bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
VIRTUE AND HIERARCHY IN EARLY CONFUCIAN ETHICS
Authors: Yin Peng
Published: February 2022

Aaron Stalnaker’s Mastery, Dependency, and the Ethics of Authority proposes a moral vision that reclaims authority and dependency as indispensable conditions for fostering autonomy. Contemporary Western ethics, argues Stalnaker, is mired in faulty thinking about a set of linked concepts that inhibits an appreciation for the ubiquitous fact of human interdependence. The nature of authority is viewed as exclusively coercive, freedom as primarily negative, autonomy as automatically possessed, and equality as incompatible with differentiated appraisal of moral achievement and expertise. Stalnaker retrieves early Confucianism as a corrective because it does not present authority and autonomy in competitive terms. Instead, early Confucianism advocates that properly submitting oneself to the right sort of authority and dependent social relationships is the indispensable path for cultivating autonomy. The article lifts up three attractive claims of the proposal and probes the tension between virtue, hierarchy, and cosmology in early Confucianism.
On the Structure and Significance of Augustine’s Moral Grammar
Authors: Westerholm Martin
Published: February 2022

This essay traces Augustine’s understanding of the structuring elements that give shape to human becoming. It presents this understanding as a distinctive form of maximalism in thinking about happiness, justice, and power, and as standing apart from classical and modern alternatives in its approach to desire, power, and mediation. By tracing the way that Augustine develops a moral grammar across three distinctive constellations of concepts, it shows where influential interpretations of his work leave important elements behind, and wider contemporary conceptions may benefit from dialogue with his work.
Functional traits contribute in opposite directions to taxonomic turnover in northeastern US forests over time
Authors: Umaña María Natalia , Zambrano Jenny , Norden Natalia
Published: February 2022

Aims: Understanding the processes driving forest dynamics requires considering that species within communities do not respond in a coordinated manner to external factors. We argue that temporal turnover in species composition results from contrasting differences in species life history and functional strategies (demography and seed and wood traits) that might simultaneously promote stability and dynamism by operating on distinct subsets of species. Specifically, fast taxonomic turnover should be promoted by species that take advantage of sporadically available resources, while forest stability should be promoted by species with conservative and stress‐tolerant life histories.

Location: Northeastern USA.

Methods: We combine demographic information (survival, recruitment) over a 14‐year period from temperate tree communities in the northeastern United States with trait information on species seed mass and wood density as a proxy for their reproductive and resource acquisition strategies, to evaluate the differential contribution of species with contrasting ecological strategies (low vs high seed mass/wood density) to rates of compositional turnover in temperate forests.

Results: The apparent dynamism of US forests is mostly driven by high mortality and low recruitment of small‐seeded species and by high mortality and recruitment of low wood density species. Simultaneously, species with the opposite traits, i.e., high seed mass and wood density, contribute more to stability. Our findings suggest that forests dynamics in the northeastern United States are the outcome of opposing contributions of life history and plant traits that simultaneously promote forest stability and rapid taxonomic turnover by operating differentially across tree species.

Conclusions: Small‐seeded and low wood density species promote faster forest turnover than species with the opposite traits. Not accounting for these functional differences in community‐level analyses is likely to mask the complex dynamics of temperate forests. This study demonstrates the importance of studying forest composition and structure under a dynamic scope that accounts for differences in functional strategies across species.
Thinking about Social Determinants of Health through the Relationality of Work and Drug Use
Authors: Parsons Michelle Anne
Published: February 2022

Public health often frames drug use and addiction as destructive and antithetical to productive citizenship, particularly formal employment. Anthropologists show how drug use emerges in specific institutional, social, and political economic contexts. This attention to context suggests that the relationship between drug use and work may not be as stable as epidemiology models it. There is a multiplicity to the relationality of work and drug use. These results are based on in‐depth interviews conducted in 2018 and 2019 with 16 individuals undergoing addiction treatment at a residential facility in northern Arizona. In some cases, drug and alcohol use led to losing work. In other cases, drug and alcohol use made work more possible. The entanglements between work and drug use fluctuated through time. Social determinants of health are relationally brought into being, part of larger assemblages, and dynamic.
Visual Attention Pattern of Middle School Students During Problem‐Solving in Physics
Authors: Wang Qian , Zhu Yanmei , Wei Lili , Deng Huihua
Published: February 2022

This study investigated how visual attention differed between students who hold scientific knowledge and those who have misconceptions. We analyzed visual fixations of 98 middle students on problems containing information relevant to scientific knowledge and common misconceptions. It showed that students who acquired scientific concepts paid more attention to appropriate information but took less consideration to irrelevant information. On the contrary, students who held misconceptions fixated more on misleading information but failed to select appropriate information. In addition, the senior students demonstrated more eye fixations on relevant information than their younger peers. These findings reflect that students' conceptual understanding affects the way they evaluate the problem information. Our results also suggest that formal science education improves students' ability to select relevant information and efficiently solve a problem. Studying the visual attention pattern during problem‐solving provides implications for the development of effective instructions to promote their ability to solve scientific problems.
Reclamation of a resource extraction site: A differential game approach
Authors: Marsiglio Simone , Masoudi Nahid
Published: February 2022

