bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Representational geometries reveal differential effects of response correlations on population codes in neurophysiology and functional magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Cheng Zi-Jian , Zhang Wen-Hao , Zhang Ru-Yuan
Published: November 2022

Two sensory neurons usually display trial-by-trial response correlations given the repeated representations of an identical stimulus. The effects of such response correlations on population-level sensory coding have been the focal contention in computational neuroscience over the past few years. In the meantime, multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) has been the leading analysis approach in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), but the effects of response correlations in voxel populations remain underexplored. Here, instead of conventional MVPA analysis, we calculate linear Fisher information of population responses in human visual cortex and hypothetically remove response correlations between voxels. We found that voxelwise response correlations generally enhance stimulus information, a result standing in stark contrast to the detrimental effects of response correlations reported in neurophysiological literature. By voxel-encoding modeling, we further show that these two seemingly opposite effects actually can coexist. Furthermore, we use principal component analysis to decompose stimulus information in population responses onto different principal dimensions in a high representational space. Interestingly, response correlations simultaneously reduce and enhance information on high- and low-variance principal dimensions, respectively. The relative strength of the two antagonistic effects within the same computational framework produces the apparent discrepancy in the effect of response correlations in neuronal and voxel populations. Our results suggest that multivariate fMRI data contain rich statistical structures that are directly related to sensory information representation, and the general computational framework to analyze neuronal and voxel population responses can be applied in many types of neural measurements.
Divergent impacts ofC9orf72repeat expansion on neurons and glia in ALS and FTD
Authors: Li Junhao , Jaiswal Manoj K , Chien Jo-Fan , Kozlenkov Alexey , Zhou Ping , Gardashli Mahammad , Pregent Luc J. , Engelberg-Cook Erica , Dickson Dennis W. , Belzil Veronique V. , Mukamel Eran A , Dracheva Stella
Published: November 2022

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), are strongly influenced by inherited genetic variation, but environmental and epigenetic factors also play key roles in the course of these diseases. A hexanucleotide repeat expansion in theC9orf72(C9) gene is the most common genetic cause of ALS and FTD. To determine the cellular alterations associated with the C9 repeat expansion, we performed single nucleus transcriptomics (snRNA-seq) and epigenomics (snATAC-seq) in postmortem samples of motor and frontal cortices from C9-ALS and C9-FTD donors. We found pervasive alterations of gene expression across multiple cortical cell types in C9-ALS, with the largest number of affected genes in astrocytes and excitatory neurons. Astrocytes increased expression of markers of activation and pathways associated with structural remodeling. Excitatory neurons in upper and deep layers increased expression of genes related to proteostasis, metabolism, and protein expression, and decreased expression of genes related to neuronal function. Epigenetic analyses revealed concordant changes in chromatin accessibility, histone modifications, and gene expression in specific cell types. C9-FTD patients had a distinct pattern of changes, including loss of neurons in frontal cortex and altered expression of thousands of genes in astrocytes and oligodendrocyte-lineage cells. Overall, these findings demonstrate a context-dependent molecular disruption in C9-ALS and C9-FTD, resulting in distinct effects across cell types, brain regions, and disease phenotypes.

One Sentence Summary

C9orf72-associated ALS and FTDshowed a distinct pattern of transcriptome changes, with the largest number of affected genes in C9-ALS in astrocytes and excitatory neurons in upper and deep layers.
Microlenses fabricated by two-photon laser polymerization for cell imaging with non-linear excitation microscopy
Authors: Marini M. , Nardini A. , Vázquez R. Martínez , Conci C. , Bouzin M. , Collini M. , Osellame R. , Cerullo G. , Kariman B.S. , Farsari M. , Kabouraki E. , Raimondi M.T. , Chirico G.
Published: November 2022

Non-linear excitation microscopy offers several advantages for in-vivo imaging compared to conventional confocal techniques. However, tissue penetration can still be an issue due to scattering and spherical aberrations induced on focused beams by the tissue. The use of low numerical aperture objectives to pass through the outer layers of the skin, together with high dioptric power microlenses implanted in-vivo close to the observation volume, can be beneficial to the reduction of optical aberrations. Here, we develop and test on fibroblast cell culture plano-convex microlenses to be used for non-linear imaging of biological tissue. The microlenses can be used as single lenses or multiplexed in an array. A thorough test of the lenses wavefront is reported together with the modulation transfer function and wavefront profile. We could retrieve magnified fluorescence images through the microlenses coupled to commercial confocal and two-photon excitation scanning microscopes. The signal-to-noise ratio of the images is not substantially affected by the use of the microlenses and the magnification can be adjusted by changing the relative position of the microlens array to the microscope objective and the immersion medium. These results are opening the way to the application of implanted micro-optics for optical in-vivo inspection of biological processes.
Suppression of insulin stimulated muscle glucose uptake by non-caloric sweetener sucralose and its reversal by an antidiabetic nutraceutical supplement
Authors: Arpitha Reddy R.N , Saranya K , Battula Sanjana , Kadiyala Gopi , Iyer Subramanian , Vangala Subrahmanyam , Chandran Satish , Saxena Uday
Published: November 2022

Non caloric sweeteners (NCS) have been used for decades now as sugar substitutes in foods and beverages. The market for such products has grown immensely over time. There are human studies which report their negative effects on glucose metabolism with various results of disturbances in glucose metabolism, weight gain etc.

