bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prosecution or Persecution? Extraneous Events and Prosecutorial Decisions
Authors: Bielen Samantha , Grajzl Peter
Published: October 2021

In 2004, a Dutch‐Moroccan Islamic extremist in Amsterdam brutally murdered Theo van Gogh, a Dutch filmmaker known for his critique of Islam. Using a difference‐in‐differences approach, we show that, in Amsterdam, the assassination resulted in more than a 19‐percentage‐point increase in the likelihood of prosecution for unrelated violent crimes of male suspects born in Muslim‐majority countries. The effect is detectable during the first month following the murder but dissipates thereafter. We find no evidence of the murder's effect for nonviolent crimes and for violent crimes processed by other Dutch prosecution offices. Our findings are thus not consistent with a purely emotions‐based explanation of the murder's effect. Instead, our results are congruent with both a signaling explanation, whereby career‐motivated prosecutors chose to showcase their toughness, and a behavioral explanation entailing prosecutors' susceptibility to availability heuristic bias. On institutional grounds, we view the latter as more plausible than the former. Our article adds to an emerging literature demonstrating that extraneous events can critically shape criminal justice outcomes.
Identification, expression patterns and RNA interference of Capa peptide receptors in Dendroctonus armandi larvae under cold
Authors: Fu Danyang , Sun Yaya , Liu Bin , Ning Hang , Wang Linjun , Chen Hui
Published: October 2021

Capa peptides are of great importance for both understanding the control of salt balance by neuropeptides and revealing the mechanisms of response to cold stress. Presently, research on the physiological function of neuropeptides typically includes identifying and analysing specific receptors and their interactions. Given their role in osmotic balance and the importance of cold tolerance, this study attempted to identify the sequence and function of Capa peptide receptors (CapaRs) in Dendroctonus armandi and to prove that CapaRs play an important role in the cold stress responses. In this study, two full‐length cDNAs encoding more than 400 amino acids of Dendroctonus armandi Capa peptide receptor genes (DaCapaRs) and their sequence features were identified using bioinformatic analysis methods. The alignment of DaCapaRs with homologous proteins from other species indicated that the most similar are Dendroctonus ponderosae Capa peptide receptors. The expression of DaCapaRs was high in December and in the larvae, adults and head and midgut of Dendroctonus armandi. In addition, with decreasing temperatures and long‐term exposure to cold conditions, the expression of DaCapaRs increased markedly when the temperature was 4 to –10°C. RNA interference analysis demonstrated that DaCapaRs play an important role in the cold tolerance of overwintering larvae and indicated that a reverse interaction occurs between DaCapaRs and aquaporins. The results showed that DaCapaRs play an essential role in understanding the neuropeptide regulation of cold tolerance in overwintering Dendroctonus armandi larvae and that it can assist in understanding adaptive evolution of Dendroctonus armandi and its relationship with the ecological environment of the Qinling Mountains.
Drying model for small tumbled beef pieces (biltong) at ambient and mild air temperatures
Authors: Arnaud Elodie , Collignan Antoine , Courtois Francis
Published: October 2021

The literature on the modeling of meat drying mainly focuses on large pieces of pork with very few studies on small pieces of beef, particularly when previously tumbled with salt and vinegar. In this study, the drying kinetics of tumbled small pieces of beef (biltong) were investigated experimentally using a pilot dryer that allowed precise control of the air conditions. The kinetics were then modeled using a two‐compartment model that mimicked the diffusion model. Results showed that two experimental drying kinetics were enough to identify model parameters and to mimic the drying behavior of biltong of different sizes subjected to a wide range of drying conditions (25–55°C, 30–40% relative humidity). The model also produced acceptable results (mean error on moisture content and ) for simulating biltong drying in industrial conditions. This model can be used as a sizing tool for small and medium drying plants in southern Africa.

Practical Applications

Drying is widely used to process traditional meat products such as the salted/dried biltong in South Africa. The final product and the manufacturing process used to produce biltong are well described by Jones in 2017. Biltong is original because it is made of strips of meat while up to now, modeling studies have mainly dealt with large meat muscles, like dried cured ham. Biltong, on the other hand, resembles to many other salted/dried products made from small meat muscles all over the world or meat strips mainly in developing countries but not only, for example jerky in the United States. The model developed will be useful for the prediction of drying time by processors who wants to ensure their end product remain stable and have to cope with variations in the size of the meat strips and in the temperature of the drying air.
Preface: Mass spectrometry in Alzheimer disease
Authors: Hanrieder Jörg
Published: October 2021

This preface introduces the content of the special issue on ‘Mass Spectrometry in Alzheimer Disease’. Here, an overview is provided on how mass spectrometry is contributing to a broader understanding of AD pathobiology. Mass spectrometry has become a major technology in biomedical analysis and research. This includes biochemical and clinical studies that aim to detail our understanding of Alzheimer disease pathogenesis and pathobiology (AD). In this special issue, key experts in the field present exciting developments and applications of MS in the context of studying AD pathology. These studies span from basic biochemical and neuropathological studies, over advanced metabolomics‐ and proteomics, towards comprehensive biomarker studies, as well as more recently, in situ mass spectrometry‐based imaging (MSI). Together, these studies highlight the key relevance of current and emerging MS technologies to detect, delineate and understand principle pathogenic mechanisms underlying AD.

