bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pediatric growth patterns in youth‐onset type 2 diabetes mellitus: Implications for physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic models
Authors: Hosey Chelsea M. , Halpin Kelsee , Shakhnovich Valentina , Bi Chengpeng , Sweeney Brooke , Yan Yun , Leeder J. Steven
Published: March 2022

An accurate understanding of the changes in height and weight of children with age is critical to the development of models predicting drug concentrations in children (i.e., physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic models). However, curves describing the growth of a typical population of children may not accurately characterize growth of children with various conditions, such as obesity. Therefore, to develop height and weight versus age growth curves for youth who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, we extracted data from electronic medical records. Robust nonlinear models were parameterized to the equations describing height and weight versus age as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC z‐scores were calculated using an internal program. The growth curves and z‐scores were compared to CDC norms. Youth with type 2 diabetes were increasingly heavier than CDC norms from early childhood. Except for a period around puberty, youth with type 2 diabetes were, on average, shorter than CDC norms, resulting in shorter average adult height. Deviations in growth were apparent in youth who develop type 2 diabetes; such deviations may be expected for other conditions as well, and disease‐specific growth curves should be considered during development of model‐informed drug development for pediatric conditions.
Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination in low‐risk infants born very preterm: a longitudinal prospective study
Authors: Romeo Domenico M. , Apicella Massimo , Velli Chiara , Brogna Claudia , Ricci Daniela , Pede Elisa , Sini Francesca , Coratti Giorgia , Gallini Francesca , Cota Francesco , Bovis Francesca , Vento Giovanni , Mercuri Eugenio
Published: March 2022

Aim

To describe the profile of global and single items of the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) in a population of low‐risk infants born very preterm during the first year of life.

Method

The HINE was performed at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months’ corrected age in a population of low‐risk infants born preterm with a gestational age of fewer than 32 weeks and with normal or minimal changes on neuroimaging.

Results

A total of 174 infants born preterm (96 males, 78 females; mean gestational age = 27 weeks [SD = 1.8], range 23–31 weeks) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The 10th centile cut‐off score with median and range was reported for the HINE global and subsection scores. A progressive increase in global HINE scores was observed. Most of the single items, especially those related to tone, posture, and reflexes, showed progressive maturation.

Interpretation

Our results, which provide longitudinal data for single‐item and global scores in a population of low‐risk infants born very preterm, can be used as a reference in both clinical and research settings to monitor early neurological signs in these infants. These data could be used as normative data when examining low‐risk infants born preterm.
Economic reform and political stagnation: The inconsistent patterns of institutional change
Authors: Khalid Usman , Okafor Luke , Shahbaz Muhammad
Published: March 2022

This study examines whether convergence in institutional quality distinguished by economic and political dimensions of institutions has occurred across countries. The study uses data from 81 countries over the period of 1985 to 2018. The study tests the convergence hypothesis by using three different measures of institutional quality capturing political and economic dimensions of institutions. The empirical results show that convergence in economic institutional quality has occurred and most countries with weak economic institutions have a higher rate of change compared with countries with strong economic institutions. In contrast, for political institutions, the convergence process is short‐lived.
Suppression of IL‐12/IL‐23 p40 subunit in the skin and blood of psoriasis patients by Tofacitinib is dependent on active interferon‐γ signaling in dendritic cells: Implications for the treatment of psoriasis and interferon‐driven diseases
Authors: Vincken Nanette L. A. , Welsing Paco M. J. , Silva‐Cardoso Sandra C. , Bekker Cornelis P. J. , Lopes Ana P. , Olde Nordkamp Michel , Leijten Emmerik F. A. , Radstake Timothy R. D. J. , Angiolilli Chiara
Published: March 2022

Interleukin (IL)‐12 and IL‐23 are pro‐inflammatory cytokines produced by dendritic cells (DCs) and associated with Psoriasis (Pso) and Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) pathogenesis. Tofacitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor, effectively suppresses inflammatory cascades downstream the IL‐12/IL‐23 axis in Pso and PsA patients. Here, we investigated whether Tofacitinib directly regulates IL‐12/IL‐23 production in DCs, and how this regulation reflects responses to Tofacitinib in Pso patients. We treated monocyte‐derived dendritic cells and myeloid dendritic cells with Tofacitinib and stimulated cells with either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or a combination of LPS and IFN‐γ. We assessed gene expression by qPCR, obtained skin microarray and blood Olink data and clinical parameters of Pso patients treated with Tofacitinib from public data sets. Our results indicate that in DCs co‐stimulated with LPS and IFN‐γ, but not with LPS alone, Tofacitinib leads to the decreased expression of IL‐23/IL‐12 shared subunit IL12B (p40). In Tofacitinib‐treated Pso patients, IL‐12 expression and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) are significantly reduced in patients with higher IFN‐γ at baseline. These findings demonstrate for the first time that Tofacitinib suppresses IL‐23/IL‐12 shared subunit IL12B in DCs upon active IFN‐γ signaling, and that Pso patients with higher IFN‐γ baseline levels display improved clinical response after Tofacitinib treatment.
MioceneNautilus(Mollusca, Cephalopoda) from Taiwan, and a review of the Indo‐Pacific fossil record ofNautilus
Authors: Goedert James L. , Kiel Steffen , Tsai Cheng‐Hsiu
Published: March 2022

