bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The canine chronic atrioventricular block model in cardiovascular preclinical drug research
Authors: Loen Vera , Vos Marc A. , van der Heyden Marcel A. G. 
Published: March 2021

Ventricular cardiac arrhythmia is a life threating condition arising from abnormal functioning of many factors in concert. Animal models mirroring human electrophysiology are essential to predict and understand the rare pro‐ and anti‐arrhythmic effects of drugs. This is very well accomplished by the canine chronic atrioventricular block (CAVB) model. Here we summarize canine models for cardiovascular research, and describe the development of the CAVB model from its beginning. Understanding of the structural, contractile and electrical remodelling processes following atrioventricular (AV) block provides insight in the many factors contributing to drug‐induced arrhythmia. We also review all safety pharmacology studies, efficacy and mechanistic studies on anti‐arrhythmic drugs in CAVB dogs. Finally, we compare pros and cons with other in vivo preclinical animal models. In view of the tremendous amount of data obtained over the last 100 years from the CAVB dog model, it can be considered as man's best friend in preclinical drug research.LINKED ARTICLESThis 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
The evolution of longevity: Evidence from Canada
Authors: Milligan Kevin , Schirle Tammy 
Published: March 2021

AbstractCanadian men in the top earnings ventile live eight years (11%) longer than do men in the bottom ventile. For women, the difference is 3.6 years. This earnings–longevity gradient has shifted uniformly across earnings groups through time, in stark contrast to in the US. We demonstrate that the widely used period measurement method can differ from cohort measures. For middle‐aged men, we find a recent slowdown of mortality improvements, echoing the situation in the US. With comparable data, the Canadian earnings–longevity gradient is half the US gradient; but one quarter of this gap may result from Canada–US earnings differences.
The effect of post‐extraction socket preservation laser treatment on bone density 4 months after extraction: Randomized controlled trial
Authors: Križaj Dumić Aleksandra , Pajk Franja , Olivi Giovanni 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundPost‐extraction bone resorption may affect the outcome of ensuing restorations.PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate a comprehensive laser post‐extraction protocol by comparing resulting alveolar bone regeneration with that obtained after standard extraction procedure.Materials and MethodsAbout 53 simple extractions were randomized to either laser or control group. In the laser group, erbium (Er:YAG; 2940 nm) and neodymium (Nd:YAG; 1064 nm) lasers were used for degranulation, disinfection, de‐epithelialization of the surrounding gingiva, clot stabilization, and photobiomodulation. The primary outcome measure was change in bone density in the extraction area between day 1 and 4 months after extraction. Patients were monitored for potential side effects.ResultsIncrease in bone density at the follow‐up CBCT was significantly higher in laser than in control group (p < 0.001). No post‐operative pain, bleeding, or swelling was present in the laser group. In the control group, one patient had bleeding 3–5 days after extraction, two patients had swelling and three patients reported post‐operative pain rated 3–5 on a 0–10 pain scale up to 3 days after extraction.ConclusionsThe proposed laser post‐extraction procedure is a safe and effective method to improve post‐extraction bone healing.
