bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hybrid artificial bee colony and glow worm algorithm for energy efficient cluster head selection in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Kaur Jasleen , Rani Punam , Dahiya Brahm Prakash
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aim to find optimal cluster head and minimize energy wastage in WSNs. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have low power sensor nodes that quickly lose energy. Energy efficiency is most important factor in WSNs, as they incorporate limited sized batteries that would not be recharged or replaced. The energy possessed by the sensor nodes must be optimally used so as to increase the lifespan. The research is proposing hybrid artificial bee colony and glowworm swarm optimization [Hybrid artificial bee colony and glowworm swarm optimization (HABC-GSO)] algorithm to select the cluster heads. Previous research has considered fitness-based glowworm swarm with Fruitfly (FGF) algorithm, but existing research was limited to maximizing network lifetime and energy efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed HABC-GSO algorithm selects global optima and improves convergence ratio. It also performs optimal cluster head selection by balancing between exploitation and exploration phases. The simulation is performed in MATLAB.

Findings

The HABC-GSO performance is evaluated with existing algorithms such as particle swarm optimization, GSO, Cuckoo Search, Group Search Ant Lion with Levy Flight, Fruitfly Optimization algorithm and grasshopper optimization algorithm, a new FGF in the terms of alive nodes, normalized energy, cluster head distance and delay.

Originality/value

This research work is original.
It's a worm‐eat‐worm world: Consumption of parasite free‐living stages protects hosts and benefits predators
Authors: Hobart Brendan K. , Moss Wynne E. , McDevitt‐Galles Travis , Stewart Merrill Tara E. , Johnson Pieter T. J.
Published: September 2021

Predation on parasites is a common interaction with multiple, concurrent outcomes. Free‐living stages of parasites can comprise a large portion of some predators' diets and may be important resources for population growth. Predation can also reduce the density of infectious agents in an ecosystem, with resultant decreases in infection rates. While predator–parasite interactions likely vary with parasite transmission strategy, few studies have examined how variation in transmission mode influences contact rates with predators and the associated changes in consumption risk.

To understand how transmission mode mediates predator–parasite interactions, we examined associations between an oligochaete predator Chaetogaster limnaei that lives commensally on freshwater snails and nine trematode taxa that infect snails. Chaetogaster is hypothesized to consume active (i.e. mobile), free‐living stages of trematodes that infect snails (miracidia), but not the passive infectious stages (eggs); it could thus differentially affect transmission and infection prevalence of parasites, including those with medical or veterinary importance. Alternatively, when infection does occur, Chaetogaster can consume and respond numerically to free‐living trematode stages released from infected snails (cercariae). These two processes lead to contrasting predictions about whether Chaetogaster and trematode infection of snails correlate negatively (‘protective predation’) or positively (‘predator augmentation’).

Here, we tested how parasite transmission mode affected Chaetogaster–trematode relationships using data from 20,759 snails collected across 4 years from natural ponds in California. Based on generalized linear mixed modelling, snails with more Chaetogaster were less likely to be infected by trematodes that rely on active transmission. Conversely, infections by trematodes with passive infectious stages were positively associated with per‐snail Chaetogaster abundance.

Our results suggest that trematode transmission mode mediates the net outcome of predation on parasites. For trematodes with active infectious stages, predatory Chaetogaster limited the risk of snail infection and its subsequent pathology (i.e. castration). For taxa with passive infectious stages, no such protective effect was observed. Rather, infected snails were associated with higher Chaetogaster abundance, likely owing to the resource subsidy provided by cercariae. These findings highlight the ecological and epidemiological importance of predation on free‐living stages while underscoring the influence of parasite life history in shaping such interactions.
Linking resilience, vulnerability, social capital and risk awareness for crisis and disaster research
Authors: Morsut Claudia , Kuran Christian , Kruke Bjørn Ivar , Orru Kati , Hansson Sten
Published: September 2021

Crisis and disaster research has extensively contributed to theoretical, conceptual, methodological and empirical advances in the understanding of resilience, vulnerability, social capital and risk awareness. These concepts identify complex social phenomena, which are intensified, in both positive and negative terms, by crises and disasters. However, the accumulation of knowledge about these notions has produced a vast range of definitions, which affects the way they are used in the study of crises and disasters. This paper sets a research agenda, by promoting a conceptual model to help simplify and make more researchable these complex concepts. This model stems from a triangulation of methods, with the goal of providing more researchable definitions of these notions and of illustrating linkages among them, seldom addressed in the way this model suggests, in the context of the crisis management cycle.
A Compilation of New and Existing Thermochronology Data Concerning the Lhasa Terrane Combined with a Geological Synthesis of the Area
Authors: ZHAO Zhongbao , LI Chao , MA Xuxuan , LI Haibing
Published: September 2021

