bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ApoE4 disrupts interaction of sortilin with fatty acid-binding protein 7 essential to promote lipid signaling
Authors: Asaro Antonino , Sinha Rishabhdev , Bakun Magda , Kalnytska Oleksandra , Carlo-Spiewok Anne-Sophie , Rubel Tymon , Rozeboom Annemieke , Dadlez Michal , Kaminska Bozena , Aronica Eleonora , Malik Anna R. , Willnow Thomas E.
Published: May 2021

Sortilin is a receptor for neuronal uptake of apolipoprotein E. Sortilin-dependent uptake of lipidated apoE promotes conversion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) into neuromodulators that induce anti-inflammatory gene expression in the brain. This neuroprotective pathway works with apoE3 but is lost with apoE4, the main risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we elucidated steps in cellular handling of lipids through sortilin, and why they are disrupted by apoE4. Combining unbiased proteome screens with analyses in mouse models, we uncover interaction of sortilin with fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) 7, the intracellular carrier for PUFA in the brain. In the presence of apoE3, sortilin promotes functional expression of FABP7 and its ability to elicit lipid-dependent gene transcription. By contrast, apoE4 binding blocks sortilin sorting, causing catabolism of FABP7 and impairing lipid signaling. Reduced FABP7 levels in the brain of AD patients expressing apoE4 substantiate the relevance of these interactions for neuronal lipid homeostasis. Taken together, we document interaction of sortilin with mediators of extracellular and intracellular lipid transport that provides a mechanistic explanation for loss of a neuroprotective lipid metabolism in AD.

SUMMARY STATEMENT

Lipids are central to brain health and defects in brain lipid homeostasis are causal to neurodegenerative processes in Alzheimer’s disease. Here, we uncovered how the neuronal lipoprotein receptor sortilin interacts with apoE and FABP7, the carriers for extra- and intracellular transport of lipids in the brain, respectively. We show that this interaction enables lipids to control gene transcription via nuclear receptors; and why this presumed neuroprotective lipid action is disturbed in humans who carry the ε4 variant of apoE, the most important risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer’s disease.
The classification of 1D `perovskites'
Authors: Wong Walter P. D. , Hanna John V. , Grimsdale Andrew C.
Published: May 2021

There has been a huge amount of interest in perovskites recently and new structures of hybrid perovskites are frequently reported. The classification of perovskites has been unambiguous in the discussion of 3D and layered 2D perovskites due to the dimensional constraints. However, in 1D perovskites, the additional degrees of freedom have resulted in a large number of possible structural configurations. The new proposed notation aims to classify these structures based on the connectivity of the octahedra of the perovskite, which has a periodic repeating pattern. However, the notation should be restricted to simple 1D perovskites and haloplumbate structures as the notation would become too cumbersome when applied to an exotic framework which has 3D characteristics, such as perovskite polytypes.
Academic motivation as a predictor of the development of critical thinking in students
Authors: Berestova Anna , Kolosov Sergey , Tsvetkova Milena , Grib Elena
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The study deals with the problems of development of critical thinking among university students, its connection with motivation for learning and academic achievements of students. The purpose of the study is to define the relationship between academic motivation and critical thinking.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involved a survey based on the academic motivation scale. A total of 520 students from four universities in Russia and one Bulgaria University were interviewed.

Findings

The analysis of the questionnaires showed that among the students surveyed the types of motivation contributing to self-development and analysis predominate, namely self-development, cognitive, achievement and self-esteem motivation. The null hypothesis of the study that there was no difference between the average score of the critical thinking test (Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, WGCTA) for total sample and the results of students with dominant types of academic motivation that contribute to critical thinking was rejected.

Originality/value

It was revealed that academic motivation has a notable effect on critical thinking and can become a predictor of its development. Several ways have been proposed to track and help students with low academic motivation: regular testing, identification of students with amotivation and strong extrinsic motivation, and psychological support for such students.
Unleashing the role of e-learning in student engagement practices and accounting professional competencies
Authors: Al-Nimer Munther , Alsheikh Ghaith
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Presently, there is a need for graduate students to be well prepared with accounting professional competencies (APCs) as the market is characterized by intensive activities and rare job opportunities. In relation to this is the significant role of student engagement (SE) practices and e-learning. Thus, the present study examined the mediating role of e-learning on the relationship between SE practices and APC, as well as the moderating role of student's demographics on the same relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a structured questionnaire distributed to 428 accounting students enrolled in institutions in Jordan and the obtained response rate was 65.84%. The formulated hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling in PLS-SEM analysis Version 3.2.7.

Findings

On the basis of the results, there is a significant relationship between SE and e-learning and APC, with e-learning partially mediating the SE-APC relationship. The results also showed that students' demographics have a significant moderating relationship between the same.

