bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SDSS J1042-0018: a Broad Line AGN but Misclassified as an H ii Galaxy in the BPT Diagram by Flux Ratios of Narrow Emission Lines
Authors: Cao Yi , Zhao Si-Dan , Zhu Xing-Yu , Yu Hai-Chao , Wang Yi-Wei , Zhang Xue-Guang
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we discuss properties of SDSS J1042-0018 which is a broad line active galactic nucleus (AGN) but misclassified as an H ii galaxy in the BPT diagram (SDSS J1042-0018 is called a misclassified broad line AGN). The emission lines around Hα and around Hβ are well described by different model functions, considering broad Balmer lines to be described by Gaussian or Lorentz functions. Different model functions lead to different determined narrow emission line fluxes, but the different narrow emission line flux ratios lead SDSS J1042-0018 as an H ii galaxy in the BPT diagram. In order to explain the unique properties of the misclassified broad line AGN SDSS J1042-0018, two methods are proposed, the star-forming contributions and the compressed narrow emission line regions with high electron densities near to critical densities of forbidden emission lines. Fortunately, the strong star-forming contributions can be preferred in SDSS J1042-0018. The misclassified broad line AGN SDSS J1042-0018, well explained by star-forming contributions, could provide further clues on the applications of BPT diagrams to the normal broad line AGNs.
Basics of Apparent horizons in black hole physics
Authors: Altas E , Tekin B
Published: February 2022

1Event Horizon, a null hypersurface defining the boundary of the black hole region of a spacetime, is not particularly useful for evolving black holes since it is non-local in time. Instead, one uses the more tangible concept of Apparent Horizon for dynamical black holes out there in the sky that do all sorts of things: evolve, merge and feed on the environment. Event Horizon, being a gauge-independent, global property of the total spacetime is easy to define and locate in the stationary case; on the other hand, Apparent Horizon depends on the embedding of the surface in spacetime and hence it is somewhat tricky to define. But for numerical simulations in General Relativity, locating the Apparent Horizon helps one to excise the black hole region and the singularity to have a stable computation. Moreover, for stationary solutions cross-sections of these horizons match. Here we give a detailed pedagogical exposition of the subject and work out the non-trivial case of a slowly moving and spinning black hole.
Quantum Entanglement and Neutrino Many-Body Systems
Authors: Balantekin A.B.
Published: February 2022

Entanglement of constituents of a many-body system is a recurrent feature of quantum behaviour. Quantum information science provides tools, such as the entanglement entropy, to help assess the amount of entanglement in such systems. Many-neutrino systems are present in core-collapse supernovae, neutron star mergers, and the Early Universe. Recent work in applying the tools of quantum information science to the description of the entanglement in astrophysical many-neutrino systems is reviewed.
Kundt waves in modifed gravitational models
Authors: Baykal A , Dereli T
Published: February 2022

Kundt’s class of gravitational wave metrics belonging to Petrov type-N are constructed for generic f(R) model with minimally coupled electromagnetic feld, a Gauss-Bonnet extended gravitational model for vacuum in four spacetime dimensions, and RF2-type nonminimally coupled Einstein-Maxwell models including a cosmological constant.
A trip around octonions
Authors: Bilge Ayşe Hümeyra , Dereli Tekin , Kocak Şahin
Published: February 2022

In these expository notes, after a contemplation on the dawn of octonions, we give proofs for the Frobenius theorem and the Hurwitz theorem, we review the basics of Clifford algebras and spin groups, and exemplify the startling role played by the octonions in 7 — and 8 —dimensional phenomena such as the special 3— and 4—forms, the Bonan form, Spin(7) and Spin(8) groups and the mysterious triality.
O(d,d) covariant formulation of Type II supergravity and Scherk-Schwarz reduction
Authors: Çatal-Özer Aybike
Published: February 2022

T-duality is a stringy symmetry which relates string backgrounds with different space-time geometries. In the low energy limit, it manifests itself as a continuous O(d,d) symmetry acting on supergravity fields, after dimensional reduction on a d dimensional torus. Double Field Theory (DFT) is a T-duality covariant extension of string theory which aims to realize O(d,d) as a manifest symmetry for the low energy effective space-time actions of string theory without dimensional reduction. The mathematical framework needed to construct DFT goes beyond Riemannian geometry and is related to Hitchin’s generalized geometry program. On the other hand, Scherk-Schwarz reduction of DFT of Type II strings with a duality twist in O(d,d) yields Gauged Double Field Theory (GDFT), that can be regarded as an O(d,d) covariant extension of gauged supergravity. The purpose of this contribution is to give a short review on Scherk-Schwarz reductions of DFT and its intriguing connections to integrable deformations of string sigma models.
Integrability of Three Dimensional Gravity Field Equations
Authors: Gürses Metin
Published: February 2022