The history and geodynamic mechanisms of Cenozoic exhumation and denudation of the Lhasa terrane (LT), southern Tibetan Plateau, remain poorly constrained. Most previous studies investigating the exhumation of the LT have relied on extrapolating interpretations based on a few well‐studied but small areas, which inevitably introduce bias. Here, our compilation of new and published thermochronologic ages are plotted against latitude, longitude, and elevation, to illustrate the distribution of cooling ages across broad regions of the LT. Primary results reveal that (1) the north LT experienced significant exhumation during 80–40 Ma; (2) compared with north LT, exhumation and erosion in the south LT continued after ∼40 Ma; and (3) N–S striking rifting, E–W striking river incision, and thrusts led to continued local denudation of the south LT between 20–5 Ma.
A Comprehensive Measure of Lifeyears Lost due to COVID‐19 in 2020: A Comparison across Countries and with Past Disasters
Authors: Doan Vu Nguyen , Noy Ilan
Published: September 2021

Typically, disaster damages are measured separately in four dimensions: fatalities, injuries, dislocations, and the financial damage that they wreak. Noy (2016) developed a lifeyears index of disaster damage which aggregates these disparate measures. Here, we use this lifeyears index to assess the costs of the COVID‐19 pandemic across countries and compare these costs to the average annual costs of all other disasters that have occurred in all countries in the past 20 years. We find that the costs of the pandemic, measured for 2020, far outweigh the annual costs associated with other disasters in the past two decades. It is the economic loss that dominates this impact. The human and social implications of this economic loss are plausibly much greater than the direct toll in mortality and morbidity in almost all countries. Finally, it is small countries like the Maldives and Guyana that have experienced the most dramatic and painful crisis, largely under the radar of the world’s attention. Our conclusion from these findings is not that governments’ policy reactions were unwarranted. If anything, we find that the loss of lifeyears is correlated positively across the three dimensions we examine. Countries that experienced a deeper health crisis also experienced a deeper economic one.
COVID, Deglobalization and The Decline of Diplomacy: Could Tele‐diplomacy Revitalize Diplomacy’s Capacity to Promote Consensus?
Authors: Manfredi‐Sánchez Juan‐Luis , Hare Paul Webster
Published: September 2021

The pandemic has shown a diplomatic system that is dysfunctional. No institution or groups of states was willing or able to take the lead in crafting shared actions to shared problems. The crisis coincided with pressures on diplomacy from deglobalization. This has accelerated a fragmentation of norms and increased willingness to use public diplomacy and digital communication as a point‐scoring unidirectional method of self‐gratification. The private, painstaking discourse of diplomacy is fading fast. The United Nations needs to urge its members to reassert the values and give new attention to how diplomacy is conducted, building on existing conventions. Meanwhile, tele‐diplomacy offers a medium where diplomacy could reassert itself as the core activity that will enable collective global issues to be addressed. The paper examines how such tele‐diplomacy might be established.
Sending people to care homes in lower‐income countries: A qualified defence
Authors: de Vries Bouke
Published: September 2021

In recent years, a proportion of older Germans has been sent to relatively high‐end care homes within lower‐income countries where the care tends to be cheaper and more extensive than that in German care homes. Destination countries are found predominantly within Eastern Europe (e.g. Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic), but to a lesser extent also within South‐East Asia (e.g. Thailand). At the same time, these expatriations have caused much controversy, with some German commentators calling them ‘inhumane’ and ‘shameful’. In this article, I argue that such criticisms are overdrawn. Although sending an older individual to a care home within a lower‐income country can be morally impermissible, I find that there are at least three sets of conditions under which it is not.
Treatment choice in the presence of conflicting information: The role of physician likeability in the choice of non‐proven therapies against conventional treatment
Authors: Niszczota Paweł , Petrova Dafina
Published: September 2021

Research on why patients sometimes choose non‐proven therapies (NPT) instead of conventional treatments is limited. We investigated how physician likeability influences the choice of NPT instead of conventional treatment. In an experiment with three medical scenarios, participants (N = 384) consulted two physicians who gave conflicting recommendations: The first physician recommended a conventional treatment and the second one recommended a NPT. We manipulated the likeability of the first physician, who was either likeable or unlikeable. Using mediation analyses, we explored how the effect of likeability was channelled and whether time pressure influenced treatment choice. Participants chose the NPT more often (OR = 1.43, 95% CI [1.03–2.00]), had more positive affective responses, and perceived more benefit from NPT when the conventional treatment was recommended by an unlikeable (vs. likeable) physician. Time pressure had no effect on treatment choice. Physicians’ likeability might play an important role in treatment choice in the presence of conflicting information. Providers should be cognizant that poor communication might push patients to prefer the advice of more likeable physicians, even when they prescribe NPT instead of conventional treatment.
Predicting attractiveness from face parts reveals multiple covarying cues
Authors: Liu Chang Hong , Young Andrew W. , Li Jiaxin , Tian Xinran , Chen Wenfeng
Published: September 2021

