bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are adequate PROMs used as outcomes in randomized controlled trials? an analysis of 54 trials
Authors: Hansen Christian Fugl , Jensen Jonas , Brodersen John , Siersma Volkert , Comins Jonathan D. , Krogsgaard Michael R.
Published: December 2020

Results by patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in musculoskeletal research often influence healthcare strategies. We aimed to evaluate to which extent these RCTs use adequate PROMs, and how this influences the results and conclusions. We identified RCTs of sports research relevance with PROMs as primary outcomes published in 13 preselected journals between January 1, 2008, and November 1, 2019; all journals regularly publish results from musculoskeletal research. Five journals have a high impact factor (>15), and eight with lower impact factors are widely read journals. It was assessed whether the RCTs had used PROMs with high content validity and whether the most adequate PROMs were used (ie, the most well developed and well validated for the patients enrolled in the study). We registered journal impact factor, year of publication, existence of a registered protocol, and whether the study showed significant difference between interventions. A total of 54 RCTs with 56 primary outcomes comprising 26 different PROMs were identified. For 13 RCTs (24%), a protocol was not published. In only 24 of RCTs (44%), the most appropriate PROM had been used as primary outcome, independent of a registered protocol, ranking of the journal, and year of publication. In seven cases, PROMs were used to evaluate a condition that they had not been developed for. RCTs that used the most adequate PROM showed significantly more often (46%) difference in outcomes in contrast to RCTs that used inadequate PROMs (22%) (P = 0.0483). In conclusion, in the majority of RCTs, the most adequate PROM had not been used. Studies, in which the most adequate PROM had been used as outcome, were significantly more likely to show significant difference between interventions. The extent to which protocols were not available was surprisingly high. Journals should request that adequate PROMs are used in RCTs, and if this is not the case that it is discussed how it might influence the results and conclusions. Likewise, it should be requested that a protocol is published or registered.
How does self‐employment affect pension income? A comparative analysis of European welfare states
Authors: Höppner Julia
Published: December 2020

The characteristics of self‐employment in Europe have changed profoundly in the last decades. The share of solo self‐employment has grown and individuals combine more frequently dependent employment with self‐employment at the same time, or more often switch between dependent employment and self‐employment. These developments heavily affect the pensions of the self‐employed and therefore present a challenge for the old‐age security systems of European welfare states. So far, there has been little comparative research on how periods of self‐employment in the working career affect pension income in different European welfare states and how this is linked to the institutional design of pension systems. The paper contributes to filling this research gap by investigating the effect of self‐employment in the working career on individuals' pension income in 11 European countries. The findings show that self‐employment has a negative effect on total pensions of men and women. However, country differences are not significant in men, while in women only in the case of Poland and Belgium are there significant but contradictory effects of the share of self‐employment in the working career on total pensions. These effects are due to pension regulations concerning the contribution and benefit calculation rules for self‐employed persons.
Phytohormones in fruit development and maturation
Authors: Fenn Matthew A. , Giovannoni James J.
Published: December 2020

Phytohormones are integral to the regulation of fruit development and maturation. This review expands upon current understanding of the relationship between hormone signaling and fruit development, emphasizing fleshy fruit and highlighting recent work in the model crop tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and additional species. Fruit development comprises fruit set initiation, growth, and maturation and ripening. Fruit set transpires after fertilization and is associated with auxin and gibberellic acid (GA) signaling. Interaction between auxin and GAs, as well as other phytohormones, is mediated by auxin‐responsive Aux/IAA and ARF proteins. Fruit growth consists of cell division and expansion, the former shown to be influenced by auxin signaling. While regulation of cell expansion is less thoroughly understood, evidence indicates synergistic regulation via both auxin and GAs, with input from additional hormones. Fruit maturation, a transitional phase that precipitates ripening, occurs when auxin and GA levels subside with a concurrent rise in abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene. During fruit ripening, ethylene plays a clear role in climacteric fruits, whereas non‐climacteric ripening is generally associated with ABA. Recent evidence indicates varying requirements for both hormones within both ripening physiologies, suggesting rebalancing and specification of roles for common regulators rather than reliance upon one. Numerous recent discoveries pertaining to the molecular basis of hormonal activity and crosstalk are discussed, while we also note that many questions remain such as the molecular basis of additional hormonal activities, the role of epigenome changes, and how prior discoveries translate to the plethora of angiosperm species.
A single cytochrome P450 oxidase from Solanum habrochaites sequentially oxidizes 7‐epi‐zingiberene to derivatives toxic to whiteflies and various microorganisms
Authors: Zabel Sebastian , Brandt Wolfgang , Porzel Andrea , Athmer Benedikt , Bennewitz Stefan , Schäfer Petra , Kortbeek Ruy , Bleeker Petra , Tissier Alain
Published: December 2020

