bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic tools for survival prediction in advanced cancer patients: A systematic review
Authors: Pobar Isaiah , Job Mary , Holt Tanya , Hargrave Catriona , Hickey Brigid
Published: May 2021

Survival prediction for palliative cancer patients by physicians is often optimistic. Patients with a very short life expectancy (<4 weeks) may not benefit from radiation therapy (RT), as the time to maximal symptom relief after treatment can take 4–6 weeks. We aimed to identify a prognostic tool (or tools) to predict survival of less than 4 weeks and less than 3 months in patients with advanced cancer to guide the choice of radiation dose and fractionation. We searched Embase, Medline (EBSCOhost) and CINAHL (EBSCOhost) clinical databases for literature published between January 2008 and June 2018. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Prediction accuracy at less than 4 weeks and less than 3 months were compared across the prognostic tools. Reporting of prediction accuracy among the different studies was not consistent: the Palliative Prognostic Score (PaP), Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI) and Number of Risk Factors (NRF) best‐predicted survival duration of less than 4 weeks. The PPI, performance status with Palliative Prognostic Index (PS‐PPI), NRF and Survival Prediction Score (SPS) may predict 3‐month survival. We recommend PPI and PaP tools to assess the likelihood of a patient surviving less than 4 weeks. If predicted to survive longer and RT is justified, the NRF tool could be used to determine survival probability less than 3 months which can then help clinicians select dose and fractionation. Future research is needed to verify the reliability of survival prediction using these prognostic tools in a radiation oncology setting.
DDX10 promotes human lung carcinoma proliferation by U3 small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein IMP4
Authors: Liu Chunquan , Tang Jizheng , Duan Xinchun , Du Yanlin , Wang Xiaoran , Cui Yong
Published: May 2021

Background

Lung cancer is a common tumor and a leading cause of death worldwide. DEAD/H box RNA helicases (DDX) include several family members which regulate mRNA translation in cancer cells. In this study, we demonstrated that DEAD/H box RNA helicase 10 (DDX10) was significantly upregulated in lung cancer tissues compared with adjacent nontumor tissues.

Methods

DDX10 expression was knocked down with shRNA in order to investigate the impact on A549 lung cancer cell growth and related molecular mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. DDX10 expression in lung cancer was assessed using online databases and patient samples.

Results

DDX10 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the bioinformatic tool indicated the putative downstream protein U3 small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein 4 (IMP4). Our data showed a positive correlation between IMP4 and DDX10. We found that IMP4 overexpression could reverse the effect of DDX10 knockdown on the proliferation and apoptosis of A549 cells.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest that DDX10/IMP4 might be a novel target for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Projection from the basolateral amygdala to the anterior cingulate cortex facilitates the consolidation of long‐term withdrawal memory
Authors: Shao Da , Cao Zixuan , Fu Yali , Yang Hao , Gao Pengyu , Zheng Ping , Lai Bin
Published: May 2021

The process through which early memories are transferred to the cerebral cortex to form long‐term memories is referred to as memory consolidation, and the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is an important brain region involved in this process. Although functional connections between the BLA and multiple brain regions are critical for the consolidation of withdrawal memory, whether the projection from the BLA to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is involved in the formation or consolidation of withdrawal memory remains unclear. In this paper, we used a chemical genetic method to specifically label the BLA–ACC projection in a combined morphine withdrawal and conditioned place aversion (CPA) animal model. We found that (1) the inhibition of the BLA–ACC projection during conditioning had no effects on the formation of early withdrawal memory; (2) the inhibition of the BLA–ACC projection had no effects on the retrieval of either early or long‐term withdrawal memory; and (3) the persistent inhibition of the BLA–ACC projection after early withdrawal memory formation could inhibit the formation of long‐term withdrawal memory and decrease Arc protein expression in the ACC. These results suggested that the persistent activation of the BLA–ACC projection after the formation of early withdrawal memory facilitates the formation of long‐term withdrawal memory by increasing the plasticity of ACC neurons.
Developmental trajectories of sleep during childhood and adolescence are related to health in young adulthood
Authors: McVeigh Joanne A. , Smith Anne , Howie Erin K. , Stamatakis Emmanuel , Ding Ding , Cistulli Peter A. , Eastwood Peter , Straker Leon
Published: May 2021

Aim

Sleep behaviour is correlated and causally related to physical and mental health. Limited longitudinal data exist on the associations of poor sleep behaviour in childhood and adolescence with adult health. Parent‐reported sleep behaviours from 1993 participants of the Raine Study (at ages 5, 8, 10, 14, 17) were used to determine sleep trajectories (using latent class growth analysis).

Methods

Measures of physical and mental health were compared between sleep trajectories using generalised linear models (at age 20).

Results

Three sleep trajectories were identified as follows: 43% of participants belonged to a trajectory with ‘consistently minimal’ sleep problems, 49% showed some ‘declining’ in reporting of sleep problems incidence and 8% had ‘persistent’ sleep problems. Participants in the ‘consistently minimal’ trajectory had better physical and mental health outcomes at age 20 compared to those in the ‘declining’ and ‘persistent’ trajectories. For example, ‘consistently minimal’ participants had significantly lower body fat percentage (mean difference: −3.89% (95% CI: −7.41 to −0.38)) and a higher (better) SF‐12 mental component score (mean difference: 4.78 (95% CI: 2.35–7.21)) compared to participants in the ‘persistent’ trajectory.

