bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Population collapse in viviparid gastropods of the Lake Victoria ecoregion started before the Last Glacial Maximum
Authors: Van Bocxlaer Bert , Clewing Catharina , Duputié Anne , Roux Camille , Albrecht Christian
Published: August 2020

Ecosystems of Lake Victoria and riparian communities have been strongly disrupted by the introduction of the invasive Nile perch and its fishing industry. Beyond this invasion and other recent anthropogenic stressors, the Lake Victoria ecoregion also underwent phases of pronounced aridity over the Late Pleistocene, lastly during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The consequences of recent and historic environmental change have been canvassed for the adaptive radiation of haplochromine cichlids occupying the ecoregion, but their effect on freshwater invertebrate diversity remains largely unknown. Here, we use 15 microsatellite loci and approximate Bayesian computation to test whether viviparid gastropods experienced a population bottleneck during the LGM, as did cichlids. Clustering analyses support three viviparid gene pools in the Lake Victoria ecoregion, gathering specimens from 1) Lake Albert and the White Nile, 2) the Victoria Nile and Lake Kyoga and 3) Lake Victoria and tributaries. The last group contains the highest genetic diversity, but all groups have a considerable number of private alleles and are inferred to predate the LGM. Examinations of demographic history reveal a 190‐ to 500‐fold population decline that started ~ 125–150 ka ago, thus substantially before the LGM bottleneck documented in haplochromine cichlids. Population collapses in viviparids are an order of magnitude more severe than declines in cichlids and have not been halted by the re‐establishment of freshwater ecosystems since the LGM. Recent anthropogenic ecosystem deterioration is causing homogenization of previously diversified microhabitats, which may contribute to (local) extinction and enhanced gene flow among species within gene pools.
Instability of natural selection at candidate barrier loci underlying speciation in wood ants
Authors: Kulmuni Jonna , Nouhaud Pierre , Pluckrose Lucy , Satokangas Ina , Dhaygude Kishor , Butlin Roger K.
Published: August 2020

Speciation underlies the generation of novel biodiversity. Yet, there is much to learn about how natural selection shapes genomes during speciation. Selection is assumed to act against gene flow at barrier loci, promoting reproductive isolation. However, evidence for gene flow and selection is often indirect and we know very little about the temporal stability of barrier loci. Here we utilize haplodiploidy to identify candidate male barrier loci in hybrids between two wood ant species. As ant males are haploid, they are expected to reveal recessive barrier loci, which can be masked in diploid females if heterozygous. We then test for barrier stability in a sample collected 10 years later and use survival analysis to provide a direct measure of natural selection acting on candidate male barrier loci. We find multiple candidate male barrier loci scattered throughout the genome. Surprisingly, a proportion of them are not stable after 10 years, natural selection apparently switching from acting against to favouring introgression in the later sample. Instability of the barrier effect and natural selection for introgressed alleles could be due to environment‐dependent selection, emphasizing the need to consider temporal variation in the strength of natural selection and the stability of the barrier effect at putative barrier loci in future speciation work.
Detoxification of plant defensive glucosinolates by an herbivorous caterpillar is beneficial to its endoparasitic wasp
Authors: Sun Ruo , Gols Rieta , Harvey Jeffrey A. , Reichelt Michael , Gershenzon Jonathan , Pandit Sagar S. , Vassão Daniel G.
Published: August 2020

Plant chemical defences impact not only herbivores, but also organisms in higher trophic levels that prey on or parasitize herbivores. While herbivorous insects can often detoxify plant chemicals ingested from suitable host plants, how such detoxification affects endoparasitoids that use these herbivores as hosts is largely unknown. Here, we used transformed plants to experimentally manipulate the major detoxification reaction used by Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth) to deactivate the glucosinolate defences of its Brassicaceae host plants. We then assessed the developmental, metabolic, immune, and reproductive consequences of this genetic manipulation on the herbivore as well as its hymenopteran endoparasitoid Diadegma semiclausum. Inhibition of P. xylostella glucosinolate metabolism by plant‐mediated RNA interference increased the accumulation of the principal glucosinolate activation products, the toxic isothiocyanates, in the herbivore, with negative effects on its growth. Although the endoparasitoid manipulated the excretion of toxins by its insect host to its own advantage, the inhibition of herbivore glucosinolate detoxification slowed endoparasitoid development, impaired its reproduction, and suppressed the expression of genes of a parasitoid‐symbiotic polydnavirus that aids parasitism. Therefore, the detoxification of plant glucosinolates by an herbivore lowers its toxicity as a host and benefits the parasitoid D. semiclausum at multiple levels.
Captive environment influences the composition and diversity of fecal microbiota in Indo‐Pacific bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops aduncus
Authors: Suzuki Akihiko , Akuzawa Koyuki , Kogi Kazunobu , Ueda Keiichi , Suzuki Miwa
Published: August 2020

