bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fasting and meal‐stimulated serum C‐peptide in long‐standing type 1 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Vollenbrock Charlotte E. , Mul Dick , Dekker Pim , Birnie Erwin , de Vries‐Velraeds Martine M. C. , Boesten Lianne , Groen Joost , Geelhoed‐Duijvestijn Petronella H. L. M. , Aanstoot Henk‐Jan , Wolffenbuttel Bruce H. R.
Published: November 2022

Aims

This study aims to evaluate the stability of C‐peptide over time and to compare fasting C‐peptide and C‐peptide response after mixed‐meal tolerance test (MMTT) at T90 or T120 with C‐peptide area under the curve (AUC) in long‐standing type 1 diabetes.

Methods

We included 607 type 1 diabetes individuals with diabetes duration >5 years. C‐peptide concentrations (ultrasensitive assay) were collected in the fasting state, and in a subpopulation after MMTT (T0, just prior to, T30‐T60‐T90‐T120, 30–120 min after ingestion of mixed‐meal) (n = 168). Fasting C‐peptide concentrations (in n = 535) at Year 0 and Year 1 were compared. The clinical determinants associated with residual C‐peptide secretion and the correspondence of C‐peptide at MMTT T90 / T120 and total AUC were assessed.

Results

A total of 153 participants (25%) had detectable fasting serum C‐peptide (i.e ≥ 3.8 pmol/L). Fasting C‐peptide was significantly lower at Year 1 (p < 0.001, effect size = −0.16). Participants with higher fasting C‐peptide had a higher age at diagnosis and shorter disease duration and were less frequently insulin pump users. Overall, 109 of 168 (65%) participants had both non‐detectable fasting and post‐meal serum C‐peptide concentrations. The T90 and T120 C‐peptide values at MMTT were concordant with total AUC. In 17 (10%) individuals, C‐peptide was only detectable at MMTT and not in the fasting state.

Conclusions

Stimulated C‐peptide was detectable in an additional 10% of individuals compared with fasting in individuals with >5 years of diabetes duration. T90 and T120 MMTT measurements showed good concordance with the MMTT total AUC. Overall, there was a decrease of C‐peptide at 1‐year follow‐up.
T2 mapping of cartilage in the equine distal interphalangeal joint with corresponding histology using 0.27 T and 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Baker Melissa Eve , Kershaw Lucy Elizabeth , Carstens Ann , Daniel Carola Riccarda , Brown Helen , Roberts Steve , Taylor Sarah Elizabeth
Published: November 2022

Background

Low‐field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely available to equine veterinarians yet is insensitive at detecting cartilage damage in the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ). T2 mapping is a quantitative imaging technique that can detect cartilage damage before morphological change is apparent.

Objectives

Validation of a T2 mapping sequence on a low‐field MR system. Correlation of the mean T2 relaxation time in sections of cartilage with varying levels of pathology using low‐ and high‐field MRI.

Study design

Cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Eight phantoms with known (nominal) T2 values underwent low‐field (0.27 T) MRI and 38 ex vivo DIPJs were imaged. A further 9 ex vivo DIPJs were imaged on both the low‐ and high‐field MR systems. Immediately after imaging, the DIPJs were disarticulated and samples collected for histology. Histological sections were graded using the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scoring system. Fiji ImageJ software with the MRIAnalysisPak plugin was used to calculate T2 maps and draw the regions of interest (ROIs).

Results

There was close agreement between the nominal and the measured T2 values in the phantom study. Spearman's rank correlation demonstrated significant positive correlation between low‐ and high‐field T2 measurements, rho 0.644 (p < 0.001). The intrarater agreement for T2 measurements was excellent, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.99 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.99–1.00), the inter‐rater agreement was excellent, ICC = 0.88 (95% CI = 0.82–0.92) and there was good intrarater agreement for OARSI scores (к = 0.76).

Main limitations

Only a small number of histological samples were analysed. Both articular cartilage surfaces were measured within the ROI. There were no OARSI grade 0 control samples.

Conclusions

A T2 mapping sequence on a low‐field 0.27 T MR system was validated. There was a positive correlation between low‐ and high‐field T2 measurements. The findings suggest a higher mean T2 relaxation time in pathological cartilage tissue examined in this study compared to normal equine cartilage tissue.
Sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors: A comprehensive review from cells to bedside
Authors: Bagheri Bahador , Yaribeygi Habib , Taherifard Erfan , Talasaz Azita Hajhossein , Bagheri Haleh , Darban Mahboubeh , Tabrizi Reza , Najafi Siamak , Khodadost Mahmoud , Akbari Maryam
Published: November 2022

Sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors (SGLT2is) are oral medications approved for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Interestingly, during recent years, they have been promisingly considered as new medications for cardiovascular and kidney diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying these new benefits are not fully understood. Thanks to the discovery of multiple modes of action, the simple picture about mechanisms of action of SGLT2is has become more and more complex. Besides their effects in diabetes, there is increasing evidence for their beneficial effects in heart failure and chronic kidney diseases. In addition, many studies have provided evidence for the fruitful effects of SGLT2is in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. In this study, we present mounting evidence for the complex action modes of SGLT2is and their current applications in clinical practice.
Community‐based monitoring, assessment and management of data‐limited inland fish stocks in North Rupununi, Guyana
Authors: Shephard Samuel , Edwards Kevin , George Susan , Joseph Elvis , James Samantha , David Oswin , Persaud Addevi , Watson L. Cynthia , Van Vliet Nathalie
Published: November 2022