Conclusion

Poor sleep behaviour across childhood and adolescent years is related to poorer physical and mental health in young adulthood.
National Swedish survey showed that child health services and routine immunisation programmes were resilient during the early COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Falkenstein Hagander Kathy , Aronsson Bernice , Danielsson Madelene , Lepp Tiia , Kulane Asli , Schollin Ask Lina
Published: May 2021

Aim

Routine immunisation programmes are at risk of disruption due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the resilience of the Swedish national immunisation programme for children up to the age of five years during the early stages of the pandemic.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional, web‐based survey of regional child health offices in Sweden between 10 September and 9 October 2020. It explored the organisation of child health services during the early stages of the pandemic, focusing on routine child immunisation.

Results

All 21 Swedish regional child health offices responded. They stated that child immunisation had been prioritised, communication with families had been intensified and there was greater flexibility at all organisational levels of child health services. In addition, the vaccine supply was sustained and child health centres remained open. However, there were periodic staff shortages, increased numbers of health visits cancelled by parents and most parent education groups were paused.

Conclusion

The Swedish immunisation programme was resilient during the early COVID‐19 pandemic, thanks to sustainable organisation co‐ordinated by Sweden's network of regional child health offices.
Sex‐influence on the time in therapeutic range (TTR) during oral anticoagulation with coumarin derivatives: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Costa Viana Catiane , da Silva Praxedes Marcus Fernando , Freitas Nunes de Sousa Waleska Jaclyn , Bartolazzi Frederico , Sousa Vianna Mayara , Padilha da Silva José Luiz , Parreiras Martins Maria Auxiliadora
Published: May 2021

Aims

We sought to investigate the association between sex and oral anticoagulation control employing coumarin derivatives.

Methods

Electronic sources were MEDLINE, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, Cochrane Central and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria were: observational and experimental studies; age ≥18 years; both sexes; treatment with any coumarin derivative for ≥3 months; any indication of long‐term use; quality of oral anticoagulation measured by time in therapeutic range (TTR). The meta‐analysis was developed with odds ratios (OR) for binary variables and mean differences (MD) for continuous variables, using random‐effects models (DerSimonian and Laird) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Overall, 22 articles were selected, comprising 16 cohort studies, four cross‐sectional studies and two clinical trials. The number of participants ranged from 110 to 104 505 (183 612; women: 45%). The main indication of oral anticoagulation was atrial fibrillation. Most studies reported the use of warfarin. In the meta‐analysis, 15 studies were analysed using TTR as a binary variable (OR = 0.87; 95% CI = 0.78, 0.96; z = −2.75; P = .006.; I2 = 67%) and seven studies as a continuous variable (MD = −2.97; 95% CI = −4.80, −1.14; z = −3.19; P = .0014; I2 = 75%). The pooled estimates indicated that women were associated with lower TTR than men.

Conclusions

Our findings revealed an association between female sex and worse oral anticoagulation control. Further studies are needed with primary design to investigate sex‐related factors influencing oral anticoagulation control with coumarin derivatives. Innovative strategies focused on women's health may be useful to improve patient‐centred care.
Extrapolation and dosing recommendations for raxibacumab in children from birth to age <18 years
Authors: Oosterholt Sean P. , Della Pasqua Oscar
Published: May 2021

Aims

The US Food and Drug Administration's Animal Rule allows for the approval of drugs when human efficacy studies are not ethical. While the therapeutic doses of raxibacumab, a monoclonal antibody for the prophylaxis and treatment of inhalational anthrax, have been based on pharmacokinetic data from adult subjects, its disposition in children has not been investigated in clinical trials. Here we evaluate the effect of demographic covariates and maturation processes on the pharmacokinetics of raxibacumab and explore opportunities for the optimisation of paediatric doses.

Methods

A population pharmacokinetic model was used as basis for the extrapolation of raxibacumab disposition from adults to children. Different extrapolation scenarios, including weight‐banded dosing regimens, were considered to assess the effect of growth and maturation on the pharmacokinetic parameters of interest. Area under the concentration–time curve, maximum plasma concentration and the time of serum raxibacumab concentrations greater than or equimolar to the highest serum protective antigen concentrations observed for at least 28 days in any monkey challenged with Bacillus anthracis that died were derived and compared with the currently approved US doses.

Results

Based on practical considerations, a weight‐banded dosing regimen consisting of 4 dose levels (75 mg/kg for individuals ≤1.5 kg, 55 mg/kg for individuals <10 kg, 45 mg/kg for individuals <50 kg, 40 mg/kg for all individuals >50 kg) was required to optimise target exposure across the paediatric population.

