bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical and Genomic Characterization of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) Infections in mRNA Vaccinated Health Care Personnel in New York City
Authors: Robilotti Elizabeth V , Whiting Karissa , Lucca Anabella , Poon Chester , Guest Rebecca , McMillen Tracy , Jani Krupa , Solovyov Alexander , Kelson Suzanne , Browne Kevin , Freeswick Scott , Hohl Tobias M , Korenstein Deborah , Ruchnewitz Denis , Lässig Michael , Łuksza Marta , Greenbaum Benjamin , Seshan Venkatraman E , Esther Babady N , Kamboj Mini
Published: October 2021

Background

Vaccine-induced clinical protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) variants is an evolving target. There are limited genomic level data on SARS CoV-2 breakthrough infections and vaccine effectiveness (VE) since the global spread of the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant.

Methods

In a retrospective study from 1 November 2020 to 31 August 2021, divided as pre-Delta and Delta-dominant periods, laboratory-confirmed SARS CoV-2 infections among healthcare personnel (HCP) at a large tertiary cancer center in New York City were examined to compare the weekly infection rate-ratio in vaccinated, partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated HCP. We describe the clinical and genomic epidemiologic features of post-vaccine infections to assess for selection of variants of concern (VOC)/variants of interest (VOI) in the early post-vaccine period and impact of B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant domination on VE.

Results

Among 13658 HCP in our cohort, 12379 received at least 1 dose of a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine. In the pre-Delta period overall VE was 94.5%. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 369 isolates in the pre-Delta period did not reveal a clade bias for VOC/VOI specific to post-vaccine infections. VE in the Delta dominant phase was 75.6%. No hospitalizations occurred among vaccinated HCP in the entire study period, compared to 17 hospitalizations and 1 death among unvaccinated HCP.

Conclusions

Findings show high VE among HCP in New York City in the pre-Delta phase, with moderate decline in VE post-Delta emergence. SARS CoV-2 clades were similarly distributed among vaccinated and unvaccinated infected HCP without apparent clustering during the pre-Delta period of diverse clade circulation. Strong vaccine protection against hospitalization was maintained through the entire study period.
Incidence, risk factors, and mortality of atrial fibrillation in breast cancer: a SEER-Medicare analysis
Authors: Guha Avirup , Fradley Michael G , Dent Susan F , Weintraub Neal L , Lustberg Maryam B , Alonso Alvaro , Addison Daniel
Published: October 2021

Aims

The national incidence, risk factors, and associated mortality of atrial fibrillation (AF) in breast cancer patients are unknown.

Methods and results

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare-linked database, we identified females, ≥66 years old, with a new primary diagnosis of breast cancer from 2007 through 2014. These patients were individually matched 1:1 to Medicare enrolees without cancer, and each pair was followed for 1 year to identify a primary outcome of AF. Cumulative incidence was calculated using competing risk survival statistics. Following this, identifying risk factors of AF among breast cancer patients was conducted using the adjusted Cox proportional hazards model. Finally, Kaplan–Meier methods and adjusted Cox proportional hazards modelling were performed to estimate mortality in breast cancer patients with incident and prevalent AF. This study included 85 423 breast cancer patients. Among these 9425 (11.0%) had AF diagnosis prior to the breast cancer diagnosis. New-onset AF was diagnosed in 2993 (3.9%) patients in a 1-year period after the breast cancer diagnosis [incidence 3.3%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0–3.5%, at 1 year; higher rate in the first 60 days (0.6%/month)]. Comparatively, the incidence of new-onset AF in matched non-cancer controls was 1.8% (95% CI 1.6–2.0%). Apart from traditional demographic and cardiovascular risk factors, breast cancer stage was strongly associated with the development of AF [American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Stage II/III/IV vs. I: adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.51/2.63/4.21, respectively]. New-onset AF after breast cancer diagnosis (aHR 3.00) is associated with increased 1-year cardiovascular mortality.

Conclusion

AF incidence is significantly higher in women after a breast cancer diagnosis. Higher breast cancer stages at diagnos are significantly associated with a higher risk of AF. New-onset AF in the new breast cancer diagnosis setting increases 1-year cardiovascular mortality but not breast cancer-related mortality.

Key Question

What are the incidence, prevalence, risk factors and mortality outcomes of atrial fibrillation (AF) in a multi-ethnic representative United States cohort of breast cancer patients?

Key Finding

Annual incidence for AF is 3.9% with highest rate in the first 60 days after cancer diagnosis. Cancer stage and grade are the strongest risk factors for AF. New onset AF after breast cancer increases all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Take Home Message

AF incidence is higher in breast cancer patients and is associated with later stage and grade at diagnosis of breast cancer. Involving cardio-oncology in those who develop AF after cancer diagnosis should be encouraged to improve their cardiovascular and overall prognosis.
Developing a scale measuring the doctor–patient relationship in China from the perspective of doctors
Authors: Tao Siyi , Liu Chaojie , Wu Qunhong , Zhao Juan , Xue Yuxin , Song Weijian , Sun Minglei , Wang Chen , Zou Dandan , Liu Wei , Hao Yanhua , Jiao Mingli , Sun Hong , Li Ye , Shan Linghan , Liang Libo
Published: October 2021

Objectives

The doctor–patient relationship is usually measured in line with patient needs and demands. This study aimed to develop a scale measuring such a relationship from the perspective of doctors.

