bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dysregulation of immune cell and cytokine signalling correlates with clinical outcomes in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
Authors: Chee Lynette , Ritchie David , Ludford‐Menting Mandy , Ripley Jane , Chung Jessica , Park Daniel , Norton Sam , Kenealy Melita , Koldej Rachel 
Published: December 2021

AbstractObjectivesMyelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are characterised by ineffective haematopoiesis. Although hypomethylating agents (HMA) have improved survival in higher‐risk MDS, most patients eventually succumb to progressive disease. Utilising samples collected prospectively from three MDS clinical trials, we analysed genetic and immunological biomarkers and correlated them with clinical outcomes.MethodsA hundred and fifty four samples were analysed from 133 de novo MDS patients for T‐cell and myeloid cell immunophenotyping and gene expression analysis. Treatments were with HMA or immunomodulatory drug (IMiD) alone or in combination.ResultsWe observed differences in immune cell subsets between lower‐ and higher‐risk IPSS groups with NKT cells, MDSCs, intermediate‐proinflammatory and non‐classical monocytes being higher in the latter group, while naïve CD4+ T cells were reduced. Intermediate‐proinflammatory monocytes were increased in non‐responders and those failing to achieve at least a haematological improvement. Proinflammatory NKT cells were increased at diagnosis for patients failing to derive clinical benefit after 12 months of treatment. Gene expression analysis of paired bone marrow (BM) colony‐forming units (CFUs) from diagnosis and 4 cycles post‐treatment confirmed that genes involved in cytokine signalling were downregulated in C4 normal colonies.ConclusionsThese findings support the central roles of dysregulation in innate immunity and inflammatory signalling in the pathogenesis of MDS which correlated with clinical outcomes post‐treatment.
Successful predatory‐avoidance behaviour to lion auditory cues during soft‐release from captivity in cheetah
Authors: Wemer Nynke , Naude Vincent N. , van der Merwe Vincent C. , Smit Marna , de Lange Gerhard , Komdeur Jan 
Published: December 2021

AbstractDue to global biodiversity declines, conservation programmes have increasingly had to consider reintroducing captive animals into the wild. However, reintroductions often fail as captive individuals may be naïve to predators and do not recognise or respond appropriately to predatory cues, contributing to high mortality rates soon after release. This study evaluates differences in predator‐response behaviours between individuals from three experimental groups, a captive population (n = 13), a semi‐wild population (i.e. raised in captivity and successfully released; n = 6) and a wild population (n = 2) of cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) to an artificially simulated auditory threat of lions (Panthera leo), a larger, natural predator in South Africa. Such comparisons improve our understanding of differences between captive and wild behaviours and provide an aspect to evaluating the relative success of reintroduction programmes. Changes in the proximal distance, the latency of approach and hesitation towards both control (African bush cricket, Acanthoplus discoidalis) and treatment (lion) auditory cues were observed for 29 cheetah from captive, semi‐wild and wild populations in at least three trial replicates each. Overall, captive individuals consistently displayed poor predatory‐response behaviours, approaching the treatment as often as the control, as well as spending more time near the stimulus (<10 m) and hesitating more often than semi‐wild cheetah, which could distinguish between the control and treatment, consistently fleeing from the latter with little hesitation. Repeatability analyses indicated that these behavioural responses to predatory cues could not be explained by individual personality and between‐trial learning comparisons showed no evidence of habituation. Our findings demonstrate how a priori testing for predator naïvety could inform future introductory decisions and thereby increase post‐release survival rates, significantly improving the efficacy of reintroduction strategies. We, therefore, emphasise the importance of such research and screening in highly threatened species, such as cheetah, where reintroduction from captivity has become a necessary consideration.