We study an extraction site reclamation problem in a two‐player differential game setting over a finite time horizon. Environmental regulation requires each firm to engage in reclamation efforts during the entire lifespan of the extraction site and to pay an abandonment reclamation fee at the end of its lease term for the unclaimed pollution caused by firms’ activities. Firms determine their reclamation efforts in order to minimize their reclamation cost. We analyze and compare individual firms’ choices and the pollution stock in the noncooperative and the cooperative cases by distinguishing between situations in which firms are homogeneous and heterogeneous. We study the case in which firms have different lease durations and different degrees of environmental liability. We show that the dynamics of the reclamation efforts may be substantially different under noncooperation and cooperation, and in both cases, it is mainly determined by how the rate of time preference and the growth rate of firms’ liabilities compare. Moreover, in all scenarios, the reclamation efforts generally rise with the degree of liability and fall with the lease duration, suggesting that in order to promote better environmental outcomes, the regulators should carefully determine the lease conditions by introducing intra‐term reclamation fees along with stringent environmental accountability.
Development of allergic rhinitis in early life: A prospective cohort study in high‐risk infants
Authors: Masuda Sawako , Nagao Mizuho , Usui Satoko , Nogami Kazutaka , Tohda Yuji , Fujisawa Takao ,   Investigators of Kinki Hokuriku Airway Disease Conference (KiHAC)
Published: February 2022

Background

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common allergic disease in children. The development process of AR in early childhood, however, is not well understood. We prospectively investigated the process in regard to not only the nasal symptoms and sensitization but also the nasal cytology, in relation to recurrent wheeze in a high‐risk cohort.

Methods

Infants under 2 years of age with atopic dermatitis (AD) and/or food allergy (FA) symptoms were recruited and followed prospectively for 2 years. The phenotype of perennial AR was classified based on the presence/absence of (1) persistent nasal symptoms, (2) nasal eosinophils, and (3) HDM sensitization, the most common allergen for perennial AR in Japan. AR‐like phenotypes were defined as positive for at least two of those three categories. High‐risk recurrent wheezer was diagnosed based on the Japanese guidelines and Global Initiative for Asthma. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses for high‐risk recurrent wheeze and the AR‐like phenotype, adjusting for known covariate risk factors for asthma.

Results

A total of 299 children were enrolled, and 237 subjects (78%) completed the 2‐year observation. The prevalence of eosinophilia in nasal secretions increased from 18.5% to 69.9%, while HDM‐specific IgE ≥ 0.35 kUA/L increased from 30.6% to 74.8%. AR‐like phenotypes increased from 18.4% to 65.0%. The AR‐like phenotype at 2 years was associated with development of high‐risk recurrent wheezer (HR 2.062; 95% CI 1.005–4.796).

Conclusions

The prevalence of an HDM‐related AR‐like phenotype was markedly increased during infancy in infants with AD/FA and was associated with high‐risk recurrent wheezer.
Chronic hypertension and risk of preterm delivery: National Longitudinal Study of Adolescents to Adult Health
Authors: Delker Erin , Bandoli Gretchen , LaCoursiere Yvette , Ferran Karen , Gallo Linda , Oren Eyal , Gahagan Sheila , Ramos Gladys A. , Allison Matthew
Published: February 2022

Background

Chronic hypertension during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. In 2017, the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) lowered thresholds to classify hypertension in non‐pregnant adults to SBP ≥ 130 mmHg and DBP ≥ 80 mmHg (ie stage I hypertension), resulting in an additional 4.5‐million reproductive‐aged women meeting criteria for hypertension. Little is known about effects of pre‐pregnancy blood pressure (BP) in this range.

Objectives

To examine the effect of pre‐pregnancy maternal BP on preterm delivery.

Methods

We analysed the data from two waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, including participants that had measured BP at Wave IV (2008–09) and a pregnancy that resulted in a singleton live birth between Waves IV and V (2016–18; n = 2038). We categorised BP using ACC/AHA cut‐offs: normal (SBP < 120 mmHg and DBP < 80 mmHg), elevated (SBP 120–129 mmHg and DBP < 80 mmHg), hypertension stage I (SBP 130–139 mmHg or DBP 80–89 mmHg) and hypertension stage II (SBP ≥ 140 mmHg or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg). We estimated risk ratios (RR) with log‐binomial regression adjusting for maternal demographics, anthropometrics and medication use.

Results

The prevalence of preterm delivery was 12.6%. A standard deviation (SD) increment in SBP (SD = 12.2 mmHg) and DBP (SD = 9.3 mmHg) was associated with a 14% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2, 27) and 20% (95% CI 4, 37) higher risk of preterm delivery. Compared to normotensive controls, stage I (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01, 1.74) and stage II (RR 1.34, 95% CI 0.89, 2.00) hypertension were associated with increased risk.

