bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does risk aversion explain behavior in a lemon market?
Authors: Lin Lihui
Published: July 2022

Siegenthaler proposes an ingenious solution to the lemon market adverse selection problem. He incorporates ‘‘cheap talk’’ in which sellers send out costless and nonbinding messages informing potential buyers of the quality of their goods; these messages could be true or false. This segments the market into several submarkets. Potential buyers need to decide which submarket to enter and what price to bid for the goods. Sellers then decide whether to accept the bid or not. He experimentally tests his model and finds that the comparative static results align with his theory, although the data do not exactly fit the model. Indeed, he does not fit the model to the data. His theory assumes risk‐neutral decision‐makers (DMs). Two reasons why the fit is not perfect may be that the DMs are not risk neutral and not perfectly rational. In this note, we report the results of fitting an asymmetric risk averse quantal response equilibrium (QRE) extension of his model to his data, and we find that the extension fits well. We show that the results are consistent with the market evidence and shed light on future research on lemon markets.
Anaphylaxis in Brazil between 2011 and 2019
Authors: Tanno Luciana Kase , Molinari Nicolas , Annesi‐Maesano Isabella , Demoly Pascal , Bierrenbach Ana Luiza
Published: July 2022

Background

There is a lack of population‐based studies of anaphylaxis from low‐ and middle‐income countries. This hampers public health planning and investments and may influence availability of adrenaline auto‐injectors.

Objective

We conducted the first national population‐based study of anaphylaxis hospitalization in Brazil.

Methods

Descriptive study using routinely reported data to the Brazilian Hospital Information System for the years 2011–2019. Information available is coded based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)‐10 and covers main cause of hospitalization (primary cause) and any conditions contributing to it (secondary cause).

Results

Over 9 years, we identified 5716 admissions due to anaphylaxis for all causes. The average hospitalization rate related to anaphylaxis was 0.71/100,000 population per year, with a 2.4% (95% CI 1.9%, 2.9%) increase per annum over the study period. Admissions were more frequent among females (52.8%), except for cases due to insect sting. Most admissions occurred in adulthood, from 30 to 59 years (36.3%) but 13.8% in preschool children (0–4 years). There were more young children admitted for food‐related anaphylaxis, and more adults admitted for drug/iatrogenic‐related anaphylaxis. There were 334 cases (5.8% of admissions) of fatal anaphylaxis over the study period, with increased case fatality rate over time.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

This is the first study of anaphylaxis hospital admissions using nation‐wide data from a low‐ or middle‐income country. Hospital admissions and fatalities from anaphylaxis in Brazil appear to be increasing.
Climate‐informed models benefit hindcasting but present challenges when forecasting species–habitat associations
Authors: Barnes Cheryl L. , Essington Timothy E. , Pirtle Jodi L. , Rooper Christopher N. , Laman Edward A. , Holsman Kirstin K. , Aydin Kerim Y. , Thorson James T.
Published: July 2022

Although species distribution models (SDMs) are commonly used to hindcast fine‐scale population metrics, there remains a paucity of information about how well these models predict future responses to climate. Many conventional SDMs rely on spatially‐explicit but time‐invariant conditions to quantify species distributions and densities. We compared these status quo ‘static' models with more climate‐informed 'dynamic' SDMs to assess whether the addition of time‐varying processes would improve hindcast performance and/or forecast skill. Here, we present two groundfish case studies from the Bering Sea – a high latitude system that has recently undergone considerable warming. We relied on conventional statistics (R2, % deviance explained, UBRE or GCV) to evaluate hindcast performance for presence–absence, numerical abundance and biomass of arrowtooth flounder Atheresthes stomias and walleye pollock Gadus chalcogrammus. We then used retrospective skill testing to evaluate near‐term forecast skill. Retrospective skill testing enables direct comparisons between forecasts and observations through a process of fitting and forecasting nested submodels within a given time series. We found that the inclusion of time‐varying covariates improved hindcasts. However, dynamic models either did not improve or decreased forecast skill relative to static SDMs. This is likely a result of rapidly changing temperatures within the ecosystem, which required models to predict species responses to environmental conditions that were outside the range of observed values. Until additional model development allows for fully dynamic predictions, static model forecasts (or persistence forecasts from dynamic models) may serve as reliable placeholders, especially when anomalous conditions are anticipated. Nonetheless, our findings demonstrate support for the use of retrospective skill testing rather than selecting forecast models a priori based on their ability to quantify species–habitat associations in the past.
forestexplorR: an R package for the exploration and analysis of stem‐mapped forest stand data
Authors: Graham Stuart I. , Rokem Ariel , Hille Ris Lambers Janneke
Published: July 2022