No studies to the best of our knowledge have directly addressed the impact of the NCS on muscle glucose uptake. Muscle tissue can account for over 70 percent of whole-body glucose uptake. Therefore, we examined directly the effect of NCS on muscle cell glucose uptake. We find that aspartame moderately increased insulin stimulated glucose uptake by muscle cells in vitro. But sucralose, saccharin and stevia suppressed insulin stimulated glucose uptake.

Sucralose is one of the most often used sweetener in foods and beverages globally it is important to understand its effects on glucose metabolism. Therefore, we explored the mechanism of its inhibition of glucose uptake by using an anti-diabetic nutraceutical which is known to target insulin mediated glucose uptake and metabolism pathways. We show here that the nutraceutical is able to relieve the suppression by sucrose in muscle uptake by a novel mechanism of action. We propose that such nutraceuticals may be useful to combine with sucralose containing products to offset negative effects of the NCS on glucose metabolism.
ECOLE: Learning to call copy number variants on whole exome sequencing data
Authors: Mandiracioglu Berk , Ozden Furkan , Kaynar Gun , Yilmaz Mehmet Alper , Alkan Can , Ercument Cicek A.
Published: November 2022

Copy number variants (CNV) are shown to contribute to the etiology of several genetic disor­ders. Accurate detection of CNVs on whole exome sequencing (WES) data has been a long sought-after goal for use in clinics. This was not possible despite recent improvements in performance because algo­rithms mostly suffer from low precision and even lower recall on expert-curated gold standard call sets. Here, we present a deep learning-based somatic and germline CNV caller for WES data, named ECOLE. Based on a variant of the transformer architecture, the model learns to call CNVs per exon, using high-confidence calls made on matched WGS samples. We further train and fine-tune the model with a small set of expert calls via transfer learning. We show that ECOLE achieves high performance on human ex­pert labeled data for the first time with 68.7% precision and 49.6% recall. This corresponds to precision and recall improvements of 18.7% and 30.8% over the next best-performing methods, respectively. We also show that the same fine-tuning strategy using tumor samples enables ECOLE to detect RT-qPCR validated variations in bladder cancer samples without the need for a control sample. ECOLE is available athttps://github.com/ciceklab/ECOLE.
Resistance of Omicron subvariants BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6 and BQ.1.1 to neutralizing antibodies
Authors: Planas Delphine , Bruel Timothée , Staropoli Isabelle , Guivel-Benhassine Florence , Porrot Françoise , Maes Piet , Grzelak Ludivine , Prot Matthieu , Mougari Said , Planchais Cyril , Puech Julien , Saliba Madelina , Sahraoui Riwan , Fémy Florent , Morel Nathalie , Dufloo Jérémy , Sanjuán Rafael , Mouquet Hugo , André Emmanuel , Hocqueloux Laurent , Simon-Loriere Etienne , Veyer David , Prazuck Thierry , Péré Hélène , Schwartz Olivier
Published: November 2022

Convergent evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5 lineages has led to the emergence of several new subvariants, including BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6. and BQ.1.1. The subvariants BA.2.75.2 and BQ.1.1 are expected to become predominant in many countries in November 2022. They carry an additional and often redundant set of mutations in the spike, likely responsible for increased transmissibility and immune evasion. Here, we established a viral amplification procedure to easily isolate Omicron strains. We examined their sensitivity to 6 therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and to 72 sera from Pfizer BNT162b2-vaccinated individuals, with or without BA.1/BA.2 or BA.5 breakthrough infection. Ronapreve (Casirivimab and Imdevimab) and Evusheld (Cilgavimab and Tixagevimab) lost any antiviral efficacy against BA.2.75.2 and BQ.1.1, whereas Xevudy (Sotrovimab) remained weakly active. BQ.1.1 was also resistant to Bebtelovimab. Neutralizing titers in triply vaccinated individuals were low to undetectable against BQ.1.1 and BA.2.75.2, 4 months after boosting. A BA.1/BA.2 breakthrough infection increased these titers, which remained about 18-fold lower against BA.2.75.2 and BQ.1.1, than against BA.1. Reciprocally, a BA.5 breakthrough infection increased more efficiently neutralization against BA.5 and BQ.1.1 than against BA.2.75.2. Thus, the evolution trajectory of novel Omicron subvariants facilitated their spread in immunized populations and raises concerns about the efficacy of most currently available mAbs.
Spatial localization ability of planarians identified through a light maze paradigm
Authors: Qian Renzhi , yan Yuan , Pei Yu , Zhang Yixuan , Chi Yuanwei , Chen Yuxuan , Hao Kun , Xu Zhen , Yang Guang , Shao Zilun , Wang Yuhao , Li Xinran , Lu Chenxu , Zhang Xuan , Chen Kehan , Zhang Wenqiang , Wang Baoqing , Ying Zhengxin , Huang Kaiyuan
Published: November 2022

