bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prophylactic Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin Versus Unfractionated Heparin in Spine Surgery (PLUSS): A Pilot Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Macki Mohamed , Haddad Yazeed , Suryadevara Raviteja , Dabaja Abed Latif , Chedid Mokbel , Chang Victor ,   PLUSS Investigators
Published: September 2021

BACKGROUND

Despite a proven superior efficacy of prophylactic low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) over unfractionated heparin (UFH) in the majority of surgical specialties, chemoprophylactic techniques after spine surgery have not been established because of the fear of epidural hematomas with LMWH.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the efficacy of LMWH vs UFH in the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) events, balanced against the risk of epidural hematoma.

METHODS

This is the first matched cohort design that directly compares prophylactic LMWH to UFH after spine surgery for degenerative/deformity pathologies at a tertiary academic center. Prospectively collected patients receiving prophylactic LMWH and a historical cohort of patients receiving prophylactic UFH (prior to 2017) were matched in 1:1 ratio based on age ±5 yr, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, location in the spinal column, and type of surgery.

RESULTS

Of 562 patients, VTE events equaled 1.4% (n = 8): 1.4% (n = 4) with LMWH was exactly equal to 1.4% (n = 4) with UFH. Epidural hematomas reached 0.8% (n = 5): 1.4% (n = 4) with UFH vs 0.3% (n = 1) with the LMWH (P = .178). Utilizing adjusted odds ratio (ORadj), the type of chemoprophylaxis after spine surgery failed to predict VTE events. Similarly, the chemoprophylactic technique failed to predict epidural hematoma in the multivariable regression analysis, although UFH trended toward a higher complication rate (ORadj = 3.15 [0.48-20.35], P = .227).

CONCLUSION

Chemoprophylactic patterns failed to predict VTE. Although no differences in epidural hematoma rates were detected, our analysis does highlight a trend toward a safer profile with LMWH vs UFH. LMWH may be a safe alternative to UFH in spine surgery.
Flow Diversion for Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms: An International Cohort Study
Authors: Diestro Jose Danilo Bengzon , Adeeb Nimer , Dibas Mahmoud , Boisseau William , Harker Pablo , Brinjikji Waleed , Xiang Sishi , Joyce Evan , Shapiro Maksim , Raz Eytan , Parra-Farinas Carmen , Pickett Gwynedd , Alotaibi Naif M , Regenhardt Robert W , Bernstock Joshua D , Spears Julian , Griessenauer Christoph J , Burkhardt Jan-Karl , Hafeez Muhammad U , Kan Peter , Grandhi Ramesh , Taussky Philipp , Nossek Erez , Hong Tao , Zhang Hongqi , Rinaldo Lorenzo , Lanzino Giuseppe , Stapleton Christopher J , Rabinov James D , Patel Aman B , Marotta Thomas R , Roy Daniel , Dmytriw Adam A
Published: September 2021

BACKGROUND

Open surgery has traditionally been preferred for the management of bifurcation middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms. Flow diverting stents present a novel endovascular strategy for aneurysm treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To add to the limited literature describing the outcomes and complications in the use of flow diverters for the treatment of these complex aneurysms.

METHODS

This is a multicenter retrospective review of MCA bifurcation aneurysms undergoing flow diversion. We assessed post-treatment radiological outcomes and both thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications.

RESULTS

We reviewed the outcomes of 54 aneurysms treated with flow diversion. Four (7.4%) of the aneurysms had a history of rupture (3 remote and 1 acute). Fourteen (25.9%) of the aneurysms already underwent either open surgery or coiling prior to flow diversion. A total of 36 out of the 45 aneurysms (80%) with available follow-up data had adequate aneurysm occlusion with a median follow-up time of 12 mo. There were no hemorrhagic complications but 16.7% (9/54) had thromboembolic complications.

CONCLUSION

Flow diverting stents may be a viable option for the endovascular treatment of complex bifurcation MCA aneurysms. However, compared to published series on the open surgical treatment of this subset of aneurysms, flow diversion has inferior outcomes and are associated with a higher rate of complications.
Grains – a major source of sustainable protein for health
Authors: Poutanen Kaisa S , Kårlund Anna O , Gómez-Gallego Carlos , Johansson Daniel P , Scheers Nathalie M , Marklinder Ingela M , Eriksen Anne K , Silventoinen Pia C , Nordlund Emilia , Sozer Nesli , Hanhineva Kati J , Kolehmainen Marjukka , Landberg Rikard
Published: September 2021

Cereal grains are the main dietary source of energy, carbohydrates, and plant proteins world-wide. Currently, only 41% of grains are used for human consumption, and up to 35% are used for animal feed. Cereals have been overlooked as a source of environmentally sustainable and healthy plant proteins and could play a major role in transitioning towards a more sustainable food system for healthy diets. Cereal plant proteins are of good nutritional quality, but lysine is often the limiting amino acid. When consumed as whole grains, cereals provide health-protecting components such as dietary fiber and phytochemicals. Shifting grain use from feed to traditional foods and conceptually new foods and ingredients could improve protein security and alleviate climate change. Rapid development of new grain-based food ingredients and use of grains in new food contexts, such as dairy replacements and meat analogues, could accelerate the transition. This review discusses recent developments and outlines future perspectives for cereal grain use.
Sleepiness and safety at work among night shift NHS nurses
Authors: Westwell A , Cocco P , Van Tongeren M , Murphy E
Published: September 2021

Background

Sleepiness associated with night shift working (NSW) is known to adversely affect workers’ health and well-being. It has been associated with adverse safety outcomes and is a recognized workplace hazard among healthcare workers.

