bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A strategy for wildlife management in depopulating rural areas of Japan
Authors: Tsunoda Hiroshi , Enari Hiroto
Published: May 2020

Former ranges of wild animals have been reestablished in many developed countries. However, this reestablishment has led to increasing human–wildlife conflict in agroforest ecosystems. In Japan, human–wildlife conflict, such as crop raiding by and ecological impacts of wild ungulates and primates, is a serious problem in depopulated rural areas due to these animal range expansions and increased abundances. Japan's human population is predicted to decline by 24% by 2050, and approximately 20% of agricultural settlements will become completely depopulated. In this scenario, anthropogenic pressures on wildlife (e.g., hunting and habitat alteration) will continue to decrease and human–wildlife conflict will increase due to increasing wildlife recovery. Japan's local governments plan to slow range recovery, prevent species reestablishment, or remove recolonizing large mammals through lethal control. This strategy, however, is not cost‐effective, and workforce shortages in depopulated communities make it infeasible. Moreover, the suppression of wildlife prevents the recovery of ecological functions and thus would degrade regional biodiversity. The declining pressure on wildlife that accompanies human depopulation will prevent the restoration of any past states of human–wildlife interaction. We suggest human‐used areas in rural landscapes be aggregated in compact cities and that in transition zones between human settlements and depopulated lands that land‐sharing approaches be applied. Concentrating management efforts in compact cities may effectively decrease human–wildlife conflict, rather than intensifying human pressures. Reforestation of depopulated lands may lead to recovery of wildlife habitats, their ecosystem functions, and regional biodiversity due to minimization of negative anthropogenic effects (land‐sparing approach). Balancing resolution of human–wildlife conflict and ecological rewilding could become a new, challenging task for regional wildlife managers.
Addressing inequality and intolerance in human–wildlife coexistence
Authors: Jordan Neil R. , Smith Bradley P. , Appleby Robert G. , van Eeden Lily M. , Webster Hugh S.
Published: May 2020

Millennia of human conflict with wildlife have built a culture of intolerance toward wildlife among some stakeholders. We explored 2 key obstacles to improved human–wildlife coexistence: coexistence inequality (how the costs and benefits of coexisting with wildlife are unequally shared) and intolerance. The costs of coexisting with wildlife are often disproportionately borne by the so‐called global south and rural communities, and the benefits often flow to the global north and urban dwellers. Attitudes and behaviors toward wildlife (tolerance versus intolerance) vary with social and cultural norms. We suggest more empathetic advocacy is needed that, for example, promotes conservation while appropriately considering those who bear the costs of conflict with wildlife. To achieve more equitable cost‐sharing, we suggest limiting the costs incurred by those most affected or by sharing those costs more widely. For example, we advocate for the development of improved wildlife compensation schemes, increasing the scale of rewilding efforts, and preventing wildlife‐derived revenue leaching out of the local communities bearing the costs of coexistence.
Linking human and ecological components to understand human–wildlife conflicts across landscapes and species
Authors: Teixeira Lucas , Tisovec‐Dufner Karina Campos , Marin Gabriela de Lima , Marchini Silvio , Dorresteijn Ine , Pardini Renata
Published: May 2020

Human–wildlife conflicts (HWC) are complex conservation challenges that impair both wildlife populations and human livelihood. Research on HWC, however, has traditionally approached ecological and human components separately, hampering a broader understanding of connections between ecological drivers and human dimensions of conflicts. We developed a model that integrates ecological and human components of HWC to investigate how the amount of remaining native forest (forest cover, a key ecological variable known to influence species occurrence and abundance) affects human experiences with wildlife (contact with species and attacks on livestock) and how such experiences influence tolerance via beliefs, emotions, and attitudes. We tested the model with piecewise structural equation modeling and data on human interactions with 3 mammals with different rarity and body size: opossum (Didelphis aurita), crab‐eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), and puma (Puma concolor). Data were obtained by interviewing 114 landowners across 13 Atlantic Forest landscapes (10–50% forest cover). Forest cover was associated with high chance of attacks on livestock, and thus with low tolerance, only in the case of the puma. Effects of distinct experiences with wildlife on beliefs and emotions varied across species. Beliefs and emotions toward wildlife influenced tolerance toward all species, but negative emotions affected tolerance toward only with the puma. Conflicts with large carnivores, such as pumas, can then be understood as disservices provided by forests, indicating the relevance of framing HWC more broadly to consider trade‐offs with ecosystems services. For some species, positive experiences with wildlife may counteract the negative effects of attacks on livestock in shaping tolerance. Models such as ours—that link ecological and human dimensions—can help identify more effective leverage points to improve HWC mitigation.
Botulinum toxin type A for the treatment of dyssynergic defaecation in adults: a systematic review
Authors: Chaichanavichkij P. , Vollebregt P. F. , Scott S. M. , Knowles C. H.
Published: May 2020

Aim

Dyssynergic defaecation (DD) is characterized by inappropriate coordination of the pelvic floor muscles during defaecation, resulting in impaired stool expulsion. The mainstay of treatment is biofeedback and alternative therapies are limited in those who do not respond. This systematic review evaluated botulinum toxin type A injection (BTXA) as a treatment option for dyssynergia.

