bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypo‐METRICS: Hypoglycaemia—MEasurement, ThResholds and ImpaCtS—A multi‐country clinical study to define the optimal threshold and duration of sensor‐detected hypoglycaemia that impact the experience of hypoglycaemia, quality of life and health economic outcomes: The study protocol
Authors: Divilly Patrick , Zaremba Natalie , Mahmoudi Zeinab , Søholm Uffe , Pollard Daniel J. , Broadley Melanie , Abbink Evertine J. , de Galan Bastiaan , Pedersen‐Bjergaard Ulrik , Renard Eric , Evans Mark , Speight Jane , Brennan Alan , McCrimmon Rory J. , Müllenborn Matthias , Heller Simon , Seibold Alexander , Mader Julia K. , Amiel Stephanie A. , Pouwer Frans , Choudhary Pratik ,   Hypo‐RESOLVE Consortium
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Hypoglycaemia is a significant burden to people living with diabetes and an impediment to achieving optimal glycaemic outcomes. The use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has improved the capacity to assess duration and level of hypoglycaemia. The personal impact of sensor‐detected hypoglycaemia (SDH) is unclear. Hypo‐METRICS is an observational study designed to define the threshold and duration of sensor glucose that provides the optimal sensitivity and specificity for events that people living with diabetes experience as hypoglycaemia.

Methods

We will recruit 600 participants: 350 with insulin‐treated type 2 diabetes, 200 with type 1 diabetes and awareness of hypoglycaemia and 50 with type 1 diabetes and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia who have recent experience of hypoglycaemia. Participants will wear a blinded CGM device and an actigraphy monitor to differentiate awake and sleep times for 10 weeks. Participants will be asked to complete three short surveys each day using a bespoke mobile phone app, a technique known as ecological momentary assessment. Participants will also record all episodes of self‐detected hypoglycaemia on the mobile app. We will use particle Markov chain Monte Carlo optimization to identify the optimal threshold and duration of SDH that have optimum sensitivity and specificity for detecting patient‐reported hypoglycaemia. Key secondary objectives include measuring the impact of symptomatic and asymptomatic SDH on daily functioning and health economic outcomes.

Ethics and dissemination

The protocol was approved by local ethical boards in all participating centres. Study results will be shared with participants, in peer‐reviewed journal publications and conference presentations.
Accounting for demographic uncertainty increases predictions for species coexistence: A case study with annual plants
Authors: Bowler Catherine H. , Weiss‐Lehman Christopher , Towers Isaac R. , Mayfield Margaret M. , Shoemaker Lauren G.
Published: May 2022

Natural systems contain more complexity than is accounted for in models of modern coexistence theory. Coexistence modelling often disregards variation arising from stochasticity in biological processes, heterogeneity among individuals and plasticity in trait values. However, these unaccounted‐for sources of uncertainty are likely to be ecologically important and have the potential to impact estimates of coexistence. We applied a Bayesian modelling framework to data from an annual plant community in Western Australia to propagate uncertainty in coexistence outcomes using the invasion criterion and ratio of niche to fitness differences. We found accounting for this uncertainty altered predictions of coexistence versus competitive exclusion for 3 out of 14 species pairs and yielded a probability of priority effects for an additional species pair. The propagation of uncertainty arising from sources of biological complexity improves our ability to predict coexistence more accurately in natural systems.
SUMOylation does not affect cardiac troponin I stability but alters indirectly the development of force in response to Ca2+
Authors: Fertig Bracy , Ling Jiayue , Nollet Edgar E. , Dobi Sara , Busiau Tara , Ishikawa Kiyotake , Yamada Kelly , Lee Ahyoung , Kho Changwon , Wills Lauren , Tibbo Amy J. , Scott Mark , Grant Kirsten , Campbell Kenneth S. , Birks Emma J. , MacQuaide Niall , Hajjar Roger , Smith Godfrey L. , van der Velden Jolanda , Baillie George S.
Published: May 2022

Post‐translational modification of the myofilament protein troponin I by phosphorylation is known to trigger functional changes that support enhanced contraction and relaxation of the heart. We report for the first time that human troponin I can also be modified by SUMOylation at lysine 177. Functionally, TnI SUMOylation is not a factor in the development of passive and maximal force generation in response to calcium, however this modification seems to act indirectly by preventing SUMOylation of other myofilament proteins to alter calcium sensitivity and cooperativity of myofilaments. Utilising a novel, custom SUMO site‐specific antibody that recognises only the SUMOylated form of troponin I, we verify that this modification occurs in human heart and that it is upregulated during disease.
Mesoscale movement patterns of common bottlenose dolphins along Kuroshio Current and its bifurcation
Authors: Kanaji Yu , Funasaka Noriko , Sasaki Hiroko
Published: May 2022

