bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hemolymph of molluscan origin: from biochemistry to modern biomaterials science
Authors: Machałowski Tomasz , Jesionowski Teofil
Published: December 2020

Molluscan hemolymph is a unique kind of body fluid, which in many respects is analogous to human blood, although there are several crucial differences. Here, for the first time, we critically analyze the prospects for applications of this fluid in modern biomaterials science. Particular attention is paid to the biochemistry and chemistry of molluscan hemolymph, as well as to hemocytes and hemocyanins as key functional players within this unique biological fluid. We focus on hemocytes as multifunctional hemolytic cells involved in immune response, and especially in the biomineralization process. The next part of the review contains a discussion of molluscan shell formation and regeneration from different points of view. Finally, we consider the challenges, solutions, and future directions in the application of molluscan hemolymph for bioinspired material chemistry and biomedicine.
Recursive Scheme for Angles of Random Simplices, and Applications to Random Polytopes
Authors: Kabluchko Zakhar
Published: December 2020

Consider a random simplex $$[X_1,\ldots ,X_n]$$

[

X
1

,
…
,

X
n

]

defined as the convex hull of independent identically distributed (i.i.d.) random points $$X_1,\ldots ,X_n$$

X
1

,
…
,

X
n

in $$\mathbb {R}^{n-1}$$

R

n
-
1

with the following beta density: "Equation missing" Let $$J_{n,k}(\beta )$$

J

n
,
k

(
β
)

be the expected internal angle of the simplex $$[X_1,\ldots ,X_n]$$

[

X
1

,
…
,

X
n

]

at its face $$[X_1,\ldots ,X_k]$$

[

X
1

,
…
,

X
k

]

. Define $${\tilde{J}}_{n,k}(\beta )$$

J
~

n
,
k

(
β
)

analogously for i.i.d. random points distributed according to the beta$$'$$

′

density $${\tilde{f}}_{n-1,\beta } (x) \propto (1+\Vert x\Vert ^2)^{-\beta }, x\in \mathbb {R}^{n-1}, \beta > ({n-1})/{2}.$$

f
~

n
-
1
,
β

(
x
)

∝

(
1
+
‖
x
‖

2

)

-
β

,
x
∈

R

n
-
1

,
β
>

(

n
-
1

)

/
2
.

We derive formulae for $$J_{n,k}(\beta )$$

J

n
,
k

(
β
)

and $${\tilde{J}}_{n,k}(\beta )$$

J
~

n
,
k

(
β
)

which make it possible to compute these quantities symbolically, in finitely many steps, for any integer or half-integer value of $$\beta $$
β
. For $$J_{n,1}(\pm 1/2)$$

J

n
,
1

(
±
1
/
2
)

we even provide explicit formulae in terms of products of Gamma functions. We give applications of these results to two seemingly unrelated problems of stochastic geometry: (i) We compute explicitly the expected f-vectors of the typical Poisson–Voronoi cells in dimensions up to 10. (ii) Consider the random polytope $$K_{n,d} := [U_1,\ldots ,U_n]$$

K

n
,
d

:
=

[

U
1

,
…
,

U
n

]

where $$U_1,\ldots ,U_n$$

U
1

,
…
,

U
n

are i.i.d. random points sampled uniformly inside some d-dimensional convex body K with smooth boundary and unit volume. Reitzner (Adv. Math. 191(1), 178–208 (2005)) proved the existence of the limit of the normalised expected f-vector of $$K_{n,d}$$

K

n
,
d

: $$ \lim _{n\rightarrow \infty } n^{-{({d-1})/({d+1})}}{\mathbb {E}}{\mathbf {f}}(K_{n,d}) = {\mathbf {c}}_d \cdot \Omega (K),$$

lim

n
→
∞

n

-

(

d
-
1

)
/
(

d
+
1

)

E
f

(

K

n
,
d

)

=

c
d

·
Ω

(
K
)

,

where $$\Omega (K)$$

Ω
(
K
)

is the affine surface area of K, and $${\mathbf {c}}_d$$

c
d

is an unknown vector not depending on K. We compute $${\mathbf {c}}_d$$

c
d

explicitly in dimensions up to $$d=10$$

d
=
10

and also solve the analogous problem for random polytopes with vertices distributed uniformly on the sphere.
Density Estimates of 1-Avoiding Sets via Higher Order Correlations
Authors: Ambrus Gergely , Matolcsi Máté
Published: December 2020

We improve the best known upper bound on the density of a planar measurable set A containing no two points at unit distance to 0.25442. We use a combination of Fourier analytic and linear programming methods to obtain the result. The estimate is achieved by means of obtaining new linear constraints on the autocorrelation function of A utilizing triple-order correlations in A, a concept that has not been previously studied.
Bias and Precision of Parameter Estimates from Models Using Polygenic Scores to Estimate Environmental and Genetic Parental Influences
Authors: Kim Yongkang , Balbona Jared V. , Keller Matthew C.
Published: December 2020