Prevalence and screening of specific aeroallergens in Chinese male patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A retrospective cross‐sectional observational study
Authors: Hou Lili , Li Zhengyu , Bao Luhong , Zhou Zhiguo , Li Shanqun , Zhou Xin , Zhang Min 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIntroductionSensitization to aeroallergens was linked to severe symptoms and frequent exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Elevated serum total immunoglobulin E (tIgE) level is a hallmark of allergic COPD patients. Phadiatop test exhibited high sensitivity for predicting specific aeroallergens (SAs) sensitization. However, the prevalence of aeroallergens, the value of Phadiatop test, alone or combined with tIgE, for predicting aeroallergens sensitization in male COPD patients have not been explored in China.ObjectivesTo explore the prevalence and predictors of aeroallergens in the context of COPD.MethodsThe predictive value of Phadiatop test for SAs sensitization in male COPD patients was analyzed via the area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs).ResultsThe top five SAs in the context of COPD were d2, mx2, i6, d1, and tx5, of which the seasonal distribution showed no significant differences. Allergic group showed higher levels of blood eosinophils, total Phadiatop IgE and tIgE than the nonallergic group (all P ≤ 0.001). The AUCs of total Phadiatop IgE and tIgE for predicting the sensitization to SAs, SAs excluding mx2 (AEM) and mx2 were ((0.921 vs. 0.879, P = 0.2522), (0.967 vs. 0.807, P = 0.0003), and (0.780 vs. 0.883, P < 0.05)) (AUCPhadiatop vs AUCtIgE), respectively. The combined application of these two parameters (model) increased the AUC of SAs, significantly higher than the single parameter used (P < 0.05 for all).Conclusiond2, mx2, i6, and d1 were the top four SAs sensitized in male COPD patients; Phadiatop test was valuable for predicting the sensitization to SAs when it was > 0.13 kAU/L.
Efficacy of detection canines for avian botulism surveillance and mitigation
Authors: Reynolds Michelle H. , Johnson Kyoko N. , Schvaneveldt Eleni R. , Dewey Daniel L. , Uyehara Kimberly J. , Hess Steven C. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractHawai'i's endangered waterbirds have experienced epizootics caused by ingestion of prey that accumulated a botulinum neurotoxin produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum (avian botulism; Type C). Waterbird carcasses, necrophagous flies, and their larvae initiate and spread avian botulism, a food‐borne paralytic disease lethal to waterbirds. Each new carcass has potential to develop toxin‐accumulating necrophagous vectors amplifying outbreaks and killing hundreds of endangered waterbirds. Early carcass removal is an effective mitigation strategy for preventing avian intoxication, toxin concentration in necrophagous and secondary food webs, and reducing the magnitude of epizootics. However, rapid detection of carcasses can be problematic and labor intensive. Therefore, we tested a new method using scent detection canines for avian botulism surveillance on Kaua'i Island. During operational surveillance and a randomized double‐blind field trial, trained detector canines with experienced field handlers improved carcass detection probability, especially in dense vegetation. Detector canines could be combined with conventional surveillance to optimize search strategies for carcass removal and are a useful tool to reduce risks of the initiation and propagation of avian botulism.
Chicken or egg? What comes first in Lutheranism, grace or faith?
Authors: Tarkki Jarmo 
Published: March 2021

AbstractFor many Lutherans Martin Luther's idea of salvation by grace alone is complicated and confusing. Acceptance of salvation as God's work alone seems scandalous. We want our efforts to matter to God, and so we become inadvertently God's co‐workers in our own salvation. Modern humans tend to fall into the same trap from which Luther liberated himself. In a Lutheran interpretation of Christianity, we are not saved because we have faith, but we have faith because we are saved. In the article, the interplay between grace and faith is addressed throughout history with main emphasis on a Lutheran understanding of saved by grace alone.
Intergenerational changes in hippocampal transcription in an animal model of maternal depression
Authors: Alyamani Reema , Nephew Ben , Murgatroyd Chris 
Published: March 2021

AbstractChronic stress during early life, such as exposure to social conflict or deficits in parental care, can have persistent adverse behavioural effects. Offspring in a rodent model of maternal depression and early life stress have increased susceptibility to maternal depression themselves, suggesting a pathway by which maternal stress could be intergenerationally inherited. The overall aim of this study was to explore the genetic regulatory pathways underlying how maternal social stress and reduced care mediates stress‐related behavioural changes in offspring across generations. This study investigated a social stress‐based rat model of postpartum depression and the intergenerational inheritance of depressed maternal care where F0 (dams exposed to male intruder stress during lactation) and F1 offspring are directly exposed to social stress. RNASeq was used to investigate genome‐wide transcriptome changes in the hippocampus of F1 and F2 generations. Transcriptome analyses revealed differential expression of 69 genes in the F1 generation and 14 in the F2 between controls versus social stress differences. Many of these genes were receptors and calcium‐binding proteins in the F1 and involved in cellular oxidant detoxification in F2. The present data identify and characterize changes in the neural expression of key genes involved in the regulation of depression maintained between the generations, suggesting a potential neural pathway for the intergenerational transmission of depressed maternal care and maternal anxiety in the CSS model. Further work is needed to understand to what extent these results are due to molecular germline inheritance and/or the social propagation of deficits in maternal care.
