bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The alleviation of manganese toxicity by ammonium in sugarcane is related to pectin content, pectin methyl esterification, and nitric oxide
Authors: Ling Gui Zhi , Xiao Jing Lin , Yang Shu , Li Dong Ling , Tang Xin Lian , Wang Xiao Xia , Zhang Mu Qing , Li Xiao Feng
Published: March 2022

Coexistence of ammonium () with manganese (Mn) in acid soils may facilitate the alleviation of Mn toxicity to plants. However, the effect of on Mn toxicity and the corresponding mechanisms are unclear. In this study, the effects of and nitrate () on Mn toxicity, cell wall properties, and nitric oxide (NO) signaling in sugarcane were compared. alleviated Mn‐induced chlorosis in sugarcane seedlings and increased seedling biomass compared with . Exogenous application of decreased the root cell wall pectin content and methyl esterase (PME) activity, but increased the degree of root pectin esterification (PMD). These changes were accompanied by reductions in the Mn content in roots, leaves, root cell wall, and cell wall pectin. An analysis of adsorption kinetic revealed less Mn‐adsorption capacity in cell walls extracted from ‐fed than from ‐fed sugarcane. Mn induced NO accumulation in sugarcane roots, but ‐fed seedlings accumulated less NO. Exogenous application of the NO donor sodium nitroprusside increased the Mn content of root cell wall pectin in ‐fed sugarcane, while the NO scavenger 2‐(4‐carboxyphenyl)‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethylimidazoline‐1‐oxyl‐3‐oxid decreased the Mn content in ‐fed sugarcane. These treatments eliminated the difference in the pectin Mn content between ‐fed and ‐fed sugarcane, as did a similar treatment with the nitrate reductase inhibitor tungstate, which decreased root cell wall pectin content and NO accumulation. These results suggest that (i) alleviates Mn toxicity in sugarcane by reducing root pectin accumulation and root cell wall PME activity, thereby increasing cell wall PMD and decreasing both the Mn‐binding capacity of cell wall and Mn accumulation, and (ii) NO mediates the accumulation of both pectin and Mn in response to different forms of nitrogen. The physiological mechanisms underlying the alleviation of ammonium on Mn phytotoxicity were clarified, which provided important implication for agricultural production and ecosystem functioning in acid soil.
The Mini‐Cog: A simple screening tool for cognitive impairment useful in predicting the risk of delirium after major urological cancer surgery
Authors: Yajima Shugo , Nakanishi Yasukazu , Matsumoto Shunya , Ookubo Naoya , Tanabe Kenji , Kataoka Madoka , Masuda Hitoshi
Published: March 2022

Aim

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the mini‐cognitive assessment instrument (Mini‐Cog) on postoperative delirium after major urological cancer surgery.

Methods

In this single‐center retrospective observational study, medical records were collected for patients who underwent major urologic cancer surgery at our department between 2020 and 2021, and underwent preoperative cognitive screening based on the Mini‐Cog test (n = 331). The probable cognitive impairment is defined as a Mini‐Cog score of <3. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to identify the risk factors for postoperative delirium.

Results

Patients with probable cognitive impairment were 60 (18%). Postoperative delirium occurred in 26 patients (8%). Using multivariate analysis, the Mini‐Cog score of <3 (odds ratio [OR] = 12.7; P < 0.001), decline of instrumental activities of daily living (OR = 3.0; P = 0.04) and preoperative benzodiazepine use (OR = 8.3; P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for postoperative delirium. For predicting postoperative delirium, Mini‐Cog score with a cutoff value of <3 granting sensitivity of 69.2%, specificity of 86.2%, positive predictive value of 30.0% and negative predictive value of 97.1%.

Conclusions

The Mini‐Cog test is a simple screening tool with only two components (a delayed, three‐word recall task and a clock drawing test): it is useful in identifying potential cases of cognitive decline and patients at risk for postoperative delirium along with other information routinely collected preoperatively. Effective screening using the Mini‐Cog test opens the possibility to provide optimal urologic care for older patients Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 319–324.
The gender‐diverse audit committee and audit report lag: Evidence from China
Authors: Alkebsee Radwan Hussien , Habib Ahsan , Huang Hedy Jiaying , Tian Gaoliang
Published: March 2022

This study investigates the relationship between gender‐diverse audit committees and audit report lag. We examine a sample of Chinese listed companies during the period 2010–2018 and document a negative relationship between gender‐diverse audit committees and audit report lag. This is consistent with the premise that a gender‐diverse audit committee is able to better monitor the preparation of financial reports, communicate better with auditors in resolving disagreements between management and auditors and facilitate a more efficient audit engagement, thereby shortening the audit report lag. In additional analysis, we find that female audit committee members possessing professional accounting qualifications and accounting work experience are associated with shorter audit report lag.
Temporal Models for Demographic and Global Health Outcomes in Multiple Populations: Introducing a New Framework to Review and Standardise Documentation of Model Assumptions and Facilitate Model Comparison
Authors: Susmann Herbert , Alexander Monica , Alkema Leontine
Published: March 2022

