bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bee products in the prehistoric southern levant: evidence from the lipid organic record
Authors: Chasan Rivka , Rosenberg Danny , Klimscha Florian , Beeri Ron , Golan Dor , Dayan Ayelet , Galili Ehud , Spiteri Cynthianne
Published: October 2021

Beehive products have a rich global history. In the wider Levantine region, bees had a significant role in Egypt and Mesopotamia, and intensive beekeeping was noted in Israel during the Biblical period when apiaries were first identified. This study investigates the origins of this extensive beekeeping through organic residue analysis of pottery from prehistoric sites in the southern Levant. The results suggest that beehive products from likely wild bees were used during the Chalcolithic period as a vessel surface treatment and/or as part of the diet. These functions are reinforced by comparison to the wider archaeological record. While the true frequency of beeswax use may be debated, alternatives to beehive products were seemingly preferred as wild resources contrasted with the socio-economic system centred on domesticated resources, controlled production and standardization. Bee products only became an important part of the economic canon in the southern Levant several millennia later.
Acquisition and long-term memory of object names in a sample of Gifted Word Learner dogs
Authors: Dror Shany , Miklósi Ádám , Sommese Andrea , Temesi Andrea , Fugazza Claudia
Published: October 2021

Dogs with a vocabulary of object names are rare and are considered uniquely gifted. In a few cases, these Gifted Word Learner (GWL) dogs have presented cognitive skills that are functionally similar to those of human infants. However, the acquisition rate of new object names and the ability of GWL dogs to form long-term memories of those is unknown. In this study, we examine the ability of six GWL dogs to acquire the names of new objects in a short period and to retain those in their long-term memory without post-acquisition exposures. In Experiments 1 and 2, the dogs were tested on their ability to learn, during social interactions with their owners, the names of 6 and 12 new toys respectively, in one week. In Experiments 3 and 4, the dogs' memory of these objects was tested after one and two months. GWL dogs typically learned the names of the new objects and remembered those. We suggest that dogs with knowledge of object names could be a powerful model for studying mental mechanisms related to word acquisition in a non-human species.
Rheology of three-phase suspensions determined via dam-break experiments
Authors: Birnbaum Janine , Lev Einat , Llewellin Edward W.
Published: October 2021

Three-phase suspensions, of liquid that suspends dispersed solid particles and gas bubbles, are common in both natural and industrial settings. Their rheology is poorly constrained, particularly for high total suspended fractions (≳0.5). We use a dam-break consistometer to characterize the rheology of suspensions of (Newtonian) corn syrup, plastic particles and CO
2
bubbles. The study is motivated by a desire to understand the rheology of magma and lava. Our experiments are scaled to the volcanic system: they are conducted in the non-Brownian, non-inertial regime; bubble capillary number is varied across unity; and bubble and particle fractions are 0 ≤ 
ϕ
gas
 ≤ 0.82 and 0 ≤ 
ϕ
solid
 ≤ 0.37, respectively. We measure flow-front velocity and invert for a Herschel–Bulkley rheology model as a function of

ϕ

gas

,

ϕ

solid

, and the capillary number. We find a stronger increase in relative viscosity with increasing

ϕ

gas

in the low to intermediate capillary number regime than predicted by existing theory, and find both shear-thinning and shear-thickening effects, depending on the capillary number. We apply our model to the existing community code for lava flow emplacement, PyFLOWGO, and predict increased viscosity and decreased velocity compared with current rheological models, suggesting existing models may not adequately account for the role of bubbles in stiffening lavas.
Bilateral costly expulsions resolve the public goods dilemma
Authors: Wang Xiaofeng , Perc Matjaž
Published: October 2021

Expulsion has been found to promote cooperation in social dilemmas, but only if it does not incur costs or is applied unilaterally. Here, we show that removing both conditions leads to a spontaneous resolution of the costly expulsion problem. Namely, by studying the public goods game where cooperators and defectors can expel others at a personal cost, we find that public cooperation thrives as expulsion costs increase. This is counterintuitive, as the cost of other-regarding behaviour typically places an additional burden on cooperation, which is in itself costly. Such scenarios are referred to as second-order free-rider problems, and they typically require an additional mechanism, such as network reciprocity, to be resolved. We perform a mean field analysis of the public goods game with bilateral costly expulsion, showing analytically that the expected payoff difference between cooperators and defectors increases with expulsion costs as long as players with the same strategy have, on average, a higher frequency to interact with each other. As the latter condition is often satisfied in social networks, our results thus reveal a fascinating new path to public cooperation, and they show that the costs of well-intended actions need not be low for them to be effective.
Five hundred million years to mobility: directed locomotion and its ecological function in a turtle barnacle
Authors: Chan Benny K. K. , Wong Yue Him , Robinson Nathan J. , Lin Jr-Chi , Yu Sing-Pei , Dreyer Niklas , Cheng I-Jiung , Høeg Jens T. , Zardus John D.
Published: October 2021

