bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychiatric euthanasia, suicide and the role of gender
Authors: Nicolini Marie E. , Gastmans Chris , Kim Scott Y.H.
Published: July 2021

The preponderance of women among persons who request and receive euthanasia and assisted suicide based on a psychiatric condition, as shown by data from The Netherlands and Belgium, is virtually unexplored. We provide a critical discussion of this gender gap, and propose that it can inform a key debate point in the controversy over the practice, namely its conflict with suicide prevention.
Racial Disintegration: Biomedical Futurity at the Environmental Limit
Authors: Huang Michelle N.
Published: July 2021

Illuminating how biomedical capital invests in white and Asian American populations while divesting from Black surplus populations, this article proposes recent Asian American dystopian fiction provides a case study for analyzing futurities where healthcare infrastructures intensify racial inequality under terms that do not include race at all. Through a reading of Chang-rae Lee’s On Such a Full Sea (2014) and other texts, the article develops the term studious deracination to refer to a narrative strategy defined by an evacuated racial consciousness that is used to ironize assumptions of white universalism and uncritical postracialism. Studious deracination challenges medical discourse’s “color-blind” approach to healthcare and enables a reconsideration of comparative racialization in a moment of accelerating social disintegration and blasted landscapes. Indeed, while precision medicine promises to replace race with genomics, Asian American literature is key to showing how this “postracial” promise depends on framing racial inequality as a symptom, rather than an underlying etiology, of infrastructures of public health.
TFAM-deficient mouse skin fibroblasts – an ex vivo model of mitochondrial dysfunction
Authors: Del Rey Manuel J. , Meroño Carolina , Municio Cristina , Usategui Alicia , Mittelbrunn María , García-Consuegra Inés , Criado Gabriel , Pablos José L.
Published: July 2021

Mitochondrial dysfunction associates with several pathological processes and contributes to chronic inflammatory and ageing-related diseases. Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) plays a critical role in maintaining mtDNA integrity and function. Taking advantage of Tfamfl/fl UBC-Cre/ERT2+/+ mice to investigate mitochondrial dysfunction in the stromal cell component, we describe an inducible in vitro model of mitochondrial dysfunction by stable depletion of TFAM in primary mouse skin fibroblasts (SK-FBs) after 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) administration. Tfam gene deletion caused a sustained reduction in Tfam and mtDNA-encoded mRNA in Cre(+) SK-FBs cultured for low (LP) and high (HP) passages that translated into a loss of TFAM protein. TFAM depletion led to a substantial reduction in mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes that was exacerbated in HP SK-FB cultures. The assembly pattern showed that the respiratory complexes fail to reach the respirasome in 4-OHT-treated Cre(+) SK-FBs. Functionally, mito-stress and glycolysis-stress tests showed that mitochondrial dysfunction developed after long-term 4-OHT treatment in HP Cre(+) SK-FBs and was compensated by an increase in the glycolytic capacity. Finally, expression analysis revealed that 4-OHT-treated HP Cre(+) SK-FBs showed a senescent and pro-inflammatory phenotype.
Vertical Agreements and User Access
Authors: Gaudin Germain , White Alexander
Published: July 2021

Platforms acting as sales channels for producers often charge users for access via a subscription fee or a markup on hardware. We compare two common forms of vertical pricing agreement that platforms use with sellers: per unit and proportional fees. In particular, we analyze the critical role that user access plays on prices, profits, and welfare under both forms of agreement. We characterize this role and show how it potentially overturns standard results saying that proportional fees lead to lower prices and higher profits. (JEL D21, D43, K21, L42, L86)
Horizontal Differentiation and the Policy Effect of Charter Schools
Authors: Gilraine Michael , Petronijevic Uros , Singleton John D.
Published: July 2021

While school choice may enhance competition, incentives for public schools to raise productivity may be muted if public education is imperfectly substitutable with alternatives. This paper estimates the aggregate effect of charter school expansion on education quality while accounting for the horizontal differentiation of charter programs. Our research design leverages variation following the removal of North Carolina’s statewide cap to compare test score changes for students who lived near entering charters to those farther away. We find learning gains that are driven by public schools responding to increased competition from non-horizontally differentiated charter schools, even before those charters actually open. (JEL H75, I21, I28)
SRSF10: an atypical splicing regulator with critical roles in stress response, organ development, and viral replication
Authors: Shkreta Lulzim , Delannoy Aurélie , Salvetti Anna , Chabot Benoit
Published: July 2021

Serine/arginine splicing factor 10 (SRSF10) is a member of the family of mammalian splicing regulators known as SR proteins. Like several of its SR siblings, the SRSF10 protein is composed of an RNA binding domain (RRM) and of arginine and serine-rich auxiliary domains (RS) that guide interactions with other proteins. The phosphorylation status of SRSF10 is of paramount importance for its activity and is subjected to changes during mitosis, heat-shock, and DNA damage. SRSF10 overexpression has functional consequences in a growing list of cancers. By controlling the alternative splicing of specific transcripts, SRSF10 has also been implicated in glucose, fat, and cholesterol metabolism, in the development of the embryonic heart, and in neurological processes. SRSF10 is also important for the proper expression and processing of HIV-1 and other viral transcripts. We discuss how SRSF10 could become a potentially appealing therapeutic target to combat cancer and viral infections.
Current situation of vaccine injury compensation program and a future perspective in light of COVID-19 and emerging viral diseases
Authors: Crum Tommie , Mooney Kirsten , Tiwari Birendra R.
Published: July 2021

