Ali Tuğrul , Kızılaslan Nildem , Sumbul Orhan , Karabulut Derya
Published: April 2022

Background and purpose

Research on the relationship between the gut microbiome and epilepsy is accumulating. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of probiotic supplementation on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)‐induced seizures in rats.

Methods

Twenty‐one adult male Wistar albino rats were included. The animals were divided into three groups of seven rats. Group 1 was a control group, whereas Group 2 rats received PTZ treatment and Group 3 rats had PTZ+PB (probiotic) treatment. For 6 weeks, Groups 1 and 2 were given saline (1 ml), whereas Group 3 had probiotic supplement. In the 5th week, tripolar electrodes were attached to the rats. Electrophysiological, behavioral, biochemical, and immunohistochemical evaluations were performed in the 6 weeks after the treatment.

Results

PB treatment significantly reduced seizures. In the PTZ group, expression levels of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor (NGF), and Sox2 (SRY sex‐determining region Y‐box 2) in rat brains decreased significantly compared to the control group, whereas the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), total oxidant status (TOS), and nitric oxide (NO) levels increased. In the PTZ+PB group, NGF expression increased significantly compared to the PTZ group, whereas TNF‐α, IL‐6, TOS, and NO levels decreased. In histopathological examination, an abundance of necrotic neurons was notable in the PTZ group, which was less in the PTZ+PB group. In addition, body weight of the group supplemented with probiotics decreased after the treatment.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that probiotic supplementation may alleviate seizure severity and exert neuroprotective effects by reducing neuroinflammation and oxidative stress and altering the expression of neurotrophins in epileptogenic brains.
Employing sequential experiments to gain insights on the interaction between creep and fatigue damage in Ni‐base superalloys
Authors: Gorgannejad Sanam , Estrada Rodas Ernesto A. , Neu Richard W.
Published: April 2022

The interaction between creep and fatigue damage in Ni‐base superalloy CMSX‐8 was explored using a sequential workflow that decouples creep and fatigue steps to quantify how accumulated creep damage interacts with subsequent isothermal low‐cycle fatigue (LCF) and vice versa. Two workflows were considered: creep followed by LCF and LCF followed by creep. For the first workflow, the subsequent LCF was evaluated at temperatures of 20°C, 750°C, and 1100°C. It was found that the extent of deleterious interaction of prior creep on LCF depended on increasing subsequent fatigue test temperature. For the LCF followed by creep, fatigue tests were first conducted at 20°C and 1100°C to 60% of life, and then creep was conducted at 800°C, where primary creep is promoted, or 900°C, where primary creep is absent. LCF damage accumulated at 1100°C accelerated creep and decreased ductility, while fatigue damage at room temperature had minimal effect on the creep behavior.
The impact of co‐location employment partnerships within the Australian mental health service and policy context: A systematic review
Authors: Mallick Sue , Islam Md Shahidul
Published: April 2022

Adults with a serious persistent mental illness (SPMI) express a strong desire to work. However, they continue to experience higher levels of unemployment, barriers, and occupational exclusion that impact their vocational outcomes and choice of work. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of co‐location partnerships between adult mental health and disability employment services (DES) on employment outcomes and consumer choice of work for adults with a SPMI. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, a systematic literature review was conducted by searching four databases. The relationship between mental health, employment, and DES was examined. Inclusion criteria were adults with a SPMI; employment services and outcomes; and job retention and sustainability. Twelve studies met inclusion criteria. All studies were peer‐reviewed, Australian‐based, and published between 01 January 2017 and 30 August 2021. Individual placement and support (IPS); DES practice, funding, policy, and reform within the Australian mental health system; and barriers to participation in DES were the three main themes that emerged. Findings highlight the importance of joint, co‐location partnerships between mental health and employment services, including a collaborative approach to policy reform between both services, to assist adults with a SPMI to gain and sustain competitive employment. Vocational, non‐vocational, systemic, and structural barriers still exist; hence, adults with a SPMI continue to face challenges with gaining and sustaining long‐term employment. Hence, it is important for these partnerships to be systematically set up to support the complexity of the employment journey for adults with a SPMI.
Adherence to screening and management guidelines of maternal Group B Streptococcus colonization in pregnancy
Authors: Pangerl Sabine , Sundin Deborah , Geraghty Sadie
Published: April 2022

Aims

To investigate Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization in pregnancy; adherence to antenatal GBS screening and adherence to the intrapartum antibiotics protocol within two models of care (midwifery and non‐midwifery led).

