bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Affects in Online Stakeholder Engagement: A Dissensus Perspective
Authors: Castelló Itziar , Lopez-Berzosa David
Published: December 2021

A predominant assumption in studies of deliberative democracy is that stakeholder engagements will lead to rational consensus and to a common discourse on corporate social and environmental responsibilities. Challenging this assumption, we show that conflict is ineradicable and important and that affects constitute the dynamics of change of the discourses of responsibilities. On the basis of an analysis of social media engagements in the context of the grand challenge of plastic pollution, we argue that civil society actors use mobilization strategies with their peers and inclusive-dissensus strategies with corporations to convert them to a new discourse. These strategies use moral affects to blame and shame corporations and solidarity affects to create feelings of identification with the group and to avoid disengagement and polarization. Our research contributes to the literature on deliberative democracy and stakeholder engagement in social media in the collective constructions of discourses on grand challenges.
Ensuring a safe(r) harbor: Excising personally identifiable information from structured electronic health record data
Authors: Pfaff Emily R. , Haendel Melissa A. , Kostka Kristin , Lee Adam , Niehaus Emily , Palchuk Matvey B. , Walters Kellie , Chute Christopher G.
Published: December 2021

Recent findings have shown that the continued expansion of the scope and scale of data collected in electronic health records are making the protection of personally identifiable information (PII) more challenging and may inadvertently put our institutions and patients at risk if not addressed. As clinical terminologies expand to include new terms that may capture PII (e.g., Patient First Name, Patient Phone Number), institutions may start using them in clinical data capture (and in some cases, they already have). Once in use, PII-containing values associated with these terms may find their way into laboratory or observation data tables via extract-transform-load jobs intended to process structured data, putting institutions at risk of unintended disclosure. Here we aim to inform the informatics community of these findings, as well as put out a call to action for remediation by the community.
Relative dispersion with finite inertial ranges
Authors: LaCasce J.H. , Meunier Thomas
Published: December 2021

Relative dispersion experiments are often analysed using theoretical predictions from two- and three-dimensional turbulence. These apply to infinite inertial ranges, assuming the same dispersive behaviour over all scales. With finite inertial ranges, the metrics are less conclusive. We examine this using pair separation probability density functions (PDFs), obtained by integrating a Fokker–Planck equation with different diffusivity profiles. We consider time-based metrics, such as the relative dispersion, and separation-based metrics, such as the finite scale Lyapunov exponent (FSLE). As the latter cannot be calculated from a PDF, we introduce a new measure, the cumulative inverse separation time (CIST), which can. This behaves like the FSLE, but advantageously has analytical solutions in the inertial ranges. This allows the establishment of consistency between the time- and space-based metrics, something which has been lacking previously. We focus on three dispersion regimes: non-local spreading (as in a two-dimensional enstrophy inertial range), Richardson dispersion (as in an energy inertial range) and diffusion (for uncorrelated pair motion). The time-based metrics are more successful with non-local dispersion, as the corresponding PDF applies from the initial time. Richardson dispersion is barely observed, because the self-similar PDF applies only asymptotically in time. In contrast, the separation-based CIST correctly captures the dependencies, even with a short (one decade) inertial range, and is superior to the traditional FSLE at large scales. Nevertheless, it is advantageous to use all measures together, to seek consistent indications of the dispersion.
Prevalence and socio-economic determinants of inadequate dietary diversity among adolescent girls and boys in Bangladesh: findings from a nationwide cross-sectional survey
Authors: Akter Fahmida , Hossain Md Mokbul , Shamim Abu Ahmed , Khan Md Showkat Ali , Hasan Mehedi , Hanif Abu Abdullah Mohammad , Hossaine Moyazzam , Urmy Nushrat Jahan , Ullah Mohammad Aman , Sarker Samir Kanti , Rahman S. M. Mustafizur , Mitra Dipak Kumar , Bulbul Md Mofijul Islam , Mridha Malay Kanti
Published: December 2021

Malnutrition among adolescents is often associated with inadequate dietary diversity (DD). We aimed to explore the prevalence of inadequate DD and its socio-economic determinants among adolescent girls and boys in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during the 2018–19 round of national nutrition surveillance in Bangladesh. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the determinants of inadequate DD among adolescent girls and boys separately. This population-based survey covered eighty-two rural, non-slum urban and slum clusters from all divisions of Bangladesh. A total of 4865 adolescent girls and 4907 adolescent boys were interviewed. The overall prevalence of inadequate DD was higher among girls (55⋅4 %) than the boys (50⋅6 %). Moreover, compared to boys, the prevalence of inadequate DD was higher among the girls for almost all socio-economic categories. Poor educational attainment, poor maternal education, female-headed household, household food insecurity and poor household wealth were associated with increased chances of having inadequate DD in both sexes. In conclusion, more than half of the Bangladeshi adolescent girls and boys consumed an inadequately diversified diet. The socio-economic determinants of inadequate DD should be addressed through context-specific multisectoral interventions.
Punishment by Association: The Burden of Attending Court for Legal Bystanders
Authors: Eife Erin , Richie Beth E.
Published: December 2021