Secretions from glandular trichomes potentially protect plants against a variety of aggressors. In the tomato clade of the Solanum genus, glandular trichomes of wild species produce a rich source of chemical diversity at the leaf surface. Previously, 7‐epi‐zingiberene produced in several accessions of Solanum habrochaites was found to confer resistance to whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) and other insect pests. Here, we report the identification and characterisation of 9‐hydroxy‐zingiberene (9HZ) and 9‐hydroxy‐10,11‐epoxyzingiberene (9H10epoZ), two derivatives of 7‐epi‐zingiberene produced in glandular trichomes of S. habrochaites LA2167. Using a combination of transcriptomics and genetics, we identified a gene coding for a cytochrome P450 oxygenase, ShCYP71D184, that is highly expressed in trichomes and co‐segregates with the presence of the zingiberene derivatives. Transient expression assays in Nicotiana benthamiana showed that ShCYP71D184 carries out two successive oxidations to generate 9HZ and 9H10epoZ. Bioactivity assays showed that 9‐hydroxy‐10,11‐epoxyzingiberene in particular exhibits substantial toxicity against B. tabaci and various microorganisms including Phytophthora infestans and Botrytis cinerea. Our work shows that trichome secretions from wild tomato species can provide protection against a wide variety of organisms. In addition, the availability of the genes encoding the enzymes for the pathway of 7‐epi‐zingiberene derivatives makes it possible to introduce this trait in cultivated tomato by precision breeding.
A survey of primary care practitioners' referral habits and recommendations of allergen‐specific immunotherapy for canine and feline patients with atopic dermatitis
Authors: Flanagan Sarah , Schick Anthea , Lewis Thomas P. , Chu Tater Kathy , Rishniw Mark
Published: December 2020

Background

A recent pilot study of primary care veterinarians' attitudes regarding canine atopic dermatitis and initiation of allergen‐specific immunotherapy (ASIT) revealed several barriers to specialist referral (in the USA) and use of ASIT as a treatment modality.

Hypothesis/Objectives

The primary objective was to collect data on referral habits and ASIT practices among a much larger cohort of primary care veterinarians located around the world, and to explore barriers to referral and management of atopic diseases of dogs and cats with ASIT.

Methods and materials

An online survey, administered through the Veterinary Information Network (VIN, Davis, CA, USA), asked participants to self‐report their referral habits and immunotherapy recommendations, and rate barriers and motivating factors using Likert‐scale responses.

Results

Of 827 survey responses, 97.6% identified as primary care practitioners. A larger number of practitioners (84.5%) reported seeing atopic dogs often, compared with atopic cats (9.7%). Fewer of these veterinarians (56.6%) referred atopic cats for specialist care, compared to atopic dogs (73.5%). Timely communication, sharing long‐term management of the case, and provision of local continuing education were identified as factors associated with increased willingness to refer. A higher proportion of practitioners reported recommending ASIT for dogs (44.3%) than for cats (16.0%). Only 56.0% of respondents considered success rates of ASIT to be acceptable, while 27.9% were neutral on the topic.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Dermatology specialists might build stronger relationships with referring veterinarians through timely case follow‐up and provision of continuing education regarding the long‐term benefits of ASIT and symptomatic management practices.
Prospective evaluation of pericardial catheter placement versus needle pericardiocentesis in the management of canine pericardial effusion
Authors: Cook Simon , Cortellini Stefano , Humm Karen
Published: December 2020

Objective

To compare the safety and efficacy of pericardial catheter placement with needle pericardiocentesis in dogs with pericardial effusion (PE)

Design

Prospective, randomized clinical trial.

Setting

University teaching hospital.

Animals

Thirty client‐owned dogs requiring pericardiocentesis between January 2017 and August 2019.

Interventions

Dogs were randomized to undergo PE drainage via indwelling pericardial catheter placement (catheter group) followed by elective drainage every 4–6 hours or needle pericardiocentesis (needle group) repeated as necessary.

Measurements and main results

Fifteen dogs were allocated to the catheter group and 15 to the needle group. Data collected included signalment, cause of effusion, occurrence of arrhythmias pre‐, during, and post‐pericardiocentesis, procedural length, and details of repeated drainages. There was no significant difference between mean procedural times for pericardial catheter placement (17.7 min [±11.8]) and needle pericardiocentesis (12.1 min [±8.6]) (P = 0.192) or the rate of new arrhythmias in the catheter (36%) and needle (64%) groups (P = 0.24). Pericardial catheters were kept in situ for a median of 21 hours (range, 14–85). Three of 15 (20%) dogs in the needle group required repeated pericardiocentesis within 24 hours of initial pericardiocentesis. Pericardial catheters enabled repeated large volume PE drainage in 4 cases (median, 10.6 mL/kg; range, 8‐5–10.6).

Conclusions

Pericardial catheters appear to offer a safe alternative to needle pericardiocentesis. Minimal sedation is required for placement, and they can be placed quickly. Their indwelling nature and use was not associated with a higher rate of arrhythmia compared to that of needle pericardiocentesis alone, and may be beneficial in the event that clinically significant PE recurs.
Phytoremediation of chromium and manganese by Ipomoea aquatica Forssk. from aqueous medium containing chromium‐manganese mixtures in microcosms and mesocosms
Authors: Haokip Nengpilam , Gupta Abhik
Published: December 2020