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A Theory‐Based Approach for Identifying Nurse and Team Member Contributions in the Electronic Health Record
Authors: Will Kristen K. , Lamb Gerri
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Team‐based care delivered by an interprofessional team has been shown to be an effective strategy for caring for diverse, complex patient populations. Interprofessional teams can improve outcomes, reduce costs, and enhance the patient experience through patient‐centered care. Nurses are essential members of healthcare teams within and across settings.

Background

It is imperative for practicing nurses, educators, and researchers to be able to identify and report the contributions of nurses to team performance and care outcomes to prepare students for high‐performance teamwork to improve practice and influence healthcare policy. Currently, the work of many nurses and other team members is not discoverable in electronic health records. Methods used to identify all members of the healthcare team may not be aligned with theories and definitions of teamwork embedded in emerging nursing and interprofessional accreditation guidelines.

Purpose

This paper describes a promising new, theoretically grounded approach to identify team members, including nurses, in electronic health records.

Methods

Using operational constructs from a common team definition, grounded in theory, primary care teams were data mined from EHR data to find the hidden members of the team.

Discussion/Conclusion

Further testing and use of this approach have the potential to provide a robust strategy to identify and distinguish each team member's contributions to clinical outcomes while laying the foundation for a meaningful study of teams in large data sets like the electronic health record.

Clinical Relevance

New strategies to study nursing and team member contributions utilizing EHR data may lead to improved clinical outcomes. A better understanding of how teams are structured may enhance the understanding of each team member's contribution to outcomes and lead to more equitable recognition and reimbursement for all team members.
The histology of sutures in chicken skulls: Types, conservation, and ontogeny
Authors: Arnaout Bassel , MacKenzie Erin M. , Lantigua Kayla E. , Brzezinski Kaylen , McKinnell Iain W. , Maddin Hillary C.
Published: October 2021

Sutures are fibrous joints that occur between bone elements in vertebrate skulls, where they play a variety of roles including facilitating skull growth and function. In addition, a variety of studies examining sutures from diverse perspectives in many taxa have enabled the determination of anatomical homologs. Surprisingly, one important aspect of sutures—histology—remains unknown in the key model organism of the chicken. To fill this gap in our knowledge, we generated histological sections of six different cranial sutures across a range of developmental stages in embryonic chicken. Despite having a skull that is largely co‐ossified or fused as an adult, we found that the types, components, and ontogeny of sutures in chicken skulls are very similar to sutures in other vertebrates. We did, however, find a new transient stage in the ontogeny of sutures between endochondral bone elements, in which one element has ossified and one was still cartilaginous. Moreover, to better understand the morphogenetic events at the onset of suture formation, we compared the developmental histology of six sutures with that of the space between the two ossification centers of the frontal—a location expected to be void of suture structures. We found that the mesenchymal cells in sutures condense and form a middle vascular layer. This was not found to be the case in the space between the two ossifications of the frontal, where instead only osteoid occurs.
Effects of low‐to‐moderate physical activities on older adults with chronic diseases: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Tan Khee Hiang Lynette , Siah Chiew Jiat Rosalind
Published: October 2021

Aim

Examined the evidence of low‐to‐moderate‐intensity physical activities to assess the effect in managing hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia conditions among community‐dwelling older adult.

Background

Physical activity is recommended for the maintenance and improvement of health. However, high‐intensity physical activity may adversely impact exercise adherence by older adults.

Design

This review was conducted with reference to methods set out in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The PRISMA statement was employed to guide the reporting of the systematic review and meta‐analyses.

Data Sources

Seven electronic databases were searched to identify relevant articles that were published in English from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2020.

Review Method

This review included randomised controlled trials and cluster‐randomised controlled trials on interventions of physical activities with low‐to‐moderate intensities compared against usual care without physical activities. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Meta‐analysis was performed using RevMan, with Cochran Q and I2 used for determining heterogeneity. The overall effect was reviewed with z scores.

Results

Fifteen randomised controlled trials with 940 total participants were evaluated. Low‐to‐moderate‐intensity physical activity significantly improved systolic blood pressure [Z = 3.59, p = .0003], HbA1C [Z = 2.10, p = .04] and high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) levels [Z = 3.83, p = .0001], compared to usual care. A further subgroup analysis found no significant difference in systolic blood pressure level after three sessions a week as well as after three months. There were insufficient papers to evaluate for both HbA1C and HDL levels.

Conclusion

Regular physical activity ranging from low‐to‐moderate intensity should be encouraged among older adults with chronic diseases.

