bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacist‐led intervention on chronic pain management: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Thapa Parbati , Lee Shaun Wen Huey , KC Bhuvan , Dujaili Juman Abdulelah , Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Izham , Gyawali Sudesh
Published: January 2021

Aims

Pharmacists have been contributing to the management of chronic pain, ensuring the quality use of medicine. However, there is diversity in the interventions provided by pharmacists and their impact.

Methods

Six electronic databases were searched from inception until June 2020 for articles published in English examining the intervention provided by the pharmacist in chronic pain management. Studies investigating the impact of pharmacist intervention individually or multidisciplinary teams including pharmacists for chronic pain management were included.

Results

Fourteen studies (2365 participants) were included in the current review. Six studies were randomized controlled trials while the remainder were observational studies in which pharmacists provided intervention individually or in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Medication review was the most common intervention provided by the pharmacist. The pooled analysis found that pharmacist‐led interventions reduced the pain intensity (−0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.35 to −0.09; moderate certainty) among participants with chronic pain. Opiate stewardship provided by pharmacists was effective; however, mixed results were noted on the impact of the intervention on physical functioning, anxiety, depression and quality of life. Pharmacist intervention was more expensive than treatment as usual.

Conclusions

Pharmacists contribute substantially to chronic pain management, ensuring the quality use of medicine, resulting in reduced pain intensity. Further studies with rigorous design are needed to measure the impact of pharmacist‐provided intervention individually or in a multidisciplinary team on the economic benefit and other health outcomes.
A regional CO2 containment assessment of the northern Utsira Formation seal and overburden, northern North Sea
Authors: Lloyd Christopher , Huuse Mads , Barrett Bonita J. , Stewart Margaret A. , Newton Andrew M. W.
Published: January 2021

Upscaling Carbon Capture and Storage requires identification of suitable storage sites, with robust reservoir seals. The Utsira Formation in the northern North Sea has been flagged as a target for further storage. However, there are no regional studies of seal variability addressing heterogeneities that could facilitate seal bypass. This study aims to: (a) identify, assess and map the elements that promote or restrict fluid migration, (b) develop a matrix to regionally map containment confidence (CC) and (c) rank the different areas for CO2 containment across the Utsira Formation. The seal and overburden were mapped using a high‐resolution, pre‐stack depth‐migrated 3D broadband seismic reflection dataset and 141 exploration wells. Seal geometry, sandstone presence and sandstone connectivity in the seal and overburden were assigned relative CC scores, which were summed to map overall CC of the Utsira Fm. Indicators for shallow gas and migration were mapped and correlated with the other elements. Areas with the lowest CC are in the west of the Utsira Fm. Here, sandstones within the Seal Interval are connected through the overburden via sandy submarine fans. In the southeast, dipping stratigraphy downlaps onto the Utsira Fm., increasing the potential for connection with glacially‐derived channel‐lobe systems in the overburden. The areas with the highest CC are the central and northeast parts of the Utsira Fm., where the Seal Interval is mudstone‐dominated and parallel to the reservoir, and channel‐lobe systems identified in the Overburden Interval are disconnected from the reservoir. This area coincides with a thick depocentre of the northern Utsira Fm. These results can be used to inform CO2 storage site selection and constrain future CO2 plume simulation analyses for the Utsira Fm. The CC matrix outlined here can also be adapted and applied to regionally assess the containment of other potential CO2 storage reservoirs in any setting.
Plasmodium falciparum FIKK9.1 is a monomeric serine–threonine protein kinase with features to exploit as a drug target
Authors: D. Anil Kumar , Shrivastava Deepti , Sahasrabuddhe Amogh A. , Habib Saman , Trivedi Vishal
Published: January 2021

FIKK‐9.1 is essential for parasite survival, but its structural and biochemical characterization will enable us to understand its role in the parasite life cycle. The recombinant FIKK9.1 kinase is monomeric with a native molecular weight of 60 ± 1.6 kDa. Structural characterization of FIKK9.1 kinase reveals that it consists of two domains: N‐terminal FHA like domain and C‐terminal kinase domain. The C‐terminal domain has a well‐defined pocket, but it displayed RMSD deviation of 1.38–3.2 Å from host kinases. ITC analysis indicates that ATP binds to the protein with a Kd of 45.6 ± 2.4 µM. Mutational studies confirm the role of Val‐244, Met‐245, Lys‐320, 324, and Glu‐366 for ATP binding. Co‐localization studies revealed FIKK9.1 in the parasite cytosol with a component trafficked to the apicoplast and also to IRBC. FIKK9.1 has 23 pockets to serve as potential docking sites for substrates. Correlation analysis of peptides from the combinatorial library concluded that peptide P277 (MFDFHYTLGPMWGTL) was fitting nicely into the binding pocket. The peptide P277 picked up candidates from parasite and key players from RBC cytoskeleton. Interestingly, FIKK9.1 is phosphorylating spectrin, ankyrin, and band‐3 from RBC cytoskeleton. Our study highlights the structural and biochemical features of FIKK9.1 to exploit it as a drug target.
Oral pyogenic granuloma: An 18‐year retrospective clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study
Authors: Ribeiro Jaqueline L. , Moraes Renata M. , Carvalho Bruna F. C. , Nascimento Anderson O. , Milhan Noala V. M. , Anbinder Ana Lia
Published: January 2021

Background

Pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a lesion characterized by the proliferation of blood vessels, commonly affecting the skin and the mouth. We aimed to compare clinical, microscopic, and immunohistochemical features of the two types of oral PG: lobular capillary hemangioma (LCH) and non‐LCH (NLCH).

