bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The landscapes of lives II: How social actors navigate dynamic action landscapes
Authors: Worthman Carol M. , Cummings Constance , Lende Daniel
Published: July 2023

Our previous companion article situated practices in a socio‐ecological framework to propose action landscapes as person‐specific fields of possible practices that are place‐ and time‐contingent. Here we expand this approach to social actors as they navigate complex, fluid social worlds to pursue meaningful lives. Embodiment, social homeostasis, and social interactions shape actors’ abilities to enact specific practices and meet adversity. The expectable range of daily demands and affordances delineates the bounds of individual social homeostasis, whence social actors evaluate experience and draw motivation for behavior in the action landscape. The dynamic interface between actor‐specific factors and cultural forces configures individual possibilities for action vis‐à‐vis their social homeostatic range. We use this model to track interactions of culture and social actor that generate diverse lives and differential well‐being or resilience and apply it to two examples, revealing factors and dynamics overlooked in current research.
Machine learning‐based classification of multiple heart disorders from PCG signals
Authors: Talal Muhammad , Aziz Sumair , Khan Muhammad Umar , Ghadi Yazeed , Naqvi Syed Zohaib Hassan , Faraz Muhammad
Published: July 2023

Timely and accurate detection and diagnosis of heart disorders is a significant problem in the medical community since the mortality rate is increasing. Pulsing of cardiac structures and blood turbulence creates heart sounds recorded and detected through Phonococardiogram (PCG). As a non‐invasive technique, PCG signals have a strong ability to be used for designing automatic classification of possible heart disorders. This paper presents an expert system design for the detection and classification of PCG signals for five classes, namely, healthy, aortic stenosis, mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation, and mitral valve prolapse. In this work, a single‐channel PCG signal is first decomposed using Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) into different modes known as intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Manual signal analysis is applied to identify the relevant IMFs to construct a preprocessed signal. We proposed an automated energy‐based signal reconstruction through IMFs. The proposed algorithms automatically identify the relevant IMFs and added them together to form a preprocessed signal. After preprocessing, the first nine features of Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) were computed and passed to several classification methods such as Fine Tree, Quadratic Discriminant, Kernel Naive Bayes, Support Vector Machines (SVM), Fine K‐Nearest Neighbours (Fine‐KNN), Ensemble Bagged Trees and Neural Network. The best performance of 99.3% accuracy was obtained via Fine‐KNN using 10‐fold cross‐validation. The proposed method was evaluated on a publicly available dataset of heart sounds. The proposed method demonstrated improved performance as compared to the existing state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Parents' coping behaviors and mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Koepp Andrew E. , Barton Jennifer M. , Berendzen Hannah M. , Rough Haley E. , Gershoff Elizabeth T.
Published: July 2023

Objective

To understand how parents of young children coped with stress during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Background

Families with young children faced substantial stress during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Yet, relatively few studies have examined parents' mental health during the pandemic and the behaviors parents have used to cope with their stress.

Method

The current study surveyed 199 parents (76% women, Mage = 33 years) of children aged 2 to 4 years from across the United States between September and December 2020 about their COVID‐related stress and coping behaviors since stay‐at‐home orders began in March 2020.

Results

The coping behavior that parents most commonly endorsed was spending time with their children, a strategy that frequently made parents feel better. Successful coping (engaging in behaviors that made parents feel better) was positively associated with better mental health, regardless of parents' COVID‐related stress. Distraction and unsuccessful coping were not significantly associated with parents' mental health as a main effect. However, parents who engaged in more unsuccessful coping under conditions of high COVID‐related stress reported greater symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Conclusion

Although the COVID‐19 pandemic presented novel stressors for parents, it also presented new opportunities to spend time with family, which may have helped parents cope with the stress of the pandemic.

Implications

Young children may be considered an asset in the family system that prompts parents to engage in activities that make them feel better.
Antioxidant activities, structure, physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of different millets (foxtail and proso)
Authors: Chang Lei , Liu Yangjin , Niu Ruimiao , Yang Qinghua , Liang Jibao , Li Rui , Zhang Rui , Yang Pu , Du Shuang‐kui
Published: July 2023

In this study, the antioxidant activities, structure, physicochemical properties and digestibility of different foxtail and proso millets were investigated. Dark‐coloured millets had lower lightness (L*) and higher total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activities than light‐coloured millets. The polygonal and spherical starch granules of millet were wrapped and attached by proteins, lipids, etc. The X‐ray diffraction patterns of millet flours exhibited A‐type, with crystallinity of 34.64%–40.98% for foxtail millets and 31.72%–40.16% for proso millets. Compared with waxy millets, non‐waxy millets were more resistant to swelling, gelatinisation and digestion, but showed a higher rate of retrogradation. Millet varieties with higher amylose content or higher TPC and TFC showed lower digestibility. These results will help to reveal the differences among millets with different types, varieties, colours and amylose content and provide theoretical guidance for their development and application.
Toward the clinical development of synthetic immunity to cancer
Authors: Garcia Julie M. , Burnett Cassandra E. , Roybal Kole T.
Published: July 2023