Originality/value

The author recommends that universities employ advanced technologies with SE practices for the mobilization of accounting graduate students, with the prerequisite APC skills so they will become competitive and thrive in their professional and practical lives.
Acceptance and usage of mHealth technologies amid COVID-19 pandemic in a developing country: the UTAUT combined with situational constraint and health consciousness
Authors: Barua Zapan , Barua Adita
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a devastating effect on public health. As “social distance” is a highly effective preventive measure of this pandemic, close contact between a patient and physician is strongly discouraged where possible. Consequently, mobile health (mHealth) technology is taking its momentum to fulfil this gap. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to empirically investigate the moderating as well as the direct role of situational constraint and health consciousness in the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) constructs to understand the adoption and use behavior of mHealth care services amid pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from existing mHealth users using an online survey questionnaire in Bangladesh. SmartPLS 3.0 and SPSS 23.0 were used for partial least squares-structural equation modeling.

Findings

Situational constraint and health consciousness both have strong direct positive effects on both behavioral intention (in all models) and use behavior (in Models 2 and 3). Further, this study revealed that effort expectancy remains insignificant in both direct and interaction effects whereas social influence becomes insignificant in interaction effects from direct significant effect (Models 1 and 2). Besides, the study reported that the relationship between behavioral intention and use behavior is moderated by situational constraint.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first in terms of mHealth empirical investigation considering the current pandemic situation. The incorporation of the situational constraint and health consciousness into the UTAUT model provides a holistic framework to understand the influence of the adoption and use behavior of mHealth amid pandemic.
Travelling fire experiments in steel-framed structure: numerical investigations with CFD and FEM
Authors: Charlier Marion , Glorieux Antoine , Dai Xu , Alam Naveed , Welch Stephen , Anderson Johan , Vassart Olivier , Nadjai Ali
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a simplified representation of the fire load in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to represent the effect of large-scale travelling fire and to highlight the relevance of such an approach whilst coupling the CFD results with finite element method (FEM) to evaluate related steel temperatures, comparing the numerical outcomes with experimental measurements.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the setup of the CFD simulations (FDS software), its corresponding assumptions and the calibration via two natural fire tests whilst focusing on gas temperatures and on steel temperatures measured on a central column. For the latter, two methods are presented: one based on EN 1993-1-2 and another linking CFD and FEM (SAFIR® software).

Findings

This paper suggests that such an approach can allow for an acceptable representation of the travelling fire both in terms of fire spread and steel temperatures. The inevitable limitations inherent to the simplifications made during the CFD simulations are also discussed. Regarding steel temperatures, the two methods lead to quite similar results, but with the ones obtained via CFD–FEM coupling are closer to those measured.

Originality/value

This work has revealed that the proposed simplified representation of the fire load appears to be appropriate to evaluate the temperature of steel structural elements within reasonable limits on computational time, making it potentially desirable for practical applications. This paper also presents the first comparisons of FDS–SAFIR® coupling with experimental results, highlighting promising outcomes.
Knowledge-oriented leadership, team learning and team creativity: the roles of task interdependence and task complexity
Authors: Men Chenghao , Jia Ruiqian
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Organizations is increasingly depending on team creativity to create a sustainable competitive advantage. The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between knowledge-oriented leadership and team creativity.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses were tested with a sample of 89 knowledge worker teams consisting of 412 employees and employers in China.

Findings

Results show that knowledge-oriented leadership is positively associated with team creativity, mediated by team learning. Additionally, task interdependence and task complexity can strengthen the positive relation between team learning and team creativity.

Originality/value

The study is the first to explore the relation between knowledge-oriented leadership and team creativity and the moderating role of task interdependence and task complexity in the relation between team learning and team creativity.
A dynamic model of laminated material extrusion additive manufacturing plate with the property of orthogonal anisotropy
Authors: Jiang Shijie , Sun Mingyu , Zhan Yang , Li Hui , Sun Wei
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to set up a dynamic model of material extrusion (ME) additive manufacturing plates for the prediction of their dynamic behavior (i.e. dynamic inherent characteristic, resonant response and damping) and also carry out its experimental validation and sensitivity analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the classical laminated plate theory, a dynamic model is established using the orthogonal polynomials method, taking into account the effect of lamination and orthogonal anisotropy. The dynamic inherent characteristics of the ME plate are worked out by Ritz method. The frequency-domain dynamic equations are then derived to solve the plates’ resonant responses, with which the damping ratio is figured out according to the half-power bandwidth method. Subsequently, a series of experimental tests are performed on the ME samples to obtain the measured data.

Findings

It is shown that the predictions and measurements in terms of dynamic behavior are in good agreement, validating the accuracy of the developed model. In addition, sensitivity analysis shows that increasing the elastic modulus or Poisson’s ratio will increase the corresponding natural frequency of the ME plate but decrease the resonant response. When the density is increased, both the natural frequency and resonant response will be decreased.

Research limitations/implications

Future research can be focused on using the proposed model to investigate the effect of processing parameters on the ME parts’ dynamic behavior.