In the waters off Japan, the patterns of the Kuroshio Current (KC) and its bifurcations are highly variable, which significantly affect the physical and biological environments. Knowledge about species' habitats of marine apex predators such as cetaceans and their variability is fundamental to understand not only their population structures but also their ecosystem structures related through bottom‐up and top‐down trophic linkages. In dynamic ocean environments, however, such crucial information has not been provided adequately by snapshot‐based conventional approaches, such as sighting surveys. Spatiotemporal habitat utilization patterns of the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) were investigated using fin‐mounted Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS) tags. Behavioral states at each tracking location were categorized into transiting‐ or area‐restricted searching (ARS) modes based on Bayesian state‐space model. Twelve satellite‐tracked dolphins showed different movement patterns. Their habitat ranges were estimated by minimum convex polygons (MCPs), and movement patterns were classified into three types (four animals each of eastward, offshore, and westward movements) based on MCP overlapping among tagged dolphins. The animals that restricted their habitat to the coastward side of the KC (CSKC) tended to show ARS modes more frequently. Estimated locations of these animals corresponded well with cold coastal waters. On the other hand, offshore movements corresponded well with clockwise flow generated by the bifurcation of the KC, and those dolphins were likely straying into less productive waters. These patterns suggest that common bottlenose dolphins off the southern coast of Japan mainly utilize productive CSKC waters but occasionally move to offshore waters.
Dark matters: Contrasting responses of stream biofilm to browning and loss of riparian shading
Authors: Jyväsjärvi Jussi , Rajakallio Maria , Brüsecke Joanna , Huttunen Kaisa‐Leena , Huusko Ari , Muotka Timo , Taipale Sami J.
Published: May 2022

Concentrations of terrestrial‐derived dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in freshwater ecosystems have increased consistently, causing freshwater browning. The mechanisms behind browning are complex, but in forestry‐intensive regions browning is accelerated by land drainage. Forestry actions in streamside riparian forests alter canopy shading, which together with browning is expected to exert a complex and largely unpredictable control over key ecosystem functions. We conducted a stream mesocosm experiment with three levels of browning (ambient vs. moderate vs. high, with 2.7 and 5.5‐fold increase, respectively, in absorbance) crossed with two levels of riparian shading (70% light reduction vs. open canopy) to explore the individual and combined effects of browning and loss of shading on the quantity (algal biomass) and nutritional quality (polyunsaturated fatty acid and sterol content) of the periphytic biofilm. We also conducted a field survey of differently colored (4.7 to 26.2 mg DOC L−1) streams to provide a ‘reality check’ for our experimental findings. Browning reduced greatly the algal biomass, suppressed the availability of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and sterols, but increased the availability of terrestrial‐derived long‐chain saturated fatty acids (LSAFA). In contrast, loss of shading increased primary productivity, which resulted in elevated sterol and EPA contents of the biofilm. The field survey largely repeated the same pattern: biofilm nutritional quality decreased significantly with increasing DOC, as indicated particularly by a decrease of the ω‐3:ω‐6 ratio and increase in LSAFA content. Algal biomass, in contrast, was mainly controlled by dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentration, while DOC concentration was of minor importance. The ongoing browning process is inducing a dramatic reduction in the nutritional quality of the stream biofilm. Such degradation of the major high‐quality food source available for stream consumers may reduce the trophic transfer efficiency in stream ecosystems, potentially extending across the stream‐forest ecotone.
Aridity drives phylogenetic diversity and species richness patterns of nitrogen‐fixing plants in North America
Authors: Doby Joshua R. , Li Daijiang , Folk Ryan A. , Siniscalchi Carolina M. , Guralnick Robert P.
Published: May 2022

Aim

Nitrogen (N)‐fixing plants are an important component of global plant communities, but the drivers of N‐fixing plant diversity, especially in temperate regions, remain underexplored. Here, we examined broad‐scale patterns of N‐fixing and non‐fixing plant phylogenetic diversity (PD) and species richness (SR) across a wide portion of temperate North America, focusing on relationships with soil N and aridity. We also tested whether exotic species, with and without N‐fixing symbiosis, have fewer abiotic limitations compared with native species.

Location

USA and Puerto Rico.

Time period

Current.

Major taxa studied

Vascular plants, focusing on N‐fixing groups (orders Fabales, Fagales, Rosales and Cucurbitales).

Methods

We subset National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) plant plot data from all sites along two axes (N fixing–non‐N fixing and native–exotic), calculating plot‐level SR, PD and mean pairwise phylogenetic distance (MPD). We then used linear mixed models to investigate relationships between diversity values and key soil measurements, along with aridity, temperature and fire frequency.

Results

Aridity was the sole predictor of proportional phylogenetic diversity of N fixers. The SR of N fixers still decreased marginally in arid regions, whereas native N‐fixer MPD increased with aridity, indicative of unique lineages of N fixers in the driest conditions, in contrast to native non‐N fixers. The SR of both native N fixers and non‐N fixers increased in low‐N soils. Aridity did not affect SR of exotic non‐N fixers, unlike other groups, whereas exotic N fixers showed lower MPD in increasingly high‐N soils, suggesting filtering, contrary what was found for native N fixers.