Movement is a fundamental characteristic of life, yet some invertebrate taxa, such as barnacles, permanently affix to a substratum as adults. Adult barnacles became ‘sessile’ over 500 Ma; however, we confirm that the epizoic sea turtle barnacle,
Chelonibia testudinaria
, has evolved the capacity for self-directed locomotion as adults. We also assess how these movements are affected by water currents and the distance between conspecifics. Finally, we microscopically examine the barnacle cement.
Chelonibia testudinaria
moved distances up to 78.6 mm yr
−1
on loggerhead and green sea turtle hosts. Movements on live hosts and on acrylic panels occasionally involved abrupt course alterations of up to 90°. Our findings showed that barnacles tended to move directly against water flow and independent of nearby conspecifics. This suggests that these movements are not passively driven by external forces and instead are behaviourally directed. In addition, it indicates that these movements function primarily to facilitate feeding, not reproduction. While the mechanism enabling movement remained elusive, we observed that trails of cement bore signs of multi-layered, episodic secretion. We speculate that proximal causes of movement involve one or a combination of rapid shell growth, cement secretion coordinated with basal membrane lifting, and directed contraction of basal perimeter muscles.
Mitonuclear interactions and introgression genomics of macaque monkeys (
Macaca
) highlight the influence of behaviour on genome evolution
Authors: Evans Ben J. , Peter Benjamin M. , Melnick Don J. , Andayani Noviar , Supriatna Jatna , Zhu Jianlong , Tosi Anthony J.
Published: October 2021

In most macaques, females are philopatric and males migrate from their natal ranges, which results in pronounced divergence of mitochondrial genomes within and among species. We therefore predicted that some nuclear genes would have to acquire compensatory mutations to preserve compatibility with diverged interaction partners from the mitochondria. We additionally expected that these sex-differences would have distinctive effects on gene flow in the X and autosomes. Using new genomic data from 29 individuals from eight species of Southeast Asian macaque, we identified evidence of natural selection associated with mitonuclear interactions, including extreme outliers of interspecies differentiation and metrics of positive selection, low intraspecies polymorphism and atypically long runs of homozygosity associated with nuclear-encoded genes that interact with mitochondria-encoded genes. In one individual with introgressed mitochondria, we detected a small but significant enrichment of autosomal introgression blocks from the source species of her mitochondria that contained genes which interact with mitochondria-encoded loci. Our analyses also demonstrate that sex-specific demography sculpts genetic exchange across multiple species boundaries. These findings show that behaviour can have profound but indirect effects on genome evolution by influencing how interacting components of different genomic compartments (mitochondria, the autosomes and the sex chromosomes) move through time and space.
A tardigrade in Dominican amber
Authors: Mapalo Marc A. , Robin Ninon , Boudinot Brendon E. , Ortega-Hernández Javier , Barden Phillip
Published: October 2021

Tardigrades are a diverse group of charismatic microscopic invertebrates that are best known for their ability to survive extreme conditions. Despite their long evolutionary history and global distribution in both aquatic and terrestrial environments, the tardigrade fossil record is exceedingly sparse. Molecular clocks estimate that tardigrades diverged from other panarthropod lineages before the Cambrian, but only two definitive crown-group representatives have been described to date, both from Cretaceous fossil deposits in North America. Here, we report a third fossil tardigrade from Miocene age Dominican amber.
Paradoryphoribius chronocaribbeus
gen. et sp. nov. is the first unambiguous fossil representative of the diverse superfamily Isohypsibioidea, as well as the first tardigrade fossil described from the Cenozoic. We propose that the patchy tardigrade fossil record can be explained by the preferential preservation of these microinvertebrates as amber inclusions, coupled with the scarcity of fossiliferous amber deposits before the Cretaceous.
Lung-selective Cas13d-based nanotherapy inhibits lethal SARS-CoV-2 infection by targeting host protease Ctsl
Authors: Cui Zhifen , Zeng Cong , Huang Furong , Yuan Fuwen , Yan Jingyue , Zhao Yue , Huang Jiaoti , Staats Herman F. , Everitt Jeffrey I. , Sempowski Gregory D. , Wang Hongyan , Dong Yizhou , Liu Shan-Lu , Wang Qianben
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic persists as a global health crisis for which curative treatment has been elusive. Development of effective and safe anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapies remains an urgent need. SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells requires specific host proteases including TMPRSS2 and Cathepsin L (Ctsl)1–3, but there has been no reported success in inhibiting host proteases for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis in vivo. Here we have developed a lung Ctsl mRNA-targeted, CRISPR/Cas13d-based nanoparticle therapy to curb fatal SARS-CoV-2 infection in a mouse model. We show that this nanotherapy can decrease lung Ctsl expression in normal mice efficiently, specifically, and safely. Importantly, this lung-selective Ctsl-targeted nanotherapy significantly extended the survival of lethally SARS-CoV-2 infected mice by decreasing lung virus burden, reducing expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines, and diminishing the severity of pulmonary interstitial inflammation. Additional in vitro analyses demonstrated that Cas13d-mediated Ctsl knockdown inhibited infection mediated by the spike protein of SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and more importantly, the authentic SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 Delta variant, regardless of TMPRSS2 expression status. Our results demonstrate the efficacy and safety of a lung-selective, Ctsl-targeted nanotherapy against infection by SARS-CoV-2 and likely other emerging coronaviruses, forming a basis for investigation of this approach in clinical trials.
Spontaneously emerging internal models of visual sequences combine abstract and event-specific information in the prefrontal cortex
Authors: Bellet Marie E , Gay Marion , Bellet Joachim , Jarraya Bechir , Dehaene Stanislas , van Kerkoerle Timo , Panagiotaropoulos Theofanis I
Published: October 2021