Captive environments impact the microbiota of captive animals; however, the comparison of microbiota between wild and captive dolphins has been poorly investigated. To explore the impact of a captive environment, we characterized the fecal microbiota of nine wild and four captive Indo‐Pacific bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops aduncus, using a next‐generation sequencing and revealed differences in the fecal microbiota between the analyzed groups. Statistical differences in abundances of the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were found between the wild and captive dolphins. Thirty‐six genera (22.9% of the total genera detected in all dolphins) were shared between the groups, whereas 79 (50.3%) and 42 (26.8%) genera were found only in the wild or captive dolphins, respectively. Several pathogenic bacterial genera, including Morganella and Mycoplasma, were detected only in the captive dolphins, and the genus Lactobacillus was found only in the wild dolphins. LefSe and SIMPER analyses revealed that the genus Clostridium sensu stricto 1 was significantly more abundant in the captive dolphins than in the wild ones and contributed the most to the dissimilarity of fecal microbiota between the groups. Our results indicate that the captive environment impacts the fecal microbiota of dolphins and reinforces the importance of monitoring potentially pathogenic bacteria in captivity.
In vitro activities of antifungal drugs against a large collection of Trichophyton tonsurans isolated from wrestlers
Authors: Kermani Firoozeh , Javidnia Javad , Hedayati Mohammad T. , Abastabar Mahdi , Haghani Iman , Didehdar Mojtaba , Fami Zaghrami Mahmoud , Shokohi Tahereh
Published: August 2020

Background

Trichophyton tonsurans is the most common agent causing tinea gladiatorum in wrestlers, and limited data on susceptibility profiles of Trichophyton tonsurans are available.

Objectives

We aimed to assess the in vitro activity of the common antifungal drug against a large collection of T tonsurans.

Materials/Methods

The in vitro activities to eight common antifungal drugs (sertaconazole, itraconazole, clotrimazole, fluconazole, butenafine, tolnaftate, terbinafine and griseofulvin) against 128 clinical isolates of T tonsurans strains, obtained from wrestlers with dermatophytosis, were performed according to CLSI M38‐A2 broth microdilution document.

Results

The geometric mean minimum inhibitory concentration was the lowest for tolnaftate (0.022 µg/mL), followed by itraconazole (0.026 µg/mL), terbinafine (0.033 µg/mL), butenafine (0.088 µg/mL), griseofulvin (0.566 µg/mL), sertaconazole (2.875 µg/mL), clotrimazole (3.419 µg/mL) and fluconazole (12.540 µg/mL).

Conclusions

Evaluation of antifungal susceptibility of dermatophytes showed that tolnaftate and itraconazole were the most effective drugs against T tonsurans and fluconazole had the least effect.
Toxoplasma gondii infection impairs the colonic motility of rats due to loss of myenteric neurons
Authors: Machado Camila Cristina Alves , Watanabe Paulo da Silva , Mendes Joana D’Arc de Lima , Pupim Andréia Carla Eugenio , Ortigoza Silvia Miyazaki , Bergoc Heloisa Gonçalves , Nino Beatriz de Souza Lima , Góis Marcelo Biondaro , Garcia João Luis , Blackshaw L. Ashley , Sant´Ana Débora de Mello Gonçales , Araújo Eduardo José de Almeida
Published: August 2020

Background

Toxoplasma gondii infection causes intestinal inflammation and diarrhea indicating possible intestinal motor dysfunction. Anatomical studies have shown alterations in the colonic myenteric plexus, but it is unknown whether this impacts motility and therefore whether motility is a target for treatment. We determined whether colonic coordinated movements are compromised by toxoplasmic infection and how it is associated with anatomical changes.

Methods

Male Wistar rats were evaluated at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours and 30 days postinfection (dpi) and controls. Infected rats received orally 5 × 103 sporulated oocysts of strain ME‐49 (genotype II) of T gondii. The colon was collected for anatomical analysis (including the myenteric plexus immunolabeled with HuC/D, nNOS, and ChAT) and motility analysis in vitro (conventional manometry). Fecal output was measured daily.

Key Results

At 12 hours postinfection, T gondii caused hypertrophy of the muscularis externa layer of the distal colon. There was loss of total, nitrergic, and cholinergic myenteric neurons in the proximal colon at 30 day postinfection (dpi); however, only loss of cholinergic neurons was found in the distal colon. Contractile complexes in the middle and distal colon were longer in duration in infected animals, which was associated with slower migration of the colonic motor complex. However, gastrointestinal transit time and fecal pellet output remained unchanged during the T gondii infection.

Conclusions and Inferences

Toxoplasma gondii caused myenteric neuronal loss in the proximal and distal colon and altered the motility pattern in the middle and distal colon to a more propulsive phenotype.
Genome‐wide functional analysis of hot pepper immune receptors reveals an autonomous NLR clade in seed plants
Authors: Lee Hye‐Young , Mang Hyunggon , Choi Eunhye , Seo Ye‐Eun , Kim Myung‐Shin , Oh Soohyun , Kim Saet‐Byul , Choi Doil
Published: August 2020

Plants possess hundreds of intracellular immune receptors encoding nucleotide‐binding domain leucine‐rich repeat (NLR) proteins. Full‐length NLRs or a specific domain of NLRs often induce plant cell death in the absence of pathogen infection.

In this study we used genome‐wide transient expression analysis to identify a group of NLRs (ANLs; ancient and autonomous NLRs) carrying autoactive coiled‐coil (CCA) domains in pepper (Capsicum annuum). CCA‐mediated cell death mimics hypersensitive cell death triggered by the interaction between NLRs and pathogen effectors.