There is growing interest in producing estimates of demographic and global health indicators in populations with limited data. Statistical models are needed to combine data from multiple data sources into estimates and projections with uncertainty. Diverse modelling approaches have been applied to this problem, making comparisons between models difficult. We propose a model class, Temporal Models for Multiple Populations (TMMPs), to facilitate both documentation of model assumptions in a standardised way and comparison across models. The class makes a distinction between the process model, which describes latent trends in the indicator interest, and the data model, which describes the data generating process of the observed data. We provide a general notation for the process model that encompasses many popular temporal modelling techniques, and we show how existing models for a variety of indicators can be written using this notation. We end with a discussion of outstanding questions and future directions.
How uncertainty in industry policy affects corporate investment in China
Authors: Deloof Marc , Yang Jie , Xu Chaoyang
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we investigate the link between uncertainty in industrial policy and firm investment by focusing on China's five‐year plan (FYP). Our sample period is from 1998 to 2017. In our investigation, we examine whether a change in the FYP is a source of uncertainty in industrial policy because of the difficulties in FYP predictability. Our main finding is that there are systematic decreases in investments in the year prior to a new FYP. The finding is robust to endogeneity. We also find that the relation between the uncertainty in industrial policy and investment is heterogeneous in the cross section. This heterogeneity is caused by information advantages about new FYP, dependence on government subsidies, investment irreversibility and industry competition. Further, investment rebounds after resolving the uncertainty but are dampened by adjustment costs.
Associations of oral hygiene with incident hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus: A population based cohort study in Southwest China
Authors: Wang Yiying , Jiang Yizhou , Chen Yun , Yu Lisha , Zhou Jie , Wang Na , Liu Tao , Fu Chaowei
Published: March 2022

Oral health has been previously reported to be related with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This study aimed to evaluate whether oral hygiene could reduce the risk of incident hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a population‐based cohort. A total of 9280 people aged 18 years or above in Guizhou province were recruited from November 20th, 2010 to December 19th, 2012. Sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyles, anthropometric measurements, oral health status and care were collected by trained interviewers. The occurrences of hypertension and T2DM were ascertained until 2020. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the associations between oral hygiene and the occurrence of hypertension and T2DM, respectively. Compared with almost no tooth brushing, tooth brushing at least twice a day was associated with a 45% reduction (HR: .55; 95% CI: .42–.73) in hypertension events and reduced diabetes risk by 35% (HR: .65; 95% CI: .45–.94). For hypertension, those associations tended to be more pronounced in participants with Han ethic, or living in urban area, while those aged less than 60 or without baseline hypertension were more likely to have T2DM when they brush teeth less than twice a day. Frequent tooth brushing was associated with reduced risks of incident hypertension and T2DM. Tooth brushing at least twice a day may prevent future hypertension and T2DM events.
Should we still believe in advance care planning?
Authors: Smith Alexander K.
Published: March 2022

This editorial comments on the article by Lee et al. in this issue.
GABABR activation partially normalizes acute NMDAR hypofunction oscillatory abnormalities but fails to rescue sensory processing deficits
Authors: Janz Philipp , Nicolas Maria Jesus , Redondo Roger L. , Valencia Miguel
Published: March 2022

Cognitive deficits and impaired sensory processing are hallmarks of several neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction contributes to these deficits by disrupting the excitation‐to‐inhibition balance in neuronal networks. Although preclinical data suggest that the activation of gamma‐Aminobutyric acid B receptors (GABABR) may restore excitation‐to‐inhibition balance and rescues some behavioral deficits, GABABR agonists have failed to meet their clinical study endpoints, suggesting more complex interactions at play. Here, we studied the effects of Baclofen (a GABABR agonist) and MK‐801 (a non‐competitive NMDAR antagonist) on the neurophysiology of limbic‐auditory circuits in freely‐moving rats. The pharmacological effects were assessed using resting‐state EEG, auditory‐evoked oscillation, and mismatch negativity paradigms. MK‐801 elevated resting‐state oscillatory power, mainly in the gamma and higher frequency ranges, and impaired auditory‐evoked responses. Baclofen partially normalized resting‐state oscillations but failed to rescue auditory‐evoked oscillatory abnormalities. Coherence analysis indicated that NMDAR hypofunction alters the functional coupling of limbic and thalamocortical circuits in several frequency bands. Baclofen normalized only a fraction of MK‐801‐induced abnormalities (e.g., theta coherence between frontal cortex and amygdala) while reducing delta‐theta and augmenting gamma coherence in thalamocortical circuits. Finally, we report that Baclofen intensified the MK‐801‐induced deficits in auditory mismatch responses. In summary, while Baclofen partially normalizes MK‐801‐induced gamma abnormalities, it either fails to rescue or exacerbates deficits in other phenotypes like functional coupling and auditory processing. We hope that the presented complex interactions between pharmacologically induced NMDAR hypofunction and GABABR agonism inspire a new understanding of the therapeutic potential around GABAergic modulation.

