bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Labor and Unions since 1960
Authors: Loomis Erik
Published: June 2022

The American labor movement has declined significantly since 1960. Once a powerful part of American life, bringing economic democracy to the nation, organized labor has become a shell of itself, with numbers far lower than a half-century ago. The 1960s began with a powerful movement divided on race but also deeply influenced by the civil rights movement. Deindustrialization and capital mobility cut into labor’s power after 1965 as factories closed. The rise of public sector unionism in the 1970s briefly gave labor new power, but private sector unions faced enormous internal dissension throughout that decade. The Reagan administration ushered in a new era of warfare against organized labor when the president fired the striking air traffic controllers in 1981. Soon, private sector employers engaged in brutal anti-union campaigns. Reforms within labor in the 1990s sought to renew the movement’s long tradition of organizing, but with mixed success at best. Since the 1980s, we have seen more attacks on organized labor, especially Republican-led campaigns against public sector union rights beginning in 2011 that culminated in the 2019 Supreme Court ruling that declared required dues for non-union members unconstitutional. Labor’s decline has led to a new era of income inequality but also brought a stronger class-centric politics back into American life as everyday people seek new answers to the tenuousness of their economic lives.
Valency in the Romance Languages
Authors: Heidinger Steffen
Published: June 2022

The notion of valency describes the property of verbs to open argument positions in a sentence (e.g., the verb eat opens two argument positions, filled in the sentence John ate the cake by the subject John and the direct object the cake). Depending on the number of arguments, a verb is avalent (no argument), monovalent (one argument), bivalent (two arguments), or trivalent (three arguments).

In Romance languages, verbs are often labile (i.e., they occur in more than one valency pattern without any formal change on the verb). For example, the (European and Brazilian) Portuguese verb adoecer ‘get sick’/‘make sick’ can be used both as a monovalent and a bivalent verb (O bebê adoeceu ‘The baby got sick’ vs. O tempo frio adoeceu o bebê ‘The cold weather made the baby sick’). However, labile verbs are not equally important in all Romance languages. Taking the causative–anticausative alternation as an example, labile verbs are used more frequently in the encoding of the alternation in Portuguese and Italian than in Catalan and Spanish (the latter languages frequently recur to an encoding with a reflexively marked anticausative verb (e.g., Spanish romperse ‘break’).

Romance languages possess various formal means to signal that a given constituent is an argument: word order, flagging the argument (by means of morphological case and, more importantly, prepositional marking), and indexing the argument on the verb (by means of morphological agreement or clitic pronouns). Again, Romance languages show variation with respect to the use of these formal means. For example, prepositional marking is much more frequent than morphological case marking on nouns (the latter being only found in Romanian).
Ecology in American Literature
Authors: Zapf Hubert , Müller Timo
Published: June 2022

The ecological dimension of literature has found proper attention only in the late 20th century, with the rise of ecocriticism as a new direction of literary studies. Ecocriticism emerged from a revalorization of nature writing in the United States and initially understood itself as a countermovement to the linguistic turn in literary and cultural studies. Since the early 21st century, the scope of ecocritical studies has widened to include literary texts and genres across different periods and cultures. Against the background of the global environmental crisis, it has made a strong case for the contribution of literature, art, and the aesthetic to the critique of anthropocentric master narratives as well as to the imaginative exploration of sustainable alternatives to the historically deranged human–nature relationship. Ecocritical scholars have examined the ecological potential of texts in various periods and literary cultures that make up American literature. They have given particular attention to the Indigenous poetic and storytelling modes of Native Americans, the Romantic and transcendentalist movements of the mid-19th century, the aesthetic practices of modernism and postmodernism, the ethnic diversification of American literature since the late 20th century, and, most obviously, contemporary writing that explicitly defines itself as a critical and creative response to the Anthropocene.

Thus, an ecological awareness in American literature emerged in different forms and stages that correspond to major periods, styles, and cultures of literary writing. While it is impossible to do justice to all relevant developments, the rich archive of ecological thought and perception in American literature can be productively brought into the transdisciplinary dialogue of the environmental sciences and humanities. The value of literary texts in relation to other forms of environmental knowledge lies not just in the topics they address but in distinctive aesthetic features, such as embodied multiperspectivity, empathetic imagination, reconnection of cultural to natural ecosystems, polysemic openness, and participatory inclusion of the reader in the transformative experience offered by the texts.
Meeting Management and Decision-Making
Authors: Tropman John E.
Published: June 2022

Many CEOs and other top-level managers spend over half of their time in meetings. There are several ways to address meetings that can make them more productive and useful. “Meeting Masters” create such useful groups and sustain enthusiasm in them over considerable periods of time. “Decision Maestros” then build high-quality decisions from these productive meetings. Codifying this successful work requires a new vocabulary (decision elements, rounds of discussion, decision crystallization). This language is then applied to selected moments in the meeting process. The ideas and techniques presented here are intended to assist nonprofit managers to move toward improved meetings and better decision-making.
Parker, Norma Alice
Authors: Noble Carolyn
Published: June 2022

