bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The call of the emperor penguin: Legal responses to species threatened by climate change
Authors: Jenouvrier Stephanie , Che‐Castaldo Judy , Wolf Shaye , Holland Marika , Labrousse Sara , LaRue Michelle , Wienecke Barbara , Fretwell Peter , Barbraud Christophe , Greenwald Noah , Stroeve Julienne , Trathan Philip N.
Published: August 2021

Species extinction risk is accelerating due to anthropogenic climate change, making it urgent to protect vulnerable species through legal frameworks in order to facilitate conservation actions that help mitigate risk. Here, we discuss fundamental concepts for assessing climate change risks to species using the example of the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), currently being considered for protection under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA). This species forms colonies on Antarctic sea ice, which is projected to significantly decline due to ongoing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We project the dynamics of all known emperor penguin colonies under different GHG emission scenarios using a climate‐dependent meta‐population model including the effects of extreme climate events based on the observational satellite record of colonies. Assessments for listing species under the ESA require information about how species resiliency, redundancy and representation (3Rs) will be affected by threats within the foreseeable future. Our results show that if sea ice declines at the rate projected by climate models under current energy system trends and policies, the 3Rs would be dramatically reduced and almost all colonies would become quasi‐extinct by 2100. We conclude that the species should be listed as threatened under the ESA.
Projecting coral responses to intensifying marine heatwaves under ocean acidification
Authors: Klein Shannon G. , Geraldi Nathan R. , Anton Andrea , Schmidt‐Roach Sebastian , Ziegler Maren , Cziesielski Maha J. , Martin Cecilia , Rädecker Nils , Frölicher Thomas L. , Mumby Peter J. , Pandolfi John M. , Suggett David J. , Voolstra Christian R. , Aranda Manuel , Duarte Carlos. M.
Published: August 2021

Over this century, coral reefs will run the gauntlet of climate change, as marine heatwaves (MHWs) become more intense and frequent, and ocean acidification (OA) progresses. However, we still lack a quantitative assessment of how, and to what degree, OA will moderate the responses of corals to MHWs as they intensify throughout this century. Here, we first projected future MHW intensities for tropical regions under three future greenhouse gas emissions scenario (representative concentration pathways, RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) for the near‐term (2021–2040), mid‐century (2041–2060) and late‐century (2081–2100). We then combined these MHW intensity projections with a global data set of 1,788 experiments to assess coral attribute performance and survival under the three emissions scenarios for the near‐term, mid‐century and late‐century in the presence and absence of OA. Although warming and OA had predominately additive impacts on the coral responses, the contribution of OA in affecting most coral attributes was minor relative to the dominant role of intensifying MHWs. However, the addition of OA led to greater decreases in photosynthesis and survival under intermediate and unrestricted emissions scenario for the mid‐ and late‐century than if intensifying MHWs were considered as the only driver. These results show that role of OA in modulating coral responses to intensifying MHWs depended on the focal coral attribute and extremity of the scenario examined. Specifically, intensifying MHWs and OA will cause increasing instances of coral bleaching and substantial declines in coral productivity, calcification and survival within the next two decades under the low and intermediate emissions scenario. These projections suggest that corals must rapidly adapt or acclimatize to projected ocean conditions to persist, which is far more likely under a low emissions scenario and with increasing efforts to manage reefs to enhance resilience.
Understanding spatial and compositional dynamics of employment centers in urban China: Empirical evidence from Nanjing
Authors: Wang Hui , Yuan Feng , Wei Yehua Dennis , Chen Wen , Wang Lei
Published: August 2021

In contrast to abundant research on population (re)distribution in China, the dynamics of intra‐urban employment concentration remain poorly understood. Drawing upon firm‐level employment data for 2008 and 2013 at a fine analytic scale, we utilize a two‐stage approach involving nonparametric estimating and proximity‐based threshold setting, persistence score, location quotients, and shift‐share analysis, to investigate spatial and compositional changes of employment centers in Nanjing, an emerging global city in the Yangtze River Delta, China. We observe only a very slight trend in the dispersion of whole employment there, and over 70% of employment was concentrated in the identified centers in 2008 and 2013. Employment in different sectors indicated high spatial heterogeneity and polycentricity, which is associated to a distinctly greater extent with decentralization of manufacturing than with services. Specifically, the boundaries of employment centers ranged from stable in the urban core to highly fluctuating in newly developed urban areas; the sectoral composition of centers exhibited consistency within each center but heterogeneity among centers. We further discussed the relationship between dynamics of employment centers and urban configuration, economic re‐structuring, and local policies that have long determined development direction and employment distribution in Nanjing. We suggest that urban planning should consider diversified land use and dynamic planning of employment centers.
The nexus between urbanization and rural development in China: Evidence from panel data analysis
Authors: Li Yuheng , Huang Huiqian , Song Chuanyao
Published: August 2021