The fossil record of the cephalopod genusNautilushas been obscured because a few influential taxonomists during the 20th Century decided that fossils similar toNautiluswere instead other genera. We now recognize fossils once classified as species of other genera as species ofNautilus. This includes fossils from Miocene rocks of Taiwan that were previously described asKummelonautilus taiwanumbut herein recognized instead as being the northernmost Neogene record ofNautilusin the Indo‐Pacific region. The name is corrected toNautilus taiwanus, and now known to occur in two formations in central Taiwan, the early Miocene Shihmentsun and early to middle Miocene Houdongkeng formations. Miocene fossils from Indonesia that were placed in other genera are now considered to representNautilusas they were originally assigned, in addition to several Miocene species from Australia, which provide the southernmost Neogene fossil record for the genus. Some of these Indo‐Pacific fossils may represent the same species, but more specimens are needed to determine the amount of variability within these Neogene taxa.
The prevalence of hypertension in Chinese adolescents aged 15–17 years: A comparison of different criteria
Authors: Zhou Haoqi , Li Suning , Wang Xin , Chen Zuo , Zhang Linfeng , Shao Lan , Tian Ye , Yu Jing , Zheng Congyi , Chen Lu , Cao Xue , Wang Zengwu
Published: March 2022

This study intended to compare the prevalence of hypertension in adolescents aged 15–17 years in China according to different criteria defined by various guidelines. We included 28 715 adolescents aged 15–17 years from the China Hypertension Survey study (CHS) 2012–2015, and the 2017 American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) Clinical Practice Guideline and 2018 Chinese guidelines for children and adults were used to define hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension among Chinese adolescents aged 15–17 years was 24.4% according to the 2018 Chinese guidelines for children; the corresponding values were 18.6% according to the 2017 AAP Guidelines, and 3.5% according to 2018 Chinese guidelines for adults. The age‐specific prevalence of hypertension in the age of 15, 16, and 17 years in the same population was 26.2%, 24.4%, and 23.3% according to 2018 Chinese guidelines for children; 18.8%, 17.9%, and 19.2% as per the 2017 AAP Guidelines; 3.4%, 3.4%, and 3.6% as per the 2018 Chinese guidelines for adults. A highest prevalence of hypertension was observed according to 2018 Chinese guidelines for children than the other two guidelines. Compared with the 2018 Chinese guidelines for children, a higher 95th percentile BP (systolic and diastolic) was also observed in the present study in each gender‐age‐height‐specific group. And the height, which was key factor to influence blood pressure, was similar between adolescents aged 15–17 and adults, and a paralleled result was seen in the present study. Therefore, the 2018 Chinese guidelines for adults may also be appropriate for adolescents aged 15–17 years.
Joint flood control scheduling strategy of large cascade reservoirs: A case study of the cascade reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in China
Authors: Jing Zhu , Zhang Rongqi , Bao Hexin , Zhang Shanghong
Published: March 2022

The flood control ability of cascade reservoirs is affected by many factors, such as the inflow flood form, and flood control scheduling rules. When large cascade reservoirs were built, it is necessary to evaluate the overall flood control ability of the reservoirs and explore the best joint scheduling strategy. In this study, cascade reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in China were selected as the research case. A stochastic model of inflow floods and a dynamic capacity flood regulation model for the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) were established, and the most dangerous inflow floods for downstream flood control were generated. Different scheduling strategies for the cascade reservoirs were set to block the TGR inflow flood to explore the flood control risk in the Jingjiang area under joint operation of the TGR and the upstream cascade reservoirs. The research results show that the joint flood control scheduling strategy has a huge impact on the flood control ability of cascade reservoirs, and different scheduling schemes must be adopted according to the inflow flood characteristics of the reservoirs. This study provides a new idea for systematically evaluating the flood control ability of large cascade reservoirs and selecting appropriate scheduling strategies.
The miR157‐SPL‐CNR module acts upstream of bHLH101 to negatively regulate iron deficiency responses in tomato
Authors: Zhu Huihui , Wang Jiayi , Jiang Dan , Hong Yiguo , Xu Jiming , Zheng Shaojian , Yang Jianli , Chen Weiwei
Published: March 2022