Background: Vaccines have had a great impact on disease prevention and mortality reduction. Very rarely, vaccines also can result in serious adverse effects. In consideration of this fact, vaccine injury compensation programs have been implemented in many countries to compensate a vaccinee for associated adverse effects. The existing vaccine injury compensation system addresses routine immunization schemes. However, there are rising concerns about the compensation for adverse effects caused by new vaccines such as those developed for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The objective of this article is to review the existing vaccine injury compensation programs in different countries. The review also highlights the necessity to include all upcoming new vaccines for COVID-19 and other emerging viral diseases in the compensation schemes.

Methods: Published articles relating to vaccine compensation injury programs, vaccines, injuries, disabilities, illnesses, and deaths resulting from vaccination were searched in data bases. Through a careful review of the abstracts, 25 relevant articles were selected for analysis.

Results: We identified 27 countries on four continents with vaccine injury compensation schemes: 17 countries in Europe, 7 countries in Asia, the United States, a Canadian Province and New Zealand. No programs were identified in Africa and in South America. Program design, funding, and eligibility for compensation vary vastly between countries. We identified 17 countries operating well-established vaccine injury compensation programs. However, minimal information is available on numerous other countries.

Conclusion: We have identified 27 countries operating vaccine injury compensation programs. In Canada, Quebec is the only province with a scheme; however, discussions are ongoing in Canada for nationwide implementation in light of COVID 19.  Study limitations include limited scientific material, which hindered our research. Additional data concerning payout for each type of injury and the number of claimants related to a specific vaccine injury worldwide could provide a more comprehensive analysis.
Efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination in individuals designated as clinically extremely vulnerable in Scotland
Authors: McKeigue Paul M , McAllister David A , Bishop Jen , Hutchinson Sharon , Robertson Chris , Lone Nazir , McMenamin Jim , Goldberg David , Colhoun Helen M
Published: July 2021

Background: Although COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to have high efficacy in the general population, it has not been established whether this applies to vulnerable groups. The objective of this study was to estimate the efficacy of vaccination in reducing the risk of severe COVID-19 among those designated as clinically extremely vulnerable in Scotland.

Methods: In a matched case-control design (REACT-SCOT), all 111295 cases of COVID-19 in Scotland diagnosed from 1 December 2020 to 16 March 2021 were matched for age, sex and primary care practice to 1093449 controls from the general population. This was linked to national data on vaccinations and those designated as clinically extremely vulnerable and thus eligible for shielding support. Severe COVID-19 was defined as cases with entry to critical care or fatal outcome. Rate ratios associated with vaccination within risk groups were estimated by conditional logistic regression.

Results: The rate ratio for severe COVID-19 associated with vaccination at least 14 days before was 0.29 (95% CI 0.22 to 0.37) in those eligible for shielding, compared with 0.29 (95% CI 0.25 to 0.34) in those ineligible for shielding. The rate ratio for hospitalized or fatal COVID-19 was 0.39 (95% CI 0.33 to 0.46) in those eligible and 0.37 (95% CI 0.33 to 0.41) in those not eligible for shielding. Examined by specific shielding conditions, the rate ratio for hospitalized or fatal COVID-19 ranged from 0.33 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.51) in those with specific cancers to 0.74 (95% CI 0.36 to 1.51) in solid organ transplant recipients, and 0.53 (95% CI 0.33 to 0.84) in others on immunosuppressants (excluding solid organ transplant recipients).

Conclusions: These results are reassuring with respect to efficacy in clinically vulnerable individuals including immunocompromised individuals, but studies in larger populations are needed to estimate efficacy in solid organ transplant recipients.
How modelling can help steer the course set by the World Health Organization 2021-2030 roadmap on neglected tropical diseases
Authors: Clark Jessica , Stolk Wilma A. , Basáñez María-Gloria , Coffeng Luc E. , Cucunubá Zulma M. , Dixon Matthew A. , Dyson Louise , Hampson Katie , Marks Michael , Medley Graham F. , Pollington Timothy M. , Prada Joaquin M. , Rock Kat S. , Salje Henrik , Toor Jaspreet , Hollingsworth T. Déirdre
Published: July 2021

The World Health Organization recently launched its 2021-2030 roadmap, Ending the Neglect to Attain the Sustainable Development Goals, an updated call to arms to end the suffering caused by neglected tropical diseases. Modelling and quantitative analyses played a significant role in forming these latest goals. In this collection, we discuss the insights, the resulting recommendations and identified challenges of public health modelling for 13 of the target diseases: Chagas disease, dengue, gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT), lymphatic filariasis (LF), onchocerciasis, rabies, scabies, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH), Taenia solium taeniasis/ cysticercosis, trachoma, visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and yaws. This piece reflects the three cross-cutting themes identified across the collection, regarding the contribution that modelling can make to timelines, programme design, drug development and clinical trials.
The genome sequence of the European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur Linnaeus 1758
Authors: Dunn Jenny C. , Hamer Keith C. , Morris Antony J. , Grice Philip V. , Smith Michelle , Corton Craig , Oliver Karen , Skelton Jason , Betteridge Emma , Dolucan Jale , Quail Michael A. , McCarthy Shane A. , Uliano-Silva Marcela , Howe Kerstin , Torrance James , Chow William , Pelan Sarah , Sims Ying , Challis Richard , Threlfall Jonathan , Mead Daniel , Blaxter Mark
Published: July 2021

