bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fulminant myocarditis following coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination: a case report
Authors: Agdamag Arianne Clare C , Gonzalez Daniel , Carlson Katie , Konety Suma , McDonald William C , Martin Cindy M , Maharaj Valmiki , Alexy Tamas
Published: January 2022

Background

The BNT162b2 vaccine received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. We report a case of biopsy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-proven severe myocarditis that developed in a previously healthy individual within days of receiving the first dose of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine.

Case Summary

An 80-year-old female with no significant cardiac history presented with cardiogenic shock and biopsy-proven fulminant myocarditis within 12 days of receiving the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine. She required temporary mechanical circulatory support, inotropic agents, and high-dose steroids for stabilization and management. Ultimately, her cardiac function recovered, and she was discharged in stable condition after 2 weeks of hospitalization. A repeat cardiac MRI 3 months after her initial presentation demonstrated stable biventricular function and continued improvement in myocardial inflammation.

Discussion

Fulminant myocarditis is a rare complication of vaccination. Clinicians should stay vigilant to recognize this rare, but potentially deadly complication. Due to the high morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 infection, the clinical benefits of the BNT162b2 vaccine greatly outweighs the risks of complications.
Is data missing? An assessment of publication bias in orthodontic systematic reviews from 2010 to 2021
Authors: Mikelis Filippos , Tzanetakis Giorgos N , Koletsi Despina
Published: January 2022

Aim

To assess the extent of publication bias assessment in systematic reviews (SRs) across the orthodontic literature over the last 12 years and to identify the appropriateness of assessment and association with publication characteristics, including year of publication, journal, searching practices within unpublished literature or attempts to contact primary study authors and others.

Materials and Methods

We searched six journals and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for relevant articles, since January 2010, until November 2021. We recorded practices interrelated with publication bias assessment, at the SR and meta-analysis level. These pertained to reporting strategies for searching within unpublished literature, attempts to communicate with authors of primary studies and formal assessment of publication bias either graphically or statistically. Potential associations between publication bias assessment practices with variables such as journal, year, methodologist involvement, and others were sought at the meta-analysis level.

Results

A sum of 289 SRs were ultimately included, with 139 of those incorporating at least one available mathematical synthesis. Efforts to search within unpublished literature were reported in 191 out of 289 Reviews (66.1%), while efforts to communicate with primary study authors were recorded for 150 of 289 of those (51.9%). An appropriate strategy plan to address issues of publication bias, conditional on the number of studies available and the methodology plan reported, was followed in 78 of the 139 meta-analyses (56.1%). Formal publication bias assessment was actually reported in 35 of 139 meta-analyses (25.2%), while only half of those (19/35; 54.3%) followed an appropriately established methodology. Ten of the latter 19 studies detected the presence of publication bias (52.6%). Predictor variables of appropriate publication bias assessment did not reveal any significant effects.

Conclusions

Appropriate methodology and rigorous practices for appraisal of publication bias are underreported in SRs within the orthodontic literature since 2010 and up-to-date, while other established methodologies including search strategies for unpublished data or communication with authors appear currently suboptimal.
Investigating the salmon bias effect among international immigrants in Sweden: a register-based open cohort study
Authors: Dunlavy Andrea , Cederström Agneta , Katikireddi Srinivasa Vittal , Rostila Mikael , Juárez Sol P
Published: January 2022

Background

Studies of migration and health have hypothesized that immigrants may emigrate when they develop poor health (salmon bias effect), which may partially explain the mortality advantage observed among immigrants in high-income countries. We evaluated the salmon bias effect by comparing the health of immigrants in Sweden who emigrated with those who remained, while also exploring potential variation by macro-economic conditions, duration of residence and region of origin.

Methods

A longitudinal, open cohort study design was used to assess risk of emigration between 1992 and 2016 among all adult (18+ years) foreign-born persons who immigrated to Sweden between 1965 and 2012 (n = 1 765 459). The Charlson Comorbidity Index was used to measure health status, using information on hospitalizations from the Swedish National Patient Register. Poisson regression models were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for emigrating from Sweden.

Results

Immigrants with low (RR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.76–0.90) moderate (RR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.62–0.80) and high (RR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.48–0.82) levels of comorbidities had decreased risk of emigration relative to those with no comorbidities. There was no evidence of variation by health status in emigration during periods of economic recession or by duration of residence. Individuals with low to moderate levels of comorbidities from some regions of origin had an increased risk of emigration relative to those with no comorbidities.

Conclusions

The study results do not support the existence of a salmon bias effect as a universal phenomenon among international immigrants in Sweden.
Population-based screening in children for early diagnosis and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia: design of the VRONI study
Authors: Sanin Veronika , Schmieder Raphael , Ates Sara , Schlieben Lea Dewi , Wiehler Jens , Sun Ruoyu , Decker Manuela , Sander Michaela , Holdenrieder Stefan , Kohlmayer Florian , Friedmann Anna , Mall Volker , Feiler Therese , Dreßler Arne , Strom Tim M , Prokisch Holger , Meitinger Thomas , von Scheidt Moritz , Koenig Wolfgang , Leipold Georg , Schunkert Heribert ,   the DigiMed Bayern Consortium, Bavarian Pediatricians Consortium
Published: January 2022

Background

Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) represents the most frequent monogenic disorder with an estimated prevalence of 1:250 in the general population. Diagnosis during childhood enables early initiation of preventive measures, reducing the risk of severe consecutive atherosclerotic manifestations. Nevertheless, population-based screening programs for FH are scarce.

