bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolated trees support lower bird taxonomic richness than trees within habitat patches but similar functional diversity
Authors: de‐Carvalho Mariana , Prevedello Jayme Augusto , Pardini Renata , Lindenmayer David , Almeida‐Gomes Mauricio
Published: October 2020

Large isolated trees are keystone structures that can help maintain biodiversity in fragmented landscapes, with evidence that open areas with isolated trees may support similar levels of taxonomic diversity to nearby patches of habitat. However, it is not clear if isolated trees can support the same diversity of ecological functions as trees in habitat patches. We compared species richness, community composition, and functional diversity of birds in trees at forest edges and isolated trees. Twenty isolated trees and ten edge trees of American muskwood (Guarea guidonia) were selected, and sampled on 11 occasions, each of 20 min, over four months. All individual birds that landed at trees were recorded using a standardized protocol. Species richness was, on average, almost twice as high at edge trees than at isolated trees. Taxonomic composition differed between edge and isolated trees, with many forest‐dependent birds restricted to edge trees, and some open‐area birds restricted to isolated trees. Overall functional diversity was similar at edge and isolated trees, but some ecological functions (e.g., frugivory) were less frequent, while others (e.g., granivory) were more frequent at isolated compared with edge trees. Isolated trees are important for supporting many ecological functions in modified areas. However, the maintenance of forest patches is essential to complement the provision of such functions in modified landscapes.

Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.
The community structure of bird assemblages on urban strangler figs
Authors: Chong Kwek Yan , Ng Wen Qing , Yee Alex T. K. , Yong Ding Li
Published: October 2020

Figs have been regarded as keystone plant resources that support diverse tropical vertebrate frugivore communities. Planting or conserving large fig trees, such as stranglers, have therefore been proposed for enhancing urban biodiversity. We compared the diversity and community structure of bird assemblages on strangler figs with non‐fig urban trees as well as between the fruiting and non‐fruiting fig trees in an urban setting in Singapore. The total bird abundance across all the fig trees when in fruit was 4.5‐fold higher than on non‐fig trees and 3.5‐fold higher than when the same fig trees were not fruiting, but only attracted two more species. On individual trees, after accounting for the presence of mistletoes, tree height, the area covered by buildings, road lane density, and the distance to natural vegetation, mean diversity was not different between non‐fig trees and fig trees when they were not in fruit. On the other hand, when fruiting, each fig tree on average had 1.4 more species, 3 more counts of non‐native birds, and 1.6 more counts of insectivorous birds than when not fruiting. There was significant compositional turnover between non‐fig trees and non‐fruiting fig trees, while community dispersion was significantly lower among fig trees in fruit. Our results demonstrate that fig trees provide fruit and non‐fruit resources for birds in an urban landscape but do not necessarily support more diverse total bird assemblages than non‐fig trees. Instead, bird communities on fruiting urban figs would be highly homogeneous and dominated by a few species.

Abstract in Malay is available with online material.
Association between primary heath care and dental service use among supportive housing tenants with behavioral health conditions
Authors: Hall Gerod , Dai Wei Fang , Lim Sungwoo
Published: October 2020

Objective

Homeless persons are at high risk for poor oral health. Supportive housing can improve housing stability for persons with behavioural health conditions, but its impact on dental service use has been little studied.

Methods

Data for this evaluation come from matched public service records for eligible applicants to a New York City supportive housing program (NY III) targeting chronic homelessness. NY III tenants (N = 5678) were compared with applicants not placed in housing (N = 6536) and applicants placed in other supportive housing programmes (N = 4823). Regression analysis was used to assess the association between supportive housing, primary care use, clinical severity and the likelihood of dental visits.

Results

Over four observation years, 71% of applicants had at least one dental visit for any cause and 57% for preventive dental care. Incidence of dental visits was lower for persons with physical disability (IRR = 0.91; 95% CI = 0.85, 0.97, P = .003), psychiatric hospital stays (IRR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.68, 0.88, P < .001) and age over 54. Persons engaged in primary care (IRR = 1.26; 95% CI = 1.21, 1.31, P < .001) and outpatient mental health care (IRR = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.12, 1.21, P < .001) had greater incidence of dental visits.

Conclusions

Supportive housing was associated with greater dental service use. The positive association between primary care, mental health care and dental care suggests important points of entry for dental care. Oral health education and service referrals in supportive housing and primary care settings may improve oral health service delivery to persons experiencing social exclusion due to homelessness, mental illness and poor oral health.
Temporally Dense Exploration of Moving and Deforming Shapes
Authors: Frey S.
Published: October 2020

We present our approach for the dense visualization and temporal exploration of moving and deforming shapes from scientific experiments and simulations. Our image space representation is created by convolving a noise texture along shape contours (akin to LIC). Beyond indicating spatial structure via luminosity, we additionally use colour to depict time or classes of shapes via automatically customized maps. This representation summarizes temporal evolution, and provides the basis for interactive user navigation in the spatial and temporal domain in combination with traditional renderings. Our efficient implementation supports the quick and progressive generation of our representation in parallel as well as adaptive temporal splits to reduce overlap. We discuss and demonstrate the utility of our approach using 2D and 3D scalar fields from experiments and simulations.
Wildlife conservation strategies should incorporate both taxon identity and geographical context ‐ further evidence with bumblebees
Authors: Ghisbain Guillaume , Michez Denis , Marshall Leon , Rasmont Pierre , Dellicour Simon
Published: October 2020

Aim

Among the numerous anthropogenic pressures threatening biodiversity, habitat destruction and climate change are pointed to as dominant. In response, a number of mitigation strategies are elaborated to save endangered living organisms. However, the taxonomic level and geographical extent at which conservation strategies should be designed and implemented remain generally unclear. Here, we aim to assess and discuss the importance to apply conservation strategies at an appropriate taxonomic scale. For this purpose, we focus our analyses on bumblebees (genus Bombus), a group of critically important and endangered pollinators.

