bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phantom assessment of three-dimensional geometric distortion of a dedicated wide-bore MR-simulator for radiotherapy
Authors: Law Max W K , Yuan Jing , Wong Oilei O L , Ding Abby Y , Zhou Yihang , Cheung Kin Y , Yu Siu K
Published: December 2021

This study evaluated the machine-dependent three-dimensional geometric distortion images acquired from a 1.5T 700 mm-wide bore MR-simulator based on a large geometric accuracy phantom. With the consideration of radiation therapy (RT) application requirements, every sequence was examined in various combinations of acquisition-orientations and receiver-bandwidths with console-integrated distortion correction enabled. Distortion was repeatedly measured over a six-month period. The distortion measured from the images acquired at the beginning of this period was employed to retrospectively correct the distortion in the subsequent acquisitions. Geometric distortion was analyzed within the largest field-of-view allowed. Six sequences were examined for comprehensive distortion analysis—VIBE, SPACE, TSE, FLASH, BLADE and PETRA. Based on optimal acquisition parameters, their diameter-sphere-volumes (DSVs) of CT-comparable geometric fidelity (where 1 mm distortion was allowed) were 333.6 mm, 315.1 mm, 316.0 mm, 318.9 mm, 306.2 mm and 314.5 mm respectively. This was a significant increase from 254.0 mm, 245.5 mm, 228.9 mm, 256.6 mm, 230.8 mm and 254.2 mm DSVs respectively, when images were acquired using un-optimized parameters. The longitudinal stability of geometric distortion and the efficacy of retrospective correction of console-corrected images, based on prior distortion measurements, were inspected using VIBE and SPACE. The retrospectively corrected images achieved over 500 mm DSVs with 1 mm distortion allowed. The median distortion was below 1 mm after retrospective correction, proving that obtaining prior distortion map for subsequent retrospective distortion correction is beneficial. The systematic evaluation of distortion using various combinations of sequence-type, acquisition-orientation and receiver-bandwidth in a six-month time span would be a valuable guideline for optimizing sequence for various RT applications.
Heat transfer simulation in laser irradiated retinal tissues
Authors: Truong Linh T D , Lesniewski Peter J , Wedding A Bruce
Published: December 2021

A realistic model of human retinal tissues to simulate thermal performance of optical laser photocoagulation therapy is presented. The key criteria to validate the treatment effectiveness is to ensure the photocoagulation temperature between 60 and 70 °C is reached in the treatment region of interest. The model presented consists of truncated volumes of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and adjacent retinal tissues. Two cases of choroid pigmentation are modelled to signify extreme cases of human eye difference: albino and dark colour choroid pigmentation. Conditions for consistent heating over the irradiated treatment spot is modelled for laser beams with different intensity profiles: ‘top-hat’, Gaussian and ‘donut’ modes. The simulation considers both uniform heating within retinal tissue layers and spatial intensity decay due to absorption along the direction of laser propagation. For a 500 μm spot, pulse length 100 ms and incident power to the cornea of 200 mW, realistic spatial variation in heating results in peak temperatures increasing within the RPE and shifting towards the choroid in the case of choroidal pigmentation. Finite element analysis methodology, where heat transfer theory governs the temperature evolution throughout tissues peripheral to the irradiated RPE is used to determine the zone of therapeutic benefit. While a TEM01 donut mode beam produces lower peak temperatures in the RPE for a given incident laser power, it reduces the volume of retinal tissue reaching excessive temperatures and maximises the zone of therapeutic benefit. Described are simulation limitations, boundary conditions, grid size and mesh growth factor required for realistic simulation.
A new cure kinetics model to simulate thermomechanical behavior of polymeric sealants for automotive applications
Authors: Choi Jae-Hyuk , Shim Wonbo , Rhie Chul Hong , Yu Woong-Ryeol
Published: December 2021

Accurate prediction of the cure level of thermoset polymers is essential to simulate the thermomechanical behavior of polymeric thermoset sealants, which is strongly dependent on cure level. Conventional cure kinetics models, however, fail to accurately predict the cure levels of thermoset sealants subjected to a complex temperature program. Herein, we propose a new cure kinetics model that greatly enhances cure level predictability by considering temperature derivatives. The validity of our model was verified by simulating the thermomechanical behavior of a polymeric sealant using a user material subroutine (UMAT) of ABAQUS software. Experimental results from an appropriately designed thermomechanical test were compared with simulation results obtained from the UMAT.
Design of high speed 2-stage OTA for high capacitive load of 120 pF and 2.96 V
Authors: Ghatikar Rohit S , Nithin M
Published: December 2021