Methods

In the VRONI study, children aged 5–14 years in Bavaria are invited to participate in an FH screening program during regular pediatric visits. The screening is based on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol measurements from capillary blood. If exceeding 130 mg/dl (3.34 mmol/l), i.e. the expected 95th percentile in this age group, subsequent molecular genetic analysis for FH is performed. Children with FH pathogenic variants enter a registry and are treated by specialized pediatricians. Furthermore, qualified training centers offer FH-focused training courses to affected families. For first-degree relatives, reverse cascade screening is recommended to identify and treat affected family members.

Results

Implementation of VRONI required intensive prearrangements for addressing ethical, educational, data safety, legal and organizational aspects, which will be outlined in this article. Recruitment started in early 2021, within the first months, more than 380 pediatricians screened over 5200 children. Approximately 50 000 children are expected to be enrolled in the VRONI study until 2024.

Conclusions

VRONI aims to test the feasibility of a population-based screening for FH in children in Bavaria, intending to set the stage for a nationwide FH screening infrastructure. Furthermore, we aim to validate genetic variants of unclear significance, detect novel causative mutations and contribute to polygenic risk indices (DRKS00022140; August 2020).
Detection and quantification of Bacillus cereus and its spores in raw milk by qPCR, and distinguish Bacillus cereus from other bacteria of the genus Bacillus
Authors: Liang Lijiao , Wang Ping , Qu Tianming , Zhao Xiaomei , Ge Yiqiang , Chen Ying
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Raw milk is the basic raw material of dairy products. Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) is a typical conditional pathogenic bacteria and cold-phagocytic spoilage bacteria in raw milk.

Materials and Methods

In this study, a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method for detecting B. cereus in raw milk was established. The specificity of the method was verified by using other Bacillus bacteria and pathogenic bacteria; the sensitivity of the method was evaluated by preparing recombinant plasmids and simulated contaminated samples; and the applicability of the method was verified using pure spore DNA. The actual sample detection was completed by using the established qPCR method.

Results

The qPCR established in this study can specifically detect B. cereus in raw milk. The limit of detection of the method was as low as 200 CFU/mL, the limit of quantification ranged from 2×102 to 2×108 CFU/mL, and the amplification efficiency of qPCR was 96.6%.

Conclusions

The method established in this study can distinguish B. cereus from other Bacillus bacteria, and spore DNA can be used as the detection object. This method has the advantages of strong specificity, high sensitivity, wide application range, and short detection time, which is expected to be applied in the dairy industry.
Bidirectional Introgression between Mus musculus domesticus and Mus spretus
Authors: Banker Sarah E , Bonhomme François , Nachman Michael W
Published: January 2022

Introgressed variants from other species can be an important source of genetic variation because they may arise rapidly, can include multiple mutations on a single haplotype, and have often been pretested by selection in the species of origin. Although introgressed alleles are generally deleterious, several studies have reported introgression as the source of adaptive alleles—including the rodenticide-resistant variant of Vkorc1 that introgressed from Mus spretus into European populations of Mus musculus domesticus. Here, we conducted bidirectional genome scans to characterize introgressed regions into one wild population of M. spretus from Spain and three wild populations of M. m. domesticus from France, Germany, and Iran. Despite the fact that these species show considerable intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation, introgression was observed in all individuals, including in the M. musculus reference genome (GRCm38). Mus spretus individuals had a greater proportion of introgression compared with M. m. domesticus, and within M. m. domesticus, the proportion of introgression decreased with geographic distance from the area of sympatry. Introgression was observed on all autosomes for both species, but not on the X-chromosome in M. m. domesticus, consistent with known X-linked hybrid sterility and inviability genes that have been mapped to the M. spretus X-chromosome. Tract lengths were generally short with a few outliers of up to 2.7 Mb. Interestingly, the longest introgressed tracts were in olfactory receptor regions, and introgressed tracts were significantly enriched for olfactory receptor genes in both species, suggesting that introgression may be a source of functional novelty even between species with high barriers to gene flow.
Influence of Long-term Nonaspirin NSAID Use on Risk of Frailty in Men ≥60 Years: The Physicians’ Health Study
Authors: Orkaby Ariela R , Ward Rachel , Chen Jiaying , Shanbhag Akshay , Sesso Howard D , Gaziano J Michael , Djousse Luc , Driver Jane A
Published: January 2022

Background

Inflammation is a central pathway leading to frailty but whether commonly used nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can prevent frailty is unknown.

Methods

Prospective cohort study of male physicians ≥60 who participated in the Physicians’ Health Study. Annual questionnaires collected data on NSAID use, lifestyle, and morbidity. Average annual NSAID use was categorized as 0 days/year, 1–12 days/year, 13–60 days/year, and >60 days/year. Frailty was assessed using a validated 33-item frailty index. Propensity score inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to address confounding by indication and logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (ORs) of prevalent frailty according to nonaspirin NSAID use.