In most studies of facial attractiveness perception, judgments are based on the whole face images. Here we investigated how attractiveness judgments from parts of faces compare to perceived attractiveness of the whole face, and to each other. We manipulated the extent and regions of occlusion, where either the left/right or the top/bottom half of the face was occluded. We also further segmented the face into relatively small horizontal regions involving the forehead, eyes, nose, or mouth. The results demonstrated the correlated nature of face regions, such that an attractiveness judgment for one face part can be highly predictive of the attractiveness of the whole face or the other parts. The left/right half of the face created more accurate predictions than the top/bottom half. Judgments involving a larger area of the face (i.e., left/right or top/bottom halves) produced more accurate predictions than those derived from smaller regions, such as the eyes or the mouth alone, but even the smallest and most featureless region investigated (the forehead) provided useful information. The correlated nature of the attractiveness of face parts shows that perceived attractiveness is determined by multiple covarying cues that the visual system can exploit to determine attractiveness from a single glance.
Impact of Late Cretaceous inversion and Cenozoic extension on salt structure growth in the Baltic sector of the North German Basin
Authors: Ahlrichs Niklas , Noack Vera , Hübscher Christian , Seidel Elisabeth , Warwel Arne , Kley Jonas
Published: September 2021

The Late Cretaceous to Cenozoic is known for its multiple inversion events, which affected Central Europe's intracontinental sedimentary basins. Based on a 2D seismic profile network imaging the basin fill without gaps from the base Zechstein to the seafloor, we investigate the nature and impact of these inversion events on Zechstein salt structures in the Baltic sector of the North German Basin. These insights improve the understanding of salt structure evolution in the region and are of interest for any type of subsurface usage. We link stratigraphic interpretation to previous studies and nearby wells and present key seismic depth sections and thickness maps with a new stratigraphic subdivision for the Upper Cretaceous and Cenozoic covering the eastern Glückstadt Graben and the Bays of Kiel and Mecklenburg. Time‐depth conversion is based on velocity information derived from refraction travel‐time tomography. Our results show that minor salt movement in the eastern Glückstadt Graben and in the Bay of Mecklenburg started contemporaneous with Late Cretaceous inversion in the Coniacian‐Santonian. Minor salt movement continued until the end of the Late Cretaceous. Overlying upper Paleocene and lower Eocene deposits show constant thickness without indications for salt movement suggesting a phase of tectonic quiescence from the late Paleocene to middle Eocene. In the late Eocene to Oligocene, major salt movement recommenced in the eastern Glückstadt Graben. In the Bays of Kiel and Mecklenburg, late Neogene uplift removed much of the Eocene‐Miocene succession. Preserved deposits indicate major post‐middle Eocene salt movement, which likely occurred coeval with the revived activity in the Glückstadt Graben. Cenozoic salt structure growth critically exceeded salt flow during Late Cretaceous inversion. Cenozoic salt movement could have been triggered by Alpine/Pyrenean‐controlled thin‐skinned compression, but is more likely controlled by thin‐skinned extension, possibly related to the beginning development of the European Cenozoic Rift System.
First‐line pembrolizumab vs chemotherapy in metastatic non‐small‐cell lung cancer: KEYNOTE‐024 Japan subset*
Authors: Satouchi Miyako , Nosaki Kaname , Takahashi Toshiaki , Nakagawa Kazuhiko , Aoe Keisuke , Kurata Takayasu , Sekine Akimasa , Horiike Atsushi , Fukuhara Tatsuro , Sugawara Shunichi , Umemura Shigeki , Saka Hideo , Okamoto Isamu , Yamamoto Nobuyuki , Sakai Hiroshi , Kishi Kazuma , Katakami Nobuyuki , Horinouchi Hidehito , Hida Toyoaki , Okamoto Hiroaki , Atagi Shinji , Ohira Tatsuo , Rong Han Shi , Noguchi Kazuo , Ebiana Victoria , Hotta Katsuyuki
Published: September 2021

Abstract

This prespecified subanalysis of the global, randomized controlled phase III KEYNOTE‐024 study of pembrolizumab vs chemotherapy in previously untreated metastatic non‐small‐cell lung cancer without EGFR/ALK alterations and a programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) tumor proportion score of 50% or greater evaluated clinical outcomes among patients enrolled in Japan. Treatment consisted of pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks (35 cycles) or platinum‐based chemotherapy (four to six cycles). The primary end‐point was progression‐free survival; secondary end‐points included overall survival and safety. Of 305 patients randomized in KEYNOTE‐024 overall, 40 patients were enrolled in Japan (all received treatment: pembrolizumab, n = 21; chemotherapy, n = 19). The hazard ratio (HR) for progression‐free survival by independent central review (data cut‐off date, 10 July 2017) was 0.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10‐0.64; one‐sided, nominal P = .001). The HR for overall survival (data cut‐off date, 15 February 2019) was 0.39 (95% CI, 0.17‐0.91; one‐sided, nominal P = .012). Treatment‐related adverse events occurred in 21/21 (100%) pembrolizumab‐treated and 18/19 (95%) chemotherapy‐treated patients; eight patients (38%) and nine patients (47%), respectively, had grade 3‐5 events. Immune‐mediated adverse events and infusion reactions occurred in 11 patients (52%) and four patients (21%), respectively; four patients (19%) and one patient (5%), respectively, had grade 3‐5 events. Consistent with results from KEYNOTE‐024 overall, first‐line pembrolizumab improved progression‐free survival and overall survival vs chemotherapy with manageable safety among Japanese patients with metastatic non‐small‐cell lung cancer without EGFR/ALK alterations and a PD‐L1 tumor proportion score of 50% or greater. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02142738.
RNF43 pathogenic Germline variant in a family with colorectal cancer
Authors: Mikaeel Reger R. , Young Joanne P. , Li Yun , Poplawski Nicola K. , Smith Eric , Horsnell Mehgan , Uylaki Wendy , Tomita Yoko , Townsend Amanda R. , Feng Jinghua , Zibat Arne , Kaulfuß Silke , Müller Christian , Yigit Gökhan , Wollnik Bernd , Scott Hamish , Rawlings Lesley , Henry Denae , Vakulin Cassandra , Dubowsky Andrew , Price Timothy J.
Published: September 2021

