bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased cannibalism in Colorado potato beetles feeding on non‐preferred host plants in laboratory
Authors: Alyokhin Andrei , Baron Nicholas
Published: December 2020

Colorado potato beetle,Leptinotarsa decemlineata(Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is an oligophagous herbivore that feeds on several plant species in the family Solanaceae. Cannibalism is common in this species and accounts for a significant part of natural field mortality. We investigated effects of feeding on potato (Solanum tuberosumL., preferred host), tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL., non‐preferred host), and pothos [Epipremnum aureum(Linden & André) Bunting (Araceae), non‐host] leaves on the incidence of adult Colorado potato beetles predating each other. After 48 h of confinement in laboratory arenas, significantly higher cannibalism was observed in the absence of host vegetation than in the presence of either potato or tomato leaves. After 72 h, more beetles were attacked when kept on tomato leaves than on potato leaves. Being confined on non‐host pothos leaves led to higher cannibalism compared to either species of host plant. However, its incidence was lower compared to the no‐leaf treatment, probably because pothos leaves served as a source of water. Our results suggest that adult cannibalism in the Colorado potato beetle may be triggered by a relatively mild adversity, but its extent increases as conditions deteriorate.
An upgrade of the Malmö model by implementing case‐based teaching and learning, in an undergraduate dental education
Authors: Lundegren Nina , Jönsson Anders , Lindberg Pia
Published: December 2020

Background

At our dental education, the examination failure rate amongst students has increased, resulting in subsequent involuntary dropouts. One of the main problems seems to be that the students struggle with taking the necessary responsibility for their learning, as required by the problem‐based learning (PBL) methodology.

Aim

To describe the background to, and the transition process from, pure PBL to case‐based teaching and learning (CBT) with flipped classroom seminars at the dental programme at [anonymised for peer review].

Methods

In this position paper, we describe our observed problems with the PBL methodology, as implemented at this faculty, and the potential benefits of a change towards CBT. The current implementation of CBT is presented, along with educational research supporting the choice of activities.

Results

Tentative findings are that the flipped classroom seminars and the clearer instructions appear to be successful with higher levels of activity, engagement and attendance amongst the students, and the students have evaluated the seminars as very good learning activities.

Conclusion

Tentative findings suggest that the current implementation of CBT may be a fruitful way of teaching in dental education today. Most of the teaching staff have been reawakened to teaching, and as a result, the content of the courses are being reviewed and improved. The students appreciate that what is expected of them has been made clearer and that there is a variety of learning activities.
Synchronous effects produce cycles in deer populations and deer‐vehicle collisions
Authors: Anderson Thomas L. , Sheppard Lawrence W. , Walter Jonathan A. , Rolley Robert E. , Reuman Daniel C.
Published: December 2020

Population cycles are fundamentally linked with spatial synchrony, the prevailing paradigm being that populations with cyclic dynamics are easily synchronised. That is, population cycles help give rise to spatial synchrony. Here we demonstrate this process can work in reverse, with synchrony causing population cycles. We show that timescale‐specific environmental effects, by synchronising local population dynamics on certain timescales only, cause major population cycles over large areas in white‐tailed deer. An important aspect of the new mechanism is specificity of synchronising effects to certain timescales, which causes local dynamics to sum across space to a substantial cycle on those timescales. We also demonstrate, to our knowledge for the first time, that synchrony can be transmitted not only from environmental drivers to populations (deer), but also from there to human systems (deer‐vehicle collisions). Because synchrony of drivers may be altered by climate change, changes to population cycles may arise via our mechanism.
Can biomass distribution across trophic levels predict trophic cascades?
Authors: Galiana Núria , Arnoldi Jean‐François , Barbier Matthieu , Acloque Amandine , de Mazancourt Claire , Loreau Michel
Published: December 2020

The biomass distribution across trophic levels (biomass pyramid) and cascading responses to perturbations (trophic cascades) are archetypal representatives of the interconnected set of static and dynamical properties of food chains. A vast literature has explored their respective ecological drivers, sometimes generating correlations between them. Here we instead reveal a fundamental connection: both pyramids and cascades reflect the dynamical sensitivity of the food chain to changes in species intrinsic rates. We deduce a direct relationship between cascades and pyramids, modulated by what we call trophic dissipation – a synthetic concept that encodes the contribution of top‐down propagation of consumer losses in the biomass pyramid. Predictable across‐ecosystem patterns emerge when systems are in similar regimes of trophic dissipation. Data from 31 aquatic mesocosm experiments demonstrate how our approach can reveal the causal mechanisms linking trophic cascades and biomass distributions, thus providing a road map to deduce reliable predictions from empirical patterns.
Measuring factor VIII activity in samples from patients treated with N8‐GP (Esperoct®; turoctocog alfa pegol) during the pathfinder clinical trials programme
Authors: Møss Judi , Clausen Wan Hui Ong , Ezban Mirella
Published: December 2020