Methods

Epidemiological and clinical data from 2000 to 2018 were collected from the archives of our institution, and histopathological sections of PG were reviewed. Immunohistochemical analyses (CD34, D2‐40, SMA, mast cell, and Ki‐67) were performed in 34 cases.

Results

Sixty‐two LCH and 107 non‐LCH samples were included. The mean (±SD) age of the patients was 38.59 ± 16.96 years; 55.62% were female; 39.64% of cases occurred in the gingiva, 44% of the nodules were pedunculated, and 13.02% of patients reported a history of trauma. NLCH was more prevalent among older patients than LCH. The most prevalent site of LCH was the lips, while NLCH occurred more in the gingiva (P < 0.05). Epithelial atrophy, microvessels, SMA‐positive areas, and Ki‐67‐positive nuclei were more prevalent in LCH (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

PG accounted for 2.25% of lesions archived in the pathology service and most cases were NLCH. LCH and NLCH exhibited clinicopathological differences in terms of age, site, epithelial atrophy, vascularization, and proliferation rate.
How intoxicated are you? Investigating self and observer intoxication ratings in relation to blood alcohol concentration
Authors: Monds Lauren A. , Riordan Benjamin C. , Flett Jayde A. M. , Conner Tamlin S. , Haber Paul , Scarf Damian
Published: January 2021

Introduction

The ability to accurately detect alcohol intoxication is an important skill for people who use these substances and for a variety of professions (e.g. policing, responsible service of alcohol). Previous studies have found that intoxicated people are generally poor at estimating their own intoxication (particularly at high blood alcohol concentration; BAC) and the relationship between perceived intoxication and BAC appears to flatten at higher BAC levels. Studies of observer ratings of other's intoxication have yielded mixed results. The aim of this study was to investigate both self‐ and observer‐ratings of intoxication against BAC levels to determine whether we observe a similar flattening in intoxication for both self‐ and observer‐rated intoxication.

Methods

Participants were 388 students interviewed outside three university events. Participants provided demographics, a rating of how intoxicated they felt (0 = not at all, 10 = very) and provided an alcohol breath test. Interviewers recorded a rating of how intoxicated the participant appeared to be.

Results

A significant correlation was observed between self‐ and observer‐ratings of intoxication (r = 0.802). We fitted our data with both linear and polynomial regressions. Polynomial regression accounted for more variance when predicting both self‐rated intoxication (R2 = 0.50 vs. R2 = 0.40) and observer‐rated intoxication from BAC (R2 = 0.58 vs. R2 = 0.52), suggesting a flattening for both intoxication ratings.

Discussion and Conclusions

Both self‐rated and observer‐rated intoxication appeared to flatten at higher levels of BAC. This may be due to either tolerance or a ‘ceiling effect’ for observable signs of intoxication.
The effects of development aid on irregular migration to Europe: Deterrence or attraction?
Authors: Restelli Gabriele
Published: January 2021

Motivation

Responding to growing immigration concerns in recent years, European countries have claimed to tackle the root causes of migration using development assistance. Some recent analyses find more aid to be associated with lower immigration, providing support to this policy. But these findings rely on measures of regular migration, while donors’ concern is centred on irregular migrants.

Purpose

This study tests whether development aid has a deterrent effect on irregular migration to Europe.

Methods

Adopting innovative data on irregular migration flows to Europe between 2009 and 2016, a simultaneous equations model accounts for the potential endogeneity of both total and bilateral aid.

Findings

The study finds that total aid does not significantly reduce numbers of migrants apprehended at Europe’s border. Moreover, bilateral aid tends to raise these numbers. The estimated costs for each deterred irregular migrant are high: in the best‐case scenario the range is between USD 150,000 and USD 320,000. The estimated costs to deter regular migrants are even higher, between USD 0.9 million and USD 2.5 million. Both estimates concur with those from previous work. Findings are robust to different aid measures and specifications.

Policy implications

Empirical results provide no evidence to support the use of development aid to deter migration.
Cutaneous manifestations in Moyamoya angiopathy: A review
Authors: Mitri Fouad , Bersano Anna , Hervé Dominique , Kraemer Markus
Published: January 2021

Background and purpose: Moyamoya angiopathy (MA) is a progressive cerebrovascular disease with a poorly understood pathophysiology. It is mainly characterized by progressive bilateral stenosis of the terminal intracranial part of the supraclinoid internal carotid arteries and the proximal parts of the middle and anterior cerebral arteries. This results in early‐onset ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes. The disease may be idiopathic (known as Moyamoya disease) or associated with other heritable or acquired conditions, including type 1 neurofibromatosis or other RASopathies, sickle cell disease, Down syndrome, or autoimmune disorders (known as Moyamoya syndrome). Apart from the brain, other organ manifestations including cutaneous ones have also been described in MA patients.