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Streptopelia turtur (the European turtle dove; Chordata; Aves; Columbidae). The genome sequence is 1.18 gigabases in span. The majority of the assembly is scaffolded into 35 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the W and Z sex chromosomes assembled.
A review of post infectious pulmonary fibrosis in the era of COVID-19 and potential treatment options
Authors: Ghose Medha , Patel Maehali
Published: July 2021

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement characterizing COVID-19 as a pandemic that has, as of October 2020, caused almost 36 million confirmed global cases and over 1 million deaths. One of the long-term complications suggested by researchers is fibrosis. It has been hypothesized that the combination of ongoing pulmonary injury caused by COVID-19 and the inability to promptly repair damage results in interstitial matrix widening and eventual compression and destruction of alveoli and capillaries. Here we focus on pathogenesis, risk factors, different infectious causes of fibrosis along with COVID-19, and potential treatment options that might reduce its effects.
Key words: COVID-19, pulmonary fibrosis, mechanism, treatment
Corneal ulcers part 2: aetiology and management of deep corneal ulcers
Authors: Foote Amber Rose
Published: July 2021

Corneal ulceration is one of the most common ocular problems presented in first opinion practice. Ocular diseases in dogs can be distressing for both the patient and owner, registered veterinary nurses can provide advice to distressed owners and ensure that patients are provided with evidence-based and holistic care. This is the second-part of a two-part series which focuses on the aetiology of corneal ulcers and the role of registered veterinary nurses within ocular diseases.
The effect induced by alternated mechanical loading on Notch-1 in mandibular condylar cartilage of growing rabbits
Authors: Yan Fan , Feng Jianying , Yang Liu , Shi Changjin
Published: July 2021

Aims

The aim of our study is to investigate the effect induced by alternated mechanical loading on Notch-1 in mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC) of growing rabbits.

Methods

A total of 64 ten-day-old rabbits were randomly divided into two groups according to dietary hardness: normal diet group (pellet) and soft diet group (powder). In each group, the rabbits were further divided into four subgroups by feeding time: two weeks, four weeks, six weeks, and eight weeks. Animals would be injected 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) every day for one week before sacrificing. Histomorphometric analysis of MCC thickness was performed through haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Immunochemical analysis was done to test BrdU and Notch-1. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot were used to measure expression of Notch-1, Jagged-1, and Delta-like 1 (Dll-1).

Results

The thickness of MCC in the soft diet group was thinner than the one in normal diet group. Notch-1 was restricted in fibrous layer, proliferative layer, and hypertrophic layer. The expression of Notch-1 increased from two weeks to six weeks and then fell down. Notch-1 in normal diet group was higher than that in soft diet group in anterior part of MCC. The statistical differences of Notch-1 were shown at two, four, and six weeks (p < 0.05). The result of western blot and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed the expression of Dll-1 and Jagged-1 rose from two to four weeks and started to decrease at four weeks. BrdU distributed in all layers of cartilage and subchondral bone. The number of BrdU-positive cells, which were less in soft diet group, was decreasing along with the experiment period. The significant difference was found at four, six, and eight weeks in anterior and posterior parts (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The structure and proliferation of MCC in rabbits were sensitive to dietary loading changes. The proper mechanical loading was essential for transduction of Notch signalling pathway and development of mandibular condylar cartilage. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(7):437–444.
Comparison of cell therapy and other novel adjunctive therapies combined with core decompression for the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head
Authors: Zhu Shibai , Zhang Xiaotian , Chen Xi , Wang Yiou , Li Shanni , Qian Wenwei
Published: July 2021

Aims

The value of core decompression (CD) in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) remains controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate whether CD combined with other treatments could improve the clinical and radiological outcomes of ONFH patients compared with CD alone.

Methods

We searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases until June 2020. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical controlled trials (CCTs) comparing CD alone and CD combined with other measures (CD + cell therapy, CD + bone grafting, CD + porous tantalum rod, etc.) for the treatment of ONFH were considered eligible for inclusion. The primary outcomes of interest were Harris Hip Score (HHS), ONFH stage progression, structural failure (collapse) of the femoral head, and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA). The pooled data were analyzed using Review Manager 5.3 software.

