bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What do tropical cryptogams reveal? Strong genetic structure in Amazonian bryophytes
Authors: Ledent Alice , Gauthier Jérémy , Pereira Martinha , Overson Rick , Laenen Benjamin , Mardulyn Patrick , Gradstein S. Robbert , de Haan Myriam , Ballings Petra , Van der Beeten Iris , Zartman Charles E. , Vanderpoorten Alain
Published: June 2020

Lowland tropical bryophytes have been perceived as excellent dispersers. In such groups, the inverse isolation hypothesis proposes that spatial genetic structure is erased beyond the limits of short‐distance dispersal. Here, we determine the influence of environmental variation and geographic barriers on the spatial genetic structure of a widely dispersed and phylogenetically independent sample of Amazonian bryophytes.

Single nucleotide polymorphism data were produced from a restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing protocol for 10 species and analyzed through F‐statistics and Mantel tests.

Neither isolation‐by‐environment nor the impact of geographic barriers were recovered from the analyses. However, significant isolation‐by‐distance patterns were observed for 8 out of the 10 investigated species beyond the scale of short‐distance dispersal (> 1 km), offering evidence contrary to the inverse isolation hypothesis.

Despite a cadre of life‐history traits and distributional patterns suggesting that tropical bryophytes are highly vagile, our analyses reveal spatial genetic structures comparable to those documented for angiosperms, whose diaspores are orders of magnitude larger. Dispersal limitation for tropical bryophytes flies in the face of traditional assumptions regarding their dispersal potential, and suggests that the plight of this component of cryptic biodiversity is more dire than previously considered in light of accelerated forest fragmentation in the Amazon.
Sucrose synthase determines carbon allocation in developing wood and alters carbon flow at the whole tree level in aspen
Authors: Dominguez Pia Guadalupe , Donev Evgeniy , Derba‐Maceluch Marta , Bünder Anne , Hedenström Mattias , Tomášková Ivana , Mellerowicz Ewa J. , Niittylä Totte
Published: June 2020

Despite the ecological and industrial importance of biomass accumulation in wood, the control of carbon (C) allocation to this tissue and to other tree tissues remain poorly understood.

We studied sucrose synthase (SUS) to clarify its role in biomass formation and C metabolism at the whole tree level in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × tremuloides). To this end, we analysed source leaves, phloem, developing wood, and roots of SUSRNAi trees using a combination of metabolite profiling, 13CO2 pulse labelling experiments, and long‐term field experiments.

The glasshouse grown SUSRNAi trees exhibited a mild stem phenotype together with a reduction in wood total C. The 13CO2 pulse labelling experiments showed an alteration in the C flow in all the analysed tissues, indicating that SUS affects C metabolism at the whole tree level. This was confirmed when the SUSRNAi trees were grown in the field over a 5‐yr period; their stem height, diameter and biomass were substantially reduced.

These results establish that SUS influences C allocation to developing wood, and that it affects C metabolism at the whole tree level.
Cervical Flexion Osteotomy through One‐Stage Posterior‐Anterior‐Posterior Approach for Cervical Extension Deformity in Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Novel Surgical Technique
Authors: Wang Zhi‐wei , Shu Jia‐wei , Li, MD Fang‐cai , Chen Wei‐shan , Chen Qi‐xin , Chen Gang , Li Jun
Published: June 2020

The present study was to introduce a new surgical technique of cervical flexionosteotomy, with an emphasis on the clinical and radiographic outcomes. Two male patients aged 45 and 21 years presented with cervical extension deformity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Both patients exhibited upward deviation of the forward gaze. The chin brow vertical angle (CBVA) were 15° upward and 5° downward, respectively; and the sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were‐13.2mm and 195.7mm, respectively. Aposterior transverse release was performed at C7‐T1, exposing the theca and C8 nerve roots to facilitate closure of theosteotomy site. Then, an anterior closing‐wedgeosteotomy of C7‐T1 was performed followed with anterior internal fixation with a locking plate to prevent any translation. After closure and anterior fixation, patients were returned to the proneposition, and posterior screw‐rod instrumentation was used for further stabilization. The follow‐up periods were 20 and 10 months, respectively. At the last follow‐up, CBVA and SVA of Patient 1 were 14° downwardand ‐12.6mm; and CBVA and SVA of Patient 2 were 1° downward and 75.6mm respectively, indicating the visual angle and sagittal balance were significantly improved. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were encountered. Full‐spine radiographs of each patient at the last visit confirmed successfulbony union. The present study was the first report introducing a novel flexion osteotomy for cervical extension deformity in AS through a posterior‐anterior‐posterior approach inone‐stage. The improved forward gaze and no complications demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of the novel technique, suggesting that it might provide a more feasible method for the correction of cervical extension deformity.
Chinese Survey on Enhanced Recovery after Surgery and Thromboprophylaxis Following Arthroplasty
Authors: Weng Xi‐sheng , Liu Juan , Wu Duo
Published: June 2020

Objective

To examine the current perspectives of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) and the clinical practice applications of important ERAS principles among Chinese orthopaedic surgeons.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study using an online survey that was completed between November and December 2018. A 16‐item online questionnaire regarding the experiences of ERAS, perceptions of methods, and durations and concerns of venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis was sent to 2000 orthopaedic surgeons nationwide, and 1720 (86%) surgeons responded. Statistical analyses were conducted to assess all respondents' results and to compare differences among subgroups that were stratified according to city and hospital level, as well as their professional title.