High speed operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) is used to drive high capacitive loads to reduce the charging time while providing adequate gain and stability. A 2-stage amplifier is proposed to provide high slew rate and sufficient gain and stability. 45 nm process technology is used to compare performance with differential and telescopic amplifier designs. Resistive feedback and noise-gain compensation techniques are used to drive 120 pF load of a row driver circuit used in an active pixel sensor and provide 2.96 V at output for a high slew rate of 2.2 V/μs.
Building high accuracy emulators for scientific simulations with deep neural architecture search
Authors: Kasim M F , Watson-Parris D , Deaconu L , Oliver S , Hatfield P , Froula D H , Gregori G , Jarvis M , Khatiwala S , Korenaga J , Topp-Mugglestone J , Viezzer E , Vinko S M
Published: December 2021

Computer simulations are invaluable tools for scientific discovery. However, accurate simulations are often slow to execute, which limits their applicability to extensive parameter exploration, large-scale data analysis, and uncertainty quantification. A promising route to accelerate simulations by building fast emulators with machine learning requires large training datasets, which can be prohibitively expensive to obtain with slow simulations. Here we present a method based on neural architecture search to build accurate emulators even with a limited number of training data. The method successfully emulates simulations in 10 scientific cases including astrophysics, climate science, biogeochemistry, high energy density physics, fusion energy, and seismology, using the same super-architecture, algorithm, and hyperparameters. Our approach also inherently provides emulator uncertainty estimation, adding further confidence in their use. We anticipate this work will accelerate research involving expensive simulations, allow more extensive parameters exploration, and enable new, previously unfeasible computational discovery.
Donaldson–Thomas invariants of abelian threefolds and Bridgeland stability conditions
Authors: Oberdieck Georg , Piyaratne Dulip , Toda Yukinobu
Published: December 2021

We study the reduced Donaldson–Thomas theory of abelian threefolds using Bridgeland stability conditions. The main result is the invariance of the reduced Donaldson–Thomas invariants under all derived autoequivalences, up to explicitly given wall-crossing terms. We also present a numerical criterion for the absence of walls in terms of a discriminant function. For principally polarized abelian threefolds of Picard rank one, the wall-crossing contributions are discussed in detail. The discussion yields evidence for a conjectural formula for curve counting invariants by Bryan, Pandharipande, Yin, and the first author.

For the proof we strengthen several known results on Bridgeland stability conditions of abelian threefolds. We show that certain previously constructed stability conditions satisfy the full support property. In particular, the stability manifold is non-empty. We also prove the existence of a Gieseker chamber and determine all wall-crossing contributions. A definition of reduced generalized Donaldson–Thomas invariants for arbitrary Calabi–Yau threefolds with abelian actions is given.
A convolutional neural network for segmentation of yeast cells without manual training annotations
Authors: Kruitbosch Herbert T , Mzayek Yasmin , Omlor Sara , Guerra Paolo , Milias-Argeitis Andreas
Published: December 2021

Motivation

Single-cell time-lapse microscopy is a ubiquitous tool for studying the dynamics of complex cellular processes. While imaging can be automated to generate very large volumes of data, the processing of the resulting movies to extract high-quality single-cell information remains a challenging task. The development of software tools that automatically identify and track cells is essential for realizing the full potential of time-lapse microscopy data. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are ideally suited for such applications, but require great amounts of manually annotated data for training, a time-consuming and tedious process.

Results

We developed a new approach to CNN training for yeast cell segmentation based on synthetic data and present (i) a software tool for the generation of synthetic images mimicking brightfield images of budding yeast cells and (ii) a convolutional neural network (Mask R-CNN) for yeast segmentation that was trained on a fully synthetic dataset. The Mask R-CNN performed excellently on segmenting actual microscopy images of budding yeast cells, and a density-based spatial clustering algorithm (DBSCAN) was able to track the detected cells across the frames of microscopy movies. Our synthetic data creation tool completely bypassed the laborious generation of manually annotated training datasets, and can be easily adjusted to produce images with many different features. The incorporation of synthetic data creation into the development pipeline of CNN-based tools for budding yeast microscopy is a critical step toward the generation of more powerful, widely applicable and user-friendly image processing tools for this microorganism.

Availability and implementation

The synthetic data generation code can be found at https://github.com/prhbrt/synthetic-yeast-cells. The Mask R-CNN as well as the tuning and benchmarking scripts can be found at https://github.com/ymzayek/yeastcells-detection-maskrcnn. We also provide Google Colab scripts that reproduce all the results of this work.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
When idiopathic male infertility is rooted in maternal malnutrition during the perinatal period in mice
Authors: Muranishi Yuki , Parry Laurent , Vachette-Dit-Martin Mélanie , Saez Fabrice , Coudy-Gandilhon Cécile , Sauvanet Pierre , Volle David H , Tournayre Jérémy , Bottari Serge , Carpentiero Francesca , Martinez Guillaume , Muroňová Jana , Escoffier Jessica , Bruhat Alain , Maurin Anne-Catherine , Averous Julien , Arnoult Christophe , Fafournoux Pierre , Jousse Céline
Published: December 2021