Relevance for clinical practice

This review suggested that low‐to‐moderate levels of physical activity could be encouraged among community‐dwelling older adults to improve their physical health.
The Influential Factors of Adherence to Physical Activity and Exercise among Community‐Dwelling Stroke Survivors: A Path Analysis
Authors: Lin Beilei , Zhang Zhenxiang , Mei Yongxia , Liu Lamei , Ping Zhiguang
Published: October 2021

Aims and objectives

To investigate the status of physical activity and exercise (PAE) adherence and identify its influential factors among community‐dwelling stroke survivors.

Background

Regular PAE after stroke is essential for recovery and secondary prevention, while adherence to PAE and its influential factors are rarely studied.

Design

A cross‐sectional descriptive study.

Methods

In total, 208 stroke survivors (70.25 ± 9.08 years) were randomly selected from three communities. The influential factors of PAE adherence and associations between these variables were explored using multiple linear regression and path analyses. This study adhered to the EQUATOR checklist, STROBE.

Results

The mean adherence rate was moderate (62.00%), and stroke survivors tended to be more adherent to PAE than monitoring and seeking advice (70.30%>53.50%>48.30%). The regression results revealed that seven factors were significantly associated with PAE adherence, including knowledge, attitude, self‐efficacy, social support, self‐care ability, community rehabilitation experience and times since stroke. Furthermore, the path analysis showed that knowledge had a significant indirect positive influence on adherence with self‐efficacy as a mediator, while attitude and social support impacted both directly and indirectly with self‐efficacy as the mediator. Moreover, self‐efficacy had the most substantial direct effect on community‐dwelling stroke survivors’ PAE adherence. These four variables accounted for a total of 67.00% of the variance in PAE adherence among community‐dwelling stroke survivors.

Conclusions

The PAE adherence of community stroke survivors needs to be improved. Healthcare professionals should develop more effective interventions to promote PAE adherence through enhancing self‐efficacy among this population.

Relevance to clinical practice: Adherence to the recommended regimen is the most challenging dimension of stroke physical activity and exercise. This study contributes to exploring status and influential factors of PAE adherence, and self‐efficacy was found to be a significant determinant. The results could be used to inspire future community‐based intervention programs for stroke survivors.
Studying abroad and earnings: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Giorgio Di Pietro ,   European Commission,   IZA
Published: October 2021

The increasing number of university students participating in international mobility programs worldwide calls for a better understanding of the effects of studying abroad. Despite the frequent claim that these programs enhance participants’ labor market prospects, there is no clear consensus in the literature about their impact on earnings. The present article attempts to shed light on this issue by applying meta‐analysis techniques to 166 estimates of returns to studying abroad from 17 studies. Summary measures used in meta‐analysis indicate that participation in study abroad programs during university studies has a small positive effect on post‐graduation earnings. However, due to the high heterogeneity and publication bias, this conclusion should be interpreted very cautiously. Multivariate meta‐regression analysis shows that the omission of relevant variables from the wage equation, the econometric methods employed, and the duration of the study abroad experience contribute to explain variation in the empirical findings.
Monetary policy or macroprudential policies: What can tame the cycles?
Authors: Vollmer Uwe
Published: October 2021

This survey systematizes the rapidly growing literature on the influence of monetary policy and macroprudential policy on the macroeconomy. It examines the impact of monetary policy on the financial cycle and asks how macroprudential instruments influence the efficiency of monetary policy. The questions of whether monetary policy should take account of the financial cycle and lean against the wind is also addressed. The literature review shows that monetary policy is not neutral for financial stability, but should not take into account the financial cycle because the costs probably outweigh the benefits.
Global, regional, and national burden of ovarian cancer and the attributable risk factors in all 194 countries and territories during 2007–2017: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
Authors: Yang Delun , Huang Hui , Ruan Tiecheng , Yang Haidong , Hu Jingcen , Xu Shujun , Ling Shiliang , Yu Yanli
Published: October 2021

Background

We estimated the global burden of ovarian cancer (OC) in 194 countries and territories between 2007 and 2017.

Methods

Data were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD), Injuries, and Risk Factors 2017 study.

Results

Globally, 286 126.80 (95% UI = 278 075.38–295 311.41) incident cases, 4.67 million (4.53–4.83) disability‐adjusted life‐years (DALYs), and 175 981.99 (171 384.15–181 198.43) deaths were reported in 2017. The age‐standardized incidence and DALY rates increased by 2.05% and 1.34% during 2007–2017, respectively, while the age‐standardized mortality rate decreased by −0.14%. The age‐standardized incidence, DALY, and mortality rates in 2017 were the highest in the high socio‐demographic index (SDI) quintile, but the largest percentage increase during 2007–2017 was in the low‐SDI quintile. Among regions, Central Europe showed the highest 2017 age‐standardized incidence, DALY, and mortality rates, whereas South Asia and East Asia showed the largest percentage increases in both rates during 2007–2017. Among countries, India showed the largest percentage increase in age‐standardized incidence and DALY rates, whereas Iran showed the largest percentage increase in age‐standardized mortality rates. Globally, the largest percentage increase in risk‐attributable DALYs was associated with metabolic risk factors (e.g., high fasting plasma glucose levels).

