bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Times of debt: heterochrony and bank loans in rural Mongolia
Authors: Bristley Joseph
Published: June 2021

Recent scholarship in economic anthropology examines how the intersection of multiple forms of temporality shapes the time of debt relations. This article builds on and refines these approaches by analysing debt as a social relation that ‘folds’ the time of other relations within itself. It does so through deploying the concept of the ‘fold’ drawn from continental philosophy and anthropological literature on personhood. This approach provides a novel way of illuminating and reflecting upon a temporal tension at the heart of debt relations, in which the timely performance of debtor‐creditor relations is contingent on the harnessing of temporalities formally outside their scope. This argument is made in relation to an ethnographic study ofmalchny zeel(the ‘herder's loan’) issued by commercial banks in a pastoral region of Mongolia.
Effect of extrusion technology on hempseed (Cannabis sativa L.) oil cake: Polyphenol profile and biological activities
Authors: Leonard William , Zhang Pangzhen , Ying Danyang , Xiong Yun , Fang Zhongxiang
Published: June 2021

Effects of extrusion with varying barrel temperature, moisture content, and screw speed on hempseed oil cake were studied for the first time. Extrusion at lower moisture (30%) and higher screw speed (300 rpm) significantly increased the proportion of free polyphenols, flavonoids, and phenylpropionamide content, and ‐glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activities. Full factorial design confirmed the three‐way interactions among all extrusion parameters for all chemical assays with the bound phenolic fraction, total flavonoid content, and DPPH inhibition activity of the free phenolic fraction. HPLC‐DAD‐ESI‐QTOF‐MS/MS analysis tentatively identified 26 phenylpropionamides, and the contents of N‐trans‐caffeoyltyramine (66.26 µg/g) and total phenylpropionamides (85.77 µg/g) were significantly increased after extrusion at the lower moisture and higher screw speed extrusion conditions. The higher ‐glucosidase inhibition activity at higher screw speed could be due to the N‐trans‐caffeoyltyramine (r = 0.99, p < 0.01), while the AChE inhibition activity appeared to be influenced more by the cannabisins A‐C, M (r > 0.8, p < 0.01).

Practical Application

Hempseed oil cake is a byproduct of oil extraction, with high protein and high fiber contents. The results of this research could be used directly in food industry to improve the nutritional and commercial value of hempseed oil cake by extrusion technology.
A review of current imaging techniques used for the detection of occult bony fractures in young children suspected of sustaining non‐accidental injury
Authors: Lawson Michael , Tully Joanna , Ditchfield Michael , Metcalfe Peter , Qi Yujin , Kuganesan Ahilan , Badawy Mohamed K
Published: June 2021

Non‐accidental injuries remain a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in young children. The accurate identification of the full spectrum of injuries in children presenting with suspected abuse is essential to ensure the appropriate protective intervention is taken. The identification of occult bone fractures in this cohort is important as it raises the level of concern about the mechanism of injury and maintaining the child's safety. Radiographic imaging remains the modality of choice for skeletal assessment; however, current studies report concerns regarding the ability of radiographs to detect certain fractures in the acute stage. As such, alternative modalities for the detection of fractures have been proposed. This article reviews the current literature regarding fracture detectability and radiation dose burden of imaging modalities currently used for the assessment of occult bony injury in young children in whom non‐accidental injury is suspected.
Evaluating the role of reference‐genome phylogenetic distance on evolutionary inference
Authors: Prasad Aparna , Lorenzen Eline D. , Westbury Michael V.
Published: June 2021

When a high‐quality genome assembly of a target species is unavailable, an option to avoid the costly de novo assembly process is a mapping‐based assembly. However, mapping shotgun data to a distant relative may lead to biased or erroneous evolutionary inference. Here, we used short‐read data from a mammal (beluga whale) and a bird species (rowi kiwi) to evaluate whether reference genome phylogenetic distance can impact downstream demographic (Pairwise Sequentially Markovian Coalescent) and genetic diversity (heterozygosity, runs of homozygosity) analyses. We mapped to assemblies of species of varying phylogenetic distance (from conspecific to genome‐wide divergence of >7%), and de novo assemblies created using cross‐species scaffolding. We show that while reference genome phylogenetic distance has an impact on demographic analyses, it is not pronounced until using a reference genome with >3% divergence from the target species. When mapping to cross‐species scaffolded assemblies, we are unable to replicate the original beluga demographic results, but are able with the rowi kiwi, presumably reflecting the more fragmented nature of the beluga assemblies. We find that increased phylogenetic distance has a pronounced impact on genetic diversity estimates; heterozygosity estimates deviate incrementally with increasing phylogenetic distance. Moreover, runs of homozygosity are largely undetectable when mapping to any nonconspecific assembly. However, these biases can be reduced when mapping to a cross‐species scaffolded assembly. Taken together, our results show that caution should be exercised when selecting reference genomes. Cross‐species scaffolding may offer a way to avoid a costly, traditional de novo assembly, while still producing robust, evolutionary inference.
Connectome‐based prediction of craving for gaming in internet gaming disorder
Authors: Zhou Wei‐ran , Wang Yi‐ming , Wang Min , Wang Zi‐liang , Zheng Hui , Wang Meng‐jing , Potenza Marc N. , Dong Guang‐Heng
Published: June 2021

Background

Craving‐related brain responses have been associated with the emergence and maintenance of addictions. However, little is known about brain network organizations underlying cravings in internet gaming disorder (IGD).