Location

West‐Palaearctic.

Methods

We use a species distribution modelling approach to investigate and compare climatic and habitat‐related variables associated with the distribution of West‐Palaearctic bumblebees. Our analyses are based on a data set gathering more than 125,000 unique observation points for 68 species.

Results

We highlight species‐specific associations with climatic and land cover variables, depicting the strong relevance of taxon‐specific mitigation strategies for the conservation of those key pollinators. We also identify that the occurrence probability of localized and widespread species is mostly predicted by specific land cover characteristics and climatic conditions, respectively. Finally, we report the general absence of phylogenetic signal associated with the relative importance of each environmental variable in species distribution models, underlining the difficulty to predict species‐specific environmental requirements based on evolutionary relationships.

Main conclusions

In the light of these results, we conclude that climate change and landscape destruction are not expected to drive the fate of all bumblebee species in a same direction, even for phylogenetically close lineages. We argue in favour of geographically and taxonomically adapted conservation strategies and discuss the limitations of untargeted action plans for species with different climatic/habitat requirements.
Intranasal insulin administration decreases cerebral blood flow in cortico‐limbic regions: A neuropharmacological imaging study in normal and overweight males
Authors: Wingrove Jed O. , O'Daly Owen , Forbes Ben , Swedrowska Magda , Amiel Stephanie A. , Zelaya Fernando O.
Published: October 2020

Aim

To assess and compare the effects of 160 IU intranasal insulin (IN‐INS) administration on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in healthy male individuals with normal weight and overweight phenotypes.

Methods

Thirty young male participants (mean age 25.9 years) were recruited and stratified into two cohorts based on body mass index: normal weight (18.5‐24.9 kg/m2) and overweight (25.0‐29.9 kg/m2). On separate mornings participants received 160 IU of IN‐INS using an intranasal protocol and intranasal placebo as part of a double‐blind crossover design. Thirty minutes following administration rCBF data were collected using a magnetic resonance imaging method called pseudocontinuous arterial spin labelling. Blood samples were collected to assess insulin sensitivity and changes over time in peripheral glucose, insulin and C‐peptide.

Results

Insulin sensitivity did not significantly differ between groups. Compared with placebo, IN‐INS administration reduced rCBF in parts of the hippocampus, insula, putamen, parahippocampal gyrus and fusiform gyrus in the overweight group. No effect was seen in the normal weight group. Insula rCBF was greater in the overweight group versus normal weight only under placebo conditions. Peripheral glucose and insulin levels were not affected by IN‐INS. C‐peptide levels in the normal weight group decreased significantly over time following IN‐INS administration but not placebo.

Conclusion

Insulin‐induced changes within key regions of the brain involved in gustation, memory and reward were observed in overweight healthy male individuals. Following placebo administration, differences in gustatory rCBF were observed between overweight and normal weight healthy individuals.
Cardiovascular events and mortality in people with type 2 diabetes and multimorbidity: A real‐world study of patients followed for up to 19 years
Authors: Coles Briana , Zaccardi Francesco , Hvid Christian , Davies Melanie J. , Khunti Kamlesh
Published: October 2020

Aim

To quantify the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and multimorbidity.

Methods

This retrospective study used English primary and secondary care data to identify 120 409 adults newly diagnosed with T2D during 2000–2018 with follow‐up until death or 31 December 2018. Patients were classified according to the level and type of multimorbidity at T2D diagnosis, and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were calculated for each outcome.

Results

In total, 66 977 (55.6%) patients had T2D only, 37 894 (31.5%) had one co‐morbidity, 11 357 (9.4%) had two co‐morbidities, 3186 (2.6%) patients had three co‐morbidities and 995 (0.8%) patients had four or more co‐morbidities. Co‐morbidities were associated with increased aHRs for all outcomes. Compared with patients with T2D only, at 19 years after diagnosis of T2D the aHR for four or more co‐morbidities was 2.57 (95% CI 2.45‐2.69) for a CVD event, 1.73 (1.68‐1.78) for all‐cause mortality and 2.68 (2.52–2.85) for cardiovascular mortality. Also, 100 183 (83.2%) patients had no CVD co‐morbidities, 16 874 (14.0%) patients had one CVD co‐morbidity and 3352 (2.8%) patients had two or more co‐morbidities. Compared with patients with no CVD co‐morbidities, at 19 years after diagnosis of T2D the aHR for two or more CVD co‐morbidities was 2.42 (2.35‐2.49) for a CVD event, 1.44 (1.42‐1.47) for all‐cause mortality and 2.44 (2.35‐2.54) for cardiovascular mortality.

