bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frugal innovation enablers, critical success factors and barriers: A systematic review
Authors: Niroumand Marjan , Shahin Arash , Naghsh Amirreza , Peikari Hamid Reza
Published: May 2021

This study aims to develop a model for the enablers, critical success factors (CSF) and barriers to frugal innovation (FI). A systematic literature review (SLR) conducted on 372 documentaries of five databases and semistructured interviews conducted with active industrial and academic experts in the innovation field. Then, factors obtained from SLR and interviews placed in two questionnaires with Likert spectrum and the questionnaires were submitted to 200 convenient samples to determine the importance of factors and then ranked through the Friedman test. Based on the findings, ‘optimization of energy consumption in industries, collaborating with local companies, management supports, paying attention to the needs of the local market and reducing the profit margin’ are among the enablers and CSFs of FI. ‘Lack of business acumen among local partners, senior management reluctances, challenging in R&D, challenges of prototyping in product development and currency fluctuations’ are among the barriers of FI.
Hard tissue dimensional changes following implant removal due to peri‐implantitis: A retrospective study
Authors: Pons Ramón , Carreño Miguel , Amerio Ettore , Gargallo‐Albiol Jordi , Nart José , Monje Alberto
Published: May 2021

Background

The current evidence regarding the alterations experienced by the alveolar ridge (hard tissue changes) after implant removal due to peri‐implantitis is limited.

Purpose

To assess the hard tissue dimensional changes following implant removal due to peri‐implantitis.

Material and methods

Clinical records were examined to identify patients with implants that had to be removed due to a hopeless prognosis secondary to peri‐implantitis due to expendability of peri‐implantitis implants for functional reasons. Patients with preoperative and postoperative cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were included. Patient‐related, implant‐related, and surgery‐related factors were assessed based on the clinical records. Linear measurements were made to evaluate the influence of bone plate thickness (BPT), ridge width (RW), and ridge height (RH) at various levels upon the outcome of implant removal. A descriptive statistical analysis of the quantitative and qualitative variables was performed. Correlations of the variables with the primary outcome (dimensional changes) were tested using univariate and multivariate analyses (multinomial random intercept mixed model linear regressions).

Results

A total of 26 patients (nimplants = 79) met the eligibility criteria. The mean decrease in RW at 1 and 3 mm below the crest was 11.3% and 4.4%, respectively (P < 0.001). Buccal and lingual RH was significantly reduced by 2.2% and 6.3%, respectively (P < 0.001). Few patient‐related, implant‐related, and surgery‐related factors appeared to have an impact upon the hard tissue dimensional changes. Bone regeneration simultaneous to implant removal minimized the dimensional changes of the ridge both vertically (5% lesser buccal RH reduction) and horizontally (12% lesser RW reduction) when compared with spontaneous healing. The use of a reverse‐torque removal kit seemed to be critical in limiting the dimensional changes of the ridge.

Conclusions

Minimal hard tissue changes can be expected following implant removal due to peri‐implantitis. Simultaneous bone regeneration procedures and the use of a removal kit may considerably reduce the impact upon the dimensional changes (NCT04534361).
To assess the multiperiod market risk with deep learning method taking the boosting additive quantile regression as an example
Authors: Guan Min
Published: May 2021

Compared with current risks, future risks are more important for investment decisions and risk management. This paper modifies the Square Root of Time Rule with the boosting additive quantile regression model to forecast multi‐period horizon market risk. In J. P. Morgan's RiskMetrics Model, the k‐period horizon value at risk (VaR) equals to . Since its assumptions are too strict, expected capacity of Risk Metrics is not so well. Taylor relaxed assumptions of this model, used the GARCH model to replace the IGARCH model, and obtained multi‐period horizon VaR, which is a nonlinear function of the one‐step‐ahead volatility forecast .The conditional mean μt is zero in Taylor's model, but Tsay pointed out that this assumption (μt = 0) does not always hold. Therefore, we relax this assumption about the conditional mean, and obtain the VaR which is mixed function consisting of two parts, one is a linear function of conditional mean, and the other is a nonlinear function of , given the holding horizon k. For our mixed VaR function, we chose a more appropriate method, the boosting additive quantile regression model, to forecast multi‐period horizon VaR. Taking log‐returns of the Hang Seng Index from January 1, 2007 to November 1, 2016 as the sample, weforecast the 5‐, 10‐, 15‐, and 20‐day horizon VaRs, and compare the prediction accuracy of Morgan's model withour quantile regression model through likelihood ratio tests. Results show that VaR based on the quantile regression model is not only more accurate, but also sensitive to volatility, and is conducive to maintaining a reasonable risk reserve level for financial institutions, enabling them to pay less for regulation andachieve incentive compatibility.
Quality of life and depression in COPD patients in the Colombian Caribbean
Authors: Pedrozo‐Pupo John Carlos , Campo‐Arias Adalberto , Ceballos‐Ospino Guillermo Augusto
Published: May 2021

Objective

To establish the association between quality of life and depression among COPD patients of the Colombian Caribbean.

Method

A cross‐sectional study was carried out with the participation of adult COPD patients. COPD‐related quality of life was quantified with the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and depression using the Zung 10‐item Self‐rating Depression Scale (SDS‐10). The relationship between COPD‐related quality of life and depression with odds ratios (OR), crude and adjusted, was determined.

