bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Precarious employment and health in the context of COVID-19: a rapid scoping umbrella review
Authors: McNamara Courtney L , McKee Martin , Stuckler David
Published: September 2021

Background

There are widespread concerns that workers in precarious employment have suffered the most in the COVID-19 pandemic and merit special attention. The aim of this rapid scoping umbrella review was to examine what evidence exists about how COVID-19 has affected the health of this highly vulnerable group, and what gaps remain to be investigated.

Methods

Five databases were searched for systematic or scoping reviews from January 2020 to May 2021. The quality of the included reviews was determined using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews.

Results

We identified 6 reviews that reported 30 unique relevant primary studies. The included studies indicate that essential (non-health) workers are at greater risk of COVID-19 infection and case fatality than others in their surrounding community. The occupational risk of exposure to COVID-19 also seems to be greater among more precarious categories of workers, including younger workers and workers in low-income and low-skilled occupations. Further, hazardous working conditions faced by many essential workers appear to have amplified the pandemic, as several occupational sites became ‘super-spreaders’, due to an inability to socially distance at work and high contact rates among workers. Finally, employment and financial insecurity generated by the pandemic appears to be associated with negative mental health outcomes. The quality of the included reviews however, and their primary studies, were generally weak and many gaps remain in the evidence base.

Conclusions

Our study highlights that COVID-19 is creating new health risks for precarious workers as well as exacerbating the pre-existing health risks of precarious employment.
Herbivory and flooding impacts on planted bottomland hardwood seedlings
Authors: Jacques Ryan , Stovall Jeremy , Comer Christopher , Williams Hans , Symmank Matthew
Published: September 2021

Bottomland hardwoods forests (BLHW) are increasingly subject to active management for water quality improvement, streambank stabilization, to mitigate for urban expansion and to improve habitat for wildlife. Since the majority of remaining BLHW are degraded, restoration attempts are becoming commonplace within the Western Gulf Coastal Plain (WGCP) of the US. However, restoration success in terms of obtaining high stem densities of desirable species has been mixed, with managers observing survival rates <15 per cent for planted oak and hickory seedlings in some situations due to a variety of limitations. Over two growing seasons, we investigated the effectiveness of portable electric fences, individual tree shelters and 2.4-m woven wire high fences for mitigating herbivory by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and feral swine (Sus scrofa). Treatments fell within degraded forested areas and abandoned agricultural fields where we tested four species of interest: Nuttall oak (Quercus texana Buckley), Shumard oak (Q. shumardii Buckley), bur oak (Q. macrocarpa Michx.) and pecan (Carya illinoinensis K. Koch). Where herbivory occurred, mitigation techniques produced a higher survival rate ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 17.6 per cent) than unprotected areas ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 9.1 per cent). In areas of high white-tailed deer density, prominent browsing was evident, resulting in two-growing-season height growth of seedlings being less in non-fenced ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 2.33 cm) and electric ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 4.33 cm) fenced plots compared with high fences ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 13.02 cm) and individual tree shelters ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 24.23 cm). Additionally, we observed a negative relationship between survival and the number of days seedlings that were inundated with flood waters during the growing season. Matching species of interest to the site conditions, specifically the local hydrologic regimes, should carry a high priority in planning a restoration project within BLHW in the WGCP.
Time to fixation in changing environments
Authors: Kaushik Sachin , Jain Kavita
Published: September 2021

Although many experimental and theoretical studies on natural selection have been carried out in a constant environment, as natural environments typically vary in time, it is important to ask if and how the results of these investigations are affected by a changing environment. Here, we study the properties of the conditional fixation time defined as the time to fixation of a new mutant that is destined to fix in a finite, randomly mating diploid population with intermediate dominance that is evolving in a periodically changing environment. It is known that in a static environment, the conditional mean fixation time of a co-dominant beneficial mutant is equal to that of a deleterious mutant with the same magnitude of selection coefficient. We find that this symmetry is not preserved, even when the environment is changing slowly. More generally, we find that the conditional mean fixation time of an initially beneficial mutant in a slowly changing environment depends weakly on the dominance coefficient and remains close to the corresponding result in the static environment. However, for an initially deleterious mutant under moderate and slowly varying selection, the fixation time differs substantially from that in a constant environment when the mutant is recessive. As fixation times are intimately related to the levels and patterns of genetic diversity, our results suggest that for beneficial sweeps, these quantities are only mildly affected by temporal variation in environment. In contrast, environmental change is likely to impact the patterns due to recessive deleterious sweeps strongly.
Evidence of ecosystem overfishing in U.S. large marine ecosystems
Authors: Link Jason S
Published: September 2021