We show that the tree dimensional Einstein vacuum feld equations with cosmological constant are integrable. Using the sl(2, R) valued soliton connections we obtain the metric of the spacetime in terms of the dynamical variables of the integrable nonlinear partial diferential equations.
Wahlquist metric revisited
Authors: Hortaçsu M.
Published: February 2022

Here we continue studying the Wahlquist metric. We know that the wave equation written for a zero mass scalar particle in the background of this metric gives Heun type solutions. To be able to use the existing literature on Heun functions, we try to put our wave equation to the standard form for these functions. Then we calculate the reflection coefficient of a wave coming from infinity and scattered at the center using this formalism.
Entangled neutrinos in a supernova
Authors: Pehlivan Y. , Birol Savas
Published: February 2022

We consider the entanglement of neutrinos evolving adiabatically under the effect of vacuum oscillations and self interactions through decreasing neutrino density similar to a core collapse supernova. For an initial state which consists only of electron type neutrinos, we analytically calculate the asymptotic value of the entropy of entanglement between the lowest energy neutrino and the rest of the system as a function of the number of neutrinos. We find that, as we increase neutrino number the entanglement entropy grows at first. But after going through a maximum, it approaches to zero in the limit of infinite number of neutrinos. We find that the number of neutrinos for which the entropy maximizes depends on the mixing angle.
Medication modification in a population of community-dwelling individuals aged 65 years or older
Authors: Godaert Lidvine , Cofais Cécilia , Proye Emeline , Allard Saint Albin Laury , Dramé Moustapha
Published: February 2022

Background

medication safety is a major public health challenge, particularly among older populations. Changing the medication’s form may be inappropriate and may incur a risk of adverse effects.

Objectives

the objectives were to estimate the prevalence of medication modification and to identify factors associated with the practice of medication modification in community-dwelling older individuals.

Design

observational, cross-sectional, single-centre and epidemiological study.

Settings

community.

Subjects

outpatients and/or their accompanying persons, aged 65 years or over.

Methods

sociodemographic and clinical variables were recorded. It was also noted how the medication was taken, who administered the medications, the number of oral medications ingested per day, and whether or not the form of the medication was modified to facilitate administration. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression were performed.

Results

a total of 252 individuals were included in the study, with a mean age of 83 ± 7 years. Of these, 44 (17.5%) reported modifying their medication, either routinely (n = 36) or occasionally (n = 8). The factors independently associated with medication modification were the existence of psycho-behavioural disorders [odds ratio (OR) = 3.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.84–7.76; P < 0.0001], mobility difficulties (OR = 2.16; 95% CI = 1.01–4.62; P = 0.04), and the presence of dysphagia (OR = 3.23; 95% CI = 1.49–6.99; P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

this study indicates that main caregivers are more likely to engage in medication modification than nurses or the patients themselves. Factors associated with medication modification include swallowing difficulties and psycho-behavioural disorders. These findings provide new avenues that could help to mitigate this practice.
Family carer perspectives on the language of behaviour change in dementia: an online mixed methods survey
Authors: Wolverson Emma , Moniz-Cook Esme , Dunn Rosie , Dunning Rebecca
Published: February 2022

Objective

following the #BanBPSD campaign there has been critical interest in common terminology used for ‘changes in behaviour’ associated with dementia. However, commentaries and emerging studies have not fully considered family carer perspectives. This study explores the views of family carers on terminology and language for this paradigm.

Method

a mixed methods online survey was conducted with family carers. Language preferences were scoped and examined with supporting open-ended questions that explored the reasons for choices.

Results

about 229 family carers completed the survey. Terms such as Challenging Behaviour, Behaviour that Challenges and Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of dementia were mostly disliked. The most preferred term was a new concept called ‘Behavioural and Emotional Expressions of Need’ that few people had previously heard of. Overall, carers preferred positively construed, easily understood, person-centred terms that attributed changes in behaviour to unmet need, which also acknowledged the carer’s role in management.

Conclusions

given that carers are often the agents of change for this paradigm—where they may also be called on to act as proxy decision makers, it is important that professionals take time to explore their understandings and give due consideration to the language used when offering tailored interventions. These findings suggest that frequently used terms for changes in behaviour associated with dementia, such as Challenging Behaviour, BtC and BPSD, should be avoided.
Surface structure and nanomechanical properties of Actinoplanes missouriensis sporangia analyzed via atomic force microscopy
Authors: Tezuka Takeaki , Ohnishi Yasuo
Published: February 2022

The surface structures of the sporangia produced by Actinoplanes missouriensis were analyzed at high resolution in air and liquid via atomic force microscopy. Results revealed a dynamic change in sporangium surface structure in response to the amount of moisture. Furthermore, the Young's modulus of the sporangium surface (1.95 ± 0.92 GPa) was calculated by analyzing the force–distance curves in air.
Six Principles for Embracing Gender and Sexual Diversity in Postsecondary Biology Classrooms
Authors: Zemenick Ash T , Turney Shaun , Webster Alex J , Jones Sarah C , Weber Marjorie G
Published: February 2022