Methods

PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for studies evaluating adult patients with DD treated with BTXA injection into the puborectalis and/or external anal sphincter. All study designs, except case reports, were included in the review with no language restriction. Studies limited to patients with specific neurological diagnoses or with a follow‐up period under 1 month were excluded. Study selection, assessment and data extraction were performed by two reviewers and results were synthesized narratively.

Results

Eleven studies (three randomized control trials) involving 248 participants were included. All studies used the transanal approach to deliver the injection, most commonly at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions using digital palpation for guidance. The most commonly used patient position was left lateral, and most studies did not use any anaesthesia. The dose of BTXA varied (Botox 12–100 units, Dysport 100–500 units), and outcomes measured were heterogeneous (global rating ± up to five investigations). Symptomatic improvement varied between 29.2% and 100% and adverse effects occurred in 0% to 70%.

Conclusion

The evidence to support using BTXA for DD is poor and only covers a transanal approach. Future studies should redress these limitations: heterogeneity of design, dose and outcome measures.
Diastolic function in young patients with cryptogenic stroke: A case–control pilot study
Authors: Pirinen Jani , Kuusisto Jouni , Järvinen Vesa , Martinez‐Majander Nicolas , Sinisalo Juha , Pöyhönen Pauli , Putaala Jukka
Published: May 2020

Background

Ischaemic stroke in young individuals often remains cryptogenic. In this pilot study, we investigated, whether advanced echocardiography methods could find differences in the diastolic function between young cryptogenic stroke patients and stroke‐free controls.

Methods

We recruited 30 cryptogenic ischaemic stroke patients aged 18–49 and 30 age‐ and sex‐matched stroke‐free controls among participants of the Searching for Explanations for Cryptogenic Stroke in the Young: Revealing the Etiology, Triggers, and Outcome (SECRETO) study (NCT01934725). We measured diastolic function parameters derived from speckle tracking strain rate, Doppler techniques and 4D volumetry. We also performed statistical analyses comparing only the highest and lowest tertile of cases and controls for each parameter.

Results

None of our patients or controls had diastolic dysfunction according to ASE/EACVI criteria. However, compared to stroke‐free controls, the stroke patient group had lower E/A ratio of mitral inflow, lower lateral and mean e’, lower A/a’ ratio, lower strain rate in early diastole and lower speckle tracking‐derived e/a ratio. When comparing the lowest tertiles, patients also had a lower peak filling rate by 4D volumetry, a lower peak early filling fraction (fraction of left ventricular filling during early diastole), and lower velocities in a series of the tissue Doppler‐derived diastolic parameters and blood flow/tissue velocity ratios.

Conclusion

Our study displayed subtle differences in diastolic function between patients and stroke‐free controls, which may play a role in early‐onset cryptogenic stroke. The differences were clearer when the lowest tertiles were compared, suggesting that there is a subgroup of young cryptogenic stroke patients with subclinical heart disease.
Calcitriol inhibits osteoclastogenesis in an inflammatory environment by changing the proportion and function of T helper cell subsets (Th2/Th17)
Authors: Bi Chun‐Sheng , Li Xuan , Qu Hong‐Lei , Sun Li‐Juan , An Ying , Hong Yong‐Long , Tian Bei‐Min , Chen Fa‐Ming
Published: May 2020

Objectives

Previously, we found that by regulating T helper (Th) cell polarization, calcitriol intervention inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced alveolar bone loss in an animal periodontitis model, but the underlying cellular events remain unknown.

Materials and methods

In this study, mouse Th cells were incubated in an inflammatory environment in the presence of dendritic cells (DCs) and LPS. Then, the potential of the Th cells to undergo Th2/Th17 polarization, the RANKL expression of the polarized Th cells and the subsequent influences of the polarized Th cells on RAW264.7 cell osteoclastogenesis in response to calcitriol administration were assessed. Finally, the effects of calcitriol on antigen presentation by DCs during these cellular events were evaluated.

Results

In response to calcitriol administration, Th cells in an inflammatory environment exhibited an enhanced potential for Th2 polarization along with a decreased potential for Th17 polarization. In addition, RANKL expression in Th17‐polarized cells was largely inhibited. Furthermore, inflammation‐induced osteoclastogenesis in RAW264.7 cells was suppressed following coculture with calcitriol‐treated Th cells. During these cellular events, increased expression of Th2 promoters (such as OX‐40L and CCL17) and decreased expression of Th17 promoters (such as IL‐23 and IL‐6) were found in DCs.

Conclusions

Calcitriol can inhibit osteoclastogenesis in an inflammatory environment by changing the proportion and function of Th cell subsets. Our findings suggest that calcitriol may be an effective therapeutic agent for treating periodontitis.
Hypomagnesemia after heart transplantation or left ventricular assist device implant for end‐stage heart failure
Authors: Racca Vittorio , Scaglione Anna , De Maria Renata , Panzarino Claudia , Santangelo Maria Antonia , Cipriani Manlio
Published: May 2020

Background

Patients with advanced heart failure undergoing heart transplant (HTx) or left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant are at high risk of magnesium deficiency, that may favor development of diabetes. We aimed to comparatively assess prevalence and correlates of hypomagnesemia during cardiac rehabilitation between 51 HTx and 46 LVAD recipients.