Design

This retrospective quantitative study has employed a descriptive design using administrative health data.

Methods

Data from five maternity hospitals in metropolitan and regional Western Australia that included 22,417 pregnant women who gave birth between 2015 and 2019 were examined, applying descriptive statistics using secondary data analysis.

Results

The study revealed an overall GBS colonization rate of 21.7% with similar rates in the different cohorts. A lower adherence to screening was found in the midwifery led model of care (MMC, 68.76%,n = 7232) when compared with the non‐midwifery led model of care (NMMC, 90.49%,n = 10,767). Over the 5 years, screening rates trended down in the MMC with stable numbers in the counterpart. Adherence in relation to intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis revealed discrepant findings between the study groups.

Conclusion

Adherence to screening and management guidelines of maternal GBS colonization in pregnancy is lower within the MMC when compared with the NMMC.

Impact

This is the first cohort study to describe the adherence to the recommended Western Australian GBS screening guidelines in the two different models of care. Findings may assist in the guidance and improvement of clinical protocols as well as the planning of clinical care in relation to GBS screening to reduce the risk of neonatal GBS infection.
The effects of subjective socioeconomic status on conspicuous consumption
Authors: Wang Yan , Liu Bingjie , Lin Shuyuan , Liu Lin , Wu Yufei , Cui Lijuan
Published: April 2022

Conspicuous consumption, the purchase, and exhibit of expensive and luxury items to signal wealth and status to others, is common in everyday life. Although conspicuous consumption seems to be exclusive to high‐status people, past research suggests that conspicuous consumption also allows people to compensate for feeling being lower in the social hierarchy. Four studies (Study 1a: N = 242; Study 1b: N = 208; Study 2, N = 242; Study 3, N = 128) examined the relationship between subjective socioeconomic status (SES) and conspicuous consumption, and the moderating role of social mobility beliefs. We found that people with low subjective SES are more likely to engage in conspicuous consumption (Studies 1a, 1b, and 2). We also provided evidence for the joint effect of subjective SES and social mobility belief on conspicuous consumption, such that low subjective SES people who perceive low social mobility are more prone to conspicuous consumption than other people (Studies 2 and 3). The findings are robust to whether subjective SES was measured (Studies 1a) or manipulated (Studies 1b, 2, and 3) and various forms of conspicuous consumption. The current research contributes to the literature on SES, conspicuous consumption, and social mobility belief. Practical implications and future directions are discussed.
Use of the AGREE II instrument to evaluate critical care practice guidelines addressing pharmacotherapy
Authors: Linn Dustin D. , Beckett Robert D. , Faust Andrew C.
Published: April 2022

Rationale, Aims and Objectives

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been evaluated for reporting transparency and methodological quality in a number of studies in various disciplines, but few studies have focused on critical care and none on pharmacotherapy‐related guidelines specifically. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of critical care CPGs with a focus on pharmacotherapy using the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument.

Method

A cross‐sectional study of CPGs published from 2013 through August 2021 was conducted. Following establishment of interrater reliability, guidelines were independently evaluated by three reviewers to rate guidelines on criteria set forth by the AGREE II instrument. Domain scores and item scores were calculated using the AGREE II user manual, and results described with descriptive statistics.

Results

Out of 192 guidelines identified, 73 met inclusion criteria and were screened using the AGREE II instrument. Most guidelines were authored by a professional organization or government agency. Domain quality scores were calculated for each domain as recommended by the AGREE II instrument. Domain 4 (clarity of presentation) had the highest AGREE II domain score with a median score of 87.0% (interquartile range: 79.6%−92.6%). Domain 5 (applicability) received the lowest domain score with a mean score of 41.8 ± 21.1%. The majority of guidelines were recommended for use as published or with modifications, while only six guidelines (8.2%) were not recommended for use.