Main conclusions

Our results suggest that it is not nitrogen, or any soil nutrient, that has the strongest effect on the relative success of N fixers in plant communities. Rather, aridity is the key driver, at least for native species, in line with empirical results from other biomes and increased understanding of N fixation as a key mechanism to avoid water loss.
Approaching person‐centered long‐term care: The trajectories of intrinsic capacity and functional decline in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Jia‐Jen , Liu Li‐Fan , Chang Sheng‐Mao
Published: May 2022

Aim

To examine the longitudinal trajectory of intrinsic capacity over a 3‐year period among long‐term care recipients in Taiwan, its association with functional decline and the onset of severe dependency.

Methods

A total of 9448 individuals aged ≥50 years utilizing home and community‐based long‐term care services with complete data from three separate evaluations in Taiwan were included in the study. We carried out a latent class linear mixed model to identify heterogeneous patterns of intrinsic capacity over time, a mixed‐effects model to investigate their impact on activities of daily living and a Kaplan–Meier analysis to examine the onset year of severe dependency among different intrinsic capacity classes.

Results

The results identified four classes sharing similar longitudinal the intrinsic capacity trajectories: “high‐stable” (20.13%), “normal‐stable” (40.58%), “sensory‐dysfunction” (29.53%) and “all‐dysfunction” (9.76%). Individuals with predisposing characteristics were associated with lower activities of daily living, with the exception of age and education level. In addition, the poor intrinsic capacity class (b from −16.94 to −6.61, P < 0.001) had a worse evolution in terms of activity of daily living scores, and was associated with an earlier onset of severe dependency in 2.5 years in the all‐dysfunction class.

Conclusions

Heterogeneous patterns of intrinsic capacity that delay further functional decline are promising markers of function trajectories for a person‐centered care approach in long‐term care services. Targeting the needs of intrinsic capacity groups to prevent functional decline offer insights into: (i) strengthening function‐centered care modalities to delay severe dependency as individuals get older; and (ii) validating regular monitoring intrinsic capacity as an early warning system to achieve healthy aging. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 516–522.
Insights into the challenges and facilitators to physical activity among brooklyn teens enroled in a weight management programme
Authors: Browne Viola R. , Bruno Denise M. , Dhuper Sarita , Afable Aimee
Published: May 2022

Purpose

A qualitative study was carried out to explore obese adolescents' understanding of physical activity, perceptions of the ideal body type and to identify facilitators of and barriers to physical activity.

Methods

Twenty‐two adolescents 12–18 years of age and 14 of their parents were recruited from an obesity intervention programme in Brooklyn, New York, from June to November 2017. Data were collected using focus groups and individual semi‐structured interviews, followed by interpretative phenomenological analysis of the transcripts.

Results

The adolescents wanted to ‘lose some weight’, but not to be ‘thin’ or ‘look hungry’. Most females desired a ‘slim‐thick’ figure, which was ‘a flat stomach with big thighs, and curvy’. Fun and support from parents, peers and programme staff facilitated achieving their physical activity goals. Barriers included low self‐efficacy, inactive families, fear of neighbourhood gangs and crime and perceptions that the parks were small and overcrowded, with limited physical activity options for adolescents.

Conclusion

These findings highlight the need to consider local norms concerning body image when designing obesity interventions. To effectively reduce childhood obesity in New York City, policy should prioritize the promotion of public safety, improvement of neighbourhood parks and increase options for physical activity.

Patient or Public Contribution

The voices and narratives of patients and their families informed this study.
Microbial influences on manganese deposit formation at Yunotaki Fall, Japan
Authors: Shiraishi Fumito , Chihara Ryoji , Tanimoto Risa , Tanaka Kazuya , Takahashi Yoshio
Published: May 2022

Microorganisms are considered to play an important role in the formation of manganese oxide in natural environments. At Yunotaki Fall in north Japan, manganese‐oxidizing bacteria were previously assumed to have oxidized manganese to precipitate birnessite, which relied on oxygen released from algae (i.e., indirect oxidation sensu lato). However, it remained unclear whether larger‐scale manganese oxide precipitation was actually occurring under light conditions. This study therefore evaluated the contribution of indirect oxidation using microelectrodes to analyze local water chemistry, in addition to bulk water chemistry and DNA analyses. With the downward flow of hot spring water, pH increases because of CO2 degassing and causes the saturation index of birnessite to increase downstream. Manganese concentrations in the hot spring water decrease downstream even if it was undersaturated in birnessite, suggesting the dominance of manganese oxide deposition by microorganisms. Indeed, the deposit surface was covered by thick microbial mats, and microscopic observations and DNA analysis of the mats indicate the presence of cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae (green algae), and manganese‐oxidizing bacteria. Microelectrode measurements at the surface of a deposit covered with eukaryotic algae showed that pH and O2 concentration profiles are characteristic of oxygenic photosynthesis and aerobic respiration. On the other hand, the light and dark conditions show nearly identical Mn(II) concentration profiles decreasing within the algal mats. These results demonstrate that low bulk pH values in the hot spring water hindered indirect oxidation despite the occurrence of active oxygenic photosynthesis and that direct oxidation by manganese‐oxidizing bacteria is considered to dominate in the investigated sample.
The homogeneity of BIG4 audit reports after the implementation of key audit matters in the context of fair value accounting
Authors: Honkamäki Tuomas , Mättö Markus , Teittinen Henri
Published: May 2022

