bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling study of coffee extraction at different temperature and grind size conditions to better understand the cold and hot brewing process
Authors: Wang Xiuju , Lim Loong‐Tak
Published: May 2021

In this study, the extraction kinetics, based on total dissolved solid (TDS), at different temperatures (4, 23, 50, and 93°C) for different grind sizes (VMD = 139, 643, 1,450, 1,747 μm) were investigated. Coffee extraction proceeded in initial fast extraction stage followed by a significantly slower extraction stage, which correspond to the extraction from surfaces of broken cells and the extraction from intact coffee cells, respectively. Diffusion inside the coffee particle is a very slow process, so breaking the cells is a very efficient way to increase the mass transfer rate. In addition, the ultimate extraction yield increased with increasing brewing temperature and decreasing of particle size. The Weibull distribution, pseudo‐first order and pseudo‐second order model were fitted to the kinetics data, with high coefficients of determination (0.687–0.998), and low root mean square error (0.02–0.26%). Meanwhile, exponential equations were created to correlate the derived rate constants (1/α, k1, and k2) with brewing temperature and particle size to achieve the prediction of brewing extent (TDSt/TDSeqm) at different temperature‐particle size combinations.

Practical applications

This study investigated the kinetics of coffee extraction at different grind size and temperature conditions with the purposes to better understanding the cold and hot coffee brewing process, as well as to predict the coffee extraction. The findings in this study will have practical applications in three folds:

Help manufacturers of coffee brew products (ready to drink or concentrate) to better design and control their coffee extraction process.

Aid manufacturers of coffee extraction equipment and coffee brewers to improve their products

Provide reference information for coffee store, barista, coffee enthusiast, and consumers to brewing a better cup of coffee
Modeling of adsorption isotherm of freeze‐dried mahaleb powder using artificial neural network and calculation of thermodynamic sorption properties
Authors: Turker Izzet , Isleroglu Hilal
Published: May 2021

In this study, adsorption isotherms of freeze‐dried mahaleb powder were obtained using gravimetric method at four different temperatures (5, 25, 35, and 60°C). Experimental adsorption data were modeled using empirical models and artificial neural network. The GAB model gave the best fit among the empirical models with high R2 (0.9908–0.9982) and low P% (4.71–8.40%) values. However, artificial neural network (ANN) model having 10 hidden neurons optimized using Lavenberg‐Marquardth training algorithm was superior to the empirical models with the highest R2 (0.9965–0.9999) and lowest P% (0.74–8.52%) values. The ANN model explained the adsorption behavior of mahaleb powder ideally at all temperatures. In addition to the adsorption kinetics of mahaleb powder, thermodynamic properties such as isosteric heat of sorption, differential entropy and Gibbs free energy were also determined. Isosteric heat of sorption values were high when moisture contents of the powders were low. Also, differential entropy values followed the same trend which indicated that the adsorption process was driven by enthalpy. Gibbs free energy at the isokinetic temperature of 458.48 K was determined as −306.7 J/mol. Gibbs free energy values were below zero at all different temperatures. The results showed that ANN model can be suitable for predictive control systems in the food industry and the data obtained for thermodynamic properties can be useful for the storage of mahaleb powder in industrial scale.

Practical Applications

An intelligent model, which is artificial neural network was used for modeling of adsorption behavior of freeze‐dried mahaleb powder and it predicted the adsorption data better than empirical models. Thermodynamic properties which are mostly important for the prediction of energy consumption of a process were also determined. The data of the freeze‐dried mahaleb powder can be significant for the food industry in terms of prediction of shelf‐life and energy requirements.
SETD8 involved in the progression of inflammatory bowel disease via epigenetically regulating p62 expression
Authors: Chen Ping , Zhu Hua , Mao Yujuan , Zhuo Mingxing , Yu Yali , Chen Min , Zhao Qiu , Li Lianyun , Wu Min , Ye Mei
Published: May 2021

Background and Aim

Epigenetic modification is an important part of the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Some studies proved that p62 was involved in inflammatory response and upregulated in IBD patients, and histone modification plays an important role in regulating p62 expression. SETD8, a histone H4K20 methyltransferase, has been reported downregulated in some inflammatory diseases. Here, we investigated the role of SETD8 in the development of IBD and its underlying mechanisms.

Methods

An inflammatory cell model was established to elucidate whether SETD8 involved in inflammatory response in macrophages. Three percent dextran sodium sulfate‐induced colitis murine model injection with SETD8 inhibitor was used in our study to investigate whether SETD8 inhibition can affect the progress of IBD. The expression of SETD8 and p62 was measured by qRT‐PCR and western blot. The mRNA level of inflammatory cytokines was analyzed by qRT‐PCR. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation‐PCR was performed to identify the mechanism by which SETD8 regulates p62.

Results

SETD8 expression obviously decreased in vitro, in vivo models and in IBD patients. In lipopolysaccharide‐activated RAW264.7 cells, knockdown of SETD8 significantly increased the mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase‐2, TNF‐α, IL‐6, IL‐1β, and MCP‐1. Based on the dataset, we verified that p62 was a target gene of SETD8 and chromatin immunoprecipitation‐PCR assay identified that silence of SETD8 distinctly decreases the H4K20me1 enrichment in the promoter of p62. Moreover, silencing of p62 partly reverses the SETD8 inhibition‐mediated pro‐inflammatory effect in vitro. Finally, SETD8 pharmacological inhibitor (UNC0379) aggravated the disease progression in dextran sodium sulfate‐induced murine colitis.