Results

A total of 20 studies with 2,123 hips were included (CD alone = 768, CD combined with other treatments = 1,355). The combination of CD with other therapeutic interventions resulted in a higher HHS (mean difference (MD) = 6.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.10 to 10.83, p = 0.004) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score (MD = −10.92, 95% CI = -21.41 to -4.03, p = 0.040) and a lower visual analogue scale (VAS) score (MD = −0.99, 95% CI = -1.56 to -0.42, p < 0.001) than CD alone. For the rates of disease stage progression, 91 (20%) progressed in the intervention group compared to 146 (36%) in the control group (odds ratio (OR) = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.16 to 0.64, p = 0.001). In addition, the intervention group had a more significant advantage in delaying femoral head progression to the collapsed stage (OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.17 to 0.61, p < 0.001) and reducing the odds of conversion to THA (OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.23 to 0.55, p < 0.001) compared to the control group. There were no serious adverse events in either group. Subgroup analysis showed that the addition of cell therapy significantly improved clinical and radiological outcomes compared to CD alone, and this approach appeared to be more effective than other therapies, particularly in precollapse (stage I to II) ONFH patients.

Conclusion

There was marked heterogeneity in the studies. There is a trend towards improved clinical outcomes with the addition of stem cell therapy to CD. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(7):445–458.
Performance assessment of laser sources for time-domain diffuse correlation spectroscopy
Authors: Samaei Saeed , Colombo Lorenzo , Borycki Dawid , Pagliazzi Marco , Durduran Turgut , Sawosz Piotr , Wojtkiewicz Stanislaw , Contini Davide , Torricelli Alessandro , Pifferi Antonio , Liebert Adam
Published: July 2021

Time-domain diffuse correlation spectroscopy (TD-DCS) is an emerging optical technique that enables noninvasive measurement of microvascular blood flow with photon path-length resolution. In TD-DCS, a picosecond pulsed laser with a long coherence length, adequate illumination power, and narrow instrument response function (IRF) is required, and satisfying all these features is challenging. To this purpose, in this study we characterized the performance of three different laser sources for TD-DCS. First, the sources were evaluated based on their emission spectrum and IRF. Then, we compared the signal-to-noise ratio and the sensitivity to velocity changes of scattering particles in a series of phantom measurements. We also compared the results for in vivo measurements, performing an arterial occlusion protocol on the forearm of three adult subjects. Overall, each laser has the potential to be successfully used both for laboratory and clinical applications. However, we found that the effects caused by the IRF are more significant than the effect of a limited temporal coherence.
Useful relations for the analysis of stellar scintillation at the entrance pupil of a telescope
Authors: Kornilov Victor , Safonov Boris , Kornilov Matwey
Published: July 2021

The development of new techniques for characterizing atmospheric optical turbulence (OT) has become an active topic of research again in recent years. In order to facilitate these studies, we reconsidered known theoretical results and obtained some new practically useful conclusions. We introduce a dimensionless Fresnel filter, which allows us to approximate a polychromatic weighting function (WF) by a monochromatic one with a typical precision of several percent. A so-called dimensionless WF can be easily scaled for a receiving aperture of any size. For the case of a circular aperture and monochromatic radiation, an analytical expression for the WF was found. The WFs for a square aperture and for a circular aperture match with relative difference less than 0.01 if the circular aperture diameter is 1.15 times larger than the square aperture side. A linear digital filter can be applied to the scintillation signal from an image detector. As an example of digital filtering, we considered the power law filter

∝

f

5

/

3

with the WF being constant in a wide range of altitudes. We discuss the main limitations of this approach for measuring OT integral: finite pixel size, aliasing, and finite image detector size.
Bose-Einstein condensation of photons in a long fiber cavity
Authors: Weill Rafi , Bekker Alexander , Levit Boris , Fischer Baruch
Published: July 2021

We demonstrate photon Bose-Einstein condensation (photon-BEC) at a broad temperature range that is valid also in the long 1D fiber cavity limit. It is done with an erbium-ytterbium co-doped fiber (EYDF) cavity by overcoming the challenging requirement of sublinear light dispersion for BEC in 1D using a chirped-gratings Fabry-Perot. We experimentally show with a square-root mode-dispersion, a quadratic temperature dependence of the critical power for condensation (compared to a linear dependence in finite regular fiber-cavities) between 90 K and 382 K, as the theory predicts.
Indoor lighting design for healthier workplaces: natural and electric light assessment for suitable circadian stimulus
Authors: Aguilar-Carrasco M. T. , Domínguez-Amarillo S. , Acosta I. , Sendra J. J.
Published: July 2021

Light, especially daylight, plays a critical role in human health as the main timer for circadian rhythms. Indoor environments usually lack the correct exposure to daylight and are highly dependent on electric lighting, disrupting the circadian rhythm and compromising the health of occupants. The methodology proposed assesses the combination of natural and electric lighting on circadian rhythms for operational environments. The case study chosen examines a 24/7 laboratory area representing an open-plan shift-work area. Several electric lighting scenarios under different sky conditions have been assessed, considering a variable window size and resulting in a spectrum which establishes the indoor circadian regulation performance according to the amount of light perceived. A set of configurations is presented to determine optimal electric lighting configuration based on natural light conditions in order to ensure a suitable circadian stimulus and the electric lighting flux threshold for different scenarios, benefiting occupants’ health while also ensuring energy conservation.
Precise spectroscopy of 167Er:Y2SiO5 based on laser frequency stabilization using a fiber laser comb
Authors: Yasui S. , Hiraishi M. , Ishizawa A. , Omi H. , Kaji R. , Adachi S. , Tawara T.
Published: July 2021