Methods

A draft scale was developed and adapted to the hospital context of China based on several existing scales, with an intention to measure how medical doctors view and manage their relationship with patients beyond episodic clinical encounters. Two rounds of Delphi consultations involving 14 experts were conducted to seek their consensus on the inclusion and descriptions of items. This resulted in a 19-item scale measuring four domains of the relationship. The scale was validated through a survey of 1,712 medical doctors selected from 27 public hospitals in Heilongjiang province of China. The internal consistency of the scale was assessed using Cronbach’s α coefficients of the four domains. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to test the construct validity of the scale. Linear regression analyses were performed to assess the known-group validity of the scale.

Results

The scale measures four domains. The Cronbach’s α of the scale reached an acceptable level, ranging from 0.61 to 0.78 for its four domains. Good fitness of data into the four-domain structure of the scale was confirmed by the confirmatory factor analysis. Known-group differences were demonstrated in the regression analyses.

Conclusion

The doctor–patient relationship scale developed in this study is a psychometrically valid tool assessing how medical doctors view and manage their relationship with patients in the hospital setting in China.
Machine-learning-based earthquake locations reveal the seismogenesis of the 2020 Mw 5.0 Qiaojia, Yunnan earthquake
Authors: Zhou Lianqing , Zhao Cuiping , Zhang Miao , Xu Lisheng , Cui Rensheng , Zhao Ce , Duan Mengqiao , Luo Jun
Published: October 2021

A moment magnitude (Mw) 5.0 earthquake hit Qiaojia, Yunnan, China on 18 May 2020. Its hypocentre is only approximately 20 km away from the Baihetan reservoir, the second largest hydropower station in China. The Baihetan Reservoir is located at the junction of multiple fault zones on the eastern boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan rhombic block, an area with high background seismic activity. The Baihetan Reservoir was planned to be impounded in April 2021 and the Mw 5.0 earthquake occurred during its water-retaining. Thus, it is critical to investigate the seismogenesis of the Qiaojia Mw 5.0 main shock and evaluate the risk of inducing earthquakes near the Baihetan Reservoir after impoundment. In this study, we built a complete and accurate earthquake catalogue to analyse seismicity in the reservoir area before and after the Mw 5.0 Qiaojia earthquake. We adopted a machine learning-based seismic phase picker, PhaseNet, to automatically detect seismic picks from continuous raw seismic data. Seismic phase picks were associated and located using sequential earthquake association and location methods, including REAL, VELEST and hypoDD. We eventually obtained high-precision locations of 1640 earthquakes by the hypoDD. The distribution of earthquake locations indicates that a concealed fault nearly vertical to the surface accommodated the Mw 5.0 Qiaojia main shock. The majority of its aftershocks is located within a narrow depth range of 8–13 km, indicating that the stresses in the hypocentral area were concentrated near the hypocentre of the Mw 5.0 earthquake. Along with focal mechanism solutions, we suggested that the Mw 5.0 Qiaojia earthquake is more likely a tectonic earthquake. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that earthquakes could be induced after the impoundment of Baihetan Reservoir, because the identified concealed fault is located in the middle of many large fault zones and only 20 km away from the Baihetan Reservoir.
Equity in healthcare financing following the introduction of the unified residents’ health insurance scheme in China
Authors: Zhou Guoliang , Jan Stephen , Chen Mingsheng , Wang Zhonghua , Si Lei
Published: October 2021

This study sought to explore whether there are significant disparities in the financing of healthcare between urban and rural populations following the introduction in 2016 of the Urban and Rural Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URRBMI) scheme in China. We used household survey data from Heilongjiang province to estimate separate concentration curves in the financing burden and the resultant Kakwani indices (KIs) for urban and rural populations. This enabled the assessment of the progressivity (or otherwise) of this burden. The results show that in urban areas indirect taxes were proportional (KI = 0.0009, P = 0.8449), while indirect taxes in rural areas were progressive (KI = 0.0284, P = 0.0002). In both urban and rural areas, direct taxes were found to be progressive (urban: KI = 0.4628, P < 0.0001; rural: KI = 0.4087, P = 0.0064), while URRBMI was regressive (urban: KI = − 0.6236, P < 0.0001; rural: KI = − 0.4325, P < 0.0001). Out-of-pocket payments were proportional in urban areas (KI = − 0.0064, P = 0.7490); in contrast, they were regressive in rural areas (KI = − 0.1078, P = 0.0012). Overall, the burden of healthcare finance in urban China was found to be neither regressive nor progressive (KI = − 0.0142, P = 0. 1397), whereas in rural China it was found to be regressive (KI = − 0.1208, P < 0.0001). This result is driven by high reliance on regressive forms of funding, namely, fixed contributions to URRBMI, out-of-pocket costs and private health insurance. It is concluded that achieving equity in health financing in China will require strong measures to reduce the regressivity of financing, particularly for rural populations. This can be achieved through a shift towards means-adjusted URRBMI contributions, a greater reliance on tax-based financing and reducing the reliance on out-of-pocket payments and private health insurance.
Inbreeding, Native American ancestry and child mortality: linking human selection and paediatric medicine
Authors: Koenigstein Fabienne , Boekstegers Felix , Wilson James F , Fuentes-Guajardo Macarena , Gonzalez-Jose Rolando , Bedoya Gabriel , Bortolini Maria Cátira , Acuña-Alonzo Victor , Gallo Carla , Ruiz Linares Andres , Rothhammer Francisco , Lorenzo Bermejo Justo
Published: October 2021