Stem‐mapped forest stands offer important opportunities for investigating the fine‐scale spatial processes occurring in forest ecosystems. These stands are areas of the forest where the precise locations and repeated size measurements of each tree are recorded, thereby enabling the calculation of spatially‐explicit metrics of individual growth rates and of the entire tree community. The most common use of these datasets is to investigate the drivers of variation in forest processes by modeling tree growth rate or mortality as a function of these neighborhood metrics. However, neighborhood metrics could also serve as important covariates of many other spatially variable forest processes, including seedling recruitment, herbivory and soil microbial community composition. Widespread use of stem‐mapped forest stand datasets is currently hampered by the lack of standardized, efficient and easy‐to‐use tools to calculate tree dynamics (e.g. growth, mortality) and the neighborhood metrics that impact them. We present the forestexplorR package that facilitates the munging, exploration, visualization and analysis of stem‐mapped forest stands. By providing flexible, user‐friendly functions that calculate neighborhood metrics and implement a recently‐developed rapid‐fitting tree growth and mortality model, forestexplorR broadens the accessibility of stem‐mapped forest stand data. We demonstrate the functionality of forestexplorR by using it to investigate how the species identity of neighboring trees influences the growth rates of three common tree species in Mt Rainier National Park, WA, USA. forestexplorR is designed to facilitate researchers to incorporate spatially‐explicit descriptions of tree communities in their studies and we expect this increased diversity of contributors to develop exciting new ways of using stem‐mapped forest stand data.
Estimating the extended and hidden species diversity from environmental DNA in hyper‐diverse regions
Authors: Juhel Jean‐Baptiste , Marques Virginie , Utama Rizkie Satriya , Vimono Indra Bayu , Sugeha Hagi Yulia , Kadarusman Kadarusman , Cochet Christophe , Dejean Tony , Hoey Andrew , Mouillot David , Hocdé Régis , Pouyaud Laurent
Published: July 2022

Species inventories are the building blocks of our assessment of biodiversity patterns and human impact. Yet, historical inventories based on visual observations are often incomplete, impairing subsequent analyses of ecological mechanisms, extinction risk and management success. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is an emerging tool that can provide wider biodiversity assessments than classical visual‐based surveys. However, eDNA‐based inventories remain limited by sampling effort and reference database incompleteness. In this study, we propose a new framework coupling eDNA surveys and sampling‐theory methods to estimate species richness in under‐sampled and hyper‐diverse regions where some species remain absent from the checklist or undetected by visual surveys. We applied this framework to the coastal fish diversity in the heart of the coral triangle, the richest marine biodiversity hotspot worldwide. Combining data from 279 underwater visual censuses, 92 eDNA samples and an extensive custom genetic reference database, we show that eDNA metabarcoding recorded 196 putative species not detected by underwater visual census including 37 species absent from the regional checklist. We provide an updated checklist of marine fishes in the ‘Raja Ampat Bird's Head Peninsula' ecoregion with 2534 species including 1761 confirmed and 773 highly probable presences. The Chao lower‐bound diversity estimator, based on the incidence of rare species, shows that the region potentially hosts an additional 123 fish species, including pelagic, cryptobenthic and vulnerable species. The extended and hidden biodiversity along with their asymptotic estimates highlight the ability of eDNA to expand regional inventories and species distributions to better guide conservation strategies.
A synthesis of 15 years of instream woody habitat management: Progress towards benchmarks and assessing fish responses
Authors: Hale Robin , Kitchingman Adrian , Sharley Joanne , Reich Paul , Tonkin Zeb
Published: July 2022

There is increasing focus globally on restoration actions to mitigate the effects of humans on freshwater ecosystems. Given the substantial investments in these actions, there is a need to determine if they meet their intended ecological outcomes. Setting benchmarks and rigorous monitoring of responses to actions are essential but are often not undertaken.

Addition of instream woody habitat (IWH) is one of the most common stream rehabilitation techniques globally, particularly with the aim of enhancing fish populations. We present a synthesis of IWH interventions undertaken over a 15‐year period across the state of Victoria, in south‐eastern Australia. We collated data from 275 rivers on past IWH densities and, using benchmarks that had been set in earlier work, we examined how much current IWH levels deviated from this benchmark (Aim 1), as a way of assessing where IWH is degraded relative to estimated natural levels, and quantified progress towards achieving IWH benchmarks (Aim 2). We then used data from 25 intervention projects to assess fish responses to IWH additions using a meta‐analysis (Aim 3), including exploring the role of several predictors (time since intervention, baseline habitat density) on the magnitude of these responses.

Many rivers had lower IWH densities than their benchmarks. The density of IWH had increased by less than 20% in many waterways where IWH had been added. However, at some locations, IWH additions had led to density increases of more than 40%. Fish responses to IWH additions were mixed overall but we found evidence that positive effects are more likely at locations older than 8 years post‐intervention, and those in areas with higher IWH density prior to additions.

Our study highlighted: (1) deriving benchmarks can help set clear management targets, and facilitate meaningful evaluation of progress; and (2) fish responses to IWH additions may take several years (at least) to occur, and response trajectories can be non‐linear, including the potential for short‐term negative outcomes. Therefore, a long‐term commitment to monitoring and evaluation is needed. Consideration of these points will help river managers decide where to focus their efforts to maximise ecological responses to IWH additions and other restoration actions more broadly.
The effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions on family function among families after stroke: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhou Jia , He Bin , He Yaoyu , Zhu Hongxu , Zhang Mengmeng , Huang Wei , Wang Yuhuan
Published: July 2022

Aims

This meta‐analysis aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions on family function among families after stroke.

Background

Family function may be improved by psychoeducational intervention, but findings about the effect of psychoeducation on family function among families after stroke have been mixed.