Practical implications

This study shows theoretical basis and technical insight into improving the forming quality and reliability of the ME parts.

Originality/value

A novel reliable dynamic model is set up to provide theoretical basis and principle to reveal the physical phenomena and mechanism of ME parts.
Changes in foraging mode caused by a decline in prey size have major bioenergetic consequences for a small pelagic fish
Authors: Thoral Elisa , Queiros Quentin , Roussel Damien , Dutto Gilbert , Gasset Eric , McKenzie David J. , Romestaing Caroline , Fromentin Jean‐Marc , Saraux Claire , Teulier Loïc
Published: May 2021

Global warming is causing profound modifications of aquatic ecosystems and one major outcome appears to be a decline in adult size of many fish species. Over the last decade, sardine populations in the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean Sea) have shown severe declines in body size and condition as well as disappearance of the oldest individuals, which could not be related to overfishing, predation pressure or epizootic diseases.

In this study, we investigated whether this situation reflects a bottom‐up phenomenon caused by reduced size and availability of prey that could lead to energetic constraints. We fed captive sardines with food items of two different sizes eliciting a change in feeding mode (filter‐feeding on small items and directly capturing larger ones) at two different rations for several months, and then assessed their muscle bioenergetics to test for changes in cellular function.

Feeding on smaller items was associated with a decline in body condition, even at high ration, and almost completely inhibited growth by comparison to sardines fed large items at high ration.

Sardines fed on small items presented specific mitochondrial adjustments for energy sparing, indicating a major bioenergetic challenge. Moreover, mitochondria from sardines in poor condition had low basal oxidative activity but high efficiency of ATP production. Notably, when body condition was below a threshold value of 1.07, close to the mean observed in the wild, it was directly correlated with basal mitochondrial activity in muscle.

The results show a link between whole‐animal condition and cellular bioenergetics in the sardine, and reveal physiological consequences of a shift in feeding mode. They demonstrate that filter‐feeding on small prey leads to poor growth, even under abundant food and an increase in the efficiency of ATP production. These findings may partially explain the declines in sardine size and condition observed in the wild.
Migration and tolerance shape host behaviour and response to parasite infection
Authors: Kim Dongmin , Shaw Allison K.
Published: May 2021

Numerous theoretical models have demonstrated that migration, a seasonal animal movement behaviour, can minimize the risks and costs of parasite infection. Past work on migration–infection interactions assumes migration is the only strategy available to organisms for dealing with the parasite infection, that is they migrate to a different environment to recover or escape from infection. Thus, migration is similar to the non‐spatial strategy of resistance, where hosts prevent infection or kill parasites once infected. However, an alternative defence strategy is to tolerate the infection and experience a lower cost to the infection. To our knowledge, no studies have examined how migration can change based on combining two host strategies (migration and tolerance) for dealing with parasites.

In this paper, we aim to understand how both parasite transmission and infection tolerance can influence the host's migratory behaviour.

We constructed a model that incorporates two host strategies (migration and tolerance) to understand whether allowing for tolerance affects the proportion of the population that migrates at equilibrium in response to infection.

We show that the benefits of tolerance can either decrease or increase the host's migration. Also, if the benefit of migration is great, then individuals are more likely to migrate regardless of the presence of tolerance. Finally, we find that the transmission rate of parasite infection can either decrease or increase the tolerant host's migration, depending on the cost of migration.

These findings highlight that adopting two defence strategies is not always beneficial to the hosts. Instead, a single strategy is often better, depending on the costs and benefits of the strategies and infection pressures. Our work further suggests that multiple host‐defence strategies as a potential explanation for the evolution of migration to minimize the parasite infection. Moreover, migration can also affect the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of parasite–host interactions.
Narrative reconstruction of mental illness as a work‐stress‐induced disorder: Processes, consequences and implications
Authors: Shimizu Hiroto
Published: May 2021

Stress‐induced mental illnesses have become the focus of increasing international attention, particularly in Japan since the 1990s, where judiciary cases and welfare‐state initiatives established causal links between work stress and mental illness. However, how individuals retrospectively construct this causality remains a marginal topic in the literature. This ethnographic article explores the ways in which male workers seeking compensation for their condition (depression and adjustment disorder) reconstruct aetiology narratives and to what avail. This paper demonstrates two themes: (1) how objectivising stress (related to specific formats of worker compensation), no‐faulting (dispensing with individual blame to view stress as pervasive in the workplace) and negotiating blame (seeking explanation in terms of individual psychology) construct a case, and (2) how narrative reconstruction functions as both a barrier to recovery and way of working towards recovery and collective function. It is argued that the narrative reconstructions of workers, who become unwell and seek recognition, suggest uncertain self‐victimisation despite the broader understanding of mental illness in contemporary Japan. The findings imply the heuristic potential of relativising causality and treating analytical dichotomies, including causality–narrative, victimhood–agency and fact–fiction, not as contradictory alternatives, but as different analysis levels, to better understand ambiguous illness narratives.
A rapid MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry‐based method for colistin susceptibility testing in Escherichia coli
Authors: Li Jiaping , Huang Yonglu , Hu Yanyan , Sun Qiaoling , Cai Jiachang , Zhou Hongwei , Gu Danxia , Chen Gongxiang , Wang Yang , Zhang Rong
Published: May 2021