Scholars have shown how legal bystanders experience punishment at the hands of the state in their homes and neighborhoods, as well as jails and prisons. Other scholars have shown how bureaucratic processes, such as attending court, are punitive toward people charged with crimes. There is less information about how legal bystanders also experience punishment in courtrooms. In this article, we bridge the literatures between secondary prisonization and procedural punishment to illustrate how legal bystanders, such as family and friends of bond court defendants, experience punishment when attending bond court. We utilize courtroom ethnography of Central Bond Court in Chicago’s Cook County and interviews with family and friends of people charged with a crime to illustrate this form of punishment in three themes: extraction, destabilization, and degradation. With these findings, we argue that secondary prisonization begins not at the point of incarceration, but at the moment a loved one’s contact with the criminal legal system begins.
Technology and democracy: a paradox wrapped in a contradiction inside an irony
Authors: Lewandowsky Stephan , Pomerantsev Peter
Published: December 2021

Democracy is in retreat around the globe. Many commentators have blamed the Internet for this development, whereas others have celebrated the Internet as a tool for liberation, with each opinion being buttressed by supporting evidence. We try to resolve this paradox by reviewing some of the pressure points that arise between human cognition and the online information architecture, and their fallout for the well-being of democracy. We focus on the role of the attention economy, which has monetised dwell time on platforms, and the role of algorithms that satisfy users’ presumed preferences. We further note the inherent asymmetry in power between platforms and users that arises from these pressure points, and we conclude by sketching out the principles of a new Internet with democratic credentials.
Ingestion of an ample amount of meat substitute based on a lysine-enriched, plant-based protein blend stimulates postprandial muscle protein synthesis to a similar extent as an isonitrogenous amount of chicken in healthy, young men
Authors: Kouw Imre W.K. , Pinckaers Philippe J.M. , Le Bourgot Cindy , van Kranenburg Janneau M.X. , Zorenc Antoine H. , de Groot Lisette C.P.G.M. , Verdijk Lex , Snijders Tim , van Loon Luc J.C.
Published: December 2021

Plant-based proteins are considered to be less effective in their capacity to stimulate muscle protein synthesis when compared with animal-based protein sources, likely due to differences in amino acid contents. We compared the postprandial muscle protein synthetic response following the ingestion of a lysine-enriched plant-based protein product with an isonitrogenous amount of chicken. Twenty-four men (age 24 ± 5 years; BMI 22·9 ± 2·6 kg·m−2) participated in this parallel, double-blind, randomised controlled trial and consumed 40 g of protein as a lysine-enriched wheat and chickpea protein product (Plant, n 12) or chicken breast fillet (Chicken, n 12). Primed, continuous intravenous l-(ring-13C6)-phenylalanine infusions were applied while repeated blood and muscle samples were collected over a 5-h postprandial period to assess plasma amino acid responses, muscle protein synthesis rates and muscle anabolic signalling responses. Postprandial plasma leucine and essential amino acid concentrations were higher following Chicken (P < 0·001), while plasma lysine concentrations were higher throughout in Plant (P < 0·001). Total plasma amino acid concentrations did not differ between interventions (P = 0·181). Ingestion of both Plant and Chicken increased muscle protein synthesis rates from post-absorptive: 0·031 ± 0·011 and 0·031 ± 0·013 to postprandial: 0·046 ± 0·010 and 0·055 ± 0·015 % h−1, respectively (P-time < 0·001), with no differences between Plant and Chicken (time x treatment P = 0·068). Ingestion of 40 g of protein in the form of a lysine-enriched plant-based protein product increases muscle protein synthesis rates to a similar extent as an isonitrogenous amount of chicken in healthy, young men. Plant-based protein products sold as meat replacers may be as effective as animal-based protein sources to stimulate postprandial muscle protein synthesis rates in healthy, young individuals.
Taurine stimulates protein synthesis and proliferation of C2C12 myoblast cells through the PI3K-ARID4B-mTOR pathway
Authors: Hao Qi , Wang Lulu , Zhang Minghui , Wang Zhe , Li Meng , Gao Xuejun
Published: December 2021

Taurine (Tau) has many profound physiological functions, but its role and molecular mechanism in muscle cells are still not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the role and underlying molecular mechanism of Tau on protein synthesis and proliferation of C2C12 myoblast cells. Cells were treated with Tau (0, 60, 120, 180 and 240 μM) for 24 h. Tau dose-dependently promoted protein synthesis, cell proliferation, mechanistic target of rapamycin protein (mTOR) phosphorylation and also AT-rich interaction domain 4B (ARID4B) expression, with the best stimulatory effects at 120 μM. LY 294002 treatment showed that Tau promoted ARID4B expression in a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent manner. ARID4B knockdown (by small interfering RNA transfection for 24 h) prevented Tau from stimulating protein synthesis and cell proliferation, whereas ARID4B gene activation (using the CRISPR/dCas9 technology) had stimulatory effects. ARID4B knockdown abolished Tau signalling to mRNA expression and protein phosphorylation of mTOR, whereas ARID4B gene activation had stimulatory effects. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-PCR identified that all of ARID4B, H3K27ac and H3K27me3 bound to the −4368 to –4591 bp site in the mTOR promoter, and ChIP-quantitative PCR (qPCR) further detected that Tau stimulated ARID4B binding to this site. ARID4B knockdown or gene activation did not affect H3K27me3 binding to the mTOR promoter but decreased or increased H3K27ac binding, respectively. Furthermore, ARID4B knockdown abolished the stimulation of Tau on H3K27ac binding to the mTOR promoter. In summary, these data uncover that Tau promotes protein synthesis and proliferation of C2C12 myoblast cells through the PI3K-ARID4B-mTOR pathway, providing a deep understanding of how Tau regulates anabolism in muscle cells.
Larvae ecology and adult activity ofAedes mariae(Diptera: Culicidae) in a touristic rock-pool area of the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean)
Authors: Bengoa Mikel , Rotger Andreu , Luzón Raúl , Barceló Carlos
Published: December 2021