The children of related parents show increased risk of early mortality. The Native American genome typically exhibits long stretches of homozygosity, and Latin Americans are highly heterogeneous regarding the individual burden of homozygosity, the proportion and the type of Native American ancestry. We analysed nationwide mortality and genome-wide genotype data from admixed Chileans to investigate the relationship between common causes of child mortality, homozygosity and Native American ancestry. Results from two-stage linear-Poisson regression revealed a strong association between the sum length of runs of homozygosity (SROH) above 1.5 Megabases (Mb) in each genome and mortality due to intracranial non-traumatic haemorrhage of foetus and newborn (5% increased risk of death per Mb in SROH, P = 1 × 10−3) and disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight (P = 3 × 10−4). The major indigenous populations in Chile are Aymara–Quechua in the north of the country and the Mapuche–Huilliche in the south. The individual proportion of Aymara–Quechua ancestry was associated with an increased risk of death due to anencephaly and similar malformations (P = 4 × 10−5), and the risk of death due to Edwards and Patau trisomy syndromes decreased 4% per 1% Aymara–Quechua ancestry proportion (P = 4 × 10−4) and 5% per 1% Mapuche–Huilliche ancestry proportion (P = 2 × 10−3). The present results suggest that short gestation, low birth weight and intracranial non-traumatic haemorrhage mediate the negative effect of inbreeding on human selection. Independent validation of the identified associations between common causes of child death, homozygosity and fine-scale ancestry proportions may inform paediatric medicine.
Phase 1 Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Escalating Study to Evaluate OVX836, a Nucleoprotein-Based Influenza Vaccine: Intramuscular Results
Authors: Withanage Kanchanamala , De Coster Ilse , Cools Nathalie , Viviani Simonetta , Tourneur Jessika , Chevandier Marion , Lambiel Manon , Willems Paul , Le Vert Alexandre , Nicolas Florence , Van Damme Pierre
Published: October 2021

Background

OVX836 is a recombinant protein vaccine targeting the highly conserved influenza nucleoprotein (NP), which could confer broad-spectrum protection against this disease.

Methods

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-escalating, single- center, first-in-human study was conducted in 36 healthy adults aged 18–49 years. Twelve subjects per cohort (9 vaccine and 3 placebo) received 2 OVX836 intramuscular administrations on days 1 and 28 at the dose level of 30 µg, 90 µg, or 180 µg. Safety and immunogenicity were assessed after each vaccination and for 150 days in total.

Results

OVX836 was safe and well tolerated at all dose levels, with no difference in solicited local and systemic symptoms, and unsolicited adverse events between the first and second administration, or between dose levels. All subjects presented pre-existing NP-specific immunity at baseline. OVX836 induced a significant increase in NP-specific interferon-gamma T cells and anti-NP immunoglobulin G at all dose levels after the first vaccination. The second vaccination did not further increase the response. There was a trend for a dose effect in the immune response.

Conclusions

The safety and reactogenicity profile, as well as the humoral and cellular immune responses, encourage further evaluation of OVX836 in a larger Phase 2a study.
Cl415, a carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolate containing four AbaR4 and a new variant of AbGRI2, represents a novel global clone 2 strain
Authors: Liepa Rebekah , Mann Riti , Osman Marwan , Hamze Monzer , Gunawan Cindy , Hamidian Mohammad
Published: October 2021

Objectives

To determine the genetic context of genes conferring antibiotic resistance on the carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Cl415, recovered in 2017 at El Youssef Hospital Centre in Akkar Governorate, North Lebanon.

Methods

Antibiotic resistance phenotype for 22 antibiotics was determined using disc diffusion or MIC determination. The whole-genome sequence of Cl415 was determined using a combination of the Illumina MiSeq and Oxford Nanopore (MinION) platforms. Complete genome was assembled using Unicycler and antibiotic resistance determinants and ISs were identified using ResFinder and ISFinder, respectively.

Results

Cl415 is a global clone 2 (GC2) strain and belongs to the most common STs of this clone, ST2IP and ST218OX. Cl415 is resistant to several antibiotics, including aminoglycosides and carbapenems to a high level. Genomic analysis of Cl415 revealed that it carries four chromosomal AbaR4 copies. One copy was found in the comM gene replacing the AbGRI1 island. Cl415 also contains a novel variant of AbGRI2, herein called AbGRI2-15, carrying only the blaTEM and aphA1 resistance genes. Cl415 belongs to a subclade of GC2 strains that appear to have diverged recently with a wide geographical distribution.