The role of RNF43 as a cause of an inherited predisposition to colorectal cancer (CRC) is yet to be fully explored. This report presents our findings of two individuals with CRC from a single family carrying a likely‐pathogenic inherited germline variant in RNF43. The proband (III:1) and the proband's mother (II:2) were diagnosed with mismatch repair proficient CRCs at the age of 50 years and 65 years, respectively. Both patients had BRAFV600E mutated colon tumours, indicating that the CRCs arose in sessile serrated lesions. The germline variant RNF43:c.375+1G>A was identified in both patients. RNA studies showed that this variant resulted in an aberrantly spliced transcript, which was predicted to encode RNF43:p.Ala126Ilefs*50 resulting in premature termination of protein synthesis and was classified as a likely‐pathogenic variant. Our report adds further evidence to the hereditary role of RNF43 as a tumour suppressor gene in colorectal tumorigenesis and supports the inclusion of RNF43 as a gene of interest in the investigation of CRC predispositions outside the setting of serrated polyposis.
Complex effects of habitat amount and fragmentation on functional connectivity and inbreeding in a giant panda population
Authors: Connor Thomas , Qiao Maiju , Scribner Kim , Zhang Jindong , Hull Vanessa , Bai Wenke , Shortridge Ashton , Li Rengui , Zhang Hemin , Liu Jianguo
Published: September 2021

The relationships between habitat amount and fragmentation level and functional connectivity and inbreeding remain unclear. Thus, we used genetic algorithms to optimize the transformation of habitat area and fragmentation variables into resistance surfaces to predict genetic structure and examined habitat area and fragmentation effects on inbreeding through a moving window and spatial autoregressive modeling approach. We applied these approaches to a wild giant panda population. The amount of habitat and its level of fragmentation had nonlinear effects on functional connectivity (gene flow) and inbreeding. Functional connectivity was highest when approximately 80% of the surrounding landscape was habitat. Although the relationship between habitat amount and inbreeding was also nonlinear, inbreeding increased as habitat increased until about 20% of the local landscape contained habitat, after which inbreeding decreased as habitat increased. Because habitat fragmentation also had nonlinear relationships with functional connectivity and inbreeding, we suggest these important responses cannot be effectively managed by minimizing or maximizing habitat or fragmentation. Our work offers insights for prioritization of protected areas.
Improving the time to ileostomy closure following an anterior resection for rectal cancer in the UK
Authors: Vogel Irene , Vaughan‐Shaw Peter G. , Gash Katherine , Withers Kathleen L. , Carolan‐Rees Grace , Thornton Michael , Dhruvao Rao Pawan Kumar , Torkington Jared , Cornish Julie A.
Published: September 2021

Aim

Delayed closure of ileostomy following an anterior resection for rectal cancer in the UK is common. The aims of this study were (i) to investigate the variation in patient pathways between hospitals, (ii) to identify the key learning points from units with the shortest time to closure and (iii) to develop guidance for a pathway to minimize delay in ileostomy closure.

Method

This was a mixed methods study. Thirty‐eight colorectal units in the UK completed a short online survey. Nine colorectal units in Wales filled in an additional, expanded version of the survey. Semi‐structured interviews were performed with clinicians from the six best performing units in terms of timely ileostomy closure. The optimal pathway suggested is based on the best evidence available and the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland guidelines.

Results

Qualitative analysis revealed that 5% of units (n = 2) have a local target time for ileostomy closure. Of all units, 90% (n = 34) would consider implementing a pathway if guidelines were developed. In‐depth interviews highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, a dedicated coordinator to facilitate timely booking, and consensus on whether closure should be performed before or after adjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusion

There is a lack of national guidance in timing of contrast studies and ileostomy closure. Key aspects to consider are better information at consent regarding stoma closure timing, a dedicated person to track patients and the planning of contrast studies at discharge from initial surgery. With a dedicated approach closure of ileostomy within 10–12 weeks is feasible for most units.
Rattenbissfieber, eine diagnostische Herausforderung: Fallbericht und Übersicht von 29 Fällen
Authors: Kämmerer Till , Lesmeister Tony , Wollenberg Andreas , French Lars Einar , Strobel Erwin , Reinholz Markus
Published: September 2021