FVIII activity in samples taken at various time points from 21 patients treated with N8‐GP (Esperoct®; turoctocog alfa pegol) during the pathfinder clinical trial programme was assessed and compared using different assay methods. FVIII activity measurements in samples from patients treated with N8‐GP were similar using chromogenic assays, regardless of calibration method or kit/analyser combination. FVIII activity measurements using one‐stage aPTT‐based assays were slightly lower when calibrated using normal human plasma (NHP) compared with a product‐specific standard; this difference may be partially attributable to differences in the aPTT reagent/analyser combinations used to perform the measurements. Overall, these results confirm the accuracy of FVIII activity measurements using N8‐GP‐treated patient samples and routine clinical laboratory methods with NHP calibration.
Juice and by‐products from pomegranate to enrich pancake: characterisation and shelf‐life evaluation
Authors: Incoronato Anna Lucia , Cedola Annamaria , Conte Amalia , Del Nobile Matteo Alessandro
Published: December 2020

In this study, a fortified pancake with all parts of pomegranate as juice and by‐products, added in the formulation, was designed. The influence of pomegranate addition on nutritional and sensory quality of pancake, as well as on its shelf‐life, was assessed. As one would expect, the enrichment significantly improved the pancake polyphenolic content as compared to the control sample. Surprisingly, pomegranate addition did not affect its sensory quality. In fact, the enriched pancake was greatly appreciated from the sensory point of view. Results also suggested that the addition of pomegranate improved the glycemic index (GI). In fact, while a value of GI equal to 100 was obtained for the control sample, a GI of 71 was measured for the fortified sample. In terms of shelf‐life, 30 days were obtained for the enriched pancake, whereas the control sample remained acceptable for about 26 days.
U2AF1 expression is a novel and independent prognostic indicator of childhood T‐lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Zhang Ping , Zhang Yao , Li Xiaoxiao , Ying Peiting , Tang Yongmin
Published: December 2020

Introduction

U2AF1 gene is associated with various types of hematological malignancies in adults. However, the expression level of U2AF1 gene and its prognostic significance are unclear in pediatric ALL patients. The study aimed to study the mRNA level of U2AF1 in pediatric ALL patients and its clinical relevance with long‐term survival.

Methods

We quantitatively determined U2AF1 gene expression at diagnosis in 132 children with ALL by real‐time PCR. According to the patients' median U2AF1 value, the patients' samples were classified into low U2AF1 and high U2AF1 expression groups. Twenty‐two bone marrow samples from 22 patients with ITP were recruited as control. The correlation between the expression level of U2AF1 and clinical treatment outcome was analyzed.

Results

Pediatric patients with ALL showed higher U2AF1 mRNA levels than controls (P = .034). The relapse rates of patients in low U2AF1 levels group were obviously higher than those of U2AF1 high expression group (28.8% vs 12.1%, P = .030). Patients of low U2AF1 expression presented worse 5‐year EFS than those of high U2AF1 expression (60% vs 81%, P = .035). For T‑ALL, patients with low U2AF1 mRNA level showed lower BM blast percentages (P = .031), worse EFS (37.8% vs 92.3%, P = .003), and CIR (62.2% vs 7.7%, P = .003) than those in high U2AF1 expression group. Multivariate analysis confirmed low U2AF1 mRNA level could be used as an independent risk indicator of poor EFS and CIR of children with T‐ALL.

Conclusion

Low U2AF1 mRNA level is related to inferior prognosis and can be served as a prognostic indicator for risk stratification in children with T‐ALL.
Impact of cytoreductive nephrectomy in patients with primary metastatic renal cell carcinoma receiving systemic tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy: A multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Hatakeyama Shingo , Naito Sei , Numakura Kazuyuki , Kato Renpei , Koguchi Tomoyuki , Kojima Takahiro , Kawasaki Yoshihide , Kandori Shuya , Kawamura Sadafumi , Tsushima Eiki , Nishiyama Hiroyuki , Ito Akihiro , Kojima Yoshiyuki , Habuchi Tomonori , Obara Wataru , Tsuchiya Norihiko , Ohyama Chikara
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To compare overall survival between patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated by cytoreductive nephrectomy and those not treated by cytoreductive nephrectomy.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 278 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with first‐line tyrosine kinase inhibitors between January 2008 and November 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: a cytoreductive nephrectomy group (immediate or deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy) and a group who received systemic tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapies alone without cytoreductive nephrectomy (control group). Overall survival comparisons were made in all patients in the control versus the cytoreductive nephrectomy group, the control versus the immediate cytoreductive nephrectomy group, the control versus the deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy group, and the deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy versus the immediate cytoreductive nephrectomy group. Analyses were weighted using the propensity score‐based inverse probability of treatment weighting method to adjust for group imbalances.