Colistin is recognized as a last‐resort treatment option against multi‐drug resistant bacteria including carbapenem‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). However, the plasmid‐mediated colistin‐resistance gene mcr‐1 has been reported globally resulting in an increase of colistin‐resistant bacteria. A quick and accurate method for determining the pathogen resistance of colistin is therefore crucial in the clinic. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) is a potential tool forto be applied for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. We compared the growth of Escherichia coli strains in the presence or absence of colistin. Automated analyses of the spectra were performed with a prototype software tool written with package R. Three mcr‐1‐positive and six mcr‐1‐negative E. coli were used for establishing the model to obtain the optimal incubation time, the breakpoint concentration of colistin and cut‐off of the relative growth (RG) value. The distinction between susceptible and resistant strains was already noticeable after 2 h of incubation. The best separation between the susceptible and resistant strains was achieved at a concentration of 4 µg ml‐1 and a relative growth cut‐off value of 0.6. Application of the model for the analysis of 128 E. coli isolates, a sensitivity of 97.4% and a specificity of 88.2% were achieved compared with colistin MIC results. The rapid MALDI‐TOF MS‐based method approach is simple to set‐up, uses a short incubation time, and had excellent outcomes with respect to sensitivity and specificity for colistin sensitivity testing in Escherichia coli.
Metabolic proxy for cephalopods: Stable carbon isotope values recorded in different biogenic carbonates
Authors: Chung Ming‐Tsung , Chen Ching‐Yi , Shiao Jen‐Chieh , Shirai Kotaro , Wang Chia‐Hui
Published: May 2021

Measuring the metabolic rate of marine animals in their natural environment is challenging, impeding our understanding of their physiological ecology. Recently, a novel metabolic proxy, namely the δ13C values of biogenic carbonates (otoliths), was experimentally validated in teleost fishes. Cephalopods possess several types of biogenic carbonates, such as statolith, cuttlebone and other internal and external shells, which are all potential metabolic recorders, but few have been evaluated.

To test the feasibility of the δ13C metabolic proxy in cephalopods, we conducted a temperature‐controlled experiment with the pharaoh cuttlefish Sepia pharaonis to assess whether the proportion of metabolically derived carbon (Cresp) incorporated into statoliths and cuttlebones increases with metabolism in a warm environment. Moreover, we conducted multiple‐species analysis using the published δ13C values of various biogenic carbonates to evaluate the consistency of the proxy among cephalopod species and between cephalopods and teleost fishes.

In the temperature‐controlled laboratory experiment, Cresp values calculated from statoliths and cuttlebones increased with an increase in environmental temperature. Cresp values did not differ between statoliths and cuttlebones. Moreover, the Cresp values of cephalopod biogenic carbonates had a similar range to those of fish otoliths and were correlated with metabolism‐related factors, such as ambient temperature, body mass, ontogeny and functional behaviours, strengthening the feasibility of their use.

The δ13C metabolic proxy reflects the total energy use in the natural environment, and it can be transformed into the oxygen consumption rate for a broader comparison with other species and for further evaluation with current theories related to metabolic ecology. However, experimental validation is highly recommended because the relationship between the oxygen consumption rate and Cresp values derived from biogenic carbonates of cephalopods might be structure‐ and species‐specific. Our study revealed that the newly developed metabolic proxy provides a valuable alternative approach to study ecophysiology in cephalopods, and further development might broaden its applicability.

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Brazil’s marine protected areas fail to meet global conservation goals
Authors: Vilar C. C. , Joyeux J.‐C.
Published: May 2021

Reducing species extinctions and expanding protected areas are key goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). To meet these goals, nations should assure a minimum protection of all ecoregions (Target 11) and preserve the most threatened species (Target 12). While the total extent of marine protected areas (MPAs) in Brazil has increased sharply, little is known about MPAs’ capacity in representing the country´s commitments for global conservation goals. Here, we evaluated how well the current system of MPAs represents the geographic range of 118 threatened marine vertebrate species and the eight marine ecoregions in Brazil. We also investigated where unprotected or poorly protected species are concentrated, and whether existing MPAs are prioritizing the species most at risk. Results revealed that half of marine ecoregions have <10% of their area under protection, and therefore that Brazil has failed to meet CBD Aichi Target 11. About 3% of the threatened marine vertebrates remain completely unprotected by MPAs, and most (88.1%) species have less than 10% of their ranges covered by no‐take MPAs. Moreover, coverage provided by MPAs is strongly biased toward species under low threat levels. Our mapping of current conservation gaps highlights where establishing new MPAs could improve the protection of imperilled species and contribute to achieve global conservation goals.
The histone methyltransferase G9a mediates stress‐regulated alcohol drinking
Authors: Anderson Ethan M. , Lopez Marcelo F. , Kastner Abigail , Mulholland Patrick J. , Becker Howard C. , Cowan Christopher W.
Published: May 2021

