bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ubiquitination regulates cytoophidium assembly in Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: Andreadis Christos , Li Tianhao , Liu Ji-Long
Published: December 2021

CTP synthase (CTPS), a metabolic enzyme responsible for the de novo synthesis of CTP, can form filamentous structures termed cytoophidia, which are evolutionarily conserved from bacteria to humans. Here we used Schizosaccharomyces pombe to study the cytoophidium assembly regulation by ubiquitination. We tested the CTP synthase’s capacity to be epigenetically modified by ubiquitin or be affected by the ubiquitination state of the cell, showed that CTPS is immunoprecipitated with ubiquitin, and that ubiquitination is important for the maintenance of the CTPS filamentous structure in fission yeast. We have identified proteins which are in complex with CTPS, including specific ubiquitination regulators which significantly affect CTPS filamentation, and mapped probable ubiquitination targets on CTPS. Furthermore, we discovered that a cohort of deubiquitinating enzymes is significant for the regulation of cytoophidium morphology. Our study provides a framework for the analysis of the effects that ubiquitination and deubiquitination have on the formation of CTPS filaments.
Tailer: A Pipeline for Sequencing-Based Analysis of Non-Polyadenylated RNA 3’ End Processing
Authors: Nicholson-Shaw Tim , Lykke-Andersen Jens
Published: December 2021

Post-transcriptional trimming and tailing of RNA 3’ ends play key roles in the processing and quality control of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). However, bioinformatic tools to examine changes in the RNA 3’ “tailome” are sparse and not standardized. Here we present Tailer, a bioinformatic pipeline in two parts that allows for robust quantification and analysis of tail information from next generation sequencing experiments that preserve RNA 3’ end information. The first part of Tailer, Tailer-Processing, uses genome annotation or reference FASTA gene sequences to quantify RNA 3’ ends from SAM-formatted alignment files or FASTQ sequence read files produced from sequencing experiments. The second part, Tailer-Analysis, uses the output of Tailer-Processing to identify statistically significant RNA targets of trimming and tailing and create graphs for data exploration. We apply Tailer to RNA 3’ end sequencing experiments from three published studies and find that it accurately and reproducibly recapitulates key findings. Thus, Tailer should be a useful and easily accessible tool to globally investigate tailing dynamics of non-polyadenylated RNAs and conditions that perturb them.
Tissue-specific inhibition of protein sumoylation uncovers diverse SUMO functions during C. elegans vulval development
Authors: Fergin Aleksandra , Boesch Gabriel , Greter Nadja R. , Berger Simon , Hajnal Alex
Published: December 2021

The sumoylation (SUMO) pathway is involved in a variety of processes during C. elegans development, such as gonadal and vulval fate specification, cell cycle progression and maintenance of chromosome structure. The ubiquitous expression of the sumoylation machinery and its involvement in many essential processes has made it difficult to dissect the tissue-specific roles of protein sumoylation and identify the specific target proteins. To overcome these challenges, we have established tools to block protein sumoylation and degrade sumoylated target proteins in a tissue-specific and temporally controlled manner. We employed the auxin-inducible protein degradation system (AID) to down-regulate AID-tagged SUMO E3 ligase GEI-17 or the SUMO ortholog SMO-1, either in the vulval precursor cells (VPCs) or in the gonadal anchor cell (AC). Tissue-specific inhibition of GEI-17 and SMO-1 revealed diverse roles of the SUMO pathway during vulval development, such as AC positioning, basement membrane (BM) breaching, vulval cell fate specification and epithelial morphogenesis. Inhibition of sumoylation in the VPCs resulted in an abnormal shape of the vulval toroids and ectopic cell fusions. Sumoylation of the ETS transcription factor LIN-1 at K169 mediates a subset of these SUMO functions, especially the proper contraction of the ventral vulA toroids. Thus, the SUMO pathway plays diverse roles throughout vulval development.
FPCountR: Absolute protein quantification using fluorescence measurements
Authors: Csibra Eszter , Stan Guy-Bart
Published: December 2021

This paper presents a generalisable method for the calibration of fluorescence readings on microplate readers, in order to convert arbitrary fluorescence units into absolute units. FPCountR relies on the generation of bespoke fluorescent protein (FP) calibrants, assays to determine protein concentration and activity, and a corresponding analytical workflow. We systematically characterise the assay protocols for accuracy, sensitivity and simplicity, and describe a novel ‘ECmax’ assay that outperforms the others and even enables accurate calibration without requiring the purification of FPs. To obtain cellular protein concentrations, we consider methods for the conversion of optical density to either cell counts or alternatively to cell volumes, as well as examining how cells can interfere with protein counting via fluorescence quenching, which we quantify and correct for the first time. Calibration across different instruments, disparate filter sets and mismatched gains is demonstrated to yield equivalent results. It also reveals that mCherry absorption at 600nm does not confound cell density measurements unless expressed to over 100,000 proteins per cell. FPCountR is presented as pair of open access tools (protocol and R package) to enable the community to use this method, and ultimately to facilitate the quantitative characterisation of synthetic microbial circuits.
Graphsite: Ligand-binding site classification using Deep Graph Neural Network
Authors: Shi Wentao , Singha Manali , Pu Limeng , Ramanujam J. , Brylinski Michal
Published: December 2021

