bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis, fate and toxicity of chiral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in wastewaters and the environment: a review
Authors: Petrie Bruce , Camacho-Muñoz Dolores
Published: August 2020

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are found in the aquatic environment globally. Such drugs including naproxen, ibuprofen and ketoprofen are chiral molecules. Enantiomers of those drugs have identical physicochemical properties but can behave and interact differently in chiral environments due to differences in their three-dimensional shape. This results in enantiospecific differences in environmental fate and toxicity, which is often overlooked. Therefore, we review the analytical methods, occurrence and fate, and toxicity of chiral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at the enantiomeric level. The advancement of enantioselective chromatography methods, particularly the use of polysaccharide-based stationary phases, has enabled trace determination of enantiomers in complex environmental matrices. Macrocosm and microcosm studies of engineered and natural environments revealed that such drugs can undergo both enantioselective degradation and chiral inversion. Enantioselectivity has been reported during wastewater treatment, in surface waters and in agricultural soils. The use of microcosms spiked with individual enantiomers over racemates is essential to evaluate these degradation and inversion fate processes. The chiral inversion process whereby one enantiomer converts into its antipode can be significant if the more toxic enantiomers are formed. Existing enantiospecific effect studies report less than an order of magnitude difference in enantiomer toxicity. However, toxicity data for enantiomers are limited and further research is needed to better appreciate the environmental risk at the enantiomeric level.
Die Ausgestaltung der Umweltrechtsbehelfe für Verbände seit der UmwRG-Novelle 2017
Authors: Guckelberger Annette
Published: August 2020

Angesichts der Ausweitung der umweltrechtsbehelfsfähigen Gegenstände sowie des partiellen
Wegfalls der materiellen Präklusion enthält die UmwRG-Novelle 2017 eine Reihe von Vorschriften
zur Eindämmung der daraus resultierenden Effekte. Deren Bedeutungsgehalt bedarf noch weiterer Konkretisierung
in der Praxis. Ferner stehen die Anerkennungsvoraussetzungen für Umweltorganisationen nicht nur im
Fokus des Bundesgesetzgebers, sondern auch des Aarhus Compliance Committee (ACC).
Das Klimaschutzgesetz des Bundes – neue Ansätze für den Naturschutz?
Authors: Albrecht Juliane
Published: August 2020

Im vorliegenden Beitrag sollen speziell die Bezüge und ggf. neue Ansätze des Klimaschutzgesetzes
für den Naturschutz herausgearbeitet und bewertet werden. Anknüpfungspunkte für den Naturschutz
bieten vor allem die Sektoren Landwirtschaft und Landnutzung. Schwerpunkte bilden dabei die Senkung des
Stickstoffeintrages, der Ausbau des Ökolandbaus, Humuserhalt und Humusaufbau im Ackerland, der Schutz
von Mooren, der Erhalt von Dauergrünland sowie die klimaangepasste Bewirtschaftung der Wälder.
Die hierzu im Klimaschutzprogramm 2030 der Bundesregierung genannten Maßnahmen werden nachfolgend erläutert
sowie im Hinblick auf ihre (rechts-) instrumentelle Umsetzung aus Naturschutzsicht bewertet.
An integral equation–based numerical method for the forced heat equation on complex domains
Authors: Fryklund Fredrik , Kropinski Mary Catherine A. , Tornberg Anna-Karin
Published: August 2020

Integral equation–based numerical methods are directly applicable to homogeneous elliptic PDEs and offer the ability to solve these with high accuracy and speed on complex domains. In this paper, such a method is extended to the heat equation with inhomogeneous source terms. First, the heat equation is discretised in time, then in each time step we solve a sequence of so-called modified Helmholtz equations with a parameter depending on the time step size. The modified Helmholtz equation is then split into two: a homogeneous part solved with a boundary integral method and a particular part, where the solution is obtained by evaluating a volume potential over the inhomogeneous source term over a simple domain. In this work, we introduce two components which are critical for the success of this approach: a method to efficiently compute a high-regularity extension of a function outside the domain where it is defined, and a special quadrature method to accurately evaluate singular and nearly singular integrals in the integral formulation of the modified Helmholtz equation for all time step sizes.
Crossed Modules of Monoids III. Simplicial Monoids of Moore Length 1
Authors: Böhm Gabriella
Published: August 2020

This is the last part of a series of three strongly related papers in which three equivalent structures are studied:

Internal categories in categories of monoids; defined in terms of pullbacks relative to a chosen class of spans

Crossed modules of monoids relative to this class of spans

Simplicial monoids of so-called Moore length 1 relative to this class of spans.