Inland fisheries are important for food security in communities around the world, especially in developing countries. In North Rupununi, Guyana, the state of exploited stocks is poorly understood, and fishery monitoring and assessment are challenging because diverse fishing gears and target species are distributed across a heterogeneous landscape. This complexity created an opportunity for community‐based monitoring (CBM) to support data‐limited assessment. Standardised CBM was established for the North Rupununi as part of a new inland fisheries management plan initiated by indigenous community groups with support from the government. Quantitative length‐based assessments undertaken for target stocks suggested moderate levels of exploitation consistent with local perception. Our study highlights that local experts and community participants with different levels of training can collect accurate biodiversity data. Further development of CBM is important in North Rupununi. We recommend using local ecological knowledge indicators to track spatial and temporal patterns in exploitation and fish stock status.
Wangye practices online: From burning effigy vessels to digital networks
Authors: Lim Alvin Eng Hui
Published: November 2022

This article explores the performance of a transnational network of Wangye practices, spirits, technologies, vessels, and Sinophone communities. The Wangye belief, a Fujianese popular religion performed in mainland China, Southeast Asia and Taiwan, remains widely performed. The article begins with an account of watching a YouTube recording of the live stream video of the Donggang Ying Wang religious festival in 2018. Culminating in the deity's sending off at the seaside and the burning of the NT$7 million Wangye's Boat, the video of the burning vessel remains archived online. Similarly in Malaysia, Yong Chuan Tian Temple performed the ‘Wangkang Ceremony’ in 2020, which also featured an elaborate construction of a vessel and its eventual burning. Streamed and recorded online, viewers can now witness the revelation of spirits through the conversion of material vessels into ash,smoke, and digital video. These digital enactments of religious vessels articulate a new religious re‐composition that includes religious and non‐religious social actors, machines, and gods, bringing old frontiers of nation and diaspora into contact.
A relative answer to the growth–saving puzzle
Authors: Gruber Noam
Published: November 2022

Prolonged rapid growth, that is, the ‘catching‐up’ process through which countries close the gap to the development frontier, is known to be accompanied by high rates of household saving. This phenomenon is central in explaining the direction of international capital flows and trade imbalances in the past several decades, yet it is very much in contradiction to prevailing macroeconomic theory. This paper finds that a standard life‐cycle model, even when integrated with uncertainty about future growth and with credit constraints, is completely unable to replicate the relations between growth and saving, represented by three stylized facts gleaned from the empirical literature. However, adding utility from relative consumption to the model allows for the full replication of these relations.
What sort of workplace democracy can democratic management achieve in China?
Authors: Huang Wei
Published: November 2022

The year 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of democratic management (DM) provisions in China. DM, once predominant in state‐owned enterprises, has now been extended to all enterprises. Democratising workplaces in China represents institutional experimentation. Both DM‐related research and practice thus require updating. Ten years on, a social consensus on DM's orientation and legitimacy remains elusive. Can expanding DM inspire industrial democracy or strengthen Party control over market‐oriented workplaces? Or is DM merely window dressing as previous studies suggest? This article aims to uncover the type of workplace democracy that DM can achieve in China. A triangle of DM is established and integrated with institutional theory as an analytical framework to explore the causes and characteristics of DM in six case companies.
Impact of sustained hypertension on new cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes: KAMOGAWA‐HBP study
Authors: Yoshimura Takashi , Ushigome Emi , Hata Shinnosuke , Takegami Maya , Hasegawa Goji , Tanaka Toru , Tsunoda Sei , Ohnishi Masayoshi , Yokota Isao , Ushigome Hidetaka , Kitagawa Nobuko , Asano Mai , Hamaguchi Masahide , Yamazaki Masahiro , Fukui Michiaki
Published: November 2022

We have previously shown that masked hypertension (MH) and sustained hypertension (SH) contribute to the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Although the risk of target organ damage and cardiovascular events in MH and SH is significantly higher than that in normotension and white coat hypertension, the role of MH or SH in cardiovascular events has never been reported in studies specific to diabetic patients. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine whether blood pressure control status contributes to the development of new cardiovascular events. A longitudinal study of 1082 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and no history of cardiovascular events was conducted. Patients were instructed to have their blood pressure measured three times, every morning and evening, for 14 consecutive days. Hypertension status was classified into four groups based on the systolic blood pressure measurements in the clinic and at home. The primary endpoint was the first cardiovascular event. After a median follow‐up of 7.0 (interquartile range, 4.0–9.0) years, 119 patients developed cardiovascular events. The hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for the risk of developing cardiovascular events was significantly higher in the SH group than in the controlled blood pressure group (1.63 [1.02–2.59]). SH is a useful predictor of cardiovascular events. Both at home and in the clinic, blood pressure monitoring should be assessed in routine clinical practice to predict future cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes.
In vitro assessment of activated charcoal‐based dental products
Authors: Emídio Andrey Gonçalves , Silva Vitória Fraga Fogaça Melo e , Ribeiro Edgar Pedreiro , Zanin Gabriela Torres , Lopes Murilo Baena , Guiraldo Ricardo Danil , Berger Sandrine Bittencourt
Published: November 2022

Objective

Assess the effects of activated charcoal‐based products on whitening and changes on dental enamel surface.