Results

408 patients participated in the study. They were aged between 40 and 102 years (mean = 72.9, SD = 10.2) and 58.8% men. Two hundred eighty‐four patients (69.6%) reported worse health status (CAT ≥10), and 114 patients (27.9%) scored for depression (SDS‐10). Patients with worse health status presented more depression (OR = 5.85, 95% CI 3.01–11.36) and after adjusting for gender (OR = 5.70, 95% CI 2.92–11.13).

Conclusions

In patients with COPD and CAT ≥10, there is a five times greater risk of depression than patients with CAT <10. However, the relationship may be bidirectional. It is essential to specify the direction of causality in future investigations.
Hyperammonemia syndrome associated with Ureaplasma spp. Infections in immunocompromised patients and transplant recipients: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Tantengco Ourlad Alzeus G. , De Jesus Federico Cristobal C. , Gampoy Eloina Faye S. , Ornos Eric David B. , Vidal Manuel S. , Abad Cybele Lara R.
Published: May 2021

Background

Hyperammonemia syndrome (HS) is reported to occur in patients with Ureaplasma spp. infections. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies reporting HS in patients with Ureaplasma spp. infection.

Methods

We searched several databases (CINAHL, OVID, ProQuest, and Scopus) from inception to January 2021. We described case reports and series, and performed a meta‐analysis for all cohort studies. The pooled risk ratio (RR) for the association between HS and Ureaplasma spp. infections was derived using a random‐effects model.

Results

The systematic review yielded 18 studies. HS was reported in 53 patients with Ureaplasma spp. infections. The most common clinical manifestations were neurologic. Meta‐analysis showed a higher incidence of HS (41.67%) and peak ammonia concentration among Ureaplasma spp.–infected lung transplant recipients compared with Ureaplasma spp.–negative recipients (2.84%). The risk of HS was significantly increased in Ureaplasma spp.–infected recipients compared with Ureaplasma spp.–negative recipients (RR: 14.64; CI: 2.85–75.24). Mortality from Ureaplasma‐associated HS was 27.27% compared with 5.24% in those with HS from other causes.

Conclusions

The risk of developing HS is higher among Ureaplasma‐infected patients compared with uninfected patients. Lung transplant recipients appear to be disproportionally affected, and HS should be suspected in those who present with neurologic symptoms.
Community re‐assembly and divergence of woody plant traits in an island–mainland system after more than 50 years of regeneration
Authors: Zhong Lei , Didham Raphael K. , Liu Jinliang , Jin Yi , Yu Mingjian
Published: May 2021

Aim

Understanding long‐term community assembly trajectories following habitat fragmentation remains a major challenge. Varying time since disturbance and heterogeneous initial starting conditions confound real‐world comparisons of re‐assembly trajectories in fragmented versus intact systems. Here, we overcome these issues in a novel manner using a system of islands and adjacent mainland habitats with common initial starting conditions following clear‐felling of forests during hydroelectric dam construction in 1959. Fifty years after resetting ‘future‐islands’ and ‘future‐mainland sites’ to common initial starting conditions, we determine the outcome of re‐assembly trajectories in plant taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional trait composition, and how these have diverged between islands versus continuous mainland habitats.

Location

Thousand Island Lake, China.

Methods

We surveyed woody plant communities on 26 islands and 26 adjacent mainland plots, and characterized 12 functional traits for 91 woody plant species (>46,000 total stems with DBH ≥1 cm). We used variance partitioning analysis to discriminate major environmental and spatial drivers of compositional differences, and generalised linear models to test trait and phylogenetic responses to underlying environmental gradients in island versus mainland plots.

Results

We found striking differences in species composition between island and mainland plots. Variance partitioning showed that species composition on islands was governed by local environmental variables, suggesting an important role for environmental filtering, while compositional variation across mainland plots was determined by spatial variables. Ten of 12 functional traits showed significant divergence in community‐weighted mean values between island and mainland plots. Moreover, most traits exhibited significant interaction effects between isolation (island versus mainland) and underlying environmental gradients in soil fertility and stress tolerance.

Main conclusion

These findings strongly suggest divergence in trait–environment relationships following isolation in fragmented habitats, with important implications for understanding future re‐assembly trajectories in fragmented systems that now dominate the planet.
Epidemiological, clinical, and genetic characteristics of paediatric genetic white matter disorders in Northern Finland
Authors: Knuutinen Oula A , Oikarainen Jaakko H , Suo‐Palosaari Maria H , Kangas Salla M , Rahikkala Elisa J , Pokka Tytti M‐L , Moilanen Jukka S , Hinttala Reetta M L , Vieira Päivi M , Uusimaa Johanna M
Published: May 2021

Aim

To examine the epidemiological, clinical, and genetic characteristics of paediatric patients with genetic white matter disorders (GWMDs) in Northern Finland.

