bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global, regional, and national burden and quality of care index of liver cirrhosis by cause from global burden of disease 1990–2019
Authors: Gorgani Fateme , Esfahani Zahra , Ghamari Seyyed‐Hadi , Ghasemi Erfan , Azadnajafabad Sina , Shobeiri Parnian , Mohammadi Esmaeil , Moghaddam Sahar Saeedi , Abbasi‐Kangevari Mohsen , Fattahi Nima , Tehrani Yeganeh Sharifnejad , Farzi Yosef , Rezaei Negar , Larijani Bagher , Farzadfar Farshad
Published: October 2022

Background and Aim

Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases are complex disorders with a known burden. Currently health systems have different approaches to dealing with this issue. The objective of this study is to describe the burden attributed to and quality of care for cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases.

Methods

Data of cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases extracted from Global‐Burden‐of‐Diseases 2019. Four indicators, including mortality to incidence ratio, prevalence to incidence ratio, disability‐adjusted‐life‐years (DALYs) to prevalence ratio, and years‐of‐life‐lost (YLLs) to years‐lived‐with‐disability (YLDs) ratio, were defined and combined by the principal‐components‐analysis to construct the Quality‐of‐Care‐Index (QCI).

Results

The global QCI of cirrhosis increased from 71.0 in 1990 to 79.3 in 2019. The QCI showed a favorable situation in higher SDI countries compared with lower SDI countries, with a QCI of 86.8 in high SDI countries and 60.1 in low SDI countries. The highest QCI was found in Western Pacific Region (90.2), and the lowest was for African Region (60.4). Highest QCI belonged to the 50–54 age group (99.5), and the lowest was for the 30.34 age group (70.9). Among underlying causes of cirrhosis, the highest QCI belonged to alcohol use, followed by hepatitis C and NAFLD with QCIs of 86.1, 85.3, and 81.1.

Conclusions

There was a considerable variation in the QCI of cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases. Countries with low QCI, mainly located in developing regions, need organized action to control the burden of cirrhosis and its underlying causes and improve their quality of care.
The association of pulse pressure change with memory decline in middle‐aged and older adults
Authors: Liu Mengli , Tian Huimin , Sun Shuqin , Tian Xiaocao , Wang Weijing , Wu Yili
Published: October 2022

Background

Less is known regarding the association of pulse pressure (PP) with memory function. This study aimed to characterize long‐term patterns of PP in middle‐aged and older adults and explore their impact on subsequent change in memory function.

Methods

Data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA, 2004–2018), were analyzed. Totally, 3587 dementia‐free participants with three measurements of BP were included. All three visits of PP (2004–2012) were used to characterize longitudinal patterns of PP by group‐based trajectory modeling (GBTM). Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were fitted to explore the impact of PP trajectories on change in memory over a subsequent 6‐year period (2012–2018).

Results

Using GBTM, three distinct trajectories of PP were identified: low‐stable (38.1%), moderate‐stable (48.6%), and elevated‐increasing group (13.3%). GEE model suggested that memory declined over a 6‐year period in all PP trajectories (all Ptime <0.001). The overall interactions between patterns of PP changes and time with memory were statistically significant (χ2interaction = 20.69, p = 0.002). Compared to participants in the low‐stable group, those in the moderate‐stable and elevated‐increasing group exhibited a faster decline in memory.

Conclusions

Longitudinal patterns of moderate‐stable and elevated‐increasing PP were associated with an accelerated decrease in memory. Controlling BP instability may be a promising interventional strategy for preventing cognitive decline among older adults.
Genetic characteristics predict response to venetoclax plus hypomethylating agents in relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Weng Guangyang , Zhang Yu , Yu Guopan , Luo Tingyue , Yu Sijian , Xu Na , Sun Zhiqiang , Lin Dongjun , Deng Lan , Liang Xinquan , Xiao Jie , Zhang Hongyu , Guo Ziwen , Shao Ruoyang , Du Xin , Jin Hua , Liu Qifa
Published: October 2022

Background

The heterogeneity of relapsed or refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) leads to no response to venetoclax (VEN)–based therapy in more than half of the patients. Genetic characteristics are considered important predictors for response to treatment in adults with AML. However, the association of genetic characteristics with outcomes receiving VEN‐based therapy is incompletely understood in R/R AML.

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of VEN combined with hypomethylating agents (HMA) and identify the potential genetic predictors of response in R/R AML.

Methods

A total of 150 R/R AML patients treated with VEN combined with HMA were enrolled in this retrospective study. Outcomes of the response and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. The predictors of response and OS were analyzed by logistic regression or Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

With a median of two (range, 1–4) cycles of therapy, the overall response rate was 56.2%, including 22.0% complete remission (CR), 21.3% CR with incomplete hematologic recovery, 2.0% morphologic leukemia‐free state, and 10.7% partial remission, in which 25 patients achieved measurable residual disease (MRD)–negative response. With a median follow‐up of 11.2 [95% confidence interval (CI), 7.2–14.8] months, 1‐ and 2‐year OS were 46.9% (95% CI, 37.8%–58.1%) and 38.9% (95% CI, 28.7%–52.9%), respectively. Adverse cytogenetics and European Leukemia Net (ELN) risk predicted inferior response to VEN‐based therapy. Mutations in IDH1/2, NPM1, ASXL1, and chromatin–cohesin genes predicted superior response to VEN‐based therapy, whereas mutations in active signaling genes such as FLT3‐ITD and K/NRAS predicted inferior response.