Aims

This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of self-reported sleepiness in NSW nurses and midwives. This study also explored the consequences of sleepiness on safety at work and driving.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of NSW nurses and midwives was conducted at an National Health Service (NHS) hospital trust from 16 March 2020 to 1 June 2020. Data were collected by online questionnaire and included information on demographics, shift work and safety aspects. Sleepiness was assessed with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).

Results

Data collection coincided with the first coronavirus pandemic peak in England. Out of 1985 eligible NSW nurses and midwives, 229 participated in the study, with a response rate of 12%. The prevalence of sleepiness was 28%. Following a night shift, 49% of nurses reported nodding off at the wheel and 44% reported a near-miss car accident in past 12 months. An abnormal ESS score was significantly associated with near-miss car accidents (odds ratio [OR] 2.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31–5.77) and with low confidence in undertaking complex tasks at night (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.20–5.84).

Conclusions

More than a quarter of NSW nurses and midwives reported excessive daytime sleepiness although, due to the low response rate, this may not be representative. Adverse driving events were common. Elevated ESS scores correlated well with safety issues relating to work and driving.
Wealth concentration in the USA using an expanded measure of net worth
Authors: Jacobs Lindsay , Llanes Elizabeth , Moore Kevin , Thompson Jeffrey , Volz Alice Henriques
Published: September 2021

Defined benefit (DB) pensions and Social Security are important resources for financing retirement in the USA. However, these illiquid, nonmarket forms of wealth are typically excluded from measures of net worth. To the extent that these broadly held resources substitute for savings, measures of wealth inequality that do not account for DB pensions and Social Security may be overstated. This article develops an alternative, expanded wealth concept, augmenting net worth data from the Survey of Consumer Finances with estimates of DB pension and expected Social Security wealth. We explore the concentration of wealth among households ages 40–59 and find that (i) including DB pension and Social Security results in markedly lower measures of wealth concentration and (ii) trends toward higher wealth inequality over time, while moderated, are still present. Simulation exercises show that reductions in Social Security benefits significantly increase wealth concentration for the youngest birth-year cohorts.
Marbled Murrelets prefer stratified waters close to freshwater inputs in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Pastran Sonya A , Drever Mark C , Lank David B
Published: September 2021

The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is a small seabird that is currently listed as threatened in Canada. Understanding this species’ marine habitat preferences plays a vital role in our ability to focus conservation planning. We used the longest-running at-sea survey dataset available in British Columbia to examine hotspot persistence and habitat use at Laskeek Bay, Haida Gwaii, BC. The Laskeek Bay Conservation Society has been conducting spring and summer surveys along fixed transect routes in open and shoreline waters from 1997 to 2018. Along with analyzing this long-term dataset, we conducted surveys to measure oceanographic variables (2018–2019) and tested whether Marbled Murrelets in the same area used prey and oceanographic information to select marine habitat in conjunction with physical habitat features. Our hotspot persistence map, defined as areas that repeatedly had counts above a 75% threshold relative to other areas during a given survey, showed that murrelets consistently preferred shoreline transects. Murrelets also preferred shallow marine areas closer to streams, above higher proportions of sandy substrate and closer proximity to abundant nesting habitat. Modeling weather and time variables contributed little additional predictive power. Nonetheless, models that included physical environmental, oceanographic, and prey variables outperformed those with only physical environmental variables. Stratified water was the oceanographic variable most strongly related to higher counts. Our study suggests that stratified waters could work with stream systems to create productive zones for foraging murrelets, and highlights the importance of murrelets having access to marine areas with the preferred physical features.
Capitalism: what has gone wrong? how can it be fixed?
Authors: Levi Margaret
Published: September 2021

The neo-liberal variant of capitalist political economy is a problematic model of the economy no longer in sync with advances in technology, industry, or social science. The solution is institutional and governmental redesign that pays attention to issues of equity, flourishing, democracy, and the power of the relevant participants.
High-energy gamma-rays and neutrons observed in very impulsive solar flare on 2012 June 3
Authors: Kamiya Kohki , Koga Kiyokazu , Masuda Satoshi , Matsumoto Haruhisa , Muraki Yasushi , Okudaira Osamu , Shibata Shoichi , Tajima Hiroyasu , Tanaka Yasuyuki , Yamamoto Tokonatu , Watanabe Kyoko
Published: September 2021

