bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity—a summary of the third edition
Authors: Babor Thomas F. , Casswell Sally , Graham Kathryn , Huckle Taisia , Livingston Michael , Rehm Jürgen , Room Robin , Rossow Ingeborg , Sornpaisarn Bundit
Published: November 2022

Background and Aims

This article summarizes the findings and conclusions of the third edition ofAlcohol: No Ordinary Commodity. The latest revision of this book is part of a series of monographs designed to provide a critical review of the scientific evidence related to alcohol control policy from a public health perspective.

Design

A narrative summary of the contents of the book according to five major issues.

Findings

An extensive amount of epidemiological evidence shows that alcohol is a major contributor to the global burden of disease, disability and death in high‐, middle‐ and low‐income countries. Trends in alcohol products and marketing are described, indicating that a large part of the global industry has been consolidated into a small number of transnational corporations that are expanding their operations in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The main part of the book is devoted to a review of strategies and interventions designed to prevent or minimize alcohol‐related harm. Overall, the most effective strategies to protect public health are taxation that decreases affordability and restrictions on the physical availability of alcohol. A total ban on alcohol marketing is also an effective strategy to reduce consumption. In addition, drink‐driving counter‐measures, brief interventions with at‐risk drinkers and treatment of drinkers with alcohol dependence are effective in preventing harm in high‐risk contexts and groups of hazardous drinkers.

Conclusion

Alcohol policy is often the product of competing interests, values and ideologies, with the evidence suggesting that the conflicting interests between profit and health mean that working in partnership with the alcohol industry is likely to lead to ineffective policy. Opportunities for implementation of evidence‐based alcohol policies that better serve the public good are clearer than ever before as a result of accumulating knowledge on which strategies work best.
Longhorn beetles and predatory clerid beetles attracted to a blend of longhorn beetle pheromone compounds in a Central European oak forest (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Cleridae)
Authors: Imrei Zoltán , Lohonyai Zsófia , Orgován Edit , Muskovits József , Csóka György , Fail József , Tóth Miklós , Hanks Lawrence M. , Millar Jocelyn G.
Published: November 2022

A blend of longhorn beetle pheromones was tested as a generic attractant in a Central European oak forest. Overall, 20 cerambycid species totalling 1250 specimens were captured using two trap types.

More adults of Phymatodes testaceus and Leiopus nebulosus nebulosus were attracted to pheromone‐baited traps compared to solvent controls. Significant numbers of four other species were caught by panel traps but not funnel traps. For the cerambycine Pyrrhidium sanguineum, significantly more beetles were caught in treatment traps than controls. For the cerambycine Anaglyptus mysticus, lepturines Cortodera humeralis and Rhagium sycophanta, the numbers of beetles caught in treatment or control traps were similar, indicating no attraction to the lure blend. Adults of a predatory clerid beetle Clerus mutillarius were caught in significantly larger numbers by both baited trap types in comparison to controls, totalling 1514 specimens.

Antennae of both sexes of C. mutillarius showed responses to 3‐hydroxyhexan‐2‐one and 2‐methylbutan‐1‐ol, and males also responded to syn‐2,3‐hexanediol.

Strong attraction of C. mutillarius suggests eavesdropping on the pheromones of cerambycids and that such attractant baits, without traps, might be used to manipulate the local population density of predators in a push‐pull biological control program.
Genome‐wide association study for antibody response to Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratubeculosis in goats
Authors: Minozzi Giulietta , De Iorio Maria Grazia , Palazzo Fiorentina , Gandini Gustavo , Biffani Stefano , Paolillo Gianluigi , Ciani Elena , Di Marco Lo Presti Vincenzo , Stella Alessandra , Williams John L.
Published: November 2022

Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP), causes Johne's disease (JD), or paratuberculosis, a chronic enteritis of ruminants, which in goats is characterized by ileal lesions. The work described here is a case–control association study using the Illumina Caprine SNP50 BeadChip to unravel the genes involved in susceptibility of goats to JD. Goats in herds with a high occurrence of Johne's disease were classified as healthy or infected based on the level of serum antibodies against MAP, and 331 animals were selected for the association study. Goats belonged to the Jonica (157) and Siriana breeds (174). Whole‐genome association analysis identified one region suggestive of significance associated with an antibody response to MAP on chromosome 7 (p‐value = 1.23 × 10−5). These results provide evidence for genetic loci involved in the antibody response to MAP in goats.
Benefits and challenges to ophthalmology training via the Specialist Training Program
Authors: Jessup Belinda , Allen Penny , Khanal Santosh , Baker‐Smith Victoria , Barnett Tony
Published: November 2022

Introduction

The Specialist Training Program (STP) is a commonwealth funding initiative to support specialist medical training positions in regional, rural and remote areas, and in private settings. The program helps to improve the skills and distribution of the specialist medical workforce by providing trainees experience of a broader range of healthcare settings.

Objective

To examine the benefits and challenges of ophthalmology training delivered by the STP in regional, rural, remote, and/or private settings across Australia.

Design

Qualitative design involving semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with thirty‐two participants experienced in the delivery of ophthalmology training at STP posts including ophthalmology trainees (n = 8), STP supervisors and clinical tutors (n = 16), and other stakeholders (n = 8).