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Effectiveness and side effects of bipolar radiofrequency to treat submental laxity
Authors: Chawvavanich Prapawan , Singthong Sasathorn , Intarachaieua Klaichan
Published: March 2022

Background

Submental skin laxity becomes a common cosmetic problem with age. Bipolar radiofrequency is a new, non‐invasive procedure. Unlike the LASER, the radiofrequency (RF) device has no specific chromophore absorption. Thus, the device can be used on any skin type.

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness and adverse effects of the bipolar RF for treatment of submental laxity and skin tightening.

Material and Methods

Twenty‐two patients with submental laxity were treated with Forma™ on both sides of the submental area. The patients underwent four sessions every 2 weeks for one and half months. Two blinded dermatologists evaluated the pre‐treatment and post‐treatment photographs at every visit. The three‐dimensional photographs were recorded by Vectra® camera and determined the association.

Results

All 22 patients completed all the treatment sessions. The degree of improvement was statically significant after the third session based on the physical assessment scale and after the second session in terms of the submental laxity score. The fat volume reduction was statically significant from one week to six months from baseline. Almost all subjects developed transient erythema immediately after the treatment. No serious side effects were noted.

Conclusions

The bipolar RF device is another potential choice for skin tightening due to its efficacy and safety profile. It can be used with any skin type and has few side effects.
‘They all stay with me’—An interpretive phenomenological analysis on nurses’ experiences resuscitating children in community hospital emergency departments
Authors: Bentz Jamie Anne , Vanderspank‐Wright Brandi , Lalonde Michelle , Tyerman Jane
Published: March 2022

Aim

To understand the lived experiences of nurses resuscitating children in community hospital emergency departments.

Background

Emergency department nurses exposed to paediatric resuscitations are at a high risk of developing post‐traumatic stress. This may be especially true in community hospital emergency departments, where nurses have less exposure to, knowledge about, and resources for managing these events. Interventions to proactively prevent nurse trauma in these contexts remain largely uninvestigated. To inform such interventions, a detailed understanding of the largely unknown lived experiences of these nurses is necessary.

Design and methods

In‐depth, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with four registered nurses that had experienced at least one paediatric resuscitation while working in a community hospital emergency department in Ontario, Canada. Data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Reporting follows the COREQ checklist.

Results

Analysis revealed three superordinate themes (i.e. ‘Conceptualising Paediatric Resuscitations’, ‘Seeing What I See’, and ‘Making Sense of What I Saw’) and nine corresponding subthemes.

Conclusion

This study provides insight into the infrequent, but profound experiences of nurses resuscitating children in community hospital emergency departments. Nurses, who conceptualise these events as unnatural, emotional, and chaotic, are comforted by those who understand their experiences and are distressed by those who cannot see what they see. To reconcile what they have seen, nurses may reflect and ruminate on the event, ultimately restructuring their experiences of themselves, others, and the world to make room for a new reality where the safety of childhood is not certain.

Relevance to clinical practice

Our findings contribute to pragmatic recommendations for interventions to proactively prevent nurse distress in these contexts, including psychoeducation, psychological support and in‐situ simulation activities. Nursing leaders should consider staff that have resuscitated children as valuable sources for information on how to improve practice settings.
Effectiveness of the Primary Nursing Model on nursing documentation accuracy: A quasi‐experimental study
Authors: Cocchieri Antonello , Cesare Manuele , Anderson Gloria , Zega Maurizio , Damiani Gianfranco , D’agostino Fabio
Published: March 2022

Aims and objectives

To analyse the Primary Nursing Model's effect on nursing documentation accuracy.

Background

The Primary Nursing is widely implemented since it has been considered as the ideal model of care delivery based on the relationship between the nurse and patient. However, previous research has not examined the relationship between Primary Nursing and nursing documentation accuracy.

Design

A pretest‐posttest‐follow‐up design was used.

Methods

The study was conducted from August 2018 to February 2020 in eight surgical and medical wards in an Italian university hospital. The Primary Nursing was implemented in four wards (study group), while in the other four, the Team Nursing was practised (control group). Nursing documentation accuracy was evaluated through the D‐Catch instrument. From the eight wards, 120 nursing documentations were selected randomly for each time point (pre‐test, post‐test and follow‐up) and in each group. Altogether, 720 nursing documents were assessed. The study adhered to the TREND checklist.

Results

The Primary Nursing and Team Nursing Models exhibited significant differences in mean scores for documentation accuracy: assessment on admission, nursing diagnosis, nursing intervention and patient outcome accuracy. No differences between the two groups were found for record structure accuracy and legibility between the posttest and follow‐up.

Conclusion

Primary Nursing exerts an overall positive effect on nursing documentation accuracy and persists over time.