Conclusion

Our findings elucidate an epigenetic mechanism by which SETD8 regulates the p62 expression and restrains the inflammatory response in colitis. Our result suggests that targeting SETD8 may be a promising therapy for IBD.
A narrative review of updates in deprescribing research
Authors: Zimmerman Kristin M. , Linsky Amy M.
Published: May 2021

Background/Objectives

Deprescribing is a strategy intended to reduce harms associated with potentially inappropriate medications. Reflective of the growing interest in deprescribing, there has been an increase in related research to better understand the landscape, opportunities for improvement, how best to develop and implement interventions, and remaining knowledge gaps that can be addressed with additional study.

Design

We conducted a narrative review of recent deprescribing literature.

Setting

As part of the US Deprescribing Network's inaugural conference in October 2020, we presented a narrative review of recent deprescribing literature to an audience with a range of clinical and research expertise.

Participants

We searched four databases for English‐language articles published between January 1, 2019 and August 31, 2020.

Measurements

We evaluated titles, abstracts, and full‐length manuscripts for relevance, novelty, rigor and variety of methods; we also aimed for broad representation of authors, institutions, and nations.

Results

The initial search returned 199 citations, from which we reviewed 18 full‐length manuscripts, selecting 10 articles to present. Salient themes included missed opportunities to deprescribe in potentially eligible patients, with variable impact of medication‐ and patient‐level factors, along with differing perspectives and behaviors between geriatricians, internists, and cardiologists. Clinical, financial, and economic drivers were also evaluated. Finally, attention was given to issues applicable to deprescribing research, including difficulty recruiting trial participants, perspectives of investigators, and integration of findings into clinical practice.

Conclusion

This narrative review summarizes key advances in the field while also identifying priority areas for additional research.
Trends in COVID‐19 death rates by racial composition of nursing homes
Authors: Gilman Matlin , Bassett Mary T.
Published: May 2021

See related letter by Gilman et al.
The use of statistical modelling to identify important parameters for the shape of the torso following surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Authors: Gardner Adrian , Berryman Fiona , Pynsent Paul
Published: May 2021

The surgical strategy in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) aims to recreate the symmetry of the torso. This requires the minimisation of both the size of the scoliosis and the angulation between the sides of the torso, along with the recreation of a normal thoracic kyphosis. This study uses predictive modelling to identify the significance of the value of the pre‐operative parameters, and the change in the magnitude of the parameters as a result of an operation on the shape of the torso using the ‘most prominent points’; two areas of maximum prominence on either side of the spine with x, y and z coordinates. The pre‐operative values, and the change in magnitude between the pre and post‐operative values, for scoliosis, kyphosis and skin angulation from a group of Lenke 1 convex to the right AIS were analysed with measures collected using Integrated Spine Imaging System 2 surface topography and compared with those without visible spinal deformity. The models best explained the z coordinate and least well explained the x coordinate, although there was a contribution to all of the models that remained unexplained. The parameters that affected the position of the coordinates in the model differed between the models. This confirms that surgically altering the shape of the spine and torso whilst correcting an AIS does not lead to a symmetrical torso. There are as yet, undefined factors which contribute to the shape of the torso and which if identified and corrected surgically would lead to greater symmetry post‐operatively.
A comparative study of breed differences in the anatomical configuration of the equine vertebral column
Authors: Spoormakers Tijn Jan Pieter , Veraa Stefanie , Graat Elisabeth Anna Maria , van Weeren Paul René , Brommer Harold
Published: May 2021

The importance of the equine thoracolumbar vertebral column in orthopaedic disorders is well recognized and diagnostic imaging becomes more feasible, but little is known about variations in the anatomical configuration within breeds. In this descriptive post‐mortem study, anatomical variations in three widely differing breeds: Warmblood horses, Shetland ponies and semi‐feral Konik horses are described. The caudal cervical (C), thoracic (T), lumbar (L) and sacral (S) regions of the vertebral column of 30 Warmblood horses, 29 Shetland ponies and 18 Konik horses were examined using computed tomography and visualized by volume rendering. Homologous/morphologic variations in the caudal cervical area were frequently seen in Warmblood horses (43%), which was significantly more than in the other breeds (p < 0.001). The as standard described equine formula of 18 T, 6 L and 5 S vertebrae was seen in 78% of Konik horses, but only in 53% Warmblood horses and 38% Shetland ponies, which was significantly different (p < 0.05). Overall, Shetland ponies showed a higher tendency of thoracoization, lumbarization and more variations in the number of vertebrae and pairs of ribs. Ankylosed intertransverse joints (ITJs) between transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae were most common between the second last and last lumbar vertebra and prevalence was significantly higher in Shetland ponies (61%), than in Warmblood horses (38%) and Konik horses (7%) (p < 0.0001). Cranial to the second last lumbar vertebra there were fewer ITJs ankylosed (14%) in Warmblood horses (p < 0.0095), and this decrease in number of ankylosed ITJs was different compared to the change in ankylosed ITJs in Shetland ponies (p < 0.005). ITJs occurred asymmetrically in 15% (12/77) of the cases. A limitation of the study was that clinical data of the horses were only incompletely available, precluding any conclusions about the potential clinical implications of anatomical variations. Knowledge of variation in osseous anatomy of the equine thoracolumbar vertebral column is important for the interpretation of diagnostic imaging. To assess the functional importance and clinical relevance of this variation, follow‐up studies are necessary.
A practice‐based model to guide nursing science and improve the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers
Authors: Chesak Sherry S. , Rhudy Lori M. , Tofthagen Cindy , Chlan Linda L.
Published: May 2021

