bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparative study of the antibacterial properties of milk from different domestic animals
Authors: Ebrahimi Alireza , Moosavy Mir‐Hassan , Khatibi Seyed Amin , Barabadi Zahra , Hajibemani Abolfazl
Published: January 2021

This study aimed to compare the antimicrobial properties of milk from donkey, horse, goat, sheep, cow and camel. The antibacterial properties of samples were analysed against foodborne pathogenic bacteria held at 5, 10 and 20 °C during 96 h of storage. The highest antimicrobial activity was obtained with donkey and horse milk at 20 °C after 96 h. This study has highlighted the variations in the antibacterial properties of the milk from various animal species. The extent of antibacterial activity of milk was shown to depend upon the animal species, the storage temperature and the bacterial strain studied.
Combined interventional radiology and surgical management of a complex caesarean scar ectopic pregnancy
Authors: Rajadurai Suraindra M , Wong Avelyn , Brooks Duncan Mark , Vance Carol
Published: January 2021

Caesarean scar ectopic pregnancies are rare but growing in incidence due to increasing rates of caesarean deliveries. These cases have historically been treated with either medical or surgical management which both have significant limitations. More recently, uterine artery embolisation (UAE) has shown significant promise in the treatment of this condition. We present the case of a complex patient with a caesarean scar ectopic successfully managed with combined UAE and surgery.
Evidence and patterns of maternal transfer of metals and trace elements in Western tiger snakes (Notechis scutatus occidentalis) – a pilot study
Authors: Lettoof Damian Christopher , Van Dyke James Urban , Gagnon Marthe Monique
Published: January 2021

Urban wildlife are regularly exposed to a variety of anthropogenic contaminants that have the potential to bioaccumulate in body tissues. As a consequence, developing embryos and offspring can be at risk from exposure to maternally accumulated contaminants, yet this has rarely been reported in reptiles. We opportunistically collected one pregnant Western tiger snake (Notechis scutatus occidentalis) from each of three wetlands with differing sediment metal contamination around Perth, and analysed maternal snake livers and three foetuses per litter for a suite of 17 elements representing either alkaline earth metals, transition metals or metalloids. We detected 14 elements, and compared their concentrations in maternal livers to foetus whole bodies to determine preliminary patterns of maternal transfer. Our results suggest antimony, arsenic, manganese, mercury, molybdenum and zinc are maternally transferred in Western tiger snakes. We urge further research to further quantify patterns of contaminant maternal transfer in viviparous snakes and determine their impacts on the development and health of contaminated offspring.
The role of polymorphism of the IL6 gene in tooth replantation
Authors: Roskamp Liliane , Trevilatto Paula Cristina , Souza Cleber Machado , Ignácio Sergio Aparecido , de Lima Giomo Dieila , Pereira Thaís Munhoz , Westphalen Vânia Portela Ditzel
Published: January 2021

The absence or presence of root resorption on the root surface of a replanted tooth indicates an immune‐inflammatory reaction. Since interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) is considered an inflammatory marker in bone resorption, this study aimed to investigate the association between clinical variables and polymorphisms in IL6, with the outcome of replanted teeth at 1‐year follow‐up. Altogether, 127 avulsed teeth that were replanted and had their root canals treated were selected for this study. Periapical radiographs were taken after replantation and after 1 year. Real‐time PCR was used to genotype IL6 polymorphisms. Chi‐square and ‘Z’ tests were performed to verify the association between genetic variables and the prognosis of replanted teeth (P < 0.05). An association was observed between the rs2069843 polymorphism of IL6 and the outcome of replanted teeth (P < 0.05). The rs2069843 polymorphism of IL6 may influence the outcome of avulsed and replanted teeth in the first year post‐trauma.
Evaluation of the knowledge of final‐year dental students on the use of antibiotics in endodontics in Turkey
Authors: Arıcan Burçin , Çiftçioğlu Elif , Işık Vasfiye , Karagöz‐Küçükay Işıl
Published: January 2021

The knowledge of the final‐year dental students on antibiotic use in endodontics in Turkey was assessed. The study was conducted at 20 Dentistry Faculties. A questionnaire was sent to the universities including the concerning several scenarios about endodontic cases. 1113 final‐year dental students participated in the study. Respondents’ significant choice was not to administrate antibiotics in endodontic treatments of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis, pulp necrosis, acute apical periodontitis, chronic apical abscess with or without sinus tract, retreatment, inadequate local anaesthesia and patient requests (P > 0.05). In acute apical abscess (AAA) with diffuse cases, choice of antibiotic administration was statistically higher (P < 0.05), while in AAA‐localised cases, the ratio of antibiotic administration versus non‐administration was similar. Amoxicillin was found to be the first‐choice antibiotic in patients without medical allergies, whereas in allergic patients the first choice was clindamycin. Final‐year dental students have fundamental knowledge on the antibiotic administration in endodontics.
Fijian swallowtail butterfly Papilio schmeltzi (Papilionidae: Lepidoptera) shows clear preference–performance relationships on both native and exotic host plants
Authors: Chandra Visheshni , Hodge Simon
Published: January 2021