Sequence alignment and mutagenesis analyses revealed that the intact α1 helix of CCAs is critical for both CCA‐ and ANL‐mediated cell death. Cell death induced by CCAs does not require NRG1/ADR1 or NRC type helper NLRs, suggesting ANLs may function as singleton NLRs. We also found that CCAs localize to the plasma membrane, as demonstrated for Arabidopsis singleton NLR ZAR1. Extended studies revealed that autoactive CCAs are well conserved in other Solanaceae plants as well as in rice, a monocot plant. Further phylogenetic analyses revealed that ANLs are present in all tested seed plants (spermatophytes).

Our study not only uncovers the autonomous NLR clade in plants but also provides powerful resources for dissecting the underlying molecular mechanism of NLR‐mediated cell death in plants.
Cellular requirements for PIN polar cargo clustering in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Li Hongjiang , von Wangenheim Daniel , Zhang Xixi , Tan Shutang , Darwish‐Miranda Nasser , Naramoto Satoshi , Wabnik Krzysztof , De Rycke Riet , Kaufmann Walter A. , Gütl Daniel , Tejos Ricardo , Grones Peter , Ke Meiyu , Chen Xu , Dettmer Jan , Friml Jiří
Published: August 2020

Cell and tissue polarization is fundamental for plant growth and morphogenesis. The polar, cellular localization of Arabidopsis PIN‐FORMED (PIN) proteins is crucial for their function in directional auxin transport. The clustering of PIN polar cargoes within the plasma membrane has been proposed to be important for the maintenance of their polar distribution. However, the more detailed features of PIN clusters and the cellular requirements of cargo clustering remain unclear.

Here, we characterized PIN clusters in detail by means of multiple advanced microscopy and quantification methods, such as 3D quantitative imaging or freeze‐fracture replica labeling. The size and aggregation types of PIN clusters were determined by electron microscopy at the nanometer level at different polar domains and at different developmental stages, revealing a strong preference for clustering at the polar domains.

Pharmacological and genetic studies revealed that PIN clusters depend on phosphoinositol pathways, cytoskeletal structures and specific cell‐wall components as well as connections between the cell wall and the plasma membrane.

This study identifies the role of different cellular processes and structures in polar cargo clustering and provides initial mechanistic insight into the maintenance of polarity in plants and other systems.
Gut–adipose tissue crosstalk: A bridge to novel therapeutic targets in metabolic syndrome?
Authors: Rosendo‐Silva Daniela , Matafome Paulo
Published: August 2020

The gut is one of the main endocrine organs in our body, producing hormones acknowledged to play determinant roles in controlling appetite, energy balance and glucose homeostasis. One of the targets of such hormones is the adipose tissue, a major energetic reservoir, which governs overall metabolism through the secretion of adipokines. Disturbances either in nutrient and metabolic sensing and consequent miscommunication between these organs constitute a key driver to the metabolic complications clustered in metabolic syndrome. Thus, it is essential to understand how the disruption of this crosstalk might trigger adipose tissue dysfunction, a strong characteristic of obesity and insulin resistance. The beneficial effects of metabolic surgery in the amelioration of glucose homeostasis and body weight reduction allowed to understand the potential of gut signals modulation as a treatment for metabolic syndrome‐related obesity and type 2 diabetes. In this review, we cover the effects of gut hormones in the modulation of adipose tissue metabolic and endocrine functions, as well as their impact in tissue plasticity. Furthermore, we discuss how the modulation of gut secretome, either through surgical procedures or pharmacological approaches, might improve adipose tissue function in obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Pathophysiological role of metabolic flexibility on metabolic health
Authors: Galgani Jose E. , Fernández‐Verdejo Rodrigo
Published: August 2020

Glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids among others are oxidized to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP). These fuels are supplied from the environment (through food intake) and internal depots (through lipolysis, glycogenolysis, and proteolysis) at different rates throughout the day. Complex adaptive systems permit to accommodate fuel oxidation according to fuel availability. This capacity of a cell, tissue, or organism to adapt fuel oxidation to fuel availability is defined as metabolic flexibility (MetF). There are conditions, such as insulin resistance, diabetes, and obesity, in which MetF seems to be impaired. The observation that those conditions are accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction has set the basis to propose a link between mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic inflexibility, and metabolic health. We here highlight the evidence about the notion that MetF influences metabolic health.
Medication‐related osteonecrosis of the maxilla: Prognosis of oral surgery combined with endoscopic sinus surgery
Authors: Park Jung‐Hyun , Alfafara Angenine Marie , Park Young Long , Bae Jung‐Ho , Kim Sun‐Jong
Published: August 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the effect of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) on the resolution of maxillary medication‐related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ).

Patients and Methods

This study included 62 patients diagnosed with MRONJ in the maxillary posterior area with or without maxillary sinusitis (MS). All patients underwent oral surgery. The concomitant MS was evaluated, and if indicated, FESS was performed on the same operation. Follow‐up included clinical and radiological examinations at 4 months postoperation.