Conclusion

In people with T2D, level of multimorbidity and, in particular, CVD multimorbidity increased the risk of subsequent CVD events, mortality and cardiovascular mortality.
Is routine measurement of the serum C‐reactive protein level helpful during antibiotic therapy for diabetic foot infection?
Authors: Pham Truong‐Thanh , Wetzel Oliver , Gariani Karim , Kressmann Benjamin , Jornayvaz François R. , Lipsky Benjamin A. , Uçkay İlker
Published: October 2020

Clinicians frequently monitor serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels during therapy for diabetic foot infections (DFIs), but evidence supporting this is unclear. Using a database from prospective controlled DFI trials, with fixed duration of antibiotic therapy, we correlated the CRP levels at study enrolment and at end of therapy (EOT). Among 159 DFI episodes, 93 involved the bone and 66 the soft tissues. Overall, treatment cured 122 infections (77%), while 37 episodes (23%) recurred after a median of 53 days. The median CRP in the groups with cure versus failure differed minimally at enrolment (median 67 vs. 81 mg/L) or EOT (7 vs. 10 mg/L). Similarly, there was negligible difference in the percentage of CRP levels that normalized at EOT (39% vs. 35%). In our prospective cohorts, a blunt iterative monitoring of CRP during DFI treatment, without correlation with clinical findings, failed to predict treatment failures.
A phase 3 randomized clinical trial using a once‐weekly glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist in adolescents and young adults with hypothalamic obesity
Authors: Roth Christian L. , Perez Francisco A. , Whitlock Kathryn B. , Elfers Clinton , Yanovski Jack A. , Shoemaker Ashley H. , Abuzzahab M. Jennifer
Published: October 2020

Aim

To evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of a glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist (GLP‐1 RA) in patients with hypothalamic obesity (HO).

Materials and Methods

A two‐arm, randomized, multicentre, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial was conducted in 10‐ to 25‐year‐olds with hypothalamic injury following intracranial tumour and HO. Participants were randomized to once‐weekly subcutaneous injections of a GLP‐1 RA exenatide 2 mg (ExQW) or placebo for 36 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was 36‐week % change in body mass index (BMI). Secondary outcomes included change in body composition (by dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry).

Results

Forty‐two participants were randomized to ExQW (n = 23) or placebo (n = 19). Participants were 5 ± 2 years (mean ± SD) postdiagnosis and development of HO (BMI 37.3 ± 7.1 kg/m2). In intention‐to‐treat analysis, the effect of 36‐week ExQW vs. placebo on % Δ BMI was not significant (estimated treatment difference −1.7 ± 1.8%, 95% CI −4.1 to 0.6%, P = .40); however, total body fat mass was reduced (estimated treatment difference −3.1 ± 1.4 kg, 95% CI −5.7 to −0.4 kg, P = .02). There was a significant reduction in waist circumference (estimated effect of treatment −3.5 [95% CI −5.5 to −1.6] cm, P = .004). All patients treated with placebo increased % of adipose tissue, while 50% treated with ExQW had reductions (P < .001). Mean HbA1c, glucose tolerance and serum lipids did not change significantly with therapy. ExQW was well tolerated. The most frequent adverse events were transient gastrointestinal disturbances (ExQW vs. placebo: nausea 6/23 vs. 3/18, vomiting 4/23 vs. 4/18 and diarrhoea 7/23 vs. 3/18).

Conclusions

GLP‐1 RAs are a promising and safe treatment to improve or stabilize HO in children and young adults.
Diverse and pivotal roles of neddylation in metabolism and immunity
Authors: Zou Tao , Zhang Jiyan
Published: October 2020

Neddylation is one type of protein post‐translational modification by conjugating a ubiquitin‐like protein neural precursor cell‐expressed developmentally downregulated protein 8 to substrate proteins via a cascade involving E1, E2, and E3 enzymes. The best‐characterized substrates of neddylation are cullins, essential components of cullin‐RING E3 ubiquitin–ligase complexes. The discovery of noncullin neddylation targets indicates that neddylation may have diverse biological functions. Indeed, neddylation has been implicated in various cellular processes including cell cycle progression, metabolism, immunity, and tumorigenesis. Here, we summarized the reported neddylation substrates and also discuss the functions of neddylation in the immune system and metabolism.
Thermographic approach for high cycle fatigue of seam welded steel joints under variable amplitude loadings
Authors: Pierron Quentin , Maitournam Habibou , Raoult Ida
Published: October 2020

In the automotive field, welded joints are the weak points of the steel parts of the chassis in terms of fatigue. The fatigue strength of arc‐welded parts is generally evaluated using fatigue tests under constant amplitude loadings designed according the Palmgren–Miner rule. In this paper, the relevance of this process is tested with an experimental campaign on welded specimens subjected to various variable amplitude loads. In addition, to solve the recurrent issue of lack of fatigue data, a thermographic method is investigated as an alternative for monitoring the damage rate evolution. A theoretical thermal model is proposed to estimate a local heat source from the infrared thermal measurements during constant and variable amplitude loading tests. This heat source is shown to be correlated with fatigue damage, which provides a further insight on the evolution of damage during nonconstant amplitude fatigue tests.
Influence of acoustics on the collective behaviour of a shoaling freshwater fish
Authors: Short Matt , White Paul R. , Leighton Timothy G. , Kemp Paul S.
Published: October 2020

Understanding how collective behaviour of animals is influenced by anthropogenic activity is important for their conservation in an increasingly urbanised world. River infrastructure, e.g. for transport and electricity generation, and associated construction and operation, produces sound that can disrupt ecological processes.