When exposed to sensory sequences, do macaque monkeys spontaneously form abstract internal models that generalize to novel experiences? Here, we show that neuronal populations in macaque ventrolateral prefrontal cortex encode visual sequences by factorizing them into separate codes for the specific pictures presented and for their abstract sequential structure. Ventrolateral prefrontal neurons were recorded while macaque monkeys passively viewed visual sequences and sequence mismatches in the local-global paradigm. Even without any overt task or response requirements, prefrontal populations spontaneously built up representations of sequence structure, serial order, and image identity within distinct but superimposed neuronal subspaces. Representations of sequence structure rapidly updated following single exposure to a mismatch sequence, while orthogonal populations represent mismatches for sequences of different complexity. Finally, those representations generalized across sequences following the same structure but comprising different images. These results suggest that prefrontal populations spontaneously encode rich internal models of visual sequences that reflect both content-specific and abstract information.
Selective behavioural impairments in mice heterozygous for the cross disorder psychiatric risk geneDLG2
Authors: Pass Rachel , Haan Niels , Humby Trevor , Wilkinson Lawrence S. , Hall Jeremy , Thomas Kerrie L.
Published: October 2021

Mutations affectingDLG2are emerging as a genetic risk factor associated with neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and bipolar disorder. Discs large homolog 2 (DLG2) is a member of the membrane-associated guanylate kinase protein superfamily of scaffold proteins, a component of the post-synaptic density in excitatory neurons and regulator of synaptic function and plasticity. It remains an important question whether and how haploinsuffiency of DLG2 contributes to impairments in basic behavioural and cognitive functions that may underlie symptomatic domains in patients that cross diagnostic boundaries. Using a heterozygousDlg2mouse model we examined the impact of reducedDlg2expression on functions commonly impaired in neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders including motor co-ordination and learning, pre-pulse inhibition and habituation to novel stimuli. The heterozygousDlg2mice exhibited behavioural impairments in long-term motor learning and long-term habituation to a novel context, but not motor co-ordination, initial responses to a novel context, PPI of acoustic startle or anxiety. We additionally showed evidence for the reduced regulation of the synaptic plasticity-associated protein cFos in the motor cortex during motor learning. The sensitivity of selective behavioural and cognitive functions, particularly those dependent on synaptic plasticity, to reduced expression of DLG2 give further credence for DLG2 playing a critical role in specific brain functions but also a mechanistic understanding of symptom expression shared across psychiatric disorders.
Building regulatory landscapes: enhancer recruits cohesin to create contact domains, engage CTCF sites and activate distant genes
Authors: Rinzema Niels J. , Sofiadis Konstantinos , Tjalsma Sjoerd J. D. , Verstegen Marjon J.A.M. , Oz Yuva , Valdes-Quezada Christian , Felder Anna-Karina , Filipovska Teodora , van der Elst Stefan , de Andrade dos Ramos Zaria , Han Ruiqi , Krijger Peter H.L. , de Laat Wouter
Published: October 2021

Developmental gene expression is often controlled by distal tissue-specific enhancers. Enhancer action is restricted to topological chromatin domains, typically formed by cohesin-mediated loop extrusion between CTCF-associated boundaries. To better understand how individual regulatory DNA elements form topological domains and control expression, we used a bottom-up approach, building active regulatory landscapes of different sizes in inactive chromatin. We demonstrate that transcriptional output and protection against gene silencing reduces with increased enhancer distance, but that enhancer contact frequencies alone do not dictate transcription activity. The enhancer recruits cohesin to stimulate the formation of local chromatin contact domains and activate flanking CTCF sites for engagement in chromatin looping. Small contact domains can support strong and stable expression of distant genes. The enhancer requires transcription factors and mediator to activate genes over all distance ranges, but relies on cohesin exclusively for the activation of distant genes. Our work supports a model that assigns two functions to enhancers: its classic role to stimulate transcription initiation and elongation from target gene promoters and a role to recruit cohesin for the creation of contact domains, the engagement of flanking CTCF sites in chromatin looping, and the activation of distal target genes.
Clinical and immunological signatures of severe COVID-19 in previously healthy patients with clonal hematopoiesis
Authors: Kang Chang Kyung , Choi Baekgyu , Kim Sugyeong , Park Seongwan , Yoon Soon Ho , Lee Dohoon , Lee Andrew J. , Ko Yuji , Chang Euijin , Jung Jongtak , Choe Pyoeng Gyun , Park Wan Beom , Kim Eu Suk , Kim Hong Bin , Kim Nam Joong , Oh Myoung-don , Kang Suk-jo , Kang Kyuho , Kim Sun , Im Hogune , Kim Joohae , Lee Yong Hoon , Lee Jaehee , Lee Ji Yeon , Moon Joon Ho , Song Kyoung-Ho , Koh Youngil , Jung Inkyung
Published: October 2021