Methods

This was a meta‐analysis carried out by searching five international electronic databases, including Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and CINAHL, as well as four national electronic databases, including Chinese Biological Medicine (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP and Wanfang. Two groups of researchers screened the studies independently, assessed the quality of the studies and extracted data. Meta‐analysis was performed by using the RevMan 5.3 software.

Results

Five studies on psychoeducational interventions were included. Pooled analysis of these studies showed a small effect of the interventions on improving family function (WMD: −0.13, 95% CI: −0.24 to −0.01, P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed significant differences between the psychoeducation and control groups at 1 month postintervention (WMD: −0.12, 95% CI: −0.18 to −0.05, P < 0.05) and more than 6 months postintervention (WMD: −0.14, 95% CI: −0.24 to −0.04, P < 0.05). The psychoeducational interventions also had positive effect on improving the problem solving (WMD: −0.22, 95% CI: −0.14 to −0.03, P < 0.05) and communication (WMD: −0.23, 95% CI: −0.41 to −0.05, P < 0.05) functions of the family. There were significant differences in the group of dyad intervention (WMD: −0.14, 95% CI: −0.25 to −0.02, P < 0.05) and the group using face to face method (WMD: −0.58, 95% CI: −0.84 to −0.32, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Synthesized results demonstrated the favourable effect of psychoeducational interventions on the improvement of the family function among families after stroke, especially in terms of family problem solving and family communication. Future psychoeducational intervention research design should consider the combination of multiple intervention methods and the applicable population of intervention.
Comparison of the medical costs between active surveillance and other treatments for early prostate cancer in Japan using data from the PRIAS‐JAPAN study
Authors: Kato Takuma , Yokomizo Akira , Matsumoto Ryuji , Tohi Yoichiro , Miyakawa Jimpei , Mitsuzuka Koji , Sasaki Hiroshi , Inokuchi Junichi , Matsumura Masafumi , Sakamoto Shinichi , Kinoshita Hidefumi , Fukuhara Hiroshi , Kamiya Naoto , Kimura Ryu , Nitta Masahiro , Okuno Hiroshi , Akakura Koichiro , Kakehi Yoshiyuki , Sugimoto Mikio
Published: July 2022

Objectives

To compare the medical costs of active surveillance with those of robot‐assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, brachytherapy, intensity‐modulated radiation therapy, and hormone therapy for low‐risk prostate cancer.

Methods

The costs of protocol biopsies performed in the first year of surveillance (between January 2010 and June 2020) and those of brachytherapy and radiation therapy performed between May 2019 and June 2020 at the Kagawa University Hospital were analyzed. Hormone therapy costs were assumed to be the costs of luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone analogs for over 5 years. Active surveillance‐eligible patients were defined based on the following: age <74 years, ≤T2, Gleason score ≤6, prostate‐specific antigen level ≤10 ng/ml, and 1–2 positive cores. We estimated the total number of active surveillance‐eligible patients in Japan based on the Japan Study Group of Prostate Cancer (J‐CAP) study and the 2017 cancer statistical data. We then calculated the 5‐year treatment costs of active surveillance‐eligible patients using the J‐CAP and PRIAS‐JAPAN study data.

Results

In 2017, number of active surveillance‐eligible patients in Japan was estimated to be 2808. The 5‐year total costs of surveillance, prostatectomy, brachytherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy were 1.65, 14.0, 4.61, 4.04, and 5.87 million United States dollar (USD), respectively. If 50% and 100% of the patients in each treatment group had opted for active surveillance as the initial treatment, the total treatment cost would have been reduced by USD 6.89 million (JPY 889 million) and USD 13.8 million (JPY 1.78 billion), respectively.

Conclusion

Expanding active surveillance to eligible patients with prostate cancer helps save medical costs.
Enhancing the injected electron concentration and thermionic emission property in C12A7:e− ceramic via Al site Zr doping
Authors: Luo Zhuang , Zhang Xin , Xiao Yixin , Liu Weikang , Han Shangru , Ju Shanshan , Liu Nan , Liu Yanqin , Lu Qingmei
Published: July 2022

[Ca24Al28O64]4+(4e−) (C12A7:e−) has excellent potential in electric propulsion owing to various advantages, including low work function, low working temperature, and stable chemical properties. However, increasing electron concentration enhances the thermionic emission property of C12A7:e−. This study used a chemical method—spark plasma sintering to synthesize Zr‐doped C12A7:e− (C12(A1 − xZx)7:e−, where x = 0 to 0.14). The study results show that C12(Al0.86Zr0.14)7:e− maximum injected electron concentration (n), conductivity (σ), electron mobility (μn), and zero‐field emission current density (Jo) improved to 2.4 × 1021 /cm3, 1507 S/cm, 5.2 cm2/V·s, and 2.4 A/cm2, respectively. The emission current density of the C12(Al0.86Zr0.14)7:e− could be maintained at about 2.9 A/cm2 under 1100°C, 4000 V, and 600 min. Theoretical calculation results prove that Zr doping broadens the cage conduction band (CCB) of C12A7:e− and reduces the bandgap between the CCB and the frame conduction band. In addition, Zr doping increases the electronic density of states near the Fermi level, and the density of states presents a continuous state. This helps to increase the injected electron concentration and enhance the electrical transport and thermionic emission characteristics of the sample. The calculation results provide theoretical support for the experiment.
Out of the temperate zone: A phylogenomic test of the biogeographical conservatism hypothesis in a contrarian clade of ants
Authors: Branstetter Michael G. , Longino John T. , Reyes‐López Joaquín L. , Brady Seán G. , Schultz Ted R.
Published: July 2022