Results

The median (range) age of the patients was 65 (59–73) years. Of the 278 patients, 132 and 146 were in the control group and the cytoreductive nephrectomy (immediate, n = 107 and deferred, n = 39) group, respectively. A significant difference was noted between the control and cytoreductive nephrectomy groups in age, clinical stage, International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium risk factors, and the number of metastatic sites. Inverse probability of treatment weighting‐adjusted Cox regression analysis showed a significant difference in overall survival between the control and the cytoreductive nephrectomy groups and between the control and the immediate or deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy groups. However, there was no significant difference in overall survival between the immediate and the deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy groups.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients undergoing cytoreductive nephrectomy are more likely to have longer overall survival than those who receive tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy only.
‘People with intellectual disabilities living in the communities is bad enough let alone…having sex’: Exploring societal influence on social care workers' attitudes, beliefs and behaviours towards support for personal and sexual relationship needs.
Authors: Oloidi Edward Olayinka , Northway Ruth , Prince Jane
Published: December 2020

Background

Services have a duty to uphold the personal and sexual relationship (P&SR) rights of adults with intellectual disability. However, little is known about how social care workers' (SCWs) perceptions of public views of intellectual disability and sexuality might affect their attitudes, believes and behaviours towards supporting P&SR needs. This exploratory study addresses this gap in knowledge.

Materials And Methods

Qualitative interviews using critical incident technique were conducted with 18 SCWs. Data were transcribed and thematically analysed.

Results

Four dominant themes were identified; socio‐cultural, practice‐policy gaps, fear and safety needs. These highlights how perceptions of public attitudes impact on SCWs' attitudes towards supporting development of P&SR both directly and through perceptions of organisational policies. This leads to prioritisation of safety needs over support for P&SR.

Conclusions

Public expectations strongly influenced SCWs' interpretation of organisational policy, emphasising a need for practice‐based support to manage public expectations and reduce fear.
The island biogeography of the eBird citizen‐science programme
Authors: La Sorte Frank A. , Somveille Marius
Published: December 2020

Aim

Island biotas face an array of unique challenges under global change. Monitoring and research efforts, however, have been hindered by the large number of islands, their broad distribution and geographical isolation. Global citizen‐science initiatives have the potential to address these deficiencies. Here, we determine how the eBird citizen‐science programme is currently sampling island bird assemblages annually and how these patterns are developing over time.

Location

Global.

Taxa

Birds.

Methods

We compiled occurrence information of non‐marine bird species across the world's islands (n = 21,813) over an 18‐year period (2002–2019) from eBird. We estimated annual survey completeness and species richness across islands, which we examined in relation to six geographical and four climatic features.

Results

eBird contained bird occurrence information for ca. 20% of the world's islands (n = 4,205) with ca. 8% classified as well surveyed annually (n = 1,644). eBird participants tended to survey larger islands that were more distant from the mainland. These islands had lower proximity to other islands and contained a broader range of elevations. Temperature, precipitation and temperature seasonality were at intermediate levels. Precipitation seasonality was at low and intermediate levels. Islands located between 10 and 60° N latitude and 20 and 40° S latitude were overrepresented, and islands located in Southeast Asia were underrepresented. From 2002 to 2019, the number of islands surveyed annually increased by ca. 96.4 islands/year. During this period, island size decreased, distance from mainland did not change, proximity to other islands increased and elevation range decreased.

Main conclusions

The eBird programme tends to survey larger islands containing intermediate climates that are more isolated from the mainland and other islands. These findings provide a framework to support the informed application of the eBird database in avian island biogeography. Our findings emphasize citizen science as an empirical resource to support long‐term ecological research, conservation and monitoring efforts across remote regions of the globe.
Consistent and transient drivers of freshwater zooplankton communities
Authors: Sinclair James S. , Arnott Shelley E. , Nelson William A. , Brougham Kaitlyn B.
Published: December 2020

Aim

Inferences of the predominant processes that structure communities are commonly based on single ‘snapshots’ in time, which may miss temporally transient but important mechanisms. In this study, we compared key environmental and spatial drivers of zooplankton composition across multiple years to quantify shifts in their relative importance through time, and to identify any drivers of temporal change.

Location

Southern Ontario, Canada.

Taxon

Zooplankton.

Methods

Zooplankton were collected from 29 lakes in southern Ontario, Canada over four years (2013–2016). Variation partitioning was used to quantify the relative importance of independent and covarying components of local environmental conditions, regional east‐west and north‐south compositional trends, and inter‐lake geographic distance in each year. Measured environmental metrics included aspects of lake morphology and chemistry, and spatial relationships were quantified using lake latitude/longitude coordinates and Moran's Eigenvector Maps (MEMs). Redundancy analyses (RDAs) were also used to compare the influence of individual environmental and spatial variables across years.

