bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observer retention, site selection and population dynamics interact to bias abundance trends in bats
Authors: Dambly Lea I. , Jones Kate E. , Boughey Katherine L. , Isaac Nick J. B.
Published: September 2020

Many long‐term wildlife population monitoring programmes rely on citizen scientists for data collection. This can offer several benefits over traditional monitoring practices as it is a cost‐effective, large‐scale approach capable of providing long time series data and raising public environmental awareness. Whilst there is a debate about the quality of citizen science data, a standardised sampling design can allow citizen science data to be of a similar quality to those collected by professionals. However, many programmes use subjective, opportunistic selection of monitoring sites and this introduces several types of bias, which are not well understood.

Using bat roost counts as a case study, we took a ‘virtual ecologist’ approach to simulate the effect of opportunistic site selection and uneven observer retention on our ability to accurately detect abundance trends. We simulated populations with different levels of temporal variability and site fidelity.

Our simulations reveal that opportunistic site selection and low observer retention can result in biased trends and that these biases are magnified when monitored populations exhibit high levels of inter‐annual variation and low site fidelity. These results show that the synergistic effects of observer behaviour, site selection, and population dynamics lead to biased abundance trends in monitoring programmes.

This study highlights the value of engaging and retaining citizen science observers, a standardised sampling design, and the collection of metadata. We conclude that monitoring programmes need to be aware of their focal species' temporal variability and site fidelity to adequately assess the potential bias caused by opportunistic site selection and low observer retention.

Synthesis and applications. Accurate data on population changes are key for conservation success. Therefore, it is important that citizen science monitoring programmes assess and potentially quantify the biases present in their data. We demonstrate the applicability of an established simulation framework to assess the effect of biases on our ability to correctly detect abundance trends. Our findings highlight that monitoring programmes need to be aware of their study species’ temporal variability and site fidelity to assess and account for the effects of biased site selection and observer retention.
Seeing is believing: Symbolic politics and the opportunities of non‐democratic transition in Angola
Authors: SCHUBERT JON
Published: September 2020

Following the resignation of President José Eduardo dos Santos after 38 years in power, the August 2017 elections in Angola were peaceful, yet had questionable results and returned the ruling party, the MPLA (The Popular Liberation Movement of Angola) to power. However, in his first three months in office, the new president, João Lourenço, has proceeded to make some high‐profile reshuffles and symbolic actions that have induced a palpable sense of optimism in the broader population, which seemed hardly warranted before the elections. This article reassesses the outcome of the elections from an Angolan perspective, based on fieldwork carried out in the capital, Luanda, and the northern province of Uíge, shortly after the polls. By examining how certain actions become symbols and what those symbols enable among Angolan citizens, the article discusses the weight of symbolic politics and the opportunities for change under conditions that fall short of formal standards of the democratic process.
Giving, receiving … and forgetting? On the social conditions of receiving an anonymous face transplant
Authors: Le Clainche ‐ Piel Marie
Published: September 2020

In 2004, the French National Consultative Ethics Committee expressed strong misgivings about the proposal to include the face among body parts that can be removed from deceased donors for organ transplantation. Yet, the first face transplant was performed a few months later. How do medical teams and patients deal with the singular nature of the face? I argue that what the face represents – from the medium of the donor’s personal identity to an interchangeable organ – is not fixed. It emerges through the practices and can evolve through the interactions between medical professionals and patients. In the postoperative time, I show that patients receive potentially contradictory recommendations about how to integrate the organ: to consider it theirs and forget the donor, but also to thank the donor for the donation and never forget the origin of the graft. Based on the plurality of relationships developed by the patients with their donor, I revisit Maussian interpretative analyses of organ reception. The effects of giving a face vary both in terms of reciprocity and identity: the feeling of debt is variably felt and can be interpreted negatively or positively, and the experience is more or less transformative.
Effect on cell membrane structural integrity of xylitol‐coated probiotics when stabilised with milk solids – A FTIR study
Authors: Nag Arup , Waterland Mark , Singh Harjinder
Published: September 2020

Vacuum drying of sorbitol or xylitol‐coated Lactobacillus reuteri LR6 cells and fluidised bed drying with different excipients were compared for the cell viability post‐drying. L. reuteri cells coated with xylitol and desiccated in unsupported form or together with skim milk powder as an excipient were found to be better protected at high drying temperatures. Examination of the protein and polypeptide components of the cell envelopes via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed different degrees of structural deformation in individual samples, indicating milk solids as supporting excipient and fluidised bed drying helps in retaining high cell viability.
Analysis of novel siRNA and piRNA and identification of vsiRNA and vpiRNA expressed in the midgut of Aedes albopictus during dengue infection
Authors: Wang Gang , Su Jianxin , Jiang Yuting , Zhao Teng , Li Chunxiao , Gao Jian , Xing Dan , Dong Yande , Guo Xiaoxia , Zhao Tongyan
Published: September 2020

Globally distributed mosquitoes play an important role in emerging and resurging infectious diseases in humans. The critical factor affecting vector competence is susceptibility of the vector to viruses, and the ability of midgut epithelial cells to resist viral infection is the main factor determining the susceptibility of mosquitoes to arbovirus infections and is a key index of vector competence.