Results

A total of 12 101 male physicians were included (mean age 70 ± 7 years, mean follow-up 11 years). Reported NSAID use was 0 days/year for 2 234, 1–12 days/year for 5 812, 13–60 days/year for 2 833, and >60 days/year for 1 222 participants. A total of 2 413 participants (20%) were frail. Higher self-reported NSAID use was associated with greater alcohol use, smoking, arthritis, hypertension, and heart disease, while less NSAID use was associated with coumadin use and prior bleeding. After propensity score adjustment, all characteristics were balanced. ORs (95% confidence intervals) of prevalent frailty were 0.90 (0.80–1.02), 1.02 (0.89–1.17), and 1.26 (1.07–1.49) for average NSAID use of 1–12 days/year, 13–60 days/year, and >60 days/year, compared to 0 days/year (p-trend < .001).

Conclusions

Long-term use of NSAIDs at high frequency is associated with increased risk of frailty among older men. Additional study is needed to understand the role of anti-inflammatory medication in older adults and its implication for overall health.
Phenome-wide association study of the major histocompatibility complex region in the Korean population identifies novel association signals
Authors: Kim Chanwoo , Kim Young Jin , Choi Wanson , Jang Hye-Mi , Hwang Mi Yeong , Jung Sunwoo , Lim Hyunjoon , Hong Sang Bin , Yoon Kyungheon , Kim Bong-Jo , Park Hyun-Young , Han Buhm
Published: January 2022

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene variants in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region are associated with numerous complex human diseases and quantitative traits. Previous phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS) for this region demonstrated that HLA association patterns to the phenome have both population-specific and population-shared components. We performed MHC PheWAS in the Korean population by analyzing associations between phenotypes and genetic variants in the MHC region using the Korea Biobank Array project data samples from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study cohorts. Using this single-population dataset, we curated and analyzed 82 phenotypes for 125 673 Korean individuals after imputing HLA using CookHLA, a recently developed imputation framework. More than one-third of these phenotypes showed significant associations, confirming 56 known associations and discovering 13 novel association signals that were not reported previously. In addition, we analyzed heritability explained by the variants in the MHC region and genetic correlations among phenotypes based on the MHC variants.
Pear genetics: Recent advances, new prospects, and a roadmap for the future
Authors: Li Jiaming , Zhang Mingyue , Li Xiaolong , Khan Awais , Kumar Satish , Allan Andrew Charles , Lin-Wang Kui , Espley Richard Victor , Wang Caihong , Wang Runze , Xue Cheng , Yao Gaifang , Qin Mengfan , Sun Manyi , Tegtmeier Richard , Liu Hainan , Wei Weilin , Ming Meiling , Zhang Shaoling , Zhao Kejiao , Song Bobo , Ni Jiangping , An Jianping , Korban Schuyler S , Wu Jun
Published: January 2022

Pear, belonging to the genus Pyrus, is one of the most economically important temperate fruit crops. Pyrus is an important genus of the Rosaceae family, subfamily Maloideae, and has at least 22 different species with over 5000 accessions maintained or identified worldwide. With the release of draft whole-genome sequences for Pyrus, opportunities for pursuing studies on the evolution, domestication, and molecular breeding of pear, as well as for conducting comparative genomics analyses within the Rosaceae family, have been greatly expanded. In this review, we highlight key advances in pear genetics, genomics, and breeding driven by the availability of whole-genome sequences, including whole-genome resequencing efforts, pear domestication, and evolution. We cover updates on new resources for undertaking gene identification and molecular breeding, as well as for pursuing functional validation of genes associated with desirable economic traits. We also explore future directions for “pear-omics”.
The NAC-like transcription factor CsNAC7 positively regulates the caffeine biosynthesis-related gene yhNMT1 in Camellia sinensis
Authors: Ma Wenhui , Kang Xin , Liu Ping , She Kexin , Zhang Yuanyuan , Lin Xiaorong , Li Bin , Chen Zhongzheng
Published: January 2022

Caffeine is an important functional substance and is abundant in tea plant, but little is known about how its biosynthesis is regulated by transcription factors. In this study, the NAC-like transcription factor-encoding gene CsNAC7, which is involved in caffeine synthesis, was isolated from a Yinghong 9 cDNA library using a yeast one-hybrid assay; this gene comprises 1371 bp nucleotides and is predicted to encode 456 amino acids. The expression of CsNAC7 at the transcriptional level in tea shoots shared a similar pattern with that of the caffeine synthase gene yhNMT1 in the spring and summer, and its expressed protein was localized in the nucleus. Assays of gene activity showed that CsNAC7 has self-activation activity in yeast, that the active region is at the N-terminus, and that the transient expression of CsNAC7 could significantly promote the expression of yhNMT1 in tobacco leaves. In addition, overexpression or silencing of CsNAC7 significantly increased or decreased the expression of yhNMT1 and the accumulation of caffeine in transgenic tea calli, respectively. Our data suggest that the isolated transcription factor CsNAC7 positively regulates the caffeine synthase gene yhNMT1 and promotes caffeine accumulation in tea plant.
Chloroplast phylogenomics in Camelina (Brassicaceae) reveals multiple origins of polyploid species and the maternal lineage of C. sativa
Authors: Brock Jordan R , Mandáková Terezie , McKain Michael , Lysak Martin A , Olsen Kenneth M
Published: January 2022

