bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Individual differences in proprioception predict the extent of implicit sensorimotor adaptation
Authors: Tsay Jonathan S. , Kim Hyosub E. , Parvin Darius E. , Stover Alissa R. , Ivry Richard B.
Published: October 2020

Recent studies have revealed an upper bound in motor adaptation, beyond which other learning systems may be recruited. The factors determining this upper bound are poorly understood. The multisensory integration hypothesis states that this limit arises from opposing responses to visual and proprioceptive feedback. As individuals adapt to a visual perturbation, they experience an increasing proprioceptive error in the opposite direction, and the upper bound is the point where these two error signals reach an equilibrium. Assuming that visual and proprioceptive feedback are weighted according to their variability, there should be a correlation between proprioceptive variability and the limits of adaptation. Alternatively, the proprioceptive realignment hypothesis states that the upper bound arises when the (biased) sensed hand position realigns with the target. When a visuo-proprioceptive discrepancy is introduced, the sensed hand position is biased towards the visual cursor and the adaptive system nullifies this discrepancy by driving the hand away from the target. This hypothesis predicts a correlation between the size of the proprioceptive shift and the upper bound of adaptation. We tested these two hypotheses by considering natural variation in proprioception and motor adaptation across individuals. We observed a modest, yet reliable correlation between the upper bound of adaptation withbothproprioceptive measures (variability and shift). While these results do not favor one hypothesis over the other, they underscore the critical role of proprioception in sensorimotor adaptation, and moreover, motivate a novel perspective on how these proprioceptive constraints drive implicit changes in motor behavior.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

While the sensorimotor system uses sensory feedback to remain properly calibrated, this learning process is constrained, limited in the maximum degree of plasticity. The factors determining this limit remain elusive. Guided by two hypotheses concerning how visual and proprioceptive information are integrated, we show that individual differences in the upper bound of adaptation in response to a visual perturbation can be predicted by the bias and variability in proprioception. These results underscore the critical, but often neglected role of proprioception in human motor learning.
Leptin-receptor neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus regulate the timing of circadian rhythms in feeding and metabolism in mice
Authors: Faber Chelsea L. , Deem Jennifer D. , Phan Bao Anh , Doan Tammy P. , Ogimoto Kayoko , Mirzadeh Zaman , Schwartz Michael W. , Morton Gregory J.
Published: October 2020

Animal behavior and metabolism are tightly coordinated with sleep-wake cycles governed by the brain in harmony with environmental light:dark cycles. Within the brain, the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH) has been implicated in the integrative control of feeding, energy homeostasis, and circadian rhythms [1], but the underlying cell types are unknown. Here, we identify a role for DMH leptin receptor-expressing neurons (DMHLepR) in these effects. Using a viral approach, we show that silencing DMHLepRneurons in adult mice not only increases body weight and adiposity, but also shifts circadian rhythms in feeding and metabolism into the light-cycle. Moreover, DMHLepRsilencing abolishes the normal increase in dark-cycle locomotor activity characteristic of nocturnal rodents. Furthermore, DMHLepR-silenced mice fail to entrain to a restrictive change in food availability. Together, these findings identify DMHLepRneurons as critical determinants of the daily time of feeding and associated metabolic rhythms.
Sucrose transport and metabolism control carbon partitioning between stem and grain in rice
Authors: Mathan Jyotirmaya , Singh Anuradha , Ranjan Aashish
Published: October 2020

The source-sink relationship is key to overall crop performance. Detailed understanding of the factors that determine source-sink dynamics is imperative for the balance of biomass and grain yield in crop plants. We investigated the differences in the source-sink relationship between a cultivated riceOryza sativacv. Nipponbare and a wild riceOryza australiensisthat show striking differences in biomass and grain yield.Oryza australiensis, accumulating higher biomass, not only showed higher photosynthesis per unit leaf area but also exported more sucrose from leaves than Nipponbare. However, grain features and sugar levels suggested limited sucrose mobilization to the grains in the wild rice due to vasculature and sucrose transporter functions. Low cell wall invertase activity and high sucrose synthase cleavage activity followed by higher expression of cellulose synthase genes inOryza australiensisstem utilized photosynthates preferentially for the synthesis of structural carbohydrates, resulting in high biomass. In contrast, the source-sink relationship favored high grain yield in Nipponbare via accumulation of transitory starch in the stem, due to higher expression of starch biosynthetic genes, which is mobilized to panicles at the grain filling stage. Thus, vascular features, sucrose transport, and functions of sugar metabolic enzymes explained the differences in the source-sink relationship between Nipponbare andOryza australiensis.