The swallowtail butterfly Papilio schmeltzi is endemic to the Fiji Islands. To date, P. schmeltzi larvae and eggs have been found exclusively on a native Fijian shrub, Micromelum minutum, even though numerous other seemingly suitable native and exotic species of Rutaceae now occur in its Fijian forest habitat. This study used outdoor cages and laboratory studies to examine oviposition preferences and larval development of P. schmeltzi on four species of Rutaceae: the native species Micromelum minutum and Euodia hortensis and the introduced species Murraya koenigii and Citrus reticulata. The female oviposition preference sequence was the same as that for larval feeding preference, which ran, from most preferred, as Micromelum minutum > C. reticulata > Murraya koenigii > E. hortensis. The survival of the first and fifth instar larvae was highest (≥80%) when maintained on leaves of M. minutum and C. reticulata and lowest when reared on Murraya koenigii (≤20%) and E. hortensis (≤4%). Of the two preferred host plants, P. schmeltzi larvae gained weight more quickly, consumed a larger area of leaf and pupated earlier when reared on the natural host Micromelum  minutum compared with the exotic C. reticulata. In quantitative nutritional studies, the consumption rate of leaf material, and the relative growth rate of the P. schmeltzi larvae, was highest when reared on Micromelum minutum compared with C. reticulata, although the efficiency of converting leaf biomass into larval biomass was highest when reared on C. reticulata, especially in the later instars. Overall, the results of our study indicate the plants on which P. schmeltzi females choose to lay eggs are not restricted to native Fijian plant species but are appropriate when viewed in terms of subsequent larval preferences, survival and growth rate.
Bayesian Kinked Regression with Unobserved Thresholds: An Application to the von Liebig Hypothesis
Authors: Moeltner Klaus , Ramsey A. Ford , Neill Clinton L.
Published: January 2021

We consider the Bayesian estimation of continuous regression models where the cutoff points that separate different slope regimes are unknown but related to an observed input. Using plateau and von Liebig production functions as examples, we compare the performance of Bayesian mixture models that explicitly estimate regime membership probabilities to Bayesian threshold models that instead treat the unobserved threshold input as a model parameter. Using simulated data as well as actual data from two crop response trials, we show that the threshold model generally outperforms the mixture model in terms of estimation efficiency and predictive accuracy. We also illustrate how Bayesian model averaging can be employed when model performance is less clear cut. Our estimation framework is suitable for a wide range of applications in agricultural and resource economics —as well as other fields.
Intrahousehold Economies of Scale with Application to Food Assistance and Work Incentive Programs
Authors: Li Wenying , Dorfman Jeffrey H.
Published: January 2021

Comparing income levels across families with different household compositions and sizes is not easy and has been a long‐term focus in welfare and policy analysis. This paper evaluates the extent childless two‐person households in the U.S. reduce their costs by living together relative to living alone. Using a structural collective household model and household scanner data, we find women, on average, consume 48% of total household expenditures, and a woman (man) living alone would need approximately 65% (63%) of the two‐person household's income to reach the same living standard as attained as a member of a two‐person household. Our results suggest the poverty line for two‐person childless households may need to be increased, whereas other federal benefit calculations are overly generous.
Delos Archaeological Marbles: A Preliminary Geochemistry‐Based Quarry Provenance Study
Authors: Vettor T. , Sautter V. , Pont S. , Harivel C. , Jolivet L. , Moretti I. , Moretti J. C.
Published: January 2021

This paper presents for the first time chemical data on the ancient (Antiquity period) marble quarries of Delos Island and some architectural marbles from its famous and exceptionally well‐preserved archaeological site. Delos geological substratum is mostly composed of granite, including very few decametric marble enclaves. However, ancient Delian architecture is dominated by gneiss and marbles. A large quantity of marble had thus to be imported from neighbouring Cycladic Islands and continental Greece. Their provenances remain mostly unknown. Several analytical methods have been developed in archaeometry for years to determine the origin of marbles, but they are generally destructive. This paper reports a methodology based on a hand‐held portable X‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) analyser to detect major and trace elements often used in provenance studies. Drawbacks of using those elements for marble provenance and analytical limitations attached to portable instruments were frequently discussed. Here the usefulness of pXRF for marble provenance research was tested in association with principal component analysis (PCA). Two artefacts of presumed Delian origin were selected and the results showed that one of them came undoubtedly from a Delian quarry while the other one was not of local origin. This protocol appeared to be a powerful tool when conventional destructive analyses are precluded.
Epidermal changes during tail regeneration in the Bahamas lancelet, Asymmetron lucayanum (Cephalochordata)
Authors: Holland Nicholas D. , Somorjai Ildiko M. L.
Published: January 2021

The epidermis of a cephalochordate is described by scanning electron microscopy before tail amputation and at the following intervals thereafter: 1 day, 3 days, 6 days, 10 days and 14 days. Before amputation, the epidermis covering the entire body, including the tail, was a monolayer of non‐ciliated cells in a hexagonal array. In one‐day amputees, epidermal cells from the wound edge migrated, evidently by means of contractile lobopodia, forming a loosely associated monolayer on the cut surface. In the three‐day amputee, cells covering the regenerate had resumed their tight‐packed hexagonal array; however, in the six‐ and ten‐day samples, the cells covering the regenerating tail were loosely associated again and smaller than before. Surprisingly, in the same six‐ and ten‐day samples, the epidermal cells covering all body regions anterior to the regenerate had changed conspicuously—their apical cell membranes had shrunk, thereby opening up an intercellular gap, although the cells maintained their hexagonal shape and appeared to have the same neighbours as before. This gapped stage (of unknown significance) lasted about a week, after which the gaps closed up, and all the epidermal cells, including those on the regenerating tail, resumed their close association with their neighbours in a hexagonal grid.
Mental health of Italian adults during COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Amendola Simone , Spensieri Valentina , Hengartner Michael P. , Cerutti Rita
Published: January 2021

Objectives

On 31 January 2020, a new type of coronavirus was first confirmed in Italy and spread rapidly across the country leading to a national lockdown. The aim of this pilot study was to explore the impact of the public health emergency due to COVID‐19 on individual’s mental health among 299 Italian adults after a month of home isolation due to COVID‐19.