As rural decline sweeps the world and draws public attention, it becomes necessary to consider the relationship between urbanization and rural development. The paper investigates this topic in China for the period 1989–2018. The research results find positive contribution of urbanization to rural economy in the research period but with a decreasing tendency. Compared to less developed areas, rural economy of developed regions has become less dependent on cities and can flourish in a larger context with the support of modern transportation and telecommunication technologies. However, those peripheral rural areas tend to face continuous and large‐scale rural–urban migration which has aggravated rural decline. Rural economic growth helps to decrease rural outmigration and people will stay in their hometown with available job opportunities to raise their families and maintain livelihood. The paper proposes balance‐friendly urbanization structure and diversified rural economy to improve rural resilience to meet the challenge of rural decline.
Prostate interventions in patients with mild haemophilia: Safe and feasible
Authors: Mesnard Benoit , Drillaud Nicolas , Sigaud Marianne , Hakim Gabriella , Chelly Samuel , Ternisien Catherine , Fouassier Marc , Chelghaf Ismaël , De Vergie Stéphane , Perrouin Verbe Marie‐Aimée , Rigaud Jérôme , David Arthur , Trossaërt Marc , Branchereau Julien
Published: August 2021

Introduction

To date, there is no specific recommendation or evaluation of the morbidity of prostate surgery in patients with haemophilia (PWH) although this surgery is common and at high risk of bleeding.

Aim

To assess the post‐operative morbidity of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) surgeries and of oncological prostate interventions in patients with mild haemophilia A or B.

Methods

We performed a monocentre, epidemiological, in real life study. Data were collected between 1 January, 1997 and 1 September, 2020 and focused on prostate biopsy, radical prostatectomy, prostate radiotherapy, simple prostatectomy, transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) and laser‐vaporisation in patients with mild haemophilia A or B.

Results

Between 1 January, 1997 and 1 September, 2020, 51 interventions were performed on 30 patients with mild haemophilia. Haemophilia A represented 93.33% of the population and haemophilia B 6.67%. For prostate biopsies (n = 24), median length of hospitalisation was 4 days and only one patient needed a blood transfusion. No patient needed re‐admission. For prostatectomy (n = 10), one patient presented with intra‐operative and post‐operative bleeding. Two patients required re‐admission. The other patients did not present any significant haemorrhagic symptoms. For radiotherapy (n = 4), two patients presented a grade II complication (radiocystitis and radiorectitis). For BPH surgeries, during hospitalisation, laser‐vaporisation (n = 5) was less haemorrhagic than TURP (n = 5) but after hospital discharge, 60% of patients presented a haemorrhagic complication with two readmissions and one surgical re‐explorations.

Conclusion

Performed in a specialised centre, prostate surgeries and interventions in patients with mild haemophilia is feasible with acceptable morbidity.
Development of an artificial intelligence diagnostic system for lower urinary tract dysfunction in men
Authors: Matsukawa Yoshihisa , Kameya Yoshitaka , Takahashi Tomoichi , Shimazu Atsuki , Ishida Shohei , Yamada Muneo , Sassa Naoto , Yamamoto Tokunori
Published: August 2021

Objectives

To establish an artificial intelligence diagnostic system for lower urinary tract function in men with lower urinary tract symptoms using only uroflowmetry data and to evaluate its usefulness.

Methods

Uroflowmetry data of 256 treatment‐naive men with detrusor underactivity, bladder outlet obstruction, or detrusor underactivity + bladder outlet obstruction were used for artificial intelligence learning and validation using neural networks. An optimal artificial intelligence diagnostic model was established using 10‐fold stratified cross‐validation and data augmentation. Correlations of bladder contractility index and bladder outlet obstruction index values for the artificial intelligence system and pressure flow study values were examined using Spearman’s correlation coefficients. Additionally, diagnostic accuracy was compared between the established artificial intelligence system and trained urologists with uroflowmetry data of 25 additional patients by χ2‐tests. Detrusor underactivity was defined as bladder contractility index ≤100 and bladder outlet obstruction index ≤40, bladder outlet obstruction was defined as bladder contractility index >100 and bladder outlet obstruction index >40, and detrusor underactivity + bladder outlet obstruction was defined as bladder contractility index ≤100 and bladder outlet obstruction index >40.

Results

The artificial intelligence system’s estimated bladder contractility index and bladder outlet obstruction index values showed significant positive correlations with pressure flow study values (bladder contractility index: r = 0.60, P < 0.001; bladder outlet obstruction index: r = 0.46, P < 0.001). The artificial intelligence system’s detrusor underactivity diagnosis had a sensitivity and specificity of 79.7% and 88.7%, respectively, and those for bladder outlet obstruction diagnosis were 76.8% and 84.7%, respectively. The artificial intelligence system’s average diagnostic accuracy was 84%, which was significantly higher than that of urologists (56%).

Conclusions

Our artificial intelligence diagnostic system developed using the uroflowmetry waveform distinguished between detrusor underactivity and bladder outlet obstruction with high sensitivity and specificity in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.
Clinically depressed and typically developing mother–infant dyads: Domain base rates and correspondences, relationship contingencies and attunement
Authors: Bornstein Marc H. , Manian Nanmathi , Henry Lauren M.
Published: August 2021