Conclusion

VEN combined with HMA was effective with R/R AML patients, and the response to treatment was associated with genetic characteristics.
The effects of a sleep robot intervention on sleep, depression and anxiety in adults with insomnia—A randomized waitlist‐controlled trial
Authors: Støre Siri Jakobsson , Tillfors Maria , Wästlund Erik , Angelhoff Charlotte , Andersson Gerhard , Norell‐Clarke Annika
Published: October 2022

The study objective was to assess if a 3‐week intervention with the Somnox sleep robot had effects on symptoms of insomnia, somatic arousal, and/or concurrent symptoms of depression and anxiety in adults with insomnia, compared with a waitlist‐control group. The participants (n = 44) were randomized to a 3‐week intervention with the sleep robot (n = 22), or to a waitlist‐control group (n = 22). The primary outcome measure was the Insomnia Severity Index administered at baseline, mid‐intervention, post‐intervention and at 1‐month follow‐up. Secondary outcome measures were the Pre‐Sleep Arousal Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Additionally, sleep‐onset latency, wake time after sleep onset, total sleep time and sleep efficiency were measured the week prior to and the last week of the intervention, both subjectively with the Consensus Sleep Diary and objectively with wrist actigraphy. Mixed‐effects models were used to analyse data. The effect of the sleep robot on the participants' insomnia severity was not statistically significant. The differences between the intervention group and the control group on the measures of arousal, anxiety and depression were also not statistically significant, and neither were the sleep diary and actigraphy variables. In conclusion, a 3‐week intervention with daily at‐home use of the robot was not found to be an effective method to relieve the symptom burden in adults with insomnia.
Endocrine correlates of female reproductive activity in the roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus)
Authors: Kamgang V. W. , Bennett N. C. , van der Goot A. C. , Ganswindt A.
Published: October 2022

Although ovarian endocrine activity has been described in most members of the tribe Hippotragini, little is known about the reproductive endocrine correlates of the roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus), an endangered antelope species of southern Africa. This study characterised the endocrine pattern of the reproductive activity (oestrous cycle, pregnancy and post‐partum period) in the female roan antelope by monitoring faecal progestogen metabolite (fPM) concentrations and oestrogen metabolite (fEM) concentrations for cyclicity and observing reproductive behaviours. The study was carried out over the course of 12 months. At the beginning of this study, all 18 focal females (nulliparous, primiparous and multiparous) were monitored for cyclicity (for between 3 and 4 months). Following observed copulation, pregnancy in multiparous females (n = 10) was subsequently monitored until parturition and 21 days post‐partum. Individual faecal samples were collected three times per week during the presumed period of cyclicity, twice per week during pregnancy and daily for 21 days post‐partum. Mating births, courtship events, and copulations were recorded when observed. In eight of the 18 females monitored, the patterns of fPM and fEM concentrations indicated oestrous cycle lengths (n = 10) of approximately 30.8 ± 2.1 days. The determined lengths of luteal and follicular phases were approximately 15.8 ± 1.5 days and 14.6 ± 2.1 respectively. Pregnancy was marked by a pronounced increase in fPM concentrations until parturition, and lasted approximately 280.4 ± 4.8 days; whereas the intercalving period ranged between 306 and 380 days (n = 9; mean: 333.2 ± 7.4 days). Twenty‐one day after parturition, 78% of the focal females (n = 5) did not show a resumption of the ovarian activity. This study demonstrated that monitoring faecal reproductive hormone metabolite patterns is a valuable approach for estimating ovarian activity in roan antelope and may be used to assist respective conservation breeding programmes by improving management practices.
A review of nose picking in primates with new evidence of its occurrence in Daubentonia madagascariensis
Authors: Fabre A.‐C. , Portela Miguez R. , Wall C. E. , Peckre L. R. , Ehmke E. , Boistel R.
Published: October 2022

Nose picking (rhinotillexis) is a common behaviour in humans which remains, however, poorly studied. Several species of primates are known to pick their nose and ingest the nasal mucus suggesting that this behaviour may actually be beneficial and showing it is not restricted to humans. Here, we review relevant literature and online sources, and document the species of primates observed to pick their nose. We also present the first occurrence of this behaviour in a species of strepsirrhine primate (lemurs and relatives) with a unique video showing an aye‐aye picking its nose. While doing so this animal inserts the entire length of its extra‐long, skinny and highly mobile middle finger into the nasal passages and then licks the nasal mucus collected. We further investigate the internal anatomy of the nasal cavity of the aye‐aye in order to understand how it can introduce its entire finger in its nasal cavity and discover that the finger likely descends into the pharynx. We show that this behaviour is present in at least 12 species of primates, most of them also showing great manipulative/tool use skills and may have some associated benefits that need to be further investigated. Further comparative studies examining nose picking and mucophagy in other primate species and vertebrates in general may shed additional light on its evolution and possible functional role.
High prevalence of lower limb atherosclerosis is linked with the gut–liver axis in patients with primary biliary cholangitis
Authors: Ponziani Francesca Romana , Nesci Antonio , Caputo Camilla , Salvatore Lucia , Picca Anna , Del Chierico Federica , Paroni Sterbini Francesco , Marzetti Emanuele , Di Giorgio Angela , Santoro Luca , Putignani Lorenza , Gasbarrini Antonio , Santoliquido Angelo , Pompili Maurizio
Published: October 2022

Background and Aims

Hypercholesterolemia is frequent in people with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC); however, it does not seem to confer an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in PBC women and its association with the gut–liver axis and systemic inflammation.