Marine capture fisheries in the U.S. are important from a societal, cultural, economic, and ecological perspective. Although fisheries in the U.S. are generally well-managed, they still face some challenges as do most fisheries around the world. To address these challenges, a broader, more systematic approach is useful. There is a global need to develop measures of ecosystem overfishing (EOF) that detect overfishing of an entire ecosystem using readily available data and based on widely repeatable patterns. These EOF indicators extend the thinking beyond single stock overfishing to an entire ecosystem and are largely based on well-established trophic theory. Moreover, these EOF indicators need to be germane for both data rich and especially data limited situations, easily interpretable, and relatively simple to calculate. Here, I present the results of several of these indicators—the Ryther, Fogarty, and Friedland indices—as well as indices based on cumulative biomass-Trophic Level curve parameters for eight U.S. Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs). Significantly, all these EOF indicators also have thresholds beyond which EOF is indicated, particularly when coupled with other evidence. Evidence for EOF is suggested for two of the eight U.S. LMEs. Even apart from EOF thresholds, detecting whether EOF is occurring, or how debatable the proposed EOF thresholds are, there are multiple benefits from monitoring these ecosystem-level indicators. Detecting patterns and trends in overall fishing changes for an ecosystem is chief among them. Additionally, EOF indicators detected changes in these LMEs at least 2–3 years, even up to 5 years prior to major impacts that might not be identified by piecing together fishing impacts on a stock-by-stock basis; thus, the EOF indicators could serve as an early warning signal. I propose that instead of starting with the history of which stocks have been assessed or even with what we deem most valuable, we look at the entire system of fisheries in an LME and if EOF is detected, explore means to address excess fishing pressure systematically before delving into the details of specific stocks. I conclude that EOF measures need to be monitored, EOF thresholds refined, and if EOF is detected then the means to mitigate total fishing pressure in an ecosystem should be explored.
Optimal sizing and financial analysis of a stand-alone SPV-micro-hydropower hybrid system considering generation uncertainty
Authors: Neupane Deependra , Kafle Sagar , Gurung Samundra , Neupane Sanjaya , Bhattarai Nawraj
Published: September 2021

Stand-alone hybrid energy systems are an enticing option for electrification in remote areas in several aspects such as grid extension difficulty, economic feasibility and reliability. The use of existing micro-hydropower (MHP) with other renewable resources in rural areas has not been well studied. Moreover, it is challenging to use mathematical optimization algorithms for these kinds of real-world problems, so the derivative-free algorithm is highly sought. In this paper, a methodology has been proposed to perform the optimal sizing, financial and generation uncertainty analysis of solar photovoltaic (SPV) based on an MHP that is proposed to handle the intermittent power output of the SPV. The analysis is performed in two cases: using storage and without storage. The optimal sizing is performed using the least present value cost and reliability constraint using different derivative-free algorithms. The storage-based hybrid system has been found to generate reliable electricity at minimal cost than without a storage-based one. This study would be helpful to propose electrification and existing micro-hydro reinforcement policies to provide reliable electricity in rural areas.
SLn Equivariant Matrix-Valued Valuations on Polytopes
Authors: Wang Wei
Published: September 2021

All $\textrm{SL}(n)$ equivariant matrix-valued valuations on polytopes in $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ are completely classified without any continuity assumptions. Moreover, the symmetry assumption of matrices is removed. The moment matrix is shown to be the only such valuation if $n\geq 4$, while new functionals show up in dimensions two and three.
Genome Dynamics and Evolution of Multiple-Drug–Resistant Bacteria: Implications for Global Infection Control Priorities
Authors: Shaik Sabiha , Suresh Arya , Ahmed Niyaz
Published: September 2021

Genomics-driven molecular epidemiology of pathogenic bacteria has largely been carried out through functionally neutral/inert sequences, mostly entailing polymorphic gene loci or repetitive tracts. However, it is very important to harness phenotypically relevant markers to assign a valid functional epidemiological context to tracking of pathogens. These should include microbial acumen to acquire multiple drug resistance (MDR), their physiological coordinates with reference to clinical or community-level dynamics of incidence/transmission, and their response or refractoriness to the activated immune system. We propose that multidimensional and multicentric approaches, based on diverse data integration coupled with comparative genomics and functional molecular infection epidemiology, would likely be successful in tracking the emergence and spread of MDR pathogens and thereby guiding the global infection control strategies in a highly informed manner.
The Reflection Object: An Activity-Theory Informed Concept for Designing for Reflection
Authors: Pammer-Schindler Viktoria , Prilla Michael
Published: September 2021

A substantial body of human-computer interaction literature investigates tools that are intended to support reflection, e.g. under the header of quantified self or in computer-mediated learning. These works describe the issues that are reflected on by users in terms of examples, such as reflecting on financial expenditures, lifestyle, professional growth, etc. A coherent concept is missing. In this paper, the reflection object is developed based on activity theory, reflection theory and related design-oriented research. The reflection object is both what is reflected on and what is changed through reflection. It constitutes the link between reflection and other activities in which the reflecting person participates. By combining these two aspects—what is reflected on and what is changed—into a coherent conceptual unit, the concept of the reflection object provides a frame to focus on how to support learning, change and transformation, which is a major challenge when designing technologies for reflection.
Effects of extended postmortem aging and intramuscular location on protein degradation, muscle fiber morphometrics, and tenderness of beef longissimus lumborum and semitendinosus steaks
Authors: Matney MaryAnn J , Gravely Morgan E , O’Quinn Travis G , Drouillard James S , Phelps-Ronningen Kelsey J , Houser Terry A , Hobson Allison W , Alcocer Hanna M , Gonzalez John M
Published: September 2021