The epigenetic enzyme G9a is a histone methyltransferase that dimethylates lysine 9 on histone H3 (H3K9me2), and in the adult nucleus accumbens (NAc), G9a regulates multiple behaviors associated with substance use disorder. We show here that chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure in male mice reduced both G9a and H3K9me2 levels in the adult NAc, but not dorsal striatum. Viral‐mediated reduction of G9a in the NAc had no effects on baseline volitional ethanol drinking or escalated alcohol drinking produced by CIE exposure; however, NAc G9a was required for stress‐regulated changes in ethanol drinking, including potentiated alcohol drinking produced by activation of the kappa‐opioid receptor. In addition, we observed that chronic systemic administration of a G9a inhibitor, UNC0642, also blocked stress‐potentiated alcohol drinking. Together, our findings suggest that chronic alcohol use, similar to other abused substances, produces a NAc‐selective reduction in G9a levels that serves to limit stress‐regulated alcohol drinking. Moreover, our findings suggest that pharmacological inhibition of G9a might provide a novel therapeutic approach to treat stress‐induced alcohol drinking, which is a major trigger of relapse in individuals suffering from AUD.
An analysis of the demographic history of the risk allele R4810K in RNF213 of moyamoya disease
Authors: Koganebuchi Kae , Sato Kimitoshi , Fujii Kiyotaka , Kumabe Toshihiro , Haneji Kuniaki , Toma Takashi , Ishida Hajime , Joh Keiichiro , Soejima Hidenobu , Mano Shuhei , Ogawa Motoyuki , Oota Hiroki
Published: May 2021

Background

Ring finger protein 213 (RNF213) is a susceptibility gene of moyamoya disease (MMD). A previous case–control study and a family analysis demonstrated a strong association of the East Asian‐specific variant, R4810K (rs112735431), with MMD. Our aim is to uncover evolutionary history of R4810K in East Asian populations.

Methods

The RNF213 locus of 24 MMD patients in Japan were sequenced using targeted‐capture sequencing. Based on the sequence data, we conducted population genetic analysis and estimated the age of R4810K using coalescent simulation.

Results

The diversity of the RNF213 gene was higher in Africans than non‐Africans, which can be explained by bottleneck effect of the out‐of‐Africa migration. Coalescent simulation showed that the risk variant was born in East Asia 14,500–5100 years ago and came to the Japanese archipelago afterward, probably in the period when the known migration based on archaeological evidences occurred.

Conclusions

Although clinical data show that the symptoms varies, all sequences harboring the risk allele are almost identical with a small number of exceptions, suggesting the MMD phenotypes are unaffected by the variants of this gene and rather would be more affected by environmental factors.
The Impacts of Warming Temperatures on US Sorghum Yields and the Potential for Adaptation
Authors: Miller Noah , Tack Jesse , Bergtold Jason
Published: May 2021

Growing evidence suggests that climate change will have significant negative effects on agricultural productivity across many highly concentrated production regions. Much empirical analysis has begun to focus on both short‐ and long‐run adaptation within these regions. US sorghum production has received relatively less attention than other commonly grown grains, such as corn and wheat, despite that it is one of the top five grains grown in the US and ranks in the top ten of all crops grown globally. We match farm‐level yield outcomes with fine‐scale gridded weather data to generate a panel of Kansas sorghum producers totaling 45,971 observations spread across 7,298 farms and thirty‐eight years. Fixed effects regressions leverage substantial cross‐sectional and temporal variation in yields and weather to estimate the effect of warming temperatures on yields. Results suggest that sorghum is quite sensitive to warming temperatures—as moderate increases of 2°C in growing season temperatures lead to an average 24% reduction in yields—thereby raising doubts about its potential for offsetting climate change impacts relative to other crops. We also consider whether warming impacts can be lessened through growing season adjustments and find very little support for this form of adaptation. A cross‐sectional identification approach that encapsulates additional forms of adaptation also finds limited adaptation potential for sorghum producers. As a possible upside, we find evidence that sorghum's ability to withstand extreme heat has decreased by 70% over time, suggesting that there might exist currently outdated production practices and/or seed varieties that could help offset warming impacts.
Time‐dependent changes in placental mRNA expression after delivery due to delayed specimen collection
Authors: Freedman Alexa A. , Smart Britney P. , Keenan‐Devlin Lauren S. , Romero Janedelie , Franklin Andrew , Borders Ann , Ernst Linda M. , Miller Gregory E.
Published: May 2021

Problem

Current scientific guidelines recommend collecting placental specimens within two hours of delivery for gene expression analysis. However, collecting samples in a narrow time window is a challenge in the dynamic and unpredictable clinical setting, so delays in placental specimen collection are possible. The purpose of our analysis was to investigate temporal changes in placental gene expression by longitudinally sampling placentas over a 24 h period.