Design

Cross‐sectional study design. Adults of the general population were invited to a voluntary online health survey.

Methods

Hierarchical multiple regressions were used to examine diverse psycho‐social and stressful contextual factors associated with symptoms of psychopathology.

Results

Results indicated that females reported higher symptoms of depression, anxiety and circadian rhythm dysregulation, than males. Age and the capacity to adapt to a new environment and to cope with illness were negatively associated with all symptoms of psychopathology. Conversely, engaging in verbally aggressive behaviours and having experienced stressful events related to COVID‐19 were positively related to psychopathological symptoms. Finally, social support was negatively associated with depressive symptoms, and substance use during the past months was related to circadian rhythm dysregulation.

Conclusions

The findings of this study raise particular concern about psychological well‐being considering the negative associations between stressful events during the COVID‐19 pandemic, symptoms of psychological distress, and perceived social support. These results have possible significant clinical implications.
Introducing positive behaviour support (PBS) into disability services for successful adoption: A synthesised systematic review
Authors: Hayward Brent A. , Poed Shiralee , McKay‐Brown Lisa , McVilly Keith R.
Published: January 2021

Accessible Summary

Positive behaviour support is used by staff to help people with different disabilities, but we do not know what helps staff to keep using positive behaviour support.

We looked at all the reports that people have written about using positive behaviour support to find out what helps staff to keep using it.

We used a special way of putting everything together and found groups of important things to do with positive behaviour support, the people who use it, and things happening around them. These things can help staff use positive behaviour support better and for longer.

Background

It is necessary to understand which variables successfully contribute to the adoption of positive behaviour support (PBS) in disability services if people with disability are to experience meaningful outcomes.

Methods

A systematic review of the disability support literature was undertaken, and meta‐aggregation was used to synthesise the findings. The study applies ENTREQ statement criteria, and diffusion of innovations theory was used to analyse and interpret the results.

Results

Twenty‐seven papers were included in the analysis, from which over 300 findings were extracted. Forty‐one aggregated findings generated a final set of 26 principles which informed the development of a conceptual framework for the adoption of PBS in disability services.

Conclusion

The conceptual framework and supporting principles will assist those interested in introducing PBS into disability services for successful adoption and are applicable to researchers, managers, and practitioners alike. Recommendations are made to expand research on the application of PBS in specific disability contexts and to broaden the application of PBS beyond challenging behaviour.
Tryptophan 2,3‐dioxygenase in tumor cells is associated with resistance to immunotherapy in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Sumitomo Makoto , Takahara Kiyoshi , Zennami Kenji , Nagakawa Tomomi , Maeda Yasuhiro , Shiogama Kazuya , Yamamoto Yasuko , Muto Yoshinari , Nukaya Takuhisa , Takenaka Masashi , Fukaya Kosuke , Ichino Manabu , Sasaki Hitomi , Saito Kuniaki , Shiroki Ryoichi
Published: January 2021

Indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is a key enzyme associated with immunomodulation through its regulation of the tryptophan‐kynurenine (Kyn) pathway in advanced cancers, including metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). However, the failure of IDO1 inhibitors when used in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), as observed in clinical trials, raises a number of questions. This study aimed to investigate the association of tryptophan 2,3‐dioxygenase (TDO) and IDO1 with cancer development and resistance to immunotherapy in patients with RCC. In our analysis of RCC tissue samples, tissue Kyn levels were elevated in advanced‐stage RCC and correlated well with TDO expression levels in RCC tumor cells. In patients with mRCC, TDO rather than IDO1 was expressed in RCC tumor cells, showing a strong association with Kyn expression. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining of TDO was strongly associated with the staining intensity of forkhead box P3, as well as ICI therapy response and survival in patients with mRCC. Our study is the first to show that TDO expression in tumor tissues is associated with progression and survival, confirming its potential as a predictive biomarker of primary resistance to immunotherapy in patients with mRCC. Our findings suggest that strategies aimed at inhibiting TDO, rather than IDO1, in combination with ICI therapy may aid in the control of mRCC progression.
Short‐term cultured autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells as a potential immunogen to activate Tax‐specific CTL response in adult T‐cell leukemia patients
Authors: Ishizawa Miku , Ganbaatar Undrakh , Hasegawa Atsuhiko , Takatsuka Natsuko , Kondo Nobuyo , Yoneda Takeru , Katagiri Kuniko , Masuda Takao , Utsunomiya Atae , Kannagi Mari
Published: January 2021