Norma Parker (1906–2004) is generally regarded as one of the founders of social work in Australia. In 1925, she completed a BA at the University of Western Australia (UWA), where she was introduced to the idea of social work by the head of psychology at the university. She was instrumental in establishing the national social work association and was involved in setting up the first social work (almoner) departments at several key hospitals as well as inducing the Catholic Archbishop to establish the Catholic Social Service Bureau. She was a key player among a small group of Catholic visionaries keen to develop a professional occupation specializing in helping people with their social functioning, following the upheavals of postwar Australia.
Francois, Elma
Authors: Nathaniel Karene-Anne
Published: June 2022

Elma Francois (1897–1944) was renowned for her Afro-Caribbean activism against the deplorable living conditions of the poor in the British colonies of the English-speaking Caribbean. She led many public demonstrations to highlight the plight of persons living in poverty. She made her greatest contribution as one of the first women in the trade union movement in Trinidad. Francois worked as a community organizer in grass-roots communities, educating persons about the importance of exercising their voices. Her approach to community organizing followed what has been taught about Jane Addams’ Settlement House Movement, where she immersed herself in communities and built strong relationships with members so she could really understand their plight and so gain their trust. Unlike Addams, Francois was from a very deprived background and was not formally educated. She is renowned as the first woman to be charged and acquitted for sedition in Trinidad during the rise of the trade union movement.
Sparcle: assigning transcripts to cells in multiplexed images
Authors: Prabhakaran Sandhya
Published: June 2022

Motivation

Imaging-based spatial transcriptomics has the power to reveal patterns of single-cell gene expression by detecting mRNA transcripts as individually resolved spots in multiplexed images. However, molecular quantification has been severely limited by the computational challenges of segmenting poorly outlined, overlapping cells and of overcoming technical noise; the majority of transcripts are routinely discarded because they fall outside the segmentation boundaries. This lost information leads to less accurate gene count matrices and weakens downstream analyses, such as cell type or gene program identification.

Results

Here, we present Sparcle, a probabilistic model that reassigns transcripts to cells based on gene covariation patterns and incorporates spatial features such as distance to nucleus. We demonstrate its utility on both multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization, single-molecule FISH data, probabilistic cell typing in situ sequencing, spatially resolved transcript amplicon readout mapping and MERFISH from Vizgen. Sparcle improves transcript assignment, providing more realistic per-cell quantification of each gene, better delineation of cell boundaries and improved cluster assignments. Critically, our approach does not require an accurate segmentation and is agnostic to technological platform.

Availability and implementation

The code is available at: https://github.com/sandhya212/Sparcle_for_spot_reassignments

Contact

sandhya.prabhakaran@moffitt.org

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.
MarkerMAG: linking metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) with 16S rRNA marker genes using paired-end short reads
Authors: Song Weizhi , Zhang Shan , Thomas Torsten
Published: June 2022

Motivation

Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) have substantially extended our understanding of microbial functionality. However, 16S rRNA genes, which are commonly used in phylogenetic analysis and environmental surveys, are often missing from MAGs. Here, we developed MarkerMAG, a pipeline that links 16S rRNA genes to MAGs using paired-end sequencing reads.

Results

Assessment of MarkerMAG on three benchmarking metagenomic datasets with various degrees of complexity shows substantial increases in the number of MAGs with 16S rRNA genes and a 100% assignment accuracy. MarkerMAG also estimates the copy number of 16S rRNA genes in MAGs with high accuracy. Assessments on three real metagenomic datasets demonstrate 1.1- to 14.2-fold increases in the number of MAGs with 16S rRNA genes. We also show that MarkerMAG-improved MAGs increase the accuracy of functional prediction from 16S rRNA gene amplicon data. MarkerMAG is helpful in connecting information in MAG databases with those in 16S rRNA databases and surveys and hence contributes to our increasing understanding of microbial diversity, function and phylogeny.

Availability and implementation

MarkerMAG is implemented in Python3 and freely available at https://github.com/songweizhi/MarkerMAG.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Characteristics and factors associated to patients discharging from hospital without an implantable cardioverter defibrillator after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
Authors: Sharifzadehgan Ardalan , Gaye Bamba , Rischard Julien , Bougouin Wulfran , Karam Nicole , Waldmann Victor , Narayanan Kumar , Dumas Florence , Gandjbakhch Estelle , Algalarrondo Vincent , Beganton Frankie , Extramiana Fabrice , Lellouche Nicolas , Lamhaut Lionel , Jost Daniel , Cariou Alain , Jouven Xavier , Marijon Eloi
Published: June 2022

Aims

Guidelines recommend that in the absence of reversible cause for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) should be performed to prevent further fatal event. We sought to describe the frequency and characteristics of patients discharged from the hospital without ICD after the SCA in the daily practice.