Methods

Sixty‐six IGD subjects and 61 matched individuals with recreational game use (RGU) were scanned while performing a cue‐craving task. A recently developed whole‐brain analysis approach, connectome‐based predictive modelling (CPM) with leave‐one‐out cross‐validation was conducted to identify networks that predicted craving responses in IGD. Then, the craving network was tested in different brain states (cue‐craving under deprivation) to investigate replicability.

Results

CPM identified an IGD craving network, as indicated by a significant correspondence between predicted and actual craving values (r = 0.49, p < 0.001), characterized by within‐network default mode (DMN) connectivity and connectivity between canonical networks implicated in executive/cognitive control (frontoparietal, medial frontal, DMN) and reward responsiveness (subcortical, motor/sensory). Network strength in the cue‐craving task during gaming deprivation also predicted IGD craving scores (r = 0.43, p = 0.017), indicating network replication across brain states.

Conclusions

The CPM results demonstrate that individual differences in cognitive, attention, and control network function can predict craving intensities in IGD subjects. These networks may be targets for potential interventions using brain modulation.
Demographic, clinical and dermoscopic features of melanocytic nevi on the scalp
Authors: Erfan Gamze , Demircioglu Deniz , Erdemoglu Yeliz , Ozturk Durmaz Emel , Sezer Engin , Sahin Sedef
Published: June 2021

Background

The scalp is a special anatomical area and dermoscopic findings of this region may significantly differ from other body parts.

Objective

To investigate and compare the clinical and dermoscopic patterns of scalp melanocytic nevi in patients ≤15 years of age and above, and to analyse their relevance to demographic features, atypical mole syndrome (AMS) and total body nevus count (TBNC).

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, the clinical data and dermoscopic images of patients with scalp melanocytic nevi were retrieved, reviewed and analysed. Demographic, clinical and dermoscopic features were compared in patients ≤15 years of age and above.

Results

A total of 196 scalp melanocytic nevi in 126 patients (female/male:64/62; ≤15/>15 years of age: 49/77) with a median age of 18.5 years (range 0‐72) were evaluated. Statistically, the globular pattern was significantly higher in all age groups, and the papillomatous pattern was significantly lower in patients ≤15 years of age (P = 0.008 and P = 0.005, respectively). The eclipse pattern was significantly higher, and the homogenous pattern was significantly lower in patients ≤15 years of age with AMS (P = 0.003 and P = 0.014, respectively). Finally, patients ≤15 years of age with 50 to 100 TBNC had a higher eclipse pattern than those with 0 to 25 TBNC.

Conclusion

The findings of this retrospective study might implicate that children with eclipse pattern of scalp melanocytic nevi might be ‘moley’ in the future with an impending risk of AMS. This hypothesis requires confirmation in future prospective studies on a larger cohort of patients.
Voluntary Disclosure and Rating Disagreement among Credit Rating Agencies: Evidence from Korea
Authors: Kim Yujin , An Jungin
Published: June 2021

We examine the effect of voluntary disclosure on rating disagreement among credit rating agencies (CRAs). Previous empirical findings suggest that precise financial reporting decreases information risk and affects split ratings. However, no prior research has investigated the relationship between voluntary disclosure and split ratings, even though such disclosure can reduce information asymmetry. We find a negative relationship between voluntary disclosure and split ratings by CRAs. This study reveals voluntary disclosure that includes the manager's intentions (i.e., discretionary judgment) is a determinant of split ratings. In doing so the study contributes to the literature on the role of voluntary disclosure on CRAs.
Iran’s soft power in Pakistan
Authors: Akbarzadeh Shahram , Ahmed Zahid Shahab , Ibrahimi Niamatullah
Published: June 2021

States use elements of their culture to promote their influence in countries of strategic importance to them. Despite a growing body of literature on soft power, there is a shortage of literature on Iran’s influence in its neighbourhood. How is Iran viewed in Pakistan? This article is based on in‐depth interviews and an online survey with informed participants in Pakistan. Our findings demonstrate that while many participants view Tehran’s policies negatively, the majority see Iran in a favourable light. This article found that Iran’s multi‐pronged strategy connects with pre‐existing trends and pressure points in Pakistan at different levels. As a majority‐Shi’a country, Iran has become a point of reference for the Shi’a community in Pakistan. Its anti‐American rhetoric corresponds with an anti‐US current in Pakistan, and Tehran’s invocation of Persian culture and poetry resonates with a nostalgic view of Persian culture amongst Pakistan’s educated elite.
Contraction and exhumation of the western Central Andes induced by basin inversion: New evidence from “Pampean” subduction segment
Authors: Martínez Fernando , Peña Matías , Parra Mauricio , López Cristopher
Published: June 2021

