bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Use of Different Deacetylation Temperature Toward Quality of Chitosan Mud Crab Shell (Scylla serrata)
Authors: Karnila R , Loekman S , Humairah S
Published: December 2021

This research aims to determine the chemical composition (proximate) of chitosan and chitin, The best deacetylation temperature for obtaining chitosan, and the yield of chitosan and chitin from mud crab. This research was conducted in two stages, that is: 1) Preparation of mud crab flour and 2) Extraction and analysis of chitin and chitosan. The experimental design used for chitosan isolation was Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The process of deacetylation chitin becomes chitosan by using 50% NaOH with varying heating temperatures (120, 130, and 140°C). Parameters observed were yield, moisture content, ash content, and degrees of deacetylation. The result showed that the best chitosan was obtained by chitin deacetylation process into chitosan using a temperature of 130°C (KO2). Characteristics quality of the chitosan mud crab shell produced are KO1: yield 61.00%, moisture content 6.47%, ash content 17.18% (db), and degree of deacetylation 49.63%. KO2: yield 59.94%, moisture content 6.48%, ash content 14.85% (db) with degree of deacetylation 51.13%. KO3: yield 53,97, moisture content 6.54%, ash content 14.66% (db) and degree of deacetylation 52.63%. Characteristic quality of chitin included yield was 27.81%, moisture content 7.29%, ash 44.05%, and degree of deacetylation 33.09%.
Optimization of Culture Conditions on Growth of Chlorella sp. Newly Isolated From Bagansiapiapi Waters Indonesia
Authors: Iriani D , Hasan B , Putra HS , Ghazali TM
Published: December 2021

Chlorella sp. is a type of micro-sized green algae obtained in fresh or marine waters. However, many factors need to evaluate the growth of Chlorella sp. mainly the culture conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the culture conditions in optimizing the growth of Chlorella sp. newly isolated from Bagansiapiapi marine waters. The experiment was carried out at temperature ±25°C, light intensity 2300 Lux using TL-D lamp (36 W). There were six treatments as culture conditions for the cultivation of Chlorella sp.:1). Bean Sprouts (Vigna radiata) Extract Media (BSEM) with light continuously, 2. BSEM with a Photoperiod light:dark (10:14h), 3. Tofu waste media with light continuously, 4. Tofu waste media with a photoperiod light:dark (10: 14h), 5. Fish pellet solutions media (25%), 6. Fish pellet solutions media (50%). The parameter observed was the growth, cell density and the specific growth rate of Chlorella sp. every 2 days for 14 days of cultivation. Based on the results shown that the marine Chlorella sp. from Bagansiapiapi waters could be adapted to all treatments. Nevertheless, the use of BSEM light continuously obtained the highest cell density (27.75 x 105 cell/ml) on 12 days and continues to increase until 14 days, while the other treatments had decreased. Furthermore, the Chlorella sp. obtained the specific growth rate was 0.42. Therefore, the marine Chlorella sp. from Bagansiapiapi could be cultivated in BSEM light continuously for further development as a functional food or bioactive source in pharmaceutical products.
Enhanced formaldehyde-removal over modified cryptomelane catalysts
Authors: Tran Trong-Phu , Ta-Thi Xuan-Phuc , Nguyen Kim-Chau , Tran Duy-Nhan , Nguyen-Phan Thuy-Duong , Pham Khanh-Nguyen , Nguyen Gia-Han , Tran-Thuy Tuyet-Mai
Published: December 2021

M-OMS-2 materials (M = K+, Cu2+, Co2+) were prepared by an uncomplicated reflux method, and the cryptomelane crystalline structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction patterns. Element analysis recorded ~56 - ~59 wt.% of Mn in the three synthesized samples and ~2.8 wt.% loadings of dopants over Co-OMS-2 and Cu-OMS-2 materials. A titration method valued the average oxidation states of manganese at 3.60, 3.71 and 3.77 for K-OMS-2, Co-OMS-2 and Cu-OMS-2, respectively. In comparison with K-OMS-2, Co and Cu dopants depicted a significant enhancement catalytic activity in removal of formaldehyde at low (5%) and high (65 %) relative humidity (RH). Cu-OMS-2 showed the highest catalyst performance with ~90 % of formaldehyde conversion at 150 °C, 65% RH, whereas only ~40 % (for Co-OMS-2) and ~26 % (for K-OMS-2) of that were observed. The finding results promised a potential Cu-OMS-2 material for designed low-costly catalyst in formaldehyde removal at a wide range of RH.
Fabrication of cellulose-based aerogel for thermal and acoustic insulation applications
Authors: Thai Ngan N T , Chau Quyen N D , Do Nam D , Tran Tuan D , Huynh Ha K P , Nguyen Anh T , Goh Xue Yang , Nguyen Van T T , Nguyen Hoang , Phan Anh N , Nguyen Son T
Published: December 2021