The most important examples of monoids that are covered are small categories (treated as monoids in categories of spans) and bimonoids in symmetric monoidal categories (regarded as monoids in categories of comonoids). In this third part relative simplicial monoids are analyzed. Their Moore length is introduced and the equivalence is proven between relative simplicial monoids of Moore length 1, and relative categories of monoids in Part I. This equivalence is obtained in one direction by truncating a simplicial monoid at the first two degrees; and in the other direction by taking the simplicial nerve of a relative category.
Comparing bone tissue engineering efficacy of HDPSCs, HBMSCs on 3D biomimetic ABM-P-15 scaffolds in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Mohanram Yamuna , Zhang Jingying , Tsiridis Eleftherios , Yang Xuebin B.
Published: August 2020

Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (HBMSCs) has been the gold standard for bone regeneration. However, the low proliferation rate and long doubling time limited its clinical applications. This study aims to compare the bone tissue engineering efficacy of human dental pulp stem cells (HDPSCs) with HBMSCs in 2D, and 3D anorganic bone mineral (ABM) coated with a biomimetic collagen peptide (ABM-P-15) for improving bone-forming speed and efficacy in vitro and in vivo. The multipotential of both HDPSCs and HBMSCs have been compared in vitro. The bone formation of HDPSCs on ABM-P-15 was tested using in vivo model. The osteogenic potential of the cells was confirmed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and immunohistological staining for osteogenic markers. Enhanced ALP, collagen, lipid droplet, or glycosaminoglycans production were visible in HDPSCs and HBMSCs after osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic induction. HDPSC showed stronger ALP staining compared to HBMSCs. Confocal images showed more viable HDPSCs on both ABM-P-15 and ABM scaffolds compared to HBMSCs on similar scaffolds. ABM-P-15 enhanced cell attachment/spreading/bridging formation on ABM-P-15 scaffolds and significantly increased quantitative ALP specific activities of the HDPSCs and HBMSCs. After 8 weeks in vivo implantation in diffusion chamber model, the HDPSCs on ABM-P-15 scaffolds showed extensive high organised collagenous matrix formation that was positive for COL-I and OCN compared to ABM alone. In conclusion, the HDPSCs have a higher proliferation rate and better osteogenic capacity, which indicated the potential of combining HDPSCs with ABM-P-15 scaffolds for improving bone regeneration speed and efficacy.
Parental Psychosocial Well-Being as a Predictor of the Social Competence of a Child
Authors: Panula Venla , Junttila Niina , Aromaa Minna , Rautava Päivi , Räihä Hannele
Published: August 2020

Our study examined the interrelations between the psychosocial well-being of parents at the time of pregnancy and the social competence of their three-year-old child. Whereas most previous studies have linked the psychosocial well-being of one parent to the social development of their child, newer research has highlighted the importance of examining the psychosocial well-being of both parents and its’ effects to the development of the child. This study used data from the Steps to the Healthy Development and Well-being of Children follow-up study (The STEPS Study, n = 1075) to examine the interrelations between the psychosocial well-being of both the mother and the father during the period of pregnancy and the social competence of their three-year-old child. The interrelations between the psychosocial well-being of one parent and the social competence of their child were studied with regression analyses, and family-level interrelations were modeled with a latent profile analysis of family-level psychosocial well-being. At the dyadic level, the poorer psychosocial well-being of one parent during the pregnancy period mostly predicted poorer social competence in their child. However, at the family level, these links were not statistically significant. The higher level of psychosocial well-being experienced by one parent seemed to protect the development of the social competence of their child. This study emphasizes the need to consider the psychosocial well-being of both parents as a factor that influences the social development of their child.
Algorithm for numerical solutions to the kinetic equation of a spatial population dynamics model with coalescence and repulsive jumps
Authors: Omelyan Igor , Kozitsky Yuri , Pilorz Krzysztof
Published: August 2020

An algorithm is proposed for finding numerical solutions of a kinetic equation that describes an infinite system of point particles placed in $\mathbb {R}^{d} (d \geq 1)$

ℝ

d

(
d
≥
1
)
. The particles perform random jumps with pair-wise repulsion in the course of which they can also merge. The kinetic equation is an essentially nonlinear and nonlocal integro-differential equation, which can hardly be solved analytically. The numerical algorithm which we use to solve it is based on a space-time discretization, boundary conditions, composite Simpson and trapezoidal rules, Runge-Kutta methods, and adjustable system-size schemes. We show that, for special choices of the model parameters, the solutions manifest unusual time behavior. A numerical error analysis of the obtained results is also carried out.
Alpine tundra species phenology is mostly driven by climate-related variables rather than by photoperiod
Authors: Quaglia Elena , Ravetto Enri Simone , Perotti Elisa , Probo Massimiliano , Lombardi Giampiero , Lonati Michele
Published: August 2020