Aims and Objectives

The purpose of this paper is to describe a model to guide nursing science in a clinical practice‐based setting. Exemplars are provided to highlight the application of this nursing research model, which can be applied to other clinical settings that aim to fill evidence gaps in the literature.

Background

Nurse scientists are well positioned to develop new knowledge aimed at identifying global health solutions to multiple disparities. The generation and application of this knowledge are essential to inform and guide professional nursing practice. While a number of evidence‐based practice models exist to guide the integration of literature findings and other sources of evidence into practice, there is a need for additional models that serve as a guide and focus for the conduct of research in distinct scientific areas in practice‐based settings.

Design

Model development and description.

Methods

Mayo Clinic is a large, comprehensive healthcare system with a mission to address unmet patient needs through practice, research and education. PhD‐prepared nurse scientists engage in practice‐based research as an integral component of Mayo Clinic's mission. A practice‐based nursing research model was developed with the intent to advance nursing research in a clinical setting.

Results

The components of the Mayo Clinic Nursing Research model include symptom science, self‐management science and caregiving science. The generation of nursing science is focused on addressing needs of patients with complex health conditions, inclusive of caregivers.

Conclusions

While clinical settings provide rich opportunities for the conduct of research, priorities need to be established in which to focus scientific endeavours. The Mayo Clinic Nursing Research model may be applicable to nurses around the globe who are engaged in the generation of knowledge to guide practice.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

The Mayo Clinic Nursing Research model can be used by nurse scientists embedded in healthcare settings to address clinically relevant questions, advance the generation of new nursing knowledge and ultimately improve the health and well‐being of patients and caregivers.
Disreputable Spaniards Versus Middle‐Class Limeños: The Coloniality of Speech in Lima, Peru
Authors: Arispe‐Bazán Diego
Published: May 2021

At the height of the Spanish economic crisis that began in 2008, tens of thousands of Spanish migrants and Peruvian return migrants moved to Peru following openings in an unprecedentedly promising Peruvian job market. Tensions ensued; colonial history came to be more actively discussed by locals as the number of Spanish businesses increased. This article shows that extant notions of “local” and “foreign” emerge from sets of complex characterological figures defined by sign‐clusters that index “Peruvianness” and “Spaniardness,” developed to uphold middle‐class speech practices as quintessentially Peruvian. Three features are explored: excessive volume, the presence of the phoneme /θ/ in speech, and the perceived excessive use of expletives. Enregistering these features as “foreign,” middle class, nonmigrant Limeños sought to match their actualized upward mobility within the space of the city to the world stage, but in doing so, they ironically repurposed colonial forms of respectability to criticize the behaviors of Spanish migrants and return migrants who they found to be tainted by Spaniardness. This case demonstrates that while the specific colonial aspirational horizon (i.e., directly copying the metropole) may be gone, its ethos remains moored to nationalized ideologies of propriety, respectability, and class distinction.
The Experiences of Carers of Adults With Intellectual Disabilities During the First COVID‐19 Lockdown Period
Authors: Patel Varsha , Perez‐Olivas Gisela , Kroese Biza Stenfert , Rogers Gemma , Rose John , Murphy Glynis , Cooper Vivien , Langdon Peter E , Hiles Steve , Clifford Clair , Willner Paul
Published: May 2021

Background

The recent COVID‐19 pandemic led to widespread international restrictions, severely impacting on health and social care services. For many individuals with an intellectual disability (ID) this meant reduced access to services and support for them and their carers.

Aim

The aim of this study was to gain insight into the ways parents of adults with ID coped during the first 2020 lockdown period.

Methods

Eight parents of adults with ID were interviewed. The recordings of these interviews were subjected to a thematic analysis.

Results

Four main themes were identified: powerless and unappreciated; coping under lockdown; support; and the impact of lockdown on well‐being.

Conclusions

The parents of adults with ID who made up our sample reported that they received little support from services and experienced a sense of powerlessness. Nevertheless, they were open to accepting support from family and friends and showed remarkable resilience. These findings are discussed in the light of the Willner et al. (2020) survey results on parental mental health and coping, and suggestions for future service provision during pandemic conditions are proposed.
The accuracy and precision of insulin administration using human and veterinary pen‐injectors and syringes for administration of insulin
Authors: Malerba Eleonora , Fracassi Federico , Del Baldo Francesca , Golinelli Stefania , Ceccherini Martina , Barbarossa Andrea
Published: May 2021

Background

Many diabetic dogs and cats require small doses of insulin that must be administered accurately.