Conclusions

The majority of critical care guidelines that include pharmacotherapy recommendations were recommended for use by study authors when the AGREE II instrument was applied. While guidelines generally scored highly in clarity of presentation, additional time and effort should focus on providing solutions to guideline implementation and inclusion of patient preferences.
Molecular detection of a novel perkinsid associated with the deep‐sea clam Phreagena okutanii
Authors: Takishita Kiyotaka , Ikuta Tetsuro , Komatsu Miho , Sakaba Norika , Yoshida Takao , Otsubo Mayuko
Published: April 2022

Based on environmental DNA surveys, it is widely held that phylogenetically diverse protists exist in chemosynthetic ecosystems. However, knowledge regarding the protists associated with the endemic animals inhabiting these environments is still very limited. In the present study, utilizing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques, we detected fragments of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal RNA genes from a particular protist in the gills of the vesicomyid clam Phreagena okutanii (formerly described as Calyptogena okutanii), a representative animal in chemosynthetic ecosystems. Based on the phylogeny of the SSU rRNA gene, the organism in question belongs to the genus Perkinsus, which is exclusively composed of protistan parasites infecting mollusks. Intriguingly, based on the ITS phylogeny, this protist was not related to any known Perkinsus species and was deeply branched within the radiation of this genus, thus represents an undescribed species. In addition, the protist detected by PCR was localized to the intercellular spaces in the gills of the host clam with fluorescence in situ hybridization. Although the ecological significance of this novel deep‐sea perkinsid remains unclear, our present findings may provide important insights into the diversity of the genus Perkinsus.
News Shocks, Business Cycles, and the Disinflation Puzzle
Authors: BOUAKEZ HAFEDH , KEMOE LAURENT
Published: April 2022

We argue that key findings of the empirical literature on the effects of news about future technology—including their tendency to generate negative comovement of macro‐economic aggregates, and their puzzling disinflationary nature—are due to measurement errors in total factor productivity (TFP). In this paper, we estimate the macro‐economic effects of news shocks in the United States using an agnostic identification approach that is robust to measurement errors. We find no evidence of negative comovement conditional on a news shock, and the disinflation puzzle essentially vanishes under our identification strategy. Our results also indicate that news shocks have become an important driver of business‐cycle fluctuations in recent years.
The mobility assessment course: A ready‐to‐use dynamic measure of visuospatial neglect
Authors: Nelemans Katinka N. , Nijboer Tanja C. W. , Ten Brink Antonia F. ,   KnowledgeBrokers Neglect Study Group
Published: April 2022

The Mobility Assessment Course (MAC) is a tool to measure visuospatial neglect in a dynamic fashion. Although the MAC has been shown to dissociate between patients with and without neglect, it remains unclear whether it is applicable in clinical settings. We evaluated the MAC regarding its (1) feasibility as a diagnostic tool as part of standard care, (2) construct validity, and (3) underlying constructs and potential confounders. A consecutive sample of stroke patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation completed the MAC, shape cancellation, line bisection, and/or Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS) as part of the standard assessment. To assess feasibility, we computed the percentage of patients who completed the MAC. Construct validity was tested by evaluating MAC performance between patients with and without neglect and controls. Finally, a regression analysis was conducted to assess underlying constructs and potential confounders of MAC performance (i.e., level of mobility and lesion side). The MAC was completed by 82% of patients (N = 182/223; of whom 145 completed all tasks). Patients with neglect performed worse on the MAC (indicating more severe neglect) compared to patients without neglect and controls. The MAC had a lower sensitivity and higher specificity than paper‐and‐pencil tasks and the CBS. Performance on shape cancellation, line bisection, and CBS were predictors of MAC performance. Level of mobility and lesion side did not predict MAC scores, indicating that these factors do not confound its reliability. To conclude, the MAC is an easy‐to‐implement tool to evaluate neglect in a dynamic manner, which can be administered in addition to conventional paper‐and‐pencil tasks.
Heterodonty and ontogenetic shift dynamics in the dentition of the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier (Chondrichthyes, Galeocerdidae)
Authors: Türtscher Julia , Jambura Patrick L. , López‐Romero Faviel A. , Kindlimann René , Sato Keiichi , Tomita Taketeru , Kriwet Jürgen
Published: April 2022

