bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the impact of physical frailty during ageing in wild chimpanzees (
Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii
)
Authors: Thompson Melissa Emery , Machanda Zarin P. , Fox Stephanie A. , Sabbi Kris H. , Otali Emily , Thompson González Nicole , Muller Martin N. , Wrangham Richard W.
Published: September 2020

While declining physical performance is an expected consequence of ageing, human clinical research has placed increasing emphasis on physical frailty as a predictor of death and disability in the elderly. We examined non-invasive measures approximating frailty in a richly sampled longitudinal dataset on wild chimpanzees. Using urinary creatinine to assess lean body mass, we found moderate but significant declines in physical condition with age in both sexes. While older chimpanzees spent less of their day in the trees and feeding, they did not alter activity budgets with respect to travel or resting. There was little evidence that declining lean body mass had negative consequences independent of age. Old chimpanzees with poor lean body mass rested more often but did not otherwise differ in activity. Males, but not females, in poor condition were more likely to exhibit respiratory illness. Poor muscle mass was associated acutely with death in males, but it did not predict future mortality in either sex. While there may be some reasons to suspect biological differences in the susceptibility to frailty in chimpanzees versus humans, our data are consistent with recent reports from humans that lean, physically active individuals can successfully combat frailty.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Evolution of the primate ageing process’.
Faecal parasites increase with age but not reproductive effort in wild female chimpanzees
Authors: Phillips Sarah Renee , Goldberg T. L. , Muller M. N. , Machanda Z. P. , Otali E. , Friant S. , Carag J. , Langergraber K. E. , Mitani J. C. , Wroblewski E. E. , Wrangham R. W. , Thompson M. Emery
Published: September 2020

Energy investment in reproduction is predicted to trade off against other necessary physiological functions like immunity, but it is unclear to what extent this impacts fitness in long-lived species. Among mammals, female primates, and especially apes, exhibit extensive periods of investment in each offspring. During this time, energy diverted to gestation and lactation is hypothesized to incur short and long-term deficits in maternal immunity and lead to accelerated ageing. We examined the relationship between reproduction and immunity, as measured by faecal parasite counts, in wild female chimpanzees (
Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii
) of Kibale National Park, Uganda. While we observed higher parasite shedding (counts of eggs, cysts and larvae) in pregnant chimpanzees relative to cycling females, parasites rapidly decreased during early lactation, the most energetically taxing phase of the reproductive cycle. Additionally, while our results indicate that parasite shedding increases with age, females with higher fertility for their age had lower faecal parasite counts. Such findings support the hypothesis that the relatively conservative rate of female reproduction in chimpanzees may be protective against the negative effects of reproductive effort on health.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Evolution of the primate ageing process’.
Costs of reproduction and ageing in the human female
Authors: Jasienska Grazyna
Published: September 2020

Evolutionary theories of ageing point to reproduction as a significant factor to consider when asking why ageing occurs and why there is inter-individual variation in its progression. Reproduction in human females is costly, in terms of energy, nutrients and metabolic adjustments. Thus, it is expected that women who experienced high reproductive effort resulting from multiple reproductive events will age faster. However, the evidence for long-term negative effects of reproduction is not conclusive. The lack of understanding of whether there are trade-offs between reproduction and ageing in women is partly due to methodological challenges. The costs of reproduction are often calculated based only on parity, while other elements contributing to these costs (e.g. breastfeeding, timing of reproduction) are neglected, which may significantly underestimate the total costs and obscure the all-important inter-individual variation in such costs. Costs must be evaluated in relation to individual characteristics, including developmental conditions, nutritional status and social support that a mother receives during reproduction. Furthermore, ageing and health must be assessed based on comprehensive markers rather than arbitrarily assembled variables. Finally, longitudinal rather than cross-sectional studies and new statistical approaches are needed to reveal how much of a decline in health and progressing ageing can actually be attributed to past reproductive processes.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Evolution of the primate ageing process'.
Neuron loss associated with age but not Alzheimer's disease pathology in the chimpanzee brain
Authors: Edler Melissa K. , Munger Emily L. , Meindl Richard S. , Hopkins William D. , Ely John J. , Erwin Joseph M. , Mufson Elliott J. , Hof Patrick R. , Sherwood Chet C. , Raghanti Mary Ann
Published: September 2020

In the absence of disease, ageing in the human brain is accompanied by mild cognitive dysfunction, gradual volumetric atrophy, a lack of significant cell loss, moderate neuroinflammation, and an increase in the amyloid beta (A
β
) and tau proteins. Conversely, pathologic age-related conditions, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD), result in extensive neocortical and hippocampal atrophy, neuron death, substantial A
β
plaque and tau-associated neurofibrillary tangle pathologies, glial activation and severe cognitive decline. Humans are considered uniquely susceptible to neurodegenerative disorders, although recent studies have revealed A
β
and tau pathology in non-human primate brains. Here, we investigate the effect of age and AD-like pathology on cell density in a large sample of postmortem chimpanzee brains (
n
= 28, ages 12–62 years). Using a stereologic, unbiased design, we quantified neuron density, glia density and glia:neuron ratio in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and CA1 and CA3 hippocampal subfields. Ageing was associated with decreased CA1 and CA3 neuron densities, while AD pathologies were not correlated with changes in neuron or glia densities. Differing from cerebral ageing and AD in humans, these data indicate that chimpanzees exhibit regional neuron loss with ageing but appear protected from the severe cell death found in AD.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Evolution of the primate ageing process’.
Wild flies hedge their thermal preference bets in response to seasonal fluctuations
Authors: Akhund-Zade Jamilla , Yoon Denise , Bangerter Alyssa , Polizos Nikolaos , Campbell Matthew , Soloshenko Anna , Zhang Thomas , Wice Eric , Albright Ashley , Narayanan Aditi , Schmidt Paul , Saltz Julia , Ayroles Julien , Klein Mason , Bergland Alan , de Bivort Benjamin
Published: September 2020