Methods and Results

We measured serum magnesium and correlated it to clinical and laboratory findings upon admission (T1) and at discharge (T2) from cardiac rehabilitation. Among LVAD, magnesium levels increased from admission to discharge. Among HTx, magnesium concentrations were below normal in 33% and 47% at T1 and T2, respectively, and decreased from admission to discharge. HTx on tacrolimus showed greater decreases in magnesium and increases in glucose levels than those on cyclosporine.

Magnesium levels were inversely associated with >15 mg/dL increased glucose concentrations between T2 and T1 (HR 0.373, 95% CI 0.154‐0.903, P = .029) after adjustment for pre‐existing diabetes, insulin resistance markers, calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine/tacrolimus), prednisone doses, and magnesium supplementation.

Conclusion

Hypomagnesemia is rare in LVAD recipients, but common within 1 month from HTx, worsens during rehabilitation, despite immunosuppression tapering and magnesium supplements, and is independently associated to increasing glucose levels. Studies evaluating whether correcting hypomagnesemia improves outcome are warranted.
Twice‐Daily Doravirine Overcomes the Interaction Effect from Once‐Weekly Rifapentine and Isoniazid in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Lam Edwin , Schaefer Joseph , Zheng Richard , Zhan Tingting , Kraft Walter K.
Published: May 2020

Doravirine (DOR) is a non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of HIV‐1. Its use in combination with rifapentine (RPT), an antituberculosis (TB) antibiotic, may reduce the exposure of DOR compromising viral suppression in those living with HIV‐1 co‐infected with TB. We conducted a prospective, phase I, open label, two‐period, fixed sequence, drug interaction study to evaluate the effect of once‐weekly RPT and isoniazid (INH) on the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of DOR in healthy volunteers. DOR 100 mg was administered alone twice‐daily for 4 days in period 1. In period 2, once‐weekly RPT + INH were co‐administered with multiple doses of DOR 100 mg twice‐daily for study days 7, 14, and 21. Plasma was obtained for DOR PKs when given alone and co‐administered with RPT + INH. Eleven healthy volunteers enrolled and completed the study. The geometric mean ratios and 90% confidence intervals for DOR area under the concentration‐time curve from zero to 12 hours (AUC0–12) and C12 in the presence of RPT + INH compared with DOR alone were 0.71 (0.60–0.85) and 0.69 (0.54–0.89), respectively. Although exposures were moderately reduced in the presence of RPT + INH, trough DOR values were within the concentration range associated with virological suppression. These results demonstrate that a modest decrease in DOR exposure would unlikely be clinically relevant in a virally suppressed patient co‐administered once‐weekly RPT + INH.
COVID‐19 and gastrointestinal endoscopy: Importance of reducing SARS‐CoV‐2 infection risks of medical workers and preserving personal protective equipment resources
Authors: Onoyama Takumi , Isomoto Hajime
Published: May 2020

This Editorial refers to the article by Sinonquel et al., p 723–731 of this issue.
Autism and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorders and symptoms in children with neurofibromatosis type 1
Authors: Morotti Hadley , Mastel Sarah , Keller Kory , Barnard Rebecca A , Hall Trevor , O'Roak Brian J , Fombonne Eric
Published: May 2020

Aim

To evaluate if autism symptoms and diagnoses are more common in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) than in typically developing children, to which levels, and to determine if co‐occurring attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology accounts for this increase.

Method

We searched hospital electronic medical records (EMR) for International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision NF1 and co‐occurring diagnoses codes. We recruited a subsample of 45 children (mean age 9y 2mo; SD 2y 7mo; range 5–12y; 22 males, 23 females) and collected parental reports of autism symptomatology, adaptive behavior, and behavioral problems that were compared to those of 360 age‐ and sex‐matched controls from the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; SSC‐ASD) or typically developing (SSC‐TD).

Results

The EMR search identified 968 children with NF1; 8.8% had ADHD and 2.1% had ASD co‐occurring diagnoses. In the subsample, the mean autism scale score for participants with NF1 was below cut‐off for significant autism symptoms. Participants with NF1 had significantly more autism and behavioral symptoms than SSC‐TD participants, and significantly less than SSC‐ASD participants, with one exception: ADHD symptom levels were similar to those of SSC‐ASD participants. In analyses that controlled for internalizing, ADHD, and communication scores, the difference in autism symptom levels between participants with NF1 and typically developing controls disappeared almost entirely.

Interpretation

Our results do not support an association between NF1 and autism, both at the symptom and disorder levels.

What this paper adds

Diagnoses of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were more common in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) than in the general child population.

Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder were no more common in children with NF1 than in the general child population.

Increases in autism symptoms did not reach clinically significant thresholds.

Co‐occurring ADHD symptoms accounted for increased autism questionnaire scores.