Ratten können Streptobacillus moniliformis übertragen, das Rattenbissfieber (RBF), eine seltene und potenziell letale Zoonose, verursachen kann. Anspruchsvolle Kulturbedingungen und unspezifische Symptome, einschließlich Fieber, Arthralgie und polymorphe Hautläsionen, erschweren die Diagnose. Rattenbissfieber wird durch Exposition gegenüber kontaminierten Körperflüssigkeiten infizierter Nagetiere verursacht; Berichte über Infektionen durch Streptobacillus moniliformis sind bisher jedoch selten. Wir berichten über einen Fall von RBF durch Streptobacillus moniliformis bei einer Patientin, die Umgang mit Ratten hatte. Eine Patientin stellte sich mit schmerzhaften hämorrhagischen Pusteln und lividen Läsionen an Händen und Füßen vor. Sie entwickelte Fieber und eine migratorische Polyarthralgie. In Blutkulturen wuchs Streptobacillus moniliformis. Da die Patientin Ratten besaß und Kontakt mit kontaminiertem Rattenkot und ‐urin hatte, war dies die wahrscheinlichste Ursache der Infektion. Schwierigkeiten bei der klinischen und mikrobiologischen Diagnose unterstreichen die Notwendigkeit einer gründlichen und vollständigen Erfassung der Anamnese und eines besseren Verständnisses für diese seltene Infektionskrankheit.
Disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome and outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound‐guided treatment of pancreatic fluid collections: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Hamada Tsuyoshi , Iwashita Takuji , Saito Tomotaka , Shiomi Hideyuki , Takenaka Mamoru , Isayama Hiroyuki , Yasuda Ichiro , Nakai Yousuke ,   for the WONDERFUL study group in Japan
Published: September 2021

Background

Disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome (DPDS) frequently occurs in patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis and resultant pancreatic fluid collection (PFC). We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to evaluate outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound‐guided treatment of PFCs according to the presence of DPDS.

Methods

Using PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane database, we identified clinical studies published until January 2021 with data comparing outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound‐guided drainage of PFCs between DPDS and non‐DPDS patients. We pooled data on technical and clinical success rates, PFC recurrence, and adverse events using the random‐effects model.

Results

We identified five eligible articles including 941 PFC patients treated with endoscopic ultrasound‐guided interventions. Clinical success, defined as resolution of the PFC and symptoms, was achieved in a majority of the cases irrespective of DPDS (pooled odds ratio [OR] comparing DPDS to non‐DPDS patients, 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33–1.81). Compared to patients without DPDS, patients with DPDS were more likely to undergo PFC recurrence (pooled OR 6.72; 95% CI 2.72–16.6) after clinical resolution of PFC. Prolonged plastic stent placement following the clinical resolution was more frequently performed in DPDS patients than in non‐DPDS patients (pooled OR 15.9; 95% CI 2.76–91.9). No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of the rate of technical success, adverse events, or mortality.

Conclusion

Disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome was associated with higher rate of PFC recurrence after successful endoscopic treatment of PFCs. Future studies should evaluate effectiveness and optimal duration of long‐term placement of transmural plastic stents for PFCs with DPDS.
Nasal high flow oxygen therapy in hospitalised neonatal foals
Authors: Floyd Emily , Danks Sophie , Comyn Imogen , Mackenzie Catriona , Marr Celia M.
Published: September 2021

Background

Respiratory disease is common in critically ill neonatal foals. Traditional oxygen therapy (TOT) with nasal insufflation of oxygen is often used to provide first‐line respiratory support. Mechanical ventilation is used in foals which require a greater level of support but requires specialist expertise and can be associated with significant complications. Non‐invasive ventilation (NIV) enables a greater level of respiratory support without the need for intubation. High flow oxygen therapy (HFOT) is a mode of NIV commonly used in human intensive care.

Objectives

To describe the use of HFOT in hospitalised neonatal foals.

Study design

Retrospective case series.

Methods

Hospital records of neonatal foals admitted between 2018 and 2019 that received treatment with HFOT were reviewed. Clinical data and complications were recorded.

Results

Fourteen foals were identified and the median duration of use was 43 hours (range 2‐93 hours) with a median flow rate of 0.7L/kg/min (range 0.42‐1.67). Ten foals survived to discharge. No significant complications associated with the technique were recorded.

Main limitations

A small study population which was retrospectively reviewed.

Conclusions

This study provides preliminary information about the clinical use of HFOT in neonatal foals. The technique was well tolerated and no significant adverse effects were noted. However, further study is required to evaluate efficacy.
Iron and liver cancer: an inseparable connection
Authors: Hino Keisuke , Yanatori Izumi , Hara Yuichi , Nishina Sohji
Published: September 2021

Iron is an essential element for all organisms. Iron‐containing proteins play critical roles in cellular functions. The biological importance of iron is largely attributable to its chemical properties as a transitional metal. However, an excess of ‘free’ reactive iron damages the macromolecular components of cells and cellular DNA through the production of harmful free radicals. On the contrary, most of the body’s excess iron is stored in the liver. Not only hereditary haemochromatosis but also some liver diseases with mild‐to‐moderate hepatic iron accumulation, such as chronic hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, are associated with a high risk for liver cancer development. These findings have attracted attention to the causative and promotive roles of iron in the development of liver cancer. In the last decade, accumulating evidence regarding molecules regulating iron metabolism or iron‐related cell death programmes such as ferroptosis has shed light on the relationship between hepatic iron accumulation and hepatocarcinogenesis. In this review, we briefly present the current molecular understanding of iron regulation in the liver. Next, we describe the mechanisms underlying dysregulated iron metabolism depending on the aetiology of liver diseases. Finally, we discuss the causative and promotive roles of iron in cancer development.
Plant programmed cell death meets auxin signalling
Authors: Kacprzyk Joanna , Burke Rory , Schwarze Johanna , McCabe Paul F.
Published: September 2021