Maternal depression is associated with adverse outcomes in infants. Unfavorable parenting practices likely constitute one pathway of risk transmission from mother to infant, but definitional and methodological variation in the extant literature precludes a comprehensive or conclusive understanding of potential underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to illuminate the role of maternal clinical depression in mother–infant interaction by turning a microanalytic lens on four substantive relationship issues: base rates, correspondences, contingencies, and attunement. Several maternal parenting practices (aggregated into social, didactic, and language domains) and several infant behaviors (aggregated into social, exploration, and non‐distress vocalization domains) were microcoded to 0.10 s from naturalistic hour long interactions of clinically depressed mothers (n= 60) and matched non‐depressed controls (n= 60) with their 5‐month‐olds. Clinically depressed mothers spontaneously engaged their infants less didactically, were less contingent to their infants in social, didactic, and language domains, and were less attuned with their infants than were non‐depressed mothers. Infants of clinically depressed mothers vocalized non‐distress less than infants of non‐depressed mothers. These differences unveil key disadvantages in the everyday lived experiences of infants of clinically depressed mothers. The findings advance understanding of maternal depression and its effects and have implications for identifying infants at risk on account of their mothers’ clinical depression.
Cost‐effectiveness analysis of superabsorbent wound dressings in patients with moderate‐to‐highly exuding leg ulcers in Germany
Authors: Veličković Vladica M. , Szilcz Mate , Milošević Zoran , Godfrey Thomas , Siebert Uwe
Published: August 2021

The study aims to estimate the cost‐effectiveness of superabsorbent wound dressings compared to the standard‐of‐care (SoC) dressings mix for treatment of patients with moderate‐to‐highly exuding leg ulcers in the German healthcare settings. A model‐based cost‐effectiveness analysis was conducted from the German statutory health insurance perspective, following German specific and international recommendations of good research practice. An individual‐level (microsimulation) state‐transition model has been used with a cycle length of 1 week and time horizon of 6 months. Several comprehensive systematic reviews were conducted to inform all model inputs, including clinical parameters, efficacy, quality of life, resources utilisation, and cost inputs. In addition, primary data from two clinical trials were used. Based on this cost‐effectiveness analysis, using superabsorbent wound dressings instead of the SoC dressings of patients with moderate‐to‐highly exuding leg ulcers in Germany can lead to an improved healing rate of 2.57% (benefit ratio 1.08), improved health‐related quality of life of 0.152 quality‐adjusted life weeks, and total direct cost savings of €771 per patient in 6 months. Robustness of results was confirmed in sensitivity and scenario analyses.
Recapitulative haematopoietic development of human pluripotent stem cells in the absence of exogenous haematopoietic cytokines
Authors: Philonenko Elena S. , Tan Ying , Wang Cuihua , Zhang Baoyun , Shah Zahir , Zhang Jianguang , Ullah Hanif , Kiselev Sergei L. , Lagarkova Maria A. , Li Dandan , Dai Yong , Samokhvalov Igor M.
Published: August 2021

To improve the recapitulative quality of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) differentiation, we removed exogenous haematopoietic cytokines from the defined differentiation system. Here, we show that endogenous stimuli and VEGF are sufficient to induce robust hPSC‐derived haematopoiesis, intensive generation of haematopoietic progenitors, maturation of blood cells and the emergence of definitive precursor cells including those that phenotypically identical to early human embryonic haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Moreover, the cytokine‐free system produces significantly higher numbers of haematopoietic progenitors compared to the published protocols. The removal of cytokines revealed a broad developmental potential of the early blood cells, stabilized the hPSC‐derived definitive precursors and led to spontaneous activation of inflammatory signalling. Our cytokine‐free protocol is simple, efficient, reproducible and applicable for embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced PSCs. The spectrum of recapitulative features of the novel protocol makes the cytokine‐free differentiation a preferred model for studying the early human haematopoietic development.
Association between muscle mass, bone mineral density and osteoporosis in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Pan Youjin , Xu Jing
Published: August 2021

Aims/Introduction

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased incidence of osteoporosis and sarcopenia. However, the relationship between osteoporosis and sarcopenia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus remains to be unclear. Appendicular skeletal muscle was adjusted by height (appendicular skeletal muscle mass [ASM]/height2) as a marker of sarcopenia. This study aimed to explore the relationship between ASM/height2, osteoporosis and bone mineral density (BMD) in this population.

Materials and Methods

A total of 192 women and 225 men with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited. General information, laboratory and BMD data were collected. Spearman’s correlation, multiple regression analyses and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were used to explore the correlation between ASM/height2, BMD and bone metabolism markers.

Results

Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that ASM/height2 had a positive correlation with serum calcium and BMD (r = 0.209–0.404, P < 0.01). In multivariate regression analysis, we found significant correlations between ASM/height2 and total lumbar spine, hip and femur neck BMD. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve, ASM/height2 was the best marker of osteoporosis, with a cut‐off value of 7.87 kg/m2 for men and 5.94 kg/m2 for women. When these cut‐off values were used to identify sarcopenia, the risk of osteoporosis increased 6.036‐fold in men and 4.079‐fold in women, respectively.