Iron (Fe) homeostasis is critical for plant growth, development, and stress responses. Fe levels are tightly controlled by intricate regulatory networks in which transcription factors (TFs) play a central role. A series of basic helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) TFs have been shown to contribute to Fe homeostasis, but the regulatory layers beyond bHLH TFs remain largely unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the SQUAMOSA PROMOTER‐BINDING PROTEIN‐LIKE (SPL) TF SlSPL‐CNR negatively regulates Fe‐deficiency responses in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) roots. Fe deficiency rapidly repressed the expression of SlSPL‐CNR, and Fe deficiency responses were intensified in two clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR‐associated protein 9‐generated SlSPL‐CNR knock‐out lines compared to the wild‐type. Comparative transcriptome analysis identified 47 Fe deficiency‐responsive genes the expression of which is negatively regulated by SlSPL‐CNR, one of which, SlbHLH101, helps regulate Fe uptake genes. SlSPL‐CNR localizes the nucleus and interacts with the GTAC and BOX 4 (ATTAAT) motifs in the SlbHLH101 promoter to repress its expression. Inhibition of SlSPL‐CNR expression in response to Fe deficiency was well correlated with the expression of the microRNA SlymiR157. SlymiR157‐overexpressing tomato lines displayed enhanced Fe deficiency responses, as did SlSPL‐CNR loss‐of‐function mutants. We propose that the SlymiR157‐SlSPL‐CNR module represents a novel pathway that acts upstream of SlbHLH101 to regulate Fe homeostasis in tomato roots.
Effects of exercise training on obesity‐related parameters in people with intellectual disabilities: systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Salse‐Batán J. , Sanchez‐Lastra M. A. , Suárez‐Iglesias D. , Pérez C. Ayán
Published: March 2022

Background

Efforts to synthesise existing knowledge concerning the effects of exercise interventions on obesity (i.e. changes in body weight and composition) have been made, but scientific evidence in this matter is still limited. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aims to identify and critically analyse the best available evidence regarding the use of physical exercise as a strategy to attenuate obesity through its effects on adiposity‐related anthropometric parameters in people with intellectual disability (ID).

Methods

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines, a literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library through specific keywords up to July 2020. The search adhered to the population, intervention, comparison and outcome strategy. Randomised controlled trials addressing the effects of the exercise intervention on adiposity‐related anthropometric parameters (body mass index, waist circumference, waist–hip ratio, fat percentage or body weight) in children, adolescents and adults with ID were included. The methodological quality of the studies found was evaluated through the PEDro scale.

Results

A total of nine investigations with children and/or adolescents (10–19 years) and 10 investigations with adults (18–70 years) were selected, mostly experiencing mild and moderate ID. Methodological quality was fair in 13 of these publications, good in five and excellent in one. Seventeen trials reported comparable baseline and post‐intervention data for the intervention and control groups and were included in the meta‐analysis. In nine studies, the intervention group performed a cardiovascular training programme. Five papers described a combined training programme. Two trials executed whole‐body vibration training programmes, and one publication proposed balance training as the primary intervention. According to the meta‐analysis results, the reviewed studies proposed exercise modalities that, in comparison with the activities performed by the participants' in the respective control groups, did not have a greater impact on the variables assessed.

Conclusions

While physical exercise can contribute to adiposity‐related anthropometric parameters in people with mild and moderate ID, these findings show that exercise alone is not sufficient to manage obesity in this population. Multicomponent interventions appear to be the best choice when they incorporate dietary deficit, physical activity increase and behaviour change strategies. Finding the most effective modality of physical exercise can only aid weight loss interventions. Future research would benefit from comparing the effects of different exercise modalities within the framework of a multicomponent weight management intervention.
Non‐surgical facelift—by PDO threads and dermal filler: A case report
Authors: Goel Anupriya , Rai Kritika
Published: March 2022

Background

Non‐surgical, minimally invasive techniques are an effective way to bring a facelift with long lasting results; and minimal downtime and side effects. Due to an increased awareness and growing social acceptability, a large number of patients have been seeking these treatments to maintain a youthful appearance.

Objective

To assess the efficacy of combined use of PDO threads and hyaluronic acid fillers for non‐surgical facelift in a male patient.

Method

A 39‐year‐old male patient underwent a non‐surgical facelift using a combination of PDO threads and hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. Treatment was done in two sessions at an interval of one week using 4 pair mint PDO cog threads in the first session followed by injection of 5 ml of hyaluronic acid dermal filler (4 ml JuvedermVoluma and 1 ml Juvederm Ultra Plus).

Results

Combined use of PDO threads and dermal fillers is an effective technique for face lift and to correct sagging. Significant improvement is seen within a week of procedure which ensures high degree of patient satisfaction.