Low‐intensity kangaroo grazing has largely benign effects on soil health
Authors: Eldridge David J. , Ding Jingyi , Travers Samantha K. 
Published: March 2021

SummaryKangaroos (Macropus spp., Osphranter spp.) are the most ubiquitous free‐ranging herbivores in Australia. Much has been written on their impacts on plant community composition and how they interact with livestock, particularly in extensive rangelands. Little is known, however, about how kangaroos affect soil function and their relationship with healthy soils, nor the impact of peri‐urban populations of kangaroos where they might come into conflict with humans. To address this, we used exclosures to examine the impacts of low densities of kangaroos on the morphology of the soil surface in a peri‐urban environment on the outskirts of Sydney, Australia. We found that kangaroo grazing was associated with reduced herbaceous biomass and cover, and biocrust cover, and surfaces were generally more stable, had a greater cover and incorporation of litter and had greater plant species richness compared to inside the exclosures. There were no differences in indices of nutrient cycling nor stability. Overall, our study supports the notion that kangaroo grazing, at the current low densities experienced in this peri‐urban reserve, has had no significant deleterious effect on soil surface health, as measured by the morphology of the surface. We conclude that grazing at the current low levels (˜70 kangaroos km−2) is unlikely to have major long‐term negative effects on soil surface condition.
Vitamin D and white matter hyperintensities: results of the population‐based Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study and 1000BRAINS
Authors: Schramm Sara , Schliephake Lea , Himpfen Heiko , Caspers Svenja , Erbel Raimund , Jöckel Karl‐Heinz , Moebus Susanne 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackground and purposeCross‐sectional studies showed an inverse association between serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) whereas the few longitudinal studies did not. The association between baseline 25OHD and WMHs at 10‐year follow‐up in the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study plus 1000BRAINS was investigated.MethodsData of 505 participants (49% women, 56.2 ± 6.6 years) with 25OHD at baseline (2000–2003) and WMH volume and grade of WMHs using the Fazekas classification at 10‐year follow‐up were analysed. The association between deseasonalized 25OHD and the base‐10 logarithm of WMH volume was evaluated by multiple linear regression, adjusted for age, sex, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, sports, diabetes mellitus, systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol. β‐estimators were transformed back (10β). Using multiple logistic regression, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to evaluate the association between deseasonalized 25OHD and Fazekas grades (0, absence and 1, punctate foci vs. 2, beginning and 3, large confluence).ResultsMean 25OHD was 17.0 ± 8.2 ng/ml, and mean deseasonalized 25OHD was 16.9 ± 7.5 ng/ml. Mean WMH volume was 16.6 ± 17.4 ml, range 1–132 ml. Most grade 2–3 WMHs were found to be periventricular (39% of the participants), parietal (32%) and frontal (31%) (temporal 6%, occipital 3%). The linear regression showed an inverse association between 25OHD and WMH volume. On average, a 25OHD increase of 1 ng/ml was associated with a reduced WMH volume by a factor of 0.99 (95% CI 0.98; 1.00) (fully adjusted). There was also some indication for an inverse association between 25OHD and extent of periventricular (OR 0.98 [95% CI 0.96; 1.01]), frontal (0.99 [0.97; 1.02]) and parietal (0.98 [0.95; 1.00]) WMHs according to the Fazekas classification.ConclusionsLower 25OHD may be a risk factor for the occurrence of WMHs.