Identifying additional risk factors for COVID-19 severity in numerous previously healthy patients without canonical clinical risk factors remains challenging. In this study, we investigate whether clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP), a common aging-related process that predisposes various inflammatory responses, may exert COVID-19 severity. We examine the clinical impact of CHIP in 143 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients. Both stratified analyses and logistic regression including the interaction between canonical risk factors and CHIP show that CHIP is an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19, especially in previously healthy patients. Analyses of 60,310 single-cell immune transcriptome profiles identify distinct immunological signatures for CHIP (+) severe COVID-19 patients, particularly in classical monocytes, with a marked increase in pro-inflammatory cytokine responses and potent IFN-γ mediated hyperinflammation signature. We further demonstrate that the enhanced expression of CHIP (+) specific IFN-γ response genes is attributed to the CHIP mutation-dependent epigenetic reprogramming of poised or bivalent cis-regulatory elements. Our results highlight a unique immunopathogenic mechanism of CHIP in the progression of severe COVID-19, which could be extended to elucidate how CHIP contributes to a variety of human infectious diseases.
Longitudinal estimation of stress-related states through bio-sensor data
Authors: Mozgovoy Vadym
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The authors aim to develop a conceptual framework for longitudinal estimation of stress-related states in the wild (IW), based on the machine learning (ML) algorithms that use physiological and non-physiological bio-sensor data.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a conceptual framework for longitudinal estimation of stress-related states consisting of four blocks: (1) identification; (2) validation; (3) measurement and (4) visualization. The authors implement each step of the proposed conceptual framework, using the example of Gaussian mixture model (GMM) and K-means algorithm. These ML algorithms are trained on the data of 18 workers from the public administration sector who wore biometric devices for about two months.

Findings

The authors confirm the convergent validity of a proposed conceptual framework IW. Empirical data analysis suggests that two-cluster models achieve five-fold cross-validation accuracy exceeding 70% in identifying stress. Coefficient of accuracy decreases for three-cluster models achieving around 45%. The authors conclude that identification models may serve to derive longitudinal stress-related measures.

Research limitations/implications

Proposed conceptual framework may guide researchers in creating validated stress-related indicators. At the same time, physiological sensing of stress through identification models is limited because of subject-specific reactions to stressors.

Practical implications

Longitudinal indicators on stress allow estimation of long-term impact coming from external environment on stress-related states. Such stress-related indicators can become an integral part of mobile/web/computer applications supporting stress management programs.

Social implications

Timely identification of excessive stress may improve individual well-being and prevent development stress-related diseases.

Originality/value

The study develops a novel conceptual framework for longitudinal estimation of stress-related states using physiological and non-physiological bio-sensor data, given that scientific knowledge on validated longitudinal indicators of stress is in emergent state.
Using transfer learning for diabetic retinopathy stage classification
Authors: El Houby Enas M.F.
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the dangerous complications of diabetes. Its grade level must be tracked to manage its progress and to start the appropriate decision for treatment in time. Effective automated methods for the detection of DR and the classification of its severity stage are necessary to reduce the burden on ophthalmologists and diagnostic contradictions among manual readers.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, convolutional neural network (CNN) was used based on colored retinal fundus images for the detection of DR and classification of its stages. CNN can recognize sophisticated features on the retina and provides an automatic diagnosis. The pre-trained VGG-16 CNN model was applied using a transfer learning (TL) approach to utilize the already learned parameters in the detection.

Findings

By conducting different experiments set up with different severity groupings, the achieved results are promising. The best-achieved accuracies for 2-class, 3-class, 4-class and 5-class classifications are 86.5, 80.5, 63.5 and 73.7, respectively.

Originality/value

In this research, VGG-16 was used to detect and classify DR stages using the TL approach. Different combinations of classes were used in the classification of DR severity stages to illustrate the ability of the model to differentiate between the classes and verify the effect of these changes on the performance of the model.
Clairaut anti-invariant submersions from Lorentzian trans-Sasakian manifolds
Authors: Siddiqi Mohd Danish , Chaubey Sudhakar Kumar , Siddiqui Aliya Naaz
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The central idea of this research article is to examine the characteristics of Clairaut submersions from Lorentzian trans-Sasakian manifolds of type (α, β) and also, to enhance this geometrical analysis with some specific cases, namely Clairaut submersion from Lorentzian α-Sasakian manifold, Lorentzian β-Kenmotsu manifold and Lorentzian cosymplectic manifold. Furthermore, the authors discuss some results about Clairaut Lagrangian submersions whose total space is a Lorentzian trans-Sasakian manifolds of type (α, β). Finally, the authors furnished some examples based on this study.