Conclusion

Facial rejuvenation and lifting using PDO cog threads and hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are effective in providing immediate, long lasting results with minimal downtime.
Effects of a moisturizer containing pseudo‐ceramide and a eucalyptus extract on sweating function in adult atopic dermatitis: a double‐blind, randomized, controlled left‐right comparison clinical trial
Authors: Shindo Shoko , Murota Hiroyuki , Seki Tsuyoshi , Mori Katsura , Kaizu Kazuhiro , Nishizaka Takahiro , Takagi Yutaka , Katayama Ichiro
Published: March 2022

Background

Many patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have a decreased ability to sweat. Several factors can cause decreased perspiration, such as weak tight junctions of sweat ducts, reduced acetylcholine receptor function, and inhibition of perspiration by histamines. Parakeratosis of AD skin also decreases sweating by occluding sweat pores. Increased ceramide levels in the stratum corneum reduce parakeratosis by improving stratum corneum functions. Furthermore, ceramides and/or ceramide derivatives may affect claudin‐3 and acetylcholine receptors.

Objective

In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a moisturizer containing pseudo‐ceramide and a eucalyptus extract to increase ceramide levels in the epidermis to improve the sweating ability of patients with AD.

Methods

Nineteen patients with AD applied moisturizers with or without pseudo‐ceramide and a eucalyptus extract on the cubital fossa of either arm twice a day for 4 weeks. Skin conditions and sweating ability, measured as the response to acetylcholine stimulation, were evaluated prior to the start of the study (Week 0) and at the end of Weeks 2 and 4.

Results

Both moisturizers improved the visually evaluated skin symptoms and skin hydration. However, only the moisturizer containing pseudo‐ceramide and the eucalyptus extract significantly improved cutaneous barrier function and significantly increased the ceramide level in the stratum corneum. That moisturizer also increased the sweating volume and shortened the latency time for sweating, an indicator of sweating ability, but the other moisturizer did not.

Conclusion

Based on these results, the moisturizer containing pseudo‐ceramide and a eucalyptus extract helps recover the sweat function of AD patients.
Classification of multiple sclerosis patients based on structural disconnection: A robust feature selection approach
Authors: Schiavi Simona , Azzari Alberto , Mensi Antonella , Graziano Nicole , Daducci Alessandro , Bicego Manuele , Inglese Matilde , Petracca Maria
Published: March 2022

Background and Purpose

Although structural disconnection represents the hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS) pathophysiology, classification attempts based on structural connectivity have achieved low accuracy levels. Here, we set out to fill this gap, exploring the performance of supervised classifiers on features derived from microstructure informed tractography and selected applying a novel robust approach.

Methods

Using microstructure informed tractography with diffusion MRI data, we created quantitative connectomes of 55 MS patients and 24 healthy controls. We then used a robust approach—based on two classical methods of feature selection— to select relevant features from three network representations (whole connectivity matrices, node strength, and local efficiency). Classification accuracy of the selected features was tested with five different classifiers, while their meaningfulness was tested via correlation with clinical scales. As a comparison, the same classifiers were run on features selected with the standard procedure in network analysis (thresholding).

Results

Our procedure identified 11 features for the whole net, five for local efficiency, and seven for node strength. For all classifiers, the accuracy was in the range 64.5%‐91.1%, with features extracted from the whole net reaching the maximum, and overcoming results obtained with the standard procedure in all cases. Correlations with clinical scales were identified across functional domains, from motor and cognitive abilities to fatigue and depression.

Conclusion

Applying a robust feature selection procedure to quantitative structural connectomes, we were able to classify MS patients with excellent accuracy, while providing information on the white matter connections and gray matter regions more affected by MS pathology.
Drivers of intraspecific differentiation of an alpine cold‐tolerant herb, Notopterygium oviforme: Roles of isolation by distance and ecological factors
Authors: Liu Mi‐Li , Shang Qian‐Han , Cheng Yan‐Jun , Wang Na , Sa Wei , Li Bao‐Guo , Li Zhong‐Hu
Published: March 2022

Determining the mechanisms that drive phenotypic and genetic divergence by species has been a central topic in evolutionary biology for many years. However, the relative contributions of isolation by distance (IBD) and environment factors to species divergence are largely unknown in perennial herbs in East Asia. In this study, we collected population genetic samples of the cold‐tolerant perennial herb Notopterygium oviforme R. H. Shan in central China. We integrated the population transcriptomes, whole chloroplast genomes, genotyping‐by‐sequencing, microsatellite markers, and ecological factors to determine the relative contributions of geography, climate, and soil factors to genetic, chemical, and phenotypic divergence. A clear genetic distinction was identified between the West Qinling and East Qinling Mountains geographical groups of N. oviforme based on various molecular datasets. Interestingly, obvious niche conservation might have been responsible for the similarity of most of the leaf functional traits in the two groups. Multiple matrix regression with randomization analysis showed that the spatial intraspecific divergence pattern was mainly due to IBD rather than isolation by environment. In addition, transcriptomic expression divergence and some ecological factors have played key roles in intraspecific lineage differentiation. Approximate Bayesian Computation showed that both lineages have experienced historical population expansion and recent range contraction. Molecular dating suggested that intraspecific divergence was closely associated with dramatic uplifts of the Qinling Mountains in East Asia. These results demonstrate that geographical, geological, and environmental factors together shaped cryptic intraspecific diversification and shifts in the population dynamics of the perennial cold‐tolerant herb N. oviforme.
Fruits of Firmiana and Craigia (Malvaceae) from the Eocene of the Central Tibetan Plateau with emphasis on biogeographic history
Authors: Del Rio Cédric , Wang Teng‐Xiang , Li Shu‐Feng , Jia Lin‐Bo , Chen Pei‐Rong , Spicer Robert A. , Wu Fei‐Xiang , Zhou Zhe‐Kun , Su Tao
Published: March 2022