A method to prepare aerogels from rice straw and polyvinyl alcohol in the presence of fiberglass and glutaraldehyde is herein reported. The morphology, pore structure and physical properties of the aerogels were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), thermal conductivity, water contact angle (WCA) measurements, oil adsorption and sound absorption measurements. The obtained aerogels should be considered as a promising material for upcoming applications, since it has high porosity (up to 93.72%), low density (0.083-0.127 g/cm3), super low thermal conductivity (0.032-0.048 W/mK), high Young modulus (0.201-1.207 MPa), high sound absorption (absorption coefficient of 0.87) and a good oil adsorption capacity (4.8 g/g).
Investigation of the aqueous adsorption capacity of a 6-connected Zr-MOF for anionic and cationic dyes in comparison with other traditional porous materials
Authors: Pham Thuyet L.D. , Le Khanh T.M. , Vo Nhi T. , Nguyen Khoa D. , Le HaV.
Published: December 2021

A 6-connected Zr-MOF (MOF-808) was successfully synthesized via the solvothermal method with the assistance of formic acid (HCOOH). The resulting MOF showed high crystallinity and thermal stability, which was verified by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). As can be expected, the obtained material possessed high porosity with an extremely high specific BET surface area (SABet) of 2372 m2/g. The adsorption capacity of MOF-808 for anionic dyes (i.e. sunset yellow, quinoline yellow, and methyl orange) and cationic ones (i.e. methylene blue and malachite green) in aqueous solutions was respectively investigated. For comparison purpose, the adsorption experiments were also carried out using other traditional porous materials, including commercial microporous activated carbon and synthesized mesoporous SBA-15 with BET surface areas of 1030 m2/g and approximately 800 m2/g, respectively. It was demonstrated that the efficiency of MOF-808 in trapping anionic dyes in water was significantly higher while carbon and silica materials exhibited better performances for the case of cationic dyes.
Extracting, evaluating biological activities of phenolic compounds from yellow onion peels (Allium cepa L.) and their applicability for fish preservation
Authors: Phan Thi-Hoang-Anh , Nguyen Thanh-Phuc , Tran Thi-Tuong-An
Published: December 2021

The research aimed to evaluate total phenolic content extracted from onion (Allium cepaL.) peels and some of the extract biological activities. The potential of the extract for preserving fish was also investigated. Onion peel extracted with EtOH 60% at 60°C (60 minutes, solid/liquid ratio 1g/20ml) yielded highest polyphenol content 168.49 ± 0.02 GAE/g DW and flavonoid content (216.43 ± 0.06 mg QE/g DW). The extract showed potent antioxidant property in DPPH radical scavenging assay with IC50value of 12.48 ± 0.45 μ/mL and good antibacterial activity againstBacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Pseudomonas aeruginosawith MIC values of 175; 175: 200; 200: 150 (μ/mL) respectively. The extract also displayed alpha-glucosidase inhibition activity with IC50value of 142.53 μg/mL and negligible tyrosinase inhibition activity. Measurement of the PV, TBARS values of basa catfish fillets coated with the extract solution at different concentrations, it was observed that fish samples treated with 3% extract solution could greatly reduce the lipid oxidation under 4°C and -18°C storage conditions compared with untreated samples. The PV, TBARS values after 4 weeks were comparable to 200ppm BHT treated samples.
Influence of Heating and Sodium Acidic Polyphosphate on Inhibition of Salmonella Enteritidis and Lactobacillus Rhamnosus in Pomelo Juice
Authors: Doan Nhu Khue , Lai Quoc Dat , Le Thi Kim Phung , Chau Tran Diem Ai
Published: December 2021

The research focused on the heat resistance of Salmonella Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) in pomelo juice. Sodium acidic polyphosphate was used to enhance the inhibition of these bacteria in heat treatment of pomelo juice. Temperature increased from 52 to 58°C, D-values of S. Enteritidis decreased from 1.94 to 0.15 min. With L. rhamnosus, D value reduced from 0.15 to 0.72 min when the temperature increased from 60 to 75°C. Z values of L. rhamnosus and S. Enteritidis were 16.31 and 5.37°C, respectively. It means that heat resistance of L. rhamnosus is more than that of S. Enteritidis. Adding 0.1% of sodium acidic polyphosphate significantly enhanced the inhibition of S. Enteritidis and L. rhamnosus in the heating treatment of pomelo juice. The result can be applied for pasteurization of pomelo juice.
Twisted charge-density-wave patterns in bilayer 2D crystals and modulated electronic states
Authors: Chen Yaoyao , Liu Liwei , Song Xuan , Yang Han , Huang Zeping , Zhang Teng , Yang Huixia , Gao Hong-Jun , Wang Yeliang
Published: December 2021

The twistronics of the atomic-thick two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials has opened a new venue to investigate the interlayer coupling. Till now, most studies focus on the twist of atomic lattices and the resulted moiré superstructures, while the reports about the twist of charge density waves (CDWs), the superstructures of which are from individual layers are limited. Here, using molecular beam epitaxy, we construct bilayer (BL) 1T-NbSe2 vertical structures. With high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy observations, we identify two cases of CDW twisted stacking with atomic precision. The typical twist angles are 0° and 60° between the 1st and the 2nd layer, although the top Se atomic lattices of these two layers are parallel. Compared to the single layer case, the dI/dV at BL shows an insulator-to-metal transition, with the Hubbard bands shrinking towards the Fermi level (E
F). More intriguingly, interlayer coupling states rise near E
F, which are related to the CDW twist angles. These findings give fresh insight into the engineering of 2D materials by CDW twisting and are potentially applicable for future nanoelectronic devices.
Numerical study on the plastic deformation behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy under different loading conditions
Authors: Li Yuyu , Yang Bowen , Han Tingzhuang , Chu Zhibing , Xue Chun , Yang Qianhua , Zhao Xiaodong , Gao Hong
Published: December 2021