Infertility represents a growing burden worldwide, with one in seven couples presenting difficulties conceiving. Among these, 10–15% of the men have idiopathic infertility that does not correlate with any defect in the classical sperm parameters measured. In the present study, we used a mouse model to investigate the effects of maternal undernutrition on fertility in male progeny. Our results indicate that mothers fed on a low-protein diet during gestation and lactation produce male offspring with normal sperm morphology, concentration, and motility but exhibiting an overall decrease of fertility when they reach adulthood. Particularly, in contrast to control, sperm from these offspring show a remarkable lower capacity to fertilize oocytes when copulation occurs early in the estrus cycle relative to ovulation, due to an altered sperm capacitation. Our data demonstrate for the first time that maternal nutritional stress can have long-term consequences on the reproductive health of male progeny by affecting sperm physiology, especially capacitation, with no observable impact on spermatogenesis and classical quantitative and qualitative sperm parameters. Moreover, our experimental model could be of major interest to study, explain, and ultimately treat certain categories of infertilities.
The impact of perfluoroalkyl substances on pregnancy, birth outcomes, and offspring development: a review of data from mouse models
Authors: Aghaei Zahra , Steeves Katherine L , Jobst Karl J , Cahill Lindsay S
Published: December 2021

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are persistent in the environment and bioaccumulate in wildlife and humans, potentially causing adverse health effects at all stages of life. Studies from human pregnancy have shown that exposure to these contaminants are associated with placental dysfunction and fetal growth restriction; however, studies in humans are confounded by genetic and environmental factors. Here, we synthesize the available results from mouse models of pregnancy to show the causal effects of prenatal exposure to PFOA and PFOS on placental and fetal development and on neurocognitive function and metabolic disorders in offspring. We also propose gaps in the present knowledge and provide suggestions for future research studies.
Long-term effect of COVID-19 infection on hemodialysis patients: Should we follow hemodialysis patients more closely?
Authors: Demiray Atalay , Kanbay Asiye , Kanbay Mehmet
Published: December 2021

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, hemodialysis patients constitute one of the most vulnerable patient populations as they have more significant comorbidities and need to visit healthcare settings frequently even under pandemic conditions. It was also largely demonstrated that hemodialysis patients have high mortality rates with severe to fatal disease due to COVID-19 during their initial hospitalization. Even though the functional decline and fatigue after severe infections are not a novel entity, some long-term effects of COVID-19 have drawn attention with their prolonged effects even after discharge. A recent prospective, observational study by Carriazo et al. provided the first evidence to compare long-term mortality rates of hemodialysis patients with and without COVID-19. Carriazo et al. stated a hazard ratio of 3.00 for the mortality rates of hemodialysis patients over a 1-year follow-up period after their COVID-19 diagnosis. They emphasized that the high mortality rates of hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 are not limited to the initial hospitalization period but also continue after discharge, especially in the first 3 months. In light of this study, it can be recommended that hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 should be monitored closely and continuously, and hemodialysis patients should be prioritized for vaccination against COVID-19 with close follow-up for their antibody levels.
Oral Language Acquisition in Preschool Children Who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
Authors: Werfel Krystal L , Reynolds Gabriella , Fitton Lisa
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this study was to compare developmental trajectories of oral language acquisition of children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) and children with typical hearing across the preschool years. Thirty children who are DHH who use amplification and spoken language and 31 children with typical hearing completed an early language and literacy assessment battery every six months from age 4 to age 6. The developmental trajectories of each group’s language skills were examined via growth curve analysis. Oral language skills were lower for children who are DHH than for children with typical hearing at study entry. For vocabulary, children who are DHH demonstrated growth over the two years but did not close the gap in performance over time. For morphosyntax, specifically verb tense marking, children who are DHH demonstrated growth over preschool, becoming more adult-like in their productions.
Health care provider trust in vaccination: a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis
Authors: Ahmad Mobeen , Akande Adebisi , Majid Umair
Published: December 2021

Background

Vaccine hesitancy is a growing issue globally amongst various populations, including health care providers. This study explores the factors that influence vaccine hesitancy amongst nurses and physicians.

Methods

We performed a qualitative meta-synthesis of 22 qualitative and mixed-method studies exploring the factors that may contribute to vaccine hesitancy amongst nurses and physicians. We included all articles that mentioned any aspect of trust concerning vaccination, including how trust may influence or contribute to vaccine hesitancy in nurses and physicians.

Results

Our findings revealed that vaccine hesitancy amongst nurses stemmed predominantly from two factors: distrust in health authorities and their employers, and distrust in vaccine efficacy and safety. Both nurses and physicians had a precarious relationship with health authorities. Nurses felt that their employers and health authorities did not prioritize their health over patients’ health, provided inaccurate and inconsistent vaccine information, and were mistrustful of pharmaceutical company motives. Like nurses, physicians were also skeptical of pharmaceutical company motives when it came to vaccination. Additionally, physicians also held doubts regarding vaccine efficacy and safety.