Materials and methods: A literature research on PubMed was performed for articles mentioning the cutaneous association in MA and published between 1994 and October 2020.

Conclusion: The present review summarizes the cutaneous associations as well as the coincidental dermatological findings seen in MA patients. Those include changes in the epidermis, dermis, or skin appendages for example café‐au‐lait spots, hypomelanosis of Ito, livedo racemosa, hemangiomas, premature graying of hair, chilblains etc.
Solving the Rubik's cube with stepwise deep learning
Authors: Johnson Colin G.
Published: January 2021

This paper explores a novel technique for learning the fitness function for search algorithms such as evolutionary strategies and hillclimbing. The aim of the new technique is to learn a fitness function (called a Learned Guidance Function) from a set of sample solutions to the problem. These functions are learned using a supervised learning approach based on deep neural network learning, that is, neural networks with a number of hidden layers. This is applied to a test problem: unscrambling the Rubik's Cube using evolutionary and hillclimbing algorithms. Comparisons are made with a previous LGF approach based on random forests, with a baseline approach based on traditional error‐based fitness, and with other approaches in the literature. This demonstrates how a fitness function can be learned from existing solutions, rather than being provided by the user, increasing the autonomy of AI search processes.
Freshwater insects CONUS: A database of freshwater insect occurrences and traits for the contiguous United States
Authors: Twardochleb Laura , Hiltner Ethan , Pyne Matthew , Zarnetske Phoebe
Published: January 2021

Motivation

Freshwater insects comprise 60% of freshwater animal diversity; they are widely used to assess water quality, and they provide prey for numerous freshwater and terrestrial taxa. Our knowledge of the distribution of freshwater insect diversity in the USA is incomplete because we lack comprehensive, standardized data on their distributions and functional traits at the scale of the contiguous United States (CONUS). We fill this knowledge gap by presenting Freshwater insects CONUS: A database of freshwater insect occurrences and traits for the contiguous United States. This database includes 2.05 million occurrence records for 932 genera in the major freshwater insect orders, at 51,044 stream locations sampled between 2001 and 2018 by federal and state biological monitoring programmes. Compared with existing open‐access databases, we tripled the number of occurrence records and locations and added records for 118 genera. We also present life‐history, dispersal, morphological and ecological traits and trait affinities (analogous to fuzzy‐coded traits) for 1,007 stream insect genera, assembled from existing databases, reference books and the primary literature. We nearly doubled the number of traits for 11 trait groups and added traits for 180 genera that were not available from open‐access databases. Our database, Freshwater insects CONUS, facilitates the mapping of freshwater insect taxonomic and functional diversity and, when paired with environmental data, will provide a powerful resource for quantifying how the environment shapes stream insect diversity and taxon‐specific distributions.

Main types of variables contained

Georeferenced occurrence records and traits for stream insects.

Spatial location and grain

Contiguous United States at a grain of c. 1 m2.

Time period and grain

Occurrence records from January 2001 to December 2018, with 1‐day temporal resolution. Traits from January 1911 to December 2018.

Major taxa and level of measurement

Genera from the orders Coleoptera, Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera, Odonata, Plecoptera and Trichoptera.

Software format

.csv.
Environmental heterogeneity predicts global species richness patterns better than area
Authors: Udy Kristy , Fritsch Matthias , Meyer Katrin M. , Grass Ingo , Hanß Sebastian , Hartig Florian , Kneib Thomas , Kreft Holger , Kukunda Collins B. , Pe’er Guy , Reininghaus Hannah , Tietjen Britta , Tscharntke Teja , van Waveren Clara‐Sophie , Wiegand Kerstin
Published: January 2021

Aim

It is widely accepted that biodiversity is influenced by both niche‐related and spatial processes from local to global scales. Their relative importance, however, is still disputed, and empirical tests are surprisingly scarce at the global scale. Here, we compare the importance of area (as a proxy for pure spatial processes) and environmental heterogeneity (as a proxy for niche‐related processes) for predicting native mammal species richness world‐wide and within biogeographical regions.

Location

Global.

Time period

We analyse a spatial snapshot of richness data collated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Major taxa studied

All terrestrial mammal species, including possibly extinct species and species with uncertain presence.

Methods

We applied a spreading dye algorithm to analyse how native mammal species richness changes with area and environmental heterogeneity. As measures for environmental heterogeneity, we used elevation ranges and precipitation ranges, which are well‐known correlates of species richness.

Results

We found that environmental heterogeneity explained species richness relationships better than did area, suggesting that niche‐related processes are more prevalent than pure area effects at broad scales.

