bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Involvement of SIRT3‐GSK3β deacetylation pathway in the effects of maternal diabetes on oocyte meiosis
Authors: Xin Yongan , Jin Yifei , Ge Juan , Huang Zhenyue , Han Longsen , Li Congyang , Wang Danni , Zhu Shuai , Wang Qiang
Published: October 2020

Objectives

It has been widely reported that maternal diabetes impairs oocyte quality. However, the responsible mechanisms remain to be explored. In the present study, we focused on whether SIRT3‐GSK3β pathway mediates the meiotic defects in oocytes from diabetic mice.

Materials and methods

GSK3β functions in mouse oocyte meiosis were first detected by targeted siRNA knockdown. Spindle assembly and chromosome alignment were visualized by immunostaining and analysed under the confocal microscope. PCR‐based site mutation of specific GSK3β lysine residues was used to confirm which lysine residues function in oocyte meiosis. siRNA knockdown coupled with cRNA overexpression was performed to detect SIRT3‐GSK3β pathway functions in oocyte meiosis. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect ROS levels. T1DM mouse models were induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin.

Results

In the present study, we found that specific depletion of GSK3β disrupts maturational progression and meiotic apparatus in mouse oocytes. By constructing site‐specific mutants, we further revealed that acetylation state of lysine (K) 15 on GSK3β is essential for spindle assembly and chromosome alignment during oocyte meiosis. Moreover, non–acetylation‐mimetic mutant GSK3β‐K15R is capable of partly preventing the spindle/chromosome anomalies in oocytes with SIRT3 knockdown. A significant reduction in SIRT3 protein was detected in oocytes from diabetic mice. Of note, forced expression of GSK3β‐K15R ameliorates maternal diabetes‐associated meiotic defects in mouse oocytes, with no evident effects on oxidative stress.

Conclusion

Our data identify GSK3β as a cytoskeletal regulator that is required for the assembly of meiotic apparatus, and discover a beneficial effect of SIRT3‐dependent GSK3β deacetylation on oocyte quality from diabetic mice.
Hyaluronate supports hESC‐cardiomyocyte cell therapy for cardiac regeneration after acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Tan Yuanqing , Wang Lei , Chen Gang , Liu Wenjing , Li Zhongwen , Wang Yukai , Wang Liu , Li Wei , Wu Jun , Hao Jie
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Enormous progress has been made in cardiac regeneration using human embryonic stem cell‐derived cardiomyocyte (hESC‐CM) grafts in pre‐clinical trials. However, the rate of cell survival has remained very low due to anoikis after transplantation into the heart as single cells. Numerous solutions have been proposed to improve cell survival, and one of these strategies is to co‐transplant biocompatible materials or hydrogels with the hESC‐CMs.

Methods

In our study, we screened various combinations of biomaterials that could promote anoikis resistance and improve hESC‐CM survival upon co‐transplantation and promote cardiac functional recovery. We injected different combinations of Matrigel, alginate and hyaluronate with hESC‐CM suspensions into the myocardium of rat models with myocardial infarction (MI).

Results

Our results showed that the group treated with a combination of hyaluronate and hESC‐CMs had the lowest arrhythmia rates when stimulated with programmed electrical stimulation. While all three combinations of hydrogel‐hESC‐CM treatments improved rat cardiac function compared with the saline control group, the combination with hyaluronate most significantly reduced pathological changes from left ventricular remodelling and improved both left ventricular function and left ventricular ejection fraction by 28 days post‐infarction.

Conclusion

Hence, we concluded that hyaluronate‐hESC‐CM is a superior combination therapy for promoting cardiac regeneration after myocardial infarction.
Qualitative analysis of helpful and unhelpful aspects of social relationships among young adults with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Gray Avia L. , Campbell MaryJane S. , Berg Cynthia A. , Wiebe Deborah J.
Published: October 2020

Aims

Young adulthood is a high‐risk time for type 1 diabetes management when individuals are managing diabetes within changing social contexts and new social relationships. This qualitative study examined helpful and unhelpful aspects of social relationships in the daily lives of young adults with type 1 diabetes.

Methods

Semi‐structured qualitative interviews with 29 young adults with type 1 diabetes (ages 22–24, mean = 23 years; 55% female) explored: (a) who in the past week was present when diabetes management occurred; (b) what others did that was helpful or unhelpful for diabetes management; (c) what made helpful and unhelpful aspects of social relationships more or less likely; and (d) what young adults disclosed to others about diabetes.

Results

Romantic partners and parents were commonly present and helpful in giving reminders and offering instrumental support, but the presence of trusted individuals was also helpful to management. Co‐workers and friends were present during episodes of diabetes management but were often unhelpful, especially when lacking knowledge about participants’ diabetes or its management. Participants also discussed conflicting and spontaneous changes in schedules were unhelpful to management. Disclosing diabetes to others and planning for social context barriers were described as strategies to facilitate helpful and reduce unhelpful aspects of social relationships.