Highlight

Vascular features, sucrose transport, and sugar metabolic enzyme activity contribute to the differential source-sink relationship between the selected cultivated and wild rice that differ in biomass and grain yield.
In silicocharacterization and expression profiles of zinc transporter-like (LOC100037509) gene of tomato
Authors: Kabir Ahmad Humayan
Published: October 2020

Zinc (Zn) is an essential microelement for plants. ZIP transporters play a critical role in Zn homeostasis in plants. Thisin silicostudy characterizes different features of putative Zn transporter of tomato (Solyc07g065380) and its homologs. A total of 10 ZIP protein homologs were identified across nine plant species by protein BLAST. All these ZIP protein homologs located at chromosome 7 showed 305-350 amino acid residues, 7-8 transmembrane helices, and stable instability index. Further, these ZIP protein homologs are localized in the plasma membrane at the subcellular level corresponding to the ZIP zinc transporter (PF02535) domain. Gene organization analysis reveals the presence of 3 exon along with the position of the promoter, TATA-box, transcriptional start site, and splice sites in these ZIP transporter homologs, in which tomato ZIP transporter (NM_001247420.1) contains a promoter, TATA-box, transcriptional start site at 500, 911 and 946 bp, respectively along with several splice sites, which may be useful for targeting binding sites and transcription factor analysis. Further, the cutting sites and restriction enzymes of each ZIP gene homologs might be helpful for future transgenic studies underlying Zn homeostasis. MEMO displayed five conserved motifs associated with the ZIP zinc transporter, N-glycosylation site, and phosphorylation site. Phylogenetic studies reveal a close relationship of Solyc07g065380 withSolanum pennelliihomolog, while ZIP transporter ofNicotiana sylvestrisandNicotiana tabacumpredicted to be in close connection. The Solyc07g065380 transporter is predominantly linked to several uncharacterized zinc metal ion transporters and expressed in diverse anatomical part, developmental stage, and subjected to pathogen and heat stress. The secondary structural prediction reveals unique signal peptide in the ZIP protein homologs ofS. lycopersicumandS. pennelliialong with extended alpha-helix. These bioinformatics analyses might provide essential background to perform wet-lab experiments and to understand Zn homeostasis for the development of Zn-biofortified crops.

Key message

♦ ZIP protein homologs are localized in the plasma membrane and are linked to ZIP zinc transporter (PF02535) domain at chromosome 7.

♦ ZIP protein motifs are associated with the ZIP zinc transporter, N-glycosylation site, and phosphorylation site.

♦ Phylogenetic studies reveal a closet relationship of Solyc07g065380 withSolanum pennelliihomolog.

♦ ZIP protein homologs ofS. lycopersicumandS. pennelliishow unique signal peptide along with extended alpha-helix.
Generating new FANCA-deficient HNSCC cell lines by genomic editing recapitulate the cellular phenotypes of Fanconi anemia
Authors: Errazquin Ricardo , Sieiro Esther , Moreno Pilar , Ramirez María José , Lorz Corina , Peral Jorge , Casado José Antonio , Roman-Rodriguez Francisco J. , Hanenberg Helmut , Río Paula , Surralles Jordi , Segrelles Carmen , Garcia-Escudero Ramon
Published: October 2020

Fanconi anemia (FA) patients have an exacerbated risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Treatment is challenging as FA patients display enhanced toxicity to standard treatments, including radio/chemotherapy. Therefore better therapies as well as new disease models are urgently needed. We have used CRISPR/Cas9 editing tools in order to interrupt the humanFANCAgene by the generation of insertions/deletions (indels) in exon 4 in two cancer cell lines from sporadic HNSCC having no mutation in FA-genes: CAL27 and CAL33 cells. Our approach allowed efficient editing, subsequent purification of single-cell clones, and Sanger sequencing validation at the edited locus. Clones having frameshift indels in homozygosis did not express FANCA protein and were selected for further analysis. When compared with parental CAL27 and CAL33,FANCA-mutant cell clones displayed a FA-phenotype as they i) are highly sensitive to DNA interstrand crosslink (ICL) agents such as mitomycin C (MMC) or cisplatin, ii) do not monoubiquitinate FANCD2 upon MMC treatment and therefore iii) do not formFANCD2nuclear foci, and iv) they display increased chromosome fragility and G2 arrest after diepoxybutane (DEB) treatment. TheseFANCA-mutant clones display similar growth rates as their parental cells. Interestingly, mutant cells acquire phenotypes associated with more aggressive disease, such as increased migration in wound healing assays. Therefore, CAL27 and CAL33 cells withFANCAmutations are phenocopies of FA-HNSCC cells.
Perceptual coupling and decoupling of the default mode network during mind-wandering and reading
Authors: Zhang Meichao , Bernhardt Boris , Wang Xiuyi , Varga Dominika , Krieger-Redwood Katya , Royer Jessica , Rodriguez-Cruces Raul , Vos de Wael Reinder , Margulies Daniel S. , Smallwood Jonathan , Jefferies Elizabeth
Published: October 2020

While reading, the mind can wander to unrelated autobiographical information, creating a perceptually-decoupled state detrimental to narrative comprehension. To understand how this mind-wandering state emerges, we asked whether retrieving autobiographical content necessitates functional disengagement from visual input. In Experiment 1, brain activity was recorded using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in an experimental situation mimicking naturally occurring mind-wandering, allowing us to precisely delineate neural regions involved in memory and reading. Individuals read expository texts and ignored personally relevant autobiographical memories, as well as the opposite situation. Medial regions of the default mode network (DMN) were recruited during memory retrieval. In contrast, left temporal and lateral prefrontal regions of the DMN, as well as ventral visual cortex, were recruited when reading for comprehension. Experiment 2 used functional connectivity at rest to establish that (i) DMN regions linked to memory are more functionally decoupled from regions of ventral visual cortex than regions in the same network engaged when reading, and (ii) individuals reporting more mind-wandering and worse comprehension, while reading in the lab, showed increased functional decoupling between visually-connected DMN sites important for reading and a region of dorsal occipital cortex linked to autobiographical memory in Experiment 1. These data suggest we lose track of the narrative when our mind wanders because the generation of autobiographical mental content relies on cortical regions within the DMN which are functionally decoupled from ventral visual regions engaged during reading.