Results

According to the results of the survey, ERAS awareness was high (65.1%) and most surgeons recognized the importance of thromboprophylaxis. However, the timing of ERAS was not consistent, with 22.8%, 31.9%, and 37.7% of surgeons choosing to initiate pharmaceutical prophylaxis within <6 h, 6–12 h, and 12–24 h after surgery, respectively. Low‐molecular‐weight heparin was mainly selected during hospitalization, and new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) were the first choice after discharge. Regarding postoperative antithrombotic therapy, particularly when combined with analgesics, the potential bleeding risk was mostly considered (80.0%)Tranexamic acid was believed to have no effect on the timing of NOAC therapy initiation (56.2%). Most of the above outcomes were influenced by the hospital level and professional title of the surgeon. Surgeons who had higher awareness on ERAS and better adhered to the guidelines were from higher‐level hospitals as well as had more advanced professional titles. City level partly might influence their practice but not impact surgeons' awareness.

Conclusions

The awareness and perception of the concept of ERAS and prophylactic antithrombotic regimens remain different among Chinese orthopaedic surgeons in different level cities and with various professional titles. Continuing medical educations (CME) on VTE prophylaxis is needed for improving the quality of health care in China.
Light from below matters: Quantifying the consequences of responses to far‐red light reflected upwards for plant performance in heterogeneous canopies
Authors: Zhang Ningyi , van Westreenen Arian , He Lizhong , Evers Jochem B. , Anten Niels P. R. , Marcelis Leo F. M.
Published: June 2020

In vegetation stands, plants receive red to far‐red ratio (R:FR) signals of varying strength from all directions. However, plant responses to variations in R:FR reflected from below have been largely ignored despite their potential consequences for plant performance. Using a heterogeneous rose canopy, which consists of bent shoots down in the canopy and vertically growing upright shoots, we quantified upward far‐red reflection by bent shoots and its consequences for upright shoot architecture. With a three‐dimensional plant model, we assessed consequences of responses to R:FR from below for plant photosynthesis. Bent shoots reflected substantially more far‐red than red light, causing reduced R:FR in light reflected upwards. Leaf inclination angles increased in upright shoots which received low R:FR reflected from below. The increased leaf angle led to an increase in simulated plant photosynthesis only when this low R:FR was reflected off their own bent shoots and not when it reflected off neighbour bent shoots. We conclude that plant response to R:FR from below is an under‐explored phenomenon which may have contrasting consequences for plant performance depending on the type of vegetation or crop system. The responses are beneficial for performance only when R:FR is reflected by lower foliage of the same plants.
Starch biosynthesis contributes to the maintenance of photosynthesis and leaf growth under drought stress in maize
Authors: AbdElgawad Hamada , Avramova Viktoriya , Baggerman Geert , Van Raemdonck Geert , Valkenborg Dirk , Van Ostade Xaveer , Guisez Yves , Prinsen Els , Asard Han , Van den Ende Wim , Beemster Gerrit T. S.
Published: June 2020

To understand the growth response to drought, we performed a proteomics study in the leaf growth zone of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings and functionally characterized the role of starch biosynthesis in the regulation of growth, photosynthesis and antioxidant capacity, using the shrunken‐2 mutant (sh2), defective in ADP‐glucose pyrophosphorylase. Drought altered the abundance of 284 proteins overrepresented for photosynthesis, amino acid, sugar and starch metabolism, and redox‐regulation. Changes in protein levels correlated with enzyme activities (increased ATP synthase, cysteine synthase, starch synthase, RuBisCo, peroxiredoxin, glutaredoxin, thioredoxin and decreased triosephosphate isomerase, ferredoxin, cellulose synthase activities, respectively) and metabolite concentrations (increased ATP, cysteine, glycine, serine, starch, proline and decreased cellulose levels). The sh2 mutant showed a reduced increase of starch levels under drought conditions, leading to soluble sugar starvation at the end of the night and correlating with an inhibition of leaf growth rates. Increased RuBisCo activity and pigment concentrations observed in WT, in response to drought, were lacking in the mutant, which suffered more oxidative damage and recovered more slowly after re‐watering. These results demonstrate that starch biosynthesis contributes to maintaining leaf growth under drought stress and facilitates enhanced carbon acquisition upon recovery.
Shopping Activity at Warehouse Club Stores and Its Competitive and Network Density Implications
Authors: Lim Stanley Frederick W. T. , Rabinovich Elliot , Park Sungho , Hwang Minha
Published: June 2020