Main conclusions

Our results imply that niche‐related processes are essential to understand broad‐scale species–area relationships and that habitat diversity is more important than area alone for the protection of global biodiversity.
Extending the Capture Map Concept to Estimate Discrete and Risk‐Based Streamflow Depletion Potential
Authors: White Jeremy T. , Foster Linzy K. , Fienen Michael N.
Published: January 2021

A popular and contemporary use of numerical groundwater models is to estimate the discrete relation between groundwater extraction and surface‐water/groundwater exchange. Previously, the concept of a “capture map” has been put forward as a means to effectively summarize this relation for decision‐making consumption. While capture maps have enjoyed success in the environmental simulation industry, they are deterministic, ignoring uncertainty in the underlying model. Furthermore, capture maps are not typically calculated in a manner that facilitates analysis of varying combinations of extraction locations and/or reaches. That is, they are typically constructed with focus on a single reach or group of reaches. The former of these limitations is important for conveying risk to decision makers and stakeholders, while the latter is important for decision‐making support related to surface‐water management, where future foci may include reaches that were not the focus of the original capture analysis. Herein, we use the concept of a response matrix to generalize the theory of the capture‐map approach to estimate spatially discrete streamflow depletion potential. We also use first‐order, second‐moment uncertainty estimation techniques with the concept of “risk shifting” to place capture maps and streamflow depletion potential in a stochastic, risk‐based framework. Our approach is demonstrated for an integrated groundwater/surface‐water model of the lower San Antonio River, Texas, USA.
Spathian to Aegean (upper Lower Triassic to lower Middle Triassic) carbon isotope stratigraphy constrained by the conodont biostratigraphy of carbonates on top of a mid‐oceanic seamount formed in the Panthalassic Ocean
Authors: Ha Thuy Thi Nhu , Maekawa Takumi , Takayanagi Hideko , Iryu Yasufumi
Published: January 2021

The Taho Formation in western Shikoku Island, Japan, consists of Triassic carbonates that formed on a seamount in the Panthalassic Ocean. In order to investigate the stratigraphy and paleoceanography of this carbonate succession, we analyzed the biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy of a 17.6 m‐thick section of the upper Taho Formation at the stratotype area in Tahokamigumi, Seiyo City. This section comprises bioclastic limestone containing Triassic bivalves, ammonoids, and conodonts. We recognized six conodont zones (in ascending order): the Novispathodus pingdingshanensis, Novispathodus brevissimus, Triassospathodus symmetricus, Triassospathodus homeri, Chiosella timorensis, and Magnigondolella cf. alexanderi zones. Thus, the studied carbonate succession is latest Smithian to Aegean in age. A δ13C profile of this section shows elevated values during the lowest Spathian followed by a gradual negative excursion, a subsequent positive excursion near the Spathian–Aegean boundary, and relatively constant values during the Aegean. The characteristic series of negative and positive excursions correlates with other δ13C records for this period, including the peak of the upper Smithian–lowest Spathian positive excursion (P3), lower to middle Spathian negative excursion (N4), and middle Spathian–lowest Aegean positive excursion (P4). This represents a new high‐resolution Spathian–Aegean δ13C record of the Panthalassic Ocean, for which ages are constrained by conodont biostratigraphy. The Taho δ13C profile exhibits a consistent positive offset of ~2 ‰ as compared with those from other regions (i.e., mostly in the Tethyan Ocean). This can be explained by preferential removal of 12C from seawater during photosynthesis and calcification by marine organisms over the platform, and/or the relatively high δ13C values of dissolved inorganic carbon in the Panthalassic Ocean due to less influence of 12C‐enriched terrestrial waters and high marine organic production/burial as compared with the more restricted Tethyan Ocean.
Fast and furious: host aggression modulates behaviour of brood parasites
Authors: Jelínek Václav , Šulc Michal , Štětková Gabriela , Honza Marcel
Published: January 2021

Avian brood parasites pose a serious threat to hosts, substantially reducing their fitness, which selects for the evolution of host defences. A classic example of a host frontline defence is mobbing, which frequently includes contact attacking of brood parasites. Here, we investigated how the nest defence of a very aggressive host, the Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus, influences the speed of egg‐laying and egg‐removing behaviour of its brood parasite – the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus. We video‐recorded 168 brood parasitic events at 102 active host nests and found that Cuckoos avoided host mobbing in 62% of cases. If hosts spotted the Cuckoo at their nests, they almost always attacked it (91 of 104 cases; 88%); however, such attacks only rarely and temporarily prevented Cuckoos from parasitizing (11 additional cases). When attacked, Cuckoos parasitized host nests significantly faster and left them immediately after laying. However, when not attacked, Cuckoos frequently stayed at or near the nest, suggesting that host aggression, rather than the risk of being spotted, influences the speed of brood parasitism in this species. Further, we found that Cuckoos performed egg‐removing behaviour in all parasitic events without regard to host aggression. As a result, Cuckoos removed at least one egg during all brood parasitism events except those when the egg slipped from their beaks when they were attacked by hosts and, thus, remained in the nest (in nine of 82 cases when they were attacked; 10.9%). This indicates that egg‐removing behaviour is not costly for the Common Cuckoo and is an essential part of its parasitism strategy, widening our understanding of this elusive behaviour.
Knowledge gaps and biases in the Pantanal indicate future directions for ornithological research in large wetlands
Authors: Fernández‐Arellano Gilberto J. , Teixido Alberto L. , Bernardon Bianca , Bueno Elaine R. , Ferreira Tiago V. , Gonçalves Stela R. A. , Jesus Moisés , Thomas Kamila P. C. S. , Zucchetto Mayara , Piacentini Vítor Q. , Pinho João B.
Published: January 2021