The lifelong tooth replacement in elasmobranch fishes (sharks, rays and skates) has led to the assemblage of a great number of teeth from fossil and extant species, rendering tooth morphology an important character for taxonomic descriptions, analysing phylogenetic interrelationships and deciphering their evolutionary history (e.g. origination, divergence, extinction). Heterodonty (exhibition of different tooth morphologies) occurs in most elasmobranch species and has proven to be one of the main challenges for these analyses. Although numerous shark species are discovered and described every year, detailed descriptions of tooth morphologies and heterodonty patterns are lacking or are only insufficiently known for most species. Here, we use landmark‐based 2D geometric morphometrics on teeth of the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier to analyse and describe dental heterodonties among four different ontogenetic stages ranging from embryo to adult. Our results reveal rather gradual and subtle ontogenetic shape changes, mostly characterized by increasing size and complexity of the teeth. We furthermore provide the first comprehensive description of embryonic dental morphologies in tiger sharks. Also, tooth shapes of tiger sharks in different ontogenetic stages are re‐assessed and depicted in detail. Finally, multiple cases of tooth file reversal are described. This study, therefore, contributes to our knowledge of dental traits across ontogeny in the extant tiger shark G. cuvier and provides a baseline for further morphological and genetic studies on the dental variation in sharks. Therefore, it has the potential to assist elucidating the underlying developmental and evolutionary processes behind the vast dental diversity observed in elasmobranch fishes today and in deep time.
Cryodehydration protocol to obtain high‐quality permanent anatomical material
Authors: Martins Leandro Luis , Sakalem Marna Eliana
Published: April 2022

The study of anatomy is largely dependent on cadaveric specimens to fulfill the tridimensional comprehension of each structure as well as the relationship between organs. Given the difficult access to fresh anatomical specimens, the constant renovation of samples for research and educational purposes is unsustainable, beyond the ethical issues involved. The standard technique for preserving specimens involves fixation and later immersion in formaldehyde, which enables a good result, but also presents elevated carcinogenic potential. Therefore, safe and efficient preservation methods are mandatory for anatomical practices and investigations. An accessible and inexpensive alternative for specimen preservation is cryodehydration. Cryodehydrated specimens can be kept dry, with no final odor, reducing the use and exposure to formaldehyde. The objective of this study was to propose a simplified step‐by‐step cryodehydration protocol to obtain high‐quality anatomical specimens. Through consecutive freezing and thawing cycles, cryodehydration caused a weight reduction of 60%–70% and allowed anatomical preservation, while maintaining the main morphological aspects of cavitary and parenchymatous organs, muscles, or even full‐body sections. The final specimens presented high durability and can be maintained for decades, preserving all relevant anatomical features.
Effectiveness of patient education on total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Kim Tae Woo , Kim Su Hyun
Published: April 2022

Aims and Objectives

This study was designed to examine the contents and methods of patient educational interventions about total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and their effectiveness in reducing postoperative pain and enhancing range of motion (ROM) in the literature.

Background

Patient education has been provided to facilitate recovery after TKA; however, little is known about the contents and methods of the interventions and their effectiveness in reducing postoperative pain and enhancing ROM.

Design

This is a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods

Published studies from June 1998–June 2021 were identified from electronic databases. Two independent investigators assessed the quality of the studies by using the revised Cochrane risk‐of‐bias tool. Meta‐analyses with random‐effects models were conducted to assess the effectiveness of the interventions using the Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis Software. The study was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guideline.

Results

Among 12 articles that met the inclusion criteria, three interventions provided education on pain management and mobility/exercises. The most common educational methods were the combinations of oral explanation, written materials, and audiovisual materials, group discussion, while four studies used information technology (IT) devices. The meta‐analysis demonstrated that the educational interventions using IT devices were effective in improving pain and ROM, but not the interventions that did not use IT devices.

Conclusion

Structured education for pain management, communication and/or exercise support programs utilising diverse methods have been provided to patients undergoing TKA. Using IT devices could successfully enhance the effectiveness of educational interventions for patients undergoing TKA.

Relevance to clinical practice

Integration of postoperative pain management and mobility/exercises with the use of IT devices should be actively considered in providing patient education in clinical nursing practice.
Midwives and child health nurses’ support is associated with positive coparenting for fathers of infants: A cross‐sectional analysis
Authors: Wells Michael B. , Gedaly Lindsey R. , Aronson Olov
Published: April 2022

Aims and objectives

To examine if the professional support that fathers received from midwives and child health nurses was associated with improvements in fathers’ coparenting. A secondary aim was to investigate if there were any support differences between fathers based on parity.

Background

Stronger coparenting is associated with improved maternal, paternal and child health. It is unclear if routine prenatal and postnatal professional support is associated with improved coparenting in fathers of infants.