Method

A longitudinal population‐based cohort study was conducted in the tertiary catchment area of Oulu University Hospital from 1990 to 2019. Patients were identified retrospectively by International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems codes in hospital records and prospectively by attending physicians. Inclusion criteria were children younger than 18 years with defined GWMDs or genetic disorders associated with white matter abnormalities (WMAs) on brain magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

Eighty patients (mean age [SD] at the end of the study 11y [8y 6mo], range 0–35y; 45 males, 35 females) were diagnosed with a defined GWMD. The cumulative childhood incidence was 30 per 100 000 live births. Regarding those patients with 49 distinct GWMDs, 20% had classic leukodystrophies and 80% had genetic leukoencephalopathies. The most common leukodystrophies were cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, Krabbe disease, and Salla disease. Additionally, 29 patients (36%) had genetic aetiologies not previously associated with brain WMAs or they had recently characterised GWMDs, including SAMD9L‐ and NHLRC2‐related neurological disorders. Aetiology was mitochondrial in 21% of patients. The most common clinical findings were motor developmental delay, intellectual disability, hypotonia, and spasticity.

Interpretation

The cumulative childhood incidence of childhood‐onset GWMDs was higher than previously described. Comprehensive epidemiological and natural history data are needed before future clinical trials are undertaken.

What this paper adds

Forty‐nine distinct genetic white matter disorders (GWMDs) were identified, with 20% of cases being classic leukodystrophies.

The cumulative childhood incidence of GWMDs was higher than described previously.

A considerable proportion (36%) of GWMDs were previously undefined or recently characterised GWMDs.

Mitochondrial aetiology was more common (21%) than previously reported.
Clinical prediction of genotypes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A systematic review
Authors: Aziz Amir , Musiol Szymon K. , Moody William E. , Pickup Luke , Cooper Rob , Lip Gregory Y. H.
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiac condition and the most common cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients below the age of 35. Genetic testing is a vital part of HCM diagnostics, yet correlation with clinical phenotypes remains complex. Identifying clinical predictors of informative genetic testing may prevent unnecessary investigations and improve cost‐effectiveness of services. This article reviews the current literature pertinent to identifying such predictors.

Methods

Five literature databases were screened using a suitably designed search strategy. Studies investigating the correlation between having a positive genetic test for HCM and a range of clinical and radiological parameters were included in the systematic review.

Results

Twenty‐nine observational studies of a total of 9,486 patients were included. The main predictors of informative genetic testing were younger age, higher septal thickness, reverse septal curvature, family history of HCM and SCD and the absence of hypertension. Two externally validated scoring systems have also been developed: the Mayo and Toronto scores. Novel imaging markers and complex algorithmic models are emerging predictors.

Conclusion

Using clinical predictors to decide whom to test is a feasible alternative to investigating all comers. Nonetheless, currently there is not enough evidence to unequivocally recommend for or against this strategy. Further validation of current predictors and identification of new ones remain open research avenues.
Uncrossed corticospinal tract in health and genetic disorders: Review, case report, and clinical implications
Authors: Filippopulos Filipp M. , Brem Christian , Seelos Klaus , Köglsperger Thomas , Sonnenfeld Stefan , Kellert Lars , Vollmar Christian
Published: May 2021

Background and purpose

Crossing pathologies of the corticospinal tract (CST) are rare and often associated with genetic disorders. However, they can be present in healthy humans and lead to ipsilateral motor deficits when a lesion to motor areas occurs. Here, we review historical and current literature of CST crossing pathologies and present a rare case of asymmetric crossing of the CST.

Methods

Description of the case and systematic review of the literature were based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses) guidelines. The PubMed database was searched for peer‐reviewed articles in English since 1950. All articles on ipsilateral stroke, uncrossed CST, and associated neurologic disorders were screened. Furthermore, a literature review between the years 1850 and 1980 including articles in other languages, books, opinions, and case studies was conducted.

Results

Only a few descriptions of CST crossing pathologies exist in healthy humans, whereas they seem to be more common in genetic disorders such as horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis or congenital mirror movements. Our patient presented with aphasia and left‐sided hemiparesis. Computed tomographic (CT) scan revealed a perfusion deficit in the left middle cerebral artery territory, which was confirmed by diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), so that thrombolysis was administered. Diffusion tensor imaging with fibre tracking revealed an asymmetric CST crossing.

Conclusions

The knowledge of CST crossing pathologies is essential if a motor deficit occurs ipsilateral to the lesion side. An ipsilateral deficit should not lead to exclusion or delay of therapeutic options in patients with suspected stroke. Here, a combined evaluation of CT perfusion imaging and MRI diffusion imaging may be of advantage.
Empty promises: The European Union is failing to protect dolphins and porpoises from fisheries by‐catch
Authors: Rogan Emer , Read Andrew J , Berggren Per
Published: May 2021

By‐catch is the primary global conservation threat to populations of dolphins and porpoises. Despite protection for these protected species under its Habitats Directive, the European Union (EU) has failed to adequately assess and, where necessary, mitigate the by‐catch of small cetaceans. Management authority is diffuse, and the EU has no over‐arching, quantitative conservation objectives. To address this, we recommend that the EU adopt a comprehensive plan to conserve dolphins and porpoises in European waters. This plan should include regular formal assessments of small cetacean populations, including establishment of quantitative management objectives, generation of estimates of abundance and by‐catch mortality, and agreement on biological reference points that will guide management actions to ensure that by‐catch does not exceed sustainable levels.
Efficiency of basalt fiber length and content on mechanical and microstructural properties of hybrid fiber concrete
Authors: Khan Mehran , Cao Mingli , Xie Chaopeng , Ali Majid
Published: May 2021