Adaptive behavior in participants with NF1 showed normal socialization but lower communication proficiency.
The clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with diabetes and secondary hyperglycaemia with coronavirus disease 2019: A single‐centre, retrospective, observational study in Wuhan
Authors: Zhang Yang , Li Haichao , Zhang Jian , Cao Yedi , Zhao Xue , Yu Nan , Gao Ying , Ma Jing , Zhang Hong , Zhang Junqing , Guo Xiaohui , Liu Xinmin
Published: May 2020

Aim

To explore whether coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients with diabetes and secondary hyperglycaemia have different clinical characteristics and prognoses than those without significantly abnormal glucose metabolism.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively analysed 166 COVID‐19 patients at Tongji Hospital (Wuhan) from 8 February to 21 March 2020. Clinical characteristics and outcomes (as of 4 April 2020) were compared among control (group 1), secondary hyperglycaemia (group 2: no diabetes history, fasting plasma glucose levels of ≥7.0 mmol/L once and HbA1c values <6.5%) and patients with diabetes (group 3).

Results

Compared with group 1, groups 2 and 3 had higher rates of leukocytosis, neutrophilia, lymphocytopenia, eosinopenia and levels of hypersensitive C‐reactive protein, ferritin and d‐dimer (P < .05 for all). Group 2 patients had higher levels of lactate dehydrogenase, prevalence of liver dysfunction and increased interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) than those in group 1, and a higher prevalence of increased IL‐8 was found in group 2 than in group 3 (P < .05 for all). The proportions of critical patients in groups 2 and 3 were significantly higher compared with group 1 (38.1%, 32.8% vs. 9.5%, P < .05 for both). Groups 2 and 3 had significantly longer hospital stays than group 1, which was nearly 1 week longer. The composite outcomes risks were 5.47 (1.56‐19.82) and 2.61 (0.86‐7.88) times greater in groups 2 and 3 than in group 1.

Conclusions

Hyperglycaemia in both diabetes and secondary hyperglycaemia patients with COVID‐19 may indicate poor prognoses. There were differences between patients with secondary hyperglycaemia and those with diabetes. We recommend that clinicians pay more attention to the blood glucose status of COVID‐19 patients, even those not diagnosed with diabetes before admission.
Effects of different variable sets on the potential distribution of fish species in the Amazon Basin
Authors: Alvarez Facundo , Gerhard Pedro , Paiva Silva Daniel , Spacek Godoy Bruno , Montag Luciano Fogaça de Assis
Published: May 2020

Estimating species’ potential distribution is one of the main objectives of macroecology, especially when sampling biases can affect knowledge on how environmental variables affect species distribution. Ecological niche models estimate species’ environmental niches from different variables and their occurrences. Using the presence‐only data from eight Amazonian fish species, which inhabit rivers and streams, we aimed to (a) explore the effect of different sets variables on the spatial distributions of target species and (b) evaluate the predictive responses of MaxEnt to sets of variables with different degrees of complexity. MaxEnt has high flexibility in relation to the input data and its performance is influenced by a moderate number of adjustable parameters, allowing for high precision results when balancing underestimation and overestimation errors. We used environmental predictors in MaxEnt the principal components of climatic, topographic and edaphic variables as inputs. The combination of topographic and edaphic variables produced more precise and spatially restricted distribution ranges for all species when compared to those generated with climatic variables. All models reached high AUC values, especially for stream species. Modelled range sizes were broader for the river species, suggesting different tolerance thresholds and habitat preferences when compared to stream species. The complexity of the different variables sets did not affect MaxEnt's prediction capacity. However, for stream species, MaxEnt showed a greater predictive power. This work increases the knowledge with regards to the influence of different environmental predictors on the spatial patterns of the distribution of Amazonian fish.
Differential effects of the temporal and spatial distribution of audiovisual stimuli on cross‐modal spatial recalibration
Authors: Bruns Patrick , Dinse Hubert R. , Röder Brigitte
Published: May 2020

Visual input constantly recalibrates auditory spatial representations. Exposure to isochronous audiovisual stimuli with a fixed spatial disparity typically results in a subsequent auditory localization bias (ventriloquism aftereffect, VAE), whereas exposure to spatially congruent audiovisual stimuli improves subsequent auditory localization (multisensory enhancement, ME). Here, we tested whether cross‐modal recalibration is affected by the stimulation rate and/or the distribution of audiovisual spatial disparities during training. Auditory localization was tested before and after participants were exposed either to audiovisual stimuli with a constant spatial disparity of 13.5° (VAE) or to spatially congruent audiovisual stimulation (ME). In a between‐subjects design, audiovisual stimuli were presented either at a low frequency of 2 Hz, as used in previous studies of VAE and ME, or intermittently at a high frequency of 10 Hz, which mimics long‐term potentiation (LTP) protocols and which was found superior in eliciting unisensory perceptual learning. Compared to low‐frequency stimulation, VAE was reduced after high‐frequency stimulation, whereas ME occurred regardless of the stimulation protocol. In two additional groups, we manipulated the spatial distribution of audiovisual stimuli in the low‐frequency condition. Stimuli were presented with varying audiovisual disparities centered around 13.5° (VAE) or 0° (ME). Both VAE and ME were equally strong compared to a fixed spatial relationship of 13.5° or 0°, respectively. Taken together, our results suggest (a) that VAE and ME represent partly dissociable forms of learning and (b) that auditory representations adjust to the overall stimulus statistics rather than to a specific audiovisual spatial relationship.
Offspring polymorphism and bet hedging: a large‐scale, phylogenetic analysis
Authors: Scholl Joshua P. , Calle Leonardo , Miller Nick , Venable D. Lawrence
Published: May 2020