Binding sites are concave surfaces on proteins that bind to small molecules called ligands. Types of molecules that bind to the protein determine its biological function. Meanwhile, the binding process between small molecules and the protein is also crucial to various biological functionalities. Therefore, identifying and classifying such binding sites would enormously contribute to biomedical applications such as drug repurposing. Deep learning is a modern artificial intelligence technology. It utilizes deep neural networks to handle complex tasks such as image classification and language translation. Previous work has proven the capability of deep learning models handle binding sites wherein the binding sites are represented as pixels or voxels. Graph neural networks (GNNs) are deep learning models that operate on graphs. GNNs are promising for handling binding sites related tasks - provided there is an adequate graph representation to model the binding sties. In this communication, we describe a GNN-based computational method, GraphSite, that utilizes a novel graph representation of ligand-binding sites. A state-of-the-art GNN model is trained to capture the intrinsic characteristics of these binding sites and classify them. Our model generalizes well to unseen data and achieves test accuracy of 81.28% on classifying 14 binding site classes.
Power laws govern the abundance distribution of birds by rank
Authors: Da Silva Sergio , Matsushita Raul
Published: December 2021

Only a few bird species are abundant. According to new data, a log left-skewed distribution, rather than a lognormal distribution, better adjusts to the abundance distribution of bird species. We look at the rank abundance distribution rather than the species abundance distribution and find three power laws that fit the tails using the same data.
Endowing Universal CAR T-cell with Immune-Evasive Properties using TALEN-Gene Editing
Authors: Jo Sumin , Das Shipra , Williams Alan , Chretien Anne-Sophie , Pagliardini Thomas , Le Roy Aude , Postigo Fernandez Jorge , Le Clerre Diane , Jahangiri Billal , Chion-Sotinel Isabelle , Gouble Agnes , Dusséaux Mathilde , Galetto Roman , Duclert Aymeric , Marcenaro Emanuela , Devillier Raynier , Olive Daniel , Duchateau Philippe , Poirot Laurent , Valton Julien
Published: December 2021

Universal CAR T-cell therapies are poised to revolutionize cancer treatment and to improve patient outcomes. However, realizing these advantages in an allogeneic setting requires universal CAR T-cells that can kill target tumor cells, avoid depletion by the host immune system, and proliferate without attacking host tissues. Here, we describe the development of a novel immune-evasive CAR T-cells scaffold that evades NK cell and alloresponsive T-cell attacks and imparts efficient antitumor activityin vitroandin vivo. This scaffold could enable the broad use of universal CAR T-cells in allogeneic settings and holds great promise for future powerful clinical applications.
Integration host factor regulates colonization factors in the bee gut symbiontFrischella perrara
Authors: Schmidt K. , Santos-Matos G. , Leopold-Messer S. , El-Chazli Y. , Emery O. , Steiner T. , Piel J. , Engel P.
Published: December 2021

Bacteria colonize specific niches in the animal gut. However, the genetic basis of these associations is often unclear. The proteobacteriumFrischella perrarais a widely distributed gut symbiont of honey bees. It colonizes a specific niche in the hindgut and causes a characteristic melanization response. Genetic determinants required for the establishment of this association, or its relevance for the host, are unknown. Here, we independently isolated three point mutations in genes encoding the DNA-binding protein integration host factor (IHF) inF. perrara. These mutants abolished the production of an aryl polyene metabolite causing the yellow colony morphotype ofF. perrara. Inoculation of microbiota-free bees with one of the mutants drastically decreased gut colonization ofF. perrara. Using RNAseq we found that IHF affects the expression of potential colonization factors, including genes for adhesion (Type 4 pili), interbacterial competition (Type 6 secretion systems), and secondary metabolite production (colibactin and aryl polyene biosynthesis). Gene deletions of these components revealed different colonization defects depending on the presence of other bee gut bacteria. Interestingly, one of the T6SS mutants did not induce the scab phenotype anymore, despite colonizing at high levels, suggesting an unexpected role in bacteria-host interaction. IHF is conserved across many bacteria and may also regulate host colonization in other animal symbionts.
Aggregation chimeras provide evidence of in vivo intercellular correction in ovine CLN6 neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (Batten disease)
Authors: Barry Lucy A. , Kay Graham W. , Mitchell Nadia L. , Murray Samantha J. , Jay Nigel P. , Palmer David N.
Published: December 2021

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs; Batten disease) are fatal, mainly childhood, inherited neurodegenerative lysosomal storage diseases. Sheep affected with a CLN6 form display progressive regionally defined glial activation and subsequent neurodegeneration, indicating that neuroinflammation may be causative of pathogenesis. In this study, aggregation chimeras were generated from homozygous unaffected normal and CLN6 affected sheep embryos, resulting in seven chimeric animals with varied proportions of normal to affected cells. These sheep were classified as affected-like, recovering-like or normal-like, based on their cell-genotype ratios and their clinical and neuropathological profiles.