This study predicted the novel siRNA and piRNA sequences, and then attempted to identify the small RNAs derived from viruses through alignment with the DENV‐2 genome. Our results show that most of the novel piRNAs were down regulated post‐infection, but that the majority of novel siRNAs were upregulated after infection. Interestingly, there were no vsiRNA and vpiRNA sequences that had a high expression level and/or significant differential expression; moreover, all vpiRNAs and vsiRNAs were upregulated after infection. The novel_pirs, novel_sirs, vpiRNAs and vsiRNAs examined in this study play a role in resistance to viral infection.
Male patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome: A distinct clinical subgroup?
Authors: Park Youngjae , Lee Jennifer , Park Sung‐Hwan , Kwok Seung‑Ki
Published: September 2020

Aim

Because the clinical and immunologic phenotypes of male primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients have not been fully elucidated, we aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of male patients with pSS in Korea.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of male patients with pSS, who visited Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, a tertiary referral center in Korea, between January, 2015 and December, 2019. Of a total of 1107 patients with pSS, 33 were male, which is a prevalence of 2.9%. These 33 were compared with 353 female patients as a control group, whose records were extracted from the database of the Korean Initiative of Primary Sjögren's Syndrome, our nationwide pSS database. Various clinical aspects were assessed, including secretory functions, extra‐glandular manifestations (EGM), disease activity‐measuring indices, and hematological and serological variables.

Results

Male patients were less likely to complain of xerophthalmia and xerostomia and presented with fewer patient‐reported disease outcomes and glandular dysfunctions as compared with female patients. White blood cell and neutrophil counts and the seropositivity of anti‐ribonucleoprotein antibody were higher in male patients than in their female counterparts, whereas anti‐Ro/SSA antibody and rheumatoid factor were less concentrated in sera from male patients. Pulmonary involvement and lymphoma were seen more frequently in male patients. Among other EGMs, female patients had a higher prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Conclusions

Male patients with pSS present less severe glandular dysfunctions, better patient‐reported disease outcomes, and a higher prevalence of pulmonary involvement and lymphoma compared to females, suggesting distinct clinical phenotypes of pSS.
Do Verified Earnings Reports Increase Investment?*
Authors: Lunawat Radhika , Waymire Gregory , Xin Baohua
Published: September 2020

A common view is that verified earnings reports encourage investment through improved transparency. We lack direct evidence on this foundational proposition because researchers cannot observe counterfactuals in which a manager either (i) must remain silent about performance or (ii) can make any statement about performance they desire, even a bald‐faced lie. We experimentally manipulate whether a manager can provide information to an investor by voluntarily disclosing a verified earnings report, communicating freely via unverifiable cheap talk, or both. Our experiment involves repeated interactions between an uninformed investor with funds that, if invested, generate uncertain gains, and a trustee‐manager who observes and then divides gains after they are realized. We hypothesize and find that (i) the provision of a verified earnings report leads to higher investment compared with a world in which reporting is not possible and (ii) the provision of a verified earnings report leads to more accurate cheap talk communication than when earnings reports are unavailable. Contrary to our prediction, we find that investment when both earnings reports and cheap talk are possible is statistically indistinguishable from investment when only cheap talk communication is available. Further tests reveal that a lack of verified earnings reports leads managers to sustain a partner's investment by providing high returns to the investor while also limiting (but not completely eliminating) deceptive communication and profit‐taking. Our main conclusion is that verified earnings reports promote investment on a stand‐alone basis by improving transparency, but the effect of greater transparency from earnings reports on investment is more nuanced when earnings reports can influence the disclosure of unverifiable information. The main implication of our evidence is that the greater transparency of management behavior with verified earnings reports is not unambiguously positive because making behavior more transparent can lead managers to change their behavior.
Internet‐based therapy versus face‐to‐face therapy for alcohol use disorder, a randomized controlled non‐inferiority trial
Authors: Johansson Magnus , Sinadinovic Kristina , Gajecki Mikael , Lindner Philip , Berman Anne H. , Hermansson Ulric , Andréasson Sven
Published: September 2020

Background and aims

Most people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) are never treated. Internet‐based interventions are effective in reducing alcohol consumption and could help to overcome some of the barriers to people not seeking or receiving treatment. The aim of the current study was to compare internet‐delivered and face‐to‐face treatment among adult users with AUD.

Design

Randomized controlled non‐inferiority trial with a parallel design, comparing internet‐delivered cognitive–behavioural therapy (ICBT) (n = 150) with face‐to‐face CBT (n = 151), at 3‐ and 6‐month follow‐ups.

Setting

A specialized clinic for people with AUD in Stockholm, Sweden. Participants were recruited between 8 December 2015 and 5 January 2018.

Participants

A total of 301 patients [mean age 50 years, standard deviation (SD) = 12.3] with AUD, of whom 115 (38%) were female and 186 (62%) were male.