Recently, multiscale hybrid fiber‐reinforced concrete is used instead of single fiber‐reinforced concrete to achieve better performance with hybrid fiber at their respective scale size. In this study, the fracture properties of multiscale hybrid fiber‐reinforced concrete are considered. This work aims to evaluate the effect of different basalt fiber (BF) lengths and contents on fracture parameters of fly ash–CaCO3 whisker–steel fiber‐reinforced concrete (FCSF). The measured fracture parameters are initial fracture toughness
, unstable fracture toughness (
), fracture energy (GF) by various methods, and gain ratio (GR) of fracture parameters. Furthermore, the cracking mechanism and microstructural study are discussed. The different considerable amount of enhancement was indicated by FCSF‐BF for fracture characteristics as compared to that of plain concrete (PC).
The association between use of chemsex drugs and HIV clinic attendance among gay and bisexual men living with HIV in London
Authors: Howarth AR , Apea V , Michie S , Morris S , Sachikonye M , Mercer CH , Evans A , Delpech VC , Sabin C , Burns FM
Published: May 2021

Objectives

To investigate the association between chemsex drug use and HIV clinic attendance among gay and bisexual men in London.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey of adults (> 18 years) diagnosed with HIV for > 4 months, attending seven London HIV clinics (May 2014 to August 2015).

Participants self‐completed an anonymous questionnaire linked to clinical data. Sub‐optimal clinic attenders had missed one or more HIV clinic appointments in the past year, or had a history of non‐attendance for > 1 year.

Results

Over half (56%) of the 570 men who identified as gay or bisexual reported taking recreational drugs in the past 5 years and 71.5% of these men had used chemsex drugs in the past year. Among men reporting chemsex drug use (past year), 32.1% had injected any drugs in the past year. Sub‐optimal clinic attenders were more likely than regular attenders to report chemsex drug use (past year; 46.9% vs. 33.2%, P = 0.001), injecting any drugs (past year; 17.1% vs. 8.9%, P = 0.011) and recreational drug use (past 5 years; 65.5% vs. 48.8%, P < 0.001). One in five sub‐optimal attenders had missed an HIV clinic appointment because of taking recreational drugs (17.4% vs. 1.8%, P < 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression, chemsex drug use was significantly associated with sub‐optimal clinic attendance (adjusted odds ratio = 1.71, 95% confidence interval: 1.10–2.65, P = 0.02).

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the importance of systematic assessment of drug use and development of tools to aid routine assessment. We suggest that chemsex drug use should be addressed when developing interventions to improve engagement in HIV care among gay and bisexual men.
Arterial structure and function in Africans with HIV for > 5 years: longitudinal relationship with endothelial activation and cardiovascular risk markers
Authors: Phalane E , Fourie CMT , Schutte AE , Kruger IM , Mels CMC
Published: May 2021

Objectives

We aimed to determine whether people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWHIV) have increased measures of arterial injury [carotid intima‐media thickness (cIMT)] and large artery stiffness [carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV)] when compared with their counterparts without HIV, and whether baseline markers of endothelial activation and cardiovascular risk are associated with cIMT and cfPWV after 5 years.

Methods

We matched 126 PWHIV from North West Province, South Africa, to 126 without HIV according to age, sex and locality. Cardiovascular risk and endothelial function markers [soluble intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM‐1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM‐1)] were measured at baseline and cIMT and cfPWV at follow‐up.

Results

This study included 21.4% men. The use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) increased from 44.1% at baseline to 81.4% at follow‐up. At follow‐up, cIMT (P = 0.90) and cfPWV (P = 0.35) were similar in the groups. Despite elevated ICAM‐1 and VCAM‐1 in the PWHIV (all P < 0.001) at baseline, these markers did not associate with cIMT and cfPWV after 5 years. In multivariable‐adjusted regression analysis, cIMT associated positively with age (β = 0.31, P = 0.002) and triglyceride: high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (β = 0.23, P = 0.016) in PWHIV. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) (β = 0.28, P = 0.010) associated positively with cfPWV in the PWHIV. In the people without HIV, sex (β = 0.31, P = 0.004) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (β = 0.24, P = 0.026) associated with cIMT while age (β = 0.17, P = 0.049), sex (β = 0.29, P = 0.003), MAP (β = 0.31, P = 0.001) and HbA1c (β = 0.21, P = 0.041) associated positively with cfPWV.

Conclusions

Measures of arterial structure and function were similar in Africans with HIV and their age, sex and locality matched controls. Traditional cardiovascular risk markers rather than elevated endothelial activation at baseline were independently associated with cIMT and cfPWV over 5 years.
Reconstructing the peak flow of historical flood events using a hydraulic model: The city of Bath, United Kingdom
Authors: Stamataki Ioanna , Kjeldsen Thomas Rodding
Published: May 2021

Historical flood events on the River Avon in the city of Bath were reconstructed using a 1D hydraulic model. The model represents the river prior to the completion of the Bath flood defence scheme and was developed based on archived data on archival materials including historical cross sections of channel geometry, technical drawings of hydraulic structures, descriptions of floodplain extent, epigraphic markings and photographs. The model was calibrated on two historical floods for which peak flow values were available from hydrological data (March 1947 and December 1960) and the calibration was based on adjustment of Manning's n as well as the introduction of floodplains identified from historical maps and photos. Subsequently, the peak flow was assessed for a total of 16 events for which flood marks existed in the centre of the city. A composite annual maximum series of peak flow was created upstream of Bath city centre and presented a flow series consisting of data from 1866 to present day. Finally, flood frequency analysis was undertaken on the dataset, showing that the inclusion of historical floods increased the 1 in 100 year design flood by up to 30%, that is, a substantial influence.
Changes of cerebral oxygenation indices measured by near infrared time‐resolved spectroscopy during spinal anesthesia for cesarean section: Simultaneous measurement with cerebral blood flow
Authors: Itosu Yusuke , Kubo Yasunori , Morikawa Mamoru , Watari Hidemichi , Morimoto Yuji
Published: May 2021

Aim

To measure the changes in cerebral oxygenation indices by near infrared time‐resolved spectroscopy and the cerebral blood flow simultaneously after spinal anesthesia for cesarean section.