Methods

Thirty patients affected by PBC and hypercholesterolemia were enrolled, with equal‐sized groups of women with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and healthy controls (CTRL). All patients underwent Doppler ultrasound examination of peripheral arteries, assessment of flow‐mediated dilation, quantification of circulating cytokines and vasoactive mediators and characterization of the gut microbiota.

Results

PBC patients had a higher prevalence of lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) defined as atherosclerotic plaques in any of femoral, popliteal and/or tibial arteries compared with both NAFLD and CTRL women (83.3% vs. 53.3% and 50%, respectively; p = .01). Factors associated with LEAD at univariate analysis were VCAM‐1 (p = .002), ICAM‐1 (p = .003), and TNF‐alpha (p = .04) serum levels, but only VCAM‐1 (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0–1.1; p = .04) and TNF‐alpha (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.99–1.26; p = .04) were confirmed as independent predictors in the multivariate model. Gut microbiota analysis revealed that Acidaminococcus (FDR = 0.0008), Bifidobacterium (FDR = 0.001) and Oscillospira (FDR = 0.03) were differentially expressed among groups. Acidaminococcus, which was increased in PBC, was positively correlated with TNF‐alpha serum levels. Down‐regulation of metabolic pathways linked to fatty acid and butyrate metabolism, glyoxylate metabolism and branched‐chain amino acids degradation was found in the functional gut metagenome of PBC women.

Conclusions

LEAD is common in patients affected by PBC and is associated with inflammatory markers and alterations in the gut–liver axis.
The association between parents' stress and parental feeding practices and feeding styles: Systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies
Authors: Almaatani Dina , Zurbau Andreea , Khoshnevisan Farnaz , Bandsma Robert H. J. , Khan Tauseef A. , Sievenpiper John L. , Van Den Heuvel Meta
Published: October 2022

In the extended UNICEF framework of early childhood nutrition, parents' stress is associated with parental feeding style. However, no comprehensive review has examined the association between parents' stress and feeding styles and practices. The objective of our review was to synthesise the current literature examining the association between parents' stress and their feeding practices and/or styles, among parents of children ≤ 5 years old. We searched; MEDLINE, EMBASE, PSYCHINFO and CINAHL from 2019 to 2021. Two investigators independently extracted relevant data and assessed the study quality and the certainty of evidence. Data were pooled using generic inverse variance with fixed effects (<5 comparisons) or random effects (≥5 comparisons) and expressed as correlation coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Between study heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q and quantified with I2. We identified 6 longitudinal and 11 cross‐sectional studies, of which 4 studies provided sufficient data to be pooled. A very small correlation between general stress and restrictive feeding practices was observed (r = 0.06 [95% CI: 0.01−0.12]; no substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 0.00%, PQ < 0.85, very low certainty). No correlation between general stress and feeding pressure was identified (r = 0.06 [95% CI: −0.02 to 0.15]). Results showed that both general and parenting stress were associated with suboptimal breastfeeding practices and unresponsive feeding styles. Conclusion: This study demonstrated a low‐to‐moderate quality of literature for the inclusion of parents' stress in the extended UNICEF care model of child nutrition. Future research needs to explore this relationship longitudinally and in ethnic diverse populations to inform tailored interventions that promote responsive feeding practices.
The Sense of the Fragmentary in Kurtág's Several Movements from Georg Christoph Lichtenberg's Scrapbooks, Op. 37a
Authors: Wu Yi‐Cheng Daniel
Published: October 2022

One of the most distinctive developments in György Kurtág's output from the beginning of the 1980s is his setting of incomplete texts. He entitles these songs ‘fragments’, suggesting that they are musical scraps that accompany the extracts from great writers’ works. Kurtág's most representative contribution to this genre is his chamber song cycleKafka‐Fragments, Op. 24, for soprano and violin (1986). Slightly over a decade later, Kurtág selected 22 aphorisms by Georg Christoph Lichtenberg and set them in a new vocal chamber cycle for soprano and double bass asSeveral Movements from Georg Christoph Lichtenberg's Scrapbooks(Op. 37a, 1999). To date, most scholars interested in the fragmentary qualities of Kurtág's songs have focused on Op. 24, leaving Op. 37a relatively unexplored. This article corrects this imbalance by providing analyses of three movements from Op. 37a. I approach these songs from the angles of text setting, pitch structure and melodic contour to show how Kurtág utilises these elements to achieve the defining features of ambiguity and incompletion central to the musical fragment.
Moving beyond Table 1: A critical review of the literature addressing social determinants of health in chronic condition symptom cluster research
Authors: Grayson Susan C. , Patzak Sofie A. , Dziewulski Gabriela , Shen Lingxue , Dreisbach Caitlin , Lor Maichou , Conway Alex , Koleck Theresa A.
Published: October 2022