Conclusions

The resistance gene complement of Cl415 was found in the chromosome with four oxa23 located in AbaR4 copies and the remaining genes in a novel variant of the AbGRI2 resistance island. Cl415 was isolated in Lebanon, but phylogenetic analysis suggests that Cl415 represents a new lineage with global distribution within GC2.
International knowledge spillovers
Authors: Eugster Johannes L , Ho Giang , Jaumotte Florence , Piazza Roberto
Published: October 2021

How important is foreign knowledge for domestic innovation outcomes? How is this relation shaped by globalization and the attendant intensification of international competition? Our empirical approach extends the previous literature by analyzing a large panel comprising industries in both advanced and emerging economies over the past two decades. We find that barriers to the domestic diffusion of foreign knowledge have fallen significantly for emerging economies. For all countries, and especially for emerging economies, inflows of foreign knowledge have a growing and quantitatively important impact on domestic innovation. Controlling for the amount of domestic R&D, we find evidence that increases in international competitive pressure at the industry level had a positive effect on domestic innovation outcomes.
Disaster Experience and Governments’ Savings: The Moderating Role of Organizational Capacity
Authors: Lee Sungyoon , Chen Gang
Published: October 2021

The increasing risk of natural and human-induced disasters has caused considerable costs to governments. Governments’ savings can function as a mechanism to mitigate such revenue or expenditure shocks due to disasters. While past studies have examined how recessions affect government reserves, to date, few studies have tested how a government’s past experiences of natural disasters affect the level of its savings. In this study, we use organizational learning theory as a framework to explain this relationship. We empirically parse out the effect of previous disaster experience on reserve funds (i.e., rainy-day funds) and general savings (i.e., unassigned general fund balance). We further test whether organizational capacity serves as a moderator of the relationship between past disaster experience and savings. For the analysis, this study employs a Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to examine a sample of US states for the years from 2002 to 2017. We find that an increase in cumulative damage from prior disasters is associated with an increase in rainy-day funds and this relationship is stronger in governments with a high organizational capacity. The results remain robust to estimations with alternative measures. These findings support the organizational learning theory, which suggests that governments learn from their past experiences to increase preparedness for future disasters. We also point out the importance of financial capacity in the process of organizational learning.
Using strong lensing to understand the microJy radio emission in two radio quiet quasars at redshift 1.7
Authors: Hartley P , Jackson N , Badole S , McKean J P , Sluse D , Vives-Arias H
Published: October 2021

The radio quasar luminosity function exhibits an upturn around $L_{6\rm \:GHz}=10^{23}$ W Hz−1 that is well-modelled by a star-forming host galaxy population. This distribution leads some authors to cite star formation as the main radio emission mechanism in so-called radio-quiet quasars (RQQs). Understanding the origin of RQQ radio emission is crucial for our understanding of quasar feedback mechanisms – responsible for the regulation of star formation in the host galaxy – and for understanding galaxy evolution as a whole. By observing RQQs that have been magnified by strong gravitational lensing, we have direct access to the RQQ population out to cosmic noon, where evidence for twin mini-jets has recently been found in a sub-$\mu$Jy RQQ. Here we present radio observations of two lensed RQQs using the VLA at 5 GHz, the latest objects to be observed in a sample of quadruply-imaged RQQs above −30°. In SDSS J1004+4112 we find strong evidence for AGN-related radio emission in the variability of the source. In PG 1115+080 we find tentative evidence for AGN-related emission, determined by comparing the radio luminosity with modelled dust components. If confirmed in the case of PG 1115+080, which lies on the radio–FIR correlation, the result would reinforce the need for caution when applying the correlation to rule out jet activity and when assuming no AGN heating of FIR-emitting dust when calculating star formation rates. Our programme so far has shown that the two of the faintest radio sources ever imaged show strong evidence for AGN-dominated radio emission.
Using the EAGLE simulations to elucidate the origin of disc surface brightness profile breaks as a function of mass and environment
Authors: Pfeffer Joel L , Bekki Kenji , Forbes Duncan A , Couch Warrick J , Koribalski Bärbel S
Published: October 2021

We analyse the surface brightness profiles of disc-type galaxies in the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environment (EAGLE) simulations in order to investigate the effects of galaxy mass and environment on galaxy profile types. Following observational works, we classify the simulated galaxies by their disc surface brightness profiles into single exponential (Type I), truncated (Type II), and antitruncated (Type III) profiles. In agreement with previous observation and theoretical work, we find that Type II discs result from truncated star-forming discs that drive radial gradients in the stellar populations. In contrast, Type III profiles result from galaxy mergers, extended star-forming discs or the late formation of a steeper, inner disc. We find that the EAGLE simulations qualitatively reproduce the observed trends found between profile type frequency and galaxy mass, morphology and environment, such as the fraction of Type III galaxies increasing with galaxy mass, and the fraction of Type II galaxies increasing with Hubble type. We investigate the lower incidence of Type II galaxies in galaxy clusters, finding, in a striking similarity to observed galaxies, that almost no S0-like galaxies in clusters have Type II profiles. Similarly, the fraction of Type II profiles for disc-dominated galaxies in clusters is significantly decreased relative to field galaxies. This difference between field and cluster galaxies is driven by star formation quenching. Following the cessation of star formation upon entering a galaxy cluster, the young stellar populations of Type II galaxies simply fade, leaving behind Type I galaxies.
The Galactic metallicity gradient shown by open clusters in the light of radial migration
Authors: Netopil Martin , Oralhan İnci Akkaya , Çakmak Hikmet , Michel Raúl , Karataş Yüksel
Published: October 2021