Methods

This prospective observational study was conducted for 25 pregnant women scheduled for elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. During a period of 15 min after spinal anesthesia, cerebral oxygenation (ScO2), and the total cerebral hemoglobin concentration (tHb) were measured using near infrared time‐resolved spectroscopy and mean cerebral blood flow velocity (Vm) was measured using transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. Next, in the women who had nausea during the observed period, we compared these values when nausea was detected with those when it was not.

Results

Mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased to around 60 mmHg (by 25% compared to the control) 6 min after spinal anesthesia. Compared to the control, ScO2 decreased by about 3% after 6 min and then gradually increased. The tHb, which reflects cerebral blood volume started to decrease just after spinal anesthesia and this continued until 12 min (the decrease was about 12%). Vm decreased by about 7%. In the 14 women who had nausea, MAP, Vm, and ScO2 values when nausea was detected were significantly lower than when it was not.

Conclusion

The changes in cerebral hemodynamics may be small after spinal anesthesia in ordinary cesarean section compared to the reduction of systemic arterial blood pressure. There might be greater decreases in cerebral blood flow and oxygenation when nausea occurred in the pregnant women who experienced it after spinal anesthesia.
Sleep structure and electroencephalographic spectral power of middle‐aged or older adults: Normative values by age and sex in the Korean population
Authors: Yoon Jee‐Eun , Oh Dana , Hwang Inha , Park Jung Ah , Im Hee‐Jin , Lee Seung Ku , Jung Ki‐Young , Park Seong‐Ho , Thomas Robert J. , Shin Chol , Yun Chang‐Ho
Published: May 2021

The fine structure of sleep electrocortical activity reflects health and disease. The current study provides normative data for sleep structure and electroencephalography (EEG) spectral power measures derived from overnight polysomnography (PSG) and examines the effect of age and sex among Korean middle‐aged and older adults with or without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We analysed home PSG data from 1,153 adult participants of an ongoing population‐based cohort study, the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Sleep stages were visually scored and spectral power was measured on a single‐channel EEG (C4‐A1). We computed spectral power for five frequency ranges. The EEG power was reported in relative (%) and log‐transformed absolute values (µV2). With ageing, the proportion of N1 sleep increased, whereas N3 decreased, which is more noticeable in men than in women. The amount of N3 was relatively low in this cohort. With ageing, relative delta power decreased and alpha and sigma power increased for the whole sleep period, which was more pronounced during REM sleep in non‐OSA. For men compared with women, relative theta power was lower during REM and sigma and beta were higher during N1 sleep. The differences of relative powers by age and sex in OSA were comparable to those in non‐OSA. In a community‐based Korean population, we present normative data of sleep structure and spectral power for middle‐aged or older adults of a non‐Caucasian ethnicity. The values varied with age and sex and were not influenced by sleep apnea.
Plasma amino acid profiles in dogs with closed extrahepatic portosystemic shunts are only partially improved 3 months after successful gradual attenuation
Authors: Devriendt Nausikaa , Paepe Dominique , Serrano Gonçalo , Vandenabeele Sophie , Stock Emmelie , Van Acker Lisa , de Rooster Hilde
Published: May 2021

Background

Dogs with portosystemic shunts have an altered blood amino acid profile, with an abnormal branched‐chained amino acid (BCAA)‐to‐aromatic amino acid (AAA) ratio being the most common abnormality. Different liver diseases have distinctive amino acid profiles.

Objectives

Determine the changes in plasma amino acid profiles in dogs with extrahepatic portosystemic shunts (EHPSS) from diagnosis to complete closure.

Animals

Ten client‐owned dogs with EHPSS closed after surgical attenuation.

Methods

Prospective cohort study. Medical treatment was instituted in dogs diagnosed with EHPSS. At least 4 weeks later, gradual surgical attenuation was performed. Three months postoperatively, EHPSS closure was confirmed by transsplenic portal scintigraphy. Clinical signs were scored and blood was taken before institution of medical treatment, at time of surgery, and 3 months postoperatively. At the end of the study, the plasma amino acid profiles were analyzed in batch.