Synthetic biology (synbio) tools, such as chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), have been designed to target, activate, and improve immune cell responses to tumors. These therapies have demonstrated an ability to cure patients with blood cancers. However, there are significant challenges to designing, testing, and efficiently translating these complex cell therapies for patients who do not respond or have immune refractory solid tumors. The rapid progress of synbio tools for cell therapy, particularly for cancer immunotherapy, is encouraging but our development process should be tailored to increase translational success. Particularly, next‐generation cell therapies should be rooted in basic immunology, tested in more predictive preclinical models, engineered for potency with the right balance of safety, educated by clinical findings, and multi‐faceted to combat a range of suppressive mechanisms. Here, we lay out five principles for engineering future cell therapies to increase the probability of clinical impact, and in the context of these principles, we provide an overview of the current state of synbio cell therapy design for cancer. Although these principles are anchored in engineering immune cells for cancer therapy, we posit that they can help guide translational synbio research for broad impact in other disease indications with high unmet need.
Impact of obesity on catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: Patient characteristics, procedural complications, outcomes, and quality of life
Authors: Tabaja Chadi , Younis Arwa , Santageli Pasquale , Farwati Medhat , Braghieri Lorenzo , Nakagawa Hiroshi , Saliba Walid I. , Madden Ruth , Bouscher Patricia , Kanj Mohamed , Callahan Thomas D. , Martin David , Bhargava Mandeep , Chung Mina , Baranowski Bryan , Nakhla Shady , Sroubek Jakub , Lee Justin , Taigen Tyler , Wazni Oussama M. , Hussein Ayman A.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Obesity is a well‐known risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). We aim to evaluate the effect of baseline obesity on procedural complications, AF recurrence, and symptoms following catheter ablation (CA).

Methods

All consecutive patients undergoing AF ablation (2013–2021) at our center were enrolled in a prospective registry. The study included all consecutive patients with available data on body mass index (BMI). Primary endpoint was AF recurrence based on electrocardiographic documentation. Patients were categorized into five groups according to their baseline BMI. Patients survey at baseline and at follow‐up were used to calculate AF symptom severity score (AFSS) as well as AF burden (mean of AF duration score and AF frequency score; scale 0: no AF to 10: continuous and 9 frequencies/durations in between). Patients were scheduled for follow‐up visits with 12‐lead electrocardiogram at 3, 6, and 12 months after ablation, and every 6 months thereafter.

Results

A total of 5841 patients were included (17% normal weight, 34% overweight, 27% Class I, 13% Class II, and 9% Class III obesity). Major procedural complications were low (1.5%) among all BMI subgroups. At 3 years AF recurrence was the highest in Class III obesity patients (48%) followed by Class II (43%), whereas Class I, normal, and overweight had similar results with lower recurrence (35%). In multivariable analyses, Class III obesity (BMI ≥ 40) was independently associated with increased risk for AF recurrence (hazard ratio, 1.30; confidence interval, 1.06–1.60; p = .01), whereas other groups had similar risk in comparison to normal weight. Baseline AFSS was lowest in normal weight, and highest in Obesity‐III, median (interquartile range) 10 (5–16) versus 15 (10–21). In all groups, CA resulted in a significant improvement in their AFSS with a similar magnitude among the groups. At follow‐up, AF burden was minimal and did not differ significantly between the groups.

Conclusion

AF ablation is safe with a low complication rate across all BMI groups. Morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40) was significantly associated with reduced AF ablation success. However, ablation resulted in improvement in QoL including reduction of the AFSS, and AF burden regardless of BMI.
“Function follows form”: Role of cardiac magnetic resonance for ventricular arrhythmia risk stratification in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis
Authors: Magnocavallo Michele , Vetta Giampaolo , Polselli Marco , Cauti Filippo Maria , Parlavecchio Antonio , Caminiti Rodolfo , Crea Pasquale , Pannone Luigi , Sorgente Antonio , Chimenti Cristina , Chierchia Gian‐Battista , Rossi Pietro , Natale Andrea , de Asmundis Carlo , Bianchi Stefano , Della Rocca Domenico G.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Cardiac involvement is common and may become clinically relevant in approximately 5%–10% of patients with systemic sarcoidosis. Although reduced left ventricular ejection fraction is a recognized predictor of mortality, recent studies have suggested an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmia (VAs) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) and evidence of late gadolinium enhancement‐cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE‐CMR), irrespective of the underlying left ventricular systolic function. We performed a meta‐analysis to assess the correlation between VAs/SCD and presence of LGE‐CMR in CS patients.

Methods

We systematically searched Medline, Embase, and Cochrane electronic databases up to January 2, 2023, for studies enrolling patients with suspected or confirmed CS undergoing LGE‐CMR. Clinical outcomes of interest included clinically relevant VAs, defined as sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, SCD, or aborted SCD during follow‐up. The effect size was estimated using a random‐effect model as risk ratio (RR) and relative 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

A total of 14 studies fulfilled the selection criteria and were included in the final analysis. Among 1273 patients, LGE was detected in 465 (36.5%; Group LGE+). Males accounted for 45.2% (95% CI: 40.5%–55.7%) of the total population and the average age was 56.8 (95% CI: 52.7%–60.9) years. A total of 104 (22.3%) of 465 LGE+ patients experienced a clinically relevant VA, compared to 6 (0.7%) of 808 LGE‐ ones. LGE+ was associated with a ninefold increased risk in life‐threatening VAs (22.3% vs. 0.7%; RR = 9.52; 95% CI [5.18–17.49]; p < .0001) compared to patients without LGE (heterogeneity I2 = 0%).