Results

Of the 62 patients, 24 (38.7%) showed no evidence of MS and 38 (61.3%) showed MS. Advanced MRONJ (stage 3), which has bony destruction of the sinus floor and signs of MS according to its definition, was seen in 27 patients (43.5%). In stage 3 MRONJ, patients with combined treatment of oral surgery and FESS compared to those treated with oral surgery alone showed higher percentage of resolution (84.2%, 37.5%, respectively) at 4 months postoperatively, and the results were statistically significant.

Conclusion

Simultaneous management of MRONJ and sinusitis with combined treatment of oral surgery and FESS for the treatment of maxillary MRONJ can be an effective method, especially for advanced cases, to address its associated lesions.
Tropical cyclones and island area shape species abundance distributions of local tree communities
Authors: Ibanez Thomas , Keppel Gunnar , Baider Cláudia , Birkinshaw Chris , Florens F. B. Vincent , Laidlaw Melinda , Menkes Christophe , Parthasarathy Narayanaswamy , Rajkumar Muthu , Ratovoson Fidy , Rasingam Ladan , Reza Ludovic , Aiba Shin‐ichiro , Webb Edward L. , Zang Runguo , Birnbaum Philippe
Published: August 2020

Species abundance distributions (SADs) characterise the distribution of individuals among species. SADs have rarely been explored on islands and the ecological processes shaping SADs are still not fully understood. Notably, the relative importance of disturbance regime in shaping plant SADs remains poorly known. We investigate the relative importance of disturbance regime and island geography on the shape of SADs. We computed SADs for local tree communities in 1‐ha forest plots on 20 tropical islands in the Indo‐Pacific region. We used generalized linear models to analyse how the shape parameter of the gambin SAD model was related to the number of trees and the number of species. Regression analyses were also used to investigate how the shape of SADs, the number of trees and the number of species were related to cyclone disturbance (power dissipation index) and geography (island area and isolation), with direct and indirect (i.e. through the number of trees and species) effects assessed using variance partitioning. Cyclone disturbance was the best predictor of the shape of SADs, with higher power dissipation index producing more lognormal‐like distributions. This effect was mostly due to cyclones increasing the number of trees and decreasing the number of species. Island area affected the shape of SADs through its effect on the number of species, and larger islands were associated with higher species richness and more logseries‐like distributions. The effect of cyclones was stronger on smaller islands. Our results illustrate that disturbances can affect SADs in complex ways; directly and indirectly by impacting the number of species and individuals in communities, and these effects may be moderated by island‐specific characteristics, such as island area or isolation. Our results therefore suggest that multiple, interacting processes shape SADs and that studying SADs has the potential to contribute important new insights to the field of island biogeography.
China's Normative Foreign Policy and Its Multilateral Engagement in Asia
Authors: Song Weiqing
Published: August 2020

This paper focuses on the normative aspect of Chinese foreign policy, whereby China strives to promote its norms, values, and rules in the international arena. Drawing on the relational theory of international politics, normative foreign policy (NFP) is re‐conceptualized by addressing the ontological foundation of international relations. In this light, China's role as an NFP actor is elaborated, based on its cultural traditions and international experience. The paper argues that in contrast with the West's emphasis on substantive norms of universality, Chinese norms are relational; they stress the importance of creating and maintaining ties in international relations. Furthermore, through its international relations, China has implemented an implicit and explicit normative agenda as part of its foreign policy. To further elaborate on this argument, China's multilateral regional diplomacy towards its neighboring regions, in particular Central Asia, is considered. It is concluded that China's NFP both challenges and is challenged by other actors through their constant interaction. This finding has broad implications for contemporary international relations.
South Korea's Embrace of Good Donorship Norms: The Bureaucratic Process of Norm Translation
Authors: Kim Seok Joon , Connolly Daniel
Published: August 2020

How and when do international norms shape or fail to shape a state's behaviors? This paper examines how and why South Korea decided to accede to the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development's (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in 2008. Specifically, we examine the political infighting that shaped the timing and implementation of the decision. Our study highlights what we term a “bureaucratic norm contestation process” whereby government agencies independently select norms to promote based on their organizational interests and engage in intra‐governmental debates as they competitively attempt to “sell” their choice to decision‐makers. In the case of South Korea, this aggressive reinterpretation of norms, in conjunction with pushback by rival bureaucratic agencies, has contributed to two translations of the norm. The first translation was a discursive shift of the language of donorship away from a focus on humanitarian duty and towards status enhancement. The second translation occurred at the level of practice, as rival bureaucracies tried to implement their unique vision of Korea's success story. This study illustrates that norm diffusion is not a unidirectional flow of ideas from the center to the periphery of the international system but a process of contested coproduction that includes local actors.
Using of deferasirox and deferoxamine in refractory iron overload thalassemia
Authors: Takpradit Chayamon , Viprakasit Vip , Narkbunnam Nattee , Vathana Nassawee , Phuakpet Kamon , Pongtanakul Bunchoo , Sanpakit Kleebsabai , Buaboonnam Jassada
Published: August 2020

Background

Iron overload is a major complication of transfusion‐dependent thalassemia (TDT) and requires iron chelation (IC) therapy. However, a combination therapy may be required for patients responding poorly to monotherapy.