In this study, we conducted an integrated analysis supported by previous regional and mesoscopic field observations, new U–Pb chronological data of synorogenic deposits and thermochronological data from syncontractional granitic rocks. The objective is understanding the main mechanism and timing of crustal uplift of the western Central Andes on the modern flat‐slab segment of northern Chile. The first‐order structural styles identified in several basins of northern Chile consisted mostly of large reverse‐reactivated Mesozoic normal faults, which formed large kilometer‐scale inverted anticlines and localized doubly verging basement reverse faults depending on the degree of tectonic inversion. The observations indicate that crustal shortening experienced in the region was distributed along with the pre‐orogenic half‐graben structures of the Triassic to Jurassic basement. The wide distribution of Upper Cretaceous–Paleocene synorogenic deposits over the syn‐rift Mesozoic deposits along inverted structures in both the Coastal and Frontal cordilleras indicate that the Andean orogenesis in the region was initiated during this period. Our field and geochronological interpretations suggest that basin inversion of the ancient Mesozoic half‐graben structures was frequently accompanied by the emplacement of Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene intrusive granitic bodies hosted in the core of the anticline and syncline folds. Their crystallization ages correlated with those reported by the synorogenic deposits, thereby suggesting that both basin inversion and magmatism occurred simultaneously. The thermal history of the intrusives also indicates that they were rapidly exhumed at 53‒57 Ma, possibly during the final episodes of the basin inversion.
Factors associated with self‐perceived oral health in different age groups
Authors: Fagundes Maria Laura Braccini , do Amaral Júnior Orlando Luiz , Menegazzo Gabriele Rissotto , do Nascimento Tôrres Luísa Helena
Published: June 2021

Objectives

To determine the factors associated with self‐perceived oral health (SPOH) in different age groups.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study used probabilistic samples of adolescents, adults and older adults from São Paulo State, Brazil. SPOH was assessed using a global self‐rating item. Hierarchical Poisson regression models were used to determine the estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for poor SPOH and demographic and socio‐economic variables, social capital, dental attendance and clinical measures. The analyses for each age group were performed separately.

Results

Data from 5314 adolescents, 5815 adults and 5556 older adults were analysed. Female adolescents and adults, non‐White adults and older adults with a higher educational level had worse SPOH. Adolescents, adults and older adults with lower social capital showed higher rates of poor SPOH (PR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.27‐1.97, PR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.10‐1.31 and PR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.06‐1.49, respectively). Those whose reason for last dental attendance was treatment had worse SPOH, regardless of age group. Adolescents, adults and older adults with greater number of decayed teeth had worse SPOH (PR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.37‐1.77, PR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.22‐1.38, and PR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.17‐1.42, respectively). Adolescents and adults with more missing teeth presented higher rates of poor SPOH (PR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.04‐1.44 and PR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02‐1.16, respectively). Older adults needing a dental prosthesis had worse SPOH (PR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.88‐2.41).

Conclusion

There are differences in the factors associated with SPOH between age groups, and these differences reflect social inequalities in health.
Clinical impact of radioactive iodine dose selection based on the number of metastatic lymph nodes in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma: A multicenter retrospective cohort study
Authors: Kwon Seong Young , Kim Myoung Hyoun , Kong Eunjung , Chong Ari , Yoo Su Woong , Jeon Subin , Park Soon‐Ah , Kim Dae‐Weung , Kang Su Hwan , Choi Jung Eun , Ha Jung‐Min , Jeong Shin Young , Lee Sang‐Woo
Published: June 2021

Objective

The aim of this study is to investigate whether the number of metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) could be used as a basis in the radioactive iodine (RAI) dose selection for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Patients

A total of 595 patients with PTC who received first RAI therapy after total or near‐total thyroidectomy and had no evidence of disease in treatment response assessment were retrospectively enroled from five hospitals. The patients were classified into two subgroups based on the number of metastatic LNs (>5). The multivariate Cox‐proportional hazard model was performed to identify the significant factors for recurrence prediction in each group as well as all enroled patients.

Results

Overall, 22 (3.7%) out of 595 patients had the recurrent disease during the follow‐up period. The number of metastatic LNs (>5) was only a significant factor for recurrence prediction in all enroled patients (odds ratio: 7.834, p < .001). In the subgroup with ≤5 metastatic LNs, the presence of extrathyroidal extension was only associated with recurrence (odds ratio: 7.333, p = .024) in multivariate analysis. RAI dose was significantly associated with recurrence rate in which the patients with high‐dose RAI (3.7 GBq or higher) had less incidence of recurrence than those with low‐dose RAI (1.11 GBq) in the subgroup with more than five metastatic LNs (odds ratio: 6.533, p = .026).

Conclusions

High‐dose RAI (≥3.7 GBq) therapy significantly lowered the recurrence rate in patients with more than five metastatic LNs. Therefore, RAI dose should be determined based on the number of metastatic LNs as well as conventional risk factors.
A patient with probable neuro‐Behçet's disease presenting a unique linear pontine trigeminal root lesion and a linear subcortical white matter lesion
Authors: Suzuki Akane , Miyazawa Kouichi , Fujimori Juichi , Murakami Kazuhiro , Nakashima Ichiro
Published: June 2021

Background

Neuro‐Behçet's disease (NBD) is typically characterized by inflammatory lesions with vasculitis in the brainstem and basal ganglia. Subcortical white matter lesions and linear lesions along the intramedullary trigeminal nerve are rare, and these lesions make NBD difficult to differentiate from other demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.