The fossil record evidences an old origin and diversification of Malvaceae in the Northern Hemisphere. The central Tibetan Plateau was at a low elevation with a monsoon influence during the Eocene, allowing the development of a subtropical flora containing Malvaceae. The taxonomic study of fossils from the Eocene of what is now the Tibetan Plateau is still ongoing. Malvaceae fossils from the Eocene Jianglang flora, are attributed to sub‐families Tilioideae and Sterculioideae, and are compared with modern species. A new specimen of Firmiana is described based on a fruit valve with a pinnate venation, the secondary veins starting at the ventral suture and reaching the midvein, and the seeds attached at the proximal part of the ventral suture. This specimen represents the earliest known occurrence of the genus. A new occurrence of Craigia is also reported based on detached membranous valves of a fruit capsule with a prominent fusiform locular area and radiating venation. Based on the fossil record of Firmiana and its modern distribution, we infer that the genus may have originated in East Asia and subsequently diversified in South China and Southeast Asia. The new occurrence of Craigia indicates that the genus was distributed in humid areas in South, Southwest and North China during the Eocene. Both fossil records evidence the important role that the Tibetan region played in the diversification of plants in East and Southeast Asia.
Texture and viscoelastic characteristics of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) surimi affected by combination of washing regimes and hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Badfar Narjes , Abdollahi Mehdi , Stubbe Peter Reimer , Jafarpour Ali
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to apply H2O2 at different concentrations in combination with mince:water (M:W) ratios and different washing cycles (WCs) to produce surimi gel from silver carp without compromising its quality characteristics. Color, texture, microstructure, and rheological properties of surimi gels were investigated. Water holding capacity, texture profile, and gel strength showed a greater dependency on number of WCs than the M:W ratios and percentage of H2O2 (p < .05), that is, higher WCs, firmer surimi gel. Accordingly, T2 (one WC, 2% H2O2, 1:3), T10 (two WC, 1% H2O2, 1:2), and T16 (three WC, 1% H2O2, 1:2) treatments resulted the most cohesive and resilient surimi compared with the rest (p < .05), confirmed by scanning electron microscopy images. However, all treated fish mince samples with H2O2, resulted in a surimi gel with lower texture quality compared with the control surimi prepared by conventional washing process without H2O2 (p < .05). A temperature sweep test was conducted based on the linear viscoelastic region stress and frequency values and the aforementioned surimi gels exhibited an obvious valley shape pattern at temperature range of 48–62°C. In the creep–recovery test, the Burgers model satisfactorily described the internal structure of the surimi gel samples as the lowest deformation belonged to the control samples followed by T2. However, after 300 s strain, neither of surimi gels were fully recovered their original shape. Altogether, further studies are needed to clarify the effects of H2O2 in reduction of WCs, without significantly affecting the textural and rheological properties of resultant surimi gel.
Antifungal activity of puroindoline protein from soft wheat against grain molds and its potential as a biocontrol agent
Authors: Tian P.P. , Lv Y.Y. , Wei S. , Zhang S.B. , Zheng X.T. , Hu Y.S.
Published: March 2022

Mold growth reduces the quality of stored grains, besides producing toxins that pose a potential threat to human health. Therefore, prevention of grain mold growth during storage is important to ensure a safe and high-quality product, preferably using an eco-friendly antifungal agent. The puroindoline (PIN) protein was extracted by Triton X-114 and identified by QE mass spectrometry. Aspergillus flavus has attracted much attention because of its toxic secondary metabolites, and PIN protein showed a significant inhibition on A. flavus growth. Scanning electron microscopy revealed altered spore morphology of A. flavus following PIN protein treatment, and propidium iodide staining showed incomplete spore cell membranes. The disruption and deformation of A. flavus spores suggest that the cell walls and cell membranes were compromised. Decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and increased levels of intracellular reactive oxygen specieswere detected using JC-1 and 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining, respectively. PIN protein could effectively inhibit the growth and aflatoxins B1 production of A. flavus in stored grains, such as wheat and rice. PIN proteins can inhibit the growth of many common grain storage molds, including Penicillium, Aspergillus spp. (A. flavus, A. glaucus, A. kawachii, A. ochraceus and A. niger), Alternaria and Fusarium graminearum, in a dose-dependent manner. PIN protein has a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of grain molds, with a stronger inhibitory effect noted in wheat and rice. Our study provides a novel and simple theoretical basis for the selection and storage of mold resistance in grains and food during storage.
Factors associated with swallowing dysfunction in patients with head and neck cancer
Authors: Vermaire Jorine A. , Raaijmakers Cornelis P. J. , Monninkhof Evelyn M. , Verdonck‐de Leeuw Irma M. , Terhaard Chris H. J. , Speksnijder Caroline M.
Published: March 2022

Background

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate swallowing function in relation to personal and clinical factors among patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) from diagnosis up to 2 years after treatment.