Findings

Training delivered at STP posts was reportedly beneficial for ophthalmology trainees, their supervisors and the broader community given it enabled exposure to regional, rural, remote and private settings, access to unique learning opportunities, provided workforce support and renewal, and affordable ophthalmic care. However, all participants also reported challenges including difficulties achieving work/life balance, unmet training expectations, a lack of professional support, and financial and administrative burden. Malalignment between trainee preferences for STP posts, low STP literacy and limited regional, rural and remote training experiences were also seen as missed opportunities to foster future rural ophthalmic workforce development.

Discussion

The STP improves access to ophthalmic care in underserved populations while enabling valuable rural and/or private practice exposure for medical specialist trainees and workforce support for supervising ophthalmologists.

Conclusion

Efforts are needed to improve the quality of training experiences provided at STP posts and post sustainability. Although research is needed to investigate the longer‐term benefits of the STP to rural and/or private workforce recruitment and retention, RANZCO should develop further regional, rural and remote STP posts to help realise future rural practice intention amongst ophthalmology trainees.
Trust in institutions and subjective well‐being: Evidence from the Philippines
Authors: Piosang Tristan , Grimes Arthur
Published: November 2022

We examine the institutional drivers of subjective well‐being (SWB). Using a repeated cross‐sectional data set from the Philippines spanning three decades, we estimate the relationship of people's trust in public institutions and SWB, measured in terms of people's satisfaction with their lives. Our findings, based on estimates which control for a range of individual‐level characteristics, show that people's trust in public institutions is strongly associated with their well‐being. In particular, a great deal of trust in the Police, Congress, and Judiciary is positively associated with people's satisfaction with their lives while a lack of trust in Congress, Civil Service, and Executive is negatively related to life satisfaction. Findings are discussed vis‐à‐vis their implications for Philippine public policy and to well‐being‐oriented policy regimes more generally.
Communication is crucial: Lessons from COVID‐19 vaccination and pregnancy
Authors: Cole Christine , Tsakiroglou Maria , Waitt Catriona
Published: November 2022

The morbidity and mortality from COVID‐19 infection are higher in pregnant women compared to their nonpregnant counterparts. As real‐world evidence accumulates demonstrating there is no increased risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with COVID‐19 vaccination during pregnancy, guidelines have evolved from a case‐by‐case benefit‐risk decision through to clear recommendation in April 2021 for COVID‐19 vaccination in pregnancy. However, vaccine hesitancy is a barrier to uptake, especially among the younger population and individuals of ethnic minority backgrounds; pregnant women have additional concerns. Trust in the importance and effectiveness of the vaccine, trust in public health agencies and science, together with good communication methods regarding the safety of COVID‐19 vaccines are strong factors for vaccination acceptance in pregnancy. Lack of trust in the health system was worsened by initial knowledge gaps in the information provided about COVID‐19 infection and the safety and immunogenicity of COVID‐19 vaccines. This was exacerbated by access to incorrect information and misinformation to fill in those knowledge gaps, especially with the increased use of social media. To provide advice and reassurance on COVID‐19 vaccine safety to pregnant women, healthcare professionals involved in their care should have the knowledge and skills to provide risk‐benefit communication and would benefit from access to training in science communication. Clinical pharmacologists have the expertise to appraise and synthesize emerging pharmacovigilance data, which can inform and support risk‐benefit communication by other clinicians. Information should be strategically directed at individual audiences, taking their perspectives and foundational belief systems into consideration.
The complex associations between scientific reasoning and advanced theory of mind
Authors: Osterhaus Christopher , Koerber Susanne
Published: November 2022

This 6‐wave longitudinal study (2014–2018) of 161 German 5‐ to 10‐year‐olds from a midsized city and rural area in southern Germany (89 females, 72 males; predominantly White; mostly middle class) found that scientific‐reasoning abilities first develop at 6 years. Abilities were highly stable, with the kindergarten score predicting 25% of end‐of‐elementary‐school variance. Individual but not developmental differences were related to language abilities (0.39), mindreading skills (0.33), and parental education (0.36). In early elementary school, mindreading skills predicted scientific reasoning (0.15), but not vice versa; in late elementary school, bidirectional associations emerged (0.11–0.33). Our findings suggest that mindreading is a precursor for the development of scientific reasoning and that older children use scientific reasoning to revise their advanced theories of mind.
Comparison of clinical features and surgical outcomes between hypopnea‐ and apnea‐predominant obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Rha Min‐Seok , Jeong Yeonsu , Alyahya Khalid A. , Yoon Joo‐Heon , Kim Chang‐Hoon , Cho Hyung‐Ju
Published: November 2022

Objectives

This study is aimed to investigate the differences in the clinical features and surgical outcomes between hypopnea‐ and apnea‐predominant obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Design

Cohort study.

Setting

Single tertiary care centre.

Participants

This study included 190 patients with OSA who underwent multilevel upper airway surgery between September 2012 and September 2021. The patients were divided into two groups according to the proportion of each respiratory event: hypopnea‐predominant (n = 102) and apnea‐predominant (n = 88).