Neuropathological examination of the affected-like animals revealed intense glial activation, prominent storage body accumulation and severe neurodegeneration within all cortical brain regions, along with vision loss and decreasing intracranial volumes and cortical thicknesses consistent with ovine CLN6 disease. In contrast, intercellular communication affecting pathology was evident at both the gross and histological level in the normal-like and recovering-like chimeras, resulting in a lack of glial activation and rare storage body accumulation in only a few cells. Initial intracranial volumes of the recovering-like chimeras were below normal but progressively recovered to about normal by two years of age. All had normal cortical thicknesses, and none went blind. Extended neurogenesis was evident in the brains of all the chimeras.

This study indicates that although CLN6 is a membrane bound protein, the consequent defect is not cell intrinsic. The lack of glial activation and inflammatory responses in the normal-like and recovering-like chimeras indicate that newly generated cells are borne into a microenvironment conducive to maturation and survival.
Using simulated temperature regimes to test growth and development of an invasive forest insect under climate change
Authors: Walter Jonathan A. , Thompson Lily M. , Powers Sean D. , Parry Dylan , Agosta Salvatore J. , Grayson Kristine L.
Published: December 2021

Temperature and its impact on fitness are fundamental for understanding range shifts and population dynamics under climate change. Geographic climate heterogeneity, behavioural and physiological plasticity, and thermal adaptation to local climates makes predicting the responses of species to climate change complex. Using larvae from seven geographically distinct wild populations in the eastern United States of the non-native forest pestLymantria dispar dispar(L.), we conducted a simulated reciprocal transplant experiment in environmental chambers using six custom temperature regimes representing contemporary conditions near the southern and northern extremes of the US invasion front and projections under two climate change scenarios for the year 2050. Larval growth rates increased with climate warming compared to current thermal regimes and responses differed by population. A significant population-by-treatment interaction indicated that growth rates increased more when a source population experienced the warming scenarios for their region, especially for southern populations. Our study demonstrates the utility of simulating thermal regimes under climate change in environmental chambers and emphasizes how the impacts from future increases in temperature can be heterogeneous due to geographic differences in climate-related performance among populations.
Age-dependent aggregation of ribosomal RNA-binding proteins links deterioration in chromatin stability with loss of proteostasis
Authors: Paxman Julie , Zhou Zhen , O’Laughlin Richard , Li Yang , Tian Wanying , Su Hetian , Jiang Yanfei , Holness Shayna E. , Stasiowski Elizabeth , Tsimring Lev S. , Pillus Lorraine , Hasty Jeff , Hao Nan
Published: December 2021

Chromatin instability and loss of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) are two well-established hallmarks of aging, which have been considered largely independent of each other. Using microfluidics and single-cell imaging approaches, we observed that, during the replicative aging of S.cerevisiae, proteostasis decline occurred specifically in the fraction of cells with decreased stability at the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) region. A screen of 170 yeast RNA-binding proteins identified ribosomal RNA (rRNA)- binding proteins as the most enriched group that aggregate upon a decrease in rDNA stability. We further found that loss of rDNA stability contributes to age-dependent aggregation of rRNA-binding proteins through aberrant overproduction of rRNAs. These aggregates negatively impact nucleolar integrity and global proteostasis and hence limit cellular lifespan. Our findings reveal a mechanism underlying the interconnection between chromatin instability and proteostasis decline and highlight the importance of cell-to-cell variability in aging processes.
A Scaling Law for PCR Positivity in the COVID Second Wave
Authors: Johnson Keith
Published: December 2021

In this preliminary report, PCR positivity data in the second wave of the COVID pandemic (September-January 2020) are shown to obey a scaling law given by:

where % P0 and Σ0 are the y- and x-intercepts of a plot of positivity, %P, against the number of tests, Σ. The law holds across international, regional and local boundaries, as demonstrated for Great Britain, Austria, Germany and Sweden, the nine English regions, London - Yorkshire & Humber, and various Local Health Authorities in England. One possible explanation for scaling might be Dorfman pooling.

The scaling law can be used to remove a systematic or false positive (FP) component from the daily number of positive tests, or cases, to yield the real number of cases. The results correlate strongly with the ZOE survey for London (R2=0.787) and Excess Deaths for England (R2=0.833). The cumulative total of FPs can be estimated as 1.4M by the beginning of 2021, in line with other estimates.
Significantly elevated antibody levels and neutralization titers in nursing home residents after SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA booster vaccination
Authors: Canaday David H. , Oyebanji Oladayo A. , White Elizabeth , Keresztesy Debbie , Payne Michael , Wilk Dennis , Carias Lenore , Aung Htin , Denis Kerri St. , Sheehan Maegan L. , Berry Sarah D. , Cameron Cheryl M. , Cameron Mark J. , Wilson Brigid M. , Balazs Alejandro B. , King Christopher L. , Gravenstein Stefan
Published: December 2021