Aim

The standard latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG), in which species richness decreases from equator to pole, is a pervasive pattern observed in most organisms. Some lineages, however, exhibit inverse LDGs. Seemingly problematic, documenting and studying contrarian groups can advance understanding of LDGs generally. Here, we identify one such contrarian clade and use a historical approach to evaluate alternative hypotheses that might explain the group's atypical diversity pattern. We focus on the biogeographical conservatism hypothesis (BCH) and the diversification rate hypothesis (DRH).

Location

Global.

Taxon

Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Stenammini).

Methods

We examined the shape of the LDG in Stenammini by plotting latitudinal midpoints for all extant, described species. We inferred a robust genome‐scale phylogeny using UCE data. We estimated divergence dates using beast2 and tested several biogeographical models in BioGeoBEARS. To examine diversification rates and test for a correlation between rate and latitude, we used the programs BAMM and STRAPP, respectively.

Results

Stenammini has a skewed inverse LDG with a richness peak in the northern temperate zone. Phylogenomic analyses revealed five major clades and several instances of non‐monophyly among genera (Goniomma, Aphaenogaster). Stenammini and all its major lineages arose in the northern temperate zone. The tribe originated ~51 Ma during a climatic optimum and then diversified and dispersed southward as global climate cooled. Stenammini invaded the tropics at least seven times, but these events occurred more recently and were not linked with increased diversification. There is evidence for a diversification rate increase in Holarctic Aphaenogaster + Messor, but we found no significant correlation between latitude and diversification rate generally.

Main Conclusions

Our results largely support the BCH as an explanation for the inverse latitudinal gradient in Stenammini. The clade originated in the Holarctic and likely became more diverse there due to center‐of‐origin, time‐for‐speciation and niche conservatism effects, rather than latitudinal differences in diversification rate.
Psychological legacies of intergenerational trauma under South African apartheid: Prenatal stress predicts greater vulnerability to the psychological impacts of future stress exposure during late adolescence and early adulthood in Soweto, South Africa
Authors: Kim Andrew Wooyoung , Said Mohamed Rihlat , Norris Shane A. , Richter Linda M. , Kuzawa Christopher W.
Published: July 2022

Background

South Africa's rates of psychiatric morbidity are among the highest in sub‐Saharan Africa and are foregrounded by the country's long history of political violence during apartheid. Growing evidence suggests that in utero stress exposure is a potent developmental risk factor for future mental illness risk, yet the extent to which the psychiatric effects of prenatal stress impact the next generation are unknown. We evaluate the intergenerational effects of prenatal stress experienced during apartheid on psychiatric morbidity among children at ages 17–18 and also assess the moderating effects of maternal age, social support, and past household adversity.

Methods

Participants come from Birth‐to‐Twenty, a longitudinal birth cohort study in Soweto‐Johannesburg, South Africa's largest peri‐urban township which was the epicentre of violent repression and resistance during the final years of the apartheid regime. Pregnant women were prospectively enrolled in 1990 and completed questionnaires assessing social experiences, and their children's psychiatric morbidity were assessed at ages 17–18.

Results

Full data were available from 304 mother–child pairs in 2007–8. Maternal prenatal stress in 1990 was not directly associated greater psychiatric morbidity during at ages 17–18. Maternal age and past household adversity moderated the intergenerational mental health effects of prenatal stress such that children born to younger mothers and late adolescent/young adult children experiencing greater household adversity exhibited worse psychiatric morbidity at ages 17–18. Social support did not buffer against the long‐term psychiatric impacts of prenatal stress.

Conclusions

Greater prenatal stress from apartheid predicted adverse psychiatric outcomes among children born to younger mothers and adolescents/young adults who experienced greater concurrent stress. Our findings suggest that prenatal stress may affect adolescent mental health, have stress‐sensitising effects, and represent possible intergenerational effects of trauma experienced under apartheid in this sample.
What determines foreign direct investment to India's pharmaceutical sector? Intellectual property implementation versus inherent institutional strength
Authors: Bhandarkar Supriya , Rajeev Meenakshi
Published: July 2022