Spatial localization ability is crucial for free-living animals to fit the environment. As shown by previous studies, planarians can be conditioned to discriminate directions. However, due to their simplicity and primitiveness, they had never been considered to have true spatial localization ability to retrieve locations of objects and places in the environment. Here, we introduce a light maze training paradigm to demonstrate that a planarian worm can navigate to a former recognized place from the start point, even if the worm is transferred into a newly produced maze. This finding identifies the spatial localization ability of planarians for the first time, which provides clues for the evolution of spatial learning. Since the planarians have a primitive brain with simple structures, this paradigm can also provide a simplified model for a detailed investigation of spatial learning.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of dichlorido{2,2′-[oxybis(methylidene)]dipyridine}mercury(II)
Authors: Derringer Jesse J. , Bebout Deborah C.
Published: November 2022

The series of divalent metal chloride complexes of 2,2′-[oxybis(methylidene)]dipyridine (L) was extended with the preparation of the title compound, [HgCl2(C12H12N2O)] or [HgLCl2] (1). The Hg2+ complex crystallizes in P21/n, isomorphic with dichloride Co2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+ complexes of L. Metal ions of the isotypic complexes are coordinated by two chlorine atoms, as well as the oxygen atom and both nitrogen atoms of L. The complexes have a square-pyramidal coordination geometry with a chlorine atom in the apical position. Supramolecular interactions in 1 include offset face-to-face interactions between inversion-related complexes, leading to the formation of sheets parallel to the ab plane. Weak intermolecular H...Cl contacts link the sheets. Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that H...H (36.5%), Cl...H/H...Cl (36.5%) and C...H/H...C (11.6%) interactions are dominant.
Examining the influence of price-quality inference and consumer attitudes on the inclination to buy non-deceptive counterfeit goods: evidence from South Africa
Authors: Ndofirepi Takawira Munyaradzi , Chuchu Tinashe , Maziriri Eugine , Nyagadza Brighton
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The market for counterfeit goods worldwide has continued to grow significantly over the years, attracting the curiosity of researchers in the marketing field. This study aimed to analyse the influence of price-quality inference and attitudes towards economic rewards of purchasing counterfeit products on the intentions to purchase non-deceptive counterfeit products.

Design/methodology/approach

The research adopted a quantitative methodology and utilised the cross-sectional survey method to collect data from a sample of 381 respondents comprising university students. The data was then analysed using the computer software Smart PLS 4.

Findings

The results established that the respondents’ price-quality inference of counterfeit products was positively associated with the attitudes towards economic rewards of purchasing counterfeit products and intention to purchase counterfeit products. Furthermore, the study revealed that attitudes towards economic rewards of purchasing counterfeit products partially mediated the influence of price-quality inference on customer intention to acquire non-deceptive counterfeit goods. A multigroup analysis of the proposed relationship did not find any statistically significant differences in the pattern of results concerning the gender groups.

Research limitations/implications

The significance of the study findings is hampered by the singular focus on university students as a reference point for young people’s perceptions of counterfeit goods in South Africa. The study, however, presents verifiable evidence that marketers and brand managers of genuine products may utilise to develop intervention measures to sway young African consumers away from counterfeits and towards genuine brands.

Originality/value

This is one of the few studies in the literature that addresses young adults’ deliberate purchasing of non-deceptive counterfeits in South Africa, an important consumer market in Africa.
Venturing and managing disruptive digital innovations: financial management concept motivated propositions
Authors: Imam Tasadduq
Published: November 2022

Purpose

There are uncertainties concerning how innovators can successfully venture into disruptive innovations and how incumbents can react to the emergence of such innovations. Disruptive digital innovations, which use information technology to disrupt business contexts and can evolve rapidly to either successes or failures, have unique challenges. The literature has largely remained silent concerning these. Also, existing studies often focus on innovations originating in developed economies and just on successful cases. There is a lack of comparative focus on successful and failure cases emerging across economies. The purpose of this paper is to fill these gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper assesses the evolution of disruptive digital innovations in various contexts through a financial management-motivated conceptual framework. Contrary to existing works, this paper focuses on both successful and failure cases and regards the influence of various stakeholders further to innovators and incumbents to explain the successes or failures of the innovation.

Findings

There are some common success factors for disruptive digital innovation. These include an inherent focus on social value, alignment to financiers' interests and rivals' actions and strategic collaborations to create a synergy effect.

Research limitations/implications

Innovators can cause effective digital disruption by focusing on social and financial values. Success can also largely depend on strategic partnerships rather than actions by an individual entity. Thus, venturing and managing disruptive digital innovation is not an isolated but a social process.

Originality/value

This paper recommends propositions for innovators and incumbents to venture into and confront disruptive digital innovations effectively. Its originality lies in focusing on both successful and failure cases, unexplored in literature, to develop the propositions.
Privilege and hindrance on the USA earnings distribution by gender and race/ethnicity: an intersectional framework with 12 groups
Authors: Alonso-Villar Olga , del Río Coral
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This paper explores the wages of White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American and “other race” women and men once differences in basic characteristics among these 12 groups are accounted for. The authors aim to extend comparisons beyond those of women and men of the same race or the various races within a given gender.

