bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Bangladesh: Findings from National Demographic and Health Survey, 2017–2018
Authors: Khan Md. Nuruzzaman , Oldroyd John C. , Chowdhury Enayet K. , Hossain Mohammad Bellal , Rana Juwel , Renzetti Stefano , Islam Rakibul M.
Published: September 2021

The purpose of this study was to estimate the age‐standardised prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension and to identify their risk factors in Bangladeshi adults. Data from 12 904 adults aged 18–95 years, available from the most recent nationally representative 2017–2018 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey were used. Hypertension was defined as having systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or a diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg, and/or taking anti‐hypertensive drugs to control blood pressure. Age‐standardized prevalence of hypertension and management were estimated with direct standardisation. A multilevel mixed‐effects Poisson regression model with a robust variance was used to identify risk factors associated with hypertension and its awareness, treatment, and control. The overall age‐standardized prevalence of hypertension was 26.2% (95% CI, 25.5‐26.9); (men: 23.5%, women: 28.9%). Among those with hypertension (n = 3531), 36.7% were aware that they had the condition, and only 31.1% received anti‐hypertensive medication. The prevalence of controlled hypertension was 12.7% among those with hypertension and 43.6% among those treated for hypertension (n = 1306). Factors independently associated with hypertension were increasing age, higher body mass index, being women, having diabetes, and residing in selected administrative divisions. A declining trend of hypertension control was observed with increasing age and low education. Hypertension is highly prevalent (one in four) in Bangladeshi adults, while awareness, treatment, and control are low. Irrespective of the risks associated with hypertension and its management, programs to increase its awareness, treatment, and control should be given high priority in reducing hypertension prevalence and improving hypertension control in Bangladesh.
The association between fat mass and obesity‐associated (FTO) genotype and serum vitamin D level in breast cancer patients
Authors: Gholamalizadeh Maryam , Mokhtari Zohreh , Doaei Saeid , Jalili Vahideh , Davoodi Sayed Hossein , Jonoush Mona , Akbari Mohammad Esmail , Hajipour Azadeh , Bahar Bojlul , Tabesh Ghasem Azizi , Omidi Saeed , Mosavi Jarrahi Seyed Alireza
Published: September 2021

The preventive effect of vitamin D against breast cancer can be influenced by gene polymorphisms. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum level of 25(OH) vitamin D and FTO genotype in breast cancer patients. A cross‐sectional study was carried out on 180 newly diagnosed patients with breast cancer in Tehran, Iran. The blood samples were collected from the participants in order to assess the FTO gene rs9939609 polymorphism by the tetra‐primer amplification refractory mutation system (Tetra‐ARMS) PCR method. The serum level of 25(OH) vitamin D was measured using the direct competitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The association between vitamin D and the FTO genotype in patients with breast cancer was assessed after adjustment for cofounders. The frequency of TT, AT and AA genotypes in the breast cancer patients were 43% (n = 77), 49% (n = 89) and 8% (n = 14), respectively. All patients with higher than 40 ng/dl of serum 25(OH) vitamin D had one or two copies of FTO rs9939609 risk allele (p = 0.019). No linear association was found between the number of FTO risk allele and the level of serum vitamin D. All patients with high serum level of 25(OH) vitamin D had one or two copies of FTO rs9939609 risk allele. FTO gene polymorphisms may counteract the beneficial effects of vitamin D in breast cancer prevention. Further studies can help to better understand the genetic factors predisposing to breast cancer and their effect on the association between vitamin D and breast cancer.
Comparison of the effects of frequent versus conventional nutritional interventions in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Kawabata Nao , Okada Kenta , Ando Akihiko , Kurashina Tomoyuki , Takahashi Manabu , Wakabayashi Tetsuji , Nagata Daisuke , Kusano Eiji , Mogi Satsuki , Sato Toshiko , Ishikawa Shizukiyo , Ishibashi Shun
Published: September 2021

Aims/Introduction

This randomized controlled trial aimed to determine whether frequent nutritional education improves the clinical parameters associated with the onset and progression of diabetic kidney disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Materials and Methods

A total of 96 patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic kidney disease were randomly assigned to the intensive intervention group that received nutritional education at every outpatient visit, and the usual intervention group that received nutritional education once a year. The anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, blood chemistry, albuminuria, protein and salt intake, and prescribed medications of 87 patients who completed the 2‐year follow up were analyzed.

Results

In the intensive intervention group, body mass index and salt intake significantly decreased over the study period. Hemoglobin A1c levels and body fat percentage were significantly lower in the intensive intervention group than in the usual intervention group. At the end of the 2‐year intervention period, the intensive intervention group had significantly lower salt intake (8.1 vs 9.4 g/day) than the usual intervention group. A significant positive correlation was found between salt intake and albuminuria in the overall group and intensive intervention group (r = 0.26, P = 0.02, and r = 0.36, P = 0.02, respectively). The intensive intervention group had a significantly lower insulin use rate than the usual intervention group after the 2‐year intervention period (18% vs 42%). No differences were found in estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria.