Conclusions

Young adults face social barriers to management if they are unable to utilize their relationships effectively. Interventions to promote disclosure to trusted others and planning to avoid social context‐related barriers to diabetes management may facilitate more effective self‐management at this high‐risk time of development.
Africa’s “youth employment” crisis is actually a “missing jobs” crisis
Authors: Sumberg James , Fox Louise , Flynn Justin , Mader Philip , Oosterom Marjoke
Published: October 2020

Motivation

The Sustainable Development Goals target decent work for all, including youth, by 2030. In sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), however, a “youth employment crisis” is now central to public and policy discourse. Consequently, the idea of “investing in youth” grows in importance, leading to a proliferation of interventions targeted to and specific to youth.

Purpose

This article interrogates the framing of the problem as a “youth employment” crisis.

Approach and Methods

The article brings together evidence from a range of sources and disciplines, indicates where the evidence supports the current policy orthodoxy and where it does not, and maps out an alternative framing. Five pillars of the dominant narrative about youth employment are identified: demography, violence and civil unrest, training and skills, rural economy and urban economy. Three critical dimensions of Africa’s broader employment crisis are highlighted: economic risk, stability and protection.

Findings

The dominant narrative about Africa’s youth employment crisis foregrounds young people themselves, and strongly suggests that the crisis is all (and often only) about them. Little about the employment crisis, however, is youth‐specific. The “it’s all about the youth” framing ignores that young people are caught up in a broader “missing jobs crisis” that reflects fundamental structural constraints within African economies. In other words, the problem is with the economy, not the young people.

Policy implications

The emphasis on youth‐specific targeting and youth‐specific interventions is largely misplaced. Instead of initiatives that only or specifically target youth, priority should be given to broader structural issues which have the potential to deliver better and larger results, for both young people and others. Reframing the problem from a youth employment crisis to a missing jobs crisis is a necessary first step. We provide a counter‐narrative to support this shift.
Evaluating a citizen security pilot in Honduras: The economic benefits of a much reduced murder rate
Authors: Cuesta Jose , Alda Erik
Published: October 2020

Motivation

During the 2010s Honduras reported some of the highest rates of violent urban crime anywhere in the world. Before the 2010s, the government tried to control crime using heavy policing and sentencing (la mano dura), but with little apparent effect on alarming and rising rates of urban crime. This led to a switch to working with communities to make urban spaces safer, to change attitudes among young people vulnerable to perpetrating and suffering violent crime, and to encouraging secondary school students to remain in school.

Purpose

The article assesses the success of the 2013–2019 pilot,Ciudades Seguras(Safe Cities), in three large municipalities. The project aimed at integrating crime prevention, social investment and municipal capacity building across the national and subnational administrations.

Approaches and methods

The project was designed with no regard to impact evaluation, without an adequate baseline, without controls. Hence, we develop a simple ex‐post cost–benefit analysis (CBA) that updates an ex‐ante CBA. Our approach has two advantages: (1) it provides rigorous estimates of the project’s impacts from assessing counterfactuals, data, and plausible individual and social benefits; and (2) it helps assess the quality of the original ex‐ante CBA estimates.

Findings

Reliable data on project impact is incomplete. Two findings, however, are striking. In the three cities, homicides fell dramatically from more than 850 per annum to below 500, against a projection of rates rising to 900 per annum. The other is that, contrary to programme plans, school dropout rates actually increased. The value of fewer murders outweighed disappointments on school retention. The benefit–cost ratio is estimated to be 1.75, higher than the ex‐ante estimate of the project. The value of the pilot remains unchanged when we include calculations from incomplete and/or unreliable data on sexual violence, injuries, thefts, and school dropout.

Policy Implications

Two conclusions can be drawn from this article. First, thatCiudades Segurasachieved great success in reducing murder rates, showing how working with communities to make cities safer and changing attitudes and expectations can work, when heavier policing does not. Second, that it is possible to assess the economic benefits derived from such programmes, even when adequate measures for subsequent evaluation were not included in the design of the pilot. [Correction added on 20 May 2021, after initial online publication: Abstract section has been updated in this version.]
Hypoplasia of the posterior mitral valve leaflet: Don’t forget to look beyond the mitral valve
Authors: Gabaldón‐Pérez Ana , Marcos‐Garcés Víctor , Muñoz Gil Jaime , Chorro Gascó Francisco Javier , Santas Enrique
Published: October 2020

Hypoplasia of the posterior mitral valve leaflet (PMVL) is a very rare finding in adulthood and can coexist with other congenital heart defects. In this image, a transesophageal echocardiography (TOE) carried out on a 59‐year‐old woman with a 2‐month history of dyspnea revealed a hypoplastic PMVL causing severe mitral regurgitation associated with a secundum‐type atrial septal defect (ASD) with left‐to‐right shunting. This case demonstrates how essential 3‐dimensional TOE is for a comprehensive assessment of the mitral valve and to improve the diagnostic accuracy of concomitant congenital heart abnormalities.
Seasonal changes in cuticular hydrocarbons in response to polyphenism in the host‐alternating aphid Prociphilus oriens
Authors: Tong Xin , Takata Yusuke , Akimoto Shin‐ichi
Published: October 2020