Mosquitoes are vectors of several diseases of medical concern such as malaria or dengue and can also negatively affect tourism and the life-quality of the neighbourhood. The speciesAedes mariae(Sergent and Sergent, 1903) is a poorly studied mosquito that breeds in rock-pools of the Mediterranean coast. General Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) were used to determine drivers affecting the presence and abundance of this species. Abiotic and biotic factors were recorded in rock-pools with the presence ofAe. mariaesub-adults across a supralittoral area of Majorca Island (Balearic Islands, Spain) from July 2018 to June 2019. We tested how abiotic factors affected the presence of larvae, while the biotic factors were used to check their effect on larvae abundance. human landing collection was also conducted to assess the adult activity of this species. Valuable data were recorded to improve our knowledge about the bioecology ofAe. mariaein a touristic area of the island of Majorca. Salinity and pH were the most explanatory variables for the presence ofAe. mariaelarvae. The presence ofPosidonia oceanica(L.) Delile 1813 leaves negatively affected the abundance ofAe. mariaelarvae while the presence of other fauna enhanced it. Adult females ofAe. mariaewere active for 26 min after sunset in June and its host-seeking activity decreased during autumn months. Control methods against this species should be focussed on rock-pools and planning treatments according to tides, waves and precipitation.
The Testimony for Marcion's Gospel in NA28: Revisiting the Apparatus to Luke in the Light of Recent Research
Authors: Roth Dieter T.
Published: December 2021

Scholarly work on Luke has often noted the significance of Marcion's Gospel for understanding the textual history of the third canonical Gospel. It is not surprising, therefore, that in the past new insights into Marcion's Gospel have led to revisions in the apparatus of the highly influential Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, now in its 28th edition. In view of the precedent for continually updating the Nestle-Aland text and apparatus, this article revisits the apparatus to Luke in the light of recent research on Marcion's Gospel in order to highlight problematic references that should be changed or removed in the apparatus of future Nestle-Aland editions.
Suppressed activity of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex as a biomarker for depression remission
Authors: Davey Christopher G. , Cearns Micah , Jamieson Alec , Harrison Ben J.
Published: December 2021

Background

Suppression of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) has shown promise as a prognostic biomarker for depression. We aimed to use machine learning to characterise its ability to predict depression remission.

Methods

Data were obtained from 81 15- to 25-year-olds with a major depressive disorder who had participated in the YoDA-C trial, in which they had been randomised to receive cognitive behavioural therapy plus either fluoxetine or placebo. Prior to commencing treatment patients performed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task to assess rACC suppression. Support vector machines were trained on the fMRI data using nested cross-validation, and were similarly trained on clinical data. We further tested our fMRI model on data from the YoDA-A trial, in which participants had completed the same fMRI paradigm.

Results

Thirty-six of 81 (44%) participants in the YoDA-C trial achieved remission. Our fMRI model was able to predict remission status (AUC = 0.777 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.638–0.916], balanced accuracy = 67%, negative predictive value = 74%, p < 0.0001). Clinical models failed to predict remission status at better than chance levels. Testing the model on the alternative YoDA-A dataset confirmed its ability to predict remission (AUC = 0.776, balanced accuracy = 64%, negative predictive value = 70%, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

We confirm that rACC activity acts as a prognostic biomarker for depression. The machine learning model can identify patients who are likely to have difficult-to-treat depression, which might direct the earlier provision of enhanced support and more intensive therapies.
The Pandemic Paranoia Scale (PPS): factor structure and measurement invariance across languages
Authors: Kingston J. L. , Schlier B. , Ellett L. , So S. H. , Gaudiano B. A. , Morris E. M. J. , Lincoln T. M.
Published: December 2021

Background

Globally, the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created an interpersonally threatening context within which other people have become a source of possible threat. This study reports on the development and validation of a self-report measure of pandemic paranoia; that is, heightened levels of suspicion and mistrust towards others due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

An international consortium developed an initial set of 28 items for the Pandemic Paranoia Scale (PPS), which were completed by participants from the UK (n = 512), USA (n = 535), Germany (n = 516), Hong Kong (n = 454) and Australia (n = 502) using stratified quota sampling (for age, sex and educational attainment) through Qualtrics and translated for Germany and Hong Kong.

Results

Exploratory factor analysis in the UK sample suggested a 25-item, three-factor solution (persecutory threat; paranoid conspiracy and interpersonal mistrust). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the remaining combined sample showed sufficient model fit in this independent set of data. Measurement invariance analyses suggested configural and metric invariance, but no scalar invariance across cultures/languages. A second-order factor CFA on the whole sample indicated that the three factors showed large loadings on a common second-order pandemic paranoia factor. Analyses also supported the test–retest reliability and internal and convergent validity.