During the last years and decades, several individual studies and large-scale spectroscopic surveys significantly improved our knowledge of the Galactic metallicity distribution based on open clusters. The availability of Gaia data provided a further step forward in our knowledge. However, still some open issues remain, for example, the influence of radial migration on the interpretation of the observed gradients. We used spectroscopic metallicities from individual studies and from the APOGEE survey to compile a sample of 136 open clusters, with a membership verification based on Gaia DR2. Additionally, we present photometric metallicity estimates of 14 open clusters in a somewhat outer Galactic region. Eight age groups allow us to study the evolution of the metallicity gradient in detail, showing within the errors an almost constant gradient of about −0.06 dex kpc−1. Furthermore, using the derived gradients and an analysis of the individual objects, we estimate a mean migration rate of 1 kpc Gyr−1 for objects up to about 2 Gyr. Here, the change of the guiding radius is clearly the main contributor. For older and dynamically hotter objects up to 6 Gyr we infer a lower migration rate of up to 0.5 kpc Gyr−1. The influence of epicyclic excursions increases with age and contributes already about 1 kpc to the total migration distance after 6 Gyr. A comparison of our results with available models shows good agreement. However, there is still a lack of a suitable coverage of older objects, future studies are still needed to provide a better sampling in this respect.
Boundary layers of accretion discs: Discovery of vortex-driven modes and other waves
Authors: Coleman Matthew S B , Rafikov Roman R , Philippov Alexander A
Published: October 2021

Disc accretion on to weakly magnetized objects possessing a material surface must proceed via the so-called boundary layer (BL) – a region at the inner edge of the disc, in which the velocity of accreting material abruptly decreases from its Keplerian value. Supersonic shear arising in the BL is known to be conducive to excitation of acoustic waves that propagate into both the accretor and the disc, enabling angular momentum and mass transport across the BL. We carry out a numerical exploration of different wave modes that operate near the BL, focusing on their morphological characteristics in the innermost parts of accretion disc. Using a large suite of simulations covering a broad range of Mach numbers (of the supersonic shear flow in the BL), we provide accurate characterization of the different types of modes, verifying their properties against analytical results, when available. We discover new types of modes, in particular, global spiral density waves launched by vortices forming in the disc near the BL as a result of the Rossby wave instability; this instability is triggered by the vortensity production in that region caused by the non-linear damping of acoustic waves. Azimuthal wavenumbers of the dominant modes that we observe appear to increase monotonically with the Mach number of the runs, but a particular mix of modes found in a simulation is mildly stochastic. Our results provide a basis for better understanding of the angular momentum and mass transport across the BL as well as the emission variability in accreting objects.
Energy signature of ton TNT-class impacts: analysis of the 2018 December 22 fireball over Western Pyrenees
Authors: Anghel S , Drolshagen E , Ott T , Birlan M , Colas F , Nedelcu D A , Koschny D , Zanda B , Bouley S , Jeanne S , Malgoyre A , Blanpain C , Gattacceca J , Jorda L , Lecubin J , Rault J L , Vaubaillon J , Vernazza P , Hueso R , Peña-Asensio E , Ribas S J , Rimola A , Sánchez-Lavega A , Tapia M , Trigo-Rodriguez J M , Cauhape P , Davadan C , Dupouy P , Herpin M , Rousseu D , Tregon B
Published: October 2021

The increase in detector sensitivity and availability in the past three decades has allowed us to derive knowledge of the meteoroid flux and impact energy into the Earth’s atmosphere. We present the multi-instrument detected 2018 December 22 fireball over Western Pyrenees, and compare several techniques aiming to obtain a reliable method to be used when measuring impacts of similar scale. From trajectory data alone, we found a bulk density of 3.5 g cm−3 to be the most likely value for the Pyrenean meteoroid. This allowed to further constrain the dynamic mass, which translated into a kinetic energy of 1 ton TNT (4.184 × 109 J). For the second energy derivation, via the fireball’s corrected optical radiation, we obtained a more accurate empirical relation measuring well-studied bolides. The result approximates to 1.1 ton TNT, which is notably close to the nominal dynamic result, and agrees with the lower margin of the seismic-based energy estimation, yet way lower than the infrasound estimate. Based on the relation derived in this study, we consider the nominal estimate from both the dynamic and photometric methods to be the most accurate value of deposited energy (1 ton TNT). We show that the combination of these two methods can be used to infer the meteoroid density. Among the methods presented in this paper, we found that the optical energy is the most reliable predictor of impact energy near the ton TNT-scale.
Candidate isolated neutron stars in the 4XMM-DR10 catalogue of X-ray sources
Authors: Rigoselli Michela , Mereghetti Sandro , Tresoldi Caterina
Published: October 2021

Most isolated neutron stars have been discovered thanks to the detection of their pulsed non-thermal emission, at wavelengths spanning from radio to gamma-rays. However, if the beamed non-thermal radiation does not intercept our line of sight or it is too faint or absent, isolated neutron stars can also be detected through their thermal emission, which peaks in the soft X-ray band and is emitted nearly isotropically. In the past 30 yr, several thermally emitting isolated neutron stars have been discovered thanks to X-ray all-sky surveys, observations targeted at the centre of supernova remnants, or as serendipitous X-ray sources. Distinctive properties of these relatively rare X-ray sources are very soft spectra and high ratios of X-ray to optical flux. The recently released 4XMM-DR10 catalogue contains more than half a million X-ray sources detected with the XMM–Newton telescope in the 0.2–10 keV range in observations carried out from 2000 to 2019. Based on a study of the spectral properties of these sources and on cross-correlations with catalogues of possible counterparts, we have carried out a search of isolated neutron stars, finding four potential candidates. The spectral and long-term variability analysis of these candidates, using Chandra and Swift-XRT data, allowed us to point out the most interesting sources deserving further multiwavelength investigations.
Stark broadening of B I spectral lines
Authors: Dimitrijević Milan S , Christova Magdalena D , Sahal-Bréchot Sylvie
Published: October 2021