Material and Methods

Fifty‐two blocks of bovine dental enamel were randomly distributed in four groups (n = 13): brushing with activated charcoal‐based powder (PW); brushing with activated charcoal‐based dentifrice (AC); brushing with a conventional dentifrice containing 1450 ppm of fluoride (CD); and whitening with 10% carbamide peroxide (CP). Color, microhardness, and surface alteration were analyzed at baseline and after 14 days of treatment. Three samples per group were randomly selected and examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze the morphology.

Results

PW exhibited greater color change for the ΔE00, ΔWID, Δb* and ΔL* parameters than other groups (p < 0.05). After treatment, microhardness decreased in AC and CP groups (p < 0.05). Also, PW and AC groups showed more surface alteration than CD and CP (p < 0.001). Changes in the morphology of dental enamel were observed by SEM in PW and AC groups.

Conclusion

Activated charcoal‐based products showed a lower whitening effect than 10% carbamide peroxide. These products also influenced dental enamel microhardness, resulting in greater surface alteration.

Clinical Significance

Activated charcoal‐based products promoted minimum whitening effects with significant enamel surface alteration. The 10% carbamide peroxide was more effective for whitening and caused slight enamel surface alteration.
Scale‐dependent and risky returns to savings: Consequences for optimal capital taxation
Authors: Zanoutene Eddy
Published: November 2022

I present a model of optimal capital taxation where agents with heterogeneous labor productivity randomly draw their rate of return to savings. Because of scale dependence, the distribution of rates of returns can depend on the amount saved. Uncertainty in returns to savings yields an insurance rationale for taxing capital on top of labor income. I first show that, because of scale dependence, agents making the same saving decision should access the same rate of return at the optimum. I then constrain the information set of the government and show that, as soon as return are uncertain, positive capital income taxation is needed at the optimum. The optimal linear tax on capital income trades off insurance with distortions to both savings and to the rate of return in a context of scale dependence. Eventually, I argue that scale dependence in and of itself is not sufficient to justify capital taxation on top of labor income taxes. These results are still valid when agents can optimize between a risk‐free and a risky‐asset that can both exhibit scale dependence.
The pathway of melatonin biosynthesis in common wheat (Triticum aestivum)
Authors: Chen Jie , Zhang Yueqi , Yin Huanran , Liu Wei , Hu Xin , Li Dongqin , Lan Caixia , Gao Lifeng , He Zhonghu , Cui Fa , Fernie Alisdair R. , Chen Wei
Published: November 2022

Melatonin (Mel) is a multifunctional biomolecule found in both animals and plants. In plants, the biosynthesis of Mel from tryptophan (Trp) has been delineated to comprise of four consecutive reactions. However, while the genes encoding these enzymes in rice are well characterized no systematic evaluation of the overall pathway has, as yet, been published for wheat. In the current study, the relative contents of six Mel‐pathway‐intermediates including Trp, tryptamine (Trm), serotonin (Ser), 5‐methoxy tryptamine (5M‐Trm), N‐acetyl serotonin (NAS) and Mel, were determined in 24 independent tissues spanning the lifetime of wheat. These studies indicated that Trp was the most abundant among the six metabolites, followed by Trm and Ser. Next, the candidate genes expressing key enzymes involved in the Mel pathway were explored by means of metabolite‐based genome‐wide association study (mGWAS), wherein two TDC genes, a T5H gene and one SNAT gene were identified as being important for the accumulation of Mel pathway metabolites. Moreover, a 463‐bp insertion within the T5H gene was discovered that may be responsible for variation in Ser content. Finally, a ASMT gene was found via sequence alignment against its rice homolog. Validations of these candidate genes were performed by in vitro enzymatic reactions using proteins purified following recombinant expression in Escherichia coli, transient gene expression in tobacco, and transgenic approaches in wheat. Our results thus provide the first comprehensive investigation into the Mel pathway metabolites, and a swift candidate gene identification via forward‐genetics strategies, in common wheat.
Clinic‐level differences in human papillomavirus vaccination rates among rural and urban Oregon primary care clinics
Authors: Hatch Brigit A. , Valenzuela Steele , Darden Paul M. , Fagnan Lyle J. , Dickinson Caitlin , Marino Miguel , Robison Steve G. , Larsen Rex , Carney Patricia A.
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection contributes to vaccine‐preventable malignancies. Rural populations experience lower HPV vaccination rates despite similar rates of other childhood vaccinations. Individual‐ and clinic‐level characteristics likely contribute to this disparity, but little is known about the separate roles of each. We compared clinic‐level HPV vaccination rates among rural versus urban primary care clinics, identified factors associated with HPV vaccination, and separately assessed the impact of individual‐ and clinic‐level characteristics on rural disparities in HPV vaccination.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included 537 Oregon primary care clinics participating in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program during 2019. Vaccination status was assessed using Oregon's ALERT Immunization Information System and included HPV vaccine ≥ 1 dose for ages 11 and 12; HPV vaccination up to date (UTD) for ages 13‐17, and coadministration with tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap). Rural versus urban clinic‐level outcomes were assessed using negative binomial regression.