In a companion paper Balbona et al. (Behav Genet, in press), we introduced a series of causal models that use polygenic scores from transmitted and nontransmitted alleles, the offspring trait, and parental traits to estimate the variation due to the environmental influences the parental trait has on the offspring trait (vertical transmission) as well as additive genetic effects. These models also estimate and account for the gene-gene and gene-environment covariation that arises from assortative mating and vertical transmission respectively. In the current study, we simulated polygenic scores and phenotypes of parents and offspring under genetic and vertical transmission scenarios, assuming two types of assortative mating. We instantiated the models from our companion paper in the OpenMx software, and compared the true values of parameters to maximum likelihood estimates from models fitted on the simulated data to quantify the bias and precision of estimates. We show that parameter estimates from these models are unbiased when assumptions are met, but as expected, they are biased to the degree that assumptions are unmet. Standard errors of the estimated variances due to vertical transmission and to genetic effects decrease with increasing sample sizes and with increasing $$r^2$$

r
2

values of the polygenic score. Even when the polygenic score explains a modest amount of trait variation ($$r^2=.05$$

r
2

=
.
05

), standard errors of these standardized estimates are reasonable ($$< .05$$

<
.
05

) for $$n=16K$$

n
=
16
K

trios, and can even be reasonable for smaller sample sizes (e.g., down to 4K) when the polygenic score is more predictive. These causal models offer a novel approach for understanding how parents influence their offspring, but their use requires polygenic scores on relevant traits that are modestly predictive (e.g., $$r^2>.025)$$

r
2

>
.
025
)

as well as datasets with genomic and phenotypic information on parents and offspring. The utility of polygenic scores for elucidating parental influences should thus serve as additional motivation for large genomic biobanks to perform GWAS’s on traits that may be relevant to parenting and to oversample close relatives, particularly parents and offspring.
Glutathione and the intracellular labile heme pool
Authors: O’Keeffe Rosemary , Latunde-Dada Gladys Oluyemisi , Chen Yu-Lin , Kong Xiaole L. , Cilibrizzi Agostino , Hider Robert C.
Published: December 2020

One candidate for the cytosolic labile iron pool is iron(II)glutathione. There is also a widely held opinion that an equivalent cytosolic labile heme pool exists and that this pool is important for the intracellular transfer of heme. Here we describe a study designed to characterise conjugates that form between heme and glutathione. In contrast to hydrated iron(II), heme reacts with glutathione, under aerobic conditions, to form the stable hematin–glutathione complex, which contains iron(III). Thus, glutathione is clearly not the cytosolic ligand for heme, indeed we demonstrate that the rate of heme degradation is enhanced in the presence of glutathione. We suggest that the concentration of heme in the cytosol is extremely low and that intracellular heme transfer occurs via intracellular membrane structures. Should any heme inadvertently escape into the cytosol, it would be rapidly conjugated to glutathione thereby protecting the cell from the toxic effects of heme.
Not all group members are created equal: heterogeneous abilities in inter-group contests
Authors: Fallucchi Francesco , Fatas Enrique , Kölle Felix , Weisel Ori
Published: December 2020

Competition between groups is ubiquitous in social and economic life, and typically occurs between groups that are not created equal. Here we experimentally investigate the implications of this general observation on the unfolding of symmetric and asymmetric competition between groups that are either homogeneous or heterogeneous in the ability of their members to contribute to the success of the group. Our main finding is that relative to the benchmark case in which two homogeneous compete against each other, heterogeneity within groups per se has no discernable effect on competition, while introducing heterogeneity between groups leads to a significant intensification of conflict as well as increased volatility, thereby reducing earnings of contest participants and increasing inequality. We further find that heterogeneous groups share the labor much more equally than predicted by theory, and that in asymmetric contests group members change the way in which they condition their efforts on those of their peers. Implications for contest designers are discussed.
Thymosin β4 dynamics during chicken enteroid development
Authors: Acharya Mohan , Liyanage Rohana , Gupta Anamika , Arsi Komala , Donoghue Ann M. , Lay Jackson O. , Rath Narayan C.
Published: December 2020

The sheared avian intestinal villus-crypts exhibit high tendency to self-repair and develop enteroids in culture. Presuming that this transition process involves differential biomolecular changes, we employed matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF–MS) to find whether there were differences in the spectral profiles of sheared villi versus the enteroids, assessed in the mass range of 2–18 kDa. The results showed substantial differences in the intensities of the spectral peaks, one particularly corresponding to the mass of 4963 Da, which was significantly low in the sheared villus-crypts compared with the enteroids. Based on our previous results with other avian tissues and further molecular characterization by LC-ESI-IT-TOF–MS, and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), the peak was identified to be thymosin β4 (Tβ4), a ubiquitously occurring regulatory peptide implicated in wound healing process. The identity of the peptide was further confirmed by immunohistochemistry which showed it to be present in a very low levels in the sheared villi but replete in the enteroids. Since Tβ4 sequesters G-actin preventing its polymerization to F-actin, we compared the changes in F-actin by its immunohistochemical localization that showed no significant differences between the sheared villi and enteroids. We propose that depletion of Tβ4 likely precedes villous reparation process. The possible mechanism for the differences in Tβ4 profile in relation to the healing of the villus-crypts to developing enteroids is discussed.
Treatment of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia in Good-Grade Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Any Role for Invasive Neuromonitoring?
Authors: Veldeman Michael , Albanna Walid , Weiss Miriam , Conzen Catharina , Schmidt Tobias Philip , Clusmann Hans , Schulze-Steinen Henna , Nikoubashman Omid , Temel Yasin , Schubert Gerrit Alexander
Published: December 2020

Background

Good-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (Hunt and Hess 1–2) is generally associated with a favorable prognosis. Nonetheless, patients may still experience secondary deterioration due to delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), contributing to poor outcome. In those patients, neurological assessment is challenging and invasive neuromonitoring (INM) may help guide DCI treatment.