Sexual and gender minorities face considerable inequities in society, including in science. In biology, course content provides opportunities to challenge harmful preconceptions about what is “natural” while avoiding the notion that anything found in nature is inherently good (the appeal-to-nature fallacy). We provide six principles for instructors to teach sex- and gender-related topics in postsecondary biology in a more inclusive and accurate manner: highlighting biological diversity early, presenting the social and historical context of science, using inclusive language, teaching the iterative process of science, presenting students with a diversity of role models, and developing a classroom culture of respect and inclusion. To illustrate these six principles, we review the many definitions of sex and demonstrate applying the principles to three example topics: sexual reproduction, sex determination or differentiation, and sexual selection. These principles provide a tangible starting place to create more scientifically accurate, engaging, and inclusive classrooms.
Emerging Adults’ Intentions to Participate in Radical Protest Actions: The Role of the Parents in the Midst of Extra-Familial Influences and the Offspring’s Political Characteristics
Authors: Chui Wing Hong , Khiatani Paul Vinod , Ip Ping Lam
Published: February 2022

This study explored the influence of parental socialisation, relative to that from crucial dispositions of the offspring and other socialisation agents, on the offspring’s intentions to engage in radical protest actions in Hong Kong, a city that has been experiencing periodical socio-political upheavals and generational rifts over politics. A sample of 666 university students, aged eighteen to twenty-five years, from eight universities in Hong Kong completed the survey. Employing hierarchical regression analysis, the results revealed that participation in ritual protests among fathers positively associated with radicalism intentions. With the introduction of a broader group of socialisation agents, however, its effect on the dependent variable became statistically non-significant. Rather, peer influence and media consumption positively associated with radicalism intentions, whilst family discussions about politics negatively associated with such intentions. After including the respondents’ political characteristics in the final model, which accounted for the greatest variance in the dependent variable, no variables reflecting influences from the household remained statistically significant. Apart from peer influence and media consumption, the respondents’ past histories of activism and radicalism and his/her political sympathies over the self-determination stance positively associated with radicalism intentions. In the light of the findings, implications for future studies and social work practice are discussed.
Phylogenetic relationships of Aquilaria and Gyrinops (Thymelaeaceae) revisited: evidence from complete plastid genomes
Authors: Lee Shiou Yih , Turjaman Maman , Chaveerach Arunrat , Subasinghe Smcup , Fan Qiang , Liao Wenbo
Published: February 2022

The agarwood-producing genera, Aquilaria and Gyrinops, have been treated as sister genera in Thymelaeaceae (Aquilarieae, Malvales). However, there are differing opinions about their taxonomic positions. Using new evidence from complete plastid genome (plastome) sequences of 12 Aquilaria spp. and seven Gyrinops spp., corresponding to more than half the total number of species recognized in each genus, we reconstructed a phylogenetic tree of Aquilarieae. Members of both genera shared similar sequence variations at the plastome level. The phylogenetic relationships of the two genera were completely resolved using the complete plastome sequences. Gyrinops was paraphyletic to Aquilaria, i.e. Aquilaria nested in Gyrinops. Overlapping clustering patterns were observed from topology-clustering analysis using the complete plastome and the protein-coding gene sequences, which further reinforced the paraphyletic link. The maximum-likelihood-based RelTime analysis suggested that Aquilarieae and Daphneae diverged c. 44 Mya during the Eocene, followed by a rapid divergence event in Aquilarieae, with the split between G. vidalii and G. walla c. 1.24 Mya during the Pleistocene. Our new phylogenetic estimation demonstrates the relationship between the two genera, which will aid in future taxonomic revisions involving members of Aquilarieae.
Combinatory lung tumor inhibition by myo-inositol and iloprost/rapamycin: association with immunomodulation
Authors: Kassie Fekadu , Bagherpoor Alireza Jian , Kovacs Katalin , Seelig Davis
Published: February 2022

Although both preclinical and clinical studies have suggested that myo-inositol (MI) may be a safe and effective lung cancer chemopreventive agent, its efficacy is moderate. To test whether the chemopreventive agents iloprost (IL) or rapamycin enhance the lung tumor inhibitory effects of MI, A/J mice were treated with the tobacco smoke carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and, beginning one week after the end of NNK treatment, given MI, IL, rapamycin, MI + IL or MI + rapamycin for 17 weeks. Analyses of the number and size of tumors on the surface of the lung have indicated that MI, IL, rapamycin, MI + IL and MI + rapamycin reduced the multiplicity of NNK-induced lung tumors by 41, 34, 46, 79 and 67%, respectively, and larger tumors (lung tumors with a diameter of 1–2 or >2 mm) were absent in the MI + IL and MI + rapamycin groups. These results clearly indicated that MI + IL and MI + rapamycin are more effective than MI alone in inhibiting the formation and growth of lung tumors. Assessment of the immunomodulatory effects of the drugs showed that whereas MI + rapamycin and MI + IL increased the infiltration of lung tumors by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, MI + rapamycin reduced the expression of the immune checkpoint protein programmed-death ligand-1 (PD-L1). Moreover, all treatments, except IL, increased apoptosis, whereas cell proliferation was markedly suppressed in all treated groups. In summary, these results suggest that IL and rapamycin could enhance the efficacy of MI in lung cancer chemoprevention trials.
Identification of subjective cognitive decline due to Alzheimer’s disease using multimodal MRI combining with machine learning
Authors: Lin Hua , Jiang Jiehui , Li Zhuoyuan , Sheng Can , Du Wenying , Li Xiayu , Han Ying
Published: February 2022