Conclusion

In our meta‐analysis, LGE+ in patients with CS was associated with a ninefold increased risk in life‐threatening VAs compared to patients without LGE.
Hyaluronan hydrates and compartmentalises the CNS/PNS extracellular matrix and provides niche environments conducive to the optimisation of neuronal activity
Authors: Melrose James
Published: July 2023

The central nervous system/peripheral nervous system (CNS/PNS) extracellular matrix is a dynamic and highly interactive space‐filling, cell‐supportive, matrix‐stabilising, hydrating entity that creates and maintains tissue compartments to facilitate regional ionic micro‐environments and micro‐gradients that promote optimal neural cellular activity. The CNS/PNS does not contain large supportive collagenous and elastic fibrillar networks but is dominated by a high glycosaminoglycan content, predominantly hyaluronan (HA) and collagen is restricted to the brain microvasculature, blood–brain barrier, neuromuscular junction and meninges dura, arachnoid and pia mater. Chondroitin sulphate‐rich proteoglycans (lecticans) interactive with HA have stabilising roles in perineuronal nets and contribute to neural plasticity, memory and cognitive processes. Hyaluronan also interacts with sialoproteoglycan associated with cones and rods (SPACRCAN) to stabilise the interphotoreceptor matrix and has protective properties that ensure photoreceptor viability and function is maintained. HA also regulates myelination/re‐myelination in neural networks. HA fragmentation has been observed in white matter injury, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury. HA fragments (2 × 105 Da) regulate oligodendrocyte precursor cell maturation, myelination/remyelination, and interact with TLR4 to initiate signalling cascades that mediate myelin basic protein transcription. HA and its fragments have regulatory roles over myelination which ensure high axonal neurotransduction rates are maintained in neural networks. Glioma is a particularly invasive brain tumour with extremely high mortality rates. HA, CD44 and RHAMM (receptor for HA‐mediated motility) HA receptors are highly expressed in this tumour. Conventional anti‐glioma drug treatments have been largely ineffective and surgical removal is normally not an option. CD44 and RHAMM glioma HA receptors can potentially be used to target gliomas with PEP‐1, a cell‐penetrating HA‐binding peptide. PEP‐1 can be conjugated to a therapeutic drug; such drug conjugates have successfully treated dense non‐operative tumours in other tissues, therefore similar applications warrant exploration as potential anti‐glioma treatments.

image
Short‐term brain atrophy evolution after initiation of immunotherapy in a real‐world multiple sclerosis cohort
Authors: Nold Ann‐Kathrin , Wittayer Matthias , Weber Claudia E. , Platten Michael , Gass Achim , Eisele Philipp
Published: July 2023

Background and Purpose

In multiple sclerosis (MS), brain atrophy measurements have emerged as an important biomarker reflecting neurodegeneration and disability progression. However, due to several potential confounders, investigation of brain atrophy in clinical routine and even in controlled clinical studies can be challenging. The aim of this study was to investigate the short‐term dynamics of brain atrophy development after initiation of disease‐modifying therapy (DMT) in a “real‐world setting.”

Methods

In this retrospective study, we included MS patients starting DMT (natalizumab, fingolimod, dimethyl fumarate, or interferon‐ß1a) or without DMT, availability of a baseline MRI, and two annual follow‐up scans on the same MRI system. Two‐timepoint percentage brain volume changes (PBVCs) were calculated.

Results

Fifty‐five MS patients (12 patients starting DMT with natalizumab, 7 fingolimod, 14 dimethyl fumarate, 11 interferon‐ß1a, and 11 patients without DMT) were included. We found the highest PBVCs in the first 12 months after initiation of natalizumab treatment. Furthermore, the PBVCs in our study were very much comparable to the results observed by other groups, as well as for fingolimod, dimethyl fumarate, and interferon‐ß1a.

Conclusion

We found PBVCs that are comparable to the results of previous studies, suggesting that brain atrophy, assessed on 3D MRI data sets acquired on the same 3T MRI, provides a robust MS biomarker.
Feasibility of the McIntyre audit tool for haemodialysis nurses
Authors: McIntyre David , McGuire Amanda , Bonner Ann
Published: July 2023

Background

Nurse‐sensitive indicators (NSI) assess the quality of nursing care provided to patients. These indicators assess the structures (supportive measures), processes (nursing actions) and outcomes of care. The McIntyre Audit Tool (MAT) was developed to measure haemodialysis NSIs.

Objectives

The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and utility of the MAT in measuring haemodialysis NSIs in clinical practice.

Design

Multisite nonrandomized feasibility study.

Participants

A convenience sample of nurses (n = 30) were recruited from two haemodialysis units in Australia.

Measurements

Participants completed the MAT once daily for 1 week, to measure the extent the clinical indicators were being met. Feasibility data including utility and acceptability of the tool was collected once from each participant. Data were analysed descriptively.

Results

Participants completed a total of 97 audits. Results revealed the majority of structural (75%) and process indicators (73%) were being achieved although some variation between sites was observed. Results for the outcome indicators showed more variation (5.9%–94.1). Feasibility results found most nurses (79%) took <5 min to complete the MAT and found the tool easy to use (91.7%). Most participants (83.3%) reported audits could be completed during a shift and auditing was easily implemented (79.2%).