An impulsive solar flare was observed on 2012 June 3 by the Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite. In this flare, a salient feature was recognized whereby high-energy ions were accelerated to a few GeV within one minute. Associated with this flare, high-energy gamma-rays as well as high-energy neutrons were detected by the Space Environment Data Acquisition equipment onboard the International Space Station. A remarkable feature found of this event was an exceedingly high n$/$γ-ratio observed between the intensities of high-energy neutrons and gamma-rays. To understand a high n$/$γ-ratio of about 600, the interaction processes between the accelerated ions and ambient solar atmosphere were simulated for various test cases, taking into account the magnetic field of the photosphere. The simulation was extended by using the GEANT4 code and it was shown that the observed results could be reproduced under certain conditions selected for the actual interaction process. The results suggest that helium and C, N, and O ions were predominantly accelerated in this flare, and that high-energy gamma-rays and neutrons were produced by interactions between the accelerated ions and the ambient gas. As a result, a high n$/$γ-ratio was produced.
Revolutionary Decolonization and the Formation of the Sacred: The Case of Egypt
Authors: Di-Capua Yoav
Published: September 2021

Egypt’s successful struggle over ownership of the Suez Canal under President Gamal ʿAbd al-Nasser in 1956 is usually seen as pivotal in the history of decolonization. Scholars have written about how the Suez War brought many of the classical themes of decolonization into focus, such as sovereignty over natural resources, the hegemony of the new Cold War order, the rise of popular anti-colonial nationalism and the international politics of development. But what about freedom? Freedom is both a political and a theological concept. Scholars of decolonization have dealt with its political aspects, but they have yet to make sense of the theological, wherein the struggle for freedom results in the sacralization of the political sphere. Conceived as a deep study of freedom during decolonization, this article engages the field of political theology to examine how an organization of the politics of liberation that was founded on the imagination of the sacred became an article of faith that shaped everyday life for millions of people around the Arab world and the Global South.
The Tethyan Himalaya Igneous Province: Early Melting Products of the Kerguelen Mantle Plume
Authors: Chen Sheng-Sheng , Fan Wei-Ming , Shi Ren-Deng , Xu Ji-Feng , Liu Yong-Min
Published: September 2021

The Kerguelen large igneous province (LIP) has been related to mantle plume activity since at least 120 Ma. There are some older (147–130 Ma) magmatic provinces on circum-eastern Gondwana, but the relationship between these provinces and the Kerguelen mantle plume remains controversial. Here we present petrological, geochronological, geochemical, and Sr–Nd–Hf–Pb–Os isotopic data for high-Ti mafic rocks from two localities (Cuona and Jiangzi) in the eastern Tethyan Himalaya igneous province (147–130 Ma). Zircon grains from these two localities yielded concordant weighted mean 206Pb/238U ages of 137.25 ± 0.98 Ma and 131.28 ± 0.78 Ma (2σ), respectively. The analyzed mafic rocks are enriched in high field strength elements and have positive Nb–Ta anomalies relative to Th and La, which have ocean island basalt-like characteristics. The Cuona basalts were generated by low degrees of melting (3–5 %) of garnet lherzolites (3–5 vol% garnet), and elsewhere the Jiangzi diabases were formed by relatively lower degrees of melting (1–3%) of garnet lherzolite (1–5 vol% garnet). The highly radiogenic Os and Pb isotopic compositions of the Jiangzi diabases were produced by crustal contamination, but the Cuona basalts experienced the least crustal contamination given their relatively low γOs(t), 206Pb/204Pbi, 207Pb/204Pbi, and 208Pb/204Pbi values. Major and trace element geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf–Pb–Os isotope data for the Cuona basalts are similar to those for products of the Kerguelen mantle plume head. Together with high mantle potential temperatures (>1500 °C), this suggests that the eastern Tethyan Himalaya igneous province (147–130 Ma) was an early magmatic product of the Kerguelen plume. A mantle plume initiation model can explain the temporal and spatial evolution of the Kerguelen LIP, and pre-continental breakup played a role in the breakup of eastern Gondwana, given the >10 Myr between initial mantle plume activity (147–130 Ma) and continental breakup (132–130 Ma). Like studies of Re–Os isotopes in other LIPs, the increasing amount of crustal assimilation with distance from the plume stem can explain the variations in radiogenic Os.
Phase Equilibrium and Trace-Element Modeling of the Partial Melting of Basaltic Rocks under Low Pressure: Implications for Plagiogranite Generation
Authors: Xu Xiao-Fei , Gou Long-Long , Long Xiao-Ping , Zhao Yu-Hang , Zhou Feng
Published: September 2021