The objective of this study was to determine effects of extended aging and intramuscular location on Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), and protein degradation of semitendinosus (ST) and longissimus lumborum (LL) steaks. Left ST and LL were removed from 40 carcasses at 6 d postmortem. The ST was fabricated into five locations (LOC), with LOC 1 being most proximal and LOC 5 being most distal. The posterior LL was fabricated into 3 LOC, with LOC 1 being most anterior. Vacuum sealed ST steaks were aged 7, 14, 28, 56, or 112 d postmortem, while LL steaks were aged 7, 28, or 112 d postmortem at 2 ± 1 °C. A steak from each LOC was assigned to WBSF or laboratory analyses. There were no Day of Aging (DOA) × LOC interactions for all dependent variables (P > 0.06). There were DOA effects for ST and LL WBSF values and degraded 38-kDa desmin (DES; P < 0.01). Day-7 ST-steak WBSF value was greater than all other days (P < 0.01) and day-14 steaks had greater WBSF value than remaining days (P < 0.05). Day-28 ST-steak WBSF values were greater than day 56 and 112 (P < 0.01), which did not differ (P = 0.53). In the LL, day-7 steaks had greater WBSF values than the other two timepoints (P < 0.01) and day-28 steaks had greater (P < 0.01) WBSF values than day-112 steaks. Degraded ST 38-kDa DES content was less on day 7 and 14 compared to all other days (P < 0.03), but did not differ (P = 0.79) from each other. Days 28 and 56 38-kDa DES content was less than day 112 (P < 0.01), but did not differ (P = 0.34) from each other. Degraded LL 38-kDa DES content was less on day 7 than day 28 and 112 (P < 0.02), which did not differ (P = 0.67). There were LOC effects for only ST WBSF and muscle fiber CSA (P < 0.05). Semitendinosus steak LOC 1 and 2 had greater WBSF values than all other locations (P < 0.01), but did not differ (P = 0.32) from each other. Semitendinosus steak LOC 3 and 5 had greater WBSF values than LOC 4 (P < 0.01), but did not differ (P = 0.85) from each other. The CSA of all ST fiber types were largest in LOC 1 compared to all other fiber types (P < 0.01). The CSA of all LOC 2 and 3 fiber types was greater than LOC 4 and 5 (P < 0.01), but were not different from each other (P > 0.81), and LOC 4 had greater CSA than LOC 5 (P < 0.01). Steak aging WBSF value improvements seemed proteolysis catalyzed, while the ST intramuscular tenderness gradient was more likely due to muscle fiber CSA.
Experimental demonstration of exclusively passive feeding in the sea-turtle barnacle Chelonibia testudinaria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Cirripedia: Coronulidae)
Authors: Lane Zachary M , McElroy Eric J , Kendrick Michael R , Zardus John D
Published: September 2021

Barnacles are sessile suspension feeders whose feeding efficiency and behavior is largely determined by the movement of water through their environment. Barnacles expend energy to feed actively in environments with low flow velocity, whereas they may feed passively at higher flow velocities, which is more efficient than active feeding. Many intertidal barnacles have been shown to switch between active and passive feeding modes as water velocities change, but little is known about the behavior of epibiotic species attached to mobile hosts, which are exposed to more consistent feeding currents. To assess the response of epibiotic barnacles to flow, laboratory-reared sea-turtle barnacles, Chelonibia testudinaria (Linnaeus, 1758), were subjected to a wide range of water velocities in both the presence and absence of food particles. Their behaviors were video-recorded and categorized using an automated behavior recognition algorithm compiled in R. Individuals of C. testudinaria only displayed passive feeding behavior, but did not feed at lowest test velocities. This species fed most at flow velocities between 25 cm s–1 and 40 cm s–1 (linear mixed effects model, F = 19.30, P < 0.001), a range that correlates well with the average swimming speed of two common host species, the loggerhead and green sea turtles, on which C. testudinaria resides. Chelonibia testudinaria displayed longer average feeding durations when food particles were absent than when food was abundant (linear mixed effects model, F = 11.76, P = 0.001), a result that is in line with the expectations of optimal foraging theory for suspension-feeding invertebrates. Lack of active feeding in this species may have evolved following the establishment of its epibiotic nature and may make this obligate epibiotic species entirely reliant on its hosts’ movements to provide a feeding current. This is the only barnacle species known to not facultatively switch between active and passive feeding modes.
Multivariate Fractional Components Analysis
Authors: Hartl Tobias , Jucknewitz Roland
Published: September 2021

We propose a setup for fractionally cointegrated time series which is formulated in terms of latent integrated and short-memory components. It accommodates nonstationary processes with different fractional orders and cointegration of different strengths and is applicable in high-dimensional settings. In an application to realized covariance matrices, we find that orthogonal short- and long-memory components provide a reasonable fit and competitive out-of-sample performance compared with several competing methods.
Cananga odorata (Magnoliales: Annonaceae) Essential Oil Produces Significant Avoidance Behavior in Mosquitoes
Authors: Sukkanon Chutipong , Nararak Jirod , Bangs Michael J , Chareonviriyaphap Theeraphap
Published: September 2021