Main Outcome Measures

The primary outcome measure was the percentage improvement in the apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI) from baseline AHI after surgery.

Results

The apnea‐predominant group included more male patients and had higher AHI, respiratory disturbance index (RDI) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) than the hypopnea‐predominant group. Both groups showed significant improvements in AHI, apnea index, RDI, supine AHI, REM AHI, non‐REM AHI, ODI, lowest O2 saturation and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores following the surgery. Notably, hypopnea index increased after surgery in the apnea‐predominant OSA group. Although the improvement in the absolute value of AHI by surgery was significantly greater in the apnea‐predominant group than in the hypopnea‐predominant group, the two groups showed no significant difference in the percentage improvement in AHI from baseline AHI.

Conclusion

Patients with apnea‐predominant OSA had more severe disease than those with hypopnea‐predominant OSA; however, surgical outcomes, as evaluated by percentage AHI improvement, were comparable between the two groups. In addition, multilevel upper airway surgery may induce the transition from apnea to hypopnea in patients with apnea‐predominant OSA.
Effect of operative time on complications associated with free flap reconstruction of the head and neck
Authors: Irawati Nina , Every James , Dawson Rebecca , Leinkram David , Elliott Michael , Ch'ng Sydney , Low Hubert , Palme Carsten E. , Clark Jonathan , Wykes James
Published: November 2022

Objective

To evaluate whether prolonged operative time is negatively associated with post‐operative complications and length of stay in patients undergoing microvascular free flap reconstruction for complex head and neck defects.

Methods

342 consecutive patients undergoing microvascular reconstruction for head and neck defects between 2017–2019 at a single institution were evaluated. Operative outcomes and operative time were compared whilst controlling for patient and treatment related factors.

Results

Mean operative time was 551 min and length of stay was 16.2 days. An 11% increase in the risk of a post‐operative complication was observed for every additional hour of operative time (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03–1.21, p = 0.011) after adjusting for patient and treatment factors. A cut‐off of 9 h yielded a 92% increase in complications on either side of this (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.18–3.13, p = 0.009). Increased operative time was also associated with increased length of stay and return to theatres, but not medical complications.

Conclusion

Prolonged operative time is significantly associated with increased surgical complications, length of stay and return to theatres when performing microvascular reconstructive surgery for head and neck defects.
Subjective voice change was associated with appendicular skeletal muscle mass in elderly men, but not in women: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Chang Suk Won , Lim Gil‐Chai , Kang Ju Wan
Published: November 2022

Objectives

To investigate the relationship between subjective voice changes and appendicular skeletal muscle in the elderly in Korea.

Design

Retrospective cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Population‐based survey data were collected by the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between January 2009 and December 2011.

Participants

A total of 2611 participants (1081 men and 1530 women) aged 65 to 80 years were enrolled in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2009 to 2011. A 70‐degree laryngeal endoscopy was performed to check for abnormalities in the larynx, while dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry was utilised to measure appendicular skeletal muscle mass. The correlation between subjective voice change and appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) was analysed using a linear‐by‐linear association test and logistic regression analysis.

Results

When comparing ASMI according to the presence or absence of subjective voice change, elderly men showed significantly lower ASMI values when subjective voice change was present (p = .021). However, in women, the ASMI was not significantly lower in the presence of subjective voice changes (p = .365). We confirmed that subjective voice change was significantly lower in the highest quintile of ASMI compared to lowest quintile of ASMI in the men using logistic regression analysis (B 0.281, 95% confident interval 0.082–0.964, p < .044).

Conclusions

This study has shown that in Korean men aged >65 years, subjective voice abnormality significantly increased as skeletal muscle mass decreased. Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether a correlation exists between objective voice test results and ASMI.
Pharmacology of inhibitors of Janus kinases – Part 1: Pharmacokinetics
Authors: Eichner Adina , Wohlrab Johannes
Published: November 2022

The use of Janus kinase inhibitors for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases is increasingly establishing itself as a treatment option for several indications. In order to make clinical use efficient, pharmacological knowledge of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway and the special features of the pharmacokinetics of the individual drugs is essential. The JAK/STAT signaling pathway is regulated at several levels (receptor, kinase, STAT and SOCS levels), so when Janus kinase inhibitors are used, the clinically relevant pharmacodynamics are highly dependent on the dose regimen, treated indication, comedication and comorbidity. For all practical purposes, it is therefore of great importance to recognize that the factors mentioned above can have a relevant influence on the therapeutic benefit of the use of Janus kinase inhibitors. Against this background, it is particularly important to use the Janus kinase inhibitors in accordance with their approval.
Progressing delineations of key biodiversity areas for seabirds, and their application to management of coastal seas
Authors: Handley Jonathan M. , Harte Emma , Stanworth Andrew , Poncet Sally , Catry Paulo , Cleminson Sacha , Crofts Sarah , Dias Maria
Published: November 2022

Aim

Decision‐making products that support effective marine spatial planning are essential for guiding efforts that enable conservation of biodiversity facing increasing pressures. Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are a product recently agreed upon by an international network of organizations for identifying globally important areas. Utilizing the KBA framework, and by developing a conservative protocol to identify sites, we identify globally importants places for breeding seabirds throughout the coastal seas of a national territory. We inform marine spatial planning by evaluating potential activities that may impact species and how a proposed network of Marine Management Areas (MMAs) overlap with important sites.