Activation of CD8+ Tax‐specific CTL is a new therapeutic concept for adult T‐cell leukemia (ATL) caused by HTLV‐1. A recent clinical study of the dendritic cell vaccine pulsed with Tax peptides corresponding to CTL epitopes showed promising outcomes in ATL patients possessing limited human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles. In this study, we aimed to develop another immunotherapy to activate Tax‐specific CTL without HLA limitation by using patients’ own HTLV‐1‐infected cells as a vaccine. To examine the potential of HTLV‐1‐infected T‐cells to activate CTL via antigen presenting cells, we established a unique co–culture system. We demonstrated that mitomycin C‐treated HLA‐A2‐negative HTLV‐1‐infected T‐cell lines or short‐term cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) derived from ATL patients induced cross–presentation of Tax antigen in co–cultured HLA‐A2‐positive antigen presenting cells, resulting in activation of HLA‐A2‐restricted CD8+ Tax‐specific CTL. This effect was not inhibited by a reverse transcriptase inhibitor. IL‐12 production and CD86 expression were also induced in antigen presenting cells co–cultured with HTLV‐1‐infected cells at various levels, which were improved by pre–treatment of the infected cells with histone deacetylase inhibitors. Furthermore, monocyte‐derived dendritic cells induced from PBMC of a chronic ATL patient produced IL‐12 and expressed enhanced levels of CD86 when co–cultured with autologous lymphocytes that had been isolated from the same PBMC and cultured for several days. These findings suggest that short‐term cultured autologous PBMC from ATL patients could potentially serve as a vaccine to evoke Tax‐specific CTL responses.
Family Structure, Family Instability, and Child Psychological Well‐Being in the Context of Migration: Evidence From Sequence Analysis in China
Authors: Lu Yao , Zhang Ruochen , Du Haifeng
Published: January 2021

This study conceptualizes parental migration as a dynamic family process that exposes children to parental absence and family instability. Using detailed migration histories, this study identifies the left‐behind trajectories of rural Chinese children throughout childhood (age 1–12) and examines the impact on psychological well‐being (N = 3,961). Results indicate heterogeneity in children’s experience of parental migration, which is characterized by both persistence (prolonged parental absence) and instability (repeated parental migration). A quarter of rural children experienced prolonged parental migration, and for half of these, by both parents. Another 50% of rural children experienced repeated parental migration. Children continuously left behind by both parents and children who experienced substantial family instability both fared worse in psychological development than those in stable two‐parent families.
PLACK syndrome is potentially treatable with intralipids
Authors: Sawan Zinab A. , Almehaidib Ali , Binamer Yousef , Monies Dorota , Alsaleem Khalid A. , Aldekhail Wajeeh , Alkuraya Fowzan S. , Abanemai Mohammed
Published: January 2021

We describe an 11‐year‐old girl with PLACK Syndrome (peeling skin, leukonychia, acral punctate keratosis, cheilitis, and knuckle pads), who was found to have a novel homozygous variant in CAST, the pathogenicity of which was confirmed using blood‐derived RNA. There is no established treatment for PLACK syndrome. However, we demonstrate for the first time that this condition is associated with low levels of vitamin A and essential fatty acids, which prompted us to consider a potential treatment strategy. Indeed, we initiated this patient on intravenous lipid infusion (Vitalipid®; an emulsion of fat‐soluble vitamins and lipofundin‐MCT/LCT 20%) and the response was dramatic. Following the fourth monthly course of treatment, pruritis disappeared and the skin lesions showed remarkable objective improvement. PLACK syndrome is a very rare genodermatosis and only six families have been described to date with pathogenic CAST variants. This is the first report of an objective response to a therapeutic agent, which suggests that PLACK is a potentially treatable condition. The remarkable response we report and the relative safety of the intervention should prompt healthcare providers who care for PLACK syndrome patients to explore this as a potential treatment strategy in future studies.
Biallelic deletion in a minimal CAPN15 intron in siblings with a recognizable syndrome of congenital malformations and developmental delay
Authors: Mor‐Shaked Hagar , Salah Somaya , Yanovsky‐Dagan Shira , Meiner Vardiella , Atawneh Osama M. , Abu‐Libdeh Bassam , Elpeleg Orly , Harel Tamar
Published: January 2021

Calpainopathies constitute a heterogeneous group of disorders resulting from deficiencies in calpains, calcium‐specific proteases that modulate substrates by limited proteolysis. Clinical manifestations depend on tissue‐specific expression of the defective calpain and substrate specificity. CAPN15, encoding the Drosophila small optic lobes (sol) homolog, was recently found to cause various eye defects in individuals carrying bi‐allelic missense variants. Here we report on two siblings with manifestations reminiscent of Johanson‐Blizzard syndrome including failure to thrive, microcephaly, global developmental delay, dysmorphic features, endocrine abnormalities and congenital malformations, in addition to eye abnormalities. Exome sequencing identified a homozygous 47 base‐pair deletion in a minimal intron of CAPN15, including the splice donor site. Sequencing of cDNA revealed single exon skipping, resulting in an out‐of‐frame deletion with a predicted premature termination codon. These findings expand the phenotypic spectrum associated with CAPN15 variants, and suggest that complete loss‐of‐function is associated with a recognizable syndrome of congenital malformations and developmental delay, overlapping Johanson‐Blizzard syndrome and the recently observed brain defects in Capn15 knockout (KO) mice. Moreover, the data highlight the unique opportunity for indel detection in minimal introns.
Vocal behavior of the endangered splendid toadfish and potential masking by anthropogenic noise
Authors: Pyć Cynthia D. , Vallarta Jonathan , Rice Aaron N. , Zeddies David G. , Maxner Emily E. , Denes Samuel L.
Published: January 2021