Based on the stress characteristics of the instantaneous cross-section deformation of the wall reducing section during the cold rolling of two-roll Pilger pipes, the rectangular samples with 0° and 90° to the extrusion direction (ED) were cut from the extruded AZ31 magnesium alloy bar for 3% pre-deformation test to simulate its stress state equivalently. The sample was then cut from the pre-deformed sample by wire cutting for secondary compression, and the sample that is not pre-deformed is selected. The mechanical behavior and texture evolution of AZ31 magnesium alloy under different loading conditions were respectively studied by EBSD experiment and VPSC simulation. Results show that the true stress–strain curve and texture evolution characteristics of AZ31 magnesium alloy during the secondary compression process are in good agreement with the prediction of the VPSC model. The secondary compression behavior can be effectively explained by the relative activity of the deformation modes. The pre-deformation in the ∥ED (⊥ED) direction is conducive to the shift of the pole density of the {0001} basal surface texture to the positive and negative directions of the ED (TD). The pre-deformed sample exhibits a higher yield strength than the non-pre-deformed sample in the same loading direction. The high ductility of magnesium alloys can be achieved by activating pyramidal 〈c + a〉 slippage.
Particle dynamics in drying colloidal solution using discrete particle method
Authors: Song Ryungeun , Lee Minki , Moon Hyeokgyun , Lee Saebom , Shin Seonghun , Kim Dohyung , Kim Yoonhyun , Oh Bukuk , Lee Jinkee
Published: December 2021

We study particle dynamics in drying colloidal solutions using the numerical simulation with discrete particle method. Simulations of two different systems were conducted; the drying dynamics of monodispersed and binary mixture of colloidal solution, and compared with those from the previous studies. In the monodispersed colloidal solution, the time evolution of particle concentration profile for varying Péclet number was simulated with the same initial particle concentration. In the binary colloidal solution, when the particle size ratio

α

is 3, three different stratification modes were observed varying Péclet number and initial particle concentration. By comparison, our method was in a good agreement with the existing methods. Additionally, because of the mesh-based Eulerian approach in our model, other various multi-physical phenomena, such as effect of thermal Marangoni or chemical reaction, can be included in an easy way. From the results, we expect that this work can provide a physical insight for predicting the quality of colloidal drying in a complicated situation.
Generation of ENSEMBL-based proteogenomics databases boosts the identification of non-canonical peptides
Authors: Umer Husen M , Audain Enrique , Zhu Yafeng , Pfeuffer Julianus , Sachsenberg Timo , Lehtiö Janne , Branca Rui M , Perez-Riverol Yasset
Published: December 2021

We have implemented the pypgatk package and the pgdb workflow to create proteogenomics databases based on ENSEMBL resources. The tools allow the generation of protein sequences from novel protein-coding transcripts by performing a three-frame translation of pseudogenes, lncRNAs and other non-canonical transcripts, such as those produced by alternative splicing events. It also includes exonic out-of-frame translation from otherwise canonical protein-coding mRNAs. Moreover, the tool enables the generation of variant protein sequences from multiple sources of genomic variants including COSMIC, cBioportal, gnomAD and mutations detected from sequencing of patient samples. pypgatk and pgdb provide multiple functionalities for database handling including optimized target/decoy generation by the algorithm DecoyPyrat. Finally, we have reanalyzed six public datasets in PRIDE by generating cell-type specific databases for 65 cell lines using the pypgatk and pgdb workflow, revealing a wealth of non-canonical or cryptic peptides amounting to >5% of the total number of peptides identified.

Availability and implementation

The software is freely available. pypgatk: https://github.com/bigbio/py-pgatk/ and pgdb: https://nf-co.re/pgdb.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Diagnostic Host Gene Expression Analysis by Quantitative Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification to Discriminate between Bacterial and Viral Infections
Authors: Remmel Melissa C , Coyle Sabrina M , Eshoo Mark W , Sweeney Timothy E , Rawling David C
Published: December 2021

Background

Early and accurate diagnosis of acute infections can help minimize the overprescription of antibiotics and improve patient outcomes. Discrimination between bacterial and viral etiologies in acute infection based on changes in host gene expression has been described. Unfortunately, established technologies used for gene expression profiling are typically expensive and slow, confounding integration into clinical workflows. Here we report the development of an ultra-rapid test system for host gene expression profiling from blood based on quantitative reverse transcription followed by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (qRT-LAMP).

Methods

We developed 10 messenger ribonucleic acid-specific assays based on qRT-LAMP targeting 7 informative biomarkers to discriminate viral from bacterial infections and 3 housekeeping reference genes. We optimized qRT-LAMP formulations to achieve a turnaround time of 12 min without sacrificing specificity or precision. The accuracy of the test system was verified utilizing blood samples from 57 patients and comparing qRT-LAMP results to profiles obtained using an orthogonal reference technology.