Design/methodology/approach

To undertake the conditional analysis, first, the authors propose a simple re-weighing scheme that allows to build a counterfactual economy in which workers' attributes for all gender–race/ethnicity groups are the same. Second, the authors use a well-known re-weighting scheme that involves logit estimations.

Findings

Only Hispanic men, Native American men and Asian women have conditional wages around average. Black men and, especially, White, Black, Hispanic, Native American and “other race” women have conditional wages clearly below average, whereas those of Asian and White men are well above average. The wage differential between a privileged and a deprived group is disentangled into the premium of the former and the penalty of the latter, which brings a new perspective to what has been done in the literature based on pairwise comparisons. In this intersectional framework, the authors document that gender penalizes more than race.

Originality/value

This paper examines intergroup earnings differentials using a methodology that allows to examine 12 gender–race/ethnicity groups jointly, which is this work's distinctive feature. The authors' intersectional framework allows to picture the effect of gender and race/ethnicity more broadly than what the literature has shown thus far.
Does asset specificity lead to value expropriation or value creation? An Institutional View
Authors: Zhang Qiyuan , Wang Mengyang , Zhao Ziyu
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Asset specificity is a focal feature of buyer–supplier exchanges; however, whether unilateral asset specificity encourages opportunistic value expropriation or promotes trust-based value creation remains controversial. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how institutional forces shape the controversial roles of buyer asset specificity in supply chain relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

With a survey of 217 matched manufacturer–supplier dyads in China, the study adopts ordinary least squares regression analyses to test hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that two key institutional forces, guanxi importance and government intervention, play different roles in shaping the value expropriation and value creation roles of buyer asset specificity. As an informal institutional force, guanxi importance weakens the impact of buyer asset specificity on opportunistic value expropriation and facilitates trust-based value creation. Moreover, as a formal institutional force, government intervention amplifies the effect of buyer asset specificity on opportunism but strengthens its connection with trust.

Originality/value

By incorporating an institutional view to investigate how institutional forces affect this “valuable but vulnerable” dilemma of asset specificity, this study reconciles the controversy concerning value expropriation vs value creation and enriches understanding of the critical roles of institutional parameters in supply chain management.
Education of children with chronic illnesses: A phenomenological perspective
Authors: Asgari Zahra , Heidari Mohammad Hossein , Barkhordari Ramazan
Published: November 2022

Recent research shows that 20% of children face a form of chronic illness during childhood. The illness and its associated physical and mental challenges can affect such children's ‘being’ and influence how they develop as people. A significant aspect of a child's life that can be profoundly influenced by a chronic illness is education. This study employed a phenomenological approach to shed more light on the special education of such children. Temporality and embodiment were examined as two philosophical bases in the phenomenological education of children with such chronic illnesses. Also, this educational model highlights that phenomenological understanding, and the healing connection in education, can increase the affected children's positive self-concept, directing them towards a satisfying and happy life.
Female control of sperm ejection and retention in the cornsilk fly Euxesta eluta (Diptera: Ulidiidae)
Authors: Abraham Solana , Moyano Andrea , Díaz Viviana , Murúa M. Gabriela , Rull Juan
Published: November 2022

Promiscuous mating systems provide the opportunity for females to bias fertilization toward particular males. However, distinguishing between male sperm competition and active female sperm choice is difficult for species with internal fertilization. Nevertheless, species that store and use sperm of different males in different storing structures and species where females are able to expel all or part of the ejaculates after copulation may be able to bias fertilization. We report a series of experiments aimed at providing evidence of female sperm choice in Euxesta eluta (Hendel), a species of ulidiid fly that expels and consumes ejaculates after copulation. We found no evidence of greater reproductive success for females mated singly, multiply with the same male, or mated multiply with different males. Female E. eluta possesses two spherical spermathecae and a bursa copulatrix for sperm storage, with a ventral receptacle. There was no significant difference in storing more sperm in spermathecae 24 h after copulation than immediately after copulation. Females mated with protein‐fed males had greater reproductive success than similar females mated to protein‐deprived males. Protein‐fed females prevented to consume the ejaculate, retained more sperm when mated to protein‐fed males than when mated to protein‐deprived males. Our results suggest that female E. eluta can exert control of sperm retention of higher quality males through ejaculate ejection.
Identifying Alert Concentrations Using a Model-Based Bootstrap Approach
Authors: Möllenhoff Kathrin , Schorning Kirsten , Kappenberg Franziska
Published: November 2022

The determination of alert concentrations, where a pre-specified threshold of the response variable is exceeded, is an important goal of concentration–response studies. The traditional approach is based on investigating the measured concentrations and attaining statistical significance of the alert concentration by using a multiple t-test procedure. In this paper, we propose a new model-based method to identify alert concentrations, based on fitting a concentration–response curve and constructing a simultaneous confidence band for the difference of the response of a concentration compared to the control. In order to obtain these confidence bands, we use a bootstrap approach which can be applied to any functional form of the concentration–response curve. This particularly offers the possibility to investigate also those situations where the concentration–response relationship is not monotone and, moreover, to detect alerts at concentrations which were not measured during the study, providing a highly flexible framework for the problem at hand.
Cardiorenal outcomes by indices of liver steatosis and fibrosis in individuals with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Analyses from VERTIS CV, a randomized trial of the sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitor ertugliflozin
Authors: Corbin Karen D. , Dagogo‐Jack Samuel , Cannon Christopher P. , Cherney David Z.I. , Cosentino Francesco , Frederich Robert , Liu Jie , Pong Annpey , Lin Jianxin , Cater Nilo B. , Pratley Richard E.
Published: November 2022

Aim

To conduct a post hoc analysis to explore indices of hepatic steatosis/fibrosis and cardiorenal outcomes in the VERTIS CV study.