We calculated widths and shifts due to collisions with electrons, protons, and He II ions for 66 multiplets of neutral boron, using the semiclassical perturbation theory. The range of temperatures is from 2500 to 50 000 K and electron density values are within the range 1011–1019 cm−3. The obtained Stark broadening parameters have been compared to other theoretical and experimental results.
GreeNC 2.0: a comprehensive database of plant long non-coding RNAs
Authors: Di Marsico Marco , Paytuvi Gallart Andreu , Sanseverino Walter , Aiese Cigliano Riccardo
Published: October 2021

The Green Non-Coding Database (GreeNC) is one of the reference databases for the study of plant long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Here we present our most recent update where 16 species have been updated, while 78 species have been added, resulting in the annotation of more than 495 000 lncRNAs. Moreover, sequence clustering was applied providing information about sequence conservation and gene families. The current version of the database is available at: http://greenc.sequentiabiotech.com/wiki2/Main_Page.
Nanomechanics of negatively supercoiled diaminopurine-substituted DNA
Authors: Salerno Domenico , Marrano Claudia Adriana , Cassina Valeria , Cristofalo Matteo , Shao Qing , Finzi Laura , Mantegazza Francesco , Dunlap David
Published: October 2021

Single molecule experiments have demonstrated a progressive transition from a B- to an L-form helix as DNA is gently stretched and progressively unwound. The particular sequence of a DNA segment defines both base stacking and hydrogen bonding that affect the partitioning and conformations of the two phases. Naturally or artificially modified bases alter H-bonds and base stacking and DNA with diaminopurine (DAP) replacing adenine was synthesized to produce linear fragments with triply hydrogen-bonded DAP:T base pairs. Both unmodified and DAP-substituted DNA transitioned from a B- to an L-helix under physiological conditions of mild tension and unwinding. This transition avoids writhing and the ease of this transition may prevent cumbersome topological rearrangements in genomic DNA that would require topoisomerase activity to resolve. L-DNA displayed about tenfold lower persistence length than B-DNA. However, left-handed DAP-substituted DNA was twice as stiff as unmodified L-DNA. Unmodified DNA and DAP-substituted DNA have very distinct mechanical characteristics at physiological levels of negative supercoiling and tension.
A post-transcriptional regulon controlled by TtpA, the single tristetraprolin family member expressed in Dictyostelium discoideum
Authors: Bai Wenli , Wells Melissa L , Lai Wi S , Hicks Stephanie N , Burkholder Adam B , Perera Lalith , Kimmel Alan R , Blackshear Perry J
Published: October 2021

Post-transcriptional processes mediated by mRNA binding proteins represent important control points in gene expression. In eukaryotes, mRNAs containing specific AU-rich motifs are regulated by binding of tristetraprolin (TTP) family tandem zinc finger proteins, which promote mRNA deadenylation and decay, partly through interaction of a conserved C-terminal CNOT1 binding (CNB) domain with CCR4–NOT protein complexes. The social ameba Dictyostelium discoideum shared a common ancestor with humans more than a billion years ago, and expresses only one TTP family protein, TtpA, in contrast to three members expressed in humans. Evaluation of ttpA null-mutants identified six transcripts that were consistently upregulated compared to WT during growth and early development. The 3′-untranslated regions (3′-UTRs) of all six ‘TtpA-target’ mRNAs contained multiple TTP binding motifs (UUAUUUAUU), and one 3′-UTR conferred TtpA post-transcriptional stability regulation to a heterologous mRNA that was abrogated by mutations in the core TTP-binding motifs. All six target transcripts were upregulated to similar extents in a C-terminal truncation mutant, in contrast to less severe effects of analogous mutants in mice. All six target transcripts encoded probable membrane proteins. In Dictyostelium, TtpA may control an ‘RNA regulon’, where a single RNA binding protein, TtpA, post-transcriptionally co-regulates expression of several functionally related proteins.
ReMap 2022: a database of Human, Mouse, Drosophila and Arabidopsis regulatory regions from an integrative analysis of DNA-binding sequencing experiments
Authors: Hammal Fayrouz , de Langen Pierre , Bergon Aurélie , Lopez Fabrice , Ballester Benoit
Published: October 2021

ReMap (https://remap.univ-amu.fr) aims to provide manually curated, high-quality catalogs of regulatory regions resulting from a large-scale integrative analysis of DNA-binding experiments in Human, Mouse, Fly and Arabidopsis thaliana for hundreds of transcription factors and regulators. In this 2022 update, we have uniformly processed >11 000 DNA-binding sequencing datasets from public sources across four species. The updated Human regulatory atlas includes 8103 datasets covering a total of 1210 transcriptional regulators (TRs) with a catalog of 182 million (M) peaks, while the updated Arabidopsis atlas reaches 4.8M peaks, 423 TRs across 694 datasets. Also, this ReMap release is enriched by two new regulatory catalogs for Mus musculus and Drosophila melanogaster. First, the Mouse regulatory catalog consists of 123M peaks across 648 TRs as a result of the integration and validation of 5503 ChIP-seq datasets. Second, the Drosophila melanogaster catalog contains 16.6M peaks across 550 TRs from the integration of 1205 datasets. The four regulatory catalogs are browsable through track hubs at UCSC, Ensembl and NCBI genome browsers. Finally, ReMap 2022 comes with a new Cis Regulatory Module identification method, improved quality controls, faster search results, and better user experience with an interactive tour and video tutorials on browsing and filtering ReMap catalogs.
Application and Clinical Value of Definitive Drug Monitoring in Pain Management and Addiction Medicine
Authors: Rosano Thomas G , Wood Michelle , Hooten W Michael , Rumberger John M , Fudin Jeffrey , Argoff Charles E
Published: October 2021