Location

Southwest Atlantic Ocean.

Methods

We collated a national inventory of all breeding locations for seabirds, including abundance records where available, and complementary estimates of at‐sea distribution. We delineated areas of importance in coastal seas following approaches tailored to the ecology of species and assessed areas against global KBA criteria. To determine opportunities for species conservation and management, we reviewed which human activities have been documented to impact the target species globally via IUCN Red List accounts, and also assessed the overlap of important sites with a proposed MMA network.

Results

We identified global KBAs for nine seabird species (Anatidae, Diomedeidae, Laridae, Procellariidae, Spheniscidae, Stercorariidae) throughout national coastal seas. Globally important areas where multiple species overlapped were only partially accounted for in key zones of the proposed MMA network.

Main Conclusions

Development of a conservative protocol to identify marine sites for assessment against KBA criteria, revealed opportunities for enhancing a network of proposed Marine Management Areas in coastal seas. The framework we apply in this study has broad relevance for other systems where the design or review of management plans for the marine environment is required.
Comparison of two titration programmes for adding insulin detemir to oral antidiabetic drugs in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Liu Sung‐Chen , Chuang Shih‐Ming , Wang Chao‐Hung , Chien Ming‐Nan , Lee Chun‐Chuan , Chen Wei‐Che , Leung Ching‐Hsiang , Lin Jiun‐Lu
Published: November 2022

Aim

To explore the effect of active insulin titration versus usual titration on glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus uncontrolled with oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs).

Methods

In a 24‐week, prospective and randomized study, 172 patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to either active titration or usual titration. Efficacy and safety outcomes included changes in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose, percentage of individuals achieving HbA1c<53 mmol/mol, and hypoglycaemic events.

Results

At Week 24, change in HbA1c was −1.08% ± 1.60% in the active titration group and −0.95% ± 1.34% in the usual titration group (P = 0.569). The percentages of individuals achieving HbA1c<53 mmol/mol were 29.4% and 16.1% in the active and usual titration groups, respectively (P = 0.037). There was no significant difference in the incidence of hypoglycaemia between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that, with active titration, baseline HbA1c levels and postprandial glucose excursion were significantly associated with achieving HbA1c<53 mmol/mol.

Conclusion

Addition of basal insulin using active titration for 24 weeks provided a higher rate of HbA1c target achievement without significant hypoglycaemia compared to usual titration in individuals with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.
Management of polycythemia vera: A survey of treatment patterns in Italy
Authors: Palumbo Giuseppe Alberto , Breccia Massimo , Baratè Claudia , Bonifacio Massimiliano , Elli Elena Maria , Iurlo Alessandra , Pugliese Novella , Rossi Elena , Guglielmelli Paola , Palandri Francesca
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Polycythemia vera (PV) is an acquired clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorder characterized by the overproduction of red blood cells. It has long been underlined that there are differences in treatment patterns in routine practice. Therapeutic strategies have also expanded, and in recent years the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib has emerged as a second‐line therapeutic option in patients who are intolerant to or resistant to hydroxyurea. Determining the impact of changes on practice patterns is of interest, especially for aspects that lack detailed guidance for management.

Methods

To gain insights into treatment patterns by clinicians treating patients with PV in Italy, we carried out a survey of 60 hematologists and transfusion specialists. The questions covered: treatment of low‐risk patients, definition of significant leukocytosis, splenomegaly and excessive phlebotomies, resistance/intolerance to hydroxyurea, use of ruxolitinib, cytoreductive therapy, and vaccines.

Results

In general, the results of the survey indicate that there is a large heterogeneity in management of patients with PV across these areas.

Conclusions

While helping to provide greater understanding of treatment patterns for patients with PV in Italy, our survey highlights the need for additional clinical studies to obtain more precise guidance for the routine care of patients with PV.
Small G protein RAC‐2 regulates forgetting via the JNK‐1 signalling pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Bai Hua , Huang Hui , Zhao Ninghui , Gu Huan , Li Yixin , Zou Wei , Wu Tingting , Huang Xiaowei
Published: November 2022

Although forgetting was once regarded as a passive decline in memory and an occasional source of embarrassment, recent research suggests that it is an active biological process of removing outdated or irrelevant memories via activation of specific genes and signal transduction pathways. Rho family G proteins are known to have a role in synaptic plasticity mediated by the actin cytoskeleton. However, the current study reveals that another Rho guanosine triphosphate enzyme (GTPase), RAC‐2, facilitates the occurrence of forgetting in Caenorhabditis elegans independent of actin dynamics. Functioning downstream of RAC‐2 in the same signalling pathway, JNK‐1 and its phosphorylated protein are required to positively regulate forgetting. The pan‐neuronal rescue of RAC‐2 or JNK‐1, instead of AWC neuron‐specific expression, reverses the delayed forgetting caused by the rac‐2 mutation, which indicates that the involvement of RAC‐2/JNK‐1 in more than AWCs must be required. In summary, our work elucidates the action of the Rho GTPase RAC‐2 and downstream JNK‐1 as a potential novel pathway in forgetting in C. elegans.
The unique role of stigma in migraine‐related disability and quality of life
Authors: Seng Elizabeth K. , Shapiro Robert E. , Buse Dawn C. , Robbins Matthew S. , Lipton Richard B. , Parker Amanda
Published: November 2022

Background

Stigma is increasingly recognized as an important social feature of living with migraine.