Offspring polymorphism is a reproductive strategy where individual organisms simultaneously produce offspring that differ in morphology and ecology. It occurs across the Tree of Life but is particularly common among plants, where it is termed seed (diaspore) heteromorphism. The prevalence of this strategy in unpredictably varying environments has resulted in the assumption that it serves as a bet‐hedging mechanism. We found 101 examples of this strategy in southwestern North America. We provide phylogenetically informed evidence for the hypothesis that the occurrence of seed heteromorphism increases with increasing environmental variability, though this pattern was only significant for aridity, one of our two rainfall variability metrics. We provide a strong test of bet hedging for a large, taxonomically diverse set of seed heteromorphic species, lending support to the hypothesis that bet hedging is an important mechanistic driver for the evolution of seed heteromorphism.
Entropy‐controlled deep features selection framework for grape leaf diseases recognition
Authors: Adeel Alishba , Khan Muhammad Attique , Akram Tallha , Sharif Abida , Yasmin Mussarat , Saba Tanzila , Javed Kashif
Published: May 2020

Several countries are most reliant on agriculture either in terms of employment opportunities, national income, availability of a raw material, food production, to name but a few. However, it faces a big challenge such as climate changes, diseases, pets, weeds etc. Therefore, last decade has provided a machine learning‐based solution to the agricultural community, which helped farmers to identify the diseases at the early stages. In this article, our focus is on grape diseases, and proposes a novel framework to identify and classify the selected diseases at the early stages. A deep learning‐based solution is embedded into a conventional architecture for optimal performance. Three primary steps are involved; (a) feature extraction after applying transfer learning on pre‐trained deep models, AlexNet and ResNet101, (b) selection of best features using proposed Yager Entropy along with Kurtosis (YEaK) technique, (c) fusion of strong features using proposed parallel approach and later subject to classification step using least squared support vector machine (LS‐SVM). The simulations are performed on infected grape leaves obtained from the plant village dataset to achieving an accuracy of 99%. From the simulation results, we sincerely believe that our proposed approach performed exceptionally compared to several existing methods.
The effects of new public management on the quality of public services
Authors: Lapuente Victor , Van de Walle Steven
Published: May 2020

Have New Public Management (NPM) reforms in public organizations improved the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of public policies? NPM reforms, understood as a style of organizing public services towards the efficiency and efficacy of outputs, have been controversial. They have been accused of importing practices and norms from the private sector that could collide with core public values, such as impartiality or equity. Yet, with few exceptions, we lack systematic empirical tests of the actual effects that NPM reforms have had on the delivery of public services. In this introductory article, we summarize a special issue devoted to cover this gap. And, overall, we find that neither the catastrophic nor the balsamic effects of NPM reforms are confirmed, but the success (or failure) depends on the administrative, political and policy context those reforms take place.
Physiotherapy interventions for pain management in haemophilia: A systematic review
Authors: McLaughlin Paul , Hurley Michael , Chowdary Pratima , Khair Kate , Stephensen David
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Approximately 35%‐50% of people with haemophilia (PWH) report living with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Although exercise based rehabilitation is effective for pain in other arthritises, there are no published guidelines for management of chronic pain in PWH. This review aims to evaluate and appraise the current evidence of effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions on (a) pain intensity, (b) quality of life (QoL) and (c) function in PWH.

Methods

A systematic review of five databases AMED and CINAHL, EMBASE and MEDLINE and PEDro, as well as trial registries, grey literature and hand searching key journals was completed. Included studies were critically appraised and evaluated for risk of bias. The GRADE approach was used to rate the quality of the evidence.

Results

Nine trials consisting of 235 participants met the inclusion criteria. All studies had an overall risk of bias with low methodological quality. Meta‐analysis was not possible due to heterogeneity across trials. Studies comparing a range of physiotherapy interventions against no intervention showed no clear beneficial effect on pain intensity or QoL. Only one study, investigating hydrotherapy or land‐based exercise against control, showed positive effect for pain intensity, but rated very low on GRADE assessment. Studies comparing one physiotherapy intervention against another showed no clear benefit on pain intensity, QoL or function. LASER with exercise and hydrotherapy were shown to have some positive effects on pain intensity, but no clear benefit on function.

Conclusions

At present, there is limited evidence for the use of physiotherapy interventions in addressing the issue of pain in PWH. Better designed trials with higher quality and explicit methodology along with user involvement are needed to assess the efficacy of any proposed intervention.
Dermoscopy in differential diagnosis of inflammatory dermatoses and mycosis fungoides
Authors: Bilgic Sultan A. , Cicek Demet , Demir Betul
Published: May 2020

Background

The use of dermoscopy for the evaluation of various inflammatory dermatoses has witnessed a gradual increase in recent years. The present study describes and highlights the importance of dermoscopic findings in the differential diagnosis of plaque psoriasis (PP), lichen planus (LP), mycosis fungoides (MF), pityriasis rosea (PR), and nummular dermatitis (ND) that mostly involve the trunk.