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a preclinical asymptomatic stage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Accurate diagnosis of SCD represents the greatest challenge for current clinical practice. The multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of 7 brain networks and 90 regions of interests from Chinese and ANDI cohorts were calculated. Machine learning (ML) methods based on support vector machine (SVM) were used to classify SCD plus and normal control. To assure the robustness of ML model, above analyses were repeated in amyloid β (Aβ) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ɛ4 subgroups. We found that the accuracy of the proposed multimodal SVM method achieved 79.49% and 83.13%, respectively, in Chinese and ANDI cohorts for the diagnosis of the SCD plus individuals. Furthermore, adding Aβ pathology and ApoE ɛ4 genotype information can further improve the accuracy to 85.36% and 82.52%. More importantly, the classification model exhibited the robustness in the crossracial cohorts and different subgroups, which outperforms any single and 2 modalities. The study indicates that multimodal MRI imaging combining with ML classification method yields excellent and powerful performances at categorizing SCD due to AD, suggesting potential for clinical utility.
Plastic mulch film residues in agriculture: impact on soil suppressiveness, plant growth, and microbial communities
Authors: Qi Yueling , Ossowicki Adam , Yergeau Étienne , Vigani Gianpiero , Geissen Violette , Garbeva Paolina
Published: February 2022

Plastic mulch film residues have been accumulating in agricultural soils for decades, but so far, little is known about its consequences on soil microbial communities and functions. Here, we tested the effects of plastic residues of low-density polyethylene and biodegradable mulch films on soil suppressiveness and microbial community composition. We investigated how plastic residues in a Fusarium culmorum suppressive soil affect the level of disease suppressiveness, plant biomass, nutrient status, and microbial communities in rhizosphere using a controlled pot experiment. The addition of 1% plastic residues to the suppressive soil did not affect the level of suppression and the disease symptoms index. However, we did find that plant biomasses decreased, and that plant nutrient status changed in the presence of plastic residues. No significant changes in bacterial and fungal rhizosphere communities were observed. Nonetheless, bacterial and fungal communities closely attached to the plastisphere were very different from the rhizosphere communities with overrepresentation of potential plant pathogens. The plastisphere revealed a high abundance of specific bacterial phyla (Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria) and fungal genera (Rhizoctonia and Arthrobotrys). Our work revealed new insights and raises emerging questions for further studies on the impact of microplastics on the agroecosystems.
Noncanonical necrosis in 2 different cell types in a Caenorhabditis elegans NAD+ salvage pathway mutant
Authors: Reza Rifath N , Serra Nicholas D , Detwiler Ariana C , Hanna-Rose Wendy , Crook Matt
Published: February 2022

Necrosis was once described as a chaotic unregulated response to cellular insult. We now know that necrosis is controlled by multiple pathways in response to many different cellular conditions. In our pnc-1 NAD+ salvage deficient Caenorhabditis elegans model excess nicotinamide induces excitotoxic death in uterine-vulval uv1 cells and OLQ mechanosensory neurons. We sought to characterize necrosis in our pnc-1 model in the context of well-characterized necrosis, apoptosis, and autophagy pathways in C. elegans. We confirmed that calpain and aspartic proteases were required for uv1 necrosis, but changes in intracellular calcium levels and autophagy were not, suggesting that uv1 necrosis occurs by a pathway that diverges from mec-4d-induced touch cell necrosis downstream of effector aspartic proteases. OLQ necrosis does not require changes in intracellular calcium, the function of calpain or aspartic proteases, or autophagy. Instead, OLQ survival requires the function of calreticulin and calnexin, pro-apoptotic ced-4 (Apaf1), and genes involved in both autophagy and axon guidance. In addition, the partially OLQ-dependent gentle nose touch response decreased significantly in pnc-1 animals on poor quality food, further suggesting that uv1 and OLQ necrosis differ downstream of their common trigger. Together these results show that, although phenotypically very similar, uv1, OLQ, and touch cell necrosis are very different at the molecular level.
A numerical framework for genetic hitchhiking in populations of variable size
Authors: Friedlander Eric , Steinrücken Matthias
Published: February 2022