Intervention and comparator

Participants were randomized in blocks of 20 at a ratio of 1 : 1 to five modules of therapist‐guided ICBT or to five modules of face‐to‐face CBT, delivered over a 3‐month period. The same treatment material and the same therapists were used in both groups.

Measurements

The primary outcome was standard drinks of alcohol consumed during the previous week at 6‐month follow‐up, analysed according to intention‐to‐treat. The pre‐specified non‐inferiority limit was five standard drinks of alcohol and d = 0.32 for secondary outcomes.

Results

The difference in alcohol consumption between the internet and the face‐to‐face group was non‐inferior in the intention‐to‐treat analysis of data from the 6‐month follow‐up [internet = 12.33 and face‐to‐face = 11.43, difference = 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −1.10 to 2.88]. The secondary outcome, Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test score, failed to show non‐inferiority of internet compared with face‐to‐face in the intention‐to‐treat analysis at 6‐month follow‐up (internet = 12.26 and face‐to‐face = 11.57, d = 0.11, 95% CI = –0.11 to 0.34).

Conclusions

Internet‐delivered treatment was non‐inferior to face‐to‐face treatment in reducing alcohol consumption among help‐seeking patients with alcohol use disorder but failed to show non‐inferiority on some secondary outcomes.
Image‐guided percutaneous microwave ablation of early‐stage non–small cell lung cancer
Authors: Ni Yang , Xu Hui , Ye Xin
Published: September 2020

Although surgical lobectomy with systematic mediastinal lymph node evaluation is considered as the “gold standard” for management of early stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), image‐guided percutaneous thermal ablation has been increasingly used for medically inoperable patients. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a research‐based technique that has the most studies for medically inoperable early‐stage NSCLC. Other thermal ablation techniques used to treat pulmonary tumors include microwave ablation (MWA), cryoablation and laser ablation. MWA has several advantages over RFA including reduced procedural time, reduced heat‐sink effect, large ablation zones, decreased susceptibility to tissue impedance, and simultaneous use of multiple antennae. This review article highlights the most relevant updates of MWA for the treatment of early‐stage NSCLC, including mechanism of action, clinical outcomes, potential complications, the existing technique problems and future directions.
Role and mechanism of autophagy‐regulating factors in tumorigenesis and drug resistance
Authors: Usman Rana Muhammad , Razzaq Faryal , Akbar Arshia , Farooqui Arafat Ali , Iftikhar Ahmad , Latif Azka , Hassan Hamza , Zhao Jianjun , Carew Jennifer S. , Nawrocki Steffan T. , Anwer Faiz
Published: September 2020

A hallmark feature of tumorigenesis is uncontrolled cell division. Autophagy is regulated by more than 30 genes and it is one of several mechanisms by which cells maintain homeostasis. Autophagy promotes cancer progression and drug resistance. Several genes play important roles in autophagy‐induced tumorigenesis and drug resistance including Beclin‐1, MIF, HMGB1, p53, PTEN, p62, RAC3, SRC3, NF‐2, MEG3, LAPTM4B, mTOR, BRAF and c‐MYC. These genes alter cell growth, cellular microenvironment and cell division. Mechanisms involved in tumorigenesis and drug resistance include microdeletions, genetic mutations, loss of heterozygosity, hypermethylation, microsatellite instability and translational modifications at a molecular level. Disrupted or altered autophagy has been reported in hematological malignancies like lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma as well as multiple solid organ tumors like colorectal, hepatocellular, gall bladder, pancreatic, gastric and cholangiocarcinoma among many other malignancies. In addition, defects in autophagy also play a role in drug resistance in cancers like osteosarcoma, ovarian and lung carcinomas following treatment with drugs such as doxorubicin, paclitaxel, cisplatin, gemcitabine and etoposide. Therapeutic approaches that modulate autophagy are a novel future direction for cancer drug development that may help to prevent issues with disease progression and overcome drug resistance.
Innovative textile structures designed to prevent type III endoleaks in endovascular stent‐grafts
Authors: Lin Jing , Nutley Mark , Li Chaojing , Douglas Graeham , Du Jia , Zhang Ze , Douville Yvan , Guidoin Robert , Wang Lu
Published: September 2020

The damage caused to the fabric of endovascular stent‐grafts most often occurs at the contact zones between the fabrics where they are attached to the apices of Z‐shaped stents as a result of normal physiologic pulsatile movement within angulated vessels in vivo. Although design improvements were made over the years, the risks were not fully eliminated even with the newer M‐shaped stent reconfiguration. In this study, we proposed to create and manufacture a novel fabric for stent‐grafts with specifically designed reinforced zones to enhance resistance to fabric abrasion. These reinforced zones are set at the vicinity of the apices of the Z‐shaped stents and between two adjacent Z‐shaped stents where folding and pleating are commonly observed to occur in angulated vessels. Three innovative weaving structures with two different types of yarns and two controls were designed and prepared. Two commonly used commercial devices supported, respectively, with ringed stents, and Z‐shaped stents were selected as the references for comparison. Textile structures including thickness, water permeability, mechanical properties, (more specifically tensile and bursting stress, as well as fatigue simulation) were tested on all fabrics. Compared to commercially available plain weaves, the fabrics with locally reinforced zones showed improved mechanical characteristics and fatigue resistant properties. A fabric designed with specifically reinforced zones has now clearly been shown to effectively reduce the abrasion caused by the apices of Z‐shaped stents. However, further optimization may still be possible.
Reflections and recommendations on transitioning from pre‐ to post‐disaster research
Authors: Roxburgh Nicholas , Pariyar Umesh , Roxburgh Heather , Stringer Lindsay C.
Published: September 2020