Methods

Adults with migraine recruited from neurology offices completed the validated Stigma Scale for Chronic Illnesses 8‐item version (SSCI‐8); two outcome measures (the Migraine Disability Assessment [MIDAS] and the Migraine‐Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire v 2.1 [MSQ]); and measures of allodynia (Allodynia Symptom Checklist [ASC‐12]), pain cognition (Pain Catastrophizing Scale [PCS]), and psychiatric symptoms (Patient Reported Measurement Information System Anxiety [PROMIS‐A] and Depression [PROMIS‐D]). Pearson and Spearman correlations evaluated bivariate relationships, and linear (MSQ) and logistic (MIDAS Severe Disability, scores ≥21) regressions evaluated the unique variance associated with SSCI‐8 beyond other study variables. Conditional process analysis evaluated mediation hypotheses between study variables.

Results

Participants (n = 121) reported levels of stigma on par with other chronic illnesses (SSCI‐8 M = 53.0, standard deviation [SD] = 7.8), with 25/127 (19.6%) reporting clinically significant levels of stigma (SSCI‐8 T‐score ≥ 60). Higher SSCI‐8 scores were associated with higher monthly headache day frequency (r = 0.35), MIDAS (ρ = 0.41), ASC‐12 (r = 0.24,p < 0.01), PCS (r = 0.46), both PROMIS‐A (r = 0.43) and D (r = 0.42), and lower MSQ subscale scores (Role Restrictionr = −0.50; Role Preventionr = −0.48; Emotion Functionr = −0.50), allps <0.001 unless otherwise noted. The SSCI‐8 contributed significantly beyond migraine symptoms and other psychological factors for MSQ Emotion Function (5% unique variance) and MIDAS Severe Disability (6% of unique variance). The SSCI‐8 mediated relationships between headache frequency and the MSQ subscales and MIDAS Severe Disability. The PCS mediated relationships between the SSCI‐8 and MSQ subscales. The PROMIS‐D mediated relationships between the SSCI‐8 and MSQ Role Restriction and MSQ Role Prevention.

Conclusions

Migraine stigma has medium to large associations with migraine outcomes and psychiatric symptoms and is independently associated with migraine disability and emotion‐related quality of life. Migraine stigma is an important contributor to the relationship between headache frequency and migraine outcomes.
Product design in monopolistic competition
Authors: Dindaroglu Burak
Published: November 2022

We consider a model of monopolistic competition where producers can manipulate an elasticity parameter at an early stage. We interpret this as a choice of product specialization. Lower marginal costs of production lead to more generic products in all equilibria, which lead to fewer varieties under free‐entry. Entry of a new firm increases overall specialization and increases prices, that is, the environment exhibits price‐increasing competition. The loss of consumer surplus due to higher prices and lower consumption is compensated by the value of additional variety, hence entry also increases consumer surplus. Therefore, price‐increasing competition need not be anticompetitive under endogenous specialization.
Effect of Aloevera gel /tamarind starch/whey protein based edible coating on shelf life and postharvest quality of ber fruit (Ziziphusmauritiana) stored at 4 ± 1°C and at 25 ± 2°C
Authors: Bhadu Shweta , Ghoshal Gargi , Goyal Meenakshi
Published: November 2022

The research was conducted on ber fruit (Ziziphusmauritiana), in which an edible coating of aloe vera gel/tamarind starch/whey protein concentrate was prepared, applied on ber fruit by dipping method, and packed in polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) to evaluate the effectiveness of the edible coating on the postharvest quality and shelf life. A comparative study between uncoated and coated samples at two different temperatures, i.e., 4 ± 1 °C and 25 ± 2 °C was done. Bers' physiochemical analysis and sensory quality were evaluated for 31 days. The weight loss, pH, TSS, titratable acidity, total sugar, total protein and total phenol in coated ber kept in PP were 37.48%, 5.50, 14.4°Brix, 0.14%, 11.99%, 0.55% and 0.17% by the 27th day of storage at 4 ± 1 °C which turned out to be the best storage condition by showing a delay in the physiochemical changes. Edible coating delayed the loss of firmness and the change in the L*, a* and b* values.
Gene expression differentials driven by mass rearing and artificial selection in black soldier fly colonies
Authors: Hull Kelvin L. , Greenwood Matthew P. , Lloyd Melissa , Bester‐van der Merwe Aletta E. , Rhode Clint
Published: November 2022