Nursing home (NH) residents have experienced significant morbidity and mortality to SARS-CoV-2 throughout the pandemic. Vaccines initially curbed NH resident morbidity and mortality, but antibody levels and protection have declined with time since vaccination, prompting introduction of booster vaccination. This study assesses humoral immune response to booster vaccination in 85 NH residents and 44 health care workers (HCW) that we have followed longitudinally since initial SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination. The findings reveal that booster vaccination significantly increased anti-spike, anti-receptor binding domain, and neutralization titers above the pre-booster levels in almost all NH residents and HCW to significantly higher levels than shortly after the completion of the initial vaccine series. These data support the CDC recommendation to offer vaccine boosters to HCWs and NH residents on an immunological basis. Notably, even the older, more frail and more multi-morbid NH residents have sizable antibody increases with boosting.
EB3-informed dynamics of the microtubule stabilizing cap during stalled growth
Authors: Kok Maurits , Huber Florian , Kalisch Svenja-Marei , Dogterom Marileen
Published: December 2021

Microtubule stability is known to be governed by a stabilizing GTP/GDP-Pi cap, but the exact relation between growth velocity, GTP hydrolysis and catastrophes remains unclear. We investigate the dynamics of the stabilizing cap through in vitro reconstitution of microtubule dynamics in contact with micro-fabricated barriers, using the plus-end binding protein GFP-EB3 as a marker for the nucleotide state of the tip. The interaction of growing microtubules with steric objects is known to slow down microtubule growth and accelerate catastrophes. We show that the lifetime distributions of stalled microtubules, as well as the corresponding lifetime distributions of freely growing microtubules, can be fully described with a simple phenomenological 1D model based on noisy microtubule growth and a single EB3-dependent hydrolysis rate. This same model is furthermore capable of explaining both the previously reported mild catastrophe dependence on microtubule growth rates and the catastrophe statistics during tubulin washout experiments.
Crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analyses of bis(4,5-dihydrofuran-2-yl)dimethylsilane and (4,5-dihydrofuran-2-yl)(methyl)diphenylsilane
Authors: Schmidt Annika , Krupp Anna , Barth Eva Rebecca , Strohmann Carsten
Published: December 2021

The title compounds, C10H16O2Si (1) and C17H18OSi (2), are classified as dihydrofurylsilanes, which show great potential as building blocks for various functionalized silanes. They both crystallize in the space group P\overline{1} in the triclinic crystal system. Analyses of the Hirshfeld surfaces show packing-determining interactions for both compounds, resulting in a polymeric chain along the [011] for silane 1 and a layered-interconnected structure along the b-axis direction for silane 2.
Numerical simulation of NACA4412 airfoil in pre-stall conditions
Authors: Gleize Vincent , Costes Michel , Mary Ivan
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study turbulent flow separation at the airfoil trailing edge. This work aims to improve the knowledge of stall phenomenon by creating a QDNS database for the NACA412 airfoil.

Design/methodology/approach

Quasi-DNS simulations of the NACA 4412 airfoil in pre-stall conditions have been completed. The Reynolds number based on airfoil chord and freestream velocity is equal to 0.35 million, and the freestream Mach number to 0.117. Transition is triggered on both surfaces for avoiding the occurrence of laminar separation bubbles and to ensure turbulent mixing in the wake. Four incidences have been considered, 5, 8 10 and 11 degrees.

Findings

The results obtained show a reasonably good correlation of the present simulations with classical MSES airfoil simulations and with RANS computations, both in terms of pressure and skin-friction distribution, with an earlier and more extended flow separation in the QDNS. The database thus generated will be deeply analysed and enriched for larger incidences in the future.

Originality/value

No experimental or HPC numerical database at reasonable Reynolds number exists in the literature. The current work is the first step in that direction.
Toward dialogue through a holistic measuring framework – the impact of social media on risk communication in the COVID-19
Authors: Zhu Ruilin , Song Yanqing , He Shuang , Hu Xuan , Hu Wangsu , Liu Bingsheng
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Despite the huge potential of social media, its functionality and impact for enhanced risk communication remain unclear. Drawing on dialogic theory by integrating both “speak from power” and “speak to power” measurements, the article aims to propose a systematic framework to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The impact of social media on risk communication is measured by the correlation between “speak from power” and “speak to power” levels, where the former primarily spoke to two facets of the risk communication process – rapidness and attentiveness, and the latter was benchmarked against popularity and commitment. The framework was empirically validated with data relating to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) risk communication in 25,024 selected posts on 17 official provincial Weibo accounts in China.

Findings

The analysis results suggest the relationship between the “speak from power” and “speak to power” is mixed rather than causality, which confirms that neither the outcome-centric nor the process-centric method alone can render a full picture of government–public interconnectivity. Besides, the proposed interconnectivity matrix reveals that two provinces have evidenced the formation of government–public mutuality, which provides empirical evidence that dialogic relationships could exist in social media during risk communication.