Methods

Nine TDT patients previously treated with IC were enrolled; five patients were previously treated with deferasirox (DFX) twice daily. The dose of DFX was 20–40 mg/kg/day, while the dose of deferoxamine (DFO) was 18–40 mg/kg/day for 3–6 days/week.

Results

At the 6‐ and 12‐month time points, six and eight patients demonstrated decreased serum ferritin levels, with median reductions of 707 ng/mL (range, 1,653–5,444 ng/mL) and 1,129 ng/mL (range, 1,781–7,725 ng/mL) compared to the baseline, respectively. Eight patients also had a reduced liver iron concentration (LIC), with a median reduction of 3.9 mg/g dry wt (range, 8.3–11.1 mg/g dry wt). Of the five patients treated with DFX twice daily, four responded to combination therapy. All responsive patients could finally stop DFO after the decline in LIC. Moreover, there were no treatment‐related complications.

Conclusion

The combination of DFX and DFO proved to be effective and without significant toxicities for TDT patients who had been unresponsive to standard IC therapy. Further studies with a larger cohort size and long‐term follow‐up are warranted to elucidate the efficacy of the combination.
The effect of narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy on antinuclear antibody status: A case‐control study
Authors: Kutlu Omer , Ozdemir Cetinkaya Pınar , Karaosmanoglu Nermin , Karaaslan Engin , Kiratli Nalbant Esra , Eksioglu Meral
Published: August 2020

Background

Narrowband ultraviolet B (NB‐UVB) phototherapy has become a widely used, standard treatment modality in dermatology. The effect of 8‐methoxypsoralen plus ultraviolet A on antinuclear antibody (ANA) formation has been investigated extensively, but there are very scarce data about the potential risk of NB‐UVB phototherapy inducing production of ANAs. The aims of this study were evaluation of ANA status before and after NB‐UVB treatment and comparison of ANA status with the healthy control group.

Methods

Phototherapy unit database was used to identify patients who had received whole body NB‐UVB treatment. Analyses of ANA were performed twice in the study group that were before initiation of the NB‐UVB phototherapy and after cessation of the therapy. Also, ANAs were screened in the control group.

Results

A total of 95 patients (50 males and 45 females; mean age: 43.03 ± 13.40) treated with NB‐UVB radiation and 90 age‐ and sex‐matched controls were included in the study. Thirteen patients (13.7%) were found to develop ANAs at the end of the treatment. ANA positivity was significantly more common in patients after phototherapy than in patients before phototherapy and than in the control group. None of the patients in the positive ANA group was diagnosed with any connective tissue diseases.

Conclusion

This study revealed that ANA positivity increased after NB‐UVB phototherapy. However, it did not provide evidence for increased connective tissue disease risk. Therefore, ANA might not need to be routinely checked before treatment unless the patients have signs and symptoms indicating autoimmune diseases.
Genotypic and phenotypic distinctness of restored and indigenous populations of Pimpinella saxifraga L. 8 or more years after restoration
Authors: Gemeinholzer B. , Reiker J. , Müller C. M. , Wissemann V.
Published: August 2020

The recovery of altered or damaged ecosystems demands large‐scale reintroductions of seeds. In the past, ecological restoration in Germany was carried out with non‐local seeds of naturally occurring species. We here analysed whether the genetic pattern of the introduced non‐local seeds (R = restored) of Pimpinella saxifraga are still detectable several years after application and whether the phenotype differs from that of the regional gene pool (I = indigenous) of the species.

We collected material from individuals of R and I sites, conducted a common garden experiment and tested for genetic, morphological and phenotypic differences. In a cutting experiment we investigate treatment effects on indigenous and restored populations.

At all investigated sites we only found P. saxifraga individuals with comparatively similar genome sizes. The population genetic analysis revealed two large and quite distinct molecular clusters, separating indigenous and restored individuals along the first axis. None of the vegetative, but two of the reproductive fitness parameters differed between individuals of the R and I sites. Cutting always had a significant influence on all analysed vegetative and reproductive fitness parameters, regardless of the individuals' origin. The effects of mowing always mask origin‐specific characteristics, which then disappear.

Genotypic coexistence reduces the availability of niches for the local genotype and may eventually lead to genotypic competition or introgression. We therefore recommend not to use non‐local genotypes of this species in the region. Instead, we recommend using the genetically diverse local genotypes of P. saxifraga for restoration purposes.
Responses of Phragmites australis to copper stress: A combined analysis of plant morphology, physiology and proteomics
Authors: Wu J. , Hu J. , Wang L. , Zhao L. , Ma F.
Published: August 2020

Few relevant research attempts have been made to determine heavy metal resistance mechanisms of rhizomatous perennial plants. Thus, it is pertinent to investigate the physiological and biochemical changes in Phragmites australis under metal‐stressed conditions to facilitate the development of strategies to enhance copper (Cu) tolerance.

We measured parameters related to plant growth and development, metal translocation and physiological responses of P. australis subjected to Cu stress. In addition, the differentially expressed proteins (DEP) were evaluated using the isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) system.