Fluctuating environmental pressures can challenge organisms by repeatedly shifting the optimum phenotype. Two contrasting evolutionary strategies to cope with these fluctuations are 1) evolution of the mean phenotype to follow the optimum (adaptive tracking) or 2) diversifying phenotypes so that at least some individuals have high fitness in the current fluctuation (bet-hedging). Bet-hedging could underlie stable differences in the behavior of individuals that are present even when genotype and environment are held constant. Instead of being simply ‘noise,’ behavioral variation across individuals may reflect an evolutionary strategy of phenotype diversification. Using geographically diverse wild-derived fly strains and high-throughput assays of individual preference, we tested whether thermal preference variation inDrosophila melanogastercould reflect a bet-hedging strategy. We also looked for evidence that populations from different regions differentially adopt bet-hedging or adaptive-tracking strategies. Computational modeling predicted regional differences in the relative advantage of bet-hedging, and we found patterns consistent with that in regional variation in thermal preference heritability. In addition, we found that temporal patterns in mean preference support bet-hedging predictions and that there is a genetic basis for thermal preference variability. Our empirical results point to bet-hedging in thermal preference as a potentially important evolutionary strategy in wild populations.
Diversity Across the Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Disease Spectrum Revealed by Network-Anchored Functional Genomics
Authors: Rose Johnathon L. , Srinivasan Sanjana , Yao Wantong , Seth Sahil , Peoples Michael , Machado Annette , Li Chieh-Yuan , Ho I-Lin , Lee Jaewon J. , Guerrero Paola A. , Kim Eiru , Syed Mustafa , Daniele Joseph R. , Deem Angela , Kim Michael , Bristow Christopher A. , Koay Eugene J. , Genovese Giannicola , Viale Andrea , Heffernan Timothy P. , Maitra Anirban , Hart Traver , Carugo Alessandro , Draetta Giulio F.
Published: September 2020

Cancers are highly complex ecosystems composed of molecularly distinct sub-populations of tumor cells, each exhibiting a unique spectrum of genetic features and phenotypes, and embedded within a complex organ context. To substantially improve clinical outcomes, there is a need to comprehensively define inter- and intra-tumor phenotypic diversity, as well as to understand the genetic dependencies that underlie discrete molecular subpopulations. To this end, we integrated CRISPR-based co-dependency annotations with a tissue-specific co-expression network developed from patient-derived models to establish CoDEX, a framework to quantitatively associate gene-cluster patterns with genetic vulnerabilities in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Using CoDEX, we defined multiple prominent anticorrelated gene-cluster signatures and specific pathway dependencies, both across genetically distinct PDAC models and intratumorally at the single-cell level. Of these, one differential signature recapitulated the characteristics of classical and basal-like PDAC molecular subtypes on a continuous scale. Anchoring genetic dependencies identified through functional genomics within the gene-cluster signature defined fundamental vulnerabilities associated with transcriptomic signatures of PDAC subtypes. Subtype-associated dependencies were validated by feature-barcoded CRISPR knockout of prioritized basal-like-associated genetic vulnerabilities (SMAD4,ILK, andZEB1) followed by scRNAseq in multiple PDAC models. Silencing of these genes resulted in a significant and directional clonal shift toward the classical-like signature of more indolent tumors. These results validate CoDEX as a novel, quantitative approach to identify specific genetic dependencies within defined molecular contexts that may guide clinical positioning of targeted therapeutics.
Suppression of COVID-19 infection by isolation time control based on the SIR model and an analogy from nuclear fusion research
Authors: Mitarai Osamu , Yanagi Nagato
Published: September 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been damaging our daily life after declaration of pandemic. Therefore, we have started studying on the characteristics of Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) model to know about the truth of infectious disease and our future.

After detailed studies on the characteristics of the SIR model for the various parameter dependencies with respect to such as the outing restriction (lockdown) ratio and vaccination rate, we have finally noticed that the second term (isolation term) in the differential equation of the number of the infected is quite similar to the “helium ash particle loss term” in deuterium-tritium (D-T) nuclear fusion. Based on this analogy, we have found that isolation of the infected is not actively controlled in the SIR model. Then we introduce the isolation control time parameter q and have studied its effect on this pandemic. Required isolation time to terminate the COVID-19 can be estimated by this proposed method.