Precise spectroscopy of the hyperfine level system of 167Er-doped Y2SiO5 was achieved in the frequency domain. By using an optical frequency comb to stabilize the light source frequency to an accuracy on the order of hertz on a long-term scale, Allan deviation < 10 Hz was achieved for an integration time of 180 s. As a result, spectral hole-burning experiments yielded a more accurate hole spectrum with a narrow homogeneous linewidth. The method opens the way to the straightforward exploration of relaxation mechanisms in the frequency domain by simple steady-state measurements.
Double Rayleigh scattering in a digitally enhanced, all-fiber optical frequency reference
Authors: Zhang Ya , Bandutunga Chathura P. , McRae Terry G. , Gray Malcolm B. , Chow Jong H.
Published: July 2021

We demonstrate a passive, all-optical fiber frequency reference using a digitally enhanced homodyne interferometric phase readout. We model the noise contributions from fiber thermal noise and the coupling of double Rayleigh scattering in a digitally enhanced homodyne interferometer. A system frequency stability of 0.1 Hz/

Hz

is achieved above 100 Hz, which coincides with the double Rayleigh scattering estimate and is approximately a factor of five above the thermo-dynamic noise limit.
6 kW single mode monolithic fiber laser enabled by effective mitigation of the transverse mode instability
Authors: Yang Baolai , Wang Peng , Zhang Hanwei , Xi Xiaoming , Shi Chen , Wang Xiaolin , Xu Xiaojun
Published: July 2021

The transverse mode instability (TMI) has been one of the main limitations for the power scaling of single mode fiber lasers. In this work, we report a 6 kW single mode monolithic fiber laser enabled by effective mitigation of the TMI. The fiber laser employs a custom-made wavelength-stabilized 981 nm pump source, which remarkably enhanced the TMI threshold compared with the wavelength of 976 nm. With appropriately distributing bidirectional pump power, the monolithic fiber laser is scaled to 6 kW with single mode beam quality (M2<1.3). The stability is verified in a continuous operation for over 2 hours with power fluctuation below 1%.
Temperature and curvature insensitive all-fiber sensor used for human breath monitoring
Authors: Yuan Weihao , Li Lingduo , Wang Yu , Lian Zhenggang , Chen Daru , Yu Changyuan , Lu Chao
Published: July 2021

In this paper, an all-fiber sensor based on hollow core Bragg fiber (HCBF) is proposed and successfully manufactured, which can be used for human breath monitoring. Benefiting from the identical outer diameters of HCBF and single mode fibers (SMFs), the sensor can be directly constructed by sandwiching a segment of HCBF between two SMFs. Based on optical propagation properties of HCBF, the transmission light is sensitive to specific environmental change induced by human breath. Thus, the breath signals can be explicitly recorded by measuring the intensity of the transmitted laser. The sensor presents a rapid response time of ∼0.15 s and recovery time of ∼0.65 s. In addition, the HCBF-based sensor shows good insensitivity to the variation of temperature and curvature, which enables its reliable sensing performance in the dynamic and changeful environment.
Interferometric measurement of high-order aspheric surface parameter errors based on a virtual-real combination iterative algorithm
Authors: Hao Qun , Tao Xin , Hu Yao , Li Tengfei , Zhao Weiqian
Published: July 2021

Aspheric surface parameters, including vertex radius of curvature, conic constant, and high-order aspheric coefficients, decide the optical properties of aspheric surfaces. The measurement of aspheric surface parameter errors (SPEs) is a substantial issue for the fabrication of aspheric surfaces. Interferometry is a mature high-accuracy method in aspheric surface figure error measurement, but challenges still exist in the measurement of SPEs for high-order aspheric surfaces or convex aspheric surfaces. We propose an interferometric measurement method for high-order aspheric SPEs based on a virtual-real combination iterative algorithm (VRCIA). We also propose a recommended measurement system including a partial compensation interferometer to obtain the partial compensated wavefront and a laser differential confocal system to obtain the best compensation distance for calculating SPEs through the VRCIA. A high-order convex aspheric surface is measured to demonstrate the feasibility of the method. The relative accuracy of vertex radius of curvature error, conic constant error and fourth-order aspheric coefficient error can reach 0.025%, 0.095% and 3.02%, respectively.
High performance integral imaging 3D display using quarter-overlapped microlens arrays
Authors: Zhao Nai-Qin , Liu Juan , Zhao Zi-Feng
Published: July 2021

A scheme of quarter-overlapped microlens arrays (QOMLA) is proposed to improve the display performance of integral imaging (II). The theory and the design of QOMLA is presented by the combination of geometric optics and wave optics and is verified by the optical experiments. The angular sampling density of the II system can be doubled in each dimension to further increase the spatial resolution. Multiple central depth planes can be constructed by adjusting the spacing of the multilayers, so as to expand the depth of field (DoF). Furthermore, QOMLA is easier to process when compared with the single-layer microlens array, and it reduces processing costs.
Application of the Gaussian modeling algorithm to a Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor for daylight adaptive optics
Authors: Xu Li , Wang Jianli , Yao Kainan , Yang Leqiang
Published: July 2021