Occasionally, events occur that disrupt ongoing fieldwork, forcing researchers to deal with, and adapt to, new realities. In this paper, we discuss how the 2015 Nepal earthquake – which occurred while we were conducting fieldwork in one of the affected areas – forced us to reassess our research agenda, profoundly affected our relationship with the community we had been working in, and evoked challenging ethical questions in respect to our obligations to our research participants.
Shyness and empathy in early childhood: Examining links between feelings of empathy and empathetic behaviours
Authors: Zava Federica , Sette Stefania , Baumgartner Emma , Coplan Robert J.
Published: September 2020

Although shy children have been described as less empathetic than their more sociable peers, this may be due to a performance rather than a competence deficit. The aim of this study was to explore the moderating role of shyness in the association between empathic feelings and empathic‐related reactions. Participants were 212 preschoolers (Mage = 58.32 months, SD = 10.72). Children provided self‐reports of empathetic feelings, parents rated child shyness and empathic behaviours (e.g., reparative behaviours), and teachers assessed indices of socio‐emotional functioning (e.g., prosocial behaviours). Results revealed interaction effects between empathic feelings and shyness in the prediction of outcome variables. Among children with lower levels of shyness, empathy rated by children was positively related to empathetic and reparative behaviours (rated by parents) and prosocial behaviours (rated by teachers). At higher levels of shyness, these relations were attenuated. These results can be interpreted to suggest that although shy children may not differ from their more sociable counterparts in experiencing empathy, they seem to be less likely to act empathically.
From Dignified Burial to ‘Terrorist Mausoleum’: Exhumations, Moral Panic and Mourning Policies in Peru
Authors: Robin Azevedo Valérie
Published: September 2020

In this article, we examine mourning policies with respect to exhumations of mass graves from the Peruvian armed conflict. By reflecting on a case in which the exhumed dead, and their relatives, do not conform to the model of legitimate victims, we explore the limits of reparation policies and their effect on reconciliation. We investigate how the ‘terrorist mausoleum’ led to a significant episode of ‘moral panic’. We then analyse the normative perspective on mourning, as implemented in the public sphere, and how mourning, citizenship and nation are related when burying unwelcome dead associated with the figure of the ‘terrorist’.
Association of household food insecurity and childhood weight status in a low‐income population
Authors: Wirth Scott H. , Palakshappa Deepak , Brown Callie L.
Published: September 2020

One in seven US households with children are food insecure. The health effects of household food insecurity (HFI) are well documented, but its association with childhood weight status remains unclear. We aimed to assess this association and to describe correlates of HFI in children. We conducted a cross‐sectional study of 3019 low‐income children aged 2 to 17 years. Data were extracted via chart review. HFI was assessed using the hunger vital sign screener. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from documented clinical measurements. We used adjusted linear and logistic regression to assess the association of HFI with BMI z‐score (BMIz) and weight status. We used logistic regression to examine correlates of HFI including age, race/ethnicity, tobacco exposure, number of parents and siblings living at home, weight status, and census‐tract poverty rate and food access. Of participants whose HFI status was documented, 91% were food secure and 9% were food insecure. The mean (SD) BMIz was 0.81 (1.11). Fifty five percentage of children were healthy weight, 18% overweight, and 26% obese. In adjusted analyses, HFI was not associated with BMIz but was associated with decreased odds of obesity (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.36‐0.87). Tobacco exposure (1.63; 1.10‐2.44), additional siblings (1.16; 1.04‐1.30), and residence census tract with high poverty rate (1.02; 1.01‐1.03) were all associated with HFI. We concluded that food‐insecure children were less likely to have obesity and had differences in household makeup, exposures, and residential location compared to food‐secure children. Clinicians should understand these relationships when counselling families about weight status and food insecurity.
International validation of a risk prediction algorithm for patients with malignant colorectal polyps
Authors: Richards C. , Levic K. , Fischer J. , Eglinton T. , Ramsay G. , Kumarasinghe P. , Raftopoulos S. , Brown I.
Published: September 2020

Aim

The optimal management strategy for patients with endoscopically resected malignant colorectal polyps (MCP) has yet to be defined. The aim of this study was to validate a published decision‐making tool, termed the Scottish Polyp Cancer Study (SPOCS) algorithm, on a large international population.

Methods

The SPOCS algorithm allocates patients to risk groups based on just two variables: the polyp resection margin and the presence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI). The risk groups are termed low (clear margin, LVI absent), medium (clear margin, LVI present) or high (involved/non‐assessable margin). The International Polyp Cancer Collaborative was formed to validate the algorithm on data from Australia, Denmark, UK and New Zealand.