Adopting a reductionist manipulative experimental approach using Eurasian minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) as a model shoaling species, we compared the response of individuals and groups of five fish to a broadband acoustic stimulus in a tank containing still water.

Four metrics were calculated 10 min immediately before (control–sound stimulus absent) and during the acoustic treatment: (1) swimming speed, (2) persistence of swim paths, (3) cohesion of the group, and (4) orientation of group members.

On presentation of the stimulus, groups exhibited a consistent escape response compared to individuals for which behaviour was more variable. Thereafter, individuals swam faster and their swim paths were less persistent than during the control; no difference was observed for groups. Conversely, group integrity became more cohesive and members were more likely to orient in a common direction during the treatment compared to the control.

This study provides insight into the importance of collective behaviour of fish in relation to antipredator‐like response to anthropogenic noise. Short‐term shifts in behaviour are context specific and depend on whether fish are members of a shoal or solitary. The results indicate the potential for negative impacts of unnatural sound on the ecology of shoaling species that inhabit engineered freshwater environments.
Sub‐Permil Interlaboratory Consistency for Solution‐Based Boron Isotope Analyses on Marine Carbonates
Authors: Gutjahr Marcus , Bordier Louise , Douville Eric , Farmer Jesse , Foster Gavin L. , Hathorne Ed C. , Hönisch Bärbel , Lemarchand Damien , Louvat Pascale , McCulloch Malcolm , Noireaux Johanna , Pallavicini Nicola , Rae James W. B. , Rodushkin Ilia , Roux Philippe , Stewart Joseph A. , Thil François , You Chen‐Feng
Published: October 2020

Boron isotopes in marine carbonates are increasingly used to reconstruct seawater pH and atmospheric pCO2 through Earth’s history. While isotope ratio measurements from individual laboratories are often of high quality, it is important that records generated in different laboratories can equally be compared. Within this Boron Isotope Intercomparison Project (BIIP), we characterised the boron isotopic composition (commonly expressed in δ11B) of two marine carbonates: Geological Survey of Japan carbonate reference materials JCp‐1 (coral Porites) and JCt‐1 (giant clam Tridacna gigas). Our study has three foci: (a) to assess the extent to which oxidative pre‐treatment, aimed at removing organic material from carbonate, can influence the resulting δ11B; (b) to determine to what degree the chosen analytical approach may affect the resultant δ11B; and (c) to provide well‐constrained consensus δ11B values for JCp‐1 and JCt‐1. The resultant robust mean and associated robust standard deviation (s*) for un‐oxidised JCp‐1 is 24.36 ± 0.45‰ (2s*), compared with 24.25 ± 0.22‰ (2s*) for the same oxidised material. For un‐oxidised JCt‐1, respective compositions are 16.39 ± 0.60‰ (2s*; un‐oxidised) and 16.24 ± 0.38‰ (2s*; oxidised). The consistency between laboratories is generally better if carbonate powders were oxidatively cleaned prior to purification and measurement.
Total factor productivity of urban land use in China
Authors: Yang Kui , Zhong Taiyang , Zhang Yu , Wen Qi
Published: October 2020

Previous studies pay little attention to the role of technological progress in measuring urban land use efficiency, and ignore the interactions among total factor productivity, technological progress, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency in the process of urban land use. To narrow the gaps, this research uses the Malmquist index approach to measure and decompose urban land use total factor productivity and a panel vector autoregressive model (PVAR) to investigate the interactions among urban land use total factor productivity, technological progress, pure technical efficiency, and scale efficiency in China from 2003 to 2016. This study shows that the overall urban land use efficiency increased at an annual growth rate of 0.7% in China from 2003 to 2016 while the growth rate of urban land use efficiency has generally decreased, which is reflected by the total factor productivity of urban land use. The total factor productivity fluctuates between 0.952 and 1.083 with a downward trend in 2003–2016. Technological progress, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency all have positive effects on the improvement of urban land use efficiency, and there are differences in the order and degree of promotion. The improvement of scale efficiency is the most important measure to ensure the efficient use of urban land resources in the future.
The Health and Productivity Burden of Migraines in Australia
Authors: Tu Susan , Liew Danny , Ademi Zanfina , Owen Alice J. , Zomer Ella
Published: October 2020

Objective

This study aimed to quantify the health and productivity burden of migraines in Australia, measured by quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs), productivity‐adjusted life years (PALYs, a novel measure of productivity), and associated health‐care and broader economic costs.

