bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Differential effect of inter‐ and intraspecific competition on the performance of invasive and native Taraxacum species
Authors: Lee Sangsun , Woo Sunghyun , Kim Eunsuk 
Published: November 2020

AbstractInter‐ and intraspecific competitive abilities are significant determinants of invasive success and the ecological impact of non‐native plants. We tested two major hypotheses on the competitive ability of invasive species using invasive (Taraxacum officinale) and native (T. platycarpum) dandelions: differential interspecific competitive ability between invasive and native species and the kin recognition of invasive species. We collected seeds from two field sites where the two dandelion species occurred nearby. Plants were grown alone, with kin (plants from the same maternal genotype) or strangers (plants from different populations) of the same species, or with different species in a growth chamber, and the performance at the early developmental stage between species and treatments was compared. The invasive dandelions outcompeted the native dandelions when competing against each other, although no difference between species was detected without competition or with intraspecific competition. Populations of native species responded to interspecific competition differently. The effect of kinship on plant performance differed between the tested populations in both species. A population produced more biomass than the other populations when grown with a stranger, and this trend was manifested more in native species. Our results support the hypothesis that invasive plants have better competitive ability than native plants, which potentially contributes to the establishment and the range expansion of T. officinale in the introduced range. Although kin recognition is expected to evolve in invasive species, the competitive ability of populations rather than kinship seems to affect plant growth of invasive T. officinale under intraspecific competition.
Antarctic desert soil bacteria exhibit high novel natural product potential, evaluated through long‐read genome sequencing and comparative genomics
Authors: Benaud Nicole , Edwards Richard J. , Amos Timothy G. , D'Agostino Paul M. , Gutiérrez‐Chávez Carolina , Montgomery Kate , Nicetic Iskra , Ferrari Belinda C. 
Published: November 2020

SummaryActinobacteria and Proteobacteria are important producers of bioactive natural products (NP), and these phyla dominate in the arid soils of Antarctica, where metabolic adaptations influence survival under harsh conditions. Biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) which encode NPs, are typically long and repetitious high G + C regions difficult to sequence with short‐read technologies. We sequenced 17 Antarctic soil bacteria from multi‐genome libraries, employing the long‐read PacBio platform, to optimize capture of BGCs and to facilitate a comprehensive analysis of their NP capacity. We report 13 complete bacterial genomes of high quality and contiguity, representing 10 different cold‐adapted genera including novel species. Antarctic BGCs exhibited low similarity to known compound BGCs (av. 31%), with an abundance of terpene, non‐ribosomal peptide and polyketide‐encoding clusters. Comparative genome analysis was used to map BGC variation between closely related strains from geographically distant environments. Results showed the greatest biosynthetic differences to be in a psychrotolerant Streptomyces strain, as well as a rare Actinobacteria genus, Kribbella, while two other Streptomyces spp. were surprisingly similar to known genomes. Streptomyces and Kribbella BGCs were predicted to encode antitumour, antifungal, antibacterial and biosurfactant‐like compounds, and the synthesis of NPs with antibacterial, antifungal and surfactant properties was confirmed through bioactivity assays.
COVID‐19 Pandemic in the New Era of Big Data Analytics: Methodological Innovations and Future Research Directions
Authors: Sheng Jie , Amankwah‐Amoah Joseph , Khan Zaheer , Wang Xiaojun 
Published: November 2020

AbstractAlthough scholars in management recognize the value of harnessing big data to understand, predict and respond to future events, there remains little or very limited overview of how various analytics techniques can be harnessed to provide the basis for guiding scholars in studying contemporary management topics and global grand challenges raised by the COVID‐19 pandemic. In this Methodology Corner, we present a review of the methodological innovations in studying big data analytics and how they can be better utilized to examine contemporary organizational issues. We provide insights on methods in descriptive/diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive analytics, and how they can be leveraged to study ‘black swan’ events such as the COVID‐19‐related global crisis and its aftermath's implications for managers and policymakers.
A dsRNA‐degrading nuclease (dsRNase2) limits RNAi efficiency in the Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis)
Authors: Fan Yun‐He , Song Hui‐Fang , Abbas Mureed , Wang Yan‐Li , Li Tao , Ma En‐Bo , Cooper Anastasia M.W. , Silver Kristopher , Zhu Kun Yan , Zhang Jian‐Zhen 
Published: November 2020