Peri‐ictal and non‐seizure EEG event detection using generated metadata
Authors: Handa Palak , Goel Nidhi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractLack of open access, seizure specific database has hindered the development of Automated Seizure Detection System (ASDS) along with state‐of‐the‐art feature selection and classification methods. Available databases contain noise, artefacts, different length & time EEG segments, associated comorbidities, clinical settings, and epilepsy/seizure types etc. Pre‐processing of such continuous EEG segments requires significant amount of time and may feed redundant information (with reference to a seizure event) to the classification model leading to inaccurate, real‐time seizure event detection systems. Hence, this paper proposes a metadata generation of large EEG databases (here, CHB‐MIT EEG scalp database v.1.0.0) for ASDS. We elucidate the need to generate seizure sensitive data through peri‐ictal and non‐seizure EEG segments. This paper performs multi‐variate analysis and two class (non‐seizure and seizure event) classification between these fixed length and time EEG segments from support vector machine (SVM) and k‐NN classifier. We thoroughly analysed the variation and dependence of different kernels, cost function, gamma, and degree for SVM based pipeline. The proposed pipeline has been compared with state‐of‐the‐art pipelines and has achieved good classification score. Such methods will help in development of generalised approach toward handling large EEG databases and machine learning applications for seizure detection and prediction.
Accountants’ postures under compulsory digital transformation imposed by government oversight authorities
Authors: Lino André Feliciano , Aquino André Carlos Busanelli de , Neves Fabricio Ramos 
Published: December 2021

AbstractGovernments are becoming digital; however, a shift toward digital transformation may not always occur voluntarily. For example, despite their willingness or skills, local government accountants are usually forced to adopt a digital innovation to comply with requirements from top‐down public financial management reforms—a typical case of compulsory digital transformation. We observe local government accountants’ attitudes toward compulsory digital transformation and their effects on the comprehensiveness of the digital transformation linked to accounting reforms in place. We empirically analyzed the public financial management oversight function in Brazil, in which digitalization requires local government accountants to report financial information to external authorities via computerized tools. Relying on interviews and an open‐ended survey with local government accountants, our findings revealed how Brazilian government accountants deal with compulsory digital transformation in the context of task overload. Most of the accountants present a resigned posture in which they opt to comply with the oversight authorities’ deadlines at the expense of reductions in the reported data's accuracy. However, other accountants assume a visionary posture by adopting a transformative attitude and turning the mandatory digital transformation to their advantage to favor a broader reformist agenda. The implications of such a scenario are discussed.
Darwin’s preadaptation hypothesis and the phylogenetic structure of native and alien regional plant assemblages across North America
Authors: Qian Hong , Sandel Brody 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAimStudies focusing on relatively small spatial scales have shown that alien plants are more likely to invade phylogenetically clustered communities, and that the introduction of alien plants further increases phylogenetic clustering in the recipient communities. However, whether these patterns hold at a continental scale remains untested. Here, we investigate the phylogenetic structure of native and alien regional assemblages of angiosperms across North America.LocationNorth America north of Mexico.Time periodCurrent.Major taxon studiedAngiosperms (flowering plants).MethodsWe divided North America into 65 regions across two longitudinal zones, and collated native and naturalized alien species lists of angiosperms for each region. Two phylogenetic metrics, which represent different evolutionary depths, were used to quantify phylogenetic structure of angiosperms as a whole and each major clade in each region, and were related to temperature and precipitation using correlation analyses.ResultsWe found that alien angiosperm richness is highest in regions with diverse and phylogenetically dispersed native floras. The introduction of alien species nearly uniformly increases phylogenetic clustering.Main conclusionsAlien species are generally from the same major clades as native species, consistent with Darwin’s preadaptation hypothesis. The results of this study are consistent across a wide range of phylogenetic extents, but not always with analyses conducted at smaller spatial extents.
Deaths of despair and the social geographies of health denial
Authors: DeVerteuil Geoffrey 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe aim of this article is to articulate and translate the key points emerging from Case and Deaton's (2020) provocation on “deaths of despair” in the United States, to an audience concerned with the social geography of health and health denial. According to the authors, the recent waning life expectancy in the United States is mostly due to an unprecedented increase in deaths among middle‐aged Whites in rural areas, due to suicide, alcohol and especially drug overdoses, set within the larger context of gradual societal breakdown. While largely implicit in the book, I explicitly connect this phenomenon to debates in social geography around the role of place, violence and inequality in the systemic production of health denial, bringing out embedded political, geographical and sociological arguments. Finally, I propose a research agenda that takes into account other versions of deaths of despair that share the same underlying patterns of health denial.