Ipomoea aquatica—an aquatic macrophyte—could remove chromium and manganese from their mixtures after 96 h exposure at a maximum rate of 82.8% and 93.9%, respectively, in microcosms. The removal rates were higher (90.4% and 94.5%, respectively) after 96 h exposure in mesocosms with gravel beds and vertical subsurface flow. The higher removal rates in mesocosm were probably due to a wide range of partitioned micro‐environments close to the root boundaries, and within the biofilms on both root and gravel surfaces. The Cr and Mn removal efficiencies of I. aquatica increased with increasing Cr or Mn concentrations in the medium. The study reveals the potential of I. aquatica—a fast‐growing species that can proliferate by fragmentation—to effectively remove Cr and Mn within a relatively short period of time, thereby raising the prospect of its use in phytoremediation of wastewater contaminated with these metals.
High-Intensity Interval Training-Based Fitness Education in Middle School Physical Education: A Limited-Efficacy Study
Authors: Chen Senlin , Liu Yang , Androzzi Jared , Wang Baofu , Gu Xiangli
Published: December 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the limited efficacy of a high-intensity interval training (HIIT)-based fitness education unit in middle school physical education (PE). Method: The study took place in six PE classes at one middle school located in the southern United States. The authors conveniently assigned the classes to treatment (n = 3 classes; 113 students) or control (n = 3 classes; 119 students) groups. Two trained PE specialists implemented the HIIT lessons two to three times per week for 8 weeks. The authors collected mixed methods data at the student, class, and teacher levels for the evaluation. Results: The focus group teacher interview with the teachers, field observations, and accelerometer-determined in-class physical activity data revealed sound implementation fidelity. The HIIT-based fitness education condition also showed greater improvement in physical activity and fitness knowledge and attenuated decline in curl-up scores compared with the control. Conclusion: The findings support the limited efficacy of implementing HIIT for fitness education in middle school PE programs.
Why were salmon dying? The answer washed off the road
Authors: Stokstad Erik
Published: December 2020

Common tire chemical implicated in coho salmon kills.
Saving sanctuaries
Authors: Grimm David
Published: December 2020

Critics charge that sanctuaries for retired research chimpanzees are failing their animals. Can a new tool help?
Noncanonical transnitrosylation network contributes to synapse loss in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Nakamura Tomohiro , Oh Chang-ki , Liao Lujian , Zhang Xu , Lopez Kevin M. , Gibbs Daniel , Deal Amanda K. , Scott Henry R. , Spencer Brian , Masliah Eliezer , Rissman Robert A. , Yates John R. , Lipton Stuart A.
Published: December 2020

A cascade of NO in Alzheimer's disease

One of the ill effects of the amyloid-β peptide that accumulates in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the promotion of the production of nitric oxide (NO) and consequent nitrosylation of thiols in proteins such as dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), which can lead to loss of neuronal synapses. Nakamura
et al.
found that this S-nitrosylation occurs in an unusual way. They detected a series of transnitrosylation events in which an NO group is passed between at least three proteins. The deubiquinating enzyme Uch-L1 was S-nitrosylated in brains from human AD patients or in mouse models of AD. Uch-L1 could lead to S-nitrosylation of Drp1 after transferring the NO group to another enzyme, Cdk5 (cyclin-dependent kinase 5). The results implicate a mechanism in which unrelated enzymes might aberrantly function together to disrupt brain function.

Science
, this issue p.
eaaw0843
Universal sound diffusion in a strongly interacting Fermi gas
Authors: Patel Parth B. , Yan Zhenjie , Mukherjee Biswaroop , Fletcher Richard J. , Struck Julian , Zwierlein Martin W.
Published: December 2020

Watching sound die out

A gas of strongly interacting fermionic atoms can serve as a model for systems with densities and energies spanning many orders of magnitude. This universality of physics comes about thanks to a property known as scale invariance. Patel
et al.
exploited this concept to draw universal conclusions about the attenuation of sound in such systems by studying a homogeneous gas of lithium-6 atoms at very low temperatures (see the Perspective by Schaefer). They found that below the superfluid transition, the sound diffusivity behaved not unlike what has been observed in helium-4, a fluid of strongly interacting bosons.

Science
, this issue p.
1222
; see also p.
1162
Postnatal connectomic development of inhibition in mouse barrel cortex
Authors: Gour Anjali , Boergens Kevin M. , Heike Natalie , Hua Yunfeng , Laserstein Philip , Song Kun , Helmstaedter Moritz
Published: December 2020

Building circuits, one synapse at a time

As the brain develops, neurons build new connections that are refined by pruning. Gour
et al.
used electron microscopy to build a high-resolution study of mouse postnatal brain development. The survey reveals the details of how circuits are built to incorporate inhibitory neurons in the somatosensory cortex.

Science
, this issue p.
eabb4534
Quantum-limited sound attenuation
Authors: Schaefer Thomas
Published: December 2020

Resonantly interacting atoms confined by lasers have implications for neutron stars
Mechanisms of collision recovery in flying beetles and flapping-wing robots
Authors: Phan Hoang Vu , Park Hoon Cheol
Published: December 2020

Protection in the wings

Beetles have hardened forewings for the protection of their bodies and hindwings, and their use during crawling or burrowing is well understood. However, the behavior of the larger hindwings during collisions in flight has not been clear because they do not readily flex. Phan and Park present a detailed study of the folding and unfolding mechanisms of the hindwings in free-flying rhinoceros beetles in which the wings were impacted during flight to simulate a cluttered environment (see the Perspective by Sun). They found that origami-like folds in the wing could rapidly collapse on impact and then spring back, thus acting as shock absorbers and stabilizers. The authors replicated this behavior in a flapping-wing robot, enabling it to fly safely after collisions.