To show this isolation control effect, we choose Tokyo for the model calculation because of high population density. We determine the reproduction number and the isolation ratio in the initial uncontrolled phase, and then the future number of the infected is estimated under various conditions. If the confirmed case can be isolated in 3∼8 days by widely performed testing, this pandemic could be suppressed without awaiting vaccination. If the mild outing restriction and vaccination are taken together, the isolation control time can be longer. We consider this isolation time control might be the only solution to overcome the pandemic when vaccine is not available.
PPP6C negatively regulates oncogenic ERK signaling through dephosphorylation of MEK
Authors: Cho Eunice , Lou Hua Jane , Kuruvilla Leena , Calderwood David A. , Turk Benjamin E.
Published: September 2020

Flux through the RAF-MEK-ERK protein kinase cascade is shaped by phosphatases acting on the core components of the pathway. Despite being an established drug target and a hub for crosstalk regulation, little is known about dephosphorylation of MEK, the central kinase within the cascade. Here, we identify PPP6C, a phosphatase frequently mutated or downregulated in melanoma, as a major MEK phosphatase in cells exhibiting oncogenic ERK pathway activation. Recruitment of MEK to PPP6C occurs through an interaction with its associated regulatory subunits. Loss of PPP6C causes hyperphosphorylation of MEK at both activating and crosstalk phosphorylation sites, promoting signaling through the ERK pathway and resistance to the growth inhibitory effects of MEK inhibitors. Recurrent melanoma-associated PPP6C mutations cause MEK hyperphosphorylation, suggesting that they promote disease at least in part by activating the core oncogenic pathway driving melanoma. Collectively, our studies identify a key negative regulator of ERK signaling that may influence susceptibility to targeted cancer therapies.
The Effects of India’s COVID-19 Lockdown on Critical Non-COVID Health Care and Outcomes: Evidence from a Retrospective Cohort Analysis of Dialysis Patients
Authors: Jain Radhika , Dupas Pascaline
Published: September 2020

India’s COVID-19 lockdown, one of the most severe in the world, is widely believed to have disrupted critical non-COVID health services. However, linking these disruptions to effects on health outcomes has been difficult due to the lack of reliable, up-to-date health outcomes data. We identified all dialysis patients under a statewide health insurance program in Rajasthan, India, and conducted surveys to examine the effects of the lockdown on care access, morbidity, and mortality. 63% of patients experienced a disruption to their care. Transport barriers, hospital service disruptions, and difficulty obtaining medicines were the most common causes. We compared monthly mortality in the four months after the lockdown with pre-lockdown mortality trends, as well as with mortality trends for a similar cohort in the previous year. Mortality in May 2020, after a month of exposure to the lockdown, was 1.70 percentage points or 64% (p=0.01) higher than in March 2020 and total excess mortality between April and July was estimated to be 22%. Morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality between May and July were strongly positively associated with lockdown-related disruptions to care, providing further evidence that the uptick in mortality was driven by the lockdown. Females, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, and patients living far from the health system faced worse outcomes. The results highlight the unintended consequences of the lockdown on critical, life-saving non-COVID health services that must be taken into account in the implementation of future policy efforts to control the spread of pandemics.
Imbalanced expression for predicted high-impact, autosomal-dominant variants in a cohort of 3,818 healthy samples
Authors: de Klein Niek , van Dijk Freerk , Deelen Patrick , Urzua Carlos G. , Claringbould Annique , Võsa Urmo , Verlouw Joost A.M. , Monajemi Ramin , ‘t Hoen Peter A.C. , Sinke Richard J. ,   BIOS Consortium, Swertz Morris A. , Franke Lude
Published: September 2020

Background

One of the growing problems in genome diagnostics is the increasing number of variants that get identified through genetic testing but for which it is unknown what the significance for the disease is (Variants of Unknown Significance - VUS)1,2. When these variants are observed in patients, clinicians need to be able to determine their relevance for causing the patient’s disease. Here we investigated whether allele-specific expression (ASE) can be used to prioritize disease-relevant VUS and therefore assist diagnostics. In order to do so, we conducted ASE analysis in RNA-seq data from 3,818 blood samples (part of the the Dutch BIOS biobank consortium), to ascertain how VUS affect gene expression. We compared the effect of VUS variants to variants that are predicted to have a high impact, and variants that are predicted to be pathogenic but are either recessive or autosomal-dominant with low penetrance.

Results

For immune and haematological disorders, we observed that 24.7% of known pathogenic variants from ClinVar show allelic imbalance in blood, as compared to 6.6% of known benign variants with matching allele frequencies. However, for other types of disorders, ASE information from blood did not distinguish (likely) pathogenic variants from benign variants. Unexpectedly, we identified 5 genes (ALOX5, COMT, PRPF8, PSTPIP1 and SH3BP2) in which seven population-based samples had a predicted high impact, autosomal-dominant variant. For these genes the imbalanced expression of the major allele compensates for the lower expression of the minor allele.