Objectives

To compare the accuracy and precision of insulin syringes and pen‐injectors.

Animals

None.

Methods

To determine how accurately and precisely insulin doses are delivered, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 U doses were dispensed 25 times from 5 SoloSTARs, 5 FlexPens, 5 KwikPens, 5 JuniorSTARs, 5 VetPens 0.5‐8 U, 5 VetPens 1‐16 U, and by 5 veterinarians using 30 U/0.3 mL and 40 U/mL insulin syringes. Each dose was weighed, using a precision balance, and the intended and delivered doses were compared.

Results

All pen‐injectors delivered less insulin than the intended dose, underdosage being inversely proportional to insulin dose. The differences between the intended and the delivered dose were not significant using JuniorSTAR and VetPen 0.5‐8 U at insulin doses of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 U, using the 30 U/0.3 mL insulin syringe at the 4 U dose and using the 40 U/mL insulin syringe at the 4, 8, and 16 U doses. With all the devices, precision increased with increasing doses of insulin. The coefficient of variation was <8% for all 6 pen‐injectors. Conversely, using 30 U/0.3 mL and 40 U/mL syringes at an insulin dosage of 0.5 U the coefficients of variation were 12.08% and 9.39%, respectively.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

JuniorSTAR and VetPen 0.5‐8 U were more accurate than the other devices when delivering ≤2 U doses, while the delivery of 8 and 16 U doses was more accurate using 40 U/mL syringes.
Is plant reproductive efficiency expressed on a continuum of facilitation and competition?
Authors: Al‐Namazi Ali , Fazlioglu Fatih , Bonser Stephen Patrick
Published: May 2021

Questions

Competition and facilitation form a continuum of interactions between plants from intensely negative to intensely positive. Competition has long been understood to be a major selective force driving the expression of adaptive strategies in plants. However, we remain uncertain if facilitation plays a similar role. In previous studies, the relative allocation to reproduction across plant species increases with increasing competition intensity, and this observation is generally consistent with life history theory (rather than traditional plant strategy theory). However, is facilitation also an important force in shaping adaptive strategies in plants?

Methods

We surveyed the literature for plant facilitation studies that included measures of plant performance (e.g. vegetative biomass, height) and reproduction (e.g. reproductive biomass, seed number). We tested for a relationship between relative reproductive efficiency (the allocation to reproduction in the presence of neighbours relative to the allocation of reproduction in the absence of neighbours), and facilitation interaction intensity (i.e. the increase in plant performance due to the presence of neighbours). We also compared this relationship to the previously published relationship between reproductive efficiency and competition intensity to test for a continuum of strategies on an axis of plant–plant interactions from intensely positive (facilitation) to intensely negative (competition).

Results

The overall relationship between facilitation intensity and the relative reproductive efficiency is a common negative relationship for both annual and perennial life histories. We found a highly significant negative relationship across the competition–facilitation continuum, with reproductive efficiency in the presence of neighbouring vegetation high under intense competition and low under intense facilitation.

Conclusion

Plant reproductive strategies are expressed on a continuum of interactions from facilitation to competition. This continuum of interactions will be important in understanding how interactions between plants drive the evolution of adaptive strategies and control coexistence and diversity in plant communities.
How to become innovative: The trajectory of social assistance programs in Brazil
Authors: do Vale Helder Ferreira
Published: May 2021

This article proposes a theoretical framework to analyze conditional cash transfer programs, as the result of a process of social policy innovation in Brazil. The analysis reveals a traceable process of innovation behind the creation of two of these programs, Bolsa Família and Bolsa Verde. By focusing on the main drivers in the emergence of Brazilian cash transfer programs, the article analyzes the innovations in their evolution and shows that these programs are part of sequential policy learning. By exploring the drivers, actors, and phases of social policy innovation in Brazil, the article contributes to the literature on cash transfer programs by theorizing on how these social assistance programs innovate, endure, and expand over time. Furthermore, Brazil's trajectory of social assistance development dissected in this article reveals Bolsa Família and Bolsa Verde as outcomes of institutional dynamics that attempted to foster social investment and to reduce risks of poverty. In terms of specific contributions, the article identifies and delves into the configuration of multilevel network supporting cash transfer programs and the sequential phases of the development of these programs in Brazil that reveal a policy learning mechanism.
Inhibiting xCT/SLC7A11 induces ferroptosis of myofibroblastic hepatic stellate cells but exacerbates chronic liver injury
Authors: Du Kuo , Oh Seh Hoon , Dutta Rajesh K. , Sun Tianai , Yang Wen‐Hsuan , Chi Jen‐Tsan , Diehl Anna Mae
Published: May 2021

Background & Aims

The outcome of liver injury is dictated by factors that control the accumulation of myofibroblastic (activated) hepatic stellate cells (MF‐HSCs) but therapies that specifically block this process have not been discovered. We evaluated the hypothesis that MF‐HSCs and liver fibrosis could be safely reduced by inhibiting the cysteine/glutamate antiporter xCT.