The micro‐evolutionary forces that shape genetic diversity during domestication have been assessed in many plant and animal systems. However, the impact of these processes on gene expression, and consequent functional adaptation to artificial environments, remains under‐investigated. In this study, whole‐transcriptome dynamics associated with the early stages of domestication of the black soldier fly (BSF),Hermetia illucens, were assessed. Differential gene expression (DGE) was evaluated in relation to (i) generational time within the cultured environment (F2 vs. F3), and (ii) two selection strategies [no artificial selective pressure (NS); and selection for greater larval mass (SEL)]. RNA‐seq was conducted on 5th instar BSF larvae (n = 36), representing equal proportions of the NS (F2 = 9; F3 = 9) and SEL (F2 = 9; F3 = 9) groups. A multidimensional scaling plot revealed greater gene expression variability within the NS and F2 subgroups, while the SEL group clustered separately with lower levels of variation. Comparisons between generations revealed 898 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; FDR‐correctedp < 0.05), while between selection strategies, 213 DEGs were observed (FDR‐correctedp < 0.05). Enrichment analyses revealed that metabolic, developmental, and defence response processes were over‐expressed in the comparison between F2 and F3 larvae, while metabolic processes were the main differentiating factor between NS and SEL lines. This illustrates the functional adaptations that occur in BSF colonies across generations due to mass rearing; as well as highlighting genic dynamics associated with artificial selection for production traits that might inform future selective breeding strategies.
Testicular hypoplasia in Nellore Cattle: Genetic analysis and functional analysis of genome‐wide association study results
Authors: Silva Thales de Lima , Gondro Cedric , Fonseca Pablo Augusto de Souza , da Silva Delvan Alves , Vargas Giovana , Neves Haroldo Henrique de Rezende , Filho Ivan Carvalho , Teixeira Caio de Souza , Albuquerque Lucia Galvão de , Carvalheiro Roberto
Published: November 2022

Characterized by the incomplete development of the germinal epithelium of the seminiferous tubules, Testicular hypoplasia (TH) leads to decreased sperm concentration, increased morphological changes in sperm and azoospermia. Economic losses resulting from the disposal of affected bulls reduce the efficiency of meat production systems. A genome‐wide association study and functional analysis were performed to identify genomic windows and the underlying positional candidate genes associated with TH in Nellore cattle. Phenotypic and pedigree data from 207,195 animals and genotypes (461,057 single nucleotide polymorphism, SNP) from 17,326 sires were used in this study. TH was evaluated as a binary trait measured at 18 months of age. A possible correlated response on TH resulting from the selection for scrotal circumference was evaluated by using a two‐trait analysis. Thus, estimated breeding values were calculated by fitting a linear‐threshold animal model in a Bayesian approach. The SNP effects were estimated using the weighted single‐step genomic BLUP method. Twelve non‐overlapping windows of 20 adjacent SNP that explained more than 1% of the additive genetic variance were selected for candidate gene annotation. Functional and gene prioritization analysis of the candidate genes identified genes (KHDRBS3, GPX5, STAR, ERLIN2), which might play an important role in the expression of TH due to their known roles in the spermatogenesis process, synthesis of steroids and lipid metabolism.
Empirical assessment of fragility index based on a large database of clinical studies in the Cochrane Library
Authors: Xing Aiwen , Lin Lifeng
Published: November 2022

Rationale Aims and Objectives

The fragility index (FI) and fragility quotient (FQ) are increasingly used measures for assessing the robustness of clinical studies with binary outcomes in terms of statistical significance. The FI is the minimum number of event status modifications that can alter a study result's statistical significance (or nonsignificance), and the FQ is calculated as the FI divided by the study's total sample size. The literature has no widely recognized criteria for interpreting the fragility measures' magnitudes. This article aims to provide an empirical assessment for the FI and FQ based on a large database of clinical studies in the Cochrane Library.

Methods

We explored the overall empirical distributions of the FI and FQ based on five common methods (Fisher's exact test, χ2 test, risk difference, odds ratio, and relative risk) for determining statistical significance of binary outcomes in clinical research. We also considered three different scenarios for the FI calculation and evaluated the relationship between p values and FIs or FQs using Spearman's . Finally, we summarized empirical thresholds based on the overall distributions of the FI and FQ to facilitate their interpretations in future research.

Results

For about 20% of studies with significant results, the statistical significance was changed after modifying the event status of only one participant. Studies with significant results were considered slightly fragile if the significance hinged on the statuses of about five events. Studies were extremely fragile if FI 1 or FQ 0.01. The FIs were strongly correlated with p values for significant studies, while Spearman's varied according to the total sample sizes of studies.