Science
, this issue p.
1214
; see also p.
1165
Fossil electricity retirement deadlines for a just transition
Authors: Grubert Emily
Published: December 2020

A 2035 deadline for decarbonizing U.S. electricity would strand only about 15% of fossil capacity-years
Probing the dark side of the exciton
Authors: Na Meng Xing , Ye Ziliang
Published: December 2020

Photoemitted electrons reveal large-momentum (“dark”) excitons in monolayer WSe
2
Constraints on selfish behavior in plants
Authors: Semchenko Marina
Published: December 2020

Plants overproduce roots to secure resources nearby but avoid costly trips to neighbors' patches
Enzyme formation by immune receptors
Authors: Tian Lei , Li Xin
Published: December 2020

Upon pathogen recognition, some plant immune receptors assemble into active enzyme complexes
Stimulating the brain to restore vision
Authors: Beauchamp Michael S. , Yoshor Daniel
Published: December 2020

High-definition brain prostheses are developed for treating blindness
Mario J. Molina (1943–2020)
Authors: Prather Kimberly A.
Published: December 2020

Visionary environmental chemist
Fodder for future scientists
Chemistry for Kids: Homemade Science Experiments and Activities Inspired by Awesome Chemists, Past and Present
, Liz Lee Heinecke, Quarry Books, 2020, 128 pp.
This Is a Book to Read with a Worm
, Jodi Wheeler-Toppen, Illustrated by Margaret McCartney, Charlesbridge, 2020, 32 pp.
You're Invited to a Moth Ball: A Nighttime Insect Celebration
, Loree Griffin Burns, Photography by Ellen Harasimowicz, Charlesbridge, 2020, 40 pp.
Creek Critters
, Jennifer Keats Curtis with Stroud Water Research Center, Illustrated by Phyllis Saroff, Arbordale Publishing, 2020, 32 pp.
Mario and the Hole in the Sky: How a Chemist Saved Our Planet
, Elizabeth Rusch, Illustrated by Teresa Martínez, Charlesbridge, 2019, 40 pp.
The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity: A Tale of the Genius Ramanujan
, Amy Alznauer, Illustrated by Daniel Miyares, Candlewick, 2020, 48 pp.
Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery
, Meeg Pincus, Illustrated by Yas Imamura, Sleeping Bear Press, 2020, 40 pp.

Honeybee: The Busy Life of
Apis Mellifera

, Candace Fleming, Illustrated by Eric Rohmann, Neal Porter Books, 2020, 40 pp.
Can You Hear the Trees Talking? Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest
, Peter Wohlleben, Translated by Shelley Tanaka, Greystone Kids, 2019, 84 pp.
Eclipse Chaser: Science in the Moon's Shadow
, Ilima Loomis, Photography by Amanda Cowan, HMH Books for Young Readers, 2019, 80 pp.
Growing Up Gorilla: How a Zoo Baby Brought Her Family Together
, Clare Hodgson Meeker, Millbrook Press, 2019, 48 pp.
Condor Comeback
, Sy Montgomery, Photography by Tianne Strombeck, HMH Books for Young Readers, 2020, 96 pp.
The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story of Astronomy's Vanishing Explorers
, Emily Levesque, Sourcebooks, 2020, 336 pp.
Borrowing Life: How Scientists, Surgeons, and a War Hero Made the First Successful Organ Transplant a Reality
, Shelley Fraser Mickle, Imagine, 2020, 288 pp.
Wading Right In: Discovering the Nature of Wetlands
, Catherine Owen Koning and Sharon M. Ashworth, Illustrated by Catherine Owen Koning, University of Chicago Press, 2019, 264 pp.
The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another
, Ainissa Ramirez, MIT Press, 2020, 328 pp.For a full-length review of The Alchemy of Us, see
Science
368
, 41 (2020).
Authors: Hines Pamela J. , Ash Caroline , Scanlon Seth , Wagoner Trista , Vignieri Sacha , Servick Kelly , Mervis Jeffrey , Sills Jennifer , Lavine Marc S. , Cho Adrian , O'Grady Cathleen , Zahn Laura M. , Smith Keith T. , Nusinovich Yevgeniya , Sugden Andrew , Miodownik Mark
Published: December 2020

From a monarch mystery unlocked with the help of Indigenous people to an environmental disaster averted by a chemist who was not afraid of a fight, this year's finalists for the AAAS/Subaru (SB&F) Prize for Excellence in Science Books highlight how diverse perspectives, grit, and a healthy dose of hope are essential to the effective practice of science. Read on for reviews of the finalists written by the staff of the
Science
family of journals, with help from a few friends.
Environmental factors associated with general practitioner consultations for allergic rhinitis in London, England: a retrospective time series analysis
Authors: Todkill Dan , de Jesus Colon Gonzalez Felipe , Morbey Roger , Charlett Andre , Hajat Shakoor , Kovats Sari , Osborne Nicholas J , McInnes Rachel , Vardoulakis Sotiris , Exley Karen , Edeghere Obaghe , Smith Gillian , Elliot Alex J
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To identify key predictors of general practitioner (GP) consultations for allergic rhinitis (AR) using meteorological and environmental data.