Natural selection on beneficial or deleterious alleles results in an increase or decrease, respectively, of their frequency within the population. Due to chromosomal linkage, the dynamics of the selected site affect the genetic variation at nearby neutral loci in a process commonly referred to as genetic hitchhiking. Changes in population size, however, can yield patterns in genomic data that mimic the effects of selection. Accurately modeling these dynamics is thus crucial to understanding how selection and past population size changes impact observed patterns of genetic variation. Here, we model the evolution of haplotype frequencies with the Wright–Fisher diffusion to study the impact of selection on linked neutral variation. Explicit solutions are not known for the dynamics of this diffusion when selection and recombination act simultaneously. Thus, we present a method for numerically evaluating the Wright–Fisher diffusion dynamics of 2 linked loci separated by a certain recombination distance when selection is acting. We can account for arbitrary population size histories explicitly using this approach. A key step in the method is to express the moments of the associated transition density, or sampling probabilities, as solutions to ordinary differential equations. Numerically solving these differential equations relies on a novel accurate and numerically efficient technique to estimate higher order moments from lower order moments. We demonstrate how this numerical framework can be used to quantify the reduction and recovery of genetic diversity around a selected locus over time and elucidate distortions in the site-frequency-spectra of neutral variation linked to loci under selection in various demographic settings. The method can be readily extended to more general modes of selection and applied in likelihood frameworks to detect loci under selection and infer the strength of the selective pressure.
Single-cell Iso-Sequencing enables rapid genome annotation for scRNAseq analysis
Authors: Healey Hope M , Bassham Susan , Cresko William A
Published: February 2022

Single-cell RNA sequencing is a powerful technique that continues to expand across various biological applications. However, incomplete 3′-UTR annotations can impede single-cell analysis resulting in genes that are partially or completely uncounted. Performing single-cell RNA sequencing with incomplete 3′-UTR annotations can hinder the identification of cell identities and gene expression patterns and lead to erroneous biological inferences. We demonstrate that performing single-cell isoform sequencing in tandem with single-cell RNA sequencing can rapidly improve 3′-UTR annotations. Using threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus), we show that gene models resulting from a minimal embryonic single-cell isoform sequencing dataset retained 26.1% greater single-cell RNA sequencing reads than gene models from Ensembl alone. Furthermore, pooling our single-cell sequencing isoforms with a previously published adult bulk Iso-Seq dataset from stickleback, and merging the annotation with the Ensembl gene models, resulted in a marginal improvement (+0.8%) over the single-cell isoform sequencing only dataset. In addition, isoforms identified by single-cell isoform sequencing included thousands of new splicing variants. The improved gene models obtained using single-cell isoform sequencing led to successful identification of cell types and increased the reads identified of many genes in our single-cell RNA sequencing stickleback dataset. Our work illuminates single-cell isoform sequencing as a cost-effective and efficient mechanism to rapidly annotate genomes for single-cell RNA sequencing.
The utility of a closed breeding colony of Peromyscus leucopus for dissecting complex traits
Authors: Long Phillip N , Cook Vanessa J , Majumder Arundhati , Barbour Alan G , Long Anthony D
Published: February 2022

Deermice of the genus Peromyscus are well suited for addressing several questions of biologist interest, including the genetic bases of longevity, behavior, physiology, adaptation, and their ability to serve as disease vectors. Here, we explore a diversity outbred approach for dissecting complex traits in Peromyscus leucopus, a nontraditional genetic model system. We take advantage of a closed colony of deer-mice founded from 38 individuals and subsequently maintained for ∼40–60 generations. From 405 low-pass short-read sequenced deermice we accurate impute genotypes at 16 million single nucleotide polymorphisms. Conditional on observed genotypes simulations were conducted in which three different sized quantitative trait loci contribute to a complex trait under three different genetic models. Using a stringent significance threshold power was modest, largely a function of the percent variation attributable to the simulated quantitative trait loci, with the underlying genetic model having only a subtle impact. We additionally simulated 2,000 pseudo-individuals, whose genotypes were consistent with those observed in the genotyped cohort and carried out additional power simulations. In experiments employing more than 1,000 mice power is high to detect quantitative trait loci contributing greater than 2.5% to a complex trait, with a localization ability of ∼100 kb. We finally carried out a Genome-Wide Association Study on two demonstration traits, bleeding time and body weight, and uncovered one significant region. Our work suggests that complex traits can be dissected in founders-unknown P. leucopus colony mice and similar colonies in other systems using easily obtained genotypes from low-pass sequencing.
Genetically predicted sex hormone levels and health outcomes: phenome-wide Mendelian randomization investigation
Authors: Yuan Shuai , Wang Lijuan , Sun Jing , Yu Lili , Zhou Xuan , Yang Jie , Zhu Yimin , Gill Dipender , Burgess Stephen , Denny Joshua C , Larsson Susanna C , Theodoratou Evropi , Li Xue
Published: February 2022

Background

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), testosterone and oestradiol have been associated with many diseases in observational studies; however, the causality of associations remains unestablished.