Materials and Methods

Patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular (CV) disease were randomized to ertugliflozin or placebo. Liver steatosis and fibrosis were assessed post hoc using the hepatic steatosis index (HSI) and fibrosis‐4 (FIB‐4) index to explore associations with cardiorenal outcomes (ertugliflozin and placebo data pooled, intention‐to‐treat analysis set). Cardiorenal outcomes (major adverse CV events [MACE]; hospitalization for heart failure [HHF]/CV death; CV death; HHF; and a composite kidney outcome) were stratified by baseline HSI and FIB‐4 quartiles (Q1‐Q4). Change in liver indices and enzymes over time were assessed (for ertugliflozin vs. placebo).

Results

Amongst 8246 participants, the mean age was 64.4 years, body mass index 32.0 kg/m2, HSI 44.0 and FIB‐4 score 1.34. The hazard ratios (HRs) for MACE, HHF/CV death, CV death, and HHF by FIB‐4 score quartile (Q4 vs. Q1) were 1.48 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25, 1.76), 2.0 (95% CI 1.63, 2.51), 1.85 (95% CI 1.45, 2.36), and 2.94 (95% CI 1.98, 4.37), respectively (P < 0.0001 for all). With HSI, the incidence of HHF was higher in Q4 versus Q1 (HR 1.52 [95% CI 1.07, 2.17]; P < 0.05). The kidney composite outcome did not differ across FIB‐4 or HSI quartiles. Liver enzymes and HSI decreased over time with ertugliflozin.

Conclusion

In VERTIS CV, higher FIB‐4 score was associated with CV events. HSI correlated with HHF. Neither measure was associated with the composite kidney outcome. Ertugliflozin was associated with a reduction in liver enzymes and HSI.
Naphazoline and oxymetazoline are superior to epinephrine in enhancing the cutaneous analgesia of lidocaine in rats
Authors: Chou An‐Kuo , Chiu Chong‐Chi , Zhu Guan‐Cheng , Wang Jhi‐Joung , Chen Yu‐Wen , Hung Ching‐Hsia
Published: November 2022

This study observed the cutaneous analgesic effect of adrenergic agonists when combined with lidocaine. We aimed at the usefulness of four adrenergic agonists and epinephrine as analgesics or as tools to prolong the effect of local anesthetics using a model of cutaneous trunci muscle reflex (pinprick pain) in rats. We showed that subcutaneous four adrenergic agonists and epinephrine, as well as the local anesthetic bupivacaine and lidocaine, developed a concentration‐dependent cutaneous analgesia. The rank order of the efficacy of different compounds (ED50; median effective dose) was epinephrine [0.013 (0.012–0.014) μmol] > oxymetazoline [0.25 (0.22–0.28) μmol] > naphazoline [0.42 (0.34–0.53) μmol] = bupivacaine [0.43 (0.37–0.50) μmol] > xylometazoline [1.34 (1.25–1.45) μmol] > lidocaine [5.86 (5.11–6.72) μmol] > tetrahydrozoline [6.76 (6.21–7.36) μmol]. The duration of full recovery caused by tetrahydrozoline, oxymetazoline, or xylometazoline was greater (P < 0.01) than that induced via epinephrine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, or naphazoline at equianesthetic doses (ED25, ED50, and ED75). Co‐administration of lidocaine (ED50) with four adrenergic agonists or epinephrine enhanced the cutaneous analgesic effect. We observed that four adrenergic agonists and epinephrine induce analgesia by themselves, and such an effect has a longer duration than local anesthetics. Co‐administration of lidocaine with the adrenergic agonist enhances the analgesic effect, and the cutaneous analgesic effect of lidocaine plus naphazoline (or oxymetazoline) is greater than that of lidocaine plus epinephrine.
Applying landscape metrics to species distribution model predictions to characterize internal range structure and associated changes
Authors: Curd Amelia , Chevalier Mathieu , Vasquez Mickaël , Boyé Aurélien , Firth Louise B. , Marzloff Martin P. , Bricheno Lucy M. , Burrows Michael T. , Bush Laura E. , Cordier Céline , Davies Andrew J. , Green J. A. Mattias , Hawkins Stephen J. , Lima Fernando P. , Meneghesso Claudia , Mieszkowska Nova , Seabra Rui , Dubois Stanislas F.
Published: November 2022