Methods

The 100 ml water swallow test was measured before treatment, and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after treatment. Linear mixed‐effects model analysis was conducted to investigate changes over time and the association with personal (sex and age) and clinical (tumor site, tumor stage, and treatment modality) factors.

Results

Among 128 included patients, number of swallows increased from baseline to 3 months after treatment and decreased to baseline again at 6 months after treatment. The number of swallows was associated with age and treatment modality.

Conclusions

In patients with HNC, swallowing (dys)function changes over time with the worst score 3 months after treatment. A higher age and being treated with surgery are factors associated with swallowing dysfunction over time.
Effects of local government social media use on citizen compliance during a crisis: Evidence from the COVID‐19 crisis in China
Authors: Jiang Hanchen , Tang Xiao
Published: March 2022

Improving citizen compliance is a major goal of public administration, especially during crises. Although social media are widely used by government agencies across the globe, it is still unclear that whether the use of social media can help local governments improve citizen compliance especially during crises. Based on an original daily panel dataset of 189 cities in China during COVID‐19, this study provides empirical evidence for the positive effect that crisis‐related social media posts published by local government agencies has on citizen compliance. In addition, this effect is mediated by the topic of prevention measures in social media posts, and is stronger in cities with higher GDP per capita, better educated citizens and wider internet coverage. The findings imply that social media is an efficient and low‐cost tool to assist local government agencies to achieve public administration objectives during crises, and its efficacy is largely dependent on regional socioeconomic status.
Securitization and Forced Migration in Kenya: A Policy Transition from Integration to Encampment
Authors: Agwanda Billy
Published: March 2022

This article explores forced migration and policy transition in East Africa using the case study of Kenya—a key regional destination for forced migrants. Using a descriptive and historical approach to highlight the dynamics of forced migration (1990–2021), the study emphasizes on what factors underlie the change of policy from integration to encampment. The author argues that central to this transition are discourses on national security, domestic, and regional politics. Using the theory of securitization, the study finds that assumptive blames on forced migrants expose them to greater vulnerabilities, while failure to recognize the challenges facing host states also undermines the management of forced migrants. The author concludes that the principles of global cosmopolitanism should underlie response and that when critical national interests necessitate stricter limitations on the extent to which forced migrants can enjoy certain rights and freedoms, then the international community must strive to play a greater role to minimize risks to both host nations and forced migrants.
Pathogen‐induced hydraulic decline limits photosynthesis and starch storage in grapevines (Vitis sp.)
Authors: Fanton Ana Clara , Furze Morgan E. , Brodersen Craig R.
Published: March 2022

Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is the bacterial pathogen responsible for Pierce's Disease (PD) in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) and numerous diseases in agriculturally and ecologically important species. Current theory suggests that localized inoculations via insect feeding lead to bacterial spread through the xylem, reducing water transport capacity, leading to declines in productivity, and ultimately death. Yet, the underlying mechanisms of Xf‐induced mortality are not fully understood. In this study, we documented the development of PD symptoms over 12–13 weeks postinoculation. Subsequently assessed photosynthetic capacity, starch storage, and stem hydraulics in four grapevine genotypes (two PD‐resistant and two PD‐susceptible), comparing those physiological changes to control plants. PD‐susceptible genotypes showed a coordinated decline in photosynthesis, starch storage, and stem hydraulics, whereas Xf‐inoculation led to no change in starch and stem hydraulics in the PD‐resistant genotypes. Together these data support the idea of a link between loss of hydraulic conductivity due to tylosis production with a downstream photosynthetic decline and starch depletion in the PD‐susceptible genotypes. Our data support the theory that hydraulic failure and carbon starvation underlie plant mortality resulting from PD.
Animal sentience
Authors: Browning Heather , Birch Jonathan
Published: March 2022

‘Sentience’ sometimes refers to the capacity for any type of subjective experience, and sometimes to the capacity to have subjective experiences with a positive or negative valence, such as pain or pleasure. We review recent controversies regarding sentience in fish and invertebrates and consider the deep methodological challenge posed by these cases. We then present two ways of responding to the challenge. In a policy‐making context, precautionary thinking can help us treat animals appropriately despite continuing uncertainty about their sentience. In a scientific context, we can draw inspiration from the science of human consciousness to disentangle conscious and unconscious perception (especially vision) in animals. Developing better ways to disentangle conscious and unconscious affect is a key priority for future research.
Retail power in distribution channels: A double‐edged sword for upstream suppliers
Authors: He Yuhong , Ray Saibal , Yin Shuya
Published: March 2022