AbstractThe efficiency of RNA interference (RNAi) varies substantially among different insect species. Rapid degradation of double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) by dsRNA‐degrading nucleases (dsRNases) has been implicated to cause low RNAi efficiency in several insect species. In this study, we identified four dsRNase genes (OfdsRNase1, OfdsRNase2, OfdsRNase3 and OfdsRNase4) from the Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis) transcriptome database. Bioinformatic analyses showed that each deduced protein sequence contained endonuclease NS domains and signal peptides. Gene expression analysis revealed that OfdsRNase2 was exclusively expressed in the midgut of larvae. RNAi efficiency was investigated in 2‐d‐old fifth‐instar larvae (high expression of dsRNase2) and 2‐d‐old pupae (low expression of dsRNase2) by feeding or injecting dsRNA targeting a marker gene that encodes the lethal giant larvae protein (OfLgl). Our results showed that OfLgl only partially silenced the expression of OfLgl in pupae, but not in larvae, suggesting that OfdsRNase2 could contribute to lower RNAi efficiency in larval stages. This hypothesis was supported by our RNAi‐of‐RNAi experiment using a tissue culture technique where the silencing efficiency against the reporter gene, OfHex1, was significantly improved after knockdown of OfdsRNase2. When double luciferase assays were performed to evaluate the role of the four dsRNases in vitro, only OfdsRNase2 expressed in S2 cells significantly affected RNAi efficiency by degrading dsRNA. Taken together, our results suggested that the degradation of dsRNA by OfdsRNase2 in the midgut contributed to low RNAi efficiency in O. furnacalis larvae.
Matrix metalloproteinase‐14 (MMP‐14) downregulation inhibits esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell migration, invasion, and proliferation
Authors: Chen Nanzheng , Zhang Guangjian , Fu Junke , Wu Qifei 
Published: November 2020

BackgroundMatrix metalloproteinase‐14 (MMP‐14) is known to be a key regulator of oncogenesis and tumor progression. The present study was designed to assess the relationship between the downregulation of MMP‐14 and the in vitro proliferative, migratory, and invasive activity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells.MethodsMMP‐14 expression in human ESCC and paracancerous normal esophageal tissue samples was evaluated via immunohistochemistry, and correlations between MMP‐14 staining and patient clinicopathological features were examined. In addition, siRNA was used to knockdown MMP‐14 in ESCC cells, and the proliferation and invasive activity of these cells were then evaluated via MTT and Transwell assays, respectively. Flow cytometry was additionally used to assess cell cycle progression, while Western blotting was employed to measure protein levels within these cells.ResultsESCC samples were found to exhibit MMP‐14 overexpression relative to paracancerous tissue samples, and this overexpression was positively correlated with tumor T classification (T1‐2 vs. T3; P < 0.05), N classification (negative vs. positive; P < 0.001), degree of differentiation (G1 vs. G3, P < 0.05; G2 vs. G3, P < 0.05) and clinical stage (I–IIA vs. IIB–III; P < 0.05). When MMP‐14 was knocked down in ESCC cells, this induced cell cycle arrest, impairing their proliferative and invasive activity.ConclusionsMMP‐14 is a key regulator of the proliferation and invasion of ESCC cells, making it a viable therapeutic target for the treatment of this cancer.
Clinical application of ultrasound‐guided mediastinal lymph node biopsy through cervical mediastinoscopy
Authors: Fu Yili , Chen Qingshan , Yu Zexing , Dong Honghong , Li Xin , Chen Qirui , Hu Bin , Li Hui , Miao Jinbai 
Published: November 2020