Phase equilibria and trace-element modeling using two previously reported basaltic bulk-rock compositions (samples D11 and 104-16), were carried out in this study, in order to better understand mechanism of low-pressure (LP) partial melting of mafic rocks and associated melt compositions. The T–MH2O pseudosections for both samples at three pressures (i.e. 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 kbar) display that the H2O-stability field gradually increased with decreasing pressure within the T–MH2O range of 600–1100°C and 0–12 mol.%. The H2O contents of 10, 5.0, and 0.5 mol.% were selected on the basis of the T–MH2O pseudosections to calculate Pressure–Temperature (P–T) pseudosections over a P–T window of 0.1–3 kbar and 600–1100°C, so that the reactions of both the H2O-fluxed and -absent meltings at LP conditions can be investigated. The solidus displays a negative or near-vertical P–T slope, and occurs between 710 and 900°C at pressure between 0.1 and 3.0 kbar. LP melting of metabasites is attributed to the reactions of the hydrous mineral (hornblende and/or biotite) melting and anhydrous mineral (plagioclase, orthopyroxene, and augite) melting. The hydrous mineral melting is gradually replaced by anhydrous mineral melting as pressure decreasing, as the stability of hornblende decreases with falling pressure. With increasing temperature at a given pressure, the modeled melt compositions are expressed as progressions of the granite-granodiorite-gabbroic diorite fields for sample D11and granite-quartz monzonite-monzonite-gabbroic diorite fields for sample 104-16 on the total alkali–silica diagram. The modeled melts produced through the H2O-fluxed melting display higher Al2O3, CaO, MgO, and lower SiO2 and K2O than those formed by H2O-absent melting at the same P–T conditions. Furthermore, the modeled melts formed by H2O-absent melting, become richer in Al2O3, CaO, MgO, FeO, Na2O, but poorer in SiO2 and K2O as increasing water content. The results of trace-element modeling suggest that the nearly flat rare earth elements (REE) patterns of modeled bulk-rock composition are inherited by all the modeled melts, and the negative Eu anomalies and Sr depletion of the modeled melts gradually decrease as melting degree increases. Combined with the geochemical characteristics of natural oceanic plagiogranites, which have low K2O contents and flat or slightly light rare earth (LREE)-depleted REE patterns, our results imply that a bulk-rock composition with low K2O (<0.17 wt.%) and slightly LREEs depletion is the most likely protolith composition (e.g. basalt D11) for plagiogranites, and the compositions of modeled melts formed by LP H2O-absent partial melting of the basalt D11 at relatively high temperatures (1000–1025°C) are coincident with those of 1256D tonalites.
Cycling in a crowd: Coordination of plant cell division, growth, and cell fate
Authors: Sablowski Robert , Gutierrez Crisanto
Published: September 2021

The reiterative organogenesis that drives plant growth relies on the constant production of new cells, which remain encased by interconnected cell walls. For these reasons, plant morphogenesis strictly depends on the rate and orientation of both cell division and cell growth. Important progress has been made in recent years in understanding how cell cycle progression and the orientation of cell divisions are coordinated with cell and organ growth and with the acquisition of specialized cell fates. We review basic concepts and players in plant cell cycle and division, and then focus on their links to growth-related cues, such as metabolic state, cell size, cell geometry, and cell mechanics, and on how cell cycle progression and cell division are linked to specific cell fates. The retinoblastoma pathway has emerged as a major player in the coordination of the cell cycle with both growth and cell identity, while microtubule dynamics are central in the coordination of oriented cell divisions. Future challenges include clarifying feedbacks between growth and cell cycle progression, revealing the molecular basis of cell division orientation in response to mechanical and chemical signals, and probing the links between cell fate changes and chromatin dynamics during the cell cycle.
SnRK1 stimulates the histone H3K27me3 demethylase JMJ705 to regulate a transcriptional switch to control energy homeostasis
Authors: Wang Wentao , Lu Yue , Li Junjie , Zhang Xinran , Hu Fangfang , Zhao Yu , Zhou Dao-Xiu
Published: September 2021

Plant SNF1-Related Kinase1 (SnRK1) is an evolutionarily conserved energy-sensing protein kinase that orchestrates transcriptional networks to maintain cellular energy homeostasis when energy supplies become limited. However, the mechanism by which SnRK1 regulates this gene expression switch to gauge cellular energy status remains largely unclear. In this work, we show that the rice histone H3K27me3 demethylase JMJ705 is required for low energy stress tolerance in rice plants. The genetic inactivation of JMJ705 resulted in similar effects as those of the rice snrk1 mutant on the transcriptome, which impairs not only the promotion of the low energy stress-triggered transcriptional program but also the repression of the program under an energy-sufficient state. We show that the α-subunit of OsSnRK1 interacts with and phosphorylates JMJ705 to stimulate its H3K27me3 demethylase activity. Further analysis revealed that JMJ705 directly targets a set of low energy stress-responsive transcription factor genes. These results uncover the chromatin mechanism of SnRK1-regulated gene expression in both energy-sufficient and -limited states in plants and suggest that JMJ705 functions as an upstream regulator of the SnRK1α-controlled transcriptional network.
Explaining Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Chinese Police Officers
Authors: Wu Yuning , Sun Ivan Y , Ivkovich Sanja Kutnjak , Maskaly Jon , Shen Shan , Neyroud Peter
Published: September 2021

Policing can be stressful, especially during public crises such as the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) pandemic. Using survey data from 600 police officers in a large city in West China, this study examines the prevalence of police stress increase during the pandemic’s peak month, compared pre-pandemic, and assesses a range of personal and work-related risk and protective factors of police stress. We found that Chinese officers suffered widespread, increased levels of stress during the peak pandemic month. Sources of police stress primarily came from changes in workloads and fear of contracting COVID-19. Perceived effectiveness of agency protection of officers against the COVID-19 risk, sufficient amount of sleep, and increased family time significantly reduced stress. These results bear important research and policy implications.
Police referrals for domestic abuse before and during the first COVID-19 lockdown: An analysis of routine data from one specialist service in South Wales
Authors: Moore Graham , Buckley Kelly , Howarth Emma , Burn Anne-Marie , Copeland Lauren , Evans Rhiannon , Ware Lisa
Published: September 2021

Background

COVID-19 lockdown measures may have led to more, and increasingly severe, domestic abuse. This study examines police referrals to a specialist domestic abuse service in Wales, UK before and during the first lockdown.