Conclusion

Use of the MAT in clinical practice is a feasible and acceptable way of auditing the quality of haemodialysis nursing practice. The tool could be used to establish minimum standards and improve the quality of nursing care in haemodialysis units, also enabling benchmarking between services.
Comparative proteomics of vesicles essential for the egress of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes from red blood cells
Authors: Sassmannshausen Juliane , Bennink Sandra , Distler Ute , Küchenhoff Juliane , Minns Allen M. , Lindner Scott E. , Burda Paul‐Christian , Tenzer Stefan , Gilberger Tim W. , Pradel Gabriele
Published: July 2023

Transmission of malaria parasites to the mosquito is mediated by sexual precursor cells, the gametocytes. Upon entering the mosquito midgut, the gametocytes egress from the enveloping erythrocyte while passing through gametogenesis. Egress follows an inside‐out mode during which the membrane of the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) ruptures prior to the erythrocyte membrane. Membrane rupture requires exocytosis of specialized egress vesicles of the parasites; that is, osmiophilic bodies (OBs) involved in rupturing the PV membrane, and vesicles that harbor the perforin‐like protein PPLP2 (here termed P‐EVs) required for erythrocyte lysis. While some OB proteins have been identified, like G377 and MDV1/Peg3, the majority of egress vesicle‐resident proteins is yet unknown. Here, we used high‐resolution imaging and BioID methods to study the two egress vesicle types in Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes. We show that OB exocytosis precedes discharge of the P‐EVs and that exocytosis of the P‐EVs, but not of the OBs, is calcium sensitive. Both vesicle types exhibit distinct proteomes with the majority of proteins located in the OBs. In addition to known egress‐related proteins, we identified novel components of OBs and P‐EVs, including vesicle‐trafficking proteins. Our data provide insight into the immense molecular machinery required for the inside‐out egress of P. falciparum gametocytes.
State making or state breaking?’ Crisis, COVID‐19 and the constitution in Belgium, Spain and the United Kingdom
Authors: Anderson Paul , Swan Coree Brown , Ferreira Carles , Sijstermans Judith
Published: July 2023

As the first cases of COVID‐19 emerged in Belgium, Spain and the United Kingdom, they did so against a backdrop of heightened constitutional contestation. Capturing the period January 2020 to December 2021 which included three waves of the pandemic in each state and the delivery of vaccines, this article examines how state and sub‐state nationalists articulated their constitutional preferences and territorial claims in the pandemic period. We particularly explore whether the crisis changed state and sub‐state nationalists' territorial demands and how it was used to advance or bolster their territorial aspirations. We find that whilst the pandemic entailed an amplification of extant frames in favour of state dissolution and state integrity, the frames remained, broadly, similar between the pre‐pandemic and pandemic period, suggesting that sub‐state and state nationalist actors stick to a similar playbook, even at moments of profound crisis.
Plasticity in growth is genetically variable and highly conserved across spatial scales in a Mediterranean pine
Authors: de la Mata Raul , Zas Rafael
Published: July 2023

Phenotypic plasticity is a main mechanism for sessile organisms to cope with changing environments. Plasticity is genetically based and can evolve under natural selection so that populations within a species show distinct phenotypic responses to environment. An important question that remains elusive is whether the intraspecific variation in plasticity at different spatial scales is independent from each other.

To test whether variation in plasticity to macro‐ and micro‐environmental variation is related among each other, we used growth data of 25Pinus pinasterpopulations established in seven field common gardens in NW Spain. Phenotypic plasticity to macro‐environmental variation was estimated across test sites while plasticity to micro‐environmental variation was estimated by using semivariography and kriging for modeling within‐site heterogeneity.

We provide empirical evidence of among‐population variation in the magnitude of plastic responses to both micro‐ and macro‐environmental variation. Importantly, we found that such responses were positively correlated across spatial scales.

Selection for plasticity at one scale of environmental variation may impact the expression of plasticity at other scales, having important consequences on the ability of populations to buffer climate change. These results improve our understanding of the ecological drivers underlying the expression of phenotypic plasticity.
Testing the effects of banking development, economic growth and foreign direct investment on renewable energy in South Africa
Authors: Samour Ahmed , Ali Mumtaz , Abdullah Hariem , Moyo Delani , Tursoy Turgut
Published: July 2023

The world's climate‐related policies need to be revised to combat environmental issues. Therefore, adopting renewable energy technologies in conjunction with energy efficiency measures are needed to make safe pathways to reduce over 90% of energy related CO2. In this context, this study intends to assess the influence of foreign direct investment (FDI), economic growth, and banking and development on renewable energy consumption in South Africa from 1970 to 2020. The study uses a novel ‘bootstrap Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL)’ testing to empirically analyse the short and long links among the tested variables. The ARDL estimations demonstrate a FDI and economic growth have positive effect on renewable energy consumption. Furthermore, the outcomes reveal that banking sector development affects positively renewable energy use in long run. Therefore, it is suggested that government and playmakers of South Africa must make more efforts to link the economic and baking development with renewable energy by investing capital and funds in renewable energy infrastructure. It will not only boost the economy of the country but also provide an opportunity to clean and green the environment with decreasing rate of greenhouse gases emission like carbon dioxide.
The evolutionary origin of the durophagous pelagic stingray ecomorph
Authors: Marramà Giuseppe , Villalobos‐Segura Eduardo , Zorzin Roberto , Kriwet Jürgen , Carnevale Giorgio
Published: July 2023