Results

In total, 1423 patients were included in the final dataset. 680/1423 (47.8%) underwent surgical resection and 108/680 (15.9%) had residual disease (luminal disease 8.8%, lymph node metastases 8.8%). The SPOCS algorithm classified 602 patients as low risk (in which 1.5% had residual disease), 198 patients as medium risk (in which 7.1% had residual disease) and 484 as high risk (in which 14.5% had residual disease) (P < 0.001, χ2 test). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated good accuracy of the algorithm in predicting residual disease (area under the curve 0.732, 95% CI 0.687–0.778, P < 0.001). When patients were designated as low risk, the negative predictive value was 98.5%.

Conclusion

The SPOCS algorithm can be used to predict the risk of residual disease in patients with endoscopically resected MCPs. Surgery can be safely avoided in patients who have a clear margin of excision and no evidence of LVI.
Endobronchial ultrasound‐guided versus computed tomography‐guided biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Fu Yu‐Fei , Zhang Jing‐Hao , Wang Tao , Shi Yi‐Bing
Published: September 2020

Background

Both endobronchial ultrasound‐guided transbronchial biopsy (EBUS‐TBB) and computed tomography‐guided transthoracic needle biopsy (CT‐TTNB) are approaches commonly utilized to diagnose peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs). The present meta‐analysis was, therefore, designed to provide more reliable evidence regarding the relative advantages of these two approaches to PPL diagnosis in order to guide clinical decision making.

Methods

The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant studies published as of May 2020. Endpoint data pertaining to technical success rates, diagnostic accuracy, and complication rates were then extracted from these studies. Meta‐analyses were conducted using RevMan v5.3.

Results

We identified nine total relevant studies for inclusion in the present meta‐analysis, incorporating 2025 total patients (2035 total procedures) that underwent EBUS‐TBB (n = 994) or CT‐TTNB (n = 1041) for the purposes of PPL diagnosis. Rates of technical success were comparable between these two groups (odds ratio [OR]: 0.16; P = 0.21). However, CT‐TTNB was associated with higher diagnostic yield (OR: 0.23; P < 0.00001), greater accuracy (OR: 0.43; P = 0.002), and higher rates of complications (OR: 7.27; P < 0.00001) than was EBUS‐TBB. Subgroup analyses revealed that CT‐TTNB was associated with better diagnostic yield and accuracy when analyzing small lesions and lesions that were proximal to the pleura. Significant heterogeneity among studies was detected with respect to both technical success rates and diagnostic yield, but there was no evidence of publication bias.

Conclusions

When diagnosing PPLs, CT‐TTNB is associated with higher diagnostic yield and accuracy but with poorer safety outcomes than EBUS‐TBB.
Association between obesity after liver transplantation and steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis of the graft
Authors: Dobrindt Eva M. , Allex Laura , Saipbaev Akylbek , Öllinger Robert , Schöning Wenzel , Pratschke Johann , Eurich Dennis
Published: September 2020

Background

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis has become one of the leading causes of liver transplantation. The development of steatosis, as well as the link to inflammation and fibrosis, after transplantation remain poorly understood. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the influence of obesity on histopathological changes of the graft during long‐term follow‐up.

Methods

A total of 1494 longitudinal liver biopsies of 271 recipients were evaluated during a follow‐up period of 5 to 10 years. Clinical and laboratory parameters as well as histopathological categories of steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis were explored by routine protocol biopsies.

Results

The BMI and prevalence of diabetes mellitus significantly increased after transplantation (P < .01). Diabetes and de novo obesity were significantly associated with the degree of graft steatosis. There was no correlation between former steatosis and inflammation or fibrosis. Inflammation was a precursor of fibrosis, and fibrosis increased over the first 3 years (P < .01). No severe graft dysfunction was observed.

Conclusion

Obesity and diabetes mellitus correlated with higher grades of steatosis and de novo steatosis after transplantation. Metabolic syndrome must be considered as a serious post‐transplant complication that can cause histopathological alteration. However, the progress from steatosis to steatohepatitis is not as common as expected.
Association Between Prescribed Ibuprofen and Severe COVID‐19 Infection: A Nationwide Register‐Based Cohort Study
Authors: Kragholm Kristian , Gerds Thomas A. , Fosbøl Emil , Andersen Mikkel Porsborg , Phelps Matthew , Butt Jawad H. , Østergaard Lauge , Bang Casper N. , Pallisgaard Jannik , Gislason Gunnar , Schou Morten , Køber Lars , Torp‐Pedersen Christian
Published: September 2020