Significance statement

When the mind wanders during reading, we lose track of information from the narrative. We hypothesised that poor comprehension occurs because retrieving autobiographical memories reduces the perceptual coupling necessary to understand written words. We show that default mode network (DMN) areas involved in reading are functionally more connected to ventral visual regions than DMN regions important for autobiographical memory. Furthermore, individuals who mind-wander more, and comprehend less, have weaker connectivity between visually-coupled DMN regions linked to reading and dorsal occipital areas linked to autobiographical memory. These data suggest that when our minds wander during reading, retrieval of personally-relevant information activates DMN regions that are functionally disconnected from visual input, creating a perceptually decoupled state detrimental to comprehension.
Bayes Estimate of Primary Threshold in Cluster-wise fMRI Inferences
Authors: Ge Yunjiang , Hare Stephanie , Chen Gang , Waltz James , Kochunov Peter , Hong L. Elliot , Chen Shuo
Published: October 2020

Cluster-wise statistical inference is the most widely used technique for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data analyses. Cluster-wise statistical inference consists of two steps: i) primary thresholding that excludes less significant voxels by a pre-specified cut-off (e.g.,p< 0.001); and ii) cluster-wise thresholding that controls the family-wise error rate (FWER) caused by clusters consisting of false positive suprathreshold voxels. It has been well known that the selection of the primary threshold is critical because it determines both statistical power and false discovery rate. However, in most existing statistical packages, the primary threshold is selected based on prior knowledge (e.g.,p< 0.001) without taking into account the information in the data. In this manuscript, we propose a data-driven approach to objectively select the optimal primary threshold based on an empirical Bayes framework. We evaluate the proposed model using extensive simulation studies and an fMRI data example. The results show that our method can effectively increase statistical power while effectively controlling the false discovery rate.
Reference ontology and database annotation of the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19)
Authors: Giles Oliver , Huntley Rachael , Karlsson Anneli , Lomax Jane , Malone James
Published: October 2020

The COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19) was released in March 2020 to allow the machine learning and wider research community to develop techniques to answer scientific questions on COVID-19. The dataset consists of a large collection of scientific literature, including over 100,000 full text papers. Annotating training data to normalise variability in biological entities can improve the performance of downstream analysis and interpretation. To facilitate and enhance the use of the CORD-19 data in these applications, in late March 2020 we performed a comprehensive annotation process using named entity recognition tool, TERMite, along with a number of large reference ontologies and vocabularies including domains of genes, proteins, drugs and virus strains. The additional annotation has identified and tagged over 45 million entities within the corpus made up of 62,746 unique biomedical entities. The latest updated version of the annotated data, as well as older versions, is made openly available under GPL-2.0 License for the community to use at:https://github.com/SciBiteLabs/CORD19
DOT1L methyltransferase regulates the calcium influx in erythroid progenitor cells in response to erythropoietin
Authors: Feng Yi , Borosha Shaon , Ratri Anamika , Housami Sami M. , Chakravarthi V. Praveen , Wang Huizhen , Vivian Jay L. , Fields Timothy A , Kinsey William , Rumi MA Karim , Fields Patrick E.
Published: October 2020

Erythropoietin (EPO) signaling plays a vital role in erythropoiesis by regulating proliferation and lineage-specific differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells. An important downstream response of EPO signaling is calcium influx, which is regulated by transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) proteins, particularly TRPC2 and TRPC6. While EPO induces Ca2+influx through TRPC2, TRPC6 inhibits the function of TRPC2. Thus, interactions between TRPC2 and TRPC6 regulate the rate of Ca2+influx in EPO-induced erythropoiesis. In this study, we observed that the expression of TRPC6 in c-KIT positive erythroid progenitor cells is regulated by DOT1L. DOT1L is a methyltransferase that plays an important role in many biological processes during embryonic development, including early erythropoiesis. We previously reported thatDot1Lknockout (Dot1L-KO) hematopoietic progenitors in the yolk sac failed to develop properly, which resulted in lethal anemia. In this study, we have detected a marked downregulation ofTrpc6gene expression inDot1L-KOprogenitor cells in the yolk sac compared to wildtype. However, the expression ofTrpc2, the positive regulator of Ca2+influx, remained unchanged. The promoter and the proximal region of theTrpc6gene loci exhibited an enrichment of H3K79 methylation, which is mediated solely by DOT1L. As the loss of DOT1L affects the expression of TRPC6, which inhibits Ca2+influx by TRPC2,Dot1L-KOprogenitor cells in the yolk sac exhibit accelerated and sustained high levels of Ca2+influx. Such heightened Ca2+levels might have detrimental effects on the development of hematopoietic progenitor cells in response to erythropoietin.
Precision Targeting of the Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Mechanism Increases Efficacy of Fibrinolytic Therapy in Empyema
Authors: Florova Galina , Girard René A. , Azghani Ali O. , Sarva Krishna , Buchanan Ann , Karandashova Sophia , DeVera Christian J. , Morris Danna , Chamiso Mignote , Koenig Kathleen , Cines Douglas B. , Idell Steven , Komissarov Andrey A.
Published: October 2020