Conclusions

We observed greater risk of preterm delivery among women with higher pre‐pregnancy BP. Women with stage I hypertension during pregnancy may benefit from increased BP monitoring. Additional studies on the utility of foetal surveillance in this group are warranted.
Effect of the donor's age and type of extender (egg yolk versus clarified egg yolk) over the sperm quality of Majorera bucks preserved at 4°C: In vitro results and fertility trials
Authors: Iusupova Kseniia , Batista‐Arteaga Miguel , Martín‐Martel Sergio , Díaz‐Bertrana María Luisa , Rodríguez‐Lozano Oliver
Published: February 2022

This study assessed the effect of donor´s age and two different extenders in the sperm quality of chilled semen in Majorera bucks. In experiment 1, semen was individually processed from 5 young (10–12 months old) and 4 mature (3–5 years old) bucks and then was diluted in two different extenders: EY (Tris‐glucose, 12% egg yolk) and CEY (Tris‐glucose, 12% clarified egg yolk) and cooled at 4°C; semen quality (sperm motility, percentages of alive spermatozoa, acrosome status and abnormal spermatozoa) was evaluated at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hr after cooling. In experiment II, 72 Majorera goats were assigned to four experimental groups: for groups 24‐EY (n = 18) and 24‐CEY (n = 18), goats were inseminated with EY and CEY cooled semen for 24 hr, respectively, while for groups 72‐EY (n = 18) and 72‐CEY (n = 18), goats were inseminated with EY and CEY cooled semen for 72 hr, respectively. In vitro results confirmed that only ejaculate volume and sperm concentration were significantly different between young and mature bucks. In addition, semen quality was similar between both diluents, presenting values for the first 48 hr similar to that recorded in fresh samples. The fertility rate was around 70% after 24 hr (4°C) in both groups, but the kidding rate was significantly lower (44.4%, p < .05) in goats inseminated with EY diluent preserved for 72 hr. Our results showed that the semen samples may be stored at 4°C in media with egg yolk or clarified egg yolk, and, therefore, the use of clarified egg yolk may represent a valid alternative to chill semen samples. Finally, young bucks (older than 10–12 months) of Majorera breed could be successfully used in breeding programmes with similar efficacy to older males.
Artificial intelligence, algorithms, and social inequality: Sociological contributions to contemporary debates
Authors: Zajko Mike
Published: February 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic systems have been criticized for perpetuating bias, unjust discrimination, and contributing to inequality. Artificial intelligence researchers have remained largely oblivious to existing scholarship on social inequality, but a growing number of sociologists are now addressing the social transformations brought about by AI. Where bias is typically presented as an undesirable characteristic that can be removed from AI systems, engaging with social inequality scholarship leads us to consider how these technologies reproduce existing hierarchies and the positive visions we can work towards. I argue that sociologists can help assert agency over new technologies through three kinds of actions: (1) critique and the politics of refusal; (2) fighting inequality through technology; and (3) governance of algorithms. As we become increasingly dependent on AI and automated systems, the dangers of further entrenching or amplifying social inequalities have been well documented, particularly with the growing adoption of these systems by government agencies. However, public policy also presents some opportunities to restructure social dynamics in a positive direction, as long as we can articulate what we are trying to achieve, and are aware of the risks and limitations of utilizing these new technologies to address social problems.
Men and masculinities studies in Vietnam: A brief review
Authors: An Thanh Ly , Waling Andrea , Bourne Adam
Published: February 2022

In recent years, men and masculinities in Southeast Asia has begun to receive more attention from scholars as the result of increasing attention to intersections of race, gender space, colonialism, and place in countries such as Vietnam. This article provides an overview of current research on men and masculinities in Vietnam. It finds research on Vietnamese masculinities is predominantly understood through (i) concepts of Confucianism, with a particular focus on traditional ideas about gender and gender relations in kinship structures; (ii) considerations of Vietnamese masculinities post Đổi Mới (Renovation) and the impact of women's engagement in the labor market; and (iii) a focus on men as “at risk” or vulnerable, including a focus on alcohol consumption and engagement in domestic violence. We highlight limited focus in areas of sexuality and sexual practices, reflexive engagements with concepts of masculinity, focus on men residing in urban centres, considerations of bodywork and body project practices, and an overall Western approach to the study of masculinity in Vietnam. We conclude with a call for further research on men and masculinities in Vietnam framed through postcolonial epistemologies and research methodologies.
A chromosome scale tomato genome built from complementary PacBio and Nanopore sequences alone reveals extensive linkage drag during breeding
Authors: van Rengs Willem M. J. , Schmidt Maximilian H.‐W. , Effgen Sieglinde , Le Duyen Bao , Wang Yazhong , Zaidan Mohd Waznul Adly Mohd , Huettel Bruno , Schouten Henk J. , Usadel Björn , Underwood Charles J.
Published: February 2022

The assembly and scaffolding of plant crop genomes facilitate the characterization of genetically diverse cultivated and wild germplasm. The cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) has been improved through the introgression of genetic material from related wild species, including resistance to pandemic strains of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) from Solanum peruvianum. Here we applied PacBio HiFi and ONT Nanopore sequencing to develop independent, highly contiguous and complementary assemblies of an inbred TMV‐resistant tomato variety. We show specific examples of how HiFi and ONT datasets can complement one another to improve assembly contiguity. We merged the HiFi and ONT assemblies to generate a long‐read‐only assembly where all 12 chromosomes were represented as 12 contiguous sequences (N50 = 68.5 Mbp). This chromosome scale assembly did not require scaffolding using an orthogonal data type. The merged assembly was validated by chromosome conformation capture data and is highly consistent with previous tomato genome assemblies that made use of genetic maps and Hi‐C for scaffolding. Our long‐read‐only assembly reveals that a complex series of structural variants linked to the TMV resistance gene likely contributed to linkage drag of a 64.1‐Mbp region of the S. peruvianum genome during tomato breeding. Through marker studies and ONT‐based comprehensive haplotyping we show that this minimal introgression region is present in six cultivated tomato hybrid varieties developed in three commercial breeding programs. Our results suggest that complementary long read technologies can facilitate the rapid generation of near‐complete genome sequences.
Diffusion of volatile organics and water in the epicuticular waxes of petunia petal epidermal cells
Authors: Ray Shaunak , Savoie Brett M. , Dudareva Natalia , Morgan John A.
Published: February 2022