Case presentation

A 48‐year‐old woman with an 11‐year history of intestinal Behçet's disease was referred to Department of Neurology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital, Sendai, Japan owing to numbness on the left side of her face and oral cavity for 12 days. Neurological examination revealed left facial hypoesthesia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a linearly shaped T2/fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery hyperintense magnetic resonance imaging lesion in the left pons, which corresponded neuroanatomically with the intramedullary trigeminal root. Based on the presumptive diagnosis of NBD, a course of high‐dose intravenous methylprednisolone was administered on the 14th hospital day. Thereafter, the patient's neurological symptoms improved. However, on the 18th hospital day, the patient developed a linear subcortical white matter lesion with vasogenic edema in the right hemisphere that resolved after the re‐administration of high‐dose intravenous methylprednisolone.

Conclusion

The case of a patient with NBD presenting with atypical brain lesions is reported. The NBD in this case might have a pathogenetic mechanism that is different from that of typical NBD.
EPHA7 haploinsufficiency is associated with a neurodevelopmental disorder
Authors: Lévy Jonathan , Schell Bérénice , Nasser Hala , Rachid Myriam , Ruaud Lyse , Couque Nathalie , Callier Patrick , Faivre Laurence , Marle Nathalie , Engwerda Aafke , van Ravenswaaij‐Arts Conny M. A. , Plutino Morgane , Karmous‐Benailly Houda , Benech Caroline , Redon Sylvia , Boute Odile , Boudry Labis Elise , Rama Mélanie , Kuentz Paul , Assoumani Jessica , Maldergem Lionel Van , Dupont Céline , Verloes Alain , Tabet Anne‐Claude
Published: June 2021

Ephrin receptor and their ligands, the ephrins, are widely expressed in the developing brain. They are implicated in several developmental processes that are crucial for brain development. Deletions in genes encoding for members of the Eph/ephrin receptor family were reported in several neurodevelopmental disorders. The ephrin receptor A7 gene (EPHA7) encodes a member of ephrin receptor subfamily of the protein‐tyrosine kinase family. EPHA7 plays a role in corticogenesis processes, determines brain size and shape, and is involved in development of the central nervous system. One patient only was reported so far with a de novo deletion encompassing EPHA7 in 6q16.1. We report 12 additional patients from nine unrelated pedigrees with similar deletions. The deletions were inherited in nine out of 12 patients, suggesting variable expressivity and incomplete penetrance. Four patients had tiny deletions involving only EPHA7, suggesting a critical role of EPHA7 in a neurodevelopmental disability phenotype. We provide further evidence for EPHA7 deletion as a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorder and delineate its clinical phenotype.
A Visual Designer of Layer‐wise Relevance Propagation Models
Authors: Huang Xinyi , Jamonnak Suphanut , Zhao Ye , Wu Tsung Heng , Xu Wei
Published: June 2021

Layer‐wise Relevance Propagation (LRP) is an emerging and widely‐used method for interpreting the prediction results of convolutional neural networks (CNN). LRP developers often select and employ different relevance backpropagation rules and parameters, to compute relevance scores on input images. However, there exists no obvious solution to define a “best” LRP model. A satisfied model is highly reliant on pertinent images and designers' goals. We develop a visual model designer, named as VisLRPDesigner, to overcome the challenges in the design and use of LRP models. Various LRP rules are unified into an integrated framework with an intuitive workflow of parameter setup. VisLRPDesigner thus allows users to interactively configure and compare LRP models. It also facilitates relevance‐based visual analysis with two important functions: relevance‐based pixel flipping and neuron ablation. Several use cases illustrate the benefits of VisLRPDesigner. The usability and limitation of the visual designer is evaluated by LRP users.
Pathophysiology of severe primary graft dysfunction in orthotopic heart transplantation
Authors: Lim Hoong Sern , Ranasinghe Aaron , Quinn David , Chue Colin D. , Mascaro Jorge
Published: June 2021

Background

A series of insults on the donor heart result in pathophysiological changes that manifest as primary graft dysfunction (PGD) post‐orthotopic heart transplantation. The objectives of this study were: (i) describe the pathophysiology of severe PGD using an established cardiovascular model; and (ii) the evolution of the pathophysiology during recovery from severe PGD.

Methods

Hemodynamic data from 20 consecutive patients with severe PGD (need for mechanical circulatory support, MCS) at baseline (T0), 6 h (T6) and “recovery” (explant of support), and 20 consecutive patients without severe PGD were used to model the pathophysiology using the cardiovascular model described by Burkhoff and Dickstein.

Results

There was a progressive (from T0 to T6) up‐ and leftward shift in the diastolic pressure‐volume relationship, especially of the right ventricle (RV), resulting in reduced capacitance. RV end‐systolic elastance (Ees) was significantly elevated in severe PGD but preload‐recruitable stroke work (PRSW) was significantly lower compared to patients without severe PGD. “Recovery” (after liberation from MCS) was associated with improvement in RV Ees, chamber capacitance and PRSW, although they remained significantly lower than patients without severe PGD.