Conclusion

The global age‐standardized incidence, DALYs, and mortality rates of OC remain stable during 2007–2017. However, the low SDI quintile and the greatest burden in South and East Asia, India, and Iran suggested that more targeted strategies should be performed in those regions and countries.
The impact of supervisor–employee self‐protective implicit voice theory alignment
Authors: Ellis Aleksander P. J. , Porter Christopher O. L. H. , Mai Ke Michael
Published: October 2021

Self‐protective implicit voice theories (IVTs) represent individuals’ deeply rooted schemas regarding the risks and appropriateness of speaking up at work. Drawing from the behavioural confirmation model and expectancy violation theory, we argue that alignment (or congruence) between supervisors’ and employees’ self‐protective IVTs will result in higher quality leader‐member exchange (LMX) relationships. We also argue that higher quality LMX will, in turn, result in higher performance evaluations from those supervisors. Results from cross‐level polynomial regression analyses of a sample of 900 governmental employees with matched responses from their supervisors partially supported our predictions. We found evidence of congruence effects on job performance evaluations through LMX, particularly when employees and their supervisors had weaker self‐protective IVTs. We also found a strong but unexpected effect for employees’ self‐protective IVTs that indicated that the more self‐protective the employees’ IVTs, the lower the quality of the LMX they developed with their supervisors. Our findings have implications for the nascent literature on self‐protective IVTs and suggest potential benefits for employees who have fewer reservations about speaking up at work.

Practitioner points

Employees’ implicit, unconscientious beliefs about the potential risks associated with speaking up are formed well in advance of their employment yet they are important drivers of whether they withhold their ideas and suggestions or speak up at work.

Although strong implicit voice theories should help employees avoid negative outcomes, they can hinder the development of high‐quality relationships with their managers.

Managers’ implicit beliefs about speaking up can influence the outcomes their employees experience as a result of their own implicit beliefs about the risks associated with speaking up.

Some of the best employee outcomes result from manager and employee pairs that share weak implicit theories about speaking up and manager and employee pairs in which employees have weak implicit theories about speaking up and managers have moderate implicit theories about speaking up.
Renal nurses' experiences of patients with severe mental health conditions receiving acute haemodialysis: A qualitative study
Authors: Alwar Aumeshree , Addis Gulen
Published: October 2021

Background

Patients receiving acute haemodialysis treatment and living with severe mental illness may display behaviours that are perceived as challenging and stressful for renal nurses to manage in the acute haemodialysis unit. Renal nurses are historically trained on the technical aspects of acute haemodialysis and can provide a level of psychological support to patients. However, they have not been trained to manage patients with severe mental illness.

Objective

To explore renal nurses' experiences of nursing patients with severe mental illness receiving acute haemodialysis, and to identify factors that facilitate or hinder the nursing care of these patients.

Design

A descriptive qualitative study.

Method

Purposive sampling was employed, and semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 10 renal nurses working in an acute haemodialysis unit. Thematic analysis was utilised to analyse the data.

Findings

Thematic analysis identified four main themes which are perspectives of mental Illness, patient and staff safety concerns, facilitators of care and education and support needs.

Conclusion

Renal nurses experienced difficulty managing challenging behaviours manifested by patients with severe mental illness. Despite the various challenges, renal nurses adopted a person‐centred approach. Staff shortages and lack of training were significant hindrances to care delivery. Education on mental health conditions, support from senior staff and collaborative working can enable confidence and increase renal nurses' knowledge and experience in mental health care.
Does road accessibility to cities support rural population growth? Evidence for Portugal between 1991 and 2011
Authors: Melo Patrícia C. , Rego Conceição , Anciães Paulo R. , Guiomar Nuno , Muñoz‐Rojas José
Published: October 2021

Motorways in Portugal received large scale funding after the country joined the European Union in 1986, making it an ideal case to study the effect of road accessibility on the development of lagging rural areas. We investigate the relationship between rural population change and road accessibility to the urban hierarchy between 1991 and 2011. We find that rural population growth is negatively associated with increased road distance and travel time to cities, notably to medium‐sized cities (20,000–99,999 inhabitants). There is no evidence of nonlinearities in the effect of proximity to the urban hierarchy between accessible and remote rural areas.
Disparities in Local Wellness Policies Implementation Across Maryland Schools
Authors: Feinberg Termeh , Parker Elizabeth , Lane Hannah , Rubio Diana , Wang Yan , Hager Erin
Published: October 2021

BACKGROUND

School‐level implementation of district‐level local wellness policies (LWPs) is needed to create school environments that promote nutrition and physical activity (PA). Disparities in classroom‐specific LWPs implementation were examined.