Methods

xCT activity was disrupted in both HSC lines and primary mouse HSCs to determine its effect on HSC biology. For comparison, xCT expression and function were also determined in primary mouse hepatocytes. Finally, the roles of xCT were assessed in mouse models of liver fibrosis.

Results

We found that xCT mRNA levels were almost a log‐fold higher in primary mouse HSCs than in primary mouse hepatocytes. Further, primary mouse HSCs dramatically induced xCT as they became MF, and inhibiting xCT blocked GSH synthesis, reduced growth and fibrogenic gene expression and triggered HSC ferroptosis. Doses of xCT inhibitors that induced massive ferroptosis in HSCs had no effect on hepatocyte viability in vitro, and xCT inhibitors reduced liver fibrosis without worsening liver injury in mice with acute liver injury. However, TGFβ treatment up‐regulated xCT and triggered ferroptosis in cultured primary mouse hepatocytes. During chronic liver injury, xCT inhibitors exacerbated injury, impaired regeneration and failed to improve fibrosis, confirming that HSCs and hepatocytes deploy similar mechanisms to survive chronic oxidative stress.

Conclusions

Inhibiting xCT can suppress myofibroblastic activity and induce ferroptosis of MF‐HSCs. However, targeting xCT inhibition to MF‐HSCs will be necessary to exploit ferroptosis as an anti‐fibrotic strategy.
The Pleistocene species pump past its prime: Evidence from European butterfly sister species
Authors: Ebdon Sam , Laetsch Dominik R. , Dapporto Leonardo , Hayward Alexander , Ritchie Michael G. , Dincӑ Vlad , Vila Roger , Lohse Konrad
Published: May 2021

The Pleistocene glacial cycles had a profound impact on the ranges and genetic make‐up of organisms. While it is clear that the contact zones that have been described for many sister taxa are secondary and have formed in the current interglacial, it is unclear when the taxa involved began to diverge. Previous estimates based on small numbers of loci are unreliable given the stochasticity of genetic drift and the contrasting effects of incomplete lineage sorting and gene flow on gene divergence. Here, we use genome‐wide transcriptome data to estimate divergence for 18 sister species pairs of European butterflies showing either sympatric or contact zone distributions. We find that in most cases, species divergence predates the mid‐Pleistocene transition or even the entire Pleistocene period. We also show that although post‐divergence gene flow is restricted to contact zone pairs, they are not systematically younger than sympatric pairs. This suggests that contact zones are not limited to the initial stages of the speciation process, but can involve notably old taxa. Finally, we show that mitochondrial divergence and nuclear divergence are only weakly correlated and mitochondrial divergence is higher for contact zone pairs.
Changing workplace‐based education norms through ‘collaborative intentionality’
Authors: Morris Marie , Eppich Walter J.
Published: May 2021

Morris and Eppich heed the call to action regarding interprofessional boundary crossing by offering 4 strategies that embed the notion of ‘collaborative intentionality’ into HPE through formal and informal means.
Nurse‐led counseling for coronary artery disease patients: A 1‐year follow‐up study
Authors: Nurmeksela Anu , Pihlainen Vuokko , Kettunen Tarja , Laukkanen Jari , Peltokoski Jaana
Published: May 2021

Nurse‐led counseling and systematic follow‐up have been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk factor levels. The study aims were to investigate if cardiovascular risk factor levels could be reduced in patients with coronary artery disease with a nurse‐led intervention and to report patients' evaluations of nurse‐led counseling. The study design was a real‐life longitudinal follow‐up counseling intervention. Data were collected from November 2017 to May 2020. The nurse‐led intervention and patients’ follow‐up time was 1 year. Of the 78 patients recruited, 74 completed the study. The most significant findings were in the levels of total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides at every follow‐up visit compared to their baseline levels and that waist circumference decreased during the 1‐year follow‐up. Patients assessed the quality of nurse‐led counseling to be very good, though it decreased slightly during follow‐up. The results suggest the integrated care path and specialized and primary care for coronary artery disease patients need further development. More research is needed on how to strengthen patients’ self‐management and what kind of counseling would best promote it.
Cardiac autonomic regulation and joint hypermobility in adolescents with functional abdominal pain disorders
Authors: Kolacz Jacek , Kovacic Katja , Lewis Gregory F. , Sood Manu R. , Aziz Qasim , Roath Olivia R. , Porges Stephen W.
Published: May 2021

Background

Joint hypermobility (JH) is associated with autonomic nervous system dysregulation and functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs). Understanding the neurophysiological processes linking these conditions can inform clinical interventions. Autonomic activity regulates gastrointestinal (GI) sensorimotor function and may be a key mechanism. The aims of this study were to examine the relation of JH with dynamic autonomic activity and parasympathetic regulation in adolescents with FAPDs and identify optimal JH cutoff scores that best index autonomic regulation in FAPDs.

Methods

A total of 92 adolescents with FAPDs and 27 healthy controls (age 8–18 years; 80% female) were prospectively enrolled. JH was assessed by Beighton scores. ECG recordings were conducted during supine, sitting, and standing posture challenges. ECG‐derived variables—heart period (HP), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and vagal efficiency (VE)—were analyzed using linear regression and mixed effects modeling.