Relevance to clinical practice

The benefits from Primary Nursing implementation included better‐documented patient outcomes. The use of Primary Nursing linked with the use of the nursing process allowed for a more individualised and problem‐solving approach. Nurse managers should consider the implementation of Primary Nursing to improve care quality.
Low‐dose computed tomography lung cancer screening: Clinical evidence and implementation research
Authors: Lancaster Harriet L. , Heuvelmans Marjolein A. , Oudkerk Matthijs
Published: March 2022

Lung cancer causes more deaths than breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer combined. Nevertheless, population‐based lung cancer screening is still not considered standard practice in most countries worldwide. Early lung cancer detection leads to better survival outcomes: patients diagnosed with stage 1A lung cancer have a >75% 5‐year survival rate, compared to <5% at stage 4. Low‐dose computed tomography (LDCT) thorax imaging for the secondary prevention of lung cancer has been studied at length, and has been shown to significantly reduce lung cancer mortality in high‐risk populations. The US National Lung Screening Trial reported a 20% overall reduction in lung cancer mortality when comparing LDCT to chest X‐ray, and the Nederlands‐Leuvens Longkanker Screenings Onderzoek (NELSON) trial more recently reported a 24% reduction when comparing LDCT to no screening. Hence, the focus has now shifted to implementation research. Consequently, the 4‐IN‐THE‐LUNG‐RUN consortium based in five European countries, has set up a large‐scale multicenter implementation trial. Successful implementation of and accessibility to LDCT lung cancer screening are dependent on many factors, not limited to population selection, recruitment strategy, computed tomography screening frequency, lung‐nodule management, participant compliance, and cost effectiveness. This review provides an overview of current evidence for LDCT lung cancer screening, and draws attention to major factors that need to be addressed to successfully implement standardized, effective, and accessible screening throughout Europe. Evidence shows that through the appropriate use of risk‐prediction models and a more personalized approach to screening, efficacy could be improved. Furthermore, extending the screening interval for low‐risk individuals to reduce costs and associated harms is a possibility, and through the use of volumetric‐based measurement and follow‐up, false positive results can be greatly reduced. Finally, smoking cessation programs could be a valuable addition to screening programs and artificial intelligence could offer a solution to the added workload pressures radiologists are facing.
Peer Adversity Predicts Interpersonal Needs in Adolescent Girls
Authors: Skymba Haley V. , Joyce Cali , Telzer Eva H. , Rudolph Karen D.
Published: March 2022

The need to belong (NTB) and need for approval (NFA) are fundamental interpersonal needs vital to social development. Although these needs are universal, individual differences in the strength of these needs likely emerge from critical social experiences. In particular, given the growing salience of peer social evaluation and belonging across adolescence, interpersonal needs during this stage may be strongly tied to both early and recent experiences in the peer group. The aim of the present study was to examine the contribution of lifetime and recent peer adversity to both general and situation‐specific interpersonal needs in a sample of adolescent girls (N = 89, Mage = 15.85). Results revealed that recent peer adversity predicted avoidance‐oriented NFA, whereas a significant interaction between lifetime and recent peer adversity predicted approach‐oriented NFA. Although neither lifetime nor recent peer adversity predicted individual differences in NTB, both predicted threats to interpersonal needs in the context of a laboratory manipulation of social exclusion. Specifically, both lifetime and recent peer adversity predicted greater need‐threat prior to the exclusion, but only individuals who had experienced lifetime peer adversity continued to display ongoing high levels of threatened interpersonal needs.
The Relationship Between Parental Phubbing and Short‐Form Videos Addiction Among Chinese Adolescents
Authors: Wang Hongxia , Lei Li
Published: March 2022

“Phubbing” is a new term that is used to define an act of neglecting an individual’s companion/s in a daily social context to focus on that individual’s smartphone. This study explored the relationship between parental phubbing (PP) and adolescent short‐form videos addiction (SFVA), and the mediating role of relative deprivation (RD) and the moderating role of peer communication (PC) in this relationship. A total of 549 high‐school students from Northern China voluntarily participated in the survey. The direct effect indicated that PP was positively related to adolescents’ SFVA. The mediating effect indicated that RD played a mediating role between PP and adolescents’ SFVA. The moderating effect indicated that PC buffered the negative associations of PP/RD with adolescents’ SFVA.
Resources Required for Implementation of SARS‐CoV‐2 Screening in Massachusetts K‐12 Public Schools in Winter/Spring 2021
Authors: Lee Stephanie S. , Weitz Michelle , Ardlie Kristin , Bantham Amy , Schuckel Michele Fronk , Goehringer Katey , Hogue Caitlin , Hosking Rosy , Mortimer Kathleen , Saadat Alham , Seaman‐Chandler Jill , Linas Benjamin P. , Ciaranello Andrea
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

The financial costs and human resource requirements at the school and district level to implement a SARS‐CoV‐2 screening program are not well known.

METHODS

A consortium of Massachusetts public K‐12 schools was formed to implement and evaluate a range of SARS‐CoV‐2 screening approaches. Participating districts were surveyed weekly about their programs, including: type of assay used, individual vs. pooled screening, approaches to return of results and deconvolution of positive pools, number and type of personnel, and hours spent implementing the screening program, and hours spent on program implementation.

RESULTS

In 21 participating districts, over 21 weeks from January to June 2021, the positivity rate was 0.0% to 0.21% among students and 0.0% to 0.13% among educators/staff. The average weekly cost to implement a screening program, including assay and personnel costs, was $17.00 per person tested; this was $46.68 for individual screenings and $15.61 for pooled screenings. The total weekly costs by district ranged from $1,644 to $93,486, and districts screened between 58 and 3675 people per week.