Methods

Routine data relating to 2292 police referrals for female adult victim-survivors from December 2019 until July 2020 were analysed and presented in the form of descriptive statistics to monitor changes in referral rates and the profile of those referrals.

Results

There was little increase in the overall volume of police referrals during lockdown, but the proportion assessed as high risk increased, and children became the primary source of third-party referrals, with a higher proportion of reports made by other third parties as restrictions eased. Police reports for cases of Child/Adolescent to Parent Violence (C/APV) occurred almost exclusively during lockdown.

Conclusions

The increase in risk level despite less clear increase in volume may suggest unmet need, with victims less likely to seek help during lockdown other than for more severe instances. Increased reports by children suggest increased exposure of children to domestic abuse during school closure. Unmet need for women and children may have been made visible to services, and acquaintances, as measures began to ease.
The association between problematic smartphone use and symptoms of anxiety and depression—a meta-analysis
Authors: Augner Christoph , Vlasak Thomas , Aichhorn Wolfgang , Barth Alfred
Published: September 2021

Background

Recent research links problematic smartphone use (PSU) and mental health problems. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the relationship between PSU and symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.

Methods

We searched for research literature published recently in PubMed and Google Scholar via a systematic literature search. Twenty-seven studies published since 2014 with 120 895 participants were included in the meta-analysis.

Results

PSU was moderately but robustly associated with both anxiety, r = 0.29 (95% CI: 0.23–0.35), and depression, r = 0.28 (95% CI: 0.22–0.34), P < 0.001 for both. Homogeneity tests showed significant P-values for anxiety and depression, but without affecting the results. Neither the age of the participants, publication year nor the study quality could explain the heterogeneity. Furthermore, we found no evidence for publication bias, since Egger’s regression test showed no significance for depression (P = 0.21) and anxiety (P = 0.35).

Conclusions

Our study shows that PSU can be viewed as an indicator of symptoms of anxiety and depression and a possible manifestation of these mental health problems in modern society. Furthermore, PSU as a maladaptive coping behavior may contribute by worsening these symptoms. PSU screening should thus become part of standard clinical psychological diagnostic procedures.
Gender inequality is associated with gender differences and women participation in physical activity
Authors: Moreno-Llamas Antonio , García-Mayor Jesús , De la Cruz-Sánchez Ernesto
Published: September 2021

Background

Living standards determine population’s physical activity (PA); however, more women are systemically insufficiently active, suggesting social gender inequality factors. Thus, we assessed the association between gender inequality, PA differences between genders, and total PA.

Methods

We used three independent cross-sectional databases at country-level: PA prevalence (i.e., Active Lifestyle) from the World Health Organization with 1.9 million individuals from 168 countries; daily steps (smartphone registers) of 693 806 people from 46 countries and sport participation in the 2016 Summer Olympics with 11 191 athletes. Gender Inequality Index was used to evaluate aspects surrounding gender equality controlling for overall economic and health status.

Results

Higher gender inequality was associated with gender differences in PA (Active Lifestyle, 0.402, P < 0.001; Steps, 0.542, P < 0.001; Olympic participation, 0.346, P = 0.001). Likewise, lower gender inequality was associated with increased women activity (Active Lifestyle, −0.838, P < 0.001; Steps, −0.81, P < 0.001; Olympic participation, −0.577, P < 0.001), and men activity (Active Lifestyle, −0.453, P < 0.001; Steps, −0.461, P = 0.002).

Conclusions

Lower women PA levels could be influenced by gender inequality. Public health policies aimed to improve women living conditions which may promote their participation in PA and sport.
Theory of Perturbation of Electrostatic Field by an Anisotropic Dielectric Sphere
Authors: Lakhtakia Akhlesh , Tsitsas Nikolaos L , Alkhoori Hamad M
Published: September 2021

The boundary-value problem for the perturbation of an electric potential by a homogeneous anisotropic dielectric sphere in vacuum was formulated. The total potential in the exterior region was expanded in series of radial polynomials and tesseral harmonics, as is standard for the Laplace equation. A bijective transformation of space was carried out to formulate a series representation of the potential in the interior region. Boundary conditions on the spherical surface were enforced to derive a transition matrix that relates the expansion coefficients of the perturbation potential in the exterior region to those of the source potential. Far from the sphere, the perturbation potential decays as the inverse of the distance squared from the center of the sphere, as confirmed numerically when the source potential is due to either a point charge or a point dipole.
Lucy Hutchinson, John Owen’s Congregation, and the Literary Cultures of Nonconformity
Authors: Gribben Crawford
Published: September 2021