Conclusion

Intensive nutritional education is useful for alleviating the risk factors associated with the onset and progression of diabetic kidney disease.
Evaluating the effects of controlled flows on historical spawning site access, reproduction and recruitment of lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens
Authors: Friday Mike , Haxton Tim
Published: September 2021

Lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens spawn at the base of Kakabeka Falls, a 39 m waterfall on the Kaministiquia River, a tributary to Lake Superior. Access to this historical spawning site can be restricted or delayed due to hydroelectric flow fluctuations that coincide with the A. fulvescens spawning season. The objectives of this study were to determine (a) the necessary flow conditions that facilitate spawning site access; (b) quantity and duration of flow required for successful spawning and dispersal of larvae; and (c) evaluate recruitment of juvenile A. fulvescens in relation to flow. A. fulvescens spawning migrations were tracked using a stationary telemetry receiver that logged the movements of 166 A. fulvescens fitted with radio‐transmitters. Unrestricted access to the spawning site was facilitated when spawning flow was controlled at 23 m3 s−1 in 2004 and 17 m3 s−1 in 2006. Fluctuating (0.5–8.5 m3 s−1) and delayed spawning flows resulted in restricted and delayed access to the spawning site. Flow duration for successful egg incubation, hatch and larval dispersal was determined by sampling larvae using drift nets and quantified using cumulative temperature units (CTU). Over 10 years, 10,083 larvae were captured between 31 May and 20 July with 97% of the drift occurring prior to 30 June. From the date of first spawning to the end of larval dispersal took an average of 38.6 days, and the mean CTU value was 398.6. In general, a minimum flow of approximately 14.5 m3 s−1 from the date of initial spawning to the accumulation of c. 400 CTU ensured successful hatch and larval dispersal. During the timeframe of this study, recruitment was variable. This study described the complex and variable reproductive life history of A. fulvescens and defined spawning flow requirements ecologically, which can be used to develop operational provisions at hydropower facilities to ensure successful reproduction.
Comparative Effect of Different Surface Treatments on the Shear Bond Strength of Two Types of Artificial Teeth Bonded To Two Types of Denture Base Resins
Authors: Helal Mohamed A. , Al‐Gazzar Ahmed E. , Abas Mohamed , Akhtar Sultan , Gad Mohammed M. , Al‐Thobity Ahmad M.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This in vitro study aims to assess the impact of various surface treatments on the shear bond strength (SBS) of two types of artificial teeth and denture base resins (DBRs).

Materials and Methods

Two types of DBRs (CAD/CAM‐milled and heat‐polymerized) and two types of denture teeth (acrylic and composite) were investigated. Teeth were cut into slices (5 × 5 × 2 mm) and divided according to surface treatment into four subgroups (n = 10): no treatment (control), air abrasion (Alumina‐blasting; AB), bur roughening, and dichloromethane (DCM) subgroups. According to manufacturer recommendations, the treated tooth slices were bonded to the acrylic disk of DBRs. The SBS test was performed using a universal testing machine. ANOVA was used for results analysis followed by Tukey's post hoc tests (α = 0.05).

Results

DCM and AB increased the SBS of acrylic teeth to heat‐polymerized DBR compared with other groups (p < 0.001). All surface treatments showed no significant difference in CAD/CAM DBR with acrylic teeth (p = 0.059; AB, p = 0.319; bur roughening, p = 0.895; DCM), while there was a significant decrease in SBS with composite teeth (p ˂ 0.001). Between teeth, acrylic teeth showed a statistically significant increase in SBS compared to composite teeth (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

AB and DCM application improved the SBS for acrylic teeth with the heat‐polymerized DBR when compared with the untreated group, but none of the surface treatment agents showed significant improvement with CAD/CAM DBR. All surface treatment agents reduced the SBS for composite teeth with CAD/CAM DBR while AB only increased the SBS with heat‐polymerized DBR.
Play and psychological safety: An ethnography of innovative work
Authors: Mukerjee Jinia , Metiu Anca
Published: September 2021

Based on ethnographic field research in a high‐tech firm, we develop a process study of the complex and highly recursive relationship between play and the psychological safety that is key to innovation. Through our focus on play episodes, we identify several distinct play practices: generalized initiation of play, amplifying play, diffusion of play, and engagement in demonstrative behavior. We show how these practices generate psychological safety via two mechanisms: vulnerability and comradeship. Psychological safety is both a result and a reinforcer of play practices. Once established, psychological safety fosters several work processes on which innovation rests, namely engendering new ideas, finding collaborators, intensifying effort, and addressing difficult conversations and conflict. By articulating the mechanisms and feedback loops connecting play practices with psychological safety, our inductive model advances the understanding of the conditions that enable innovation in contemporary organizations.
Seasonality and distribution of cyanobacteria and microcystin toxin genes in an oligotrophic lake of Atlantic Canada
Authors: Brown Jordan , Hawkes Kristen , Calvaruso Rossella , Reyes‐Prieto Adrian , Lawrence Janice
Published: September 2021