Conclusion

The PPS offers an internationally validated and reliable method for assessing paranoia in the context of a pandemic. The PPS has the potential to enhance our understanding of the impact of the pandemic, the nature of paranoia and to assist in identifying and supporting people affected by pandemic-specific paranoia.
UN'INEDITA STATUA DELLA VIRTVS CORP. COLL. DENDROPHORVM DA CAREIAE (SANTA MARIA DI GALERIA)
Authors: Brunetti Marco , Ciambelli Simone , Gregori Gian Luca
Published: December 2021

In questo contributo gli autori pubblicano una statua con iscrizione inedita proveniente dall'antico sito di Careiae, nell'Etruria meridionale. Essa offre l'opportunità di riflettere sul ruolo di questo piccolo centro nei pressi di Roma, di cui poco sappiamo, sulla rarissima connessione tra il collegio dei dendrofori eVirtuse sul ruolo che il collegio dei dendrofori poteva avere anche al di fuori dai contesti urbani. L'edizione di questo nuovo testo ha offerto anche l'occasione di riconsiderare un analogo plinto iscritto di statua, oggi conservato a Vienna e attribuito finora a Roma.
Exploring evolving caring relationship experiences among nursing home residents and nurse aides in Shanghai: a dyadic perspective
Authors: Chen Lin , Zhu Qiang , Xu Ling , Lee Yura , Kim Bum Jung
Published: December 2021

Although research has shown that older nursing home residents can benefit from caring relationships with nurse aides, few studies have explored their dyadic, evolving relationship dynamics. Using a dyadic perspective, this study simultaneously explores caring relationships among older residents and nurse aides in Shanghai. In a government-sponsored nursing home in Shanghai, 20 matched resident–nurse aide dyads participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews (N = 40). We performed thematic analysis to interpret and conceptualise the evolving caring relationships within dyads. Four types emerged during the evolution of caring relationships across the 20 dyads: (a) sharing strong rapport, (b) respecting each other, (c) hesitant responding, and (d) keeping emotional distance. Upon placement, all the residents kept emotional distance from nurse aides, and their assigned nurse aides provided care-giving by following nursing home regulations. As time passed, nurse aides began to create a family environment and tried to interact with residents on an emotional level; however, residents’ attitudes varied. The caring relationships in some dyads evolved as rapport and respect emerged, while others remained hesitant and distant. This suggests that residents and nurse aides prioritised caring relationships differently in terms of autonomy preservation and safety protection, respectively. This study sheds light on nursing home practice to facilitate building caring relationships between residents and nurse aides.
Lineage Solidarity and Rhetorical Resonance: Village Strategies to Retain Primary Schools in Rural China
Authors: Tian Felicia F. , Song Jing , Du Shichao
Published: December 2021

As the state has shifted its priorities towards social harmony and poverty alleviation, this study finds rhetorical resonance, combined with strong lineage solidarity, as an emerging strategy for villages to compete for government resources and investments. By articulating grassroots needs as being in line with local cadres’ performance goals, villages have successfully converted their needs into development proposals and mobilized lineage solidarity to persuade local cadres of the feasibility of such proposals. Drawing on three villages’ school-saving efforts in Fujian province, our fieldwork illustrates how one village retained its school by mobilizing lineage solidarity and converting education into a “model” village project to boost cultural tourism. Others failed to do so and lost their schools. Under the target-based cadre management system, the bottom-up competition for government support is largely shaped by the villages’ pre-existing development and resource structures, which may maximize management efficiency but may also reinforce socioeconomic inequalities between villages.
The Neofascist Network and Madrid, 1945–1953: From City of Refuge to Transnational Hub and Centre of Operations
Authors: del Hierro Pablo
Published: December 2021

The aim of this paper is to trace the evolution of the neofascist networks from the vantage point, between 1945 and 1953, of Madrid, a city where a myriad of extreme right activists gathered to discuss and promote their cause at a transnational level. Exploring the local socio-political context in which these (neo)-fascists moved, and the networks that they formed, the study delves into the creation of ratlines crucial for fascists to escape from the Allied prosecution once the Second World War was over, the consolidation of the city as a central meeting point for fascists from all over the world (from Degrelle to Skorzeny, passing by Horia Sima or Filippo Anfuso), discussions around the possible creation of paramilitary organisations, and the everyday lives of (neo)-fascists operating in Madrid. On the basis of police reports, secret service intelligences and other primary sources, this paper foregrounds the role of the fascist diaspora and the subsequent interactions as driving forces enabling entanglements, and cooperation among (neo)-fascist movements and the Francoist regime, at various formal or informal political levels.
Nutrition knowledge among university students in the UK: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Belogianni Katerina , Ooms Ann , Lykou Anastasia , Moir Hannah Jayne
Published: December 2021

Objective:

To investigate nutrition knowledge (NK) in university students, potential factors affecting knowledge and predictors of good NK.

Design:

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017–2018. The revised General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire was administered online to assess overall NK and subsections of knowledge (dietary recommendations, nutrient sources of foods, healthy food choices and diet–disease relationships). The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare overall NK scores according to sex, age, ethnicity, field of study, studying status, living arrangement, being on a special diet and perceived health. Logistic regression was performed to identify which of these factors were associated with a good level of NK (defined as having an overall NK score above the median score of the sample population).