Methods

The study included 150 cases (PP:50, LP:30, MF:20, PR:30, ND:20). The lesions were inspected using a polarized dermoscope. The dermoscopic findings of each lesion were evaluated for background color, type, and distribution of vessels, color and distribution of scales, and other additional findings.

Results

When the patient groups were evaluated for background color, yellow color was prominent in PR, and light and dull red color was prominent in other groups. Dotted vessels were prominent in PP, PR, and ND, and dotted + linear vessels were significantly more prominent in MF and LP. In the evaluation of the distribution pattern of vessels, PP showed regular, LP showed peripheral, and PR, MF, and ND showed patchy distribution patterns. White scales were prominent in PP, PR, and MF, and yellow‐white scales were prominent in LP and ND. Only PR had a predominant peripheral distribution of scales, while other groups had a patchy distribution.

Conclusions

In conclusion, it was observed that PP, LP, MF, PR, and ND exhibited specific dermoscopic patterns that might be useful in clinical diagnosis.
Bibliometric analysis of breast cancer research in the period 2009–2018
Authors: Özen Çınar İlgun
Published: May 2020

Aim

The aim of this study was to carry out a bibliometric analysis of breast cancer studies in the field of nursing conducted between 2009 and 2018 and to reveal the trends, dynamics and scientific outputs in the field.

Methods

A bibliometric analysis was performed using CiteSpace II software to determine the characteristics of research incorporated in the international citation indexes and published in breast cancer research in the context of nursing studies. In the Web of Science database, the subjects of breast cancer and nursing were selected, and a total of 2,734 articles published in the last decade were reviewed.

Results

There was an increase in the number of publications after 2014. The United States had the highest level of country collaborations and the highest degree of centrality. The most densely researched topic in the largest subject cluster was breast cancer. The most commonly used keywords were breast cancer, quality of life and women.

Conclusion

Breast cancer research in the field of nursing has increased in the last decade, and the United States ranked first in terms of publications in this nursing field.
‘Ideational power’ as a resource in union struggle
Authors: Preminger Jonathan
Published: May 2020

Contributing to our understanding of ideas as power resources in union struggle, this article analyses a labour dispute in Israel's shipping industry. The article follows the union's foregrounding of a specific idea of the state contained within the collective understanding of Israel's history, by which the union legitimised its position in the dispute and significantly influenced a government decision. The article therefore suggests that ideas can be an important power resource, particularly when other power resources are lacking but that this power resource is dependent on the specific ideational context: effective foregrounded ideas draw on a shared narrative that enables political actors to claim the moral high ground, while accusing their adversaries of failing to fulfil their moral obligations as understood via the frame of that shared narrative.
Tunable chromaticity and high color rendering index of WLEDs with CaAlSiN3:Eu2+and YAG:Ce3+dual phosphor‐in‐silica‐glass
Authors: Huang Ping , Zhao Yuye , Wang Jiancheng , Zheng Yaru , Yang Peng , Zheng Qi , Gu Shijia , Zhou Beiying , Jiang Wan , Wang Lianjun
Published: May 2020

Phosphors‐in‐glass (PiG), which serves as a potential bi‐replacement of both phosphors and organic encapsulants in high‐power white light‐emitting diodes (WLEDs), has captured much attention due to its high thermal stability and excellent luminescent properties. However, due to the high‐temperature sensitivity and the chemical reactions between phosphors with glass matrix, a variety of phosphors, especially red phosphors could be hardly dispersed into the glass without thermal quenching and decomposition, which greatly limits the improvement of color rendering index and chromaticity tunability of the WLEDs. In this study, adopting the mesoporous silica (FDU‐12) and commercial phosphors as raw materials, the phosphors‐in‐silica‐glasses (PiSGs) embedded with red phosphor CaAlSiN3:Eu2+and yellow phosphor YAG:Ce3+have been successfully prepared at low sintering temperature (950°C) and short preparation time (10 minutes) using spark plasma sintering. Owing to the well preservation of the originally emissive properties of the embedded phosphors, the warm WLEDs with tunable chromaticity and exhibited a superior performance with LE of 133 lm/W, CCT of 3970 K and CRI of 81 were fabricated by encapsulating the as‐prepared PiSGs on the blue chips. Moreover, the PiSG composite exhibits a high thermal conductivity up to 1.6 W/m·K.
Broadened effect of Dy around 3 μm of Yb/Er/Dy: PbF2 crystal for broadband tunable lasers
Authors: Wang Yuhao , Zhang Peixiong , Zhu Siqi , Yin Hao , Li Zhen , Ji Encai , Hang Yin , Li Haifeng , Chen Zhenqiang
Published: May 2020