Conclusions

In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, ASM/height2 was positively correlated with BMD, and negatively correlated with osteoporosis.
Maturation of a postsynaptic domain: Role of small Rho GTPases in organising nicotinic acetylcholine receptor aggregates at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction
Authors: Medina‐Moreno Angelymar , Henríquez Juan Pablo
Published: August 2021

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the peripheral synapse formed between a motor axon and a skeletal muscle fibre that allows muscle contraction and the coordinated movement in many species. A main hallmark of the mature NMJ is the assembly of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) aggregates in the muscle postsynaptic domain, that distributes in perfect apposition to presynaptic motor terminals. To assemble its unique functional architecture, initial embryonic NMJs undergo an early postnatal maturation process characterised by the transformation of homogenous nAChR‐containing plaques to elaborate and branched pretzel‐like structures. In spite of a detailed morphological characterisation, the molecular mechanisms controlling the intracellular scaffolding that organises a postsynaptic domain at the mature NMJ have not been fully elucidated. In this review, we integrate evidence of key processes and molecules that have shed light on our current understanding of the NMJ maturation process. On the one hand, we consider in vitro studies revealing the potential role of podosome‐like structures to define discrete low nAChR‐containing regions to consolidate a plaque‐to‐pretzel transition at the NMJ. On the other hand, we focus on in vitro and in vivo evidence demonstrating that members of the Ras homologous (Rho) protein family of small GTPases (small Rho GTPases) play indispensable roles on NMJ maturation by regulating the stability of nAChR aggregates. We combine this evidence to propose that small Rho GTPases are key players in the assembly of podosome‐like structures that drive the postsynaptic maturation of vertebrate NMJs.
Recent developments of the autoregressive distributed lag modelling framework
Authors: Cho Jin Seo , Greenwood‐Nimmo Matthew , Shin Yongcheol
Published: August 2021

We review the literature on the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model, from its origins in the analysis of autocorrelated trend stationary processes to its subsequent applications in the analysis of cointegrated non‐stationary time series. We then survey several recent extensions of the ARDL model, including asymmetric and non‐linear generalisations of the ARDL model, the quantile ARDL model, the pooled mean group dynamic panel data model and the spatio‐temporal ARDL model.
The economics of domestic market integration
Authors: Gunessee Saileshsingh , Zhang Cheng
Published: August 2021

This paper reviews the literature that evidences the extent of the integration and fragmentation of domestic markets from measuring internal border effects. The empirical evidence from three main approaches—trade flows‐related, capital flows‐related, and price‐related—are reviewed. They are evaluated with emphasis on the role of recent methodological developments that adequately deals with the spatial and data aggregation problems and use disaggregated (micro) data, refined distance measures, and fine‐grained geographical areas. In particular, it enables distinguishing trade costs due to informal administrative impediments (border effects) and geographical barriers (distance effect). These allow for better inferences about internal border effects and domestic market integration to be drawn. They reveal that traditional approaches, which fail to tackle these inadequacies, have over‐estimated the size of the internal border effects and in effect domestic markets are more integrated than earlier documented. This addresses the reported mixed evidence found in earlier studies.
The current situation of health services for hydatidiform mole in Cambodia
Authors: Yamamoto Eiko , Kanal Koum , Soeung Sann Chan , Fujita Noriko , Krang Sidonn , Long‐Hay Puthik , Nishino Kimihiro , Niimi Kaoru , Hamajima Nobuyuki
Published: August 2021

Aim

Management of hydatidiform mole is important to reduce the mortality and morbidity of choriocarcinoma. This study aims to understand the existing health services for hydatidiform mole and to estimate the incidence of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) in Cambodia.

Methods

A questionnaire was used to collect information on the existing health services for pregnancy and hydatidiform mole at health facilities from attendants of the 16th Annual Conference of the Cambodian Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics in 2017. The incidence of GTD in 2014–2017 was estimated using Health Information System data.

Results

A total of 126 attendants, who were from all provinces except three provinces, answered the questionnaire. The work places were national hospitals (n = 29), provincial hospitals (n = 42), district hospitals (n = 20), health centers (n = 6), and others (n = 29). The answers of participants from the public sector suggested the following: Ultrasonography is available at all hospitals but not health centers; Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) measurement is only available at national hospitals; Treatment of hydatidiform mole is performed at national hospitals and provincial hospitals; and Treatment of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is provided at national hospitals. The incidence of hydatidiform mole and GTN at health facilities in the public sector in 2014–2017 was 0.95 per 1000 deliveries and 6.58 per 100 000 deliveries, respectively.

Conclusions

The results suggest that provincial hospitals are important to detect suspected invasive mole and refer to national hospitals for diagnosis and treatment. Further studies on the management of GTD and development of the guidelines of GTD are needed.
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 pandemic in Turkey: A single‐centre experience
Authors: Savas Sen Zeynep , Tanir Gonul , Gumuser Cinni Ruveyda , Uysal Yazici Mutlu , Yoldas Tamer , Ozturk Zeynelabidin , Kizilkaya Mete Han , Ozdem Suna , Yalcinkaya Rumeysa , Ozturk Caner , Yuce Sezen Aslihan , Ozdel Semanur , Derinkuyu Betul Emine , Polat Meltem , Oz Fatma Nur
Published: August 2021

Aim

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection may result in a life‐threatening hyperinflammatory condition named multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS‐C). We aimed to assess demographics, clinical presentations, laboratory characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with MIS‐C.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study of patients with MIS‐C managed between August 2020 and March 2021 at Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity Child Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital in Turkey.