Key Results

Beighton scores of ≥4 optimally distinguished autonomic function. Adolescents with FAPD and JH had reduced VE compared to adolescents with FAPDs without JH (B = 18.88, SE = 6.25, p = 0.003) and healthy controls (B = 17.56, SE = 8.63, p = 0.044). These subjects also had lower and less dynamic RSA and HP values during posture shifts, with strongest differences in supine position and using the VE metric.

Conclusions & Inferences

Suboptimal autonomic regulation indexed by reduced vagal efficiency may be a mechanism of symptoms in hypermobile FAPD patients with Beighton score ≥ 4. Autonomic disturbance may serve as potential intervention target for patients with JH and functional GI disorders.
Behavioral therapy is superior to follow‐up without intervention in patients with supragastric belching—A randomized study
Authors: Punkkinen Jari , Nyyssönen Meri , Walamies Markku , Roine Risto , Sintonen Harri , Koskenpato Jari , Haakana Riikka , Arkkila Perttu
Published: May 2021

Background

Behavioral therapy (BT) has been proven effective in the treatment of supragastric belching (SGB) in open studies. The aim was to compare BT to follow‐up without intervention in patients with SGB in a randomized study.

Methods

Forty‐two patients were randomized to receive 5 sessions of BT, comprising diaphragmatic breathing exercises, or to follow‐up without intervention. Patients were evaluated at 6 months, at which point the control group was also offered BT and evaluated after another 6 months. The frequency and intensity of belching and mental well‐being were evaluated with a visual analog scale (VAS). Depression, anxiety, and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) were evaluated with four questionnaires: BDI, BAI, 15D, and RAND‐36.

Key results

The frequency and intensity of SGB were significantly lower in the therapy group (n = 19) than in the control group (n = 18) at the 6‐month control (p < 0.001). When all patients (n = 36) were evaluated 6 months after BT, in addition to relief in the frequency and intensity of belching (p < 0.001), mental well‐being had also improved (p < 0.05). Of all 36 patients, 27(75%) responded to BT. Depression scores were lower after therapy (p < 0.05). Only minor changes occurred in anxiety and HRQoL.

Conclusions and Inferences

Behavioral therapy is superior to follow‐up without intervention in patients with SGB in reducing belching and depression; it also improves mental well‐being but has only a modest effect on anxiety and HRQoL.
Raman spectroscopy reveals high phloem sugar content in leaves of canopy red oak trees
Authors: Gersony Jess T. , McClelland Arthur , Holbrook N. Michele
Published: May 2021

A robust understanding of phloem functioning in tall trees evades us because current methods for collecting phloem sap do not lend themselves to measuring actively photosynthesizing canopy leaves.

We show that Raman spectroscopy can be used as a quantitative tool to assess sucrose concentration in leaf samples. Specifically, we found that Raman spectroscopy can predict physiologically relevant sucrose concentrations (adjusted R2 of 0.9) in frozen leaf extract spiked with sucrose.

We then apply this method to estimate sieve element sucrose concentration in rapidly frozen petioles of canopy red oak (Quercus rubra) trees and found that sucrose concentrations are > 1100 mM at midday and midnight. This concentration is predicted to generate a sieve element turgor pressure high enough to generate bulk flow through the phloem, but is potentially too high to allow for sucrose diffusion from photosynthetic cells.

Our findings support the Münch hypothesis for phloem transport once the carbon is in the phloem and challenge the passive‐loading hypothesis for carbon movement into the phloem for red oak. This study provides the first ˜in‐situ (frozen in the functioning state) source sieve element sucrose concentration characterization in any plant, opening a new avenue for investigation of phloem functioning.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccines: A concise review
Authors: Samaranayake Lakshman Perera , Seneviratne Chaminda Jayampath , Fakhruddin Kausar Sadia
Published: May 2021

The development of a successful vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), the agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), in an unmatched period of ten months, is a tribute to human ingenuity in the face of a vicious pandemic. A return to pre‐pandemic “normalcy” depends on the successful delivery of the vaccine to a majority (~70%) so as to develop herd immunity critical to arrest the community spread of infection. Vaccination against COVID‐19 is particularly important for dentistry as the dental team works in an environment replete with aerosol‐generating procedures (AGP) that facilitate virus spread. Hence, a COVID‐19 vaccine is likely to be an obligatory requirement for the dental practice, and the latest addition to the extensive list of vaccines required for dental professionals for the safe delivery of dental care. Here, we review the currently available major candidate vaccines against SARS‐CoV‐2 and their benefits and risks. These include the vaccines developed on next‐generation platforms (mRNA, DNA, and viral vector vaccines), and the classic platforms (the live‐attenuated virus, and the protein subunit vaccines) The review concludes with a summary of impending issues and challenges facing the provision of COVID‐19 vaccines for all stakeholders in dentistry.
One‐year results of the Variation of Orthokeratology Lens Treatment Zone (VOLTZ) Study: a prospective randomised clinical trial
Authors: Guo Biyue , Cheung Sin Wan , Kojima Randy , Cho Pauline
Published: May 2021

Purpose

To present the 1‐year results of the Variation of Orthokeratology Lens Treatment Zone (VOLTZ) Study, which aims to investigate the myopia control effect of orthokeratology (ortho‐k) lenses with different back optic zone diameters (BOZD).