Methods

A Markov state‐transition model was constructed to simulate follow‐up of Australians aged 20‐64 years over the next 10 years. The model was first run using current prevalence estimates of migraine. It was then rerun assuming that people with migraine hypothetically did not have the condition. Differences in outcomes between the 2 model simulations represented the health and productivity burden attributable to migraine. All data inputs were obtained from published sources. Gross domestic product (GDP) per equivalent full‐time worker in Australia was used to reflect the cost of each PALY (AU$177,092). Future costs and outcomes were discounted by 5% annually.

Results

Currently, 1,274,319 million (8.5%) Australians aged 20‐64 years have migraine. Over the next 10 years, migraine was predicted to lead to a loss of 2,577,783 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2,054,980 to 3,000,784) QALYs among this cohort (2.02 per person and 2.43% of total QALYs), and AU$1.67 (95% CI $1.16 to $2.37) billion in health‐care costs (AU$1313 per person, 95% CI $914 to $1862). There would also be 384,740 (95% CI 299,102 to 479,803) PALYs lost (0.30 per person and 0.53% of total PALYs), resulting in AU$68.13 (95% CI $44.42 to $98.25) billion of lost GDP (AU$53,467 per person, 95% CI $34,855 to $77,102).

Conclusion

Migraines impose a substantial health and economic burden on Australians of working age. Funding interventions that reduce the prevalence of migraines and/or its effects are likely to provide sound return on investment.
A meta‐analysis of the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Authors: Wang Bin , Yu Mingyang , Zhang Rongguang , Chen Shuaiyin , Xi Yuanlin , Duan Guangcai
Published: October 2020

Background

Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the reported researches have given conflicting results.

Aims

To investigate the association between H pylori infection and risk of atherosclerotic CVD.

Materials and Methods

The studies were retrieved in Embase, PubMed, Web of Science (published from Jan 1, 1990, to Jan 31, 2020, language restrictions: English). All studies included used data from case‐control studies and cohort studies of cardiovascular adverse events. Random effect models were used to measure pooled estimates. All data were analyzed with Stata 11.2 SE (StataCorp, College Station, TX).

Results

Helicobacter pylori infection increased the risk of adverse cardiovascular events by 51% (40 studies, n = 19 691, odd ratio [OR] = 1.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34‐1.70). The effect was greater for studies that the type of CVDs was myocardial infarction (MI) and cerebrovascular disease (MI OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.42‐2.26, cerebrovascular disease OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.27‐1.89). Meanwhile, CagA seropositive H pylori strains were associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events based on published research data (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.40‐2.14).

Conclusion

In conclusion, H pylori infection enhanced the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular adverse events, especially in some patients with MI and cerebrovascular disease. This study will provide guidance for the targeted prevention and treatment of CVDs. But this association need to be confirmed by more prospective studies.
Dendritic cell‐derived TGF‐β mediates the induction of mucosal regulatory T‐cell response to Helicobacter infection essential for maintenance of immune tolerance in mice
Authors: Owyang Stephanie Y. , Zhang Min , El‐Zaatari Mohamad , Eaton Kathryn A. , Bishu Shrinivas , Hou Guoqing , Grasberger Helmut , Kao John Y.
Published: October 2020

Background

Helicobacter pylori infection leads to regulatory T‐cell (Treg) induction in infected mice, which contributes to H. pylori immune escape. However, the mechanisms responsible for H. pylori induction of Treg and immune tolerance remain unclear. We hypothesized DC‐produced TGF‐β may be responsible for Treg induction and immune tolerance.

Materials and Methods

To test this hypothesis, we generated TGF‐β∆DC mice (CD11c+ DC‐specific TGF‐β deletion) and assessed the impact of DC‐specific TGF‐β deletion on DC function during Helicobacter infection in vitro and in vivo. To examine the T cell–independent DC function, we crossed TGF‐β∆DC mice onto Rag1KO background to generate TGF‐β∆DCxRag1KO mice.

Results

When stimulated with H. pylori, TGF‐β∆DC BMDC/splenocyte cocultures showed increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines and decreased levels of anti‐inflammatory cytokines compared to control, indicating a proinflammatory DC phenotype. Following 6 months of H. felis infection, TGF‐β∆DC mice developed more severe gastritis and a trend toward more metaplasia compared to TGF‐βfl/fl with increased levels of inflammatory Th1 cytokine mRNA and lower gastric H. felis colonization compared to infected TGF‐βfl/fl mice. In a T cell–deficient background using TGF‐β∆DCxRag1KO mice, H. felis colonization was significantly lower when DC‐derived TGF‐β was absent, revealing a direct, innate function of DC in controlling H. felis infection independent of Treg induction.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that DC‐derived TGF‐β mediates Helicobacter‐induced Treg response and attenuates the inflammatory Th1 response. We also demonstrated a previously unrecognized innate role of DC controlling Helicobacter colonization via a Treg‐independent mechanism. DC TGF‐β signaling may represent an important target in the management of H. pylori.
Effects of light‐emitting diode illumination on the quality of fresh‐cut cherry tomatoes during refrigerated storage
Authors: Kong Dehui , Zhao Wenting , Ma Yue , Liang Hao , Zhao Xiaoyan
Published: October 2020