The genus Camelina (Brassicaceae) comprises 7–8 diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid species. Of particular agricultural interest is the biofuel crop, C. sativa (gold-of-pleasure or false flax), an allohexaploid domesticated from the widespread weed, C. microcarpa. Recent cytogenetics and genomics work has uncovered the identity of the parental diploid species involved in ancient polyploidization events in Camelina. However, little is known about the maternal subgenome ancestry of contemporary polyploid species. To determine the diploid maternal contributors of polyploid Camelina lineages, we sequenced and assembled 84 Camelina chloroplast genomes for phylogenetic analysis. Divergence time estimation was used to infer the timing of polyploidization events. Chromosome counts were also determined for 82 individuals to assess ploidy and cytotypic variation. Chloroplast genomes showed minimal divergence across the genus, with no observed gene-loss or structural variation. Phylogenetic analyses revealed C. hispida as a maternal diploid parent to the allotetraploid Camelina rumelica, and C. neglecta as the closest extant diploid contributor to the allohexaploids C. microcarpa and C. sativa. The tetraploid C. rumelica appears to have evolved through multiple independent hybridization events. Divergence times for polyploid lineages closely related to C. sativa were all inferred to be very recent, at only ~65 thousand years ago. Chromosome counts confirm that there are two distinct cytotypes within C. microcarpa (2n = 38 and 2n = 40). Based on these findings and other recent research, we propose a model of Camelina subgenome relationships representing our current understanding of the hybridization and polyploidization history of this recently-diverged genus.
Complex and reticulate origin of edible roses (Rosa, Rosaceae) in China
Authors: Cui Wei-Hua , Du Xin-Yu , Zhong Mi-Cai , Fang Wei , Suo Zhi-Quan , Wang Dan , Dong Xue , Jiang Xiao-Dong , Hu Jin-Yong
Published: January 2022

While roses are today among the most popular ornamental plants, the petals and fruits of some cultivars have flavored foods for millennia. The genetic origins of these edible cultivars remain poorly investigated. We collected the major varieties of edible roses available in China, assembled their plastome sequences, and phased the haplotypes for internal transcribed spacers (ITS1/ITS2) of the 18S-5.8S-26S nuclear ribosomal cistron. Our phylogenetic reconstruction using 88 plastid genomes, of primarily maternal origin, uncovered well-supported genetic relationships within Rosa, including all sections and all subgenera. We phased the ITS sequences to identify potential donor species ancestral to the development of known edible cultivars. The tri-parental Middle-Eastern origin of R. × damascena, the species most widely used in perfume products and food additives, was confirmed as a descendent of past hybridizations among R. moschata, R. gallica, and R. majalis/R. fedtschenkoana/R. davurica. In contrast, R. chinensis, R. rugosa, and R. gallica, in association with six other wild species, were the main donors for fifteen varieties of edible roses. The domesticated R. rugosa ‘Plena’ was shown to be a hybrid between R. rugosa and R. davurica, sharing a common origin with R. ‘Fenghua’. Only R. ‘Jinbian’ and R. ‘Crimson Glory’ featured continuous flowering. All remaining cultivars of edible roses bloomed only once a year. Our study provides important resources for clarifying the origin of edible roses and suggests a future for breeding new cultivars with unique traits, such as continuous flowering.
Genome sequencing and population resequencing provide insights into the genetic basis of domestication and diversity of vegetable soybean
Authors: Liu Na , Niu Yongchao , Zhang Guwen , Feng Zhijuan , Bo Yuanpeng , Lian Jinmin , Wang Bin , Gong Yaming
Published: January 2022

Vegetable soybean is one of the most important vegetables in China, and the demand for this vegetable has markedly increased worldwide over the past two decades. Here, we present a high-quality de novo genome assembly of the vegetable soybean cultivar Zhenong 6 (ZN6), which is one of the most popular cultivars in China. The 20 pseudochromosomes cover 94.57% of the total 1.01 Gb assembly size, with contig N50 of 3.84 Mb and scaffold N50 of 48.41 Mb. A total of 55 517 protein-coding genes were annotated. Approximately 54.85% of the assembled genome was annotated as repetitive sequences, with the most abundant long terminal repeat transposable elements. Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses with grain soybean Williams 82, six other Fabaceae species and Arabidopsis thaliana genomes highlight the difference of ZN6 with other species. Furthermore, we resequenced 60 vegetable soybean accessions. Alongside 103 previously resequenced wild soybean and 155 previously resequenced grain soybean accessions, we performed analyses of population structure and selective sweep of vegetable, grain, and wild soybean. They were clearly divided into three clades. We found 1112 and 1047 genes under selection in the vegetable soybean and grain soybean populations compared with the wild soybean population, respectively. Among them, we identified 134 selected genes shared between vegetable soybean and grain soybean populations. Additionally, we report four sucrose synthase genes, one sucrose-phosphate synthase gene, and four sugar transport genes as candidate genes related to important traits such as seed sweetness and seed size in vegetable soybean. This study provides essential genomic resources to promote evolutionary and functional genomics studies and genomically informed breeding for vegetable soybean.
Warriors, pacifists and empires: race and racism in international thought before 1914
Authors: Ashworth Lucian M
Published: January 2022