Negotiating masculinities in times of crisis: On the COVID frontline in Pakistan
Authors: Chaudhry Amna , Amis John 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThis study provides a detailed analysis of the ways in which male Pakistani civil servants negotiated their masculinity while working as frontline workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We show how these men, in high‐pressure work environments, invoked multiple hegemonic and non‐hegemonic manifestations of masculinities as they experienced extreme stress. We contribute to the existing hegemonic masculinity literature by illuminating the ways in which different types of masculinities can be performed, embodied, and disrupted in high‐stress situations. We also explore the processes by which these different types of masculinities are negotiated in a Global South context allowing us to examine how masculinity is contested in a context with particular cultural and societal norms and expectations.
Effect of nurse‐led interventions on patient outcomes in patients with prostate cancer: A systematic review
Authors: Çolak Sevgi , Vural Fatma 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWhen prostate cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the survival rate is high with the effect of the treatment methods applied. However, because its treatment is a long and difficult process, patients experience many problems. Although nursing interventions are important in the management of these problems, there are few studies in this area. The aim of this study is to summarize the literature on the effect of nurse‐led interventions on patient outcomes in patients with prostate cancer. The literature review was conducted within the framework of the PRISMA guidelines and PICO. In the study, international studies published between 2005 and 2021 in Medline/PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, Proquest and Scopus databases and accessible with the keywords “nurse‐led interventions, prostate cancer, patient outcomes” were reviewed. As a result of the review of 56 studies, four articles that met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Nurse‐led practices in patients with prostate cancer are as follows: nurse‐led psycho‐educational intervention, nurse‐led group and one individual consultation and nurse‐led algorithm‐based treatment. It was determined that these interventions made by the nurse were effective on health‐related quality of life, emotional and psychological symptoms, anxiety, depressive symptoms and cancer‐related anxieties. Evidence for nurse‐led interventions in prostate cancer patients is limited. More randomized controlled studies are needed to eliminate the lack of knowledge on this subject and to create quality evidence for practice. Individual nurse‐led interventions are more beneficial in patients with prostate cancer.
Comparison of the presence and absence of an intervention to reduce hand stereotypies in individuals with Rett syndrome
Authors: Hirano Daisuke , Goto Yoshinobu , Shoji Hiroaki , Taniguchi Takamichi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundWe investigated how many individuals with Rett syndrome were undergoing interventions to reduce stereotypic hand movements and the factors determining the presence or absence of an intervention.MethodA questionnaire was sent to 194 families. Each survey item was compared between the intervention and non‐intervention groups according to the presence or absence of interventions to reduce hand stereotypies.ResultsInformation was acquired from 72 cases; 72.1% of individuals had received an intervention to reduce stereotypies at some point in their lives. An upper limb splint was the most common intervention. Age, locomotor and reaching function, diagnostic age, frequency and type of stereotypy, joint contractures and stereotypy‐associated problems separated the presence or absence of a current or past intervention.ConclusionsInterventions for stereotypy‐associated problems are important and there are several variables related to whether an intervention is received.