Essential oil of Cananga odorata Hook. F. & Tomson is a source of insect repellent, but contact irritancy and noncontact repellency actions that stimulate insect’s avoidance behavior (escape away from chemical source after direct physical contact or without making physical contact, respectively) have not been investigated. Therefore, an excito-repellency test chamber was used for measuring avoidance behavior of four insectary-reared mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) that escape from esposure to four concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0% v/v) of C. odorata oil. The oil strongly repelled both Culex quinquefasciatus Say (85–97% escape) and Anopheles minimus Theobald (97–99%) at high concentrations (2.5–5.0%). For Anopheles dirus Peyton & Harrison and Aedes aegypti (L.), highest repellency (64 and 39% escape, respectively) was demonstrated at 2.5% concentration. For contact irritancy, the oil produced relatively high percent escape found in Cx. quinquefasciatus (90–100% escape) and An. minimus (83–100%). Whereas moderate contact irritancy was observed against An. dirus (40–50% escape) and Ae. aegypti (51–59%). The percent escape was then adjusted with repellency to estimate the effect of contact irritancy alone. We found that highest contact irritancy was presented at 0.5% concentration against An. minimus (67% escape). Knockdown and toxic actions were only found in Anopheles mosquitoes at 5.0% concentration. The results revealed that An. minimus and Cx. quinquefasciatus were more prone to be repelled by C. odorata oil. Detailed analysis of oil identified primary compounds as methyl benzoate (14.6%), α-gurjunene (12.8%), p-methyl-anisole (11.3%), and benzyl acetate (9.9%). Further investigations are needed to assess excito-repellency actions of these compounds alone or in combination.
Guiding Refugee Women Who Have Experienced Violence: Representation of Trust in Counsellors’ Journals
Authors: Lehti Lotta , Määttä Simo , Viuhko Minna
Published: September 2021

This article analyses the importance of trust in counselling for refugee and other migrant women who have experienced gender-based violence. The data consist of journal entries written by social workers, case workers, legal counsellors, and psychologists working for seven non-governmental organizations providing counselling services for women in six European Union countries. The analysis focuses on how trust is represented in the journals and how it is linked to agency and vulnerability. Trust is necessary to build a form of agency that enables refugee women to be vulnerable in the sense that they expose themselves to the actions and expectations of the persons who help them. This form of vulnerability makes it possible to recount the events that have made them vulnerable in the sense of having been subjected to harmful actions. In the journals, the presence or absence of trust is always assessed by the counsellors, and the voice of the refugee women is not clearly present.
Inelastic, exchange, and reactive processes in rovibrationally excited collisions of HD with H
Authors: Zhou Boyi , Yang Benhui , Balakrishnan N , Kendrick B K , Chen Maodu , Stancil P C
Published: September 2021

The HD molecule is an important coolant in early universe chemistry models and a tracer of H2 in star-forming regions. Rate coefficients for collisional excitation and de-excitation of HD rotational and vibrational levels form important ingredients in astrophysical models. While collisions with He, H2, and H are the most important, available data for H + HD collisions are largely limited to temperatures less than 1000 K for the vibrational ground state, low-lying rotational levels of the v = 1 HD vibrational level, or computed without reactive contributions. Here, through explicit quantum scattering calculations, we report extensive data for rovibrational transitions in HD induced by H atoms for a range of rotational levels in v = 1 and some v = 0 levels for temperatures up to 1000 K. The significance of the computed results for astrophysical modeling is discussed.
Constraining merging galaxy clusters with X-ray and lensing simulations and observations: the case of Abell 2146
Authors: Chadayammuri Urmila , ZuHone John , Nulsen Paul , Nagai Daisuke , Felix Sharon , Andrade-Santos Felipe , King Lindsay , Russell Helen
Published: September 2021

Galaxy cluster mergers are a powerful laboratory for testing cosmological and astrophysical models. However, interpreting individual merging clusters depends crucially on their merger configuration, defined by the masses, velocities, impact parameters, and orientation of the merger axis with respect to the plane of the sky. In this work, we investigate the impact of merger parameters on the X-ray emitting intracluster medium and gravitational lensing maps using a suite of idealized simulations of binary cluster mergers performed using the gamer-2 code. As a test case, we focus on modelling the Bullet Cluster-like merging system Abell 2146, in which deep Chandra X-ray and lensing observations revealed prominent merger shocks as well as the mass distribution and substructures associated with this merging cluster. We identify the most interesting parameter combinations, and evaluate the effects of various parameters on the properties of merger shocks observed by deep Chandra and lensing observations. We show that due to gravitational compression of the cluster haloes during the merger, previous mass estimates from weak lensing are too high. The plane of the merger is tilted further from the plane of the sky than estimated previously, up to 30° from the plane of the sky. We discuss the applicability of our results to multiwavelength observations of merging galaxy clusters and their use as probes of cosmology and plasma physics.
Supermassive stars with random transverse magnetic fields
Authors: Lou Yu-Qing , Ma Jing-Ze
Published: September 2021