Warehouse club (WC) retailers have typically expanded to new markets using stand‐alone stores, rather than pursuing dense store networks as other (non‐WC) retailers have in the past. While this strategy generates operating efficiencies, it also imposes high travel costs on households to shop, which calls into question WC stores' resilience to spatial competition from stores operating other formats. We examine this phenomenon by using data on households' shopping activity across markets served by Costco Wholesale stores. Specifically, we evaluate these stores' resilience to spatial competition by estimating the share of households' expenditures relative to travel costs to shop at the stores and comparing this estimate with that for non‐WC stores. Controlling for households' travel costs across Costco and non‐WC stores, we find that households' share of expenditures at Costco stores exceeds the share at non‐WC stores by 61%. This suggests that Costco stores have an advantage over non‐WC stores when serving market areas with sparse store networks. Nevertheless, we also find that this advantage diminishes with the distance between Costco stores and households and that there is a finite distance beyond which this advantage disappears. We show that this distance (approximately 21 miles) is an important reference point for the evaluation of spatial competition between Costco stores and other stores and the examination of demand saturation at Costco stores.
How Can Local Governments Address Pandemic Inequities?
Authors: Deslatte Aaron , Hatch Megan E. , Stokan Eric
Published: June 2020

COVID‐19 is exposing a nexus between communities disproportionately suffering from underlying health conditions, policy‐reinforced disparities, and susceptibility to the disease. As the virus spreads, policy responses will need to shift from focusing on surveillance and mitigation to recovery and prevention. Local governments, with their histories of mutual aid and familiarity with local communities, are capable of meeting these challenges. However, funding must flow in a flexible enough fashion for local governments to tailor their efforts to preserve vital services and rebuild local economies. The authors argue that the Community Development Block Grant and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant programs are mechanisms for providing funds in a manner that is adaptable to local context while also focusing on increasing social equity. Administrators must emphasize the fourth pillar of public administration—social equity—in framing government responses to the pandemic.
Collecting text messages from college students: Evaluating a novel methodology
Authors: Hussong Andrea M. , Jensen Michaeline R. , Morgan Sarah , Poteat Jade
Published: June 2020

Social interaction, particularly in older adolescents, increasingly involves computer‐mediated communication. Although studies of public computer‐mediated communication are increasingly common, studies of private text messaging remain rare. As approaches for obtaining such data evolve with technological advances, developmental scientists need designs in which to use such approaches that reduce sampling biases in both participants and text messages. In this study (n = 854; 46% male; 22% African American, 60% European American), we examined selection biases in the participant sample (i.e., factors associated with actual participation), procedural biases in the participant sample (i.e., factors related to failed data capture due to technological or procedural issues), and selection biases in the sample of text messages (i.e., based on self‐reported reasons for texting). Findings from our study suggest that studying human interaction directly through analysis of text message data is not only feasible, but also may be successfully undertaken with minimal biases regarding sample selection and text message selection among those who are engaged in research and engaged in text messaging outside of the study context. However, biases may occur depending on the type of platform (iPhone vs. Android) used by participants for texting.
Englishes in the cityscape of Muscat
Authors: Tuzlukova Victoria , Mehta Sandhya Rao
Published: June 2020

This paper examines the linguistic landscape in Muscat with specific reference to its public spaces as reflected in street signs and commercial signage. Based on the multilingual theories of Landry and Bourhis (1997) and Cenoz and Gorter (2006), it explores the various ways in which English is localized, re‐shaped, and recreated to fit into the multi‐ethnic social fabric of the city. As much research suggests, the more Arabized version of English has become increasingly popular in the cosmopolitan structure of the city, providing space for a language which is at once structurally imaginative and colloquially accessible. This aptly reflects a city that is commercially ambitious, has an international resident population, and is aspiring to be a tourist hub.
Limitations of Natural Gas Lean Burn Spark Ignition Engines Derived From Compression Ignition Engines
Authors: Liu Jinlong , Dumitrescu Cosmin Emil
Published: June 2020

Converting existing diesel engines to the spark ignition (SI) operation can increase the utilization of natural gas (NG) in heavy-duty applications, which can reduce oil imports in the US and curtail greenhouse-gas emissions. The NG operation at lean-burn conditions was evaluated inside a retrofitted heavy-duty direct-injection compression-ignition (CI) engine, where the diesel injector was replaced with a high-energy spark plug and NG was mixed with air in the intake manifold. Steady-state engine experiments that changed combustion phasing were performed at 13.3 compression ratio, lean equivalence ratio, medium load, and low-speed conditions, fueled with pure methane as NG surrogate. Results suggested that NG combustion inside such retrofitted engines is different from that in conventional SI engines due to the geometric characteristics of the diesel combustion chamber. In detail, the different conditions inside the bowl and the squish partitioned the combustion process into two distinct events in terms of timing and location. Moreover, the squish region helped stabilize the extreme lean operation by creating a highly turbulent flow into the bowl during the compression stroke. However, combustion efficiency and unburned hydrocarbon emissions were significantly affected by the fuel fraction that burned inside the squish region under less than optimal conditions during the expansion stroke. As a result, despite the combustion phasing being the primary control of engine’s indicated thermal efficiency, the combustion strategy for CI engines converted to NG SI should optimize the slower burning inside the squish region.
Performance Analyses of Photovoltaic Thermal Integrated Concentrator Collector Combined With Single Effect Absorption Cooling Cycle: Constant Flow Rate Mode
Authors: Meraj Md. , Khan M.E. , Azhar Md.
Published: June 2020