The Indian pharmaceutical industry has assumed importance during the time of the pandemic. Historically, the absence of an intellectual property rights (IPR) regime in India helped reverse‐engineer products, leading to an exponential growth of the industry. This, however, disincentivised foreign direct investment (FDI) needed for innovation. The ratification of the Trade‐Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement in 1995 increased the confidence of foreign investors, allowing FDI inflow into the sector. However, we argue that the mere adoption of TRIPS is not sufficient for FDI and that its enforcement along with other institutional factors such as corruption and political stability play a crucial role. We also take into account competition for FDI among similarly placed nations, in this case from China. Methodologically, we construct a pharmaceutical patent index that measures the legal framework of IP protection specifically for the sector. An ARDL model using data from 1990 to 2019 shows that while the introduction of IPRs helped the inflow of FDI, the enforcement of these rights, as measured by the strengthening of the patent index, has led to a decrease in FDI. Interestingly, our results also show that India's own core competencies such as improving political stability while reducing corruption and trade barriers were the most dominant determinants. Through developing a concise sector‐specific patent index and taking into account institutional determinants, FDI inflow is analysed in a manner not studied otherwise.
Innate responses to con‐ and heterospecific alarm chemicals in juveniles of a freshwater shrimp
Authors: Ituarte R. B. , Nuñez J. D. , Spivak E. D. , Bas C. C.
Published: July 2022

Released substances from injured conspecifics and heterospecifics (alarm chemicals) often trigger inducible defenses (e.g., behavioral, morphological, and life‐history antipredator defenses). Although there are good reasons to assume that the detection of damage‐release chemicals may be inherited, immediate behaviors to alarm chemicals remain to be assessed in many aquatic taxa. This study examines changes in locomotor activity in juveniles of a freshwater shrimp,Palaemon argentinus, in response to (1) distilled water; (2) macerated adult conspecifics, and (3) macerated adult heterospecifics (a closely related, non‐coexisting species). We tested three sets of juveniles coming from (1) alarm cues‐unexposed mothers (naïve juveniles), (2) mothers exposed to macerated conspecifics, and (3) mothers exposed to macerated heterospecifics. Juveniles were tested for changes in locomotor activity before and after the addition of a corresponding stimulus. Locomotor activity of naïve juveniles decreased in response to con‐ and heterospecific stimuli, while it did not change in response to distilled‐water controls. Effect size, as Cohen'sdRM(the standard mean difference between the pre‐ and the post‐stimulus period using the pooled standard deviation) indicated that the reduction in locomotor activity was strong in response to conspecific stimulus (dRM = −1.521), but it was moderate in response to heterospecific stimulus (dRM = −0.682). While the responses of naïve juveniles indicate an innate recognition of alarm substances, the responses to heterospecifics likely arise from the recognition of chemicals with a molecular structure partly conserved between related species, as predicted by the phylogenetic relatedness hypothesis. Furthermore, juveniles from treated mothers behaved differently than the naïve ones, suggesting that juvenile behavioral traits were modified through embryonic experience. As the embryonic exposure to alarm cues occurs during embryogenesis, we assume that the mothers have perceived these cues also, which might have caused part of the observed developmental effects.
PROtein enriched MEDiterranean diet to combat undernutrition and promote healthy neuroCOGnitive ageing in older adults: The PROMED‐COG consortium project
Authors: O'Neill Roisin F. , Brennan Lorraine , Prinelli Federica , Sergi Giuseppe , Trevisan Caterina , De Groot Lisette C. P. G. M. , Volkert Dorothee , Maggi Stefania , Noale Marianna , Conti Silvia , Adorni Fulvio , Woodside Jayne V. , McKinley Michelle C. , McGuinness Bernadette , Cardwell Chris , McEvoy Claire T.
Published: July 2022

Dementia is a major public health challenge owing to its increasing prevalence and recognised impact on disability among older adults. Observational data indicate that weight loss is associated with increased dementia risk of 30%–40% and precedes a diagnosis of cognitive impairment or dementia by at least one decade. Although relatively little is known about the mechanisms of unintentional weight loss in dementia, this provides a window of opportunity to intervene with strategies to counteract undernutrition and delay, or prevent, the onset of dementia. This article provides an overview of the PROMED‐COG project and associated work packages. The project aimes to (1) strengthen the epidemiologic evidence to better understand the potential benefits of combating undernutrition for healthy neurocognitive ageing; (2) increase scientific knowledge on the balance between a protein enriched Mediterranean diet (PROMED) and physical exercise to prevent undernutrition and promote healthy neurocognitive ageing, and generate data on mechanistic pathways; (3) stimulate collaboration and capacity building for nutrition and neurocognitive ageing research in Europe; and (4) develop public and practice recommendations to combat undernutrition and promote healthy neurocognitive ageing in older adults. Findings will provide new and critical insights into the role of undernutrition in neurocognitive ageing, how this role can differ by sex, genetic risk and timing of undernutrition exposure, and how modifications of dietary and physical activity behaviour can reduce the burden of undernutrition and neurodegeneration. The research outcomes will be useful to inform policy and practice about the dietary guidelines of older people and provide insight to industry for the development of food‐based solutions to prevent undernutrition.
Butyrate to combat obesity and obesity‐associated metabolic disorders: Current status and future implications for therapeutic use
Authors: van Deuren Thirza , Blaak Ellen E. , Canfora Emanuel E.
Published: July 2022