Design/methodology/approach

This research discourse based on classifications of submersion, mainly Clairaut submersions, whose total manifolds is Lorentzian trans-Sasakian manifolds and its all classes like Lorentzian Sasakian, Lorenztian Kenmotsu and Lorentzian cosymplectic manifolds. In addition, the authors have explored some axioms of Clairaut Lorentzian submersions and illustrates our findings with some non-trivial examples.

Findings

The major finding of this study is to exhibit a necessary and sufficient condition for a submersions to be a Clairaut submersions and also find a condition for Clairaut Lagrangian submersions from Lorentzian trans-Sasakian manifolds.

Originality/value

The results and examples of the present manuscript are original. In addition, more general results with fair value and supportive examples are provided.
Multi-layer polymer beam reinforced by graphene platelets on low velocity impact response
Authors: Hassan Mohammed Salih , Shomran Haideer Taleb , Abbas Abbas Allawi , Al-Kasob Bashar Dheyaa Hussein , Jasim Manar Hamid , Ranjbar Mehdi
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of graphene platelets (GPLs) on the low-speed contact between a mass and surface of a multi-layer polymer beam.

Design/methodology/approach

This problem is primarily organized by first-order shear deformation beam theory and nonlinear Hertz rule. GPLs are distributed along the beam thickness direction. The Halpin–Tsai micromechanics model is applied for computing the effective Young’s modulus of the GPLs/polymer composites. In the formulation process, the principle of conservation of energy is first used and the histories of results are extracted using the separation of variables and Runge–Kutta method.

Findings

In comparing the responses with the available data, a good agreement is observed. The effects of the weight fraction and distribution pattern on the impact response of polymer beam reinforced with GPLs are studied. Results show that contact force is increased, contact time and beam recess are decreased with increasing of weight fraction of GPLs. Also, among the different distribution patterns, the contact force depended on value of GPLs at the point of contact.

Originality/value

The effects of GPLs addition on the multi-layer polymer beam has a novelty in impact problems.
Supply chain management: an integrative review from the agency theory perspective
Authors: Beal Partyka Raul
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the article is to demonstrate how agency theory has been used to address the dynamics involved in supply chain management. It is also dedicated to suggesting an agenda for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

We performed an integrative literature review, based on the process detailed by Botelho et al. (2011), with search filters. The articles were obtained from the Scopus and Web of Science databases using the keywords “supply chain” and “agency theory”, with a subsequent analytical filter for “management”. The search initially identified 205 articles. After two screenings, 56 articles were selected for analysis.

Findings

Despite attempts to infer the importance of research on agency theory in supply chain management, its application to the discipline is scarce. Clearly, agency theory provides valuable insights into the relationships in the supply chain. In the studies analyzed, the dynamics of performance, risk, sustainability, dyadic and inter-firm relationships, and supplier management are predominant.

Originality/value

When considering unwanted behaviors throughout the supply chain, agency theory fills the explanatory gaps for these facts. It also proves to be a useful tool to answer mainly the dilemmas of underlying theories, such as transaction cost theory, resource-based view and network theory. Rare are the studies that examine the current state of the application of agency theory in the supply chain literature in the management field.
Development of a homelessness risk screening tool for emergency department patients
Authors: Doran Kelly M. , Johns Eileen , Zuiderveen Sara , Shinn Marybeth , Dinan Kinsey , Schretzman Maryanne , Gelberg Lillian , Culhane Dennis , Shelley Donna , Mijanovich Tod
Published: October 2021

Objective

To develop a screening tool to identify emergency department (ED) patients at risk of entering a homeless shelter, which could inform targeting of interventions to prevent future homelessness episodes.

Data sources

Linked data from (1) ED patient baseline questionnaires and (2) citywide administrative homeless shelter database.

Study design

Stakeholder‐informed predictive modeling utilizing ED patient questionnaires linked with prospective shelter administrative data. The outcome was shelter entry documented in administrative data within 6 months following the baseline ED visit. Exposures were responses to questions on homelessness risk factors from baseline questionnaires.

Data collection/extraction methods

Research assistants completed questionnaires with randomly sampled ED patients who were medically stable, not in police/prison custody, and spoke English or Spanish. Questionnaires were linked to administrative data using deterministic and probabilistic matching.

Principal findings

Of 1993 ED patients who were not homeless at baseline, 5.6% entered a shelter in the next 6 months. A screening tool consisting of two measures of past shelter use and one of past criminal justice involvement had 83.0% sensitivity and 20.4% positive predictive value for future shelter entry.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates the potential of using cross‐sector data to improve hospital initiatives to address patients' social needs.
Is there enough behaviour change science in nutrition and dietetics curricula in Australia and New Zealand? A descriptive study
Authors: Rigby Roshan R. , Williams Lauren T. , Ball Lauren , Hamilton Kyra , Mitchell Lana
Published: October 2021

Aim

The application of behaviour change science is fundamental to the role of dietitians. This study aimed to describe how behaviour change science is embedded within the curricula of accredited/registered dietetics programs in Australia and New Zealand.