Conclusions

The relationship health care providers or their patients have with health authorities and other providers regarding vaccination serves as unsystematic clinical experiences that may bolster vaccine hesitancy. Providing accurate and tangible information to emphasize the safety and efficacy of vaccines to health care providers may help address their specific concerns that may ultimately increase vaccine uptake.
‘Victory or Siberia’: Imaginings of Siberia and the Memory of German POWs in the USSR
Authors: Grunewald Susan
Published: December 2021

This article explores the memory of German prisoners of war (POWs) from the Second World War in the USSR. The article first identifies the trope of Siberian captivity, which it refutes using two digital humanities methods: geographic information system (GIS) mapping and text analysis. The article then raises a series of factors, covering both experiences, memoirs and novels of First World War captivity in Russia and also Nazi propaganda, to show a long-standing association between Siberia and German captivity in Russia and the Soviet Union. Finally, the article explores West German politics and memory culture to argue ultimately that the trope of Siberian captivity persisted as a result of West German anti-Communist policies and an attempt to displace blame and complicity for the war. While German memory changed between the 1950s and the present and although scholars have worked to expose many misrepresentations of the war that started in West Germany in the 1950s, this is the first study to examine the idea of Siberian captivity and its links to POWs in the USSR.
Neighborhood Characteristics, Neighborhood Satisfaction, and Loneliness Differences Across Ethnic–Migrant Groups in Australia
Authors: Lam Jack
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Loneliness is an important concern for older adults. Studies have linked demographic characteristics with loneliness, showing that it varies by ethnic and migrant statuses in countries in Europe and North America. Characteristics of the physical environment in which older adults are embedded have also received some attention, though prior studies have not fully investigated whether older adults from different ethnic–migrant backgrounds may report variation in loneliness because of characteristics of, or satisfaction with, their neighborhoods, which may shape their social interactions.

Methods

Drawing on up to 4 waves of data from the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia Surveys and random-effects models, I examine whether loneliness differs across ethnic/migrant groups in the Australian context. Furthermore, I examine whether neighborhood characteristics (its conditions and sociality) and satisfaction with the neighborhood (with its safety, with the neighborhood itself, and with “feeling part of the local community”) may be mediators for the association between ethnic–migrant status and loneliness.

Results

Findings show migrants from non-English-speaking countries report higher levels of loneliness, as compared with native-born, non-Indigenous Australians. More favorable neighborhood characteristics and higher levels of satisfaction with different aspects of the neighborhood are consistently associated with lower levels of loneliness. Neighborhood sociality and satisfaction with aspects of the neighborhood partially mediated the association between ethnicity status and loneliness for migrants from non-English-speaking countries.

Discussion

This study showed loneliness differs across older Australians of different ethnic and migrant backgrounds. It also showed how loneliness differences are explained by different mechanisms.
Intronic elements associated with insomnia and restless legs syndrome exhibit cell-type-specific epigenetic features contributing to MEIS1 regulation
Authors: Lam Daniel D , Antic Nikolic Ana , Zhao Chen , Mirza-Schreiber Nazanin , Krężel Wojciech , Oexle Konrad , Winkelmann Juliane
Published: December 2021

A highly evolutionarily conserved myeloid ecotropic viral integration site 1 (MEIS1) intronic region is strongly associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and insomnia. To understand its regulatory function, we dissected the region by analyzing chromatin accessibility, enhancer-promoter contacts, DNA methylation and expression quantitative trait locus (eQTLs) in different human neural cell types and tissues. We observed specific activity with respect to cell type and developmental maturation, indicating a prominent role for distinct highly conserved intronic elements in forebrain inhibitory neuron differentiation. Two elements were hypomethylated in neural cells with higher MEIS1 expression, suggesting a role of enhancer demethylation in gene regulation. MEIS1 eQTLs showed a striking modular chromosomal distribution, with forebrain eQTLs clustering in intron 8/9. Clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats interference targeting of individual elements in this region attenuated MEIS1 expression, revealing a complex regulatory interplay of distinct elements. In summary, we found that MEIS1 regulation is organized in a modular pattern. Disease-associated intronic regulatory elements control MEIS1 expression with cell type and maturation stage specificity, particularly in the inhibitory neuron lineage. The precise spatiotemporal activity of these elements likely contributes to the pathogenesis of insomnia and RLS.
Mapping technological trajectories as the main paths of knowledge flow: Evidence from printers
Authors: Hung Shih-Chang , Lai Jiun-Yan , Liu John S
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we recognize that technological trajectories can be modeled as a series of problem-solving activities, manifesting the cyclical pattern of divergence–convergence knowledge flow. This recognition is applied to study the technological development of the thermal inkjet print head, using main path analysis and an assignee cross-citation network. Our analysis shows that the thermal inkjet print head experienced three cycles of divergence–convergence knowledge flow. Each of the cycles was evidently characterized by a problem of most concern and a referred solution. Our research contributes to explaining why, when, and how trajectories diverge and converge cyclically.
Patent- and trademark-seeking outward foreign direct investment by Chinese firms: The role of business group affiliation
Authors: Shi Xinwei , Williams Christopher , Sutherland Dylan , Rong Ke
Published: December 2021