Daytime use of Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS)-based adaptive optics (AO) at a telescope is hindered by the fluctuating bright sky background. Therefore, we propose a Gaussian modeling centroid extraction algorithm that performs real-time daylight AO closed-loop corrections. The algorithm is executed in the process of modeling and updating each pixel of the consecutive SHWS images. The simulation results show that our method can provide a lower centroid estimation error (CEE) for bright sky background conditions. We also performed a field experiment on a 2 m ground-based telescope and achieved a daylight AO correction of 2.1 times diffraction limit for a star with a visual magnitude of 4.7 (HIP113116) when the elevation angle of the sun was 7.7°. This represents the first publicly reported daylight natural guide star AO correction result on a 2 m class telescope.
Histological Studies of the Ventricular–Subventricular Zone as Neural Stem Cell and Glioma Stem Cell Niche
Authors: Brockman Asa A. , Mobley Bret C. , Ihrie Rebecca A.
Published: July 2021

The neural stem cell niche of the ventricular–subventricular zone supports the persistence of stem and progenitor cells in the mature brain. This niche has many notable cytoarchitectural features that affect the activity of stem cells and may also support the survival and growth of invading tumor cells. Histochemical studies of the niche have revealed many proteins that, in combination, can help to reveal stem-like cells in the normal or cancer context, although many caveats persist in the quest to consistently identify these cells in the human brain. Here, we explore the complex relationship between the persistent proliferative capacity of the neural stem cell niche and the malignant proliferation of brain tumors, with a special focus on histochemical identification of stem cells and stem-like tumor cells and an eye toward the potential application of high-dimensional imaging approaches to the field.
Insights into substrate recognition and specificity for IgG by Endoglycosidase S2
Authors: Aytenfisu Asaminew H. , Deredge Daniel , Klontz Erik H. , Du Jonathan , Sundberg Eric J. , MacKerell Alexander D.
Published: July 2021

Antibodies bind foreign antigens with high affinity and specificity leading to their neutralization and/or clearance by the immune system. The conserved N-glycan on IgG has significant impact on antibody effector function, with the endoglycosidases ofStreptococcus pyogenes deglycosylating the IgG to evade the immune system, a process catalyzed by the endoglycosidase EndoS2. Studies have shown that two of the four domains of EndoS2, the carbohydrate binding module (CBM) and the glycoside hydrolase (GH) domain are critical for catalytic activity. To yield structural insights into contributions of the CBM and the GH domains as well as the overall flexibility of EndoS2 to the proteins’ catalytic activity, models of EndoS2-Fc complexes were generated through enhanced-sampling molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations and site-identification by ligand competitive saturation (SILCS) docking followed by reconstruction and multi-microsecond MD simulations. Modeling results predict that EndoS2 initially interacts with the IgG through its CBM followed by interactions with the GH yielding catalytically competent states. These may involve the CBM and GH of EndoS2 simultaneously interacting with either the same Fc CH2/CH3 domain or individually with the two Fc CH2/CH3 domains, with EndoS2 predicted to assume closed conformations in the former case and open conformations in the latter. Apo EndoS2 is predicted to sample both the open and closed states, suggesting that either complex can directly form following initial IgG-EndoS2 encounter. Interactions of the CBM and GH domains with the IgG are predicted to occur through both its glycan and protein regions. Simulations also predict that the Fc glycan can directly transfer from the CBM to the GH, facilitating formation of catalytically competent complexes and how the 734 to 751 loop on the CBM can facilitate extraction of the glycan away from the Fc CH2/CH3 domain. The predicted models are compared and consistent with Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange data. In addition, the complex models are consistent with the high specificity of EndoS2 for the glycans on IgG supporting the validity of the predicted models.
Dipeptidyl peptidase III as a DNA marker to investigate epidemiology and taxonomy of Old World Leishmania species
Authors: Bel Hadj Ali Insaf , Chouaieb Hamed , Saadi Ben Aoun Yusr , Harigua-Souiai Emna , Souguir Hejer , Yaacoub Alia , El Dbouni Oussaïma , Harrat Zoubir , Mukhtar Maowia M. , Ben Said Moncef , Haddad Nabil , Fathallah-Mili Akila , Guizani Ikram
Published: July 2021

Background

Dipeptidyl peptidase III(DPPIII) member of M49 peptidase family is a zinc-dependent metallopeptidase that cleaves dipeptides sequentially from the N-terminus of its substrates. InLeishmania,DPPIII, was reported with other peptidases to play a significant role in parasites’ growth and survival. In a previous study, we used a coding sequence annotated asDPPIIIto develop and evaluate a PCR assay that is specific to dermotropic Old World (OW)Leishmaniaspecies. Thus, our objective was to further assess use of this gene forLeishmaniaspecies identification and for phylogeny, and thus for diagnostic and molecular epidemiology studies of Old WorldLeishmaniaspecies.

Methodology

OrthologousDDPIIIgenes were searched in allLeishmaniagenomes and aligned to design PCR primers and identify relevant restriction enzymes. A PCR assays was developed and seventy-twoLeishmaniafragment sequences were analyzed using MEGA X genetics software to infer evolution and phylogenetic relationships of studied species and strains. A PCR-RFLP scheme was also designed and tested on 58 OWLeishmaniastrains belonging to 8Leishmaniaspecies and evaluated on 75 human clinical skin samples.