Design

Cross‐sectional online survey.

Methods

In total, 612 fathers of infants (aged 0–24 months) completed baseline data between November 2018 and March 2020. Socio‐demographics, pregnancy control variables, social support, professional support, being invited to attend and attending three specific visits for fathers, respectively, and the fathers’ coparenting relationship, using the Brief Coparenting Relationship Scale, were assessed. The STROBE checklist was used as the reporting guideline for this study.

Results

Fathers’ attendance at child health visits, support from the prenatal and postnatal midwife, respectively, and total support from the child health nurse, are associated with more positive coparenting. Primiparous fathers reported more received social and professional support, as well as a more positive coparenting relationship than multiparous fathers.

Conclusions

Receiving clinical support from both midwives and child health nurses is associated with fathers’ positive coparenting. All fathers should be invited and encouraged to attend prenatal, postnatal and child health visits to further support their coparenting relationship. Relative to primiparous fathers, multiparous fathers may require targeted and additional clinical support regarding their coparenting relationship.

Relevance to clinical practice

With fathers becoming more involved in childrearing, having stronger coparenting skills can help them better adapt to their parental roles. Our findings help understand how routine professional support from midwives and child health nurses are experienced among new fathers and that multiparous fathers are in further need of coparenting support.
Measuring stability and structural breaks: Applications in social sciences
Authors: Loginova Daria , Mann Stefan
Published: April 2022

Several theoretical and methodological works have helped to clarify a number of principles of data analysis. The application of this knowledge in social studies when investigating stability and structural breaks needs a clear roadmap. This article suggests methodological frameworks that use structured knowledge on volatility and stability. It explains principles of measure selection per se and regarding research interest and relates these principles to statistical methods. The paper makes recommendations for practitioners concerned with variation issues on model and method selection.
Temporal changes in self‐reported sleep quality, sleep duration and sleep medication use in relation to temporal changes in quality of life and work ability over a 1‐year period among Finnish municipal employees
Authors: Bergman Elina , Löyttyniemi Eliisa , Myllyntausta Saana , Rautava Päivi , Korhonen Päivi E.
Published: April 2022

In this prospective follow‐up study, we aimed to examine whether changes in self‐reported sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleep medication use are temporally associated with changes in quality of life and work ability in municipal employees when several confounding factors are considered. The study was conducted in Finland among 637 municipal employees (88% women, mean [SD] age 48 [10] years) in 2014 and 2015. Information about the participants was collected by self‐administered questionnaire and from medical history. Predicting variables were changes in self‐reported sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleep medication use. Outcome variables were changes in the EUROHIS‐QOL eight‐item index and the Work Ability Score. Improved or unchanged sleep quality compared to worse sleep quality were associated with a preferable change in quality of life (both p < 0.001). No change in sleep duration compared to a decrease and no change in sleep medication use compared to increased use were also associated with favourable changes in quality of life. Increased use of sleep medication was associated with a decline in work ability, and the change in Work Ability Score also differed significantly between improved and worsened sleep quality. In this study, changes in sleep were widely associated with changes in quality of life and work ability of municipal employees. Programmes aiming for better sleep health would probably be beneficial both from a health‐oriented and an economical point of view. Special attention should be paid to employees with a need for sleep medication.
Disinfectant activities of extracts and metabolites from Baccharis dracunculifolia DC
Authors: Bernardes C. T. V. , Ribeiro V. P. , de Carvalho T. C. , Furtado R. A. , Jacometti Cardoso Furtado N. A. , Bastos J. K.
Published: April 2022