While taxonomic and biogeographical biases are often acknowledged, those for certain biological responses and species traits are routinely overlooked, generating major gaps in knowledge and conservation of biodiversity. Biases in research on birds ‒ an over‐sampled, diverse vertebrate class ‒ may be readily detectable, and wetlands are important species‐rich ecosystems in which to identify biases and research gaps for birds. The Pantanal, one of the world’s largest wetlands, is globally relevant for bird conservation. In this wetland, we determined spatial, temporal, taxonomic and biological response‐related biases in ornithological studies to guide future research in this ecosystem and, ultimately, in major global wetlands. Avian research was geographically biased, with 61 studies conducted in the Brazilian Pantanal and only one in Bolivia. Most studies were concentrated near urban centres, with poorly explored areas in the central Pantanal. Research was also over‐represented during the dry season when field conditions are more favourable, but such temporal bias may hamper migration studies. Considering their richness, some families were studied disproportionately more (e.g. Jacanidae) or less (e.g. Tyrannidae). Some species (e.g. Wood Stork Mycteria americana and Yellow‐billed Cardinal Paroaria capitata) were included in > 25% of studies, whereas a relatively low number of threatened bird species were studied. Behaviour was the most studied response, followed by abundance and reproduction, which were considered for > 65% of species studied. We conclude that further research needs to be focused on unexplored areas and periods, less detectable species, and ecological processes (e.g. interspecific interactions). Additionally, our results can provide useful information to better address future work and bird conservation actions in other large wetlands. For example, major gaps detected here constitute a primary roadmap to guide research in under‐sampled regions, such as the Canadian peatlands and Tonlé Sap Lake. Specifically, more studies on waterbirds in highly diverse wetlands from low‐income countries (e.g. Okavango and Sundarban Delta) may help to disentangle the essential functional role provided for these species and to prioritize conservation actions in regions with limited research capacity.
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF TULLOCK CONTESTS WITH AN APPLICATION TO U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECTIONS
Authors: Huang Yangguang , He Ming
Published: January 2021

We study the econometrics of an asymmetric Tullock contest model with incomplete information. Identification results are established for parameters in the asymmetric contest success function and for the quantile functions of players' private costs. We propose the corresponding estimators, derive the asymptotic properties, and demonstrate their good finite sample performances by simulation. We also propose an easy‐to‐implement parametric estimation method that can incorporate contest‐specific covariates. Our method is used to study U.S. House of Representatives elections. We quantify the incumbency advantages and conduct policy experiments to evaluate how imposing a term limit or launching campaign finance reforms affects incumbency advantage.
A unifying concept of animal breeding programmes
Authors: Simianer Henner , Büttgen Lisa , Ganesan Amudha , Ha Ngoc Thuy , Pook Torsten
Published: January 2021

Modern animal breeding programmes are constantly evolving with advances in breeding theory, biotechnology and genetics. Surprisingly, there seems to be no generally accepted succinct definition of what exactly a breeding programme is, neither is there a unified language to describe breeding programmes in a comprehensive, unambiguous and reproducible way. In this work, we try to fill this gap by suggesting a general definition of breeding programmes that also pertains to cases where genetic progress is not achieved through selection, but, for example, through transgenic technologies, or the aim is not to generate genetic progress, but, for example, to maintain genetic diversity. The key idea of the underlying concept is to represent a breeding programme in modular form as a directed graph that is composed of nodes and edges, where nodes represent cohorts of breeding units, usually individuals, and edges represent breeding activities, like “selection” or “reproduction.” We claim, that by defining a comprehensive set of nodes and edges, it is possible to represent any breeding programme of arbitrary complexity by such a graph, which thus comprises a full description of the breeding programme. This concept is implemented in a web‐based tool (MoBPSweb, available at www.mobps.de) and has a link to the R‐package MoBPS (Modular Breeding Program Simulator) to simulate the described breeding programmes. The approach is illustrated by showcasing three different breeding programmes of increasing complexity. The concept allows a formal description of breeding programmes, which is requested, for example, in legal regulations of the European Union, but so far cannot be provided in a standardized format. In the discussion, we point out potential limitations of the concept and argue that the general approach can be easily extended to account for novel breeding technologies, to breeding of crops or experimental species, but also to modelling diversity dynamics in natural populations.
High‐phosphorus diet controlled for sodium elevates blood pressure in healthy adults via volume expansion
Authors: Zhang Jia‐ying , You Huai‐zhou , Wang Meng‐jing , Zhang Qian , Dong Xin‐yu , Liu Jing‐fang , Chen Jing
Published: January 2021