Results

The median BCAA‐to‐AAA ratio was extremely low (0.6) at time of diagnosis and remained low (0.5) at time of surgery, despite the fact that median neurological score significantly improved from 22 to 2 after starting medical treatment (P = .04). Three months after surgical attenuation, a significantly higher BCAA‐to‐AAA ratio (1.5) was observed (P < .001).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Medical treatment does not improve the BCAA‐to‐AAA ratio in dogs with EHPSS, despite substantial clinical improvement. Although the ratio significantly increased after EHPSS closure, it was still indicative of moderate to severe hepatic dysfunction in all dogs.
The identification of a transposon affecting the asexual reproduction of the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici
Authors: Wang Chen , Milgate Andrew W. , Solomon Peter S. , McDonald Megan C.
Published: May 2021

Zymoseptoria tritici, the causal agent of Septoria tritici blotch, is a fungal wheat pathogen that causes significant global yield losses. Within Z. tritici populations, quantitative differences in virulence among different isolates are commonly observed; however, the genetic components that underpin these differences remain elusive. In this study, intraspecific comparative transcriptomic analysis was used to identify candidate genes that contribute to differences in virulence on the wheat cultivar WW2449. This led to the identification of a multicopy gene that was not expressed in the high‐virulence isolate when compared to the medium‐ and low‐virulence isolates. Further investigation suggested this gene resides in a 7.9‐kb transposon. Subsequent long‐read sequencing of the isolates used in the transcriptomic analysis confirmed that this gene did reside in an active Class II transposon, which is composed of four genes named REP9‐1 to ‐4. Silencing and overexpression of REP9‐1 in two distinct genetic backgrounds demonstrated that its expression alone reduces the number of pycnidia produced by Z. tritici during infection. The REP9‐1 gene identified within a Class II transposon is the first discovery of a gene in a transposable element that influences the virulence of Z. tritici. This discovery adds further complexity to genetic loci that contribute to quantitative virulence in this important pathogen.
Why should nurses care if Heidegger was a Nazi? Pragmatics, politics and philosophy in nursing
Authors: Randall Duncan C. , Richardson Andrew
Published: May 2021

Nursing and nurses have become reliant on qualitative methods to understand the meaning of nursing care, and many nurse researchers use Heideggerian Interpretivist phenomenology approaches. Often these nurses are unaware of Martin Heidegger's role in the German National Socialist Party of the 1930s and his allegiance to fascist ideology. We ask: can a bad person have good ideas? In line with pragmatic thinkers such as Richard Rorty, we argue that instead of value judgements on people and their ideas, nurses should consider ideas as a product of a historical/social and political time and space. In urging a critical political engagement, we argue for a Husserlian approach. In opposition to Heidegger's interpretivist phenomenology approach, in which the hegemony of the day is integral to the phenomena being studied, we propose that a more expressive, collaborative engagement using Husserlian descriptive phenomenology approach would serve better in encouraging a more critical engagement with how ideas are used by groups of people, how some groups might be advantaged and others disadvantaged. Our conclusion is that the separation of ideas from political and social context is dangerous, and nurses, including nurse researchers, must understand how their research ideas and methods influence and are influenced by political agendas.
Work disability and the Northern Irish Troubles*
Authors: French Declan , Cruise Sharon
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we examine the labour market implications of permanent illness or injury from conflict among civilians. From 1969 to 1998, Northern Ireland experienced a violent ethnopolitical conflict characterized by terrorist bombing campaigns, sectarian killings and armed forces patrolling the streets. The consequences of this period for current high work disability rates are disputed by the main political parties. We address this question using a new high‐quality dataset. Potential endogeneity and reverse causation issues are addressed using the intensity of conflict‐related deaths as instruments. We find clear evidence that conflict has increased work disability by 28% points. The main doctor‐diagnosed medical condition mediating this effect is mental ill health.
“Judgment without standards”: Arendt's Lectures on Kant's Political Philosophy
Authors: Blumenthal‐Barby Martin
Published: May 2021

This article considers Hannah Arendt's posthumously published Lectures on Kant's Political Philosophy, lectures delivered at the New School for Social Research in the fall semester of 1970. By taking Arendt's highly provocative reading of Kant as a point of departure, the essay probes Arendt's own theory of judgment. Arendt frequently draws distinctions that prove untenable. If the faculty of judgment, in Arendt's words, has to do with one's “ability to make distinctions,” and yet her own distinctions continually falter, and that in a text about judgment, then it seems that she thwarts her own discourse. More specifically, she complicates her assertions by staging something that she, in Kantian terms, describes as “enlarged thought”; she explores the subject of judgment from different perspectives and allows for perspectival plurality, thereby “wooing,” as it were, our consent. In so doing, Arendt, in thoroughly Kantian fashion, establishes judgment as a performative category that defies being taught and instead remains a matter of practice.
Examining the Left‐Right Divide Through the Lens of a Global Crisis: Ideological Differences and Their Implications for Responses to the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Authors: Ruisch Benjamin Coe , Moore Courtney , Granados Samayoa Javier , Boggs Shelby , Ladanyi Jesse , Fazio Russell
Published: May 2021

The COVID‐19 disease pandemic is one of the most pressing global health issues of our time. Nevertheless, responses to the pandemic exhibit a stark ideological divide, with political conservatives (versus liberals/progressives) expressing less concern about the virus and less behavioral compliance with efforts to combat it. Drawing from decades of research on the psychological underpinnings of ideology, in four studies (total N = 4441) we examine the factors that contribute to the ideological gap in pandemic response—across domains including personality (e.g., empathic concern), attitudes (e.g., trust in science), information (e.g., COVID‐19 knowledge), vulnerability (e.g., preexisting medical conditions), demographics (e.g., education, income) and environment (e.g., local COVID‐19 infection rates). This work provides insight into the most proximal drivers of this ideological divide and also helps fill a long‐standing theoretical and empirical gap regarding how these various ideological differences shape responses to complex real‐world sociopolitical events. Among our key findings are the central role of attitude‐ and belief‐related factors (e.g., trust in science and trust in Trump)—and the relatively weaker influence of several domain‐general personality factors (empathic concern, disgust sensitivity, conspiratorial ideation). We conclude by considering possible explanations for these findings and their broader implications for our understanding of political ideology.

