bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INTRODUCTION TO THE SYMPOSIUM ON CONTEMPORARY BANKING RESEARCH: THE USE OF FIXED EFFECTS TO DISENTANGLE LOAN DEMAND FROM LOAN SUPPLY
Authors: Jakovljević Sanja , Degryse Hans , Ongena Steven
Published: January 2020

With the onset of the financial crisis, disentangling the effects of loan demand and supply in contemporary banking research has become vital for a proper assessment of supply‐related banking shocks. These shocks may negatively affect the real economy through many channels, such as the lending channel of monetary policy transmission, the bank risk‐taking channel or the evaluation of macroprudential policy efficiency. All these rely on separating the two lending components. Empirical identification has largely relied on the use of demand‐related fixed effects, which has also been applied in several analyses within this symposium. (JEL G21)
Geographic variation in performance of a widespread generalist insect herbivore
Authors: Vidal Mayra C. , Lill John T. , Marquis Robert J. , Murphy Shannon M.
Published: January 2020

1. Generalist herbivores are often widespread and occur in a variety of environments. Due to their broad distribution, it is likely that some populations of generalists will encounter host plants with geographic variation in traits that could affect the herbivore's growth and survival (i.e. performance). However, the geographic pattern of performance has rarely been studied for generalists, especially across large geographic ranges.

2. This study used one of the most generalist herbivore species known, the fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea Drury 1773, Erebidae, Lepidoptera), to experimentally test how the performance of a local population of fall webworms varies with increasing geographic distance of the host plant population from the local herbivore population. Specifically, a transplant experiment was used to compare the performance of one fall webworm population feeding on its local host plants with its performance on host populations from two other locations, 1300 and 2600 km away.

3. It was found that fall webworms performed better on their local host plant populations than on populations from other regions, with performance at its lowest when reared on hosts of the same species from the farthest region. It was also found that local fall webworms do not perform well on hosts commonly used by fall webworms at the other two, more distant sites.

4. This study helps to elucidate how the performance of generalist herbivores varies along their geographic range and suggests possible local adaptation to different sets of hosts across sites.
Rapid degeneration of neurons in the penumbra region following a small, focal ischemic stroke
Authors: Fifield Kathleen E. , Vanderluit Jacqueline L.
Published: January 2020

Ischemic stroke causes immediate cell death within the infarct core, whereas cells in the surrounding penumbra region are damaged but can be salvaged. Rapid restoration of blood flow can rescue these cells in the first few hours post‐stroke. It remains unclear how long cells within the penumbra region can survive. To address this, we compared the acute cellular response within the ischemic core versus the penumbra region following an Endothelin‐1‐induced focal ischemic stroke in mice. We used vascular labelling to distinguish the three regions of blood perfusion: the non‐perfused core; the hypo‐perfused penumbra; and the perfused region. Within 4 hr post‐stroke ~80% of neurons died in the non‐perfused core, while 40% of neurons died in the hypo‐perfused region. From 4 to 24 hr post‐stroke, surviving neurons within the hypo‐perfused region underwent extensive dendritic and axonal degeneration. Breakdown of the blood brain barrier, microglia activation, monocyte/neutrophil infiltration and astrogliosis, however, was not observed until 24 hr post‐stroke. The cellular response within the hypo‐perfused region was distinct from the non‐perfused core. The core was comprised primarily of infiltrating peripheral monocytes and leukocytes, whereas the hypo‐perfused region contained activated microglia and astrocytes. This study shows that small, localized ischemic strokes exhibit altered breakdown of the BBB in comparison with larger strokes. Furthermore, the massive degeneration of neuronal processes within the penumbra region suggests that the timeline to salvage surviving neurons is limited. In summary, the findings from this study reinforce the urgent need for therapeutic strategies targeting the acute hours post‐stroke.
A stable home‐base promotes allocentric memory representations of episodic‐like everyday spatial memory
Authors: Broadbent Nicola , Lumeij Lucas Berend , Corcoles Marta , Ayres Alice I. , Bin Ibrahim Mohammad Zaki , Masatsugu Brittany , Moreno Andrea , Carames Jose‐Maria , Begg Elizabeth , Strickland Lauren , Mazidzoglou Theofilos , Padanyi Anna , Munoz-Lopez Monica , Takeuchi Tomonori , Peters Marco , Morris Richard G. M. , Tse Dorothy
Published: January 2020