The concern regarding the harm caused by biocides to human health has been increasing over the years, making the natural products an alternative to less toxic and more efficient biocides. Therefore, this paper reports the investigation of the disinfectant potential of extracts and isolated compounds from Baccharis dracunculifolia. For this purpose, extracts of aerial parts (BD-C), tricomial wash (BD-L) and roots (BD-R) of B. dracunculifolia were obtained by maceration. The extracts were submitted to different chromatographic techniques, including high-speedy countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) furnishing nine isolated compounds. The extracts and isolated compounds were evaluated regarding their antimicrobial activity by the broth microdilution method, according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, and regarding their sanitizing activity according to Standard Operating Procedure No. 65·3210·007 (INCQS, 2011), developed by the National Institute for Quality Control in Health (INCQS) – Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ). In the antimicrobial evaluation the BD-C extract showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 200 and 100 µg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus and Tricophyton mentagrophytes, respectively. BD-L extract showed MIC value of 200 µg/ml against S. aureus. The isolated compounds caffeic acid (MBC 2·22 µmol l−1), ferulic acid (MBC 2·06 µmol l−1) and baccharin (MBC 0·27 µmol l−1) showed significant inhibitory activity against S. aureus. All B. dracunculifolia isolated compounds were active with exception of aromadrendin-4´-O-methyl-ether for T. mentagrophytes. Additionally, isosakuranetin was active against Salmonella choleraesuis (MIC 1·4 µmol l−1). Regarding the sanitizing activity, the hydroalcoholic solution containing 0·2% of B. dracunculifolia extract in 40°GL ethanol was effective in eliminating the microbial contamination on all carrier cylinders and against all microorganisms evaluated in the recommended exposure time of 10 min. Therefore, B. dracunculifolia has potential for the development of sanitizing agents to be used in hospitals, food manufactures and homes.
Differential regulation of flower transpiration during abiotic stress in annual plants
Authors: Sinha Ranjita , Zandalinas Sara I. , Fichman Yosef , Sen Sidharth , Zeng Shuai , Gómez‐Cadenas Aurelio , Joshi Trupti , Fritschi Felix B. , Mittler Ron
Published: April 2022

Heat waves occurring during droughts can have a devastating impact on yield, especially if they happen during the flowering and seed set stages of the crop cycle. Global warming and climate change are driving an alarming increase in the frequency and intensity of combined drought and heat stress episodes, critically threatening global food security.

Because high temperature is detrimental to reproductive processes, essential for plant yield, we measured the inner temperature, transpiration, sepal stomatal aperture, hormone concentrations and transcriptomic response of closed soybean flowers developing on plants subjected to a combination of drought and heat stress.

Here, we report that, during a combination of drought and heat stress, soybean plants prioritize transpiration through flowers over transpiration through leaves by opening their flower stomata, while keeping their leaf stomata closed. This acclimation strategy, termed ‘differential transpiration’, lowers flower inner temperature by about 2–3°C, protecting reproductive processes at the expense of vegetative tissues.

Manipulating stomatal regulation, stomatal size and/or stomatal density of flowers could serve as a viable strategy to enhance the yield of different crops and mitigate some of the current and future impacts of global warming and climate change on agriculture.
An Ideal Multidisciplinary Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate Care Team
Authors: Frederick Robert , Hogan Amy Claire , Seabolt Natalie , Stocks Rose Mary S.
Published: April 2022

We emphasize the benefits of a multidisciplinary team approach to the systemic management of patients with cleft lip and cleft palate (CL/CP) and their families. An ideal team offers support to families at each stage of their child's development and adapts to address new issues that are encountered throughout growth. We suggest the addition of a registered dietitian to the initial phase of the care team to ensure the child consumes adequate macronutrient intake, and to maximize growth and development. An ideal cleft palate care team focuses on a comprehensive, collaborative, and family‐centered approach to the complex medical and surgical needs of infants with CL/CP as they grow to young adulthood. Although care teams may differ slightly depending on context and location, there are central tenets that make an ideal team. After reviewing CL/CP care team guidelines and recommendations from a variety of different countries, this article reflects what an ideal organization structure and care team composition could be comprised of.
Dangerous body modification: A case report of pulmonary embolism and surgical site bleeding following tongue split procedure
Authors: Lee Jeongmin , Bhujel Nabina , Bennett Karen , Singh Rabindra P.
Published: April 2022