BackgroundCervical mediastinoscopy is useful for diagnosing lung and mediastinal disease. Ultrasound is a safe real‐time diagnostic tool widely employed in many surgical fields. Ultrasound was used in cervical mediastinoscopy in our cohort with satisfactory results. This study investigated the safety, feasibility, and availability of video‐assisted mediastinoscopy (VAM) combined with ultrasound for mediastinal lymph node biopsy.MethodsA total of 87 cases involving cervical mediastinal lymph node biopsy performed from November 2015 to May 2020, with complete clinical and pathological information, were retrospectively analyzed in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital. The cohort was divided into two groups: ultrasound‐guided biopsy under video‐assisted mediastinoscopy (UVAM) (44 cases) and routine VAM (43 cases). Operation time, biopsy number and nodal stations, postoperative complications, pathological conditions, and surgical difficulty were compared between the two nodal stations.ResultsUVAM was significantly shorter and more lymph node specimens were obtained than with VAM. There was one case of fatal bleeding and two cases of right recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in the VAM group, and no postoperative complications in the UVAM group.ConclusionsWhen used with cervical VAM, ultrasound guidance assists physicians assess the space between lymph nodes, surrounding tissues, and large vessels systematically, making biopsy safer and easier, improving lymph node sampling, and decreasing postoperative complications. Furthermore, surgeons can easily learn and master this method.Key pointsSignificant findings of the study: Ultrasound was used in combination with cervical mediastinoscopy and the results showed that ultrasound guidance makes biopsy in patients safer and easier, improves lymph node sampling, and decreases postoperative complications.What this study adds: Surgeons can easily learn and master this method.
Combining machine learning algorithms for prediction of antidepressant treatment response
Authors: Kautzky Alexander , Möller Hans‐Juergen , Dold Markus , Bartova Lucie , Seemüller Florian , Laux Gerd , Riedel Michael , Gaebel Wolfgang , Kasper Siegfried 
Published: November 2020

AbstractObjectivesPredictors for unfavorable treatment outcome in major depressive disorder (MDD) applicable for treatment selection are still lacking. The database of a longitudinal multicenter study on 1079 acutely depressed patients, performed by the German research network on depression (GRND), allows supervised and unsupervised learning to further elucidate the interplay of clinical and psycho‐sociodemographic variables and their predictive impact on treatment outcome phenotypes.Experimental ProceduresTreatment response was defined by a change of HAM‐D 17‐item baseline score ≥50% and remission by the established threshold of ≤7, respectively, after up to eight weeks of inpatient treatment. After hierarchical symptom clustering and stratification by treatment subtypes (serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotic, and lithium augmentation), prediction models for different outcome phenotypes were computed with random forest in a cross‐center validation design. In total, 88 predictors were implemented.ResultsClustering revealed four distinct HAM‐D subscores related to emotional, anxious, sleep, and appetite symptoms, respectively. After feature selection, classification models reached moderate to high accuracies up to 0.85. Highest accuracies were observed for the SSRI and TCA subgroups and for sleep and appetite symptoms, while anxious symptoms showed poor predictability.ConclusionOur results support a decisive role for machine learning in the management of antidepressant treatment. Treatment‐ and symptom‐specific algorithms may increase accuracies by reducing heterogeneity. Especially, predictors related to duration of illness, baseline depression severity, anxiety and somatic symptoms, and personality traits moderate treatment success. However, prospectives application of machine learning models will be necessary to prove their value for the clinic.
Impaired hypothalamic feedback dysregulates brain glucocorticoid signaling in genetically‐selected Marchigian Sardinian alcohol‐preferring rats
Authors: Natividad Luis A. , Steinman Michael Q. , McGinn M. Adrienne , Sureshchandra Suhas , Kerr Tony M. , Ciccocioppo Roberto , Messaoudi Ilhem , Edwards Scott , Roberto Marisa 
Published: November 2020