Method

Children, aged 6 to <11 years, having myopia −4.00 D to −0.75 D, were randomly assigned to wear ortho‐k lenses with 6 mm (6‐MM group) or 5 mm (5‐MM group) BOZD. Data collection included changes in refraction, vision, lens performance and binding, ocular health conditions, axial length and characteristics of the treatment zone (TZ) area.

Results

The 1‐year results of 34 and 36 subjects (right eye only) in the 6‐MM and 5‐MM groups, respectively, are presented. No significant differences in baseline demographics were found between the groups (p > 0.05). The first‐fit success rates, based on satisfactory centration at the 1‐month visit, were 100% and 94% respectively. Horizontal TZ size was 0.92 mm and 0.72 mm smaller in the 5‐MM group at the 6‐month and 12‐month visits, respectively (p < 0.05). At the 12‐month visit, no significant between‐group differences were found in the incidence of corneal staining (low grade only), lens binding and visual performance (all p > 0.05). Axial elongation was slower in the 5‐MM group (0.04 ± 0.15 mm) than the 6‐MM group (0.17 ± 0.13 mm) (p = 0.001). A significant positive correlation was observed between the horizontal TZ size and axial elongation (r = 0.36, p = 0.006).

Conclusion

Clinical performance of the two ortho‐k lenses was similar, indicating that a smaller BOZD (5 mm) did not affect lens performance or ocular integrity. However, a smaller BOZD led to a reduced TZ, with retardation of axial elongation by 0.13 mm compared to conventional 6 mm BOZD ortho‐k lenses after one year of lens wear.
Long‐term analgesic effects of peripheral nerve block in patients with central post‐stroke pain: A retrospective series
Authors: Choi Yoon‐Hee , Kim Dong Hyun , Paik Nam‐Jong , Park Jihong
Published: May 2021

Background

Central post‐stroke pain (CPSP) has a detrimental effect on the quality of life of post‐stroke patients. However, no definitive and effective method has been established yet for the treatment of CPSP.

Objective

We aimed to examine the applicability of single‐injection peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs) for the treatment of CPSP.

Subjects

In this retrospective study, we included 22 patients (mean age = 56.3 years; 13 men and 9 women) diagnosed with CPSP who visited an outpatient rehabilitation clinic in Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between December 2018 and April 2020.

Methods

The patients underwent ultrasound‐guided single‐injection PNB (lidocaine + epinephrine [1: 200,000]) according to the primary site of pain. The level of pain (measured using a numeric rating scale) was recorded before and after the PNB, and the occurrence of adverse events were also measured. The primary outcome of this study was the amount of pain reduction after PNB. Secondary outcome measures obtained 1 month after the PNB included the pain reduction rate 1 month after the PNB, the patient‐reported satisfaction and effectiveness regarding the PNB, intention for re‐injection, and the patients’ willingness to recommend this procedure to others.

Results

The mean pain reduction after PNB was 3.3 ± 2.8. PNB was associated with pain reduction that persisted for greater than 1 month in 68% (15/22) of the patients. Thirteen of 22 patients reported a pain reduction of 50% or more. The mean pain reduction rate was 43.6%. Of the 22 patients, 13 were willing to undergo a second round of treatment with PNB. Nine of them underwent the procedure. No adverse events were observed in this study.

Conclusions

Our study provides preliminary data suggesting that PNB could be an effective and feasible method to treat CPSP.
Effects of the new fasting standard on sedation in the pediatric emergency room
Authors: Hara Yutaro , Hagiwara Yusuke , Inoue Nobuaki
Published: May 2021

Background

This study compared adherence to the fasting‐time guidelines of the International Committee for the Advancement of Procedural Sedation (ICAPS) and the North American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and complication rates in pediatric patients requiring procedure sedation and analgesia during treatment in the emergency room (ER).

Methods

This retrospective, single‐center study was performed between 2016 and 2020, and enrolled patients who received procedural sedation and analgesia in the ER with the fasting times recommended in the ICAPS and ASA guidelines.

Results

In total, 857 patients were included. The most frequent indication for procedural sedation and analgesia was fracture reduction in 420 patients (49.0%). Ketamine, the most commonly administered drug, was given to 710 patients (82.8%). Adherence to the ICAPS guidelines was higher (P < 0.01), with 772 (95.7%) and 351 (41.0%) patients, respectively, adhering to the ICAPS and ASA recommendations for food and drink fasting times. Complications occurred in 130 patients (15.2%), including SpO2 <90% in 75 patients (8.7%) and vomiting in 20 patients (2.3%). No serious complications, such as aspiration, cardiac arrest, or death, occurred. The complication rate between the two groups did not differ significantly, with 50 (14.2%) and 127 (15.5%) patients experiencing complications according to the ICAPS and ASA guidelines, respectively (P = 0.586).