Results

We observed a Pearson coefficient of 0.90 between bacterial/viral metascores generated by qRT-LAMP and the reference technology.

Conclusions

qRT-LAMP assays can provide sufficiently accurate gene expression profiling data to enable discrimination between bacterial and viral etiologies using an established set of biomarkers and a classification algorithm.
https://www.fungiofpakistan.com: a continuously updated online database of fungi in Pakistan
Authors: Raza Mubashar , Cai Lei , Abbasi Muhammad Waseem , Tariq Marium , Wijayawardene Nalin N
Published: December 2021

The website fungiofpakistan.com is a collection of all the available data about macro- as well as micro-fungi collected from Pakistan. This website comprises reported fungal species with isolation source or host record, locality and updated classification. The data on this website is based on old literature (library data, personal data of specific authors or books that were not easily accessible to public) and recent publications. This website is an important potential platform for researchers, government officials, industries and other users. Users can provide their inputs related to missing taxa, new genera, the new record and new data. They also have the opportunity to express their opinions on valid names, invalid names and illegitimate names, with notes published in the ‘Notes’ section of webpage provided following review and editing by curators and fungal taxonomists. This website plays a significant contribution to our knowledge of the rich fungal diversity of Pakistan. However, much more sustained and detailed research is needed to fully evaluate fungal diversity in Pakistan. Undoubtedly, that many more fungi will be discovered and added in the future.

Database URL

https://fungiofpakistan.com/
Acute Heart Failure in the 2021 ESC Heart Failure Guidelines: a scientific statement from the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care (ACVC) of the European Society of Cardiology
Authors: Masip Josep , Frank Peacok W , Arrigo Mattia , Rossello Xavier , Platz Elke , Cullen Louise , Mebazaa Alexandre , Price Susanna , Bueno Héctor , Di Somma Salvatore , Tavares Mucio , Cowie Martin R , Maisel Alan , Mueller Christian , Miró Òsar ,   the Acute Heart Failure Study Group of the Association for Acute Cardiovascular Care (ACVC) of the European Society of Cardiology
Published: December 2021

The current European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Heart Failure Guidelines are the most comprehensive ESC document covering heart failure to date; however, the section focused on acute heart failure remains relatively too concise. Although several topics are more extensively covered than in previous versions, including some specific therapies, monitoring and disposition in the hospital, and the management of cardiogenic shock, the lack of high-quality evidence in acute, emergency, and critical care scenarios, poses a challenge for providing evidence-based recommendations, in particular when by comparison the data for chronic heart failure is so extensive. The paucity of evidence and specific recommendations for the general approach and management of acute heart failure in the emergency department is particularly relevant, because this is the setting where most acute heart failure patients are initially diagnosed and stabilized. The clinical phenotypes proposed are comprehensive, clinically relevant and with minimal overlap, whilst providing additional opportunity for discussion around respiratory failure and hypoperfusion.
What is next for screening for undiagnosed atrial fibrillation? Artificial intelligence may hold the key
Authors: Nadarajah Ramesh , Wu Jianhua , Frangi Alejandro F , Hogg David , Cowan Campbell , Gale Chris P
Published: December 2021

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasingly common, though often undiagnosed, leaving many people untreated and at elevated risk of ischaemic stroke. Current European guidelines do not recommend systematic screening for AF, even though a number of studies have shown that periods of serial or continuous rhythm monitoring in older people in the general population increase detection of AF and the prescription of oral anticoagulation. This article discusses the conflicting results of two contemporary landmark trials, STROKESTOP and the LOOP, which provided the first evidence on whether screening for AF confers a benefit for people in terms of clinical outcomes. The benefit and efficiency of systematic screening for AF in the general population could be optimized by targeting screening to only those at higher risk of developing AF. For this purpose, evidence is emerging that prediction models developed using artificial intelligence in routinely collected electronic health records can provide strong discriminative performance for AF and increase detection rates when combined with rhythm monitoring in a clinical study. We consider future directions for investigation in this field and how this could be best aligned to the current evidence base to target screening in people at elevated risk of stroke.
Cost analysis of two types of fixed maxillary retainers and a removable vacuum-formed maxillary retainer: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sonesson Mikael , Naraghi Sasan , Bondemark Lars
Published: December 2021

Background

There has been an increased interest in conducting healthcare economic evaluations. Also, orthodontic treatments have gathered focus from an economic point of view, however orthodontic research seldom examines both clinical and economic outcomes.

Objective

To evaluate and compare the costs of three retention methods: a bonded retainer to the maxillary four incisors, a bonded retainer to the maxillary four incisors and canines, and a removable vacuum-formed retainer (VFR) in the maxilla. The null hypothesis was that there was no difference in costs for the three types of retention methods.

Trial design

Three-arm, parallel group, single-centre, randomized controlled trial.