A large amount of copper accumulates in the roots of P.australis, but the growth parameters were not sensitive to Cu. However, the high concentration of Cu reduced the content of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, and the expression of important photosynthesis proteins PsbD, PsbO and PsaA were all down‐regulated, so photosynthesis was inhibited. In contrast, the content of ascorbic acid and proline both increased with the increase of copper stress.

P.australis fixed a large amount of Cu in its roots, limiting the migration of Cu to other parts of the plant. Moreover, Cu stress can affect photosynthesis by inhibiting the activity of PSI, PSII and LHCII. In addition, P.australis synthesizes ascorbic acid through the D‐mannose/L‐galactose pathway, and synthesizes proline through the ornithine pathway. Ascorbic acid and proline can increase Cu tolerance and protect photosynthesis. These results provide a theoretical basis for understanding the tolerance and repair mechanisms of plants in response to heavy metal pollution.
Physiological responses of the green microalga Acutodesmus dimorphus to temperature induced oxidative stress conditions
Authors: Chokshi Kaumeel , Pancha Imran , Trivedi Khanjan , Maurya Rahulkumar , Ghosh Arup , Mishra Sandhya
Published: August 2020

Temperature is the most critical factor that directly affects the physiological functioning and metabolic activities of any organism. With rising global temperature, understanding the heat stress response of an organism is critically important. In the present study, we investigated differences in the early changes occurring upon heat stress in the green microalga Acutodesmus dimorphus, a potential strain for biofuel production. The cells were heat‐stressed at 45 and 50°C for 24 h and the temporal response of cells in terms of growth, pigments content, levels of oxidative stress biomarkers i.e., reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the response of enzymatic and non‐enzymatic antioxidant scavengers were evaluated. The results revealed that after 24 h of heat stress at 45°C, the accumulations of chlorophyll a and carotenoids remained stable; all three ROS increased with the higher activities of various enzymatic and non‐enzymatic antioxidants. On the contrary, at a higher temperature of 50°C, the accumulations of chlorophyll a, carotenoids and non‐enzymatic antioxidants reduced drastically while the accumulations of all three ROS and the response of enzymatic antioxidants were significantly higher than those at 45°C. These results suggest that the cells utilize several stress acclimatization mechanisms to cope up the heat stress. There was a dramatic difference in the physiological changes and cellular antioxidant mechanism upon heat stress at 45 and 50°C. The cellular defense response of A. dimorphus gets impaired after heat stress at 50°C but remains active at 45°C, exhibiting the heat resistance and, thus, the thermotolerance.
Coevolution of Networks and Beliefs in U.S. Environmental Risk Policy
Authors: Henry Adam Douglas , Dietz Thomas , Sweeney Robin L.
Published: August 2020

Networks are an important part of the environmental policy process as they influence the ability of actors to synthesize information and learn to manage complex risks. According to the Advocacy Coalition Framework, the dynamics of policy network formation lead to structures exhibiting belief‐oriented segregation—that is, a high correspondence between shared beliefs and policy‐relevant interactions. These structures may be produced through at least two pathways: belief homophily, where actors actively seek out connections with others sharing their belief system, and policy‐oriented learning, where connected actors become more similar in their beliefs. The cross‐sectional design of much policy research does not allow an examination of these potentially complementary forces that shape belief systems and networks. These dynamics are studied using data on policy beliefs and networking in the U.S. environmental risk policy subsystem across two time periods, 1985 and 2000 (N = 223). Results indicate strong homophily effects, but relatively weak learning effects in the evolution of this policy network. This study helps pave the way for additional research on the dynamics shaping policy networks and beliefs, and helps to clarify the differences between individual versus organizational contributions to policy network evolution.
Personality and health literacy among community‐dwelling older adults living in Japan
Authors: Iwasa Hajime , Yoshida Yuko
Published: August 2020

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated that health behaviours may be one of the major mechanisms underlying the relationship between personality and health outcomes. Such health behaviours may be established by consciousness toward one's health that include health literacy. Thus, this study aimed to explore the relationship between health literacy and its correlates, including personality, among community‐dwelling older adults.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study with 683 older individuals (aged 60–84 years; 326 men and 357 women). A questionnaire was used to assess health literacy, personality, socioeconomic status, health status, and lifestyles. Health literacy was measured using the Communicative and Critical Health Literacy Scale, which is a self‐report questionnaire comprising five items assessing degrees of health literacy. The Big Five personality traits were measured using the Japanese version of the Ten‐Item Personality Inventory. Other variables were measured as factors associated with health literacy, including age, gender, education, subjective economic status, social isolation, chronic diseases, functional capacity, smoking and drinking.

Results

Multiple regression analysis showed that education (β = 0.10), subjective economic status (β = −0.09), social isolation (β = −0.08), functional dependence (β = −0.22), neuroticism, (β = −0.08), extraversion (β = 0.10), openness (β = 0.17), and conscientiousness (β = 0.09) were independently and significantly associated with health literacy (coefficient of determination = 0.28).