Gravitational dynamic collapses of supermassive stars (SMSs) triggered at certain critical stages may give rise to black holes (BHs) in a broad mass range that populate the Universe including the early Universe. SMSs have been speculated as the progenitors or seeds of supermassive BHs that power quasars and active galactic nuclei. We study quasi-spherical magnetostatic equilibria and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) radial pulsational (in)stability properties of non-rotating SMSs involving random transverse magnetic fields (RTMFs) using the general relativity (GR). With RTMFs, the maxima of the gravitational binding energy mark the GR MHD transition from stability to instability and the RTMF does not modify the GR stability criterion significantly when the ratio ${\cal M}/\left|\Omega \right|\lesssim0.1$, where $\cal M$ is the total magnetic energy and Ω is the total gravitational potential energy. When $0.1\lesssim{\cal M}/\left|\Omega \right|\lesssim1$, nevertheless, the critical GR magnetostatic equilibria on the verge of GR MHD collapses or explosions may change drastically, raising the upper mass limit at the onset of GR MHD instability from ∼105 to ∼106 M⊙ and even higher. For ${\cal M}/\left|\Omega \right|\sim 1$, the evolution track of magnetized SMS is shifted towards the redder part of the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, featuring a sort of ‘magnetic reddening’ associated with the stellar ‘magnetized envelope inflation’. By estimates, the RTMF energy stored in an SMS can be as large as ∼1057 erg, enough to power gamma-ray bursts, fast radio bursts, or other forms of powerful electromagnetic wave bursts. It is possible for magnetized massive stars to dynamically form BHs in the mass range from several tens to thousands of solar masses without necessarily triggering the central electron-positron e± instability inside such stars – this fact is highly pertinent to the reports of LIGO-Virgo gravitational wave event scenario of binary BH mergers.
Are hierarchically formed embedded star clusters surviving gas expulsion depending on their initial conditions?
Authors: Domínguez R , Farias J P , Fellhauer M , Klessen Ralf S
Published: September 2021

We investigate the dissolution process of young embedded star clusters with different primordial mass segregation levels using fractal distributions by means of N-body simulations. We combine several star clusters in virial and subvirial global states with Plummer and uniform density profiles to mimic the gas. The star clusters have masses of Mstars = 500 M⊙ that follow an initial mass function where the stars have maximum distance from the centre of r = 1.5 pc. The clusters are placed in clouds that at the same radius have masses of Mcloud = 2000 M⊙, resulting in star formation efficiency of 0.2. We remove the background potential instantaneously at a very early phase, mimicking the most destructive scenario of gas expulsion. The evolution of the fraction of bound stellar mass is followed for a total of 16 Myr for simulations with stellar evolution and without. We compare our results with previous works using equal-mass particles where an analytical physical model was used to estimate the bound mass fraction after gas expulsion. We find that independent of the initial condition, the fraction of bound stellar mass can be well predicted just right after the gas expulsion but tends to be lower at later stages, as these systems evolve due to the stronger two-body interactions resulting from the inclusion of a realistic initial mass function. This discrepancy is independent of the primordial mass segregation level.
Duplex-Repair enables highly accurate sequencing, despite DNA damage
Authors: Xiong Kan , Shea Douglas , Rhoades Justin , Blewett Timothy , Liu Ruolin , Bae Jin H , Nguyen Erica , Makrigiorgos G Mike , Golub Todd R , Adalsteinsson Viktor A
Published: September 2021

Accurate DNA sequencing is crucial in biomedicine. Underlying the most accurate methods is the assumption that a mutation is true if altered bases are present on both strands of the DNA duplex. We now show that this assumption can be wrong. We establish that current methods to prepare DNA for sequencing, via ‘End Repair/dA-Tailing,’ may substantially resynthesize strands, leading amplifiable lesions or alterations on one strand to become indiscernible from true mutations on both strands. Indeed, we discovered that 7–17% and 32–57% of interior ‘duplex base pairs’ from cell-free DNA and formalin-fixed tumor biopsies, respectively, could be resynthesized in vitro and potentially introduce false mutations. To address this, we present Duplex-Repair, and show that it limits interior duplex base pair resynthesis by 8- to 464-fold, rescues the impact of induced DNA damage, and affords up to 8.9-fold more accurate duplex sequencing. Our study uncovers a major Achilles’ heel in sequencing and offers a solution to restore high accuracy.
A molecularly integrated grade for meningioma
Authors: Driver Joseph , Hoffman Samantha E , Tavakol Sherwin , Woodward Eleanor , Maury Eduardo A , Bhave Varun , Greenwald Noah F , Nassiri Farshad , Aldape Kenneth , Zadeh Gelareh , Choudhury Abrar , Vasudevan Harish N , Magill Stephen T , Raleigh David R , Abedalthagafi Malak , Aizer Ayal A , Alexander Brian M , Ligon Keith L , Reardon David A , Wen Patrick Y , Al-Mefty Ossama , Ligon Azra H , Dubuc Adrian M , Beroukhim Rameen , Claus Elizabeth B , Dunn Ian F , Santagata Sandro , Bi Wenya Linda
Published: September 2021

Background

Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumor in adults. Clinical care is currently guided by the World Health Organization (WHO) grade assigned to meningiomas, a 3-tiered grading system based on histopathology features, as well as extent of surgical resection. Clinical behavior, however, often fails to conform to the WHO grade. Additional prognostic information is needed to optimize patient management.