Conclusions

Age‐related maturation processes may affect raxibacumab clearance in very young patients. The proposed dosing regimens take into account effects of body weight and maturation processes on the elimination of raxibacumab.
A phase 3, randomized study of ofatumumab combined with bendamustine in rituximab‐refractory iNHL (COMPLEMENT A + B study)
Authors: Rummel Mathias J. , Janssens Ann , MacDonald David , Keating Mary‐Margaret , Zaucha Jan M. , Davis Jaclyn , Lasher Janet , Babanrao Pisal Chaitali , Izquierdo Miguel , Friedberg Jonathan W.
Published: May 2021

The standard of care for indolent non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL) is rituximab, an anti‐CD20 antibody, with/without chemotherapy. However, multiple relapses are common in these patients. This phase 3, randomized study compared outcomes of a combination of ofatumumab (a second‐generation anti‐CD20 antibody) and bendamustine, with bendamustine alone in patients unresponsive to prior rituximab‐based treatment. Overall, 346 patients were randomized to receive either the combination or bendamustine alone. Bendamustine was given for ≤8 cycles and ofatumumab for ≤12 cycles. The primary end‐point was progression‐free survival (PFS) after 215 protocol‐defined events assessed by independent review committee (IRC). Median IRC‐assessed PFS was 16·7 and 13·8 months in the combination and monotherapy arms respectively [hazard ratio (HR) = 0·82; P = 0·1390]. Median overall survival (OS) was 58·2 and 51·8 months in the combination and monotherapy arms respectively (HR = 0·89, P = 0·4968). The safety profile was consistent with previous reports. Overall, 73% and 80% of patients in the combination and monotherapy arms, respectively, experienced a ≥grade 3 adverse event. The study did not meet its primary end‐point. No significant improvement in PFS and OS was seen with the combination of ofatumumab and bendamustine as compared with bendamustine alone in rituximab‐refractory iNHL (NCT01077518).
Clinical and molecular characteristics and treatment patterns of adolescent and young adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Authors: Cherng Hua‐Jay J. , Jammal Nadya , Paul Shilpa , Wang Xuemei , Sasaki Koji , Thompson Philip , Burger Jan , Ferrajoli Alessandra , Estrov Zeev , O’Brien Susan , Keating Michael , Wierda William G. , Jain Nitin
Published: May 2021

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) rarely presents in adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients (patients aged 15–39 years). Disease characteristics and outcomes of AYA patients with CLL are not well understood, particularly in the era of novel oral targeted therapies. We analysed outcomes of 227 AYA patients with CLL diagnosed in the last two decades and evaluated at our institution. Median time to first treatment (TTFT) was 2·2 years, and five‐ and 10‐year overall survival (OS) were 90% and 78%, respectively. Pre‐treatment elevated beta 2‐microglobulin, advanced Rai stage, del(11q) or del(17p) by FISH, unmutated IGHV and CD38 positivity were associated with both shorter TTFT and OS. Within the subgroup of patients who received oral targeted therapy at any time, del(11q) or del(17p) and complex karyotype were associated with shorter OS. First‐line treatment choice was significantly associated with time to second treatment (P < 0·001). Patients harbouring del(11q) or del(17p) experienced shorter time to Richter transformation and were more likely to undergo an allogeneic stem cell transplant. There was a significant association between age and both OS and time to Richter transformation. Our study is the first analysis of AYA patients with CLL with a large number of patients treated with oral targeted therapies.
Primary Gleason grade and Gleason grade group at positive surgical margins: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: John Athul , John Hritik , Catterwell Rick , Selth Luke A , Callaghan Michael O
Published: May 2021

Objectives

To systematically review and perform a meta‐analysis of studies investigating the role of primary Gleason grade (PGG), Gleason score (GS) or Gleason grade group (GGG) at positive surgical margins (PSMs) after radical prostatectomy (RP) in predicting biochemical recurrence (BCR) and oncological outcomes.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted using the MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase and Cochrane databases according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies published between 2005 and 2019 were included. The quality of the studies selected was assessed, and a protocol was registered and published in advance (PROSPERO: CRD42019131800). The primary outcome measure was BCR. Secondary outcome measures included cancer‐specific survival, metastasis‐free survival and overall mortality during the follow‐up period.

Results

Our systematic search yielded 3116 unique results. Ten studies were selected for meta‐analysis. The sample sizes of PSM cohorts varied from 200 to 956, while the median follow‐up ranged from 1.5 to 13 years. Most studies used BCR as a surrogate marker for disease progression; only two studies reported other oncological outcomes. Meta‐analysis was performed in selected groups (PGG, GS and GGG). PGG 4 or 5 at the PSM was found to be predictive of BCR (hazard ratio [HR] 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37–2.02; P < 0.01). GGG > 1 at margin was also predictive of BCR compared to GGG 1 (GGG 1 vs 2: HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.6 −3.46; P < 0.001; GGG 1 vs 3: HR 3.95, 95% CI 1.82–8.57; P = 0.005; GGG 1 vs 4: HR 7.17, 95% CI 1.76–29.17; P = 0.006; and GGG 1 vs 5: HR 12.37, 95% CI 1.80–84.82; P = 0.01).