Originality/value

The authors' study proposed a prototype framework that underlines the need that the impact of social media on risk communication should and must be assessed through a combination of process and outcome or interconnectivity. The authors further divide the impact of social media on risk communication into dialogue enabler, “speak from power” booster, “speak to power” channel and mass media alternative.
Resilience dynamics and productivity‐driven shifts in the marine communities of the Western Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Hidalgo Manuel , Vasilakopoulos Paraskevas , García‐Ruiz Cristina , Esteban Antonio , López‐López Lucía , García‐Gorriz Elisa
Published: December 2021

Ecological resilience has become a conceptual cornerstone bridging ecological processes to conservation needs. Global change is increasingly associated with local changes in environmental conditions that can cause abrupt ecosystem reorganizations attending to system‐specific resilience fluctuations with time (i.e. resilience dynamics).

Here we assess resilience dynamics associated with climate‐driven ecosystems transitions, expressed as changes in the relevant contribution of species with different life‐history strategies, in two benthopelagic systems.

We analysed data from 1994 to 2019 coming from a scientific bottom trawl survey in two environmentally contrasting ecosystems in the Western Mediterranean Sea—Northern Spain and Alboran Sea. Benthopelagic species were categorized according to their life‐history strategies (opportunistic, periodic and equilibrium), ecosystem functions and habitats. We implemented an Integrated Resilience Assessment (IRA) to elucidate the response mechanism of the studied ecosystems to several candidate environmental stressors and quantify the ecosystems’ resilience. We demonstrate that both ecosystems responded discontinuously to changes in chlorophyll‐a concentration more than any other stressor. The response in Northern Spain indicated a more overarching regime shift than in the Alboran Sea. Opportunistic fish were unfavoured in both ecosystems in the recent periods, while invertebrate species of short life cycle were generally favoured, particularly benthic species in the Alboran Sea.

The study illustrates that the resilience dynamics of the two ecosystems were mostly associated with fluctuating productivity, but subtle and long‐term effects from sea warming and fishing reduction were also discernible. Such dynamics are typical of systems with wide environmental gradient such as the Northern Spain, as well as systems with highly hydrodynamic and of biogeographical complexity such as the Alboran Sea. We stress that management should become more adaptive by utilizing the knowledge on the systems’ productivity thresholds and underlying shifts to help anticipate both short‐term/less predictable events and long‐term/expected effects of climate change.
Gender equity in emergency medicine: Five years on, where are we headed?
Authors: Govindasamy Laksmi Sakura , Terziovski Milé , Wheeler Melissa , Rixon Andrew , Wilson Samuel
Published: December 2021

The challenge of addressing gender inequality was highlighted in the 2016 Trainee Focus of Emergency Medicine Australasia. Despite increasing numbers of female medical graduates, including increasing female trainees in emergency medicine (EM), this has not yet translated to equal representation in formal leadership roles. Five years later, as the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) welcomes the second female college president, this article explores the gendered leadership gap in EM from an organisational and intersectional feminist perspective and recommends high‐level strategies for change. Notably, ACEM has demonstrated committed engagement with gender equity, such as the establishment of the Advancing Women in Emergency Section. It has also achieved gender parity in provisional trainees and improved women's representation on the ACEM Board. However, broader organisational processes that ensure work–life integration, transparent leadership development pathways and equitable recruitment, promotion, retention and evaluation remain critical. Creating a local evidence‐base to support diversity in leadership development remains a priority.
Influence of seasonal migration on evolution of insecticide resistance in Plutella xylostella
Authors: Wang Menglun , Zhu Bin , Zhang Lei , Xiao Yutao , Liang Pei , Wu Kongming
Published: December 2021

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is one of the most destructive migratory pest species of cruciferous vegetables worldwide and has developed resistance to most of the insecticides used for its control. The migration regularity, migratory behavior, and relationship between flight and reproduction of P. xylostella have been widely reported. However, the effect of migration on insecticide resistance in this pest is still unclear. In this study, the effect of migration on P. xylostella resistance to seven insecticides was investigated using populations across the Bohai Sea that were collected in the early and late seasons during 2017–2019. The bioassay results showed that the early season populations of P. xylostella from south China possessed much higher resistance to insecticides because of intensive insecticide application; alternatively, the late season populations migrated from northeast China, where the insecticides were only used occasionally, showed much lower insecticide resistance. The genome re‐sequencing results revealed that, among the eight mutations involved in insecticide resistance, the frequencies of two acetylcholinesterase mutations (A298S and G324A) responsible for organophosphorus insecticide resistance were significantly decreased in the late season populations. The results indicated that P. xylostella migration between tropical and temperate regions significantly delayed the development of insecticide resistance. These findings illustrated the effect of regional migration on the evolution of insecticide resistance in P. xylostella, and provided foundational information for further research on the relationship between migration and insecticide resistance development in other insects.
Insect herbivory immediately before the eclipse of the gymnosperms: The Dawangzhangzi plant assemblage of Northeastern China
Authors: Xiao Lifang , Labandeira Conrad C. , Ren Dong
Published: December 2021