Objective

To assess routine application and clinical value of definitive urine drug monitoring (UDM) for drug detection, inconsistent drug use, and prescription adherence, along with a comparison to immunoassay screening (IAS).

Methods

Direct-to-definitive UDM performance was analyzed retrospectively in 5000 patient specimens. Drug findings, medication inconsistencies, and detection sensitivity were assessed, and definitive UDM versus IAS monitoring was studied.

Results

Definitive testing resulted in 18,793 drug findings with 28,403 positive drug and metabolite tests. Definitive testing expanded monitoring with 11,396 drug findings that would not be tested by IAS. The opioids accounted for the highest frequency of inconsistent positive drug-use findings, at 12%. Conversely, inconsistent negative drug findings, used as an index of prescription non-adherence, were determined in 1,751 of 15,409 monitored medications and included a high frequency of antidepressants and antipsychotics inconsistencies. Direct comparison of definitive UDM and IAS showed false-positives by IAS as well as a high rate of false-negatives that would be missed using current confirmation protocols.

Conclusions

Results from routine application of direct-to-definitive UDM demonstrate the clinical value of drug-use identification and the objective evaluation of inconsistencies in drug misuse and medication adherence in pain management and addiction medicine practice. Without conversion to direct-to-definitive UDM, continuing use of IAS will limit the scope of drugs being tested, will result in an indeterminate rate of false negatives and will require confirmation testing to eliminate the reporting of false-positive IAS tests. The findings in this study provide evidence-based support for recommended use of a direct-to-definitive drug testing protocol.
Racial Disparities in ICU Outcomes: A Systematic Review*
Authors: McGowan Samuel K. , Sarigiannis Kalli A. , Fox Samuel C. , Gottlieb Michael A. , Chen Elaine
Published: October 2021

Objectives:

Racial disparities in the United States healthcare system are well described across a variety of clinical settings. The ICU is a clinical environment with a higher acuity and mortality rate, potentially compounding the impact of disparities on patients. We sought to systematically analyze the literature to assess the prevalence of racial disparities in the ICU.

Data Sources:

We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library.

Study Selection:

We identified articles that evaluated racial differences on outcomes among ICU patients in the United States. Two authors independently screened and selected articles for inclusion.

Data Extraction:

We dual-extracted study characteristics and outcomes that assessed for disparities in care (e.g., in-hospital mortality, ICU length of stay). Studies were assessed for bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

Data Synthesis:

Of 1,325 articles screened, 25 articles were included (n = 751,796 patients). Studies demonstrated race-based differences in outcomes, including higher mortality rates for Black patients when compared with White patients. However, when controlling for confounding variables, such as severity of illness and hospital type, mortality differences based on race were no longer observed. Additionally, results revealed that Black patients experienced greater financial impacts during an ICU admission, were less likely to receive early tracheostomy, and were less likely to receive timely antibiotics than White patients. Many studies also observed differences in patients’ end-of-life care, including lower rates on the quality of dying, less advanced care planning, and higher intensity of interventions at the end of life for Black patients.

Conclusions:

This systematic review found significant differences in the care and outcomes among ICU patients of different races. Mortality differences were largely explained by accompanying demographic and patient factors, highlighting the effect of structural inequalities on racial differences in mortality in the ICU. This systematic review provides evidence that structural inequalities in care persist in the ICU, which contribute to racial disparities in care. Future research should evaluate interventions to address inequality in the ICU.
Validation of the InBody BPBIO210 manual auscultatory hybrid device for professional office use in a general population according to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation/European Society of Hypertension/International Organization for Standardization Universal Standard
Authors: Ntineri Angeliki , Menti Ariadni , Kyriakoulis Konstantinos G. , Bountzona Ioanna , Prapa Sofia , Kollias Anastasios , Stergiou George S.
Published: October 2021

Objective

To evaluate the accuracy of the InBody BPBIO210 manual auscultatory mercury-free hybrid blood pressure (BP) measuring device for professional office use in a general population according to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation/European Society of Hypertension/International Organization for Standardization (AAMI/ESH/ISO) Universal Standard (ISO 81060-2:2018).

Methods

Subjects were recruited to fulfil the age, sex, BP and cuff distribution criteria of the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard in a general population using the same arm sequential BP measurement method. Two cuffs of the test device were used for arm circumference 22–32 (medium) and 32–42 cm (large).

Results

A total of 94 subjects were recruited and 86 were analysed (mean age 53.7 ± 18.4 [SD] years, 50 men, arm circumference 32.5 ± 4.8 cm, range 22–42 cm). For the validation Criterion 1, the mean ± SD of the differences between the test device and reference BP readings was −1.0 ± 4.1/−0.7 ± 2.5 mmHg (systolic/diastolic). For Criterion 2, the SD of the averaged BP differences between the test device and reference BP per subject was 2.65/1.59 mmHg (systolic/diastolic).