Setting:

Two London-based universities.

Participants:

One hundred and ninety students from various academic disciplines.

Results:

The highest NK scores were found in the healthy food choices (10 out of 13 points) and the lowest in the nutrient sources of foods section (25 out of 36 points). Overall NK score was 64 out of 88 points, with 46·8 % students reaching a good level of knowledge. Knowledge scores significantly differed according to age, field of study, ethnicity and perceived health. Having good NK was positively associated with age (OR = 1·05, (95 % CI 1·00, 1·1), P < 0·05), White ethnicity (OR = 3·27, (95 % CI 1·68, 6·35), P < 0·001) and health rating as very good or excellent (OR = 4·71, (95 % CI 1·95, 11·4), P < 0·05).

Conclusions:

Future health-promoting interventions should focus on increasing knowledge of specific nutrition areas and consider the personal and academic factors affecting NK in university students.
Design of a high-gain dual-band antipodal Vivaldi antenna array for 5G communications
Authors: Kumar Sumit , Dixit Amruta S.
Published: December 2021

This paper presents a dual-band 1 × 4 antipodal Vivaldi antenna (AVA) array with high gain to operate over a dual-frequency band that covers the 5G frequency spectrum. The gain is enhanced by employing a dielectric lens (DL). The AVA array consists of four radiating patch elements, corrugations, DL, and array feeding network on the top side. The bottom side contains four radiating patches which are the mirror images of top radiating patches. The designed AVA contains 1 × 4 array antenna elements with a DL that is operating in the ranges of 24.59–24.98 and 27.06–29 GHz. The dimensions of the designed antenna are 97.2 mm × 71.2 mm × 0.8 mm. For the improvement in gain and impedance matching at the dual-band frequency, corrugation and feeding network techniques are used. The gain obtained is about 8–12 dBi. AVA array is tested after fabrication and the measured results are reliable with the simulation results.
Human well-being in the Anthropocene: limits to growth
Authors: Collste David , Cornell Sarah E. , Randers Jorgen , Rockström Johan , Stoknes Per Espen
Published: December 2021

Non-technical summary

Transformation of the world towards sustainability in line with the 2030 Agenda requires progress on multiple dimensions of human well-being. We track development of relevant indicators for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1–7 against gross domestic product (GDP) per person in seven world regions and the world as a whole. Across the regions, we find uniform development patterns where SDGs 1–7 – and therefore main human needs – are achieved at around US$15,000 measured in 2011 US$ purchasing power parity (PPP).

Technical summary

How does GDP per person relate to the achievement of well-being as targeted by the 2030 Agenda? The 2030 Agenda includes global ambitions to meet human needs and aspirations. However, these need to be met within planetary boundaries. In nascent world-earth modelling, human well-being as well as global environmental impacts are linked through economic production, which is tracked by GDP. We examined historic developments on 5-year intervals, 1980–2015, between average income and the advancement on indicators of SDGs 1–7. This was done for both seven world regions and the world as a whole. We find uniform patterns of saturation for all regions above an income threshold somewhere around US$15,000 measured in 2011 US$ PPP. At this level, main human needs and capabilities are met. The level is also consistent with studies of life satisfaction and the Easterlin paradox. We observe stark differences with respect to scale: the patterns of the world as an aggregated whole develop differently from all its seven regions, with implications for world-earth model construction – and sustainability transformations.

Social media summary

Reaching human well-being #SDGs takes GDP levels of $15k. This may help shape transformation to a world that respects #PlanetaryBoundaries.
The evolution of knowledge processing and the sustainability conundrum
Authors: Grumbach Stéphane , van der Leeuw Sander
Published: December 2021

Non-technical summary

Our time seems to be trapped in a paradox. On the one hand, the capacity to master information has tremendously increased, but on the other hand the capacity to use the knowledge humanity produces seems at stake. There is a gap between our capacity to know and our capacity to act. We attempt to better understand that situation by considering the evolution of knowledge processing along human history, in particular the relation between the development of information technologies and the complexity of societies, the balance between the known and the unknown, and the current emergence of autonomous machines allowing intelligent processes.

Technical summary

Information-processing capacities developed historically in conjunction with the complexity of human societies. Positive feedback loops contributed to the co-evolution of knowledge, social organization, environmental transformation, and information technologies. Very powerful loops now drive the rapid emergence of global digital platforms, disrupting legacy organizations and economic equilibria. The simultaneous emergence of the awareness of the sustainability conundrum and the digital revolution is striking. Both are extremely disruptive and contribute to a surge in complexity, but how do they relate to each other? Paradoxically, as the capacity to master information increases, the capacity to use the knowledge humanity produces seems to lag. The objective of this paper is to analyze the current divergence between knowledge and action, from the angle of the co-evolution of information processing and societal transformation. We show how the interplay between perception and action, between the known and the unknown, between information processing and ontological uncertainty, has evolved toward a sense of control, a hubris, which abolishes the unknown and hinders action. A possible outcome of this interplay might lead to a society controlled to stay in its safe operating space, involving a strong delegation of information processing to autonomous machines, as well as extensive forms of biopolitics.