Before 1914 scholars of international thought frequently relied on racist arguments, yet the ways that race was used varied widely from author to author. This article charts the way that race was used by two groups of Anglophone writers. The warriors used biological arguments to construct views of international affairs that relied on racist analysis. Pacifists might have used racist language that relied more on cultural prejudices, and would often base their more progressive views of international affairs on the idea of a civilizing mission. Using A. T. Mahan and Brooks Adams as exemplars of the warrior approach, and Norman Angell and H. N. Brailsford for the pacifists, I argue that race and racism play an important part in international thought before the First World War. This racism was directed at the colonized in the global South, Indigenous peoples in settler colonial states, and Jews in the global North. This use of race and racism in pre-First World War international thought has implications for how we view the development of International Relations today. It is not just statues and stately homes that require a thorough reassessment of attitudes to race, but also our understanding of the progression of ideas in international thought.
Exploring mechanisms of whiteness: how counterterrorism practitioners disrupt anti-racist expertise
Authors: Abu-Bakare Amal
Published: January 2022

This article situates the subject of the academic–practitioner (AP) exchange within an International Relations-orientated critique of the imperial dynamics of counterterrorism practices and racial subjugation. It uses an analytical framework that upholds the significance of racial hierarchy to knowledge production. A key contribution of this article is to situate the AP nexus within the circumstances of liberal democratic counterterrorism regimes, to demonstrate how race becomes meaningful to the knowledge that is produced about Islamophobia. The main argument of this article is that in present policy debates concerning the existence of systemic racism, one of the mechanisms enabling counterterrorism practitioners to regulate the AP exchange is that of institutionalized whiteness. Exploring two scenarios of AP exchanges in the United Kingdom and Canada, where counterterrorism practitioners were challenged to reconcile with academic explanations of Islamophobia as a systemic issue, this article uses colour-line inspired critiques of white logic to identify instances where anti-racist knowledge was subjugated in the name of imperialism. The article finds that in each scenario discussed, practitioners demonstrate trajectories of white logic by contesting the suitability of anti-racist knowledge put forward by academics, on the basis of racial hierarchy and self-aggrandizement. It concludes by discussing how a lack of practitioner–academic consensus continues to affect the dissemination of knowledge concerning systemic racism, thus prompting considerations of what this means for an anti-racist future.
Elite–mass agreement in British foreign policy
Authors: Vucetic Srdjan
Published: January 2022

Thirty years ago, William Wallace likened British foreign policy to a musical tug-of-war between the ‘Anglo-Saxons’ and ‘Europeans’, attributing ‘all the best tunes’ to the former. This article revisits Wallace's thesis and its main concept: national identity. It finds that Wallace was right to draw attention to the power of the ruling elite to shape Englishness and Britishness. However, the article also finds that ‘global’ foreign policy ideas were never the exclusive province of a segment of the British elite. Rather, they circulated in English and more broadly British society writ large, reflecting and reinforcing deep-seated, even unselfconscious, agreements between both ‘Anglo-Saxon’ and ‘European’ elites on the one hand, and much of the mass consumer public on the other. It follows that the constraints posed on possibilities of foreign policy change were always greater than Wallace had suggested; that a ‘lesser’ British foreign policy that was, and still is, so hard to imagine for the British is significant for analysis of dynamics of ‘western’ knowledge production that come under critique in this special issue. But rather than focusing exclusively on elites, critical analyses of knowledge exchange should be attuned to popular common sense, too.
Reallocation and productivity during the Great Recession: evidence from French manufacturing firms
Authors: Domini Giacomo , Moschella Daniele
Published: January 2022

According to the ‘cleansing hypothesis’, recessions are periods in which productivity-enhancing reallocation intensifies, shifting resources away from less efficient to more efficient firms at a faster pace. Does the Great Recession of 2008–2010 fit this view? We address this question, studying the case of the French manufacturing sector. Based on a panel of firms, built by matching several data sources, we analyze the dynamics of the relation between productivity and reallocation over the period 2002–2013. Our results show that, during the Great Recession, more productive firms decreased their advantage with respect to less productive firms, in terms of both employment growth and probability to survive, in disagreement with the cleansing hypothesis. This attenuation of productivity-enhancing reallocation was significantly driven by the trade collapse and credit crunch that were associated with the crisis, while it does not emerge to depend on labor-market regulations and anti-crisis policies.
Fighting a pandemic: sociodemographic disparities and coronavirus disease-2019 vaccination gaps—a population study
Authors: Benderly Michal , Huppert Amit , Novikov Ilya , Ziv Arnona , Kalter-Leibovici Ofra
Published: January 2022

Background

Data suggest lower coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccination coverage among minority and disadvantaged groups. We aimed to identify interactions between sociodemographic factors associated with vaccination gaps.