Findings

Participating clinics were 24.5% rural and 75.6% urban. Family medicine clinics comprised 71.1%; pediatrics, 16.9%; and mixed, 12.1%. Across clinics, the average proportion of patients qualifying for VFC was 43%, and non‐White patients were 14.1%. The mean rate of HPV vaccine ≥1 dose was lower among rural clinics (46.9% vs 51.1%, P = .039), as was vaccination UTD (40.5% vs 49.9%, P < .001). Adjusting for differences in individual‐ and clinic‐level characteristics, rural disparities were no longer statistically significant.

Conclusions

Both individual‐ and clinic‐level characteristics play a role in rural disparities in HPV vaccination, and modifiable clinic‐level differences may be opportune targets to address these disparities.
Respiration and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep substructure: short versus long episodes
Authors: Hammer Maximilian , Jung Felix , Brankačk Jurij , Yanovsky Yevgenij , Tort Adriano B. L. , Draguhn Andreas
Published: November 2022

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in rodents is defined by the presence of theta rhythm in the absence of movement. The amplitude and frequency of theta oscillations have been used to distinguish between tonic and phasic REM sleep. However, tonic REM sleep has not been further subdivided, although characteristics of network oscillations such as cross‐frequency coupling between theta and gamma vary within this sub‐state. Recently, it has been shown that theta–gamma coupling depends on an optimal breathing rate of ~5 Hz. The frequency of breathing varies strongly throughout REM sleep, and the duration of single REM sleep episodes ranges from several seconds to minutes, whereby short episodes predominate. Here we studied the relation between breathing frequency, accelerometer activity, and the length of REM sleep periods. We found that small movements detected with three‐dimensional accelerometry positively correlate with breathing rate. Interestingly, breathing is slow in short REM sleep episodes, while faster respiration regimes exclusively occur after a certain delay in longer REM sleep episodes. Thus, merging REM sleep episodes of different lengths will result in a predominance of slow respiration due to the higher occurrence of short REM sleep periods. Moreover, our results reveal that not only do phasic REM sleep epochs predominantly occur during long REM sleep episodes, but that the long episodes also have faster theta and higher gamma activity. These observations suggest that REM sleep can be further divided from a physiological point of view depending on its duration. Higher levels of arousal during REM sleep, indicated by higher breathing rates, can only be captured in long REM sleep episodes.
Antimicrobials in dog‐to‐dog bite wounds: A retrospective study of 1526 dog bite events (1999‐2019)
Authors: Kalnins Nicole J. , Gibson Justine S. , Stewart Allison J. , Croton Catriona , Purcell Sarah L. , Rajapaksha Bandula , Haworth Mark
Published: November 2022

Background

Although dog‐to‐dog bite wounds (DBW) are common, few studies worldwide have evaluated antimicrobial usage patterns or appropriateness of use.

Objectives

Report frequency and results of DBW cultures, including antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Determine the most commonly prescribed antimicrobials and their appropriateness for the treatment of DBW, and if antimicrobial importance is associated with wound severity, clinic type or year.

Animals

One thousand five hundred twenty‐six dog bite events involving 1436 dogs presenting with DBW from 3 Australian university clinics from 1999 to 2019.

Methods

Retrospective study. Medical records were reviewed for presenting signs, culture and susceptibility testing, antimicrobial treatment, and outcome. A partial proportional odds model was used to determine if use of higher importance antimicrobials was associated with wound severity, clinic, or year.

Results

Antimicrobials were prescribed in 88.1% (1344/1526) of DBW. Amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid was prescribed in 73.4% (1121/1526) of dogs, followed by first‐generation cephalosporins, 18.1% (277/1526). Of a total of 1647 antimicrobial prescriptions, underdosing occurred in 13.4% for AMC (220/1647) and 26.1% (81/310) of dogs prescribed first generation cephalosporins. There was an association between the increased use of high‐importance antimicrobials and wound severity (P < .001), antimicrobial polytherapy (P < .001) and year (P < .001). The odds of the clinic with specialists prescribing high‐importance antimicrobials compared to those of medium importance for DBW was 82% less than that of a semi‐rural, mixed and general practice. Culture and susceptibility (C&S) testing was performed in 1.8% of dogs.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

Empirical use of amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid was common for DBW. Increasing wound severity was associated with greater use of high‐importance antimicrobials. While C&S testing was rarely performed, routine susceptibility profiles are recommended to optimize antimicrobial stewardship.
A critical review of children's culinary nutrition interventions, the methodologies used and their impact on dietary, psychosocial and wellbeing outcomes
Authors: Lavelle Fiona
Published: November 2022