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is an endogenous irreversible inhibitor of tissue-type (tPA) and urokinase (uPA) plasminogen activators. PAI-1-targeted fibrinolytic therapy (PAI-1-TFT) is designed to decrease the therapeutic dose of tPA and uPA to attenuate the risk of bleeding and other complications. The docking site peptide (DSP) is a part of the PAI-1 reactive center loop, which interacts with plasminogen activators, thus affecting the PAI-1 mechanism. We used DSP for PAI-1-TFT in two rabbit models: chemically-induced pleural injury andStreptococcus pneumoniaeinduced empyema. PAI-1-TFT with DSP combined with single chain uPA or tPA resulted in an up to 8-fold decrease in the minimal effective therapeutic dose of plasminogen activator and induced no bleeding. An increase in the level of PAI-1 in infectious pleural injury, when compared to chemically-induced injury, coincided with an increase in the minimal effective dose of plasminogen activator and DSP. PAI-1 is a valid molecular target inS. pneumoniaeempyema model in rabbits, which closely recapitulates key characteristics of empyema in humans. Low dose PAI-1-TFT is a novel precise interventional strategy that may improve fibrinolytic therapy of empyema in clinical practice.
Translational activity is uncoupled from nucleic acid content in bacterial cells of the human gut microbiota
Authors: Taguer Mariia , Shapiro B. Jesse , Maurice Corinne F.
Published: October 2020

Background

Changes in bacterial diversity in the human gut microbiome, characterized primarily though DNA sequencing methods, have been associated with many different adverse health conditions. However, these changes do not always reflect changes in bacterial activity, and thus how the gut microbiome is implicated in disease is still not often understood. New methods that link together bacterial function to bacterial identity are needed to further explore the role of the gut microbiome in health and disease. We optimized bioorthogonal non-canonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) for the gut microbiota and combined it with fluorescently activated cell sorting and sequencing (FACS-Seq) to identify the translationally active members of the community. We then used this novel technique to compare and contrast to other methods of bulk community measurements of activity and viability: physiological staining of relative nucleic acid content and membrane damage. Relative nucleic acid content has previously been linked to metabolic activity, yet remains currently undefined for the human gut microbiota.

Results

Ten healthy, unrelated individuals were sampled to determine the proportion and diversity of distinct physiological fractions of their gut microbiota. The translationally active bacteria represent about half of the gut microbiota, and are not distinct from the whole community. The high nucleic acid content (HNA) bacteria also represent about half of the gut microbiota, but are distinct from the whole community and correlate with the damaged subset. Perturbing the community with xenobiotics previously shown to alter bacterial activity but not diversity resulted in stronger changes in the distinct physiological fractions than in the whole community.

Conclusions

BONCAT is a suitable method to probe the translationally active members of the human gut microbiota, and combined with FACS-Seq, allows for their identification. The high nucleic acid content bacteria are not necessarily the protein-producing bacteria in the community, and so further work is needed to understand the relationship between nucleic acid content and bacterial metabolism in the human gut. Taking into account physiologically distinct subsets of the gut microbiota may be more informative than relying on whole community profiling.
Reliance Power: Renewable Strategy
Authors: Sinha Sidharth
Published: October 2020

In the wake of the December 2015 Paris COP21 (Conference of Parties), and India's announced renewable energy commitments, Reliance Power is reviewing its renewable energy investments to arrive at a long term strategy for the role of renewable energy in its power generation portfolio and the financing of renewable projects. The case reviews the Indian government's policies to promote renewable energy; the evolution of the renewable energy sector; and Reliance Power's financing of renewable energy investments. The case requires identification of alternative long term strategies and their financing implications. This case serves as an introduction to renewable energy from the perspective of Reliance Power, a large private power generator of the country. These projects also provide a learning opportunity for Reliance Power to deal with fast evolving renewable technologies.
CavinKare Private Limited (B): Entry into Soaps and Detergents Market
Authors: Jaiswal Anand Kumar
Published: October 2020

CavinKare was planning to introduce soaps and detergents product in the market. Owing to the ongoing price war in the detergent segment between Hindustan Lever Limited and P&G, the company's managing director and chief executive officer were weighing the risks and benefits of entering the soaps and detergents market. They had to decide whether to enter the market or delay the entry. Another option was to abandon the entry plan altogether. The case discusses the dilemma faced by the company on market entry due to the changed market conditions.
Analysis of a comprehensive wellness program's impact on job satisfaction in the workplace
Authors: Marshall Craig
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This research study included an examination into the extent that a comprehensive wellness program affects employees' job satisfaction levels. As the leaders of more hospitality organizations implement wellness programs in the workplace, they will want to understand what factors, besides the employees' health, the wellness programs can impact. Survey participants were self-identified employees of the hospitality organization who did or did not participate in the wellness program. Research findings indicated there was a significant difference in extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction levels between employees who participated and employees who were nonparticipating in the wellness program.