In most terrestrial arthropods, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) function to assist in desiccation tolerance and chemical communications. However, few studies have clarified whether CHC profiles change among developmental stages or among different morphs in non‐social insects. In the present study, we evaluated how CHC profiles change in accordance with polyphenism in the host‐alternating aphid Prociphilus oriens, which exhibits a complex life cycle and five distinct morphs. These morphs are sexual or asexual and adapt to different host plants. We found that all generations of P. oriens shared high proportions of n‐alkanes, but its composition varied among morphs. Three morphs that are attended by ants were characterized by relatively high proportions of n‐C25 to n‐C27, whereas two morphs that are not attended by ants had higher proportions of longer‐chain n‐alkanes, such as n‐C27 and n‐C29. The CHC profiles of sexual females were largely different from those of males. Considering that sexual females of Prociphilus spp. lack organs that secrete sex pheromones (scent plaques), the CHCs of sexual females are likely to function as a sex attractant. High proportions of methyl‐branched alkanes were detected in the long and flocculent waxy substances of autumnal migrants. These methyl‐branched alkanes are considered a cue to recognize conspecifics. We concluded that the functions and components of CHCs differ among morphs, and that those of sexual females differ from those of males and asexual generations because of their function in sexual communication.
MRGPRX2 sensing of cationic compounds—A bridge between nociception and skin diseases?
Authors: Corbière Auriane , Loste Alexia , Gaudenzio Nicolas
Published: October 2020

Mast cells are innate immune cells located at many barrier sites in the body and known to protect the host against environmental threats and to be involved in allergic diseases. More recently, new studies have investigated their roles in the regulation of skin inflammation and transmission of pain and itch sensations. Mast cell signalling through the Mas‐related G protein‐coupled receptor (MRGPR) X2 or its mouse orthologue MRGPRB2 has been reported to be one of the major mechanism by which mast cell can regulate such processes. MRGPRX2 and MRGPRB2 can induce mast cell degranulation upon binding to a broad panel of cationic molecules such as neuropeptides, bacteria‐derived quorum sensing molecules, venom peptides, host defense peptides and, unfortunately, various FDA‐approved drugs. Upon activation, mast cells release granule‐associated proteases, lipids and multiple cytokines that can modulate vascular permeability, immune cells recruitment and activation status of tissue‐projecting nociceptive sensory neurons (ie nociceptors). Here, we discuss the modality of MRGPRX2‐dependent mast cell activation and its different consequences on the patterns of skin inflammation and associated diseases. We notably emphasize how MRGPRX2‐dependent skin mast cell activation might trigger various pathological traits such as pruritus, pain and inflammation and therefore become a potential therapeutic target for inflammatory pain, itch, atopic dermatitis and drugs‐induced injection site reactions.
Dihydroartemisinin inhibits the expression of von Willebrand factor by downregulation of transcription factor ERG in endothelial cells
Authors: Dong Fengyun , Zhao Xinghai , Wang Jianning , Huang Xin , Li Xiao , Zhang Liang , Dong Haixin , Liu Fuhong , Fan Mengge
Published: October 2020

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi‐synthetic derivative of artemisinin, has effective antitumor and anti‐inflammatory actions. von Willebrand factor (vWF), a large multifunctional glycoprotein, has a prominent function in hemostasis and is a key factor in thrombus formation. In addition, vWF has been regarded as a prospective biomarker for the diagnosis of endothelial dysfunction. In our experiment, we observed that 25 μM DHA specifically downregulated the expression of vWF mRNA and protein in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Further investigations demonstrated that this DHA‐decreased vWF expression was mediated by the transcription factor ERG and not GATA3. Luciferase activity assay confirmed that DHA regulated the ERG binding with the −56 ETS‐binding motif on the human vWF promoter. Thus, the −56 ETS motif on the vWF promoter region regulates the expression of vWF gene which is induced by DHA. Taken together, we proved that DHA decreased the vWF transcription through the downregulation of ERG in HUVECs. As vWF plays a key role in vascular homeostasis, our findings suggest a new role of DHA in vascular diseases.
Production trends and technical efficiencies of culture‐based fisheries in five tropical irrigation reservoirs: A case study from Sri Lanka
Authors: Pushpalatha K. B. Chandrani , Kularatne Mohottala G. , Chandrasoma Jayantha , Amarasinghe Upali S.
Published: October 2020

Culture‐based fisheries (CBF) are increasingly accepted as strategies for enhancing inland fisheries, especially in tropical Asia. In Sri Lanka, CBF development in irrigation reservoirs has gained momentum due to concerted efforts of government fisheries authorities for inland fisheries enhancement. In the present study, production trends of five irrigation reservoirs of Sri Lanka before and after the introduction of CBF were investigated and apparently optimal CBF yields were not realised. Hence, the stochastic frontier production function (SFPF) was employed to quantify technical efficiencies (TE) of CBF. For each reservoir, annual averages of input data from 2005 to 2018 (14 years) were used in the TE analysis. Hence, total sample size for estimation of SFPF was 70. Although CBF production gradually increased in all five reservoirs from 2005 to 2018, there were substantial variations of total fish production across the reservoirs. The SFPF indicated that CBF production could be further increased through more efficient management of inputs (i.e. number of fishers, mean number of fishing days per year and stocking density).
Radiation of nitrogen‐metabolizing enzymes across the tree of life tracks environmental transitions in Earth history
Authors: Parsons Chris , Stüeken Eva E. , Rosen Caleb J. , Mateos Katherine , Anderson Rika E.
Published: October 2020