Recommendations regarding ibuprofen use in relation to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) have been conflicting. We examined the risk of severe COVID‐19 between ibuprofen‐prescribed and non‐ibuprofen patients with COVID‐19 in a nationwide register‐based study of patients with COVID‐19 in Denmark between the end of February 2020 and May 16, 2020. Patients with heart failure (n = 208), < 30 years (n = 575), and prescribed other nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (n = 57) were excluded. Patients with ibuprofen prescription claims between January 1, 2020, and before COVID‐19 diagnosis or April 30, 2020 (last available prescription) were compared with patients without ibuprofen prescription claims. Outcome was a 30‐day composite of severe COVID‐19 diagnosis with acute respiratory syndrome, intensive care unit admission, or death. Absolute risks and average risk ratios comparing outcome for ibuprofen vs. non‐ibuprofen patients standardized to the age, sex, and comorbidity distribution of all patients were derived from multivariable Cox regression. Among 4,002 patients, 264 (6.6%) had ibuprofen prescription claims before COVID‐19. Age, sex, and comorbidities were comparable between the two study groups. Standardized absolute risks of the composite outcome for ibuprofen‐prescribed vs. non‐ibuprofen patients were 16.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.1–20.6) vs. 17.0% (95% CI 16.0–18.1), P = 0.74. The standardized average risk ratio for ibuprofen‐prescribed vs. non‐ibuprofen patients was 0.96 (95% CI 0.72–1.23). Standardized absolute risks of the composite outcome for patients with ibuprofen prescription claims > 14 days before COVID‐19 vs. ≤ 14 days of COVID‐19 were 17.1% (95% CI 12.3–22.0) vs. 14.3% (95% CI 7.1–23.1). In conclusion, in this nationwide study, there was no significant association between ibuprofen prescription claims and severe COVID‐19.
Combining Textual Cues with Social Clues: Utilizing Social Features to Improve Sentiment Analysis in Social Media
Authors: Ilk Noyan , Fan Shaokun
Published: September 2020

Traditional sentiment analysis methods do not perform well when applied to social media data. In this study, we propose an approach to improve sentiment analysis performance in the context of social media. Our approach utilizes three types of additional information that can be collected from social media platforms—personal preference, friend influence, and herding effect—to enrich the input features of a supervised sentiment classification model. We implement the approach on data sets collected from Twitter across two industries (airlines and wireless service providers) and present the performance improvement attained by combining social features with pure text‐based features. To further investigate the operational implications of this improvement, we develop a stylized service recovery model for customer relationship management in social media. Our work has implications for automating social media monitoring and, more broadly, for improving customer relationship management in organizations.
Rates, determinants and success of implementing deprescribing in people with type 2 diabetes: A scoping review
Authors: Oktora M. P. , Kerr K. P. , Hak E. , Denig P.
Published: September 2020

Background

Individualizing goals for people with type 2 diabetes may result in deintensification of medication, but a comprehensive picture of deprescribing practices is lacking.

Aims

To conduct a scoping review in order to assess the rates, determinants and success of implementing deprescribing of glucose‐, blood pressure‐ or lipid‐lowering medications in people with diabetes.

Methods

A systematic search on MEDLINE and Embase between January 2007 and January 2019 was carried out for deprescribing studies among people with diabetes. Outcomes were rates of deprescribing related to participant characteristics, the determinants and success of deprescribing, and its implementation. Critical appraisal was conducted using predefined tools.

Results

Fourteen studies were included; eight reported on rates, nine on determinants and six on success and implementation. Bias was high for studies on success of deprescribing. Deprescribing rates ranged from 14% to 27% in older people with low HbA1c levels, and from 16% to 19% in older people with low systolic blood pressure. Rates were not much affected by age, gender, frailty or life expectancy. Rates were higher when a reminder system was used to identify people with hypoglycaemia, which led to less overtreatment and fewer hypoglycaemic events. Most healthcare professionals accepted the concept of deprescribing but differed on when to conduct it. Deprescribing glucose‐lowering medications could be successfully conducted in 62% to 75% of participants with small rises in HbA1c.

Conclusions

Deprescribing of glucose‐lowering medications seems feasible and acceptable, but was not widely implemented in the covered period. Support systems may enhance deprescribing. More studies on deprescribing blood pressure‐ and lipid‐lowering medications in people with diabetes are needed.
Distress as an Outcome in Youth Relationship Education: The Change Mechanisms of Hope and Conflict
Authors: Kanter Jeremy B. , Lannin Daniel G. , Russell Luke T. , Parris Leandra , Yazedjian Ani
Published: September 2020

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of a youth relationship education program (YREP) on psychological functioning and to understand the mechanisms associated with change in distress.

Background

Successfully (or unsuccessfully) navigating romantic relationships is a robust predictor of adolescent mental health. Youth relationship education programs have been found to promote adaptive relationship knowledge, attitudes, and skills; however, little research has examined how such programs influence mental health.

Method

This study examined whether significant reductions in psychological distress occurred for a diverse sample of adolescents (N = 113) completing a YREP. The study also explored whether the curriculum, Love Notes 3.0, was effective in reducing distress due to changes in hope and compromising conflict‐resolution behaviors.

Results

From pretest to posttest, psychological distress decreased for young women but not for young men. Furthermore, reductions in distress were associated with simultaneous increases in hope, but not reductions in conflict‐resolution behaviors.

Conclusion

YREPs can assist in improving youth's knowledge about adaptive relational dynamics while also significantly improving psychological functioning, primarily through increasing hope.