Conclusion

Severe PGD of the dominant right heart failure phenotype is characterized by reduced chamber capacitance, increased “stiffness” and impaired contractility. Complete normalization was not required for successful weaning of MCS.
Donation after circulatory death is associated with increased fibrosis on 1‐year post‐transplant kidney allograft surveillance biopsy
Authors: van der Windt Dirk J. , Mehta Rajil , Jorgensen Dana R. , Hariharan Sundaram , Randhawa Parmjeet S. , Sood Puneet , Molinari Michele , Wijkstrom Martin , Ganoza Armando , Tevar Amit D.
Published: June 2021

Aim

The use of kidneys donated after circulatory death (DCD) provides an invaluable expansion of the organ supply for transplantation. Here, we investigated the effect of DCD on fibrotic changes on 1 1‐year post 1‐transplant surveillance kidney allograft biopsy.

Methods

Recipients of a deceased donor kidney transplant between 2013 and 2017 at a single institution, who survived 1 year and underwent surveillance biopsy, were included in the analysis (n = 333: 87 DCD kidneys, 246 kidneys donated after brain death [DBD]). Banff scores for interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy were summed as IFTA and compared between the groups.

Results

DCD and DBD groups were comparable for baseline characteristics. Delayed graft function was 39% in DCD versus 19% in DBD, P = .0002. Patient and graft survival were comparable for DCD and DBD cohorts. IFTA scores were higher in DCD compared to DBD (2.43±..13 vs. 2.01±..08, P = .0054). On multivariate analysis, the odds of IFTA > 2 in the DCD group was 2.5× higher (95%CI: 1.354.63) than in the DBD group. Within the DCD group, kidneys with IFTA > 2 had inferior 5‐year graft survival (P = .037).

Conclusion

Compared to DBD kidneys, DCD kidneys developed a greater degree of fibrotic changes on 1‐year post‐transplant surveillance biopsy, which affected graft longevity within the DCD cohort.
Blood product transfusion and lung transplant outcomes: A systematic review
Authors: Klapper Jacob A. , Hicks Anne C. , Ledbetter Leila , Poisson Jessica , Hartwig Matthew G. , Hashmi Nazish , Welsby Ian , Bottiger Brandi A.
Published: June 2021

The perioperative transfusion of blood products has long been linked to development of acute lung injury and associated with mortality across both medical and surgical patient populations.1,2 The need for blood product transfusion during and after lung transplantation is common and, in many instances, unavoidable. However, this practice may potentially be modifiable.3 In this systematic review, we explore and summarize what is known regarding the impact of blood product transfusion on outcomes following lung transplantation, highlighting the most recent work in this area. Overall, the majority of the literature consists of single center retrospective analyses or the work of multicenter working groups referencing the same database. In the end, there are a number of remaining questions regarding blood product transfusion and their downstream effects on graft function and survival.
Decolonising the Museum? Community Experiences in the Periphery of the ICOM Museum Definition
Authors: Brulon Soares Bruno
Published: June 2021

The article proposes a postcolonial reflection on the impacts of the ICOM museum definition on the practice of community‐based museums and considers the possible effects of engaging these museums in the international conversations for a new definition. It investigates ICOM’s internal debates on a new museum definition, resumed since 2016, and its normative, political, and financial effects on the reality of community museums in the peripheries of the global South. By exploring the historical roots of the present debate and its decolonial rhetoric, this paper questions what forms of “decolonisation” are at stake, once again, in the discussions concerning a new museum definition for the 21st century. To demonstrate the impacts of the definition on community museums around the world, the article recurs to the example of Brazilian Social museology, which serves to illuminate how the persistence of political relationships between a centre and its peripheries help to define museum marginality. The ICOM museum definition, conceived as a tool by some central agents to be applied globally in different social contexts, establishes the boundaries between the subjects who have the right to memory and the means to make museums and those who are currently deprived of them.
Becoming uniquely human? Comparing chimpanzee to human infancy
Authors: Grossmann Tobias
Published: June 2021

Does comparing behavioral development between chimpanzees and humans during infancy hold the key to understanding what is uniquely human? Recent work shows that while many behaviors emerge at similar ages in chimpanzees, human infants develop behavioral traits underpinning our prosocial and ultra‐cooperative nature at a much accelerated rate.
Reduced mitochondrial DNA and OXPHOS protein content in skeletal muscle of children with cerebral palsy
Authors: von Walden Ferdinand , Vechetti Ivan J , Englund Davis , Figueiredo Vandré C , Fernandez‐Gonzalo Rodrigo , Murach Kevin , Pingel Jessica , Mccarthy John J , Stål Per , Pontén Eva
Published: June 2021

Aim

To provide a detailed gene and protein expression analysis related to mitochondrial biogenesis and assess mitochondrial content in skeletal muscle of children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method

Biceps brachii muscle samples were collected from 19 children with CP (mean [SD] age 15y 4mo [2y 6mo], range 9–18y, 16 males, three females) and 10 typically developing comparison children (mean [SD] age 15y [4y], range 7–21y, eight males, two females). Gene expression (quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction [PCR]), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to genomic DNA ratio (quantitative PCR), and protein abundance (western blotting) were analyzed. Microarray data sets (CP/aging/bed rest) were analyzed with a focused query investigating metabolism‐ and mitochondria‐related gene networks.