In distribution channels, the growing popularity of downstream retailers is a cause of both delight and despair for their upstream suppliers. While such retailers can generate more sales for the suppliers, they may also have higher leverage during any bargaining. This paper uses an analytical model to explore how a supplier's preference about the structure of her retail distribution channel is shaped by (1) the level of substitutability between the end products sold by the retailers, (2) the correlation between the popularity of the retailers and their bargaining power, and (3) the intensity of competition from other channels. In our base model, a monopolist supplier sells two substitutable products to two retailers who then sell to end customers. The two retailers are asymmetric in their ability to attract customers and their bargaining power during any contract negotiation with the supplier is proportional to that attraction potential. Analysis of the model and its extension reveals a number of robust insights, irrespective of whether the negotiation between the channel partners is about profit allocation or about wholesale price. First, an ideal situation for the supplier is that less asymmetric retailers sell differentiated products while more asymmetric ones sell similar products. That is, a supplier whose products are quite substitutable should not be too concerned about a dominant retail partner, but one selling differentiated products should be worried. Second, a stronger correlation between the retailers' popularity and their bargaining power makes the retail structure with less asymmetric retailers preferable from the supplier's perspective. Finally, the presence of competing channels selling substitutable variants significantly impacts the supplier's preference about its own channel structure, and a high level of channel competition reverses some of the above findings.
MOBILISE: A Higher‐Order Integration of Collective Action Research to Address Global Challenges
Authors: Thomas Emma F. , Duncan Lauren , McGarty Craig , Louis Winnifred R. , Smith Laura G. E.
Published: March 2022

The past decade has witnessed rapid growth in popular protest, alongside an upsurge in research on collective action. The proliferation of research has been both productive and fragmenting: We have an excellent understanding of the many factors that shape participation in collective action, but we lack a framework that explains how these factors fit together. TheModel of Belonging, Individual differences, Life experience and Interaction Sustaining Engagement(MOBILISE) addresses this gap to explain when, why, how, and for whom, collective action manifests. MOBILISE suggests that participation in collective action is shaped by individual differences (micro) and life experiences which, separately and in combination, lead to the formation of a group consciousness (meso) via the collectivization of grievance. Group consciousness is, in turn, the proximal predictor of collective action. Collective action itself has outcomes for people (dis/empowerment) and societies. These micro and meso processes occur in the context of macro societal factors relating to the cultural, political, and economic environment. MOBILISE highlights the transformational role of interaction in explaining the global reach and rapidity with which popular movements can form.
Prognosis assessment model based on low serum calcium in patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism
Authors: Yang Yu‐qing , Wang Xin , Zhang Yun‐jian , Chen Yan‐fan , Wang Ling , Hu Xiao‐wen , Niu Ling , Pu Hong‐mei , Zhang Xin , Zhang Zhen , Wang Lan , Chen Fang‐wei , Shi Juhong , Ji Ying‐qun
Published: March 2022

Background and objective

The pulmonary embolism severity index (PESI) and simplified PESI (sPESI) are recommended to recognize patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) with low prognosis risk, which is of great significance for treatment. This study aims to verify the influence of hypocalcaemia on the prognosis of patients with PTE and to establish a new prognosis assessment model.

Methods

This is an observational, multicentre study enrolling patients with PTE from February 2010 to June 2020 across 12 Chinese hospitals. Variables in PESI, serum calcium levels and patient survival status as of 5 July 2020 were collected. The area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, specificity and Youden index were used to evaluate model performance.

Results

In the cohort of 4196 patients with PTE, independent associations existed between hypocalcaemia and mid‐ and long‐term mortalities (p <0.05). By including hypocalcaemia, the new 30‐day death risk prediction rule, Peking Union Medical College Hospital rule (PUMCH rule), showed significantly higher specificity (0.622 [0.582, 0.661]; p <0.001) than the PESI (0.514 [0.473, 0.554]) and sPESI (0.484 [0.444, 0.525]) and similar sensitivity (0.963 [0.810, 0.999]; p = 0.161) with PESI (0.889 [0.708, 0.976]) and sPESI (0.963 [0.810, 0.999]) in the internal validation cohort. Well‐performing predictive validity was also verified on a constructed external validation cohort.