Design/methodology/approach

The population for this study was from a contract foodservice organization that provides facility services to higher education organizations, from their northeast regional location that consisted of approximately 200 employees. The employees of the organization ranged from entry-level positions, up to and including senior-level management. The researcher solicited employees in all departments in the organization to participate in the survey. The company offers a comprehensive wellness program, and all employees in the organization had a choice to participate in the wellness program.

Findings

The intent of the study was to determine if participating in a wellness program affected the employee's job satisfaction levels. Securing a hospitality organization to survey was a challenge, possibly because the survey included questions about job satisfaction. The purpose of the study was to identify whether participation in the wellness program affected employees' extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction levels. Hospitality organizations continue to allocate resources to implement and improve existing wellness programs in the workplace. Researchers had not specifically focused on the potential impact a wellness program might have on employee job satisfaction levels. Cyboran and Goldsmith (2012) concluded organization leaders should take steps to create an effective workplace. The study showed that even though hospitality organization leaders are dedicating resources to the development and implementation of wellness programs, participating in the wellness program has an effect on increasing or maintaining current employees' extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction levels throughout the organization.

Originality/value

This is the author’s research that was conducted for a dissertation that has been turned into a research article for publication.
A continuous-time optimal control model for workforce planning considering human resource strategies (HRS)
Authors: Pooya Alireza , Pakdaman Morteza , Monazam Ebrahimpour Shila
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to present a continuous-time workforce planning model in which workforce flow occurs in terms of internal and external recruitment considering human resource strategies (HRS). The proposed model is a linear optimal control model in which promotions occur by inside appointment and outside employment of the system considering a cost leadership or a differentiation strategy and whether organizations have an internal or an external recruitment orientation. In other words, in the model and its solution procedure, this paper could determine any arbitrary function for the demand of the workforce with each HRS.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model contains five main sections, namely, applicants, newcomers, workforce who are doing sensitive-simple jobs, expert workforce and supervisors (or managers) that have a different orientation in different HRS. Each of these sections has a target value that this paper tries to attain it by applying appropriate control variables, such as recruitment, layoff, degradation, promotion and retirement. To reach this purpose, this paper formulated an optimal control problem using a linear system transition equation with a quadratic cost function.

Findings

Based on the proposed model, it was found that the optimal control model can interpret the managerial aspects. This model could be useful for different firms with different types of workforce demands. This paper has tried to have a comprehensive view of different flows of the workforce in an organization that concern to workforce planning.

Originality/value

Despite the considerable amount of research published, and the importance of following a human resources strategy from organizational strategy, in the knowledge, there is no comprehensive study dedicated to human resources strategy and workforce planning by optimal control models for workforce planning.
On Masculinity and Male Sexuality in Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's Soldiers' Bath
Authors: van Dyke James A.
Published: October 2020

This essay examines Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's painting Soldiers' Bath, the largest picture that Kirchner produced on the subject of military life after his brief experience as a recruit during the First World War. Through close visual analysis, iconographic comparison, consideration of the artist's social circle, and discussion of the widespread public interest in, and explosive scandals about, the sexuality of German soldiers, the essay questions the almost unanimous art‐historical understanding of the painting. Linking the principles of the social history of art with fundamental insights from queer theory, it argues that the painting is not only an expression of anti‐war criticism. While differing significantly from Kirchner's many other depictions of bathers, this ambitious and ambivalent painting, which is beautifully composed but not without traces of anxiety, is also seen as a symptom of a crisis of gender and sexuality that the painter seems to have experienced at that time.
Pregnant women’s use of e‐cigarettes in the UK: a cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Bowker K , Lewis S , Phillips L , Orton S , Ussher M , Naughton F , Bauld L , Coleman T , Sinclair L , McRobbie H , Khan A , Cooper S
Published: October 2020

Objective

To estimate prevalence of vaping in pregnancy. Compare characteristics and attitudes between exclusive smokers and vapers, and between exclusive vapers and dual users (smoke and vape).

Design

Cross‐sectional survey.

Setting

Hospitals across England and Scotland.

Population

Pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in 2017.

Methods

Women at 8–24 weeks’ gestation completed screening questions about their smoking and vaping. Current or recent ex‐smokers and/or vapers completed a full detailed survey about vaping and smoking.

Main outcome measures

The prevalence of vaping, characteristics and attitudes of women who vape and/or smoke.