Conclusion

Gleason score, PGG and GGG at the PSM are associated with a significantly increased risk of BCR. Longer‐term studies are needed to investigate the utility of PGG, GS or GGG at the PSM in their ability to predict not only BCR but other outcomes such as cancer‐specific survival, metastasis‐free survival and overall survival.
The ‘Regulatory State’ in Higher Education: Assuring Quality through New Modalities of Control in Brazil
Authors: de Mattos Donadelli Flavia Maria
Published: May 2021

The Brazilian Higher Education (HE) sector, following a global trend of rapid transformation, has undergone marked changes over the past two decades. These changes have involved the design of quality assurance tools as instruments for regulatory governance. In presenting an overview of the recent history and characteristics of quality assurance in the Brazilian HE sector, this paper contextualises the Brazilian experience according to broader conceptual frameworks and discusses how and why regulatory governance in this sector has so radically changed.
More Money, More Problems: Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Chile (2006–2018)
Authors: Davila Mireya , Maillet Antoine
Published: May 2021

Since the radical neoliberal reforms to Chilean higher education of the 1980s, the creation of a quality regulatory system has been gradual and unfinished. It was only in 2006 that a law created the National Commission for Accreditation and two instruments: programmes and institutions accreditation. This article analyses the design and implementation of the latter policy instrument using mixed methods, including in‐depth interviews with key actors. Our findings show that, although regulations have introduced quality assurance as a key element in higher education policy, the link established between accreditation and financing has generated incentives that dangerously weaken these quality mechanisms.
The role of music within the home‐lives of young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities: Parental perspectives
Authors: Rushton Rosie , Kossyvaki Lila
Published: May 2021

Accessible summary

Music is often part of our lives.

We asked parents what music is like for children and young people with profound learning disabilities at home.

People listened to music more than they made music at home.

Music is used for different reasons.

Music can help families feel more connected.

​

Background

Music is weaved within our cultures; it is ever‐present within daily‐life and can considerably influence our mood, well‐being and relationships. This study explores parental perceptions of the role of music in the home‐lives of children and young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities in the UK. It considers parental views of how listening to and making music can shape the mood and behaviours of their child and their relationship.

Methods

Using a mixed‐method explanatory sequential design and cross‐sectional survey methodology, the study collected data from parents and carers of children and young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Data were collected from an online questionnaire (n= 48) followed by online one‐to‐one interviews (n= 10).

Findings

Parents reported that children and young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities more frequently listen to music than make music within the home. They also stated that music is used for enjoyment, to support mood‐regulation and to add structure to the lives of young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Parents finally reported that listening to music together helps families feel more connected and strengthened their relationships.

Conclusion

This paper outlines the positive role music may have in the home lives of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their families.
Preclinical rodent models of cardiac fibrosis
Authors: Wang Yan , Wang Miao , Samuel Chrishan S. , Widdop Robert E.
Published: May 2021

Cardiac fibrosis (scarring), characterised by an increased deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, is a hallmark of most types of cardiovascular disease and plays an essential role in heart failure progression. Inhibition of cardiac fibrosis could improve outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases and particularly heart failure. However, pharmacological treatment of the ECM build‐up is still lacking. In this context, preclinical models of heart disease are important tools for understanding the complex pathogenesis involved in the development of cardiac fibrosis which in turn could identify new therapeutic targets and the facilitation of antifibrotic drug discovery. Many preclinical models have been used to study cardiac fibrosis and each model provides mechanistic insights into the many factors that contribute to cardiac fibrosis. This review discusses the most frequently used rodent models of cardiac fibrosis and also provides context for the use of particular models of heart failure.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue on Preclinical Models for Cardiovascular disease research (BJP 75th Anniversary). To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.5/issuetoc
Hyaluronate carboxymethylcellulose sheets for the prevention of adhesive complications: a model‐based cost–utility analysis
Authors: Sue‐Chue‐Lam Colin , Zhang David D. Q. , Baxter Nancy N. , Zywiel Michael G. , de Mestral Charles
Published: May 2021

Aim

Clinical trials suggest that hyaluronate carboxymethylcellulose (HA/CMC) prevents adhesion‐related complications after intra‐abdominal surgery, but at a high upfront cost. This study evaluated the cost‐effectiveness of HA/CMC for patients undergoing curative‐intent open colorectal cancer surgery.

Methods

Using a Markov Monte Carlo microsimulation model, we conducted a cost–utility analysis comparing the cost‐effectiveness of HA/CMC at curative‐intent open colorectal cancer surgery versus standard management. We considered a scenario where HA/CMC was used at the index operation only, as well as where it was used at the index operation and any subsequent operations. The perspective was that of the third‐party payer. Costs and utilities were discounted 1.5% annually, with a 1‐month cycle length and 5‐year time horizon. Model input data were obtained from a literature review. Outcomes included cost, quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs), small bowel obstructions (SBOs) and operations for SBO.

Results

Using HA/CMC at the index operation results in an incremental cost increase of CA$316 and provides 0.001 additional QALYs, for an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio of CA$310,000 per QALY compared to standard management. In our simulated cohort of 10,000 patients, HA/CMC prevented 460 SBOs and 293 surgeries for SBO. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis found that HA/CMC was cost‐effective in 18.5% of iterations, at a cost‐effectiveness threshold of CA$50,000 per QALY. Results of the scenario analysis where HA/CMC was used at the index operation and any subsequent operations were similar.