This study examines the homogeneity of BIG4 audit reports after implementing key audit matters (KAMs) in the context of fair value accounting. We focus on reported KAMs and the procedures related to the fair values of investment properties, particularly those related to challenging management's estimations and valuation specialists' use. Our data consist of 235 individual audit reports from the real estate sector from 2017 to 2018 and cover 60% of the listed real estate companies in the EU, Switzerland, and Norway. We found that the BIG4 audit firms are not homogenous in their audit reports. There is a statistically significant difference among the BIG4 audit firms in reporting the challenge of management estimates and in the number of audit procedures. We also found that a country's legal origin plays a significant role when auditors report KAMs. Our findings contribute to the current audit quality and reporting literature.
Obtaining of bioactive di‐ and tripeptides from enzymatic hydrolysis of soybean meal and its protein isolate using Alcalase® and Neutrase®
Authors: da Silva Crozatti Thamara Thaiane , Miyoshi Juliana Harumi , Tonin Angélica Priscila Parussolo , Tomazini Larissa Fonseca , Oliveira Marco Aurélio Schuler , Maluf José Uebi , Meurer Eduardo Cesar , Matioli Graciette
Published: May 2022

The obtaining of bioactive di‐ and tripeptides using Alcalase® and Neutrase® enzymes in the hydrolysis of soybean meal (SM) and its protein isolate (SPI) was evaluated. An innovative system by fast LC‐MS/MS neutral loss screening andde novosequencing was used to identify bioactive peptides. Soy protein characterisation, gel electrophoresis and antioxidant activity of the obtained peptides were performed. Results achieved showed that the use of Alcalase® and SPI preparation potentiated the peptide breaking bonds and favoured the obtainment of bioactive peptides. The antioxidant activity of tested samples was significantly improved with enzymatic hydrolysis. LC‐MS/MS analyses identified nineteen peptides in SM and 51 in SPI, all obtained after hydrolysis with Alcalase® and, according to BIOPEP, with relevant bioactivities and expressive functional potential. Therefore, it is suggested that bioactive peptides achieved in this study can enable the development of new ingredients and provide greater added value to soy by‐products.
Construct validity of Advanced Practice Role Delineation tool: A confirmatory factor analysis
Authors: Jokiniemi Krista , Tervo‐Heikkinen Tarja , Peltokoski Jaana , Mikkonen Santtu
Published: May 2022

Aim

To test the psychometric properties and latent structure of the modified Strong Model of Advanced Practice tool.

Background

The Strong Model of Advanced Practice tool, developed in the United States in 1990s and its Australia modification, has been increasingly used to delineate nursing and advanced practice nursing roles. Few research‐driven efforts to develop and validate these tools have taken place.

Design

Psychometric testing of the modified Strong Model of Advanced Practice tool.

Methods

A confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken to examine the factors of the modified Strong Model of Advanced Practice tool and compare the model to the Australian Advanced Practice Role Delineation tool. The data were collected in September 2020.

Results

The analysis of the data provided construct validity evidence of the underlying theoretical structures of the five‐factor modified Strong Model of Advanced Practice tool. The 45‐item modified Strong Model of Advanced Practice tool demonstrated satisfactory, slightly better psychometric properties and construct validity than the 40‐item Advanced Practice Role Delineation tool.

Conclusions

Psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated and reported. Based on the statistical analysis, we suggest the use of the 45‐item modified Strong Model of Advanced Practice tool.
Average fixation duration in infancy: Stability and predictive utility
Authors: White Hannah , Heck Alison , Jubran Rachel , Chroust Alyson , Bhatt Ramesh S.
Published: May 2022

The current study examined the stability, consistency, and predictive utility of average fixation durations in infancy. In Study 1, infants' (N = 80) average fixation duration when viewing social stimuli was found to show strong relative stability from 3.5 to 9 months of age. In Study 2, strong within‐infant consistency was found in 3.5‐month‐old infants' (N = 73) average fixation durations to social and nonsocial stimuli. In Study 3, 3.5‐ to 9‐month‐old infants' (N = 89) average fixation duration was found to systematically vary with parent‐reported symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at 4–6 years of age. These results suggest that average fixation duration serves as a stable and systematic measure of individual differences in cognitive development beginning early in life.
Changes to the microbiome of alfalfa during the growing season and after ensiling with Lentilactobacillus buchneri and Lentilactobacillus hilgardii inoculant
Authors: Drouin Pascal , Tremblay Julien , da Silva Érica Benjamim , Apper Emmanuelle
Published: May 2022

Aims

This study evaluated changes in epiphytic microbial population of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) during the growing season. First cut forage was harvested to study the effects of an inoculant combining two obligate heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria strains on the bacterial and fungal communities and the fermentation of alfalfa silage.