Methods

A phenome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR) association study was performed to explore disease outcomes associated with genetically proxied circulating SHBG, testosterone and oestradiol levels by using updated genetic instruments in 339 197 unrelated White British individuals (54% female) in the UK Biobank. Two-sample MR analyses with data from large genetic studies were conducted to replicate identified associations in phenome-wide MR analyses. Multivariable MR analyses were performed to investigate mediation effects of hormone-related biomarkers in observed associations with diseases.

Results

Phenome-wide MR analyses examined associations of genetically predicted SHBG, testosterone and oestradiol levels with 1211 disease outcomes, and identified 28 and 13 distinct phenotypes associated with genetically predicted SHBG and testosterone, respectively; 22 out of 28 associations for SHBG and 10 out of 13 associations for testosterone were replicated in two-sample MR analyses. Higher genetically predicted SHBG levels were associated with a reduced risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications, coronary atherosclerotic outcomes, gout and benign and malignant neoplasm of uterus, but an increased risk of varicose veins and fracture (mainly in females). Higher genetically predicted testosterone levels were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary atherosclerotic outcomes, gout and coeliac disease mainly in males, but an increased risk of cholelithiasis in females.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that sex hormones may causally affect risk of several health outcomes.
A Shrewd Inspection of Vertebral Regionalization in Large Shrews (Soricidae: Crocidurinae)
Authors: Smith Stephanie M , Angielczyk Kenneth D
Published: February 2022

Synopsis

The regionalization of the mammalian spinal column is an important evolutionary, developmental, and functional hallmark of the clade. Vertebral column regions are usually defined using transitions in external bone morphology, such as the presence of transverse foraminae or rib facets, or measurements of vertebral shape. Yet the internal structure of vertebrae, specifically the trabecular (spongy) bone, plays an important role in vertebral function, and is subject to the same variety of selective, functional, and developmental influences as external bone morphology. Here, we investigated regionalization of external and trabecular bone morphology in the vertebral column of a group of shrews (family Soricidae). The primary goals of this study were to: (1) determine if vertebral trabecular bone morphology is regionalized in large shrews, and if so, in what configuration relative to external morphology; (2) assess correlations between trabecular bone regionalization and functional or developmental influences; and (3) determine if external and trabecular bone regionalization patterns provide clues about the function of the highly modified spinal column of the hero shrew Scutisorex. Trabecular bone is regionalized along the soricid vertebral column, but the configuration of trabecular bone regions does not match that of the external vertebral morphology, and is less consistent across individuals and species. The cervical region has the most distinct and consistent trabecular bone morphology, with dense trabeculae indicative of the ability to withstand forces in a variety of directions. Scutisorex exhibits an additional external morphology region compared to unmodified shrews, but this region does not correspond to a change in trabecular architecture. Although trabecular bone architecture is regionalized along the soricid vertebral column, and this regionalization is potentially related to bone functional adaptation, there are likely aspects of vertebral functional regionalization that are not detectable using trabecular bone morphology. For example, the external morphology of the Scutisorex lumbar spine shows signs of an extra functional region that is not apparent in trabecular bone analyses. It is possible that body size and locomotor mode affect the degree to which function is manifest in trabecular bone, and broader study across mammalian size and ecology is warranted to understand the relationship between trabecular bone morphology and other measures of vertebral function such as intervertebral range of motion.
Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) in the UK: findings from the BSAC National Outcomes Registry (2015–19)
Authors: Gilchrist Mark , Barr David , Drummond Felicity , Muir Alison , Williams John , Scriven James , Snape Susan , Hemsley Carolyn , Durojaiye Chris O , Patel Sanjay , Andrew Seaton R.
Published: February 2022

Background

Reporting of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) outcomes with national benchmarking is key to informing service development and supporting quality improvement.

Objectives

To analyse and report on data collected by the BSAC OPAT National Outcomes Registry from 2015 to 2019.

Methods

Quarterly data to 2020 was extracted from the BSAC National Outcomes Registry and analysed.

Results

57 organizations submitted data on 27 841 patient episodes and 442 280 OPAT treatment days. A diverse range of infections and antimicrobials were reported with a mean OPAT treatment duration of 16.7 days (adults) and 7.7 days (paediatrics). In adults, the top five conditions treated were skin and soft tissue (27.6%), bronchiectasis (11.4%), urinary tract infections (7.6%), and diabetic foot infections (5.5%). Ceftriaxone followed by teicoplanin, ertapenem and piperacillin/tazobactam were the most-used antimicrobials. A median of 1.4 vascular-device-related complications were observed per 1000 OPAT treatment days (range 0.11 to 10.4) with device infections in 0.3 per 1000 OPAT days (range 0.1 to 1.7). Other adverse events (rash, blood dyscrasias, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea) were observed in a median of 1.9 per 1000 OPAT days. OPAT infection outcome (cured/improved) was 92.4% and OPAT outcome (success/partial success) was 90.7%.