Methods

This population study used Israeli National COVID-19 data (extracted: 10 May 2021). The analysis comprised 6 478 999 individuals age ≥15 years with aggregated area-level data on sex and age distribution and no COVID-19 history. We estimated vaccination hazard and cumulative incidence using the Fine and Gray competing risk model.

Results

Older age and higher socioeconomic status (SES) were associated, with stepwise higher cumulative vaccination rates (age 20–24: 67%, age ≥ 75: 96%; SES 1–3: 61%, 4–5: 74.2%, 6–7: 82%, 8–10: 87%). We found the lowest vaccination rates in Arab (65%) and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish (54%) areas. SES modified the association in Arab neighbourhoods, with higher coverage than in the non-Orthodox Jewish reference group in SES 1–3 [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.11], and gradually lower coverage in higher SES classes (SES 6–7: HR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.79–0.87). Vaccination rates were also higher among younger Arabs (≤45 years) compared with age counterparts in the reference population group (age 25–34: HR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.12–1.28) and lower than the reference group among Arabs age ≥45 years. Among Ultra-Orthodox Jews, vaccination HRs remained below one across age and SES classes.

Conclusions

Age and SES modified the association between population group and vaccination coverage. Identifying the interplay between sociodemographic characteristics and the underlying explanations may improve targeted efforts, aimed at closing vaccination coverage gaps and mitigating COVID-19.
‘Treatment Accorded to Aliens Generally’: Article 7(1) of the 1951 Refugee Convention as a Basis for Visa-Free Access to States Parties’ Territory? An Examination of the Prohibition of Nationality Discrimination in the Refugee Convention
Authors: Grundler Maja
Published: January 2022

Visa requirements, coupled with other extraterritorial border controls like carrier sanctions, prevent refugees from accessing the territory of States in the global North and the protection these States offer under the 1951 Refugee Convention. Visa requirements are imposed largely on the basis of an individual’s nationality, and distinctions made between different non-citizens in this context are considered to be legitimate in international law, based on States’ right to control their borders. In light of the 70th anniversary of the Refugee Convention, this article examines whether this instrument can respond to the externalization of border controls, specifically the imposition of visa requirements, and to the impact of these developments on refugees’ access to protection, by relying on the Convention’s non-discrimination clause. The article makes the case for an interpretation of the Refugee Convention that allows for access to States parties’ territory under article 7(1) – by approaching visa requirements as a ‘treatment accorded to aliens generally’ – combined with article 3 – the non-discrimination provision of the Convention, which prohibits discrimination among refugees on grounds of their nationality. It will be suggested that coupled with the declaratory nature of refugee status, these provisions may be read as precluding imposing visa requirements on refugees originating from country A, as long as refugees originating from country B can reach a State’s border visa-free. The article highlights the Refugee Convention’s continued relevance, showing that some of its core principles, such as the non-discrimination provision, offer solutions where States parties attempt to limit their protection obligations towards refugees.
Oral Human Papillomavirus Associated With Differences in Oral Microbiota Beta Diversity and Microbiota Abundance
Authors: Zhang Yuehan , D’Souza Gypsyamber , Fakhry Carole , Bigelow Elaine O , Usyk Mykhaylo , Burk Robert D , Zhao Ni
Published: January 2022

Background

Although cervicovaginal microbiome has been associated with cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, little is known regarding the association of oral microbiome with oral HPV, a cause of oropharyngeal cancer.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis of 495 participants from the Men and Women Offering Understanding of Throat HPV study was conducted. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed on saliva samples. HPV DNA in oral rinse samples was tested. Associations of oral microbiome diversity, taxon abundance, and predicted functional pathways with oral HPV were assessed, adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, human immunodeficiency virus, current smoking, and sequencing batch.

Results

Participants with oral HPV (n = 68) compared with those without HPV had similar oral microbiome alpha-diversity yet different beta-diversity (Bray-Curtis distance for bacterial taxa, P = .009; functional pathways, P = .02). Participants with oral HPV had higher abundance of Actinomycetaceae, Prevotellaceae, Veillonellaceae, Campylobacteraceae, Bacteroidetes, and lower abundance of Gemellaceae (false discovery rate <0.10). We also found differential functional potential of oral microbiome by oral HPV status: xenobiotic biodegradation-related pathways were less abundant among participants with oral HPV, suggesting potential xenobiotic-induced toxic effects with implications for HPV susceptibility.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest a shift in oral microbiome community structure, composition, and functional potential between individuals with and without oral HPV.
Time trends in socio-economic and geographic-based inequalities in childhood wasting in Guinea over 2 decades: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Zegeye Betregiorgis , Adjei Nicholas Kofi , Olorunsaiye Comfort Z , Ahinkorah Bright Opoku , Ameyaw Edward Kwabena , Budu Eugene , Seidu Abdul-Aziz , Yaya Sanni
Published: January 2022

Background

Today, an estimated 7.3% (50 million) of all children <5 y of age suffer from wasting, with more burden in African countries including Guinea. Investigating inequalities in childhood wasting is essential for designing efficient programs and interventions, but no related evidence exists in Guinea. This study aimed to examine the trends in the prevalence of childhood wasting and the extent of sex, socio-economic and geographic-based disparities in Guinea.