Conclusions

The statistical significance of clinical studies could be changed after modifying a few events' statuses. Many studies' findings are fairly fragile. The distributions of the FI and FQ provide insights for appraising the robustness of evidence in clinical decision‐making.
Quality characteristics of reduced‐calorie spaghetti based on unprocessed and hydrothermal wheat brans in presence of xanthan gum
Authors: Niazmand Razieh , Naji Tabasi Sara , Modiri‐Dovom Atena
Published: November 2022

In order to produce spaghetti with reduced calories, the possibility of replacing wheat bran (WB) and processed wheat bran (PWB), as well as xanthan gum at levels of 1 and 2% with flour, was investigated, and its technological, structural, texture, sensory and nutritional characteristics were evaluated. By replacing the bran, the ash content in spaghetti increased (at least 6.9 times). The results showed that the replacement of bran was associated with a significant reduction in the spaghetti water uptake so that the least water uptake was observed in samples containing wheat bran and without xanthan (less than 70.3 units). Cooking loss in spaghetti contains PWB increased sharply (almost 3 times), while adding xanthan did not improve it. Replacing bran significantly reduced the optimal cooking time of spaghetti compared to the control. The firmness of spaghetti strings increased with replacing bran while the presence of xanthan reduced it. The lightness of cooked and raw spaghetti was strongly influenced by the bran content and tended to darken. Sensory evaluation results showed less overall acceptance of bran‐containing samples due to reduced color, flavor, elasticity, firmness, bulkiness, gumminess, stickiness, and integrity scores, while increasing xanthan in most samples caused to improving these properties, leading to increase overall acceptance. Results of nutritional characteristics showed a lower glycemic index and calorie (more than 25%) of bran‐containing samples.

Novelty impact statement

Spaghetti as a popular cereal food has high calories. A combination of soluble (xanthan gum) and insoluble (processed and unprocessed wheat bran) fibers reduced the glycaemic index and calorie (more than 25%) in spaghetti samples and create spaghetti with acceptable cooking and microstructural properties. Processing of wheat bran led to a decline in technological characteristics in spaghetti samples.
Telehealth with older adults: Getting it right
Authors: Biese Kevin , Handler Steven M. , Wardlow Liane , Agha Zia
Published: November 2022

This editorial comments on the article by Bhatia et al. in this issue.
Are the home values and property tax burdens of permanent homeowners affected by growth in housing rentals and second homes: Evidence based on big data from Florida
Authors: Ihlanfeldt Keith , Yang Cynthia Fan
Published: November 2022

Homeowners who make their homes their primary residence have resisted the entry of rentals into their neighborhoods and cities. Possible reasons underlying this resistance are that rentals reduce the property values, increase the property tax burdens, and raise the price of public services for these homeowners. We relate the market values of single‐family homes occupied by permanent homeowners, the effective property tax rate of these homeowners, and the tax price they pay for public services to shifts in their city's housing units toward a variety of different types of rentals and second homes. Our analysis is based on large panels of Florida homes containing hundreds of thousands and millions of observations. Our results show that increases in the share of a city's housing units used as rentals or second homes reduce the home values, increase the property tax burdens, and raise the public services prices of homeowners who permanently reside in single‐family homes. Impacts vary in magnitude among single‐family, condominium, and mobile homes used as rentals and second homes. Estimated impacts are the strongest for share increases in single‐family rentals and second homes.
The effects of hormonal contraceptive use on sleep in women: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Bezerra Andréia Gomes , Andersen Monica Levy , Pires Gabriel Natan , Tufik Sergio , Hachul Helena
Published: November 2022

Hormonal contraceptives are some of the most widely used medications worldwide, but studies on their effects on sleep are contradictory, with some reporting a sleep‐promoting effect, while others a sleep‐inhibiting effect. Our objective was, therefore, to undertake a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the literature on this subject to try to clarify their effects. A search was conducted in three databases (PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science). Only studies evaluating hormonal contraception use were considered eligible, and both objective and subjective sleep‐related outcomes were considered. Individual effect size was calculated for each article, and meta‐analyses were performed using a DerSimonian and Laird random effects method. The initial search identified 2076 articles, of which 13 met the criteria for the study after full text evaluation. A total of 33 meta‐analyses were performed, three of them related to subjective measures and 30 considering data from polysomnography. The only statistically significant result between contraceptive users and non‐contraceptive users was observed in respect of wake after sleep onset, which was 7 min shorter among contraceptive users (−7.12 [−12.80; −1.44]; I2 = 65%; p = 0.01). In conclusion, hormonal contraceptives are not associated with clinically relevant changes in sleep patterns in women.
Baseline and on‐treatment HBcrAg levels as predictors of HBeAg seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with antivirals
Authors: Hwang Soo Young , Yoo Sung Hwan , Chang Hye Young , Kim Sora , Lee Jung Il , Lee Kwan Sik , Cho Young Youn , Joon Kim Hyung , Lee Hyun Woong
Published: November 2022