METHODS

An administrator survey (N = 756 schools; 24/24 districts) included 6 classrooms LWP best‐practice items (fully/not fully implemented: restricting food celebrations or rewards, incorporating PA breaks or integrating PA in curricula, restricting withholding or using PA as punishment). A sum score (alpha = .71; elementary and middle/high examined separately) was used to examine associations with student body income (free‐and‐reduced priced meals (FARMS): ≤40%, 41‐75%, ≥75%), race/ethnicity, and school location (rural/urban/suburban), accounting for district‐level clustering, with moderation examined.

RESULTS

Classroom implementation scores were: elementary = 3.1 ± 1.8 (range: 0‐6/6 items) and middle/high = 2.3 ± 1.6 (range:0‐5/5 items). Among elementary and middle/high schools, 65% and 55% had >40% FARMS, 39% and 46% had ≥50% white student body, and 24% and 23% were urban, respectively. Elementary schools with >40% of FARMS‐eligible students and middle/high schools with <25% white students reported implementing fewer items. Location was not associated with classroom practices nor was moderation observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Disparities in classroom‐specific LWP best practices implementation were observed by income and race/ethnicity. Tailored support may be needed to improve classroom LWP implementation in schools serving low‐income students.
COVID‐19 epidemic and mitigation policies: Positive and normative analyses in a neoclassical growth model
Authors: Gori Luca , Manfredi Piero , Marsiglio Simone , Sodini Mauro
Published: October 2021

The COVID‐19 pandemic is still ravaging the planet, but its (short‐, medium‐, and long‐term) diverse effects on health, economy, and society are far from being understood. This article investigates the potential impact of a deadly epidemic and its main nonpharmaceutical control interventions (social distancing vs. testing–tracing–isolation, TTI) on capital accumulation and economic development at different time scales. This is done by integrating an epidemiological susceptible–infectious–recovered model with a Solow‐type growth model including public expenditure, as a parsimonious setting to offer insights on the trade‐off between protecting human lives and the economy and society. The work clarifies (i) the long‐term interactions amongst a deadly infection, demography, and capital accumulation, (ii) the lack of viability of persistent social distancing measures also using an analytical characterization, and the threat of policy‐enhanced COVID‐19 endemicity, (iii) the potentially high return on investments in TTI activities to avoid future lockdowns and related capital disruption. It also quantifies the welfare effects of a range of policies, confirming a counterintuitive role for tax‐funded preventive investments aimed at strengthening TTI as more desirable interventions than generalized lockdowns.
Yucca schidigera extract decreases nitrogen emission via improving nutrient utilisation and gut barrier function in weaned piglets
Authors: Fan Xiangqi , Xiao Xiangjun , Chen Daiwen , Yu Bing , He Jun , Yu Jie , Luo Junqiu , Luo Yuheng , Wang Jianping , Yan Hui , Mao Xiangbing
Published: October 2021

Yucca schidigera extract (YE) can decrease ammonia concentration in livestock housing, which could be associated with the inhibition of urease. The aim of this study was to investigate the other possible reasons of dietary YE supplementation reducing nitrogen emission in weaned piglets. A total of 14 crossbred weaned barrows were allotted into two groups fed the diets supplementing 0 and 120 mg/kg YE for 14 days. The YE administration decreased F/G ratio and hindgut NH3‐N production in weaned piglets (p < 0.05). Dietary YE supplementation decreased serum urea nitrogen levels, and increased nutrient digestibility, which could be related to the improvement of morphology, digestive and absorptive enzyme activities, and nutrient transporter mRNA expression in jejunal mucosa of weaned piglets (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of tight junction proteins, mucins and apoptosis‐related genes was also improved by YE treatment in jejunal mucosa of weaned piglets (p < 0.05). In addition, dietary YE supplementation regulated the microbiota structure and volatile fatty acid content in distal intestine of weaned piglets (p < 0.05). These results suggest that YE administration can decrease hindgut NH3–N production in weaned piglets, which is associated with the increased nutrient utilization and gut‐barrier function.
An assessment of the rural‐urban differences in the crash response time and county‐level crash fatalities in the United States
Authors: Adeyemi Oluwaseun John , Paul Rajib , Arif Ahmed
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aimed to estimate the crash response times in rural and urban counties in the United States, their association with county‐level crash fatalities, and identify spatial clusters of crash fatalities across the United States.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (2010‐2019). Data were aggregated at the county level across the contiguous United States. The selected counties (n = 3,108) were categorized as rural, micropolitan‐urban, or metropolitan‐urban using the 2013 rural‐urban commuting area codes. The predictor variable was crash response time, and the outcome variable was county‐level crash fatalities. Crash and county characteristics were used as potential confounders. We performed a spatial negative binomial regression analysis and reported the rate ratios of crash fatalities. We estimated the crude and adjusted fatality rates across all counties and identified clusters of crash fatalities across the United States.