Results

Of 3360 pregnant women who completed screening questions, 515 (15.3%, 95% CI 14.1–16.6) were exclusive smokers, 44 (1.3%, 95% CI 1.0–1.8) exclusive vapers and 118 (3.5%, 95% CI 2.9–4.2) dual users. In total, 867 (25.8%) women completed the full survey; compared with smokers (n = 434), vapers (n = 140) were more likely to hold higher educational qualifications (odds ratio [OR) 1.51, 95% CI 1.01–2.25). Compared with exclusive vapers (n = 33), dual users (n = 107) were younger (OR 0.91 95% CI 0.85–0.98) and less likely to hold high qualifications (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.20–0.96). Compared with smokers, dual users were more likely to be planning to quit smoking (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.24–4.18). Compared with smokers, vapers were more likely to think vaping was safer than smoking (78.6% versus 36.4%).

Conclusions

One in 20 pregnant women report vaping, and most also smoke. Dual users are more motivated towards stopping smoking than smokers. Where women have tried but cannot stop smoking, clinicians could encourage them to consider vaping for smoking cessation.

Tweetable extract

One in 20 women report vaping during pregnancy but of those that do vape, most also smoke, despite having intentions to quit.
Changes in early high‐risk opioid prescribing practices after policy interventions in Washington State
Authors: Sears Jeanne M. , Haight John R. , Fulton‐Kehoe Deborah , Wickizer Thomas M. , Mai Jaymie , Franklin Gary M.
Published: October 2020

Objective

To test associations between several opioid prescribing policy interventions and changes in early (acute/subacute) high‐risk opioid prescribing practices.

Data Sources

Population‐based workers' compensation pharmacy billing and claims data, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (January 2008‐June 2015).

Study Design

We used interrupted time series analysis to test associations between three policy intervention timepoints and monthly proportions of population‐based measures of high‐risk, low‐risk, and any workers’ compensation‐related opioid prescribing. We also tested associations between the policy intervention timepoints and five high‐risk opioid prescribing indicators among workers prescribed any opioids within 3 months after injury: (a) >7 cumulative (not necessarily consecutive) days‘ supply of opioids during the acute phase, (b) high‐dose opioids, (c) concurrent sedatives, (d) chronic opioids, and (e) a composite high‐risk opioid prescribing indicator.

Principal Findings

Within 3 months after injury, 9 percent of workers were exposed to high‐risk and 12 percent to low‐risk workers’ compensation‐related opioid prescribing; 79 percent filled no workers’ compensation‐related opioid prescription. Among workers prescribed any early (acute/subacute) opioids, the indicator for >7 days' supply of opioids during the acute phase was present for 30 percent, high‐dose opioids for 18 percent, concurrent sedatives for 3 percent, and chronic opioids for 2 percent. Beyond a general shift toward more infrequent and lower‐risk workers’ compensation‐related opioid prescribing, each policy intervention timepoint was significantly associated with reductions in specific acute/subacute high‐risk opioid prescribing indicators; each of the four specific high‐risk opioid prescribing indicators had significant reductions associated with at least one policy.

Conclusions

Several state‐level opioid prescribing policies were significantly associated with safer workers’ compensation‐related opioid prescribing practices during the first 3 months after injury (acute/subacute phase), which should in turn reduce transition to chronic opioids and associated negative health outcomes.
Innovative pathway for managing children and adolescents with mental health concerns in the emergency department: An intervention feasibility study
Authors: Nagarsekar Balkrishna B , Townsend Jackie , Ohr Se Ok , Clapham Matthew , Giles Michelle
Published: October 2020

Objective

To investigate if an innovative clinical pathway for managing child and adolescent mental health (MH) ED presentations reduces average length of stay (LOS) and improves carer satisfaction.

Methods

An intervention feasibility study at an ED. Participants were 5–17 years olds presenting with MH problems and their carers. ED medical officer (MO) led Kids Assessment Liaison for Mental Health (KALM) clinical pathway was implemented as an intervention and it was compared to Care as Usual pathway which involved ED MO and MH clinicians. Data were collected via the ED clinical data system and a carer survey. Data were analysed by using SAS v9.4 (SAS, Cary, NC, USA). Survey was compared using Fisher's exact test and LOS was compared using median quantile regression.

Results

Fifty (23%) patients used the KALM pathway and 169 (77%) the Care as Usual pathway. The median (min, max) LOS in hours for those on the KALM pathway was 4.13 (0.46, 11.55) compared to 5.09 (0.21, 19.12) for Care as Usual pathway (P = 0.1407). Fewer patients breached the National Emergency Access Target (NEAT) when the KALM pathway was used (56%, n = 28 vs 64%, n = 108, P = 0.252). There were no significant differences in the carer survey between the two care pathways.