In the present communication, performance analyses of interconnected N number of fully covered semitransparent photovoltaic thermal integrated concentrator collectors combined with single effect vapor absorption refrigeration system have been carried out. The proposed system was analyzed under the constant mass flowrate of collectors’ fluid. Mathematical expressions have also been derived for generator temperature of the absorption unit as a function of both design and operating parameters. Further, simulations have been performed for a typical day of May month of New Delhi climatic conditions. Performance parameters have been evaluated such as collector exit temperature, generator inlet temperature, electrical power output, electrical efficiency, overall thermal energy gain, instantaneous thermal efficiency, overall exergy gain and coefficient of performance of the absorption system. The simulation code has been written in matlab. From the present analyses, the following salient conclusions have been drawn: Operating generator temperature of the absorption system is suitable for five number of photovoltaic thermal-integrated parabolic concentrator collector connected in series. The proposed system will continue operating for 5 h during May month in New Delhi climate conditions. The maximum solar coefficient of performance, refrigeration coefficient of performance, and exergy coefficient of performance are reported as 0.1551, 0.8344, and 0.2697, respectively, for the proposed novel system under given design and operating conditions. Additionally, the effects of other design parameters of this novel system have also been investigated.
Identification of Instantaneous Frequency and Damping From Transient Decay Data
Authors: Jin Mengshi , Chen Wei , Brake Matthew R. W. , Song Hanwen
Published: June 2020

Jointed interfaces, damage, wear, or non-idealized boundary conditions often introduce nonlinear characteristics to assembled structures. Consequently, extensive research has been carried out regarding nonlinear system identification. The development of nonlinear system identification is also enabling the intentional application of nonlinearities towards practical fields such as vibration control and energy harvesting. This research proposes a nonlinear identification procedure that consists of two steps: first, the raw data is filtered by the Double Reverse Multimodal Decomposition method that involves system reconstruction, expansion, and filtering twice. Second, the Peak Finding and Fitting method is applied to the filtered signal to extract the instantaneous amplitude and frequency. The identification procedure is applied to the measured responses from a jointed structure to assess its efficacy. The results are compared with those obtained from other well-known methods—the Hilbert transform and zero-crossing methods. The comparison results indicate that the Peaking Finding and Fitting method extracts the amplitude of the response signal more accurately. Consequently, this yields a higher signal-to-noise ratio in the extracted damping values. As a recommended last step, uncertainty assessment is conducted to calculate the 95% confidence intervals of the nonlinear properties of the system.
Indenter–Foam Dampers Inspired by Cartilage: Dynamic Mechanical Analyses and Design
Authors: Han Guebum , Boz Utku , Liu Lejie , Henak Corinne R. , Eriten Melih
Published: June 2020

Articular cartilage is a thin layer of a solid matrix swollen by fluid, and it protects joints from damage via poroviscoelastic damping. Our previous experimental and simulation studies showed that cartilage-like poroviscoelastic damping could widen the range of damping methods in a low-frequency range (<100 Hz). Thus, the current study aimed to realize cartilage-like damping capacity by single- and two-indenter–foam poroviscoelastic dampers in a low-frequency range. Multiple single-indenter–foam dampers were designed by combining foam sheets with different pore diameters and indenters with different radii. Their damping capacity was investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis in a frequency range of 0.5–100 Hz. Single-indenter–foam dampers delivered peak damping frequencies that depended on the foam’s pore diameter and characteristic diffusion length (contact radii). Those dampers maximize the damping capacity at the desired frequency (narrowband performance). A mechanical model combined with simple scaling laws was shown to relate poroelasticity to the peak damping frequencies reasonably well. Finally, combinations of single-indenter–foam dampers were optimized to obtain a two-indenter–foam damper that delivered nearly rate-independent damping capacity within 0.5–100 Hz (broadband performance). These findings suggested that cartilage-like poroviscoelastic dampers can be an effective mean of passive damping for narrowband and broadband applications.
Interfacial charge transfer with exfoliated graphene inhibits fibril formation in lysozyme amyloid
Authors: Gregory Wren E. , Sharma Bipin , Hu Longyu , Raghavendra Achyut J. , Podila Ramakrishna
Published: June 2020

Amyloid fibrillation is known to contribute in a variety of diseases including neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease) and type II diabetes. The inhibition of fibrillation has been suggested as a possible therapeutic strategy to prevent neuronal and pancreatic β-cell death associated with amyloid diseases. To this end, strong hydrophobic and π-π interactions between proteins and nanomaterials at the nanobio interface could be used to mitigate the stacking of amyloid structures associated with fibrillation. In this study, the authors show that exfoliated graphene effectively inhibits the formation of amyloid fibrils using a model amyloid-forming protein, viz., hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL). While previous theoretical models posit that hydrophobic and π-π stacking interactions result in strong interactions between graphene and proteins, the authors experimentally identified the presence of additional interfacial charge transfer interactions between HEWL and graphene using micro-Raman spectroscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy. Their photoluminescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies evince that the interfacial charge transfer combined with hydrophobic and π-π stacking interactions, specifically between the nanomaterial and the amino acid tryptophan, increase HEWL adsorption on graphene and thereby inhibit amyloid fibrillation.
NIH peer review: Criterion scores completely account for racial disparities in overall impact scores
Authors: Erosheva Elena A. , Grant Sheridan , Chen Mei-Ching , Lindner Mark D. , Nakamura Richard K. , Lee Carole J.
Published: June 2020