We examine the relationship between business group affiliation (BGA) of Chinese firms and their foreign acquisitive behavior in terms of technology and brand-oriented strategic assets. Drawing on new internalization, business group, and international business theory, we assert that Chinese business group affiliated firms will more likely pursue foreign acquisitions to seek strategic assets including patents but less likely to pursue foreign acquisitions to seek trademarks. Patents have non-location-bounded (NLB) properties that mean they can be exploited by the business group—not just the firm—back in the domestic market, while trademarks have location bounded (LB) properties that mean they are less easy to exploit by a business group domestically. Using a sample of 779 Chinese cross-border acquisitions between 2006 and 2015, we find support for arguments relating to the differences in relative attractiveness of targets holding patents vs. trademarks for Chinese firms linked to business groups. We discuss how this better helps us understand emerging market MNEs and related theory.
Cohort study of familial viral hepatitis and risks of paediatric cancers
Authors: Heck Julia E , Wu Chia-Kai , Huang Xiwen , Chew Kara W , Tong Myron , Federman Noah , Ritz Beate , Arah Onyebuchi A , Li Chung-Yi , Yu Fei , Olsen Jorn , Hansen Johnni , Lee Pei-Chen
Published: December 2021

Background

Although viral hepatitis causes paediatric hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatic and extrahepatic cancers in adults, there are few epidemiologic studies on paediatric-cancer risks from parental viral hepatitis. In a nationwide study in a viral hepatitis endemic region and with confirmation in another population-based sample, we examined associations between parental hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) infections and risks of cancers in offspring.

Methods

We included all children born in Taiwan in 2004–2014 (N = 2 079 037) with 2160 cancer cases ascertained from the Cancer Registry. We estimated risks for paediatric cancers using Cox proportional-hazard regressions. We checked these associations in a nationwide case–control study in Denmark (6422 cases, 160 522 controls).

Results

In Taiwan, paternal HBV was related to child’s hepatoblastoma [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05, 2.97] when identified at any time in the medical record, and when analyses were limited to hepatitis diagnoses occurring before the child’s birth, risks increased (HR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.13–3.80). Paternal HCV was related to child’s non-Hodgkin lymphoma (HR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.13–3.74). Maternal HCV was weakly related to increased risks of all childhood cancers [all types combined; HR = 1.45, 95% CI = 0.95–2.22]. The population-attributable fraction of hepatoblastoma for maternal, paternal and child HBV was 2.6%, 6.8% and 2.8%, respectively.

Conclusions

Parental HBV and HCV may be risk factors for hepatic and non-hepatic cancers in children. If associations are causal, then parental screening and treatment with antivirals may prevent some paediatric cancers.
Minority Stress and the Effects on Emotion Processing in Transgender Men and Cisgender People: A Study Combining fMRI and 1H-MRS
Authors: Kiyar Meltem , Kubre Mary-Ann , Collet Sarah , Bhaduri Sourav , T’Sjoen Guy , Guillamon Antonio , Mueller Sven C
Published: December 2021

Background

Minority stress via discrimination, stigmatization, and exposure to violence can lead to development of mood and anxiety disorders and underlying neurobiochemical changes. To date, the neural and neurochemical correlates of emotion processing in transgender people (and their interaction) are unknown.

Methods

This study combined functional magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy to uncover the effects of anxiety and perceived stress on the neural and neurochemical substrates, specifically choline, on emotion processing in transgender men. Thirty transgender men (TM), 30 cisgender men, and 35 cisgender women passively viewed angry, neutral, happy, and surprised faces in the functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner, underwent a magnetic resonance spectroscopy scan, and filled out mood- and anxiety-related questionnaires.

Results

As predicted, choline levels modulated the relationship between anxiety and stress symptoms and the neural response to angry and surprised (but not happy faces) in the amygdala. This was the case only for TM but not cisgender comparisons. More generally, neural responses in the left amygdala, left middle frontal gyrus, and medial frontal gyrus to emotional faces in TM resembled that of cisgender women.

Conclusions

These results provide first evidence, to our knowledge, of a critical interaction between levels of analysis and that choline may influence neural processing of emotion in individuals prone to minority stress.
Reduced Magnitude and Durability of Humoral Immune Responses to COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Among Older Adults
Authors: Brockman Mark A , Mwimanzi Francis , Lapointe Hope R , Sang Yurou , Agafitei Olga , Cheung Peter K , Ennis Siobhan , Ng Kurtis , Basra Simran , Lim Li Yi , Yaseen Fatima , Young Landon , Umviligihozo Gisele , Omondi F Harrison , Kalikawe Rebecca , Burns Laura , Brumme Chanson J , Leung Victor , Montaner Julio S G , Holmes Daniel , DeMarco Mari L , Simons Janet , Pantophlet Ralph , Niikura Masahiro , Romney Marc G , Brumme Zabrina L
Published: December 2021

Background

The magnitude and durability of immune responses to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccines remain incompletely characterized in the elderly.