CONCLUSIONS

Where screening is recommended for the 2021 to 2022 school year due to high COVID‐19 incidence, understanding the human resources and finances required to implement screening will assist district policymakers in planning.
Assessing rates of parasite coinfection and spatiotemporal strain variation via metabarcoding: Insights for the conservation of European turtle doves Streptopelia turtur
Authors: Thomas Rebecca C. , Dunn Jenny C. , Dawson Deborah A. , Hipperson Helen , Horsburgh Gavin J. , Morris Antony J. , Orsman Chris , Mallord John , Grice Philip V. , Hamer Keith C. , Eraud Cyril , Hervé Lormée , Goodman Simon J.
Published: March 2022

Understanding the frequency, spatiotemporal dynamics and impacts of parasite coinfections is fundamental to developing control measures and predicting disease impacts. The European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) is one of Europe's most threatened bird species. High prevalence of infection by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae has previously been identified, but the role of this and other coinfecting parasites in turtle dove declines remains unclear. Using a high‐throughput sequencing approach, we identified seven strains of T. gallinae, including two novel strains, from ITS1/5.8S/ITS2 ribosomal sequences in turtle doves on breeding and wintering grounds, with further intrastrain variation and four novel subtypes revealed by the iron‐hydrogenase gene. High spatiotemporal turnover was observed in T. gallinae strain composition, and infection was prevalent in all populations (89%–100%). Coinfection by multiple Trichomonas strains was rarer than expected (1% observed compared to 38.6% expected), suggesting either within‐host competition, or high mortality of coinfected individuals. In contrast, coinfection by multiple haemosporidians was common (43%), as was coinfection by haemosporidians and T. gallinae (90%), with positive associations between strains of T. gallinae and Leucocytozoon suggesting a mechanism such as parasite‐induced immune modulation. We found no evidence for negative associations between coinfections and host body condition. We suggest that longitudinal studies involving the recapture and investigation of infection status of individuals over their lifespan are crucial to understand the epidemiology of coinfections in natural populations.
Rapid evolutionary divergence of a songbird population following recent colonization of an urban area
Authors: Friis Guillermo , Atwell Jonathan W. , Fudickar Adam M. , Greives Timothy J. , Yeh Pamela J. , Price Trevor D. , Ketterson Ellen D. , Milá Borja
Published: March 2022

Colonization of a novel environment by a few individuals can lead to rapid evolutionary change, yet there is scarce evidence of the relative contributions of neutral and selective factors in promoting divergence during the early stages of colonization. Here we explore the role of neutral and selective forces in the divergence of a unique urban population of the dark‐eyed junco (Junco hyemalis), which became established on the campus of the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) in the early 1980s. Previous studies based on microsatellite loci documented significant genetic differentiation of the urban population as well as divergence in phenotypic traits relative to nearby montane populations, yet the geographical origin of the colonization and the contributing factors remained uncertain. Our genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphism data set confirmed the marked genetic differentiation of the UCSD population, and we identified the coastal subspeciespinosusfrom central California as its sister group instead of the neighbouring mountain population. Demographic inference recovered a separation frompinosusas recent as 20–32 generations ago after a strong bottleneck, suggesting a role for drift in genetic differentiation. However, we also found significant associations between habitat variables and genome‐wide variants linked to functional genes, some of which have been reported as potentially adaptive in birds inhabiting modified environments. These results suggest that the interplay between founder events and selection may result in rapid shifts in neutral and adaptive loci across the genome, and reveal the UCSD junco population as a case of contemporary evolutionary divergence in an anthropogenic environment.
Azerbaijan, Israel, and Iran: An Unlikely Triangle Shaping the Northern Middle East
Authors: Abbasov Namig , Souleimanov Emil A.
Published: March 2022

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, political commentators and students of international relations alike have been puzzled by an increasingly cordial relationship between Israel and Azerbaijan, a Muslim‐majority republic in the South Caucasus. Indeed, the unfolding alliance of the Jewish state and a tiny, energy‐rich, post‐Soviet country sandwiched between Iran and Russia has been by many seen as an anomaly. Particularly puzzled have been constructivists and adepts of geopolitics for whom the shared Shiite identity of Azerbaijan and Iran pre‐ordained a close relationship. In reality, Tehran's suspicions of Azerbaijan's economic rise, coupled with concerns over pan‐Turkic sentiments spread through Iran's northwest, and Iran's own imperial nostalgia have exacerbated an adversarial relationship. Against this backdrop, Azerbaijan's efforts to counterbalance those of Iran and Russia in the Caspian‐South Caucasus region have brought Baku to forge closer ties with Israel.
Autoantigen characterization in the lower esophageal sphincter muscle of patients with achalasia
Authors: Priego‐Ranero Ángel , Opdenakker Ghislain , Uribe‐Uribe Norma , Aguilar‐León Diana , Nuñez‐Álvarez Carlos A. , Hernández‐Ramírez Diego F. , Olivares‐Martínez Elizabeth , Coss‐Adame Enrique , Valdovinos Miguel A. , Furuzawa‐Carballeda Janette , Torres‐Villalobos Gonzalo
Published: March 2022

Background

Serum anti‐myenteric autoantibodies define autoimmune achalasia and tissue MMP‐9 activity may locally process autoantigenic proteins in the muscle of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) of achalasia patients.