The effects of light‐emitting diode (LED) illumination on the quality of fresh‐cut cherry tomatoes were investigated. Tomatoes were exposed continuously to red, green, blue and white LED light for 7 days and control samples stored in darkness. Results showed that blue light treatment significantly led to more total soluble solids, lycopene concentration and individual phenolic compounds (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin) after 7 days of storage. On day‐5, green and blue light‐treated tomatoes showed relatively higher firmness than samples treated by other lights and the control. At the early stage of storage, blue light could preserve the fresh flavour of tomatoes compared to other treatments. Overall, the blue light was most effective in the quality preservation of fresh‐cut cherry tomatoes and could be used as a novel strategy in the preservation of fresh‐cut fruits and vegetables during shelf life.
Water stress and warming impact nutrient use efficiency of Mombasa grass (Megathyrsus maximus) in tropical conditions
Authors: Olivera Viciedo Dilier , de Mello Prado Renato , Martinez Carlos A. , Habermann Eduardo , Branco Roberto Botelho Ferraz , de Cássia Piccolo Marisa , Calero Hurtado Alexander , Peña Calzada Kolima , Lata Tenesaca Luis F.
Published: October 2020

Temperature and other abiotic factors, such water and nutrient availability, play an important role for plants in response to the changing environments. At this regard, both warming and drought might affect the nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and growth ofMegathyrsus maximusa C4 forage grass of high interest for cattle feeding. However, the nutrient requirements of this species under climate change are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the individual and combined effects of two levels of temperature: ambient and elevated temperature (2°C above ambient temperature), and two levels of soil water availability: irrigated plants and non‐irrigated plants on accumulation of leaf nutrients, NUE and biomass production ofM. maximus. Temperature control was performed by a temperature free‐air‐controlled enhancement (T‐FACE) system under field conditions. In general, we observed that warming under well‐irrigated conditions increased the leaf accumulation of most nutrients, improving the NUE of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn and Zn. Plant growth was also enhanced under warming effects, with higher leaf dry mass accumulation and root development. Meanwhile, drought decreased NUE of K, Ca, B and leaf dry biomass, while root growth was stimulated. The combined effects of warming and drought on nutrient accumulation, NUE and plant growth tended to be greater than the individual effects expected from a single factor; thus, warming mitigated the negative impacts of individual drought. In summary, our findings suggest that warming and drought, both as individual and combined factors, will change the nutrient requirements ofM. maximusin tropical ecosystems.
Periodontal infrabony defects: Systematic review of healing by defect morphology following regenerative surgery
Authors: Nibali Luigi , Sultan Duaa , Arena Claudia , Pelekos George , Lin Guo‐Hao , Tonetti Maurizio
Published: October 2020

Background

It is thought that infrabony defect morphology affects the outcome of periodontal regenerative surgery. However, this has not been systematically investigated.

Aims

To investigate how well defect morphology is described in papers reporting regenerative therapy of periodontal infrabony defects and to investigate its effect on clinical and radiographic outcomes.

Materials and Methods

A search was conducted in 3 electronic databases for publications reporting clinical and radiographic outcomes of periodontal intra‐bony defects after regenerative therapy, divided by defect morphology.

Results

The initial search resulted in 4487 papers, reduced to 143 after first and second screening. Fifteen of these publications were suitable for a fixed‐effects meta‐analysis. Initial defect depth was found to influence radiographic bone gain 12 months post‐surgery, while narrower angles and increased number of walls influenced both radiographic bone gain and clinical attachment level (CAL) gain at 12 months. These associations seemed to occur irrespective of biomaterials used. Risk of bias ranged from low to high.

Conclusion

Deeper defects with narrower angles and increased number of walls exhibit improved CAL and radiographic bone gain at 12 months post‐regenerative surgery. More data are needed about other aspects of defect morphology such as extension to buccal/lingual surfaces.
Cannabis: An Emerging Treatment for Common Symptoms in Older Adults
Authors: Yang Kevin H. , Kaufmann Christopher N. , Nafsu Reva , Lifset Ella T. , Nguyen Khai , Sexton Michelle , Han Benjamin H. , Kim Arum , Moore Alison A.
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Use of cannabis is increasing in a variety of populations in the United States; however, few investigations about how and for what reasons cannabis is used in older populations exist.

DESIGN

Anonymous survey.

SETTING

Geriatrics clinic.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 568 adults 65 years and older.

INTERVENTION

Not applicable.

MEASUREMENTS

Survey assessing characteristics of cannabis use.

RESULTS

Approximately 15% (N = 83) of survey responders reported using cannabis within the past 3 years. Half (53%) reported using cannabis regularly on a daily or weekly basis, and reported using cannabidiol‐only products (46%). The majority (78%) used cannabis for medical purposes only, with the most common targeted conditions/symptoms being pain/arthritis (73%), sleep disturbance (29%), anxiety (24%), and depression (17%). Just over three‐quarters reported cannabis “somewhat” or “extremely” helpful in managing one of these conditions, with few adverse effects. Just over half obtained cannabis via a dispensary, and lotions (35%), tinctures (35%), and smoking (30%) were the most common administration forms. Most indicated family members (94%) knew about their cannabis use, about half reported their friends knew, and 41% reported their healthcare provider knowing. Sixty‐one percent used cannabis for the first time as older adults (aged ≥61 years), and these users overall engaged in less risky use patterns (e.g., more likely to use for medical purposes, less likely to consume via smoking).