Conclusions

Our analysis in a large population-based gene expression cohort reveals examples of high impact, autosomal-dominant variants that are compensated for by imbalanced expression. Additionally, we observed that ASE analyses in blood are informative for predicting pathogenic variants that are associated with immune and haematological conditions. We have made all our ASE results, including many ASE calls for rare variants (MAF < 1%), available at https://molgenis15.gcc.rug.nl/.
F-domain valency determines outcome of signaling through the angiopoietin pathway
Authors: Zhao Yan Ting , Fallas Jorge A. , Saini Shally , Ueda George , Somasundaram Logeshwaran , Zhou Ziben , Xavier Infencia , Ehnes Devon , Xu Chunfu , Carter Lauren , Wrenn Samuel , Mathieu Julie , Sellers Drew L. , Baker David , Ruohola-Baker Hannele
Published: September 2020

Angiopoietin 1 and 2 (Ang1 and Ang2) modulate angiogenesis and vascular homeostasis through engagement of their very similar F-domain modules with the Tie2 receptor tyrosine kinase on endothelial cells. Despite this similarity in the underlying receptor binding interaction, the two angiopoietins have opposite effects: Ang1 induces phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT), strengthens cell-cell junctions and enhances endothelial cell survival while Ang2 antagonizes these effects1–4. To investigate the molecular basis for the opposing effects, we examined the protein kinase activation and morphological phenotypes produced by a series of computationally designed protein scaffolds presenting the Ang1 F-domain in a wide range of valencies and geometries. We find two broad phenotypic classes distinguished by the number of presented F-domains: scaffolds presenting 4 F-domains have Ang2 like activity, upregulating pFAK and pERK but not pAKT, and failing to induce cell migration and tube formation, while scaffolds presenting 6 or more F-domains have Ang1 like activity, upregulating pAKT and inducing migration and tube formation. The scaffolds with 8 or more F-domains display superagonist activity, producing stronger phenotypes at lower concentrations than Ang1. When examinedin vivo, superagonist icosahedral self-assembling nanoparticles caused significant revascularization in hemorrhagic brains after a controlled cortical impact injury.
Consumptive and non‐consumptive effects of wolf spiders on cucumber beetles and cucumber plant damage
Authors: Kahl Hanna M. , Leslie Alan W. , Hooks Cerruti R. R.
Published: September 2020

Biological control research often focuses on the ability of predators to reduce pest densities and protect crops through consumption. Less studied is their ability to protect crops by altering pest behaviour (non‐consumptive effects). Lab experiments were conducted to test predation rates of striped cucumber beetles (Acalymma vittatum; Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and spotted cucumber beetles (Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi; Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) by large (>10 mm) wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae). Field experiments were conducted to examine how the physical presence and/or cues of spiders impact the behaviour and mortality of A. vittatum (specialist) and D. undecimpunctata (generalist) cucumber beetles as well as growth and damage of cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus; Cucurbitaceae). A. vittatum and D. undecimpunctata adults were added to caged cucumber plants without a spider, with spider cues only (spider removed before beetle inclusion), with spider only (spider introduced to plants immediately before beetle inclusion), and with spiders and their cues present (spiders introduced 24 hr in advance of beetle inclusion). A. vittatum responded to spider cues primarily by emigrating from plants. Contrarily, D. undecimpunctata did not display obvious responses, such as reduced feeding or increased emigration, to spider foraging and/or cues. Actively foraging lycosids increased A. vittatum mortality and reduced densities of D. undecimpunctata in the field when cucumber plants were flowering. This study highlights how non‐consumptive and consumptive effects can play a role in modifying pest populations, and how these effects can vary across species and plant growth stages.
Cortical responses to whole‐body balance perturbations index perturbation magnitude and predict reactive stepping behavior
Authors: Solis‐Escalante Teodoro , Stokkermans Mitchel , Cohen Michael X. , Weerdesteyn Vivian
Published: September 2020

The goal of this study was to determine whether the cortical responses elicited by whole‐body balance perturbations were similar to established cortical markers of action monitoring. Postural changes imposed by balance perturbations elicit a robust negative potential (N1) and a brisk increase of theta activity in the electroencephalogram recorded over midfrontal scalp areas. Because action monitoring is a cognitive function proposed to detect errors and initiate corrective adjustments, we hypothesized that the possible cortical markers of action monitoring during balance control (N1 potential and theta rhythm) scale with perturbation intensity and the eventual execution of reactive stepping responses (as opposed to feet‐in‐place responses). We recorded high‐density electroencephalogram from eleven young individuals, who participated in an experimental balance assessment. The participants were asked to recover balance following anteroposterior translations of the support surface at various intensities, while attempting to maintain both feet in place. We estimated source‐resolved cortical activity using independent component analysis. Combining time‐frequency decomposition and group‐level general linear modeling of single‐trial responses, we found a significant relation of the interaction between perturbation intensity and stepping responses with multiple cortical features from the midfrontal cortex, including the N1 potential, and theta, alpha, and beta rhythms. Our findings suggest that the cortical responses to balance perturbations index the magnitude of a deviation from a stable postural state to predict the need for reactive stepping responses. We propose that the cortical control of balance may involve cognitive control mechanisms (i.e., action monitoring) that facilitate postural adjustments to maintain postural stability.
An integrative review of nursing staff experiences in high secure forensic mental health settings: Implications for recruitment and retention strategies
Authors: Oates Jennifer , Topping Alice , Ezhova Ivanka , Wadey Emma , Marie Rafferty Anne
Published: September 2020

Aims

To identify the experiences of nursing in high secure forensic mental health settings that may affect staff recruitment and retention.