Results

Most local‐scale and regional‐scale community processes were consistently important across all surveyed years, but some were less consistent. Specifically, geomorphology was always an important driver of local environmental and regional spatial community patterns. This occurred because local community composition was strongly affected by whether a lake was shallower versus deeper, and due to spatial clusters of shallow and deep lakes that produced negative spatial autocorrelation in community composition. Conversely, the individual influences of lake chemistry and spatial east‐west compositional trends were important in some years and not in others, potentially due to inter‐annual shifts in the predominant environmental variables and extreme weather events.

Main conclusions

A single‐year community snapshot can provide insight into consistent or slowly changing community structuring processes, such as those driven by geomorphology, but may not completely capture temporally transient mechanisms. Furthermore, snapshots collected during anomalous seasons or years may misrepresent which mechanisms are predominantly determining community composition. Future efforts to understand local and regional community drivers would therefore benefit from considering which processes are likely temporally ‘consistent’ versus ‘transient’, and studies with more variable components would benefit from considering or controlling for temporal shifts in their importance.
Vicariance and regionalization patterns in snakes of the South American Atlantic Forest megadiverse hotspot
Authors: Barbo Fausto E. , Nogueira Cristiano de C. , Sawaya Ricardo J.
Published: December 2020

Aim

Vicariance has often been invoked to explain bioregionalization patterns in the Neotropics. Using a revised point locality data for endemic species, we aimed to test for the first time the predictions of the vicariance model in shaping biogeographical regions for endemic snakes in the Atlantic Forest (AF) megadiverse hotspot.

Location

South American Atlantic Forest.

Taxon

Snakes (Reptilia, Serpentes).

Methods

To identify the non‐random groups of co‐distributed species, we mapped 21,101 point locality records in a grid cell of 0.5° × 0.5° across the AF, and constructed a presence–absence matrix of endemic species. The two major predictions of vicariance model were tested by Biotic Elements (BE) analysis, searching for groups of significantly co‐distributed species (Biotic Elements) by comparing distances between observed and artificial random ranges, produced under null models from Monte Carlo simulations. We also tested for the occurrence of sister species in different Biotic Elements, and compared our results with previous bioregionalization schemes revealed by other organisms in the AF.

Results

We recorded 252 species of snakes in the Atlantic Forest, of which 79 (31%) are endemic to this domain. Biotic Elements analysis with endemic species revealed seven clusters of co‐distributed species (BEs) corresponding to biogeographical regions. The significant non‐random clusters of geographical ranges revealed in BE analysis, and the distribution of sister species in different BEs, validated both central predictions of the vicariance model.

Main conclusions

Snakes defined non‐random biogeographical regions in the Atlantic Forest, and these were congruent with previously identified areas based on other groups of organisms, indicating that general processes influenced geographical ranges across the region. Both central predictions of the vicariance model were valid, indicating that vicariant events must have been important in shaping non‐random clusters of co‐distributed snakes in this biodiversity hotspot, harbouring some of the richest snake faunas on the planet.
Echinacoside reverses myocardial remodeling and improves heart function via regulating SIRT1/FOXO3a/MnSOD axis in HF rats induced by isoproterenol
Authors: Ni Yajuan , Deng Jie , Liu Xin , Li Qing , Zhang Juanli , Bai Hongyuan , Zhang Jingwen
Published: December 2020

Myocardial remodelling is important pathological basis of HF, mitochondrial oxidative stress is a promoter to myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis and apoptosis. ECH is the major active component of a traditional Chinese medicine Cistanches Herba, plenty of studies indicate it possesses a strong antioxidant capacity in nerve cells and tumour, it inhibits mitochondrial oxidative stress, protects mitochondrial function, but the specific mechanism is unclear. SIRT1/FOXO3a/MnSOD is an important antioxidant axis, study finds that ECH binds covalently to SIRT1 as a ligand and up‐regulates the expression of SIRT1 in brain cells. We hypothesizes that ECH may reverse myocardial remodelling and improve heart function of HF via regulating SIRT1/FOXO3a/MnSOD signalling axis and inhibit mitochondrial oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes. Here, we firstly induce cellular model of oxidative stress by ISO with AC‐16 cells and pre‐treat with ECH, the level of mitochondrial ROS, mtDNA oxidative injury, MMP, carbonylated protein, lipid peroxidation, intracellular ROS and apoptosis are detected, confirm the effect of ECH in mitochondrial oxidative stress and function in vitro. Then, we establish a HF rat model induced by ISO and pre‐treat with ECH. Indexes of heart function, myocardial remodelling, mitochondrial oxidative stress and function, expression of SIRT1/FOXO3a/MnSOD signalling axis are measured, the data indicate that ECH improves heart function, inhibits myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis and apoptosis, increases the expression of SIRT1/FOXO3a/MnSOD signalling axis, reduces the mitochondrial oxidative damages, protects mitochondrial function. We conclude that ECH reverses myocardial remodelling and improves cardiac function via up‐regulating SIRT1/FOXO3a/MnSOD axis and inhibiting mitochondrial oxidative stress in HF rats.
Sexual selection increased offspring production via evolution of male and female traits
Authors: Kyogoku Daisuke , Sota Teiji
Published: December 2020