Design

A retrospective, time series analysis of GP consultations for AR.

Setting

A large GP surveillance network of GP practices in the London area.

Participants

The study population was all persons who presented to general practices in London that report to the Public Health England GP in-hours syndromic surveillance system during the study period (3 April 2012 to 11 August 2014).

Primary measure

Consultations for AR (numbers of consultations).

Results

During the study period there were 186 401 GP consultations for AR. High grass and nettle pollen counts (combined) were associated with the highest increases in consultations (for the category 216-270 grains/m3, relative risk (RR) 3.33, 95% CI 2.69 to 4.12) followed by high tree (oak, birch and plane combined) pollen counts (for the category 260–325 grains/m3, RR 1.69, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.15) and average daily temperatures between 15°C and 20°C (RR 1.47, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.81). Higher levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) appeared to be associated with increased consultations (for the category 70–85 µg/m3, RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.71), but a significant effect was not found with ozone. Higher daily rainfall was associated with fewer consultations (15–20 mm/day; RR 0.812, 95% CI 0.674 to 0.980).

Conclusions

Changes in grass, nettle or tree pollen counts, temperatures between 15°C and 20°C, and (to a lesser extent) NO2 concentrations were found to be associated with increased consultations for AR. Rainfall has a negative effect. In the context of climate change and continued exposures to environmental air pollution, intelligent use of these data will aid targeting public health messages and plan healthcare demand.
Effects of novel flash glucose monitoring system on glycaemic control in adult patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: protocol of a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Authors: Zhou Yongwen , Deng Hongrong , Liu Hongxia , Yang Daizhi , Xu Wen , Yao Bin , Yan Jinhua , Weng Jianping
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Optimal glycaemic control is beneficial to prevent and delay microvascular complications in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The benefits of flash glucose monitoring (FGM) have been proved among well-controlled adults with T1DM, but evidence for FGM in adults with T1DM who have suboptimal glycaemic control is limited. This study aims to evaluate the effect of FGM in suboptimally controlled adult patients with T1DM .

Methods and analysis

This open-label, multicentre, randomised trial will be conducted at eight tertiary hospitals and recruit 104 adult participants (≥18 years old) with T1DM diagnosed for at least 1 year and with suboptimal glycaemic control (glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) ranging from 7.0% to 10.0%). After a run-in period (baseline, 0–2 weeks), eligible participants will be randomised 1:1 to either use FGM or self-monitoring of blood glucose alone consequently for the next 24 weeks. At baseline, 12–14 weeks and 24–26 weeks, retrospective continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems will be used in both groups for device-related data collection. Biological metrics, including HbA1c, blood routine, lipid profiles, liver enzymes, questionnaires and adverse events, will be assessed at baseline, week 14 and week 26. All analyses will be conducted on the intent-to-treat population. Efficacy endpoint analyses will also be repeated on the per-protocol population. The primary outcome is the change of HbA1c from baseline to week 26. The secondary outcomes are the changes of CGM metrics, including time spent in range, time spent in target, time spent below range, time spent above range, SD, coefficient of variation, mean amplitude of glucose excursions, high or low blood glucose index, mean of daily differences, percentage of HbA1c in target (<7%), frequency of FGM use, total daily insulin dose and the scores of questionnaires including Diabetes Distress Scale, Hypoglycemia Fear Scale and European Quality of Life Scale.

Ethics and dissemination

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in January 2017. Ethical approval has been obtained at all centres. All participants will be provided with oral and written information about the trial. The study will be disseminated by peer-review publications and conference presentations.

Trial registration number

NCT03522870.
Scoping review protocol: the use of telemedicine in providing opioid agonist treatment and related psychosocial supports
Authors: Crowley Des , Homeniuk Robyn , Delargy Ide
Published: December 2020

Introduction

The global opioid-related disease burden is significant. Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) can be effective in reducing illicit opioid use and fatal overdose, and improving multiple health and social outcomes. Despite evidence for its effectiveness, there are significant deficits in OAT globally. COVID-19 has required rapid adaptation of remote models of healthcare. Telemedicine is not used routinely in OAT, and little is known about the current levels of use and effectiveness. The objective of this review is to describe models of telemedicine and their efficacy.

Methods and analysis

This scoping review uses the review methodology described by Arksey and O’Malley and adapted by Levacet al. The search strategy developed by the medical librarian at the Irish College of General Practitioners in conjunction with the research team will involve five databases (PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, PsycInfo and OpenGrey) and the hand searching of reference lists. A limited initial search of two databases will be completed to refine search terms, followed by a second comprehensive search using newly refined search terms of all databases and finally hand searching references of included studies. To be included, studies must report on remote ways of providing OAT (including assessment, induction and monitoring) or related psychosocial support; be published in English after 2010. Two researchers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full-text articles considered for inclusion. Data will be extracted onto an agreed template and will undergo a descriptive analysis of the contextual or process-oriented data and simple quantitative analysis using descriptive statistics.