High incidence of stroke in young adults in Tartu, Estonia, 2013 to 2017: A prospective population‐based study
Authors: Kõrv Liisa , Vibo Riina , Mallene Sandra , Kõrv Janika 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackground and purposePrevious studies conducted elsewhere in the world have demonstrated an increase in the incidence of ischemic stroke (IS) in younger ages. We sought to determine stroke incidence and 28‐day case‐fatality rates in 15‐ to 54‐year‐old residents of Tartu, Estonia from 2013 to 2017.MethodsAll stroke cases that were the first ever in a lifetime (IS, nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage [ICH], and subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH]) in 15‐ to 54‐year‐old residents of Tartu, Estonia were prospectively registered from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2017. Several additional overlapping data sources were used for case ascertainment including other departments of the Tartu University Hospital and outpatient clinic, Estonian Cause of Death Registry, and the Estonian Electronic Health Record. All cases were thoroughly validated before inclusion.ResultsWe identified 110 cases (43.6% female) of first‐ever stroke (IS 72.7%, ICH 12.7%, SAH 14.6%), out of which 85.5% were included prospectively. The mean age at onset was 44.3 ± 8.5 (SD) years. The mean age at onset was higher for men than for women (p = 0.046). The incidence of stroke standardized to the 1976 European standard population (EUR) was 46.1/100,000 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 37.4–54.8). IS incidence was 33.4/100,000 EUR (95% CI: 26–40.7). The total stroke incidence was higher in 45‐ to 54‐year‐old men than in women in the same age group (rate ratio, 2.24; 95% CI: 1.35–3.71). There were no more significant differences between sexes or age groups. The 28‐day case‐fatality rate was 10.9% for all strokes.ConclusionsOur study shows higher crude incidence and case fatality of stroke in the young compared to studies from other high‐income countries.
Temperature‐associated decreases in demographic rates of Afrotropical bird species over 30 years
Authors: Neate‐Clegg Montague H. C. , Stanley Thomas R. , Şekercioğlu Çağan H. , Newmark William D. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractTropical mountains harbor globally significant levels of biodiversity and endemism. Climate change threatens many tropical montane species, yet little research has assessed the effects of climate change on the demographic rates of tropical species, particularly in the Afrotropics. Here, we report on the demographic rates of 21 Afrotropical bird species over 30 years in montane forests in Tanzania. We used mark–recapture analyses to model rates of population growth, recruitment, and apparent survival as functions of annual mean temperature and annual precipitation. For over one‐half of focal species, decreasing population growth rates were associated with increasing temperature. Due to the trend in temperature over time, we substituted a time covariate for the temperature covariate in top‐ranked population growth rate models. Temperature was a better explanatory covariate than time for 6 of the 12 species, or 29% of all focal species. Population growth rates were also lower for species found further below their elevational midpoint and for smaller‐bodied species. Changes in population growth rates were more closely tied to changes in recruitment than to changes in apparent survival. There were no consistent associations between demographic rates and precipitation. This study demonstrates temperature‐associated demographic impacts for 6 (29%) of 21 focal species in an Afrotropical understory bird community and highlights the need to incorporate the impacts of climate change on demographic rates into conservation planning across the tropics.
Global patterns of functional trait variation along aridity gradients in bats
Authors: Conenna Irene , Santini Luca , Rocha Ricardo , Monadjem Ara , Cabeza Mar , Russo Danilo 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAimOur understanding of the biological strategies employed by species to cope with challenges posed by aridity is still limited. Despite being sensitive to water loss, bats successfully inhabit a wide range of arid lands. We here investigated how functional traits of bat assemblages vary along the global aridity gradient to identify traits that favour their persistence in arid environments.LocationGlobal.Time periodContemporary.Major taxa studiedBats.MethodsWe mapped the assemblage‐level averages of four key bat traits describing wing morphology, echolocation and body size, based on a grid of 100‐km resolution and a pool of 915 bat species, and modelled them against aridity values. To support our results, we conducted analyses also at the species level to control for phylogenetic autocorrelation.ResultsAt the assemblage level, we detected a rise in values of aspect ratio, wing loading and forearm length, and a decrease in echolocation frequency with increasing aridity. These patterns were consistent with trends detected at the species level for all traits.Main conclusionsOur findings show that trait variation in bats is associated with the aridity gradient and suggest that greater mobility and larger body size are advantageous features in arid environments. Greater mobility favours bats’ ability to track patchy and temporary resources, while the reduced surface‐to‐volume ratio associated with a larger body size is likely to reduce water stress by limiting cutaneous evaporation. These findings highlight the importance of extending attention from species‐specific adaptations to broad scale and multispecies variation in traits when investigating the ability of species to withstand arid conditions.