Methods

We evaluated whether chromosomal copy-number data improved prediction of time-to-recurrence for patients with meningioma who were treated with surgery, relative to the WHO schema. The models were developed using Cox proportional hazards, random survival forest, and gradient boosting in a discovery cohort of 527 meningioma patients and validated in 2 independent cohorts of 172 meningioma patients characterized by orthogonal genomic platforms.

Results

We developed a 3-tiered grading scheme (Integrated Grades 1-3), which incorporated mitotic count and loss of chromosome 1p, 3p, 4, 6, 10, 14q, 18, 19, or CDKN2A. 32% of meningiomas reclassified to either a lower-risk or higher-risk Integrated Grade compared to their assigned WHO grade. The Integrated Grade more accurately identified meningioma patients at risk for recurrence, relative to the WHO grade, as determined by time-dependent area under the curve, average precision, and the Brier score.

Conclusion

We propose a molecularly integrated grading scheme for meningiomas that significantly improves upon the current WHO grading system in prediction of progression-free survival. This framework can be broadly adopted by clinicians with relative ease using widely available genomic technologies and presents an advance in the care of meningioma patients.
Interpreting and Reframing the Appropriate Adult Safeguard
Authors: Dehaghani Roxanna
Published: September 2021

The appropriate adult (AA) safeguard is an important procedural safeguard that can be implemented to protect vulnerable suspects at the police investigative stage of the criminal process. The safeguard is available for young suspects (below the age of 18) and adult suspects who are defined as vulnerable, and can be performed by a vast array of individuals. It is intended to protect evidence, enable effective participation and avoid miscarriages of justice. However, the safeguard lacks an underpinning conceptual framework; it is, and can, be interpreted in multiple ways, thus undermining its efficacy. Drawing upon doctrinal and socio-legal analysis, this article examines how the safeguard is—and, crucially, can be—conceptualised. It is argued that, although it is used principally as an evidential safeguard, the appropriate adult could be reimagined through the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child, with a specific focus on allowing for effective participation of the vulnerable suspect.
Cases of spontaneous reattachment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment
Authors: Orazbekov Lukpan , Zhanbolat Kamilya , Ruslanuly Kairat
Published: September 2021

Report on clinical cases of spontaneous reattachment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). From 2014 to 2020 we diagnosed four patients with spontaneous reattachment of RRD. We conducted a review of the relevant medical records, focusing on the initial symptoms at presentation, the initial diagnoses, with a further observation of the patients next 3 years. The patients were re-examined 3 years later after cases of spontaneous reattachment of RRD. Three years after a case of spontaneous reattachment of RRD during reexamination in four patients (four eyes), redetachment was not detected. The mentioned clinical cases indicate the possibility of finding new approaches to RRD management.
Anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibodies involve reversible cranial dura matter
Authors: Kataoka Hiroshi , Shimada Daisuke , Nanaura Hitoki , Sugie Kazuma
Published: September 2021

This case is the first document to describe a patient receiving anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) antibodies which showed cranial dura matter involvement. According to the increasing use of anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies, adverse effects can occur in several organs since its ligand PD-L1 and PD-L2 are expressed in a wide variety of tissues. The estimated rate of neurological complications is 1–4.2% of patients, and neuromuscular disorders are the most common. Adverse effects on the central nervous system including encephalitis are less frequent. Here, a patient receiving anti-PD-1 antibodies showed cranial dura matter involvement, and the dura enhancement on MRI was resolved by withdrawal of the treatment with anti-PD-1 antibodies only.
Loss of consciousness during air travel: A case of lung bullae
Authors: Nyalile Kenan B , Sadiq Abid M , Sadiq Adnan M , Shao Elichilia R
Published: September 2021

A giant lung bulla occupies at least a third of the lung space. We present a middle-aged man who lost consciousness during an air flight for 30 minutes, without any respiratory symptoms. An incidental finding on chest x-ray revealed a giant bulla and a chest computed tomography imaging confirmed the diagnosis and ruled out a tension pneumothorax. A giant lung bulla is an uncommon cause of loss of consciousness and may be suspected if it occurs during air travel.
Fifteen compelling open questions in plant cell biology
Authors: Roeder Adrienne H K , Otegui Marisa S , Dixit Ram , Anderson Charles T , Faulkner Christine , Zhang Yan , Harrison Maria J , Kirchhelle Charlotte , Goshima Gohta , Coate Jeremy E , Doyle Jeff J , Hamant Olivier , Sugimoto Keiko , Dolan Liam , Meyer Heather , Ehrhardt David W , Boudaoud Arezki , Messina Carlos
Published: September 2021