Variability in the symptom experience in patients diagnosed with chronic conditions may be related to social determinants of health (SDoH). The purpose of this critical review was to (1) summarize the existing literature on SDoH and symptom clusters (i.e., multiple, co‐occurring symptoms) in patients diagnosed with common chronic conditions, (2) evaluate current variables and measures used to represent SDoH, (3) identify gaps in the evidence base, and (4) provide recommendations for the incorporation of SDoH into future symptom cluster research. We identified 118 articles including information on SDoH in chronic condition symptom cluster research. Articles primarily focused on cancer populations. Few articles had the explicit purpose of investigating relationships between SDoH and symptom clusters, and the inclusion of SDoH was often limited to variables used to describe samples. Future studies should be designed to “move beyond Table 1” in their utilization of SDoH as variables and examine relationships between SDoH and symptom clusters. Attention should be paid to the appropriateness of measures being used to collect information on SDoH, and analysis methods that estimate causal connections between variables should be considered. Research regarding the relationship of SDoH with symptom clusters in patients with chronic conditions has the potential to reveal mechanisms of symptom disparities and guide changes to alleviate these disparities.
Hermeneutic Constructivism: One ontology for authentic understanding
Authors: Peck Blake , Mummery Jane
Published: October 2022

Nursing and nurses rely upon qualitative research to understand the intricacies of the human condition. Acknowledging the subjective nature of reality and commonly founded in a constructivist epistemology, qualitative approaches offer opportunities for uncovering insights from the perspective of the individual participants, the insider's view, and the construction of representations that maintain an intimacy with the subject's realities. Debate continues, however, about what is needed for a qualitative construction to be considered an authentic understanding of a subject's realities. Authenticity in the context of qualitative research has been described as entailing consideration of a number of well‐trodden dimensions: fairness, ontological, educative, catalytic and tactical. Taking these dimensional requirements as key, this paper argues that authenticity may not always be as well‐developed through some of the standard practices in qualitative research as perhaps expected. In particular, qualitative understandings of authenticity stress that participants should not be merely reported on but instead should be dynamically involved in and changed by the constructions and interpretations of data developed throughout the research process. As this paper illustrates, such engagements appear problematic for qualitative research approaches that are beholden to designative commitments in the context of language and meaning‐making and which tend to prioritise commonality and generality at the expense of individual authenticity. An alternative qualitative approach, Hermeneutic Constructivism, is proposed as better able to achieve the requirements of the dimensions of authenticity. As outlined, this approach is well‐placed to present an understanding of human experience through a genuinely expressivist approach and transcends the stress upon the common or the general that can be pervasive and problematic.
Entangled: A mixed method analysis of nurses with mental health problems who die by suicide
Authors: Barnes Arianna , Ye Gordon Y. , Ayers Cadie , Choflet Amanda , Lee Kelly C. , Zisook Sidney , Davidson Judy E.
Published: October 2022

Nurses die by suicide at a higher rate than the general population. Previous studies have observed mental health problems, including substance use, as a prominent antecedent before death. The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of nurses who died by suicide documented in the death investigation narratives from the National Violent Death Reporting System from 2003 to 2017 using thematic analysis and natural language processing. One thousand three hundred and fifty‐eight subjects met these inclusion criteria. Narratives from 601 subjects were thematically analyzed and 2544 individual narratives were analyzed using natural language processing. The analyses revealed five themes: “mental health treatment,” “poor general health and chronic pain,” “substance use,” “worsening mental health after bereavement,” and “repeating a family member's suicide.” Mental health/substance use, chronic illness, and chronic pain were seen to coexist in a complex, interdependent manner that appeared to be entangled in the nurses' narratives before death. These findings echo the need for reducing the stigmatization of mental health problems in nursing and removing barriers to help‐seeking behaviors as early preventative interventions. Future research is needed to determine if a comprehensive healthcare integration approach to address these entangled problems would reduce suicide vulnerability in nurses and improve their quality of life.
Pollinator foraging tactics have divergent consequences for the mating system of a tropical plant
Authors: Torres‐Vanegas Felipe , Hadley Adam S. , Kormann Urs G. , Jones Frank Andrew , Betts Matthew G. , Wagner Helene H.
Published: October 2022

Resolving the consequences of pollinator foraging behaviour for plant mating systems is a fundamental challenge in evolutionary ecology. Pollinators may adopt particular foraging tactics: complete trapline foraging (repeated movements along a fixed route), sample‐and‐shift trapline foraging (a variable route that incorporates information from previous experiences) and territorial foraging (stochastic movements within a restricted area). Studies that integrate these pollinator foraging tactics with plant mating systems are generally lacking.

We investigate the consequences of particular pollinator foraging tactics for Heliconia tortuosa. We combine parentage and sibship inference analysis with simulation modelling to: estimate mating system parameters; infer the foraging tactic adopted by the pollinators; and quantify the impact of pollinator foraging tactics on mating system parameters.