Both auxin signalling and programmed cell death (PCD) are essential components of a normally functioning plant. Auxin underpins plant growth and development, as well as regulating plant defences against environmental stresses. PCD, a genetically controlled pathway for selective elimination of redundant, damaged or infected cells, is also a key element of many developmental processes and stress response mechanisms in plants. An increasing body of evidence suggests that auxin signalling and PCD regulation are often connected. While generally auxin appears to suppress cell death, it has also been shown to promote PCD events, most likely via stimulation of ethylene biosynthesis. Intriguingly, certain cells undergoing PCD have also been suggested to control the distribution of auxin in plant tissues, by either releasing a burst of auxin or creating an anatomical barrier to auxin transport and distribution. These recent findings indicate novel roles of localized PCD events in the context of plant development such as control of root architecture, or tissue regeneration following injury, and suggest exciting possibilities for incorporation of this knowledge into crop improvement strategies.
Profiling the microbial community structure and functional diversity of a dam‐regulated river undergoing gravel bar restoration
Authors: Serrana Joeselle M. , Li Bin , Sumi Tetsuya , Takemon Yasuhiro , Watanabe Kozo
Published: September 2021

Comprehensive restoration programs are expected to influence sediment‐associated microbial community structure and functional diversity following changes attributed to the restoration of habitat characteristics in the dam‐impacted channel.

To address if the construction or recreation of in‐channel structures, i.e., gravel bars, by implementing gravel augmentation and ecological flow restoration, resulted in habitat restoration and enhanced environmental heterogeneity, we profiled the community composition, estimated diversity, and annotated putative metabolic functions of the sediment microbial communities of the dam‐regulated Trinity River in northern California.

Our results provided supporting evidence on the positive impact of habitat restoration conducted in the Trinity River with the non‐dam influenced, undisturbed tributaries as the basis of comparison. In addition, gravel bar recreation and restoration contributed to the increased microbial beta diversity, possibly through the increased environmental heterogeneity at the river scale.

The significant positive correlation between the taxonomic and functional diversity of the identified microbial taxa suggests that differences in the detected putative metabolic functions were closely related to dissimilarities in community composition. We also provided valuable insights into the potential microbial processes in the sediment that might be contributing to the biogeochemical processes carried out by the microbial communities in the river.

The results of this study have implications on the impact of construction and restoration of gravel bars in a dam‐impacted river on environmental heterogeneity and how this influences the taxonomic and functional diversities of sediment‐associated microbial communities.
What is this accent? Effects of accent and language in international advertising contexts
Authors: Laroche Michel , Li Rong , Richard Marie‐Odile , Xu Lu
Published: September 2021

While accent effects have been studied in Western advertising contexts, there are contradictory findings on accent effects, and the moderating role of country‐of‐origin (COO), in other contexts. Few studies extended such accent effects to non‐English‐speaking cultural settings, particularly in emerging countries. This article fills this knowledge gap by examining accent and language effects on consumers’ perceived effectiveness of a spokesperson in Chinese advertising contexts. We explore how Chinese consumers evaluate spokespersons with standard and non‐standard accents, whether these accents are associated with belongingness, sophistication, and modernity, and whether COO moderates such accent and language effects on the perceived effectiveness of spokespersons. Across three studies, the findings demonstrate that compared with a spokesperson with a non‐standard accent (i.e., English‐accented Mandarin), spokespersons with standard accents (i.e., standard Mandarin and standard English) are perceived to be more effective. Furthermore, Chinese consumers associate standard Mandarin with belongingness, and standard English with sophistication and modernity, whereas English‐accented Mandarin has the lowest degree of these associations among the three accents. Although the moderating effect of COO is observed in Study 3, standard English is preferred for both advertised domestic and foreign products.
Failure to replicate the basic dilution effect in performance prediction
Authors: Highhouse Scott , Freier Lindsey M. , Stevenor Brent A. , Shea Michael A. , Childers Marie , Melick Sarah R.
Published: September 2021

A preregistered replication was conducted to examine the evidence for the basic dilution effect in a performance prediction context. Participants (n = 796) were presented with either diagnostic information alone or diagnostic + nondiagnostic information in a grade point average (GPA) prediction task. The diagnostic information was either indicative of a low GPA or a high GPA. The basic dilution effect predicts less extreme predictions when nondiagnostic information (e.g., the student describes himself as a cheerful person) is included with the diagnostic information. Despite an unusually large sample, a strong manipulation, and the use of stimulus sampling, results showed no evidence for dilution in GPA predictions. Reasons for the failure to replicate under optimal conditions are discussed.
Practical ethical challenges and moral distress among staff in a hospital COVID‐19 screening service
Authors: Drewett George P , Gibney Grace , Ko Danielle
Published: September 2021