Conclusions

Hyaluronate carboxymethylcellulose prevents adhesive bowel obstruction after open colorectal cancer surgery but is unlikely to be cost‐effective given minimal long‐term impact on healthcare costs and QALYs.
miR‐4286 functions in osteogenesis and angiogenesis via targeting histone deacetylase 3 and alleviates alcohol‐induced bone loss in mice
Authors: Yu Hongping , Wang Kaiyang , Liu Pei , Luo Pengbo , Zhu Daoyu , Yin Junhui , Yang Qianhao , Huang Yigang , Gao Junjie , Ai Zisheng , Chen Yixuan , Gao Youshui
Published: May 2021

Objectives

Alcohol consumption is one of the leading factors contributing to premature osteopenia. MicroRNA (miRNA) coordinates a cascade of anabolic and catabolic processes in bone homeostasis and dynamic vascularization. The aim was to investigate the protective role of miR‐4286 in alcohol‐induced bone loss and its mechanism.

Materials and Methods

The effect of miR‐4286 and alcohol on bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was explored via multiple in vitro assays, including cell proliferation, QPCR, Western blot, osteogenesis, angiogenesis etc miR‐4286 directly regulated HDAC3 was investigated by luciferase reporter assay, and the function of HDAC3 was also explored in vitro. Moreover, alcohol‐induced bone loss in mice was established to reveal the preventive effect of miR‐4286 by radiographical and histopathological assays.

Results

In vitro, ethanol dramatically inhibited the proliferation and osteogenesis of BMSCs, and substantially impaired the proliferation and vasculogenesis of HUVECs. However, a forced overexpression of miR‐4286 within BMSCs and HUVECs could largely abolish inhibitory effects by alcohol. Furthermore, alcohol‐induced inhibition on osteogenic and vasculogenic functions was mediated by histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3), and dual‐luciferase reporter assay showed that HDAC3 was the direct binding target of miR‐4286. In vivo, micro‐CT scanning and histology assessment revealed that miR‐4286 could prevent alcohol‐induced bone loss.

Conclusions

We firstly demonstrated that miR‐4286 might function via intimate osteogenesis‐angiogenesis pathway to alleviate alcohol‐induced osteopenia via targeting HDAC3.
What if We Selected our Leaders by Lottery? Democracy by Sortition, Liberal Elections and Communist Revolutionaries
Authors: Shah Alpa
Published: May 2021

What if we selected our leaders by lottery? Zooming out from the mud huts of indigenous communities in the forested hills of eastern India, this article compares three different models of leadership and democracy: liberal electoral democracy; Marxist‐Leninist Maoist democracy; and democracy by sortition — the random selection of rotating leaders. The significance of sortition is introduced into discussions of democracy in India (showing connections with practices in Nepal and China) as part of a broader attempt to make scholarship on South Asia more democratic. The author also re‐reads ideals of leadership among indigenous people, showing that we need a theoretical and practical vision arguing not for societies without leaders but for societies in which everyone may be a leader. In India, this compels us to push back against the critique of its indigenous communities for not producing leaders and enables a profound re‐reading of the history of subaltern anti‐colonial rebellions. The final aim of the article is to highlight the virtues of the potential of sortition in creating democratic society globally. How we think about democracy and leadership is thus turned on its head to provide a new vision for the future.
Where we've been and where we're going: the importance of source communities in predicting establishment success from phylogenetic relationships
Authors: Maitner Brian S. , Park Daniel S. , Enquist Brian J. , Dlugosch Katrina M.
Published: May 2021

The last two decades have seen growing use of phylogenetic patterns to test hypotheses predicting the success of introduced species. Nearly all of these tests have focused on hypotheses pertaining to phylogenetic relatedness between introduced species and those of the recipient community, largely neglecting hypotheses regarding phylogenetic relationships in the source region. We synthesize hypotheses regarding how phylogenetic relationships of both recipient and source regions together influence establishment success. We also detail how best to account for differences in source communities within phylogenetic frameworks of invasion. Existing studies have predominantly focused on the environmental filtering and competition‐relatedness hypotheses, which deal with relatedness to the recipient community. We discuss how these recipient–region hypotheses can be integrated with three hypotheses focused on the relatedness between an introduced species and the source community in which it originated: the evolutionary imbalance, universal tradeoff and competitive constraint hypotheses. We detail important issues that arise when testing alternative hypotheses and interpreting results. We highlight a lack of tests of synthetic phylogenetic hypotheses including both the source and recipient community phylogenetic structure, as well as important covariates such as propagule pressure. Such synthetic tests may be valuable for identifying general phylogenetic patterns in establishment success, predicting future invasions, and for stimulating further exploration of the underlying mechanisms of invasibility. We conclude with recommendations for future studies that use phylogenetic relationships to predict invasions: including source and recipient communities, using complete phylogenies and accounting for phylogenetic uncertainty, considering multiple stages of invasion and conducting analyses across spatial and phylogenetic scales where possible.
Distinguishing effects of area per se and isolation from the sample‐area effect for true islands and habitat fragments
Authors: MacDonald Zachary G. , Deane David C. , He Fangliang , Lamb Clayton T. , Sperling Felix A. H. , Acorn John H. , Nielsen Scott E.
Published: May 2021