We found high outcrossing rates, ubiquitous multiple paternity and a pronounced departure from near‐neighbour mating. We also found that plants repeatedly receive pollen from a series of particular donors. We infer that the pollinators primarily adopt complete trapline foraging and occasionally engage in sample‐and‐shift trapline foraging. This enhances multiple paternity without a substantial increase in near‐neighbour mating.

The particular pollinator foraging tactics have divergent consequences for multiple paternity and near‐neighbour mating. Thus, pollinator foraging behaviour is an important driver of the ecology and evolution of plant mating systems.
Pathophysiology of cellulite: Possible involvement of selective endotoxemia
Authors: Kruglikov Ilja L. , Scherer Philipp E.
Published: October 2022

The most relevant hallmarks of cellulite include a massive protrusion of superficial adipose tissue into the dermis, reduced expression of the extracellular glycoprotein fibulin‐3, and an unusually high presence of MUSE cells in gluteofemoral white adipose tissue (gfWAT) that displays cellulite. Also typical for this condition is the hypertrophic nature of the underlying adipose tissue, the interaction of adipocytes with sweat glands, and dysfunctional lymph and blood circulation as well as a low‐grade inflammation in the areas of gfWAT affected by cellulite. Here, we propose a new pathophysiology of cellulite, which connects this skin condition with selective accumulation of endogenous lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in gfWAT. The accumulation of LPS within a specific WAT depot has so far not been considered as a possible pathophysiological mechanism triggering localized WAT modifications, but may very well be involved in conditions such as cellulite and, secondary to that, lipedema.
Overcoming barriers and improving public health nursing practice
Authors: Nganga‐Good Carolyn , Chayhitz Mattison , McLaine Pat
Published: October 2022

Public health nurses (PHN) are critical to ensuring the health of communities. Absent the most basic information on the PHN workforce in our state, we conducted interviews with 21 PHN and school health nurse (SHN) leaders and an online survey of PHNs and SHNs practicing in Maryland (N = 491). Our study identified an older, very experienced, and well‐educated workforce. Both the interviews and survey identified similar barriers: low salaries, recruitment and hiring challenges, limited funding for public health programs, and no opportunities for education or career advancement. Survey participants also identified barriers of inadequate leadership, recognition, and communication including PHNs not being represented at decision‐making tables or at the state leadership level. Strategies to promote public health nursing from leaders and survey participants were similar: increasing awareness about what public health and PHNs do and their value; improving advocacy and stakeholder engagement; improving access and availability of services; improving PHN leadership representation at the state level; a improving PHN salaries and benefits including tuition reimbursement. Although results were similar to national studies, comprehensive, granular workforce data is critical to ensure the public health workforce can meet current and emerging public health needs and that public health infrastructure and services are appropriately funded.
Rapid creation of CENH3‐mediated haploid induction lines using a cytosine base editor (CBE)
Authors: Wang S. , Ouyang K.
Published: October 2022

Haploid induction (HI) can create true‐breeding lines in a single generation, which can significantly accelerates the breeding process. In recent years, scientists have developed a variety of new techniques to induce haploids through manipulation of CENH3, a variant of the centromere‐specific histone H3. One alternative approach is based on CENH3 point mutations derived from EMS/TILLING, which is not lethal and yet is responsible for inducing haploids. However, most residues have been obtained by EMS mutagenesis over a long period of time.

Recently, a new approach called ‘base editing’ was developed for plants. Here, we report a new method that uses a cytosine base editor (CBE) to create a point mutation of CENH3 as a haploid induction line, which substitutes adenine (A) for guanine (G).

As proof of the extreme simplicity of this approach to create haploid‐induced lines, we identified an L130F substitution within the histone fold domain in Arabidopsis thaliana. Subsequently, we tested the haploid‐inducing potential of homozygous L130F plants by pollinating them with Col‐0, and obtained 2.9% paternal haploid plants.

In brief, our innovative technology provides a new perspective for the promotion of CENH3‐mediated haploid induction in crops, and also provides a variety of options for breeders. Such conserved point mutations as L130F could be developed into a general instrument for haploid induction in a wide range of plant species. Extending these systems would represent a major advance over haploid production.
Institutional shifts and punctuated patterns in digital policy
Authors: Torfs Inke , Wayenberg Ellen , Danneels Lieselot
Published: October 2022

While digital policies provide significant value within contemporary governance, not many governments' digital policies are adapted to rapidly changing technologies and associated expectations. The limited adaptability can be explained by governments' focus on institutional shifts as an instrument to generate policy changes. Therefore, this article examines the impact of institutional shifts on digital policy by leveraging the Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET) as a lens to explore the Belgian federal government between 2000 and 2020. This is done through performing a distributional application of the PET and an explaining‐outcome congruence case study. The results highlight the role of institutional shifts in directing digital policy, but also underscore the importance of other factors (i.e., policy image, attention allocation and/or structure of the political system) and the presence of policy entrepreneurs to explain the (in)stability of digital policy.
Stanniocalcin‐1 attenuates collagen‐induced arthritis through inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation and Th17 response
Authors: Lu Yang , Liu Xinyong , Lin Suxian , Chen Ping , Chen Longwang , Zhao Guangju
Published: October 2022