Conclusions

The fasting recommendations of the ICAPS guidelines, which propose risk stratification to determine the appropriate fasting time for procedural sedation and analgesia, are more tolerable to patients and the rate of adverse events did not appear to be different from that experienced when following the ASA guidelines.
Serum sodium level is inversely correlated with body temperature in children
Authors: Matsumura Hideki , Ashida Akira , Shirasu Akihiko , Okasora Keisuke , Nakakura Hyogo , Hattori Motoshi
Published: May 2021

Background

Several studies have demonstrated that non‐osmotic antidiuretic hormone activity contributes to the development of hyponatremia in children with common febrile diseases. However, the relationship between hyponatremia and body temperature has remained unclear. We therefore examined this relationship in children with common diseases.

Methods

In this retrospective case study based on a chart review, 1,973 children presenting with acute illnesses at Hirakata City Hospital between November 2008 and October 2009, and for whom blood test data were available, were enrolled. The median age of this cohort was 2.7 years and the mean serum sodium concentration was 136.4 mEq/L; 454 patients showed hyponatremia (<135 mEq/L). The patients were classified into four groups on the basis of body temperature, <37 °C, 37 °C (37.0–37.9 °C), 38 °C (38.0–38.9 °C) and ≥39 °C, and their serum sodium concentration was compared.

Results

The mean sodium level was significantly lower in febrile (135.9 mEq/L) than in non‐febrile (138.5 mEq/L) patients. The mean serum sodium levels in the four temperature groups were, in ascending order, 138.5 mEq/L (95% CI, 138.3–138.8 mEq/L), 137.3 mEq/L (137.1–137.5 mEq/L), 136.1 mEq/L (135.8–136.3 mEq/L) and 134.6 mEq/L (134.4–134.9 mEq/L), respectively. The serum sodium level in each individual temperature range became significantly lower as body temperature increased (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

There is a clear inverse correlation between serum sodium level and body temperature in children with common febrile diseases, and fever may play an important role in this relationship.
Rationality and Risk: Experimental Evidence from Côte d'Ivoire
Authors: Doces John A. , M. Wolaver Amy
Published: May 2021

Do the cognitive biases established in WEIRD populations also exist in other populations? We test the implications of dual‐process theory by varying experimental scenarios between those hypothesized to produce different levels of emotional response within a developing‐country context. We hypothesize that respondents in an African setting will exhibit rational responses to questions about disease and corruption as these are relatively normalized parts of life, but they may be subject to framing biases under emotionally provocative events like terrorist events. In a series of field experiments conducted in Côte d'Ivoire, we find that respondents exhibit responses that are consistent with the expectations of the rational‐choice model. However, when evaluating a question about terrorism, responses deviate from rationality and do so most significantly in Grand Bassam where a major attack occurred, consistent with the predictions of the availability heuristic.
Motivating R&D team creativity: the social cognitive effect of external developmental feedback and internal goal interdependence
Authors: Geng Zizhen , Wang Yanfen , Xue Jinjie , Tang Huili , Liu Hongtao
Published: May 2021

The relationship between external communication and R&D team creativity has received increasing attention in the R&D management literature. However, little is known about the motivational mechanism between the two. We propose a second‐stage moderation model based on social cognitive theory to explain whether, how and when R&D team’s external developmental feedback motivates its creativity. Using the data gathered from 452 R&D team members and 84 supervisors in a time‐lagged field study, we found external developmental feedback had a positive effect on R&D team creativity via increasing team creative efficacy. Further, conditional indirect effect analyses found that a high level of cooperative goal interdependence strengthened the positive effect of team creative efficacy on R&D team creativity and the mediating effect of team creative efficacy between external developmental feedback and R&D team creativity.
Issue Framing and U.S. State Energy and Climate Policy Choice
Authors: Jett Janel , Raymond Leigh
Published: May 2021

Experimental and case study research has highlighted the importance of issue framing to the adoption of state renewable energy and climate change policies. Yet this relationship has not been tested within broader models of state policy adoption. We fill this gap by exploring the relationship between issue‐framing patterns and climate/renewable energy policy activity across the 50 U.S. states, controlling for other well‐known determinants of state environmental policy choice. Our results confirm that framing patterns for these issues vary markedly between states and regions and that a higher proportion of frames highlighting the economic benefits of climate change and renewable energy policies is positively associated with state policy activity. These results further confirm the importance of new issue frames related to economic benefits in subnational climate and renewable energy politics.
What is Europe? The Meaning of Europe in Different Social Contexts in Switzerland*
Authors: Datler Georg , Rössel Jörg , Schroedter Julia H.
Published: May 2021

Previous literature on European identification has often taken for granted what respondents understand by this term. The present article addresses this issue, and on the basis of a recent study in Switzerland seeks to identify the meanings that individuals associate with the concept of Europe. Furthermore, it examines how these meanings relate to their identification with Europe. It also explores the potential covariates of these various conceptions of Europe – particularly transnational experiences and networks. Our analyses identify six dimensions of the meaning of Europe, each of which is differently related to identification with Europe. Although EU citizens and non‐EU citizens in different types of (bi‐national) relationships assigned similar meanings to Europe overall, they differed with respect to the importance they accorded each of these meanings. Individuals who tend to benefit from the EU, i.e. EU citizens and persons with a higher level of education, attribute more positive meanings to Europe.