Cyanotoxins are an emerging threat to freshwater resources worldwide. The most frequently reported cyanotoxins are the microcystins, which threaten the health of humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. Determining the potential for microcystin production is hindered by a lack of morphological features that correlate with microcystin production. However, amplicon‐based methods permit the detection of microcystin biosynthesis genes and were employed to assess the toxin potential in Lake Utopia, NB, Canada, an oligotrophic lake that occasionally experiences cyanobacteria blooms. Samples collected at 2 week intervals from June 27th to September 27th, 2016, were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the microcystin synthetase E gene (mcyE). The mcyE gene was present in some samples every sampling day, despite microcystin not being detected via ELISA, and was most frequently associated with the larger pore size fractions of the serially filtered samples. Further PCR surveys using primer sets to amplify genus‐specific (e.g., Microcystis, Anabaena/Dolichospermum, and Planktothrix) mcyE fragments identified Microcystis as the only taxa in Lake Utopia with toxigenic potential. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA V3–V4 region revealed a community dominated by members of the order Synechococcales (from 38 to 96% relative abundance), but with significant presence of taxa from Cyanobacteriales including Microcystaceae and Nostocaceae. A persistent Microcystis population was detected in samples both testing positive and negative for the mcyE gene, highlighting the importance of identifying cyanotoxin production potential by gene presence and not species identity. To our knowledge, this study represents the first application of amplicon‐based approaches to studying toxic cyanobacteria in an understudied region—Atlantic Canada.
CircRNA Lrp6 promotes cementoblast differentiation via miR‐145a‐5p/Zeb2 axis
Authors: Li Mengying , Du Mingyuan , Wang Yunlong , Zhu Jiaqi , Pan Jiawen , Cao Zhengguo , He Hong
Published: September 2021

Background and Objective

Cementum is a part of the periodontium and anchors periodontal ligaments to the alveolar bone. Cementoblasts are responsible for the cementum formation via matrix deposition and subsequently mineralization. Thus, exploring novel mechanisms underlying the function of cementoblast contributes to the treatment of cementum damage. Recently, circRNA Lrp6 (circLRP6) has been of interest due to its active role in cell differentiation, but its potential role in cementoblast differentiation remains unclear. Herein, we attempted to elucidate the role of circLRP6 in cementoblast differentiation and clarify any associated mechanisms.

Material and Methods

The mRNA expressions of circLRP6, miR‐145a‐5p, zinc finger E‐box binding homeobox 2 (Zeb2), runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteopontin (Opn), and bone sialoprotein (Bsp) were evaluated by qRT‐PCR. The protein levels of Zeb2 were measured by Western blot. Bioinformatic analysis and dual‐luciferase reporter assays were used to test the potential binding targets of miR‐145a‐5p. The differentiation potentials of the cementoblasts were assessed by Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, ALP activity assay, Alizarin red S (ARS) staining, and quantification.

Results

In this study, circLRP6 was significantly upregulated in cementoblast differentiation. Furthermore, circLRP6 knockdown inhibited ALP levels, reduced calcium nodule formation and the expression of Runx2, Opn, and Bsp. Mechanically, bioinformatic analysis and dual‐luciferase reporter assays confirmed miR‐145a‐5p was a potential binding target of circLRP6. miR‐145a‐5p can negatively regulate cementoblast differentiation. Subsequently, bioinformatic analysis and dual‐luciferase reporter assays confirmed Zeb2 was a potential miR‐145a‐5p target. miR‐145a‐5p overexpression resulted in a downregulation of Zeb2. Furthermore, Zeb2 inhibition partially reversed the effect of circLRP6 during cementoblast differentiation.

Conclusion

Taken together, circLRP6 appears to modulate cementoblast differentiation by antagonizing the function of miR‐145a‐5p, thereby increasing Zeb2. This study serves as a stepping stone for the potential development of an approach to promote cementum formation.
The role of digital health technology in rural cancer care delivery: A systematic review
Authors: Morris Bonny B. , Rossi Brianna , Fuemmeler Bernard
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Rural residents face higher cancer incidence rates and mortality rates, disparities that could be mitigated with health technology interventions, yet a digital divide is also apparent. This paper systematically and critically examines existing literature to understand how digital technologies have been used to support rural oncology care.

Methods

PubMed, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, and Embase were searched using Medical Subject Headings terms and keywords. Studies were eligible if they presented empirical data investigating the use of technology in rural oncology and were published in English in a peer‐reviewed journal within the last decade. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess methodological quality.

Findings

Digital health has been less extensively utilized in rural oncology compared with the general cancer population and other chronic diseases. We identified 54 studies that used technology in rural cancer care delivery, a comparatively small number, representing a significant gap in the literature. Studies were classified into 4 categories: Telemedicine (n = 32), phone calls (n = 11), Internet (n = 9), and mobile phone (n = 2). Of the 54 articles, 12 were RCTs, 17 were quasi‐experimental, 3 were descriptive, 12 were mixed methods, and 10 were qualitative. Most of the studies involved patients only (n = 31) and were not specific to a cancer type (n = 41).

Conclusions

Further implementation and expansion of telemedicine and phone‐based strategies in rural cancer care delivery are warranted. Rural cancer survivors value digital approaches to their care. However, social and behavioral determinants of health and access to technology must be considered.
The geography of diet variation in Neotropical Carnivora
Authors: Cruz Lívia R. , Muylaert Renata L. , Galetti Mauro , Pires Mathias M.
Published: September 2021

Mammalian carnivores (order Carnivora) perform important regulatory functions in terrestrial food webs. Building a comprehensive knowledge of the dietary patterns of carnivorans and the factors determining such patterns is essential for improving our understanding of the role of carnivorans in ecosystem functioning.

In the Neotropics, there are 64 extant species of terrestrial Carnivora, but information on their trophic ecology is diffuse. We compiled and analysed the available quantitative dietary data for Neotropical carnivorans, aiming to detect patterns of intraspecific and interspecific dietary variation at a large geographical scale.