The study of plant phenology has frequently been used to link phenological events to various factors, such as temperature or photoperiod. In the high-alpine environment, proper timing of the phenological cycle has always been crucial to overcome harsh conditions and potential extreme events (i.e. spring frosts) but little is known about the response dynamics of the vegetation, which could shape the alpine landscape in a future of changing climate. Alpine tundra vegetation is composed by an array of species belonging to different phytosociological optima and with various survival strategies, and snowbed communities are a relevant expression of such an extreme-climate adapted flora. We set eight permanent plots with each one in a snowbed located on the Cimalegna plateau in Northwestern Italy and then we selected 10 most recurring species among our plots, all typical of the alpine tundra environment and classified in 3 different pools: snowbed specialists, grassland species and rocky debris species. For 3 years we registered the phenophases of each species during the whole growing season using an adaptation of the BBCH scale. We later focused on the three most biologically relevant phenophases, i.e., flower buds visible, full flowering, and beginning of seed dispersion. Three important season-related variables were chosen to investigate their relationship with the phenological cycle of the studied species: (i) the Day Of Year (DOY), the progressive number of days starting from the 1st of January, used as a proxy of photoperiod, (ii) Days From Snow Melt (DFSM), selected to include the relevance of the snow dynamics, and (iii) Growing Degree Days (GDD), computed as a thermal sum. Our analysis highlighted that phenological development correlated better with DFSM and GDD than with DOY. Indeed, models showed that DOY was always a worse predictor since it failed to overcome interannual variations, while DFSM and marginally GDD were better suited to predict the phenological development of most of the species, despite differences in temperature and snowmelt date among the three years. Even if the response pattern to the three variables was mainly consistent for all the species, the timing of their phenological response was different. Indeed, species such as Salix herbacea and Ranunculus glacialis were always earlier in the achievement of the phenophases, while Agrostis rupestris and Euphrasia minima developed later and the remaining species showed an intermediate behavior. However, we did not detect significant differences among the three functional pools of species.
Male Sexual Trait Decay in Two Asexual Springtail Populations Follows Neutral Mutation Accumulation Theory
Authors: Kampfraath Andries Augustus , Dudink Tjeerd Pieter , Kraaijeveld Ken , Ellers Jacintha , Zizzari Zaira Valentina
Published: August 2020

The transition to asexual reproduction is frequent and widespread across the tree of life and constitutes a major life history change. Without sexual reproduction, selection on sexually selected traits is expected to be weaker or absent, allowing the decay and ultimately loss of sexual traits. In this study, we applied an experimental approach to investigate the decay of reproductive traits under asexuality in two asexual populations of the springtailFolsomia candida. Specifically, we compared several key male sexual traits of a sexual population and two distinct parthenogenetic lines. To allow direct comparisons between sexual and asexual individuals we first determined a suite of life history characteristics in the sexualF. candidapopulation, which performs an indirect transfer of sperm packages (spermatophores).To investigate the decay of male sexual traits under asexuality we measured the size of spermatophores, quantified the amount of sperm DNA material, and tested spermatophore attractiveness to females in all three populations. The amount of sperm DNA material in the sperm droplets and the attractiveness of spermatophores were lower in the asexual lines compared to the sexual population. However, the two asexual lines differed in the extent of decay of these traits. Our results are consistent with predictions from neutral mutation accumulation theory, and thus suggest this to be the main evolutionary process underlying the decay of male traits inF. candida.
The impact of scars on health-related quality of life after breast surgery: a qualitative exploration
Authors: Everaars Kristel E. , Welbie Marlies , Hummelink Stefan , Tjin Esther P. M. , de Laat Erik H. , Ulrich Dietmar J. O.
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to explore women’s experiences after breast surgery with scar characteristics and symptoms, and its impact on their health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Material and methods

A qualitative study using semi-structured face-to-face interviews was conducted among women following prophylactic, oncologic, or reconstructive breast surgery in the Netherlands. A directed content analysis was performed using guiding themes. Themes were “physical and sensory symptoms,” “impact of scar symptoms,” “personal factors,” “impact of scar interventions,” and “change over time.”

Results

The study population consisted of 26 women after breast surgery. Women experienced a wide range of symptoms like adherence, stiffness, pain, and uncomfortable sensations. Scar characteristics as visibility, location, texture, and size, influenced satisfaction with their appearance. The impact of scar symptoms is reflected in physical, social, emotional, and cognitive functioning, thereby affecting HRQOL. The experienced impact on HRQOL depended on several factors, like personal factors as the degree of acceptance and environmental factors like social support.

Conclusion

Women can experience a diversity of scar characteristics and symptoms, which play a central role in the perceived impact on HRQOL. Since scarring can have a considerable impact on HRQOL, scarring after prophylactic, oncologic and reconstructive breast surgery should be given more attention in clinical practice and research.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Considering scarring as a common late effect after breast surgery and understanding the variety of experiences, which could impact HRQOL of women, can be beneficial in sufficient information provision, expectation management, and informed decision making.
Modulating the extension of thyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma pre-operatively eligible for lobectomy: reliability of ipsilateral central neck dissection
Authors: Raffaelli M. , De Crea C. , Sessa L. , Tempera S. E. , Fadda G. , Pontecorvi A. , Bellantone R.
Published: August 2020

Purpose

Pre-operative work-up and macroscopic intraoperative inspection could overlook occult central neck nodal metastases in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). An occult N1a status is able to change the initial risk stratification in small, clinically unifocal PTC potentially scheduled for thyroid lobectomy (TL) making total thyroidectomy (TT) the preferable option. We aimed to verified the reliability of an intraoperative management protocol based on frozen section examination (FSE) of ipsilateral central neck nodes (IpsiCND) to identify, among patients scheduled for TL, those who could benefit of a more extensive surgical resection (TT plus bilateral central neck dissection -CND-).

Methods

Thirty PTC patients preoperatively classified as T1N0 underwent TL plus IpsiCND-FSE (TL-group). In case of positive FSE, TT plus bilateral CND was accomplished during the same surgical procedure. A comparative analysis was performed between TL-group and a control group (C-group), who underwent TT plus IpsiCND-FSE, matched by a propensity score analysis.