Ethics and dissemination

Research ethics approval is not required for this scoping review. The results of this scoping review will inform the development of a national remote model of OAT. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant conferences.
Sacred hearts and pumps: cardiology and the conflicted body politic (1500–1900)
Authors: Feiler Therese
Published: December 2020

This article examines how conflicting notions of the body politic between the natural and the spiritual have contextualised the evolution of cardiology. After a brief look at the place of the heart in biblical, patristic and medieval notions of the church, the article turns to the Reformation period. While Martin Luther moved theological gravity to the individual’s heart and conscience, his contemporary Michael Servetus described the pulmonary cycle in the context of an antitrinitarian theology condemned as theological and political heresy. In the early modern period, nature conceived as creation grounded sovereign political authority, which science could then align with. Whereas William Harvey still adhered to an Aristotelian teleology, René Descartes and subsequent mechanistic contributions to cardiology were flanked by an intense ‘cardiolatry’. Both, it is argued, are two sides of the same, almost non-corporeal coin. The emerging Enlightened epistemology allowed for a position distinct from both sovereign and ecclesial powers. The French Revolution was a paradigm shift: the ancien régime falls, and its Sacred Heart devotion is mocked; the new ‘Erastian’ state-university emerges as the context of cardiology. These developments are reflected in the life of René Laënnec and in cultural interpretations of the heart later in the 19th century. It is shown that the heart as a doubly inscribed, both biological and spiritual organ, played a central role in theological, and therefore political and scientific notions of the body politic. These continue to haunt the present, allowing us to interpret normative appeals to the heart particularly in political contexts.
Grazing exclosures reveal divergent patterns of change in bunchgrass grasslands of Western Canada
Authors: Bradfield Gary E. , Cumming W.F. Preston , Newman Reg F. , Krzic Maja
Published: December 2020

Thirty-six long-term (14–83 years) cattle grazing exclosures and adjacent grazed pastures spanning a climatic gradient from cooler–wetter to warmer–drier growing seasons in south-central British Columbia were compared for temporal vegetation change. Trajectories of temporal vegetation change from non-metric multidimensional scaling were mostly scattered for the grazed areas, but more directed toward the dominant grasses, primarily rough fescue (Festuca campestris) or Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), for the exclosures. Plant community differences, detected only after 10 years of grazing exclusion, were primarily due to structural shifts in overall species cover related to growth increases of the dominant grasses inside exclosures. Species richness remained unchanged between the first and last sampling dates in both grazed areas and exclosures, with both treatments showing moderate degrees (15%–30%) of turnover in species composition. Shannon diversity declined in both treatments as a result of the structural changes in species cover. The results highlight the value of repeated monitoring of long-term exclosures for assessment of grassland resiliency to grazing. Further studies of the interaction of grazing and climate are needed for a more complete understanding of the ongoing vegetation change.
Road visibility influences habitat selection by grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis)
Authors: Parsons B.M. , Coops N.C. , Kearney S.P. , Burton A.C. , Nelson T.A. , Stenhouse G.B.
Published: December 2020

Anthropogenic disturbances, including roads, are known to influence animal habitat selection and mortality. In this study, we consider the role of sensory perception in understanding why and how animals respond to disturbances. Our goal was to investigate the effect of visual perception (visibility) around roads on grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis Ord, 1815) habitat selection and mortality in Alberta, Canada. We used detailed topographic and vegetation data from airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) to estimate visibility around roads. We modelled habitat selection as a function of road visibility and environmental variables using GPS telemetry data from 39 grizzly bears and integrated step selection analysis (iSSA). Finally, we assessed mortality risk in visible areas by comparing habitat selection between grizzly bears that died and those that survived. We found that grizzly bears were less likely to select visible areas when moving slowly or resting, but were more likely to select visible areas when travelling. We found that grizzly bears that survived selected for areas farther from roads than grizzly bears that died. However, no difference in selection for visible areas was observed. An exploratory analysis showed that grizzly bear mortalities commonly occurred in visible areas. Our findings highlight the importance of sensory perception in understanding animal behaviour.
U(1) mixing and the weak gravity conjecture
Authors: Benakli Karim , Branchina Carlo , Lafforgue-Marmet Gaëtan
Published: December 2020

Tiny values for gauge couplings of dark photons allow to suppress their kinetic mixing with ordinary photons. We point out that the weak gravity conjecture predicts consequently low ultraviolet cut-offs where new degrees of freedom might appear. In particular, a mixing angle of $$\mathcal {O}(10^{-15})$$

O
(

10

-
15

)

, required in order to fit the excess reported by XENON1T, corresponds to new physics below $$\mathcal {O}(100)$$

O
(
100
)

TeV, thus accessible at a future circular collider. We show that possible realizations are provided by compactifications with six large extra dimensions and a string scale of order $$\mathcal {O}(100)$$

O
(
100
)

TeV.
Cognitive Dissonance and Disaster Risk Communication
Authors: Wood Erik , Miller Sarah K.
Published: December 2020