Methods and results

From 2011 to 2018, all SCAs related to a cardiac cause admitted alive across the 48 hospitals of Great Paris Area were prospectively enrolled. Two investigators thoroughly reviewed each medical report to ensure accuracy of the assigned diagnosis towards identifying the cause of SCA and ICD implantation. Out of the 4314 SCA admitted alive at hospital admission, 1064 cardiac-related SCA survivors were discharged alive from hospital, including 356 patients (33.5%) with an ICD and 708 (66.5%) without. The principal underlying cause of SCA among those discharged without an ICD was acute coronary syndrome (ACS; 602, 85%), chronic coronary artery disease (41, 5.8%), structural non-ischaemic heart disease (48, 6.8%), and non-structural heart disease (17, 2.4%). Among ACS-related SCA, 93.8% (602/642) discharged without an ICD. The unique factor associated with non-ICD implantation in the setting of ACS was immediate coronary angioplasty (odds ratio 4.22, 95% confidence interval 1.86–9.30, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Two-thirds of SCA survivors were discharged without an ICD, mainly in the setting of ACS. The unique factor associated with non-ICD implantation among ACS was immediate coronary angioplasty emphasizing the fact that ACS definition must be precise since associated with ICD implantation or not.
Association between Early Oral β-Blocker Therapy and Risk for In-Hospital Major Bleeding after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Acute Coronary Syndrome: Findings from CCC-ACS Project
Authors: Xu Shaopeng , Li Ziping , Yang Tianqi , Li Linjie , Song Xiwen , Hao Yongchen , Smith Sidney C , Fonarow Gregg C , Morgan Louise , Liu Jing , Liu Jun , Zhao Dong , Yang Qing , Zhou Xin , Li Yongle
Published: June 2022

Aims

Information regarding β-blocker use and bleeding risk in patients on antithrombotic therapy in contemporary practice is limited. We examined the association between early (within the first 24 hours) oral β-blocker therapy and major in-hospital bleeds among acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods and Results

In the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-ACS project, among patients without contraindications to β-blocker, we examined the association between early oral β-blocker exposure [users/non-users, dosing, and type (metoprolol vs. bisoprolol)] and major in-hospital bleeds. Of the 43,640 eligible patients, 36.0% patients received early oral β-blocker and 637 major bleeds were recorded. Compared with non-users, early oral β-blocker was associated reduced risks for major bleeds [odds ratio (OR): 0.48; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.38-0.61] and in-hospital mortality (OR: 0.47; 95%CI: 0.34-0.64) in multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. Early oral β-blocker use associated reduction in major bleeding was evident both in high-dose (defined by metoprolol-equivalent dose ≥50 mg/day) users (OR: 0.47; 95%CI: 0.33-0.68) and in low-dose users (metoprolol-equivalent dose <50 mg/day; OR: 0.61; 95%CI: 0.47-0.79). No significant difference was observed between metoprolol and bisoprolol in terms of reductions in major bleeding and mortality. Analyses based on inverse-probability-of-treatment-weighted regression adjustment and propensity-score matching yielded consistent findings.

Conclusion

In this retrospective study based on the nationwide ACS registry, among patients treated by PCI, in addition to a reduction in in-hospital mortality, oral β-blocker therapy initiated within the first 24 hours was associated with a reduced risk for major in-hospital bleeds.

Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02306616
Non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in cardiorenal disease
Authors: Pandey Arjun K , Bhatt Deepak L , Cosentino Francesco , Marx Nikolaus , Rotstein Ori , Pitt Bertram , Pandey Ambarish , Butler Javed , Verma Subodh
Published: June 2022

Despite existing treatments, patients with heart failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remain at high risk for adverse outcomes and progression to end-stage disease. Steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) such as spironolactone and eplerenone reduce mortality but remain under-prescribed due to the perceived risk of hyperkalaemia and hormonal side effects. The discovery of non-steroidal MRAs represents a major new dimension in cardiorenal disease therapy. Non-steroidal MRAs have high affinity and specificity for the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and differ from both steroidal agents and each other with respect to important physiochemical, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacokinetic parameters. Similar to their steroidal counterparts, they have beneficial anti-inflammatory, anti-remodelling, and anti-fibrotic properties in the kidneys, heart, and vasculature. There are several non-steroidal MRAs under development and clinical assessment; of these, only esaxerenone and finerenone are approved for treatment globally. In Japan, esaxerenone is approved for essential hypertension and has been studied in diabetic nephropathy. Compared with steroidal MRAs, finerenone more potently inhibits MR co-regulator recruitment and fibrosis and distributes more evenly between the heart and kidneys. The landmark Phase III trials FIGARO-DKD and FIDELIO-DKD demonstrated that finerenone-reduced major kidney and cardiovascular events on top of maximally tolerated renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibition in patients with CKD associated with Type 2 diabetes. Non-steroidal MRAs are currently under evaluation in heart failure and for synergistic treatment with sodium–glucose contransporter 2 inhibitors. These ground-breaking agents could become an important therapy across the spectrum of cardiorenal disease.
Now you see it! Using wearable cameras to gain insights into the lived experience of cardiovascular conditions
Authors: Nourse Rebecca , Cartledge Susie , Tegegne Teketo , Gurrin Cathal , Maddison Ralph
Published: June 2022