Social media summary

The sustainability conundrum and the digital revolution are entangled phenomena leading to complexity and disruption.
Large Hemoglobin Differences at Birth in Monochorionic Twins with a Placental Chorangioma and Delayed Cord Clamping
Authors: Groene Sophie G. , Tollenaar Lisanne S.A. , van der Meeren Lotte E. , Slaghekke Femke , Verweij E. Joanne , Hooper Stuart B. , te Pas Arjan B. , Lopriore Enrico
Published: December 2021

We report a case of a monochorionic diamniotic twin with an uncomplicated pregnancy, but with an unexpected large intertwin hemoglobin (Hb) difference at birth. Twin 1 was delivered vaginally and had an uneventful neonatal course. The umbilical cord of Twin 1 was clamped approximately 5 min after birth. After the birth of Twin 1, Twin 2 developed severe bradycardia and showed limited cardiac output on ultrasound, for which an emergency cesarean section was performed. A full blood count revealed an Hb of 20.1 g/dL for Twin 1 and 10.2 g/dL for Twin 2 (intertwin difference 9.9 g/dL). Reticulocyte counts were similar, 40‰ and 38‰, respectively. Placental examination revealed 10 vascular anastomoses, including one arterio-arterial anastomosis with a diameter of 1.4 mm. Additionally, a large chorangioma was present on the placental surface of Twin 2. There was no color difference on the maternal side of the placenta. Based on the reticulocyte count ratio and the placental characteristics, twin anemia polycythemia sequence was ruled out as the cause of the large intertwin Hb difference. In this report, we discuss the various potential causes that could explain the large intertwin Hb difference including the role of delayed cord clamping in Twin 1, and the role of a large chorangioma, which may have attracted blood from the fetal circulation of Twin 2.
Induced Polarization and Magnetic Responses of Serpentinized Ultramafic Rocks From Mid‐Ocean Ridges
Authors: Chen H. , Tao C. , Revil A. , Zhu Z. , Zhou J. , Wu T. , Deng X.
Published: December 2021

The outcrops of ultramafic rock along mid‐ocean ridges experience variable extents of serpentinization related to tectonic and hydrothermal processes. It involves the water‐assisted alteration of primary ferromagnesian minerals (e.g., olivine and pyroxenes) to produce secondary minerals including serpentine, magnetite and brucite. This hydration process induces profound changes in both the rheological and petrophysical properties of the ocean lithosphere. That said, the evolution of the low‐frequency electrical polarization properties of these rocks along the serpentinization path remains poorly explored. A total of 47 core samples were collected at the seafloor along the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) in order to investigate the process of serpentinization in terms of combined magnetization and polarization signatures. We found a linear relationship connecting chargeability and magnetic susceptibility for both fresh basalts and ultramafic rocks. A unique trend between these two properties is associated with the production of magnetite during serpentinization of peridotites. Magnetite acts indeed as a semi‐conductor responsible for a high chargeability in a low‐frequency (<10 kHertz) electrical field and because of its magnetic properties, it increases the magnetic susceptibility of the ultramafic rocks during serpentinization. In addition, both the chargeability and the magnetic susceptibility change with the grain density of the core samples, which depends on the degree of serpentinization.
Insulin and glucose metabolism with olanzapine and a combination of olanzapine and samidorphan: exploratory phase 1 results in healthy volunteers
Authors: Toledo Frederico G. S. , Martin William F. , Morrow Linda , Beysen Carine , Bajorunas Daiva , Jiang Ying , Silverman Bernard L. , McDonnell David , Namchuk Mark N. , Newcomer John W. , Graham Christine
Published: December 2021

A combination of olanzapine and samidorphan (OLZ/SAM) received US Food and Drug Administration approval in May 2021 for the treatment of adults with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder. OLZ/SAM provides the efficacy of olanzapine, while mitigating olanzapine-associated weight gain. This exploratory study characterized the metabolic profile of OLZ/SAM in healthy volunteers to gain mechanistic insights. Volunteers received once-daily oral 10 mg/10 mg OLZ/SAM, 10 mg olanzapine, or placebo for 21 days. Assessments included insulin sensitivity during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, other measures of glucose/lipid metabolism, and adverse event (AE) monitoring. Treatment effects were estimated with analysis of covariance. In total, 60 subjects were randomized (double-blind; placebo, n = 12; olanzapine, n = 24; OLZ/SAM, n = 24). Olanzapine resulted in hyperinsulinemia and reduced insulin sensitivity during an OGTT at day 19, changes not observed with OLZ/SAM or placebo. Insulin sensitivity, measured by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, was decreased in all treatment groups relative to baseline, but this effect was greatest with olanzapine and OLZ/SAM. Although postprandial (OGTT) glucose and fasting cholesterol concentrations were similarly increased with olanzapine or OLZ/SAM, other early metabolic effects were distinct, including post-OGTT C-peptide concentrations and aspects of energy metabolism. Forty-nine subjects (81.7%) experienced at least 1 AE, most mild or moderate in severity. OLZ/SAM appeared to mitigate some of olanzapine’s unfavorable postprandial metabolic effects (e.g., hyperinsulinemia, elevated C-peptide) in this exploratory study. These findings supplement the body of evidence from completed or ongoing OLZ/SAM clinical trials supporting its role in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder.
Current landscape of tumor-derived exosomal ncRNAs in glioma progression, detection, and drug resistance
Authors: He Xiao , Qi Yiwei , Zhang Xian , Liu Xiaojin , Li Xingbo , Li Sihan , Wu Yiping , Zhang Qi
Published: December 2021