HBeAg seroconversion is an important treatment endpoint. We aimed to identify predictors of seroconversion using serum HBsAg and hepatitis B core‐related antigen (HBcrAg) in HBeAg‐positive patients treated with nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs). Data and samples from 70 HBeAg‐positive patients treated with entecavir or tenofovir between January 2007 and December 2017 were retrospectively analysed. The mean follow‐up period was 11 years. The predictive power for HBeAg seroconversion of HBcrAg levels at baseline and 2 years after antiviral therapy was determined using receiver operating curve analysis. Twenty‐one patients (30%) achieved HBeAg seroconversion at a mean of 28 (range, 12–84) months after antiviral treatment. The median baseline HBcrAg and HBsAg levels were 6.9(5.7–7.0) vs. 5.8(5.5–6.5) log10U/mL (p = .006), 4.9(4.5–5.1) vs. 4.5(4.1–5.0) log10IU/mL (p = .044) in the no seroconversion group and seroconversion group, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the serum HBcrAg levels at baseline and 2 years after antiviral therapy were predictive factors for HBeAg seroconversion ([HR]; 0.326; [CI], 0.111–0.958; p = .042 and HR, 0.4555; CI, 0.211–0.984; p = .045). HBcrAg levels≤6.5log10U/mL at baseline and ≤5.3log10U/mL at 2 years after antiviral therapy had sensitivities of 53.1% and 69.8%, specificities of 95.2% and 70.6%, positive predictive values of 82.6% and 50.0%, and negative predictive values of 82.6% and 84.5%, respectively, with AUROCs of 0.712 (95%CI, 0.596–0.830) and 0.745 (95%CI, 0.599–0.891) for predicting HBeAg seroconversion. In chronic hepatitis B patients treated with NAs, HBcrAg levels≤6.5log10U/mL at baseline and ≤5.3log10U/mL at 2 years after antiviral therapy were useful predictive factors of HBeAg seroconversion.
Macrophysiology for decision‐making
Authors: Chown S. L.
Published: November 2022

In an 1854 lecture, TH Huxley suggested that physiology should be measured by its contribution to science, its practical worth and the extent to which it should be made a branch of education. Since macrophysiology, or the investigation of variation in physiological traits over large geographical and temporal scales and the ecological implications of this variation, is well‐established and approaching its third decade, these questions are posed for it here. The field is, of course, much older, but, over the last two decades, has contributed substantially to fundamental eco‐evolutionary research and to understanding the conservation consequences of physiological variation at regional and global scales. Its greatest successes have been in understanding variation in thermal and metabolic responses of animals and plants to variable environments and the significance thereof in the context of the climate crisis. By contrast, much less progress has been made in understanding the regulation of water in the context of currently changing environments and projections of further impacts associated with ongoing global change. The development of new datasets of physiological traits across broad spatial scales has been a slower enterprise than the further compilation of trait databases from extant data. Surprising insights have emerged from genomics‐based microbial macrophysiology, an approach which has much potential to span all of life's variety. The findings of macrophysiological investigations have been taken up within policy reports and/or implementation actions, such as those of the IPCC and the Antarctic Treaty System, that have resulted in benefits to society and to the environment. Yet, as is the case with other areas of research, much remains to be done to develop further strategies to counteract the anti‐science attitudes that are now so prevalent globally.
More effective transposon regulation in fertile, long‐lived termite queens than in sterile workers
Authors: Post Frederik , Bornberg‐Bauer Erich , Vasseur‐Cognet Mireille , Harrison Mark C.
Published: November 2022

Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic sequences, which can cause the accumulation of genomic damage in the lifetime of an organism. The regulation of TEs, for instance via the piRNA‐pathway, is an important mechanism to protect the integrity of genomes, especially in the germ‐line where mutations can be transmitted to offspring. In eusocial insects, soma and germ‐line are divided among worker and reproductive castes, so one may expect caste‐specific differences in TE regulation to exist. To test this, we compared whole‐genome levels of repeat element transcription in the fat body of female workers, kings and five different queen stages of the higher termite, Macrotermes natalensis. In this species, queens can live over 20 years, maintaining near maximum reproductive output, while sterile workers only live weeks. We found a strong, positive correlation between TE expression and the expression of neighbouring genes in all castes. However, we found substantially higher TE activity in workers than in reproductives. Furthermore, TE expression did not increase with age in queens, despite a sevenfold increase in overall gene expression, due to a significant upregulation of the piRNA‐pathway in 20‐year‐old queens. Our results suggest a caste‐ and age‐specific regulation of the piRNA‐pathway has evolved in higher termites that is analogous to germ‐line‐specific activity in solitary organisms. In the fat body of these termite queens, an important metabolic tissue for maintaining their extreme longevity and reproductive output, an efficient regulation of TEs likely protects genome integrity, thus further promoting reproductive fitness even at high age.
Minorities or citizens in the Middle East? Locating the ‘minority question’ in the intersecting histories of collective national belonging and state‐building
Authors: Monier Elizabeth
Published: November 2022

This article contributes to the growing scholarship on minority politics in the Middle East by arguing that if minorities are socially or politically constructed then the meaning and implications of minority terminology requires greater historical contextualisation. Focusing on the experience of minority‐ness rather than the deployment of the terminology, which only became prevalent after World War I, this article offers additional insights into the historical roots of contemporary minority politics, as well as the (un)making of national minorities. It explores how debates and reforms pertaining to inclusion/exclusion in the period preceding and during the shift from empire to nation‐state directly contributed to the reception and understanding of who is a minority in the modern Middle East. This is particularly examined through the cases of Chaldean Christians in Iraq and Coptic Christians in Egypt. Many of the leaders of these communities publicly reject minority identification and instead favour locating their communities in the nation‐state through the notion of inclusive citizenship (al‐Mowāṭana). According to this narrative, belonging as citizens erases the meaning of minority. The article suggests that the framing of citizen and minority as mutually exclusive notions is one contemporary expression of an enduring tension around constructing belonging in political communities.