The Early Cretaceous terrestrial revolution involved global shifts from gymnosperm‐ to angiosperm‐dominated floras. However, responses of insect herbivores to these changes remain unexamined. We evaluated 2 176 highly sampled plant specimens representing 62 species/morphotypes from the 126 Ma Dawangzhangzi plant assemblage of Northeastern China. Our study consisted of horsetails, ferns, ginkgoaleans, czekanowskialeans, conifers, and an angiosperm. Their herbivory was evaluated by the functional feeding groups of hole feeding, margin feeding, and surface feeding (ectophytic feeders); piercer and suckers, and ovipositing insects (ectoendophytic feeders); mining, galling, and borings (endophytic feeders); and pathogens, collectively constituting 65 damage types (DTs). The plant assemblage was assessed for herbivory richness by DT richness, component community structure, and DT specialization on plant hosts; for herbivory intensity, it was evaluated for DT frequency, herbivorized surface area, and feeding event occurrences. Using feeding event occurrences, the data supported seven species/morphotypes as most intensely herbivorized: Liaoningocladus boii (76.6%), Czekanowskia sp. 1 (8.4%), Czekanowskia rigida (4.10%), Lindleycladus lanceolatus (3.5%), Ginkgoites sp. 2 (2.0%), Podozamites sp. 1 (1.1%), and Solenites sp. 1 (0.9%). The most herbivorized taxa were pinaleans (conifers), then czekanowskialeans, and lastly ginkgoaleans; the monodominant component community was the conifer Liaoningocladus boii. DT host specialization levels were low. The plant assemblage had an overall low 0.86% of foliage removed by herbivores, explained by physical and chemical antiherbivore defenses, and parasitoid attack. Although Paleozoic, gymnosperm‐dominated assemblages had greater herbivory, component community structure of the three most herbivorized taxa are more similar to modern bracken fern and willow than modern gymnosperm taxa.
Kinetic study on soybean hydration during soaking and resulting softening kinetic during cooking
Authors: Wang Di , Chen Guangjing , Yang Bing , Chen Xuhui , Song Jun , Kong Xiangbing , Kan Jianquan
Published: December 2021

This work evaluated the hydration kinetics of three yellow soybeans and one black soybean (Glycine max (Linn.) Merr.) at five temperatures (5–40°C), as well as the softening kinetics of steamed and boiled soybeans after hydration. The results showed that high temperature promoted water absorption and solids loss. Dongbei large soybean had the fastest water absorption than all others and its water diffusivities varied from 4.4×10–11 (m2/s) to 2.6×10–10 (m2/s) at the tested temperatures. Page model provided the best prediction of moisture content of four varieties of soybeans at five temperatures. The thermodynamic coefficient indicated that hydration is a nonspontaneous phenomenon. In addition, results showed that four soybeans exhibited no significant differences in softening rate during the cooking process, although the black soybean had the highest ultimate hardness relative to the yellow soybeans. Taken together, these new results will provide theoretical support for industrial soaking and cooking approaches for soybeans.
Engineering microbial technologies for environmental sustainability: choices to make
Authors: Verstraete Willy , Yanuka‐Golub Keren , Driesen Nele , De Vrieze Jo
Published: December 2021

Microbial technologies have provided solutions to key challenges in our daily lives for over a century. In the debate about the ongoing climate change and the need for planetary sustainability, microbial ecology and microbial technologies are rarely considered. Nonetheless, they can bring forward vital solutions to decrease and even prevent long‐term effects of climate change. The key to the success of microbial technologies is an effective, target‐oriented microbiome management. Here, we highlight how microbial technologies can play a key role in both natural, i.e. soils and aquatic ecosystems, and semi‐natural or even entirely human‐made, engineered ecosystems, e.g. (waste) water treatment and bodily systems. First, we set forward fundamental guidelines for effective soil microbial resource management, especially with respect to nutrient loss and greenhouse gas abatement. Next, we focus on closing the water circle, integrating resource recovery. We also address the essential interaction of the human and animal host with their respective microbiomes. Finally, we set forward some key future potentials, such as microbial protein and the need to overcome microphobia for microbial products and services. Overall, we conclude that by relying on the wisdom of the past, we can tackle the challenges of our current era through microbial technologies.
Features, risk factors, and outcomes of older internal medicine patients triggering a medical emergency team call
Authors: Wijesundera Piyumi , See Emily J. , Robbins Raymond , Crosthwaite Amy , Smallwood David , Jones Daryl , Bellomo Rinaldo
Published: December 2021

Background

Information about the epidemiology of older Internal Medicine patients receiving medical emergency team (MET) calls is limited. We assessed the prevalence, characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes of this vulnerable group.

Methods

Internal Medicine patients aged >75 years who were admitted via the Emergency Department to a tertiary hospital between January 2015 to December 2018 and who activated a MET call were compared to patients without MET call activation during the same time period. Outcome measures included management post‐MET call, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission rates, discharge disposition, length of hospital stays (LOS), and in‐patient mortality.

Results

There were 10,803 Internal Medical admissions involving 10,423 patients; median age 85 (IQR 81–89) years. Of these, 995 (10%) patients received at least one MET call. MET call patients had greater physiological instability in the Emergency Department and higher median Charlson comorbidity index values (2, IQR 1–3 vs. 1, IQR 0–2; p < .0001) than non‐MET call patients. Overall, 10% of MET call patients were admitted to ICU. MET patients had a longer median length of stay (9 [IQR 5–14] vs. 4 days [IQR 2–7]; p < .001) and higher in‐hospital mortality (29% vs. 7%; p < .001). However, mortality of MET call patients without treatment limitations was 48/357 (13%).