This article advances the reconstruction of the ‘literary culture of nonconformity’ by examining activities of memorializing and collecting within the congregation with which Lucy Hutchinson was associated in the 1670s. This congregation, led by John Owen, retained a distinctive political culture. In spring 1673, its female adherents included the widow and daughter of former members of the Council of State, while the 15 men in membership included one former Lord Chancellor of Ireland, two members of the first Protectorate Parliament, three former Major-Generals, other former officers, several of whom after the Restoration had been imprisoned, as well as a younger man who would be elected to the three Exclusion Parliaments. Their literary work provides a critical context for Hutchinson’s projects in collecting, writing and translating in the 1670s. Throughout this period, and thereafter, congregants kept commonplace books with political, theological and biographical materials, gathered collections of transcriptions of Owen’s sermons, and took notes on his published works, largely independently of one another, while engaging with the broader literary and scientific cultures of the period. This activity paralleled that of Hutchinson, who nevertheless retained a critical distance from the fellowship with which she associated. But the evidence of these commonplace books speaks to the difficulties of the situation of dissent and suggests that some members found the congregation’s religious expectations increasingly difficult to sustain.
Profile of authors publishing in ‘predatory’ journals and causal factors behind their decision: A systematic review
Authors: Mertkan Sefika , Onurkan Aliusta Gulen , Suphi Nilgun
Published: September 2021

Intensified pressure to publish is a hallmark of a rapidly evolving higher education field where the faculty of any hue cannot avoid the ‘publish or perish’ treadmill. Growing need to publish more and to do so fast have resulted in the proliferation of pseudo scholarly publications many regards as ‘predatory’. This article provides a systematic review of research studies on so-called ‘predatory’ publishing, a new but fast-growing area of research, with a particular focus on the awareness of prospective authors about so-called ‘predatory’ publishing, the profile of authors publishing in ‘predatory’ journals and the causal factors encouraging authors to publish in such outlets. It synthetizes the results of research studies on the topic to identify gaps and trends in the existing knowledgebase to guide further research. Results indicate so-called ‘predatory’ articles are authored by scholars from all fields and levels of academic experience rather than by inexperienced scholars only and ‘predatory’ contributions are not limited to developing countries, suggesting geographical location and author experience fail to explain the author profile of ‘predatory’ articles. Findings of this review suggest causal factors include research evaluation policies and publication pressure that emerge from the research environment in which scholars operate authors’ limited capacity to publish in ‘legitimate’ journals and conventions of so-called ‘predatory’ publishers. This indicates meaningful action might address all these factors in combination, rather than focus on them in isolation.
Serum interferon-α2 measured by single-molecule array associates with systemic disease manifestations in Sjögren’s syndrome
Authors: Huijser Erika , Göpfert Jens , Brkic Zana , van Helden-Meeuwsen Cornelia G , Jansen Sanne , Mandl Thomas , Olsson Peter , Schrijver Benjamin , Schreurs Marco W J , van Daele Paul L A , Dik Willem A , Versnel Marjan A
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Type I IFN (IFN-I) activation is a prominent feature of primary SS (pSS), SLE and SSc. Ultrasensitive single-molecule array (Simoa) technology has facilitated the measurement of subfemtomolar concentrations of IFNs. Here we aimed to measure IFN-α2 in serum from pSS, SLE and SSc using a Simoa immunoassay and correlate these levels to blood IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression and disease activity.

Methods

Serum IFN-α2 was measured in patients with pSS (n = 85 and n = 110), SLE (n = 24) and SSc (n = 23) and healthy controls (HCs; n = 68) using an IFN-α Simoa assay on an HD-X analyser. IFN-I pathway activation was additionally determined from serum by an IFN-I reporter assay and paired samples of whole blood ISG expression of IFI44, IFI44L, IFIT1, IFIT3 and MxA by RT-PCR or myxovirus resistance protein 1 (MxA) protein ELISA.

Results

Serum IFN-α2 levels were elevated in pSS (median 61.3 fg/ml) compared with HCs (median ≤5 fg/ml, P < 0.001) and SSc (median 11.6 fg/ml, P = 0.043), lower compared with SLE (median 313.5 fg/ml, P = 0.068) and positively correlated with blood ISG expression (r = 0.66–0.94, P < 0.001). Comparable to MxA ELISA [area under the curve (AUC) 0.93], IFN-α2 measurement using Simoa identified pSS with high ISG expression (AUC 0.90) with 80–93% specificity and 71–84% sensitivity. Blinded validation in an independent pSS cohort yielded a comparable accuracy. Multiple regression indicated independent associations of autoantibodies, IgG, HCQ treatment, cutaneous disease and a history of extraglandular manifestations with serum IFN-α2 concentrations in pSS.