Method of Study

Eight placentas from individuals with uncomplicated, term pregnancies delivered by scheduled cesarean section were collected and sampled following the placental delivery and again at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 24 h post‐delivery. At each time point, biopsies of chorionic villous tissue were taken from 3 cotyledons to account for intra‐placental heterogeneity. The 3 biopsies from each time point were pooled prior to RNA extraction. Expression of 382 mRNA transcripts was quantified using the NanoString nCounter System. Fold change values were calculated for each time point relative to delivery, and a fold change threshold of 1.25 was used to determine a meaningful change from delivery.

Results

Based on a fold change threshold of 1.25, 84.3% of transcripts were stable for at least 1 h, 80.2% were stable for at least two hours, and 20.6% of transcripts were stable through the collection at 24 h.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that for some mRNA transcripts, expression changes as time to sample collection increases. We have developed a Web application to allow investigators to explore transcripts relevant to their research interests and to set appropriate thresholds to aid in determining whether placentas with delayed sample collection can be included in analyses (https://placentaexpression.foundationsofhealth.org/).
Recommendations for standards of monitoring during anaesthesia and recovery 2021
Authors: Klein A. A. , Meek T. , Allcock E. , Cook T. M. , Mincher N. , Morris C. , Nimmo A. F. , Pandit J. J. , Pawa A. , Rodney G. , Sheraton T. , Young P.
Published: May 2021

This guideline updates and replaces the 5th edition of the Standards of Monitoring published in 2015. The aim of this document is to provide guidance on the minimum standards for monitoring of any patient undergoing anaesthesia or sedation under the care of an anaesthetist. The recommendations are primarily aimed at anaesthetists practising in the UK and Ireland, but it is recognised that these guidelines may also be of use in other areas of the world. Minimum standards for monitoring patients during anaesthesia and in the recovery phase are included. There is also guidance on monitoring patients undergoing sedation and during transfer. There are new sections specifically discussing capnography, sedation and regional anaesthesia. In addition, the indications for processed electroencephalogram and neuromuscular monitoring have been updated.
Montreal's environmental justice problem with respect to the urban heat island phenomenon
Authors: Fan Jia Yi , Sengupta Raja
Published: May 2021

Due to climate change, heat events in Canada have become more extreme in intensity and frequency and will continue to do so according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's global predictions. Environmental justice research has indicated that extreme heat exposure disproportionally affects socio‐economically disadvantaged populations in cities. The objective of this research was to determine whether such a phenomenon exists in Montreal, Canada. Temperature data were obtained through in‐situ sensors and governmental weather stations, while census data were retrieved from Statistics Canada through the Census mapper. Correlation tests were run between temperature and five demographic and socio‐economic variables measured inside a 500 m buffer around the temperature sensors. The variables included Indigenous Peoples (IND), people of 65 years old and over (Over 65), people between 25 and 64 years old without a high school degree (No HS), and low‐income (LI). A positive correlation was found for LI and No HS (p < 0.05). A regression test performed with interpolated temperature and the demographic and socio‐economic variables across the study area revealed no significant correlation due to spatial heterogeneity.
Navigating inconsistent preferences: A multimethod approach to making informed decisions
Authors: Martin David M.
Published: May 2021

This study presents a decision‐analytic framework for prioritizing conservation strategies. The framework is based on combining direct and indirect preference‐elicitation methods and analyzing inconsistencies between the methods. A case study with The Nature Conservancy's Chesapeake Bay (The United States) agriculture team is presented. Participants evaluated six strategies to engage with agribusinesses, farmers, and farm landowners and increase adoption of nutrient and soil conservation and stream and wetland restoration activities. Impact, feasibility, and risk criteria and performance measures were developed to compare the strategies. Participants individually evaluated the strategies using a multimethod approach. One method included direct ranking based on an intuitive assessment of the strategies. The second method included indirect ranking based on swing weighting and multicriteria analysis. Some participants made adjustments to reduce inconsistencies between the methods. Results show that final rankings were more consistent than initial rankings. Inconsistencies can be reduced by understanding potential bias in the direct method and clarifying assumptions in the indirect method. This study provides evidence that a multimethod approach can deliver useful insights to inform decisions.
Ultrasound‐guided fine needle aspiration of ovarian masses: Assessment of diagnostic accuracy and risk stratification using a categorical reporting system
Authors: Gupta Parikshaa , Velamala Pavani , Gupta Nalini , Suri Vanita , Lal Anupam , Rohilla Manish , Dey Pranab , Srinivasan Radhika , Rajwanshi Arvind
Published: May 2021

Introduction

The present study was undertaken to assess the accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and cell‐block immunocytochemistry, and to estimate the risk of malignancy, using a categorical reporting system, in the diagnosis of ovarian masses.