Methods

Anti-spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) antibodies, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) competition, and virus neutralizing activities were assessed in plasma from 151 health care workers and older adults (range, 24–98 years of age) 1 month following the first vaccine dose, and 1 and 3 months following the second dose.

Results

Older adults exhibited significantly weaker responses than younger health care workers for all humoral measures evaluated and at all time points tested, except for ACE2 competition activity after 1 vaccine dose. Moreover, older age remained independently associated with weaker responses even after correction for sociodemographic factors, chronic health condition burden, and vaccine-related variables. By 3 months after the second dose, all humoral responses had declined significantly in all participants, and remained significantly lower among older adults, who also displayed reduced binding antibodies and ACE2 competition activity towards the Delta variant.

Conclusions

Humoral responses to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are significantly weaker in older adults, and antibody-mediated activities in plasma decline universally over time. Older adults may thus remain at elevated risk of infection despite vaccination.
Development of an Analytical Method for Detection of Anesthetics and Sedatives in Fish
Authors: Hong Songhee , Kwon Namji , Kang Hui-Seung , Jang Eunyoung , Kim Hyojeong , Han Eunyoung
Published: December 2021

Background

Anesthetics and sedatives are frequently used to prevent abrasions caused by stress and to facilitate fish management. However, drug residues may persist and cause changes in fish conditions and induce side effects. In addition, drugs that are not permitted for use in edible fish are sometimes potentially used in fish. The drugs can also be found in wastewater and are likely to be detected in fish.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to establish a quantitative analytical method for 10 anesthetic and sedative (azaperone, chlorpromazine, diazepam, estazolam, haloperidol, nitrazepam, nordiazepam, oxazepam, perphenazine, and temazepam) residues in fish sold in Korean markets.

Method

Shrimp, flounder, and eel samples were selected as matrices. Acetonitrile (ACN) containing 0.1% formic acid was selected as an extraction solvent for shrimp and 100% ACN for flounder and eel. The QuEChERS method with C18 and primary secondary amine (PSA) was used as the extraction procedure, and the analysis was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Results

Limit of quantitation, recovery, accuracy, and precision were validated, and satisfactory results were obtained for the drugs. All results applied to the real samples were negative.

Conclusions

An optimal validation method was studied. Since the results for all samples were negative, it is considered that additional studies are needed by increasing the number of drugs.

Highlights

The most effective QuEChERS pretreatment method and conditions of LC-MS/MS for the analysis of anesthetics and sedatives in fish were established.
The Rise of Factor X Level in Blood Plasma of Patients at Severe Burn Injuries
Authors: Kozynets George P , Tsyhankov Volodymyr P , Korolova Daria S , Gornytska Olga V , Savchuk Olexiy M , Chernyshenko Volodymyr O , Chernyshenko Tamara M , Platonova Tatiana M
Published: December 2021

This work is dedicated to the detection of imbalance between the pro- and anticoagulant branches of hemostasis at severe burn injuries by evaluating the content or activity of individual clotting factors. To select the targets for accurate diagnostics we measured the concentrations of soluble fibrin monomeric complexes and fibrinogen, levels of total prothrombin, factor X, protein C, and antithrombin III, and recorded the time of clotting in activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time (PT) tests. Factor X level was increased in 26% of patients on the 1st day after the burn and it rose further in 62% patients on the 14th day of recovery. Increasing factor X level is assumed to be a risk factor of thrombotic complications. We propose to use it as a marker of predisposition to thrombosis at severe burn injury.
Mucormycosis in Burns: A Review
Authors: Littlehales Emma , Teague Rebecca , Andrew Dale , Yassaie Emily
Published: December 2021

Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection with a high mortality rate. It presents with scattered black/necrotic ulcers, white fungal elements, and progression of wounds despite seemingly adequate debridement. Diagnosis is confirmed on wound histology; however, this is often delayed. There is currently no comprehensive review of burn-related mucormycosis within the literature, making this the first article to provide evidence-based treatment guidance. We performed a review of publications from 1946 to the present. There were 151 cases of mucormycosis complicating burns. The mortality rate was 54.5%, and there was a significant increase in mortality with axial body site involvement compared with isolated peripheral involvement. The standard treatment was prompt and radical debridement. Utilization of frozen section to guide debridement aided in clinical decision making. No systemic treatment reached statistical significance; however, amphotericin B trended toward significance. Although there is no strong evidence for topical amphotericin B or hyperbaric oxygen, there may be benefit in some cases. This study recommends early radical debridement in conjunction with the European Confederation of Medical Mycology guidelines of IV liposomal/lipid complex amphotericin B more than 5mg/kg/day, with posaconazole 800 mg daily in divided doses as a salvage or oral step-down.
Compassion Fatigue in the Burn Unit: A Review of Quantitative Evidence
Authors: Bayuo Jonathan , Agbenorku Pius
Published: December 2021