Background

Recruitment and retention of Registered Nurses is a vital international concern in the field of mental health. The high secure forensic setting presents unique challenges for the nurse. Studies of nurse's experiences in this setting have not previously been reviewed in the context of workforce sustainability pressures.

Design

An integrative review (Whittemore and Knapfl, 2005).

Data sources

A systematic search of data sources: MEDLINE (PubMed), PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), Social Services Abstracts, ProQuest Social Sciences Premium collection (IBSS, PAIS, and Sociological Abstracts), and Web of Science from inception to December 2019.

Review methods

Data extraction, quality appraisal, and convergent qualitative synthesis.

Results

Fifteen papers were selected for inclusion in the review, describing 13 studies. Six studies were quantitative, all cross‐sectional surveys. There were seven qualitative studies, using a variety of methodologies. Four themes were identified: engagement with the patient group, the ward social environment, impact on the nurse, and implications for practice.

Conclusion

When policymakers address workforce shortages in high secure forensic nursing they must take account of the unique features of the setting and patient group. Nurses must be adequately prepared and supported to function in an ethically and emotionally challenging environment.

Impact

This study identified factors affecting workforce pressures in the speciality of forensic mental health nursing. Findings are of interest to national nursing policymakers and workforce leads in mental health service provider organizations, seeking to promote forensic nursing as a career option and retain nursing staff.
The role of endothelial shear stress on haemodynamics, inflammation, coagulation and glycocalyx during sepsis
Authors: Lupu Florea , Kinasewitz Gary , Dormer Kenneth
Published: September 2020

Sepsis is a multifactorial syndrome primarily determined by the host response to an invading pathogen. It is common, with over 48 million cases worldwide in 2017, and often lethal. The sequence of events in sepsis begins with the damage of endothelium within the microvasculature, as a consequence of the inflammatory and coagulopathic responses to the pathogen that can progress to multiple organ failure and death. Most therapeutic interventions target the inflammation and coagulation pathways that act as an auto‐amplified vicious cycle, which, if unchecked can be fatal. Normal blood flow and shear stress acting on a healthy endothelium and intact glycocalyx have anti‐inflammatory, anticoagulant and self‐repairing effects. During early stages of sepsis, the vascular endothelium and its glycocalyx become dysfunctional, yet they are essential components of resuscitation and recovery from sepsis. The effects of shear forces on sepsis‐induced endothelial dysfunction, including inflammation, coagulation, complement activation and microcirculatory breakdown are reviewed. It is suggested that early therapeutic strategies should prioritize on the restoration of shear forces and endothelial function and on the preservation of the endothelial‐glycocalyx barrier.
Benzodiazepine Use among Medicare, Commercially Insured, and Veteran Older Adults, 2013–2017
Authors: Maust Donovan T. , Kim H. Myra , Wiechers Ilse R. , Ignacio Rosalinda V. , Bohnert Amy S.B. , Blow Frederic C.
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are widely prescribed to older adults. Although prescribing has declined in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Medicare introduced BZD coverage in 2013. It is unknown whether declines in the VA have been widespread among older adults in the United States.

DESIGN

Observational study in traditional fee‐for‐service Medicare, commercial insurance, and the VA.

SETTING

United States, 2013–2017.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults aged 55 and older in traditional Medicare (234,290,693 person‐months), commercial insurance (337,827,125 person‐months), and the VA (256,590,369 person‐months).

MEASUREMENTS

(1) Change in BZD and BZD‐opioid co‐prescribing modeled by Poisson regression over time; and (2) standardized ratios of BZD and BZD‐opioid co‐prescribing, using Medicare as the reference.

RESULTS

From April 2013 to December 2017, the monthly percentage of adults aged 55 and older who received BZDs fell from 10.4% to 9.3% in Medicare, 6.6% to 6.5% in commercial insurance, and 5.7% to 3.0% in the VA. Monthly BZD‐opioid co‐prescribing over the same time fell from 4.0% to 3.0% in Medicare, 2.3% to 2.0% in commercial, and 2.2% to .6% for the VA. Age‐ and sex‐adjusted rates of decline for BZD and BZD‐opioid co‐prescribing were statistically significant for all systems. Annual BZD rate reductions were .98 (Medicare), .99 (commercial), and .87 (VA; P < .001 for all); co‐prescribing rate reductions were .95, .99, and .75 (P < .001 for all). Using standardized ratios accounting for demographic and clinical characteristics, both prescribing and co‐prescribing were lowest for the VA relative to Medicare (standardized BZD ratio = .40; 95% confidence interval [CI] = .39–.40; standardized BZD‐opioid co‐prescribing ratio = .35; 95% CI = .35–.35). Prescribing in commercial insurance was also lower (BZD = .65; 95% CI = .65–.65; BZD‐opioid co‐prescribing = .65; 95% CI = .65–.65).

CONCLUSION

BZD prescribing has declined much more to older adults receiving care through the VA than Medicare or commercial insurance. Other systems may learn from strategies implemented in the VA.
Investigating the nutritional advice and support given to colorectal cancer survivors in the UK: is it fit for purpose and does it address their needs?
Authors: Matsell S. L. , Sánchez‐García M. A. , Halliday V. , Williams E. A. , Corfe B. M.
Published: September 2020

Background

The present study assessed the quantity and quality of nutritional advice and support given to colorectal cancer survivors in the UK.