UNCERTAINTY IN PROCUREMENT CONTRACTING WITH TIME INCENTIVES
Authors: Gao Wenzheng , Zhang Daiqiang , Zhao Naibao 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis article studies cost‐plus‐time (A+B) procurement contracting with time incentives in the highway construction industry. In the presence of construction uncertainty, the contractor's actual completion time may deviate from the bid completion time, and the A+B contract design is not ex post efficient. Using data from highway procurement contracts in California, we show that an ex post efficient lane rental contract would reduce the social cost by $41.39 million (43.11%) on average. Moreover, the average commuter cost would decrease by $62.06 million (78.96%), suggesting a substantial reduction in the construction externality to commuters from lane rental contracts.
Tâches, professions et salaires dans les pays de l'OCDE
Authors: AGASISTI Tommaso , JOHNES Geraint , PACCAGNELLA Marco 
Published: March 2021

RésuméLes auteurs examinent la relation entre les gains, le capital humain et les tâches. Ils reprennent le modèle théorique d'Autor et Handel (2013), tout en élargissant l'analyse empirique à 21 pays, grâce aux données de l'enquête de l'OCDE sur les compétences des adultes (PIAAC). Celles‐ci permettent en outre de caractériser plus précisément le capital humain des travailleurs, en fournissant une mesure directe des compétences cognitives. L'analyse empirique confirme l'influence du contenu en tâches de l'emploi sur les écarts de salaire, à la fois entre les catégories professionnelles et en leur sein. Les prédictions du modèle se vérifient dans la grande majorité des pays.
Falls and fractures associated with type 2 diabetic polyneuropathy: A cross‐sectional nationwide questionnaire study
Authors: Khan Karolina Snopek , Christensen Diana Hedevang , Nicolaisen Sia Kromann , Gylfadottir Sandra Sif , Jensen Troels Staehelin , Nielsen Jens Steen , Thomsen Reimar Wernich , Andersen Henning 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAims/IntroductionTo examine the prevalence of falls and fractures, and the association with symptoms of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) in patients with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes.Materials and MethodsA detailed questionnaire on neuropathy symptoms and falls was sent to 6,726 patients enrolled in the Danish Center for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes cohort (median age 65 years, diabetes duration 4.6 years). Complete data on fractures and patient characteristics were ascertained from population‐based health registries. We defined possible DPN as a score ≥4 on the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instruments questionnaire. Using Poisson regression analyses, we estimated the adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) of falls and fractures, comparing patients with and without DPN.ResultsIn total, 5,359 patients (80%) answered the questions on the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instruments questionnaire and falls. Within the year preceding the questionnaire response, 17% (n = 933) reported at least one fall and 1.4% (n = 76) suffered from a fracture. The prevalence ratio of falls was substantially increased in patients with possible DPN compared with those without (aPR 2.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.06–2.63). The prevalence ratio increased with the number of falls from aPR 1.51 (95% CI 1.22–1.89) for one fall to aPR 5.89 (95% CI 3.84–9.05) for four or more falls within the preceding year. Possible DPN was associated with a slightly although non‐significantly increased risk of fractures (aPR 1.32, 95% CI 0.75–2.33).ConclusionsPatients with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes and symptoms of DPN had a highly increased risk of falling. These results emphasize the need for preventive interventions to reduce fall risk among patients with type 2 diabetes and possible DPN.