The island species area relationship (ISAR) is an important tool for measuring variation in species diversity in variety of insular systems, from true‐island archipelagoes to fragmented terrestrial landscapes. However, it suffers from several limitations. For example, due to the sample‐area effect, positive relationships between species and area cannot be directly interpreted as evidence for deterministic effects of area per se. Additionally, richness‐based analyses may obscure species‐level responses to area and isolation that may better inform conservation practice. Here, we use random placement models to control for variation in abundance, occupancy and richness associated with the sample‐area effect, allowing deterministic effects of area and isolation, and how they vary with species' functional traits, to be resolved using linear mixed effects models. We demonstrate the utility of this approach using a butterfly assemblage persisting on a naturally fragmented landscape of lake islands. The ISAR did not significantly deviate from random placement in relation to island area, isolation or habitat diversity, supporting stochastic assembly consistent with the sample‐area effect. Such inferences support the habitat amount hypothesis, which prioritizes preserving the maximum amount of habitat irrespective of its degree of fragmentation. However, species‐level analyses demonstrated that species' abundances were significantly lower on both smaller and more isolated islands than what is predicted by the sample‐area effect. Moreover, effects of area per se were significantly greater for smaller, less mobile and rare species. Species' occurrences also significantly deviated from predictions of the sample‐area effect in relation to island isolation. Thus, our approach illustrates that richness‐based analyses not only result in incorrect inferences on mechanisms underlying ISARs, but also obscure important effects of area per se and isolation on individual species that vary with functional traits. We therefore suggest that these effects should not be solely inferred from richness‐based analyses, but rather evaluated on a species‐by‐species basis.
Functional connectivity in a continuously distributed, migratory species as revealed by landscape genomics
Authors: LaCava Melanie E. F. , Gagne Roderick B. , Gustafson Kyle D. , Oyler‐McCance Sara , Monteith Kevin L. , Sawyer Hall , Kauffman Matthew J. , Thiele Daniel J. , Ernest Holly B.
Published: May 2021

Maintaining functional connectivity is critical for the long‐term conservation of wildlife populations. Landscape genomics provides an opportunity to assess long‐term functional connectivity by relating environmental variables to spatial patterns of genomic variation resulting from generations of movement, dispersal and mating behaviors. Identifying landscape features associated with gene flow at large geographic scales for highly mobile species is becoming increasingly possible due to more accessible genomic approaches, improved analytical methods and enhanced computational power. We characterized the genetic structure and diversity of migratory mule deer Odocoileus hemionus using 4051 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 406 individuals sampled across multiple habitats throughout Wyoming, USA. We then identified environmental variables associated with genomic variation within genetic groups and statewide using a stepwise approach to first evaluate nonlinear relationships of landscape resistance with genetic distances and then use mixed‐effects modeling to choose top landscape genomic models. We identified three admixed genetic groups of mule deer and found that environmental variables associated with gene flow varied among genetic groups, revealing scale‐dependent and regional variation in functional connectivity. At the statewide scale, more gene flow occurred in areas with low elevation and mixed habitat. In the southern genetic group, more gene flow occurred in areas with low elevation. In the northern genetic group, more gene flow occurred in grassland and forest habitats, while highways and energy infrastructure reduced gene flow. In the western genetic group, the null model of isolation by distance best represented genetic patterns. Overall, our findings highlight the role of different seasonal ranges on mule deer genetic connectivity, and show that anthropogenic features hinder connectivity. This study demonstrates the value of combining a large, genome‐wide marker set with recent advances in landscape genomics to evaluate functional connectivity in a wide‐ranging migratory species.
Individualization, Peer Learning, and the Cultural Model of Sociality in South Korean Education: The Case of an Educational Metaphor
Authors: Jung Hyang Jin
Published: May 2021

This article, based on interviews with teachers and classroom observations, examines the contour of the educational reform for individualization over twenty years in South Korean schooling. By way of an educational metaphor implicated in shifting dynamics between two competing yet complementary cultural models of sociality and human development, I attempt a historically nuanced analysis of an interdependence orientation manifest in South Korean schooling. In so doing, I closely attend to how a cultural model of sociality strongly associated with peer learning is reassessed, re‐activated, or even accentuated to nurture individuality and self‐expression. The focus of inquiry is the cultural organization of peer learning and the underpinning cultural model of sociality in the context of the home class, the latter being an organizational pivot in South Korean schooling. [Individualization, peer learning, cultural models, home class, South Korea]