The thoughts of parents to vaccinate their children against COVID‐19: An assessment of situations that may affect them
Authors: Çelik Melike Y. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIntroductionThis study examined what affects parents' thoughts about vaccinating their children. We explored whether parents' attitudes towards the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccine and their perception of control of COVID‐19 were related to their thoughts about vaccinating their children.MethodsThe sample of this descriptive study consisted of parents (n = 274) with children between the ages of 0–12. To collect data on parents’ thoughts and opinions participants completed the Attitudes Towards COVID‐19 Vaccine Scale and the Perception of Control of COVID‐19 Scale.ResultsParents' thoughts about having their children vaccinated were related to a number of children, gender, education status, employment status, death of a relative due to COVID‐19, and fear of taking their child to a hospital due to fear of COVID‐19. There was a statistically significant relationship between the parents' thought of vaccinating their children against COVID‐19 and the mean scores of the Attitudes Toward the COVID‐19 Vaccine Scale and the Perception of Control of COVID‐19 Scale.ConclusionIt was surprising that parents with a high education level and working parents had negative thoughts about getting their children vaccinated against COVID‐19. In addition, parents' attitudes towards COVID‐19 vaccine and their perceptions of COVID‐19 control were related to parents' thoughts on getting their children vaccinated.
Mechanisms underlying legume–rhizobium symbioses
Authors: Yang Jun , Lan Liying , Jin Yue , Yu Nan , Wang Dong , Wang Ertao 
Published: December 2021

AbstractLegumes, unlike most land plants, can form symbiotic root nodules with nitrogen‐fixing bacteria to secure nitrogen for growth. The formation of nitrogen‐fixing nodules on legume roots requires the coordination of rhizobial infection at the root epidermis with cell division in the cortex. The nodules house the nitrogen‐fixing rhizobia in organelle‐like structures known as symbiosomes, which enable nitrogen fixation and facilitate the exchange of metabolites between the host and symbionts. In addition to this beneficial interaction, legumes are continuously exposed to would‐be pathogenic microbes; therefore the ability to discriminate pathogens from symbionts is a major determinant of plant survival under natural conditions. Here, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of root nodule symbiosis signaling, transcriptional regulation, and regulation of plant immunity during legume–rhizobium symbiosis. In addition, we propose several important questions to be addressed and provide insights into the potential for engineering the capacity to fix nitrogen in legume and non‐legume plants.
Is It Safe to Reuse Healing Abutments? An Experimental Study on IL‐1β and TNF‐α Cytokine Levels in Peri‐Implant Crevicular Fluid
Authors: Lashkarizadeh Nazila , Foroudisefat Mehrnaz , Abyari Sina , Mohammadi Mohammad , Lashkarizadeh Lida 
Published: December 2021

AbstractPurposeTo compare pro‐inflammatory cytokine levels in the peri‐implant crevicular fluid (PICF) in unused and reused healing abutments.Materials and methodsThis study was a controlled randomized, double‐blind clinical trial. Seventy‐two patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided into two groups. After one‐stage implant placement, in group A, an unused healing abutment, and in group B, a reused healing abutment, was connected to the implant fixture. After 2 months, clinical measurements for keratinized gingiva (KG), plaque index (PI), and bleeding index (BI) (Ainamo and Bay) were taken, and PICF sampling was performed to evaluate pro‐inflammatory IL‐1β and TNF‐α cytokine levels using the ELISA test. Comparison of clinical measurements and cytokine levels between the two study groups was made using the Mann‐Whitney test.ResultClinical measurements and sampling were performed on 60 patients (nA = 27, nB = 33). There was no significant difference between the two groups in clinical measurements (BI (p = 0.96) and PI (p = 0.06)) or TNF‐α (p = 0.63), and IL‐1β (p = 0.26) cytokine levels.ConclusionReused healing abutments that are cleaned and sterilized properly do not appear to induce further peri‐implant pro‐inflammatory response; therefore, they can be utilized temporarily until implant abutment insertion.
Religion and Charitable Donations: Experimental Evidence from Africa
Authors: Doces John A. , Goldberg Jack , Wolaver Amy 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWe hypothesize that there are two mechanisms by which religion can affect prosocial behaviors. Being reminded about religion can induce prosocial behaviors through an external, triggering effect. The underlying beliefs can have an effect through internal mechanisms. To untangle these competing effects, a lab‐in‐the‐field experiment was conducted in West Africa in which we asked people participating in a survey if they would like to donate their participation fee to a local charity. We randomly assigned respondents a question asking about belief in heaven and hell. We also vary the donation price to test whether there are limits on the prosocial behaviors. We find that the trigger has no effect on the decision to donate, but that belief in heaven/hell has a positive, large, statistically significant effect on the likelihood of donations. Religious belief does encourage prosocial behavior but those effects dissipate as the opportunity cost of giving increases.