A key issue in neurobiological studies of episodic‐like memory is the geometric frame of reference in which memory traces of experience are stored. Assumptions are sometimes made that specific protocols favour either allocentric (map‐like) or egocentric (body‐centred) representations. There are, however, grounds for suspecting substantial ambiguity about coding strategy, including the necessity to use both frames of reference occasionally, but tests of memory representation are not routinely conducted. Using rats trained to find and dig up food in sandwells at a particular place in an event arena (episodic‐like 'action‐where' encoding), we show that a protocol previously thought to foster allocentric encoding is ambiguous but more predisposed towards egocentric encoding. Two changes in training protocol were examined with a view to promoting preferential allocentric encoding—one in which multiple start locations were used within a session as well as between sessions; and another that deployed a stable home‐base to which the animals had to carry food reward. Only the stable home‐base protocol led to excellent choice performance which rigorous analyses revealed to be blocked by occluding extra‐arena cues when this was done after encoding but before recall. The implications of these findings for studies of episodic‐like memory are that the representational framework of memory at the start of a recall trial will likely include a path direction in the egocentric case but path destination in the allocentric protocol. This difference should be observable in single‐unit recording or calcium‐imaging studies of spatially‐tuned cells.
Relationships between population densities and niche‐centroid distances in North American birds
Authors: Osorio‐Olvera Luis , Yañez‐Arenas Carlos , Martínez‐Meyer Enrique , Peterson A. Townsend
Published: January 2020

Correlational ecological niche models have seen intensive use and exploration as a means of estimating the limits of actual and potential geographic distributions of species, yet their application to explaining geographic abundance patterns has been debated. We developed a detailed test of this latter possibility based on the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Correlations between abundances and niche‐centroid distances were mostly negative, as per expectations of niche theory and the abundant niche‐centre relationship. The negative relationships were not distributed randomly among species: terrestrial, non‐migratory, small‐bodied, small‐niche‐breadth and restricted‐range species had the strongest negative associations. Distances to niche centroids as estimated from correlational analyses of presence‐only data thus offer a unique means by which to infer geographic abundance patterns, which otherwise are enormously difficult to characterise.
The imaginary of the city versus messy realities
Authors: Stafford Anne , Stapleton Pamela , Wei Hua , Williams Karel
Published: January 2020

Accounting research on transport has been narrowly focused on cost recovery and the consequences of privatization and restructuring. Accounting researchers have not engaged with the now dominant orthodoxy about cities as agglomeration argued by urbanists like Glaeser or championed earlier critical understandings of the limits of urban planning argued by Jane Jacobs. Working within that critical tradition, this paper innovates by presenting an exploratory and interdisciplinary case study of public transport in the city of Greater Manchester, which draws on accounting and other evidence. Policy makers have represented the construction of Manchester's new tram system as a major success but we argue that the system represents an ill‐judged investment priority, which had unintended consequences for the whole public transport system. Part of the problem is classic top down failure to engage local specifics because the tram network has added a radial system to a city with untidy orbital movement patterns and diverse mobility requirements. This awkward gap between the imaginary of the policy makers and messy realities has financial consequences because the capital costs of tram increasingly squeeze the ability of the public transport authority to subsidize the bus services, which carry 10 times as many passengers as tram. The political question is whether and how this kind of argument and evidence can inform popular politics and shift what is taken for granted by experts and the political classes in Manchester.
Launching a Text Message Intervention to Assist Student Loan Borrowers with Repayment Decisions
Authors: Johnson Carrie L. , Bartholomae Suzanne , Serido Joyce , Katras Mary Jo , Tobe Erica
Published: January 2020

Student loan debt has become a financial burden for many young adults in the United States. Previous research has found that many college student borrowers do not understand repayment terms and options. This multistate collaboration among Cooperative Extension Specialists sought to develop a way of supporting and informing recent college graduates on the process of student loan repayment. Text messaging was used as the intervention strategy. The purpose of this article is (i) to explain the process and methods of developing the student loan repayment text messaging campaign and (ii) present suggestions for someone interested in launching this type of intervention. Also, the article provides initial participation numbers across the nine land‐grant universities that were participants in the intervention.
Atom Probe Tomography: Development and Application to the Geosciences
Authors: Reddy Steven M. , Saxey David W. , Rickard William D. A. , Fougerouse Denis , Montalvo Stephanie D. , Verberne Rick , van Riessen Arie
Published: January 2020

Atom probe tomography (APT) is an analytical technique that provides quantitative three‐dimensional elemental and isotopic analyses at sub‐nanometre resolution across the whole periodic table. Although developed and mostly used in the materials science and semiconductor fields, recent years have seen increasing development and application in the geoscience and planetary science disciplines. Atom probe studies demonstrate compositional complexity at the nanoscale and provide fundamental new insights into the atom‐scale mechanisms taking place in minerals over geological time. Here, we provide an overview of APT, including the historical development and technical aspects of the instrumentation, and the fundamentals of data acquisition, data processing and data reconstruction. We also review previous studies and highlight the potential future applications of nanoscale geochemical studies of natural materials.
Sumatriptan Does Not Antagonize CGRP‐Induced Symptoms in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Falkenberg Katrine , Rønde Bjerg Helene , Yamani Nooshin , Olesen Jes
Published: January 2020

Objective

Previous attempts to develop a pragmatic human model for testing new anti‐migraine drugs, have failed. Calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) induces a mild headache in healthy volunteers and migraine‐like headache in migraine patients. The induced headache must respond to already established migraine treatment for validation. Thus, the objective of the study was to test the effect of sumatriptan against CGRP‐induced symptoms in an attempt to validate CGRP‐induced headache as a model for drug testing.