Vessel‐related noise is a potential stressor for coral reef fauna. The Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel (PNAC) is a Mexican Marine Protected Area that is exposed to pervasive vessel traffic. PNAC is also the primary range of splendid toadfish (Sanopus splendidus,family Batrachoididae), an IUCN red‐listed soniferous fish for which vessel noise may represent a threat. We conducted a passive acoustic monitoring survey during summer of 2017 at Paraiso Reef in PNAC and obtained the first scientific recordings from splendid toadfish, enabling a vocal characterization of the species. We simultaneously collected data on sound levels of vessels passing near the reef. High noise levels of cruise ship and small motorboat traffic caused elevated anthropogenic sound pressure levels for up to 15 hr per day in the same bandwidth as toadfish vocalizations. A single cruise ship added up to 4 dB above nighttime ambient levels while small motorboat traffic added up to 7 dB. The overlap of toadfish vocalizations and vessel‐related noise highlights the susceptibility of splendid toadfish to acoustic masking and reduction in communication space throughout the day, warranting further study. Because acoustic communication is critical to toadfish reproductive success, noise from cruise ships and small motorboats may threaten splendid toadfish individuals or population viability.
Covered self‐expandable metal stents versus plastic stents for preoperative biliary drainage in patient receiving neo‐adjuvant chemotherapy for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer: Prospective randomized study
Authors: Tamura Takashi , Itonaga Masahiro , Ashida Reiko , Yamashita Yasunobu , Hatamaru Keiichi , Kawaji Yuki , Emori Tomoya , Kitahata Yuji , Miyazawa Motoki , Hirono Seiko , Okada Ken‐ichi , Kawai Manabu , Shimokawa Toshio , Yamaue Hiroki , Kitano Masayuki
Published: January 2021

Objectives

This single‐center comparative randomized superiority study compared biliary stenting using fully covered self‐expandable metal stents (FCSEMS) and biliary stenting using plastic stents (PS) in preoperative biliary drainage of patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) who are planned to undergo a single regimen of neo‐adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Methods

Twenty‐two patients with BRPC who required preoperative biliary drainage before NAC (Gemcitabine plus Nab‐paclitaxel) were randomly assigned 1:1 to the FCSEMS or PS group. The primary endpoint was the rate of stent dysfunction until surgery or tumor progression. Secondary endpoints were stent patency, number of re‐interventions, adverse events of endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (EBD), operation time, volume of intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospitalization, postoperative adverse events and medical costs.

Results

Eleven patients in each of the groups reached the primary endpoint. The FCSEMS group showed a significantly lower rate of stent dysfunction (18.2% vs. 72.8%, P = 0.015), longer stent patency (P = 0.02), and lower number of re‐interventions for stent dysfunction (0.27 ± 0.65 vs. 1.27 ± 1.1, P = 0.001) than the PS group. The adverse events of EBD, operation time, volume of intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospitalization, postoperative adverse events and medical costs did not significantly differ between the two groups.

Conclusions

In patients with BRPC for preoperative biliary drainage, stent dysfunction occurred less frequently with FCSEMSs than with PSs. In addition, FCSEMS and PS provided similar preoperative management of BRPC in terms of the safety of surgery and medical costs. (UMIN ID000030473).
Cause for concern: Australian youth engaged with alcohol and other drug services are falling behind our community progress in reducing tobacco use
Authors: Hallam Karen Tracey , Wishart Madeline , Davidson Ora
Published: January 2021

Aim

Tobacco use is decreasing in the general youth population yet little evidence is tracking changes in young people who are engaged with youth alcohol and other drug (AOD) services that are often disengaged from school and wok settings.

Method

This study reviews tobacco use amongst 1823 young people engaged with youth AOD services in Victoria in 2013 and 2017 from the Youth Needs Census. This study contrasted use patterns over the three‐year period against Australian population data.

Results

The results show tobacco use is not declining in the youth AOD engaged population as observed with other young Australians. Further, reductions in tobacco use observed in the community sample were not evident in the youth AOD group. Finally, high rates of tobacco dependence are shown in the 2016 cohort.

Conclusion

The results highlight a need for the adoption of evidence‐based tobacco early intervention programs in youth AOD services to address this significant health risk.
A secular shift in Carolingian history writing?
Authors: A.H. Evans Robert
Published: January 2021

This article explores a series of Carolingian historians, writing in the early ninth century, who marginalized the role of God’s agency, in sharp contrast to the pattern established by the Annales Regni Francorum. Where this has been noted before, largely in relation to Einhard’s Vita Karoli, it has been explained either as a clash between lay and monastic ideals or as a by‐product of the classical renewal at the Carolingian court. Examining this process across multiple texts suggests, however, that these historians can be understood as self‐consciously ‘secularizing’ in response to contemporary crises.
Genomic vulnerability and socio‐economic threats under climate change in an African rainforest bird
Authors: Smith Thomas B. , Fuller Trevon L. , Zhen Ying , Zaunbrecher Virginia , Thomassen Henri A. , Njabo Kevin , Anthony Nicola M. , Gonder Mary K. , Buermann Wolfgang , Larison Brenda , Ruegg Kristen , Harrigan Ryan J.
Published: January 2021