Much of effective disaster risk communications practice is based on the equitable distribution of crisis messaging to the target population. Priority is given, for example, to getting an evacuation message to the most people possible using a language and medium appropriate to that audience. Cognitive dissonance (CD) studies, however, show that well-intentioned disaster management messaging not only can produce an undesirable public reaction, but can also solidify public sentiment to resist or deny that very message. This focused literature review of a modest-sized body of research on the effects of cognitive dissonance on disaster management risk communications will produce two results. First, the research will demonstrate that a basic understanding of CD could help disaster communicators craft more effective messaging and, second, it will introduce a preliminary cognitive dissonance index (CDI) that can be easily plugged into existing crisis communication models. This “upgrade” to existing risk communication frameworks represents an efficient method to close the theory to practice loop and begin to account for the power of CD in our national and international disaster communications.
Learning from Synthetic Point Cloud Data for Historical Buildings Semantic Segmentation
Authors: Morbidoni Christian , Pierdicca Roberto , Paolanti Marina , Quattrini Ramona , Mammoli Raissa
Published: December 2020

Historical heritage is demanding robust pipelines for obtaining Heritage Building Information Modeling models that are fully interoperable and rich in their informative content. The definition of efficient Scan-to-BIM workflows represent a very important step toward a more efficient management of the historical real estate, as creating structured three-dimensional (3D) models from point clouds is complex and time-consuming. In this scenario, semantic segmentation of 3D Point Clouds is gaining more and more attention, since it might help to automatically recognize historical architectural elements. The way paved by recent Deep Learning approaches proved to provide reliable and affordable degrees of automation in other contexts, as road scenes understanding. However, semantic segmentation is particularly challenging in historical and classical architecture, due to the shapes complexity and the limited repeatability of elements across different buildings, which makes it difficult to define common patterns within the same class of elements. Furthermore, as Deep Learning models requires a considerably large amount of annotated data to be trained and tuned to properly handle unseen scenes, the lack of (big) publicly available annotated point clouds in the historical building domain is a huge problem, which in fact blocks the research in this direction. However, creating a critical mass of annotated point clouds by manual annotation is very time-consuming and impractical. To tackle this issue, in this work we explore the idea of leveraging synthetic point cloud data to train Deep Learning models to perform semantic segmentation of point clouds obtained via Terrestrial Laser Scanning. The aim is to provide a first assessment of the use of synthetic data to drive Deep Learning--based semantic segmentation in the context of historical buildings. To achieve this purpose, we present an improved version of the Dynamic Graph CNN (DGCNN) named RadDGCNN. The main improvement consists on exploiting the radius distance. In our experiments, we evaluate the trained models on synthetic dataset (publicly available) about two different historical buildings: the Ducal Palace in Urbino, Italy, and Palazzo Ferretti in Ancona, Italy. RadDGCNN yields good results, demonstrating improved segmentation performances on the TLS real datasets.
Teaching Cultural Heritage through a Narrative-based Game
Authors: Malegiannaki Irini A. , Daradoumis Thanasis , Retalis Symeon
Published: December 2020

Games are used in various learning situations and domains, among which is cultural heritage. Storytelling is used in games regarding cultural places, but it often takes a simple form. Thus, the authors’ aim is to investigate the possibility to communicate cultural content through a narrative-based game that can function with multiple narratives. Another core element of our design is the less exploited in serious games combination of endogenous cooperation and competition. The social dimension of our design was expressed through features of
Classroom Multiplayer Presential Games
(CMPGs), in respect of using a one-to-many game environment projected on a single screen, while enhancing collaborative work in small teams. After providing an overview of the game, we briefly explain how
t
his was implemented with the use of Twine, a free authoring tool for the creation of interactive stories and text-based games. Subsequently, we present the two interventions we conducted, one with teenage students (
n =
19) and one with post-graduate students (
n =
14), to test how our game design functions with real users. A mixed research methodology was followed in the two trials and data were collected through observation, focus group discussions, short questionnaires, and game reports. Findings indicated that the suggested design is playable but provided helpful insights into its future improvements. The game managed to engage both teenagers and adults with the cultural content and create motivation towards it. Learning gains were registered for both groups, but these were more appreciated by the adult participants, who additionally found the game to be more entertaining. The limited character of our results imposes the need for future extensive evaluation of the game design in both formal and non-formal educational contexts.
HieroQuest - A Serious Game for Learning Egyptian Hieroglyphs
Authors: Plecher David A. , Herber Florian , Eichhorn Christian , Pongratz Alexander , Tanson Gilles , Klinker Gudrun
Published: December 2020

Serious Games use immersive and interactive virtual learning worlds to support and enhance the transfer of knowledge, raising interest in cultural heritage across various subjects. We present a Serious Game designed to enhance the language acquisition of the Middle Egyptian language. Therefore, using an immersive background of cultural heritage, we bring life to one of the oldest stories recorded,
The Story of the Shipwrecked Sailor
. The players learn basics and advanced topics of hieroglyphs, while immersing into the story itself. The game was created and refined in an iterative process with two pre-studies. In the current iteration, a larger user study with participants from different backgrounds was conducted to investigate the learning effectiveness of the game and the impact of using an autonomous feature for the learning success.
Optimising Environmental Educational Narrative Videogames
Authors: Pescarin Sofia , Fanini Bruno , Ferdani Daniele , Mifsud Keith , Hamilton Andrew
Published: December 2020