Methods

Thirty healthy volunteers were recruited to receive a 2‐hour infusion of CGRP on 2 separate days. The participants were pretreated with sumatriptan 1 day and with placebo the other day in a randomized double‐blind cross‐over fashion. During the infusion, a questionnaire about headache and side effects was administered. Electrocardiography, heart rate, blood pressure, dermal blood flow, and diameter of peripheral arteries were monitored during the infusion. Participants were carefully instructed to fill out a headache questionnaire at home until 12 hours after the infusion start. Primary endpoints are difference between the sumatriptan day and the placebo day in area under the headache score curve (AUC) 0‐2 hours after infusion start and in headache intensity 2 hours after infusion start. The study was conducted at the Danish Headache Center in Glostrup, Denmark.

Results

CGRP‐induced headache in 86% (25/29) of the participants on the sumatriptan day and in 96% (28/29) of the participants on the placebo day. There was no difference in AUCheadache, 0‐2 hours between the days (P = .794). There was a statistically significant decrease in mean atrial pressure (MAP) over time on both days with a16.2% reduction on the sumatriptan day and a 14.8% reduction on the placebo day (P < .001) and a statistically significant increase in heart rate (HR) over time on both days (from mean 57.5 at baseline to mean 105.4 at 120 minutes on the sumatriptan day and from mean 60.2 at baseline to 105.8 at 120 minutes on the placebo day, P < .001). The diameter of peripheral arteries increased statistically significant on both days (P < .001).

Conclusion

Sumatriptan does not influence headache score, accompanying symptoms or other symptoms induced by CGRP. Furthermore, a 2‐hour CGRP infusion causes a wide range of side effects and does not induce more headache than the usual 20‐minute infusion. Thus, the prolonged infusion of CGRP in healthy volunteers is not a valid and pragmatic model for testing new anti‐migraine drugs.
Clinical outcome comparison of Grade Group 1 and Grade Group 2 prostate cancer with and without cribriform architecture at the time of radical prostatectomy
Authors: Hollemans Eva , Verhoef Esther I , Bangma Chris H , Rietbergen John , Roobol Monique J , Helleman Jozien , van Leenders Geert J L H
Published: January 2020

Aims

Invasive cribriform and intraductal carcinoma are associated with aggressive disease in Grade Group 2 (GG2) prostate cancer patients. However, the characteristics and clinical outcome of patients with GG2 prostate cancer without cribriform architecture (GG2−) as compared with those with Grade Group 1 (GG1) prostate cancer are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of GG1 and GG2− prostate cancer in radical prostatectomy specimens.

Methods and results

We reviewed 835 radical prostatectomy specimens for Grade Group, pT stage, surgical margin status, and the presence of cribriform architecture. Biochemical recurrence‐free survival and metastasis were used as clinical outcomes. GG1 prostate cancer was seen in 207 patients, and GG2 prostate cancer was seen in 420 patients, of whom 228 (54%) showed cribriform architecture (GG2+) and 192 (46%) did not. GG2− patients had higher prostate‐specific antigen levels (9.4 ng/ml versus 7.0 ng/ml; P < 0.001), more often had extraprostatic extension (36% versus 11%; P < 0.001) and had more positive surgical margins (27% versus 17%; P = 0.01) than GG1 patients. GG2− patients had shorter biochemical recurrence‐free survival (hazard ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.4–4.9; P = 0.002) than GG1 patients. Lymph node and distant metastasis were observed neither in GG2− nor in GG1 patients, but occurred in 22 of 228 (10%) GG2+ patients.

Conclusion

In conclusion, patients with GG2− prostate cancer at radical prostatectomy have more advanced disease and shorter biochemical recurrence‐free survival than those with GG1 prostate cancer, but both groups have a very low risk of developing metastasis.
The Experience of Electronic Monitoring and the Implications for Effective Use
Authors: FITZALAN HOWARD FLORA
Published: January 2020

Understanding how electronic monitoring (EM) is experienced may helpfully inform implementation to support effective compliance, crime prevention and rehabilitation. This study thematically synthesised the findings of six publications (based on five empirical studies) on EM experience. Eleven themes describing EM experience were developed, and from these, six implications for the effective implementation identified. EM has rehabilitative potential for many (but not all), such as by offering the chance to develop social capital and employment prospects, autonomy and self‐sufficiency. It appears unlikely that EM on its own is enough to bring about compliance beyond the period of monitoring, or achieve rehabilitation and desistance goals.
Who benefits from the intervention? Correlates of successful BMI reduction in the Texas Childhood Obesity Demonstration Project (TX‐CORD)
Authors: Barlow Sarah E. , Durand Casey , Salahuddin Meliha , Pont Stephen J. , Butte Nancy F. , Hoelscher Deanna M.
Published: January 2020

Background

Many childhood obesity intervention studies report mean outcomes but do not explore the variation in responses and the characteristics of those who respond well.

Objective

To identify child and family characteristics associated with improvement in the primary outcome, %BMIp95, of the Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration project (TX‐CORD).