Studies of the origin of evolutionary novelties (novel traits, feeding modes, behaviours, ecological niches, etc.) have considered a number of taxa experimenting with new body plans, allowing them to occupy new habitats and exploit new trophic resources. In the marine realm, colonization of pelagic environments by marine fishes occurred recurrently through time. Stingrays (Myliobatiformes) are a diverse clade of batoid fishes commonly known to possess venomous tail stings. Current hypotheses suggest that stingrays experimented with a transition from a benthic to a pelagic/benthopelagic habitat coupled with a transition from a non‐durophagous diet to extreme durophagy. However, there is no study detailing macroevolutionary patterns to understand how and when habitat shift and feeding specialization arose along their evolutionary history. A new exquisitely preserved fossil stingray from the Eocene Konservat‐Lagerstätte of Bolca (Italy) exhibits a unique mosaic of plesiomorphic features of the rajobenthic ecomorph, and derived traits of aquilopelagic taxa, that helps to clarify the evolutionary origin of durophagy and pelagic lifestyle in stingrays. A scenario of early evolution of the aquilopelagic ecomorph is proposed based on new data, and the possible adaptive meaning of the observed evolutionary changes is discussed. The body plan of †Dasyomyliobatis thomyorkei gen. et sp. nov. is intermediate between the rajobenthic and more derived aquilopelagic stingrays, supporting its stem phylogenetic position and the hypothesis that the aquilopelagic body plan arose in association with the evolution of durophagy and pelagic lifestyle from a benthic, soft‐prey feeder ancestor.
Differences in efficacy and safety between intrathecal infusion devices in cancer pain
Authors: Díaz‐Rodríguez Diego , Fontán‐Atalaya Isabel M. , Peralta‐Espinosa Estefanía , Fernández‐Torres Bartolomé
Published: July 2023

Background

Intrathecal infusion therapy is widely accepted for cancer pain patients when conventional analgesic treatments are not sufficient. There are different types of devices for carrying out this therapy: partially externalized devices (PED), used when life expectancy is under 3 months, and totally implanted devices (TID), when it is larger. Our objective is to compare the efficacy, functionality, and complication rate in both types.

Methods

We included 132 patients with mild–severe cancer pain, treated with intrathecal infusion therapy by fixed flow devices, PED, or TID, during the study time. Demographic, physical oncologic, and pain control data of the patients were recorded prior to starting therapy and at months 1, 3, and 6. Functionality status and complications were also collected from the patient's medical records and clinical files.

Results

Pain control improved after starting therapy, with an overall reduction of 4.75 points in VAS score at 1 month in the both groups, without significant differences between them, keeping it at 3 months and 6. 33.3% of the patients developed complications and were more frequent in the PED group, being catheter dislocation the most common. Patients with TID required more often hospital admission to solve the complication.

Conclusions

Intrathecal infusion therapy has been shown to be a very effective and safe therapy for the treatment of moderate to severe oncologic pain. There are no significant differences between PED and TID in terms of degree of pain control, therapeutic success, efficacy on episodic or nocturnal pain, or the presence of serious complications.
Resistance that stacks up: engineering rust and mildew disease control in the cereal crops wheat and barley
Authors: Dracatos Peter M. , Lu Jing , Sánchez‐Martín Javier , Wulff Brande B.H.
Published: July 2023

Staying ahead of the arms race against rust and mildew diseases in cereal crops is essential to maintain and preserve food security. The methodological challenges associated with conventional resistance breeding are major bottlenecks for deploying resistance (R) genes in high‐yielding crop varieties. Advancements in our knowledge of plant genomes, structural mechanisms, innovations in bioinformatics, and improved plant transformation techniques have alleviated this bottleneck by permitting rapid gene isolation, functional studies, directed engineering of synthetic resistance and precise genome manipulation in elite crop cultivars. Most cloned cereal R genes encode canonical immune receptors which, on their own, are prone to being overcome through selection for resistance‐evading pathogenic strains. However, the increasingly large repertoire of cloned R genes permits multi‐gene stacking that, in principle, should provide longer‐lasting resistance. This review discusses how these genomics‐enabled developments are leading to new breeding and biotechnological opportunities to achieve durable rust and powdery mildew control in cereals.
Policy coherence for the protection of water resources against agricultural pollution in the EU and Norway
Authors: Platjouw Froukje Maria , Nesheim Ingrid , Enge Caroline
Published: July 2023

Throughout the European Union (EU), agricultural practices contribute significantly to the pollution of water resources by nitrates, phosphorus and pesticides. This article sheds light on the degree of horizontal legal coherence between the main EU legal and policy instruments applicable to the protection of water resources from agricultural pollution. After identifying key coherence challenges at the EU level, the article thoroughly assesses the regulatory and governance approach in Norway. The key question is how certain EU‐level coherence challenges could be mitigated at a national level through mechanisms aimed at facilitating cross‐sectoral coordination and policy coherence. Three types of mechanisms have been selected for this purpose: (i) legal mechanisms, including cross‐referencing and joint institutional responsibility for implementation; (ii) the establishment of platforms for cross‐sectoral policy coordination or actor participation; and (iii) the establishment of monitoring and reporting processes that ensure access to information and data sharing.
Accounting for Non‐Marketed capital
Authors: Cairns Robert D. , Davis Graham A.
Published: July 2023