Methods and Results

The epiphytic microbiome of alfalfa was evaluated 10-times during the growing season. Alfalfa wilted to 395.0 g/kg was treated with water (Control) or with a combination of L. buchneri NCIMB 40788 and L. hilgardii CNCM-I-4785 (LBLH). Mini-silos were opened after 1, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 days of ensiling. The relative abundance (RA) of the epiphytic bacterial and fungal families varied during the growing season. After 1 day, Weissella was the most abundant genus and present at similar RA in the two treatments (average 80.4%). Compared with Control, LBLH had a higher RA of Lactobacillus at day 1, 16, 32, and 64, and a lower RA of Weissella from day 8 to 64. Control contained more bacteria belonging to the Enterobacteriales than LBLH up to day 16. Inoculated silage had more acetate than Control at day 32 and 64. The fungal population were similar between treatments. The enhanced development and dominance of Lactobacillus in inoculated silage led to greater accumulation of acetate and propionate, which reduced the numbers of culturable yeasts but did not markedly affect the fungal community structure.

Conclusions

The bacterial community composition of alfalfa stands in the filed changed over time and was affected by cutting. For the ensiling trial, inoculation modified the composition of the bacterial community of alfalfa, increasing the RA of Lactobacillus while reducing the RA of Weissella and of Enterobacteriaceae.

Significance and Impact of Study

Inoculation increased the RA of Lactobacillus, hampering the dominance of Weissella in the early stages of ensiling, improving antifungal compounds production and reducing the numbers of culturable yeasts.
Immunological and safety profile of bacteriophage therapy: A pre-clinical study
Authors: Gangwar Mayank , Rastogi Sonam , Singh Digvijay , Shukla Alka , Dhameja Neeraj , Kumar Deepak , Kumar Rajesh , Nath Gopal
Published: May 2022

Aims

Numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies have recently demonstrated the significant role of phage therapy in treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. However, only a few researchers have focused on monitoring the phage-mediated adverse reactions during phage therapy. The present study aimed to demonstrated the oral acute and sub-acute toxicity of bacteriophages (Klebsiella pneumoniae XDR strain) in Charles Foster rats with special reference to immunological response and adverse effects.

Methods and Results

Bacteriophages were orally administered in dosages of 1010 PFU/ml and a 1015 PFU/ml to Charles Foster rats as a single dose (in acute toxicity study) and daily dosage for 28 days (in sub-acute toxicity study). One millilitre suspension of bacteriophages was administered through the oral gavage feeding tube. No adverse effect was observed in any of the experimental as well as in the control animals. Furthermore, an insignificant change in food and water intake and body weight was observed throughout the study period compared with the control group rats. On the 28th day of phage administration, blood was collected to estimate haematological, biochemical and cytokines parameters. The data suggested no difference in the haematological, biochemical and cytokine profiles compared to the control group. No significant change in any of the treatment groups could be observed on the gross and histopathological examinations. The cytokines estimated, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-4, IL-6 and IFN-gamma, were found within the normal range during the experiment.

Conclusions

The results concluded that no adverse effect, including the severe detrimental impact on oral administration of high (1010 PFU/ml) and very high dose (1015 PFU/ml) of the bacteriophages cocktail.

Significance and Impact of Study

The high and long-term oral administration of bacteriophages did not induce noticeable immunological response as well.
Exploring of probiotic potential vaginal lactobacillus isolates from healthy women against Gardnerella vaginalis and Caenorhabditis elegans model testing
Authors: Li Yunxia , Jiang Yan , Lessing Duncan James , Chu Weihua
Published: May 2022

Aim

Lactobacillus species are the dominant microorganisms in the vaginal microbiota of healthy women and play an important role in the defence against pathogens. This study aimed to evaluate probiotic potential of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain P1 isolated from healthy woman's vaginal discharge for its further utilization as a promising candidate strain in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis caused by Gardnerella vaginalis.

Methods and Results

Ten lactobacilli strains from a woman's vaginal discharge were evaluated for their probiotic potential, including growth capacity at different pH levels (pH 3.5–4.5), acid production, hydrogen peroxide production capacity, antibacterial activity and susceptibility to antibiotics. Moreover, in vitro safety assay haemolytic activity and mutagenicity were investigated for safety assessment. In vivo Caenorhabditis elegans infection model was used to investigate the anti-infection effect of selected isolates. We found that lactobacilli strain P1 showed strong growth ability in low acid environment, produced acid, hydrogen peroxide, had the strongest antibacterial activity against G. vaginalis and was highly susceptible to the tested antibiotics. When assayed for the safety, strain P1 showed no haemolytic activity and had no effect of mutagenicity. Moreover, P1 significantly increased the lifespan of C. elegans against G. vaginalis infection. Combined with the results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, morphological and physiological characteristic, the strain was identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum.

Conclusion

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain P1 proves to be a promising candidate strain in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis caused by G. vaginalis.

Significance and Impact of the Study

Conventional antibiotic therapy for bacterial vaginosis has led to the accelerated process of bacterial drug resistance. Probiotics are potentially an alternative method for bacterial vaginosis therapy. This finding provides bacterial resources for keeping pathogens away from the vagina. We believe L. plantarum P1 may be used as vaginal probiotics and be useful to prevent or treat bacterial vaginitis.
Auranofin promotes antibacterial effect of doripenem against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Kim Hye-Rim , Eom Yong-Bin
Published: May 2022

Aims

This study was performed to identify the potential for repurposing auranofin as an antibiotic adjuvant against carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii.