Methods

The 12‐month TX‐CORD secondary prevention study randomized 549 children, ages 2 to 12 years, with BMI ≥85th percentile to the intensive intervention vs. the comparison program, with measurements at baseline, 3‐, and 12‐months. A growth mixture model was used to identify mutually exclusive latent %BMIp95 trajectories. Latent class regression tested associations between baseline characteristics and latent class membership.

Results

A 2‐class solution emerged after accounting for the effect of intervention randomization. Latent Class 1 participants (86% of sample) were characterized by mild‐to‐moderate obesity and demonstrated a significantly greater response to the intensive intervention between 0 and 3 months (slope‐on‐group = −0.931, p = 0.03). A rebound between 3 and 12 months was not significantly different between arms. Latent Class 2 participants (14%), who had severe obesity, demonstrated no difference in response between intervention groups. Characteristics associated with Class 1 membership included younger age (2–5 years vs. 6–12 years: OR 3.70, p = .035) and lower maternal BMI category (< 35 kg/m2 vs. ≥ 35 kg/m2: OR 7.14, p < .0001).

Conclusions

The optimal target population for the intensive intervention are children who have milder obesity, are younger, and do not have a mother with severe obesity. Children with severe obesity may require different approaches.
Oncological outcomes and recurrence patterns after laparoscopic radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: A Japanese multicenter cohort
Authors: Kanno Toru , Inoue Takahiro , Ito Katsuhiro , Okumura Kazuhiro , Yamada Hitoshi , Kawakita Mutsushi , Fujii Masato , Shimizu Yosuke , Yatsuda Junji , Moroi Seiji , Shichiri Yasumasa , Akao Toshiya , Sawada Atsuro , Kobayashi Takashi , Ogawa Osamu
Published: January 2020

Objective

To investigate oncological outcomes and recurrence patterns after laparoscopic radical cystectomy for bladder cancer in a Japanese multicenter cohort, and to explore the risk factors associated with recurrences due to tumor dissemination.

Method

Laparoscopic radical cystectomies carried out at 10 institutions were included in this retrospective study. Multivariate analyses were carried out to identify the clinical parameters associated with overall recurrences together with specific recurrence types. Kaplan–Meier curves were created to elucidate time to recurrence and survival.

Results

A total of 411 patients were included after the final analysis. Postoperative pathology was T2 or higher in 196 patients (48%), and lymph node metastasis was present in 46 patients (11%). The median follow‐up period was 23 months, and the 2‐year recurrence‐free and cancer‐specific survival rates were 71.0% and 84.7%, respectively. The recurrence sites involved distant metastasis in 75 patients (18%), local recurrence in 52 patients (13%) and urinary tract recurrence in eight patients (2%). When local recurrence at the cystectomy bed (28 patients; 7%) and abdominal recurrence including peritoneal carcinomatosis or port site recurrence (17 patients; 4%), which might be caused by tumor dissemination, were combined into a single group, prolonged surgical time was a significant risk factor, in addition to high pathological stage (T3–4 and/or positive lymph nodes), positive surgical margins, and variant histology by both univariate and multivariate analyses.

Conclusions

Our study findings suggest that recurrences after laparoscopic radical cystectomy might be caused by tumor dissemination, and attention should be paid to avoid prolonged surgical time in laparoscopic radical cystectomy.
Alternating patterns of seasonal influenza activity in the WHO European Region following the 2009 pandemic, 2010‐2018
Authors: Mook Piers , Meerhoff Tamara , Olsen Sonja J. , Snacken René , Adlhoch Cornelia , Pereyaslov Dmitriy , Broberg Eeva K. , Melidou Angeliki , Brown Caroline , Penttinen Pasi ,   Collective of the WHO European Region, European Influenza Surveillance Network
Published: January 2020

Background

Influenza virus infections are common and lead to substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. We characterized the first eight influenza epidemics since the 2009 influenza pandemic by describing the distribution of viruses and epidemics temporally and geographically across the WHO European Region.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed laboratory‐confirmed influenza detections in ambulatory patients from sentinel sites. Data were aggregated by reporting entity and season (weeks 40‐20) for 2010‐2011 to 2017‐2018. We explored geographical spread using correlation coefficients.

Results

There was variation in the regional influenza epidemics during the study period. Influenza A virus subtypes alternated in dominance, except for 2013‐2014 during which both cocirculated, and only one season (2017‐2018) was B virus dominant. The median start week for epidemics in the Region was week 50, the time to the peak ranged between four and 13 weeks, and the duration of the epidemic ranged between 19 and 25 weeks. There was evidence of a west‐to‐east spread across the Region during epidemics in 2010‐2011 (r = .365; P = .019), 2012‐2013 (r = .484; P = .001), 2014‐2015 (r = .423; P = .006), and 2017‐2018 (r = .566; P < .001) seasons. Variation in virus distribution and timing existed within reporting entities across seasons and across reporting entities for a given season.