Highlights

Stark ideological differences exist across a wide range of attitudinal and behavioral indices of pandemic response, with more conservative individuals reliably exhibiting less concern about the virus. These findings illustrate the extent to which the pandemic has become politicized.

A range of factors contribute to this ideological gap in pandemic response, but some are substantially more important than others.

Several factors that have received attention in public and academic discourse about the pandemic appear to contribute little, if at all, to the ideological divide. These include news following, scientific literacy, perceived social norms, and knowledge about the virus.

The most critical factors appear to be trust in scientists and trust in Trump, which further highlights the politicization of COVID‐19 and, importantly, the antagonistic nature of these two beliefs. Efforts to change and, especially, disentangle these two attitudes have the potential to be effective interventions.
Impact of the preparation method of red cell concentrates on transfusion indices in thalassemia patients: A randomized crossover clinical trial
Authors: Gamberini Maria Rita , Fortini Monica , Stievano Alice , Calori Eleonora , Riontino Maria Vittoria , Ceccherelli Giovanni , Venturelli Donatella , Chicchi Roberta , Biguzzi Rino , Fagnoni Francesco , Portararo Giuseppina Angela , Lasagni Daniela , Borotti Elena , Buonocore Ruggero , Govoni Maurizio , Reverberi Roberto
Published: May 2021

Background

The average hemoglobin content of red cell concentrates (RCC) varies depending on the method of preparation. Surprisingly less data are available concerning the clinical impact of those differences.

Study Design and Methods

The effects of two types of RCC (RCC‐A, RCC‐B) on transfusion regime were compared in a non‐blinded, prospective, randomized, two‐period, and crossover clinical trial. RCC‐A was obtained by whole blood leukoreduction and subsequent plasma removal, RCC‐B removing plasma and buffy coat first, followed by leukoreduction. Eligible patients were adult, with transfusion‐dependent thalassemia (TDT).

Results

RCC‐A contained 63.9 (60.3–67.8) grams of hemoglobin per unit (median with 1st and 3rd quartile), RCC‐B 54.5 (51.0–58.2) g/unit. Fifty‐one patients completed the study. With RCC‐B, the average pre‐transfusion hemoglobin concentration was 9.3 ± 0.5 g/dl (mean ± SD), the average transfusion interval 14.2 (13.7–16.3) days, the number of RCC units transfused per year 39.3 (35.4–47.3), and the transfusion power index (a composite index) 258 ± 49. With RCC‐A, the average pre‐transfusion hemoglobin concentration was 9.6 ± 0.5 g/dl (+2.7%, effect size 0.792), the average transfusion interval 14.8 (14.0–18.5) days (+4.1%, effect size 0.800), the number of RCC units transfused per year 34.8 (32.1–42.5) (−11.4%, effect size −1.609), and the transfusion power index 272 ± 61 (+14.1%, effect size 0.997). All differences were statistically highly significant (p < .00001). The frequency of transfusion reactions was 0.59% with RCC‐A and 0.56% with RCC‐B (p = 1.000).

Conclusion

To reduce the number of RCC units consumed per year and the number of transfusion episodes, TDT patients should receive RCC with the highest average hemoglobin content.
English in higher education in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
Authors: Bezborodova Anastasiya , Radjabzade Saida
Published: May 2021

In Central Asia, English is not only considered a language of intercultural communication, but it is also by far the most studied foreign language at schools and universities. The globalization and internationalization of education resulted in English becoming a medium of instruction in all levels of schooling. English functions as the language of research and academia. This article focuses on comparative research conducted on the role(s) of English in higher education institutions (HEIs) in three Central Asian republics – the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The main objective of this study was to explore the role(s) of English at HEIs to have a better evidence‐based understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of English medium instruction (EMI) in these countries.
Description of two new eriophyid species (Acari: Acariformes: Eriophyoidea) from Hungary

Authors: Ripka Géza , Kiss Enikő , Kontschán Jenő , Szabó Árpád
Published: May 2021

Two new species of eriophyoid mites were discovered in Hungary, viz. Aculodes caespiticolus sp. nov. collected from Sesleria sadleriana Janka (Poaceae) and Aceria cumaniamajoris sp. nov. found on Polygonum aviculare L. (Polygonaceae). Detailed morphological description of female, male and nymph is given. A key to Aculodes spp. already known from Hungary is given.
What Parental Correlates Predict Children’s Active Transportation to School in the Southeast United States?
Authors: Fitzhugh Eugene C. , Everett Jerry , Daugherty Linda
Published: May 2021