Conclusions

This study found significant and independent associations of personality, socioeconomic status, and health status with health literacy. These results may help facilitate the development of efficient strategies to improve health status by promoting health literacy in community‐dwelling older adults.
NEPA and National Trends in Federal Infrastructure Siting in the United States
Authors: Scott Tyler Andrew , Ulibarri Nicola , Perez Figueroa Omar
Published: August 2020

The United States' National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to use environmental impact assessment tools to aggregate scientific information, garner stakeholder input, and weigh alternatives for infrastructure siting and operations decisions.Thus, NEPA plays a sweeping role in federal infrastructure provisioning. Using a comprehensive dataset of Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) prepared under NEPA from 2013 to 2019, we use natural language processing to identify geographic locations and artificial neural networks to classify discussed environmental impacts. We then describe geographic, temporal, and environmental trends in federal infrastructure provisioning. Finally, we use Bayesian hierarchical regression to assess how socio‐economic and demographic covariates shape county‐level EIS counts. Numerous federal agencies are involved in EIS production, but three agencies author the majority of EISs. Total EISs issued annually have declined since the early 2000s. EISs are more frequent in urban coastal counties, but do not show clear distributive trends by income or race.
Differentiation in Economic Costs and Returns from Living with Wildlife in Namibian Community Conservancies
Authors: Nattrass Nicoli
Published: August 2020

There is substantial differentiation across Namibian community conservancies in the costs and returns from living with wildlife. Real returns rose between 1998 and 2017, albeit unevenly. Those bordering national parks, and with higher game counts, earned more. Large livestock predators (lion, leopard, hyaena, cheetah, wild dog) had the greatest impact on human–wildlife conflict costs across all regions. As of 2017, more than a fifth of conservancies had higher estimated costs than economic returns from hunting and tourism. More resources are required to support Namibian conservancies if this is to be a sustainable model, especially as coronavirus limits international travel.
Behavioral and dental management of a patient with Tatton‐Brown‐Rahman syndrome: Case report
Authors: Paz‐Alegría María‐Camila , Gómez‐Forero Dominique , Osorio‐Patiño Julio , Jaramillo‐Echeverry Adriana
Published: August 2020

Objective

To present a clinical case of a patient with Tatton‐Brown‐Rahman syndrome, to provide evidence of the importance of supplying patients with appropriate dental care, emphasizing in behavioral management.

Study design

Clinical case report.

Results

This 7‐year‐old child, had a history of persistent ductus arteriousus, autism spectrum behavior, language disorders, dyslalias, hearing disorder, hypotonic musculature, and joint hyperlaxity. The main facial and oral diagnoses were dolichocephaly, convex profile, atypical swallowing, mixed breathing, class II malocclusion, mandibular retrognathism, maxillary prognathism, caries lesions, and biofilm associated gingivitis. A comprehensive treatment was carried out from the stage of adaptation to dental care, control of dental biofilm, motivation, and teaching of oral hygiene with appropriate strategies to the child's age and cognitive abilities. Also, resin restorations, habits management and malocclusion with the use of the modified upper and lower Sanders orthopedic device. The child began with a definitely negative behavior at dental appointments, and evolved to negative on Frankl's Behavior Rating Scale.

Conclusion

Dentists must manage behavior management protocols, in order to avoid situations of rejection of treatment in patients with TBRS, and thus avoid sedation or general anesthesia. Prevention is the priority for these patients supported by recreational‐educational strategies.
Impacted family equality, self‐confidence and loneliness: a cross‐sectional study of first‐time and multi‐time fathers’ satisfaction with prenatal and postnatal father groups in Sweden
Authors: Wells Michael B. , Kerstis Birgitta , Andersson Ewa
Published: August 2020

Background

Fathers often feel secondary or invisible in traditional parent groups. Gender‐specific parent groups, referred to as father groups, may be inclusive spaces for fathers to discuss their transition into parenthood.

Objective

To quantitatively assess fathers’ perceptions and satisfaction of father groups in Sweden during the prenatal and postnatal periods.

Method

A cross‐sectional quantitative study design was used to report fathers’ satisfaction of father groups, including how the groups impacted their personal outcomes, as well as their relationship with their partner and child. Further analyses were completed on if their depressive symptoms, via EPDS, and/or parity affected their satisfaction and personal outcomes.

Setting and participants

Fathers were recruited through father group leaders, who then provided the researchers with their contact information. In total, 87 fathers were contacted via email and 67 fathers from two geographical areas, including urban and suburban settings, completed the survey.

Findings

Most fathers had a university education, a good household economy and were married/cohabiting, while almost 60% were first‐time fathers and almost 25% had depressive symptoms. Overall, fathers were generally satisfied with both the prenatal and postnatal father groups, although fathers attended prenatal father groups to a lesser extent. The participants rated the father groups as moderately impacting their equality in the family, self‐confidence, feelings of loneliness, social network and being able to express their own opinions, as well as positively affected their relationship with their partner and child, respectively. While there were no differences based on fathers’ parity, those who self‐estimated depressive symptoms were less satisfied and rated the father groups less impactfully. Father groups may help encourage fathers to meet policy goals, such as childrearing equality, and can be an important arena for screening fathers for depression.
The U‐Shape of Income Inequality over the 20th Century: The Role of Education*
Authors: Prettner Klaus , Schaefer Andreas
Published: August 2020