Conclusions

Aggregated influenza detection data from sentinel surveillance sites by season between 2010 and 2018 have been presented for the European Region for the first time. Substantial diversity exists between influenza epidemics. These data can inform prevention and control efforts at national, sub‐national, and international levels. Aggregated, regional surveillance data from early affected reporting entities may provide an early warning function and be helpful for early season forecasting efforts.
Independent director reputation incentives, accruals quality and audit fees
Authors: Bryan David B. , Mason Terry W.
Published: January 2020

While prior research provides abundant evidence that independent directors are associated with favorable outcomes, researchers have only recently started to investigate the impact of independent director reputation incentives. This study examines whether the reputation incentives of independent directors are associated with accruals quality and audit fees. The results reveal a negative relationship between the proportion of independent directors with relatively low reputation incentives and accruals quality. Further, the proportion of independent directors with relatively low reputation incentives is positively associated with audit fees, suggesting that auditors view lower reputation incentives as increasing risk. We also find that Big 4/5 auditor office size moderates the relationship between independent director reputation incentives and audit fees. Specifically, our results indicate that audit fees increase less in response to lower reputation incentives as office size increases, suggesting that larger offices respond to the risks associated with lower reputation incentives more efficiently than smaller offices.
Male mate choice for a female ornament in a monogamous cichlid fish, Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
Authors: LaPlante Lori H. , Delaney Samantha
Published: January 2020

Male ram cichlid, Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, spent significantly more time associating with animated female images compared to static images of the same female, indicating that males of the species reliably respond to computer‐animated images of conspecific females. Female M. ramirezi temporarily display a pink‐coloured belly, and this study showed that males spent significantly more time associating with animated female images displaying a pink‐coloured belly compared to animated female images with pink belly colour removed. This is the first study to report male mate choice in M. ramirezi, a neotropical monogamous dwarf cichlid.
Barbus xanthos, a new barbel from the Southern Aegean basin (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)
Authors: Güçlü Salim Serkan , Kalaycı Gökhan , Küçük Fahrettin , Turan Davut
Published: January 2020

Barbus xanthos, a new species, is described from the Eşen, Dalaman, Tersakan and Büyük Menderes rivers in south‐western Anatolia. It differs from other Barbus species in the adjacent basins by having 53–60 lateral line scales, a weakly ossified last unbranched dorsal‐fin ray (about 33–50%), numerous small irregular‐shaped black or dark‐brown spots smaller than scales, often forming large, black or dark‐brown blotches on back and flank in juveniles and adults, and a straight or slightly convex posterior dorsal‐fin margin. B. xanthos differs from its most closely related congener, B. pergamonensis, by nine nucleotide substitution sites in the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I barcode region.
Assessment of HLA‐A, HLA‐DR, and HLA‐DQ alleles in patients with pemphigus vulgaris from eastern of Turkey
Authors: Dere Gokturk , Yavuz Ibrahım Halil , Ozaydın Yavuz Goknur , Bayram Yasemin , Gunes Bilgili Serap , Ozturk Murat
Published: January 2020

Background

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a chronic progressive autoimmune bullous disease caused by the interaction of pathogenic factors, genetic, and environmental factors. HLA alleles, which are considered as protective factors against disease or predisposing factors, may be different in various populations and ethnic groups.

Aims

The purpose of this study is to examine the HLA‐A, HLA‐DR, and HLA‐DQ alleles in patients that are diagnosed with PV in and around eastern of Turkey and to determine the alleles that create predisposition to disease or protect against the disease.

Patients/Methods

Thirty patients diagnosed as PV with clinical, histopathological, and immunofluorescence findings and 30 healthy subjects were included in this study. The HLA‐A, HLA‐DR, and HLA‐DQ typology in the DNA samples that were obtained from the blood samples of the groups was performed by using the PCR‐SSP low‐resolution gene panels.

Results

The HLA‐A*03 allele was found to be significantly higher in patient group than the control group (P‐value: .020). HLA‐DRB1*04 and HLA‐DRB1*14 alleles in PV patients were found to be significantly higher than the control group (P‐value = .000).

Conclusion

It was concluded that the HLA‐DRB1*03, HLADQB1*02, and HLA‐DQB1*06 alleles in and around eastern of Turkey showed protective effects against pemphigus vulgaris. It was also concluded that the HLA‐A*03, HLA‐DRB1*04, HLA‐DRB1*14, HLA‐DRB4, HLA‐DQB1*03, and HLA‐DQB1*05 alleles could cause predisposition to the disease.
Factors associated with quality of life in patients with diabetic hypoglycaemia
Authors: Huang Mei‐Chuan , Hung Chich‐Hsiu , Chen Chung‐Yuan , Hung Wei‐Wen , Liang Hsiu‐Ling
Published: January 2020

Aims and Objectives

To identify determinants of quality of life among patients who had experienced hypoglycaemia and who were undergoing insulin treatment.

Background

Patients with diabetes receiving insulin treatment are at high risk for hypoglycaemia, which tends to affect their quality of life.