It is well known that the laser crystal with mid‐infrared (MIR) broadened and enhanced luminescence is of great significance for various applications, such as atmospheric monitoring, medical surgery and compact, and efficient coherent sources. Herein, we exploit the sensitization and deactivation effects of Yb3+/Dy3+ ions to achieve broadening and enhancement ~3 μm emission of Er3+: 4I11/2→4I13/2 transition in Yb3+/Er3+/Dy3+: PbF2 crystal. The energy transfer (ET) mechanism between Yb3+, Er3+, and Dy3+ was studied. A broadened and enhanced emission with a full width at half maximum of 265 nm was obtained at ~3 μm due to the fact that Er3+ and Dy3+ ions were used as the emission center at the same time. On the one hand, the incorporation of Dy3+ ion can solve the self‐termination bottleneck effect of Er3+ ion, reducing the lifetime of Er3+: 4I13/2 level. On the other hand, Dy3+ ion can simultaneously serve as the emission center of 3 μm, broadening and enhancing the emission of 3 μm. The experiments show that the corresponding ET efficiency Er3+: 4I13/2→Dy3+: 6H11/2 level is as high as 98.0%, indicating that Dy3+ ion can be used as an effective deactivating ion, benefitting to achieve broadening and enhancing MIR emission around 3 μm. Hence, the Yb3+/Er3+/Dy3+: PbF2 crystal is an attractive laser medium for MIR broadband tunable laser applications.
The effect of microencapsulated phase change materials on the rheology of geopolymer and Portland cement mortars
Authors: Pilehvar Shima , Szczotok Anna M. , Carmona Manuel , Pamies Ramón , Kjøniksen Anna‐Lena
Published: May 2020

The effect of microencapsulated phase‐change materials (MPCM) on the rheological properties of pre‐set geopolymer and Portland cement mortars was examined. Microcapsules with hydrophilic and hydrophobic shells were compared. The shear rate dependency of the viscosities fitted well to a double Carreau model. The zero shear viscosities are higher for geopolymer mortar, illustrating poorer workability. The time evolution of the viscosities was explored at shear rates of 1 and 10 s−1. New empirical equations were developed to quantify the time‐dependent viscosity changes. The highest shear rate disrupted the buildup of the mortar structures much more than the lower shear rate. Microcapsules with a hydrophobic shell affect the rheological properties much less than the microcapsules with a hydrophilic shell, due to the higher water adsorption onto the hydrophilic microcapsules. Shear forces was found to break down the initial structures within geopolymer mortars more easily than for Portland cement mortars, while the geopolymer reaction products are able to withstand shear forces better than Portland cement hydration products. Initially, the viscosity of geopolymer mortars increases relatively slowly during due to formation of geopolymer precursors; at longer times, there is a steeper viscosity rise caused by the development of a 3D‐geopolymer network. Disruption of agglomerates causes the viscosities of portland cement mortars to decrease during the first few minutes, after which the hydration process (increasing viscosities) competes with shear‐induced disruption of the structures (decreasing viscosities), resulting in a complex viscosity behavior.
A qualitative meta‐synthesis investigating the experiences of the patient’s family when treatment is withdrawn in the intensive care unit
Authors: Coventry Alysia , Ford Rosemary , Rosenberg John , McInnes Elizabeth
Published: May 2020

Aim

To synthesize qualitative studies of patients’ families’ experiences and perceptions of end‐of‐life care in the intensive care unit when life‐sustaining treatments are withdrawn.

Design

Qualitative meta‐synthesis.

Data sources

Comprehensive search of 18 electronic databases for qualitative studies published between January 2005 ‐ February 2019.

Review Method

Meta‐aggregation.

Results

Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. A conceptual ‘Model of Preparedness’ was developed reflecting the elements of end‐of‐life care most valued by families: ‘End‐of‐life communication’; ‘Valued attributes of patient care’; ‘Preparing the family’; ‘Supporting the family’; and ‘Bereavement care’.

Conclusion

A family‐centred approach to end‐of‐life care that acknowledges the values and preferences of families in the intensive care unit is important. Families have unmet needs related to communication, support, and bereavement care. Effective communication and support are central to preparedness and if these care components are in place, families can be better equipped to manage the death, their sadness, loss, and grief. The findings suggest that health professionals may benefit from specialist end‐of‐life care education to support families and guide the establishment of preparedness.

Impact

Understanding the role and characteristics of preparedness during end‐of‐life care will inform future practice in the intensive care unit and may improve family member satisfaction with care and recovery from loss. Nurses are optimally positioned to address the perceived shortfalls in end‐of‐life care. These findings have implications for health education, policies, and standards for end‐of‐life care in the intensive care unit.
Elements of metacommunity structure of diatoms and macroinvertebrates within stream networks differing in environmental heterogeneity
Authors: He Siwen , Chen Kai , Soininen Janne , Heino Jani , Ding Ning , Wang Beixin
Published: May 2020

Aim

Idealized metacommunity structures (i.e. checkerboard, random, quasi‐structures, nested, Clementsian, Gleasonian and evenly spaced) have recently gained increasing attention, but their relationships with environmental heterogeneity and how they vary with organism groups remain poorly understood. Here, we tested two main hypotheses: (a) gradient‐driven patterns (Clementsian and Gleasonian) occur frequently in heterogeneous environments and (b) small organisms (here, diatoms) are more likely to exhibit gradient‐driven patterns than large organisms (here, macroinvertebrates).

Location

Streams in three regions in China.

Taxon

Diatoms and macroinvertebrates.