Methods

An observational analysis of 135 good-grade SAH patients referred to a single tertiary care center between 2010 and 2018 was performed. In total, 54 good-grade SAH patients with secondary deterioration evading further neurological assessment, were prospectively enrolled for this analysis. The cohort was separated into two groups: before and after introduction of INM in 2014 (pre-INMSecD:n = 28; post-INMSecD:n = 26). INM included either parenchymal oxygen saturation measurement (ptiO2), cerebral microdialysis or both. Episodes of DCI (ptiO2 < 10 mmHg or lactate/pyruvate > 40) were treated via induced hypertension or in refractory cases by endovascular means. The primary outcome was defined as the extended Glasgow outcome scale after 12 months. In addition, we recorded the amount of imaging studies performed and the occurrence of silent and overall DCI-related infarction.

Results

Secondary deterioration, impeding neurological assessment, occurred in 54 (40.0%) of all good-grade SAH patients. In those patients, a comparable rate of favorable outcome at 12 months was observed before and after the introduction of INM (pre-INMSecD14 (50.0%) vs. post-INMSecD16, (61.6%);p = 0.253). A significant increase in good recovery (pre-INMSecD6 (50.0%) vs. post-INMSecD14, (61.6%);p = 0.014) was observed alongside a reduction in the incidence of silent infarctions (pre-INMSecD8 (28.6%) vs. post-INMSecD2 (7.7%);p = 0.048) and of overall DCI-related infarction (pre-INMSecD12 (42.8%) vs. post-INMSecD4 (23.1%);p = 0.027). The number of CT investigations performed during the DCI time frame decreased from 9.8 ± 5.2 scans in the pre-INMSecDgroup to 6.1 ± 4.0 (p = 0.003) in the post-INMSecDgroup.

Conclusions

A considerable number of patients with good-grade SAH experiences secondary deterioration rendering them neurologically not assessable. In our cohort, the introduction of INM to guide DCI treatment in patients with secondary deterioration increased the rate of good recovery after 12 months. Additionally, a significant reduction of CT scans and infarction load was recorded, which may have an underestimated impact on quality of life and more subtle neuropsychological deficits common after SAH.
Philosophy of Probability and Statistical Modelling
Authors: Suárez Mauricio
Published: December 2020

This Element has two main aims. The first one (sections 1-7) is an historically informed review of the philosophy of probability. It describes recent historiography, lays out the distinction between subjective and objective notions, and concludes by applying the historical lessons to the main interpretations of probability. The second aim (sections 8-13) focuses entirely on objective probability, and advances a number of novel theses regarding its role in scientific practice. A distinction is drawn between traditional attempts to interpret chance, and a novel methodological study of its application. A radical form of pluralism is then introduced, advocating a tripartite distinction between propensities, probabilities and frequencies. Finally, a distinction is drawn between two different applications of chance in statistical modelling which, it is argued, vindicates the overall methodological approach. The ensuing conception of objective probability in practice is the 'complex nexus of chance'.
The Art of Lobbying the EU
Authors: van Schendelen Rinus
Published: December 2020

Every day in Brussels, countless governmental and civil society interest groups seek to influence the policies of the European Union (EU). Many groups, once they have established themselves in the EU capital, apply the insights of Public Affairs (PA) management, the modern art of lobbying. Many PA practitioners in the EU as well as academics specialised in EU and PA studies developed fresh insights on 'how to influence the EU better'. This manual brings together the most up-to-date collection of PA expertise available to anyone desiring to enhance the success of their efforts to influence the EU. This new edition of the best-selling title is filled with new details, cases, findings and practices. This fully revised and updated fourth edition of the 2002 bestseller offers compelling new insights into the most advanced practices of influencing the decision-making in the European Union's corridors of power. The author's uniquely privileged position as advisor to a wide range of lobby groups from several different countries throws much-needed light on best practice and success in public affairs management.
A Revolution for the Screen
Authors: Cuff Paul
Published: December 2020

Abel Gance's silent masterpiece, Napoleon, was given a limited run on its debut in 1927, but soon afterwards distributors in France and America, unwilling to deal with its nine-hour running time, subjected it to savage cuts - with devastating results for the movie and for film history. The struggle across ensuing decades to restore and reintegrate Gance's film has formed a backdrop to an array of formal, contextual, and ideological battles. In this book, Paul Cuff takes account of those battles and challenges received opinion on Gance's view of both his film and its subject.
Hollywood is Everywhere
Authors: Behlil Melis
Published: December 2020