Diet quality has been associated with numerous health outcomes, resulting in nutrition education to improve children's diet quality. Culinary nutrition interventions have been emphasised as a promising approach for enhancing children's food preferences and behaviours. Recently, there has been an increase in such interventions, and it is essential to understand their effectiveness and the specific methods used. Therefore, this review aimed to critically investigate methodological approaches in a range of children's culinary nutrition interventions and experiments. A secondary aim was to investigate the impact of these interventions on dietary, psychosocial and wellbeing outcomes. A systematic and pragmatic search strategy was developed and implemented using two electronic databases. Data extraction of the relevant content of eligible studies and a narrative synthesis were conducted. A total of 12 312 articles were identified from the search and 38 studies on children's culinary nutrition interventions or experiments were included. Most studies (n = 25) were conducted in North America. Only two studies had an RCT design. Less than half the studies (n = 16) used an underpinning theory, model or framework. Only four studies conducted sample size calculations. Some validated measurement tools were used. Despite the methodological concerns, most studies found some positive changes in dietary and/or psychosocial outcomes, while only two studies assessed wellbeing. Therefore, the area warrants further in‐depth research anchored in methodological rigor to strengthen the validity of the research. The strengthening of the evidence in children's culinary nutrition could have a significant beneficial impact on public health if it resulted in widespread interventions and, in the long‐term, reduce the impact on health systems.
Genome‐wide DNA methylation profiling in tongue squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Rapado‐González Óscar , Costa‐Fraga Nicolás , Bao‐Caamano Aida , López‐Cedrún José Luis , Álvarez‐Rodríguez Roberto , Crujeiras Ana Belén , Muinelo‐Romay Laura , López‐López Rafael , Díaz‐Lagares Ángel , Suárez‐Cunqueiro María Mercedes
Published: November 2022

Objectives

To provide a comprehensive characterization of DNA methylome of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) and identify novel tumor‐specific DNA methylation markers for early detection using saliva.

Material and Methods

Genome‐wide DNA methylation analysis including six OTSCC matched adjacent non‐tumoral tissue and saliva was performed using Infinium MethylationEPIC array. Differentially methylated levels of selected genes in our OTSCC cohort were further validated using OTSCC methylation data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA). The methylation levels of a set of tumor‐specific hypermethylated genes associated with a downregulated expression were evaluated in saliva. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to assess the diagnostic value of DNA methylation markers.

Results

A total of 25,890 CpGs (20,505 hypomethylated and 5385 hypermethylated) were differentially methylated (DMCpGs) between OTSCC and adjacent non‐tumoral tissue. Hypermethylation of 11 tumor‐specific genes was validated in OTSCC TCGA cohort. Of these 11 genes, A2BP1, ANK1, ALDH1A2, GFRA1, TTYH1, and PDE4B were also hypermethylated in saliva. These six salivary methylated genes showed high diagnostic accuracy (≥0.800) for discriminating patients from controls.

Conclusions

This is the first largest genome‐wide DNA methylation study on OTSCC that identifies a group of novel tumor‐specific DNA methylation markers with diagnostic potential in saliva.
New techniques for breeding maize (Zea mays) varieties with fall armyworm resistance and market‐preferred traits for sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Matova Prince M. , Kamutando Casper N. , Warburton Marilyn L. , Williams W. Paul , Magorokosho Cosmos , Shimelis Hussein , Labuschagne Maryke , Day Roger , Gowda Manje
Published: November 2022

Deploying maize varieties with fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda [J.E. Smith]; FAW) resistance, desirable product profiles (PPs) and climate resilience is fundamental for food and economic security in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). This study reviewed and identified challenges and opportunities for effective and accelerated breeding of demand‐led maize hybrids with FAW resistance and adaptation to the diverse agro‐ecologies of SSA. Lessons were drawn on improving breeding efficiency through adequate genetic variation delivered via prebreeding programmes, speed breeding and a reduced breeding stage plan. Appropriate PPs aligned with demand‐led breeding approaches were highlighted as foundations for variety design and commercialization. Challenges to accelerated FAW resistance breeding in maize included inadequate funds and modern tools; poor adaptation of some exotic donor parental lines; lack of information on FAW resistance among local varieties; lack of integration of molecular markers associated with FAW resistance and agronomic traits into selection plans; and limited infrastructure for FAW rearing and germplasm screening. Integration of modern breeding tools and scientific innovations were recommended for accelerated development and release of FAW resistant and market‐preferred maize varieties.
Coping with Welfare Shame: Responses of Urban Indigenous and Non‐Indigenous Peoples to “Mutual Obligation” Requirements in Australia
Authors: Kurita Ritsuko
Published: November 2022