Evidence is increasing that disturbances in the gut microbiome may play a significant role in the etiology of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The short chain fatty acid butyrate, a major end product of the bacterial fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates, is reputed to have anti‐inflammatory properties and positive effects on body weight control and insulin sensitivity. However, whether butyrate has therapeutic potential for the treatment and prevention of obesity and obesity‐related complications remains to be elucidated. Overall, animal studies strongly indicate that butyrate administered via various routes (e.g., orally) positively affects adipose tissue metabolism and functioning, energy and substrate metabolism, systemic and tissue‐specific inflammation, and insulin sensitivity and body weight control. A limited number of human studies demonstrated interindividual differences in clinical effectiveness suggesting that outcomes may depend on the metabolic, microbial, and lifestyle‐related characteristics of the target population. Hence, despite abundant evidence from animal data, support of human data is urgently required for the implementation of evidence‐based oral and gut‐derived butyrate interventions. To increase the efficacy of butyrate‐focused interventions, future research should investigate which factors impact treatment outcomes including baseline gut microbial activity and functionality, thereby optimizing targeted‐interventions and identifying individuals that merit most from such interventions.
Necrosis and ethylene‐inducing‐like peptide patterns from crop pathogens induce differential responses within seven brassicaceous species
Authors: Schoonbeek Henk‐jan , Yalcin Hicret Asli , Burns Rachel , Taylor Rachel Emma , Casey Adam , Holt Sam , Van den Ackerveken Guido , Wells Rachel , Ridout Christopher J.
Published: July 2022

Translational research is required to advance fundamental knowledge on plant immunity towards application in crop improvement. Recognition of microbe/pathogen‐associated molecular patterns (MAMPs/PAMPs) triggers a first layer of immunity in plants. The broadly occurring family of necrosis‐ and ethylene‐inducing peptide 1 (NEP1)‐like proteins (NLPs) contains immunogenic peptide patterns that are recognized by a number of plant species. Arabidopsis can recognize NLPs by the pattern recognition receptor AtRLP23 and its co‐receptors SOBIR1, BAK1, and BKK1, leading to induction of defence responses including the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and elevation of intracellular [Ca2+]. However, little is known about NLP perception in Brassica crop species. Within 12 diverse accessions for each of six Brassica crop species, we demonstrate variation in response to Botrytis cinerea NLP BcNEP2, with Brassica oleracea (CC genome) being nonresponsive and only two Brassica napus cultivars responding to BcNEP2. Peptides derived from four fungal pathogens of these crop species elicited responses similar to BcNEP2 in B. napus and Arabidopsis. Induction of ROS by NLP peptides was strongly reduced in Atrlp23, Atsobir1 and Atbak1‐5 Atbkk1‐1 mutants, confirming that recognition of Brassica pathogen NLPs occurs in a similar manner to that of HaNLP3 from Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis in Arabidopsis. In silico analysis of the genomes of two B. napus accessions showed similar presence of homologues for AtBAK1, AtBKK1 and AtSOBIR1 but variation in the organization of AtRLP23 homologues. We could not detect a strong correlation between the ability to respond to NLP peptides and resistance to B. cinerea.
Reproductive sterility in aquaculture: A review of induction methods and an emerging approach with application to Pacific Northwest finfish species
Authors: Xu Lan , Zhao Mingli , Ryu Jun Hyung , Hayman Edward S. , Fairgrieve William T. , Zohar Yonathan , Luckenbach J. Adam , Wong Ten‐Tsao
Published: July 2022

Aquaculture is the fastest‐growing food‐production sector and is striving to become a long‐term sustainable approach to meet the rising global demand for seafood. During the expansion and advancement of aquaculture, minimizing ecological impacts should occur concomitantly with maximizing production. Farmed fish, often genetically distinct from their natural conspecifics, may pose significant risks of genetic contamination and ecological imbalance to wild populations if they escape from aquaculture confinement. Growing reproductively sterile fish is the most effective way to genetically contain farmed fish. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) escape events in the ‘Pacific Northwest’ region of the United States and Canada have raised alarms over potential ecological impacts and led to legislation in Washington State phasing out the culture of non‐native finfish species. Farming sterile native species such as coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) in the Pacific Northwest would ease public concerns and promote environmentally and economically sustainable aquaculture. Sterile fish also can mitigate the challenge of precocious maturation, a prominent issue associated with culture of salmonids and many other species, to improve somatic growth, flesh quality and fish health and welfare. Here, we review methods having potential applications for producing sterile fish and introduce our novel immersion‐based technology that temporarily silences the dead end (dnd) gene using Morpholino oligonucleotides to produce sterile coho salmon and sablefish for the first time. The successful induction of sterility in these two iconic Pacific Northwest species without introducing genetic modifications would promote the use of this immersion‐based sterilization technology for more aquaculture finfish worldwide.
Working time reduction and employment in a finite world*
Authors: Fagnart Jean‐François , Germain Marc , Van der Linden Bruno
Published: July 2022

We study the consequences of a working time reduction (WTR) in a growth model with efficiency wages and an essential natural resource (natural capital), and in which technical progress cannot reduce the resource content of final production to zero. We show that if natural capital is scarce enough, a WTR increases the long‐term levels of the hourly wage and employment. A numerical analysis of the transitory impacts of a WTR confirms that when natural capital is scarcer, a WTR increases employment more and the hourly wage less, with a less negative initial impact on output.
Immanence in Schelling and Hegel in the Jena Period
Authors: Bubbio Paolo Diego , Fulvi Daniele
Published: July 2022