Cosmetic split tongue procedure has become more common among the extreme body modification enthusiasts. Recent media statements addressing the adverse complications of such procedures have generated public interest. A 29‐year‐old patient presented with pre‐syncope symptoms with worsening chest pain 3 days after undergoing a surgical tongue split procedure. Further investigations showed sinus tachycardia with raised troponin levels and imaging confirmed an acute saddle pulmonary embolism (PE) with evidence of a right heart strain and dilatation of the pulmonary artery. She was treated with immediate treatment dose of heparin which resulted in bleeding from the tongue surgical site which was managed by cauterisation and suturing. She was placed on long‐term warfarin treatment. Two months later, she developed further chest pain, which was diagnosed as pleuritis secondary to the PE. We highlight the potential seriousness of the tongue split procedure and describe the dangerous consequences that extreme body modification can pose if the patient is not managed appropriately during the peri‐operative period.
Dorsal root ganglion stimulation device explantation: A multicenter pooled data analysis
Authors: Chapman Kenneth B. , Yang Ajax , Mogilner Alon Y. , Mandelberg Nataniel , Patel Kiran V. , Lubenow Timothy , Deer Timothy , Kallewaard Jan Willem , van Helmond Noud
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRG‐S) is a relatively new neuromodulation modality. Therefore, data on long‐term device explantation rates is limited. This investigation aimed to assess DRG‐S device explantation rates at long‐term follow‐up.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed individuals implanted with DRG‐S in four pain centers from different continuous periods between April 2016 to September 2020. We recorded patient demographics, diagnoses, duration to explantation or last follow‐up, treatment complications, and failure etiologies.

Results

A total of 249 patients with 756 leads and a mean 27‐month follow‐up were included. The mean age was 55 ± 15 years; 148 (63%) were female. Leading diagnoses were CRPS (n = 106, 43%), followed by FBSS (n = 64, 26%), and non‐surgical low back pain (n = 23, 9%). The explantation rate was ~2% per year (n = 10 total). At explantation, the average time from implantation was 13 ± 10 months. Six patients were explanted for inadequate pain relief. Two patients were explanted due to device‐related complications. One patient was explanted secondary to infection and subsequently reimplanted. Five explanted patients experienced a therapy‐related complication before eventual explantation: one transient post‐procedural neuritis and pocket site pain, one lead fracture, two lead migrations, and one experienced a fracture, a migration, and pocket site pain.

Discussion

This large retrospective study of DRG‐S revealed a low therapy‐termination rate. The rate of infection leading to explantation was objectively very low at 0.4%. The leading cause of explantation was inadequate pain relief. Explanted patients often had a therapy‐related complication. Therefore, minimizing adverse treatment events may reduce ultimate explantation rates.
Visible Light and the Skin
Authors: Ezekwe Nneamaka , Maghfour Jalal , Kohli Indermeet
Published: April 2022

Visible light (VL, 400–700 nm) was previously regarded as nonsignificant with minimal to no photobiologic effects on the skin. Recent studies have demonstrated that in dark‐skinned individuals (skin phototypes IV–VI), VL can induce more intense and longer lasting pigmentation compared to ultraviolet A1 (UVA1, 340–400 nm). Additionally, long wavelength UVA1 (370–400 nm) has been shown to potentiate these effects of VL. The combination of VL and UVA1 (VL + UVA1, 370–700 nm) was also able to induce erythema in light‐skinned individuals (skin phototypes I–III), which is a novel finding since the erythemogenic spectrum of sunlight has primarily been attributed to ultraviolet B (UVB, 290–320 nm) and short wavelength UVA2 (320–340 nm) only. Although biologic effects of VL + UVA1 have been established, there are no guidelines in any country to test for photoprotection against this waveband. This invited perspective aims to present the evolution of knowledge of photobiologic effects of VL, associated phototesting methodologies, and current position on VL photoprotection.
A Bayesian Multi-Region Radial Composite Reservoir Model for Deconvolution in Well Test Analysis
Authors: Botsas Themistoklis , Cumming Jonathan A. , Jermyn Ian H.
Published: April 2022

In petroleum well test analysis, deconvolution is used to obtain information about reservoir systems, for example the presence of heterogeneities and boundaries. This information is contained in the response function, which can be estimated by solving an inverse problem in the pressure and flow rate measurements. Our Bayesian approach to this problem is based upon a parametric physical model of reservoir behaviour, derived from the solution for fluid flow in a general class of reservoirs. This permits joint parametric Bayesian inference for both the reservoir parameters and the true pressure and rate values, which is essential due to the typical observational error levels. Using sets of flexible priors for the reservoir parameters to restrict the solution space to physical behaviours, samples from the posterior are generated using Markov Chain Monte Carlo. Summaries and visualisations of the posterior, response, and true pressure and rate values can be produced, interpreted, and model selection can be performed. The method is validated through a synthetic application, and applied to a field data set. The results are comparable to the state of the art solution, but through our method we gain access to system parameters, we can incorporate prior knowledge, and we can quantify parameter uncertainty.
Individual responsiveness to a school‐based karate intervention: An ancillary analysis of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Pinto‐Escalona Tania , Valenzuela Pedro L. , Martin‐Loeches Manuel , Martinez‐de‐Quel Oscar
Published: April 2022

Introduction

School‐based sport interventions have shown beneficial effects on psychosocial functioning and academic performance in children. However, the inter‐individual variability in response to these types of interventions remains unclear. We aimed to determine which children benefit most from a school‐based sport intervention.