Methods

A descriptive cross‐sectional survey was completed by 75 colorectal cancer survivors recruited through social media and bowel cancer support groups in the UK. The survey consisted of open‐ended and closed questions that aimed to explore the nutritional needs, nutritional advice given and other sources of information accessed by colorectal cancer survivors.

Results

Sixty‐nine percent of respondents reported that they did not receive any nutritional advice or support from their healthcare team throughout diagnosis, treatment and post‐treatment. Colorectal cancer survivors accessed nutritional advice from a variety of sources, mainly cancer charity websites. Respondents expressed their desire for individualised advice relating to their nutritional problems.

Conclusions

The results obtained in the present study indicate that a high proportion of colorectal cancer patients are not receiving the nutritional support that they need to overcome nutritional difficulties. There is an urgent need to improve clinical practice to ensure colorectal patients receive nutritional advice that is both consistent between healthcare professionals and personalised throughout each stage of diagnosis, treatment and post‐treatment.
Wild ungulate overabundance in Europe: contexts, causes, monitoring and management recommendations
Authors: Carpio Antonio J. , Apollonio Marco , Acevedo Pelayo
Published: September 2020

High‐density populations of large ungulates are now widespread. However, the perception of overabundance only appears when it produces a problem for humans, such as a loss of plant diversity, damage to agricultural crops and forestry, ungulate‐vehicle collisions, a nuisance to humans, disease transmission to livestock or changes in habitat for other species. The admissible level of density depends on the ecological and socio‐economic context in which the population is located, and defining this level is important, in order to determine management strategies and actions.

We describe the main contexts in which ungulate overabundance occurs in Europe, record the causes of overabundance and evaluate which set of indicators of ecological change is the most appropriate for monitoring and diagnosing overabundance in each scenario.

Our review of 318 published papers revealed six contexts of wild ungulate overabundance in Europe (protected areas, hunting areas, forestry, arable farming, livestock farming and [peri]urban areas). In addition to population abundance, four sets of indicators of environmental change could be used to monitor overabundance within these contexts (impacts on habitats, impact on animal performance, increments in diseases and parasite loads, and increments in nuisance to humans).

Nine species of ungulate were found to be overabundant. Red deer Cervus elaphus was the species most likely to be overabundant in the contexts of protected areas (detailed in 27% of papers on that context) and hunting areas (38%); roe deer Capreolus capreolus in forestry (28%); wild boar Sus scrofa in arable farming (60%), livestock farming (29%) and (peri)urban areas (38%). Our evidence shows that the diagnosis and monitoring of ungulate population overabundance via indicators of ecological change, and the management actions required to control these undesirable situations, are strongly context‐dependent.
Learning to pop blisters in epidermolysis bullosa with a simple model
Authors: Sathishkumar Dharshini , Jacob Anandha Ruby
Published: September 2020

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a genetic disorder with skin fragility resulting in easy blistering of skin and mucous membranes. A plane of cleavage exists even where there is no visible blister, so new blisters should be drained as soon as possible to prevent their expansion. Although, learning how to drain blisters safely and painlessly without introducing infection is essential, it can be a major challenge, especially for new parents and children. To avoid demonstrating the technique directly on patient's skin, we have devised a simple teaching aid simulating a hand and forearm with multiple blisters, created with readily available materials. In our experience, we have found this low‐cost model to be extremely useful to teach patients, families, and professional groups, how to drain EB blisters and it provides an effective, low‐cost, painless substitute for real‐life blisters, empowering parents and engaging children.
Yeast as major protein‐rich ingredient in aquafeeds: a review of the implications for aquaculture production
Authors: Agboola Jeleel Opeyemi , Øverland Margareth , Skrede Anders , Hansen Jon Øvrum
Published: September 2020

Sustainability concerns associated with protein sources and currently used fishmeal and plant‐based meal have necessitated the quests for novel sustainable ingredients for use in aquafeeds. Yeasts have been proposed as sustainable ingredients particularly because of their potential to valorise non‐food lignocellulosic biomass into valuable protein resources. Prior to now, extensive studies exist on the role of yeast cell wall components in modulating health responses of fish. However, research on its use as a major protein source in fish diets is still in its infancy. The current review collates, synthesises and discusses the prospects of five major yeast species as future protein ingredients with respect to their nutritional adequacy in fish. Nutritional quality of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Cyberlindnera jadinii, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Blastobotrys adeninivorans and Wickerhamomyces anomalus and their use as replacement for fishmeal and soy protein in the diets of Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout are discussed based on three protein quality indices: chemical score, essential amino acid index and ideal protein concept based on the first limiting amino acids, methionine. The crude protein contents of yeast (40–55%) are lower than that of fishmeal, but comparable with soya bean meal. Compared to fishmeal, the different yeast species have favourable amino acid profiles, except for methionine, lysine, arginine and phenylalanine which are the frequently limiting essential amino acids in Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout. This review also presents future area of research and emphasise the need for large‐scale production of yeast at competitive price to constitute a feasible replacement for fishmeal and soy protein in aquaculture.
EFFECT OF AIR FLOW OBSTRUCTION IN A CONDENSING UNIT ON SPLIT AIR CONDITIONER PERFORMANCE
Authors: Setyawan Andriyanto
Published: September 2020