Results

The mtDNA to genomic DNA ratio was lower in the children with CP compared to the typically developing group (−23%, p=0.002). Out of five investigated complexes in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, we observed lower protein levels of all complexes (I, III, IV, V, −20% to −37%; p<0.05) except complex II. Total peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma coactivator 1‐alpha (PGC1α) messenger RNA (p<0.004), isoforms PGC1α1 (p=0.05), and PGC1α4 (p<0.001) were reduced in CP. Transcriptional similarities were observed between CP, aging, and 90 days’ bed rest.

Interpretation

Mitochondrial biogenesis, mtDNA, and oxidative phosphorylation protein content are reduced in CP muscle compared with typically developing muscle. Transcriptional pathways shared between aging and long‐term unloading suggests metabolic dysregulation in CP, which may guide therapeutic strategies for combatting CP muscle pathology.

What this paper adds

Cerebral palsy (CP) muscle contains fewer energy‐generating organelles than typically developing muscle.

Gene expression in CP muscle is similar to aging and long‐term bed rest.
Erysiphe magnifica causes powdery mildew on Magnolia compressa
Authors: Choi Young‐Joon , Choi Byoung‐Ki , Choi In‐Young , Shin Hyeon‐Dong
Published: June 2021

In October 2017, Magnolia compressa, an endangered species in Korea, was found to be heavily infected with a powdery mildew. Morphological examination of anamorph structures and molecular analyses of the ITS and 28S rDNA regions confirmed Erysiphe magnifica as the fungus causing the mildew. The host range of E. magnifica has been limited to Magnolia species, with an occasional record of infection on Nelumbo nucifera. This report presents the first finding of E. magnifica infection on M. compressa worldwide.
The response of soil microbial communities to the infection of kauri (Agathis australis) seedlings with Phytophthora agathidicida
Authors: Byers Alexa‐Kate , Condron Leo , O’Callaghan Maureen , Waipara Nick , Black Amanda
Published: June 2021

New Zealand's ancient kauri (Agathis australis) forests are under threat from the spread of dieback disease, caused by the soil‐borne pathogen Phytophthora agathidicida. Characterizing the response of the soil microbiota to the infection of kauri with P. agathidicida is essential to identify how they may form a protective response to pathogen invasion and disease expression. This study infected 18‐month‐old kauri seedlings with a standardized inoculum load of P. agathidicida for 6 weeks under controlled environmental conditions. Following this, changes in the diversity, composition and biomass of soil microbial communities associated with kauri seedlings were characterized using high‐throughput 16S rRNA and ITS gene region sequencing and phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Significant differences were found in the composition of soil bacterial communities associated with inoculated and non‐inoculated kauri seedlings. Furthermore, soils of inoculated seedlings had a significantly higher relative abundance of bacteria previously reported to be associated with plant disease suppression, which included several members of the Firmicutes. Significant reductions were found in the fungal: bacterial biomass of soils from inoculated seedlings. This finding contrasts to previous field‐based research that observed an increased diversity of soil fungal communities associated with diseased kauri in old growth kauri forests. Further research that aims to isolate members of the kauri soil microbiota and study their interactions with P. agathidicida is required for us to begin selecting potential biocontrol agents against kauri dieback.
Host defense or parasite cue: Skin secretions mediate interactions between amphibians and their parasites
Authors: Mayer Martin , Schlippe Justicia Lia , Shine Richard , Brown Gregory P.
Published: June 2021

Amphibian skin secretions (substances produced by the amphibian plus microbiota) plausibly act as a first line of defense against parasite/pathogen attack, but may also provide chemical cues for pathogens. To clarify the role of skin secretions in host–parasite interactions, we conducted experiments using cane toads (Rhinella marina) and their lungworms (Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala) from the range‐core and invasion‐front of the introduced anurans’ range in Australia. Depending on the geographical area, toad skin secretions can reduce the longevity and infection success of parasite larvae, or attract lungworm larvae and enhance their infection success. These striking differences between the two regions were due both to differential responses of the larvae, and differential effects of the skin secretions. Our data suggest that skin secretions play an important role in host–parasite interactions in anurans, and that the arms race between a host and parasite can rapidly generate spatial variation in critical features of that interaction.
A double pedigree reveals genetic but not cultural inheritance of cooperative personalities in wild banded mongooses
Authors: Nichols Hazel J. , Arbuckle Kevin , Sanderson Jennifer L. , Vitikainen Emma I. K. , Marshall Harry H. , Thompson Faye J. , Cant Michael A. , Wells David A.
Published: June 2021

Personality traits, such as the propensity to cooperate, are often inherited from parents to offspring, but the pathway of inheritance is unclear. Traits could be inherited via genetic or parental effects, or culturally via social learning from role models. However, these pathways are difficult to disentangle in natural systems as parents are usually the source of all of these effects. Here, we exploit natural ‘cross fostering’ in wild banded mongooses to investigate the inheritance of cooperative behaviour. Our analysis of 800 adult helpers over 21 years showed low but significant genetic heritability of cooperative personalities in males but not females. Cross fostering revealed little evidence of cultural heritability: offspring reared by particularly cooperative helpers did not become more cooperative themselves. Our results demonstrate that cooperative personalities are not always highly heritable in wild, and that the basis of behavioural traits can vary within a species (here, by sex).
Bruns' nystagmus revisited: A sign of stroke in patients with the acute vestibular syndrome
Authors: Mantokoudis Georgios , Korda Athanasia , Zee David S. , Zamaro Ewa , Sauter Thomas C. , Wagner Franca , Caversaccio Marco D.
Published: June 2021

Objective

Gaze‐evoked nystagmus (GEN) is a central sign in patients with the acute vestibular syndrome (AVS); however, discriminating between a pathological and a physiologic GEN is a challenge. Here we evaluate GEN in patients with AVS.