Plant cuticles are a mixture of crystalline and amorphous waxes that restrict the exchange of molecules between the plant and the atmosphere. The multicomponent nature of cuticular waxes complicates the study of the relationship between the physical and transport properties. Here, a model cuticle based on the epicuticular waxes of Petunia hybrida flower petals was formulated to test the effect of wax composition on diffusion of water and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The model cuticle was composed of an n‐tetracosane (C24H50), 1‐docosanol (C22H45OH), and 3‐methylbutyl dodecanoate (C17H34O2), reflecting the relative chain length, functional groups, molecular arrangements, and crystallinity of the natural waxes. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to obtain diffusion coefficients for compounds moving through waxes of varying composition. Simulated VOC diffusivities of the model system were found to highly correlate with in vitro measurements in isolated petunia cuticles. VOC diffusivity increased up to 30‐fold in completely amorphous waxes, indicating a significant effect of crystallinity on cuticular permeability. The crystallinity of the waxes was highly dependent on the elongation of the lattice length and decrease in gap width between crystalline unit cells. Diffusion of water and higher molecular weight VOCs were significantly affected by alterations in crystalline spacing and lengths, whereas the low molecular weight VOCs were less affected. Comparison of measured diffusion coefficients from atomistic simulations and emissions from petunia flowers indicates that the role of the plant cuticle in the VOC emission network is attributed to the differential control on mass transfer of individual VOCs by controlling the composition, amount, and dynamics of scent emission.
Breathing new futures in polluted environments (Taranto, Italy)
Authors: Jokela‐Pansini Maaret , Militz Elisabeth
Published: February 2022

This paper analyses the ways that young people create new futures in Taranto, Southern Italy, a city hosting one of the largest and most polluting steel factories in Europe. It draws on ethnographic fieldwork in Taranto and uses storytelling to understand how young people – a minority of residents aged between 24 and 35 years – shape futures in industrially polluted environments. The study weaves together geographic and anthropological scholarship about futures in (post‐)industrial cities, conceptualisations of breathing as well as lived experiences in highly polluted areas. Through mobilising the notion of breathing, we highlight the embodied, entangled, and emotional dimensions of the young people's everyday practices and develop our concept of “breathing new futures.” We argue that both pollution and the envisioning of a new future become visible in everything the study's participants do; the ways they promote environmental awareness, take care of animals, or seek to foster children's education. By focusing on generational differences, the study expands on recent scholarship analysing environmental pollution in relation to intersectional identities such as race, ethnicity, and gender, and sheds light on the activities of young people to imagine and live new futures in polluted environments.
El estado de la red pública hospitalaria en Colombia para enfrentar el COVID-19, posterior a la política de categorización de riesgo fiscal y financiero
Authors: Vargas Peña Gilma Stella , Ruiz Sánchez Laura Estefany , Martínez Saldarriaga Luis Alberto
Published: February 2022

Problema. El Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud basado en políticas neoliberales y en la Nueva Gestión Pública definió políticas de transformación y reestructuración de los hospitales públicos para su declaratoria en riesgo, liquidación/fusión. Posterior a la aplicación de la Política de categorización de riesgo fiscal y financiero (PCRFF) se desconoce el estado de la red pública hospitalaria para enfrentar la pandemia COVID-19. Objetivo. Determinar el estado de la red pública hospitalaria (Empresas Sociales del Estado - ESE) para enfrentar la pandemia COVID-19, luego de la aplicación de la PCRFF. Método. Se realizó un estudio cuantitativo con metodología descriptiva según fuentes secundarias de entidades oficiales. Resultados. Para 2012, de las 968 ESE habilitadas en el país, 657 (67,9%) estaban en riesgo, y para 2018 fueron 284 (34,1%). La región Andina aportó el 52,8% de las ESE en riesgo y 78,3% de las 23 instituciones liquidadas/fusionadas. De las ESE en riesgo, Antioquia aportó el 16,3% al país y el 33,3% a la región Andina y de las ESE liquidadas/fusionadas aportó el 47,8% al país y el 59% a la región. Los casos de COVID-19 se concentraron en la región Andina con 65% de los 3 002 037, y en Antioquia con 25% de los 1 968 972 de la región Andina. Conclusión. Con la aplicación de la PCRFF se ha limitado la cantidad, el crecimiento y la capacidad de resolución de la red pública hospitalaria, lo que ha afectado la respuesta al Covid-19, de manera armónica y eficiente.
Salud colectiva en tiempos de COVID-19. Modelo escalar para comprender las afectaciones en la ruralidad de Urabá, Antioquia, Colombia, 2020
Authors: Arias López Beatriz Elena , Hernández Ciro Eulalia , Gutiérrez Loaiza Alderid
Published: February 2022