Glioma is the most common and fatal tumor of the central nervous system in humans. Despite advances in surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapeutic agents, glioma still has a poor prognosis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) of glioma is of highly complex heterogeneity, which relies on a network-based communication between glioma cells and other stromal cell types. Exosomes are the most common type of naturally occurring extracellular vesicles, ranging in size from 40 to 160 nm, and can serve as carriers for proteins, RNAs, and other biologically active molecules. Recent evidence has shown that glioma-derived exosomes (GDEs) can be integrally detected in the local tissue and circulatory blood samples, and also can be transferred to recipient cells to mediate transmission of genetic information. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) mainly including microRNA, long non-coding RNA, and circular RNA, account for a large portion of the human transcriptome. A broad range of ncRNAs encapsulated in GDEs is reported to exert regulatory functions in various pathophysiological processes of glioma. Herein, this review summarizes the latest findings on the fundamental roles of GDE ncRNAs that have been implicated in glioma behaviors, immunological regulation, diagnosis potential, and treatment resistance, as well as the current limitations and perspectives. Undoubtedly, a thorough understanding of this area will provide comprehensive insights into GDE-based clinical applications for combating gliomas.
Massive image-based single-cell profiling reveals high levels of circulating platelet aggregates in patients with COVID-19
Authors: Nishikawa Masako , Kanno Hiroshi , Zhou Yuqi , Xiao Ting-Hui , Suzuki Takuma , Ibayashi Yuma , Harmon Jeffrey , Takizawa Shigekazu , Hiramatsu Kotaro , Nitta Nao , Kameyama Risako , Peterson Walker , Takiguchi Jun , Shifat-E-Rabbi Mohammad , Zhuang Yan , Yin Xuwang , Rubaiyat Abu Hasnat Mohammad , Deng Yunjie , Zhang Hongqian , Miyata Shigeki , Rohde Gustavo K. , Iwasaki Wataru , Yatomi Yutaka , Goda Keisuke
Published: December 2021

A characteristic clinical feature of COVID-19 is the frequent incidence of microvascular thrombosis. In fact, COVID-19 autopsy reports have shown widespread thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by extensive diffuse microthrombi within peripheral capillaries and arterioles in lungs, hearts, and other organs, resulting in multiorgan failure. However, the underlying process of COVID-19-associated microvascular thrombosis remains elusive due to the lack of tools to statistically examine platelet aggregation (i.e., the initiation of microthrombus formation) in detail. Here we report the landscape of circulating platelet aggregates in COVID-19 obtained by massive single-cell image-based profiling and temporal monitoring of the blood of COVID-19 patients (n = 110). Surprisingly, our analysis of the big image data shows the anomalous presence of excessive platelet aggregates in nearly 90% of all COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, results indicate strong links between the concentration of platelet aggregates and the severity, mortality, respiratory condition, and vascular endothelial dysfunction level of COVID-19 patients.
CRIg on liver macrophages clears pathobionts and protects against alcoholic liver disease
Authors: Duan Yi , Chu Huikuan , Brandl Katharina , Jiang Lu , Zeng Suling , Meshgin Nairika , Papachristoforou Eleni , Argemi Josepmaria , Mendes Beatriz G. , Wang Yanhan , Su Hua , Sun Weizhong , Llorente Cristina , Hendrikx Tim , Liu Xiao , Hosseini Mojgan , Kisseleva Tatiana , Brenner David A. , Bataller Ramon , Ramachandran Prakash , Karin Michael , Fu Wenxian , Schnabl Bernd
Published: December 2021

Complement receptor of immunoglobulin superfamily (CRIg) is expressed on liver macrophages and directly binds complement component C3b or Gram-positive bacteria to mediate phagocytosis. CRIg plays important roles in several immune-mediated diseases, but it is not clear how its pathogen recognition and phagocytic functions maintain homeostasis and prevent disease. We previously associated cytolysin-positive Enterococcus faecalis with severity of alcohol-related liver disease. Here, we demonstrate that CRIg is reduced in liver tissues from patients with alcohol-related liver disease. CRIg-deficient mice developed more severe ethanol-induced liver disease than wild-type mice; disease severity was reduced with loss of toll-like receptor 2. CRIg-deficient mice were less efficient than wild-type mice at clearing Gram-positive bacteria such as Enterococcus faecalis that had translocated from gut to liver. Administration of the soluble extracellular domain CRIg–Ig protein protected mice from ethanol-induced steatohepatitis. Our findings indicate that ethanol impairs hepatic clearance of translocated pathobionts, via decreased hepatic CRIg, which facilitates progression of liver disease.
Istaroxime treatment ameliorates calcium dysregulation in a zebrafish model of phospholamban R14del cardiomyopathy
Authors: Kamel S. M. , van Opbergen C. J. M. , Koopman C. D. , Verkerk A. O. , Boukens B. J. D. , de Jonge B. , Onderwater Y. L. , van Alebeek E. , Chocron S. , Polidoro Pontalti C. , Weuring W. J. , Vos M. A. , de Boer T. P. , van Veen T. A. B. , Bakkers J.
Published: December 2021