In this article, we argue that in the Jena period (1801–1803) Schelling and Hegel both rejected the conception of God as coinciding with the moral order, which they attribute to Fichte; such coincidence, in their view, turned God into a transcendent and merely moral Being. In an effort to demonstrate their distance from Fichte's view, we contend, Schelling and Hegel advocated for a metaphysical (rather than merely moral) and immanent (rather than transcendent) understanding of God, conceived in its inextricable relation with nature and self‐consciousness. We conclude by demonstrating that the cooperation between Schelling and Hegel in the Jena period led them to develop an analogous conception of immanence—which already foreshadows, however, the different directions that Schelling and Hegel take in their mature works.
Who needs cash? The deservingness perceptions of Brazilian civil servants in cash‐based social policy implementation
Authors: de Andrade Luiz Henrique Alonso , Pekkola Elias
Published: July 2022

Drawing on existing European research findings, we assess factors driving Brazilian social security street‐level officials' deservingness perceptions through survey and administrative data. Ordered regression analyses gauge the effects of socioeconomic status, social work academic background and face‐to‐face contact with the public on these officials' perceptions towards social assistance beneficiaries under seven deservingness criteria. A middle‐class socioeconomic status increased the odds that beneficiaries are seen as undeserving under the criteria of social investment, control and reciprocity, while a high socioeconomic status is linked to benevolent perceptions of their need. A social work academic background is strongly linked to higher overall deservingness perceptions, whereas frequent face‐to‐face contact with the public can reduce them under the control deservingness criterion. The research takes a new step in the direction of deservingness survey studies, suggesting the formulation of new analytical frameworks and increasing policymakers' awareness of the importance of variables driving bureaucracy decisions.
Usefulness of squash preparation cytology in the diagnosis of canine urinary bladder carcinomas
Authors: Pierini Alessio , Criscuolo Maria Carla , Bonfanti Ugo , Benvenuti Elena , Marchetti Veronica , Bottero Enrico
Published: July 2022

Background

Epithelial cells show varying degrees of cytologic atypia in dogs with nonmalignant lesions (NML) and carcinomas (ubC) of the bladder, making histopathologic examination necessary for a definitive diagnosis.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of squash preparation cytology and identify several cytomorphologic features of ubC to assist in diagnoses.

Methods

Squash preparations were made and reviewed in dogs that underwent transurethral cystoscopy. The results were compared with histopathologic diagnoses. Two cytopathologists performed blinded assessments using a scoring system established for 11 cytologic features, including the presence of macronuclei, abnormal nucleoli, atypical mitoses, signet ring cells, multinucleated cells, nuclear molding, anisokaryosis, cytoplasmatic microvacuolization, cell arrangements, and neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltrations. Based on cytologic and histopathologic diagnoses, dogs were divided into ubC and NML groups. Associations between cytologic and histopathologic diagnoses were investigated, and agreement between the cytopathologists was calculated. Cytologic features were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression models. The performance of predictors in the final model was evaluated in terms of Sensitivity (Se), Specificity (Sp), accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), likelihood ratio positive (LR+), and negative (LR‐) values, and the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR).

Results

Forty‐four dogs diagnosed with ubC, and 17 with NML were included in the study. Cytologic and histopathologic diagnoses were significantly associated with each cytopathologist. There was an almost perfect agreement between cytopathologists (κ = 0.88). The absence of neutrophilic infiltration, the presence of multinucleated cells, and nuclear molding were associated with ubC; using a combination of these features in parallel testing resulted in Se = 0.98, Sp = 0.65, accuracy = 0.89, PPV = 0.88, NPV = 0.92, LR + =2.77, LR‐ = 0.04, and DOR = 7.7.

Conclusions

Squash preparation cytology could be a reliable technique to diagnose ubC in dogs. The best diagnostic combination was the absence of neutrophilic infiltration, multinucleated cells, and nuclear molding.
A Strategy to Inform Athlete Sleep Support From Questionnaire Data and Its Application in an Elite Athlete Cohort
Authors: Suppiah Haresh T. , Gastin Paul B. , Driller Matthew W.
Published: July 2022

Purpose: Information from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (ASBQ) provide the ability to identify the sleep disturbances experienced by athletes and their associated athlete-specific challenges that cause these disturbances. However, determining the appropriate support strategy to optimize the sleep habits and characteristics of large groups of athletes can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. The purpose of this study was to characterize the sleep profiles of elite athletes to optimize sleep-support strategies and present a novel R package, AthSlpBehaviouR, to aid practitioners with athlete sleep monitoring and support efforts. Methods: PSQI and ASBQ data were collected from a cohort of 412 elite athletes across 27 sports through an electronic survey. A k-means cluster analysis was employed to characterize the unique sleep-characteristic typologies based on PSQI and ASBQ component scores. Results: Three unique clusters were identified and qualitatively labeled based on the z scores of the PSQI components and ASBQ components: cluster 1, “high-priority; poor overall sleep characteristics + behavioral-focused support”; cluster 2, “medium-priority, sleep disturbances + routine/environment-focused support”; and cluster 3, “low-priority; acceptable sleep characteristics + general support.” Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight the practical utility of an unsupervised learning approach to perform clustering on questionnaire data to inform athlete sleep-support recommendations. Practitioners can consider using the AthSlpBehaviouR package to adopt a similar approach in athlete sleep screening and support provision.
The Effect of Physical Exertional Testing on Postconcussion Symptom Scale Scores in Male and Female High School Students
Authors: Miutz Lauren N. , Emery Carolyn A. , Black Amanda M. , Jordan Matthew J. , Smirl Jonathan D. , Schneider Kathryn J.
Published: July 2022