Methods

In this prospective cross‐sectional study, we used video‐oculography (VOG) to compare GEN in the light (target at 15° eccentric) in 64 healthy subjects with 47 patients seen in the emergency department (ED) who had AVS; 35 with vestibular neuritis and 12 with stroke. All patients with an initial non‐diagnostic MRI received a confirmatory, delayed MRI as a reference standard in detecting stroke.

Results

Healthy subjects with GEN had a time constant of centripetal drift >18 s. VOG identified pathologic GEN (time constant ≤ 18 s) in 33% of patients with vestibular strokes, specificity was 100%, accuracy was 83%. Results were equivalent to examination by a clinical expert. As expected, since all patients with GEN had a SN in straight‐ahead position, they showed the pattern of a Bruns’ nystagmus.

Conclusions

One third of patients with AVS due to central vestibular strokes had a spontaneous SN in straight‐ahead gaze and a pathological GEN, producing the pattern of a Bruns’ nystagmus with a shift of the null position. The localization of the side of the lesion based on the null was not consistent, presumably because the circuits underlying gaze‐holding are widespread in the brainstem and cerebellum. Nevertheless, automated quantification of GEN with VOG was specific, and accurately identified patients in the ED with AVS due to strokes.
Plasma neurofilament light chain levels and cognitive testing as predictors of fast progression in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Santangelo Roberto , Agosta Federica , Masi Francesco , Spinelli Edoardo Gioele , Cecchetti Giordano , Caso Francesca , Mandelli Alessandra , Cardamone Rosalinda , Barbieri Alessandra , Furlan Roberto , Magnani Giuseppe , Filippi Massimo
Published: June 2021

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a heterogeneous course. Predicting a fast rather than a slow decline over time is crucial to both provide a reliable prognosis and elaborate stricter enrolment criteria in clinical trials. Here we searched for independent predictors of cognitive decline rate to assess the risk of fast disease progression already at baseline.

Methods

Fifty‐three subjects with an “in‐vivo biomarker confirmed” diagnosis of AD were included. Neuropsychological assessment, plasma neurofilaments (NfL) concentrations and, in a subsample of 23 patients, brain magnetic resonance imaging were available. Patients were labelled FAST or SLOW depending on the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) points lost per year (FAST if more than 3 points). We adopted single logistic regression models to search for independent predictors of FAST progression.

Results

At baseline no differences were found between FAST and SLOW subgroups in demographics, MMSE scores, vascular burden and medial temporal lobe atrophy measurements. Higher plasma NfL concentrations and worse scores at semantic verbal fluency (SVF) and clock drawing test (CDT) were independent predictors of FAST decline, after controlling for age, education, sex and baseline disease severity stage. The regression model combining all the predictors correctly classified 80% of patients overall. The risk of FAST decline was 81.2% if all the three predictors were abnormal (i.e., SVF ≤21.5, CDT ≤5.5, NfL ≥22.19).

Conclusions

An easily applicable algorithm, including plasma NfL measurement and two neuropsychological tests worldwide adopted in clinical practice (SVF and CDT), may allow clinicians to reliably stratify AD patients in relation to the risk of fast cognitive decline.
An instrumental‐reflexive approach to assessing and building food system resilience
Authors: Hedberg Russell C.
Published: June 2021

For several decades resilience thinking has served as a major theoretical lens for social‐ecological research, with geographers playing important roles in both advancing the theory and offering meaningful critique. In recent years resilience thinking has also emerged as a promising tool for the assessment of food systems, yet there is significant disagreement among scholars as to the best way to apply resilience thinking to food systems. At the heart of these disagreements lie a set of conceptual tensions that have long existed in the resilience community regarding best practices for operationalizing resilience and the extent to which resilience thinking can (or should) engage with issues of social justice and power dynamics. Geographers, particularly those working in the fields of political ecology and critical physical geography, are well positioned to navigate these tensions and contribute to the growing scholarship on food system resilience through what I call an instrumental‐reflexive approach to resilience thinking. Drawing on scholarship on the role of environmental science in political ecology and critical physical geography, I develop an approach to resilience that deploys empirical assessments to provide instrumental knowledge of food systems, but also engages reflexively with empirical findings to consider how they interact with entrenched power relations across multiple scales—practices that have a long tradition in geographic scholarship. In so doing, I chart an approach to resilience that, provides significant utility for farmers and food system workers, and gives support (though not the ultimate justification) for dismantling unjust and exploitative structures in our current food systems.
Cultural integration among non‐Han migrants in urban China: To what extent does intermarriage matter?
Authors: Wang Zerong , Zhao Guochang
Published: June 2021