CONCLUSION

Most older adults in the sample initiated cannabis use after the age of 60 years and used it primarily for medical purposes to treat pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and/or depression. Cannabis use by older adults is likely to increase due to medical need, favorable legalization, and attitudes.
Association Between Exposure to General Versus Regional Anesthesia and Risk of Dementia in Older Adults
Authors: Velkers Clive , Berger Miles , Gill Sudeep S. , Eckenhoff Roderic , Stuart Heather , Whitehead Marlo , Austin Peter C. , Rochon Paula A. , Seitz Dallas
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Cognitive changes are commonly observed in older adults following surgical procedures. There are concerns that exposure to general anesthesia (GA) may contribute to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Our study examined the associations between exposure to GA compared with regional anesthesia (RA) administered for elective surgical procedures and the development of dementia.

DESIGN

Population‐based propensity matched retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Linked administrative databases were accessed from ICES (formerly called the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Services) in Ontario, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

We included all community‐dwelling individuals aged 66 and older who underwent one of five elective surgical procedures in Ontario, Canada, between April 1, 2007, and March 31, 2011. Individuals with evidence of dementia preceding cohort entry were excluded. Individuals who received GA were matched within surgical procedures to those who received RA on age, sex, cohort entry year, and a propensity score to control for potential confounders.

MEASUREMENTS

The baseline characteristics of the study sample were compared before and after matching. Individuals were followed for up to 5 years following cohort entry for the occurrence of dementia using a validated algorithm. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to determine the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between anesthetic type and dementia. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were undertaken.

RESULTS

A total of 7,499 matched pairs were included in the final analysis. Overall, no difference was observed in the risk of being diagnosed with dementia for individuals who received GA when compared with RA (HR = 1.0; 95% CI = .8–1.2). There was also no association between anesthesia and dementia in most subgroup and sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSION

Elective surgery using GA was not associated with an overall elevated risk of dementia when compared with RA. Future studies are required to determine whether surgery is a risk factor for dementia irrespective of anesthetic technique.
Sex differences in the neurochemistry of frontal cortex: Impact of early life stress
Authors: Perry Christina J. , Campbell Erin J. , Drummond Katherine D. , Lum Jeremy S. , Kim Jee Hyun
Published: October 2020

Traumatic events during early life have been linked with later life psychopathology. To understand this risk factor, researchers have studied the effects of prenatal and postnatal early life stress on neurochemical changes. Here we review the rodent literature on sex differences and sex‐specific impact of early life stress on frontal cortex neurochemistry. This region is implicated in regulating motivation and emotion, which are often disrupted in psychological disorders. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) in particular is one of the last brain regions to develop, and there are sex differences in the rate of this development. To draw direct comparisons between sexes, our review of the literature was restricted to studies where the effects of prenatal or postnatal stress had been described in male and female littermates. This literature included research describing glutamate, γ‐amino butyric acid (GABA), corticosteroids, monoamines, and cannabinoids. We found that sex‐dependent effects of stress are mediated by the age at which stress is experienced, age at test, and type of stress endured. More research is required, particularly into the effects of adolescent stress on male and female littermates. We hope that a greater understanding of sex‐specific susceptibilities in response to stress across development will help to uncover risk factors for psychological disorders in vulnerable populations.

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Alzheimer’s protection effect of A673T mutation may be driven by lower Aβ oligomer binding affinity
Authors: Limegrover Colleen S. , LeVine Harry , Izzo Nicholas J. , Yurko Raymond , Mozzoni Kelsie , Rehak Courtney , Sadlek Kelsey , Safferstein Hank , Catalano Susan M.
Published: October 2020

Several mutations conferring protection against Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been described, none as profound as the A673T mutation, where carriers are four times less likely to get AD compared to noncarriers. This mutation results in reduced amyloid beta (Aβ) protein production in vitro and lower lifetime Aβ concentration in carriers. Better understanding of the protective mechanisms of the mutation may provide important insights into AD pathophysiology and identify productive therapeutic intervention strategies for disease modification. Aβ(1‐42) protein forms oligomers that bind saturably to a single receptor site on neuronal synapses, initiating the downstream toxicities observed in AD. Decreased formation, toxicity, or stability of soluble Aβ oligomers, or reduction of synaptic binding of these oligomers, may combine with overall lower Aβ concentration to underlie A673T’s disease protecting mechanism. To investigate these possibilities, we compared the formation rate of soluble oligomers made from Icelandic A673T mutant and wild type (wt) Aβ(1‐42) synthetic protein, the amount and intensity of oligomer bound to mature primary rat hippocampal/cortical neuronal synapses, and the potency of bound oligomers to impact trafficking rate in neurons in vitro using a physiologically relevant oligomer preparation method. At equal protein concentrations, mutant protein forms approximately 50% or fewer oligomers of high molecular weight (>50 kDa) compared to wt protein. Mutant oligomers are twice as potent at altering the cellular vesicle trafficking rate as wt at equivalent concentrations, however, mutant oligomers have a >4‐fold lower binding affinity to synaptic receptors (Kd = 1,950 vs. 442 nM). The net effect of these differences is a lower overall toxicity at a given concentration. This study demonstrates for the first time that mutant A673T Aβ oligomers prepared with this method have fundamentally different assembly characteristics and biological impact from wt protein and indicates that its disease protecting mechanism may result primarily from the mutant protein's much lower binding affinity to synaptic receptors. This suggests that therapeutics that effectively reduce oligomer binding to synapses in the brain may be beneficial in AD.