Methods

This is an ancillary analysis of a randomized controlled trial assessing the effects of a 1‐year school‐based karate intervention (versus “traditional” physical education lessons) in children (7–8 years) from twenty schools across five European countries. Outcomes included psychosocial functioning (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ] for parents) and academic performance (grade point average). Only participants of the intervention group were included in the present ancillary analysis, and were categorized as responders or non‐responders for the analyzed outcomes attending to whether improvements surpassed a minimal clinically important difference.

Results

About 388 children (187 girls) from the intervention group completed the study, of which 17% and 46% were considered responders for SDQ and academic performance, respectively. Responders for the SDQ presented higher SDQ scores (i.e., higher psychosocial difficulties) at baseline than non‐responders (p < 0.001). Responders for academic performance were mostly males (p = 0.017), with an older age (p = 0.030), and with worse academic performance (p < 0.001) at baseline compared with non‐responders, and tended to present higher SDQ scores (p = 0.055). Responders for one outcome obtained greater benefits from the intervention on the other outcome (e.g., responders for SDQ improved academic performance [p < 0.001] compared with non‐responders).

Conclusions

A school‐based sport intervention (karate) seems particularly effective for children with psychosocial difficulties and low academic performance.
BrABF3 promotes flowering through the direct activation of CONSTANS transcription in pak choi
Authors: Zhang Changwei , Zhou Qian , Liu Wusheng , Wu Xiaoting , Li Zhubo , Xu Yuanyuan , Li Ying , Imaizumi Takato , Hou Xilin , Liu Tongkun
Published: April 2022

Drought stress triggers the accumulation of the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA), which in turn activates the expression of the floral integrator gene CONSTANS (CO), accelerating flowering. However, the molecular mechanism of ABA‐induced CO activation remains elusive. Here, we conducted a yeast one‐hybrid assay using the CO promoter from Brassica campestris (syn. Brassica rapa) ssp. chinensis (pak choi) to screen the ABA‐induced pak choi library and identified the transcription activator ABF3 (BrABF3). BrABF3, the expression of which was induced by ABA in pak choi, directly bound to the CO promoter from both pak choi and Arabidopsis. The BrABF3 promoter is specifically active in the Arabidopsis leaf vascular tissue, where CO is mainly expressed. Impaired BrABF3 expression in pak choi decreased BrCO expression levels and delayed flowering, whereas ectopic expression of BrABF3 in Arabidopsis increased CO expression and induced earlier flowering under the long‐day conditions. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay analysis showed that BrABF3 was enriched at the canonical ABA‐responsive element–ABRE binding factor (ABRE–ABF) binding motifs of the BrCO promoter. The direct binding of BrABF3 to the ABRE elements of CO was further confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation quantitative PCR. In addition, the induction of BrCO transcription by BrABF3 could be repressed by BrCDF1 in the morning. Thus, our results suggest that ABA could accelerate the floral transition by directly activating BrCO transcription through BrABF3 in pak choi.
Quantum thermodynamic devices: From theoretical proposals to experimental reality
Authors: Myers Nathan M. , Abah Obinna , Deffner Sebastian
Published: April 2022

Thermodynamics originated in the need to understand novel technologies developed by the Industrial Revolution. However, over the centuries, the description of engines, refrigerators, thermal accelerators, and heaters has become so abstract that a direct application of the universal statements to real-life devices is everything but straight forward. The recent, rapid development of quantum thermodynamics has taken a similar trajectory, and, e.g., “quantum engines” have become a widely studied concept in theoretical research. However, if the newly unveiled laws of nature are to be useful, we need to write the dictionary that allows us to translate abstract statements of theoretical quantum thermodynamics to physical platforms and working mediums of experimentally realistic scenarios. To assist in this endeavor, this review is dedicated to provide an overview over the proposed and realized quantum thermodynamic devices and to highlight the commonalities and differences of the various physical situations.