Methods and Results

The clinically isolated A. baumannii strains used in this study were all resistant to carbapenems and harboured the blaOXA-23 gene. The synergistic effect of auranofin and doripenem against carbapenemase-producing A. baumannii was confirmed through checkerboard and growth kinetic analyses. This study also demonstrated the inhibitory effects of auranofin against A. baumannii biofilms. The anti-biofilm effects of auranofin were visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Furthermore, auranofin inhibited motility, one of the virulence factors. Additionally, the changes in the expression of carbapenemase-, biofilm- and efflux pump-related genes induced by auranofin were confirmed via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated that auranofin has an antibacterial effect with doripenem and an inhibitory effect on several factors related to carbapenem resistance.

Significance and Impact of the Study

This study suggests that auranofin is a promising antibiotic adjuvant that can be used to prevent antibiotic resistance in carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii.
Beyond tracking climate: Niche shifts during native range expansion and their implications for novel invasions
Authors: Lustenhouwer Nicky , Parker Ingrid M.
Published: May 2022

Aim

Although ecological niche models have been instrumental in understanding the widespread species distribution shifts under global change, rapid niche shifts limit model transferability to novel locations or time periods. Niche shifts during range expansion have been studied extensively in invasive species, but may also occur in native populations tracking climate change. We compared niche shifts during both types of range expansion in a Mediterranean annual plant to ask (i) whether the species' native range expansion tracked climate change, (ii) whether further range expansion was promoted by niche expansion, and (iii) how these results changed forecasts of two ongoing invasions in Australia and California.

Location

Eurasian Holarctic, California and Australia.

Taxon

Dittrichia graveolens (L.) Greuter (Asteraceae).

Methods

Niche shifts were quantified in both environmental and geographic space, using the framework of niche centroid shift, overlap, unfilling and expansion (COUE) as well as maximum entropy modelling. We used the historic native distribution and climate data (1901–1930) to project the expected distribution in the present climate (1990–2019) and compared it to the observed current distribution of D. graveolens. Finally, we compared invasion forecasts based on the historic and present native niches.

Results

Dittrichia graveolens expanded its native range well beyond expectations based on the observed climate change, associated with a 5.5% niche expansion towards more temperate climates. In contrast, both invasions showed niche conservatism and were (still) constrained to climatic areas matching the historic native niche.

Main conclusions

Contrary to hypotheses in the literature, niche shifts are not necessarily more rapid in invasions than in native range expansions. We conclude that niche expansion during the process of climate tracking may cause further range expansion than expected based on climate change alone.
The Amazon‐Orinoco Barrier as a driver of reef‐fish speciation in the Western Atlantic through time
Authors: Araujo Gabriel S. , Rocha Luiz A. , Lastrucci Naomi S. , Luiz Osmar J. , Di Dario Fabio , Floeter Sergio R.
Published: May 2022

Aim

The Amazon‐Orinoco plume is the major biogeographical barrier between the Great Caribbean and the Brazilian Province. No study has so far addressed the influence of this barrier in a broad chrono‐phylogenetic context. Here, we evaluate the effects of the Amazon‐Orinoco plume barrier on the patterns of diversification of Western Atlantic reef fishes through time.

Location

Tropical Western Atlantic.

Taxon

Reef Fishes (Percomorpha).

Methods

We compiled DNA sequence data of 21 molecular markers from sister species/population pairs across 33 reef‐fish families in the Greater Caribbean biogeographical region and the Brazilian Province. The data included estimated divergence times between sister‐pairs based on previously published phylogenies and 94 newly proposed time‐trees. Divergence dates were compared with variations in the sedimentation discharge rate of the Amazon River and sea‐level fluctuations. To address the hypothesis that fishes with different adult sizes are affected differently by the Amazon‐Orinoco plume, we used a phylogenetic least squares regression to test the relationship between maximum total body length and divergence times between the Caribbean and Brazilian sister‐pairs.

Results

We identified an increase in the rates of lineage diversification between sister‐pairs of the Greater Caribbean and Brazilian Province reef fishes in the past 2.4 million years, in accordance with the period of higher sedimentation rates of the Amazon River and the more frequent sea‐level fluctuations in the Pleistocene. A strong relationship between total body length and effectiveness of the barrier through time was confirmed, with smaller species typically diverging earlier in periods when sedimentation rates of the Amazon River were significantly lower.