The heterozygous Phospholamban p.Arg14del mutation is found in patients with dilated or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. This mutation triggers cardiac contractile dysfunction and arrhythmogenesis by affecting intracellular Ca2+ dynamics. Little is known about the physiological processes preceding induced cardiomyopathy, which is characterized by sub-epicardial accumulation of fibrofatty tissue, and a specific drug treatment is currently lacking. Here, we address these issues using a knock-in Phospholamban p.Arg14del zebrafish model. Hearts from adult zebrafish with this mutation display age-related remodeling with sub-epicardial inflammation and fibrosis. Echocardiography reveals contractile variations before overt structural changes occur, which correlates at the cellular level with action potential duration alternans. These functional alterations are preceded by diminished Ca2+ transient amplitudes in embryonic hearts as well as an increase in diastolic Ca2+ level, slower Ca2+ transient decay and longer Ca2+ transients in cells of adult hearts. We find that istaroxime treatment ameliorates the in vivo Ca2+ dysregulation, rescues the cellular action potential duration alternans, while it improves cardiac relaxation. Thus, we present insight into the pathophysiology of Phospholamban p.Arg14del cardiomyopathy.
Vanishing weekly hydropeaking cycles in American and Canadian rivers
Authors: Déry Stephen J. , Hernández-Henríquez Marco A. , Stadnyk Tricia A. , Troy Tara J.
Published: December 2021

Sub-daily and weekly flow cycles termed ‘hydropeaking’ are common features in regulated rivers worldwide. Weekly flow periodicity arises from fluctuating electricity demand and production tied to socioeconomic activity, typically with higher consumption during weekdays followed by reductions on weekends. Here, we propose a weekly hydropeaking index to quantify the 1920–2019 intensity and prevalence of weekly hydropeaking cycles at 500 sites across the United States of America and Canada. A robust weekly hydropeaking signal exists at 1.8% of sites starting in 1920, peaking at 18.9% in 1963, and diminishing to 3.1% in 2019, marking a 21st century decline in weekly hydropeaking intensity. We propose this decline may be tied to recent, above-average precipitation, socioeconomic shifts, alternative energy production, and legislative and policy changes impacting water management in regulated systems. Vanishing weekly hydropeaking cycles may offset some of the prior deleterious ecohydrological impacts from hydropeaking in highly regulated rivers.
Population analysis of Legionella pneumophila reveals a basis for resistance to complement-mediated killing
Authors: Wee Bryan A. , Alves Joana , Lindsay Diane S. J. , Klatt Ann-Brit , Sargison Fiona A. , Cameron Ross L. , Pickering Amy , Gorzynski Jamie , Corander Jukka , Marttinen Pekka , Opitz Bastian , Smith Andrew J. , Fitzgerald J. Ross
Published: December 2021

Legionella pneumophila is the most common cause of the severe respiratory infection known as Legionnaires’ disease. However, the microorganism is typically a symbiont of free-living amoeba, and our understanding of the bacterial factors that determine human pathogenicity is limited. Here we carried out a population genomic study of 902 L. pneumophila isolates from human clinical and environmental samples to examine their genetic diversity, global distribution and the basis for human pathogenicity. We find that the capacity for human disease is representative of the breadth of species diversity although some clones are more commonly associated with clinical infections. We identified a single gene (lag-1) to be most strongly associated with clinical isolates. lag-1, which encodes an O-acetyltransferase for lipopolysaccharide modification, has been distributed horizontally across all major phylogenetic clades of L. pneumophila by frequent recent recombination events. The gene confers resistance to complement-mediated killing in human serum by inhibiting deposition of classical pathway molecules on the bacterial surface. Furthermore, acquisition of lag-1 inhibits complement-dependent phagocytosis by human neutrophils, and promoted survival in a mouse model of pulmonary legionellosis. Thus, our results reveal L. pneumophila genetic traits linked to disease and provide a molecular basis for resistance to complement-mediated killing.
Theranostic near-infrared-IIb emitting nanoprobes for promoting immunogenic radiotherapy and abscopal effects against cancer metastasis
Authors: Li Hao , Wang Meng , Huang Biao , Zhu Su-Wen , Zhou Jun-Jie , Chen De-Run , Cui Ran , Zhang Mingxi , Sun Zhi-Jun
Published: December 2021

Radiotherapy is an important therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment through direct damage to cancer cells and augmentation of antitumor immune responses. However, the efficacy of radiotherapy is limited by hypoxia-mediated radioresistance and immunosuppression in tumor microenvironment. Here, we construct a stabilized theranostic nanoprobe based on quantum dots emitting in the near-infrared IIb (NIR-IIb, 1,500–1,700 nm) window modified by catalase, arginine–glycine–aspartate peptides and poly(ethylene glycol). We demonstrate that the nanoprobes effectively aggregate in the tumor site to locate the tumor region, thereby realizing precision radiotherapy with few side-effects. In addition, nanoprobes relieve intratumoral hypoxia and reduce the tumor infiltration of immunosuppressive cells. Moreover, the nanoprobes promote the immunogenic cell death of cancer cells to trigger the activation of dendritic cells and enhance T cell-mediated antitumor immunity to inhibit tumor metastasis. Collectively, the nanoprobe-mediated immunogenic radiotherapy can boost the abscopal effect to inhibit tumor metastasis and prolong survival.