Methods

Biopsies of the LES muscle from 36 achalasia patients, 6 esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO) patients, and 16 transplant donors (TD) were compared in a blind cross‐sectional study. Histological characteristics such as inflammation, fibrosis, presence of ganglion cells, cells of Cajal, GAD65, PNMA2, S‐100, P substance, and MMP‐9 proteoforms in tissue were assessed by H&E and Picrosirius Red staining and immunohistochemistry analysis. Anti‐neuronal antibodies, onconeural antigens, recoverin, SOX‐1, titin, zic4, GAD65, and Tr were evaluated by immunoblot/line assay.

Key Results

Tissue of achalasia patients had heterogeneous inflammatory infiltrates with fibrosis and contrasting higher levels of activated MMP‐9, as compared with EGJOO and TD. Moreover, lower ganglion cell percentages and cell of Cajal percentages were determined in esophageal tissues of achalasia patients versus TD. The tissues of achalasia versus EGJOO patients had higher GAD65 and PNMA2 protein expression. Unexpectedly, these proteins were absent in TD tissue. S‐100 and P substance had similar expression levels in tissues of achalasia patients versus TD and EGJOO. Most of the achalasia sera had anti‐GAD65 (83%) and anti‐PNMA2 (90%) autoantibodies versus EGJOO (17% and 33%, respectively) and healthy volunteers (10% and 0%, respectively).

Conclusions and Inferences

Tissue‐specific ectopic expression of GAD65 and PNMA/Ta2 and active MMP‐9, associated with the presence of specific autoantibodies directed against these proteins, might participate in the pathophysiology of achalasia triggering and/or perpetuating autoimmune disease.
Publication rate and research topics of studies in pediatric kidney transplantation
Authors: Patry Christian , Cordts Stefanie , Baumann Lukas , Höcker Britta , Fichtner Alexander , Ries Markus , Tönshoff Burkhard
Published: March 2022

Background

The quality of medical care for pediatric kidney transplant recipients depends on sound evidence from published clinical trials.

Methods

We examined the publication rate, time to publication, and factors associated with publication of studies in pediatric kidney transplantation registered on ClinicalTrials.gov from 1999 to 2020.

Results

We identified 136 studies with an overall enrollment of 36255 study participants, of which only 58.8% have been published yet. Unpublished studies included data from 14 350 participants. The median time to publication was 25 months (range, 0–117) with a significantly shorter time to publication in more recent years. The most frequently investigated research topic was immunosuppressants (49.3%), followed by perioperative management (11.0%) and infectiology (10.3%). The percentage of published studies was highest for the topic steroid withdrawal (87.5%), followed by infectiology (78.6%), and nutrition, sports and quality of life (71.4%). Studies, which were co‐funded by industry, showed a significantly higher 5‐year publication rate (p = 0.019).

Conclusions

In conclusion, nearly half of all studies in pediatric kidney transplantation remain unpublished. Non‐publication of studies might lead to a publication bias with a negative impact on clinical decision‐making.
From care ethics to pluralist care theory: The state of the field
Authors: Gary Mercer E.
Published: March 2022

In a moment where needs for care are acute and their provision precarious, feminist care ethics has gained new relevance as a framework for understanding and responding to necessary interdependence. This article reviews and evaluates two long‐standing critiques of care ethics in light of this recent research. First, I assess what I call the pluralist feminist critique, or the dispute over the ability of care ethics to address the needs and histories of a range of marginalized subjects. I identify two forms of this critique: the first disputes the biased starting points shaping the development of the theory, and the second concerns the weaponization of care in support of domination. Although these critiques are well‐established, I draw attention to recent responses that move care theory in generative directions. I argue that the pluralist feminist critique demands both self‐critical transformation in dialog with other feminist schools of thought and a robust account of care ethics' normative authority. I then take up critiques those levied by mainstream ethicists concerned with care theory's adequacy as an ethical approach. I show that recent work on normative authority, conceptual uniqueness, and the grounding of responsibility must be engaged before care theory can be dismissed as “under‐theorized.” In articulating these two sets of critiques and evaluating recent rebuttals to them, I argue for a pluralist feminist theory of care within which strands informed by varying philosophical schools and methods can coexist.
Positioning Accuracy of the Zhurong Mars Rover's Hand–Eye System
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Peng Song , Wu Yunjia , Wen Bo , Zhang Jianli , Jia Yang , Liu Shaochuang , Qi Chen , Ma Youqing , Yan Yongzhe , Li Hao
Published: March 2022