Results

A total of 45 patients (23 male, 51%) with a median age of 8.7 years (interquartile range: 5.6–11.7 years) were enrolled to study. The SARS‐CoV‐2 serology was positive in 43 (95%) patients. Organ‐system involvement included the dermatologic in 41 (91%), cardiovascular in 39 (87%), hematologic in 36 (80%) and gastrointestinal in 36 (80%) patients. Acute anterior uveitis was diagnosed in nine (20%) patients. Two patients presented with clinical findings of deep neck infection such as fever, neck pain, trismus, swelling and induration on the cervical lymph node. One patient presented with Henoch–Schonlein purpura‐like eruption. Coronary artery dilatation was detected in five (11%) patients. For treatment of MIS‐C, intravenous immunoglobulin was used in 44 (98%) patients, methylprednisolone in 27 (60%) and anakinra in 9 (20%) patients. The median duration of hospitalisation was nine days. All patients recovered.

Conclusions

Children with MIS‐C might have variable clinical presentations. Acute anterior uveitis might be a prominent presentation of MIS‐C and require ophthalmological examination. It is essential to make patient‐based decisions and apply a stepwise approach for the treatment of this life‐threatening disease.
Impact of initial flow rate of high‐flow nasal cannula on clinical outcomes in infants with bronchiolitis
Authors: Ball Megan , Hilditch Cathie , Hargreaves Garth A , Baulderstone David
Published: August 2021

Aim

Bronchiolitis is a common condition in the paediatric population. Severe cases often receive respiratory support with high‐flow nasal cannula (HFNC). Significant variation in the application of HFNC exists throughout Australia and internationally. This study aimed to determine if the flow rate used initially and when ceasing HFNC at the end of the illness alters clinical outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted of 251 children less than 12 months of age when admitted to the Women's and Children's Hospital Adelaide with bronchiolitis requiring HFNC therapy between the period of April 2016 to April 2019. The primary outcome was to determine if commencing HFNC therapy at different rates (1 L/kg/min, 1.5 L/kg/min and 2 L/kg/min) affected length of stay or treatment failure (escalation in physiological parameters or respiratory support).

Results

Treatment failure occurred in 33%, 13% and 26% of those starting at 1 L/kg/min, 1.5 L/kg/min and 2 L/kg/min, respectively. Commencing HFNC therapy at 1 L/kg/min increased length of stay by an average of 30 h (P < 0.001) and the likelihood of treatment failure (P < 0.002) compared with starting at 1.5 L/kg/min. There was no statistical difference in outcomes between starting at 1.5 L/kg/min and 2 L/kg/min. There was no significant difference in the length of stay from the starting of weaning HFNC to time of discharge.

Conclusions

The commencing flow rates of initial HFNC therapy impact individual patient's outcomes, including length of stay and rates of treatment failure. Clinicians should consider commencing HFNC at 1.5 L/kg/min or 2 L/kg/min in infants that have failed low‐flow oxygen therapy.
Genotypic–phenotypic diversity and distinctiveness among Magnaporthe grisea isolates from rice and weed Echinochloa colonum
Authors: Samanta Soma , Nayak Shubhransu , Dhua Urmila , Mukherjee Arup Kumar
Published: August 2021

Rice blast disease caused by Magnaporthe grisea (Hebert) Barr is a serious biotic stress causing worldwide yield loss in cultivated rice. As high as 75% to 100% crop damage has been recorded in India. The disease is manifested by the appearance of lesions of various colours, size and spore liberation ability. The pathogen also infects 50 other hosts including weeds and grasses as secondary hosts. Information on genetic diversity, host specificity and phenotypic characters of the pathogens needs to be explored for better management of the disease. Therefore, fourteen M. grisea isolates from rice host and six isolates from weed host Echinochloa colonum were collected from three locations of coastal Odisha. Culture studies revealed that most isolates from virulent lesions had both black colour mycelia and pigmentation (B/B pattern). All the twenty M. grisea isolated produced bigger conidia with size ranged from 21.1–33.0µm to 7.6–12.7µm (length and breadth). Isolates from virulent lesions produced higher number of conidia. Isolates from weed had long and slender type conidia. Molecular genetic studies based on repetitive element Pot2 and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) could separate isolates on the basis of host plant and virulence of source lesion. Isolates from weed were consistently placed in separate group where presence and absence of bands specific to this group were observed. Rep‐PCR based on Pot2 amplified polymorphic DNA fragments where bands at 1750bp were specific to isolates from weed. Similarly, amplification specific to weed isolates was obtained at 1200bp by primer OPB10 in RAPD PCR. Amplification at these base pairs may be used for the development of markers to distinguish M. grisea from rice and weed. This is the first report of utilization of rep‐PCR and RAPD to distinguish M. grisea among rice and Echinochloa colonum in this region.
Non‐invasive assessment of fibrosis regression and portal hypertension in patients with advanced chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐associated liver disease and sustained virologic response (SVR): 3 years follow‐up of a prospective longitudinal study
Authors: Knop Viola , Hoppe Daniel , Vermehren Johannes , Troetschler Sven , Herrmann Eva , Vermehren Annika , Friedrich‐Rust Mireen , Sarrazin Christoph , Trebicka Jonel , Zeuzem Stefan , Welker Martin‐Walter
Published: August 2021