Obstructions of air flow in the outdoor unit could block the condenser air flow and reduce its heat rejection As a result, it could decrease the performance of a room air conditioning system. The paper presents the effects of the air flow obstruction of a condensing unit on the performance of a split-type air conditioner with refrigerant R410A. The study was conducted experimentally by employing front and side obstructions with varied distance from the condensing unit. The front obstruction of 100 cm height was applied at varied distance from 10 cm to 100 cm, while the side obstruction of the same height was applied at distance of 5, 10, and 15 cm. The presence of air flow obstructions results in the decrease of cooling capacity and coefficient of performance (COP). On the other hand, it increases the input power of the AC unit. From the experiment, it is obvious that the distance of front obstruction of 10 cm results in the reduction of cooling capacity by 46% and COP by 56%. It is also revealed that the distance of the front obstruction of 50 cm or more has no significant effect for the performance of the air conditioning unit. In addition, the side obstructions have the less significant effect than that of the front obstruction.
NARX NETWORK BASED DATA-DRIVEN ALGORITHM FOR DETECTION OF TRAY FAULTS IN NONLINEAR DYNAMIC DISTILLATION COLUMN
Authors: Ammar Taqvi Syed Ali , Zabiri Haslinda , Dendena Tufa Lemma , Uddin Fahim , Fatima Syeda Anmol , Shah Maulud Abdulhalim
Published: September 2020

Efficient monitoring of highly complex process industries is essential for better management, safer operations and high-quality production. Timely detection of various faults helps to improve the performance of the complex industries, prevent various unfavorable consequences and reduce the maintenance cost. Fault Detection and Diagnosis (FDD) for process monitoring and control has been an active field of research for the past two decades. Distillation columns are inherently nonlinear, and thus to have an accurate and robust performance, the fault detection methods should be based on nonlinear dynamic methods. The paper presents a robust data-driven fault detection approach for realistic tray upsets in the distillation column. The detection of tray faults in the distillation column is conducted by Nonlinear AutoRegressive with eXogenous Input (NARX) network with Tapped Delay Lines (TDL). Aspen Plus® Dynamic simulation has been used to generate normal and faulty datasets. The study shows that the proposed method can be used for the detection of tray faults in distillation column for dynamic process monitoring. The performance of the proposed method has been evaluated by the Missed Detection Rate (MDR) and the Detection Delay (DD).
PREPARATION OF CASTOR-BASED POLYURETHANE COMPOSITES FILLED WITH WASTE CARBON TYRES (WCT) AS GROUTING MATERIAL
Authors: Mat Hussain Nur Izzah Atirah , Bonnia Noor Najmi , Hirzin Radin Siti Fazlina Nazrah , Ali Ernie Suzana , Ratim Suzana
Published: September 2020

This research focused on the fabrication of castor-based polyurethane composite (CPUC) filled with waste carbon tyres (WCT) with particle size of 200 µm that acts as reinforcing filler. WCT was first sieved using a sieving machine to obtain uniform particle size. WCT loading was varied at 0wt%, 2wt%, 4wt% and 6wt%. The effect of WCT loading in CPUC was evaluated based on their foam reaction time, apparent density, rheology, compression strength, morphology and thermal properties. The foam reaction time of CPUC achieved was in the range of industrial PU grout’s properties. The rheology index and compression strength of CPUC decreased with increasing WCT loading. CPUC with 2wt% of WCT loading achieved the optimum compression strength where it increased from 2.58 MPa to 3.39 MPa with the improvement of 31.40% compared to neat PU. FESEM micrograph showed that CPUC consists of closed foam cell indicating the rigidity of the CPUC. The addition of 2wt% of WCT resulted in achieving the optimum thermal stability of CPUC where CPUC2 had the highest char residue content. The high residue content indicated that CPUC2 had the lowest decomposition of elements as WCT acted as heat barrier in CPUC matrix thus increasing the thermal stability of CPUC2.
EFFICIENCY OF TRADITIONAL DNA EXTRACTION METHOD IN PCR DETECTION OF PORCINE DNA IN MEAT MIXTURES
Authors: Suadi Zaliha , Maurice Bilung Lesley , Apun Kasing , Azmi Aida Azrina
Published: September 2020

Through the advancement of biotechnology, DNA-based methods are the most effective techniques in species identification, as they are rapid and have higher stability in harsh conditions compared to protein-based methods. This study was conducted to determine the efficiency of the traditional DNA extraction method, phenol/chloroform/isoamyl alcohol (PCIA), and comparing it with the commercially available kit by evaluating the purity, concentration, and suitability for amplification of porcine DNA in raw chicken and beef mixtures. The quantity and quality of the DNA extracts were assessed using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using species-specific primers targeting mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b (cyt b) gene of chicken (227-bp), beef (274-bp), and pork (398-bp), to confirm the template usability and quality of the DNA extracts. High DNA concentrations and purity were obtained from meat samples extracted using the PCIA method. The visualization of pork DNA on 2% agarose gel was able to detect pork contamination in raw meat mixtures up to minute proportion (1%). The existence of pork in chicken and beef was indicated with the presence of a specific 398-bp DNA band. Thus, the PCIA method can be recommended as a cost-effective and an excellent alternative to more expensive extraction kits in detecting pork DNA in raw meat mixtures.
MODIFICATION OF NANO HYBRID PES-ZNO MEMBRANE USING UV IRRADIATION FOR BIODIESEL PURIFICATION
Authors: Kusworo Tutuk Djoko , Kumoro Andri Cahyo , Ainul Yaqin Muhammad , Fatiyah Nurul , Puji Utomo Dani
Published: September 2020