The resulting database encompasses information on trophic interactions of 37 native carnivoran species from six families across 14 countries. There are clear geographical biases towards southern Brazil, Chile, and Argentina, and a noticeable knowledge gap within the Amazon. Also, most studies are focused on canids and felids, especially Puma concolor, Panthera onca, Cerdocyon thous, Leopardus pardalis, and Chrysocyon brachyurus, whereas for 27 native species, we found no quantitative dietary information.

Neotropical carnivorans consume species from at least 651 genera of vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. We found clear species‐specific dietary patterns and marked differences between Neotropical felids and canids. Although predators generally exhibit high levels of consistency in their diets regarding prey body mass, we detected significant intraspecific variation for all species analysed across study sites.

Body mass imposes strong constraints on prey use, but biogeographical differences in prey availability and human influence may drive the geographical variation we found. Overall, observed patterns show not only similarities with resource‐use patterns found for carnivorans in other continents, such as nestedness driven by body mass, but also differences, such as high levels of frugivory and consumption of invertebrates by canids. Assessing resource‐use patterns is the first step towards a better understanding of processes underlying the organisation of trophic interactions, and is imperative for addressing impacts of defaunation on ecosystems and for informing conservation efforts.
A reply to “Estimating a bilateral J‐curve between the UK and the euro area: An asymmetric analysis”
Authors: Michail Nektarios A.
Published: September 2021

In 2018, I published an article in this journal aiming to examine whether the UK could potentially benefit from the depreciation of the pound following the Brexit decision. During this year's issue, a study by Bahmani‐Oskooee and Karamelikli (2021) suggested that the findings of said article were based on sign misinterpretation. In this article, I explain that the misunderstanding that has arisen is due to an incorrect definition of a variable in the appendix. When the revised definition is taken into consideration, the conclusions reached still hold.
Mechanics and hydraulics of pollen tube growth
Authors: Dumais Jacques
Published: September 2021

All kingdoms of life have evolved tip‐growing cells able to mine their environment or deliver cargo to remote targets. The basic cellular processes supporting these functions are understood in increasing detail, but the multiple interactions between them lead to complex responses that require quantitative models to be disentangled. Here, I review the equations that capture the fundamental interactions between wall mechanics and cell hydraulics starting with a detailed presentation of James Lockhart’s seminal model. The homeostatic feedbacks needed to maintain a steady tip velocity are then shown to offer a credible explanation for the pulsatile growth observed in some tip‐growing cells. Turgor pressure emerges as a central variable whose role in the morphogenetic process has been a source of controversy for more than 50 yr. I argue that recasting Lockhart’s work as a process of chemical stress relaxation can clarify how cells control tip growth and help us internalise the important but passive role played by turgor pressure in the morphogenetic process.
Toward the massive genome ofProteus anguinus—illuminating longevity, regeneration, convergent evolution, and metabolic disorders
Authors: Kostanjšek Rok , Diderichsen Børge , Recknagel Hans , Gunde‐Cimerman Nina , Gostinčar Cene , Fan Guangyi , Kordiš Dušan , Trontelj Peter , Jiang Hui , Bolund Lars , Luo Yonglun
Published: September 2021

Deciphering the genetic code of organisms with unusual phenotypes can help answer fundamental biological questions and provide insight into mechanisms relevant to human biomedical research. The cave salamanderProteus anguinus(Urodela: Proteidae), also known as the olm, is an example of a species with unique morphological and physiological adaptations to its subterranean environment, including regenerative abilities, resistance to prolonged starvation, and a life span of more than 100 years. However, the structure and sequence of the olm genome is still largely unknown owing to its enormous size, estimated at nearly 50 gigabases. An international Proteus Genome Research Consortium has been formed to decipher the olm genome. This perspective provides the scientific and biomedical rationale for exploring the olm genome and outlines potential outcomes, challenges, and methodological approaches required to analyze and annotate the genome of this unique amphibian.
Educational Gender Inequality in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A Long‐Term Perspective
Authors: Baten Joerg , de Haas Michiel , Kempter Elisabeth , Meier zu Selhausen Felix
Published: September 2021

To what extent did sub‐Saharan Africa's twentieth century schooling revolution benefit boys and girls equally? Using census data and a cohort approach, we examine gender gaps in years of education over the twentieth century at world region, country and district levels. First, we find that compared to other developing regions, Africa had a small initial educational gender gap but subsequently made the least progress in closing the gap. Second, in most of the 21 African countries studied, gender gaps increased during most of the colonial era (ca. 1880–1960) and declined, albeit at different rates, after independence. At the world region and country level, the expansion of men's education was initially associated with a growing gender gap, and subsequently a decline, a pattern we refer to as “educational gender Kuznets curve.” Third, using data from six decadal cohorts across 1,177 birth districts, we explore subnational correlates of educational gender inequality. This confirms the inverse‐U relationship between the gender gap and male education. We also find that districts with railroads, more urbanization and early twentieth century Christian missions witnessed lower attainment gaps. We find no evidence that cash crop cultivation, agricultural division of labor or family systems were linked to gender gaps.
An Enduring Institution? Child Fostering in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Cotton Cassandra
Published: September 2021