Determination of key residues in tospoviral NSm required for Sw‐5b recognition, their potential ability to overcome resistance, and the effective resistance provided by improved Sw‐5b mutants
Authors: Huang Haining , Zuo Chongkun , Zhao Yaqian , Huang Shen , Wang Tongkai , Zhu Min , Li Jia , Tao Xiaorong 
Published: December 2021

AbstractSw‐5b is an effective resistance gene used widely in tomato to control tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), which causes severe losses in crops worldwide. Sw‐5b confers resistance by recognizing a 21‐amino‐acid peptide region of the viral movement protein NSm (NSm21, amino acids 115–135). However, C118Y or T120N mutation within this peptide region of NSm has given rise to field resistance‐breaking (RB) TSWV isolates. To investigate the potential ability of TSWV to break Sw‐5b‐mediated resistance, we mutagenized each amino acid on NSm21 and determined which amino acid mutations would evade Sw‐5b recognition. Among all alanine‐scan mutants, NSmP119A, NSmW121A, NSmD122A, NSmR124A, and NSmQ126A failed to induce a hypersensitive response (HR) when coexpressed with Sw‐5b in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. TSWV with the NSmP119A, NSmW121A, or NSmQ126A mutation was defective in viral cell‐to‐cell movement and systemic infection, while TSWV carrying the NSmD122A or NSmR124A mutation was not only able to infect wild‐type N. benthamiana plants systemically but also able to break Sw‐5b‐mediated resistance and establish systemic infection on Sw‐5b‐transgenic N. benthamiana plants. Two improved mutants, Sw‐5bL33P/K319E/R927A and Sw‐5bL33P/K319E/R927Q, which we recently engineered and which provide effective resistance against field RB isolates carrying NSmC118Y or NSmT120N mutations, recognized all NSm21 alanine‐substitution mutants and conferred effective resistance against new experimental RB TSWV with the NSmD122A or NSmR124A mutation. Collectively, we determined the key residues of NSm for Sw‐5b recognition, investigated their potential RB ability, and demonstrated that the improved Sw‐5b mutants could provide effective resistance to both field and potential RB TSWV isolates.
Reducing the viral load of SARS‐CoV‐2 in the saliva of patients with COVID‐19
Authors: Guimarães Taísa Coelho , Marques Barbara Bruno Fagundes , Castro Marcelle Viana de , Secco Daniele Angst , Porto Luís Cristóvão Moraes Sobrino , Tinoco Justine Monteiro Monnerat , Tinoco Eduardo Muniz Barretto , Fletcher Paul , Fischer Ricardo Guimarães 
Published: December 2021

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the reduction in the salivary viral load using oral antiseptic mouthwashes in patients testing positive for COVID‐19.MethodsSixty‐three individuals were recruited after testing positive for COVID‐19 by real‐time RT‐PCR assay and divided into 5 groups. Group 1 received sterile water, group 2 received 1.5% hydrogen peroxide solution (HP), group 3 received 0.12% chlorhexidine (CHX), group 4 received 0.1% sodium hypochlorite solution (NaClO), and group 5 received sequential rinses using CHX and HP. After collecting the initial saliva sample, individuals were asked to use the designated mouthwash for 1 min. Additional saliva samples were collected immediately after rinsing, 15, and 30 min after rinsing. Real‐time RT‐PCR assays for RNA detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 were performed on the saliva samples.ResultsThere were no significant differences among the experimental groups and the control group in any period. Compared to the baseline values, there was a significant reduction in the number of copies of SARS‐CoV‐2 after 30 min in group 2 and immediately after the initial mouthwash in group 4.ConclusionsNo experimental group demonstrated a significant reduction in the viral load compared to the control group.