Healthcare staff across varied clinical settings are faced with varied stressors that can lead to compassion fatigue. However, there is currently no review examining the phenomenon in-depth in the burn unit. Thus, in the current study, the authors sought to scope existing studies to ascertain the prevalence, contributing factors, and effects of compassion fatigue in the burn unit. Compassion fatigue was conceptualized as comprising of burnout (BO) and secondary traumatic stress. Arksey and O′Malley’s scoping review approach was used and reported according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) extension guidelines. Searches were undertaken across peer-reviewed databases and gray literature sources for quantitative studies. Following the search and screening process, nine studies were retained. Codes were formulated across studies following which narrative synthesis was undertaken. The majority of the studies (n = 5) focused on burn care nurses. High levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and comparatively low levels of personal achievement were reported among burn care staff which is indicative of BO. Compassion fatigue was also observed to be high among burn care staff. Contributing factors are varied, albeit some variables such as age, staffing levels, remuneration, nature of the work environment, and number of years worked were consistent across some studies. In conclusion, working in the burn unit is challenging with significant stressors that can lead to BO, traumatic stress, and subsequently, compassion fatigue. Interventions to promote resilience, hardiness, optimal working environment, peer, and psychosocial support are greatly needed.
Sir Ernest Cassel, a ‘Jew of taste’
Authors: Murdoch Tessa
Published: December 2021

‘Windsor’ Cassel, financial adviser to Edward VII, emigrated from Cologne to Liverpool aged 16, in 1869. Within five years he was earning a substantial salary. By 1888 he owned a residence in Mayfair, renting and then purchasing country houses and sporting estates. He owned an apartment in Paris, built a chalet in the Swiss Alps and rented villas near Biarritz. With the assistance of New York based dealer Joseph Duveen, in the 1890s Cassel collected Meissen porcelain, and from 1902 acquired antique English silver from leading London dealers. In 1904 Cassel purchased Brook House, Park Lane, which he extended and furnished with historic British portraits, French furniture, clocks, jade, porcelain, silver and contemporary paintings. The house and its contents were inherited by his granddaughter Edwina Ashley, who married Lord Mountbatten after Cassel’s death. Brook House was redeveloped, and although the best paintings, porcelain and silver were redisplayed there by the Mountbattens, the remainder of Cassel’s collection was sold at auction in 1932.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Treatment Patterns for Patients With Metastatic Solid Cancer in the United States
Authors: Parikh Ravi B , Takvorian Samuel U , Vader Daniel , Paul Wileyto E , Clark Amy S , Lee Daniel J , Goyal Gaurav , Rocque Gabrielle B , Dotan Efrat , Geynisman Daniel M , Phull Pooja , Spiess Philippe E , Kim Roger Y , Davidoff Amy J , Gross Cary P , Neparidze Natalia , Miksad Rebecca A , Calip Gregory S , Hearn Caleb M , Ferrell Will , Shulman Lawrence N , Mamtani Ronac , Hubbard Rebecca A ,   the PRACTICE Investigators
Published: December 2021

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to delays in patients seeking care for life-threatening conditions; however, its impact on treatment patterns for patients with metastatic cancer is unknown. We assessed the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on time to treatment initiation (TTI) and treatment selection for patients newly diagnosed with metastatic solid cancer.

Methods

We used an electronic health record–derived longitudinal database curated via technology-enabled abstraction to identify 14 136 US patients newly diagnosed with de novo or recurrent metastatic solid cancer between January 1 and July 31 in 2019 or 2020. Patients received care at approximately 280 predominantly community-based oncology practices. Controlled interrupted time series analyses assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic period (April-July 2020) on TTI, defined as the number of days from metastatic diagnosis to receipt of first-line systemic therapy, and use of myelosuppressive therapy.

Results

The adjusted probability of treatment within 30 days of diagnosis was similar across periods (January-March 2019 = 41.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 32.2% to 51.1%; April-July 2019 = 42.6%, 95% CI = 32.4% to 52.7%; January-March 2020 = 44.5%, 95% CI = 30.4% to 58.6%; April-July 2020 = 46.8%, 95% CI= 34.6% to 59.0%; adjusted percentage-point difference-in-differences = 1.4%, 95% CI = −2.7% to 5.5%). Among 5962 patients who received first-line systemic therapy, there was no association between the pandemic period and use of myelosuppressive therapy (adjusted percentage-point difference-in-differences = 1.6%, 95% CI = −2.6% to 5.8%). There was no meaningful effect modification by cancer type, race, or age.