Whether increasing exposure to dietary phosphorus can lead to adverse clinical outcomes in healthy people is not clear. In this open‐label prospective cross‐over study, we are to explore the impact of various dietary phosphorus intake on mineral, sodium metabolisms and blood pressure in young healthy adults. There were 3 separate study periods of 5 days, each with a 5 days washout period between different diets interventions. Six young healthy male volunteers with normal nutrition status were recruited in Phase I Clinical Research Center and sequentially exposed to the following diets: (a) normal‐phosphorus diet (NPD): 1500 mg/d, (b) low‐phosphorus diet (LPD): 500 mg/d, (c) high‐phosphorus diet (HPD): 2300 mg/d. HPD induced a significant rise in daily average serum phosphate (1.47 ± 0.02 mmol/L [4.56 ± 0.06 mg/dl]) compared to NPD (1.34 ± 0.02 mmol/L [4.15 ± 0.06 mg/dL]) and LPD (1.17 ± 0.02 mmol/L [3.63 ± 0.06 mg/dL]) (p < .05). Daily average levels of serum parathyroid hormone and fibroblast growth factor 23 in HPD were significantly higher, and serum 1,25(OH)2D3 was remarkably lower than those in LPD. HPD induced a significant decrease in daily average serum aldosterone and an increase in daily average atrial natriuretic peptide level compared to LPD. The 24‐hour urine volume in HPD subjects was less than that in LPD subjects. HPD significantly increased daily average systolic blood pressure by 6.02 ± 1.24 mm Hg compared to NPD and by 8.58 ± 1.24mm Hg compared to LPD (p < .05). Our study provides the first evidence that 5‐day high‐phosphorus diet can induce elevation in SBP in young healthy adults, which may due to volume expansion.
LKB1IP promotes pathological cardiac hypertrophy by targeting PTEN/Akt signalling pathway
Authors: Tian Mi , Jiang Xiuxin , Li Xinyun , Yang Jianmin , Zhang Cheng , Zhang Wencheng
Published: January 2021

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy represents a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Liver kinase B1 interacting protein 1 (LKB1IP) was identified as the binding protein of tumour suppressor LKB1. However, the role of LKB1IP in the development of pathological cardiac hypertrophy has not been explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of LKB1IP in cardiac hypertrophy in response to hypertrophic stimuli. We investigated the cardiac level of LKB1IP in samples from patients with heart failure and mice with cardiac hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol (ISO) or transverse aortic constriction (TAC). LKB1IP knockout mice were generated and challenged with ISO injection or TAC surgery. Cardiac function, hypertrophy and fibrosis were then examined. LKB1IP expression was significantly up‐regulated on hypertrophic stimuli in both human and mouse cardiac samples. LKB1IP knockout markedly protected mouse hearts against ISO‐ or TAC‐induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. LKB1IP overexpression aggravated ISO‐induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and its inhibition attenuated hypertrophy in vitro. Mechanistically, LKB1IP activated Akt signalling by directly targeting PTEN and then inhibiting its phosphatase activity. In conclusion, LKB1IP may be a potential target for pathological cardiac hypertrophy.
Cryptic diversity within endemic Italian barbels: revalidation and description of new Barbus species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)
Authors: Lorenzoni Massimo , Carosi Antonella , Quadroni Silvia , De Santis Vanessa , Vanetti Isabella , Delmastro Giovanni B. , Zaccara Serena
Published: January 2021

Two fluviolacustrine lineages (SI1 Barbus and SI2 Barbus) of the Barbus genus have been recently detected in the Apulia‐Campania ichthyogeographic district (southern Italy). The aim of this study was to determine the taxonomic status of these lineages by comparing them with the two already‐established Italian fluviolacustrine species Barbus plebejus and Barbus tyberinus through a more in‐depth molecular and morphological investigation. Genetic analyses were performed on both mitochondrial (cytochrome b) and nuclear (growth hormone paralog 2) DNA markers, and morphological analyses were carried out on specific age classes and purebred populations. Molecular analyses detected four evolutionary lineages at the mitochondrial level, whereas the nuclear data set highlighted the strict evolutionary relation between B. plebejus sensu stricto and the new lineages, converged in the B. plebejus complex clade. The morphological analyses allowed us to discriminate SI1 Barbus and SI2 Barbus from both B. plebejus and B. tyberinus. The new taxa could be discriminated by the greatest maximum body height and the longest pre‐orbital distance, respectively. Both the new lineages have longer ventral and pectoral fins than B. plebejus and B. tyberinus, a larger caudal fin than B. tyberinus and a lower number of scales along the lateral line than B. plebejus. Both molecular and morphological results suggested the two southern Italian lineages could be considered as distinct endemic species: the formal description of the new species Barbus samniticus sp. nov. (i.e., SI1 Barbus) and the revalidation of Barbus fucini Costa, 1853 (i.e., SI2 Barbus) were thus proposed, and, for both species, molecular and morphological diagnosis were provided.
Application of the FTA elute card coupled with visual colorimetric loop‐mediated isothermal amplification for the rapid diagnosis of Streptococcus agalactiae in farmed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Pepey Elodie , Taukhid Taukhid , Keck Nicolas , Lusiastuti Angela , Avarre Jean‐Christophe , Sundari Gusnia , Sarter Samira , Caruso Domenico
Published: January 2021