Long‐term effects on cirrhosis and portal hypertension of direct antiviral agent (DAA)‐based eradication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) are still under debate. We analysed dynamics of liver and spleen elastography to assess potential regression of cirrhosis and portal hypertension 3 years post‐treatment. Fifty‐four patients with HCV‐associated cirrhosis and DAA‐induced SVR were included. Liver and spleen stiffness were measured at baseline (BL), end of treatment (EOT), 24 weeks after EOT (FU24) and 1, 2 and 3 (FU144) years post‐treatment by transient liver elastography (L‐TE) and point shear wave elastography (pSWE) using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) of the liver (L‐ARFI) and spleen (S‐ARFI). Biochemical, virological and clinical data were also obtained. Liver stiffness assessed by L‐TE decreased between BL [median (range), 32.5(9.1–75) kPa] and EOT [21.3(6.7–73.5) kPa; p < .0001] and EOT and FU144 [16(4.1–75) kPa; p = .006]. L‐ARFI values improved between EOT [2.5(1.2–4.1) m/s] and FU144 [1.7(0.9–4.1) m/s; p = .001], while spleen stiffness remained unchanged. Overall, L‐TE improved in 38 of 54 (70.4%) patients at EOT and 29 of 38 (76.3%) declined further until FU144, whereas L‐ARFI values decreased in 30/54 (55.6%) patients at EOT and continued to decrease in 28/30 (93.3%) patients at FU144. Low bilirubin and high albumin levels at BL were associated with improved L‐ARFI values (p = .048) at EOT or regression of cirrhosis (<12.5 kPa) by L‐TE at FU144 (p = .005), respectively. Liver stiffness, but not spleen stiffness, continued to decline in a considerable proportion of patients with advanced liver disease after HCV eradication.
Fine‐scale functional metacommunity dynamics: Analysing the role of disturbance‐driven environmental variability in grasslands
Authors: Pouget Célia , Pottier Julien , Jabot Franck
Published: August 2021

Question

Plant community dynamics are influenced by microvariations of the environment and of processes acting at fine spatio‐temporal scales like plant–plant interactions, local dispersal and phenology. However, descriptions and understanding of diversity changes both within year and over short distances are still required. We used a dynamic metacommunity framework to answer the following question: what is the relative influence of environmental filtering, dispersal limitation and ecological drift on fine‐scale grassland community dynamics under different disturbance regimes?

Location

Data were collected in a long‐term experiment located in the Massif Central, France (45°43′23″ N, 03°1′21″ E, 880 m a.s.l.).

Methods

We monitored fine‐scale spatio‐temporal community changes in small plots (i.e. local communities) distributed within six grassland paddocks (i.e. metacommunities) subject to two treatments (mown or grazed). We simultaneously monitored three key environmental variables: light, nitrogen and water, to assess how environmental heterogeneity impacts species compositional changes. We then inferred the metacommunity drivers of these changes in taxonomic and functional composition using a path analysis.

Results

Managed grasslands are dynamic within a year, and spatially heterogeneous within a paddock, with spatial and temporal β diversities totalling more than half of the taxonomic diversity. Mowing events caused sudden decreases of total vegetation cover resulting in taxonomical and functional changes. In grazed paddocks, community changes were mainly spatial due to spatially heterogeneous light‐structured filtering conditions. In both treatments, environmental heterogeneity only partially explained community changes that were also greatly impacted by dispersal limitation, but not ecological drift.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that the fine‐scale analysis of community spatio‐temporal changes allows disentangling the relative importance of environmental filtering, dispersal limitation and ecological drift in community dynamics. Applying this approach to communities experiencing other kinds of disturbance regimes may allow gaining a general understanding of plant community assembly processes.
Contrasting heat stress response patterns of coral holobionts across the Red Sea suggest distinct mechanisms of thermal tolerance
Authors: Voolstra Christian R. , Valenzuela Jacob J. , Turkarslan Serdar , Cárdenas Anny , Hume Benjamin C. C. , Perna Gabriela , Buitrago‐López Carol , Rowe Katherine , Orellana Monica V. , Baliga Nitin S. , Paranjape Suman , Banc‐Prandi Guilhem , Bellworthy Jessica , Fine Maoz , Frias‐Torres Sarah , Barshis Daniel J.
Published: August 2021