Wearable cameras offer an innovative way to discover new insights into the lived experience of people with cardiovascular conditions. Wearable cameras can be used alone or supplement more traditional research methods, such as interviews and participant observations. This paper provides an overview of the benefits of using wearable cameras for data collection and outlines some key considerations for researchers and clinicians interested in this method. We provide a case study describing a study design using wearable cameras and how the data were used.
The role of mentoring in promoting diversity equity and inclusion in STEM Education and Research
Authors: Marshall Andrea G , Vue Zer , Palavicino-Maggio Caroline B , Neikirk Kit , Beasley Heather K , Garza-Lopez Edgar , Murray Sandra A , Martinez Denise , Crabtree Amber , Conley Zachary C , Vang Larry , Davis Jamaine S , Powell-Roach Keesha L , Campbell Susan , Brady Lillian J , Dal Angyth B , Shao Bryanna , Alexander Stefanie , Vang Nancy , Vue Neng , Vue Mein , Shuler Haysetta D , Spencer Elsie C , Morton Derrick J , Hinton Antentor
Published: June 2022

The success of mentoring derives from active and respectful listening and the willingness to learn and accept opportunities for personal growth. This shapes every trainee and their destined path in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The act of cultivating rapport, asking, and pondering meaningful questions, and receiving constructive feedback are critical to support a productive mentoring relationship. Successful mentoring in STEM can be established and allow mentees, especially underrepresented minorities (URMs), to flourish in an environment where they feel welcomed and supported. However, mentees from underrepresented groups often experience inadequate mentoring due to a mentor's lack of awareness, poor trainings themselves, or lack of understanding of the mentee’s hardships. It is important for mentors and mentees to work together to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in STEM education through creativity, authenticity, and networking. We analyzed data obtained from students who attended a recent workshop that are interested in going to graduate school. Our results show that despite low initial expectations for the workshop, many students were satisfied in the knowledge they gleaned. The future and role of diversity in STEM within these underrepresented groups lies in community support and an important role that they can play in the lives of others through DEI initiatives and throughout their careers all of which involves positive mentoring.
Contrasting Modes of Mitochondrial Genome Evolution in Sister Taxa of Wood-Eating Marine Bivalves (Teredinidae and Xylophagaidae)
Authors: Li Yuanning , Altamia Marvin A , Shipway J Reuben , Brugler Mercer R , Bernardino Angelo Fraga , de Brito Thaís Lima , Lin Zhenjian , da Silva Oliveira Francisca Andréa , Sumida Paulo , Smith Craig R , Trindade-Silva Amaro , Halanych Kenneth M , Distel Daniel L
Published: June 2022

The bivalve families Teredinidae and Xylophagaidae include voracious consumers of wood in shallow-water and deep-water marine environments, respectively. The taxa are sister clades whose members consume wood as food with the aid of intracellular cellulolytic endosymbionts housed in their gills. This combination of adaptations is found in no other group of animals and was likely present in the common ancestor of both families. Despite these commonalities, the two families have followed dramatically different evolutionary paths with respect to anatomy, life history, and distribution. Here, we present 42 new mitochondrial genome sequences from Teredinidae and Xylophagaidae and show that distinct trajectories have also occurred in the evolution and organization of their mitochondrial genomes. Teredinidae display significantly greater rates of amino acid substitution but absolute conservation of protein-coding gene order, whereas Xylophagaidae display significantly less amino acid change but have undergone numerous and diverse changes in genome organization since their divergence from a common ancestor. As with many bivalves, these mitochondrial genomes encode 2 ribosomal RNAs, 12 protein-coding genes, and 22 tRNAs; atp8 was not detected. We further show that their phylogeny, as inferred from amino acid sequences of 12 concatenated mitochondrial protein-coding genes, is largely congruent with those inferred from their nuclear genomes based on 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA sequences. Our results provide a robust phylogenetic framework to explore the tempo and mode of mitochondrial genome evolution and offer directions for future phylogenetic and taxonomic studies of wood-boring bivalves.
De-noising distributed acoustic sensing data using an adaptive frequency–wavenumber filter
Authors: Isken Marius Paul , Vasyura-Bathke Hannes , Dahm Torsten , Heimann Sebastian
Published: June 2022

Data recorded by distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) along an optical fibre sample the spatial and temporal properties of seismic wavefields at high spatial density. Often leading to massive amount of data when collected for seismic monitoring along many kilometre long cables. The spatially coherent signals from weak seismic arrivals within the data are often obscured by incoherent noise. We present a flexible and computationally efficient filtering technique, which makes use of the dense spatial and temporal sampling of the data and that can handle the large amount of data. The presented adaptive frequency–wavenumber filter suppresses the incoherent seismic noise while amplifying the coherent wavefield. We analyse the response of the filter in time and spectral domain, and we demonstrate its performance on a noisy data set that was recorded in a vertical borehole observatory showing active and passive seismic phase arrivals. Lastly, we present a performant open-source software implementation enabling real-time filtering of large DAS data sets.
Are sequential compression devices routinely necessary following enhanced recovery after thoracic surgery?
Authors: Abdul Sami Aftab , Anstee Caitlin , Villeneuve Patrick J , Gilbert Sebatien , Seely Andrew J E , Sundaresan Sudhir , Maziak Donna E
Published: June 2022

OBJECTIVES

The prominence of “enhanced recovery after surgery” (ERAS) protocols being adopted in thoracic surgery requires a re-evaluation of mechanical venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis guidelines. The goal of this study was to assess the role of sequential compression devices (SCD) in the prevention of VTEs such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (PE) in thoracic surgical patients.