Materials and methods

Ninety adolescent patients, 54 girls and 36 boys, treated with fixed or removable retainers in the maxilla, were recruited to the study. The patients were randomized in blocks of 30, by an independent person, to one of three groups: bonded multistranded PentaOne (Masel Orthodontics) retainer 13-23, bonded multistranded PentaOne (Masel Orthodontics) retainer 12-22, and removable VFR. A cost analysis was made regarding chair time costs based on the costs per hour for the specialist in orthodontics, and material costs plus any eventual costs for repairs of the appliance. Changes in Little’s irregularity index and in single contact point discrepancies (CPDs) were measured on digitalized three-dimensional study casts. Data were evaluated on an intention-to-treat basis. The analysis was performed at 2 years of retention.

Results

No statistically significant difference in costs between the maxillary fixed retainers and the VFRs was found, however, the material and emergency costs were significantly higher for the VFR compared with the bonded retainers. All three retention methods showed equally effective retention capacity, and no statistically significant differences in irregularity or CPDs of the maxillary anterior teeth in the three groups was detected.

Limitations

It was a single-centre trial, and hence less generalizable. Costs depended on local factors, and consequently, cannot be directly transferred to other settings.

Conclusions

All three retention methods can be recommended when considering costs and retention capacity.

Trial registration

NCT04616755.
Synergistic epistasis of the deleterious effects of transposable elements
Authors: Lee Yuh Chwen G
Published: December 2021

The replicative nature and generally deleterious effects of transposable elements (TEs) raise an outstanding question about how TE copy number is stably contained in host populations. Classic theoretical analyses predict that, when the decline in fitness due to each additional TE insertion is greater than linear, or when there is synergistic epistasis, selection against TEs can result in a stable equilibrium of TE copy number. While several mechanisms are predicted to yield synergistic deleterious effects of TEs, we lack empirical investigations of the presence of such epistatic interactions. Purifying selection with synergistic epistasis generates repulsion linkage between deleterious alleles. We investigated this population genetic signal in the likely ancestral Drosophila melanogaster population and found evidence supporting the presence of synergistic epistasis among TE insertions, especially TEs expected to exert large fitness impacts. Even though synergistic epistasis of TEs has been predicted to arise through ectopic recombination and TE-mediated epigenetic silencing mechanisms, we only found mixed support for the associated predictions. We observed signals of synergistic epistasis for a large number of TE families, which is consistent with the expectation that such epistatic interaction mainly happens among copies of the same family. Curiously, significant repulsion linkage was also found among TE insertions from different families, suggesting the possibility that synergism of TEs’ deleterious fitness effects could arise above the family level and through mechanisms similar to those of simple mutations. Our findings set the stage for investigating the prevalence and importance of epistatic interactions in the evolutionary dynamics of TEs.
Genomic signature of sexual reproduction in the bdelloid rotiferMacrotrachella quadricornifera
Authors: Laine Veronika N , Sackton Timothy B , Meselson Matthew
Published: December 2021

Bdelloid rotifers, common freshwater invertebrates of ancient origin and worldwide distribution have long been thought to be entirely asexual, being the principal exception to the view that in eukaryotes the loss of sex leads to early extinction. That bdelloids are facultatively sexual is shown by a study of allele sharing within a group of closely related bdelloids of the species Macrotrachella quadricornifera, supporting the view that sexual reproduction is essential for long-term success in all eukaryotes.
Scapegoats and Guinea Pigs: Free Movement as a Pathway to Confined Labour Market Citizenship for European Union Accession Migrants in the UK
Authors: Currie Samantha
Published: December 2021

Migrants in the UK from the Central and Eastern European states that acceded to the European Union in 2004 and 2007 often have close proximity to precarity. This contribution illustrates that the positioning of the migrants in the casualised labour market has not occurred by accident but has been brought about by the (disingenuous) way in which nationals of the accession states were permitted access to the UK labour market. The positioning has been further maintained through the increasingly restrictive direction of the intertwined EU-UK response to claims for support from vulnerable EU migrant citizens. This piece presents the idea of ‘confined labour market citizenship’ as a way to understand the way many migrants have experienced working and living in the UK in the years following EU enlargement. This concept, it is argued, is able to capture: the role of the UK state as it regulated post-accession migration rules and implemented laws relating to social security entitlement; the influence of the broader EU framework on free movement and citizenship of the Union; and the impact of employers ‘on the ground’ in creating and exacerbating conditions of precarity and exploitation. The analysis throughout the paper exposes how EU8 and EU2 migrants have served as scapegoats for the result of the Brexit referendum, deflecting attention from the instrumentalisation of the migration issue by politicians. They have also been guinea pigs, testing out a confined version of EU citizenship with less tolerance for those in precarious and insecure work.
Artistic Practices as a Site of Human Rights: How Performative Ethnography Can Facilitate a Deeper Contextual Understanding
Authors: Destrooper Tine , Verclyte Sofie
Published: December 2021