Conclusion

This study provides valuable information about the benefits of the KALM pathway in managing child and adolescent MH presentations to ED. This new pathway reduces the LOS in ED and improves carer experience compared to the usual care pathway.
Establishing a hospital‐based ultrasound‐guided peripheral intravenous catheter training programme: A narrative of a 5‐year experience
Authors: Archer‐Jones Amy , Snelling Peter J , Watkins Stuart
Published: October 2020

Despite ultrasound‐guided peripheral intravenous catheter insertion being a well‐established method for patients with difficult intravenous access, currently there are limited hospital‐based training programmes. We describe the training programme that was established in our hospital over 5 years ago and how it can be replicated in other centres.
Comparison of primary anastomosis and staged surgery in emergency treatment of complicated Crohn's disease
Authors: Liu Rui Qing , Guo Dong , Qiao Shuai Hua , Yin Yi , Guo Zhen , Gong Jian Feng , Li Yi , Zhu Wei Ming
Published: October 2020

Objectives

Staged surgery (SS) and primary anastomosis (PA) are alternatives to emergency surgery in Crohn's disease (CD). This study aimed to compare postoperative patient outcomes and medical cost of SS and PA for CD emergencies.

Methods

Consecutive patients with CD undergoing emergency surgery between December 1997 and January 2017 in three centers were included. The PA and SS groups were compared regarding patient outcomes including postoperative complications and surgical recurrence, as well as hospitalization costs.

Results

Altogether 96 (39.5%) patients underwent an emergency PA, and 147 (60.5%) underwent an emergency SS. The incidence of intra‐abdominal septic complications (IASC) in the PA group was 15.6% compared with 7.5% in the SS group (P = 0.04). The length of hospitalization was longer (32.36 ± 1.76 d vs 19.33 ± 2.36 d, P <0.01) and the hospitalization cost was higher in the SS group (USD 15 811.1 ± 1697.1 vs USD 8345.3 ± 919.5, P <0.01) than the PA group. SS correlated with a lower surgical recurrence rate than PA (log‐rank test, P = 0.04). Presence of diffuse peritonitis, perforating or colonic disease, decision of operation choice made by a senior consultant and more than two concurrent surgical indications were related to the need for SS in emergencies. Localized peritonitis, body mass index (>18.5 kg/m2) and iatrogenic perforation were significantly associated with a low risk of IASC in the PA group.

Conclusion

SS can be performed with limited IASC and low surgical recurrence rates for surgical emergencies in CD, although it increases hospitalization costs and delays discharge.
Dsuite ‐ Fast D‐statistics and related admixture evidence from VCF files
Authors: Malinsky Milan , Matschiner Michael , Svardal Hannes
Published: October 2020

Patterson's D, also known as the ABBA‐BABA statistic, and related statistics such as the f4‐ratio, are commonly used to assess evidence of gene flow between populations or closely related species. Currently available implementations often require custom file formats, implement only small subsets of the available statistics, and are impractical to evaluate all gene flow hypotheses across data sets with many populations or species due to computational inefficiencies. Here, we present a new software package Dsuite, an efficient implementation allowing genome scale calculations of the D and f4‐ratio statistics across all combinations of tens or hundreds of populations or species directly from a variant call format (VCF) file. Our program also implements statistics suited for application to genomic windows, providing evidence of whether introgression is confined to specific loci, and it can also aid in interpretation of a system of f4‐ratio results with the use of the “f‐branch” method. Dsuite is available at https://github.com/millanek/Dsuite, is straightforward to use, substantially more computationally efficient than comparable programs, and provides a convenient suite of tools and statistics, including some not previously available in any software package. Thus, Dsuite facilitates the assessment of evidence for gene flow, especially across larger genomic data sets.
Linking abiotic stress, plant metabolites, biostimulants and functional food
Authors: Teklić Tihana , Parađiković Nada , Špoljarević Marija , Zeljković Svjetlana , Lončarić Zdenko , Lisjak Miroslav
Published: October 2020

Plants must cope with different environmental stresses during their whole lifetime. Abiotic stresses like drought, salt, mineral nutrition disturbances and temperature stress are commonly interconnected through some physiological events in stressed plants, such as the synthesis of protective plant compounds as a response to stress. Many of these, produced within plant primary or secondary metabolism, act as functional compounds not exclusively in plants but in other organisms as well. Concurrently, many of the active compounds in biostimulants which can support plant stress tolerance and productivity in adverse growth conditions are the metabolites or intermediates that may influence the plant's edible parts nutritional quality. Such effects of biostimulants application are not elucidated enough, therefore, we aimed to give an overview of recent advances in the research related to the interplay among abiotic stress, plant response, biostimulants effects and plant‐derived functional food, focusing on plant metabolites as the link which connects the environment with the food chain.
Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease in a sample of individuals with bipolar disorders: results from the FACE‐BD cohort
Authors: Godin Ophelia , Leboyer Marion , Belzeaux Raoul , Bellivier Frank , Loftus Joséphine , Courtet Philippe , Dubertret Caroline , Gard Sebastien , Henry Chantal , Llorca Pierre‐Michel , Schwan Raymund , Passerieux Christine , Polosan Mircea , Samalin Ludovic , Olié Emilie , Etain Bruno ,   FondaMental Advanced Centers of Expertise in Bipolar Disorders (FACE‐BD) Collaborators
Published: October 2020

Objective

Non‐Alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming the most common liver disease in Western populations. While obesity and metabolic abnormalities are highly frequent in bipolar disorders (BD), no studies have been performed to estimate the prevalence of NALFD in individuals with BD. The aim of our study is to estimate the prevalence of NAFLD and to identify the potential associated risk factors in a large sample of BD individuals.