The COVID‐19 pandemic has led to unprecedented disruptions to established models of healthcare and healthcare delivery, creating a host of new ethical challenges for healthcare institutions, their leadership and their staff. Hospitals and other large organisations have an obligation to understand and recognise the downstream effects that highly unusual situations and professionally demanding policy may have on workers tasked with its implementation, in order to institute risk‐mitigation strategies and provide additional support where required. In our experience, targeted ethics‐based forums that provide a non‐confrontational platform to discuss and explore the ethical dilemmas that may have arisen have been well received, and can also serve as useful and immediate feedback mechanisms to managers and leadership. Using two case illustrations, this article examines some of the ethical challenges and dilemmas faced by these staff, based on discussions of shared experience during a clinical ethics forum for the Screening Clinic staff at Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria.
Influence of post‐synthesis NaCl flux treatment on the magnetic properties of jet‐milled SrFe12O19 powders
Authors: Mocherla Pavana S. V. , Ganesan Priya , Prabhu D. , Hebalkar Neha Y. , Gopalan R. , Varadaraju U. V.
Published: September 2021

A post‐synthesis NaCl flux treatment was carried out on jet‐milled strontium hexaferrite, SrFe12O19 powders prepared by conventional high‐temperature solidstate reaction starting from SrCO3 and Fe2O3. Microstructural studies reveal that the adverse effects of jet‐milling on the particle morphology like jagged edges and ruptured surfaces have been effectively mitigated by annealing at elevated temperatures in the presence of molten NaCl flux. The coercivity values obtained from angle‐dependent M versus H measurements revealed that the coercivity mechanism in the jet‐milled powders is dominated by reverse nucleation due to the strain induced during milling. Annealing the powders in presence of NaCl flux changes the coercivity mechanism to exclusively domain rotation. This results in a dramatic increase of coercivity from 1.6 kOe for the jet‐milled powders to a maximum of 5.3 kOe for the flux‐annealed powders. XPS studies show that the NaCl flux treatment has not altered the chemical state of Fe.
LincRNA‐p21 alleviates atherosclerosis progression through regulating the miR‐221/SIRT1/Pcsk9 axis
Authors: Wang Haojie , He Fei , Liang Bing , Jing Yuanhu , Zhang Pei , Liu Weichao , Zhu Bowen , Dou Dongmei
Published: September 2021

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main aetiology of coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction and peripheral vascular disease in humans. Long‐noncoding RNA (LincRNA)‐p21 has been reported to participate in the development of AS. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the mechanism of LincRNA‐p21 on suppressing the development of AS. We fed ApoE−/− mice with a high‐fat diet to induce an AS mouse model where the lesion area of AS and the extent of lipid deposition were measured. The binding of LincRNA‐p21 and miR‐221 or miR‐221 and SIRT1 was measured using a dual luciferase reporter gene assay and RIP. Following loss‐ and gain‐ function assays, CCK8, EdU, Transwell assay and scratch test were performed to determine the biological processes of human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). miR‐221 was highly expressed while SIRT1 was poorly expressed in AS. LincRNA‐p21 acted as a sponge for miR‐221. miR‐221 targeted and negatively regulated the expression of SIRT1. LincRNA‐p21 promoted the deacetylation of Pcsk9 by SIRT1 by competitively binding to miR‐221, whereby promoting HAEC proliferation, migration and tube formation. In conclusion, LincRNA‐p21 acted as a molecular sponge for miR‐221 to promote deacetylation of the promoter region of Pcsk9 by SIRT1, therefore preventing the development of AS.
Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa pruriginosa: a new case series of a rare phenotype unveils skewed Th2 immunity
Authors: Darbord D. , Hickman G. , Pironon N. , Barbieux C. , Bonnet‐des‐Claustres M. , Titeux M. , Miskinyte S. , Cordoliani F. , Vignon‐Pennamen M.D. , Amode R. , Hovnanian A. , Bourrat E.
Published: September 2021

Background

Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa pruriginosa (DEB‐Pr) is a rare subtype of hereditary epidermolysis bullosa, with a poorly understood pathogenesis and no satisfactory treatment.

Objectives

To assess the clinical and biological features, genetic basis and therapeutic management, to better characterize this rare genodermatosis.

Methods

We have conducted a retrospective study, reviewing the clinical presentation, genetic diagnosis, immunohistopathological findings and biological characteristics and management of patients with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa pruriginosa. This study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology at Saint‐Louis Hospital and the Department of Genetics at Necker Hospital (Paris, France). All patients with a diagnosis of DEB‐Pr seen between 2010 and 2020 were included.

Results

Seven patients were included, the average age of 50.1 years [range 36–76]. Pruriginous‐lichenified papules, plaques or nodules appeared at 27.6 years on average [range 7–66] on pretibial areas and forearms, associated with milia and toenails dystrophy. All patients received multiple treatments, but none could sustainably reduce pruritus. Immunohistopathological analysis of lesion skin revealed subepidermal blister with fibrosis, milia and mast cell infiltration. Serum TNFα, IL1β and IL6 levels were elevated in 2/6 patients. Total serum IgE levels were increased in 7/7 patients, with no history of atopy. Immunophenotyping of circulating T‐cells revealed an increased Th2 subset in 4/4 patients, with reduced Th1 and Th17 subpopulations. Genetic analysis of COL7A1 identified 7 distinct causative mutations, six of which were new. Intra‐familial clinical variability was documented in 5/7 patients and was associated with the co‐inheritance of a recessive COL7A1 mutation or an FLG2 mutation in 2 families.