Conclusion

One in ten Internal Medicine patients aged >75 years and admitted via ED had a MET call. Physiological instability in ED and comorbidities were key risk factors. Mortality in MET patients approached 30%. These data can help predict at‐risk patients for improving goals of care and pre‐MET interventions.
Brief Report: Expectancies for alcohol analgesia are associated with greater alcohol use among moderate‐to‐heavy drinkers without chronic pain
Authors: LaRowe Lisa R. , Powers Jessica M. , Maisto Stephen A. , Zvolensky Michael J. , Glatt Stephen J. , Ditre Joseph W.
Published: December 2021

Background and Objectives

Expectancies for alcohol analgesia (i.e., expectations that drinking alcohol will reduce pain) have been associated with greater alcohol consumption among individuals with chronic pain, and there is reason to believe that such expectancies may also contribute to drinking behavior among alcohol users without a current chronic pain condition. Therefore, the objective of these analyses was to test associations between a measure of expectancies for alcohol analgesia (EAA) and alcohol use among drinkers without current pain.

Method

These are secondary analyses of baseline data collected from 200 moderate‐to‐heavy adult drinkers (39% women).

Results

EAA scores were positively associated with quantity/frequency of drinking, urge to drink, and other alcohol outcome expectancies (ps < .01).

Discussion and Conclusions

Expectancies that alcohol will reduce pain are associated with heavier drinking among drinkers without pain. Over time, such expectancies may contribute to the development of alcohol use disorder and chronically painful conditions.

Scientific Significance

This study provides the first evidence that even moderate‐to‐heavy drinkers without chronic pain may still hold expectancies for alcohol analgesia, and that this may be related to greater quantity/frequency of drinking.
Odds‐symmetry model for cumulative probabilities and decomposition of a conditional symmetry model in square contingency tables
Authors: Ando Shuji
Published: December 2021

For the analysis of square contingency tables, it is necessary to estimate an unknown distribution with high confidence from an obtained observation. For that purpose, we need to introduce a statistical model that fits the data well and has parsimony. This study proposes asymmetry models based on cumulative probabilities for square contingency tables with the same row and column ordinal classifications. In the proposed models, the odds, for all i<j, that an observation will fall in row category i or below, and column category j or above, instead of row category j or above, and column category i or below, depend on only row category i or column category j. This is notwithstanding that the odds are constant without relying on row and column categories under the conditional symmetry (CS) model. The proposed models constantly hold when the CS model holds. However, the converse is not necessarily true. This study also shows that it is necessary to satisfy the extended marginal homogeneity model, in addition to the proposed models, to satisfy the CS model. These decomposition theorems explain why the CS model does not hold. The proposed models provide a better fit for application to a single data set of real‐world occupational data for father‐and‐son dyads.
Retinal ganglion cell complex thickness at school‐age, prematurity and neonatal stressors
Authors: Ortueta‐Olartecoechea Ana , Torres‐Peña Jose L. , Muñoz‐Gallego Alicia , Torres‐Valdivieso María José , Vázquez‐Román Sara , De la Cruz Javier , Tejada‐Palacios Pilar
Published: December 2021

Purpose

To investigate the association between the ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness at early school‐age and prematurity and other neonatal factors.

Methods

Cross‐sectional study. The sample included very preterm children with gestational age (GA) below 32 weeks or birthweight below 1500 g enrolled in a follow‐up program (n = 101) and a comparison group of term‐born children (n = 49). Ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness was measured at 4–8 years using high‐quality optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. Data on neonatal and postnatal features were extracted from clinical records; analyses included mixed linear models.

Results

Ganglion cell layer (GCL) and retinal nerve fiber layer (mRNFL) were thicker in term than in preterm born children (2.9 μm and 2.4 μm respectively, p < 0.001). Within the preterm group, lower GA was associated with a decrease in total GCL (0.7 μm per week, p < 0.001). Being small for GA was associated with further thinning in both layers (1.4 and 2.8 µm). Postnatal corticosteroids therapy and severe brain lesion were associated with thinning in the total GCL of 6 µm (p < 0.001) and 4.1 µm (p = 0.002), respectively, and shock was associated with thinning in total mRNFL of 6 µm (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Lower GA or birthweight are associated with thinning of GCC layers. When performing an OCT examination at school‐age and a decrease in GCC thickness is observed, it may be relevant to ask about a history of prematurity, and further enquire about neonatal shock, postnatal corticosteroids therapy or severe brain lesion that are related to additional decrease in GCC thickness.
The frontier of social impact finance in the public sector: Theory and two case studies
Authors: Becchetti Leonardo , Pisani Fabio , Salustri Francesco , Semplici Lorenzo
Published: December 2021