Findings

As one migrates from urban to rural areas, crash response times became significantly increasingly longer. The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) notification to scene arrival time was most predictive of crash fatalities. A minute increase in the EMS notification to scene arrival time was associated with a 1%, 2%, and 5% increased fatality rate ratio in rural, micropolitan‐urban, and metropolitan‐urban counties, respectively. Although crash fatalities were lower in rural counties, the crash fatality rate was 3‐fold higher in rural counties compared to metropolitan‐urban counties. Significant clusters of crash fatality rates were heterogeneously distributed across the United States.

Conclusion

Reducing crash response time may contribute to reducing crash fatalities across the United States.
The evolution of tachinid pollination in Neotinea ustulata is related to floral cuticular composition and the combined high relative production of (Z)‐11‐C23/C25enes
Authors: Martel Carlos , Rakosy Demetra , Romero Pedro E. , Jersáková Jana , Ayasse Manfred
Published: October 2021

Among terrestrial orchids, and particularly among the subtribe Orchidinae, flies are underrepresented as pollinators. The European Neotinea ustulata, which developed specialized pollination by tachinid flies, is known to produce high relative concentrations of the floral cuticular alkenes (Z)‐11‐tricosene and (Z)‐11‐pentacosene (referred to as (Z)‐11‐C23/C25enes), which seem to be uncommon among orchid flowers. If the evolution of tachinid pollination is related to that of (Z)‐11‐C23/C25enes, we can expect that closely related species have a different floral chemical pattern and significantly small or no production of (Z)‐11‐C23/C25enes, independently of their pollinator guild identity (e.g., bees, flies, moths). We chemically compared the floral cuticular composition among Neotinea species, performed electrophysiological analyses, reconstructed the phylogenetic Orchidinae tree, and identified the evolutionary history of pollinator guild and (Z)‐11‐C23/C25enes production within the Orchidinae. Neotinea ustulata has evolved a markedly different floral cuticular composition compared to other Neotinea and produces both compounds ((Z)‐11‐C23/C25enes) in high relative quantities (i.e., above 8% in combination), which are detectable by tachinid antennae. Moreover, most Orchidinae taxa have minimal or no production of these alkenes, independently of the identity of their pollinator guild. Our ancestral reconstruction suggested that (Z)‐11‐C23/C25enes production was an evolutionary exaptation in Neotinea, whereas tachinid pollination was a unique evolutionary innovation for N. ustulata. Floral cuticular composition and, in particular, the combined production of (Z)‐11‐C23/C25enes at relatively high concentrations is intimately linked to the evolution of tachinid pollination within the Orchidinae.
Japan through Western eyes in Stupeur et Tremblements by Amélie Nothomb: Interpretation prevailing over translation
Authors: Buchweitz Nurit
Published: October 2021

Amélie Nothomb's 1999 novel Stupeur et Tremblements portrays the misadventures, misunderstandings, and misgivings experienced by a Belgian professional in a large, modern Japanese workplace. This book is often read as an autobiographical account of the author's Japanese experience and a satirical critique of Japanese society. I argue that, while the narrator is unable to perform the duty for which she was hired, as a translator, she acts as an interpreter of Japanese mores. Always and indelibly perceived within the boundaries of Western culture in the novel, Japan becomes a stylised construct replete with references to Western concepts. My article sheds light on how this construct takes shape in the text by focusing on the narrative techniques that foreground the narrator's immersion in Western culture, including allusions to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, paraphrasing and injecting meaning, namedropping key Western figures and concepts, and using the eye as a recurring motif and metaphor.
Effects of saw palmetto extract on the vanilloid receptor TRPV1
Authors: Yamada Shizuo , Kato Yoshihisa
Published: October 2021

Objective

Transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of the bladder. The present study investigated the effects of the herbal product, saw palmetto extract (SPE) on TRPV1‐mediated Ca2+ influx and specific [3H]resiniferatoxin ([3H]RTX) binding to TRPV1 in HEK293 cells expressing TRPV1 (HEK293VR11 cells).

Methods

Ca2+ influx induced by and the direct binding activity of TRPV1 were measured using a method with Fura 2‐AM, a cytoplasmic calcium indicator, and a radioligand binding assay using a [3H]RTX, respectively.

Results

SPE did not markedly affect Ca2+ influx in HEK293VR11 cells; however, it significantly inhibited capsaicin‐induced increases in Ca2+ influx in these cells. The specific binding of [3H]RTX in HEK293VR11 cells was saturable with Kd value of 120 ± 7 pM and Bmax of 1.07 ± 0.10 fmol/mg protein, and was inhibited by low concentrations of non‐labeled RTX with Ki of 60.1 ± 7.6 nM. These results confirmed the pharmacological specificity of specific binding sites of [3H]RTX to TRPV1 in HEK293VR11 cells. SPE inhibited the specific binding of [3H]RTX in a concentration‐dependent manner, with Ki of 24.2 ± 1.4 μg/mL.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrated for the first time, that SPE inhibited capsaicin‐induced Ca2+ influx with binding to TRPV1 in HEL293VR11 cells. These results will contribute to a more detailed understanding of the pharmacological effects of SPE on urinary dysfunction.
The magnitude and progress of lean body mass, fat‐free mass, and skeletal muscle mass loss following bariatric surgery: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Nuijten Malou A.H. , Eijsvogels Thijs M.H. , Monpellier Valerie M. , Janssen Ignace M.C. , Hazebroek Eric J. , Hopman Maria T.E.
Published: October 2021