Design

With a cross‐sectional and observational study design (see the STROBE checklist and Appendix S1).

Methods

One hundred and fifty patients with type 2 diabetes who had received insulin treatment and had experienced hypoglycaemia (<70 mg/dl) in the last 6 months were recruited. Data were collected from May 2016–February 2018 using the Knowledge of Hypoglycaemia Scale, Fear of Hypoglycaemia Scale, Social Support Scale and the simplified Taiwanese version of the Quality of Life Scale developed by the World Health Organization.

Results

Factors found to be associated with quality of life in patients with hypoglycaemia included having an educational level of senior high school or above, being on an insulin regimen only, engaging in regular exercise, diabetes complications, fear of hypoglycaemia and greater social support, which accounted for 28.5% of the total variance.

Conclusions

During the process of glycaemic control, patients inevitably experience hypoglycaemic episodes. Therefore, healthcare providers should assist patients with disease management to improve their quality of life. Future studies should also recruit patients who claim to have experienced hypoglycaemic symptoms, rather than considering only those with blood glucose levels below 70 mg/dl, to expand the generalisability of the findings. Future studies may also focus on the management of hypoglycaemia in patients on an insulin regimen, and on examining the effect of health education programmes on prevention of hypoglycaemia.

Relevance to clinical practice

The present findings could provide a reference for healthcare providers to consolidate nursing care guidelines and to improve such patients' quality of life.
Impact of self‐care programmes in type 2 diabetes mellitus population in primary health care: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Caro‐Bautista Jorge , Kaknani‐Uttumchandani Shakira , García‐Mayor Silvia , Villa‐Estrada Francisca , Morilla‐Herrera Juan Carlos , León‐Campos Álvaro , Gómez‐González Alberto José , Morales‐Asencio José Miguel
Published: January 2020

Aims and Objectives

To evaluate the effectiveness of self‐care programmes in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) population in primary health care.

Background

The impact of educational interventions on T2DM has been evaluated in various contexts, but there is uncertainty about their impact in that of primary care.

Design

Systematic review and meta‐analysis.

Methods

A search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, WOS and Cochrane databases for randomised controlled trials carried out in the period January 2005‐December 2017, including studies with at least one face‐to‐face educational interventions. The quality of the evidence for the primary outcome was evaluated using the GRADE System. A meta‐analysis was used to determine the effect achieved although only the results classified as critical or important were taken into consideration. Checklist of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses has been followed. PROSPERO registration Number: CRD42016038833.

Results

In total, 21 papers (20 studies) were analysed, representing a population of 12,018 persons with T2DM. For the primary outcome, HbA1c, the overall reduction obtained was −0.29%, decreasing the effect in long‐term follow‐up. The quality of the evidence was low/very low due to very serious risk of bias, inconsistency and indirectness of results. Better results were obtained for individual randomised trials versus cluster designs and in those programmes in which nurses leaded the interventions. The findings for other cardiovascular risk factors were inconsistent.

Conclusions

Educational interventions in primary care addressing T2DM could be effective for metabolic control, but the low quality of the evidence and the lack of measurement of critical results generates uncertainty and highlights the need for high‐quality trials.

Relevance to clinical practice

Most of self‐care programmes for T2DM in primary care are focused on metabolic control, while other cardiovascular profile variables with greater impact on mortality or patient‐reported outcomes are less intensely addressed.
Assisted reproductive technologies are slightly associated with maternal lack of affection toward the newborn: The Japan Environment and Children's Study
Authors: Yoshimasu Kouichi , Miyauchi Naoko , Sato Akiko , Yaegashi Nobuo , Nakai Kunihiko , Hattori Hiromitsu , Arima Takahiro ,   Japan Environment and Children's Study Group
Published: January 2020

Aim

To evaluate the association between use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) and mother‐to‐infant bonding.

Methods

Using nationwide birth cohort study with periodical follow‐ups for mothers and children during pregnancy and at 1 year after delivery, mothers were classified following three groups; infertility group with ART: 2792 mothers; infertility group with non‐ART treatment (ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination): 3835 mothers and unaided pregnancy group: 78 726 mothers. Data on maternal and child health as well as basic characteristics were collected via medical records and self‐administered questionnaires. The Japanese version of Mother‐to‐Infant Bonding Scale was used to evaluate maternal bonding style. To evaluate the association between ART and maternal bonding toward babies, multivariate analysis was used with adjustment for potential confounders such as babies' sex, socio‐economic status and history of maternal mental disorders.

Results

Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that ART was slightly but significantly associated with an increased risk of maternal lack of affection toward their newborn (adjusted odds ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval 1.02–1.20), while non‐ART was significantly associated with both maternal lack of affection and anger/rejection toward the newborn. No substantial association was observed between ART and overall Mother‐to‐Infant Bonding Scale score (adjusted odds ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval 0.94–1.12). Very slight negative correlations were observed between poor mother‐to‐infant bonding and good infant mental and physical development at both 6 months and 1 year.