Intangible capital is a key input to production that is distinct from tangible capital. Most forms of tangible and intangible capital have observable, pecuniary values. Their complement is non‐marketed capital. This paper studies non‐marketed capital from the points of view of an investor contemplating investing in a project and of a manager running the project. At the point of investment, an apparent positive net present value is realized through the marshalling of non‐marketed capital. When capital is viewed all‐inclusively, a full accounting reveals that (1) optimally timing investment serves to maximize the value of the non‐marketed capital eventually associated with an investment project, (2) the “full” net present value at investment is zero, (3) the internal rate of return is identically equal to the external interest rate, (4) Tobin's q is identically equal to one, and (5) marginal analysis is inapplicable to non‐marketed capital and thus to all capital.
Barriers to routine dental care for children with special health care needs
Authors: Star Jean Marie , Flores Alain , Leyva Erick , Foertsch Christopher
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The aim of this mixed method study was to identify barriers for children with special health care needs (SHCN) to receiving routine preventive dental care following restorative dental care with general anesthesia (GA).

Methods

Electronic health records were reviewed for inclusion criteria and demographic data. Caregivers of children with SHCN were contacted to participate in qualitative interviews. Interview topics explored child, family, and community level influences to accessing routine dental care. Qualitative analysis identified key themes of barriers and enablers to care.

Results

A total of 1708 children received dental care with GA during the 2‐year study period, of which 498 (29.16%) had a diagnosis of a SHCN. The most common type of SHCN was neurodevelopmental disorders (28.51%). The mean age at time of GA was 8.6 years. Fifty caregivers completed interviews. Identified barriers to obtaining routine dental care included child stress/anxiety, finding an accepting provider, dismissive providers, and proximity of provider/transportation to dental care. Enablers to obtaining care included effective behavior management, continuity of provider/care, positive provider attitude, and referral to an accepting provider.

Conclusion

Adequately trained and local providers with an accepting attitude are essential to enabling children with SHCN to obtain equitable access to routine dental care.
Disordered eating in a 10‐year perspective from adolescence to young adulthood: Stability, change, and body dissatisfaction as a predictor
Authors: Foster Lo , Lundh Lars‐Gunnar , Daukantaité Daiva
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Although there are many studies of disordered eating (DE) in adolescence, studies examining the longitudinal stability and change of DE and its longitudinal associations with other factors are still rather scarce. Such studies are important to inform parents and clinicians how stable DE is and to what extent it will go away with increased maturity. Longitudinal studies may also be of help in establishing predictors of long‐term problems. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the stability of DE over a 10‐year period from early adolescence to young adulthood, and to explore body dissatisfaction as a predictor in a 10‐year perspective.

Methods

Data were taken from a three‐wave longitudinal project (SoL) with survey data collected among the students in Grades 7and 8 in a Swedish municipality in 2007 (T1), 1 year later (T2), and in a 10‐year follow‐up in 2017 (T3). DE was measured by the eight‐item version of the Risk Behaviour Related to Eating Disorders (RiBED‐8), and a quasi‐clinical criterion of six or more critical answers on the RiBED‐8 was used to classify DE cases.

Results

Of the girls, 5.8% passed the cutoff for DE at T1, whereas 9.1% did so at T2 and 7.9% at T3. The boys showed markedly lower figures: 0.5% both at T1 and T2, and 1.5% at T3. There was significant individual stability of DE over the 10‐year period, with almost 30% of the girls who passed the cutoff for DE at T1 also doing so 10 years later. Body dissatisfaction in early adolescence predicted the incidence of new cases of DE 10 years later, even when controlling for degree of DE in early adolescence. The results also indicate that DE in early adolescence may be a passing phase among adolescents who express relatively high body satisfaction.

Conclusions

The present results show a complex picture of different individual trajectories of DE, with degree of body satisfaction playing a significant role for the outcome in a 10‐year perspective. Body dissatisfaction appears to be a risk factor for the development of new cases of DE, whereas body satisfaction may protect against the continuation of DE into adulthood.
Perceived COVID‐induced racism and contextual predictors of fear and psychological distress among Black men
Authors: Li K. Colin , Cipollina Rebecca , Sanchez Diana T.
Published: July 2023

The present study examined if Black men's perceptions of COVID‐induced racism (i.e., the extent to which racism increased during the beginning months of the COVID‐19 pandemic) were associated with their reported fear of COVID‐19 and psychological distress. Self‐report COVID‐related variables and psychological distress data from 231 Black men in the U.S. were analyzed alongside archival percentages of confirmed cases and deaths by participants' county at the time of participation. Hierarchical regressions identified perceptions of COVID‐induced racism as a significant predictor of Black men's psychological distress over and above contextual (e.g., county‐level COVID‐19 case %) and individual‐level predictors (i.e., perceived race‐related infection risk and self‐reported COVID‐related stressful life events). This work contributes to the growing literature on health inequities during the COVID‐19 pandemic with a snapshot of Black men's experiences during the COVID‐19 and racism pandemics of 2020 in the U.S.
Species of the cyprinid genusGarrain Mount Kenya, East Africa: Species delineation, taxonomy and historical biogeography
Authors: Cao Liang , Nyingi Wanja Dorothy , Bart Jr Henry L. , Zhang E
Published: July 2023