Nitrogen is an essential element to life and exerts a strong control on global biological productivity. The rise and spread of nitrogen‐utilizing microbial metabolisms profoundly shaped the biosphere on the early Earth. Here, we reconciled gene and species trees to identify birth and horizontal gene transfer events for key nitrogen‐cycling genes, dated with a time‐calibrated tree of life, in order to examine the timing of the proliferation of these metabolisms across the tree of life. Our results provide new insights into the evolution of the early nitrogen cycle that expand on geochemical reconstructions. We observed widespread horizontal gene transfer of molybdenum‐based nitrogenase back to the Archean, minor horizontal transfer of genes for nitrate reduction in the Archean, and an increase in the proliferation of genes metabolizing nitrite around the time of the Mesoproterozoic (~1.5 Ga). The latter coincides with recent geochemical evidence for a mid‐Proterozoic rise in oxygen levels. Geochemical evidence of biological nitrate utilization in the Archean and early Proterozoic may reflect at least some contribution of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) rather than pure denitrification to N2. Our results thus help unravel the relative dominance of two metabolic pathways that are not distinguishable with current geochemical tools. Overall, our findings thus provide novel constraints for understanding the evolution of the nitrogen cycle over time and provide insights into the bioavailability of various nitrogen sources in the early Earth with possible implications for the emergence of eukaryotic life.
Responses of ichthyoplankton assemblages to the recent marine heatwave and previous climate fluctuations in several Northeast Pacific marine ecosystems
Authors: Nielsen Jens M. , Rogers Lauren A. , Brodeur Richard D. , Thompson Andrew R. , Auth Toby D. , Deary Alison L. , Duffy‐Anderson Janet T. , Galbraith Moira , Koslow J. Anthony , Perry R. Ian
Published: October 2020

The effects of climate warming on ecosystem dynamics are widespread throughout the world's oceans. In the Northeast Pacific, large‐scale climate patterns such as the El Niño/Southern Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and recently unprecedented warm ocean conditions from 2014 to 2016, referred to as a marine heatwave (MHW), resulted in large‐scale ecosystem changes. Larval fishes quickly respond to environmental variability and are sensitive indicators of ecosystem change. Categorizing ichthyoplankton dynamics across marine ecosystem in the Northeast Pacific can help elucidate the magnitude of assemblage shifts, and whether responses are synchronous or alternatively governed by local responses to regional oceanographic conditions. We analyzed time‐series data of ichthyoplankton abundances from four ecoregions in the Northeast Pacific ranging from subarctic to subtropical: the Gulf of Alaska (1981–2017), British Columbia (2001–2017), Oregon (1998–2017), and the southern California Current (1981–2017). We assessed the impact of the recent (2014–2016) MHW and how ichthyoplankton assemblages responded to past major climate perturbations since 1981 in these ecosystems. Our results indicate that the MHW caused widespread changes in the ichthyoplankton fauna along the coast of the Northeast Pacific Ocean, but impacts differed between marine ecosystems. For example, abundances for most dominant taxa were at all‐time lows since the beginning of sampling in the Gulf of Alaska and British Columbia, while in Oregon and the southern California Current species richness increased as did abundances of species associated with warmer waters. Lastly, species associated with cold waters also increased in abundances close to shore in southern California during the MHW, a pattern that was distinctly different from previous El Niño events. We also found several large‐scale, synchronized ichthyoplankton assemblage composition shifts during past major climate events. Current climate projections suggest that MHWs will become more intense and thus our findings can help project future changes in larval dynamics, allowing for improved ecosystem management decisions.
Comparison between the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition and theEuropean Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolismdefinitions for the prevalence of malnutrition in geriatric rehabilitation care
Authors: Shimizu Akio , Maeda Keisuke , Honda Toshiki , Ishida Yuria , Ueshima Junko , Nagami Shinsuke , Nagano Ayano , Inoue Tatsuro , Murotani Kenta , Kayashita Jun , Fujishima Ichiro , Mori Naoharu
Published: October 2020

Aim

The recently proposed Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria may accurately reflect the nutritional status of older adults because they use information such as reduced muscle mass and chronic and acute disease to diagnose malnutrition. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of malnutrition in older adults assessed by the GLIM and the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) diagnostic criteria for malnutrition (DCM) in post‐acute geriatric care.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included older patients admitted to rehabilitation care units. Malnutrition was evaluated using GLIM‐DCM and ESPEN‐DCM using a two‐step process (initial screening and subsequent steps). The prevalence and differences observed between GLIM‐DCM and ESPEN‐DCM were reported, and the determinants of each criterion were identified.

Results

This study included 335 older patients (mean ± SD, age 80.0 ± 7.5 years; 54.0% women). The prevalence of older patients diagnosed with GLIM‐DCM and ESPEN‐DCM was 66.9% and 59.1%, respectively, and the agreement between ESPEN‐DCM and GLIM‐DCM was 80.9%. The results of multivariate analyses showed that all items of the phenotypic and etiologic criteria were independent determinants for GLIM‐DCM, whereas disease burden/inflammation (P= 0.996), included in the etiologic criteria of GLIM‐DCM, were not determinants of ESPEN‐DCM.