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, associated with chronic inflammation and the imbalance of Th17/Treg. Stanniocalcin‐1 (STC‐1), a glycoprotein, was found to have anti‐inflammatory, anti‐oxidative stress and anti‐apoptosis properties. The present study aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory effect of STC‐1 and its potential value in the treatment of RA. Here, a mouse model of collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) was established. Then body weight, joint erythema and swelling were measured in CIA mice with or without STC‐1 treatment. Haematoxylin and eosin (H and E) staining was performed to determine histopathological change. Moreover, the percentage of Th17 and Treg cells in the spleen and inguinal lymph nodes (ILNs) and the culture supernatant in polarizing conditions were examined by flow cytometry. Cytokines in serum were detected by ELISA. As a result, the arthritis score, histologic inflammation and cartilage destruction were decreased in CIA mice treated with STC‐1. STC‐1 increased the level of transforming growth factor‐β and inhibited the expression of interleukin‐17. In CIA mice, the percentage of CD4+IL‐17A+ cells in the spleen and ILNs were decreased after STC‐1 treatment, while the level of CD4+Foxp3+ cells did not change significantly. In vitro, STC‐1 inhibited Th17 cell differentiation and STAT3 phosphorylation in CD4+ T cells under Th17 cell‐polarizing conditions. Collectively, the results demonstrated that STC‐1 alleviated RA by inhibiting Th17 cell differentiation through regulating STAT3 phosphorylation. STC‐1 may be a potential drug for the treatment of RA.
Mental health, societal expectations and changes to the governance of farming: Reshaping what it means to be a ‘man’ and ‘good farmer’ in rural Ireland
Authors: Hammersley Conor , Meredith David , Richardson Noel , Carroll Paula , McNamara John
Published: October 2022

Contemporary EU agricultural policies place a significant emphasis on current and future societal issues, e.g. climate, biodiversity, animal welfare, and air and water quality amongst others. The governance of farming practices has changed in order to deliver on these expectations resulting in increasingly specific regulations to ensure their delivery. For male farmers these developments have the potential to undermine their autonomy as a ‘good farmer’, their gendered sense of mastery and ultimately their conception of what it is to be a ‘man’ in rural Ireland. This qualitative study explores how changes in agricultural policy are being received by farming communities, how they impact on gendered roles, and what the collateral impacts are on wellbeing and mental health. Eleven focus groups were conducted with male farmers (n = 3) and key informants (n = 8). Utilizing Thematic Content Analysis, all transcripts were coded iteratively using open and comparative coding techniques. Themes were grouped into primary and sub‐themes. Theme memos and conceptual maps were used to track evolving relationships between themes. Our analysis identified two interrelated themes. (i) ‘Resistance or submission’: negotiating farming masculinities in response to changing agri‐governance and (ii) ‘Advancement or abandonment’: reconfiguring ‘the good farmer’ in the wake of contemporary challenges in the dairy sector. We explore these issues by drawing out how contemporary regulation of farming practices gives rise to tensions associated with a perceived loss of autonomy and mastery, as well as ripple effects for farmer wellbeing. Findings highlight the tensions that permeate the construction of farming identities and masculinities in the wake of changes to agricultural policy and governance, and unpack the ripple effects for farmers’ mental health.
What Drives the Selection of Political Information on Google? Tension Between Ideal Democracy and the Influence of Ranking
Authors: Zumofen Guillaume
Published: October 2022

The emergence of the Internet has altered how individuals obtain information—this also applies to political information. Search engines have taken over the role of political information gatekeepers, thus becoming key players in democracy. However, surprisingly little is known about the role of search engines in the political information process, that is, whether they represent an opportunity or a threat to democracy. Through an online survey experiment, which mimicked a Google web interface, this study examines how Swiss citizens select political information on a political news event from a Google search results page. Although citizens consider textual cues from snippets, they are more likely to select sources of information from the top of a Google results page, regardless of the source. We discuss these findings from a democratic theory perspective.
STRUCTURAL CASE ASSIGNMENT, THEMATIC ROLES AND INFORMATION STRUCTURE*
Authors: Brattico Pauli
Published: October 2022

A formal model is presented which deduces the structural case assignment profile of Finnish by relying on graph‐theoretical paths and intervention. More complex and controversial features such as nonlocal dependencies, adverbial case marking, case competition, DP‐internal case patterns and interaction of case with agreement, aspect and polarity are also calculated from the model. Abstract Case and case concord were eliminated. The model links case assignment with word order, thematic roles and information structure. The results suggest that case might play a role in language comprehension.
Full genomic sequence of the HLA‐DRB3*02:32 allele by Single Molecule Real‐time Sequencing Technology
Authors: Liacini Abdelhamid , 't Hart Daan C. , Peters Lindsey , Persidsky Yuri , Geier Steven
Published: October 2022

Full‐length sequence covers the 5′‐untranslated region (UTR), all introns and exons and the 3′ UTR.
A data‐informed system to manage scarce blood product allocation in a randomized controlled trial of convalescent plasma
Authors: Li Na , Zeller Michelle P. , Shih Andrew W. , Heddle Nancy M. , St. John Melanie , Bégin Philippe , Callum Jeannie , Arnold Donald M. , Akbari‐Moghaddam Maryam , Down Douglas G. , Jamula Erin , Devine Dana V. , Tinmouth Alan
Published: October 2022

Background

Equitable allocation of scarce blood products needed for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) is a complex decision‐making process within the blood supply chain. Strategies to improve resource allocation in this setting are lacking.