Hollywood has a long tradition of bringing in emigre directors from around the world, dating back to the silent era. Today, as the film industry is ever more global, the people who make blockbuster movies seemingly reflect this tradition, hailing from many countries across the world. But that fact hides a fundamental difference, one that Melis Behlil examines in Hollywood is Everywhere: today's Hollywood studios are themselves transnational, with ownership structures and financial arrangements that stretch far beyond the borders of the United States. Seen in that context, today's international directors are less analogous to the emigre talent of the past than to ordinary transnational employees of other major global corporations.
Reliability of nonlocalizing signs and symptoms as indicators of the presence of infection in nursing-home residents
Authors: Rowe Theresa A. , Jump Robin L.P. , Andersen Bjørg Marit , Banach David B. , Bryant Kristina A. , Doernberg Sarah B. , Loeb Mark , Morgan Daniel J. , Morris Andrew M. , Murthy Rekha K. , Nace David A. , Crnich Christopher J.
Published: December 2020

Antibiotics are among the most common medications prescribed in nursing homes. The annual prevalence of antibiotic use in residents of nursing homes ranges from 47% to 79%, and more than half of antibiotic courses initiated in nursing-home settings are unnecessary or prescribed inappropriately (wrong drug, dose, or duration). Inappropriate antibiotic use is associated with a variety of negative consequences including Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), adverse drug effects, drug–drug interactions, and antimicrobial resistance. In response to this problem, public health authorities have called for efforts to improve the quality of antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes.
Five-year outcome of peripherally inserted central catheters in adults: a separated infectious and thrombotic complications analysis
Authors: González Samuel , Jiménez Pedro , Saavedra Pedro , Macías Desiré , Loza Ana , León Cristóbal , López Magdalena , Pallejá Elena , Hernández-Socorro Carmen Rosa , Ruiz-Santana Sergio
Published: December 2020

Objective:

To assess infectious and thrombotic complications of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in adults.

Design:

A 5-year prospective cohort study.

Setting:

Tertiary-care teaching hospital in Seville, Spain.

Patients:

Adult patients undergoing PICC insertion.

Methods:

Catheter-associated bloodstream infection (CABSI) including catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI), primary bacteremia (PB), and upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT) were recorded. Independent predictors of complications were assessed by multivariate analysis.

Results:

In total, 1,142 PICCs were inserted, with 153,191 catheter days (median, 79). Complications included 66 cases of CABSI (5.78%; 0.43‰ catheter days), 38 cases of CRBSI (3.33%; 0.25‰ catheter days), 28 cases of PB (2.45%; 0.18‰ catheter days), and 23 cases of UEDVT (2.01%; 0.15‰ catheter days). The median times to infection were 24, 41, and 60 days for CRBSI, PB, and UEDVT, respectively. Parenteral nutrition (odds ratio [OR], 3.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.77–6.52) and admission to the hematology ward (OR, 4.90; 95% CI, 2.25–10.71) were independently associated with CRBSI and PB, respectively. Admission to the hematology ward (OR, 12.46; 95% CI, 2.49–62.50) or to the oncology ward (OR, 7.89; 95% CI, 1.77–35.16) was independently associated with UEDVT. The crude mortality rate was 24.8%. Only 2 patients died of complications.

Conclusions:

PICCs showed a low rate of thrombotic and infectious complications. Compared to PB, CRBSI showed significantly different risk factors, a higher incidence density per catheter days, and a shorter median time to infection. Separate analyses of CRBSI and PB are more specific and clinically useful when analyzing infectious complications.
Clinical consequences of contaminated blood cultures in adult hospitalized patients at an institution utilizing a rapid blood-culture identification system
Authors: Liaquat Sidra , Baccaglini Lorena , Haynatzki Gleb , Medcalf Sharon J. , Rupp Mark E.
Published: December 2020

Objective:

To assess the clinical impact of contaminated blood cultures in hospitalized patients during a period when rapid diagnostic testing using a FilmArray Blood Culture Identification (BCID) panel was in use.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Single academic medical center.

Participants:

Patients who had blood culture(s) performed during an admission between June 2014 and December 2016.

Methods:

Length of hospital stay and days of antibiotic therapy were assessed in relation to blood-culture contamination using generalized linear models with univariable and multivariable analyses.

Results:

Among 11,474 patients who had blood cultures performed, the adjusted mean length of hospital stay for patients with contaminated blood-culture episodes (N = 464) was 12.3 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.4–13.2) compared to 11.5 days (95% CI, 11.0–11.9) for patients (N = 11,010) with negative blood-culture episodes (P = .032). The adjusted mean durations of antibiotic therapy for patients with contaminated and negative blood-culture episodes were 6.0 days (95% CI, 5.3–6.7) and 5.2 days (95% CI, 4.9–5.4), respectively (P = .011).