AbstractGenetically‐selected Marchigian Sardinian alcohol‐preferring (msP) rats display comorbid symptoms of increased alcohol preference and elevated anxiety‐like behavior. Heightened stress sensitivity in msPs is influenced by genetic polymorphisms of the corticotropin‐releasing factor receptor in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), as well as reduced influence of anti‐stress mechanisms that normally constrain the stress response. Given this propensity for stress dysregulation, in this study, we expand on the possibility that msPs may display differences in neuroendocrine processes that normally terminate the stress response. We utilized behavioral, biochemical, and molecular assays to compare basal and restraint stress‐induced changes in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis of male and female msPs relative to their nonselected Wistar counterparts. The results showed that msPs display deficits in marble‐burying behavior influenced by environmental factors and procedures that modulate arousal states in a sex‐dependent manner. Whereas male msPs display evidence of dysregulated neuroendocrine function (higher adrenocorticotropic hormone levels and subthreshold reductions in corticosterone), females display restraint‐induced elevations in corticosterone levels that were persistently higher in msPs. A dexamethasone challenge reduced the circulation of these stress hormones, although the reduction in corticosterone was generally attenuated in msP versus Wistar rats. Finally, we found evidence of diminished stress‐induced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) phosphorylation in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of msPs, as well as innate increases in phosphorylated GR levels in the CeA of male msPs. Collectively, these findings suggest that negative feedback processes regulating HPA responsiveness are diminished in msP rats, possibly underlying differences in the expression of anxiety‐like behaviors.
Assessing effect of long‐term abstinence on coupling of three core brain networks in male heroin addicts: A resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Chen Jiajie , Wang Fan , Zhu Jia , Li Yongbin , Liu Wei , Xue Jiuhua , Shi Hong , Li Wei , Li Qiang , Wang Wei 
Published: November 2020

AbstractAbstinence is one of the important measures for heroin addiction. However, it is unknown whether long‐term abstinence (LA) would improve the coupling among three core brain networks (salience, default mode, and executive control) and decrease craving in treated heroin addicts. Forty‐three heroin addicts with LA, 27 heroin addicts with short‐term abstinence (SA), and 46 demographically matched healthy controls (HC) participated in the resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. The authors compared the functional connectivity among the three groups and examined how the coupling among salience, default mode, and executive control networks related to duration of abstinence and craving before and after drug cue exposure among heroin addicts. Compared with the SA group, with a tendency toward the HC group, the LA group showed lower drug cue‐induced craving, stronger connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (a key node of salience network) and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right posterior parietal cortex (key nodes of executive control network), and stronger connectivity between the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and precuneus (a key node of default mode network). Meanwhile, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex‐precuneus connectivity positively correlated with duration of abstinence. The LA and SA groups demonstrated lower connectivity between the left anterior insula (a key node of salience network) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and lower connectivity within the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, compared with the HC group. Our findings revealed that LA is associated with lower drug cue induced craving and improve the coupling among the three core brain networks in heroin addicts.
Tobacco use disorder and the lungs
Authors: McRobbie Hayden , Kwan Benjamin 
Published: November 2020