Child fostering has been documented over time in many parts of sub‐Saharan Africa. We know little, however, about how the prevalence of fostering differs across countries and broad regions, nor about how fostering—and its predictors—has changed within countries over time. To explore prevalence, trends, and predictors of child fostering, I leverage Demographic and Health Survey data of mothers of children aged 0–15 from 139 surveys in 36 countries collected between 1986 and 2019, representing all regions of sub‐Saharan Africa. Results suggest striking variation in the prevalence of contemporary fostering, ranging from 11.5 percent of mothers in Burundi to 45.7 percent in Namibia in the most recent survey. Fostering trends have fluctuated over time in the majority of countries, but have remained broadly stable, with random and fixed‐effects models indicating that the key correlates across and within countries over time have remained stable, with the prevalence of never‐married motherhood playing a key role in fostering. Together, results suggest child fostering remains an enduring institution in family life throughout sub‐Saharan Africa.
Two types of O‐methyltransferase are involved in biosynthesis of anticancer methoxylated 4′‐deoxyflavones in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi
Authors: Cui Meng‐Ying , Lu An‐Rui , Li Jian‐Xu , Liu Jie , Fang Yu‐Min , Pei Tian‐Lin , Zhong Xin , Wei Yu‐Kun , Kong Yu , Qiu Wen‐Qing , Hu Yong‐Hong , Yang Jun , Chen Xiao‐Ya , Martin Cathie , Zhao Qing
Published: September 2021

The medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi is rich in specialized 4′‐deoxyflavones, which are reported to have many health‐promoting properties. We assayed Scutellaria flavones with different methoxyl groups on human cancer cell lines and found that polymethoxylated 4′‐deoxyflavones, like skullcapflavone I and tenaxin I have stronger ability to induce apoptosis compared to unmethylated baicalein, showing that methoxylation enhances bioactivity as well as the physical properties of specialized flavones, while having no side‐effects on healthy cells. We investigated the formation of methoxylated flavones and found that two O‐methyltransferase (OMT) families are active in the roots of S. baicalensis. The Type II OMTs, SbPFOMT2 and SbPFOMT5, decorate one of two adjacent hydroxyl groups on flavones and are responsible for methylation on the C6, 8 and 3′‐hydroxyl positions, to form oroxylin A, tenaxin II and chrysoeriol respectively. The Type I OMTs, SbFOMT3, SbFOMT5 and SbFOMT6 account mainly for C7‐methoxylation of flavones, but SbFOMT5 can also methylate baicalein on its C5 and C6‐hydroxyl positions. The dimethoxylated flavone, skullcapflavone I (found naturally in roots of S. baicalensis) can be produced in yeast by co‐expressing SbPFOMT5 plus SbFOMT6 when the appropriately hydroxylated 4′‐deoxyflavone substrates are supplied in the medium. Co‐expression of SbPFOMT5 plus SbFOMT5 in yeast produced tenaxin I, also found in Scutellaria roots. This work showed that both type I and type II OMT enzymes are involved in biosynthesis of methoxylated flavones in S. baicalensis.
Personalized Chronic Disease Follow‐Up Appointments: Risk‐Stratified Care Through Big Data
Authors: Nenova Zlatana , Shang Jennifer
Published: September 2021

Managing patients with chronic conditions is challenging. It requires timely care adjustments based on the patient's health status. We leverage big data to optimize patient monitoring frequencies and improve treatment. Our research is motivated by the need to improve patient care at the Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. We propose an integrated model to better serve patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is prevalent, complex, and costly. The demand for kidney care has steadily increased; however, there is a decline in the availability of nephrologists. We propose a finite‐horizon Markov decision process (MDP) model, which utilizes evidence‐based and data‐driven approach to identify the best follow‐up appointment schedule for patients. The MDP model helps attain an optimal dynamic treatment plan to enhance patient's quality of life. It is parameterized by data from 11 US Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals, containing 68,513 CKD patients (mostly males between 60 and 90 years old) geographically dispersed throughout the United States between January 1, 2009 and February 21, 2016. Through various estimates and assumptions, we propose an optimal monitoring policy. We find that CKD severity, comorbidities, age, and distance to nephrologist all play roles in shaping patients’ needs of care. Through the VA clinical data, we have numerically validated our recommendation and shown that it considerably outperforms the current kidney care guidelines adopted by the VA.
Assessing mangrove restoration practices using species‐interaction networks
Authors: O'Connell Darren P. , Fusi Marco , Djamaluddin Rignolda , Rajagukguk Bulfrit B. , Bachmid Fihri , Kitson James J. N. , Dunnett Zoe , Trianto Agus , Tjoa Aiyen B. , Diele Karen , Evans Darren M.
Published: September 2021

Mangroves are uniquely important ecosystems, for preserving biodiversity, sustaining livelihoods, and mitigating against climate change. However, they are degraded globally and are therefore a priority for ecosystem restoration. To date, the assessment of mangrove restoration outcomes is generally poor, and the limited studies that do exist are focused largely on forest area. Thus, more holistic ways of assessing the outcomes of mangrove restoration projects on biodiversity and associated ecological processes are urgently needed. Ecological networks are a useful tool for simultaneously examining both. Here, we assessed the utility of using species‐interaction networks for evaluating mangrove restoration outcomes for the first time. We compared the structure and complexity of mangrove ecological networks in replicated “monoculture reforestation,” “mixed species regeneration” and “reference forest” plots in two study areas in Sulawesi, Indonesia, an estuarine, and a coastal fringe mangrove system. We also combined and evaluated sampling methods, utilizing traditional plant–animal sampling while also integrating video recording data in a novel way. We found significant differences in the structure and complexity of mangrove networks between restored and natural plots, with contrasting effects between the two sites. Our results show differences in the complex ways in which taxa interact in mangrove restoration projects, which would be overlooked if common biodiversity metrics, such as species richness, were used alone, with consequences for the restoration of ecosystem functioning. We also highlight the utility of video recording data collection for constructing species‐interaction networks, overcoming the detrimental impacts of observer presence for some key species.
Comparing Poverty Variations: A Robustness Assessment of the MDGs’ Achievements with Respect to Poverty Alleviation
Authors: Bresson Florent
Published: September 2021