We propose an overlapping generations model with three social classes to investigate the effects of higher education on the evolution of inequality. Initially, no social class invests in higher education, and inequality is driven by wealth accumulation/bequests. Once the rich surpass a certain income threshold, they invest in higher education and their children's incomes start to grow faster. Over time, the middle class and, potentially, the poor follow suit. Overall, this framework provides a candidate explanation for (i) the U‐shaped evolution of income inequality, (ii) the fall and rise of inheritance flows, and (iii) differential investments in higher education.
A multivariate multilevel analysis of youth motor competence. The Peruvian Health and Optimist Growth Study
Authors: dos Santos Carla Sofia Pinho , Bustamante Alcibíades , Hedeker Donald , Vasconcelos Olga , Garganta Rui , Tani Go , Katzmarzyk Peter T. , Maia José
Published: August 2020

We use a multivariate multilevel model to study the links between physical fitness (PF) and gross motor coordination (GMC) and investigate the influence of predictors affecting their levels across age. We sampled 7918 Peruvians, aged 6‐15 years, from sea‐level, Amazon region and high‐altitude. Composite markers of GMC and PF were derived (GMCz and PFz, respectively). BMI, biological maturation, and stunting were assessed. School characteristics were obtained via an objective audit. School contexts explained 35% of the associations between PFz and GMCz, whereas children's characteristics explained 65% of the total variation. On average, with increasing age, there was a greater increase in GMCz (β = 0.79 ± 0.04, P < .001) than in PFz (β = 0.15 ± 0.03, P < .001); boys outperformed girls (PFz, β = 3.25 ± 0.08, P < .001; GMCz, β = 1.58 ± 0.09, P < .001); those with lower BMI and ahead in their maturation had higher PFz (β = −0.13 ± 0.01, P < .001; β = 1.09 ± 0.05, P < .001, respectively) and GMCz (β = −0.18 ± 0.01, P < .001; β = 0.39 ± 0.06, P < .001, respectively) levels. Stunting was negatively related to PFz (β = −0.30 ± 0.07; P < .001) and GMCz (β = −0.30 ± 0.08, P < .001) and high‐altitude Peruvians had significantly lower GMCz (β = −0.93 ± 0.33, P < .001), and those living in the Amazon region had significantly higher PFz (β = 1.21 ± 0.58, P < .001) compared to those living at sea level. A higher number of students was negatively related to PFz (β = −0.016 ± 0.006, P < .001) and positively with GMCz (β = 0.005 ± 0.003, P < .001); the duration of physical education classes was positively associated with PFz (β = 0.70 ± 0.32, P < .001) and GMCz (β = 0.46 ± 0.15, P < .001); and the existence of policies for physical activity was only negatively associated with GMCz (β = −1.17 ± 0.34, P < .001). In conclusion, PFz and GMCz were positively correlated and child‐ and school‐level traits predicted their levels.
Black midwifery in the United States: Past, present, and future
Authors: Suarez Alicia
Published: August 2020

While sociologists have long explored health and illness, much of it has been androcentric and White‐centered. Scholars began to focus more on women's health including pregnancy and birth in the 1970s yet have historically largely ignored Black women's birth experiences. Midwifery in the United States was once the standard practice for prenatal care and birth. However, the vast majority of births have been medicalized and now occur in hospital settings. In this review, I will highlight the role of race in the historical shifts in the provision of care to Black pregnant and birthing women, the marginalization of Black midwives historically and currently, medical racism, outcomes of laws in the 20th century, the voices of Black midwives and mothers, the activism of radical Black birth organizations and finally, how increasing access to midwifery care may help to address current racialized crises in maternal and infant mortality. Midwifery care typically leads to excellent physical and emotional outcomes for low‐risk mothers and infants, and reduces reliance on medical interventions. As the United States currently has alarming racialized rates of maternal and infant mortality despite vast medicalization, there is much to consider about increasing access to midwifery care in the United States.
Driven by Inequalities: Exploring the Resurgence of Domestic Work in U.S. Cities
Authors: Duffy Mignon
Published: August 2020

Domestic work, once the most common occupation for women around the globe, was thought to be well on its way to extinction at the end of the twentieth century. However, in the 1980s and 1990s, evidence began to appear that domestic work was in many places again becoming a growth occupation. My goal in this article is to examine the factors related to the recent expansion of domestic work in countries in the Global North, using the United States as a case study. I draw on U.S. Census data to document the resurgence of domestic work both nationally and in many large cities across the country, and then use multivariate analysis to compare rates of domestic work across these cities. The results indicate that rates of domestic work are highly related to variables measuring structural inequalities (racialization of the labor force, immigration, and economic polarization), while showing little relationship with variables measuring unmet care needs (care dependency ratios, female/maternal labor force participation, and availability of institutional care options). These findings underline the urgency of providing protections to domestic workers and point to the need for scholarship that better theorizes the relationships among unpaid care and different forms of paid care.
Full‐length sequence of the novel HLA‐C*12:02:36 allele by next generation sequencing in a Chinese individual
Authors: Wu Fan , Li Zhen , Shao Chao‐Peng
Published: August 2020

C*12:02:36 differs from C*12:02:02:01 by one nucleotide change at nucleotide 438 in exon 3 from T to C.