Implications

YREPs may be beneficial for youth's mental health, and hope may play an important role. Encouraging youth to set clear goals and promoting self‐efficacy for behaviors that enact those goals may be helpful considerations for those serving youth (and particularly adolescent young men) in YREPs.
Fine‐tuning the activity and stability of an evolved enzyme active‐site through noncanonical amino‐acids
Authors: Wilkinson Henry C. , Dalby Paul A.
Published: September 2020

Site‐specific saturation mutagenesis within enzyme active sites can radically alter reaction specificity, though often with a trade‐off in stability. Extending saturation mutagenesis with a range of noncanonical amino acids (ncAA) potentially increases the ability to improve activity and stability simultaneously. Previously, an Escherichia coli transketolase variant (S385Y/D469T/R520Q) was evolved to accept aromatic aldehydes not converted by wild‐type. The aromatic residue Y385 was critical to the new acceptor substrate binding, and so was explored here beyond the natural aromatic residues, to probe side chain structure and electronics effects on enzyme function and stability. A series of five variants introduced decreasing aromatic ring electron density at position 385 in the order para‐aminophenylalanine (pAMF), tyrosine (Y), phenylalanine (F), para‐cyanophenylalanine (pCNF) and para‐nitrophenylalanine (pNTF), and simultaneously modified the hydrogen‐bonding potential of the aromatic substituent from accepting to donating. The fine‐tuning of residue 385 yielded variants with a 43‐fold increase in specific activity for 50 mm 3‐HBA and 100% increased kcat (pCNF), 290% improvement in Km (pNTF), 240% improvement in kcat/Km (pAMF) and decreased substrate inhibition relative to Y. Structural modelling suggested switching of the ring‐substituted functional group, from donating to accepting, stabilised a helix‐turn (D259‐H261) through an intersubunit H‐bond with G262, to give a 7.8 °C increase in the thermal transition mid‐point, Tm, and improved packing of pAMF. This is one of the first examples in which both catalytic activity and stability are simultaneously improved via site‐specific ncAA incorporation into an enzyme active site, and further demonstrates the benefits of expanding designer libraries to include ncAAs.
Microbiota modulation as preventative and therapeutic approach in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Bonfili Laura , Cecarini Valentina , Gogoi Olee , Gong Chunmei , Cuccioloni Massimiliano , Angeletti Mauro , Rossi Giacomo , Eleuteri Anna Maria
Published: September 2020

The gut microbiota coevolves with its host, and numerous factors like diet, lifestyle, drug intake and geographical location continuously modify its composition, deeply influencing host health. Recent studies demonstrated that gut dysbiosis can alter normal brain function through the so‐called gut–brain axis, a bidirectional communication network between the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract, thus playing a key role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this perspective, in the constant search for novel treatments in AD, the rational modulation of gut microbiota composition could represent a promising approach to prevent or delay AD onset or to counteract its progression. Preclinical and human studies on microbiota modulation through oral bacteriotherapy and faecal transplantation showed anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects, upregulation of plasma concentration of neuroprotective hormones, restoration of impaired proteolytic pathways, amelioration of energy homeostasis with consequent decrease of AD molecular hallmarks and improvement of behavioural and cognitive performances. In this review, we dissect the role of gut microbiota in AD and highlight recent advances in the development of new multitarget strategies for microbiota modulation to be used as possible preventative and therapeutic approaches in AD.
An iron cycle cascade governs the response of equatorial Pacific ecosystems to climate change
Authors: Tagliabue Alessandro , Barrier Nicolas , Du Pontavice Hubert , Kwiatkowski Lester , Aumont Olivier , Bopp Laurent , Cheung William W. L. , Gascuel Didier , Maury Olivier
Published: September 2020

Earth System Models project that global climate change will reduce ocean net primary production (NPP), upper trophic level biota biomass and potential fisheries catches in the future, especially in the eastern equatorial Pacific. However, projections from Earth System Models are undermined by poorly constrained assumptions regarding the biological cycling of iron, which is the main limiting resource for NPP over large parts of the ocean. In this study, we show that the climate change trends in NPP and the biomass of upper trophic levels are strongly affected by modifying assumptions associated with phytoplankton iron uptake. Using a suite of model experiments, we find 21st century climate change impacts on regional NPP range from −12.3% to +2.4% under a high emissions climate change scenario. This wide range arises from variations in the efficiency of iron retention in the upper ocean in the eastern equatorial Pacific across different scenarios of biological iron uptake, which affect the strength of regional iron limitation. Those scenarios where nitrogen limitation replaced iron limitation showed the largest projected NPP declines, while those where iron limitation was more resilient displayed little future change. All model scenarios have similar skill in reproducing past inter‐annual variations in regional ocean NPP, largely due to limited change in the historical period. Ultimately, projections of end of century upper trophic level biomass change are altered by 50%–80% across all plausible scenarios. Overall, we find that uncertainties in the biological iron cycle cascade through open ocean pelagic ecosystems, from plankton to fish, affecting their evolution under climate change. This highlights additional challenges to developing effective conservation and fisheries management policies under climate change.
Key rules of life and the fading cryosphere: Impacts in alpine lakes and streams
Authors: Elser James J. , Wu Chenxi , González Angélica L. , Shain Daniel H. , Smith Heidi J. , Sommaruga Ruben , Williamson Craig E. , Brahney Janice , Hotaling Scott , Vanderwall Joseph , Yu Jinlei , Aizen Vladimir , Aizen Elena , Battin Tom J. , Camassa Roberto , Feng Xiu , Jiang Hongchen , Lu Lixin , Qu John J. , Ren Ze , Wen Jun , Wen Lijuan , Woods H. Arthur , Xiong Xiong , Xu Jun , Yu Gongliang , Harper Joel T. , Saros Jasmine E.
Published: September 2020