Conclusion

ART may exert a negative influence on maternal emotion after delivery, but this does not have strong correlation with child development evaluated by mothers.
Acceptance of Robot‐Mediated Teaching and Therapy for Children With Atypical Development by Polish Professionals
Authors: Kossewska Joanna , Kłosowska Joanna
Published: January 2020

Technological innovations have resulted in the production of new, super‐high‐tech assistive robotic devices that improve the development of children with atypical development. The theoretical basis for this study was the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model, which consists of four main constructs that directly determine user acceptance and user behavior: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. The purpose of the study was to understand the rationale behind the acceptance of robot‐mediated teaching and therapy for children with atypical development by Polish professionals. Participants included 245 professionals recruited from the staff of special centers and schools for children with disabilities in the south of Poland. They were first presented with a video demonstration of the humanoid Nao robot and then given a 31‐item questionnaire that estimates UTAUT. Participants' attitudes towards using the Nao robot in teaching and therapy for children with atypical development were positive. However, these attitudes were found to be a weak albeit significant predictor of behavioral intention to use the Nao device. They were significantly predicted by social influence, effort expectancy, and performance expectancy. The results are discussed in the context of the general theoretical background and the latest findings related to professionals working with disabled children. Correlation and structural modeling analyses confirmed the applicability of the UTAUT model in education and care for children with disabilities. However, behavioral intention was weakly related to positive attitudes towards Nao robot in this Polish sample. Forthcoming questions follow the conclusions of the current study.
Host and symbiont genetic determinants of nutritional phenotype in a natural population of the pea aphid
Authors: Chung Seung Ho , Parker Benjamin J. , Blow Frances , Brisson Jennifer A. , Douglas Angela E.
Published: January 2020

A defining feature of the nutritional ecology of plant sap‐feeding insects is that the dietary deficit of essential amino acids (EAAs) in plant sap is supplemented by EAA‐provisioning microbial symbionts in the insect. Here, we demonstrated substantial variation in the nutritional phenotype of 208 genotypes of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum collected from a natural population. Specifically, the genotypes varied in performance (larval growth rates) on four test diets lacking the EAAs arginine, histidine and methionine or aromatic EAAs (phenylalanine and tryptophan), relative to the diet containing all EAAs. These data indicate that EAA supply from the symbiotic bacteria Buchnera can meet total aphid nutritional demand for only a subset of the EAA/aphid genotype combinations. We then correlated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in the aphid and Buchnera genomes by reduced genome sequencing against aphid performance for each EAA deletion diet. This yielded significant associations between performance on the histidine‐free diet and Buchnera SNPs, including metabolism genes predicted to influence histidine biosynthesis. Aphid genetic correlates of performance were obtained for all four deletion diets, with associations on the arginine‐free diet and aromatic‐free diets dominated by genes functioning in the regulation of metabolic and cellular processes. The specific aphid genes associated with performance on different EAA deletion diets are largely nonoverlapping, indicating some independence in the regulatory circuits determining aphid phenotype for the different EAAs. This study demonstrates how variation in the phenotype of associations collected from natural populations can be applied to elucidate the genetic basis of ecologically important traits in systems intractable to traditional forward/reverse genetic techniques.
Identification of the targeted therapeutic potential of doxycycline for a subset of gastric cancer patients
Authors: Pandian Jaishree , Panneerpandian Ponmathi , Devanandan Helen Jemimah , Sekar Balaji T. , Balakrishnan Karthik , Selvarasu Karthikeyan , Muthupandi Karthikeyan , Ganesan Kumaresan
Published: January 2020

The identification of new drugs for the targeted therapy of gastric cancer remains an important need. The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK/ELK1 signaling cascade is activated in many cancers, including gastric cancer. To identify the targetable inhibitors of the ERK/MAPK pathway, we performed a repurposing screening of a panel of antimicrobial agents in gastric cancer cells using an ERK/MAPK‐driven firefly luciferase reporter assay. Multiple antibiotics were identified to inhibit ERK‐mediated transcriptional activity. Among them, doxycycline showed high inhibition of ERK/MAPK‐regulated transcriptional activity and the levels of ERK proteins. Doxycycline was further identified to inhibit the proliferation and the colony‐ and spheroid‐forming potential of gastric cancer cells. By in vitro signaling pathway and genome‐wide expression profiling analyses, doxycycline was identified to inhibit signaling pathways and transcriptional activities regulated by ER, Myc, E2F1, Wnt, SMAD2/3/4, Notch, and OCT4. Doxycycline was also found to activate p53‐, ATF6‐, NRF1/2‐, and MTF1‐mediated transcription and inhibit the transcription of histones, proteasomal genes, fibroblast growth factor, and other oncogenic factors. These observations show the multitargeting and targeted therapeutic features of doxycycline for a subset of gastric tumors.
Laboratory‐based interventions targeting food craving: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Wolz Ines , Nannt Julia , Svaldi Jennifer
Published: January 2020