Results

Nodal metastases (>2 mm) were found at final histology in 5/30 patients in the TL-group and in 6/30 in the C-group (p = 1.00). Micrometastases (≤2 mm) were retrieved in 5/30 TL-group patients and in 4/30 C-group patients (p = 1.00). Final histology staged as pN1a 10 (33.3%) patients for each group. FSE correctly identified five patients with occult nodal metastases >2 mm (16.6%) in TL-group, who underwent TT plus bilateral CND during the same surgical procedure. No permanent complications occurred. At a mean follow-up of 22.2 months, no local and/or nodal recurrence were observed.

Conclusions

Intraoperative assessment of N status obtained with IpsiCND plus FSE allows for an accurate risk stratification. IpsiCND plus FSE real time modulated thyroidectomy seems a safe and effective surgical strategy reducing the need of a subsequent completion surgery and, theoretically, the risk of local recurrence.
Apparent mineralocorticoid excess caused by novel compound heterozygous mutations in HSD11B2 and characterized by early-onset hypertension and hypokalemia
Authors: Fan Peng , Lu Yi-Ting , Yang Kun-Qi , Zhang Di , Liu Xue-Ying , Tian Tao , Luo Fang , Wang Lin-Ping , Ma Wen-Jun , Liu Ya-Xin , Zhang Hui-Min , Song Lei , Cai Jun , Lou Ying , Zhou Xian-Liang
Published: August 2020

Purpose

Apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) is an ultrarare autosomal recessive disorder resulting from deficiency of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11βHSD2) caused by mutations in HSD11B2. The purpose of this study was to identify novel compound heterozygous HSD11B2 mutations in a Chinese pedigree with AME and conduct a systematic review evaluating the AME clinical features associated with HSD11B2 mutations.

Methods

Next-generation sequencing was performed in the proband, and Sanger sequencing was used to identify candidate variants in family members, 100 hypertensives, and 100 healthy controls. A predicted structure of 11βHSD2 was constructed by in silico modeling. A systematic review was used to identify cases of HSD11B2-related AME. Data for genotyping and clinical characterizations and complications were extracted.

Results

Next-generation sequencing showed novel compound heterozygous mutations (c.343_348del and c.1099_1101del) in the proband with early-onset hypertension and hypokalemia. Sanger sequencing verified the monoallelic form of the same mutations in five other relatives but not in 100 hypertensives or 100 healthy subjects. In silico structural modeling showed that compound mutations may simultaneously perturb the substrate and coenzyme binding pocket. A systematic review of 101 AME patients with 54 HSD11B2 mutations revealed early-onset hypertension, hypokalemia and homozygous mutations as common features. The homozygous HSD11B2 mutations correlated with low birth weight (r = 0.285, P = 0.02).

Conclusions

We report novel compound heterozygous HSD11B2 mutations in a Chinese teenager with early-onset hypertension, and enriched genotypic and phenotypic spectrums in AME. Genetic testing helps early diagnosis and treatment for AME patients, which may avoid target organ damage.
Axonal Protection by Nicotinamide Riboside via SIRT1-Autophagy Pathway in TNF-Induced Optic Nerve Degeneration
Authors: Kitaoka Yasushi , Sase Kana , Tsukahara Chihiro , Fujita Naoki , Arizono Ibuki , Takagi Hitoshi
Published: August 2020

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) synthesis pathway has been involved in many biological functions. Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is widely used as an NAD+ precursor and known to increase NAD+ level in several tissues. The present study aimed to examine the effect of NR on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced optic nerve degeneration and to investigate whether it alters SIRT1 expression and autophagic status in optic nerve. We also examined the localization of nicotinamide riboside kinase 1 (NRK1), which is a downstream enzyme for NR biosynthesis pathway in retina and optic nerve. Intravitreal injection of TNF or TNF plus NR was performed on rats. The p62 and LC3-II protein levels were examined to evaluate autophagic flux in optic nerve. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to localize NRK1 expression. Morphometric analysis showed substantial axonal protection by NR against TNF-induced axon loss. TNF-induced increment of p62 protein level was significantly inhibited by NR administration. NR administration alone significantly increased the LC3-II levels and reduced p62 levels compared with the basal levels, and upregulated SIRT1 levels in optic nerve. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that NRK1 exists in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and nerve fibers in retina and optic nerve. NR administration apparently upregulated NRK1 levels in the TNF-treated eyes as well as the control eyes. Pre-injection of an SIRT1 inhibitor resulted in a significant increase of p62 levels in the NR plus TNF treatment group, implicating that SIRT1 regulates autophagy status. In conclusion, NRK1 exists in RGCs and optic nerve axons. NR exerted protection against axon loss induced by TNF with possible involvement of upregulated NRK1 and SIRT1-autophagy pathway.
The scleractinian Agaricia undata as a new host for the coral-gall crab Opecarcinus hypostegus at Bonaire, southern Caribbean
Authors: García-Hernández Jaaziel E. , de Gier Werner , van Moorsel Godfried W. N. M. , Hoeksema Bert W.
Published: August 2020