Conclusion

Simoa serum IFN-α2 reflects blood ISG expression in pSS, SLE and SSc. In light of IFN-targeting treatments, Simoa could potentially be applied for patient stratification or retrospective analysis of historical cohorts.
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE IN RADIATION APPLICATIONS IN INDIA: TRENDS AND DISTRIBUTION ANALYSIS
Authors: Senthilkumar M , Kumar C Senthil , Koley J , Velmurugan J
Published: September 2021

Occupational exposure data in radiation applications provide a good insight on the radiation risks to workers from occupational hazards, the safe practices adopted and in deriving methods to prevent possible radiation exposures. The analysis of occupational exposure may be used to provide regulatory guidance and more focused attention to improve the safety systems, thus improving the personnel and environment safety. In this study, occupational exposure from radiation applications during 2004–18 amounting to a total number of 1951 486 occupational dose data are collected and analysed using the statistical software package, SPSS. As recommended by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, four critical parameters viz., annual collective effective dose, average annual effective dose, individual dose distribution ratio and the annual collective dose distribution ratio for each practice are estimated. Using the trend observed for these parameters, it is predicted that occupational exposure in diagnostic radiology in the year 2023 would increase by 80% in total number of monitored with 76% increase in average collective dose and no significant change in average annual effective dose. In the same manner, nuclear medicine would see 28% of increase in radiation workers with the increase of 24% in collective dose with no significant change in average annual effective dose. Further, the reasons and area of regulatory focus for the different practices are discussed.
Examining the Vulnerability Procedure: Group-based Determinations at the EU Border
Authors: Åberg Karin
Published: September 2021

Between 2016 and 2019, almost all asylum seekers who managed to reach the Greek islands in the North Aegean Sea had to undergo an assessment of their vulnerability within the EU hotspot system. Those who were found vulnerable were exempted from return under the EU-Turkey Agreement and were free to leave for the Greek mainland. This article provides a detailed account of the vulnerability procedure, which classifies migrants through pre-established categories on account of externally distinguishable features rather than individual experiences. As is shown, this type of group-based management of refugees preceded the Refugee Convention, but has since the 1960s primarily been applied in the Global South. The use of this procedure in Europe reflects an exception from the European individualist human rights approach. In the context of EU hotspots, the vulnerability procedure provides a pathway to exemption from externalisation, for those who can live up to its requirements of documentable hardship.
Divergent Residential Pathways from Flood-Prone Areas: How Neighborhood Inequalities Are Shaping Urban Climate Adaptation
Authors: Elliott James R , Loughran Kevin , Brown Phylicia Lee
Published: September 2021

Flood risks are rising across the United States, putting the economic and social values of growing numbers of homes at risk. In response, the federal government is funding the purchase and demolition of housing in areas of greatest jeopardy, tacitly promoting residential resettlement as a strategy of climate adaptation, especially in cities. Despite these developments little is known about where people move when they engage in such resettlement or how answers to that question vary by the racial and economic status of their flood-prone neighborhoods. The present study begins to fill that gap. We introduce a new typology for classifying environmental resettlement along two socio-spatial dimensions of community attachment: (a) distance moved from one’s flood-prone home; and (b) average distance resettled from similarly relocated neighbors. Next, we analyze data from 1,572 homeowners who accepted government-funded buyouts across 39 neighborhood areas in Harris County, Texas – Houston’s urban core. Results indicate that homeowners from more privileged neighborhoods resettle closer to their flood-prone homes and to one another, thus helping to preserve the social and economic value of their homes; homeowners from less privileged areas end up farther away from both. Implications for understanding social inequities in government-funded urban climate adaptation are discussed.
‘Flying Gas Mains’: Rumour, Secrecy, and Morale during the V-2 Bombardment of Britain
Authors: Hall Charlie
Published: September 2021

Britain was the first country to suffer casualties as the result of a ballistic missile attack, when German V-2 rockets began landing in London and the South-East in September 1944. This new menace posed critical challenges, not only to the civilians whose lives were endangered once again, but also to the British government. Policymakers had to decide what, if any, information they released to the public, amid fears of creating panic, providing free propaganda to the Nazis, and helping the V-2 launching units improve their aim. Their commitment to secrecy in this period was both resolute and largely unnecessary, not to mention ineffective. In the absence of official information released from above, the public drew their own conclusions and myriad rumours emerged, many of which were remarkably accurate. This article will explore the ways in which government policy surrounding censorship and publicity changed during the V-2 bombardment and the extent to which this affected those in the firing line. It will also add considerable nuance to our understanding of public morale in this period, which was rather less steadfast than many accounts suggest, and which continued to be a major government preoccupation, despite the diminishing likelihood of a descent into mass panic or defeatism.
Seasonal changes in cambium activity from active to dormant stage affect the formation of secondary xylem in Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.
Authors: Guo Yayu , Xu Huimin , Wu Hongyang , Shen Weiwei , Lin Jinxing , Zhao Yuanyuan
Published: September 2021