Findings

Sequence analysis showed 478 variable sites (302 being parsimony informative). Test of natural selection (dN-dS) (-0.164, SE = 0.013) inferred a negative selection, characteristic of essential genes, corroborating theDPPIIIimportance for parasite survival. Inter- and intra-specific genetic diversity was used to develop universal amplification of a 662bp fragment. Sequence analyses and phylogenies confirmed occurrence of 6 clusters congruent toL.major,L.tropica,L.aethiopica,L.arabica,L.turanica,L.tarentolaespecies, and one to theL.infantumandL.donovanispecies complex.

A PCR-RFLP algorithm forLeishmaniaspecies identification was designed using double digestions withHaeIII andKpnI and withSacI andPvuII endonucleases. Overall, this PCR-RFLP yielded distinct profiles for each of the speciesL.major,L.tropica,L.aethiopica,L.arabicaandL.turanicaand theL. (Sauroleishmania) L.tarentolae. The speciesL.donovani, andL.infantumshared the same profile except for strains of Indian origin. When tested on clinical samples, theDPPIIIPCR showed sensitivities of 82.22% when compared to direct examination and was able to identify 84.78% of the positive samples.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates thatDPPIIIgene is suitable to detect and identifyLeishmaniaspecies and to complement other molecular methods for leishmaniases diagnosis and epidemiology. Thus, it can contribute to evidence-based disease control and surveillance.
The burden of scrub typhus in India: A systematic review
Authors: Devasagayam Emily , Dayanand Divya , Kundu Debasree , Kamath Mohan S. , Kirubakaran Richard , Varghese George M.
Published: July 2021

Background

Scrub typhus, a vector-borne zoonotic infection caused by the bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi, is one of the most common and clinically important rickettsial infections worldwide. An estimated one million cases occur annually with a high case fatality rate. Although scrub typhus is a major public health threat in India, the burden and distribution remains unclear. We aimed to estimate the burden of scrub typhus in India.

Methodology

We performed a systematic review of published literature on scrub typhus from India to extract information on epidemiology, morbidity, and mortality. Important databases were searched using keywords and appropriate combinations. We identified observational, interventional, and population-based studies and extracted the data to evaluate the number of cases diagnosed using serology or PCR and the number of deaths due to scrub typhus. We conducted a systematic narrative synthesis to summarize included studies.

Principal findings

In the last decade, there were 18,781 confirmed scrub typhus cases reported in 138 hospital-based studies and two community-based studies. IgM ELISA was used in 122 studies to confirm the cases in majority (89%). The proportion of scrub typhus among acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI) studies was 25.3%, and community seroprevalence was 34.2%. Ninety studies had data published on multiple organ involvement out of which 17.4% of cases had multiple organ dysfunction syndromes, 20.4% patients required ICU admission, and 19.1% needed ventilation. The overall case-fatality rate was 6.3%, and the mortality among those with multi-organ dysfunction syndrome was as high as 38.9%.

Conclusion/significance

Scrub typhus, a common acute febrile illness in India causing severe morbidity, accounts for a large number of deaths. The burden of the disease has been underappreciated. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can significantly reduce complications and mortality. Establishing good surveillance and instituting appropriate control measures are urgently needed.
Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus-Leishmania major co-infection modulates innate inflammatory response favoring myeloid cell infections and skin hyperinflammation
Authors: Heirwegh Ellen , MacLean Emily , He Jinlei , Kamhawi Shaden , Sagan Selena M. , Olivier Martin
Published: July 2021

Background

The leishmaniases are a group of sandfly-transmitted diseases caused by species of the protozoan parasite, Leishmania. With an annual incidence of 1 million cases, 1 billion people living in Leishmania-endemic regions, and nearly 30,000 deaths each year, leishmaniasis is a major global public health concern. While phlebotomine sandflies are well-known as vectors of Leishmania, they are also the vectors of various phleboviruses, including Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus (SFSV).

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), caused by Leishmania major (L. major), among other species, results in development of skin lesions on the infected host. Importantly, there exists much variation in the clinical manifestation between individuals. We propose that phleboviruses, vectored by and found in the same sandfly guts as Leishmania, may be a factor in determining CL severity. It was reported by our group that Leishmania exosomes are released into the gut of the sandfly vector and co-inoculated during blood meals, where they exacerbate CL skin lesions. We hypothesized that, when taking a blood meal, the sandfly vector infects the host with Leishmania parasites and exosomes as well as phleboviruses, and that this viral co-infection results in a modulation of leishmaniasis.

Methodology/Principal findings

In vitro, we observed modulation by SFSV in MAP kinase signaling as well as in the IRF3 pathway that resulted in a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Additionally, we found that SFSV and L. major co-infection resulted in an exacerbation of leishmaniasis in vivo, and by using endosomal (Toll-like receptor) TLR3, and MAVS knock-out mice, deduced that SFSV’s hyperinflammatory effect was TLR3- and MAVS-dependent. Critically, we observed that L. major and SFSV co-infected C57BL/6 mice demonstrated significantly higher parasite burden than mice solely infected with L. major. Furthermore, viral presence increased leukocyte influx in vivo. This influx was accompanied by elevated total extracellular vesicle numbers. Interestingly, L. major displayed higher infectiveness with coincident phleboviral infection compared to L. major infection alone.