As scientists, we are at least as excited about the open questions—the things we do not know—as the discoveries. Here, we asked 15 experts to describe the most compelling open questions in plant cell biology. These are their questions: How are organelle identity, domains, and boundaries maintained under the continuous flux of vesicle trafficking and membrane remodeling? Is the plant cortical microtubule cytoskeleton a mechanosensory apparatus? How are the cellular pathways of cell wall synthesis, assembly, modification, and integrity sensing linked in plants? Why do plasmodesmata open and close? Is there retrograde signaling from vacuoles to the nucleus? How do root cells accommodate fungal endosymbionts? What is the role of cell edges in plant morphogenesis? How is the cell division site determined? What are the emergent effects of polyploidy on the biology of the cell, and how are any such “rules” conditioned by cell type? Can mechanical forces trigger new cell fates in plants? How does a single differentiated somatic cell reprogram and gain pluripotency? How does polarity develop de-novo in isolated plant cells? What is the spectrum of cellular functions for membraneless organelles and intrinsically disordered proteins? How do plants deal with internal noise? How does order emerge in cells and propagate to organs and organisms from complex dynamical processes? We hope you find the discussions of these questions thought provoking and inspiring.
EARLY FLOWERING3 sub-nuclear localization responds to changes in ambient temperature
Authors: Ronald James , Wilkinson Anthony J , Davis Seth J
Published: September 2021

EARLY FLOWERING3 sub-nuclear localization responds to changes in ambient temperature
Vacuolar fructose transporter SWEET17 is critical for root development and drought tolerance
Authors: Valifard Marzieh , Le Hir Rozenn , Müller Jonas , Scheuring David , Neuhaus Horst Ekkehard , Pommerrenig Benjamin
Published: September 2021

Root growth and architecture are markedly influenced by both developmental and environmental cues. Sugars integrate different stimuli and are essential building blocks and signaling molecules for modulating the root system. Members from the SUGAR WILL EVENTUALLY BE EXPORTED TRANSPORTER (SWEET) family facilitate the transport of different sugars over cellular membranes and steer both inter and intracellular distribution of sugars. SWEET17 represents a fructose-specific sugar porter localized to the vacuolar membrane, the tonoplast. Here, we analyzed how SWEET17-dependent fructose released from vacuoles affects root growth during drought stress in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). We found that the SWEET17 gene was predominantly expressed in the root vasculature and in meristematic cells of the root tip. SWEET17 expression appeared markedly induced during lateral root (LR) outgrowth and under drought. Moreover, fructose repressed primary root growth but induced density and length of first order LRs. Consistently, sweet17 knock-out mutants exhibited reduced LR growth and a diminished expression of LR-development-related transcription factors during drought stress, resulting in impaired drought tolerance of sweet17 mutants. We discuss how SWEET17 activity integrates drought-induced cellular responses into fructose signaling necessary for modulation of the root system and maximal drought tolerance.
Form and Deformity in George Crabbe’s The Borough
Authors: Béres Rogers Kathleen
Published: September 2021

Much has been said about Romantic writers’ experimentation with form, with new forms—or deviations from old ones—working to parallel a need for social re-form. This makes it even more remarkable that George Crabbe, who explores poverty, pollution, disability, and other variants of aesthetic deformity in his 1810 The Borough, nonetheless refers to and often writes in traditional forms, including the epic, the country house poem, the eclogue, and evolving modes like the Gothic and the confessional poem. This essay argues that this dissonance between form and content is intentional: that Crabbe writes in traditional forms to illustrate that traditional forms, especially physical environments, can easily become physically and morally polluted.
Incorporating gout guideline advice into urate reports is associated with reduced hospital admissions: results of an observational study
Authors: Riches Philip L , Downie Laura , Thomson Carol
Published: September 2021

Objective

To evaluate the impact of incorporating treatment guidance into reporting of urate test results.

Methods

Urate targets for clinically confirmed gout were added to urate results above 0.36 mmol/l requested after September 2014 within NHS Lothian. Scotland-wide data on urate-lowering therapy prescriptions and hospital admissions with gout were analysed between 2009 and 2020. Local data on urate tests were analysed between 2014 and 2015.

Results

Admissions with a primary diagnosis of gout in Lothian reduced modestly following the intervention from 111/year in 2010–2014 to 104/year in 2015–2019, a non-significant difference (P = 0.32). In contrast there was a significant increase in admissions to remaining NHS Scotland health boards (556/year vs 606/year, P < 0.01). For a secondary diagnosis of gout the number of admissions in NHS Lothian reduced significantly (58/year vs 39/year, P < 0.01) contrasting with a significant increase in remaining Scottish health boards (220/year vs 290/year, P < 0.01). The relative rate of admissions to NHS Lothian compared with remaining Scottish boards using a 2009 baseline were significantly reduced for both primary diagnosis of gout (1.06 vs 1.25, P < 0.001) and secondary diagnoses of gout (0.64 compared with 1.4, P < 0.001) after the intervention; however, there was no difference before the intervention. A relative increase in the prescription rates of allopurinol 300 mg tablets and febuxostat 120 mg tablets may have contributed to the improved outcomes seen.