Methods

A descriptive study triangulated quantitative document analysis of curricula content from university websites (Part 1) with qualitative, structured interviews with dietetics academics (Part 2). Part 2 verified and advanced upon information captured in Part 1 and was analysed using thematic content analysis.

Results

Twenty‐five courses from 18 university programs (15 Australia and 3 New Zealand) were synthesised. Fifteen interviews (12 Australia, 3 New Zealand) were conducted. Behaviour change science was taught and assessed at varying levels across all programs. It was taught primarily within lectures or workshops where students apply skills learnt in practical case‐based activities, and assessed through small group education planning or demonstrating communication and counselling skills. Five themes were identified from the interviews: (1) behaviour change science should be foundational; (2) integrate and scaffold within curricula; (3) structural limitations within curricula; (4) challenging for students and (5) recommendations for competencies.

Conclusion

Behaviour change science is clearly of value to the dietetics profession. Core content appears to be embedded across all university programs; however, the level and depth of the content varied. The knowledge gained from this study provides direction for curricular improvements.
Ultrasound‐versus landmark‐guided medium‐sized joint arthrocentesis: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Gibbons Ryan C. , Zanaboni Allison , Genninger Jessica , Costantino Thomas G.
Published: October 2021

Objectives

Arthrocentesis is commonly performed in the emergency department, but success rates vary based on location. Presently, there is a paucity of data assessing the utility of ultrasound‐guided (USG) medium‐sized joint arthrocentesis. The objective of this study was to compare the success of USG and landmark‐guided (LMG) medium‐sized joint arthrocentesis.

Methods

This was a single‐center, prospective, randomized clinical trial (NCT03327584) of a convenience sample of adult patients who presented to an urban, university hospital with > 105,000 visits annually. Patients with a suspected medium‐sized joint effusion (defined as elbow, wrist, or ankle) undergoing arthrocentesis were randomized into LMG or USG using the GE Logiq e linear transducer (4–10 MHz). The following patients were excluded: on anticoagulation, with soft tissue infection overlying the joint, or involving an artificial joint. Statistical analysis included the Fisher exact, Mann‐Whitney U‐test, and t‐test.

Results

Overall, 44 patients were enrolled with 23 patients randomized into the LMG group and 21 patients into the USG arm. USG was significantly better than LMG with an overall success of 94.1% versus 60% for LMG (difference = 34.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.90 to 58.83). USG first‐pass success was 82.4% versus 46.7% for LMG (difference = 35.7%, 95% CI = 2.76 to 60.37) and a mean of 1.35 attempts versus 2.00 for LMG (difference = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.005 to 1.296). Of the 14 LMG failures, eight had no effusion present on USG crossover. Four patients in the USG group had no effusion present.

Conclusions

Ultrasound guidance improved first‐pass and overall successful arthrocentesis of medium‐sized joint effusions.
The Silk Road Spirit: China’s BRI discourse and its pursuit for great power status
Authors: Gloria Enrico V.
Published: October 2021

Current interpretations making sense of China's policy rationale for pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) often highlight explanations rooted in the logic of economic statecraft. This article proposes a different perspective by looking at the BRI as part of China's longstanding agenda to construct and present a positive and distinct major power image for itself. This perspective is consistent with the assumptions of Social Identity Theory (SIT), where groups pursue positive identity through the sociocognitive processes of categorization and self‐enhancement. By identifying referential and predication discursive strategies as reflected in official texts, this article finds representations of both categorization and self‐enhancement at work through China's Silk Road Spirit discourse of the BRI. Through this discourse, China seeks to cultivate a positive and distinct identity for itself by distinguishing its in‐group and out‐group and by forwarding positive values in terms of how international relations ought to be conducted.
Relationships between cognition and literacy in children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: McDougal Emily , Gracie Hannah , Oldridge Jessica , Stewart Tracy M. , Booth Josephine N. , Rhodes Sinéad M.
Published: October 2021

Evidence suggests that cognitive and literacy difficulties are common for children with Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The current systematic review and meta‐analysis investigated the relationship between cognition and literacy in children with ADHD. Ten thousand and thirty‐eight articles were screened against the inclusion criteria and six eligible studies were retained for final review. Where two or more studies used comparable measures of cognition and literacy, a meta‐analysis of the relationship between these measures was undertaken. A narrative synthesis of all included studies was also completed. There were medium effect sizes between working memory and aspects of reading, and small effect sizes between processing speed and reading. Inhibition and attention had differential relationships with aspects of literacy with varying effect sizes. This systematic review demonstrates differential relationships between aspects of literacy and cognition in children with ADHD. Further examination of these relationships is warranted to support intervention development.
Working from home and disabled people's employment outcomes
Authors: Hoque Kim , Bacon Nick
Published: October 2021