In May 2019,
A Night in the Forum
videogame was published in the Sony PlayStation store, for PS VR. It was the final result of the REVEAL EU project, whose goal was to identify strategies, features, and tools to develop educational titles in a more efficient, cost-effective, and valuable way, exploiting their educational, cognitive, and engaging potential for schools and cultural tourism. Environmental Narrative videogames was chosen as a genre suited for this purposes. This article presents how known issues in the production of videogames have been faced, the solutions identified, and results obtained.
Towards less complex e-government services for people with low vision
Authors: Sala Aritz , Arrue Myriam , Pérez J. Eduardo , Espín-Tello Sandra M.
Published: December 2020

Online public services may alleviate many of the inconveniences citizens have to face when accessing public services in the real world. People with low vision are one of the collectives who could benefit from e-services the most, as they can be accessed anytime, anywhere and with the help of their usual assistive technology. Many public e-services are provided by means of accessing, completing and submitting an online-form. However, this process is not always accessible for people with low vision and completing all the steps often becomes a complex task. It is necessary to identify the most difficult tasks and steps in public services in order to improve the user experience in e-government services. This paper presents a user study of five public Spanish e-services with ten participants, five of them with low vision. The performance of participants during the process of fulfilment of the online forms has been analysed. The results indicated the main barriers they found in each step of the process and highlighted the best approaches for implementing more accessible e-services.
Altered calcium handling in cardiomyocytes from arginine-glycine amidinotransferase-knockout mice is rescued by creatine
Authors: Laasmaa Martin , Branovets Jelena , Barsunova Karina , Karro Niina , Lygate Craig A. , Birkedal Rikke , Vendelin Marko
Published: December 2020

Creatine-deficient mice lacking arginine-glycine amidinotransferase exhibit compromised cardiac function. Here, we show that this is at least partially due to an overall slowing of calcium dynamics. Calcium influx into the cytosol via the L-type calcium current (LTCC) is diminished, and the rate of the sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) pumping calcium back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum is slower. The expression of LTCC and SERCA did not change, suggesting that the changes are regulatory.
Endothelial cell disruption drives increased blood-brain barrier permeability and cerebral edema in the Dahl SS/jr rat model of superimposed preeclampsia
Authors: Maeda Kenji J. , McClung Daniel M. , Showmaker Kurt C. , Warrington Junie P. , Ryan Michael J. , Garrett Michael R. , Sasser Jennifer M.
Published: December 2020

This study uses the Dahl SS/jr rat as a preclinical model of spontaneous superimposed preeclampsia to demonstrate uncoupling of cerebral vascular permeability and blood-brain barrier disruption from cerebral blood flow autoregulatory dysfunction and myogenic tone. Additionally, the data presented in this study lay the foundational framework on which future experiments assessing specific transcellular transport components such as individual transporter protein expression and components of the vesicular transport system (caveolae) can be built to help reveal a potential direct mechanistic insight into the causes of cerebrovascular complications during preeclamptic pregnancies.
Plexus-specific effect of flicker-light stimulation on the retinal microvasculature assessed with optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Kallab Martin , Hommer Nikolaus , Tan Bingyao , Pfister Martin , Schlatter Andreas , Werkmeister René M. , Chua Jacqueline , Schmidl Doreen , Schmetterer Leopold , Garhöfer Gerhard
Published: December 2020

We present vessel density alterations in response to flicker stimulation using optical coherence tomography angiography and identified the superficial capillary plexus as the layer with the most pronounced effect. This points out the physiological importance of the microvasculature in mediating functional hyperemia and suggests a fine-tuned plexus-specific mechanism to meet cellular metabolic demands.
Activation of reverse Na+-Ca2+ exchanger by skeletal Na+ channel isoform increases excitation-contraction coupling efficiency in rabbit cardiomyocytes
Authors: Torres Natalia S.
Published: December 2020

A number of studies suggest that the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) activated by Na+ currents is involved in the process of excitation-contraction (EC) coupling in cardiac ventricular myocytes. Although insufficient to trigger sarcoplasmic Ca2+ release alone, the Ca2+ entering through reverse NCX during an action potential can prime the dyadic cleft and increase the Ca2+ current coupling fidelity. Using specific Na+ inhibitors in this study, we show that in rabbit ventricular cells the skeletal Na+ channel isoform (Nav1.4) is the main isoform responsible for this priming. Our study provides insights into a mechanism that may have an increased relevance where EC coupling is remodeled.
A shock-free approach for ambulatory cardioversion in atrial fibrillation
Authors: De Coster Tim
Published: December 2020

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common persistent arrhythmia, is terminated most effectively by electrical cardioversion. This therapy requires in-hospital sedation to relieve the pain caused by electric shocks. Recently, our research group showed how the heart itself could be enabled to detect and terminate arrhythmias, including AF, thereby revealing the discovery of fully biological, shock-free cardioversion. Because of its biological nature, neither electric shocks nor hardware/software is required for sinus rhythm (SR) restoration, which creates a new perspective for ambulatory AF termination. Increasing evidence suggests that patients may indeed benefit from such continuous real-time rhythm control.