Distributional shifts in species ranges provide critical evidence of ecological responses to climate change. Assessments of climate‐driven changes typically focus on broad‐scale range shifts (e.g. poleward or upward), with ecological consequences at regional and local scales commonly overlooked. While these changes are informative for species presenting continuous geographic ranges, many species have discontinuous distributions—both natural (e.g. mountain or coastal species) or human‐induced (e.g. species inhabiting fragmented landscapes)—where within‐range changes can be significant. Here, we use an ecosystem engineer species (Sabellaria alveolata) with a naturally fragmented distribution as a case study to assess climate‐driven changes in within‐range occupancy across its entire global distribution. To this end, we applied landscape ecology metrics to outputs from species distribution modelling (SDM) in a novel unified framework. SDM predicted a 27.5% overall increase in the area of potentially suitable habitat under RCP 4.5 by 2050, which taken in isolation would have led to the classification of the species as a climate change winner. SDM further revealed that the latitudinal range is predicted to shrink because of decreased habitat suitability in the equatorward part of the range, not compensated by a poleward expansion. The use of landscape ecology metrics provided additional insights by identifying regions that are predicted to become increasingly fragmented in the future, potentially increasing extirpation risk by jeopardising metapopulation dynamics. This increased range fragmentation could have dramatic consequences for ecosystem structure and functioning. Importantly, the proposed framework—which brings together SDM and landscape metrics—can be widely used to study currently overlooked climate‐driven changes in species internal range structure, without requiring detailed empirical knowledge of the modelled species. This approach represents an important advancement beyond predictive envelope approaches and could reveal itself as paramount for managers whose spatial scale of action usually ranges from local to regional.
Is insufficient sleep duration a risk indicator for periodontal disease? A systematic review
Authors: Wu Chuanbin , Li Weiqi , Cen Dongdong , Zhou Qing
Published: November 2022

Objectives

In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to assess whether people who achieved <7 h of sleep were more likely to develop periodontal disease (PD).

Sources

We executed electronic searches in the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library, as well as a manual search of articles published by leading journals in related fields, for observational studies, published in English from 1 January 1966 to 31 March 2021.which evaluated the relationship between sleep duration and PD. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) quality evaluation scale was used for the cross‐sectional studies, and the random effects model was used to summarize the effect sizes in the included studies with a 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

A total of six cross‐sectional studies met the inclusion criteria, totaling 107,777 participants, of which 69,773 had PD. The results of the present indicated that shorter sleep duration (<7 h) is significantly associated with PD (Odd ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% CI, 1.16–1.23;p < 0.001;I2, 0.0%,I2interval, 0%–75%). The strength of the sensitivity analysis and cumulative meta‐analysis confirmed the reliability of the results.

Conclusion

Although the inclusion of only six studies makes it difficult to explore whether there is a publication bias, we found that insufficient sleep duration was closely related to PD, and we therefore speculated that getting enough sleep may help prevent PD.
Damage and failure mechanism of sapphire under ballistic loading based on a modified bond‐based peridynamic model
Authors: Huang Junwei , Zhang Xiaoqing , Long Shuchang , Yao Xiaohu
Published: November 2022

To investigate the dynamic mechanical behaviors of c‐plane and a‐plane sapphire, a novel anisotropic constitutive model and fracture criterion are constructed on the basis of bond‐based peridynamics (BB‐PD) theory. And the concept of strain is introduced in the framework of BB‐PD. After that, the simulations of a‐ and c‐planes of sapphire under spherical and cylindrical impact are conducted. In addition to capturing the distribution of strain and damage, the histories of various fracture types such as the primary fracture front and cracks are monitored for quantitative analysis. The numerical predictions are shown to agree well with previous experimental results, and further reveal the damage and failure mechanisms of sapphire. The different forms of contact between the projectile and the target strongly influence the stress waves generated and energy transferred ultimately affecting the damage development process. The crystal orientation dominates the appearance of anisotropic crack modes. Crack bending and deflection, as well as spalling‐like fracture, are associated with wave reflection and intersection. Moreover, an in‐depth examination of the observed wave splitting phenomenon is performed.
Preconditions that facilitate cannulation in arteriovenous fistula: A mixed‐methods study
Authors: Staaf Karin , Fernström Anders , Uhlin Fredrik
Published: November 2022

Background

Nurses have a great responsibility in the daily care of arteriovenous fistulae, which entails the potential to affect patency. However, good cannulation technique involves more than placing a needle in the vessel and relies on different skills to facilitate needling.

Objectives

To describe the preconditions for cannulation in arteriovenous fistulas.

Design

Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were used in a mixed‐methods design.

Participants

Haemodialysis units in Sweden.

Measurements

Local guidelines regarding arteriovenous fistula cannulation were analysed in parallel with responses to a questionnaire that contained open‐ended and closed‐ended questions on cannulation technique.

Results

Preconditions that facilitate cannulation fall into five stages, each with relevant factors in relation to the cannulation, as follows: planning cannulation—maturation and planning the cannulation, patient record, education and experience, and patient information; precannulation—physical examination, hygiene routines, arm position, tourniquet, choosing the cannulation site, and preventing pain; during cannulation—how to needle, type of needle, angle during cannulation, fixation, and adjusting; evaluating cannulation—blood flow rate and arterial and venous pressure; and postcannulation—needle withdrawal and haemostasis. The majority of dialysis units identified implementation of most of these preconditions, but the units handle several practical aspects differently.