This paper assesses disabled employees’ likelihood of working from home relative to non‐disabled employees, and the implications of doing so for their experiences of work. Analysing British nationally representative data, the findings suggest that disabled employees are less likely to work from home than non‐disabled employees, given they are disproportionately excluded from the higher‐paying and/or managerial roles in which working from home is more widely available. In addition, organizations in which working from home is more commonplace do not employ a higher proportion of disabled people. The results also confirm disabled employees report poorer experiences of work than non‐disabled employees regarding job control, job‐related mental health, job satisfaction and work–life balance. Although working from home is positively associated with these outcomes (except for work–life balance) for both disabled and non‐disabled employees, there is very little evidence it is associated with smaller disability gaps in these outcomes. Therefore, our analysis questions the potential for working from home to reduce disability disadvantage within organizations, and highlights the need for more substantial action to address the barriers to employment that disabled people encounter.
FGF21 promotes migration and differentiation of epidermal cells during wound healing via SIRT1‐dependent autophagy
Authors: Chen Xixi , Tong Gaozan , Fan Junfu , Shen Yingjie , Wang Nan , Gong Wenjie , Hu Zijing , Zhu Kunxuan , Li Xiaokun , Jin Litai , Cong Weitao , Xiao Jian , Zhu Zhongxin
Published: October 2021

Background and Purpose

Migration and differentiation of epidermal cells are essential for epidermal regeneration during wound healing. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) plays key roles in mediating a variety of biological activities. However, its role in skin wound healing remains unknown.

Experimental Approach

Fgf21 knockout (Fgf21 KO) mice were used to determine the effect of FGF21 on wound healing. The source of FGF21 and its target cells were determined by immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, and ELISA assay. Moreover, Sirt1flox/flox and Atg7flox/flox mice were constructed and injected with the epidermal‐specific Cre virus to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Migration and differentiation of keratinocytes were evaluated in vitro by cell scratch assays, immunofluorescence, and qRT‐RCR. The effects were further assessed when SIRT1, ATG7, ATG5, BECN1, and P53 were silenced. Interactions between SIRT1 and autophagy‐related genes were assessed using immunoprecipitation assays.

Key Results

FGF21 was active in fibroblasts and promoted migration and differentiation of keratinocytes following injury. After wounding, SIRT1 expression and autophagosome synthesis were lower in Fgf21 KO mice. Depletion of ATG7 in keratinocytes counteracted the FGF21‐induced increases in migration and differentiation, suggesting that autophagy is required for the FGF21‐mediated pro‐healing effects. Furthermore, epithelial‐specific Sirt1 knockout abolished the FGF21‐mediated improvements of autophagy and wound healing. Silencing of SIRT1 in keratinocytes, which decreased deacetylation of p53 and autophagy‐related proteins, revealed that FGF21‐induced autophagy during wound healing was SIRT1‐dependent.

Conclusions and implications

FGF21 is a key regulator of keratinocyte migration and differentiation during wound healing. FGF21 may be a novel therapeutic target to accelerate would healing.
Clinical examination for hyperlinear palms to determine filaggrin genotype: A diagnostic test accuracy study
Authors: Bradshaw Lucy E. , Haines Rachel H. , Thomas Kim S. , Chalmers Joanne R. , Irvine Alan D. , Williams Hywel C. , Brown Sara J.
Published: October 2021

Background

Palmar hyperlinearity is a feature of ichthyosis vulgaris, the monogenic skin disorder caused by FLG loss‐of‐function mutations.

Objective

To investigate how well the presence or absence of hyperlinear palms (HLP) detect FLG genotype in children.

Methods

STARD criteria are used to report this diagnostic accuracy study. Phenotype and genotype data (four most prevalent FLG null mutations) were obtained from a total of 3656 children in three studies: the UK CLOTHES trial (children 1–5 years with moderate–severe atopic eczema); UK BEEP trial (2 year olds at high risk of developing atopic eczema); UK‐Irish eczema case collection (0–16 year olds with atopic eczema). All participants included in analyses of HLP as the index test and FLG genotype as the reference were of white European ancestry.

Results

Thirty‐two percent of participants (1159/3656) had FLG null mutation(s) and 37% (1347/3656) had HLP. In 13% (464/3656), HLP was recorded as ‘unsure’ or not recorded. The sensitivity and specificity of HLP for detecting FLG mutations in each of the studies was: 67% (95% CI 55–78%) and 75% (67–82%) in CLOTHES; 46% (36–55%) and 89% (86–91%) in BEEP; 72% (68–75%) and 60% (57–62%) in the UK‐Irish case collection. Positive and negative likelihood ratios were: 2.73 (1.95–3.81) and 0.44 (0.31–0.62) in CLOTHES; 4.02 (2.99–5.40) and 0.61 (0.52–0.73) in BEEP; 1.79 (1.66–1.93) and 0.47 (0.42–0.53) in the UK‐Irish collection.