Corals from the northern Red Sea, in particular the Gulf of Aqaba (GoA), have exceptionally high bleaching thresholds approaching >5℃ above their maximum monthly mean (MMM) temperatures. These elevated thresholds are thought to be due to historical selection, as corals passed through the warmer Southern Red Sea during recolonization from the Arabian Sea. To test this hypothesis, we determined thermal tolerance thresholds of GoA versus central Red Sea (CRS) Stylophora pistillata corals using multi‐temperature acute thermal stress assays to determine thermal thresholds. Relative thermal thresholds of GoA and CRS corals were indeed similar and exceptionally high (~7℃ above MMM). However, absolute thermal thresholds of CRS corals were on average 3℃ above those of GoA corals. To explore the molecular underpinnings, we determined gene expression and microbiome response of the coral holobiont. Transcriptomic responses differed markedly, with a strong response to the thermal stress in GoA corals and their symbiotic algae versus a remarkably muted response in CRS colonies. Concomitant to this, coral and algal genes showed temperature‐induced expression in GoA corals, while exhibiting fixed high expression (front‐loading) in CRS corals. Bacterial community composition of GoA corals changed dramatically under heat stress, whereas CRS corals displayed stable assemblages. We interpret the response of GoA corals as that of a resilient population approaching a tipping point in contrast to a pattern of consistently elevated thermal resistance in CRS corals that cannot further attune. Such response differences suggest distinct thermal tolerance mechanisms that may affect the response of coral populations to ocean warming.
The Brief Esophageal Dysphagia Questionnaire shows better discriminative capacity for clinical and manometric findings than the Eckardt score: Results from a multicenter study
Authors: Cisternas Daniel , Taft Tiffany , Carlson Dustin A. , Glasinovic Esteban , Monrroy Hugo , Rey Paula , Hani Albis , Ardila‐Hani Andres , Leguizamo Ana Maria , Bilder Claudio , Ditaranto Andres , Varela Amanda , Agotegaray Joaquin , Remes‐Troche Jose Maria , de León Antonio Ruiz , de la Serna Julio Pérez , Marin Ingrid , Serra Jordi
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Grading dysphagia is crucial for clinical management of patients. The Eckardt score (ES) is the most commonly used for this purpose. We aimed to compare the ES with the recently developed Brief Esophageal Dysphagia Questionnaire (BEDQ) in terms of their correlation and discriminative capacity for clinical and manometric findings and evaluate the effect of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms on both.

Methods

Symptomatic patients referred for high‐resolution manometry (HRM) were prospectively recruited from seven centers in Spain and Latin America. Clinical data and several scores (ES, BEDQ, GERDQ) were collected and contrasted to HRM findings. Standard statistical analysis was performed.

Key Results

426 patients were recruited, 31.2% and 41.5% being referred exclusively for dysphagia and GERD symptoms, respectively. Both BEDQ and ES were independently associated with achalasia. Only BEDQ was independently associated with being referred for dysphagia and with relevant HRM findings. ROC curve analysis for achalasia diagnosis showed AUC of 0.809 for BEDQ and 0.765 for ES, with the main difference being higher BEDQ sensitivity (80.0% vs 70.8% for ES). GERDQ independently predicted ES but not BEDQ. In the absence of dysphagia (BEDQ = 0), GERD symptoms significantly determine ES.

Conclusions and Inferences

Our study suggests both the BEDQ and ES can complementarily describe symptomatic burden in achalasia. BEDQ has several advantages over the ES in the dysphagia evaluation, basically due to its higher sensitivity for manometric diagnosis and independence of GERD symptoms. ES should be used as an achalasia‐specific metric, while BEDQ is a better symptom‐generic evaluating tool.
Lower relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi under a warmer and drier climate is linked to enhanced soil organic matter decomposition
Authors: Querejeta José Ignacio , Schlaeppi Klaus , López‐García Álvaro , Ondoño Sara , Prieto Iván , van der Heijden Marcel G. A. , del Mar Alguacil María
Published: August 2021

The aboveground impacts of climate change receive extensive research attention, but climate change could also alter belowground processes such as the delicate balance between free‐living fungal decomposers and nutrient‐scavenging mycorrhizal fungi that can inhibit decomposition through a mechanism called the Gadgil effect.

We investigated how climate change‐induced reductions in plant survival, photosynthesis and productivity alter soil fungal community composition in a mixed arbuscular/ectomycorrhizal (AM/EM) semiarid shrubland exposed to experimental warming (W) and/or rainfall reduction (RR). We hypothesised that increased EM host plant mortality under a warmer and drier climate might decrease ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) abundance, thereby favouring the proliferation and activity of fungal saprotrophs.

The relative abundance of EMF sequences decreased by 57.5% under W+RR, which was accompanied by reductions in the activity of hydrolytic enzymes involved in the acquisition of organic‐bound nutrients by EMF and their host plants. W+RR thereby created an enhanced potential for soil organic matter (SOM) breakdown and nitrogen mineralisation by decomposers, as revealed by 127–190% increases in dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, respectively, and decreasing SOM content in soil.

Climate aridification impacts on vegetation can cascade belowground through shifts in fungal guild structure that alter ecosystem biogeochemistry and accelerate SOM decomposition by reducing the Gadgil effect.
A derived ZW chromosome system in Amborella trichopoda, representing the sister lineage to all other extant flowering plants
Authors: Käfer Jos , Bewick Adam , Andres‐Robin Amélie , Lapetoule Garance , Harkess Alex , Caïus José , Fogliani Bruno , Gâteblé Gildas , Ralph Paula , dePamphilis Claude W. , Picard Franck , Scutt Charlie , Marais Gabriel A. B. , Leebens‐Mack James
Published: August 2021

The genetic basis and evolution of sex determination in dioecious plants is emerging as an active area of research with exciting advances in genome sequencing and analysis technologies. As the sole species within the sister lineage to all other extant flowering plants, Amborella trichopoda is an important model for understanding the evolution and development of flowers. Plants typically produce only male or female flowers, but sex determination mechanisms are unknown for the species.

Sequence data derived from plants of natural origin and an F1 mapping population were used to identify sex‐linked genes and the nonrecombining region.

Amborella trichopoda has a ZW sex determination system. Analysis of genes in a 4 Mb nonrecombining sex‐determination region reveals recent divergence of Z and W gametologs, and few Z‐ and W‐specific genes.