Phenotypic evolution driven by sexual selection can impact the fitness of individuals and thus population performance through multiple mechanisms, but it is unresolved how and when sexual selection affects offspring production by females. We examined the effects of sexual selection on offspring production by females using replicated experimental evolutionary lines of Callosobruchus chinensis that were kept under polygamy (with sexual selection) or monogamy (without sexual selection) for 21 generations. We found that polygamous‐line pairs produced more offspring than monogamous‐line pairs, because polygamous‐line beetles evolved to be larger than monogamous‐line beetles, and larger females were more fecund. Egg hatchability did not differ between polygamous‐ and monogamous‐line pairs, as a result of the positive and negative effects of sexual selection cancelling out. When mated with an individual from a common tester line, both polygamous‐line females and males showed higher hatchability in resultant eggs than monogamous ones. Further, cohabitation with a male reduced egg hatchability, and this effect was more pronounced in polygamous‐line than in monogamous‐line males. These results demonstrate multiple mechanisms by which sexual selection affects female fitness, with the net effect being positive. Analyses of how development time, body size and male genital morphology were influenced by selection regime suggest that these results arose from both evolution via good‐gene processes and sexually antagonistic selection. Our results are also consistent with the hypothesis that the fitness consequences of sexual selection for females are dependent on the evolutionary history of the population.
Anatomical Variations, Mimics, and Pitfalls in Imaging of Patients with Epilepsy
Authors: Hassankhani Alvand , Stein Joel M. , Haboosheh Amit G. , Vossough Arastoo , Loevner Laurie A. , Nabavizadeh Seyed Ali
Published: December 2020

Epilepsy is among one of the most common neurologic disorders. The role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis and management of patients with epilepsy is well established, and most patients with epilepsy are likely to undergo at least one or more MRI examinations in the course of their disease. Recent advances in high‐field MRI have enabled high resolution in vivo visualization of small and intricate anatomic structures that are of great importance in the assessment of seizure disorders. Familiarity with normal anatomic variations is essential in the accurate diagnosis and image interpretation, as these variations may be mistaken for epileptogenic foci, leading to unnecessary follow‐up imaging, or worse, unnecessary treatment. After a brief overview of normal imaging anatomy of the mesial temporal lobe, this article will review a few important common and uncommon anatomic variations, mimics, and pitfalls that may be encountered in the imaging evaluation of patients with epilepsy.
Interpretation of Brain Volume Increase in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Uher Tomas , Bergsland Niels , Krasensky Jan , Dwyer Michael G. , Andelova Michaela , Sobisek Lukas , Havrdova Eva Kubala , Horakova Dana , Zivadinov Robert , Vaneckova Manuela
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A high variability of brain MRI volume change measurement renders challenging its interpretation in multiple sclerosis (MS). Occurrence and clinical relevance of observed apparent brain volume increase (BVI) in MS patients have not been investigated yet. The objective was to quantify the prevalence and factors associated with BVI.

METHODS

We examined 366 MS patients (2,317 scans) and 44 controls (132 scans). Volumetric analysis of brain volume changes was performed by SIENA and ScanView. BVI was defined as brain volume change >0%. We compared characteristics of patients with and without BVI.

RESULTS

BVI was found in 26.3% (from 1,951) longitudinal scans (SIENA). If BVI occurred, a probability that BVI will be repeated consecutively more than or equal to two times was 15.9%. The repeated BVI was associated with clinical disease activity in 50% of cases. BVI was associated with shorter time and lower T2 lesion volume increase between two MRI scans, and higher normalized brain volume (all P < .0001). A proportion of scans with BVI was higher when analyzed by ScanView (35.3%) and in controls (36.4% by SIENA).

CONCLUSIONS

BVI occurs in a great proportion of MR scans over short‐term follow‐up and is not associated with disease stabilization. Although BVI can be caused by several factors, the results indicate that measurement error may contribute to BVI in the majority of cases. Clinicians should be aware of the frequent occurrence of apparent BVI, interpret brain volume changes in MS patients with great caution, and use methods with precise quantification of brain volume changes.
Stability and well‐being: Associations among the Big Five domains, metatraits, and three kinds of well‐being in a large sample
Authors: Mann Frank D. , DeYoung Colin G. , Tiberius Valerie , Krueger Robert F.
Published: December 2020

Objective

The present study estimates associations of the Big Five domains and their metatraits with individual indicators of eudaimonic, hedonic, and social well‐being, as well as broader factors that capture the tendency for these individual indicators to correlate.

Method

Using data from a large sample of adults from the United States, confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling was used to verify the factor structure of Big Five personality and well‐being in adulthood. The factor structure of the Big Five domains and well‐being was carried forward to estimate associations between personality and well‐being at each of three assessments and different levels of analysis using structural equation modeling.