Methods

The stream diatom and macroinvertebrate data, as well as the environmental data collected from the same set of sites were used to examine the idealized metacommunity structures via the elements of the metacommunity structure (EMS; coherence, turnover and boundary clumping) analysis in three regions. We extended the traditional EMS approach by ordering sites along known environmental gradients.

Results

We found that Clementsian structure with high degrees of coherence and turnover, and significantly positive clumping was typically observed in the high‐heterogeneity regions, whereas randomness was prevalent in the low‐heterogeneity region. Macroinvertebrates exhibited clearer Clementsian structures compared with diatoms, while diatoms showed more randomness compared with macroinvertebrates, indicating a stronger role of environmental filtering for macroinvertebrates than diatoms. In most cases, the results of the more novel EMS approach differed from the results of the traditional EMS technique.

Main conclusions

Our results suggested that the occurrence of different metacommunity structures may be related with the degree of regional environmental heterogeneity. However, diatom metacommunities were more random than those of macroinvertebrate, and such an unexpected result may result from different dispersal abilities between the two organism groups. In addition, we found that the novel EMS approach increased power in discerning metacommunity structure in comparison to the traditional EMS technique.
Global mycorrhizal fungal range sizes vary within and among mycorrhizal guilds but are not correlated with dispersal traits
Authors: Kivlin Stephanie N.
Published: May 2020

Aim

Mycorrhizal fungi associate with the majority of plant species with large consequences on ecosystem nutrient, carbon and water cycling. Two main types of mycorrhizal fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi, dominate terrestrial ecosystems. Most global distribution modelling of AM and EM associations describe the distribution of AM and EM plants, and not fungi directly. However, significant functional trait variation occurs within AM and EM fungal guilds. Therefore, modelling range sizes and determinants of these ranges of fungi directly is likely to create spatial maps that are a better proxy of ecosystem function than guild‐level lumping of AM and EM plant distributions.

Location

Global.

Taxa

Arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi.

Methods

Here I calculated the ranges of 164 AM and 67 EM fungal taxa at the global scale and related range sizes to differences in spore sizes as a proxy of dispersal potential. If dispersal limitation affects range sizes, I expected that EM fungi with smaller spores would have larger ranges than AM fungi with larger spores. If spore size was not related to range size, this would indicate factors other than passive dispersal control global mycorrhizal fungal ranges.

Results

Overall, AM fungal taxa had larger ranges than EM fungal taxa. AM fungi also had larger spore sizes than EM fungi. Range sizes within both AM and EM fungal taxa were phylogenetically conserved; closely related AM and EM fungi have similar range sizes. Closely related EM fungi also had similar spore sizes. However, spore size was not related to range size for either mycorrhizal fungal guild after phylogenetic correction, except for EM fungi in the Northern hemisphere.

Main Conclusions

These findings provide evidence that range size for both mycorrhizal fungal guilds is for the most part not determined by dispersal limitation, suggesting instead that environmental tolerance or plant host distributions determine mycorrhizal fungal ranges. Future surveys of the same plant species across environmental gradients will elucidate abiotic versus host plant influence on mycorrhizal fungal niches.
Differences between gap‐related persistent conduction and carina‐related persistent conduction during radiofrequency pulmonary vein isolation
Authors: Mulder Mark J. , Kemme Michiel J. B. , Götte Marco J. W. , van de Ven Peter M. , Hauer Herbert A. , Tahapary Giovanni J. M. , van Rossum Albert C. , Allaart Cornelis P.
Published: May 2020

Background

During pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), nonisolation after initial encircling of the pulmonary veins (PVs) may be due to gaps in the initial ablation line, or alternatively, earliest PV activation may occur on the intervenous carina and ablation within the wide‐area circumferential ablation (WACA) circle is needed to eliminate residual conduction. This study investigated prognostic implications and predictors of gap‐related persistent conduction (gap‐RPC) and carina‐related persistent conduction (carina‐RPC) during PVI.

Methods and Results

Two hundred fourteen atrial fibrillation (AF) patients (57% paroxysmal, 61% male, mean age 62 ± 9 years) undergoing first contact force‐guided radiofrequency PVI were studied. Preprocedural cardiac computed tomography imaging was used to assess left atrial and PV anatomy. PVI was assessed directly after initial WACA circle creation, after a minimum waiting period of 30 minutes, and after adenosine infusion. Persistent conduction was targeted for additional ablation and classified as gap‐RPC or carina‐RPC, depending on the earliest activation site. The 1‐year AF recurrence rate was higher in patients with gap‐RPC (47%) compared to patients without gap‐RPC (28%; P = .003). No significant difference in 1‐year recurrence rate was found between patients with carina‐RPC (37%) and patients without carina‐RPC (31%; P = .379). Multivariate analyses identified paroxysmal AF and WACA circumference as independent predictors of gap‐RPC, whereas carina width and WACA circumference correlated with carina‐RPC.

Conclusions

Gap‐RPC is associated with increased AF recurrence risk after PVI, whereas carina‐RPC does not predict AF recurrence. Moreover, gap‐RPC and carina‐RPC have different correlates and may thus have different underlying mechanisms.