This article examines how Indigenous and non‐Indigenous people in cities navigate welfare and the mutual obligation regime in Australia. Since the introduction of the mutual obligation requirements (MORs) and the accompanying “Work for the Dole” program, initially for Indigenous and later for non‐Indigenous welfare beneficiaries, welfare recipients from both groups are perceived as morally deficient people and are stigmatized by paternalistic state surveillance. Drawing on the idea of shame as a cultural boundary‐making process, this article shows that although welfare recipients from both groups have reinterpreted the concept of “mutual obligation” based on their cultural values and practices, contesting interpretations of the concept within each group have hindered them from fully deflecting shame by disrupting and replacing normative scripts of conduct. This article argues that such variations occurred first because the interpretations that both groups adopted to cope with government surveillance are already mobilized by the state to justify intervening in citizens’ lives, and second because the sociospatiality of a city such as Adelaide, where a broad range of neoliberal policy experiments have been implemented, facilitates the internalization of neoliberal values among citizens, regardless of whether they are Indigenous or not. [mutual obligation, “work for the dole” program, Indigenous, welfare recipients, shame]
Highly specific qPCR and amplicon sequencing method for detection of quarantine citrus pathogen Phyllosticta citricarpa applicable for air samples
Authors: Zajc Janja , Kogej Zwitter Zala , Fišer Sara , Gostinčar Cene , Vicent Antonio , Domenech Anaïs Galvañ , Riccioni Luca , Boonham Neil , Ravnikar Maja , Kogovšek Polona
Published: November 2022

The fungus Phyllosticta citricarpa is a quarantine pathogen in the EU and is of high economic importance in many parts of the world where favourable climate conditions drive the development of citrus black spot (CBS) disease. Disease symptoms include necrotic lesions on leaves and fruits. Low disease pressure can reduce crop marketability, while higher disease pressure can cause premature fruit drop, significantly increasing crop losses. The wind‐dispersed spores of P. citricarpa are especially problematic for rapid pathogen dispersal, but also provide an opportunity for early detection of the disease spreading into a new area. In this study we have developed and validated a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay based on the TEF1‐α sequence. Specificity testing demonstrated that it is currently the only qPCR assay that does not cross‐react with closely related Phyllosticta species. The assay is sensitive and can detect a single copy of the TEF1 gene in a reaction, it is highly repeatable and reproducible and can be used for testing of the sticky tapes from spore traps as well as citrus fruit samples. High‐throughput sequencing (HTS) of the DNA barcodes ITS1 and TEF1 was also explored for the detection and discrimination of P. citricarpa. The limit of detection of the HTS was 1000 spores on a daily spore trap tape. This study makes an important improvement to the diagnostics of the CBS and the methods developed can also be applied to improve the surveillance and early detection of the pathogen when linked to spore samplers in the field.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance the drought resistance more significantly of the late‐successional psammophytes than that of the early ones
Authors: Dong Shuo , Hu Feilong , Alamusa  , Ma Qun , Liu Zhimin
Published: November 2022

Improving drought tolerance of psammophytes is a challenge for vegetation restoration in arid lands. Despite extensive reports on the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on plant resistance, its enhancements of drought resistance for psammophytes from different successions stages have been rarely explored. Here, seedlings of the Artemisia wudanica (early succession), Hedysarum fruticosum (middle succession), and the Caragana korshinskii (late succession) were selected to investigate the effect of AMF on the growth of psammophytes in different successional stages. We found that the mycorrhizal colonization of late‐successional psammophytes with the AMF was greater than that of the early and mid‐successional psammophytes. The effect of AMF on drought resistance was stronger in late‐successional psammophytes and the promotion effect increased with the intensity of drought. The AMF reduced the difference between aboveground and belowground plant growth and promoted more belowground growth of psammophytes in the late‐successional stage. We concluded that AMF can enhance the drought resistance of psammophytes and has a more significant effect on the growth of plants from the late‐successional stage. This study highlighted the importance of AMF for psammophytes, providing a new approach to improving the growth of psammophytes under drought circumstances.
Special needs dentistry in multidisciplinary head and neck cancer management – characterizing scope and complexity of patient care
Authors: Sundaresan Pritam Daniel , Kruger Estie , Geachie John MC , Tennant Marc
Published: November 2022

Aims

To describe the involvement and need for specialists in special needs dentistry (SND) in the multidisciplinary management of patients and to characterize the complexity of patients with special health care needs.

Methods

Referrals for SND review from the Fiona Stanley Hospital head and neck cancer (HNC) multidisciplinary team between January 1 and December 31, 2019 were screened. Data recorded included demographic information, medical history, dental status, and dental treatment provided prior to HNC management.

Results

In total 127 patients were referred to the SND clinic in 2019 of which 89.0% were males and 74.8% were aged 50–79. The mean waiting time for SND review was 19.6 days. On average patients had a decayed, missing, filled tooth (DMFT) score of 20.3. During the study period 407 extractions and 30 restorations were completed. Seventeen patients (13.4%) had all their teeth removed prior to HNC management. The majority of patients (79.6%) were categorized as either moderate or severe complexity. Increasing complexity was seen in older age groups.