There has been, in the past two decades, more scholarly attention for how rights-holders understand human rights norms, and how these understandings interact with pre-existing notions of (social) justice. This attention for rights-holders’ lived experiences can be linked to the growing influence of socio-legal and legal anthropological perspectives, as well as to that of emancipatory research methods, such as participatory action research. What these perspectives and methods have in common is their interest in how people experience and express their rights in practice, and how they give meaning to them. Remarkably little attention, however, has been paid to the question of how we try to understand this process of meaning-making. The dominant modes of engagement tend to (a) emphasize the spoken or written word, and (b) presume—the possibility of—an accessible verbal narrative. The shortcomings of engaging exclusively on the basis of verbal language becomes clear when considering the lived experience of certain particularly vulnerable groups, such as displaced people who are coping with ongoing violence and trauma or who have been forced into silence for years. Not everyone can speak freely about their lived experience or can tell a coherent story about it, and adopting an—exclusively—word-driven engagement strategy may reproduce existing power relations. Based on preliminary fieldwork with refugees from Syria in the Shatila refugee camp, we argue that a performative ethnography rooted in collaborative making and artistic practice is a promising way to engage with and understand how people make sense of their lived experience, as it allows research participants to express themselves using those (skilled and artistic) practices most familiar to them. We reflect on how a practice-driven mode of engagement may shed a different light on how people make sense of questions related to justice and their rights.
Creation and Operation of a COVID-19 Pooled Testing Collection Site Prior to a CTC Rotation
Authors: Smith Savannah , Heffner Jessica , King Rachael , Guzman Haley
Published: December 2021

Introduction

This brief report describes the process, used by the 1st Infantry Division (1ID) and Irwin Army Community Hospital (IACH) at Fort Riley, Kansas, for conducting pooled testing collection of over 2,500 Soldiers prior to a large-scale exercise involving multiple units.

Materials and Methods

The authors captured after action review comments on the process and results of their pooled specimen collection site. Pooled specimen test results were reviewed and classified according to Aberdeen Proving Ground criteria to determine the percentage of successful and failed pooled specimens.

Results

1ID and IACH performed pooled testing collection and shipment of 2,684 specimens divided into 298 pools over 6 flight manifests. Of the 298 pooled specimens, 4 (1.34%) were found to be inconclusive or invalid, and the other 294 (98.7%) had sufficient number of human cells to be certified as SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) positive or COVID-19 not detected.

Conclusion

Pooled testing collection is a complex process that may continue to be a requirement for mass screening of COVID-19 prior to military operations. While planning should be tailored to the specific mission and unit, key factors that the authors feel are required for pooled testing to be successful in any situation are standardized training and personnel continuity, quality assurance, administrative oversight by the unit, and collaboration and communication between all involved entities.
Ultralarge-scale approximations and galaxy clustering: Debiasing constraints on cosmological parameters
Authors: Martinelli Matteo , Dalal Roohi , Majidi Fereshteh , Akrami Yashar , Camera Stefano , Sellentin Elena
Published: December 2021

Upcoming galaxy surveys will allow us to probe the growth of the cosmic large-scale structure with improved sensitivity compared to current missions, and will also map larger areas of the sky. This means that in addition to the increased precision in observations, future surveys will also access the ultralarge-scale regime, where commonly neglected effects such as lensing, redshift-space distortions, and relativistic corrections become important for calculating correlation functions of galaxy positions. At the same time, several approximations usually made in these calculations such as the Limber approximation break down at those scales. The need to abandon these approximations and simplifying assumptions at large scales creates severe issues for parameter estimation methods. On the one hand, exact calculations of theoretical angular power spectra become computationally expensive, and the need to perform them thousands of times to reconstruct posterior probability distributions for cosmological parameters makes the approach unfeasible. On the other hand, neglecting relativistic effects and relying on approximations may significantly bias the estimates of cosmological parameters. In this work, we quantify this bias and investigate how an incomplete modelling of various effects on ultralarge scales could lead to false detections of new physics beyond the standard ΛCDM model. Furthermore, we propose a simple debiasing method that allows us to recover true cosmologies without running the full parameter estimation pipeline with exact theoretical calculations. This method can therefore provide a fast way of obtaining accurate values of cosmological parameters and estimates of exact posterior probability distributions from ultralarge-scale observations.
Planet–planet scattering in presence of a companion star
Authors: Marzari Francesco , Nagasawa Makiko , Goździewski Krzyszof
Published: December 2021

Planet–planet (P–P) scattering is a leading dynamical mechanism invoked to explain the present orbital distribution of exoplanets. Many stars belong to binary systems; therefore, it is important to understand how this mechanism works in the presence of a companion star. We focus on systems of three planets orbiting the primary star and estimate the time-scale for instability, finding that it scales with the Keplerian period for systems that have the same ratio between inner planet and binary semimajor axes. An empirical formula is also derived from simulations to estimate how the binary eccentricity affects the extent of the stability region. The presence of the secondary star affects the P–P scattering outcomes, causing a broadening of the final distribution in semimajor axis of the inner planet as some of the orbital energy of the planets is absorbed by the companion star. Repeated approaches to the secondary star also cause a significant reduction in the frequency of surviving two-planet systems in particular for larger values of the inner planet semimajor axis. The formation of Kozai states with the companion star increases the number of planets that may be tidally circularized. To predict the possible final distribution of planets in binaries, we have performed a large number of simulations where the initial semimajor axis of the inner planets is chosen randomly. For small values of the binary semimajor axis, the higher frequency of collision alters the final planet orbital distributions that, however, beyond 50 au appear to be scalable to wider binary separations.
The terrestrial planet formation around M dwarfs: insitu, inward migration, or reversed migration
Authors: Pan Mengrui , Wang Su , Ji Jianghui
Published: December 2021