The Caribbean scleractinian reef coral Agaricia undata (Agariciidae) is recorded for the first time as a host of the coral-gall crab Opecarcinus hypostegus (Cryptochiridae). The identity of the crab was confirmed with the help of DNA barcoding. The association has been documented with photographs taken in situ at 25 m depth and in the laboratory. The predominantly mesophotic depth range of the host species suggests this association to be present also at greater depths. With this record, all seven Agaricia species are now listed as gall-crab hosts, together with the agariciid Helioseris cucullata. Within the phylogeny of Agariciidae, Helioseris is not closely related to Agaricia. Therefore, the association between Caribbean agariciids and their gall-crab symbionts may either have originated early in their shared evolutionary history or later as a result of host range expansion. New information on coral-associated fauna, such as what is presented here, leads to a better insight on the diversity, evolution, and ecology of coral reef biota, particularly in the Caribbean, where cryptochirids have rarely been studied.
Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus through genomics approach
Authors: Naorem Romen Singh , Urban Peter , Goswami Gunajit , Fekete Csaba
Published: August 2020

In the present study, a total of 35 S. aureus isolates collected from two different geographical locations viz., Germany and Hungary were tested for their methicillin-resistant phenotype which revealed a high incidence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus. The quantitative test for biofilm production revealed that 73.3% of isolates were biofilm producers. The isolates were further characterized using a set of biochemical and genotypic methods such as amplification and analysis of S. aureus species-specific sequence and mecA gene. The 33 mecA positive isolates were then characterized by the amplification of SCCmec and pvl toxin genes. Further, based on the biofilm-forming phenotype, 15 isolates were selected and characterized through PCR–RFLP of coa gene, polymorphism of spa gene and amplification of biofilm-associated genes. The dendrogram prepared from the results of both biochemical and genotypic analyses of the 15 isolates showed that except for the isolates SA G5 and SA H29, the rest of the isolates grouped themselves according to their locations. Thus, the two isolates were selected for further characterization through whole-genome sequencing. Comparative genome analysis revealed that SA G5 and SA H29 have 97.20% ANI values with 2344 gene clusters (core-genome) of which 16 genes were related to antibiotic resistance genes and 57 genes encode virulence factors. The highest numbers of singleton genes were found in SA H29 that encodes proteins for virulence, resistance, mobile elements, and lanthionine biosynthesis. The high-resolution phylogenetic trees generated based on shared proteins and SNPs revealed a clear difference between the two strains and can be useful in distinguishing closely related genomes. The present study demonstrated that the whole-genome sequence analysis technique is required to get a better insight into the MRSA strains which would be helpful in improving diagnostic investigations in real-time to improve patient care.
The Role of Tricellular Junctions in the Transport of Macromolecules Across Endothelium
Authors: Ghim Mean , Mohamied Yumnah , Weinberg Peter D.
Published: August 2020

Purpose

Transport of water and solutes across vascular endothelium is important in normal physiology and critical in the development of various diseases, including atherosclerosis. However, there is debate about the routes for such transport. We recently showed that an albumin-sized tracer crossed endothelium at bicellular and tricellular junctions, a tracer having the size of high density lipoprotein crossed only through tricellular junctions, and a tracer with the size of low density lipoprotein was unable to cross by either route and instead traversed the cells themselves. Here we review previous work on the structure and function of tricellular junctions. We then describe a study in which we assessed the role of such junctions in the transport of an albumin-sized tracer.

Methods

We examined normal endothelial monolayers, the effect of agonists that modify their permeability, and the influence of different patterns of shear stress.

Results

Under normal conditions, approximately 85% of transendothelial transport occurred through tricellular junctions. This fraction was unchanged when permeability was reduced by sphingosine-1-phosphate or increased by thrombin, and also did not differ between endothelium exposed to multidirectional as opposed to uniaxial shear stress despite a > 50% difference in permeability.

Conclusion

These data show that tricellular junctions dominate normal transport of this tracer and largely determine influences of agonists and shear. The effects were attributable to changes in both the number and conductivity of the junctions. Further investigation of these structures will lead to increased understanding of endothelial barrier function and may suggest new therapeutic strategies in disease.
First Trimester Ultrasound Evaluation of the Cleft Palate: Midsagittal, Axial or Coronal View-Which View is Best?
Authors: Lakshmy Selvaraj Ravi , Rose Nity , Masilamani Praveenkumar , Umapathy Shobana , Ziyaulla Thasleem
Published: August 2020

Objective First trimester evaluation of the palate is now gaining importance and the “maxillary gap sign” described in the midsagittal view and the retronasal triangle serves as a potential marker for detection of cleft palate (CP). The objective is to describe an ultrasound technique for evaluation of the palate in the axial view and to assess the utility of this view in assessing palatine clefts.

Materials and methods The anatomical landmarks in sagittal, coronal and in axial view were evaluated in 17 cases of palatine clefts with known postnatal outcomes. Along with the midsagittal and coronal view, the alveolar ridge of the maxilla and the echogenic secondary palate was examined in the transverse view of the base of the skull at the level of the pharynx.