Discussion

Trained observers were able to define palmar hyperlinearity in the majority (3191/3656, 87%) of cases. The presence of HLP is not a reliable sign to detect FLG mutations, but the absence of HLP excludes FLG null genotype with a reasonable degree of certainty.
Breaking the silence on special needs children in foster care: The diversity of children in foster care, carers and processes
Authors: Fuentes‐Peláez Nuria , Montserrat Carme , Sitjes‐Figueras Rosa , Crous Gemma
Published: October 2021

This study aims to advance the understanding of children with special needs in foster care by identifying the characteristics, processes, and outcomes of their placement. The study uses a quantitative approach to identify 190 children with special needs (registered) from among 2,157 foster children in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, Spain and examines key data covering 2008 to 2018. The results show that children with special needs are overrepresented in placements with single‐parent foster carers (mainly women), raising questions about the extent to which the care system takes the complexity of special needs into account.
The Role of Emotional Content and Perceptual Saliency During the Programming of Saccades Toward Faces
Authors: Entzmann Léa , Guyader Nathalie , Kauffmann Louise , Lenouvel Juliette , Charles Clémence , Peyrin Carole , Vuillaume Roman , Mermillod Martial
Published: October 2021

Previous studies have shown that the human visual system can detect a face and elicit a saccadic eye movement toward it very efficiently compared to other categories of visual stimuli. In the first experiment, we tested the influence of facial expressions on fast face detection using a saccadic choice task. Face‐vehicle pairs were simultaneously presented and participants were asked to saccade toward the target (the face or the vehicle). We observed that saccades toward faces were initiated faster, and more often in the correct direction, than saccades toward vehicles, regardless of the facial expressions (happy, fearful, or neutral). We also observed that saccade endpoints on face images were lower when the face was happy and higher when it was neutral. In the second experiment, we explicitly tested the detection of facial expressions. We used a saccadic choice task with emotional‐neutral pairs of faces and participants were asked to saccade toward the emotional (happy or fearful) or the neutral face. Participants were faster when they were asked to saccade toward the emotional face. They also made fewer errors, especially when the emotional face was happy. Using computational modeling, we showed that this happy face advantage can, at least partly, be explained by perceptual factors. Also, saccade endpoints were lower when the target was happy than when it was fearful. Overall, we suggest that there is no automatic prioritization of emotional faces, at least for saccades with short latencies, but that salient local face features can automatically attract attention.
TRPV1 mediates itch‐associated scratching and skin barrier dysfunction in DNFB‐induced atopic dermatitis mice
Authors: Tang Liu , Gao Jiefang , Cao Xiaoqin , Chen Lu , Wang Huiling , Ding Hong
Published: October 2021

In chronic pruritic diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD), pruritus and skin lesions are exacerbated by scratching in clinical and experimental settings. TRPV1 is known to mediate itch and neurogenic inflammation, but the role of TRPV1 in itch‐associated scratching in AD is poorly understood. In this study, we examined the efficacy of cutting off nails and TRPV1 antagonist, ruthenium red (RR) in a murine model of AD induced by DNFB and further investigated the underlying mechanism. Nail clipping or RR could markedly ameliorate the general AD‐like symptoms as manifested by the reduced clinical severity of dermatitis, IgE and Th2‐related cytokine levels, and mast cell degranulation. Moreover, scratching behaviour, the levels of pruritogenic mediators, including HIS, TSLP, IL‐31 and SP, and skin pH and TEWL were all significantly decreased in nail clipping or RR‐treated mice, suggesting a reduction in itch‐associated scratching and skin barrier defects. Immunofluorescence staining and Western blot results revealed that antipruritic effect of nail clipping or RR in AD may be explained, at least in part, by the suppression of TRPV1 activation. In summary, these data show that TRPV1 mediates itch‐associated scratching and subsequent skin barrier defects, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target in AD.
Artificial Sweeteners Identify Spatial Patterns of Historic Landfill Contaminated Groundwater Discharge in an Urban Stream
Authors: Propp Victoria R. , Brown Susan J. , Collins Pamela , Smith James E. , Roy James W.
Published: October 2021

Leachate‐contaminated groundwater from historical municipal landfills, typically lacking engineered liners and leachate collection systems, poses a threat to nearby urban streams, particularly to benthic ecosystems. Effective monitoring and assessment of such sites requires understanding of the spatial patterns (i.e., two‐dimensional footprint) of contaminated groundwater discharge and associated controlling factors. However, discharges from groundwater contaminated by modern wastewater can complicate site assessments. The objectives of this study were to (1) demonstrate the use of artificial sweeteners (AS): saccharin (SAC), cyclamate (CYC), acesulfame (ACE), and sucralose (SUC), to distinguish groundwater discharge areas influenced by historic landfill leachate (elevated SAC and sometimes CYC; low ACE and SUC concentrations) from those influenced by wastewater (high ACE and SUC concentrations), and (2) investigate contaminant discharge patterns for two gaining urban stream reaches adjacent historic landfills at base flows. Contaminant discharge patterns revealed by the AS were strongly controlled by hyporheic flow (low AS concentrations), particularly for the straight reach, and stream sinuosity, particularly for the meandering reach. These patterns were different and the contaminant footprint coverage (<25% of streambed area) much less than most past studies (typically >50% coverage), likely due to the homogeneous streambed‐aquifer conditions and shallow, narrow landfill plume in this setting.