Conclusions

Tracing the chain of cannulation led to identification of necessary preconditions for facilitating good cannulation technique. The findings also show the need for a better understanding of how different preconditions affect arteriovenous fistula and patency.
Plant scent and plant–insect interactions—Review and outlook from a macroevolutionary perspective
Authors: Schwery Orlando , Sipley Breanna N. , Braga Mariana P. , Yang Yan , Rebollo Roberto , Zu Pengjuan
Published: November 2022

The astonishing diversity of plants and insects and their entangled interactions are cornerstones in terrestrial ecosystems. Co‐occurring with species diversity is the diversity of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs). So far, their estimated number is more than 200 000 compounds, which are not directly involved in plant growth and development but play important roles in helping plants handle their environment including the mediation of plant–insect interactions. Here, we use plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a key olfactory communication channel that mediates plant–insect interactions, as a showcase of PSMs. In spite of the cumulative knowledge of the functional, ecological, and microevolutionary roles of VOCs, we still lack a macroevolutionary understanding of how they evolved with plant–insect interactions and contributed to species diversity throughout the long coevolutionary history of plants and insects. We first review the literature to summarize the current state‐of‐the‐art research on this topic. We then present various relevant types of phylogenetic methods suitable to answer macroevolutionary questions on plant VOCs and suggest future directions for employing phylogenetic approaches in studying plant VOCs and plant–insect interactions. Overall, we found that current studies in this field are still very limited in their macroevolutionary perspective. Nevertheless, with the fast‐growing development of metabolome analysis techniques and phylogenetic methods, it is becoming increasingly feasible to integrate the advances of these two areas. We highlight promising approaches to generate new testable hypotheses and gain a mechanistic understanding of the macroevolutionary roles of chemical communication in plant–insect interactions.
Micronutrient intake of children in Ghana and Benin: Estimated contribution of diet and nutrition programs
Authors: Greffeuille Valérie , Dass Mamta , Fanou‐Fogny Nadia , Nyako Jolene , Berger Jacques , Wieringa Frank T.
Published: November 2022

We estimated how micronutrient needs of young children, aged 6–24 months were covered by the standard (traditional) diets in Ghana and Benin, and the contributions of partial breastfeeding and national nutrition programs aimed at improving micronutrient status to overall micronutrient intakes. Estimates of micronutrient intake from standard diets were based on previous surveys, using the food composition table of West Africa (INFOOD). Recommended micronutrient intakes were based on World Health Organization recommendations. Children were grouped in three age groups (6–8, 9–12, and 13–24 months) to capture the changing dynamics of the complementary feeding period. As expected, from 6 months of age onwards, breastmilk didn't cover the micronutrient needs. The standard diets contributed only minimal to micronutrient intakes of children ranging from 0% to 37% of recommended intakes for Ca, Fe, Zn, vitamin A, vitamin D and iodine depending on the micronutrient considered. The contribution of mass (bio)‐fortification programs to the coverage of micronutrient needs varied widely, depending on the staple food considered and the country, but overall did not allow to fill the gap in micronutrient needs of children except for vitamin A in some contexts. In contrast, consumption of voluntary fortified complementary food, especially formulated for the needs in this age groups, contributed substantially to overall micronutrient intake and could fill the gap for several micronutrients. The development of young child‐targeted programs including micronutrient‐dense foods, associated with interventions to increase the diet diversity and meal frequency, could significantly improve micronutrients intakes of children in both Ghana and Benin.
Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion Surgery for Cervical Spondylosis with Concomitant Tinnitus: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Yang Liang , Li Yongchao , Pang Xiaodong , Li Duanming , Wu Ye , Chen Xiongsheng , Peng Baogan
Published: November 2022

Objective

Cervical spondylosis is often accompanied by tinnitus. Up to now, there is a lack of large samples and prospective studies to investigate the effect of anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) on tinnitus associate with cervical spondylosis. To this end, we performed a prospective cohort study to assess the effectiveness of ACDF on the relief of tinnitus.

Methods

This was a multicenter, prospective, cohort clinical study. Between August 2017 and August 2018, 174 patients with cervical spondylosis accompanied by tinnitus were enrolled, with a follow‐up of 12 months. Among the 174 patients, 142 received anterior cervical surgery (surgery group) and 32 received conservative treatment (conservative group). The primary end point was the mean change in scores on the tinnitus functional index (TFI). The secondary end points included tinnitus loudness, modified Japanese orthopaedic association scores (mJOA) for spinal cord function, and visual analogue scale (VAS) for neck pain. All the above indexes were measured before treatments and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatments. One‐way analysis of variance and paired samples t‐test was adopted for statistical analysis.