The sex chromosomes of A. trichopoda evolved less than 16.5 Myr ago, long after the divergence of the extant angiosperms.
Harnessing rare variants in neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopment disorders—a Keystone Symposia report
Authors: Cable Jennifer , Purcell Ryan H. , Robinson Elise , Vorstman Jacob A. S. , Chung Wendy K. , Constantino John N. , Sanders Stephan J. , Sahin Mustafa , Dolmetsch Ricardo E. , Shah Bina Maniar , Thurm Audrey , Martin Christa L. , Bearden Carrie E. , Mulle Jennifer G.
Published: August 2021

Neurodevelopmental neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, have strong genetic risk components, but the underlying mechanisms have proven difficult to decipher. Rare, high‐risk variants may offer an opportunity to delineate the biological mechanisms responsible more clearly for more common idiopathic diseases. Indeed, different rare variants can cause the same behavioral phenotype, demonstrating genetic heterogeneity, while the same rare variant can cause different behavioral phenotypes, demonstrating variable expressivity. These observations suggest convergent underlying biological and neurological mechanisms; identification of these mechanisms may ultimately reveal new therapeutic targets. At the 2021 Keystone eSymposium “Neuropsychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Harnessing Rare Variants” a panel of experts in the field described significant progress in genomic discovery and human phenotyping and raised several consistent issues, including the need for detailed natural history studies of rare disorders, the challenges in cohort recruitment, and the importance of viewing phenotypes as quantitative traits that are impacted by rare variants.
Morphological alterations in tongue epithelial cells infected by SARS‐CoV‐2: A case–control study
Authors: Marques Barbara Bruno Fagundes , Guimarães Taísa Coelho , Fischer Ricardo Guimarães , Tinoco Justine Monteiro Monnerat , Pires Fábio Ramoa , Lima Junior Josué da Costa , Stevens Roy H. , Tinoco Eduardo Muniz Barretto
Published: August 2021

Objective

The aim of the present case–control study was to evaluate the morphological aspects of the epithelial cells from the dorsum of the tongue and the expression of the SARS‐CoV‐2 Spike protein in these cells, in patients with and without COVID‐19 infection.

Methods

24 individuals with at least one symptom of COVID‐19 were recruited among inpatients from Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). 14 patients who tested positive for COVID‐19 by RT‐PCR were included in the case group, and 10 patients who tested negative were included in the control group. Cytological smears from the dorsum of the tongue were obtained from all patients and analyzed using immunohistochemistry directed against SARS‐CoV‐2‐Spike protein. Morphological changes in epithelial cells were analyzed using light microscopy.

Results

Immunohistochemistry showed that 71% of the COVID‐19 patients presented epithelial cells positive for the presence of the SARS‐CoV‐2 Spike protein, and all cells coming from patients in the control group were negative. Cytological analysis showed significant differences when comparing epithelial cells from COVID‐19‐positive and COVID‐19‐negative patients.

Conclusion

COVID‐19 may generate dimensional changes in tongue epithelial cells; however, further studies are necessary to understand how this happens.
Dramaturgy and crisis management: A third act
Authors: Ball Sarah , McConnell Allan , Stark Alastair
Published: August 2021

Dramaturgical perspectives have been used successfully in the past by crisis management researchers. However, previous contributions have been limited because they have been actor‐centered, which has meant that they have tended to ignore the critical role that an audience can play in the drama of a crisis. This article therefore presents a “third act” in which dramaturgical perspectives are used to deliver an actor‐and‐audience centered analysis of crisis management. This third act is built around the dramaturgical concept of “characterization,” which we introduce to assess how an audience receives the symbolic outputs and discourses that are produced by crisis actors. After this theorizing, we present an analytical model, which will allow future researchers to analyze the interplay between actor, audience, and legitimacy when examining crisis. We conclude by illustrating the model's analytical capacity via an examination of the role of leaders and experts during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Nonglandular prickle formation is associated with development and secondary metabolism‐related genes in Rosa multiflora
Authors: Zhang Yu , Zhao Mingjie , Zhu Wan , Shi Chunmei , Bao Manzhu , Zhang Wei
Published: August 2021

Roses are among the most economically important ornamental plants worldwide. But prickles on the stem and leaves cause difficulties for cultivation or inconveniences during harvest and transportation, thus are an undesirable horticultural character. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of prickle development. In this study, we sought to develop Rosa multiflora (in the family Rosaceae) as a model plant to study prickle formation. The morphology, structure, and ontogeny of prickles were characterized, and transcriptome analysis of prickly and prickleless R. multiflora genotypes was performed. Morphological observation and microscopic analyses revealed that prickles of R. multiflora were non‐glandular prickles (NGPs) and their maturation went through five developmental stages, which was accompanied by the accumulation of secondary metabolites such as lignin and anthocyanins. Comparative transcriptome analysis identified key pathways and hub genes potentially involved in prickle formation. Interestingly, among the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), several notable development and secondary metabolism‐related transcription factors (TFs) including NAC, TCP, MYB, homeobox, and WRKY were up‐regulated in prickly internodes. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs were enriched in the pathways related to biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, flavonoids, and phenylpropanoids in the prickly R. multiflora. Our study provides novel insights into the molecular network underlying the regulation of prickle morphogenesis in R. multiflora, and the identified candidates might be applied to the genetic improvement of roses.