Conclusion

This study reported the prevalence of malnutrition according to GLIM‐DCM and the differences in the characteristics of patients diagnosed with malnutrition based on GLIM‐DCM and those diagnosed based on ESPEN‐DCM in geriatric rehabilitation care units. Further studies are required to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition in different care settings.Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 1221–1227.
A Large‐Scale Survey on Trauma, Burnout, and Posttraumatic Growth among Nurses during the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Authors: Chen Ruey , Sun Chao , Chen Jian‐Jun , Jen Hsiu‐Ju , Kang Xiao Linda , Kao Ching‐Chiu , Chou Kuei‐Ru
Published: October 2020

A large‐scale survey study was conducted to assess trauma, burnout, posttraumatic growth, and associated factors for nurses in the COVID‐19 pandemic. The Trauma Screening Questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory‐Short Form were utilized. Factors associated with trauma, burnout, and posttraumatic growth were analysed using logistic and multiple regressions. In total, 12 596 completed the survey, and 52.3% worked in COVID‐19 designated hospitals. At the survey’s conclusion in April, 13.3% reported trauma (Trauma ≥ 6), there were moderate degrees of emotional exhaustion, and 4,949 (39.3%) experienced posttraumatic growth. Traumatic response and emotional exhaustion were greater among (i) women (odds ratio [OR]: 1.48, 95% CI 1.12–1.97 P = 0.006; emotional exhaustion OR: 1.30, 95% CI 1.09–1.54, P = 0.003), (ii) critical care units (OR: 1.20, 95% CI 1.06–1.35, P = 0.004; emotional exhaustion OR: 1.23, 95% CI 1.12–1.33, P < 0.001) (iii) COVID‐19 designated hospital (OR: 1.24, 95% CI 1.11–1.38; P < 0.001; emotional exhaustion OR: 1.26, 95% CI 1.17–1.36; P < 0.001) and (iv) COVID‐19‐related departments (OR: 1.16, 95% CI 1.04–1.29, P = 0.006, emotional exhaustion only). To date, this is the first large‐scale study to report the rates of trauma and burnout for nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The study indicates that nurses who identified as women, working in ICUs, COVID‐19 designated hospitals, and departments involved with treating COVID‐19 patients had higher scores in mental health outcomes. Future research can focus on the factors the study has identified that could lead to more effective prevention and treatment strategies for adverse health outcomes and better use of resources to promote positive outcomes.
Social protection and revenue collection: How they can jointly contribute to strengthening social cohesion
Authors: Burchi Francesco , von Schiller Armin , Strupat Christoph
Published: October 2020

Social protection and revenue collection are often regarded as potential drivers of social cohesion. The article joins this debate, providing three main contributions. First, we carefully discuss the concept of social cohesion and endorse one specific definition. Second, we propose using the concept of the “fiscal contract” as the key theoretical lens to understand the often neglected potential joint effects of social protection and revenue collection policies on social cohesion. Third, we illustrate three main mechanisms through which these policies can have positive or negative impacts on the different components of social cohesion and highlight the relevance of these for policy‐makers deliberations.
Niche‐based processes explaining the distributions of closely related subterranean spiders
Authors: Pavlek Martina , Mammola Stefano
Published: October 2020

Aim

To disentangle the role of evolutionary history, competition and environmental filtering in driving the niche evolution of four closely related subterranean spiders, with the overarching goal of obtaining a mechanistic description of the factors that determine species' realized distribution in simplified ecological settings.

Location

Dinaric karst, Balkans, Europe.

Taxon

Dysderidae spiders (Stalita taenaria, S. pretneri, S. hadzii and Parastalita stygia).

Methods

We resolved phylogenetic relationships among species and modelled each species' distribution using a set of climatic and habitat variables. We explored the climatic niche differentiation among species with n‐dimensional hypervolumes and shifts in their trophic niche using morphological traits related to feeding specialization.

Results

Climate was the primary abiotic factor explaining our species' distributions, while karstic and soil features were less important. Generally, there was a high niche overlap among species, reflecting their phylogenetic relatedness, but on a finer scale, niche shifts explained the realized distribution patterns. Trophic interaction was another important factor influencing species distributions – the non‐overlapping distributions of three morphologically indistinguishable Stalita species is seemingly the outcome of competitive exclusion dynamics. The distribution of the fourth species, Parastalita stygia, overlaps with that of the other species, with several instances of coexistence within caves. As inferred from the morphology of the mouthparts, the mechanism that minimizes interspecific competition is the shift in the trophic niche of P. stygia towards a more specialized diet.