Postbariatric loss of muscle tissue could negatively affect long‐term health due to its role in various bodily processes, such as metabolism and functional capacity. This meta‐analysis aimed to unravel time‐dependent changes in the magnitude and progress of lean body mass (LBM), fat‐free mass (FFM), and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) loss following bariatric surgery. A systematic literature search was conducted in Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science. Fifty‐nine studies assessed LBM (n = 37), FFM (n = 20), or SMM (n = 3) preoperatively and ≥1 time points postsurgery. Random‐effects meta‐analyses were performed to determine pooled loss per outcome parameter and follow‐up time point. At 12‐month postsurgery, pooled LBM loss was −8.13 kg [95%CI −9.01; −7.26]. FFM loss and SMM loss were −8.23 kg [95%CI −10.74; −5.73] and −3.18 kg [95%CI −5.64; −0.71], respectively. About 55% of 12‐month LBM loss occurred within 3‐month postsurgery, followed by a more gradual decrease up to 12 months. Similar patterns were seen for FFM and SMM. In conclusion, >8 kg of LBM and FFM loss was observed within 1‐year postsurgery. LBM, FFM, and SMM were predominantly lost within 3‐month postsurgery, highlighting that interventions to mitigate such losses should be implemented perioperatively.
Elevated Foxo3a and Fas‐ligand expression in human periapical granulomas as a potential treatment target
Authors: Ishii Kae , Tamura Takahito , Hatori Keisuke , Himi Kazuma , Nakamura Takeshi , Toyama Yurika , Miyata Taiki , Takeichi Osamu
Published: October 2021

Objective

Periapical granuloma is a common periodontitis type involving chronic inflammation; however, the efficacy of current therapies is limited. Its molecular pathogenesis also remains obscure. Forkhead box transcription factor class o3a (Foxo3a) and Fas‐ligand (FasL) are associated with chronic inflammation. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to clarify the roles of Foxo3a and FasL in periapical granuloma pathophysiology.

Subjects and Methods

Periapical lesions were obtained from patients during endodontic surgery and tooth extraction; those diagnosed with periapical granulomas using haematoxylin and eosin staining were further analysed. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed for Foxo3a and FasL, and real‐time polymerase chain reaction was performed for FOXO3A, FASL and interleukin (IL)‐1β. Healthy gingival tissues were also examined as controls.

Results

Neutrophils, lymphocytes and plasma cells in the periapical granulomas, but not healthy tissues, expressed Foxo3a. Dual‐colour immunofluorescence imaging revealed Foxo3a and FasL co‐expression in leukocytes. FOXO3A, FASL and IL‐1β mRNA levels in healthy gingival tissues were significantly lower than those in the periapical granulomas. Additionally, FOXO3A and IL‐1β expressions were negatively correlated.

Conclusions

Phosphorylated Foxo3a may reduce IL‐1β release by inhibiting apoptosis through FasL in periapical periodontitis and prevent exacerbation. Thus, Foxo3a is a potential therapeutic agent for periapical periodontitis.
Sex, competition and mimicry: an eco‐evolutionary model reveals unexpected impacts of ecological interactions on the evolution of phenotypes in sympatry
Authors: Boussens‐Dumon Grégoire , Llaurens Violaine
Published: October 2021

Phenotypic evolution in sympatric species can be strongly impacted by species interactions, either mutualistic or antagonistic. Heterospecific reproductive behaviours between sympatric species have been shown to favour phenotypic divergence of traits used as sexual cues. Those traits may also be involved in local adaptation or in other types of species interactions and, as a result, undergo complex evolutions across sympatric species. Here we focus on mimicry and study how reproductive interference may impair phenotypic convergence between species with various levels of defence. We use a deterministic model assuming two sympatric species where individuals can display two different warning colour patterns. This eco‐evolutionary model explores how ecological interactions shape phenotypic evolution within sympatric species. We investigate the effect of 1) the opposing density‐dependent selections exerted on colour patterns by predation and reproductive behaviour and 2) the impact of relative species and phenotype abundances on the fitness costs faced by each individual depending on their species and phenotype. Our model shows that reproductive interference may limit the convergent effect of mimetic interactions and may promote phenotypic divergence between Müllerian mimics. The divergent and convergent evolution of traits also strongly depends on the relative species and phenotype abundances and levels of trophic competition, highlighting how the eco‐evolutionary feedbacks between phenotypic evolution and species abundances may result in strikingly different evolutionary routes.
The internal structure of metacommunities
Authors: Leibold Mathew A. , Rudolph F. Javiera , Blanchet F. Guillaume , De Meester Luc , Gravel Dominique , Hartig Florian , Peres‐Neto Pedro , Shoemaker Lauren , Chase Jonathan M.
Published: October 2021