Conclusions:

Despite the use of molecular-based, rapid blood-culture identification, contamination of blood cultures continues to result in prolonged hospital stay and unnecessary antibiotic therapy in hospitalized patients.
Severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence in healthcare personnel in northern California early in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
Authors: Rosser Joelle I. , Röltgen Katharina , Dymock Melissa , Shepard John , Martin Andrew , Hogan Catherine A. , Blomkalns Andra , Mathew Roshni , Parsonnet Julie , Pinsky Benjamin A. , Maldonado Yvonne A. , Boyd Scott D. , Chang Sang-ick , Holubar Marisa
Published: December 2020

Objective:

We assessed the magnitude of unidentified coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in our healthcare personnel (HCP) early in the COVID-19 pandemic, and we evaluated risk factors for infection to identify areas for improvement in infection control practice in a northern California academic medical center.

Methods:

We reviewed anti–severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG serologic test results and self-reported risk factors for seropositivity among 10,449 asymptomatic HCP who underwent voluntary serology testing between April 20 and May 20, 2020.

Results:

In total, 136 employees (1.3%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG. This included 41 individuals (30.1%) who had previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by nasopharyngeal reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) between March 13 and April 16, 2020. In multivariable analysis, employees of Hispanic ethnicity (odds ratio [OR], 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22–3.46) and those working in environmental services, food services, or patient transport (OR, 4.81; 95% CI, 2.08–10.30) were at increased risk for seropositivity compared to other groups. Employees reporting a household contact with COVID-19 were also at higher risk for seropositivity (OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.47–6.44), but those with a work, exposure alone were not (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.58–2.47). Importantly, one-third of seropositive individuals reported no prior symptoms, no suspected exposures, and no prior positive RT-PCR test.

Conclusion:

In this study, SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among HCP early in the northern California epidemic appeared to be quite low and was more likely attributable to community rather than occupational exposure.
Dynamics of Buyer-Seller Relations in Norwegian Wine Imports
Authors: Landazuri-Tveteraas Ursula , Asche Frank , Straume Hans-Martin
Published: December 2020

As for all traded products, aggregated wine imports build on numerous trades at the firm level. To ensure consumers access to a variety of wines with different qualities, importers need to connect to different wine exporters. Some of these relationships will last for a long time, while the duration of others may be short. In this article, we employ transaction-level data to analyze the duration of trade relationships in wine imports to Norway from 2004 to 2014. We find that most relationships are short-lived, as more than 75% of trade relationships end after less than two years. Furthermore, we find that higher-quality wines, as indicated by the import price, increase trade duration. Deeper firm-to-firm trade relationships for more exclusive wines are likely due to higher search costs for high-quality products. The results also show that the size of the initial trade between the partners, or degree of commitment, is a positive determinant for persistent relationships. (JEL Classifications: C41, F14, Q27)
The Significance of the Declaration of Ethnic Minority Status for Irish Travellers
Authors: Haynes Amanda , Joyce Sindy , Schweppe Jennifer
Published: December 2020

Irish Travellers are a traditionally nomadic ethnic minority indigenous to Ireland. Although recognized as an ethnic minority in adjacent jurisdictions, the Irish state persistently and explicitly denied recognizing Travellers’ separate ethnicity and pursued assimilationist policies designed to eradicate Travellers’ differences. However, in the late 1980s and 1990s, the state recognized the structural disadvantage and social stigma to which Travellers are subjected, naming them as a protected group in equality legislation, as well as laws addressing incitement to hatred. Through these interventions, the state afforded Travellers rights on the basis of their collective identity as Travellers, while continuing to deny their ethnicity. After sustained campaigning, Traveller ethnicity was recognized by the prime minister of Ireland in 2017. This article explores the reasoning behind, and legal significance of, that statement of recognition in Ireland.1 We outline the evidence in support of ethnic recognition as a prelude to addressing the question of whether recognition is likely to afford the community any additional rights. We conclude that this is unlikely given the protections afforded to the group prior to ethnic recognition, though we argue that recognition may give the community a firmer basis for arguing for the activation of these preexisting rights.
MARINE RESERVOIR EFFECTS IN SEAL (PHOCIDAE) BONES IN THE NORTHERN BERING AND CHUKCHI SEAS, NORTHWESTERN ALASKA
Authors: Reuther Joshua , Shirar Scott , Mason Owen , Anderson Shelby L , Coltrain Joan B , Freeburg Adam , Bowers Peter , Alix Claire , Darwent Christyann M , Norman Lauren
Published: December 2020

We explore marine reservoir effects (MREs) in seal bones from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas regions. Ringed and bearded seals have served as dietary staples in human populations along the coasts of Arctic northeast Asia and North America for several millennia. Radiocarbon (14C) dates on seal bones and terrestrial materials (caribou, plants seeds, wood, and wood charcoal) were compared from archaeological sites in the Bering Strait region of northwestern Alaska to assess MREs in these sea mammals over time. We also compared these results to 14C dates on modern seal specimens collected in AD 1932 and 1946 from the Bering Sea region. Our paired archaeological samples were recovered from late Holocene archaeological features, including floors from dwellings and cache pits, that date between 1600 and 130 cal BP. 14C dates on seal bones from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas show differences [R(t)] of 800 ± 140 years from to their terrestrial counterparts, and deviations of 404 ± 112 years (ΔR) from the marine calibration curve.
Effects of dietary fibre intake in chemotherapy-induced mucositis in murine model
Authors: Gallotti B. , Galvao I. , Leles G. , Quintanilha M. F. , Souza R. O. , Miranda V. C. , Rocha V. M. , Trindade L. M. , Jesus L. C. L. , Mendes V. , Andre L. C. , d’Auriol-Souza M. M. , Azevedo V. , Cardoso V. N. , Martins F. S. , Vieira A. T.
Published: December 2020