Conclusions

This report demonstrates the safety, breadth, and complexity of modern UK OPAT practice. Future analyses of OPAT data should focus on infection- and service-specific quality indicators. OPAT registries remain central to planning and assessing safe, effective, and efficient delivery of patient-centred care and should be an important focus for UK and global OPAT practice.
Characterization of GMB-1, a novel metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) found in three different Enterobacterales species
Authors: Schauer Jennifer , Gatermann Sören G , Eisfeld Jessica , Hans Jörg Berthold , Ziesing Stefan , Schlüter Dirk , Pfennigwerth Niels
Published: February 2022

Objectives

To identify novel carbapenem resistance mechanisms and their potential to spread among clinical isolates.

Methods

Four clinical isolates of Citrobacter freundii, Serratia marcescens and Raoultella planticola (n = 2) from one hospital in Central Germany were sent to the German National Reference Centre for Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative Bacteria for carbapenemase detection. Phenotypic tests indicated the presence of a metallo-β-lactamase (MBL), but PCR for various MBL genes could not identify any. Using WGS data, a putative bla gene was identified. Its carbapenemase activity was verified by heterologous expression in an Escherichia coli cloning strain, with subsequent MIC determination by broth microdilution, as well as by in vitro hydrolysis assays using purified enzyme.

Results

WGS indicated the presence of a putative β-lactamase with 48% amino acid identity to the subclass B1 MBL SPM-1. MIC studies confirmed that the novel enzyme formed a functional MBL, which was therefore designated as GMB-1 (German MBL). In vitro hydrolysis assays showed a lack of activity not only against aztreonam but also against ertapenem. WGS revealed that in all three species the blaGMB-1 gene was located on the chromosome as part of a genetic island with multiple ISs.

Conclusions

The finding of GMB-1 once again shows that novel carbapenemases continue to emerge and make their way into clinically relevant species. The occurrence of GMB-1 in three different species demonstrates the extraordinary mobility of such genetic islands and their potential to spread carbapenemase genes into diverse genetic environments.
Pre-Clinical Safety and Efficacy Evaluation of a Herbal Nanoemulsion-Based Formulation for Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Alshahrani Ali , Ali Abuzer
Published: February 2022

Background

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic autoimmune sickness that affects the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Currently available treatment regimens have various adverse effects and create a financial burden.

Objective

This paper presents the development of an oral liquid formulation containing a nanoemulsion (NE) of herbal extracts for the treatment of IBD.

Methods

A NE-based formulation was prepared and characterized. Stability studies based on the physical appearance, viscosity, pH, total microbial count, and assay were performed. The antioxidant activity of the individual extract, mixture, and formulation was compared by the DPPH method. In order to assess both the efficacy and the safety of the formulation, a TNBS-induced colitis model was used.

Results

A herbal extract of fennel, anise, chamomile, linseed, and pomegranate fruit peel was used as the oil phase, PEG as a surfactant, Tween 80 as a co-surfactant, and benzalkonium chloride (0.001% w/v) as a preservative in the NE. Average particle size, PDI, viscosity, and pH were 283 nm, 0.33, 48 cp, and 5.9, respectively. Assay of the product by standard marker anethole was 99.6%. It was established that the formulation remains stable at least for 6 months. The antioxidant activity of the combined extract was higher than the individual extracts. The colon mucosa damage index (CMDI) from the formulation was negligible and similar to that of the control group.

Conclusion

The results suggest that it is worthwhile developing the NE of herbal extracts for treating IBD. Additionally, the benefit of selecting a multi-herb extract for NE formulation is demonstrated by the antioxidant activity of the combined extracts.

Highlights

This study revealed that the NE of the herbal extract is a promising approach for IBD treatment. A patent related to the work is published in the Indian Official Journal of the Patent Office (14/2021).
Hand compartment syndrome due to extravasation of contrast medium. A technical error. A report of a case and review of the literature
Authors: Papatheodorou Nikolaos , Keskinis Anthimos , Georgoulas Paraskevas , Tilkeridis Konstantinos , Botaitis Sotirios , Perente Sempachedin , Kougioumtzi Ioanna
Published: February 2022

The extravasation of contrast agents is one of the most common and remarkable complications during a computed tomography (CT) scan. The clinical manifestations are commonly minimal, leading to mild symptoms. However, in rare cases of high-volume extravasation, the complications are extremely threatening. Compartment syndrome of the hand and the forearm leads to critical dysfunction and upper limb necrosis. This article reported an unusual case of hand compartment syndrome following extravasation of iodinated contrast agent from a peripheral venous catheter, during a CT angiography, and its surgical treatment. Moreover, a literature review regarding all published similar surgically treated cases was conducted.
Coronary artery aneurysm, ectasia and stenosis in a 53-year-old man with HIV infection
Authors: Kashyap Abhishek , Abramov Dmitry , Bharadwaj Aditya , Rabkin Miriam , Rabkin David G
Published: February 2022