Methods

Data from the 1999, 2005 and 2012 Guinea Demographic and Health Surveys and the 2016 Guinea Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, with a total of 16 137 children <5 y of age were included for analysis. For inequality analysis, we used the 2019 updated World Health Organization Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT) software. Inequality was measured using four summary measures (difference [D], population attributable risk [PAR], ratio [R] and population attributable fraction [PAF]) for five equity stratifiers (economic status, education, place of residence, sex and subnational region). We computed 95% confidence intervals (CIs) around the points estimates to measure statistical significance.

Results

The findings revealed a pro-rich (R=1.68 [95% CI 1.11 to 2.24]), pro-urban (PAR=−1.04 [95% CI −1.90 to −0.18]) and subnational region (D=8.11 [95% CI 4.85 to 11.36]) inequalities in childhood wasting across all surveys. Except in 2005, education-based disparities (PAF=−18.2 [95% CI −36.10 to −0.26]) were observed across all survey years, but not sex-based disparities. An approximately constant inequality pattern was seen across all dimensions.

Conclusions

This study showed inequalities in childhood wasting in Guinea with a disproportionately higher risk of wasting among children from disadvantaged subpopulations/mothers, including uneducated, poorest/poor, rural residents and regions. Policies that target disadvantaged populations need to be considered in order to ensure social protection, access to a wholesome diet and universal and quality health services.
Intranasally administered S-MGB-364 displays antitubercular activity and modulates the host immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection
Authors: Kieswetter Nathan S. , Ozturk Mumin , Hlaka Lerato , Chia Julius Ebua , Nichol Ryan J. O. , Cross Jasmine M. , McGee Leah M. C. , Tyson-Hirst Izaak , Beveridge Rebecca , Brombacher Frank , Carter Katharine C. , Suckling Colin J. , Scott Fraser J. , Guler Reto
Published: January 2022

Background

Previously, we evaluated the intracellular mycobactericidal activity of the minor groove binder, S-MGB-364 against the clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strain HN878 in macrophages.

Objectives

To assess the mycobactericidal activity of S-MGB-364 in Mtb-infected mice. Further, we investigated a plausible DNA binding mechanism of action of S-MGB-364.

Methods

The anti-TB and host immune effects of intranasal S-MGB-364 or S-MGB-364 encapsulated in non-ionic surfactant vesicles (NIV) were assessed in Mtb-infected mice by cfu enumeration, ELISA, histology, and flow cytometry. DNA binding was examined using native mass spectrometry and UV-vis thermal melt determination. S-MGB interference with DNA-centric biological events was assessed using a representative panel of Mtb and human topoisomerase I, and gyrase assays.

Results

S-MGB-364 bound strongly to DNA as a dimer, significantly increasing the stability of the DNA:S-MGB complex compared with DNA alone. Moreover, S-MGB-364 inhibited the relaxation of Mtb topoisomerase I but not the human form. In macrophages, S-MGB-364 or S-MGB-364-NIV did not cause DNA damage as shown by the low γ-H2AX expression. Importantly, in the lungs, the intranasal administration of S-MGB-364 or S-MGB-364-NIV formulation in Mtb-infected mice was non-toxic and resulted in a ∼1 log cfu reduction in mycobacterial burden, reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines, altered immune cell recruitment, and importantly reduced recruitment of neutrophils.

Conclusions

Together, these data provide proof of concept for S-MGBs as novel anti-TB therapeutics in vivo.
Characterizing the effect of incrementally increasing dry bulb temperature on linear and nonlinear measures of heart rate variability in nonpregnant, mid-gestation, and late-gestation sows
Authors: Byrd Christopher J , McConn Betty R , Gaskill Brianna N , Schinckel Allan P , Green-Miller Angela R , Lay Donald C , Johnson Jay S
Published: January 2022