A method combining the FTA Elute card and visual colorimetric loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (FTA‐e/LAMP) was tested to diagnose Streptococcus agalactiae infections in vitro and in vivo. FTA‐e/LAMP consists of two main steps: first, the FTA card is used to extract DNA and then a colorimetric loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reaction is carried out on the extracted DNA. In vitro sensitivity was 1.9 x 102 CFU/mL, and regarding specificity, all nine S. agalactiae strains tested positive. All Streptococcus spp. tested negative, except for S. dysgalactiae, thereby indicating the need for another set of primers to distinguish this species from S. agalactiae. To diagnose S. agalactiae infections using FTA‐e/LAMP in vivo, two experimental trials on juvenile Oreochromis niloticus infected with bovine or piscine strains were carried out. Sensitivity in symptomatic fish was 100%, and 50.7% of fish without signs were positive. All negative control fish tested negative (n = 28). No bacteria were detected after 16 days post‐infection (dpi). Accuracy during the first week (1–7 dpi) was 89% and decreased to 44% thereafter (10–22 dpi). FTA‐e/LAMP results suggest that this method is a promising tool for early and fast diagnosis of S. agalactiae on tilapia farms.
Evaluating learning spaces in flood risk management in Germany: Lessons for governance research
Authors: Witting Antje , Brandenstein Frederik , Kochskämper Elisa
Published: January 2021

Efforts to collaboratively manage the risk of flooding are ultimately based on individuals learning about risks, the decision process, and the effectiveness of decisions made in prior situations. This article argues that much can be learned about a governance setting by explicitly evaluating the relationships through which influential individuals and their immediate contacts receive and send information to one another. We define these individuals as “brokers,” and the networks that emerge from their interactions as “learning spaces.” The aim of this article is to develop strategies to identify and evaluate the properties of a broker's learning space that are indicative of a collaborative flood risk management arrangement. The first part of this article introduces a set of indicators, and presents strategies to employ this list so as to systematically identify brokers, and compare their learning spaces. The second part outlines the lessons from an evaluation that explored cases in two distinct flood risk management settings in Germany. The results show differences in the observed brokers' learning spaces. The contacts and interactions of the broker in Baden‐Württemberg imply a collaborative setting. In contrast, learning space of the broker in North Rhine‐Westphalia lacks the same level of diversity and polycentricity.
Dopamine and relapse to drug seeking
Authors: Liu Yu , McNally Gavan P.
Published: January 2021

The actions of dopamine are essential to relapse to drug seeking but we still lack a precise understanding of how dopamine achieves these effects. Here we review recent advances from animal models in understanding how dopamine controls relapse to drug seeking. These advances have been enabled by important developments in understanding the basic neurochemical, molecular, anatomical, physiological and functional properties of the major dopamine pathways in the mammalian brain. The literature shows that although different forms of relapse to seeking different drugs of abuse each depend on dopamine, there are distinct dopamine mechanisms for relapse. Different circuit‐level mechanisms, different populations of dopamine neurons and different activity profiles within these dopamine neurons, are important for driving different forms of relapse. This diversity highlights the need to better understand when, where and how dopamine contributes to relapse behaviours.

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Is bank staff interaction associated with customer saving behavior in banks?
Authors: Birkenmaier Julie , Fu Qiang John
Published: January 2021

Major changes are underway in the U.S. retail banking sector toward heavy investments in technology and fewer in personnel. Using the 2017 survey of household economics and decision‐making (SHED) (n= 11,359), we examine the relationship between saving behavior related to emergency, long‐term and periodic expenses and personal, technological, and hybrid bank account access methods. Binary logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds of reporting various saving behaviors in relation to various banking access methods. Findings suggest that the personal access method is positively associated with savings behavior for periodic expenses for the general population, and negatively associated with emergency savings in people with lower education attainment. Technology is associated with all types of saving behavior, while the hybrid access method is associated only with saving for periodic expenses. As investments in self‐service technology increase, the importance of access methods to savings behavior must be considered.
Aesthetic and therapeutic outcome of fat grafting for localized Scleroderma treatment: From basic study to clinical application
Authors: Wang Hayson Chenyu , Dong Ruijia , Long Xiao , Wang Xiaojun
Published: January 2021

Background

Localized scleroderma (LoS) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by skin fibrosis and subcutaneous tissue atrophy, resulting in aesthetic impairment on patients. Fat grafting has been used to treat LoS patients, achieving aesthetic and therapeutic improvement.

Aims

This article summarized the epidemiology and pathophysiology of LoS and the current progress and thorny questions of basic and clinical research on fat grafting treating LoS.

Methods

The literature of the last 20 years concerning fat grafting of treating LoS was reviewed.

Results

Fat grafting has been proved to produce aesthetic and therapeutic outcomes on LoS patients, including the improvement of soft tissue atrophy, skin fibrosis and pigmentation. Due to the inflammatory microenvironment of scleroderma, however, fat grafting still faces many difficulties, such as low fat retention. Novel fat grafting methods in order to supplement the deficiency of adipose‐derived stem cells and improve fat retention in LoS groups have been proposed whose effectiveness and feasibility is still needed further study.