Results

Associations between the Big Five metatraits and well‐being were strong and consistent across the three measurements when the average ages of participants were 46, 54, and 63 years. Similar results were observed whether focused on a fine‐grained or broad level of analysis.

Conclusions

For all types of well‐being, the metatraits accounted for more variance than the Big Five domains, even when the Big Five were operationalized using latent factors, emphasizing the importance of considering this level of analysis when elucidating relations between personality and well‐being.
Shock contagion, asset quality and lending behaviour: The case of war in Eastern Ukraine
Authors: Pham Tho , Talavera Oleksandr , Tsapin Andriy
Published: December 2020

Focusing on the current geopolitical conflict in Eastern Ukraine, this paper examines the economic impact of military intervention on the banking sector and the contagion which is triggered by this type of negative shock. Our study reveals that banks which issued more loans within conflict areas during the pre‐conflict period were subsequently left with a higher level of non‐performing loans in the non‐conflict markets following the onset of the dispute. This impact can be seen most clearly in the regional markets which are closer geographically to the conflict zone. There is also evidence of the “flight to headquarters” effect in local lending. While banks tend to reduce their credit supply, it is within the regional markets located farther from head offices where the most significant reduction in lending can be observed. Further examination shows that the degree of lending reduction is lesser for politically connected banks and for larger banks. Finally, the negative economic effects of the conflict are long‐lasting but less profound once the ceasefire agreements are reached.
Government Type and Public Spending in Africa
Authors: Ariotti Margaret H.
Published: December 2020

How does government composition affect government spending in Africa’s democracies? Many scholars have examined the political, institutional, and ideological determinants of government spending, finding that government attributes can affect government spending levels. However, many of these studies have focused on OECD countries, largely overlooking the link between government spending and government composition in African democracies. I examine support for two existing theories about the characteristics of governments that can lead to increases in spending levels: the number of parties in government and the number of ministers. I assess empirical evidence for these theories using original data on government composition in 19 African countries from 1990 to 2015 and data on government spending from the World Bank. I find that a coalition at the time the budget is passed is associated with increased spending, but the number of cabinet ministers does not appear to systematically affect levels of government spending.
The assembly of β‐barrel membrane proteins by BAM and SAM
Authors: Lundquist Karl , Billings Evan , Bi Maxine , Wellnitz James , Noinaj Nicholas
Published: December 2020

Gram‐negative bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts all possess an outer membrane populated with a host of β‐barrel outer‐membrane proteins (βOMPs). These βOMPs play crucial roles in maintaining viability of their hosts, and therefore, it is essential to understand the biogenesis of this class of membrane proteins. In recent years, significant structural and functional advancements have been made toward elucidating this process, which is mediated by the β‐barrel assembly machinery (BAM) in Gram‐negative bacteria, and by the sorting and assembly machinery (SAM) in mitochondria. Structures of both BAM and SAM have now been reported, allowing a comparison and dissection of the two machineries, with other studies reporting on functional aspects of each. Together, these new insights provide compelling support for the proposed budding mechanism, where each nascent βOMP forms a hybrid‐barrel intermediate with BAM/SAM in route to its biogenesis into the membrane. Here, we will review these recent studies and highlight their contributions toward understanding βOMP biogenesis in Gram‐negative bacteria and in mitochondria. We will also weigh the evidence supporting each of the two leading mechanistic models for how BAM/SAM function, and offer an outlook on future studies within the field.
Hot topic: Thermosensing in plants
Authors: Hayes Scott , Schachtschabel Joëlle , Mishkind Michael , Munnik Teun , Arisz Steven A.
Published: December 2020

Plants alter their morphology and cellular homeostasis to promote resilience under a variety of heat regimes. Molecular processes that underlie these responses have been intensively studied and found to encompass diverse mechanisms operating across a broad range of cellular components, timescales and temperatures. This review explores recent progress throughout this landscape with a particular focus on thermosensing in the model plant Arabidopsis. Direct temperature sensors include the photosensors phytochrome B and phototropin, the clock component ELF3 and an RNA switch. In addition, there are heat‐regulated processes mediated by ion channels, lipids and lipid‐modifying enzymes, taking place at the plasma membrane and the chloroplast. In some cases, the mechanism of temperature perception is well understood but in others, this remains an open question. Potential novel thermosensing mechanisms are based on lipid and liquid–liquid phase separation. Finally, future research directions of high temperature perception and signalling pathways are discussed.
Recent updates of eye movement abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia: A scoping review
Authors: Wolf Alexandra , Ueda Kazuo , Hirano Yoji
Published: December 2020

Aim

Although eye‐tracking technology expands beyond capturing eye data just for the sole purpose of ensuring participants maintain their gaze at the presented fixation cross, gaze technology remains of less importance in clinical research. Recently, impairments in visual information encoding processes indexed by novel gaze metrics have been frequently reported in patients with schizophrenia. This work undertakes a scoping review of research on saccadic dysfunctions and exploratory eye movement deficits among patients with schizophrenia. It gathers promising pieces of evidence of eye movement abnormalities in attention‐demanding tasks on the schizophrenia spectrum that have mounted in recent years and their outcomes as potential biological markers.