Had poverty been halved between 1990 and 2015? In the present paper, we show how well‐known stochastic dominance tools can be used to check the robustness of claims regarding monetary poverty variations and then, using data from PovcalNet, provide a new picture of achievements with respect to poverty alleviation during the Millennium Development Goals’ era. Using a sample of 90 developing countries, we notably observe that of the 58 countries whose pace of poverty reduction was consistent with a 50 percent decrease in the headcount index over a 25‐year period, 51 countries showed distribution changes that were in line with a more general conclusion that poverty would have been halved, whatever the poverty index we use, over the same period. Our results at the global level for the period 2002–2012 also show that the same conclusion robustly holds.
Sequence‐based typing identification of the novel HLA‐B*27:226 variant allele in a Chinese family
Authors: Wang Xiaojing , Wang Jiying , Zhang Yan , Li Qinghua
Published: September 2021

HLA‐B*27:226 differs from HLA‐B*27:04:01 by a single nucleotide in exon 2 (91T→G, Y7D).
Variations in magmatism and the state of tectonic compensation of the Mariana subduction system
Authors: Li Hongyu , Lin Jian , Zhou Zhiyuan , Zhang Fan , Guo Laiyin
Published: September 2021

We investigate the variations in the state of isostatic compensation of the Mariana subduction system. We first calculate and analyse the gravity‐derived crustal thickness and non‐isostatic topography of this region. The Mariana back‐arc spreading centre and West Mariana Ridge are both close to Airy isostatic compensation. In contrast, the Mariana Trench axis is associated with a clearly defined zone of negative non‐isostatic topography and free‐air gravity anomaly (FAA), which have been shown to be caused by the flexural bending of the subducting Pacific Plate. The new analyses reveal that the southern Mariana Arc at 12.5°–16.7°N is associated with positive non‐isostatic topography and a local zone of positive FAA, which we interpret to be the result of accretion of young volcanism on a relatively strong lithospheric plate and/or supported by the tectonic stresses induced by the interaction of the subducting Pacific Plate with the upper Mariana micro‐plate.
Duns Scotus on Identities — I Mean, Mereological Fusions
Authors: Paasch JT
Published: September 2021

I argue that Scotus's formal distinction is a mereological fusion relation rather than an identity relation. I construct mereological models which adequately represent Scotus's theory.
Risk of bladder cancer and lymphoma in dogs is associated with pollution indices by county of residence
Authors: Smith Natalie , Luethcke Kristofer Ross , Craun Kaitlyn , Trepanier Lauren
Published: September 2021

Human urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) and non‐Hodgkin lymphoma are considered environmental cancers in people, but less is known about environment risk for UCC and lymphoma in dogs. The objective of this study was to determine whether dogs with these cancers, compared to unaffected control dogs, live in counties with higher tap water contaminants or higher levels of air pollution as measured by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and by National Air Toxics Assessment chemical exposure risk estimates. Dogs with available home addresses from two previously published case–control populations were included: 66 dogs with UCC and 70 unaffected controls; and 56 boxer dogs with lymphoma and 84 unaffected boxer controls. Tap water total trihalomethanes, which are water disinfection by‐products, were more than threefold higher in UCC case counties of residence compared to controls (p < .0001), and a higher proportion of dogs with UCC lived in counties exceeding EPA ozone limits (41.8%) compared to controls (13.6% p = .0008). More boxers with lymphoma lived in counties exceeding EPA ozone limits (52.1%) compared to controls (29.0%; p = .018), with higher exposure risk estimates for airborne 1,3‐butadiene and formaldehyde (p = .004–.005). These data support the hypothesis that tap water contaminants and airborne environmental pollutants contribute to the risk of both urothelial carcinoma and lymphoma in dogs. If these findings reflect causal relationships, then it is possible that tap water filtration units and more effective air pollution controls could decrease the overall incidence of these cancers in dogs.
Canine Retrobulbar Cellulitis and Abscessation in the Southeastern United States: A review of case management, diagnostic imaging, bacterial isolates, and susceptibility patterns
Authors: Herrmann James W. , Hamor Ralph E. , Plummer Caryn E.
Published: September 2021

Objective

To describe common bacterial organisms cultured from retrobulbar cellulitis and abscess lesions,in vitrosusceptibility patterns, common diagnostic techniques utilized, etiologies encountered, and prevalence of blindness.

Animals studied

Thirty‐eight dogs diagnosed with retrobulbar cellulitis or abscessation from 2007 to 2017.

Procedure

For cases of orbital cellulitis or abscess, signalment, orbital imaging, cytology, histopathology, bacterial culture and susceptibility testing, presence of vision at the initial examination and resolution, and presumed cellulitis/abscess etiology were recorded.