METHODS

We identified 200 patients who underwent elective oncological thoracic surgery between December 2018 and December 2020 in 2 cohorts—1 with SCDs and 1 without (i.e. non-SCD). All patients followed a standardized enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol. The quality of care provided by SCDs was evaluated by the incidence and severity of postoperative and follow-up VTEs. Cohorts were compared by the Caprini score (CS) and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) with a two one-sided t-test analysis. Secondary outcomes include perioperative characteristics and follow-up data.

RESULTS

Only 2 patients within the SCD group developed a PE with average CS and CCI metrics, both after hospital discharge and treated with anticoagulants, raising concern over the prophylactic nature of SCDs. The CS (6.9 ± 1.3 and 6.9 ± 1.5; P = 0.96) and the CCI (3.8 ± 2.0 and 4.1 ± 2.6; P = 0.33) for non-SCD and SCD, respectively, did not differ. The two one-sided t-test analysis for CS (P < 0.001) and CCI (P < 0.001) demonstrated equivalence.

CONCLUSIONS

Although larger studies are required to confirm these results, routine SCD use may not be required when implementing ERAS protocols because clinically significant VTE rates were minimal.
Vaccination After SARS-CoV-2 Infection Increased Antibody Avidity Against the Omicron Variant Compared to Vaccination Alone
Authors: LeMaster Cas , Geanes Eric S , Fraley Elizabeth R , Selvarangan Rangaraj , Bradley Todd
Published: June 2022

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has caused infections among individuals vaccinated or with prior COVID-19, suggesting immune escape. Here, we showed a decrease in binding and surrogate neutralizing antibody responses to the Omicron variant after 2 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Individuals recovered from infection before vaccination had higher antibody levels and avidity to the Omicron variant compared to individuals vaccinated without infection. This suggested that COVID-19 infection before vaccination elicited a higher magnitude and affinity antibody response to the Omicron variant, and repeated exposure through infection or vaccine may be required to improve immunity to emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Precision feeding of lactating sows: implementation and evaluation of a decision support system in farm conditions
Authors: Gauthier Raphaël , Largouët Christine , Bussières Dan , Martineau Jean-Philippe , Dourmad Jean-Yves
Published: June 2022

Precision feeding (PF) aims to provide the right amount of nutrients at the right time for each animal. Lactating sows generally receive the same diet, which either results in insufficient supply and body reserve mobilization, or excessive supply and high nutrient excretion. With the help of online measuring devices, computational methods, and smart feeders, we introduced the first PF decision support system (DSS) for lactating sows. Precision (PRE) and conventional (STD) feeding strategies were compared in commercial conditions. Every day each PRE sow received a tailored ration that had been computed by the DSS. This ration was obtained by blending a diet with a high AA and mineral content (13.00 g/kg SID Lys, 4.50 g/kg digestible P) and a diet low in AAs and minerals (6.50 g/kg SID Lys, 2.90 g/kg digestible P). All STD sows received a conventional diet (10.08 g/kg SID Lys, 3.78 g/kg digestible P). Before the trial, the DSS was fitted to farm performance for the prediction of piglet average daily gain (PADG) and sow daily feed intake (DFI), with data from 1,691 and 3,712 lactations, respectively. Sow and litter performance were analyzed for the effect of feeding strategy with ANOVA, with results considered statistically significant when P < 0.05. The experiment involved 239 PRE and 240 STD sows. DFI was similarly high in both treatments (PRE: 6.59, STD: 6.45 kg/d; P = 0.11). Litter growth was high (PRE: 2.96, STD: 3.06 kg/d), although it decreased slightly by about 3% in PRE compared to STD treatments (P < 0.05). Sow body weight loss was low, although it was slightly higher in PRE sows (7.7 vs. 2.1 kg, P < 0.001), which might be due to insufficient AA supply in some sows. Weaning to estrus interval (5.6 d) did not differ. In PRE sows SID Lys intake (PRE: 7.7, STD: 10.0 g/kg; P < 0.001) and digestible P intake (PRE: 3.2, STD: 3.8 g/kg; P < 0.001) declined by 23% and 14%, respectively, and feed cost decreased by 12%. For PRE sows, excretion of N and P decreased by 28% and 42%, respectively. According to these results, PF appears to be a very promising strategy for lactating sows.
Tips for Successful Career Transitions in Breast Imaging
Authors: Perry Hannah , Narayan Anand , Phillips Jordana , Sheth Monica M , Slanetz Priscilla J
Published: June 2022

Whether beginning a new career in breast imaging or switching into a different breast imaging practice for personal or professional advancement, a leadership opportunity, a need to relocate geographically, or simply a better opportunity, it is critical to transition between positions as smoothly as possible. Thoroughly reflecting on your career priorities and goals is essential prior to undertaking any career transition. Once the decision has been made to move to a new position, it is imperative to learn about the dynamics of the new practice and practice environment. Here, we provide suggestions on how to hit the ground running when joining a new breast imaging practice.
14-Year Longitudinal Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Among Youth With and Without Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Helgeson Vicki S , Wright Aidan , Vaughn Abigail , Becker Dorothy , Libman Ingrid
Published: June 2022

Objective

There is evidence that youth with type 1 diabetes are at risk for depression, and depression is a significant risk factor for subsequent psychological and physical health problems. However, it is not clear if/when this depression risk emerges. The goal of this study was to determine if there are differences in levels of depressive symptoms between youth with and without type 1 diabetes that develop over the course of emerging adulthood. We also examined whether adolescent psychosocial variables predicted depressive symptoms during emerging adulthood.