Black-white disparities in preliminary peer review scores for NIH R01 grant applications are examined.
Coherent oscillations of a levitated birefringent microsphere in vacuum driven by nonconservative rotation-translation coupling
Authors: Arita Yoshihiko , Simpson Stephen H. , Zemánek Pavel , Dholakia Kishan
Published: June 2020

Coupling between the rotational and translational motions of an optically levitated microsphere leads to coherent oscillations.
The robustness of reciprocity: Experimental evidence that each form of reciprocity is robust to the presence of other forms of reciprocity
Authors: Melamed David , Simpson Brent , Abernathy Jered
Published: June 2020

Multiple forms of reciprocity combine to shape prosociality.
Continuous angle-tunable birefringence with freeform metasurfaces for arbitrary polarization conversion
Authors: Shi Zhujun , Zhu Alexander Y. , Li Zhaoyi , Huang Yao-Wei , Chen Wei Ting , Qiu Cheng-Wei , Capasso Federico
Published: June 2020

Freeform metasurfaces couple the angle and polarization degrees of freedom, enabling new types of elliptical wave plates.
Sequence-based engineering of dynamic functions of micrometer-sized DNA droplets
Authors: Sato Yusuke , Sakamoto Tetsuro , Takinoue Masahiro
Published: June 2020

Fusion, fission, and formation of complex shapes of droplets made of DNA were controlled by a sequence design approach.
Synthesis of site-specific antibody-drug conjugates by ADP-ribosyl cyclases
Authors: Dai Zhefu , Zhang Xiao-Nan , Nasertorabi Fariborz , Cheng Qinqin , Li Jiawei , Katz Benjamin B. , Smbatyan Goar , Pei Hua , Louie Stan G. , Lenz Heinz-Josef , Stevens Raymond C. , Zhang Yong
Published: June 2020

A new approach is developed for generating site-specific antibody-drug conjugates for targeted therapy.
Chemical trigger toward phase separation in the aqueous Al(III) system revealed
Authors: Lukić Miodrag J. , Wiedenbeck Eduard , Reiner Holger , Gebauer Denis
Published: June 2020

Phase separation in the aqueous Al(III) system fundamentally relies on irreversible chemical changes in prenucleation clusters.
Flux, toxicity, and expression costs generate complex genetic interactions in a metabolic pathway
Authors: Kemble Harry , Eisenhauer Catherine , Couce Alejandro , Chapron Audrey , Magnan Mélanie , Gautier Gregory , Le Nagard Hervé , Nghe Philippe , Tenaillon Olivier
Published: June 2020

Complex fitness interactions between alleles and expression-modulating environment are explained by a simple metabolic model.
In vivo base editing restores sensory transduction and transiently improves auditory function in a mouse model of recessive deafness
Authors: Yeh Wei-Hsi , Shubina-Oleinik Olga , Levy Jonathan M. , Pan Bifeng , Newby Gregory A. , Wornow Michael , Burt Rachel , Chen Jonathan C. , Holt Jeffrey R. , Liu David R.
Published: June 2020

Base editing in postnatal mice repairs a recessive hearing loss mutation, rescues sensory transduction, and transiently restores auditory function.
Platelets worsen tuberculosis disease progression: Specific mechanism TBD
Authors: Keller Steven P.
Published: June 2020

Platelets contribute to the progression of tuberculosis by impairing the oxidative burst of alveolar macrophages via an unknown mechanism.
Circulating Cytokines Associated with Poor Pregnancy Outcomes in Beninese Exposed to Infection with Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Hountohotegbe Tatiana , Gbedande Komi , Agbota Gino , Ibitokou Samad , Massougbodji Achille , Deloron Philippe , Fievet Nadine , Luty Adrian J. F.
Published: June 2020

Malaria during pregnancy is a major cause of maternal morbidity as well as fetal and neonatal mortality. Previous studies, including our own, suggested that placental and peripheral cytokine and chemokine levels measured at delivery can be used as biomarkers for pregnancy outcomes. However, the timing of malaria infection during pregnancy matters, and these studies do not address the effect of different cytokines in peripheral blood plasma samples taken at early and midpregnancy and at delivery.
Genomic Profiling Reveals Distinct Routes To Complement Resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Short Francesca L. , Di Sario Gianna , Reichmann Nathalie T. , Kleanthous Colin , Parkhill Julian , Taylor Peter W.
Published: June 2020

The serum complement system is a first line of defense against bacterial invaders. Resistance to killing by serum enhances the capacity of
Klebsiella pneumoniae
to cause infection, but it is an incompletely understood virulence trait. Identifying and characterizing the factors responsible for preventing activation of, and killing by, serum complement could inform new approaches to treatment of
K. pneumoniae
infections. Here, we used functional genomic profiling to define the genetic basis of complement resistance in four diverse serum-resistant
K. pneumoniae
strains (NTUH-K2044, B5055, ATCC 43816, and RH201207), and explored their recognition by key complement components.
Staphylococcus aureus Fatty Acid Kinase FakA Modulates Pathogenesis during Skin Infection via Proteases
Authors: Ridder Miranda J. , Daly Seth M. , Triplett Kathleen D. , Seawell Nichole A. , Hall Pamela R. , Bose Jeffrey L.
Published: June 2020