Mucositis is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa resulting from high doses of radio/chemotherapy treatment and may lead to interruption of antineoplasic therapy. Soluble fibres, like pectin, increase SCFA production, which play a role in gut homoeostasis and inflammation suppression. Due to the properties of pectin, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a high-fibre (HF) diet on chemotherapy-induced mucositis in a murine model. C57/BL6 mice received control (AIN93M), HF, low/zero fibre (LF) diets for 10 d prior to mucositis challenging with irinotecan (75 mg/kg), or they were treated with acetate added to drinking water 5 d prior to and during the mucositis induction. Mice that received the HF diet showed decreased immune cells influx and improved histopathological parameters in the intestine, compared with mice that received the normal diet. Furthermore, the HF diet decreased intestinal permeability induced in the mucositis model when compared with the control group. This effect was not observed for acetate alone, which did not improve gut permeability. For instance, mice that received the LF diet had worsened gut permeability, compared with mice that received the normal diet and mucositis. The effects of the HF and LF diets were shown to modulate the intestinal microbiota, in which the LF diet increased the levels of Enterobacteriaceae, a group associated with gut inflammation, whereas the HF diet decreased this group and increasedLactobacillusandBifidobacterium(SCFA producers) levels. In conclusion, the results demonstrated the importance of dietary fibre intake in the modulation of gut microbiota composition and homoeostasis maintenance during mucositis in this model.
Lutein supplementation combined with a low-calorie diet in middle-aged obese individuals: effects on anthropometric indices, body composition and metabolic parameters
Authors: Hajizadeh-Sharafabad Fatemeh , Tarighat-Esfanjani Ali , Ghoreishi Zohreh , Sarreshtedari Mehrnoosh
Published: December 2020

Lutein is considered as a major biologically active carotenoid, with potential benefits for obesity and cardiometabolic health. This double-blind, randomised controlled trial aimed to assess whether the consumption of lutein along with a low-calorie diet (LCD) can influence anthropometric indices, body composition and metabolic parameters in obese middle-aged individuals. After a 2-week run-in period with an LCD, forty-eight participants aged 45–65 years were randomly assigned to consume 20 mg/d lutein or placebo along with the LCD for 10 weeks. Dietary intake, anthropometric indices, body composition, lipid profile, glucose homoeostasis parameters, NEFA and appetite sensations were assessed at the beginning and end of the study. After 10 weeks, body weight and waist circumference significantly decreased in both groups, although between-group differences were not significant. There was more of a decrease in the percentage of body fat in the lutein group v. the placebo group. Moreover, the placebo group experienced a significant reduction in fat-free mass (FFM), whereas the lutein group preserved FFM during calorie restriction, although the between-group difference did not reach statistical significance. Visceral fat and serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-cholesterol were significantly decreased only in the lutein group, with a statistically significant difference between the two arms only for TC. No significant changes were observed in the TAG, HDL-cholesterol, glucose homoeostasis parameters, NEFA and appetite sensations. Lutein supplementation in combination with an LCD could improve body composition and lipid profile in obese middle-aged individuals.
LONGUS’ NARRATOR: A REASSESSMENT
Authors: Maciver Calum A.
Published: December 2020

An influential position in the scholarship on Longus is that the narrator of Daphnis and Chloe is dissociated from, and ironized by, the author. Two articles by John Morgan, in particular, have propounded this interpretation. Morgan argues that Longus’ narrator relates the story with simplicity and naivety, and in ignorance of the more complex subtleties to which only Longus and the more discerning reader have access: ‘Daphnis and Chloe is told by its narrator as if it were a simpler and more conventional story than it really is, and invites its reader to read it in the same way. One way to describe this textual duplicity is to think in terms of a surface “narrator's text” and a deeper “author's text”. We can conceive the narrator, as established by the prologue, as a distorting and simplifying lens between the story and us. As readers we effectively have the choice of accepting what we see through the lens (that is the “narrator's text” as the “narrator's narratee”) or of correcting it and reading around the narrator (that is reading the “author's text” as the “author's narratee”).’ This type of separation of author and narrator is identifiable in Petronius’ Satyrica, in which the first-person narrator Encolpius who tells his story in hindsight is ridiculed and his narration destabilized by the hidden author who ‘is also listening, along with the reader, to Encolpius’ narrative—and along with the reader is smiling at it’.
Magmatic record of the Mesozoic geology of Hainan Island and its implications for the Mesozoic tectonomagmatic evolution of SE China: effects of slab geometry and dynamics in continental tectonics
Authors: Dilek Yildirim , Tang Limei
Published: December 2020