Background: School-aged children in the Southeast, compared with other United States of America (US) regions, have significantly lower levels of active transportation to school (ATS). The purpose of this study was to contrast the parental correlates of ATS choice specific to the Southeast with other areas of the US. Methods: This study utilized national data from 2952 households with school-aged children located within a 20-minute walk to a school. Parents reported their children’s ATS behavior and their own ATS beliefs and perceptions. Logistic regression contrasted correlates of parents from the Southeast with other regions. Results: Parents in the Southeast, compared with parents across the US, were significantly less likely to allow their child to take ATS (12.9% vs 33.3%, respectively) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.46; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.36–0.59). Specific to the Southeast, parental correlates linked to increases in ATS were Black race/ethnicity (OR = 1.68; 95% CI, 1.31–2.60), being single, (OR = 1.71; 95% CI, 1.15–2.54), and any parental physical activity (P value for trend = .0053). The only correlate associated with a decrease in ATS in the Southeast was heightened safety concerns (eg, traffic speed, safe crossings) (OR = 0.44; 95% CI, 0.23–0.84). Conclusions: Among households with children in the Southeast, ATS interventions that allay parental safety concerns and that promote physical activity among parents might lead to increases in ATS.
Photoactivated voltage imaging in tissue with an archaerhodopsin-derived reporter
Authors: Chien Miao-Ping , Brinks Daan , Testa-Silva Guilherme , Tian He , Phil Brooks F. , Adam Yoav , Bloxham Blox , Gmeiner Benjamin , Kheifets Simon , Cohen Adam E.
Published: May 2021

Photoactivated genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) have the potential to enable optically sectioned voltage imaging at the intersection of a photoactivation beam and an imaging beam. We developed a pooled high-throughput screen to identify archaerhodopsin mutants with enhanced photoactivation. After screening ~10
5
cells, we identified a novel GEVI, NovArch, whose one-photon near-infrared fluorescence is reversibly enhanced by weak one-photon blue or two-photon near-infrared excitation. Because the photoactivation leads to fluorescent signals catalytically rather than stoichiometrically, high fluorescence signals, optical sectioning, and high time resolution are achieved simultaneously at modest blue or two-photon laser power. We demonstrate applications of the combined molecular and optical tools to optical mapping of membrane voltage in distal dendrites in acute mouse brain slices and in spontaneously active neurons in vivo.
SMARCAD1-mediated active replication fork stability maintains genome integrity
Authors: Lo Calvin Shun Yu , van Toorn Marvin , Gaggioli Vincent , Paes Dias Mariana , Zhu Yifan , Manolika Eleni Maria , Zhao Wei , van der Does Marit , Mukherjee Chirantani , G. S. C. Souto Gonçalves João , van Royen Martin E. , French Pim J. , Demmers Jeroen , Smal Ihor , Lans Hannes , Wheeler David , Jonkers Jos , Chaudhuri Arnab Ray , Marteijn Jurgen A. , Taneja Nitika
Published: May 2021

The interplay of SMARCAD1-mediated active fork and BRCA1-mediated stalled fork stability pathways maintains genome integrity.
Selectivity and the effect of mass extinctions on disparity and functional ecology
Authors: Cole Selina R. , Hopkins Melanie J.
Published: May 2021

Fossils reveal that morphological disparity, ecology, and taxonomic richness can remain coupled across nonselective mass extinctions.
International socioeconomic inequality drives trade patterns in the global wildlife market
Authors: Liew Jia Huan , Kho Zi Yi , Lim Rayson Bock Hing , Dingle Caroline , Bonebrake Timothy Carlton , Sung Yik Hei , Dudgeon David
Published: May 2021

Wealth inequality between nations influences patterns in the international wildlife trade.
PHF8-promoted TOPBP1 demethylation drives ATR activation and preserves genome stability
Authors: Ma Shuai , Cao Cheng , Che Shiyou , Wang Yuejiao , Su Dongxue , Liu Shuai , Gong Wenchen , Liu Ling , Sun Jixue , Zhao Jiao , Wang Qian , Song Nan , Ge Tong , Guo Qiushi , Tian Shanshan , Chen Charlie Degui , Zhang Tao , Wang Ju , Ding Xiang , Yang Fuquan , Ying Guoguang , Yang Jie , Zhang Kai , Zhu Yi , Yao Zhi , Yang Na , Shi Lei
Published: May 2021

PHF8-promoted non-histone methylation switch plays a critical role in replication stress response and genome integrity.
Exaggerated IL-17A activity in human in vivo recall responses discriminates active tuberculosis from latent infection and cured disease
Authors: Pollara Gabriele , Turner Carolin T. , Rosenheim Joshua , Chandran Aneesh , Bell Lucy C. K. , Khan Ayesha , Patel Amit , Peralta Luis Felipe , Folino Anna , Akarca Ayse , Venturini Cristina , Baker Tina , Ecker Simone , Ricciardolo Fabio L. M. , Marafioti Teresa , Ugarte-Gil Cesar , Moore David A. J. , Chain Benjamin M. , Tomlinson Gillian S. , Noursadeghi Mahdad
Published: May 2021

In vivo IL-17A activity is elevated in active tuberculosis and may be a therapeutic target to attenuate disease-associated immunopathology.
Negeviruses Reduce Replication of Alphaviruses during Coinfection
Authors: Patterson Edward I. , Kautz Tiffany F. , Contreras-Gutierrez Maria A. , Guzman Hilda , Tesh Robert B. , Hughes Grant L. , Forrester Naomi L.
Published: May 2021

Negeviruses are a group of insect-specific viruses (ISVs), viruses known to infect only insects. They have been discovered over a wide geographical and species range.