Preserving biodiversity under rapidly changing climate conditions is challenging. One approach for estimating impacts and their magnitude is to model current relationships between genomic and environmental data and then to forecast those relationships under future climate scenarios. In this way, understanding future genomic and environmental relationships can help guide management decisions, such as where to establish new protected areas where populations might be buffered from high temperatures or major changes in rainfall. However, climate warming is only one of many anthropogenic threats one must consider in rapidly developing parts of the world. In Central Africa, deforestation, mining, and infrastructure development are accelerating population declines of rainforest species. Here we investigate multiple anthropogenic threats in a Central African rainforest songbird, the little greenbul (Andropadus virens). We examine current climate and genomic variation in order to explore the association between genome and environment under future climate conditions. Specifically, we estimate Genomic Vulnerability, defined as the mismatch between current and predicted future genomic variation based on genotype–environment relationships modeled across contemporary populations. We do so while considering other anthropogenic impacts. We find that coastal and central Cameroon populations will require the greatest shifts in adaptive genomic variation, because both climate and land use in these areas are predicted to change dramatically. In contrast, in the more northern forest–savanna ecotones, genomic shifts required to keep pace with climate will be more moderate, and other anthropogenic impacts are expected to be comparatively low in magnitude. While an analysis of diverse taxa will be necessary for making comprehensive conservation decisions, the species‐specific results presented illustrate how evolutionary genomics and other anthropogenic threats may be mapped and used to inform mitigation efforts. To this end, we present an integrated conceptual model demonstrating how the approach for a single species can be expanded to many taxonomically diverse species.
Different anaesthesia methods affect the development of hepatoblastoma after platelet activation
Authors: Fei Guoxiong , Cao Meili , Ge Chunlin , Xie Yan
Published: January 2021

This study aims to compare the influence of different anaesthesia methods on the mechanisms involved in the development of hepatoblastoma (HB). HB rabbit models were constructed and divided into three groups: disoprofol, pentobarbital sodium and HB groups. After anaesthesia, rabbit blood was collected from the tail vein. Haematological analysis (platelets) and an ELISA was used to measure the thrombopoietin (TPO) and 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT). Flow cytometry was used to determine expression of P‐selectin and PAF. The expression of 5‐HTR2B, PCNA, vWF, P70s6k, 4E‐BP1, mTOR and FRAP was determined in the tumour itself or in vascular tissues obtained from the rabbits. The platelet content in the disoprofol group. The content or expression of TPO, 5‐HT, P‐selectin, PAF, 5‐HTR2B, PCNA, vWF, P70s6k, 4E‐BP1, mTOR and FRAP was significantly higher in the disoprofol group compared to pentobarbital sodium and HB groups. Expression of these molecules was much higher in the pentobarbital sodium group compared with the HB group. These findings suggest that disoprofol anaesthesia can promote HB development via the mTOR/p70S6K1 and FRAP signalling pathway.
A case report of rhabdomyolysis caused by the use of roxadustat in the treatment caused by renal anaemia
Authors: Yang Qin , Wang Xin
Published: January 2021

Case presentation

In this case, we share a case of one of our patients developed rhabdomyolysis after he was administered roxadustat to treat anaemia caused by chronic renal failure.

Discussion

More than 1.2 million people died from chronic kidney damage (CKD) globally, in 2017. Anaemia is a common complication of CKD. Roxadustat is an oral hypoxia‐inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor that stimulates erythropoiesis and regulates iron metabolism. Roxadustat is often used to treat anaemia caused by renal failure. Its adverse effects include high blood pressure, myocardial infarction, heart failure, high potassium, and dizziness; however, there are no reports about rhabdomyolysis associated with roxadustat.

Conclusion

Physicians should be alert about the occurrence of rhabdomyolysis when roxadustat is used.
Immunogenetics of xenotransplantation
Authors: Carvalho‐Oliveira Marco , Valdivia Emilio , Blasczyk Rainer , Figueiredo Constanca
Published: January 2021

Xenotransplantation may become the highly desired solution to close the gap between the availability of donated organs and number of patients on the waiting list. In recent years, enormous progress has been made in the development of genetically engineered donor pigs. The introduced genetic modifications showed to be efficient in prolonging xenograft survival. In this review, we focus on the type of immune responses that may target xeno‐organs after transplantation and promising immunogenetic modifications that show a beneficial effect in ameliorating or eliminating harmful xenogeneic immune responses. Increasing histocompatibility of xenografts by eliminating genetic discrepancies between species will pave their way into clinical application.
CD44 enhances adriamycin resistance in chronic myelogenous leukaemia cells K562
Authors: Li Juan , Zhang Yanfang , Cui Yubo , Jin Honghua , Lin Zhenhua , Piao Yingshi , Jin Jingchun
Published: January 2021

Introduction

To investigate CD44 effects on the adriamycin‐resistant in chronic myelogenous leukaemia cells K562, we explored the role of CD44 in the K562 cells migration and apoptosis.