The cyprinid genusGarrais so far represented in Mount Kenya streams by a single species, but which species it should be referred to as remains yet to be determined. Molecular phylogenetic analysis ofGarraspecies from the mountain is still lacking. Here, an integrative analysis, based on morphological and molecular data, unravelled the hidden species diversity ofGarrafrom Mount Kenya. In mitochondrial genes‐based trees, samples formerly identified asGarra dembeensisfrom the mountain nested into three distinct lineages that were distantly allied to the lineage constituted by topotypical samples of the species; the three lineages are morphologically distinguishable, and thus represent three distinct species:Garra hindiiand two undescribed species, herein named asGarra alticaudasp. nov. andGarra minibarbatasp. nov., respectively, from the Mara River and the Ragati River of the mid‐upper Tana River basin. The phylogeographic pattern of the three species is incongruent with the present‐day basin pattern of Mount Kenya. The allopatry of the paired speciesG. alticaudaandG. hindiipoints to river piracy ever incurring between the upper Ewaso Ngiro River and the middle Tana River basin in Mount Kenya. Besides, the molecular phylogenetic analysis of sampled AfricanGarraspecies in this study, based on a broad set of sequences, provides evidence in support for the existing hypothesis of Asia‐to‐Africa biodispersal via the Arabian Peninsula to the Horn of Africa.
Measurements of He-Ar, He-N2, and He-air thermal creep slip and accommodation coefficients at high temperatures
Authors: Wilson Jason , Walton Kyle L. , Tipton Earl L. , Ghosh Tushar K. , Tompson Robert V. , Loyalka Sudarshan K.
Published: July 2023

Understanding gas flows in capillaries has many applications in modeling the transport of gases in nano-structured, porous, or fractured media. A network of capillaries can often approximate these media, and also information on gas-surface interactions obtained from capillary experiments can be used for modeling flows in these media. Experimental data on flows of different mixtures of He-Ar, He-N2, and He-air in the slip regime and in stainless steel capillaries at high temperatures were obtained by using a two-bulb apparatus. An accurate expression for the thermal creep slip coefficients with the Lennard-Jones potential parameters and diffuse-specular reflection gas-surface interaction conditions were then used to obtain the accommodation coefficients for the different gases. The experimental data are best described with values of accommodation coefficients in the range of 0.1–0.3 for He and 0.5–1.0 for Ar, N2, and air. The use of values in this range is suggested for modeling gaseous flows in capillaries and nano-structured, porous, or fractured media if other direct measured values for a particular medium are unavailable.
Loss of metabolic fitness drives tumor resistance after CAR-NK cell therapy and can be overcome by cytokine engineering
Authors: Li Li , Mohanty Vakul , Dou Jinzhuang , Huang Yuefan , Banerjee Pinaki P. , Miao Qi , Lohr Jens G. , Vijaykumar Tushara , Frede Julia , Knoechel Birgit , Muniz-Feliciano Luis , Laskowski Tamara J. , Liang Shaoheng , Moyes Judy S. , Nandivada Vandana , Basar Rafet , Kaplan Mecit , Daher May , Liu Enli , Li Ye , Acharya Sunil , Lin Paul , Shanley Mayra , Rafei Hind , Marin David , Mielke Stephan , Champlin Richard E. , Shpall Elizabeth J. , Chen Ken , Rezvani Katayoun
Published: July 2023

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineering of natural killer (NK) cells is promising, with early-phase clinical studies showing encouraging responses. However, the transcriptional signatures that control the fate of CAR-NK cells after infusion and factors that influence tumor control remain poorly understood. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing and mass cytometry to study the heterogeneity of CAR-NK cells and their in vivo evolution after adoptive transfer, from the phase of tumor control to relapse. Using a preclinical model of noncurative lymphoma and samples from a responder and a nonresponder patient treated with CAR19/IL-15 NK cells, we observed the emergence of NK cell clusters with distinct patterns of activation, function, and metabolic signature associated with different phases of in vivo evolution and tumor control. Interaction with the highly metabolically active tumor resulted in loss of metabolic fitness in NK cells that could be partly overcome by incorporation of IL-15 in the CAR construct.
Seafloor hydrothermal systems control long-term changes in seawater [Li
+
]: Evidence from fluid inclusions
Authors: Weldeghebriel Mebrahtu F. , Lowenstein Tim K.
Published: July 2023

Secular variations in the major ion chemistry and isotopic composition of seawater on multimillion-year time scales are well documented, but the causes of these changes are debated. Fluid inclusions in marine halite indicate that the Li concentration in seawater [Li
+
]
SW
declined sevenfold over the past 150 million years (Ma) from ~184 μmol/kg H
2
O at 150 Ma ago to 27 μmol/kg H
2
O today. Modeling of the lithium geochemical cycle shows that the decrease in [Li
+
]
SW
was controlled chiefly by long-term decreases in ocean crust production rates and mid-ocean ridge and ridge flank hydrothermal fluxes without requiring changes in continental weathering fluxes. The decrease in [Li
+
]
SW
parallels the 150 Ma increase in seawater Mg
2+
/Ca
2+
and
87
Sr/
86
Sr, and the change from calcite to aragonite seas, KCl to MgSO
4
evaporites, and greenhouse to icehouse climates, all of which point to the importance of plate tectonic activity in regulating the composition of Earth’s hydrosphere and atmosphere.
Hemispherically asymmetric Hadley cell response to CO
2
removal
Authors: Kim Seo-Yeon , Choi Yeong-Ju , Son Seok-Woo , Grise Kevin M. , Staten Paul W. , An Soon-Il , Yeh Sang-Wook , Kug Jong-Seong , Min Seung-Ki , Shin Jongsoo
Published: July 2023