Conclusions

The strong biogeographical signal detected in this study across different lineages of reef fishes clearly indicates that the Amazon‐Orinoco plume played a significant role in the diversification of the Atlantic reef‐fish fauna. The temporal pattern of diversifications indicates a correlation between the permeability of the plume, sea‐level fluctuations, variability in the volume of the discharge and fish body size, with the barrier's influence being weaker on larger fishes.
Redescription of Anchoviella cayennensis (Puyo, 1945) (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae), with the synonymization of Anchoviella sanfranciscana Barbosa, Gomes da Silva, da Rocha Araújo & Carvalho, 2017 and remarks on Anchoviella perfasciata (Poey, 1860)
Authors: Agostinho Lorena S. , Loeb Marina V. , Di Dario Fabio
Published: May 2022

Anchoviella cayennensis (Puyo, 1945) is a relatively small‐sized, coastal and estuarine western Atlantic species of anchovy distributed from Suriname to southeastern Brazil. The species is morphologically similar to Anchoviella perfasciata (Poey, 1860) from the Central and western North Atlantic, and it has been suggested in the literature that both are actually synonyms. The recently described Anchoviella sanfranciscana (Barbosa et al., 2017) was reported as endemic to the estuary of the São Francisco River, northeastern Brazil. Most characters proposed as diagnostic for A. sanfranciscana in the description are, however, similar to the ones reported for A. cayennensis and A. perfasciata. To determine the complex taxonomic scenario involving the three species, 24 morphometric and 13 meristic characters of 171 specimens tentatively identified as A. perfasciata (including the holotype) and A. cayennensis from the Central and South Atlantic in addition to the holotype and 19 paratypes of A. sanfranciscana (total: 191 specimens) were analysed. The PCAs of morphometric characters indicate the existence of two groups, which are recognized as A. perfasciata and A. cayennensis, with A. sanfranciscana proposed as a junior synonym of the later. Further evidence from gill arch dentition also indicates that A. perfasciata and A. cayennensis are distinct valid species. A redescription of A. cayennensis is presented, with a neotype proposed for the species. Confirmation of the identity of specimens attributed to A. cayennensis indicates that its southern limit of distribution is in the Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil. An updated taxonomic key for the estuarine and coastal Atlantic species of Anchoviella is also presented.
Biological–physical processes regulate autumn prey availability of spiny icefish Chaenodraco wilsoni in the Bransfield Strait, Antarctic
Authors: Yang Qingyuan , Reid Keith , Zhu Guoping
Published: May 2022

This study examines the adaptability of a Southern Ocean predator, which is dependent on Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), to potential changes in food availability. Muscle fatty acids (FAs) of the spiny icefish Chaenodraco wilsoni collected from three areas in the Bransfield Strait (BS), northern Antarctic Peninsula during February–April 2016 give a good representation of their feeding variability. The compositions of 22:6n3 (DHA) and 20:5n3 (EPA) were both higher in the Transitional Zonal Water with Bellingshausen influence (TBW)‐controlled C. wilsoni than in the Transitional Zonal Water with Weddell Sea influence (TWW)‐controlled fish. This was positively correlated with photoadaptation and carbon sequestration in TBW‐controlled phytoplankton. Results for the FAs 16:1n7, 16:0, DHA and EPA indicate the presence of dinoflagellates in all three areas, suggesting that during late summer and early fall, there is a seasonal phytoplankton succession, where small phytoplankton become dominant, in the BS. In addition, the compositions of some long‐chain FAs (>20, such as 20:0, 20:1, 22:0 and 22:1n9) and ∑18 indicated that the food chain based on flagellates and copepods was more apparent in TWW‐controlled C. wilsoni, especially the effect of El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the variation of prey communities in TWW‐controlled areas. FA markers such as SFA/(PUFA+MUFA), ∑15 + ∑17 and ARA were more pronounced in TWW‐controlled C. wilsoni, indicating a more strongly carnivorous and benthic food source. In the TBW–TWW confluence, the complex hydrological structure, including the presence of a large number of mesoscale eddies, allows rich nutrients and krill larvae to remain in it, providing a rich food source for the C. wilsoni. Overall, the FA data of this study show that the diet of C. wilsoni varies in different marine environments, aiding their survivability at the face of climate change.
The Economics of Deferral and Clawback Requirements
Authors: HOFFMANN FLORIAN , INDERST ROMAN , OPP MARCUS
Published: May 2022

We analyze the effects of regulatory interference in compensation contracts, focusing on recent mandatory deferral and clawback requirements restricting incentive compensation of material risk‐takers in the financial sector. Moderate deferral requirements have a robustly positive effect on risk‐management effort only if the bank manager's outside option is sufficiently high; otherwise, their effectiveness depends on the dynamics of information arrival. Stringent deferral requirements unambiguously backfire. Our normative analysis characterizes whether and how deferral and clawback requirements should supplement capital regulation as part of the optimal policy mix.
Assessment of in vitro fertilization outcomes after hysteroscopic isthmoplasty in recurrent implantation failure
Authors: Mutlu Ahmet Emin
Published: May 2022

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments outcomes of women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) after hysteroscopic isthmoplasty for isthmocele.

Methods

This retrospective, observational study included 61 patients with RIF and isthmocele who presented to IVF Unit of Hüma Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital between January, 2018 and December, 2020. Thirty‐one patient who underwent hysteroscopic isthmoplasty—before IVF procedure—were included. Remaining 30 patients underwent IVF without hysteroscopic isthmoplasty were included as controls. The fertility outcome were compared between groups.