Introducción. En el marco del Observatorio ruralidad y paz en contextos de pandemia y post-pandemia se presentan avances parciales de investigación y reflexiones de orden interdisciplinario sobre salud colectiva en la subregión del Urabá antioqueño, focalizados en contextos rurales. Objetivos. Identificar las dinámicas de integración/exclusión relacionadas con la salud colectiva en los territorios rurales de la subregión del Urabá antioqueño en el contexto de la pandemia COVID-19. Métodos. Se utilizó el modelo escalar de salud colectiva en tiempos de pandemia como herramienta para problematizar los datos epidemiológicos y las lecturas territoriales, en diálogo con las voces de lugareños y líderes de organizaciones sociales locales. Resultados. Los resultados permiten identificar la dinámica de la pandemia en clave de integración/exclusión de los municipios de la subregión, la superposición de lógicas de legalidad e ilegalidad que se dan en sus territorios, la amplificación de las afectaciones en territorios con cargas históricas de inequidad, y las grandes limitaciones para tener un nivel de gobernanza efectiva en salud. Conclusiones. La mayor limitación ha sido la ausencia de datos diferenciados para las áreas rurales, procedencia étnica y precisión en el origen del contagio. Este análisis nos lleva a afirmar que la pandemia por COVID-19 revela nuevamente los desbalances estructurales, especialmente en las zonas rurales de Colombia.
Topology Optimization on Complex Surfaces Based on the Moving Morphable Component Method and Computational Conformal Mapping
Authors: Huo Wendong , Liu Chang , Du Zongliang , Jiang Xudong , Liu Zhenyu , Guo Xu
Published: February 2022

In the present article, an integrated paradigm for topology optimization on complex surfaces with arbitrary genus is proposed. The approach is constructed based on the two-dimensional (2D) Moving Morphable Component (MMC) framework, where a set of structural components are used as the basic units of optimization, and computational conformal mapping (CCM) technique, with which a complex surface represented by an unstructured triangular mesh can be mapped into a set of regular 2D parameter domains numerically. A multipatch stitching scheme is also developed to achieve an MMC-friendly global parameterization through a number of local parameterizations. Numerical examples including a saddle-shaped shell, a torus-shape shell, and a tee-branch pipe are solved to demonstrate the validity and efficiency of the proposed approach. It is found that compared with traditional approaches for topology optimization on 2D surfaces, optimized designs with clear load transmission paths can be obtained with much fewer numbers of design variables and degrees-of-freedom for finite element analysis (FEA) via the proposed approach.
Experimental Investigation of the Mechanical Clinching Process of Al5052-H32/Polyoxymethylene Hybrid Structure
Authors: Ouyang Yawen , Chen Chao , Ren Xiaoqiang
Published: February 2022

In the current study, the mechanical clinching process of the Al5052-H32/polyoxymethylene (POM) hybrid structure has been explored. The influence of diverse forming forces on the forming process of Al5052-H32/POM hybrid joints was discussed. The geometric parameters were measured to analyze the forming ability of the hybrid joints. The tensile-shear test and energy absorption calculation are accomplished to estimate the joinability and reliability of joints. The failure microstructure was observed to analyze the failure mechanism. The conclusions have shown that the hybrid structure between Al5052-H32 and POM sheets can be effectively connected through mechanical clinching technology (MCT) as the forming force is greater than 22 kN. Two failure modes were observed in the tensile-shear testing, including button separation and neck fracture. Increasing the forming force led to the enhancement of the joint strength and energy absorption. Nonetheless, the tensile-shear load is basically uncharged when the forming force is large.
Spring Configurations and Attachment Angles Determination for Statically Balanced Planar Articulated Manipulators
Authors: Juang Chia-Wei , Chen Dar-Zen
Published: February 2022

Admissible spring configurations for statically balanced planar articulated manipulators have been investigated in previous studies. However, in these spring configurations, springs are only identified by the connection between links. The attachment angles and distance for springs to be properly installed remain unaddressed. In this study, a method to determine attachment angles and distance for springs is developed to ensure all the springs are acting for the benefit of static balancing. Here, the gravitational and elastic potential energies are represented in stiffness matrix form, it is shown that term by term compatibility exists between the first row of gravitational stiffness matrix and the first row of the elastic stiffness matrix. In accordance with these compatibility conditions, the admissible spring attachment angles are found to ensure all the ground-connected springs are acting for the benefit of gravity balancing. And the remained components below the first row of the elastic stiffness matrix are offset by the non-ground-connected springs. In accordance with the compatibility between the remained components and the elastic stiffness matrix of non-ground-connected springs, the spring attachment angles to ensure all the non-ground-connected springs acting for the benefit of elastic balancing are found. The determination of the admissible spring configurations is revisited in addition to the connection between links, and the attachment angles of springs are also specified. The admissible spring configurations of statically balanced planar articulated three- and four-link manipulators are derived. A four-link planar manipulator is used as an example for illustration.
Zinc Finger Protein LipR Represses Docosahexaenoic Acid and Lipid Biosynthesis in
Schizochytrium
sp.
Authors: Han Xiao , Liu Yana , Chen Zhi
Published: February 2022

Regulatory mechanisms for DHA and saturated fatty acid biosynthesis in the heterotrophic marine microalgae
Schizochytrium
sp. are unclear. We demonstrate here that deletion of the gene (
lipR
) encoding the C
2
H
2
zinc finger protein LipR promotes DHA and saturated fatty acid production in this genus.
The “Other”
Rickettsiales
: an Overview of the Family “
Candidatus
Midichloriaceae”
Authors: Giannotti Daniele , Boscaro Vittorio , Husnik Filip , Vannini Claudia , Keeling Patrick J.
Published: February 2022