Main conclusions

We showed that similarity in niches only partly correlated with the phylogenetic distance among species, and that overlaps in species distributions are possible only when a parallel shift in diet occurs. Our work emphasized how even simplified environments still maintain the potential for diversification via niche differentiation. Ultimately, we provide an ecological explanation for the diversification of life in an important hotspot of subterranean diversity.
Immune priming depends on age, sex and Wolbachia in the interaction between Armadillidium vulgare and Salmonella
Authors: Prigot‐Maurice Cybèle , de Cerqueira De Araujo Alexandra , Beltran‐Bech Sophie , Braquart‐Varnier Christine
Published: October 2020

The protection conferred by a first infection upon a second pathogenic exposure (i.e. immune priming) is an emergent research topic in the field of invertebrate immunity. Immune priming has been demonstrated in various species, but little is known about the intrinsic factors that may influence this immune process. In this study, we tested whether age, gender and the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia affect the protection resulting from immune priming in A. vulgare against S. enterica. We firstly primed young and old, symbiotic and asymbiotic males and females, either with a non‐lethal low dose of S. enterica, LB broth or without injection (control). Seven days post‐injection, we performed a LD50 injection of S. enterica in all individuals and we monitored their survival rates. We demonstrated that survival capacities depend on these three factors: young and old asymbiotic individuals (males and females) expressed immune priming (S. enterica‐primed individuals survived better than LB‐primed and non‐primed), with a general decline in the strength of protection in old females, but not in old males, compared to young. When Wolbachia is present, the immune priming protection was observed in old, but not in young symbiotic individuals, even if the Wolbachia load on entire individuals is equivalent regardless to age. Our overall results showed that the immune priming protection in A. vulgare depends on individuals’ states, highlighting the need to consider these factors both in mechanistical and evolutionary studies focusing on invertebrate's immunity.
Digital disruption of dietetics: are we ready?
Authors: Kelly J. T. , Collins P. F. , McCamley J. , Ball L. , Roberts S. , Campbell K. L.
Published: October 2020

Digital health is transforming the delivery of health care around the world to meet the growing challenges presented by ageing populations with multiple chronic conditions. Digital health technologies can support the delivery of personalised nutrition care through the standardised Nutrition Care Process (NCP) by using personal data and technology‐supported delivery modalities. The digital disruption of traditional dietetic services is occurring worldwide, supporting responsive and high‐quality nutrition care. These disruptive technologies include integrated electronic and personal health records, mobile apps, wearables, artificial intelligence and machine learning, conversation agents, chatbots, and social robots. Here, we outline how digital health is disrupting the traditional model of nutrition care delivery and outline the potential for dietitians to not only embrace digital disruption, but also take ownership in shaping it, aiming to enhance patient care. An overview is provided of digital health concepts and disruptive technologies according to the four steps in the NCP: nutrition assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and monitoring and evaluation. It is imperative that dietitians stay abreast of these technological developments and be the leaders of the disruption, not simply subject to it. By doing so, dietitians now, as well as in the future, will maximise their impact and continue to champion evidence‐based nutrition practice.
Functional Morphology of the Feeding Apparatus of the Snaggletooth Shark, Hemipristis elongata (Carcharhiniformes: Hemigaleidae)
Authors: Chappell Anthony , Séret Bernard
Published: October 2020

The anatomy of the feeding apparatus of the snaggletooth shark, Hemipristis elongata (Klunzinger, 1871) is illustrated in detail from the dissection of three heads. Two new muscles are described: the Adductor mandibularis internus and the Levator mandibularis. A subdivision of the Levator palatoquadrati is described and named the Pronator subdivision of the Levator palatoquadrati. Also, eight new anatomical features associated with the mandibular arch and with the chondrocranium (CR) are described. Three are cartilages: the suprapalatine cartilages, the craniopalatoquadrate cartilage and the calcified Meckelian dental fold. The remaining five features are processes: the Pronator process of the palatoquadrate (PQ), the Levator palatoquadrati alpha process, the proquadrate process, the ectorbital process (ECP) and the Meckelian Intermandibularis ridge. Some of them are not restricted to H.elongata. The function of these new muscles and anatomical features is discussed and a hypothesis about the functional morphology of the feeding apparatus of the snaggletooth shark is proposed. The extent and the assumptive importance of the pronation of the mandibular arch in the snaggletooth shark feeding behaviour is described and discussed. An alternative for the main function of the Levator palatoquadrati as hypothesized by Motta et al. (1997) and Wilga et al. (2001) is proposed for the families Hemigaleidae, Carcharhinidae and Sphyrnidae. We anticipate this muscle is more involved in the pronation rather than in the protrusion of the mandibular arch.
Transvaginal four‐dimensional hysterosalpingo‐contrast sonography: Pain perception and factors influencing pain severity
Authors: Zhang Ning , Liu Yu , He Yanni , Shi Jiayao , Zhou Meijun , Liu Hongmei
Published: October 2020

Aim

The purpose is to investigate pain perception during transvaginal four‐dimensional hysterosalpingo‐contrast sonography (TV 4D‐HyCoSy) and factors influencing pain severity.

Methods

This was a retrospective study included 340 women who underwent TV 4D‐HyCoSy examination from January 2016 to October 2017. The factors were recorded, including age, childbearing history, infertility type, history of pelvic inflammation, pelvic surgery, history of uterine manipulation, history of ectopic pregnancy, atropine delivery mode, uterine position, uterine malformation, uterine lesion, fibroid, intrauterine adhesion, polycystic ovary, endometrial implantation cyst, dysmenorrhea score, the degree of patency of fallopian tube and contrast agents dosage. Pain was evaluated during and after TV 4D‐HyCoSy. The time point of peak pain was evaluated and the influencing factors of moderate/severe pain were analyzed.