Characterizing the sow physiological response to an increased heat load is essential for effective heat stress mitigation. The study objective was to characterize the effects of a 400-min heating episode on sow heart rate variability (HRV) at different reproductive stages. HRV is a commonly used noninvasive proxy measure of autonomic function. Twenty-seven sows were enrolled in the study according to their gestation stage at time of selection: 1) nonpregnant (NP; n = 7), 2) mid-gestation (MID; 57.3 ± 11.8 d gestation; n = 11), and 3) late-gestation (LATE; 98.8 ± 4.9 d gestation; n = 8). The HRV data utilized in the study were collected from each pig as the dry bulb temperature in the room increased incrementally from 19.84 ± 2.15 °C to 35.54 ± 0.43 °C (range: 17.1–37.5 °C) over a 400-min period. After data collection, one 5-min set of continuous heart rate data were identified per pig for each of nine temperature intervals (19–20.99, 21–22.99, 23–24.99, 25–26.99, 27–28.99, 29–30.99, 31–32.99, 33–34.99, and 35–36.99 °C). Mean inter-beat interval length (RR), standard deviation of r-r intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), high frequency spectral power (HF), sample entropy (SampEn), short-term detrended fluctuation analysis (DFAα1), and three measures (%REC, DET, LMEAN) derived from recurrence quantification analysis were calculated for each data set. All data were analyzed using the PROC GLIMMIX procedure in SAS 9.4. Overall, LATE sows exhibited lower RR than NP sows (P < 0.01). The standard deviation of r–r intervals and RMSSD differed between each group (P < 0.01), with LATE sows exhibiting the lowest SDNN and RMSSD and NP sows exhibiting the greatest SDNN and RMSSD. Late-gestation sows exhibited lower HF than both MID and NP sows (P < 0.0001), greater DFA values than NP sows (P = 0.05), and greater DET compared to MID sows (P = 0.001). Late-gestation also sows exhibited greater %REC and LMEAN compared to MID (P < 0.01) and NP sows (all P < 0.01). In conclusion, LATE sows exhibited indicators of greater autonomic stress throughout the heating period compared to MID and NP sows. However, temperature by treatment interactions were not detected as dry bulb increased. Future studies are needed to fully elucidate the effect of gestational stage and increasing dry bulb temperature on sow HRV.
Effects of increased ambient temperature and supplemental altrenogest before pregnancy establishment in gilts
Authors: Romoser Matthew R , Bidne Katie L , Baumgard Lance H , Keating Aileen F , Ross Jason W
Published: January 2022

Heat stress (HS) mitigation strategies are critically needed to combat the substantial economic effects on animal agriculture. The manifestations of seasonal infertility include delayed puberty onset, reduced conception rates, decreased litter size, and increased wean to estrus interval. To assess the effects of HS during early gestation and evaluate the benefit of supplemental altrenogest (ALT) as a mitigation strategy, 30 crossbred postpubertal gilts (157 ± 11 kg body weight) were subjected to estrous synchronization via 14 d oral administration of ALT. Artificial insemination during estrus was performed, and gilts were then placed into one of four treatment groups: HS (35 ± 1 °C for 12 h/31.60 ± 1 °C for 12 h) with (HSALT, n = 7) or without (HSCON, n = 7) 15 mg/d ALT supplementation or thermal neutral (TN; 20 ± 1 °C) conditions with (TNALT, n = 8) or without (TNCON, n = 8) 15 mg/d ALT supplementation until 12 d post-estrus (dpe). Administrating ALT occurred at 0600 hours from 3 to 12 dpe, and rectal temperatures (TR) and respiration rates (RR) were recorded. Blood was collected via jugular venipuncture on 0, 4, 8, and 12 dpe. Gilts were euthanized humanely at 12 dpe followed by the collection of ovarian tissue, and uterine flushing for conceptus collection. In HS compared with TN gilts, RR and TR were increased (P < 0.01) but unaffected by ALT supplementation. Feed intake was reduced (P < 0.01) by HS but unaltered by the ALT treatment. Corpora lutea (CL) weight was reduced (P < 0.01) in HSCON gilts when compared with TNCON and HSALT gilts despite progesterone concentrations in serum and luteal tissue not being affected by treatment (P ≥ 0.10). CL diameter was reduced (P ≤ 0.05) in HSALT gilts compared with other treatments. Interleukin-1β (IL1B) uterine flush concentration was not affected (P > 0.20) by environment or ALT supplementation, although moderate (P = 0.06) interaction between environment and ALT existed, as IL1B concentration in TNALT was increased (P = 0.03) compared with TNCON gilts. While environment did not affect conceptus development (P = 0.90), ALT supplementation advanced conceptus elongation (P < 0.01). Collectively, these data demonstrate that HS may affect luteal development before pregnancy establishment, and ALT increases conceptus elongation by 12 dpe.
Identifying proteins in the cell by tagging techniques for cryo-electron microscopy
Authors: Kikkawa Masahide , Yanagisawa Haruaki
Published: January 2022

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is currently expanding its application from molecular structures to cellular structures. The cellular environment is heterogeneous, containing many different proteins, and very crowded. This environment is in sharp contrast to the specimens for single particle analysis, by which purified homogeneous samples are analyzed. To answer biological questions from the structural studies of cells, it is crucial to identify biological molecules (typically, proteins) of interest and tagging is becoming the critical technique for cryo-EM. In this review, we explain the requirements for tags and review recent advances of tagging and identification methods for cryo-EM.
Fostering Transdisciplinary Collaborations in Cancer Health Economics Research
Authors: Yu James B
Published: January 2022

Health economics research, defined as research that evaluates how patients, health-care providers, and governments make health-care decisions using economic theory, models, and empirical techniques, requires broad domains of knowledge that are not fully encompassed by a single discipline. Collaboration between disciplines provides different perspectives on problems, creates more comprehensive research questions, allows for more complex understanding of multifaceted determinants and processes, and thus, provides more realistic recommendations to address difficult questions of health economics. Realizing the importance of collaboration, the National Cancer Institute virtual conference on the Future of Cancer Health Economics included an interactive panel exploring how to foster effective collaborations in cancer health economics research. This manuscript summarizes the panel and participants’ discussion regarding the value, barriers, and potential facilitators to transdisciplinary collaboration within health economics research.