Methods

The protocol was drafted based on PRISMA for scoping review guidelines. Electronic databases were systematically searched to identify articles published between 2010 and 2020 that examined visual processing in patients with schizophrenia and reported eye movement characteristics as potential biomarkers for this mental illness.

Results

The use of modern eye‐tracking instrumentation has been reported by numerous neuroscientific studies to successfully and non‐invasively improve the detection of visual information processing impairments among the screened population at risk of and identified with schizophrenia.

Conclusions

Eye‐tracking technology has the potential to contribute to the process of early intervention and more apparent separation of the diagnostic entities, being put together by the syndrome‐based approach to the diagnosis of schizophrenia. However, context‐processing paradigms should be conducted and reported in equally accessible publications to build comprehensive models.
Supplementation of potassium alleviates water stress‐induced changes in Sorghum bicolor L.
Authors: Tittal Megha , Mir Rayees Ahmad , Jatav Keshav Singh , Agarwal Rajiv Mohan
Published: December 2020

This report discusses water stress‐induced changes and their amelioration by added potassium in Sorghum bicolor L. Chlorophylls, carotenoids, and the activity of nitrogen metabolizing enzymes viz., nitrate reductase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were adversely affected under water stress and restricted irrigation. Osmotic as well as water stress trigger ROS production while potassium ameliorated these changes to some extent and increased the activity of SOD, CAT, APX, and GR and the contents of GSH and AsA. Water stress‐induced changes ultimately reflecting on growth and yield parameters like plant height, biomass yield, grain yield, days to flowering, and days to maturity. Added potassium affected these parameters positively, both under normal and stress conditions, indicating the use of potassium as a tool for mitigating the water stress induced deleterious changes in sorghum to some extent by enhancing the nitrogen use efficiency and strengthening the enzymatic and non‐enzymatic antioxidant components. The results obtained here exhibited similar trends in seedlings and plants raised in sand cultures and field conditions, making them more meaningful and comprehensible.
Root‐omics for drought tolerance in cool‐season grain legumes
Authors: Kumar Jitendra , Sen Gupta Debjyoti , Djalovic Ivica , Kumar Shiv , Siddique Kadambot H. M.
Published: December 2020

Root traits can be exploited to increase the physiological efficiency of crop water use under drought. Root length, root hairs, root branching, root diameter, and root proliferation rate are genetically defined traits that can help to improve the water productivity potential of crops. Recently, high‐throughput phenotyping techniques/platforms have been used to screen the germplasm of major cool‐season grain legumes for root traits and their impact on different physiological processes, including nutrient uptake and yield potential. Advances in omics approaches have led to the dissection of genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic structures of these traits. This knowledge facilitates breeders to improve the water productivity and nutrient uptake of cultivars under limited soil moisture conditions in major cool‐season grain legumes that usually face terminal drought. This review discusses the advances in root traits and their potential for developing drought‐tolerant cultivars in cool‐season grain legumes.
Which digit is larger? Brain responses to number and size interactions in a numerical Stroop task
Authors: Huang Hsu‐Wen , Nascimben Mauro , Wang Ya‐Yi , Fong Dong‐Yang , Tzeng Ovid J.‐L. , Huang Chih‐Mao
Published: December 2020

When comparing the digits of different physical sizes, the processing of numerical value interacts with the processing of physical size. Given the universal use of Arabic numbers in mathematics and daily life, this study aims to elucidate the cognitive processes involved in the interactions of task‐relevant and task‐irrelevant features during information processing. We investigated this question by examining event‐related potential (ERP) using a modified version of the size congruity comparison, which is a Stroop‐like task. Numerical value and physical size were varied independently under task‐relevant and task‐irrelevant conditions. To better examine how the task‐irrelevant features modulated the processing of the task‐relevant attributes, a neutral condition was included in both tasks. For the physical task, congruent trials showed a less negative N200 response than neutral trials (indicating a facilitation effect), and incongruent trials elicited a larger N450 and smaller late positive complex (LPC) response than neutral trials (indicating an interference effect). For the numerical task, congruent trials showed a larger LPC response than neutral trials (indicating a facilitation effect). These ERP findings indicate that the sources of the facilitation and interference effects appear in different cognitive processes for each task. We further suggest that language characteristics may be a factor in the superior numerical processing exhibited in this study.
Innovation management in crisis: patent analytics as a response to the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Guderian Carsten C. , Bican Peter M. , Riar Frederik J. , Chattopadhyay Sarbani
Published: December 2020