Conclusion

Hypocalcaemia is independently associated with mid‐ and long‐term PTE mortalities. The PUMCH rule showed significantly higher specificity than the PESI and sPESI and similar sensitivity, which may be used as a prognostic assessment tool for patients with acute PTE.
Residential property insurance and markets: Florida's QUASR data
Authors: Dumm Randy , Eckles David L.
Published: March 2022

Section 624.424(10) of the Florida Statutes requires insurers doing business in the State of Florida to file quarterly residential property insurance reports (commercial and residential) to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation via the Quality Supplemental Report (QUASR) system. The data are reported quarterly at the county level for 13 distinct lines of business and include information on policies in force (and underlying changes in polices during the quarter), premiums, and exposures. The QUASR data are unusual in their level of granularity and as such, should be of potential value to researchers pursuing research topics in the areas of market competition, insurance market development, and insurer/insurance market performance as well as to instructors considering projects involving data management, market and insurer‐level analysis, missing data imputation methods, forecasting, or projects that examine changes across periods of market disruptions and recovery.
PostCOVID‐19 exit strategies and emerging markets economic challenges
Authors: Aizenman Joshua , Ito Hiro
Published: March 2022

We study emerging markets' 1980s lost growth decade, triggered by the massive reversal of the snowball effect in the US during 1974–1984, finding that higher flow costs of servicing debt overhang explain the dramatic decline in growth rates of exposed emerging markets. We also show how lowering the US cost of servicing its public debt has been associated with higher US, Japan, and Western Europe real output growth rates during the post WWII recovery decades, 1946–1956, and validate that fiscal adjustments of large countries have strong growth and volatility spillovers effects on exposed emerging markets and developing countries.
Regularized Regression on Compositional Trees with Application to MRI Analysis
Authors: Wang Bingkai , Caffo Brian S. , Luo Xi , Liu Chin-Fu , Faria Andreia V. , Miller Michael I. , Zhao Yi
Published: March 2022

A compositional tree refers to a tree structure on a set of random variables where each random variable is a node and composition occurs at each non-leaf node of the tree. As a generalization of compositional data, compositional trees handle more complex relationships among random variables and appear in many disciplines, such as brain imaging, genomics and finance. We consider the problem of sparse regression on data that are associated with a compositional tree and propose a transformation-free tree-based regularized regression method for component selection. The regularization penalty is designed based on the tree structure and encourages a sparse tree representation. We prove that our proposed estimator for regression coefficients is both consistent and model selection consistent. In the simulation study, our method shows higher accuracy than competing methods under different scenarios. By analysing a brain imaging data set from studies of Alzheimer's disease, our method identifies meaningful associations between memory decline and volume of brain regions that are consistent with current understanding.
Generalizing Trial Evidence to Target Populations in Non-Nested Designs: Applications to AIDS Clinical Trials
Authors: Li Fan , Buchanan Ashley L. , Cole Stephen R.
Published: March 2022

Comparative effectiveness evidence from randomized trials may not be directly generalizable to a target population of substantive interest when, as in most cases, trial participants are not randomly sampled from the target population. Motivated by the need to generalize evidence from two trials conducted in the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), we consider weighting, regression and doubly robust estimators to estimate the causal effects of HIV interventions in a specified population of people living with HIV in the USA. We focus on a non-nested trial design and discuss strategies for both point and variance estimation of the target population average treatment effect. Specifically in the generalizability context, we demonstrate both analytically and empirically that estimating the known propensity score in trials does not increase the variance for each of the weighting, regression and doubly robust estimators. We apply these methods to generalize the average treatment effects from two ACTG trials to specified target populations and operationalize key practical considerations. Finally, we report on a simulation study that investigates the finite-sample operating characteristics of the generalizability estimators and their sandwich variance estimators.
Implementation structures at work. Exploring implementation and de‐implementation attempts regarding Housing First and Individual Placement and Support
Authors: Carlsson Stylianides Kristina , Bejerholm Ulrika , Denvall Verner , Knutagård Marcus , Johanson Suzanne
Published: March 2022

Research shows that resistance to change might occur in organisations that implement new evidence‐based practices (EBP). Formal and informal structures may work to retain traditional interventions, potentially counteracting the implementation process. Little is known about the de‐implementation of traditional practices to leave room for and enhance the implementation of EBPs. This study uses implementation structures as a theoretical framework with the aim of analysing implementation and de‐implementation factors among Swedish municipalities that provide support to vulnerable clients through the Housing First (HF) or Individual Placement and Support (IPS) interventional programmes. This cross‐sectional study is based on a digital survey and collects descriptive and qualitative data from three organisational levels in each responding municipality in Sweden. The descriptive statistics and qualitative texts were analysed using content analysis. The results show the incidence of HF and IPS, if and to what extent the interventions are going to be developed further, and partially, describe the organisational settings of HF and IPS. Organisational factors shown to have a negative impact on the implementation of HF and IPS were identified. The mapping of professional experiences from the intersection between HF or IPS and organisations such as the Swedish Health Insurance Office, the social services, and other similar welfare organisations, indicates that the realisation of HF and IPS requires expanded collaboration, which raises the consideration as to whether it is necessary to de‐implement broader frameworks and guidelines in these organisations to provide the prerequisites that enable the implementation of EBPs.