Staphylococcus aureusfatty acid kinase FakA is necessary for the incorporation of exogenous fatty acids into the lipid membrane. We previously demonstrated that the inactivation offakAleads to decreased α-hemolysin (Hla) production but increased expression of the proteases SspAB and aureolysinin vitro, and that the ΔfakAmutant causes larger lesions than the wild type (WT) during murine skin infection. As expected, necrosis is Hla dependent in the presence or absence of FakA, as bothhlaandhlaΔfakAmutants are unable to cause necrosis of the skin.
Utilization, Yield, and Accuracy of the FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel with Diagnostic Stewardship and Testing Algorithm
Authors: Broadhurst M. Jana , Dujari Shefali , Budvytiene Indre , Pinsky Benjamin A. , Gold Carl A. , Banaei Niaz
Published: June 2020

The impact of diagnostic stewardship and testing algorithms on the utilization and performance of the FilmArray meningitis/encephalitis (ME) panel has received limited investigation. We performed a retrospective single-center cohort study assessing all individuals with suspected ME between February 2017 and April 2019 for whom the ME panel was ordered. Testing was restricted to patients with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis. Positive ME panel results were confirmed before reporting through correlation with direct staining (Gram and calcofluor white) and CSF cryptococcal antigen or by repeat ME panel testing.
Human Papillomavirus 31 Tyrosine 102 Regulates Interaction with E2 Binding Partners and Episomal Maintenance
Authors: Gilson Timra , Culleton Sara , Xie Fang , DeSmet Marsha , Androphy Elliot J.
Published: June 2020

Posttranslational modifications by phosphorylation can change protein activities, binding partners, or localization. Tyrosine 102 is conserved between delta papillomavirus BPV-1 and alpha papillomavirus HPV-31 E2. We characterized mutations of HPV-31 E2 for interactions with relevant cellular binding partners and replication in the context of the viral genome.
Eukaryotic Microbial Communities in Japanese Arable Andisols Investigated by Amplicon Sequencing of 18S rRNA Genes
Authors: Mise Kazumori , Otsuka Shigeto
Published: June 2020

Compared with the well-studied soil prokaryotic communities, little is known about soil eukaryotic communities. Here, we investigated the eukaryotic community structures in 43 arable soils using amplicon sequencing of 18S rRNA genes. Major taxonomic groups, such as Fungi, Holozoa, and Stramenopiles, were detected in all samples.
Accuracy of optical coherence tomography for diagnosing glaucoma: an overview
of systematic reviews
Authors: Michelessi Manuele , Li Tianjing , Miele Alba , Azuara-Blanco Augusto , Qureshi Riaz , Virgili Gianni
Published: June 2020

Aims

To assess the diagnostic accuracy (DTA) of optical coherence tomography
(OCT) for detecting glaucoma by systematically searching and appraising
systematic reviews (SRs) on this issue.

Methods

We searched a database of SRs in eyes and vision maintained by the
Cochrane Eyes and Vision United States on the DTA of OCT for detecting
glaucoma. Two authors working independently screened the records, abstracted
data and assessed the risk of bias using the Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews
checklist. We extracted quantitative DTA estimates as well as qualitative
statements on their relevance to practice.

Results

We included four SRs published between 2015 and 2018. These SRs included
between 17 and 113 studies on OCT for glaucoma diagnosis. Two reviews were at
low risk of bias and the other two had two to four domains at high or unclear
risk of bias with concerns on applicability. The two reliable SRs reported the
accuracy of average retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness and found a
sensitivity of 0.69 (0.63 to 0.73) and 0.78 (0.74 to 0.83) and a specificity of
0.94 (0.93 to 0.95) and 0.93 (0.92 to 0.95) in 57 and 50 studies, respectively.
Only one review included a clear specification of the clinical pathway. Both
reviews highlighted the limitations of primary DTA studies on this
topic.

Conclusions

The quality of published DTA reviews on OCT for diagnosing glaucoma was
mixed. Two reliable SRs found moderate sensitivity at high specificity for
average RNFL thickness in diagnosing manifest glaucoma. Our overview suggests
that the methodological quality of both primary and secondary DTA research on
glaucoma is in need of improvement.
COVID-19 and the US response: accelerating health inequities
Authors: Okonkwo Nneoma E , Aguwa Ugochi T , Jang Minyoung , Barré Iman A , Page Kathleen R , Sullivan Patrick S , Beyrer Chris , Baral Stefan
Published: June 2020

Health inequities have long defined health and the healthcare system in the USA. The clinical and research capacity across the USA is unparalleled, yet compared to other high and even some middle-income countries, the average health indicators of the population remain suboptimal in 2020, a finding at least in part explained by inequity in healthcare access. In this context, COVID-19 has rapidly emerged as a major threat to the public’s health. While it was initially thought that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 would be the great equaliser as it would not discriminate, it is clear that COVID-19 incidence and mortality have rapidly reinforced health disparities drawn by historical and contemporary inequities. Here, we synthesise the data highlighting specific risks among particular marginalised and under-resourced communities including those in jails, prisons and detention centers, immigrants and the undocumented, people with disabilities and people experiencing homelessness across the USA. The drivers of these disparities are pervasive structural risks including limited access to preventive services, inability to comply with physical distancing recommendations, underlying health disparities and intersecting stigmas particularly affecting racial and ethnic minorities across the country, including African Americans, Latinx Americans and Native Americans. Advancing the COVID-19 response, saving lives and restarting the economy necessitate rapidly addressing these inequities rather than ignoring and even reinforcing them.
Distance travelled by military recruits during basic training is a significant risk factor for lower limb overuse injury
Authors: Whittle Richard S.
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Military initial training results in a high incidence of lower limb overuse injuries (stress fractures and medial tibial stress syndrome). This study aimed to determine whether the distance travelled by recruits, both on and off duty, was a risk factor for overuse injury.