Our field-based geochemical studies of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous granitoids on Hainan Island indicate that their magmas had different geochemical affinities, changing from alkaline in the Triassic through ocean island basalt (OIB) in the Jurassic, to calc-alkaline in the Cretaceous. We show that these changes in the geochemical affinities of the Mesozoic granitoids on Hainan and in SE China reflect different melt sources and melt evolution patterns through time. Our new geodynamic model suggests that: (1) Triassic geology was controlled by flat-slab subduction of the palaeo-Pacific plate beneath SE China. This slab dynamics resulted in strong coupling between the lower and upper plates, causingpush-over tectonicsand contractional deformation in SE China. Flat subduction-induced edge flow and aesthenospheric uprising led to the production of high-K granites, syenites and mafic rocks. (2) Slab foundering, accelerated subduction rates and subduction hinge retreat in the Early Jurassic caused rapid rollback of the downgoing slab. Strong decoupling of the upper and lower plates resulted inpull-away tectonics, producing extensional deformation in SE China. Decompression melting of the upwelling aesthenosphere produced OIB-type melts, which interacted with the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) to form A- and I-type granitoids. (3) Segmentation of the palaeo-Pacific plate in the Early Cretaceous resulted in steeply dipping slabs and their faster rollback, facilitating lithospheric-scale extension and oceanward migration of calc-alkaline magmatism. This extensional deformation played a significant role in the formation of metamorphic core complexes, widespread crustal melting and development of a Basin and Range-type tectonics and landscape evolution in SE China.
Integrating local perspectives into conservation could facilitate human–crocodile coexistence in the Ayeyarwady Delta, Myanmar
Authors: Than Kay Zin , Zaw Zaw , Hughes Alice Catherine
Published: December 2020

Conservation will always fail when it does not address the drivers of biodiversity loss, which in many cases involves understanding human behaviours and the attitudes that underlie them. The saltwater crocodile Crocodylus porosus is a keystone species in mangrove wetlands but also a dangerous predator that affects people's safety and livelihoods. Although saltwater crocodiles are protected under the Myanmar Biodiversity and Protected Area Law, the government has not integrated local people's attitudes into conservation and management. As a consequence, saltwater crocodiles, although categorized as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, are restricted to a single protected area, Meinmahlakyun Wildlife Sanctuary, in Myanmar. To examine local attitudes towards the species, we investigated local knowledge about the environment, crocodiles, habitats and threats, awareness of human–crocodile conflict, and perceptions of the benefits and impacts of saltwater crocodile conservation through questionnaires in 244 households in 17 villages. We found that people were highly knowledgeable about the local environment, saltwater crocodiles, and their habitats. People with seasonal livelihoods that rely on natural resources from Meinmahlakyun had negative attitudes towards crocodile conservation. People were likely to have negative attitudes if they perceived there were no benefits from conserving the species. Law enforcement through restricting resource access does not enhance conservation success and builds resentment towards the conservation of the species. Local people suggested that, as a basis for management, understanding risks posed by crocodiles was the best approach to facilitate human–crocodile coexistence in the Ayeyarwady delta region.
Momentary interpersonal processes of suicidal surges in borderline personality disorder
Authors: Kaurin Aleksandra , Dombrovski Alexandre Y. , Hallquist Michael N. , Wright Aidan G. C.
Published: December 2020

Background

Suicide rates are high in borderline personality disorder (BPD) where interpersonal problems trigger intense affective dysregulation and impulses to act on suicidal thoughts. To date, however, no study has examined how interpersonal stressors contribute to momentary within-person links among affect and impulsivity with suicidal ideation (SI), and how those links vary over time in people's daily lives.

Methods

A total of 153 individuals diagnosed with BPD and 52 healthy controls completed a 21-day ecological momentary assessment protocol. Of these 153 individuals with BPD, 105 had a history of suicide attempts. Multilevel structural equation modeling was used to examine dynamic links among interpersonal perceptions, affect, state impulsivity, and suicidal intent.

Results

Aggregated across interactions, lower perceived warmth in others was associated with SI. This direct relationship, however, did not extend to momentary within-person associations. Instead, interpersonal conflicts were linked to SI indirectly via greater negative affect and lower positive affect. While a robust within-person link between interpersonal perceptions and impulsivity emerged, impulsivity did not account for the relationship between interpersonal perceptions and SI.

Conclusion

This intensive longitudinal study illustrates momentary interpersonal signatures of an emerging suicidal crisis. Among people with BPD at high risk for suicide, interpersonal triggers initiate a cascade of affective dysregulation, which in turn gives rise to SI.
Differences in word learning in children: Bilingualism or linguistic experience?
Authors: Borragan Maria , de Bruin Angela , Havas Viktoria , de Diego-Balaguer Ruth , Vulchanova Mila Dimitrova , Vulchanov Valentin , Duñabeitia Jon Andoni
Published: December 2020