Methods

Youth with (n = 132) and without (n = 131) type 1 diabetes were enrolled in the study at average age 12 and followed for 14 years. Depressive symptoms were measured throughout the study. Psychosocial variables of interest were measured during adolescence.

Results

Group differences in depressive symptoms emerged by study end at average age 26. Depressive symptoms appeared to decline over time for youth without diabetes and to increase over time for youth with diabetes. Parent relationship difficulties increased over adolescence as did peer conflict for the entire cohort. Supportive relationships with parent and peers predicted fewer end of study depressive symptoms (controlling for baseline depressive symptoms)—equally so for both groups.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that those with type 1 diabetes may be at risk for depressive symptoms many years after diagnosis and after adolescence. Although relational difficulties with parents and peers increase during adolescence, supportive relationships over the course of adolescence may help to mitigate depressive symptoms during young adulthood.
Middle ear neuroendocrine tumor: a case report
Authors: Lachkar Azeddine , Benfadil Drissia , Elayoubi Fahd
Published: June 2022

Neuroendocrine tumors are extremely rare in the middle ear. These tumors represent a spectrum of tumors with a diverse range of molecular abnormalities, functionality and anatomical locations. We present a rare case of middle ear neuroendocrine tumor, review the pathology and differential diagnosis of the tumors, and discuss the management and follow-up of patients with these tumors. We suspect that the middle ear neuroendocrine tumor is underdiagnosed and more cases can be detected through education and personal experience. Treatment is surgical resection, and long follow-up is recommended.
SELF PRUNING 3C is a flowering repressor that modulates seed germination, root architecture, and drought responses
Authors: Moreira Juliene dos Reis , Quiñones Alejandra , Lira Bruno Silvestre , Robledo Jessenia M , Curtin Shaun J , Vicente Mateus H , Ribeiro Dimas M , Ryngajllo Malgorzata , Jiménez-Gómez José M , Peres Lázaro Eustáquio Pereira , Rossi Magdalena , Zsögön Agustin
Published: June 2022

Allelic variation in the CETS (CENTRORADIALIS, TERMINAL FLOWER 1, SELF PRUNING) gene family controls agronomically important traits in many crops. CETS genes encode phosphatidylethanolamine-binding proteins that have a central role in the timing of flowering as florigenic and anti-florigenic signals. The great expansion of CETS genes in many species suggests that the functions of this family go beyond flowering induction and repression. Here, we characterized the tomato SELF PRUNING 3C (SP3C) gene, and show that besides acting as a flowering repressor it also regulates seed germination and modulates root architecture. We show that loss of SP3C function in CRISPR/Cas9-generated mutant lines increases root length and reduces root side branching relative to the wild type. Higher SP3C expression in transgenic lines promotes the opposite effects in roots, represses seed germination, and also improves tolerance to water stress in seedlings. These discoveries provide new insights into the role of SP paralogs in agronomically relevant traits, and support future exploration of the involvement of CETS genes in abiotic stress responses.
The warm-hot circumgalactic medium around EAGLE-simulation galaxies and its detection prospects with X-ray-line emission
Authors: Wijers Nastasha A , Schaye Joop
Published: June 2022

We estimate the detectability of X-ray metal-line emission from the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of galaxies over a large halo mass range ($\, {M}_{{\rm 200c}}=10^{11.5}$–$10^{14.5}\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$), using the EAGLE simulations. With the XRISM Resolve instrument, a few bright (K α or Fe L-shell) lines from $\, {M}_{{\rm 200c}}\gtrsim 10^{13} \, {\rm M}_{\odot }$ haloes should be detectable. Using the Athena X-IFU or the Lynx Main Array, emission lines (especially from O viii and O vii) from the inner CGM of $\, {M}_{{\rm 200c}}\gtrsim 10^{12.5}\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$ haloes become detectable, and intragroup and intracluster gas will be detectable out to the virial radius. With the Lynx Ultra-high Resolution Array, the inner CGM of haloes hosting $\, {L}_{*}$ galaxies is accessible. These estimates do assume long exposure times (∼1 Ms) and large spatial bins (∼1–$10\, \mathrm{arcmin}^{2}$). This emission is dominated by collisionally ionized (CI) gas, and tends to come from halo centres. The emission is biased towards temperatures close to the maximum emissivity temperature for CI gas (Tpeak), and high densities and metallicities. However, for the K α lines, emission can come from hotter gas in haloes where the virialized, volume-filling gas is hotter than Tpeak. Trends of emission with halo mass can largely be explained by differences in virial temperature. Differences in the mass trends of K α, He α-like, and Fe L-shell lines mirror differences in their emissivities as a function of temperature. We conclude that upcoming X-ray missions will open up a new window on to the hot CGM.
Ergomagnetosphere, ejection disc, magnetopause in M87 – I. Global flow of mass, angular momentum, energy, and current
Authors: Blandford Roger , Globus Noémie
Published: June 2022