Methods

14 male airborne infantry recruits from three training platoons carried global positioning system receivers throughout the first 19 weeks of basic military training. Total distance travelled each day was recorded. This was compared with time of clinical manifestation of 52 lower limb overuse injuries (stress fractures and medial tibial stress syndrome) collected from the 276 airborne infantry recruits in the period immediately preceding the study.

Results

Recruits travelled significantly farther than the UK average male population in 17 of 18 measured weeks. Pearson correlation between distance travelled per week and injuries was not significant (p=0.4448); however, correlation between distance travelled per week and injuries two weeks later was significant (p=0.0263). A generalised linear model found distance travelled as a significant covariate (p=0.0144) to the expected number of injuries two weeks later.

Conclusion

Recruits travel long distances during basic training, particularly in the first few weeks when they are not yet conditioned. This distance travelled is likely a contributing risk factor to the high incidence of overuse injuries seen during training, and strategies to reduce this distance should be explored.
Killed in action (KIA): an analysis of military personnel who died of their injuries before reaching a definitive medical treatment facility in Afghanistan (2004–2014)
Authors: Webster Stacey , Barnard E B G , Smith J E , Marsden M E R , Wright C
Published: June 2020

Introduction

The majority of combat deaths occur before arrival at a medical treatment facility but no previous studies have comprehensively examined this phase of care.

Methods

The UK Joint Theatre Trauma Registry was used to identify all UK military personnel who died in Afghanistan (2004–2014). These data were linked to non-medical tactical and operational records to provide an accurate timeline of events. Cause of death was determined from records taken at postmortem review. The primary objective was to report time between injury and death in those killed in action (KIA); secondary objectives included: reporting mortality at key North Atlantic Treaty Organisation timelines (0, 10, 60, 120 min), comparison of temporal lethality for different anatomical injuries and analysing trends in the case fatality rate (CFR).

Results

2413 UK personnel were injured in Afghanistan from 2004 to 2014; 448 died, with a CFR of 18.6%. 390 (87.1%) of these died prehospital (n=348 KIA, n=42 killed non-enemy action). Complete data were available for n=303 (87.1%) KIA: median Injury Severity Score 75.0 (IQR 55.5–75.0). The predominant mechanisms were improvised explosive device (n=166, 54.8%) and gunshot wound (n=96, 31.7%).

In the KIA cohort, the median time to death was 0.0 (IQR 0.0–21.8) min; 173 (57.1%) died immediately (0 min). At 10, 60 and 120 min post injury, 205 (67.7%), 277 (91.4%) and 300 (99.0%) casualties were dead, respectively. Whole body primary injury had the fastest mortality. Overall prehospital CFR improved throughout the period while in-hospital CFR remained constant.

Conclusion

Over two-thirds of KIA deaths occurred within 10 min of injury. Improvement in the CFR in Afghanistan was predominantly in the prehospital phase.
Medical students and COVID-19: the need for pandemic preparedness
Authors: O'Byrne Lorcan , Gavin Blánaid , McNicholas Fiona
Published: June 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted unprecedented global disruption. For medical schools, this has manifested as examination and curricular restructuring as well as significant changes to clinical attachments. With the available evidence suggesting that medical students’ mental health status is already poorer than that of the general population, with academic stress being a chief predictor, such changes are likely to have a significant effect on these students. In addition, there is an assumption that these students are an available resource in terms of volunteerism during a crisis. This conjecture should be questioned; however, as those engaging in such work without sufficient preparation are susceptible to moral trauma and adverse health outcomes. This, in conjunction with the likelihood of future pandemics, highlights the need for ‘pandemic preparedness’ to be embedded in the medical curriculum.
The right to know: ethical implications of antibody testing for healthcare workers and overlooked societal implications
Authors: Vakharia Kunal
Published: June 2020

After the initial surge in cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), the outbreak has been managed differently in different countries. In the USA, it has been managed in many different ways between states, cities and even counties. This disparity is slowly becoming more and more pronounced with the advent of antibody testing. Although many argue over the potential merits of antibody testing as an immunity passport to allow the economy to restart, there are other implications that stand at the heart of the bioethical debate that are often overlooked. Particularly with COVID-19, there are many uncertainties and the discourse alone of antibodies presumes misinformation that may outweigh the epidemiological benefits of antibody testing. Although this paper does not seek to eliminate antibody testing, it does highlight the need for appropriate counselling both on a personal level with each patient but on a more global level. This moral standard of appropriate education is key to allowing the continued autonomy needed during this pandemic.
Occupational exposure to whole-body vibrations and pregnancy complications: a nationwide cohort study in Sweden
Authors: Skröder Helena , Pettersson Hans , Albin Maria , Gustavsson Per , Rylander Lars , Norlén Filip , Selander Jenny
Published: June 2020

Objectives

Pregnancy complications are common contributors to perinatal mortality and morbidity. Still, the cause(s) of gestational hypertensive disorders and diabetes are largely unknown. Some occupational exposures have been inconsistently associated with pregnancy complications, but exposure to whole-body vibrations (WBV) has been largely overlooked even though it has been associated with adverse birth outcomes. Therefore, the aim was to assess whether occupational WBV exposure during pregnancy is associated with pregnancy complications in a nationwide, prospective cohort study.