Results

The highest pain occurred at contrast instillation. The independent influencing factors of moderate/severe pain were age (P = 0.021), dysmenorrhea score (P = 0.003) and tubal patency (P < 0.001). Further analysis showed that age affected the pain score when TV 4D‐HyCoSy started and the peak pain occurred. Dysmenorrhea score and tubal patency affect the pain score at most time points.

Conclusion

Age, dysmenorrhea score and tubal patency are factors influencing the severity of pain during TV 4D‐HyCoSy.
Antibiotic exposure among young infants suffering from diarrhoea in Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Md Ridwan , Nuzhat Sharika , Fahim Shah Mohammad , Palit Parag , Flannery Robin L , Kyle David J , Mahfuz Mustafa , Islam M Munirul , Sarker Shafiqul Alam , Ahmed Tahmeed
Published: October 2020

Aims

Appropriate rehydration has always been significant in treating diarrhoeal diseases in children. Irrational antibiotic use among diarrhoeal children has remained a major public health concern. Information regarding antibiotic use in young infants suffering from diarrhoea is very limited and a unique aspect of research. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of antibiotic use in the community among 2–6 months infants with diarrhoeal illnesses and having different nutritional status.

Methods

We investigated a total of 5279 infants aged 2–6 months at Dhaka hospital, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, between September 2018 and June 2019. Among them, 257 infants were suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM). History of taking antibiotics was ascertained by direct observation of a prescription by a physician, the bottle of antibiotic or asking the caregiver about the name of antibiotic or its price that is very close to the usual market price of an antibiotic.

Results

Overall, 52% of infants received antibiotics before hospital admission. Non‐SAM infants had higher odds of receiving antibiotics (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.52, 95% confidence interval: 1.18, 1.97, P value = 0.003) compared to infants with SAM and use of antibiotics increased with age (aOR = 1.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.06, 1.17, P value<0.001). Commonly used antibiotics were azithromycin (13.3%), ciprofloxacin (7.7%), erythromycin (7.7%) and metronidazole (2.6%). The proportion of receiving ciprofloxacin was significantly lower in infants with SAM compared to their non‐SAM counterparts (2.7% vs. 7.97%, P value = 0.004).

Conclusions

The study underscores the excessive use of antibiotics among diarrhoeal infants, which is already a major public health concern in low‐ and middle‐income countries.
Melatonin controversies, an update
Authors: Boutin Jean A. , Jockers Ralf
Published: October 2020

Melatonin was discovered more than 60 years ago. Since then, several seminal discoveries have allowed us to define its function as a neuroendocrine hormone and its molecular targets in mammals and many other species. However, many fundamental issues have not yet been solved such as the subcellular localization of melatonin synthesis and the full spectrum of its molecular targets. In addition, a considerable number of controversies persist in the field, mainly concerning how many functions melatonin has. Altogether, this illustrates how “immature” the field still is. The intention of this opinion article is to note the controversies and limitations in the field, to initiate a discussion and to make proposals/guidelines to overcome them and move the field forward.
Extrinsic Rewards, Intrinsic Motivation, and New Product Development Performance
Authors: Malek Stacey L. , Sarin Shikhar , Haon Christophe
Published: October 2020

Reward structures can have a significant impact on the performance of new product development (NPD) teams. However, there are several gaps in our understanding of how different types of extrinsic rewards influence the creative performance of NPD teams. Drawing on key theoretical objectives for advancing rewards‐creativity research in general, and NPD research in particular, this study incorporates a cognitive and behavioral view of rewards use. In so doing, we distinguish between three kinds of extrinsic rewards: financial, recognition, and social (based on their properties). We then draw upon self‐determination theory to hypothesize the differential effects of three types of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic task motivation, and subsequently the creative performance of NPD teams. The proposed framework is tested using two rounds of survey data from 238 members of 64 NPD teams in the high‐tech industry. Results of a multilevel structural equation modeling (MLSEM) analysis show that financial rewards have a negative relationship with intrinsic task motivation, while recognition and social rewards have a positive influence. Complexity of the product being developed not only helps to mitigate the negative effects of financial rewards on intrinsic task motivation, but it also reduces the positive effects of social rewards on intrinsic task motivation. Intrinsic task motivation is found to have a positive effect on NPD creative performance in terms of both the developed product’s degree of innovation and its quality. Theoretical and managerial implications are explored.
Validation of insomnia questionnaires in the general population: The Nord‐Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT)
Authors: Filosa James , Omland Petter Moe , Langsrud Knut , Hagen Knut , Engstrøm Morten , Drange Ole Kristian , Knutsen Andreas Jarlalein , Brenner Eiliv , Kallestad Håvard , Sand Trond
Published: October 2020