We interpret the 1.3 mm VLBI observations made by the Event Horizon Telescope of the black hole in M87. It is proposed that, instead of being a torus of accreting gas, the observed annular ring is a rotating, magnetically dominated ergomagnetosphere that can transmit electromagnetic angular momentum and energy outward to the disc through a combination of large scale magnetic torque and small scale instabilities. It is further proposed that energy may be extracted by magnetic flux threading the ergosphere through the efficient emission of long wavelength electromagnetic disturbances on to negative energy orbits, after the invariant B2 − E2 approaches zero on small scales. In this way, the spinning black hole and its ergosphere not only power the jets but also the ejection disc so as to drive away most of the gas supplied near the Bondi radius. This outflow takes the form of an MHD wind, extending over many decades of radius, with a unidirectional magnetic field, that is collimated by the infalling gas across a magnetopause. This wind, in turn, collimates the relativistic jets and the emission observed from the jet sheath may be associated with a return current. A model for the global flow of mass, angular momentum, energy, and current, on scales from the horizon to the Bondi radius, is outlined and discussed.
A gap in the double white dwarf separation distribution caused by the common-envelope evolution: astrometric evidence from Gaia
Authors: Korol Valeriya , Belokurov Vasily , Toonen Silvia
Published: June 2022

The trajectory of the center of light of an unresolved binary is different from that of its center of mass. Binary-induced stellar centroid wobbling can therefore be detected as an excess in the goodness-of-fit of the single-star astrometric model. We use reduced χ2 of the astrometric fit in the Gaia Early Data Release 3 to detect the likely unresolved double white dwarfs (DWDs). Using parallax-based distances we convert the excess of reduced χ2 into the amplitude of the centroid wobble δa, which is proportional to the binary separation a. The measured δa distribution drops towards larger wobble amplitudes and shows a break around log10δa ≈ −0.7 where it steepens. The integral of the distribution yields DWD fraction of 6.5 ± 3.7 per cent in the range $0.01 \lt a\, (\text{au}) \lt 2$. Using synthetic models of the Galactic DWDs we demonstrate that the break in the δa distribution corresponds to one side of a deep gap in the DWD separation distribution at around a ≈ 1 au. Model DWDs with separations less than several au shrink dramatically due to (at least one) common envelope phase, reshaping the original separation distribution, clearing a gap and creating a pile-up of systems with a ≈ 0.01 au and log10δa < −2. Our models reproduce the overall shape of the observed δa distribution and its normalization, however the predicted drop in the numbers of DWDs beyond the break is steeper than in the data.
A Monte Carlo study of early gas expulsion and evolution of star clusters: new simulations with the MOCCA code in the amuse framework
Authors: Leveque A , Giersz M , Banerjee S , Vesperini E , Hong J , Portegies Zwart S
Published: June 2022

We introduce a new prescription for the evolution of globular clusters (GCs) during the initial embedded gas phase into a Monte Carlo method. With a simplified version of the Monte Carlo MOCCA code embedded in the amuse framework, we study the survival of GCs after the removal of primordial gas. We first test our code and show that our results for the evolution of mass and Lagrangian radii are in good agreement with those obtained with N-body simulations. The Monte Carlo code enables a more rapid exploration of the evolution of systems with a larger number of stars than N-body simulations. We have carried out a new survey of simulations to explore the evolution of globular clusters with up to N = 500 000 stars for a range of different star formation efficiencies and half-mass radii. Our study shows the range of initial conditions leading to the clusters’ dissolution and those for which the clusters can survive this early evolutionary phase.
Tissue- and ethnicity-independent hypervariable DNA methylation states show evidence of establishment in the early human embryo
Authors: Derakhshan Maria , Kessler Noah J , Ishida Miho , Demetriou Charalambos , Brucato Nicolas , Moore Gudrun E , Fall Caroline H D , Chandak Giriraj R , Ricaut Francois-Xavier , Prentice Andrew M , Hellenthal Garrett , Silver Matt J
Published: June 2022

We analysed DNA methylation data from 30 datasets comprising 3474 individuals, 19 tissues and 8 ethnicities at CpGs covered by the Illumina450K array. We identified 4143 hypervariable CpGs (‘hvCpGs’) with methylation in the top 5% most variable sites across multiple tissues and ethnicities. hvCpG methylation was influenced but not determined by genetic variation, and was not linked to probe reliability, epigenetic drift, age, sex or cell heterogeneity effects. hvCpG methylation tended to covary across tissues derived from different germ-layers and hvCpGs were enriched for proximity to ERV1 and ERVK retrovirus elements. hvCpGs were also enriched for loci previously associated with periconceptional environment, parent-of-origin-specific methylation, and distinctive methylation signatures in monozygotic twins. Together, these properties position hvCpGs as strong candidates for studying how stochastic and/or environmentally influenced DNA methylation states which are established in the early embryo and maintained stably thereafter can influence life-long health and disease.
Decoding phage resistance by mpr and its role in survivability of Mycobacterium smegmatis
Authors: Seniya Surya Pratap , Jain Vikas
Published: June 2022