Results

After 3 months, spontaneous pregnancy was achieved in 18.4% (7/38) of patients with isthmocele who underwent hysteroscopic isthmoplasty. In the isthmoplasty group, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, biochemical pregnancy rate, and the miscarriage rate were 41.9% (13/31), 35.5% (11/31), 6.5% (2/31), and 9.7% (3/31), respectively. The live birth rate after in vitro fertilization was 25.8% (8/31) in the isthmoplasty group and 3.3% (1/30) in the control group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the IVF outcomes such as the biochemical pregnancy rate and miscarriage rate between the isthmoplasty and control groups.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that hysteroscopic isthmoplasty improves pregnancy and live birth rates for women with a history of RIF and isthmocele. Reproductive results of the IVF cycles after hysteroscopic correction of isthmocele were comparable to those of the patients without any uterine abnormalities and those with diagnosis of unexplained infertility.
Nutrition and stem cell integrity in aging
Authors: Stover P. J. , Field M.S. , Brawley H.N. , Angelin B. , Iversen P.O. , Frühbeck G.
Published: May 2022

Adult stem cells (SCs) represent the regenerative capacity of organisms throughout their lifespan. The maintenance of robust SC populations capable of renewing organs and physiological systems is one hallmark of healthy aging. The local environment of SCs, referred to as the niche, includes the nutritional milieu, which is essential to maintain the quantity and quality of SCs available for renewal and regeneration. There is increased recognition that SCs have unique metabolism and conditional nutrient needs compared to fully differentiated cells. However, the contribution of SC nutrition to overall human nutritional requirements is an understudied and underappreciated area of investigation. Nutrient needs vary across the lifespan and are modified by many factors including individual health, disease, physiological states including pregnancy, age, sex, and during recovery from injury. Although current nutrition guidance is generally derived for apparently healthy populations and to prevent nutritional deficiency diseases, there are increased efforts to establish nutrient‐based and food‐based recommendations based on reducing chronic disease. Understanding the dynamics of SC nutritional needs throughout the life span, including the role of nutrition in extending biological age by blunting biological systems decay, is fundamental to establishing food and nutrient guidance for chronic disease reduction and health maintenance. This review summarizes a 3‐day symposium of the Marabou Foundation (www.marabousymposium.org) held to examine the metabolic properties and unique nutritional needs of adult SCs and their role in healthy aging and age‐related chronic disease.
Vehicles for justice: buses and advancement
Authors: LAYARD ANTONIA ,   ROOM 13 AT HARECLIVE E‐ACT ACADEMY
Published: May 2022

This article draws on the findings from The Bus Project (2018–2021) in Bristol, which found that children living in some of the most deprived streets in England cannot afford to visit the centre of their city. The article explains that the problem of children ‘not being on the buses’ is the consequence of a series of policy choices in bus governance. Empirically, the article demonstrates that the causes of bus immobility – cost, fear of the unknown, unfamiliarity, and unreliability – have clear detrimental effects on children's ability to access leisure and civic opportunities, independent travel, and education of choice. Theoretically, it argues that discrimination and equality law – the dominant legal paradigms for addressing inequality – have limitations in this setting when they do not explicitly provide for socio‐economic inequality. This article suggests that we could develop a concept of ‘advancement’, drawing on aspects of Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 (still unimplemented in England, though in force in Scotland and Wales), moving beyond protected characteristics. As a policy, advancement could be implemented using administrative means, including existing data sets on free school meals or indices of deprivation. A concept of advancement could become a mechanism to enable us to address socio‐economic inequality as a ‘vehicle for justice’, just as buses are vehicles capable of facilitating spatial justice in practical terms.
Narcolepsy
Authors: Barateau Lucie , Pizza Fabio , Plazzi Giuseppe , Dauvilliers Yves
Published: May 2022

This article addresses the clinical presentation, diagnosis, pathophysiology and management of narcolepsy type 1 and 2, with a focus on recent findings. A low level of hypocretin‐1/orexin‐A in the cerebrospinal fluid is sufficient to diagnose narcolepsy type 1, being a highly specific and sensitive biomarker, and the irreversible loss of hypocretin neurons is responsible for the main symptoms of the disease: sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep‐related hallucinations and paralysis, and disrupted nocturnal sleep. The process responsible for the destruction of hypocretin neurons is highly suspected to be autoimmune, or dysimmune. Over the last two decades, remarkable progress has been made for the understanding of these mechanisms that were made possible with the development of new techniques. Conversely, narcolepsy type 2 is a less well‐defined disorder, with a variable phenotype and evolution, and few reliable biomarkers discovered so far. There is a dearth of knowledge about this disorder, and its aetiology remains unclear and needs to be further explored. Treatment of narcolepsy is still nowadays only symptomatic, targeting sleepiness, cataplexy and disrupted nocturnal sleep. However, new psychostimulants have been recently developed, and the upcoming arrival of non‐peptide hypocretin receptor‐2 agonists should be a revolution in the management of this rare sleep disease, and maybe also for disorders beyond narcolepsy.