The primary aim was to validate questionnaire‐based insomnia diagnoses from a modified Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire (KSQ) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), by age category (< or >65 years), against a semi‐structured face‐to‐face interview. Secondary aims were to split validity by diagnostic certainty of the interview and to compare prevalence estimates of questionnaire‐ and interview‐based diagnoses. A total of 232 out of 1,200 invited (19.3%) from the fourth Nord‐Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT4) completed questionnaires, including the KSQ and ISI, shortly before attending a face‐to‐face diagnostic interview for insomnia based on the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM‐5). Both a tentative (DSM‐5 criteria A–E) and a definite (criteria A–H) interview diagnosis was evaluated. Cohen’s kappa statistic quantified questionnaire validity. In all, 33% (95% confidence interval 27–39%) of participants had definite insomnia: 40% of women and 21% of men. The ISI (cut‐off 12) and several KSQ‐based diagnoses showed very good validity (κ ≤0.74) against the tentative, versus good validity (κ ≤0.61) against the definite interview diagnosis. Short questionnaires, requiring a daytime symptom at least three times a week, may underestimate insomnia prevalence. Validity was consistently higher for persons aged below versus above 65 years (definite insomnia: κ ≤0.64 vs. κ ≤0.56). Our results have implications for epidemiological population‐based studies utilising insomnia questionnaires.
Anthropogenic and natural barriers affect genetic connectivity in an Alpine butterfly
Authors: Trense Daronja , Schmidt Thomas L. , Yang Qiong , Chung Jessica , Hoffmann Ary A. , Fischer Klaus
Published: October 2020

Dispersal is a key biological process serving several functions including connectivity among populations. Habitat fragmentation caused by natural or anthropogenic structures may hamper dispersal, thereby disrupting genetic connectivity. Investigating factors affecting dispersal and gene flow is important in the current era of anthropogenic global change, as dispersal comprises a vital part of a species’ resilience to environmental change. Using finescale landscape genomics, we investigated gene flow and genetic structure of the Sooty Copper butterfly (Lycaena tityrus) in the Alpine Ötz valley system in Austria. We found surprisingly high levels of gene flow inL. tityrusacross the region. Nevertheless, ravines, forests, and roads had effects on genetic structure, while rivers did not. The latter is surprising as roads and rivers have a similar width and run largely in parallel in our study area, pointing towards a higher impact of anthropogenic compared with natural linear structures. Additionally, we detected eleven loci potentially under thermal selection, including ones related to membranes, metabolism, and immune function. This study demonstrates the usefulness of molecular approaches in obtaining estimates of dispersal and population processes in the wild. Our results suggest that, despite high gene flow in the Alpine valley system investigated,L. tityrusnevertheless seems to be vulnerable to anthropogenically‐driven habitat fragmentation. With anthropogenic rather than natural linear structures affecting gene flow, this may have important consequences for the persistence of species such as the butterfly studied here in altered landscapes.
Ongoing speciation within the diatom Fragilariopsis kerguelensis in the Southern Ocean?
Authors: Grattepanche Jean‐David
Published: October 2020

While the identification of microbial eukaryotes using metabarcoding tools is now widespread, additional data are needed to confirm molecular observations, to mark the difference between species and population variants, and to better understand the biogeography of microbial eukaryotes. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Postel et al not only use three molecular approaches to identify subgroups of Fragilariopsis kerguelensis but also use morphology and physiology to better understand the relationship between the three genotypes. They revealed that (a) the three genotypes of the diatom F. kerguelensis show negligible gene flux; (b) two of the genotypes are geographically isolated with different physiology but still able to crossbreed; and (c) the remaining genotype is omnipresent but reproductively isolated.
Amplification of pathogenicLeptospirainfection with greater abundance and co‐occurrence of rodent hosts across a counter‐urbanizing landscape
Authors: Peterson Anna C. , Ghersi Bruno M. , Riegel Claudia , Wunder Elsio A. , Childs James E. , Blum Michael J.
Published: October 2020

Land use change can elevate disease risk by creating conditions beneficial to species that carry zoonotic pathogens. Observations of concordant global trends in increased pathogen prevalence or disease incidence and landscape change have generated concerns that urbanization could increase transmission risk of some pathogens. Yet host–pathogen relationships underlying transmission risk have not been well characterized within cities, even where contact between humans and species capable of transmitting pathogens of concern occurs. We addressed this deficit by testing the hypothesis that areas in cities experiencing greater population loss and infrastructure decline (i.e., counter‐urbanization) can support a greater diversity of host species and a larger and more diverse pool of pathogens. We did so by characterizing pathogenicLeptospirainfection relative to rodent host richness and abundance across a mosaic of abandonment in post‐Katrina New Orleans (Louisiana, USA). We found thatLeptospirainfection loads were highest in areas that harboured increased rodent species richness (which ranged from one to four rodent species detected). Areas with greater host co‐occurrence also harboured a greater abundance of hosts, including the host species most likely to carry high infection loads, indicating thatLeptospirainfection can be amplified by increases in overall and relative host abundance. Evidence of shared infection among rodent host species indicates that cross‐species transmission ofLeptospiraprobably increases infection at sites with greater host richness. Additionally, evidence that rodent co‐occurrence and abundance andLeptospirainfection load parallel abandonment suggests that counter‐urbanization can elevate zoonotic disease risk within cities, particularly in underserved communities that are burdened with disproportionate concentrations of derelict properties.
Combining symptoms and biomarkers: The future diagnostic approach for disorders of gut‐brain interaction?
Authors: Simrén Magnus , Tack Jan
Published: October 2020

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