Results Visualisation of the bony landmarks of the palate in all three planes was possible in all cases. Of the 17 cases, there were 7 unilateral Cleft Lips Palate (CLP), 5 bilateral CLP, 2 median CLP, 2 isolated CP and 1 atypical cleft. 2 cases of bilateral CLP showed no demonstrable maxillary gap in the midsagittal view (the vomer can often mimic the maxillary line). 2 cases showed a normal retronasal triangle (RNT) when the cleft was confined to the premaxilla alone. However, the axial view showed abnormal appearance in all 17 cases.

Conclusion A combination of all three planes can be used as an effective screening tool but the axial view has more potential for detection of CP in first trimester. However, large scale prospective studies are needed to confirm this observation.
Cluster modeling of the short-range correlation of acoustically emitted scattering signals
Authors: Xue Dongjie , Lu Lele , Zhou Jie , Lu Lan , Liu Yintong
Published: August 2020

As a widely used measurement technique in rock mechanics, spatial correlation modeling of acoustic emission (AE) scattering signals is attracting increasing focus for describing mechanical behavior quantitatively. Unlike the statistical description of the spatial distribution of randomly generated AE signals, spatial correlation modeling is based mainly on short-range correlation considering the interrelationship of adjacent signals. As a new idea from percolation models, the covering strategy is used to build the most representative cube cluster, which corresponds to the critical scale at peak stress. Its modeling process of critical cube cluster depends strongly on the full connection of the main fracture network, and the corresponding cube for coverage is termed the critical cube. The criticality pertains to not only the transition of local-to-whole connection of the fracture network but also the increasing-to-decreasing transition of the deviatoric stress with an obvious stress drop in the brittle failure of granite. Determining a reasonable critical cube guarantees the best observation scale for investigating the failure process. Besides, the topological connection induces the geometric criticality of three descriptors, namely anisotropy, pore fraction, and specific surface area, which are evaluated separately and effectively. The results show that cluster modeling based on the critical cube is effective and has criticality in both topology and geometry, as well as the triaxial behavior. Furthermore, the critical cube length presents a high confidence probability of being correlated to the mineral particle size. Besides, its pore fraction of cube cluster is influenced strongly by the critical cube length and confining pressure.
Detecting multi-timescale consumption patterns from receipt data: a non-negative tensor factorization approach
Authors: Matsui Akira , Kobayashi Teruyoshi , Moriwaki Daisuke , Ferrara Emilio
Published: August 2020

Understanding consumer behavior is an important task, not only for developing marketing strategies but also for the management of economic policies. Detecting consumption patterns, however, is a high-dimensional problem in which various factors that would affect consumers’ behavior need to be considered, such as consumers’ demographics, circadian rhythm, seasonal cycles, etc. Here, we develop a method to extract multi-timescale expenditure patterns of consumers from a large dataset of scanned receipts. We use a non-negative tensor factorization (NTF) to detect intra- and inter-week consumption patterns at one time. The proposed method allows us to characterize consumers based on their consumption patterns that are correlated over different timescales.
Effects of prophylactic atropine in prevention of spinal anesthesia induced hypotension and bradycardia in geriatrics undergoing urological surgeries at a resource limited setting in central Ethiopia, 2018; prospective cohort study
Authors: Gelaw Moges , Haddis Lidya , Abrar Meron , Aregawi Adugna , Melese Eyayalem
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACT

Background:

Spinal anesthesia induced hypotension and bradycardia are common and hazardous in elderly patients. Many techniques are being tried to prevent and treat these problems even if there is a controversy. The effects of prophylactic atropine on prevention of spinal anesthesia induced hypotension and bradycardia in geriatrics for urologic surgeries are not well-established.

Objective:

To assess the effects of prophylactic atropine in prevention of spinal anesthesia induced hypotension and bradycardia in geriatrics undergoing urological surgeries at a resource limited setting in Central Ethiopia from December 1, 2017 to February 28, 2018 G C.

Methods:

This is a prospective cohort study that recruits 76 patients who underwent elective urological surgeries. Independent t-test and Manny Whitney tests were used for numeric data while Chi-Square or Fisher exact test was used for categorical variables. P-values < 0.05 were considered as statistically significant.

Results:

There was no significant difference in baseline heart rate, mean arterial pressure, type & duration of surgery and total fluid administrations. There was a statistically significant difference in mean heart rate and mean arterial pressure at different times of measurement between the exposed and un-exposed groups. Total 1 h vasopressor consumption was minimal in the exposed group (P = 0.038).

Conclusion:

Prophylactic atropine with in 1 min of induction of spinal anesthesia in elderly patients undergoing urological surgery might reduce the incidence of hypotension and bradycardia.