The hand–eye system is an important component of the Zhurong rover, which is crucial for positioning, terrain reconstruction, stereo vision measurement and mission planning functions. The hand–eye system consists of a navigation camera and mast mechanism, and its positioning accuracy has an important effect on the teleoperation mission of the Zhurong rover. A positioning method that combines close‐range photogrammetry and robot kinematics is proposed. It includes geometric calibration, stereo vision measurement and coordinate transformations. Experiments were carried out in different scenes (for example, field, laboratory and Mars) to verify the positioning accuracy of the hand–eye system. The minimum and maximum positioning errors of the hand–eye system, as verified by in‐orbit checkpoints, were 16.5 and 28.7 mm, respectively. This positioning accuracy can effectively satisfy the requirements of the teleoperation mission of the Zhurong rover.
The post‐oil strategy of the UAE: An examination of diversification strategies and challenges
Authors: Antwi‐Boateng Osman , Al Jaberi Noura Hamad Salim
Published: March 2022

This article aims to highlight and evaluate initiatives of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government to diversify its economy away from oil dependency. This is accomplished via a qualitative methodology by collecting data through in‐depth interviews with government officials, experts, and academics to amass different views and perspectives on this matter. The findings show that the government has a clear vision for diversification, which is embodied in laws and policies for effectively executing a post‐oil strategy. Driven by economic sustainability and domestic concerns, vertical diversification strategies constitute the majority of UAE's economic diversification strategies and include: investing in research and development, attracting foreign direct investment, developing the petrochemical industry, manufacturing, tourism, aviation, financial services, banking hubs, logistical hubs, digital economy, and the knowledge economy. The UAE's diversification strategy is associated with many challenges. The economic challenges are global economic crises, oil price volatility, and exchange rate regime. The geopolitical challenges include regional conflicts and tensions. There are also cultural and social challenges pertaining to demographic imbalance and low Emirati's participation in the private sector.

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Khodr, Hiba, and Isabella Ruble. 2013. “Energy Policies and Domestic Politics in the MENA Region in the Aftermath of the Arab Upheavals: The Cases of Lebanon, Libya, and KSA.” Politics & Policy 41(5): 656–89. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12033

Mahler, Annegret. 2011. “Oil in Venezuela: Triggering Conflicts or Ensuring Stability? A Historical Comparative Analysis.” Politics & Policy 39(4): 583–611. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2011.00305.x/abstract
Drought as a modulator of plant–virus–vector interactions: Effects on symptom expression, plant immunity and vector behaviour
Authors: Vasquez Diego F. , Hernandez Anngie , Torres Diana , Borrero‐Echeverry Felipe , Zuluaga Paola , Rincon Diego F.
Published: March 2022

Plant–virus interactions are affected by environmental conditions that determine plant vulnerability to pathogens and the population dynamics of insect vectors. We hypothesize that drought enhances horizontal transmission by dampening the basal immunity of plants, which triggers symptom expression and vector manipulation. The potato yellow vein virus (PYVV) causes potato yellow vein disease (PYVD), a re‐emerging epidemic of potato crops in South America, and is transmitted horizontally by the greenhouse whitefly (GWF), Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), or vertically through infected seed tubers. We investigated the role of drought and temperature as modulators of PYVD symptom expression, plant immune response, and vector survival, development and host preference. We found that drought induced symptom expression, suppressed the salicylic acid pathway and increased PYVV replication. GWF survival was reduced on PYVV‐infected hosts and development was slowest when they fed on plants with PYVD symptoms, which also triggered adults’ attraction to PYVV‐infected plants. However, adults previously fed on infected plants showed the opposite effect, being more attracted to PYVV‐free plants. We propose a theoretical model that explains the role of drought in modulating potato–PYVV–GWF interactions and provides new insights into plant–virus–vector coevolution.
Utility, Predictability, and Rights: Bentham’s Utilitarianism and Constitutional Entitlements
Authors: Ferraro Francesco
Published: March 2022

InUtility, Publicity, and Law, Postema reconstructs Bentham’s attack on the concept of constitutional and fundamental rights, seen as conditions of legal validity to be employed in the judicial review of legislation. From his viewpoint, the main reason for this attack was Bentham’s endorsement of a “demonstrability thesis,” according to which the indeterminacy of constitutional rights hindered their publicity as standards for evaluating judicial decisions. This article contends that, regarding the grounds of judicial decisions, Bentham’s main concern was with legal certainty and predictability rather than publicity per se. Moreover, it reveals that although constitutional entitlements may not comply with Bentham’s analysis of legal rights, they can fulfill functions that meet the basic requirements of his utilitarianism. Finally, a puzzling aspect of Bentham’s theory of rights, which regards his rejection of moral entitlements even when it comes to positive morality, will be disclosed.
Restoration seedbanks for mined land restoration
Authors: Turner Shane R. , Cross Adam T. , Just Michael , Newton Vern , Pedrini Simone , Tomlinson Sean , Dixon Kingsley
Published: March 2022