The impact of long-standing human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and potent anti-retroviral therapy on the coronary circulation is unknown; however, scattered reports are emerging of coronary aneurysms in this population. We report what we believe to be the first described case of both coronary stenosis and coronary artery aneurysms in a person living with HIV and discuss management options.
The Auto-X Attributes of the Father and the Son in Origen
Authors: Miller Micah M
Published: February 2022

This article attempts to address whether or not Origen considers the relationship between the Father and Son to be hierarchical by analysing Origen’s use of auto-X attributes of the Father and Son. Through this analysis, this article will demonstrate that Origen believes the Son to be dependent on the Father for his being and his attributes, a relationship that ranks the Son below the Father. The first section of the article will examine the auto-X attributes of the Father, arguing that Origen’s use of the prefix auto- makes the Son dependent on the Father and, therefore, ranked below him. The second section of the article will analyse the auto-X attributes of the Son. I will follow the work of several scholars who maintain that Origen uses auto-X language of the Son to denote his relationship to creation, not his relationship to the Father. However, I will add to this previous scholarship by providing a more complete analysis of Origen’s use of auto-X language of the Son and by arguing that scholars have not recognized the hierarchical relationship this language indicates.
Intrinsic alignments in IllustrisTNG and their implications for weak lensing: Tidal shearing and tidal torquing mechanisms put to the test
Authors: Zjupa Jolanta , Schäfer Björn Malte , Hahn Oliver
Published: February 2022

Accurate measurements of the cosmic shear signal require a separation of the true weak gravitational lensing signal from intrinsic shape correlations of galaxies. These ‘intrinsic alignments’ of galaxies originate from galaxy formation processes and are expected to be correlated with the gravitational field through tidal processes affecting the galaxies, such as tidal shearing for elliptical galaxies and tidal torquing for spiral galaxies. In this study, we use morphologically selected samples of elliptical and spiral galaxies from the illustrisTNG simulation at z = 0 and z = 1 to test the commonly employed linear (tidal shearing) and quadratic (tidal torquing) models for intrinsic alignments. We obtain local measurements of the linear and quadratic alignment parameters, including corrections for large-scale anisotropies of the cosmologically small simulation volume, and study their dependence on galaxy and environmental properties. We find a significant alignment signal for elliptical galaxies (linear model), that increases with mass and redshift. Spiral galaxies (quadratic model), on the other hand, exhibit a significant signal only for the most massive objects at z = 1. We show the quadratic model for spiral galaxies to break down at its fundamental assumptions, and simultaneously obtain a significant signal of spiral galaxies to align according to the linear model. We use the derived alignment parameters to compute intrinsic alignment spectra and estimate the expected contamination in the weak lensing signal obtained by Euclid.
The impact of dust on the sizes of galaxies in the Epoch of Reionization
Authors: Marshall Madeline A , Wilkins Stephen , Di Matteo Tiziana , Roper William J , Vijayan Aswin P , Ni Yueying , Feng Yu , Croft Rupert A C
Published: February 2022

We study the sizes of galaxies in the Epoch of Reionization using a sample of ${\sim 100\, 000}$ galaxies from the BlueTides cosmological hydrodynamical simulation from z = 7 to 11. We measure the galaxy sizes from stellar mass and luminosity maps, defining the effective radius as the minimum radius that could enclose the pixels containing 50 per cent of the total mass/light in the image. We find an inverse relationship between stellar mass and effective half-mass radius, suggesting that the most massive galaxies are more compact and dense than lower mass galaxies, which have flatter mass distributions. We find a mildly negative relation between intrinsic far-ultraviolet luminosity and size, while we find a positive size–luminosity relation when measured from dust-attenuated images. This suggests that dust is the predominant cause of the observed positive size–luminosity relation, with dust preferentially attenuating bright sightlines resulting in a flatter emission profile and thus larger measured effective radii. We study the size–luminosity relation across the rest-frame ultraviolet and optical, and find that the slope decreases at longer wavelengths; this is a consequence of the relation being caused by dust, which produces less attenuation at longer wavelengths. We find that the far-ultraviolet size–luminosity relation shows mild evolution from z = 7 to 11, and galaxy size evolves with redshift as R ∝ (1 + z)−m, where m = 0.662 ± 0.009. Finally, we investigate the sizes of z = 7 quasar host galaxies, and find that while the intrinsic sizes of quasar hosts are small relative to the overall galaxy sample, they have comparable sizes when measured from dust-attenuated images.
Astrometric star-cluster membership probability: application to the case of M 37 with Gaia EDR3
Authors: Griggio M , Bedin L R
Published: February 2022

In this work, starting from the well-accepted relations in literature, we introduce a new formalism to compute the astrometric membership probabilities for sources in star clusters, and we provide an application to the case of the open cluster M 37. The novelty of our approach is a refined – and magnitude-dependent – modelling of the parallax distribution of the field stars. We employ the here-derived list of members to estimate the cluster’s mean systemic astrometric parameters, which are based on the most recent Gaia’s catalogue (EDR3).