Terrestrial planets are commonly observed to orbit M dwarfs with close-in trajectories. In this work, we extensively perform N-body simulations of planetesimal accretion with three models of in situ, inward migration, and reversed migration to explore terrestrial formation in tightly compact systems of M dwarfs. In the simulations, the solid discs are assumed to be 0.01 per cent of the masses of host stars and spread from 0.01 to 0.5 au with the surface density profile scaling with r−k according to the observations. Our results show that the in-situ scenario may produce $7.77^{+3.23}_{-3.77}$ terrestrial planets with an average mass of $1.23^{+4.01}_{-0.93}\,{\rm M}_{\oplus }$ around M dwarfs. The number of planets tends to increase as the disc slope is steeper or with a larger stellar mass. Moreover, we show that $2.55^{+1.45}_{-1.55}$ planets with a mass of $3.76^{+8.77}_{-3.46} \ {\rm M}_{\oplus }$ are formed in the systems via inward migration, while $2.85^{+1.15}_{-0.85}$ planets with $3.01^{+13.77}_{-2.71} \ {\rm M}_{\oplus }$ are yielded under reversed migration. Migration scenarios can also deliver plentiful water from the exterior of the ice line to the interior due to more efficient accretion. The simulation outcomes of the reversed migration model produce the best match with observations, being suggestive of a likely mechanism for planetary formation around M dwarfs.
The spectra of IceCube neutrino (SIN) candidate sources – II. Source characterization
Authors: Padovani P , Giommi P , Falomo R , Oikonomou F , Petropoulou M , Glauch T , Resconi E , Treves A , Paiano S
Published: December 2021

Eight years after the first detection of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos by IceCube, we are still almost clueless as regards to their origin, although the case for blazars being neutrino sources is getting stronger. After the first significant association at the $3\!-\!3.5\, \sigma$ level in time and space with IceCube neutrinos, i.e. the blazar TXS 0506+056 at z = 0.3365, some of us have in fact selected a unique sample of 47 blazars, out of which ∼16 could be associated with individual neutrino track events detected by IceCube. Building upon our recent spectroscopy work on these objects, here we characterize them to determine their real nature and check if they are different from the rest of the blazar population. For the first time we also present a systematic study of the frequency of masquerading BL Lacs, i.e. flat-spectrum radio quasars with their broad lines swamped by non-thermal jet emission, in a γ-ray- and IceCube-selected sample, finding a fraction >24 per cent and possibly as high as 80 per cent. In terms of their broad-band properties, our sources appear to be indistinguishable from the rest of the blazar population. We also discuss two theoretical scenarios for neutrino emission, one in which neutrinos are produced in interactions of protons with jet photons and one in which the target photons are from the broad-line region. Both scenarios can equally account for the neutrino–blazar correlation observed by some of us. Future observations with neutrino telescopes and X-ray satellites will test them out.
Thermal conductivity measurements of macroscopic frozen salt ice analogues of Jovian icy moons in support of the planned JUICE mission
Authors: González Díaz C , Aparicio Secanellas S , Muñoz Caro G M , Anaya Velayos J J , Carrascosa H , Hernández M G , Muñoz-Iglesias V , Marcos-Fernández Á , Prieto-Ballesteros O , Lorente R , Witasse O , Altobelli N
Published: December 2021

The study of thermal properties of frozen salt solutions representative of ice layers in Jovian moons is crucial to support the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) (ESA) and Europa Clipper (NASA) missions, which will be launched in the upcoming years to make detailed observations of the giant gaseous planet Jupiter and three of its largest moons (Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto), due to the scarcity of experimental measurements. Therefore, we have conducted a set of experiments to measure and study the thermal conductivity of macroscopic frozen salt solutions of particular interest in these regions, including sodium chloride (NaCl), magnesium sulphate (MgSO4), sodium sulphate (Na2SO4), and magnesium chloride (MgCl2). Measurements were performed at atmospheric pressure and temperatures from 0 to −70 °C in a climatic chamber. Temperature and calorimetry were measured during the course of the experiments. An interesting side effect of these measurements is that they served to spot phase changes in the frozen salt solutions, even for very low salt concentrations. A small sample of the liquid salt-water solution was set aside for the calorimetry measurements. These experiments and the measurements of thermal conductivity and calorimetry will be valuable to constrain the chemical composition, physical state, and temperature of the icy crusts of Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto.
Abnormal brain activity in nonsuicidal self-injury: a coordinate-based activation likelihood meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies
Authors: Lai Mingfeng , Jiang Ping , Xu Jiajun , Luo Dan , Hao Xiaoting , Li Jing
Published: December 2021

Background

The high prevalence of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in youths demonstrates a substantial population-level burden on society. NSSI is often associated with emotional and social skill deficits. To date, several studies have aimed to identify the underlying neural mechanism of those deficits in NSSI by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). However, their conclusions display poor consistency.