Methods

GeneChip® screening is used for elucidating various chemoresistance‐related gene expression in the adriamycin‐resistant leukaemia cells K562/ADR. We constructed K562/CD44 cells by transfection of an EGFP‐SV40‐CD44 plasmid, and adriamycin‐resistant ability was confirmed by detecting migration and apoptosis‐related proteins and mRNA expression using Western blotting and Real‐time PCR respectively.

Results

K562/CD44 cells were generated by the transfection of an EGFP‐SV40‐CD44 plasmid with high CD44 expression. mRNA expression levels of CD44 and P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp), along with the proliferation rate, were increased, while the apoptosis rate of K562/CD44 cells was decreased. Migration‐associated proteins such as MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 were upregulated, whereas apoptosis‐related protein Bax was downregulated and Bcl‐2 protein was not significantly altered in the K562/CD44 cells.

Conclusions

CD44 might be involved in adriamycin resistance via regulation of P‐gp, MMP‐2, MMP‐9, and Bcl‐2/Bax.
Transcriptome analysis revealsTORsignalling‐mediated plant flush shoots governingDiaphorina citriKuwayamaoviposition
Authors: Guo S.‐H. , Liu Y.‐M. , Wang Z.‐Y. , Wang F.‐F. , Mao Y.‐K. , Hu Y.‐W. , Han P. , Cuthbertson A. G. S. , Qiu B.‐L. , Sang W.
Published: January 2021

Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP),Diaphorina citri, is a key vector transmitting the causative agent of Huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Population growth of ACP is evident after feeding on plant flush shoots, as they only oviposit here. However, the underlying mechanism as to why flush shoots govern oviposition is unclear. This study compares the fecundity and ovarian morphology of ACP between young flush and mature leaves. Furthermore, the transcriptome of mated females infestingMurraya paniculatawas analysed. Finally, the gene of the key Target of Rapamycin (TOR) signalling pathway was silenced by RNAi. Results indicated that flush shoot feeding activated the development of the psyllids ovary and therefore induced oviposition. A total of 126 and 2794 differentially expressed genes were detected at 1 and 5 days, respectively, after pest infestation of flush shoots compared to mature leaves. Many genes are involved in protein metabolism, Mitogen‐Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway, hormone synthesis, and TOR signalling pathway: all thought to activate reproduction. Silencing of the positive regulator geneDcRhebin the TOR pathway resulted in lower levels of ecdysone and juvenile hormone and decreased vitellogenin synthesis, further disrupting reproductive ability. This study enhances understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying ACP's reproductive strategy.
Factors Associated with Employment Hope among North Korean Defectors in South Korea
Authors: Kim Yun Kyung , Jun Jin Yong , Song In Han , Hong Philip Young P.
Published: January 2021

The purpose of this study is to examine various factors associated with employment hope among 702 North Korean defectors who newly entered the Settlement Support Center in South Korea. These defectors typical cross the border into China whose government does not grant them refugee status, considering them irregular economic migrants. Employment hope is a significant issue of concern as it has consistently been found to contribute to economic success for low‐income jobseekers in both South Korea and the United States. Four factors of the Employment Hope Scale (EHS) – psychological empowerment, futuristic self‐motivation, utilisation of skills and resources, and goal orientation – were used as dimensions of employment hope. Using a multivariate regression analysis, the results indicate that age, education, repatriation and time spent as irregular migrant significantly contributed to employment hope. We conclude that personal and escape‐related factors be considered contextually and deliberately in job training programs for newly arriving North Korean defectors.
IL‐10 alleviates lipopolysaccharide‐induced skin scarring via IL‐10R/STAT3 axis regulating TLR4/NF‐κB pathway in dermal fibroblasts
Authors: Shi Jihong , Shi Shan , Xie Wenbo , Zhao Ming , Li Yan , Zhang Jian , Li Na , Bai Xiaozhi , Cai Weixia , Hu Xiaolong , Hu Dahai , Han Juntao , Guan Hao
Published: January 2021

Hypertrophic scar (HS) is a severe fibrotic skin disease. It has always been a major problem in clinical treatment, mainly because its pathogenesis has not been well understood. The roles of bacterial contamination and prolonged wound inflammation were considered significant. IL‐10 is a potent anti‐inflammatory cytokine and plays a pivotal role in wound healing and scar formation. Here, we investigate whether IL‐10 alleviates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced inflammatory response and skin scarring and explore the possible mechanism of scar formation. Our results showed that the expression of TLR4 and pp65 was higher in HS and HS‐derived fibroblasts (HSFs) than their counterpart normal skin (NS) and NS‐derived fibroblasts (NSFs). LPS could up‐regulate the expression of TLR4, pp65, Col I, Col III and α‐SMA in NSFs, but IL‐10 could down‐regulate their expression in both HSFs and LPS‐induced NSFs. Blocking IL‐10 receptor (IL‐10R) or the phosphorylation of STAT3, their expression was up‐regulated. In addition, in vitro and in vivo models results showed that IL‐10 could alleviate LPS‐induced fibroblast‐populated collagen lattice (FPCL) contraction and scar formation. Therefore, IL‐10 alleviates LPS‐induced skin scarring via IL‐10R/STAT3 axis regulating TLR4/NF‐κB pathway in dermal fibroblasts by reducing ECM proteins deposition and the conversion of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts. Our results indicate that IL‐10 can alleviate the LPS‐induced harmful effect on wound healing, reduce scar contracture, scar formation and skin fibrosis. Therefore, the down‐regulation of inflammation may lead to a suitable scar outcome and be a better option for improving scar quality.
Identification of two novel subgroups in patients with diabetes mellitus and their association with clinical outcomes: A two‐step cluster analysis
Authors: Xiong Xiao‐fen , Yang Yuan , Wei Ling , Xiao Ying , Li Li , Sun Lin
Published: January 2021

Aims/Introduction

The aim of this study was to determine whether distinct subphenotypes of patients with type 2 diabetes in the European classification exist in Chinese populations, and to further establish novel subphenotypes more suitable for Chinese populations.