Understanding the changing patterns of vascular cambium during seasonal cycles is crucial to reveal the mechanisms that control cambium activity and wood formation, but this area has been underexplored, especially in conifers. Here, we quantified the changing cellular morphology patterns of cambial zones during the active, transition and dormant stages. With the help of toluidine blue and periodic acid–Schiff staining to visualize cell walls and identify their constituents, we observed decreasing cambial cell layers, thickening of newly formed xylem cell walls and increased polysaccharide granules in phloem from June to the following March over the course of our collecting period. Pectin immunofluorescence showed that dormant-stage cambium can produce highly abundant de-esterified homogalacturonan and (1–4)-β-d-galactan epitopes, whereas active cambium can strong accumulate high methylesterified homogalacturonan. Calcofluor white staining and confocal Raman spectroscopy analysis revealed regular changes in the chemical composition of cell walls, such as relative lower cellulose deposition in transition stage in vascular cambium, and higher lignin accumulation was found in dormant stage in secondary xylem. Moreover, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis suggested that various IAA (Aux/IAA protein), CesA, CslA and HDZ genes, as well as NAC, PME3 and PME4, may be involved in cambium activities and secondary xylem formation. Taken together, these findings provide new information about cambium activity and cell differentiation in the formation, structure and chemistry in conifers during the active–dormant transition.
The Relationship between Bronchiolitis Severity and Vitamin D Status
Authors: Alakaş Yusuf , Celiloğlu Can , Tolunay Orkun , Matyar Selçuk
Published: September 2021

Background/Aim

Acute bronchiolitis is mostly caused by viral agents in children under 2 years of age. The disease mostly has a mild clinical course however severe cases are not uncommon. Vitamin D is known to exert immune-regulatory functions. We aimed to examine the association between the clinical severity of acute bronchiolitis and serum vitamin D levels in infants.

Materials and methods

A total of 182 children with acute bronchiolitis were prospectively enrolled. The disease severity was assessed using the Modified Tal Scoring System and their vitamin D levels were evaluated.

Results

Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency was as high as 47.8% in infants with bronchiolitis. Infants with low vitamin D levels comprised a significantly larger proportion of patients with severe bronchiolitis (p = 0.002). Infants admitted to intensive care unit had significantly higher degrees of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Vitamin D deficiency is closely linked with severe bronchiolitis and the need for intensive care unit admission in infants. We believe that assessment of vitamin D levels in infants prior to bronchiolitis season and appropriate supplementation may have a protective effect against severe bronchiolitis.
LAMP Assay for Distinguishing Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium commune in Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Rhizomes
Authors: Deng Sheng , Ma Xin , Chen Yifan , Feng Hui , Zhou Dongmei , Wang Xiaoyu , Zhang Yong , Zhao Min , Zhang Jinfeng , Daly Paul , Wei Lihui
Published: September 2021

Yields of edible rhizome from cultivation of the perennial hydrophyte lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) can be severely reduced by rhizome rot disease caused by Fusarium species. There is a lack of rapid field-applicable methods for detection of these pathogens on lotus plants displaying symptoms of rhizome rot. Fusarium commune (91%) and Fusarium oxysporum (9%) were identified at different frequencies from lotus samples showing symptoms of rhizome rot. Because these two species can cause different severity of disease and their morphology is similar, molecular diagnostic-based methods to detect these two species were developed. Based on the comparison of the mitochondrial genome of the two species, three specific DNA loci targets were found. The designed primer sets for conventional PCR, quantitative PCR, and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) precisely distinguished the above two species when isolated from lotus and other plants. The LAMP detection limits were 10 pg/μl and 1 pg/μl of total DNA for F. commune and F. oxysporum, respectively. We also carried out field-mimicked experiments on lotus seedlings and rhizomes (including inoculated samples and field-diseased samples), and the results indicated that the LAMP primer sets and the supporting portable methods are suitable for rapid diagnosis of the lotus disease in the field. The LAMP-based detection method will aid in the rapid identification of whether F. oxysporum or F. commune is infecting lotus plants with symptoms of rhizome rot and can facilitate efficient pesticide use and prevent disease spread through vegetative propagation of Fusarium-infected lotus rhizomes.
Observations on the Population Genetic Structure of the Leaf Galling Nematode, Ditylenchus gallaeformans
Authors: Oliveira Samara A. , Baeza J. Antonio , Agudelo Paula , DeWalt Saara J.
Published: September 2021

Ditylenchus gallaeformans is a plant parasitic nematode that induces galls on aboveground parts of Melastomataceae plants. It differs from most gall-inducing nematodes in that it is not an endoparasite and has been considered as a possible biological control agent against invasive species of Miconia. Little is known about D. gallaeformans biology, genetic differences among populations, and host preferences. This study examined the genetic differences among D. gallaeformans populations from different locations and host species and the phylogenetic relationships among them. Nematodes were collected from galls in plants from Costa Rica, Dominica, and Trinidad. The Cytochrome c oxidase 1 (cox1) region was sequenced from a total of 33 individual nematodes isolated from 33 different plant individuals, representing 21 species of Melastomataceae. Phylogenetic reconstructions, haplotype networks, and analysis of molecular variance showed that the species is monophyletic and has three major clades, which were mostly consistent with geographic location but not with host species. The first clade was composed by two subclades, one with individuals from Costa Rica and one with individuals from Dominica. The second and third clades comprised nematodes only from Trinidad. Overall, there is no evidence of host–species specialization in D. gallaeformans. Biocontrol efforts using the nematode against invasive Miconia could focus on geographical location matching but likely will not need to match host species.