Methods

This was a 5‐year retrospective study of FNAs of ovarian masses. The cytological diagnoses were categorised as inadequate, non‐neoplastic, benign neoplasms, indeterminate for malignancy, suspicious for malignancy and malignant neoplasms. The cytology was correlated with the corresponding histopathology to assess the diagnostic accuracy and risk of malignancy associated with each diagnostic category.

Results

Of a total of 66 703 FNAs performed during the study period, 580 (0.9%) were performed on ovarian masses. Of these, 40 (6.9%) were reported as non‐neoplastic; 76 (13.1%) as benign neoplasms; 14 (2.4%) as indeterminate for malignancy, 48 (8.3%) as suspicious for malignancy, 337 (58.1%) as malignant neoplasms and 65 (11.2%) as inadequate for interpretation. Immunocytochemistry (ICC) was performed on 99 (17%) aspirates. Subsequent histopathology was available in 208 (35.8%) cases. On cyto‐histopathological correlation, 183 (88%) were concordant and 25 (12%) were discordant. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and diagnostic accuracy for diagnosing ovarian malignancy were 88.4%, 85.7%, 96.8%, 60.0% and 88% respectively. Risk of malignancy for each category was 80%, 0%, 4.5%, 66.7%, 88.5% and 98.5% respectively.

Conclusions

Ultrasound‐guided FNAC has high specificity and diagnostic accuracy for preoperative diagnosis of ovarian malignancies and hence is a valid diagnostic procedure in certain clinical situations. Reporting using a categorical system imparts uniformity and also provides the clinicians with an associated risk of malignancy to guide further management.
The impact of changes to alcohol policy on patron drinking behaviours in Queensland
Authors: de Andrade Dominique , Coomber Kerri , Ferris Jason , PuljeviĆ Cheneal , Burn Michele , Vakidis Thea , Taylor Nicholas , Mayshak Richelle , Grant Kristy , Patafio Brittany , Miller Peter G.
Published: May 2021

Introduction

On 1 July 2016, stage 1 of the Tackling Alcohol‐Fuelled Violence (TAFV) policy was introduced in Queensland, Australia and included restricted alcohol service to 03:00 in dedicated entertainment precincts (safe night precincts or SNPs). During stage 2 (from 1 February 2017), the number of extended trading permits (i.e. trading until 05:00) per venue were reduced; and during stage 3 (from 1 July 2017), networked identification scanners were mandated for late‐night venues. We aim to examine whether patron drinking behaviours in two key SNPs changed significantly following stages 2 and 3.

Methods

The study design was repeated cross‐sectional, with three data collection (policy) stages. Patrons street surveys were conducted in Fortitude Valley (n = 2066) and Cairns (n = 1021) SNPs between July 2016 and November 2018. Linear or negative binomial regressions were conducted to examine changes in three key outcomes: blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reading, proportion of pre‐drinkers and number of pre‐drinks.

Results

We found no significant difference in BAC reading, proportion of pre‐drinkers or number of pre‐drinks at stages 2 and 3 of the policy compared to baseline in Fortitude Valley. In Cairns, we found significant reductions in patron BAC at stage 3 of the policy, and female BAC at stages 2 and 3 compared to baseline; while the proportion of females pre‐drinking significantly reduced by half in stage 2.

Discussion and Conclusions

Despite evidence of some reductions in alcohol consumption, high levels of intoxication remain, suggesting harm reduction may be more difficult to achieve in these drinkers.
Missed, mistaken, stalled: Identifying components of delay to diagnosis in epilepsy
Authors: Alessi Natasha , Perucca Piero , McIntosh Anne M.
Published: May 2021

A substantial proportion of individuals with newly diagnosed epilepsy report prior seizures, suggesting a missed opportunity for early epilepsy care and management. Consideration of the causes and outcomes of diagnostic delay is needed to address this issue. We aimed to review the literature pertaining to delay to diagnosis of epilepsy, describing the components, characteristics, and risk factors for delay. We undertook a systematic search of the literature for full‐length original research papers with a focus on diagnostic delay or seizures before diagnosis, published 1998–2020. Findings were collated, and a narrative review was undertaken. Seventeen papers met the inclusion criteria. Studies utilized two measures of diagnostic delay: seizures before diagnosis and/or a study‐defined time between first seizure and presentation/diagnosis. The proportion of patients with diagnostic delay ranged from 16% to 77%; 75% of studies reported 38% or more to be affected. Delays of 1 year or more were reported in 13%–16% of patients. Seizures prior to diagnosis were predominantly nonconvulsive, and usually more than one seizure was reported. Prior seizures were often missed or mistaken for symptoms of other conditions. Key delays in the progression to specialist review and diagnosis were (1) “decision delay” (the patient's decision to seek/not seek medical review), (2) “referral delay” (delay by primary care/emergency physician referring to specialist), and (3) “attendance delay” (delay in attending specialist review). There were few data available relevant to risk factors and virtually none relevant to outcomes of diagnostic delay. This review found that diagnostic delay consists of several components, and progression to diagnosis can stall at several points. There is limited information relating to most aspects of delay apart from prevalence and seizure types. Risk factors and outcomes may differ according to delay characteristics and for each of the key delays, and recommendations for future research include examining each before consideration of interventions is made.
Use of serial standing computed tomography for diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of a horse with acute myonecrosis of the head
Authors: Boorman S. , Zetterström S. , Hamersky J. , Velloso Álvarez A. , Boone L. , Hanson R. R. , Caldwell F.
Published: May 2021