With the rapid urbanization, a massive number of Han and non‐Han people have migrated into Chinese cities. However, the quite different backgrounds of non‐Han migrants may make their cultural integration much more difficult. Using data from the National Migrant Population Dynamic Monitoring Survey (MDMS) in 2017, this study examines whether intermarried migrants have higher cultural integration in the destination municipality than their non‐intermarried counterparts, and explores its mechanisms. To account for the potential endogeneity problem, we use historical intermarriage ratio of the older cohorts in migrants’ home municipality as the instrumental variable of intermarriage. Results suggest that intermarriage has a positive effect on cultural integration of non‐Han migrants. Marrying Hans increases non‐Han migrants’ cultural integration by about 0.89 standard deviations. The mediating analyses show that social interaction is one potential mechanism but it merely explains 4% of the aggregate effect of intermarriage on cultural integration. We also find that the positive impact of intermarriage on cultural integration is driven by subsamples of female, highly educated, urban‐to‐urban, and inter‐province migrants. These findings have strong policy implications for non‐Han floating population administration in urban China.
Twice a “housewife”: On academic precarity, “hysterical” women, faculty mental health, and service as gendered care work for the “university family” in pandemic times
Authors: Docka‐Filipek Danielle , Stone Lindsey B.
Published: June 2021

Extensive research has explained women's pandemic‐related workforce exodus as driven by the presumed pressures of gender disparate private, domestic burdens. The impact of gender asymmetries in academic labor on faculty well‐being is less understood. We examined the effects of job‐related factors on faculty mental health, a critical measure of precarity during the initial Spring 2020 “lockdown” and transition to remote work. Faculty (n = 345) were recruited via social media to participate in a survey on their work/life pandemic experiences. Women were over‐represented in our sample, yet respondents at both the highest and the most tenuous ranks were underrepresented. Gender, teaching load, having dependents, and greater financial concerns were associated with higher depression and anxiety. Critically, women's heightened mental health risk was not explained by the other predictors. Results indicate women faculty's well‐being and career advancement are threatened by disparate, obscured service burdens both within the academy and at home during the pandemic.
The in vitro effect of nanoliposomal amphotericin B against two clinically important dermatophytes
Authors: Ahmad Nasrollahi Saman , Fattahi Azam , Naeimifar Atefeh , Lotfali Ensieh , Firooz Alireza , Khamesipoor Ali , Skandari Seyed Ebrahim , Miramin Mohammadi Akram
Published: June 2021

Aims

The present study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of amphotericin B‐loaded nanoliposomes against Trichophyton interdigitale and Trichophyton rubrum. Moreover, it was attempted to assess the obtained resistance in vitro.

Methods

In total, 29 archived clinical strains, namely, T. interdigitale (n = 16) and T. rubrum (n = 13), were included in this study. These strains were determined using a previous ITS1‐ITS2 region sequence. Moreover, a liposomal formulation of amphotericin B was formulated by a thin‐film hydration method. Particle size, polydispersity index (PdI), and zeta potential (ZP) were measured by a Zetasizer. Furthermore, physicochemical properties, such as appearance, aggregation of particles, particle size, PdI, and ZP, were determined at 0‐, 1‐, and 3‐month intervals. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was also used to examine nanoparticles structure. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of amphotericin B‐loaded nanoliposomes, itraconazole, efinaconazole, terbinafine, and ciclopirox was determined according to the protocol of the broth microdilution method of CLSI M38‐A2. The morphological changes of T. interdigitale and T. rubrum strains exposed to the amphotericin B‐loaded nanoliposomes were observed using SEM.

Results

The amphotericin B‐loaded nanoliposomes displayed a lower MIC compared to those of the amphotericin B and liposomes when used separately. Based on the results, amphotericin B‐loaded nanoliposomes induced no drug resistance in any of the tested strains.

Conclusion

Accordingly, amphotericin B‐loaded nanoliposomes can be a potent antifungal for the topical treatment of onychomycosis. There was no in vitro evidence regarding the resistance of the tested strains to amphotericin B‐loaded nanoliposomes. This reflects that amphotericin B‐loaded nanoliposomes have a low probability to induce drug resistance in dermatophyte species.
Polymorphisms in MHC class I molecules influence their interactions with components of the antigen processing and presentation pathway
Authors: Aflalo Aure , Boyle Louise H.
Published: June 2021

MHC class I (MHC‐I) molecules undergo an intricate folding process in order to pick up antigenic peptide to present to the immune system. In recent years, the discovery of a new peptide editor for MHC‐I has added an extra level of complexity in our understanding of how peptide presentation is regulated. On top of this, the incredible diversity in MHC‐I molecules leads to significant variation in the interaction between MHC‐I and components of the antigen processing and presentation pathway. Here, we review our current understanding regarding how polymorphisms in human leukocyte antigen class I molecules influence their interactions with key components of the antigen processing and presentation pathway. A deeper understanding of this may offer new insights regarding how apparently subtle variation in MHC‐I can have a significant impact on susceptibility to disease.