Abstract in Korean

이 논문은 교실관찰 및 교사면담 자료에 근거하여 한국 교육에서 지난 20여년 간 개별화를 위한 교육개혁이 전개되어온 양상을 검토한다. 콩나물 키우기 비유와 연관된 교육적 실천에서 사회성에 대한 두 문화모델, 즉 가족모델과 마을모델 사이의 역동이 어떻게 변화해왔는지를 살펴보고 한국 교육의 주요한 특징인 상호의존성에 대해 통시적으로 분석한다. 특히 두 문화모델 중에서 마을모델이 또래관계와 긴밀히 연결되어 개별성과 자기표현을 위해 재활성화되고 심화되기까지 하는 점에 주의를 기울인다. 연구의 초점은 한국 학교교육의 중심 조직인 담임학급에서 이루어지는 또래학습과 그것의 토대가 되는 사회성의 문화모델이다.
Deepening inequalities: What did COVID‐19 reveal about the gendered nature of academic work?
Authors: Górska Anna Maria , Kulicka Karolina , Staniszewska Zuzanna , Dobija Dorota
Published: May 2021

This study discusses the gendered nature of the transformation of academic work, which has been accelerated by the COVID‐19 pandemic. We collected empirical material in spring 2020, at the peak of the pandemic, via 28 interviews with academics in Poland. The results illustrate the far‐reaching and lasting impacts of the pandemic on academia that reinforce existing gender inequalities and bring new ones. The study also reveals the invisible academic work, which is performed mostly by female faculty. This work, neither recognized nor rewarded in the course of women's academic careers, deepens the gendered organization of work in higher education institutions.
Trade‐off between number and length of remote videos for rapid assessments of reef fish assemblages
Authors: Garcia Gabriel S. , Dias Murilo S. , Longo Guilherme O.
Published: May 2021

Remote underwater videos are widely employed to assess the structure and composition of reef fish assemblages but the sampling effort employed on each survey differs considerably, indicating that both the number of assessments and video length could be optimized. We searched for this optimal sampling effort in remote video samples to conduct rapid assessments of community composition and discussed the relation between number of replicates and video length, and how it impacts the method's efficiency to characterize species assemblages. Remote video recordings from tropical reefs in northeastern Brazil were used to investigate how fish species richness and composition builds across time and number of assays. Videos as short as 5 min successfully recorded species richness, requiring about five repetitions to record most species that compose 80% of the total biomass. Recording species composition required even less time in these reefs, setting a minimum of 3 min with the same five videos. By comparing the detected richness per analysed time unit, we found several shorter videos recorded for more species than a few longer videos, indicating that increasing the sampling coverage in the reef area might be better than just extending the video length for rapid assessments.
Sperm competition, sexual selection and the diverse reproductive biology of Osteoglossiformes
Authors: Koenig Lauren A. , Gallant Jason R.
Published: May 2021

Osteoglossiformes are an order of “bony tongue” fish considered the most primitive living order of teleosts. This review seeks to consolidate known hypotheses and identify gaps in the literature regarding the adaptive significance of diverse reproductive traits and behaviour of osteoglossiforms within the context of sperm competition and the wider lens of sexual selection. Many of the unusual traits observed in osteoglossiforms indicate low levels of sperm competition; most species have unpaired gonads, and mormyroids are the only known vertebrate species with aflagellate sperm. Several osteoglossiform families have reproductive anatomy associated with internal fertilization but perform external fertilization, which may be representative of the evolutionary transition from external to internal fertilization and putative trade‐offs between sperm competition and the environment. They also employ every type of parental care seen in vertebrates. Geographically widespread and basally situated within teleosts, osteoglossiforms present an effective study system for understanding how sperm competition and sexual selection have shaped the evolution of teleost reproductive behaviour, sperm and gonad morphology, fertilization strategies, courtship and paternal care, and sexual conflict. The authors suggest that the patterns seen in osteoglossiform reproduction are a microcosm of teleost reproductive diversity, potentially signifying the genetic plasticity that contributed to the adaptive radiation of teleost fishes.
Impact of power ultrasound on the quality attributes of curd and its fermentation/gelation kinetics
Authors: Choudhary Pintu , Rawson Ashish
Published: May 2021

In the present study, setting time, apparent viscosity and water‐holding capacity for Indian Curd was optimized by using central composite design, where process variable were amplitude level (20–100%, i.e., 11.6 μm–58 μm) and treatment time (5–30 min for treatment before inoculation and 5–15 min for treatment after inoculation). It was observed that ultrasound amplitude and treatment time significantly affected the response variables. The optimum condition for ultrasound treatment before inoculation was identified as 69.43% amplitude and 14.12 min treatment time for minimum curd setting time 5.46 hr., maximum apparent viscosity 24.53 Pa.s and maximum water‐holding capacity 75.79%. The optimum condition for ultrasound treatment after inoculation was identified as 51.46% amplitude level and 9.74 min treatment time for minimum curd setting time 3.40 hr., maximum apparent viscosity 12.12 Pa.s and maximum water‐holding capacity 66.69%. Fermentation kinetics was studied, using Weibull model for optimized condition obtained from RSM. It was found that ultrasound significantly affected the kinetic parameter, that is, rate constant (K) which was maximum for sample treated with ultrasound after inoculation followed by the sample treated with ultrasound before inoculation and control sample (R2 > 80%).