Results

Most cases were medically (78.9%) versus surgically managed (18.4%). Most common form of orbital imaging was computed tomography (48.5%) followed by ocular ultrasound (18.2%). Fifteen of eighteen cultures (83.3%) showed growth of aerobic bacterial organisms, anaerobic bacterial organisms, or both. Most common aerobic bacteria were gram‐negative bacilli (40.0%) followed byCorynebacteriumsp. (26.7%) and α‐hemolyticStreptococcisp. (26.7%) butMicrococcusandBacillusspp. were also identified. Most common anaerobic bacteria were gram‐negative bacilli (40.0%). Antibiotics with highest susceptibility patterns included gentamicin, followed equally by amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, and imipenem. No bacteria were susceptible to cefovecin. Six cases presented with vision loss due to retrobulbar disease (15.8%). Idiopathic (50%) disease and tooth root abscessation (23.7%) were most commonly diagnosed cause of orbital disease.

Conclusion

Retrobulbar cellulitis/abscess is a serious and vision‐threatening process, which can be effectively managed by broad‐spectrum antibiotics such as gentamicin or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, but not cefovecin. This study identified three organisms that have not been previously reported to be associated with orbital cellulitis (Corynebacteriumsp.,Bacillussp. andMicrococcussp.).
The use of acellular porcine corneal stroma xenograft (BioCorneaVet™) for the treatment of deep stromal and full thickness corneal defects: A retrospective study of 40 cases (2019–2021)
Authors: Santillo Daniele , Mathieson Iona , Corsi Francesca , Göllner Robert , Guandalini Adolfo
Published: September 2021

Objective

To document the effectiveness and outcome of corneal grafting using acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) for veterinary use (BioCorneaVet™) to restore corneal integrity in dogs.

Methods

A review of medical records of patients that underwent keratoplasty with APCS graft to repair deep corneal defects, descemetoceles, and perforations between 2019 and 2021 was carried out. Only animals with intact dazzle reflex, consensual PLR before the surgery and a minimum follow‐up of four weeks were considered for the study, with forty dogs (1 eye each) meeting the inclusion criteria.

Results

Brachycephalic breeds were the most frequently represented, and 20 right eyes and 20 left eyes were affected with 25 perforations, 8 descemetoceles, and 9 deep stromal defects (1 eye had both perforation and descemetocele). Most of the patients had concurrent ocular diseases or had undergone previous surgery on the other eye. Two different thickness of xenograft was used (300 or 450 µm), and the diameter ranged from 3 to 10 mm. Postoperative complications included mild to severe corneal vascularization, partial dehiscence, melting, and glaucoma. Follow‐up time ranged from 28 to 797 days (mean: 233 days). Ocular integrity was maintained in 37/40 cases (92.5%), and vision was preserved in 36 cases (90%).

Conclusion

The use of APCS (BioCorneaVet™) is an effective surgical treatment for deep stromal defects, descemetocele, and perforations in dogs, providing a good tectonic support and preserving anatomical integrity and vision. The cosmetic appearance was considered good in all the cases and continued to improve with time.
Local‐scale diversity of Yersinia pestis: A case study from Ambohitromby, Ankazobe District, Madagascar
Authors: Ramasindrazana Beza , Parany Mamionah N. J. , Rasoamalala Fanohinjanaharinirina , Rasoanoro Mercia , Rahajandraibe Soloandry , Vogler Amy J. , Sahl Jason W. , Andrianaivoarimanana Voahangy , Rajerison Minoarisoa , Wagner David M.
Published: September 2021

Plague is a re‐emerging zoonotic disease and a major public health concern in several portions of the world, especially in Madagascar. We report on the presence of different subtypes of Yersinia pestis co‐occurring in the same locality. After confirmation of a human plague case in Ambohitromby Commune (Ankazobe District) via isolation of Y. pestis, we undertook small mammal trapping to identify the circulation of Y. pestis amongst rodents in this locality; blood samples were collected from rodents for seroprevalence analysis. Of the 60 individuals of Rattus rattus captured, one yielded an isolate of Y. pestis, 13 others were positive for F1 antigen of Y. pestis using a rapid diagnostic test, and 4 were PCR positive targeting the caf1 and pla genes; 28/60 (46.7%) of the captured R. rattus were seropositive for Y. pestis. Whole‐genome SNP analyses revealed that the two isolates obtained from the human case, and the R. rattus belonged to two different subtypes of Y. pestis (s05 and s13, respectively) that were circulating concurrently in Ambohitromby in 2016. Three Y. pestis subtypes (s03, s05 and s13) have now been isolated from Ambohitromby. Subtype s05 had been persisting there for >10 years but one or both of the other subtypes may have been introduced from the Central Highlands region as they were not observed in previous years (s13) or only observed once previously (s03). High seroprevalence against Y. pestis in R. rattus suggests that a portion of the local murine population may have acquired resistance to Y. pestis. Future research should focus on genomically characterizing Y. pestis strains circulating in Ankazobe District and other plague‐endemic regions of Madagascar to better understand the overall phylogeography of Y. pestis.
Substitutional Co-mediated island-edge decoration in Co/Cu(001): A kinetic Monte Carlo study
Authors: Albao Marvin A.
Published: September 2021