Conclusions

Despite known pandemic-related delays in surveillance and diagnosis, the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect TTI or treatment selection for patients with metastatic solid cancers.
Communists Encounter Islamic Antisemitism and Misogyny, 1917–1957
Authors: Norwood Stephen H
Published: December 2021

Contemporary far leftists deny, trivialize, or even endorse, Islamic antisemitism. The response of Communists and fellow travelers to Islamic antisemitism in the four decades after the Bolshevik revolution was more complex. Communists were initially inclined to accept Karl Marx’s view of Islam as reactionary and an obstacle to progress. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Soviets made concerted efforts to overturn Islamic beliefs and eradicate Muslim practices in their Central Asian republics. But the Communists’ rigid adherence to narrow class analysis led them to vastly underestimate the influence of Islamic teaching about Jews in Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, and often to downplay the worst outbreaks of antisemitic violence. The two lines of the Communist approach to Islamic societies were the Muslim subjugation of Jews and women, each of which they viewed as an obstacle to progress. But while their insistence on overturning the Muslim confinement of women remained unrelenting until late in the period under consideration, their challenge to Islamic subjugation of Jews was inconsistent. This article analyzes Communist responses to Muslim pogroms against Jews in Mandatory Palestine, Algeria, Tripolitania, and elsewhere. It also assesses the commentaries on Islamic antisemitism by Communists and fellow travelers from the West who spent considerable time in Soviet Central Asia in the 1930s. The final section considers the twenty-first century far left alliance with Islamists, which embodies the worst features of the earlier Communist outlook.
Postulating exoplanetary habitability via a novel anomaly detection method
Authors: Sarkar Jyotirmoy , Bhatia Kartik , Saha Snehanshu , Safonova Margarita , Sarkar Santonu
Published: December 2021

A profound shift in the study of cosmology came with the discovery of thousands of exoplanets and the possibility of the existence of billions of them in our Galaxy. The biggest goal in these searches is whether there are other life-harbouring planets. However, the question which of these detected planets are habitable, potentially-habitable, or maybe even inhabited, is still not answered. Some potentially habitable exoplanets have been hypothesised, but since Earth is the only known habitable planet, measures of habitability are necessarily determined with Earth as the reference. Several recent works introduced new habitability metrics based on optimisation methods. Classification of potentially habitable exoplanets using supervised learning is another emerging area of study. However, both modelling and supervised learning approaches suffer from drawbacks. We propose an anomaly detection method, the multi-stage memetic algorithm (MSMA), to detect anomalies and extend it to an unsupervised clustering algorithm multi-stage multi-version memetic clustering algorithm to use it to detect potentially habitable exoplanets as anomalies. The algorithm is based on the postulate that Earth is an anomaly, with the possibility of existence of few other anomalies among thousands of data points. We describe an MSMA-based clustering approach with a novel distance function to detect habitable candidates as anomalies (including Earth). The results are cross-matched with the Planetary Habitability Laboratory-habitable exoplanet catalogue (PHL-HEC) of the PHL with both optimistic and conservative lists of potentially habitable exoplanets.
The winds of young Solar-type stars in Coma Berenices and Hercules-Lyra
Authors: Evensberget D , Carter B D , Marsden S C , Brookshaw L , Folsom C P , Salmeron R
Published: December 2021

We present wind models of 10 young Solar-type stars in the Hercules-Lyra association and the Coma Berenices cluster aged around ∼0.26 and ∼0.58 Gyr, respectively. Combined with five previously modelled stars in the Hyades cluster, aged ∼0.63 Gyr, we obtain a large atlas of 15 observationally based wind models. We find varied geometries, multi-armed structures in the equatorial plane, and a greater spread in quantities such as the angular momentum loss. In our models, we infer variation of a factor of ∼6 in wind angular momentum loss $\dot{J}$ and a factor of ∼2 in wind mass-loss $\dot{M}$ based on magnetic field geometry differences when adjusting for the unsigned surface magnetic flux. We observe a large variation factor of ∼4 in wind pressure for an Earth-like planet; we attribute this to variations in the ‘magnetic inclination’ of the magnetic dipole axis with respect to the stellar axis of rotation. Within our models, we observe a tight correlation between unsigned open magnetic flux and angular momentum loss. To account for possible underreporting of the observed magnetic field strength we investigate a second series of wind models where the magnetic field has been scaled by a factor of 5. This gives $\dot{M}\propto B^{0.4}$ and $\dot{J}\propto B^{1.0}$ as a result of pure magnetic scaling.
Ribonucleotides embedded in template DNA impair mitochondrial RNA polymerase progression
Authors: Singh Meenakshi , Posse Viktor , Peter Bradley , Falkenberg Maria , Gustafsson Claes M
Published: December 2021

Human mitochondria lack ribonucleotide excision repair pathways, causing misincorporated ribonucleotides (rNMPs) to remain embedded in the mitochondrial genome. Previous studies have demonstrated that human mitochondrial DNA polymerase γ can bypass a single rNMP, but that longer stretches of rNMPs present an obstacle to mitochondrial DNA replication. Whether embedded rNMPs also affect mitochondrial transcription has not been addressed. Here we demonstrate that mitochondrial RNA polymerase elongation activity is affected by a single, embedded rNMP in the template strand. The effect is aggravated at stretches with two or more consecutive rNMPs in a row and cannot be overcome by addition of the mitochondrial transcription elongation factor TEFM. Our findings lead us to suggest that impaired transcription may be of functional relevance in genetic disorders associated with imbalanced nucleotide pools and higher levels of embedded rNMPs.