Bacteria and bacteriophages co-evolve in a constant arms race, wherein one tries and finds newer ways to overcome the other. Phage resistance poses a great threat to the development of phage therapy. Hence, it is both essential and important to understand the mechanism of phage resistance in bacteria. First identified in Mycobacterium smegmatis, the gene mpr, upon overexpression, confers resistance against D29 mycobacteriophage. Presently, the mechanism behind phage resistance by mpr is poorly understood. Here we show that Mpr is a membrane-bound DNA exonuclease, which digests DNA in a non-specific manner independent of the sequence, and shares no sequence or structural similarity with any known nuclease. Exonuclease activity of mpr provides resistance against phage infection, but the role of mpr may very well go beyond just phage resistance. Our experiments show that mpr plays a crucial role in the appearance of mutant colonies (phage resistant strains). However, the molecular mechanism behind the emergence of these mutant/resistant colonies is yet to be understood. Nevertheless, it appears that mpr is involved in the survival and evolution of M. smegmatis against phage. A similar mechanism may be present in other organisms, which requires further exploration.
Direct tracking of reverse-transcriptase speed and template sensitivity: implications for sequencing and analysis of long RNA molecules
Authors: Guo Li-Tao , Olson Sara , Patel Shivali , Graveley Brenton R , Pyle Anna Marie
Published: June 2022

Although reverse-transcriptase (RT) enzymes are critical reagents for research and biotechnology, their mechanical properties are not well understood. In particular, we know little about their relative speed and response to structural obstacles in the template. Commercial retroviral RTs stop at many positions along mixed sequence templates, resulting in truncated cDNA products that complicate downstream analysis. By contrast, group II intron-encoded RTs appear to copy long RNAs with high processivity and minimal stops. However, their speed, consistency and pausing behavior have not been explored. Here, we analyze RT velocity as the enzyme moves through heterogeneous sequences and structures that are embedded within a long noncoding RNA transcript. We observe that heterogeneities in the template are highly disruptive to primer extension by retroviral RTs. However, sequence composition and template structure have negligible effects on behavior of group II intron RTs, such as MarathonRT (MRT). Indeed, MRT copies long RNAs in a single pass, and displays synchronized primer extension at a constant speed of 25 nt/sec. In addition, it passes through stable RNA structural motifs without perturbation of velocity. Taken together, the results demonstrate that consistent, robust translocative behavior is a hallmark of group II intron-encoded RTs, some of which operate at high velocity.
Association of Hyponatremia on Mortality in Cryptococcal Meningitis: A Prospective Cohort
Authors: Tugume Lillian , Fieberg Ann , Ssebambulidde Kenneth , Nuwagira Edwin , Williams Darlisha A , Mpoza Edward , Rutakingirwa Morris K , Kagimu Enoch , Kasibante John , Nsangi Laura , Jjunju Samuel , Musubire Abdu K , Muzoora Conrad , Lawrence David S , Rhein Joshua , Meya David B , Hullsiek Kathy Huppler , Boulware David R , Abassi Mahsa ,   Adjunctive Sertraline for HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis (ASTRO-CM) Team, Rhein Joshua , Kiggundu Reuben , Akampurira Andrew , Kirumira Paul , Francis Ndyetukira Jane , Ahimbisibwe Cynthia , Kugonza Florence , Namuju Carolyne , Sadiq Alisat , Kiiza Kandole Tadeo , Luggya Tony , Kaboggoza Julian , Laker Eva , Namudde Alice , Lofgren Sarah , Kwizera Richard , Rwomushana Irene , Ssemusu Mike , Rukundo Joan , Mwesigye James , Nielsen Kirsten , Stadelman Anna , Bangdiwala Ananta S. , Lawrence David , Youssouf Nabila
Published: June 2022

Background

Sodium abnormalities are frequent in central nervous system infections and may be caused by cerebral salt wasting, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, or medication adverse events. In cryptococcal meningitis (CM), the prevalence of baseline hyponatremia and whether hyponatremia adversely impacts survival is unknown.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of data from 2 randomized trials of human immunodeficiency virus–infected adult Ugandans with CM. We grouped serum sodium into 3 categories: <125, 125–129, and 130–145 mmol/L. We assessed whether baseline sodium abnormalities were associated with clinical characteristics and survival.

Results

Of 816 participants with CM, 741 (91%) had a baseline sodium measurement available: 121 (16%) had grade 3–4 hyponatremia (<125 mmol/L), 194 (26%) had grade 2 hyponatremia (125–129 mmol/L), and 426 (57%) had a baseline sodium of 130–145 mmol/L. Hyponatremia (<125 mmol/L) was associated with higher initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) quantitative culture burden (P < .001), higher initial CSF opening pressure (P < .01), lower baseline Glasgow Coma Scale score (P < .01), and a higher percentage of baseline seizures (P = .03). Serum sodium <125 mmol/L was associated with increased 2-week mortality in unadjusted and adjusted survival analyses (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.87 [95% confidence interval, 1.26–2.79]; P < .01) compared to those with sodium 130–145 mmol/L.

Conclusions

Hyponatremia is common in CM and is associated with excess mortality. A standardized management approach to correctly diagnose and correct hyponatremia in CM needs to be developed and tested.