Conclusion

Our study confirms the stereotyped presentation of DEB‐Pr with large intra‐familial variability in disease expression. Mast cell infiltration, elevated IgE and increased Th2 subset without atopy strongly support a role of Th2‐mediated immunity in DEB‐Pr, and further argue for new targeted therapeutic options such as dupilumab.
Consumption Tax Reform and the Real Economy: Evidence From India's Adoption of a Value‐Added Tax
Authors: Aneja Abhay , Kulkarni Nirupama , Ritadhi S. K.
Published: September 2021

We study the impact of a consumption tax reform on firm capital and productivity by examining India's replacement of the sales tax with a value‐added tax (VAT). Unlike the sales tax, the VAT allowed firms to offset their tax liability with VAT paid on capital inputs, effectively reducing the tax‐related cost of capital. Exploiting the staggered adoption of the tax reform across Indian states, we show that VAT adoption increased firm capital by 3%. The effects are driven by financially‐constrained firms – an important source of heterogeneity in a developing country context. We also document a corresponding improvement in the productivity of financially‐constrained firms. Our findings thus suggest that beyond revenue generation, consumption tax reforms can have the additional effect of stimulating investment and productivity in resource‐constrained environments.
Supply chain technology spillover, customer concentration, and product invention
Authors: Hsu Po‐Hsuan , Hui Hai‐Ping , Lee Hsiao‐Hui , Tseng Kevin
Published: September 2021

Using a panel of approximately 1670 US technology‐intensive supplier firms during the period 2001–2013, we find that the number and value of new products of a supplier firm are positively related to technology spillover it receives from its supply chain partners (i.e., buyer firms). However, this positive relation is negatively related to customer concentration, which may be attributed to the supplier firm's narrowed technology search scope. Our empirical evidence suggests that although a supplier firm may benefit from a “learning by supplying” relation in a supply chain, it is also subject to a “locked‐in” issue. On the other hand, we also find that the number and value of new brands of a supplier firm are negatively related to technology spillover when it relies on a more concentrated group of customers.
Wearing Interior Space: Mending the Relationship between Body and Space
Authors: Sosa Fontaine Andrea
Published: September 2021

The author challenges the relationship of bodies to interior space and the disconnect between the typical interior design process and the role of clothing in the creation of identity. Concepts related to dress, the control of movement, equity, and comfort are also examined. Fashion design process is unpacked, proposing that concepts of fit, tailoring, and mending be applied to interior design. Connections are drawn between the scale at which clothing is patterned and to that of which interior spaces are designed. These concepts are explored further through a creative study based on the pattern making of clothing. An expanded interior design process is proposed to acknowledge more outwardly that interior design understands differing bodies, potentially resulting in more equitable interiors that respond and fit to the evolving characteristics of individual bodies.
Warming and eutrophication effects on the phytoplankton communities of two tropical water systems of different trophic states: An experimental approach
Authors: Gomes Andreia Maria da Anunciação , Marinho Marcelo Manzi , Berjante Mesquita Marcella Coelho , Prestes Ana Carolina Coelho , Lürling Miquel , Azevedo Sandra M. F. O.
Published: September 2021

Both global warming and eutrophication are predicted to promote cyanobacterial blooms. At the same time, how tropical phytoplankton communities exhibiting different trophic state systems will respond to temperature variations is less clear. To investigate the effects of temperature changes and nutrient additions on phytoplankton communities, and gain insights regarding possible resistance to these effects, the present study focused on testing the hypothesis that temperature variations and nutrient additions will have a stronger effect on cyanobacteria dominance in eutrophic water system than in oligo‐mesotrophic water systems. Experiments were conducted with phytoplankton communities from two aquatic ecosystems exhibiting different trophic states. To this end, water samples from a eutrophic and oligo‐mesotrophic system were collected and incubated at 25 and 30ºC. Samples receiving additional surplus nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs were included to serve as eutrophication treatments. The study results indicated that temperature variations alone did not promote cyanobacteria in water from either the oligo‐mesotrophic or eutrophic water system. However, nutrient enrichment of the water from the eutrophic system significantly boosted the cyanobacteria, with the biomass increasing by factor of 10 for both the 25°C and 30°C treatments. In contrast, eutrophication of the water from the oligo‐mesotrophic system did not change the relative contribution of phytoplankton groups, with the response ratios being much lower than those for the water from the eutrophic system. Although based on a simple experimental design, the results of the present study suggest that cyanobacteria dominance is favoured by further nutrient additions for eutrophic water systems, independently of any direct temperature effects, and that more pristine environments possess some resistance against eutrophication effects. Since global warming is assumed to indirectly intensify eutrophication symptoms, the results of the present study underscore the importance of nutrient control.