Practical Applications

This result has a significant potential to be used in the dairy industry for curd formation, as ultrasound pretreatment can significantly decrease the curd fermentation/gelation time, save time and increase the production efficiency. Consumption of Curd is correlated to improved gut microflora which eventually leads to good health. Hence curd is an important diet across the globe. Industrial production of curd generally requires 5 hrs or more for fermentation. In this regard present study identified and confirmed a novel method of curd processing using power ultrasound treatment which could not only improve the quality of curd but also accelerate the rate of fermentation for curd formation. Further this study has established a kinetic model for fermentation of curd, which has the potential to be utilized by dairy industry for curd production, thus saving time and increasing the production efficiency and profit.
Changes in water state, distribution, and physico‐chemical properties of preserved kumquats during different processing methods
Authors: Hu Xiao , Wang Rongrong , Xie Qiutao , Ge Keda , Li Gaoyang , Fu Fuhua , Ding Shenghua , Shan Yang
Published: May 2021

Changes in water state, glass‐transition temperature (Tg), microstructure, and some quality attributes of preserved kumquats after osmotic dehydration under atmospheric pressure or vacuum conditions followed by hot‐air drying were investigated. Low‐field nuclear magnetic resonance results showed that there was less immobilized water content in kumquats under vacuum impregnation with sugar (VSKs) versus that of kumquats under atmospheric pressure osmosis with sugar (ASKs). The freedom of water in kumquats under atmospheric pressure osmosis with sugar and then hot air‐drying (VS‐ADKs) was lower than that of kumquats under vacuum osmosis with sugar and then hot air‐drying (AS‐ADKs). Magnetic resonance imaging results revealed the water release. Sucrose intake produced a more pronounced depressing influence on theTgof VSKs than on that of theTgof ASKs. TheTgof VS‐ADKs were lower than that of AS‐ADKs. Scanning electron microscopy displayed that the VSKs samples presented relatively compact tissue, but the ASKs exhibited the rupture of the cell cavities. The VS‐ADKs showed the more compact lamellar structure but the AS‐ADKs showed more loose fragments. The lightness of color in VSKs significantly decreased, while the redness and yellowness in ASKs diminished. High hardness and gumminess values were identified in VSKs and VS‐ADKs. Correlation analyses showed that hardness was positively correlated with T23either in the ASKs or in the VSKs.

Practical Application

Changes in water state, glass‐transition temperature (Tg), microstructure, and some quality attributes of preserved kumquats after osmotic dehydration under atmospheric pressure or vacuum conditions followed by hot‐air drying were investigated. Low‐field nuclear magnetic resonance, magnetic resonance imaging, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy and so on were used as the intuitive and efficient methods. The differences in two immerse methods and the effects of drying on the properties of preserved kumquats were elucidated. These results were helpful to the control and assessments about the processing of preserved kumquats.
Preclinical and clinical evaluation on the performance and safety of a novel energy‐based device for body shaping: A pilot study
Authors: Mezzana Paolo , Antonucci Maria Giordana , Fusco Irene
Published: May 2021

Background

The emergence on the market of non‐invasive mechanisms aimed at reducing subcutaneous fat achieving a slimming effect arouses great interest in doctors and patients. Several methods for the destruction of adipocytes are today on the market.

Aims

This is a pilot study on body fat reduction treatment, using a novel energy‐based device for body shaping.

Methods

The study is performed on 42 patients, healthy adults of both sexes, with BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m², indicated for the removal of fatty tissue deposits specifically in the following areas: flanks, abdomen, internal legs, trochanter, buttocks, and arms. A minimum of 5 to a maximum of 6 treatments were performed for each patient, with the device, every two weeks and with a follow‐up of 6 weeks. Circumference reduction, side effects, and patient pain were evaluated for all patients.

Results

A set of 42 patients were evaluated. The mean circumference reduction at 6 weeks was 2.42 ± 0.4 cm (p < 0.001). Treatment was well‐tolerated (pain score, 3.24 ± 1.03) by all patients. There were no adverse events and patients declared to be satisfied with the aesthetic results obtained with the treatment.

Conclusion

The new device emerges as a valid and safe treatment for all patients and shows a higher security profile with no side effects.
Five Years and Moving Forward: A Successful Joint Academic‐Practice Public Partnership to Improve the Health of Hawaii's Schoolchildren
Authors: Davis Katherine Finn , Loos Joanne R. , Boland Mary G.
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND

In 2014, the Hawaii Department of Education (DOE), the only statewide school system in the United States, predominately enrolled children (keiki) from underserved communities and lacked school nurses or a school health program. Chronic absenteeism due to health concerns was identified as a barrier to academic success.

METHODS

The DOE and a public university created Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn (HK), a program to provide school‐based services for 170 Title 1 schools in urban and rural settings and build momentum for statewide collective action. HK has maintained support from public and private entities to address student health.

RESULTS

This paper describes 5 years of program development, implementation, and continuing challenges. Most recently in 2020‐2021, HK pivoted in the face of school campus closings due to COVID‐19 with strategic plans, including telehealth, to move forward in this changed school environment.

CONCLUSIONS

The HK program has increased awareness of students' needs and is addressing the imperative to build health services within public schools. The multipronged approach of building awareness of need, providing direct services, educating future care providers, and supporting sound policy development, has an impact that goes beyond any one individual area.