Restoration seedbanks have become a key infrastructure resource in efforts to restore damaged and degraded environments across the globe. Large‐scale ecological restoration typically utilizes large volumes of valuable, usually wild‐collected seeds, but insufficient knowledge of seed biology (including storage requirements in some cases) and ecology for many species continues to hamper the utility of restoration seedbanks to meet this rising demand. Poor germination and establishment when seeds are deployed from seedbanks can stem from factors such as premature seed collection, low seed quality, poor processing, handling and storage, variable seed quality from year to year, and, critically, insufficient understanding of seed dormancy, seed germination traits, and the ecological requirements for germination stimulation. While these factors may impact the success of seed‐based ecological restoration both synergistically and idiosyncratically, they can be universally addressed by adopting best practice principles in seedbank management and operation and through an improved understanding of the seed biology and ecology of stored species. Drawing upon an industry case study in seedbanking for post‐mining ecological restoration, we outline how optimizing seed storage conditions and a focus on seed biology and ecology in the operation of a restoration seedbank can deliver broad and immediate benefit and cost‐efficiency to native seed use. Such improvements are crucial in developing more effective approaches for returning biodiverse plant communities to highly modified landscapes and are foundational for meeting the aspirations for ecological restoration at global scales in the coming decade.
Advances in numerical weather prediction, data science, and open‐source software herald a paradigm shift in catastrophe risk modeling and insurance underwriting
Authors: Steptoe Hamish , Souch Claire , Slingo Julia
Published: March 2022

Recent advances in numerical weather prediction, combined with the new generation, high‐resolution climate simulations, and open‐source loss modeling frameworks, herald a move beyond the limited statistical representation of catastrophe risk based on past observations. In this new forward‐looking view of risk, an appreciation that our observed record of past natural catastrophes represents a limited sample of possible events, and that the statistics of weather and climate are changing as the planet warms, highlights a key limitation in traditional catastrophe modeling approaches that are built on defining statistical relationships using the observed record. Instead, ensembles of new spatially and dynamically consistent simulations of weather and climate provide physically plausible, but as‐yet‐unseen events at scales appropriate for making effective risk management and risk transfer decisions. This approach is especially useful in locations around the world where observational records are unobtainable or of short historical duration, such as in low‐income countries. We take a forward‐looking approach at the way that future catastrophe modeling and insurance underwriting could occur in response to these technological and scientific advances, using open‐source loss model frameworks.
Cuerpos Irregulares Multinacionales: Multi identidades armadas y neo partisanos en la globalización
Authors: Montero moncada Luis alexander
Published: March 2022

Los conflictos más contemporáneos nos ofrecen un panorama complejo, que autores como Münkler han intentado caracterizar desde hace más de una década. No obstante, más allá de los actores privados, mercenarios, ejercicios de guerras asimétricas o híbridas, se abre paso en el espectro contemporáneo de las guerras un nuevo tipo de combatiente. Este combatiente, hasta ahora sin caracterizar, no sigue una identidad estatal, geográfica ni nacional -en su entendimiento tradicional- sino que construye un sistema de lealtades disímil y que navega entre lo ideológico – partidista o lo religioso. Así las cosas, este artículo pretende caracterizar estos nuevos combatientes, reinterpretando el concepto de partisano y visualizando algunos casos de aplicación reciente.
Three Colombian Peace Processes: A Brief Analysis from the Perspective of Three PACS Theories
Authors: Luna Eslava Leonardo Rafael
Published: March 2022

Peace agreements are complex endeavours that can be carried out from different angles. The perspectives used depend not only on the conflict dynamics but also on the political ideology of each government and that of the international forces that have their own interests concerning the pursuit of peacebuilding in conflict zones. The framework used in each peace agreement has an impact on the different stages of the process, including exploration, negotiation, the final agreement and its implementation. This paper analyses three peace processes implemented by the Colombian government and armed groups from 1982 to 2016. I use three Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) theories to analyze the structure used in each peace process that include realism, democratic-liberal peace, and conflict resolution theories. I conclude that only the most recent peace agreement which ended in 2016 between FARC-EP and the Colombian government incorporated significant elements from the conflict resolution framework, the other two processes fluctuate between realism and the democratic-liberal peace.
Mathematical Analysis and Optimal Control of Schistosomiasis Transmission Model
Authors: Madubueze Chinwendu E. , Gweryina Reuben I. , Abokwara Agatha
Published: March 2022

Schistosomiasis, a health challenge in many communities, is prevalent as the rate of infection is one in every thirty individuals. In this work, a deterministic model for schistosomiasis transmission dynamics is studied. The stability properties of equilibrium states, disease-free and endemic equilibria are established in terms of the basic reproduction number, R_0. The sensitivity analysis of R_0 with respect to the model parameters is carried out using Partial rank correlation coefficients (PRCCs). The optimal control model with control measures, public health education, diagnosis and treatment and snail control, is formulated and its optimality system is derived using Pontragyin's maximum Principle. Simulation results showed that simultaneous implementation of public health education, diagnosis and treatment and snail control will reduce the burden of the schistosomiasis infection in the population. However due to toxicity of some snail controls to other aquatic bodies and difficulty to single out the chemical control that will focus only on the snail population even though snails are special food in Africa, it is preferable to implement public health education and diagnosis and treatment simultaneously in order to eradicate schistosomiasis transmission in the affected regions.