Film morphologies of heteroepitaxial systems are as complex as they are diverse and in some cases may involve step decoration of substrate islands by adsorbate atoms as well as the presence of intermixed, heterogeneously nucleated islands. Given that epitaxial growth takes place under far-from-equilibrium conditions, it is not totally unreasonable to assume that kinetics—differences in surface mobilities—is an important driver for island-edge decoration. Indeed, this is believed to be the case in our heteroepitaxial model system, Co/Cu(001), in which deposited Co in the submonolayer regime transforms into substitutional Co atoms through a thermally activated process known as atomic exchange. Here, a Co atom from the adlayer descends into a subsurface site, dislodging a substrate Cu atom, which then moves up to the surface—in the process creating a substitutional Co atom and a Cu atom. In this kinetic Monte Carlo simulation study, we propose that while sCo serves as pinning centers for both Cu and Co atoms alike, it is only very weak in the case of the former and does not have a stabilizing effect on Cu-dominated islands by itself. Thus, the classic picture of Cu islands nucleating around sCo sites and agglomerating with each additional fast diffusing Cu atom, and whose edges are subsequently decorated by the slower moving Co atoms, needs to be revisited. On the contrary, our analysis indicating the presence of both Co and sCo atoms at the rapidly shifting island periphery suggests that island-edge decoration is ephemeral and that sCo itself has a less intuitive, outsize role in Cu-dominated island's rapid growth. We also found that differences in surface mobilities alone lead to intermixing rather than island-edge decoration.
Vocal tract adjustments to minimize vocal fold contact pressure during phonation
Authors: Zhang Zhaoyan
Published: September 2021

This computational study aims to identify vocal tract adjustments that minimize the peak vocal fold contact pressure during phonation and thus should be targeted in voice therapy treating phonotraumatic vocal hyperfunction. The results showed that for a given subglottal pressure, the effect of vocal tract adjustments on the peak vocal fold contact pressure was generally small except when such adjustments caused noticeable changes in the glottal flow amplitude. In this study, this occurred mainly when the lip opening was reduced and at conditions of large initial glottal angles or high subglottal pressures, which decreased the peak contact pressure but also significantly reduced the output sound pressure level (SPL). On the other hand, increasing lip opening significantly increased sound radiation efficiency from the mouth and reduced the subglottal pressure required to produce a target SPL. Because of the large effect of the subglottal pressure on the peak contact pressure, increasing lip opening thus was able to significantly reduce the peak contact pressure in voice tasks targeting a specific SPL. In contrast, the effect of pharyngeal expansion alone had only a small effect on the peak contact pressure, whether controlling for the subglottal pressure or targeting a specific SPL.
First-in-Human Evaluation of the Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of SPR720, a Novel Oral Bacterial DNA Gyrase (GyrB) Inhibitor for Mycobacterial Infections
Authors: Talley Angela K. , Thurston Archie , Moore Grayson , Gupta Vipul K. , Satterfield Myriah , Manyak Erika , Stokes Suzanne , Dane Aaron , Melnick David
Published: September 2021

SPR720 (phosphate prodrug of SPR719) is a novel aminobenzimidazole bacterial DNA gyrase (GyrB) inhibitor in development for nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) and pulmonary tuberculosis. SPR719 has demonstrated activity against clinically relevant mycobacteria
in vitro
and in murine and hollow-fiber infection models.
Minocycline Activity against Unusual Clinically Significant Gram-Negative Pathogens
Authors: Shortridge Dee , Arends S. J. Ryan , Streit Jennifer M. , Castanheira Mariana
Published: September 2021

The minocycline susceptibility of 3,856 isolates includingBurkholderia,Achromobacter,Alcaligenes,Aeromonas, andStenotrophomonas maltophiliafrom the SENTRY surveillance (2014 to 2019) were analyzed. The susceptibilities of these species (%S) wereAchromobacterspp. (n = 411; 92.6%),Burkholderia cepaciaspecies complex (n = 199; 85.9%),Aeromonasspp. (n = 127; 99.2%),Chryseobacteriumspp. (n = 59; 94.9%),Alcaligenes faecalis(n = 42; 88.1%), andS. maltophilia(n = 2,287; 99.5%).
Metabolic Plasticity Aids Amphotropism of Coxiella burnetii
Authors: Sanchez Savannah E. , Goodman Alan G. , Omsland Anders
Published: September 2021

Coxiella burnetii
, the causative agent of query (Q) fever in humans, is an obligate intracellular bacterium.
C. burnetii
can naturally infect a broad range of host organisms (e.g., mammals and arthropods) and cell types. This amphotropic nature of
C. burnetii
, in combination with its ability to utilize both glycolytic and gluconeogenic carbon sources, suggests that the pathogen relies on metabolic plasticity to replicate in nutritionally diverse intracellular environments.
Glutamate Dehydrogenase (GdhA) of Streptococcus pneumoniae Is Required for High Temperature Adaptation
Authors: Gazioglu Ozcan , Kareem Banaz O. , Afzal Muhammad , Shafeeq Sulman , Kuipers Oscar P. , Ulijasz Andrew T. , Andrew Peter W. , Yesilkaya Hasan
Published: September 2021

During its progression from the nasopharynx to other sterile and nonsterile niches of its human host,
Streptococcus pneumoniae
must cope with changes in temperature. We hypothesized that the temperature adaptation is an important facet of pneumococcal survival in the host.