Conclusion

Currently, fat grafting has been regarded as an effective treatment with a combination of aesthetic and therapeutic outcomes on LoS patients.
Impact of professional commitment on professional capability improvement and care quality dimensions: A multi‐wave study
Authors: Chang Hao‐Yuan , Huang Tzu‐Ling , Lee I‐Chen , Shyu Yea‐Ing Lotus , Wong May‐Kuen , Lun‐Hui Ho , Tseng Hsien‐Wei , Teng Ching‐I
Published: January 2021

Aims and objectives

To examine how the three dimensions of professional commitment impact professional capabilities improvement and five key dimensions of care quality.

Background

While professional commitment is known to retain nurses, we do not know how its three dimensions—affective, continuance and normative commitment—formulate five care quality dimensions: assurance, reliability, responsiveness, empathy and tangibles.

Design

We used a three‐wave, follow‐up design to follow a sample of nurse participants.

Methods

We collected responses from 430 nurses who worked for a medical centre in Northern Taiwan during 2017–2019. Most (78.9%) of the respondents had an age between 20–40 years. We used Professional Commitment Scale of Meyer et al. (Journal of Applied Psychology, 1993, 78, 538) and Care Quality Scale of Teng et al. (Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 2010, 41, 301). STROBE statement was chosen as EQUATOR checklist.

Results

We found that affective professional commitment is positively related to intention to improve professional capabilities, action to improve professional capabilities and thus to four dimensions of care quality: assurance, reliability, responsiveness and empathy.

Conclusions

Our model explains how three key dimensions of professional commitment contribute to care quality. Our findings support the link between action to improve professional capabilities and dimensions of care quality.

Relevance to clinical practice

Nursing managers can inform nurses of positive patient feedback, thus enhancing nurses' affective professional commitment, which would likely motivate their devotion to upgrading their professional capabilities, thus further contributing to the quality of the care they provide.
Construction of virtual intercuspal occlusion: Considering tooth displacement
Authors: Li Linlin , Chen Hu , Wang Yong , Sun Yuchun
Published: January 2021

Common impressions cannot accurately duplicate the dental occlusion under occlusal force due to tooth displacement and mandibular deformation. To establish new methods to construct virtual intercuspal occlusion and assess their construction accuracy. The intraoral occlusal contacts of posterior teeth of 15 subjects were recorded with 8 μm and 100 μm articulating paper, respectively, and the marked teeth and buccal bite data were scanned with an intraoral scanner. The virtual dental occlusions were separately determined by buccal bite registration (BBR) method, and 3 new methods, namely segmented tooth registration (STR), occlusal contact areas (marked by 8 μm articulating paper) registration (OCR) and mixing registration (MR) methods. With the intraoral contact areas marked by 100 μm articulating paper set as reference and contact areas of the 4 virtual occlusions as tests, sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV) and the ratio of overlapping areas were calculated. Kruskal‐Wallis test or 1‐way ANOVA was used to analyse the difference among groups. The sensitivity ranged from 0.69 to 0.94 and the PPV from 0.67 to 0.90. Sensitivity of OCR group and PPV of STR and OCR groups were different from that of BBR group at overlapping threshold of 50% (P = .028, .028 and .006). There was statistical difference of the ratio of overlapping areas over reference areas, and the values of STR and OCR groups were higher than that of BBR group (P = .045 and .021). The ability of STR and OCR methods to construct virtual intercuspal occlusion was better than BBR method.
Fit Alteration of Presintered Co‐Cr and Zirconia Multiple‐Unit Prostheses After Ceramic Layering
Authors: Daou Elie E. , Baba Nadim Z.
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The fit alteration after ceramic layering of soft Cobalt‐Chromium (Co‐Cr) and zirconia is poorly documented. This study compared the marginal and internal fit of presintered Co‐Cr and zirconia three‐unit fixed dental prostheses before and after ceramic veneering.

Materials and methods

Co‐Cr master model was prepared and duplicated 60 times to receive three‐unit fixed dental prostheses (FDPs). Sixty dies were prepared, scanned and assigned to 3 groups (n = 20/group), to receive the FDPs made of presintered Co‐Cr (CS), presintered zirconia (CZ) and cast Ni‐Cr (Wi). Each framework was seated on its specific cast. A replica technique was used for marginal and internal discrepancy measurements in mesiodistal and buccolingual planes. Frameworks were ceramic veneered. Results were compared before and after ceramic layering within each group. Data were analyzed using the Levene, t test, and ANOVA (α = 0.05).

Results

Significant difference was found when gaps were compared within groups for CS and CZ but not for Wi. At the abutments level, significant difference was found for both premolars and molars in the buccolingual planes (p < 0.001). A multiple comparison between materials tested showed significant differences between presintered and cast Ni‐Cr. No significant difference was detected between CS and CZ (p = 1.000).

Conclusions

Although ceramic layering increased the discrepancy for presintered Co‐Cr and zirconia, the marginal adaptation remained clinically acceptable.