Methods

The Fetal Air Pollution Exposure cohort was formed by merging multiple Swedish, national registers containing information on occupation during pregnancy and diagnosis codes, and includes all working women who gave birth between 1994 and 2014 (n=1 091 044). WBV exposure was derived from a job-exposure matrix and was divided into categories (0, 0.1–0.2, 0.3–0.4 and ≥0.5 m/s2). ORs with 95% CIs were calculated using logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders.

Results

Among women working full time (n=646 490), we found increased risks of all pregnancy complications in the highest exposure group (≥0.5 m/s2), compared with the lowest. The adjusted ORs were 1.76 (95% CI 1.41 to 2.20), 1.55 (95% CI 1.26 to 1.91) and 1.62 (95% CI 1.07 to 2.46) for preeclampsia, gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes, respectively, and were similar in all sensitivity analyses. There were no clear associations for part-time workers.

Conclusions

The results suggest that women should not be exposed to WBV at/above the action limit value of 0.5 m/s2(European directive) continuously through pregnancy. However, these results need further confirmation.
Updated constraints on superconducting cosmic strings from the astronomy of fast radio bursts
Authors: Imtiaz Batool , Shi Rui , Cai Yi-Fu
Published: June 2020

In this article we update constraints on superconducting cosmic strings (SCSs) in the light of the recent observational developments of fast radio bursts (FRBs) astronomy. Assuming strings follow an exponential distribution characterized by a current, we show that two parameters in our context, which are the characteristic tension ($$G\mu $$Gμ) and a parameter which describes the aforementioned exponential distribution ($$I_c$$Ic), can be constrained by FRB experiments. Particularly, we investigate data sets from Parkes and ASKAP. We looked at a parameter space where $$G\mu \sim [10^{-17}, 10^{-12}]$$Gμ∼[10-17,10-12] and $$I_c\sim [10^{-1}, 10^{2}]$$Ic∼[10-1,102] GeV, and found our results show that Parkes jointly with ASKAP can constrain the parameter space for SCSs.
PRODUCTIVITY CHANGES OF INSURERS: METAFRONTIER MALMQUIST PRODUCTIVITY INDEX AND A BOOTSTRAPPING APPROACH
Authors: KWEH QIAN LONG , DOWNING KEVIN , LU WEN-MIN , TING IRENE WEI KIONG
Published: June 2020

Insurance penetration rate in Malaysia is low at only between 40% and 50%. Following the government’s policy goal of increasing the rate, this study examined metafrontier Malmquist productivity index (MMPI) and drivers of the MMPI among Malaysian insurers. Over the 2009–2017 period, general insurers and life insurers were technology leaders. General insurers had progressive productivity (MMPI) on average, whereas the MMPI values of the life and general insurers and life insurers were in deterioration. Overall, long-term strategic planning and capital investment alongside government’s liberalization to increase competition in the industry are thus necessary.
Measuring Olympics Achievements via Stochastic Multicriteria Acceptability Analysis
Authors: Wang Tianjiao , Fu Yelin , Luo Hao , Yen Jerome
Published: June 2020

The lexicographic and sum ranking systems are two widely-used instruments to measure Olympics achievements. However, the lexicographic ranking system is typically criticized as overvaluing gold medals, while the sum ranking system is particularly criticized as devaluing gold medals and incapable of discriminating National Olympic Committees (NOCs) with identical total number of medals. Meanwhile, there are controversial scoring schemes to assign points to gold, silver and bronze medals. In addition, measuring Olympics achievements in either the Winter or the Summer Olympic Games is unfair to the NOCs who perform significantly different at both Olympics. These issues are addressed in this study by developing a sophisticated mathematical transformation without the exact weights determination to aggregate the lexicographic ranking system in an interval metric. An interval decision matrix is therefore formulated under the simultaneous consideration of the Winter and the Summer Olympics. A Stochastic multicriteria acceptability analysis method is finally utilized to provide a robust measurement with sufficient discriminating power. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients are calculated to indicate the merits of our method. The proposed method and relative analysis are demonstrated using the date drawn from the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
Taiji program: Gravitational-wave sources
Authors: Ruan Wen-Hong , Guo Zong-Kuan , Cai Rong-Gen , Zhang Yuan-Zhong
Published: June 2020

We review potential low-frequency gravitational-wave sources, which are expected to be detected by Taiji, a Chinese space-based gravitational-wave detector, estimate the detection rates of these gravitational-wave sources and present the parameter estimation of massive black hole binaries.