Methods

Between 2009 and 2019, 1969 BD individuals from the FACE‐BD cohort were included. Individuals with liver diseases, Hepatitis B or C, and current alcohol use disorders were excluded from the analyses. A blood sample was drawn from participants. Screening of NAFLD was determined using fatty liver index (FLI). Individuals with FLI> 60 were considered as having NAFLD.

Results

The prevalence of NAFDL in this sample was estimated at 28.4%. NAFLD was observed in 40% of men and 21% of women. NAFLD was independently associated with older age, male gender, sleep disturbances, and current use of atypical antipsychotics or anxiolytics. As expected, the prevalence of NALFD was also higher in individuals with overweight and in those with metabolic syndrome.

Conclusions

This study reinforces the view that individuals with BD are highly vulnerable to metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence of NAFLD in individuals with BD was two times higher than the prevalence reported in the general population. The regular screening of the MetS in individuals with BD should be therefore complemented by the additional screening of NAFLD among these vulnerable individuals.
COVID‐19 and Supply Chain Disruption: Evidence from Food Markets in India†
Authors: Mahajan Kanika , Tomar Shekhar
Published: October 2020

This paper looks at the disruption in food supply chains due to COVID‐19 induced economic shutdown in India. We use a novel dataset from one of the largest online grocery retailers to look at the impact on product stockouts and prices. We find that product availability falls by 10% for vegetables, fruits, and edible oils, but there is a minimal impact on their prices. On the farm‐gate side, it is matched by a 20% fall in quantity arrivals of vegetables and fruits. We then show that supply chain disruption is the main driver behind this fall. We compute the distance to production zones from our retail centers and find that the fall in product availability and quantity arrivals is larger for items that are cultivated or manufactured farther from the final point of sale. Our results show that long‐distance food supply chains have been hit the hardest during the current pandemic with welfare consequences for urban consumers and farmers.
Volatile flavor changes responding to heat stress‐induced lipid oxidation in duck meat
Authors: He Yuxin , Zhou Mingyang , Xia Chenlan , Xia Qiang , He Jun , Cao Jinxuan , Pan Daodong , Sun Yangying
Published: October 2020

The effects of heat stress on lipid oxidation and volatile compounds in duck meat were investigated. To simulate heat stress on ducks, room‐temperature was controlled at 25°C, except that a raised temperature of 32°C for 8 hr each day was conducted. After stress for 1 and 3 weeks, respectively, the birds were euthanized and the breast meat was separated to evaluate the changes of lipid oxidation and volatile flavor compounds. Results showed that heat stress significantly increased the lipoxygenase activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and reduced the contents of free unsaturated fatty acids in duck meat. A total of 85 volatile flavor compounds were detected by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. Interestingly, when exposed to heat stress, the volatiles generation in raw duck meat was promoted, which was then inhibited after cooking. These data reveal meat oxidative changes and flavor loss caused by heat stress and provide useful information for potential labels and meat flavor preservation against the negative effects of heat stress.
Matching species traits and microsites improves regeneration in mixed oak woodlands
Authors: López‐Sánchez Aida , Johnson Indigo , Dirzo Rodolfo , Perea Ramón
Published: October 2020

Question

Worldwide, mixed oak woodlands regenerate poorly due to different anthropogenic impacts. Our question is whether spatial distribution (regeneration microsite) of oak recruits is determined by different biotic and abiotic stress agents and whether recruits of co‐occurring oak species may respond differently to each source of stress.

Location

Mediterranean California mixed oak woodlands.

Methods

We recorded the main regeneration microsites of four co‐occurring oak species (Quercus lobata, Q. douglasii, Q. kelloggii and Q. agrifolia) in 25 belt transects in a nature reserve and identified the main stress agent for each species and microsite. We also analyzed their response to stress through physiological parameters (chlorophyll, flavonol, anthocyanin and nitrogen).

Results

Q. agrifolia and Q. lobata seedlings mostly established under shrubs and trees, respectively. The other species did not have a prime regeneration microsite. Biotic stress occurred more frequently than abiotic (drought) stress for all species. Regarding biotic sources of stress, the deciduous Q. lobata, Q. douglasii and Q. kellogii showed high browsing damage; insect damage was light and occurred mostly in the evergreen Q. agrifolia whereas fungal damage was significantly lower in Q. douglasii. Physiologically, all oak species responded similarly to stress agents although Q. douglasii and Q. kelloggii showed higher chlorophyll content than Q. agrifolia and Q. lobata, which might be related to differences in resilience.

Conclusions

Deciduous oaks are particularly vulnerable to overgrazing whereas the evergreen Q. agrifolia seems more affected by fungal and insect damage. Management aimed at the co‐existence of deciduous and evergreen oaks should consider the enhancement of microsites that best ameliorate the impact of predicted stress agents but also the oak physiological responses (i.e. resilience) to each stress agent. We suggest keeping low ungulate densities and carefully consider the species selection in assisted regeneration projects depending on the predominant stress agent and microsite.