Highlights:
A new species of the gopherGregorymys(Rodentia, Geomyidae) from the early Oligocene (Arikareean 1) of southern Mexico
Authors: Ortiz-Caballero Elizabeth , Jiménez-Hidalgo Eduardo , Bravo-Cuevas Victor M.
Published: August 2020

A new species of gopher,Gregorymys mixtecorumn. sp., is described from the Arikareean 1 (early Oligocene) of Oaxaca, southern Mexico. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that it is the sister species ofG.veloxikua, which was also recently described from southern Mexico. Both species were collected from sediments of the Chilapa Formation that crop out in northwestern Oaxaca.Gregorymys mixtecorumn. sp. andG.veloxikuashow differences in size and proportions that possibly reduced competition for resources, exploiting different microhabitats. Both Mexican species represent the oldest and the most southern records ofGregorymysin North America. The Mexican record ofGregorymyssuggests that at least some entoptychine rodents diversified in southern Mexico or Central America, and that Geomyidae has had a wide geographic distribution in North America since the early Oligocene.

UUID:http://zoobank.org/0f4ad549-2f59-442b-87fa-5c9be0573ea4
Low(er) frequency follow-up of 28 candidate, large-scale synchrotron sources
Authors: Hodgson Torrance , Johnston-Hollitt Melanie , McKinley Benjamin , Vernstrom Tessa , Vacca Valentina
Published: August 2020

We follow up on a report by Vacca et al. (2018) of 28 candidate large-scale diffuse synchrotron sources in an 8°× 8°area of the sky (centred at RA 5h0m0s; Dec 5°48ʹ00ʹʹ). These sources were originally observed at 1.4 GHz using a combination of the single-dish Sardinia Radio Telescope and archival NRAO VLA Sky Survey data. They are in an area with nine massive galaxy clusters at$z \approx 0.1$and are candidates for the first detection of filaments of the synchrotron cosmic web. We attempt to verify these candidate sources with lower frequency observations at 154 MHz with the Murchison Widefield Array and at 887 MHz with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). We use a novel technique to calculate the surface brightness sensitivity of these instruments to show that our lower frequency observations, and in particular those by ASKAP, are ideally suited to detect large-scale, extended synchrotron emission. Nonetheless, we are forced to conclude that none of these sources are likely to be synchrotron in origin or associated with the cosmic web.
1H NMR metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses reveal urinary metabolites as biomarker candidates in response to protein undernutrition in adult rats
Authors: Komatsu Yosuke , Wada Yasuaki , Izumi Hirohisa , Shimizu Takashi , Takeda Yasuhiro , Aizawa Tomoyasu
Published: August 2020

Protein undernutrition contributes to the development of various diseases in broad generations. Urinary metabolites may serve as non-invasive biomarkers of protein undernutrition; however, this requires further investigation. We aimed to identify novel urinary metabolites as biomarker candidates responsive to protein undernutrition. Adult rats were fed control (CT; 14 % casein) or isoenergetic low-protein (LP; 5 % casein) diets for 4 weeks.1H NMR metabolomics was applied to urine, plasma and liver samples to identify metabolites responsive to protein undernutrition. Liver samples were subjected to mRNA microarray and quantitative PCR analyses to elucidate the mechanisms causing fluctuations in identified metabolites. Urinary taurine levels were significantly lower in the LP group than in the CT group at week 1 and remained constant until week 4. Hepatic taurine level and gene expression level of cysteine dioxygenase type 1 were also significantly lower in the LP group than in the CT group. Urinary trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels were significantly higher in the LP group than in the CT group at week 2 and remained constant until week 4. Hepatic TMAO level and gene expression levels of flavin-containing mono-oxygenase 1 and 5 were also significantly higher in the LP group than in the CT group. In conclusion, urinary taurine and TMAO levels substantially responded to protein undernutrition. Furthermore, changes in hepatic levels of these metabolites and gene expressions associated with their metabolic pathways were also reflected in their fluctuating urinary levels. Thus, taurine and TMAO could act as non-invasive urinary biomarker candidates to detect protein undernutrition.
Nutritional status of micronutrients as a possible and modifiable risk factor for COVID-19: a UK perspective
Authors: Richardson David P. , Lovegrove Julie A.
Published: August 2020

Recent scientific evidence has indicated that the elderly have increased risk of COVID-19 infections, with over 70s and 80s being hardest hit – especially residents of care homes and in clinical settings, ethnic minorities, people who work indoors and those who are overweight and obese. Other potential risk factors include lack of exposure to sunlight, darker skin pigmentation, co-morbidities, poor diet, certain medications, disadvantaged social and economic status, and lifestyle factors such as smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol. A key question is to understand how and why certain groups of people are more susceptible to COVID-19, whether they have weakened immune systems and what the roles of good nutrition and specific micronutrients are in supporting immune functions. A varied and balanced diet with an abundance of fruits and vegetables and the essential nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin A, B vitamins (folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12), vitamin C and the minerals, Fe, Cu, Se and Zn are all known to contribute to the normal functions of the immune system. Avoidance of deficiencies and identification of suboptimal intakes of these micronutrients in targeted groups of patients and in distinct and highly sensitive populations could help to strengthen the resilience of people to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to highlight evidence-based public health messages, to prevent false and misleading claims about the benefits of foods and food supplements and to communicate clearly that the extent of knowledge between micronutrients and COVID-19 infection is still being explored and that no diet will prevent or cure COVID-19 infection. Frequent handwashing and social distancing will be critical to reduce transmission.
“He Was Shot because America Will Not Give Up on Racism”: Martin Luther King Jr. and the African American Civil Rights Movement in British Schools
Authors: HUNT MEGAN , HOUSTON BENJAMIN , WARD BRIAN , MEGORAN NICK
Published: August 2020