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Contextualizing the Sharing Economy
Authors: Bai Guo , Velamuri S. Ramakrishna
Published: October 2020

The Sharing Economy (SE) has demonstrated unprecedented capability in large‐scale mobilization of dispersed and underutilized private assets for collective usage. We argue that the SE represents a unique governance structure with dual nature of two‐sided market platform and modular architecture. Although the emergence of the SE is enabled by the rise of digital applications and changes in consumption attitudes, the effectiveness of this governance structure is not uniform across contexts. We analyse the roles of disparate actors in the SE and the relationships among them, in order to identify the contexts under which the SE is most likely to be the effective governance structure compared with traditional governance structures such as markets and firms, and new governance structures such as other platform economies and collaborative ecosystems. Two comparison frameworks are developed to illustrate the contextual factors that determine the effectiveness of the SE vis‐à‐vis other governance structures.
Impact of Menthol on Growth and Photosynthetic Function of Breviolum Minutum (Dinoflagellata, Dinophyceae, Symbiodiniaceae) and Interactions with its Aiptasia Host
Authors: Clowez Sophie , Renicke Christian , Pringle John R. , Grossman Arthur R.
Published: October 2020

Environmental change, including global warming and chemical pollution, can compromise cnidarian‐(e.g., coral‐) dinoflagellate symbioses and cause coral bleaching. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate these symbioses will inform strategies for sustaining healthy coral–reef communities. A model system for corals is the symbiosis between the sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida (common name Aiptasia) and its dinoflagellate partners (family Symbiodiniaceae). To complement existing studies of the interactions between these organisms, we examined the impact of menthol, a reagent often used to render cnidarians aposymbiotic, on the dinoflagellate Breviolum minutum, both in culture and in hospite. In both environments, the growth and photosynthesis of this alga were compromised at either 100 or 300 µM menthol. We observed reduction in PSII and PSI functions, the abundances of reaction‐center proteins, and, at 300 µM menthol, of total cellular proteins. Interestingly, for free‐living algae exposed to 100 µM menthol, an initial decline in growth, photosynthetic activities, pigmentation, and protein abundances reversed after 5–15 d, eventually approaching control levels. This behavior was observed in cells maintained in continuous light, but not in cells experiencing a light–dark regimen, suggesting that B. minutum can detoxify menthol or acclimate and repair damaged photosynthetic complexes in a light‐ and/or energy‐dependent manner. Extended exposures of cultured algae to 300 µM menthol ultimately resulted in algal death. Most symbiotic anemones were also unable to survive this menthol concentration for 30 d. Additionally, cells impaired for photosynthesis by pre‐treatment with 300 µM menthol exhibited reduced efficiency in re‐populating the anemone host.
Retrospective evaluation of the safety and tolerability of pimobendan in cats with obstructive vs nonobstructive cardiomyopathy
Authors: Ward Jessica L. , Kussin Efrem Z. , Tropf Melissa A. , Tou Sandra P. , DeFrancesco Teresa C. , Keene Bruce W.
Published: October 2020

Background

Pimobendan is frequently used off‐label for treatments of cats with congestive heart failure (CHF). Concern exists regarding the safety of pimobendan in cats with outflow tract obstruction (OTO).

Objectives

In cats treated with pimobendan, incidence of adverse effects will not differ between cats with OTO vs cats with nonobstructive cardiomyopathy.

Animals

Two‐hundred sixty cats with CHF (57 with OTO, 203 with nonobstructive disease).

Methods

Retrospective medical record review. Groups were compared using 2‐samplet‐tests, Wilcoxon rank‐sum tests, and Fisher exact tests.

Results

Compared to cats with nonobstructive cardiomyopathy, cats with OTO were younger (8.9 [interquartile range (IQR) 6.6] vs 10.8 [6.3] years,P= .0036), more likely to have a heart murmur (51/57 [90%] vs 76/203 [37.8%] cats,P< .0001), more likely to manifest CHF as pulmonary edema (53/57 [83%] vs 144/203 [70.9%] cats,P= .0004), and less likely to have pleural effusion (19/57 [33%] vs 122/203 [60.1%] cats,P= .0005). Adverse effects suspected to be related to pimobendan administration occurred in 12/260 cats (4.6%), including 11/203 cats (5.4%) with nonobstructive cardiomyopathy and 1/57 cat (2%) with OTO (P= .7). Pimobendan was discontinued due to adverse effects in 4/260 cats (1.5%), 3 with nonobstructive disease and 1 with OTO (P= 1.0). Acute adverse hemodynamic effects after pimobendan administration were not detected in any cats.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Pimobendan is well tolerated in cats with cardiomyopathy and CHF, regardless of the presence of OTO.