Among endosymbiotic bacterial lineages, few are as intensely studied as
Rickettsiales
, which include the causative agents of spotted fever, typhus, and anaplasmosis. However, an important subgroup called “
Candidatus
Midichloriaceae” receives little attention despite accounting for a third of the diversity of
Rickettsiales
and harboring a wide range of bacteria with unique features, like the ability to infect mitochondria.
Flu@home: the Comparative Accuracy of an At-Home Influenza Rapid Diagnostic Test Using a Prepositioned Test Kit, Mobile App, Mail-in Reference Sample, and Symptom-Based Testing Trigger
Authors: Kotnik Jack Henry , Cooper Shawna , Smedinghoff Sam , Gade Piyusha , Scherer Kelly , Maier Mitchell , Juusola Jessie , Ramirez Ernesto , Naraghi-Arani Pejman , Lyon Victoria , Lutz Barry , Thompson Matthew
Published: February 2022

At-home testing with rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for respiratory viruses could facilitate early diagnosis, guide patient care, and prevent transmission. Such RDTs are best used near the onset of illness when viral load is highest and clinical action will be most impactful, which may be achieved by at-home testing.
Perturbation of Alphavirus and Flavivirus Infectivity by Components of the Bacterial Cell Wall
Authors: Langendries Lana , Jacobs Sofie , Abdelnabi Rana , Verwimp Sam , Kaptein Suzanne , Baatsen Pieter , Van Mellaert Lieve , Delang Leen
Published: February 2022

During the past decades, the world has experienced a vast increase in epidemics of alphavirus and flavivirus infections. These viruses can cause severe diseases, such as hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, and arthritis.
MicroRNA 573 Rescues Endothelial Dysfunction during Dengue Virus Infection under PPARγ Regulation
Authors: Banerjee Shefali , Xin Chin Wei , Chu Justin Jang Hann
Published: February 2022

We need to identify molecular factors that can predict the onset of endothelial dysfunction in dengue patients. Increase in endothelial permeability during severe dengue infections is poorly understood.
WWOX-Mediated Degradation of AMOTp130 Negatively Affects Egress of Filovirus VP40 Virus-Like Particles
Authors: Liang Jingjing , Ruthel Gordon , Freedman Bruce D. , Harty Ronald N.
Published: February 2022

Filoviruses (Ebola virus [EBOV] and Marburg virus [MARV]) are zoonotic, emerging pathogens that cause outbreaks of severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. A fundamental understanding of the virus-host interface is critical for understanding the biology of these viruses and for developing future strategies for therapeutic intervention.
Bypass of Dfi1 Regulation of Candida albicans Invasive Filamentation by Iron Limitation
Authors: Junier Ashlee , Weeks Anne , Alcaraz Ysabella , Kumamoto Carol A.
Published: February 2022

Candida albicans
is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for a larger proportion of candidiasis and candidemia cases than any other
Candida
species (CDC). The ability of
C. albicans
cells to invade and cause disease is linked to their ability to filament. Despite this, there are gaps in our knowledge of the environmental cues and intracellular signaling that triggers the switch from commensal organism to filamentous pathogen.
DsrA Modulates Central Carbon Metabolism and Redox Balance by Directly Repressing
pflB
Expression in
Salmonella
Typhimurium
Authors: Dong Rui , Liang Yuan , He Shoukui , Cui Yan , Shi Chunlei , He Yiping , Shi Xianming
Published: February 2022

Small RNA DsrA plays an important role in defending against oxidative stress in bacteria. In this study, we identified a novel target (
pflB
, encoding pyruvate-formate lyase) of DsrA and demonstrated its potential regulatory mechanism in
S.
Typhimurium by transcriptome analysis.
In silico
prediction revealed a direct base pairing between DsrA and
pflB
mRNA, which was confirmed in site-directed mutagenesis experiments.
Genomic and Functional Dissections of Dickeya zeae Shed Light on the Role of Type III Secretion System and Cell Wall-Degrading Enzymes to Host Range and Virulence
Authors: Hu Ming , Xue Yang , Li Chuhao , Lv Mingfa , Zhang Lianhui , Parsek Matthew R. , Lu Guangtao , Zhou Xiaofan , Zhou Jianuan
Published: February 2022

Dickeya zeae
is an important, aggressive bacterial phytopathogen that can cause severe diseases in many crops and ornamental plants, thus leading to substantial economic losses. Strains from different sources showed significant diversity in their natural hosts, suggesting complicated evolution history and pathogenic mechanisms.
Aspergillus nidulans Septa Are Indispensable for Surviving Cell Wall Stress
Authors: Spence Ryland N. , Huso Walker , Edwards Harley , Doan Alexander , Reese Samantha , Harris Steven D. , Srivastava Ranjan , Marten Mark R.
Published: February 2022

The ability to compartmentalize potentially lethal damage via septation appears to provide filamentous fungi with a facile means to tolerate diverse forms of stress. However, it remains unknown whether this mechanism is deployed in response to all forms of stress or is limited to specific perturbations.
A Genetic Study of
Nif
-Associated Genes in a Hyperthermophilic Methanogen
Authors: Lie Thomas J. , Kuo Yang P. , Leite Mara , Costa Kyle C. , Harwood Caroline S. , Leigh John A.
Published: February 2022