AbstractThis narrative review provides a summary of the impact of tobacco smoking on the respiratory system and the benefits of smoking cessation. Tobacco smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of death world‐wide and a major risk factor for lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking is also associated with an increased risk of respiratory infections and appears to be related to poorer outcomes among those with COVID‐19. Non‐smokers with second‐hand smoke exposure also experience significant adverse respiratory effects. Smoking imposes enormous health‐ and non‐health‐related costs to societies. The benefits of smoking cessation, in both prevention and management of respiratory disease, have been known for decades and, to this day, cessation support remains one of the most important cost‐effective interventions that health professionals can provide to people who smoke. Cessation at any age confers substantial health benefits, even in smokers with established morbidities. As other treatments for chronic respiratory disease advance and survival rates increase, smoking cessation treatment will become even more relevant. While smoking cessation interventions are available, the offer of these by clinicians and uptake by patients remain limited.
Availability of buprenorphine/naloxone films and naloxone nasal spray in community pharmacies in Texas, USA
Authors: Hill Lucas G. , Loera Lindsey J. , Evoy Kirk E. , Renfro Mandy L. , Torrez Sorina B. , Zagorski Claire M. , Perez Joshua C. , Jones Shaun M. , Reveles Kelly R. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractBackground and AimsPatients with opioid use disorder (OUD) must be able to obtain prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone films (BUP/NX) and naloxone nasal spray (NNS) from a pharmacy promptly to reduce risk for a recurrence of use and subsequent morbidity and mortality. Telephone audits have identified concerning gaps in availability of NNS within US pharmacies, but the availability of BUP/NX has not been rigorously evaluated. This study estimated the availability of BUP/NX and NNS in the US state of Texas and compared availability by pharmacy type and metropolitan status.DesignA cross‐sectional telephone audit with a secret shopper approach conducted from 18 May 2020 to 7 June 2020.Setting and ParticipantsA random sample of 800 of 5078 (16%) community pharmacies licensed with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.MeasurementsPrimary outcomes included availability of a 1‐week supply of generic BUP/NX 8/2 mg films and a single unit of NNS 4 mg, overall and by pharmacy type. Secondary outcomes included willingness and estimated time‐frame to order BUP/NX if unavailable.FindingsData from 704 pharmacies (471 chain, 233 independent) were included for analyses. Of these, 34.1% of pharmacies (45.0% of chains versus 12.0% of independents, P < 0.0001) were willing and able to dispense a 1‐week supply of generic BUP/NX and a single unit of NNS. BUP/NX alone was available in 42.2% of pharmacies (52.4% of chains versus 21.5% of independents, P < 0.0001). NNS alone was available in 60.1% of pharmacies (77.9% of chains versus 24.0% of independents, P < 0.0001). Of the 397 pharmacies with generic BUP/NX unavailable, 62.2% of pharmacies (73.9% of chains versus 48.0% of independents, P < 0.0001) indicated willingness to order.ConclusionsMost pharmacies in Texas do not appear to be willing and able to dispense prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone films and naloxone nasal spray to patients with opioid use disorder in a timely manner. Deficiencies in availability are markedly more pronounced in independent pharmacies compared with chain pharmacies.
Association between opioid agonist therapy use and HIV testing uptake among people who have recently injected drugs: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Ferraro Claire F. , Stewart Daniel E. , Grebely Jason , Tran Lucy T. , Zhou Shally , Puca Carla , Hajarizadeh Behzad , Larney Sarah , Santo Thomas , Higgins Julian P. T. , Vickerman Peter , Degenhardt Louisa , Hickman Matthew , French Clare E. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractBackground and aimGlobally, nearly one in five people who inject drugs (PWID) are living with HIV, and the rate of new HIV infections in PWID is increasing in some settings. Early diagnosis is crucial for effective HIV control. We reviewed the evidence on the association between opioid agonist therapy (OAT) and HIV testing uptake among PWID.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review searching MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and PsycINFO for studies published from January 2000 to March 2019. Reference lists and conference proceedings were hand‐searched. Observational and intervention studies were eligible for inclusion. Risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias in Non‐Randomised Studies of Interventions (ROBINS‐I) tool. Meta‐analyses were conducted using random‐effects models.ResultsOf 13 373 records identified, 11 studies from Australia, Europe, Malaysia and the United States were included. All studies had at least a serious risk of bias, largely due to confounding and selection bias, making it difficult to draw causal conclusions from the evidence. Ten studies provided data on the association between current OAT use and recent HIV testing. Six showed a positive association, while four provided little evidence of an association: pooled odds ratio (OR) = 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.28–2.27. Looking at having ever been on OAT and having ever been HIV tested, seven studies showed a positive association and three showed either weak or no evidence of an association: pooled OR = 3.82, 95% CI = 2.96–4.95.ConclusionsOpioid agonist therapy may increase uptake of HIV testing among people who inject drugs, providing further evidence that opioid agonist therapy improves the HIV treatment care cascade.