The purification of biodiesel is one of the crucial processes involved in biodiesel production. This study aims to examine the effect of the polymer composition, nano-ZnO loading, and UV irradiation on the performance of membranes for biodiesel purification. The membranes were fabricated with the polyethersulfone composition of 17, 18, and 20 wt%. The compositions of nano ZnO were varied at 1.5, 2, and 2.5 wt%, while the duration of UV irradiation was varied for 0.5, 1, and 1.5 minutes. The results indicate that the compositions of PES, nano ZnO, and UV irradiation affected the performance of the membrane. The best membrane performance was achieved when the membrane was produced using PES 17 wt%, nano ZnO 1.5 wt% involving irradiation UV light for 1 minute. The fabricated membrane exhibits 3 hours flux profile stability and 61.5% glycerol rejection.
A review of current approaches for the study of microplastic contamination in crustaceans
Authors: Sorrentino Rayane , Senna André R.
Published: September 2020

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in marine environment, and a growing body of evidence suggests that they pose a threat to marine ecosystems. The ingestion of MPs causes a false sense of satiation and decline in nutritional status. After animal ingestion, MPs fragment into nanoplastics, returning to the environment through egestion and thereby becoming vectors of contaminant exposure (organic and inorganic) into marine food webs. Crustacea is one invertebrate group frequently investigated in studies of MP ingestion. Through a critical review of the current literature, we provide an overview of techniques utilized in research on the contamination of MPs on members of the Crustacea subphylum and thereby identify methodological limitations and future research needs.
Degenerate Bogdanov–Takens bifurcations in a bulk viscous cosmology
Authors: Azim Asmaa Abdel , Awad Adel , Lashin E. I.
Published: September 2020

Using the dynamical system theory we show that the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) cosmological model with bulk viscous fluid in the presence of cosmological constant is equivalent to a degenerate two dimensional Bogdanov–Takens normal form. The equation of state parameter, $$\omega $$
ω
, the bulk viscosity coefficient, $$\xi $$
ξ
, and the cosmological constant, $$\Lambda $$
Λ
, define the necessary parameters for unfolding the degenerate Bogdanov-Takens system. The fixed points of the system are discussed together with the variation of their stability properties upon changing the relevant parameters $$\omega , \Lambda $$

ω
,
Λ

and $$\xi $$
ξ
. The variation of the stability properties are visualized by the appropriate bifurcation diagrams. Phase portrait for finite domain and global phase portrait are displayed and the issue of the structural stability is discussed. Typical issues such as late acceleration or inflation that can be induced by viscosity and could have relevance to observational cosmology are also discussed.
Incidence of uveitis and macular edema among patients taking fingolimod 0.5 mg for multiple sclerosis
Authors: Sonne Scott Joseph , Smith Bradley Thomas
Published: September 2020

Background

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a higher incidence of uveitis compared with the general population. Fingolimod, a first line disease modifying drug used in multiple sclerosis, may cause macular edema and thus requires ophthalmic examination. However, murine models and anecdotal reports suggest fingolimod may reduce the incidence of uveitis.

Purpose

To report the incidence of uveitis and macular edema among those on fingolimod 0.5 mg (Gilenya®) therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods

Retrospective review of patients on fingolimod who developed uveitis and/or macular edema.

Results

No patients had an occurrence or history of uveitis. Four of the 188 (2.13%) patients developed macular edema without ocular inflammation. One of the 188 (0.53%) patients developed Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy.

Conclusion

Patients taking fingolimod have a lower incidence of uveitis than expected in a population of MS patients.
Phaeoacremonium species detected in fine needle aspiration: a rare case report
Authors: Tummidi Santosh , Naik Bitan , Shankaralingappa Arundhathi , Balakrishna Pavithra , Bhadada Arati Ankushrao , Kosaraju Navya
Published: September 2020

Background

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) with rapid on-site evaluation has a great potential for the diagnosis of fungal lesions and other opportunistic infections. Fungal infections have been in increasing trend in the past two decades due to immunosuppression, travel, and environmental exposure. Human disease caused by Phaeoacremonium species is rare and was first reported in 1974 as subcutaneous tissue infection in a renal transplant recipient.

Case presentation

We report a case of subcutaneous tissue swelling in a 67-year-old male, wherein FNAC was done with incidental detection of the fungus (Phaeoacremonium spp).

Conclusion

There are very few reported cases of subcutaneous infection in humans by Phaeoacremonium spp. Clinical suspicion and FNAC can play an important role in early detection of the fungus, prevent spread, and facilitating early treatment.