Methanocaldococcus
has been considered a model genus, but genetic tools have not been forthcoming until recently. Here, we develop and illustrate the utility of positive selection with either of two selective agents (simvastatin and neomycin), negative selection, generation of markerless in-frame deletion mutations, and genetic complementation.
Genomic Features and Pervasive Negative Selection in
Rhodanobacter
Strains Isolated from Nitrate and Heavy Metal Contaminated Aquifer
Authors: Peng Mu , Wang Dongyu , Lui Lauren M. , Nielsen Torben , Tian Renmao , Kempher Megan L. , Tao Xuanyu , Pan Chongle , Chakraborty Romy , Deutschbauer Adam M. , Thorgersen Michael P. , Adams Michael W. W. , Fields Matthew W. , Hazen Terry C. , Arkin Adam P. , Zhou Aifen , Zhou Jizhong
Published: February 2022

Despite the dominance of
Rhodanobacter
species in the subsurface of the contaminated Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) site, very little is known about the mechanisms underlying their adaptions to the various stressors present at ORR. Recently, multiple
Rhodanobacter
strains have been isolated from the ORR groundwater samples from several wells with varying geochemical properties.
Timing and structural evolution of the Sevier thrust belt, western Wyoming
Authors: Malone David H. , Craddock John P. , Konstantinou* Alexandros
Published: February 2022

The results of new detrital zircon analyses of 15 (n = 1334) Sevier belt synorogenic (Jurassic–Eocene) conglomerates combined with U-Pb zircon ages from the literature (n = 2638) support the structurally dynamic role of the western Paris thrust sheet as the dominant high-standing, out-of-sequence portion of the Sevier belt. This result requires modification of the traditional structural view of the thin-skinned Sevier fold-and-thrust belt having formed by west-to-east shortening over an ~100-m.y. period (ca. 150–50 Ma) with episodic thrust motions that become younger toward the craton (east), as constrained by numerous synorogenic deposits shed to the east from each thrust hanging wall. Sevier thrusting was preceded by deposition of the Jurassic Stump Formation, which has a maximum depositional age of 149 Ma and a unique detrital zircon and heavy mineral (garnet, magnetite) provenance. The oldest thrust, the Paris (Willard) thrust, eroded and deposited the Jurassic–Cretaceous Ephraim Conglomerate as a synorogenic fan devoid of quartzite clasts and with a detrital zircon provenance consistent with reworked sediment from the fold belt, but not from the hinterland or the Sierra Nevada arc of the orogenic system. All subsequent synorogenic deposits from the mid-Cretaceous Echo Conglomerate (Meade-Crawford thrust) to a variety of more easterly Eocene deposits (Sevier belt, Green River, Absaroka, and Bighorn basins) are rich in quartzite clasts. All the quartzite clasts were eroded from the Paris thrust hanging wall, which reached its peak orogenic height at ca. 95 Ma, 50 m.y. after first motion, and the Proterozoic Brigham Group remained a quartzite clast source for ~40 m.y. The detrital zircon signatures of these samples require additional sources of sediment, reworked from the hinterland and the Sierra Nevada and Idaho Batholith arcs, thus implying that long-distance sediment fairway(s) were active during the Mesozoic–early Cenozoic. Based on the same detrital zircon data, variable sources of sediment are inferred between each of the thrust sheets; however, within each thrust system, the source of sediment remained the same. The Teton Range was thrust up at ca. 50 Ma, long after the Sevier belt formed, and it was not a buttress to thin-skinned Sevier deformation. Rather, Teton–Gros Ventre–Wind River Laramide uplifts deformed the older Sevier belt with numerous back and out-of-sequence thrusts and synorogenic deposits, including the Darby thrust, which records the youngest displacement.
Emergence of wet conditions in the Mono Basin of the Western USA coincident with inception of the Last Glaciation
Authors: Ali Guleed A.H. , Lin Ke , Hemming Sidney R. , Cox Stephen E. , Ruprecht Philipp , Zimmerman Susan R.H. , Stine Scott , Wang Xianfeng
Published: February 2022

At present, the Basin and Range of the western USA is arid, but geologic studies show evidence of past wetness. The timing of these wetter conditions reveals a close association with glacial conditions. This association has led to the hypothesis of a causal link between glacial climate and regional wetness, but poor age control on the onset of regional wetness thwarts a test of this hypothesis. Here we determine the start of the most recent interval of persistent wetness in the Mono Basin, which is a hydrologically closed depression that sits at the west-central edge of the Basin and Range. The most recent emergence of persistent wetness in the Mono Basin is stratigraphically correlated with the depositional age of Ash 19—a rhyolitic ash bed that represents the oldest tephra of the Wilson Creek Formation and one of the earliest-known products of explosive volcanic activity from the Mono Craters. We constrain the depositional age of Ash 19 by using the U/Th disequilibrium dating method to date carbonates that are younger and older than Ash 19. Our U/Th dating results show that Ash 19 was deposited before the formation of a cross-cutting carbonate bed dated to 69.2 ± 0.3 ka but after an underlying carbonate tufa dated to 67.4 ± 3.5 ka, which suggests that the start of wetness in the Mono Basin was contemporary with the inception of the Last Glaciation—the beginning of Marine Isotope Stage 4—at ca. 70 ka. This finding corroborates the hypothesis of a link between glacial climate and regional wetness.
Rethinking presbyopia: results of bilateral refractive lens exchange with trifocal intraocular lenses in 17 603 patients
Authors: Brenner Luis F , Nistad Kristin , Schonbeck Urban
Published: February 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of bilateral refractive lens exchange (RLE) with trifocal intraocular lens (IOL) as the surgical treatment of presbyopia.