This article examines how Martin Luther King Jr. and the movement with which he is often synonymous are taught in UK schools, as well as the consequences of that teaching for twenty-first-century understandings of Britain's racial past and present. The UK's King-centric approach to teaching the civil rights movement has much in common with that in the US, including an inattention to its transnational coordinates. However, these shared (mis)representations have different histories, are deployed to different ends, and have different consequences. In the UK, study of the African American freedom struggle often happens in the absence of, and almost as a surrogate for, engagement with the histories of Britain's own racial minorities and imperial past. In short, emphasis on the apparent singularity of US race relations and the achievements of the mid-twentieth-century African American freedom struggle facilitates cultural amnesia regarding the historic and continuing significance of race and racism in the UK. In light of the Windrush scandal and the damning 2018 Royal Historical Society report on “Race, Ethnicity and Equality in UK History,” this article argues both for better, more nuanced and more relevant teaching of King and the freedom struggle in British schools, and for much greater attention to black British history in its own right.
Creating a Theology of Icons in Umayyad Palestine: John of Damascus’ ‘Three Treatises on the Divine Images’
Authors: CHRYSOSTOMIDES ANNA
Published: August 2020

John of Damascus (c. 655–745) is a striking figure in church history as a defender of icon veneration and as a Church Father who maintained Byzantine Orthodoxy despite living under Muslim rule. His life amongst Muslims and his association with the Umayyad Melkite Christian community, the Christian Church which attempted to maintain an adherence to Byzantine Orthodoxy after the Arab conquest, is often associated with his defence of icons. However, most scholarship claims that his Three treatises on the divine images were written solely against Byzantine iconoclasm. This article provides a close reading of his Treatises focusing on themes which overlap with contemporary Jewish and Muslim debates on figurative images, arguing that John wrote his Treatises in an attempt to create a seminal Melkite theology on icons for both Byzantine and Umayyad Christians faced with iconoclastic arguments from all three Abrahamic faiths.
Artificial Haemonchus contortus infection as a strategy to induce protective immune response to natural infection in Pelibuey lambs
Authors: Cruz-Tamayo A. , González-Garduño R. , Torres-Hernández G. , Becerril-Pérez C. , Hernández-Mendo O. , Ramírez-Bribiesca E. , López-Arellano M.E. , Vargas-Magaña J. , Hernández-Rueda E.
Published: August 2020

The objective of this study was to evaluate the reduction in nematode faecal egg count (FEC) in Pelibuey lambs segregated as resistant (RES), susceptible (SUS) and intermediate (INT) to gastrointestinal nematodes. Twenty-nine weaned Pelibuey lambs, aged five months old, free of nematode infection, were used. Nine lambs were RES, six were SUS and 14 were INT lambs. The study consisted of two phases: in Phase 1 the lambs were infected experimentally with Haemonchus contortus. In Phase 2, the lambs were naturally infected by grazing. Faecal and blood samples were taken every week. The packed cell volume and total protein were quantified. The FEC value (FECmax) per lamb was recorded together with a natural reduction in FEC in the two phases. The data were analysed with a model of measures repeated over time. During Phase 1, the RES lambs showed the lowest FEC (1061 ± 1053) compared to the other groups (INT: 2385 ± 1794 eggs per gram of faeces (EPG); and SUS: 3958 ± 3037 EPG). However, in Phase 2 no significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed between the groups of lambs (RES: 275 ± 498 EPG; SUS: 504 ± 1036 EPG; and INT: 603 ± 1061 EPG). At the end of Phase 1, the FEC of RES lambs was naturally reduced by 75.5% in respect to FECmax (p < 0.05), and at the end of Phase 2 the reduction in FEC was 90% in respect to FECmax (p > 0.05); the same behaviour was observed in RES and SUS lambs. It is concluded that the artificial infection in the lambs induced a more rapid immune response in RES than SUS lambs, and all lambs developed high acquired resistance by continuous infection.
Sociolinguistic patterns and names: A variationist study of changes in personal names among Indian South Africans
Authors: Mesthrie Rajend
Published: August 2020

This article unlocks the complex indexicalities pertaining to names in a multilayered diasporic field, one in which descendants from different ancestral areas of a former homeland (India) have merged loosely into a new community (in South Africa). The focus falls on large-scale innovations in officially registered personal names over a period of 150 years. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative analysis of over 2,300 names shows the influence of social variables like religion, class, and subethnic affiliations via different ancestral languages. These result in different choices in retaining traditional names, modernising them, or adopting Western ones. There is also evidence of asymmetric accommodations as names flow from one subgroup to another, but not vice versa. A novel pattern in Indo-Dravidian studies is presented, that harnesses rhyme (or consonant mutation) and ablaut (or vowel mutation) to generate new names, carrying the indexicalities ‘Indian South African’, but also ‘modern’ and ‘globally oriented’. (Socio-onomastics, name changes, Indian South Africans, Indian languages, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, asymmetric accommodations)*