Conclusions

Significant oral disease is seen in patients with HNC often requiring extensive dental treatment. Complexity is seen in patients requiring multidisciplinary care however characteristics that constitute complexity are varied given the spectrum encompassing ‘special needs’.
Predicting group consciousness among Asian Americans: Considering commonalities, shared interests, panethnic group identification, and linked fate
Authors: Nicholson Harvey L. , Mei Di
Published: November 2022

Identifying factors linked to the development of group consciousness is important toward bettering our understanding of group formation processes among marginalized ethnoracial groups. This study examines predictors of group consciousness among Asians and Asian Americans in the United States, focusing on numerous dimensions of this concept, including linked fate, panethnic group identification, and four specific sources of perceived group commonality and interests: (1) cultural, (2) economic, (3) political, and (4) racial. We use data from a national survey to examine socio‐structural, political, discrimination, and immigration correlates associated with separate dimensions of Asian group consciousness. We found that perceiving interpersonal discrimination increased the importance of being Asian; heightened the odds of feeling linked fate with other Asian people; and enhanced the odds of identification as “Asian American.” Republicans and Independents were less likely to perceive different elements of Asian group consciousness compared to Democrats. Educational attainment, income, gender, employment status, ethnicity, and English‐speaking comfortability had varying effects across certain measures of Asian group consciousness. For Asians and Asian Americans, interpersonal discrimination and certain socio‐structural, political, and immigration factors may be especially meaningful toward the development of linked fate, shared group interests and commonalities, and panethnic identification, all of which are key toward activating group consciousness.
The novel HLA‐B*40:01:78 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual
Authors: Fan Zhi‐ping , Zheng Zhong‐zheng , Du Ke‐ming , An Lin , Liu Qi‐fa
Published: November 2022

HLA‐B*40:01:78 differs from HLA‐B*40:01:02:01 by one nucleotide in exon 3.
The novel HLA‐DQB1*03:499N allele identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual
Authors: Li Jing‐jing , Zheng Zhong‐zheng , Du Ke‐ming , An Lin , Yue Ling‐ling
Published: November 2022

HLA‐DQB1*03:499N differs from HLA‐DQB1*03:01:01:01 by one nucleotide in exon 2.
Hygrochronometry of punctuated metasomatic events during exhumation of the Cycladic blueschist unit (Syros, Greece)
Authors: Gyomlai Thomas , Agard Philippe , Marschall Horst R. , Jolivet Laurent
Published: November 2022

The spatiotemporal scales at which fluid flow events occur along the subduction interface remain poorly constrained. This study illustrates the benefit of using in‐situ Rb/Sr dating on metasomatic white mica to constrain the timing of metasomatic events, taking advantage of the well‐studied reaction zones of the Kampos‐Lia unit of Syros, Greece. This unit is a subducted block‐in‐matrix structure corresponding to a preserved fragment of a discontinuous, slow‐spreading oceanic domain. Results reveal that the main metasomatic event took place at ~36 Ma, coincident with the transition from blueschist to greenschist facies and syn‐ to post‐orogenic exhumation in the Cyclades marking the end of a first exhumation stage along the subduction interface. Results highlight that fluid–rock interaction along the subduction interface cannot be treated as the result of continuous fluid influx, but rather reflect punctuated, heterogeneously distributed events (both in time and space) tied to specific tectonometamorphic episodes.
Factors associated with verbal fluency in older adults living with HIV in West Africa: A longitudinal study
Authors: Bernard Charlotte , Font Hélène , Diallo Zélica , Ahonon Richard , Tine Judicaël Malick , Abouo Franklin N'Guessan , Tanon Aristophane , Messou Eugène , Seydi Moussa , Dabis François , Dartigues Jean‐François , de Rekeneire Nathalie
Published: November 2022

Objective

Verbal fluency decline, observed both in aging and HIV infection, has been related to lower quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with categorical fluency in people living with HIV (PLHIV) aged ≥60 years living in West Africa.

Methods

In this longitudinal study, PLHIV aged ≥60 years, on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for ≥6 months were included in three clinics (two in Côte d'Ivoire, one in Senegal) participating in the West Africa International epidemiological Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) collaboration. Categorical fluency was evaluated with the Isaacs Set Test at 60 s at baseline and 2 years later. Factors associated with verbal fluency baseline performance and annual rates of changes were evaluated using multivariate linear regression models.

Results

Ninety‐seven PLHIV were included with 41 of them (42%) having a 2‐year follow‐up visit. The median age was 64 (62–67), 45.4% were female, and 89.7% had an undetectable viral load. The median annual change in categorical fluency scores was −0.9 (IQR: −2.7 to 1.8). Low baseline categorical fluency performance and its decline were associated with older age and being a female. Low educational level was associated with low baseline categorical fluency performance but not with its decline. Categorical fluency decline was also associated with marital status and hypertension.

Conclusions

Among older West African PLHIV, usual socio‐demographic variables and hypertension were the main factors associated with low categorical fluency performance and/or its decline. Interventions that focus on supporting cardiometabolic health are highly recommended to prevent cognitive disorders in PLHIV.
Rice Pangenome Genotyping Array: an efficient genotyping solution for pangenome‐based accelerated genetic improvement in rice
Authors: Daware Anurag , Malik Ankit , Srivastava Rishi , Das Durdam , Ellur Ranjith K. , Singh Ashok K. , Tyagi Akhilesh K. , Parida Swarup K.
Published: November 2022