An 11‐year‐old American Quarter Horse gelding was referred to the JT Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital at Auburn University, College of Veterinary Medicine, for investigation of acute and severe right‐sided facial swelling and nasal discharge. Standing computed tomographic (CT) examination of the head identified severe soft tissue swelling surrounding the right mandible, emphysema within the soft tissues tracking along fascial planes and right‐sided caudal and rostral maxillary sinusitis. Using CT identification and ultrasound guidance, several targeted fasciotomies were created into the right masseter, cranial cervical musculature, supraorbital space and caudo‐medial aspect of the mandible. The right‐sided sinusitis was treated by right conchofrontal sinus trephination and lavage. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures obtained from the fasciotomy sites and conchofrontal sinus both yielded Prevotella intermedia and Peptostreptococcus asaccharolyticus. During hospitalisation, serial, standing CT examinations were performed for monitoring case progression and guiding further fasciotomies in the face of continued myonecrosis. Follow‐up CT performed at 1 month showed resolution of the emphysema and presence of chronic right ventral conchal sinusitis. The sinusitis was treated by fenestration of the right ventral concha with a diode laser via the nasal passage.
Topical cannabis‐based medicines – A novel adjuvant treatment for venous leg ulcers: An open‐label trial
Authors: Maida Vincent , Shi Runjie Bill , Fazzari Francesco Gabriele Tatangelo , Zomparelli Lydia
Published: May 2021

Venous leg ulcers are highly prevalent lower limb integumentary wounds that remain challenging to heal despite the use of evidence‐based compression therapies. A multitude of adjuvant treatments has been studied but none have demonstrated enough efficacy to gain adoption into treatment guidelines. Global attention on Cannabis‐Based Therapies is increasing and has been driven by quantum scientific advancements in the understanding of the endocannabinoid signalling system. Topical Cannabis‐Based Medicines represent a novel treatment paradigm for venous leg ulcers in terms of promoting wound closure. Fourteen complex patients with sixteen recalcitrant leg ulcers were treated with Topical Cannabis‐Based Medicines in conjunction with compression bandaging, every second day, to both wound bed and peri‐wound tissues. The cohort had a mean age of 75.8 years and was medically complex as reflected by a mean M3 multimorbidity index score of 2.94 and a mean Palliative Performance Scale score of 67.1%. Complete wound closure, defined as being fully epithelialized, was achieved among 11 patients (79%) and 13 wounds (81%) within a median of 34 days. All three remaining patients demonstrated progressive healing trends but were lost to follow‐up. The treatments were well tolerated, and no significant adverse reactions were experienced. The rapid wound closure of previously non‐healing venous leg ulcers among elderly and highly complex patients suggests that Topical Cannabis‐Based Medicines may become effective adjuvants in conjunction with compression therapy. This may also indicate that they may have an even broader role within integumentary and wound management. Therefore, this treatment paradigm warrants being subjected to controlled trials.
Pure mode I and pure mode II fracture resistance of modified hot mix asphalt at low and intermediate temperatures
Authors: Zarei Mohammad , Abdi Kordani Ali , Zahedi Mohsen
Published: May 2021

Angular cracks are one of the types of cracks in asphalt mixtures that can be created due to the location of coarse aggregates as well as the weakness of the soft asphalt matrix (SAM). In this study, pure mode I was modeled to simulate the fracture behavior of hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixture containing angular cracks using the extended finite element method (XFEM). To improve HMA performance, calcium lignosulfonates (CL) additive and polyester fiber (PE), which were both environmentally and economically justifiable, were used. Numerical and experimental results showed that the proposed samples in both pure mode I (angular crack) and pure mode II (vertical crack) were able to model the fracture behavior of HMA; therefore, it can be used as suitable samples to study the pure mode crack deformation of HMA at low and intermediate temperatures. Also, the presence of coarse aggregate in the ligament section of the samples turned out to be an important factor in increasing fracture energy, fracture toughness, and reducing brittleness.