Results

The TFI score was reduced immediately after cervical decompression surgery (from 54.7 ± 15.6 to 32.3 ± 12.5, P < 0.001) and this was sustained at 12 months (P < 0.001). The TFI score of the conservative group also decreased (from 53.9 ± 16.8 to 45.2 ± 13.6, P < 0.001), but the effect was not maintained at 12 months (P = 0.069). There was a significant improvement in tinnitus loudness (from 5.2 ± 1.6 to 2.6 ± 1.9, P < 0.001), mJOA (from 12.0 ± 1.6 to 14.2 ± 1.6, P < 0.001), and VAS for neck pain (from 58.5 ± 9.6 to 22.0 ± 16.4, P < 0.001) in the surgical group. Improvements in the surgical group were statistically significantly greater than that in the conservative group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study indicates that anterior cervical surgery can relieve tinnitus in patients with cervical spondylosis and that tinnitus is an accompanying manifestation of cervical spondylosis.
Laser Doppler flow for the hemodynamic differentiation of tachycardia
Authors: Stegemann Emilia , Weidmann Mia , Miyazawa Alejandra A , Shun‐Shin Matthew J , Leyva Francisco , Zegard Abbasin , Stegemann Berthold
Published: November 2022

Background

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) offer effective therapy for the prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to ventricular arrhythmias. However, inappropriate shocks have detrimental effects on survival and quality of life. The addition of hemodynamic monitoring may be useful in discriminating clinically important ventricular arrhythmias.

Objective

In this study, we assess the ability of laser Doppler flowmetry to assess the hemodynamic effect of paced atrial and ventricular arrhythmias using mean arterial blood pressure as the reference.

Methods

In this acute human study in patients undergoing an elective electrophysiological study, laser Doppler flowmetry, arterial blood pressure, and surface ECG were acquired during high‐rate atrial and ventricular pacing to simulate supraventricular and ventricular tachycardias.

Results

Arterial blood pressure and laser Doppler flow signals correlated well during atrial and ventricular pacing (rho = 0.694, p < .001). The hemodynamic impairment detected by both methods was greater during ventricular pacing than atrial pacing (–1.0% vs. 19.0%, p < .001). Laser Doppler flowmetry performed better than rate alone to identify hemodynamic impairments.

Conclusion

In this acute study, laser Doppler flowmetry tissue perfusion served as a good surrogate measure for arterial pressure, which could be incorporated into future ICDs.
Skin microbiome sampling in the preterm neonate
Authors: Schoch Jennifer J. , Gauthier Josee , Gharaibeh Raad Z. , Jobin Christian , Bohannon Mary , Neu Josef , Parker Leslie
Published: November 2022

Despite advances in our understanding of the human microbiome, there exist significant knowledge gaps in our understanding of the skin microbiome of the preterm neonate. Herein, we describe skin microbiome sampling of six preterm neonates at multiple timepoints, and compare the skin microbiome samples to environmental (crib/isolette swabs) and negative controls. Samples of the same type (skin, crib, control) were more similar than when compared by week or by patient.
Barriers, goals, and enablers of transition of care in pediatric dermatology
Authors: Pope Eliza I. , Joseph Marissa
Published: November 2022

Adolescent patients with complex skin disorders may require ongoing care for their conditions as they “age out” of the pediatric setting into adult care. Yet despite consensus from the Canadian Paediatric Society and American Academy of Pediatrics on the importance of dedicated transition programs for these patients, there is a scarcity of such programs worldwide, and no formal programs in Canada. This paper explores several barriers, goals, and potential enablers of transition programs in this discipline and proposes principles of transition versus transfer in the context of pediatric dermatology.
Effect of limestone dose on the incidence of Rhizoctonia root rot and soybean yield in four soil types
Authors: Balbinotti Maicon , Molin Cleisla , dos Santos de Britto Júlia , Bordignon Kelen , Barbieri Maurício , Huzar‐Novakowiski Jaqueline
Published: November 2022

Rhizoctonia root rot (RRR) is a disease caused by the soilborne pathogen Rhizoctonia solani, which kills soybean plants in patches over croplands. Control is difficult because the pathogen survives in the soil and has a wide host range; therefore, cultural control methods might help to diminish disease pressure. The objective of this study was to evaluate liming as a strategy to reduce the incidence of RRR in soybean grown in four soil types: acrisol (Ac), cambisol Ta (CaTa), cambisol Tb (CaTb) and nitisol (Nit). The treatments were arranged in a factorial design of four doses of limestone (0, 3, 6 and 9 t/ha) at two sites within each field (inside and outside a Rhizoctonia patch). The incidence of RRR inside the patch was on average 40.3% whereas outside it was 1.2%. The reduction in disease incidence was 3.9%, 3.7%, 3.6% and 1.8% per 1000 kg of limestone applied for the Ac, CaTa, CaTb and Nit soils, respectively. The highest soybean yield was of 4713 and 3349 kg/ha for the Ac and Nit soils with application of 6.6 and 6.2 t/ha of limestone, respectively. Soybean yield in the cambisols increased linearly with liming, with an increase in yield of 121 and 172 kg/ha in CaTa and CaTb, respectively, for each 1000 kg of limestone applied. Thus, liming reduced the incidence of RRR in all soils and promoted better soybean nutrition, increasing soybean yield. Therefore, liming is a practice that contributes to both soil fertility and disease control.