The advent of the pangenome era has unraveled previously unknown genetic variation existing within diverse crop plants, including rice. This untapped genetic variation is believed to account for a major portion of phenotypic variation existing in crop plants. However, the use of conventional single reference‐guided genotyping often fails to capture a large portion of this genetic variation leading to a reference bias. This makes it difficult to identify and utilize novel population/cultivar‐specific genes for crop improvement. Thus, we developed a Rice Pangenome Genotyping Array (RPGA) harboring probes assaying 80K single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and presence–absence variants spanning the entire 3K rice pangenome. This array provides a simple, user‐friendly and cost‐effective (60–80 USD per sample) solution for rapid pangenome‐based genotyping in rice. The genome‐wide association study (GWAS) conducted using RPGA‐SNP genotyping data of a rice diversity panel detected a total of 42 loci, including previously known as well as novel genomic loci regulating grain size/weight traits in rice. Eight of these identified trait‐associated loci (dispensable loci) could not be detected with conventional single reference genome‐based GWAS. A WD repeat‐containing PROTEIN 12 gene underlying one of such dispensable locus on chromosome 7 (qLWR7) along with other non‐dispensable loci were subsequently detected using high‐resolution quantitative trait loci mapping confirming authenticity of RPGA‐led GWAS. This demonstrates the potential of RPGA‐based genotyping to overcome reference bias. The application of RPGA‐based genotyping for population structure analysis, hybridity testing, ultra‐high‐density genetic map construction and chromosome‐level genome assembly, and marker‐assisted selection was also demonstrated. A web application (http://www.rpgaweb.com) was further developed to provide an easy to use platform for the imputation of RPGA‐based genotyping data using 3K rice reference panel and subsequent GWAS.
Gamma radiation on gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors at ON, OFF, and prestressed conditions
Authors: Rasel Md Abu Jafar , Stepanoff Sergei , Haque Aman , Wolfe Douglas E. , Ren Fan , Pearton Stephen J.
Published: November 2022

Radiation damage in electronic devices is known to be influenced by physics, design, and materials system. Here, we report the effects of biasing state (such as ON and OFF) and pre-existing damage in GaN high electron mobility transistors exposed to γ radiation. Controlled and accelerated DC biasing was used to prestress the devices, which showed significant degradation in device characteristics compared to pristine devices under ON and OFF states after γ irradiation. The experiment is performed in situ for the ON-state to investigate transient effects during irradiation until the total dose reaches 10 Mrad. It shows that threshold voltage, maximum transconductance, and leakage current initially decrease with dosage but slowly converge to a steady value at higher doses. After 10 Mrad irradiation, the OFF-state device demonstrates larger RON and one order of magnitude increased leakage current compared to the ON-state irradiated device. The micro-Raman study also confirms that the ON-state operation shows more radiation hardness than OFF and prestressed devices. Prestressed devices generate the highest threshold voltage shift from −2.85 to −2.49 V and two orders of magnitude higher leakage current with decreased saturation current after irradiation. These findings indicate that high electric fields during stressing can generate defects by modifying strain distribution, and higher defect density can not only create more charges during irradiation but also accelerate the diffusion process from the ionizing track to the nearest collector and consequently degrade device performances.
Validation of a Novel Reaction Time Test Specific for Military Personnel
Authors: Janicijevic Danica , Miras-Moreno Sergio , Pérez-Castilla Alejandro , Vera Jesús , Redondo Beatriz , Jiménez Raimundo , Garcia-Ramos Amador
Published: November 2022

A military-specific reaction time (RT) test was developed to explore its reliability and sensitivity to discriminate between military personnel and sport science students. Fifteen male professional Spanish soldiers and 16 male sport science students completed two RT test modalities: military-specific and nonspecific RT tests. For each RT test modality, both the Simple (i.e., one stimulus, one response) and the Go, No-Go RT (i.e., true, and false stimuli, one response) were tested. The military-specific RT test consisted of a video presented through virtual reality glasses of a forest environment in which soldiers would appear from behind different bushes (stimuli) and the response consisted of pressing the button of a gun-shaped mouse (when they saw a soldier pointing a rifle at them). Both Simple and Go, No-Go RT reached acceptable reliability in both populations (coefficient of variation ≤ 9.64%). Military personnel presented a lower RT than sport science students during the military-specific RT test (p ≤ .001), while no differences were obtained during the nonspecific RT test. RT values were not significantly correlated between the military-specific and nonspecific RT tests (r ≤ .02). These findings collectively suggest that the novel military-specific RT test is an ecologically valid alternative to evaluate the information processing abilities of military personnel.
First field evidence of the electrical multipolar nature of volcanic aggregates
Authors: Pollastri Stefano , Rossi Eduardo , Bonadonna Costanza
Published: November 2022

The description of the formation of ash aggregates is crucial to our understanding of tephra dispersal and, therefore, to the forecasting of volcanic ash concentration in the atmosphere. Regardless of the importance of electrostatic processes, particle and aggregate charge is of complex determination both in the field and in the laboratory. We have measured the bulk charge carried by single aggregates at Sakurajima volcano (Japan) by inverting the sedimentation trajectory across two high-voltage copper plates filmed using a high-speed camera. Some aggregates were filmed during their breakage caused by the external electric field, which revealed the presence of inner highly charged multipoles with bulk charge up to one order of magnitude larger than the bulk aggregate. This electrical multipolar nature reveals the key role played by multipoles in aggregate formation and the shielding effect of aggregation on particle charge.