Methods

We designed a custom‐made, computerized system to manage the inventory and allocation of COVID‐19 convalescent plasma (CCP) in a multi‐site RCT, CONCOR‐1. A hub‐and‐spoke distribution model enabled real‐time inventory monitoring and assignment for randomization. A live CCP inventory system using REDCap was programmed for spoke sites to reserve, assign, and order CCP from hospital hubs. A data‐driven mixed‐integer programming model with supply and demand forecasting was developed to guide the equitable allocation of CCP at hubs across Canada (excluding Québec).

Results

18/38 hospital study sites were hubs with a median of 2 spoke sites per hub. A total of 394.5 500‐ml doses of CCP were distributed; 349.5 (88.6%) doses were transfused; 9.5 (2.4%) were wasted due to mechanical damage sustained to the blood bags; 35.5 (9.0%) were unused at the end of the trial. Due to supply shortages, 53/394.5 (13.4%) doses were imported from Héma‐Québec to Canadian Blood Services (CBS), and 125 (31.7%) were transferred between CBS regional distribution centers to meet demand. 137/349.5 (39.2%) and 212.5 (60.8%) doses were transfused at hubs and spoke sites, respectively. The mean percentages of total unmet demand were similar across the hubs, indicating equitable allocation, using our model.

Conclusion

Computerized tools can provide efficient and immediate solutions for equitable allocation decisions of scarce blood products in RCTs.
Analysis of gender representation on transfusion medicine journal editorial boards: Comparison between 2019 and 2022
Authors: Jacobs Jeremy W. , Adkins Brian D. , Woo Jennifer S. , Lally Kimberly , Booth Garrett S.
Published: October 2022

Background and Objectives

A 2019 study highlighted significant gender inequities among blood banking and transfusion medicine (BBTM) journal editorial boards. We sought to assess if the representation of women has improved in the intervening 3 years.

Materials and Methods

We analysed the gender composition of nine BBTM journal editorial boards as of 13 September 2022, including the seven journals studied in 2019. We compared this to the proportion of females (term used by authors) on seven BBTM journal editorial boards in 2019 to assess change in the editorial board composition. We also assessed gender composition by editorial position (editor‐in‐chief [EIC], associate/assistant/titled editors and editorial board members).

Results

Nine BBTM journals have a total of 398 editorial positions and comprise significantly more men than women (68.8%, 274/398 vs. 31.2%, 124/398; p < 0.001). Among the seven journals analysed in 2019, the proportion of women on these seven editorial boards has remained unchanged (2019: 30.1%, 81/269 vs. 2022: 31.9%, 103/323; p = 0.66) despite the addition of 54 editorial positions.

Conclusion

Women remain inequitably represented on journal editorial boards among all journal editorial positions. Although advocacy efforts are increasing, there has been limited improvement in gender equity in 3 years, despite a 20% increase in editorial positions.
Pilot study of the ultrasonographic examination of the intact and transected medial glenohumeral ligament in dogs
Authors: Gemignani Francesco , Harel Mathieu , Livet Véronique , Barthélemy Anthony , Ségard Émilie , Cachon Thibaut , Sonet Juliette
Published: October 2022

Medial glenohumeral ligament injury is commonly reported during medial shoulder joint instability in dogs. Arthroscopy is considered the gold standard procedure, but it is invasive and requires distension of the joint. Ultrasonographic examination of the medial glenohumeral ligament has been studied as a possible, less invasive alternative to arthroscopy however it has not been considered a useful method of assessment due to the interference of the probe with the pectoral muscles. The aims of this prospective analytical randomized pilot study were to develop a standardized ultrasound protocol for visualizing the canine medial glenohumeral ligament and to compare goniometry and ultrasound findings in cadaver dogs with versus without transection of the medial glenohumeral ligament. Nine adult Beagle cadavers (18 shoulders) were used. The first six shoulders were used in a preliminary study to describe an ultrasound technique to identify the medial glenohumeral ligament. Arthroscopy was performed on the remaining 12 shoulders, with six randomly selected medial glenohumeral ligaments from these shoulders, transected during the procedure. Ultrasound examination was performed after each arthroscopic procedure by an ultrasonographer blinded to the patient group. Four medial glenohumeral ligaments (67%) were correctly identified during the preliminary study. Ultrasonographic examination failed to diagnose the transection of all six medial glenohumeral ligaments in the second part of the study. No difference was observed in the ligament thickness between the dogs with and without a transected medial glenohumeral ligament. Dogs with a transected medial glenohumeral ligament had a wider articular space compared to dogs without a transected ligament (P < 0.001), and an articular space wider than 8.2 mm was discriminatory of a transected medial glenohumeral ligament in all the shoulders. In conclusion, the medial glenohumeral ligament could be identified with a medial ultrasonographic approach of the shoulder and a wider articular space can be a sign of a medial shoulder joint instability. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings in living dogs, with and without shoulder instability.
Distinct type I collagen alterations cause intrinsic lung and respiratory defects of variable severity in mouse models of osteogenesis imperfecta
Authors: Dimori Milena , Fett Jordan , Leikin Sergey , Otsuru Satoru , Thostenson Jeff D. , Carroll John L. , Morello Roy
Published: October 2022