Objective

We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis using activation likelihood estimation (ALE) for fMRI data based on emotional and cognitive tasks to clarify the underlying neural processing deficits of NSSI.

Methods

We searched for MRI studies of NSSI in the PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases. We identified significant foci for the included studies and conducted two ALE meta-analyses as follows: (i) activation for the NSSI contrast healthy control group and (ii) deactivation for the NSSI contrast healthy controls. Considering the diverse sex composition of study participants and possible bias from one large sample study, we conducted sensitivity analyses for the meta-analysis.

Results

Nine studies comprising 359 participants were included, and the results demonstrated substantial activation in NSSI patients compared with healthy controls in two clusters located in the right medial frontal gyrus extending to the rostral anterior cingulate and the left inferior frontal gyrus extending to the insula.

Conclusions

The results suggest that individuals with NSSI show brain activity alterations that underpin their core symptoms, including poor emotional regulation and reward processing deficits. Our findings provide new insights into the neural mechanism of NSSI, which may serve as functional biomarkers for developing effective diagnosis and therapeutic interventions for these patients.
Rickettsiae in fleas infesting domestic pets of eastern Himalayan terrains of India
Authors: Khan Siraj A , Saikia Jahnabi , Bora Trishna , Khamo Vinotsole , Rahi Manju
Published: December 2021

Background

Flea-borne rickettsioses have been limitedly explored in the Indian sub-Himalayan belt, including the North Eastern Region (NER) of India. This study investigates the presence of rickettsiae hosts and their probable pathogens in the disease-endemic hilly state of the NER of India.

Methods

Entomological surveys were carried out in disease-reporting localities in a hilly state in India. Fleas collected from domesticated animals were processed for detection of a Rickettsia-specific 17-kDa gene.

Results

Sequence analysis revealed Rickettsia felis in six flea pools (40%), Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis in two pools (13.3%) and Rickettsia asembonensis in one pool (6.6%).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest Ctenocephalides felis, Ctenocephalides canis and Pulex irritans as potential carriers of R. felis and R. felis–like organisms in India.
A Genetic Toolkit for Investigating Clavibacter Species: Markerless Deletion, Permissive Site Identification, and an Integrative Plasmid
Authors: Stevens Danielle M. , Tang Andrea , Coaker Gitta
Published: December 2021

The development of knockout mutants and expression variants are critical for understanding genotype-phenotype relationships. However, advances in these techniques in gram-positive actinobacteria have stagnated over the last decade. Actinobacteria in the Clavibacter genus are composed of diverse crop pathogens that cause a variety of wilt and cankering diseases. Here, we present a suite of tools for genetic manipulation in the tomato pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis including a markerless deletion system, an integrative plasmid, and an R package for identification of permissive sites for plasmid integration. The vector pSelAct-KO is a recombination-based, markerless knockout system that uses dual selection to engineer seamless deletions of a region of interest, providing opportunities for repeated higher-order genetic knockouts. The efficacy of pSelAct-KO was demonstrated in C. michiganensis and was confirmed using whole-genome sequencing. We developed permissR, an R package to identify permissive sites for chromosomal integration, which can be used in conjunction with pSelAct-Express, a nonreplicating integrative plasmid that enables recombination into a permissive genomic location. Expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein by pSelAct-Express was verified in two candidate permissive regions predicted by permissR in C. michiganensis. These molecular tools are essential advances for investigating gram-positive actinobacteria, particularly for important pathogens in the Clavibacter genus.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
The Addition of Hyaluronidase to Tumescent Local Anesthesia Supports Lymphological Liposculpture of Secondary Lymphedema
Authors: Cornely Manuel Eugen , Hettenhausen Christian
Published: December 2021

Proteoglycans (PG) are essential for regulating water flow in the interstitium. From stage 1 of lymphostasis, there is an accumulation of interstitial PG, which regulate the increasing fluids. As the disease progresses, more PG are formed than degraded, resulting in proliferation, and increases in circumference and volume of solid tissue. The removal of this subcutaneous tissue, which is very rigid due to cross-linked PG, is a particular challenge in lymphedema surgery. Hyaluronidase has a lytic effect on these PG structures and, after subcutaneous infiltration, reduces the viscosity of the extracellular matrix, promoting diffusion and penetration of solutions into the surrounding tissue. By using hyaluronidase in our vascular-sparing surgical protocol (lymphological liposculpture), we have not observed any lymphedema recurrences even after 15 years.
Contralateral Obturator to Femoral Nerve Branch Transfer for Multilevel Lumbosacral Plexus Avulsion Injury
Authors: Nichols D. Spencer , Chim Harvey
Published: December 2021

We report successful restoration of quadriceps function following contralateral obturator to lateral branch of the femoral nerve transfer (with intervening autograft) in two patients with multilevel lumbosacral root avulsions, resulting in severe unilateral motor and sensory deficits. Three years postoperatively, patient 1 had regained Medical Research Council grade 3 knee extension with the ability to extend against 10 pounds of resistance. At 28 months postoperatively, patient 2 had regained Medical Research Council grade 2 knee extension. Treatment options for severe lumbosacral plexus injuries with multiple root avulsions are limited. This approach offers a new option for these devastating injuries.