Purpose: Symptom scores commonly measured following concussion were compared between male and female adolescents with (Hx+) and without (Hx−) a history of concussion, pre and post physical exertion testing. Methods: Eighty (males [n = 60; Hx+ = 19], female [n = 20; Hx+ = 5]) high school students (ages 15–17 y) completed the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test once and the modified shuttle run test twice. Symptom scores were collected using the 22-point Symptom Evaluation Scale on the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (version 5) immediately pre and post physical exertion testing. Results: The symptoms most reported during preexertional testing were fatigue/low energy, feeling slowed down, and nervous/anxious, whereas feeling slowed down, fatigue/low energy, “pressure in head” (males only), and headache (females only) were most frequently reported during postexertion testing. Conclusion: An understanding of the common exertion-related symptoms at baseline in a laboratory or field-based setting in adolescents may be advantageous for clinicians as they manage individual recovery postconcussion. This is particularly important during an adolescent’s recovery and return to play when exertional testing may be implemented, especially since symptoms were reported pre and post exertional testing in both males and females regardless of concussion history.
Electro-mechanical coupling of KCNQ channels is a target of epilepsy-associated mutations and retigabine
Authors: Yang Nien-Du , Kanyo Richard , Zhao Lu , Li Jingru , Kang Po Wei , Dou Alex Kelly , White Kelli McFarland , Shi Jingyi , Nerbonne Jeanne M. , Kurata Harley T. , Cui Jianmin
Published: July 2022

KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 form the M-channels that are important in regulating neuronal excitability. Inherited mutations that alter voltage-dependent gating of M-channels are associated with neonatal epilepsy. In the homolog KCNQ1 channel, two steps of voltage sensor activation lead to two functionally distinct open states, the intermediate-open (IO) and activated-open (AO), which define the gating, physiological, and pharmacological properties of KCNQ1. However, whether the M-channel shares the same mechanism is unclear. Here, we show that KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 feature only a single conductive AO state but with a conserved mechanism for the electro-mechanical (E-M) coupling between voltage sensor activation and pore opening. We identified some epilepsy-linked mutations in KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 that disrupt E-M coupling. The antiepileptic drug retigabine rescued KCNQ3 currents that were abolished by a mutation disrupting E-M coupling, suggesting that modulating the E-M coupling in KCNQ channels presents a potential strategy for antiepileptic therapy.
Secondary Metabolites Produced during Aspergillus fumigatus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Formation
Authors: Bastos Rafael Wesley , Akiyama Daniel , dos Reis Thaila Fernanda , Colabardini Ana Cristina , Luperini Rafael Sanchez , de Castro Patrícia Alves , Baldini Regina Lúcia , Fill Taícia , Goldman Gustavo H.
Published: July 2022

The interaction between
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
and
Aspergillus fumigatus
has been well characterized
in vitro
. In this scenario, the bacterium exerts a strong inhibitory effect against the fungus.
Genome Sequence of Arthrobacter globiformis Phage KeAlii from Hawaiʻi
Authors: Chong Rebecca A. ,   University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa SEA-PHAGES students, Donachie Stuart P. , Reed Floyd A. , Porter Megan L.
Published: July 2022

Here, we report the genome sequence of bacteriophage KeAlii, a
Siphoviridae
that infects
Arthrobacter globiformis
strain B-2979, from Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. The 41,850-bp genome contains 66 predicted protein-coding genes and 1 gene that encodes a tRNA for tryptophan. Genome comparisons suggest KeAlii is closely related to actinobacteriophage Adolin.
Revealing Genomic Insights of the Unexplored Porcine Pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Using Whole Genome Sequencing
Authors: Guitart-Matas Judith , Gonzalez-Escalona Narjol , Maguire Meghan , Vilaró Anna , Martinez-Urtaza Jaime , Fraile Lorenzo , Migura-Garcia Lourdes
Published: July 2022

Pleuropneumonia is one of the most relevant respiratory infections in the swine industry. Despite
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae
(APP) being one of the most important pathogens in the pig production, this is the first comparative study including all available whole genome sequencing data from NCBI.
PNPase and RhlB Interact and Reduce the Cellular Availability of Oxidized RNA in
Deinococcus radiodurans
Authors: Han Runhua , Jiang Jessie , Fang Jaden , Contreras Lydia M.
Published: July 2022

Oxidative RNA damage can be caused by oxidative stress, such as hydrogen peroxide, ionizing radiation, and antibiotic treatment. 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG), a major type of oxidized RNA, is highly mutagenic and participates in a variety of disease occurrences and development. Although several proteins have been identified to recognize 8-oxoG-modified RNA, the knowledge of how RNA oxidative damage is controlled largely remains unclear, especially in nonmodel organisms.