Type I collagen alterations cause osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a connective tissue disorder characterized by severe bone fragility. Patients with OI can suffer from significant pulmonary manifestations including severe respiratory distress in the neonatal period and a progressive decline in respiratory function in adulthood. We and others have shown intrinsic lung defects in some mouse models of OI. In this large study, we performed histological, histomorphometric, microcomputed tomography and invasive studies on oim/+, Col1a2+/G610C, CrtapKO and oim/oim mice, mimicking mild to moderate to severe OI, with the overall goal of determining the extent of their pulmonary and respiratory mechanics defects and whether these defects correlate with the skeletal disease severity and affect each sex equally. Although with variable severity, OI lung histology consistently showed alveolar simplification with enlarged acinar airspace and reduced alveolar surface. Numerous respiratory mechanics parameters, including respiratory system resistance and elastance, tissue damping, inspiratory capacity, total lung capacity, and others, were significantly and similarly impacted in CrtapKO and oim/oim but not in oim/+ or Col1a2+/G610C compared to control mice. Our data indicate that the impact of type I collagen alterations and OI on lung morphology and function positively correlate with the severity of the extracellular matrix deficiency. Moreover, the respiratory defects were more pronounced in male compared to female mice. It will be important to determine whether our observations in mice translate to OI patients and to dissect the respective contribution of intrinsic lung defects vs. extrinsic skeletal defects to impaired lung function in OI.

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Key points

Different type I collagen alterations in mouse models of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) cause similar abnormal lung histology, with alveolar simplification and reduced alveolar surface, reminiscent of emphysema.

Several respiratory mechanics parameters are altered in mouse models of OI.

The impact of type I collagen alterations and OI on lung morphology and function positively correlate with the severity of the extracellular matrix deficiency.

Respiratory defects were more pronounced in male compared to female mice.

It will be important to determine whether our observations in mice translate to OI patients and to dissect the respective contribution of intrinsic lung defects vs. extrinsic skeletal defects to impaired lung function in OI.
Effect of Protuberances at the Blade Trailing Edge of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine
Authors: Somoano M. , Huera-Huarte F. J.
Published: October 2022

This experimental work describes the effect of protuberances at the trailing edge of the blades of a three straight bladed cross-flow turbine. The performance of the turbine was studied after wind tunnel experiments and results are compared against a turbine with the same characteristics but having blades with symmetric profiles.

The turbine model was based on blades with NACA-0015 profile, with a chord-to-diameter ratio of 0.16. The especially designed set-up included measurements of the shaft torque and speed, as well as the characterisation of the incoming wind profile. The model had a fixed pitch angle of 6 degrees toe-out and the blades were designed to allow easy interchangeability of the trailing edges. The different trailing-edge bumps investigated resulted from combinations of sinusoidal functions with wavelengths of 0.250 and 0.125 times the blade chord, with amplitudes of 0.005, 0.010 and 0.015 times the chord. The tip speed ratios covered in these wind tunnel experiments go up to 2.4 at a fixed Reynolds number near 4·105.

The results show evident changes in the performance of the turbine. These are believed to be caused by the protuberances, inducing the development of a secondary flow pattern in the spanwise direction of the blade. This would modify the blade-wake interactions inside the rotor, and therefore the overall performance.
Analysis of a Hybrid Mooring System Concept for a Semi-Submersible Wind Turbine in Intermediate Water Depth Under Operational, Extreme, and Yaw Error Conditions
Authors: Cao Qun , Bachynski-Polić Erin E. , Gao Zhen , Xiao Longfei , Cheng Zhengshun , Liu Mingyue
Published: October 2022

A hybrid mooring system consisting of catenary chains and a series of clump weights was designed for the intermediate water depth, for a floating semi-submersible wind turbine. The use of multiple clump weights in the mooring line provides smaller footprint area and shorter bottom section length, as compared to a normal mooring line without clump weights. This suits the use for intermediate or shallow waters. The performance of this mooring concept is analyzed through both experimental and numerical methods. The experimental and numerical mean values of the pitch motion, surge motion and fairlead tension match well under both operational and extreme conditions. The wave-induced low-frequency responses match well after tuning the drag coefficients. The low-frequency components are slightly over-estimated by the numerical model under wind-only condition, because the wind loads and damping acting on the blade model in FAST and in model test are different. However, these components are simulated well under a combined operational wind-wave-current condition. Under extreme condition, the mean and dynamic tensions at clump weights are noteworthy. For extreme condition, the surge motion and fairlead tension of line#4 are more severe when yaw error angle is larger.