Social impact bonds (SIBs) are a novel and innovative form of public‐private partnership financing social services performed by a best‐practice selected non‐governmental third entity. In our paper we outline a SIB theoretical model identifying government and private investors' participation constraints and we discuss the conflicts of interests that may arise among the different actors involved in presence of asymmetric information. We apply our theoretical model to two investment cases concerning contrast to jail recidivism and health budget project. We show conditions for viability of the SIB scheme in both cases under reasonable parametric conditions, provide sensitivity analysis on crucial parameters, and calculate participants' payoffs under different assumptions.
Education and training in psychiatry in South Asian countries
Authors: Kallivayalil Roy Abraham , Enara Arun
Published: December 2021

“Show me a sane man and I will cure him for you.”—Carl Jung. Essentially, Jung was saying that a sane man does not exist. Emotional problems and difficulties are present in a benign form in the vast majority of people. Therefore, psychiatric education should focus on the very common nature of mental and emotional problems. Training of psychiatrists to provide the best quality care and conduct the highest quality research continues to remain a priority across the globe. The treatment and training gaps in many countries continue despite the sustained efforts at improving these, especially in low‐ and middle‐income (LAMI) countries. Although many LAMI countries have improved curricula for undergraduate and postgraduate training, yet the treatment and training gap continues. This article will look to explore education and training in psychiatry in some of the South Asian countries with a special focus on India.
Use of modern technology in psychiatry training in a middle‐income country
Authors: Ouanes Sami , Larnaout Amine , Jouini Lamia
Published: December 2021

Recent advances in information technology (IT) provided us with novel teaching solutions, with the potential of a new enhanced learning experience, that is, more adapted to the needs and preferences of the younger generations of psychiatric trainees. These tools include the use of online/virtual whiteboards, live surveys/polls, live quizzes, virtual classrooms, and virtual reality. In the present paper, we describe the implementation of modern technology in psychiatric training in Tunisia, a North‐African middle‐income country. We discuss the potential benefits arising from this implementation, and we report the challenges and difficulties. Overall, the implementation of these modern technology‐based tools in psychiatric training has been successful, with a very few obstacles. It seems that the integration of these novel approaches is possible even in middle and low‐income countries without much hassle. These tools can enhance trainees' participation, motivation, and engagement, thereby potentially improving learning outcomes. Most disadvantages are related to potential technical glitches, and are likely to improve as technology progresses. Teaching is the art of tailoring the educational tools to the learning objectives and to the learners' characteristics and preferences. To achieve optimal learning outcomes, it is often needed to use a mixture of different “modern” and “less modern” techniques.
Training and education in digital psychiatry: A perspective fromAsia‐Pacificregion
Authors: Orsolini Laura , Jatchavala Chonnakarn , Noor Isa Multazam , Ransing Ramdas , Satake Yuto , Shoib Sheikh , Shah Bigya , Ullah Irfan , Volpe Umberto
Published: December 2021

Background

Digital mental health interventions and digital psychiatry have been rapidly implemented over the past decade, particularly with the intent to offer a cost‐effective solution in those circumstances in which the current mental health services and infrastructure are not able to properly accommodate the patients' needs. However, mental health workforce is often poorly theoretical/practical trained in digital psychiatry and in delivering remote consultations safely and effectively, not being common to own curricula‐specific training requirements in digital psychiatry and skills.

Methods

A web‐based international cross‐sectional survey was carried out by a working group constituted by one or two national representative(s) of each WHO South‐East Asia and Western Pacific Regions (APAC), with the aim to evaluate the level of training, knowledge, experience, and perception regarding the topic of digital psychiatry in a sample constituted by medical students, psychiatry trainees, and early career psychiatrists from APAC.

Results

An overall lack of theoretical and/or practical training on new digital tools and digital health interventions in psychiatry was observed. The level of training influences knowledge background, which, in turns, influences young professionals' perceptions and opinions regarding digital psychiatry and interventions in mental health.

Conclusion

Implementing psychiatry training programs may significantly improve the level of knowledge and use of digital tools in mental healthcare. Moreover, mental health services and infrastructures should be properly adapted to the digital era, considering the overall weak and heterogeneous technical support and equipment, issues of internet connectivity, and other administrative‐related challenges observed in APAC.
Becoming Working Class: Domestic Workers and the Claim to Localness in Mumbai
Authors: Parpiani Maansi
Published: December 2021

In India, many women from former untouchable caste groups (Dalits) are domestic workers. Despite attempts at seeking formal, legal recognition, they continue to be seen by the state as part of a broad, ambiguous category of “informal workers” whose work is stigmatized and not legislated for. In this essay, I suggest that the discourses and practices of a neighborhood‐level Dalit domestic workers’ union in Mumbai reconceptualize domestic work as “formal” work. The workers assert themselves as formal workers (kamgaar) owing to their long histories of work in specific neighborhoods, relationships of trust with employers, and their ability to negotiate long‐standing employment with them. Though domestic work does not align with the state’s definition of formal work (for example, through the presence of written contracts), for the workers, it was their own qualities, origins, social positions, and relationships that defined the formality of work rather than the other way around. Centering respect and dignity in their own work, their union also facilitated the articulation of the caste and gender‐based prejudices that have not only kept domestic workers outside the ambit of formal recognition but also have brought about routine encounters with violence and harassment for Dalit women in the local neighborhood.