Settings

Memira AS. Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

Design

Multicentric retrospective interventional case series.

Methods

17 603 consecutive patients submitted to bilateral presbyopic RLE with trifocal IOLs from 2013 to 2019. The main outcomes were manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE), uncorrected distance (UDVA) and near (UNVA) visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), vision gain/loss, safety and efficacy indices, IOL power calculation accuracy and rate of excimer laser enhancements.

Results

Three months postoperatively, the mean MRSE was 0.00±0.40 diopters (D), mean binocular UDVA was −0.03±0.09, with 14 470 patients (82.2%) with combined binocular UDVA and UNVA equal or better than 0.00 and Jaeger 3. Approximately 86% (n=30.124) of the eyes were within 0.50D of MRSE. Enhancement surgery was performed in 5810 eyes (16.5%). IOL power calculation refining improved accuracy and reduced enhancements rate from 20% in 2013 to 12% in 2019. Safety and efficacy indices were 0.98±0.11 and 0.85±0.18, respectively. Myopic eyes presented significant higher safety (1.00±0.19) and efficacy indices (0.87±0.19), with p<0.005. Approximately 0.38% (n=130) of the eyes lost two or more lines of CDVA, with cystoid macular oedema (n=53, 40.8%) and posterior capsular opacification (n=35, 26.9%) as the main causes. After proper care, the final incidence of two or more lines of vision loss was 0.08% (28 eyes).

Conclusions

Presbyopic RLE with trifocal IOL is a safe and effective modality of treatment for patients with presbyopia.
Exercise prehabilitation during neoadjuvant chemotherapy may enhance tumour regression in oesophageal cancer: results from a prospective non-randomised trial
Authors: Zylstra Janine , Whyte Greg P , Beckmann Kerri , Pate James , Santaolalla Aida , Gervais-Andre Louise , Russell Beth , Maisey Nick , Waters Justin , Tham Gemma , Lagergren Jesper , Green Michael , Kelly Mark , Baker Cara , Van Hemelrijck Mieke , Goh Vicky , Gossage James , Browning Mike , Davies Andrew
Published: February 2022

Background

There is increasing evidence for the use of exercise in cancer patients and data supporting enhanced tumour volume reduction following chemotherapy in animal models. To date, there is no reported histopathological evidence of a similar oncological benefit in oesophageal cancer.

Methods

A prospective non-randomised trial compared a structured prehabilitation exercise intervention during neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery versus conventional best-practice for oesophageal cancer patients. Biochemical and body composition analyses were performed at multiple time points. Outcome measures included radiological and pathological markers of disease regression. Logistic regression calculated ORs with 95% CI for the likelihood of pathological response adjusting for chemotherapy regimen and chemotherapy delivery.

Results

Comparison of the Intervention (n=21) and Control (n=19) groups indicated the Intervention group had higher rates of tumour regression (Mandard TRG 1–3 Intervention n=15/20 (75%) vs Control n=7/19 (36.8%) p=0.025) including adjusted analyses (OR 6.57; 95% CI 1.52 to 28.30). Combined tumour and node downstaging (Intervention n=9 (42.9%) vs Control n=3 (15.8%) p=0.089) and Fat Free Mass index were also improved (Intervention 17.8 vs 18.7 kg/m2; Control 16.3 vs 14.7 kg/m2, p=0.026). Differences in markers of immunity (CD-3 and CD-8) and inflammation (IL-6, VEGF, INF-y, TNFa, MCP-1 and EGF) were observed.

Conclusion

The results suggest improved tumour regression and downstaging in the exercise intervention group and should prompt larger studies on this topic.

Trial registration number

NCT03626610.
Economic burden of female genital mutilation in 27 high-prevalence countries
Authors: Tordrup David , Bishop Chrissy , Green Nathan , Petzold Max , Vallejo Fernando Ruiz , Vogel Joshua P , Pallitto Christina
Published: February 2022

Background

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a traditional harmful practice affecting 200 million women and girls globally. Health complications of FGM occur immediately and over time, and are associated with healthcare costs that are poorly understood. Quantifying the global FGM-related burden is essential for supporting programmes and policies for prevention and mitigation.

Methods

Health complications of FGM are derived from a meta-analysis and stratified by acute, uro-gynaecological, obstetric and psychological/sexual. Treatment costs are calculated from national cohort models of 27 high-burden countries over 30 years. Savings associated with full/partial abandonment are compared with a current incidence reference scenario, assuming no changes in FGM practices.

Results

Our model projects an increasing burden of FGM due to population growth. As a reference scenario assuming no change in practices, prevalent cases in 27 countries will rise from 119.4 million (2018) to 205.8 million (2047). Full abandonment could reduce this to 80.0 million (2047), while partial abandonment is insufficient to reduce cases. Current incidence economic burden is US$1.4 billion/year, rising to US$2.1 billion/year in 2047. Full abandonment would reduce the future burden to US$0.8 billion/year by 2047.

Conclusion

FGM is a human rights violation, a public health issue and a substantial economic burden that can be avoided through effective prevention strategies. While decreasing trends are observed in some countries, these trends are variable and not consistently observed across settings. Additional resources are needed to prevent FGM to avoid human suffering and growing costs. The findings of this study warrant increased political commitment and investment in the abandonment of FGM.