The current study examines how monolingual children and bilingual children with languages that are orthotactically similar and dissimilar learn novel words depending on their characteristics. We contrasted word learning for words that violate or respect the orthotactic legality of bilinguals’ languages investigating the impact of the similarity between those two languages. In Experiment 1, three groups of children around the age of 12 were tested: monolinguals, Spanish–Basque bilinguals (orthotactically dissimilar languages), and Spanish–Catalan bilinguals (orthotactically similar languages). After an initial word-learning phase, they were tested in a recognition task. While Spanish monolinguals and Spanish–Catalan bilingual children recognized illegal words worse than legal words, Spanish–Basque bilingual children showed equal performance in learning illegal and legal patterns. In Experiment 2, a replication study was conducted with two new groups of Spanish–Basque children (one group with high Basque proficiency and one group with a lower proficiency) and results indicated that the effects were not driven by the proficiency in the second language, as a similar performance on legal and illegal patterns was observed in both groups. These findings suggest that word learning is not affected by bilingualism as such, but rather depends on the specific language combinations spoken by the bilinguals.
Core competencies for ethics experts in health technology assessment
Authors: Refolo Pietro , Bond Kenneth , Bloemen Bart , Autti-Rämö Ilona , Hofmann Bjørn , Mischke Claudia , Mueller Debjani , Nabukenya Sylvia , Oortwijn Wija , Sandman Lars , Stanak Michal , Steele Duncan , van der Wilt Gert Jan , Sacchini Dario
Published: December 2020

Objectives

There is no consensus on who might be qualified to conduct ethical analysis in the field of health technology assessment (HTA). Is there a specific expertise or skill set for doing this work? The aim of this article is to (i) clarify the concept of ethics expertise and, based on this, (ii) describe and specify the characteristics of ethics expertise in HTA.

Methods

Based on the current literature and experiences in conducting ethical analysis in HTA, a group of members of the Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) Interest Group on Ethical Issues in HTA critically analyzed the collected information during two face-to-face workshops. On the basis of the analysis, working definitions of “ethics expertise” and “core competencies” of ethics experts in HTA were developed. This paper reports the output of the workshop and subsequent revisions and discussions online among the authors.

Results

Expertise in a domain consists of both explicit and tacit knowledge and is acquired by formal training and social learning. There is a ubiquitous ethical expertise shared by most people in society; nevertheless, some people acquire specialist ethical expertise. To become an ethics expert in the field of HTA, one needs to acquire general knowledge about ethical issues as well as specific knowledge of the ethical domain in HTA. The core competencies of ethics experts in HTA consist of three fundamental elements: knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Conclusions

The competencies described here can be used by HTA agencies and others involved in HTA to call attention to and strengthen ethical analysis in HTA.
The factorisation property ofl∞(Xk)
Authors: LECHNER RICHARD , MOTAKIS PAVLOS , MÜLLER PAUL F.X. , SCHLUMPRECHT THOMAS
Published: December 2020

In this paper we consider the following problem: letXk, be a Banach space with a normalised basis (e(k, j))j, whose biorthogonals are denoted by${(e_{(k,j)}^*)_j}$, for$k\in\N$, let$Z=\ell^\infty(X_k:k\kin\N)$be theirl∞-sum, and let$T:Z\to Z$be a bounded linear operator with a large diagonal,i.e.,$$\begin{align*}\inf_{k,j} \big|e^*_{(k,j)}(T(e_{(k,j)})\big|>0.\end{align*}$$Under which condition does the identity onZfactor throughT? The purpose of this paper is to formulate general conditions for which the answer is positive.
Comparing Performance Across In-person and Videoconference-Based Administrations of Common Neuropsychological Measures in Community-Based Survivors of Stroke
Authors: Chapman Jodie E. , Gardner Betina , Ponsford Jennie , Cadilhac Dominique A. , Stolwyk Renerus J.
Published: December 2020

Objective:

Neuropsychological assessment via videoconference could assist in bridging service access gaps due to geographical, mobility, or infection control barriers. We aimed to compare performances on neuropsychological measures across in-person and videoconference-based administrations in community-based survivors of stroke.

Method:

Participants were recruited through a stroke-specific database and community advertising. Stroke survivors were eligible if they had no upcoming neuropsychological assessment, concurrent neurological and/or major psychiatric diagnoses, and/or sensory, motor, or language impairment that would preclude standardised assessment. Thirteen neuropsychological measures were administered in-person and via videoconference in a randomised crossover design (2-week interval). Videoconference calls were established between two laptop computers, facilitated by Zoom. Repeated-measures t tests, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and Bland–Altman plots were used to compare performance across conditions.

Results:

Forty-eight participants (26 men; Mage = 64.6, SD = 10.1; Mtime since stroke = 5.2 years, SD = 4.0) completed both sessions on average 15.8 (SD = 9.7) days apart. For most measures, the participants did not perform systematically better in a particular condition, indicating agreement between administration methods. However, on the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test – Revised, participants performed poorer in the videoconference condition (Total Recall Mdifference = −2.11). ICC estimates ranged from .40 to .96 across measures.

Conclusions:

This study provides preliminary evidence that in-person and videoconference assessment result in comparable scores for most neuropsychological tests evaluated in mildly impaired community-based survivors of stroke. This preliminary evidence supports teleneuropsychological assessment to address service gaps in stroke rehabilitation; however, further research is needed in more diverse stroke samples.