Alpine regions are changing rapidly due to loss of snow and ice in response to ongoing climate change. While studies have documented ecological responses in alpine lakes and streams to these changes, our ability to predict such outcomes is limited. We propose that the application of fundamental rules of life can help develop necessary predictive frameworks. We focus on four key rules of life and their interactions: the temperature dependence of biotic processes from enzymes to evolution; the wavelength dependence of the effects of solar radiation on biological and ecological processes; the ramifications of the non‐arbitrary elemental stoichiometry of life; and maximization of limiting resource use efficiency across scales. As the cryosphere melts and thaws, alpine lakes and streams will experience major changes in temperature regimes, absolute and relative inputs of solar radiation in ultraviolet and photosynthetically active radiation, and relative supplies of resources (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus), leading to nonlinear and interactive effects on particular biota, as well as on community and ecosystem properties. We propose that applying these key rules of life to cryosphere‐influenced ecosystems will reduce uncertainties about the impacts of global change and help develop an integrated global view of rapidly changing alpine environments. However, doing so will require intensive interdisciplinary collaboration and international cooperation. More broadly, the alpine cryosphere is an example of a system where improving our understanding of mechanistic underpinnings of living systems might transform our ability to predict and mitigate the impacts of ongoing global change across the daunting scope of diversity in Earth's biota and environments.
A Reliable Method for Determining the Oxidation State of Manganese at the Microscale in Mn Oxides via Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Bernardini Simone , Bellatreccia Fabio , Della Ventura Giancarlo , Sodo Armida
Published: September 2020

Manganese oxides are important geomaterials, widespread in terrestrial and Martian environments. Characterisation of the oxidation state of Mn is a central issue in science; this task has been addressed up to the present by X‐ray spectroscopy or diffraction techniques. The former, however, requires access to synchrotron facilities, while the latter does not provide crystal‐chemical information at the local scale. In this work, we compare a large set of Raman data from well‐characterised samples, already published by the same authors of this paper or as found in the literature. We show a clear correlation between the oxidation state of Mn and the wavenumber of peculiar bands; octahedrally co‐ordinated Mn2+ is recognised by a band around 530 cm−1, Mn3+ by a band around 580 cm−1 and Mn4+ by a band around 630 cm−1, while tetrahedrally co‐ordinated Mn2+ is recognisable by a band around 650 cm−1. Strongly distorted Mn3+ octahedra are indicated by the appearance of Jahn–Teller modes. Our method allows a reliable, easily accessible tool to characterise the oxidation states of Mn in oxides, also suitable for microscale mapping. It provides a robust analytical basis for the use of these minerals as redox indicators in geology/geochemistry, in exoplanetary research or for monitoring technological processes.
Open‐canopy ponds benefit diurnal pollinator communities in an agricultural landscape: implications for farmland pond management
Authors: Walton R.E. , Sayer C.D. , Bennion H. , Axmacher J.C.
Published: September 2020

Declines in pollinating invertebrates across intensively cultivated landscapes linked to reductions in flower‐rich habitats constitute a key threat to biodiversity conservation and the provision of ecosystem services. Over recent decades, many ponds in agricultural landscapes have become overgrown with woody vegetation, resulting in heavily shaded, flower‐poor pond basins and margins. Restoration of farmland ponds through removal of sediment and encroaching woody vegetation (canopy management) from pond margins greatly enhances freshwater biodiversity. Nevertheless, the consequences of pond management for pond‐margin plants and pollinating insects remain poorly understood. Here, we studied these effects for ponds in Norfolk, eastern England.

We compared richness, abundance and composition of pollinating insects (hymenopterans and syrphids) and insect‐pollinated plant communities between open‐canopy pond systems subjected to either (i) long‐term regular management of woody vegetation or (ii) recent restoration by woody vegetation and sediment removal with those communities at (iii) ponds dominated by woody vegetation.

Canopy management increased the richness and abundance of pollinators and insect‐pollinated plants. Pollinator richness and abundance was best explained by improvements in flower resources at open‐canopy ponds. Management most strongly influenced hymenopteran communities.

Ponds represent important semi‐natural habitats for insect‐pollinated plant and pollinator communities in farmland. To enhance food resources, diversity and abundance of diurnal pollinators, conservation management at ponds should aim for mosaics of ponds at different successional stages with a high proportion of early successional open‐canopy ponds. Agricultural ponds are emerging as important habitats not only for aquatic biodiversity, but also for terrestrial species, thus warranting their prioritisation in future agri‐environment schemes.