Material and Methods

The research retrospectively analyzed 5414 patients with type 2 diabetes from the National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases Diabetes Center in China, and a two‐step cluster analysis was carried out. First, we confirmed the European classification in Chinese populations by six parameters, including age at disease onset, body mass index, glycosylated hemoglobin, homeostatic model assessment 2 to estimate β‐cell function and insulin resistance, and glutamate decarboxylase antibodies. Furthermore, triglycerides and uric acid were added to refine the cluster analysis, and Cox regression was used to evaluate the risk of diabetic complications.

Results

Just three clusters were replicated in our cohort according to Emma Ahlqvist's European classification. When other variables were added to the cluster analysis, seven subgroups were identified, including five clusters of the European classification and two novel subgroups, namely, uric acid‐related diabetes and inheritance‐related diabetes. Compared with patients with inheritance‐related diabetes, patients with severe insulin‐resistant diabetes showed a higher risk of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, hypertension and chronic kidney disease, and the uric acid‐related diabetes subgroup showed a higher risk of coronary heart disease, cerebral vascular disease and end‐stage renal disease. Patients with severe insulin‐deficient diabetes showed a higher risk of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic foot than those with inheritance‐related diabetes. Furthermore, there were sex‐specific associations between subgroups and clinical outcomes. No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of cancer in each subgroup.

Conclusions

Seven subgroups of type 2 diabetes were identified in Chinese populations, with distinct characteristics and disparate clinical outcomes. This etiology‐based stratification might contribute to the diagnosis and management of type 2 diabetes.
Antimicrobial peptides are not involved in Plutella xylostella resistance to Cry1Ac
Authors: Liao Wenyu , Lv Zhuohong , Zhang Shisheng , Guo Zhaojiang , Zhang Youjun , Yang Zhongxia
Published: January 2021

Previous studies on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) resistance in the diamondback moth (DBM) Plutella xylostella have often focused on receptor proteins in the gut. In recent years, many studies have indicated that insect resistance to Bt is related to the immune system. Moreover, our group demonstrated that the expression of peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP) genes, which are located upstream of the insect humoral immune system signalling pathway, is significantly different between Cry1Ac‐resistant and Cry1Ac‐susceptible strains of DBM. Thus, whether antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are the major downstream effectors of the insect humoral immune system signalling pathway, are also related to the resistance of DBMs to Bt is a question worthy of in‐depth study. In the present study, we sought to (a) clone the CDS of AMP genes expressed in DBMs and (b) explore the effect of the cloned AMPs on the biological characteristics and Bt resistance of DBMs. Here, we revealed three kinds of AMPs (PxDef, PxMor and PxCec), and each of their full‐length CDSs was cloned. The recombinant PxDef, PxMor or PxCec proteins, which were expressed in a prokaryotic expression system, have a significant protective effect on DBMs in response to the complex microbial environment of the outside world but have no significant effect on the resistance of DBMs to Cry1Ac toxin. We believe that AMPs are not suitable as the primary entry point for studying the relationship between the immune system of DBMs and their resistance to Bt. This result will enable investigation of breakthrough ideas for further elucidating the mechanism of Bt impact on the insect immune system.
Contemporary diagnosis and management of dental erosion
Authors: Donovan Terence , Nguyen‐Ngoc Caroline , Abd Alraheam Islam , Irusa Karina
Published: January 2021

Objective

This article is aimed at providing an overview of the topic of erosive tooth wear (ETW), highlighting the clinical signs, diagnosis, and management of dental erosion.

Overview

With the increased prevalence of ETW, it is important that oral health professionals are able to recognize the early signs. Early clinical signs of dental erosion are characterized by loss of enamel texture, a silky glossy appearance, and sometimes a dulling of the surface gloss, referred to as the “whipped clay effect, cupping, and restorations ‘standing proud’.”

The progression of ETW should be monitored by means of diagnostic models or clinical photographs. ETW can be as a result of acid attack of extrinsic or intrinsic origin.

Conclusion

There is an increase of ETW that is being recognized by the profession. The first step in diagnosing and management is to recognize as early as possible that the process is occurring. At that point a determination of whether the primary etiology is either intrinsic or extrinsic should be made. If these findings are confirmed, appropriate prevention, and management strategies can be adopted followed by appropriate restorative therapy.

Clinical Significance

The prevalence of ETW continues to increase. It is therefore important that oral health care providers have a better understanding of the etiology, pathophysiology, and management of this condition. This review aims to provide the guidelines for diagnosis and management of dental erosion.