Current analyses of metacommunity data largely focus on global attributes across the entire metacommunity, such as mean alpha, beta, and gamma diversity, as well as the partitioning of compositional variation into single estimates of contributions of space and environmental effects and, more recently, possible contributions of species interactions. However, this view neglects the fact that different species and sites in the landscape can vary widely in how they contribute to these metacommunity‐wide attributes. We argue for a new conceptual framework with matched analytics with the goals of studying the complex and interactive relations between process and pattern in metacommunities that is focused on the variation among species and among sites which we call the ‘internal structure' of the metacommunity. To demonstrate how the internal structure could be studied, we create synthetic data using a process‐based colonization–extinction metacommunity model. We then use joint species distribution models to estimate how the contributions of space, environment, and biotic interactions driving metacommunity assembly differ among species and sites. We find that this approach to the internal structure of metacommunities provides useful information about the distinct ways that different species and different sites contribute to metacommunity structure. Although it has limitations, our work points at a more general approach to understand how other possible complexities might affect internal structure and might thus be incorporated into a more cohesive metacommunity theory.
Early versus Delayed Surgery for Acute Traumatic Cervical/Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury in Beijing, China: The Results of a Prospective, Multicenter Nonrandomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Xue Feng , Zhan Si‐zheng , Zhang Dian‐ying , Jiang Bao‐guo
Published: October 2021

Objectives

To compare the effects of early surgery (within 24 h) and delayed surgery on the outcomes of patients with acute cervical/thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI) in Beijing, China.

Methods

We conducted a clinical trial involving patients who were aged 16–85 years, had acute SCI from 1 June 2016 to 1 June 2019 in Beijing. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups according to the timing of surgical decompression. The primary outcome was the ordinal change in the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade. The secondary outcomes included the surgical time, volume of surgical bleeding, rate of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), length of stay in the ICU, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications. And the time consumption of different phases before operation was recorded for the patients transported to hospital by ambulance.

Results

A total of 148 patients were included in the study, including 55 in the early surgery group and 93 in the delayed surgery group. At 52 weeks post‐surgery, 27.3% of the patients in the early surgery group showed AIS improvement by at least two grades, compared to 8.7% of the patients in the delayed surgery group (P = 0.102). According to the logistic regression analysis, the odds of at least a two‐grade AIS improvement was six times higher among the patients who underwent early surgery than among those who underwent delayed surgery (OR = 6.66, 95%CI 1.14–38.84). The delay surgery group consumed significantly more time in the phases of transfer and inspection or examination than the early surgery group, and the Chinese regional trauma treatment system was widely used in the early surgery group.

Conclusion

Decompression within 24 h after SCI can improve patients' recovery of neurological function without increasing the incidence of postoperative complications and surgical risks. The Chinese regional trauma treatment system can improve the diagnosis and treatment efficiency of patients with acute SCI and speed up the operation timing.
Evaluation of Clopidogrel Safety in Geriatric Patients with Hip Fracture: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Zheng Yuanfang , Zhou Yan , Yang Minghui , Wu Xinbao , Chong Hao , Zheng Shaoqiang , Zhang Wenchao , Wang Geng
Published: October 2021

Objective

To evaluate the risk of bleeding in elderly patients undergoing early hip fracture surgery with/without clopidogrel administration.

Methods

This was a retrospective study, and patients over 65 years with fresh hip fracture were enrolled. For the patients taking clopidogrel, early surgical treatment was performed without 5–7 days waiting time. The patients were divided into groups according to their fracture type and the surgical method. Within each fracture/surgery group, the patients were further divided into subgroups according to whether they had clopidogrel administration. The patients' age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, hemoglobin level at admission, and the time from admission to surgery were compared in the different groups. The bleeding outcomes, such as intraoperative blood loss and blood transfusion status, as well as secondary outcomes, such as operation duration and length of hospital stay, were also compared in these groups.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in patients' baseline characteristics and outcomes, including intraoperative blood loss, blood transfusion rate, operation duration and length of hospital stay, between the clopidogrel‐administrated patients and the control patients. However, the percentage of patients taking general anesthesia was significantly higher in clopidogrel group than that in control group (P = 0.01). Similar intraoperative blood loss was found in the subgroups of hemi‐hip replacement, internal fixation for intertrochanteric fracture of the femur (fracture type A1‐2, short pin), and internal fixation of femoral neck fracture with cannulated nails. For the internal fixation of femoral neck fracture with cannulated nails, the blood loss is significantly less in both subgroups than that with other two surgical methods. Moreover, the total hip arthroplasty, with the highest bleeding risk among all the surgical methods involved, was rarely chosen to treat geriatric hip fracture in this study.

Conclusion

This study indicated that compared with patients without clopidogrel administration, elderly patients with hip fractures who receive clopidogrel as long‐term anti‐platelet therapy are relatively safe for surgery in less than 5–7 days after discontinuation of clopidogrel.