Conclusion

Incorporation of clinical guideline advice into routine reporting of urate results was associated with reduced rates of admission with gout in NHS Lothian, in comparison with other Scottish health boards.
Mitochondrial Loci Enable Specific Quantitative Real-Time PCR Detection of the Pathogen Causing Contemporary Impatiens Downy Mildew Epidemics
Authors: LeBlanc Nicholas , Martin Frank , Castroagudín Vanina , Crouch Jo Anne
Published: September 2021

Impatiens downy mildew (IDM) disease is a primary constraint on the production of Impatiens walleriana, a popular and economically important floriculture plant. IDM is caused by the biotrophic. oomycete Plasmopara destructor that emerged as a pathogen of I. walleriana in the 2000s. To enable P. destructor detection and quantification, a hydrolysis-probe-based quantitative PCR diagnostic assay was developed based on unique orientation and order of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit1 (cox1) and ATP synthase subunit alpha (atp1) genes in the genus Plasmopara. Nucleotide sequences and analysis of the cox1/atp1 region distinguished P. destructor and its sister-species P. obducens, consistent with prior phylogenetic analyses using cox2 and rDNA markers. Specificity for P. destructor was incorporated into a hydrolysis probe targeting the cox1 gene and flanking primers that amplified across the cox1/atp1 intergenic region. The limit of detection was 0.5 fg/μl of P. destructor DNA (∼100 plasmid copies/μl), with amplification efficiency = 0.95. The assay was validated against a panel of target and nontarget oomycetes, which showed that the primers were specific for Plasmopara spp., while the probe was specific for P. destructor infecting both I. walleriana and I. balsamina. Testing of Impatiens tissue collected from 23 locations across 13 states indicated all samples with IDM symptoms tested positive for P. destructor. Asymptomatic plants from two locations also tested positive for P. destructor.
New Insights into the Fungal Diversity of Cranberry Fruit Rot in Québec Farms Through a Large-Scale Molecular Analysis
Authors: Conti Matteo , Cinget Benjamin , Labbé Caroline , Asselin Yanick , Bélanger Richard R.
Published: September 2021

Cranberry fruit rot (CFR) pathogens are widely reported in the literature, but performing large-scale analysis of their presence inside fruit has always been challenging. In this study, a new molecular diagnostic tool, capable of identifying simultaneously 12 potential fungal species causing CFR, was used to better define the impact of CFR across cranberry fields in Québec. For this purpose, 126 fields and 7,825 fruits were sampled in three cranberry farms distributed throughout the province and subjected to comparative analyses of fungal presence and abundance according to cultural practices, sampling times, and cranberry cultivars. All 12 pathogens were detected throughout the study, but as a first major finding, the analyses revealed that four species, Godronia cassandrae, Colletotrichum fructivorum, Allantophomopsis cytisporea, and Coleophoma empetri, were consistently predominant regardless of the parameters studied. Comparison of conventional and organic productions showed a significant reduction in fungal richness and relative abundance. Interestingly, Monilinia oxycocci was found almost exclusively in organic productions, indicating that fungicides had a strong and persistent effect on its population. Surprisingly, there were no significant differences in fungal relative abundance or species richness between fruit sampled at harvest or in storage, suggesting that there may not exist a clear distinction between field and storage rot, as was previously thought. Comparative analysis of fungal species found on eight different cranberry cultivars indicated that they were all infected by the same fungi but could not rule out differences in genetic resistance. This large-scale analysis allows us to draw an exhaustive picture of CFR in Québec and provides new information with respect to its management.
Dynamic Delirium Severity Trajectories and Their Association With 2-Year Healthcare Utilization and Mortality Outcomes
Authors: Lindroth Heidi , Mohanty Sanjay , Ortiz Damaris , Gao Sujuan , Perkins Anthony J. , Khan Sikandar H. , Boustani Malaz A. , Khan Babar A.
Published: September 2021

Importance:

Delirium severity has been associated with a higher risk of mortality and an increasing morbidity burden. Recently defined delirium severity trajectories were predictive of 30-day mortality in a critically ill patient population. No studies to date have examined associations between delirium severity trajectories and 2-year mortality and healthcare utilization outcomes.

Objectives:

To examine the associations between recently defined delirium severity trajectories and 2-year healthcare utilization outcomes of emergency department visits, rehospitalizations, and mortality.

Design, Setting, and Participants:

This is a secondary analysis using data from the randomized controlled clinical trial Pharmacological Management of Delirium in the Intensive Care Unit and Deprescribing in the Pharmacologic Management of Delirium trial conducted from 2009 to 2015. Patients who were greater than or equal to 18 years old, were in the ICU for greater than or equal to 24 hours, and had a positive delirium assessment (Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU) were included in the original trial. Participants were included in the secondary analysis if 2-year healthcare utilization and mortality data were available (n = 431).

Main Outcomes and Measures:

Healthcare utilization data within 2 years of the initial discharge date were pulled from the Indiana Network for Patient Care. Data over a 2-year period on emergency department visits (days to first emergency department visit, number of emergency department visits), inpatient hospitalizations (days to first hospitalizations, number of hospitalizations), and mortality (time to death) were extracted. Univariate relationships, Cox proportional hazard models, and competing risk modeling were used to examine statistical relationships in SAS v9.4.

Results:

The overall sample (n = 431) had a mean age of 60 (sd, 16), 56% were females, and 49% African-Americans. No significant associations were identified between delirium severity trajectories and time to event for emergency department visit, mortality, or rehospitalization within 2 years of the index hospital discharge.

Conclusions and Relevance:

This secondary analysis did not identify a significant relationship between delirium severity trajectories and healthcare utilization or mortality within 2 years of hospital discharge.