A poleward shift of the Hadley cell (HC) edge in a warming climate, which contributes to the expansion of drought-prone subtropical regions, has been widely documented. The question addressed here is whether this shift is reversible with CO
2
removal. By conducting large-ensemble experiments where CO
2
concentrations are systematically increased and then decreased to the present-day level, we show that the poleward-shifted HC edge in a warming climate does not return to its present-day state when CO
2
concentrations are reduced. While the Southern Hemisphere HC edge remains poleward of its present-day state, the Northern Hemisphere HC edge ends up farther equatorward of its present-day state. Such hemispherically asymmetric HC edge changes are closely associated with the changes in vertical wind shear in the subtropical atmosphere, which result from the long adjustment time of the ocean response to CO
2
removal. Our findings suggest that CO
2
removal may not guarantee the recovery of the subtropical dryness associated with the HC changes.
Insights into the genetic histories and lifeways of Machu Picchu’s occupants
Authors: Salazar Lucy , Burger Richard , Forst Janine , Barquera Rodrigo , Nesbitt Jason , Calero Jorge , Washburn Eden , Verano John , Zhu Kimberly , Sop Korey , Kassadjikova Kalina , Ibarra Asencios Bebel , Davidson Roberta , Bradley Brenda , Krause Johannes , Fehren-Schmitz Lars
Published: July 2023

Machu Picchu originally functioned as a palace within the estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti between ~1420 and 1532 CE. Before this study, little was known about the people who lived and died there, where they came from or how they were related to the inhabitants of the Inca capital of Cusco. We generated genome-wide data for 34 individuals buried at Machu Picchu who are believed to have been retainers or attendants assigned to serve the Inca royal family, as well as 34 individuals from Cusco for comparative purposes. When the ancient DNA results are contextualized using historical and archaeological data, we conclude that the retainer population at Machu Picchu was highly heterogeneous with individuals exhibiting genetic ancestries associated with groups from throughout the Inca Empire and Amazonia. The results suggest a diverse retainer community at Machu Picchu in which people of different genetic backgrounds lived, reproduced, and were interred together.
Earliest systematic coal exploitation for fuel extended to ~3600 B.P.
Authors: Qiu Menghan , Liu Ruiliang , Li Xingyuan , Du Linyao , Ruan Qiurong , Pollard A. Mark , Zhang Shanjia , Yuan Xiao , Liu Fengwen , Li Gang , Li Gaojun , Jiao Zhimin , Luo Jiaming , Chen Shengqian , Yang Xiaoyan , Wang Yongqiang , Han Jianye , Chen Fahu , Dong Guanghui
Published: July 2023

Coal has long fueled human civilizations. The history of systematic coal fuel exploitation has been traced back to the late third millennium before present (post-2500 B.P.). Although sporadic combustion of coal for fuel was reported in some prehistoric archaeological sites, evidence for the systematic exploitation of coal for fuel before 2500 B.P. remains lacking. Here, we report comprehensive understanding for the earliest systematic exploitation of coal for fuel at the Jirentaigoukou site in Xinjiang, northwestern China, at ~3600 B.P. The main body of the site witnessed systematic exploitation of bituminous coals, illustrating a complete chaîne opératoire with selective mining, planned storage, and extensive combustion. Our results transform the knowledge of energy history by extending the upper limit of the systematic exploitation of coal for fuel by approximately a millennium, and provide a precedent of energy transition under intense conflict between social demand and environmental deterioration.
RNase H genes cause distinct impacts on RNA:DNA hybrid formation and mutagenesis genome wide
Authors: Schroeder Jeremy W. , Hurto Rebecca L. , Randall Justin R. , Wozniak Katherine J. , Timko Taylor A. , Nye Taylor M. , Wang Jue D. , Freddolino Peter L. , Simmons Lyle A.
Published: July 2023

RNA:DNA hybrids compromise replication fork progression and genome integrity in all cells. The overall impacts of naturally occurring RNA:DNA hybrids on genome integrity, and the relative contributions of ribonucleases H to mitigating the negative effects of hybrids, remain unknown. Here, we investigate the contributions of RNases HII (RnhB) and HIII (RnhC) to hybrid removal, DNA replication, and mutagenesis genome wide. Deletion of eitherrnhBorrnhCtriggers RNA:DNA hybrid accumulation but with distinct patterns of mutagenesis and hybrid accumulation. Across all cells, hybrids accumulate strongly in noncoding RNAs and 5′-UTRs of coding sequences. For ΔrnhB, hybrids accumulate preferentially in untranslated regions and early in coding sequences. We show that hybrid accumulation is particularly sensitive to gene expression in ΔrnhCcells. DNA replication in ΔrnhCcells is disrupted, leading to transversions and structural variation. Our results resolve the outstanding question of how hybrids in native genomic contexts cause mutagenesis and shape genome organization.