Crises like the COVID‐19 pandemic affect firms’ innovation management and decision making. On the downside, crises lead to detriments like budget constraints, to which firms often respond by reducing their innovation activities. On the upside, crises are opportunities, where some firms exploiting changing market requirements and necessities excel. No matter in which direction, decision makers must react quickly but often rely on ad‐hoc decisions or even gut feeling when drafting their crisis response strategies. Through a series of distinct cases, we demonstrate that innovation management may fill this void through patent analytics. Drawing on biochemical expertise, we particularly describe the functions and effects of COVID‐19. To counter downside detriments, firms may circumvent budget constraints by discerning patents that can be (1) monetized, for example via sales or licensing deals, or (2) abandoned to achieve cost‐savings, allowing firms to maintain their innovation activities. To realize upside opportunities, firms and governments may use patent analytics to detect key biotechnology firms that are likely to successfully develop treatments and vaccinations against pandemics like COVID‐19. Promulgated U.S. interest in relocating foreign firms to the United States is not without technological and commercial reasoning. Herein, the insights of this study contribute to a better understanding of the use of patent information, such as smart patent indicators, harmonized patent data, novel annuity fee measures, and hand‐collected datasets of COVID‐19 and related antibodies’ patents to the management of innovation in times of crisis.
Expression and functional analysis of the Follistatin‐like 3 (FSTL3) gene in the sheep ovary during the oestrous cycle
Authors: He Jianning , Liu Qiuyue , Yu Shunyu , Lei Mengyuan , Liu Jifeng , Di Ran , Ge Zhaojia , Hu Wenping , Wang Xiangyu , Liu Nan , Chu Mingxing
Published: December 2020

Follistatin‐like 3 (FSTL3) is a regulator of cellular apoptosis and was previously identified via RNA‐Seq to be associated with follicular development in mammalian ovaries. However, the mechanism underlying the FSTL3 regulation of oestrus in sheep remained poorly understood. In this study, the oestrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentrations in blood were detected, and the expression level and functional analysis of FSTL3 in the ovary were studied during the different reproductive stage in Aohan fine wool sheep (seasonal breeding breed in China). The concentrations of E2 and P4 at the anestrus were significantly lower compared to dioestrus, proestrus and oestrus stages. Higher expression levels of FSTL3 were observed in the sheep ovary, hypothalamus, and thyroid. During different reproductive stages, higher expression levels were found during the stages of dioestrus and proestrus, while lower levels were found during the oestrus and anestrus stages. Functional analysis of FSTL3 was performed in primary granulosa cells (GCs) of sheep. The concentration of E2 increased significantly after RNAi interference of FSTL3, while the P4 level decreased. FSTL3 can decrease P4 levels, which might be involved in mediating oestrous cycle in sheep.
A Spatial Analysis of Property Crime Rates in South Africa
Authors: Mulamba Kabeya Clement
Published: December 2020

The main objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between two types of property‐related crime and some socio‐economic, demographic and deterrence factors. It employs the conditional autoregressive specification to account for spatial autocorrelation that characterises property‐related crime data, which are aggregated up to the level of municipality. First, the analysis confirms the presence of spatial autocorrelation in the data, which means that neighbouring municipalities exhibit similar levels of property crime rates. In addition, and most importantly, empirical findings show that internal migration, youth and education are important predictors of property‐related crime across municipalities in South Africa for the period under consideration.
Longitudinal pathways of engagement, social interaction skills, hyperactivity and conduct problems in preschool children
Authors: Gustafsson Berit M. , Gustafsson Per A. , Granlund Mats , Proczkowska Marie , Almqvist Lena
Published: December 2020

Preschool children’s engagement/social interaction skills can be seen as aspects of positive functioning, and also act as protective aspects of functioning. On the other hand, hyperactivity/conduct problems are risk aspects that negatively affect children’s everyday functioning. Few studies have investigated such orchestrated effects on mental health in young children over time. The aims of the study are first, to identify homogeneous groups of children having similar pathways in mental health between three time points. Second, to examine how children move between time points in relation to risk and protective factors. Alongitudinal study over 3 years, including 197 Swedish preschool children was used. Questionnaire data collected from preschool teachers. Statistical analysis using person‐oriented methods with repeated cluster analyses. Children high in engagement/social skills and low in conduct problems continue to function well. Children with low engagement/social skills exhibiting both hyperactivity and conduct problems continue to have problems. Children with mixed patterns of protective factors and risk factors showed mixed outcomes. The stability of children’s pathways was quite high if they exhibited many positive protective factors but also if they exhibited many risk factors. Children exhibiting a mixed pattern of protective and risk factors moved between clusters in a less predictable way. That stability in mental health was related to the simultaneous occurrence of either many protective factors or many risk factors supports the notion of orchestrated effects. The results indicate that early interventions need to have a dual focus, including both interventions aimed at enhancing child engagement and interventions focused on decreasing behavior problems.