This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to quantify the effects of laboratory‐based interventions targeting specific mechanisms of food craving, to identify moderators of effects, and to qualitatively summarize findings. The study was conducted and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Sixty‐nine studies were included in the quantitative synthesis, and separate meta‐analyses were conducted for the outcomes self‐reported craving and objective food intake. Results show small to medium positive effects across specific craving interventions on both outcomes. Effect sizes were partly moderated by intervention type. The most effective intervention regarding food intake was in sensu cue exposure. For subjective craving, the most robust evidence was found for beneficial effects of cognitive regulation strategies (ie, reappraisal, suppression, and distraction). Results further indicate that training inhibitory control through behavioral inhibition might be more effective than approach‐avoidance training when considering its effect on subjective craving and food intake. People with external eating habits, overeating, or loss‐of‐control eating might benefit from these types of specific craving interventions. Future research should focus on long‐term effects, transferability, and effectiveness in clinical samples.
EARLY HELLADIC I AND TALIOTI POTTERY: IS IT JUST A PHASE WE’RE GOING THROUGH?
Authors: Burke Clare , Day Peter M. , Kossyva Angeliki
Published: January 2020

This paper discusses the analysis of Early Bronze Age ‘Talioti’‐style ceramics found at sites in the Argolid and Corinthia, in the north‐east Peloponnese of mainland Greece. It presents the results of an integrated methodology that addresses questions relating to the potential sources of raw materials, the identification of potting practices, and the exchange of such vessels during the Early Bronze Age period. The work places site‐based results within a broader spatial and temporal context, specifically examining how this characteristic ceramic assemblage has been used as a chronological and cultural marker for the Early Bronze Age 1 (EB I) period in the north‐east Peloponnese. We argue that ‘Talioti’ pottery comprises the outcome of specific sets of knowledge, reputation and social practice in both its production and consumption, and that it is the determination of the location and method of production that allows an effective understanding of its chronological and spatial distribution. The case study is used to critically assess cultural and chronological interpretation of typological studies of ceramics, arguing that analytical understandings of provenance and technology are now fundamental to understanding both cultural identity and the passage of time.
Overexpression of GmAAP6a enhances tolerance to low nitrogen and improves seed nitrogen status by optimizing amino acid partitioning in soybean
Authors: Liu Sheng , Wang Dan , Mei Yuanyuan , Xia Tongmei , Xu Wei , Zhang Yuqing , You Xiang , Zhang Xiyu , Li Lei , Wang Ning Ning
Published: January 2020

Amino acid transport via phloem is one of the major source‐to‐sink nitrogen translocation pathways in most plant species. Amino acid permeases (AAPs) play essential roles in amino acid transport between plant cells and subsequent phloem or seed loading. In this study, a soybean AAP gene, annotated as GmAAP6a, was cloned and demonstrated to be significantly induced by nitrogen starvation. Histochemical staining of GmAAP6a:GmAAP6a‐GUS transgenic soybean revealed that GmAAP6a is predominantly expressed in phloem and xylem parenchyma cells. Growth and transport studies using toxic amino acid analogs or single amino acids as a sole nitrogen source suggest that GmAAP6a can selectively absorb and transport neutral and acidic amino acids. Overexpression of GmAAP6a in Arabidopsis and soybean resulted in elevated tolerance to nitrogen limitation. Furthermore, the source‐to‐sink transfer of amino acids in the transgenic soybean was markedly improved under low nitrogen conditions. At the vegetative stage, GmAAP6a‐overexpressing soybean showed significantly increased nitrogen export from source cotyledons and simultaneously enhanced nitrogen import into sink primary leaves. At the reproductive stage, nitrogen import into seeds was greatly enhanced under both sufficient and limited nitrogen conditions. Collectively, our results imply that overexpression of GmAAP6a enhances nitrogen stress tolerance and source‐to‐sink transport and improves seed quality in soybean. Co‐expression of GmAAP6a with genes specialized in source nitrogen recycling and seed loading may represent an interesting application potential in breeding.
Successful engraftment of haploidentical bone marrow with post‐transplantation cyclophosphamide in patients with aplastic anemia
Authors: Dang Brian Norman , De Oliveira Satiro , Gray Ashley , Bowles LaVette , Moore Theodore Bruce
Published: January 2020

Patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) may benefit from hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, but many of them lack a matched donor. Haploidentical transplantation is increasingly utilized for the treatment of nonmalignant disease where patients lack a matched donor. We report patients with aplastic anemia who experienced successful engraftments of haploidentical stem cells with post‐transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy). Case series and review of the literature. We present two cases of pediatric patients with severe aplastic anemia who experienced successful engraftment of haploidentical related bone marrow. Both patients received conditioning consisting of rabbit ATG, cyclophosphamide, fludarabine, and total body irradiation pretransplant, with PTCy. The conditioning regimen was well tolerated by both patients, and they achieved full donor engraftment and were weaned off all immunosuppressants. Haploidentical stem cell transplantation in patients with severe aplastic anemia may be an effective alternative when fully matched donors are not available. PTCy can facilitate successful engraftment and therefore expand the pool of eligible donors for patients with aplastic anemia.