Conclusion/Significance

Overall our work represents novel findings that contribute towards understanding the causal mechanisms governing cutaneous leishmaniasis pathology. Better comprehension of the potential role of viral co-infection could lead to treatment regimens with enhanced effectiveness.
Amelioration of 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis by Streptococcus thermophilus ST4 in a mouse model
Authors: Shen Siou-Ru , Chen Wei-Jen , Chu Hui-Fang , Wu Shiuan-Huei , Wang Yu-Ru , Shen Tang-Long
Published: July 2021

Intestinal mucositis is a commonly encountered toxic side effect in patients undergoing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy. Numerous studies have shown that probiotics enable improving chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis, but the beneficial effects of probiotics differ depending on the strain. Therefore, in the present studies we suggest that S. thermophilus ST4 separated from raw milk may assess mucoprotective activity in 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis. In our causal-comparative study design, fifteen mice were randomized assigned into three groups (n = 5/each group): control group, 5-FU group and 5-FU+S. thermophilus ST4 group. The control group was orally administrated saline only, and the 5-FU group was followed by intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU for 3 days after 10-day saline administration, and the 5-FU+S. thermophilus ST4 group was intragastrically subjected for S. thermophilus ST4 once per day during the whole experiment, starting from the first day of the experiment, followed by 5-FU intraperitoneal injection for 3 days after 10-day S. thermophilus ST4 pretreatment. Diarrhea score, pro-inflammatory cytokines serum levels, intestinal histopathology and short chain fatty acid were assessed. Here, we demonstrated the beneficial effects of S. thermophilus ST4 derived from raw milk against 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis, including body weight reduction, appetite loss and diarrhea. Intrinsically, S. thermophilus ST4 effectively maintained epithelium structure in small intestines and colons as well as reduced the intestinal inflammation. Besides, S. thermophilus ST4 significantly increased the expression of acetic acid, reinforcing the muco-protective effects. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that S. thermophilus ST4 supplementation ameliorates 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis. This suggests probiotic may serve as an alternative therapeutic strategy for the prevention or management of 5-FU-induced mucositis in the future.
Research on the degree of coupling of the Internet development level and agricultural——Ecological efficiency based on 2009–2018 data from 13 major grain-producing areas in China
Authors: Shuang Liu , Ximing Chen , Jie Shang
Published: July 2021

Agricultural informatization and agricultural green development are important components of modern agricultural development, and coordination between the two is an important foundation for achieving sustainable agricultural development. This paper uses data from the 13 major grain producing areas in China from 2009 to 2018 to analyze the coordination of the Internet development level and the agricultural ecological-efficiency, and it further investigates the degree of coupling and coordination between the two. The results of theis study are as follows.(1) The Internet development level of China’s 13 main grain production areas has been continuously improving. The average Internet penetration rate increased from 0.25 in 2008 to 0.54 in 2018. (2) The agricultural ecological efficiency of China’s main grain production areas has gradually improved. The average value of agricultural ecological efficiency increased from 0.45 in 2009 to 0.79 in 2018. (3) The Internet development level in China’s main grain production areas and the continuous improvement of coordination and degree of coupling of the agricultural ecological efficiency show that the interaction between them has led to continuous improvements in the agricultural informatization development and agricultural green development. However, the coordination between the two still has significant room for growth, and there is a certain gap between the different regions.
Introducing the Rapid Alert Supply Network Extractor (RASNEX) tool to mine supply chain information from food and feed contamination notifications in Europe
Authors: Lorenzen Marc C. , Weiser Armin A. , Pieper Robert , Lahrssen-Wiederholt Monika , Numata Jorge
Published: July 2021

Background

During food or feed contamination events, it is of utmost importance to ensure their rapid resolution to minimize impact on human health, animal health and finances. The existing Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) is used by the European Commission, national competent authorities of member countries and the European Food Safety Authority to report information on any direct or indirect human health risk arising from food or feed, or serious risks to animal health or the environment in relation to feed. Nevertheless, no methods exist to to collectively evaluate this vast source of supply chain information.

Methods

To aid in the extraction, evaluation and visualization of the data in RASFF notifications, we present the Rapid Alert Supply Network Extractor (RASNEX) open-source tool available from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4322555 freely. Among RASNEX’s functions is the graphical mapping of food and feed supply chain operators implicated in contamination events. RASNEX can be used during ongoing events as a support tool for risk analysis using RASFF notifications as input.

Results

In a first use case, we showcase the functionality of RASNEX with the RASFF notification on a 2017/2018 contamination event in eggs caused by the illegal use of fipronil. The information in this RASFF notification is used to visualize nine different flows of main and related food products. In a second use case, we combine RASFF notifications from different types of food safety hazards (Salmonella spp., fipronil and others) to obtain wider coverage of the visualized egg supply network compared to the first use case. Actors in the egg supply chain were identified mainly for Italy, Poland and Benelux. Other countries (although involved in the egg supply chain) were underrepresented.

Conclusions

We hypothesize that biases may be caused by inconsistent RASFF reporting behaviors by its members. These inconsistencies may be counteracted by implementing standardized decision-making tools to harmonize decisions whether to launch a RASFF notification, in turn resulting in a more uniform future coverage across European food and feed supply chains with RASNEX.