Conclusions

The InBody BPBIO210 manual auscultatory hybrid device for professional office BP measurement fulfilled all the requirements of the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard (ISO 81060-2:2018) in a general population and can be recommended for clinical use.
Early Enteral Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Complications in Pediatric Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Authors: Pérez Gema , González Elena , Zamora Laura , Fernández Sarah N. , Sánchez Amelia , Bellón Jose María , Santiago María José , Solana María José
Published: October 2021

Objectives:

To assess the safety of enteral nutrition (EN) in children on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). To describe nutritional status and the characteristics of the nutritional support in this population.

Methods:

A retrospective single‐center analysis (2006–2016) including children <18 years on ECMO. Demographic data, nutritional status, characteristics of nutritional support, and development of gastrointestinal (GI) complications were recorded.

Results:

One hundred children, with a median age of 9.7 months (interquartile range [IQR] 3.9–63.1) were enrolled. Undernutrition was prevalent among children on ECMO (33.3%) mainly in patients <2 years (P = 0.042). Most patients (64%) received EN at some point during ECMO therapy. EN was administered in the first 48 hours after ECMO initiation (48HEN) to 60.3% of the children.

Mortality rate in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit was lower in patients who received EN as the initial artificial nutrition support (ANS) (37.7 vs 51%, P = 0.005) and in children on 48HEN (34% vs 50%, P = 0.04). In the logistic regression analysis, duration of ECMO support and low cardiac output indication were the only factors associated with mortality.

Although most patients on ECMO (45%) developed digestive complications, they were mostly mild, being constipation the most prevalent. In the logistic regression analysis, EN was not associated with an increase in GI complications (P = 0.09). Only three patients developed intestinal ischemia (one without EN and two on EN).

Conclusions:

Undernutrition is prevalent among children on ECMO, mainly in infants <2 years. EN is not associated with severe gastrointestinal complications or higher mortality in these children.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis Symptom Scores Are High in Children Without Eosinophilic Disease
Authors: Bose Paroma , Albright Eric , Idrees Muhammad T. , Perkins Anthony , Sawyers Cindy , Gupta Sandeep K. , Hon Emily C.
Published: October 2021

Objectives:

The Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) Symptom Score version 2 (PEESSv2.0) is an EoE‐specific validated metric for disease monitoring, but its use has not been explored outside of EoE. Our aim was to determine if PEESSv2.0 scores differentiate between children with EoE and non‐EoE esophageal dysfunction undergoing initial esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD).

Methods:

A prospective cohort study of pediatric subjects was conducted. Children ages 1–18 undergoing initial EGD for esophageal dysfunction were enrolled. Demographics, clinical history, and child self‐report and parent‐proxy report PEESSv2.0 symptom scores were collected at the time of EGD. Esophageal biopsies were reviewed, and EoE was defined as >15 eosinophils/high powered field (hpf) seen in any level of the esophagus. Non‐EoE was defined as <15 eosinophils/hpf.

Results:

Seventy‐one children were included in the study from 2015 to 2018 [59% (42/71) males; mean age 9.2 years; range 1–17 years]. Fifty‐eight percent (41/71) met criteria for EoE, and 42% (30/71) were labeled non‐EoE. Non‐EoE children and their parents had higher/worse median PEESSv2.0 total scores than those with EoE [47.0 vs 28.0 (P = 0.001) and 40.5 vs 26.5 (P = 0.012), respectively]. Non‐EoE children reported higher median GERD [9.0 vs 4.0 (P = 0.003)], nausea/vomiting [9.0 vs 4.0 (P = 0.003)], and pain [11.0 vs 6.0 (P = 0.001)] subdomain scores compared to those with EoE. PEESSv2.0 dysphagia subdomain scores (child and parent‐proxy) did not differ between EoE and non‐EoE groups [22.0 vs 15.0 (P = 0.184) and 18.5 vs 17.4 (P = 0.330), respectively].

Discussion:

Total PEESSv2.0 scores were worse in non‐EoE group compared to EoE group. Although PEESSv2.0 is validated for use in monitoring EoE therapy, it does not distinguish children with EoE from non‐EoE esophageal dysfunction at the time of diagnostic EGD.
Using genetic algorithms to uncover individual differences in how humans represent facial emotion
Authors: Carlisi Christina O. , Reed Kyle , Helmink Fleur G. L. , Lachlan Robert , Cosker Darren P. , Viding Essi , Mareschal Isabelle
Published: October 2021

Emotional facial expressions critically impact social interactions and cognition. However, emotion research to date has generally relied on the assumption that people represent categorical emotions in the same way, using standardized stimulus sets and overlooking important individual differences. To resolve this problem, we developed and tested a task using
genetic algorithms
to derive assumption-free, participant-generated emotional expressions. One hundred and five participants generated a subjective representation of happy, angry, fearful and sad faces. Population-level consistency was observed for happy faces, but fearful and sad faces showed a high degree of variability. High test–retest reliability was observed across all emotions. A separate group of 108 individuals accurately identified happy and angry faces from the first study, while fearful and sad faces were commonly misidentified. These findings are an important first step towards understanding individual differences in emotion representation, with the potential to reconceptualize the way we study atypical emotion processing in future research.